Gramok drew his sword and swung, decapitating the lead thug in a single motion. The gang recoiled, and Gramok charged into their midst. “Kangrat handarn!”

The power in his shout echoed through Jake without effect. Different words, same ability—Taunt. It wouldn’t force them to attack the heavily armored warrior, but would weaken their attacks if they targeted anyone else.

Cara fired a volley of arrows. The first went wide. She landed the second and third in her target's chest. The orc let out a bloodcurdling roar. His eyes bulged and his veins strained to bursting point. He charged Gramok, dagger in hand. Gramok didn’t even try to block, his heavy armor deflecting the strike.

A wild-eyed orc broke off and advanced on Cara. Adrenaline surged through Jake’s veins. There wasn’t time to cast. He drew his falchion and leaped forward. His sword was longer; he could hit first. He thrust at the orc’s heart.

At the last moment, the orc turned side-on, evading and countering with lightning speed.

61 piercing damage received!

Light armor skill increased 0 → 1!

Pain exploded in Jake’s shoulder. Mental Resistance barely held his thoughts together.

Not good. A straight fight would get him killed. He slammed his Fire perk points into Stability and Power and cast Firetouch (Rapid) (Fire/Touch/Ignite). Mana surged to his call, filling the spell woven by his free hand.

He feinted. The orc took the bait and repeated his counter. Jake dodged, stepped in, and grabbed the smug bastard’s face. “Enkir!”

127 fire damage dealt! Blinded injury inflicted!

Fire magic skill increased 2 → 3!

The orc clutched his scorched face and howled. He stabbed wildly into the air. Jake grabbed his arm, pushing the blows away.

An arrow hissed past his shoulder, adding a third to the enraged orc’s chest. Cara’s target dropped to the floor, gurgling and flailing.

Three of the thugs wailed on Gramok. He endured their blows completely unfazed and impaled another with his greatsword. He pulled on the belt across his shoulder, swinging the heater shield off his back and into position to deflect the others.

Jake grunted and strained against the orc’s strength. Blinded or not, grappling was only delaying the inevitable. Where was Cara?

Shit. The shifty orc at the back. A wand in his hand. A purple haze shot out of its tip and surged into Gramok. He froze up, his eyes misted over, and he slumped to the ground.

53 piercing damage received!

Piercing agony ripped through Jake’s chest. Time for a new plan. He broke free of the blind orc’s grasp. An arrow buried itself in his opponent’s bare chest.

The orc’s eyes bulged and glazed over. He seized up, and dropped dead.

Three down, five to go. They needed magic. “Cover me!” Jake shouted in Wood Elvish.

Three orcs bunched around Gramok, stabbing daggers into him again and again. Even a 5-foot radius wave could get them all. Jake poured 221 of his 229 remaining mana into Shockwave (Force/Wave/Blast-Stun).

An arrow to the eye downed the orc with the wand. One hit, one kill, too late. The magic still held, or Gramok was too injured to get back up. Either way, it wouldn’t matter soon.

Cara skirmished with an enormous brute. That left only the three vultures around Gramok. Jake weaved the threads of the spell thicker and thicker until they were more like ropes pulling in every direction. The mass of mana pushed and probed, trying to escape.

The spell held together, sealed and humming with power. He aimed slightly up, above Gramok, and unleashed it. “Ronka-fin!”

139 force damage dealt! Stunned status effect inflicted!

71 force damage dealt! Stunned status effect inflicted!

113 force damage dealt! Stunned status effect inflicted!

Force magic skill increased 1 → 2!

Pain-fueled adrenaline burned in every muscle. He leaped forward and buried his falchion into an orc’s back.

Critical hit! 121 piercing damage dealt! Punctured Lung injury inflicted!

Short blades skill increased 1 → 2!

In the corner of his eye, Cara dueled with a hulking orc, dodging and weaving. Her blows were minimally effective, but she kept out of reach. She’d whittle him down.

Jake shoved his wounded orc to the floor—a punctured lung had to be enough—and backed up, slashing and thrusting at the air. The other two orcs advanced slowly. Each wielded a scimitar in one hand and a shorter, yet no less deadly, dagger in the other.

The one on the left was bulkier. Stronger? The slimmer one on the right twirled his sword with a sneer. They were thugs, not soldiers. Both hissed and growled, wasting their chance to double team him. They didn’t want to die, not when the other guy might go first. If he could keep them occupied long enough…

HP: 111/225

MP: 23/280

Shit. Pain chipped away at the wall of adrenaline holding him upright. He tried not to wince. Never show pain, never show fear. He stared the orcs down and snarled with as much menace as he could muster. It came out closer to a dying cough.

