by Michael Ryan
“Perhaps to circle the continent?”
“To attack what? The deep south? Our friends to the east? Perhaps, but the journey by sea is a treacherous and long one. I imagine it’s feasible in their minds, or else what use would warships be?”
“And what of Iyam Amok?” Jara asked.
“A curse on you if you speak that name again in the King’s realm.” Robur spit on the ground, and following his lead, the rest of the Sigtrygg spit as well. “If you value the King’s friendship, do not speak of her again.”
“My pardons, Ambassador,” Jara said. “Please accept my apology. I only wish for news of the war.”
“She of which we do not speak, is well established in Ardra. The Declans build ships, muster troops, and prepare for war. Our spies claim that she’s ordered the Declanians to train dragonlings.”
“Indeed. Arrogant, I’d say. Nobody has ever tamed such beasts – they are only good for slaughtering.” Jara raised her mug and eyed Robur. “A curse, then, on the unnamable one, and a blessing on your King!”
Everyone at the table raised a mug in toasting the King.
Jara drank.
Dale’s eyelids grew heavy and his head dipped, and after snapping awake, he yawned.
“Master Dale, please, allow my maids to show you to your quarters,” Robur said. “If you’d like company, you only need to say the word.”
“No, thank you,” Dale said, but he allowed two elven maids to lead him by the arms.
The maids brought Dale to a tent. It was warm and pleasant looking, with a large bed covered with pillows. He yawned again, and then noticed how pleasing the maids were to look at and how their soothing voices comforted him.
“Hot water, Master Dale?” the first maid asked.
Before Dale could answer, she’d undressed him.
The two maids used fluffy cloths and herb-infused soaps to clean him.
“Shall we please you now, Master Dale, or in the bed—”
“What?” he asked. He’d been in another world in his mind, and wasn’t sure he’d heard the question clearly.
“Your pleasure,” she repeated. “Would you like it while bathing, or under the covers?”
“Um, I’m fine, really. You can leave me to finish on my own.”
“If we do not please you, we can send for another. A boy perhaps, Master Da—”
“No! Really,” Dale said. “Please, leave me now.”
The maids left. He finished bathing, removed a clean set of sleeping clothes from his folding space backpack, and wondered if he could get his hands on a Deep Sleep Mattress for the pack. He placed his head on the pillow, which was made of a fine down, and sank into the softness as if floating on a cloud. He fell into a comfortable, deep sleep and dreamt of meadows, rivers, and Amy.
“Why do you fear me, Dale?” she asked.
“You betrayed us. You betrayed me.”
“You don’t know about all the plans in a war. Many secrets are kept.”
“Who can I trust?”
Amy changed into Yingtai.
“Trust me, Dale,” she said.
Then the dream Yingtai changed into Jara.
“Trust no one, Dale,” she said.
Then Jara changed into a tall, beautiful woman – a Zuharah. A witch.
“Who are you?” Dale asked.
“A friend.”
“What do you seek?”
“I deliver a message to you.”
“From whom?”
“From my Lady, the Princess,” the witch said. “She sends word that many signs have been given to us. Betrayal awaits all who cross the path of those who seek to destroy. Be careful, Dale Brown, be very careful…”
The woman smiled, and then faded away into darkness.
A screeching falcon flew towards him, its talons outstretched. It was about to collide with Dale when an arrow struck the bird, and it fell to the ground dead.
“Your fate, too, if you’re not careful,” Amy’s voice warned.
The dream ended, and he didn’t stir again until morning, when he woke to sounds in the camp. Breakfast sounds.
He dressed and exited his tent, and was immediately greeted.
“Master Dale,” Robur said, and handing him a hot drink. “The falcon has returned. Welcome. The King will—”
A bloodcurdling wail interrupted Robur. Sigs scrambled to take cover as arrows flew, and people screamed. Dale ducked behind an overturned table, and donned his dragonling armor before arming himself with a shield and sword.
