Chapter VI
Spark in the Night
As Urist laid there, the face of terror crept into his vision again, that mangled creature. Struck down by who knows what. Surely he could not face these trials alone. Rolling over he faced the man, who was carelessly counting coins. “Hey, why don’t you join me? Surely you have more experience with these things.”
The man looked up nervously
“You see, I have a village to run. I must apologize for sending you on a dangerous quest.”
If you’re unfit, what does that make me? Urist thought before rolling over, hopefully he would get some sleep tonight.
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After a night of rest, and roast in his stomach, he was sent off. The cougar would surely put up a worthy fight. These creatures never went down smoothly, and usually came down like a bag of bouncy ball hurled off the side of a cliff. After a half a days travel he reached its lair.
Rested against the side of a hill, a shallow hole led down into the ground. Silently stepping across the soil he crept into the cavernous abyss of darkness.
He wandered down the small cave, surely this beast couldn’t be that hard. Maybe it was sleeping, he could get a jump on it this way. Either way it was deep inside it’s cave, not aware that anything was going to ----
snap
Urist fell flat, he scrambled away from the swipe of the mighty beast. He rolled as it charged at him. As he got to his feet he was hit to the ground again, leaving a bruise on his chest.
Finally Urist drew his Machete. Delivering a firm slash to the upper body, he struck again, jamming it in the ribs and spewing it’s guts forth. Then with a mighty slash the head severed off into a bloody arc.
Heart racing, Urist proceeded to butcher the beast as quickly as he could, grabbing it’s head and hide as proof that it was all over. He stood up straight, the creature was finished. A rush came over him, it was opposite of the rush he had felt when he first took a life. It was the rush of satisfaction.
-----
There, pest control. Not to bad. He then thought about something, surely the night creature couldn’t be to different right? Urist left the cave. Heading south to the horrid creatures den. Hopefully it would be easier to battle in the day.
He approached the crudely made hatch cover. It was no work of art. Merely a few rough branches and a band of flax stalks for handles. A creature of such stupidity was no match for Urist’s mighty blade! Urist entered the cave.
The first thing he saw was a crudely made quern, strange how it was so close to the entrance. What did this creature have to grind? A mortar and pastel lie to the south west of him. Again, crudely made, wouldn’t be worth the walk home.
He continued onward, he would not be caught off guard again, he drew his machete. A mere cauldron, and a few trinkets lay strewn about the ground. This was the creature they feared? This is why the people did not venture out of their homes?
He took another step, soft clay formed around his feet. As he entered yet another tunnel. A voice, seemingly from nowhere but his head called out to him.
Shrugging his shoulders, he took another step
The creature fell from the ceiling. At first it appeared frail and weak, then it stood up, towering over Urist by a good arms length. It’s eye-less head followed him as it’s pointed ears locked onto his every position. It’s copper fork still dripping blood from unknown prey.
Caught off guard Urist slashed at the beast, but even blind, it recoiled and jumped clear out of the shot. The thing moved with amazing speed, now, it pounced.
Urist waved his cape and sure enough, the blind creature swung at it, missing terribly, Urist took another swing at it’s gut. Again the creature pounced back, snarling, it clenched to the soft soil wall. Again it pounced, Urist again swung. This time though the beast jumped around him.
Turning, Urist slashed, the night creature was extremely fast, dealing off two blows before Urist could bring his blade back.
Finally, blood was drawn
In the frenzy Urist managed to land a shot on the fearsome creature’s arm. It lashed out in pain as Urist twisted his machete on it’s way out.
The winged beast charged at Urist, to no avail, it bounced off harmlessly. Perhaps it thought he was a stray cat or something.
Urist delivered a firm blow to it’s ribcage. He heard a snap as the creature squirmed in the inevitable pain.
Urist delivered two other stabs, both aimed at the body, but the creature was far from collapsing from pain. It didn’t even seem to notice it’s lungs were filling with crimson liquid. As it rolled away from another attack, Urist managed to catch it in mid roll.
Smiling at the crack, he stood back, expecting the creature to calmly accept death. No, instead, despite it’s spine being shattered it stood up. Splayed out it’s arms and hissed, Urist temporarily covered his ears from the piercing noise.
The creature got off four separate shots. None of them hit, most of them fell short as the creature stumbled about bleeding. Finally, the creature decided he was finished. Screeching again, he jumped into the air and attempted to fly down the hallway.
Urist caught him again. Severing him in half.
Grabbing his ears, the screeching continued as the creature squirmed violently against death. Then with one last breath that could be compared to a walrus choking on a fish bone. It stopped.
Urist’s ears rang as he continued down the hallway, what did this creature guard? What treasures could it be holding?
Seriously? Sighing, he walked over to the earring and clenched it off the ground. It had several macabre pictures engraved in the side, no trader would want this. But it was proof. He pocketed the thing and exited the lair.
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Days past, Urist bathed in the luxury and kindness of the warlords. They worshipped him. This was his calling. This was his destiny.
As he laid down after yet another night of celebration, a strange voice surrounded him.
“Urist Pureheart…” It said
Urist sat up, but he didn’t. He sat up and he was surrounded by darkness. Eternal Darkness. Two glowing red eyes opened behind him. The noise came from within. Covering his eyes from the piercing red glow, the voice boomed.
“Urist Pureheart…” It paused, as if expecting a response “Such a shame, you would have been such a nice asset. Now though, now it is to late for you. You will suffer the fate as every day must endure…”
“Night must come for you Urist.”
Urist awoke sweating.
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For the record, I have not savescummed once, only suffered a minor crash after I killed a few horses around chapter one. Yet we have just gone through an enraged cougar and a night creature and Urist has
no wounds. I even gave the night creature the first attack, and gave him a few other attacks while he was wounded. Urist is one lucky thief.
Here’s the stats
:::QUESTIONS:::
A. More Night Creatures! (Already have a few quests lined up, this should get us some scars)
B. There’s an Infected (zombie) Hamlet a half day travel to the south. Enough said.
C. Other?
***Also, did you know that you can fire a crossbow if it's in your right hand, but not your left?
Author
Topic: The First Corrosion Community Adventure! (Read 16065 times)