The Axe Falls -CH9-

Slowly, keeping himself low in the tall grass, Nick crept along. His pole-axe secured in his dimensional pack and strapped to his belly rather than his back.

He’d rather have left it behind, but then he’d be dragging along his pole-axe. That sounded worse to him than bringing along the pack as he was.

“To be sure, Sire. Crawling along the ground isn’t quite dignified for royalty, but it’s highly intelligent and the right action to take,” Lucian said without any malice or mockery. “A dead and honorable prince is still quite dead. A living rapscallion, is of course among the living. I would say to ask your ancestors who were caught how far their honor got them.”

Can’t do that. They’re dead, aren’t they?

“Indeed. Very dead. Died at the hands of the enemies that they trusted to treat them honorably as prisoners,” replied Lucian. “Honor is something we can be charitable with if we’re in a position of power. At the moment, I would consider us paupers in terms of power.”

Nick nodded his head as he snuck along. He felt strange but he couldn’t disagree. They really were paupers. If he met up with a force of determined first promotions they’d easily cut him down.

I need to level. I need to grow my base.

There’s so much to do. So, so much.

It’s almost overwhelming.

“Having retainers would help, but it’s a risk at this juncture,” said Lucian. “Also, I think you’re there.”

Nick came to a complete stop and he listened to the area around him. Straining with his ears to hear anything at all.

He could just faintly hear someone talking and what sounded like the soft flap and rustle of tent cloth. Without realizing it he’d actually covered the entire distance to the bowl.

Pulling off his pack, Nick set it to the ground next to him. Carefully, he laid down on the ground completely. Doing his best to not disturb too much of the grass.

This was a scouting mission that required him getting close enough to confirm the quest, then out. That was all this was and all he had to do.

More than that would be idiotic and putting himself into harms way for no real gain.

“Get up higher on me you stupid fuck,” complained a woman from not far away. “It’s like you’re trying to stick it into my asshole and you’re not getting anywhere near my clit. You fuck as badly as you brush your teeth.”

“Shut up you bitch,” said a man followed by a grunt.

Closing his eyes, Nick bowed his head and cursed mentally.

He hadn’t gotten laid for the better part of two months. His life had entirely revolved around grinding away his hours in the dungeon. If he wasn’t with the party doing that, he was doing it alone. When he wasn’t trying to get experience he’d been sleeping.

The fact that these people had the time and leisure to have sex frustrated him.

A shake of his head and Nick was moving again. At a slow and disgusting crawl against the ground. Inch by inch he made his way toward his goal.

All the while he listened to the two people coupling. Cursing and insulting one another as they both tried to get what they wanted from the other.

Nick came to a sudden stop as soon as he could finally see part of the camp through the grass. It was below him as he was at the lip of the bowl. Spread out in an oval, it was laid out in an almost random way.

Not too far away was the man and the woman in the middle of sex-play.

Other than those two, there seemed to be another four that Nick could actually see. Each and every one of them had the look of someone who didn’t belong in polite society.

Even impolite society likely wouldn’t want them.

They were dressed in rags and tattered leather. Dirt and other things was smeared across their clothes and faces. As if they couldn’t be bothered to clean themselves up.

Targeting the woman in the middle of coitus, Nick used his Call to Account skill.

Murderer. Uncharged.

Rapist. Uncharged.

Bandit. Uncharged.

Huh. Well that’s different. I mean… I guess it’s possible but I wouldn’t have expected it.

Whatever, time to go. We’ve met the requirements of the quest I imagine. Time to go turn it in and get rewarded.

Timed Quest! 01:00:00

Rat-Catcher: Kill the bandits(6)!

Uh, did… did it just-yeah, it did. Okay.

It wants me to kill the bandits.

Shaking his head, Nick wasn’t about to even attempt this. There was no mention of a reward and it would put his life at risk. He didn’t have any reason to try to take the bandits on.

Reward Added: One chosen skill upgraded.

Reward Added: Extra Experience.

Oh.

Well, that’s certainly a reward. And something I want… but… it’s just not worth my life.

No amount of experience can bring me back from the dead.

Nick began to slowly back out of the position he’d gotten into. There was no way he wanted to engage that many bandits by himself.

Reward Added: Prince in Hiding skills unlocked up to level five.

That gave Nick pause.

