The Dragon's Wrath: A Virtual Dream

Chapter 20: Killing the Earl

(Monday, March 8th Game Day / Saturday, January 23rd Real Day)

After the sun set the clouds slowly parted to allow a sliver of moonlight directly over the village, as if the moon was directing us towards our destination and illuminating only the necessities. When faced with such pleasantries in life it's best to give thanks but I wasn't sure who I should give thanks to in a situation like this, but I was thankful nonetheless.

I had already packed all of my belongings into a pack and left it by the campsite; it would only serve to hold me back.

I slid the sling over my shoulder and looped the rope around the axe-head, holding it loosely in place. It wasn't anything fancy but it worked. Double checking the quiver that was tied around my waist and hanging along my right thigh I counted out fourteen arrows, not very many but I had given twenty-eight to Selene… I figured she could put it to better use.

With my preliminary check and now my final check complete I was ready to head out.

Selene followed closely behind me as we made our way in the shadow of the moon, dancing along the border of light and darkness the path that was illuminated before us showed the way.

With nary a sound we came upon the entrance of the town and found it without a post; there was no sentry or guard. We continued on and crept through the town, holding our breath with every crack of the fire that was burning bright at the center.

It was too quiet.

I could make out the shadows of village folk in their homes but it was unusual to think that the entire village would lock themselves up after dark.

I crouched down even further as I slipped between the huts, ever so slowly closing the distance between the Earl's lodge and my bow.

As I turned the last corner I came face to face with a warrior stretching his arms in the cold night air.

He had yet to see me as I had quickly stepped back out of sight, but I could clearly see his white breath condensed like a fog as he breathed in and out.

I slid my carving knife down and out of the sheath attached to the front of my chest and synchronized my breathing with his.

I waited until the third exhale then turned the corner and thrust the knife quickly into his throat while covering his mouth.

As he had fully exhaled he could barely muster a sound as he stumbled to the ground choking on his own blood while wrapped up in my arms.

I held a hand over his mouth and as I held him still from behind quickly delivered the fatal blow to his heart, causing him to slump over and fall to the ground as I let go.

If my information was solid there were six men besides the Earl inside that lodge… but information has a tendency to be off and I wasn't confident going forward that there would only be six.

From behind I saw Selene had drawn her bow and was standing watch behind me; she did what was necessary without being told or asked.

I could really appreciate that.

She was starting to grow on me.

Rolling the body out of sight took but a few seconds and we were back to stalking. Creeping around the lodge I was able to find a crack in the wall that gave me a good view of the interior.

The Earl and his wives weren't visible in the main room but the six warriors were. The men had gathered around the fire and were sitting with weapons at hand.

They were expecting trouble.

I was going to give them trouble.

Doubling back to where we had stashed the body, I grabbed the deceased warrior and drug him to a corner and leaned him against the wall facing away.

He would serve as a decoy.

Next, I directed Selene to take position in a corner opposite of the corpse in the shadow of a hut.

This would serve as the shooting gallery.

Quietly pushing the door open to the lodge, I returned to my spot just around the corner without a sound. As I gazed through a crack in the wood, I continued to watch as the scene began to unfold.

The door to the lodge creaked open with the night wind gusting through and licking the fire; the men turned to the darkness and found it staring straight back.

Voices called out but nothing returned.

As time passed the men grew weary, impatient, angry, and suspicious. They grasped their weapons as they waited, but they continued to wait.

Another gust of wind blew through the hall, fanning the flames.

Soon a man stood up and crept towards the door, his heart beat suddenly pounding.

Little by little it increased.

Perspiration dripped down his face as he prepared to take the last step between the door and the outside world; he hesitated.

Standing at the doorway, the others sat motionless staring out past their brother and into the eternal distance of the darkness.

The night had been still for some time before the man finally ushered forth a last step, crossing the threshold between safety of the home and the unknown.

Silence.

He let out a deep sigh of relief as the tension drained from his face and looked to his left; seeing nothing he turned to his right, spotting his friend's partially obscured back as he leaned against the wall.

Ah, he thought to himself.

The man turned and made his way towards his friend's back, extending his arm to grab his buddy's shoulder.

Standing flat against the wall, I had my axe drawn and dangling at my knee. The corpse of the man I killed before being held up by my left arm had grown heavy, but it was only for another moment.

