Rebirth and Second Chances

Chapter 20: Battle Begins

[Quest Generated Rank A]

[Survive- You have learned of a plot by opposing factions and their motivations. Survive this battle and return to Talahm. Search for clues into how far this conspiracy has progressed and thwarted the enemy's plans.]

[Rewards - ???]

[Time Limit None]

[Optional Quest - Expose or Kill agents from Olympus and Asgard found in Talahm.]

[Optional Quest - Recruit Olympus or Asgard's agents to your banner]

The quest didn't appear to be optional, and since I couldn't refuse, I minimized the system notice and ignored it for now. I was too busy trying not to die, to be concerned about experience points or quest rewards.

My Belenos Aura had a surprising and unexpected additional effect; not only did it have an area effect damage, but it also disrupted and canceled enemy illusions and instilled true sight to allies. The form of the eight people surrounding us shimmered and their appearance changed drastically.

These people were not Sidhe. Seven of them were human in appearance, except for the horns protruding from their heads and the weird animal-like legs. The final person's change was even more dramatic. It revealed hair of spitting and hissing snakes. Eyes devoid of the sclera, completely black and imposing. A forked tongue flicked from a deformed jaw, tasting the air currents and providing the woman with additional sensory information.

Satyrs and a Gorgon.

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What were monsters out from the Olympian Pantheon doing in the Summerlands? All we needed to make this mess complete were Jotunn and Wargs from Asgardian legend.

[Hostile Spell Detected: Petrification]

[Belenos Aura blocks Petrification.]

[No damage is taken. Debuff resisted]

"Caraid, can you turn System damage messages off during combat?" I asked. The information may come in handy later, but it was distracting now. A battle was serious and confusing enough, and I didn't need to be distracted by messages. Or have my field of vision compromised, I needed to stay focused.

"In fact, can you turn off all System messaged during combat?"

"Done," Caraid informed me. "Notifications will be saved and can be accessed via the minimized chat window after combat."

"Should we let any of them live, your highness?" Cedric asked gaining my attention, as he continued to parry and distract the few Satyrs that were focused on him.

"Why bother?" I sneered hoping my bluff would instill uncertainty and caution in our opponents. Let them live? Who were we kidding? It was more likely we would die here this day.

"We know who sent them," I said continuing the bluff, "I really doubt we'll get much more information out of them, and I'm positive Zeus isn't the kind of guy that will ransom people who have failed him."

"The only thing we don't know is how the Olympians managed to get into the Summerlands. But the list of people that can and would aid them can't be many, and we have a pretty good idea what faction might have a vendetta against me," I continued as I slashed my sword almost casually, the speed and power increasing second by second.

My ability to anticipate where they would strike and to counteract the swords before they could connect intensified. Sounds of metal ringing out, sparks of heat and friction, the whistle of wind being sliced filled the clearing. They fought cautiously at first, gauging and feinting to discover my abilities and limits. But those small excursions, those first testing movements, become from frantic as they fought to pressure me from multiple locations and angles.

A few of the Satyrs replaced their swords as they stepped back from battle and withdrew instruments. Melodies, notes melding together as the few who began playing their strange instruments, they were a cross between a flute and pipes, and the eerie sound and rhythm brought a surreal musicality to our battle.

The fight became a kind of dance, as Cedric and I became more in sync with each other's movements, our movements a kind of counterpoint to the melody the Satyr's were playing. I'm not sure what they expected to happen if the music was a debuff or an attack of some kind. I had turned notifications off, so I didn't see what my battle log reported, but I had a hunch that Belenos Aura was allowing Cedric and I to ignore whatever effect they were hoping for.

I seemed to develop a kind of foresight as the battle continued. Somehow, I was able to read the muscle cues of my opponents to know when they were going to attack, and where they would aim their strikes. I finally realized what the strange music was doing when I noticed those still attacking began striking harder and although there were fewer with weapons, their attacks were coming faster.

Just as I was able to anticipate their movements, they gained the ability to respond and alter trajectories and targets mid-strike.

Still, my newfound battle knowledge allowed me to react almost before they engaged. My weapon moved into position exactly where it needed to be to diffuse their strategies and tactics. Even when they attempted to confuse.

And although I couldn't see what Cedric was doing behind me, my perceptions allowed me to feel and understand his actions. His movements, attacks, and blocks were not as fluid as mine. He used stances, lunges, and dodging to supplement his attacks. And my perception allowed me to support him in the few instances when he wasn't quick enough to block or fast enough to parry a strike.

Playing defense. Dancing and twirling in a miasma of steel and fire would not end this battle. Although I had ordered Cedric to spare none of them, I hoped they would become discouraged or fearful and would surrender. I would much rather arrest and leave them for someone else to deal with.

But the longer the battle progressed, the more frantic and desperate they became, the more I realized this battle was not going to end with their surrender. If we were to survive this, I was going to have to ignore my conscience.

Civility.

Law.

These were values ingrained from my life on Earth.

But here.

Now.

I had to accept that civility and law were what I made of them. Even on Earth, the strong ruled. If I wanted to survive, I had to shed my inhibitions.