The dark elf came running with very little sound, and his dark cloak made him extremely difficult to see in the low light. He blended in with the surrounding trees, well camouflaged and moving silently, no doubt using the elven Wilderness Lore ability to blend into the surroundings. Only by drawing his sword did he reveal his position, and that only fleetingly, but it was enough for Max to pick out his attacker. The flickering shadows formed a table of his attacker’s stats.
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> Name: Dark Elf
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> Status: Taken by Darkness
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> Attack: Longsword
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> Threat level: Determined
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> Natural ability: Silent Attack
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Max raised his shortsword and held it in a defensive posture, upright before him. He held the blade firmly with two hands but not so rigidly that he could not respond to the attack.
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> Dark Elf attacks Max.
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The dark elf focused on Max with a predatory determination. He didn’t see Anita bring her spear around in a wide arc, slamming it against his shins.
Anita had hidden herself using her Wilderness Lore, and so the elf had not seen her. He tumbled and skidded to a halt at Max’s feet.
Somewhere in the darkness, Captain Fineblade was calling his company to order. The dark elves were everywhere, running through the camp. The dark elf at Max’s feet stood up and scowled at Max, completely ignoring Anita and Jahrod on either side. Max saw the black lines around his eyes and fell back a step.
Anita and Jahrod attacked the dark elf. Anita’s spear dealt heavy damage with a single stabbing thrust, the bonus Fire damage washing over the dark elf in a wave. Jahrod swung his axe and delivered critical damage with a single blow. The elf fell again and looked up at Max. The darkness surrounding his eyes intensifying. Max held up his hand to call for truce. What was the meaning of this attack?
Elderon cast a Magic Missile. The many orange orbs arced around Max and slammed into the dark elf. He collapsed face down, utterly defeated.
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> Dark Elf attacks Max.
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Another dark elf in the trees shot an arrow. The arrow stuck Max in the chest. The force knocked him back and off his feet. The impact took the wind out of his chest. As he fell backwards, he was sure he would be dead in moments, but he looked down and saw the arrow lodged in his padded tunic. An inch lower and the arrow would have made a deep slash across the tunic, and the battered armor would not have saved him.
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> Max takes heavy damage.
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He could not take another hit like that. An arrow fizzed through the dark towards Jahrod but bounced off the dwarf’s heavy armor.
Max ran at the dark elf. The elven archery skills were too great a threat, and only by closing in could he hope to defeat the attacker. Anita and Jahrod ran with him, seeing clearly his plan.
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> Max attacks Dark Elf.
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> Dark Elf takes minor damage.
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> Bonus Lightning damage.
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The dark elf stepped back; Anita advanced and struck. The dark elf fended off her spear with his longbow. He discarded the longbow and drew his sword in time to meet the attack from Jahrod. The dwarf’s axe bashing the defensive sword aside, beating through to land a heavy blow on the elf’s armor.
The dark elf was falling back, overwhelmed by Max’s party. Max drew his catapult and loaded a bullet of random effect.
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> Max attacks Dark Elf.
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> Dark Elf takes minor damage.
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> Random effect: Blinding Flash
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The dark elf staggered, sword up in a hopeless attempt at defense, one hand over his blinded eyes. A magic missile from Elderon defeated the dark elf before he could regain his vision.
Fineblade’s company organized into a powerful defensive formation quickly, but the dark elves had the advantage of a surprise attack and had the upper hand. Max led his party into the heart of Fineblade’s company. They were standing toe to toe with the dark elves, swords clashing. A volley of arrows came from the trees.
“Their leader is over there,” Fineblade said. “We are trying to get to him, but we are outnumbered. They are preventing us from taking their leader.”
Max pulled up his hood, activated his Sneak ability. He left the company, his party staying behind to aid Fineblade.
