Dungeon Dive

by Rohan M Vider

  Each minotaur was encased in thick armour and bristled with weapons. Without pause, the creatures charged. The ground trembled as they converged from either end on the party members stranded on the near side of the moat.

  “Elias, webbed shot on those minotaurs bearing down from the left,” he ordered, his voice cool and unruffled.

  “I’m on it,” replied Elias.

  “Satia, see to the minotaurs on the right. I will handle the squad on the left,” said Aveyad.

  “Of course, Champion,” responded Satia. She flowed to the right flank, placing herself between the advancing behemoths and the defenceless rangers. Then she began to draw in her essence.

  Aveyad scanned the field and made certain there were no more surprises, before he started his own casting.

  ✽✽✽

  On the other side of the moat, Talia saw the minotaurs and her face drained of colour. She extricated herself from the melee. She could not fly to Aveyad’s aid in time to stop the charge. He would have to fend it off on his own—somehow.

  But she would get there in time to see that none of the minotaurs survived thereafter. “Barlax, keep the demon captain busy. I’m going back to help. Do not let the demon interfere!”

  She sprinted back to the moat.

  ✽✽✽

  Elias’s webbed shot splashed into the minotaurs on the party’s left flank, temporarily halting their charge and buying Aveyad the time he needed to complete his own casting.

  The web strands of Elias’ webbed shot expired and the minotaurs resumed their charge. The creatures were still a few steps away when Aveyad’s spell burst to life.

  Flickering waves of energy wreathed the ground between Aveyad and the minotaurs. Betrayed by their own momentum, the behemoths were helpless to stop their charge and, in blinding bursts of static, fell into the shock wall.

  Aveyad has cast shock wall (length: 21m, chance to resist: 9%, duration: 42 seconds, damage: 21 HP per second), 8 minotaurs stunned.

  As the minotaurs tumbled within the shock wall, its surging currents flung them aloft. The field’s currents easily paralysed even the massive behemoths. The creatures’ armour did nothing to protect them and instead magnified the effect of the shock wall.

  But two of the minotaurs escaped the field. Lowering their heads and exposing gleaming horns, they bellowed their fury, and rushed towards Aveyad.

  ✽✽✽

  On the right, the sylph ignored the approaching minotaurs. Weaving multiple strands of gold and blue essence, Satia called forth the frigid depths of winter and the burning light of the divine.

  Satia has dual cast.

  Satia has cast ice storm (radius: 48m, duration: 1 minute, debuffs: ice winds, ice shards, ice bolts).

  The temperature plummeted, and out of nothingness a howling blizzard appeared, pelting the minotaurs with ice shards and ice bolts. The ground beneath turned into icy sludge and caused the creatures to slip. Gale force ice winds were born and slowed the minotaurs’ charge.

  Ice sludge (ice storm) has knocked down 7 minotaurs.

  Ice winds (ice storm) have slowed 10 minotaurs (-50% movement speed).

  Ice shards (ice storm) have hit 10 minotaurs for a total of 600 damage (water).

  Ice bolts (ice storm) have frozen 5 minotaurs.

  But the minotaurs refused to concede and pulled themselves onwards despite the ice storm’s effects. However, Satia was not done yet. The ice storm was only one-half of the sylph’s casting. Between the aspect’s hands, her second spell took shape as a strand of divine essence materialised.

  The strand grew in length and darted about as if alive. And then it was joined by a second. And a third. More and more strands appeared, until a roiling ball of divine energy formed before the sylph. Satisfied with her creation, Satia directed the ball towards the closest minotaur.

  Satia has cast divine orb (duration: 1 minute, 90% chance to bounce on hit).

  The orb spun through the air, unaffected by the surrounding blizzard as it sailed towards its target. Spying its approach, the minotaur’s eyes widened. He scrambled to escape, but the blizzard had him firmly in its grip.

  The ball of divinity splashed into the creature. The demon-in-disguise bellowed a tortured howl that caused its fellows to turn and stare with stark fear.

  A divine orb has hit a minotaur for 400 damage (divine). Minotaur killed.

  The demon’s shrieks were cut abruptly short as he was consumed by the burning sphere. Then, the ball of divinity rolled onwards to its next target.

  A divine orb has successfully bounced (80% chance to bounce on next hit).

  ✽✽✽

  Aveyad flew backwards as he was bowled over by two minotaurs. Protected by his divine shield he was unharmed. He sprung back to his feet. Behind him, Elias and Lera scrambled out of the way, and made to assist him.

  “No!” shouted Aveyad. “Leave them to me. Fall back to Satia and continue your attacks on the dryads. We have to kill them off while the demon captain is still distracted.”

  Not arguing, Lera and Elias retreated towards the sylph’s position, and resumed their barrage against the dryads. Aveyad returned his attention to the minotaurs just as they knocked him down again. He unhooked his wands.

  He had to cut down the minotaurs before they thought to jump beyond him and attack the rangers. Yet he hesitated. Every shock bolt and starburst he wasted on them would be essence he didn’t have for use later, against the demon knight.

  After the fight in the Pit Chamber, Aveyad was wary of spending his essence too freely. None of the party was in immediate danger. He could play for time, he judged. Out of the corner of his eye he observed Satia double casting divine orb and ice storm. Good. She would be free to help soon.

  He regained his feet, holding his wands loosely, while he warily watched the minotaurs. They did not charge him again, having by now realised that his shield protected him. Instead, they hacked at him.

