Bending the Rules 2 (Patreon)

[quote][center]PERCEPTION (39 VS 15) FAILURE T2[/center][/quote]

So, I’d managed to figure out that unlike literally every tabletop game I’d played, skills weren’t automatically linked to specific stats. Best I could tell, were my build one that I was using at an actual table, I’d make a case to the Game Master about which stat and skill best fit the specific situation and make my dice pool based off of that. I supposed that given the apparent lack of a Charisma stat or anything approaching it, it made some measure of sense.

That didn’t help me deal with the fact that I was being stalked by something. Taking another look through the memories I’d been given, I understood what Buk had meant when he called me a tough bastard. Despite being only fifteen, I was apparently the most skilled fighter in the tribe. And not because the tribe was in a situation like Sokka, the tribe actually had a number of people able to fight. We were a ‘weird’ tribe, not only because everyone, man or woman, was taught how to fight, but because even though we had benders, everyone learned to fight without bending. I remember something in Gramps stories about having met someone who could prevent you from bending with a few jabs, which made the tribe’s rules about knowing how to handle a weapon all the more valid.

Shaking my head, I closed my one good eye and focused. Whatever was hunting me, almost certainly the spirit that lived in the cave, my vision wasn’t going to be enough to spot it. So I stopped relying on it, instead focusing on my sense of the air.

[quote][center]PERCEPTION (17 VS 14) FAILURE[/center][/quote]

But whatever it was, it was too damn good. Something about the air was off, it almost felt hesitant to respond to my chi. Like the spirit had made the air itself afraid of it. I could feel something moving, and narrowed my brow in concentration as I tried to figure out where it was.

[quote][center]DODGE (38 VS 21) FAILURE T2

DAMAGE: 3 BRUISE, 1 BRUTAL

HEALTH REMAINING: 6 BRUISE, 4 BRUTAL, 2 LETHAL[/center][/quote]

“MOTHERFUCKER!” I screamed in pain as a massive form slammed into my back. I felt a rib crack, and barely managed to get my feet under me and avoid the snapping teeth of the thing that attacked me.

Opening my eye, I took in the visage of my foe. Four legs, sleek, predominantly black fur with white patches and underbelly, a long, thick tail that ended in a flipper, and a long dorsal fin on its back. I recognized it, both from my time as a nerd in my first life and from the memories of living in a world where a basic bear was the freak. I couldn’t remember the name from my first life, but it was what was locally called an orca wolf. Except most orca wolves only reached my sternum with their dorsal fins, this one was big enough to look me in the eye.

Right, no way I’d be able to avoid it now that it was staring me down. Only chance I had was to kill it, or at least do enough damage that it decided I wasn’t worth the effort to eat. Like the old saying went, the best defense is an overwhelming offense. Tapping into the mental state that Gramps had taught me to keep my temper under control, I called up each and every memory that served to piss me off, and focused it on the foe in front of me.

[quote][center]BATTLE RAGE: MELEE - TWO HAND (6 VS 29) SUCCESS T2

WEAPON QUALITY: SAVAGE 1

DAMAGE: 5 BRUISE, 1 LETHAL[/center][/quote]

The blade of my ax bit into the beast’s side, and it let out a sound that was a mix of yowl and clicking chirps. I jumped back from a retaliatory swipe, and we began circling each other. My back and ribs burned, but I kept my eyes firmly locked on it, even as it kept letting out a series of clicking sounds.

[quote][center]DEFEND (11 VS 19) SUCCESS[/center][/quote]

The beast leapt, and I used a burst of air from my side to allow me to avoid it, bringing my ax around at the same time.

[quote][center]BATTLE RAGE: MELEE - TWO HAND (8 VS 21) SUCCESS T2

WEAPON QUALITY: SAVAGE 1

DAMAGE: 5 BRUISE, 1 LETHAL[/center][/quote]

It let out another yelping click, and I was beginning to get the sense that either it was something of a glass cannon, I was, or both. It turned to face me, before letting out a bellow as its muscles bulged under its fur. I held my ax up in front of me, eye widening slightly as it swelled in size, looming nearly half again as tall as it had been.