Max moved quietly through the trees. He heard arrows fizzing through the air, rustling the trees, all deadly arrows aimed at Fineblade’s company. Max saw the dark shapes of a line of elven archers. There behind them was a tall solitary figure. He was surrounded by a dark shadow. Max felt the pull of the dark shard this figure had on his person. Max moved in. It only took a slight rustle of leaves for Max to give away his position, and the dark leader turned to face him. The dark eyes in a pale elven face searched the shadows but could not see Max. Max stood dead still, his breathing sounding like a hurricane as he tried to breathe silently. The dark leader stepped towards him.
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> Name: Dark Elf Leader
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> Status: Consumed by Darkness
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> Attack: Dagger of Darkness
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> Threat level: Deadly
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The dark leader stepped towards Max. He drew his blade, long and slightly curved. The blade was black like the dark portal itself. The dark leader stepped towards Max and sniffed the air.
Max knew a single move and the dark leader would hear him. His Sneak ability might not hide him much longer if another sound gave him away. Max felt for his catapult. If he drew it, the action would cause him to leave the shadows and appear.
Maybe the only plan at this stage was to run.
Max took a step back, preparing to turn on his heel. The movement caused the leaves to rustle, and the dark elf leader advanced, black slime in the corners of his mouth as his lips pulled apart. A snarl and a hiss. The elf was utterly consumed by the darkness.
At that moment, a flock of murder crows came swooping down out of the trees. They swarmed over the dark elf leader, scratching, pecking, and cawing madly. As the dark elf thrashed at the murder crows, defeating them with sword and fist, Max left the dark elf to his battle, turned, and ran.
After only a few steps, Max was seized by an unseen attacker. Arms wrapped around him, a cloak swishing in the dark. Max felt himself picked up and carried a hundred yards in a huge leaping arc before coming down to the ground. He fought for freedom and on landing, escaped the grip.
Max drew his sword and faced his attacker. He knew escape was not an option; he would have to fight.
“Is that how you thank a friend for saving you?” Gorgoron pulled down his red hood and showed his face.
Max hesitated; he kept his sword up. “Gorgoron Redfist?” Max said. “How? What?”
“Don’t be so surprised,” Gorgoron said. “I have been watching over you. You don’t realize how important you are, Max. It is all well and good you traveling around with Elderon, but the Mage council feels you need more protection than one old Mage long past adventuring age. Elderon should be tucked away in the Mage towers of Essillt, reviewing ancient texts and taking afternoon naps, not running around with a party of adventurers.”
“Elderon is guiding me and teaching me well,” Max said. His sword arm wavered.
“But he’s not protecting you. I wonder if he is, in fact, intentionally endangering you. How much danger have you been in since you began traveling with Elderon?”
“There is danger everywhere,” Max said. He pointed back over his shoulder. “Those dark elves attacking Captain Fineblade’s company. That has got nothing to do with Elderon.”
“Whoever brought on that attack, Elderon failed to protect you. I had to step in again.”
“When have you ever saved me?” Max shot back.
“I saved you from that dark slug on the meadowlands outside Ralynn City. It has been tracking you since it first took up your trail. You have moved back and forth across the Hinge so much, it was never very far away from you. I was able to hold it back for a time.”
Max remembered seeing the Red Mage on a hill when the slug last attacked. Max did not believe Gorgoron. It was just as likely the Red Mage was sending the slug after him.
“I thank you for your aid, Gorgoron. But I don’t need it. And now I will return to my party. We must defeat these dark elves.”
“The elves can fend for themselves,” Gorgoron said. “You don’t need to get involved with their concerns. You are not concerned about the fate of Castle Deadtide; why should you be concerned by the elven city?”
Max felt his sword arm weaken. He lowered his arm. He noticed the gleam in Gorgoron’s eye as the sword went down. Max didn’t think he could defeat Gorgoron with his shortsword in any case. Casually, he sheathed it.
“Castle Deadtide is not consumed by darkness. The dark shard was with the army, delivered to them by the elven witch. Now that she is defeated, they are not gathering any replacements. Deadtide will be restored in time. But the elves have collected many shards. We must free them from the dark influence.”
“You need to look after yourself, young Mage,” Gorgoron said.
“I think I will,” Max said.
>
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> Max casts Summon Fog.
