As Tarn walked into the chamber, he was at first struck by the array of tiny lights that seemed to fill the entire room. Thousands of small white spheres floated through the air, reflecting and refracting light like a fine snow. They hung suspended, only shifting slightly as Tarn and the others entered the room.
The room itself was hard to make out amid all the visual noise supplied by the strange, lighted dust that danced in front of them. Tarn could make out three larger shapes toward the center of the room, looking like floating diamonds arranged in a pyramid.
The effect of the dust was visually confusing, so much so that Tarn was not surprised to see a new status effect enter his interface:
Dazzled: With each attack, there is a 10% chance (per Prime Crystal) the attack will strike an unintended target. Ranged attacks may hit any other target, while melee attacks can only hit an unintended target that is still in melee range. Area of effect attacks are not impacted.
As the rest of the team piled into the room, Tarn took another step forward and found his progress halted by an unseen wall.
//Select team
Okay, no preliminaries I guess. Hard as they were to see, he supposed the three diamonds in the room’s center comprised the Elite they needed to fight to progress. He looked around the chamber, trying to get any hint or tactical clue as to who the best pick would be.
We need one melee. Any more than that and they’d have a 30% chance of slamming into each other. And whoever it was, needed to be able to take some hits from the other three ranged characters.
It says ‘attack’ though, so Lash’s heals shouldn’t mis-target. He locked the gremlin in to the fourth position, having Lash there would take some of the edge off.
Bog was the best choice for melee. She had the most AP, and the only real means of healing herself if needed. Placing her portrait into the second slot, he was left with only one choice but no one to give it to.
Besides myself, I’d like another ranged. But Isca was the only real option, and her AP was a bit too low to risk it. If I have to add a melee, let’s make it one who benefits from being far away.
He slotted Jental into the final spot. Hopefully she’d be able to pull one of the diamonds out of proximity from the others. As he slotted the Lone Wolf into place, his interface shifted to blue and he felt the movement return to his legs.
As he walked by Narsol, the orc grunted his disapproval. Tarn refused to take the bait, or give voice to his curiosities. Does he disagree with my picks, or is he mad I didn’t choose him? It didn’t matter.
“Good luck,” Isca said from behind him. Bog quickly surged past as the four of them stepped deeper into the room. Tarn felt no need to discuss the decision with the rest of the team, at this point they all knew how the Axe worked. These were the best three options available to them, and their best chance at getting the key and an advantage over Yarex.
“I’ll take range,” he said to the rest. “I’m sure you’ve all read the details on the [dazzled] status effect by now. My bad if I hit any of you.”
“If you hit me, it better hurt.” Bog’s grin pushed her tusks up to the top of her cheeks. “You better not hold back, Tarny. I can take it.”
“I know you can.” He laughed. “Jen, standard plan. Try to pull one away and whatever you do stay out of Bog’s way. Lash, heals only. If you’ve got an area buff, use that in the first round.”
“Right, boss!” Lash’s smile was the equal of Bog’s. “Lash hears ya.”
“Sure, I got it.” Jental blew a stray strand of hair out of her face, raising herself up and down on the balls of her feet while she conjured her javelin into her hands. “Let’s go, let’s do this.”
Tarn brought up
//INITIATIVE BEGIN
Only now did the details of his opponents become available. As Bog and Jental raced forward, Tarn quickly shifted to his enemy status screen, while the seconds of their first pulse ticked away.
//Prime Crystals
AP: 100 / 100 / 100
Hovering – Melee attacks against this target may only happen in the first pulse of each round.
Linked – At the end of every pulse, the AP of all Linked creatures is placed in a pool and then evenly distributed among them.
Sniper – Double damage on ranged attacks, but ranged attacks use both pulses.
And indeed, he could see Bog now standing frustratingly in front of the lead crystal in the formation. Forced to move into position in her first pulse, the [hovering] state would prevent her from attacking with her second move. Jental had used
Tarn let his own arrow fly, targeting the lead crystal and choosing the [long pull] option for extra damage. He watched a small set of dice graphically roll in his mind, conjuring up the chance for a miss. With a score of 95, he easily cleared the 30% threshold. The arrow slammed into the floating object, leaving a satisfying fracture and doing 30 damage.
