(World of Valdira 01) The Way of the Clan (24 page)

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Hey! Hey! Hey! – the cheering crowd stuck to the fold walls was crying out and patting shortly their shields and wooden inner walls. Infected with drive both locals and gamers were making noise. Only Grume and Myrna didn’t join the total fun watching the battle closely.

While I was approaching the dwarf who was standing on the same spot, the she-elf managed to pump three arrows into my shield. In a moment with a great bang my shield clashed against the dwarf’s shield. A blistering shadow dashed past me. Keira literally shot herself forward to shorten the distance between her and the ranger extremely fast. The dwarf cried out to warn, waved me off by his axe and hit me – scrubby bastard – depriving me of twenty-four hits! Screwing up my face into a mad grimace I roared furiously, parrying his next hit while narrowing the dwarf back. I wasn’t going to look out from under the shield o switch to the intensive fight. My mission was to restrain that humpty-dumpty who turned to be rather agile while Keira was finishing off the ranger. Bang! Another axe hit landed at the very edge of my shield, slipped and almost grazed my side. Fifteen life points minus. If the hit had been direct, I would have lost much more. But the dwarf couldn’t imagine that my life level was almost two hundred points.

The battle reversal occurred in a sec when everyone heard a frightened and grievous she-elf’s scream:

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Ah! My bow! That’s unfair! Poor me! Phirny, help me! Phirny!

The spectators watching the battle hungrily burst out roaring.

I glanced over my shield shortly and grinned. Well done, Keira! What a cold mind! Every weapon has its own durability. Poor-quality weapon from Frol the Money-box’s shop has a very low durability. But this characteristic decreases at every usage of weapon in a battle. Keira didn’t even try to kill the she-elf at once, she preferred focusing her hits on her weapon. I noticed that the she-ranger was holding miserable fragments of her bow sheltering under them from Keira who was attacking violently. The girl panicked and didn’t even guess to pull out another weapon or continue fighting barehanded. Moreover she forced herself into the corner to deprive herself of freedom of movement. As for her partner – the dwarf, he was busy fighing against me… well, nonetheless I love dealing with noobs!

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Stop it, please! Phirny-y-y! Help me!

The dwarf sniffing hard couldn’t stand it anymore and he made a big mistake – he turned his head back to cast a glance upon his girl-friend ‘dying’. I didn’t miss the moment and with a furious yell landed my axe blade on a kindly provided absolutely vulnerable neck. To crown it all the swing looked great – our height difference played a big part and not in favor of the dwarf.

A crit!

Seventy-three life points minus!

That’s what a crushing effect at zero protection means! Besides it was a direct hit on a ‘vulnerable’ spot. The dwarf was immediately brought into ‘red zone’. He waved off limply, stepped backwards but then started because of the elf’s wild scream which faded at the highest pitch:

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Phi-i-irny! Phi…

The long-eared was dead.

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Shit! – the humpty-dumpty blurted out, he was alone then. He tried to retreat step by step – You are a one…

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Nothing personal, bro – I replied in a muffled voice while shortening the distance between us and swinging my axe.

The dwarf hastily raised his shield to block me and… fell down on the ground unwillingly. Keira who was standing behind him looked at me, nodded and concealed her sword. It suddenly turned out very simple. Another victory. We are in the final.

There was the last but the most decisive combat left. And supposed I knew who we would have to confront as well as everybody present there.

The brolics drew out the dwarf and the she-elf outside the fold fast and made them stand up on once strengthen feet. I looked at that couple with a deep sigh. I’ve been playing for a long time but I still can’t get used to the fact that some gamers simply can’t recognize defeat by a stronger rival. They take everything so seriously. The she-elf was crying bitterly hiding her face in her hands while Phirny the dwarf was trying to console her awkwardly though also looking depressed. You know, the sobbing she-elf didn’t understand that it was double burden for him. He screwed the battle up and couldn’t protect her.

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My eye! Like kids – Keira said wearily, then reached out her palm up and moved her fingers demandingly. I understood her silent hint and dug into the sack to put two pieces of meat on her hand. I didn’t forget about my share to recover my life points quickly.

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Although I also cried several times – the girt suddenly admitted – Especially at the beginning. When you’re small, everyone tries to offend you. I used to spend a whole day on filling my sack with valuable loot so many times and then lost everything at once… including my gear… experience. Could sit on a bench an hour whining bitterly.

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Aggrs? – I nodded knowingly.

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Yup, they are.

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I used to fly away from them too – I sniffed remembering long-gone and… and forthcoming weekdays of the beginner.

‘Aggrs’ derived from the word ‘aggressive’ or ‘aggressor’ is a game name of angry mobs who are the first to attack as well as gamers-robbers who kill in sake of loot. You can counter mobs’ attack but that won’t work with aggressive gamers. Cause they will catch you. And actually that’s really insulting – to spend the whole day obtaining loot and gold, to start dreaming about buying more powerful weapon or gear… and then you face a gang of aggrs and is thrown away to the nearest location of ‘rebirth’. It really hurts when you lose your experience gained and all your gear. Moreover you’re left in a diaper only. Many gamers give up the game because of that, dashed off petitions on the forum… useless – it’s a game moment. Everyone can choose a part for his liking and play it. Maybe somebody wants to be a killer and a robber in the game, he has such a right, that’s it! In real life he can be a model family guy who can’t say boo to a goose, or even a priest, but in the game he can be a complete antithesis.

