Gun Blade
Page 10
“I’ll cover them from the other side,” Maxis says and climbs over the top of the buggy to stand next to me. He gives me a quick nod and I acknowledge him with the same.
I lean off the buggy with one arm to cast Shadow Copy and pray it still works.
You cast Shadow Copy
You gain the effect of Shadow Copy.
Yes!
Maybe magic won’t be so bad in here, just like Rembrandt said.
I stare out into the junk yard and adrenaline fills my veins. Shadow Copy or not, I’ve never faced anything like this before. Giants and monsters are one thing, but other players with guns? I glance up at Rembrandt who is now atop the engine, a stone-cold resolve on his face. Seeing him like that instantly fills me with both confidence and awe. This is his world and he looks every bit the master of his domain.
“Go!” he shouts.
Lexi hits the gas and the tires spin with an ear-piercing screech. I cling desperately to the frame as we accelerate down the tunnel, the engine wicking up like a turbine. My stomach goes airborne as we shoot out of the tunnel, sailing through the air and into the heart of the junk yard.
Rembrandt opens fire mid-jump, blue flames erupting from both barrels. He lets loose with rapid bursts, igniting the junk heaps in a series of sparks. Unseen gunners fire back, lighting up the darkness like camera flashes from a thousand paparazzi.
We hit the ground with a jolt and Lexi spins the wheel to keep us from flipping over. The buggy slides and the engine revs, kicking up debris behind us. Bullets zip past my head and something hits me in my thigh and shoulder with lancing pain.
Your shadow absorbs the attack!
You take 176 piercing damage!
You take 181 piercing damage!
I grunt with the hits and wish I could let go with one hand to recast Shadow Copy again, but doing so now would be suicide. The buggy kicks up the hard packed dirt and debris on the ground as it navigates through the junk piles. Rembrandt lights up each one as he works his pistols independently, his arms outstretched at both sides.
He releases an angry growl as bullets impact his body, his HP going down in steady chunks.
“I’ve got you, Rem!” Gilly says and moves her arms within the cramped confines of the buggy to cast a spell.
Gilly casts Heal III!
Rembrandt gains +458 HP
Gilly casts Second Wind!
Rembrandt gains +150 Stamina
“Keep them coming, Gills!” Rembrandt shouts, blazing away at our unseen assailants.
Cries ring out from the junk heaps and I see whole HP bars disappear, while others steadily deplete. I then notice big orange bursts of flame shoot from Rembrandt’s pistols every so often. When I check the combat log, my jaw drops.
Rembrandt uses Kill Shot!
Ericson takes 2145 Damage!
Rembrandt defeats Ericson!
A stream of hits on random players follow and then I see again…
Rembrandt uses Kill Shot!
FlyGirl takes 1357 Damage!
Rembrandt defeats FlyGirl!
Holy crap!
Kill Shot normally has a five-minute cool down, but he’s using it maybe every thirty seconds or so and killing real people too!
The thought shocks me.
No hesitation. No remorse.
Yet this is still the same compassionate Rembrandt I know.
Isn’t it?
I shake the thought from my head as we charge on through the junk yard, Becky and Gilly healing Rembrandt as he continues to draw most of the fire. Val Helena then lets out a War Cry and her armor lights up with sparks as she attracts some attention momentarily, Becky healing her back up to full.
“We’re almost out of here!” Lexi says, rapidly shifting the wheel. “We’ll be safer once we get to the main city.”
I don’t understand how, but I’m taking her word for it, and pray we get there soon.
Bright highlights suddenly emerge behind us along with the scream of high-pitched engines. I look back and count three of them, weaving erratically and independently of one another and when they get close enough I see they belong to three motorcycles, each with a rider and a gunner on the back.
“Shards be damned!” Lexi shouts, looking over her shoulder. “The Bosozoku are here too?”
I marvel a moment at the futurist sport-bikes turned off-roaders, their knobby tires looking like something belonging on a dirt bike rather than the slick, low-to-the-ground machines that they are. But they seem to be navigating the piles of junk just fine as they slide through the dirt and make small jumps over the debris.
The gunners on the back open fire, concentrating on Rembrandt.
The cyberpunk grits his teeth in pain as his HP bar depletes.
Becky and Gilly take turns healing him, but it’s nearly too much to keep up with.
Dang it! I feel so useless. I wish I had a gun or something to fight back. Rembrandt is doing everything and he won’t survive much longer if those punks keep shooting him in the back! He tries to aim behind him, but with his feet rooted to the engine top, it’s all but impossible.
Val Helena uses another War Cry, drawing their fire for a moment, allowing Becky and Gilly to heal Rembrandt to full, but then two more riders join the pursuit, opening fire again.
“Bloody hell!” Rembrandt screams. “Hurry up, Lex!”
“I’m trying!”
Crap! I need to do something!
Ah, screw it!
I let go of the buggy and target the closest rider with a Charge Strike.
I sail through the air and fly into him much faster than I expect, our combined speed walloping him hard with my kunai.
You hit Axel for 234(635) damage!
