by Rick Scott
Summons: Great Herd Stampede
Uses: Once per day
Lakota draws strength from her herd and is never far from reaching them.
This could be crazy stupid, but I’m center stage now and got no way to back out. How do you even aim this thing? I stand and then press the horn to my lips. My teammates tense.
“Get ready to run to the sides you guys,” I say in party chat.
I blow and a low, awful sounding note emerges.
But nothing else happens.
Oh crap….
Braxus lets out a bemused scoff. “Was that it?”
“Just warming up,” I say.
Come on, work you stupid thing! I blow again, but harder this time. The note sounds again but this time accompanied by a glowing of the horn.
Reece uses Lakota’s Horn!
Reece has summoned Great Stampede!
The ground trembles. This is it! But my heart jumps with anxiety when I think about what’s soon to occur. I wanted a distraction, but I’m not trying to get anyone killed. Especially not Diana or Aiko. I’ve got to warn them.
“Everyone move!”
A split second later the door and wall explodes behind us in a shower of brick and mortar as a herd of eight-foot-tall buffalo come charging into the room. Deep bellows and the thunder of hooves fill the air with a tremendous din. I barely have time to grab a hold of Gilly and fling us both against the wall as the freight train of hulking animals crash into the dining table.
The thing gets flung into the air, and Braxus, stuck at its head, screams like a child.
Aiko, alerted by my call, transforms from plaything to deadly assassin again, her violet eyes sharpening. In one fluid motion, she slides off Braxus’ lap, grabbing him in the process, but the stampede swarms over the top of them and I lose sight of the pair in the wave of charging buffalo.
No! Aiko…!
The animals go crashing through the picture windows at the back of the room, taking out the entire wall in the process and go plummeting over the two story drop to the palace grounds below. I’m not sure if these buffalo are alive or not, but the wailing cries they make upon impact is horrendous. The surge of bleating animals continues for a few more seconds, the noise scrambling my brain. I press into Gilly, forcing us against the wall and cry out as a stray horn scrapes across my back.
You take -114 damage!
And then in an instant, the river of buffalo comes to an end and the last few disappear over the edge of the room, falling to the ground below. My ears are still ringing and I feel dizzy. The room looks like a tornado hit it. Only splinters, broken glass and lobster shells remain of the once sumptuous banquet. I immediately check the HP bars on the party list and my heart jumps when I see Maxis and Val Helena in the red.
Less than 15%! Holy crap. They nearly died!
But Rembrandt is still in the green, tucked away in the far corner behind me.
I look for the fat dude Xavier next. I almost expect him to be a smear on the floor, but instead I see he somehow managed to press himself against the leeward side of a decorative pillar built into the wall. Our eyes meet and I prepare to rush him with a Charge Strike, but he raises his hand and yells, “Stop!”
I freeze midstep. No! It feels like I’m back in my hab again and in need of Mutt and Jeff. So close!
To my right I catch a glimpse of Rembrandt who amazingly covered nearly half the room in an effort to reach Xavier, before the fat man put on the brakes. Groans come from both Val Helena and Maxis as they vainly try to peel themselves off the floor.
“You miserable wretches,” Xavier says, stepping from his hidey hole, now confident that his safeguards were in place. “You come to our world and do nothing but destroy. Would that the goddess be done with your kind for good.”
“Lord Xavier,” I hear Lady Diana say from somewhere to my left. “I’ll see to these oathbreakers.”
When she comes into view, her cop eyes narrow at me again. She then turns her head to her two subordinates who are both at half health. “Zeigfried, Thomas, get to the grounds below and search for the king. I sense his life force still, but it is weak.”
I don’t know whether to feel relieved or chagrinned by the news. Part of me would like nothing more than to be done with King Braxus for good, but as much as he disgusts me, I’m not sure if I could handle the death of another human being on my conscience.
