“Monty Python knew humor,” Alburet chuckled. “David…” He clamped his jaw shut, a brief but intense moment of loss hitting him.
All three women surrounded him as they walked, each one touching him. Stacia was the one who spoke, “It be okay to feel the loss. It be a way to help close the wound.”
Giving her and the other two a tight smile, he nodded. “I know. It’s just going to cause small bumps like that for a while.”
“Something wrong?” Marysue asked them, her eyes intense though she tried to keep her voice casual.
Feeling the intense curiosity from her, the group fell back into their normal formation. “No, I just had a moment,” Alburet told her. “It’s nothing now.”
Narrowing her eyes, Marysue pursed her lips, “Okay.”
“NDA,” Karen said the three letters firmly, eyes pinned to Marysue.
Glancing at Karen, Marysue’s curiosity abated. “Sorry. I know things are going on that he can’t talk about, but I think he knows things that I want to know more about.”
“Aye,” Stacia said. “We nay be keepin’ anythin’ from ya we can share. Ya be interested in what Delta World is.”
Eyes fixing on Stacia like a cat watching a mouse, Marysue gave a slow nod, “Exactly.”
“We only know what the legends tell us,” Stacia said. “It be the world tha’ the dead of this one go to to live a new life, if they be selected by the gods.”
“I bet Alvin knows more,” Marysue grumbled.
“We can ask when our six months are up,” Gerald told her soothingly. “He’ll probably want another endorsement or something, and we can leverage that into answers.”
Looking at Gerald, Marysue nodded, her normal smile back in place. “Okay. I’ll leave it to you, then.”
Alburet let out a silent breath, glad he was no longer under Marysue’s scrutiny. He’d never realized how focused she could be. The moment passed, with the group continuing down the path, grey dust floating up into the air with each footfall.
It wasn’t long before BJ came flying back to them with two more Fire Fledglings chasing him. Gerald didn’t try to taunt this time, but waited for someone to ground one or both of them. Stacia and Kitten both began singing in unison, Stacia’s form shifting to Infernal as she sang.
As both mobs went over Gerald’s head, they went limp and hit the ground, skidding towards Fluff. Gerald used Charge to rush one as it shook its head, wrapping his hands around its neck and crushing it to his breastplate. Fluff snagged the other one, handing it off to Tiny so she could attack it more easily.
“I be sorry, now I be knowin’ when to start me song so they land at ya feet, Gerald,” Stacia told him, reverting back to her human guise.
Bob was cackling as he threw Fire Blasts into the midsection of the Fledgling Gerald held. “Darkness, this has to be the easiest way I’ve ever seen to kill these things.”
“It was not done this way when I was here before,” Tiny rumbled, holding the struggling beast as Karen and Fluff ripped it apart. “The Burning Flamers will be harder.”
Alburet chuckled as he slammed his maul into the mob that Gerald held. “I’ll take easier when we can get it.”
“It’s too easy,” Marysue said, healing the minimal damage the two beasts did before they died. “Poof, they’re gone.”
“Gerald will need you with the Flamers,” Tiny rumbled at her as he dusted off his large hands.
“I hope so,” Marysue said. “This is the exact opposite of the undead—I’m not doing a damn thing.”
“Ya can always go into melee with the one Gerald holds,” Stacia said. “Ya do nay get the chance to physically attack often, and this be safe enough.”
“Point taken,” Marysue said, hefting her staff. “Time to see what this thing can do, besides give me stats.”
They had killed ten more of the Fire Fledglings before BJ came flying back with no Fledgling on his tail. “Two Flamers following me,” he said as he took up position next to Bob.
Tiny grinned as he pulled his shield off his back and drew his blade. “Good. Gerald, step to the side. They start with fire, so watch their necks carefully.”
Gerald frowned, but had learned to respect the fierce Infernal, so did as he was asked. A moment later, two large, wingless lizards with bright red scales came around a corner. The Clydesdale-sized beasts both arched their necks high to look at the group before they lowered them, hissed, and charged at Tiny.
With a roar that wasn’t one of his Abilities, Tiny lowered his body and leaned into his shield. The first Flamer went left, its neck swelling as a stream of fire erupted from its mouth. Tiny’s shield blocked most of the flames, angling them away from Gerald, who flinched back from the heat. The second Burning Flamer surged right at Tiny, its neck bulging as it closed on him. The second stream of flame engulfed Tiny, who let out a mirthful laugh as his blade came slamming down into the snout of the second one, cutting off its flame.
Alburet started rushing forward to heal Tiny, only to see that the Destroyer had barely been touched by the flames. Slowing, he looked at his flaming maul and let the flame die. “I’m going to guess fire doesn’t really affect these things.”
“Not much,” Tiny said as he Bashed the one to his left and focused on the Flamer who had breathed on him. “You can stop its breath, if you stun it at the right time,” Tiny told Gerald. “Want to take it?”
“Might as well learn how to,” Gerald said, a smile on his lips as he came forward to take the mob Tiny was working on from him. “How long between breaths?”
“About half a minute,” Tiny replied, focusing his attention on the other one.
