“So, what classifies an area as a dungeon anyway,” Ma’Z asked as they passed through the cave entrance.
The cave quickly descended downward into a hole roughly wide enough for a Frame to fit through. Ma’Z had to brace his ears as he listened to Brigand’s massive Titan scrape his way down that shaft.
Once through, the cave opened into a series of winding tunnels going in nearly every direction. Bioluminescent flora traced along the ground and wound their way along the walls and through cracks in the lava flow.
More than once Ma’Z tried to reconcile just how big this floating city was and how much biodiversity it held within it. He felt like an entire swath of land was just lifted, wholesale, from the planet and packed within the enormous dome. Even with the concept of magic, the sheer size and weight being moved defied any and all reasoning, and yet here it was. In the end, he chalked it up to videogame logic and moved on.
“Æther density,” Heaven finally answered.
“Make the monsters stronger?”
“It does, actually, but the biggest factor is that it increases monster reproduction rates by orders of magnitudes. Contracts are often plentiful for clearing out a dungeon because of how quickly some monsters tend to reproduce, and if the problem goes unattended for too long, they start to venture out of the dungeon and that’s when an outbreak occurs.”
Heaven started moving towards a tunnel that led further down into the cave.
“Why would anyone not take these contracts?”
“They do, but the biggest issue lies with availability. Between the Sentinels and the non-player Aegis forces, we’re still grossly outnumbered. Even by Caomhnóir standards, this place defies reasoning. The science sector, and even the more scientifically inclined players believe it has to do with the æther concentration.”
“Generating way too much?”
“Basically. We think it might have something to do with our Frames as well. They’re practically æther generators themselves, as well as our bodies, though I have my doubts.”
“Makes sense though, doesn’t it? If we’re supposed to be riding around in these vehicles that amplify magic, then by design the area needs to be big enough to accommodate machines that can easily break 600 kilometers per hour.”
“No. Not necessarily. Some of the other cams are strictly hands. One of the cams is running a dichotomy of users who can naturally use magic, and users who do the same thing, but exclusively through technology. Their nanites utterly suffuse their bodies, stripping them of their genetic flesh and blood and replacing it with a nanite-grown body that should be able to withstand life outside of the Cam.”
“Man to machine? Even the magic guys?”
“Don’t know, though I’d wager they have a different ascension protocol,” Heaven said. She was picking her way through the tunnel as it narrowed and forced her to duck in places. Ma’Z kept pace behind her, trying to keep his eyes on his peripheral as the lights from their Frames danced across the cavern walls, throwing shadows in every direction. The bioluminescent plants had stopped leading the way, making the light they were producing their only source of illumination.
It was almost suffocatingly dark.
After a few more minutes they had emerged from the tunnel into a new opening. Up until now, the dungeon had been eerily quiet, save for themselves. Once they exited, however, the atmosphere changed. It was still quiet, but it suddenly had volume to it. A weight Ma’Z couldn’t quite explain except that it gave him the feeling he wasn’t alone.
“Alright, time to put on our game faces,” Heaven commanded.
“The one I got on, isn’t it?”
“Ma’Z, keep it up, and don’t blame me when I let them maul you.”
“Look and behold my serious visage, for I am the terror that flaps in the night.”
In a single motion, Ma’Z reached into his void space, pulling his sword, Durandal, as he dropped into a ready stance. He watched Heaven, as she did the same. With practiced ease, the wing-like blades that protruded for her arms flipped around into her waiting hands. A second later, she shot a light into the sky that exploded into a million stars that drifted downward like falling snow, illuminating the rising stalagmites that were as thick as oak trees.
More than that it illuminated the creatures that were inhabiting the area. Seeing the light, they quickly slunk into the darkness and out of sight.
A moment later, Ma’Z received a notification from Heaven which he read immediately.
Shade Stalker
Behavior: Pack animals that all but disappear in darkness. Bright light, however, harms the creature, and instantly blinds them, causing them to seek areas of darkness as fast as possible. Individually weak, the shade stalker’s strength lies in their stealth and numbers.
