The guards at the gate of the mayor’s hall opened the gate as Elderon led them forward. Inside, the main gate led to the courtyard. Stone walls surrounded them, and in the middle stood a large, powerful, yet elegant-looking house. White stone walls with painted wooden window frames held high glass windows. Paved footpaths crisscrossed the courtyard between small beds of shrubs and flowering plants. Pairs of guards armed with spears were situated around the courtyard. The large oak doors at the front of the house opened as Elderon walked toward them.
Max wondered if Elderon had cast a spell to open the doors, or maybe he used his special ability to cause items to move rather than wasting an active spell. Either way, the doors opened into the entrance hall.
Inside, the hall was pleasantly warm thanks to a large central firepit. Dry flagstones on the floor were crossed by a narrow carpet leading to an inner chamber.
The inner chamber was warmed by fires burning in stone hearths on either side and decorated with wall hangings and carpet on the floor. At the far end of the door there was a stage with a table and chairs. Sitting on the large central chair was a portly mayor, gold chains over his fur-lined cloak. He was flanked by a pair of advisors in dark robes.
“Master Mage Elderon.” The mayor stood up, walked around the table, and came down the few steps toward them. “Thank you for coming. We are in danger here in Burke. We are trapped. The guards on the high walk of the palisade reported dark shadows moving near the edge of town in the darkness. We have counted a pack of six wolves coming closer and closer, and this morning, they have been seen in the distance. You must know, Master Mage, that darkness stalks the land. It would appear it has come right to the gates of our fair town of Burke. We have given you sanctuary these last many days, Master Mage. Would you not think it your duty to help us now? Or else we will be trapped behind our palisade. Our people need to go out to their fields, and the milk cows here in town overnight need to return to the meadows. We will surely perish if we are trapped by these dark beasts.”
“You have a host of arms here, Mayor,” Elderon said. “Can you not send your guards to take these wolves down so that we may be on our way? We have a long journey ahead of us, and I do not want to be making promises to you, Mayor, promises I cannot keep.”
“We sent half a dozen guards this morning. One returned barely alive. My guards are simple men, not soldiers, and I do not have an army. But we are blessed by the light that we have a Master Mage within our walls. You have a party of adventurers with you, a Druid and another young Mage, it seems. You will stand a much better chance than my town guards, and I don’t want to send another half a dozen guards to their doom. Please, Master Mage, will you not save the town?”
Max glanced at Elderon and said, “It might be useful for me to practice my new level before we stray too far from the safety of this good town.”
“Yes,” Anita said. “Again, Max is correct. He is clearly an intelligent young Mage. He must practice. And I can’t leave these good people at the mercy of these dark wolves. It’s my duty to the natural wilderness order that these dark wolves be challenged and driven from the gates of this good town.”
Elderon let out a low growl at Max and Anita. Then he glared up at the mayor, who was wringing his hands in front of him, a look of terror and hopelessness on his fat face.
“We will tackle your little wolf problem, Mayor,” Elderon said, turning with a swish of his robe. He walked away from the mayor, his staff tapping the floor as he went. “We will need rest and healing when we return, and we will require a reward for our time and trouble. I know we can trust you to keep your end of the bargain, Mayor.”
Elderon marched off before the mayor could answer. Max hurried along beside Elderon, Anita at his side. The guards running ahead of Max’s party called to open the gate so they could leave.
Max felt proud and famous as he walked out through the main gate. The guards were all looking at him and his party in admiration, giving respect for the adventurers heading out to save the town from the dark danger.
When Max had been out there last night, all was dark, but now, he could see the rich, green meadowland of rolling hills to the left and right. Away in the distance, the tops of the trees stood up out of the narrow forest valley. Memories of that lone wolf came back to haunt him and sent a shiver down his spine. He had been trapped up a tree, and he might have been trapped there still if Anita hadn’t come along. But now he was marching out with a powerful Master Mage—a Warrior Mage—and the gorgeous Druid Anita.
Once out of sight of the town, Anita cast her Druid spells Find Animal and Detect Evil. Elderon also cast a spell to reveal hidden danger. Max could tell by their expressions that they had found nothing. The wolves were not nearby.