Cara’s knife fight flared up into a flurry of blades. She darted back, clutching her side, leaving the huge orc hobbling toward her.

Bulky glanced over his shoulder. An opportunity. Jake cast Armor (Rapid) (Protection/Aegis/Armor) and lunged at Not Bulky.

Magical Armor status effect gained! Armor increased by 334!

He put everything into the swing. The pain of getting hit would be worth it, or he’d be dead. His falchion bit flesh and shuddered to a halt. Adrenaline spiked. A punch smashed into his gut.

61 slashing damage dealt!

42 piercing damage received!

Jake dodged to the left and flailed his sword. It chinked, deflecting a scimitar.

An arrow thudded into Cara’s orc. He roared and charged. She could handle it.

Not Bulky was too strong. Grappling bad. No other choice. Dagger thrust. Dodged. Scimitar—

Glancing blow! 29 slashing damage received!

Light armor skill increased 1 → 2!

His arm screamed for relief. The dagger pulled back. He had to stop it. Too late.

23 piercing damage received!

Everything screamed in agony. The world hurtled up. His knees banged against the floor. Blood pooled in his throat. He coughed. It wouldn’t even come up.

The orc sneered. Heavy footsteps fell behind him.

HP: 17/225

MP: 12/280

How many times had his father died?

Silvery light flashed. An iron grip seized his hair. Blood filled his vision. His heart hammered. No escape. Death, certain.

Bulky yanked Jake’s head back. His neck was exposed. His breath caught. This was it. The greatsword swung toward him.

Greatsword?

It flew over his head. A thud hit the floor. Gramok collapsed again, grunting and groaning.

Jake blinked. He wasn’t dead? He wiped blood from his eyes. The slimmer orc lay dazed on the floor, Cara’s favorite arrow in his chest. Another arrow embedded itself there. He stopped moving.

Cara approached with her bow drawn. She checked the bodies. Only one moved. The orc crawled along the floor, defying his punctured lung and clutching his weapon.

She took aim. Her eyebrows pulled together, and she swallowed. “Surrender, please surrender.”

The bloodied orc pulled himself to his feet. His knees bent, coiling to pounce.

He had to know he stood no chance. He didn’t have to do this. Why wouldn’t he walk away, damn it?

The bare-chested fighter snarled and lunged. The arrow plunged straight into his heart. He shuddered to a halt, his eyes wide open. A single convulsion, and he crumpled to the floor.

1,480 XP received!

Adrenaline gave out. The full weight of agony lit up Jake’s every nerve. He bit his lip and crawled toward Gramok. The pain could wait. He pressed two fingers to the orc’s neck. Alive, barely. He needed healing. Not enough mana.

Seconds ticked by, each longer than the last. Didn’t the mana want to be used? Didn’t it care?

At last, enough. Jake cast Healing Hands (Life/Touch/Heal) and collapsed. His eyes closed and stale air rushed out of his lungs. Notifications ticked by. The spell was working, restoring the orc’s health bit by bit.

“Thank you,” Gramok grunted. Metal clattered loudly.

Jake forced his eyes open again. The orc’s oversized, gauntleted hand hovered above him. He took it, and Gramok yanked him to his feet like he was nothing.

Eight dead bodies surrounded them. Jake’s stomach churned. Living, breathing people—until they had killed them. Nausea filled every corner of his being. Pressure built in his stomach, clamoring to force itself out. He tried it hold it back, and failed.

***

Several minutes and a level of life magic later, the three of them were back to full health. They searched the bodies, but they had little of value besides the wand.

“Take the money, and the wand too,” Gramok said. “I don’t need either.”

Cara bowed her head. “Thank you. Glad we could help.”

Still clutching his stomach, Jake struggled to muster a smile. They’d nearly died, and for what? A stranger they’d never met before? “Thanks for saving my life.”

The orc shook his head, metal clattering as he put his whole body into it. “Pah! Your life was only in danger for saving mine.” He growled and slammed his fist onto a nearby table. “Without that wand, they’d never have stood a chance. With it…” He winced and slammed the table again. “Thank you for the First Aid, Cara.”

“Happy to help.” Her gaze lingered on the bodies. She sucked in air and turned back to Gramok with a wavering smile and dead eyes. “Numbers of injuries you had, I gained another level in First Aid.”

He nodded slowly. “I shall not forget your kindness.” A metallic din echoed through the empty tavern hall as he clapped his hands together. “This calls for celebratory drinks. All clear!”

Jake stared at the bodies. It was done; no amount of looking could change that. That didn’t make it any easier to look away. “They didn’t have to die.” The words struggled past the lump in his throat, barely more than a whisper. “What was it even about?”

