Haru: Acolyte, Level 10/20
Optifex: Initiate, Level 10/20
ErcuEmu: Legionnaire, Level 10/20
Alara: Apprentice, Level 10/20
Tacito: Footpad, Level 10/20
Haru readied to heal Emu as the Blood Hunter Bat charged him down. She tried to stay calm, even though the enemy had 105% HP.
The legionnaire motioned toward the end of the second-floor balcony, urging the rest of the party to take up a position near the top of the stairs. Though the atrium on the first floor was a better spot, it ran the risk of mobs down there respawning on them during battle. As Emu charged down the hall, he took another hit for 20% of his health, bringing him down to 60% HP.
The bat was now up to 110% total health.
Emu stopped and turned as he moved into the open area of the balcony. The moment he faced the bat, he used Line Breaker. It hit the mob for 5%, bringing it down to 105% total HP. The stun didn’t proc.
As fast as Haru could target, she began to cast Mend on the legionnaire.
With the mob no longer moving and combat started in full, Taci adjusted his distance from the monster, targeted it, and auto attacked. His strike dealt 5%, bringing the bat down to 100% total HP.
The acolyte’s healing spell finished and brought Emu back up to full health. Haru worried about how much damage was being dealt to the legionnaire. If it had any tricks up its sleeve, it might be able to down the tank. Opting for caution, she knelt into recovery and then examined the boss.
The mob stats menu from the ability Oracle gave her popped up which included the examination text that all other players would see at the end.
Blood Hunter Bat – Level 18 – Type: Hostile Mob
HP: 125
Mana: 10
Strength: 12
Agility: 18
Vitality: 10
Dexterity: 8
Mind: 3
Intelligence: 2
Charisma: 4
Abilities
-Pierce
-Drain
-Bloodletter (Passive)
It’s Impossible to Gauge.
Drain was an offensive spell which would heal the caster for 100% of the damage dealt if it was a mob using it and 50% if it was a player that cast the spell. Bloodletter must have been the ability that allowed it to gain back health from its auto attack damage.
Opti rushed forth and opened with Pummel. It procced extra damage, and along with auto attack triggering just after, dealt 15% damage to the bat, bringing it down to 85%.
As the initiate began his assault, Alara cast her ice bolt on the bat. It struck and expanded into a sphere. Spikes burst from the frosty orb. “Finally, something going right. It’s weak to ice.” Alara knelt to recover. Her single cast dealt 20% damage, bringing the bat down to 65% HP.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
The enemy turned to rush the mage. But quick on the draw, Emu fired off Line Breaker and the bat returned to focusing on him. “No, no, no. You stay here.” Though the stun didn’t proc, his auto attack triggered, bringing it down to 55% HP.
Then it began to rumble as red spheres appeared and circled around the beast. It started casting Drain.
Haru stood and, out of an excess of worry, began to cast Mend on Emu.
The mob finished charging its ability and rammed into the legionnaire. The attack brought him down to 40% HP. In turn, its own HP jumped to 85%.
Emu shook off the attack. “Let’s hope it doesn’t spam that.”
With a grumble, Alara stood up. “I was hoping to let everyone level their weapons, but enough of this.” With full mana, she began casting ice bolt in rapid succession.
The first hit caused the bat to turn toward her, bringing its health down to 65%. As it crossed the balcony and approached, the second cast hit which brought it down to 45% HP.
“I don’t have Line Breaker off cooldown yet.” Emu spoke, panicked.
The mage cast the third ice bolt. “Doesn’t matter, you’re not getting him off me now anyways.” It finished and brought the bat down to 25%.
As she started casting the fourth and final, the bat reached her and struck Alara for 65% of her health, healing it for 10%, bringing the monster back up to 35% health. The damage caused her spell to fail, which prevented it from continuing to cast but didn’t expend any mana.
In a panic, Haru turned and started to cast a heal on the mage.
Opti chased after the bat and closed in.
Line Breaker came off cooldown, and the legionnaire rocketed across the balcony and slammed into the bat, bringing it down to 30% health. The stun procced and caused the bat to stop moving or attacking.
