Novels2Search

Chapter 54: Four, The Horde

Haru: Acolyte 15/Apprentice 7

Optifex: Legionnaire 15/Initiate 7

ErcuEmu: Initiate 15/Legionnaire 7

Alara: Apprentice 15/Acolyte 7

Tacito: Footpad 15/Initiate 7

Haru rushed to stand shoulder to shoulder with the rest of the party as they watched the Gogo world boss approaching them farther down the beach.

“Here’s what we have to do,” Alara started, “first off, Taci you’re going to open, hit the boss from as far away as you can.”

The footpad nodded.

Haru started to cast Safeguard on each party member.

“Then, the moment he gets agro, you have to open and pull the boss’s enmity off as fast as you can.” Alara looked at Opti. Then she bounced her gaze between Emu and Haru. “We’re going to have to deal with the adds ourselves while all of this is going on. As soon as we start attacking, the minion mobs are going to keep switching targets until they go down.”

Haru finished casting Safeguard on everyone and started casting Fortify on each of the group.

Emu and Haru nodded in unison.

“Our goal,” Alara turned to stare out at the oncoming boss, “is to down the adds before he uses his rally and frenzies the horde.”

The boss was a few steps away from coming into Taci’s range.

Haru finished casting Fortify on everyone.

“Sounds like we have a plan.” Opti called out. “Let’s do it.”

The footpad drew his bow and stepped forward, targeting the giant goblin boss. He nocked an arrow and after a few moments, let it loose. The attack smacked into the boss, dealing 2% HP, bringing it down to 98% total health.

The Gogo leader let out a shriek and the horde of five goblin minions lurched into motion, descending upon the footpad.

The moment the goblin leader burst into a sprint, Opti launched himself forward and closed to get in range to use Line Breaker. He soared past the rushing onslaught of minions and drove himself shield-first into the boss. The stun procced, stopping the Gogo boss in his tracks, dealing 2% damage. Opti’s auto-attack triggered as well, dealing another 2% HP. The boss was down to 94% health.

Taci stood his ground. The rest of the party rushed to his side.

Alara started casting Fire on the farthest goblin minion rushing toward them.

Emu wasted no time and used Line Breaker to close on the nearest foe. The stun didn’t proc, but he immediately used Pummel to follow up, which procced two extra attacks. Coupled with his auto-attack, it dealt 40% damage to the mob and drew enmity away from Taci and onto the initiate. In return, the goblin auto-attacked and brought Emu down 15% to 85% total HP.

Haru targeted Alara’s mob and started to cast Vortex. As it was a fast-casting spell, it finished before the apprentice’s Fire. It put the Magic Defense Down debuff on the mob and its health started ticking down slowly, one hp at a time.

Alara’s Fire finished and blasted the same mob that Haru just debuffed. It hit the goblin for 95% HP, bringing it down to 5%. The damage over time from Vortex brought it down an additional 2% HP, putting it at 3%.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Taci took aim at Alara’s mob just before the other three in the horde reached him and finished off the wounded goblin.

Then all three of the remaining horde auto attacked the footpad. Each hit him for 25% HP, for a total of 75% HP, bringing him down to 25% remaining health.

Haru quickly targeted the footpad and started casting Mend.

Opti auto-attacked again, hitting the boss for 2% HP, bringing him down to 92% total health. The boss responded in turn with his own auto attack. The legionnaire’s block procced and the attack only dealt 10% damage, bringing Opti down to 90% HP.

Haru’s mend finished, bringing Taci back up to 100% HP. Then the three mobs turned and approached Haru. She grabbed enmity from the footpad.

Alara started charging another round of Fire on a nearby mob.

Taci rushed to get behind Emu while targeting one of the three goblins closest to the initiate. Then he used Trick Attack, disappearing through Emu and reappearing on the other side of the goblin, sliding to a stop and turning around. Then he used Sneak Attack and triggered Pummel, which procced an extra attack. The assault dealt 104% damage to the goblin and downed it. “Whoops, that was overkill.”

