The chief pulled his sword out and gazed across the horde.
"These ugly creatures are like rats. No, far worse than rats," the chief said while holding his injury.
"Forest imps?" Takagi said as he walked towards the raid.
"So you know what they are called?" The chief said.
Towards the deeper horde were warriors fighting them and archers assisting. The chief and Takagi were still at a rather safe distance. No imp was to pass a certain point or the people back in the village could be in danger.
"You 3 go left and you 4 go right, make sure there aren't any stragglers. You 2 go back to the village and make sure everyone is safe," the chief ordered the other orcs.
"Your injured, chief," Hanz said.
"This is nothing," the chief replied and let go of his wound and readied himself for an approaching imp.
Before the imp could reach the chief's range, Takagi caught it mid-air with his spear. The beast went flying far enough to reach the hoard of other imps.
"You got quite an arm there for an elf, but how are you going to get your spear back?" the chief said while laughing.
"… you're right," Takagi admitted.
He ran towards the hoard of imps determined to retrieve his spear.
"Takagi, wait!" Hanz screamed in an attempt to stop him.
Takagi ran as fast as he could. Once he approached a near imp, he dodged their strikes flawlessly and evaded the next one after. He interrupted an orc warrior's swing in an attempt to run past him; he nearly got a sword swung to his neck. The imp shifted his focus on Takagi, and the orc followed up with a second successful attack, "watch where you're going, you idiot!" The orc warrior shouted. The only thing Takagi replied with was a raised hand to indicate thank you, and he continued forward. The next two imps Takagi approached swung an attack with their tails. Takagi swiftly maneuvered his way out of them, and to his luck, they both sliced each other open, essentially killing each other.
"How could I be so stupid to throw the spear that hard and send that small weak imp flying. Stupid stupid stupid," Takagi thought to himself.
He neared the body with his beloved spear and made a final sprint. Once he reached it, he put his foot on the body of the dead imp and pulled out the spear. Having successfully retrieved his spear, he felt a sense of pride. He had to dismay those feelings, however, because when he looked around, he had been surrounded by several imps. Takagi never considered himself an expert in fighting and killing imps, but now he found himself in the dead center of all the hoards of imps. He never fought a hoard of anything, ever. He remembered that when playing RPG games with hoards of small demons, he would utilize area damage spells or swing his sword around to deal damage to several, but this was different.
"Sure, in RPG's you could take several hits from small annoying hoards of weak creatures, but this is real life. Each one has the ability to tear off my arm or head… maybe they are weaker than I expect them to be but … but I can't take on all these at the same time. There's like 30 of them surrounding me. Great, and to make it worse, I only have a spear. A single strike weapon," Takagi cried in his head.
Takagi closed his eyes and hoped for the best; he didn't hear or smell any imp making a move. "Takagi, turn around!" Hanz yelled in the distance. "Turn around, but why?" Takagi thought to himself. He opened his eyes and saw no imps near him. The only other forest imps appeared to be fleeing. The orc looked at Takagi's direction and slowly stepped back. "Did they see my horns and get scared?" Takagi thought. Takagi both felt and heard several stomps behind him; he looked down and saw a shadow.
"That's a big shadow," Takagi said in fear.
"Takagi, run!" Hanz screamed in the distance.
Takagi looked up from the shadow and could see that in the far distance, Hanz was waving his hands, and the chief was running towards him. He turned his head to look at what could possibly be there, behind him.
"A dark Imp?" Takagi thought.
"They are bigger than I imagined. Dark skin, massive black teeth, and twice my size. Yeah, these are the same imps I remember sketching. They're far uglier in person," Takagi said.
Takagi stepped back and got in position to throw his spear. His throw, being successful, struck the dark-skinned imp's left eye. The throw wasn't planned; rather, it was mere instinct on Takagi's part. The imp let out a wailing growl, signifying its immense pain. Blood dripped and splattered around the ground from the imp's various movements of great frustration. The imp fell on his back, and Takagi wasted no time springing into a run to retrieve his spear. Takagi stepped on the imp's face and pulled his spear out.
"That was amazing! I can't believe I got the eye of a dark imp!" Takagi celebrated above the head of the giant imp.
The imp reacted to Takagi's celebration by punching him with his left hand. A punch that sent Takagi flying a distance. The punch made perfect contact with Takagi's ribs.
"Takagi, no!" Hanz screamed from the same safe distance he was earlier.
"Don't push forward, Hanz; stay back, I got this!" The chief screamed off the top of his lungs to reach Hanz from where he was.
The chief had made an advance and was at a comfortable striking distance. He gripped his sword with both hands and lifted it above his head.
