Chương 3: Electric Stag Boogie

Ch. 03 - Electric Stag Boogie I have spent more time with adventurers than the average person. I've even adventured myself, for all that I don't have a traditional class for it. They all tend to have similar advice though, from Iron rank all the way to the Gold rank elites. Only a fool attacks a monster without knowing what it is or what it can do. Those who don't follow this rule die quick, and they die hard.

- from the writings of Steadholder Eckhart Wyatt crept towards the stag, Anders' [skill] driving him forwards.

His eyes were locked on the beast in front of him; he swore that it was aware of their presence, but just didn't care. The stag had ceased carving grooves into the nearest tree, and was now snuffling at the cuts it had made. In front, Anders entire body was noticeably tense, his shoulders tight. If they weren't trying to be quiet, Wyatt would have told the man to relax. Get that wound up and you were liable to make mistakes.

There was only one more of the giant trees between them and the stag when Royce burst out of his skill. He appeared as though out of mid-air, leaping at the stag from the opposite side of their approach, his knife held in an overhand grip. Wyatt winced when he saw that; Royce would be able to generate a fair bit of power, but it wasn't the best way to kill an animal like a deer. Royce shouted, his eyes filled with excitement as he leapt at the stag's back.

"[Quick Stab]!" Wyatt's stomach dropped when he saw Royce's trajectory. The others were gasping, and he supposed it was an impressive sight. But all Wyatt could focus on was the shoddy execution. Oh shit, that's not good. Whatever Royce's intention, his knife flashed down and hit the stag behind its neck, glancing off its shoulder blade as the [Hunter] landed on its back. The knife opened up its hide and red blood splattered out, looking shockingly vibrant on its silver coat.

The stag let out a deep, coughing bellow, tossing its head in outrage. It spun on the spot, its hooves dancing, and the swift movement tossed Royce off onto the ground where he landed heavily, only the thick loamy leaf litter saving him from injury. Even so, he looked dazed. Anders raised his spear, yelling. They still weren't quite in position, and the [Squad Leader] broke into a dead run.

"Now! Go!" Anders charged the remaining distance towards the stag, yelling the entire time. Wyatt was right on his heels along with Sam, David slightly behind them. Whatever his personal feelings about Royce and what they were embarked upon, Wyatt wasn't going to leave someone in danger. Not when he could do something about it. That didn't mean he was simply going to rush in though. He veered off slightly to the left, keeping his eyes locked on the animal, studying it.

This was why he hadn't wanted to rush things; instead of a decisive opening blow, all Royce had succeeded in doing was pissing the stag off. Wyatt should have realised that Royce hadn't known what he was doing; his butchered killing of the ground rodent had shown that. But how could he not know where the best spot to strike an animal was?

Or maybe Wyatt was just projecting; he'd spent so many years out in the wilderness around his grandparent's farm that he had assumed that Royce had at least a vague idea of what he was doing. Particularly with something like the [Hunter] class. Anders reached the stag first. He was still shouting, trying to distract it from Royce who was rolling desperately away, trying to avoid the sharp hooves, unable to get to his feet.

"Here, over here, you stupid beast! [Power Strike]!" Anders thrust out his spear, his form perfect as he utilised his skill. Unfortunately his haste ruined his aim, and the blade of his spear glanced off of the flank of the stag. It was enough to distract the beast though, and it spun to face Anders, its eyes rolling wildly about in its head. The stag's antlers were crackling with electricity now, far beyond what had been visible earlier. Arcs of glowing current were dancing between the tines.

It lowered its head and charged at Anders.

"Shit!" Anders yelled, flinging himself desperately to one side. He swung the haft of his spear up, deflecting the antlers seeking his flesh. David ran up behind the stag, yelling as well, his face white. He had his spear raised in both hands above his head, shaking it like he was trying to distract or intimidate the animal. It was brave, if foolhardy. David wasn't prepared for the stag to pivot and kick back with its hind legs, striking him squarely in the ribs and flinging him back through the air.

He flew over fifteen feet before hitting the ground where he writhed, clutching at his chest. Wyatt didn't spare David more than a glance, for all that he internally winced at the blow. He hoped the guy was alright, but he had to focus on the battle that they had suddenly found themselves in. For a battle it was. At seeing Sam about to charge in to help, Wyatt called out her name, getting her attention.

His voice was flat, and he stared hard at the beast as it lunged at Anders again, letting out another coughing bellow that shook the forest.

"Don't rush in. It's quick, and both ends are dangerous. It's too late to finish this quickly — we need to keep it turning, keep it from focusing on any one person." Sam blinked, hesitating. She looked at Wyatt strangely, like he was surprising to her.

