Born a Monster

Both the Hound and I sent out invites to all.

I told my team.

That settled, Madonna might not have had her magic, but she did still have her crossbow. She and Kismet lay loose with bolts that drew blood, but did not stick.

roared the King.

“You need me!” hollered the Hound. “I know Danton the Black.”

Yaros said.

the Hound corrected.

You would think three boars would knock over a tree in two thirds of the time, but there are issues of coordination that they were lacking.

.....

I sent.

Kismet was downwind, but not so far that I couldn’t hear her curses.

Madonna sent a picture of the big one.

I sent back.

“Slumber!” I cast toward Jack.

Jack told the others.

the King said.

Crap. I could have built bows, or helped Gamilla with spears. I had many abilities, almost none of which were useful fighting from trees. Still, I wouldn’t survive long on the ground, either.

It was Madonna, with a lucky crit, that saved him. One of her bolts stuck in the King’s rump.

He howled.

As it happened, they were both in the same tree.

Kismet pleaded.

Madonna said.

“Thorn Blast!” Corvina finished, turning wooden chips into a hail of tiny needles.

shrieked the Queen.

howled Jack.

Queen said, calmly.

the crossbow fell from Madonna’s limp fingers, shattering as it struck the ground.

Kismet sent.

If the boars had been watching from the underbrush, I’d have been toast. I dropped to the ground, engaged my sprint, and literally made my way up the pegs like a goat.

The miko light came together fitfully, but it came together. Again, her body pulled it directly to her injury. Her serious injury, that would take weeks to heal properly. Damn it.

“Well,” the Hound said, lowering himself from the tree. “I count no dead crew members to no dead boars.”

“No.” Corvina said. “This is a loss. We threw everything we had into that battle, and worse, we wounded them.”

Jaroslav asked.

“Because they know we can hurt them now.” the Hound said. “When they come back, it won’t be to play with us any more. They’ll be coming to kill us all.”

“I’ve spoken my clever ideas. Maybe we should ask the Benapongo for help?” Gamilla asked.

“The boars will expect that.” the Hound said. “Still, with a class bearing Druid, we might make it.”

“Even together, we will not all survive such a trek.” Corvina warned.

“Some sounds better than none.” Yaros said. “I’m keeping my spear.”

“You can have it.” the Hound said. “I reckon those beasts had eight points of armor. Six at least.”

“I can unlock Slayer of Beasts.” I said. “It’s actually a low level Hunter power.”

“How can you call yourself a Hunter and not have already unlocked that? Unlock Clean Kill as well.” Corvina said. “Tell me you at least have Beast Sense and Mark of the Hunter.”

“I have Beast Sense.” I said.

“Look,” the Hound said. “I don’t know much about Hunters, but those all sound like basic abilities.”

“I’m dividing my points between sixteen classes.” I said. “Besides, Clean Kill only augments damage when I have surprise on the beast. That’s not something that’s easy to do.”

After discussion, it was decided that I would unlock Slayer of Beasts and Wild Dance from Hunter, and

Stealth from the shared Stealth Class ability list.

“What other classes do you have free points in?” the Hound asked.

“We’ve spent too much time already.” Corvina said. “It will be dark before we reach the Benapongo.”

I used Meld Wood to get a crude set of wooden braces onto a crosscut of tree trunk. It was a terrible shield, but it was a shield.

We didn’t make it to the stream, let alone to the Benapongo.

“They’re hiding in the bushes ahead.” I said, sharing the exact location through our party link.

the King said, echoed by the Queen and Jack.

“Up the trees!” the Hound called, eager to follow his own advice.

Corvina, Kismet, and the brothers also fell back, leaving Gamilla over my left shoulder.

“Keep me safe, Ambassador. I’m still better with this spear than you are with that blade.”

Full Health, new abilities... Who was I kidding? This was one of those combats that ended up with me prone and struggling not to bleed out. She wasn’t wrong, though.

I don’t know what the squealing noises I made meant in the tongue of sentient boars. I know that it worked, and the fury of all three of them descended on me, shattering my shield, and flinging me to one side.

Activating Wild Dance, I dodged and wove and struck about myself. For a time, I couldn’t be struck. And then, one of them slid a tusk up my left leg, from kneecap halfway to my hip.

[You have suffered a YELLOW critical from a base of sixteen lacerating damage. After armor, twenty six points of damage has been received. 54/80 health remain.]

[Serious Injury – Bleeding: 5 has been received.]

Crap. With a single hit. This fight wouldn’t last long.

I wasn’t aware when Jack stopped fighting, the other two were crowding me. I couldn’t help but notice when I got an orange critical on Queen, taking away half her skull.

he mind-shouted.

His strikes became disorganized, frantic. It was over soon after that.

“Huh.” I said. “Luck is in my favor, for once. Over half my health remains.”

“First, you’re bleeding heavily.” Gamilla told me.

[Serious Injury – Bleeding: 3]

I shrugged. “If that’s the worst thing that happens to us today, I’ll live.”

“Those abilities only work versus beasts, though?” Gamilla asked.

“I had my doubts if Awakened animals counted.” I said. “I’m glad they seem to be unfounded.”

“While everyone else is climbing down trees, weren’t you in worse shape than this just two days ago?”

I admitted.

“You could have shared that with us.” she said.

“I wasn’t sure how good the Hound’s hearing was.” I said.

“Pretty good, actually.” the Hound said. “The two of you, to see you work like that... that was teamwork. And the criticals!”

“I must agree.” Yaros said. “There were far too many criticals there for chance alone.”

“It’s a talent available to those with four or more Valor.” Gamilla said. “I have it on my spear; the ambassador must have it available against beasts.”

Did I?

[Ability not yet purchased – Lethal Against Beasts.]

Still, I wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.

“I don’t think we can get all of the edible meat back to camp.” Gamilla said.

.....

She was right, and boar without the proper marination is bitter. That said, it’s still nutrition and counts as meat.

Coated in its own rendered fat, with ground nuts and herbs, served on cabbage leaves, it came to about ten nutrition per serving. There were a lot of servings to cook, let alone to eat.

“I want to talk about access to your women.” Jaros said.

“Talk to the women about that.” I said. “But if you think you’re getting them by force or by stealth, be sure it’s something you’re willing to die for.”

The Black Hound broke out in laughter, placed an arm on Corvina’s shoulder. “I have my willing bed warmer. Good luck with any of the others.”

Corvina looked at him like... was she ENCOURAGING him?

She mistook my interest. “You have two days. After that, you’ve shown you’re capable of a full healing.”

“What?” Kismet asked. “What happens after two days?”

The Hound looked away. “Nothing. I’d need more of my crew to take you prisoner.” He raised his hands, “I won’t swear to once I have a proper crew, but I want to live to see that day. I’m out.”

Corvina shoved him, and stalked off into the jungle.

“Oi, Jaros. I think that woman just became available.”

“No.” Jaros said, “That woman is a witch. I will wait.”