“I’m fine, but Tiny needs to be resummoned. He got me into the room safely,” she informed him as she and Rolland poked their heads into the room.
Alburet summoned Tiny to his side silently. “Tiny, welcome back and thank you for protecting Kim.”
“It was my job mast…” Tiny began, cutting off with his nostrils flaring. “You are injured?” Tiny’s voice was a growl as he looked for the cause of the blood still on Alburet’s chest.
“She is gone,” Stacia said to calm the Destroyer. “Asthore scared her off.”
Still growling, Tiny nodded. He looked to Alburet, “You are well?”
“I’m fine now,” Alburet told him, patting Tiny’s arm. “Let’s get going.”
People in the sitting room turned expectantly as Alburet entered. “Okay, who wants to have their brain played with next time?” Alburet asked as he looked over the room. A few chuckles greeted his question. “No takers? Odd, I thought having induced nightmares was something everyone wanted.”
“Kind of fucked that can even happen,” Greenbeard muttered. “How bad was it?”
Eyes going dark, Alburet grimaced, “It was the worst nightmare I hoped never to experience. It was unpleasant in the extreme. Then again, she is a raid boss.”
Gerald nodded, “She didn’t have a level, just a skull where one should be.”
“Then what the fuck was she doing here?” DrBone asked.
“Letting us know she’s going to be a raid boss later,” Alburet told him. “She talked about some ‘master’. If I’m right, then she’ll pop back up once the big raid shows up.”
“Great, so we can get our asses kicked again the next time we see her?” Ironhand laughed as he went out of the room.
They made their way back to the balcony overlooking the mist on the first floor. Gerald paused them there, “As soon as we hit the mists, the spirits will attack again. I want the healers to stay up here. We’re going to send ten people down there first and see if they get targeted. Do I have any volunteers?”
Ten people did volunteer, the Trapsmith Friendzone among them. He threw his traps into the mists first, so he wouldn’t have them ready if he got controlled. The other Trapsmiths who had volunteered did the same.
“Okay, once they’re possessed, everyone but the healers rush down there and hold them off,” Gerald said. He nodded to the people going in as bait, “When you’re ready.”
The ten people who had volunteered rushed down the stairs and into the mists. A few seconds later all ten of them turned to look at the healers, hissing as they made for the stairs.
“There we go. Push them back and keep them off the stairs,” Gerald called out.
His tactic worked out, none of the healers died. They didn’t lose a single raid member during that encounter. As the last Possessive Spirit was dealt with, Kim went over to check the door.
“Still untrapped,” She informed Alburet.
“You caused my beloved to flee,” Gwain’s voice echoed through the room. “I’m very displeased with you. Come, and learn your fate.”
Alburet chuckled, “Well, he invited us in. Let’s not keep him waiting too long. Kim, if you can check ahead of us.”
She led them into the grand hall beyond the door. She had them pause while she disabled traps along the hall, as well as those on the doors. Each of the rooms they passed were as unused as the others had been.
The rooms on this floor consisted of studies, meeting rooms, a large kitchen and dining room. Finally, that left them with just one set of massive double doors. Just as Kim finished disarming the traps on them a strangled scream went up from Brightlight.
Ten members of the raid had turned on her. Luckily, Violet’s Destroyer and Jaxton were next to her and were able to deflect some of the attacks. Marysue was the first to land a heal on Brightlight, getting her out of the worst danger as the rest of the raid rallied to protect her.
Another fight ensued with the Possessive Spirits. They had learned how to defeat them, though, and by now it was almost routine. After the Spirits were dealt with once more, the raid healed up and got ready to go through the doors.
Ioaniss stood by the doors, examining them, “Pretty sure this is the throne room. It is here that Gwain would have met any visitors and conducted most of the Keep’s business.”
Alburet looked to Gerald, “Gerald, you’re the lead tank. Lead us in to meet Gwain.”
A smile stretched across Gerald’s face, “Gladly. Alpha Company, this is it. Let’s claim this Keep.”
A cheer answered him as he turned, and with the other tanks shoved the massive doors open. They swung back with ease, slamming into the walls with a thunderous boom. The room they entered was dimly lit by several chandeliers that hung from the high vaulted ceiling.
There was just enough light to make out the giant chair at the far end of the room. On the chair sat a man in green plate armor. A shield leaned against the chair and a sword rested across the man’s knees. As the echoes from the doors died away, Gwain stood, shield and sword in hand.
“You have come to your doom,” Gwain told them. “Ophelia will return, and when she comes you will join us in death. May the Light, which has forsaken me, have mercy on your souls.”
Alburet focused on Gwain to get the status of the boss mob for the Keep.
Gwain the Green Knight (Level 90)
Fallen Paladin of Justice
3,000,000/3,000,000 Health
Gerald advanced a single pace into the room, flanked by the other three lead tanks. “We have come to put you to rest and claim this Keep, Gwain.”
“Maybe it is time,” Gwain replied. Raising his sword into a salute before him, Gwain waited, “Let us see if you have the strength to do so.”
