Accidental Healer-Chapter 136 - 50 - Gorff the Wizard Advertisement

New Boise

Kevin's childhood home was one of the few buildings that survived the induction. In fact, it just so happened when the world was consumed in mana, Kevin was enjoying an afternoon nap. So when the tutorial started, it left him lying in bed in nothing but boxers and a Nirvana tshirt. The change was so subtle, that he was totally and completely convinced it was all just some strange dream.

It wasn't all that far-fetched really. Kevin dreamed of scenarios where he inherited superhuman powers and flew around fighting villains all the time. He must have asked the system close to twenty times "and this really isn't a dream?" before he finally accepted it.

At the time, it felt like the best thing that ever happened to him. It took him like two seconds to choose what class he wanted. Fighter. It's what he always chose in every RPG he ever played. And why wouldn't he?

First, he would become adept with some sort of close combat weapon, ideally a sword, and build around it. Handbows would be ideal to add range but he'd settle for a crossbow if necessary moving into more of a ranger type build, giving him the perfect blend of speed, power and defense. He practically vibrated through the entire tutorial, doing his best to listen carefully to every detail.

With a wry grin, he thought of his best friend. Layton was probably hating this tutorial. That moron probably found some secret way to skip through the whole damn thing. Just like in every game they played, Layton was always the first one playing despite not knowing anything about what was going on.

If Kevin had a nickel for every time Layton said "Eh, it's fine, I'll figure it out as we play." he'd probably have at least ten nickels.

Yet somehow he always muddled through relying on stupid luck, and by the end he somehow always ended on the top. It was infuriating.

That wasn't going to happen this time though.

When the tutorial finally wrapped up, his dad had to physically restrain him from leaping headfirst into the first trial all on his own. When they did eventually face the trial it was with Layton's dad Martin and some others.

It was in the trial that Kevin first started to realize this was not going to be like the RPG's he was so used to.

For one, Kevin wasn't exactly what you would call an athlete. He was the kinda guy where if he threw a ball people might wonder which was his actual throwing arm. In a world where he needed more than simply finger dexterity, this proved to be a real disadvantage, and it wasn't long before Kevin found himself lagging behind the others.

By the time the Chaos Champion appeared, it became glaringly obvious that he'd made a mistake by choosing the fighter class. While the others fought, Kevin hid.

And it only got worse once the trial ended. The raids came next.

"Kevin…I know you're scared. Hell, I'm scared too." His dad, Ronnie, put a hand on his shoulder.

"But we stick together, alright? You and me. You'll get stronger—I know you will. And we need to. Your mom's counting on us."

Kevin loved his father. Sure, he could be tough on him at times, but he knew his dad was always by his side. During the next raid, Kevin was certain he was going to die.

Only, he didn't. With the help of his dad, Kevin faced the second raid.

Hundreds died.

But seeing his father stand firm in the face of mortal peril bolstered Kevin's spirits and through sheer force of will he managed a few well timed attacks from behind his fathers protection. He even gained a few more levels before the raids were completed.

Things were looking up. But, as Kevin learned, good things didn't last long in this new world.

Then, it happened. The world opened up and all hell broke loose. Dungeons opened and spewed their contents all around them. Day after day either a new faction or a swarm of mana spawn appeared at their border foaming at the mouth ready for a fight.

Martin and Ronnie were tireless. They spent every waking moment either at the borders protecting the faction or tending to the needs of the growing faction. People from the surrounding territories retreated to New Boise or the Taylorite's in the hundreds.

Kevin blinked hard, but the tears still came.

"I'm sorry dad, I know I let you down." He whispered, studying his hands.

From his perch on the tar shingles over his room the world moved around him but he wasn't paying attention to that.

What exactly was he supposed to do? Kevin wasn't even level fifteen, he couldn't even help against the weakest attacks on the faction, what could he possibly do against a monster like Boretek? Even Martin had no chance against something like that.

Everyone in New Boise was going to die. He was even more sure of that after meeting the leader of the Gree Cek. Kevin told Boretek everything he knew, rough average levels, progress on the teleporter, details on Martin…it was enough information to save him and his mother.

But that was only because of his revelation regarding the teleporter, as for New Boise being dangerous? It was almost an afterthought. He even allowed him to hear his entire plans, before sending him away to spy on his dad's best friend.

Boretek was going to let Martin build the teleporter just to swoop in and steal it, collecting all the experience people gained from constructing it. Then he'd lay in wait to kill whoever came through from the other side.

Kevin wiped his eyes with the back of his arm, glaring at the rising stone structure in the distance.

