Haru: Acolyte, Level 9/20
Optifex: Initiate, Level 9/20
ErcuEmu: Legionnaire, Level 10/20
Alara: Apprentice, Level 10/20
Tacito: Footpad, Level 8/20
Haru hurriedly casted Mend on Emu, the raging battle having already brought him to 25% health. The legionnaire was engaged with a Gogo Bomber, which was a goblin holding a granite dagger in one hand and a giant round bomb in the other.
The blue-hued stone atrium had multiple candelabras lighting the area, each set upon elaborately embossed hardwood end tables. On the left wall was a wraparound staircase leading up to a second-floor interior balcony. Beneath the second floor was an archway that led outside, a stable on the far side of the courtyard could be spotted in the indigo moonlight.
After an auto-attack from Opti, the enemy was down to 50% health. The goblin reached over and smacked his bomb’s wick with the back of his granite blade, igniting it.
“Burn it down fast, it’s going to blow us all up. That attack has a wide AoE.” Emu called out.
Alara stood up and began rapid-fire casting ice bolt. Her attacks brought the Gogo down to 30% HP. She took a knee to recover.
While the mage attacked, Opti used Pummel. It procced an extra strike and brought the goblin down to 15% HP.
Emu used Line Breaker. The ability’s stun landed while also bringing the Gogo down to 5% HP.
The stun also caused the bomb to fall from the goblin’s hand and tumble to its feet. After it rolled and came to a stop inches away, the explosive detonated. The effect only hit the Gogo itself, which defeated the monster. The blast didn’t affect anyone in the party.
“Phew.” Emu called out. “Good thing we stunned it. When either the creature is stunned, slept, or defeated, the bomb won’t hit us.”
Everyone looked around the atrium as things settled down.
“Remember, this dungeon isn’t as straight forward as it seems.” Alara stood up after having recovered all her mana.
Emu nodded. “We have to get the bronze, silver, and gold keys to unlock the door on the third floor in order to get to the main boss fight.”
Haru shifted nervously, unsure of what awaited behind the final door. Normally, that would be her encounter, but she wasn’t a boss in the game anymore. She had no clue how it would work now.
“Don’t forget, each key is guarded by its own boss too.” Alara chimed in.
“Good,” Opti held up his fists and bobbed on his feet “I was hoping this wouldn’t be too easy.”
Alara rolled her eyes. “We’ll see if you still feel that way after the silver key.”
Taci looked to Alara, then Opti, and shrugged.
The initiate scratched his head and then started shadowboxing.
“We should do them in order from easiest to hardest.” Emu pointed toward the stable. “The bronze key, the easiest, is right down here.”
The group left the atrium and stepped out onto an open-air courtyard carved into the side of the mountain. It overlooked the Plentiful Glade, which was filled with evergreen and oak trees, along with big sweeping arches, structures which organically blended in with the forest. On the far side was a gate that was barred and blockaded with stacks of hay and broken crates which led to a dirt pathway that seemed to go back to the deadwood forest.
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On their left was a three-horse stable. All the stalls were empty but deeper within was lit by an orange and red glow. Patrolling around the courtyard, a Gogo Bomber took a long winding path from one side to the other.
The legionnaire motioned for everyone to stop.
“Same deal, we have to go slow and conserve our abilities.” Emu pointed at the goblin. “Then at 50%, burn it down as fast as we can.”
The mage folded her arms. “Well, if we didn’t get ambushed upon entering, I wouldn’t have panicked.”
“Why would the world’s best DPS panic over a little ol’ goblin?” Opti smirked.
Taci let slip a chuckle.
“I—well,” Alara sputtered. “No one’s immune to sudden shocks. Not even the world’s greats.”
Opti swung his arms over his head, “Oooh, ahhh, EE help me!” He gesticulated wildly with a mocking tone while running in a tight circle.
“I did not do that.” The mage closed her eyes and turned her head up and away from the initiate.
“Maybe we should focus on not getting blown up.” Haru chimed in. “I only have one heal spell and there’s five of us.”
Emu nodded and pointed to the acolyte. “Let’s stay focused, this is going to be a tough dungeon.”
