Aldritch found the group almost exactly where he’d left them. They’d wandered to the end of the alley and were observing the demons guarding the entrance to the dungeon.
At the sound of him landing behind them, Sulika and the others quickly spun and drew their weapons - But the moment the group realized it was just Aldritch, they released a collective sigh and turned back to face the demons.
“Do you have a plan?” Aldritch asked as he approached the group. As he was taller than everyone except Zarud, Aldritch could easily see the demons over their heads.
The demon standing in front of the dungeon’s entrance was widely considered the bane of hunters. The seventeen-foot-tall Troll was an exemplar of its species: Tall, broad shoulders, long stringy hair, deep red skin that could easily block a normal sword, and a pair of curved horns growing back over its skull. However, despite having all the physical characteristics of a close combat tank. Trolls were perhaps one of the most cunning demons to be found in the dungeons. This particular Troll was wearing a long black robe with an oversized hood. The hem of the robe stopped just above the Troll’s ankles, covering almost its entire body. The only parts not covered were its face, and its two burly arms that remained folded across its chest.
The other demon was one Sulika, Faeyra, and Max had already seen before. A slender Demonwolf was sitting on the remains of a collapsed wall a short distance away.
The Demonwolf’s bluish-black fur allowed it to blend in with the shadows of the surrounding buildings. Though, the effect was somewhat broken by the brightly colored, aquamarine robe the Demonwolf was wearing.
“Any idea what level they are?” Sulika asked while looking up at Aldritch.
“No. But I can probably find out, if you’d like?” Aldritch replied.
“That’d be helpful.” Faeyra said in a relieved tone. None of them were looking forward to going into battle without at least some information on the two demons.
Aldritch cast the spell Wisdom of the Great Sage on the Troll, since it was the closer of the two demons.
Status
Class
Shaman
Level
59
Ability Scores
Strength
28
Dexterity
12
Constitution
31
Wisdom
18
Intelligence
10
Charisma
6
“The Troll is level 59.” Aldritch told them before turning his gaze on the Demonwolf.
Status
Class
Prowler
Level
54
Ability Scores
Strength
18
Dexterity
32
Constitution
15
Wisdom
10
Intelligence
15
Charisma
12
“Demonwolf is level 54. Would you like their classes as well?” He asked before dismissing the spell. Glancing down at Sulika, he found her- and nearly everyone else - staring up at him with varying emotions on display; annoyance being the most prevalent one.
“You can see their classes too? What level is your insight skill?” Max asked, his voice made it rather easy to see how uncomfortable he was knowing Aldritch could see so much information whenever he wanted.
“...70.” Aldritch replied after a brief moment to think about it. “I’ve only looked at it once, so I could be wrong. But I don’t think I am. My ability to recall information is about as precise as can be.”
“70?” Max replied, clearly surprised at the number. “I expected it to be a lot higher than that. At least 90, maybe even 100 considering everything else you can do.”
“I’ve been forced to do a lot of different things in my life - doesn’t mean I’ve mastered all of it yet.” Aldritch chuckled.
“Even so, 70 insight is nothing to sneeze at. You could make a lot of money as an identifier.” Oladi said. She wasn’t surprised to learn of his high insight skill, as she’d gotten to know many Dwarven identifiers over the years. They were a subset of hunters that only used their skills as part of another job or hobby. Usually in a craftsman run shop or guild. Their skills allowed hunters to get an accurate assessment of whatever random bit or bobble they found in a dungeon and sell it for a good price. Knowing Aldritch’s penchant for chocolate milk, she figured he’d jump at the idea… But he didn’t react. At least, not in a way she could see.
“A certification could be useful. Most people don’t like buying from a relatively unknown source, so we might struggle to make money until the people of Azuris start to trust us. Getting certified by the city should make that process a lot smoother...” Aldritch said to Oakairo.
“Would you go through with it though?” Oakairo replied in an amused tone. “That’d mean allowing people to peek at your skills.”
“Not usually. But if it would allow us to make more money in the future, then I don’t have any substantial reasons not to go through with it. Wasn’t like I was trying to hide it anyway.” Aldritch said and turned his attention back to the group. “So? What do you want to do? If you want to try and fight one of them, I’ll support you. If not, then I’ll just take care of them myself.”
Sulika chewed on her bottom lip for a few seconds. She glanced around at her friends and guildmates for their thoughts… But they were all watching her.
