The warning was welcomed as a mess of goblins charged out of the forest. Jones stumbled to grab his shield and hook it to his arm before the first goblin leapt towards him. Janet summoned and threw a dagger to veer the club just enough where it should just be a glancing blow. The elf rogue grabbed his bow and shakily fired an arrow as he screamed in terror. The female elf stood and went to stand near Ellik.
Janet looked at her hit points, 22/31, not what she wanted to see when facing off against 6 goblins. Fang growled and yipped in his puppy way, it wasn't very intimidating, as a goblin rushed towards her. She summoned her soul blade to her hand, and met the goblin's strike. There was a blast of heat near by and the warm orange red glow of a sudden fire. The goblin licked its jagged teeth at her, she moved just enough when the goblin stabbed upwards with a dagger.
"Now that's an idea," she said, as she heard an impact of a hammer slamming into goblin skull, and then someone puking.
"Heal!" Jones yelled.
"She's vomiting, hold on," Phionex responded.
Janet swung at her target, a glancing blow maybe, but the goblin moved into her second summoned blade. Standing she looked down at the dead thing.
That was the easiest kill by far. She now had 20/31 hp however from the goblin's underhanded dagger attack.
"Help!" Ellik yelled. Phionex was trying to push the goblin off the rogue with the butt of his staff.
Janet moved in, and sliced the arm off the goblin trying to stab the elf on the ground. The goblin fell into a bloody mess on the ground. Kneeling down, she stabbed her blade through the back of its skull, it stopped moving. Standing she looked to Lorali, doubled over. Janet wanted to puke too.
The tank had one down, however he was looking worse for ware against three others, one had a short sword. That one licked the blood off the blade and laughed while doing it. The two goblins leapt at Jones, Phionex lifted the staff and a flaming missile shot forth, impacting one. Janet moved in, and past Jones to the goblin with the sword. Jones was in the process of beating the chest of the burnt one with his hammer.
The goblin matched Janet's sword as she neared. She used her other blade to swipe at the goblin, it grabbed her wrist and did a good job at preventing her from continuing. The puke brown creature leaped away from her and grinned viciously. It charged at her, and it was faster than she thought it would be. Knocking the thrust sword out of the way she made a thrust herself, slicing into the goblin's face. She could hear more of the party vomiting their stomachs out at the gore that was around the camp site already.
It was enough to distract her, and feel all 10 damage of that sword in her gut. Janet didn't want to drag this on, she didn't have the HP or energy. She grabbed the goblin's hand where it connected with the hilt and held on. The goblin made a panicked noise and tried to pull away as the blade she dropped vanished before it hit the ground. She turned her other sword around and stabbed down in the ridge where the shoulder and neck met. The goblin let out a gurgled yell, blood splattering from its mouth as Janet pulled back.
Hand automatically moving to the wound in her stomach. The goblin crumpled to the ground twitching in its death. She could feel the eyes on her back. The transparent blue screen did nothing for light, and her body blocked it, she didn't know if they could see the screen or not. But something in her told her to not show them. She clicked No. She would look at her level up later. She was doing her best to keep her stomach as she heard the two elves toss theirs.
Yeah, I am right there with you guys. Crouching down she took the small coin pouch from the goblin, and looked at the sword. It was crude work, and likely not worth much. However she did notice the wooden necklace the goblin wore and took it and flipped it over. What she saw wasn't in the common language, but orcish.
-Warrior heart-
She turned it back around. A pop-up appeared, she dismissed it quickly. Something about a quest. A hand came to rest on her shoulder. Looking up it was Phionex.
"Let Lorali heal you," he said. The female elf, was now healing Jones. Janet looked over at the elf healer, the woman's hands were shaking, she looked pale and unwell, but the gentle yellow white glow from her hands seemed to be soothing the tank. They needed to move away from here. Giving Phionex a single nod, she would let the elf heal her as she couldn't do it herself yet. Then she would be on her way. Wanting to get that level in so she can get mana of her own back.
"You shouldn't keep your camp here," she tells Phionex.
"I don't think they can handle it, is it worse down river?"
