Brandon walked down the corridor as it twisted deeper into the earth. The walls were made of rough stonework, and the corridor had artificial light like that they had witnessed in the Geblex cavern. He had discovered another power gem as he had walked along, a blade trap that shot a blade out, sweeping across waist height in the corridor. The companions had quickly passed it once he had identified its location, just having to crawl along that part of the corridor. He could see the end ahead and slowed his approach, the others catching up.
The room he now looked out into was that of a giant field. Tall straw grasses covered the floor, and trees and other plant life were visible from the entranceway. They could see nothing unnatural in the cavern apart from the obvious fact that it was a deep field beneath the earth. It reminded Brandon of the open areas around town in the summer months. It seemed to stretch on for a long distance, and although he could see the end of the cavern where it met the end of the field, he could not judge how far it was.
"I wonder what is in here?" Brandon asked.
"No idea, but at least it is not filled with water, and we can see for a change," Kyto said.
They heard the howl that rattled through the cavern but could not see the source of the sound.
"What on earth just made that sound," Sniffer said.
"I cannot see anything with the grasses," Kyto said.
"I can smell something different in here. It smells like a beast, but that was not its howl." Tiddles said.
"We need to reach the other side, whatever is in here," Kyto said.
They moved forward slowly, Tiddles triggering his stealth skill and moving ahead of the group as Brandon stepped onto the earth-covered floor as the last member of the group to enter their notifications triggered.
Dungeon Boss Level 2.
Kill the Garoulop to progress to level 3.
"Boss time. I wonder what this one has in store for us?" asking a rhetorical question.
"I am guessing death if it has its way," Brandon replied.
"Tiddles, can you go and scout? We will stay back here until we know what it may be." Kyto asked him.
"Sure," he responded as he moved into the grasses.
The scent was strong, and it was easy to track the location. A breeze in the cavern ensured the scent was heading straight towards him. He could hear movement up ahead but could not see anything through the swishing grasses. They were too tall for him to have a line of sight through. His stealth ability made it difficult for him to be seen even in the bright light of the chamber. There was a tree off to one side, and he began to head towards it to get some higher ground and hopefully see what this Garoulop looked like. He sprung up to the branch of the tree. It was only ten feet off the ground and an easy feat for him. He looked out over the grasses and could see the movement of a form not eighty feet away but could not see what it was. It was slowly moving towards the end of the chamber where the companions were waiting, and he watched as the form stalked towards them.
Only when it got within fifty feet of his location did he see it for the first time. It was a four-legged beast with a head like a wolf. Its body was a mottled striped, straw colour identical to the grasses, making it virtually impossible to see. It looked powerful, its forelegs much larger than Tiddles's own, and it stood at least half his height again at its shoulder. It moved virtually silently, the only giveaway being the grasses being pushed aside as it traversed the field. Its thick mane ran to a point along its back, and its long tail had a spiked end. Tiddles shuddered, looking at the thing. He knew he could be terrifying, but this thing was on a different level, its jaws open, showing substantial canine teeth. It reminded him partly of Spylore in how it moved through the grasses. This made Tiddles think of the cubs and wonder how they got on without him. He knew the girls would look after them, but he missed them whenever he was away.
He reminded himself that he was sitting watching the beast and got refocused on the task at hand. If he were not careful, the beast would get near the group before he could get back to warn them. He dropped from the tree silently and stealthily moved away, heading straight for them.
"It is a wolf-like creature much larger than me. Nasty-looking teeth and a spiked tail," he said to the group as he returned.
Kyto relayed the details.
Sniffer and Lars withdrew their pistols and made them ready. Brandon and Kyto both pulled their knives from their belts.
Tiddles knew the beast was watching them now. He could sense it even though he could not see it. "It is nearby," he said as he looked back at the grasses.
"How far?" Kyto asked.
"Very close. I think it is watching us." Tiddles replied.
The companions had yet to enter the grassed area and stood on a clear area of ground at the chamber entrance.
"So, what do we do?" Kyto said, looking nervously at the grasses not twenty feet away.
"We have to kill it; we have no choice," Sniffer said.
Lars had his pistol ready and was scanning the grasses, sweeping the pistol's barrel as he followed his gaze. Kyto pushed mana into Tiddles as they stood waiting. Nothing happened for several moments until a flash of something was heading towards them. "Duck," Kyto yelled too late.
