A surreal scene unfolded before my eyes. Dutch was rearing, his front hooves kicked furiously in the air as he fended off his would-be assailants. Standing in front of him, within the broken round pen, were two King Cobalt crabs with several notable differences from their larger kin. Only half as tall, these miniature versions had heads only coming up to about my waist. Though far smaller, they were no less a threat for the diminutive size. While their central bodies were less pronounced, their claws were no less sharp as the two swung for Dutch’s front legs.
Jax, unlike his brother, was fearful of the other two facing him and was only presenting a token resistance. With a gash on a foreleg already, the smaller horse was being corralled off the island into the waterlogged marsh. Jax snorted and sent showers of murky water everywhere whenever he stomped a leg. His cruel aggressors were not intimidated by the menacing display. If someone didn’t intervene, soon, Dutch would probably be cut down since it was clear he had no intention of being hassled into the dark water, and Jax would be goaded into the deepest parts of the swamp, never to resurface again.
Another notable difference between these mini-crabs was the color of their shells. Where the larger crab’s chitin was a deep blue akin to an ultramarine lapis lazuli, these lesser versions held an effervescent shade of violet. With a simple effort of will, I commanded the System to display their description, hoping a weakness could be quickly identified. Several of my blizzard spells would soon fade behind me, meaning the six tenacious cobalt crabs held at bay would be close on my heels. I needed to be quick!
King Cobalt Brachyura Youngling (Level 15)
Though far less imposing than adult King Cobalt’s, youngling crabs are no less successful ambush predators. Though smaller in stature, these budding creatures have the same punishing sharpness at the edge of their claws and are capable of slicing through flesh and bones with relative ease.
Until a King Cobalt’s shell fully develops, marked by a metallic sapphire pigment, a youngling’s chitin is less resilient and does not offer the same magical protection against fire-based spells. Still, as they often attack in packs to make up for these weaknesses, King Cobalt Brachyura Younglings are no less fearsome opponents for their size.
Dutch had taken a cut across a front leg and was bleeding profusely. Thankfully, it was not a debilitating slash as he attempted to pummel the smaller mobs. Hoping my spell would affect the lesser crabs where it had failed with the adult variety, I quick cast pyroclastic funeral pyre. Targeting the sole remaining mob facing my steed, I celebrated internally when no prompt appeared saying the miniature beasts resisted the spell.
The crab nearest to Dutch, flinched at the sudden burst of damage. Burning ash and embers surrounded the tiny thing, before swelling outward ten feet. Losing sight of Dutch, I was confident the healing to friendly targets from the spell’s secondary effect would stitch up his wounds.
I was about to throw a gnawing blizzard at the two crabs prodding Jax further away from us when a shout from behind had me diving into a forward roll.
“Duck!” Stella yelled.
Had I hesitated for even a moment, the claw strike would have blasted into the back of my head. As it was, my roll didn’t carry me too far as I had been facing an upward slope when I leapt. Scrambling to get away from follow-up attacks, with one such assault crashing just behind me sending a pelting shower of earth that ricocheted against my empower aegis, it was clear I could no longer ignore my pursuers without spelling my doom. I was in no position to get to Tallos’ horse, not for at least a minute or two.
“Someone help Jax!” I bellowed, regaining my feet and turning to face the closest threat. Backpedaling, I fired another shot from my crescent pistol before sending Frostrend end over end. “I can’t get to him in time!”
All of my attention over the next dozens of seconds was firmly rooted upon the slowly weakening king crabs who never slowed their steady advance to crush me as had happened to the poor Lowki. With the great cat out of the fight, it meant only Ripley or Tallos could come to Jax’s aid. Unfortunately, from what I last saw of the elf as he frantically dodged a crushing blow, Tallos had his own problems to handle.
Pathing the rabid pack through the center of our obliterated campsite, our many dishes and bedrolls scattered from the desperate struggle, I lead my attackers around the edge of our small island. Dutch, from the little I could see, appeared to have his remaining youngling crab down for the count. When I reached the far end of the atoll, my vision of him continually stomping the motionless opponent to death assured me he would be safe as long as I didn’t falter.
