When Quill arrived at the battlefield one last time, he did so sweating and desperately worried that time was running out. Like some of the others, he was inclined to believe that this random event was time limited. At some point, the orcs would leave.

And take Jane with them.

One of the naysayers heard him coming and nudged the fellow beside him. This caused others to notice him as well.

Hale and a female ranger stepped in front of Quill to block his way.

Hale held up his hands. “No more. The sun’s setting. The boss looks ready to go. The event has to be almost over. Let’s just let it end.”

Quill looked past the other man.

Indeed, the orc general looked bored and frustrated as he stood over the quiet and helpless women he held hostage. He looked around at the adventurers and shook his head, then sighed, visibly contemptuous.

Quill looked Hale and the woman next to him in the eyes. “You think the others will automatically be freed if he leaves?”

“It seems likely.”

“Have those two guys he threw into the forest come back?”

The woman hesitated, then shook her head. “No. But they might once the event is over. It doesn’t make sense to have an event where players get kidnapped. How would they rescue themselves? Who would save them? It doesn’t fit logical game design.”

“And if this isn’t logical?”

She huffed as if he was an idiot and frowned. “Why wouldn’t it be? Most of this world makes sense. We’re locked in here, but it plays like a regular game.”

Hale nodded. “If you go in there again and force this thing to go on even longer, those people will just suffer more. So stop. Let’s let it end on its own.”

Quill gave it serious thought. After all, he didn’t have any more insight into the event than they did. Or did he? He frowned as he recalled something. “He keeps calling people cowards.”

“So?”

“Over and over. That word specifically.”

“He called us weak, too.”

“There might be more to this event than just kicking his ass. I mean, realistically, what chance did any of us ever have against him?”

“Maybe we never had a chance. Or maybe we were supposed to get more high-level players together for a proper raid first.”

“Or maybe there’s more than one way to win this thing.”

“Like what?” Hale shook his head. “I don’t like this any more than you do. I’ve got someone over there, too. But we have to be realistic.”

“You be realistic. I’ve got a plan.”

The woman cocked an eyebrow. “You? Really?” The way she looked him up and down, she obviously didn’t think much of his level one abilities.

Hale was slightly more generous. “Ok. What plan?”

“I’m going to go over there and talk to him.”

“Quill—“

Quill saw the general finally losing all interest.

The orc began picking women up and throwing them over his shoulder. The women, who’d been quiet, resumed crying out for help.

Jane’s voice cut through the air.

Quill heard it. He looked hard at Hale. “Talk to the others. Bide your time. But when you see me go for the hostages, give me a hand.”

Hale looked disbelieving. “He’ll kill us all.”

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

The ranger had had enough. She held up her hand. “Just stop. We’re not letting you go out there.”

Quill shrugged and stepped around her. “Then they’re all going to get kidnapped, and it’ll be on your head. And what if you’re wrong about then automatically going free? Can you live with that?”

She snorted. “Fine. Whatever. I’m not the one in chains.”

Hale scowled at her.

She shrugged. “What?”

Quill left them behind. He cut across the battlefield to where his body had turned to a skeleton adorned with his gear.

The orc general saw him. Pausing with Jane in his hand, he chuckled. “You again? What great favour have you been blessed with to return twice from the dead? What incredible luck. And yet, each time, you’re weaker than the last.”

Quill picked up his mace. He strode up to the orc.

The general sighed. “You cannot beat me, human. To try again is stupid.”

“I know you can be hurt. Because we hurt you. It may not have been much, but it was something. I just have to keep trying until I beat you.”

“Go away, little maggot. You bore me.” He slung Jane over his shoulder.

“Quill…” You could tell she wanted to be freed, wanted help, but then she sagged. “Don’t. Just run. You don’t need to keep hurting yourself.”

Quill stood behind the orc and raised his mace. “Face me.”

“No.” The orc had all the women in hand now. He started walking toward the forest.

“Coward.”

The orc paused in his tracks. Without turning, he spoke, “What did you call me?”

“You heard me. Coward.”

The orc’s shoulders shook, and a rumbling sound came from his chest. He heedlessly dropped the women on the grass and turned, a smile back on his lips. “An act of courage. Very well, human. Come at me.” He stepped toward Quill, away from the women.

