The three-way battle continued, with the orcs, hobgoblins, and town guard fighting in a violent and frenzied melee. Only the guards had any magic users, and their spells continued to light up the battlefield with their colourful displays. SJ had tried to attack Bordon, and although the attack was successful, the aftermath was less than desired.
Lying in her battered state, she was amazed by how fast the mind worked on occasion as the club came hurtling down at her. She reflected on what she had achieved during this first outing to Amathera. The friends she had made, the progress, the challenges she had overcome. It had been a wonderful experience, and she only hoped her next would be the same. Closing her eyes, she waited for the end.
The roar that erupted across the battlefield was ear-splitting as the mayor flung his body forward, even with the pain he must have felt from Bordon’s blows. His huge head smashed into the Ogre at the last moment, forcing Bordon’s strike wide of its target, only managing a glancing blow compared to what it would have done if the club had struck her fully. Even the faintest graze of the club as it thudded into the ground at her side reduced her health further, leaving her with only 3 hit points, her health icon on her display flashing wildly. The Ogre roared with a ferocity that portrayed his annoyance at his blow being deflected and turned on the mayor, hammering his club onto his exposed side. The mayor lay prone now, not moving, only the shallow rise and fall of his chest indicating life that remained.
SJ could no longer see what was happening. Her mind was so foggy from crashing into Bordon from her aerial assault.
“MOVE,” Dave screamed. “GET UP NOW, YOU USELESS PIECE OF KOBOLD DUNG.”
Dave’s words screamed inside her mind. Slowly, with uncertainty, SJ rolled onto her hands and knees and began to crawl away. A hand grabbed her under her arm, drawing her to her feet. Stumbling, she glanced and saw Sven, the paladin who had previously healed her and the wolves. His white hair and beard were covered with red stains. She felt a wash of energy rush into her body and saw a bright flash as his healing embraced her.
SJ’s health began to increase rapidly, and the healing stopped when she reached about three-quarters of her maximum. “Come on, move away now,” Sven said, urging her to get distance from the battling monsters.
“Thank you,” SJ coughed, trying to control her breathing. She immediately began to shrink to her miniature size and took off. The mayor lay on his side now, injured and helpless. Jabrey was continuing his struggle against Bordon. In his enraged state, the Ogre seemed unstoppable.
Jabrey backed away, avoiding the Ogre’s tremendously powerful and wild swings. A hobgoblin who had been at odds with one of the guards stepped too close as Bordon swung, and he caught him, sending him sailing through the air like a batter hitting a baseball.
The movement of Jabrey drawing Bordon away allowed Sven to reach the mayor. With both hands on him, SJ watched as a brilliant light, brighter than any she had seen, erupted from his hands. His body shuddered violently as the energy poured through him. The mayor began to stand again. Although in a weakened state, there was still hope. As the pulse of light faded, Sven collapsed to his knees. Sven was spent, and SJ had to help swoop down as she grew, this time supporting him as she helped him away from the battle.
“You saved the mayor,” SJ said as she helped him.
“Thank you. That took everything I had left,” Sven panted.
The numbers started to decrease as more hobs and orcs fell to the guard or each other. SJ glanced around, moving from the immediate combat until she allowed Sven to drop to the ground. Sitting, he quickly called a blue potion from his inventory and began to drink.
“It will take me a while to recover,” he said, smiling at her. “Don’t do anything else stupid. I saw what you did to Bordon.” He laughed weakly.
SJ didn’t respond again, shrinking and taking off. Surveying the continuing battle, she identified targets and again continued her dive-bombing attacks, making sure that her feet were on the ground before reaching full size, not wanting to repeat her two flawed aerial assaults.
A sniff resounded in her mind, “I honestly thought you were gone. The way the mayor sacrificed his own safety was amazing. I have never seen an Amatheran do that for a Legionnaire before.”
“He was amazing,” SJ said.
She currently hovered above the field again. The number of active fighters was dwindling because of injury, death or exhaustion taking over. The fight had been all-consuming for both time and energy.
Turning, SJ looked at Bordon again. Jabrey and the mayor, despite their injuries, continued to fight with determination. Watching Bordon’s health slowly drain. They were working together, making the Ogre switch from one to the next as they closed in on him, clawing, snapping, or slashing with blades. Bordon continued to swing his massive club in response. The Ogre’s skin colour had changed back to its original colour, losing the red hue it had taken. The rage skill must have faded. Standing on his hind legs, the mayor threw himself at the Ogre’s back. His jaws clamped onto the top of his shoulder, tearing into his flesh.
