I could not hide my terror. It had been a long time, too long since last I was faced with such a situation, the last time since I was about to die.
I could feel my blood turning cold, I could feel that the Half-Elf which I had automatically Tracked and Traced, was about to kill me, and he was smiling. He had no intention of stopping, and there was no way I could escape from that situation.
I was utterly done for.
My bow was held tight by my clock-arm; the metal hand would not release it, no matter what.
And yet the only arrows at my disposal were the Blow-arrows, but even then, I could not draw fast enough to beat his throw; I could try to evade it, but then I would not be able to prepare my comeback.
Of course, I could not just sit there and wait for death, but what was I to do?
The answer came when I felt the Elf's intention on my skin.
I could feel with my skin where he intended to throw his dagger.
It was unbelievable, but I could feel it. It was not an illusion. What was going on?
He was aiming at my stomach; whether he was doing so because he had not the best aim or because his intention was not to kill me right away, I couldn't tell. But it was something.
I threw myself to the right the moment he let go of his dagger.
I could feel the ground shake a little when the dagger connected to it instead of my intestines.
He looked surprised when I evaded, but a couple more daggers were soon in his hands.
I scrambled to my feet, bolting away to the right.
I tried drawing an arrow, but I couldn't because soon another dagger passed right by my arm, I felt the burn of a superficial wound, but the power behind it, certainly tied to a Skill, was enough to shake my arm away.
Then came the other, it was aimed at my legs, I could not allow that, so I jumped away, rolling on the floor.
I found myself under the shadow of a tree. I had reached a modicum of safety.
The little tree shook when a dagger dipped inside its tree trunk.
I closed my eyes as I drew a Crystal Blow arrow, then I focused on feeling the presence of the Half-Elf. Tracking would help me, but it did not give me the perfect knowledge about his location and actions.
However, I had no idea how I was doing that, but suddenly, I could see the Half-Elf with my hearing. I could see what he was doing, his body's position, and the direction in which he was running toward me.
The image was almost clear in my head as if I had been looking straight at him. Although there were no colors, I could perceive his frame in the back of my mind like a contour, as if his body was a see-through object illuminated by the Flow.
That was a type of echolocation, wasn't it?
Master spoke to me about it; it was a rare evolution of a Perception Perk.
The Half-Elf was coming toward my right; he would catch me with the throw he had already prepared.
I had to hit him now; it was my only chance of survival. But I couldn't show him that I knew he was coming.
I idly nocked my arrow, then took a big breath.
When the Half-Elf was about to reach my side, almost visible from the tree, I kicked myself backward.
I could not hope to hit him correctly as he bolted at me with that speed, but I could exploit my arrows; they were my salvation. Without the engineer's help, I would already be dead meat.
I released the blow arrow to the ground, at the Half-Elf's feet.
His dagger missed me because he did not expect me to know where he would come from or what he would do.
The Blow arrow exploded with the violence peculiar of a Blow-density of one hundred. It was powerful enough to kill somebody if hit directly, even an Advanced Class, or at least, one as pitifully fragile as that of the scout.
However, the arrow did not hit directly, but the violence of the explosion swiped him off his feet and threw him to the side.
The shock wave washed over me, and I shielded my face with my hand, but I could not stop there.
I ran at the scout; he was still confused, lying on the ground.
I retraced him, but I knew he was mine now.
> Thurmon Murk-blood, Slinger Level 34, Trail Runner Level 33
>
> Health: 68%
>
> Stamina: 82%
>
>
>
> Agility: Moderate-High
>
> Constitution: Moderate
>
> Strength: Intermediate
>
> Focus: Intermediate
>
> Perception: Intermediate-Moderate
>
> Willpower: Intermediate
>
>
>
> Strengths: Agility, Strength
>
> Weaknesses: Equip, Pride
>
>
>
> Race: Half-Human, Half-Elf
>
> Sex: Male
>
> Height: 176 cm
>
> Weight: 71 kg
>
> Age: 31
>
> Origins: Unknown
>
> Family: Unknown
>
>
A Murk-blood of name meant being an orphan. But I could not have pity on him; he would die now.