“We’ll follow your lead.” Derrik told her while grinning.
“You’re our captain. You say fight, I’ll hit whichever bastard you put in front of me.” Zarud said with his chest puffed out.
“I’ve got your back. Always have, always will.” Faeyra said, smacking Sulika on the back to motivate her.
“It’s seven on one. What’s the worst that could happen?” Ralocan jokingly asked.
“Well, death, obviously. But I agree with the sentiment.” Oladi said, nodding her approval.
Sulika watched them agree one by one. Their support and faith in her set loose countless butterflies in her stomach. She couldn’t help but smile - both in thanks for their support and out of nervousness.
“Then… we’ll fight.” Sulika said and looked up at Aldritch, who was grinning at her.
“Good job.” He muttered and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Follow my instructions and I’ll see to it that you win. Yes?”
Sulika could feel her breakfast trying to come back up. It was a struggle, but she managed to keep it down and nodded.
“Max, think you can handle the Demonwolf?” Aldritch asked him.
Max scoffed and didn’t verbally answer the question. Instead, he tightened the straps on his gauntlets until they bit into the skin beneath his fur - He slammed his fists together in front of his chest. The metal gloves emitted a surprisingly clear sound that reminded Aldritch of a large bell. Max leaned his body forward slightly - He shot towards the Demonwolf like a bolt fired from a ballista. The guild master roared as he charged; his voice was raw, broken, and filled with more rage than Aldritch thought the little Kandis could contain inside his little body.
Out of curiosity, Aldritch cast Wisdom of the Great Sage on Max.
Status
Class
Savage Monk
Level
61
Ability Scores
Strength
27
Dexterity
24
Constitution
14
Wisdom
12
Intelligence
10
Charisma
14
Both demons heard Max’s attack and turned to look at the small Kandis charging at them.
Both demons showed expressions of surprise at the audacity - which turned into amusement when they realized he didn't even have a weapon.
"You're coming with me!" Max roared and leapt towards the Demonwolf.
Savage Monk exclusive skill 'Rage of the Righteous' has been used. Damage resistance: +50% for 20 seconds. Strength: +15 for 20 seconds. Dexterity: +15 for 20 seconds. Constitution: +15 for 20 seconds. Warning! Your body will enter a 'broken' state for 10 minutes after the skill ends. Cooldown initiated: 70 minutes.
The Demonwolf’s expression instantly shifted from humor to bewilderment as Max entered its reach and the Kandis somehow accelerated to the point of momentarily vanishing from sight - The Demonwolf felt, rather than saw, Max's hand close around its throat, and suddenly its feet weren't on the ground anymore. In an instant the two canine warriors disappeared through the door of a nearby building and the sound of battle quickly followed as walls were broken and glass was shattered.
“Eyes up front.” Aldritch told the group. “The troll is on the move: I’ll save you if it looks like you’re going to die. But otherwise, you’re on your own for this fight. I need to see what you’re capable of without me fighting your battles for you.”
"Aren't you going to wish us luck?" Sulika said; half as a joke and half because she was fighting the urge to vomit and was trying to keep her mind off of it.
"You don't need luck." Aldritch replied in a voice only she could hear. "You just need to have as much faith in yourself as I have in you... Now, are you ready?" Sulika licked her too-dry lips and nodded. "Good. Then show me what you can do." He finished in a louder voice, one that everyone could hear.
The six hunters drew their weapons and slowly exited the alleyway in a line. Once they were clear of the alley, they fanned out, surrounding the troll and making it much harder to get in each other’s way. The Troll smirked in response to their caution; an act that showed off its razor-sharp teeth and its sadistic thoughts. It raised its hands in front of its body and started chanting in the Giants tongue: [By the force of my will, I trample the world underfoot- bending it to my whim.] Each word it spoke caused more mana to rise from its body, which was represented by an arc of electricity breaking away from its skin and striking the ground or tearing through the air.
“Zarud and Derrik are the front line. Keep it busy. Trolls will throw spells the moment it senses an opportunity. It's your job to prevent that.” Aldritch said. He focused a small amount of mana into his voice, causing it to reverberate through the alley and penetrate their skulls directly.
Zarud stomped his left foot and activated his class exclusive skill: Savage Rage - Crimson mana caused his muscles to swell and his senses to dull. His vision zoomed in on the enemy standing before him until they were the only two creatures in the world.