Shade stalkers answer to their pack leader. Destroy the pack leader and the shade stalkers scatter until they can find a new pack leader
Might:
Reflexes:
Durability:
Intellect:
Will:
19
29
17
14
12
Threat:
Low – Dangerous
“Ah. Little critters who go bump in the night. Aka nightmare fuel. Perfect first rodeo,” he said.
“Don’t get caught slacking, now,” Heaven winked and walked ahead.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
As Heaven walked into the forest of stalagmites, Brigand’s gaze was transfixed on Ma’Z. He took particular note of how he carried himself. Despite the situation and danger posed to the newcomer, his body language didn’t display any of the usual signs of fear he expected from the man.
When Heaven moved ahead, Ma’Z fell into step behind her. Brigand couldn’t help but feel even the way he moved seemed off. It was completely natural, as if he were controlling a large humanoid and not a machine.
Brigand continued to watch as the light Heaven gave off dimmed around him. Then, as he rounded the stalagmite, he could’ve sworn he saw his shadow peel off and walk away.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Heaven called forth her drones and sent them forward to map the area. Each drone radiated bright light, sending the shade stalkers further into the comfort of darkness. Searching for a Jewel of the Ohr Leaf was more tedious than difficult. The Shades would come relentlessly once they became worked up, and it was a chore to be constantly looking in your periphery when you weren’t used to it.
Heaven felt somewhat odd not hearing Ma’Z’s constant quips but was glad for the silence. When she thought about it, she realized it was entirely too quiet. She could hear Brigand’s Titan plod along behind them, but she couldn’t hear Ma’Z at all.
Coming around another stalagmite, she turned purposely to make sure he was still behind her, and he was. She had to fight down her shock as the light from her Frame seemed to be absorbed into his own. He had shouldered his sword but was consciously clearing his corners with his free hand.
In that brief moment, she remembered she had personally trained him, and he was not exactly a stranger to fighting. Of course, he also treated this like a game, and just survived a raid butt naked, so it shouldn’t have been much of a surprise that he approached it as such.
Putting it out of her mind, she rounded another stalagmite, checking her map as her drones steadily updated the topography.
She was about to go around another when she suddenly stopped short. A shadow had run ahead of her that wasn’t there before, and it took every out of discipline not to shoot at it immediately. She focused all of the lights on her frame forward at the spot where it had been while trying to watch her periphery at the same time. It was another moment before felt confident they weren’t about to be ambushed before she started to move forward again.
Everything good?
Heaven stopped again, throwing her hands over her mouth to stifle a scream.
Oh. Shit. Sorry, babe. I just remembered I was a telepath. I didn’t really know how it worked so I figured I’d just think it and see what happens. Oops, Ma’Z thought.
Boy! You about gave me a heart attack.
I said oops!
Ma’Hiz… Agh! Heaven took a deep breath and thought, Yes. I’m fine. I just thought I saw something. We’re all good now.
Ah. That might’ve been my shadow.
You’re… what?
It’s one of my spells. I made a shadow copy of myself. I sent it ahead of me to see if it could map out the area for me. It can! That’s awesome right?
That’s… weren’t you just arguing with me about not being a ninja?
Awwww fuck.
Heaven laughed mentally and started walking forward again.
“Everything all right?” Brigand asked through team chat.
“Yeah. Ma’Z just remembered that he was a telepath and thought it would be funny to scare the falsh out of me,” Heaven said.
“That’s hilarious, actually.”
“Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up.”
I’m definitely laughing, Ma’Z thought.
Heaven hung her head in defeat. When she rounded another stalagmite, she forgot to clear her corner. The screech that greeted her as her lights trained on the shade stalker set her hackles on end.
“Falsh,” she blurted before shooting another light burst into the sky as she slashed forward.
