Silver Peak, page 23
part #2 of Sky Realms Online Series
She dove to the side, landing hard and crawling quickly to crouch behind a small crate. Hall went to dive just as he saw a shaft of dark energy streaking his way. He landed on the hard ground, the shaft slamming into his side. It had barely caught him, but that was enough.
He felt pain spread throughout his body. An icy pain, body stiffening. Grunting, biting back a yell, he pulled himself behind a large crate. The pain still racked his body. Glancing at his Health, he saw it had gone down by a quarter. He cursed. The stinging icy feel faded, but he still hurt.
Now he knew what their enemies felt when Sabine struck with a Shadowbolt.
An arrow clattered against the wooden crate, the shaft snapping.
He cursed at himself. They should never have just rushed the building. He should never have let the Door Knockers push them into this.
They were pinned down. There was no way to distract all four Silver Blades. He could try and charge, having Jackoby and Roxhard follow, but they didn’t need all four of the ranged attackers to deal with that. One, maybe two, would be waiting for when Sabine and Leigh tried their ranged spells. Rushing just one would be death for that one. The same thing would happen, two of the ranged would concentrate on the attacker, while the other two kept the rest pinned down.
And the Silver Blades just had to wait. Reinforcements or the PeakGuard would be drawn by the noises.
“Are there more?” Hall shouted, hopefully just loud enough to be heard by his friends and not the Silver Blades.
“Not that we know of, but I think one got out,” Leigh answered.
Which meant reinforcements would definitely be coming. And there could be an unknown number waiting in the offices.
Hall grumbled. He had been thinking in game terms again. A suicide run was the first step in doing any raid dungeons. Without knowing what was ahead, and knowing the Player would just respawn, there was no reason to not just rush in and get an idea of what they faced. They would get killed, respawn, and then be able to plan.
Without consciously doing it, Hall knew he had followed that same strategy.
And it could cost them.
Angry at himself, Hall tried to come up with some plan. Any plan.
Could they retreat without getting hit? That could be their best option. Run away. Try a different angle to get at the Silver Blades.
He glanced at the open door, sunlight streaming in. The dirt street outside was empty, nobody walking and no wagons. But he caught a glimpse of a shadow, small and moving. It disappeared and then came back. As if something was circling above.
Pike.
Hall got an idea.
“Get ready,” Hall yelled out, again hoping he was only heard by his friends and not the Silver Blades.
But if they did hear him, it could only help. There was no way they could anticipate what was coming.
“For what?” Jackoby growled.
Hall didn’t answer. He just shifted position so he could get up and run quickly.
The screech was loud.
All heads turned toward the open door, watching as a blurry green something darted into the building. It flew straight and fast for the second story at the far end. The Archers tried to track the blur but could not, so startled were they. The casters lost their concentration, spell casting disrupted. Summoned energy harmlessly disappeared, back to where it was pulled from.
As Pike sailed over his head, Hall got up and started running. He kept low, heading for the far wall and the set of stairs that led to the second level. He could feel the looks of the others, confused at first but then realized what was happening. They were slower to get up, but they did and started following Hall.
He could hear Sabine and Leigh behind him, voices raised in casting.
The dragonhawk streaked for the catwalk and pulled up in front of the casters. All four Silver Blades looked at the bird in surprise and then fear as the sharp beak opened and a jagged bolt of lightning shot out. The blue streak slammed into the Shaman. The man fell back against the wall, sagging to the ground, smoke rising from the wound on his chest.
Pike gave one more screech and let himself drop close to the ground before pumping his powerful wings and flying off to the side, out of the way.
Jagged streaks of purple energy replaced the dragonhawk. Each struck one of the Silver Blades, even the fallen. Bolts of energy spread out from where the streaks impacted, causing the Blades to spasm in pain. A swarm of flying splinters followed, striking the wooden railing, the office walls beyond and the three Silver Blades still standing. Each yelled in pain as dozens of small splinters cut into them.
