Frustration and anger threatened to overwhelm my senses. Every time they damaged the Aspect, it would set us back. Every second we spent waiting for the healing sickness to end placed my team in mortal danger. I turned to my teammates just as Leo used Thunder Wave on the other Shadowblade. Jen quickly launched her golden arrow spell at the paralyzed vampire, and it tore through her as if she wasn't there. Her body disintegrated into a pile of ash from the solar magic. I glanced toward the bridge, and sure enough, three more humanoid shapes were approaching. I growled and charged at the Nightpriest.

Leo launched wind slashes and lightning at the undead mage, but they had little effect. Jen slung her bow and began chanting. A small sun began floating in front of her hands, then slowly drifted toward the vampire. It was moving too slowly, and I knew the creature could dodge it, so I did what I thought was best. I stored my weapon and shield, then charged into the back of the Nightpriest. I gripped him in a vicious bear hug. If any of my teammates had a control spell off cooldown, they would have cast it already. The mage was unexpectedly strong, but my grip held him steady as the small sun approached. He struggled and screamed as Jen's Solar Flare spell inched closer. He cast a spell that began draining my stamina, but I quickly negated it, then he launched another attack that sent shadow spikes digging into my legs and stomach. I ignored the pain and watched as the tiny sun bore into his chest. The creature released an inhuman scream as his entire body began to glow. I quickly backed away from Jen's potent attack. I did take some damage from being so close to the spell, but I considered it a worthy trade. The vampire was reduced to a pile of smoking ash moments later. I turned to face the new enemies coming over the bridge. Leo launched another heal at the Aspect, returning him to 97% health.

"No fuck ups this time, defend the Aspect. Kill these assholes!" Cass roared.

It was another two Bloodreavers and something called a Hexblade. The Hexblade wielded a pair of vicious curved swords with glowing green runes along the blades. I prayed that he couldn't teleport like the assassins. We surrounded the Aspect, taking up a defensive position.

"Any idea what a Hexblade is?" I shouted, not wanting to take my eyes off the enemies to read the description.

"Most likely uses afflictions or curses to inflict damage over time. Be careful!" Leo responded.

We had another full minute before we could finish healing the Aspect. I announced Teos, Jen, and I would deal with the Hexblade and one Bloodreaver while Leo and Cass took down the second Bloodreaver. The dual-wielding vampire slowly circled us, and I stepped forward when he was in front of me. The creature wore a twisted grin as he brandished the swords. He dashed forward blindingly fast and swung both swords at me. My shield met one, but the other passed under it, leaving a small scratch on my thigh.

[You have been cursed by Greater Vampire Hexblade.]

I darted backward out of range. I had never seen a curse effect before. I glanced at my status in my peripheral, spotting the debuff.

[Curse of Decrepitude - Vigor reduced by 4%. This ability may stack. Duration: 60 Seconds.]

Shit. Even a minor cut let the vampire curse me, and he was extremely swift. The bastard still had that damn grin on his face. I feinted a spear thrust, forcing the vampire to sidestep, then slammed my foot into the ground. War Stomp slowed him substantially, and Teos darted in, scoring a savage laceration on his hamstring. I warned Teos and Jen to keep their distance and avoid the swords at all costs. I still didn't know their full potential, but I assumed they could do more than apply a single curse. I threw my spear at the Bloodreaver, but he nimbly dodged it. It reappeared in my hand moments later, and I observed the Hexblade cautiously. My familiar and Jen kept constant pressure on the Bloodreaver, preventing him from aiding the Hexblade. I crept forward in a defensive stance. Once in range, I exploded forward and thrust my spear at his chest, scoring a minor wound before he spun away and landed another small cut on my forearm with his cursed sword.

[You have been cursed by Greater Vampire Hexblade.]

[Curse of Torment - Suffering damage every 3 seconds. This ability may stack. Duration: 60 seconds.

Damn it. Leo could not cleanse curses—only diseases, poison, and necrotic damage. I felt the curse slowly draining my health, spreading like a sickness through my body. It only took about 2% of my health every 3 seconds, but I understood that multiple instances of the curse would rapidly multiply the damage. If he landed more stacks of the first curse, the second curse's damage ramped up even faster. It was a deadly combination. The vampire was incredibly agile and easily dodged many of my attacks. Our only hope was to finish the Bloodreaver, then wear the Hexblade down while he focused on me.

I kept my spear out for the extra reach and danced around the cursed swords, blocking and parrying many of his counterattacks. However, he still managed to land one more decrepitude and three torment stacks. The damaging curse was ticking for about 7% of my health every three seconds. Leo and Jen were close enough to heal me occasionally, but the damage would overwhelm even their potent healing at this rate.

