Climbing down as fast as possible I rounded the copse of trees and saw Burch under siege. Hundreds of different kinds of beasts assaulted the wooden walls. Deciding to leave my pack in the safety of the tree I looked out to the gated entrance. I saw a large bear ramming the gate. It crashed against it again, the supports bucking under the weight of the beast. I wasn’t close enough to Identify the bear so I snapped out a few in succession to the beasts in the crowd that I didn’t know.
Rascor Hound - Event Beast - Level 15 - Health 240/240
Rascor Wild Boar - Event Beast - Level 5 - Health 20/20
Rascor Minor Demon - Event Beast - Level 8 - Health 48/40
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Never having heard of Rascor I summoned the guide and looked for more information. None was available, I would be heading in blind. The hound and wild boar looked just like the Eter equivalent animal. The Rascor Minor Demon looked like a creature out of the worst dream I could ever have. It was tall and gangly, limbs disproportionate to its torso. Its head was angular in a way that was offensive to look at. It was standing well behind the front lines of battle and looking to be watching and waiting.
I checked my health bar out of reflex to see it full at 180/180. Climbing a nearby tree gave me a great vantage point over the horde. I prepared my bow and readied my first arrow. Aiming for a specific monster in the moving horde was impractical. I searched out for thick packs and fired in the masses one arrow after the other.
It only took a little over 2 minutes to run out of arrows and I suddenly wished I had a bigger quiver. I had killed 4 or 5 beasts judging by the notifications that had come across. There was still a massive tide of the beasts assaulting the walls but the gate was holding for now. I had decided not to use any of my bombs, fearing the unintended consequences.
There was a small gap in the wave on the east and north facing side of the wall. If I sprinted as fast as I could I would be able to clear the beasts and jump the wall to get inside. I could reach the defenders and look for a new weapon or arrow supply and use my high stats to help in the battle.
Waiting for the perfect opportunity to approach the wall felt callous while people were dying. Dropping down to the forest floor I began to sprint towards the clear area. My high agility and stamina allowed me to run faster than ever before and I was halfway through the mob of beasts when a hound snapped out and bit me on the ankle, the surprise of the attack throwing off my balance and causing me to fall.
I scrambled to my feet and dodged a wild swing from the minor demon. The demon must have seen my desperate sprint and followed. It swiped again as the beasts in the area began to turn and focus their attention on me. Several boars charged as I sprinted in the other direction, dodging both the boars and the demon. I zigged and zagged through the crowd moving too fast for the beasts to attack, the demon keeping pace behind me.
Making it to the wall and over it in one jump had me land awkwardly on my leg. Thankful it didn’t break this time, I looked around at the town. The buildings were made of wood just like the wall, thick with thatch roofs. Well worn dirt roads led to the center of the small town and sounds of combat were everywhere. I jogged through using the buildings as cover from any beasts or demons. I needed to find a weapon or some more arrows.
“Help! Help me! Anybody, someone please help me!” A voice yelled out to the night. Slowing and taking stock of the situation, I saw three large hounds attacking a large wooden door. The door shook with every hit and looked to be near failure.
“Help! Please!” the woman shouted looking directly at me through a large glass window.. I spied around the area briefly to confirm it was only the three hounds. I took stock of my equipment, I was out of arrows but I still had my dagger for close combat. I spotted a large rock near the base of the house and reached down to grab it. The rock might have weighed 50 pounds but it was light to my new strength. I crept behind the closest of the hounds and slammed the rock down on its back before it knew I was there. It crumpled with a whimper under the weight.
I freed my dagger from its sheath as the two remaining hounds stopped assaulting the door and looked at their fallen comrade. It mewled on the ground trying to wiggle out from under the rock. The world was moving in slow motion as the larger of the hounds jumped across the gap to bite at my leg. Jumping back to avoid the vicious teeth left the hound overextended. It felt like the entire world had slowed down except for me as I struck the hound in the back of the neck with the dagger.
One hound left now, I steadied my hand on the dagger, as we circled each other. There were grunts and other various animal noises occurring all around me, I needed to finish this quickly. I acted decisively and leapt across the gap leading with my dagger. The hound snaked its head around to bite down at my arm as I swiped across its gut. Viscera spilled out on the dirt road as the hound died before it landed.
Grunting in pain, I looked around for other beasts. There were none visible and the woman from the window was coming out. “Stay inside! I yelled, “Burch is under siege!”
“I need to get to my father, he's at the smithy!” She replied. “I have my two sisters with me, we can’t stay here!” She looked as frantic as I had been months before. Initially I had thought she was at least my age or older but up closer she looked much younger.
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“Come with me, i’ll take you there” I told her as she ran back to the doorway, shouting for her sisters. “Lead the way and go slowly, I'll cover us from behind,” I told her as we walked down the dirt road towards the middle of the town.
“Okay. It’s a few streets up and then one over.” She started walking, holding both of her sisters' hands in the opposite direction I had entered from. We made it all the way without coming across any other beasts. The smithy was a large wooden building with a stone back wall where the fires must be located. The large barn doors were open and men were running back and forth carrying anything that could be used as a weapon.
