Maverick woke up the next morning with the fire still blazing and the pounding in his head subsiding. He went to take a drink of water from his leather canteen when an arrow struck it—an arrow meant for his throat— sending it flying from his hands and across the snowy field.
Maverick stood there for a second in disbelief that someone had shot an arrow at him and was trying to kill him. Then a voice shouted in his head, "Get down! They're shooting at you!" He immediately dropped to the ground and looked in the direction the arrow was fired from, while blowing his horn—the one that was recently Sir Percivale’s—at the same time. They were at the edge of a snow-covered forest and the arrow had come flying from the tree line.
Maverick peered into the darkness of the forest, quickly scanning back and forth looking for anything that moved—anything that gave him a target to go after.
Then he saw it…a faint flash of light shining off a piece of armor the wearer had forgotten to camouflage. Maverick rushed towards Ptero who was grazing nearby and jumped on top of the horse in a single leap, fighting him momentarily to point him in the right direction, then digging his heels into Ptero’s sides to make him take off with a jolt.
Maverick kept his right foot in the stirrup and swung his left foot over Ptero’s back to rest on his right foot. He grabbed the pommel and horn of the saddle and crouched low, keeping Ptero between him and his attacker as a shield as he hung off Ptero’s side.
Ptero flew across the distance between Maverick and the unknown assailant, and Maverick felt as if he were flying. It wasn't more than one hundred yards to the edge of the forest, and he was closing in fast. Ptero quickly closed the gap and Maverick soon saw his adversary in full as he swept up from the attacker's side: tall, but not as tall as Maverick, long black hair, pointed ears—the tell-tale sign of an elf—, a long scar running from the top left side of his head to his chin, and wearing silver armor that was covered in leaves to conceal its glare from the sun—all except the helmet that was sitting on a stump next to the elf. The helmet was silver and black with swooping black wings on the top left and right, with a golden crest flowing backwards across the middle.
Maverick took all this in within the first second of seeing the elf. Then he looked down and saw a black arrow notched in a beautiful silver-and-wood bow pointing towards him. Maverick instinctually drew his sword and raised it in front of his heart as the elf loosed his arrow, sending the arrow ricocheting harmlessly off his sword and into a nearby snow pile.
There was now five yards between Maverick and the elf. Maverick jumped from Ptero's back and landed on top of the shocked elf, feeling bones crunch beneath his weight as a half-drawn sword fell from the elf's hand. Maverick stayed on top of the elf, using his weight to pin him to the ground, and grabbed the elf's right wrist with his right hand, then swooped his left hand under the elf's arm and grabbed his own forearm and threw his weight forward. Maverick felt the elf's shoulder dislocate, leaving the elf screaming in pain.
Maverick rolled off the elf, got to his feet, quickly picked up his sword that was laying on the ground next to them, and held it at the elf's throat.
"Who are you, and why are you trying to kill me?" Maverick screamed at the elf as he caught his breath from the surge of adrenaline that was pumping through him. Snow had started to fall, and it was sticking to Maverick’s face, helping to cool him down.
The elf spit out some blood at Maverick and let a grin flash on his face. "I am the first of many that will come for you, Black Knight. Though I wish we had more of a fight…something more honorable…something more…hand-to-hand…"
Maverick let a hmmmph escape his lips. "You are the one who attacked me from a distance and by surprise, yet you try to bait me by questioning my honor?" Maverick laughed, staring the elf down as he did. "Very well. You may consider me a fool, for I will grant you your wish. On your feet, elf." Maverick sneered as he said the last word. He was very…angry at that moment.
The Companions and many knights came running up at that moment, surrounding the elf with swords drawn and looks of disgust on their faces to see who had attacked them. They formed a circle around the elf, preventing him from escaping.
The elf stood up…slowly and painfully, warily watching the other knights…and shot back at Maverick, "I am no common elf, human. I am an Atax, and I will have your head." A black cloud descended on the Atax, hiding the villain from sight. They could all hear screams coming from the cloud as the Atax used a dark magic to heal his broken bones.
