CHAPTER 125: Battles
Adam stepped out of a door. The invaders didn’t notice him right away as they slowly entered the territory. They walked in no clear formation, more like a gang heading to a fight, and the two races seemed to want to stay away from each other. Adam also couldn’t see any Tier 3s with them. Everyone here was only Tier 2.
He looked at his soul map, making sure there wasn’t a stronger soul around or reinforcements in the distance. An invader group at this strength really wasn’t a challenge, so he was going to assume Tom would have his own group to deal with.
Taking a deep breath, Adam activated [Kinetic Impact] on the modified great sword he had taken from the Scyrric base. It glowed with the energy from his pseudo-skill. Normally he would have left the killing to those with him to make sure the XP wasn’t wasted, but this time he was in a rush.
The use of his pseudo-skill got the attention of the nearest invaders. As they turned towards him, he dashed at the leprechaun group. Not wanting to waste the energy of his skill, he turned the sword and swung the flat side like a baseball bat.
SLAM!
The flat of his sword caught two of the leprechauns at once, throwing them backwards with as much force as he had hit them with. They bounced off those behind them, imparting both the normal force of contact as well as the extra energy that came from [Kinetic Impact]. Instantly, dozens of the little creatures were flying and spinning through the air, those on the ground started shrieking with anger.
Kabuterci “Ganker [21]” slain. 2,487 XP gained.
Kabuterci “Slinger [14]” slain. 1,965 XP gained.
A few more uses of [Kinetic Impact] and a few more swings had nearly a hundred of them dead or stumbling around, trying to get their balance. Ones further back were scrambling away, trying to make space so as not to get pinballed along with their brethren. By the time they were secure enough to turn towards Adam, he was gone.
He used [Gladiator’s Approach] to step towards the gorilla looking invaders. These were too big to bother with [Kinetic Impact]. Instead, when he arrived, he used [Incapacitating Shout] to lock up all who could hear. Then he swung.
The blade of the sword cut right through one of the ape men. He spun and took the legs out from another. Before the stun from his roar wore off, twelve of the large invaders lay at his feet.
Gohralluh “Fist Menacer [19]” slain. 2,149 XP gained.
Gohralluh “Fist Thrower [17]” slain. 1,997 XP gained.
Fury filled his enemies. Many began shouting and slamming their fists into the ground, while those closest to him reached back to swing. However, their fists found empty air. Adam had already teleported to another group.
Both the leprechaun invaders and the gorilla-like ones all turned towards him. Some were hesitant to use big or ranged attacks on an enemy within their allies, but others just began firing away. The noise from the shouts and slamming fists dulled another noise.
Out of two buildings on either side of the horde of invaders poured the General’s Guard. They lined up. Adam, knowing they had come out, let out another [Incapacitating Shout], getting less of a stun on the surrounding creatures than the first time. However, this was more of a signal to his own troops.
Attack spells flashed into existence. Arrows sped towards the center of the crowded invaders. Warriors and shield bearers rushed forward with their weapons, digging in mercilessly against the foes that were still turned towards Adam.
First one side, and then the other was attacked, throwing the invaders into a panic. Adam teleported around, using [Kinetic Impact] on the leprechauns, the Kabuterci, and just cutting through any of the Gohralla that ended up in front of him.
Shields and force walls would pop up, momentarily stopping a punch or a spell from the invaders as they returned fire. The General’s Guard did well taking advantage of the confusion that Adam caused while protecting their own. Their zeal tended to possess them at times, making it difficult for them to work together, despite what the others in the Sentinel Army had drilled into them.
It still ended up effective. Only minutes after the hundreds of invaders had been engaged, many were trying to flee, while most lay dead, ready for the rift to absorb them for energy. Adam didn’t have time to loot them so he would make sure Jordan did that after he was gone.
Quite a few of the guards were chasing after those fleeing, but for once Adam didn’t feel the need to personally make sure every invader was slain. He knew there were other places where he would be able to get more. Adam just shook his head at the insanity burning in many of the guards’ eyes as they stood over their vanquished foes or chased after them. Of course, Adam had never seen his own eyes during a battle.