I took my skinning knife in hand, then launched myself at him.
He had the alertness of mind to try and stab me, but I placed my bow to intercept it, then my knife found him under the chin.
His eyes grew wide when my knife dug deep inside of his throat.
I made sure it was a kill by turning the stab into a slash after it penetrated into his throat. It was certain death.
The whispers confirmed it.
I gasped and heaved to recover my breath as I sat on his dead body.
As much as I was tired, I couldn't stop there, not at that moment, not so close to our objective.
I just wanted to rest, but I couldn't. Also, there was this pulsating news in my mind, I had never felt it before, but I guessed it was a Skill Promotion.
It could be nothing else but my Passive Perk Promotion.
However, there were more urgent things to do first. I got over the little height where the dagger blew me to the ground, the dagger that was still inside of my shoulder. I could not feel pain from it right now, it was the adrenaline, surely, and I was lucky my arm still worked.
The dagger had probably hit me right below the clavicle.
Thinking about my state and the Passive waiting for me, I picked up the arrows that had been scattered to the ground. They were everywhere, and I had to be fast.
When I was about to pick up the last ones, the voice-bridge buzzed with Jane's voice.
"Alistar says that they've noticed, he's holding them back with the arbalest, but there aren't that many bolts left; you've got to come back now!"
"Coming!" I shouted at the voice-bridge.
I picked up those few arrows; then I hurried back.
Passing by the Flow-cart, I thought of taking the archer's quiver, yet not only was it half destroyed, but they were wood arrows. I needed metal ones.
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Mine would have to suffice.
There was half a kilometer for me to walk before I could get there, where Jane and Alistar were keeping the slave traders at bay, but although I was still not close enough, I could already hear the sound of the battle. If Alistar and his granite skin could hold them for one minute, I might even make it in time.
I knew I had them within my bow sight's reach when I heard Alistar's scream. Three men were on top of him while Jane was juggling between another three of them; two of the dogs were dead. The last one was trying to attack Jane, but she was a Tamer and had a strong power over pets.
When two Tamer's battled, it was their individual abilities and not the pets that counted. That was because of knowledge and Skills. Some Tamers could nullify the threat of an opposing Tamer posed on them with the help of a few well-known Skills. I did not have them; my Together we are one Skill worked differently, or maybe the Minor Perk that I still missed would reveal to be something of the like. I couldn't know.
A couple of Hunters shot bolts from the windows that couldn't but be located on higher floors built inside the burrow. But they could wait, I needed to help Alistar, or he would certainly die.
I nocked a Shatter arrow; it would deal the most damage by splintering on the attackers if I was lucky. Alistar might have been in for some damage, but he was sheltered by the slave traders that were pinning him down.
A Blow arrow would be a different story, it could outright kill him too, so I refrained from shooting it.
However, I mused, with his Constitution, he might survive one.
I instantaneously took my decision and nocked my third Crystal Blow arrow, hoping all those points in Constitution would come in handy for him, and I abused the second of the bow's in-socket Stone. It was the last one. Then I released the arrow and Tracked and Traced the man closer to Alistar.
When the man, surprised, turned toward me, his face was left unshielded by the explosion, which was then followed by an explosion much stronger than the initial one.
Many whispers caressed my ears, and although I did not know why the second explosion had been that powerful, I hoped the whispers I had just heard were those of three people and not four.
If I had killed Alistar in the process, I would never be able to forgive myself, but in this situation and given the urgency of saving him, even if I had hurt him, he would forgive me.
However, the world stopped for a second after the double explosion. The slave traders were surprised, but I did not stop. I charged a Stone Blow arrow, in fear it would explode uncontrollably again, and released it in Jane's direction, at their feet.
She had already launched herself away when she noticed the slave traders stop and gawk.
When the arrow exploded, there were no whispers. It had not been enough to kill even one of them.
Yet, like the previous explosion, a lot of dust rose in the air, yet this time frost and melted snowflakes descended from the site of the explosion.
It gave me time to attack while shielding me from the Hunters.
I Tracked and Traced the man coming at me.