Axel is stunned!
Time slows as I kick off the top of the motorcycle and jump to the one directly across from it, slashing into the gunner on the back with six lightning-quick strikes. His HP bar drops to less than half and he goes flying off the back. I use my momentum to launch off the chest of the rider, jumping back towards the buggy and engage Retreat in midair.
I fly backwards with a somersault, leaving the two motorcycles crashing behind me. They tumble and flip, taking out the rest of the bikers with them. I turn and look back to where the buggy should be and gasp when I see it just out of reach.
Oh God…
I close my eyes and prepare to feel the bite of the onrushing ground, when something grabs my outstretched hand and yanks me forward. I look up to see my brother, half hanging off the buggy himself, grasping my arm.
He pulls me up like I’m made of tissue paper and gives me a hard scowl after he sets me down next to him. “What were you thinking, man? That was crazy!”
I’m about to retort when he speaks again.
“Next time tell me before you go doing something like that.” He then looks past me, to where the bikers are picking themselves up off the ground. “Damn good job though.”
“Amazing is more like it!” Becky says, giving me a huge smile. “I didn’t think it was physically possible to do what you just did. Did you see that, Gilly?”
Gilly just gives me a wink.
Gilly: Nice moves, hot stu—
Her PM goes unfinished as the buggy suddenly lurches into the air.
Lexi screams and vainly fights the wheel as we flip end over end.
The world tumbles violently and I lose my grip.
“Gilly!” I cry as I go flying off the buggy. I watch helplessly as it rotates multiple times, throwing the rest of my friends off before crashing into the ground with another series of flips.
I hit something hard as I careen into a junk pile.
Argh!
You take 347 crash damage!
I roll to a stop and my body cries out in agony, but the damage I’ve suffered is the last thing on my mind. Pain and adrenaline surge as I struggle back to my feet.
“Gilly! Becky!”
I stagger towards the buggy, now lying wheels-up on its back. I immediately check for
Becky and Gilly’s HP bars on my HUD and am relieved to see them still in the red.
But they’re going down.
I rush forward and spot both of them pinned underneath the heavy crates, their HP depleting as they’re slowly being crushed to death.
“Guys, help!” I shout as I reach them.
I strain to lift the huge crate that’s pinning Gilly, but it won’t budge.
Suddenly it moves and I look to see my brother grabbing the other side next to me.
“Gilly, get out,” Maxis shouts, straining with the load.
Gilly coughs and wheezes, but doesn’t seem able to move.
Rembrandt then appears and grabs both her arms, pulling her from under the crate and my brother and I both drop it down. On the other side of the buggy, Val Helena lifts the second crate all by herself and tosses it to the side to free Becky. The Halfling stands shakily, blood dripping from her nose, but immediately she casts a spell.
Becky casts Great Heal II
Becky gains 350 HP
You gain 350 HP
Rembrandt gains 350 HP
Gilly gains 350 HP
Val Helena gains 350 HP
Maxis gains 217 HP
Lexi gains 124 HP
Aiko gains 0 HP
Bright white light surrounds us, healing our wounds and bringing us close to full. All save for Aiko, who was full already. What the heck? Did she not even take damage from the crash? It perplexes me, but I have more important things to worry about.
I toss the thought aside and reach down to help Gilly to her feet. “You okay, babe?”
“Geez,” she says, holding her head. “What the heck happened?”
“That happened,” Lexi says, pointing to something behind us.
I turn to see several pieces of plate steel stretched across the roadway, elevated at an angle by a thick length of chain that looks strong enough to anchor a battleship. On either side of it, two groups of people emerge, rushing towards us, weapons drawn.
Oh crap.
I quickly cast Shadow Haste and Shadow Copy.
“We need to get out of here!” I shout. “Lexi, can that thing still drive?”
“If I store and respawn it maybe,” she says. “But that’ll take a few minutes.”
Minutes? There has to be a dozen or so players rushing at us. “We don’t have minutes!”
“I’ll flip it over,” Val Helena says, rounding the vehicle and dropping into a squat to grab it from underneath. “Gilly and Becky, stay behind me.”
The players heading towards us open fire, sparks lighting up all over the buggy. Above it, a health bar appears and starts to deplete.
Dang it!
“Get cover!” Rembrandt shouts as he returns fire, ducking behind the corner of the buggy. Lexi follows suit, blasting away with a handgun while Maxis rushes in to help Val Helena flip the buggy. One of the oncoming players drops as Rembrandt releases a Kill Shot and then another drops soon after.
“Cover me, Rem,” Aiko says and then disappears in a cloud of nano-dust.
What the…? Is she going for a stealth kill?
I hesitate a moment and then quickly cast Shadow Cloak to do the same.
I dash forward, trying to follow Aiko. There looks to be about ten or so gunners left now. But there will be more coming soon. Already I can hear those motorcycles in the distance, starting back up. But if Aiko and I can keep them distracted at close range, Rembrandt can surely take them out more quickly.