The last conscious thought Zarud had before madness overcame his senses was the telltale chime of a system notification.
Barbarian exclusive skill ‘Savage Rage' has been used. Strength: +10 for 1 minute. Dexterity: +5 for 1 minute. Constitution: +10 for 1 minute. Intelligence: -10 for 1 minute. Wisdom: -5 for 1 minute. Charisma: -10 for 1 minute. Uses remaining before cooldown initiates: 1
With a madness induced roar on his breath, Zarud charged the Troll with his axe pulled back and ready to bite into the Troll’s flesh.
Derrik lifted his beloved two-handed great hammer into the air above his head. “Let’s crack some skulls, Rosa!” He cried and activated his class exclusive skill: Provoke.
Warrior exclusive skill ‘Provoke’ has been used. Damage resistance: +20% for 30 seconds. Designated targets will be unable to target party members for the duration of the skill. Cooldown initiated: 180 seconds.
Violet-colored mana poured forth from his body like a bonfire. The Troll found its eyes inexplicably drawn towards the Dwarf - Without meaning to, the Troll released the spell it’d been building and allowed the gathered mana to dissipate. The Troll shook its head and tried to focus, but its brain was drowning in a haze that obscured higher thoughts and made it impossible to think of anything but twisting that irritating little Dwarf’s head off! A roar spilled from the Troll’s mouth, and it began to charge at Derrik - only for a rage-amped Zarud to leap in front of it and - *Bam!* The Troll felt its right knee buckle beneath the force of a ten-pound axe biting deep into its thigh. But driven by madness as he was, Zarud wasn’t about to let the Troll go with only one strike. He dodged out of the way of its falling body while ripping the axe free and circled around to its back. Zarud raised his axe high and brought it down with everything he had, slamming the axe into the Troll’s left shoulder.
Metal clashed with bone and blood sprayed over Zarud's face - unfortunately, the Troll's bone was too dense to cut through with a single strike. The axe bounced off the Troll's shoulder, instead removing a chunk of flesh from the side of its arm and causing more dark blood to pour from the demon's body.
The Troll wailed in agony and swung its fist at Zarud, forcing the Half-Orc back a few steps. Derrik capitalized on the opportunity and rushed in to assist Zarud; with a mighty leap that belied his size, Derrik crossed a dozen feet in a single leap and brought his hammer, ‘Rosa’, down on the Troll’s head like a meteor - *Bang!* The hammer smashed into the top of the Troll’s head, cracking one of its horns and forcing it to use its hands to keep from falling to the ground.
The Troll turned its baleful eyes on Derrik - Who didn't give it a chance to do anything else; Rosa smashed the Troll's cheek right and forced the Troll's head aside. Dark blood flew from the Troll's mouth as Derrik shifted his hold on Rosa and drove the head into the squishy part of the Troll's throat, then brought the hammer back down onto the back of the Troll's head. The blow was the final straw, and the Troll could no longer keep its balance. Derrik drove the Troll's face into the road hard enough to break stone.
“Can any of you stop it from regenerating?” Aldritch asked Sulika, Faeyra, Oladi, and Ralocan.
“Not me. But I could probably keep it distracted.” Sulika hesitantly replied. “I’ve never attempted to use my magic on a Troll before. I don’t know-”
“Stop.” Aldritch said, cutting her off. He placed a hand on her shoulder and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “A battle isn’t the place for hesitation. Can you do something to help or are you a liability?” He asked while watching for her reaction.
While the others were speaking, Derrik and Zarud continued their assault on the Troll.
The two hunter’s fighting styles were polar opposites; Zarud hacked away at the Troll’s vitals with reckless abandon. Every hit was driven by Zarud’s savage instincts telling him to go for the kill: Rip out the jugular so it bleeds. Crack open the skull so it can’t think. Cut out its lungs so it can’t breathe. Kill. Kill. Kill.
While Zarud fought off instinct, Derrik’s style was deliberate. Every strike had purpose; every step followed the plan as he surgically drove Rosa into the Troll’s joints. Dislocate the shoulders to keep it from pushing itself up. Break the hip so it can’t stand. And if he could get in fast enough to strike before the Troll could react with its long claws and longer arms, shatter the spine to temporarily paralyze it.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
However, despite laying into the Troll with everything they had. Neither hunter was causing any permanent damage to the demon. Its skin was too thick in many places for Zarud’s axe to create more than a shallow gash - which would heal in a couple of seconds anyway. And its bones were growing stronger with every break, forcing Derrik to use more and more strength behind every blow.
