With Swordie in hand and Cawthorn on shoulder the three of them reached the point the bandits emerged from the depths of the seemingly endless green forest. Gargrim knelt down to the tracks exiting the road. “How many of them did you say there were?”
“About 10 to 12 would be my best guess.” Victor answered.
Gargrim stroked his beard deep in thought not taking a step into the grass. Victor took a step forward only to meet Gargrim’s flat palm on his chest. “Did they have a cart?”
“Yes. Why?” Victor asked.
“There are only horse tracks right here. Slaves would have been on foot and if they had a cart it didn’t come this way. This is a false trail.” Gargrim nodded. “It seems they are a little more cunning than their level would suggest.” He began walking further on.
“Where are we going?” Victor asked.
“If they are clever, but not too clever, they simply had a mage conceal their tracks with magic after they passed this point. There are only 3 or 4 horses that departed the road here and if you look ahead you can see absolutely no tracks for days. That’s really suspect. We should keep walking until we see some tracks.” The three of them walked almost twice as far as they had walked so far until the road looked like it had been traveled on. Gargrim backtracked a bit and walked to the tree line. He rooted through the brush until he found a bush that lifted easily. Below it he could see groves in the dry dirt. “They are a bit cleverer than I expected but it’s likely a mage using some concealment magic. Mages tend to be the most intelligent members of any group.”
Swordie flashed “Many groups. The most intelligent members of many groups.”
“I never would have found that.” Victor commented ignoring Swordie’s snarky response.
“It was pretty well hidden. I could definitely learn something from you.” Serena nodded.
“I’ve been doing this for more than 20 years. For a dwarf 45 is almost a lifetime. We learn fast.” He sighed. Swordie independently commented.
Dwaven Lifespan: 55 Year average.
“I’ll be too old to adventure soon enough, assuming I don’t die in a dungeon.” He sighed.
“What are the average life spans of other races?” Victor asked Swordie
Human Lifespan: 65 Year average.
Elven Lifespan: Immortal until killed.
Devil Lifespan: Immortal until killed.
Angel Lifespan: Immortal until killed.
Halfling: 111 Year average.
Half Dragon: 130 Year average.
Half Elf: 500 Year average.
Dragon: 2000 Year average.
“Wow everything here lives for so long.” Victor commented.
Gargrim burst out laughing. “Everything can live for a long time. Most things don’t.”
“How long do demons live Swordie?” Victor asked out of curiosity.
Demons do not exist.
Demon is a name given by the people of this world to devils who have gone berserk and lost their mind.
Victor blinked not sure if he should share the information. Serena read it over his shoulder saying nothing but turning to Victor in confusion. Another few lines quickly followed.
Demons do not exist.
Demon is a name given by the people of this world to devils who have gone berserk and lost their mind.
Demons have lost control of their shapeshifting ability. These creatures tend toward being forced to shapeshift into efficient killing machines. If fed consistently and mana is maintained for between 1 and 30 days depending on length of starvation they will revert to their devil form.
‘I hadn’t expected to learn something like that.’ Victor could only think trying not to say it aloud and failing spectacularly. “Demons don’t exist according to Swordie.”
Gargrim raised an eyebrow. “I’ve seen demons kill so many dwarves. They kill thousands and thousands on their rampage. I don’t know how you could ever say that.”
He seemed genuinely distraught and while clearly not yet angry and if Victor hadn’t turned Swordie to him Gargrim might have gotten extremely angry. “I don’t understand. Devils tend toward cruelty but you can speak to them. You can make deals with them. I know they are in a holy war far to the east on the other continent but they aren’t mindless killing machines.” He sank to his knees.
“It looks like they only become what people call demons if they are starving.” Victor noted.
“My home died because a bunch of devils were hungry? They weren’t even ravenous monsters?” Gargrim stomped off toward the woods panting hard with blood pressure so high he may have gained some strength and anger ready to blow apart anything he came into contact with. The two of them followed him through the forest trudging through what revealed itself to be a trail after only getting slightly off the main road. As the three of them stomped into the distance Gargrim threw one of the large swords into the distance abruptly. It connected with a tree piercing straight thorough it. Gargrim dashed up to a still bleeding man crawling away with a serious wound to his back. “Tell me where the rest are and I’ll make it quick.” The man groaned at him saying nothing reaching for a weapon only to be suddenly decapitated by Gargrim. “That should be the only scout given the size of the encampment.”