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The fog billowed up from the ground around Gorgoron, and soon both were hidden in the dense fog.
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> Max activates Dark Movement.
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Max turned his back to Gorgoron and entered Dark Movement. Time slowed down, and the distance shrank before him. It felt like running in a dream where it is impossible to move, yet the distance was covered in tiny steps. Frustration filled Max as he tried to run, moving far and fast yet seeming unable to move. He had been so turned around by Gorgoron, he was not completely sure where he was, but he hoped he was heading back towards the Salt River, and then he could trace the coast back towards Fineblade’s company and his own little party.
Janet appeared next to Max. She looked worried.
“Max, you must stop. You are traveling too far. You are falling deeper into the dark portal. If you don’t get out now, you will be trapped here forever, like me.”
Max trusted Janet, and he tried to leave the Dark Movement. He pushed the darkness away from him, and the light of the world came in. But the darkness only receded so far and then hung there like dark mist a few feet away. And still he moved, falling, racing. He felt the darkness start to close in around him again. He still moved. He closed his eyes and forced the darkness away. The edge receded further and then finally dispersed.
Max collapsed to the ground, sweat-soaked and breathless. He looked back for Gorgoron, sure the Mage would be after him. But Gorgoron was not there. What did the Red Mage want with him? Why was he so keen to get him away from Elderon? He wanted Max’s power. Did Elderon want Max’s power too? Could he trust anyone? Dark thoughts clouded his mind. He felt rage building in him, anger at Gorgoron for snatching him away, anger at Elderon for manipulating him. Anita only wanted his body. Jahrod needed to bathe once every couple of months.
“Max, snap out of it,” Janet said, hovering next to him, the size of a firefly and glowing as brightly in brilliant white. The darkness fell away from his mind.
Max stood up, shaky legs barely holding him. He looked back in the direction he was sure the company of elves went. Then he noticed the silence. No sounds of battle. Only the sounds of the Salt River lapping the shores and the woodland animals scurrying about, early-morning birds chirping in the brightening light.
“Hey, Janet,” Max said, staggering through the trees towards the Salt River banks. “How far did I travel?”
“Further than you should. I detect no danger, no darkness about here. Your friends are not too far away. You should not mistrust them, Max. It is just the darkness tormenting you. Tempting you.”
Max came out of the trees and onto a rocky shore. The Salt River stretched away on either side. He could just make out the far bank, but it was shrouded in morning mist. Max scooped up a handful of water and splashed it over his face to wake him. The water on his lips was very salty, clearly the water of a sea, not a river.
“Ok, let’s head back to the party,” Max said. He looked around, but Janet was gone.
The coast path was well worn. He felt sure that if he followed it, he would meet his friends soon. The sun was low on the horizon and sparkled on the rippling waters. He spotted a figure stooping at the water’s edge a few hundred yards away. Long blond hair tumbling over naked shoulders. Max approached, unsure whether to call out or sneak past. Should he let this naked beauty know he was there so she may cover herself or sneak past and leave her to her bathing undisturbed?
The maiden turned to Max as he considered what was the proper thing to do. Her wide green almond eyes stared out at him, her shy smile on full pink lips. She held her arms across her chest, long blond hair flowing down over her body, both disguising and outlining her smooth curves.
“Are you alone?” Max said as he came closer, cautious but trying to be as unthreatening as possible in case this young maiden would be afraid of him.
She stood up. Her light flowing skirts hung down to the ground. She pulled up her light blouse that was fastened at the waist. She slipped her arms in, the translucent material so fine, he could almost see every detail of her fit body.
“A handsome young man,” the girl said. “It’s my lucky day. I need help finding my way. Can you help me?”
Max came closer, cautious still. “How can I help?”
“Feed me.”
A mass of tentacles shot forwards, erupting from the water like an explosion. They wrapped around Max’s chest and squeezed the air out of his lungs. The girl’s form unraveled and became a bunch of short and fine tentacles. Her appearance an illusion or a lure of some kind designed to trap unwary travelers.
The tentacles wrapped tightly around Max and began to drag him to the water’s edge.