B01DCAV4W2 (S) (40 page)

The raider had managed another one and half steps, decreasing the distance between them to a meager five feet.  One more step and Richter would have been within range of his hammer!  Once the gout of fire reached him however, the raider’s senses all shut off except for one... pain.  A howl of agony accompanied the smell of burning hair and cooked meat as Richter’s dual casting of
Flame
enveloped the head and upper chest of the bugbear.  The fire burned much hotter than even Richter had expected, his practicing having increased the fiery output.  As one of the bugbear’s eyes popped from the extreme heat, Richter’s mana dropped at a prodigious rate, but he didn’t stop the attack until his enemy had fallen to both knees, the hammer dropped and forgotten.

After maintaining the punishing attack for long seconds, Richter finally released his horrible will, and the entwined ropes of flames faded from existence.  He was light headed from his mana being nearly being depleted, but his enemy was upon death’s door.  He drew his longsword from his back, searching for other enemies, but all of the bugbears were either dead or disabled.  The one exception was his charmed Ranger whom the sprites were now sighting upon.

“Stop!” Richter called out.  He made eye contact with Kenzo, and said, “He’s under my control.   We can question him!  Any that are left alive, just disarm and leave for me!”  The sprite captain quickly got his troops under control.  To aid the situation, Richter quickly commanded the Ranger to divest all of his arms and armor before running over to his villagers.  He heard a cry of brutal pleasure from Alma as she descended upon the burnt raider to drain away his few remaining points of life.

When he reached his people, only one was still standing, the gnome mage.  The elf who had been stabbed in the neck had never regained his feet.  There was another stab wound in his chest.  Two other villagers were down with stab wounds in their chest and abdomen, one was screaming in pain and the other was unconscious.  The fourth was moaning on the ground, his leg protruding at a strange angle. 

Richter downed two mana potions and quickly ran up to the elf with the neck wound, but saw that blood no longer pulsed from the wound.  The man’s left eye was half lidded and the other stared sightlessly up into the sky.  The villager was beyond his ability to help.  Alma flew up behind having finished her meal and he ordered her to cast
Slow Heal
on one of the bleeding villagers.  He went to the unconscious one.  Casting
Slow Heal
, Richter tried to wake his patient, but to no avail.  Blood still leaked from his wounds.  Not knowing what else to do, he cast the new spell Fumiko had taught him,
Summon Weak Life Wisp. 

Three seconds later, a golden ball of light sprang into existence and then sank into the chest of unconscious man.  Richter saw that the chest wound was finally closing, and though the villager had not woken up, his breathing eased.  A quick glance showed that Alma had already stabilized the other villager.  Richter handed him a health potion and then walked over to the man with the broken leg.  The aeromage had made her way over to the man and was giving him what comfort she could.  That wasn’t much when compared to the shard of shin bone sticking out of his leg.

Richter analyzed both of the villagers to recall their names.  He looked at his injured villager, “We are going to take care of you, Phorin.”

Phorin opened a bleary eye and looked at Richter, “Thank you, my Lord.”

Richter reached into his Bag and pulled out a healing herb and healing potion, “Take these.  This next part isn’t going to be fun.”  Richter ordered the aeromage, Drissa, to hold the man’s leg in place.  Then, looking Phorin in the eye, he waited until the villager had quaffed the potion and was chewing the waterthread, then set the leg.  Pushing on the bone shard with one hand, he pulled down on Phorin’s ankle with the other.  Richter was able to get the fractured bones back into the man’s leg to the sensation of bones grinding together.  Phorin screamed and lost consciousness, a piece of waterthread still hanging out of his mouth.  Without an X-ray, Richter couldn’t be sure that the tibia and fibula had lined up, but it should be sufficient until he could get the man back to Sumiko. 

That done he looked at Drissa, “You did well, but what the hell were you all doing outside of the mists?  It’s only dumb luck that you’re not all dead!”

The gnome hung her head slightly, “I know, my Lord.  Captain Terrod told us not to leave the mists, but we were hunting a dire wolf.  It had been coming closer and closer to the village.  Hurid,” she said pointing at the dead archer, “convinced us to follow its tracks even when it left the mists.”  She started to sob, “I can’t believe he’s dead!”

