'What now?' Carlena had caught up with me at the solar of the keep, where I sat glumly on the throne. Once again, she had ushered all the servants out before speaking to me. Her face, usually pale and thoughtful, was flushed.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpxx072b6rz
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'Can you find other quests for me?'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnd77YESyGU
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The Sorceress shook her head, silver hair swinging to emphasise the negative response. 'I no longer think questing is wise. I… we can't risk further aggravating the people. Already, they hate you. If they also thought you were not the legitimate king, that would be extremely dangerous. It seems that Carlos did all the introductory quests. If you were able to repeat them, well, the people aren't stupid.' After a moment she sighed. 'We are going to have to risk battle.'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3vdsaU5HcL
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'Risk?'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAb2itWKg23
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'You could die.'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXZuEfrtXz
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Neither of us spoke. For my part, I was thinking back to my gaming experience. Obviously, when it wasn't real, I'd taken risks and died many times as a result. No biggie. Here, it seemed, the PCs didn't respawn. First of all I confirmed that. 'No one returns after death?'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3M2nrJ7N3
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'As a vampire?'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBsXyvkXSjr
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'No, as themselves, just back at a spawn point like this keep, but without their gear.'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy3aowt7pe8
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With a somewhat feline look of contempt, Carlena said, 'what a strange world you have come from. No, of course not.'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrW0Oo2QM21
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I didn't bother to correct her. 'Can you change my shape, so that I can fit in armour?'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOznrqmws3b
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'I don't have the Polymorph spell; there's my Potion of Transformation which would last for eight minutes.' There was a reluctance in her answer.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkR9HMLAQHi
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'Could I turn into a dragon with that?'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKF6El1Okep
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'A creature approximating your current size, sire. But we should save that for emergencies, such as a critical battle.'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzvh5KpiToV
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'True.'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkh2m6l9lm7
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Her comment about the potion reminded me of the other magic items that were in possession of the PCs of the kingdom. I checked under the town menu, people sub-menu and looked at the items again. Lord Arval had Shield of Defence +1; Trueblade +2; and Ring of Strength +1 which could all be of use. His Potion of Haste sounded good too, but that clearly had to be saved for war. Chancellor Parrin owned a Dagger +1; leather jerkin +1; Ring of Silent Movement. Nice too. Unfortunately, both were away just now or I would have borrowed those items.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpMkyJ9fL26
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'Sire?'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBurKYPEsLL
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I blinked away the menus. 'Yes?'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv9UzeqDG4W
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I suggest we obtain the services of the Cleric at the Church of Miya, for healing, and then the three of us go towards Mount Djace. There are monsters and dangerous wild animals for you to fight there, not too far from the city walls.'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9KVJiaSUe
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'Not too likely to kill me?'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3kXIgDD1no
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There was no trace of a smile on Carlena's face. 'I don't think so. I have Freeze as one of my spells and if necessary, will destroy any challenge too hard for you with Fire Darts.'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpiSclaB3xe
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'Right so.' I felt more cheerful. If Carlena and the Cleric could power level me for the rest of this afternoon, then with the borrowed magic items I could hope to steam along later in the week.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFHxadt76O
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We parted ways: me to the armoury in the keep; her to change to her travelling clothes, as she put it.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSr9iLvNKh7
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There were no pieces of armour that could fit me. And in any case, I needed to travel light. This body wouldn't go more than a couple of miles without being exhausted. I selected a simple rapier, mainly for its sharp point, and a light wooden shield. Then, at the last moment I had an inspiration. If Carlena could freeze mobs, I needed missile weapons. So I took a bow and a quiver of arrows.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ917Om7UaML
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmDFMWrSzR9
Carlena equipped for action was quite a different woman to the one I'd seen around the town. Gone was the long hair for a start, it was gathered at the back of her head and tied up very tightly, with a blue headband to keep stray hairs from her eyes. Instead of the robes that had earlier swayed around her with a certain aristocratic grace, she now wore high leather boots, leggings and a sand-coloured waistcoat over a dark brown blouse. Two bandoliers of small purses criss-crossed her chest and back, while another belt at her waist also had several pouches. In addition had a backpack that seemed half full.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgMc0Fr8jn4
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After looking me over, the Sorceress simply nodded. 'Sire, you need water.'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzr8dtTzoLJ
