The guards stepped into the tent, spears leveled. The store imp continued to shriek and pointed a hooked, clawlike finger at Max. The store imps were effective anti-theft devices. Max had encountered them before, and he cursed himself for not expecting one to be here.
“What is it?” Janet said, her voice clearly audible to Max even though the store imp was shrieking at ear-splitting levels. Then Janet saw the guards. “Look out, Max! Danger close.”
Max stepped back, putting some space between him and the two guards who were closing in on him. He checked the stats on the guards. A stats table appeared on the tent canvas, formed from flickering shadows of the firelight.
>
>
> Name: Deadtide Guards
>
> Status: Hostile
>
> Attack: Stabbing Spear
>
> Threat level: Dangerous
>
>
Max started the casting gestures for a Magic Missile, a familiar spell to him now, one he could cast quickly. He suspected the more accurately he intoned the incantation and performed the casting gestures, the more powerful the simple Level 1 spell would be. He spoke quickly and quietly at first, his voice rising towards the end of the incantation.
>
>
> Max casts Magic Missile.
>
> Deadtide Guard takes moderate damage.
>
>
The magic missile orbs slammed into the first guard, dealing damage and momentarily halting his advance. The second guard came on undeterred. His dark eyes fixed on Max, the spear leveled. He drew the spear back, stepped forward, and lunged.
>
>
> Deadtide Guard attacks Max.
>
>
Max shimmied aside and dodged the stabbing spear. The tip glinted in the firelight. The Deadtide Guard brought the spear tip swinging sideways towards Max.
>
>
> Deadtide Guard attacks Max.
>
>
Max’s leather tunic deflected the slashing spear tip.
>
>
> Armor deflects attack; no damage done.
>
>
Max moved around the cabinet with the one guard following Max and the other closing in on the other side.
>
>
> Max casts Magic Missile.
>
> Deadtide Guard takes moderate damage.
>
>
Max backed into a corner. The first Deadtide guard was close to defeat, but the second had full Health. Max drew his sword as both spears lunged at him.
>
>
> Deadtide Guard attacks Max.
>
> Pendant of Defense reduces damage.
>
> Max takes minor damage.
>
>
Max thanked his pendant for saving him from heavier damage. The second stabbing spear came jabbing forward. Max twisted away from the spear and tried to beat it aside with his sword, but the guard was too fast for him this time.
>
>
> Deadtide Guard attacks Max.
>
> Max takes moderate damage.
>
>
Max didn’t have time to check his stats, but he knew he was probably badly injured with about half Health remaining. He had just gained extra Health when he’d made his new level but probably only enough to absorb one hit of minor damage.
The store imp was still shrieking, looking down at Max, his little mouth wide open, emitting the loudest sound it had ever been Max’s misfortune to hear. It was so loud, Max could barely hear himself grunt with effort as he parried another spear thrust from one of the guards. Max could just about hear a bell tolling over the sound of the store imp. It came from just outside the tent. An alarm bell. Soon he’d be surrounded. Max went on the offensive.
>
>
> Max attacks Deadtide Guard.
>
> Sword of True Striking bonus.
>
> Strength attack bonus.
>
> Deadtide Guard takes heavy damage.
>
> Deadtide Guard has been defeated.
>
>
The first Deadtide guard slumped against the heavy canvas and slid to the ground, his spear tearing the canvas slightly as he went down. Max turned on the second guard, who had still not taken any damage.
>
>
> Deadtide Guard attacks Max.
>
> Pendant of Defense absorbs damage.
>
> Leather Tunic absorbs damage.
>
> Max takes heavy damage.
>
>
Max staggered back, stunned by the effectiveness of the attack. If he hadn’t been wearing the Pendant of Defense and his Leather Tunic, he would have in all probability taken critical damage from that attack.
>
>
> Max attacks Deadtide Guard.
>
> True Striking bonus.
>
> Strength bonus.
>
> Deadtide Guard takes heavy damage.
>
>
The guard staggered away from Max, beaten back by the force of Max’s attack. It was all the space Max needed.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
>
>
> Max casts Magic Missile.
>
>
The Deadtide guard’s eyes grew wider as he spotted Max casting. Too late to launch a fresh attack, the guard turned for the tent opening and attempted to flee. Two orange orbs of the magic missile flew from Max’s fingers.
>
>
> Deadtide Guard takes moderate damage.
>
> Deadtide Guard has been defeated.
>
>
The Deadtide guard fell forward through the tent flap, landing half in and half out of the tent. The store imp was still shrieking and standing on the little box that had once contained the dark shard. Max closed the cabinet’s double doors and trapped the imp inside. Still the shrieking was loud and ear-shattering. But a new sound struck more fear into Max. The sounds of soldiers running to his location, the rattle of weapons and armor and the thump of boots on the ground.