At the same time the cloud came down on the Atax, a new screen popped up in Maverick's vision…a very distracting screen that Maverick didn't have time for right then, so he glanced at it quickly before discarding it.
Name: Skald the Skinner
Species: Atax
Class: Rogue
Reputation: Abysmal
Level: 7
Immortal: Theran the Dark
Stat
Current Level
Description
Progress to next level
Honor
-3
A combination of respect/being proud/and honesty-must increase to level 5 to access magic
-150/200
Agility
4
improves dodge and movement
3916/4000
Magic
7
Special gifts to manipulate the impossible
7112/8000
Perception
6
Improves ranged damage and chance to see the unseen
6213/7000
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Charm
0
Ability to attract others to your cause
0/1000
Strength
6
Improves damage with melee weapons and carrying capacity
6300/7000
Intelligence
4
improves amount of honor able to hold and spells able to learn
4005/5000
Endurance
5
Improves stamina and stamina regeneration
5619/6000
Wisdom
2
Improves memory
1877/2000
Persuasion
0
Ability to persuade other creatures and objects
0/1000
Speed
7
Rate of movement
7653/8000
"So, this turd is fast, agile, good at magic, and strong,” thought Maverick. "Greaaaat…" He quickly skipped to the Class Tree, scanned down, and selected the Class he knew he was destined for—even though the other ones sounded awesome, and he had yet to talk to the Companions about it. He was about to get into an epic fight, and he didn’t want to lose the progress to his stats.
He felt and saw a blue cloud descend on him and felt a surge throughout his body, while Zalara’s voice soothingly said in his head,
“You have chosen Class - High Knight. Prepare yourself.”
His arms, shoulders, and thighs grew to twice their previous size, strand upon strand of muscle and sinew strapping and overlapping itself to his bones, causing some of the buckles of his armor to groan and snap. He felt particles within him activating, and a monstrous sense of Pride swelled through him. Maverick instinctively knew it was his permanent 10% increase in Honor activating and he held on to the feeling…basking in the flood of endorphins.
The remains of the blue cloud soon dissipated into Maverick's mouth, and he looked with new eyes at his enemy, Skald the Skinner. Maverick didn't really want to know how Skald got that particular name…
He saw his knights who carried bow and arrow pointing them at the Atax, and an arrow laying uselessly on the ground in front of him. He realized the Atax—now fully healed—had tried to attack him while he selected his class. "Yeah, definitely a turd…" Maverick thought. He drew his sword and smiled as he looked down and saw a great black and gold shield now attached to his left arm, with a symbol on the front he didn’t have time to look at. Maverick felt a different feeling surging through him and Zalara's voice popped into his head again to say,
"That is the Magic you now have access to. Your constant flow of Honor ensures you will be able to use Magic at all times…though your spells are limited at this time…"
Maverick thought he should check his stats again before kicking off this fight with Skald ‘The Turd’ Atax, so he quickly pulled it up and smiled. He liked what he saw.
Name: Sir Maverick the Black Knight
Species: Human
Class: High Knight
Reputation: Bronze
Level: 1
Immortal: None selected
Stat
Current Level
Description
Progress to next level
Honor
2
A combination of respect/being proud/and honesty-must increase to level 5 to access magic
201/300
Agility
2
improves dodge and movement
2000/3000
Magic
1
Special gifts to manipulate the impossible
50/1000
Perception
1
Improves ranged damage and chance to see the unseen
90/1000
Charm
1
Ability to attract others to your cause
90/1000
Strength
3
Improves damage with melee weapons and carrying capacity
3000/4000
intelligence
1
improves amount of honor able to hold and spells able to learn
900/1000
Endurance
3
Improves stamina and stamina regeneration
3000/4000
Wisdom
1
Improves memory
900/1000
Persuasion
1
Ability to persuade other creatures and objects
90/1000
Speed
2
Rate of movement
2000/3000
He saw his Honor still happily climbing, one point at a time, and his Agility and Speed glowing with a transparent '40%' hovering over Agility and a '20%' hovering over Speed. He discarded his stat sheet and got back to his fight. He had soooo many questions for Zalara when this was over though…
"Just chose your Class, eh?" Skald said, laughing. "This will be easier than I thought…"
Maverick didn't say anything in return…he let his steel talk for him. He drew his sword arm back and landed a great blow on the Atax, who blocked it with his own sword, but fell backwards from the force and speed of Maverick's hit. Maverick pounced and swung his sword again, glancing off the armor on Skald’s left shoulder and sliding up to cut a wing off his helmet.