The battle had only been going for a few seconds, but the tide was already turning against them. Especially since the Troll wasn’t just sitting there and taking the abuse. It lashed out with tooth, nail, claw, fist, and foot in response to each attack they levied against it. Zarud was barely able to dodge thanks to the preternatural instincts of the Orcs and his self-buff. But Derrik didn’t have the same advantage. So, his ability to attack and retaliate was gradually falling behind as the Troll adapted to their attacks.
Watching all of this happen with a concerned look in her eye. Sulika nodded after a brief pause. “...I can help.”
“Then stop thinking and do it. Keep it from retaliating.” Aldritch replied. He lightly shoved her towards the troll before turning his attention to the other three hunters.
Sulika took three quick steps forward to keep her balance and thrust her wand at the Troll. Her mana was bubbling just beneath her skin and the moment she decided to cast a spell, it leapt to her aid like an excited puppy. “Enmet: Daze!” She chanted; The level 0 spell took the form of a ball of black smoke as it launched from the tip of her wand. Normally, Daze was a spell that only affected creatures of level 20 or below. However, because of Sulika’s class ‘Nine-Tail’s Heir’ that was no longer the case. So long as it belonged to the enchantment school of magic, a level 0 spell cast by Sulika could be used to full effect on creatures up to level 40, half effect up to level 50, and quarter effect up to level 60.
Zarud jumped forward and brought his axe down on the Troll’s right shoulder and sunk deep into its flesh -
Barbarian exclusive skill ‘Savage Rage' has ended. All stats have returned to normal.
… Now he had a problem. The axe had gone too deep, and he couldn’t get it out without his stat bonuses. Zarud placed his foot on the Troll’s thigh and kicked off in an attempt to pry it free. But he’d wasted too much time - The Troll’s body healed around the axe head before he could pull it free, anchoring it in place as surely as if he'd left it in concrete.
The Troll used that opportunity to slash Zarud across the chest with its claws and had Zarud not been as close as he was, that would’ve been his end.
The Troll’s arm slammed into Zarud before the claws could touch him, launching him away and out of range before the Troll’s claws could do more than leave a shallow gash. But even a glancing blow from a Troll was life-threatening for most people. Two bones in Zarud’s chest were decimated on impact, and he was sent flying right as the ball of black smoke flew from the tip of Sulika’s wand: It barely missed Zarud’s body mid-flight, passing only a few centimeters from his side and nearly grazing his arm as the appendage thrashed through the air.
Oladi immediately jumped to Zarud’s aid. Her nose and mouth elongated into a gray beak with a sharp point, her neck lengthened slightly, and a wave of black feathers cascaded from her scalp to the soles of her feet, before exploding off her body. A monstrous crow took the elf’s place and flew to intercept Zarud. She wrapped her body around his at the moment of impact, and the two of them came crashing to the ground. Oladi protected Zarud’s head while they rolled across the ground, ending with her straddling his waist and hugging his head against her feathery chest. “Aldritch! Help!” She screamed while climbing off of him and gently setting his head on the ground.
The ball struck the Troll in its left shoulder right as it climbed to its feet -The spell exploded into a mass of dark mist that infiltrated the Troll’s body through its nostrils, ears, and mouth. The Troll’s eyes rolled back into its head, and it swayed backwards - But didn’t fall. A weak spell such as Daze, enhanced as it was, could only affect the Troll for a split second.
It grabbed Zarud’s axe and, accompanied by an ear-splitting roar, ripped the axe from its shoulder and used it to deflect a debilitating strike from Derrik that would've sent its face right back into the ground. Instead, it was Rosa that slammed into the stone road; dust and small rocks came flying up to smack Derrik in the face - which was immediately followed by the Troll attempting to grab him.
Sulika’s second spell hit the Troll at that exact moment. “Enmet: Phantom Pain.” was a spell invisible to all but those with magic sight: As Sulika whipped her wand towards the Troll in the same way one would skip a stone, a phantasmal dagger sprang forth from the end of the wand and sank into the Troll’s right eye. The Troll cried out in pain and grabbed its own face in surprise.