Casting another gnawing blizzard, I hope to slow down the raging king crabs and create enough separation to check on Jax. If Ripley couldn’t get to him, the prospect of him surviving this ambush was slim to none. Pulling out my wand of grasping roots, I launched two back-to-back orbs of snaring energy into my pursuers. The slowing effects from both spells should allow me the time to intervene in Jax’s predicament. Trudging through the brackish marsh in the direction I last saw him, I hoped I wasn’t too late. While I slogged through the viscous slurry that had been kicked up, I peered in all directions to find my endangered equestrian friend.
Jax was nowhere to be seen.
Frantic thoughts crashed through my consciousness sending my already panicked heart into a worse state. A loud whinny pulled my attention toward a line of cypress trees off to my left. Between the conical bases of the eighty-foot conifers, only a sliver of Jax’s romping form was visible. His normally ivory coat was completely drenched with disgusting swamp water, making him appear like another horse entirely. As I came around several saplings Jax was in dire straits. With the bog reaching his chest, Jax was constantly backtracking, the water growing deeper with each step as he struggled to retreat from his now unseen attackers.
About to rush forward, with a small part of my consciousness recognizing there was no way I would reach my doomed friend in time, a familiar form entered my field of view. Ripley, after climbing up the conical base of two side-by-side trees, launched herself through the air with all her empowered ebony leg muscles.
Crashing heavily into the dingy muck, Ripley hurriedly planted her skeletal feet under herself and arched to her full height. Raising her greatsword overhead with deadly intent, her corded biceps constricted as she put all her might into a vicious downward slash. Water exploded with chunks of jagged purple chitin around her after the enchanted steel slammed into something solid just below the waterline.
Knowing I could offer little aid to Ripley or Jax, though it was hopefully no longer required, I swiveled around and brought my attention back fully to the gaggle of crabs inching slowly forward through a ghostly snowstorm and tenacious thorny vines. These creatures wanted to tear the life from our bodies. It was time I repaid their transgressions upon them a hundredfold. Fury stoked deep in my chest as I lashed out with debilitating spells, piercing bullets, and brutal axe throws.
As the rest of our party moved to the end game of our brawls, Tallos found himself alone against two of the mighty crabs. Thankfully, his furthest adversary was still mired by his minor snare, but the ranger was not as fortunate with the other as he came back up for air. After his frantic backward leap, evading the murderous double claw strike, Tallos found himself within arm’s reach of his attacker. His only saving grace was his opponent’s inability to properly sense where he had gone after diving in the awful muck which clung stubbornly to his leather armor. With only his head and shoulders visible above the water, Tallos intoned a new snare as he slowly backed away.
The beast’s antennae twitched this way and that, giving the creature enough sense for it to reorient on the submerged elf. Stalking down the slight embankment, most of its forward movement was interrupted as roots erupted from the ground. Engorging vines snaked up the creature’s ankles and wrapped swiftly around its bulky legs. Still, with the mob’s prodigious strength, and not hindered by water, more than a fair share of the vines snapped as it lumbered on. Had the spell not persistently created new creeper vines, the towering monster would have already been on top of Tallos.
Quickly locating his lost bow, it floated only a few feet away, Tallos moved away from the advancing creature as quickly as his elven agility allowed. Filthy water flew and splashed around him as he reached for an arrow from his back quiver. Finding nothing but air, Tallos’ eyes shot down to his belt quiver. It was empty too! Frantically, he looked around to locate his missing arrows. He saw a clump of arrow shafts floating atop the marsh water between himself and his attacker. To retrieve any, he would have to get dangerously close to the crab struggling to break through his snare spell.
Tallos knew he couldn’t risk it. If he attempted the dangerous maneuver, he would come within easy reach of the creature’s long arms and grasping fingers. He needed to replenish his quivers or he would be entirely incapable of harming the remaining cobalt crabs!
“I’m out of arrows!” he shouted at the top of his lungs. With no response forthcoming, Tallos resigned himself to cast his snare on the furthest beast and hoped he could successfully kite the creatures until help arrived. His mana was not endless, probably a fraction compared to my staggeringly high mana pool, but it would have to be enough. If it wasn’t, he would be pulverized into paste without ever being able to fight back.
