I suddenly found myself pushed from behind by a horse’s flank and I crashed into Amara who yelped in surprise.
Five Second Warning!
But the horse didn’t just push me, it fell over with a horrible cry and landed right on me and Amara.
The Blue Banner Has Been Dropped!
Four Seconds!
Amara and I were pinned from the waist down under the horse.
We were right near the edge of the platform. The blue banner stood upright on the very edge, almost teetering over.
Desperately, she stretched outward toward the banner with a painful scream, while locking swords with me via her other hand.
Three Seconds!
I grabbed at her outstretched arm, but the movement only served to help her touch the banner’s wooden pole with the tip of her fingers.
With my sword arm I kept it pushed up against her own.
Two Seconds!
Amara ignored me completely and stretched all she could. The tips of her fingers nudged the banner. The banner moved several millimeters and began to teeter.
Frustrated, I quickly switched the sword with my bow, which remained pressed up against her weapon.
One Second!
I summoned my magma arrow. As it appeared in my quiver, I instantly reached back to snatch it then nocked and fired the molten projectile directly into Amara’s face at point blank range.
Then the deafening sound around me suddenly stopped.
Everything froze, like pausing a movie. I blinked in surprise. The magma arrow, sticking out of Amara’s eye, had just begun to boil its way through her skull.
I took a screenshot.
Then she vanished. The horse that held me down vanished. The soldiers and trolls around me vanished. And so did the rest of the world until all that remained was a white void.
Then a message appeared, the words hanging in the empty space before me.
Vivian Valesh is Victorious!
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
For several long moments, I stared at the floating message.
My heart still pounded in my chest, my breath heavy and near gasping.
I won.
The realization didn’t click in right away, but the Battle Field was gone and the fighting was over.
I won!
Astonished, I pushed myself up from the nonexistent ground to stand.
I defeated Amara. Better yet, I defeated Amara in my very first Battle Field gaming session.
Somewhere out past the white void, in the real world, the player who controlled Amara was cursing up the mother of all filtered storms.
I laughed until tears rolled down my face and collected at the bottom of my view-screen.
Beautiful.
The void dissolved into a swirl of colors and I found myself standing back in the cavern chamber on its middle rise, where this mess had all started.
As I looked around, I shouted in surprise and summoned my sword.
All the skeletons in the chamber who had been laying on the ground, now stood facing me. Each one pointed at me with an outstretched arm.
What was this? Another final fight?
Rumbling laughter made me turn about.
Y’Godda’s spirit stood beside me, resplendent in his bright white armor.
“Don’t worry, adventurer. They will not harm you. They only wish to congratulate you on your victory over such a skilled opponent.”
“Yeah, okay,” I said trying not to sound doubtful. Funny way to congratulate someone. But if they weren’t going to attack, I’d take it.
“And, I too, wish to offer my congratulations,” Y’Godda said, grinning from ear to ear.
“Thanks,” I said. “It was tough, but a fun learning experience.”
Learning experience was an understatement. Trial by fire would be a better analogy.
Y’godda nodded, his long red beard rasping against his armor. “Yes, I know this was your very first Battle Field. You performed well. Especially considering the experience of your opponent.”
“Oh?” I said, curious. “How experienced is she?”
“According to the records, Amara Frostwalker has never been defeated in over 118 Battle Field conflicts. This would be her first.”
I burst out laughing, again. Oh, fantastic! I wish I could see Amara’s face right now.
“Speaking of my opponent,” I said looking around the chamber. “Where did she go?”
Y’godda frowned. “Unfortunately, your opponent left the world before the final message of her loss could be given to her.”
“Left the world?”
“I believe you mortals refer to her action as ‘Rage-quit’.”
My laughter echoed off the cavern walls for several long moments. Knowing Amara rage-quit was even better than seeing her face after the fact.
Eventually, I picked myself up off the ground and gave Y’godda my full attention again.
“Sorry,” I said. “Couldn’t help myself.”
“Hmm,” said the dead general. “So, Vivian Valesh, it is time for your reward. The one you fought ever so valiantly for.” He waved a hand.
Upon the rise a banner appeared. It was neither red nor blue, but a brilliant white.
“Cool,” I said. Looking at the Lost War Banner of Y’Godda made me feel a little weak-kneed. Before, it had been a simple item to obtain after a long quest-chain. Now, it was a symbol of my victory over my own self-doubts while trying to win it.
It also symbolized my defeat of Amara, which made it all the more special.
Reaching forward, I grasped the banner’s wooden handle and lifted. It came free easily.
Quest Update: Y’Godda Be Kidding Me.
You have found the Lost War Banner of Y’Godda after many trials. Return it to the quest giver for your final quest reward.
“Nice,” I said. Suddenly, the surrounding chamber changed, and I found myself standing in a clearing.
I was outside the cavern, its huge stone door now shut and sealed with a magical barrier again, ready for the next adventurer to come.
“Well, goodbye to you, too,” I said with a shrug. Y’Godda must not have believed in adventurers lingering in his dank cavern for longer than necessary.
I summoned Smoke and jumped into his saddle. With the banner over one shoulder, we rode through the Forest of Dreams. There was one final destination to be reached.
After crossing through several travel-gates, I stepped into a blighted realm, full of black mountains and dead forests.
I followed a crooked path along the shores of a blood red lake which waters were still as glass. The path ended at the front gate of a ruined castle, its walls decimated and crumbling.
As I dismounted a chat request appeared at the lower part of my view-screen.
I looked at the caller’s name in shock.
It was Amara.
I blinked in confusion. What could she possibly want to ‘chat’ with me about? How much she hated me? Or how much I didn’t deserve to win?
The image of her angry, screaming face filled my mind’s eye.
Any communication with her would be packed with filtered words. I decided to not give her the pleasure of swearing at me ever again.
Instead of accepting the chat, I dismissed it. Then I went into my chat settings and placed Amara Frostwalker on my Blocked Players list. Now she’d no longer have the ability to communicate with me in any way.
There, I thought. Defeated again.
With a laugh, I entered the ruined castle.
There, sitting upon an ancient throne, was a dark figure. My quest giver. Above his head was a name tile. Togish the Sullied.
“You have returned,” said Togish as he watched me approach. “I am… surprised.”