We pushed the doors open and stepped inside.

The smell hit me first.

Then the heat.

After that came the shaking of my body.

A slight fear effect if I were to guess.

And heat. Did I mention the heat? My god is it hot.

Tapping my leg, I cast Calm on myself.

I gulped and started breathing heavy.

I could feel the sweat dropping from my face.

The room, no, the chamber had a layer of fog over it. The three of us heard heavy slithering. I glanced around to see the nest, the eggs were the largest I’ve seen so far, that meant they were personally made by the mother. That might add more trouble for us.

Right as I turned my head to the center of the room, I saw the flash of purple eyes looking down at me. From the fog out reached an arm that slashed away at the air, the fog disappearing instantly to reveal the giant of the Amethyst Gorgon.

I thought it would be smaller than that…

It’s about the size of a Giant, maybe a Troll, I can’t tell. It had the fangs of a vampire that reached down to its chin, probably showing us how hungry she is.

From the top of her head the snakes were visible and moving, they looked about my size. The choir of snakes was unnerving. And like how these fucks are female it does have tits, but instead of nipples it has snakes…

Some Dante’s Inferno shit…

The protective scales on the Gorgon were on the arms, chest and waist, typical places one would attack, we lucked out with that for now. The tail doesn’t look too well protected, I’m sure the bottom of it won’t have any scales at all. Makes a few things easier on me when the time comes.

She produced her other arm and raised her hand which had Damia firmly gripped in it. I felt myself freeze and almost throw up. She was unharmed from the first glance, but I managed to see her veins that were almost black all over her body. She’s not going to live through this whether we kill it or not…

My hand shivers, no, my goddam soul shivers. I feel numb. I haven’t felt like this since the prison.

I feel a hand grab my arm. I almost jolt away, but the grip is surprisingly strong. I glance to my side and see Nephele staring forward. She lowers her makeshift mask with her other hand.

“Focus.” Is all she told me before pulling it back up

I look back forward. Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay.

Breathe.

Breathe.

Breathe.

You’ve got two lives depending on you and a plan that needs to work without difficulty. You can’t fail.

The Gorgon moved Damia to her mouth and took a bite out of her side. She didn’t even flinch. I see her health bar just disappear along with her name from the HUD. The Gorgon took another bite out of her corpse and threw her aside into the shadows.

She was dead before we even got here, she was already gone in her body….

Goddammit!

I feel my hand form into a fist and grit my teeth, I’m fighting to hold back my anger. I glance to my left to see Artemis with her bow drawn and her face not showing anything. I glance to other side to see Nephele’s likewise neutral face. Even with the masks on both of them I could tell they were undisturbed.

How can they be so calm right now?! Why aren’t they mad?! Why aren’t they gritting their teeth?! Why aren’t they showing anything?! How could they not be mad that their party member was just fucking killed right in front of them?!!

Stop! Stop it Ynn! Calm the fuck down! Remember! Please fucking remember that you need to live through this yourself…

I tap my leg again and cast Calm.

My breathing stabilizes and I lock eyes with the monster. It’s waiting for the trigger attack or movement, we’re technically still in a safe zone. I can’t see its health bar yet.

“Are you two ready?” I ask them

“Give the order.” Nephele says

“My aim will be true.” Artemis replied

Alright. Count down. Follow the plan. Don’t hesitate. The waves won’t start until we attack. You’ve got 200 mana. Blow it all using Firebolt. Don’t rely on the shield that’s probably not even active anymore. Rely on your team. I re-summon Talos next to Artemis. He raises his sword and shield and awaits my order.

I inch forward before a pop up appears.

!Warning!

Highly underleveled! Advised to leave!

I shake my head and the pop up disappears. I guessed as much. Alright. Count down like I said.

Okay.

Three.

Two.

One.

“Now!” I yell

Two arrows fly past me straight into the eyes of the Gorgon. It cries out in pain along with her snakes. The outline of her body starts to glow red and the health bar appears in my HUD along with her name.

Amethyst Mother Gorgon

99%

The arrows barely scratched it but it’s feeling the acid. We can’t count on it for damage, but I somewhat expected that. We only need to keep it blind until the tail is gone. Even if it can see with the snakes on its head its automatically aggroed onto Artemis.