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Already feeling encumbered – not in the sense of any game penalty, just with the clutter of my gear – I felt even more so when we finally left the keep, having ordered servants to bring me an empty backpack and a large skin of water.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYhYLL3Tqoi
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There was no need for Carlena to discreetly guide me to the church, a tall wooden spire acted as my route marker. As we walked, I checked the timers on all my projects, so that I could react promptly as soon as they were complete. Figus was out on a trade negotiation, time to complete unknown. Chancellor Parrin, similarly, was scouting with an unknown completion time. There were four hours to go until the smithy used up the iron I'd assigned this morning, at which point I would have twenty-four more steel pickaxes for the miners. Three days and six hours remained on my Shipbuilding 1 research countdown; exactly one day on the hunting lodge 3; and, from the military menu, just over two days for tower machicolations. As far as planning the kingdom went, I just had to allocate the new pickaxes when they were ready and I was good until the morning, when I would have at least 3 – hopefully 4 – iron ingots to assign.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDPgSqAc5jw
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Although the spire of the church stood out above the low roofs of the shops and houses of the town, the building itself was a simple wooden hexagon shape. It was more roof than room. Each of the six sides had a window that was simply a circular hole in the wall. Since we were experiencing a mild, if dull, day (late summer perhaps?) it wasn't uncomfortable, but surely winter assemblies here would be cold? The décor consisted of carvings in the wooden walls, some of them quite impressive interlacing. If there was a message, it was probably about fertility, given all the flowers and plants that were depicted.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡftI7lS1jFU
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Looking through the town menu and buildings submenu, I found the church.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR7tQxXWJ9c
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Church level 1295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbsv7hJWUA0
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Priest: Cleric level 1295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIPnJVbeDCb
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Benefits: heals one person per day of minor wounds (cannot cure diseases, heal victims of poison or remove magical curses). Increases town Happiness by 1.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqginvJ7YQh
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Well, that was interesting. It made me ambitious to have a high level church building, one that could heal a full range of injuries and improve the town's Happiness considerably. But then, probably every building had its uses. I needed to read up on them all.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIa8b8NrfSE
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The Cleric was a female, her dress a simple tunic, but with a wreath of vine holding back her hair from a plain and nervous-looking face.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKP5qmmMPU
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'Sire?'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9gLWj3PHiF
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'Come with us. I need you to assist while I fight.'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7f3IJSIqxo
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'Get your armour,' added Carlena.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4PgLvZXKr
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I took a seat. The bench was too narrow for my body, but at least it faced directly into the wide space in the centre of the church and I could stretch my legs out and keep my balance. While we waited for the Cleric to put her fighting gear on, I asked Carlena about how magic worked. The short version was that spell casters had a mana bar that depleted according to the level of the spell they cast. It sounded familiar enough, although as she talked I got the impression that mana came back so slowly that she rarely cast more than four spells a day, which was stricter than most games I was used to.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmVa7K24IGR
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz5x9hIaaou
With every level up, Carlena gained the capacity to cast a new spell and a new spell for her spell book. You assigned a spell from the book to a place on what was effectively a UI (she said a set of runes appeared at the edge of her vision) and in theory, you had to make a choice each morning as to which spells to acquire for your UI. In Carlena's case there was no choice because she had only nine spells for her nine slots.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqIkn3Sld0
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoa3vNv2ORu
'I believe it is possible for you to research many more spells for me. Also for me to find scrolls and other spell books from expeditions and quests. Carlos never told me he could do it; he didn't trust me enough.'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9vjcUlsidt
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj5VKeij8GY
'Let me see if spells are in the town research menu.' There was indeed a sub-menu for spells: it seemed that you researched a spell by level and class and got a random result. This menu, however, was all greyed out and would only be available when Carrick had a scriptorium. I told her so.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCp40qNSnz
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'What are you building now?' she asked.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNDcQuPlix
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'Hunting lodge three. Which is only a two-day build, whereas a scriptorium level one would take three days. What's the logic here, do you know? What makes some buildings longer than others?'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVrDO4RYVsl
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Although it was obvious that Carlena didn't have a ready answer, she seemed reluctant to admit it and after a moment said, 'materials, importance, lots of factors. A scriptorium, even level one, could lift us into the first rank of kingdoms. Magic is key to winning battles. If you discovered Fireball for me, for example, that would make all the difference.'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVUriIzxjUV
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxP063zzYG
'I don't know. If the people are starving, that's us defeated before we even get to battle. I have to solve that first.'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHw1yMzVgPZ