“Here!” a feminine voice called. Stella’s voice was strained as if she was lifting a boulder. Turning to her voice, Tallos spied Stella barely hovering over the ground with a quiver brimming with fletched arrows. She was having difficulty bearing even that much weight.
Tallos dove into a diagonal roll towards Stella, sending water spraying before skidding to a stop at the base of the tiny isle. Without uttering a word of thanks, he hadn’t the time, he snatched the quiver and looped it to a belt hook at his waist. In one fluid motion, he notched an arrow and sighted his approaching foe. Instantly one arrow, quickly followed by another, sliced through the air. Conscious of his positioning between the two crabs, he steadily retreated up the small island, all the while sending arrow after arrow. Soon enough, the nearest lumbering beast was close to collapsing under the archer’s unending barrage. Enhanced by the powerful properties of his bow, the crab soon sprouted dozens of arrow shafts from its lightly armored neck.
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Standing like a metallic blue marshmallow pin-cushion, an arrow slammed with finality between the thin gills in the middle of the monster’s face. Whatever little strength remained evaporated as the arrowhead pierced brain matter. The king crab lurched to the side, tumbling like a rolling log down the embankment before crashing into the filth below. With only a single opponent left, Tallos knew he had more than enough arrows to finish off that beast as well. Arrow after arrow split the night’s air, ending their threat forevermore.
It was only Ripley’s sudden appearance that saved Jax from a gruesome death. The stallion had been floundering in the deeper water as he struggled against the biting claws tearing painful gashes across his legs and lower chest. His frantic movements had kicked up an incredible amount of sediment and sludge, necessitating the final crab to peek its head above the waterline to keep track of its meal. Blood-drunk on the impending kill, the beast forgot to keep an ‘eye’ on its surroundings. Though little better than pencil stubs, its eyes failed to detect the approaching Ripley as she wadded close.
Finally, in range, Ripley hammered her weapon at the lone remaining foe. The greatsword burst through the tiny creature’s head like an avalanche, sending gory bits of crab meat and blood flying. The beast was slain instantly and moved up and down in the water like some giant bobber.
Stella soon flew over and helped the distraught Jax slog back to our elevated campsite. His eyes were wild for several tense minutes, but her soothing voice and gentle handling calmed our friend enough to get him back in the disjointed horse pen. For my part, I swiftly finished off the last six crabs, felling one after the other, as my deleterious spells stole the last slivers of their health and vitality.
With the final crab collapsing into the dark slurry, the oppressive silence from before the battle returned. Nothing stirred in the swamp, not even the normally ever-present croaking frogs, nor hundreds of chirping crickets. As Tallos and Ripley repaired the horse pen, the rest of us remained warry for a full twenty minutes before anyone felt safe enough to sheath our weapons. The battle was won.
As sudden and frantic as it was, I was surprised we only lost a single person. Lowki would resummon soon enough, and I was grateful Tallos had not shared a similar fate. Dutch and Jax were no worse for wear after recuperating from my copious healing spells. Dutch had been mostly fully healed by the secondary effect of my pyroclastic cloud spell, while Jax required my regeneration spell to close up the dozens of gashes across his body. Worried about infections, Stella assured me my healing spells would eradicate that possibility.
Soon enough, we reinforced the makeshift round pen and had Ripley stand close guard in case any of the smaller crabs surfaced. Thankfully, none did. A smile tugged at the corner of my lips when I noticed Jax seeming more at ease and thankful to have his watchful guardian nearby. Every so often Jax would send a soft nicker the skeleton’s way.
None of us found sleep with what remained of the dreadful evening. Worse, each of us reeked of rotten eggs from the marsh scum we had been covered in. Nothing we did seemed to be able to remove the foul stench. Stella went so far as to promise her we would each take cold showers when we got out of the stagnant bog. Though I wasn’t looking forward to having buckets of canteen water poured over my head, it would be better than smelling like a decaying, putrid skunk.
