“I did. But suddenly these actions are available only to the vice-cm.”
“Okay, as I see, no one is particularly tired, so we can move on...”
My gaze focused again on the bas-relief, as if drawn to it like a magnet. A thought buzzed in the back of my mind, but refused to take shape. The only difference in these bas-reliefs was that they pointed in different directions. The first one was pointing in the direction of our destination, the second at the ceiling, and the third behind us, as if mocking our advancements. Otherwise, the reliefs were absolutely identical.
All in different directions... The thought tickled my mind again. Maybe they’re pointing at each other, and not in different directions? Or pointing at the one in the middle? The Fortress of Outcasts didn’t practice the development of Prospectors, the Okhtans didn’t see any practical use in them, because caches were both extremely rare and discovered long ago. Logically, it could be assumed that more than one Prospector had passed through here during the raids. So, if we assume that there are two such persons in a raid or a party…
“I need to check something.” I rose hastily. “Wait here, don’t wander around. Better eat while you have time.”
“Where are you going?” Stinger asked, surprised.
“To the first hall. The tunnel is empty, I’ll be fast. I’ll send you a command in the chat. When that happens, try to click on the bas-relief again. Got it?”
“Yes, but...”
“Futile attempt,” Mashta interrupted him gloomily. “No need to take such risks.”
“We don’t know when, or if, we’ll ever pass through here again,” I explained patiently. “We should try it now. We may get lucky and open some cache with high-quality gear. It would benefit us all.”
“Then I’m coming with you,” she resolutely stepped closer.
“Not a chance,” the tank grinned wryly. “Don’t forget that you’re here on special terms.”
Mashta had finally told us what happened to the Lowlings in the Fortress of Outcasts. Sure, she couldn’t form a coherent story while we were fighting; but during those two hours we learned enough to put the pieces together. And I must admit that the true reasons behind that entire mess made me feel somewhat uncomfortable. Perhaps that’s why her mood changed for the better — she finally got that heavy load off her soul, leaving it to the rest of us to decide what to do with her — and became more like that friendly girl I had met at the very beginning. But Stinger poked her wound far too soon.
“Do you have to remind me?!” Mashta bit her lip and frowned. “Didn’t I explain myself already?”
“Someone still needs to confirm all of that, and there’s no one around to do so,” Stinger shrugged, making it clear that Mashta won’t get any pity from him.
“Rawrk go!” the Raksh blurted out. Jumping up, he excitedly waved with his daggers, cutting the air. Marana, who was closest to him, unceremoniously slapped him on the back of his head with the tip of her tail, forcing him to lower his weapons in confusion. This wasn’t the first time she had “calmed down” the Raksh, but it seemed that this habit of his was uncorrectable; it remained only to keep one’s distance so that he doesn’t accidentally cut someone.
“Nobody’s going anywhere!” I exclaimed. “I’ll ride Fury back and forth, and you wait here!”
No sooner said than done.
Chapter 53
Responding to my mental message, Tinnie landed onto my shoulder, getting ready to work as a searchlight. Having jumped on the contently purring Direcat, we rode back through the tunnel and covered a hundred feet or so. Fury ran like the wind. Once we arrived to our destination, Tinnie darted to the bas-relief pointing at the ceiling, and pressed it with both palms. I also put my hand on it and pressed, and almost immediately shuddered from the needle like pain coming from the Sign. What the hell?! As if I don’t hurt enough already from all the fighting! I thought angrily.
I sent a message to the clan chat.
“Sting, you there? Push.”
“Okay... Hmm, nothing. What about you?”
“Moving to the next one.”
I didn’t expect much but I had to check it just in case. The rough, green walls, whipped from the inky darkness by Tinnie’s bright golden light, appeared in front of us. It was a good thing that the corridor was perfectly straight, as at the speed that I was going with I had only to touch a corner when turning to have both my clothes and skin torn off.
We repeated the operation — Tinnie and I pressed the bas-relief again. More precisely, she activated it, and I clicked, keeping her close by, and therefore staying linked to her abilities.
“Sting?”
