Red and Gideon moved into a newly cleared space in the mess hall. Maddox, Bullseye, and Mia looked on while the soldiers charged with clearing away the obstacles that still barred access to the lower section of the station watched with interest.
Both Red and Gideon were stripped to the waist, reasoning that destroying their armor during the sparring seemed like a waste of resources while their bodies could be healed easily enough.
“Maybe keep that healing spell prepped,” Gideon said. “Apparently we need to use real weapons for this to work, and it wouldn’t be smart to kill one another trying out some new abilities.”
Red snorted. “Don’t worry, bro, I’ll go easy on you.”
“Oh,” Gideon replied, “like you did with the Stalkers downstairs?”
The other man shook his head, still grinning but with a feral look in his eyes. “Oh, it’s on, boss. IT’S ON!”
He was hefting the Bloodborn sword as a club, and with Maddox’s guidance he’d been able to sheer the edges of the weapon, reducing the curve and making it look more like a novelty baton. The edges were still rough as Maddox had been forced to use crude workshop equipment to get the job done, but Red seemed happy with the results and the Chief Engineer insisted that the System would recognize the weapon as a club and suit his new brawler class.
Gideon, by contrast, held the two Harvester talons. They were larger and heavier than the daggers, and Gideon wasn’t actually sure how best to use them. He’d seen plenty of tanks fight before, of course, but the most common fighting setup was a sword and shield combo. Occasionally a paladin style tank would go for a two-handed sword or warhammer, but Gideon couldn’t remember seeing anyone with two swords.
He wasn’t about to let Red know how uncomfortable he felt with the larger weapons though. The other man might have been his comrade in arms but that didn’t mean Gideon wasn’t going to try and wipe the floor with him.
“Okay,” Mia said, “on three.”
She looked from one to the other as Gideon and Red prepared themselves for the fight.
“Three.”
Gideon quickly checked his spells, thinking to go with Shadow Step on instinct but then rethinking the approach as he remembered that he was supposed to be testing the abilities of his new class and not simply dropping back into rogue combat. He decided to keep it simple, going with either a thrust or swipe and seeing what Red could come up with.
“Two.”
He hefted the bladed, reflecting that he knew how to stab and strike an enemy aiming for vulnerable spots, but not how to generate and maintain aggro let alone fight multiple enemies at once. Perhaps this wouldn’t be an effective test after all?
“One.”
Red moved much faster than Gideon had expected, closing the gap between them by leaping through the air and landing directly in front of Gideon. He slammed his newly fashioned club into the floor and sent a shockwave of force ahead of him that slammed into Gideon and knocked him backwards with crushing force.
Gideon staggered, bringing up his swords to block Red’s follow up attack but finding that his movement was slowed as though he was moving through molasses. He brought up his swords just as Red’s club smashed into him with a flurry of repeated slams.
One of his swords slipped and was knocked free as Red’s club shattered the bones of Gideon’s left wrist. Desperately trying to hold back the onslaught, Gideon twisted out of the way, but his movements were too slow, and he was forced to use his battered hand to help block the attacks by bracing his remaining sword in a blocking motion.
Already reeling with pain and down to one sword, Gideon backed away as the flurry of attacks finally ended. He checked his hotbar and found, frustratingly, that all but one of the ability icons had been replaced by a flashing question mark. The only icon left indicated what looked like a new ability called Dark Rejuvenation.
As Red approached, roaring with laughter and clearly looking to end the fight quickly, Gideon triggered the new ability. He felt no immediate change, but as he failed to block one of Red’s attacks and it hit his shoulder, a jolt of healing passed through his body. At the same time, Red recoiled as dark shadows surrounding him for split second.
Red attacked again and this time Gideon didn’t block at all. The blow struck him hard in the chest and it hurt like hell, but a moment later the pain had gone and his broken wrist sustained in the earliest moments of the fight was healed. Once more, Red backed away, grimacing as a portion of the pain delivered was sent back at him.
Gideon quickly pulled up the spell details for Dark Rejuvenation as he backed away and put some space between them both.
DARK REJUVENATION
The Shadowguard channels the depths of their Grit, reflecting a portion of the damage they take back at enemies, restoring health based on the amount of damage reflected.
For 5 seconds, reflects 50% of all incoming damage to attackers while healing the Shadowguard for 70% of the reflected damage.
