We Hunt Monsters, page 23
With the storm raging around them, the enemy wouldn’t realize the trap until they’d stepped right into it, and by that point, it would already be too late.
The two of them separated then, Keith moving to one side and Cayla moving to the other, stretching out until he could barely see her. The enemy group would be sticking pretty close together, but he wanted to make absolutely sure he got them all.
Only once they were at an appropriate distance did Keith start digging again, this time, reversing the hammer and using the spiked end. Before, he hadn’t wanted to risk it, as he hadn’t known how deep the ice was. Now that he knew, he was more than happy to inflict greater damage.
The massive golden spike slammed into the ice, sending freezing spray into the air once more.
“You know, if you’re not careful, this could easily backfire,” Bob said, peeking his head out once more.
“I know,” Keith replied, grunting as he swung again. “But the way I see it, this is a far smaller risk than trying to fight that level eighteen head-on.”
“You make a good point,” the monkey said as he swung again. “But I don’t like blizzards, so if you need me, I’ll be hiding under your cloak.”
Keith soon began to sweat, despite the blizzard howling around him, but the freezing water that continually splashed over him made him extremely wary. He knew the cloak would keep him from any debuffs, but it had to have some sort of limit. After all, if the cloak was soaked through, would it still work?
He was getting to the point where his hands were feeling numb. By the time Cayla came back through the whirling snow, her eyelashes and eyebrows were encrusted with ice.
“I can smell them getting closer,” she said, shifting from foot to foot. “We have maybe ten minutes, though I’d say that’s probably closer to eight.”
“How much do you have left?” Keith asked, looking to his own area.
He was nearly done, but with how pulped the ice was looking, he was going to have to smooth it over before the enemy arrived. Otherwise, they’d definitely see it, even with the blizzard. On top of that, he really had to hope that none of them had a skill that was good enough to see the deception. Otherwise, all of this would have been for nothing, and on top of that, they’d have given themselves away.
“I’ve gotten about halfway done,” Cayla said, looking apologetic.
“No worries,” he replied. “Your weapon isn’t exactly suited to this. How about we switch? I’m nearly finished. All you have to do is break off one last piece, then smooth over the ice. But be careful with that last part. I don’t want you falling in.”
Cayla nodded, and the two of them split once more, Keith moving to her side. He’d been working for a couple of minutes when he heard a sudden splash, followed by a hard jerk on the rope around his waist.
“Ugh!” he growled, hearing the splashing and screaming a half-second later.
This was exactly what he didn’t want to happen. Dropping his hammer, Keith dashed back to the spot where Cayla had been, tugging on the rope to keep it taut. He found her pretty quickly, thrashing about in the water and trying to get a grip on the icy lip.
“Pull me out!” she screamed, looking as though she’d sink completely in about two seconds if he didn’t do something.
Her skin was already turning an unhealthy shade of blue, her eyes wild in panic. Keith used Steelstance then kicked down, making sure he had a good purchase on the ice. Then, with all his strength, he hauled back, dragging the kicking and shivering woman from the freezing lake.
“Take your clothes off, now,” Keith commanded, already tugging at the strings on her armor.
Thankfully, she didn’t argue, frozen fingers fumbling for the clasps he could reach. The clothes were already freezing solid, and by the time he got her shirt off, it was stiff as a board. Pale skin was revealed beneath, showing a chest wrapping that was quickly freezing to her skin.
“I’ll get your boots off,” Keith said, dragging the cloak from his shoulders and tossing it over her. “Take everything off. If you’ve got spare underclothes, good, if not…well, try keeping yourself decent, and I’m sorry.”
While the embarrassment might be horrible, having clothes freeze to her skin would be far worse.
Keith gritted his teeth against the cold – which he felt immediately once his cloak was removed. His armor wasn’t doing much to keep the cold at bay, but it was doing enough for him to not immediately begin freezing.
He was quick to work Cayla’s boots off her feet and help her drag her pants off. The cloak covered her pale legs, and a moment later, the stiff underwear followed. They all vanished into her inventory as she wrapped the cloak around herself, still shivering and shuddering.
“I want you to head for shore,” Keith said, giving the woman a once-over. “Can you walk on your own?”
She nodded, keeping her jaws clenched tight to stop her from shivering. He helped her to her feet, then tugged the rope from around her waist and gave her a shove in the direction of the shore. Only once she was gone from sight did he return to his hammer.
“How long will she last?” he asked, lifting the hammer and swinging it into the ice once more.
“Longer than you!” Bob complained, sticking close to his neck and shivering against the cold. “That cloak might not have seemed like it was doing much, but it was keeping us both alive!”
Keith didn’t need to be told the obvious. Without the cloak, he was getting cold quickly. Every swing of his hammer sent freezing spray across his hands and face, and although logic should have dictated otherwise, they were getting far colder without the cloak wrapped around his shoulders.
“How much longer do we have?” Keith asked, hearing a loud crack as the ice split beneath his hammer.