Hall smiled as he activated Leap. The ceiling was high enough and he arced up and across the distance. He felt himself leave the ground, powerful legs pushing up, air rushing past. The far wall and the catwalk rose, coming closer. He could see the surprised eyes of the Silver Blades watching him coming closer to them. In a matter of seconds, he landed on the walk next to the Witch. Using his Attack of Opportunity, Hall struck out with his spear and caught the Witch in the chest. The ironwood tip plunged in deep, the Witch falling to the side. Hall pulled out the spear and slammed the butt end into the Archer’s side. The Blade stumbled back, tried to move and spasmed as the Hexbolt activated.
Rotating the spear, he stabbed down at the fallen Shaman. The Blade moved, dodging out of the way. Hall cursed, knowing his surprise attack was done. He now had to prepare to defend himself and he was outnumbered.
The Witch was slower to recover, clutching at his side, blood leaking between clenched fingers. He stared at Hall with hate. Dressed all in black, with blond hair and blue eyes. Hall turned and jabbed out with the spear, pushing the Archer back and preventing the man from counterattacking. Smiling, the expression, confusing the Archer, Hall turned away to face the Witch.
Pike screeched and let out another bolt of lightning. The Archer was flown forward, slamming into the wall, dropping his bow, as the bolt slammed into his back. Smoke rose from the wound, the Archer trying to push himself up. The dragonhawk continued his flight, talons raking across the upraised arm of the Shaman.
Across the struggling Witch, the other Archer raised his bow. Hall stopped, ready to Leap away but knowing he wouldn’t get away before the arrow hit him. There was no way to evade it. The string pulled back tight, the Archer taking a deep breath before releasing.
The thick black line slammed into the Silver Blade Archer, pushing him to the side. He grunted in pain, side coming numb, the bow lowering, the arrow dropping to the ground. The Archer turned, tried to step away from the railing and out of Sabine’s view, but he stopped and stiffened as he saw the heavy hammerhead swinging his way.
Jackoby was on the walk, leading with his hammer. The weapon slammed into the Archer’s chest, the impact pushing the Blade into the railing. Wood cracked, splintered, and the Silver Blade fell to the ground.
The wooden walk shook as the large Firbolg angrily swung the hammer at the Witch who had managed to stand, hand still gripping his side. The Blade stepped back, avoiding it but hit the weakened rail. He stumbled and Hall caught him with a spear thrust into the unwounded side. The Witch stepped to the side, foot past where the railing ended and hanging over nothing. He stumbled, prodded by another thrust from Hall, and the Witch followed the Archer down to the ground.
Glancing down, Hall saw Roxhard finishing off the two Blades. Turning around, leaving the Shaman to Jackoby, Hall jabbed at with the spear at the last Archer. The man cried out in pain as the tip sliced cleanly and easily through his black clothing. He fell back, landing on the ground, and Hall stepped up. A final stab finished the Archer off.
Raising the spear for an attack, Hall turned and relaxed. Jackoby stepped back from the Shaman. The Silver Blade was unmoving.
Notifications flashed across Hall’s vision.
SLAIN: Silver Blade Archer
+15 experience
SLAIN: Silver Blade Witch
+15 experience
Skill Gain!
Polearms Rank Two +.2
Hall stepped back against the wall, away from the broken railing. He leaned against it, breathing heavy. His eyes looked at all the openings, waiting for something or someone to step through. No one came.
Stepping to the railing, he looked down. Roxhard stood over the two black-clad forms of the Silver Blades. Leigh and Sabine were looking toward the entrance. Caryn was examining some crates off to the side.
“Did we keep one alive?” Hall asked.
“This one,” Roxhard said and pointed at the Archer.
“Barely,” Sabine muttered. “Leigh had to heal him to keep him from dying. He still might. His chest is crushed.” She glanced up at Jackoby with annoyance.
Hall looked at the large Firbolg, who just shrugged.
He glanced at the notifications again, seeing nothing for the related quest. Muttering a curse, he motioned to Jackoby, pointing at the doors. The Firbolg didn’t move even though Hall knew Jackoby knew what Hall wanted.
