[Lesser Fireball]. A ball of liquid plasma shoots from your palm to strike a target or area of your choice within 100 feet. Upon contact, the fireball explodes dealing damage to all targets within 25 feet. Each target struck is damaged for 80 plus 5n health, where ‘n’ equals intelligence. Objects and creatures struck by the spell have a high chance of being inflicted with the ‘burning’ debuff, causing additional damage over time. Cost: 100 mana. Cast Time: 2 seconds. Cooldown: 1 second. Plus 10 feet max range, 16 base damage, and 1% additional chance to inflict burn per spell level.

“Well, fireball just got a definitive upgrade,” I muttered as I reread the information a second time. “Nice! The explosion's radius also increased by another fifteen feet. It’s not a respectable fireball. Say, Stell, how much damage will it do now?”

“Cast normally, it’s doing one thousand three hundred and seventy-six damage to everything caught in the blast,” Stella replied easily, the math coming to her instantly. “Dual cast… Then, it skyrockets to nearly forty-five hundred damage!”

“It’s pretty similar to my chained lightning spell, right?” I asked. My lightning spell was a personal favorite direct damage spell, but perhaps it now had a competitor at last.

“Chained does a little bit more and, at its current level, hits seven mobs,” Stella replied. “With fireball though, it would be the clear winner if you don’t need to worry about hitting anything friendly. It is capable of hitting well over seven mobs in the right situation.”

“If friends are near, go with chained lightning,” I said earnestly. “If mobs are stacked together, fireball all day.”

Tallos walked over with a few objects cupped loosely in his hands. “As best as I can tell, most of their gear is made of silvern so you’ll need to use your looting power to pick those up. I did find a few things of note, though I’m unable to tell exactly what they do. They have a feeling of being enchanted.”

“Thanks for looking,” I said to the trim elf. “I’ll inspect them all to see what we’ve got.”

Tallos handed over a few rings, a necklace, and several coin purses. Opening the leather pouches first, we discovered most of the dwarves had been quite wealthy, at least by the standards of most surface dwellers. Although the coins were minted by dwarven hands, each oblong or circular coin proudly displaying a raised bearded face, gold and silver would still spend well.

The rings were nothing of particular note. No matter how slight, any upgrade could mean the difference between life and death. Handing several back to Tallos, I turned to find my skeletal friend. She was nowhere to be seen.

“Oh, yeah, right,” I said, pocketing the jewelry for now. Ripley had been wholly destroyed. She hadn’t been resummoned yet. “I’ll get these to her when she comes back,” I said, slightly embarrassed, and to no one in particular.

“About ten minutes yet,” Stella said helpfully at my side. I nodded back in reply.

“I also found this,” Tallos said, excitement brimming his voice. It caught my attention, so I turned back to him. Tallos reached over his back to hand me a C-shaped piece of lacquered wood, I hadn’t seen before. It had leather wrapping in the middle of the ‘C’, with two small protrusions at the tips.

Holding it in my hands, I had no idea what it could be. It wasn’t made of wood, instead probably more of the hardened mushroom the dwarves loved to craft things with. Looking back at my friend in slight confusion, the elf’s wide smile hinted at what it could be. When he passed over a bundle of silken thread, I understood what it was.

“Let’s see how good it is,” I said as I inspected the unstrung bow.

{Gak-gung Composite Reflex Bow}. This highly reflexed composite bow was painfully constructed over the course of several years by an extremely talented bowyer. Soaked for a year in a specialized concoction to enhance strength and durability, this incredible weapon far outperforms those of similar class. The bow’s core is comprised of augmented mushroom stalks with bolstered sinew which enhances pulling strength from the weapon’s limbs. The bowstring is nearly unbreakable, formed from the silk of the elusive cave fisher only found in the deepest sightless depths. Quality: Exceptional. Rarity: Rare. Type: Bow. Slot: Primary. Durability: 2,250/2,250. Speed: Fast. Effect(s): Adds 15 to 25 damage per attack. Magical and non-magical arrows shot by this weapon are expelled at an extremely high velocity, greatly increasing the bow’s maximum range. Additionally, the extreme velocity imparted to each arrow means enhanced penetration against armored targets.

