James sat at a rickety tavern table across from Lyra, still damp from his bath, his cursed sword resting against the wall beside him. He had nothing else—no armor, no money, and no real plan. Lyra, on the other hand, looked entirely too pleased with herself, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she slid a piece of parchment across the table.
James eyed it warily. "Alright. What’s the scam?"
Lyra smirked. "It’s not a scam. It’s an opportunity. A high-risk, high-reward sort of deal."
He unfolded the parchment, revealing a hastily scrawled bounty notice.
> Wanted: Bloodfang the RavagerA notorious bandit leader, last seen in the Ravenspire Ruins.Reward: 2 Gold Coins (Alive), 1 Gold Coin (Dead)
James rubbed his temples. "Lyra, I don’t even have a shirt. How am I supposed to take down a bandit leader?"
"Easy," she said. "You’re the bait."
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Ravenspire Ruins - Midnight
The ruins loomed before them, jagged remnants of a forgotten fortress, now home to thieves and cutthroats. James crouched in the shadows beside Lyra, both watching the firelight flicker from within a crumbling tower.
"So," James whispered, "what’s the plan?"
"You walk up there," Lyra said, gesturing toward the entrance, "get their attention, and, you know… die."
James narrowed his eyes. "You could have led with that."
Lyra shrugged. "Look, they’ll drop their guard if they think they’ve already killed you once. That’s when I strike."
James sighed. "Fantastic. Let’s get this over with."
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James strode up to the entrance, hands raised in mock surrender. Within seconds, a pair of bandits emerged from the shadows, weapons drawn. One had a chipped longsword, the other a rusted axe.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" the axeman sneered. "Another lost lamb?"
"Hey, I’ll have you know I’m a very competent adventurer," James said. "I just… happen to be unarmed. And broke. And—"
The sword-wielding bandit promptly stabbed him through the stomach.
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James gasped, looking down at the steel buried in his gut. "Oh, come on."
Then the axeman took his head clean off.
> You have died. Respawning…
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Death Count: 1
James groaned as he reappeared at the nearby respawn point. "I hate this game."
Still, Lyra was right. The bandits had left his corpse where it lay, assuming the job was done. James crept back to the ruins, slipping through the shadows. From his vantage point, he saw Lyra perched on the crumbling wall above the bandits, daggers at the ready.
With deadly precision, she dropped down, slashing the throat of the sword-wielder before the axeman could even react. He turned just in time for James to drive his cursed sword through his spine.
The blade drank. James felt a jolt of dark energy rush through him as the man let out a strangled cry, his body withering. By the time James pulled the weapon free, the bandit was little more than a husk.
Lyra arched an eyebrow. "Getting cozy with that thing?"
James flexed his fingers. "It’s effective."
"Uh-huh." She kicked open the ruined door. "C’mon. Bloodfang won’t wait forever."
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The bandit leader was exactly what James expected: huge, heavily armed, and very angry.
Bloodfang the Ravager stood at the center of the ruin’s great hall, flanked by two massive wolves. His armor was cobbled together from scavenged plate and chain, and his twin axes gleamed in the firelight.
"Who dares trespass in my domain?!" he bellowed.
James exchanged a look with Lyra. "I’ll give you three guesses."
Bloodfang didn’t need three. With a roar, he charged, his wolves racing ahead. James barely had time to raise his sword before one of the beasts tackled him, tearing his arm clean off.
> You have died. Respawning…
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Death Count: 5
James reappeared outside the ruins, cursing under his breath. "I hate wolves."
By the time he made it back, Lyra was dancing between Bloodfang’s strikes, her daggers flashing. James sprinted in, gripping his cursed sword. He ducked under a wild axe swing and drove his blade straight into Bloodfang’s chest.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then the sword pulsed, hungry, and James felt something rip away from the bandit leader. Bloodfang let out a horrified scream as his skin blackened and cracked, his eyes going hollow. Within seconds, he collapsed, his body reduced to dust.
A loot window popped up.
> Rare Item Acquired: Bloodfang’s War MedalA token of dominance, feared among bandit clans.
James whistled. "Nice. Wonder how much it’s worth?"
Lyra grinned. "Let’s go find out."
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Back in Stonehaven, James stood before a seedy-looking merchant, holding up the medal.
The man’s eyes widened. "That’s a Ravager War Medal. Worth… at least ten gold."
James grinned. "Pleasure doing business with you."
As the coins clinked into his palm, he turned to Lyra. "Well, I finally have money. What’s next?"
Lyra smirked. "Ever been in a gladiator pit?"
James groaned. "Oh, come on—"