by Rick Scott
“Looks like it,” Fredric agrees, and readies his bow. “I’ll snipe the witch from here before she can finish the spell.”
“No, wait!” Gilly says. “There’s another way to do this.”
We both look at her. “Huh?”
“If we kill the orcs and save Sarah, we only get credit for the main quest. But to get the bonus quest, we need to let it complete the summoning ritual so we can kill the true boss.”
“How do you know all this?” Fredric ask.
“Research, duh!”
“I dunno,” I say. “Those three look tough enough as it is.”
“I got an idea,” Fredric says. “Let me lure the guards to us. Then we can take them out one at a time.”
“You can do that?” I ask.
“That’s how I normally kill stuff. It’ll work, so long as the other one is looking the other way when I do it.”
“Okay,” I say. “If we can kill the guards first, I’ll run to the island and use War Cry on the boss when it’s summoned, but then attack the witch. That way, I can keep them both focused on me. If we can kill the witch fast enough, that’ll leave us with just the boss to deal with.”
Gilly doesn’t look too convinced of this plan. “You’ll be taking a lot of damage. I hope I have enough TP to heal you through all of that.”
“Me, too,” I say, and then I remember something. “Why don’t you use this for the fight?”
I remove the ring Val Helena gave me and offer it to her.
She backs away from it like it’s poison. “No way. I’m not taking that thing!”
“Come on, Gilly. It gives +2% TP regen per second. If we’re going to survive this fight, we’re going to need every advantage.”
“Yes, but she gave it to you.”
“Who’s she?” Fredric asks.
“Don’t ask,” I say, looking at him, and then back to Gilly. “You can give it back right after.”
She huffs, but I know she can see the logic in it.
“Okay, fine. But just for this fight. Makes me sick to think that big bimbo gave this to you.” She snatches the ring from me and puts it on. “Let’s go.”
“Who’s this big bimbo?” Fredric asks.
“Forget about it,” I say. “Just focus on pulling away those guards.”
“Okay, you got it, man!”
“Wait!” Gilly shouts. “I almost forgot.”
She recasts Minor Favor on the entire party, and then Regen on myself. “As soon as my TP recovers, go for it.”
We wait 30 seconds for Gilly’s gauge to cap at full, and then Fredric looses an arrow.
It thunks into the nearest zombie orc for 20% damage. The orc growls, and then both of them rush toward us!
“Oh, great!” Gilly says in dismay. “Off to a good start so far!
“Er . . . sorry about that, guys,” Fredric says.
“Use your Paralyzing Shot on that same one!” I shout. I have to keep us focused. “I’ll get the other one and try to kill it as fast as I can.”
“Okay,” Fredric says. “I’ll throw an arrow or two your way as well, if I can.”
“Sounds like a plan!” Gilly says. “Go get ‘em, guys!”
I run forward to intercept the second orc before it can reach Fredric. “Over here, meat-bag!”
The orc reacts to my War Cry and changes direction.
I draw first blood with an opening slash to its fat stomach, and then Block its attack for a Retaliation Strike.
To my chagrin, my two hits combined do only 10% damage.
“This is going to be a tough fight!” I yell.
Fredric manages to sink an arrow into the orc I’m fighting, taking away another 10%. “Yeah, no kidding. These things have some serious armor to them.”
I take a stab to my chest armor from the orc in front me and my HP goes down to half. Ow! “They hit hard, too!”
“Hurry it up, guys!” Gilly shouts as she heals me. “That witch looks like she’s almost done casting her spell.”
That spurs me on. I get two more attacks in before the orc lands another blow. My Rage meter hits 100%, and I’m tempted to use my Power Attack, but I save it instead. We have a couple more tough enemies to kill, and I don’t want to waste it. I get the orc down to 50% when something amazing happens.
I actually manage to step out of the way when it thrusts at me.
Congratulations! You have unlocked Dodge!
Your Dodge skill increases by 0.4.
“Woot-woot!” I shout, elated. “My first actual Dodge as a Dodge Tank! Guess that Agility is really paying off.”
