The rock clusters dropped from the ceiling – three of them – and slowly unfurled. Their surface was a light, sandy-brown color interspersed with water-filled crystals and branches of coral that covered their limbs and the crystals. They were bulky and stood a full two feet taller than Tinuriel – and were much broader.
Tinuriel wasted no time in bringing Valiant Edge down on one of them – instantly shattering it into hundreds of pieces as her triple-Skill amplified attack simply devastated it. The other two swung towards her, and whilst she deflected one of their strikes with Valiant Edge, the other one slammed into her. She did not move thanks to the Bastion Skill’s effect, and the blue film around her became less intense.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/RZdPyfSz/48-1-result.webp]
Tinuriel Bars
Temporary Health 5 / 999
Felix shot several hardlight arrows in the one that had struck Tinuriel, and each one sunk into the creature as it looked towards him. It merged into the ground and tunneled towards him – forming a small mound under the sand and leaving a wake in the ankle-deep water. Felix jumped aside as it exploded outward, swinging towards him with one of its enormous fists. He dodged and swapped to his daggers. The water is going to reduce my movement speed. Dragon Dance.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/wMmVXXvN/Dragon-Dance-WEBP.webp]
Dragon Dance
10 Vigor per target
The user moves with rapid speed, dashing between targets within 10 feet of each other and performing a melee attack, dealing increased damage. If dual-wielding, attack with both weapons.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/7ZwsKXyV/48-2-result.webp]
Felix Bars
Anima 78 / 120
Vigor 210 / 220
He dashed behind the golem-creature and sank the daggers into its back. Injecting the poison from the Wyrmtooth knife seemed to have no effect on it, but he had accomplished his task – the daggers were twisted into place and he could effectively ride the creature and stay out of its reach. Or so he thought. He was shocked as the creature’s arms shifted along its form and it attempted to squeeze him. He pulled his daggers loose and slipped down, falling prone into the water and rolling away as it attempted to stomp on him.
Tinuriel turned the flat of her blade and spun with the momentum of the deflected blow, bringing Valiant Edge down onto the creature’s arm and with an enormous crack, cut the arm loose. The creature swung at her again and she was able to deflect that blow as well. But the impact shook her body and drained the last of her Bastion’s temporary Health as she was pushed in the sand a few feet. “Obliterate!” She yelled as she activated the Skill once more.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/7Zx3h8g0/Obliterate-WEBP.webp]
image [https://i.postimg.cc/XvDs7bBH/48-3-result.webp]
Tinuriel Bars
Vigor 85 / 270
She brought Valiant Edge down onto the creature’s head and carved right down the center as it exploded into rock and coral chunks. Turning, she saw the other golem stomping after Felix as he rolled away. It would look funny if not for the fact that it could probably crush him. “Charge!”
image [https://i.postimg.cc/N0C7ZJ2T/Invigorating-Charge-WEBP.webp]
Invigorating Charge
10 Vigor
Dash to any point within 500 feet that the user can see, and perform a weapon attack. Gain 10 temporary Health. This temporary Health fades after one minute.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/0rg7FWC9/Ch-48-Tinuriel-Fix.webp]
Vigor 75 / 100
Temporary Health 10 / 999
She dashed over in a burst of sky-blue energy and interposed herself between the creature and Felix, swinging her blade at its chest and cracking it. “Get away from him you bastard!”
Felix used the opportunity to get to his feet and saw the cracked torso of the creature. I have an idea. He raised his hand and focused his intent. I want a blast of air that can bludgeon.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/q7x1CwKr/Wind-Beam.png]
Wind Beam
Increments of 5 Anima
Shoots a beam of air that can either push a target without harm, bludgeon or slice through them.
The more Anima is used, the stronger both effects are, and the longer the range.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/HxcBrhQp/48-5-result.webp]
Felix 73 / 120
Vigor 210 / 220
A blast of light-green wind tinged with golden flecks of sand blasted out from his palm and impacted the golem’s torso, blowing a hole through the center. Its head looked down for a moment before it looked up as if to say ‘really?’. Tinuriel swung her Valiant Edge across it’s joint where the arm connected to the torso. It shattered and thanks to the center of its body missing, the creature couldn’t stay constituted and collapsed into a heap.
