Nido: Apocalypse

Earning Your Place

The group quickly left the main building of Walat and weighted outside deciding a game plan. Many of the villagers started to eagerly set up the training arena. It’s been a while since the Elder showed off her skills.

With the sun beating down on them Lazy and

Swift started to panic. They only had one chance to prove to the Elder that they should revived that wooden boat.

“I’m a little confused on why you two want that stupid wooden boat”, Power asked. “Isn’t it just a trinket?”

The two turned to him and realized they never told anyone why they need the boat.

“It’s actually super important for all of us.” Lazy spoke. “When Evaline and her adventuring group disbanded they each held a momento of their past. The wooden boat was hers. If we get it and show it off to the other two people from her past they have unique skills they can teach us.”

“Not only that, but when this was a game no one knew about it. When a player stole the boat Evaline actually left her village to hunt the player down” Swift chimed in. “Not only did she get the boat back, but when another player helped her she ended up rewarding them the boat. Later they discovered that two NPC’s would teach them a unique skill for any class. They got rich from selling the skills to players. We are going to get those skills first.”

The group was shocked. Power completely forgot about that, but quickly started to remember all the secret and rare finds that were near them. Starting areas always had hidden treasure. The devs build the game like that as most of the time players think the greatest treasures were hidden at higher levels.

“Now let Lazy and I strategize. This is are only shot at getting that boat.” Swift said to the rest of the group. Seeing as they couldn’t help Power, Grimm and Nitro took a seat near by and watched.

“Placing any bets on Lazy and Swift” Power asked as he sat down. His armor rattled a little.

“Oh they are definitely going to loose! We’ve never been able to beat her and by the time we were strong enough to, she went missing”,Nitro added.

“I have no idea” Grimm said with a shrug. “This is my first time here so it’s all new to me. Although I would guess they’d last a few minutes based off of what you said.”

“I don’t know. We are all still level one and I have yet to reinforce our armor and weapons yet. Speaking of. I got an idea. I’m heading to the blacksmith.” Power quickly got up not even paying attention to anything Grimm and Nitro said after he left.

Lazy and Swift huddled around each other and watched as the area was being set up. It was a large rectangular zone with dirt. About half the size of a football field. A handful of people even used their farm animals to slowly move giant rocks onto the field as obstacles.

“Any idea how you wana go about this Lazy?”

“Nah. No idea. I’ve never fought her and never watched clips of others fighting her. All I know is she is a talented Pugilist and has a teal color aura. Other then that nothing.”

“Well f**k. This is great” Swift said while almost giving up. “Well let’s figure out our fighting style. How familiar are you with your powers? Granted we’ve only had a single fight.”

Lazy rubbed the back of his head with a smile of embarrassment. “Not good honestly. My slashing attacks are too slow and when I block I’m always a second too late. I only have the one shield so I’m very limited. I’m not sure if we should stay close and guard one another or attack from opposite sides?”

Swift stood there with his chin in his hand thinking. A devilish smile slowly spread across his face. “Oh I have a great idea.”

Back inside Walat Elder Evaline was putting on her old armor. It was a mix of steel and leather. Steel plates covered her torso, thighs, biceps and shins. Between each plate was darkened leather, a rarer type of leather made from level 20+ beast type monsters. On the left breast was an orange sigil of a Unicorn. The symbol of her old adventuring group, The Wild Unicorns.

“Ah. It’s been quite a while since I worn you” her voice was comforting. She brushed her thumb over the symbol reminiscing about the old days. All the good times and hard times that she shared with the group. A tear slowly rolled down her cheek.

“Oh you big lug. I miss you so much.” She gripped the armor again tighter with a smile on her face. “It’s been quite a while since I’ve done something like that. Maybe those kid Champions will do me some good.”

She donned her armor and made her way to the arena. Leaving Walat main hall she had to cover her eyes from the son. Even with working electricity, which none of the Champions asked about, it was still dimly lit.

Looking around the arena was nearly finished and the two Champions she would be dueling seemed to be hiding something. Doesn’t matter to her. She knew she was stronger.

Lazy and Swift could feel a pair of eyes on them. Like a predator eyeing their prey. They stopped what they were doing and turned to face the pair of eyes of Elder Evaline. Her piercing yellow eyes just watched them. Thankfully they had their game skills to examine her.

[Elder Evaline Lv 48 Pugilist

Hp 11,877

Mana 680

Age:65

Skill: (Too low)

Threat Level: Deadly

Description: Elder Evaline is a battle hardened Pugilist with decades of experience. Despite her age she is still in her prime till she dies. She believes you never know a person till you fight them. Use extreme caution. ]

“Great. This isn’t going to be easy”, Lazy spoke under his breath.

“True, but if you can pull off that plan we might get a good attack in. Just wait for my signal.”

The two nodded and headed to the arena. Lazy and Swift took the opposite side and waited. As the last villager finished setting up the largest boulder in the center of the area with his animal Evaline stepped in.

“Okay you youngins.” Her voice was still old, but now she sounded more youthful. “Rules are simple” she took out a ball from her pouch of storing. It was a green ball the size of a foot ball, but shaped like a basketball. “This is a bouncing weight ball. A dozen slime were killed and used to make this. It’s a training exercise for pugilists. Your goal is to take it from me. Keep in mind I will be fighting back. Not at my full strength, but I definitely don’t want you to take this for your prize.” She spoke with a smirk and eagerness in her voice.

The two Champions weren’t sure if they should be excited or scared by her treatment.

“You have five minutes to get the ball. If you fail you loose. I will only use my body to fight, no aura.”

“She’s definitely going easy on us” Swift whispered. “I don’t like it.”

“Are you two ready?!” Evaline took a step into the area and looked towards Captain Charles. He let his men continue the watch as he held a stop watch. He nodded to her to start as soon as Lazy and Swift were ready.

Swift drew his swords as he entered with Lazy behind him raising his fists.

‘Mhm looks like they are both pugilists’ Evaline thiught to herself. ‘One with swords and other with fists. I think I’ll take the one with fists on first. Similar to my style.’

Evaline actually forgot Lazy wasn’t a pugilists, but an Esper. And even if she did she had no idea what his power was.

The two nodded to Captain Charles letting him know they were ready.

“On my mark!”, Captain Charles yelled out. “3! 2! 1! Go!” He clicked the stop watch and the battle started.

Swift and Lazy were the first to move. Each darted to one side the of the field running as fast as they could. Lazy went left while Swift went right. Evaline just watched and slowly started to walk to the center, not taking an eye of off either.

When the Champions made it to the halfway mark of the arena Evaline acted. She was nearly as fast as a bullet. She sprinted towards the center boulder. Just before she reached it she quickly threw the ball directly at Swift before she pivoted on the balls of her feet. The ball headed straight for Swift while Evaline herself headed towards a Lazy.

Swift couldn’t react in time. He dropped his swords to catch the ball, but wasn’t fast enough. The ball smacked him straight into the chest knocking the wind out of him.

As the ball soared through the air towards Swift, Evaline was preparing to attack Lazy. He just reached a large rock nearly as large as him and also couldn’t react fast enough to Evaline. He tried to punch her and summon his shield, but she was too quick. She ducted bellow his fist, placed a hand on the rock near them to balance herself as she delivered a devastating kick with her left leg. Lazy was pushed back and tripped over another rock behind him.

‘f**k that hurt!’ They both thought.

Both Champions were on the ground, wind knocked out of them and lost little over 25% of their health.

As Evaline stood up from her attack and raise her hand into the air. The ball came soaring back straight to her hand.

“Yeah know. I thought you two would be more talented. No just anyone is a Champion.” She said with a teasing voice.