“A minute or two,” Bob replied. “However long it is, you’re out of time!”
Keith looked around, then grimaced. The trap was far too obvious on his side. Cayla had only managed to smooth some of it over before falling in, meaning that it now fell on him to fix this mess.
Extending his hammer out over the trap, Keith began pulling it back in smooth strokes. Although it wasn’t perfect, this was far safer and more efficient than him trying to lean out over the trap himself.
You are freezing: -1 HP per second until your body temperature rises
Keith ignored the message, gritting his teeth against the cold as he pulled his hammer back, only to hear a faint voice sounding through the whirling flakes.
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“…hadn’t been for you, we’d still be nice and warm!”
Time’s up, he thought, quickly backing away, even as he spotted the section of ice that had yet to be smoothed. He silently cursed, while hoping against hope that it wouldn’t be discovered.
“Stop your whining,” Tara’s voice floated through the storm, sounding oddly muffled. “We’re almost to the shore. I can see the outline of the mountains.”
“Finally,” the youthful man groaned. “I can’t wait to get out of the cold.”
Keith quickly backed away, making his way toward the shore. He was about fifty feet away, crossing his fingers and praying for his trap to work when he finally heard something.
“Wait,” Tara said. “Something doesn’t feel right.”
Keith felt his heart skip a beat, wondering if their trap had been discovered.
“Well, I don’t care,” the gruff man said. “We can deal with whatever it is once we’re -ahhhh!”
That scream was followed by a loud splash.
“What the-?”
The young man’s voice was cut off by another splash.
“It’s a trap,” Tara screamed. “And you idiots walked right into it!”
Keith gritted his teeth. Tara hadn’t fallen into the trap.
“Help us!” the man screamed, the sound of splashing water echoing sounding, still muffled, through the storm.
“You dug your own grave,” Tara said mercilessly. “I’ll just have to complete the mission without you.”
Keith gritted his teeth, knowing what he now had to do. He took off at a run, pulling a wide circle around the group and coming up on them from behind. As he did, he pulled the long-handled hammer back, feeling his muscles straining from the awkward angle.
“Please,” one of them screamed as the splashing lessened.
Keith knew that the water was well below freezing, and at that temperature, they’d be dead in fifteen minutes at the best of times. In the water, with the gear weighing them down, they’d have two, maybe three minutes at the most before they grew exhausted and were dragged under. After all, this lake should have a bit of a current.
Keith came up on Tara from behind, seeing her half-crouched over a single panicked man. There was no sign of the other person.
Without hesitation, Keith skidded to a halt and hurled the hammer. Sensing something, Tara half-turned, just in time to catch the golden head right in her face.
-9, Massive Critical
Blood sprayed in the air as Tara let out a scream, her body hurled off the lip and into the freezing water. The hammer followed a half-second later, but Keith triggered its effect, paying the twenty-five stamina to recall it.
The hammer flew back, slapping into his palm as the water within the trap turned red. However, much to his shock, Tara soon surfaced, dragging the other man down as she clawed her way up. Her eyes blazed in rage, she had blood coating the front of her face, and her nose was flattened in a very unflattering way.
“Do something,” Bob screamed as the woman thrashed toward shore.
Not having a choice, Keith stepped up to the edge, used Steelstance, and brought the hammer crashing down on her fingers as she got a grip.
-4, Critical
-0 Crushing
Tara’s scream as she jerked her fingers back only lasted until Keith’s hammer blurred up, cracking into the side of her head, showing another damage notification. As soon as the hammer impacted, the woman sank like a stone, disappearing beneath the water.
Keith waited for several moments, waiting for her to come up. He wasn’t going to do something stupid, like turn his back and accept the woman as being dead.
He focused, a line of purple soon appearing beneath the ice, tracing its way toward the shore.
“She’s still conscious?” Keith exclaimed, dashing around the hole and following the line of purple.
“She could be wearing some pretty heavy-duty gear,” Bob replied. “Also, you’re forgetting her level and how little damage you actually did.”
“Good point,” Keith muttered.
If he’d hit someone of a similar level, he’d have done far more damage, especially with the way the hammer had come down, as well as his bonuses from his passive skills and Steelstance. He’d brought a hammer crashing into her face, and it had done practically nothing. If he were fighting fair, he’d be dead by now.
The ice ahead cracked suddenly as a fist shot up through. Keith skidded to a halt, waited for the frost-covered head to break through, then brought his hammer down once more.
-10, Massive Critical
The woman went under, but once more, the purple line continued moving. Keith’s eyes widened, then he gave chase once more. A message flashed before his eyes as the hand burst through once more.
You are frostbitten: stamina capped at 80%, Agility capped at 75%
Keith gritted his teeth, then brought the hammer down once more, cracking against the hand. It didn’t retreat, as another hand burst from the ice, followed a moment later by the woman’s face.
Her eyes blazed with hatred and rage, and while a normal person might have been intimidated, Keith stood his ground, swinging the hammer, two handed, right into her pale, bloody face.