As the warrior reached his arm out and grasped the dead man's shoulder I brought my left arm to bear the handle of the axe and shifted my right hand up towards the top of the shaft.

With a fluid movement I lifted my left heel off the ground as I twisted my right leg forward and swung the axe around the corner.

With my right hand sliding back down, momentum carried me around with the axe as I made contact into the chest of the man now standing before me.

His eyes widened in confusion as he tried to comprehend the situation, mouth agape and his outstretched hand grasping, grasping for something, grasping for anything.

I locked eyes with him as he fell to his knees.

His hand finally grasping the handle of the axe embedded deep into his chest.

He was already dead.

Pulling the axe-head out of the man's chest I drew my bow and made my way to the doorway, signaling for Selene to do the same.

Since the rats wanted to stay in their hole there was a change of venue, the shooting gallery was being relocated.

With Selene at the right side of the doorway and me at the left side, I extended my index, middle, and ring finger out to resemble a three-count.

I then closed my fist then extended my index, then the middle, and lastly the ring finger.

A second later the two of us had turned out into the doorway with bows drawn and quickly started firing off our arrows without discretion.

Anyone inside this lodge would be killed tonight.

The first two arrows found their mark in the center of the room, settling nicely into the chest of the largest man in the room. The second, third, and fourth set of arrows hit different marks but hit them all the same. By the fifth set of arrows the rats had scurried forth with shields up, deflecting the arrows without issue.

It didn't matter though as the damage had been done, two of the remaining five had fallen.

I dropped my bow and grabbed my axe that was leaning against the doorway, meeting the two vanguard's charge axe-first.

During the fracas Selene continued to pelt them with accuracy far greater than my own, landing arrow after arrow into the cracks of their defenses.

The man in front of me was cut down by my axe while the man to my right fell to the ground with a half dozen arrows in his side, now the only one left was the champion.

The champion was using a large sword and shield and towered over me at an impressive height of at least 6'6" and a minimum 265lbs. I was barely 6'1" with my thick-soled boots on and 205lbs on a good day.

I swung my axe with reckless abandon; he outsized me, outweighed me, and out leveled me. I would need any advantage I could get because the rock of a man in front of me was not something to be trifled with.

I broke into a furor as I continued swing after swing, knocking with a loud clash and clang on his shield and sword.

Selene had tried to fire but it was impossible with our constantly shifting movements.

My stamina was rapidly draining from the excessive swinging but I had no choice.

I stopped for a second to catch my breath and was knocked nearly five feet back by his shield. I tried to recover but a sword slashed towards my face and all I could do was stumble back, rolling into a wooden log used as a stool.

I was briefly stunned from the impact with the log and saw the lumbering giant make an agile leap and thrust towards me. I desperately rolled with my axe deflecting the sword but took a shield to the face that broke my nose and left my eyes watering.

Vision blurry, I took a step back and just waved my axe in front of me like a wounded animal in its death throes. Selene saw an opportunity and launched a flurry of three arrows at the giant but two landed harmlessly in his shield.

The third went into the man's tree trunk neck but he simply ignored it.

I was in a bad situation and I wasn't sure of what to do.

Three arrows hit him, two in the chest and one in the neck but he looked to be at around 83% health still. He had over eighty levels on me which meant his proficiencies were much higher even if we had equal Strength, Vitality, and Endurance stats.

I doubted that we were even equal though.

My vision cleared up just in time to see him use a [Downward Slash] that I parried with my axe only to get hit again by the shield on his left arm.

I hadn't taken any real damage but my stamina bar was nearly depleted which was just as fatal.

If I couldn't beat him physically in a one on one then I had to beat him mentally.

I had to beat him magically.

After his next attack came I jumped back as far as I could and hooked a burning log from the fire with my axe and flung it at the man.

He raised his shield to block the log but it exploded in embers with smoke and ash temporarily blinding him. I quickly started casting a [Lightning Bolt] without a chant and as he raised his sword he was struck in the underarm by an arrow, a soft spot with deep penetration.

He was staggered for but a moment, but it was all I wanted; it was all I needed.

The spell had finished and I quickly yelled out "Lightning Bolt!" as the charged energy left my hands and instantly hit the chest of the man four feet in front of me.

He took the hit yet still managed to move forward, only partially paralyzed due to his high resistance borne of willpower.

It was enough though, as he couldn't raise his shield.