Skald rolled backwards, knowing he was physically overmatched, and began to do strange things with the fingers of his left hand—the hand that didn’t hold his sword. A bolt of lightning came down from the crisp, snowy sky and struck Maverick square in the chest, sending him flying into a tree. The spectating knights looked on with concern at seeing Maverick damaged so, and some jumped forward to try and help him before Sir Rurik waved them off and said, "He must win this fight without any aid from us."
Maverick shook off the pain and saw his red health bar pop up in his vision reading 850/1000. He knew he had taken one heck of a hit, but man…he didn’t think it’d taken that much from him. He got to his feet, determined to not let the Atax’s lightning hit him again. He put his shoulder behind his large shield and charged Skald, catching him on the face and making him trip over a tree root. Maverick once again had his sword at Skald’s grimy throat, ready to push down on his sword if he had to.
“Do you yield?” Maverick yelled.
Skald spat at Maverick in answer, so Maverick drew a little blood from Skald’s throat.
“Do…you…yield…?” Maverick said again, calmer this time, not letting the anger overcome him.
The pain and quick loss of blood made Skald reconsider. He barely squeaked out a, “Yield…I yield, Sir Knight!”
Maverick took his sword from Skald’s neck, placed it in its scabbard, and offered his hand to the Atax.
“I’ll spare your life…if you’ll swear the Indestructible Oath to me.” Sir Percivale’s voice had popped into his head when Maverick had his sword at Skald’s neck to tell him of this particularly brutal oath.
The Atax hesitated. The Indestructible Oath was not taken lightly. Should Skald break his oath, the Gorgō would swoop down from their dark place and torture him for all time. Some say death is easier…
"You should kill him, Sir," shouted one of the knights. "He's one of the worst to roam these lands…"
“I…I swear, m’Lord.” Skald said before anyone else could convince Maverick otherwise and dropped to a knee before him. Magic spread between the two as soon as his knee hit the ground, binding Skald to Maverick forever and forcing Maverick to be Skald's caretaker.
Maverick felt that addicting pride surging through him, pulled up his stat sheet, and saw his Honor had increased a full point. Then a separate notification popped up and said,
Congratulations. You have defeated a Level 7 Atax, Rogue Class! You have earned 2,500 XP!
He dismissed that and then another invaded his sight.
Congratulations. A Level 7 Atax Rogue Class has sworn the Indestructible Oath to you. You have earned 3,000 XP! You have earned +1 point to your Charm!
He felt another surge through his body then looked at his stats…he had reached Level Two after just one fight!
Maverick ignored the other notifications. He needed to get on with his day. Maverick handed Skald over to a group of knights and walked back to the campsite with the Companions.
"It is honorable that ye saved such an unworthy creature, Sir," said Sir Rurik, "but beware of 'im still. Creatures like that have loyalties that change with the wind, and he may one day realize he would rather face the Gorgō for eternity just to see ya dead."
Maverick didn’t know how anyone would agree to be tortured for all time just to see another person dead, but he also knew Sir Rurik knew what he was talking about. "Aye, Sir Rurik. I'll keep ‘im at a distance." Maverick had begun talking like his friends. He didn’t even realize he was doing it…it was just something he unconsciously did.
They returned to the campsite and got busy packing everything. It didn’t take long; they didn’t have much after all. They were soon riding along the mountain path again, with the Companions and Maverick leading the way.