“Kill them first,” Gerald said. “We can’t have them going after you while we’re taking the boss.”
“What about the Spirits that are likely inside the bubble?” Fluff asked.
“That is going to suck,” Alburet sighed. “We’ll have to use potions as much as we can if one shows up, so Marysue can focus it down.”
“I’ll try to be quick about it,” Marysue said. “I have mana potions, so I should be able to keep going during the fight.”
“Tiny, TJ, you go in first,” Gerald said. “You’ve triggered the other Soul Traps, so you know what to do. Once you spring it, Al will break it like normal and get you back to us.”
“I will lead you all,” Tiny rumbled.
“I’ll go up once you have them engaged,” Bob said.
“Being grounded once was enough, was it?” Gerald asked.
“It hurt,” Bob frowned, “and I really enjoy being in the air.”
“Burn down the Shadow, kill the Claws, then go after the boss?” Alburet asked, making sure they were all on the same page.
“That’s the gist of it,” Gerald said. “Comments or concerns?”
“If we’re really wrong about what is going on, then what?” Fluffball asked.
“We’ll probably fail,” Gerald said. “It’s been awhile since we had a full wipe, and I’m thinking this might be the dungeon that’s slanted more towards Shamans.”
“Good point,” Alburet nodded. “We’ve seen several of them that are more favorable to certain classes.”
“Oh…” the word slipped from Karen, causing all eyes to turn to her. “I was just thinking... It’s a Spirit Calling, and the Shamans for the Lunine are Corruptors. It leads me to think that maybe we’re likely to see Spirits being pulled in and corrupted. Maybe we’re all wrong, and the objective is to stop the Spirits from being caught and changed.”
They let the idea soak in for a moment. “That is a damn good point,” Gerald finally said. “We won’t find out standing around out here though, so is everybody ready to go see what we’re facing?”
With a muted affirmation, the group started moving toward the black dome. Approaching, they could see a spinning cloud inside the bubble. “That doesn’t look good,” Gerald muttered. “Tiny, you’re up.”
“Right,” Tiny rumbled as he and TJ rushed at the dome.
The others followed behind them, half expecting the Destroyers to bounce off the dome. When they passed through the black surface without issue, the others were right behind them. The interior of the dome was a good fifty yards wide, with another ten-foot bubble in the center. Tiny and TJ were rushing towards it when both of them became encased in blackness reaching out from the middle bubble.
Alburet quickly dismissed Tiny, which also caused TJ to vanish. As the group followed Gerald, Alburet resummoned Tiny and Copied him as soon as he could. “Thanks, Tiny,” he managed as the distance between them and the center diminished.
Gerald pulled up short as a black Spirit rose from the ground before him. “Callous Spirit,” he called back to Marysue.
Marysue, following behind the others, had already targeted the mob for healing. Her first spell hit the mob, causing it to pull back from Gerald. “Go, I got this,” she called out to them.
Fluff was the first to reach the center thanks to Leap. Her claws dug across the bubble, and as they did, the health of the containment became visible.
Spirit Calling Containment Bubble
999,600/ 1,000,000 Health
“That’s a lot of health,” Alburet said, following Gerald past the Callous Spirit Marysue was destroying.
“That is ridiculous,” Gerald added as he finally got to the bubble. Grimacing as his blow hit the bubble, doing minimal damage, he noticed a form inside of it. “There’s a being inside of it as well.”
“Just fucking great,” Karen snarled. “I think the minions upped the health of this thing.”
“Damn it,” Alburet hissed. “As great as it is when we do normal hunting, I feel like I get shafted in dungeons.”
“Aye, it does seem to be tha’ way,” Stacia added, her and Kitten using their blades to help pile on damage.
“Master, dismiss TJ,” Tiny rumbled. “BJ would be more help.”
“I can do more damage and there aren’t mobs for him to tank,” Bob stated the obvious.
Alburet didn’t bother speaking as he dropped Tiny’s Copy and brought BJ into being, continuing to swing his flame covered weapon. Grimacing, he knew there had to be a tradeoff for how much his minions helped them normally, but it was getting a little tiring with how often the dungeons used them to figure out boss health.
“I can help,” Marysue said as she caught up to them. “I have enough mana potions.”
“Okay, but keep your eyes open,” Gerald said. “This seems a bit too straightforward, doesn’t it?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, the gods seemed to hear him and respond. Four Unwilling Spirits appeared at each cardinal direction on the edges of the circle, with black chains dragging the struggling ghosts toward the center.
“Marysue, can ya help them?” Stacia asked.
Focusing on the one closest to her, Marysue discovered she couldn’t target the Spirit and frowned. She could target the chains, though. Casting a heal, she watched as the chain lost a quarter of its health. “I can break the chains,” she told them, already beginning to cast her next heal.
“Stacia, go with her in case she needs to have a Spirit healed out of her,” Alburet commanded.
“Aye, we be escortin’ her,” Stacia said as she and Kitten went to stand by Marysue, guarding her as she continued casting her spells.
“This is going to be interesting, isn’t it?” Karen growled as her twin blades dug small furrows in the bubble, only to watch them heal over instantly.