Thomas and Ziegfried heed their commander’s words and stumble past me and out the huge opening where the door once was. I vaguely wonder if those buffalo were actually real ones teleported here or just some form of illusion. Although illusion was perhaps the wrong word looking at the destruction caused by the stampede, special effect was more like it.
Diana says to Xavier, “What do you wish be done with them, my lord?”
“Take them to the garrison. I’ll suggest immediate execution for the lot.” He eyes us with venom. “After this, I have no doubt the king will heed my recommendation this time and not bother with those silly coliseum games. Shard Warriors are dangerous.”
My heart lurches into my throat.
“I’ll round them up,” Diana says as she approaches Val Helena. “Could you make them stand, Lord Xavier?”
“Yes, of course,” he says and then more authoritatively. “Stand up!”
More groans come from Val and my brother as they struggle to their feet.
Diana turns toward Xavier and then her eyes go wide as she draws her sword. “Lord Xavier! Behind you!”
Aiko?
Xavier turns to look and so do I, half expecting to see Aiko already sinking her katana into his back. But instead I see no one. Diana releases a cry as she brings the flat of her blade down on top of Xavier’s soup bowl haircut.
Lady Diana uses Subduing Blow!
Lord Xavier is now asleep.
The fat man releases a wail and falls to the ground face first in a pile of lobster tails.
Thank you!
Diana expeditiously stoops to the ground and removes the emerald ring from his hand and then crushes it under her heel. The gem cracks like a piece of candy and releases a green mist into the air.
I feel my body return to me and I let out a breath of relief.
A wave of white light washes over all of us as Gilly hits us with a mass healing spell and Maxis and Val Helena are quickly topped up to full.
“Lady Diana,” I say. “Thank you so much…”
“Don’t thank me yet,” she says. “I’d remove those garments while you can.”
To my relief I can finally pull them off, but have nothing to replace them with.
Gilly flash changes into her new white witch’s outfit I’d gotten her. Rembrandt has his normal clothes back on in an instant and so does Val Helena. It appears only my brother and I were stupid enough to send out stuff out to wash. “Do you know where our clothes are?”
“Probably back in your rooms by now. Depending on his mood, the king was entertaining the idea of releasing you. But I was not surprised by the outcome. Now please listen to me.”
We all go quiet.
“I’ve taken a very great risk in helping you. But I’m not doing this without purpose.” She then looks straight at me. “I sense you have the ability to lead a township. And you have a kind heart. I ask that you free us from the grips of this madman.”
“What?”
“Although you’re an oath breaker, I do not fault you for breaking your last one. But will you swear one to me?”
Lady Diana has offer you a new Quest: Liberate Stormwall
Depose King Braxus by forcing him to relinquish his control of Stormwall.
Do you accept the quest (Y/N)
I hesitate. “I…I don’t know if I can…”
“Please,” she says. “It need not be tonight, but please do not forget this act of kindness. Unfortunately for us, we need no emerald garments to become slaves.”
Darn, I never really thought of it like that. I’m not even sure how or even if I can pull it off, but I
owe her. “You have my word, Lady Diana.”
You have accepted the quest: Liberate Stormwall
“Thank you,” she says. “Now you must hurry to the South Gate if you wish to escape. After word of this spreads, there will be men sent to close it.”
“But we need to head north,” Val Helena says.
“The North Gate is already sealed by order of the king. To guard against the giants.”
Maxis lets loose a curse. “Then this whole thing was a waste of time then?! Was he never going to let us through?”
“Not unless he got what he wanted.”
My brother turns bright red and I see his neck pulse in a swallow. I expect him to curse again but he doesn’t, instead there’s an unsteady look in his eyes. Uncertainty. It seems almost alien on his face, but I see regret or guilt even. “I shouldn’t have egged us on to come here. We should have went around.”
Val Helena rests her large hand soothingly on the nape of his neck. “Don’t worry about that now. Let’s just get out of here.”
“I’m sorry,” Diana says. “But I have one more request.”
“What’s that?” I say.
“Strike me.”