“Oh crap,” I muttered, as the ice surrounding us cracked and splintered from the sound. The very floor fractured, turning the entire cave floor into a hazardous mess. That was without the worry about the stalactites falling as the ceiling suffered the same structural weakening. On the other hand… a glance up showed a rather large stalactite right above it, and I smirked before putting my new plan into motion.

[quote][center]ATTACK: RANGE (17 VS 18) SUCCESS

ENVIRONMENT QUALITY: PENETRATING 4

DAMAGE: 1 BRUISE, 4 BRUTAL[/center][/quote]

As I’d hoped, the frozen stalactite broke free and skewered the now giant orca wolf. Unfortunately, that just seemed to piss it off. Time for me to run.

[quote][center]ATHLETICISM (38 VS 31) FAILURE[/center][/quote]

“Crap,” I muttered as the orca wolf leapt over me, growling deep and low in its throat as it turned around to face me.

[quote][center]DEFEND (18 VS 19) SUCCESS[/center][/quote]

A breath of bending enhanced air sent me flying back, out of the way of a paw the size of my torso. Okay, running wasn’t going to work, I didn’t have the skills to be stealthy, so like I’d figured from the get go: my only option was to kill it.

“Right then, ready to end this?” I asked cheekily, as I raised my ax. It let out a series of clicks, crouching down like it was preparing to pounce. We both stood still, neither taking the first move, the cavern silent save for the dripping of water and the groans of the ice surrounding us shifting and settling.

Then, like a leaf falling in a samurai movie, we both moved at the same time. The air pushed at my back, while at the same time moving out of my way, allowing me to hurl myself towards it at speeds unlike any I ever had before. The orca wolf’s form was sheathed in energy, the spirit focusing its power on ending me. I could feel the adrenaline rushing through my body, filling me with a euphoria and rush that made my lips spread in a fierce grin, as wild laughter forced its way out of my throat. I could see the same rush running through the orca wolf.

“VALHALLA!” I screamed as I brought my ax down on the orca wolf’s head, the polished steel cutting through the aura surrounding the spirit before biting into its flesh.

[quote][center]BATTLE RAGE: MELEE - TWO HAND (4 VS 36) SUCCESS T3, CRITICAL HIT

WEAPON QUALITY: SAVAGE 1

DAMAGE: 5 BRUTAL, 1 LETHAL[/center][/quote]

There was a burst of energy, causing the cavern to fill with mist, blocking both my vision and clouding my air-sense. Shaking my head and wiping the blood out of my good eye, I sent a burst of air from me, clearing the mist. The orca wolf was certainly dead, unless it could somehow survive having its head in two halves.

“Huh…so…I killed something the blue bloods have been using as an execution method with extra steps for centuries,” I mused aloud, only for my ribs to flare in pain. “Ow, right, fuck.”

Most impressive, Human, a voice spoke, making me raise my ax again, pushing aside the pain in my chest. Calm yourself, you have released me from the prison of flesh that I was trapped within.

I took in the spirit, the actual spirit, that floated above the corpse of the orca wolf. It looked basically like the orca wolf, but subtly different in ways that I couldn’t describe. Nevertheless, I kept my grip on my ax as I stared it down, “I suppose you’re the spirit that the last Water Tribe Avatar imprisoned here?”

Only partially correct, it answered. Avatar Kuruk was the one who sealed me in this cavern, but he wasn’t the one who imprisoned me. That was another spirit, one that has been dispersed, else I would not be speaking right now. In any case, you have my gratitude, Human. But I must confess confusion: you bear the body and skills of a warrior, yet wield air like those boring monks. How did this come to be?

“The Air Monks are extinct,” I bluntly told it. “Close to a hundred years now, my grandfather was one of the ones who escaped the genocide, was found by the Blood Eagle Tribe, now here I am.”

