Hydrablood Chapter 8
Dan righted himself as the sensation of vertigo passed and the darkness faded from his vision. He could immediately tell that something was very wrong. He was not sure if it was the similar looks of disorientation on the faces of the surrounding soldiers, Icepaw and Hydrozeno or the fact that an eight foot tall black wolf was in the middle of the guardhouse. Of course, wolf was not quite the right word for the thing that had appeared in the middle of the room. The general body, legs and head were kind of similar, but the six legs and ten spiny tentacles surrounding its head like a lion’s mane were definitely not characteristic of a wolf. The tail was the shape of a wolf as well, but the ridges of its fur along the length of the appendage seemed to be razor sharp. Its skin was not fur but an amalgamation of some kind of black glossy tar, similar to what Dan’s wand could make, but it felt off, almost wrong. Drifts of black mist seemed to ooze off of it and hang in the air for a moment before slowly drifting to the floor and dissipating. For a moment everything froze. Then the scene devolved into chaos.
Guards drew weapons and shouted. Tables and chairs went flying and crashed against people and walls. One unfortunate man screamed as he got a face full of stew from the cauldron then the jaws of the massive creature snapped around his screaming head. The headless body dropped to the floor. Dan immediately threw himself to the side and behind a table that had been turned over. He blinked as he came face to face with Icepaw.
“Oh, hello.”
“Hello, I just want to preface this with: I didn’t do anything.”
“Noted. I will tell Kiln.”
The pair peeked over and observed the chaos unfolding on the other side of the table. Three more guards were down and unmoving and two of the tentacles had been severed. Hydrozeno was slashing at a third while fending a fourth off with his shield. Several of the guards, including the girl from earlier, had taken advantage of Hydrozeno’s distraction of the tentacles to try and harm the head of the creature. The creature dodged most of the blows, its form staying generally the same but parts of it that were targeted seemed to ooze back slightly when struck.
“The creature is afraid of the Gifts.”
Dan glanced over at Icepaw.
“What?”
Icepaw pointed.
“The creature is avoiding any weapon Gifts when it can and it seems to prioritize attacking the remaining people with Gifts.”
Dan peered over again. There were now six guards on the floor unmoving. Several more had charged into the barracks from outside which meant the creature was still facing fifteen guards and Hydrozeno. A quick scan led Dan to believe that three of the downed soldiers had had Gifts for weapons and the three others that had Gifts for weapons and were still standing were being hard pressed. The girl was one of them. The spear she held was a single solid, shaft of silvery material that spun about her as she fended off flailing tentacles.
“What do we do?”
Icepaw looked at Dan incredulously, before answering.
“My friend is in there and I have a weapon. I am going to fight.”
The Kitsune dashed off amongst the clutter of overturned furniture, leaving Dan alone. He just sat there for several seconds, fear gripping him. He peeked over just in time to see Icepaw seem to slide out of the chaos and stab the monster in the side. The icy blue blade was driven deep into its side, a small patch of ice forming across its skin. The thing did not roar. It had not made any sounds at all besides a wet squishing sound as it moved. Instead it whirled about unnaturally. It seemed to almost blur as its form went indistinct, then the creature seemed to remake itself, only it was facing the opposite direction now, all of its tentacles had been regrown and they were whirling about the monstrosity with a renewed vigor. Several more soldiers were left unmoving on the ground, the combination of blunt force and tearing from the spines too much.
It lunged at Icepaw and then stumbled. Hydrozeno had leapt fearlessly onto its back and began to slash at the place around the monster’s neck, where several of the tentacles sprouted from its body. The scimitar cut and burned. Several of the newly regrown tentacles fell away. The thing turned and it seemed to fold in on itself, twisting and bending like it did not have bones. The jaws clamped down on Hydrozeno and shook him once. The snap was audible to Dan, even from his place across the room. The thing sent the limp body spinning away with a casual toss. He looked dead, but Dan was not sure if the blow had been fatal. Probably not, since Icepaw only stepped calmly between the creature and Hydrozeno and waited.
More cries of pain rang out. As it had spun to throw Hydrozeno’s the massive bladelike tail had cut a path through the soldiers, who had been forming up to charge the monster. Two of them were killed instantly. Three more were left wounded and bleeding on the floor. Dan’s heart skipped a beat. One of the wounded soldiers was the girl. The monster was pushing into the ranks of the remaining soldiers. There were only eight left. The massive jaws of the thing clamped around one of the wounded lying on the ground.