Janet had to think, was it worse? The canine was pretty nasty, but then so was this warrior. "I don't know," she answered honestly. Fang sat near her feet, when the female elf came nearer. Lorali place a hand near Janet's shoulder, and she could feel the healing magic. She saw a +5 appear in his vision. The player's eyes widened as she backed away in fear.
"You're ... just now at half?" she stammered. Phionex's gaze shifted between them. "I can't... Don't have the mana for more heals."
"No matter," Janet replied in her orcish voice. Turning her attention back to Phionex. "I suggest moving your party away from here quickly."
Nodding in agreement Phionex and Lorali left her standing over the dead warrior. Fang at her feet wagging his tail as he chowed down on the goblin corpse. For some reason that wasn't nearly as stomach turning for her than when she sliced into the small beasts.
"Fang," she called, the wolf pup looked up at her with a bloody maw.
The party picked up their camp quickly.
"You're welcomed to travel with us," Jones said as he hoisted his pack over his shoulder.
"Which way?" was she getting use to this voice already.
"We'll head back to safer hunting grounds, so back towards the starter village," the tank said. "We'll walk a ways and then we'll have to log out for a bit."
"Log out," she muttered and turned to look at the party.
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"Ah... go to sleep," Jones corrected.
"You don't need to act like that to the npc Jones," Ellik countered wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "Not like it needs to know anyway. You may end up helping the enemy, its an orc."
That actually brought a good question to mind. How are the half orcs treated? Were they part of the evil race of orcs that mingled with goblins like in most fantasies? Or were they a nation of their own? She had a clan, but where that clan is, she had no idea.
"He helped us," Jones said, and then shook his head at the elf. "Remember the game has a high quality AI, and the npcs are like people in that way."
Phionex placed a hand on Janet's shoulder. "Careful Ellik, if you make him too angry he may attack."
Shaking her head and pulling away from Phionex she started walking. "Fang, come," she said as the puppy started to follow. The party started to follow was well. Jones picked up his pace and matches steps with her, before he bowed his head and moved in front. She slowed her step and walked next to Phionex. The two elves took up the rear. They walked along the river a good two hours before Jones called a halt.
"This should be far enough, besides we need to... sleep," he said looking at her. "The road is another 4 or 5 hours."
They made camp, Janet honestly didn't plan on staying once they logged out. Lorali yawned behind her hand as the males made the tents. She sat on a rock near the river and watched them. Phionex came over.
"I don't think its going to work how they think it will, I think you all will still be tired when you log back on," she whispered as her eyes watched the mage.
"I plan on keeping you a secret," Phionex whispered back, "however I will inquire gently into what happened."
"Check on my body, if I am in a coma, make something up," her gaze moved back to the rest of them.
"I will Jan," he said. She placed her hand over her face, she felt the tusks and the stubble.
"Cagen," she said with an almost defeated sigh.
Jones waved at them. "Camp is done... we're huh, going to go to sleep now.... don't come into the tent okay?"
Janet lifted a brow and waved her compliance. They walked into the tent, and a couple of breaths later there was a heavy thud and the clanking of metal, followed by two lighter thuds. She and Phionex exchanged looks. Standing she followed Phionex towards the tent with Jones and looked at the tank's body, it had fallen once the player logged off. Phionex pulled up his system window.
"He has a condition, armor fatigue," the mage said. Janet crossed her orcish arms.
"The Elves?"
"They are fine, couple hit knocked off." Janet watched as he opened a message screen and stopped. "This would actually be a good lesson."
"I'll keep watch. You need to eat and stretch your legs right. The game set works while awake or asleep, but you still need to move."
"I'll be quick," Phionex said. "But we'll make sure we're in an inn next time."
"That may not always be feasible," she said watching as he moved Jones to laying down.
"Yeah... do you... have a system?" he asked sitting down.
Nodding she looked out towards the forest, her forearm still holding up the flap. She watched as Phionex laid down, and his body went still.
She set up a small camp, gathering firewood with Fang. The puppy wagging his tail as it carried a stick in its mouth. Fire going, she moved to the river and took her clothes off and washed them, got her clothes hung up and then sat in the shallow river. She pulled up the level screen. She could put points into her intelligence and wisdom again. She needed mana. Two points went into each. That left her with three. She increased cure, bringing her healing to 11 per cast now. And then looked at other spells.
