Lightning flashed across the skies, illuminating the massive clifftop platform surrounded by roiling seas. The wind was intense, buffeting Bea, Bella, Calliope, Rembrandt, and Kass, as they made their way up towards the heart of the storm, towards the final challenge of the Dread Isles, Admiral Larghan. Through the camera I could just vaguely make out the admiral’s shape at the center of the stage.

Even though I wanted to be there to support my friends, the truth was both Kass and Sullivan were better choices to lead the assault. Both of them had the magic, or martial skills, that I lacked, and that could make a major difference in the fight against the dungeon master.

Also, if I was being honest, I’d rather be sitting in the Gardens, where it was warm, than fighting in the middle of a thunderstorm.

I did my best to focus the tablet upon our team, as they slowly advanced onto the final plateau. There was only enough time left for a single attempt, so I crossed my fingers and waited for the fight to start.

—

Kass squinted her eyes, and threw a hand out in front of her face in order to keep the spray from the ocean, and driving winds, out of her eyes. A couple of feet away, Bea, and the other anthophilans had clamped themselves to the revenants, in order to keep themselves from being blown away. The sirens were also struggling to make progress against the vicious winds, but were making better progress than their bee compatriots.

The only ones that didn’t seem to be having an issue were Bella and her spectres, which were chatting amongst themselves, despite the driving winds. Apparently this was one of those situations where being incorporeal was an advantage.

“We’re almost there!” Kass shouted, struggling to make herself heard above the storm. “All we have to do is get to the top, and we’ll be in the eye of the storm!” She couldn’t be sure if anyone heard her, or answered, because the driving winds drowned out everyone’s voices.

She slithered forward, leaning into the wind and leading the way towards the epicenter of the storm. Just when it felt like the storm would never end, she pierced the wind wall, and stumbled into the calm beyond. It was eerie, practically silent, she couldn’t hear the storm anymore, just the quiet laugh from the man standing casually in front of her.

“Took you greenhorns long enough to get here. I was starting to worry that I wouldn’t see any action before this shindig ended,” Larghan said. Despite speaking quietly, his voice filled the area.

Kass took a moment to catch her breath, and check that everyone had made it inside, before turning towards the imposing man standing before her. He was similar to the cephalopod people they faced earlier in the match, but just a little more humanoid. His skin was slick, and rubbery, but he lacked the bulbous head their previous opponents had. Instead, he had a long beard of writhing tentacles, and black, humanoid eyes. His ornate long coat was just resting on his shoulders, revealing his silk shirt, and rippling muscles underneath.

Even though he could have taken advantage of the team’s disheveled nature, after the long trek up the hill, he just stood there, waiting for them to collect themselves.

“Do you always play fair?” Kass asked, as she wiped the water off her face.

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“Do you know how often I actually get a chance to stretch my muscles? Most adventuring groups that make it this far are so badly maimed that I don’t get a proper workout. I’ve been looking forward to this, lass,” the admiral replied. The massive man pulled an ornate pistol out of his belt with his left hand, while lifting a wicked-looking, dark cyan axe in his right.

“So what’s the plan?” Bea asked, as she flicked her wings, trying to dry them off enough to fly.

“Don’t get shot,” Kass replied, keeping her eyes locked on the admiral, “and Bella, you and your group have to be careful around that axe, it’s a soul stealer.” The banshee just nodded sagely, and carefully eyed up the weapon from a safe distance.

“Anything else?” Calliope asked, from the back of her crabby companion.

“Just let the revenants do their work, and strike when you see an opening. We have the numbers, we should be able to wear him down,” said Kass. Across the clearing, Larghan laughed. The sound was low, and almost resembled the growl of a predator. It was unsettling.

Kass gestured to Rembrandt, and sent the revenants forward. As the small group of weapon masters advanced, they fell into a loose combat formation, the rest of the party spread out behind them. Larghan watched everyone advance, seemingly unconcerned.

When the revenants were only a few steps away, he shifted and burst into action. He approached the nearest revenant, a spearmaster with a tower shield, and, with a single strike of his axe, cut the shield in two. The man reeled back in surprise, and before he recovered Larghan pointed his pistol at the man’s head, and pulled the trigger. An instant later, the man was gone.

Rembrandt rushed into the gap left behind, his greatsword coming down with incredible force, only to be casually deflected by the admiral’s axe. Before he could bring his sword up again, Larghan pointed the pistol into his face and pulled the trigger. Rembrandt instinctively jerked to the side, barely avoiding the blast, and giving way for another revenant to take his place at the front. The action saved his life, but the bullet still caught an anthophilan behind him.

Kass growled. Of course the man was powerful, it was nearly impossible for someone weak to take control of a dungeon, but they weren’t even pressing him enough to force him to use his magic yet.

“Bea, Calliope, on me!” she barked as she slid around the side of the ongoing melee. At the speed Larghan was picking apart the revenants, they didn’t have long. She gathered magic, focused, and just as she charged forward, she released her spell. The admiral had just kicked Rembrandt back, making room, just as Kass pushed. Larghan caught two of her knives with his axe, while dancing back out of the range of the other two. He attempted to bring his pistol to bear, just as he’d done half a dozen times before; this time it didn’t work. The elemental Kass summoned behind him surged forward and clamped down on the man’s pistol.

It only threw him off balance for a second, but that was long enough for Bea’s whip blade to slice into his back, and one of Kass’s daggers to dig into his side. He staggered back, swiping his axe to keep the group away, a twisted smile on his face.

“Finally! You know how long it’s been since I felt the sting of battle? Too long,” Larghan growled. He shrugged his shoulders, shucking his oversized longcoat, “maybe you actually deserve to face me at my full power after all.”

His eyes glowed a dark, murky turquoise color and, after a moment, water began to bubble up around the arena. Rembrandt attempted to push the admiral, his blade flashing forward in an attempt to interrupt whatever ritual the man was invoking. Instead of parrying with his axe, Larghan used his pistol to intercept the greatsword. He dipped his axe into one of the puddles, and with almost casual indifference flicked it in the direction of a large group of sirens and spectres. A massive blade of water shot out, catching most of the group, and slicing them in two. His backhand strike sent out a second blade, finishing the survivors off.

“Now that I’ve taken care of most of the chaff, we can get to the real fight,” Larghan said, turning towards the remaining party, a deranged grin on his face.

Calliope audibly gulped, and had Toto shuffle behind Kass. “I hate enrage mechanics,” she whispered.