“Father’s Disappointment!” Vale shouts as he rushes at our target… Before the rest of us could get into position. “Is THAT all you can do!? What a wimp!” Vale continues to shout at the deer!

Everyone else from the group was stunned, it takes almost 10 seconds before Andra shot an arrow at the flank of the deer. The arrow flew well and … bounced off! How was that possible? This was a deer, it was supposed to be weak! How does an arrow bounce off just like that?

Alex rushes out from a bush behind the deer and aims a slash at its left hamstring!

0 Damage (7 (+2 – sharpness) damage absorbed by toughened hide))

How? That should have broken the skin at the least, and the sharpness enchant didn’t help either. This sword was able to cut through wood with no problems! I need to ask to disable notifications in combat too!

“Andra aim for its eyes! Reiva! Use your daggers to pierce the hide, don’t slash!” Alexander shouts to the rest of the team. “Stefan! Your hammer is going to win this for us! Crush its joints!” Reiva stays in the deer’s blind spots and aims at its midriff. With all her weight, and speed she tries to plunge her dagger into the deer!

“I did 2 damage! Seems it has 298 more! This is insane!” Reiva shouts to the team.

This battle is crazy, how does a simple deer give them so many problems? And why is it still here? Deer normally run away when attacked don’t they? Is it somehow different here? Could it be Vale’s shouting at the start is keeping it here? A taunt of some kind? An Active Skill?!

“Keep it still, I can’t aim at its eyes like this! Vale slam it with your shield, try to stun it!” Andra shouts from the side. Stefan is last out of the bushes! CRUUUNCH! “I got a knee everyone! It should slow down, lets back off and tire it out.” Stefan recommends.

“Vale, do that thing you did at the start and walk it around the clearing so the rest of us can rest and regroup.” Andra says.

“Fine… Father’s Disappointment! Is that all you can do!? What a wimp!” Vale uses his active skill again and seems to sag, out of stamina? He starts backing away from the deer and walking it around the meadow while the rest of us planned.

“Andra, can you make any traps to immobilize it? Maybe blind it too? I know this sounds cruel but no way can we take it down normally…” Alexander starts off the team meeting. “You are doing really well Vale, think of the training your Stamina is getting from this! You will soon be able to go all day!”

“I don’t think we have time for that, Stefan can break another joint to do that can’t he?” Andra asks.

“Well, yes I could but I will need a good run up, so tell me when.” Stefan confirms.

“Alexander and Reiva, can you aim for the neck? Maybe the both of you could get through its hide there.” Andra continues, “And I will try to him its eye and aim for the mouth, maybe I can get lucky too.”

“Vale? Can you do that taunt again, its been a while!” Alexander asks. “Um yeah, I can do 1 more but I will be completely out of stamina after and will be hardly able to walk… Tell me when.” He gets as a reply.

“Okay everyone, seems the plan is ready. Let’s do this!” Andra shouts, “YEAH” she gets in reply from everyone else!

The group gets into position after their little huddle and planning session. “STEFAN, GOOOO!” Andra and Alexander shout together.

Stefan rushes at the deer again and aims his mace for the other knee. CRUUUNCH! AAAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHHHH it screams from the pain; its eyes gleam and it charges Vale with its last strength. Vale takes the hit on his shield and holds his place. Well done Vale! Your father will be proud! Too soon? Get out of your head Alex! It’s your turn!

Alexander sets his stance to the left of the deer with his sword down and behind him and aims at the neck, Reiva suddenly appears from the other side and stabs her daggers into its other side! She with draws her daggers and nods at Alexander.

Alexander is finally ready. He flips open the cover of the core on the grip and spins it 180 degrees to align the runes then places his thumb over the top. This allows him to channel mana into the core and activate his Active effect! A glow appears at the edge of the sword.

That was most of my mana. Good thing I trained to overcome this feeling, otherwise I would have passed out already! GOOOOOO!

Alexander slashes up with his sword! A furrow is left in the ground and some grass gets cut by the passage of the blade! THUNK! The sword penetrates the thin hide on the neck of the deer but gets stuck in the cartilage of the throat!

