[Current Visibility (Rhun Bone Crusher): 0/200]
Isabelle began to slowly inch forward as Rhun Bone Crusher looked around for her.
[Current Visibility (Rhun Bone Crusher): 0/200]
Great. She stuck to the darker sides of the arena, where the walls were casting a slight shadow, in hopes of making herself harder to see.
“The human is trying to sneak around and hide instead of fighting Rhun Bone Crusher head on. It really shows what kind of a cowardly fighter she is, and how menacing he is,” said the annoucer. The crowd grumbled with distemper. Some of them eve started shouting Isabelle’s position, which was currently to Rhun’s far right.
Rhun looked to his far right after hearing a couple of the audience members.
[Current Visibility (Rhun Bone Crusher): 20/200]
Okay, that wasn’t so bad. Isabelle was thankful for the shadows. She backed away a little.
[Current Visibility (Rhun Bone Crusher): 0/200]
Perfect. Only now she could she Rhun lumbering over towards her direction.
“Rhun’s not messing around,” said the announcer. “He looks ready to smash this human like a fly.”
Isabelle did not care for this announcer one bit. When would he stop taking every opportunity to make the audience hate her?
[Current Visibility (Rhun Bone Crusher): 15/200]
Uh oh. The closer Rhun walked, the more of Isabelle’s position he seemed to be able to make out. She crawled further off to the side.
[Current Visibility (Rhun Bone Crusher): 0/200]
Whew, that could’ve been bad.
Rhun raised up his huge steel hammer and slammed it into the ground. A shockwave rippled through the dirt and dust, eventually hitting Isabelle and lifting her up into the air for a moment, landing back down face-first.
[-1 hp]
[Current Visibility (Rhun Bone Crusher): 130/200]
Shit.
“Ah-ha! Now I see you, human!” said Rhun with a chuckle. He lumbered towards her, raising his hammer.
“Rhun Bone Crusher outsmarted the cowardly human with his great big hammer! What’s she going to do now?” said the announcer. The audience jeered at Isabelle.
As Rhun got closer, Isabelle started crawling from side to side, hoping to lower her visibility to him a little.
[Current Visibility (Rhun Bone Crusher): 80/200]
Yes. It was working. Rhun stopped walking forward and looked around for her, grumbling in frustration.
[Current Visibility (Rhun Bone Crusher): 60/200]
Great. Isabelle inched further away, and then started to circle around Rhun.
[Current Visibility (Rhun Bone Crusher): 30/200]
“Shit, I can’t see her. Tricky little human,” said Rhun.
[Current Visibility (Rhun Bone Crusher): 5/200]
The audience tried to shout to Rhun to look behind him, but each time he would turn, Isabelle would crawl a little back or a little forwards, so that no matter which way he turned, he could not see her. Soon, Rhun was growing very frustrated and even more confused.
[Current Visibility (Rhun Bone Crusher): 0/200]
“Looks like the human has given Rhun the slip. But I’m sure her shady tactics can’t measure up for his strength!” said the announcer. The audience started chanting Rhun’s name.
This was so totally backward. Isabelle was obviously showing her mettle as a great fighter, and a great strategist. She’d only taken one hp of damage so far, and Rhun was only getting more and more frustrated as he looked for her.
“This is fucking ridiculous!” said Rhun, raising his hammer up and slamming it into the ground three times. The shockwaves flung Isabelle up into the air higher and higher, and when she landed Rhun turned and caught a glimpse of her.
[-3 hp]
[Current Visibility (Rhun Bone Crusher): 95/200]
“There you are. Nasty little human,” said Rhun, slinging his hamer over his shoulder and walking towards her faster this time.
Isabelle had to think fast. She had an idea. She pulled up her inventory.
