Playing God

If Tark and the other big gobbo had split up looking for me, maybe I could circle around behind one of them. I ran in a crouch, moving as fast as I could on my injured leg, jinking between stalagmites and around rocks. There wasn’t anything I could do about the trail of dark blood I was leaving behind, but if I found them before they found me, it wouldn’t matter.

There … had that been a scuff to my left? I ducked behind the next rock and traded speed for stealth. Inching around the edge of the rock, I snuck a look, ready to pull back if there was a sword waiting to take my head or another of Manchee’s machine-gun stone spells. Instead, I caught a flash of green—the back of the big goblin. He was hiding behind a rock like I was, ten feet away, waiting to leap out on me. Oh, how the tables had turned.

I quietly sneaked forward, checking each step that my boot wasn’t about to come down on a loose stone that would give me away. Heel-toe, rolling my foot through as I transferred my weight, as silently as I could.

And it was easy. I knew I couldn’t have done it two weeks ago. I’d have been fighting for balance at the very least, scuffing enough to warn him at the worst. Now each step felt perfectly centered, my rapier held ready, eyes flicking from the ground I was about to tread on to the gobbo that was my target, ensuring he hadn’t moved. In just a few seconds, I was behind him, and he was still oblivious.

It almost seemed cowardly to stab him in the back, but this was a goblin who would kill and eat me given the chance. Not necessarily in that order. I thrust my blade in right next to his spine, and his back arched in agony as he died.

You have gained a new perk: Backstab.

Oh, that was interesting. I thought I had to buy Perks. Maybe that was why it hadn’t been on the list.

My moment of self-congratulation almost ended that particular dungeon run, but the scrape of toe-claws on a rock gave me just the warning I needed. I ducked as a blade whistled over my head, falling as my injured leg gave out beneath me. Tark pressed his advantage, his sword stabbing down, and all I could do was roll beneath it. I came to one knee, throwing up my blade to catch his next overhead strike. He struck again, both clawed hands wrapped around his hilt, putting all his strength into the blow. It jarred my arm, and my sword was beaten dangerously back, flashes of Drakos knocking my weapon aside and splitting my head open. But I just managed to hold him off, and then I had my good leg beneath me. I pushed up hard, shoving him back.

Tark stumbled, then gained his balance and snarled. He leaped in, sword slashing down. Despite my bad leg, I met him with my stance braced, sword raised, parrying blow after blow. Soon it became apparent he couldn’t get past my guard, and it was my turn to bare my teeth at him. My Sword skill was more than a match for this vicious little goblin, but I didn’t have the time to play with him when Manchee could pop out and machine-gun-stone-shard my back at any moment.

I parried his next strike, then twisted my wrist into a riposte that flashed toward his eyes. He barely managed to parry in time. But his sword swung wide with the desperation of his move, and that made it easy to slide the tip of my rapier into his throat. He gurgled around a mouthful of green blood and slumped to the ground.

That was satisfying. Just Manchee left.

It was like I’d called the little old bastard – or he’d heard the ring of steel-on-steel – for he chose that moment to pop out from behind a rock. I was already diving and rolling, not hanging around to feel the spray of stone knives pierce my flesh. Instead, they exploded into the rock behind me, and I ducked behind another boulder.

Approaching him to rapier-range wouldn’t be easy, but I didn’t need to. I sheathed my sword and unlooped my bow, nocking an arrow in one smooth motion that I would never have been able to do even a few days ago.

All I needed was a target.

“Come out and die, hu-man.”

Thanks, perfect. Now I knew where he was.

I slipped around the rock I was hiding behind, then took a half-step out, raised my bow, and fired all in one movement.

Manchee was faster than I’d given him credit for, or he’d anticipated me, for his stone shards were in the air an instant after my arrow left the string. I twisted, throwing myself back behind the rock, but not before two of the slithers of stone pierced my upper left arm. Bastard. Yet I knew my arrow had hit too. Had it killed him?

I heard him wheezing the far side of my rock, little gasps of pain. So, not dead then.

Nocking another arrow, I pushed away from my rock and dashed for the next one. Again he was fast, the now-familiar sound of stone splinters shattering themselves on a boulder inches from my head. But I kept low, moved quickly, and I made it.

It became a game of cat-and-mouse, and whoever scored the next hit would win. Except he wouldn’t even if he did, because I’d simply come straight back here and kill him, even if I had to do it naked. He was alone now, and injured too. It was only a matter of time.

In the end, it didn’t take that long. The glow of his staff’s crystal gave him away, reflecting off the side of a smooth rock. I stepped out, sighting down my arrow, and he wasn’t even looking in my direction. The arrow punched through his chest right over his heart, and the shriveled old goblin shaman was no more.

I’d done it. I’d killed every single one of them. I’d cleared the mine, defeated Tark and Manchee, and got my revenge for the town of Fernwick.

Fucking awesome.

Attack has gained 2 ranks.

Defense has gained 2 ranks.

Luck has gained 1 rank.

Perception has gained 2 ranks.

Archery has gained 1 ranks.

Dodge has gained 2 ranks.

Throwing has gained 1 rank.

Stealth has gained 2 ranks.

Weapon (Sword) has gained 1 rank.

Puncture wound, left arm. Agility -1. Health -4.

Puncture wound, left arm. Agility -1. Health -4.

Yeah, skill upgrades too. It reminded me my arm hurt, but it was less than I’d been injured before. The status message hadn’t even bothered appearing at the time, just in the after-action report. My leg hurt worse and would make the trip home no fun. I considered using some of Lira’s healing ointment, but I was sure I’d need that for more pressing wounds. A bandage would have to suffice. I pulled up my trouser leg and wrapped it tightly. It would hold until Lira could Restore it.

Now for the loot.

I pried Manchee’s staff from his dead grip, just like I’d promised myself I would. And I couldn’t resist the temptation of taking a look right away.

Weapon: Manchee’s Staff. Type: Magic Focus. Quality: Crude Enchanted. Attack: 1. Speed: 7. Magic Power: 5. Special: Light. Radius: 1 ft. Special: Stone Shards 5/day. Range: short.

Hah! He was a faker! He didn’t have any magic, it all came from his staff! I wondered if it needed magic talent to use it. Lira could have this if she wanted it; I’d feel better knowing she could defend herself.

It didn’t take me long to find my gear. With no goblins still alive, I could walk around with impunity, though I did keep an eye out for traps. There was a nook in one wall, easy to find due to all the surrounding candles, and there were my old leathers, my rapier, torch, dagger, and my original pack. I swapped out my new rapier for the old one, switched my pack around, then bundled everything into the bag I’d taken from Lira for the journey home. Along with all of Manchee’s treasures. All of them worth anything, anyway – I left him the ornate bird skulls and prized polished pebbles. But there were two handfuls of gold and silver coins, another of copper, and a couple of small but shiny gems. They must be worth something.

And that was it. Quest complete, all save for the handing in.

Time to get back to Lira, then leave this place behind.

This was just the start. But I was level 7, I’d gained a bunch of skill points and learned a lot about the mechanics of this world. I was ready for my next challenge, whatever it might be.

Injuries aside, I’d had a blast to boot. I’d even miss our pretty little valley and our tiny ramshackle hut. Good memories, good times. Maybe, when I was King and God of this whole world, I’d return here and tear down that hut, and put up a cute little holiday cottage with magical hot tubs and out-of-sight servants’ quarters, making the whole valley a private royal retreat.

I mean, why not? I was going to rule this world.

What could stop me?