“How did you see him?” Serena asked. “I didn’t have a clue he was there.”
“He was practically invisible.” Victor commented.
“I caught the white of his eye. He was well hidden. If you want to help, prioritize your own lives and the lives of the captives. I’m going to be killing every single one of these bandits in a glorious bloody mess.” Gargrim gripped his massive double sided axe in both hands. He gritted his teeth and clanked forward. A seething dwarf and his two followers came into view of a large wooden gate. Gargrim angrily charged as a man above noticed the three of them approaching. “FUCKING DOORS!” The gate doors flew hundreds of feet into the camp flattening at least one bandit into a bloody mess.
“Jolt!” Victor blasted a bandit in the head on the tower watching the gate.
Serena began to slink off to the right. “I’ll find the captives.”
Gargrim started walking into the encampment. Two towers and a small town worth of buildings about 2 dozen in count dotted the opening. Two arrows clinked off his armor. He returned a massive sword to one of the towers hitting the bandit and crashing the tower to the ground.
“THE TOWERS!” Cawthorn shouted.
“Jolt!” Victor shot the other bandit on the tower out of it in a single shot.
Rogue 7: Experience Increase: 9.6%
Rogue 7: Experience Increase: 9.4%
Current Exp to Level 6 77.2%
In the time it took Victor to blast the two off their towers he looked back to see three more bandits dead as red mist spewed into the air splattering all over the nearby hut. Gargrim smashed down the door to that hut with his own boot. He entered, a scream erupted from the hut then he emerged even bloodier than he entered with a angry glowering face as he kicked down the next door.
Rogue 7: Experience Increase: 0.3%
Rogue 8: Experience Increase: 0.4%
Rogue 7: Experience Increase: 0.2%
Rogue 7: Experience Increase: 0.3%
Rogue 6: Experience Increase: 0.1%
Current Exp to Level 6 78.5%
A bandit started charging at him at the same speed the skeleton did earlier. “Barrier Shield!” He screamed at the top of his lungs. It formed just in time for the bandit to bounce off. The bandit reeled back stunned with his hand on his head just in time to catch the “Jolt!” to his head.
Rogue 7: Experience Increase: 0.2%
Rogue 8: Experience Increase: 10.4%
Current Exp to Level 6 87.8%
Victor decided since he didn’t know what to do here he would just gate keep anyone trying to leave. Serena quickly appeared to his right near the entrance hiding between two huts. She had 6 women and 6 children following behind her and escorted them out of the camp. Victor noticed a bandit on climb up on a hut and draw a bow in time to nail it with a “JOLT!” He fell harmlessly to the ground.
Rogue 7: Experience Increase: 9.2%
Current Exp to Level 6 98.0%
“GET BACK HERE YOU COWARD!” Gargrim started to run toward the gate chasing a burly man bleeding but running at top speed.
“Too easy for my mage.” Cawthorn turned up the edge of his beak.
“JOLT! JOLT!” Victor extended both his hands and tried to cast both at the same time. Only one spell shot out still hitting the bandit leader square in the head staggering him just in time for Gargrim to increase the total number of pieces which he consisted of.
Rogue 12: Experience Increase: 30.0%
Level 6 Reached!
Current Exp to Level 7 28.0%
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“Good work son, I’m shocked you managed to do much here.” Gargrim walked up to Victor and suddenly noticed Serena already managed to free the hostages. “Well, well aren’t you two just the prodigious little pair.” None of the three could hear the bowstring draw over the tears of joy the hostages were crying. Two arrows flew through the air like a hawks racing to a rat. One managed to find a space in Gargrim’s armor the other connected with Victor’s neck. The left side of his neck suddenly had an arrow piercing it. He could feel the sudden spurt of blood gush out.
“POTION!” Cawthorn screamed.
-82 Health
Profuse Bleeding: Take 60 damage per minute of movement. 30 Damage per second.
Victor immediately gripped a health potion as he saw the icon on profuse bleeding tick around. Victor knew he had one second not a moment more. He bit down through the glass and felt the sweet almost cherry flavor of the healing potion slide down his neck.
-3 Health
Regenerated 5 Health
Profuse Bleeding: Reduced to bleeding.
Regenerated 5 Health
Regenerated 5 Health.
Regenerated 5 Health.
To remove bleeding remove sources then regenerate health. Current sources of bleeding arrow and glass.