Inventory: Isabelle
Carrying capacity: 29.5/43
Item
Traits
Peasant Robes (human)
+1 carry weight
Copy of the Cloud Reach List of Laws
+0.5 carry weight
Crooked Citadel Training Sword (poisoned)
+1 poison, +3 damage, +3 stm, +7 carry weight
Brass knuckles
+4 damage (melee), +1 stm, +0.5 carry weight
Potion of Greater Health
+20 hp, +0.5 carry weight
Potion of Lesser Stamina
+5 stm, +0.5 carry weight
Citadel Training Sword
+2 damage, +2 stm, +6 carry weight
Citadel Training Shield
+3 str, +3 const, +10 carry weight
Throwing Dagger x5
+3 damage, +0.5 carry weight
Bobby pin x5
n/a
Hook Sword x2
+6 damage, +3 carry weight
Gold (130)
n/a
Isabelle focused on the throwing daggers.
[Throwing Dagger x5 equipped]
Isabelle took a throwing dagger. Instead of aiming it at Rhun, she aimed it at a spot of dirt on the ground far away from her. She threw the dagger.
[Stamina 98%]
“Huh? What was that?” Rhun turned to look in the direction of the sound of the dagger.
This was her chance. Isabelle scurried off to a diffferent spot of the field only a little distance away from Rhun.
[Current Visibility (Rhun Bone Crusher): 0/200]
“Shit! I lost her again!” Rhun said. “I can’t wait to wring your scrawny little neck, human. You can run, and you can hide, but once I find you you’re dead meat. And I will find you.”
Isabelle wondered if she could get a stealth attack bonus with one of these daggers while she was hiding. As Rhun turned around every which way trying to find her, Isabelle threw a dagger right at his head.
[Sneak attack]
[Critical hit]
[180 damage dealt]
It stuck perfectly into his forehead. Nice.
“Ack! Fuck’s sake!” said Rhun. He grasped the dagger’s handle and yanked it out of his head. Blood ran down his face, but Rhun only chuckled and threw the dagger aside.
“A nasty sneak attack from the hidden human,” said the announcer. “I gotta say, folks, this was not how I was expecting this fight to go.”
The crowd booed.
Isabelle wondered just exactly how much health Rhun had. He barely seemed staggered by taking 180 damage. Good thing she was still hidden.
Rhun raised his hammer, preparing to slam the ground again and knock Isabelle into the air again. She’d been thinking about how she could avoid detection. As soon as he slammed his hammer into the ground, she watched for the shockwave. Isabelle could see it faintly moving through the ground. Then, right at the right moment, she jumped.
[98% Stamina]
Isabelle landed.
[Current Visibility (Rhun Bone Crusher): 0/200]
“Huh?” Rhun said, looking around. “I can’t see her anywhere!”
Perfect. As Rhun looked around for her, she took another shot at him with a throwing dagger. It hit him in the lower back.
[Sneak attack]
[95 damage dealt]
“Ack!” Rhun cried out. “This stupid human is unbearable!” Rhun raised his hammer and slammed in into the ground five times.
This was ridiculous. Isabelle watched each shockwave and jumped, but this time she jumped forward, inching closer and closer to Rhun.
[Stamina 75%]
Now Isabelle was right behind Rhun, and his hammer was still buried into the ground. She had to act quickly before he pulled it up off the ground and looked for her. There was no more time to hide. Isabelle opened her inventory.
Inventory: Isabelle
Carrying capacity: 29.5/43
Item
Traits
Peasant Robes (human)
+1 carry weight
Copy of the Cloud Reach List of Laws
+0.5 carry weight
Crooked Citadel Training Sword (poisoned)
+1 poison, +3 damage, +3 stm, +7 carry weight
Brass knuckles
+4 damage (melee), +1 stm, +0.5 carry weight
Potion of Greater Health
+20 hp, +0.5 carry weight
Potion of Lesser Stamina
+5 stm, +0.5 carry weight
Citadel Training Sword
+2 damage, +2 stm, +6 carry weight
Citadel Training Shield
+3 str, +3 const, +10 carry weight
Throwing Dagger x5
+3 damage, +0.5 carry weight
Bobby pin x5
n/a
Hook Sword x2
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
+6 damage, +3 carry weight
Gold (130)
n/a
Isabelle focused on the hook swords. If she’d planned correctly, she only needed one.
[Hook sword equipped]
[Current Visibility (Rhun Bone Crusher): 0/200]
Rhun slowly moved his head. Isabelle twirled and swung the hook sword over the back of his neck.
