Chapter 61
Chapter 61
Miranna felt the darkness wrapping itself around her as she appeared on the 55th floor of the tower. This boss was supposed to be tougher than the others, and yet her group hadn’t had too much trouble making their way through the early 50th floors.
“It’s hard to see in here,” Vraxion said. “Even with my night vision, it’s as if this whole floor is causing it to struggle.”
“Bah, only a quarter moon too,” Thergar stated, pointing at the moon that was trying to hide above the clouds in the night sky. “The tower sure loves to be melodramatic.”
“We need to focus,” Miranna said. “I can’t see the boss yet. You know the plan.”
She studied the zone, seeing thin sheets of light that seemed to vanish from above on the base of the floor. Pillars, broken walls, and other shapes were all there, just hard to make out.
Twirling her two swords slowly, she motioned upward.
“Shale, let’s see what you can tell us.”
Their dragon nodded and leapt upward, her red scales softly reflecting the moonlight as she soared into the air, now the size of a two-story house.
It’s dark down there… even from up here. Lots of shadows, broken buildings, and stones lying everywhere. I think I can see the boss about three hundred yards ahead of you all, but it’s like the darkness is trying to hide it. Any other monsters or creatures you can see? Usually, the boss has help.
Miranna heard the scoff through their bond.
If there were any to see, I would have told you. Now, do you want me to stay up here or engage first?
Wait. We’ll follow the same plan as always.
A slight warmth filled Miranna, and she knew Thergar had cast his buff on them.
“We’ll go in standard formation,” she said. “Vraxion gets the aggro, I’ll come assist, Vaelithrea, you toss a spell or two when it feels right, and Thergar, don’t let our warrior die.”
The dwarf grunted and shook his head. “It never gets funny, does it?”
Vraxion shook his head, the demon showing a small smile between the openings of his plated helm. “No, it does not.”
Miranna watched as nine feet of muscle and strength moved ahead of them. Their demon warrior who had a dry sense of humor, similar to Sog’s had his crystal shield out, and the sword her dad had made. The rest of his armor moved in silence. Even though it was plate armor and covered every inch of his hulking frame, the hodgepodge of colors seemed comical as their warrior took center, his boots smashing a stone he stepped on.
She could feel Shale Spark flying above, not needing to glance upward and know that her dragon was in position. Small glimpses of the moon on those red scales stood out.
Vaelithrea tapped her shoulder. “You’re going to cast the Frost Nova or Fire one first?”
“I’ll go, Frost,” Miranna replied. “I’d rather make sure we’re slowing it down before dealing a bunch of damage. You two stay behind me, I’ve got ya.”
Their mage chuckled, and Miranna glanced back at their healer, seeing him nod and start leading the two of them after Vraxion.
Slowly, they covered the dark ground, the shadows lessening slightly as they moved deeper along the tower floor, weaving between broken stone walls and stacked pillars. Vraxion kept the forty yards almost perfectly, stopping and waiting till he was in their line of sight and it was okay for them to proceed.
The amount of debris in the way started to lessen, and when they were right at the edge of about a hundred yards from the boss, Miranna saw it move.
It was tall, probably as tall as Vraxion, and had two long arms. It was like a shadow, all black and a weapon in each hand that seemed to absorb the light.
Their warrior shouted, jogging toward the boss that attacked him head-on. Sparks and the sound of metal connecting with something else filled the air.
It’s fast!
Miranna nodded, even though her dragon didn’t need her to reply. “Shale says it’s fast! Keep Vraxion topped up!”
Their healer didn’t bother replying as Miranna moved to join him, watching the demon’s health bar in the corner of her vision. It wasn’t going down, which was a good sign.
“It’s on me!” Vraxion called out. Their warrior roared after that, and Miranna felt the power of his intimidation ability wash over her. It didn’t seem to impact the boss, who danced around their warrior, a blur of darkness, blades striking at the armored tank.
She joined the fray, both swords glinting in the moonlight, trying to attack the boss as it flanked their tank.
[ Frost Nova ]
The spell rolled out from her, ice crystals sweeping around the ground. A few flecks of the ice seemed to stick to the boss’s feet for a moment, its dance slowing down. She swung, her blades missing completely.
The boss’s form seemed to shift, avoiding her strikes, and the sound of its blades striking Vraxion rang out. A grunt came from their warrior, yet his shield came around, connecting with the blur of shadows and stopping it for a moment.
[ Fire Nova ]
Flames radiated out around her, and Miranna watched as the boss tried to dodge over the wave of fire, and as it did, she struck, her left sword catching its leg.