>
>
> Max activates Sneak ability.
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> Max hidden from view.
>
>
No sooner had the Sneak ability activated when a Deadtide soldier stepped into the tent. He was wearing plate armor and carried a longsword. A helmet covered most of the soldier’s face, but Max could see the dark eyes inside.
>
>
> Name: Deadtide Heavy Infantry
>
> Status: Hostile
>
> Attack: Slashing and Stabbing Longsword
>
> Threat level: Very Dangerous
>
>
A second heavy infantry soldier stepped in. The pair stepped over the fallen guards. They started moving around the tent, searching for whoever had set off the imp, whoever had defeated the guards.
Max moved as quietly as he could. He was confident the heavy infantry soldiers couldn’t see him, as confident as he could be with two very dangerous, heavily armed, and armored soldiers consumed by darkness hunting him in a tent that suddenly felt very small indeed.
One of the soldiers swung his sword under the map table. Another swung it downward alongside the cabinet. They were searching for anyone hiding. There was not a lot of room to avoid their swinging blades. Sooner or later, they would hit him. He was sure his Sneak ability would be deactivated then.. Even so, the weight of those swords would probably finish him off.
Max moved carefully around one of the Deadtide soldiers as he swung his sword into the space where Max had been standing only a moment ago. He moved quietly towards the tent opening.
Just as Max was about to step out of the tent, a Deadtide soldier stepped in. He was tall and wore light leather armor. A pair of daggers on his belt and a longsword across his back. He had short blond hair and a long thin nose. A scar across his face ran from his forehead down over his left eye that was entirely white save for a tiny black pupil. The scar went on down his cheek. The dark rings around his eyes and dark lines across his face marked him as a soldier consumed by the darkness that was invading Eveirea . . . the darkness brought on by the dark portal.
Max stepped into the middle of the tent between the two braziers as the two heavy infantry soldiers crashed about the edge searching for him. He quickly checked the stats of the scar-faced soldier to see who he was dealing with. The stats appeared in the flickering light of the tent.
>
>
> Name: Gaius Deadtide
>
> Status: Malevolent
>
> Attack: Daggers and Longsword. Double attack bonus
>
> Threat level: Extremely Dangerous
>
>
The sounds coming from outside the tent told Max that more soldiers were arriving. Another Deadtide heavy infantry soldier stepped into the tent and stood next to Gaius Deadtide. Max stepped back as the new heavy infantry soldier stepped forward. Max was standing with his back almost against the canvas. If he touched the tent then ripples in the canvas would give away his position. He noticed Gaius Deadtide scanning the canvas walls, searching for just such telltale movement. Max heard a soldier behind him, on the outside of the tent. The two heavy infantry circling the tent were closing in on him. Then a sword cut in through the canvas from outside, stabbing through the heavy material right next to Max’s ear. The sword slashed down the side of the tent, tearing and cutting, and then in stepped another Deadtide heavy infantry soldier.
“Stop right there.” The voice was high and rasping, like a strangled snake. “Who told you to create a new opening in the tent? My orders were to surround the tent and find the intruder.”
Max could hear the malevolence in that voice. He looked at Gaius Deadtide, holding still as the heavy infantry soldier who had just cut their way into the tent stepped over to the leader of the Deadtide army. Max slowly and carefully backed away through the newly created opening. Gaius Deadtide looked up to the heavy Deadtide soldier. In a lightning fast move, he drew his daggers and attacked with a series of rapid slashing motions, both long daggers held in a reverse grip.
>
>
> Gaius Deadtide attacks Deadtide Heavy Infantry.
>
> Double attack bonus.
>
> Rapid attack damage bonus.
>
> Heavy infantry takes critical damage.
>
> Heavy infantry soldier has been defeated.
>
>
Max stepped out of the sword-slashed opening, almost free, being careful not to touch the cut sides of the tent. Gaius Deadtide looked towards him. That white eye appeared to be looking straight at him, but Max knew, or hoped, he was still hidden. Gaius walked forward, stepping over the defeated heavy infantry soldier. Max’s heart beat hard as Gaius advanced on him but then realized it was just that the Deadtide leader knew the intruder was in all likelihood escaping through that cut opening. Having the experience of a dozen burglaries, Max knew better than to linger.
Max turned. Flaming torches in the hands of soldiers closing in on all sides. Deadtide guards with spears, heavy infantry with swords. Archers, crossbows. The army was on full alert and searching the camp. Searching for him. He didn’t dare imagine what would happen if they caught him, but he feared his end would not be quick.