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Deep shit – Keira stated in an absolutely indifferent voice nodding at the arena where our ‘sweet’ couple was finishing off the last enemy together.

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Welp, - I grinned unable to say anything smarter.

And what can I say in such a situation? It’s clear from the very beginning. What luck it is to decide to take the main tournament prize at the same time as other gamers with the same firm intention.

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What’s your weapon and shield durability? – I asked Keira desperately looking at my own shield which durability had decreased from fifty points to seventeen. Damn that bloody dwarf!

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It’s all right so far – my partner informed me – I can stand one battle for sure. Even a protracted one. We’ll have to fight man by man.

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The last battle! – Grim the Inconsolable announced roaring and raised his hands towards the sky – Get ready well! I give you five minutes! Men, bring more torches! More light!

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Maybe you can stand – I agreed looking at the future enemies – They have the equal advancement. There is no pure tank or damage-dealer among them. And their gear is equal, although without advanced combat skills weapon class isn’t significant so far. Focus on hit power, rare crits and health capacity. And, by the way, I won’t be able to ‘tank’ you – they won’t allow me, they aren’t noobs, know how to fight. So who will you choose?

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Her – Keira replied straight away – She was the last to enter fighting in the recent battles. I suppose she’s got fewer life points than her partner.

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Some problems with sexual identity, ma’am? – I grinned thoughtfully staring at the potential enemy.

He was doing just the same – examining me explicitly, glancing over my gear and talking in a low voice to Myrna who was standing next to him. Frankly speaking I didn’t like his glance. There was neither threat nor superiority in it. Just focused and indifferent attention with a slight shadow of gloom. I even felt ill at ease.  As if it was not a game tournament battle but a real fight with a drugged-out drugster in a street. Our local druggies have just the same look. They seem to look at you and smile, but their eyes are blank.

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Are you frozen? – Keira pushed me.

I didn’t have time to reply since Grim the Inconsolable screamed roaring to make the crowd delightful and suppressing its noise. I couldn’t work out what exactly he was screaming as it was pronounced indistinctly. Obviously the second barrel of wine got Grim down, for sure. But his waving by hands war very eloquent although rather ambiguous. He was either inviting us to the tilt-yard or showing something very dirty.

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Let’s go – the girl sighed out while raising her shield to the chest level – Break a leg…

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Damn it – I replied, crossed my fingers and followed her – Don’t forget about healing potions. You know, drink them at once, don’t wait until you get ‘red’. But actually you’ll have to make one of your hands free… well… you’ll sort it out…

The crowd surrounded the fold parted to let us pass and then closed again behind our backs cheering us up and whispering something to one another in a low voice.

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Beat them!

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That’s a question who’ll beat! I think…

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I have no doubts! Have a look at the dude, he’s got level eight!         

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Level can’t make a difference! Hit is the essence and skills as well. In last battle the girl nailed both the she-elf and the dwarf, but the level eight had been standing still the whole battle, didn’t jerk a lot.

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But he was tanking! He had to be standing still! What could he do instead? Lie down?

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What are you arguing about? Those who have ‘straighter’ arms will win! And that will be a great luck if they managed to land a crit.

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The girl has also got a shield! But she hadn’t been just standing! Landed such a hit that the she-elf has been still crying!

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Come on, guys, make a show!..

Damn all of you with your comments… I felt like a disabled!

The gates shut with a strained creak. The latch clanked. That time we were the last to enter the fold. The enemies were standing at the farthest wall with their faces turned to us. They were standing not like a tight team but at about three or four steps from each other. Myrna was standing sideward correctly hiding under the shield. Grume was absolutely mimicking his partner’s pose but he was standing a bit in front of her. Is he protecting Myrna weaker concerning stamina?

‘Don’t forget about his winning kick’ – I reminded myself. However, the success of such a kick depended not only on Grume’s strength but on my stamina accompanied with my strength. If his strength prevailed my stamina, that is sometimes called frame then I will stumble and fall on the ground. If not, I’ll just start back and lose some part of my life points. If I, for instance, kick a high-level warrior, I’ll bounce back like a rubber ball from a concrete wall. It looks as if you kick a rock at a run.

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Well! – Grim started his well-known phrase – Let’s see how good you are! The last battle! Go!

Grim didn’t become more talkative, it was the last battle though. Thanks god, he started speaking more distinctly.

Suddenly it became silent everywhere. You could even heard the cracking of burning torches dropping bright sparks on the ground. I exhaled noisily and moved forward keeping my eye on both enemies. It will be resolved soon. I could feel Keira’s breath on my back; she was following my steps and wasn’t hurrying to attack. That’s right. I don’t know our enemies’ tactics. Here it goes! Myrna separates from her partner stepping softly in a prostrating manner, she moves a dozen of steps away from her partner and points out at Keira and then at herself demonstratively. She invites her to fight. So girls are against girls, boys are against boys... well, exactly as we planned! …although it sounds ambiguous and unnatural. The girl following me shortly pats my shoulder and turns aside abruptly to approach Myrna decisively. I continue moving straight forward, watching Grume over my shield. If he jerks towards Keira, I’ll have enough time to catch him on his way to her. But my rival stands still without even trying to come closer to me. It makes me rather nervous…

One step forward. Grume is still on the same place. Another step, there are approximately five meters left between us. There is Keira’s sharp cry on the left and clinking of clashing blades. Stop watching it! Keep your eye on Grume only! A step forward… Why aren’t you moving? A step for…