But maybe Max could help. He knew that Janet had appeared to him in the forest and told him that the wolf was nearby. He wondered if he could get her to show up again. Even as he thought it, she appeared before him, shimmering white, her hair floating around her in a wild red dance.
Max stopped and spoke. “Janet, there is danger nearby. Can you find it?”
Janet floated a few inches off the ground. “Yes, Max. I can see a large, evil wolf nearby at the edge of the wood up ahead.”
“Just one wolf?”
“I don’t know. I can only see a dark one. It is under the influence of the dark portal, I am sure of it.” Janet pointed the way to Max’s right. “He is over there. Both of him.”
“Both of him?” Max said.
But before Janet could answer, she evaporated like a wisp of smoke caught in a breeze.
Once Janet had vanished, Max noticed Elderon and Anita staring at him.
“Where were you?” Elderon said. “You appeared frozen in time for a moment.”
“I was trying to find the wolves,” Max said. He pointed in the direction Janet had indicated. “We need to head this way.”
Max began to walk toward the danger.
“Hold, young Mage,” Elderon said. “We can approach with stealth. It is wise to study our foe before we engage.”
Max nodded. “Agreed. I will try and Sneak ahead.”
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> Max activates Sneak ability.
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> Sneak ability failed.
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Max tried again but couldn’t hide. The sun was bright overhead, and not even a Master could hide in open ground bathed in bright sunlight. Max couldn’t even walk silently. As much as he tried to advance with stealth, the tall grass swayed around him as he moved.
“Hold here,” Elderon said. He cast Invisibility Cloak. He wrapped the cloak around himself and vanished. Max heard the old Mage walking away, but he had only gone a few steps when he abruptly yelled to the group.
“They’re coming! Look out!”
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> Wolf attacks Max.
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> Wolf attacks Anita.
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> Wolf attacks Elderon.
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Anita took a knee and reached out with one hand casting Charm Animal. Max saw the flickering light over her hand as she summoned the magic, green and moving like vines twirling around her fingers. The spell leapt forward toward the lead wolf. The moment the spell touched the wolf, the magic decayed, turning brown and then black, like dripping tar.
“These aren’t simple, natural wolves. These are dark, corrupted wolves.” Anita stood up and unhooked her sling from her belt. “The poor creatures are driven to madness by evil.” Her voice cracked a little which surprised Max. “There’s no way we can save them. They must be killed.” She loaded a bullet to her sling and began to twirl it.
Elderon began to cast a spell. Max studied the gestures, but they were too difficult and fast for him to copy, and Elderon spoke low so the words were barely audible. He cast the spell forward, and it twirled, white mist cascading out of his hands. The strands of mist wrapped around a wolf, and the beast stopped running.
Max looked at Elderon for an explanation.
“It’s a Hold Animal spell,” Elderon said. “It reduces the odds against us for a time.”
Max felt the catapult on his belt, the sword in its scabbard. But he wanted to cast his first spell. The wolves were drawing closer. Anita launched her first bullet.
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> Anita attacks Wolf causing minimal damage.
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Max twirled his hands in front of him as he remembered seeing in the Mage Book. The gestures appeared in his mind, guiding him. It was clumsy and slow, but he spoke the strange words he had learned as he summoned the arcane magic with words and gesture.
The wolves were closing in fast. Anita launched a second bullet dealing minimal damage again to the lead wolf. Max began to worry because his missile was not working. He heard Elderon’s voice in his head, clear and heavy.
“Calm, young Mage. You can do this. Concentrate.”
Max moved his hands slowly, spoke clearly. He felt the magic coming, forming a missile, and then—he did it.
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> Max casts Magic Missile.
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The missile leapt from his hands, a shimmering orange orb. The sensation was powerful and intoxicating. He watched the orb race away toward the target.
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> Wolf takes moderate damage.
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“Good work, Max,” Elderon said. “Now, arm yourself.”
But Max had another missile spell saved. He began to cast it.
Anita brought up her staff to meet the lead wolf. She leapt forward and brought her staff down hard on the wolf.
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> Anita attacks Wolf causing heavy damage.
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> Wolf has been defeated.
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The first wolf fell, but the others were just behind. Elderon was casting a spell and it only took him a moment.
