221 Academy Antics Intermission – The Marsh Panther

Bokuboy

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Story paused. You have a critical choice to make. Since it won't affect the story as a whole, no matter what you choose, this critical choice is only applicable to the current situation.

System Notification: Quick Save Backup initiated. Cost: 250 credits will be deducted from your account.

Do you wish to initiate the Save Point feature? Yes / No

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That depends. How many times can I use it? I asked.

Just like everything else that's offered, the first time is free. Each additional use will cost +50 credits.

WHAT?!? Are you kidding me? It's just a save feature! Why does it cost that much more each time?

Hey, I don't make the rules. You can only use it once to try it and see what happens, like a trial. If you don't like the outcome, it costs to reset. It's not like we're all just sitting here and waiting for you to make choices, because we streamlined your story based on previous choices, remember?

I sighed and looked at the option. I suppose it's only applicable to this point and no other?

You got it. This instance is outside of the main storyline and could be beneficial when you return here; but, only while you are in the marsh. As soon as you leave, it's scrubbed and the save point is lost.

So, I won't get another one when I come back? I asked, a little concerned at the waste of credits.

Ha, you're funny. Just a second and I'll check. It doesn't hurt to ask, right?

I waited for quite some time before the narrator reappeared.

All right, apparently once the feature is unlocked for an area, you get the choice each time you enter the area to create a save point. Before you bug me and ask, the area is specifically within half a mile of that magic patch of land. You need to go there each time to initiate the save feature.

So, I need to risk my life to try and save it, huh? That's pretty stupid.

I can tell you that if you had successfully lured them away, you could have expanded the area before the feature activated. It's too late now and it's locked to a specific size.

I suppose I can't ask you what I can do to get out of this, can I?

If I was allowed to help, I would have sent you a message to stop screwing around in the most dangerous places in the marsh, you idiot. You had marsh panthers there before, dragons there that killed the panthers, and then you removed the dragons! What did you think was going to happen when the army removed the largest predators in the marsh?

You're right. I am an idiot. I thought and he chuckled. I didn't even consider the vacuum of power that would be left if the dragons weren't suppressing everything else.

Yeah, and now you're pretty much a tasty kitty treat. If the thing wasn't so big and powerful, you might actually enjoy being mauled like you are.

Are you kidding me? I'm waiting for it to decide to make more blood appear, or worse, decide that my flesh is tastier than the blood!

You let the hag do it for years.

I could negotiate with the Hag! I could cooperate and make life easier for myself, too. What the hell am I going to do with this thing crushing me?

I'm not allowed to offer advice, only advise you on what choices you have.

I sighed. All right, fine. I'll pay the credits to activate the save feature. I know I'm going to need it... and it's going to cost me.

There was a light chuckling laugh and then a ding sounded.

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Save Point feature installed. Save point created.

Warning: Save Point has been created while you are in mortal danger. Do you want to keep this point or create another when the danger has passed? Only one point can be created per instance.

Dammit, I have no choice, since getting out of this is the whole point of having the save point in the first place. I sighed. I'm keeping it.

Save point confirmed. Story resuming.

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The quite heavy panther was enjoying itself immensely as it licked up my blood. Since it was a magical wound, the blood constantly dribbled out. Several options went through my mind and I pondered over them as I slowly became more desperate for breath. I also had my bandoleer right there by my hand.

The least I could do would be to drink a healing potion and hope that the skin underneath would grow enough to stem the bleeding. The problem with that was the blood might stop flowing and that could upset the happy creature that was tasting me.

I could also do a few other things, and those were just as iffy and might piss the panther off. It could kill me as soon as I move, so I needed to be very, very careful. The creature was still purring, so I had a little bit of leeway. Hopefully.

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You have a choice to make. Will it be the right one that will let you live or will it be a bloody end for you and a tasty treat for the panther?

A) Take a breath. B) Take a Healing potion. C) Throw a #10 potion. D) Take a Strength potion.

E) Use a plant killer potion. F) Use a mental enhancement potion. G) Cast Fire Starter. H) Cast Shield.

I) Cast Heating. J) Cast Lather. K) Do something stupid. L) Do something very stupid. M) Choose two.

What. The. Hell. I thought and read all of the options again. What am I supposed to do with all of that crap? I only have one free save, dammit! What's with all the options?!?

Unlike the streamlined ones, this specifically wants you to choose what you do. If it was just 'cast spell', there's too many variables to calculate. If it was just 'drink potion', it's the same. Your choice needs to be specific.