“What?”
“One of you must injure me, I can’t be found to have aided you.”
I look to my brother and Rembrandt.
Maxis scoffs. “I can’t hit a woman, man.”
“Same here, mate.”
We all then look up at Val Helena.
Diana grimaces. “I guess it would have to be you. I’m prepared.”
Val Helena sighs. “You have my deepest respect, Lady Diana. I’ll see to it our promise to you is kept.”
Val Helena slugs Diana with her massive bare fist and removes a tenth of her HP bar. Her head goes flying back and she hits the floor with a bloodied nose, unconscious.
* * *
I race ahead down the corridors in nothing but my underwear and two Darksteel kunai in my hands. My heart rate is thumping and I can almost feel the swarms of armed guards about to descend upon us at any moment. We find our rooms and Maxis and I nearly break down the doors trying to get inside.
To my relief I find my gear neatly folded on my bed. Thank you old lady!
“Okay we need to go!” Maxis says once we’re suited up.
We’re about to head off but then I stop. “What about Aiko?”
Everyone stops then.
“I couldn’t see what happened to her,” I say. “But if Braxus survived that fall, surely she did as well.”
“We don’t have time to look for her,” Maxis says. “Besides she’s the reason we’re in the mess. She triggered that dude by attacking him.”
Val Helena looks torn. She releases a grunt of frustration as she musses up her hair with both hands. “Gah! I don’t know what to think or do when it comes to her!”
“It’s okay, Val,” I say to. “I’ll go find Aiko.”
Gilly looks at me with wide fearful. “Reece! No!”
“It’s all right Gilly. Aiko and I can still get out of here even with the gate closed. We’re ninjas remember?” I crack a grin but she looks too worried to laugh. “I just need to find her. Hopefully before Ziegfried and Thomas do. I’ll be quick.”
Val Helena takes my hand. “Thank you, Reece.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing, ninja man.” Gilly leans in to hug me and I kiss her on the forehead.
“Hey,” Maxis says. “Don’t screw around in here. If you run into a jam, just get out. We can always come back for her.”
“Okay, where do we meet up?” I ask.
“Our only option to reach the Vale now is West,” Rembrandt says. “Around the mountains by going through the Wild.”
My stomach drops through floor as I recall Rembrandt tracing that path on the map. “The wild?”
“We can worry about how we deal with that later,” Val Helena says. “Right now we just need to get going. And you need to hurry and meet back up with us.”
Rembrandt claps me on the shoulder. “We’ll head west and wait for you at the barrier if we don’t meet up with you before then.”
“Be safe, Reece,” Val Helena says and hugs me.
Gilly hugs me again as well and then whispers tearfully in my ear. “I love you.”
My heart jumps again, but with a different emotion this time. Something warm and pure. I could feel love growing between Gilly and I, but this is the first time either of us has said out loud.
“I love you too,” I say and feel tears building within my own eyes. I then fight them back with a laugh. “Geez, you guys. It’s not my funeral yet!”
That gives us all a nerve breaking laugh.
“You guys get going,” I say as I cast Shadow Wall and make us all vanish from sight. “Aiko and I will be with you before you know it.”
Chapter 24: Judge and Jury
Under the cover of invisibility, the whole situation becomes less tense and I find I’m able to think a little easier. I pray the rest of the guys make it to the gate before my spell wears off. Even now, I can hear the call of voices in the night and the hurried footsteps of guards running to and fro. I need to move fast before that guy Xavier wakes up and finds his ring broken and all heck breaks loose.
I leave the palace through the front entrance and use Sneak to get past the four guards posted on duty. As I creep by them, I catch their conversation. They’re questioning why they were summoned to replace the normal guard detail on duty. I’m thinking Zeigfried and Thomas must have grabbed the original guards while making their way outside to check on Braxus and then called these guys in as back up to man the door.
