POV Cormac Torgir
It had been a long grueling climb upward for Cormac and his party. Even as they physically exerted themselves to climb the wet moss ladders their souls and spirits took a beating from the cries of pain and death echoing from their people below. Cormac still held to his path of claiming the Dungeon Core but even he was beginning to wonder if it would all be worth it in the end.
No, Cormac’s jaw clenched as he shook away those thoughts. This will save Mother Tree. I know it will. He finished climbing over the edge onto the next island before drawing his sword and standing guard as the others made their way up.
They were almost there. Only two more islands and they would be at the top where the islands connected to an opening in the wall. He had seen Dungeon Monsters fly through and while the number had concerned him the amount of Aether they gave off did not. They were all Rank 2 at most on the Dungeon scale by their aura, though he would need to do a ritual to know fully. When the last member of his party had made it onto the island they began to move towards the next with their weapons bared and ready.
This island was different than the others, with large pillars decorating the vast majority of it, hiding the edges from view. Cormac took the lead as the strongest member of the group with Killian following behind. Fiona took up guarding the rear of the party while Eoghan scouted the perimeter cloaked in shadows.
They had made their way across the majority of the island before Eoghan appeared in front of Cormac. He held up a finger and the party stilled. Like a whisper Eoghan’s voice carried itself to Cormac’s ears, his raspy tone still strange to hear.
“Mice ahead. Possible Guardian among them.”
Cormac nodded at the words and motioned for him to repeat it to the others. Once he was sure they had done so he motioned for Eoghan to circle behind the mice to strike once they had engaged the rest. Afterward, he mimed himself attacking directly while Fiona and Killian flanked on either side. After they all nodded in acknowledgement he motioned everyone to get moving.
He moved forward cautiously until he saw an end to the pillars in sight. Readying his claymore he moved to get a look at what he was dealing with before engaging. Standing before its kin was a massive mouse with a large broadsword clenched in one paw and a thick cape of fur that hung around its neck fashioned with clasps to keep it in place. It was an impressive creature but not threatening when compared to the massive beasts Cormac had fought in the past and certainly less terrifying than the small whale down in the basement.
The other mice around him were even less impressive though they did have what looked to be needles that they held in their paws like swords. Cormac sneered at the sight. This would be easier than he thought. With a bellow, he charged forth from his spot and leapt in the air bringing his claymore crashing down on the larger mouse. He smiled even as he reinforced his body with Aether to make sure he hit as hard as possible.
His surprise, therefore, was complete when the blade of the mouse met his and stopped his attack dead in its tracks. He blinked in bewilderment even as he was grabbed by his opponent's tail and slammed into the ground. Hard. He rolled away and rose only to find the creature rushing towards him its blade whistling through the air towards him. He had no time to notice the battle cries of his party as they joined him in battle. All his old instincts came rushing back as he began to fight for his life.
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Their blades flashed back and forth in a dizzying display and Cormac found himself respecting his opponent more and more as they dueled. The mouse had talent but he could tell it was bestowed and not learned naturally. It had the same feel as the humanoid monsters found in deeper Dungeons. Slowly Cormac began to overcome the larger mouse and by the narrowing of its eyes, he could tell it knew it too.
With a flair of power, its sword lit up in searing flames that momentarily blinded Cormac. He tried to disengage but the mouse pursued. “Will of Steel!” Cormac shouted, activating one of his inheritances. His sword began to shimmer and shine even as he brought it to bear against the flaming sword. When the two impacted sparks flew from the contact but Cormac’s sword remained unmarred and whole.
A new kind of duel began as each began using their elements against the other. Cormac weaved, dodged, and parried the flaming blade while also using his affinity over Earth to create divots and entrapments for the mouse to fall prey to. Each one allowed him to score minor wounds that soon had the mouse covered in blood from multiple nicks.
Cormac was unable to escape all of the mouse’s attacks, however. The flames it controlled would often flare out at inopportune moments, scorching Cormac’s skin. Hardened as it was by his life of working with metal his skin still bore minor burns from the attacks. Back and forth they raged until as if by mutual accord they disengaged momentarily. Looking around Cormac found that his party was doing okay with Killian facing off against two of the mice and Fiona facing the other two.
There was no sign of Eoghan and Cormac wondered for a moment if he had abandoned them and was about to curse his name when he noticed a flicker of shadow near Fiona’s fight. He smiled and raised his sword to reengage but froze at the expression his opponent gave him. The mouse smiled and the sight chilled Cormac even as he realized his hubris. It was a Guardian. Of course, the Dungeon would be speaking to it. Not to mention the Dungeon was feral, uncontrolled, and entirely willing to throw away honor to protect itself.
The fur cape on the mouse’s back began to blaze with light and Cormac cursed himself for a fool. Artifacts. How the hell did such a young Dungeon have artifacts already?! He opened his mouth to warn his party but could only watch as if in slow motion as the mouse spun and hurled its blade with a speed it didn’t have moments ago.
Cormac turned to follow it and found Eoghan’s expression mirroring his shock as the blade took him through the middle of his chest and sank into the stone pillar behind him. So distracted he didn't notice as, with a blaze of speed, the mouse’s tail flicked out and slapped Cormac across the face, the crack from the empowered whip-like appendage snapping his head back.
His head ringing Cormac attempted to focus and spoke forcefully, “Unbreakable!” Instantly his pain vanished as the inheritance took it away. He entered a state of being where his body, mind, and spirit were as hard and unyielding as the depths of the earth. He hadn’t wanted to use it. It would take months to recover.
Even as he turned to follow the mouse he knew it wouldn’t be enough. He saw Killian brought down by three mice, one of Fiona's mice disengaging to help, as they hounded him with their needles. He saw Eoghan gasp as the mouse ripped his blade from his torso. He saw Fiona…his beautiful fiancé…struggling to survive even as the large mouse turned his blade on her. Cormac was halfway to her before the mouse began his swing but he knew that he wouldn’t make it in time. The blade fell, time stopped, and divinity descended.