“What’s going on, Loke?” Asked Jane.
“Did you lose your mind?” It was Alistar. I had never seen him so scared before.
I guessed he had been hiding it behind a mask until now.
“I’m really sorry,” I whispered back, “I knew that man. He was the Sunguard that did not help us back then when Charlie and Gamila died; when I lost my arm.”
“Oh… he’s the f***** then,” Alistar’s eyes got sharper.
“I’m calm now; let’s just wait for him to leave; I guess he’ll take the chance; he’s probably been waiting for the whole night to leave at dawn.”
The bastard left a couple of minutes later.
His shiny, golden armor and the Crystals shaped visor of the helmet he was carrying at his side were symbols of the Sunguard. Nobody else could wear those things, they were their distinctive traits.
But the Sunguards were not only men in uniforms. They were called Sunguards for a reason.
Their armor was made so that enemy Flow would ignore them; they would not receive damage from it, as long as they wore their armor, and the same could be said about their vehicles.
Although ours had all broken out because of the lack of repairs and the huge amount of Crystals required to ride them when it was night; Flow-cart were very common; they were regularly in use in most villages. They were costly, but there was at least one per farm.
However, a Sunguard’s Flow-cart was different. It was a battle tool for scouting and moving about at fast speeds and over great distances. They were not simply tools to carry weight or easily carve the earth with. And the Sunguard’s were built with the same type of Flow-ignoring armor.
We saw him slowly leave through a trail on the road left by the slave traders; he probably knew the only route without traps. The Flow-cart emitted a low sound; it was engineered so that it attracted as little attention as possible, but I could hear it really well.
Jane brought me out of my reverie. “The hounds, there were three of them, I see none, and Tally has yet to see any incoming party.”
“Yeah,” I answered, “those are Flow creatures; they will probably be coming out shortly.”
As a matter of fact, the three hounds were soon released on the farm.
They were roughly as big as Gnolls if they walked on four legs.
It was thought that Gnoll-hounds were Gnolls that did not cut it as sentients, but the truth was different; the animalistic trait in them was much more accentuated in them than in sentient Gnolls, although they sure came from the same evolutionary root. Or so my master thought.
Those are going to be an easy job, I thought as I studied them.
As long as they slept, I could take care of all of them without emitting a sound loud enough for anyone to notice. However, we still had to gauge the real number of enemies. If they were all here, we needed some of them to leave, get them by surprise, and wait for more.
***
I was perched atop the tallest tree, hidden by the shade and in equilibrium on a branch while safely anchored under the tree trunk.
The first party of soon to be victims appeared roughly half an hour after the Sunguard left.
My voice-bridge buzzed, and Jane told me that four of them were coming toward me, and they voice-bridges at their belts too.
“Alright,” I said, on the voice-bridge from atop of my tree. “Have Tally ready to intercept any runaways, ok?
“She’s already flying over the party. I’ll be waiting by the trail; I can catch them off guard in case they shrug Tally off.”
“Good. What are they?” I asked.
Of course, we had brought voice-bridges. As long as we stayed five hundred or so meters from each other, we could communicate. Alistar would remain there, standing in guard and communicating to Jane every change. She would stay five hundred meters from him while trying to stay close to me. On the other hand, I would be the advanced party, killing them and staying in the long-range.
If Alistar had something to communicate, he would say it to Jane, which would, in turn, say it to me through the voice-bridge.
I had the heavy job; however, as long as there were no proper trackers among them, I could count on the surprise factor to snipe them out.
“Two light warriors, a scout, and a hunter; they seem to have all Advanced Classes. But there are no pets,” she said.
If the first part of her message was not what I wished to hear, the last part was music for my ears. No pets meant no animal to sniff my whereabouts or run back to get the others’ attention. I could send them to the Abyss, as long as I remained silent enough.
The enemy party soon came into my sight range. Their voice bridges did not work at that distance. They shouldn’t have, at least.
I checked my stability as I anchored my legs safely around the branch, shooting an arrow would not be enough to dislodge me from there.
The incoming party consisted of people without helmets, which meant that if I played my cards correctly, I could take them all out with one shot each.
Each one of them was a Shade-cursed. My kind. It was laughable that what they did for a living was pretty much the only job at their disposition. The only other option was to make a village for themselves. Even then, it would be hard-pressed by other villages’ judgemental stares and fears.