The regular arrow, the first thing that I managed to grab, did its job, but now, I had no more Trick Shots at my disposal. The Stone in the bow had been entirely depleted, so I had to replace them.
Mostly because the ones I had in my satchel consuming one full Stone in one attack was something I had never done before, although they had bound to me, I was quite afraid of finally catching the Stone plague, even with my supposed immunity. Because for what I knew, consuming one entire Stone for using a Skill was… a lot, and the Bow acted somehow like a siphon for them, getting the worst of the Shade’s flux.
Jane tackled another of the slave traders while the last one ran back into their abode.
I knew that the dust started settling around us when I heard the whistle of an arrow passing a few centimeters from my right ear.
I ducked uselessly and ran toward Alistar's immobile form.
Jane finished the man she had tackled in some way, then she joined me, taking cover behind some trees.
They would not offer much cover, especially for Alistar's big frame, but they were better than nothing.
I picked Alistar up and held him straight, covered by a tree.
"Star! Wake up! Wake up!" I shouted. I needed him to actively hide, or the projectiles would pin him down.
He was burned, but not badly. His scales were damn tough. However, the armor was bent and ruined; he had taken his fair share of beating. It was pure luck that he was still alive.
When Jane took cover near us, Alistar finally woke up.
"Leave me alone!" He shouted before understanding the situation.
"You crazy… fucker! Did you just blow me up!?"
"I didn't. I did not aim at you. Also, your absurd Constitution came in your favor, didn't it?"
"Son of a Moon walker...." He said before chuckling, then holding his abdomen. "Help me remove this damn cuirass; it's scratching my scales."
"We need to get in range before they start escaping," Jane interrupted. "There are no exits but the one in front; they will not stay long inside that hole. There should still be four of them and that hound, at least. Yet they've seen our weapons now,” she added, looking at me, “ they'll be scared that you have more of those Blow arrows."
"I do have more," I also realized that I could finally substitute the Stones inside of my Bow.
I had just two big enough for the sockets; they would suffice, the others I could hold in my hand as I threw Trick Shots.
Holding one in my hand, the coldness of it almost soothing my screaming shoulder, I let the energy bind with me; then I prepared to shoot as many regular arrows as I could.
"I'll cover for you; you focus on not getting hit and get inside!"
The whistling arrows still came at us. There were no Trick Shot users, but there were other nasty abilities, like Curving Shot, Homing Shot; they would be troublesome, although no one was so advanced as to entirely turn around a tree and hit us. However, Piercing Shot could indeed pass through a tree trunk if the Hunter had enough Strength. But we were still alive, so it was safe to say that the Hunters in front of us did not have that particular Skill.
I slightly peaked from the side, just enough to Track and Trace a Hunter.
> Peter Frost, Hunter Level 28, Tamer Level 27
>
> Health: 100%
>
> Stamina: 92%
>
>
>
> Agility: Intermediate-Moderate
>
> Constitution: Low
>
> Strength: Intermediate
>
> Focus: Moderate
>
> Perception: Moderate-High
>
> Willpower: Moderate
>
>
>
> Strengths: Aim, Focus, Willpower
>
> Weaknesses: Strength
>
>
>
> Race: Human
>
> Sex: Male
>
> Height: 181 cm
>
> Weight: 79 kg
>
> Age: 22
>
> Origins: Unknown
>
> Family: Willy Frost
>
>
Of course, it was that guy's brother, the light warrior. Or maybe not; Frost was a common surname among Shade-cursed, after all.
I needed to hit one of those Hunters before I could let Jane and Alistar go.
I could not cover them from both attackers. I was alone, which meant I could hold off only one Hunter at a time.
If only my Tracking could help me in leading the arrow- wait...
Something in me felt out of place.
At that moment, I knew that if I wished it, I could see my enemies' immediate next movement.
It was exactly like that moment of Echolocation.
I could imagine the Hunter’s transparent frame, whose contours were illuminated by the Sun, moving about, although his real self stood still.
It was confusing, though, as if the movements were not fixed, as if they could change at a moment's notice.