Derrik jumped at the chance to get payback for Zarud - He quickly spun his body and, much like a golfer aiming for the green, followed through with the motion while using the Troll's legs to guide Rosa straight to its squishy target.
The Troll made a sound that could have either been a cough or a whimper and sank to its knees, sweat beading down its forehead as it concentrated on recovering.
“Ralocan, the Troll is going to start healing in a second. We can’t allow that.” Aldritch said at the same time as Sulika’s second spell hit the Troll. This time his voice was directed solely at Ralocan.
Cyndarr’s priest jumped at the sound of Aldritch’s voice but adapted quickly and nodded. “O’ honorable Cyndarr, my keeper and guardian, hear my despaired prayer. Cast your divine light upon the world and bring righteous Bane upon the evil. I ask this of you as your humble servant: Cyndarr’s Ruination.” He chanted in a quiet voice. His body shined dimly as divine mana flowed just beneath the skin. He built his mana over a period of two seconds and released it into the sky directly overhead. A dark, orange-colored mana flew from his body and penetrated the clouds in less than a second - Ralocan dropped to his knees the moment the mana left him and sucked in a breath.
An instant after the mana disappeared from view, another stream of mana broke through the clouds on a collision course with the Troll. Orange mana that was as bright as the sun struck the Troll like a lightning bolt, its thick skin offering no resistance against the divine mana. The Troll’s body reacted immediately: his stomach flipped, his blood flowed backwards, his brain spun inside his skull, all of it culminating in one of his hearts ceasing to function as the spell truly took hold. The demon couldn’t fight like this. Hell, it could barely move. It took every ounce of concentration the demon could muster just to keep itself upright. Which meant they needed to capitalize on this moment and finish it off.
“Now’s your chance, Derrik.” Aldritch said while bringing up his right hand and aiming it at Zarud - A jaw dropping amount of mana pooled into his hand. “Rejection of Pain, Greater Heal, Regeneration.” He muttered, casting one spell after another. Zarud’s body reacted to mana in an instant, his eyes coming alive as it poured into him; knitting flesh, mending bones, and forcing his body to produce enough adrenaline to keep him awake.
“Son of a BITCH!” Zarud screamed. He rolled onto his stomach and pushed himself onto his hands and knees to fight against the stinging pain in his back and chest.
Zarud’s pain-filled yell came right as Derrik activated his second skill and let out a battle-cry of his own. “Charge!” Derrik roared.
Warrior exclusive skill ‘Charge’ has been used. Cooldown initiated: 35 seconds remaining.
A violet-colored spark of mana appeared at the center of his chest at the same time as Derrik began sprinting at the demon - an instant later, the mana bloomed into an aura of purple flames that covered his entire body like a suit of armor.
Derrik's speed quadrupled in the blink of an eye, and he rocketed towards the Troll with his hammer held high - *Bang!* The roar that spilled from Derrik’s mouth as he made contact with the Troll’s face was filled with all the pain and anger his body could contain; Rosa flattened the Troll’s face, broke its skull, and nearly sent its brain flying out of the back of its head. The momentum of the hit carried over to the Troll, causing it to collapse backwards. Its body folded back onto its legs while its dazed eyes looked skyward.
Zarud and Oladi appeared in the corner of its eyes before it could recover. Zarud snatched his axe back from the Troll and lifted it high into the air while Oladi placed her monstrous crow foot onto the Troll’s chest - the Troll moaned in pain as Oladi curled her toes and drove her talons into its pectoral muscles.
The Troll opened its mouth wide in anger and reached for her leg - Zarud’s axe slammed down onto its open mouth, cleaving through the relatively thin skin of its cheeks and smashing through the already shattered bones in its neck.
The top of the Troll’s head rolled free from the rest of its body and Zarud shouted “YEESSAH!” as his adrenaline peaked... And then he immediately collapsed backwards, falling flat on his backside as the adrenaline began to fade.
There was a long moment of silence as everyone processed what's just happened. They’d just killed the scourge of all hunters: A level 59 Troll lay dead at their feet, by their own power… Aldritch smiled as they erupted in cheers of joy - But that smile was almost wiped off his face as Sulika, Derrik, Zarud, and Ralocan went pale-faced. Their bodies were shaking, from what, Aldritch didn’t know.
Wasting no time, he cast Wisdom of the Great Sage on Sulika.