I move forward and charge two Firebolts and release them at its stomach. Both directly hit it which makes it emit a different screech.

98%

From both sides I can hear the eggs beginning to crack. Okay, it won’t attack until the eyes are healed. It’s practically locked in place. I turn to my left and start firing at the various eggs that start to break.

“Talos protect Artemis!” I yell

“I’ll hurry as best I can.” Nephele whispers behind me before disappearing in a puff of smoke

I always liked that ability.

Now with the walls practically breaking apart with baby Gorgons it won’t take long till the next wave. I recognize the layout now. There’s three total waves. First is the easiest to deal with if you have long range attacks or fire. Second might be difficult, third I know it will be.

I’ve got a plan to deal with them, but I can’t have Neph out in the open for it. I shoot more Firebolts to my right, but I can see that they’ll get a bit too overwhelming.

Nephele appears behind a few of the babies and swiftly deals with them before heading towards the mother with the Prometheus’s Flame. Okay, good. I glance back to Artemis and motion for her to fire again.

She uses three arrows this time, but with flame tips and fires them at the snake hair of the mother. She roars again and removes her hands from her eyes and reaches forward towards me with a wild swing. Another two arrows hit her in the eyes making her stagger back.

95%

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

I’m guessing she’s pissed a bit. I glance to my side at the sound of a crash to see parts of a shell on the floor. Second wave is about to begin then.

“Artemis get back a bit!” I yell to her

This is going to be draining. I start zigzagging throughout the chamber and place runes everywhere I can. My mana is slowly getting down, but I can keep them all up for a while.

Before I could take my next step, I feel something connect with my side and I’m thrown back and tumble on the ground. Fuck, I wasn’t paying attention to the wild swings.

“Ynnessa!” Artemis calls out

There’s dust in my eyes, I can’t see well. I raise my hand and just wave her off.

“Keep up the attack!” I yell back

I then hear the boom sound that’s become familiar to me in the short time that I’ve heard it. I rub my eyes, even try to use my robes to clean them best as I can. I hear another boom go off.

“Roll to your left!” Artemis shouts

Do it. Now!

I throw myself to my left and hear a splatter next to me. I blink a few times before I can properly see again. One of the baby one fell right next to me. I cast Gaia’s Fist and obliterate it away from me. I slowly get back up.

The second wave is the ceiling. The fuckers are falling all over and right now they’re most falling onto the runes I placed around. I look up to my health. Fuck, lost 30HP. I am a glass cannon if anything. I can heal later.

My stamina is basically drained again, but I can’t deal with that right now. I start moving again and continue placing as many runes as I can while keeping an eye out for the wild swings of the mother. Artemis continues her fire of acidic and flame arrows at its head.

93%

Slow progress is still progress if anything. The sound of exploding Gorgons is certainly an interesting one. How’s Neph doing? I’m getting worried. She’s supposed to be fast. My eyes go wide at the sight of the moving hand coming towards me.

I dive to my right and manage to evade the hit. I need to practice that superhero role and land on my feet. I get back up and start firing another barrage of Firebolt everywhere I can see. I’m saving those emotionally supercharged ones for the big fucker.

Hearing a scream from behind me I turn around getting ready to cast Gaia’s Fist, but it was Nephele stabbing one of the babies. She looks to me.

“I’ve set them all. What next?” she asks

“Watch your step. The third wave will come from the ground.” I tell her

Before she can answer she grabs me by the shoulder and throws both of us forward dodging another blow from the mother.

We get back up and I look at her.

“Help Artemis.” I tell Neph

“You won’t be able to get behind her. You’re too slow.” She replies

“It doesn’t matter.” I say and start moving forward

“Zeus’s balls.” Nephele cusses

I glance up to the mother whose eyes have healed up. I look back to see Artemis dealing with a lot of Gorgons, but at least Nephele is listening to me and is assisting her. Talos is doing fine so far, I might have to re-summon him to help them.

I hear a hiss and look up to the mother whose eyes begin to glow. I stop quickly before it blasts a petrifying beam in front of me. I shoot a Firebolt at it from below and just graze its face. I continue to run. I can feel my thighs cramping right now, but I can’t stop. I need to blow the tail.

