#There is no shade
Despite having boldly proclaimed that I would do "Engineering", there's only so much that a solo craftsman can do. I couldn't build large barricades or catapults, these were only possible by crafting guilds with ties to Rhesta.
While others were clearing up Harpy corpses, I spent most of the time repairing equipment, as well as crafting weapons and armor (mostly weapons, as I made it clear that that was my specialty).
The moment I set up shop, all the members of the Sisterhood of the Sword-Bow that were in town rushed to get their very own "Made by Notrem" Sword-Bows. This resulted in: a) me getting very uncomfortable, as many of the members were fairly attractive, and b) good business, as people tend to "follow the crowd".
In other words, when people see that a particular store has many customers, they will assume that the store is good, and patronize it themselves.
At one point there was a call for blacksmiths to produce cauldrons (that were to be filled with boiling oil/water/soup) for a small fee. I starting crafting immediately, but only managed to make one before they decided they had enough cauldrons.
"I'm extremely dissapointed in you," exclaimed Milia, who was standing right next to me, on top of the battlements of Rhesta's defensive walls.
"I know..." (Notrem)
"When you said that you made me a weapon, I was expecting something different," she continued.
"I know..."
"And this is after you gave me that lecture in Serabourg about "the proper way of shooting"!"
"I know..."
"So what is the meaning of this!"
The matter that started this argument would be the weapon I crafted for Milia, myself, and several members of the Sisterhood (I'll call them this from now on, to make things easier). Namely, this:
http%3a%2f%2fi1330.photobucket.com%2falbums%2fw580...dbe2b2.png [http://i1330.photobucket.com/albums/w580/Koh_Shun_Merton/sunblock_iso_zps58dbe2b2.png]
(click the image for more details) (No, seriously, click it!)
Sunblock - SPF 30:
Durability: 75/75
Damage: 3-5 (per bolt)
Designed for the defense of Rhesta, this weapon can fire a volley of up to 30 bolts simultaneously either in an arc or straight ahead. Due to the weight and size of this weapon, its strength requirement is abnormally high.
Equip:
-10 DEX
Fires multiple bolts
Greatly reduced accuracy
Reduced movement speed
Limits:
Level 30
DEX 20+
STR 65+
(Note: this weapon is made for Milia)
"I can't even equip it without equipping some Strength gear first! And what kind of name is this?!"
"It suits the situation..." I said, "On the bright side, at least you're not using mine."
The weapon that I'm using is a slightly smaller than a 2:1 scale model of Milia's weapon.
Sunblock - SPF 100:
Durability: 75/75
Damage: 6-9 (per bolt)
Designed for the defense of Rhesta, this weapon can fire a volley of up to 100 bolts simultaneously in an arc. Due to the weight and size of this weapon, its strength requirement is abnormaly high, and it cannot be fire straight ahead.
Equip:
-18 DEX
Fires multiple bolts
Greatly reduced accuracy
Reduced movement speed
Limits:
Level 60
DEX 30+
STR 140+
"That's hardly comforting," Milia said, "Besides, that isn't the only problem I have."
"Eh?"
"For example, who's this guy that's been standing next to me for some time now?"
I'd been facing northwards for some time now, in order to keep an eye on the approaching army, so I hadn't been paying attention to anyone who might've been approaching us.
So forgive me if I seem surprised to see him.
"KAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG!!!!!!!!"
"NOTREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEM!!!!!!!"
"KAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG!!!!!!!!"
"NOTREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEM!!!!!!!"
"KAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG!!!!!!!!"
"NOTREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEM!!!!!!!"
"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" (Milia)
http%3a%2f%2fi2.kym-cdn.com%2fentries%2ficons%2forig...kayguy.jpg [http://i2.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/003/617/okayguy.jpg]
The person standing on the other side of Milia, who had probably been looking this way for a long time waiting for the right moment, was my old friend Kang. He was still wearing his old ragged cloth armor. Or, it could be a new set made to look like the old set, if one would go through the trouble of making it look just as ragged as the old set. But then, players are a vain bunch, so Kang might actually have done just that.
"When did you arrive?" I asked.
"Shortly after dawn, and then I saw you up here and decided to come look for you," he explained, "You're not cheating on Pepe here, are you?"
"I'M NOT GOING OUT WITH ANYONE!" (Notrem) (Wait, that's not something to be proud of))
"HE'S NOT MY BOYFRIEND!" (Milia)
"Where is Pepe anyway? She didn't come with you?"
"No," Kang shrugged, "Unfortunately she's too far away and won't make it in time for this."
"Heads up," Milia interjected, just before a modest(?) cheer erupted from our side.
'Up' might not have been the right word, as the direction she was watching was straight ahead and slightly to the left.
Just as I was about to ask what happened, it happened again. From our side, a lone arrow shot forth at a 45 degree angle upwards. It drew an arc in the air before falling into the enemy ranks. It is unknown whether or not it actually hit or killed anything, but the fact that it reached the enemy gave us a huge morale boost.
"From this distance?!" I exclaimed, it would still be at least an hour before I could reach the enemy.
"IF HE CAN DO IT, SO CAN I!" Kang suddenly proclaimed as he took up the classic stance.
http%3a%2f%2fwww.freecodesource.com%2fwallpaper%2f...49738.jpeg [http://www.freecodesource.com/wallpaper/buttons-849738.jpeg]
"HADOUKEN!"
