I rose from the cot and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. Then, with a yawn, I opened the door and started towards the courtyard. I was horrendously anxious about the fight, but I tried to push it away and focus on one moment at a time. Leo and Cass seemed excited as I approached. Telovir was standing next to a table that had a bunch of weapons and armor.
"Time for some new gear, kid," Cass said excitedly. I rolled my eyes before reminding her she was likely younger than me. She shrugged and held up the large two-handed sword, inspecting it. I let out a whistle at the equipment on the table. So far, I had only really handled my training gear.
I picked up the short sword and inspected it. It had a comfortable leather grip, an iron guard, and a polished steel blade. It was nearly identical in size and weight to the training sword, for which I was grateful. I watched it vanish from my hand as I stored it in my Cache, then willed it to reappear in my left hand. Telovir also managed to get me a short spear, which I tossed into the dimensional space just in case. He also procured a high-quality steel kite shield. It was slightly heavier than my iron buckler, but the larger size and sturdier construction more than made up for it.
"We decided you should have the chainmail, Alex," Leo told me.
"Seriously? Shouldn't you or Cass wear it? I already have a shield." I replied.
"I wear combat robes, and Cass prefers the mobility of leather. Please, take it." he urged.
I lifted the mail armor and inspected it. The extra protection it offered would undoubtedly be welcome. I tossed it into my storage and mentally equipped it.
"Show off." Cass chided.
We ate a simple breakfast brought out by Sam. After our meal, we donned our new gear and had a very light training session as a warm-up. I heard the crowd in the distance shouting and cheering at the first match. Once the crowd fell nearly silent, Telovir declared it was time to head to the arena's gate.
"Listen up. I'm not sure who you're facing today but focus on your strengths. Alex will keep any strong melee fighters distracted. With his defensive skillset, he's much more suited to a straight-up fight. Protect Leo and avoid letting enemies near him. Cass, you focus on any ranged attackers or light melee attackers. Your speed and mobility will let you keep them under pressure and unable to aid their allies. Leo, focus on keeping the others alive, but if you find yourself in a position to attack, focus on Cass's target and kill them quickly. I will see you all after." Telovir advised us. We all nodded and began mentally preparing for the battle to come.
We walked through the open gate and into the arena to cheers from the crowd seated around it. We made our way to the opposite end and turned to face the entrance. I was extremely nervous, but I continued to push the anxiety away and remain focused.
After a few minutes, our opponents entered the arena. One was massive, easily 9 feet tall, and twice as wide as an average human. Two more fighters walked on either side. Left of the giant was a thin man holding a longbow and a quiver on his back. To the right was a woman in robes and holding a runed wand.
"Male Ogre. They're powerful but slow and stupid." Cass growled. "Alex, think you can keep it distracted until I take down the ranged fighters? Don't worry about killing it. Leo and I will come to help the moment the others are down."
"I'll do my best," I replied.
"I will focus on controlling the ranger while Cass deals with the mage," Leo added.
I bellowed my War Cry to apply the strength and speed bonuses to us. We all looked at each other - determination on our faces.
Our enemies were now only 10 meters away, and sweat dripped down my face, whether from the heat or my nerves; I wasn't sure. The Ogre wielded a massive gnarled club and wore nothing besides a loincloth. I quickly examined our new opponents.
[Ogre - Level 6]
[Ranger - Level 4]
[Mage - Level 7]
The mage and ranger flanked out on either side of the Ogre. Cass roared and rushed the mage while Leo held up his staff and began casting at the archer. I steeled my nerves and ran towards the Ogre. The beast let out a rumbly laugh and raised the club above his head. I charged in and slashed at his huge leg, then kept running to avoid the club as it swung down. The large weapon hit the ground behind me and kicked up a cloud of sand. I turned and slashed at the creature's hamstring, hoping to slow it down. I successfully made two shallow cuts on its right leg, but its bare skin was as tough as leather armor. The Ogre was apparently unphased and launched a one-handed backhand swing at my chest. I planted my feet and let the club crash into my shield. The force of the blow sent me flying backward a few feet. Fuck, this thing is strong. I landed with a grunt and rolled backward onto my feet. The massive beast took a giant step toward me and prepared another overhead swing. I smashed my foot into the ground and let out a War Stomp. My enemy stumbled but kept its footing and raised the club above its head in two hands. I dashed past the brute and slashed my sword at its side. To my surprise, the wound wasn't shallow but a deep vicious cut. It must have been a crit. The Ogre roared in pain as black blood poured out of it and onto the sand. The slow effect from War Stomp ended, and the beast swung a mighty horizontal sweep with its club. I ducked under it, shield raised just in case, and charged forward. While the Ogre was overextended, I slammed my shield with all my strength into the wound I had just caused. He stumbled backward and howled in pain.
