The Twin Demons of the Shallow Cavern went about slaughtering any low-level mobs they encountered.
They mostly ignored their actions in the pre-drop section of the cave system and increasingly paid attention as they went on. Needing only one swing to end a life had a great sense of superiority.
It became boring, the same as squashing defenseless ants.
At this point the two still had all, but one of their health points. None of their valuable materials were expensed on the worthless exp dumps.
Within the dungeon were ores sticking out of the walls, hanging from the roof like stalactites but without the sharp tips or abundance.
If it were not for them entering it as an instance dungeon it would be brought to question, why there were no bodies attempting to capitalize on the open and abundance of resources?
The dark was a minor factor that could feed into that idea, but only as a temporary though. You couldn't see more than about thirty feet in front of you, but a light source was not a prerequisite. If you didn't progress with haste you would not see much in change, with or without light.
Progression was congruent with sections of the system that would have a sudden drop, wrapping around a bottomless pit then leading back into the confining walls; monsters following suit with their strength/level.
During their dissent a small variation in monster would show their heads.
[Kobold]'s, [Crept Crawler]'s, [Kobold Tamer]'s, [Large Wolf Spider]'s, [Lost Goblin]'s, and other types of enemies. To contrast this were mobs who are programmed in a neutral/friendly manner, and didn't have a necessity to be eliminated; [Drip Drinker]'s, [Overgrown Nepenthes], etc.
During their travel the two had reached a fork in the cave system.
With knowledge on how the game goes about small choices such as these, Gray doubted his choice would change the outcome of where they were headed, if not by a couple minute detour.
- Leek: "I say left." He raised his hand, just as a classroom teacher would require. Gray had eyes eyes forward, so he did not see this self satisfying action.
No response was given. And with little hesitation Gray took the path Leek had suggested, heading into the increasingly small passageway forth.
And in no time they found themselves engaged in combat with the dark's denizens.
...
-ALTgray: "If you're going to come at me. Make it worth my while!" Driving cleanly into the heart, Gray twisted his sword while staring into the eyes of his dying foe, [Korobold Brute (14)].
An aggressive and defense-heavy variation of kobold.
Smash, hit, crush. That's the mantra behind the spaghetti code used to program their actions as their in-game intelligence is that of a mount.
Even when taking this into account Gray, who had been bluntly ignored by the beast in favor for Leek, took it out in a relative amount of time.
Utilizing its own attack patterns to easily evade, and counter without trouble.
But with the appearance of a level fourteen Korobold he knew they were reaching the point where death could be an actual result if ignorance drastically came into play.
Gray, who sword sat in the [Korobold Brute (14)]'s chest for longer than needed showed some fixation in its death, the strongest one in this dungeon yet.
His eyes grew hungrier, being pulled even further into depraved gluttony.
Leek who fought off the regular kobold back-ups did not engage in the bout. He watched the skillful Gray put his arrogance to actions.
Gray took an easy win. This was a skillful score, not indicative of the two's objective strength in comparison to level.
In his peripheral vision was an unusual source of light... it was heading to him. Burning brightly. So Leek, ambitiously, sprinted from attention and into a leap. Past Gray, into the air as he went to intercept the ball.
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A fireball spell. Casted by a [Kobold Magister (16)] trying to catch Gray off-guard.
With his right hand, Leek attempted to catch the flame and prevent it from harming his other, who now collected the spoil of his kill.
His fingers caught the wisps of the fire, leading to a premature detonation.
The fireball spell can be given small preset properties that give it more utility in a fight. This subtle personality to spells can also apply outside of combat where it would simply be useful.
In this case it was given on-hit detonation.
Exploding into a blinding inferno, knocking him back; burning for a bit of damage.
(6)HP of his eighteen was taken as result. The action was fairly ignorant, as he had assumed the fireball would not stand a chance against his gauntlet.
-Leek: "Ughh." He laid on his back, having landed rough enough to cause the wind in his lungs escape him.
Before gathering himself properly Leek jumped to his feet. If he spent too much time on the ground he was an open source for experience.
The kobold who had fired the shot was in the act of preparing another magic spell.
White-ashen marks, tattooed along its body, began to glow. It was faint.
This kobold variant was physically the same as a scout, unlike them though it had actual design to its clothing. It was easily the sink for passable cloth down here, having taken it from the hands of its brethren.
To give a decent example would be that of a shaman. It had pieces of skulls attached to its weapon belt, with random pieces of handing accessories.