This wasn't his fault. He couldn't save Martin—he couldn't save Claire his wife. He could save himself, and his mother.

He shifted on the cool tiles under his blue jeans. This is what dad would want, he would want me to protect mom above all else.

The thought made Kevin want to puke. Using his own mom to justify saving his own hide.

"Layton, if you're out there—forgive me."

***

Two months into the Scourge Trial

After two months Gorff and the rest of his soldiers were beyond the point of exhaustion. Eight straight weeks of near constant battles with progressively stronger opponents was lunacy.

And yet with each fight, his people grew stronger, their walls raised higher, and his faction grew richer. Gorff had 1.2 million in his inventory right now. They'd already migrated their entire town of 5,000 to this new world. Many of the elder gnomes were furious when they learned they'd migrated directly into a scourge trial. But when they learned of the riches in levels and defenses their anger swiftly transformed into greed.

Greed proved to be a powerful motivator, and every fighter in the village eagerly took up the call to defend the village. But there was a limit to their endurance. They had certainly come a long way over such a short time, but they desperately needed a breather, a chance to regroup.

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Gorff called on his allies for aid. And his allies came, as promised.

"It's just the two?"

"Just the two." Gorff leaned on his wizard's staff.

"Should we be concerned? Or maybe we should bring more to the walls?" Gorff heard the concern in his number two's voice. He didn't blame him.

"He is our faction leader….I've heard he is surprisingly capable."

Although he'd yet to truly see their faction leader in action, he really had heard that Layton was more than he seemed. The only problem was—he didn't seem like much. That didn't mean Gorff was taking him for granted of course, he knew full well Layton was a more than capable healer and was equipped with truly incredible shields. It's just, looking at him sitting on the rock fiddling with a piece of grass, it didn't scream fighter.

The dark elf with him on the other hand, now he looked like a warrior. Standing in attention next to the young man, sleek nose guard helmet, light armor fitting snug over dark chainmail, spear at the ready.

"More would've been better." His second grumbled, but Gorff wasn't sure.

The ground rumbled.

"We'll see soon enough."

Gorff was used to the arrival of the Chaos spawn at this point. Even still, there was always a stone in the pit of his stomach each time they came. He wondered whether or not it would be wise to rouse more of his soldiers to the walls.

Layton shoved himself off the rock, flicking away the grass he was toying with, hand falling to the light blue sword at his waist.

Masses of armored Chaos Spawn Champions lumbered into view, cresting the lightly sloped hill leading to their village walls. Gorff swallowed. His eyes bounced back and forth between the two figures outside his walls and the horde of Chaos Spawn growing larger by the second.

As if from thin air, a spectral blade appeared at Layton's back floating as if suspended by invisible strings, perfectly still.

Gorff expected the boy to look nervous. Instead, he seemed strangely calm. And the more he focused on the boy, the more calm he himself became. The knot building in his stomach released and he let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. For the first time since the scourge trial began, Gorff felt completely at ease.

The dark elf's head turned to Layton, and the boy drew his weapon. Grey clouds blotted the sun creating a vivid contrast to the polished blue steel.

"Should we attack?" Gorff's second asked softly.

Metal clattered and the earth thundered, but Gorff couldn't seem to pull his eyes away from Layton. The boy raised his sword, bent his knees and swept his blade out in a wide arc.

A green ethereal line shot forth in a heartbeat. Gorff's breath caught in his throat.

The blade whooshed forward, spectral line mirroring it.

Chaos spawn champions draped in thick iron rumbled forward, heedless of the impending attack.

CRACK!

A noise like a whip snap and then legs separated from bodies in dozens upon dozens of pairs. Half the enemy's front line crashed and tumbled in a tangle of arms and legs.

Chaos spawn were still struggling to untangle themselves but Layton didn't wait. He repeated the same skill, this time attacking the left flank. Another spectral blade blossomed from thin air.

CRACK!

The shimmering blade cut deep. Bodies cascaded over each other, creating a natural barrier. Layton repeated the skill four more times, his posture calm, his motions fluid.

"He's using their bodies as a natural barrier. Keeping them from our walls…that skill…is it just sweeping blade?"

"It won't last." Gorff's second pointed out. "See there?"

Gorff followed the finger. The Chaos spawn were flooding around the pile of bodies at both sides. Gorff frowned. What the boy had done was impressive—terrifyingly so—but he couldn't keep it up forever. The enemy was spilling around the fallen bodies now, the angles breaking, the advantage fading.

