As Jim rose to his feet a crash and spray of salty water sprayed over him. Two orbs of rushing, circling water rose from beneath the boat, each holding a flailing raptor at its core. A water elemental, adorned in long red flowing clothes waved its hands in stretching wax-on wax-off rhythmic patterns.
The raptors were guided by the orbs to two cages on the deck of the boat, swiftly locked into place by an Orc. The raptor pack, now only 3 remaining out of containment, was spread thin.
As soon as its accomplice fell to Filbert's trap arrow the one heading for the warehouse turned sharply back on itself and made headway for the boat again.
The one left standing from Twill’s shield bash was frantically swiping and lunging at his heavy set of twin shields. Twill was holding his ground, trying to force the creature back into the holding bay of the Cariba.
The other one, Jim had lost sight of. In the awe inspiring display of acrobatics and magical archery from Filbert we knew he’d made an error losing the beast. There were plenty of other people rushing to the boat in the distance, maybe 30 in total and the crew on board were grabbing weapons and nets by the dozen, making their way to watch the ensuing battle.
As Jim rose to his feet, grabbing his dagger in one hand and new hammer in the other, he turned back to back with Filbert. Filbert flew arrows towards the oncoming raptor as it sprinted towards the two with predatory speed.
Looking over his shoulder at the oncoming creature, a fear rose into Jim he’d never felt before. He was used to the risk of machines blowing up, or gas fires and being sucked into space. Those were controllable, they were predictable and scientific. Never in a million years did he think he’d see a real life velociraptor charging full speed towards him.
“I can’t hit it, it's too fast!” Filbert said as the raptor weaved from edge to edge of the walkway, making quick ground on them.
“I have to wait to use Orans trap again, do you have any powers?” He questioned in a panic.
“Powers?” Jim confusingly asked.
“Yes, magic!” Filbert blurted.
“Just these.” Jim said as he shrugged his two weapons in display towards Filbert.
“And are they magic?” Filbert said in a condescending mock.
“I think so…” Jim tried to remember the full descriptions of the weapons, but in his battle panic his mind wouldn’t recall the information.
“Well fire em up, channel your mana into them!” Filbert said as he fired three arrows in a single volley at the rushing creature.
Jim took in a breath and tried to focus his mind and concentrate on the weapons in his hands.
In his view, two descriptions appeared.
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Item: Maniacal dagger of purgation.
Rare
0/10 charges.
Use: A dark magical weapon. This weapon at full charge can purge the target of its strength, halving the target's level for 30 seconds.
Charges: Blood surge, use blood to charge this weapon.
Message from weapon: Feeeeeeed meeeeeee.
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Item: Rotary hammer
Rare
Use: A weapon made by dwarven trainee blacksmiths. This weapon can grow in size, swapping from a one handed weapon, to a two handed weapon when needed.
The face of the hammer can change from a blunt damage weapon into a piercing damage weapon.
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Nope, no evil daggers please.” Jim said as he touched his watch to the blade of the dagger. With a pop it disappeared into a stream of dust and into the watch face. With his now free hand he clasped the hammer, concentrated his thoughts, senses and will into it and saw the recognisable magical purple glow build from the weapon.
Partly in shock Jim watched as the hammer became thicker and longer. The now sledgehammer sized weapon didn’t feel as Jim expected, he fully readied himself to be heaving around something that weighed the same as an actual sledgehammer, but instead the mass of the thing felt the same as the one handed version.
Channelling his childhood dreams, Jedi Master Jim swung the hammer around his body in quick arcing swings. Its golden and silver shaft reflected the ocean and rays of sunlight. The head of the hammer was huge, two massive cymbal sized bulkheads with heavy set rivets and plating.
“NICE!” Filbert said.
“When this thing jumps at me, flank it and smack the shit out of it yeah? It’s about level 12, so if you’re lower make sure to get out of the way if it takes a swing” Finishing his sentence without waiting for a reply Filbert jumped forwards into the air in a pirouette of twirls and spins.