I keep to the sides of the junk heaps, staying out of the line of fire as I Sprint towards our targets. I spot Aiko faintly on my HUD as she positions herself behind one of the players.
She then appears, sinking her knife deep into his back.
Aiko uses Sneak Attack!
Real42 takes 1523(745) damage.
The guy releases a sharp urk before falling to the ground.
Aiko defeats Real42!
His comrades all turn to him, spotting Aiko in their midst. She quickly performs a backflip and disappears again. I use the distraction to close in on the player closest to me, buffing myself with Backstab.
I launch into him with a Charge Strike, sinking my kunai into his flak vest.
Tico takes 875(443) damage!
Tico is stunned.
I release a cry as I slash into him with both blades, taking the rest of his HP away as he stands there stunned and unable to fight back.
You defeat Tico!
You gain 45000 XP!
Congratulations! You have executed your first clean kill.
Bonus: 25000 XP!
You have earned the title: Good Sport
Quest Updated: Survive
1/100 Clean kills.
Congratulations! You have gained a Veteran Point!
You have 7 unspent Veteran Points!
Good sport? What the heck? And that was a lot of XP too, but I did just kill a real person for it.
The thought unsettles me, but I have little time to think about it further, as all his friends turn to me and open fire.
Crap!
I bob and weave, calling upon my 200-plus Agility to see me through.
“Reece, no!” Aiko shouts, suddenly reappearing to take down another gunner.
What?
Bullets fly into me and I cry out with the sharp sting of their bite.
Your shadow absorbs the attack!
You take 135 piercing damage!
You take 145 piercing damage!
You take 251 piercing damage!
You take 232 piercing damage!
You take 168 piercing damage!
You take 222 piercing damage!
You take 237 piercing damage!
You take 135 piercing damage!
You are defeated!
Pain riddles my body as I hit the ground and the whole world goes black.
…
…
I come to with a start, gasping for breath.
Gilly casts Miracle!
You are raised!
You are fully restored!
I wobble on my feet disorientated, the snap and pop of gunfire all around me. Faintly I hear Gilly calling my name.
Gilly?
The world snaps to as my senses return and I gasp a second time as I take in the violence. Val Helena is now in the midst of the fray, bellowing with War Cries as she takes on the handful of gunners left. Maxis is by her side, stomping the floor with AOE stuns that interrupt their gunfire while Rembrandt takes them out from afar.
In the distance, Aiko is facing off against a tall woman with an automatic rifle. The woman sprays bullets at her and amazingly Aiko blurs and shifts, dodging the majority of them.
What the heck? How is she able to do that?
“Reece, come on!” Gilly shouts to me.
I look to the buggy and see it still upon its back. Crap…they left it to help me.
“Guys, I’m up!” I shout and draw my kunai to assist my brother.
Val Helena looks down at me while taking a barrage of gunfire against her shield. “Hurry and take these guys out so I can flip the buggy over.”
“Right!”
There looks to be only six or seven of them left now. I cast Shadow Copy and Shadow Cloak and then move in for an attack. I skirt ahead to where the gunners are now backpedaling in a retreat, trying to get as far away from Val Helena and my brother as possible.
I head off one of them and hit him with a Backstab, taking him down to 70%.
You Backstab Futz for 325(646) damage.
Futz is stunned!
He breaks free of my Stun with a backflip and then performs a move that sends green rivulets of energy coursing over his body.
Futz uses Rejuvenator 3.0!
HP, TP, and Stamina regeneration massively increased!
His HP bar refills before my eyes. He then points his twin pistols at me and opens fire.
Crap!
I lose my shadow as I again try to duck and weave through the attacks, wincing as the rounds stin
g my flesh.
You take 152 piercing damage!
You take 148 piercing damage!
You take 160 piercing damage!
Dang it! Not again! What the heck?
Gilly casts Heal IV
You gain +460 HP
The pain eases as I’m topped to full.
“Get their healers!” the guy facing me shouts. “Damn OP magic BS!”
Gilly cries out as she takes a round to the shoulder, losing most of her HP as she hits the ground.
“Gilly!” I scream.
I rush back towards her, but Val Helena jumps in to protect her ahead of me, guarding her with her massive shield. “I’ve got her, Reece!”
Anger swells in my heart as I turn back to Futz, or whatever his stupid name is. “You’re gonna die for that, you punk!”
His eyes grow wide as I lunge at him.
He fires at me but I charge straight through the attacks, taking the hits as I slash into him with rage. He cries out in pain as I jab him over and over with my kunai, his regeneration ability amazingly keeping up well past the 50% mark.
“Argh!” he cries out. “Someone kill this bloody ninja guy!”
More rounds hit me but I keep going, not even checking my HP.
A heal spell lands on me from Becky and I finally manage to cut him down.
You defeat Futz!
You gain 35000 experience points!
Quest Updated: Survive
2/100 Clean kills.
I stand over his body breathing hard, again feeling that strange sense of uneasiness at the rage and anger that fueled his death. But it passes quickly. Screw him. Something slams me hard in the chest, pulling me back into reality.
My health bar flashes.
312/1732 HP