They pressed forward, moving through the eerie corridor of the dungeon, their undead allies following in their wake. The rotting Legionnares moved in precise formation, while the ghouls loped forward on all fours, more animal than soldiers.
As they progressed through the floor Jack began to get worried. They encountered more Shoggoths and Byakhee fighting the native undead but nothing else. And these were meant to be the scavengers of the outer realm. What did the true predators of that place look like? Was that what was waiting for them?
By the time they made it to the massive, bone white double doors they had acquired quite a retinue of undead. There were about 75 Legionnaires with them as well as about 50 ghouls. They were accompanied by a larger type of ghoul known as a ghast. Bigger and stronger than their lesser cousins, although there were only a dozen of them, they had proven quite effective in the battles so far. Less because of their size and strength and more because of their ability to direct ghouls with some semblance of strategy.
Jack stood before the imposing double doors, their surface polished to a bone-white sheen that gleamed eerily in the dim light of the dungeon. The air crackled with tension, the palpable energy of impending confrontation hanging heavy around them. Goldeyes stood by his side, dripping with the remnants of the last fight, while Cael scanned their surroundings with narrowed eyes, alert for any signs of danger. His stock of potions was running low with only 2 healing potions left. This had made him more cautious and alert than usual.
“Ready?” Jack asked, his voice low but firm.
“We didn’t come this far to back down now,” Cael replied, adjusting the grip on his daggers.
Lyla stepped forward, confident and assured. “We’ll need to be prepared. Whatever lies beyond these doors won’t hold back.”
With a deep breath, Jack placed his hands on the doors and pushed. They creaked open, revealing a dimly lit chamber beyond. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of decay, and the walls were adorned with grotesque carvings that depicted horrific scenes of battles between creatures of shadow and light.
The interior was expansive, a vast arena framed by towering stone columns.
As they stepped into the arena, the chaos within struck them like a physical force. A horde of stony undead surged against a bizarre amalgamation of creatures unlike anything Jack had seen before.
The whole scene was illuminated by a flickering purple glow that came from overhead. Towering over the battlefield were massive figures with grotesque bodies that resembled ogres, their skin mottled and twisted, yet their heads bore elongated, tentacle-laden skulls where a normal face should be. These creatures were engaged in a violent struggle, their large bat-like wings flapping erratically as they swung their formidable bulk at the encroaching tide of fossilized undead. The horrors’ external intestines writhed grotesquely behind them, whipping out to ensnare a fallen skeleton and drawing it towards their gaping maws.
Nearby, horrific abominations that seemed composed entirely of spider legs writhed like living nightmares, their multitude of long, hairy legs undulating in a chaotic frenzy. Each limb ended in a barbed spike, the thorn-like hairs glinting in the dim light as they attacked the undead with savage glee. Jack watched in horror as one leaped onto a cluster of skeletons, its legs piercing shattering calcified bone with ease, dragging the remains down to a dark, pulsating center that he presumed housed its hidden body.
Not far from the spidery horrors, triple-eyed insectoid hulks barreled through the undead with monstrous strength. Their three eyes blinked in confusion, occasionally meeting the gaze of the undead, causing those unfortunate enough to lock eyes with them to stagger around aimlessly. The hulks’ chitinous armor gleamed ominously as they swung their massive claws, carving through the undead as if they were mere kindling. Each swing was devastating, shattering bones and sending splintered fragments flying across the room.
Amongst the chaos, hunched, misshapen silhouettes with grotesque single eyes darted about. Their madness was palpable, giggling and screeching as they lashed out at the undead. Their primary method of attack seemed to be gazing at particular foe with their bulging eye. Sometimes nothing would happen. Other times the undead would turn on its comrades, crumble into dust or turn to glass. The effects seemed to be purely random.
The undead the abominations fought against were unlike any Jack had seen so far. In the purple light their skeletal forms glimmered with a strange, stone-like sheen, each movement accompanied by a soft, echoing thud against the cold stone floor. The creatures stood tall and imposing, their bones resembling polished granite, adorned with intricate patterns of dark veins that ran through them like rivers of shadow.
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
Jack looked up to find the source of the illumination. A two-headed skeleton floated serenely above the battlefield, sheathed in purple light which formed a staff and a cloak. Every few seconds it fired a bolt of purple energy from the staff that stuck one of the abominations. The energy always encased its target in a stony carapace. Jack watched in awe as the newly fossilized monsters turned on their erstwhile allies.
He identified the skeleton.