Diagnostic Screening
Age 27 Race Yako Kitsune Vitals
Optimal for Race B.P 142/95 124/76 Pulse 135 106 Temp 102.5 102.6 O.S 91% 100% Abnormalities affecting the Body:
Suffering from an Acute Mana Surge | Cause: Unknown. Abnormalities affecting the Immune System:
None Detected.
“Acute mana surge?” Aldritch didn’t understand. Did she have too much mana inside her or too little? Was the effect caused by her body attempting to replenish the spent mana faster than she could handle?
However, it became clear the moment his eyes landed on the other screen.
Status
Class
Nine-Tail’s Heir
Level
32 [Level up!]
Ability Scores
Strength
10
Dexterity
20
Constitution
10
Wisdom
14
Intelligence
16
Charisma
20
“So that’s how they grow in strength…" Aldritch muttered while frowning.
“What’s wrong?” Oakairo asked him. He was confused by Aldritch’s reaction. This was a question answered: they knew what it looked like when a hunter increased in level. Isn’t that what Aldritch wanted?
“This isn’t right.” Aldritch replied through the bond while shaking his head in confusion. “It’s not safe, nowhere near it. A simple test would’ve shown how impractical this delivery method is. What happens if they ‘level up’ during combat? They can barely stand. Her BP and pulse are worryingly high -” Aldritch paused and quickly checked on the others… and discovered they were all suffering from the same side effects as Sulika. “I wouldn’t be surprised if someone has had a heart attack because of this.” Aldritch was getting angry now. Lack of a maker’s mark was certainly bad, but it was mostly just unprofessional from a quality standpoint… This was different. This could actually cause deaths or permanent damage to the body. “Is everyone alright?” Aldritch asked everyone and got a round of nods and smiles in return.
“Just grand.” Sulika exclaimed in between sucking in breaths of air. “Wouldn’t mind a short break though.” She said and smiled at Aldritch. At the mention of a ‘break’ the others all nodded in agreement and sighed in relief.
“Alright, everyone.” Aldritch said and forced a smile. “All of you take a rest. I’ll go find Max and we’ll enter the dungeon once I return. Faeyra, Oladi you two keep an eye on them. Yell if you need me.”
“Okay.” Faeyra said before jogging over to Sulika’s side.
“Understood.” Oladi replied and dipped her head. “Thank you for healing Zarud.” She said loudly.
Aldritch dipped his head in acceptance before walking away. As he turned his back to them, the smile melted off his face. “Now I see why they left the mark off.” Aldritch muttered.
“I don’t understand; How could they possibly benefit from killing off hunters?” Oakairo asked. Gods needed worshippers to survive. Killing them was a bad practice no matter how many worshippers you had, and Oakairo had seen plenty of gods waste away as their following dwindled to nothing. Why would you intentionally shave away at your lifeline?
“I can only think of two reasons: They don’t want to see tomorrow… or it’s not their lifeline anymore.”
“You’re saying they’ve figured out a way to eliminate the need for worshipers?” Oakairo asked in a curious tone.
“Maybe not completely.” Aldritch admitted. “But what if they’ve figured out a way to bypass it?” Aldritch glanced over at Ralocan. Of the people effected, he looked the least troubled by the process. Was it because he did the least amount of work? Doubtful: he’d leveled up just as the others had. So, why then? “...What if the Gods of this world figured out a way to get the benefits of a worshiper, without the need for faith?” Aldritch asked him.
“...Ah. Clever. Very clever.” Oakairo chuckled after brief pause. “You’re saying they’re leeching off the power of the hunters as a whole, so the loss of one or two individuals isn’t a huge loss. Right?” He asked and got a nod from Aldritch. “Then it wouldn't have been a bad solution, if they’d implemented it correctly. Accidentally killing off the source of your power is still pretty idiotic and should be fixed.”
Aldritch nodded as he rounded a corner and spotted Max. The Kandis was sitting beside the broken and bloody form of the Demonwolf with a pipe hanging from the corner of his mouth. Max was bleeding in a few places; none looked serious, just a few shallow cuts and a gash on the back of his head. Aldritch was amused to note that despite the wounds, this was the most relaxed he’d ever seen Max.
Max pulled the pipe from his mouth and blew out a ring of smoke while lightly tapping the pipe on the ground to dislodge the ashes - He spotted Aldritch and casually waved at the giant. “How did they fare with the Troll?” He asked in a slow, methodical voice.