Bordon let out a scream of agony, reaching his hand up, trying to paw the mayor’s huge maw from his throat. It was in vain, though, as the mayor was not letting go. Bordon fell to his knees, and as he did, Jabrey attacked, thrusting both his blades deep into the Ogre’s chest. As Bordon’s massive form fell forwards, crashing to the broken and bloodied ground. The mayor stood over his dead body and roared in victory. He turned to look at Jabrey, who now leaned on his knee, gasping.
The remaining hobgoblins who witnessed their leader fall began to run, both the orcs and guards cutting them down as they did. Several broke from the field and began heading to the west. The orcs and guards continued to fight until Jabrey’s cry brought gradual silence.
“STOP,” he called.
“That has to be one of the most epic battles I have witnessed,” Dave said.
SJ didn’t reply as she landed near the mayor, who was talking to Jabrey.
“If you leave now and promise not to return. I will allow your remaining forces to go freely. If you ever return here or take up arms near the town again, you will break this oath.”
SJ had missed part of the conversation as it concluded on her arrival. As SJ watched the mayor transform into his large human form. He was only a little shorter than Jabrey and walked forward, offering his hand. Jabrey looked at him before they grasped each other’s forearm.
“I swear by the God’s this Oath will not be broken,” Jabrey uttered.
Their giant forms were suddenly bathed in a blue light.
“An Oath of Agreement. I haven’t witnessed one of those for a very long time,” Dave said.
“What does it mean?” SJ whispered.
“Jabrey has agreed to the mayor’s terms and will leave the valley. His forces are reduced by too many, and he knows he can’t beat the guard with what he has remaining.”
Looking around, SJ could see no more than forty orcs still standing. Many were wounded, but if the battle had continued, with the size of the remaining guard force still being nearer a hundred, they would not have survived. Captain Broadaxe strode to the pair, his great axe casually resting on his shoulder.
“Jabrey,” the dwarf said as he stopped beside the mayor.
“Ballentine,” the orc nodded at him respectfully. “I had heard rumours you were here, but now I see it is true. I can see what this town may have.”
“Ha. It has been a long time since we last met,” Ballentine said.
SJ had never known Captain Broadaxe’s name before now.
“You know each other?” the mayor asked, a little surprised.
“We fought alongside each other once during the gnoll rising,” Ballentine replied.
“I see,” the mayor replied. “I will give you time to tend to your wounded and bury your dead as you wish, but I expect you to leave the Valley within the week.”
“It will not take long to confirm our fallen,” Jabrey replied.
“Then good. Let us not get in each other’s way. I will remove our injured and dead and leave a small force to observe.” The mayor said.
“Understood,” Jabrey replied. He turned to a large orc standing nearby and spoke to him in a guttural language SJ had never heard. The orc began to shout orders to the remaining orcs, and they all placed their weapons away and began the thankless and painful task of working through those on the field. Jurgen turned and shouted to the Guard to do the same.
SJ had never witnessed a battle before. At close hand, many began to take out healing potions, handing them around, while the four clerics’ including Lythonian, began to move across the field, drinking their blue mana potions and healing those injured. SJ could see Lythonian bend down next to a member of the Guard, who had seen him in town on several occasions, and slowly close his eyes. Unfortunately, some would not be returning to the town.
Jabrey moved off and talked to the berserker orc, and the mayor turned and addressed SJ.
“Without your support today, the town would again have lost many,” he said.
“I only did what I could to help,” SJ said, feeling she didn’t deserve praise. She had fought no braver than others in the town.
“You killed the mage. We would not have taken Bordon if that mage had still been alive when we arrived. Even with Jabrey’s help.”
“I only did what I thought best to do.”
“And again, it has meaning. You are a very strange Legionnaire SJ. Never have I met one who sacrifices themselves for those of Amathera as willingly as you do.”
“I am sure many have. Maybe you just haven’t met them.”
“Nope. Never to the degree you have, and I think I know why,” Dave chirped in her ear. “You are selfless because you care. You have made friends and have people you care about, whether you see it or not. Your interactions and commitment to others, such as Cristy, are unheard of within Legionnaires.”
SJ didn’t respond to Dave and stood a little dumbfounded. She had considered none of Dave’s comments. She was just doing what she had always done in her life, helping and supporting those around her that she could.
“Maybe they have. I have yet to meet one, though,” the mayor said.
The mayor stood across the field at the carnage the battle had left behind.
“Lorna?” he called.
“Yes, Mayor?” Lorna replied.
“Send scouts after the escaped hobs. I want to make sure they leave the Valley completely. If they find signs of them stopping in the valley, we will send a patrol after them.”
“Yes, Mayor,” she replied as she moved off and began speaking to a few guards.
SJ’s display triggered.
Congratulations! Your selfless acts in support of the town of Killic have increased your reputation to Revered.
SJ stopped standing open-mouthed, shock registered on her face. She had just jumped three levels of reputation in one go.
“Wow,” Dave chirped.
