Page 14 of I Ran Away to Evil #3
I Can Just Debuff Myself
Gerda
“Candace is about to start!” Brownie hurried us into our seats.
We were running a bit late because a certain Dark Lady had shown up later than Brownie or myself. The announcer was already introducing the contestants when we arrived, and all of us piled into seats right beside the doors. I was in the aisle, followed by Henrietta, Brownie, Rufus, and Amy.
“I brought snacks!” Henrietta pulled out bags of candied nuts and started passing them around.
“This is amazing, Brownie!” The elf saintess laughed. “I can’t believe your cousin made it into the finals!”
The two combatants were already facing each other, ready to start.
Cimor the Monk was holding a long staff at the ready.
She was a preela, one of the long-limbed people from the Empire of Sands.
She had black fur all down the back of her body, and tan skin in the front.
Her long tapered ears each had a tuft at the end, and her thin wings were tucked away for the fight.
Candace, Brownie’s cousin, was a giantess who stood almost twice the height of the preela, with pale skin and long silver hair. She was large and in charge, and was holding a shadow dagger in each hand.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Brownie asked Rufus. The beastman was bristling a bit at the edges, but otherwise looked fine.
“It’s not so bad. Slake gave me the idea.”
“What idea?”
Rufus pulled out an empty poison bottle. “I can just debuff myself.”
The announcer’s voice rang clear over the crowd. “Now, it’s time for the battle you’ve all been waiting for! Contestants, on your honor— BEGIN! ”
Brownie immediately jumped up to cheer for Candace. Rufus was smiling at his bard, and Lady Amy was on the edge of her seat, eyes gleaming. Henrietta was eating.
I sat back and pretended not to notice a very obvious distraction.
Someone was watching me.
As a boss-level monster, my claim to fame was my forty-three Perception. If I didn’t notice the eyes of one Duke Julian staring at me from across the arena, then it was time to hang up my Cast Crystal and go back to being a nameless NPC. I tried to ignore him by watching the battle.
Cimor deflected a thrown shadow dagger then ran up her staff to kick Candace in the face.
Silver eyes bore into me.
Candace stumbled but reached up in time to block the staff before it also hit her in the face.
I could feel his unwavering gaze.
All right, if the battle couldn’t distract me from the handsome duke staring holes into me from across the arena, I had a notification tab full of updates.
The first was an oracle.
[ Oracle: You are witness to the strings of Fate and her weave. The story unfolds, and the Chosen of each deity mark the way.
You have found 8/12 Chosen.
Impending Scenarios: 5/12 Chosen.
Arbiter of Shadow - The Guild Engagement
Steward of Life - The Burning Bridge
Harbinger of Dream - The Soul Quest
Paladin of Light - The Wedding Jitters
Heroine of Justice - The Great Chase
Timeline access restricted.
Available Scenarios: All Scenarios within current Domain boundaries available. All Scenarios impending within 6.5 days available.
Oracle timeline: 4 mins 30 seconds.
Please select Chosen.]
That was a lot of scenarios. The thought made me sick.
[Oracle] wasn’t a fun ability, and activating it left me powerless and trapped for the full four and a half minutes.
I was going to need to slip out after the match and find somewhere safe to check in on things.
I really hoped the discomfort would be worth it …
The other notifications I had were from my bridges.
[Martha’s Bridge: 14 Travelers. Current cost: 91 EXP. Ancient Gamblers Amulet in effect. 91 EXP converted into 91 Copper Pieces.]
[Black Fortress Bridge: 39 Travelers. Current cost: 253 EXP. Ancient Gamblers Amulet in effect. 253 EXP converted into 2 Silver 53 Copper Pieces.]
The list went on.
As a bridge troll, I was magically obligated to watch over and toll any bridge under my control.
[ Bridge Troll ]
[A Bridge Troll is connected to their bridge and must defend it. Let no one pass lest they solve your riddle, pay the toll, or defeat you!
Riddle: Issue a Riddle. If a traveler succeeds in guessing the riddle, grant them safe passage across the bridge. If a traveler who has answered the riddle is injured while crossing the bridge, you suffer [Debuff: Deal-Breaker] for 24 hours.
Toll: Charge a Toll. A traveler may choose to pay a toll to cross the bridge. The toll is equal to one-tenth the traveler’s level rounded down. If a traveler who has paid the toll is injured while crossing the bridge, you suffer [Debuff: Deal-Breaker] for 24 hours.
Defeat: Defend the Bridge. If you are defeated in battle or the traveler crosses your bridge without solving a riddle or paying a toll, you are defeated. You forfeit Experience Points equal to one-tenth your level rounded down.]
The penalties kept any normal troll from taking over every bridge in sight, but I wasn’t any normal troll. My Ancient Gamblers Amulet converted EXP cost into a gold cost—and I was richer than most dragons, so I could afford it.
The crowd roared, and I looked up.
Candace had hit Cimor in the stomach, sending the monk flying.
The preela was almost out of the ring when Cimor activated an ability and kicked the air, changing her direction and launching herself high into the sky overhead.
Her wings opened just long enough to slow her fall, and then Cimor tucked them away safely out of the way again—a preela’s wings were thin and delicate and not meant to withstand battle.
“What a move! Cimor managed to land in the circle! What skill! What talent! But Candace isn’t letting her relax.
This is why they call her the Stormbringer! ” The announcer was ecstatic.
Dark clouds filled the sky as billowing mist formed around the hands of the giantess.
Lightning sparks danced over her hair, and her eyes had gone black.
Cimor, for her part, planted both feet and began to spin her staff in a circle as a makeshift shield.
A bolt of lightning shot at the preela, who somehow deflected it, sending it striking the ground six feet away.
My skin prickled. It turned out, Duke Julian wasn’t the only one staring at me.
After searching the crowd and finding nothing, I realized I would need to resort to using my advanced Perception if I was going to find the culprit, especially since my [Sense Danger] perk was suddenly screaming at me in warning.
I didn’t like to focus on things unless I had to; that way lay madness. But now, I actively looked around me.
My Perception registered from every individual grain of sand on the floor to the follicles of hair on a catgirl excitedly cheering on the other side of the arena. I kept it up even after I found the hooded figure peeking over the roof above Duke Julian’s box seat and pointing at me.
A gentle whistle filled the air before I caught a sky-blue-colored arrow an inch from my nose.
The hooded figure startled, lilac eyes wide. Then she vanished.
“Gerda!” Henrietta was on her feet, yelling. “Drop it! It’s kazil poison!”
I didn’t need to be told twice, letting the arrow hit the floor in front of me. Kazil turned anyone it touched into a frog. Luckily, only the arrowhead seemed poisoned and I was still a troll.
“What is the meaning of this?”
I looked up.
Duke Julian was standing in the aisle right beside me , and the entire arena had gone dead silent.