With a fierce battle cry, Atlas leaped into the fray. His twin swords flashed in the dim light, slicing through the air with deadly precision. One troll’s head flew from its shoulders in a spray of blood, and Atlas swiftly pivoted to cleave another in half, scattering its remains across the cavern floor.
Fire from the flame grenades covered the corpses, preventing their regeneration.
In fluid motion, Wang Bo wielded his staff with practiced grace. Each powerful swing shattered bones and sent trolls crashing down. A precise attack left one troll stunned, and a crushing blow to its skull ended its struggle. “Dragon’s Claw Strike!” he shouted, sending a wave of force toward the troll.
More fire. More death.
Dodging a swipe, Isabella fought with lethal efficiency, her twin swords flashing in a deadly dance. Each strike was precise, sending torrents of blood spraying across the cavern. Maneuvering with agile precision, she moved like a war goddess reborn, graceful and deadly in her approach. She took a vicious claw swipe to the guts, but it didn’t stop her.
Flames burned across the ground.
“You’re about to get a world-class ass-kicking, you ugly piece of shit!” Stu roared, his weapons at the ready. One mace absorbed the trolls’ savage attacks while his other mace swung with brutal force. A heavy blow to a troll’s knee brought it crashing down, and a crushing swing splattered its skull, spreading gore across the floor.
Alexander’s great sword cleaved through trolls with resounding force. Blood and entrails spilled from every swing, the cavern floor soon littered with the remains of fallen foes. “Time to put on a show!” he bellowed, eyes blazing with fierce excitement as he prepared for the next swing.
Barbara’s sword and shield formed a protective barrier as she fought with precision. Each deliberate swing of her blade cut through thick troll hide, causing geysers of blood to erupt. Her combat efficiency was enhanced by her medical training, making her a surgically precise presence in the melee.
At the front lines, Hank raised his two shields high, absorbing the brunt of the trolls’ attacks. He deflected blows and stepped in to intercept strikes meant for his comrades, taking hits that would otherwise incapacitate his team. He looked like a grotesque children’s birthday piñata. With blood pouring out instead of candy.
Despite his lack of skill, Randy the aspiring artist/armoror fought with surprising resilience. His hesitant sword and shield work managed to connect amidst the chaos. His determination to hold his ground and protect his comrades was evident, even if his technique faltered.
Adding an unpredictable element, Titus’s erratic sword and shield work occasionally caught trolls off guard. Clumsy as he was, a few lucky strikes contributed to the battle effort.
The newer warriors that had been brought to bolster the original SFB team fought with varied weapons, their coordinated attacks with axes, spears, and crossbows making some impact. Their enthusiasm and skill enhanced the team’s effectiveness.
The cavern became a scene of utter carnage, with troll bodies piling up and blood staining the stone floor. Flames from improvised fire grenades illuminated the scene, casting eerie, flickering shadows and adding to the chaos.
As the last troll fell, the chamber fell into silence, broken only by the crackling of flames and the heavy breathing of the victorious fighters. Atlas surveyed the aftermath, his face smeared with sweat and blood.
The flame grenades had done their job.
“Excellent work, everyone,” he said, his voice echoing through the cavern. “We’ve secured the dungeon. Let’s collect what we can and prepare for the next challenge.”
While the team began searching for loot and potential threats, the cavern’s entrance exploded outward. A colossal troll stormed in, towering over twelve feet tall. Its massive, muscled frame was covered in thick, mottled green skin. Eyes glowing a malevolent yellow, jagged teeth protruded from its gaping maw. The troll’s club, a gnarled piece of wood studded with iron spikes, swung with terrifying force, sending debris crashing down and shaking the cavern walls.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
“Big boss!” Atlas yelled, cursing himself for not noticing the absence earlier. “There’s a boss in this dungeon!”
The Portal Crushers braced themselves for the unexpected fight ahead. The troll’s size and strength made it a formidable opponent.
Alexander charged in, meeting the troll’s club with his great sword. “Time to show the folks at home why I’m a golden god!” he roared, eyes blazing with excitement. The thunderous clash echoed through the cavern, but the sheer force sent him flying.
Wang Bo gripped his staff tightly. “Dog crawls through grass!” he shouted, unleashing a powerful series of strikes at the feet of the troll. The boss winced at the attack on his feet but remained standing.
