Chapter 36

Crackle.

There was a bursting sound as outer shell that had apparently been containing the true form of High Priestess Palmyra began to rupture and break. Shattering the illusion of the nearly perfect priestess and revealing a charred and scarred monster.

A monster that looked to already be at half health, as if prior quest conditions were met to start off the normally impossible boss battle with a more manageable foe.

Not that this foe would necessarily be easy to defeat, but that this boss would be easier than had we faced it at full power.

The only thing was, I could not understand what or how this creature was at half power already.

For a moment I wondered if Claudia had somehow fulfilled a hidden quest that somehow impacted my own questline. I had that thought, until Marie set me straight.

“That’s the same monster that tried to kill you in the forest,” Marie said.

Blur.

At that, I had an instant flashback of being struck so hard that I nearly died. In fact, I was pretty sure I had died at that point, only to then be revived with Marie’s healing.

I remember looking for the monster after the battle, that was where I could only find the three shattered remnants of their staff on the ground.

Shaking my head I pause, wondering if I had forgotten the monster’s death. Or if the knock to the head was more powerful than I remembered, for at the time of the event I thought I was fine. But thinking back on it now, I could only remember a dark floating figure. One that Rydel Drakerton had instantly distracted with a steady barrage of fireballs and complementary attack spells.

Now we had to fight the mini boss that looked vaguely like the sewer monster that we would fight later on below the cathedral.

Still the entire thing seemed so odd. Almost like I somehow broke canon of the game by initiating this event so soon. All because I had my Disruption Field active at all times, so that I could constantly protect Marie from the void that had somehow taken root within her.

Maybe it had always been a part of her, and I somehow prevented that.

Still we were probably comprised of the worst team dynamics ever, with all three year one healers, while having to go against one of the more intimidating monsters.

However, as soon as the aura of her protective shield dropped, I felt time momentarily slow down. This was the normal synchronization moment. One that let you prepare for the attack that was to come.

Here you could take in the members of your party. Marie on my left while Darren stood on my right. There was a small wooden beam in front of me that I could use for protection.

Additionally, there were a few tables ahead to either side, with one podium back. Meaning that if I sprinted over the cover I would have to flank right or left to maintain cover. Then five paces behind the standing podium was the monster, the boss that I knew beyond all shadow of a doubt that we had to fight again.

Worse, there were civilians, fellow Choir students who had inadvertently found themselves drawn here at this time.

Then after a second’s pause, I felt the moment the world began to speed up to normal time, letting me know it was time to act.

Had this been my computer, I would have initiated my damage dealer formation. One that would try to separate all of us, to avoid potential splash damage from attacks.

Instead, I had decided that it was time that I put all of my unique training to good use.

The minute time came back to full speed, I shouted out one command.

“Duck!”

Simultaneously I charged forward. My body rolling up and over the wooden bench easily, as I began darting left towards the nearest set of tables.

As I moved, I saw some of the void tentacles that had been revealed begin to move and generate energy currents. As they did, I instantly recognized the attack pattern.

Yellow, for lightning.

Seeing the attack, I realized that my darting forward was probably the best thing. Particularly as I already had agro of the mob thanks to my Disruption Field being the first registered attack.

Charging forward, I saw the wooden table and realized that it would be the perfect one time shield against a lightning attack.

ZZAPP-CRACKLE!

A bolt of electrical energy flashed out towards me, causing me to duck low, with my momentum causing me to slide down under the table and roll to the other side in an instant.

BOOM!

The wooden table overhead cracked open, a giant hole instantly appearing, with electrical flames catching on the edges of the blast, causing the table and any strewn about song sheets to catch fire.

That was my dodge move, a perfect use of the environment to void damage and what my mind instantly saw from my training as I finished my forward roll. Then tucked tightly, striking the ground with my hands as I forced my body to pivot and flip over, before tumbling into a standing sprint that caused me to take a wide arcing attack forward and to the left.

The monster, what had been High Priestess Palmyra just stood there, slightly off center of the setup of the room, but center of the door that was used to enter the room. My goal was simple, try to keep the last remaining obstacle, the podium in between me and the monstrous form before me.

Perfect Arcane Bolt

Perfect Arcane Bolt

Perfect Arcane Bolt

Of course, I was not idle during this time, as I instantly began reflexively casting my Perfect Arcane Bolt. Thanks to my relentless training sessions. Footwork and coordination training from Lady Von’Graysing, and repetitive moving speed casting drills from Magister Carthwright, this was fairly easy.

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Glowing Red- Fireball.

This time the second set of tentacles, ones that never stopped moving began forming a sharp bright red ball, that if fired would erupt in flames.

This was my chance, the cheat.

