Alyssa left Karl at the bonfire to seek out her first team member. The idea frightened and excited her at the same time. She had to admit that she still wasn’t fully over the ordeal of losing her dominant arm. She also knew she would have likely allowed herself to waste away if Karl hadn’t intervened on her behalf. She was still of mixed feeling about that. Though the new arm that Choox’il had assisted her in picking was quickly solidifying in her mind that the ordeal had ended on a positive note. Although the matte black thing cost her nearly all of her savings, costing nearly 250000 credits. She raised the arm in question in front of her and smiled inwardly as she analyzed it.

BLACKSTEEL REPLACEMENT LIMB

*CUSTOM*

[+50 Strength]

[+50 Armor]

[+50% Damage Restiance]

[Special: Runic Engraved Joints]

[Special: Crystal Graphene Reinforced Musculature]

[Special: Blacksteel Alloy Armor Plating]

Modification Slots: [2/4]

[Mod 1: Blacksteel Elbow Spike]

[Mod 2: Blacksteel Claws]

[Mod 3: Empty]

[Mod 4: Empty]

She sighed and let the arm return to her side as she entered the infirmary where she knew she would find Choox’il. The spider woman was surprisingly very kind and motherly despite her demonic appearance and Alyssa had found herself enjoying the other's presence and gentle guidance. Something she had never received from her own family. The woman looked up with a toothy smile as she walked through the door.

“Alyssa, how can I be of assistance?”

“Well, I was curious about you actually. I mean, how long do you plan to stick around?” She asked with a small bit of hesitation.

“Oh.” The woman looked surprised that anyone would ask her such a thing. “I kind of like the settlement and Lord Shubin has asked I stay on here as a kind of unofficial emissary between our peoples considering the rapport I have quickly built with all of you. He does intend to send a proper emissary with the next shipment, until then, I am staying here and making myself useful where I can.”

“Oh.” Alyssa responded a little disheartened,

Choox’il recognized the look and asked, “Why, was there something specific you needed, dear?”

“Well, Karl told me to build my own team and I instantly thought of you, but you seem busy, so I guess I’ll start looking through the settlement.” Alyssa shrugged her shoulders and made to leave when Choox’il stopped her.

“Your first stop was to ask me?” She asked, equally curious and surprised. While she thought she had been getting along well with the humans, she knew her appearance caused some of them a bit of fear and reticence when dealing with her. The fact that Alyssa accepted her enough to ask her to adventure together pleased her greatly.

“Yeah, I mean, you’re pretty strong, and nice, and freaking awesome!” Alyssa responded, excitement growing as she talked. “You can heal, and I’ve seen you work with your bow.”

Alyssa slowed her enthusiasm and added, “And, I just like when you’re around.”

“Then, of course I will adventure with you.” The human girl's reasoning pleased her and, she thought to herself, it would be fun to adventure again.”

“YES!” Alyssa pumped her metal fist in the air then ran forward and awkwardly embraced Choox’il around the waste. The spider woman, to her credit, accepted the affection with grace and smiled.

“I’m glad you are in good spirits, now, who else did you plan to ask?”

“Ummm, you were the only one I really know, I suppose I need to visit the training yard this morning and see who might be interested.”

“Then let’s do that, I will join you on this endeavor.”

“Cool! Alright, lets!” Alyssa now in far better spirits than she had been charged out the door of the infirmary with Choox’il in tow and the two began talking about what they would need for their team as they approached the fire.

A young black woman looked up as they discussed what they needed and then stood and approached them. “You need a mage?”

The other two women had been so engrossed in their own conversation they didn’t notice as she came up to them and they both were startled by her presence.

“Easy now, I was just asking if you needed a mage, name’s Danny.” The woman raised her hands to show she wasn’t a threat.

“Oh! Hey, I’m Alyssa and this is Choox’il.” Alyssa introduced the two and smiled.

The other woman smiled back and placed a hand on her hip, “Oh, I know who you are, I saw you and the big man throw down. So, you guys looking for a mage, I’m a Lightning Caller, and I’m badass.”

Alyssa was about to respond when Choox’il’s gaze snapped to two orange objects tumbling through the air. The other two women looked on dumbfounded as the spots of light in the still dark morning sky began to grow as they rapidly streaked towards the settlement. Choox’il’s bow appeared in her hand, string pulled taught with a magically glowing arrow already nocked in place. She adjusted her aim and loosed one, then two bolts of energy at the incoming projectiles. The first one hit its target and exploded the fireball in the air just short of the wall, the second smashed into the NorthWest tower and sent two sentries that were unfortunate to be posted there tumbling to the ground on fire.