Interesting. I have an offer for you, Airbender of the Blood Eagle: allow me to inhabit your weapon. I will make it stronger, more durable, and more conducive to your bending. In exchange, I get to feed upon the blood you spill in battle. Do we have an accord?

I narrowed my eye, considering. Blood drinking weapons were almost never a good thing. I remembered hearing about that freaky vampire sword from Critical Role. So I was going to ask several questions, “Will you have any influence over my body? Will you require a specific amount of blood at specific intervals? Will there be any other drawbacks?”

The spirit gave me a look, You are my best chance to leave this place and experience the rush of combat once again. I am not going to jeopardize that by playing the role of a blood hungry trickster. I am a hunter, a warrior. Such tricks are for prey, not potential pod-mates. As for the amount and frequency of blood, I have dined on the meager scraps sent my way by the pitiful tribesmen of Anga Qel’a for the last four hundred years, even a battle against a single deer cat every three moons would be more than I’ve gotten.

Hearing the spirit call the members of the largest of the Northern Water Tribes pitiful gave me an idea. Grinning, I asked, “How would you like a spot of payback on them? Because I have an idea…”

Laying out my rapidly forming plan, the spirit cackled in amusement, I believe we are going to have quite the splendid partnership, Vonrir of the Blood Eagle. Come then, blood and glory await us.

[hr][/hr]

Step one of the plan: drag the body that Angunta had been stuck in for the last few centuries back to the cave entrance. Step two: wait until dawn. Step two was the boring part, since the pact between Angunta and I had been sealed well before midnight. Fortunately, I had a little something to keep me occupied.

[quote][center]CONGRATULATIONS: YOU HAVE EARNED 10 EXPERIENCE.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEND YOUR EXPERIENCE?[/center][/quote]

Obviously, the answer to that question was yes. My stats were unfortunately grayed out, so I couldn’t do anything with them. At a guess, either they cost more than ten experience or the only way to get them any lower would be with perks. So for the moment I focused on skills. From the feel of it, I could drop one of my skills currently at two down to one for a bit under half of the experience I had. Given what I had planned, I did so for Seduce.

That left me with six points left, and five of that was immediately spent on the Mad Skillz (Seduce) perk. That left me with a single point leftover, which I used to improve one of the skills I hadn’t improved yet: Perception. With that taken care of, I turned my attention to my now spirit-housing ax.

[quote][center]Angunta Blood Ax

Base Damage: Melee - Two Hand

Item Qualities: Blood Cursed, Savage 1, Spirit Blessed

[spoiler=Blood Cursed]A dark curse resides within this item, one fed by blood. If fed enough, who can predict how the curse will grow.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Savage]On a successful hit, convert one point of Bruise damage to Lethal.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Spirit Blessed]A spirit has favored this item, improving it beyond what mortal hands can craft.[/spoiler][/center][/quote]

My musings on my new partner and my new abilities came to a halt when I heard the ice shifting. Standing up, I rested my hands on top of my ax, a smug smirk on my face as Pakku and the other waterbenders brought down the ice wall they’d made last night. The looks on their faces as they saw me waiting for them, the body of the beast that had been a means of execution for the last four hundred years next to me, was delicious.

“So this means I’m cleared of all crimes, right?” I drawled as I stood to my full height.

Pakku recovered first, “Indeed. You are hereby cleared of all crimes committed against the Northern Water Tribe as of this day.”

“That’s the kicker, isn’t it,” I said, knowing that what I had planned would be so much worse than a mere raid. I could hardly wait.

[hr][/hr]

[quote][center]SEDUCE - YUE (10 VS 40) SUCCESS T3[/center][/quote]

I admit, the blush on Yue’s face as I strolled up to the palace courtyard, bare chested and fresh from being healed, was just too cute. There was some political talk that her father was making, but I honestly wasn’t paying attention to him. I was instead focusing on making sure to stall long enough for Angunta to finish Step Three of the plan. Really, Arnook was doing my job for me.