He'd just about made his decision to send for more to join at the walls—then Layton leapt, cloak flapping, the glowing blade trailing behind him as he plunged into the heart of the writhing Chaos Spawn champions.

Gorff could only watch in horror as Layton vanished into a sea of teeth, fur, and metal. His hand twitched. He knew he should make the call, these weren't just simple chaos spawn champions, they were higher level than their predecessors, armored with scavengers weaseling through their ranks ready to strike in a moment.

He should do something, his faction leader was in peril. And yet…something from deep within his chest whispered peace. So instead he watched—eyes straining to find any trace of Layton.

An ethereal blade shot free. Not long like the others, it was more precise, more surgical. A head fell free, then the entire body of the champion disappeared.

Gorff leaned in. Another flash of green, another body gone. One by one they vanished, cut out of existence.

"He's looting them as he kills." Gorff's second mused. "Smart."

Gorff agreed.

The strategy served three clear purposes. One, it kept Layton from getting bogged down like he'd done already with the natural wall and two it gave him space to breathe. Lastly, it cleared enough space to finally allow a clear view of what was really going on in the chaos spawn ranks.

"Ancestors above…"

Gorff turned and jumped from the wall, dashing towards the tower behind the wall. He reached the ladder and clambered up the rungs, quick as his legs allowed. He shoved open the trap door, and pushed his way past the two sentries. They grumbled—until they saw who it was—and stepped aside. Gorff leaned over the wooden railing and soaked in the action below.

Dozens of Scavengers surrounded the robed figure from every side. Leaping and dashing from all directions in an attempt to overwhelm their prey. Dark blades—crafted solely to pierce magic barriers—flashed greedily, striking for the healer from barely an arm's length away. Furious strikes crashed against the lone healer like a dark tide breaking on clear blue ice.

Of all the monsters of the chaos spawn, scavengers were what he feared the most. They moved like striking snakes, precise and lethal. The mere sight was enough to challenge a man's resolve.

Yet Layton, in spite of the fact scavengers were easily his greatest threat, moved with the confidence and grace of a seasoned warrior. No matter where the strikes came they were met with either the cold blue of Layton's spirit weapon, or the ghostly blue of his phantom blade. If the scavengers were striking snakes, Layton's sword was the snap of lightning.

Parries didn't just deflect—they disarmed. One of the monsters lunged but Layton was there. He caught the strike on his blade and slapped it aside with such force that the scavenger's weapon tore free of its grip. It spun through the air and buried itself in the armored chest of a nearby Chaos Spawn Champion. Layton countered with a flick of his blade that was so fast Gorff couldn't place where the strike landed. A moment later and dark blood spurted from the neck of the attacker, it dropped to its knees.

With another swift movement, Layton kicked the creature aside, clearing his path. Three scavengers attacked at once all from different angles. The phantom blade handled one, Layton's own weapon another and the third was caught by the throat with Layton's free hand—he closed his fist and the head rolled free, vanishing a moment later, looted.

No matter what the scavengers tried it was never enough. They rushed in tight groups, and were cut down with a sweep of the long sword, they used skills, cycled attacks, coordinated assaults with mixtures of different skills. All they were rewarded with was more corpses.

The phantom sword was everywhere. It deftly defended attack after attack with a life of its own. Numbers weren't enough.

Eventually the Champions must've grown restless from watching the ineffective scavengers be mowed down—

BOOOM!

The blast wave washed over Gorff's face whipping back his long blond hair. Champions rarely used that skill with their allies so close, apparently this one had seen enough. Everything within a twenty foot radius of the skill was reduced to gravel. Everything that is, besides the robed figure at the center of the carnage.

The young healer was unblemished despite the crushed and mangled bodies surrounding him.

All the champion's skill managed to do was lay waste to the scavengers pestering Layton. And with that threat removed? There was nothing left to hold the young man back—and the real massacre began.

Layton became a blur of motion. The remaining chaos spawn stood no chance.

All the while the dark elf warrior managed any remaining stragglers lucky enough to clear the line of bodies, picking them off one by one, with ease.

Gorff knew the stories—the legends of great men and women from the first stirrings of mana in his home world. Exceptional talents who stood head and shoulders above the rest. In his life, he had never truly seen such a person. Not with his own eyes. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

That was, until today.

He breathed deeply through his nose, savoring the crisp fall air as a thin smile spread across his lips. Closing his eyes, he reached out his hand.

"Sir?" one of the men in the tower asked, bewildered.

"What are you doing?"

Gorff's smile grew, his fist closing in the empty air.

"I'm simply grasping the tail of a meteor."