When the fourth heal touched the chain, it shattered, and 10,000 health vanished from the bubble. “Marysue, this is yours; it loses a lot of health when you break the chains,” Gerald called out to her.
Marysue nodded, hurrying around the circle to the next Unwilling Spirit being dragged in. “I don’t think I’ll get all of them,” she told Stacia. “Be ready. If one gets to the center, I’m sure it will come back out as a Callous Spirit.”
“Aye, I will make meself its target,” Stacia said.
Marysue got the second Unwilling Spirit freed before rushing off to the third. Watching the distance to the center with a grimace, she did her best to heal it free. Just as the spirit was about to enter the bubble, the chain shattered and the third Unwilling Spirit fled like the other two had. Only the fourth one made it to the center.
“I missed one,” Marysue called out after taking a moment to catch her breath.
“We’re aware,” Alburet called out as Fluff and Tiny were grappling Karen. “Karen is taken, please hurry back.”
“Fuck,” Gerald cursed as he continued to attack the bubble. “If it gets two more, it’s going to do something.”
Alburet glanced at Gerald, then realized that he had a small flashing notification at the edge of his vision. “Oh come on, we’ll never make that deadline,” Alburet snapped.
1 of 3 Unwilling Spirits Collected.
The Spirit Caller is preparing to unleash a powerful spell.
Spirit Calling Containment Bubble
802,350/ 1,000,000 Health
“After a solid minute we’ve only taken a quarter of its health off, and a chunk of that was Marysue breaking the Spirits free,” Alburet growled.
Drinking a mana potion as she came around the bubble, Marysue dropped the vial and began healing the Callous Spirit out of Karen. On the second heal, the Spirit exited Karen’s body, and Marysue’s third healing spell hit it as it floated over the group. The fourth hit just as it tried to take over Fluff, but was repulsed by a flash of red.
Marysue looked around, but didn’t have any other targets. “We’re clear for the moment. Fluff, what was that red flash?”
“My abili
ty that limits mind control effects, Frenzied Mind,” Fluff growled, focusing on her task. “It reduces the duration of all mind control effects, and gives me a 25% chance to resist any attempt.”
A little over a minute later, a Callous Spirit came out of the ground behind Stacia. Marysue had been able to regenerate her mana pool during the lull and started to heal the Spirit as it went to merge with Stacia. “Al, dismiss Stacia,” Marysue called out.
Doing what Marysue asked without pausing to think about it, Alburet glanced over to see Marysue healing her target as the Spirit hung in the air where Stacia had been a moment before. He went back to attacking the bubble, resummoning Stacia at the same time.
Appearing back where she had been a moment before, Stacia watched as Marysue managed to get a third heal onto the Callous Spirit just before it entered her body. Stepping forward, Stacia calmly placed her hand on Marysue’s arm. Comforting Touch was enough to kill the Spirit and set Marysue free.
“Good timing,” Marysue thanked Stacia.
“Aye,” Stacia agreed, Kitten popping into existence next to her, “We be ready to help again.”
Another minute passed and the group was wondering if they were making enough headway. At that moment, four more Unwilling Spirits were dragged towards the dome by the black chains.
“Mary, you’re up,” Gerald called out.
Marysue went around the bubble again, healing the chains that were pulling the Unwilling Spirits in. The first two went down without issue, the third she was a little faster on, but she hadn’t gotten to the fourth when it was pulled into the bubble.
“One inside,” she called out immediately as she rushed back around to the others.
“Look out,” Stacia cried out from a few steps behind Marysue, but the warning was too late.
The Callous Spirit sank into Marysue, taking over the healer’s body. With an evil grin in place, she spun on Stacia. Kitten lunged forward, slapping at Marysue’s hand. The Comforting Touch surged into Marysue’s body, forcing the Callous Spirit out.
“We be unable to heal for a bit,” Stacia said as she grabbed Marysue and pulled her around to the others. “It be goin’ for Kitten.”
Alburet dismissed the Copy as he kept his flame covered maul swinging on the bubble. “Not any more, it’s not—get ready.”
Fluff’s eyes glazed over, a vicious smile forming on her mouth as she leapt down at Alburet. Tiny snagged her from the air, pulling her firmly into his arms, “No, Fluff.”
Marysue hit Fluff with two heals in rapid succession, forcing the Callous Spirit from her body. As the Spirit paused in the air, Marysue managed to hit it again, dropping her mana down to dangerously low levels. “Got it, I need to regen for a bit.”
“We’re going to cut it close,” Alburet said as he looked at the Bubble again.
2 of 3 Unwilling Spirits Collected.
The Spirit Caller is preparing to unleash a powerful spell.
Spirit Calling Containment Bubble
381,025/ 1,000,000 Health
“Ugh, why is it never easy?” Gerald groaned.
“Dungeons shouldn’t be,” Alburet grunted, attacking the bubble.
“Every dungeon has been different, at least,” Karen added.
“Should we use all our cooldowns?” Fluff asked from her reclaimed spot atop the bubble.