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> Elderon casts Magic Missile.
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Max saw at least six glowing Magic Missiles leap away from Elderon and slam into the next wolf.
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> Wolf takes critical damage.
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Anita twirled her staff and finished the wolf.
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> Wolf has been defeated.
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Four wolves now turned on Anita at once. She defended herself with her staff, fending off the biting attacks with quick, calculated movements.
Finally, Max was finished with his spell.
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> Max casts Magic Missile
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> Wolf takes minor damage.
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“I only dealt minor damage that time. What did I do wrong?” Max complained.
Elderon cast a second Magic Missile spell and finished the wolf off. “You won’t always deliver the same amount of damage. Each missile can deal minor or moderate damage. You did well with your first missile.” Elderon cast another Magic Missile. Six missiles slammed into a wolf and dropped it.
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> Wolf has been defeated.
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Max drew his sword and was about to charge in and help Anita defend against the remaining three wolves.
“Hold, Max,” Elderon said. “You will not survive. Anita has much higher Health than you. She can take some damage, you cannot, and if you fall, we will never know about this dark portal.”
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> Elderon casts Lightning Bolt.
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A lightning bolt came streaking down from high overhead and slammed into the back of a wolf.
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> Wolf takes critical damage.
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> Wolf has been defeated.
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“Use your catapult,” said Elderon.
Max drew his catapult and loaded a stone bullet. It was gray and heavy, formed into a neat ball. He drew back the catapult, the brace pressing against his forearm, before he took careful aim and shot the bullet at the nearest wolf.
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> Max attacks Wolf.
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> Attack misses; no damage done.
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Max loaded another bullet and shot again.
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> Attack misses; no damage done.
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Anita delivered a blow to a wolf with her staff and delivered heavy damage before returning to a defensive posture, fending off biting attacks from the wolves. As she pivoted to fend off an attack, one of the wolves got through her defense and bit her on the arm.
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> Anita takes heavy damage.
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Max loaded another bullet. He took careful aim. His hands were shaking with the power of the catapult and with his determination to defend the beautiful Anita.
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> Max attacks Wolf causing minor damage.
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“Yes.” Max punched the air.
“Focus, Max. We are not out of this yet.” Elderon drew his silver blade and advanced.
Max loaded another bullet and drew back the Roc sinew. The brace pressed against his arm as he drew back with all his Strength.
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> Max attacks Wolf causing minor damage.
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Two hits in a row! Max felt frustration at not defeating the wolves more easily even with successive hits. He loaded another bullet taking care to aim away from Elderon, who moved in and attacked with his sword. Elderon swept the white blade upward, both hands on the sword’s grip, and delivered heavy damage to the wolf. Anita continued to defend herself against multiple wolf attacks.
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> Max attacks Wolf causing minor damage.
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Max was getting his hits in, but the catapult was only delivering minor damage. He checked the stats of the wolf he’d been attacking.
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> Wolf heavily damaged.
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He had delivered a few minor damage hits, and they had added up! Of course, Anita had delivered damage with her staff too.
Elderon cut down the wolf he’d been attacking. Now, with only one wolf still attacking Anita, she quickly turned from defense to attack and delivered a blow with her staff that killed the wolf.
Max turned to the final wolf, still entrapped in the white steam strands that Elderon had cast. Elderon and Anita advanced. Max put his catapult away and advanced with them. He drew his shortsword.
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> Elderon attacks Wolf causing heavy damage.
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> Anita attacks Wolf causing heavy damage.
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Max raised his sword and brought it down hard.
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> Max attacks Wolf causing minor damage.
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> Wolf has been defeated.
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With the wolf defeated, the Hold Animal spell evaporated, and Max was grinning. He’d cast his first spell. He’d taken on his first encounter with his party, and they had won.
Anita kneeled next to the dead wolf and spoke a silent wilderness incantation to ease the beast’s passing to the spirit realm.
Then Max saw a large wolf stalking them, moving sideways toward them through the long grass. It really was huge, twice the size of the dark wolves they’d just fought.
“Umm, you guys,” Max said. He sheathed his sword, drew his catapult, and loaded a stone bullet. “Look there.”
