"Forget this…I'm out of here!" Screamed one trainee as he dashed toward the door and proceeded to bang on it while screaming, "let me out…let me out!"
Arthos taking command of the room resumed speaking in a low but steady voice.
"Like I said…we can't beat this guy alone…we need to stick together…or end up like that."
"What do we do?" asked a frightened girl.
"There are eight of us…we have one tank, 4 attackers, 2 mages, and one archer…this is what we do. Kristan you take the front…don't worry about damaging it…just focus on staying alive and buying us time. The four attackers will attack together…his HP and Defense are probably too high to kill in one attack…we will need to limit its mobility and weaken its attacks. Mages attack with everything you got…and archer go for the legs and arms."
"Archer and mages lure him in…he will charge at us and try to split-up our formation…whatever you do, don't get separated…stay in formation…ready? Light him up!"
Wain, another mage, and the archer unleashed a flurry of attacks. The orc let out a sharp cry as the fire enveloped its skin and arrows pierced its legs. It charged toward the group like a mad rhinoceros.
SMASH
It smashed into Kristan's shield knocking her back. The attackers unleashed a storm of hacks and slashes aimed at the orc's legs, arms, and torso…too many and too fast to block…the orc swung its arms wildly like an ape swatting away flies.
"REGROUP…REGROUP!" Arthos yelled followed by, "STAY IN FORMATION! STAY IN FORMATION!"
Unfortunately, one trainee moved ahead of the group carried away by the momentum of her attacks. The orc caught her hand and in one brutal jerk, ripped the trainees arm off.
"AAAHHH!"
The trainee yelled as she collapsed on the floor from the pain.
"KRISTAN! PUSH FORWARD…PUSH FORWARD!"
The team pushed forward like a football scrimmage-line…pushing and shoving against the orc while only managing to gain a few inches at a time. As they pushed, the team simultaneously inflicted damage with sword strikes, arrows, and fireballs. The orc groaned in pain as it retreated backwards a few steps…its body oozing blood from countless cuts and arrow piercings.
The group reached the injured trainee…the avatar was still alive, but she was unable to move likely due to the immense pain.
"YOU! OVER BY THE DOOR! YOU! Look after her." Arthos said as he dragged the injured trainee over by the door.
'We can't continue like this,' Arthos thought, 'we need to end this now…his HP is roughly half now.'
"Archer…can you aim for the eyes? We need to blind it…" Arthos said.
"Mages…can you shoot it in the head with fire? We need to dampen its senses…on my mark. Ready…steady…NOW!"
AAUURRR!!!
The orc let out a painful cry as an arrow pieced its eye…followed by fireballs engulfing its head. The orc frantically threw its arms up trying to shield its head from more attacks.
Arthos moved in close and dropped low…he waited for the right moment when the orc's arms where up high covering its face.
SLICE
Arthos's hunch was correct…the skin was soft near the armpits. He plunged his sword deep into the orc's torso through the armpit.
The orc fell on its knees…blood oozing out of the wound.
Arthos looked at Kristan…the two nodded at each other…and Kristan proceeded to decapitate the orc with one powerful sword swing.
!ALERT!
[Quest - "Trial by Fire, final" updated]
[Trial by Fire, final – completed]
[YOU LEVELED UP!]
[YOU LEVELED UP!]
"Did we really do it? Did we really win?" whispered one trainee.
Another trainee hunched over and vomited…while another sobbed quietly in the corner.
"It's so real…look at the orc…even now it looks so real. Even the sweat, tears, and blood look and smell real." Wain said as he approached the orc's body.
"Team…guys…you did good…let's get out of here." Arthos said addressing the team.
The door opened and an unexpected guest was waiting on the other side.