The first run was easy, given that the dungeons seemed to sort the beasts by difficulty. We mowed through the shallowest length of tunnel, quickly dispatching the Stone and Iron rank beasts that gathered near the entrance, only slowing slightly when we hit the Copper rank beasts.
While not difficult, it still took some time to travel down into the depths, so we eventually agreed to stop and head back to the surface to eat dinner and get a full night of rest.
The second day saw us clear through the Copper rank beasts and reach the Silver rank beasts. This is where we started to encounter some corruption, with the monstrously corrupted Copper ranked beasts occasionally appearing between the natural Silvers.
A slavering, wicked-looking corrupted mecrokotas was the first encounter to really give the party pause. Like the strongjaw mecrokotas, the corrupted version had a mouth full of impressive teeth, but these were extra long, metallic, curved, and jagged. A bite from that mouth would cause serious damage. The corrupted version was sleeker and more muscular, with sharp claws at the ends of its toes that could also be a potential problem.
“Ok, that’s… a bit unnerving,” Sidel whispered as we looked over the creature from just far enough away that it had not yet attacked. “Is your shield going to hold up?”
“Yeah. Probably. I think.”
“Spoken with such confidence.”
“Cut the chatter,” Markas said. “Are we ready?”
Everyone nodded, and Markas looked at me. “Lead the way, defender.”
I grinned, and rushed forward.
The corrupted mecrokotas’s head whipped up when I got within range, and it let out a horrid growl that I felt down in my gut. I shook away the fear and rushed the beast, making sure to keep its focus while my party prepared themselves and their attacks behind me.
An arrow whistled past my head and stabbed into the dungeon monster, and it snarled. I stepped forward and shield bashed the beast, and a paw whizzed past my head as it swiped at me, but I was already ducking and retreating a few steps to control the flow of the fight.
Before it could leap forward at me, shards of ice pelted the beast’s face. It shook its massive head, but the distraction was enough for Markas to rush ahead of my shield and slash at the monster, diving into an elegant roll to get away before it could chomp down at him.
I moved between them, using my new skill to ensure I was acting like a good tank, and felt more than heard the jagged screech of corrupted metal teeth on my steel shield. I winced, taking a few quick steps back, and a few more arrows flew past me.
“Good!” Markas called out. “Again!”
Another shower of ice shards followed, with another attack from Markas. This time, when I interfered with the beast’s pursuit, I caught the bite on my shield and rooted it in place, pulling my greatsword off my back with one hand and swinging it forward around my shield before tearing it back, the curved tip of the blade ripping at the beast.
Bit by bit, we continued to whittle away at the corrupted creature, controlling the flow of the fight perfectly. Our party was well organized, and even though Sidel was not particularly contributing—trapped in the backline and without enough maneuverability to guide Tug in battle—we put down the monster without issue.
My shield was a bit scratched up, but it would continue working just fine.
“Thanks for the help, Sidel!” I called back to the tamer, who stuck her tongue out at me.
“You’re free to walk back alone, Deklan,” she said, turning and patting Tug’s face. “Don’t listen to the big dumb shield bearer. You’re an invaluable member of this party.”
Piko chittered at me from Sidel’s shoulder, shaking a small monkey-like fist.
Snorting, I turned back to watch the dungeon finish consuming the corrupted corpse. I was reasonably sure there would not be too many more encounters before we reached the boss cavern. There were only so many Silver and Gold rank beasts in a region that could be captured by the dungeon, even if it had been here for a long time. With how exposed this dungeon was, it was fairly easy for beasts to avoid the deadzone which would attempt to draw them in.
After a few more encounters which we handled similarly, taking some care in how we approached it and avoiding any real injury, there was a tense fatigue palpable across the party. We decided to disperse by calling it a day and returning to the surface to eat and rest.
“Might as well try and reach the end when fresh. We aren’t in a rush,” Markas said as we decided to head back.
* * *
The third day turned out to be the final day, and once we got through the remaining beasts, the party stood at the entrance to the boss room peering in and studying the beast within.
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“I can’t make it out,” Sidel grunted.
The beast was turned around from us, and curled in on itself peculiarly, so it was hard to determine what it was with the limited light we were casting. I tried turning up my light, but the corruption of the dungeon seemed to swallow up the excess.
Unfortunately for the dungeon, I also had information magic, so I could see what the beast was anyway. I suppressed a shudder.
“All right, it isn’t paying attention, so let’s go for it,” Markas muttered. He looked at me and we nodded at each other, and I stepped in to get my shield up before the beast could turn towards us. The party followed, taking our positions, and Tug squeezed through into the cavern, finally able to help us if we needed her.
I watched in horror as the corrupted octophant lifted its head and turned towards us. Its face unfurled, the trunks now more like tentacles, each with a metallic tusk at the end. I swallowed a whimper as its face continued to unfurl, eight tentacles becoming sixteen, the inner ones writhing and revealing a mouth full of jagged shining razor teeth.