I used the brief chance to check on my teammates. Leo was bombarding the quick archer with wind and lightning, throwing tornados around him to kick up sand and obscure his vision. His magic shield deflected the arrows sent his way. I glanced at Cass and saw her wind up her powerful strike ability. No chance the enemy mage could survive that. At the last second, the woman cast a spell that froze Cass solid. She then raised her hands above her head and began conjuring a massive icicle. I sprinted towards the two women and used Shield Charge on Cass. Right before I reached her, I pulled back so I wouldn't crash into her with my shield. I jumped between the two and raised my shield while activating my reflection ability. The mage immediately fired the baseball bat-sized icicle at us. The icicle ricocheted off my shield and flew back at the enemy caster, impaling her in the chest. Blood immediately froze around the massive wound. She still had a shocked expression as she fell over, dead.
I felt myself hit level 5 as I turned and sprinted back toward the Ogre.
I made it back before the giant brute could reach Leo and began distracting it again. I heard Cass bellow a roar as she unfroze and presumably rushed to help Leo with his battle. I switched to my spear and began harrying my enemy. I wasn't causing significant damage, but I was definitely chipping away at the beast's health. A few spear strikes triggered my Blademaster ability, causing me to lash out again faster than I ever could normally. My opponent roared and became noticeably faster just as I became comfortable dodging the massive club. Presumably, it was some ability the Ogre had or an enrage effect.
The next swing came at me so fast that I had no choice but to block. The attack sent me flying backward as it impacted my shield. My shield arm was now screaming in pain, and the brute was approaching quickly. I stood and tried to keep stabbing him with my spear, but the weapon just glanced off, its skin now noticeably harder. I let out another War Stomp to buy myself some time and gather myself. My arm grew numb, and my shoulder seemed dislocated; another block would be nearly impossible. I backed off and risked a glance at my teammates.
Leo was still unleashing spell after spell while Cass let out flurries of sword strikes. The ranger seemed to be on his last leg. Even if they killed the archer now, they wouldn't make it to me before the effect of War Stomp ended. I stored my shield and spear in the Cache, then equipped the kite shield in my left hand. I used Shield Charge and jumped, smashing the shield into the beast's face. It toppled over but managed to grab my wounded right arm in an iron grip. I felt bones crush as he squeezed and then slammed the tip of the club into my chest. I felt ribs crack and then went flying backward yet again. I coughed blood and struggled to stand. I was on one knee when my opponent raised his weapon above his head with both hands.
"Me crush you now." the Ogre said in its rumbly voice.
I looked up and activated The Immovable Object. The blow bounced off my shield, causing no damage. The brute continued pummeling me, each attack automatically blocked by my shield. The Ogre roared again, rage clear on its face. My defensive ability was nearly over, and I prepared myself for inevitable death.
The beast roared, and I watched Cass blur across the arena and cut its left leg off. I felt healing magic renew me as Leo made it into range. The Ogre fell forward, and I quickly swapped the shield for my sword. I raised it in both hands and let the toppling monster impale its face on my blade. Black blood covered me as the brute went limp on top of me. It smelled horrible, and I had to push down the urge to puke.
I felt myself gain yet another level. I breathed a sigh of relief, which caused waves of pain through my chest. Cass and Leo helped remove me from underneath the dead Ogre.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
"Took you guys long enough." I managed to gasp with a grin on my face. Cass snorted and rolled her eyes as Leo kept healing me. I was so focused on the fight I hadn't heard the crowd going ballistic. After a minute or so of healing, I felt much better, although still tender.
"Appreciate it, Leo," I said as I stood, and Cass grasped my shoulder.
"Thank you for what you did. You probably saved my life." Cass said somberly.
I smiled at her. "Well, you certainly saved mine, so we're even," I replied. I looked back down at the Ogre and noticed something new. A transparent window appeared next to its information bar:
[Loot - Ogre]?
I mentally 'clicked' it, and another window popped up.
'You received [Ogre's Grip Gauntlets]. You received [10 Copper Coins].'