“Pushing,” he said. Stinger, too, was inspired by my experiment, which wasn’t surprising — the big fellow didn’t want to think that his attempts were in vain.
Fury sniffed the air excitedly, moving her sharp ears. So, I wasn’t the only one who heard the creaking? Had it really happened?! But where?
“Give me a minute, I’ll check it out,” I said, turning Fury around.
“Listen, Wise, the Succubus is behaving strangely,” Mashta said. “She’s nervous. I think she’s about to rush over to you.”
“That’s true,” Stinger added anxiously. “She’s definitely feeling something, you’d better come back. Screw these experiments...”
“Demons!” Rawrk suddenly roared. “Run! Run!”
I saw a blurred movement out of the corner of my eye. Had I not jumped off Fury, who had, reacting to the threat, by herself activated Metamorph, her razor-sharp thorns would have ripped my legs to shreds. The Sign, now burning hot like a branding iron, had been warning me about danger in advance. I understood it only now!
Letting out a frightened screech, Tinnie soared to the ceiling, flashing brighter than usual, and enlightening the corridor. Synergy automatically switched to Kindred Souls: Shellplate Defense, and for a moment gave me Fury’s powerful armor-aura. Thanks to the armor, she grew 35% bigger. With a menacing roar, she attacked.
The narrowness of the tunnel gave a serious disadvantage to the Hounds that jumped out of the dark, preventing them from pouncing at Fury all at once. Their fangs and claws, fully capable of tearing a careless player to shreds, did absolutely nothing against an elite pet armored like a tank. Not to mention that they were almost half her size. My beast simply threw the first couple of them at the walls, rushing between them and using her spiked armor as a crushing weapon, making them howl in unbearable pain. Spikes slashed their sides like scalpels, crushing ribs and lacerating their paws. Without stopping, she rushed to the next two with a bloodthirsty roar.
Noticing that the Hound on my left had its muscles severely damaged, and that it struggled to get back up, I didn’t hesitate either. However, I skipped that one and dealt with another wounded beast, which, in spite of the blood gushing from its terrible wounds, jumped up right after it had fallen. Soulcatcher made it fall again in convulsive writhing, and I immediately switched to the first one, invigorated by the energy rushing through my veins.
“Wise, hold on!” Stinger’s worried cry came through the chat. “We’ll be there in a flash!”
There was no time to answer — the seemingly helpless Hound managed to prepare me an unpleasant surprise. As soon as I was within striking distance, it dodged the Flame’s sweeping lunge, aimed at its front paws, with surprising skill. Instantly landing on its hind legs, it attacked in response.
I desperately dashed to the side; powerful jaws clattered helplessly a few inches from my face. I abruptly crouched and slashed horizontally; Flame cut the air with a hiss. The beast twitched, but was unable to fully dodge, and the very tip of the blade reached it, resulting in an amazing crit. Searing Flash’s power was added to Tempest Blade. The Hound’s severed paw flew off, like a thin branch cut by a woodcutter’s axe. The beast howled in fear and rose up on its hind legs, and aimed to attack my face again. Pft, yeah, sure, as Stinger liked to say. Having been hit with Lash of Pain, it rolled on the ground, skin
aflame from Flamespear that followed.
Two down.
With Flames’s return, the nature of fights miraculously changed for the better, and I greatly enjoyed my increased capabilities. Thing is, when four companions are constantly watching over you, not allowing you to get close to the mobs, you really can’t put your skills to a test. But everything changed when I was all alone.
Turning sharply, I glanced at Fury who was spinning in the narrow tunnel, scratching the walls and sending sparks flying. She lunged forth and bit the neck of one of the Hounds; her fangs sank into the flesh, like the iron jaws of a beat trap, piercing the muscles and crushing the spine. The last Hound, having escaped Fury’s loving embrace, was already leaping at me, blood gushing from its torn muzzle.
