When both girls' health and mana were full, Lucy opened the door with a twist of a nob. It creaked and swung inward as the space within showed itself. As soon as they stepped in, it closed of its own accord.
The room was larger than the previous two combined, large enough for a battle to take place in, though still made of dirt. There, a goblin dressed in full leather, head to toe, sat in front of a circular table, eating a large slab of meat. It blinked its eyes at them as a piece fell out of its mouth.
". . ."
". . ."
The two watched speechlessly as it pocketed a spice bottle it had been shaking on its meal into a pouch before drawing a long sword out and standing. It was noticeably taller than most other goblins, reaching their height as it held its blade with both hands.
It snarled then slashed down with its blade.
The table crumbled and broke apart under its assault.
[Goblin Commander — level 15]
—the leader of Acron's Goblin Outpost, answering directly to the Goblin King.
"Level 15. . .how strong do you think it is?" Lucy asked as she drew her sword and shifted herself in front of her companion.
Worm shrugged lightly, drawing her own weapon and stepping a half-step behind Lucy.
"I have no idea," She said, orange eyes narrowing, "I've yet to study level balancing and statistics in this game. It's a tricky thing. I think the developers made Soul Totals purposefully hidden so planning your character ahead would be that much harder. Limitless variety of play styles made, but vague."
"Makes sense," Lucy agreed, "The skill-trees are hidden too."
Eclipse was a unique game where, save for your health and mana points that improved naturally in relation to your class when you leveled up, your stats had to be 'bought' through a currency known as 'Souls' acquired only by killing foes. And, even then, there was a limit players had begun to term 'Soul Total' based on your level which monsters seemed to follow as well.
The two couldn't imagine what the maximum stats a person at level 15 could wield. For Lucy, at level 8, the max her character could hold—without equipment added—was the equivalent of 56 Souls. Smack dab on her character page. Of course, she hadn't actually reached it yet as she was saving some for skills. On the other hand, she imagined that Worm, who was level 9, would be in the ball-park of the sixties.
Then there was the Goblin Commander in front who was at least 6 levels their superior. Though the incremental rate in stat total wasn't the same for every level—in fact, it seemed random—it was assured that the creature would be strong.
And so, they cautiously advanced forward as they circled the creature.
Lucy watched as its leg shifted.
"It's coming!"
She slashed her blade at the same time it charged.
A clank rang as their weapons met, her arm shook. Her health point dropped to 98%. However slight, just merely the force of its attack damaged her. She supposed, if you were strong enough, this was another mechanism in the game world to prevent merely blocking everything.
"I'll keep its attention!" She yelled into its snarling face, "You focus on attacking!"
"Got it. "
A light descended upon her at the same time three flurries of a sword's point stabbed into the chest of the creature. It roared, health falling to 98% as it stumbled back.
Its feet stamped.
"Oh no you don't!" Lucy stepped forward and slashed upward.
A spark flew and its weapon was repelled.
Worm came right beside her and stabbed straight into the creature's throat. Its hp dropped to 90% with the metaphorical critical hit as the scar of a blue, data-torn, hole was left.
The creature roared and red glistened over its skin.
"What the fu—!"
A sword strike blurred across Lucy's armor and a kick sent her against the wall. She crashed, air escaping her lungs as her barrier flickered while her health fell to 85% in one instance.
Her vision shook momentarily, but she was quick to crouch and avoid a sword drilling into her skull. Shooting back up, she pushed against the creature and slashed upward, tearing a slash along its length.
"You're forgetting someone."
It roared and a sword passed through its head thrice before it spun, sword swinging as it cleaved apart a wall.
Lucy leaped out of the way and Worm's figure landed beside her. She helped her companion up—who was now at 80% health—as she glared at the creature.
It looked at them both and roared.
[You have been affected by 'Goblin's Pride'! All stats lowered by 3 Souls!]
They had barely scrapped it. It was at 75% health, and it seemed to have only now gotten serious. In simple terms. . .
"We triggered its second stage." Lucy gritted her teeth.
"Most likely."
"Darn these devs!"
She charged at it.
Their blades clashed and, with no barrier present, her health was clipped of 5% even as no attack officially landed on her. That was the nature of facing someone so much more powerful than you in Eclipse.
""
Her health jumped back up to 90% as she faced the creature.
"I'll rush it. Same strategy as before!" She said and their battle began.
The tip of her blade clubbed its chest, and it returned her attack, slashing her throat. A critical hit sent her straight down to 50%. Half-part enraged, she rolled upon the floor from another strike and grabbed dirt before puffing it in its face.
"Realism for the win!"
As the goblin thrashed about, wildly swinging its blade with eyes blinking rapidly, both girls tore into it with their weapons.
3 triggers of her bracelet and her health climbed back to its green zone before the creature stepped forward, unblinded at 63% and slashing down.
"What the—"
She blinked her eyes.
Her health dropped to 30%.
A wave of blue sliced off her left arm before hitting the wall and borrowing a hole into it.
The goblin did not wait for her stupor to end, however, it kicked off the ground and slashed once more before a blade met its own.
"I'm beginning to despise these developers," Worm spoke, blocking its attack, "As well."
The girl, whose stats focused more on speed, found her health dropping to 74% due merely to the force of the goblin's attack. Essentially, she was a glass cannon, after all.
"We'll tag team it, focus on parrying, dodging, and attacking together." Lucy shook herself of her stupor and gripped her short-sword with one hand. "Switch!"
LotsChrono
Discord Server: https://discord.gg/vwKhVUR
Want more interesting stories? Check out my profile.
