Underdark- Unending Abyss Region

Outside the Cavern of Damnation

I studied the doors in front of us, we had one shot at this, and either it was a do or die Quest for all intents of purposes. "Ok, once we clear the entrance, Chalxae you are on point. Be careful, whatever lies within will include Demons and possible Undead as well. Do not get sucked in because you get overconfident!" I told the Assassin who smirked. I looked at everyone, "If you got any Attribute Points or Skill Points saved for a rainy day, it's pouring! Don't hold back, because it might be the difference between life and death." I told them and suited actions to words.

I quickly opened up the Harbinger Skill Tree and pumped a Skill Point into Umbra Strength, a passive skill that had unlocked when I had hit level twenty. I still had one Skill Point left but was unsure where to spend it.

<<<>>>

Skill Name: Umbra Strength

Skill Level: Initiate

Skill Type: Passive

Skill Description: Draw on the ever-present power of the Umbra to restore your Stamina from the strains of battle and increase the damage you deal to enemies.

Damage: N/A

Effect 1: Increase Stamina Regeneration by 15%.

Effect 1: Increase Damage by 10%.

Range: N/A

Duration: N/A

Cast Time: N/A

Cost: N/A

Cooldown: N/A

<<<>>>

I dismissed my Harbinger Skill Tree, I couldn't do anything else to prepare for what was to come. I had about fourteen hundred Health and about a thousand Stamina, so I could go toe to toe with people in a fight for a few minutes without keeling over in exhaustion. More importantly, my Spirit pool was about a thousand as well, so I could sling some spells around without worrying about running out of Spirit. My Shadow Bolts dealt almost two hundred and ninety damage and it was my go-to spell when I needed to lay out some pain. My melee damage was trailing behind, but I still dealt about two hundred and twenty damage without any active skills boosting my damage.

Combined with Shadow Strike and Tactical Strike, one sword stroke could deal over five hundred damage, enough to kill most weaker foes and put a serious hurt on most of our enemies at our level. Coupled with a critical hit, if I got lucky, I could kill most people with a few well-placed strikes. I quickly started casting my buffs, as the others added their own to our group. "Ready?" I asked them as I checked my Interface to make sure the Warband was still there, with the long cooldown I had not disbanded it since we had cleared the iron mine yesterday.

Several sounds of acknowledgment occurred and I touched the door causing a popup to appear.

<<<>>>

Notice: You are about to enter the Cavern of Damnation. Once you enter the Dungeon you cannot leave it until the Bosses (Grurez the Fallen and Borgal Hand of the Abyss) have been slain. Know this, only you and your party may enter, and if you fail a swarm will appear and attack the entire Region. If it is not stopped, it could affect nearby Region(s) as well. Do you wish to proceed? Yes or No

Note* This Dungeon will be instanced and Locked to you and your party upon entry.

<<<>>>

I looked around one last time and confirmed the acceptance causing light to bathe over us as the world around us warped like I had stepped through a portal before suddenly everything snapped back as we entered the Dungeon. The original seventy-two-hour timer disappeared and an eight-hour timer appeared on my HUD and started counting down immediately. I looked around, we were in a small cavern, a 'safe room' for all intents of purposes and nothing besides us was present thankfully. Chalxae caught my eye before disappearing into Stealth as she moved towards the only entryway in the room.

Less than two minutes later Chalxae remerged from the tunnel, "We got Demons, no Undead so far. We have packs of five so far, two Shadow Imps, two Fire Imps, and a Hell Hound, all level seventeen or eighteen so far. I couldn't get far, Hell Hounds have enhanced senses that can detect people in Stealth." the Assassin reported and I nodded. "The tunnel is fairly narrow, ten feet across and slopes downwards so we will have to take this slow." Chalxae finished reporting and I looked at the others.

"We are on point, re-up any buffs that you can. We start the party in one minute, Sessa you call it when you are ready. Fenwyn will take the second group." I ordered and everyone started to reorganize as I made my way over to the tunnel. While my Shadow Forge Skill wasn't off its cooldown yet, I could cast Shadow Armor and did so causing black and purple energy to explode outwards from my body before collapsing back towards me covering my armor in sooty dark energy as the icon for the buff appeared below my Health bar.

"You need to get a helmet Jacob and I would suggest a shield as well," Drax commented as he eyed my gear critically.

I hefted Moonlight with one hand, the blade was about three feet long from point to the crossguard. "This doesn't work too well with a shield, and there is no way I am giving Moonlight up. As far as the headgear and other armor, yeah you are right, but you all can die permanently, and I am unwilling to sacrifice any of you for my safety" I told the Orc as I felt a pulse of curiosity from the blade.

"Boss, I am sorry but I didn't ask to be forged this way." Moonlight prodded and I groaned.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"I know that, and I am not complaining at all. I need one hand to cast spells anyways." I told the blade and looked at Drax who was studying me and the blade. "His feelings were hurt slightly, but I explained to him that I was perfectly fine the way he was." I told the Orc before looking at the others.

Sessa looked back as she finished casting buffs on the group and nodded. "Let's go," she responded to my unasked question and I pushed forward. The first group came in sight thirty seconds after entering the tunnel and it was easy to differentiate between the Demons but I still use Analyze on the three variants to get a sense of what we were going up against.