Isabella and Barbara circled the troll, their swords flashing with deadly intent. Isabella’s blade struck a weak spot, but the troll’s hide quickly sealed over the wound. Barbara pressed on with rapid strikes, only to see the troll’s monstrous healing seal the damage faster than they could inflict it.
“Throw some more fire grenades!” Atlas commanded.
PHWOOM!
Stu, his anger radiating off him like sparks, hammered away with his mace, each swing echoing through the cavern. “You’re about to experience a top-tier fucking beatdown!” he bellowed, striking the troll with unyielding force. Despite the fury behind his blows, the troll’s rapid regeneration made short work of the damage, allowing it to persist in its brutal rampage.
The flames from the grenades began to die down quickly. Despite the inferno, the troll’s thick hide seemingly impervious.
The troll retaliated with a devastating swing of its club, sending a shockwave through the cavern. Wilfredo leaped in to block the attack with his shields, but the force sent him sprawling.
John, noticing Wilfredo’s predicament, rushed forward to absorb another crushing blow with his own shield. With massive strength, the troll’s club connected with John’s arm, severing it.
As John’s arm was severed once again, he let out a pained scream. “Fuck my arm!” This was the third time he had lost an arm in the wasteland, and his frustration was clear to all. “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck,” he screamed in pain.
A notification popped up in his vision, catching his attention.
ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED:
TITLE: ONE-ARMED BANDIT
For losing your arm three times in the wasteland, you have been awarded this achievement. Nicely done. Are you a lefty?
Bonus: When attacking with one weapon, you'll receive a 20% higher critical hit rate versus all enemies.
***
The troll, in a grotesque display of savagery, snatched John’s severed arm from the ground and began to chew on it, the flesh tearing with horrifying wet sounds.
The fight against the boss troll wasn’t going well for the Portal Crushers.
Titus, focusing intently, swung his sword in a wide, powerful arc. “Booyah! Special move!” he yelled, his blade slicing into the troll’s flesh. The so-called special move didn’t do much damage, though.
The new warriors fought valiantly, but their inexperience showed as the troll’s wrath became more ferocious. Erik, a young fighter, took a brutal hit to the chest and collapsed, gasping for breath. Lila was thrown against the cavern wall, her arm twisted at an unnatural angle. Jamal was struck in the side, blood pooling around him as he lay unconscious.
Randy, despite his nerves, charged with determination, landing a wild strike that drew the troll’s attention. “Not giving up!” he shouted, but his swing barely fazed the beast.
The troll suddenly went berserk, its eyes burning with a frenzied light. It roared louder than ever, its movements becoming erratic and brutal. The regeneration accelerated, healing its wounds almost instantly. It swung its club with even greater force, sending shockwaves through the cavern.
Atlas, noticing the change, yelled out, “It’s gone into berserk mode! Kill it quickly!” His voice cut through the chaos, urgency laced in every word.
The rest of the flame grenades were thrown.
PHOWWWMMMM!
The troll screamed in agony as its skin burned, the regeneration struggling against the massive conflagration of flames.
Stu, seething with fury, swung his mace with renewed determination. “Why don’t you just drop fucking dead, you overgrown sack of shit!” he bellowed, his blows landing heavily but not halting the troll’s rampage. His swearing continued unabated as he battled, “Come on, you bastard! Give up already!”
The battle reached a fever pitch. Despite its berserk strength and accelerated regeneration, the troll seemed to grow weaker as the flames took their toll.
Finally, Atlas and Alexander seized the moment. With a synchronized charge, they unleashed a devastating combination attack. Atlas’s dual swords and Alexander’s great sword cleaved through the troll’s defenses in a blinding flurry of steel. Their combined assault delivered a fatal blow.
The troll’s massive frame convulsed violently with a final, earth-shattering roar. Its enormous body crashed to the ground, the cavern shaking with its fall.
KERBOOM!
The sight of its gnarled, bloodied hide and the smouldering wounds left by their combined assault made it clear just how formidable the beast had been.
Barbara rushed to the injured new warriors. Kneeling beside Erik, Lila, and Jamal, she quickly began to administer first aid. She stabilized their conditions, but they remained gravely wounded. “I’ve done all I can for now,” Barbara said, her voice strained. “We need to get them back to Fort Bone.”
Atlas said, “All right, let’s quickly loot this place. With the boss gone, there must be a dungeon heart here.”