Quill threw himself forward, but not recklessly. That was easy because he was so slow. He swung the mace.

The orc brought an arm up and blocked it.

Quill tried to strike twice more, but his low dexterity caused him to miss even from within arm’s reach.

Watching adventurers groaned.

He lunged and then tried to kick the orc.

His opponent grabbed him by the head as if holding a basketball palm down.

Face heating with embarrassment at being treated like a child, Quill swung as hard as he could. The head of his mace bashed the orc’s arm.

And did no damage. He was too weak.

A player cackled.

Quill’s face heated up even more with humiliation.

But the orc general spoke seriously. Why do you keep trying, even when you know you’ll fail? Do you love pain so much? I’ll give you to the orc women and let them torture you for a few months. Maybe you’ll like it.”

“I’ll endure whatever it takes to save my friend. And the others.”

“You can’t beat me. To keep trying is insanity.”

“I’ll keep trying and trying until something works. I’ll never give up. You can break my body as many times as you want. But you’ll never break my spirit.”

The general shoved Quill away. Even as Quill was falling backward onto his ass, the orc snatched Quill’s mace from his grasp, grabbed it with both hands, and then snapped it in half.

The crowd gasped. That shouldn’t have been possible. At the very least, shouldn’t metal have bent? Or was he that strong?

The orc dropped the pieces in front of Quill. His eyes were flat, without emotion.

Quill stood up and raised his fists.

The general stepped back and genuinely laughed with good humour. He nodded at Quill. “No matter how many times you fall, you keep getting back up. I admire your courage, human.”

“And I will keep getting back up. Isn’t that how you became a general? A champion?”

The orc grinned. “Someone gets it.” He waved to the crowd. “They don’t. They showed a measure of bravery in the beginning when they had numbers to back them up. But gave up the moment people started dying. Cowards and quitters.” His eyes turned shrewd. “But not you. No matter how hopeless the situation, you never gave up. I respect that. You have the heart of a true warrior.”

“Thank you.” He didn’t lower his fists.

The orc’s smile grew thoughtful. He pulled his bracers off. Then he tossed the thick metal pieces to Quill.

Utterly surprised, Quill barely managed to catch them. Then he stared down at them in his arms. His response was not terribly eloquent, “Huh?”

“A reward. You were born weak of body but not spirit. May they make you stronger.”

Quill looked at the armour. He concentrated until their info appeared before him. Bracers of Ogre Strength +10. They were red; epic. “Holy sh—“ Then his body bloomed with light.

Orc Raid

Quest Complete

Quill

Level 7

Level 6

Level 5

Level 4

Level 3

Level 2

Quill’s jaw dropped. Level seven? He couldn’t believe it.

The orc turned and went for the women. Grabbing Jane, he yanked her up, causing her to yelp, and lightly tossed her at Quill. “I’ve seen the way you look at this one. You can have her back.”

The black chains vanished from Jane’s body. After being forced into that position for hours, she loosened with a deep cry of agony. But at least she was free.

Before Quill could go to her, the Orc grabbed the red samurai and tossed her over as well. “And take this one.” He looked the woman in the face. “You are the only warrior I faced today who showed real skill and promise. Grow stronger. I will expect more of you the next time we meet.”

Quill raced to Jane’s side, slipping the bracers on as he went so he wouldn’t lose them or get them stolen. They magically contracted to his forearms, and he immediately felt vastly stronger. “Jane. Are you ok?”

Her face was screwed up in pain, but she nodded. “Thanks.”

The orc grabbed the other women up and began making his way toward the forest again.

Quill heard distant hoofbeats. His heart lifted. And his nervousness rose in tandem. It was finally time for the plan. Because all this so far had just been stalling. He raised his voice and shouted, “Hey. Where are you going?”

The general half-looked back. “Don’t press your luck, human. Don’t worry; you’ll see me again. At the head of my army.”

“You came here for a fight. Well, I’m not strong enough to fight you, so I thought about asking friends for help. But I figured you’d kill them just as easily.”

“I would!” He kept walking. The women whimpered and called out, but none of the other adventurers made any move to stop him, even though it was now clear that these players would be kidnapped as well.