A filthy rag draped across its shoulders.
And in its hand a rough mimicry of a wand. Formed from dozens of broken pieces of wood clumped together, an orb stuck to the top having already produced cracks running its entire body.
Leek, who was now on his feet sprinted at the little gremlin. During this time he went ahead with consuming one of his [(4)Potion: Health/Higher]'s.
It brought him straight back to full health.
He didn't have the capacity to consume more health regeneration. In the instance he did, there would be in excess of thirty-five to forty-three additional healing done by the potion.
His glaive was not in his hand this time, as he did not retrieve it after his fall. Sprinting quick enough to reduce the distance by a third.
The [Kobold Magister (16)] stood its ground. Rather than run it placed the makeshift staff into the ground slightly behind it.
Wasting no time it finished the spell it had been conjuring. Its tattoos began to pierce the dimly lit cavern around them.
Its hands rose to its mouth, making some intelligible signs with them... and it screamed.
"GGRUUUAAGHHHHTT-AA"
In a split second light suddenly came into being. Unveiling everything once blanketed by the dark.
Dozens of faces, cloaked no more. It was another ambush, set into motion by the Kobold species.
Behind the [Kobold Magister (16)] was upwards of sixteen other kobolds.
Along the walls crawled groups of spiders, partnered with a [Kobold Tamer (19)].
Three more mutant [Korobold Brute (14)]'s were scattered around. In total they surrounded Gray and Leek's positions.
The light was blinding, but not being used defensively. The [Kobold Magister (16)] let loose this sunlight from itself, not to act like a flash-bang, but to show the sheer disparaging situation its prey were in.
"AA...AGHTT"
The [Kobold Magister (16)], whose hands had gone up to signify both its achievement and dominance, began to shake violently.
A shot, straight through the throat.
Blood dripped from its mouth, ears, nose, and eyes as it convulsed, buckling under its own weight. Its head whipped backward, cracking over the ground as it continued to seize.
Although it was an NPC out to ensure his death, Leek had an uneasy feeling watching the monster in wrenching pain. They were, in design, not too far from being a lovable pet.
Though it was soothed when the Kobold flatlined, its body despawned moments after.
Gray's right arm had extended into the direction of the now dead [Kobold Magister (16)]. The tips of his fingers, still covered in a firm suit of armor, were now dipped in a color of black with a hint of red.
His blade drank from the [Korobold Brute (14)], giving him more access to his attribute magic, one-shotting the level sixteen mob.
This substance seemed to reach out in anticipation. It was a bit unnerving.
The murky liquid moved as if it had a separate consciousness from Gray. Displaying its own wants and needs, trying to force him to act as it wished.
Surprisingly the magic used to hold the light in place had not gone with its caster. So under the light of the, respectively dead, [Kobold Magister (16)] its companions began their assault.
A stutter, caused by their adjustment to the brightness of the previously dim space, had given time for all of this, everything after/during the throat kill, to occur.
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Status Page: Leek (16)
[ Skill Points: 4 ]
HP 18 (+2)
SPD 8 (+2)
VIT 9 (+0)
TEQ 3 (+3)
EVN 5 (+4)
SSK 2
[ LUCK: 7 ](+5)
Inventory: (1)Elixir: Vitality/Basic, Coin Pouch: 97, (6)Angora Tails: Rotten, (7)Angora Tails: Fresh, (1)Drawstring Bag: Basic, (9)Shuriken, (16)Kunai, Gauntlet Pair(Pristine), (6)Potion: Speed/Normal, (3)Elixir: Health/Normal, (3)Elixir: Mana/Higher, (3)Potion: Health/Higher, (6)Scroll: Transcribe/Superior, Glaive(Pristine), Clothing (Pristine), Shoes (Pristine),(+47)Toad Legs: Common/Material, (+7)Toad Tongue: Common/Material, (+12)Scales: Common/Material, (+3)Oral Glands: Uncommon/Venomous
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Coldening Feeling: When Active The User Gains Increased Perception To Nearby Characters/Mobs | Paranoia (1)Stacks With Each Character/Mob In Vicinity While Active, Increasing Hyper-Fixation. Decreases Vitality With Every (2)Stack.
Cut Throat: Increases The Chances To Land Critical Hits For As Long As Bloodlust (3)Stacks Have Been Placed On The User | Reduces Accuracy And Evasion, The User Becomes Frenzied.
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