SJ bolted to the front office, approaching the door and glancing out. Her sight immediately picked up the five beings that had entered the warehouse. She recognised the one at the back as Carter, but she couldn’t be sure if the others were in the warehouse when she had come previously. They weren’t being quiet and looking at them. One was injured and supported by another. He had two arrows protruding from his leg. The crew that had gone to steal the chalice fell foul to the trap they must have laid for them.
“Get him upstairs to the office. Winbeck, check we weren’t followed here. The last thing we need is those damn guards turning up,” Carter said.
“Larianco, we must go,” SJ hissed to the back room.
“Not without Raceillia.”
“Now!” SJ said with urgency.
The dark elf being helped up the stairs groaned as he tried to put weight on his injured leg.
SJ equipped her claws, taking a dart from her belt. “Larianco!” SJ could still hear them talking when Raceillia suddenly shouted.
“CARTER. HELP!”
Carter looked up towards the office a look of shock on his face. SJ was stood inside the doorway, but she couldn’t be sure if he had seen her or not.
“Now. Larianco.”
There was a flash of light behind her, and then chaos ensued. As Carter barked orders, the injured dark elf on the stairs was left to hold on to the barrier.
“Get up there and see what the hell’s going on.”
The dark elf supporting the injured one released him and sprinted up the stairs. SJ stepped out, throwing a dart at him as he reached the walkway. It didn’t strike him in his chest as she had hoped, but it did hit his shoulder, making him grunt from the impact. It looked like he had leather pauldrons. The dart didn’t penetrate due to her failed accuracy.
Ducking back inside, SJ saw the movement behind her as a miniature fae form darted from the back room. Raceillia flew past before SJ could react.
“Larianco. Are you ok?” SJ asked, panicking that Raceillia had got past her.
“Yes,” she cursed. “She used a dispel charm. When my spell dimmed, she launched at me and ran.”
The dark elf on the walkway had drawn a short sword and, flattening himself against the office wall, was edging towards the door. The other able-bodied dark elf had started up the stairs. Carter was also beginning to approach.
“There are too many of them for us to handle. We need to go.”
Larianco appeared behind her, her nervous look from before lost as pure anger flared on her face. The corner of her mouth turned up in a sneer. SJ spun around the doorway, releasing another two darts in quick succession. The dark elf deflected one with his blade, the other hitting his side and penetrating his armour. It let out a cry of pain as the dart embedded deeply.
The darts alone did minor damage but her Dexterity and enchantment bonuses made a significant difference. It grabbed at the dart, pulling it out as it staggered from the impact. The second dark elf was now on the walkway behind the first, Carter close behind. SJ glanced out as a bolt from a crossbow struck the door frame inches from her face.
Larianco’s hands glowed red as she stepped forward. “Let me,” she hissed.
Stepping out of the doorway with a flourish of her hands, two red bolts quickly shot forward. SJ heard a scream and a crashing sound. The nearest dark elf received both bolts, sending him hurtling backwards and over the walkway side to crash to the floor below. Another bolt flew at Larianco, her shield preventing it from penetrating.
“I will deal with these you deal with Raceillia,” Larianco said.
SJ stepped behind Larianco, who was shielding her. Larianco had Carter and another dark elf to deal with as SJ noticed Raceillia flying towards the front of the warehouse to an open window above the main door.
“Will you be ok?” SJ asked.
“Yes. Go,” Larianco said as a red ball appeared between her hands. Two more bolts hit her shield as the fireball grew.
SJ shrunk and immediately took off. Dropping over the walkway side, she narrowly dodged a dagger thrown in her direction by Carter and chased after Raceillia. Raceillia had reached the window and was disappearing through it. Only taking SJ moments to reach the entrance, she didn’t slow as she bounced off the angled glass pane, causing it to crack as she was deflected downwards. Gathering her senses, her vision picked out Raceillia hurtling towards an opposite alleyway. SJ gave chase.