The shade stalker was bisected with ease, but not before it alerted every other shade stalker in the area. After that, Heaven became a blur. With Light Reduction active, beams of light started spinning about like a spastic lighthouse. She let her eyes go unfocused, pushing all of her concentration into her peripheral vision. She became a dervish, slashing with pinpoint accuracy, always moving, weaving between stalagmites like switching dance partners, all the while batting away the coming swarm of shade stalkers dodge through her light rays, intent on taking her out.
So focused on trying to defend herself, she had forgotten she left Ma’Z behind. She quickly made her way back, but instead of seeing Ma’Z facing a horde of shade creepers, instead she saw him completely surrounded in darkness. Flashes of lightning were striking out at distant targets, but never closer than a few meters from where he stood.
It was an odd exchange to witness. His shadowy form kept shifting from stalagmite to stalagmite. Any of the shade stalkers that got close were instantly struck down, but for every stalker that he killed up close, another distant stalker would die to a lightning strike.
Unable to stay idle, Heaven would move away from him to deal with her own targets before coming back to observe the odd tactic that Ma’Z had taken. Using only his sword, he swept it in wide arcs, both at the shade stalkers and at the stalagmites.
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
It wasn’t until she made the revelation that she realized he wasn’t striking the stalagmites at all, but rather his sword was striking through it.
No. That wasn’t right either. He wasn’t striking through the stalagmites, he was specifically targeting their shadows. He was using the shadows to strike the stalkers further away and because of it, scores of shade stalkers were raining down all around him.
Strike the stalagmite behind you.
His voice rang in her head, and almost without thinking, she struck back into the stalagmite, hitting nothing but rock.
I need to have shadow for it to work. Your light instantly negates the effect. Do it again.
She struck again, turning her lights away. This time her sword went right through. She felt the familiar impact of her sword piercing skin, and a moment later a shade stalker fell at her feet.
“Is this the surprise you were talking about?” she said.
“You like? When I saw you had trained up your Luminescent affinity, I thought I could compliment it by going Nocturn.”
“Still trying to fill in the gaps, I see.”
“I uh- I just thought if we were going to be playing together, this would be a good way to keep up and not get in your way.”
“That’s not what I mea- No. Ma’Z. I love it! I really do,” she said as she struck another shadow. “This is so cool. I haven’t had fun like this since, I don’t know when.”
“Really? I thought you loved this game.”
“I do! But it’s a different kind of enjoyment that I get. I came in here business as usual, ready to fulfill yet another contract, which is fun for me.”
“But?”
“But combat is dangerous, Ma’Z. We only get so many lives, remember? So we’re very cautious about how we approach combat.”
“I thought you said you could solo this?”
“I can, but it wouldn’t be fun. This kind of freedom. Not having to worry about babysitting you, and being able to cut loose and utilize your own powers at the same time? It’s like being a dynamic duo.”
“Yeah. That was my intent, exactly! We go all pow pow, yin and yang, dragon princess and shadow ninja.”
“So you are a ninja.”
“FUCK!”
Heaven started howling with laughter.
She withdrew her swords, pulled out Timber Galatia, and cast Railgun immediately. Streaks of lightning began to thunder across the cavern. Instead of trying to be accurate, Heaven used the conal bursts to strike at the shade stalkers.
Joining Ma’Z in the middle of his makeshift zone of influence, Heaven practically squealed when Ma’Z ran bodily through one of the shadows and landed a moment later with his sword plunged through a shade stalker.
She found she couldn’t shoot bullets of lighting through the shadows, but she could reach her arm through for some point-blank action.
With Ma’Z taking control of the shadows, it was no longer a high priority to keep her attention so focused on her periphery anymore, and instead she could directly attack them in the very environment in which they thrived.
Sometime in the middle of the fight, Heaven had recalled her drones and deployed her two combat drones and started directing them to corral the shade stalkers to drive them towards their position, and within Ma’Z’s teleportation range.
