As the dawn broke, the players exited their tents and started packing up.
Arthur stepped out of his tent and looked around, the disgusting environment they were in still creeped him out. But, the morning fog and sun reinvigorated him.
If only it wasn’t for the rotten smell of flesh ruining the mood, Arthur sighed.
I really want to get out of this damn place.
“At least it’s day now.” A voice came from the side of Arthur.
It was Alex.
“I figured you would sleep for a little longer, feeling restless?”
Arthur averted his eyes from Alex, “Why should I tell you?”
“Don’t give me that attitude, get ready because we’re moving in an hour from now.”
After that, Alex made his way from tent to tent, waking up those who were still asleep.
Arthur groaned in frustration as he started to pack up his tent.
***
A few hours of walking through the fleshy forest passed until they discovered the location they had been looking for. The mud squelched under their boots as they started walking into their new environment.
Arthur looked at his feet which were covered in mud with disgust, “I hate this already.”
“It's not that bad once you get used to it.” A middle-aged man in front of Arthur said.
“What do you mean?”
“Um well, just try not to move around too much, and using something like a stick to keep yourself up will help a little to prevent the slipping,” The man smiled, “The place I used to live had a swamp, I often played there while I was younger.”
“I see… Thank you”
I wonder what his place used to look like, outside the game…
Arthur was lost in thought when suddenly a scream erupted. A player came running toward the healers–One of their arms was completely bit off and it left an incredible trail of blood behind.
It’s starting.
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Arthur’s eyes darted around and soon he spotted ripples in the water from where the player had come, “It’s in the water!”
Arthur pulled out his crossbow and remembered he had no bolts to shoot, “damn it.”
So instead he carefully approached the water and prodded the dirty water with his sword, but nothing happened.
What got Arthur’s attention was a log, it was drifting on the water but it started to move through the mucky water to where he stood.
That's weird, the water isn’t moving though?
As the log got closer, it swiftly moved through the stagnant water, and right before it got to Arthur a large reptile jumped out from the water.
Arthur reflexively blocked it with his sword and dodged it to avoid its strike.
On the mud was a large crocodile, its scales were brown to blend in with the mud of the swamp, and the armoured scutes on its back were grooved to look like a log.
It snapped at Arthur as it re-orientated itself, and recklessly attacked him like it had been starved for days.
By now, everyone else was also battling the scaly beasts that emerged from the swamp, and the shouted orders that came from Alex quickly organized the people.
The crocodile wasn’t as agile as the monster he fought last night, and because of this Arthur wasn’t struggling with avoiding the reptile’s attacks.
The crocodile lunged at him again, Arthur narrowly avoided its snout and brought his sword down on its back.
His sword struck the armoured scales and rebounded, sending a jolt through his hands.
“Ack. Damn it, that hurts,” Arthur shook off the pain in his hands and started contemplating different ways to handle the crocodile.
It lunged at him once again, and Arthur thrust his sword into its lower jar. The crocodile hissed and attacked him with more ferocity as it snapped at him.
After a bit of struggling, Arthur pinned it down and pushed his sword into one of the crocodile’s eyes, killing it.
[Bog Crocodile slayed]
[+25 Exp gained]
It’s an easy foe with its predictable attacks but its armoured scales proved to be a problem.
“Bloody crocodiles of all things,” Arthur muttered to himself.
It was going to be a long day for them, they would have to be careful of the reptiles lurking in the water as they headed toward the centre of the swamp.
But, Arthur had a feeling they were getting close. The feeling of danger he had, got stronger each time they headed deeper into the bog.
***
[57 Bog Crocodiles slayed]
[+1425 Exp gained]
[Arthur: Harbinger of an ill-fated end]
Level 6 [4685/450] > Level 9 [1967/2625]
Health: 29/29(+6)
Strength:8(+3)
Dexterity:6(+2)
Constitution:5(+1)
Intelligence:1
Wisdom:1
Charisma:1
----------------------------------------
After the long struggle between walking through the mud and fighting the crocodiles, they finally made it.
The players came to a halt and looked at the final destination of their raid.
In the middle of the bog was a wide area of solid ground and in the centre of it was a run-down wood house. Green light shone from the windows and the door swayed open.
Silence followed after and nothing came out.
It invited them to come inside.