“Catpile the one Tiny’s on,” Karen said from her shimmer.
Fluff leapt into the air and landed beside the monster Karen had indicated, digging her claws into its hide. “Yes.”
As the other Flamer shook off the stun, Tiny angled it so the breath was pointed away from the others. Karen learned that the beast knew how to use its tail shortly after that. Staggering back, she winced as the tail slap left a burning welt on her arm.
“Fuck, their skin is heated?”
Fluff blinked and looked at her fingers, seeing small blisters forming next to her claws. “Ow.”
Marysue was able to cast heals on them while she worked to keep Gerald up. His life was slowly but steadily leeching away, even with her constant heals. “Why?” Marysue called out, “Why is he still losing so much life?”
“My armor is heated,” Gerald told her as he stunned the Flamer just as its neck started to swell. “Every time it hits me, or I hit it, I can feel my armor heating. It’s like a really dry sauna inside this plate right now.”
“I be thinkin’ an Elementalist focused on cold magic mayhap be able to combat tha’,” Stacia said thoughtfully as she stood back by Marysue.
“Yes,” Tiny rumbled. “They get bonus damage against these beasts and also counter the Flamers easily.”
“It seems like every class has a zone or two where they can really shine,” Alburet said, slamming his maul into the one on Gerald, since the other creature was about dead. A small wave of warm air washed over Alburet and he pursed his lips. He wondered why he wasn’t taking damage, until he recalled his 50% resistance to fire damage. “Nice, my race change is useful here.”
“The fire resistance?” Karen asked.
“Yeah,” Alburet said as he damaged the Flamer again. “But why is Fluff blistering so easily, or your arm?”
“They be touchin’ it with skin,” Stacia said, stepping behind Fluff and using Comforting Touch to heal the Lunari. “There ya go, Fluff,” Stacia purred as her hand gently rested for a second on Fluff’s back. “Now for ya,” her other hand reached out and a chunk of the Flamer’s health vanished as she Essence Drained it. Walking away, she showed Alburet her undamaged hand. “Pure Infernals take no damage from these beasts.”
“Well, fuck,” Alburet laughed as the first Burning Flamer died. “I’m not a pure blood.”
“Yet,” Stacia grinned at him. “We will complete tha’ armor for ya yet.”
The second Burning Flamer died shortly after the first. After a pause for everyone to recover, the group moved on, looking for the next fight. Laughter and banter floated up from the rocky wasteland that was the Lava Pits for the first time in many months, and a large toothy maw opened with a vicious smile as it heard the sounds.
Chapter Fifteen
Having figured out the easiest way to deal with the first two quests, the group had no trouble finding and killing the creatures needed to complete them. While they were searching for the eggs, they finally found their first lava pit and discovered what the zone was named for. A fifty-foot crater full of molten rock gently bubbled before them as they rounded a boulder. On the far side of the crater, a bipedal lizardman was crouched over a three foot egg, closely examining it.
Gerald stopped. “I think we found one of the Tenders.”
His words carried on the still air, and the head of the Tender rose to stare at him. “Human filth, here?” Its eyes went past Gerald, to Marysue, Fluff, Alburet, Stacia, and Karen, before finding Bob floating above them and Tiny, who was bringing up the rear. “Adventurers have returned. I will not let you hurt my charge.” It raised a hand and the lava boiled. A being composed of magma formed in the middle of the pool. “Kill them,” the Tender ordered.
Tiny rushed forward to stand beside Gerald. “This is mine. You can have the Tender.”
Looking at the Lava Elemental, Gerald nodded. “I’d rather not find out how hot that is, so that works for me.” He yelled back to the others, “Circle around.”
A blast of fire zipped across the lava pool and slammed into Gerald’s shield. “I’ll not let you come so easily,” the Tender said, beginning to cast another Fire Bolt.
Hissing in pain as his shield heated from the first strike, Gerald started running around the pool. “Hurry, I can’t handle many of those.”
“Bob, BJ, buy us some time,” Alburet said as everyone began running after Gerald.
“You got it,” Bob said as he and his Copy flew right at the Tender. He saw them coming and aimed his next blast of fire at Bob.
“I know which of you is the real one,” the Tender hissed as his flame splashed across Bob and elicited a cry of pain from the Imp, who veered left.
“Fuck, he can burn through fire resistance,” Bob yelled out as BJ continued on and threw a Fire Blast at the Tender, who just laughed at the flames splashing across him.
“Like you, I’m resistant to fire, but I’ve learned how to make mine hotter than normal,” the Tender laughed again.
While the fight between Tender and Bob continued, the others circled the pool of lava. Tiny roared a challenge at the Lava Elemental, which surged across the molten rock towards him. Tiny screamed in pain as he kept the monster focused on him, giving the others time to reach the Tender.
As the group came around the edge of the pool, Fluff sprang into the air, her fur flushed red and claws extended. “Not my friends,” she yelled, her claws digging into the scaled hide of the Tender.
