One thing Kaden found curious was that the [Torrods] were equally terrified of their World Boss. They had been locked in a battle to kill Ashi, but the coming of Gigantorrod made everyone flee.
Kaden was most definitely a member of Everyone. He’d encountered Levicon, seen Oceanus from a distance, and come all too close to Gigantorrod with no desire to get closer. Adventurers were cut from different cloth, but they were all from a similar weave, one that said facing a world boss at the second tier wasn’t bravery but suicide.
One of Cutter’s crew was using [Leaping] to carry Eve up the hill toward the FarPortal. Kaden took one look at it and knew there were too many people trying to use it and it wasn’t far enough away. He stopped on the sand banks, breathing in. Remembering every moment. The smell. The sand, the breeze. The world boss towering as it rose higher and higher.
“Why are you not running?” Ashi’s shout came from ahead, breaking Kaden from his revery.
He ran to join her. “Where is Sara?”
“At the hill with Eve.” Ashi stopped as the shadow of the World Boss cut off the setting sun. Gigantorrod had take the shape of some kind of stork-like bird, which gave it a vast neck that it used to reach down and peck an Adventurer, swallowing it whole. “I have drawn persistent aggro.”
Kaden dispatched the FalCrow. “Get through the portal, Ashi and I won’t make it there in time.”
She looked to him as it took another giant step. “Do we die fighting? Or shall we remember these moments differently in the next life?”
“Neither, but we have to make it up to there.” Kadne pointed to the bluff where the FarPortal was.
Together, they climbed, as Gigantorrod let loose a scream that shook the ground and flapped wings that sent hurricane force winds in their direction.
“Do the float thing!” Kaden shouted.
Ashi drifted a few inches up, and Kaden tentatively tried to drag her down. He might as well have been pulling on Gigantorrod. Ashi didn’t move down, but Kaden lifted himself up, using the staff as a pole to push them drifting out away from the shore.
“What are you doing?” Ashi asked, as Gigantorrod’s head swiveled down to look at them with one eye, and then the other.
“When I tell you to, stop hovering.” Kaden focused. The World Boss needed to take one more step.
It moved with deceptive grace, snaking forward. The beak opened and a black maw yawned within.
“Now.” Kaden said as he demanded a Portal into existence beneath them.
Ashi dropped her hover—and they fell through the Portal to land on the sand bar behind the world boss.
“Quickly.” He pulled at her as they splashed into the water, then dropped as soon as it grew knee deep. His theory was simple. A World Boss was so large, it simply couldn’t be aware of everything around it. Mr. Dervish had said they weren’t aware of anything smaller than groups of twenty five. The muddy water would break line of sight, which would allow someone else—anyone else to obtain aggro.
Kaden blew out his air and sank down, holding Ashi close, even though she struggled.
Glowing orbs swung over the water where they had dove—then pivoted away. The earth shook , sending tremors throough the waves as Gigantorrod moved further ashore.
With coughing splutters, Kaden and Ashi surfaced—then forced themselves to be silent. The World Boss stood atop the ruined FarPortal, screaming a challenge to everyone and everything. The world went silent as it ceased movement, and only the wind and waves echoed across the land.
Ashi barely breathed.
Aggro has been re-established. Break line of sight or use Stealth class skills.
That was fine for Kaden but it wouldn’t help Ashi. He focused on [Stealth] as the World Boss spun its head around to look in every direction. Then took a step closer to the beach. With every moment, he forced his focus on [Stealth]. Pain grew like a spike in his head as Kaden held Ashi closer. He could hide her. He knew it. The ground shook underneath him. The pain rose with every moment, but Kaden held on and focused, every heartbeat, every breath. Gigantorrod screamed as it swung its head across the beach, searching. [Fortress of Stone] did nothing for the sheer agony as Kaden continued his relentless use. [Stealth]. [Stealth]. [Steal—
Your focus has permanently modified a skill. [Stealth] becomes [Stealth Aura]. Your skill starts naturally higher.
[Stealth Aura]
Project a short range aura that masks yourself and those around you. This number of people covered by this aura is equal to your skill level.