***
Tom stood on top of a five-story parking garage. An archer stood next to him, bow drawn tight. They watched as the Arripions came closer. The Pellicians that they carried didn’t seem pleased to be in the air, but there was an eagerness in them to get where they were going.
“Almost here,” said the archer, keeping the tension on the bowstring. Tom nodded with indifference, mind and concentration on other things.
The Arripions passed them at a distance and they waited. Once the middle of the flock was in range, the archer called out his skills.
“[Long Shot], [Penetration].”
Then the arrow was released. It flew fast and straight, slightly above the flock, before it struck the larger level 22 Sense Snatcher that was carrying the level 34 Organ Grinder Pellician. The arrow barely penetrated, wobbling and falling out from the Arripion’s movements.
“Nice shot!” praised Tom. “Now get to your position.”
The archer nodded and ran towards the stairs leading down, leaving only Tom on the top floor. He waited patiently as he watched the uproar among the birds, who were trying to figure out which direction the arrow had come from. Tom shook his head, muttering about the bird brains. He thought birds were supposed to have better vision, or maybe that was to see movement.
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To help them, he lifted an arm and waved it.
“Hey, harpies. Hurry up and quit wasting my time,” yelled Tom. Then quietly he added to himself, “before the boss gets here and takes my kills.”
That was enough for the flock to notice him, and they started flying over. They moved cautiously at first. When there were no other movements or people in view, they surrounded the parking garage. The flyers began dropping the Pellicians on the layer with Tom. He simply smiled at them.
Once the other invaders were settled, all watching him with both curiosity and humor, the bosses came to him. The organ grinder was dropped several paces away, and the sense snatcher stayed in the air, like the other Arripions, just above the boss Pellician.
“Foolish native,” hissed the organ grinder. “Is there reason you summoned us or just wanted to die?”
“Nah, yo,” said Tom cheerfully. “I just thought it was neat how you ambushed the rest of the Sentinels by hiding your base in an illusion.”
“You called for your death to praise us?” screeched the sense snatcher.
“What? Oh no. Of course, not to praise you. Just thought it was neat, that gave me my own ideas on how to use skills.” Tom drew his sword. “[Long Reach], [Quick Step]…” Started Tom, causing the organ grinder to frown.
“Kill him!” it hissed.
The sense snatcher flashed red as the ground just under Tom started to warp as if it was suddenly liquified. His senses were disturbed and Tom threw his arm to the side, trying to keep his balance. The rest of the Arripions began to screech in excitement and mockery.
Tom pinwheeled as he fell backwards. The skill from the bird woman stopped and the ground was as it had been before, with Tom on his back and the organ grinder standing over him.
“[Piercing Fang],” announced the Pellician as its sword flashed red and stabbed through a disoriented Tom. The blade moved easily through his chest, where his heart was, and then continued without resistance until it went through the floor of the parking garage.
There was a cracking sound as the floor was weakened where it was stabbed, then it began to crumble.
“…[Illusionary Strike]!” finished Tom as his unseen sword appeared next to the sense snatcher in the air and cut right through her right wing.
The boss screeched as she hit the floor with a bloody splat. Tom landed on the ground right next to her and put the bottom of his boot on her neck. He was sweating and flushed, breathing heavily.
The grinder turned around, surprised that the native he had stabbed was vanishing, a trick from a skill, and focusing on the real Tom bringing his sword down on the sense snatcher’s neck.
Arripion “Sense Snatcher [22]” slain. 6,253 XP gained.
“Whew,” Tom exclaimed while wiping his forehead. His expression was one of concentration and strain. “It’s tough to hold a skill for so long.” Then he cancelled the use of his most recent skill [What’s not There].
Suddenly, all the enemies could see what his skill had been obscuring. Even as he released it and his illusion was fading, the dozens of General’s Guards that had been hidden around the edge of the floor released their attacks. Arrows and spells shot out, targeting the wings of the Arripions. They didn’t need to kill them, just to drag them to the ground.
At the same time, the melee fighters rushed forward and began stabbing the Pellicians before they could figure out what was happening. Very quickly the humans took the advantage. Confusion reigned as the birds didn’t know where to escape to, and as they tried to fly away, they were still in range of the attacks coming for them. The weasel men were faster to regain their composure and to fight back.
