A Record of Ash & Ruin: The Grieving Lands - Book 2: Chapter 43: Better Late than Never

The Festival of the Undrawn, a lingering echo of our primitive ancestry, hails from a time when the Founders first crossed the Whispering Wastes, the barren Sim Edin. Called the Contest of Saints in less-cultured circles, I am consumed by aversion for this uncultured relic, yet both the clergy and the masses cling fervently to this crass tradition, yes, and even some of those of higher station. To what end must they offer violence unto one another, with fist and foot, in supplication to the divine? Surely, the celestial beings would savor more-refined tributes, such as the elegance of art, the melody of song, or the exquisite rhythm of poetic verse.

– From the diary of Lady Aelayah of House Salahaem.

You have gained 1 Strength.

Welcome as it was, I mentally pushed the notification aside. What were the others doing? Incompetent fools.

Just as these thoughts started, I heard shouts behind me. They were saying something important-sounding, but I could not spare them any attention, as I was completely focused on besting the monster in front of me.

A few more arrows flew by and embedded themselves in the horned-toad thing’s side. They served as nothing more than a distraction, but enough of one, and that allowed me to pull my enemy closer. Grabbing another length of tongue, I continued pulling, when yet another monstrous tongue from a different beast flew out from beneath a small bush and wrapped itself around my chest.

As I struggled to keep my footing, I spared a moment to size up yet another adversary. This new one was a sickly green and ‘small’, like the first specimen I had encountered. Blazes, these things were annoying.

Finally, from behind me, I could hear the sounds of my fellows coming to my assistance and my mind started to parse what they were saying.

“There’s a whole KNOT of them! Don’t just stand there, help Gilgamesh!” I heard Likam shout.

I felt a flash of irritation as Jasper ran past me to try and finish off the crippled Sandgorger. At the same time, Tomorbat and Likam, rushing to me, had shouldered their bows and drawn short swords. For a brief moment I thought that they meant to do me in, before the pair started to hack at the tough rubbery thing still wrapped around my trunk.

Under assault, and bleeding a viscous green, the amphibian withdrew its injured tongue. The monster then gave a loud, ominous croak, and charged at me. The other guards shouted to each other in warning, but I could pay them no attention as I was still contending with the horned one that was stubbornly struggling against me. Unfortunately, Jasper, too, was similarly preoccupied, his efforts bent towards killing the one I had blinded.

The heady power of the Drain was filling me. A quick glance at my Status showed that I was at full Health and barely losing any Stamina. Still, even drunk on my own magic, I could see that, with my sword arm entangled, it would be difficult to deal with the new and closing threat, the smaller Sandgorger.

But I was not without recourse, as I used another Skill that turned my shield into a weapon. Aiming to check the charging creature, I used Shield Bash, swinging my shield just as the creature leapt at me.

You have learned Shield Bash (lvl.2) You have learned Critical Hit Mastery (lvl.3)

“Well-struck!” laughed Tomorbat

I grinned like a feral beast, for my blow had connected with the side of its head and stunned the Sandgorger. Perhaps this was finally my Luck attribute coming into play? It truly felt wonderful when one’s Skills improved.

Swift to react, my comrades fell upon the monster, hacking and slashing with wild abandon. Still entangled, I left the poor thing to the gentle attentions of Likam and Tomorbat as I focused once again on the animal whose tongue was wrapped stubbornly around me.

I could feel the thing weakening, its very life energies being leeched by my dark spell. But feelings are not facts, and I needed confirmation.

Sandgorger – (Trap Toad lvl.14) Health: 181/195 Stamina: 21/38

Mana: 1/2

As big and threatening as the Sandgorger was, the Identify spell confirmed to me that the thing was definitely weakening. I did not want it escaping, nor did I want to approach it further, in case others like it were lying in wait. That meant there was only one thing for it. I pulled on its tongue and drew it closer to me with both hands in a strange tug-of-war.

The ugly thing struggled, the trinity of its eyes completely focused on me, its clawed toes drawing ruts in the sand and grass as it slowly lost ground. When I judged I was within range of Dash, I pulled it towards me with all my might. Letting go of its tongue, I activated Dash, followed immediately by a downward Power Strike aimed at the space between its three eyes.

At the last moment, the creature veritably leaped to the side. Caught mid-leap, the evasive maneuver threw off my aim and foiled my attack. Completely taken by surprise, I missed with my blow, simply smashing into some grass and sand.

Crashing face-forward to the ground, I tried to scramble to my feet. As is the nature of man, I tried the same thing again, disregarding the exorbitant cost in Stamina. The monster would pay for dodging my first attempt.