With another curse, he walked to the furthest door to start his search.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Cautiously, Hall opened the door.
Oak, solid, iron hinges. Nothing special and a quick search had shown no runes or traps that he could see. Still, he used his spear to push it open. Behind him, Jackoby stood with weapon ready. The Firbolg was there to honor the debt he owed Hall, not to do anything else. Nothing happened as the door opened into a dark room so Hall stepped inside.
His Limited Night Vision, a racial ability granted by his being a Half-Elf, showed an empty space. Not large, ten-foot by ten-foot. An office of some kind.
Leaving the door open, he stepped to the next one and repeated the opening by spear. No traps and another empty room. The third was the same. And the fourth.
All the rooms on the second story were empty. No furniture, no shelves, no windows. A thick layer of dust had covered the floor of each, showing the rooms had been unused for a long time.
Hall sighed. He had hoped to find something in one of the rooms. What, he wasn’t sure; just something that would satisfy the quest requirements and bring them to the next step.
He returned to the first room, the furthest down the walk. There had to be something he missed. Stepping back inside, he started tapping the walls and the floor with the spear, listening for hollow spaces. He examined the ceiling, looking for anything different. A hidden trap door or loose board. Jackoby just stood in the doorway, watching.
“You could help,” Hall said.
Jackoby grunted and didn’t move.
Hall continued his search. He moved on to the second, searching the same way. Tapping with the spear, pushing against the ceiling. Still finding nothing.
“Look out!”
Jackoby turned and started running down the walk, the Firbolgs heavy footsteps slamming against the wood. Hall ran to the railing and looked down.
He saw Roxhard charging across the warehouse using his Battle Rush ability. The Dwarf was a blur of pumping legs as he ran toward the entrance. Just inside the door, pushing through the opening, were two large humanoids dressed in leathers and carrying large swords. Each was the size of a Firbolg, but they were something else. Pale green skin was visible around the pieces of leather armor, metal plates on the shins and chest, scales were visible over their arms that extended across their chests. Each carried a curved sword and small shield. Slanted yellow eyes and sharply pointed ears were on large heads, bony ridges down their noses. One had black hair cut to leave a strip down the middle of his head that hung down his back where it was braided. The other was bald, a long beard hanging loose over its chest. They separated as they entered the building, four Humans with swords and daggers behind them.
Hobs.
How had the Silver Blades managed to recruit Hobs? Hall thought as Roxhard slammed into the first one. The creature took a step back but didn’t fall or get stunned. Roxhard seemed to bounce off the Hob, falling down on his backside. He managed to jump up and catch the Hob’s sword on his two-handed axe.
The Hob’s health had barely gone down.
Skill Gain!
Identify Rank One +.2
Silver Blade Hob Enforcer (Blue)
Silver Blade Hob Enforcer (Blue)
Hobs were not native to Edin. They lived on other islands further to the east. Tribal creatures that lived in a militaristic culture, they sometimes hired on as mercenaries. They fought with each other as much as they did others. The Highborn were their enemies, the two sharing some of the same islands. Vicious, brutal, and cunning.
The second Hob stepped aside as Leigh’s Splinter Storm shot out. The attack missed the Hob but landed squarely on one of the Humans behind. It didn’t evade the Hexbolt from Sabine, which caught both of the Hobs. They spasmed as streaks of purple energy cascaded around their bodies, but they fought through the pain, grinning.
Caught by Leigh’s spell, the Human fell to the ground, crying out in pain. The Hobs and the other Humans ignored him. Roxhard exchanged blows with the Hob he faced, the second advancing on Sabine and Leigh.
Caryn stepped in its path, both her swords ready. The Hob swung with its longer sword and Caryn darted out of the way. She turned in a circle, attacking with one sword that the Hob caught on its shield, but she continued her pivot crouching down low and her second sword scored a hit on the Hob’s chest below the raised shield.