Staring at the blue rectangle in front of him, he contemplated what to do. He hadn’t gained any skills from being a prince so far.

Hearing that they were locked reaffirmed his own thoughts on the situation. That he could unlock them by doing worthy quests was certainly news to him, though he did still wonder what the original unlocking conditions for them would be.

Lucian? Thoughts?

You’re my counsel and I could sure use some right now.

Lucian let out a long and heavy sigh.

“It’s… I don’t know what the skills that would be unlocked are, but there’s the distinct possibility that it’s something we need, Sire. I dislike it, but if we can manage to kill the bandits, we should,” muttered Lucian. “On top of that, it is now obvious that your country, the land itself, is watching you. Paying attention to your every action.

“It seemed likely after Erica revealed herself. But now it’s just obvious. Your responses to the quest, then the reward offered, were all evaluated. Spirit or animal like it may be, but it’s watching.”

‘Kay. In other words. We need to make this happen. Got it.

In the future, I need to control my responses to anything my… country… my land… does. Because it’s watching and learning. That about it?

“Yes, Sire.”

Gritting his teeth, Nick closed his eyes and shook his head left and right. Then up and down as he slowly forced himself into the idea that he was going to attack the bandits. That he needed to attack the bandits.

All to gain skills that he might need to reclaim the throne of his family and avenge them. His father, his uncle, his cousin. As well as all those who came before him.

Nick made his choice.

Getting to his pack Nick retrieve a sharp hunting knife. One that he used to process kills and had gotten quite handy with. It was a very common, cheaply made, and ordinary item, though.

Then he pulled out a bar of iron.

It was heavy and stupidly dense. He’d bought it with the intent of seeing if he could play around with it and change his class to blacksmith.

For right now it would serve as the lynchpin to his only idea.

Which wasn’t the brightest thing he’d ever come up with, but it could probably work.

Nick was going to kill the two bandits having sex first.

That meant he needed to get them both to a point where he could stab them freely. Without them screaming, groaning, or making the “I’m-not-having-sex-I’m-dying” noises that he really didn’t want them to make.

If he could make it look like the two arguing had murdered one another while fucking, that’d be perfect.

That meant slamming this iron bar into their heads.

That’s where his glorious plan ended.

After he did that, he’d then wait to see what he could do from there.

With any luck he’d get another chance to kill some more of the bandits without them suspecting foul play. He couldn’t wait long though. The timer wasn’t very long at only an hour.

“This plan seems ridiculous, but I don’t have a better one,” complained Lucian. It was obvious he wanted to say more but apparently couldn’t find the words.

Scooting and crawling through the grass, Nick moved down over the lip of the bowl and started downward. He could practically get right on top of the woman before they’d notice him. They head the tops of their heads facing him.

Slower than he wished, faster than he truly dared, Nick crept along. Moving closer until he was finally upon them. The sound of the man grunting as he thrust into the woman was loud now. A wet slap of flesh on flesh ringing in his ears.

Man, I wanna get laid. This is entirely-

Before Nick could finish the thought, he got up in a semi kneeling positing, whipped his arm back, and brought it down. He didn’t dare use all his strength in the blow, afraid he might crush the man’s skull itself.

There was a clonk noise and the man groaned, falling down atop the woman.

Debilitating strike!

Stunned.

“What th-”

Before she could finish what she was saying, Nick smacked her on the top of her head with the iron bar. It let out a clunk noise and her eyes rolled up into her head.

Debilitating strike!

Stunned.

Fumbling for his knife, Nick got it out after dropping the iron bar.

Using it as quickly as he could, he stabbed the man in the throat and pulled it to the side. Slashing the flesh apart quickly.

Executed!

Joseph Helm slain!

Turning the weapon around, Nick plunged it into the chest of the woman. Right about where her heart should be.

Critical hit!

Heart lacerated!

Susan Sagor slain!

Shit! It worked. Uh… but I need to-

Looking to the man’s pants nearby, Nick found what he’d been hoping to find. A small knife in a sheath. It was little better than what the man likely used to eat with but it’d work.

Grabbing it, Nick stuck it into the woman’s chest wound. Then he moved it around a lot, pulled it out, and stuck it back in her several more times.

As if Joseph had gone out stabbing.

Dropping the hunting knife to the ground next to Joseph’s head, Nick scooted back into the grass and to his pack. He’d just eliminated two of the bandits.