Lash took no action the first pulse, but that was common. Many of the gremlin’s best buffs required both pulses to use. Sure enough, as soon as the timer for the second of their actions began Tarn saw a strange object job over his head, looking like a small metallic bird.
As the device landed next to Bog, it quickly took to the air and began circling the orc like a sentinel.
//FEATHER PESTER (Unique / Trickster)
The Trickster selects a single allied target. The Feather Pester will fly around that target and [peck] at any opponent in combat with that ally, doing 5 AP damage per-pulse. This affect will trigger during both ally and enemy pulses.
Lash don’t like birds. Now you won’t like birds too!
Tarn nodded with approval. He then shifted his next [bowshot] target to the crystal Jental was fighting, deciding since the AP was a shared pool he might as well spread the damage around. Releasing his shot, the dice in his mind landed on a 37.
Phew. It was close, but over the 30% threshold. Bog slammed her axe into her target for a solid 30 AP, though the [bleed] status failed to trigger. Similarly, the enhanced attack of Jental cut 40 AP out of her opponent. Even Lash’s ‘buff’ of Bog added to the damage, and with the per-pulse DOT in place, Tarn felt good about their chances.
But this was an Elite challenge. It shouldn’t be this easy.
//OFF PULSE – HEALTH POOL
As expected, Tarn watched the AP totals of the three crystals rebalance themselves until they were even, just as the slimes had done.
PRIME CRYSTAL A: 66
Status effects: Feather Pester, Hovering, Linked, Sniper
PRIME CRYSTAL B: 66
Status effects: Hovering, Linked, Sniper
PRIME CRYSTAL C: 67
Status effects: Hovering, Linked, Sniper
//INITIATIVE SHIFT
They had two of the diamonds tied up in melee, but that still left the center one free to reach out and strike one of their more distant opponents. Tarn had hoped Bog could get [taunt] tokens on them both, but the restriction of melee on the second pulse only had removed that option.
The central of the three crystals rotated for a moment, turning the facets of its crystalline sides until a glowing potion faced both Tarn and Lash. Tarn desperately wished for
A beam of shimmering white energy shot past his eyes, its trajectory aiming down at its smaller, shorter target. Lash cried out in pain as the beam enveloped his tiny form, energy still pulsing into the light ray.
//SPARKLING SIPHON (Ranged / Prime Crystal) The Prime Crystal attacks an opponent within 60 feet. That opponent takes 20 AP – half of which is transferred back to the attacking crystal.
Tarn could see a thin stream of green light moving through the ray and going back to the diamond, taking AP from Lash and stealing it for itself. Due to the [sniper] effect on the crystals, the damage was doubled to 40.
The diamond facing Jental began to rotate quickly, sending out a glistening spray of fine sparking mist. Her hands ran immediately to her eyes, and she began swearing in irritation. As the cloud descended on the coughing woman, a fresh status appeared next to her name in Tarn’s mind, in addition to the 20 AP lost.
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Damn. That would make Jen pay for staying on her target, yet Tarn was counting on her to stay there. If they grouped up on one of the other crystals, the chance of an errant melee attack went significantly up.
The diamond in front of Bog grew in size for a moment, as if it were inflating. It then gained a dozen or more sharp protrusions all around it, leaving Bog with no way to strike it without taking damage herself.
Even as it grew, Lash’s tiny metallic bird still dove in for a [peck] attack, doing 5 AP.
//INITIATIVE SHIFT
//OFF PULSE – HEALTH POOL
PRIME CRYSTAL A: 71
Status effects: Feather Pester, Hovering, Linked, Sniper
PRIME CRYSTAL B: 71
Status effects: Hovering, Linked, Sniper
PRIME CRYSTAL C: 71
Status effects: Hovering, Linked, Sniper
//INITIATIVE START
Tarn noticed the slight healing the crystals had experienced, and considered it mostly a good round. Jental had picked up a nasty status effect and Lash took a good hit, but they were both manageable problems.
As if he were inside Tarn’s thoughts, Lash quickly dropped down a
“Now you will feel my pain!” Bog bellowed as she swung her axe into the Diamond. With no one else to target, the [dazzled] status failed, and the column of crystal shuddered and cracked, taking 30 AP damage.