Felix chuckled and sheathed his daggers. “That wasn’t so-” his words were cut off as he saw the bits and pieces of coral and rock all coalesce in the center of the chamber, forming an enormous golem of coral and rock. It had two, black gemstones where eyes would be, and it had no legs – instead seemingly planted into the ground. It reared its arm back and detached rocks from itself as it flung a barrage of boulders.
Crap. Umm- Wind Wall! Felix held his hand up once more as the new Magic/Power effect went off.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/Px6KSqKF/Wind-Wall.png]
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Wind Wall
Increments of 10 Anima
Creates a wall of air that deflects projectiles and projectile-based Magic/Power Effects.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/vBJXftz5/48-6-result.webp]
Felix Bars
Anima 63 / 120
A ten-foot by ten-foot wall of green-tinged gold air formed a barrier in front of the two as the rocks shattered into pieces against the torrential wind. It only lasted for a few seconds, but the barrage was entirely negated.
Tinuriel yelled, “Charge!” as she used Invigorating Charge again.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/ZR2WpqYs/Ch-48-Tinuriel-Fix-2.webp]
Tinuriel Bars
Vigor 65 / 270
Temporary Health 20 / 999
She dashed forward – a blur of blue – and carved into its torso-stump, carving a gash out of the rock. The creature swung around and tried to hit her – but she dodged under it, falling into a crouch before jumping up with her massive Might score and swinging again at its head, chopping that part in half. As she was airborne, the other arm came swinging around and slammed into her, flinging her into the wall with a sickening crunch. Felix felt some panic – not much, but some – as he saw her bars deplete.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/7PzKDjH9/48-8-result.webp]
Tinuriel Bars
Health 230 / 270
“Detect Weakness,” Felix muttered as he swapped to his bow.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/SRsGPLjj/Detect-Weakness.webp]
image [https://i.postimg.cc/8PVtCwsS/48-9-result.webp]
Felix Bars
58 / 120 Anima
The golden targeting reticles appeared on the creature’s joints where the arms connected to the torso and inside the gap of rocks where Tinuriel’s head-strike had carved away part of it. Felix loosed shots at that reticle and threw up another Wind Wall when it swung its arm and flung rocks at him.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/MKbtfRjj/48-10-result.webp]
Felix Bars
48 / 120 Anima
Big weapons seem to hurt it more than your arrows.
Don’t rub it in.
Just let Tinuriel handle it. Save resources. We’re limited until you beat the Boss.
Felix did just that, foregoing attacking and flapping his wings to get out of the water and move faster around the room – keeping the creature occupied. Occupied long enough for Tinuriel to charge back into the fray, her Berserker Collar activating and causing her muscles to swell with brackish energy. She screamed a war cry and leapt up, swinging and bringing her blade down on the arm joint, severing that limb with a single, savage strike. The rocks exploded out and shrapnel embedded itself into her skin, partially mitigated by the on-hit healing property of Valiant Edge.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/BnSpT6x7/48-11-result.webp]
Tinuriel Bars
Health 210 / 270
Vigor 65 / 270
Felix flapped above the creature and aimed into the large hole to its core – just like with the other, smaller one. “Wind Beam!”
image [https://i.postimg.cc/q7x1CwKr/Wind-Beam.png]
The blast of concussive air surged out and into the creature’s core. The pressure built up and the golem exploded partially, still moving weakly but quickly put down as Tinuriel chopped into it with her blade once more. Felix held up his hand and activated a skill.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/Fs0p1Vw5/For-the-Hoard-WEBP.webp]
For the Hoard!
30 Vigor when Looting
Grants additional 'Verse Coins (VC)
image [https://i.postimg.cc/bwmT3hgy/48-12-result.webp]
Felix Bars
Anima 43 / 120
Vigor 180 / 220
“You won’t get any Experience or Loot until we clear the Boss of this level.”
Felix nodded and landed next to Tinuriel. She smirked, “Mind me using a Vigor Elixir?” Felix shook his head, and she accessed his inventory, using one of the
image [https://i.postimg.cc/JhtQF2Yb/48-13-result.webp]
Tinuriel Bars
Vigor 105 / 270
She hefted the sword onto her shoulder as a small, stone pillar rose from the ground. It looked to be able to match the socket in the main room. Felix grabbed it and put it into his inventory. The doorway that was black shifted to a light, pink hue.
“That’s a bonus room. You can try to deal with another challenge in there, but it won’t have the item required to access the Boss.”
Felix looked to Tinuriel, seeing her Health bar still reduced reflected on her physical body as cuts and bruises. “You up for it?”