Now fully restored, Gideon nodded. “Awesome,” he muttered as Red attacked once more and he was forced to move into a defensive stance.
For a few seconds they both struck and parried, shoving one another back and forth as they struggled to gain an advantage and scope out their new abilities. Red swung his club in a horizontal arc that failed to make contact but still released an acrid red mist that bit Gideon’s throat and burned his eyes making it impossible to see as the brawler then slammed his weapon into his side.
Gideon stumbled backwards, pain ripping through his side. Once more he checked his hotbar but no sword spells had showed up and only one more ability was available. Eyes stinging, vision blurred, Gideon triggered the ability as Red came in with another swing of his club.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
DUSK VEIL
The Shadowguard dissolves into living shadow, becoming partially intangible and slipping between attacks, making them immune to AoE damage and untargetable for a short time.
For 3 seconds, the Shadowguard gains 90% increased evasion and becomes immune to all AoE damage.
If the Shadowguard successfully avoids an attack, they gain a 10% movement speed boost for the duration.
Red swung and jabbed with his club, but every attack seemed to miss. Making the most of the opportunity, Gideon dropped and rolled, picking up his fallen sword and feeling the speed increase from the Dusk Veil ability
He got to his feet and immediately opened up a new ability as it appeared.
SHADOW SMITE
A shadow-infused ambush strike that stuns and marks the target, forcing them into a duel with the Shadowguard. This technique allows the user to both open the fight and control enemy focus.
+80% increased damage when striking an unaware enemy from behind.
Applies "Mark of the Abyss" on hit: The target is forced to focus attacks on the Shadowguard for 5 seconds.
If the target survives the attack, they suffer "Dazed" (reducing movement speed and accuracy by 30% for 4 sec).
Successful kills with Shadow Smite generate a shadow shield, absorbing 10% of max health as damage for 6 seconds.
Without being told, Gideon knew exactly how to trigger the ability. As Red turned to face him, he slammed his blades together and sent a sharp percussive burst toward the brawler. Red staggered, blinking in confusion as he tried to focus. Exposed and unable to focus, he was an easy target and Gideon lunged forward, slamming his swords home into Red’s shoulders and driving him back.
Red screamed. “Tapping out! Tapping out!”
Gideon pulled back the swords and blood gushed from the wounds. He realized that, although he’d been aiming for Red’s shoulders in an attempt to deliver non-lethal strikes, the larger weapons had been driven into his chest, causing far more damage.
Red fell to the floor as Mia ran over, light shooting from her hands and covering the brawlers body as blood continued to gush from the savage wounds on his chest.
“Shit!” Gideon breathed. “Dude, I didn’t mean to—”
“Don’t apologize,” Bullseye interrupted, the AI’s voice coming right into Gideon’s head. “You fought well, and he was overconfident. This will serve as a valuable lesson and Mia’s healing will be sufficient to mend his injuries.”
Gideon shook his head. Bullseye was right, of course. Red was already starting to recover, and he had been overconfident. It still didn’t feel good sticking your friend with two swords like that.
Friend. Is that what Red was?
And Mia?
He supposed they were both his friends. They’d only known each other for a matter of hours, but they’d been through a lot in that time and violence had a way of bonding people. At least, that’s what he’d heard.
“Jesus, dude!” Red blurted, sitting up with a broad smile on his lips. “You gotta warn a guy before you go popping both lungs like that.”
Gideon leaned down and offered his hand, helping Red to his feet. The brawler happily accepted the gesture.
“I had no choice,” Gideon said, “whatever the hell that first combo of spells was, it knocked the shit out of me. I had to do something otherwise I’d be out for the count.”
“Let’s go again,” Red barked, grinning from ear to ear. “I got something else I want to try.”
“You’re on.”
They backed away from each other as Mia moved out of range and the others gathered in the mess hall watched with interest. Gideon couldn’t be positive, but it looked like some of the soldier were laying bets on the outcome of the fight.
He checked his hotbar and found that six abilities were indicated. They each looked like variations on the rogue abilities he’d been using previously except for the Dark Rejuvenation spell which had come from his increased Grit level instead of his new class and weapon choice.
“Give me two ticks,” Gideon said, holding up a hand as Red stalked back and forth in front of him. “Just need to sort out my HUD.”
He quickly rearranged the ability icons in a way that would make more sense for a regular fight.