“Wouldn’t go calling yourself a Dodge Tank just yet, sweetie pie!” Gilly says. “Meat tank, maybe.”
“Fine,” I say. “But I like you calling me sweetie pie better.”
“Hey! Will you guys get serious!” Fredric shouts in a panic. “This thing is nearly to me, and I’m out of TP for Paralyzing Shot!”
Oh crap!
I give my orc another chop before using War Cry on the one Fredric is shooting. “Fight me, not him!”
It responds, and I soon have two orcs clobbering me again.
Gilly spams heals as Fredric chain fires arrows. I try to use Block and Rush as much as I can, but my HP bar goes up and down like a yo-yo. I keep a steady eye on Gilly’s TP and start to panic as I see it steadily decreasing, but every second I see it tick back with a small increment as the ring kicks in.
We down the first orc, and then focus on the second.
“The boss is spawning!” Gilly shouts. “Hurry!”
Out of the corner of my vision, I see Sarah rise up off the altar, surrounded by swirling red and black energy.
Possessed Sarah
Level: 22
A vengeful chaos spirit has inhabited this young girl’s body. Kill both her and the orc witch to rid these lands of its dark influence for good.
Affinity: Dark
“Yikes!” Fredric says. “We gotta fight that?”
“Apparently!” I chop away at the last orc and get him down to 20% before Fredric kills it with a volley of arrows. I’m down to 30% HP and 20% STAM, and Gilly’s TP bar is nearly empty. Maybe we can rest before taking on the witch and Sarah, but when I turn to look, both monsters are approaching us.
Sarah hovers over the dark water, moving at amazing speed, surrounded by an eerie red glow that matches her pulsing eyes. The witch stomps after her, plowing through the marsh a short distance behind.
It’s do or die time, now!
“Fight me!” I use the last of my TP on Sarah, pulling her toward me with a War Cry.
I then run past her and focus on the witch.
Dark words mumbled from behind cause me to pause. I turn back toward Sarah just as a room-wide message appears.
Possessed Sarah readies Chaos Storm.
Oh crap. Is that an AOE attack? We’re probably all done for if that thing goes off. I turn back to use Rush on Sarah, but I’m too far away. Dark energy swirls around her, giving form to a huge shadow that appears to control Sarah’s body like a puppet.
An arrow hits Sarah in the back, taking away about 5% of her health.
Fredric uses Paralyzing Shot.
Possessed Sarah is paralyzed.
“Got a sliver of TP back!” Fredric shouts. “But that’s my last one!”
I need to kill the witch quick, so I can stun Sarah in case she uses that AOE attack again. The witch is about to cast a spell of some kind on Gilly. I check my Rage meter and see it’s now at 287%. I leap at the orc witch and release my Power Attack, sending a bright arc of light flashing from my blade as I cleave into her side. The monster’s HP bar drops to 30%!
“Whoa!” Fredric shouts. “Nice hit, dude!”
Fredric follows up with an arrow while I take a rake from the witch’s nasty claws.
“Out of Stamina!” Fredric shouts.
I’m down to 15%. I give the witch a last hit, taking it down to 5%, when my Stamina runs out, too. No, not now!
Sar
ah glides over the dark water toward me. The shadow that encompasses her bears huge, dark hands with red-tipped claws. I see Gilly’s TP go up a tick, then drop back down to zero as she sends a heal my way. It washes over me like a bath from Heaven. But then both the witch and Sarah turn to face Gilly, and both start casting spells!
Come on! I urge my Stamina up another tick, my sword feeling like an anvil in my hand. Finally, I’m able to take a swing and plunge my short sword into the witch’s back.
You defeated the Orc Witch!
You gain 1000 experience points!
Kill chain x 3: You gain 500 experience points!
You find a Witch’s Broach on the Orc Witch.
You find a Gold Beast Coin on the Orc Witch.
Gilly gains a Level!
Fredric gains a Level!
Congratulations! You have gained a Level!
You are now Level 11.
You have 2 attribute points to spend.