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'We. We have to solve this. You are not really king, Sean de Courcy. Remember that.'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTjcaTu8seI
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡidMpBlWzvZ
Something about her tone made me look carefully at the sorceress. What could I see in her face and those extraordinary indigo eyes? Determination, authority and… ambition perhaps. Given that she needed me to access the menus for the realm, I had nothing to fear from her, did I? This was, however, a new universe, I reminded myself and I should take nothing for granted.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2MIlhx0coe
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiwWqXtQBx2
At last our Cleric returned, looking completely different. Now she was wearing a chainmail suit of armour that included a coif, so she was glittering iron from head to toe. In one hand was a fierce-looking mace, in the other a shield and there was a pack on her back.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtwaID6Kq9c
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHrp1y4Jy7
Carlena stood up, adjusting her headband. 'Good, let's go. We might manage two hours of hunting before sunset.'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIugjOdvytI
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Walking out of the west gate of the castle, the journey was a dull and tiring affair. I could no longer talk candidly to Carlena and learn more about the rules of the world; we had to stay in character. While I could call down menus, I was self-conscious about that too, given it involved arm gestures. Perhaps, though the Cleric was used to the king waving in the air.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6iqYMjq5P9
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About an hour into the journey, I began to falter. My thighs were sore from chaffing against each other and my shoulders ached from carrying the sword and the shield. It helped that Carlena had ordered the Cleric to carry my bow and quiver.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLXQ5Hqkr2x
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I was curious about the Cleric; what manner of person was she? What was her name even? But quite apart from the fact I needed every breath for the walk, I didn't ask. It wouldn't be true to the old King Carlos.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKppQWHqs2L
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After what felt like ten miles, but was probably only two, we were on gorse-covered, sloping ground that led up to a skyline of rounded hills. Nearby, a lively-sounding stream ran through the gorse and wild grass.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDziLDZO5TK
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFBO2HRa3kE
'Ready?' asked Carlena, eyes on the slopes.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG6icCSeDOd
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡop0IheXuPr
'Wait. Let me get my breath. Tell me the plan.'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAO0pr8VAAy
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYeABUmZelp
'I flush something out and bring it here, you kill it. If I have to cast Freeze use your bow.'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡklwAj3xVeK
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLTaJVQNgUR
After a couple of minutes I stood up. 'Right so.' I took my bow from the cleric and put it on the ground at my feet, the quiver of arrows alongside it. Then I gripped my rapier in my left hand and hefted my shield in the right.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwnVJKmcWUQ
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Just behind me was the Cleric, a glance showed her looking determined: in her right hand was her mace but her left was touching a circle of bronze that rested on her chest, hanging from a necklace. I gave her a nod, which I hoped was encouraging, but she just looked away fearfully.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq4eCANL8Qo
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'Here!'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2HcnkSfic7
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Carlena was hurrying back towards me, with a brown creature chasing her that looked somewhat like a small ostrich or a baby tyrannosaurus. It was sprinting on two legs in an impressively fast waddle, its head swaying on a thin neck with the weight of a sharp-looking beak. It was feathered, but unlike an ostrich had two small arms with claws.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6eXCycVsJI
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Feet thumping on the path, Carlena swept past me and I launched into the monster. Or at least I tried. Instead of being able to adjust my feet and bring my rapier point between me and the creature, I stumbled slightly and the creature was inside my reach, landing a vicious whack onto my ribs on the left hand side with that chisel-like beak. The stone-hard bone tore through my tunic and when the beak pulled back, blood should have sprayed everywhere.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHB5hf5JtqG
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Good news. The pain was mild, nothing like that of a real wound. And there was no blood, no exposed ribs, only a patch of red.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWqWN2iQdRN
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Bad news.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcYB770Jfeb
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You have been hit by a Ciatern for 6 points of damage!295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTCXBzfwQb
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'Freeze!'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNyTSS4zX0E
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I staggered back, just before the monster lashed into me again. With a screech of outrage, the Ciatern – as I'd just learned it was called – strained its utmost to finish me off but trashed impotently with its two feet fastened to the ground.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKwLnCntLty
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'Quickly!' shouted Carlena.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0RHKWY12fE
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Shaking lose my shield and dropping the rapier, I gathered up the bow and grabbed an arrow, only to pull it back too far and somehow get the point jammed into the frame of the bow. My low Dexterity was really punishing me. From behind came the reassuring sounds of the cleric chanting.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2iaBtGWrGD