“Better than they probably had any right to. They are an effective team, if a bit greener than I'd like.” Aldritch replied while looking over Max’s wounds. “Would you like me to heal you?”
Max’s body froze at the question. He sat without moving for a few seconds before standing up and brushing himself off. “I would rather you did not do that. I prefer being like this.” He said and moved past Aldritch.
“Pain keeps the demons at bay. Is that it?” Aldritch asked while falling into step beside Max - which was more difficult than he’d thought due to the different lengths of their strides.
“Something like that.” Max laughed.
Ten minutes later they regrouped with the now rested members of Mag Ársa. The portal hovered in the air before them: Crimson in color and a hair shy of fifteen feet tall and over six feet wide. The portal was one of the largest they had seen - a testament to the amount of time it’d been leaking miasma into the world. Only Max had seen bigger, and even then, it was just the once. Ten years ago, he, and the group he’d been traveling with, happened upon a green portal that was almost twenty feet tall and ten feet wide.
“This portal looks different than the one we traveled through before.” Aldritch mused.
“Really?” Max asked. “It looks pretty standard for a red dungeon.”
“He’s talking about the one we found him in… It was purple.” Sulika muttered the last bit.
Max’s body froze in surprise and his head slowly turned to face her. “You didn’t tell me that.”
“Does that mean something?” Aldritch asked. He was confused by Max’s reaction. Did the colors mean something?
“Yes, it does.” Max sighed. “Dungeons are ranked on three criteria; the color of the portal, how dark the color is, and the value of the resources inside. This is what’s considered when we assign ranks to a dungeon.”
“I see. And how does purple differ from red?” Aldritch asked in a curious tone. He had an inkling of what it meant, but he wanted to confirm it before saying anything.
“It’s just another type of dungeon.” Max replied, scratching his head in irritation.
“I wonder if he’s being intentionally obtuse?” Aldritch wondered while watching Max. “Could you be more specific?”
“This-” Max said and waved at the dungeon in front of them. “Is a high-level war dungeon. A purple dungeon is a different type.” Max told him; He was beginning to get agitated again and the speed of his words was increasing as a result.
“Interesting. What other types are there?” Aldritch asked. He chuckled at the look of annoyance that flashed across Max’s face.
“There are three primary types that can mix to form secondary types. The difficulty of a dungeon is determined by the shade of its color. Darker colors are for higher levels, lighter colors are safer for beginners.” Sulika explained, speaking up in place of Max. “Red dungeons force you to fight, yellow dungeons force you to solve puzzles or avoid traps, and blue dungeons require you to survive in harsh conditions for extended periods of time.”
“I see… Thank you for your input Sulika. You have been most helpful.” Aldritch replied and smirked at Max, who only grew more irritated. He was tired of waiting, tired of wasting time. There was a dungeon right in front of them. So, why haven’t they entered it yet?
“So, following that logic, orange dungeons require you to solve puzzles while fighting demons, green dungeons are vast labyrinths, and purple dungeons are survival trials. Yes?” Aldritch asked while staring up at the portal.
“That’s right.” Sulika said, surprised he’d guess it so easily. “How’d you guess?”
“It’s just color theory, isn’t it?” Aldritch asked. “Red and yellow make orange, blue and yellow make green, red and blue make purple: It would only make sense if the dungeons inside changed according to the color combinations.”
“I…” Sulika paused and considered that. “I suppose that’s correct. I’m just not used to someone making the connection so quickly.” She laughed.
Aldritch blinked in surprise at her comment before smiling and nodding in understanding. “The simplest answer is often the most overlooked. Especially in moments such as this. I don’t doubt most people would assume the system is more complicated simply due to the risky nature of dungeons.” He finished and rotated his left shoulder to stretch out his muscle before biting into his tongue to draw blood. He licked the index finger on his right hand to smear the blood onto his finger and activated the enchantment containing his shield. The group watched in awe as a slab of gold that was taller than half of the people present appeared on his left arm. “I have some idea of your abilities. But I’m eager to see what the rest of you are truly capable of.” He told them while rotating his other arm.
“Derrik and Zarud: the two of you have a decent attack pattern. That’s good. You’ll assist me in facing any demon who gets too close to the ranged dealers. Both of you stay at the rear of the group and stop anyone trying to get behind us.” Aldritch told them.