Gerald smiled, “Alpha Company, the time is now.” He took a deep breath, “Charge!” Jaxton, Gerald, Chris, Tiny and the rest of the tanks led the way with a roar towards the solitary figure who waited for them.
“May Justice have mercy on me for what I do,” Gwain yelled back, slashing the air with his blade, which began to glow with a black aura.
The doors slammed shut and room plunged into darkness. Everyone came skidding to a stop as the light vanished, as they had no way to know where their opponent was now.
Gwain’s laughter rang out in the darkness, “Welcome to hell. Let us all be lost in the dark together.”
Chapter Thirty-seven
A single scream tore through the darkness a moment later. “He’s attacking me,” someone called out.
The room was briefly illuminated as the casters called forth their spells. Holding the spells, they were able to cast a dim illumination for a few feet. A white mist was flowing over the floor as they tried to take stock of the room. Gwain was not within any of the small spheres of light being created.
“Come, now. Put aside the light and join me in the darkness again,” Gwain chuckled, his voice echoing through the room.
“Come out and fight like a knight,” Gerald spat back. “Or are you a thief that you must hide in the shadows?”
“You dare call me a thief!” Gwain’s voice thundered. “You, who come to steal my Keep from me. You dare to call me the thief here?”
“Coward,” Jaxton called out. “Too afraid to stand and fight.”
“Puppies. I shall teach you what it meant to be a Knight of the Empire.” Gwain appeared briefly behind Chris, his sword slicing into the back of the unsuspecting tank. “It means holding against even certain death!”
The casters holding spells unleashed the spells on Gwain before he could vanish again. His health bar barely moved under the onslaught. As the spells were launched, the room was plunged into darkness again.
“Casters, get your spells back up,” Gerald called out. “We need some light so we can see.”
“It will do you no good,” Gwain taunted them as he cut into Chris again. “I’ll take this one first. Paladin of the Dark Lord,” the sneer was evident in his voice, “What can he do for you now, boy?”
Gritting his teeth against the new injury, Chris slammed his weapon against his shield. “By his grace I will triumph here today. Just because you failed your god doesn’t mean I will fail mine.”
“You dare! I was abandoned by Justice, abandoned to that witch, and you dare insult me!” Gwain’s words seethed with hate and anger, “What use are gods that care not for their people?”
“Justice, may you grant me a blessing,” Ioaniss intoned as he threw a stone upward. A dazzlingly bright light flashed into existence in the room, illuminating it clearly as it hung in the air. “He still cares. You should have prayed for salvation.”
Alburet blinked against the light, “What the hell, Ioaniss? You’re a Paladin? I thought you were a Trapsmith.”
“I am a Trapsmith. That is a minor blessing from Justice for work done in his name,” Ioaniss smiled. “It used to belong to the museum. I brought it with because I thought it might be useful.”
Once Gerald’s eyes adjusted to the sudden illumination, he found Gwain lurking in the small patch of darkness at the back of the room near the throne. “He hates the light. We have an advantage, let’s use it.”
The melee classes followed him as they rushed the Green Knight. Gwain snarled as he watched them come, “Damn you, Justice! I disavow your name. I serve a new master now!” He made a grabbing gesture at the light and it dimmed to a dull glow, bathing the room in shadowy illumination. “Now let’s continue.”
Gerald didn’t stop the charge leading them into melee with the Knight. “One of your tricks has been neutralized. We will defeat you.”
Gwain laughed as he slammed his shield into the ground. The shockwave from it threw those near him back ten feet, knocking them to the ground and stunning them. “One trick. One trick of so many, though. I’ll cut your motley crew down then Ophelia will raise you up again, to serve in his name.”
Gwain stalked forward as those caught by it waited for the stun to fade. All of the melee had been stunned, only the casters and healers who were standing further back weren’t affected. The casters launched spell after spell at Gwain, who appeared to ignore them utterly. He slammed his sword into Chris’s gut. “Where is your god now, Paladin?” Laughing, Gwain did it again. All of the healers were casting their spells on Chris, but even so his life dropped steadily as the damage outstripped their ability to heal him.
Chris snarled against the pain, triggering his one healing ability, fully restoring his health. That allowed the healers to keep him alive as the stun finally wore off. “None of us will fall to a man who turned his back on his god.”
Gwain stepped back from them as they rose to their feet. “I see. I had not expected to ever fight so many at once. I guess I’ll just have to use a few more ‘tricks’.” He slapped his sword to his shield, “Men, your Knight is under attack! Defend me!”
Pale shapes rose from the floor, ghostly white forms of men in plate armor. Gwain snapped his arm down, pointing at the force attacking him. The ghosts flew at the raid, each of them vanishing into one of the members of Alpha Company.
“Let’s try again,” Gwain laughed as he came forward. The Possessive Spirits turned their new bodies to attack the raid as well.
“Damn it,” Marysue called out. “Greenbeard, Goldleaf get your lasting heals up on each of the Possessed. I’ll heal them down, Deirdre you need to help me. The rest of you stay on the raid, keep them alive. If it looks bad, use your area heals.”