This is going well, Tarn thought to himself. He planned to attack the center crystal with his bow, while Jental continued to work on the far one. They’d get some damage in this fight, but there was a campsite in the next room, and he expected that would even things out.
His confidence evaporated as he saw Jental suddenly launch herself into the air, using her
Damnit Jen! What are you doing?
As the Lone Wolf landed, a die rolled inside Tarn’s mind, representing the 30% chance this attack would land on Bog instead of the expected crystal. As he had worried, this time the numbers did not go their way and the attack’s 40 AP slammed into a surprised Bog instead.
With seconds to go on his pulse, Tarn shifted his target to the same crystal Bog and Jen had attacked. There was a chance he would hit Bog as well, but at least his attack might be redirected to the other crystal if it missed.
Sending his arrow forward, he watched it snake between Bog and Jental, slamming directly into his intended target, shattering it completely.
Looking a bit haggard from her low AP, Bog still turned around to give him a wink. Jental for her part did not look back at him at all, avoiding his gaze.
As their second pulse began, Bog lunged at the center crystal and slammed it for another 30 AP. Tarn worried Jental might do the same, but the Lone Wolf instead wisely stepped back out of melee range, choosing instead to throw her javelin at the far crystal, doing 20 AP damage.
//OFF PULSE – HEALTH POOL
PRIME CRYSTAL B: 71
Status effects: Hovering, Linked, Sniper
PRIME CRYSTAL C: 71
Status effects: Hovering, Linked, Sniper
As their round began, an arc of blue energy shot from the far crystal and wrapped itself around Bog. The Orc shuddered, a flashing cage of electricity, sparks running up and down her skin. The beam began to pulse, with small globes of azure energy travelling back to the crystal.
//SIPHON (Prime Crystal / Ranged)
Target an opponent within 40 feet. That opponent takes 20 AP damage, and the Crystal is healed by half the amount of damage the target has taken this fight. This action uses both pulses.
How quickly the tide turns…
The closer crystal then began to vibrate and sing as if it were a chiming bell. A dozen sharp shards suddenly shot out from its surface, damaging both Bog and the more distant Jental for 10 AP.
//INITIATIVE SHIFT
//OFF PULSE – HEALTH POOL
PRIME CRYSTAL B: 81
Status effects: Hovering, Linked, Sniper
PRIME CRYSTAL C: 81
Status effects: Hovering, Linked, Sniper
Tarn grit his teeth in frustration. This was getting out of control, and Jen’s simple error had turned what was supposed to be an easy win into a fight they were dangerously close to losing. The only way he could think of to right the ship was to get into melee himself.
“Lash!” he shouted over his shoulder. “Do what you can for Bog. Prevent damage if you can!”
“Big plates!” The gremlin laughed from behind him. “Big plates, Bog plates!”
Switching his ability to his chain flail, Tarn reached out to Jental’s abilities, confident that her [vault] attack would pulse-link with his in the way he wanted. He took only a quick enough scan of the created ability to see he was right, and activated it, targeting the same crystal Bog and Jental were in melee with.
//Vault me there (Pulse-shifted Captain / Ranged)
The Pulse-shifted Captain selects a target within 60 feet of his current position. The chain-flail will strike that target for 10 AP and transport the Pulse-shifted Captain into melee range.
Additionally, the next melee strike by the Pulse-shifted Captain against this target will do an additional 20 AP damage.
A cave lined with gold is still dark.
There was a lurch as the chain shot out, embedding itself into the hard diamond surface of the center crystal. The room blurred as he was yanked after it, and Tarn found himself staring at the rotating tower of malevolent glass.
Just as he did so, a pair of huge metal discs flew by and landed near Bog, one in front of her and one behind. Each contained a large metallic stamp of Lash’s smiling face, giving the viewer a humorous wink.
//Big Plates (Unique / Trickster)
The Trickster targets an ally within 60 feet, and places two metallic discs around them. Each disc is considered to have 40 AP. All melee damage they would receive is first sent to the discs.
Requires both pulses to activate, and may not be used on the first round of combat.
Duration: 1 round.
Clean your plate!
Excellent Lash! It would only be around, but one round was better than nothing.
As Bog swung her battle axe in for her [Heavy Axe Strike], Tarn was glad to see her strike true and not have it misdirected into him or Jental. Trading the ability to take a second attack away in favor of more damage, a devastating 40 AP came off the crystal, leaving it primed to be taken down on his next strike.
