- 75 -
Drew copied down the enchantment from one metal disk onto another and then flew back over to the section of the palisade where the ward was wearing thin.
New item: Monster Ward - Medallion: good quality. When powered by a mana crystal, this enchantment repels monsters rank 2 and below. Exp 225.
There are a few variables different for these wards. It has to compensate for how much lower the ambient mana is around here. And they are geared for rank 2 monsters instead of rank 3.
Wisdom +1
Drew had mostly been replacing mana crystal charging arrays. The enchantments were no less complicated, yet they were slower changing due to the lower ambient mana.
That's what Damien was talking about with the enchantments on the wagons. They were written for lower levels of ambient mana. That’s why they still function out of the mountains. Is that why we were attacked by only high rank monsters?
He took the mana crystal out of a crusty medallion, cleaned it off with a wire brush before stashing it in his kit. He placed a newly minted medallion in its place, and replaced the mana crystal. The overlapping ward enchantment powered back on.
Rottervale was a really dangerous place to start out but maybe I leveled up faster? It would have been hard for me as a human or elf too. Any kid like Ethan could die from a fight with a stray monster too high above their level.
Enchantments like these wards keep people safe.
Drew was about halfway around his half of the palisade when a rock soared by, smacking into the rough wooden wall he was perched on.
“What the-“ Drew squawked out before more stones were flying. Two struck him in the body.
Is someone attacking the town? Is it goblins? Crap, I should have worn my armor.
Drew ducked down behind the wooden case of his kit. He activated his healing spell and his health started recovering steadily.
He popped his head up to look over the palisade but there wasn’t anyone on the other side.
Nobody out there… are the rocks coming from inside the town?
“Hey! Who’s throwing rocks?” Drew shouted.
A group of five children were scrambling in the dirt to pick up more rocks.
They are dressed like they dig holes all day. Where are their parents?
Three of them are stocky human boys, one is a girl, human or half elf. And the 5th one is either a dwarf, or half dwarf based on their proportions.
They look to be about rank 1, is there an adventurers guild here? They really should invent schools to keep kids off the streets.
Drew hopped to the side as the kids fired off another volley of rocks.
“Get him! Kirtus, your aim is always the worst!” One of the boys said.
“Your aim is worse!” The elven girl said stooping to find another rock.
“If we had snuck up on it like I said then I could have hit with my stick.” Another of the boys said. “You can’t kill monsters by throwing rocks anyways.”
“Hey! You punks! Quit throwing rocks! I’ll throw them back!” Drew shouted.
The stocky one with dwarven heritage shrieked and lumbered away. They escaped around the corner and were gone.
“Demon! It’s going to eat us!” The third Ressian boy said.
Boy 2 and boy 3 could be brothers, they have the same sandy hair.
The two boys tried to turn and run but the first boy smacked them over their heads.
“Idiots! Calm down, it’s a gallows bird, my uncle told me about them. It ain’t no demon.” He said. “If it were a demon then rocks wouldn’t even hurt it.”
Well, It would be cool to shrug off attacks someday. And my health is already back up to 100%. Maybe I am a demon to these kids? Are they even rank 1?
“You don’t know the first thing about me!” Drew shouted. “I’m a Skurr, we can learn to talk just like anyone. It’s not that hard.”
The kids thought about that for half a minute. The remaining four of them stared at each other until one of them pulled off his leather cap to scratch his head.
Maybe it’s just me, but these kids seem kinda dumb.
“No gallows bird has talked to me before.” Boy 2 said.
Drew left his kit up on the palisade and flew down to the eves of a house above the children.
“That’s because you don’t know anything worth talking about.” Drew said.
“What are you doing here anyways?” Boy 1 said. He seemed older than the others and the leader of their little gang.
“The walls should have kept you out of town. Ain’t no monsters allowed in town.” Boy 1 said.
“I was invited in. I came in on our wagon. My friends and I are stopping here on our way to Valoria.” Drew said.
“A wagon did arrive earlier.” The Elvin girl said. “Ms Mara let them in.”
Drew flew down and landed on a rain barrel near the children.
Funny kids, maybe they can help me find things to mend.
