Shin flickered back to the party just in time for a blue wall to spread out in front, halting the blazing stream. A purple shield formed at their side stopping the second stream that had shot forth at the same time, perpendicular to the other with the party in the crosshair of both. Pillars of fire surged out all around at random, filling the dim dreary cavern with searing light and enormous heat.
“Move up.” Shin told Donny and the knight dashed ahead to the side of the flames ahead, out of the path of both. Shin darted by Yenny and looked back at Kamala.
“Go first, we’ll follow.”
White wings spread across Kamala’s back and she soared towards Donny, holding the mystic shield for as long as possible until she left its range. The shield disappeared and Shin blurred, rejoining the others with Yenny in his arms as the two streams of flames surged past each other.
Yenny held up her hands to shield her eyes from the heat, red burns singeing her skin through her fire resistance from the sheer heat. “We need to get out of here!”
The party rushed forwarded to the tunnel visible at the end of the cavern, and the pillars vanished. Yenny erected a shield at their feet and Kamala at their side as the pillars of flames returned in new formations.
“Same time.”
The party shot diagonal, following Shin in the path towards the exit, the shields vanishing and pillars surging freely once again. They rushed as fast as they could as a group, the two casters shielded them all from pillars of fire. Each surged two at a time and targeted directly at them, as the formations kept changing around them, altering and obstructing their path forward. Moments felt like minutes as the party raced to escape the chaotic furnace.
Two pillars surged from the sides just as they reached the exit, blocked by another pair of shields. Shin glanced up and burst forward, kicking Donny ahead and taking Kamala by the waist into the tunnel as a third pillar surging into the ground behind them.
“Sorry.” Shin set her down as soon as they landed.
“...it’s fine.”
“Bullshit deathtraps.” Yen muttered as Kamala started healing the both of them. Donny and Shin had the vitality and constitution to withstand the cavern of fire for that long but the same couldn’t be said for the casters.
“Thanks…” The mage mumbled.
Donny glanced at the exit they just passed, walled by flames, and then ahead. “Let’s get moving.”
Shin let Yen down as well and they continued on, briskly now with Donny at the helm. A long winding path, ascending and descending, finally brought them into a straight hallway. A carved doorway stood at the back of the crude cave hall, guarded by two armored dragonewts.
[Dragonewt Sentinel (rare) - Lesser Lord]
Shin rapidly fired a half dozen arrows from his bow at them each, but their spears twirled and flourished, deflecting all of them.
“Elites.” Shin warned.
He and Donny charged forward and the sentinels did the same. His opponent thrust a spear, rebounding to the side off an emerging buckler and Shin thrust his estoc at the sentinel’s neck. A dull pulsing force of aura dismissed the force of the thrust and the sentinel flourished its spear into a slash, forcing Shin a step back.
“Stall it.” Kamala called at the back and Shin did just that.
Blocking, dodging, and deflecting until reddish stony roots burst up from the ground, entangling the dragonewt elite. Shin slashes a blue sword as its neck, halted by a coating of aura and his estoc passed through its eye at the same time. The sentinel spasmed for a moment then fell limp.
Donny at the side fought his on the backfoot, seeming to barely hold on. Then a sudden burst of speed, forced the dragonewt on the defense. Donny raised his axe as the sentinel lowered his spear in response, and darted back suddenly. A mana bolt smashed the head of the sentinel and Donny cleaved through the dazed elite’s neck.
“Good assist.” Donny complimented for seeing the opening without prior planning.
“You’re my support.” Yen and Kamala headed over while their self appointed loot goblin shifted through the gear of the fallen sentinels. “That’s probably the boss room. We should wait it out and recover.”
“Won’t be able to.”
Before Yenny could respond, wide streams of fire shot out at the back of the hallway cutting off that pathway. Another pair of crossing firestreams just a shade nearer surged beside it, and then another. Pairs of fire streams set off one by one, the wall of flames growing closer.
“Time for a real fight.” Donny amped himself up and walked through the entrance, the others following behind him before the hallway could fully set itself ablaze.
Through the short doorway they entered a large spherical cave, decorated like an primitive shrine. A massive mural of a dragon was carved at the back of the cave and in front of it sat a muscular winged humanoid dragon in partial monk’s attire and wrapped arms.
