A whisper of a wind drifts through shadows of a dim lit wood, carrying the heavy scent of oak, pine and pretinne. It winds its way around great ochre trunks that stretch hundreds of feet into the wide sky, brushing the leaves and ruffling the grass. Silence smothers the forest, heavy and cloying, untouched. Across a crystal clear stream and over a valley, the wind breaks on a stone still figure, his wide back pressed hard against the aged wood of a collapsed chestnut tree. Just beyond the man is a clearing, where the silence of the wood is violently disturbed. The grotesque sounds of tooth on bone, lips smacking around meat and tongue slobbering over flesh echos as the Black Dann’in Troll tears off the limb of a kobold with a savage twist of its powerful neck. Crouched over the corpses, the 600lb, muscle bound Black Troll munches and chomps, still alert with its bloodshot, black animal eyes roaming the clearing. With slow deliberate movements, Rend peeks the edge of his steel tipped leather boot around the corner, using the reflection to confirm the sight.
“Level 98, but alone. His strength has to be over 500. One hit, shield or not, could drop me” Rend thinks, his lips quirking with the hint of a smile. His breathing is slow, calm and steady, but his heart is racing. With a flick of his left hand, he accesses his inventory and unequips his steel buckler before exiting the menu.
A howl sounds in the distance and the troll is on its feet like lightning, black animal eyes boring holes in the opposite side of the clearing, jaw trembling with a deep growl.
With a pivot of his left foot, Rend is around the tree, steel long sword drawn low. He leaped, drawing even with the back of the beast’s neck, and slashed. The troll howls, neck wrenched and spurting blood. It jerked itself around and swung its fist. Rend dropped beneath its outstretched arm and slashed the back of it’s leg. Hard. Like one of the great trees, its base chopped out beneath it, the Black Dann’in Troll hits the earth violently, the force driving a pained yowl from its throat.
“One full crit to a tier 1 vital, and another to a tier 3, and it’s health barely dropped 20%” He thought as he rises to his full 6”3’ height, clenching his right fist tightly around his textured leather hilt, his fingerless gauntlet creaking under the pressure. Having gained its feet, the massive creature charged and swung both fists down. Rend lurched to avoid the blow. He grabbed the red stained sword in both hands and slammed it hard again into the injured leg, cracking against bone. The Black Troll didn’t flinch, but clawed at Rend’s head. He ducked. The Troll jumped high, the beginning of it’s AOE Earthsmash. His heart pounding wildly, his jaw clenched hard and his breath quickening, Rend lunged straight up. The Black Troll’s fists skimmed him. His health dropped to 38%. His body shuddered in pain. A growl and some some blood slipped between his gnashed teeth. He stabbed his blade straight through the Black Troll’s right eye. With an explosion of bone, blood and brain the locked combatants fell back to the ground. Rend on top.
“I really hate these bastards” He thought, his breath already calming, his face solid and still, “but that’s some serious experience.” He had gained nearly 14% to the next level from this one fight, and might even reach level 78 before the week was out. Pulling his black iron combat knife from its sheath hidden at the small of his back he quickly loot the corpse, ears still wary for whatever had howled earlier.
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Taking long light strides, head raised and eyes intent, Rend strode from the Dann’in wood, heading for Fendaul, the nearest city. His powerful armored feet struck yje earth solidly with every step, and his sandy shoulder length hair drifted in the wind. After a solid month alone in the woods, hunting packs of Wood Trolls, Crael, and the devious Red Wolves, along with just a few Black Trolls, the tall man was dirty, tired and hungry, but with every deep breath he felt a grin threatening to break out. He had gained 5 levels and had finally reached level 80. Still a few miles from the city, with no one around, he took a moment to gaze far ahead. With his keen eyesight finally reaching lvl 75 and unlocking the farsight perk, his crystal sky blue eyes pierced the wispy clouds over the empty fields, traveling over the distant dark crags of the Lun’thor mountain range, and could just make out the great dim shape of the world tower. The mountains he could see, large enough to split a continent, were dwarfed by the shadow of a tower so massive it defied reasoning. His joy flitting away, Rend breathed deep through his nostrils, somethering the heavy anger that Tower so easily brought boiling up.
Crossing the desolate grassland, Rend approached Fendaul. One of only 12 cities in the county of Lindulblum, Fendaul was a morass of humanity. Its high, thick stone walls hadn’t been breached since built 400 years ago, and they were now stuffed to the brim with low levels. The noonday sun shone too brightly, glinting on thatch and stone revealing the tightly corralled masses. Crossing the gate entryway, struck by the smell of sweat and straw, Rend strode past a pair of armored guards and into the tumult, the press of warm bodies all around. Iron clanked, horses and xepin whinnied, merchants bellowed, some great bell was ringing in the distance, some lanky red robed fellow on his ass screeched at a fat fellow holding two barrels who’d knocked him over. Setting his jaw and raising his chin, Rend moved quickly through the cobbled streets. There was a shop some two miles south that he had dealt with on his first stop here, the merchant had been honest, and had the funds to purchase all of his discardable loot. As he passed through a less crowded side street a forceful voice called out.
“Renault!” A man said, lounging against the wall of a tavern, “How the hell are you?”
Tall and lithe, with wavy russet hair and dressed in dark leathers, the man grinned ear to ear as he headed over.
“Holy shit. Canton. What’s your lazy ass doing this far east of Bastion? ” Rend said, chuckling, clasping hands with the man and embracing briefly. Canton’s eyes turned intent for a moment, and he pressed his fist hard against Rend’s chest.
“I told you we’d beat this game together you son of a bitch, you just wouldn’t wait for me,” Canton said, “but i’m here now so you better treat me to some drink and women!”
Rend laughed looping his arm around the man’s neck. “It only took you four years.”