It did not shred the man to pieces. Instead it seemed to breathe out. Black sludge began to creep out and across the man’s body. He shrieked and then the thing let go. The man leapt to his feet, still shrieking, and despite missing his arm from the elbow down, threw himself violently and the girl. The other soldiers stopped him. Their weapons hacked him to pieces before he stopped trying to reach his intended target. The distraction was enough for the creature to tear apart another soldier. There were only seven left. Then Dan saw movement. Hydrozeno came barreling back into the fight, Icepaw was following, flanking the monstrosity. Their movements were coordinated, like they had done this before.
Knowing this was his chance, Dan took a deep breath and sprinted across the room. He grabbed the female soldier and began to drag her away from the fighting. She moaned and he dragged her. The left side of her chest had a deep cut from the tail and was bleeding badly. Dan would have to try and apply some pressure once he got her back to cover. He was halfway to the table with her when he paused. The creature was staring at him. For a moment he and it locked gazes. It did not really have eyes. Just a pair of oozing holes where they should, although Dan was certain he could see something in them. The faintest gleam of power. For a moment, the world around Dan seemed to slow to a crawl. Soldiers stood between him and the alien creature staring malevolently down at him. Hydrozeno was flying through the air again after a tentacle had struck him. A small furry shape dangled from the tentacle. Dan knew that none of it mattered. The monster was coming for him.
Time snapped back into place and the monster charged. Dan raised his wand. Black ooze met black ooze. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the sticky black substance began to wrap around the creature, locking it into place. The power of Dan’s gift entangled the creature’s legs and head. The tentacles became hopelessly entangled. For one moment there was shock. Then Dan began to continue dragging the girl away. Soldiers shouted in surprise and triumph and charged. Most of their weapons had little impact except for one man with an ax. It looked more like a woodcutter’s ax than a proper battle ax but it still cut through the writhing mass with efficacy. Hydrozeno and Icepaw both leapt in seconds later, just as Dan reached the table with his burden. He tucked the girl behind the table and looked around for something he could use to bind her bleeding chest. There was not much around that he could see. He drew his sword and cut off his left sleeve. Then he leaned over and studied the wound. The armor made it complicated, but eventually Dan managed to get a basic bandage applied. It was all he could do for now. He was not a medical expert.
He peeked over the table. The monster had just gotten free of his sludge and there were only four guards left. Icepaw was nowhere to be seen and a haggard looking Hydrozeno was circling the monstrosity cautiously. The creature saw him and charged. One of the soldiers was bowled over. Hydrozeno charged after the creature. Then it did its strange form shift and was suddenly facing Hydrozeno as he rushed it head on. Its tentacles massed to overwhelm the exhausted Hydrablood. Dan could tell that this was it. His companion was covered in wounds that were not healing and his movements were sluggish. He was going to die.
Dan drew his sword. Hydrozeno had saved Dan’s life. That day on the road the faithful warrior had risked death to let Dan and Icepaw run. Dan charged and as he did blinked.
A second Hydrozeno had come barreling out the nearby debris. This Hydrozeno was hurt but not badly. A snarl of pure rage emerged as Hydrozeno catapulted himself into the air, his blade plunging downward toward the creature’s head. The tail came up to meet the flying from and shattered the illusion. The momentum of the swinging tail spun the creature around, bringing it face to face with Dan just as he reached it. As Dan and the darkness locked eyes once more Dan gritted his and drove his sword into its eye. The blade drove into the eye socket with ease. The sludge had surprisingly little resistance, then there was a sudden jolt as the metal met something hard.
The creature suddenly contorted, yanking the sword from Dan’s hands. Then, in less than a second iit just collapsed into a puddle. The oily black liquid began to evaporate into black mist that dissipated after a moment. Dan was left staring at his sword, the tip of which was embedded in a dark crystal about half the size of his fist. Dan picked up the sword and stared at the crystal on the end of its blade. Its shape reminded Dan of a skill crystal, but it was too large and the color was wrong. Skill crystals were transparent. This was an opaque black that looked almost like obsidian. Dan studied it for several seconds then his mouth gaped in horror.