[Dragonewt Brawnmartial (rare) - Lesser Lord]
The dragonewt boss stood to his feet from patient rest, intelligent eyes scanning over the party. “You should have brought more.”
The Brawnmartial blurred and a thunderous scaled fist crashed down on Donny’s shield. The nullifying coat of Bulwark shattered by sheer impact along with the solid stone ground beneath the knight’s feet. Shin blurred at the boss’ side, piercing aura swelling around the estoc, and thrust. The tip of the needle sword struck up, aiming to pierce the dragonewt’s heart from below, and stopped short on the iron colored spot spread across its scales, not even a single scratch made.
The boss lashed his tail at the two with a spin. Shin leapt back and the tail bashed into Donny’s shield, sending him sliding back on his feet, bones rattling from the power. A dense mana bolt struck the Brawnmartial’s head, knocking it back a bit, but the monster set itself right with a smile, half its head coated in iron.
Yen balked. That bolt had been condensed as much as the skill would allow, already bordering on the limits of her Control. Even if she could enhance it further she’d risk the spell self destructing.
Shin and Donny flickered around it, Donny in small spurts hacking and chopping away, Shin with two red daggers looking for any weakness and purchase. The dragonewt flickered with them, his feet moving deftly in stance, his arms and hands blocking most of the blows baring down on him. Sweat ran down Donny’s exhilarated face. He had fought enough monsters and trained with Shin enough to know the difference. The boss had a Combat skill, at least as good as his.
“Is this all you have?”
Shin leapt back from a clawed swipe and gestured a hand seal. The lightning talismans he had placed around the boss’ back and blindsides activated, shocking him in place with a surge of lightning. Each talisman was weak. Even a cluster of them could only buy a moment. But a moment was all they needed.
A small flame appeared in front of the Brawnmartial’s face, swelling and folding in on itself until it could condense no more and exploded into a burst of blazing flames. Shin and Donny stayed back as the fire roared over the boss, it’s heat surpassing the pillars of fire. And the monster laughed. The fire flickered and snuffed out around him as he took slow imposing steps forward, not a single scale on his body charred.
“Fire for a fire dragonkind. I expected smarter foes.”
Yen clicked her teeth. If a condensed Ignite had done nothing the boss must have epic tier fire resistance at least. Two thirds of her offensive skills had just become useless. She would have to take a risk to be valuable.
“Keep it busy! I can-” A rock struck her head and she fell to the ground, the veil of buffer trembling. Yenny’s shock lasted only an instant before she snapped back into focus as a hail of stones slammed against an invisible force in front of her.
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Behind her, Kamala had risen to her feet, having suffered the same fate, and erected a dome of roots around herself. Two malakhs appeared and soared towards the balcony of ambushing kobolds slingers above that appeared out of nowhere. They raised their swords, and serrated blades flashed from the rocky surface, severing the celestials in pieces.
“Stall.” Shin told Donny as he blurred away to the kobolds.
An aura coated scaled fist slammed into Donny’s shield, breaking the defense of Bulwark and fracture the ground as he withstood the heavy blow once more. The Brawnmartial’s fist opened, its claws reaching to grab hold of the shield and Donny darted back, his eyes just barely catching the second fist in time to coat his side with bulwark.
The punch broke through again and slammed him away. Donny strained and dug his shield into the ground under him before he crashed into the casters behind and burst forward, bashing the boss back a few steps as it tried to reach them. A healing aura surrounding Donny as he fought but Kamala’s focus aimed firmly on the boss.
The dragonewt held its palm flat, claws pointed out like daggers as it dug in his stance, and froze. An invisible force bound it in place as Donny hacking at its chest with his axe. The axe ricocheted off the iron coating and the boss flexed its body, breaking out of Yen’s Clutch with raw strength.
Donny swapped out his chipped axe for a spare as the dragonewt brawnmartial aimed its eyes on him, and a mass of stony roots burst from underneath, wreathing and wrapping around it as it fought against them. The roots twisted and enveloped the monster and hardened like stone, keeping the boss in place. Blue and red energy started to seep from the boss’ body into the plants, making them stronger.
