Dungeon Master (Karma System)

The first thing Rod noticed was that the Orcs did not rush them.

The shield-bearing Orc stood at the center of the arena, his feet planted wide and shield angled toward Rod. To his left, a spear fighter moved in a slow circle. The archer had taken a position near the outer wall, where broken stone gave him partial cover. Behind the shield bearer, the shaman raised one hand while the beast handler unclipped the chain from the war hound’s collar.

The five Orcs and their hound had entered as separate threats. But it was clear that they operated as a well oiled machine.

”Do not chase them,” Rod said.

The shield bearer smiled as the war hound lunged.

Rod met it halfway, axe held low. He brought the weapon around in a horizontal chop, expecting to catch the animal across the ribs. The beast handler snapped his fingers. The war hound changed direction in the middle of its charge, sliding across the sand as the spear fighter stepped into the space Rod had abandoned.

The spear thrust toward Rod’s stomach. Rod twisted aside. The tip scraped across his leather armor, and he struck at the spear shaft with the haft of his axe. The Orc spearman retreated behind the shield before Rod could follow.

”Lana! The shaman!” Rod shouted.

Three Ice Bolts streaked across the arena. The shield bearer shifted two steps and intercepted them. Frost spread across the thick wooden shield, but the shaman remained untouched.

An arrow flew toward Lana before she could cast again. She dropped behind a boulder. The arrow passed through the space where her head had been and shattered against a pillar.

Dirk returned fire. The Orc archer ducked behind cover, and the war hound came at Rod again.

This time, Halbin stepped forward. His sword cut across the animal’s muzzle, but the war hound twisted away before the blade could bite deeply. The beast never stayed close enough for them to surround it.

Red light gathered around the shaman’s staff. The glow spread over the spear fighter and the war hound. Both began moving faster.

”They are controlling the distance,” Halbin warned.

Rod already knew. Every time one of them tried to attack, the hunting party changed formation. The shield blocked Lana and Dirk. The spear punished anyone who approached, while the war hound attacked from unexpected angles. If anyone moved too far from the group, the archer immediately targeted them.

Cindy and Halbin advanced together. The spear fighter withdrew, and the shield bearer stepped into his place. Cindy’s saber struck the shield hard enough to split one of the planks, but the blow left her open.

The war hound leaped at her side. Halbin knocked it away with his shoulder. The animal’s claws tore through his sleeve and reopened the injury the Cyclops had given him.

The Orc archer fired. The arrow buried itself in Halbin’s thigh.

”Father!” Cindy shouted.

”Stay in formation,” Halbin ordered through clenched teeth.

The Orcs backed away before the party could retaliate. They had drawn blood without losing anyone.

Lana moved closer to Rod. ”We cannot keep trading attacks with them. I have enough mana for one Icey Rain, but the casting time is ten seconds.”

Ten seconds was a long time with an Orc archer watching her. Rod glanced around the arena. They had destroyed several of the pillars while fighting the Cyclops. Broken stone covered the ground, and frost still clung to the places Lana had struck.

The uneven terrain had not mattered much against one giant opponent. Against enemies that took advantage of constantly changing positions, it mattered a great deal.

”Do it,” Rod said. ”Dirk, keep the archer busy. Everyone else, close around Lana.”

They retreated behind the remains of a thick pillar. Lana planted her staff and began the incantation.

The hunting party reacted immediately. The shield bearer and spear fighter advanced together while the war hound circled around the pillar. The archer moved sideways, searching for a clear shot. Red energy gathered above the shaman’s raised staff.

Dirk disappeared among the rocks. The Orc archer found Lana first. He raised his bow, but an arrow struck the stone beside his face. He ducked and fired toward the place Dirk had attacked from. Dirk was already gone.

The shield bearer slammed into Rod. The impact pushed him backward, but he kept his feet underneath himself. Cindy engaged the spear fighter while Halbin limped around the other side of the pillar to intercept the war hound.

The shaman released a red ball of energy. Rod saw it coming. He grabbed the rim of the Orc’s shield and yanked the hunter around. The Orc tried to pull away, but Rod held on and kept the shield between himself and the approaching spell.

The spell struck the shield and exploded. Both Rod and the shield bearer were knocked to the ground. The Axe Master lost another portion of his health, but the Orc’s shield had been split down the center.

Cold rain began to fall across the arena.

The Orcs looked up as ice formed over their armor and weapons. Their movements slowed. More importantly, the water froze when it touched the stone. The careful steps and quick retreats that had kept their formation together became difficult in the icy terrain.

Halbin activated Swift Blade. His sword flashed twice. The first strike knocked aside the spear fighter’s weapon. The second cut through the shaft below the metal head. Cindy stepped inside the Orc’s reach and drove her saber into his chest.