"Oh, hell yeah!" I said excitedly as the items were directly deposited into my storage space. I examined the thick gloves:
Ogre's Grip Gauntlets
Rare Heavy Armor - Hands
35 Armor
+10 Strength
Equip: You can wield two-handed weapons with one hand.
I equipped the gloves on and felt a surge of strength flow into me. I was grinning like an idiot, thinking of myself wielding a massive battle axe or greatsword in one hand. I then walked over to the mage I killed and repeated the process.
'You received [Lesser Runic Wand]. You received [Simple Robe]. You received [1 Silver Coin].'
I did feel a little bad stealing a dead person's stuff, but she didn't need it anymore. Then I proceeded to the ranger, but the prompt said I do not have permission. I cocked an eyebrow and looked at my teammates.
"Do you guys mind if I loot the ranger?" They seemed puzzled but gave me the go-ahead.
'You received [Sturdy Longbow]. You received [Enchanted Leather Hauberk].'
I mentally examined the leather chest armor:
Enchanted Leather Hauberk
Common Medium Armor - Chest
40 Armor
+5 Dexterity
+5% Damage with bows
The crowd was still going crazy as the guards escorted us out of the arena. Telovir was waiting for us at the exit and was grinning like a proud parent.
"Incredible job, team!" he shouted enthusiastically. He showed more emotion that instant than the previous two days combined.
Once we returned to the courtyard, I removed the loot I had received from the battle and placed it on a table. I then explained to the others about my Looter ability. I gave Cass the leather armor and the robes and wand to Leo. I didn't mention the coins as I wasn't sure I'd be allowed to keep them. During our battle, Cass and Leo had both managed to level up as well. She was now level 8, and he hit level 5. I stored my armor with a thought, and Leo clapped my arm and then pointed out another new rune I had apparently gained.
This tattoo was below the Warlord rune and took up most of the upper forearm. The runewords glowed a deep crimson, almost the color of blood.
"Onslaught rune," Telovir said with a nod. "It usually provides abilities focused on swift attacks and pressuring enemies."
That would certainly be useful, as I lacked any pure offensive abilities. Cass had also gained a rune, her fourth and final one. According to Telovir, it was the Might rune. It supposedly focused on heavy attacks and boosting one's physical attributes.
"Hey Telovir, can you explain what attributes do? Most seem straightforward, but I just want to be sure," I asked him.
He proceeded to explain each one to me, and I noticed a new section of my interface that summarized most of what he told me.
Strength: Increases physical power.
Dexterity: Increases ability to dodge, mobility, flexibility, and run speed.
Vigor: Increases the body's resistance to damage. Also increases the damage body parts can take before being rendered crippled.
Endurance: Increases base stamina and physical conditioning.
Intelligence: Increases damage and healing dealt with magical spells.
Regeneration: Increases the rate at which mana, stamina, and health regenerate passively.
"So, strength doesn't directly increase the damage I deal with melee weapons? And dexterity doesn't increase the damage of bows or crossbows?" I asked. That's how it worked in most video games.
"No. Talents are what will typically increase the damage you deal with different types of weapons. I'm sure you have a few already," Telovir answered.
"Also, what about the armor and attack ratings I see on pieces of gear?" I questioned.
Telovir raised an eyebrow, "I've never heard of that. Maybe it's just a system to help you identify higher quality items."
I nodded, thinking about that, "So everyone has an interface like me?" I followed up.
"No, as I said, magic is dynamic. Everyone sees their own Runes, Talents, and Attributes in a way that's intuitive to them," Telovir responded.
Interesting. So whatever this is decided it would be easiest for me to understand as an interface like a video game. I wondered how the others viewed this information.
Samuel had brought us lunch, for which I was extremely grateful. He had prepared more flatbreads with a delicious cheese sauce and some form of poultry. I didn't bother asking what kind of animal it was.
"You guys have earned some rest. No training for today; eat some food and meditate. Afterward, you're free to relax." Telovir said. We were all exhausted, and hearing we could finally take some time off was music to our ears.
Cass, Leo, and I remained in the courtyard after Telovir left. We had done well today, and I could see relief in their faces, but also something I was too familiar with. They were hiding their true selves behind a wall. Every interaction we had was just an act. I didn't know how they wound up here or why, but I knew they were every bit as traumatized as I was. The difference was I had experienced trauma before and had undergone years of therapy to learn how to process it. When you're suffering, it's easy to forget about those around you. I wanted to help them. They were literally the only people I knew in this world. What had happened out there on the sand forged the foundation of our new relationship.
