Chapter 96: The Warning
The Siege Boss launched itself toward the Eye of the Storm, using the effigy it had originally carried on its back as an engine to sprint across the beach. The dozens of arms now behaved like arachnid legs and the main body dangled uselessly in the center, almost like the host of an extremely creepy parasite.
The Eye of the Storm tried one last cannon barrage, but the monster’s momentum wouldn’t be stopped.
With a crash that came prematurely, The Fearless slammed into the flank of the monster, flaming battering ram lit, shooting fire across the surface of the shallow ocean. The pirate crew on board immediately started hacking at the limbs of the monster while they shoved it off its trajectory, sparing the flagship from an attack. The center mass of the monster was pinned under the hull of the corvette, dragging it along the bottom until it was pinned between underwater coral rock and the keel of the ship, a hundred yards into the shallow reef.
The legs of the monster found purchase on the ship and started ripping through the ghostly wood, shearing planks off the sides and tossing them away or thrashing the hull with frenzied attacks. After the boss had been pinned, the ship was torn apart in a matter of seconds.
The Siege Boss rose out of the water on far too many remaining legs while the debris from The Fearless dissipated into mana smoke. The main body hung from the center limply, dripping water and black ichor from dozens of wounds while the effigy started making its way back toward The Eye of the Storm. It moved at a slightly slower pace with its reduced legs seeming lethargic. The flagship remained in the shallow water, using its oars to rotate where it would have run aground if not for its spectral properties.
The monster barely managed to lunge forward before Coop’s spear slammed into the main body, tearing straight through one of the dangling legs of the Construct. Coop mistjumped to the still flying spear, catching it in the air and swapping to his glaive to cleave another of the effigy’s limbs as he flew past the rear legs.
A massive purple tentacle wrapped itself around one of the many other legs, ensnaring the boss as Kayla cast her spells from the bow of her ship. The boss tugged at the offending conjuration before it adjusted its strategy.
The monster paused and directed another affliction at Coop. “You will perish.” It whispered into Coop’s mind. Coop couldn’t avoid the miasmic pulse that passed through him before he landed in the shallow water.
[You are afflicted by Pronouncement: Demise]
Coop winced as he splashed into the water and prepared to continue his attack. The world lost its color, but he hadn’t mistjumped. He checked his debuffs and found Impending Doom. It lacked any description at all. Each one of the afflictions had been ominous with descriptions that implied finality. Now, he felt it. An anvil sat on his heart and he struggled to take a steady breath. He figured it was about time one of them managed to land. Throughout the entire assimilation, it seemed like only physically applied afflictions ever made it past his magic defenses.
The Siege Boss sluggishly rotated in place, stretching its trapped leg in order to keep after Coop, who had become equally sluggish. The shallow water further limited Coop’s mobility, but it seemed like the boss was struggling even more than he would without this affliction, especially if his allies were able to continue adding their support.
The Siege Boss appeared to be rapidly weakening and Coop was surprised by how much its condition had already deteriorated. Coop sensed how much danger the Siege Boss was in and with bleeding eyes, he grinned a bloody smile as his gums leaked crimson. He was at full health and mana, despite whatever was happening, and he wasn’t dead yet. He couldn’t hear anything but the ringing of his ears as it gradually got louder, and the edges of his vision closed in like he was being engulfed in darkness. But, he knew they would win.