Far From Vanilla: Modded Game Reincarnation

The arrows were different, as I had suspected, but I needed to be sure. I was shot at earlier with a volley, but the amount of whistling did not match the amount lodged into that wall.

“Because they use different kinds of arrows.” I huffed, some semblance of feeling returning to my cauterized side.

The arrow in my hand was different to the ones shot recently. This arrow had less fletching and was narrower, and more streamlined, but the tip was broader in design but like a ship anchor.

A deadly combination of penetration power, and silence, the prongs of the tip made sure that removing the arrow was painful. But they don’t have much range.

I experienced it first hand.

I looked over again to the doorway, noting that there were not many of the silent arrows, with all of them in the wall.

The only explanation as to why I wasn’t pissing blood was because of pure luck. My eyes then lower to the floor.

In contrast, the arrows shot at me had smaller arrowheads with small amounts of fletching. They did not have the weight behind them to punch through metal, or even a small book from these bookshelves, but they had range.

In light of all this information, as long as I don't get shot on the side, the head, or the joints– especially the knee– I can survive this situation. 

Now that they’re not in the cover of darkness, I can attack systematically without risking myself to any unforeseen variables. Even if I rushed them head-on, I’d win the fight.

“But I for sure won’t make it out of here alive.” I sighed. 

Clench!

“My body is getting strength back, but I’m losing energy fast.”

I blinked and my eyelids wanted to stick together. I was getting sleepy. My sharpest sense, my eyesight, was getting duller and duller by the minute.

I couldn’t leave and I couldn’t sleep either. I had to fight.

“It’s ironic.” I readied my axe. “There’s only one ways out of this situation, and to prevent this from happening again.”

I was on the verge of panicking earlier, actually– I was panicking. But when I studied the arrow, every sort of doubt vanished. 

All because of Information. It seems I need to study. “Huup!””

I jumped out from my hiding place, and rolled onto another bookshelf. I did it slowly on purpose.

Twhip! Clang!

An arrow came from a skeleton on the first floor, and it shattered violently as it collided with the floor. Five more followed shortly after but they hit the bookshelves instead.

Thud!-Thud!-Thud!

But three more followed after them.

“So twelve.” I noted despite there being nine shots. 

The second floor of this library was built in a ring-like fashion, with the center being two chandeliers. I was shot on all sides earlier, but there were fewer this time, because I hid directly underneath.

Furthermore these skeletons functioned together. For some reason they were synced… every time they shot.

Or they were being controlled. To find out, I took another risk again, rolling to another bookshelf, this time, taking half a second longer.

Thud!-Thud!-Thud! Thud!

And I was shot at again, but this time, there was an extra from above me for ten in total. Why would a skeleton from the second floor, shoot directly down at the floor, when I’m on the lower level?

Simply because, if I was exposed for longer, more skeletons would shoot at me, regardless of where they were.

“One more time–”  I put more effort into this jump and I rolled back onto the second spot.

Thud!-Thud!-Thud!

This time, it was one less. Nine. 

So the shorter I was exposed the less they would shoot at me, but the closer I got, more would shoot regardless of where they were. There were two variables to consider here now.

Visibility and Distance.

First, I had to disregard their range of perception of me. Normally in Source, monsters could only lock onto a player if they reached within a certain distance. Here however, skeletons from outside that range began aggressing.

Together.

That was the key word here. Despite being from different angles, and distances, they attacked together. The shot as one system, not as individuals.

The reason as to why I was so helpless earlier was because that skeleton could have shot me way earlier, but it didn’t. 

It aimed for a disabling shot, so that a volley could finish me off.

Something was coordinating these undead, and that something is incapable of understanding solid matter when I enter a certain distance. The closer I got towards the end of this library, while giving away from my position, the more I was shot at– the more accurately I was attacked. 

“So all I have to do is to systematically remove each one of the skeleton archers.”

I needed to remove the three near me, while also being furthest from that side of the room. I needed to accurately determine its range of sight, and range of sense.

I did that.

So all I would need to do is to act accordingly. I began to prepare myself for my counter-attack. But at the time, I was not aware of the fact that in this room of mystery, I was not the only sentient being present.

However this sentience came from an object instead of a person.

How long has it been? How much time has passed since I’ve felt a beating heart…

How long has it been since I’ve tasted the sweetness of desperation? From a creature?

The book observes through its cover, an evil eye, whose eyelids are the book’s scaly leather casing, it watches a person of great curiosity.

What kind of knowledge will I feed on this day?

It pleases me greatly…

So writhe…

Squirm…

I wish to see it all, demon. I crave, what kind of knowledge will you show me!?