Jim ran behind his path, trying to spot the raptor. It was about 15 feet away, its eye locked onto Filbert's acrobatic path. Arrows flew at the creature as it jumped into the air to meet Filbert mid flight.
Jim hurried as quick as he could, his clanging metal boots giving him little flexibility to get a firm running rhythm.
He gripped his hammer tightly, watching the two crash into each other in the air. They dropped to the ground. As Filbert landed, he rolled forwards and rotated his body back to the creature, throwing four daggers like bullets straight at it. They struck, and with a howl of the pain the raptor writhed in agony.
Jim saw his opportunity, raising his hammer high into the air. With all his strength he lunged forwards toward the raptor and brought the hammer down in a crushing blow to its head. The creature fell silent.
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Ding! The notification bell rang in Jim’s head.
Just as it did he felt his throat tighten and a pull of painful force threw him backwards.
The raptor, the one that had seemingly disappeared earlier, was walking predacious steps towards Jim.
Still conscious but dazed, Jim edged backwards as quickly as he could. Digging his heels and elbow into the ground, pushing inches backwards at a time.
The red leathery skin of the raptor grew closer, its claws, too many claws for Jim to fathom, were chipping and digging away at the concrete like surface.
Turning its head side to side, its engrossing unblinking eye was focused on Jim. Measuring him up as the meal he now was. The Cycloraptor lowered its body closer to the ground. It jumped. It flew into the air above Jim. Its claws, it’s teeth, fully ready to pierce any flesh they could find. Time slowed for Jim and his body reacted. He raised his hammer into a sideways block and thrust the handle of the weapon in roughly the direction of the raining claws.
The raptor landed on him, claws wrapped around the handle of the hammer as sharp piercing claws dug into his legs. The teeth however were free to maul at Jim’s throat.
As the teeth gnawed and dug into the leathery armour covering Jim’s collar he tried to roll and push the beast away.
He managed to get a small bit of leverage, using the base of his hammer as a pivot point on the ground. He pushed all his will into the hammer. Every inch of force, every ounce of will. A rush of warm energy pulsed into his hands and whirring of metal and blades spun into life.
The head of the hammer pulsed a purple light, forming into a wide, thick boring drill type head. It spun at an incredible speed and a gale of wind lashed across Jim’s face as the rear of the hammer screamed with an explosive force of torque. The spinning blades of the hammer engine bled purple light as if he'd strapped a jet engine to the back of it.
As Jim pushed and teased the tip towards the head of the creature, he pushed his will into the engine. With a howl the exhaust thinned and broke the deadlock. It connected. Blood began to drip from the raptors temple. However the mere scratch of the hammer did little to stop the onslaught. Biting lunges and pulling claws rocked in an endless combination, landing blow after blow.
Jim felt his strength starting to fade, he wasn’t strong enough.
Ding! The notification bell again sounded.
Then. His body felt light.
His hammer dropped onto his chest, as his arms flopped limply to the floor. All he could see was the sky above him, covered in a light spattering of red. The copper taste of blood hit his senses. He moved his head to the left, seeing a whipping tail of a hippo sized sabertooth tiger pinning the raptor to the floor.
Exhausted, he passed out.
***
Jim felt a sense of floating, of weightlessness. He tried to open his eyes, but struggled to push them open. Waves of water glided over his face. He could feel the water surrounding him, warm and gentle. He gave no effort in attempting to float, simply feeling the ease and relief.
“Soooo, you are the one?” A quiet beastly growl of a voice spoke softly from his side.
“The one? I’m not Neo.” Jim said questioningly.
“I know… you are Captain Jim Reynolds.” The voice whispered as it moved from his left around to above Jim’s head.
“Am I dead?” Jim said in a hopeful relief.
“For about one more minute, yes.” The voice said, moving to Jim’s right side.
“Well, this is quite nice in that case.” Jim said as he sloshed his arms back and forth in the warm water.
“Open your eyes” The voice commanded.