"What about Anders and Royce?" Wyatt grimaced. He lowered the tip of his spear, keeping his eyes fixed upon the stag, trying to get a feel for its movements.

"Try not to let them foul you. They're being idiots." As if to prove his words, Royce did an impressive rebound as he leapt against a tree and then catapulted himself back at the stag from above.

"[Repositioning Leap]! Die, damn you!" Royce stabbed at the stag again, his knife, already slick with the beast's blood, skittering ineffectually off the hide along its neck. Despite the failed attempt, Anders cheered, jabbing his spear at the stag, trying to back it up.

"That's it, a few more of those, Royce!" As Wyatt and Sam circled around into position on either side of the stag, the beast suddenly froze. It trembled for a second, its flanks rippling. The tines of its antlers sparked, the electricity growing more pronounced. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Wyatt's eyes widened. He shouted, trying to get the [Hunter's] attention.

"Royce! Get off!" Royce hung onto the back of the stag gamely, still trying to slice his knife into the deer's neck. He kept shouting out his skill, but [Quick Stab] must have been on cooldown because it wasn't activating. He shouted back at Wyatt.

"Don't be stupid, I've almost got—" The stag's antlers sparked brighter, the electricity running down them, dancing across the tines, and then continuing along its pelt. Royce went rigid, his muscles convulsing as he lost his grip, and he toppled off of the deer for a second time. Wyatt moved without thinking. He dropped his spear and darted forward, dodging the flailing hooves of the electric stag, throwing himself into a dive so that he was next to the still twitching Royce.

He rolled to his feet and grabbed the [Hunter], hauling him bodily along the ground until he was out of immediate danger. Then Wyatt spun, hoping he wasn't about to be gored for saving Royce of all people. Luckily though, Sam had acted. As the electric stag had spun to follow Wyatt, she had moved along its flank, keeping pace, and slashed down with her spear, calling out a skill.

"[Hamstring Blow]!" It was here that Wyatt saw more evidence that using a [Skill] didn't necessarily mean a certain outcome. Because instead of Sam's swipe with the blade of her spear disabling the buck, it skittered across its flank as the beast spun to face her. Electricity sparked along the blade of the spear, but luckily Sam was insulated by the wooden haft.

"Wyatt, here!" Sam scooped Wyatt's spear off the ground and tossed it to him. He almost fumbled the grab, but managed to hang onto it. He gave Sam a tight grin.

"Thanks! Let's do this." Sam and Wyatt started what seemed like a dance with the enraged buck. They kept it between them, one thrusting with their spear whenever the stag turned its attention on the other. Wyatt's blood was pumping, and he'd never felt so alive, like he was in an actual battle, not just a hunt. He wondered if he had the same expression on his face that Sam had. The woman was grinning wildly, her eye's alight as they dodged and thrust.

Some strands of her hair had come out from the tight bun she usually kept it in, and it was whipping about her face as she moved. Actually, it was hard for Wyatt to keep up with Sam. She was moving fast, barely even breathing hard, showing a casual grace in her movements that would have captivated Wyatt under other circumstances. Wyatt was young and fit, and had hunted and been active pretty much all of his twenty years of life.

But here he saw the difference between what he'd begun to think of as combat classes and his own. Off to one side, Anders had recovered from his near miss, but he was just staring at Wyatt and Sam; his eyes wide and surprised. He seemed uncertain for the first time, but then he set his jaw, firming his grip on his spear. He ran around behind the buck, readying himself. Then, without warning, he charged forwards. Anders yelled out a skill, almost throwing himself at their quarry.

"[Power Strike]!" This time Anders managed to find the correct angle of attack. The blade of his spear entirely entered the beast, driving deep into its haunch. Unfortunately, Anders had attacked from the rear and the wound, although deep, wasn't exactly a mortal blow. The stag spun on the spot, faster than ever before, its hooves flashing with electricity. Anders, with his [Lesser Strength] passive, managed to hold onto his spear; a mistake.

The knife snapped off, leaving him holding onto nothing more than a stave of wood. Anders had time to desperately bring the broken haft of his spear upwards in a block, but then the stag struck him with an uncharacteristic move — or at least one for a deer from Earth. It swiped Anders side-on, its antlers, crackling with energy, broke his staff in half — sending him flying backwards. Wyatt barely had time to do more than curse. Royce was still recovering from being shocked.

He was struggling to get to his feet, but he looked unsteady, his eyes unfocused. David was flat on his back, groaning quietly, and now Anders was down. Wyatt met Sam's eyes for a moment, and she looked as grim as he felt. If he thought the stag would let them, he'd be leading the retreat already. Wyatt struck at the stag with his spear, not with an intent to kill it, just to distract it. As it whirled to him, Wyatt called out to Sam.

