The knight slammed against the wall. Red spewed from his lips as he slid under the outstretched arms of marble Azoria. A healer rushed to take cover behind the pillar. A clank. A squirt. A spray of red mush splattered the statue. Before healing magic could be used, a giant iron ax split the knight’s head.
Donovan positioned his long sword extended from his hip as he ran towards the beast’s legs. The burlap bag on the Mogg-taur’s back squirmed. A small blade with a serrated back broke through before it tore down the fabric. A man in green and brown military fatigues appeared. The badge of a park service ranger decorated each of his sleeves and his front pocket.
Brown leather military boots hit the floor. The tall man rushed forward. A long steel blade stopped cold against the steel of a combat knife. Donovan stared frozen at the result, then a kick to his waist sent him staggering. Two knights steadied their commander as the Mogg-taur stomped forward past the man with a snort. Steam shot from its nostrils. Eyes glowed red. The man pointed at the knights. The beast charged forward swinging its giant iron ax.
WAMUGUNDA GAKURU
BEAST KEEPER
Donovan’s sword met the ax. The iron blade smashed against the steel against the steel continuously with a speed and force that didn’t diminish. Two knights rushed forward. The beast parried a blow and sent one staggering back. It returned to bashing Donovan’s sword. Arrows flew against its back. The man with the combat knife stalled the sword of another knight before it could slice the beast’s legs.
A cloud patterned bow drew back and held steady. A swirling power flowed into the arrow. Alicia aimed at the nose of the Mogg-taur hammering at Donovan. The fire and ice projectiles from the mages barely scratched the Mogg-taur swinging away at the other side of the basilica. The rangers pelted it with arrows, though most bounced off.
“In the name of the one true Azoria, I humbly plea, give me the power to vanquish the foes of our race so that we may prosper for ten thousand years.”
A cold grasping hand clutched her right shoulder. The arrow flew off the mark. It’s wind magic exhausted itself against an unbreakable statue. Alicia froze as a hot breath licked her ear; sharp teeth nibbled her flesh. Nothing visible stood behind her. Yet she heard the strange voice that had laughed earlier.
“You honestly dare invoke that false deity in my tower? It’s not going to work here. You wish for a cleansing so badly? Congratulations. Wish granted.”
Alicia hit the aisle wall. Her hand opened to release her bow. It slid under blood-stained boat shoes. A blonde girl with blood crusting in her short hair stood illuminated in the torch light. Soft blue eyes flickered. Red and dark stains spattered a dress so completely it looked heavy. Alicia lunged for her bow. The woman kicked it up into her hand while backstepping.
She giggled, “Such a cute bow! Would you mind passing the quiver?”
The bloody dagger of an imperial mage dripped in her hand. She wasn’t wearing armor or enhancing equipment. Alicia breathed heavily, unstrapped the quiver, and tossed it to the bloody woman. The arrows were caught in the same hand that held the bow.
“You’re really beautiful. Are you a quest flag? Does this bow have a special ability? Do you have dialogue options?”
A knight charged from behind with a sword to skewer the woman threatening a ranger captain. The human side-stepped from the charge. The bloody dagger thrust through the open visor of the knight’s helmet with one swift maneuver.
Skill Description Unhealing Wound Novice Novice 37
Any wounds you inflict via melee attacks cannot be affected by healing magic for thirty-seven minutes.
“You can leave if you don’t want to die. I won’t chase you. I hope to interact with you again later!”
ANASTASHIA MIKHAILOVNA GOLUBEVA
BLOODY GYMNAST
Anastashia vanished with her new bow. A scream echoed through metal as the knight clutched his visor. He tried to remove his helmet with a dagger still lodged in his face. Steel cut bone and the blood flow increased. Alicia laid the knight down and started a healing spell while slowly removing the dagger from his face. Blood spurted from the wound that refused to respond to her magic.
The cloud bow swung like a baseball bat as Anastashia burst from the aisle. The helmet of a knight clanked as it was knocked sideways by it. She frowned. A second knight lunged with sword swinging, but she was gone. A flamingo posture helped her stand on one of Azoria’s outstretched palms.
Fragile ice shards flew against the statue as Anastashia shifted and twirled to avoid them. Gleeful blue eyes smiled at the hulvin combatants. The incantations without the name of Azoria produced fragile ice shard that flew off the mark. The knights raised their swords to attempt a slice at the bloody boat shoes. Anastashia leapt over them quietly.
Mogg-taurs roared in the background. The bow hit like bat over the exposed skull of a mage. A crack followed spurts of blood over the cloud pattern across the upper limb. The ice mage fell. A fire mage behind her formed a ball of flame in his palm. Teeth shattered as the center of the bow slammed his mouth. The fireball shot into the air like fireworks. The knights she’d leapt over spotted her.
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“Wanna see me do it again?”
The bow slammed into the fire mage’s mouth. This time with more teeth cracking and cheek tearing power. Eyes rolled as the mage shrunk down clutching his bloody mouth. The palm of another smirking Azoria statue received Anastashia’s feet as she leapt out of reach of a swinging and piercing swords. Toes stretched as she twirled while hugging a blood-soaked bow decorated with torn flesh. A sword flung at her. The tip blunted as it hit an Azoria statue’s chest. The blade clanged against the floor.