Duelists were dancers in combat. They turned, jumped, ducked, twisted, and moved out of the way of attacks always somehow able to make one of their own with a weapon as they evaded. Watching a Duelist fight was like watching poetry in motion. They were a blur of feints and strikes, their speed meant to distract the target from where the real attack was coming from.
And Caryn was good. Hall could see that from where he stood on the railing.
Pike sat on the railing next to him, waiting for a command. Jackoby was running across the warehouse to intercept one of the Humans that had moved past the fighting pair of Hobs. Everyone was too close for Leigh and Sabine to use spells. Not yet, not the way they were moving. Each waited their chance. Angus stood in front of them, a heavy barrier.
Hall could see more Silver Blades just outside the entrance, at least four, waiting to come in. Including another Hob.
The reinforcements had arrived and he doubted they’d be getting any from the Door Knockers. Three Hobs and seven Human Blades. Hall just hoped none were casters.
He watched as the Blade that Leigh had hit with her spell was starting to get up. He pointed and mentally gave Pike a command. The dragonhawk lifted off the railing, flapping his wings and dove straight for the wounded Human. Screeching, Pike let out a bolt of lightning that slammed into the Human. The man fell to the ground, leather armor smoking, as Pike circled around.
Jackoby’s hammer slammed into one of the other Humans, who had been distracted by Pike. The man staggered back, his arm breaking with a loud crack. The Blade screamed in pain but managed to duck another attack by Jackoby.
Skill Gain!
Identify Rank One +.4
Silver Blade Cutthroat (White)
Silver Blade Cutthroat (White)
Silver Blade Cutthroat (Blue)
Silver Blade Cutthroat (White)
Silver Blade Cutthroat (Blue)
Silver Blade Cutthroat (Blue)
Silver Blade Hob Enforcer (Blue)
Hall breathed a sigh of relief. None that he could see were casters. But that didn’t mean there weren’t any waiting outside, just out of view. There was only one way to find out.
Using Leap, keeping his arc low and long, he jumped off the railing and soared across the warehouse. He landed next to the Hob that Roxhard was fighting and jabbed out with his spear. The Hob managed to turn out of the way, just catching a slicing blow across its chest. Another quick jab, which missed the evading Hob, and Hall was past and charging at one of the other Cutthroats.
He sidestepped an attack by the Cutthroat and slammed the side of his spear shaft into the man’s side. The Blade grunted as Hall dropped the spear and pulled out his short sword. There wasn’t enough room to use the spear effectively. The Cutthroat got an attack in that Hall caught on his bracer. He could feel pain shooting through his arm. The sword’s edge did no damage but the force and the impact still hurt as a glance in the corner of his vision showed his Health bar drop. He hadn’t recovered fully from the first fight. Grunting, biting back the pain, Hall twisted his body and slashed out with the sword. He cut the Cutthroat across his chest, the blade slicing cleanly through the black clothes the Blade wore.
Hall could feel resistance as the blade cut into the body of the Cutthroat. The Blade cried out in pain, body jerking backward and away from Hall’s sword. Reaching up, Hall caught the loose black fabric, twisting his sword so it was point out, and pulled the Blade into the sword. The man cried louder, the sound ending, blood dripping from his mouth. Hall pushed the Blade down and pulled out his sword.
He sliced it through the air and caught the descending blade of another Cutthroat.
Metal clanged on metal, the weapons screeching as they slid along their lengths. Hall pushed, trying to drive the Cutthroat back. He glanced behind him, seeing the three Hobs occupied. Roxhard, Caryn, and now Jackoby were holding their own against the bigger opponents but had been maneuvered so they blocked any attacks from Sabine and Leigh. The Cutthroats were all inside, spreading out, a couple moving to flank the three fighting the Hobs. One was moving to Halls unprotected side while the others waited to see where they would be needed.
The sound of something heavy stomping on the floor of the warehouse filled the air, and Hall felt the wind as Angus charged past. The cow slammed into one of the waiting Humans. The Blade was sent flying, lifted off the ground, and slammed into the wall of the building. He struggled to get up, only to have the cow’s horns slam into his stomach.
