Accidental Warrior: A LitRPG Accidental Traveler Adventure

by Jamie Davis

  “I feel the same way,” Hal said. He reached out with his right hand and clasped wrists with the goblin chieftain. There were nods of ascent on both sides.

  “Do you think you can get through the guards down here and free the rest of your people?” Hal asked.

  “Yes, we will be able to do that. What of you and your comrades?”

  “There are those we must free as well,” Hal replied. “Let us do that and meet back here with everyone who can make the trip out of the city. We must hurry, though. I fear the city’s forces will be organizing to counterattack soon.”

  “Agreed,” Churg said. “We will not be long.”

  Hal nodded as the chieftain turned and barked out orders that sent his forces off around to the other side of the slave quarters where their families and remaining comrades waited to be freed. Hal turned to the other gladiators.

  “We have to do the same. Offer freedom to any who would come with us. Include even those who weren’t slaves. I have the feeling many, even the healing mages, were pressed into service here against their will. We will have need of every warm body we can muster.”

  “How long do you think we have?” Junica asked. Her head was bandaged with one eye covered by the bloody cloth.

  “I think we should take no longer than ten minutes,” Hal answered.

  He turned to address all of the gladiators. “Hurry back as soon as you can. Open all the locked doors and pens and leave it up to those inside to follow or not as they see fit. I want to be pressing towards the western gates as soon as we can. Make sure you gather any weapons you find and pass them out to those you free. We’ll likely need every able sword arm if we’re going to get away from the city successfully.”

  It took less than ten minutes. The surviving gladiators returned with all the white-clad kitchen slaves, the cooks and other kitchen attendants, the healing mages, equipment and armor servants, and even four clerks from the event coordinator’s office. All had been pressed into slavery or forced service of some sort by the Wardens of Hyroth.

  Churg and the other non-humans returned as well, their numbers swelled by orc and goblin women and children taken into captivity with their warrior folk. Hal nodded and gestured to the gathered group of rescued gladiators and slaves.

  “Let’s go. Freedom lies to the west.”

  Quest completed — Escape the coliseum.

  5,000 experience awarded.

  Quest accepted — Escape through the western gate.

  The group set off as fast as they could, helping the wounded along and carrying those who couldn’t keep up. Hal was glad to see several of his band commandeer wheeled carts and wagons along the way through the city to help with the wounded. Soon they were moving westward at a fast walk, heading towards the setting sun and the gates out of the city.

  It took them nearly an hour to reach the western gates out of Hyroth. Hal was surprised to see the way their numbers swelled along the journey as white-clad slaves came out to join their march to freedom, running into the streets from homes and businesses along the way.

  What started as a group of a hundred fifty gladiators and slaves from the coliseum turned into a mob of more than a thousand by the time they reached the square leading to the western gates of the city. Hal knew much more was riding on their success than ever before and he hoped they reached the gates in time before the city’s defenses and guard could be prepared to stop them.

  Despite their press for speed, Hal knew they’d taken too long when he saw the line of soldiers formed up across the square in front of them. There were nearly a hundred fifty city guards and imperial soldiers drawn up across the square, blocking their path to freedom.

  Hal’s spinning slot machine started whirring in his head as soon as he spotted the lines of soldiers. He knew he had to think fast if they were going to break through.

  To make things worse, behind the guards, the massive city gates were swinging shut with a boom. The great gears in set in the walls of the towers to either side locking them in place.

  “Churg, do you think your giants and rock trolls will listen to me?” Hal asked.

  “I think you have proven to be an able leader,” Churg answered. The goblin shrugged. “They might, depending on what you require them to do.”

  “We have to break the center of that formation. I’ll be right beside them, but we’re going to need their size and bulk to push our way through to the gates.”

  “Where will I be?” Churg asked.

  “You and your goblins will be taking the left tower, while the orcs take the one on the right,” Hal explained. “We have to free the gear mechanisms in order to open the gates and that means defeating the soldiers defending those towers. Follow behind us as we charge. Once we open a hole, take the goblins and orcs past us to the towers. We’ll hold them off and deal with any counterattacks while you get the gates open.”

  Churg nodded. He pointed to the tallest hill giant.

  “That one is called Mammoth. He speaks a little of the human tongue. He can translate with the giants and rock trolls for you.”

  Hal nodded as Churg called the fifteen-foot-tall giant over to them.

  They didn’t have much time. The line of soldiers started advancing forward towards the halted line of gladiators and freed slaves.

  “Mammoth,” Hal said. “I need you and your kin to follow me and help us break through that line of soldiers. It is our only way out of the city.”

  The big giant gave Hal a broad, toothy grin. “Yes. You lead. We follow.”

  Hal smiled back at the huge creature. “Good, then let’s go get them.”

  With Mammoth and the giants behind him, along with the rock trolls and the remaining human gladiators, Hal knew he had an opportunity to break the defenders and scatter them. He turned and shouted a war cry to his followers then charged at the soldiers advancing from the other side of the square.