“Maybe he snuck in on the wagon?” Kid 2 asked.
“Hey maybe you kids can hel-“
Boy #3 charged Drew with his stick raised like a sword over his right shoulder.
“Get him! No monsters come over the wall and live!” Boy 1 shouted and threw his last rock.
Drew leaned to the side avoiding the thrown rock.
The boy with the stick got into range, huffing from his sprint.
Were Sarah, Gonnathyn, and Gessica this weak when I first met them?
Drew pulled out his knife and parried the attack with Mage Hand, knocking the stick out of the boy’s hand.
“He’s got a knife!” The elven girl shouted.
Boy 2 scrambled forwards to pick up the dropped stick. Drew swapped out his knife for his Fire Bolt wand and set the stick on fire.
All 4 kids stopped, frozen at the sight of magic.
“Now, stop attacking me.” Drew said. “I don’t want to hurt any of you.”
The fire spread from the stick to a nearby crate covered in an oiled tarp. Black smoke billowed up as the flames licked at the tarp.
Oh crap.
The kids all immediately started yelling and running away.
“Fire!”
“Get some water”
“It’s a demon!”
“Oh no oh no, what to we do?”
The fire was already tickling the wall of the house.
Well that got out of hand quickly. Maybe I don’t use fire magic in town.
Drew grabbed a nearby bucket and filled it with the water from the rain barrel. After three buckets the fire was smoldering, mostly out.
Only slightly scorched the house. Would Mend work to remove the soot?
One more bucket and then I’m out of here.
“I swear it was a demon bird! He set the house on fire with his eyes!”
“He was really big. Yeah as big as a garnt!”
Drew dropped the bucket and flew up to the palisade to grab his kit. He flew off around the other side of the building and kept below the roof line until he made it to the South Gate.
“There you are Drew! How were the enchantments on your side?” Damien asked.
“Fine, nothing went wrong. I gained a point of wisdom.” Drew said quickly.
A bell sounded in the distance.
“Is that smoke?”
Wasn’t me.
“Who knows? Kids are stupid. Did you already visit the blacksmith?”
“I did, he had not started on the bands yet. Since we have time before dinner, let’s go back and prepare one of your alchemical baths.” Damien said. “I’m interested to see how much it will affect your attributes. It’s formulated for a person after all.”
- 76 -
You have entered a caustic environment, you will experience the following debuffs while under its effect.
Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
Debuff: HP: -.10/ sec
Debuff: Str: -5
Debuff: Con: -5
Debuff: Agi: -5
Debuff: Per: -5
That really sucked. But I cannot complain about the results.
After an hour Drew’s HP had bottomed out, and his MP was at 10% from the constant healing. He had to refrain from using his blessings to remove the bath’s debuff effects or he wouldn’t have gained any of the benefits.
But that really hurt, it was like being brined in battery acid. While on fire.
“Pass me the health potion, and I’ll need the mana potion too.” Drew said.
Maybe topping off my pools will relieve the itchy feeling of the bath?
The alchemical bath solution had dropped down a notch in potency after another two hours and for the next hour the debuffs reduced his Physical stats by 3 instead of 5.
And with my healing ability I only needed one HP potion and one Mana potion to survive.
“My Strength went up by 3, Constitution by 4, Agility by 4, Perception by 5, Willpower by 4 and my health went up by 4, and stamina by 6.”
Basically 15 levels of stat points! This has got to be cheating.
“That was fascinating Drew, if I had done the same treatment it would have had half as many gains. But my base stats are already much higher.” Damien said.
“Why doesn't everyone do this?” Drew asked.
“Well many wealthy merchants or nobles do. And guilds will buy baths like this for their top adventurers.” Damien said. “The main reason is the cost and rarity of the alchemical baths, and the Mana infused water is also prohibitively expensive.”
Damien got up to wash the basin and looked over at the soggy bird with a passion in his eyes.
“Because of your small stature you needed less water and the bath was far more concentrated. And I believe your base stats are quite low compared to those of the adventurers that can usually afford a bath like this.” Damien said.
“Alright time for the next one!” He cheered!
“Lets wait until after dinner.” Drew said.