They split without hesitation to deal with their possessed guild mates, while keeping up as much damage as possible on Gwain. Even so, the damage they were inflicting was laughable. Those that hadn’t managed to get an upgraded weapon weren’t able to damage him at all. Alburet watched the damage scrolling by on his interface, and was discouraged. They were only doing about 10,000 damage per second to Gwain, which meant it would take them nearly an hour to bring him down. That, of course, was only if there weren’t any mechanics introduced that allowed Gwain to heal or to increase the damage he was able to inflict on the raid.
“This isn’t working,” Alburet hissed from near the healers as he lobbed his Fire Blasts at Gwain. He dismissed Kitten to bring up a Copy of Bob, as they needed every bit of extra damage they could get.
“It would be different if you all had your abilities,” Ioaniss mused. His hands twitched, his eyes darting to Alburet then back to Gwain. “I would hate to see this fail now. May I render assistance?”
Alburet growled slightly. He really wanted this to be a guild-only accomplishment, but he wasn’t sure they would be able to pull this fight off. “You’re an honorary Alpha Company member, at least until this fight is over.”
Ioaniss grinned, motioning at something invisible before him, “I accept.” A modified Alpha Company emblem appeared on his jacket as he pulled out a hand crossbow. “Let me show you all an interesting little something I invented.” He fired the first bolt. When it struck Gwain, a torrent of electrical energy exploded from the bolt. “My little beauty here can be loaded with a variety of ammunition.”
Alburet chuckled, “Welcome aboard, Jones.”
Tipping his hat, Ioaniss thumbed the cylinder for the crossbow over to the next bolt. “I’m glad to be here. History is being made.”
“Drink your mana and health potions as needed,” Alburet called out as he threw another Fire Blast. “Healers, we need those Spirits down as soon as you can.”
“We’re doing the best we can,” Marysue replied with a stern voice. “Hand out whatever potions you have left, so we know just what we have to play with.”
“Stacia,” Alburet called out, knowing she wouldn’t be able to do much in the limited melee space around Gwain.
Stacia slipped up beside him, taking the bag from him. She handed out the potions to the healers, then darted into the scrum around Gwain to distribute the remaining healing potions. After almost a minute she came back to him, the bag over her shoulder. “I have handed out everythin’ tha’ I could.”
“Thank you,” Alburet told her as the fight dragged into the third minute. Gwain’s health was only just visibly diminished when Alburet focused on his life bar.
“One down, keep it going,” Marysue called out as she downed a mana potion. “Hopefully once we down these Spirits they stay down for a while.”
“Stacia, stand by to do your best to guard the healers in case something changes,” Alburet told her.
“Aye, but I’ll also be protectin’ ya as well,” Stacia replied as she drew her blades.
A smile creased his lips as he kept up a steady stream of Fire Blasts. “Keep it going, guys. This is going to be a long ass fight.”
Eight minutes later the last of the Possessive Spirits had been dealt with. The healers had all needed at least one mana potion.
“Okay. Focus down Gwain. Healers, rotate out so you can regain your mana without potions. Everyone be ready in case he transitions after he loses a quarter of his life.” Alburet moved through the raid, using his buffs on as many people as he could. He thought, briefly, of taking the abilities that turned his buffs into group buffs. He shoved the thought aside for later, he would need to weigh it against empowering his minions.
A few minutes later, as his life dipped below 75%, Gwain snarled at them. “Peons, you are starting to irritate me. It is time to take this seriously.” He slammed his shield into the floor, knocking the melee back and stunning them again. He ran for his throne, dropping his sword and shield in favor of a two-handed sword pulled from the back of the ornate chair. “Let’s see if you can withstand the might the master has given me.”
He sprinted back at the melee, his sword raised high over his head, clearly intending to kill at least one of them. His rush slowed as a black tar-like substance coated the floor, sending tendrils around his feet and impeding his movement.
“Didn’t the Emperor ever tell you that it’s dangerous to run with knives?” Ioaniss grinned from his place off to the side of the hall. He raised the crossbow, launching another bolt at
Gwain.
Gwain screamed in pain as white light exploded from the bolt, doing almost 6,000 damage to him. “Insolent dog! I’ll teach you to harm a noble.”
Ioaniss laughed as he thumbed the cylinder to the next chamber. “You don’t have to teach me, I already know how. Besides, I’m only healing you.”
Gwain lashed out with his sword, and the sticky tendrils holding him withered away. “I’ll deal with you in good time,” he said to Ioaniss, leapt the twenty feet that separated him from the melee, who were just struggling to their feet as the stun wore off. “But first, this one who taunted me at the start.” His two-handed sword arced toward Gerald, who hadn’t gotten all the way to his feet yet.
Tiny lunged from his knees, shoving Gerald from the path of the blade. It cleaved into Tiny instead, stripping all but 10% of his life away. Tiny roared in pain, his eyes burning. A wave of red energy from the blade hung in the air, outlining the path the blade had taken.
Playing For Keeps (Alpha World Book 4) Page 34