The brawnmartial’s eyes glinted with fierce resolve and searing flames coated its body like a mane. The stony roots Kamala selected specifically for their resistance to fire started to sear and char. She channelled a fourth skill, sweat started to drip down her stoic expression now starting to show strain. The roots began to heal. Not regenerate, but it slowed the rate they burned, buying more time to sap the bulky dragonewt’s mana and aura.
The boss’ eyes glowed a furious white as it struggled in vain against the roots, and it let out a roar. Its muscles bulged and tightened and the charred vines started to snap. Kamala poured more mana and effort into her plants and the dragonewt’s efforts surged, grabbing handfuls of them and ripping the roots apart. It’s body flickered and a thrash of its arm send Donny crashing into the wall of the cave shrine.
A force bore down on the boss in the split second its movements slowed. Yen condensed her grasping Clutch as much as the skill allowed, blood trickling down her nose as the brawnmartial raged against it. The dragonewt tensed against the heavy suppression and flexed its arms opened as it raised its stance with a roar, tearing apart the hold. It burst forward, sharp claws surging with aura towards the mage, and a shield struck its side, sending it crashing into a wall, Donny having shot forward with everything he had.
The dragonewt brawnmartial pushed itself off the wall as pieces of rock broke off and fell to the ground, showing no sign of injury. Shin dropped down next to donny, buckler replacing an axe to pair with his cobalt sword. The cliff balcony surrounding them completely silent.
“Nothing we do works.” Donny told him.
“Try again.” Shin burst forward as a human headed large bird appeared in the behind him.
A piercing screech made the brawnmartial’s eye twitch but did nothing to obstruct the iron coating skill against Shin’s sword. He dodged back as Donny roared, his Battlecry doing as little as Mara’s screech but he rushed forward all the same. He and Shin darted around the boss, straining their minds and bodies as attacks fell ineffective on the iron scaled monk.
Mara in the air let out screech after screech, growing more frustrated and desperate with each failed one. She trembled in the air and let out a grating high pitched sound, shuddering the body of the dragonewt as well as the veils of buffer around the party. Mara disappeared and Shin recalled her.
“Not that one.” He said, immediately diving back into battle.
“I! I’ll be better! Stronger! I can!” Mara’s shouted desperate please inbetween screeches proving nothing more than a mere annoyance to the boss. “Don’t abandon me!”
Mara’s body shone as a small surge of power surrounded her.
[Siren Scornwreaker (uncommon) - Intermediate Lord]
Strength - 106
Agility - 172
Constitution - 95
Vitality - 123
Dexterity - 134
Perception - 170
Force - 352
Spirit - 290
Control - 229
Willpower - 214
A piercing screech made the boss flinch this time and the sonic scream that followed knocked it into back into wall of the cave. The boss burst towards the siren, iron coating blocking the blows of Shin and Donny. Its furious charge staggered on roots entangling its feet and a mana bolt to the head knocked off balance. It ripped the root vines out and another sonic scream sent it crashing back into the wall. Its arm flickered and a rock broken off from the wall splattered Mara apart, the light of her body returning to Shin’s soul.
“What now?!” Donny yelled as he struggled to barely fend off the dragonewt’s blows, deflecting now as his body wouldn’t withstand a direct block.
Shin appeared at the boss’ side, dense rippling waves surging in his hand and he struck. A dull clang echoed through the cave as his palm struck iron coated, and the dragonewt crashed into the back of the cave more fiercely than any impact thus far. And still, it rose without injury.
“Wear it down.”
The brawnmartial burst forward and the two vanguards met it. A flurry of blows slid off shields, struck air, and rebounded off iron as the shaman and knight flirted with death in each exchange. Vines grasped at its feet and mana bolts struck at any pause it gave. The boss struck at the two men with both arms and burst towards the casters. Shin flickered by its side, a rippling thrust halted its charge and a shield bash knocked it away again.
Shin and Donny flurried again, forcing it to use its iron coating on every attack, as the dragonewt struck back, each one meant to kill. It lashed its tail to fend them off for a moment and stony roots wrapped around its feet and hardened. Shin and Donny burst, one piercing the other hacking down at the same time.