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The attack she landed felt like she had struck a stone wall. No blood was shed, no injury was shown, and the boss didn’t stumble. A pair of red eyes appeared in the darkness, staring at her. Miranna could sense a deep-seated hatred behind them.
A bolt of lightning came at that moment, illuminating the area, and the boss stumbled. That evil glare turned from her and looked back at where their mage was.
The boss vanished, a puff of smoke taking its place as Vraxion’s sword cut through empty air.
Vael—
Shale’s words were cut off as Miranna turned, seeing their mage standing there, a pair of glowing blades stuck from behind. One pair of red eyes grew brighter, the boss seeming to grow stronger, while the red eyes of their mage dimmed.
“NO!” Vraxion shouted, charging toward the boss who was pulling its blades free.
Miranna’s mind struggled with the truth of what she saw. Vaelithrea’s health bar was gone. There was nothing left. Her friend had just died. In a single attack.
She watched as the boss turned its attention toward Thergar, their healer. Miranna knew there was no way Vraxion would make it in time.
[ Haste ]
Miranna needed to thank Sog for his gift, the ring’s charge giving her the speed she needed. Like an arrow loosed from a bow, she flew toward her friend.
Two shields replaced her weapons as she placed herself between the incoming strike and the dwarf that stood there, unable to move or react. Miranna plowed into the boss, two blades striking the shields she carried, knocking it backward from the force that she charged with.
The boss slid off her, its blades coming for her when it stopped, turning and running behind her.
“On me!” Vraxion shouted. “Taunt—”
His words stopped as the sound of metal on metal rang out again, and Miranna turned, seeing that the boss’s blades moved faster than they had a moment ago.
This time, blood came quickly, and Vraxion’s health bar started to decrease at a noticeable pace.
“Poisoned!” their warrior cried out.
“On it!” Thergar shouted.
Miranna ran back toward the fight, sensing Shale Spark coming down to join the fray.
A soft green glow covered their demon warrior, and when it did, Miranna tried to stop.
“I—” Vraxion said.
But it was too late, another cloud of smoke came and Miranna spun, watching Thergar trying to block the blades that swung toward him.
The first two strikes bounced off the magical shield, and both warriors tried to get there in time, knowing it was down. There would be no other magical barrier.
A pained cry came as the boss struck again, black blades almost invisible in the darkness of the tower floor.
Miranna shouted, angry, hurt, and scared as their healer crumpled to the ground, the boss turning its gaze back on them. She prepared to strike, ready to get her pound of flesh for what the boss had done, when something slammed into her side, almost knocking the breath from her.
A pair of claws had grabbed her, and Miranna realized what Shale Spark was doing.
I need to get—
The dragon spun as quickly as it could, one warrior in tow, the other lying on the ground, unmoving, his head bent forward.
“Noooo!” Miranna shouted, trying to turn and twist to see where the boss and her friend were.
It’s too late, we need to go!
Vraxion! We need to—
He’s gone… look.
Shale Spark’s claw that held her turned, and Miranna felt her heart break. The warrior who had stood against everything was on his knees now. Two blades were slid into the back of his neck under the small ridge between the helm and the armor that covered his back.
Red eyes roared like suns, looking upward at them.
Everything changed in that second.
[ Escape Gem Used - Exiting ]
The darkness had been so overwhelming and oppressive and now the light of the day was blinding. The scent of bread and the sound of a city overwhelmed Miranna’s senses as she felt herself being jostled, moving upward.
No! Why did you leave?! We needed to—
We would have died.
Miranna wanted to argue; she wanted to state that it wasn’t true, but before her mind could reply to her dragon, she saw the city beneath her. She sensed the warmth of the sun. And yet none of it mattered.
A figure flew at her, and a giant shape came right behind it.
“Star!”
Her father’s voice rang out, somehow reaching her before he did. Behind him was Rakonath, his giant silver body moving through the air.
For a moment, she was weightless, the claws that had held her vanished, and before Miranna could fall more than a few feet, arms wrapped around her, pulling her close.
“What’s wrong?!” her father cried out, holding her there, cradling her like a child.
She looked up, saw the pained expression he had. Miranna noticed above her father that Shale Spark was clutched between Rakonath’s claws.
“I… the boss…” Her words didn’t work. Try as she wanted to, Miranna couldn’t get her mind to say what needed to be said.
“The boss, it… killed them?” her dad asked softly.
Tears were her response as she nodded, feeling his arms wrap tighter. A pained roar rose from above.
“I wasn’t… strong… enough,” Miranna got out between the sobs.
Her heart shattered into a million pieces.