She grinned and slapped him on the butt – hard enough he winced. “Let’s get more Loot and Experience. We want levels, right?”
Felix nodded and walked through the pink barrier.
----------------------------------------
They were inside a library or study with an enormous mirror. The mirror shifted as soon as they fully exited the flooded hallway and warped into a face. A mask with empty eyes and a slim, red line where the mouth would be.
“Examine my tomes and see if you can find the answers.”
A floating paintbrush appeared, and the mirror shifted and became a blank canvas. The canvas filled until a single line appeared. Tinuriel cursed, “I hate puzzles.”
I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with the wind. What am I?
Felix looked around the room. “The books must be a clue. Look around for something that has a title with something to do with the key words. Wind, ears, mouth, speaking – those types of words.
Tinuriel went to one side of the room and began to search the books, “Why not use Detect Object?” she asked.
“Well, we fought that Lava Dragon and almost ran out of resources. Since they’re limited until we beat the Boss, I want to try and not rely on Magic/Power effects if I can help it.” Tinuriel grunted and began to pile up several books from one side of the room while Felix did the same to the other. They ended up with twenty books in total. “Alright,” Felix muttered. “Now just flip through them. First, we see if there’s anything hidden inside.
They both picked up tomes and began to flip through them. Felix came across a section of the book that was missing a page. Slowing down, he carefully examined the passages on both sides. It was a story of some type, detailing the adventures of some hero who came across a creature that repeated his words at extremely loud volume levels that caused sonic damage. The page with the way the hero defeated the monster was ripped out, but the dialogue indicated…
Felix stood up and grabbed the floating paintbrush. The tip exuded black ink and he painted his answer.
Echo.
The face reappeared and winked at him. “Correct.”
The mirror vanished and a treasure chest appeared. “For the Hoard.”
image [https://i.postimg.cc/Fs0p1Vw5/For-the-Hoard-WEBP.webp]
image [https://i.postimg.cc/HLKt19FF/48-14-result.webp]
Felix Bars
Vigor 150 / 220
The chest was empty. “You’ll get it-”
“Yeah, once we beat the Boss of this level.” Felix was a bit upset at that. I should get the bonus room Loot right away.
Tinuriel came up and put a hand on his shoulder, “Come on. Back to the center chamber.”
----------------------------------------
Felix had to re-use Air Bubble for a short span of time before they arrived in the main room. Tinuriel led them to the next door on the left, and they went through another watery hall that changed from carved stone to rough cavern exterior as they approached another purple film. Tinuriel stepped through first, followed quickly by Felix.
The room they entered made Felix groan. Really? It was a mirror maze. Just like out of a carnival fun house. Just like the ones that he hated as a kid when his grandpa would take him and his sister to the county fair. Tinuriel looked perplexed for a moment before walking forward and swinging her blade at one of the mirrors. The mirror shattered, and then repaired itself. Blood surged out of Tinuriel’s body as the wounds she inflicted on the mirror were replicated on her.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/j574xJb2/48-15-result.webp]
Tinuriel Bars
Health 190 / 270
Felix ran over to her, “You good?”
She wiped blood from her mouth and rolled her shoulders back, “Mhmm. Looks like we can’t beat our way through this.”
“Watch out for traps.”
Felix slowly made his way into the maze, keeping his eyes peeled and very carefully sliding his feet forward. Reaching into his thieves’ tools, he pulled out the small crowbar and used it to tap the floor in front of him. One of the tiles on the floor cracked and revealed the golden spindle that showed him a trap was present. He gently wedged the crowbar under the tile and slowly lifted it, finding a pressure plate trap. Laying prone, he slid another tool alongside the mini crowbar and disabled the trap.
“This is going to take forever,” Tinuriel muttered.
“Then wait at the entrance,” Felix replied as he got back to his feet and slowly made his way forward once more.
“Someone has to keep you safe.”
“And I appreciate that,” Felix said with as much sincerity as he could muster. He found another trap – a golden spindle leading up towards the ceiling. “Boost me up there,” He said as he pointed.
Tinuriel grabbed him by the legs and hoisted him up with ease. He pulled out a few different tools and disabled the trap – a nasty one that would have caused a cascade of spikes to rain down on the person who set it off. She let him down and they continued their slow, cautious advance.
Felix laid down once more to deal with another floor panel trap. But something felt wrong. He sat up and looked back.
Tinuriel was gone. Only his reflection looked back at him.