When both girls' health and mana were full, Lucy opened the door with a twist of a nob. It creaked and swung inward as the space within showed itself. As soon as they stepped in, it closed of its own accord.
The room was larger than the previous two combined, large enough for a battle to take place in, though still made of dirt. There, a goblin dressed in full leather, head to toe, sat in front of a circular table, eating a large slab of meat. It blinked its eyes at them as a piece fell out of its mouth.
". . ."
". . ."
The two watched speechlessly as it pocketed a spice bottle it had been shaking on its meal into a pouch before drawing a long sword out and standing. It was noticeably taller than most other goblins, reaching their height as it held its blade with both hands.
It snarled then slashed down with its blade.
The table crumbled and broke apart under its assault.
[Goblin Commander — level 15]
—the leader of Acron's Goblin Outpost, answering directly to the Goblin King.
"Level 15. . .how strong do you think it is?" Lucy asked as she drew her sword and shifted herself in front of her companion.
Worm shrugged lightly, drawing her own weapon and stepping a half-step behind Lucy.
"I have no idea," She said, orange eyes narrowing, "I've yet to study level balancing and statistics in this game. It's a tricky thing. I think the developers made Soul Totals purposefully hidden so planning your character ahead would be that much harder. Limitless variety of play styles made, but vague."
"Makes sense," Lucy agreed, "The skill-trees are hidden too."
Eclipse was a unique game where, save for your health and mana points that improved naturally in relation to your class when you leveled up, your stats had to be 'bought' through a currency known as 'Souls' acquired only by killing foes. And, even then, there was a limit players had begun to term 'Soul Total' based on your level which monsters seemed to follow as well.
The two couldn't imagine what the maximum stats a person at level 15 could wield. For Lucy, at level 8, the max her character could hold—without equipment added—was the equivalent of 56 Souls. Smack dab on her character page. Of course, she hadn't actually reached it yet as she was saving some for skills. On the other hand, she imagined that Worm, who was level 9, would be in the ball-park of the sixties.
Then there was the Goblin Commander in front who was at least 6 levels their superior. Though the incremental rate in stat total wasn't the same for every level—in fact, it seemed random—it was assured that the creature would be strong.
And so, they cautiously advanced forward as they circled the creature.
Lucy watched as its leg shifted.
"It's coming!"
She slashed her blade at the same time it charged.
A clank rang as their weapons met, her arm shook. Her health point dropped to 98%. However slight, just merely the force of its attack damaged her. She supposed, if you were strong enough, this was another mechanism in the game world to prevent merely blocking everything.
"I'll keep its attention!" She yelled into its snarling face, "You focus on attacking!"
"Got it. "
A light descended upon her at the same time three flurries of a sword's point stabbed into the chest of the creature. It roared, health falling to 98% as it stumbled back.
Its feet stamped.
"Oh no you don't!" Lucy stepped forward and slashed upward.
A spark flew and its weapon was repelled.
Worm came right beside her and stabbed straight into the creature's throat. Its hp dropped to 90% with the metaphorical critical hit as the scar of a blue, data-torn, hole was left.
The creature roared and red glistened over its skin.
"What the fu—!"
A sword strike blurred across Lucy's armor and a kick sent her against the wall. She crashed, air escaping her lungs as her barrier flickered while her health fell to 85% in one instance.
Her vision shook momentarily, but she was quick to crouch and avoid a sword drilling into her skull. Shooting back up, she pushed against the creature and slashed upward, tearing a slash along its length.
"You're forgetting someone."
It roared and a sword passed through its head thrice before it spun, sword swinging as it cleaved apart a wall.
Lucy leaped out of the way and Worm's figure landed beside her. She helped her companion up—who was now at 80% health—as she glared at the creature.
It looked at them both and roared.
[You have been affected by 'Goblin's Pride'! All stats lowered by 3 Souls!]
They had barely scrapped it. It was at 75% health, and it seemed to have only now gotten serious. In simple terms. . .
"We triggered its second stage." Lucy gritted her teeth.
"Most likely."
"Darn these devs!"
She charged at it.
Their blades clashed and, with no barrier present, her health was clipped of 5% even as no attack officially landed on her. That was the nature of facing someone so much more powerful than you in Eclipse.
""
Her health jumped back up to 90% as she faced the creature.
"I'll rush it. Same strategy as before!" She said and their battle began.
The tip of her blade clubbed its chest, and it returned her attack, slashing her throat. A critical hit sent her straight down to 50%. Half-part enraged, she rolled upon the floor from another strike and grabbed dirt before puffing it in its face.
"Realism for the win!"
As the goblin thrashed about, wildly swinging its blade with eyes blinking rapidly, both girls tore into it with their weapons.
3 triggers of her bracelet and her health climbed back to its green zone before the creature stepped forward, unblinded at 63% and slashing down.
"What the—"
She blinked her eyes.
Her health dropped to 30%.
A wave of blue sliced off her left arm before hitting the wall and borrowing a hole into it.
The goblin did not wait for her stupor to end, however, it kicked off the ground and slashed once more before a blade met its own.
"I'm beginning to despise these developers," Worm spoke, blocking its attack, "As well."
The girl, whose stats focused more on speed, found her health dropping to 74% due merely to the force of the goblin's attack. Essentially, she was a glass cannon, after all.
"We'll tag team it, focus on parrying, dodging, and attacking together." Lucy shook herself of her stupor and gripped her short-sword with one hand. "Switch!"
LotsChrono
Discord Server: https://discord.gg/vwKhVUR
Want more interesting stories? Check out my profile.