Tallos motioned for the weapon back, which I readily handed over. With practiced ease, he strung the bow before notching a simple arrow, laying it on the arrow rest just above the leather-wrapped grip. Now in the familiar shape of a bow, I peered closer at the exquisite craftsmanship of the weapon. The upper and lower limbs curved away from the wielder with the small protrusions, the bowstring hooks, starkly matte black against the light auburn color of the ‘wood’ of the weapon. The string was soft and supple, yet incredibly sturdy at the same time.

With a strong pull, Tallos drew the silk string, touching it against his cheek before releasing it. The arrow vanished in a blur of motion, streaking away to slam powerfully into the wall opposite us. The impact sent chips flying away. Closing to the stone, it was clear the debris was not parts of the arrow shattering in all directions. The arrow had impressively penetrated at least a foot into the hard stone.

“Well, that takes care of our need to find you a better bow,” Stella said impressed, equally amazed at the weapon’s power.

“I’ve only heard tales of such powerfully enchanted bows,” Tallos said as he held the weapon before him reverently. “Only the strongest of our wardens would be blessed by such a weapon.”

“It’s yours,” I told our friend, Stella nodding to my words. “Now you have a weapon to match your fortitude and honor.”

“Thanks, Xaz, Stella,” he replied graciously.

We did a final inspection of our fallen foes. I approached each body, quickly looting their silvern weapons and armor with a light touch. Looking at my friends, I asked if they were ready to head out. Ripley would appear soon, and since nothing had shown up to investigate our latest explosion, I felt confident nothing was nearby. Seeing agreement in the eyes of my friends, we turned to face the passage leading deeper into the unknown.

Ripley reappeared a short while later, being summoned automatically. Though she had been blown into a thousand pieces, she stood as striking as ever. I handed her several pieces of jewelry, swapping out anything with less health, constitution, or strength. With the tight quarters, we elected to keep her using her sword and shield combo. Her greatsword didn’t have the room needed to be effective.

We moved in stealth, our pace not at all hurried. The humidity seemed to stabilize, though there was still no sign of where the dense water vapor was coming from. Our path twisted and turned, snaking deeper below the earth. Some ten minutes later, a familiar glow appeared ahead of us. Scouting forward with Lowki, we discovered blue torches jutting from the walls on both sides of the cave, placed in sconces at regular intervals. The passage continued on, nothing else of note to be seen. There were no dwarven sentries, nothing but the rough and uneven stone around us and the densely packed glow plants.

We returned to the group and explained what we had found. “I think the torches are like the lamps we saw when we first got down here,” I whispered. “The air is cooler wherever the blue light touches. I think we’re close.”

“Close to what?” Tallos asked.

“To the boss,” I replied, a slight shock of anxiety racing through my chest. While we had been successful so far in these dwarven depths, a boss fight could quickly turn a successful dungeon dive into a deadly one. Whatever came next, I sensed it was going to challenge us like nothing before. From the return looks from Stella, Tallos, Ripley, and Lowki, my friends thought so as well.

Taking a moment to cast what few beneficial spells I had, we were as prepared as we were going to be. Even though I knew something dangerous would soon be found, the supportive looks of my friends and companions grounded me. Live or die, we would do this together.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

Blue torches continued to line both sides of the tunnel. When we came around a bend, the path ahead came to an abrupt halt. A set of closed metallic double doors barred our passage. The flickering azure glow amplified the imposing sense exuding from such a magnificently crafted obstacle. The doors were clearly made of processed silvern ore, the azure light reflecting off a glossy surface. Against the hardened barrier, it felt as if we were meek interlopers coming upon the entrance to a dragon’s horde. Leading up the exit, dozens of murals had been hung upon worked stone walls.

Careful to avoid making the slightest noise, we inched forward. Though my mind wanted to take into the artwork, a tickle in the back of my mind warned me to be on the lookout for traps. Nothing of the sort had remotely presented itself as being a possibility thus far, but when it came to a boss fight, anything was possible. My cautious sense was not borne from any magical or mystical sense, instead coming from hard lessons learned from my previous life.