As SJ reached the alleyway, she saw the flash from behind her in the warehouse. The fireball’s explosion thundered across the district, erupting outwards from all the glass inside the building, scattering the street with shards of glass and splinters of wood. SJ was glad she hadn’t been inside when it went off.
Raceillia looked back, seeing SJ, and released ice bolts towards her. SJ dived out of their path as they sailed above her. Taking a dart in her hand, she attempted to throw it towards Raceillia. It was a pointless exercise; her accuracy while flying was impaired to a severe extent by the speed at which she was travelling. Raceillia disappeared around a corner, SJ flying as fast and as hard as she could in pursuit.
“Careful!” Dave warned as she reached it.
SJ slowed, peering around the edge to see a blue bolt immediately hurtle towards her. Pulling her head back out of the way, she heard Raceillia curse and glanced again to see she was moving again. Raceillia flew out onto the street ahead, turning right, heading deeper into District 3.
‘I think she is heading towards The Squirrels Sphere,’ SJ thought.
“Possibly. I bet that’s where the rest of the crew hang out,” Dave said.
SJ changed her flight path, lifting upwards at an angle over the roof rather than flying at street level. From here, she had a clear sight of the bar and flew directly towards it. Her vision allowed her to still see Raceillia hurtling along the street in her miniature form as she cut over the rooftops in pursuit. There was no direct route for Raceillia without using alleyways, and SJ hoped to catch her up. She could now see flames blazing in the night sky behind her, and there was another loud explosion.
‘I hope Larianco is okay.’
Raceillia was closing in on the bar, and SJ didn’t think she would catch her before she reached it. She pushed as hard as she could, but even flying directly, Raceillia’s years of experience flying meant she was faster, even at street level.
‘Damn,’ SJ cursed as she saw Raceillia turn down an alley leading to the rear of the bar. SJ flew straight over the roof as Raceillia returned to her full size and reached for the door. There was no way she would let her escape, and without even attempting to grow, she flew directly towards Raceillia’s back. As Raceillia grasped the handle and called, she struck her back in her miniature form, her claws extended. Easily penetrating through her dress. Raceillia screamed in pain as her tiny needle-like claws penetrated her body.
That was when SJ grew. She was disorientated from the impact, but it didn’t stop her. Her claws still dug deeply into Raceillia and grew as she did. Her blades in miniature form were only about one and a half inches long, but as she grew to her full size, the full eighteen-inch blades had the desired effect. The scream of agony that escaped Raceillia as SJ’s blades erupted from the front of her chest would have woken the dead. If the dead ever slept. Which SJ knew from her skeleton friends, that they didn’t.
Her head was flung back in shock from the sudden damage, and as SJ went to strike again, a bright flash of light hit her, throwing her backwards. Her claws came free as she stumbled on her Sure Step, preventing her from falling. Raceillia was seriously wounded as she turned towards SJ, but she would not give in quietly. Triggering Shroud SJ struck. Her moves were fast and precise, her health was full, and a blue bolt flew at her as she approached. She didn’t alter her course and took the dart impact in her shoulder, grunting as she lunged at Raceillia.
Her claws sparked against the shield Raceillia had cast, reminding SJ of sparklers on bonfire night. Strike after strike, she struck at the shield in a frenzy. Although not hitting Raceillia, the impact of her strikes offset her and pushed her backwards. The door to the bar was being opened, and SJ threw her weight at Raceillia. Forcing her back into the opening doorway. Their combined weight crashed into the door, closing it on whoever was coming through.
SJ felt as though she had just received an electric shock. Her muscles spasming as she contacted the shield with her body until she moved back. That had hurt her more than she had expected, her health dropping by a third. Again, she attacked. More sparks flew, and where they were, Raceillia backed against the door. No one could come out. SJ saw faces in a rear window with her vision and shouting from inside. Raceillia’s eyes were partially closed as she cast a spell, and SJ felt the surrounding air grow cold as an ice elemental appeared behind her.