"Keep it focused on us! Don't let it go for the others!" Sam nodded grimly, and the dance continued. The ground beneath the stag was soon churned to bare earth, the thick leaf litter flying in all directions beneath its hooves as it spun and lunged towards them. Wyatt barely managed to do more than draw blood from the furious beast; he was watching it intently, trying to judge what it was going to do next. Waiting for his chance, because he suspected he would only get one.

Sam looked nearly as focused as she leapt and dodged. So intent were they, that they didn't notice Anders at first. The [Squad Leader] looked a little groggy as he shook his head to clear it. Then, his face twisted up into a snarl, he charged yet again. He was holding the haft of his spear like he'd forgotten that he'd already lost the knife attached to the tip. Wyatt's eyes widened as he saw what Anders was doing too late.

"Anders, don't —" Bellowing nearly as loud as their quarry, Anders ran forwards. However, once again, it didn't go quite to plan. For the first time, the stag reared up, balancing itself on its hind legs. It twisted, arching its back as it lowered its head towards the man charging towards it … and then it lunged downwards, driving its antlers crackling with electricity at Anders. Despite Anders' failures so far, he still had a combat class.

His eyes widened as the stag lunged towards him, and he threw himself forwards under the lunging stag desperately, twisting his body to avoid being impaled. Unfortunately his dive caused him to almost collide with Sam, and she stumbled for the first time since the battle began. The stag, far faster than any animal that Wyatt had ever seen on Earth, recovered from its downwards strike. It twisted, its hooves flying, and lunged at Sam. She saw it coming, and almost managed to get out of its way …

but Wyatt was unable to do anything as the outermost tine of the stag's antlers slashed across Sam's upper arm. Samantha went rigid, her muscles spasming as electricity arced into her. She clutched at her arm, crying out, as she fell. She held onto her weapon somehow, breath hissing as she gritted her teeth. Still, she wasn't able to get out of the way as the stag tried again.

"Over here!" Wyatt yelled at the stag desperately as he ran at it, trying to distract the beast. He lowered his spear, aiming for the underside of its neck, but he underestimated its speed. All he managed was a glancing blow, but it was enough to get its attention. Then the beast focused on Wyatt, and he was the only one left.

"Come on, do it again. Do it again …" Wyatt muttered to himself as he dodged and lunged at the stag. He had a plan, and he was now waiting for his chance. Part of him — a lot of him actually — thought it was a pretty bad plan, but it was the only thing he could think to do. The stag had taken apart the entire group in only a few minutes. The beast was breathing hard, its breath misting out in a cloud around its nose, and scarlet was sheeting across its silver coat from the wounds that they'd managed to inflict.

For all that, it didn't appear all that injured. Wyatt tried to remember the forms that his Grandmother had tried to drill into him. He could just picture her shaking her head and tutting at his shoddy execution, but Wyatt still managed to cut the stag across the chest with a thrust. It was enough to goad the beast into doing what Wyatt hoped. Electricity sparked across the sharp tines, and the stag reared up on its hind legs.

It twisted its head, aiming down at Wyatt as it towered above him; a vast beast, far larger than he was. Then it lunged downwards, aiming to skewer the creature that had dared to wound it. Wyatt distantly heard Sam call out his name, but it seemed so far away. Everything seemed like it was moving slowly. He threw himself forwards, just like Anders had done, but with a far different intent. Wyatt slid forwards on the soft loam, going down onto one knee. His eyes were fixed on his target, the stag's broad chest.

Wyatt raised his spear, aiming it, setting the butt of the weapon on the ground. Then the beast was on him. Wyatt felt a shock from the electricity as the stag's antlers passed over his head and down his back. He swear he felt its breath on his hair … and then the full weight of the stag's lunge came down, impaling it on Wyatt's spear. It went deep, a burst of crimson erupting as the weapon tore into its chest. The stag bellowed, but this time there was a strangled drawn out dirge added.

Wyatt met the beast's eye for a moment, the dark orb rolling wildly about in its head. The stag coughed, wheezed. Blood pouring out of its mouth. Then the haft of Wyatt's spear broke under the weight of the stag and it collapsed on top of him. Wyatt's breath rushed out of his lungs as the beast fell on him. If that wasn't bad enough, electricity ripped through his body, making him spasm. He felt himself bite his tongue, the pain of it a distant second to what he was experiencing.

Wyatt tried to breathe but couldn't; the stag across his chest was too heavy. It felt like he was falling, like everything was going dark. Wyatt made one last attempt to get out from under the dying beast, but he just didn't have the strength. Then everything went black. [Survivalist Level 7!] [Skill - Danger Sense] [Skill - Desperate Strike]