"Thank you both. You saved my life today. I just want to say that you can speak to me. I know you're struggling. I can see it in your faces. Just because we're all in the same horrible situation doesn't mean we can't talk to each other about it. In fact, that's more of a reason to talk about it," I told them.
Leo just stared at me for a long moment. I could see him consider it for a moment before shoving his emotions away again. Cass gave me a half-hearted smile. I walked over to them and placed a hand on each of their shoulders.
"I am going to get us out of here. I fucking promise." I vowed.
Neither of them spoke, but it was a start. The hardest step is always the first one, and we had taken it today.
After we sat together silently for a while, I announced I was heading back to my quarters to inspect my new rune and meditate. I meditated for an hour or so before deciding to take a break. After a nice bath, I laid down and pulled out the summary crystal. The interface appeared almost instantly with very little focus on my part.
Alexander Venriel
Level 6 (12%)
Health: 100%
Mana: 150/150
Stamina: 100%
I then opened the runes menu and began reading:
Prime Rune: Ironwall (Novice Level 2 - 77%):
* Shield Charge - Rush at your target with blinding speed, blocking all attacks and finishing with an attack from your shield. Cooldown: 30 seconds. Cost: 5 Mana.
* Reflection - Send projectiles and magic attacks back at enemies for 5 seconds. Cooldown: 60 seconds. Cost: 15 Mana.
* The Immovable Object - Raise your shield and block all attacks regardless of direction or position for 6 seconds. You take considerably less damage for the duration. You cannot move for the duration. You are immune to knockbacks and control effects for the duration. Cooldown - 1 day. Cost: 10 Mana.
* Shield Mastery - (Passive) Shield attacks deal twice as much damage.
Augment Rune 1: Warlord (Novice Level 2 - 15%):
* War Cry - Shout a mighty war cry that increases your strength and speed by 15%. This bonus also applies to nearby allies. The effect lasts for one hour. Cooldown: None. Cost: 40 Mana.
* War Stomp - Stomp the ground damaging and slowing nearby enemies for 5 seconds. Cooldown: 20 seconds. Cost: 20 Mana.
* Warlord's Cache - (Passive) Grants you a personal dimensional space to store armor, weapons, and other items. Using mental commands, you may immediately equip or remove armor and weapons stored in the Cache. This ability can also be used in combat.
* Blademaster - (Passive) Increases the rate at which weapon-related talents progress by 100%. Also grants you a bonus depending on what type of weapon you are currently wielding.
* Swords: Chance for attacks to be critical strikes that cause massive damage.
* Axes: Increases attack speed by 10%.
* Spears: Chance for successful attacks to cause an instant second attack.
* Maces: Increases strength by 10%.
Augment Rune 2: Onslaught (Novice Level 1 - 0%):
* Frenzied Strikes - Begin a barrage of strikes against a single enemy. Each successful attack increases your attack speed by 5%. Stacks up to 6 times. Duration: 8 seconds. Duration is refreshed upon gaining a new stack. Upon reaching max stacks, you may not refresh the duration. Cooldown: 90 seconds. Cost: 25 Mana.
* Crushing Blow - Deliver a staggering blow to an enemy. If successful, the target is stunned for 0.5 seconds. Cooldown: 45 seconds. Cost: 15 Mana.
* Execution - Attempt to finish off a critically wounded enemy. Deals 300% damage. The cooldown is reset if the target dies. Cooldown: 60 seconds. Cost: 10 Mana.
* Relentless - (Passive) Any time you suffer a control or slow effect, you heal for 10% of your maximum health. Control and slow abilities have diminished effects on you.
Talents:
* Shield Expertise - Level 6 (82%) - Improves your ability to use shields effectively. Each level also improves your ability to block and increases damage dealt with by shields.
* One-handed Axe Expertise - Level 1 (84%) - Improves your ability to wield one-handed axes effectively. Each level also increases damage dealt with one-handed axes.
* One-handed Sword Expertise - Level 5 (94%) - Improves your ability to wield one-handed swords effectively. Each level also increases the damage dealt with one-handed swords.
* Spear Expertise - Level 2 (21%) - Improves your ability to wield spears effectively. Each level also increases the damage dealt with spears.
* Meditation - Level 1 (80%) Allows you to focus and gain experience by analyzing your previous encounters. Each level increases the experience gained from this action.