Rocketing towards the horned Sandgorger with a Dash and Power Strike combination, I decided upon a minor variation. This time, I aimed an upwards backhand slash at it, and this time, fortune favored me. The blow, enhanced by my forward momentum and the Skill, connected with a satisfying crunch. Through the eye slits of my helm, I saw my straight-edged blade rise in a diagonal vertical cut that slashed through tough hide, muscle, and bone.

You have learned Swords (lvl.2) You have learned Rush Strike (lvl.1)

It seems that combat really is the best of instructors, I thought grimly as I continued the attack. Grievously wounded as it was, the creature was not yet done, as one of its front claws swiped at me in a vicious counterattack, which I barely raised my shield in time to meet.

The Sandgorger struck again, drawing shallow rents in my shield with its claws. With its Stamina dropping precipitously, this time the attack was a lethargic thing, with none of the power and viciousness of its last few attacks. I had the creature now.

You have slain two Sandgorgers 30 experience gained

I finished the creature off with a simple stab through its right eye, and almost simultaneously I was informed that the others in my group had felled another of the creatures.

Cursing, I knew it had to be Jasper who had finished off his target, as the flow of stolen energy to me was abruptly cut off. That man was starting to get on my nerves. Bloody kill-stealer. With this thought in my mind, I rushed to the aid of Likam and Tomorbat.

*

What followed was a systematic dismantling of a monster. Taking down the remaining Sandgorger was a trivial thing. The beast was outnumbered, and now lacked the element of surprise, making it easy for us to attack the giant toad from all sides at once. For this, I earned a trifling amount of experience.

“I really could have done with a little more help back there with the horned one. Why did you go off chasing the one that was basically half-dead?” I asked our leader Jasper as he was helping to dress the bodies, his arm growing bloody with the work. Taking a moment for myself, I sat down on a rock to catch my breath while I waited for his answer. Sand, as expected of a desert, was getting into everything and souring my mood.

“If we had allowed that one to escape, it would have brought down even more of them upon us. I knew the others were with you,” he said, almost grunting as he removed the guts and entrails from the large horned specimen.

Cutting out the horn, Likam tossed me the beastly trophy, which I caught easily with both hands. “A bull Sandgorger’s horn holds value. I believe you’ve earned it,” he remarked, a faint trace of reluctant admiration in his voice. “And this is why we call them Sandgorgers,” he clicked his tongue as sand and small rocks fell out from the gullet of the beast.

The rest of the gang laughed at this before they continued with their work, their knives sawing into the remains of the Sandgorgers.

“What was that stone you dropped before, the purple one?” I inquired, refilling my flask from the river and taking a sip. I was unsure if the river water was actually safe to drink, though with my monstrous Constitution and magic, I could probably drink sewage water with little ill effect.

“Caution Stone,” he said, his voice tinged with concern. “Informs those behind that we now tread upon Sandgorger territory. I’ve not seen them this near to the Rump before; they typically dwell further within the Whispering Wastes. This development… it troubles me.” He furrowed his brow in worry. “We should take these carcasses, return before they spoil. Acquire fresh mounts and hunt more of the beasts farther out. Thin their numbers,” he concluded, going back to his bloody work.

After completing our task, we distributed the weight of the dressed kills among the four horses, and guided them back on foot. Exhausted, and slightly battered from the skirmish, we rejoined the head of the caravan an hour or two later.

We all made sure to avail ourselves to one torch each before we set off to find more of the monsters. Why hadn’t Jasper used one of the torches and just charged straight in? Could it be that he wanted to steal the experience from my kill?, I wondered to myself as we set off.

Scanning my Status, I noted that I was at full Health and just a few points shy of full Mana. I also was pleased with my gain in the Strength attribute, as well the improvement in several of my skills. With a happy grin, I saw that my new skill Rush Strike, at twenty points, used less Stamina than a Dash and Power Strike combination, which was a welcome development.

Undoubtedly, had I not been clad in my protective armor and armed with a lethal new weapon, the recent encounter would have played out quite differently. My gear made a big difference to my survivability and, coupled with my new offensive technique, I could only grow more in power. But my current equipment was made for normal men, and by design, constrained by the limits of human Stamina and Strength, limits I was slowly exceeding. Perhaps in the future, I could commission some armor and weapons more suitable for my new power.

Truly I had grown strong, grown powerful. I chafed, eager for more experience and a chance to advance my skills.

However, to my disappointment, our second foray brought us face-to-face with only a solitary Sandgorger, a smaller female, which we were able to quickly dispatch. I even managed to employ my crossbow, grasping the beast’s tongue with one hand and loosing a bolt through the roof of its mouth with the other. A most gratifying experience.