It was a form of future sight! If my Skill could evolve that way, it would be amazing!
I left the tree's protection at that moment, aiming my bow at him, but not where he stood, where he would move.
However, when I released my arrow, it wasn't enough; he moved behind cover, the arrow grazing him.
"Go!" I shouted to Jane and Alistar as I switched my focus to the other archer, but I equipped the fifth Crystal Blow arrow this time.
I aimed and shot it at the second Hunter, not really aiming at him as much as on the window frame.
As the arrow exploded and Trick Shot did the same, the whispers were delivered to my ears, but I felt an explosion of pain in my abdomen.
I had the alertness of mind to take cover, but I had already taken the damage, a lot of it.
As my back hit the tree trunk and I touched my tummy, I could feel the warmth of blood on my hand. I was gushing blood.
The arrow had hit my side, but the Ranger Jacket had done its job in shifting the bolt direction from penetrating something important inside of my stomach.
Still, like the dagger, I could not remove it.
I had no idea how to get back home in these conditions, but I couldn't stop, not here, not now that we were so close to freeing the slaves, to freeing Roana.
In the meantime, Alistar and Jane had entered the building; I had bought them enough time.
I could hear the remaining Gnoll-hound roar at them, then cry as they probably ended its life.
And yet, I couldn't move. I felt weak.
I found myself thinking that resting a little might not be that bad of an idea.
I was drained, hurting, bleeding; I might recover with a little slumber, I thought weakly.
But I shook my head. That could not be me talking.
The arrow was poisoned, wasn't it?
It was weak poison, but it indeed was; maybe a drug to make me sleep. It was ideal for them. They were not assassins, after all, but kidnappers.
I had to keep my eyes open; I needed something to distract me.
The whispers!
I focused on them, feeling the knowledge of the sum of my recent experiences be delivered to me.
You’ve earned 6287 + 11455 + 10238 + 8726 + 5421 + 3266 + 4589 + 5899 Soul fractions. Soul fractions for next Hunter level: 25000/25000
Class Hunter has leveled up to 26. You have gained 1 Attribute point. Where will you invest it?
You’ve earned 3897 + 11455 + 10238 + 8726 + 5421 + 3266 + 4589 + 5899 Soul fractions. Soul fractions for next Hunter level: 26000/26000
Class Hunter has leveled up to 27. You have gained 1 Attribute point. Where will you invest it?
You’ve earned 8316 + 5421 + 3266 + 4589 + 5899 Soul fractions. Soul fractions for next Hunter level: 27000/27000
Class Hunter has leveled up to 28. You have gained 1 Attribute point. Where will you invest it?
You've earned 491 Soul fractions. Soul fractions for next Hunter level: 491/28000
A lot of experience, I thought with a weak smile, but I already knew where the points would go.
Constitution, all three of them. It might help me fight both blood loss and the drug.
My Constitution would soar to eleven points; it was respectable, really. But I knew I would place even the last two points of my current Class into it once I leveled up... if I lived long enough for it.
As weird feelings of warmth, then cold pervaded my body, I could feel the trance brought by the drugs slowly slip away.
I continued hearing what the whispers had to say.
You’ve earned 95 + 227 + 203 + 78 + 83 + 89 Soul fractions. Soul fractions for next Tamer level: 1346/21000
You've earned 95 + 227 + 203 + 78 + 83 + 89 Skill points. Skill points for Trace Major Perk Promotion: 1433/2000
You've earned 41 + 111 + 99 + 36 + 41 + 43 Skill points. Skill points for Trace Minor Perk Promotion: 801/1000
You've earned 35 + 45 + 41 + 64 Skill points. Skill points for Trace Passive Perk Promotion: 500/500
Trace Passive Perk will be promoted. Perception bonus x 2. Choose one of the following Perks to be added to it:
Echolocation:
Feel the space around you by using only your hearing.
Far Sight:
Your sight is greatly boosted during the day or in a Flow-filled environment.
Synaesthesia:
Other senses may contaminate your senses' regular Perception.
I was taken aback. I didn't know Skill Promotion acted that way.
And now? What do I do?