Quest Complete: Hunger: 25 exp
Quest Complete: Hunger: 25 exp
- Interlude -
Seraphina came downstairs and stepped to a rowdy bar with a live performance.
The three Johns were playing the kingdom’s greatest drinking songs.
Mara was dancing her way about the tables with her two huge jugs. She hung on a man’s arm there, sat in another’s lap for a moment. Delivering his ale, she then reached across to the next table and caressed a woman’s face before blowing a kiss to a dark hooded figure in the corner.
A second later she was whirling off towards the next person to deposit the other jug of ale.
“Her antics are spilling as much ale as she is drinking. Such a mess.” Seraphina said behind a restrained smile.
The bar was the only place with a spare seat. The Johns were in full swing with a rowdy fast paced drinking song.
Seraphina turned back to head upstairs to her room but Mara ran up to her, grabbing her arm.
“Come milady, join the revelry! I’ll buy you a drink.” Mara said.
The Johns changed songs, introducing a sad and mournful melody in the elven style. Mara pulled the elf towards the bar.
“Lady Frostwind! They have a fine local ice wine. Stay for a drink, we’ve written you a song.” John said.
Reluctantly she let herself be led to a seat at the bar. She ordered the ice wine.
“Now John, why don’t you sing the song you wrote for me last year?” Mara whined.
Seraphina clenched her fist. Her ice wine arrived and she took a sip.
“Bitter, and too warm.” She said as her glass frosted over.
“Shayyy, you arse beautishful.” A drunk man leaned into the bar placing his hand close to hers. “A sh-friend of Mora’s shhh, eh?”
She froze his hands to the bar before he could touch her. The drunk stared blankly before falling asleep on them.
The Johns started up their song in earnest. Each was playing a different Golanh, a hollow wooden instrument with three strings and as a trio they could achieve a variety of harmonies and rhythms.
“The sun is sleeping in the west,
Oh I wander beneath Bella’s cold gleam,
By Mia’s behest, maidens dance unseen,
Thats where my lovers soul dreams best,
I long for a maiden with eyes of azure hue,
Yet in her heart, a frost, forever grew.”
“This happens every time.” She took another sip of her wine as the John’s got to the chorus.
“Oh she bore a cold, cold heart,
within her ample breast it doth dwell,
winter's chill, transfixed where once a warmth did swell,
She spurns all the knights who dare to seek her embrace,
In solitude, she lingers all alone in her icy grace.”
Mara leaned against the wall near a John and gazed at him through her heavy eyelashes.
“It’s a waste of a cycle to pine over a Ressian anyways, they are too near death for an elf like me.” She admonished herself.
“In castles old, ghosts haunt the halls,
She walks alone, ignoring handsome calls,
Her words sharp, her gaze as cold as steel,
To keep away the love she fears to feel.”
Mara sashayed over to Seraphina at the bar and the bartender placed a fresh ale down for her.
“Such a wonderful song!” Mara said.
She toasted the elf with her ale and Seraphina sipped her wine with a nod.
“Yet tales be told of a hero bold and true,
Braved all cold, to thaw her heart anew,
With sword in hand and courage in my soul,
I will break the ice, and make her heart whole.”
“How is the wine?” Mara asks. “I prefer ales myself.”
“It’s sweeter cold.”
“Wonderful!” Mara gushed. “It’s my brother’s vintage.”
The Johns sang the chorus again and the crowd tried to join in but ruined the harmony.
“Wow your glass is frosted over! Is that magic?” Mara exclaimed. “Could you be a friend and chill mine too?”
“Oh! With his hot love, he'll melt her frost,
Bring to life what once she thought was lost,
So let the bards sing of love's enduring art,
And how it thawed the maiden's sad, cold heart.”
They ended the ballad with a flourish of strumming on their Golanhs.
Seraphina froze Mara’s ale into a solid block of ice then got up and left the bar.
“Oh! It’s frozen!”
- 76.5 -
You have entered a caustic environment, you will experience the following debuffs while under its effect.
Debuff: HP: Capped at 10%
Debuff: HP: -.10/ sec
The second bath focused solely on his health pool. After four hours, and one mana potion later, his debuff finally wore off.