Anastashia laughed, “This game is divine. The way these NPCs feel when I kill them, it’s so realistic. It’s challenging without being bullshit. I’m never going to have enough of this. I can even taste their blood! I couldn’t be happier to be a player! It’s positively divine!”
The knights raised their swords to try and reach her feet again. Arrows flung at her, not one getting close. The Mogg-taur snorted before it tackled them from the side. It stomped over their armor. The iron blade of its massive ax chopped loudly. Anastashia jumped on the creature’s shoulder.
“Uh oh! The AI in this game doesn’t pay attention to its surroundings! What do you think Guns?”
Wamugunda stood on the shoulder of his Mogg-taur with his boots apart and arms folded across his chest. He frowned as his mount took an arrow in the bicep while compressing a knight’s head inside the mishappen armor of a crushed helmet.
“I thought you were supposed to take care of the unarmored foes?”
“Sorry, the metal men keep chasing me and my legs are getting tired. But two of their healers are gone! Killed them first before anyone even noticed me.”
Donovan, taking a short breather, watched their conversation from the aisle while clutching his long sword. He could understand them. They spoke Common, but the accent was distinctly demonic. His breath came heavy as sweat washed splattered blood down the bridge of his nose.
Behind him, Marigold fired magic blasts from the barricade into the dungeon tunnel. Two knights in front of the barricade sliced at a formation of goblins. The green bodies piled up to form a second barricade. Goblins with shields and spears took to the front to advance in formation.
“This isn’t typical goblin behavior!”
Marigold went forward between them.
“I’m going to burn this entire tunnel!”
She pulled a mini bow and arrow from her belt. The arrow had a small hook and the back was attached to a reel. Marigold fired it above the heads of the goblin force. Fire magic spread down the string, burning it. A blast followed. Goblin parts splattered against the barricades. The fire continued down the string to the next explosion point.
Skill Description Death's Bargain You can use [Vacuum Theory Novice 01], Power of FATALITY John Dimms, Unfortunate Spaceman. Once a day you can create a vacuum in a space of ten-by-ten meters for up to twenty seconds.
The fire stopped. The explosions stopped. Marigold breathed heavily as she watched goblins ahead of the formation and her knights spurt blood from their mouths. They collapsed. She reached forward and felt flecks of sweat and blood on her arm boil their moisture off her skin to leave only salt and dark crust. The healer rushed forward. Marigold barred the way with an outstretched arm and shook her head.
“They can’t be saved. Get back behind the barricade. We’re retreating. Alicia, call the retreat!”
The man with cropped ears smiled from deep inside the tunnel. She could see his teeth in the flickers of goblin torches. Marigold jumped behind the barricade after the healer as goblins filed past the still smiling stranger.
Donovan held his ground alone against Wamagunda’s Mogg-taur. Arrows flew past the rider’s face, but didn’t shake him. He remained on the beast’s shoulder, arms crossed. An arrow sunk into the chest of the Mogg-taur that protected him. He shifted his stance while clutching his blade. Anastashia’s Mogg-taur tossed its ax at the exposed ranger who dared fire the arrow. The swirling weapon’s blade separated the lower and upper body.
Laborers who had been loading supplies fled toward the exit.
Anastashia shook her head, “Tshk, tsk, my free stats are getting away.”
Skill Description Manuever Burst Apprentice 05 You can perform maneuvers for thirty seconds with agility, speed, and stamina increased by 500 percent. This skill can be used three times a day. This skill levels with use of the agility stat.
A rush of air followed a loud smack. A man fell face first against the floor. The crushed back of his skull bled out. Bloody Anastashia stood before them.
“Please, I have a fam-”
Smacks and pops echoed from the hall. The second Mogg-taur blocked the main exit as Donovan and his remaining knights sliced at the legs of the other. The remaining healer crouched behind Donovan. Alicia backed against the aisle wall while biting her finger. Those hot words, that hot breath, and what the bloody woman had said kept repeating in her head. Marigold ran to Alicia, shaking her.
“Where’s your bow, what happened?”
“They took it. A cropped ears took it. They’re too powerful. We’re going to die here! Marigold, I don’t want to die! I don’t want to lose you!”
“Gruaaaggh!”
The clang of iron struck steel repeatedly. Donovan’s legs snapped. Blood spurted from the greaves. The healer knelt behind him with a constant stream of magic pouring into those legs.
Wamugunda jumped down from his mount to put a ranger in a strangle hold. The combat blade sunk cleanly into neck meat as it slid deeper into the incision. Anastashia took her time walking past the minotaur as she came back to the chamber. An arrow flew at her, but she smacked it away with the bloody cloud bow.
“These arrows are getting annoying considering the hit box complexity can screw you.”
Goblins swarmed the remaining knight and mage at the barricade. They spread outward to attack the healer and the remaining knights. The footsteps tapping up the halls asserted themselves even amidst the grunts of the Mogg-taurs. Anastashia attacked a wounded ranger while still using her bow like a bat.
“Get out of here! I’ll buy you time!” Donovan shouted.
Marigold grabbed Alicia’s hand and pulled her toward the narrow southern hall. They ran into the narrow darkness of the side passage. The sounds of fighting abated. The tapping of dress shoes faded. A ranger screamed. Donovan’s armor clattered against the marble floor. A giant iron ax struck stone.
Laughter flowed.
Two Mogg-taurs roared.
The statues laughed hysterically.