In the morning we inspected the bodies of our fallen foes, though discovered nothing of note. Intent on not walking away empty-handed from the hard-fought battle, I harvested two complete sets of the cobalt chitin armor in hopes it could be turned into something useful someday. Surprisingly, the natural shell was quite a bit lighter than I had been expecting. With how heavy the crabs had been, I figured their chitin would weigh a ton. While it took up a decent amount of space in my bag of holding, we had more than enough room now with most of the bales of hay eaten over the last several days.
Poor Tallos needed everyone’s help to retrieve as many arrows as possible. By the time we were done searching, he had less than a half quiver remaining. Unfortunately, more often than not, the arrows we plucked from the stagnant water and crab bodies were either too splintered or mangled to ever be useful again. The adult’s heavily armored cobalt shells wreaked havoc on the frail missiles.
In the end, we lost over half of our former store of arrows. Tallos said he would be able to fashion more from the salvage arrowheads and feathers but would need to find a dry supply of wood. Tallos explained the tedious process as we marched along, describing the hours of work needed to handcraft each arrow but, given enough time, he was confident he would be fashion more.
Everyone let out a collective sigh when we finally pushed past the edge of the clingy swampland and finally stood atop firm soil. Before us, only a sprawling grassland was our obstacle until we reached the looming mountain range in the distance. Considering the sheer discontent and loathing we held from our tedious trek through Lake Kirkholm, we unanimously agreed to stop early for the day. We set camp a half mile from the tree line designating the start of our hike over Mount Kirkholm.
As we prepared for the evening, we scrutinized the best avenue to pass over the prominent mountain range. We decided to aim for a natural “V” between two snow-covered peaks. It would be difficult work, but Stella and I felt it was a good plan as any. Tallos couldn’t provide any guidance having never traveled through the place himself, so agreed with our assessment.
Treating Jax and Dutch with a handful of their sugar cube treats, along with enough hay to see them through the evening, we found the best sleep in what felt like days. Lowki had long since returned and was keen on ensuring nothing remotely dangerous got anywhere near our party as we slept. Thankfully, our feline friend seemed no worse for wear from his death. As soon as he reappeared next to me, Lowki immediately pushed up into me for some affection.
Before falling asleep, I reviewed our experience gains and spell and skill increases from surviving the king cobalt ambush. While not extraordinary since we out-leveled the mobs, the gains were appreciated.
Experience Awarded: King Cobalt Brachyura x 15 (level ranges 20-22).
Experience Awarded: King Cobalt Brachyura Youngling x 4 (level 15).
Spell: [Lesser Boil Blood] has increased to level 18. Spell: [Lesser Soul Leech] has increased to level 17. Spell: [Lesser Arrested Affliction] has increased to level 16. Spell: [Lesser Chained Lightning] has increased to level 15. Skill: [Quick Cast] has increased to level 14. Spell: [Lesser Poisoned Breath] has increased to level 13. Spell: [Lesser Wyvern Sting] has increased to level 13. Spell: [Synaptic Toxin] has increased to level 9. Spell: [Pyroclastic Funeral Pyre] has increased to level 6. Spell: [Gnawing Blizzard] has increased to level 6. Spell: [Stalwart Aura (Pet)] has increased to level 5.
Our sixth day saw our group often needing to backtrack our steps as we found multiple dead ends, or paths far too unstable to attempt traversing. Though it was slow going, we made decent ground and by nightfall had passed between the twin peaks. At our new altitude, we found the evening bitterly cold as a light dusting of snow showered around us. We were all chilled to the bone. Thankfully, we had plenty of blankets in storage, allowing us to rest in relative comfort. To keep Jax and Dutch warm, at Mannie’s insistence those many days before, we acquired a pair of waterproof turnout blankets. As soon as we placed the insulating blankets over the pair, they seemed more at ease in the wintery air.
When morning arrived, we had a beautiful sightline of another meadow at the bottom of the mountainside. Perhaps sixty to seventy miles away from that stood a considerably sized forest off in the distance. It was our destination, the High Thicket. If we made good progress today, we might reach the edge of the forest by late morning or early afternoon the following day. A sense of excitement and anticipation lifted all our spirits.