Within a few minutes, they had killed more than a hundred of the mastiff-sized creatures and it was finally starting to sound like they were dwindling down in numbers.
“So what now?” Ma’Z asked.
“Now we start to make our way further into the dungeon. With your ability, we don’t have to be as cautious as we were. I can send my drones ahead to scout the area, then we can just go in and clean up, room by room.”
“Gee, you make it sound like I just trivialized the dungeon.”
“You did. Their bread and butter is the ability to hide in the shadows, but if you can literally poke them from those very same shadows, they no longer have the advantage of stealth… they’re just fodder now.”
“So, I guess my burning question is, does this place have a dungeon boss?”
“Yup! Nasty son of a yautshi too. It’ll either be a Shade Progenitor or a Shade Queen.”
“Either the cock or the sock. Got it.”
“Hoo boy. Anyway, let’s hold position. I’ll send my drones ahead and we’ll start to clear them out from there.”
“Works for me, though I have to ask why do they just chill out and wait for us instead of flooding a single cavern at the first sounds of trouble?”
“You’d be surprised but sound doesn’t really carry all that well in caves. The sound actually bounces so much it just dithers out in no time.”
“Oh damn. I figured it would’ve done the exact opposite.”
“Most do, but most people don’t regularly visit caves.”
“That… Yeah, you right!”
The two waited in silence for the next couple of minutes before Heaven’s drones came back. She shared the updated map with Ma’Z who thanked her before acknowledging that they were good to go forward.
The next cavern was much like the last with the addition of crystalline structures buried into the stalagmites. Looking above, they were also embedded within the stalactites. Heaven shot another light burst into the air which illuminated the crystals which made Ma’Z’s jaw drop.
“Later,” Heaven said to the unspoken question.
Ma’Z nodded, taking point this time. Heaven found herself a bit intrigued by how Ma’Z carried his sword over his shoulder like a baseball. It was an unconventional stance. One she knew she didn’t teach him. The light cast from her Frame cast unnatural shadows all over him, and after a moment, they stopped illuminating him altogether. A shadow arose from beneath him and took off into the stalagmite forest and seemed to take his ability to reflect light with it.
“So what do you think Brig?” Heaven sent through a private message.
“He’s good,” Brigand replied. “Like really good. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a Rider handling themselves with such practiced ease.”
“Crazy, isn’t it? Should’ve seen him on the way here. He didn’t even flinch as I went full out to get here.”
“He never lagged behind?”
“Not even a little. In his defense, he’s a professional grade racer. Driving is what he excels at, and he’s raced nearly every kind of race you can think of.”
“Well, your real-life skills are supposed to translate to this one, nearly one to one. But still, for a brand new formless, it’s hard to believe he’s a newbie.”
“Uh. He’s blooded, actually.”
“What?”
“He really was dropped into a raid when he first logged in. When the boss was defeated, he gained a full tier and three skills from it.”
“You’re lying.”
“You can confirm it for yourself later, but I’m telling you, he’s blooded. He showed me his lightning spells when I asked for it. The electricity he produces comes from his blooded slot.”
“Holy three. In either case, even if this wasn’t a formality, he’d pass his assessment with flying colors.”
“I know! I can’t even describe how happy I am that I didn’t have to put on airs to prove his worth.”
“Are y’all talking about me?” Ma’Z spoke over group chat.
“Yup,” Heaven answered.
“Well, if you would be so kind, I found a good spot to set up shop. But uh, two things. One, I don’t know what the jewel looks like but there’s a ton of flowers in here and two… uh, there’s an absurd amount of stalkers in here and uh, I think I found both mommy and daddy?”
Both Heaven and Brigand perked up at the revelation. Deploying her combat drones, Heaven skated forward, summoning her Dance of the First Light. At the same time, she killed the lights on her Frame, approaching Ma’Z’s location swiftly, but cautiously with Brigand trailing behind.