Yes!
All three of us are topped up to full health, Stamina and TP as we gain our levels. I charge into Sarah with a Rush, interrupting her spell, and then follow up with a War Cary for good measure. Her attention is clearly on me now, but when she does a double claw swipe, she takes me down to 20% health. Holy cow!
Gilly boosts me back up with 3 heals, and I chop Sarah for 5% health. Fredric gives a volley of arrows that take her down another 10%. She claws me again, and I’m back down to 20%. And then she starts casting.
Possessed Sarah readies Chaos Storm.
Oh no! “Fredric, my stun is down, hit it with your Paralyze again.”
“Got it!” he shouts back, and lands a clear shot.
I take advantage of Sarah’s paralyzed state to get in three good hits before she unfreeze and swipes at me again. Gilly heals me just before the claws hit and my HP bar bounces dangerously close to zero before it balances out at 15%.
The boss is still at 65%.
Possessed Sarah readies Chaos Storm.
“I’m still on cool-down!” Fredric shouts.
“I got it!” I say, and hit Sarah with Rush, canceling the spell.
I get a free hit in as Gilly tops me up. “Out of TP soon!”
Man, I’m taking way too much damage! Wish I could dodge this stuff.
I try to do so on the next set of attacks. I fail both times, but get a couple of skill ups in Dodge in the process. My Rage meter dings full at 105%. Whoa. I guess the big hits I took fill the meter quickly. I get another slash in as Gilly uses her last TP to heal me up.
“I’m out!” she shouts.
Fredric sends another powerful volley of arrows, and Sarah’s health drops below 35%.
I raise my shield for the next set of attacks. I take a pounding, dropping me down to 10%, but I get a Block and a Retaliation Strike trigger. I unleash it with a Power Attack charged to 145%. The white arc of my blade cuts through the boss, my damage modified by the retaliation bonus.
Sarah releases a horrid death cry as her HP bar disappears and falls into the swamp. The dark shadow surrounding her cries out in rage as it dissipates, and then finally disappears.
You defeated Possessed Sarah!
You gain 2000 experience points!
You find a Rusted Key.
Congratulations! You have completed the Bonus Quest for Swamping for Sarah!
Congratulations! You have earned the title: Banisher of Chaos!
You have received 500 bonus experience points.
You have received 500 credits.
Gilly gains a Level!
Fredric gains a Level!
Congratulations! You have gained a Level.
You are now Level 12.
You have gained 1 attribute point.
“Damn, that was crazy awesome!” Fredric shouts in victory. “Crazy hard, too! But man, was it worth it!”
I laugh in relief. I can’t believe how hard my heart is pounding. “No kidding!”
I come down from my high when I see poor Sarah face-down in the swamp. “Too bad we had to kill the girl, though. Does that mean we failed the main quest?”
“Follow me,” Gilly says. She runs up onto the banks of the small island. Fredric and I follow her to where she points at a small chest inside the hut. “Use the key we just got on that.”
I grab the key out of the shared treasure pool, and it drops into my inventory. I then unlock the chest and wait for it to open.
You open a Treasure Box!
You find 2 Gold Beast Coins.
You find a Scroll of Raise I
“Wow!” I say.
“That’s how you win both quests,” Gilly says with a smile. “We can raise Sarah. This is also how you obtain the Raise spell, by the way. It’s actually worth a lot of credits.”
“So are those Beast coins,” Fredric says. “Like, 1000 credits each!”
Dang! I had no idea adventuring could make so much money. I really was wasting my time in the mines. I give the scroll to Gilly. “Go for it, Gilly!”
She opens the scroll, but then curses. “Ah, shoot! It’s Level 12! I’m 2 levels away.”
“Does that mean we lose?” Fredric says.
“How long will Sarah stay there?” I ask.
Gilly shrugs. “It’s an NPC, so I’m not sure.”
I grin at both of them. “How fast do you think we can get Gilly 2 more levels?”
They both grin in return.