The first hunter fell.

The war hound regained its footing while avoiding the ice and charged Lana. She stopped chanting and raised her staff. An Ice Spark struck the animal in the shoulder. Electricity flashed across its body while frost covered one of its front legs.

It crashed onto its side and slid across the frozen stone when the paralyzing effect of the lightning triggered.

An arrow entered its throat. Dirk did not wait to see it die. He was already running along the remains of a fallen pillar, using Nimble Feet to cross the narrow stone without losing his balance.

The Orc archer spun toward him. Both released at nearly the same time.

Dirk’s arrow struck the Orc beneath the collarbone. The Orc’s arrow grazed Dirk’s ribs. He stumbled but remained on the pillar. His second arrow reached the Orc before another could be returned his way.

The Orc archer fell behind the broken stone.

The beast handler roared when he saw the war hound die. He swung the creature’s chain over his head and rushed toward Lana.

Rod stepped between them. The chain wrapped around the haft of his axe. The Orc pulled, trying to tear the weapon from Rod’s hands. Rod pulled back instead. For a moment, neither of them moved.

Then Rod activated Charge. His speed doubled as he surged forward rather than away. The beast handler had been prepared for resistance, not for Rod to follow the chain toward him. Rod’s shoulder struck the Orc in the chest and knocked him backward.

Cindy’s saber finished the job. Only the shield bearer and shaman remained.

The damaged shield hit the ground. The large Orc drew a short sword and stood in front of the shaman. Red light poured from the shaman’s staff and wrapped around both of them. The frost coating their bodies cracked as their muscles expanded.

The shield bearer charged Halbin.

Even without his shield, he fought as if he still carried one. His short sword knocked Halbin’s weapon aside, and his shoulder slammed into the injured Sword Master. Halbin fell hard, his wounded leg folding beneath him.

Cindy moved to help her father.

”Shaman!” Rod shouted.

If they allowed the caster to continue strengthening his ally, the fight would drag on until their remaining health and mana were gone. Lana sent two Ice Bolts toward the shaman. Both struck, but the caster ignored the frost spreading across his chest. He raised his staff toward Halbin.

White light gathered along Cindy’s saber. She was still exhausted from using the attack against the Cyclops. Her arms shook as she forced more energy into the weapon.

The shield bearer recognized the danger and turned toward her. Cindy brought the saber down.

The curved blade of energy struck the Orc across the chest and threw him several meters. Cindy dropped to her knees, unable to follow the attack.

The shaman’s spell changed targets. Red energy shot toward Cindy.

Rod intercepted it. Pain burned through his chest and drove him to one knee. His health fell into the final quarter, but Cindy was still alive.

An arrow struck the shaman’s arm. The staff lowered for an instant. That was enough.

Lana used nearly all her remaining mana on an Ice Spark. The spell hit the shaman’s hand. Ice spread over his fingers, locking them around the staff, while lightning caused his entire arm to jerk.

Rod forced himself upright and rushed forward. His axe struck the shaman before the Orc could finish another spell. The red light surrounding the shield bearer vanished.

Halbin rolled away from the short sword coming down toward him. He thrust from the ground and drove his blade into the Orc’s side. The shield bearer staggered but did not fall.

Dirk’s arrow struck the back of his knee. The Orc dropped to one leg. Cindy had recovered enough to stand. She joined her father, and their sword and saber struck from opposite directions.

The final hunter fell. For several seconds, the five adventurers remained where they were. Nobody had enough strength to celebrate.

Then the Orcs in the stands began pounding their fists and weapons against the stone. The sound shook the arena.

Rod looked over his party. Halbin could barely put weight on one leg. Cindy’s hands were trembling. Blood ran down Dirk’s side, and Lana was using her staff to remain upright. Rod’s own health was low enough that a single clean attack could defeat him.

They had survived, but the Orc hunting party had done what hunters were supposed to do. It had worn down its prey.

The Orc Chief rose from his throne. ”You have defeated our beast!” he shouted. ”You have survived our hunters!”

The crowd answered with a thunderous roar. The Chief reached beside his throne and lifted a massive two-handed axe. He stepped onto the stone railing and looked down at the exhausted party.

”One challenge remains.”

He jumped.

The Orc Chief landed in the arena hard enough to crack the floor beneath his boots. He rose to his full height and rested the enormous axe across one shoulder.

Ten minutes sounded generous until Rod looked at the others. It would give them time to stop the bleeding and drink whatever remained in their potions. It would not restore Lana’s mana or replace the energy Cindy had spent. The Chief had watched every skill they used while waiting on his throne, and he had not suffered a single wound.

”You have ten minutes,” he said. ”Then you face me.”