I would have never gone that low, but again, I had been lucky for having Nova by my side, and Gramps, and my family, really. I was not the only Shade-cursed individual in the village, but there was only another family of people sharing my traits.
Only one family in an entire village. Almost as rare as Kobolds. Yet the curse had hit them mildly, it receded much sooner when Nova healed them, and they could afford to do something more than just little jobs. In fact, they had been the ones helping Nova and me the most, especially with cooking and working the games we brought.
Anyway, I could think about the rights and wrongs of the world on another day. It was time to hunt down bastards right now.
I nocked a Piercing arrow, it was ideal for perforating skulls, and I knew that when they passed directly below me, I might be able to take out two of them with the same shot, although it was very difficult.
I breathed in, the moment they passed right below me, then as I prepared the shot, knowing I was being greedy, I couldn’t help myself; I Tracked and Traced the moment the Piercing arrow left my bow, in the direction of the last member of the party, the Hunter.
The arrow was still in flight when I readied another headed for the scout, and the sound of my arrow bashing against the Hunter’s skull made them turn around. They did not understand what happened fast enough to save my next victim’s life.
The second arrow dug deep through the scout’s eyes, just before I Tracked and Traced him, almost exiting from the other side. That moment was enough for the warriors to realize what was going on.
One started running toward the camp; the other one ran ahead, through the trail.
I Tracked the one running for the forest. I could see him flinch at that.
Jane already knew that she would have to intercept the runner that was heading back to the camp, while her Eagle would have to drop like a boulder and stop the one running away on the other side. I nocked another Piercing arrow. I feared growing thin of them, but the warrior, although a light one, was wearing armor.
He ran in a serpentine fashion to evade any incoming arrows, but I would not shoot yet. He would drop; the dropping speed of the Eagle was too fast to be evaded; yes, had he been a scout, he would have been able to avoid the Eagle’s attack, but he wasn’t; the man was still a warrior.
I did not have even a single doubt that Tally would do her job, just as I knew that momma Jane would shut the runner back down before he entered voice-bridge range.
I had him in my bow sight. Then I let myself feed on the bow’s Stones. It was like touching a frost flux of air that was always there for my hands to reach.
My sight range increased, and I could feel the Trick Shot imbuing the Skill once again.
The Eagle-rock, finally hit, and I released.
The arrow hit the running warrior first in the back of the head, probably severing his spine, then slightly lower, now surely severing his spine.
He died a few seconds later. As I took in his Tracing.
Although I had Traced the other too, I had ignored them, now their whispers were not mine to feel ever again.
Willy Frost, Saber Warrior Level 35, Leatherworker Level 32
Health: 0%
Stamina: 0%
Strengths: Strength, Agility
Weaknesses: Focus, Boots
Race: Human
Sex: Male
Height: 177 cm
Weight: 75 kg
Age: 24
Origins: Unknown
Family: Unknown
A light warrior of low Skill levels and overall abilities. However, rather bright for his modest upbringing.
You’ve earned 4587 + 6235 + 3221 Soul fractions. Soul fractions for next Hunter level: 22610/25000
You’ve earned 91 + 127 + 75 Soul fractions. Soul fractions for next Tamer level: 571/21000
You’ve earned 91 + 127 + 75 Skill points. Skill points for Trace Major Perk Promotion: 658/2000
You’ve earned 35 + 68 + 49 Skill points. Skill points for Trace Minor Perk Promotion: 430/1000
Those were a lot of Soul fragments, especially for the Scout. It seemed that the guy was the group leader. He might have been a serious problem if I didn’t take him out just then.
Soon later, I heard Jane’s gasping voice. But it was the voice of someone just giving it his all in a run, more than someone delivering bad news.
“Good job. Now we need to hide the bodies and wait a few more hours for them to send another party, hoping they will,” she said over the voice-bridge.
“That’s not what’s worrying me; they will send another party out for sure. What I’m worried about is people coming to check on the traps; I can’t be scouting around for one while waiting here for another party at the same time.”
“I know… I thought about it. I’ll be the one moving about, although I can’t ambush them like you, I’ll try something all the same,” she answered.
“Wait. You could use the Gnolls’ arbalest that Alistar found,” I suggested.
