Unraveling...
Unraveling...
Chapter 1.61
As Skinner's undead forces assault The Wandering Inn, the Antinium Workers bravely sacrifice themselves to protect Erin. Both Magnus and Knight fall in battle, but not before inflicting damage and organizing the defense. The fight escalates when Skinner is drenched in acid, prompting the enraged Crypt Lord to charge the inn.
As Skinner and his undead army swarm out of the Ruins, The Wandering Inn becomes the site of a desperate and brutal defense. Erin Solstice fights alongside her unlikely allies, including Toren, Pisces, Rags, and the Antinium Workers. The Workers, some newly named after Earth chess champions, boldly sacrifice themselves to protect Erin and her inn.
Magnus, an Antinium Worker named after Magnus Carlsen, utilizes his [Attack Formation] Skill to engage the enemy but is quickly slain by a Ghoul. Bird calmly counts the undead horde as the chaos unfolds. Knight takes charge of the front line, using [Defense Formation] to coordinate the remaining Workers and hold the inn's door. He fights valiantly but eventually sustains multiple fatal stab wounds. Before dying, Knight relays a grim revelation: only the human members of The Horns of Hammerad survived the horrors in the crypt.
Throughout the battle, the remaining defenders fight fiercely. Pisces relies on his [Necromancer] abilities to drop and reanimate the undead attackers, explicitly deciding against using his [Invisibility] spell to flee. Rags allows her [Tactician] mindset to guide her survival in the chaotic skirmish, while Erin utilizes her own Skills to fend off the swarm.
The siege reaches a terrifying climax when a massive jar of acid is hurled at Skinner. The agonizing attack melts the Crypt Lord, forcing him to frantically tear off his own skin. Enraged by the pain, Skinner launches a furious, unstoppable charge up the hill directly toward The Wandering Inn.
Skinner's undead horde swarms The Wandering Inn, forcing Erin, Pisces, Rags, and the Antinium Workers into a desperate defense.
The Antinium Worker named Magnus uses Attack Formation against the undead but is quickly killed by a Ghoul.
Small inn where Erin is present; currently occupied by her. Noted by the Watch as having been abandoned years ago but Erin is using it; the Drake and Klbkch enter here to investigate.
aka the inn, Abandoned hilltop inn +27
A Human mage from Wistram Academy, specialized in Elementalist and Illusionary schools, who admits to necromancy.
aka the mage, Mister Mage +35
A young woman from Earth who stumbles into a fantasy world and takes refuge in an abandoned inn.
aka Erin, the traveller +64
Knight uses Defense Formation to hold the inn's door. Before dying from stab wounds, he reveals that only the human members of the Horns of Hammerad survived.
Pisces uses his Necromancer abilities to fight the undead instead of fleeing, while Rags fights using her Tactician instincts.
A massive jar of acid is thrown onto Skinner, causing the Crypt Lord agonizing pain. He tears off his skin and furiously charges up the hill.
An unnamed Antinium Worker who escorts Pawn.
aka the Worker, the Antinium +1
A guardsman referenced by a rookie as likely getting punishment duty for breaking windows.
aka Guardsman Relc, Senior Guardsman Relc +13
A female Drake and the Watch Captain in charge of the Liscor city guard, and Relc and Klbkch's superior.
aka The Captain, Watch Captain Z +13
A strategy board game from Erin’s world that she uses to focus and cope with pain.
aka chess, Chess Board +3
An Antinium Worker named after an Earth chess champion who dies early in the defense of the inn.
aka the Worker, the Antinium
The skeletal remains of a person that Erin discovered in an upstairs bedroom of the inn.
aka the skeleton, a pile of bones +18
A small, child-like Goblin who attacks Erin out of grief and is spared by her.
aka the small Goblin, the ragged Goblin +12
An Antinium Worker of the chess club who gained individuality and took the name Calabrian.
aka the Worker
An Antinium Worker who counted the undead attacking Liscor.
An Antinium Worker of the chess club who gained individuality and took the name Garry.
aka the Worker
A species of tall, bipedal hyena-like humanoids covered in fur.
aka hyena-people, dog-people +8
A species of which Erin Solstice is a member.
aka Humans, smooth skin +4
Small green humanoids with red eyes and sharp teeth that chased and slashed at Erin.
aka Goblins, little green things +14
An undead creature Erin considers a real threat, unlike mundane corpses.
aka Zombies, zombies +3
Undead creatures referenced as prior threats near the inn.
aka skeleton, undead skeletons +2
Highly lethal, advanced zombies that possess supernatural physical attributes.
aka Ghouls
Massive, intelligent undead abominations that command hordes of lesser dead and possess terrifying physical and magical traits.
aka Crypt Lords, The Crypt Lord
A tactical Skill that coordinates defenders.
A powerful [Tactician] skill that supercharges the combat capabilities of allied forces.
aka [Attack Formation]
A Skill obtained by Erin, likely as a result of throwing objects during her fight.
aka [Unerring Throw]
A System-granted Skill that enhances vocal volume.
A skill that grants a minor increase in physical strength.
aka [Skill – Lesser Strength obtained!], [Lesser Strength]
A spell that renders the caster unseen.
aka Invisibility spell, Invisibility Spell +2
A branch of magic dealing with the dead, considered dangerous and illegal.
aka [Necromancer], [Necromancers] +4
A class that grants its user Skills related to strategy, giving them a significant advantage in games like chess.
aka [Tactician], [Tacticians] +1
The local guarding and policing force of Celum.
aka The Watch, the guard +8
A species of large, sentient insectoid people; one arrives at Erin’s door with a companion.
aka giant insect, Ants +28
A sapient reptilian species dominant in regions south of Liscor, generally unfriendly to Humans.
aka lizards, giant lizards +3
““Die.””
