"Luckily for you, your former captor has a nice canvas satchel that can solve that problem.”
“When taking items from your loot target, you can choose to take each item individually, or take containers as a whole.”
I “grabbed” the bronze dagger from the loot interface and watched as it materialized in my hand. I put it back and it returned to its icon form within the window. Next, I grabbed the “Canvas Satchel” container and watched as it took form in my hands. I slung it over my shoulder and saw my own inventory window shift to show the satchel and all of its contents.
I grabbed the dagger again and tucked it into the satchel, left the items tagged as useless, and mentally ended the “looting” action.
“Now that the loot is yours, you can access it either through the inventory menu, or via reaching into the physical container itself, and thinking of the item you wish to retrieve. Each container has a limit to how much it can hold, but the physics are a bit loose to provide a more traditional game experience.”
I blinked and time started to flow again. I reached into my new satchel and concentrated on the key ring, feeling the hard metal ring materialize in my hand. I took out the keys and freed myself from the remains of my shackles and then crawled over to do the same for the dwarf and Kejaa.
With the looted food and water, I was finally able to banish the dehydration and starvation debuffs and rid myself of the accompanying discomfort.
I handed the skin and some rations to my companions and they ate and drank their fill. Their shoulders relaxed as their own debuffs faded as well, and a quick glance at my health gauge showed that I was once again regenerating.
When we were all settled, I handed the bronze dagger to Kejaa since she looked like she knew her way around a blade. I had no idea how to use it other than the basic “stick the pointy end in the enemy” technique, so it was much better in her hands. Plus, I hoped that when push came to shove, I would have access to the rest of the spells I had chosen in character creation.
Clinging to some small bit of hope for the rest of the people in the cage, I took the keys and tossed them in.
Maybe one or two would snap out of their misery and at least try to take back their lives.
My conscience satisfied, I crawled back over to Kejaa and our dwarven friend and saw that he had gathered several lengths of chain and wrapped them around his fists forming some makeshift cesti. Looked like someone was ready to rumble.
We left the scene of our former incarceration and started moving from tent to tent, each of us doing our best to not draw any attention to our escape. With my own low Agility score, my attempts to move silently were a complete failure.
*** Sneak attempt unsuccessful. ***
Kejaa and the dwarf on the other hand, barely made a sound.
We moved from tent to tent, listening to the sounds of battle at the northern end of the camp. Kejaa kept us in the shadows which were getting shorter as the sun continued to rise in the east.
She led us onwards, quickly peeking inside each tent as we passed to see if there was anything worthwhile to help us make our escape. Most of the tents were empty except for bedding and the occasional empty bottle. Not one to waste potential loot, I slipped several bottles into my satchel, thinking they might come in useful later for transporting water, or as a makeshift bludgeon.
We continued towards the edge of the camp, taking the long route around the campsite, and had just reached another row of tents when a slaver on camelback dashed past us, riding for the edge of the camp.
His left side was covered in blood and he had obviously been wounded in the fighting and was now running for his life.
I focused my attention on his fleeting back as the game paused once again.
*** Unlocking: Sun Strike…100% ***
*** Unlocking: Jackal’s Tooth…100% ***
*** Unlocking: Beacon of Life…100% ***
Knowledge of several more divine magic glyphs flowed into my mind along with the understanding of how to form them into complete spell forms.
When time began to flow once again, I was ready. I focused on the slaver riding past, concentrating on gathering as much information as I could.
*** Saa Slaver ***
*** HP: 30%, MP: ??, SP: ?? ***
I raised my hand and brought forth my magic, forming the glyphs in my mind for the newly unlocked Sunstrike spell.
A burning fire fill my body and then released in an explosion of power, creating a searing beam of light that burst forth from my upraised hand and burned into the slaver's back.
*** You cast Sunstrike on Saa Slaver! Sunstrike burns your target with Holy Fire! ***
*** Slaver Guard has been killed. You gain 150xp. ***
The slaver’s charred form slid from the saddle as the camel raced off into the desert. I scanned the area, making sure there were no other surprise guests before heading over to loot. Kejaa and the dwarf were watching the pathways to the north.
I walked over, wincing at the smell of burned flesh as I got closer. Maybe the game had gone a bit too far in their quest for realism with that. I felt a small sense of righteous satisfaction in my victory.
Sure, he was already injured, but I had thwarted his escape. With a grin, I knelt down and started the looting process.
Another dagger, some coins, and some charred meat… I left the meat behind. No need to tempt fate, especially when the owner and his possessions had such a similar look and smell. Accidental cannibalism was not something I wanted to chance.
The armor was ruined as well. Several large tears along the front and a giant scorched hole in the back made it quite useless. There were, however, large sections of intact pieces. I wondered if it was repairable.
*** Unlocking: Armorer …100% ***
*** Unlocking: Cooking …100% ***
More knowledge poured into my brain granting me an understanding of how the armor was put together and assembled.
The new info base provided a little more insight into the ruined pieces before me. It could be fixed, but not under the current circumstances.
Specialized tools were required, and lugging it around now while it was useless was not worth my time.
