Particles of blue light began to swirl around my hands... and continued to swirl with no visible effect on the surrounding poison cloud. I looked at my hands dumbly as my HP continued to dwindle. I probably would've died staring down when someone suddenly screamed, "Clap!" The voice almost seemed like it was coming from right next to me. I yelped and clapped my hands together on instinct.
A bluish-white wave burst from my hands like a sound wave. The cloud instantly was shoved away from me, dissipating as if a gale blew it away. I felt my body warm, though not painfully, and I watched as the poison debuff disappeared and the regeneration buff popped up next to my status. I collapsed onto the ground in relief. I didn't die a horrible, undeserved death as I did last time. I sighed and hung my head.
Footsteps began coming towards me from all the directions. I looked around and saw the onlookers in the process of a mad rush for the center, almost visibly bursting with questions. I swiveled my head to face Argus, who was laughing raucously as always. He caught my eye and motioned me to come to the podium. How was I supposed to get there? People on my left, right, front and rear - this is the worst place to be for someone like me!
The circle had grown uncomfortably small, and I could hear the discordant jumble of questions meshing into annoying jabber. I could even pick out some of their most repeated questions - why a bow, what the hell is with your potions, are you a healer - little things that are just annoying to hear and answer. I pulled a vial from my stash. I could use the pepper mist, but how will I get out of here to not hit myself?
To answer my previous question, large cracks formed in the ground around me. I barely had time to glance down before the earth literally launched me out of the crowd, knocking the vial out of my hand and hurling me towards Argus. I screamed as I hurtled towards the ground, cape wrapping around me like a restraint. My hood came over my eyes, and my arms got caught under the mantle. I curled into a ball, hoping that the bounce doesn't finishing my still-critical health. I closed my eyes, awaiting impact.
The impact never came. I felt myself being held in someone's arms. Very muscular arms, actually. I opened my eyes, only to see Argus' beaming and bearded figure staring right down at me.
"Holy- Put me down, please!" I gasped, flustered and probably red with embarrassment.
He laughed and put my feet on the ground. "Little lady, you're a much bigger package than I could ever expect!" he chuckled, patting my shoulder.
I realized he probably caught me, the Human Mortar. "Thanks for the catch. I don't know who shot me."
"My pleasure. So will you sign up?" To the point. I like him.
"Absolutely." If I don't, you'll never win, or so Loeta says. I enter my name on the draft.
"Thank you. Now about your recent exit..." He frowned as he looked across the square. I turned to follow his gaze. Hundreds of players were coughing and yelling in pain - there were a few curled up on the ground. A nearly-invisible haze surrounded a slowly sinking column of tan ground. The people on the edge of the circle were backing away faster than the people in the front were running in. I tried not to grimace.
"Looks like one of my potions fell out of my bag," I lied. "It'll dissipate after a few minutes."
"Good." Sounds like he took the lie, for now.
"If that's all, I need to go into town to buy a cauldron, as mine was recently destroyed in a freak fire accident." At least this time it's a half-truth. I don't like lying to this NPC; he's kind of scary. It's like he has a +90 on Perception and Sense Motive checks. Anyone else get what I mean? Was that too retro?
"Then you can go. The rest will sign up in time." He gave me a salute, which I returned. I leapt off the podium and finally made it back to the central hub.
YOU ARE READING
Trigger-Happy Potioneer
FantasySixty years from now, VR has advanced to the point that full-dive is possible and VRMMORPGs are everywhere (but really nothing else has gone as far). Since all the standard class-based games are boring, why not make a game with no classes?