It was difficult to see where the enemy had fired from, but he quickly realized they were surrounded. He kept the table to his back and used his shield to protect his front. He heard screaming, shouting, and cries of anguish and pain, but couldn’t make out whether anyone was actually giving orders.
An arrow struck the ground next to him, and he recognized the shaft as Declanian. The early morning attack made perfect sense – of course everyone wanted to find princess Talargo first.
Everyone wanted the Jewel of Sartozel.
“Smith!” Dale shouted. He couldn’t see his friend in the confusion. The camp was filled with tents, and Dale wasn’t sure which his friend had slept in. He also had no idea where Yingtai and Jara were, and that realization reminded him that he was a lousy commander.
Dale: I never wanted to be in charge!
Ërin: But you are!
“Smith!” He yelled louder. “Yingtai! Princess!”
Nobody answered.
He sprinted through the mess of the burning camp as confused servants and soldiers headed to the tree line.
An arrow hit him in the leg and bounced off the dragonling armor.
Dale found a spot between two boulders and tried to assess the situation and figure out his next move.
The friendly Sigtrygg had organized a formation with shields and axes, and taken up a position in the trees on the opposite side of the meadow.
A group of Declanian soldiers moved to attack the Sigs, and Dale could see Robur lead them in a sword battle. He searched for Smith and the two women in his party, but wherever they’d gone, they were under cover, or already dead.
He heard movement behind him, and twisted to find a Declanian soldier rushing him.
Name: Gustavo Sousa
Declanian Soldier: Nagintia Level 6
Dale faced the advancing Nagintia – an ugly goblin that looked like a cross between a deformed Orc and a fairy creature. It reeked of rotten frui, and Dale could smell it approach. Its raccoon-like flying battle pet attacked.
He flung his shield behind the enemy soldier, giving the Nagintia a battle pet of its own to contend with while Dale switched his longsword for the assassins rapier and worked up a Fire Magic spell.
The falcoon dove towards his face. Dale struck it with the rapier. It let out a hideous screech as it dropped to the ground, and tried to bite him. Dale had warmed up his torch spell, and was about to unleash it on the little creature, when he wondered if it might be more beneficial to ignore the falcoon and attack the soldier, even if he sustained some damage.
He fired his magic into the back of the Declanian, who was engaged with the adder.
Dale screamed in pain when the falcoon attacked him from the rear, tearing open armor with its claws and ripping exposed flesh. He fell to his knees, rolled on his back, and thrust his rapier into the falcoon.
+500XP
Killed: Falcoon Level 5 Battle Pet
Dropped: 1 Carat River Emerald, Most Excellent Quality
Dropped: 1 health restoration potion
Hint: Fancy ninja-karate-jujitsu moves will influence RNG Jesus.
Dale drank a health potion, bringing his health bar up to seventy-five percent, and retrieved his longbow. His adder was in the middle of a flurry of strikes against the Nagintia, so Dale tried a new spell on his arrow he’d learned from his latest Book of Fire Magic from the Cobra Boss.
The spell had a three second cast time, but when it was ready, he unleashed the charmed
shaft.
A red streak of light followed the arrow from his bow. When the arrow plunged into the Declan, it burst into flames. The Nagintia warrior screamed in anguish.
“Ajude-me, mamãe, help me, please, por favor…” he said. He fell to his knees, changed into his personal avatar and gasped. The adder continued to strike him in the back, and he fell over, dead. His final words were, “mamãe, help me, please, por favor…”
+600XP
Killed: Declan Faction Nagintia
Congratulations!
You’ve reached Level 8
Hint: You’re a bit more impressive to the ladies now, but just wait until you’re a 10!
Dale smiled for an instant, happy about leveling up.
Then he looked at the charred corpse.
He retrieved his battle pet shield and glanced around to be sure he was still alone. He stored his bow and shield, and summoned Gingo into the world.
Dale: Hey Ërin?
Ërin: Yes dear?
Was that guy speaking Spanish? Or Brazilian?
Yes.
What the fuck?
