Chapter 27 - Battle Finale (1/2)
The chapter does need to be edited more, but I'm not stupid. I would never get around to it.
----------------------------------------------------------
Boulder meters from the screaming lines of men, it took a single thought to remove the effects of the enchant from the boulder leaving it in a dormant state. A single swift movement of my hand to throw a clump of pebbles, enchanting them with the last dredges of my mana.
Then I let loose, forcing myself into the state as I received a ma.s.sive spike of adrenaline.
Aura: Bloodl.u.s.t is now in effect
Knees buckling, unprepared for the sense of terror sweeping over them. Silence ripping through the air as throats froze in fright.
A moment of perfect peace, made me feel a little sad. Not often that I'll have this.
Time resumed, the boulder smashed into their lines. I could hear loud bangs as pebbles ripped through armor, horses screaming under the unexpected a.s.sault.
That's the knights crippled, it should take a forth of their lines and a minute to get back under control.
The boulder surged through their lines, armor crumpling and a deep trench as the boulder coursed through the lines and directly towards the commanders embankment.
At the very least, it'll cause confusion.
With each pa.s.sing second as I fought to destroy their front lines, preventing them from pa.s.sing by me I received notification after notification. Receiving exp for every man the boulder kissed, exp for the ones I took care of personally.
When I had enough mana, I threw pebbles at the distant lines, preventing the footmen from fleeing or attacking towards Lily. But most of my mana was used to prevent the connection to the enchanted boulder from snapping.
It was chaos. No one could possibly keep track of who was doing what.
You have leveled up to 26You have been given 5 stat points to distribute
I received a levelup, mana instantly restored and the small drop in health disappearing. Wounds disappearing the second the notification appeared. And the boulder was still under my control while resting a fair distance away from the battlefield.
With a small thought and knowing what it would cost, the boulder consumed substantial amounts of mana as it slowly began to move back to the battlefield, this time towards the knights.
Halin had stressed it repeatably, the numbers of footmen on the ground were my biggest problem, the knights were the next. The new weapons he had heard of were the next biggest problem, simply because he didn't know how they worked. He only had rumors to work from.
The footmen could swarm past me, taking Lily by sheer numbers. The knights could take them on through might and speed, through their might was debatable against me. I think the new weapons could be crossbows, interesting enough but, not really.
By now most of the footmen on the ground were running, the battlefield beginning to clear as the useless soldiers moved off the field. I was happy to allow them, too much ha.s.sle and effort for a single man. I'll likely regret this later.
The skill Gamer has reached level 10Inventory increases to 5x5 slots
Skillbooks can be consumed
Oh, how nice. Remind me to checkout the library next time I'm nearby.
Soon spa.r.s.e numbers of archers remained, knights standing there even as a boulder bore down on them less than a few seconds away from behind. Most of them only beginning to react to the new danger. The commanders meeting spot was gone, a trench in the ground with red bodies pressed into it.
A group of Crossbowmen remained, probably 30 or so. It was in their job t.i.tle.
Hale lv.8 Crossbowman
But really, level 8? What happens if you remove the crossbow from him? Does his level drop?
You have leveled up to 27You have been given 5 stat points to distribute
Spa.r.s.e numbers of men still stood around, and after the boulder made mincework of the knights I gained another level. 20 knights remained, 80 either haven run, killed or dehorsed.
I just stood there, picking off anyone who approached Lily as they began to organise themselves as they watched me in fear.
I'm not even going to describe the sound of the battlefield, the screams on the howl as the man next to me howls with the loss of his leg.
EXP +40
Whelp, no longer howling now.
Seems I don't get much exp from a wounded kill. Did I get his already?
Finally they began to resemble an army again, and conveniently I spotted Ilan. He wasn't among the army, nope. He was part of those running away from me, not making a noise or doing anything to attract my attention. His movements also had him skirting the ditch surrounding the battlefield, not once stepping foot off it and forfeiting the fight.
Might work too, but he ran a little too close and glanced a little too long at me..
At least I might be able to keep my promise to Lily now.
Oh, looks like the army has reached a conclusion.
Yep.
Oh, they are scattering. This is going to be irritating. Time to recall my boulder.
Anndd here they come.
30 bolts, a wave of arrows and a charge from the knights. Following closely behind, were the remaining soldiers still loyal.
20% of their army was left, the elites and the foolish. 65% having run, 15% slain or wounded.