Crack!
-14, Massive Critical
The woman sagged for a moment but didn’t go under, keeping a death grip on the ice. Keith brought his hammer up and around once more, slamming it into her face. Blood sprayed in the air as another damage notification flashed. Tara was shoved down but refused to let go.
“Holy cow,” Bob exclaimed. “That woman is a monster!”
“Lucky for me,” Keith grunted, swinging the hammer once more and impacting with a shuddering squelch, “I hunt monsters!”
Keith swung the hammer four more times before the woman’s grip finally went slack and she sank beneath the water.
He leaned forward, blood flecking his face and breathing hard, watching the blood pooling near the surface. However, only once he got the notification that he’d completed that part of the quest did he allow himself to relax.
+1,000 XP
Level Up!
Congratulations! You have reached level 9. You have 5 Stat Points to allocate.
Skill: Hammers has reached Intermediate level II
Skill: Ranged Mastery has reached Intermediate level V
Skill: Tactician has reached Advanced level VII
Skill: Steelstance has reached Beginner level II
2 small gold bars have been added to your inventory.
Silver Storm Spell Scroll has been added to your inventory.
Quest Update: Conspiracy
It seems like you’ve gotten yourself into quite the pickle. You’ve overheard some shady types talking about some mysterious plan involving the Pest Control Guild. After stopping a surprise attack, you realize that your guild is still in danger. You should probably try finding the real traitor before it’s too late.
Difficulty: S
Current Objective: Root out the real traitor
Current Rewards: 750 XP, 80 silver, Information
Time Remaining: 2 days, 4 hours, 3 minutes
Keith decided to hold off on allocating anything until he was out of the cold and his debuffs were gone. Slinging the hammer through the loops on his back, he headed toward the shore.
“You’re completely merciless,” Bob said, sounding genuinely shocked.
“Mercy is for those who can afford it,” Keith replied. “In my world, mercy and hesitation will get you killed.”
Keith picked up the telltale signs of Cayla’s tracks once he got into the mountain pass. Although they weren’t as clear as they might be in normal conditions, he was able to follow them to a small cave, where the woman in question was huddled next to a small cylinder that glowed a cherry red.
Out of the wind and snow, this cave was noticeably warmer. However, it was far more so than it should have been, and Keith guessed that the glowing construct was to thank for that. When he analyzed it a moment later, he saw that he was correct.
Name: Blazeforge
Quality: Rare
Item Type: Forge/Heat source
Effect: Can melt metals up to rare quality
Value: No less than 4 small gold & 6 silver
“Where did you get something like that?” Keith asked, moving closer to the heat source and feeling a wonderful warmth creeping into his bones.
“You look like total garbage,” Cayla said in response, shifting over a bit. “Come and sit down by the forge.”
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Keith didn’t need to be told twice, moving closer and sitting down. Steam began rising off his body in wisps soon after, the snow and water that clung to him evaporating.
“I got this item as a reward for clearing this part of the quest,” Cayla explained, staring at the heater. “Though, if I think about it rationally, I didn’t really do much. If it hadn’t been for you, I’d most likely be dead right now.”
Keith didn’t deny anything she said. False modesty wasn’t really his style.
“You’re wrong about one thing,” Keith said. “Without you, the plan would have never succeeded. We wouldn’t have been able to track the enemy well enough to set the trap, and I definitely wouldn’t have been able to dig it out on my own.”
Cayla finally looked up at him, her eyes reflecting the light from the glowing forge.
“I owe you my life,” she said. “There’s a debt to be paid. If you ever need my help for anything, and I mean anything, you can count on me to help.”
Much to Keith’s surprise, a small message popped up before him.
Cayla has sworn an oath! She is now bound by her word. Should she go back on her promise, an inquisitor will be called to pass judgment.
It seemed that certain words had power in this world. Keith would need to remember that for the future and not band them about willy-nilly.
“How are you feeling now?” he asked.
“I’ve mostly warmed up,” she said, pulling the cloak from her shoulders.
Thankfully, it seemed she’d had a spare outfit on her and was now fully dressed. Keith took the cloak back gratefully, and the moment he put it on, all of his debuffs vanished, along with the bone-deep cold that had seeped into his body.
“I’m curious about why you got a forge as your reward,” Keith said, eyeing the small cylinder. “Does the system give you what you really need, or is it just a coincidence?”
“The system will rarely give you a useless item, especially when you’re on a quest,” Bob answered, hopping off Keith’s shoulder and stretching out on the ground before the heat source. “But it won’t go out of its way to save you. Cayla likely got the forge only because she would find it useful.”
“You want to become a smith?” Keith asked, looking to the woman.
“My Smithing skill is at beginner ten,” Cayla said, sounding quite proud. “It’s my highest-level skill. Once I reach intermediate, I’ll be able to work with rare-quality metals, so this forge is perfect.”
“I had no idea,” Keith said, realizing that despite them spending a couple of days together, he didn’t really know much about her, which made sense. It would take longer than that.
