—— ? ——
“TAKe me awayyyyyyyy to the right sideeeeeeeeee I’m gonna be your – HEY!”
Simon glared at Maelis as he stepped back, the small hammer rocketing through empty space.
“I’m SINGING, asshole!”
“STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Maelis screamed over the thrumming
“Rudeeeeeeeeeeee! Where was I… RIGHT! Rocking down to the ripppppppp tideeee!” Simon wove back and forth as the yoreboon frantically swiped at him.
Simon’s fingers danced across the strings, as each and every note punched out. The thrumming was an atonal buzz by this point, and Simon just didn’t give a flying fuck.
Above him, the mountain rumbled. Around him, snow blasted away, and stone cracked.
And a certain yoreboon desperately tried to stop his glorious concert.
Everyone’s a critic. Simon thought as he belted out the next verse.
Or was it the fourth?
Second?
He had no idea. He hadn’t really learned the whole lyrics thing, but that didn’t stop him from joining in the fun.
“RIptttttttideeeeee whoa! Almost got me there! Hahahahaah!” Simon’s mad laughter joined the rumbling and thrumming.
He glanced at the mountain above.
Oh shit. That's going to fucking hurt.
Far above, he could see what looked like a cloud bank starting to roll in.
Clouds would hurt a whole lot less.
Simon dodged another frantic blow, spinning on his heel. His playing never slowed. Sweat and blood sparkled as it spun off him, the glistening droplets painting the trodden snow.
Simon had looped around and run back towards the portal. He was surprised to see it abandoned. His gaze picked up movement far down the hill, as vessels of the hive mind rushed towards something.
Ohhh, is that like the big brain of the thing?
The vessels had dropped weapons, armour, pretty much anything heavy.
It looked like they were all frantically trying to move whatever that thing was to the portal.
Simon couldn’t stay still as the frothing smith was always right behind him.
With only the yoreboon chasing him, though, it had turned into a game of endurance.
Simon just kept playing, his pace picking up even faster. Even when his fingers started to bleed, he didn’t slow.
Welcome to hell, assholes!
He had rushed past the portal and into the tunnel area.
Unfortunately, there was no place for him to hide. Simon was worried that if he stopped playing or moved too far away from the portal, his plan would fall apart.
Oh well.
He was ready to die already, right?
At least, this way, he was throwing one last middle finger to the damned gods.
Simon grinned as he saw Maelis’ worried glances up the mountain.
The rumbling was growing worse by the second.
Simon finished the last notes of Riptide, then paused his playing. He didn’t pluck another note as he slowed and watched the yoreboon in front of him.
“Finally.” The smith wheezed, his worried expression starting to fade. “Don’t you reali–”
“RIPTIDDDDDDDDDDDDDDE” Simon belted out and started playing in earnest. He laughed as the last glimmer of hope vanished from Maelis’ face.
Simon burned the look the smith gave him into his memory. Another one for the collection.
He dodged back, but the swings of the smith were lacking their previous vigor. Maelis kept glancing back towards the portal.
Simon paused his horrible singing to remark. “Pretty sure If I live, your god’s gonna torture you for eternity.”
Maelis’s face snapped back to him, twisted in fury. “You’re not living through this, you damned fool.”
Simon shrugged as he continued to play, a cocky grin on his face. “You never knowwwwwwww.”
Internally, Simon was annoyed.
This shit head was going to live. The little coward was going to dive into the portal.
Maybe he should too?
…
Noo… that was a horrible idea. That ended up with eternal torture for himself.
Simon kept backing away, but Maelis didn’t follow. For the first time in minutes, Simon didn’t have to focus on dodging.
His eyes darted toward Varnholt.
He really, really hoped that the barrier was powered enough to stop… well.. His gaze snapped up the mountain.
That.
The rumbling started to drown out even Simon’s thrumming notes.
Could he run to Varnholt?
He glanced at the distant barrier. Memories of forcing his way through it made his arm itch.
Nope.
He scanned the world around him.
Just him, an angry smith, and a mountainside filled with snow.
Oh, and also a massive rumbling avalanche descending on him. Can’t forget that.
The lenses of his hood zoomed as he searched the side of the mountain. Snow. Snow. Snow. Black spot. Snow snow…
Black spot!?
Simon’s eyes widened as he focused on it.
Holy.
Shit.
BLACK SPOT.
Simon’s eyes darted back to Maelis. The yoreboon was backing away, his focus still on Simon. But every second, the rumbling increased, and Maelis kept glancing above, then back to the portal.
Should he wait?
Simon looked at the distant spot. He willed his lenses to stop zooming.
Oh shit, that was far.
