Max raised his hands to fend off the Skarak attack and started to move them in front of him without realizing that he was already performing the gestures for the Magic Missile spell. He spoke the incantation more quickly and accurately than he had ever done before. The Magic Missile fizzed away from his fingers and slammed into the chest of the Skarak that was standing on his chest.
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> Max casts Magic Missile on Skarak causing moderate damage.
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> Skarak has been defeated.
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Max climbed to his feet and lined up alongside his party. More Skarak were coming to the battle, appearing from crevices and small passageways off the main tunnel. They massed on either side of the Giant Cave Rat and attacked in a huge shrieking horde. Max loaded bullets into his catapult and shot into the mass without bothering to take aim.
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> Skarak takes minor damage.
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He loaded again and again, not knowing which monster he hit and not really caring.
And then the horde was on them, leaping forward with their short, sharp spears.
Max hooked his catapult onto his belt and drew his shortsword. Jahrod was growling his deep dwarven battle cry as the horde charged at them. Elderon was casting magic.
“I hope it’s a big one,” Max said to Elderon.
The spell formed in front of Elderon, a dark cloud filled with wailing voices and tortured Skarak faces twisted in fear. The dark cloud moved away from Elderon’s fingers slowly, creeping toward the Skarak horde.
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> Elderon casts Bring Fear.
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The spell washed over the Skarak horde, causing many of the Skarak to stop in their tracks. Max could see the little rat-like eyes wide in fear. Some turned tail and ran while others drop their spears and sat quivering and quaking in fright on the floor. Many others were not affected by the spell, and still half of the horde came on.
Anita cast Summon Roots. The roots reached out of the walls of the cavern, but with very little vegetation to summon and bend to her druidic will, the effect was limited. The Skarak at the side of the tunnel were trapped in the tangle of roots, but the Giant Cave Rat dominating the middle of the tunnel continued forward.
Max swung his sword as the snout of the giant rat came close. A paw lashed out, and a claw stabbed into Max’s padded leather tunic. The claw pierced the thick leather, and Max felt the point on his side just scratching his skin. If it hadn’t been for his leather tunic, he had no doubt the claw would have pierced deep into his flesh. Max looked up into the red eye of the giant rat, long yellow teeth dripping saliva an inch away from his face. He increased his attack on the Giant Cave Rat and stabbed forward with his shortsword.
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> Max attacks Giant Cave Rat causing heavy damage.
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The rat pulled away with a piercing, ear-shattering squeak. It pulled its paw away, but Max was snagged by his tunic on its claw. He cut the claw with his sword as he was pulled off his feet and found himself lying face up under the giant rat.
Jahrod was running forward, swinging his axe wildly, and delivered heavy damage to the beast. Elderon, his silver sword shining in the dark, delivered a heavy attack, driving the length of the sword deep into the giant rat.
The rat reared back, Elderon’s sword freed from its flesh. It held its front paws before it, sitting up on its hind legs, head reaching the top of the cave tunnel. Its tail whipping wildly, it knocked dust and dirt from the tunnel walls.
Max scurried backward and watched the beast drop back to the ground, certain it would crush him. He lay on his back and held his sword before him. The Giant Cave Rat landed on Max’s upturned sword, and the short blade pierced the beast’s heart.
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> Giant Cave Rat has been defeated.
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Anita pulled Max clear as more of the Skarak horde attacked. After a few frenzied minutes, the Skarak were falling back, fear having overcome some at seeing their fellows and the Giant Cave Rat so easily defeated, robbing them of any enthusiasm for the fight. They disappeared into the dark tunnels, their scratching and squeaking fading to silence.
Anita checked the health of everyone in the party. She stepped over to Max and laid a comforting hand on the side of his face.
“Are you hurt? Did you take any damage?” Anita checked Max.
Max had taken minor damage. He checked his health, the glistening minerals in the rock face forming the window that showed his stats. Max was pleased to find that his health was still very high, only missing a tiny amount.
“A rat claw went through my tunic,” Max said, showing Anita.
The rat claw had been almost two feet long, and half of it was still sticking out of his leather tunic. Max gently eased it out and tossed it into the darkness.
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In the dark tunnels, Max could hear the chittering and scratching of the Skarak rising up again as they regained confidence and hunger for a fight. The little spears were no more than sharpened sticks, but in great numbers, they were deadly all the same.
“How could that farmer have possibly come down into these tunnels on his own and rescued his daughter?” Max said, shaking his head.
“I guess he was desperate, and he would have done anything to save his child,” Elderon said.
“I say we rush in there and batter every last Skarak skull we find.” Jahrod twirled the axe in his hand.
“What do you think, Max?” Anita said.
Max looked at the Skarak fallen all around them. Dozens of them, and he knew dozens more were in the tunnel. They’d only defeated them in this attack thanks to the powerful spells from Elderon and Anita, but as they went deeper, they would be sure to run out of spells, and Max was certain they would only encounter even more Skarak deep in the tunnels. There was only one thing they could do.
“It’s better I go alone.” Max stood with his hands on his hips and stared into the dark tunnel.
“Are you crazy?” Anita said. “There must be hundreds of Skarak around in these tunnels.”
“Yes, but the farmer’s daughter is at the end of only one of them. I think the Skarak are all spread out through these tunnels. If I sneak my way along the tunnels, I can find the farmer’s daughter and a safe route for us to get to her. That way, we won’t have to take on every last Skarak in these tunnels. What do you think?” Max asked Elderon.
Elderon rubbed his chin and nodded. “Max is right, of course. He can find out where she is, and then we can help him get her out. Better indeed than battling our way down every last tunnel until we find her. Good thinking, Max.”