The world smelled of copper, and his lips were slick and sticky as Kaden clutched Ashi to him, their heads barely above the water. It might have been ten minutes or ten hours before the World Boss finally moved inland, one thundering step after another.
Kaden had never thought of night, and the Time of Monsters as peaceful, but he’d risk anything over Gigantorrod. He slowly released Ashi. “Are you injured?”
“Ribs broken,” Ashi said through gasps. “Why did it not see us?”
The System logs held her answer, so Kaden shared it. “I’m sorry about the ribs.” He drew a healing potion from Inventory and offered her a sip, then another.
“We are alone,” Ashi whispered. “I have [Mana Sense], and there are no others nearby. I do not know if all escaped.”
Kaden held a finger to her lips, and picked up Ashi, wrapping them both in [Stealth Aura] as he emerged from the water. There was no telling if the World Boss would return, and he meant to find a place to hide. He handed Ashi the staff he’d broken from the coral. “If anything attacks, we kill it.”
“Look!” Ashi pointed.
A Messenger Bird came flitting through the air, Eve’s peacock landed on Kaden’s arm. “We’re safe, though I have no idea where we are. Any portal was better than staying. Send me a bird. Sara got hurt by a [Shield] who crushed her trying to get through the Portal. Cutter killed him in front of her.”
Kaden summoned the [FalCrow] and sent it to Eve. “We used Stealth to avoid the WorldBoss, but I think we’re alone.”
“We should check the FarPortal,” Ashi said.
Together they climbed the bluff back up to where the FarPortal once was. Fragments of crystal marked where the slab had been. When the FalCrow returned, he sent it with an update, then looked to Ashi. “There’s a town near here, that’s why the Guild finances these missions. It may be gone or it may be fine, but no matter what, that’s where we need to head.”
“Others may be there as well. We will go.” Ashi led the way through the darkness. Once they reached the top of the bluff, a wide pararie stood, dotted with night spawns. A single column of red light marked a wandering boss.
Kaden had made it twenty steps before a vein of ice crawled down his spine.
Hatred Mark is active. Your location is now known to the entity [Disowned Daughter Naski].
“Naski is alive. She just activated [Hatred Mark].” Kaden would normally welcome it. Let Naski come, he’d kill her and earn another demon mark. In the aftermath of the World Boss, in the dark, without Sara and Eve?
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He could only hope it would take her time.
“Whether she comes or not, we do not change our course.” Ashi reached for his hand. “Use your [Stealth Aura.] Now is not the time to worry about levels or experience.”
Together, they picked their path through the night, waiting until the wandering boss passed to cross a river beside a crushed bridge. Now, they stuck to the road.
Flames burning in the night told Kaden where the town was, and he broke into a run. The town gate lay in rubble. So many different buildings burned Kaden couldn’t count them all. “Can you put out the fires with water mana?”
“Better to control it with fire mana,” Ashi said. “There are monsters in the town. We should not go apart.”
Fires would destroy but monsters would hunt. “We clear the town.”
“Get down!” someone shouted.
[Split Second] activated as Kaden leaped to the side, pushing Ashi. A glowing moth the size of a man swooped down over him, and Kaden braced for its attack. But it didn’t hurt. No, as the glow spread out to stretch over Kaden, the fear, the worry slowly drained away. His mana was dropping, as well, but Kaden didn’t mind.
It would be fine.
The constant weight of chasing demons or being hunted by centurions or lost in another dimension or any of the normal events in his life faded too. The peace that remained was warm and bright—
A fireball engulfed the moth.
[Young Moon Moth]
These spawn of the night come to devour dreams—and those who have them. Feeding on the Soul of those they ensnare, they leave an empty husk of a body still breathing, and return to their land with the nectar of souls.
Level: 29
HP: 1000
Mana: 9000
Skills: Ensnaring Dream, Soul Drain, Illusion Aura
Talents: Wind-Born, Subcorpreal
What an amazing creature. What a beautiful monster. What—Kaden arched his back and screamed as the moth died and the bliss that had wrapped him like a quilt dissapated. His soul ached, raw and burned—and he’d lost two points from his Soul Attribute.