I dive to the side and dodge another beam from her. Five second cooldown. That’s plenty. She can’t turn around, she’s too big for the room, but that means-

A trio of adult Gorgons appear in front of me, all eyes glowing. Should have expected that. I cast Gaia’s Fist and send it towards the middle one staggering it. I manage to move past the staggered one, but feel a few claws hit my back.

Fuck me that is painful. Ouch. I glance to my health. Lost another thirty. I tap my chest and cast Heal and regain 20HP. That should be enough, but good to know about the max healing output for this spell, thought it would be less. It’s fine for now. Thirty-Five health should be enough.

My mana is regenerating as well, I don’t have any more runes to help the others. Goddammit move faster! I cast about five runes behind me to slow down the trio of Gorgons. Soon enough I heard the explosions. The health of the mother is still at 93%.

I manage to reach the back end of her body and see the large tail and the spread of Prometheus’s Flame. Good work Neph.

I line up shot with a finger gun and charge a Firebolt. This is going to be loud. I let loose the spell and my vision goes white and I’m thrown back by the explosive force. The mother screams again in pain and I hear a large thud. I should’ve placed runes in front of her. Maybe I still can depending on what she does.

I open back my eyes. I’ve lost another 10HP, that’s fine. I look at the health of the monster.

49%

Perfect. The damage was more than I anticipated, but it works. I get back up with a cough and look at the walls. A good portion of them are burning, good, good.

I start moving back towards the front. This should be a head on battle from now.

I can barely move legs right now. Why do I have to be such a fucking liability!?

One of the adult Gorgons moves in my path and starts getting ready to use her petrification ability. I cast Gaia’s Fist and stagger it. Keeping my hand up I cast Firebolt a few times until the thing isn’t moving.

Maybe I should commit to Pyromancy. Maybe something else. Think about it later.

The area is a little hard to see with the dust in the air. I hear the rumble and spot the moving hand coming towards me. I try to dodge, but can’t. I’m thrown forward and roll across the ground hard.

I’m breathing heavy. I’m in pain, but I can’t stop. I look up at my health, I’m at nine this time. I can heal later probably. I look around and see Nephele and Artemis fighting the remnants of wave one and two. Fuck it I need to do it now. I touch my chest and cast Heal, then cast it again. I’m above forty, that should be fine.

I don’t see Talos anymore. I summon him again next to me.

“Help them.” I say as I get back up, don’t stop now Ynn

He draws his sword and rushes towards the two. I’m on my way, just a bit slow. I raise my hand and start firing Firebolt all over again. With the dust up I can’t see the mother, but I should be out of her arm range. I can hear her thrashing about and its not like she’s quiet.

My legs could just fucking give out any goddam second, but I can’t let that happen.

Nephele spots me and disappears and reappears in front of me.

“You managed it. I’m impressed.” She says

“We’re not finished yet.” I tell her

I cast Firebolt beside her and kill another baby Gorgon. There’s not that many of them left.

“We still need to deal with her.” I add

Nephele nods and turns into a puff of smoke and appears next to Artemis. With my fire support, Talos and Neph’s close range fighting and Artemis’s quickdraw archery we manage to deal with the rest. I reach the three and we look forward into the dust where the mother is thrashing and screeching.

“What occurs next?” Artemis asks

“Last wave comes from the floor. It doesn’t matter which we deal with first, just don’t get close to the mother. She’s unpredictable right now.” I inform her

My legs are spazzing man. This is fucking crazy. Come on. Give me the signal to start placing runes again.

I ready the rune spell in my left hand and a Firebolt in the right. I’m somewhat quick with casting which is good.

The stone floor begins to break apart at different sections and I see the Gorgons starting to rise from them. I start placing rune far enough to not affect my party if they go off.

“Don’t move from this spot.” I tell them

Nephele sheaths her daggers and pulls out her shortbow. Neph and Artemis begin their hail of arrow fire while I continue my barrage of Firebolt. Talos stands by, guarding us.

As we deal with the third wave the mother goes quiet before clawing through the dust, using her arms and letting out a different scream. The snakes on her nipples retract themselves into her breasts and open up. Piles upon piles of snakes begin pouring out from them.