“Father! Father!” The young woman cried, moving towards the largest man in the building. He was currently carrying some form of farm tool with a barbed spike on the end. “Camile!” The massive man yelled and ran to the three sisters. He glanced in my direction and came up short, moving to stand before me and block off the sisters.
“Wait! He saved us! He’s not a demon!” Said the young woman.
“I’m not a demon! Look! Identify me!” I cried out, I couldn’t believe this was going to happen again.
“What’s your name son? Where are you from?” The large man had a voice that sounded like two rocks being ground against each other.
“Syl. My name is Syl. I lived in a small town across east of the eternal forest. It fell during the survival event. I need to get to Estes.” I replied.
“Survival event huh. We nearly fell as well here.” He said as he finally put down the farming implement. I hadn’t realized that we had caught the attention of a few of the men. I was completely surrounded by the townsman. “Why don’t you tell me how you got to this town if you're not one of the demons.”
“I sprinted over it and jumped, I have high agility. I heard the fighting from the forests and wanted to help. Please believe me. You can Identify me if you want.” I pleaded.
“Pah. Didn’t get a stupid Identify skill. Jerrel come over here and Identify the kid, we need all the help we can get if he's really not a demon. The large smith said after a few tense seconds. My hope of any type of good interaction fading quickly. I felt the cold sensation spread across my skin again.
“Checks out, boss. Says he’s human. Can’t read his level. Strong” A short and stocky man in cloth overalls from behind me.
“Alright son. We have to get back on the wall in a few minutes and relieve the current defenders. What kind of weapon can you use? Do right by us and we will do right by you, whatever your past.” The smith said. “My name is Arthur and I'm the blacksmith here in Burch. I also lead our town militia. We don’t have much left of armor but we have more weapons than we can use after the last beast wave.”
“I will take a spear and any arrows you can spare.” I answered. He spoke to Jerrel again and then walked off towards the wall, explaining he needed to check in. Jerrel came out with a well cared for spear and a bundle of arrows. “We have fill stations for arrows on the wall, take what you need.”
“Thank you, I’ll find Arthur and see what he wants from me.” I stated.The spear was a standard Eter army spear. Regulation length with a steel point affixed to the end, a leather grip in the middle wide enough for two hands. Exactly the same as what I had trained with during my time at the academy.
It wasn’t hard to trace the sounds of fighting to the wall. The side opposite of the one I entered was in constant combat, the beasts choosing to swarm it rather than circle the walls. The gate had been destroyed and the large bear was rampaging against the defenders who were formed around a small barricade. Arthur was engaged with a minor demon that had gotten over the barricade. I shot it in the back twice while the large man battled it with a massive sword. He took it down with a thrust and saw me across the street.
“The bear! The bear!” He yelled.
I turned towards the sound of the bear and watched it decapitate a townsman with a swipe of its powerful claws. Sighting it with my bow, I fired an arrow directly at its chest. It struck the bear and bounced off just like the arrows had bounced from the ogres. I Identified the bear.
Rascor Plains Bear - Event Beast - Level 20 - Health 812/900
Its hide was too thick or tough for the regular arrow to do any damage. It would have to be a soft spot like its throat or eyes. I tried for a minute to find the right angle as more townsmen died to the rabid beast. The thing was moving too much for me to line up my shot, I needed a better vantage point. The bear was taller than I was even on all four legs.
There was a strongly built house with a fairly flat roof to my right. I dashed over and climbed the wall to get up higher. The bear took down another townsman and roared standing up on its hind legs. I fired at its throat as soon as it reared upwards. This time the arrow didn’t bounce off the bear. It lodged in the bear's throat an inch or so and blood began to pour out from around the wound.
The bear roared again searching for its assailant. Like the cave bear I had fought, this beast was intelligent. It caught sight of me on the roof and charged, barreling down anyone or thing in its way. I only had moments before it would impact the house. I sighted up my next arrow, held my breath and waited. The bear took a deep breath like it was about to roar again and I released knowing where its eye would be. The arrow lodged a foot deep in the beasts left eye, it keeled over with a horrible groan.
I jumped down from the roof and triggered Identify.
Rascor Plains Bear - Event Beast - Level 20 - Health 53/900
No hesitation as I drew my dagger and stabbed the massive demon bear in the chest. Up close I could see where it had skin like charcoal or tree bark rather than the fur of a cave bear. The black and cracked skin was tough, requiring significant force to stab through. I felt the beast die and quickly stood up to catch my bearings.
I was hit almost instantly by a massive shadowy shape hitting me in the side. I could feel claws and teeth ripping at me, trying to tear through my uniform disguised as simple clothes. I flailed out with my fists and made contact with the beast. Identifying it before it could attack again
Rascor Great Plains Lion - Event Beast - Level 17 - Health 161/191
There was a loud hiss as a spear pierced the lion through the back. One of the townsmen gave me a quick nod and moved on, finding a new fight. There was more fighting in front of the barricade, hundreds of beasts in a large melee with the remaining townsmen. Men and women were dying by the moment defending the entranceway to their homes. I readied my spear and entered violence incarnate once more.