Nope. Not waiting.
Without another word, Simon spun, then rocketed across the side of the mountain. The rumbling of the avalanche had completely drowned out the notes coming from his guitar, but he didn’t stop. The thrumming strings beneath his fingers hurt so much, but he wouldn’t stop.
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.
His steps found new speed after a second, and Simon glanced back.
Why was the little fuck chasing him!
Shit, shit, shit, shit.
Play. Run. Don’t die under an avalanche.
Simon grunted as a small hammer pinged off his shoulder. He ignored it. He started to bob and weave as his legs pumped.
Why couldn’t that ass just run away?
The dark spot in the distance was not clearer. It WAS a cave.
GO, go, go! FASTER LEGS, FASTER.
Despite his hesitance, Simon pumped as much as he dared into Anima Control. Billowing snow reflected gold as he tore across the mountain.
Another hammer made him stumble, but he recovered. The pain was excruciating.
He needed to dodge and run. He couldn’t afford to take a hit to his legs.
The rumbling of the snow blotted out the world.
His feet yanked to the side as he narrowly dodged the swing of a hammer. Simon kicked out on instinct, but his foot just slid off the yoreboon.
Fucking CURSE.
Simon scrambled forward and kept running.
The rumble was deafening now. Simon glanced over his shoulder.
He had seconds. But he ducked to the side as Maelis tried to hook his legs.
Seconds.
Fuck.
Faster!
Another hammer hit him, this one making his vision spin as it bounced off his head.
No pblemm! Hww didnttt ned dat!
Behind him, Maelis stumbled over something.
HA!
Simon’s legs glowed like the sun, and he finally put distance between himself and the Yoreboon. But then Simon himself stumbled over a hard, rock-like object in the snow.
“GOD DAMN BUNNY!”
Maelis’s large hammer sailed right where his head would have been. Simon scrambled up and sprinted for the cave that loomed ahead.
Simon slid to a stop, and his eyes were wide as he looked at Maelis’ main weapon. Then he grinned to himself and turned back to the mountainside.
Maelis came charging forward, hands empty.
The last notes of Riptide bounced off the cave walls as the yoreboon realized too late to stop. In front of him, the man in a onesie stood with a wide, bloody grin.
Guitar neck held in both hands, slung over his shoulder.
“Thanks for coming, folks! This is Simon Starfall!”
Simon swung.
“Signing off!”
*CRACKTHRUMMMMMMM*
Maelis practically teleported away as he shot across the mountain. Simon’s guitar bucked from his grip, but he didn’t mind. He bent over and scooped up the hammer as he stumble sprinted into the cave.
He only made it several dozen feet before the avalanche hit. Snow exploded down the tunnel. And the world went dark. A moment later, a wave of snow slammed into Simon. He tumbled forward, bouncing along the stone.
Then he was airborne, and he felt gravity take hold.
A hole?!
He fell.
And fell.
A god damned deep hole. Shit!
*WHAM*
His vision went white.
—— ? ——
Underground in Varnholt, Brian cursed as he tried to pump more energy into the barrier.
He had no idea what had happened.
For a couple of minutes, the barrier’s consumption had ceased. Brian and Serel had used every minute to pump as much as they could into the thing.
Good thing too.
Because then the world had rumbled, and now this was happening.
With every second, the shield’s number ticked lower and lower.
Even more distracting were the constant notifications the system was barraging him with.
*Ding!*
—- SYSTEM NOTICE—-
> You helped to defeat Vessel of Phestun x 1
> Experience has been gained!
——————————
Which was immediately followed by
*Ding!*
—- SYSTEM NOTICE—-
> You helped to defeat Vessel of Phestun x 2
> Experience has been gained!
——————————
Followed by another one.
“Are they just running at the barrier!” Brian yelled to Serel.
“I don’t know!” Serel replied, sweat dripping off her flawless features. Her eyes were locked in concentration as she drained another crystal and channeled the power to the barrier.
“They can’t just keep doing this can they?!” Brian hissed in frustration. “Just how many are there?”
Notification after notification ticked past, and Brian kept dismissing them.
He finished the crystal he was draining and frantically grabbed another. Brian started to channel it, and–
*DING!*
Brian nearly dismissed it when he spotted the difference in the notification.
—- SYSTEM NOTICE—-
> You helped to defeat Phestun, The Hive Mind.
> Experience has been gained!
> Level up x 5 !
——————————
Brian cursed as magical energy evaporated. That momentary lapse could have cost them.
He focused on the crystal and felt more energy seep from it.
*Bawmmm*
The deep sound echoed across the town. A notification followed, and Brian’s eyes widened as he read.
