Rogue subtype, devoted to sneak attacks and stealth magic. I snuck up behind one of them on a mountain, and used one of my whips to pull him off a cliff face.”
It was Luke’s turn to frown.
“I know, I know,” continued Kaoru. “Not exactly the most exciting war story. But they don’t go down easy. It might be best if we… well, if we run.”
Luke shook his head.
“I’m not running,” he said. “No matter what.”
“That sounds like something that the Hero of Kantor would say.” Kaoru clapped him on the shoulder. “Very well, I have your back. There are a couple of things we should keep in mind, however.”
The Arbiter was approaching at a steady pace. Luke had just enough time to gather all of the high level players together into a huddle.
“He’s going to get in contact with the rest of the Arbiters, if he hasn’t already,” said Kaoru. “We have to all attack at once and finish him off before he realizes what’s going on.”
“Is that even… possible?” Silverstrike raised an eyebrow and fidgeted nervously.
“Arbiters aren’t invincible,” said Kaoru. “They are incredibly powerful, but most of their strength comes from their armor. I suspect that’s part of why they pursued me so doggedly.”
Luke thought for a second about what they needed to do, and then turned to Tess.
“Tess, what level are you at right now?”
“Level 22.” Tess smiled. “Why?”
Level 22? She’s at a higher level than me?
“You look surprised,” said Tess. “I think you’re forgetting how much extra time I have to train.”
A loud pounding came from the settlement’s gate.
“This is a raid, open up.” The Arbiter’s voice was loud and commanding. “I have cause to believe that an anti-government dissident is hiding on these premises.”
“What’s to stop the government regulator controlling that Arbiter from sharing our location after we kill him?” Luke asked the question quietly, realizing the dilemma they were in as it left his mouth.
“I don’t think all of the Arbiters are actually human players,” said Kaoru. “It’s subtle, and they have rather realistic personalities, but they never log out. And they don’t play like humans.”
“Tess, you can cast a Silence spell, right?” Luke watched as she nodded, and then pulled her in a little closer. “Cast it on him as soon as we engage.”
“Right!” Tess gripped her staff in both hands and steadied herself.
“Good thinking,” said Kaoru. “If we silence him, there’s no way he can get in touch with the other Arbiters. Our location will remain a secret, as long as he hasn’t already given it away.”
“It’s just one of many risks we’re going to be taking in the near future,” said Luke.
“Open up!” The Arbiter was pounding on the gate with a frightening amount of strength. Luke took a deep breath and then moved into position to open it.
“Sorry, sir, we were on the other side of the compound.” Luke pointed to various positions and ambush points, and watched as his friends took to them. “Please, come on in.”
He slipped the gate’s lock up and pulled it open. The Arbiter walked in. The shiny gold of its armor contrasted strangely with the gritty yellow sand. Luke felt a flash of emotion remembering the last time he’d faced an Arbiter.
There’s no backing down now. Either we take him out, or Dunidan’s Rest will eventually burn.
“Now!”
A number of things happened at once. Katrina dropped down from the wall and slammed the gate shut. Kaoru and Silverstrike rushed forward from either side launching into a furious attack. Tess finished chanting behind Luke, and a shining blue aura of magically induced silence settled over the Arbiter.
CONJURE SWORD 3
PIERCE ATTACK 3
Using up almost all of his magicka, Luke activated his combat abilities. He lunged forward, pointing his physical sword at the enemy and swirling the rest of them in defense around himself.
The Arbiter was much faster than
It was Luke’s turn to frown.
“I know, I know,” continued Kaoru. “Not exactly the most exciting war story. But they don’t go down easy. It might be best if we… well, if we run.”
Luke shook his head.
“I’m not running,” he said. “No matter what.”
“That sounds like something that the Hero of Kantor would say.” Kaoru clapped him on the shoulder. “Very well, I have your back. There are a couple of things we should keep in mind, however.”
The Arbiter was approaching at a steady pace. Luke had just enough time to gather all of the high level players together into a huddle.
“He’s going to get in contact with the rest of the Arbiters, if he hasn’t already,” said Kaoru. “We have to all attack at once and finish him off before he realizes what’s going on.”
“Is that even… possible?” Silverstrike raised an eyebrow and fidgeted nervously.
“Arbiters aren’t invincible,” said Kaoru. “They are incredibly powerful, but most of their strength comes from their armor. I suspect that’s part of why they pursued me so doggedly.”
Luke thought for a second about what they needed to do, and then turned to Tess.
“Tess, what level are you at right now?”
“Level 22.” Tess smiled. “Why?”
Level 22? She’s at a higher level than me?
“You look surprised,” said Tess. “I think you’re forgetting how much extra time I have to train.”
A loud pounding came from the settlement’s gate.
“This is a raid, open up.” The Arbiter’s voice was loud and commanding. “I have cause to believe that an anti-government dissident is hiding on these premises.”
“What’s to stop the government regulator controlling that Arbiter from sharing our location after we kill him?” Luke asked the question quietly, realizing the dilemma they were in as it left his mouth.
“I don’t think all of the Arbiters are actually human players,” said Kaoru. “It’s subtle, and they have rather realistic personalities, but they never log out. And they don’t play like humans.”
“Tess, you can cast a Silence spell, right?” Luke watched as she nodded, and then pulled her in a little closer. “Cast it on him as soon as we engage.”
“Right!” Tess gripped her staff in both hands and steadied herself.
“Good thinking,” said Kaoru. “If we silence him, there’s no way he can get in touch with the other Arbiters. Our location will remain a secret, as long as he hasn’t already given it away.”
“It’s just one of many risks we’re going to be taking in the near future,” said Luke.
“Open up!” The Arbiter was pounding on the gate with a frightening amount of strength. Luke took a deep breath and then moved into position to open it.
“Sorry, sir, we were on the other side of the compound.” Luke pointed to various positions and ambush points, and watched as his friends took to them. “Please, come on in.”
He slipped the gate’s lock up and pulled it open. The Arbiter walked in. The shiny gold of its armor contrasted strangely with the gritty yellow sand. Luke felt a flash of emotion remembering the last time he’d faced an Arbiter.
There’s no backing down now. Either we take him out, or Dunidan’s Rest will eventually burn.
“Now!”
A number of things happened at once. Katrina dropped down from the wall and slammed the gate shut. Kaoru and Silverstrike rushed forward from either side launching into a furious attack. Tess finished chanting behind Luke, and a shining blue aura of magically induced silence settled over the Arbiter.
CONJURE SWORD 3
PIERCE ATTACK 3
Using up almost all of his magicka, Luke activated his combat abilities. He lunged forward, pointing his physical sword at the enemy and swirling the rest of them in defense around himself.
The Arbiter was much faster than
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