His mana had dropped over a hundred points permanently from a single monster, and worse yet was the way the world seemed dry and desolate. A flaming arrow speared another moth as it descended, and Ashi stepped over him. “Do not move. I will deal with these parasites.”
“I set the fires.” A [Ranger] man called. “[Moon Moths] hate the light. The buildings can be rebuilt.”
“I need not set fires. Can you see them?” Ashi asked.
Kaden worked on rolling over. On standing. His mana—his mana was down to a single point, just enough to keep him awake. He pulled a potion from Inventory and sipped. And waited. Still one point of Mana. “I’m not regenerating.”
“Side effect of their attack. Our [Healer] is locked at one, too,” The Ranger said. “Our [Bezerker] challenged the World Boss. Our [Shield]’s dead, trying to stop him, the [Mage] knew how to Portal us here, but the moths went for him first, just like they did her. He’s dead, [Rogue]…you know how they are. Trouble hits and they’re gone.”
Ashi looked to Kaden. “How many attribute points do you hold in reserve? Do not say none, I know you.”
“One.” He dreaded her advice. Mana could be grown from [Mana Dart].
Ashi nodded as she ushered him toward a shop that wasn’t burning. “Get under cover. As growing your Constitution helped with demon wounds, so this will.”
He reluctantly spent the point. His mana ticked up fifty points. Color returned to the world, the gasping, hard-to-breathe feeling receeded. “I hate fast, small monsters. Give me a boss any day.”
Out in the street, the [Ranger] worked to draw moth’s attention. “Miss Mage, you mind helping? I’m not quite the buffet you are. Not enough Mana.”
Ashi’s skin turned redder as she siphoned in Fire mana. “Stay.”
Not hardly. Kaden drew Thorn Caster and summoned a Mana Arrow, using the quiver to draw an arrow. The moths moved above them, floating lazily through the night, lit by cinders and flamelight.
He drew—and missed.
Damnit.
The potion was working, increasing his regen rate, but his mana stayed at fifty. He drew again, this time waiting for one to swoop down. The arrow he loosed shot through the wings of one, causing it to hitch to the side, hitting a burning building. Flames shot up the wings—then lightning struck it as Ashi unleashed a spell.
You have helped defeat a Moon Moth.
You have gained experience.
Kaden sprinted toward the burning corpse, stretching out his hand. [Field Harvest] activated.
You have received 1x: Minor Lunar Pollen.
He drew Thorn Caster again. “Ashi, stay between me and the [Ranger]”
“Ellis,” he called out. “Ellis Van. [Justari Ranger].”
[Ellis Van]
Class: Ranger
Faction: Justari
Level: 39
HP: 6,000
Mana: 2,000
Skills:???
Talents:???
Kaden had never seen [Identify] list a faction. “How do we help?”
“You’re doing it. And don’t try cross shots, line up for the body, move when they swoop. Between these buildings, they’ve got no choice but to come down in a nice line. Miss Mage, how about some magic to lure them in?” Ellis turned to look one way down a street.
Kaden took the other, looking for the hints of movement.
“Prepare.” Ashi began to crackle with lightning, then sent a branching bolt upward.
A dozen moths stood out in perfect relief—and four turned on the breeze and dropped.
The Mana Arrow Kaden loosed struck one straight through the thorax, bursting out the other side, but the [Moon Moth] didn’t die, instead it folded wings and dropped, straight at Ashi.
With only a thought Kaden stashed Thorn Caster and met the moth with Remembrance’s axe head.
Crippling Strikes has inflicted a Mortal Injury.
You have slain a [Moon Moth]
You have gained experience.
Kaden didn’t even let the corpse touch the ground, [Field Harvest]ing 1x Hope Pollen. “One down.”
“Two here,” Ellis called.
Lightning arced out from Ashi, leaping from one [Moon Moth] to another and another, and one plummeted into a burning building. “That one is dead,” Ashi said. “Now we will see how many remain.”
She sent a fireball upward, where it exploded harmlessly. Only three remained.
“There were twelve,” Kaden said. “Where are the others?”
Ellis sprinted to a house, climbing higher and higher. “Running. Once you kill over half a spawn, the others flip a coin. Fight or flee, and most of them chose flee. I need one of those fireballs.”