Gramok snorted and kneeled down beside the closest body. He ripped the strange necklace from around its neck and held it up. A dozen small, irregular white objects, strung together. His breathing was heavy and erratic. His eyes bulged and his hand shook. “Do you see these? Each one is a kill. A murder, no doubt.”

Jake refused to look away. The gang were—had been—murderers, and proud of it. It didn’t dull the biting sickness in his heart. Maybe with time it would. Cara’s gaze met his and dropped to the ground. Her eyes were as cold and dead as his heart.

“First time’s always the hardest.” Gramok clapped them both on the back. “Why they attacked me? That’s the craziest part—because I’ll protect the village for free, as long as I was here.”

No matter the disaster, there would always be those who saw opportunity. Jake shook his head and sighed. Whatever the planet, whatever the species, people were shit.

The rear door swung open. The barkeeper edged her way in, armed with an enormous crossbow, huge even for an orc. Gramok waved and mimed drinking. She shook her head, placed the crossbow behind the counter, and rung the bronze bell behind the bar. The other patrons trickled back in.

Cara tilted her head and frowned. “Why would that make them attack you?”

“Competition.” Gramok downed his remaining beer and started on the new one.

She scratched her head, and her nose wrinkled. The wrinkles across her forehead deepened. She didn’t get it. Why would she? That sort of thing wasn’t done in the Great Forest. Maybe it would be kinder to leave her ignorant.

No. A weight hung in Jake’s chest. If he was going to bring her, she had to understand what people were like. “They were charging to protect the village. What would you pay to keep your village safe from dungeon spawn? Would you still pay that if Gramok here was doing it for free?”

“That’s…” She blinked, again and again, stuck in a loop. “Why? Why would people be like that?”

Desperation? Greed? Any number of reasons. How to explain it to someone from the Great Forest?

An elderly orc woman approached, shouting and raving at Gramok in a guttural tongue. He brushed it off, waving her away and quaffing his drink. She kept yelling. His breathing slowed. Gulps of beer became sips. Her volume lowered, but her gestures remained just as sharp, just as full of anger.

Gramok slumped over the table. He held his head in his hands and muttered beneath his breath.

Cara put her hand on his armored back. “What’s wrong?”

Silence. He shook his head, a fearless warrior no more. The old woman stared at him through narrowed eyes, her jaw clenched tight.

Tension hung thick in the air. No one spoke. The bartender started moving the bodies, removing the silent reminder of what they’d done.

Jake’s throat bobbed. Had they done the right thing? “She’s asking who’ll protect the town now, isn’t she?”

Without looking up, Gramok gave a small, slow nod. “I… I’ll send word to my father.” He sucked in air and lifted his chin. “This village is important to his trade. He’ll send men to secure it.”

The elderly orc scowled and switched to Common. “Who’ll protect us in the meantime?”

It couldn’t be them. A weight pulled at Jake’s chest. They had a quest to be getting on with. That had to take priority. Besides, if a level 15 decked out in plate wasn’t enough, what hope would they have? “Gramok seems more than capable.”

Gramok winced and shook his head. “This morning, I’d have given myself good odds of taking on the whole dungeon by myself. That was before my status bar resembled a medical reference guide. Even with Cara’s First Aid, your magic, and my accelerated healing, I can’t take on a dungeon all by myself for a few days yet.”

Cara leaned forward. “What kind of dungeon? What level?”

What was she doing? They had a quest. Jake bit his lip and tried to catch her gaze.

“Tops out about level 10,” Gramok said, as if that was nothing. “Really old temple, from one of those orders that practically worshiped battle magic.”

Jake’s pulse picked up. If they were to complete the quest and save the world, they needed every advantage they could get. Even failing at the last ruins had netted a rare and incredibly useful effect. “Is there a quest for it?”

A pause. Gramok stiffened and breathed in sharply. “Not specifically, but you happen to be speaking to a lord’s son.”

There was a deeper story there, but Jake would not be sticking around long enough for it to matter. So long as he was important enough to grant that sweet extra experience. “You could give us a quest?”

“If you’re willing to clear the dungeon. By the time it resets, I’ll be battle-ready, and then pity the poor dungeon spawn that threatens this village.”

Jake exchanged a glance with Cara to confirm, and smiled. “We’re in.”

Quest received: Clear the Order of the Battlemage Temple.

Quest giver: Sir Gramok Kadora

Quest description: Dungeon spawn are no longer confined to their dungeons. Clear the Order of the Battlemage Temple to temporarily ensure the safety of nearby villages.

Quest reward (completion): 5,000 XP