“Nah, I don’t have that kind of aim, also, Alistar doesn’t seem to be bad with it,” she answered.
“Then just have Tally scout the zone; you will know if you need to act. In the meanwhile, I’ll have to suffice against them. If anything goes wrong, I’ll just use the heavy artillery.”
“Alright,” she answered in the metallic voice in which the voice-bridge transformed our voices.
“News, from Alistar?”
“Nothing. The dogs are well trained, though; they take turns in sleeping,” she said before closing the channel for putting the enemy bodies to hide.
I as well climbed down the tree and started working.
On the trail’s side, there was a little height in the forest. It was a nice place in which to hide the bodies… but damn, they were heavy.
I started with the heaviest one. I knew I had to hide the traces of my heavy steps. I was strong enough to haul the armored body on my shoulder, but a trained scout, a hunter, or a pathfinder, would notice them.
So every time I moved a body, I made sure to get back and clean the trail from my weird steps. Also, this time I had to catch them on a different spot. Because at some point, the previous party’s steps disappeared, and if they noticed, and they would, our plan would go to s***.
The problem did not only lie in finding another spot to hunt them down, though. It would have to be closer, which left even less space to intercept them before they communicated through voice-bridge. There was a much higher chance of failure.
The last body I hid was the first I killed, the hunter. For that reason, I stopped to check on his equipment, I could find something useful for him. And indeed, I did.
Ranger Leather Jacket
Durability: 87%
Bonus: Constitution + 5
Strengths: Good defense for a leather jacket, many pockets for utilities
Weaknesses: The leather gets too hot in the sun
A Leather Jacket of low quality. It was made by a newly classed Leatherworker. The many pockets were probably meant for a scout to use.
The scout must have lost it to the Hunter, I mused.
It was still too big for me, but it could be adapted by tightening the laces.
The scout, however, was a smaller man. And his feet were just slightly bigger than mine. I could work with those. Also, boots were really important for scouts, they would be of high quality.
All-season Scouting Leather Boots
Durability: 77%
Bonus: Agility + 4, Constitution + 3
Strengths: Good boots of medium quality
Weaknesses: The leather gets too hot in the sun
Scouting Boots of medium quality. It was made by an experienced Leatherworker. They have been used for a long time but can still work through a couple more seasons.
I tested and tried the boots. Although just slightly bigger, they felt amazing. Four Agility and three Constitution points? It was a massive boost for a pair of boots, nothing I had ever seen or ever possessed gave that many points.
It must have been the work of a good Leatherworker. A thing which suggested that there were indeed higher leveled fellows waiting in that damn base.
“The second party has left the base,” said Jane’s voice.
There was a second of heavy silence, “A hunter with a hound, a rogue, a heavily armored Kob, and… a Halfling scout, but… Loke, they are taking a damn Flow-cart. Also, it looks like a scout is leaving for the forest, probably to check on the traps. You are on your own, Loke.”
Moon’s c***!
I would have to use a Blow arrow for sure. That meant a lot of noise, and noise would mean that the hounds would feel it, so even if we were lucky and those waiting at their base didn’t hear the explosion, the hounds would warn them of our presence.
We were f*****.
“Do we let them pass and keep up with the plan?” she asked.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea; we might be attacked on our way back. Also, they might take revenge on the village and you as well. We can’t afford to have enemies in the open waiting to strike us down. Not while in these conditions.”
“Alistar says the same,” she answered, “take position Loke, they’re coming toward you.”
“We take them down, get ready.”
I left with a run. There was no time to climb any tree, I placed myself on the highest point of the lands, just a few meters above the trail, and lowered my body.
A Stone Blow-arrow would be less effective in daylight but make much less sound.
No. There was a heavy warrior amid them; although primed for piercing damage, they would be passing through the land blessed by the light rays. And if he had a transformation ability, he might as well come out entirely unscathed from it.
I couldn’t take any chances.
The thought of taking the Flow-cart for us was intriguing, but there was no way I could take them all out with regular arrows, not in this position at least, and not at the speed they would be traveling.
It had to make the cart blow up together with them.
I readied a Crystal Blow-Arrow. It was all or nothing.
The Flow-cart’s engine was much louder than the Sunguard’s one. Still, it was nowhere loud enough to mask the explosion that was about to take place, hopefully, the explosions.