““Suffer.””
““Perish.””
““No!””
““Stay behind me, please.””
““No!””
““You must not. You must not put yourself in danger. We are here for your protection.””
““He’s dying!””
““Yes. The enemy surrounds us. We are at a disadvantage. This must be rectified.””
““[Defense Formation].””
““[Attack Formation].””
““Thirty-four.””
““What?””
““We have killed thirty-four of the undead. The rest have retreated. They will return in greater numbers, I believe.””
““What’s happening? What is all this?””
““The city of Liscor and the surrounding area is under attack, Erin Solstice. A horde of the undead emerged from the Ruins and besieged the city around an hour ago.””
““The ruins? Undead? You mean they came from there? Did something set them—””
““Oh no. The Horns of Hammerad. They went in there. Are they…?””
““Several adventurers reached the city alive. I do not know any more than that.””
““Any Minotaurs? Anyone with pointy ears? An Elf? Half-Elf, I mean.””
““No such adventurers were seen. The only ones who survived were Humans. A…captain of one of the teams. A woman wearing silver armor. And a few other Humans. No one else.””
““What’s happening? How many zombies are in the city?””
““The fighting was intensifying as we left. Over thirty thousand undead creatures have attacked Liscor, and the Watch fights them in the streets.””
““H-how do you know how many…?””
““One of our number, Bird, counted them. At least thirty thousand.””
““Should we—I mean, can we help them? How bad is it?””
““Going out would not be wise. The undead fill the grasslands and will attack anything living. They have come here and will attack again soon. We are here to protect you, but you must stay here.””
““Me? But—I’m just one person. Why me?””
““You are alive. That is all the reason they need.””
““And they’re out there? Regrouping?””
““Yes. Can you see them?””
““Oh gods. There are thousands of them.””
““Hundreds. They move towards us.””
““Hold on. What’s that thing in the distance?””
““Is it…a giant slug?””
““Relc!””
““Thanks. I got some of the poison in my mouth.””
““Be careful. If we lose you, our line will collapse.””
““Hey, don’t worry, Captain Z. None of those things can scratch my scales. If there weren’t so many of them, this would be as easy as frying fish.””
““But there are a lot of them, and they just don’t stop coming.””
““It makes no sense. They’re not congregating in one spot, and they’re attacking every side. Like a real army would do. And that guard they have around the gates is—””
““Not like them. I know.””
““It’s that damned skin-creature that’s doing it. So long as it’s around, they’re going to keep coming. If you’d let me go after it…””
““You wouldn’t make it out the gates before they surrounded you. And that thing is too much for you to handle alone.””
““And so we’re going to leave it? I told you, it’s going after Erin—””
““Do you want me to try and save one Human in this mess?””
““No matter what that thing is doing, we can’t spare anyone to go after it, let alone you. If we knew what it was doing, then maybe—””
““Waiting.””
““We need you to keep casting, Human. If you can’t, we have plenty of mana potions—””
““Potions do not cure exhaustion. Even my efficient spells tax me. I must rest.””
““I’ll go. The poison’s cured.””
““What did you mean? That creature is waiting?””
““It is clear that these dead are protecting that skin creature in some way. It may have control over the dead or spellcasting ability—regardless, they act as convenient fodder while it takes the skin of creatures to sustain itself.””
““Then why did it leave?””
““The danger. As I said, your Senior Guardsman posed an actual threat. It realized this and withdrew. It will let the undead keep fighting until we are exhausted and it returns. Remember—for each one of us that falls, it has another minion to use against us.””
““What about reanimating the undead we’ve already slain? How many times can it do that?””
““I’ve heard of undead doing that, but not even the ones I saw at Wistram could—it’s a spellcaster. But it cannot do that forever. Only a few times, I suspect. And it might not be able to control all the undead. The Crypt Lords are lesser leaders. The fact that greater undead than them haven’t been created is odd. So many dead gathered for so long together—””
““And why the girl? Why is it going out after that Erin Solstice? The one who got Klbkch killed?””
““…She probably doesn’t matter at all. It’s simply how that creature works. He will eliminate every living being in the area and surround the city with his army. He senses her, no doubt, and wishes to eliminate any possible threat. Or perhaps it is fleeing east then north, towards Esthelm, to minimize the risk to itself.””
““Well. We may have time if that’s the case.””
““Yes. Perhaps. But we will be overrun soon if there are many more of the undead.””
““Drink whatever potions you need. Rest if you must. But get back to casting quickly, mage.””
““Go. Avoid fighting until you reach the inn. Protect the girl. Kill any who would harm her. Go.””
““My, my. I suppose I’m a little too invested in that girl for my own good.””
““Well. A token deed. It will not amount to much. Not when…””
““Ah, but what a wonderful night to die!””
““But I’m better than that. I am…””
““Oh god. What is that?””
““No…no.””
““This creature projects fear of some kind. Please, move back. We will handle this.””
““I—””
““Stay behind me.””
““Ah. Alas.””
““Close ranks.””
““Please stay inside. You will be safe here.””
““You are dying.””
““Yes.””
““Is she still safe?””
““She is.””
““Good.””
““Protect her.””
““Of course. Until we perish.””
““Good.””
““I have fallen.””
““My arm has been torn off.””
““Continue on without me. Protect her. Please.””
““The king is smart and uses his head. For if he moves, he’ll soon be dead.””
““If he moves, he’ll soon be dead.””
““I am no king.””
““I am a queen. And this is my inn.””
““Come on, you bastard!””
““Come on!””