Dokeshi March: Chapter 27 (Patreon)

Chapter 27

After doing some explaining, the two of them came up with a plan.  Suki took a running leap over to the nearest building to get into position, and Grant pulled free several more bricks around the section of the chimney they wanted to fall.  He then wrapped a section of rope around the portion they wanted to collapse, and tied the other end around his waist.

Grant made sure to double-check his work, and moved to the edge of the roof.  The rope wasn’t long enough for it to reach much farther than that, so he would just have to make do.  After lining up several bricks along the peak of the roof, he crouched down to wait.  He saw a flash of movement a few buildings away, and grabbed the hilt of February Twenty Nine in excitement.  This was going to be fun.

Suki was only one rooftop away from the soldiers when she threw the first brick.  It smashed into the helmet of a guard digging through the bag of an old man, and the impact caused the armored thug to stumble over the clothes he had thrown in the dirt.

The second, third, and fourth bricks were thrown in rapid succession, the glinting flash of Suki’s gauntleted hands in the light of the torches instantly giving her position away.  Guards started pointing and shouting, with only a few seeking cover.  It was a testament to their training that they were already snaking through the city streets to surround her location in only a few minutes.

Considering it was the wrong building they needed them to focus on, it was now Grant’s turn to show off his throwing arm.  The first brick he tossed went sailing past the guard he was aiming for, and the sound of it shattering against the invisible barrier was accompanied by a flash of azure light from the defenses.  The light show caused the remaining guards to duck, and Grant’s second projectile flew true.

The House Saturday Wielder seemed more stunned than injured.  The sheer audacity of someone hitting her with a mundane weapon - like a brick - was enough to incite a momentary wave of disbelief, followed by a look of pure murder that Grant could swear he could see from his rooftop over sixty yards away.  Apparently, getting hit in the foot by a hunk of masonry was a real trigger for the woman.

<Actually, it’s more like seventy yards from where you are to the entrance.>  Sarge’s words caused Grant to blink in surprise.  <You still underestimate your new strength.  Suki had to use her gauntlets to help with throwing the bricks that far.  It isn’t necessary for you to use your Wielded Weapon to assist you.  Your cultivation level is more than enough to manage such a simple attack.>

Grant didn’t have time to answer.  The assassin was already moving his direction, the vast majority of guards following in her wake.  He was glad the system didn’t record the ineffective ambush as the start of combat.  Either Grant was out of range, or the lack of damage meant it wasn’t counted.  It must have been the same for Suki, because she didn’t seem to pause when the remaining guards and their clown leader started toward her.  She was already leading them north, away from the rooftop he was standing on.

The sound of the warped and rotting door exploding from a massive impact forced Grant to focus back on the group coming for him.  The Wielder from House Saturday must have used some kind of skill to reach him so fast, because the majority of the guards following her weren’t even to the entrance of the alley leading to his building.

<You are going to have to hold her off until they catch up.>  Grant gave a sharp nod of agreement at Sarge’s advice.  Their whole plan revolved around getting as many of the guards trapped inside as possible.  <Whatever you do, don’t breathe in that gas.  I don’t know what it does, but it certainly can’t be good.>

“Thanks for that.  I would have never guessed the obviously poisonous gas wielded by an assassin would be-”  Grant’s sarcastic comments were cut off by the destruction of the roof only a few feet away.  A golden ball spewing clouds of green vapor erupted from the rotting shingles, the light of the stars giving it an ethereal quality that was almost mesmerizing.

When the ball was jerked back down, it brought a sizable chunk of the surface Grant was standing on with it.  He was forced to scramble backwards, his spine slamming against the chimney sticking out of the roof.  It teetered in place, but settled back when Grant sprang away.  The distraction allowed the Wielder from House Saturday to jump up onto the roof uncontested, causing Grant to miss his best opportunity to attack the dark-robed killer who had been hunting him across the district.

“In all my years of hunting a target, I don’t think I have ever met one so foolish as to actually try to ambush me with something as ineffective as a brick.”  The assassin’s voice was melodic, almost hypnotizingly beautiful.  She was like a viper, dancing before it strikes.  It was hard for Grant to tell due to the lack of lighting, but the frail-looking woman must have been very beautiful when she was younger.  “I should thank you, though.  You made completing this contract much easier.”

She whipped her weapon at his face, the weighted censure acting more like an extension of her arm than a regular ball and chain.  As Grant deflected the attack with his sword, his vision was filled with the dreaded system screen.

Combat initiated - Duel

Action: Defend with weapon.

Result: Attack deflected.  Paralysis poison inhaled.  Movements slowed by 5%.

Actions: Please select one option from the following list.

Attack: Lethal, Non-lethal, Spell.

Defend: With weapon, Without weapon.

Run: Attempt escape.

Grant selected ‘Attack with weapon’ and darted forward to try and hit the woman.  She easily danced backward, avoiding his blow.  She skirted the hole in the roof, her lighter frame allowing her to stand on the edge without risking the rotting wood from crumbling under her.  Grant didn’t have the same luck.

The roof started to crumble as soon as he got close.  Scrambling backwards, Grant had to once again deflect the poisonous weapon as it darted toward his face.  The sharp motion only caused more of the wooden roof shingles to slide out from under his precarious footing, forcing him to roll backwards.  The rope tied around his waist got tangled in his legs and kept Grant from getting smoothly back to his feet.

Action: Attack with weapon.