[Sneak attack]
[Critical hit]
As the hook sword spun over and through Rhun’s neck, his head spearated from his body and blood spilled out of him like a fountain. His severed head rolled in the dirt as his body fell forward, leaning onto his hammer, which kept it from falling completely over. Almost like a statue.
[345 damage dealt]
[‘Rhun’ is dead]
[Armed combat increased to level 5]
[Combat mode deactivated]
[Notice: You’re ready to level up]
Fuck yes. About time.
The crowd booed. And then, some of them started cheering.
“It looks like even Rhun Bone Crusher couldn’t stand up to Isabelle the human,” said the announcer. “The human will have three minutes to regroup before the next battle.”
Three minutes. Isabelle expected as much. Of course, she didn’t need to do a lot of healing, thanks to how this match had panned out, so it wasn’t a big deal.
Quest: Fight Your Third Citadel Battle
Description: You’ve completed your second Citadel Battle. Now it’s time to fight the next round.
Reward: 80 gold, ability to continue on the ‘Citadel Fighter’ questing path
Note: You cannot deactivate this quest
Completed
[80 gold added to inventory]
Quest: Fight Your Fourth Citadel Battle
Description: You’ve completed your third Citadel Battle. Now it’s time to fight the next round.
Reward: 90 gold, ability to continue on the ‘Citadel Fighter’ questing path
Note: You cannot deactivate this quest
Activated
Isabelle really felt they ought to be giving her more money. She’d just beheaded someone!
[Quest ‘Fight Your Fourth Citadel Battle’ activated]
[Loading quest]
[…]
[…]
[Quest prepared]
[Prepare to fight. You have 3 minutes]
[Notice: You’re ready to level up]
Isabelle wondered something. Should she level up? She was already going to recover all her health.
[+3 hp]
[Notice: You’re ready to level up]
The notices were annoying, but if Isabelle could just hold out until the end of the next fight, she’d be able to heal herself up before the last fight without leveling up just yet. And that appealed to her. Isabelle decided what she really ought to do is try and loot Rhun, so she focused on his body.
[Loot ‘Rhun Bone Crusher’?]
Isabelle thought yes.
Inventory: Rhun Bone Crusher
Item
Traits
Peasant Robes (orc)
+1 carry weight
Throwing Dagger x1
+3 damage, +0.5 carry weight
Steel Warhammer
+33 damage, +28 carry weight
Gold (15)
n/a
Woah. That was a serious hammer he’d had. Good thing Rhun had never managed to hit Isabelle with it. Isabelle wasn’t sure whether it was worth it or not to take the hammer. It seemed like a bit of liability for someone who hadn’t used such a heavy weapon before, and she’d have to almost empty out her inventory for it. Then again, it might come in handy in a pinch. Isabelle looked at her own inventory.
Inventory: Isabelle
Carrying capacity: 29.5/43
Item
Traits
Peasant Robes (human)
+1 carry weight
Copy of the Cloud Reach List of Laws
+0.5 carry weight
Crooked Citadel Training Sword (poisoned)
+1 poison, +3 damage, +3 stm, +7 carry weight
Brass knuckles
+4 damage (melee), +1 stm, +0.5 carry weight
Potion of Greater Health
+20 hp, +0.5 carry weight
Potion of Lesser Stamina
+5 stm, +0.5 carry weight
Citadel Training Sword
+2 damage, +2 stm, +6 carry weight
Citadel Training Shield
+3 str, +3 const, +10 carry weight
Throwing Dagger x2
+3 damage, +0.5 carry weight
Bobby pin x5
n/a
Hook Sword x2
+6 damage, +3 carry weight
Gold (130)
n/a
If Isabelle decided to take the hammer, she’d have 15 carry weight left to use. So, she needed to decide what other items she needed on hand. Obviously the potions were staying in her inventory, and they only took up 1 carry weight. The brass knuckles were only 0.5, so they could stay, as could the Cloud Reach List of Laws and her Peasant Robes. With all those, Isabelle was up to 3 carry weight, leaving 12 to go. Essentially, it would come down to what weapons she wanted. The Throwing Daggers only took up 1 carry weight, so they stayed. Isabelle noticed the hook swords took the least amount of carry weight, and also added the most damage per item. She’d need to keep those. That left her with 5 carry weight. So, the shield was out. Oh well, Isabelle didn’t care for shields anyway.
