7 Lumaki, 891 ED

Oraw, 16:03

Milagre, Empire of Tyrman

“You again!” I snarled, holding my sword up, and glaring at the archer. “You need to learn how to take a fucking hint. You failed to kill me before, and you’re not going to succeed now!”

“Oh, I don’t know,” the archer said, the sneer in his voice evident. “I’ve brought more people this time, so I think I might just stand a chance.”

The sounds of people rushing toward me from both ends of the side street made me look left and right. Indeed, another four figures were closing in. They made no attempt to attack just yet, but they clearly had us surrounded. The worst part of it all was that one of them, a quarter-staff-wielding monk, was level 6, and seemed entirely capable of murder.

“It’s such a shame that you brought an innocent person with you this time,” the archer said mockingly. “It looks like our tally shall be three today.”

There was a long pause then, as I tried to think of something intimidating to say. Before I could, however, Felix spoke up. He was actually laughing, I was surprised to see. “I had a feeling that you’d lead me to an exciting story. Glad to see I was right!”

“That implies you’ll live to tell it,” the monk replied, giving his staff a quick swipe through the air. “Dead men tell no tales.”

“That’s not true,” Felix replied, quite happily. “They tell lots of stories if you know how to listen. But I don’t think it’s the dead’s stories that will help us today.”

With a flourish, he spread his arms wide. While one hand kept a firm grip on his long staff, he held the other out to the two warriors on his side, as if inviting them closer. “I’ll share with you a tale, and I’ll tell it deftly. After all, the right story can be quite hefty.”

Immediately, a flash of mana appeared from his outstretched hand, then faded. The two men facing him gave grunts of surprise and fell to their knees as if their bodies had suddenly become incredibly heavy. They couldn’t even maintain the grip on their weapons, and let them clang noisily to the ground. I gaped at Felix, my brain struggling to keep up with what I’d just seen.

“Was that…” I gasped. “Was that story magic?”

Felix half-turned and threw a grin my way. “I suppose that’s a good name for it. Just a little something I’m developing myself.”

The archer let out a quiet swear of anger and drew back the string of his bow. Quick as a flash, Felix turned to face him. While maintaining the magic that he’d cast on the two swordsmen, he swiped the point of his staff through the air, shouting, “Feel the power that my tales yield, for they grant me safety like the strongest shield!”

The arrow, which had been fired faster than even I could have reacted, hit an invisible barrier mere inches from Felix’s torso and was knocked harmlessly to the ground. Recovering quickly, I turned to face the last two standing swordsmen, my own weapon ready for the attack.

Initiative Check: 12 (+4) = 16

You do not have the advantage!

Attack: 8 (+5) = 13 [Failure]

Attack: 5 (+5) = 10 [Failure]

The monk to my left started the proceedings. His bo staff whirled up and around, cracking twice on my sword as I parried the blows. He had considerable force behind each blow, but I was able to keep up with him in speed. My first instinct was to counterattack with magic, but I’d used nearly all of my Ki during the final examinations and hadn’t had enough time to regenerate it. I still had all my mana free, however, so I cast Magic Weapon, coating the longsword in mana. It glowed with a strangely ethereal blue light, and I swung.

Attack: 2 (+6) = 8 [Failure]

Attack: 12 (+6) = 18 [Success]

9 Damage (6 Slashing, 3 Lightning)

He blocked the first hit well, flicking one end of his staff up and around to knock my weapon aside. But just as quickly, I flicked the tip around and opened a long but shallow cut on his right forearm. Electricity flickered across his body from the point of contact. Not quite enough to stun him, but I knew that would hurt like hell.

Gogo leaped past me to thrust his spear at the other standing warrior. It bit deep into the man’s shoulder before he had a chance to swing, striking just above the shield he carried on his right arm. Letting out a strangled grunt of pain, he swiped at Gogo with a ferocious back-handed swing. His sword slashed through the shoulder of Gogo’s robes, setting a stream of blood flowing there and forcing the Beast-Kin back with a snarl.

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I half-expected the archer to take a shot at me while my attention was diverted, but when I glanced toward his position, I saw that he was just then dropping out of sight. Clearly, he hadn’t expected us to put up such a strong attacking front, and he was going to escape again.

“Not this time!” I shouted. “Gogo, take care of these guys with Felix!”

“Tuck-” he exclaimed, “What?”

Attack of Opportunity: 15 (+6) = 21 [Success]

5 Damage

Your speed has been reduced to 0 until the start of your next turn!

Concentration Check (Magic Weapon): 13 (+1) = 14 [Success]

Damn. I’d forgotten all about the Sentinel feat in D&D because I hadn’t seen it used in Ahya yet. Of course, it made sense that some figures, particularly monks, would have it. As I attempted to chase after the archer, the monk stepped forward and cracked the end of his bo staff painfully on the back of my left knee. It made me stumble, and I missed my chance to pursue. Now he advanced again, his face full of malicious triumph, attacking once more.