Richter placed his arm around her shoulders.  “We will bring him back with us, and bury him at home.  Stay with Phorin for now.  There is still work to be done.”

The mage tearfully nodded and Richter stood up.  Walking over to Kenzo, he asked the sprite, “So what’s our status?”

“We didn’t lose anyone except for your man over there.  Two of my people suffered minor injuries, but they can move.  I’m going to send my soldiers out to search the area.”

“Did any of the bugbears get away?” Richter asked.  He immediately started searching the periphery. 

“Not that we saw, but it wouldn’t be the first time they had positioned a soldier away from the battle for the express purpose of reporting back to his main group.”

“Okay,” Richter said relaxing somewhat.  I need every bugbear that is left alive brought over.  I plan to kill them all.  I trust you won’t have a problem with that?”

“They may have valuable information,” Kenzo objected. 

“That one over there,” Richter said pointing at his charmed bugbear, “is a Professed Ranger.  He will most likely have more information than any of these common fighters.  You can question him for the next thirty minutes.  I don’t want to stay in the open any longer than that, and besides, the enchantment will wear off.  In the meantime, I’ll need your people to help make a stretcher for one of my villagers.  Does that work for you?”

Kenzo nodded.  Richter ordered the ranger over and told him to answer any and all questions that Kenzo posed.  The sprites had brought over five bugbears that were still alive.  Two were the ones caught in Richter’s
Troubled Sleep
spell, another two were unconscious and didn’t appear long for this world.  The fifth was actively fighting and cursing, but was bound and had been dragged forward by three sprites.  Richter walked forward and hit him behind the ear with a pommel strike.  The bugbear’s body slumped somewhat, and he just lay on the ground.  Soft sobs started to come from the captive and he pleaded for his life in the bugbear language.

Richter looked at the bugbear, disgusted.  The problem was, Richter wasn’t sure if the disgust was targeted at himself or the sentient being pleading for his life.  A quick mental order later and Alma latched onto the head of the bound bugbear.  The sobs cut off and her victim’s body was afflicted with intense seizures.  His familiar was not afflicted with any of her master’s moral qualms.  Richter turned away and left her to her feast.

He walked over to the ranger’s gear.

You have found: Stone Lizard Hide Helmet.  Durability 26/28.  Type: Light armor.  Item Class: Uncommon.  Quality: Above Average.  Weight: 2.0 kg.

You have found: Stone Lizard Hide Breastplate.  Defense +13.  Type: Light armor.  Durability 65/65.  Item class: Uncommon.  Quality: Above Average.  Weight: 7.2 kg. 

You have found: Stone Lizard Hide Armbands.  Defense +7.  Type: Light armor.  Durability 53/55.  Item class: Uncommon.  Quality: Above Average.  Weight: 3.6 kg. 

You have found: Stone Lizard Hide Gloves.  Defense +8.  Type: Light armor.  Durability 37/39.  Item class: Uncommon.  Quality: Above Average.  Weight: 1.9 kg. 

You have found: Stone Lizard Hide Trousers.  Defense +7.  Type: Light armor.  Durability 36/37.  Item class: Uncommon.  Quality: Above Average.  Weight 4.1 kg.

You have found: Stone Lizard Hide Boots.  Defense +7.  Type: Light armor.  Durability 31/34.  Item Class: Uncommon.  Quality: Above Average.  Weight 2.1 kg. 

Congratulations!  You have obtained an entire set of matched armor: Stone Lizard Armor.  Defense given by each piece increased by 25%.  Special Bonus: Defense vs animal attacks increased by a further 20%.

You have found: Magic Bow.  Durability 48/51.  Item Class: Uncommon.  Quality: Above Average.  Weight: 3.3 kg. 

You have found: Steel Arrows.  Quantity 36.  Durability 5/5.  Item class: Common.  Quality: Average.

You have found:  Moonstone Short Sword.  Durability 61/64.  Item Class: Common.  Quality: Superb.  Weight: 3.2 kg. 