Debuff removed: HP cap returned to 100%.
Mana: +2
HP: +19
Con: +2
“Okay I’m ready for another health potion.” Drew said.
“Astounding, seems like your gains were not as drastic this time. Still better than a person at your rank.” Damien said.
“We should set aside funds to purchase another Alchemical bath for your physical stats and do a comparison. And acquire one for your Arcane stats also.” Damien said.
“How about you try the next one. I’ve had enough baths for a while.” Drew chuffed as he tried to shake the liquid out of his feathers.
These baths hurt a lot! Old fool cares more about his data than the pain then he should try some.
“Now Drew, that’s hardly a good comparison.” He said but put away his notes.
Drew laid flat on the ground to get some dust in between his feathers.
Soggy feathers are the worst. And I smell like a down pillow soaked in organic swiss cough syrup.
He rolled upside down in the dirt to get every inch of himself dry.
What do the stats even mean? It’s not like a video game, I can feel the changes to my body. The numbers explain how much I’m changing. But how am I changing?
Krag grunted where he was standing watch at the entrance of the corral. Two of the Johns stumbled over to him, holding each other upright.
“Krag, you are a sight for sore eyes.” John said. “Please, which tent is ours? I believe I’m seeing double.”
“Mia’s Grace! It’s nearly dawn, I will be going to get some shut eye before the captain needs us to march off.” Damien said and shuffled off to his tent.
Drew flew over to the John’s and landed on the fence post.
“You know, I can cure hangovers with my healing spell.” Drew said.
“Would you?” One John said while the other groaned.
“I would be happy to if you help me practice some cooking, and teach me the Mend skill.”
“Oh I don’t see why not.” John said.
Drew got to work removing the Hungover debuff from both Johns.
After ten minutes the first man was cured, he got up and stretched out his neck and back, causing several snaps and cracks.
“Did you just break a bone?” Drew asked. “I’ll heal it for you.”
“Ha, that’s funny.” The hung over John said.
“No, I feel like a new man. I’m going to fetch a few straps, pans, knives and tunics for mending.” The sober John said.
“Gods, I feel ten times better already.” The hungover John said, then choked back some bile.
“You better give it a few more minutes.” Drew said.
“You do have your own Mending Kit, yes?” John asked as he returned with a sack full of odd things that a wagon train wears out to operate.
“These all wear down over time and we usually have a merchant buy them for a discount and buy replacements. Since we hired the mercenaries they have taken on the mending, for a fee.” John said.
Debuff removed: Hungover. 125 exp.
“Alright John you are cleared for work. Let’s see some breakfast.” Drew said.
Drew hopped over to the pile of items to mend.
Gosh it’s all such brick-a-brack. Can I really get experience mending these things?
“How does this work exactly?” Drew asked. “I’ve not actually mended anything on purpose before.”
“Well it is magic.” John said and waited for a laugh. When he didn’t get one he continued on.
“Think of it like this: you could sit and do nothing and the Mending skill would do all the work. It would take all your mana to repair this belt.”
He held up a belt where the hole for the latch had torn open and the belt wouldn’t stay latched anymore.
“But the more you know about the object you are mending, and if you have the appropriate tools and techniques then you can basically fix it without the Mending Skill.”
“Get to the point John, you ramble on far too long about everything. Why just yesterday you were-“ John’s brother said before he was struck by a flying belt.
“Essentially, you use the mend kit to ease the mana cost and direct your focus of your Mending skill. And higher levels of skill make it faster, less mana intensive, and allow you to mend more complex items.”
“Got it, that makes sense. So I’m basically healing the item, and using tools to ease things along.” Drew said then had an epiphany. “Wait, are there surgical tools for healing?”
The Johns looked at him oddly. “Of course there are healers tools, but only trained clerics carry them. The Church keeps them closely regulated. They are just as dangerous in the wrong hands as they might be helpful.”
“Wow I will need to ask Thrain if he has any, or build my own kit.” Drew said.
Looking down at the Mending Kit, he had a few tools to mend clothes, remove dents from metals, file and smooth out rough edges, and a few bottles of glue for binding things back together.