Haru worked fast to target the mob Alara was casting Fire on and used Vortex once more, placing a Magic Defense Down debuff on it, and starting its health ticking downwards.

Alara’s Fire casting finished and singed the goblin for 95% HP. It turned toward Alara, having pulled enmity away from Haru. As it moved, the debuff whittled away at its health, dealing 2% HP. It was down to 3% total health.

Taci auto attacked the weakened mob and finished it off.

Emu exchanged auto attacks with the mob still on him. He dealt another 20% HP, bringing the mob down to 40% total health. The mob hit him for 15%, bringing him down to 70% total HP. Then he used Accumulate and his fists started to glow.

The remaining Gogo still attacking Haru hit her for 75% HP, bringing her down to 25% HP.

She gasped and started casting Mend on herself.

Alara started casting Fire on the goblin attacking Haru.

Taci rushed forward and used the ability Subdue on the Gogo attacking the acolyte. With a heel to the back of the creature’s head, he kicked and stunned the mob.

“A little slow on that one.” Alara scoffed.

Taci shrugged and then used another ability, Feint. His body faded as if he was going to Trick Attack, but then faded back into view and he opened range by jumping backwards and attacking with his bow. It dealt 15% damage to the foe and caused the debuff Physical Damage Down. The mob was down to 85% HP.

Haru’s Mend completed and she was healed back to 100% HP.

Haru’s healing skill raised to level 6!

Alara’s Fire finished casting and blasted the goblin for 85% damage, defeating the foe. Then she targeted Emu’s mob for a moment before switching to the boss and taking a knee to recover. “He’s got that, hit the boss with some debuffs.” She looked at Haru.

Haru was starting to run low on mana. With one cast of Lumen and Vortex on the boss, she would have enough for one heal afterward. Haru started casting Lumen on the goblin leader.

Emu’s accumulate finished and he triggered Pummel once more, proccing an extra attack. The combo hit the goblin for 90% HP and downed the mob. Wasting no time, he turned to his right and maneuvered to engage the Gogo leader on its left flank.

The acolyte’s spell finished charging and hit the boss with a Physical Defense Down debuff, and its health started to tick down one HP at a time. She then started to fast-cast Vortex.

Opti used Provoke on the boss, and then they traded blows. Opti was hit for 15% HP. And his attack landed for 4% HP. The legionnaire was down to 55% HP, and the boss was down to 88% total health.

Taci started to maneuver around the boss, to get behind Opti.

Haru’s Vortex casting finished and added the Magic Defense Down debuff. And now the boss’s HP ticked down for two each time.

The footpad positioned himself behind the legionnaire and he used Trick Attack, launching himself through both the tank and boss, sliding out on the other side, and then spinning to transition into using Sneak Attack and Pummel with an extra attack proc. The assault dealt 10% HP to the goblin leader, bringing it down to 78% total health.

Then the Gogo raised his spear into the air and a horn blared, using War Cry. His eyes started to glow red. He was frenzied and would now attack twice as fast.

Haru risked it and started casting Mend on the legionnaire.

The goblin auto-attacked Opti for 15% HP, bringing him down to 40% HP. Haru’s DoTs brought the boss down 1% to 77% total HP.

Alara stood up and started casting Fire on the boss.

Emu auto attacked, dealing 5% HP to the goblin leader, bringing it down to 72% HP.

Haru’s healing spell finished, bringing Opti back up to 95% HP.

The Gogo leader auto attacked Opti again for 15%, bringing him down to 80% HP.

Alara’s Fire finished casting, blasting the boss for 15% HP, bringing it down to 62% total health.

With no mana, Haru had no choice but to take a knee. She was going to have to carefully manage when to kneel and stand now. It was going to be a delicate balancing act making sure that Opti stayed alive.