At the last second, having met its gaze full of pain and rage, and having no time to attack with Flame, I tried to dodge, simultaneously casting Windspear, but the Hound still got me. Fangs closed on my left thigh, sending a wave of piercing pain through my body. The heavy blow of its massive body threw me back. Having slipped as if on ice, I hit my back against the wall with such force that it left me gasping for air. I immediately realized that I had been too hasty. Fur still smoldering, the Hound approached me and didn’t miss the opportunity to trap me in its deadly bite. Neither the greave made of metalized leather, nor Shellplate Defense helped. It managed to use its trademark skill, Penetrating Bite, which immediately reduced the affected place’s defense stats by half. With a nasty crunch, its fangs sank into my shin.
“Tinnie!!!”
The Fairy, who had been flying around restlessly, waiting for a command, immediately sprinkled us with her luminous pollen. Everything froze for fifteen quickly passing seconds. The Hounds seemed to have fallen into a coma; frozen, they stopped breathing, their glassy eyes staring into nothingness.
Synergy effect has been interrupted. Energy is required.
Three messages about victory followed — both Soulcatcher and Fury dealt with their opponents, and the roasted Hound died on its own, so I didn’t have to finish it off. One more remained, and it clung to my thigh without the intention of opening its jaws. It was also paralyzed, but its weight continued to passively tear my muscles. Had it not been for Soulcatcher that was still pumping energy into me, it would’ve been impossible to endure the pain. With a frenzied blow, I plunged Flame into the creature’s eye socket, damaging its brain with Assassin’s Gambit and killing it instantly.
We have to get out of there immediately.
If the minions were here, then the Demons themselves weren’t far behind, and we’d stand no chance against them right now. I looked back at Fury who had run up to me; the armor was still on her. There was no time to lick our wounds; I needed to hurry to reunite with the others. I was too hasty to fight alone. Applying both my blade and strength, I forced the Hound’s jaws open and finally freed myself. I immediately tried to get back up and fell — the injured muscles protested violently, and my legs gave in. My pants got quickly soaked in blood that gushed from the wounds. Fury came closer; her armor was turning back into fur. I quickly pulled an esc out of the pouch and gave it to Tinnie, who had landed on my shoulder, to re-activate Synergy. Without waiting for her to shine with full force, I hopped on Fury, and we rushed back, looking like two beaten up pals leaving a bar after a good, drunken brawl. We ran, or rather, limped back at the speed of a slug.
In the next hall, I ran into the others on their way to meet me, and immediately shouted to them to turn back without delay.
“Back! We need to leave! What the...? Wait!”
I spotted a dark, rectangular opening that had appeared where the bas-relief used to be. Without the slightest hesitation, I sent Tinnie to see what we had found. Flashing like a sparkling comet, she flew into the opening. Unfortunately, there was nothing like a cache there. However, it seemed that we had found something better — a new corridor presented itself in front of our stunned and intrigued gazes, and got lost in the darkness.
“This way!” Stinger instantly realized. “The Demons will definitely catch up if we remain here! We’ve managed to open this passage, we’ll be able to close it, too!”
“And if we can’t?” Agitated, Mashta tossed a glance behind my back, her eyes reflecting Tinnie’s light. “What makes you think that mobs will be weaker there?!”
From the darkness I had just hastily abandoned we could hear the heavy steps of our pursuers, still muffled, but growing louder with every second. And there were many of them. Mashta was wrong. If not the whole raid, then a significant part of it had decided to wait for the lair to re-open and hunt us. It was a matter of minutes before they swarm the corridor, which we had so conveniently cleared of mobs. The Sign reminded of itself also, aggressively burning my biceps, warning me about the approaching enemies...
Or maybe hinting a direction?
“We have no choice,” I said, breathing with difficulty, and holding onto Fury’s back so I don’t fall. Soulcatcher’s backlash and the open wounds made me feel weaker by the second. “It’s worth a try.”
“Wait, let me check it, just in case. You’re barely alive.” Stinger rushed forward.
But I didn’t wait, and I flew in right after him. If there were mobs or traps, Tinnie would’ve reported it to me by now. Without delay, Rawrk, Marana and Mashta joined us. This corridor looked different — its walls and ceiling were lined with yellow sandstone, and the floor was red with polished granite. There was no dust or any signs of damage; it was as if we found ourselves in an extremely long corridor of someone’s home. The far end of the path disappeared in the dark some twenty feet in front of us, but it obviously didn’t end there.