It was up to Quill. “That’s why I asked her to find someone who could fight you.”

The orc paused, and half turned back. “Oh?”

From out of the sunset came Sapphire. The beautiful young woman in blue flew with a glider made of wood and fabric strapped to her back and sailed down out of the air to land on the edge of the battlefield with a triumphant grin. She waved at Quill as she shrugged the glider off. “I did it! They’re coming!” She pulled a bow off her back and readied an arrow.

Two horses galloped up to the edge of the battlefield and pulled up next to Sapphire. One the brown rode Jeanne L’arcenciel, Vice-Captain of the Knights of the storm. On a white charger rode a handsome young man in gleaming plate mail with a blue tabard. The crest on it was the same that could be seen on flags flying over Stormstadt Castle.

The knight dismounted. His voice was one used to command and easily carried through the late afternoon air. “General Thraddagar. I recognize you from the final Battle of Azurrot, which you and yours lost. Do you recognize me?”

The orc grinned, eagerness returning. He shrugged off the hostages and let them fall into a heap of flesh and chains and groans on the ground. He clapped his hands and rubbed them together. “Well, well! The pup has become a man. Prince…V-something, wasn’t it? Victim? Vacuous? Vacant?” He snapped his fingers. “Prince Venereal, that’s it!”

The young man was not baited. “Prince Valorant.”

Thraddagar mocked, “Where’s your father? Doesn’t have it in him to fight me again?”

The prince waved the notion off as if it was beneath him. “He has no need to beat you again. The war has been over these fifteen years past.”

But the general barked a laugh, not fooled, “Ha! You don’t think we know he’s sick and bedridden? That his days are numbered?”

The prince grew even more serious. “Is that why you’ve invaded our fair shores?”

“I’ve come to see if you’ve any heroes left.” He eyed Quill. “Before I crush your kingdom.”

“We have a peace treaty.”

“We had. But if you no longer have the strength to uphold it, then I see little need to continue it. My younger warriors itch to test their mettle by shedding the blood of our foes. And those who remember the old days long for a reckoning.”

“My father said you were the strongest warrior he ever fought.”

“A shame I’ll never get a chance to settle our score. One victory apiece. I long for a final match.” With a melodramatic shrug, he said, “Pity humans get old so quickly, isn’t it? That’s what you get in a weaker species.”

Prince Valorant’s eyes challenged the orc, and the corners of his lips turned up in a small smile. “Care to see how weak I am?” Slowly, he reached behind himself and drew a massive sword from his back. He seemed eager for confrontation.

The general laughed, growing excited as well. “I just gave away a relic set to this one brave human.” He waved at Quill. “All I have on me right now are my axes while you’ve come in your father’s armour and carrying his famous blade. Is it too much to hope that you know how to use it?”

“Let’s find out.” He began walking toward the orc, both hands on his sword, body tense and ready for anything.

Thraddagar opened his hands, and his black axes appeared. “Let’s see if you have some measure of your old man’s courage in you or if this is nothing but youthful arrogance. Will you put up half the fight your father did? Make me rethink razing your kingdom? Or can I break you here and send him to his grave in tears before his entire people become enslaved?”

“I think you’ll be surprised.”

Thraddagar mock-sighed. “I suppose if I can’t fight him myself, destroying him by killing you will have to be good enough.”

“I might give you more of a fight than you think.”

“I do hope so, young pup. Prepare to die.”

Giant silver sword clashed with magical black axe.

And the world exploded.

Male

36

QUILL KRAU

Class NONE, Level 7

STR

1

STATUS

DEX

3

Currently feeling stronger. And glad that Jane is safe. For now.

HEA

7

SKILLS

INT

2

WIS

17

ITEMS

STA

14

Mace (common); Bracers of Ogre Strength STR +10 (epic)

CHA

11

Female

26

JANE EULA

Class NONE, Level 6

STR

6

STATUS

DEX

11

Currently very glad to be free. And happy for Quill.

HEA

19

SKILLS

INT

18

WIS

18

ITEMS

STA

2

Gilded Armour of the Nature Goddess (unique); knife; staff (common)

CHA

5