The mayor turned away to talk to Ballentine, and SJ took the opportunity to search for Gary. She eventually found him tending to another orc, who had a nasty-looking gash across his abdomen. The orc was wearing the garb of Jabrey’s Clan and had red stripes across its face.
“I am sure one of them will heal you eventually. Once they have finished tending to ours,” Gary said.
“I hope so,” the orc replied.
“Gary,” SJ called as she neared.
“SJ,” he said, smiling broadly.
“Thank you for saving me,” SJ said.
“Saving you. I am sure you will have gotten the upper hand eventually,” he replied.
“I am not so sure,” she replied. Looking at the orc on the ground, she noticed the red stripes of Jabrey’s clan.
Gary noticed her looking, “Oh. SJ meet my elder brother Gruik.”
“Oh,” SJ said.
“Gruik, this is SJ, our local fae saviour,” Gary said.
“I am no saviour.” She retorted.
“You have just received revered status with the town. That doesn’t happen without reason.”
“You know that?” confusion etched her face.
“We all receive updates when members’ status changes. How do you think traders adjust prices without knowing people’s status?”
This comment threw SJ. “So, everyone knows I am revered with the town now?”
“Yes. All those who have taken the Oath.”
“What Oath?”
“As you saw between Jabrey and the mayor, all those who work in the town have taken an Oath to be citizens. We are held to it unless we leave the territory. If you do, then it resets. Many have done so over the years, then returned and never taken it again, but many still do and have. It is not mandatory but does have perks with discounts.”
This was another completely new consideration, and SJ was not in the mood to fully understand it.
“There is so much I don’t know,” SJ shook her head.
“There is still a lot to learn,” Dave agreed. “You will over time. What you have done in this town since you joined is beyond any starter town’s expectations, and what is happening here is not normal, as we have discussed before. Oaths and allegiances are something that would not normally be considered at your level, and it would normally be unlikely that you would ever even know about them or need to know about them. I have never known Legionnaires to take Oaths unless to a Guild Charter, and that is only once you reach Level 20.”
SJ looked down at Gary’s brother. “I hope they heal you soon,” she said as she turned to walk away. She would have to question Gary about his brother and his previous life, but she needed some space for now. All this was a little much for her now that her adrenaline had withdrawn. Shrinking, she took off and flew over the village to the far side of the river. She needed some time to think.
Walking through the tall grasses, breathing deeply, SJ tried to calm her mind, still racing from the battle. She could hear the occasional cry or call for help as another wounded person was discovered.
“Are you OK?” Dave asked.
“I am not sure. I have never witnessed anything like that before and did not expect ever to be involved in such a battle. The raid on the town was nothing compared to the violence of the battle.”
“It is not something I would not expect you to witness at such a low level, but what you have achieved will go into the AI archives.”
“What?”
“When I file my report.”
“Your report?”
“Yes. I have said before that we must feed back to the system. There is a weekly report that I must submit. Yours have been interesting to write and submit so far. Much better than many boring and mundane ones I have had in the past.”
“We seriously need to talk much more about Amathera at some point.”
“Yes. Although most of the bits are not relevant until you progress further.”
SJ sat heavily in the grass.
“I think you need to go through your notifications,” Dave said.
SJ sighed. She had been ignoring anything that flashed on her display, and when she looked, she saw there were many. As she began to read through them, her excitement grew.
Quest – Vengeance - Completed
You have sought revenge against the evil surrounding Killic.
Kill – Bordon the Brandisher – 1000 xp - completed
Kill – Iratu the Mad – 700 xp - completed
Prevent any further hobgoblin raids on Killic.
Rewards: 1500 xp, Reputation with Killic, usual level kill experience awards apply. - completed.
Rewards 2500 xp +50% 1250 xp 3750 xp awarded
Combined experience gained for assisting with multiple targets 640xp awarded
SJ was astonished. She had earned 4390xp in total.
Congratulations on reaching Level 9
You have been awarded the following:
5 hit points
5 mana points
+1 Dexterity
+2 free points to distribute as you wish
Congratulations, Clawed Avenger Level 2, Earned through the rigours of combat.
Congratulations on reaching Level 10
You have been awarded the following:
5 hit points
5 mana points
+1 Dexterity
+2 free points to distribute as you wish
Congratulations on reaching level 10. You have one skill point to distribute
Congratulations, navigation has been unlocked.
Upon reaching level 10, you achieved your first growth target in Amathera.
You may select one of the following rewards:
N/A
N/A
N/A
Congratulations on reaching Level 11
You have been awarded the following:
5 hit points
5 mana points
+1 Dexterity
+2 free points to distribute as you wish
Congratulations on reaching level 11. You have one skill point to distribute
“Level 11!” SJ exclaimed.
