Underdark- Unending Abyss Region

Cavern of Damnation

I grimaced as I watched the Shadow Bolts impact on the boss and do minimal damage. While the other Demons had been resistant to Shadow Damage, and Shadow Imps immune, I would estimate Norville had a fifty percent Resistance to Shadow-based damage. Yet I had achieved my point, and the Demon came off his seat with a challenging roar as I smiled and winked at him, "Come on big guy, let's see what you got!" I snarled right back at him as I put my back to the cavern wall.

Surprisingly Norville only pulled his sword and not his whip as he rushed my way, the four, make that three Hell Hounds chasing after him. Thankfully the others listened to me and held back their attacks as the Demon plowed into me. While Norville was physically larger than me, in sheer strength I had him beat so his attack didn't do much damage. However, he was faster and two of his next five attacks got through scoring some damage, while the Hell Hounds continued to bite and scratch at my legs.

<<<>>>

Debuff Soul Warp: Decrease Health, Stamina, and Spirit Regeneration by 20% (Duration 30 Seconds)

<<<>>>

I blinked the information away, I did my best to avoid the claws and teeth. I launched another two Shadow Bolts at the Norville at point-blank range causing him to stagger back and buying me some breathing room. More importantly, it gave my companions a clear target and I watched as both arrows and Fireballs come streaking in. Without the boosts from the Dungeon, I did not doubt in my mind, Norville was a scrub.

With the Dungeon boosting his health, he became a dangerous annoyance. Moonlight slicing across his stomach as I triggered Tactical Strike and Shadow Strike, effectively disemboweling the Demon, added a whole new sense of pain to the fight. Norville howled in agony as his guts spilled across the ground and his Health dropped to half, but more importantly, all the Hell Hounds were enveloped in Hellfire buffing them.

I assumed it was an equivalent to my Shadow Armor, but quickly learned I was wrong when I kicked one of the Hell Hounds trying to buy room and caused the Hellfire to jump onto me.

<<<>>>

Debuff Soul Burn: 3 Damage to Health and Spirit per Second (Duration 20 Seconds)

<<<>>>

I dismissed the information as I moved to engage the Houndmaster, who had regenerated somewhat. Before either of us could do anything, Chalxae dropped out of stealth and sunk both her blades into the Demon dropping its health by another quarter and leaving him vulnerable. Norville desperately tried to get away, but I cast my bog spell, and while the Demon was resistant to Shadow-based damage it couldn't do anything to resist the tentacles of shadow energy that enveloped his body. More importantly, it locked down the two remaining Hell Hounds.

Norville managed to get the whip free and snapped it on the ground causing a new Hell Hound to emerge, thankfully within the confines of my spell. Before the Demon could summon another Hell Hound, I sent Moonlight slicing across Norville's neck ending the Summoner's life and causing the newly summoned Hell Hound to disappear and leaving us to face two Hell Hounds that we quickly dispatched.

"Rest and relax," I told the others before leaning over and looting the corpse of the Houndmaster. He dropped a handful of potions, all three types of various strengths, a set of robes suited for a Warlock, and the whip. The robes I handed over to Fenwyn immediately causing the little Gnome to smile and hug me before blushing and stepping back as I eyed the whip.

Weapon Name: Abyssal Tamers Hellfire Whip

Weapon Type: Whip Weapon, Blackened Leather, Hell-Steel, Bladed Whip-Enchanted

Class: Epic

Base Damage: 30

Primary Effect...

--- +10 Hellfire Damage + (Character Level X 0.25)

--- +20 Dexterity

--- +15 Constitution

--- +15 Spirit

--- +5% Attack Speed

--- +5% Critical Hit Chance

Secondary Effects...

--- Master of the Hell Pack: Summon (1) Hell Hound (Character Level +5) once a Day per (5) Character Levels. (Duration 5 Minutes, Cooldown 24 Hours)

--- 20% Chance enemies will suffer Soul Warp Debuff decreasing their Regeneration rates by 20%. (Duration 30 Seconds)

It was a nice backup weapon for mage types and one that could be used to Summon a creature with no cost and could be used as a meat shield in a tight spot. However, whip weapons took actual skill to master and I didn't think anyone within my party was too keen on giving up what they had for it so I would sell it later at the Auction House once we got back to civilization. If we ever found this Ineford, it would be one step closer.

"Drax, how was our new guest doing this morning?" I asked the Orc, thinking of the city I was trying to find had brought up the thought of the Dwarf we had rescued.

"He is doing better Jacob, all the broken bones are set and mending. The muscles, skin, and blood are also regenerating steadily. When the Dwarf awakes, he will be ravenous with hunger, but we will need to temper his food intake or he will be sick from the amount of food he will consume." Drax replied as Chalxae and June started to loot and skin the Hell Hounds that had not disappeared with the Houndmaster. "He should be awake in a day or two at most." The Shaman relayed and I nodded in understanding before checking my inbox for any messages to see if Darren had messaged me back yet.

Sadly the errant rogue had failed to respond or I couldn't get a message due to being in a Dungeon, either way, it was a worry for later. We pushed on, the doorway leading deeper into the Dungeon had opened up with the death of the boss. Chalxae quickly checked for any hidden loot and only found a small chest containing money, uncut gems, and more potions. Not much, only fifty gold, but it was a nice little boost with the thirty dropped by Norville.

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The second tunnel revealed Demons similar in size and shape to the Houndmaster, but thankfully they didn't have the Dungeon buffs the Boss had. However, they were traveling in groups of three to five in more traditional groups with a designated tank, but thankfully few had a healer type among their ranks. We however steadily mowed through their ranks, we just had to move slowly down the tunnel.