Stolen story; please report.
Black tar leapt down one half of the sword, seizing his hand. The pain as the ooze engulfed it was beyond anything Dan had experienced. It felt as if every nerve in his hand erupted into flame and was consumed. He fell to the ground writhing. Dan tried to release the sword, but his hand would not obey. Then there was a flash, a searing pain and the smell of burning flesh. The world went dark once more.
* * *
Hydrozeno grimly placed one foot atop the sword. The severed hand, still gripped the hilt. Somehow that thing was still alive. The skill crystal must be its heart. It had to be destroyed. With grim determination. Hydrozeno reached down and yanked the crystal off the sword tip. The sludge paused as if the action of having the blade removed had stunned it. Then Hydrozeno placed the crystal in his mouth and swallowed it. No need for it to go to waste. Besides, he was hungry.
* * *
Inside him the sludge streamed out of the cracked crystal. It began to tear into its new host and was beaten back. It burned. The blood that mixed with the sludge hissed and steamed like acid. Where the two met, the blood won out. Then the darkness knew. The hydra was hungry and its appetite was greater than anything it had encountered. The crystal cracked and then dissolved inside the hydra’s stomach.
* * *
Hydrozeno felt his body being torn apart, but the rush of power from the crystal was immense. He felt as if he had swallowed a hundred skill crystals. He channeled it all into his regeneration and felt it when he hit the threshold. After a moment, the sensation of being ripped apart from the inside out stopped and Hydrozeno felt his organs heal. He looked down regretfully at the severed right hand and grimaced. Unable to think of another way to stop the ooze from spreading, Hydrozeno had reacted on instinct. He hoped that Dan would be able to forgive him.
Hydrozeno looked around to be certain there were no other threats. Nope, there were only three of the soldiers still standing and they were just standing there gaping. They probably were realizing now how inferior they were compared to the perfect soldier. Dan was unconscious. Hydrozeno could see him breathing. The stump was cauterized from Hydrozeno’s scimitar of flame. That was convenient. There were a lot of bodies of dead or wounded soldiers. Hydrozeno could not see Icepaw. He needed to thank his friend for the illusionary distraction. Hydrozeno wondered how his friend pulled it off. Normally Icepaw’s illusions could only be about two feet in any direction, unless he was disguising himself.
Hydrozeno’s blood suddenly went cold. He spun around the room searching frantically. He found his friend a few moments later. The limp white body had been flung behind an overturned bed. A white sheet lay underneath the Kitsune. It was no longer white. The massive gash from the spinning tail attack had cut from the left shoulder to the right hip. The beautiful, blue coat that had been Icepaws gift had been torn to shreds across the chest. His rapier was still coated in frost. The Kitsune had probably infused it with some of his mana so his next attack would deal more damage. He had never gotten the chance to land the blow. His final action had been to use his illusion magic to buy a few more moments for Hydrozeno.
The Hydrablood knelt and cradled to white furred head of his best friend and cried.
Name: Hydrozeno
Age: 18
Race: Hydrablood Elf
Mana:
Blessings:
Scimitar of Flame: Level 1 0/2 Does 1 point of fire damage
Bag of the Companion
Health Level 2 2/4 Health 2/2
Claws Level 2 2/4
Bite Level 2 3/4
Fur Level 1 1/2
Rapier of the Fallen Snow
Skills:
Health: 1/22
Base Defense: 4
Longevity: Level 4 3/16
Darkvision: Level 4 3/16
Bow Range: Level 1 0/2
Bow Damage: Level 3 3/8
Bow Accuracy: Level 3 0/8
Regeneration: Level 10 152/512 10/10 points used
Regeneration: Level 3 0/4 regain 3(4) additional health per day
Instant Regeneration: Level 3 1/4 0/3(4) healing points remaining
Regeneration of the Hydra: Level 1 0/2 Each level increases the amount of regeneration and instant regeneration by 1
Swimming: Level 2 3/4
Scimitar Accuracy: Level 3 0/8
Scimitar Damage: Level 3 0/8
Scimitar Parry: Level 1 1/2
Light Armor: Level 1 0/2
Acidic Blood: Level 1 0/2
Cooking: Level 1 0/2
Intimidation: Level 2 0/4
Poison resistance: Level 1 0/2
Shield: Level 1 0/2
Name: Kilnoher
Age: 18
Race: Elf
Mana
Nature Mana: 1/1
Earth Mana: 1/1
Body Mana: 1/1
Blessings:
Longbow of Sight: Level 1 0/2 Doubles your bow range and darkvision
Cloak of Shadows: Shadow Stealth Level 1 1/2 Increase your stealth level by the level of this cloak
Skills:
Health: 21/21
Base Defense: 0
Longevity: Level 4 3/16 Your lifespan in increase by 4 years
Darkvision: Level 4 3/16 You can see perfectly in the dark for up to 40(80) feet.
