Wolfe dodged to the side and the club smashed into the ground. He fired Brimstone into the side of the Stonecoat, doing significant damage, but the giant kicked out before Wolfe could move. Wolfe was sent rolling into the side of one of the Cedar longhouses, hitting hard and slumping onto his side. The hit had inflicted ten damage, and would have knocked a normal human to the very edge of death.
He righted himself and fired another round of shots into the stonecoat from the sitting position. The stone giant, chewed, beamed, and shot, finally slumped to the ground. Six down of the nine from this third round, Wolfe thought. Cereboo was gone, and even Malviere had been slain. Only the continuous pump of creatures from both the Police Academy and Cerberus’ Home for Wayward Hellhounds had allowed Wolfe and Shel to fight that many.
But it wasn’t over yet.
Wolfe leapt to his feet with a wince. His group was down, but he wasn’t sure how Miriam and Derek were doing—he didn’t want to lose the special reward, whatever it was.
Shel yelled, “Liurenia, Sorenia, jump the building and keep the stonecoats off the braves!”
The two angels obeyed, leaping into the air and flying across the Cedar longhouse.
Wolfe didn’t wait to see how it turned out. He ran into the center of the tiny village, headed for Loowit for a quick heal before he went to fight the last couple.
He saw that Miriam was there, her teeth elongated and her eyes red—she had her vampire mantle on. But at the same time, blood covered half her body and her arm was mangled.
Wolfe stared for a second.
She tried to grin at him, but her face was a rictus of pain. “Don’t worry about me. I zigged when I should have zagged, but I’ll live. Derek needs help!”
“The fight?” Wolfe asked as he ran past the healer, letting Miriam take the benefit despite his own wounds.
“We’re losing it, but no braves are down yet—but I don’t think Derek is going to last long.”
Loowit dropped some herbs into the fire, which turned blue and wafted smoke across Miriam. Her arm straightened a bit, and she reached out with her other to touch a card—one of her weak Sexy Vampires, the shirtless male one that looked like he was trying for a combination of cocaine chic and a six-pack.
Wolfe rushed around the side. Derek was on the ground, trying to crawl away from the fight. Fortunately, the angels were taking the beatings from the two remaining stonecoats, and neither was attacking Derek any further.
A Rookie Riot Police and a Lost Hellhound Puppy came running around the corner as well. Neither did much damage, but Shel leapt around the corner after. A flash of light left her hand and hit one of the stonecoats, in the head, dropping it.
She was wearing her Martyr mantle, with blood dripping from all of her eyes, including her new third eye. But her wounds were healing.
At the same time, she reached out, touched a card, and a Rookie EMT appeared. It healed Wolfe almost entirely, thanks to the synergy bonus with Police Academy.
Damn that girl’s become amazing, Wolfe thought, remembering briefly back to when she’d needed saving in nearly every fight.
But he didn’t let his fond thoughts distract him. He put his own magical gun to work shooting the other. Liurenia was broken by another club strike, but after that, the last stonecoat went down to collection of angels, dogs, imps, and one implausibly hot vampire boy all wailing on it.
Derek was healed by Shel at the same time. He rolled to his side, glancing up at the sky.
“Get up,” Wolfe said.
Derek didn’t move. He just continued to stare at the star-filled faux sky the dungeon was projecting. “I’m sorry, Wolfe, but I’m gonna lay here for another minute, thanks.”
A notification appeared, telling Wolfe that this had been an equivalent of a level twenty-eight fight. He got a solid amount of experience, jumping to scrape into Level Thirty-Three from the Level Thirty-Two he had just made from wave two. Then another notification popped up.
For clearing the second floor via challenge, you gain an additional 100% of your current level.
Wolfe dinged to low thirty-four.
“Wow,” Shel said. “That’s level Twenty-Eight for me.”
Yeah, she’s a hell of a badass now, Wolfe thought, smiling at Shel. He never wanted to lose her, and he never wanted to be apart from her.
“Yeah, this was incredibly lucrative, even if rather painful,” Miriam said. “No pain, no gain, right? Point is, I’m into my low twenties.”
Then she followed Wolfe’s gaze, and laughed. “And you’re just here mooning over Shel, huh? Not even thinking about your levels?”
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Wolfe flushed. “I just happened to be looking in that direction.”
Miriam giggled again. “Why don’t you marry her?”
Wolfe stopped, floored. Somehow, that hadn’t really ever entered his thoughts, but… Why don’t I marry her? I mean, most other women barely even interest me anymore, and she’s perfect. She’s kind and supportive, but also smart and at least kinda badass.
Shel was flushed as she looked back at Wolfe.
I’m nearly one-hundred-percent positive she’d say yes. Nearly.
Just then a rustle shook the trees again, and Wolfe glanced over. More stonecoats were walking out from the forest—twelve this time.
“Are you shitting me?” Wolfe asked. He, and his team, might be a touch higher level, but no one had picked leveling benefits or changed cards—or even looked at the pack they had gotten. Nine Stonecoats had been enough to nearly kill Miriam and Derek.
I don’t think we can handle that many. Wolfe hated to give up, but he hated the idea of watching Big Man Grimm’s daughter die even more.
Wolfe was prepared to voice the decision to leave, but Derek pipped up with, “How is this fair? I thought we just got a completed message and bonus experience!”
Wolfe stare for a moment. Wait, it did say we won!