Name: Hell Hound

Level: 18

Health: 1,000

Stamina: 800

Spirit: 400

Description: Hell Hounds are some of the weakest Demons in the Abyss, but do not underestimate their strength when facing a pack of these creatures. Like dogs or wolves, when roaming in packs, they become far more dangerous. As a Demon, Hell Hounds have limited innate control of Hellfire.

Name: Shadow Imp

Level: 17

Health: 500

Stamina: 600

Spirit: 200

Description: Imps are some of the weakest Demons in the Abyss, but where they lack strength, they more than makeup with innovation and cruelty. Shadow Imps excel at stealth and using limited Shadow magic, and like all Demons have limited use of Hellfire to augment their attacks.

Name: Fire Imp

Level: 17

Health: 500

Stamina: 200

Spirit: 600

Description: Imps are some of the weakest Demons in the Abyss, but where they lack strength, they more than makeup with innovation and cruelty. Fire Imps excel at using Fire magic and have better control of their innate Hellfire.

I studied the group and thanked my lucky stars that the Shadow Imps were in the front. I quickly cast Bog of Plagued Shadows, hampering the hound and two Fire Imps before darting foreword. While I had no doubt the Shadow Imps would make good rogues and masters at surprise attacks, when surprised themselves, there was little they could do. Each of the Shadow Imps pulled daggers and lined them with black-green Hellfire as they launched their counterattack.

Arrows and exploding Fireballs slammed into them as I shoulder-checked the first Imp, before launching a sweeping strike at the second Imp as I triggered Tactical Strike. The small Imp let out a shriek of pain as its whole side was crushed and black blood poured from the large wound as the Shadow Imp crumpled to the ground. Both Shadow Imps were quickly running out of health so I turned my attention to the three remaining enemies, and just in time for two Fireballs to slam into me.

<<<>>>

Debuffs...

Scorch: Stamina Regeneration decreased by 20% (Duration 30 Seconds)

Burning Affliction: 3 Fire Damage per Second (Duration 20 Seconds)

<<<>>>

I grunted but did my best to ignore the pain as I charged the Hell Hound. It was the biggest threat of the trio, and I smiled as one of the Fire Imps let out a shriek of surprise as Chalxae joined the fight. I had no doubt the Assassin would quickly deal with the two spellcasters leaving me to deal with the oversized dog. It let out a snarl and did its best to throw itself at me, but the bog spell was still in effect hampering both its movement and speed, but I quickly noted that Hellfire lined its claws.

I sidestepped the Hell Hounds' desperate lunge and brought Moonlight down on its body as I triggered Shadow Strike and Tactical Strike. The overpowered blow, while it didn't kill the Hell Hound, severed its spine and left the beast crippled and suffering a bunch of Debuffs. Before I could finish the Demon and burst of fire slammed into my side causing me to scream this time.

Unlike the Fireballs, this was a steady stream of fire and I staggered away from the Demons as Drax quickly cast a two spell, one removing the Debuffs and a second that quickly repaired the damage that I had taken from the Fire Imp. Woohoo! Thank you designated healers and for the fact that Demons didn't believe in healing magic. Before the Fire Imp could launch another attack, Chalxae appeared behind it and sunk her daggers into its smaller body, killing it instantly.

I looked at the Hell Hound and it was still trying to get to me, despite the fact it was bleeding out and the back half of its body was dragging across the ground. I shook my head and shoved Moonlight into its body, killing it and ended the Demons' existence. Well as much as I could since they would undoubtfully be sent back to the Abyss unless there was a gateway somewhere within the Dungeon allowing Demons to come through in their physical forms.

I looked at Thelgrum, "Look out for Fireballs, they hit like a damned truck." I told the Dwarf earning a confused look. "They hit hard and hurt, badly. Not to mention the debuffs they inflict." I told him before looking at Drax and nodding in thanks to the Orcs' quick work.

Chalxae got to work looting the bodies and surprisingly started skinning the Hell Hound, materials of all kinds were needed by either Eternal Night or Nightwell fortress so I disregarded my curiosity and looked at Fenwyn, "You guys are up." I told the Gnome earning a nod as she started snapping out orders as Thelgrum took point leading the way. An hour of work and over two dozen packs of various types brought us to the first chamber and boss.

The Demon stood just over seven feet tall and had a sword on one hip and a whip on the other. The Demon wore some leather and cloth armor and had a quartet of Hell Hounds sitting on either side of his chair. I quickly used Analyze on him.

Name: Norville the Houndmaster

Level: 20

Class: Hellfire Summoner

Health: 3,500

Stamina: 600

Spirit: 1,200

Description: Demons like Humans are the most common Race in the Abyss. However, unlike Humans, Demons can evolve and change as they grow stronger. Once they have undergone several transformations, they can acquire almost any Class. Like any Demon though, despite their sub-Species, has an innate control of Hellfire

"Thelgrum, I am taking the boss, can you peel off the Hell Hounds once I grab his attention?" I asked the Dwarf.

The Paladin nodded, "Aye, I have a targeted taunt, but it's one at a time with a forty-five-second cooldown." Thelgrum warned me.

I nodded in understanding and looked at my party, "Give me ten seconds and light up the boss, watch your fire and want Thelgrum to be able to pull them and I won't be trying to pull their aggro at all." I told them and I considered our past encounters and the limited intelligence the Demons had possessed. "Take into account that the Demon might not act like a normal Dungeon monster, if he does not, I have no idea what he will be capable of. So if you have anything that can interrupt abilities or spells, don't be cautious but work with the others to interrupt anything nasty he can throw our way." I told them and received more than one nod.