Iron coating blocked their attacks and clawed hands struck down. Shin dove away and Donny raised his shield, letting a loose stance absorbed most of the impact as he flung back. And a mana bolt struck the boss’ face, sending it reeling back. As it turned around, blood trickled down its mouth under cracked teeth.
“It didn’t block!” Yenny alerted the others. “Hold it still!”
Shin burst in front of the dragonewt, dealing with root shackles once more and leapt, slamming a ripple into the top of its chest. The impact knocked the dragonewt flat, its feet locked in place by the roots and more wrapped around him instantly. It struggled and ripped the roots out of the ground as it start to rise. An axe from behind forced an iron coating and estoc in front did the same but a dense mana bolt shattered the bones around its right eye, forcing it shut.
The dragonewt’s eyes glanced for a moment at a blazing enemy raising a fiery hand more powerful than before. It roared in rage, swatting the two vanguard away as it ripped itself upright and charging towards the dangerous mage. As it barrelled close, a gray furred shug blinked on its back and slammed a fist into its remaining good eye. Kong vanished as a rippled thrust knocked the boss away again. The dragonewt spat up blood as scales fell from the small crater in its side.
Through the injury and pain it charged again but its speed had slowed. Axes and red daggers rained down on it, carving and whittling it down piece by piece. Donny let out an invigorating grunt and pushed passed his burning fatigue. His blows chipped scales and opened small wounds into its flesh as Shin darted around slicing through with his vermillion daggers, forcing the bleeding worse.
The boss fought fiercely but every passing moment its movements slowed and the great monster began to falter. Soon it staggered forward and feel to its knees, scales wet with red blood, the resolve in its eyes no longer reaching its weak limbs.
“Do it…”
Shin appeared in front of the dragonewt, estoc in hand, and thrust through its eye. A silence took the cave as he drew it out and the dungeon boss’ head fell limp where he knelt.
[Dragonewt Brawnmartial (rare) - Lesser Lord]
Strength - 609
Agility - 414
Constitution - 432
Vitality - 318
Dexterity - 347
Perception - 316
Force - 235
Spirit - 317
Control - 202
Willpower - 310
Skills:
Fire Mane lvl. 10, Ironclad lvl. 10, Haymaker lvl. 10, Greater Flex lvl. 10, Greater Quicksteps lvl. 10, Superior Unarmed Combat lvl. 10,
Traits:
Ironscales (epic), Iron Body (epic), Fire Resistance (epic), Poison Resistance (epic), Disease Resistance (epic), Curse Resistance (epic),
“Fuuuck...” Yen vented in relief as fire mimicry subsided. “I was bluffing at the end. Completely tapped out.”
“Yeah, running on fumes here too.” Donny stored his weapons with a smile. “But I guess you get the boss slayer medal even if you don’t land the final hit.”
“Good for you…” Yen said through heavy breath, the toll of mana exhaustion rearing its head.
Four golden bound chests appeared in the center of the room and a portal door opened up to the side. Shin flickered over to one of the chests and tapped it open. A pair of obsidian leg plat armor floated up.
“Guess that’s mine then.” Donny said as he knocked on another chest. A ring floated up which he inspected and toss over to Kamala. “Those plants’ll be unstoppable now.”
“One each, don’t take mine.” Yen said as she forced herself over to the chest. A red mantle floated up and she equipped it immediately with a smile. She looked down and her smile grew further, then with a slight pause fell to a scowl.
“Invite?” Shin asked.
“Lesser rank trash…” Yen cursed the god that got her hopes up.
Shin looked at Kamala, silently questioning if she wanted to open the last.
“It’s yours anyway.”
Shin hopped over and tapped the fourth chest open.
[Harthide Boots - Rare]
‘Active Skill: Quicken.’
Shin equipped them immediately. The muffle skill of his current shoes had proved useful many times but its effectiveness had continuously diminished with the growing perception stat of the monsters they face. Finally he had his speed increasing skill again.
Before either of them could say more, the large dragon mural shone. A light split straight down the middle and the two halves opened up like a door revealing a swirling portal.
[Greed Mountain Dungeon (rare) - Intermediate Lord]
“What now?” Donny broke the silence and all turned to Shin, starting intently at the portal.