Showing she had put her head back on straight, Jental used her [vault] to launch away from the crystal and back towards the one designated as “C”. The
Just as she should have the first time, but that was an issue to be dealt with after the battle.
With his second action, Tarn dismissed the flail in favor of his sword, calling up [striking slash] and using
With a brilliance that sent spots through his vision, the crystal shattered and fell to the ground in a myriad of shards. They scattered across the stone, falling upon his boots and into the shadows, until they began to disintegrate.
That left just the diamond in front of Jental. The Lone Wolf raised her resummoned javelin to attack, her eyes shifting to Tarn for just a moment before bringing her weapon down on her opponent. Activating her [Frenzy] she would continue to do an escalating series of damage to the target as long as she kept attacking.
With only 20 AP left, the remaining Crystal’s time was limited. Bog had not taken her action yet, and she looked over to Tarn for his nod.
“Show it your pain,” he said with a smile.
In a leap and an instant, there was only a pile of quickly scattering fragments of their last opponent on the stone. Across at the far end of the hall, Tarn could see the door suddenly carve itself out of the stone, the Axe Dungeon granting them permission to leave.
But Tarn wasn’t ready to go just yet. A small chest now also became visible, rising up from the last remaining shards of the final crystal. Tarn knelt in front of the small case, picking it up. It was extremely light to his touch, its wooden surface covered with carved runes of axes.
He opened it, finding a small glass vial inside filled with a thick crimson liquid.
//Timed Health Potion
May be used to restore up to 60 AP of damage, but must be used within the next 60 seconds.
Dungeon use only.
Act now while supplies last! Offer not valid in the Realm or Ak Thanon.
60 seconds?
In truth, it was already down to 50 with a timer still descending in his mind. Tarn leapt to his feet, tossing the small red vial at Bog.
“Drink it!” He shouted at her confused expression. Without a second thought, Bog pulled the cork off the glass cylinder and downed its contents immediately. In the space of a heartbeat, a bright crimson glow began to surround her. The light was brilliant enough to make Tarn blink away for a moment, then it slowly began to subside.
Checking his interface, Tarn was glad to see Bog back to her full 120 AP. His rushing adrenaline began to die down, only to surge back into life as he remembered the other bit of business he had to address. While the red-hued glow of the healing potion faded from view, Tarn turned to Jental, his arms folded.
“Jen, you want to tell me what happened back there?”
To her credit, Jental appeared to be waiting for him to address her. She was standing outside the rest of the group, still facing Tarn and Bog, her expression a mixture of defiance and frustration.
“I made the wrong call.” Her anger cut through her voice like knives. “You think I don’t know that? I thought I could take Bog’s crystal out, get my kill count up so I could use my better abilities. I forgot about the damn status.”
She turned to Bog, her gaze dropping slightly.
“Sorry,” she said to the orc.
“I’m healed up,” Bog said proudly, though Tarn wished she could have been less boastful in this moment. “And I can take it.”
“See?” Jen tried a twinge of humor as she turned back to Tarn. “She says she can take it.”
“It’s not about that.” Tarn glared back at her, as her smile drained as fast as it had arrived. “I give you a lot of leeway, Jen. I treat you like a veteran, but a veteran takes everything into account before improvising. You want to make your own calls? Then they better not be wrong.”
He watched her eyes as they ran across the group, pausing longest when they fell upon Aryo. He could see her balled fists, her set jaw. She was considering arguing back, but he could also see the glimmer of a chance she was reevaluating her own actions.
“Got it.” Her tone was as flat as any statement of Urthin’s. Tarn let the issue rest for now, but he reminded himself to keep an eye on Jental going forward. Isca and Urthin’s early worries about her continued to echo in his thoughts.
“If the interpersonal drama is at an end?” As he gestured towards the far door that had now appeared at the end of the chamber, Narsol’s voice dripped with enough disdain and sarcasm to make Tarn nearly regret his decision to leave the orc on the team.
Should’ve put him on his own damn team, he thought as he followed the rest of the group towards the door. Between Jen’s surliness, Narsol’s derision, and Urthin’s strange silence, the campsite in the next room couldn’t come soon enough.