Chapter Twenty-Eight
A few weeks after the visit from the Great Raven, Alex lured a herd of Midnight Razorelks to the killing pond. Their lustrous black hides appeared to absorb the light while their black racks cut through small trees as if they were paper. When Pinky burst into the space above the dead pond, the herd slowed to a stop at the edge of the clearing, milling about and lightly stomping their hooves.
The leader of the herd was an enormous male with a rack as wide as Alex was tall. The big buck lifted his head, sniffing the air tentatively, while the rest of the herd stayed behind, tails swishing nervously.
Alex stood a good two hundred yards away, but their earthy musk reached her as if she stood right next to them. They smelled like raw earth mixed with starlight. She almost felt bad that she was going to slaughter them.
Midnight Razorelk, Warped Animal, Level 12
This was going to be her toughest challenge yet. She'd seen the herd a month ago, but knew she wasn't ready for them. Not only were they higher level, but they seemed to have an uncanny awareness of danger.
The other herds she'd lured to the pond had come with reckless abandon, but the way the huge razorelk stared at her told her that this fight would be different.
"You're not the only one," said Alex, hands flexing at her sides.
She'd been working on a new tactic with her minions. The razorelk herd would be her first chance to try it. If it worked, she figured she could mow through the rest of the herds and advance on the Mother's spire by the middle of April.
Alex flexed her fingers before starting the Cloud Taunt spell. At tier one, it'd been a gray smudge of cloud streaking across space with crackles of electricity barely above static. Casting her tier-four version felt like she was a storm goddess, harnessing a thundercloud for her benefit. The gray fist shot across the still pond—bolts slamming into the water—until the cloud hit the huge razorelk buck.
You have hit the Midnight Razorelk buck with Cloud Taunt!
The Midnight Razorelk buck has resisted Cloud Taunt!
"That's new," said Alex.
She needed the leader to rush after her if she was going to take down the herd. Alex focused her sight on the big buck.
Midnight Razorelk Buck, Warped Animal, Level 15
Herd Resistance: Magic resistance for herd animals within 50 feet
You mess with my amigos, you mess with me
"That's going to be a problem," said Alex, scratching her head.
Not only was the leader a higher level, he had a resistance to her spells and passed that protection to the rest of the herd within range. She doubted she could separate the leader, and attacking a lesser elk wouldn't accomplish much if they carried his resistance.
There was a trick she was working on with her minions. She wasn't entirely sure it would work, but it seemed like a good time to try.
Alex started walking around the pond towards the herd with the Shocking Strangler dangling from her hand.
"This is either going to be the most brilliant thing I've ever done or the stupidest," said Alex, then lowered her voice in her best narrator impression. "It was the stupidest."
At her mental command, Inky and Pinky flew behind her, right above her left and right shoulders, while Clyde stayed higher above.
As if they were two armies meeting at the center of the battlefield for a prebattle discussion, the huge razorelk and two lieutenants ambled forward until they were twenty feet from the herd. Alex wasn't sure if the buck was trying to keep her away from the rest of the group, or if it was matching her approach, but its behavior worried her. It was cagier than she'd anticipated.
As they neared, the big buck lowered his head and snorted. Alex got a good look at the deadly rack on its head, made of what appeared to be sharp black glass rather than bone. The dense glass caught the light filtering through the trees, sparkling across the razor edges. One hit from the rack would tear her flesh to tatters.
Alex made the first move, darting forward to snap at the buck with her deadly whip.
You deal the Midnight Razorelk buck 15 damage!
The buck reared onto its back legs, gesturing with its front hooves. When it landed, it charged forward, lowering its razor-filled rack at her chest.
Before the razorelk buck could reach her, Alex cracked her whip, hitting Pinky.
You deal Pinky 18 damage!
As the spell triggered, Alex cast Misdirection.
You hit Pinky with Misdirection!
You have gained Reactionary Armor!
You are invulnerable!
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Alex flinched when the buck slammed into her, knocking her backwards into a roll. The rack failed to cut her, but the impact knocked the spit from her lips.
The Midnight Razorelk buck hits you for 0 damage!
You are invulnerable!
Coming up into a fighting stance, Alex cracked her whip twice.
The buck rushed her again, but the Reactionary Armor saved her from certain death. As the countdown in her head reached zero, she hit the buck two more times before sending a mental command to Inky, who used her special ability, which Alex stole with Misdirection.
You have become a ghost!
The Midnight Razorelk buck rushed through her, giving Alex a moment to take stock of the battlefield. Her minions had returned to the air, having imparted their abilities, while the enraged buck spun around in the high grass, tearing the undergrowth to shreds as it turned.
The rest of the herd bugled, hooves stomping into the dirt as they moved in defense of their leader.
While her body was incorporeal, a faint outline of existence, she fled through the water, almost stumbling when it offered no resistance. The Midnight Razorelk buck rushed into the water, broad chest sending up a spray as it tried to get after her.
Alex easily made it to the opposite side of the pond before the ghosting wore off. The herd rushed into the pond, desperate to avenge the audacity of her attack on their leader.
You have hit the Midnight Razorelk with Cloud Taunt!
The Midnight Razorelk has resisted Cloud Taunt!
Alex growled under her breath. "It says resistance, not immune."
As if her admonishment had influenced it, the second attempt to cast Cloud Taunt on the Midnight Razorelk buck succeeded.
You have hit the Midnight Razorelk buck with Cloud Taunt for 43 damage!
You have hit the Midnight Razorelk with Cloud Taunt for 34 damage!
Her vision briefly filled with damage messages as the spell cascaded through the herd, abetted by the watering hole's affinity to transfer electrical damage, but eventually the program cleared them away so she could see again. She mentally cheered before sprinting to the back of the pond where she'd originally set up.
