DHERMA VILLAGE GUARDIAN

Species: GOLEM

Class: EARTH

Statistics: UNKNOWN

Skills:

- Earth shield skin

Weak Spots: None

The guardian was definitely not what Dallion had expected. It was an interesting coincidence that he also was a golem, similar to the guardian of the well. The similarities, however, ended there. This guardian was far larger and, by the looks of it, less sophisticated than the stone golem, not to mention remarkably quiet. While the village chief had done all the talking, the golem had remained surprisingly silent, as if waiting to be given orders.

Just my luck, Dallion thought. He had to face the chief and his pet golem.

“It’s hardly a fair fight,” Dallion took a step back. “Maybe I should get a golem of my own?”

“There’s no such thing as a fair fight.” Aspion laughed. “A winner must know what to use in order to win.”

The village chief adjusted his buckler, then without warning charged forward. Green markers appeared around Dallion. Three sets of defense markers—three attacks paths the old man could use. It was almost like fighting the practice guardian.

“You’re right,” Dallion whispered. I want to defend and attack.

The color of the markers changed. Dallion drew his dartbow as he rushed forward. Calmly he fired three shots in the directions of the chief’s attack paths, while continuing towards the third. It was a tactic he had developed in the hunting group with Veil and Gloria. Ironic that it would be the one he’d end up using against their grandfather. Moments later, he fired several more shots for good measure. The purpose of the attack wasn’t to earn Dallion the win, but to see how the village elder would react, and the old man didn’t disappoint.

With a twist of his buckler, Aspion deflected the bolts with ease. That much was to be expected. He had decades to practice his guard skills, compared to Dallion’s weeks. That wasn’t a concern, though. During Dallion’s practice with Gloria he had quickly found the buckler’s limitations—no matter what he did the right foot always remained unprotected.

A smile appeared on Dallion’s face. Holding his breath he aimed at the spot the attack marker said the chief’s right foot would be, then squeezed the trigger. The bolt flew through the air, as if in slow motion, focusing on its target.

Got you! In his mind, Dallion could already see the red rectangle appear, informing him of the hit. Just a few more moments and the village chief would be severely injured, not to mention have his mobility significantly impaired. Just as the tip of the bot was about to pierce the foot, however, the old man disappeared.

Huh? Dallion blinked.

The arrow continued on its path, drilling into the soft ground. Before Dallion could figure out what was going on, a green shield marker appeared inches from his left shoulder. Instinct and pure luck made him react without thought, twisting his body so to position his bucker in the position suggested… right on time to save him from the sword blow that pushed him several steps back.

“You’ve got some skills after all,” the village chief said, breaking his attack. Somehow, he had appeared a few steps away. “City guard standards must have gone to the Crippled if they’re freely handing out dartbows.”

Guard jump, Dallion thought. It had to be. There was no other explanation for this. Now the boy finally understood what all his opponents had felt in the past. The skill was extremely beneficial to use, he had done so quiet often. When the shoe was on the other foot, though, it seemed painfully unfair.

“You probably thought you’re such a big shot knowing two skills?” Aspion waited in place.

“That’s one more than most people I’ve seen so far,” Dallion lied, all the time keeping an eye on the earth golem.

“Guard and attack, the two most common skills. They won’t make you a noble’s guard with just that.” There was unmistakable bitterness in Aspion’s voice. “Your grandfather had mastered three in the first month alone. And he wasn’t the only one. Did you think that the title elder was just for show?”

“It’s not the skills, it’s how you use them.” Dallion shot three bolts, then rushed forward. All that he needed to do was hit the chief on the head with his buckler. It wouldn’t be an elegant move, but it had served him well. Before that, however, he had to provoke the old man to do a counter attack.

The first two bolts were deflected in quick succession. The village chief then avoided the third, preparing to meet Dallion with an attack of his own.

Green and red markers appeared.

Got you, Dallion thought. This time he didn’t go on with a counterattack. Instead, he followed through, following the series of defense footprints until the jump ability was triggered. One quick leap and he was on the other side of the village chief. Looking at the old man, it was so tempting to shoot a bolt right off. It was virtually impossible for the chief to react on time, let alone deflect it. However, that wasn’t the goal. In order to get this right, Dallion had to follow through.

Twist, twist, forward, forward…

A second defense sequence was complete. Then a third, and a fourth, and a fifth…

ESCAPE TRIGGERED

If you wish to escape combat, smash the window

Victory at last. From here on there was no way for the village chief to do anything. Dallion could leave the realm here and now, or he could jump to the old man’s blind spot and attack. Either way, he would—

ESCAPE OPTION CANCELED

A new window popped up, putting an end to the time freeze. What was more, Aspion didn’t seem remotely affected, or even impressed. His sword held low, he gave Dallion the look a chessmaster would give a toddler who had just learned how to move the chess pieces.

“Nice trick you’ve picked up,” the old man said. “But nothing can exit this realm without my permission. You've learned that if you’d bothered to ask.”

“As if you’d have told me.”

“I’m not talking about me. I’m talking about your grandfather.”