I let out a stream of curses that would have made the Hag proud. I knew this was going to cost me a ton of credits! I just knew it!

Well, you can always roll the dice and hope the default works out for you.

The default? What do you... I stopped thinking as a ten second timer popped up. Son of a bitch!

Sorry, buddy. Good luck.

Fuck you, too. I thought, angrily. I'll choose two. D and A!

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I moved my hand slightly and the panther on my back didn't react. I wiggled my fingers and slowly pulled the bandoleer through my hand to get to the right pocket. I popped it open and plucked out a Strength potion.

The panther had my upper arms pinned near my body, so I still had some movement with my lower arms. I needed to be careful, though. If I moved too fast or made too much noise, I would be dead before I knew it. I very carefully bent my arm at the elbow and my hand with the potion bottle reached my shoulder. Unfortunately, it was the same shoulder that the panther was happily lapping at.

I didn't try to move again for several minutes, then very carefully lifted my head from the puddle and moved it to the lip of the vial. The panther didn't react, so I slowly pulled the cork and tipped the vial into my mouth. My lungs were screaming for air by this point and I had to let the potion do its work before I acted. Rushing would only get me killed quicker.

I felt strength fill me and I opened my mouth slightly as I took in a long slow breath. The panther didn't react, even though my back raised slightly from my expanding lungs. I moved my other arm up to my left shoulder and tensed my fingers. I was only going to have one chance at this and I needed to make it count.

I could only get a little leverage, thanks to the way the panther rested on my calves and upper arms; but, it also gave me a near perfect opportunity to do a barrel roll, because it was completely on top of me and wasn't touching the ground. I waited for another moment before I felt the tongue touch my skin, which meant its head was bent down to drink, and acted.

Quick as a flash, I pulled my right arm in underneath my body and pushed on the ground with my left, because the panther was leaning on my right shoulder, and I ignored the flesh tearing sound as it deployed its claws and tried to grab on to me in three spots as it toppled over onto the ground.

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You have a choice to make. Hope for the best, plan for the worst.

A) Run. B). Fight. C) Beg. D) Give up and die. E) Get your bandoleer. F) Choose two.

I ignored the five second timer that popped up. I'm choosing A and B!

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I scrambled away as fast as I could and it wasn't going to be quick enough. I knew this, since panthers were pretty damn fast. I wasn't trying to flee, though. No, I was buying enough time to draw my knife from the sheath. I wasn't able to reach it while pinned and charged it up as I skidded to a stop and turned to face the deadly threat.

My left upper arm and both calves were shredded, so I was losing a lot of blood as it charged me. I leapt to the side in a dodge as it leapt to tackle me and I twisted in mid-air to get my knife to nick its hind quarters. It let out a roar and licked the spot I had cut, barely six inches long, and it growled at me.

“Yeah, there's more where that came from!” I said loudly and ran at it.

It almost looked surprised as I leapt at it and it was the panther's turn to dodge me. It was smarter than I gave it credit for as it almost leapt in place while I tried to slash at it. I barely touched one of its paws with the knife, even extended by magic like it was, then it landed and swiped at my back in one smooth motion.

I felt the claws dig in a lot more than they should have, since I should have been outside its reach, and I grunted at the pain. When I turned to look at it, I saw the slight glow on the claws and the holes in the ground at its feet that were several inches away from the actual claws.

Oh, no. I thought and looked down at the ground between my feet. It wasn't drops of blood I was seeing, it was almost a steady stream. It's already killed me.

I gave the creature a squinted glare, then calmly walked over to it. It stood there, defiant of my approach, as if it knew I couldn't do anything to it. I smiled and held my hand out in a stop gesture to distract it, then I wiggled my fingers at it and raised my hand. It's head followed the movement and I sliced up with my knife through its jaw and right into its brain.

It didn't even know it was dead as it seemed to sit down and then it toppled over. I ignored it and walked over to my bandoleer and drank healing potion after healing potion. I also tried to pour some number ten potion down my back to somehow knit the skin together. It was no use. I felt myself waver and fell to my knees as I looked down at my still glowing knife.

Well, the Hag was right. I really am going to live or die with this blade in my hand. I thought and then I heard over a dozen creatures approach. I looked around and saw the black panthers from the clearing surround me. “So, who wants to be next?”

They all let out a roar and charged me at the same time. I wasn't going to die with them tearing into me, eating me alive, so I did the only thing I could do in that situation.

I plunged my knife into my own forehead and ended it.