As she rounded the last crystal stalagmite, she looked to where Ma’Z stood, who stood sentinel, obscured in shadow, as if ready to engage at any moment. Looking past him, she could see what he saw. The two shades were prowling in a slow circle while their offspring stalked forward from above.
Highlighting the two in her Vision she said, “Yemaya? Can you get me some info on this?”
“On it, boss,” the Frame responded.
A few seconds later, Yemaya reported back, which Heaven immediately sent to Ma’Z and Brigand.
Shade Progenitor of Night
Behavior: Shadow variant of the Shade Progenitor, this variant is wreathed in night with greatly enhanced reflexes, durability, and cunning.
Shade Progenitors serve as the Shade Queen’s bodyguard, stopping at nothing to disable any who would approach their bonded mate. The Shadow variants wield the night like a weapon, creating whips of pure shadow for both offense and defense.
Godseye: While resistant to light, its movements are still extremely hampered when subjected to luminosity akin to sunlight.
Might:
Reflexes:
Durability:
Intellect:
Will:
24
35
26
21
19
Threat:
Dangerous
Shade Queen of Darkness
Behavior: Shadow Variant of the Shade Queen, while slower than her progeny, the Shade Queen can assume direct command of her brood, showing a penchant for tactics and strategic planning. The shade variant carries a strong command of shadow magic, able to enhance her children and create walls of shadow to blind and confuse her enemies.
Godseye: While intense light has no effect on her shadows, they still affect the queen when cast directly upon her.
Might:
Reflexes:
Durability:
Intellect:
Will:
20
25
22
29
29
Threat:
Dangerous
The Shade Progenitor resembled a ten-meter tall, scaled mastiff, with a mane of billowing shadow around its crest. Its lithe frame betrayed the corded muscle layered beneath its skin. It’s talons would extend with each step, which seemed somewhat tame compared to the rows of teeth within its feral maw. It swung its barbed tail as it stalked along the stalagmites where it seemed to obscure direct line of sight, making it hard to register that it was even there.
The Shade Queen, by contrast, resembled more of a scaled arachnid than a feline. It still had a vaguely leonine body, but with eight spindly legs and six tentacles reaching from its back. It had a similar face as the Progenitor with equally deadly rows of teeth.
When a drone passed overhead, Heaven could make out the runes on each of their foreheads. Just like the variant Bimble, these bore a rune for Nocturn. Heaven couldn’t help but mentally twitch at the coincidences. That made two in as many days.
“Holy Three, this is grave. I’m officially ending the assessment and rendering aid,” Brigand said.
“Brigand -,” Heaven started to say.
“Nah dude, this is still our date,” Ma’Z interrupted. “But to keep it formal, I would request that the assessor standby until one of us is either too damaged or rendered unable to fight.”
“Ma’Z, this is serious. We only get so many lives! We don’t take risks,” Heaven protested.
“I know! And I know how I sound. I’m not trying to come off as smug or arrogant, either. I’m just asking you to trust me. You’ve only seen four of my spells now. I have six, remember?”
“And you think it could help us out in this situation?”
“I mean, how many times have we sparred? Look, you trained me, babe. You know my movements like the back of your hand. Now, you’re built around your light-based attacks, and you clearly have extra weapons at your disposal.”
Ma’Z reached into his void space pulling out his SMG, Storm Shatter.
“And fuck it. I’m a ninja. So, I’m about to do some ninja shit.”
“He says as he pulls out a gun,” Heaven deadpanned.
“Got to use the weapons you got.”
“Anyway, they look ready to pounce at any moment, so what’s the play?”
“Light is our friend and our foe. So, we’re going to use it to zone them out. Use your drones to keep a wall of light between us at all times. Keep up your light bursts to disperse the kiddies, and whack ‘em whenever one comes in range, but our priority is the parents. I’ll take mama and give you daddy. You’re faster than me, so you’ll be able to keep up with him. And make sure you keep line of sight of me at all times. I can only maintain the spell so long as I can see you.”
“You going to tell me what this spell does?”
