In Hindsight

Double Shit

Within the first few seconds of spawning, even more disoriented than usual with his blindness, Tommy felt the warm metal of a netherrite sword against his throat.

Oh, HELL no, Tommy thought, and didn't give the player a chance to threaten him. He grabbed the blade, ignoring the way it cut into his palms— sharpness II, at least— and used it to flip the player over his shoulder. They grunted as they landed on their back, hard, and Tommy didn't give them a moment before he struck out with his claws, shredding through the soft flesh of their throat.

>[Rendog was slain by T𝙹ᒲᒲ||iリリ╎ℸ]

Immediately there were shouts around him, the sound of swords and axes being drawn— Fuck, they'd spawn trapped him, maybe six of them, judging from the noise— someone rushed towards him—

Tommy grabbed the sword from the pile of loot left behind by the player he'd killed, swinging it up just in time— metal met metal with a hard CLANG, but Tommy was strong, holding his opponent at bay. . . until they kicked him in the stomach with armoured boots, sending him flying backwards onto the ground.

Tommy didn't let himself process the pain, there wasn't time for that. He was up again in an instant, activating his sound-sight again— his stomach glowed, the world in pulsing blue static— and lunged, sweeping low with his sword— the player danced out of the way, and another came up on Tommy's right, axe raised, and Tommy had barely any time to duck before it whooshed over his head.

Tommy turned his attention to the axe-wielder, quickly assessing their gear. Axe, shield, and a lightness to their step: this was a professional pvp'er. Shit.

That was all he had time to think before a bottle broke at his feet, splashing foul-smelling liquid over him. The effect was instantaneous, making his legs feel tingly and numb— a weakness potion. Double shit.

Tommy dashed as quickly as he could with now-clumsy limbs back to the pile of loot, snatching only a few items, shield, gapples, shovel— enderpearls! before rolling away again, out of the way of two more swords cutting down on him— someone yelled something but Tommy's ears filtered out the sound, focusing instead on every shff of fabric, every crunch of another footstep—

He dodged under another player's sword. He's quick, even with the weakness, but he can't dodge forever— there's just too many of them.

"—call X!" someone shouted, and Tommy was reminded that he had limited time here. Ranboo couldn't keep the admins at bay forever, and if they got back in while he was still in here, he'd be fucked.

"I don't suppose," Tommy panted, clashing swords with someone again, "that any of you guys know where Grian is?"

"Grian?" The man in front of him paused for just a second, thrown off guard, and Tommy disarmed him, finishing him off by lodging his sword in his stomach.

>[Keralis was slain by T𝙹ᒲᒲ||iリリ╎ℸ]

He didn't get long to celebrate his second kill. The axe-wielder lunged for him again, and this time the weakness did its job. He wasn't able to dodge the wickedly sharp metal as it ripped straight through his shield, tearing it away before swinging again, hitting its mark in Tommy's side with a sickening squelch.

S̷̪̾͘h̸̢̹͔͑ȉ̵̭̭t̸͇̼̀̔. Tommy's mind filled with static and pain. He barely had time to raise his sword again to block a third axe-strike. His entire left side was burning.

"Someone should go tell Grian the hacker's after him!"

"I can go!" Someone yelled. There was a fwee~ of a rocket being launched, and Tommy's heart skipped a beat, but instead of fire licking at his skin, there was only the sound of wind whistling as something— someone, was boosted into the sky.