Bow range: Level 3 0/8 You bow range is 53(106) feet
Bow Accuracy: Level 2 1/4
Bow damage: Level 1 0/2
Nature Mana: Level 1 1/2
Earth Mana: Level 1 0/2
Stealth: Level 2(3) 0/4
Tracking: Level 2 0/4
Perception: Level 1 0/2
Body Mana: Level 1 0/2
Speed Boost Spell: Level 2 0/4 2/2 points used
Speed increase: Level 1 0/2 1%
Boost Duration: Level 1 0/2 1 seconds per point of body mana used
Sense Animals: Level 1 0/2 You can sense the presence of animal in a range of up to 100 feet for 1 second per nature mana used
Cartography: Level 1 0/2
Magic Items
Boots of speed: Increases speed by 1% for 1 minute for every 99 mana imbued
Current Mana Charge: 61
Name: Dan Del Torre
Age:18
Race: Human
Mana:
Basic Mana: 2/2
Body Mana 2/2
Blessings:
Corrupted Blade of Memory: Relive the past of those you have slain and gain their experience
Wand of Binding: Level 2 0/2 2/2 points used
Charges level 1 0/2 1/1 charges(regains 1 charge per day)
Binding Duration: Level 1 0/2 Binding lasts 10 seconds
Skills:
Health: 3/19
Base defense: 1
Basic mana: Level 2 0/4
Body Mana: Level 2 0/4
Enchantment- Imbue Item(Skill Enhancement): Level 2 0/4 2/2 point used(requires 12 hour ritual and 1 gold per mana used)
Skill Enhancement increase: Level 1 0/2 Increases chosen skill by 1 level per 100(99) mana imbued
Skill Enhancement Duration: Level 1 0/2 Imbuement lasts 1 minutes per 100(99) mana imbued
Imbuement Item Recharge: Level 0 0/1 item recharges 0 mana per day
Longsword Accuracy: Level 3 0/8
Longsword Damage: Level 2 0/4
Longsword Parry: Level 3 1/8
Mana Circle(chosen skill): Level 2 1/4 Inscribe up to a level 2 mana circle on an object that will gather 1 mana per day per level. The inscriber may withdraw the mana at their leisure. Costs 100 gold to create per level or upgrade. Requires 12 hours uninterrupted to inscribe
Light Armor: Level 1 0/2
Mana Sight: Level 1 0/2 Can see mana at a range of 1 foot and 1% chance to identify its type
Magic resistance: Level 1 0/2
Enchantment Magic Mana Cost Reduction: Level 1 0/2 reduce enchantment costs by 1%
Speed Boost: Level 2 0/4 2/2 points used
Speed increase: Level 1 0/2 1%
Boost Duration: Level 1 0/2 1 seconds per point of body mana used
Strength boost: Level 2 0/4 2/2 points used
Strength increase: Level 1 0/2 1%
Boost Duration: Level 1 0/2 1 seconds per point of body mana used
Defense boost: Level 2 0/4 2/2 points used
Defense increase: Level 1 0/2 1%
Boost Duration: Level 1 0/2 1 seconds per point of body mana used
Weapon Enhancement(Temporary): Level 2 0/4 2/2 points use
Weapon Damage: Level 1 0/2 Increased by 1 level per 100(99) mana used
Boost Duration: Level 1 0/2 1 attack per 100(99) mana used
Armor Enhancement(Temporary): Level 2 0/4 2/2 points use
Armor Level: Level 1 0/2 Increased by 1 level per 100(99) mana used
Boost Duration: Level 1 0/2 Endures 1 attack per 100(99) mana used
Magic Items
Sword Belt- Inscribed with level 1 magic circle
Current Mana:
36 Basic mana
177 body mana