Before Wolfe could respond, an arrow slammed into the eye of one of the stonecoats. Men of obvious Amerind heritage, wearing goatskin clothes, came flying out of the woods. Some shot bows, and others used axes. But all moved with supernatural speed.
One of the new men hit a stonecoat with a swing of a stone-headed axe, and the stonecoat disintegrated, exploding into a spray of blood and particulate matter across the trees.
Alright, supernatural strength as well.
More of the men poured from the woods. Wolfe could see that they all appeared powerful and healthy—tall, without blemish, and with lean runners muscles throughout their body.
But even among these men, three stood out. One was older, perhaps in his late thirties. Two were younger, one a bit taller, the other a bit more sturdy, but both bore a resemblance to the older one.
The older one threw and axe, and it hit one in the chest, exploded through it, and slew another on the far side.
Wolfe grimaced. “Okay, dungeon, I get it, these are important and powerful dudes.”
Miriam giggled again. “Ah, does Wolfy not feel like the wee little alpha anymore?”
Shel came up and put her hand on Wolfe’s shoulder as the last of the stonecoats were vanquished with ease, and Wolfe let go of the retort he had planned. The corner of Shel’s mouth was twitching, and Wolfe reminded himself, again, that the only way to win the game of repartee with Miriam was not to play.
The battle ended after a mere thirty seconds with the complete and utter victory of the Braves. The three most impressive of them, obviously the chief and his two sons, came walking toward Wolfe. At the same time, Loowit stepped out from her fire, moving toward them. The three uber-men and the old lady all met where Wolfe was at the same time.
The older man spoke. “I came to reward you, Loowitlatkla, for your true kindness and selflessness to the tribe, but I see that enemies sought to lay you low. Have my braves defended you, then?”
“Ooh, stilted conversation time,” Miriam sang out. “I can’t wait!”
“Yes, Chief Tyee Sahale,” Loowit replied. “But they were led, and protected, by these great heroes that you see before you, braves even stronger than the ones you left here.”
Wolfe stared at Chief Tyee, trying to see his card.
Chief Tyee Sahale, Level 194 equivalent
???
Wolfe grimaced. Oh, fuck off, gods.
“Well, I, and my sons Pahto,” Chief Tyee clapped the taller one on the shoulder, “and Wy’east”—the stouter one—“thank you for your service, heroes.”
Then the chieftain turned back to Loowit. “Well, I came here to reward you for your good deeds, kindness, and selfless service. You have tended the Stone Arch Fire for almost a hundred years, and I would that you were able to do so for another thousand. So, as my reward to you, I will give you eternal life.”
“Ah, gotta love the exposition,” Miriam said.
Chief Tyee held his hand out and touched Loowit’s head. Wolfe could feel a pulse of magic flow through the pair, but nothing visibly changed.
Chief Tyee stepped back, smiling indulgently.
But Loowit awkwardly bowed her head, her hand on her back. “My chief, I am truly thankful for your gift. But, I would ask to not be an old woman for eternity. Please, return to me my youth.”
Chief Tyee nodded again, and he went over and placed his head on the old woman a second time. The same energy passed between them, but this time, Loowit changed. Her back straightened, her hair became lustrous, her skin smoothed, and her figure became fuller. In mere seconds, she appeared to be a young woman of about Shel’s age.
An utterly gorgeous young woman, and Wolfe had to tear his eyes away from her. When he did, he could see that Derek, Miriam, and the chief’s too sons were also all staring.
But Shel was looking at Wolfe, smiling. Wolfe grinned sheepishly, and Shel smiled back.
But, apparently, Loowit wasn’t done. She turned to face Wolfe and his team. “My chief, I would ask a second boon. These people kept every single one of your braves alive when we were attacked by the evil stonecoats. Perhaps, chief, we could entrust the care of the Stone Arch Fire to them, and I could live a life, marry, and have children?”
“Yes, you should marry a chieftain’s son,” Pahto said.
At the same time, his brother said, “Our children would be beautiful.”
The chief ignored his sons and turned to face Wolfe, his eyes piercing and shrewd. “I suppose, given the bravery and success they showed, that we can indeed do so.”
He stepped forward, and held his hand out. In it was a card.
When no one stepped forward, Wolfe stepped forward and took the card.
“Thank you, wandering braves,” Chief Tyee said. “We’ll be going, but I’ll instruct my own companions to leave a feast for you, as you have triumphed greatly over adversity, and that should be rewarded. Take care of the arch—it was the heart of our civic life, and it represented life for hundreds of tribes. It is a great honor you have earned, but it is burden as well. But for now, I bid thee farewell.”
The chieftain stepped back, waved, and turned. Everyone started to walk off, and the entire scene faded, every person disappearing as they walked away, and the buildings fading as well. What was left was a fire, and next to that, a huge stone slab filled with berries, cooked meats, and clay pots of water.
And another card where Loowit had disappeared.
Beside the stone slab lay four hide blankets.
Before anyone could say anything else, three packs of cards dropped.
Wolfe stepped over and picked them up, pulling his previous card pack and then pointing to the stone slab. “Shall we eat, see what we got, and level?”
“Hell yeah,” Derek said, and they all moved toward the smell of barbeque.
The trees rustled again, and Wolfe braced himself. But what came out was not another stonecoat—instead, a man of obvious Amerind complexion, shorter but with broad shoulders, traipsed out from between the trees. He was carrying a huge sack made of hide over his shoulder.
He glanced around. “Is this the camp of the heroes? I was waiting where it was safe, but word of your bravery and victory spread, and so I’ve come to trade if you so desire.”