You have found: Magic Steel Dagger.  Durability 29/32.  Item Class: Uncommon.  Quality: Above Average.  Weight: 1.2 kg.

You have found: Ring of Health.  Durability 6/8.  Item Class: Common.  Quality: Above Average.  Weight: 0.01 kg.  Traits: +27 Health.

You have found: Ring of Stamina.  Durability 9/9.  Item Class: Common.  Quality: Above Average.  Weight: 0.01 kg.  Traits: +29 Stamina.

You have found: Magic Whistle.  Durability 12/12.  Item Class: Uncommon.  Quality: Above Average.  Weight: 0.01 kg. 

You have found: Health Potion.  Durability 6/6.  Potion Level: Solution.  Strength: Basic.  Weight 0.01 kg.  Will restore 54 health points over 5 seconds.

You have found: Pouch.

Richter admired the Ranger’s armor.  The hide was a dark gray-green in color.  It was smooth to the touch, but it was pebbled with irregular small knobs.  It was remarkably supple and yet was heavier than he would have thought.   The bugbear had really had some great defense!  Again, Richter was so pleased that he had enchanted the man at the start of the battle!  If the Ranger had been fighting against him, at the very least, the loss of life would have been much worse!  The pouch just contained a few odd coins that Richter pocketed. 

He walked over to his villagers and cast
Slow Heal
again on the villager with the abdominal wound.  The man thanked him, and Richter promised his people he would come back in a few minutes to cast the spell again.  He cast a regretful glance at the slain villager, then walked back over to where three of the sprites were dragging the bugbear bodies.  They were all being stripped of equipment which was set to the side.  Richter asked if they had any need of it, but one of the sprites shook her head.  Richter began sorting through it and placing anything of value into his Bag.  There were no magical items, but there were plenty of weapons and armor that Krom should be able to adapt for the villagers to use.  His Bag was seriously heavy when he was done, but he was able to retrieve a massive amount of gear. 

He walked back over to his villagers again, this time casting
Slow Heal
on Phorin.  Then he walked over to Kenzo and the Ranger.

“Have you gotten what you needed?” Richter asked

“More than you know!”  Kenzo replied.  “This one,” he said indicating the Ranger, “is a captain in the bugbear invasion force.  He knows about troop movements, defenses of their base and its exact position!”

“How many bugbears are we facing?” Richter asked

Kenzo’s expression became sober, “More than a thousand, and more are still coming.”

Richter nodded, his expression equally grim, “Do you need anything else from him?”  His question was laden with obvious meaning. 

Kenzo hesitated a moment, and then shook his head.  Richter summoned Alma over to hover above his head.  He then reached into his Bag and pulled out his Traveler’s Map.  He had the Ranger point out the location of the bugbear camp.  He zoomed in twice to be absolutely sure that he knew where the encampment was then he told the bugbear to kneel.  Richter drew his short sword, and gave a mental command.  Alma descended upon the kneeling bugbear who started screaming as his mind was ripped apart.  Richter then plunged his short sword through the bugbear’s body, into the heart, and out through the chest.  A sharp twist worsened the already massive internal damage, and the Ranger died before his body even hit the ground.  An exultant Alma flew off into the air, shrieking over her victory. 

CHAPTER 22

They burned the bodies of the bugbears.  Richter used the cape of the one of the bugbears as a burial shroud, and carried the body over his shoulder.  Phorin turned out to be able to hobble along on an impromptu crutch after being healed two more times.  The party started forward towards home, battered and bloodied, but barring one tragic exception, still alive. 

The villagers thanked Richter and the sprites profusely for their help.  Every one of them had thought they had seen their last day when the bugbears had started their taunting distraction.  Richter just kept walking.  Now was not the time for criticism, but it was clear that tighter control needed to be exerted on his people.  The dead body on his shoulder would not be there if this group had just remained inside of the mists.  It occurred to him that he didn’t even know the man’s name and
Analyze
wouldn’t work now that he had died.  A question to Drissa supplied the answer though, Barden.