"Slipstream slash," the chief screamed.
The skill the chief called forth is slipstream slash, a very powerful and common skill wielded by many swordsmen or warriors. The skill dodged a kick strike from the downed imp. It smoothly allowed the wielder to evade a strike and create a big opening. An added bonus is nearly doubling the attack damage if the wielder's slash connected with the target. If the attacker decided not to strike the wielder after the 6 seconds after the skill was activated, the skill drains double the amount of stamina. The skill is used often when facing a less intelligent monster or person, for example, an average warrior would automatically recognize the skill and act accordingly. A monster or anything of lesser intelligence would fight with no brain and all brawn, leaving them vulnerable to such a skill.
Just as the chief expected, the skill worked. After the kick from the imp, the chief slashed the thigh of the imp.
"Such thick skin," said the chief.
"If I continue facing this monster, I should be careful or I'll dull my blade. The skin is so thick that even double the attack strength barely suffices."
—
A graceful young elf lay in bed, immersed in slumber. The morning sun ascended, casting a resplendent beam upon her visage. Her pallid eyelids lifted with the arrival of the sun's rays, unveiling brilliant azure eyes. They stirred slowly, surveying the room. A blink concealed their radiance, and upon reopening, the pupils appeared contracted.
"Summon my father immediately," the elf uttered, still reclining in bed, impervious to emotion.
"Yes, your excellency," an elven maid responded promptly, departing the room and closing the door behind her.
"This should be intriguing news for him," she mused, remaining on the bed.
"You summoned me, my esteemed ruler?" Commander Fylson Balmys kneeled.
A silhouette on a grand throne leaned forward to converse.
"Fylson, I gather you've been anticipating my audience?"
"Yes, my Great Ruler... I have awaited nearly 300 days to speak with you."
"Are you implying that I lack expediency?"
"No! No, no, oh Great Ruler of mine, I, a mere subordinate, acknowledge the due process in all of this," Fylson nervously articulated.
"What urgency do you propose justifies my time, then?"
"I do not intend to waste your time, my Great Ruler. I bring forth information that may prove beneficial to you," Fylson stated.
"I am already aware."
"You are... but I haven't shared this information with a single soul," Fylson expressed, bewildered.
"You underestimate me. I've known about the information for quite some time and have dispatched the twins to address the matter of the 'horned elf' you've come to discuss."
"You are correct! I apologize for this."
"Don't fret; your loyalty is appreciated. The news of such an abomination would incite panic. The one who failed to convey this meeting's cancellation has already paid with his life."
"Oh, Great Ruler of mine, you are the wisest and most merciful being. Sending the twins is a fitting punishment for that abomination who dared to attack your border patrol," Fylson acknowledged.
"Yes, but something tells me this elf isn't part of the cultist attack. The two events may be connected in a way unknown to me, but rest assured, Fylson, I will prevent such an elf from sharing our air."
A sudden knock interrupted the elf on the throne, known as the Great Ruler. The elf sighed deeply and instructed the guard to allow the visitor in. A maid entered slowly, kneeling.
"Oh, Great Ruler, my apologies for the intrusion. The princess requests your presence."
"Ah, excellent news. Excuse yourself, Fylson; I have more important matters to attend to."
"Yes, oh Great Ruler of mine," Fylson replied, bowing before exiting.
Fylson Balmys traversed a vast corridor, each step resonating with pride within the grand castle.
"I've yet to discern his methods. Without receiving information, he already knows. Perhaps he employs mind-reading magic or something similar. Regardless, that horned elf will pay. On a more critical note, it seems our plan is progressing smoothly," Fylson chuckled.
"That elf believes he's in the clear," an elf remarked, approaching the door of the Great Ruler's throne room.
"As much as I despise being looked down upon, I need him alive. His treason won't go unpunished," the Great Ruler declared.
"I would relish being the one to carry out his execution, my Great Ruler," the elf proclaimed.
"Your time will come. For now, I must attend to my daughter, the princess," the Great Ruler concluded, rising from his throne and exiting the room. Upon reaching the princess's room, he lightly knocked, then opened the door.
"You summoned me, my sweet angel?" the Great Ruler said softly.
"Yes, hello father, or should I say, Great Ruler," the princess greeted from her bed.
The ruler closed the door and brought a chair to her bedside.
"What news do you have for me?" he inquired.
"The cult will succeed in their endeavors, causing a significant shift and revealing an intriguing truth, our other enemy will develop something powerful, something not of magic, finally, we will fall," she concluded.
"We will fall?" The Great Ruler pondered the meaning of the news, clasping his hands together.
"Okay, tell me more," he urged.
—