The spike at the group was two feet long and had a wickedly sharp point. It caught Brandon in his right side, easily penetrating his body and coming to rest with its end sticking out of his back. He did not even have time to call or react before it hit him. Only now screaming as the spike protruded from him. Kyto threw some strands at him as Lars fired off a round in the direction the spike had come from. He had no idea if he would hit the beast, but he needed to try and do something.
Kyto's strands were ineffective due to the foreign object in Brandon, and he yelled at Sniffer to pull it out of him. Sniffer bent, grabbed the spike, and pulled it back out of his side. The scream Brandon let out, drowning out any other sound. As soon as the spike was removed, the strands began to work, slowly knitting his side back together. The look of relief on Brandon's face became apparent as the hole slowly healed.
"Where the fuck is it?" Sniffer said, pointing his pistol at the grasses.
"I cannot tell," Tiddles responded, although he knew he did not understand.
Lars signalled with his hand to the right and turned his pistol in that direction. Sniffer followed, and Tiddles also turned while Kyto finished healing Brandon. His mana pool dropping but not significantly. The wound had been easy to repair once the spike was removed. Brandon slowly climbed to his feet, still clutching at his side.
Another flash and another spike came flying at them from the grasses. Lars only noticed it at the last moment and managed to move sideways to prevent it from hitting him.
"We are sitting ducks here; we need to move," Sniffer said.
"Into the grasses, are you serious," Brandon stated.
"We have no choice; it will just keep flinging those spikes at us otherwise, and Kyto can only heal so much before he taps out," Sniffer replied.
"Tiddles, can you distract it? We will head to the left," Kyto said.
"Sure," he growled in a deep, challenging tone before he let out a howl and charged into the grasses towards where the spike had come from.
"Quick this way," Kyto said, turning and running into the grasses. "Stay together."
The four companions ran. They could not chance standing in the open like that, and now in the grasses. Although they felt more secure being out of direct sight, the dread of this beast being out there was intense. They formed a huddled group looking out on all four sides as they heard the thrashing of movement over to the right, followed by a beastly howl, not of Tiddles making. Kyto watched Tiddles's health take a minor hit as the sound began moving away from their location.
"How the hell do we fight something we have not seen yet," Sniffer said.
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"Fire perhaps," Kyto replied.
"We could set the grasses on fire. I suppose it may drive it out," Sniffer replied.
"We can use the lantern. The oil in it will burn easily enough," Kyto said.
Brandon still carried the lantern, and he handed it to Kyto. Kyto dropped it, breaking it on the ground deliberately. The oil leaked onto the dry grasses and caught alight easily. The breeze in the cavern drove the flames back towards the entrance where they had come from, and it was not long before there was a wide patch of burning grasses. The problem was that there was now an open path to where they stood, and the breeze had prevented the flames from carrying across the grasses further into the cavern area, the remaining flames slowly dying out. The thick black smoke the grasses released, thankfully being blown away from them.
"Well, that did not work," Kyto said.
Moments later, Tiddles dashed towards them through the remaining fire. As he did, his fur began to smoulder and erupt into flames.
"Run," he yelled as he approached them and turned off to the side of their position, providing the source of spreading the flames. As his burning form sprinted through the grasses.
Kyto turned and saw the beast as it followed Tiddles’s path. It looked at them briefly but gave them no heed as it bounded after him. It was massive and thick-shouldered with sickly-looking teeth and giant claws ripping into the earth with its straw-mottled colour providing it with perfect camouflage. As it chased Tiddles, the companions ran in the opposite direction, heading to the side of the cavern. The grasses stopped about twenty feet from the cavern wall, and they stopped panting and turning to look at the mayhem behind them.
The fire was spreading wherever Tiddles ran, and now swathes of grass were burning intensely as though dry tinder were being placed to start a fire. The smoke hung heavy in the chamber, and their vision was soon obscured as they tried to see where he was heading. Kyto watched on his display as Tiddles’s fire core drained and his burning body ran through the field. He was not slowing down by all accounts and was trying to cut through as much of it as possible. His core ran dry as he reached a point in the distance.
