"We'd better hurry," said Naya, her voice steady, though her eyes betrayed fear. "Enemy squads could fall on us at any moment."
The ground was covered in fog. The three companions were wrapped in brown woolen blankets, but the cold penetrated to their bones. After entering the level two portal, they had been walking for several minutes among the frailejón plants, in a desolate moor where only the murmur of distant springs could be heard.
"We don’t have to worry unless the fights drag out and the monsters slow us down. We scouted, and there were no enemies for miles around. We have several hours," Nilu said, trying to sound confident to reassure his companions, though he felt uncertain himself. The portal seemed straightforward, but it could always hold surprises.
They continued up the slope until they spotted the first group of enemies. They were human. They wore dark-colored woolen tunics that matched the tones of the terrain. At least twenty individuals advanced stealthily among the shrubs, and Naya managed to make out the spears and bows they carried. There were also riders mounted on long-necked, yellow-furred llamas.
"They're low level, but their numbers could be a problem," Vidul said, analyzing their ranks with an ability that made his eyes shine as he activated it. "I don't think it's wise to confront them directly."
"Then we'll do the Double Fang formation and use the frailejón plants as a barrier to block their arrows and ambush them," Nilu decided.
Like three weasels, the companions began feigning a retreat among the plants scattered across the hill.
The portal monsters chased them, just as they expected. The riders advanced first, followed by spearmen and archers running almost as fast as the mounts.
"They’re too fast," Naya thought, with her bow at the ready, calculating her movements from behind one of the large shrubs to start firing. Despite her doubts, she soon struck the first one in the shoulder, though she didn’t take him down. "If I don’t take out enough of them, they’ll surround us in a heartbeat."
She knew her companions depended on her to complete this rift. Although Leye was sending them mana and abilities from the jungle dungeon, it was challenging to get through it with only three heroes, without auxiliary troops. The range of her bow was the difference between life and death. Determined, she started firing from behind the frailejón, aiming for the enemies’ limbs, who began shouting in a strange language as they closed in.
"A war chant."
Dodging enemy arrows, she managed to take down one of the spearmen, but by then, the enemies were too close. They clearly knew the terrain, descending the gentle slope with feline agility.
The warrior whistled a signal, and Vidul responded immediately, creating several illusions of himself and Nilu to confuse the llama riders who were nearly upon them.
The group of monsters, or "mobs" as they called them, focused all their attention on the illusions, convinced they were fighting the warriors. Naya seized those valuable seconds to shoot down several enemies, hitting them in their necks and stomachs, while her experience points steadily increased on her interface.
One of the riders, a fierce swordsman with bronze skin and slanted eyes, dodged her darts with surprising skill.
"That’s definitely the dungeon boss," said Nilu aloud, a puff of misty breath escaping his mouth. "Don’t shoot at him; we’ll leave him for last."
The archer forgot her fear, entering a combat flow state—something she had struggled with when she was a novice.
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Despite the losses they’d inflicted, at least ten monsters reached them.
"It’s time to use your ultimate abilities while I go toe-to-toe with the boss!" With that, Nilu lunged at the fierce-looking rider, who charged toward them with fire in his eyes.
Vidul waited until the spearmen and other riders, along with their hunting dogs, were close enough and activated his ultimate skill on the interface before him:
“Heart of the Living Forest.” Mana cost: 20 points.
After his eyes turned metallic and he shouted some words in his tribe’s language, the frailejón plants around them started pulling free from the ground and moving like giant warriors, shielding him and Naya from the surprised enemies.
The plant creatures struck the spearmen with their massive branches, slowing them down, while Naya continued shooting her arrows, now with magic fire, which made them twice as lethal, although it drained her mana at an alarming rate.
With her mana bar almost depleted, they took down the enemies in what felt like an eternity to the girl. Without time to rest, they ran toward the dungeon boss, who seemed to be overpowering Nilu. Their ally held off the attacks but retreated with each blow.
"Cavalry always has the upper hand over infantry, no matter the level," Naya thought, as she readied her special arrow in her bow and mentally selected her ultimate ability on the interface: “Life Drain.” "Goodbye, tough guy."
The arrow struck the enemy in the chest, piercing his brown cloak. Though it didn’t kill him instantly, the boss began to weaken gradually, and each blow he landed on Nilu grew weaker. With each passing second, Naya’s mana replenished as it drained from the boss. Finally, the rider collapsed, and Nilu beheaded him in one swift stroke, causing his body to dissipate into the mist.
“Wow,” Vidul said, whistling in relief. “That was close.”
The interface of the three heroes filled with notifications:
You have defeated the dungeon boss. Your experience points have increased by 50. Points to your main dungeon: 30.
“Well done,” Nilu said, catching his breath as he sheathed his sword. “It took less time than I expected. I think we still have time to explore the portal. We might find some good loot.”
Naya didn’t fully agree with staying longer. It meant moving farther from the entrance, increasing the risk of an eyen squad attacking them from the rear. But Nilu was the leader, and when he gave an order, there was nothing more to say.
***
The corpses of insignificant goblins lay around him and his men like a cluster of vermin, their greenish blood scattered throughout the dungeon, a cavernous tunnel through the mountains. Hunn, the huge warrior with close-cropped hair and golden armor, wiped his sword as he counted the measly experience points he’d gained after the battle in the final chamber.
"These portals are garbage. If we don’t find enough experience for the Emperor, I’ll charge against the next Ixtalita city that crosses our path."
Heag, the fire mage beside him, was always the one who somehow managed to calm the squadron’s leader with practical words.
"My lord, I’m sure all your men, myself included, want the same thing; but it wouldn’t be wise, at least for now. The Emperor has been clear on the exclusive order to clear the dungeons of savages. Though we’re the most powerful advance squad since Orec disappeared, even barbarian cities have many defenses that could surprise us." As he spoke, the mage began to incinerate the monsters’ corpses, channeling mana into himself. "While it’s unlikely that a barbarian city could withstand your relentless might, it’s never wise to go against the Emperor."
"He’s right."
"True," said the big man, reorganizing his thoughts. "But I’m bored as hell." He sheathed his sword as he turned to the mage. "What have you been able to find out about Orec’s death?"
"The last I heard, he vanished from camp, just like that, though some wizards say he went deep into the jungle with Yowo, one of his warrior concubines." The mage’s neck was twisted and his skin wrinkled; he was as ugly as the most hideous of orcs, but his power was very useful to Hunn, and he had some psychic abilities that allowed him to gather valuable information. "It seems the woman is still alive and has rejoined the group, taking control of it."
The warrior scoffed. A woman leading one of the most powerful Eyen squads? Ridiculous.
"In that case, we’ll capture them and bring them into our special force. I’ll personally see to it that I use that woman however I please. Can you pinpoint that group’s position?"
"Yes, my lord, but only when I recover enough mana."
"Very well, take all the potions you need, and these worthless creatures' points. Damn, finally something interesting! I’m sure the Emperor won’t hear about this, and with two such groups combined, we’ll soon clear the toughest dungeons in this country—if you can even call it that. Afterward, we’ll find out what really happened to Orec. I sense there’s hidden treasure behind it all."
"Yes, my lord."