I seriously, seriously hate these things, I thought to myself as I braced my shield.
Like the nomadic rhinothell, the corrupted octophant’s legs seemed quicker and more mobile. We were all shocked as the thing sped forward, tentacles whipping towards us as it screeched a hideous, warbling sound.
“Shit!” I heard someone shout, and I felt them press in behind me and the large shield. Echoing smashes resounded as the bladed tentacles slammed into the steel, and one whipped over the edge of the shield and darted towards my face.
Markas deflected the incoming appendage with his sword, grimacing. “Put some pressure on it!”
Rashir jumped back and lifted his bow, firing arrows at the horrific creature. Most of the arrows were knocked away by the writhing mass that was splayed out towards us, but hopefully some of them managed to cut into the beast and deliver some of the venom that coated the projectiles.
Estorra slammed her staff into the ground and focused, drawing water out from her pack and converting it into pointed icicles that floated around her with her improved ice magic. With a shout, she sent them rocketing forward, the ice crashing into the beast with significantly more force than the arrows.
As she threw her magic ice at the beast, Sidel guided her own beast around to charge into the side of the octophant, trying to distract it or slam it off-balance. Tug landed a hefty charge on the side of the eldritch monstrosity, staggering it slightly, but took some cuts from the whipping facial protuberances as it turned and screeched another nightmare sound at the other Gold rank beast.
I winced at the sound, but took the opportunity to lunge ahead, my shield off to the side, and slammed my mighty greatsword down, severing two of the horrible trunks. Markas followed, cutting alongside me, and dropped another.
The beast still had five of its corruption-sharpened arms, and they flew at me. I got my shield up just in time to protect Markas and myself from their attempts to spear us, and Rashir landed some arrows into them properly as they were extended. Hopefully the venom slows it down a bit.
Estorra pulled a vial from her belt and chugged it, gathering back up the spilled water and shards of ice that littered the cavern around us for another icy onslaught. It would take her a moment to arrange, and Tug was rounding the monster’s opposite side to provide a distraction. Sidel called out the orders from behind, with Piko screeching in distress from her shoulder.
The dungeon boss turned towards Tug, and I leapt forward again, slamming the large hunk of metal I called a sword into its leg. It slowed the beast enough that Tug was able to crash into the creature, causing it to stagger properly, and with its attention torn between us Estorra was able to slam it in the head with another icicle bombardment.
The corrupted octophant bellowed out another horrifying shriek, and I took the opportunity to swing my sword again, slicing off another of its outer tentacles. Markas followed suit, and I threw my shield up to block the final three tentacles from skewering him. He twisted around the shield, taking the opportunity to rip his sword upwards with impressive speed, cutting through another tentacle before altering his grip and bringing the sword back down to chop another.
One left.
We regrouped while Rashir peppered the beast with another round of arrows, and I realized the beast was slowing down now, the venom clearly taking hold. I could see the status effect on the creature when I appraised it.
“Markas, get the last one!” I shouted, and I dropped my shield to charge forward.
The octophant turned its mysterious and terrible visage towards me, the writhing mass of inner tentacles eager to grab me and pull me into the beast’s horrible mouth. The final tusked tentacle flew towards me, eager to impale me and turn me into a meal, but Markas flew past me and sliced it off before it could reach me.
I continued rushing forward, bracing my greatsword with two hands, and threw myself towards the boss beast’s maw. The disgusting secondary tentacles brushed over me as I pushed in and stabbed the blade into the monster’s mouth.
As I impaled its face, protecting my arms from the teeth with a 5-point barrier, I forced the hooked tip of the blade upwards, and with all my strength forced the sword up through the top of the beast’s head.
The beast shuddered, and I immediately ripped my blade back down and out, tearing its mouth open as I did, leaping back from the monster in case it yet lived. It stumbled and fell, and our party breathed hard as we watched it be consumed by the dungeon’s floor.
“That… was horrific,” Estorra said, straightening her robes. She wobbled slightly, having depleted her magic twice, and Sidel slid over to wrap an arm around her and hold her upright.
“Yeah. Never had a problem with octophants before, but now…” Sidel shivered. “Not sure I can look at them the same.”
“I always thought they were gross and weird,” I muttered, wiping the gore from my sword. “Top five ugliest beasts, for sure.”
“Oh, lovely, I can’t wait to meet the other four,” Rashir said as he walked past to retrieve the core.
“Well, some of them live in the ocean, so we aren’t likely to encounter those in a dungeon, at least.” Sidel looked at me quizzically, and I sighed. “My ship south was attacked by a colossal kraken near Mirut. Just be glad we don’t have to fight a corrupted kraken. Although… the octophant might technically have been worse.” I rubbed my chin. “Depends on how armored a corrupted kraken would be.”
“This is all fascinating,” Markas grumbled. “But I’m ready to get out of here.”
The dungeon pressure lifted as Rashir hefted the large core into his hands, with a surprised grunt. “This one’s big.”
“Good,” Markas said. “Let’s bring it home and get paid.”