We take a victory lap of the swamps, mopping up stray orcs that go down as quick as the young black bears now. We get a kill chain going, and within ten minutes, Gilly is Level 12, Fredric is 11, and I’m knocking on 14. Gilly uses the scroll, and we head back to where Sarah was face-down in the swamp.
Thankfully, she’s still there when we arrive.
Familiar white light with feathers swirls around Sarah as Gilly casts Raise on her. Sarah rises out of the swamp to stand once more.
“Thank you so much,” Sarah says. “That was a terrible ordeal, but I’m free from that dark spirit now. Can you please guide me back home?”
This triggers a mini Escort quest, and we spend another twenty minutes coaxing Sarah out of the swamp while cleaning a path for her through the orcs. I’m halfway to Level 15 by the time we exit the swamp and see her safely into the arms of her NPC grandparents.
“You saved our granddaughter! Thank you so much!”
Congratulations! You have completed the Quest: Swamping for Sarah!
Congratulations! You have earned the title: Swamp Savior!
You have received 1000 bonus experience points.
You have received 1000 credits.
Congratulations! You have gained a Level.
You are now Level 15.
You have 1 attribute points to spend.
You learn the passive ability: Double Attack
Double Attack
Your natural fighting prowess sometimes allows you to attack twice.
“You did it, Reece!” Gilly shouts, and hugs me. “You’re Level 15!”
I almost can’t believe it myself. “I didn’t think I could do it in one day. And I definitely couldn’t have without your help!” I hug her back, deeply. “Thanks so much, Gilly!”
“What?” Fredric says. “15 levels in one day? What are you? A pro gamer?”
“He’s going to be,” Gilly says with a laugh.
“Hey, you guys want to do some more dungeons together?”
“Sorry, man,” I say. “I’m actually spent.”
And I am, both mentally and physically.
“That’s cool. You want to swap friend requests and team up tomorrow?”
I look to Gilly, but she only shrugs. I think about what Val Helena said. Would he slow me down? But then again, there was no way we could have cleared that dungeon just now, with both the bonus quest and the boss, without him. “Sounds good,” I say, “but I’m on a bit of a weird career path. I’ll be leveling an Elemental Mage to 5 next, and then Thief to 15 after that.”
“Oh . . . ?” Fredric looks pu
zzled.
“He’s going for Ninja,” Gilly says.
Fredric’s eyes light up with understanding. “Ah! Right! Cool. Well, hit me up if you need me then. That was the most fun I’ve had in a while.”
“Me, too!” I say—though, to be honest, it’s the most fun I’ve had, period.
We exchange friend requests and divvy up the Beast coins before Fredric is off on his way. I save the Witch’s Broach for Gilly.
Witches Broach
MND +3 INT +3 +30 TP
This mysterious broach depicts a beetle with ruby wings. A faint aura can be felt exuding from it.
I trade it to her, and her eyes light up. “Wow! That’s a really good item!”
“For when you level up,” I say.
She grins. “Oh, wait. I’ve got this for you, too.”
She trades back Val Helena’s ring.
“Hopefully you’ll give me one I can actually keep next time,” she says with a playful wink.
I chuckle. “I guess that means we’re not official then, huh?”
“Nope,” she says. “But this does.”
She leans into me and plants a kiss right on my lips. I’m so taken aback I barely respond enough to kiss her back. She pulls away with a huge smile. “I’ve been waiting to do that for ages.”
I stare at her, dumbfounded. “Really?”
She laughs. “Thanks for the date, Reece. Best one I’ve ever been on. Well, it’s the only one I’ve ever been on, but still. Was mega fun!”
I’m totally blushing now.
“I’m gonna log off for the night. See you tomorrow for part two!”
“Okay, goodnight!” I wave bye to her like a duffus as she logs out.
I’m left there grinning from ear to ear.
I think I’ve just had the best day of my life.
* * *
I log off, still giddy, and collapse onto my mattress, reflecting on the time I just had in-game. It’s all so new and wonderful. The progression of my character, the developments with Gilly—all of it has left a smile permanently plastered on my face.