Rarely bothering to look behind us since we had detected not even the slightest hint of danger all morning and afternoon, disaster nearly ended our descent as we trekked the last few miles before the inviting savanna before us. For whatever reason, and perhaps it was a bit of good luck, Ripley was the first to come under fire.
Where Ripley had been standing a moment before was nothing more than splinters of bone and dust as a several hundred-pound rock barreled through her like she was nothing. Had Tallos and Jax been the target, they certainly would have been obliterated. Even though I could have survived it courtesy of my aegis, Dutch surely wouldn’t have.
Thankfully, Dutch had more awareness than I or perhaps was shocked enough to jump away from where Ripley had been standing, but the move saved us from the same fate. The second boulders followed its brother as the pair crashed down the mountainside. Anything unfortunate enough to be in the way was annihilated. Trees cracked and split, and some were uprooted entirely before the two boulder’s momentum was fully spent.
“Scatter!” I shouted as I jerked on Dutch’s reins, trying to alter our direction in case any more deadly missiles were quick to follow. Dutch’s heavy breathing and loud snorts of agitation sounded in my ears as I whipped my head to get a view of who attacked us.
With the sound of loose stones and pebbles scattering under stomping hoofs as we spun, we located our assailants. Several hundred yards to the north, up an incredibly steep embankment, rising a couple hundred above us, stood two colossal creatures made of an amalgamation of rocky stones. Both had humanoid shapes with two arms, legs, and an oversized head, while their bodies appeared completely made of granite. With only dark depressions where eyes should have been, jagged mouths of stone roared soundlessly at us.
Standing at the edge of thr precipice, the two monstrosities rose massive boulders over their head, their intentions clear. Whatever primordial force had granted them such savage strength would soon lay us low. With how steep the ridge was, we had no hope of getting anywhere close to them without trekking half a mile or more to come at them from their rear. Laying ample around the two behemoths were more boulders than we could count. Even if we attempted to shower them with spells or arrows, we would be plastered against the mountainside long before we had any hope of defeating them.
“Incoming!” I yelled at the top of my lungs while lurching Dutch’s reins to the side. The newest projectiles rained with devastating force, destroying everything in its path. Thankfully, we were able to dodge aside in time even as Tallos sent several piercing arrows towards the goliaths in return. With Jax shifting under the saddle, I didn’t expect the ranger to have any success given the steep angle of attack.
Nonetheless, he shouted immediately after, “My arrows can’t penetrate their stony hide! They’re just bouncing off!” He had landed at least one shot after all, an impressive feat given our general state of disarray. My amazement at his eagle eye buff rose all the more.
“We need to run!” Stella demanded, her thoughts aligning with my own. Her next comment was aimed directly at me. “They’ll pummel us before your longest-ranged spells do any appreciable damage. Not only that but they are made of rock, meaning they are probably resistant to most of your DoTs. Run!”
She must have seen hesitation in my eyes as I glanced back toward where Ripley had been split apart. My mind screamed we would lose everything she had if we fled. Stella screamed in my ear, “She’ll reappear with everything. Now move!”
Not hesitating longer, we tore away from the titans as quickly as Dutch and Jax could manage in the rough terrain. Lowki was nowhere in sight, but I trusted him to be able to take care of himself. His health bar was still a bright red on the party menu, so I focused all my attention on getting as far away from the rock giants as possible. The further we got away, the more time we had to dodge their stone missiles. Stella called out whenever we needed to shift our direction and, several hours later, we found ourselves at the base of Mount Kirkholm with no sign of pursuit. Ripley had long since returned to us, appearing uninjured as she jogged next to us in her full plate armor, along with all of her impressive weaponry.
When we stopped for the evening, Lowki reappeared with a gravelly slab of stiff flesh hanging from his jaw. Spitting it on the ground with so much content I felt it, Lowki moved to sit proudly behind his ghastly trophy. We hadn’t received any experience gains or notifications, so I doubted he slew either giant. Still, seeing his grisly prize, Lowki made the pair pay for the affront of trying to murder us.
“Good boy,” I praised Lowki as I patted his soft fur. Sighing deeply, these last few days had been insanely dangerous, I let the tension flow out of my body. Hopefully, we wouldn’t find anything else so dangerous for many long days. We had earned at least some respite.