Nekomata raced alongside the rest of the raiders as they careened down Karl's winding path, each second feeling like an eternity. Neko had one eye on the path ahead, the other on the vanguards draining health and mana bars - a few players already sent for revives that weren't coming today.
He felt powerless to do anything, and that wasn't a feeling Neko liked to dwell on. There was always a way to chip at a problem, to get at it a little bit quicker before things got worse.
Just then the path veered maddeningly close to the Great Gate, too close, almost close enough to-
Neko skidded to a halt as he spotted a side rode that veered off of Karl's path, and led right to the Great Gate. Taking it would cut at least five minutes off their times... if they survived the traps.
Usually the rogue types handled traps, there was a slow romance of the rogue cutting wires and depressing metal pates until the thing was disarmed.
He did some quick and dirty math in his head, cost vs. benefit, risk vs reward, running around for five minutes vs actually doing something. The numbers didn't add up, it would take too long to disarm the traps.
He ran the numbers one more time, only this time he pictured himself running ahead, springing the traps.
He carried the one, forgot a three or two, and when he got to the end of his calculations, the risk was worth it. His divine-devil engine sputtered to life, but he'd been out of combat too long and it was running on fumes.
Before Neko could make the mistake running head long into a shortcut to death, BigBadBrenda surged ahead into one of the traps and a torrent of water shot out towards her, freezing midair before crashing into her shield - fracturing and shattering the thing upon impact, but not before sending shards of ice flying in every direction. She slapped away what remained and turned around, raising a brow at Nekomata in challenge.
He checked his engine, that trap had put him in combat for only a second. It would have to be enough. He pushed past Brenda - their eyes meeting for a brief second - Neko savored the surprise in her eye's as he threw himself into the next obstacle. Two could play at this game, and if luck was on his side, the healers would notice soon enough. If not, he'd go from looking cool to looking like a total idiot.
**********
They'd only shaved off three minutes, but Neko regretted nothing.
Lord OhZone lead the reserve through a slim corridor that Neko and Brenda had cleared of traps. The healers were still pissed at them, as they sat down to drink mana-potions, a few healers draining what was left of their mana to keep Neko and Brenda from dying.
The duo had just about every debuff in the game, poisoned, burned, frozen, partially petrified, an arrow stuck out of Neko's back, and a handful of darts lodged into Brenda’s hip. They sat next to the healers, who were almost done fussing over the pair.
Neko watched as the reserve clashed into the backs of the resurrected Circle minions, the mobs were now stuck between a rock and hard place, and were going down quick. He looked at the life and resource bar of the reserve players, they'd gotten here just in time.
Neko felt it was a job well done. But he knew for once he couldn't have done it himself. He looked at Brenda, a healer was busy regrowing the singed hair while another pulled out the darts stuck in here one by one.
"You should leave Karl's team, join mine." Neko said his sales pitch immediately undercut by a server wide announcement, as the resurrected mobs dropped like puppets with their strings cut.
Congratulations to player TuffEnuff, for phasing a raid boss using the environment!
Brenda just shook her head. "I'm happy where I am," she said.
As disappointed as he was at the flat rejection, Neko nodded in agreement beside her. He liked where he was too.
The closest thing Neko had ever had to a moment passed between the pair. He had feelings he had no idea how to put into words. Before he could get the chance to shove those feelings into words they didn't quite fit in, they saw Karl facing down a dragon at the Great Gate.
"Not sure he likes where he is right now," Karl joked as Brenda jumped up, shoving away the healers who were tending to her wounds. She ran to Karl's aid healers shouting after her to come back, not quite done with her yet. Neko followed suit as they ran onward.
**********
The monstrosity of a dragon filled the freshly opened Great Gate. Its shimmering black scales glinted against the light, and its long neck coiled into a powerful muscled body. Cruel and menacing, its glowing red eyes filled with intelligence contrasted against the deep smoke that billowed from its nostrils. With wings tucked close to its powerful frame, it moved with a grace that promised destruction as its sharp claws dug deep into the earth.
The Dragon swiped at Karl, but Brenda threw her body in the way and was knocked aside. Neko managed to bat aside the next claw, but was thrown into Brenda as she fought to stay upright. The Dragon's jaws nearly clamped down around Karl, only to be met by three hulking orcs holding back its maw.
Fire built up in its throat, but Coop doused the flames with a cascade of restoring water.
A roar of flame started to build in the beast's throat, until Coop doused it with a torrent of water. The great thing recoiled and darted back, sizing up its next move.
"Stop standing around and hit it!" Lord OhZone thundered. Magic crashed against the beast, trapping it between a fighting retreat and exposing itself too much.
Neko hacked away at the Dragon in front then was knocked back, swapping in and out with Brenda or the orcs as they kept the dragon engaged.
Finally the dragon made its move. Arrogance led it to bolt out of the Gate, only to find itself surrounded by the Taco Knights. It had not been a wise decision, as no more than a minute passed before the dragon's final breath exhaled and died in the air. Not that it had been any surprise - it was just a mid boss after all; the real raid boss had already been bested before Neko and the rest of the reinforcements had even arrived at the Great Gate.
Neko glanced back at the chest, the wooden box had a swirling green tendril on it.
Lord OhZone approached with caution.