Crystal's Edge

Not These Guys Again

Jaxson made it swiftly to the village to the West. This one was twice the size of Trugon Village as people jostled for position in front of merchants’ carts and the tavern was loud and obnoxious as NPCs and other players tumbled in and out.

It had been awhile since Jaxson was at Yuton Village. Black concrete buildings were scattered throughout without any order. Gray shingles lined the roofs as cobblestone streets flushed their way through the village. This village was notoriously run by the Thurson Bandits. They had a hand in every transaction and every dealing that went on around the village. Jaxson had trouble with them before and he had a feeling he would have trouble with them again.

“You there,” a booming voice called out from behind Jaxson. “It is 8 Gems if you want to enter the village.”

Jaxson shook his head. It seems the trouble was already starting.

“Hey, are you deaf or are you ignoring me?” The voice was getting closer to Jaxson.

“I am choosing to ignore you,” Jaxson tried sounding tough but even he knew that at only a level 3 it would be hard to defeat the bandits. “You Thurson Bandits think you own this village but you do not.”

“What did you say?” The booming voice bandit placed a hand on Jaxson’s shoulder and spun him around until they were eye to eye. “You have some nerve. Do you have a death wish?”

“Not particularly,” Jaxson said smugly. “But if I did I certainly wouldn’t call you bandits for the job.”

Jaxson knew what was coming next as he dodged a wild right hook and then a left hook. The archer smiled as he dodged easily at the heavy swings.

When the bandit was tiring, Jaxson kneed him in the groin and watched him fall. Jaxson knew what was going to happen next. A group of three bandits would come out from the alleyways and surround him.

Sure enough seconds later that exact thing happened as Jaxson withdrew his short bow and notched an arrow. His bow would be of no use in close quarters combat but he knew their moves and so he was confident that he would gain the upper hand.

The bandits didn’t say anything as they each drew a small curved iron sword. They wore simple leather armor on their torso and legs. All three rushed Jaxson together. Jaxson dodged and rolled out of the circle. He jumped on top of a wooden box and let an arrow fly.

It connected with one of the bandits as it found its way deep into his right eye. The bandit immediately fell screaming as blood poured down his face. Jaxson had no time to admire his work as he ran from the other two bandits.

One bandit was quicker than the other as he caught Jaxson with the tip of his curved sword across Jaxson’s back. The archer screamed as blood flew across the cobblestone, but he did not stop running. He found a window ledge and lifted himself onto the roof.

Jaxson quickly let another arrow go. This one found the bandit’s skull as he was climbing up the window ledge after Jaxson. The bandit fell without a word.

He was one on one now and had lost the location of the final bandit. He leapt from one rooftop to another rooftop while keeping his eyes toward the streets.

Suddenly Jaxson heard footsteps approaching him from behind. The archer rolled out of the way just in time as the edge of the bandit’s curved sword flew past his head. Jaxson sheathed his bow onto his back and held on to an iron arrow in one hand.

It was the best he could do in close quarters combat and one bandit was better than three bandits. Quickly as he could, Jaxson dodged multiple attempts at his life as the bandit didn’t let up or tire.

If Jaxson was to survive he would have to end this fight now. He waited until the bandit swung his sword at him and then crouched and plunged the arrow into a soft spot in the bandit’s armor. The arrow pierced the bandit’s kidney and the bandit’s life was no more.

Jaxson took a few seconds to catch his breath as he waited for his experience points to boost up. Nothing came. It was then that Jaxson remembered that only accepting quests can increase experience points. If he fights NPCs and other players, then he doesn’t get experience points but gets some money instead.

143 Gems added to inventory. Jaxson knew that no more bandits would give him trouble anytime soon because they had lost too many at one time. This allowed Jaxson to observe the village and take on some quests.

First, he was going to buy some armor and a small dagger. Jaxson knew that his days of close quarter combat was far from done.