The elemental stood eight feet tall and had appeared at the rear of the yard. Its body was covered in icy spikes, and where it should have had hands, it also had spikes. It lumbered towards SJ, and its moves were slow and deliberate.
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“Kill her,” Raceillia screeched.
“Stay on her,” Dave shouted. “If you kill her, the elemental will dispel.”
SJ’s attacks became even faster as she pummelled the shield with everything she had while watching the lumbering form of the ice elemental move towards her. The sparks were lessening, and as the ice elemental went to strike SJ, it failed. Raceillia’s eyes opened wide in shock as her claws penetrated the shield. Tearing into Raceillia. Rabid, almost feral strikes, no skill, no finesse, just total aggression in her movements.
Screaming in pain from the savage attack, Raceillia fell. Falling backwards against the door, her muscles weakened, and her legs gave way. As SJ brought her hand around in one last strike at Raceillia, it was a moment too slow as the ice elemental struck her. She had seen it coming and didn’t care. Grimacing from the pain as the spike tore into her side, her hand came down on Raceillia, ending her life.
The icy appendage stuck in her side suddenly vanished as the ice elemental disappeared. The only sign it had ever been there were small pools of water where it had stepped. SJ panted as she grasped her side. The now lifeless form of Raceillia still blocking the door to the bar. Bodies were on the other side and pushing against it, and Raceillia’s body was unceremoniously shoved out of the way. SJ didn’t hesitate, and as the first face of a dark elf appeared around the door’s edge, she attacked. This time with precision, her claws catching it perfectly, sending it reeling backwards, screaming in agony. Others behind it were forced backwards as it backpedalled away from her.
“What are you doing?” Dave said.
‘Finishing it,’ SJ replied, stepping to the door and pulling it open.
The first two who moved forward to attack SJ fell within moments, unable to get in a position to use their weapons. There were three others inside, and as SJ stepped into the doorway, she asked Dave their levels.
“Nothing special. 12 left, 18 middle, 14 right.”
The furthest from her on the left raised a crossbow to shoot her, which she prevented by stepping forward and up to the level 18. He had a dagger in his hand and went to strike her. Her adrenaline-fuelled state and high Dexterity allowed her to easily deflect and strike the dark elf. He staggered from the claws that hit his abdomen, doubling over and moving back. The level 14 swung a short sword towards her back, her vision seeing it coming, and she flicked her arm backwards again, deflecting the blow. Her initiative, derived from her senses, dexterity, and vision, was a class above her attackers by far.
As she turned, she brought her claws up in defence as the sword was swung downwards, its blade catching between the claws and striking the wedged v. With the blade caught SJ attempted to twist her wrist, but the blade didn’t snap. The movement pulled the dark elf off balance as his arm was yanked, not expecting his weapon to be snagged. With her free hand, SJ stepped in and ended its life with two swift strikes.
The one she had hit in the stomach had gathered itself and moved at her again; seeing him come, she again blocked the thrust of his dagger. Sweeping her leg around and catching him in his knee. This sent him staggering sideways, and he tripped, falling face-first onto a table and scattering its contents onto the floor. The one with the crossbow pulled the trigger, only fifteen feet from SJ, not giving her time to dodge. Just as the bolt was about to strike her leg, she activated her Shadow Step skill.
The dark elf didn’t even have time to finish dropping his crossbow and calling his blade to his hand, as SJ appeared from the shadows next to him, her claws pinning him to the wall he had been standing by. Turning back towards the level 18, she moved towards him, sneering and ready to strike. He was lying on the ground on his side, holding his stomach and raising a hand.
“Please don’t,” it pleaded.
Stepping forward, SJ went to strike and stopped herself at the last moment, her blades millimetres from the dark elf’s body, which had turned away in fear.
“You’re not going to finish him?” Dave said.
‘No. I will let the guard deal with him when they arrive. I am sure they will after the explosions and everything else that has happened tonight.’
A short bar ran along the other side of the room and as SJ stood over the dark elf, a terrified face of a goblin peered over the top.
“Are they dead?” it asked in a squeaky voice.
