Chapter 6
"Before we head out, beer me!" Flint exclaimed, catching a can from Pierce.
"I need to spring a leak. They said it's okay anywhere in the cave, right?" Ignis asked, a mischievous grin on his face.
"Go for it," Evolon replied, a playful tone in her voice. "Once you ladies are done playing around, we need to hit the trail!"
Pierce distributed the supplies, trading the extra gear and food into each party members inventory. With their gear secured, the group set off, following the bike path out of the cave and onto the Greenway.
"So, guns seem useless," Evolon mused, "but with all of our weapons with Pierce, we should be able to damage those invading aholes." She led the way, expertly navigating the trail, dodging fallen trees and abandoned vehicles.
"Is it weird that we haven't seen anyone yet?" Ignis asked, a note of fear creeping into his voice.
"If we find anyone, avoid them, backtrack, and go around," Pierce cautioned, assuming the role of group leader.
Within ten minutes, the group arrived at an empty office building. No cars were in the parking lot, a sure sign that they were the first to arrive.
"Looks like we made it here first," Evolon proclaimed, a mischievous glint in her eye. "I've always hated this company. They make the coolest toys, then sell them at prices only trust fund babies can afford."
With a swift strike of her pickaxe, Evolon shattered the glass door, the shards of glass disappearing into the air. The group, illuminated by the beams of their bike lights, ascended the stairs, plundering the showroom. They grabbed everything they could use: camping gear, cooking supplies, hunting equipment, desert, winter clothing, and even a rack of snowboards.
"Leave the guns," Evolon instructed, "only take reusable devices. Remember what we learned in that zombie campaign? Bullets run out, but bolts and arrows can be reused." She tested a compound bow, its tip adorned with a wicked-looking hook.
"Ooh, I like this," Flint exclaimed, grabbing a case of sleek, metal camping hammers and a prototype titanium sledgehammer and pickaxe head.
"Not much here can help me be more wizardly," Ignis muttered, picking up a few hunting knives and a futuristic, mylar fire-resistant robe.
"Motorcycle leathers, everyone," Evolon announced, tossing leather jackets, pants, and gloves to each of them. "The rest can go in the inventory."
As they exited the building, Pierce was clad in a full black leather motorcycle outfit, his helmet secured, and his titanium pickaxe at the ready. Flint, sporting a similar leather ensemble, carried his massive hammer over his shoulder. Ignis is wearing a camouflage mylar robe with hood and leather vest with multiple knives sheathed in it, and Evolon has gone full Katniss Everdeen with Archery Leather, a compound bow, and side quiver of arrows.
"Here, give me your weapons," Evolon said, casting her spell on each of them, imbuing their weapons with the Piercer effect.
"Quick question, what's everyone's Physical Damage now?" Flint asked, curiosity piqued.
"23," Evolon replied.
"4," Ignis admitted, a chuckle escaping his lips.
"21, not bad for only using a pickaxe for a few minutes," Pierce said with a modest smile.
"25, take that!" Flint boasted, a hearty laugh booming from his chest.
"Dude, you've been swinging a hammer for like a dozen years," Pierce retorted, "Evolon's been doing archery for twenty. Give me a break, I'm just the healer."
"Enough dicking around," Evolon declared. "Lead the way, Flint, oh god of hitting things good." With a mischievous grin, she led the group away from the office building, their bikes summoned from their inventory.
Twenty uneventful minutes later, the group arrived at a house on the corner of a street. A fire truck lay overturned, and a Hummer was tipped on its side, the scene eerily reminiscent of a post-apocalyptic film.
"Still no people," Evolon muttered, a shiver running down her spine. "It's starting to feel like 28 Days Later."
"More like The Walking Dead," Ignis added, his voice low. "It feels like we're about to turn a corner and be surrounded."
"Is your mom home, Flint?" Pierce asked, his voice laced with a hint of humor. "Not sure how we'd handle that. She's hot, and all... I guess I could share a tent with her."
Flint glared at Pierce. "Keep your perverted hands off my mom. No, she's down in Texarkana visiting family this weekend."
"Dude, you're thirty-two years old, and your hot mom is single. Let the woman live," Evolon teased. "I bet she's down there visiting some hot young thing, getting her freak on!"
"Go, Mrs. Johnson!" Ignis chimed in.
"Guys, could you get serious and stop crushing on my mom?" Flint pleaded, exasperated.
Leading the way, Flint descended into the basement, a hidden treasure trove of tools and supplies. He grabbed a Captain America-style shield, a set of blacksmithing tools, and a compact anvil.
"Where did you get an anvil from Acme Corporation, and how much did shipping cost?" Ignis asked, dumbfounded.
"You won't be joking when I'm making armor to protect your heads," Flint replied, summoning a pile of metal ingots and coal from his inventory. "Let's crush some skulls!"
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"Captain America, a forest fire burn victim, Lady Hawkeye, and a gold miner," Ignis joked, pointing at each member of the group. "Now that's a motley crew, or one could say... a Donner Party!"
"Okay, last I saw, the baddies were coming from the Home Office area," Pierce mused. "Why in the world would interdimensional orcs invade Corporate America?"
"If you go by the Battlefield Earth rules, they could be a galaxy-wide corporation," Evolon explained. "Taking out the biggest company on the planet would be a show of force, a way to quickly eliminate competition and establish dominance. It's what I'd do."
The ten-minute ride to the Executive Park was uneventful, save for the increasing signs of destruction. Overturned cars, bullet casings, and even military vehicles, torn apart like toys, littered the landscape. Yet, strangely, there was no sign of human life.
As they approached the park, they spotted movement within the containment fence. Pierce motioned for the group to dismount and take cover behind a crashed Razorback Transit bus, its imposing silhouette juxtaposed against a lifted Ford F-350.