—- AREA NOTICE—-
> BATTLEFIELD RESOLVED
> Location: Varnholt Valley
> Victors: Residents of Varnholt (Defenders)
> Description: All hostile forces have been eliminated or retreated. Now a choice lies before you. Will you conquer the realm these invaders call home? Or will you simply choose victory? The choice is yours.
>> Individual contribution to the battle is being calculated. Results and the leaderboard will appear once all event battlefields have resolved.
Congratulations on your victory.
Conflict is inevitable. Strength is forged. Limits are conquered.
——————————
“Holy shit!” Brian exclaimed. “We won?!”
His eyes darted to the barrier. “Then why is it still draining?!”
*BAWHM*
—- WARNING —-
> AREA UNDER ATTACK
> Location: Varnholt Artisan Enclave - Barrier
> Description:
>> The barrier surrounding the town is under assault by an unknown force
>> Barrier Status - 32%... 31.5%... 31%...
——————————
“HOW!?” Brian’s eyes moved to Serel. “Any ideas?!”
She just gave him a questioning look, her face contorted in concentration. While the celsital was adept with mana and magic, she wasn’t close to Brian’s skill. It took every ounce of her will to maintain the channel.
Brian racked his brain trying to figure out what other force could possibly be attacking. A dark thought entered his head.
Was this a backup plan set up by that god?
Just how badly did he want their town? For what?
His mind wandered to the Realm of the Forger. Perhaps that was the reason? If all of those hidden sub-realms followed the pattern and –
*DING!*
—- SYSTEM NOTICE—-
> You helped to defeat an Unknown nodceian x1
> Experience has been gained!
——————————
Brian frowned. What was a nodceian? He looked over to Serel.
“Have you ever heard of something called a nodecian?”
Serel shook her head.
*DING!*
Another kill notification.
Brian paused his channeling, and his mind raced. Just what was this? He didn’t have time for this. Those crazy vessels were currently throwing themselves into the barrier.
But why had the event said it was over? If that was tru–
“Brian, the barrier is still falling.” Serel pulled him from his thoughts. “We need to give them more time.”
The inventor nodded as he started to channel mana again, and then he stopped. His eyes went wide as realization hit him.
“Serel, those creatures before. They were called ‘vessels of Phestun’ right?” Brian dashed towards the stairs.
“Where are you going?” Serel asked, her voice strained.
“I need to see what’s going on.” Brian called back. “I hope I’m wrong.”
“Brian!!”
The door shut behind him as he rushed upstairs.
A few moments later, Brian slammed back into the same door. With shaking fingers, he keyed in the sequence, then yanked the door open.
“Brian its at 24%!” Serel shrieked at him. “Wha–”
“Move, move!” Brian cut her off, practically shoving her away. His shaking fingers slammed onto the control crystal, and his eyes frantically searched. “Where is it, where is it!”
Serel pulled herself to her feet. “What’s going on?!”
“We need to set it to let in unknown parties! Right now!” Brian huffed, then breathed. “There it is!”
He turned to Serel. “Serel, they are dying!”
“Councilor! Explain yourself!” Serel demanded, her voice like iron. “What do you mean we need to set it to let in unknown parties?!” Her eyes narrowed. “What are you doing?”
*DING!*
Brian flinched as the sound echoed in his mind. He turned back to the controls and took a deep breath.
He hoped he wasn’t wrong.
He changed the setting.
—— ? ——
Across the town, the bright lights on the barrier faded as countless forms slipped through the barrier.
The sound of them thudding to the ground and roof was sickening, but Marden ignored it. He sprinted towards the closest one and put his head to its burned chest.
*Thump*
That was good enough for him. The healer ripped a red potion from his bandolier and pulled at the creature's jaw.
Orange eyes snapped open, and its face tilted towards the healer.
Marden met its empty eyes.
“You need healing,” Marden stated, then swapped the red potion for a sparkling gold one. “Let me heal you with this.”
The creature stared for a moment. Then nodded.
Marden let out a breath of relief, then carefully tipped the potion into its mouth. As soon as he confirmed it had drunk it, Marden jumped to his feet and charged towards the next one.
He thanked his goddess for her foresight. If he hadn’t prepared so many potions, he would never have been ready for this.
*BAWHM*
Marden dismissed the notification as soon as it appeared. He didn’t have time for that now.
His eyes scanned the countless creatures that were burned, bleeding, and groaning.
He hoped he had enough.
—— ? ——
Got a sneak peek at the new story for my Patreons!
Just a reminder, Royal Road will be a bit behind starting on the 9th of Feb with my break to edit and work on book 2 :)