It was like what Halin said, the boulder would be the most effective weapon in my a.r.s.enal. All it had to do was outrun people and crush them, leaving wounded and killed in its wake and fear would do the rest. My aura remained unaddressed in the conversations, but it had a huge part in this.
Even now the ones who were charging in my direction looked pale, faces set in grim determination or taut fear. Legs churning as they sought to cover distance.
Obvious ploy, they were not headed towards me. The knights scattered across the charge in a effort to make it past. Crossbows and bows likely to distract me, do they have orders to continue fire even if I'm near their own?
Distracted as I watched the advancing armies, I took a bolt from a crossbow to the head.
HP -620
Right eye has been destroyed
95% of INT and WIS temporarily lost, 30% of DEX temporarily lost
Due to mental resistance, you retain the ability to think clearly
I collapsed. No better way to put it.
Connection to the boulder snapped, enchantment on my own body to enhance movements disappeared. I collapsed, unable to cope with the sudden loss of eye and ensuring pain.
Dimly amidst the pain I had a single thought, Lily.
Fighting the screaming agony I slowly stood up as my head throbbed in unrelenting pain.
HP -62
My leg, a burst of pain. I don't remember that arrow being in my leg.
This hurts. Bad.
I remembered my health, I need to keep that up. What's my health?
HP: 21/781
Oh. That's bad.
Dimly in my haze of pain as I thought frantically I remembered the unused stat points.
Summoning my stats with a hand that felt almost numb I tapped at VIT, investing all 10 points.
HP: 121/881
Oh that's better.
I can't feel a noticeable difference, but if I'm not a step away from death that works.
With my one remaining eye I looked up, barely able to move my head in time to escape a arrow as it grazed by.
They are keeping their distance, that's good. They could hit me more if they were closer.
They are not doing anything though, just looking at me with stark terror on their faces. What's wrong?
Patting upwards with my hand, I felt the metal shaft sticking from my eye socket with a burst of pain.
Oh.
That's why they are running.
Better not pull it out yet. Or should I.
I should. But I can't risk it. I don't know.
Oh, the knights have almost reached Lily. I should go.
Stumbling in a broken walk, I began to move to Lily. Chainmail trapping arrows like a porcupine as I grew used to my new lack of vision. Soon I began to jog, scared to trip as it could mean my doom.
No really, do the math. Crossbow bolt in eye socket, falling forwards. Nice?
Those that saw me recoiled in fright, scared to come closer and losing their will to fight.
I was just in pain, I couldn't exactly think straight despite what the message said. My head blazed with pain, my eye blazed with pain, my pain blazed with pain.
And when this comes out, I'm going to be in so much pain.
Oh.
They reached her.
My hand reaches inside my inventory, but the pebble I throws refuses to enchant.
Mana control not sufficient to cast this spell
What mana control? I have a high level in mana control. Did it reduce that too?
I can't waste time. Need to run.
Oh. He swung his sword.
I'm running now, just hold on a little more Lily..
They are not stopping, they are really getting into it.
They see me, but they don't run. They are renewed frantically to claw at her armor.
Hmm. They can't do it, they are straining at the pieces but they can't move it. The slits in the helmet are too thin, their weapons can't fit in.
I'm running towards them, my club raised into the air as I approach the unnerved soldiers.
My running is making the shaft in my head bounce, its not a pleasant feeling. But rather, its painful.
Does Lily refuse to surrender or something? Why is she risking her life.
I'm there, I finally get the chance to use my club.
112 DMG
EXP +600
122 DMG
EXP +600
141 DMG
EXP +650
Haaa. The club has a dent in it now. At least it didn't break.
Can I repair stuff? I should be able to repair stuff. What kind of game doesn't let you repair stuff?
”Is that you?” I heard a voice whimper
Who is it. Lily? Its Lily isn't it. This pain is agonising.
”Hi Lily” I gasped out. ”I came”
I'm on my knees, when did that happen. Were the weapons poisoned?
Oh. There is is. In the corner of my vision.
Paralyzed for 5 minutes, 20 seconds
40% of DEX temporarily lost, 85% of AGI temporarily lost
Ha. Just my day. When did that happen.
I can hear sniffles coming from the armor.
I look around at the nearby people, no one is attacking right now which is good.
My health is recovering, recovering too slow.
HP: 341/881
I'll wait until its at least 700, what if it does damage on the way out as it did on the way in?
I need my magic, 7 knights are nearby with at least 10 men on foot. They are not attacking yet, but they are watching me as their eyes flicker towards Lily on the ground.
”Ilan” I heard a whisper, a pause.
”Take him alive”