Unlike the Imps and Hell Hounds, the Demons dropped more than crafting materials. While most of it was trash, it could still be broken down and reused for our own purposes or sold off. This time the floor Boss was far more complicated than the first had been. There were two named mobs in the chamber, a Succubus, and an overly large Demon. They were intimately distracted though and the unnamed Demons were looking on, waiting for their turn. I quickly used Analyze on them to get a read on the room and winced.

Name: Az'Gis the Defiler

Level: 22

Class: Black Guard

Health: 7,000

Stamina: 1,000

Spirit: 650

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

Name: Ethra the Beguiler

Level: 21

Class: Enchantress

Health: 3,000

Stamina: 500

Spirit: 900

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

Name: Demon Brute

Level: 20

Health: 1,000

Stamina: 800

Spirit: 500

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

I looked at the others and saw more than one bemused look as the Demoness continued to fuck behind me. "Heads in the game people. Priority is the Succubus, then the big bruiser." I told them and Chalxae threw a smirk my way.

"What, jealous?" the Drow asked and I snorted.

"Nope, she is an Enchantress, so she can both heal, buff, and since she is a Succubus she can also probably turn any of the men in this group against the others. She is more dangerous than the Black Guard in her own way. Kill her, and that threat will be neutralized. Understood?" I asked them all and got nods of understanding. The Drow knew exactly how dangerous that type of magic was since I knew the Drow used it as well. I turned my eyes to Thelgrum, "I am going for the two-for-one special, pick up the ads. Sessa and Fenwyn count us down" I told the two-party leaders and Paladin.

"Buff up!" Sessa commanded and she started casting spells and I followed suit and I pulled up my Status to see my Buffs and Debuffs.

Buffs...

Shadow Aura: +35% Chance to ignore Light-Based Debuffs, +25% Resistance to Light-Based Damage

Magical Spark: +2 Spirit per Second

Shadow Forge: +50 Shadow Damage, +5% Critical Hit Chance (Duration: 20 Minutes)

Shadow Armor: 15% Melee Damage is Absorbed, 20% of Absorbed Damage is redirected back towards attackers (Duration: 20 Minutes)

Sorceric Armor: Absorb (3) Magical Attacks= (238) Damage per Attack (Duration: Until Used)

Sorceric Aura: +10% to All Resistances (Duration: 10 Minutes)

Fiery Halo: +10 Intelligence and Spirit, +5% Resistance to Elemental Damage, Attackers will suffer (Level 1) Burning Affliction (Duration 10 Minutes)

Heart of the Forest: +10 Vitality, Constitution, Strength, and Dexterity, +5% to Health, Stamina, and Spirit Regeneration (Duration 10 Minutes)

Bark of the Heart Tree: +50 Armor, +5% Magical Resistances, 5% Decreased Chance at being struck by Critical Hits (Duration 10 Minutes)

Moradin's Endurance: +10 Vitality, Constitution, and Strength (Duration 20 Minutes)

Debuffs...

---None---

I dismissed the information, while I didn't have any Debuffs yet, it was nearing a break time. I did not want to face a boss with a Hunger and Thirsty Debuff hanging over my head. "Chalxae and June, go. Jacob, give them ten seconds to get into position, then start your attack." Sessa stated and I nodded as the two women disappeared into Stealth.

I gave a long ten count then started foreword, as soon as I was in range I triggered my charge skill. With a boost to my speed like I was riding on a roller coaster, I had two Demons screaming in both pain and rage. I whipped Moonlight out of their bodies and tried to bring the blade up and around to decapitate the Succubus, but the Defiler proved he was both a bastard and somewhat of a team player by shoving her off his cock and onto the ground. Too bad for him, it didn't change my aim or swing, and the Demon lost one of his 'swords' causing the Demons below of rage to turn to one of absolute agony.

The Succubus hissed something and started casting a spell as she clutched at her chest and the open wound there, but Chalxae appeared behind her and sunk both her blades in the scrambling Demon while June peppered her with arrows. Thank you, Blackrock for keeping some real-life physics and how wounds afflicted people. While the Succubus had a huge health pool for both her level and class because she was one of the bosses of the Dungeon, but it didn't matter with the gaping wound in her chest, three arrows in her heart, and a dagger in her throat, and one in her kidney.

Ethra went from three thousand Health to less than three hundred in less than ten seconds. Chalxae finished her off by cutting her throat before disappearing back into Stealth as Thelgrum arrived engaging the three Demons that had been watching the whole spectacle. Az'Gis was finally getting the pain under control as what remained of his dick flopped around spewing black blood as his health bar steadily fell from the open wound.

I ducked the large Demons swinging sword, but the fist caught me in the face and threw me a couple of feet, but I managed to roll to my feet. "You will die in agony mortal!" Az'Gis bellowed as he moved towards me.

I smirked at him and cast my bog spell, "Ok stumpy, what are you going to fuck me with?" I called back causing his eyes to bulge out as the tendrils from the spell exploded into existence all around him. Az'Gis already quickly depleting health started dropping even faster as the Plague Damage started eating away at the Demons health.

I shot foreword and threw a pair of Shadow Bolts at him, but they splashed harmlessly off the Demons breastplate as he triggered a skill or ability dispelling my Bog of Plagued Shadows and stopping his health from dropping any lower.

That's when my party entered the fight, but while the Demon was taking arrows, Fireballs, and kidney shots, the Demon's health didn't move. Fuck! He had a damage immunity or some type of 'bubble' skill that would negate any damage for a time and based on the fact blood had stopped pumping out of his dick, it also had a healing factor as well. If it lasted longer than ten seconds, we were screwed. I threw myself forward, while I couldn't damage the Demon I could keep him occupied.