Isabelle noticed a problem. Her poisoned sword would have to go, too. Its damage was terrible compared to the hook swords, but Isabelle loved that it poisoned people. Could she maybe use crafting to put the poison on her hook swrds? Did she have time?
[+3 hp]
[Notice: You’re ready to level up]
A little more than a minute to go. Isabelle had to at least try. She thought ‘Open Crooked Citadel Training Sword (poisoned) crafting menu.’
Crafting
Item
Craftable
Crooked Citadel Training Sword (poisoned)
Throwing Daggers (poisoned) x2
Hook Sword (poisoned) x2
Brass knuckles (poisoned)
Wow. Isabelle wanted to poison everything! But she had little time. Isabelle focused on ‘hook sword (poisoned) x2.’
[Craft ‘Hook Sword (poisoned) x2’ out of items ‘Crooked Citadel Training Sword (poisoned)’ and ‘Hook Sword x2’? This cannot be undone.]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
[Notice: You’re ready to level up]
[‘Crooked Citadel Training Sword (poisoned)’ taken from inventory]
[‘Hook Sword x2’ taken from inventory]
[Crafting ‘Hook Sword (poisoned) x2’]
[…]
[…]
[…]
[Crafting complete]
[‘Hook Sword (poisoned) x2’ added to inventory]
[‘Crooked Citadel Training Sword (poisoned)’ added to inventory]
[Notice: You’re ready to level up]
Fuck yes! Wait, the Crooked Citadel Training Sword (poisoned) was still in her inventory? Isabelle had to move quickly, but maybe she could poison her throwing daggers too. Isabelle thought ‘Open Crooked Citadel Training Sword (poisoned) crafting menu.’
Crafting
Item
Craftable
Crooked Citadel Training Sword (poisoned)
Throwing Daggers (poisoned) x2
Brass knuckles (poisoned)
Isabelle focused on ‘Throwing Daggers (poisoned) x2.’
[Craft ‘Throwing Daggers (poisoned) x2’ out of items ‘Crooked Citadel Training Sword (poisoned)’ and ‘Throwing Daggers x2’? This cannot be undone.]
[Y/N]
Isabelle thought yes.
[Notice: You’re ready to level up]
[‘Crooked Citadel Training Sword (poisoned)’ taken from inventory]
[‘Throwing Daggers x2’ taken from inventory]
[Crafting ‘Throwing Daggers (poisoned) x2’]
[…]
[…]
[…]
[Crafting complete]
[‘Throwing Daggers (poisoned) x2’ added to inventory]
[‘Crooked Citadel Training Sword (poisoned)’ was broken]
[Notice: You’re ready to level up]
Well, at least Isabelle got her throwing daggers poisoned. Isabelle focused on all the inventory items she didn’t want to keep and thought ‘discard.’ Then, she opened Rhun’s inventory again.
Inventory: Rhun Bone Crusher
Item
Traits
Peasant Robes (orc)
+1 carry weight
Steel Warhammer
+33 damage, +28 carry weight
Gold (15)
n/a
She took the Steel Warhammer and the gold.
Inventory: Rhun Bone Crusher
Item
Traits
Peasant Robes (orc)
+1 carry weight
[Notice: You’re ready to level up]
“I will now introduce our next challenger against the human,” said the announcer. The audience had a lukewarm response.
A lanky figure walked out from the opposing wing. It was another kobold in a loin cloth this time. They were spinning some sort of chain in the air with a flaming ball at the end. They looked rather dangerous, and had a toothy grin.
“Give it up, everybody, for Daldi! Word is he’s a bit of a pyro, and has really been looking forward to setting this night on fire!” said the announcer. The audience cheered.
[Notice: You’re ready to level up]
[Combat mode activated]
The whistle blew.
[Fight for your life]
Isabelle wasn’t exactly sure how she’d fight this fire wielding kobold, but she had a feeling it was going to be tricky.