Before even knowing where to aim, I already targeted the spells to aim for the area around where the red ball of plasma was most likely to form.

BOOM!

Just as expected, the cheap shot was to target the fireballs.

Technically I could cast at the Lightning bolts as well, but those were too quick. While the casting delay for the red fireballs took twice as long to cast.

Poof.

Poof.

With the first attack landing right on the targeted glowing gem. The effect was near instantaneous as a magical feedback was forced to happen on the monster. The minute that happened, the second and third spells landed immediately afterwards.

I watched as the monster rocked back and forth by the two solid hits.

These were minimal strikes. Even with perfect casting, the damage I could offer from a frontal assault was minimal.

This was when I moved and got within range of the podium. A location that despite my newfound speed, I knew I was too slow to do anything else than get here during this turn of combat.

Crackle-BOOM!

I heard and then felt the next attack lash out and strike the podium that had been right by me. Splinters struck out, hitting me almost instantly, causing minor gashes, but overall the damage from being so close to the attack was minimal at best.

This was when I again began to move, once again chain casting my spells.

Though this time, in addition to my three attack spells, I also threw in a wrinkle.

Perfect Arcane Bolt

Perfect Arcane Bolt

Perfect Arcane Bolt

Perfect Intermediate Dexterity Boost

That’s right, this time, I had cast a Dexterity boost spell as well. Normally this would be stupid, as the spell would be drowned out due to my Disruption Field. And if I had expected the boost to last the full time, then the mana commitment for casting it would be extremely wasteful.

Instead, I needed this time.

Especially as I spent my momentary reprieve from attacks due to having successfully landed a Stunning Attack on the mini-boss monster, on casting the Intermediate Dexterity Boost.

Why would I waste my time and most importantly my mana on a momentary boost of speed that would be negated in a matter of moments?

The answer is simple, at this distance I was so close that I needed to be able to move faster than the boss monster could anticipate, and sneak around to its back.

This time as I moved, I found myself pulling out my dual wielding daggers that Lady Von’Graysing forced me to keep concealed on my personage at all times. A fact that I am really grateful for at this very moment as a quick movement of my hands has the blades sliding out from their protective sheaths hidden in my long sleeves and sliding gracefully into my hands.

For a moment, I really hope I am recording this, as I can only imagine how badass this moment looks on screen. Or will look, once I am no longer stuck in here. If the scene is good enough, the company will likely pay me a royalty to use this as possible in game content.

Then before I get too distracted on monetizing my daily training efforts, I focus back on the present. Striding to the right, taking hard right turns while sprinting at full blast.

I can see the spot that I am supposed to hit, an oddly clear ball where energy builds up and charges on the beast’s back.

Glowing red ball.

With the now additional second of warning coming from the spot on the back of the monster, I once again unleash my torrent of Perfect Arcane Bolts.

Pause.

The beast pauses its defensive turns, just as my speed boost ends. The result is that I almost over shoot the vulnerable spot on the spine of the creature. But am able to stop my momentum by slamming into the beast’s back.

Acid burn.

The moment my body touches the beast’s back, I remember the odd coating that the underwater creature had. It was a poisonous fluid that the beast had been using to poison the school’s water supply. Or at least it would have used this acid to slowly poison the students right before the final invasion.

Now that the beast was out of the water, and the acid was not diluted, its potency caused my clothes to instantly burn and erode away.

For a moment I too pause, as I fight the burning sensations in my arm and leg that tell me of imminent danger. I can roll away and try to begin healing any damage caused from touching the acid.

I could, but then I remember that I am a healer and made up of a team of healers, which causes me to stay my hand and rather than passing up this opportunity, I instead strike out.

Stab.

My non-injured left hand comes down, but misses the bulb just barely as the creature suddenly lurches back to life, its stun debuff now worn away.

Shake-shake, rrrriiippp.

As one would expect, the monster that is once again able to move begins shaking about violently.

Yellow streak.

As it moves, a bolt of yellow light flashes through the clear bulb on its back that is an obvious weak spot. Seeing the streak, I know the beast is about to unleash a lightning attack, while trying to shake me free of its back.

The only problem is that my dagger is in deep and my grip is pretty impressive by now, if I do say so myself. The result is that I am able to maintain my grip and balance on the beast’s back, with its violent shaking just causing my knife to rip and tear more of its muscles apart.

CRACKLE-BOOM!

With the flash of yellow light, I see a blinding burst of electrical energy flash out from ahead.

“AHHH!” A number of the students who had clearly not taken the chance to leave out the back while they could now screamed loudly at the sudden burst of lightning.

That’s when I have my no duh moment, as I realize that I’ve been stupid. Rather than forming the near instant cast version of Arcane Bolts, I realize with being this close, I need to use my new spell.