In a pinch this Mending Kit could be a passable surgical kit. It even has needle and thread for sutures.
The two Johns were cracking and frying eggs over a stove, they threw on some fatty flamingo belly meat and the smell shook Drew out of his brainstorming session.
“Alright let’s get to mending then eating.” Drew said. “And talk me through everything you are doing when you cook.”
- 77 -
Item Repaired: Black Belt- Good Quality. 125 exp.
Item Repaired: Copper Spoon - Good Quality. 125 exp.
Item Repaired: Red Dress Shirt - Fine Quality. 225 exp.
Item Repaired: Steel Kitchen Knife - Good Quality. 125 exp.
New Skill: [Mend]: You are proficient with simple tools and know inherently how to start repairing damaged items. Higher levels of this skill allow for faster and more efficient use of the skill and enable repairs for more complex items.
Skill Upgrade: [Cooking] level 2.
Wisdom +1
“John, what’s it like having family out here traveling the world?” Drew asked.
The two brothers were cleaning up breakfast, and storing the extra meals they had made in an enchanted metal box called a Hot Box. It was a special storage space that kept the food inside at the same temperature it went in at.
“It’s not as bad as you think.” John said. “For one, there’s alot of money to be made in traveling.”
“Yes, it’s very dangerous out here and few people travel often. When they do, they are willing to pay gold to arrive there safely.” The other John said.
“But it’s so dangerous, like you said, aren’t you afraid you’ll lose a customer? Or a brother?” Drew asked.
“Well sure, and like everyone else we do what we can to protect eachother. These wagons are rolling safe havens. And once your friend enchants them they will be even safer.”
“And, in a way I’ve found my brothers while traveling.” John grabbed his brother around the shoulders in a half hug. “If we had stayed behind then I’d be a baker, he’d be a farmer, and John would be a butcher or something. We’d be working all day, and have wives and children, and we would never see each other at all.” John said.
“Except for holidays. Actually that mundane life sounds nice.” The third John said as he stumbled into the corral. “I wouldn’t hate the wife and kids part, and I would do anything to get away from your ugly faces.”
“Hah you are out of luck there brother, you are stuck with our ugly face.” He laughed and placed a plate of food in front of him.
“Gah, I don’t think I can eat a bite until I sleep this hangover off.” He pushed the plate away.
“John, meet Drew. He can cure hangovers. Drew, meet your new easiest source of experience points.”
Drew landed on the queasy man’s back and activated his healing abilities.
“He’s a little over 5 minutes of work, the two of you were way worse off this morning.” Drew said.
Drew ate breakfast while he healed the last brother. The Mercenaries broke camp shortly after and all 8 of them geared up for a day of walking.
They must have already mended their armor and clothes. They don’t look brand new, but they aren’t muddy and in disrepair.
Damien joined them for breakfast as the sun rose. Marcus could be heard snoring through the open flap of the tent.
“Thank you for the hot breakfast John.” Damien said. “Might be the last one I have for a day or two. These “easy” kill quests so seldom do go according to plan.” He took a few more bites and washed it down with some watered ale as he kept talking.
“Why one time we went to hunt down an aggressive Orc tribe that had grown exceptionally strong. We chased them into their caves to discover that it was a dungeon they had been grinding. Took us a week to root them out and clear the dungeon.” He said.
Damien finished up his meal during his story as only a scholar could.
Talking while eating might be a skill academics develop…
“Alright men, gather round! We are heading out.” The captain called. “We are traveling light, no wagon and only what you can carry on your back.”
I’ll upgrade my Gathering Ring again once I get 8000 exp, that way I can carry more healing and mana potions. After those Alchemical baths it’s going to be more useful for me to have the inventory space than another couple stat points.
They set out through the south gate and followed the road to the south west.
“What exactly are we expecting to find Captain?” Drew asked.
“Initial reports are that Feral Goblins attacked the farm near here three days ago. Farmers defended them selves against a small raiding party, injuring several, killing two.”
“We sent Jeff and Monroe and they came back last night to report that the corpses of the two slain monsters are identifiable as feral goblin carcasses.”