Finally, after at least half an hour of Arnook talking, there was a loud crash from elsewhere in the city. I grinned, sparing a glance back at the city, to see the kaiju-sized form of Angunta crashing through where the prisoners were held. It appeared that we were onto Step Four: Angunta causes a distraction while I steal the greatest treasure in the entire city.

[quote][center]ATTACK: RANGE (19 VS 60) SUCCESS T4

DAMAGE: 5 BRUISE[/center][/quote]

A blast of air from my palm slammed into Arnook, sending him flying back. At the same time, I rushed over to Yue’s side, hooked an arm around her waist, and threw her up onto my shoulder before running as fast as I could, using my airbending to boost my stride. No one ever expects airbending from a viking, just like spaniards and inquisitions!

What followed was a frantic chase, a bunch of waterbenders torn between chasing after the giant with their chieftain’s daughter over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes or the giant orca wolf smashing through buildings like it was Godzilla in Tokyo. Admittedly, Yue wasn’t exactly passive, but seeing as she had no bending of her own she was limited to futily beating on my back with her fists and trying to kick at my face. I grinned as I leapt from a balcony, using a mix of airbending and the body of a fortunately located (for me) waterbender to break the fall. The fact that my roll to bleed momentum required my grip to tighten down on Yue’s cute little bottom had nothing to do with it. Soon enough, I was at my destination: the docks.

“Vonrir!” the voice of Buk shouted from one of the larger boats in port. There weren’t enough of us to row it, or use waterbending to cheat, but it did have one very important feature that would make our escape feasible.

In moments, I was running down the dock as Buk and the others pushed away. With a leap, I landed in the boat, making it rock and slide forwards. Handing Yue off to Dovron, I rolled my neck before focusing on the next part. Gathering my chi, I grinned at what was about to happen, giving a warning, “Hold on to something!”

Sure enough, Angunta’s rampage took him through the wall that separated us from freedom. With that, I released the chi I’d been gathering, sending a gust of wind into the feature that was the deciding factor in our escape vehicle: sails.

Outside of the Earth Kingdoms, ships with sails were something of a rarity. The Air Nomads would never dream of lowering themselves from their mountain tops to do something as base as sail, the Fire Nation had their iron ships that had boilers, and the Water Tribes primarily relied on waterbending. The point being, no one was prepared for a sailing ship to have an airbender on it. So by the time that any ships realized that Yue was on ours, we were already well out of reach and moving faster than they could catch.

“You are one crazy bastard, Vonrir,” Buk said an hour later, as I took a break from manning the sails. “I don’t know how you got a spirit to bust us out, but we need to talk about the elephant koi in the bay.”

I nodded, making my way down to the deck where the rest of the boys from our tribe were gathered. Yue was sitting off to the side, her eyes fearful, but from the looks of it none of them had touched anywhere they shouldn’t have. Turning back to the rest, I cleared my throat to get their attention.

“I know the plan had been to raid an outpost for some supplies, but things didn’t turn out that way. We were caught, and set to be executed,” Buk began. “I pulled a desperate ploy to ensure one of us lived, and things escalated from there. Unfortunately, we can’t go back to the Tribe. The blue bloods will already be heading there to look for us, and after the damage we did if we return they won’t hesitate to wipe out the entire tribe. You know what this means: as far as the Tribe is concerned, we are banished.

“But not all’s lost: we have a beast of a fighter in Vonrir here, and that’s without considering the fact that he managed to befriend a spirit that’s had the blue blood scared shitless for centuries! We’ll figure out a new path for ourselves, and create a new sapling for the Blood Eagle. VALHALLA!”

“VALHALLA!” I and the others cried out.

“First things first: no one touches the girl. Vonrir stole her fair and square, meaning she’s his. It doesn’t matter if she has a clasp or not, we aren’t like the Fish Eaters.”

I tuned out the rest of Buk’s speech, making my way over to Yue. She crabwalked away from me, only to pause.

[quote][center]SEDUCE - YUE (8 VS 48) SUCCESS T4[/center][/quote]

“You are so cute when you blush,” I told her as I reached down and helped her to her feet. “Come, we have a lot to talk about.”