I cannot compute that question.
I mean, what…or why…I’m confused. Where is our enemy from…why are we…?
I can’t help you there, Dale. Sorry.
Gingo, sensing Dale’s mood, licked his hand.
“Good girl,” he said. “Someone gets me.”
She licked him again.
Dale thought about the dead soldier’s last words.
Those weren’t the words of a vicious enemy who deserved to suffer. They sounded like the cry of a fifteen-year-old high school gamer who’d just died after suffering through being burned alive while being bitten by a venomous viper.
He moved behind an outcropping of rocks that provided reasonable cover and searched again for signs of Smith, Yingtai, or the princess. He couldn’t find them, but he could hear the sounds of battle.
Listening to someone die was disconcerting, even with the knowledge of respawn. Dale felt guilty about burning a young man to death. He activated sneak, and with Gingo by his side, snuck through the trees. Once he completed a half-circle around the camp, he spotted Smith fighting three soldiers by himself while Yingtai and Jara provided ranged support as healers.
Dale put Gingo away, retrieved his shield and longsword, and rushed to aid Smith.
The soldiers were attacking with swords, but Smith’s war hammer flew with speed and precision, crushing one of the enemies before Dale joined the fight.
Once near Smith, Dale engaged the closest with his sword.
Name: Mariana Melo
Declanian Soldier: Isca Level 8
Current Attack Style: Open World Battle
Weapons: Longsword & Shield
Gender: Female
“Nice of you to join me,” Smith said. “Did you have a good breakfast?”
“Why, yes,” Dale answered, swinging his sword. “Thanks for asking.”
His opponent was at the same level as Dale, but her health dropped quickly below the halfway point. Smith had hammered her before Dale had arrived. Dale did his best to ignore the weird feeling of fighting a woman, or possibly a teen-aged girl.
Her avatar was Isca, and that reminded him of Sanjay. Had his friend suffered the same type of pain and anguish as Gustavo had a moment ago? Or, as Mariana was about to, if he didn’t lose his advantage? The questions weighed on his conscience as they fought, although his own preservation instincts didn’t stop him from fighting with all his strength.
He didn’t want to die either.
Their swords met in mid-air, crashed, and he used his sword to push her off balance. He took a huge risk and flung his shield behind her. She reacted to Dale, not the shield. Apparently she had no experience with an uncoiling adder shield, so was unaware of the danger.
Dale lunged with his sword held high using both hands to block her downward swing. His adder bit her from behind. She turned, screaming in surprise, and Dale used that opportunity to plunge his sword into her mid-section.
She fell to her knees.
Dale looked her in the eyes and immediately regretted doing so.
She was crying.
Dale’s pet continued to attack her from the rear, and using his free hand, he brought out the assassin’s rapier and plunged it into her brain, ending her suffering instantly.
+800XP
Killed: Declan Faction Isca
Dale felt the healing power of an enchantment before he had time to register any guilt.
He looked down at the girl’s pretty face and wondered what kind of sick mind had created the game he was playing.
Yingtai stood with Jara inside the tree line, and she signaled for him to join them.
Smith delivered a coup de grâce to his opponent and called to Dale. “Let’s regroup and get out of the open.”
“Agreed,” Dale said.
They ran to the tree line and joined Yingtai and Jara.
“What now, boss?” Smith asked.
Before Dale could answer, Yingtai spoke. “We need to move out. We’ve been given the King’s Blessing. We’ve got to get to the castle. This is not our battle.”
“Dale’s in charge,” Smith said. “Why do I have to keep reminding you of that?”
Yingtai glared at him.
Dale thought about the situation. He wanted to do the right thing, and the right thing was always the mission, but sometimes the mission meant completing other tasks as well.
They’d been guests of Robur’s, and common decency dictated that they stay and fight alongside their allies. Ultimately they were fighting for the same thing, and protecting the jewel seemed to be the main priority for everyone.
And Amy and Emi could show up any minute. Or worse, they’d already slipped into the valley and had a head start to the Pierstone Castle.