Max picked his steps carefully. After a few yards, the soldiers thinned out, but behind him still, Max could hear the alarm bell and the shrieking store imp. Then the imp fell silent. Max looked back to the tent. Gaius Deadtide stepped out, holding something small in his hand. He dropped it to the ground and crushed it underfoot.
A crack of thunder overhead stopped Max’s staring. Lightning flickered over the sky and the rain fell, sudden and heavy. Max turned his back to Gaius and slipped away into the darkness.
Through the rain, Max could see the dark shadow of the ridge to his left. He knew the West Ridge Forest was dead ahead. He took the most direct route possible through the camp and headed towards the relative safety of the tree line. Once he’d reached the edge of the Deadtide encampment and the trees grew dense and dark, he started to feel safe. But the image of Gaius Deadtide and his white, staring eye made him nervous still.
Max lost count of the time and the steps he had taken to get away from the army camp. He heard a creature stalking him in the shadows and armed himself. He was all out of Magic Missiles. His catapult was useless in this darkness, but the feeling of his shortsword in his grip gave him confidence, confidence that was suddenly robbed of him when his Strength spell wore off. He paused for breath, a quick rest, and called up his stats out of the twisting dark shadows of the trees.
>
>
> Name: Max Lightfoot
>
> Class: Mage
>
> Level: 4
>
> Health: Badly injured
>
> Strength: 9
>
> Stamina: 16
>
> Agility: 18
>
> Intelligence: 17
>
> Wisdom: 12
>
> Charisma: 16
>
>
Sure enough, his Strength had now returned to its standard rating. It was pretty low. Max wondered how high the Strength of Gaius Deadtide was. He really hadn’t had time to check the detailed stats of the Deadtide army leader. It was all he could do to get away.
And Max noticed his Health was low. He’d only taken a couple of blows from the guards. Those Deadtide heavy infantry would have finished him off for sure. They were big imposing soldiers, heavily armored, and looked like they’d be powerful foes. Yet Gaius Deadtide had defeated one in a matter of a few moments with only a few swift attacks with his long daggers. Gaius was clearly a dangerous fighter. Max hoped he’d never encounter him again.
In the dark trees, Max saw a fire burning. He knew he was too far from the army for it to be any of their soldiers. Maybe it was his friends waiting for his return. He came close to the fire.
The two figures sitting at the fire were clearly not his friends. A pair of ladies wearing short fighting skirts, tight crop tops, and thick fur scarves that twisted about their bodies. The pair sat with their backs to a temporary structure built from fallen sticks, a bivouac that sheltered them from the worst of the wind and rain that made it to the forest floor through the thick trees.
Max checked their stats.
>
>
> Name: Debhora
>
> Class: Assassin
>
> Status: Stalking
>
> Attack: Blowpipe and Daggers
>
> Threat level: Dangerous
>
>
>
> Name: Shazera
>
> Class: Assassin
>
> Status: Stalking
>
> Attack: Light Crossbow and Daggers
>
> Threat level: Dangerous
>
>
“Did you hear something?” Debhora said, her voice soft and rich. She stood up and drew a long curved dagger.
Shazera drank from a large drinking pouch. “He was last seen in Ralynn City,” she said in a husky voice that Max would have ordinarily found alluring. “I can’t imagine he’ll be heading this way from the army camp. Now sit down and rest. We’ve got a long day ahead of us. We have to keep ahead of that army. I don’t want him getting splattered by those Deadtide soldiers before we can grab him.”
Debhora sat down and took the drinking pouch from her Assassin companion. “I’ll grab him alright. You’ve seen his portrait. He’s cute. Maybe I’ll seduce him before we hand him over for our reward.”
Shazera snatched the drinking pouch back. “We are supposed to bring him in alive,” she said. “If you have a night with him, he’ll be finished off for sure.”
“But what a night he’d have.” Debhora chuckled.
Max started to back away. He pitied whoever this sexy and deadly pair were hunting. He’d be sure to inform King Glynn that the city guards should be on the lookout for a pair of sexy Assassins in the area. Then Shazera unrolled a scroll and looked at a portrait.
“I have to agree. He is cute,” she said.
Max couldn’t resist sneaking closer to take a look so he could warn the poor fool. He looked down at a charcoal portrait . . . of himself. He gasped and stepped back.
“There, you heard that, didn’t you?” Debhora drew her dagger and sprang to her feet.
“A wolf, most likely. Now rest.” Shazera pulled Debhora down to the ground. They curled up together under the bivouac, a rough blanket each.
Max backed away. Deeper into the dark and the trees. Once at a safe distance, he ran.