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Finally, I got the arrow set properly, but when I released the bowstring, the arrow shattered on a rock well wide of the monster.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9BswLQQBLf
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You have unlocked the Wield Shortbow proficiency295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAFvLrckGbv
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That was progress at least.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAb11B76xQC
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My next shot went wide and high.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0fhNBgVILP
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You have become better at Wield Shortbow: 1295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1oeSHWdhrg
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For the third shot I really concentrated. I took my time, drew the arrow well, held my breath to steady my aim and fired. Miss again! It'd gotten closer but the arrow flew past to the right.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3k0tto8Ugs
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You have become better at Wield Shortbow: 2295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzaTLjZD6s
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Li6ENBxTj
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A heal landed.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJj1nowcJvh
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You have been healed of 5 points of damage.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn2njYs8cUB
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'Last chance,' said Carlena.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTaCh5F8mEw
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I missed.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfkb2BLFnZw
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You have become better at Wield Shortbow proficiency: 3295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8hslnykmd9
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5g8PgQYCIO
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The screeching monster broke free and leapt at me again and I had nothing but the bow to interpose between me and that swift-moving, sharp beak.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn13mRTx3qV
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡraE7LBPRXQ
A flurry of orange darts smacked into the creature, knocking it over, smoke trails rising from the twitching body.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnwJJtHv4fj
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWwsOfTlnpT
'Not the start we hoped for,' I muttered apologetically. It had been years since I had played a low level tank. I'd forgotten how weak they were.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5hMjeAnxqh
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCcB52Y2rpL
'We all have to start somewhere, sire,' said Carlena. 'Unfortunately, that's nearly half my mana gone.'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj7fkFz2Xun
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'And all of mine,' reported the Cleric.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7qeIy9cB5
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'All?'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ246cgwBtOH
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'Sorry sire.'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4mBlJwCJnE
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJCdbAlIXdb
Damn me, but this world was harsh. A day's mana on a 5 hit point heal. Admittedly, she was only a first level Cleric, but still.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsSLbXXQbMz
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdrEWN7PVuX
'Want to try again?' I asked, 'at least my shortbow skill went up a few times.'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡStRsjmV2JU
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMXLQ8wXR8u
'Oh, did it?' Carlena looked at me with a quizzical expression, but she had a question she didn't voice it, perhaps holding back because of the presence of the Cleric.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUy6odCBN1
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFDsiUElfKY
The Cleric went forward off the path and it took me a moment to realise she was looking for my arrows. That was a good idea and picking up my rapier and shield just in case, I went after the one that had gone high.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVwtSrJW9se
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOFjjslubxe
There were several large boulders in the landscape and one of them had been close to where the arrow had travelled, so I used it as a landmark. As I was looking at it though, I had a sense that something had moved, some shadow in the wrong place.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdpTFrMxk6y
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhWJ8dclWTp
'Carlena, Cleric, come here quick!'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbulKFWTISQ
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTANmrzRYF
Maybe it was my royal authority or maybe the urgency in my voice but both ran over at once.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1i5PgLdarR
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ96dvC40UkB
'I think there is something at that rock.'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQeyIEvQv9L
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZCOB4A87JH
'Stay here… sire, please. Cleric, you circle to the right.' With that the Sorceress began moving to see around the back of the boulder by walking to my left, keeping her distance. Her hands, I noticed, were picking items out of her pouches. Did spells require components? It looked like it.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp38dy6VqVk
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVSVCAlDBg
Before either the Cleric or Carlena had taken twenty steps a man in leather armour sprinted away from the rock.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc76BQtq8rH
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbkdJLxfguO
'Freeze!'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyijxrT4GZu
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I was already running at him, as fast as my heavy body would go, which was a frustratingly slow waddle. Still, I was in a good position this time. Twist and turn as he might, the man's feet were locked on the ground and I could line up my rapier point with his back. As I did so, a green box flickered into existence, then out as the blade moved on.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUuOiIzSbcO
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsF4DpgTlXD
By pointing the weapon precisely, I could get the target box to stay and I gave a mental command, go! Lunge! Activate! It wasn't the word, but the intent that seemed to work and suddenly I jerked forward and stabbed hard into the man's spine.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsohIN21VP