Leo announced that he had finally finished healing the Aspect, but our enemies did not flee or disappear. I only hoped no more vampires would join the battle before we finished the last few. Jen launched her silver arrow at the Hexblade, pinning him in place for a few moments. Teos and I quickly moved in to utilize the chance she created. I buried my spear in his side, but it caught on his ribs before penetrating too deeply. Teos sliced the vampire's calf open with a vicious strike. Unfortunately, the creature's mobility was hardly impacted by the wound. I charged in again, lunging with my spear aimed directly at his chest, but the vampire deftly deflected my weapon and whirled on Jen. I used Intercede just as he delivered two lightning-quick slashes to her abdomen, then quickly retreated. I protected her just in time, and the cursed blades bounced off the ranger harmlessly. It was hard enough dealing with the afflictions I was suffering from. If more of us became cursed, it would quickly overburden the healers.

I spared a glance at Leo and Cass. They seemed to be nearly finished with their Bloodreaver. We needed to end this battle. However, I doubted we had the time to wait for Cass and Leo to join us. I circled the Hexblade until I was a bit closer to Jen. I spoke in a low whisper, hoping her excellent hearing would pick up my voice.

"Jen, can you immobilize the Hexblade and then blind the Bloodreaver right after?"

She didn't respond verbally, but moments later, a silver arrow pinned the Hexblade. I turned to the Bloodreaver, fending off Teos right as Jen's Eclipse ability caused an arrow to explode right in front of his face, blinding him. I used Shield Charge and smashed into the swordsman, slamming him forcefully into the ground. Teos pounced, fully utilizing the opportunity. His fangs tore into the vampire as my hammer delivered a decisive blow to his chest, crushing his sternum. Toes quickly finished the downed enemy as I ran back to the Hexblade just as the immobilize effect ended. The vampire hissed at me, bearing his prominent fangs.

Jen began launching arrow after arrow at the dual-wielding vampire as I closed the distance. His supernatural speed let him dodge and even deflect most of the arrows with his twin blades. I again swapped my warhammer for the spear as I neared the vampire. Teos circled behind, waiting for the perfect opportunity to launch an ambush. Cass and Leo began shouting they were on their way, having finished off their opponent. We encircled the last remaining vampire, outnumbering him five to one. His smug grin never left his face, despite the overwhelming odds. Then, he plunged both of his swords into his own chest.

The vampire became enveloped in a dim green light as his swords dissolved into his body. Two massive bat-like wings ripped free from his back, spewing blood and gore as the creature grew larger. His muscles bulged sickeningly, tearing his clothes off in the process. His hands, previously ending in sharp fingernails, morphed into vicious claws. Each finger elongated into a blade-like digit the size of a small knife. Green and black runes now covered the creature's torso, reminding me of the ones that previously adorned his swords. I could feel the power radiating from this new horror. Its name had even changed after the transformation.

[Greater Vampire Hexbeast - Level 18 Undead Elite]

Health: 76%

Mana: 164/300

Greater Vampire Hexbeasts are created when a Vampire Hexblade absorbs the curses within its weapons. This transformation is reserved for vampires with a pure lineage. They sacrifice their sanity and logic in exchange for a massive increase in strength, speed, and health. Hexbeasts are resistant to most types of magic, and their natural toughness makes them extremely difficult to kill.

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I could see in the creature's eyes that this was no longer an intelligent vampire but a rage-filled monster. I didn't even have time to explain the new information to my team before it charged toward Leo. I quickly used Intercede on the mage and raised my shield to intercept the charging monster. Unfortunately, the thing's pure physical strength managed to knock me backward into Leo, causing us both to fall to the floor. I slammed my foot into the ground while still sitting, using War Stomp and slowing the Hexbeast.

"Leo, get back!" I bellowed as I rolled away from its savage swipe and stood. The vampire was still fixated on Leo, so I roared with Provoke. Its crimson gaze snapped back to me, and it lunged forward with both claws extended. I thrust my spear into its outstretched arm, activating Crushing Blow. The beast stopped for half a second, letting me deliver a powerful upward stab into its throat. The blade sunk deep, but the Hexbeast showed no signs of pain or injury as it recovered from my stun. It pushed forward, fully impaled itself on my spear, and grabbed me with both powerful claws. I felt the sharp digits penetrate my breastplate and dig into my flesh. Then, it began to squeeze its arms together, driving its nails deeper into me in the process. My health rapidly dropped to 68%, the most damage a single attack had dealt to me in a very long time.

[You have been cursed by Greater Vampire Hexbeast.]