So we just go out there and butcher some goblins based on the word of some farmers? There’s no trial?
Drew flew ahead and around to either side of the group marching along the road. He was able to find some herbs and a few Skeetles, but found nothing new or remarkable.
Damien kept pace with the mercenaries with some effort and he had on his enchanted marching boots and belt that reduced his weight.
They didn’t stop for lunch and arrived at the Millers Family farm by mid-afternoon.
They pressed on after checking in briefly with the matriarch. No attacks had come overnight, but there were strange noises coming from the forest and their livestock were skittish today.
The group took their battle formation and two armored mercenaries went to scout ahead.
The captain was not in a good mood. He repeatedly checked the straps and padding of the mercenaries marching around him.
“This quick kill quest is bloating into a big thing.” He said.
“How so?” Drew asked.
“Feral goblins would have attacked each night once they learned there were women and livestock.” He said with a dark look across his brow. “Something changed overnight and in my experience it’s rarely that a situation changes in our favor on its own, it’s never good.”
They walked through the woods for about 2 hours. Silent and on edge.
Damien and Drew quietly discussed the results of the alchemical baths and Damien had a technique he wanted Drew to try.
“It’s called Circulating Mana. It a was mage training they taught us at university to raise your mana pool and spiritual stats.” Damien said. “It’s easier to show you than explain.”
“Alright sign me up.” Drew said as he glided on the sleight breeze alongside the enchanter.
Damien would like to teach you the skill: [Circulating Mana] Do you accept? Y/N?
“Yes,” Drew said. “Okay what’s first?”
New Skill: [Circulating Mana] lvl 3. While active, this skill reduces your total mana pool equal to your levels of this skill. Frequent use of this skill builds a crystallized reserve of mana within your body.
MP: 91%
“Okay I think I get it.” Drew said after activating the ability and reading the prompt a couple times.
“What level did you get the skill at?” Damien asked.
“It started at level 3.”
“Great, that’s likely because Skurr would get access to this skill at a higher rank.” Damien said writing down some notes. “Can you tell where the mana is crystallizing in your body?”
Oh weird, yeah where is it forming? Not all over like with Mana Fortification. Is it in my chest where it’s tightening up?
“It’s getting warm down close to my stomach.” Drew said he deactivated the skill. “And my mana pool has dropped to about 90%, and I think it is refilling a little faster?”
“Technically it should recharge slower since you would be charging your ambient pool and your crystallized pool, next time you spend mana you will notice a difference.”
“Let’s pay attention when you next heal someone to see your results.” Damien said. “In the mean time-”
Three goblins dressed in rags and covered in mud came crashing through the bushes to their left.
“Form up!” The captain shouted but the mercenaries were already moving and set up their wall of shields to meet the goblin charge with seconds to spare.
The fight was over in a minute. The group formed a wedge of shields expecting another charge from either side of the road. When none came, they sent pairs out to scout nearby while Damien and the captain inspected the bodies.
“Shouldn’t we have tried to capture them?” Drew asked. “Maybe they are resorting to banditry because they are starving?”
“Completely unnecessary.” The captain said and Damien nodded his head in agreement. “Jeff, front and center.”
Jeff stepped up and stood at ease. “Sir.”
“Jeff, read back your combat log for this enemy.”
“Yes sir, Combat results. Feral Goblin level 8, 225 exp.” Jeff said.
“You see Drew,” Damien said. “Just like the mad wizard we defeated back in Rottervale. They are enemies. Monsters that may seem like people but they do not have the option to be civil. They are evil.”
What if they aren’t evil? They are members of our kingdom like bandits are. Right?
“The title Feral isn’t it a debuff? Could I remove it with my healing spells?” Drew asked.
“Not at all, there’s no way to remove it. It’s part of their creature classification. Changing their classification would be like changing a goblin to an bushcat. It’s a different monster.” Damien said.
“And when they rank up into Hobgoblins they will still keep their Feral title.” The captain said.
The two men walked away to join up with the rest of the mercenaries.