“Might be a good idea to use them before the next Callous Spirit shows up,” Gerald said.
Karen vanished for a split second, reappearing with both blades shoved into the bubble, having used Vanish to get another Backstab off with bonus damage. Fluff’s speed picked up as Alacrity took effect. She also triggered Piercing Strikes, but the bubble didn’t have any armor, so it didn’t help. Gerald didn’t have any damage cooldowns, nor did Tiny, Bob, or Alburet.
Marysue waited for the next round of Unwilling Spirits as her mana regenerated. “This seems to be taking longer than it should,” Marysue said as she looked around for the Callous Spirit she was expecting.
“I have to agree with Karen; I think it has extra life because of the minions,” Gerald grunted. “Then again, they are giving us more damage and Stacia has helped get a Spirit out of you, so it might be a fair tradeoff for us, this time.”
Once she’d regenerated all of her mana, Marysue threw a pair of heals at the bubble to do some damage to it. “Every little bit helps,” she said.
“Behind you,” Stacia said, pushing Marysue aside as the Callous Spirit lunged from the ground at the healer, saving Marysue as the Spirit took over Stacia instead.
“Al, dismiss Stac—” Marysue began, but cut off as Stacia vanished. “Thank you.” She quickly hit the Spirit with four heals as it went after Gerald, since he was the closest target. “It’s down,” Marysue told them as Stacia reappeared next to her, along with Kitten, “and thanks again, but I’m getting a little tired of being constantly shoved aside.”
“It be a hazard of us wantin’ to keep ya safe,” Stacia chuckled.
Marysue joined them damaging the bubble, using her staff so she could conserve her mana for the Unwilling Spirits. Stacia and Kitten stood beside her, using their twin blades to damage the barrier.
Marysue stepped back after a minute, just as another set of Unwilling Spirits appeared. “Ha, I was right—they are on a timer,” Marysue grinned, already in the middle of casting her heal at the first one. She was moving as she cast the second spell, wanting to try and get all four to stop.
“It’s going to be close,” Alburet muttered, watching the bubble’s health being whittled away. “She’ll get another 30,000 health taken off…” he trailed off as he was doing mental math. “Gerald, be ready to use your mitigation if we don’t make it in time. If you and Marysue can clear the spell, maybe you can win.”
“We’ll do our best,” Gerald grunted and tried to attack faster.
Marysue heard the conversation as she moved onto the second Unwilling Spirit. Marysue cast her heals on the Spirits as she tried to figure out how she might be able to do what Alburet was asking, and to survive whatever the spell was going to be if they failed to drop the bubble.
“Fuck, this is going to be close,” Karen hissed, her daggers flashing.
The second Unwilling Spirit was freed and the bubble lost another 10,000 health, dropping it even closer to nothing. Marysue was quickly onto the third target and working on getting positioned to get the fourth. “I might be able to pull it off,” she told them.
“Please do,” the group responded in various ways.
Silence took over as they did all they could to defeat the shield. The third Unwilling Spirit Marysue freed took another 10,000 health off. Everyone seemed to hold their breath as Marysue began to heal the final Spirit that was quickly closing on the bubble.
Alburet felt a surge of hope as the he watched the bubble’s health drop lower. “Almost there,” he panted.
Spirit Calling Containment Bubble
4,025/ 1,000,000 Health
“Come on, Mary,” Gerald pleaded softly.
The next few seconds seemed to tick by with glacial slowness as they continued the assault. The bubble’s health would break if Marysue managed to get the last Spirit free.
As she began the last cast, Marysue knew it was a lost cause. It took two seconds for her heal to work and the Spirit was a fraction from the bubble. Gritting her teeth, she stopped the spell and triggered her Bubble Ability, giving her complete immunity from damage for two seconds. Gerald triggered Unbreakable, reducing all incoming damage to him, as he knew it would be close and wasn’t sure if she would be able to get the Spirit freed.
A manic laugh rang out as the Unwilling Spirit hit the bubble. Two things happened in quick succession: the group was able to do enough damage to break the bubble, which vanished in a burst of blackness and showed all of them a hunched Lunine in robes holding a staff, standing in the middle of a glyph. A rush of dark energy lashed out from the figure, picking everyone up and throwing them away from it except for Gerald, who had triggered
Charge as soon as he saw the Lunine.
The laughter was silenced as Gerald Shield Bashed the Lunine when he appeared beside it, stunning it. Even then, he was thrown back five feet from the last bit of the spell that had pulsed out from the Apprentice Spirit Caller.
Righting himself, Gerald rushed right back in, focused only on attacking the mob before him. He knew he wouldn’t be able to kill the mob alone with its 10,000 health, but if Marysue was alive, then maybe he could.
He was surprised when Fluff landed beside him. Half of her life was gone, but she was still in the fight. Bob, flapping tiredly along with BJ, began their barrage of Fire Blasts. A manic smile growing, Gerald knew that they’d made it past whatever the spell had been. Karen, Tiny, Alburet, Stacia, and Kitten all got to the Apprentice before the stun wore off.
The Path to Peace Page 18