It could now apply both of its debilitating curses using its claws, adding another level of danger to the fight. That attack brought me to An arrow from Jen exploded in front of its face, eliciting a menacing snarl and causing the Hexbeast to drop me as it clawed at its eyes. I stumbled backward even as Leo healed me. This thing was capable of tearing through even my hefty armor. I could not let it get a hold of any of the others. The blind wore off, and it charged me again. I braced, shield raised, and leaned into its charge. I could not match its strength, so I pivoted before it could grab me again and shoved it away. I quickly lashed out with my spear, scoring another deep wound along its back, and activated Frenzied Strikes.

Cass darted in while it was unbalanced, delivering a powerful upward swing with her mighty sword. Her attack left a massive laceration along its side, and she retreated before the monster could turn on her. A glance at its health indicated it still had 48% left. This thing really was tough. Lightning, fireballs, and arrows bombarded it constantly, yet it did not slow or flinch from the onslaught. If we could drop it into execute range, Cass and Jen could use their abilities. I expressed my idea to the group, who agreed with the plan. They would save their control abilities unless needed to save one of us. Jen also had an ability called Diversion. The skill allowed her to make an enemy focus on someone else for a few seconds. I asked her to redirect it to me if the Hexbeast became focused on anyone else.

I dodged the vampire's powerful strikes, grateful that my War Cry now buffed dexterity too. I blocked sparingly to keep Titan's Favor up, but each block was risky due to the thing's impressive strength. My health was still being drained by the curse on me, now taking about 11% of my health every three seconds. Leo and Jen were experts at negating the damage it caused, alternating heals to keep me from dropping low on health. I thrust my spear regularly to build up Frenzied Strikes. However, I dealt only minor wounds to the monster. Teos, Jen, and Leo kept their distance while using ranged attacks. I swapped to my warhammer as I blocked another powerful swipe. Titan's Favor was now maxed out. Combined with Blademaster, my strength was boosted by 46%. However, even with the massive increase, I still was not strong enough to take on the beast directly. It took all my skill and focus on avoiding being struck, so I had to rely on my team to erode its health.

I surged forward and slammed my hammer into the vampire's knee with Devastate. The force of my blow did manage to stagger it briefly, and Cass used the opportunity to deliver her Overhead Smash attack. Her sword buried itself in the Hexbeast, cutting through one of its wings and deep into its shoulder. As she went to yank her blade out and retreat, the creature grabbed her weapon in a powerful grip. Instinctively, I used Aspect of the Protector on Cass. The vampire delivered a terrible slash across her torso. I felt the attack appear on me, claws digging deep into my chest and tearing downward into my stomach. I watched Cass jump away after freeing her sword and escaping its reach. Those boots really aided her mobility. Her attack reduced it to 32% health, and I roared that it was time to execute.

The attack I absorbed for Cass had taken its toll on me, and I collapsed. I watched through gritted teeth and searing pain as my team initiated our plan. Leo paralyzed the beast, and Cass rushed in to deliver her Deathbringer attack, severing one of its arms and slicing open its entire stomach. The beast could move again shortly after, and Jen answered by pinning it in place with her silver arrow. She then launched her Heartseeker Arrow, which buried itself in the vampire's skull. Leo healed me the instant he could, and I slowly stood using my hammer as a crutch. The attack I took for Cass dropped me to 33% health, and the curse quickly dropped that to 22% afterward. Leo's big heal restored me to 67%, but the curse still had 27 seconds remaining. I removed a healing potion and went to drink it, but Leo held up a hand and cast Mending Touch on me.

We remained wary even as the Hexbeast lay there motionless. A quick check showed its health at 0%. I breathed a sigh of relief as my deep wounds closed and the blood stopped pouring out of me as our healer and Jen restored my body. The curse finally expired, and I could check my notifications.

[You have reached Level 22.]

I leaned forward on my hammer and took some deep breaths. That battle managed to deplete much of my stamina, and I was exhausted. The others appeared similarly drained. We took a few minutes to rest before approaching the Aspect.

"I am in your debt. Please, take these gifts as an expression of my gratitude. I need some time to recover, but I will join you in your fight against the cause of this vile invasion," Jodar stated as we stood around him.

Another loot chest appeared. Cass walked over, opened it, and set the items next to me to inspect.

[Grovetender's Grips]

Rare Light Armor - Hands

50 Armor

+30 Intelligence

+10 Vigor

+25 Regeneration

+30 Mana

+10% Spell Healing

[Girdle of the Peacekeeper]

Rare Extra Heavy Armor - Waist

110 Armor

+10 Strength

+25 Vigor

+15 Endurance

+10 Regeneration

-20 Dexterity (Negated)

I had secretly been hoping for a new breastplate, as mine was now pretty mangled. Leo was the obvious candidate for the gloves, so Cass handed them to him. I placed a hand on the belt, stored it in the Cache, and immediately equipped it, replacing my Moonstalker armor. It was a handsome piece crafted similarly to the helmet I had received earlier in the dungeon. The primary metal was a lustrous silver with various gold accents. An extensive series of plate tassets hung from the girdle, offering extra protection for my thighs and rear. I found it easy to move around in despite the excess weight hanging from it.