That means I’ll have to be prepared to find more than just the two knights when I get to where Braxus and Aiko are, which I presume is right below where they went flying out the window earlier. I reach the well-manicured lawn of the palace grounds, and look up at the building to orientate myself for where the dining room should be in relation to the outside. I stop behind a fir tree to refresh Shadow Cloak and then edge around the sides of the stone walls until I reach the rear of the palace, where I estimate the dining room to be.
Soon I hear voices and see a huge crater in the ground, where I suspect the Buffalo must have impacted the ground and then disappeared. I was half expecting to find a mound of dead buffalo corpses, but I’m thankful to be spared such a gruesome sight. Guess they were some kind of special effects after all.
I spot King Braxus right away, seated on a dining room chair that somehow survived the carnage. He’s at the far edge of the thirty-foot-wide crater, opposite me. Blood stains his forehead and he’s holding his right arm by the elbow. Surrounding him are four guards in addition to Ziegfried and Thomas. And right next to him is Aiko. She looks none the worse for wear and her HP bar is around 80% where Braxus is sitting on less than a third. She still has that dress on though and Braxus still has that ring. I almost wish I could have used the one Xavier was wearing to simply ‘command’ Aiko to flee with me.
But this was going to be a little bit harder to pull off.
Somehow I have to get that ring and destroy it. A full-on attack is out of the question. The guards plus the knights would be way too many to take on at once and honestly, I don’t really want to fight them either. I need to handle this one with finesse. As I creep toward Braxus I hear sobbing and then notice that he’s not only holding his arm but crying as well.
His mewling gets only louder as I circle around the guards and approach him from behind. I suspect his arm must be broken, and by the way his right leg keeps bouncing up and down, he must be in a ton of pain.
“Where are the healers?” he shouts at the guards savagely. “Where are they?!”
“They’ve been sent for, my Lord,” Ziegfried says nervously. “They shall be here soon.”
“Useless puppets! You’re all useless!”
His screams of rage turn quickly to cries of agony as he winces and cradles his arm. He then turns to Aiko with a venomous glare. “Even you
…”
He kicks her in the legs, making them buckle and Aiko falls to the ground.
My stomach tightens but I resist the urge to reach out to help her. I can’t make my move yet.
“Worthless.” Braxus curses at her. “Couldn’t even save me properly. Next time I’ll know better than to try and keep humans as pets.” He begins to rock back and forth with the pain and starts weeping again. “Damn it! All I wanted was a real person to like me for once. To like me for me! And all I get is more puppets and backstabbers!” His shoulders shake with a reverberating sob. “Why do people hate me so much? It’s just like back home!”
I’m not sure what he’s talking about exactly. Maybe that same stuff he was talking about at dinner. It’s kind of pathetic and disturbing to watch, but it makes me feel a little sorry for him too. I look at Aiko, sitting there on the ground and smiling up at Braxus like he’s some god.
I’m sure if the positions we’re reversed, Aiko would have no problem removing the rest of his HP with a clean backstab. A small part of me wishes I could do the same, but the thought of actually doing something like that turns my stomach. Plus looking at him, Braxus is a kid, just like me. And as despicable as I find him, I couldn’t imagine killing another human being. Even if it would mean an easy fix to both saving Aiko and helping Diana.
That thought gives me pause, and I consider it for a half second more.
But no…I’m not a murderer.
There’s got to be a way to make this happen without resorting to something like that. And as hard as it may be, I’ve got to find it. I get closer and focus on the ring again. If I can get it off him, and get him in a choke hold maybe, I’m sure I can force him to relinquish his throne.
The ring’s on the hand of his injured arm and he’s holding it upright. It wouldn’t take too much to grab it, if I’m quick enough. Assuming pulling it off his finger won’t be a problem. That thought causes more anxiety to build.
I sneak right up next to Braxus, my heart thundering in my ears so loudly I fear he might hear it. I reach out slowly with my invisible hand, about to grab his arm and pull that ring off his finger when Aiko’s eyes suddenly flash in my direction.