As the razorelks strained towards her, Alex cast a new spell.
You have hit the Midnight Razorelk buck with Wind Gust!
You have hit the Midnight Razorelk with Wind Gust!
Gail force winds staggered the herd, preventing them from making the final ascent out of the pond. She needed the extra time to let her faez regen and for her minions' abilities to reset.
With her faez pool up to 38%, Alex tried her Cloud Taunt again before the razorelks reached land, but they resisted. She cracked the buck twice with her whip before turning on Pinky again.
You are invulnerable!
Alex focused on hitting the buck as many times as she could, straining her shoulder as she snapped the whip.
You deal the Midnight Razorelk buck 21 damage!
You miss the Midnight Razorelk buck!
You deal the Midnight Razorelk buck 15 damage!
The Midnight Razorelk buck is affected by Shocking Strangler for 34 damage!
The final hit cascaded through the herd in a web of electricity, dealing mass amounts of damage.
Alex was so focused on trying to bring down the buck's health, she missed that her invulnerability had worn off.
The Midnight Razorelk buck hits you for 83 damage!
The rack slammed across her chest and shoulder, tearing away flesh and knocking her into the mud, which splattered onto her face. Her chest was on fire, wet and soaked with blood. It felt like someone had dumped lighter fluid on her shoulder and ignited it. None of the attacks she'd ever sustained in Gamemakers Online had ever hurt as badly.
Distracted by the eye-watering agony, she didn't notice that the buck was preparing a second attack until it was too late. The razorelk raised his hooves, preparing to stomp her, when Pinky darted in the way.
The Midnight Razorelk buck has hit Pinky for 0 damage!
Pinky has gained Reactionary Armor!
Pinky is invulnerable!
Alex didn't dare misdirect the spell to her, in case the attack would kill her minion. It was one thing to hit Pinky with her whip, it was another for her to take the full brunt of a razorelk attack.
But the distraction gave Alex a chance to trigger another round of ghosting from Inky.
You have become a ghost!
She ran directly through the herd, causing chaos and confusion as she passed. The razorelks crashed into each other, slicing their fellows with their deadly racks as they spun.
The herd splashed and thrashed behind her, desperate to get at her, as she sprinted through the shallow pond. They bellowed as their razor racks ripped away flesh.
Between the sounds of razorelks screaming and aching pain in her shoulder, Alex didn't see the razorelk buck, who had run around the pound, until he was charging at her with his rack lowered.
In a desperate attempt to save herself, Alex triggered the Screechlion Jerkin.
You have hit the Midnight Razorelk buck with Debilitating Screech!
The Midnight Razorelk is restrained!
The razorelk buck almost crashed over as the spell seized its limbs, freezing it in place.
Ignoring the torn flesh in her shoulder, Alex cracked her whip, twisting her wrist to wrap the end around the razorelk's neck rather than hitting it with the shocking end.
You have h*it the Midnight Razorelk buck for 18 damage!
You are strangling the Midnight Razorelk buck!
You have gained a skill point: +1 One-handed Whip
The buck stood motionless while Alex yanked on the Shocking Strangler, while behind her, the herd, having finally reoriented themselves, were rushing towards her with wild eyes.
Alex pulled harder as the first razorelks closed the distance. A quick check with her minions showed their abilities hadn't refreshed, which meant she wasn't going to survive, but at least she could take down the buck, making her next attempt easier.
As the first razorelk crested from the water, stomping through the mud, Alex gave one last tug on the whip.
You have killed a Midnight Razorelk buck!
You have gained experience: 2,500 XP
Special Achievement Reached: You have killed a herd leader!
You have gained bonus experience: 10,000 XP
Luck of the Bold triggers! All health, faez, and abilities for you and your minions reset!
Alex did the trick with Inky, gaining the ghosting ability right as the herd crashed through her. With no leader to impart magical resistance, or a sense of restrained order, the herd turned fanatical in their attempts to kill her.
But as an incorporeal being, she passed through them, dragging them back across the pond. Without their leader providing magical resistance and a semblance of order, she was able to use her regular tactics again. After two castings of Cloud Taunt, the Midnight Razorelk herd was defeated.
You have gained a skill point: +1 Mastermind
You have gained a skill point: +1 Cunning Strategist
She also gained a truckload of experience.
You have reached level 12!
After putting two points into Cunning and one into Intelligence, Alex went about looting the corpse. She was excited about the Midnight Hides she received in abundance, which would help her improve her Transference spell and hopefully provide a nice pair of pants, possibly with magical resistance. She was also rewarded with a pile of worthless baubles and a couple of large chimeric stones, bringing her total to eleven.
She looted the leader of the herd last, holding her breath when she touched his corpse.
You have received: Amulet of the Herd Leader
The necklace was made of razorelk rack, but despite its deadly edge, failed to slice her when she touched it.
Item: Amulet of the Herd Leader
+2 Endurance ? 50/50 Durability
It was her first found item that offered magical stat bonuses, an effect that was common in online games but had eluded her thus far in Gamemakers Online. It truly had proved to be the hardest game in the world, but Alex was feeling proud of herself for making it this far.
Not only had she gained a level, a bunch of crafting materials, and a new item that would give her more hit points—a stat she hated neglecting—but she'd seen her passive ability Luck of the Bold trigger for the first time. Plus, she'd proved her ability stealing technique, which had won the battle.
"I'm going to do this," she told herself, thinking about the remaining challenges: the last of the wandering herds, the spire, and the Warped Mother.
When she spoke, the weight of her intentions felt like she was at the head of a massive army.
"Nothing can stop me now."