Nothing stood out to our sight as we crept forward. No snares, pitfalls, nothing appeared with our careful inspection. Finally, I allowed myself to look at the framed paintings. Moving a finger near to one, as I had suspected, either the canvas or perhaps the oil of the pain, emitted a detectable heat. It was like holding your hand near a candle. Most interesting, I discovered the temperature changed and varied as I moved a finger across the artwork. The painting would light up heat-sensitive eyes. Fascinating.

In the blue torchlight, the color pattern varied wildly as if the painter changed colors on a whim with no discernable rhyme or reason. I realized this probably because the dwarves were incapable of seeing in the visible light spectrum. The artwork was nonetheless quite magnificent.

Mosaics of noble dwarves, scenes of epic battles, and large, cavernous cities gave a depiction of what their lives must be like. The heroic nature was stilted when a mural close to the steel door showed proud dwarves standing over the corpses of men and elves alike. These people were not heroic. They were predators who enjoyed standing over the bodies of their slain enemies.

Unless I was missing the mark, the Game was giving us, and any viewers watching us, a glimpse into this Dwarven race. Deadly, powerful, and talented, such was the message displayed across each framed canvas. The artistry was second to none, I had to admit. However, it was a shame such an artistic race was so hellbent on the death of innocents.

We had closed halfway the distance to the double doors, still without any sign of danger. Leading, I stepped closer, my elven keen senses attempting to pick up any sound from behind the metal doors. Following directly behind me were Ripley, Lowki, Tallos, and my dwarven minion far in the rear. When we had first spotted the blue torchlight, I had taken the necessary ten seconds to refresh my undeath spell on the dwarf, ensuring he wouldn’t fall at an inopportune time. The paintings and impressive doors made it obvious. A boss fight was on the other side.

Coming close to the silvern gateway, there was no handle to be seen anywhere. There were no hinges on our side, so perhaps it would open inwards. Not sensing any change, I risked placing a hand on the metal surface. It was as cold, not unlike the stone below our feet. I gently applied pressure, but the massive doors didn’t budge.

As I was looking to Stella and Tallos for suggestions, something happened. The rest of the group had been getting closer to one another, bunching up, as I inspected the double doors. It was when my dwarf minion got near, something in the metal reacted to his presence. My eyes shot to the doors as a flash of magic rippled across the metallic surface. Then, as if pulled by an unseen hand, the doors slowly opened. There was nothing we could do to stop it.

A broad room opened before us. About fifty feet to the side, it was brightly lit with dozens of blue flaming sconces. The only exit in the room was a door opposite us, but what dominated our attention were the backs of three dwarves leaning over a large table in the middle of the carpeted room. The doors opened silently but, upon reaching its limits, a deep gong boomed with metal hitting hard stone. It signaled the trio they had visitors. Three pairs of glowing eyes turned in our direction and briefly widened as they realized we were no dwarves.

The room was furnished with intricately carved chairs, benches, side tables, and several cots furnished with soft bedding. The air in the room had a hint of a barky incense with a touch of cinnamon. Crates similar to those that held ballista bolts from earlier lined one side of the room, though no siege engines were present in the tidy chamber.

Our two groups eyed one another, no one making any aggressive action. This was not how I wanted to come upon the boss and his cadre of support. The dwarf in the middle of the bunch was slightly taller than his compatriots and was decked out in silvern plate armor. He was outfitted like a tank. Unlike the dwarves we had defeated earlier, this dwarf’s armor was inlaid with golden filigree that shone lightly, clueing me it likely held some enchantment or another. An oversized war maul rested comfortably across his back and, even with its massive weight, didn’t seem to hinder the powerfully muscled dwarf.

His companion to his left wore a green-tinted chainmail shirt, similar to what my undeath cleric wore, over studded leather armor. On his hip was a blunted spiked mace and, across his back, was an impressive-looking shield only slightly smaller than Ripley’s own. This dwarf lacked a beard, I recognized my error. This was no male dwarf. The dwarf’s eyes narrowed as a scowl formed across her butch face.