[Name: Fossilized Bone Sovereign]
[Race: Undead Abomination]
[Level: 25]
[Health Pool: 2,200/2,200]
[Mana Pool: 19,300/20,800]
[Stamina: 4,600/4,600]
[Skills: Necrotic Command, Fossilizing Ray, Animation, Life-Bond, Bone Shard Assault, Death Magic, Earth Magic]
[Abilities: Undead Immunity, Command Undead, Cursed Affliction, Spectral Regalia, Ethereal Ascent, Reformation]
[Description: The Fossilized Bone Sovereign is a terrifying product of Earth and Death magic. As an undead abomination, it stands tall, its frame constructed from ancient bones that shimmer with the souls of its victims. With twin regal skulls crowned in spectral light, the Sovereign commands the undead, turning the living into loyal minions. Its skeletal form is both elegant and lethal, and it can unleash devastating attacks using its staff and spectral flames, making it a formidable foe on the battlefield.]
A product of Earth and Death Magic. Does that mean its fossilizing power is Tier 2? I guess that makes sense. Combine Earth and Death to get…fossils.
The undead that had accompanied Jack and his friends charged into battle, quickly being swallowed up by the seemingly endless horde of abominations.
Jack felt a surge of determination as he watched the chaos unfold, the scene igniting a fierce resolve within him. He couldn’t let his undead allies perish to this nightmare; they had fought alongside him, risking everything in their own twisted ways. He raised his hands, calling out to the Legionnaires and ghouls behind him.
“Form up! We need to make a stand!”
The Legionnaires shuffled into a defensive formation, their skeletal hands clutching weapons that glinted in the flickering purple light. The ghouls, driven by their ravenous instincts, moved with a chaotic energy, darting around Jack to position themselves strategically. The ghasts, towering over their smaller counterparts, let out guttural roars that rallied their brethren, imposing their will over the frantic ghouls.
“Cael, cover our flanks!” Jack ordered, glancing at his friend who had already readied his daggers, muscles coiled and ready for action.
“On it!” Cael nodded, slipping into the shadows, his movements fluid and silent as he sought the best vantage point to strike.
As they pressed forward, the horrors of the battlefield surrounded them. A ghast lunged toward a nearby abomination, its claws slashing with brutal efficiency, but the creature’s thick, chitinous armor absorbed the blow. The ghast staggered back, its form twisting as it desperately tried to recover. Meanwhile, the three-eyed hulk swung its massive claws, ripping the ghasts chest open.
Before it could capitalize on its opponents injury, Goldeyes leapt out of thin air, his jaws tearing at the hulks body. The black armored carapace protected the monster from significant damage but it did stumble away from the ghast. As it did Jack sent a mental message to his Companion to get out of the way. Without hesitation, the wolf obeyed, vanishing and reapperring twenty feet away where he tore into one of the spider horrrors with gusto.
That done, Jack turned his attention to the hulk and prepared to cast one of his new spells.
Geyser Eruption
Rank: Intermediate
Type: Offensive
Requirements: At least level 10 in Water Magic
Description: Causes a powerful geyser to erupt from the ground beneath a target, blasting them upwards and dealing significant water and blunt damage.
Damage: 40-60 Water
Casting Time: 3 seconds
Cost: 50 Mana per use
Cooldown: 60 seconds
Note: Higher levels enhance the geyser's height and damage, and add a chance to stun.
The air trembled as he channeled the spell. Instantly, the ground beneath the hulk erupted with ferocious force. A towering geyser shot upward, water mixed with stones and debris spraying outward, its power magnified by Jack’s will.
The hulk was caught off guard, its wide eyes blinking in shock as the geyser blasted it upward with tremendous force, lifting its massive form off the ground. Jack could hear the satisfying crunch of its exoskeleton straining against the pressure, and the unmistakable howl of rage and confusion that erupted from its maw.
Water roared, spraying in every direction as the geyser reached its peak, the creature suspended in the air for a heartbeat longer than it could comprehend. Then, with a thunderous crash, it fell back to the ground, slamming into the stone floor with a bone-jarring thud that sent ripples through the battlefield. Jack’s spell had not only dealt significant damage but also staggered the hulking beast, giving the nearby undead a precious moment to regroup.
“Now! Attack!” Jack shouted, his voice ringing with urgency. The ghouls, sensing the shift in momentum, surged forward, their primal instincts ignited. The ghasts, emboldened by the opportunity, roared and charged alongside their smaller kin, claws glinting in the eerie purple light.
Goldeyes, having successfully dispatched the spider horror, joined the fray, leaping into the thick of the battle, teeth bared. Jack watched as his companion tore into the leg of the three-eyed hulk, drawing its attention away from the ghouls. The wolf's black fur glistened as he maneuvered nimbly around the creature’s massive bulk, weaving in and out, finding gaps in its defenses.