You wouldn't expect a ball of energy to have a maximum range. Even if there are versions of it in Street Fighter that will fade after a short distance, these are normally done by the characters less proficient in the move, or is accompanied by one with infinite range by the same character.
Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.
However, it seems that the one Kang uses is of the limited range variety, as it ended up fading halfway across the battlefield.
http%3a%2f%2fimages4.fanpop.com%2fimage%2fanswers%2f...51_201.jpg [http://images4.fanpop.com/image/answers/1115000/1115116_1290962179656.8res_251_201.jpg]
*This isn't becoming a trend, is it...*
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Kang wasn't alone in trying to match the sniper. More than a few arrows and spells were wasted before the enemies finally entered the attack range of regular players. And once they got close enough, we managed to get a better look at what we were facing.
As far as armies go, this one was fairly small, numbering at most 50,000 demons.
But of course, Rhesta wasn't equipped to defend itself. All it had for itself was a near limitless supply of ammunition and basic equipment.
The army consists of of roughly equal amounts of three-arm warriors, Cyclopes, and imps, with a few hundred Harpies flying overhead.
"Now that they're closer, it really does look like they don't have a commander," I said.
There wasn't anyone standing at the front of the army, nor was there any portion of the army that were better equipped than the rest. In fact, the only armor they had were scraps of metal plates strategically strapped to themselves.
Also, they were in rank and file, but there didn't seem to be any pattern in their formation. A Cyclops could be standing in front of an imp, with warriors at his side and while another Cyclops stood in front of him with imps at his side.
Luckily, our side was much better organized.
The northern wall (that is facing the enemy) is mostly occupied by mages and archers (including myself), with a few support and melee classes. Our sole orders were to "kill the enemies".
If the enemy were to somehow scale the wall, we were expected to fend them off ourselves. The Sisterhood, especially, is burdened with that task, and its members are spread out along the wall.
The northern gate is also barricaded from the inside with a wall of packed dirt.
On either side of Rhesta are barricades and trenches that are meant to prevent the attacking army to flank us and attack the city from the eastern and western gates. Defending these were majority of the melee players, including Kenobi, Splay Mark, and Kang (who went down after speaking with us).
On the inside of Rhesta, reserve units (mostly NPC's) are on standby at headquarters to reinforce any weak areas.
The city craftsmen had somehow managed to clear some land and build two catapults to fire debris (where do you expect us to find that many boulders?) at the enemy from behind the city walls.
Rui managed to get a position as the main strategist. And as for Voltanis, he's at headquarters, serving in much the same fashion as the reserves. Since his summons were reset when he came back to the present (time travel and shit), he will be sending his summons where ever they might be needed. Also, apparently, he still has a few aces up his sleeves.
And as the narrator is saying all this, the battle has already started in earnest.
(Wait, we have a narrator?)
Spoiler :
http%3a%2f%2fwodumedia.com%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f...60x640.jpg [http://wodumedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Narrator-Morgan-Freeman.-Photo-Credit-Alex-Berliner.-2005-Warner-Bros.-Entertainment-Inc-23-960x640.jpg]
By now, arrows, bolts and spells were flying over towards the enemy in large numbers.
In a normal battle, the attacking army would probably be raising their shields right about now, but of course, the demons had none. As a result the enemy have no way of defending themselves, and are taking the full brunt of the attack.
In response to the attack, the army ceased its marching, and started to charge full throttle at us.
"Aren't you going to shoot?" Milia asked.
"You first."
"HUH?!" Milia exclaimed, "why should I?"
"Because the weapon is untested and I need to know its range," I explained, "and wasting 30 bolts is better than wasting a hundred."
"Oh screw you," despite her words, Milia went ahead and prepared to fire her weapon.
After drawing the weapon by pulling on the two handles on either side, she used the [Load Quiver] skill to load the weapon with 30 bolts. She went on one knee and planted the weapon on the ground. Bracing the weapon against her foot, she aimed it towards the army at a 45° angle before firing.
The "Quiver" portion of the weapon shot forwards like a piston, and launched the 30 bolts into the air.
*So this is what my [Shower] skill will be like at Advanced level 9.* I thought to myself.
The bolts flew high into the air, raining back down at the enemy. However, due to the low damage, nobody was actually killed by the attack
"So the range of the SPF 30 is a little shorter than the average crossbow," I said, "Now let's see how far the SPF 100 model can fire."
The procedure for the firing of the SPF 100 model is similar to that of the SPF 30. Drawing the weapon was a little tricky due to its size, but I managed it in the end.
Also due to its size, the SPF 100 can only be fired like a mortar, whereas the SPF 30 can be used to fire straight ahead as well. Instead of a kneeling position I remained standing so that I can hold the handles (and trigger) while bracing the bottom against my foot.
"Hey, you never told me why you named the weapon 'Sunblock'," Milia said.
Instead of telling her, I spoke a single word.
"[Shower]"
http%3a%2f%2fimages.moviefanatic.com%2fiu%2ft_full...he-sky.jpg [http://images.moviefanatic.com/iu/t_full/v1364991027/arrows-blot-the-sky.jpg]
"Oh... Sunblock."
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Author's Notes:
Hello Again!
First off, I'd like to apologize that I'm back to short chapters again :p
On the bright side though, NEW WEAPON!
WOOHOO!
And this time it has its own 3D Model.
Now that RoyalRoadL has switched hosts, my log-in and posting permission issues have been resolved, and I can now post and comment normally.
As usual, all comments and criticisms are welcome!