The fire continued to burn wherever he had been, and the breeze carried it towards the entrance. Standing to the side gave them slight respite from the thick smoke but not much, and all four were coughing.
"Great idea. Although we now cannot see where the hell the thing is due to smoke." Brandon said glumly.
"We need to head to the open area where the fire has cleared the grasses," Kyto said.
A howl travelled the interior of the cavern from the other side, and they could hear the snarling and fighting that was now underway between the two beasts. Tiddles’s health dipped slightly as he took a blow.
"Shit, Tiddles is fighting it. We need to help." Kyto said.
The burnt husks of the grasses were smouldering where Tiddles’s burning form had obliterated them. The companions started to move towards the fight. They could not see them but could hear them. One of the trees had caught alight and was now burning like a pyre amongst the husks. The fire had spread so quickly and burned so violently that it had taken only minutes to clear vast areas. As they neared the fighting duo, Tiddles received another violent strike, his health again dipping. It was not low, but Kyto needed to get in range to support him. He knew his mana and fire core were drained, so he would not have boosted attacks currently.
Tiddles stood toe to toe with the beast, its tail lunging like a snake, striking, slashing at him with its claws and snapping with its massive jaws. Tiddles had a large gash on his left flank and looked as though he could only defend currently as the beast attacked him, slowly being driven backwards. Lars and Sniffer aimed their pistols and began to fire. The Garoulop howled in pain as the bullets struck it, drawing its attention to the four companions. It came for them.
Brandon turned and ran from its lunging bound. Lars stood his ground, firing at the beast at close range. Sniffer and Kyto just off to one side, Kyto throwing his strands at Tiddles and feeding him with mana. Tiddles' health increased as the beast reached Lars's position, raking at him with his claws. Lars dove sideways, rolling on the earth as he moved from its strike, pulling his blades. His increased speed from the party connection saved him from the wicked claws. The beast growled again, lunging at him with its massive jaws. Lars was not fast enough to react to the second attack, and they clamped down on his arm, tearing into it and almost severing it from his shoulder. It released its grip as Lars fell and turned towards Sniffer, who had continued to fire the last of his rounds at the beast.
Sniffer turned and ran; it was a pointless exercise as the beast jumped at him, landing on his back, bringing him down, and before any of the companions could react, it bent, biting his head clean off. Kyto swore in anger and frustration as he threw some strands into Lars, his mana dipping lower as he did. Sniffer's headless corpse now lying leaking his life essence onto the earth. Tiddles reacted now, regenerated through Kyto's healing and his refilled mana, he attacked. His unearthly howl of pain at seeing his friend's dead body sent him into a chaotic whirlwind of violence. He landed on the Garoulop's side, activating his flame claws and tearing deep streaks into its flesh.
You strike the Garoulop for 4% damage, Garoulop is susceptible to fire damage, and bonus damage is awarded.
As Tiddles raked its side, its tail struck out at him, catching him in his body. His improved defences prevented considerable damage, but the spike still penetrated, causing him to yelp as it hit his right leg. Kyto again threw his strands at him as he stepped back, facing the snarling beast that turned around to face him. "You need to keep my mana topped up. My core is slowly recharging, but at 40 activation each time, I am draining it as soon as possible. Allow me to hit this thing with bonus damage," he shouted to Kyto.
"How much damage have you done now?" Kyto asked, wanting to avoid looking at the combat logs and instead focus on Tiddles' health.
"12%. Not sure what damage the bullets did, although they did do some to it." Tiddles replied.
The beast swiped at him again. Tiddles leapt backwards out of range and again began dodging the strikes as he allowed his fire core to recharge.
38
39
40
Again, he activated his Flame Claws and attacked, moving into the Garoulop's range and tearing at its outstretched leg with his claws. He struck the beast, but the damage was less, not getting a clean strike. Once again, he immediately backed away as his Flame Claws deactivated after his swift flurry of strikes. Since he had reached level two when he activated them, his claws glowed red as a heated metal bar would glow from in a blacksmith's fire.