His body fell to the ground dramatically. Glass lined his mouth as he fell to the ground and spit with all his might. Gargrim stood in front of him blocking any further arrows. Serena screamed throwing two daggers at the bandit on the root missing narrowly as he ducked down and fired again before firing another two arrows. Gargrim’s armor blocked one and he blocked another one headed for his face clanked off his axe. Serena took one of the potions on her bandoleer and immediately forced his head up and poured it down his throat. “Hold still.”
Regenerated 5 Health
Regenerated 5 Health
Regenerated 5 Health
Regenerated 5 Health
“No.” Victor looked at the archer that hit Gargrim in a small hole on his arm again. He pointed his finger at the archer as he drew another two arrows. “Jolt!”
“INDOMITABLE VALOR SPRINGS FORTH FROM THE GREATEST MAGE! A PERFECT SHOT!” Cawthorn cheered.
Rogue 9: Experience Increase: 14.9%
Current Exp to Level 7 42.9%
Bleeding: -30 health
18/90 Health
The jolt landed square on target knocking the target off the hut. Gargrim immediately dashed away as soon as the he disappeared from view. Serena screamed at him “HOLD STILL!” She forced three more potions down his neck.
Regenerated 5 Health
Regenerated 5 Health
Regenerated 5 Health
Regenerated 5 Health
Regenerated 5 Health
Regenerated 5 Health
Regenerated 5 Health
Regenerated 5 Health
Regenerated 5 Health
Regenerated 5 Health
Regenerated 5 Health
Regenerated 5 Health
78/90 Health
“Now listen to me right here you stupid suicidal hero I have to break this arrow.” She handed him another potion. “You have to have it removed or the bleeding won’t stop and will make moving from this spot impossible. You’ll take more damage when I move it. As soon as it’s out take that potion.” She carefully cracked the back of the arrow and then quickly pulled it through. Victor downed the potion inside of the same second.
-30 Health
Regenerated 5 Health
Bleeding: reduced to 3 per minute of movement.
Regenerated 5 Health
Regenerated 5 Health
Regenerated 5 Health
68/90 Health
Gargrim returned with the head of the last bandit. “He’s dead. His bow was junk but he was very proficient. He got me good three times.” Serena forced open his mouth and reached in three times to pull out shards of glass then poured another potion down his throat. Gargrim cracked his arrows and pulled them out drinking a potion quickly after.
-3 Health
Regenerated 5 Health
Regenerated 5 Health
Regenerated 5 Health
Regenerated 5 Health
85/90 Health
Victor coughed desperate to breath. “Thank you. I’m sorry I should have been faster and avoided that.”
“That one wasn’t on you son. None of us caught him. If anything it was my fault for not being thorough. It’s customary for rogues to target mages. They die easiest. They aren’t tough like fighters, fast like rogues, and they can’t heal themselves like priests can. Generally the mage is always the number one or two target depending on how powerful the priest of a group is.” Gargrim leaned down. “Is he going to be okay?”
Serena panting and panicked just rocked back and forth until Gargrim put his hand on her shoulder. He nodded at her and waited. “He’ll live.” She grabbed his body and rocked back and forth. “Goddess caring about a mage’s life is going to kill me.”
“WHY DOES EVERYTHING CAUSE BLEEDING!?” Victor shouted briefly scaring the villagers.
“Because you have blood you dummy.” Serena formed a fist and gently bonked his head.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to shout. How are you supposed to deal with bleeding? Gargrim straight up ran and didn’t bleed to death.” Victor asked still looking at the ground panting.
“I have the Staunch skill.” Gargrim said and Victor pulled out Swordie.
Staunch Rank 3
Rarity: Uncommon
Requirements: 30 vitality, Fighter 1 or Rogue 21, Cost 1 stat point
Passive Skill
Reduces bleeding damage by 60%. Profuse bleeding frequency and damage reduced by 60%. This skill automatically ranks up for fighters.
“What do rogues do?” Victor asked.
“We don’t get hit or we drink a potion, or just stop moving. Our extreme speed lets us use items far faster than anyone else. Some rogues level up Rigor especially if they are higher level. If you regenerate 5 health bleeding reduces in severity. If you recover 20% of your maximum and whatever made you bleed isn’t still inside you.” She picked up half an arrow and wagged it at him. “It will stop the bleeding. Lower tier adventurers just need a potion to stop bleeding.”