The wolf turned and faced Max and the party. Then Max saw both sets of slavering jaws and the two sets of dark eyes of the two-headed wolf. Its teeth were long and sharp, its eyes dark and menacing. It started to walk forward. Max quickly checked the creature’s stats. This must have been the creature Janet had warned him about.
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> Name: Death Wolf
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> Status: Hostile
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> Attack: Crushing and piercing bite; Double attack
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> Threat level: Deadly
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Max pulled the catapult back to its fullest extent, straining with the effort. He shot the bullet.
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> Max attacks Death Wolf causing minor damage.
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The wolf blinked as the bullet struck it on the top of its left head, bouncing off with a crack, but it didn’t stop the wolf from taking another slow and forbidding step forward. Max loaded another bullet. It was going to take all day to defeat this beast with bullets alone. Then the wolf leapt forward and burst into a bounding run, roaring with one gaping mouth and growling with the other. It was a dreadful noise that sent a shiver down Max’s spine.
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> Max attacks Death Wolf causing minor damage.
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Elderon cast another Magic Missile, his hands turning quickly as he mumbled the incantation. Six glowing missiles conjured into existence and flew toward the beast. They struck the Death Wolf in rapid succession, some on the flanks, some on the heads, but even though the Magic Missile delivered moderate damage, the Death Wolf’s Health was hardly affected.
Then Elderon cast a spell that caused blue, glowing strands of lightning to coil around his body and his sword arm. Another spell wrapped him in a faint blue glow.
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> Elderon casts Weapon Skill.
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> Elderon casts Magic Shield.
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Elderon strode forward to meet the wolf, his sword held out to his right, his staff upright in his left hand.
Max shot another bullet.
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> Wolf takes minor damage.
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Anita was casting a Druid spell. The green fibers of light crept forward. Max didn’t think it was possible to charm this beast, but then he saw that the spell had been cast on the ground in front of the Death Wolf. The long grass began to grow thicker and longer, rapidly turning from fine blades of lush meadow grass to thick fibrous strands. They wrapped around the Death Wolf’s feet and coiled up its legs, some taking hold of its huge body. The wolf slowed as the grass grew and wrapped around it. The beast yanked one of its legs free, but as soon as it placed it on the ground, it was caught up by more of the thick blades of grass that writhed like tentacles.
The wolf yanked another leg free, but the grass was growing rapidly, and eventually the grass had wrapped around the Death Wolf’s entire body, holding it firmly in place.
“What is that spell?” Max asked, shooting another bullet.
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> Death Wolf takes minor damage.
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“It’s a Druid spell. Summon Roots. It will hold the beast.” Anita walked forward, her staff in hand.
The wolf looked out from its green cocoon, its dark eyes fixed on Max. It was held firm, but it could still snarl. It was twisting its body, pulling at the strands that held it. Max saw some slip away while others were growing up to take their place. The wolf bit at some strands, tearing them to shreds, and regained a fraction of movement. Max could see the wolf would not be held indefinitely.
Elderon reached the Death Wolf and delivered a heavy blow with his sword. His aim was good, and he struck the wolf on the neck at one of its heads that was still biting and snapping forward. The body was held, but those crushing and piercing bites were still very deadly.
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> Elderon attacks Death Wolf causing heavy damage.
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The wolf was struggling, and Max saw one leg pull free of the tangle of grass. No new grass was growing up, and now the wolf was starting to break free of its entanglement. It struggled, pulled, and tugged. It snarled.
He hooked the catapult onto his belt and wrapped his fingers around the grip of his shortsword. It came out of the scabbard easily and gave a metallic ring as Max drew it. He found it difficult to hold onto both the staff and the sword, so he abandoned the staff as he walked forward, fear and determination growing with every step he took toward the beast.
Max quickened his pace, afraid that if he took too long, fear would overwhelm him. He ran forward and stood alongside Anita. He delivered a heavy blow with his shortsword.
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> Max attacks Death Wolf causing moderate damage.
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The wolf looking at Max was almost as tall as he was, its eyes dark and deep. Max felt as if he was falling again. The wolf lunged, the green strands that held it shredding and breaking, giving the beast enough movement to reach Max with its left head. The sharp canine teeth scraped down Max’s chest, tearing the loose shirt and cutting his flesh. The pain was intense enough that he collapsed backward.
