Damage Rating: Unknown
Weapon Type(s): Hind-Claws, Fore-Claws, Tail, Teeth
Abilities: Jurassic Bite, Run Like The Wind, Claw To Arms.
Speciaclass="underline" Pack animal, can summon others to its aid.
Yup, that’ll do, I thought.
As I drew closer the raptors perked up and turned their heads to point an eye at me. They were fearsome to look at, let alone intentionally approach.
Smoke and I flew passed them at top speed. The killer dinosaur pack became agitated and appeared to be trying to decide if I was worth attacking. Maybe they had just finished hunting and weren’t interested?
Regardless, I didn’t draw their aggro, and they watched me ride by. I was now moving away from the idle pack.
Frustrated, I selected my bow from my inventory and it appeared in my hand. Barely aiming, I fired into them.
I scored a hit.
The raptors issued screeches and animal barks and ran after me. They fanned out from the shade and onto the grassy plain.
It was at this moment Kragg and his unicorn barrelled straight into their midst. Either he didn’t notice them or, most likely, didn’t care they’d been pulled in my wake.
With me moving out of range, the raptors turned their attention to the new arrival. The deadly trio ran up alongside Kragg looking for an opportunity to attack.
One bright green raptor leapt onto Kragg’s back and tried to bite his neck. The ogre looked annoyed and shrugged the beast away. A slight motion for him, but was strong enough to send the animal tumbling off. The two dark green raptors snapped at the unicorn’s legs. To deal with them properly, Kragg slowed down. He swung his huge mallet in wide arcs, keeping the raptors at bay.
This gave me a chance at getting some more distance. But I knew it wouldn’t be for long. I got my bearings and turned back toward my original direction.
I came upon a wide river that cut across my path. On the other side towered a high rocky cliff which stretched out of sight in both directions. Turning east, I followed along the riverbank. My eyes scanned for a clear path on the other side. I was running out of time.
Then I saw it. A break in the cliff face which presented a narrow chasm north.
This was the place.
At that moment, a bellowing roar came from behind. Kragg was coming.
I slowed Smoke and made a wide turn so we were facing the river. If we didn’t make it, this would be embarrassing.
Noise of clomping hooves approaching through the high grass spurred me forward. I kicked at Smoke and we charged at the river.
To my left, Kragg broke through the tall grass. His eyes locked onto me. His mallet was spattered with blood, and crimson patterns sullied the unicorn’s yellow hide. Only a short distance away, and seeing what I was about to do, he picked up speed.
The second Smoke hit the edge of the riverbank we jumped. I then gave Smoke a much needed boost.
Use Leap Ability.
My leap transferred to my mount and added to Smoke’s already substantial leap ability. We sailed across the raging waters as if carried on wings.
I’d learned the hard way not to neglect Leap. Over the last two hard earned levels, I put all four subsequent skill points into the ability. Before, making any jump was wrought with doubt. Now, I felt tremendous satisfaction when we easily landed on the other side.
But the satisfaction did not last long. The chasm entrance I had jumped to was only a small bite in the cliff face. High walls confronted me.
Nestled in the side of the cliff face was a tunnel entrance. Its door frame etched in strange runes, much like a travel gate.
With nowhere else to go I spun Smoke around.
Kragg was already flying over the river. Even before they landed, both ogre and blood splattered unicorn glared at me in triumph. They knew they had me trapped.
As Kragg landed, I jumped off Smoke. I made a show of looking about for an escape. A trapped, frightened animal. This only got Kragg’s blood-lust up more.
The ogre dismounted and grinned. “That was fun,” he said. He patted the huge mallet against a meaty palm. “But this little game is over,” he said.
In answer, I snapped my fingers and Smoke winked out of existence. Then I drew my sword, turned and promptly fled into the tunnel entrance.
Kragg shouted something which was filtered, but I ignored him as I ran through the darkness.
The tunnel was short, and I emerged in a vaulted chamber. Huge, ancient tapestries lined the walls, punctuated by the occasional fire sconce. The floor was made of flat stone, covered in a thin layer of sand.
I looked about. There was nowhere else to go. From the tunnel I heard more filtered words, getting louder. He was coming.
I dashed to the wall on the other side of the chamber and turned, sword at the ready.
Kragg burst in, blood covered mallet in his hands. He stopped when he saw me and took a moment to examine the new surroundings. Then he smiled.
“You want to die here? Not outside?” he shrugged. “Doesn’t matter to me.” He sauntered forward.
I waited. Not yet, I thought. Not quite yet.
“I’m a little disappointed with you, little Shadow,” Kragg said. He took another step closer. “I expected greater things. A bigger fight. You have a reputation as someone not to tangle with.” He laughed.
I said nothing and concentrated on his position. This would be close.
“All those tough quests you’ve completed. A legendary one, too. Now it all comes down to this.” He motioned at the chamber dramatically. “You die in little room in the dirt. So sad.”
Another step. This one kicked some of the sand aside, revealing the section of a symbol painted on the stone floor beneath.
“What do you have to say now, little Shadow? Do you-,” Kragg’s gaze snagged on the partial symbol. “What is-,” he said, but didn’t finish. At the last moment, his eyes widened at his mistake.
“Now!” I shouted.
One of the tapestries fell to the ground. Behind it, stood a tall breast-plate wearing minotaur. The man-bull was not carrying a weapon. Instead, he clutched a crystal orb in each of his huge hands.
“No!” shouted Kragg as he turned to confront this new threat.
The minotaur, with a wide maniacal grin, smashed the orbs together, and they shattered.
Instantly, from the drawn symbol on the floor, a massive glass orb bubbled up and fully encased Kragg.
The ogre blinked in shock, hands outstretched pressing against the inside of the orb. The orb floated up a short distance from the ground with Kragg inside, like the universe’s ugliest snow globe. He looked from the minotaur to me, in stunned amazement.
“What do I have to say about this?” I said, looking smug. I raised eyebrows and offered a huge smile. “Gotcha!”
CHAPTER TWO
Kragg punched a massive fist against the clear material of the orb which only produced a low thud. “What the FILTERED is this?” he roared. The orb allowed sound to pass through it, but nothing else.
The minotaur stood next to me, wiping shards of crystal from his large hands. “That is your new home, Snot-rag.” He looked to me and grinned. “I did good, didn’t I, Vee?”
I nodded and patted his huge arm. “You always do good, Muddie. Even if I say you don’t.” Muddie – or Mudhoof – was a warrior-minotaur and long-time fellow adventurer. We’d completed a lot of quests together and failed our fair share of them as well. But I could always count on the guy to fight to the bitter end. No logging out of the game because things got too tough.
Kragg, now furious, punched the interior of the orb several more times and yelled profanities. After a few moments he stopped to glare at us. “Let me out of here! NOW! If you know what’s good for you.”