  The rest of his companions took up the cry. He was happy to see they charged right behind him.

  The bellows and snarls of the giants and rock trolls sent shivers down Hal’s spine as he ran. They were terrible sounding as the larger creatures ran past him and the other humans, racing on their way to the line of soldiers in front of them.

  The two lines came together in a crash of weapons and armor.

  Mammoth swept four soldiers out of his way with a single sweep of his huge war club.

  The two giants on either side of him opened similar holes in the battle line. The rock trolls were close behind the giants and they pressed open the gaps, holding the soldiers back with their shields, armored rock-like bodies, and crushing arms.

  Hal and the other humans reached the broken line and forced their way into the gap, wrapping around behind the soldiers facing the trolls and giants to take them from behind.

  The plan worked and Churg’s goblins and orcs surged through the opening before splitting into two groups and entering the towers on either side of the gates.

  That was the last Hal saw of the tower assault. He was suddenly thrust into a desperate melee in the square as the soldiers’ battle lines fell apart and the fighting turned into desperate individual battles for survival in front of the closed gates.

  Hal killed two guards in close succession with attacks from behind while they engaged a troll.

  1000 experience points awarded.

  1000 experience points awarded.

  The rock troll’s stony mouth split in a grin when the two men fell to Hal’s attacks. Hal nodded in reply and turned to search for another quarry.

  He didn’t have to look very far.

  Three soldiers ran forward to attack him as soon as he turned around. Hal was sorely pressed for a brief time, fending off attack after attack.

  Blades slipped past his guard on several occasions causing minor damage but no major wounds. The injuries started to add up and he knew he needed some help.

  Health damage: Health -6

  Health damage: Health -4

  Health dam
age: Health -8

  He didn’t have to fight alone for long, though. Before he knew it, Kay was at his side.

  The two of them took a defensive stance and fought back to back for a time, each defending the other from the desperate fighting all around them.

  Hal was finally able to break through the multiple attacks and dropped two more imperial soldiers in rapid succession.

  1000 experience points awarded.

  1000 experience points awarded.

  The fighting began to die down as a lull came over the battle at the gates.

  The remaining guards and imperials ran off into the city leaving the remnants of the gladiators behind. Fighting still raged within the towers to either side of the gates. He could hear the clash of arms coming from inside now that the clamor in the square had died down.

  “Get the freed slaves and the wounded in carts by the gates,” Hal called out to his comrades. “Once they open, we’ll have little time to pull off our escape and we’d better be ready to go.”

  Several of the remaining gladiators moved off and started barking orders to the slaves milling around in the square. They began to move and soon all were clustered behind the ragged line of warriors, giants and trolls who stood between them and the city.

  A cheer went up behind Hal and he turned to see the gates start to crank open as the mechanisms within the two towers were finally liberated. The slaves started pushing through the gap in the gates as soon as there was room enough to get through.

  Churg emerged from the tower on the left along with his remaining goblins. A group of twelve orcs came from the one on the right.

  “Good work, my friends,” Hal called out to both groups. “Join our line and let’s prepare to act as a rear guard while the others make their way from the city.”

  “How long do we have to hold the gates?” Kay asked.

  “Just until the slaves make their way through the gates. Then we can retreat behind them.”

  “That might be easier said than done,” Rune called. “Here come the reinforcements.”

  The far end of the square filled with a double line of imperial troops. They lined up side by side, holding their shields together and forming a wall between them and the escaping slaves. The line advanced forward, the cadence called by a chant coming from the soldiers behind the shields.

  “Alright, form up around Mammoth, the other giants, and the rock trolls,” Hal called out. “Churg, your people and the orcs take the left side. I’ll hold on the right with the humans here.”

  “Mammoth, tell your giants and the Trolls to focus on breaking open that shield wall when it gets closer, then we can surge in and take them apart from the inside.”

  “Yes. Break open like shell of great turtle. Soft parts inside,” Mammoth rumbled in his deep, bass voice.”

  The imperials advanced and when they got closer, the shields parted and a volley of javelins shot forward at the line of arena fighters facing them. They targeted the giants and rock trolls and Hal winced when one of the remaining giants fell forward with a loud groan, multiple javelins impaling its huge form.

  Mammoth had batted most of the missiles away but even the giant leader was wounded in the attack.

  The imperials cheered when the giant fell and the shield wall advanced forward again with a surge.

  Once again, the sound of steel on steel sounded in the square as the soldiers’ line crashed home against the gladiators holding the gates for the escaping slaves.

  Mammoth swung his huge club, smashing shields and bodies aside with each swipe of the tree trunk sized weapon. The other large creatures attacked as well and soon the shield wall broke, allowing the other gladiators to break through to the unprotected soldiers in the rear.

