It took one step for the squad to realise their mistake. The ground, usually a dark, loamy brown, had turned black. A thick ichor stuck to the nearby trees, covering their usually pristine bark in the crimson glue of drying blood. Motes of magic dissolved in the air, scratching vivid symbols into the air before fading away as quickly as they appeared. Remnants of a spellcaster, or maybe one of the elementals that existed in this place. The usually cold air had become frigid, a murky gloom hiding all light but that which came from magic. With a whisper, the mage called for light. Glowing in a dull competition with the now fading symbols, the growing sun fought to overcome the darkness, balancing precariously between flickering out and gaining ground. Nothing remained here. Even the guidestones seemed faded, eroded by the passing of an impossible number of years. A small, feverish glance forward revealed nothing but a wide open arena - a clearing between trees, formed by the wild raging of an unstoppable force of nature. Blood soaked the ground.
[ you have discovered the Ancient Forest! ]
[ you have found a hidden territory! ]
[ +50xp ]
The slow shuffling of their feet seemed to grow with every step they took. All weapons were held at the ready, and just as the party finally took a second to look at the clearing, they heard it. A gunshot crack so loud that they were deafened, reverberating throughout the entire forest and erasing the stifling quiet with a vengeance. The sound, caused by the Guardian itself, shook the stones that formed the ground, continuing on to deafen the invaders who dared to trespass onto its' ground. There it was - charging at them - an angry, hulking giant, barrelling through each and every tree between it and them as though they were matchsticks to ignite its' fury. Covered in wounds both old and new, The Forest Guardian charged at the team.
[ Swift has wounded The Forest Guardian ]
The response was immediate. And desperate. A swarm of sparks lit up the forest as they surrounded the bear, singeing fur and blinding it as the team stepped back, opening up whatever space they could between them. With the oppressive weight of the forest holding any magic from reaching its' peak, the sparks quickly faded, giving way to a moving paw that could topple a barn with ease. Nova intervened. Blade left sheath, and both sides were wounded.
[ Nova has taken 45 damage ]
[ The Forest Guardian has taken 90 damage ]
And with that, the fight began. Wound after wound accumulated on The Guardian, and none of them seemed enough. A berserk tornado that wildly obliterated those around it, The Guardian swiped so quickly with its' paw that each attack had the power of a cannonball behind it.
[ Wild Muffin has taken 100 damage ]
[ Wild Muffin has been Silenced ]
Wild Muffin, the only mage in a squad of 4, was disabled. Her items, weapons and skills greyed out. Her health down to the single digits. The low light that she had created started to flicker, not even bright enough to reach the ground she stood on. And the rampage continued on. Retreating behind Dorian, she grabbed a healing potion from her inventory, waiting for the timer to tick to zero. The next blow came for Dorian, a wild arc that brought the weight of the sky onto his defence, twisting the sword in his grip until his fingers bent.
[ Dorian has taken 40 damage ]
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The damage was not trivial. Unable to dodge even the next attack, he twisted to the side, guiding his blade through dense fur and piercing the arm of The Guardian. Igniting in a flare of brilliance, his sword shone even through the matted fur of the beast it was embedded in.
[ Dorian has taken 40 damage ]
[ The Forest Guardian has taken 30 damage ]
And then, a flame. Searing hot and scorching its' own path through the air, Wild Muffin attacked. An assault comparable to a natural elemental, the fire spread on The Guardian like a devouring curse, burning up even more of its' body, seeming to only be fuelled by the low health of its' caster.
[ The Forest Guardian has taken 80 damage ]
[ The Forest Guardian has taken 10 damage ]
...
Not enough. The Guardian, fighting with a fervour that should be reserved for the righteous, leaped onto the party once again. And this time, there was no end. Phantom jaws clamped around each member of the group, holding them in place and cutting away at their already precipitous health.
[ Dorian has taken 15 damage ]
[ Wild Muffin has taken 40 damage ]
[ Nova has taken 25 damage ]
[ Swift has taken 40 damage ]
[ Wild Muffin has died ]
The death came suddenly. The quiet drop of a wooden staff on a dirty ground signified the loss of a character. Health bars were all low, and as The Guardian turned to face a new opponent, a keening blade leaped for its' heart. And struck.
[ Nova has retaliated with Retribution ]
[ The Forest Guardian has taken 240 damage ]
[ The Forest Guardian has fallen! ]
[ Loot will be split according to contribution ]
[ Nova has gained Bear Spike ]
[ Wild Muffin has gained Moon Staff ]
[ Swift has gained Lined Shoes ]
[ Dorian has gained Singed Bear Pelt ] (2)
[ Dorian has gained Forest Guardians' Claw ]
[ Nova has gained 2.4k xp ]
[ Wild Muffin has gained 2.0k xp ]
[ Swift has gained 700 xp ]
[ Dorian has gained 700 xp ]
[ Nova has levelled up! ]
[ Dorian has levelled up! ]
And just like that, The Forest Guardian was defeated. A victory, but one that came at a cost. With this being the first boss that most of them had challenged, the difficulty was unexpectedly high, resulting in avoidable casualties. Had they played with more experienced players, or waited to get better gear, maybe the win would have been better. Dorian made a note to himself that any future boss encounters would have to be planned and researched in advance. Despite the gratifying ting of his level up, he felt unexpectedly sorry that they had lost a party member, and that their account was now no longer going to be available to play. His feet carried him towards the center of the clearing, where the guardian lay, body still. Smoke rose in curling wisps from its' fur, still smouldering quietly.
With the survivors dispersed, Dorian took the time to examine his spoils. Somewhat lackluster, they seemed to be not much different to what he could get if he fought a normal monster that existed anywhere else in the world. Probably due to the copious amounts of fire used to damage the guardian. Apparently, the drop rate was different for each class - with the combat classes directly getting items they could use, whilst Dorian got materials he would need to craft his own. This had its benefits - the items that Dorian could craft from these materials would probably be on at least the same grade as the ones handed out to the combat classes, and he would also be able to enchant and customise his items with further enchantments, practically for free.
[ Singed Bear Pelt ]
Crafting Material.
> Crafting Material taken from a bear. Although damaged, the pelt is of high quality and can be used for many things.
- Especially Furry. -
[ Forest Guardians' Claw ]
Crafting Material.
> Crafting Material taken from The Forest Guardian. The claw is opalescent, shining softly in dark spaces.
- Power lies in every strike. -