Homestead Survival

<14 August 2024, GRAND MESA OF SUMMER , A+>
[Theo and Julia]
Theo was feeling pressed. The Orc, Brok Zhan, was a master pugilist. Even missing a hand, Brok Zhan was hurting Theo more than almost anything had since the System arrived. As Theo came to the end of his channeled time for Penitent Strike, he slammed his foot down, everything near him slammed outwards, and hit the wall of temporary wards that Julia was still maintaining and trying to contain the Storm Giant.

Julia noticed something between her barrage of shots from her Glimmer Branch and her efforts to foil the skill of the Storm Giant. Outside the Ward rune circle she was maintaining, a group of the elementals that waited. If the Storm Giant managed to get a hole into the protections that Julia was holding up, it might well be the end of Theo.

"Theo!" Julia calls out as she watches Theo take a moment while the creatures he just sent flying climb back to their feet. "Outside the ring!"

"I see them! Do what you can!" Theo said before lunging forward and beheading one of the goblins who had rushed ahead of the group.

The others, two Orcs, an Ent, and now two Goblins, circled him warily. As they did, Theo felt Julia's healing skill restore some of the damage he had sustained. He wondered at his defensive mitigation again, then he felt the axe's timer turn over once more.

"Well I sure don't understand how this axe works," Theo muttered, plotting his next step, "but god damn if I don't like that three percent damage reduction, and fifteen percent damage given."

With that, Theo rushed towards the Ent, who happened to be near the Storm Giant, and Taunted. Once more, the Storm Giant seemed to shrug off the Taunt skill, but the Ent came in swinging, as did both Orcs and both Goblins.

Theo bore the damage as best he could, feeling his ribs crack, and finally, after an agonizing twenty seconds. He slammed the axe with a roar into the Ent. The wooden creature let out a creaking moan and fell backwards, knocking the Storm Giant into the temporary wards, which then damaged him and repulsed him back into the ring. The Storm Giant grunted something, and the Orcs and Goblins put themselves between him and Theo.

Theo took his time, backing up, letting Julia's skill heal him, and watching the wards that the Storm Giant had worked to remove were replaced by Julia. Theo smiled, and the Storm Giant pointed at Theo and roared something. A silvery light enveloped the two Orcs and the two Goblins who rushed at Theo.

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Theo felt his axe's timer tick over once more and grinned. He was starting to realize that he liked fighting. So the second that they got close enough, Theo Taunted and began channeling once more. He focused on the Orc whose hand he had chopped off. He saw the text floating over his head.

{[Corrupted] Brok Zhan, Level 09, B}

"Brok Zhan, I feel like under different circumstances, you could have taught me a lot about fighting." Theo thought as he waited the twenty seconds, and then he slammed his right hand into the head of Brok Zhan, the force of the punch, combined with the level of damage that the Orc had already sustained, finally did the Orc in.

Brok Zhan fell to one knee, half of his forehead caved in. He locked eyes with Theo and made a fist, slamming it into his own chest in a salute, and with that, he dropped to the ground dead.

The other Orc and Goblins still pummeled him, but without the massive damage output of Brok Zhan, Theo made quick work of them. As the last goblin fell, Theo heard Julia cry out, "Fuck!"

And he looked up in time to see the Storm Giant lunge through a sickly green hole. The Elementals move to rush in, but the Giant stopped them, glaring at Theo. Another Ent shows up and begins to heal the Storm Giant. Theo, relatively safe in the rune ring, takes a moment, feeling his axe reset as the Storm Giant walked away, and then speaks to Julia, who is still standing atop the wall from which she had been launching shots.

"Hey Julia," Theo said, still resting, "Thanks for choosing to stay on that first day. Without your healing, I would have been toast."

"So that's why you're keeping me around," Julia said with a chuckle, "for the heals."

"Well the heals are certainly a factor." Theo said playfully, "Then there are the Retaliates and the Wards, and plenty of other reasons."

"Well, I guess you at least have reasons. Get back in here. The last thing we need is that Storm Giant to manage to get back into the ring and whipping up on you." Julia said.

"Alright, I am coming up," Theo turned to face the wall.

"I'll just secure a path to the opening on the back," Julia said, walking carefully along the wall as she laid down a protective wall of Ward runes five feet out from the wall. Theo walked along inside the curtain of protection that she provided, and then came back inside the walls.

Ordus was there, and Theo helped Julia off the wall. Theo looked at Ordus, "Sorry about stepping on you, Ordus. You just happened to be in the perfect spot to help me get over the wall."

"Not a problem, I am simply glad that you returned." Ordus said, "And well done."

Julia nodded, "That was quite the fight."

Theo smiled, "Now then, on to the next one."

Theo, Julia, and Ordus walked to the front opening and saw that the Goblins were still out there, milling about. Theo looked at Julia. "So, Goblin extermination is the name of the game."

Julia smiled eagerly. "Sounds good to me. Let's play."

Theo turned to Ordus. "Same as last time, if you can just keep a watch out and holler if you need anything."

Ordus nodded with a smile. "Of course."

With that, Theo turned and left the safety of the permanent Ward runes to gather up some goblins.