With a scoff, Alara turned her attention to the Gogo afar. Opti brandished his fists. Taci readied his bow. Haru nodded, at the ready.
Seeing his companions focused, Emu turned and used Line Breaker on the Gogo, the ability sent him dashing across the courtyard. It slashed with its granite dagger after shouting wildly. The foe was at 90% HP. The legionnaire, at 85%.
Alara started to cast ice bolt as Taci and Opti both rushed forward to get into attack range. Just as the mage’s spell finished, the footpad’s ranged auto-attack triggered. Both hit at almost the exact same time, bringing the goblin down to 65% health. Alara took a knee to recover mana.
Emu piped up. “Hold DPS and wait for Alara to get her mana back.” He looked at Opti still getting into attack range.
The initiate stopped and backed up, to be sure to not accidentally melee attack at the wrong time.
Just after he spoke, the legionnaire’s auto-attack triggered, bringing his foe down to 55% HP. “Taci, same thing. Hold attack.” Emu looked over his shoulder to the footpad.
Taci unlocked from the Gogo and turned his back, to stop himself from auto-attacking.
“Almost there.” Alara piped up. “One more tick.”
The goblin smacked Emu with its dagger, bringing the legionnaire’s health down to 70%.
Haru shifted nervously, unsure if she should heal or not. She decided to wait until everyone was ready, in case she caused too much enmity. Another normal hit on Emu wasn’t going to kill him.
“I’m good.” The mage stood up.
Emu nodded. “Burn him down.”
Haru cast Mend on Emu.
Opti rushed forward and immediately used Pummel. It didn’t proc any bonus hits or missed attacks. Then his auto-attack triggered, and the barrage brought the creature down to 35%.
As soon as the initiate’s strikes brought the Gogo’s health down, it smacked the wick of the bomb it was holding with its dagger, lighting the fuse.
Alara began casting ice bolt in rapid succession. As she hammered on the mob, Taci’s auto-attack landed. Their combined assault brought the creature down to 5%.
With a swift auto-attack, Emu brought the creature to 0% HP.
The Gogo dropped the bomb at its own feet, and it exploded. None of the party was damaged.
Taci leveled up.
“Ding!” Emu smiled. He looked at the group and nodded. “Let’s recover and then see about the boss.”
After everyone had full HP and mana, they followed Emu into the stable’s side door. Inside was a narrow hallway which then turned into a wide set of shallow steps at the end. Down the stairs was a small basin with a sewer grate in the middle. On the far side, a tiny half-sized door with a little window. The left and right sides of the basin had pathways to other parts of the stable.
Emu motioned for everyone to stop just outside the hallway, at the top of the stairs. He looked around the corners of the other halls. “I just want to make sure there aren’t any other mobs before we continue to the boss. I think we’re alright.” He sounded unsure. Then, he pointed to the top of the stairs. “Everyone wait there, spread out some. Once I pull the boss, take it slow. Don’t just dump all your spells and abilities in one shot. Just see what he does.”
The legionnaire turned back to the door. “I wasn’t expecting Gogo Bombers to be in this dungeon, and who knows what’s going to happen once I pull.”
Everyone took up an evenly spaced position at the top of the steps, still lingering near the hall. Haru readied to cast Mend, just in case something went wrong with the pull.
The legionnaire creeped forward, his attention darting over each shoulder, apparently still distrustful of the perpendicular pathways on each of his flanks. He targeted the door and his hand extended, ready to open it. He activated, and after a short action charge, the door flew open and tossed Emu back, into the middle of the basin.
Out came a scraggly-bearded, haggard human. He wore a brown hood and leather tunic, with a bow in hand.
“Ye be trespassing, this is the territory of The Sisters of the Shattered Stars!” He shouted and rushed out from the small cell. “Get ‘em boys!”
It was the boss, Beast Master Villard.
Two cries echoed throughout the space from down the pathways on Emu’s flanks. A pair of dogs, one coming in from the legionnaire’s left, and the other from his right, entered and targeted Emu.
“Adds!” Emu called out. “These weren’t in the solo instance.”