Ward. That looked promising.
Wards an area with a 30 foot radius with central point. Sounds an alarm when enemies enter.
She selected Ward, and then increased it rank.
"It costs 5 mana, last 24 hours, not bad."
She got out of the water after cleaning, and changed clothes. She looked towards the forest before she sat down. She saw it. Glowing yellow eyes in the dark. Fang started to growl.
Here we go again.
She summoned a blade to her hand. At least she was at full health and mana now. They came out of the forest. Six of the normal goblins and one of the warriors. She didn't even get to look at her quest yet.
She brought her Soul blade and focused on Glacial knife into it.
I think I am getting far to use to this.
The dark blade took on an icy hue, she moved up to the goblins as they ran towards her. An arrow flew past her, as she sliced into one of the goblin's face, ice freezing the blood before it could spill. She stepped to the side of the warrior's sword, the glancing blow was enough to let her know she needed more hit points. Summoning a dagger she tossed it at one of the goblins that had its stone blade raised. It staggered the goblin, but she blocked the warrior with her blade. It grinned at her and stabbed her. She should have known.
21/31.
Backing away from the warrior she swung at another goblin, stabbing through its gut. The creature gurgled and dropped as an arrow slammed into her shoulder. Moving her feet she dodged the warrior's blade strike. Choosing to throw another soul blade dagger, this time at the warrior, ducking behind a tree to avoid the stone dagger impact.
Two down, four and warrior to go.
Moving away from the tree, she went right into a club swing in her side. Grunting she stumbled, barely avoiding another club attack, while trying to regain balance. Realizing now, she was going to need to get better at fighting if she was going to stay alive in this new hell.
As if high school hadn't been bad enough.
Her thoughts soured as her blade slid into the stomach of one of the goblins, she sliced it open. The warrior barked something in she assumed goblin. Turning to face them she noticed the warrior glaring at her, its short sword pointed at her.
Is this thing issuing a challenge at me?
Her eyes swept the fire lit camp, one goblin injured, two healthy and the warrior.
"This is good practice," she said in attempt to sound not scared. She still didn't know what happens when she dies, if she can. She faced off with the goblin. It rushed at her first, thrusting its short sword out, grazing her leg with an off but deep cut. Using both hands Janet brought the scimitar racing towards the goblin's head. It ducked, but not in time, she took part of its ear off. The severed bit landed with the light flop on the ground. Blood running down the creature's face. Shifting the blade she moved it back towards the goblin. However the warrior hopped back away from her.
It spoke something in goblin, and it and its remaining goblins turned to leave. She can't let them escape and get more. She took off after them, lunging towards one she knocked the goblin over and forced her scimitar into the back of its head. Pulling the blade out, she took off again. This time the goblins were trying to run in earnest. The under brush bashed against her, luckily she was just a bit faster than the goblins, catching up with the injured one, she attacked. The goblin fumbled and fell, she was about to attack it when Fang pounced on it, biting into its shoulder and shaking.
"Good boy," she said to Fang. The goblins yapped at each other, and the warrior shoved the other back towards her. The thing stabbed at her as it was shoved. She took the additional damage, as she shoved her own blade into its open mouth, then a dagger into its cheek to make sure.
That left that warrior.
10/31
The goblin was spewing words from his mouth, Janet could imagine what colorful language that he was using. She thought about all the cool things she could try to do right now, like swirl the blade around her hand. She wasn't that confident yet. She summoned a second blade in her other hand, and got ready. Deep down she was a gamer. She could feel the grin forming on her face, the lips moving around the tusks.
This time she moved first, the warrior matched her in a breath, her scimitar blocked by his sword, however she stopped his dagger with her other blade. Already knowing what he was going to do.
"That wont work worm," she growled in orcish in the goblin's face. An intimidation alert popped up. Then an acrid stench. She used her foot to knock the goblin off his feet, following through with her blades into his chests. She could hear the pops and cracks of the bones as they broke.
Kneeling over the goblin she took a moment to get her breath, standing she let the blades go and they vanished a moment later. Looking at her hands she was covered in blood... again.
"I should have looked for a cleaning spell," she muttered wiping her hands on her pants.