Page 65 of I Ran Away to Evil
The griffins turned over roof shingles and carts, dodging the occasional thrown axe or spiked boot as they did so.
An expert-level crafted spear that glowed with a +1 Strength modifier went flying past my face. That was when I decided it was time to act.
I leaned over to get in Chancellor Grimly’s face and told him, “Hold the eggs!” shoving the crate into his arms.
He took the crate with both hands and looked ready to faint.
“Excuse me.” To help, I reached out and grabbed an armored dwarfess running past. She looked like some manner of authority figure and had been yelling, “Vanguard to me!” when I did so.
The look of pure insult at being dangled from my hand turned into menace as she activated [Control: Size]. I dropped her as the dwarfess promptly dwarfed me. “YouDARE—”
“GRIFFIN EGGS!” I pointed at the crate, then back at her. “Keep them safe, please!”
Her expression dawned with realization, and she ran over to help.
I was already gone.
[You have attempted to use the Perk:Quick Step. You have succeeded.]
Three griffins were in combat with eight dwarven tankers who had weapons drawn and varying levels of [Shield] deployed. I jumped high and landed on a raised spear, a shocked dwarf holding it as I stood on the tip and stopped there.
“Hello,” I said as I drew my sword and let my [Sword Aura] cover the two sides.
[You have activated the Skill:SwordAura.]
[Sword Aurafield is currently Strength 67 + Perception 19 = 86 ft diameter. You are able to lock on to targets equal to your Strength within theSword Aurafield to evaluate their threat level. Information available to you is based on the level difference between you and your target. You may use Sword Perks on any locked-on target. Targets with Perception equal to or greater than yours or targets you choose will feel yourSword Aura.]
[You have chosen:All Targets.]
I ignored the usual skill pop-up and focused on my targets.
There weren’t any especially dangerous numbers among those in combat. The dwarfess I had sent to guard the eggs was one of the most powerful at level thirty-one. Nolin was just behind at level twenty-eight.
And all of the rest were under level twenty-five and every one of them below thirty Strength.
The three griffins attacking the line of tankers focused on me. One swooped in and tried to rake me over the shoulder with its claws, but I simply reached out with my free hand and grabbed its taloned foot.
“Sorry about this!” I told it as I jumped to the ground, bringing the griffin with me and bashing it into the rocky earth as I did so. I tried to control my Strength so the monster was left with enough hit points to survive, and I was pleased to see it was mostly unbroken.
I dropped the talon and launched toward the next griffin.
A collection of cheers rang out from the dwarven fighters.
While I was busy subduing the second with a choke hold, a dwarf with golden armor ran forward to finish off the griffin I’d left on the ground. As the griffin was a member of the Nilheim populace and the dwarf was not, I acted accordingly.
[You have attempted to use the Perk:ForceThrust.You have succeeded.]
I thrust my pommel in his direction. My [Sword Aura] carried the force of the blow across the distance until it met golden armor and broke one of the ribs underneath it. The dwarf was sent flying into the line of tankers behind him.
The dwarves stopped cheering.
I finished choking the second griffin into submission and tossed him on top of the first that I’d just saved. The third griffin had climbed higher into the sky to try and avoid me.
The few dwarven tankers who hadn’t fallen helped their comrades to their feet and all turned their weapons my way.
“No killing!” I chastised the dwarven tankers.
“Says who?” one yelled back.
