Azure: Gunner

Golems are a specific type of automaton, generally distinguished from synths and robots by a more primitive appearance and the variety of possible materials used in their construction. While robots and synths are almost largely metal, often with some amount of plastic mixed in, golems can be made from everything from stone to ice to metal or bone.

The weapons or Spells needed to defeat a particular golem depend heavily on its material nature. However, it is generally the case that golems are slow and powerful. You are advised to utilize evasive tactics rather than to try and confront one directly. They are rarely capable of anything more advanced than charge and smash, so use that to your advantage. If there is a more intelligent foe nearby commanding the golems, consider eliminating them first to sow confusion.

- Bonnie, Level 41 Beastmaster, Bonnie’s Bestiary

It took a while before my head stopped hurting, and I missed the next several fights. Most of them didn’t last very long, as only a few of the Mages had shields and no one seemed to have any real defensive Skills. It was dodge or get hit, and there seemed to be more getting hit than dodging going on. The first fight I was able to really watch was Zaire against Arlo.

It was hard to believe how fast things moved when I was watching from above. Zaire put his first Earth Spike to Arlo’s side, and he guessed right as Arlo opened with a dodge that took him right into the spike. It caught him in the knee and knocked his legs out from under him even as he put at least one shot into Zaire’s barrier.

Arlo fell and rolled onto his side for a moment, then was tossed backwards as a spike punched out from underneath him. Unable to penetrate the combination of his barrier and the shield collar, it flipped him over and he scrambled backwards onto his feet. He was firing and still moving backwards when a spike thrust out of the wall behind him and he screamed in pain.

He fell forwards off the spike as Wolf shouted “BREAK!”, and I looked down to see Zaire down on one knee, clutching a wounded arm. The Healer, a tanned, fit woman wearing a black leather jacket over a t-shirt and jeans – ignoring the hot sun – hopped down off the wall from her position midway between the two fighters, sprinting over to Arlo in a burst of sand. She attended to Zaire afterwards, then consulted with Wolf, who declared Zaire the winner.

I cheered along with Alex and Alyssa and surprisingly Jayce, who was standing not too far away. The cyborg’s voice was as strange as their appearance. It almost sounded like two voices, one male and one female, somehow layered on top of each other.

Alex lost his first match, to Clarice unfortunately, and Alyssa went down against one of the Lightning Mages in the group of trainees. One of the other Archers – a trainee who I’d seen standing with Clarice – took down the Arbalist, who simply couldn’t reload in time to be competitive. A few fights later, the Archer was up against Arlo and went down in a hail of bullets to the legs. Finally, my name was called again.

“Azure! Clarice! You’re up next!”

I grinned viciously.

Clarice had a staff, which meant no shield. She must have thought I was going to start by dodging again, because she didn’t move – but neither did I. I ripped through my magazine, putting the first shot into her lower legs and letting the recoil drag the barrel a bit higher for each follow-up shot. A single Fire Bolt sizzled harmlessly overhead, and then Wolf was calling for a break even as my fourth shot punched her right in the chest.

She went down hard and the Healer was already leaping off the wall by the time Clarice hit the sand. My friends shouted encouragement as I turned. Having no desire to shake her hand, I just climbed back up the stairs and high-fived Zaire instead. The asshole was shaking from pain, fury, or both as she struggled to her feet. One of her friends ran down the stairs to help her up and out of the pit, and both of them glared daggers at me as they emerged.

I smiled right back at them as I slowly and deliberately reloaded my gun before storing it. Say nasty things about my friends? No way I’m taking it easy on you…

A few fights later, Alex got matched up against one of the Arbalists and scored a close win, sinking an arrow into her shoulder as she aimed her second shot. His barrier had been just strong enough to stop the first one, but I was sure the second would have taken him out of the fight.

Alyssa’s second fight was against the Wind Mage, and ended with her screaming in pain with an invisible spike through one knee. I shuddered in sympathy as her brother ran down to help the hobbling Fire Mage up the stairs, every step obviously agonizing. Tears were streaking their way down her face as we helped her sit, but she barely made a sound. When I asked her softly if she was all right, I was surprised by the hard look in her eyes as she nodded.

I kind of expected her to quit when things got tough, but maybe she’s got more guts than I thought.

It seemed no one was fighting more than twice, and everyone had finished well before lunch. Wolf gathered us up in a circle facing him, the Healer, and the other two instructors.

“Alright everyone, good job on making it through your first fights without quitting. The prize for the best fight of the day goes to Jayce and Azure for the very first fight – one eagle each!”

I smiled in surprise as my friends – and Arlo – congratulated me, then accepted the transfer from Wolf.

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“Don’t expect us to hand out prizes daily, most instructors will give out one or two a month at best. They can be anything from cash to mods to items to whatever they feel like. While some of them will tell you in advance, others – like me – won’t. Now, let’s talk for a moment about why I’m giving them the prize. Any ideas?”

“Because she’s your pet student?”

I barely heard the whispered comment, but I’m sure it was as clear as a shout to someone with Tier 3 Perception like Wolf. He darted forward too fast to follow, and then suddenly a girl was flying through the air and crashing backwards into the pit behind us with a shriek.

Stunned, the entire group turned and dashed towards the edge to see what had happened. A couple dozen feet away from the wall, Clarice’s friend was picking herself up out of a small crater in the sand.

Oh shit… Wolf seems like a nice guy, but I better remember to never push his buttons! Who is this girl anyway? Identify.