The others had also gained quite a few levels from the encounter. Jen was now Level 24, Cass was 23, and Leo was 20. Each of us had a class upgrade available, and the others most likely had some Rune Ability upgrades ready as well. Teos had reached Level 19 as well.

"That was... hectic. We pulled it off, though," Leo stated triumphantly.

"I'm proud of you all. That was a difficult fight, but you all kept your cool even after we made mistakes," Jen added.

"You saved my ass more than once, Alex. Thank you again," Cass told me, prompting Leo and Jen to echo her statement.

I smiled at my team, "Stop thanking me. It's my job. Let's all take a few hours to rest before we come up with a plan. I think we've earned it."

Three Aspects restored, one to go. The encounters became increasingly more difficult, but considering how much we had progressed, I hoped we'd be slightly overpowered for the fourth fight. Of course, we all had to upgrade our classes too, which I had been told was a substantial boost in power. Teos walked with me a few yards away, and I sat down. I opened my interface and checked which ability had been upgraded from my Onslaught Rune.

* Frenzied Strikes - Begin a barrage of strikes against a single enemy. Each successful attack increases your attack speed by 5%. Stacks up to 6 times. Duration: 8 seconds. Duration is refreshed upon gaining a new stack. Upon reaching max stacks, you may not refresh the duration. In addition, while Frenzied Strikes is active, your other Onslaught abilities activate twice. Cooldown: 90 seconds. Cost: 25 Mana.

The potential for that upgrade was flashing through my mind. A double Devastate could wreak havoc, but I'd have to see if Crushing Blow would stun the target for a full second, as the description wasn't clear if special effects from the attacks would be duplicated. After that, it was time to see what class upgrades were all about. Leo had told me it should be intuitive to initiate it, so I focused on my class description.

[Class upgrade available. Proceed?]

I mentally confirmed it and immediately felt a tremendous rush of power flow into me. All four of my Runes glowed with immense energy and began pulsating. The considerable boost in strength was exhilarating. I enabled Mana Sense, quickly noticing the enormous amount of ambient mana circling and infusing me. A notification interrupted my observation.

[Class: Runeguard has been upgraded to Runeguard Leviathan.]

* Runeguard Leviathan: (Upgradeable Class) Runeguard Leviathans are the natural evolution of standard Runeguards. They are capable of using near-impenetrable armor while remaining mobile attackers. Leviathans are mighty defenders capable of dealing moderate damage. Grants the following class benefits:

1. Allows the use of Extra Heavy Armor and Colossal Armor with no penalty to dexterity.

2. While you have a shield equipped, all damage taken is reduced by 12%, and all damage dealt is increased by 7%.

3. Lowers the cooldown of your defensive Runic Powers and Class Abilities by 30%.

Grants the following bonus attributes upon reaching a new level:

+3 Strength (+1)

+6 Vigor (+2)

+3 Endurance (+1)

+1 to all other Attributes

Class Ability 1: Aspect of the Protector - Fortifies a target ally with your protection. Any damage they receive for the next 6 seconds is transferred to you instead. Cooldown: 63 Seconds. Cost: 50 Mana.

Class Ability 2: Unlocked at Level 25

I had never heard of colossal armor. I had to presume it was even more robust than the extra heavy gear I currently wore. My defensive skills cooldowns' were shortened by almost 1/3, allowing me to use them a bit more liberally. Then there were the additional bonus attributes from leveling. I didn't have to examine my current stats to know the extras gained from this upgrade were applied retroactively. I could feel the increase in power bolster me the moment I confirmed the upgrade. At Level 22, that meant I had just gained 12 Strength, 12 Endurance, and a massive 48 Vigor courtesy of Freya's Blessing. I inspected my current attributes anyway to see the progress I had made from the class upgrade and new waist armor.

Attributes:

Armor: 1510

Attack: 250

Strength: 185

Dexterity: 32

Vigor: 612

Endurance: 156

Intelligence: 32

Regeneration: 58

Magical Resistance: 15%

Physical Resistance: 25%

Movement Speed: +10%

Lifesteal: +3%

The amount of Vigor I had never failed to impress me. Without Freya, that would be sitting at 306. From my understanding, that was still an impressive amount, but I had over six hundred! I felt like a veritable juggernaut. I looked around at the others. All were still in deep meditation, probably examining their class upgrades and other new abilities. I was still tired from the battle and decided to rest until the others were finished.