“Look for a way to close this door! Tinnie, Stinger, move it!”
There was really no need to order them around; I just had to vent a bit. Tinnie was all over the place, getting into every nook and cranny. Stinger didn’t lag behind. Having quickly examined and felt everything near the passage, he moved further. We soon heard a rattle, and a massive, at least twenty inches thick plate began to lower from the ceiling.
“Your patron be praised...” Stinger started, but was interrupted by Marana’s distressful hiss.
The plate was already half way down, when a clang sounded on the other side of it, and a mighty hand covered with black-red scales grasped it from below. It trembled and stopped, unable to resist the Demon’s monstrous power. The mechanism in the wall rang out, and acrid smoke seeped from the cracks.
Mashta cried out and rose her sling, but the restless Rawrk beat her to it. He leaped forward with reckless courage, thus blocking everyone’s view. Having completely forgotten about the pain, I fell off the Direcat and to my knees and cast Soulcatcher between Rawrk’s legs at the shadow on the other side of the plate.
A surge of energy ran through my nerves like an electrical discharge. The adrenaline rush threw me backward, knocking me over. It felt like someone had interrupted the cast, although that had never happened before. And yet, it succeeded — the hand disappeared and the massive plate fell to its rightful place with a light groan.
No longer trying to get up, I just tiredly pulled myself up and leaned my back against the wall. Stretching my legs, numb from all the adventures, I felt my lips form a wry grin.
“Wise, check the system message,” Stinger’s voice sounded somewhat strange. He was a bit late though, as I had just read it.
“Could it really be that simple?” Mashta whispered in amazement, also studying the message. “They kept walking by it all this time, considering this riddle to mean nothing...”
“Your lads are wimps,” Stinger said with a hint of contempt.
“Guys, do you understand what this means?” I looked at them with a meaningful look. “We can escape Lunar Rainbow. And anyone who’s not with us is against us.”
A path to the Shriek Citadel Control Center has been discovered. Wait for the guard to show your pass.
Chapter 54
“Pft, yeah, sure,” Stinger disagre
ed, peering warily into the darkness. “Don’t rush to conclusions. I, like you, love to hope for the best, but prefer to be prepared for the worst. It’s useful for survival.”
“I wonder what that guard looks like,” Mashta restlessly fiddled with the sling belt, changing her mind about hiding it after the received system message. “And what’s this pass thing”
“When it appears, we’ll immediately get the answers to those questions.” Stinger sheathed his daggers, went a few steps further and sideways in the corridor so that he could keep an eye on both sides. Marana, also acting without instructions, followed, hooves clattering, and stood beside him. Together, they blocked off the corridor, forming a reliable barrier.
Without hesitation, Tinnie, too, decided to take part of the watch and hovered over their heads as a lamplight. No longer showing any fear, she spun around, not hiding how curious she was about such an unusual companion like Marana. Though, she still didn’t dare to land on her shoulder, which was very hot as the temperature of Marana’s body was incredibly high. The heat that emanated from her as if from a forge could be felt from two feet away, and one would think that lava was flowing through her veins. Who knows, maybe it was. Until now, she hadn’t received a single scratch, and not only because Stinger tried to tank all of the damage, but because her skin was incredibly tough, which was consistent with her endurance and HP.
Mashta squatted next to me, her eyes glittering anxiously. She glanced at me, then into the darkness beyond. Rawrk’s entire body was twitching from the frantic desire to rush headlong into a fight. Everybody was worried. Stinger pretended to be composed, but his hands gave him out — his fingers kept stroking the hilt of his dagger. Marana, though still and quiet, forgot to restrain her tail; wrapped around her legs, it seemed to be living a life of its own — the bone tip was constantly hitting her hooves. I had no choice but to pretend that I knew more than it seemed, and that everything was going well. The fish, as they say, rots from the head down, and if the leader freaks out in a dangerous situation, then the others, looking up at them, will quickly rebel. I was never eager to be a leader, but I had to get used to it.
Keymaster Page 38
