Page 29 of I Ran Away to Evil 3
Available Scenarios: All Scenarios within current Domain boundaries available. All Scenarios impending within 6.5 days available.
Oracle timeline: 4 mins 30 seconds.
Please select Chosen.]
That wasa lotof scenarios. The thought made me sick. [Oracle] wasn’t a fun ability, and activating it left me powerless and trapped for the full four and a half minutes. I was going to need to slip out after the match and find somewhere safe to check in on things. I really hoped the discomfort would be worth it … The other notifications I had were from my bridges.
[Martha’s Bridge: 14 Travelers. Current cost: 91 EXP. Ancient Gamblers Amulet in effect. 91 EXP converted into 91 Copper Pieces.]
[Black Fortress Bridge: 39 Travelers. Current cost: 253 EXP. Ancient Gamblers Amulet in effect. 253 EXP converted into 2 Silver 53 Copper Pieces.]
The list went on.
As a bridge troll, I was magically obligated to watch over and toll any bridge under my control.
[Bridge Troll]
[A Bridge Troll is connected to their bridge and must defend it. Let no one pass lest they solve your riddle, pay the toll, or defeat you!
Riddle: Issue a Riddle. If a traveler succeeds in guessing the riddle, grant them safe passage across the bridge. If a traveler who has answered the riddle is injured while crossing the bridge, you suffer [Debuff: Deal-Breaker] for 24 hours.
Toll: Charge a Toll. A traveler may choose to pay a toll to cross the bridge. The toll is equal to one-tenth the traveler’s level rounded down. If a traveler who has paid the toll is injured while crossing the bridge, you suffer [Debuff: Deal-Breaker] for 24 hours.
Defeat: Defend the Bridge. If you are defeated in battle or the traveler crosses your bridge without solving a riddle or paying a toll, you are defeated. You forfeit Experience Points equal to one-tenth your level rounded down.]
The penalties kept anynormaltroll from taking over every bridge in sight, but I wasn’t anynormaltroll. My Ancient Gamblers Amulet converted EXP cost into a gold cost—and I was richer than most dragons, so I could afford it.
The crowd roared, and I looked up.
Candace had hit Cimor in the stomach, sending the monk flying. The preela was almost out of the ring when Cimor activated an ability and kicked the air, changing her direction and launching herself high into the sky overhead. Her wings opened just long enough to slow her fall, and then Cimor tucked them away safely out of the way again—a preela’s wings were thin and delicate and not meant to withstand battle. “What a move! Cimor managed to land in the circle! What skill! What talent! But Candace isn’t letting her relax. This is why they call herthe Stormbringer!” The announcer was ecstatic.
Dark clouds filled the sky as billowing mist formed around the hands of the giantess. Lightning sparks danced over her hair, and her eyes had gone black. Cimor, for her part, planted both feet and began to spin her staff in a circle as a makeshift shield. A bolt of lightning shot at the preela, who somehow deflected it, sending it striking the ground six feet away.
My skin prickled. It turned out, Duke Julian wasn’t theonlyone staring at me.
After searching the crowd and finding nothing, I realized I would need to resort to using my advanced Perception if I was going to find the culprit, especially since my [Sense Danger] perk was suddenlyscreamingat me in warning. I didn’t like to focus on things unless Ihadto; that way lay madness. But now, I activelylookedaround me.
My Perception registered from every individual grain of sand on the floor to the follicles of hair on a catgirl excitedly cheering on the other side of the arena. I kept it up even after I found the hooded figure peeking over the roof above Duke Julian’s box seat and pointing at me.
A gentle whistle filled the air before I caught a sky-blue-colored arrow an inch from my nose.
The hooded figure startled, lilac eyes wide. Then she vanished.
“Gerda!” Henrietta was on her feet, yelling. “Drop it! It’s kazil poison!”
I didn’t need to be told twice, letting the arrow hit the floor in front of me. Kazil turned anyone it touched into a frog. Luckily, only the arrowhead seemed poisoned and I was still a troll.
“What is the meaning of this?”
I looked up.
Duke Julian was standing in the aisleright beside me, and the entire arena had gone dead silent.
CHAPTER 14
The Easiest Target
Julian