“We’re about to get our Uzumaki on and walk on walls. So, we’re both ninjas now.”
“We’re about to what?”
“The light’s green, babe. It’s time for a boss fight!” he shouted.
Ma’Z skidded backwards as he opened fire on the Shade Queen. A moment later, lightning erupted all over her body followed by a howl that somehow combined a wild roar with an ear shattering shriek.
Soon he backed directly into a stalagmite, and instead of bouncing off of it, he planted his palm and foot against the jutting granite and used the tire in his foot to push himself up the wall.
Heaven’s eyes went wide as he went completely horizontal, gun still trained on the Queen while bullets and lightning continued to batter the shade mother.
Next, he spun, letting the force of the spin carry his sword into a waiting shade stalker.
Heaven quickly realized she was gawking and set to motion with her own work. Her drones turned the intensity up on their projected light beams and formed a blazing line through the center of the clearing between the circle of stalagmites, splitting up the queen and progenitor. The crystalline rocks embedded in the ground and stalagmites fractured the light rays, casting light and shadows in nearly every direction, sending up a cacophony of wailing agony as the surrounding shade stalkers were hit with the intense light.
In the middle of their screams, she dropped her two sentries and set them to fire at anything that fell between either her or Ma’Z.
Finally, she sent her simulacrum after the Progenitor. Instead of directly attacking it, it kept dodging into its line of sight and flashing it with the strongest light it could produce. The Progenitor kept trying to make its way over to its mate, only to find her copy standing before it, blinding it every chance it could get.
While it was occupied, Heaven used the opportunity to pull out Ever’Nasche in an attempt to end the fight quickly.
“Yemaya. Incendiary.”
“Incendiary loaded,” Yemaya reported.
Just as she pulled the trigger, the Progenitor moved at the last second, taking a glancing blow in the shoulder.
“Welp. Plan B it is,” she said, stowing Ever’Nasche and grabbing Timber Galatia.
The gun split, melding into Yemaya’s knuckles. Heaven redirected the beams on her Frame behind her as she joined her simulacrum in confronting the shade father.
She ejected her swords, tossing them to her First Light, who switched to fending off the hail of shadowy tentacles it brought to bear.
Seeing Ma’Z’s servant she activated Railgun, shoved one hand into the shadow and the other directly at the Progenitor. Her hand emerged directly underneath the shade, firing at it at point blank, while the other shot at it head-on.
The cavern was quickly drowned out in the sounds of thunder and lightning. She and Ma’Z made short work, unloading entire clips into the creatures, who wailed and screamed under the constant barrage.
Once Heaven emptied her third clip, she used Flash of the Brightlord, teleporting to the top of a stalagmite where she impaled a shade stalker on her talons and reached out to the Shade Progenitor with Light Tether.
Distance: 50 meters (4 points)
Effect: Line (1 points)
Element: Luminescence - Strong (4 points)
Element: Void – Potent (5 points)
Buff: n/a (0 points)
Cast Time: Instant (5 points)
Duration: 10 seconds (1 points)
Light Tether. Duration: 10 seconds. Range: 50 meters.
You unleash a force of pure æther that attaches to anything it touches. If the affected target weighs equal to or less than your own, it is then pulled towards you. If it weighs more than you or is fortified in such a way that it can’t be moved, you are pulled to it instead.
Heaven’s Light Tether connected with the large shade, emitting the brightest light she could emit and hauling the creature into the air towards her position.
Once momentum took over, Heaven leapt from the Stalagmite, back towards the ground, pulling the shade with her. With a lurch, she hurled the Progenitor towards the ground ahead of her. It landed with such force that it cracked the ground below.
Her simulacrum was on it immediately, stabbing its body with reckless abandon as Heaven dove into Ma’Z’s waiting servant before emerging from a stalagmite and landing on a distant trunk.
Once again, she pulled Ever’Nasche and trained it on the shade progenitor.
“Yemaya. Hi-Ex,” she said, and pulled the trigger.