World Witout Wizards: Guard

I tried to dig this vile creature out of my body for a few minutes. I was afraid to cut myself and didn't understand the meaning of this strange MESSAGE. Finally, I decided to stick the dagger into my skin, trying to get to the centipede's body.

Screw it! I couldn't get it out and it dug deeper into my flesh, moving its legs, despite all my attempts. Almost fainting from the pain, I realized that at the moment I wasn't ready for such sacrifices.

I'd better leave this horrible insect inside me, then I'll go to the healer and she'll take it out with her herbs and potions. I doubt she would give up having such a treasure.

I needed to be ready for an unexpected battle, so I grabbed my sword. Surprisingly my arm moved perfectly. As soon as I stopped trying to extract the mysterious weaver, it became one with my forearm. My movements seemed to become even smoother and more precise.

I decided to go to my house. I didn't know what to hope for after having seen all this. Maybe a miracle? However, the miracle didn't happen. My parents' two-story house was still burning, though it had caved in. Thick logs provided good fire. The forge with its fallen roof was smoldering.

There were no bones or bodies of my parents. The logs weren't wide enough to hide the corpses; the tiles cracked from the heat and crumbled to dust. Only the furnace and the anvil were still standing in the middle of the wreckage. Burned blades and pieces of armor lay scattered around the yard.

Perception Check

Base 0

Bonus + 1

Dice Roll 2

Requirement 2

Success

Luck Check

Base 0

Bonus +1

Dice Roll 1

Requirement 2

Success

Suddenly I saw a sword sticking out of the burning coals. My mother and father had made it for me; the weapon was enchanted by mom's blood and magic. When I left home, the blade was grey like any other steel of old John Greystle. But now... I approached, sheathed the old sword and touched the long handle of the new weapon. The blade turned black.

Sacrificial sword +2

Additional attack by fire and (or) acid

Bloodsucker

The devotion of the soul: Michael Greystle

The MESSAGE emerged before my eyes, as I completely pulled the sword out of the wreckage. It was my sword. Without a doubt. Just like in the vision during the trial. It was quite heavy and seemed to be yearning for battle, calling for a fight, asking for the enemy's blood.

I tried to wipe the soot from the blade, but it was almost crystal clear, blackened not from the outside, but from the inside. Something like veins passed along around the blade, empty and eager to be filled. The sword wasn't just good. It was splendid and enchanted.

I was in a better mood because I didn't find my parents' bodies. Hope returned to my heart, banishing doubt and fear. They're alive! I knew it. I'll find them. Going back, I looked at the tracks in the mud left after yesterday's rain.

Perception Check

Base 0

Bonus + 1

Dice Roll 2

Requirement 3

Success

I seemed to know where these tracks led—to the western gate—the beginning of the road to the wild wasteland. This road led to the chief's house under the hill, but you could see it even from a few hundred feet away. Judging by the sounds, the battle was still going on. My blade was out for blood, and I wanted to meet my family as soon as possible and hoped that they were there. It was all for nothing.

As I approached the battlefield, I realized my mistake. There were several of them. Glavasd's militia was supposed to go on patrol. Apparently, they returned to the village, when they saw the fire. But courage alone couldn't save the half-orc. His body, and a dozen more archers and swordsmen, lay at the gate. The attackers paid a heavier price for this victory, much more than for the previous attack on the villagers. I could see five corpses with amulets on their necks.

Something incredible was happening. A huge stone Titan was trying to escape the tentacles that were sticking out from the water. The cultists surrounded him from all sides, they were helping Kraken. Several cultists stood a little farther away. They poured powder into iron tubes, pointed them to the giant and disappeared under clouds of smoke. Guns! That's what it is! The pictures from the book came back to me.

Those standing closest to them beat on the Eternal Guards's legs (I guess he was a living statue) with strange hammers and clubs. The Titan would have swept the fighters away long ago if it weren't for the tentacles of the same creature that had attacked me in the pond.

Now it was much bigger and stronger. Maybe this metamorphosis had to do with the dozens of bodies lying at the bank of the pond with their throats ripped out. The cultists got the Kraken drunk with the blood of women, children and the elderly. A few of the inhabitants were still alive, tied by the neck to the post at the base of the tower, but I couldn't see clearly from that distance. The shooters' backs were the perfect targets for me. Running forward, I attacked the first of them with my sword.

Attack Check

Base 3 (2 weapon, 1 skill)

Bonus + 1

Dice Roll 2

Requirement 2+2 (experienced)

Great Success

My sword went through him like knife through butter, destroying his light leather armor. I killed him instantly, leaving no blood in the wound. But the blood remained on the blade, it soaked into the handle for a few seconds, and then a black haze emerged over the sword. I had no time to admire it, lunging and piercing the next opponent.

Perception Check

Base 0

Bonus + 1

Dice Roll 1

Requirement 2+2 (experienced)

Success

I did it! The blade penetrated a few inches between the ribs; then it flashed, igniting the enemy as if he had been drenched in flammable liquid. Shrieking, he jumped back and began to roll on the grass, trying to put out the fire. I didn't have time to kill him, three enemies were standing in front of me. They had just shot the Titan to no avail and were now reloading their weapons. So, I had a few spare seconds.

However, the nearest enemy guessed my intentions and rushed to attack. His gun barrel had a long sharp needle. My enemy used his weapon very skillfully.

Repelling an Attack Check

Base 5 (2 repelling an attack, 3 weapon and skill)

Bonus + 1

Dice Roll 2

Requirement 4=4 (2 skill, 2 experience)

Success

Surely, I managed to repel his attack but wasn't able to attack. The enemy was very experienced. If he'd been better armed, he could have killed me. It was impossible to relax with such an opponent. The second attack followed immediately after the first, but was less successful. However, I still failed to counterattack. I could only hope for the magic of 'Repelling an Attack' and defend myself until the enemy made a mistake.

Dexterity Check

Base 0

Bonus 1(armor)+ 1

Dice Roll 2

Requirement 1+4

Failure

Damn it! A bullet pierced my shoulder, which was not covered by the armor. The armor didn't cover me properly from such a weapon. Even 'Repelling an Attack' didn't help me! I was warned about that. So I was only able to repel arrows and stones from a sling, rather than gunshots.

Dexterity Check

Base 0

Bonus 1+1

Dice Roll 4

Requirement 4+4

Failure

The second bullet hit me in the head, right in the eyeball. I even looked at that little pea of lead at the last moment and instantly went blind. I was thrown back.

Stamina Check

Base 1

Bonus +1

Dice Roll 2

Requirement 4

Success

Apparently, I was lucky: the bullet went on a tangent from my nose to my orbit, touching the eyeball. The bone was strong enough to keep the bullet from going further into my brain. So, I stayed alive. For now.

Permanent defect incurred: one-eyed

Perception: -2

You've lost your eye, and you can't find it

Life mage might help you.

Screw it, if I had at least a few militia guys with me, they could distract the enemy! I wish I hadn't come here alone. But it was too late to be sorry.

While my opponents were reloading their guns, I jumped to my feet. I had only a few seconds to act—to attack the nearest enemy, fight at close quarters. He might be experienced, but if I was lucky, I would kill him and perhaps even his friend before he could take a shot.

I couldn't beat the third shooter, but I might survive another bullet. I could go to the fence and hide. 'Regeneration' was already activated. If the magic works properly, the wound in my shoulder won't bother me. Moreover, there I'll be able to drink potions for the attack.

I've never used 'the Strike of the Sun' in a battle against humans. Perhaps this would give me a great advantage. The weaving of a small spider could be very useful too. I saw Oulsast tearing his foes apart with it.