“Alright I get it; I just don’t know what to do.” He pulled out his book. “How do mages deal with bleed?”
You level up. Mages are weak to bleed at low levels and until you gain levels there are no options other than a healing potion, high rigor, bandages, or a healing magic you to deal with it.
“Are you KIDDING ME!?” Victor grabbed his throat. ‘I’m never going to make it to level 10 much less high enough levels to actually help people.’
One of the children walked up to victor and hugged him. “Mister are you okay?”
Victor stopped for a moment and realized. ‘I won. I got what I wanted. I nearly died but I didn’t. Is this what delusion feels like? I knew I could do it and felt almost inevitable, but I nearly died. Would Luzuzal allow me to die in pursuit of my goals?’ That question turned Victor whiter than he already was. ‘Luzuzal would.’ That answer brought him to absolute fear. In the wake of what should be cheering and joy he could only feel terror.
The child hugging him spoke up again. “Mister?”
Victor shook his head and put his hand on the young girl. “I’m fine, all of you are safe now.”
All of the rescued villagers rushed the three of them. Three of them ran to Serena and started asking rapid questions. “Lady who are you?”
“My name is Serena Brooks.” She looked down to the child.
“You’re so brave!” Another proclaimed.
In front of Gargrim a child looked at him at eye level and asked. “How did you get so strong?”
“A lot of practice, over a long time.” Gargrim patted the child on his head.
The one child on Victor ran to Serena as soon as he sat back and smiled at them. The six women walked up to them and began speaking with the other two as Victor sat there collecting them. One woman held out her hand to help Victor up. Victor took the hand up and painted a smile on his face. “Thank you.” The woman continued. “I’m Sava Jenel, the blacksmith of our village. I can’t believe someone actually came to save us. How much did they pay you?”
“They didn’t pay us.” Victor scratched the back of his neck where the small scar now dotted his neck.
“Then why would you come?” She asked.
“It’s just what we do.” Victor smiled.
Gargrim with a new coin pouch on his waist shook his head to correct Victor. “Sava I came for the bandits equipment and gold. She came because she wanted to keep him from dying miserably, which she definitely did. Victor came because he wanted to save all of you.”
“Wait seriously?” She asked.
“Yeah I’m a real bleeding heart.” Victor paused and his eyes opened wide. “I really hope that isn’t ever literal.”
“Well we all owe you our lives. If you need anything stop by my shop back in town.” Sava extended her hand and Victor shook it.
“Ladies and gentlemen shall we return to the village?” Gargrim started walking to lead the way.
“I wish I was half the man Gargrim is.” Victor sighed.
“YOU WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO CARRY ME AT THAT SIZE!” Cawthorn squawked.
“I meant, oh never mind.” Victor sighed.
As Gargrim lead the twelve rescued villagers away the two of them trailed behind. Serena wrapped her arm around his shoulder and hung off it. “You’re literally twice the man he is. You made the choice to come here before you met him. You were ready to die leveling up to make this a suicide mission instead of just so stupid I’d have to stop you. You’re too good for your own good.”
“I guess that’s true. I just don’t feel like I did anything and I nearly got killed doing that nothing.” Victor sighed.
“You did nearly get killed, but without your intervention they would all be slaves right now.” Serena shook her head. “Look if you tell people you did this they literally wouldn’t believe you, or they’d think you had something to gain. People around here just do not act like you. Plenty of people believe in returning favors, or helping someone they care for but risking their lives for random strangers without a reward? I’d be shocked if there were 10 still alive in the entire country. Plenty of wannabe fools try next time you won’t be so lucky. So after we make our way north I am going to find a cleric and we can go adventuring until we reach level 10 or 11. A few weeks or months until you finally can take a specialization and defend yourself.”
“I feel like I selected the highest difficulty setting.” Victor searched his delusional HUD for the difficulty setting and could not find one. ‘Damn, so close.’
“You’re a low level mage trying to save everyone. It’s a miracle you managed to save me 2 on 1.” Serena laughed. “You’ve got to learn to take the win.”
Victor looked ahead at the happy children and women following after Gargrim. He felt the warmth of Serena’s arm hanging on his neck ‘Well this definitely feels good, and they are all still alive and so am I. She’s right, we won.’ He glanced at Luzuzal’s Promise . ‘Thank you Luzuzal, even if I die as long as you let me win in the end it will all be worth it.’