Actual Dante’s Inferno shit….

“Artemis fire at the snakes with your flame arrows.” I tell her

I look to Talos.

“Start dealing with them at close range.” I give him the order

He moves past me on the uneven floor and engages in close quarters.

I move forward myself and start placing runes like there’s no tomorrow.

“What do you plan now?” Nephele asks from behind me

“I need you to attack her wrists and make her fall on the runes I place.” I tell her, there shouldn't be any scales there

She nods to my words and starts moving away. I notice her health and quickly grab her, and cast Heal on her twice, getting her back up to full health. I let go of her and she glances back to me.

“Thank you.” She says before turning into a puff of smoke again

I can be helpful. I can be helpful. Come on, use that little boost of adrenaline for yourself and continue placing these runes.

“Artemis, shoot her arms!” I yell

This might leave me in the open for the other Gorgons. Matter of fact, I re-summon Talos behind me.

“Guard me.” I tell him as we slowly advance

We get some good distance with Talos doing a grade A job defending me. I think I’ve placed about fifty, maybe sixty runes right where this bitch should fall. For the first time I don’t have much mana and I’m faced with a few hundred snakes moving towards me.

Once again, buy a fucking AOE spell once you reach a town Ynnessa.

I cast Firebolt at the piles of snakes, but they’re too close together to do that much damage. Fucking annoying. I think we’ve dealt with the third wave by now, guess these nipple snakes could be considered the fourth wave.

I’m going to bet on Nephele right now. I continue casting runes until my mana is below ten points. I’m pretty much out of juice until I let them blow. I glance up at the monster’s health.

44%

That’s good, the others have done good damage, but the fucker is pretty resilient. I guess that’s standard for a boss, but under stressful situations you think and say stressful and dumb shit. Case and point. Me.

I see Artemis move up next to me and draw her bow towards the snakes.

“Nephele?” she asks

“Give her a little time.” I reply “Concentrate on the mother.” I add

The snakes dropping out from her nipple holes are pretty much endless.

Artemis nods and starts shooting more flame tipped arrows at the mother, but at this point the mother is a stationary birthing machine. Come on, Neph. I’m betting on you.

The Amethyst Gorgon’s arms suddenly slide off its hands and it falls forward towards the runes. I step back grabbing Artemis by the shoulder right as the mother hits the runes with the snakes. The deafening explosion hits everything.

I managed to close my eyes right before she went boom, but I can feel the dust in the air. I open my eyes, but squint, fuck is it hard to see. And the place is crumbling. That explosion might have been too much. At least the loot isn’t here. Opposite end is where we need to go.

I summon up Talos again and look to Artemis who looks fine. She helps me up.

“Carry me.” I tell Talos “Back of the chamber.” I tell Artemis

Nephele appears beside us covered in dust and rubble.

“We need to leave now. Everything is coming down.” She says

“Back of the chamber.” I tell them

Talos picks me up and rushes forward with Neph and Artemis next to him. More positives to having a summon stronger than you, free princess carry. With everything crumbling around us I do get a look at the corpse of the mother as we pass it.

0%

Fuck me. I can’t believe it. XP should be given once we pass that door. I look forward and see that door of light. Ever so familiar to someone whose been in hundreds of dungeons. I won’t lie, that’s the most relieving and calming thing I’ve seen in the past twenty-four hours.

While on about being calm I touch my chest and cast Heal three times to get my health back up to max. Don’t have to worry about that now.

Nephele moves forward, jumping through the light, Artemis followed right after.

“Follow them.” I told Talos

With me in his arms he jumped in as well. The light covered everything before turning dark. I blinked and all four of us were in a small cave with an abundance of chests and urns around is. Loot room baby.

+Level

+Level

+Level

+Level

+Level

+Level

Jesus, six levels? I was way in over my head with that dungeon. That gets me thinking about Damia, fuck. I can’t believe she died so easily and meaninglessly. Goddammit..

I de-materialize Talos and just collapse to the ground and lay on my back exhausted. I hear Artemis and Nephele do the same.

“We rest?” I ask

“Yes.” They both reply at once

I sigh and just close my eyes to rest. I've deserved that much for now.