SLOT 1: SHADOW CHARGE
Instantly teleports up to 30 feet and slams into the ground, dealing 200% weapon damage to all enemies within a 4-meter radius.
Generates 80% increased aggro on all enemies hit.
Applies a stagger effect, briefly disrupting enemy attacks.
Ether Infusion:
Increases charge distance by 10 feet per 20-200 ether (level dependent) up to 100 feet total.
Increases the impact radius to 6 meters.
Shrouds the Shadowguard in an ethereal afterimage, reducing damage taken by 20% for 4 seconds.
Enemies hit are marked, making them deal 10% less damage for 6 seconds.
Cooldown: 30 seconds.
SLOT 2: PHANTOM STEP
Instantly teleports behind a chosen enemy within 20 meters.
Triggers Stealth Strike with +15% base bonus damage, scaling up to +200% additional damage with Ether infusion.
Applies ""Marked by the Abyss"" for 5 seconds: The target is forced to attack the Shadowguard.
If the target is already aggroed on the Shadowguard, the Shadowguard gains 30% damage resistance for 4 seconds.
Cooldown: 30 seconds
SLOT 3: SHADOW SMITE
+80% increased damage when striking an unaware enemy from behind.
Applies ""Mark of the Abyss"" on hit: The target is forced to focus attacks on the Shadowguard for 5 seconds.
If the target survives the attack, they suffer ""Dazed"" (reducing movement speed and accuracy by 30% for 4 sec).
Successful kills with Shadow Smite generate a shadow shield, absorbing 10% of max health as damage for 6 seconds.
SLOT 4: ABYSSAL PIERCE
+10% attack speed when performing this attack.
+20% armor penetration against lightly-armored or unarmored foes.
SLOT 5: DUSK VEIL
For 3 seconds, the Shadowguard gains 90% increased evasion and becomes immune to all AoE damage. If the Shadowguard successfully avoids an attack, they gain a 10% movement speed boost for the duration.
SLOT 6: DARK REJUVINATION
For 5 seconds, reflects 50% of all incoming damage to attackers while healing the Shadowguard for 70% of the reflected damage.
“You ready?” Red asked.
Gideon nodded. “Yeah, I’m good.”
They both turned to Mia and nodded.
“Three,” Mia said, starting the count again. “Two.”
Gideon had already decided on his approach. Guessing that Red would try to overwhelm him again with brute force and a flurry of attacks, he’d start with an interrupt.
“One!”
He triggered Shadow Charge and was hurled through space to land in front of Red, slamming both blades into the ground and sending a wave of power outwards from the impact point. He felt the Harvester talons smash against the floor, but instead of pain reverberating up his arms due to the impact, he felt a thrill of strength and vitality following the move.
Red staggered back, whatever attacked he’d been planning interrupted by the charge. Gideon immediately followed up with Phantom Step, shifting behind the brawlers and slashing his twin swords against Red’s back. Two arcs of crimson appeared where he cut through bare flesh and Red stumbled forward, turning groggily, his eyes unable to focus as he stood in front of Gideon, clearly dazed but unable to flee.
Gideon held his right sword against Red’s throat and the other man held up a hand in surrender.
“I yield, damn it.”
Mia came over again, healing Red’s injuries as he stood shaking his head. “I got my bell rung that time.”
“Now you know how it feels,” Gideon responded. “I threw an interrupt at you first up so that stopped whatever you were planning.”
Red nodded. “Skullsplitter. It’s supposed to stun enemies for a couple of seconds. I figured if I could get you with that you’d be done for. I was gonna follow up with Piledriver.”
“Shit!” Gideon blurted. “That sounds horrifying.”
Red laughed. “Yeah, I was looking forward to that one.”
“Well, maybe this time, I guess. But I’m not looking forward to it.”
Mia stepped forward rolling her eyes. “I’d love to keep watching you boys beat the living shit out of each other, but we’ve got a job to do, remember? The Commander wants to see us in her office asap, so if you’ve both got what you needed out of this, I suggest we get moving.”
Gideon and Red looked at each other, shrugging.
“Yeah,” Gideon said, “I think I’ve got what I need. Enough that I won’t get my ass handed to me the next time we run into a pack of Stalkers.”
“Me too,” Red agreed. “I’ll just have to try out Piledriver on one of those Stalker bastards.”
“Good,” Mia said, “because Moynohan is about to have an aneurysm!”