NOTICE: The MID-BOSS has been encountered by CLAN Pegasus.
As such CLAN Pegasus has first claim to the MID-BOSS of the Seorak OUTBREAK.
Do not engage.
The party made it to a rest point overlooking the clearing after 10 minutes of hard trekking. They could hear the chaos down below, but the boulders and tree cover kept everything else out of sight.
From their vantage point, they could see that Pegasus had laid a trap for the mid-boss. Cyrus stood in the center of a large clearing while two others hid in the treeline around him. Everyone was in position, all they needed was an opponent.
They didn’t have to wait long. A small figure bounced out of the treeline and came to a sliding stop. Jinyoung could barely make the figure out, but it was obvious they were hurt. The thing that came crashing out of the treeline behind him looked straight out of a nightmare.
The simplest description was a snake. But far too big and horrifying to still fit the description. It was sleek and black with faintly glowing purple markings along its back. Just below its head, it had thick hairs or pins (it was hard to tell which).
It made its way slowly to its immobilized prey and slowly wrapped him up in its coils.
Willow moved to cast [arcane shot] and was immediately blinded by a warning in her vision.
NOTICE: Do not engage.
CLAN Pegasus has first claim to the MID-BOSS.
“Careful there,” the Guild Master warned. “You don’t have to like it, but Pegasus has the first crack at Nox Viper.”
She swung around to face him. “Are we supposed to watch as they let him die?”
Hana put a hand on her shoulder and nodded back to the scene playing out. Cyrus had a hand on the hilt of his sword and was moving towards the monster.
***
Two bolts of lightning shot out from the treeline to his right hitting the monster in the body and the head. Cyrus knew from experience that it wouldn’t have much of an effect besides annoying the beast. It was both shielded and armored. Until they broke both, any magic and most physical attacks would have limited effects.
image [https://i.imgur.com/6hdETnW.jpg]
When the giant snake head turned to face the treeline an arrow arced in from the opposite side, hitting the snake just below the jaw. A second later it exploded in a vicious fireball that sent the monster reeling.
The shot should’ve been in the head, Cyrus thought. He made a mental note to scold the hunter later.
Markus, get our boy out of there.
The body of the squire fell lifelessly to the ground. Thankfully, he was unconscious. Before the snake could react, the sorcerer teleported in, grabbed the boy, and teleported out. The MP drain would keep him out of the fight for a few minutes.
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Got him, boss. I’ll get him stabilized and get back as soon as I can.
The clearing was empty and there wasn’t another soul in sight, but Cyrus knew that everyone was watching. By now, the other parties had found one of the many vantage points from the mountain range or the forest itself to view the battle. That’s why the scouts had chosen this clearing after all. Without Markus in the treeline, he’d have to rely on Thina’s aim.
Thina, I need you to hit your marks on this one.
There was no response, but he didn’t expect one from her. Thina’s job today was to provide cover fire from a stealthy position. And as long as she did as she was ordered, he didn’t mind the silence.
The paladin unsheathed his sword. The weight of it was heavy and unwieldy. Cyrus had always preferred axes, but swords had power. They were respected. Noble. He raised it far above his head and took a deep breath.
“For justice!!”
The [rally charge] was a powerful one. Not just audibly, but the sound of his cry bounced through the trees and off the stone faces of the mountain range. It had the added effect of increasing the stats for any non-hostile players in the vicinity. Even players watching the battle from a distance felt invigorated.
The viper’s head snapped to attention, focusing on the tiny human in front of it. It reared back and hissed, flaring its hood. Looking very much like a cobra out of a nightmare. One moment it was rearing back, the next it was darting forward so quickly the audience of players instinctively pulled back. It closed the distance quickly, opening its jaws to reveal a set of wicked fangs before-
Thunk! Thunk!
Two arrows buried themselves in the meat of its body before exploding a second later, knocking the viper off its course. A third arrow flew and caught the viper in the head. The resulting explosion was so strong, it knocked the viper down completely. Putting it in a daze.
image [https://i.imgur.com/knqpbDs.jpg]
Cyrus moved in quickly and swung a vicious cut at its head. The crowds roared when they saw the sword cut through like butter, ignoring the armor and shielding. He swung three more times before Nox Viper regained its bearings and moved to separate itself from the dangerous player.
Not so fast. Thina, keep him down.
In response, the silent hunter fired off three more arrows, knocking the monster off balance again and giving Cyrus another opening to cut it down.
It was a simple strategy, one that had been perfected after multiple encounters with the mid-boss over the years. Hunters and mages used spells and enchanted arrows to keep the gigantic monster off-balance while melee combatants dealt damage at close range. For years, Seah had joined him at the Seorak Outbreak and provided backup.
But that was then and this was now.
Twice more Cyrus moved in and performed a flurry of cuts, dodging when he needed to. Even from a distance, he could hear the other players roaring. When the monster moved in too close or tried to move too far, Thina hit it with explosive arrows to bring it back in line.
Okay, time to wrap this up. Markus, you ready?
Yes, Cyrus. Jonas is stable and he apologizes for making a mess of things.
The paladin grimaced. He’d have to talk to the boy later.
It’s fine. But we’re stretching the show on longer than it needs to be and I’m sure the audience is getting bored. Time for the finale.
They’d choreographed this to death for the past three weeks. Originally, it had required a party of five, but increasing the number of combatants also meant the potential for friendly-fire. They’d narrowed it down to three plus one to act as bait.
Cyrus activated [stoneskin] and [warrior’s call]. He’d need the increased endurance for what came next. Four arrows flew in and hit their marks along the ground between the monster and Cyrus, giving the viper a brief reprieve from the sword strikes. The explosion tore up the earth and created a wall of fire. The smoke was so thick that Cyrus couldn’t see the monster. But the monster could see him.
The monster’s head pierced through the smokey veil and exploded out the otherside like a horrific jack-in-the-box. Cyrus absorbed the blow with his sword and while he could’ve easily ended it there, he let the monster push him back 10 feet.
He could almost feel the audience getting up on their feet.