Chapter 30: Death of a Player (Patreon)

The half-orc had obviously been reborn and, from the looks of it, was out for blood. “You,” he sneered as he drew closer. “How fortuitous that we meet again.”

“For me, perhaps,” I said bravely. “Not for you.”

He laughed, not bothering to retort. Resisting the urge to flee, I stiffened my limbs and renewed my buffs.

You have cast witch armor, increasing your damage resistance by 10% for 2 hits.

Braced for a charge, I waited, but the half-orc seemed in no hurry. “Alone this time, I see,” he jeered. His gaze flickered to Adalinda. “Well, except for that.”

“Who sent you?” I demanded.

Ignoring me, the half-orc removed a small round object from his belt and tossed it in up his left hand.

My eyes narrowed. What is he up to? I didn’t know, but maybe if I kept him talking, I could learn something. “Why are you after me? Tell me and I’ll—”

“You’ll get no answers from me, noob,” he spat.

“So why are here?” I asked.

“To kill you, of course,” he replied and flicked his hand forward. “Here. For your pet.”

Alarm shot through. “Back, Ada!” I shouted, but it was too late.

The pebble-like object the ground near the fire lizard and thick, evil-looking purple smoke mushroomed out.

Your companion has entered a dissociation field.

Adalinda has failed a magical resistance check! Your companion is disrupted and has been forcibly unmanifested. Duration: 5 minutes. While disrupted, Adalinda cannot assume corporeal form.

The purple smoke cleared almost as quickly as it appeared, taking Adalinda with it. My heart thumped fearfully. “Ada!” I screamed.

“I’m alright,” her reply came back almost immediately. “The orc only dispelled me. I’m back inside you.”

My pulse slowed and I breathed easier.

“Forget me, El. I won’t be able to help you now. Focus on the assassin. Make him pay.”

“I will,” I promised.

The half-orc laughed, watching the riot of emotions cross my face. “There. Now, we’re alone. Much better, don’t you think?” Not waiting for my answer, he whipped back his right arm and flung his morningstar.

I’d anticipated the move, though and he failed to catch me by surprise. Throwing myself to the left, I watched the unwieldly projectile sail past.

You have evaded a level 20 half-orc’s attack.

Your foe has cast psionic rebound.

My eyes widened. The assassin had advanced in level as much as I had since we’d last met. I had little time to consider the implications, though. The morningstar—which I’d already dodged—had reversed course!

And this time, it caught me flat-footed.

A level 20 half-orc has injured you!

The spiked weapon thudded into my stomach, knocking me back. Crashing to the ground, I moaned—more in frustration than pain. Twice now, my foe had got the better of me. He’d learned from our last encounter, and if I was going to survive, I was going to have to do the same. It was time to change tactics.

Ignoring the searing pain in my gut, I tossed the morningstar away and rolled back to my feet. The assassin was charging, rapidly closing the distance between us. But he wasn’t close enough—not yet.

Turning tail, I ran.

Putting my head down, I ran flat out. The melee between the Devils and the Raccoons still raged on to my left, but I didn’t make for it, although the thought of losing myself between the battling gangs was tempting. No, instead, I veered right, making for a half-ruined wall that looked solid enough to bear me. If I could just reach it…

The heavy footsteps behind me slowed, and I risked a glance over my shoulder.

The half-orc had stopped to pick up his fallen weapon, his face a mix of outrage, fury—and confusion. I smiled. This time, he was the one caught out by surprise.

Drawing mana, I faced forward again. The half-wall was rushing closer. I kept casting. Three steps away, I leaped, arms flung forward, and hands outstretched.

My searching fingers found stone.

With a mighty heave, I pulled myself atop the wall and spun around—just in time to see my foe’s weapon flying towards me once more, blurring through the air faster than simple steel had any right to.

I ducked down and the weapon sailed over.

Fuming, the half-orc surged forward. I had no intention of letting him get close to me again, though. “My turn,” I snarled, completing my spell.

You have cast ethereal bow.

In an eyeblink, a weapon of solid light took shape in my hand. Drawing back the bowstring taut, I fired.

A half-orc has evaded your attack!

“Damn,” I muttered, my face falling as the assassin weaved past the magical projectile. My surprise did not go unnoticed by my foe. A nasty grin on his face, the assassin drew his secondary weapon.

Focus, Elana! I snapped. I had time for two more quick attacks—or one good one. I inhaled slowly. Make it count.

Eyes narrowing in concentration—and using precious time I feared I didn’t have—I centered my arrow on the half-orc. Then hesitated. He’ll dodge.

Shifting my aim a touch, I released.

The flaming arrow streaked through the air. Heart in mouth, I watched it sail towards my target. The assassin dodged left—

—the very same way I’d guessed he’d go—

—and instead of evading the arrow, he stepped squarely into its path.

You have critically injured a half-orc!

With an audible hiss, the magical project burned through my foe’s right eye. The assassin shrieked and I smiled triumphantly. I’d struck my mark dead center.

Maybe, I have a making of an archer, after all.

My foe was not done, though. Far from it. Smacking away the flames wreathing his face, he staggered on.

Rising to my feet, I prepared to drop down the far side of the wall. As long as I could stay out of arm’s length from the assassin, I would be in little danger. This fight is already half done. If I’m careful, I can—

A half-orc has cast psi-leap.

Before I could complete the thought, my foe was on me, seeming to cover the intervening distance in no time at all.

You have been knocked down and dazed. Duration: 3 seconds.

A half-orc has injured you.

Your witch armor has broken.

I landed hard, the breath rushing out of me as the half-orc, following, landed atop me. Straddling me, the assassin reached for my throat with his oversized paws. I tried to stop him, but he brushed aside my feeble attempts. Wrapping his hands around my neck, he squeezed.

You have failed a physical resistance check! You are suffocating. Duration: infinite.

Gasping, I struggled to loosen my foe’s death grip, but the assassin’s hands were gripped too tightly around my neck, and inch by inch, I felt my life slipping away.

No. I won’t die here. I can’t.

The daggers on my belt were out of reach, but the stiletto sheathed on my right forearm wasn’t. Giving up the futile struggle against the assassin’s hold, I lowered my hands and drew the thin long blade.

My foe, his gaze fixed on my own, didn’t notice.

“Die… you… bastard,” I stammered and plunged the light-infused weapon through the half-orc’s bared neck.

You have critically injured a half-orc.

The assassin’s eyes widened, and his mouth opened in an O of surprise, but before he could utter any dying words, the light in his eyes died and he slumped against me.

You have killed a level 20 half-orc.

You have sent your foe to his final death!

I closed my eyes, taking a moment to savor the moment. I’d survived yet again. But that was too close, I thought. Shoving aside the dead weight, I wriggled out from under the corpse just as a plethora of new Game messages scrolled through my mind.

You and your companion have reached level 18!

Your summoning has increased to level 19, your fire magic to level 24, and your light magic to level 24.

Celestial trait triggered! Core skills mirrored.

Adalinda’s tooth and claw has increased to level 23, and her natural armor to level 25.

A hand grabbed me.

Distracted by the Game alerts, I didn’t move quickly enough and before I knew it, I was pulled unceremoniously to my feet. A chuckle reverberated in my ear, and I felt the touch of cold steel at my back.

“I’ve got you, now.”

I closed my eyes. This is it. This is where I die. But I barely finished the thought before I was spun around.

My foe was no foe at all.

It was Alon.