And from what my new Cooking knowledge was telling me, I definitely didn’t want that meat...
I turned back to my companions to find them both looking at me strangely. “What?” I asked?
Kejaa touched her forehead and bowed slightly and the dwarf simply said, “Did you think to grab the camel while you were rummaging through his pockets?”
I glanced back, seeing the camel was long gone and shrugged as we continued onwards.
Kejaa continued to lead us towards the edge of the camp when I again saw a sparkle on the edge of my vision.
*** Perception check successful – Discerning Eye check successful ***
I motioned to my companions to stop and turned my attention to the glimmering. As I focused, the glimmer resolved into the outline of two slavers kneeling behind a small barricade.
They were facing away from us towards the northern edge of the camp, so I didn’t think they had seen us yet.
*** Saa Slaver – Level 1 ***
*** HP: 100%, MP: 0, SP: 100% ***
*** Saa Slaver – Level 3 ***
*** HP: 100%, MP: ???, SP: ??? ***
The info text had never shown my targets level before. I could even see info on all three pool values for the level one guy.
I motioned to my companions and ducked into the tent next to me, luckily finding it empty. I focused on staying quiet and managed to not bring the guards down on us all.
As they entered the tent, I leaned in close and whispered, “There are two slavers behind the baricade ahead. It looks like they are guarding something, or setting up an ambush. We should deal with them before they can get the jump on your people, Bedjvain’i.”
She knelt in thought for several seconds and then replied. “Da j’vea ne. Priest, it is a danger. I can likely silence one before
they are roused, but the other may be a challenge.”
I nodded, “I will risk it if you will. Your people saved my life, how could I not do whatever is in my power to ensure their safety as well?”
I turned to the dwarf, and he smiled and clenched his fists, “I think there are two slavers about to find out just how unlucky they are.”
Kejaa smiled slightly and began to move but stopped as I rested my hand on her shoulder. “Wait. Let me see the dagger.”
She looked at me strangely but complied. I took the dagger and brought to mind another of my spells, forming the glyphs for Jackal’s Tooth in my mind.
Holding the dagger in my hands, I overlaid my mental construct over it, and then let the mana flow into the glyphs.
Slowly the glyphs began to appear on the physical blade, each line and slash etched in glowing light into the bronze blade, until finally the entire spell form was visible. With a quick flash, the glyphs sunk into the blade, leaving the edge… changed.
*** You have cast Jackal’s Tooth on Dagger (Bronze). ***
Where before the dagger appeared to be a made of solid bronze, now the edges appeared to be made of an opalescent bone. I examined the dagger to see what else I could glean.
*** Unlocking: Weaponsmith… 100% ***
*** Dagger, Bronze (Normal): This weapon has been blessed to grant additional damage and critical chance. ***
I handed it back to Kejaa and she almost dropped it, looking at me again with that strange expression.
“What? I told you I was a Priest,” I said.
“It is one thing to know a thing and another to KNOW a thing,” she replied cryptically before sliding into the shadows.
The dwarf and I slowly moved back out of the tent, careful not to draw the slavers’ attention. The sounds of combat in the distance began to die down and the two guards started to get restless. I caught a glimpse of movement right behind the front slaver and worried that their irritation would ruin Kejaa’s approach.
Suddenly she struck. One second the lower level slaver was crouching alone behind the barricade and the next the bedjvain woman was stepping out of the shadows and sinking her dagger into his back. The guard arched backwards with a silent gasp of blood as she slipped her dagger through his lungs and into his heart.
The dying guard’s gasp alerted the second slaver, who cursed and turned to face her, dropping his bow and drawing his gladius in a practiced motion. Kejaa dodged away, putting distance between herself and the now-alert slaver.
He pressed Kejaa with a vicious series of blows and managed to slip his blade past her defenses, scoring a deep cut to her shoulder. She dropped back and raised her blade defensively, but things didn't look good.
I rushed towards the slaver, but my dwarven companion was quicker. He grunted, “Heal her,” as he sped past Kejaa’s prone form and went on the offensive. He ducked under the slaver’s first slash and knocked him several steps backwards with a shoulder to the chest.
With the slaver occupied, I rushed to the bedjvain’s side and examined her injuries.
***First aid check successful – Diagnosis Complete. ***
*** Kejaa – Level 2 Bedjvain Rogue ***
*** HP: 1%, MP: 0, SP: 24% ***
*** Bleeding, Critically Wounded. ***
I quickly put pressure on the wound and began channeling the Soothing Touch spell, watching the light creep from my hands into her wounds. The blood slowed and her wound knitted back together as I channeled healing energy into her.
*** You cast Soothing Touch, healing Kejaa’s wounds. ***
*** You channel Soothing Touch, healing Kejaa’s wounds. ***
*** You channel Soothing Touch, healing Kejaa’s wounds. ***
*** You channel Soothing Touch, healing Kejaa’s wounds. ***
*** Kejaa is no longer bleeding. ***
*** Kejaa is no longer critically wounded. ***
In an attempt to conserve some mana for the rest of the fight, I ended my healing spell once the status effects had been dealt with and Kejaa’s condition had stabilized. With death no longer knocking at the bedjvain’s door, I turned back to the rest of the battle.