Even though Choox’il intercepted the first fireball, fragments of what remained were tumbling towards them. Danny reacted quickly and generated a barrier of lightning around the three women that largely deflected the flaming shrapnel. Alyssa seeing the speed at which she could summon her magic sent the woman a party invite which she accepted with a smug smile.

In the next moment she heard Karl and Eli giving orders to the quickly assembling guardsmen. Then Karl was gone and his new team was sprinting for the wall behind him and everyone scrambled to face another attack.

“Let’s get a look.” Danny said and ran up the ramp to survey the scene. Alyssa hesitated for a moment then found her resolve and jumped onto the rampart next to Danny. Choox’il joined them in short order and they stood silent as they looked out upon the assembled horde of gnolls.

A shiver ran down her spine as her eyes locked on a familiar looking gnoll that stood in the back of the formation barking orders. IMPOSSIBLE! They said they killed him! How the fuck can he be here now?

“Choox’il, do named monsters respawn?”

“If you don’t kill the encampment leader, the leader can opt to resurrect his named subordinates. When they are resurrected they actually come back stronger and with all the memories of their previous lives. Do you see the beast that took your arm?”

Alyssa stepped up to the wall and stared with intensity she had never experienced before. The sound of rifle fire and exploding magic faded to nothing as her vision narrowed and seemed to zoom in on the figure of the gnoll that had caused her so much pain. This bastard. I’m not giving him a third chance to live. I’m going to fucking end him here and now! She raged within her mind. The object of her rage suddenly stopped what he was doing and seemed to look straight at her. A notification appeared an instant later that confirmed he knew she was coming for him.

Destiny’s Challenge has been initiated by Alyssa Nightraven against Captain Groma’kul, The Slayer, Limb Taker, Warband Leader, Level 25***

Destiny’s Challenge will be satisfied by one on one combat and will not break until one being of the challenge is defeated by the other. If the defeat results in death, the defeated being will not be allowed resurrection. If the defeat does not result in death, the defeated being will be enslaved to the other. Once combat is initiated no other being may intervene.

Alyssa grinned then dropped from the wall as her vision returned to normal and the sounds of battle came crashing back in. Her new party members were barely heard behind her as Lulu appeared underneath her Alyssa landed on her back and the duo charged the still forming battle line of gnolls. She vaguely heard Danny cursing behind her and then saw both lightning and a barrage of glowing arrows smash into the gnoll shield line a moment before Lulu collided with their first opponent.

The gnoll shieldman braced for an impact that didn’t come as Lulu and Alyssa faded into shadow before colliding with the bewildered gnoll. The next thing it knew was a sharp pain in its neck as it’s head toppled to the ground. Then the entire front line was chaos as the Shadow Warrior and her Coyote constantly faded into the shadows only to appear with swords extended through chests, necks and heads.

While Alyssa had been languishing she was surprised to find that Lulu herself had learned her signature ability . And the way Lulu used it was perhaps more terrifying as only her head would appear from the shadows to grab an unsuspecting gnoll and pull it back into said shadows. There she would tear her victims throats and guts out before leaving them to reappear dead on the ground in front of their compatriots. With the combined shadow assault of Alyssa and Lulu the assembled gnolls were on the verge of breaking.

If that wasn’t enough, a crazed lightning mage and a demonic spider woman were also focused on their position. The warriors that didn’t fall to the shadow duo would then be faced with cooking from the inside by way of lightning or getting turned into a pin-cushion. Neither was a pleasant way to die, but die they did. The other pair of women caught up to Alyssa as her assault slowed as the pace at which she spent her mana quickly outstripped her ability to regenerate it.

“Are you crazy, girl!?” Choox’il yelled at Alyssa as they fought side by side, “I know you wish for revenge, though I don’t wish to lose you as quickly as I have restored you!”

“I won’t lose!” Alyssa yelled back as a gnoll warrior slid off her elbow spike and fell to the ground dead behind her.

Choox’il thought to argue but realized it didn’t matter, “BAH! The Challenge has been initiated, the rules are absolute. If you are defeated Alyssa, you will die. For good. Or worse.”

“If I don’t face him now, I’ll never be whole again. I won’t lose. I can’t!”

Danny was too busy cackling madly as she fried gnoll after gnoll to contribute to the conversation. Choox’il sighed in resignation and committed to killing as many gnolls as she could. If we make it out of this alive, you and I are going to have a long talk. She thought as she dropped three warriors that were charging their flank. All of a sudden an explosion of a magnitude yet experienced shook the earth beneath her many legs. She realized she wasn’t the only one to feel it as her eyes tracked the direction of the vibration and saw that most of the gathered horde had stopped fighting to see what caused such a great disturbance.