Result: Attack dodged by opponent.  Defend with weapon selected by default.  Defense 90% successful.  Paralysis poison inhaled.  Movements now slowed by 15% .

Actions: Please select one option from the following list.

Attack: Lethal, Non-lethal, Spell.

Defend: With weapon, Without weapon.

Run: Attempt escape.

This time, Grant could feel the effects of the poison.  When he tried to shift his position, it was almost like his limbs were underwater.  His movements were still smooth and controlled, but it wasn’t anything like his normal speed.

“It’s only a matter of time now.”  The House Saturday assassin was clearly more relaxed, now that her poison was doing its insidious work.  “If you surrender now, I promise to bring you in with a minor reduction in the amount of pain and agony you would normally expect.”

“Surrender?”  Grant scoffed at her.  “I’m just getting started!”  He glanced quickly at the guards finally making their way inside the building.  “How about you just step aside, and I won’t have to do what comes next?”

<It’s been five seconds since she attacked, now is your chance!>  Grant used Sarge’s shout to select ‘Run’ while activating the training mode of his lightning spell.  It created a cascade of messages that tried to block his vision.

#ERROR16

Run with spell is not a valid option.

#ERROR22

Run with spell action is compatible with system.  Option added to system memory functions.

#ERROR27

User not allowed to add options to system.

Grant stopped reading, not bothering to inspect how his actions violated the Dokeshi’s broken system.  Instead, he was focused on the pink-tinted lightning dancing across his body, where it settled on his feet.

“Stop!”  The shout of the woman seemed to have an aura of command that almost stilled his feet, but it passed in an instant.  Grant sprinted toward the edge of the roof, the spell boosting him fast enough that she had no chance to catch his trailing form.  The rope trailing behind him went taught, and he jumped for the nearest roof with all the power his legs could muster.  It wasn’t enough.

“Gwaragha!”  The shout that escaped his lips was more of a croak, forced out of his chest when the rope slammed him to a stop.  He swung down sharply, slamming against the side of the building.  Grant felt something in his hip quietly pop as the rope dug into his waist, and a sharp pain suddenly made it even harder to breathe.  He must have dislocated it.

The face of the assassin peeked over the edge just as he looked up.  Her grin was visible even in the dim light of the stars.  She opened her mouth to taunt him, but the rope shuddered, and Grant started to slowly slide.  She gave a wordless shout back toward the guards clambering onto the roof behind her, but it was too late.

<Well, I’ll be a rusty nail!  I think it’s about to go!>  There was another shudder, and the chimney fell.  Unfortunately for Grant, the chimney didn’t crumble.  It held together, and the rope started dragging him upward as the heavy stack of bricks plunged through the rotting wood of the abandoned structure.  He was brought along right behind it, slamming his already injured hip against the edge of the roofline.  <Cut the rope!>

By reflex, Grant’s sword flashed out of its sheath and sliced through the rough hemp strands.  His training with Sarge saved him again, as he forced himself to position his body for a proper landing automatically.  The impact with the ground was pure agony, his skill of pain increase making an already debilitating injury almost unmanageable.  At least he didn’t break anything else.

The shouts and screams of the people inside the building as it collapsed around them like a house of cards brought a momentary flash of guilt, but only for a second.  They would have done much worse to him.

“Psst!  Grant!”  Suki’s shadowed form poked out from the edge of the roof across from the alley where he was laying on the ground a few moments after the rumbling of the destruction stopped..  “Hurry up and get over here!”

“I can’t!”  He tried to shout loud enough for her to hear him, but the pain made it hard for him to take a full breath.  “I think I messed up my hip!”

<Concentrate.  You need to meditate through the pain, or you will lose your chance to reduce the damage through your skill.>  Grant weakly nodded at Sarge’s words, trying to clear his mind enough to activate the ability.  It wasn’t going to happen.  The shouts of the second group, led by the Dokeshi’s Vassal, were quickly growing louder.  This was about to get much worse.

Congratulations! Your new battle count moves from [3 Wins / 1 Losses] to [4 Wins / 1 Losses]. Remember, the lucky rise to the challenge!

#ERROR92

Win was achieved while selection Run was active.

#ERROR34

Combatants not directly involved in duel defeated.  Procedure violated.

<If you keep this up, the system is going to alert its creator.  If it hasn’t already, of course.>

“Here, drink this.”  Suki was suddenly standing over Grant, a potion held up to his lips.  “We don’t have time for you to lay around.”  Unable to argue about the definition of laying around, he quickly swallowed the gritty mixture.  It must have been one of the lower-tier potions.  It was still powerful enough to shift his hip back into place with a sharp pop, causing his brain to fuzz out for a second as the pain washed over him.

<You need to move, Grant.>  Sarge’s voice brought him back into focus.  <If you don’t get away from the rubble soon, you are going to have to fight the Dokeshi’s Vassal.>  A quick glance around confirmed the sword spirit’s words, and he sat up with a groan.

“Okay, let’s go.”  He climbed to his feet, fighting against the wave of pain that came with moving.  “I don’t think I can run yet, but I can at least walk.”

“It will have to be enough.”  Suki gave him a sharp nod, and led the way through the twisting alleys in a roundabout way toward the gate.  “The entrance will open in just a few minutes.  We need to get in line, before they take a headcount of who is going inside.”

Grunting in agreement, all Grant could do was shuffle along in her wake.  Despite the pain, he was happy that they were finally moving forward toward their goal once again.  One agonizing step at a time.