Jim opened his eyes to see a sea of stars above him. To his left and right there was endless water. The water was a peaceful expanse, with no waves or sign of movement. It stretched into infinity, with the horizon a magnificent display of galaxies and nebulae. The whole sky rotated, as if it were clouds passing overhead.
“We have little time.” The voice groaned in a growl.
“And who is… we?” Jim questioned as he peaked his head forwards, peering down the end of his nose towards the voice.
“I am the reclaimer. I’m called many names throughout the realms. Anpu, Javaraye, Kek, Thantos, Anubis.”
The voice came from the head of a small slender snouted crocodile floating in the water. Its eyes were a deep black void, embedded in a long golden metallic snout, with tiny black teeth poking out of the side of its slim jawline.
The crocodile took a deep breath, followed by the beginning a regurgitating rhythm of panting. Jim had only ever seen this from a cat back on earth, just before a slobbery ball of fur was heaved on his friend Sophie’s new carpet.
The crocodile's eyes started to protrude from its head, expanding as if they were balloons. The regurgitating coughs grew. Its mouth opened, and with the slither of a slender tongue a shiny object crawled out between its teeth.
With a flick of its head and a splash of water the object landed on Jim’s chest.
“Well that was gross. I don’t really want that. Could you wash it first?” Jim said disgustingly.
“I’ve just given you a celestial object with audacious galactic power and you want me to.. Wash it? The crocodile scoffed.
“Yeah… I bloody well do!” Jim heaved.
Splashing its tail in the water, the crocodile sent waves across Jims chest.
“Call that a clean?” Jim exclaimed.
“I DON’T HAVE THUMBS!” The crocodile roared loud enough to reach the distant stars.
“I’m going to kill Dux for picking… you”. It said with its jaws clenched.
“Yeah kill him for me too, for dragging me into this damn nightmare. You know I just got eaten by a damn velociraptor!” Jim declared.
“Cycloraptor. Like Cyclops…. the one eye?”
“Ahh, that makes sense!” Jim nodded in a content agreement.
“I was.. going to kindly ask you to help me find out where all of the souls have gone from your planet. Before you were so rude that is. Everyone keeps being pulled from the scales before we can weigh their souls! Following the rules I strictly shouldn’t be talking to you, but I saw the opportunity. What are they going to do about it anyway, kill me?” The crocodile laughed, its jaws making a clink as the small black teeth chattered together.
The animal moved effortlessly above Jim’s head.
“I’m half tempted to keep you here forever, for talking to me like that though, you have no clue who I am, do you?” The crocodile whispered into Jims ear.
“I have no clue about anything that’s going on.” Jim whispered back.
“I”m Death you ignoramus!” It said, slapping the water with its jaw in anger.
“Oh.” Jim said dumbfounded.
“Exactly… breath you damn fool” The crocodile spoke, its voice changing halfway though its sentence.
“What?” Jim said in confusion.
“Come on kid, breath, breath!” The voice of the crocodile shouted in a Welsh female accent.
“What are you on about, I’m breathing just fine. What’s this thing for anyway?” Jim said, looking down at the small brass key on his chest.
“Out of time, goodbye Jim” the whispering of the normal voice said.
“No hang on, what’s the thing you gave me for?” Jim said desperately.
The crocodile dipped its head into the water, and vanished.
“BREAAAATH!” The female voice echoed.
In a gasp of breath, Jim woke to find Mae, Twill and Filbert leant over him.
A slap of a hand crossed Jim’s bloody face.
“Welcome back! You’re not allowed to die, you owe me for that raptor you just killed.” Mae said as she wiped blood from her hand onto Filbert’s cloak.
“Bloody nora give him a minute or two before laying on your “You owe me money” spiel Mae, we all owe you damn money for something!” Filbert said as pulled a small vial of green fluid from a medkit.
“Drink up lad, you’ll be on your feet properly in a few hours” Twill said, as Filbert poured the vial into Jim’s mouth.
Jim gave a groaning thumbs up to the group surrounding him with the small amount of energy he could muster. As soon his thumb hit its peak, his head hit the floor. Again, he passed out.