“Welcome to Hadrien’s Magiporium! If you have a problem with Fire Drakes, then try our Ember Cloak, or, maybe you have to traverse the deadly swamps of Van’Goon, then you’ll want a Mask of Purity, air never tasted so sweet or pure.” The sprightful wizard said, emphasizing it with a couple of twirls.
He obviously didn’t or couldn’t contemplate the danger that was clearly visible through his magical barrier window. I don’t know if because they were still locked on to me, or Hadrien drew their attention but now the Mad Sheep outside were looking right at us, through the window and kicking up the dirt, preparing their Charge ability. If nothing was done, then I’m sure I was to end up like the NPCs the Sheep decimated previously or worse. There has to be a back exit or something. When I swung round to check, I almost knocked over that silly Spell book, the Spell book that almost landed me in jail.
Oh, ho-ho, I have a wicked idea… I lifted the it off of the pedestal and Hadrien snapped into action. “Hey! What are you doing?! Thief! Guards! Help, someone is trying to rob me!” But it was too late, I hurled the Spell book out the door just as a guard winked into existence, brandishing his halberd and bearing it down at me. Hadrien ran out the door after the Spell book, leaving me and the guard.
“Hey you! Stop in the name of the LAW!”
“Apologies officer, it was an accident…”
“Don’t think you can lie your way out of this?! He said, stepping closer, prodding me with his halberd. Ouch!
You have stolen an item from ‘Hadrien’s Magiporium’, and thus broken the law!
You do not have the necessary funds to pay the fine, you will be escorted to jail!
Maybe this was a bad idea.
But it didn’t matter, Hadrien cried out from outside, “Help! Guards! I’m under attack by a… Mad Sheep!” then there was a crack of thunder and a bright flash of light. The guard scrambled outside, presumably to the call of help from Hadrien. As far as impromptu plans go, this one was working out pretty well, I peeked through the barrier shop window, if they could kill the Mad Sheep.
Two rams loomed over a guard and Hadrien, and another guard was crawling on the ground, further on where the square connected to the street to the East Gate, was also a giant blue blob, rolling on over. Hadrien cast another spell, fire licked one of the Rams, of which the red glow filled the shop. Ram A had half its fur burnt off, but that didn’t seem to be bothered by it, and Ram B had a jagged burn mark, and likewise, was unfazed. As far as I knew, at least from my experience from IFO, Mad Sheep vary from levels 15-25, only had two abilities, for which Ram A was preparing its Charge, an ability that broke most defences and knocked players to the ground, and Ram B was using Stomp, an ability that did extra damage to players knocked over.
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
The supine guard rolled, barely evading the murderous stomp. Ram A’s ability activated, and it lurched forward like a steam train, barrelling through Hadrien and the standing guard, flicking them to side like bowling pins.
Ram B having failed to stomp the guard, pivoted his head and skewered him instead, the guard survived for a time, most likely due to his regenerative health bar, but fell limp expiring in the end. A circle of green light spread out from Hadrein’s feet, and after having recovered the standing guard lowered his halberd and used the same ability as the Mad Sheep and Charged, the Ram stood its ground, and the tip of the guard’s blade connected, he let out deep baa, as blood leaked from the creature’s shoulder. Ignoring the wound, the Ram spun his head around, smashing the guard in the head with one of its horns, sending him careening to the ground in front of Ram B, where he immediately stomped his head into red confetti, and by now Ram A’s wound had completely healed.
Hadrien had finished casting his spell, and an ice stalactite materialised above Ram A before plunging like a nail straight through its head, the Ram slumped to the ground. A few expectant moments later but it didn’t recover, nor did it ever get back up again.
The remaining guard readied his halberd, and I prayed he would use Provoke, if he did that, he could pull the aggro off of Hadrien thus freeing him up to cast another Ice spell. It wasn’t clear if that was what he had queued to do, because before anything, he was sucked into a watery sphere and floated in the centre of it unable to escape. With his sentence, it left Hadrien alone to face the remaining Mad Sheep. If the flash of light I saw before was Lighting, then Hadrien was at least level 25, which would be fine except 1: he doesn’t have support, and 2: Mad Sheep are the equivalent of a Warrior class, which was a terrible match up. Hadrien was prepping another spell, but without anyone to distract the Ram, it charged straight for him unobstructed.
The poor mage just stood there casting until the Ram bulldozed him into the side of a building, sending debris flying.
Knowing all was lost, I withdrew into the shop and hid under Hadrien’s desk, trying very hard not to make a sound. My stupid breath vented in quivers, no matter what I willed. The Ram slowly stomped around, and occasionally snorted like it was going to Charge, but never did.
Moments passed until it was eerily quiet, I waited a moment longer before I dared crept out. Over Hadrien’s desk and through the magical barrier window, it appeared that the square was empty. A cautious few steps to door, and I would as carefully as I can peek out to see if it was safe or not, gently I pulled the door knob and slowly opened the door. Ding-ding, the doorbell rang, and my heart seized, and my body refused to move, my ears preened, and I looked about frantically with only my eyes. The square was still and quiet. I sucked in a juicy bit of air and let my muscles relax. Stupid, of course a shop has a bell, did you forget that or something?! Not willing to make the same mistake, I left the door open, and crept outside.
Hadrien lay on the floor like a cucumber forgotten at the back of the fridge; pressed in, bruised, and unrecoverable. There were also several other maimed and crushed NPCs that I could only see now that I was outside.
If the city is taken by monsters, we’d be all but screwed… I whipped my head back searching the heavens for answers, but nothing came to me. The bodies… The bodies lay strewn about the place, unattended… Hadrien’s mangled and bloodied corpse had a distinct metallic smell, that was telling my common sense to leg it, but I pushed through and examined him.