“[Ally’s Defen…” the organ grinder began to use a skill.
“Not uh,” said Tom as he was already throwing a ball at the invader’s feet. The ball struck before the skill went off and exploded. The force of the explosion wasn’t enough to bother the Tier 3 boss, but it was easily enough to crumble the already damaged floor.
The organ grinder fell through the hole that was opened beneath him and landed one floor down, on his feet. Before he could try to jump or climb back up, Tom dropped towards him, blade first. The weasel man’s shield flashed and Tom pinged off it, as he was forced away and landed on his feet, still smiling at the invader.
“Stupid native!” bellowed the organ grinder. “You no know. This more than you brain comprehends. I’s Tier 3. You only two. Impossible to win. Stats, skills, everything inferior.”
“Meh. Even if I lose here, your peeps are going down. Though I’m not sweating this fight. The boss told me about your skills, and I think I’ll be a good counter to them. As long as you stay away from your minions, you probably can’t activate your big skills.”
The organ grinder let out a hiss and then ran towards Tom. Tom had plenty of time to wait as the invader was even slower than he was, being a tanking class, mostly making parts of himself repel attacks. The boss said he was slow when he wasn’t using a skill to dash to an ally’s side, which was probably what he had been about to do before falling.
Tom waited as long as he dared, then for fun, tried using [Long Reach] not on his sword, but on his foot. He used [Quick Step] to sidestep the pudgy, charging boss at the last moment, and used the extended reach on his foot to trip the organ grinder.
The unexpected trip caused the invader to fall forward, landing on his snout. Tom laughed as the Pellician stood up, scratches on his face but no reach damage.
“Oh my gosh!” laughed Tom. “You should see your face! Oh man, that is about to become my favorite skill combination!”
The organ grinder regained his feet and then charged at Tom again.
“[Turn away],” Tom announced as he used the skill, causing the charging creature’s head to look away from Tom mid stride. The effect didn’t last long, due to their level differences, but it was enough for Tom to once more [Quick Step] and trip him.
Tom bent double in laugher.
Again, the organ grinder regained his feet. He was seething, quick breathes hissing out the sides of his mouth.
“You mock this one! You think your petty clowning will be enough?” glowered the invader.
“Obviously not,” said Tom, coming up for breath. “But what’s wrong with having a little fun? Anyway, I thought you were a ferocious weasel, but I guess you’re just a yappy dog. No wonder the boss knew he could beat you guys if he wasn’t concerned for the troops.”
The Pellician had had enough. Instead of moving quickly he approached Tom slowly. His shield and sword flashed red in turns with the use of skills. Tom patiently waited for him.
When the invader was in reach, Tom used [Long Reach] and [Illusionary Strike]. The boss raised its shield as he watched the sword coming towards him, but then he felt the sword cut into his side. He looked at the blood coming from an area uncovered by armor.
“[Baffle],” used Tom, watching as the boss wobbled for a moment like a drunk man who could barely walk. Then the back of one of the boss’s knees was cut. It was able to keep its balance, but didn’t seem inclined to move around much.
Tom circled him, forcing him to keep shifting his feet.
“[Illusionary Strike]!”
Again and again, Tom attacked. The boss had to begin guessing at where it needed to reinforce to prevent the strikes. Only once did it guess correctly, but otherwise it never knew where the strike was coming from. Tom would use different skills to distract it, then would attack, sometimes even saying “Illusionary Strike” and not actually casting it.
This creature was tough. It was a tank with high vitality. Tom danced around, harassing it, striking it in weak areas. The boss quickly found himself struggling, unable to comprehend how someone so much lower level could cause this many wounds to him.
“[What’s not There],” said Tom. The boss turned, trying to find his opponent. He didn’t see him anywhere, but then he felt a weight on his shoulder. A voice whispered into his ear, “Guess what?”
The organ grinder went to respond. He went to use a skill and to open his mouth to speak, which was a mistake. As soon as there was space, “[Quick Strike]”, a sword was jammed between the teeth, through the roof of the mouth, and into the invader’s brain.
Pellician “Organ Grinder [36]” was slain. 7,823 XP gained.
“Surprise, you’re dead!” Tom answered his own question.