Selene capitalized on this and landed two arrows into his neck and shoulder bringing him down to 44% remaining health. I jumped back once more and started casting another [Lightning Bolt] but he had wizened up and dropped his guard and charged with full force.

Forced to cancel the spell I suffered rebound as my proficiency was too low and my hands went numb. All I could do was roll behind a log post as the giant swung his sword deep into the wood with a thwock.

His sword was stuck.

His sword was stuck!

He was struggling to get his sword out and Selene landed another two arrows into his back. He was down to 33% remaining health and my hands had quickly recovered thanks to my 100% lightning affinity.

I grasped for a weapon near my body as my axe had been lost and without looking could tell it was a spear.

I immediately turned and thrust the spear at the champion but it was deflected by his shield as he grabbed a weapon off the floor as well. We both had spears but he had a shield.

But I also had an archer and magic.

I lunged at him, thrusting the spear as hard as I could towards the center of his body fully expecting him to block it but then I realized I had just run out of stamina.

My blow landed weakly as my body gave out on me and the warrior in front of me didn't even bother to deflect the blow.

He returned a thrust of his own which embedded itself deep into my upper chest, just missing my left shoulder and collarbone by an inch. I wanted to yell out in pain but there was no time, there was simply no time for distractions such as those.

The giant of a man then pressed his weight down and the spear went all the way through me, skewering me like a piece of meat.

I collapsed to my knees from the weight as I fumbled about, trying to clear my mind for even a split second to contemplate my next course of action.

The champion saw no reason to give me that opportunity.

Following the spear attack, the edge of his shield slammed down into my right collarbone, shattering it into pieces as I grunted and clenched my teeth in pain.

I was yelling and screaming internally.

The one sign something truly hurts is when I stop making noise.

I grasped the spear with my left arm as I tried to squeeze the wood to relinquish my pain; the right arm limp at my side could not ease my discomfort.

The man attempted to pull his spear out and I used the remaining strength I had to pull the spear's shaft down as he pulled back, snapping the head off from the pole.

I was filthy angry now.

My eyes were clouded with anger as the pain radiated throughout my body and I rushed at the man in front of me, grabbing his knees and bringing him to the ground.

After that last [Lightning Bolt] my proficiency had increased enough to unlock [Arc Lightning], I didn't have the time to pay any attention to it in the middle of the fight but in the back of my mind I knew what it did.

As the two of us rolled on the ground I was quickly overpowered with my one gimp arm, but as he gained position on me and stood over me ready to deliver the killing blow I smiled.

The smirk on my face seemed to irk him as he grew angrier by the second.

He attempted to yell but I had my left hand extended out towards his chest and in a flash, lightning was arcing between my hand and his chest.

The electricity was concentrated into one large wire-like beam that pulsated and flickered in the air as it circulated through the man's body, rendering him immobile as he convulsed in place. I held the channeled [Arc Lightning] until he finally collapsed to the ground before me.

He was dead.

Selene rushed over to me and I couldn't help but let out a small laugh, to think beautiful women would be running up to me out of worry. I coughed out some blood from the laugh and checked my health bar; I had fallen to 36% remaining health from only two blows.

I had suffered two critical injuries that wouldn't heal with a simple meal… these types of injuries required a healer or extensive time and treatment. I couldn't do anything more than shake my head while lying there in pain.

I thought I was playing games to avoid the physical pain I suffered in real life hah… as Selene helped me to my feet I kicked open the first door on the left to find an empty room.

There was only one other door to the right now.

I made my way over and kicked that door open too.

The sight before me didn't elicit any real emotion from me at first.

It wasn't anything to me.

There he was cowering in the corner with his three deformed wives, all four dressed to the nines in cheap jewelry and lavish furs. I didn't really care anymore; I just wanted this to end already.

I started slowly walking towards the Earl with my hands convulsing with power, electrical energy sparking and arcing between my fingertips as I started chanting a three verse [Lightning Bolt]… a normal mage couldn't walk while chanting or casting… but I was no normal mage.

"Through power, darkness turns to light, render all to ash...."

The Earl threw his hands up in the air and offered me his wives if I spared him, the same wives that I had heard nasty rumors of from the villagers in the Northern Triangle. The same wives Kate had mentioned and were actually more repulsive in person than what she had described.

I only had one word for the Earl and his wives: "Die."