The acolyte’s heal triggered and brought the mage back up to 100% HP.
Alara then began casting her fourth ice bolt one more time.
As soon as Opti reached the mob, Taci’s auto attack triggered, bringing it back down to 25%. Then the initiate’s attack brought it down to 20% HP.
The mage’s spell finished and downed the mob.
The creature gave everyone the most experience from a single enemy that they’ve encountered in the starting area. But because they needed to limit break, no one could level up yet. It would come just after the end of this dungeon.
Alara slapped her hands together as if to dust them off and nodded with satisfaction. “There, solved that problem.”
With a grin, Opti cocked an eyebrow. “That was quite risky, even for me.”
Placing her hands on her hips, the mage let slip a belly laugh. “That’s why you’re not the world’s best DPS.”
The initiate scoffed. “Not yet at least.”
Haru exhaled sharply to ease her nerves. She leaned over and propped herself up by planting her palms against her bent legs. It was much better when things were simple and only Emu was taking damage. Everyone competing for who could out-damage each other and causing the enemies to roam around was stressful.
“Let’s try to communicate what we’re doing better.” Emu stared at Alara. “We don’t have a lot of skills at our disposal and poor Haru is the one to make sure we all don’t get blown up.”
Alara folded her arms. “Fine. It’s not like there was any real danger anyways.”
Emu looked at the mage with a disapproving glance before walking back into the hallway. “Wait here. Stay on your toes, I might be pulling again.” The legionnaire walked back to the two doors which were situated midway from the far side of the hall. The rightmost door, which he had opened and aggroed the Blood Sucker Bat, was still ajar.
He edged forward and peeked through the doorway. With another step, he squared off with the entryway and stepped through.
“Is there anything there?” Haru couldn’t hide the unease in her voice.
The legionnaire didn’t respond.
The four looked at each other, a palpable concern grew between them.
“Do I need to blow something up over there?” Alara called out, her voice shaky.
Emu still didn’t answer.
Opti stepped forward. “Let me see what’s going on.”
“No!” Haru and Alara shouted at the initiate.
Haru felt bad for yelling at Opti, but she was worried about people just going off and doing whatever they wanted again, which might cause a party wipe. Especially if she couldn’t get to Emu in time for some reason.
“Because what if he’s coming and you body-block him?” Alara spoke with a scolding tone.
“I wouldn’t do that. I would see him coming.” Opti frowned.
“But what if he is just coming out of the door and you’re trying to go in? You might not see him.” The mage pointed down the hall.
Taci started walking down the hallway.
“I would hear him.” The initiate insisted.
“And then you’d body-block him because he’d be running out and you’d just be standing there like an oaf.” Alara motioned toward Opti from head to toe.
“Hey, can you hear me?” Emu was standing in the hallway, waving both arms over his head. “I said you all should come down here, this is a better place to fight.”
Opti and Alara stopped talking and turned to look at him.
Haru decided to follow Taci.
“See? I told you that you wouldn’t hear him.” Alara closed her eyes and turned up her nose at the initiate.
“Well, I couldn’t hear him because you were yelling at me. Maybe let me concentrate next time.” Opti trailed behind everyone else, holding his arms out wide.
The party regrouped inside the room on the right side of the hallway. It was far bigger than the area on the balcony. There was way more space to maneuver and get to max casting range.
It was some sort of performance room, with a grand piano in one corner, several gold-trimmed mirrors on the far wall, and elaborate floral wallpaper on the rest. The ceiling was much taller than even what was in the atrium. In the corner opposite the instrument was a large throw switch, which was already triggered.
“Get situated here, this is where we’ll fight whatever’s next. Since we took down the boss, there shouldn’t be any respawning.” Emu motioned toward the floor. “I unlocked the other door, and I’ll see what’s in there. That was where the Blood Hunter Bat was supposed to be, who knows what’s in store now. But that’s where we need to get the silver key.”
He left the room and took a step toward the door on the opposite side of the narrow hallway. Then, the legionnaire reached down for the handle.