With a pained yell of his own, the Tender slammed his foot into the ground and Fluff was thrown back. Unfortunately, her back was to the lava pit. Fluff’s arms pinwheeled, a look of shock crossing her face as she realized where she was heading.
“Fluff,” Karen cried out in horror.
Bob and BJ swooped down, the pair of Imps snagging her from the air and beating their wings heavily, trying to keep her out of the lava. “No, master wouldn’t like you to suffer like that,” Bob panted as he and BJ started angling her toward the ground.
“Die,” the Tender hissed as he drew back his arm to lob another Fire Bolt at BJ, which would cause the Copy to drop Fluff into the lava.
His plan died unfulfilled as Gerald finally got a clear line of sight and Charged, following up immediately with a Shield Bash to stun it. “Not on my watch,” Gerald growled as his sword cut a gash in the Tender’s side.
Karen was there next, her blades digging into the spine of the beast. “That is my woman, you piece of shit.”
Alburet slammed into the Tender next. He hadn’t bothered coating his maul in flame as he ran, and his hit came just before the Tender shook off the stun. Bob dropped Fluff onto the ground beside Marysue, before both he and BJ flopped to the ground. “Made it,” the Imp gasped, spent from carrying the extra weight. “Get him.”
Fluff blurred as she triggered her seldom used Wild Charge. Appearing behind the target next to Karen, her claws dug furrows into the Tender’s scales. A scream of primal rage came from Fluff as she triggered Ability after Ability to inflict the most damage that she could.
“Master,” Tiny called out, his life depleting fast under the onslaught of the Lava Elemental, “dismiss me.”
Acting on his minion’s words without pausing to think, Alburet did. The Elemental, now without a target, spun toward the group and began flowing in their direction. Summoning Tiny back to his side, Alburet immediately put Demonic Vitality on the Destroyer as Stacia and Kitten both used Comforting Touch to replace most of Tiny’s missing life at the cost of their own. The twin Succubi darted around the others, each laying a hand on the quickly faltering Tender and Essence Draining it to regain some of their own life.
“No!” the Tender cried out as he sank to a knee. “My charge must be protected at all costs.” The scales of the Tender began glowing bright red and everyone cringed back as the heat began to build quickly.
“Run,” Tiny said as he grabbed Alburet, lifting him off his feet and sprinting away from the Tender.
Gerald darted to Marysue and got her moving, putting himself between her and the mob. Fluff grabbed Karen, scooping her up in a princess carry, before leaping away from the glowing dragonkin. Alburet mentally dismissed Stacia and Bob, which also dismissed their Copies, as Tiny carried him away. A loud boom followed by a powerful concussion caught all of them as they fled, throwing everyone to the ground. Gerald hissed in pain as the wave of fire caught him, the others having just barely cleared the fiery shockwave.
Picking themselves up, they found a small crater where the Tender had been, slowly filling with lava. The egg it had been caring for was slowly sinking, and the Elemental was nowhere to be seen. Marysue quickly turned to Gerald and began to heal him; his armor was cherry red and he was taking damage every second. Alburet summoned Stacia and hugged her to him before resummoning Bob. Fluff and Karen held each other as they looked at the crater.
“Wow, he really threw a banging party,” Karen said as Gerald finally got to his feet, the heat fading from his armor.
Wincing, Alburet groaned, “That was horrible.”
“We need four more of those,” Marysue said softly. “I don’t think we’ve had a quest this challenging for a while now.”
“There has to be an easier way to deal with them,” Gerald said. “Bob, why didn’t you see him before we did?”
“He wasn’t there,” Bob said. “He just appeared when you rounded the corner.”
“Spread out and look around,” Alburet said. “There’s probably a clue of some kind.”
Fluff found small sigils inscribed in a circle around the pool a few minutes later. “He didn’t react until Gerald spoke,” Fluff said once they started to speculate about what the sigils did. “They probably just hide the pool from prying eyes and don’t actually warn the Egg Tender.”
“It’s not like I can hide if I go flying around to find them. They are going to know,” Bob pointed out quickly.
“I can scout ahead,” Karen said. “Using stealth, I should be able to find them and then let you know via message. We can get the drop on the Tenders that way.”
“They will try to throw the first attacker into the lava,” Tiny said. “It would be best if you let me lead the charge.”
“I can dismiss you and summon you back,” Alburet said, nodding.
Gerald clapped Tiny on the shoulder. “If you can stop it from doing that to us, w
e’ll be able to take it down quickly. They don’t have a lot of health.”
“They rely on the Elemental and their spells to keep us back,” Marysue said.
“Iffin Tiny does get burnt, I’ll heal him and then top meself back up,” Stacia added.
“Okay, we have a plan,” Alburet said, looking to Karen. “We’ll give you a few minutes lead. Mark which way you go if you deviate from a straight path.”
“Of course,” Karen grinned.
Fluff gave Karen a quick kiss. “Be safe, no attacking before us.”
“Says the one who goes leaping into combat before me all the time,” Karen grinned. “I don’t want to take a swim in the lava, though, so I’ll wait for you all.”
The Path to Peace (Alpha World Book 6) Page 11