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> Death Wolf attacks Max causing critical damage.
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Anita and Elderon were attacking the wolf and delivering blows, dealing heavy damage with each attack. But still the wolf was fighting, and almost a quarter of its Health stayed intact.
Max took a Potion of Basic Healing from his satchel and drank the contents. It was the sweetest thing he’d ever tasted, and he instantly felt healthy again.
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> Max uses Potion of Basic Healing.
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He was now returned to half his full Health. He knew he was lucky to have not been killed by the single bite from the Death Wolf.
Elderon landed another powerful attack with his white-silver sword, but the spell aiding his sword arm was close to expiring. Max could see the light of the spell fading.
Anita cast a spell on the entire party, a Bonus to attack. Max felt his sword arm strengthen. He stepped up again and delivered a blow to the Death Wolf. The strike was well aimed and heavier than he could have achieved on his own without Anita’s boosting spell.
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> Death Wolf takes heavy damage.
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Max knew it had been a lucky hit, boosted further by Anita’s Druid spell. One head of the Death Wolf fell to the ground. Max felt jubilation grow for a fraction of a second, and then the wolf pulled free of the grass that had held it and bit Anita. Max’s short-lived elation turned to horror.
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> Anita takes heavy damage.
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Max could see Anita had taken too much damage. She fell backward to the ground.
“I am close to death,” she called out, yet she fought on bravely, swinging her staff and striking the wolf with a heavy upswing.
Max took a potion from his satchel and poured it into her mouth as she delivered another blow.
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> Anita takes Potion of Basic Healing.
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She gulped it down and immediately struck at the wolf again.
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> Death Wolf takes moderate damage.
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Elderon stepped up and cast a spell. The magic gathered in his hand, and he placed it on the wolf’s head. Lightning flickered from his hand and over the Death Wolf from its nose to the tip of its tail.
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> Elderon casts Lightning Grip at Death Wolf causing heavy damage.
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Max could see the wolf was nearly finished, but Elderon was exhausted, and Anita was struggling back to her feet. Max leaped forward and brought his shortsword down hard on the Death Wolf, slicing through the neck. The second head fell to the ground, and the Death Wolf was slain.
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> Death Wolf has been defeated.
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Max stabbed at the wolf’s body that was still partially tangled in thick grass. He pulled a collar off the wolf’s neck. It was leather and big enough to fit around Max’s waist . . . it glowed faintly.
“Be careful with that, Max,” Elderon said. He returned Max’s staff to him with a look that suggested the old Mage was not pleased that Max had abandoned it. “That is a magical item.” He paused to drink a Potion of Basic Healing. “Who knows what it does, but it was part of this evil creature. You will need to have it identified first. I will memorize Know Item and tell you what it is. We will find a Scroll of Know Item for you, too, as soon as possible. It is a very handy spell, one you will find very useful. Let us head back to the town of Burke and rest.”
He dropped the collar into his satchel.
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> Max gains item: unknown magical collar.
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> Max gains experience points.
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Max felt battered as he walked back to the town of Burke. He looked at the tear in his shirt, and the bloody wound on his chest. Anita stopped him. She smiled and looked into Max’s eyes as she cast the healing spell, her hand lingering for a moment on his chest. He gazed into her eyes, gentle, powerful, mysterious. He felt the soreness in his chest disappear.
“You were very brave to bring me the healing potion,” Anita said. She let her fingers run down Max’s chest, and then she took her hand away. “Very quick and clever thinking.”
“He was foolish to join us in melee combat,” Elderon said, stepping in between them. “You have little Strength and very little Health. That single bite from the Death Wolf could have killed you, then how would we learn of this dark portal from your leveling-up dream? It was intelligent to give Anita the potion, but not very wise to put yourself in striking range of the beast.”
“Like you played it safe when you were Level One,” Anita said with a chuckle.
Elderon grumbled and marched ahead. Anita stepped next to Max and slipped her arm through his. The air was cold, but Anita’s body was warm. She gave off a fierce heat, and Max let her come as close as she wanted. He could walk with her all day, but he was relieved to see the welcome sight of the town’s palisade in the distance. It was a little past noon, but Max was ready to rest.