“I hope it’s going to work.”
The smell of the smoke of roasted meat coming from the farm seemed to predict what was about to take place.
“Trick Shot,” I whispered in the wind.
I could feel an entire Stone in the bow’s socked exhaust itself to generate the projectile, I felt my blood slightly lose its warmth, just for an instant, but it didn’t matter. What mattered was the arrow’s trajectory; I followed it with my eyes, not losing a meter of its flight.
The world slowed down when I Tracked and Traced the scout at the wheel of the cart, but then it came crashing down on me when that stupid instant of greed made him realize that he was being targeted, that something was flying his way, and that he had to steer the wheel.
The Blow arrow, impacted on the ground, exploding and destabilizing the cart, still intent on moving about erratically.
However, the Shade copy of it hit the rear wheel of the Sunbronze alloy cart, overturning it.
I sucked in a breath as I readied a Saw arrow. If he hadn’t died, with the explosion, which was unlikely, I would have had to kill the Hunter first things first.
I bit my lip, Track, Trace, and kill.
I felt the whispers when a spurt of blood splattered on the overturned cart; its wheels were still rotating as it did.
I readied another arrow, but I knew it would not be enough; I could see the form of a tall Kobold in heavy armor charging at me. Much faster than he was, the hound, shooting toward me, roared.
My heart was beating, fast, too fast for my liking, it threatened to make me lose concentration, but I couldn’t. Not, now, not ever.
Another Saw arrow would be enough. But I had to close the distance.
I started running toward the incoming hound; he would tackle me; that’s how they attacked.
I braked just in time, my bow was ready, and the arrow I released, hit the creature at the center of its chest.
It was not remotely enough to stop the momentum, so the hound’s tackle hit me, but what sent me topple on the ground was a dead creature, not one that could tear me to shreds.
I shot up right away, some of my arrows were on the ground, though, and the scout was nowhere to be seen. I had not heard any whispers, so he or she, I still didn’t know, was still alive.
What was clear was that the Kobold was running at me.
He was a green Kob. An adult that had forfeited warmblood for the ability to breathe underwater and his skin looked like rock.
Another Duress user.
If the scout was not going to show himself, I had to fight the warrior first.
“Why are you going through so much trouble to take us down, little hunter,” said the Kob, releasing his transformation.
I did not answer his taunt. I knew there was a Skill in play, but I could resist it, my Willpower was my highest stats, and although it wasn’t rare for Warriors to have a high Willpower, too, I could feel this wasn’t the case.
“You know that our brothers are already coming here, don’t you? They will have heard the explosion. You were very loud,” he said, hissing a burst of laughter.
I took a Shatter arrow; it would pelter his hard skin and mollify it enough for the Trick Shot to pass through it, that was if I managed to hit in the head. Thankfully the Kob did not wear any armor.
I Tracked and Traced him.
Pillard Nook Heavy Warrior Level 37, Fisher Level 25
Health: 87%
Stamina: 93%
Strengths: Constitution, Strength
Weaknesses: Focus, Willpower
Race: Kobold
Sex: Male
Height: 186 cm
Weight: 123 kg
Age: 34
Origins: Unknown
Family: Unknown
Common build, common traits for a Kob warrior.
“Have fun in the Abyss, slave trader,” I said, releasing the Shatter arrow.
The Kobold ducked, he should have done anything but that.
The projectile passed over his rocky head, but the Shade one exploded on his face, the metal smithereens surely blinding him.
He unconsciously released his transformation as he kneeled on the ground, screaming and covering his face.
I nocked another Shatter arrow as if there would not be a tomorrow if I didn’t, and released the very next moment,
The second Shatter arrow hit him right through the joined hands and through his mouth. The Trick Shot did the same, but the first arrow was enough to end him.
However, I didn’t even have the time to enjoy my victory when a thrown knife planted itself in my shoulder.
The momentum behind that powerful throw sent me on my back and rolling on the floor toward the depression on the ground.
The world became dark, but only for a second.
As I opened my eyes back to take in the world around me and the terrible pain from my shoulder, I noticed that the scout had the high ground and looked at me from the height on which I stood before he smacked me down with that disgustingly powerful attack.
His crooked murk-blood smile spread wide as he prepared to throw the dagger that would end my life.