Perhaps neither the castle nor the jewel was their objective. They’d been single-minded in trying to stop Jara and Yingtai.
“Why does war have to be so confusing?” Dale asked.
“You think this is confusing, you should try dating an elf,” Jara said.
“I know it’s your decision, Dale,” Yingtai said. “But remember our mission. Protect the princess. Obtain the Jewel of Sartozel.”
“Technically, we’re to aid the princess,” Smith said. “Not necessarily obtain any jewels.”
“Same difference,” Yingtai said. She seemed to pout but it was hard for Dale to tell. As an undead vampiric creature, her face always seemed to convey that she wanted to kill and eat you.
“I’ve decided,” Dale said. “The mission comes first, but we’ll aid the Sigs as we head towards the bridge. Our main objective is to leave the valley alive and begin our journey towards the castle, but if we can help engage the enemy on the way, we will. What we can’t do is sit here any longer discussing it.”
“Very well,” Yingtai said. An arrow struck her in the neck, and she spit blood and fell to the ground.
“Move!” Amy said.
Emi dashed to a new hiding spot.
“Nice shot. Sorry I missed mine.”
“Jara’s a sneaky bitch,” Amy said. “Don’t worry. We’ll get them.”
Their plan required simultaneous hits. Otherwise the unharmed target would heal the harmed, and they’d be back at square one. Undoubtedly Jara had already healed Yingtai.
The assassin duo had tried escaping the mines before day-break, but dealing with the cobra boss had taken time, energy, and a lot of mana. Assassination was a game of patience and cunning best practiced in darkness, but situations sometimes offered less than optimal conditions.
Amy led them to a small tree-covered knoll, and they each climbed a different tree that offered a vantage point of the ongoing battle.
The fighting continued below. Amy and Emi traced the movements of the troops through spy glasses, which gave them eagle-like vision.
Amy watched Jara, Yingtai, Dale, and Smith move through the trees. They were headed towards the rea
r of the Declan Faction, trying to flank them, or simply moving out, avoiding the battle and heading to the castle.
That would be Jara and Yingtai’s aim.
Whether or not Dale made a different choice would be apparent soon enough.
She wondered what he was thinking and feeling, and imagined it was similar to her own anxiety about the future.
“If we get caught up in the main skirmish then those two assassin bitches will finish us off from behind,” Yingtai warned.
“I see that,” Dale said.
“We need to get to the trail. Now.” Yingtai glared at Smith, daring him to say something.
Smith remained quiet. He’d watched Jara pull the poisoned arrow from Yingtai’s neck, her health dropping to nearly zero before Jara healed her. He didn’t seem to want to start an argument with her.
If the second assassin’s arrow had hit Jara instead of barely missing, both the women would be dead.
Neither Dale nor Smith had the mana or enchanting power to nullify the powerful spells that Amy and Emi were imbuing their arrows with.
“They leveled up and received Magic Books from the cobra boss,” Dale said.
“You have a firm grasp of the obvious,” Yingtai said. She gave him a dirty look. “Of course they’re targeting Jara and me first,” Yingtai said. “But if you think you’re going to be spared a third time, you’re more foolish than even I had imagined.”
“Enough,” Smith said. “Infighting isn’t going to help us get out of this.”
They were skirting along the tree line, avoiding the Declanians, when they ran into a mob.
Karaelek
Level 6
An undead dwarf.
Attack style: Methodical swarm.
Weapons: Ghost Hammer.
Magic: Low resistance to spells.
Tech: Unintelligent use of tech.
Otso
Level 9 Boss
A mutant grizzly bear.
Attack style: Direct with teeth and claw.
Weapons: Claw Enhancements.
Magic: Medium resistance to spells.
Tech: Breast Plate Armor.
“Just what we need…” Dale fired arrows into the Karaelek. Even though they were small, there were six of them, and they advanced in front of the boss with slow, methodical movements, carrying hammers but no shields.
