Emerilia Box Set, page 34
part #1 of Emerilia Series
Dwarves who had been stuck in camp, on guard duty, or patrolling had something to take up their time with other than Boran-al’s Citadel.
Bets were placed; food vendors came down. Players even fought one another but they could only fight one another. There was talk going on, along with the sixth board that had been freshly erected. Instead of the People of Emerilia, there were Players.
Lox came back from the boards, giving everyone numbers for the raffle. He gave Dave his number last.
“Seems that the Players want to get in on the action as well. The refs didn’t want to have them facing NPCs as they usually go overboard with magic and sometimes kill one another. Also, none want to blunt their blades. Their winners will be declared when the opponent is at ten percent Health or they’re beaten out of the circle,” Lox said. “Sorry, boy, but you being a Player originally means that the refs have grouped you with them.”
“It’s okay. I’ve been interested in how I would stack up against other Players anyway,” Dave said.
Lox nodded and gave Dave his number, he was assigned to the Players ring.
They moved off to the side as numbers were drawn, names were listed and the first fights started.
The boards filled up with more fighting pairs. No one fought in the first four rounds. Dave watched as people used all kinds of weapons, from spears to daggers and magic. Dwarves, Elves, Humans: all of them competed. Dave watched with all his senses, using his Touch of the Land to see the fighter’s muscles move and coil, the rush of blood.
It was an odd sight and feeling but it might be useful in the future to know whether someone was trying to attack him from behind or read their reactions in a fight.
As Dave watched, he conjured, slowly and carefully. The more time he had to conjure, the more precise and thus powerful his creations. His armor thickened as magical runes unseen to all formed into his armored legs, and then his forearms, arms, shoulders. It was slow and tedious but Dave hid it well, seeping out power as they turned from a thought and a plan into reality.
Once the conjurations on his armor were in place, he would only need a portion of his magic to fuel them. Being out of combat allowed his Mana pool to regenerate faster. Still it was a slow process. He still had a long way to go but it showed how far he had come to be able to make the enchantments into the armor while he was wearing it.
Deia was the first in their group to go fight. Dave gave her a quick kiss as she wandered off to her assigned circle. She stepped in, facing off against a dwarf who was muttering things and casting looks at Dave. Whatever it was, it wasn’t kind by the way Deia’s face settled into an emotionless mask.
The referee signaled the beginning of the bout. The dwarf rushed toward her; she didn’t even draw her blades. She clicked her gloved fingers. Flame burst forth and slammed into the dwarf, tossing him into the air five feet. He came down outside the circle and slid a few feet, his armor scratched and busted as he moaned in pain.
Deia walked to the dwarf, saying a few words before she walked off toward the group again.
“Well done. Remind me to never get on your bad side!” Tounk said.
Deia smiled, some of the tension in her shoulders relaxing.
Dave gave her a curious look. “You okay?”
“Better than him.” She pointed over her shoulder at the dwarf who was being pulled from his armor, groaning as healing mages worked on him.
Dave smiled at his girl, holding hands as they waited.
Joko and Gurren both won their bouts. Max had a hard battle but in the end he’d been forced out of the circle.
Dave got a message calling him to the Player’s games. Deia gave him a kiss, putting on his helmet as Dave put on his gauntlet.
He was still wearing basic iron armor. It was heavy and its protection didn’t look like much. It was well made and customized to fit him. Most Players were using at least steel, most with enchanted armor.
Dave was going up against a level 25. She was a human warrior with what looked like a bit of giant in her. She was seven feet of muscle, armor, and great sword.
“Hello, little man.” She shook her head at Dave’s stature.
“Hello, Hesi,” Dave said graciously.
“It must be like climbing a tower when you try to hump that Elf over there. Friggin’ midget.” The woman tried to get him riled up.
He moved, easing his shoulders, and looked at her stance. He didn’t have much Mana left after all of his conjuring. It was coming back, but it had slowed down since he’d entered the ring. He concentrated his Touch of the Land, using a third of its Mana as he studied Hesi and her armor.
“Ah, well, I do remember a nursery rhyme about a princess in a tower, and she’s hotter.” Dave nodded toward Deia. He caught Deia’s amused look. He’d forgotten how acute her hearing was. It brought a smile to his face as he shrugged.
“Pah, so what does that make you? The damn frog?” Hesi said.
“Different nursery rhyme.” Dave looked back to Hesi and her leg. With such a big piece of armor, it was hard to make it all strong as hell. It was worn, used and cared for. Though Dave wasn’t looking at its appearance; he was looking into its very structure and makeup.
Hesi snorted.
“Don’t matter. After you get your ass beat, ain’t no one going to want to jump in your bed. In this game, power rules. I don’t know how the hell you’ve lasted this long being level 3.” She shook her head.
“Fighters ready?” the Dwarven referee asked.
Dave and Hesi nodded. Dave moved into a fighting stance as Hesi casually pulled her sword off her back.
“I hope I don’t kill you with a single kick. So damn squishy, I’ll probably kill you in one hit.” Hesi sighed.