In the distance nearly a quarter mile to the North she saw the shape of two of the largest gnolls she had ever seen. One was roaring in pain as where it still had fur, was singed black and smoking. Where it no longer had fur, large sheets of skin were sloughing off its body and right arm. For her credit, Alyssa barely spared the commotion a glance and took the opportunity to behead several gnolls before the rest returned to the threat in front of them. Danny hadn’t even stopped flinging lightning into the massed formation of gnolls.

Though they had penetrated almost fifty meters into the enemy lines and were completely surrounded they found themselves in a short respite as none of the foot soldiers wanted to come near what they had determined was certain death, mindless they were not. Groma’kul watched her advance in amusement. Then he directed a pair of Lieutenants their way.

Alyssa didn’t bother to analyze them and learn their names. She simply took note that one carried a sword and shield and the other a bow. The gathered gnoll warriors began to make a path as the archer gnoll began launching arrows at Danny who had her back turned. Choox’il was already returning fire as Alyssa began swinging her swords in a flurry, attempting to knock the arrows from the air. She surprised herself at how effective she was then grimaced when she heard the shout of pain behind her.

Danny held her arm out with an arrow running straight through it and scowled at the source of said arrow. Then she unleashed a flurry of lightning that struck the closest gnoll to the group. The bolt didn’t stop there as it began hopping from one gnoll to the next and spread in all directions. While the intensity increased as the bolt traveled to her intended target, the intensity died out as it tried to jump to the sides as it passed through victim after victim. The bolt that started as a purple streak now reached its apex and was burning like white hot plasma as it smashed into the archer. The archer exploded backwards a good five meters to knock over everything in her path.

The other lieutenant barked as she hit the ground and raised his shield and charged at Alyssa. Choox’il peppered his shield with arrows as he pressed forward. As he closed the distance he activated an ability that made his body glow briefly then shot forward almost faster than the eye could see. Alyssa anticipated this and faded into Shadow Walk and the warrior stumbled when the impact he expected never came. Danny having just spent herself to retaliate against the Archer found herself with no other option but to ungracefully dive aside as the Shield Lieutenant came barreling through the space she just occupied. Lulu took this moment to appear snarling from the shadows and attempted to latch onto the warriors shield arm. The Lieutenant was ready for this however and managed to bat her away with the shield she had tried to take from him.

What the Lieutenant wasn’t ready for, however, was an angry, almost 18 year old, girl to pop out of the shadows and shove her sword through his neck. The girl in question herself was not ready for the Lieutenant to not die instantly. So it was with much chagrin that she found herself flat on her back seeing stars as she was caught square in the forehead by the pommel of his sword. For a moment panic seized her, but she quickly squashed the flimsy attempt her fear made to kill her. She then sprung up to her feet and squared off with the Lieutenant that was quickly bleeding out in front of her but refused to succumb to his wound.

To her surprise he actually seemed like he was regaining his strength as he blocked another attack she launched. The panic she felt when she hit the ground started to return then an arrow from Choox’il sprouted from his eye. He stumbled and reached up to snap the arrow haft from his ruined socket when another arrow sprouted from his other eye. This time he fell over dead.

“He was a Rank 3 opponent. They sometimes have high regenerative ability. If you don’t destroy the brain or separate it from the body, they may not go down quickly. Keep this in mind as your Destined Challenge is a Rank 4 who will have a high regeneration.” Choox’il lectured as she killed the beast.

“Fuck me.” Danny exclaimed as another arrow appeared in her shoulder. “Good to know, now!”

Choox’il spun and rapidly launched a volley of arrows at the other archer. By this time a path between the two groups had opened up as no other fighter wanted to be in the way if the crazy lightning mage unleashed another vicious attack. All but one struck and the enemy archer stumbled backwards once again and dropped to her knees with a dozen arrows sticking out of her chest. She tried to howl in pain but only managed to cough up blood. Then a searing white hot bolt of lightning plunged from the sky and connected with the top of the archers head. Her eyes bulged and boiled in their sockets and smoke poured from her ears, mouth, and nose before her head caught fire.

“FUCK YOU, BITCH!” Danny yelled at the dead gnoll archer.

The gathered gnolls gave Alyssa’s group a wide berth now. The last demonstration of power to convince even the dumb ones that they were not to be challenged. Alyssa looked up and saw Groma’kul running from over a hundred meters away. The gnolls in his command scrambled to get out of his way and the ones that were unsuccessful were trampled by the enraged warrior. At about 50 meters out he leapt high in the air with his axe held over head. Alyssa having remembered this move from before yelled to her teammates to get back.

Groma’kul struck the ground with even greater force than Alyssa remembered. Chunks of earth flew into the air and dust billowed from the impact. He rose slowly and seemed to smile as he looked her over. He eyed her black replacement limb with an air of satisfaction. Then to Alyssa’s surprise he spoke.

“I failed to taste your flesh the last time we met little manling, I won’t make the same mistake twice.”