37 Damage (83 (+2 – sharpness) damage absorbed by toughened hide))

The deer tries to push Vale out of its way, but with only its fore legs giving it traction and such a horrendous wound it doesn’t have any strength left.

“By the Light! The wound is healing! How can it still be alive! Andra! Shoot it through the eye and put kill it!” Stefan urges.

“Alright, stand back, I need some room for this.” Andra steps forward. As she draws her arrow it starts to glow slightly, normally it wouldn’t be seen but the light blocked by the canopy gives just enough darkness to highlight the arrow. Andra takes her stance and aims at the eye of the deer.

The deer tries to stand back up, it looks the first knee Stefan broke is almost healed!

“TRUESHOT!” she shouts as she pulls back the arrow, the glow from the arrow transfers to the rest of the bow. As she lets go, the arrow seems to start turning on its own, acting almost like a drill!

Where did she learn that? What kind of image is required to create something so detailed! I am so far behind!

THUNK! The arrow buries itself in the skull but is stopped from going all the way through. Its bones are just too tough!

The deer looks like it will continue to struggle but finally topples forward.

Combat Results

+1 Agility, +1 Strength, +1 Stamina, +1 Intelligence!

+1 Sword Mastery,

Congratulations, passive skill gained: Mana channelling Tier 0 Dot

“Phew, if it didn’t go down, I don’t know if we could have finished it!” Andra congratulates everyone. “Now we know who the MVP of this fight was, c’mon Vale get up! You did a great job, just let us get into out positions before charging next time okay?”

“Yeah good job Vale, without you that thing would have had us for breakfast” everyone congratulates him.

Reiva questions Andra with wonder, “Andra? What was that at the end? It was beautiful!”

“Ahhh I really didn’t think I would have to use it on a measly deer. That was a skill I copied from my mother – Trueshot. It’s nowhere near as strong or as pretty as hers though!”

“I am surprised you all have skills already, Stefan, you quick movement, that was some kind of Active skill too wasn’t it? And Reiva, the way you suddenly appeared at the end, you have one too, right?” Alex asks the rest of his team.

“’Winds of Battle’? Yeah it is, I copied it from one of my favourite knights! I think it turned out quite well to be honest though the speed is lacking.” Stephan confirms nonchalantly.

“What about you Alex, that sword skill was amazing! When did you learn it and why haven’t you used it until now?” Stefan questions in return

“That… That is not an Active skill. It’s the effect of this sword.” He lets the rest of him team examine the blade.

“WOW! You enchanted this? You must be amazing! Who is Wendy? Your teacher?” Stephan gushes. “Can you enchant something for me too?”

“So long as you tell me what you want and provide the materials then sure. I would also need to have my master supervise… just in case…” Alex continues.

“Is it that dangerous or are you just that bad?” Stefan continues to probe.

“I am still very inexperienced, and she needs to check that the item won’t suddenly explode at the wrong moment too.” Alex confirms.

“Explodes? Yes, please get your master to supervise, I don’t want anything to explode…” Strefan says aghast.

Andra takes control of the situation from Stefan, “

Okay guys, I don’t think we can take another one of those, and if the deer was this tough… I hope no rabbits were caught in our snares… that could be deadly.” the rest of the party grimaced at the though of that.

“Okay, we need to drag this bad boy, back to the camp, I hope another team managed to get something too, this won’t be enough for 50 people!” Andra takes charge again. Vale can you grab its head, Reiva take 1 of its fore legs and I will get the other one. Stef and Alex, can you take a leg each?” Andra goes about organising the team while everyone regenerates their mana.

“Okay! Ready? Set?”

“PULL” everyone shouts together.

“At this rate we won’t be back before nightfall” Reiva complains.

“Keep pulling, this is nothing! I train at home by pulling weighted cart! This is nothing!” Vale shouts.

“Yeah Vale, about that, we need to talk to the instructors about your dad. To have to create a skill like that… I can’t imagine what your life has been like until now” Alexander starts

“THREE, TWO, ONE… PULL! THREE, TWO, ONE… PULL! THREE, TWO ONE…”