Derrik and Zarud glanced at each other, shrugged, then moved to the rear of the group with their weapons resting on their shoulders.
“Sulika, you’re also going to be at the back of the group. I need someone there to take command in case we get separated.”
“Alright.” Sulika replied while nodding in agreement.
“Ralocan, you’re with Sulika. You’re in charge of supporting the rear guard as best you can. Keep Derrik and Zarud healed up, debuff Demons when you can, and for Oakairo’s sake: If you’re going to carry around a mace and a shield - Use them.” Aldritch told him with a serious look in his eye. Aldritch disliked the notion that priests and clerics were weak and only good for the magic they wielded. By the gods, they were armor wearing, weapon toting warriors who could heal themselves of any and all damage if they wanted. Unless they had a truly unfathomable amount of mana, it was a waste for clerics and priests to act solely as spell casters because they simply weren't capable of that. Most of their spells weren’t useful for dealing damage like a sorcerer or a wizard and they weren’t as good at buffing the team as Oladi could be. So, where did that leave them? Well, exactly where Aldritch was; someone who could charge into the thick of battle with the warriors, debuff enemies with the aid of Divine mana, and heal themselves and their fellow warriors at every turn. Was that a more dangerous strategy than holding the healer back and allowing them to focus only on healing? Yes, absolutely it was. But in his experience, a warrior priest thrived more easily in the thick of battle than even the knights.
Ralocan looked embarrassed at being called out - even so, he begrudgingly nodded and moved to stand beside Sulika.
“Oladi and Faeyra: You two are staying in the center of the group, behind Max and myself. Faeyra’s potions can better support the entire group from that position and Oladi will serve as her aide.”
“Sorry.” Oladi said, raising her hand to get Aldritch’s attention. “I specialize in close combat, not support.”
“Yes. I figured as much when you transformed into a bird and caught Zarud.” Aldritch replied and shot Oladi a look of confusion. “Do you have an issue with where I’ve placed you?”
“No, but… Shouldn’t I be at the back with them?” She asked while motioning to Zarud and Derrik.
“Why would you be?” Aldritch asked her, clearly curious about her reasoning. “Derrik, Zarud, Ralocan, and Sulika are enough to form the rear guard. While they are protecting our backs, Max and I will force our way through any demons we come across. Faeyra’s potions will play a vital part in our formation, as from the middle she can assist any who needs it.”
“And what about me?” Oladi asked. She was thoroughly confused about Aldritch’s orders. Sulika had always put her up front with Zarud and Derrik. That was where she felt she was most useful. So, why was he putting her in the middle?
“You believe I’m underutilizing you.” Aldritch said, suddenly understanding the issue.
“Yes.” Oladi immediately replied. “I don’t know why you’re putting me in the middle with Faeyra. I think I could do so much more on the ends with the other fighters -”
“Did I ask?” Aldritch said, cutting her off. He stepped forward, placing himself only a foot from her, and leaned down to look her in the eye. “I don’t remember asking for your thoughts…” He said with narrowed eyes... Which relaxed a few seconds later. “You believe I’m underutilizing you because I didn’t place you where you wanted to be placed. Fair enough. But keep those thoughts to yourself unless I ask. Is that understood?”
“...Yes.” Oladi replied through gritted teeth. “But can I at least ask why you put me here?”
“Of course.” Aldritch replied and offered her a slight smile. “You can always ask why I do things. What you will not do is complain about my orders. You can disagree with them, you can despise me for them, but you will complete them…” He trailed off before returning to his full height and taking a step back. “To answer your question: I’m placing you in the middle to protect Faeyra from anything that slips past the melee groups. She is vulnerable to attack, you are not. Any more questions?” He said, glancing around at the group.
Everyone was watching him with concern in their eyes, but no one asked a question. Aldritch nodded in acceptance and turned to face the dungeon portal. He was willing to accommodate reasonable requests. But he would not tolerate refusing his commands. By all means, question his choices. But do so after they return home. Refusing to do as he asks on a mission is a good way for everyone to meet a bad end… He’d seen it happen more times that he wanted to remember.
“So long as you do as I say, I swear on my name that I will get you home.” He said just loud enough for them to hear. After saying his piece, Aldritch took a step forward and entered the portal with his head held high and his shield at the ready.