“If you can land a hit.” Dave smiled. The final magical runes appeared on the inside of his armor. New power filled him as he physically grew a few inches and his body bulged out slightly.
“Begin!”
Hesi swung her blade. It almost seemed as if it were moving in molasses to Dave; his speed had increased to four times its normal. The power it was consuming was incredible. He needed to finish the fight quickly. He moved under her sword, flipping his right axe over in his hand, bringing the pointed back onto the weakness he’d seen. His doubled strength cracked the armor and stuck into her leg. He pulled the axe free and tore the armor apart. He turned and jumped, coming up over Hesi as she turned to face him.
She tried to bring her massive blade between them as Dave slammed the side of his axe against Hesi’s head.
Her movements were slow and choreographed; even with her bell rung, she was able to select another action. This was a strength of the preset actions. Even with bad damage, your character would still carry out the action. For tanks against mobs or when they were injured, it was useful as hell.
Dave dropped on her opposite side. Just as her blade came into block his last attack, he dragged his axe through the back of her leg. She fell backward. She might be able to use actions, but her body still took damage. Without supporting ligaments in her leg, she couldn’t use it. Dave let go of his axes as she fell down toward him. He took her weight on his two hands; using her momentum and his strength, he pushed upward, yelling as his muscles bulged and he flipped her over. She crashed down, her right foot outside of the circle.
Dave broke the connecting runes in his armor to conserve power. He was breathing heavily from the fight.
Hesi pounded the ground in frustration and pushed herself up with her great sword. “Good fight, Dave. Sorry ’bout the stuff before.”
“No worries. In a fight, we’re trying to do everything to mess our opponent up.” Dave smiled and pulled his helmet off.
Hesi grinned and put out a hand. Dave shook it.
“I’ve heard about you Evolvers. If you’ve got some free time, I’d like to learn how to really fight instead of just using these actions,” Hesi said.
“Talk to the Dwarves around here, they’d be interested in giving out some lessons for a bit of gold.” Dave smiled.
“Thanks, I’ll check it out,”Doulden said before walking away.
Dave walked the other way, dealing with his notifications. Training was good but actually getting in a fight was a way to confirm those skills and his stats reflected it accordingly.
Active Skill: Magical Circuits
Level: Journeyman 4
Effect: 51% chance of creating better Magical Circuits and understanding them.
Cost: Dependent
Passive Skill: Dodge
Level: Journeyman 4
Effect: 51% chance to evade objects.
Active Skill: Sprint
Level: Expert 2
Effect: 67% increased speed
Cost: 5 Stamina/s
Active Skill: Dual wield
Level: Journeyman Level 8
Effect: Attacks are 28% faster; 50% reduced damage with off-hand blade.
Cost: 15 Stamina/s
Chapter 14: Fight Night
Tounk lost in his second bout and Lox was tearing up the level 40 to 60 circles.
Deia, now able to use her Fire magic, was mopping the floor with people. Sometimes, she was handicapping herself just using her ranger skills. Every time she used her Fire, her smile grew a little bit wider.
The Player fights were going slower, so Dave was able to sit back, watch other fights and work on his Magical Circuits enchanting his armor.
Gurren had won two bouts, Joko another.
Finally, Dave was called back out to the Players’ circle. He was up against Mikal. Mikal had been training a lot, moving from an Action Player to a hybrid Evolver and Action.
It had been some time since Dave had seen the Russian rogue; he was level 29 now.
Dave pulled up his character sheet and did some mental math.
Character Sheet
Name:
David Grahslagg
Gender:
Male
Level:
3
Class:
-
Race:
Human/Dwarf
Alignment:
Chaotic Neutral
Unspent points: 65
Health:
1800
Regen:
1.08 /s
Mana:
670
Regen:
2.50 /s
Stamina:
500
Regen:
2.00 /s
Vitality:
18
Endurance:
54
Intelligence:
67
Willpower:
50
Strength:
50
Agility:
40
He had the same amount of stat points littered around as someone who was level 39. He opened up a screen that showed his armor base.
Iron Helm
Quality: B
Defense: 239
Durability: 20/20
Iron Cuirass
Quality: B
Defense: 239
Durability: 20/20
Iron Greaves
Quality: B
Defense: 102
Durability: 20/20
Iron Gauntlets
Quality: B
Defense: 65
Durability: 17/17
Iron Sabatons
Quality: B
Defense: 139
Durability: 15/15
Iron armor modifiers
Linked Enchantments:
Wearer’s Agility +75% maximum
Wearer’s Strength +50% Max
Mana +12% Max
Cost: 125 Mana/s 75 Stamina/s
The stats were great but the cost—that was crazy. It would last six seconds before the enchantments gave up.
Dave knew he could add in the final runes to turn on the enchantments in a second, filling himself with power. It could possibly end the match as soon as it began but Dave was cautious. He held it in reserve. If he needed it, then he could call on it. Better to need it and not use it than waste it before it was ever useful.