Through a narrow gap between the vehicles beneath a set of truck nuts, Pierce peered towards the source of the movement. He used a system of hand signals, a relic from their D&D days, to communicate with his team.
Pierce signaled to the group: four targets, three melee and one caster, thirty meters out in the open. The plan was simple: Evolon would provide ranged support from the left flank, focusing on the leftmost target. Ignis would use his fire magic to eliminate the rightmost target. Flint would hold the center position, ready to engage in melee combat or provide support as needed. Pierce, the healer, would remain behind cover, ready to assist his allies. Their fallback position was a jackknifed 18-wheeler, sixty meters behind their current location.
Evolon and Ignis, eyes locked on their targets, counted down in unison. On the count of three, they unleashed their attacks. Evolon's arrows found their mark, piercing the orcs' armor. Ignis's firebolts scorched the flesh of their target, inflicting grievous wounds.
As the remaining orc closed in on Flint, the small, bearded man braced himself. The orc's weapon struck the Captain America shield, sliding harmlessly off. With a swift counterattack, Flint landed a powerful blow, sending the orc crashing to the ground. The orc caster, meanwhile, unleashed a blast of ice, slowing Flint's movements. But the determined man, fueled by adrenaline, pressed on, his shield protecting him from the magical onslaught.
Pierce watched in awe as the middle orc's head exploded, a testament to the combined power of Evolon's piercing arrows and Ignis's fiery blasts. To ensure Flint's safety, he cast a healing spell, mending the minor injuries inflicted by the orc's attack.
The group regrouped around Pierce, discussing the battle.
"That first one cut my damage almost in half compared to the last one," Evolon observed, "I guess their warriors have high Armor and Constitution." Ignus nodded in agreement.
"One surprise the spell didn't explain is the beam is a line affecting everything in between its start and end point," Ignis explained, "It also has a burning damage over time that doesn't stack, which means I should hit every enemy once for the DoT before focusing fire on one of them with Evolon."
"Good work," Pierce said, "Now check the logs and let me know what you see." feeling like he is back at work leading other techs towards the answers they seek.
Evolon, adopting her posh elvish accent, began reading from her character sheet.
“You pierce Orc Warrior for 11 damage, bleed effect of 2 health per second applied.
You pierce Orc Warrior for 11 damage, bleed effect of 2 health per second applied.
You pierce Orc Warrior for 11 damage, bleed effect of 2 health per second applied.
You have killed an Orc Warrior.
You pierce Orc Mage for 23 damage, bleed effect of 2 health per second applied.
You pierce Orc Mage for 23 damage, bleed effect of 2 health per second applied.
You have helped kill Orc Mage”
Ding! You have reached Level 2, 2 stat points awarded, current stat points available 2.”
“Looks like I should do the same with my bleed, tag all enemies before focusing fire on a single one, also still rushing Dexterity with the stat points” Evolon says with a smirk on one side of her face.
Flint looks at the group with true battle madness in his eyes.
“With Pierce behind me, I feel like I could smash the Sun to bits!”
Orc Warrior slashes at you, your shield successfully deflects the blow.
You have taken one point of damage
You crush Orc Warrior for 25 damage.
You have killed an Orc Warrior.
You are healed for one point of health
Ding! You have reached Level 2, 2 stat points awarded, current stat points available 2.
Strength and Dexterity this for me this level” Flint says focusing on his character sheet.
Ignis reads his log with his Epic Wizard Accent.
“You burn Orc Warrior for 15 damage, burn effect of 1 health per second applied.
You burn Orc Warrior for 15 damage, burn effect of 1 health per second applied.
You burn Orc Warrior for 15 damage, burn effect of 1 health per second applied.
You burn Orc Warrior for 15 damage, burn effect of 1 health per second applied.
You have killed an Orc Warrior.
You burn Orc Warrior for 15 damage, burn effect of 1 health per second applied.
You burn Orc Warrior for 15 damage, burn effect of 1 health per second applied.
You have killed an Orc Warrior.
Ding! You have reached Level 2, 2 stat points awarded, current stat points available 2.
I am splitting Intelligence and Wisdom again”
Looking at his logs Pierce lets out a chuckle.
“Looks like I get experience just from healing anyone who needs it, and still get experience from being near the party during battles. Thank the gods, because healers normally get screwed if they don't actively partake in the killing.”
“You have healed Flint for one point of damage
You have helped kill Orc Warrior
You have helped kill Orc Warrior
You have helped kill Orc Warrior
You have helped kill Orc Mage”
Ding! You have reached Level 3, 2 stat points awarded, current stat points available 2.
I am going with Dexterity and Constitution until my Spell Strength can’t fully heal any of you three in one cast before adding some to mental stats.” Pierce says, as his in character persona Pierce.
“Guys, did we really just do that? In real life? Not a game, not some weird VR or AR situation, is this really hot Orc blood splattered across my chest?” Flint says with excitement in his voice.
"That was pretty easy, but let's not bite off more than we can chew," Pierce cautioned, "We're not sure what their damage output is, and I can't bring anyone back from the dead, sadly."
Pierce crawled through the gap between the vehicles, examining the fallen orc. With a thought, he added the entire body, along with its gear, to his inventory.
"Just throw the corpses into inventory," he suggested. "We can check the loot later. And see if you get your arrows back, Evolon."
The group quietly dispersed, each member taking care of the fallen orcs. They then regrouped behind the bus, ready to move on.
Pierce led the way, guiding the group around the perimeter of the complex. They eventually spotted movement through the windows of a green Subaru. Pierce peered through the glass, his eyes widening in shock.