Max checked the fallen Skarak and found they each had a little loot. In all, he collected ten gold from the defeated Skarak. With the gold in his satchel, he stepped over to the walls of the tunnel.
“I’m going to prepare my Sneak ability, and I should disappear in these dark shadows with ease.”
“First, I will cast a Bonus to your attack and defense,” Anita said.
“And I will cast Magic Shield on you,” Elderon said.
“And I will wish you good luck,” Jahrod said. He pulled some foul-smelling meat from his bag and shoved it into his mouth.
>
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> Anita casts Bonus.
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> Elderon casts Magic Shield.
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> Max activates Sneak ability.
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>
Max felt the Shield and the Bonus spells fall on him moments before his Sneak ability activated, and he vanished into the shadows.
He walked along the tunnel cautiously, listening for Skarak. The main tunnel had dozens of smaller tunnels leading off, all quite short and ending in little Skarak nests. Dozens of the creatures sat around glowing rock lights, the minerals shimmering in the darkness and bringing light but no heat. The dull light shone in the nasty little Skarak eyes, and the sharp, pointy front teeth of the Skarak, yellow saliva dripping from them, glistened in the low light. One Skarak turned its head this way and that, listening for the sound of something approaching. Max realized that although he was hidden, he could still be heard. He had to move very carefully.
Max thought that he should have put on the soft boots instead of the good boots if he was going to Sneak. He knew he had to move more quietly in order to avoid the Skarak. He tried not to think about what would happen if his Sneak ability deactivated. He’d be surrounded. He would fight them off until he grew too weak and tired to continue. He had high Stamina, and he could keep them off for a long time. But would it be long enough for his party to come to his aid? The thought of the Skarak crawling all over him sent a shiver down his spine.
He walked along the main corridor in almost perfect darkness. He imagined Janet lost in her eternal darkness, trapped in the dark portal between space and time, cut off from everyone and everything except for him. She appeared next to him.
“What are you doing down here? You’re going to get yourself killed, and that’s going to get me killed.”
Max turned to Janet and put a finger to his lips, begging for quiet, but then he realized only he could hear her. He dared not speak back. Janet was glowing so brightly in the tunnel, she lit the way forward, and then Max saw Janet’s light fall on a pair of Skarak huddled to the side of the main tunnel. He stopped dead, hand on his sword, then he noticed that they couldn’t see Janet’s light, and only he could. Max crept forward, as quiet as he could be. At the end of one side tunnel, Janet stopped and pointed.
“Something is going on down there,” Janet said. “I can feel a force pulling me. It’s as if . . .” Janet hesitated. Her glance at Max was full of fear and surprise. “It’s a dark portal! I can feel the start of a new portal. Oh my God, Max. I’ll be torn apart!”
Max slipped forward along the side tunnel and came to a large cavern. It was lit by glowing minerals heaped on tall metal stands. All around the center of the cavern, the ground was covered by carpet, and there were tattered blankets hanging from the cave walls. A large circle of stone stood on one side of the cavern with a young woman tied to it with thick ropes. Her clothes had been torn and tattered, and they barely covered her voluptuous form. She had a fearful expression on her face, and she was looking back and forth between two tall Skarak. Max wanted to rush forward and attack the two Skarak, but then he heard them talking in their chittering tones, and he discovered he could just about understand.
“We are ready, Chieftain,” one said. “I will sacrifice the human, and her blood and my dark spells will open our very own dark portal.”
“If you open this dark portal, I will be able to summon the dark powers, and I will bring all the Skarak under my banner. We will rise up from every lair across Eveirea, and we will take all the towns of men. I will make you Head Warlock of all the Skarak.”
Max checked the stats on his two enemies.
>
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> Name: Skarak Chieftain
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> Status: Hostile
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> Attack: Twin spear double-attack damage
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> Threat level: Dangerous
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>
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> Name: Skarak Warlock
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> Status: Hostile
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> Attack: Magic Attacks, Dagger
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> Threat level: Dangerous
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>
The Skarak Warlock was taller than the average Skarak, standing at about four feet tall. The Chieftain was also about four feet tall and was much more well-fed than the others, his robes parting over his fat little belly.
The Skarak Warlock began his incantation, and he drew a ceremonial dagger. The woman chained to the stone screamed, her chest heaving under her tattered dress. The Skarak Chieftain took his seat on a stone throne and chittered to himself in a cruel little laugh.
“Open the dark portal, Warlock! The time of men is at an end. The Skarak will rise up from every dark tunnel and defeat them.” The Warlock and the Chieftain laughed maniacally.
Max backed away from the tunnel. He needed to bring his friends to him quickly.
But Janet was there, blocking his way. “Where are you going? Can’t you see what they are doing? This Skarak Warlock is going to open a dark portal using his spells and this young woman’s blood. If you don’t stop them, the dark portal will branch off and open up here.”
Max was torn. Of course, Janet would be torn, too, but in a different way.
He felt like he didn’t have a choice. He crept behind the Skarak Warlock as he was chanting his spells.
Max drew his shortsword.
>
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> Max attacks Skarak Warlock.
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> Magic Shield deflects attack; no damage done.
>
>
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> Max’s Sneak ability deactivated.
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>
The element of surprise was lost, and he had failed to cause any damage to his apparently shielded enemy. The Warlock turned on Max, vicious grin on its face, and raised its dagger.
>
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> Skarak Warlock attacks Max.
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> Magic Shield deflects attack; no damage done.
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>
Max’s shield likewise blocked the attack, but the Skarak Chieftain was up off his stone throne, now, and wielding a pair of Skarak spears.
The two Skarak moved in to attack Max on both sides.
Max backed into the center of the cavern.
“This is not good!”