Our dwarven ally was currently using the slaver’s midsection as a speed bag, his chain-wrapped fists turning the slaver’s organs into paste even through its armor.
With a final flurry, he finished off the guard with a quick uppercut, sending the Saa’s blood and broken teeth sailing through the air as he toppled lifeless to the ground.
I helped Kejaa to regain her feet and we moved into the tent they had been guarding, dragging the slaver corpses in behind us.
Between the two dead slavers I was able to loot a single short bow and single quiver of arrows, but nothing that any of our impromptu group could effectively use.
Within the tent, however, was a different story. Mixed weapons and armor of all shapes and sizes were piled haphazardly around the room.
Moving quickly, my companions and I split up and began searching for equipment appropriate to our skill sets.
I half expected a loot window to pop up as I dug into the first pile of armor, but it seemed that we’d be doing this the old fashioned way.
Off to one side I saw something that looked familiar. As I focused on it the world froze and another flash took over.
*** Unlocking: Unknown Origin …45% ***
I stood before a full-length mirror, admiring my brand-new armor and weapons. The hard leather chest piece meshing nicely with the wide studded leather belt and skirting. In my right hand I gripped a well-crafted bronze short spear and a wooden war shield adorned my left arm, fresh from the armory. I was filled with excitement for my first patrol, and as I turned away from the mirror, my surroundings faded to grey.
Snapping back to the present, I found my eyes locked onto the catalyst for my trip down memory lane, a wooden war shield, identical to that from my vision except for the obvious signs of wear and tear.
I rushed over and pulled the shield out of the piled equipment, noticing at the same time my short spear propped against the wall. After some additional digging I uncovered my armor as well, and even my under-tunic and linen skirt.
Not caring at all for modesty, I quickly stripped out of the dirty slave robes and put on my recovered gear.
*** Unlocking: Spear (Rank 2) … 20% ***
*** Unlocking: Shield (Rank 1) …20% ***
*** Unlocking: Medium Armor (Rank 2) …20% ***
*** Unlocking: Combat Caster (Rank 1) …100% ***
The spear sat comfortably in my hand, my armor felt almost like a second skin, and the weight of the shield felt natural on my left arm. The dizziness that usually accompanied the unlocking messages passed very quickly this time. I guess I was getting used to accessing these virtual memory banks.
I glanced at my companions and saw that they too had managed to locate their own goods amongst the slavers’ collection as well, and smiled before continuing the search for additional useful items.
I grabbed a leather backpack from against the wall and transferred the contents of my canvas satchel to it and then added in some other odds and ends, keeping track of the weight. I also found a small belt pouch to carry my coins and other smaller items and added my rations and coins to it for easier access.
The sounds of battle had begun to slow down outside and I knew it was only a matter of time before we would have to leave the tent, but with the wide open desert ahead of us, I wanted to make sure we didn’t escape the slavers only to end up a dried up chunk of people jerky in some vulture’s gullet.
Digging through the remaining piles, I tried to find anything that would be helpful in surviving after our escape.
***Unlocking Survival (Desert) …100% ***
Immediately several things stood out to me as vitally important. A tent, kindling and tinder for fire starting, flint and steel, food, many, many full water skins, a roll of some sort of silken cloth, and several other odds and ends that I didn’t recognize consciously.
<
br /> Surprisingly, the combined goods weren’t very heavy. Go, go MMORPG inventory physics! I opened my inventory menu and noticed that my carrying capacity was currently at sixty percent.
Watching the total closely, I added some other odds and ends to my pack: a bronze khopesh, and several additional water skins. I tossed the empty glass bottles into a corner since they were no longer of use.
When my companions finished their own pillaging of the tent, we signaled our readiness and then stepped outside into the morning air.
The sound of battle coming from the far side of the camp was now replaced with the soft moans of the dying. The sunrise was almost complete, and it seemed the slavers were not going to meet the dawn.
Our dwarven companion was now clad in solid looking brigandine armor with a pair of spiked cesti on his fists while the bedjvain wore a mix of cloth and soft leather. A dark cloth wrap covered her head and the lower half of her face, partially hiding her features as she idly twirled a pair of curved blades as she led us further into the camp.
We stuck to the shadows, and as we neared the edge of the camp three slavers came running from the north.
Neither the dwarf or I had any stealth skills at all so they easily spotted us and charged.
Kejaa jumped forward to meet the slaver on the left while the dwarf met the one on the right, leaving the last for me.
The slaver stalked towards me, raising a round shield and gladius before him.
*** Unlocking: Spear (Rank 2) … 100% ***
*** Unlocking: Shield (Rank 1) …100% ***
*** Unlocking: Medium Armor (Rank 2) …100% ***
My feet shifted into a more balanced stance as I raised my shield and spear into a guard position, my spear angled towards the approaching enemy as my body automatically adjusted to the new skill information.
Crimson Sands Page 7
