His friend made him gulp down a bitter liquid that somehow seemed to make him feel better. The healing potion had been crafted from the fabled enchanted elderberries of the mountains around.
“Well, you gotta get yourself some proper armor buddy!” his friend remarked. “Armor would have served you much better than a loincloth.”
He laughed, although it sounded much like a snort.
“What… happened?” Allan asked.
“Monsters attacked the village. While I stayed behind, the survivors made their way out only to meet one of their convoys here, I suppose. Should’ve known. These creatures are intelligent.”
“And you came…”
“I figured an idiot like you would need my help and it seems I was right. You killed just one monster out of the lot, my friend. I expected more.”
Though his tone was mocking, Allan knew that he didn’t mean it. James was just trying to lift his spirits.
His vision became clearer as strength, or rather a modicum of it, returned to his avatar’s body. He still felt nauseous, but his friend steadied him as they stood up.
“Are they all gone?” he asked.
James shook his head. “I’m afraid not. They’re still around.”
His reaction might have looked questioning for he continued, “If you hadn’t lost so much blood and were in control of your senses, well, you could hear. They are just waiting.”
“Waiting for what?” he asked, dreading the answer already.
“The Boss of course.”
“Oh!” he grunted.
“You didn’t think this quest was gonna be that easy, did you?” James posed him a question.
“Of course not, but they did retreat!”
“They stepped back because you figured out how to kill them. Trust me, they’ll come back. Like I said, these creatures are intelligent. They might just be debating another strategy to come at you.”
“To think that even monsters can form strategies!” Allan scoffed.
“Oh, they sure can, but they are just one of the many problems!” James said. He sounded concerned enough to make Allan frown. “The village is under siege by many other monsters. Looks like these monsters have launched a coordinated attack… rumors have spoken of many of them gathering.”
“Uh oh!” he grunted. “Looks like they are beginning to embrace the pack mentality.”
“If so then we are doomed. We’re freaking doomed.”
“Says you!”
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James sneered. “So are you good now? Wounds all healed? Ready to take the fight a step further?”
Allan nodded.
“Well then, onward to battle!”
James pointed at the village, at which the NPC villagers shook their heads. It was no surprise they were afraid to return, having run from the village in the first place.
“Oh, come on!” James shouted at them. “It’s your freaking village we’re trying to save!”
Allan chucked, “You’re trying to reason with NPCs now, eh? Good luck with that.”
“Let’s go!” he ushered his friend towards the village. “Whoever will want to will follow.”
James marched forward, sword ready in hand. He wiped the dust off the armor, allowing his steel to shine. Allan clutched his spear tight and walked slowly behind, still feeling a slight pain on his side – a reminder that the wound had not fully healed, though he could still feel the effects of the potion working. The muscles were getting sewn up.
They reached the bleak palisade of the village in short order. It hadn’t been as far from the crossroads as he had thought. Once at the borders of the now broken village, they heard a loud roar that made him think of a lion. Yet, it wasn’t a lion. Something much larger.
“What kind of beast could make a sound like that?” he asked.
“Another crossbreed creature, no doubt.” his friend said with a shudder.
Loud footsteps behind told him that a few of the NPC villagers had decided to join the fight. They held sharpened wooden sticks in their hands and knelt in an attack pose, ready to strike at whatever came at them.
He doubted whether the crude weapons would do them any good, but as the famous adage says, “something is better than nothing.”
“Ready?” James asked, brows raised, a smile on his face that said he was about to do something crazy.
Allan shrugged. There was no other choice.
Circling the spear in his hands, he rushed forward, eager to do away with the monsters. Just as he had reached the walls, ready to scale it, the palisade broke nearby and out rushed weird-looking demonic beings, their mandibles sporting teeth that made his innards tremble. When they opened their mouths, he could see their pink forked tongues hanging across an abyss-like darkness that made up their throats. Threads of saliva bridged the jaws, their tonsils shaken by their roars.
On the outside, their bodies were pitch black with red spots all over, their legs so burly and thick. He doubted he could best them at his level. Yet he had to try. He had to save the village from its fate. Perhaps this would be the most difficult raid he had ever been challenged with.
To his side, James had disappeared. He frowned. It was unlike his friend to run away from battle. It was more likely he had some other plan in action, but he had left their flank vulnerable to the monsters, whatever they were. Some of them walked on their four legs towards the gathered villagers, who looked more afraid than ever but stood their ground. He, however, saw a couple of them moved towards him. He held the shaft of his spear tight and pointed it forward.
Threat Detected: Level 5 Gorepit
HP| 500/500
Strengths: Thick legs and arms allow for smashing through solid objects and pulverizing of prey. Gaping mouth allows the ability to swallow prey whole. Red splotches on the beast’s dark hide are poisonous to the touch.
Weaknesses: [LOCKED]
One of the monsters loomed near him and he struck at it with force, wounding its legs.
[-20 HP]
It shrieked and wailed, but he didn’t stop. He moved his spear deftly in his hands like never before, balancing the weapon with grace.
[-10 HP]
[-10 HP]
[-10 HP]
He stabbed at its eyes and it retreated for a moment.
[-30 HP]
It was excruciatingly frustrating that his silly spear could only deliver minimal damage. At the rate he was going, it would take him all night to fight off these demons!
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