The beast struck back, catching Tiddles across his face, hurling him backwards from the power behind it, and ripping into his cheek with its claws. Tiddles howled in pain and waited for his core to recover to strike again. This would be a long fight at this rate. Kyto healed Tiddles again as its tail lashed out at him. Tiddles dodged its strike again. Kyto had not noticed Lars stand from his injury. His shoulder was not fully healed as Kyto had been unable to send so much mana at him, needing it for Tiddles. As the beast pulled its tail behind it again, Lars jumped at it, grabbing it and cutting it across it with his blade. He screamed in silent agony from the pain induced in his arm, but he did not stop, the valiant and brave fighter standing his ground against a beast much stronger than he could ever wish to be. The beast tried to flick its tail, but Lars held tight and slashed at it. He had it above the spiked tip, and it turned and tried to bite at him.
Its jaws clamped down on his shoulder as he tore his blade over the tail. As Lars succumbed to the wound and let go of its tail, the spiked tip came free, falling to the cavern floor. The beast howled in agony from its lost weapon, spraying blood around as it whipped its now free tail. Tiddles took the opportunity to attack its undefended flank as it did. He lunged, gripping onto its side, digging his claws in, and biting down with his vice-like bite. His teeth struggled to penetrate the beast's skin deeply. It felt as though it was made from steel. He gripped on as it tried to turn its head to bite him, his position being offset enough to prevent it from getting a clear bite.
It howled in frustration at Tiddles’ clinging form and spun, trying to free him. Tiddles hung on, although unable to do any more damage, as if he knew if he released his claws or bite, he would be thrown free. The coppery taste of the beast's blood flooded his mouth, and he felt a sense of power as it did. His core began to fill faster. He had no idea why, but its blood was acting to recharge his elemental core. It was now increasing at twice its previous speed. Again, as it reached forty, he activated his claws and dug them deeper into its side, pulling at its thick fur and flesh as he did. He drank more of the blood from his clamped bite and then dropped back from its side, unable to inflict damage efficiently on the same spot.
The fight continued in the same vein, each beast taking their openings as they could. Tiddles slowly wore the beast down with the associated healing he was receiving from Kyto. Kyto was always trying to stay behind Tiddles, leaving him between him and the beast so that it could not get to him.
"I am starting to run low on mana," he yelled.
Tiddles did not respond as he pawed away another strike.
Lars's prone form lay on the ground not thirty feet from him, and although he was unconscious, he could see his mana glow and pool. They were much smaller than usual but not too low. He quickly pulled from him, adding a much-needed boost to his dwindling supply, being careful not to take too much. 'If only Brandon were still here.' he thought. He had no idea where he had run off to, but the way he had run was as though he had been struck by fear itself, and his dot had disappeared from his display, meaning he must have left the room due to the 500m range it had.
"I have done 69% damage," Tiddles growled, panting from the fight. Now that it had gone on for so long, even his endurance was starting to show limits.
"Keep going," Kyto called in support.
"I am trying!" he replied sardonically.
The epic fight continued, neither beast giving in as they struck and deflected each other’s attacks. Tiddles got the odd landing blow when he could. Kyto felt drained just from watching the fight, never mind anything else. The movements were frantic yet balanced and deadly each time. The beast looked like it was weakening; it no longer had the same ferocity on its strikes, and its speed was beginning to slow. Tiddles activated his claws, jumping up at its throat as he stepped in range and tore them down on each side. The beast staggered from the blow and took a step
backwards, shaking its head slightly, its eyes, which had been the deepest black, were losing their dark brilliance.
"Nearly Tiddles. Keep going." Kyto urged.
In a last-ditch attempt to try and even the fight, the beast suddenly leapt forward over the top of Tiddles and straight for Kyto. Kyto squealed as the form crashed into him, reacting slowly to move out of its way. His body was thrown backwards, the blue flash of his shield activating, saving his life and his health dipping from the impact of the beast's massive head in his chest. His mana emptied as the shield faded, and the beast turned back on Tiddles just as he threw himself at its throat. Having seen Sniffer die and now Kyto being hit was just too much. His rage went to a new level, and he clamped down with all his might on its throat, ripping into the previously opened wounds and chomping with his teeth. The beast again tried to throw him, but it was now weakened beyond a point of resistance, and as he dug in, he felt its life force beginning to leave it as it collapsed to the floor. Tiddles stomped on its neck, biting down repeatedly into its now undefended neck as it eventually died.
Congratulations, you have successfully defeated the level 2 dungeon boss. 15,000 experience awarded.
You may collect your rewards and proceed to level 3.