“How can you move quickly in all of that?” Mikal asked as they met in the circle.
“Built up my strength training with the Dwarves, building my house and working in the smithy. It’s like another set of clothes now.” Dave shrugged.
“Who made that? Looks pretty maneuverable. Been trying to find some better leather armor,” Mikal said.
“I made this. I know some people who are good with leather. Me—I’m smithing all the way,” Dave said.
“Mind talking to them after this? I haven’t been so popular after opening up the citadel.” Mikal looked at his daggers.
“Sure,” Dave said.
Jules, Esa, and Mikal were sorry for what they had done. As they’d come to know the village more, the way that they were dismissed for what they had done had hurt. Dave didn’t like the way that most Players thought of themselves above everything that the NPCs did and that rules didn’t apply to them. Mikal and his group seemed to be more like Dave in that respect.
“Fighters, are you ready?” the referee asked.
“Yeah.” Mikal lowered himself, his hands up and ready, his daggers still sheathed.
“Yes, sir.” Dave held out his axes.
“Begin!”
Mikal’s blades seemed to simply appear in his hands as he disappeared, using an action. Dave jumped forward as a blade came down where Dave had been standing.
Mikal was extended, as he thought he’d get a killing blow. Surprise colored his face as Dave swung around, cutting down on Mikal’s extended right hand, and buried his right axe in the man’s shoulder.
Mikal cried out. The two attacks took out seventy percent of his Health. “I submit!” Mikal said.
Dave pulled the axes free. He knelt next to Mikal, pouring healing Mana into his body.
“Dave wins!”
Mikal let out a relieved smile as Dave put the worst wounds back together. “You’ve gotten better,” Mikal said.
“You have, too. Nice move with using your natural draw, to make me think that you were going to use just Evolving fighting style. Then right into blink-step, followed with a power attack. Would have worked if you were fighting someone else.” Dave smiled, sheathed his axes and helped Mikal up.
“How did you know I was going to use actions?”
“Watched your other two fights,” Dave said.
Although that was true, he had seen certain characteristics like Mana flow and certain movements that made up some of the best preset actions. Everyone using blink-step reacted in the same way. Taking that, he knew when Mikal would do it. His observations had not been in vain.
“Well, I hope you win all of your upcoming fights. Make me look a bit better!” Mikal grinned.
“I’ll do my best.” Dave smiled.
Chapter 15: Behind Closed Doors
Cassie tapped her finger on her desk as she watched the man Dave. He was up against a spellsword. The spellsword was level 40. Dave had made it through all of the level 20 fighters with ease and was now grinding through the level 40s.
The spellsword said a quick chant, keeping Dave at a distance with his sword and shield. Power flared out of the spellsword.
His hit points and strength doubled as he turned from the defensive to attacking. Dave dodged away from the blade; it hit his left arm, denting the armor. Dave’s Health was cut by forty percent by the blow.
Cassie’s tapping stopped as she leaned forward. “Is he a min-max build? Still, that wouldn’t make up for all of the power he’s been exerting.” Before her eyes, Dave’s Health came back as Dave’s attacks sped up.
He hit the spellsword. Dave’s axes blurred as he struck the spellsword’s shield.
The spellsword made to bash Dave away using a preset action.
Dave seemed to read it exactly. He spun away from the bash that was supposed to daze him and the stab that would have impaled him. The point on the back of his axe came down on the spellsword’s weapon. The sword cracked and broke. Dave’s other axe hit the spellsword in the helmet with its side.
It didn’t do much damage but it would disorient the spellsword.
The spellsword didn’t seem to realize it as he brought his now broken sword toward Dave in a wild slash, bringing his shield over to punch Dave with its edge.
Dave kicked out sideways; the powerful kick sent the spellsword four feet and over the line. His armor was dented from the hit and he was down twenty percent of his Health from the single kick. His Health dropped to forty percent.
Dave sheathed his weapons and walked to his opponent to check that he was okay.
The man swiped at him with a shield, not accepting his loss.
Dave punched him in the helmet so hard it dented. The spellsword dropped to the ground, knocked out with his Health bar at fifteen percent.
Something was going on with Dave Grahslagg and Cassie wanted to figure it out. She shut her interface linked to one of her people spectating the tournament.
She thought of the Elven Fire mage. She had natural talent with her magic, only needing a few words of power here and there to conjure powerful spells that didn’t even seem to tax her.
Then there’s that ability to actually fight. I’d classify her as one of the most powerful fire mages I’ve seen to date. She doesn’t even buff herself; she only adds her flames to her attacks. Then there’s the whole fact that it seems that she and Dave are an item.
She sighed and shook her head. A smile spread across her features. Makes for one hell of an interesting game though!
The tournament would bring more people out to Cliff-Hill, more people who could serve as cannon fodder when the citadel rose.
A message pinged in her inbox.
>Heya love,
Would love to join in on that raid that the Dwarves are hostin’. Got a bit of trouble with a little excursion me and the lads went out on. Should make it there in time for the festivities, love!