That meant he only had four left to go.

Returning to his pack, Nick pulled out his pole-axe. He figured the next bit would probably require it. His only thought at the moment was to sneak up behind someone and stab them in the back with the spiked head of his weapon.

Moving much faster now despite his mind screaming at him that this was a bad idea, Nick started to circle around the camp at a low crawl. Moving through the grass and watching.

Most of the tents were closer to the middle. Away from the grass. What was closest to him was fire-pits and logs likely turned to benches.

There was two more bandits up ahead that he could get to with some hopes for doing it with stealth. He couldn’t see where the other two had gone, however.

A furrowed brow was marked heavily on Nick’s face as he went inexorably onward. If he wanted to make this happen, he didn’t have time to second guess himself. They didn’t suspect or expect anything right now.

They weren’t even wearing their armor.

He could score a critical strike on a vital point and take their life in one hit.

An unarmored man that lives with violence, is a fool asking to be slain.

Holding his pole-axe awkwardly as he crawled along, Nick plotted out his moves.

He would slam his hammer-head into the skull of the man with his back to him. It would knock the man flat to one side and the pole-axe would partially carry along due to its momentum.

Nick would plant his feet, swing the haft around, then lunge straight into the other man. He only had to connect with the man’s heart or lungs. If he could manage that, they’d be done quickly.

The two men were talking about something, though Nick couldn’t hear it. Only the rush of blood and pounding of his heart were audible to him right now. Everything else didn’t exist.

Clambering to his feet, Nick whipped his pole-axe back, then swung it around. As it sped through the air the polished hammer-head glittered and shined.

Then promptly smashed into the man’s head. Quite literally vanished partway into the skull and getting stuck.

Critical hit!

Skull fracture!

Brain damage!

Stunned!

Fuck!

The man did indeed collapse to the right, as Nick had planned, but he nearly took the pole-axe with him.

“What the fuck!?” shouted the second man.

Wrenching the pole-axe out of the first man’s head Nick stumbled forward. The bloody weapon came free with a crackle and pop. Swinging the head low and then thrusting upward, Nick caught the man in the chest before he fully stood up.

The spike on the weapon’s head sliding into the bandit.

Critical hit!

Lung punctured!

Groaning, the man shoved the pole-axe’s head back, but the damage was done.

Frothy, bubbling bright red blood began to pour down the front of the man’s clothes.

Where’s the other two!?

Looking around quickly, Nick snapped his head from side to side. He only had two to worry about now but he had no idea where they were. Making them quite dangerous.

Letting go of his pole-axe with his left hand Nick cast Skin of Wood on himself.

The spell lasted thirty minutes and gave him an additional armor value that covered him from head to toe. It was as if he’d donned another plated-leather chestguard.

He couldn’t use it when he was working with others, but in this situation it seemed prudent. The element of surprise was gone now.

A man came started to scoot out of a tent he’d been apparently sleeping in. His booted feet coming out first.

Nick wasted no time for polite or honorable antics. Moving over quickly he drew his pole-axe back behind his head. As soon as he got close he moved the pole-axe back behind his head and waited.

The man’s shoulder’s and neck became visible and Nick acted.

Activating Death Stroke he aimed for the man’s neck. There was a chunky knife passing through meat noise and then the pole-axe’s axe blade struck the dirt.

Executed!

Jordan Tardiff slain!

Jerking his weapon out of the dirt Nick spun around. Panting he did a slow circle, looking in every direction. There was no sound or disturbance.

It was as if he were alone.

The quest said six. That’s five.

There’s one more!

Where!?

As if answering him directly, a man in chain-mail that reached down to his thighs, armored arms and legs, a full helmet, and a plate-mail cuirass over his chest rushed in from the grass around the camp. Nick hadn’t even noticed the man, but apparently he’d been on sentry duty.

It was a surprise he hadn’t noticed the shining tin-can of a man in the fields. He probably glittered like a wooden box filled with broken glass and polished metal shavings.

Leveling his weapon at the man, Nick advanced on the man. Regardless of whatever class he was, whatever level he was, there was no backing down from this situation.

Nick had to win and live, or lose and die.

“Hey there spunky, just finished off your friends here,” said Nick with a chuckle. “Though uh Joseph finished in Susan first. I just made sure they both got their happy ending. Ya know?”