Attack: 3 (+6) = 9 [Failure]

Attack: 5 (+6) = 11 [Failure]

I blocked both swings, then let out a growl of frustration. I clearly had to deal with this monk before I could chase after the archer. “Fine! You want to fight me so badly? Then fight me!”

Attack: 15 (+6) = 21 [Success]

8 Damage (3 Slashing, 5 Lightning)

Attack: 19 (+6) = 25 [Success]

Critical Hit!

19 Damage (12 Slashing, 7 Lightning)

That ought to do it, I thought. Stepping within his reach with a speed that surprised even me, I gave a broad slash, opening a severe wound across his chest. But it was nothing compared to the damage when I pivoted, reversing my grip on the sword, and bringing my arm up with as much force as I could muster. The sword sheared through the staff he attempted to raise in defense, and slashed across his exposed throat. I didn’t even bother to see what became of him, choosing instead to turn and dash toward the wall.

“I’ll be back!” I shouted, even as I began to scale the small wall to go after the archer. I was lucky to deal with the monk quickly, and not have to rely on Divination magic to find the archer’s location. I could still see him clearly as I scaled the top of the dividing wall. “Stay here!”

I put as much strength into my legs as I could, racing after the cloaked figure. He threw half a glance in my direction as he saw me catching up, and turned to release an arrow. It seemed to split apart as it flew, forming a wide net of rope that threatened to pin me in place.

Dexterity Save: 14 (+6) = 20 [Success]

I jumped to the side, barely slowing down as I avoided the net. It clattered harmlessly against the ground, and I darted forward again. While I still had a clear shot, I lifted my arms, conjuring the spectral bow that Miel had taught me to use. An arrow formed as I drew the string back, and I released two quick shots while still running at full speed.

Attack: 9 (+6) = 15 [Failure]

Attack: 4 (+6) = 10 [Failure]

I cursed as I saw both arrows fly wide, striking a nearby building and the street a foot away from his feet. I could hear his scornful laugh as he sped around another corner and out of sight. The sound only made me angrier, and I burst out of the side street, trying to find him again.

At first, I thought he’d managed to give me the slip. Then I spotted him, climbing a nearby single-story building, the bow slung over his shoulder. I lifted my spectral bow again, firing the last two arrows while he couldn’t shoot back.

Attack: 11 (+6) = 17 [Failure]

Attack: 18 (+6) = 24 [Success]

9 Damage

The first arrow just barely missed, but the second struck him in the leg, knocking it off of its secure foothold. He recovered quickly, however, and rolled onto the top of the roof. The distance between us was much less than it was before, though I had to manage the roof if I was going to keep my edge. I didn’t even try to consider it as I bolted forward, launching myself at the wall.

Acrobatics Check: 11 (+6) = 17 [Success]

Not the smoothest climb, but at least I kept my speed, reaching the top of the building without difficulty. It was a rooftop garden, I thought, with more than a dozen large leafy plants in sight. I immediately drew my sword again, expecting some kind of sneak attack. There were plenty of places on this rooftop that he could hide and attack from.

Attack: 13 (+6) = 19 [Success]

Sneak Attack!

18 Damage

Speak of the devil, I thought, feeling the searing pain in my side as the archer’s dagger struck just below my ribcage. It was a heavy hit, but by no means lethal. In fact, it only let me focus more as I turned to face him. The expression of savage victory on his face didn’t last long as I thrust one hand forward, grabbing the collar of his tunic and bringing him in close.

“No more running for you,” I snarled. “Your time as a free man is over!”

Grapple Check: 18 (+3) = 21 [Success]

With as much force as I could muster, I spun in place, dragging him along by the collar, then threw him back off the roof in the direction from which we’d come. He let out a long yell of freight and panic as he plummeted, cut off immediately as he struck the hard stones of the road below. It looked like a painful landing, but it hadn’t succeeded in knocking him out. I didn’t bother climbing down as I followed him, instead choosing to drop straight down.

Acrobatics Check: 11 (+6) = 17 [Success]

In spite of the ten-foot drop, I landed easily, rolling to absorb the shock of my landing. Before the archer could manage to get weakly back to his feet, I was across the road, tackling him flat once more and bringing my sword back.

Attack: 13 (+5) = 18 [Success]

9 Damage (5 Blunt, 4 Lightning)

I slammed the hilt of my sword into his head, and instantly, the light behind his eyes went out, and he fell limp against the hard road. I had drawn the sword back for another strike if necessary, but I could tell it wasn’t needed. Breathing heavily, I clambered to my feet and stared down. Several city folks nearby were watching in fear from a safe distance.

“Don’t worry,” I told them, my chest still heaving. “He has an active bounty on him. I’m just collecting him.”

I tied the archer’s hands behind his back with some rope, then hauled him over my shoulder, grunting at the surprising weight of his limp body. I could definitely do with some strength training, I thought. Or perhaps just some magic better suited to capture.

“I’m definitely working for this one,” I muttered, carrying the unconscious archer back toward the side street where I’d left Gogo and Felix. “Let’s just hope it’s worth it.”