  Hal hacked at one of the imperials trying to free his bashed in shield from his arm. Hal’s blade took the hapless soldier in the shoulder of that battered shield arm, nearly severing the limb. His follow-up blow stabbed forward, piercing the man’s heart as he fell backward to the stone pavement.

  1000 experience points awarded.

  Another imperial stepped up, trying to fill the gap in the line as their sergeants pressed them forward from behind. Hal swung at this one but the man was able to parry the attack and push him backward a few steps.

  This allowed other imperials to press into the gap, but only for a few seconds. Kay, Rune, and Otto stepped forward, standing beside Hal and holding the gap open again.

  Otto swung his big double-bladed axe and took off the top of one soldier’s head, cleaving right through the helmet. The big man howled his war cry and swung the axe back in an arc to attack the next imperial in line.

  Hal lunged forward to his left to stab his sword into the back of one of two soldiers facing Kay. The man fell backward with a gurgling cry before he dropped to the ground.

  1000 experience points awarded.

  More soldiers moved forward and Hal took a solid hit to his head from one of them before he was able to kill the new attackers with a series of rapid slashes of his longsword.

  Health damage: Health -16

  1000 experience points awarded.

  1000 experience points awarded.

  The continuous fighting over the last several hours was starting to take its toll on him and he suspected the others in his band were in just as bad shape. He checked his health status and knew he and the others had to break off contact soon before more imperial reinforcements arrived.

  Health: 36/102

  The final group of slaves ran through the gates and onto the western road. Hal called to his forces to fall back through the gates.

  “Churg, is there a way to hold the gates closed for a time once we’re through?”

  “Yes,” the goblin chieftain replied. “At the base of the gates, where the hinges are activated by the gears, there is a pin that attaches the mechanism. If we destroy that and push the gates closed, the imperials will have to repair the mechanism before they can open it again.”

  Hal’s spinning slot machine ratcheted to a stop in his head, the familiar chime sounding. This was the thing that would win or lose the battle for them.

  “Go there and do what you must to ready it for destruction,” Hal said. “We’ll hold them for a little bit longer to give you time.”

  Churg called out for help and four of his goblins pulled back from the fighting and followed their chieftain to the gates.

  The imperial shield wall had reformed and started advancing again, pressing the beleaguered gladiators backward. Another giant fell, leaving Mammoth and one other standing alone at the center of the line. One of the rock trolls was down, too.

  “Move together,” Hal called out. “Form a tighter line to hold against the shield wall.”

  Even the non-humans understood what he was asking them to do and the gladiators shuffled towards the center, closing the gaps left by their fallen.

  “We must hold a little longer, then we can make our escape. Wait until you hear Churg’s shout from the rear, then run for the gates.”

  Hal stopped calling out orders. The advancing imperials caught up to them and he was once again fighting for his life against superior numbers of the enemy.

  Two more attacks got past his shield but he did manage to kill one of the attackers with a riposte attack.

  Health damage: Health -8

  Health damage: Health -4

  1000 experience points awarded.

  More of the gladiators fell on both sides of the line while he and his companions held the center around Mammoth, another hill giant, and the remaining troll. It looked like they might not be able to hold when a shout came from the rear.

  “It is done!” Churg called out. “Run for the gates.”

  The others didn’t need Hal’s relayed order to break for the narrowing gap in the gates. The remaining gladiators, human and nonhuman, turned as one and ran for the opening. The gates were closing, slowly gaining speed as the released gear mechanism picked up momentum.

  Hal was th
e last one through, following Churg and Kay through just before the gates closed with a resounding boom. A distant grinding sound of metal on metal signaled the successful sabotage would hold the gates closed for a time.

  Quest completed — Escape through the western gate.

  5,000 experience awarded.

  Level Up!

  “We must press the slaves to keep going for the western hills,” Hal called to his comrades. “If we can make it to the forests there before they reopen the gates, we should be able to find a place to hide before they can organize pursuit.”

  The small group of surviving humans, goblins, orcs, two giants, and a single rock troll started off along the western caravan road, following behind the escaping slaves. They’d done it. They’d escaped the city and started the rebellion Hal hoped would catch hold and help him overthrow the wardens in Hyroth.

  25

  The sabotage of the city gates worked and the fleeing slaves and gladiators evaded pursuit for the next two days, reaching the forested hill country to the west where they hid, losing themselves in the wilderness there. Hal, Kay, Churg, and the other leaders set to the task of feeding and providing shelter for what amounted to a small army of former slaves.

  Hal found some time in the first few days to heal up and review his personal stats and placed his allotment of attribute points and the additional skill level. He increased his skill in one-handed combat to level three and added his two attribute points to his brawn. This allowed him to add to his ability to both hit and cause damage to his opponents.

  Name: Hal Dix

  Class: Warrior

  Level: 9

  Attributes:

  Brawn: 24 — +8

  Wisdom: 10 — +1

  Luck: 30 — +11 (Max)

  Speed: 14 — +3

  Looks: 8

  Health: 104/104