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm9PGZnW3TC
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4110vBW3Vg
You have hit a rogue for 7 hit points.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlBH4hXagf4
You have unlocked the Wield Rapier proficiency.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8SrgZ3LCN9
You cannot become better at Lunge.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtkPGmJURAr
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSVBQCr8btK
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM5Y2mkmsBI
The Cleric was beside me, mace raised.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYBja2xZUNU
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUDapZvcZEe
'Spare me! Spare me and I'll help you.' The man was pale and faltering. I'd probably wounded him half to death.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2bOU334dXt
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7uonl0XWed
'Who are you?'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7OzlW8pfre
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'I'm a scout for King Wace.'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMyfpAwZBVK
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAsErkQnRpq
'Of Southway?'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTloPC3jJhu
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5dMiTBxwcj
'Aye.'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlox78ZDWoo
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkR1qzqTd49
'Kill him,' said Carlena, heartlessly. 'You need to level.'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuCVKjyDzRo
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTUHHxickC8
She was right and moving myself and the rapier until I could manifest the green box again, I triggered Lunge.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrE8xRyOkXX
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrhqR7DvRqd
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWht5yi7C9b
You have hit a Rogue for 4 hit points.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDZIVJB3jxp
You have killed a Rogue!295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRzrd6i7RXF
You cannot become better at Lunge.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWT22uZ7OIP
You have become better at Wield Rapier: 1295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBlXgK7Y59
You have gained 35 Experience.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI0xKqOC3pS
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCwn0d0mt7U
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBn3N15wCzZ
Pretty good. I was most of the way to Level 2.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdmfIeIA8wd
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295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfm5wgaR0aL
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'Should we hide the body?' I wondered aloud.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9d7vpbuNMV
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkt5wjWWhVG
Carlena answered. 'Leave it for the monsters. There won't be a trace of it by tomorrow.'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmVYVHSzS8u
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRicSRgMYGg
'What next?'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqt63PRlZ5
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUzpgtkIX2z
'I have one more Freeze left and it seems that you have a useful attack with your sword. If I freeze something, you can get behind it and deal your damage that way, rather than try to use the bow.'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnSNCWsqjQ4
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRz7gVNsda6
'I agree.' And I did feel confident about this strategy. It was only a shame that Carlena was so short of mana, because I reckoned we'd now discovered a way I could grinding up several levels: Freeze and me Lunge from behind.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6LLEPOkEoa
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpVJUcPeKI
The Sorceress stooped by the body of the Rogue and came up with the dagger in her hand, then tossed it and caught it. 'This will do to attract attention.' With that she moved slowly through the heather, but again, it was me who saw a movement. A possible target, another Ciatern. I gave a low whistle and pointed.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7tKt0WYMyU
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj8zxkaGVis
Without responding, Carlena walked towards the monster until she was about twenty yards away. The creature looked up. Neither moved until Carlena flung the dagger. The spinning blade missed, but it galvanised the Ciatern into a dash towards her. There was something comical about the way it ran but nothing at all humorous about the hammer head and sharp beak.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8wQwOfjFi5
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZBwkvQgAF
'Freeze!'295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsYPpseHReg
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKwntkuMUb
Again, that awful screeching began and I had to hurry closer to it, cleric at my side, and skirt around until I could line up my lunge at the creature's back.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwUKGjj4bNj
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLTL4vZkFPU
It was a surprisingly long fight and I was getting anxious about the timer on Freeze when the mob finally died, after my fifth hit. With a delicious golden rush of light, I got the message I had been anticipating: I had levelled up!295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSjTPTYr0pA
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVDsByh9ci8
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCZru84ojyj
You have hit a Ciatern for 6 hit points.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEu2Bx3tm4m
You have killed a Ciatern!295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzWYzSPAnKb
You cannot become better at Lunge.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6FyIZFKzI2
You have become better at Wield Rapier: 5295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrwGSo0Y9eP
You have gained 75 Experience.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi6lupXonsj
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ77TFa7ZAZT
You have gained a level! Your hit points are restored and your timers on skills and feats have reset. Please view your character sheet for other benefits.295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM5ILJEeR67
295Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkItoJsMcop
This was more like it. I was delighted with myself. Yes, there was still a mountain to climb, but at least I was properly on the path now.