Ashi obliged—and Kaden saw the arrows Ellis fired split into three, spearing three different [Moon Moths]. Each began a fluttering descent, clearly wounded.
“Hunt them down, don’t let them loose in the town,” Ellis called.
Kaden was already running, already searching.
One he found clinging to the edge of a building, and smashed it off with Remembrance before using the axe head to kill it. No more [Mana Arrows], he used [Field Harvest] for 1x Minor Rage Pollen.
The second had landed on top of a shop, and Kaden used [Mana Drain] before attacking it.
“Here!” Ashi called. “You dare feed on the weak?”
An explosion of light from two streets over brought Kaden running.
Ashi used beams of pure mana, no longer bothering to use a College, and blasted scales from a feeble, flopping [Moon Moth] whose legs and antenna twitched feebly. “Kill it, and take from it what you will. It dared feed on a commoner rather than an equal.”
He used [Mana Drain] and [Mana Well] to grant Ashi greater power, then finished the job with an axe blow to the head.
You have slain a [Moon Moth].
You have gained experience.
“Ellis? Any more we need to worry about? Or harvest?” Kaden wasn’t shy about poaching corpses.
The ranger leaped from one roof top to another. “I’ll help you hunt the bodies later, right now, we need to stop the fire.”
“As it must be, so it will.” Ashi began to rise, and her skin turned blue. She’d told Kaden she kept internal reserves of different kinds of mana, and now she’d switched Water Mana. He’d seen her throw blasts of lightning, fireballs, icecicles. This was a wave of water that burst out from Ashi and gushed down one roof.
She rotated slowly in the air, repeating it, then again.
“Mana Potion.” Kaden tossed it through the air. “How the hell are you doing this?”
Ashi didn’t answer, instead guzzling the potion and drifting from building to building, calling out as she found dead Moon Moths for Kaden to harvest. At last, she sank down to the street. “I must rest. I have gained a level, and power, but even I have limits.”
“You gained a level?” Kaden asked. “Congratulations.”
From one end of the town, Ellis whistled, long and sharp. “Dawn’s too far off to leave the gate unguarded, but you two should be able to handle anything that spawns. The World Boss is going to drain most of the energy. The [Moon Moths] came from further inland. I have a [Recall] point I can use. You’re twenty five, she’s close. How close?”
“I damaged almost all the [Torrods],” Ashi answered. “The road to twenty five was supposed to be long, but I fear our short-cut has cost many lives.”
“You can’t predict when a World Boss will arrive or what will wake it. I’m offering you a Faction Quest. Guard the gates until sunrise. It’s the right thing to do, and you should never pass up a chance to do the right thing.”
Ellis Van has issued you an optional Faction Quest: Guard the Gates until Sunrise.
“I won’t leave until dawn. But at dawn, I’m going looking for a FarPortal.” Kaden accepted the Quest.
“We’ll send someone to repair the gate and the northeast wall. Miss Mage, you should sit up on top of the temple spire, just in case some low level spawn tries to get in that way.” Ellis didn’t wait for them to acknowledge his suggestion.
Ellis Van has used [Recall].
He faded away to nothing.
The night was unnaturally quiet. It wasn’t right, that nothing was fighting or dying or challenging. Ashi began to drift higher using her hover until she set foot on the temple roof. Kaden couldn’t hover but he did know how to climb and jump, and joined her a few minutes later. “I didn’t mean to wake a World Boss.”
“What was meant doesn’t matter. It is awake. It is moving. I do not offer you blame because I do not know how I would have done different. These people did not deserve its wrath. But what we deserve is rarely what we get.” Ashi pointed in the distance, where a column of red light burst into existence.
They’d need to keep an eye on it.
“I’ll watch the ruined gates.” Kaden couldn’t help feeling guilty. Or like he was going to vomit from everything stuffed in Inventory, but guilt didn’t fix things. Guarding did.
“Movement!” Ashi called. “We have monsters.”
He drew Remembrance and dashed for the broken section of the wall, desperate for battle. Desperate for an enemy he could face, one he could fight. Monsters roared in the darkness, and Kaden began to hunt.