“Not all,” SJ said, kicking the dark elf on the floor at her feet. “Are you the owner?”
“I was until they took it from me and forced me to stay here as their barman.”
“They took it from you?”
“They stole my deed and forced me to turn the bar over to them after threatening my family. I had no choice. I have been a slave to them for years. I never dared say anything to the guard as they threatened they would hurt my Larissa.”
“What’s your name?”
“Keru.”
“Are there any more here? Upstairs?”
“No. Only my daughter is upstairs. They’ve been talking about a job the last few days, so they are out.”
“The chalice robbery?”
“Aye, something about a chalice. They said it would be a big earner.”
“Shut your mouth, goblin,” the dark elf said.
“You’re in no position to tell anyone to do anything,” SJ said, lowering her claws against his side. “Now I suggest you shut up and don’t even think about moving.”
Glancing around the bar, SJ asked. “Have you any rope?”
“Yes,” Keru said, hurrying to a cupboard beneath the stairs.
“Tie him up,” SJ said, as Keru brought the rope over.
Once the dark elf was trussed up and secured, leaning against the broken table, SJ asked Keru to get the guard.
“They do nothing,” Keru said with concern.
“Tell them the Ambassador of Killic asks them to attend the bar. I am sure that will get their attention.”
“Ambassador?” Keru looked confused.
“Yes. Ambassador.”
Eyes wide in amazement, Keru stared for a moment before bolting out the door.
The injured dark elf was in a bad way, his stomach still bleeding from her wound. Amathereans didn’t have the luxury of healing that Legionnaires did. The bar was a dive. It was once probably a decent establishment, but under the control of the dark elves, it had gone to wrack and ruin. The inside was just as poorly maintained as the outside had been when she had scouted it.
Now that SJ was out of active combat, her health increased quickly, soon reaching full again. The holes in her dress from the spike and bolts were repairing themselves, and any signs of blood were disappearing. She wiped her claws off on a rag from the bar before returning them to her inventory. The dark elf was drifting in and out of consciousness now as it sat propped up, and she wasn’t sure if it would survive, but she would not give her ring to it to heal. It could suffer for all she cared.
“SJ?” Dave said.
‘Yes?’
“Can I say something?”
‘You know you can. Why?’ SJ frowned at Dave’s request to speak.
“That was freaking amazing, more amazing than a dragon biting an ogre’s head off. The way you reacted and moved. Your vision. That allowed you to see the attacks. Thanks to me, I might add. The trick with your claws on that sword blade. I think my breath was held the whole time. Never mind when you just accepted the damage from those attacks. I have seen fighters and barbarians move away from less,” Dave gabbled.
SJ didn’t reply as she moved around the bodies, looting them.
‘That explosion at the warehouse. I hope Larianco survived,’ SJ thought as her display triggered again.
“I am sure she will be fine. That shield she had was very strong,” Dave said.
It had continually triggered as she had fought, but she had read none of the messages. That could wait until later. Moving outside, she looted Raceillia. Again, her display triggered, and she ignored it. She had no problems looting everything because of the size of her inventory. As she walked back inside, SJ noticed a small green face peeking through the banister rails at the top of the stairs.
“Hello,” SJ said.
“Hi,” the little goblin replied, her eyes as wide as saucers looking at the carnage in the bar.
“You should go back upstairs for now.”
“Mum’s not here, she’s at work, and I saw Dad go down the street.”
SJ walked to the stairs and looked up at the small goblin. She had two small tufts of hair with yellow ribbons on her little head. Her tiny little face reminded SJ of when she first met Cristy.
“How old are you?” SJ asked.
“Four.”
“Well, you don’t need to look at things like this. Go back upstairs for now. Your daddy will be back soon enough.”
“Are the bad elves gone now?”
SJ smiled at the goblin child. “Yes. They are gone.”
Outside the bar’s open door, SJ could see beings gathering on the street, trying to look in but not coming too near. It would be a few minutes before Keru returned with the guard.