Not hesitating, the bandit roared and charged forward toward Nick. In his hand he held a flanged mace. A weapon that would have no troubles what-so-ever brutalizing Nick.

From the weapons and armor alone Nick could guess at the man’s level. Realistically, he really didn’t stand much of a chance against this bandit.

If he tried to fight the man as a normal Fighter would, this would be over very quickly.

“Well shit,” muttered Nick and then held his left hand out in front of himself. Pushing on his mana Nick activated Firebolt.

Right into the bandit’s face.

Shrieking in pain as the fire turned the armored man into a silver shod torch, the bandit came on. He seemed unperturbed by the fact that his head was on fire.

Swinging his mace down and around, having closed the distance quickly, Nick had almost no options. Throwing up his pole-axe with only one arm, he managed to partially deflect the weapon.

It still blew threw the defense though and smashed into Nick’s left arm.

Debilitating strike!

Arm fracture!

Four week status ailment!

Instantly an entire third of his health bar vanished and his arm lost all it’s strength. In that single attack, Nick lost more than a hundred hit-points from his health pool.

Oh my fuck! That would have killed me!

Unable to hold onto his pole-axe with both hands, Nick just let it go. There was really no way to wield the weapon with only one hand. Thankfully he had an alternative.

One that had been at his side sitting in a belt-ring since he’d become an adventurer.

Pulling out The Fall, his family’s one handed axe, with his right hand Nick spun it around and put the spike on the back of it in front.

It was a nimble and swift one-handed battle axe. The front a simple axe-blade, the back of it a rather wicked spike. While Nick didn’t have as much experience with it as he did the pole-axe, he wasn’t uncomfortable with it.

Pressing his left arm against his body without agitating the broken bone, Nick tried to quickly move around to one side. To move to the bandit’s left and attack his flank.

Turning his head with the movement, the bandit seemed confused, but able to follow what Nick was doing as the flames that’d engulfed his head died out.

Pointing with his axe Nick cast Firebolt again. Once more aiming for the bandit’s head.

At such a close distance the bandit couldn’t dodge away. The Firebolt once more slammed into his head and lit him on fire once again.

“Don’t stop, Sire. His level is much higher than ours. His defense, even magic defense, will negate a lot of the damage of our Firebolt,” Lucian warned.

Right.

Run away!

Turning on his heel Nick did just that. Aiming backward with his axe he kept casting Firebolt at the bandit at the same time. This was no time to try and be anything other than alive.

“Bast-agh!” shouted the man as two more Firebolts hit him.

Running around in a circle, moving around the lip of the bowl, Nick simply kept out of reach and out of range. The bandit couldn’t keep up in all the armor he was wearing.

Nick wasn’t about to back down, but neither was he going to let the man get close enough.

He’d already had a brush with death in this encounter and liked it none at all.

Slowly, the two continued the strange chase. Moving around the campsite as Nick continued to lay Firebolts into the man. Right now it was a race to see who ran out first

Nick and his mana, or the bandit and his health.

Another Firebolt slammed into the bandit’s head and finally the man toppled over. Laying still on the ground even as hie head continued to burn.

Eric Blanca slain!

Standing there, panting, Nick stared at the scene around him. The corpses of the bandits were littered about, several tents had been knocked down in the strange game of chase, and there was even a small fire trying to take root in the grass.

Battle won!

Calculating experience!

“That was stupid,” hissed Nick while panting.

“Incredibly. But… it worked. And we wanted the rewards,” Lucian agreed. “Now go put out that fire. Then we need to loot everything in the camp… take the heads… and head back to town. There’s work to do. I’ll delay the experience gains and rewards till we’re all settled with the quests.

“Don’t forget to cast Minor Heal on yourself until that break gets fixed. It’s going to take quite a bit of mana to repair something like that.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Nick said and nodded his head. “Man, wasted my time and effort trying to set up that sex and kill each other thing. They didn’t even notice.”

“Yes, but the others could have noticed, so it wasn’t a waste. It just wasn’t needed,” argued Lucian.

Nick nodded his head and trudged over to where the fire was and promptly began stomping it out. No sooner than it was put out than the embers from the fire looked like it might flare up again.

“Oh no you don’t,” said Nick and then began working at his belt with one hand. He’d make sure the fire wouldn’t start back up again. “Like hell I’m going to be responsible for a fire. Fuck that.”