Or rather my newer and more powerful variation of Arcane Bolt, my Arcane Repair Current.

With my impaled dagger as the focal point for the spell to be cast through, I begin casting the spell at full blast in a never ending wave of released mana.

The Current is exhausting to cast, as I can feel it quickly begin to drain my reserves of energy. But the results are immediately noticeable as the acidy mucus that coats the back of the creature begins to heat up, bubble and pop almost immediately. Followed closely by the quick and apparent charring of skin around the monster’s spine.

There is a moment when I see the flash of Red energy, a sign that the monster is attempting to cast its fireball spell. Only for the spell burst of red energy to clearly stop before getting completed.

The longer I cast the spell, the more the skin and exposed scales of the creature begin to bake, blister, and burst in rapid succession.

Pop-pop-burst.

It is disgusting, almost like I am being exposed to a live demonstration of how that Dr. Pimplepopper operates.

Fortunately for me I have my mask on, which means I cannot smell the burning acrid stench that rising. Or at least, I am partially protected from the acrid smell, as even now the smell is being filtered through my mask, causing me to have to hold my breath lest I begin wrenching from the stench of the boiling sea creature.

Shake-shake-pause.

The monster shakes me once, then twice, then for a moment it pauses. This is when I decide to double down. Using my still injured and going to need a deep heal right arm, so I once again try to stab at the monster.

Clink.

This time I end up hitting the clear scale, but my strike isn’t powerful enough to land a fatal blow. Instead, all I do is have my blade tip scrape down the side of the clear bubble and manage to dig the blade into the burnt and electrified skin underneath.

Sadly, the second blow was more accurate, but somehow weaker than my first strike and likely would have done nothing, had my currents not already been delving deep into the beast’s muscles and providing a slightly softer target to penetrate.

With the second dagger in, I began once again splitting my consciousness and casting a second Arcane Repair Current directly into the body of the beast.

“ARREGGHRRAAHHH!” A sharp ear-splitting sound of pain erupts from the lips of the beast.

FWOOSH!

This time it shakes so violently that I only recognize that I have been tossed aside due to how quickly the scenery around me is blurring by.

Looking down, I can see that despite the attack all happening in the choir room, everyone is mostly safe.

Marie and Darren both are ducking low behind the pews, trying to stay safe as I commanded.

Then I can all but see the moment something in Marie breaks, as she begins to glow with her golden saintly aura. This is her rescuer mode.

The mode where she is twice as vulnerable to attacks, but can pull anyone back to full health.

Seeing her in this mode, something deep within me twists as I once again begin to see the world go slowly.

I’m still in the air, but as I’m moving multiple things are happening all at once.

Marie is darting over the pews towards me, clearly thinking that I might need to be rescued from death immediately.

All the while she is moving, the monster that had been squarely focused on me, turned its full gaze and attention on the distracted healer. A healer who was now twice as vulnerable to damage due to her state being focused entirely on healing.

Worst of all, there was a glowing yellow spark that appeared to flash from the beast’s back, and flow directly to its face. That double burst of light was my only warning of a nearly instantaneous lightning attack that was about to erupt from the beast and strike Marie for double damage. Which as a first year without any protections or armor would be an instant kill shot.

Realizing how vulnerable Marie was in that one moment, I acted on instinct.

Reaching out my hand, I cat a Perfect Minor Portal spell. These were the same portals I had been using to leave behind chocolates and other gifts on Marie’s desk. For a moment, I recognize the symbolism that thanks to all my training from leaving behind presents for Marie, that I can now use the same spell to hopefully save Marie’s life.

The moment the spell is cast, I feel my mind instantly pick two distant spots for both the entry and exit points to appear.

The entry point is right behind Marie’s back, but with the entrance facing towards the monster and incoming burst of lightning. Simultaneously, the portal exit appears right behind the beast’s back, with its exit point sight next to the clear magical bubble that needs to be shattered. The same bubble that has not one, but two of my daggers still lodged firmly underneath it.

CRACKLE-BURST!!

What happened next was a thing of utter beauty that almost felt like it would break my mind if I imagined it too much.

In that one perfect moment, I saw a burst of lightning streak out from the focal point on the beast’s head, fire out in its rippling wavelength pattern straight to the back of an oblivious Marie. Only to disappear and reappear in a completing arc, right behind the best.

Shatter!

I focus on the spell long enough to see the clear bulb take the brunt of the attack, before shattering completely.

There is a moment where I see the beast seem like it was about to fall limply forward onto the ground.

Then the world catches up to me again, as time once again speeds up, and I realize that I am still flying across the room.

Boom!

I crash into the wall, or something behind me. Then all I feel is intense pain for a moment, before my mind gets so overwhelmed by pain that all I can do is pass out.

Darkness.