The final dwarf was as thin as a willow stick. His gaunt face made it appear as if he hadn’t eaten in days with how emaciated he looked. There was no frailty behind his eyes, however. A ruthless, calculating mind stared indignantly at us. Adorned in a dark robe, whose bottom golden edge scrapped lightly against the plush carpeting, the dwarf had the look and composure of a spell caster. His robe was plain and was tied neatly by a silver cord at his waist. Dangling from his hip were several foot-long wands, held securely in leather holsters. Across his brow was a silver tiara centered by a large ovoid gem. Across his back was strapped a dark wood staff which shot tiny sparks of bloodshot energy away from its gnarled tip.

This was a formidable group who were not to be taken lightly. Any hope of a surprise attack had been dashed; I could sense my friends were ready to spring forward at my command. Name tags floated over each dwarf, so I took a moment to review what little information could be had before all hell broke loose.

Marharen Hillstone, Silvern Priest of Gias (Level 30).

Buram Barrelchest, Stonehammer Battlelord (Level 30 - Elite Boss).

Arantrud Warcoat, Brimstone Magus (Level 30).

Crap, I thought to myself. The boss was an elite. Not only that, but their small group was comprised of a warrior, a cleric, and a mage. It was a potent mix of strength and magic. Worse, they also greatly outleveled us. Thankfully, only the middle dwarf had the elite tag. Still, this was going to be an extremely difficult battle.

As I was about to break the stillness, the center dwarf spoke. His voice was deep and irregular as if he wasn’t familiar with speaking. With a start, I realized he was speaking in common! “Surface dwellers,” the battlelord stated. “So that explains why my soldiers haven’t checked in. Interesting.”

With each word, Buram became more accustomed to the surface language as if he was remembering a seldom-used dialect. His words halted my instinct to drive headfirst into battle. There was an opportunity to be had here. I desperately wanted to give our side enough time to come up with a battle plan. With our enemy demonstrating they were capable of understanding our language though, I hadn’t the faintest idea how we would be able to pass instructions without plainly letting the dwarves know as well.

“I sent two warbands to see what had happened,” the leader continued without pause. “It would seem, as you’re not helplessly bound by magical restraints, you dispatched them. Not many from the surface could do such a thing. Certainly, none with as small of a party as your own.”

His last statement gave me hope. The dwarves could only see me, Tallos, and Lowki. Ripley and my priest minion were invisible to their eyes! We had that small advantage, at least.

The robed dwarf spoke up then, dashing that hope. “They have undead among them, sire.” With a crisp hand gesture and a single arcane word, a pulse of energy flew from his finger to land gently across the eyes of both the battlelord and his priest next to him. Their eyes moved over the towering Ripley and diminutive dwarf behind me.

Shit, I cursed inwardly.

“What did you do to our fellow there?!” the dwarf leader asked in a stern voice, his anger growing with each second. “Who would be so bold as to profane one of our kind?”

Sensing an imminent battle was about to spiral out of control, I spoke up. We were not ready yet. “I did,” I said as confidently as I could manage, given the untenable situation we found ourselves in. Had the dwarves been closer to our level, my confidence may have been genuine. “I am a Hunter.”

Perhaps being a Hunter could be played to our advantage.

The cleric spat on the floor at my pronouncement. “Hunters, blasphemous creatures, the lot of them.” His words were more refined than his elite brethren, though were laced with hostility. “Battlelord, let’s kill the trespassers and let that be the end of it.”

My muscles tensed at the priest’s words. However, the upraised arm of the old warrior brought everyone up short. “Not yet, my friend. Our guests were going to tell us why they had come. Are you not, Hunter?”

About to respond, I paused as words appeared in my vision. “Yes,” I stated clumsily at the same time as I read the message.

Stella: Xaz, we can use this chat. We’re disjointed and need a plan of attack. Let me know and I’ll relay the information quietly to everyone.

Even as the two groups eyed one another, Stella had realized our plight and had already been working hard on a plan. As I turned to look at my friends, she was even then casually floating lazily around our group. Her keen mind realized we needed to be on the same page to win this battle. When the dwarf leader spoke our language, she instantly realized we would need to use some sleight of hand to pass directions to one another.

Stella’s carefree jaunt around each of us appeared harmless, yet she would be instrumental if we managed to survive what came next. Holding back a smile threatening to appear on my face, I faced our adversaries.

I simply needed to buy time.