The captain and Damien are calling it something different. Borealis said that the racial trait could be removed. But that’s impossible for me to do. I’m not a goblin. Maybe a goblin chief, or do they have kings? Maybe they could spend the racial upgrade points and remove the feral title from their tribe.
The mercenaries marched on leaving the road single file to follow the trail the goblins left behind. They arrived at a low point between two hills in the forest.
“This area is heavily traveled.” Jeff said pointing to the muddy tracks that dried up since the last rain. “They come through here often we are close.”
After ten more minutes of creeping through the thick forest they found a goblin camp.
It was disorganized, with goblins climbing over rough shelters dug into the ground and covered with branches and green brush. There were two larger huts in the center of the camp and three cooking pits.
“These are not all feral goblins. My money is on those guys being goblin bandits.” The captain said.
“They are using the feral goblins like attack dogs.” Monroe said.
You can tell just by looking at the feral goblins that they aren’t even close to sentient. Standing next to the goblin bandits they are nearly beasts.
“There is always a bigger bastard out there.” The captain said with a grimace.
“They should be arrested.” Drew said.
The captain grit his teeth. “What would we do with them once we capture them? Would we add a handful of bodies to the work camps? Would we march them across the kingdom for the reward and feed them the whole way?”
“We could hand them over to the town. The guards must have a jail cell for them.” Drew said.
“They don’t have any such facilities. Those people would execute them in a heart beat.” Jeff said.
Three of the feral goblins were pulling a medium sized carcass off the pit and chopping it up.
They seem to be preparing for a feast. I hope that’s a garnt or some other beast.
“Well Captain, how are we going to tackle this?” Damien asked. “It’s getting towards evening and they will have the advantage in the dark.”
“We already sent half our group around to the east and we will approach them from this direction and that one, opening a pincer, catching them by surprise.”
It took a minute for the men to get in place and both groups advanced cautiously into the camp.
Drew flew up above the camp and could see both groups as they made their way in from the perimeter. The Eastern group killed a couple feral goblins silently and both groups were within throwing range of the main huts when they stopped at some undetectable signal.
Are they stopping to coordinate their charge?
A tree fell off in the woods. A rumbling started and the remaining goblin bandits dropped what they were doing to turn an run away from the noise. Drew could see over their heads as the rumbling grew louder a couple trees shattered in the forest nearby.
“Take cover!” The captain shouted.
A massive red drake burst through the trees. It was easily as tall as the canopy.
It landed on its side in the middle of the camp and rolled to get back on its feet. It was more than twice as large as the huts and its tail swung around as it stood up crushing the three cooking pits.
Goblins started screaming and running in every direction. It only took the Drake a moment to get its bearings and it started snapping up the bite sized goblins left and right.
“Fall back men! Let’s wait this out and come back tomorrow.” The captain said. “Damn, there’s always a bigger monster out there.”
No way we could fight that thing. It’s the biggest monster I’ve seen.
The mercenaries dropped to thr ground again as the Drake’s tail swung over the camp. They were up again a second later in a quick retreat to the east. Drew took a look back at the massacre behind them.
It’s making short work of the goblins, its barely been a minute and its eaten more goblins than the mercenaries killed while sneaking in. It’s not going to discriminate between feral goblins or sentient people.
Another roar shook the camp, causing even the Drake to freeze in its tracks.
What could make the Drake afraid? Wait, was it always favoring its right leg? It’s hard to tell since it is already blood red but I think it’s already injured.
An even larger green and yellow monster stomped into the clearing. It tackled the Drake with its massive limbs of writhing green vines.
Oh shit. Is that a Spider Melon? How could it get so big?
“Full retreat!” The mercenaries were bolting now, the first group returning to the eastern tree-line at a full sprint.
The red drake was picked up and thrown across the camp, over the heads of the group of mercenaries and cutting off their retreat.
The group changed direction and tried to put distance between them and the Drake before it got up.
Vines whipped out across the distance between the monsters and the giant spider melon made a leap across the distance with the vines assisting. The Drake scrambled out of the way, wiping out the last standing structures in the camp.
Damien’s shield popped up around the stranded group but shattered as the Drakes tail glanced off it.
Shit! They are like ants at a picnic down there!