Ain't No Rest For The Wicked [Rondun and Tetrosabier]

Tetrosabier was confused as a trio of rabbits began nibbling at his shoes.  He carefully moved around them and was even more puzzled as they continued following him.  Taking a look up, he notice the larger rabbit was moving his flaming shield to deflect a swarm of birds, incinerating them as they smashed into their shield.  He quickly began to piece together an approximate idea.  A heavy stomping sound behind him did not assure Tetrosabier that this area was safe anymore, and began to run after the area where he had heard the noble before.  As he ran past Rondun, he activated his Magnetic Grasp and his blade suddenly jumped from the ground and whirled past the large rabbit.  As he exited the area full of aggravated animals, he turned around to see a pair of bears emerging from the underbrush.  Ignoring the bears, Tetrosabier followed the footprints as they tracked into the marshlands.

There was no way Rondun was going to let the man have his weapon back. He gripped his mace and smashed it at the blade, he has no idea if that would be enough to break the blade or simply just knocked it down again. Most likely the latter but that would at least mean he won’t be getting his sword back any time soon. He leapt up – forcefully cancelling his Shield Up – and sprint after Tetrosabier with full speed. Even as a pair of bears appeared, he merely jumped on to their head, said a quick apologies before kicking off and running past the other Lamian.

He could see the pair of footprints through the long grass, along with a vague outline. The potion effect was starting to wear off. Rondun breathed in deep, concentrating on his leg and leapt forward. Doing everything to close the distance to the noble first before the assassin could, he still positioned himself to body block any surprise attack Tetrosabier would do. He would happily take any hit and possibly die if it meant his charge was safe.

Tetrosabier turned back when his weapon did not immediately fly to his fingers.  Seeing the arks of plasma slowly burning into the ground, he quickly re-angled his grasp as the weapon jumped up and soared for a few feet before landing solid on the ground.  He turned back and kept running,  there was no way he could turn back for his weapon now.

Just up ahead, Tetrosabier saw a faint outline of... something.  Upon realizing that the faint figure stood at the end of the footprints, he unhitched two of the final three vials of poison.  Popping the tops off, he charged the figure and got it in as close of a headlock you can get a semi invisible creature.  Turning to Rondun, he poured the contents of the first vial onto the noble.  Not the way he had intended on bringing down the nobles hit points, but he had to improvise.  Holding the second vial right over the now semi opaque nobleman, Tetrosabier called for Rondun to stop.  

"Take another step and you can say goodbye to mister 'terrible hider' here."  Tetrosabier counted on the fact that at least Rondun knew that the poison couldn't do the killing blow as he waited for the nobles health to drop down to a point it would be an easy kill.

"This poison is quick acting,  so unless you want to be cleaning fried rich dude off of the ground,  I would suggest listening to me."

Rondun doesn’t listen.

In fact he has not slow down at all even as the poison was spilled. He merely dipped into his inventory for a general purpose antidote. It probably will do nothing to the poison, especially if it’s a high-levelled and specialised one, but he smashed it in Tetrosabier’s face anyways. He let the content spill over the other figure, fingers crossed it do something to slow the poison status. He shoved the Lamian back and gathered the noble into his own arm.

Without a single word he ran, holding the noble in his arms. He ignored the other attacking animals. Even the bears that took a swipe at Rondun, he just took the hit without a complaint or a whimper. They are almost out of the forest and into the next area.

Tetrosabier sat on the ground bewildered,  a half empty vial in his hand.  As he was surprised by the vial of antivenom hitting him in his face, which allowed Rondun to bash him to his side.  He had spilled some of the vial onto the noble as he fell.  He watched in bewilderment as the rabbit sprinted away with the noble.  Quickly regaining his senses,  he jumped to his feet.  He ran back towards the slowly sinking plasma blade.  Pointing his ring at the blade as he turned, the blade flew to his hands.  He quickly sprinted after the rabbit,  running faster than he had ever before.  He was not about to let this bunny beat him.  This man had to die.  He quickly caught up to the rabbit given that he was wearing a full set of armor.  As a last ditch attempt, he lunged at the nobles head and sliced with his blade.  As Tetrosabier hit the ground,  he was satisfied in the second thud.  Standing shakily to his feet, he kicked the head aside as he shook the Adrenalin from his system.  He stood and waited for Rondun to react, ready for any whiplash from the supposedly calm rabbit.

In a way Rondun was calm, only his wide eyes displayed the shock he felt inside. Then the fire spread.

He activated the skill a little earlier, knowing there will be retaliation from the assassin, but he had hoped the assassin will target him first. To take him out of the picture. Still the ability works, the flame on his shield engulfed him as other smaller animals attacked him relentlessly. As the fire burned, he gently put the body down on the floor. When he stood back up, he saw the head been kicked aside and that is when the fire melt into his veins. It made them bulge and pulse in red, visible even underneath all his fur, spreading across his whole body.

Three steps in and that was all it took to close the distance, he swung his mace across Tetrosabier’s head. The skill boosted his power and speed heavily from all the attack he just took. It should easily behead the Lamian, even with a blunt weapon. His face was eerily calm during the whole time.

The hit sent Tetrosabier sprawling to the forest floor.  He moved to open his mouth but his jaw was filled with excruciating pain.  As he tried standing to his feet, he collapsed as stars filled his vision.  His eyesight was going red as blood dripped from the side of his head.  He took a few breaths before forcing himself upright.  Grunting as he moved, he sat up and touched the left side of his head.  He felt the matted feathers, soaked in blood.  

He sighed.  This was not his first time dying.  There had been many fights he had lost and he had always learned something from it.  What had he learned from this battle?  Don't fuck with Rondun.  He chuckled before wincing at the pain.  He felt sluggish,  and sick.  He extended a hand to Rondun.  "You fought well, I will give you that."  He watched as his vision became blue.  Blue? It usually fades to black.  He looked at his hand as it slowly pixelated.  He stared confused at the slowly fading form.  He had seen this before, he was logging off!  This struck fear in his eyes.  He had accepted death, but he was not ready to go back.  He struggled for control as he was forcefully kicked from the game.  His body quickly pixelating and fading from view.  Soon, the only trace that he had been in the game was the decapitated noble, the burning bottles, and the message in the chat.

Game:Tetrosabier has disconnected.

Rondun walked towards Tetrosabier. Step silent, almost gentle, across the grass. A startling contrast to the roaring flame that surrounds him. His face was impassive as he raised his mace for the killing blow.

Then all of a sudden there was a flicker around the Lamian. Rondun stopped, his eyes narrowed. He wondered if this man has decided to stoop so low as to cheat even at this point. However that thought was quickly dismissed as he recognised what the pixel flickering was. The man was getting disconnected.

He lowered the mace and let go of the skill. There was no need for it anymore. Instead he walked past Tetrosabier’s vanishing body for the severed head. That was also pixelating, but in the usual dead NPC sort of ways. Despite that he still cradle the head in his arm as he walked back to the main body. He put the two together and laid a gentle hand on their chest. “I’m sorry I have failed.” He murmured. “I will make sure to let the others know so they will not fail you.”

In his head, he was already formulating a guide to inform other players. He need to make a note to see what level of assassins will be assigned to this mission along with what abilities they could have. He would also need to make some more antidotes, probably another general purpose kind. Then again he might consider a longer lasting invisibility potion, the last one has some flaws that could be capitalised by wiser players. Perhaps he should pay Delilah a visit. It has been a while since he saw the girl and he hoped she hasn’t gotten herself into trouble.