  Reading the damage messages, and shooting glances at Satia, he ran rapid calculations through his mind. He feared he had miscalculated, and that the minotaurs would get through his shield before the sylph finished her casting. What to do?

  Just then, both minotaurs were flung to the floor, and Aveyad found himself staring into Talia’s blazing eyes. They locked gazes. In that instant, something passed between them. It was something Aveyad did not quite understand. But no longer would he look upon Talia as an adversary.

  The moment passed, and Talia whirled to the fallen minotaurs. She stomped down on the first, still dazed and stretched out on his back. With a double-handed grip she drove her burning blade through the eye-slit of the behemoth’s helm.

  Talia has killed a minotaur with a vital strike.

  She leapt to the second, sword raised in an overhead strike, but was battered aside by the minotaur, who had regained his feet. Snorting fury, the demon charged at her. Talia dodged, and in one fluid movement, sidestepped and flanked the angry bull. Aveyad backpedalled and circled around the behemoth’s other side to complete the flanking manoeuvre. While Talia moved in to attack with Judgement, Aveyad sent a measured burst of shock bolts into the minotaur. Just enough to distract him, while Talia did the real damage.

  But even as he did so, Aveyad could not help but wonder… with Talia alongside him, what was happening on the other side of the moat?

  ✽✽✽

  Sufalyx moved onto the offensive. With all his cards in play, he could no longer afford to be pinned down, not while the champions wreaked havoc amongst his minions. For the first time in the battle, he brought his magic to bear. His opening move was to get rid of the pesky divine mote that hovered over his foe. He banished it, sending inky ribbons of black essence to rip apart the tether that held it to the physical plane.

  Sufalyx has cast banish lesser spirit. Velia has been banished (duration: 1 hour).

  He smiled in satisfaction, and then advanced on Barlax. The demon knight deftly fended off the centaur’s next hammer blow, and countered wit
h two raging chaos orbs. The twin spheres of chaos arced outwards from his centre and into the shocked centaur.

  Sufalyx’s chaos orbs have hit Barlax for 110 damage (chaos). Remaining: 650 / 800 HP.

  Barlax has been staggered. Barlax has been dazed.

  The chaos orbs, born of demonic magic, raged through the centaur, who stumbled backwards as he fought to throw off their debilitating effects. Even dazed, the demigod still had fight left in him. Wavering only slightly, the aspect resumed his stance and brought up his weapon in guard again. Sufalyx moved to flank him and strike from the right. Then froze.

  His head whipped around and he gazed across the moat to the second aspect. With seething rage, he watched as the sylph summoned twin furies of storm and divine. He recognised the casting. How could he not, after eons of war against her? It was her signature spell-combination. The second aspect was the godling, Satia. Eld’s right hand and the demons’ nemesis. An especial hatred was reserved for her among demonkind. What is she doing here?

  Satia was renowned for her many triumphs in the eons-old Chaos War. She had been single-handedly responsible for the capture and imprisonment of no few of the archdemons, Juldviza amongst them. Sufalyx realised she was the true threat on the battlefield. He spat in disgust. He itched to fly to her and destroy the wretched shell she had taken, instead of battling this ox of a divine.

  He watched as the sylph destroyed his minions and bit off a frustrated growl. He didn’t know how much longer Satia could remain on this plane, but if she stayed long enough, she would destroy all his minions. He could not let that happen. Time was no longer on his side.

  He returned his gaze to Barlax. He had to end this quickly. He cast hellfire, and pushed chaos essence into his blade, coating its surface in an inky black tar that bubbled and popped.

  Sufalyx has cast hellfire (buff: chaos curse, duration: until deactivated).

  Stygian poleaxe is imbued with chaos curse (+10 damage per second).

  In the same motion, he brought down his poleaxe in a blistering arc, and cut a deep gouge through the divine’s flank. Then, on the reverse arc, he carved another. Not relenting, he advanced again, and struck the centaur twice more.

  Sufalyx’s 4 strikes have hit Barlax for 300 damage (chaos). Remaining: 350 / 800 HP.

  Barlax is chaos cursed (-10 HP per second).

  The centaur howled a tortured scream at the repeated bites of chaos. Sufalyx, his poleaxe windmilling above him, stepped forward to deal the fatal blow. But the centaur lord rallied as his divine’s fury triggered.

  Barlax’s health has fallen to below 50% triggering divine’s fury (duration: 1 minute, buff: berserker’s frenzy, revitalised, hunt blessed).

  Barlax is frenzied (immune to mental attacks), no longer staggered and no longer dazed.

  Barlax is revitalised (+30 HP per second).

  Barlax is hunt blessed (+50% movement speed).

  Barlax shook of his daze, and circled to the left to protect his damaged side. He caught the descending poleaxe on his hammer and swept it aside. With a slightly maddened roar, the divine charged forward and attacked with wild abandon.

  This time, Sufalyx was not content to merely defend, and matched the centaur blow for blow…

  ✽✽✽

  Aveyad lowered his wands and looked up to take stock of the battle. To his right, Talia danced light-footed amongst the few minotaurs that remained after the shock wall expired.

  On the left, the sylph flowed through the still-raging blizzard, and with water’s hungry kiss, drowned the minotaurs that had managed to survive. Aveyad shuddered. Even though the sylph was a divine, and one of Eld’s most feared warlords, she sometimes scared him more than the demon across the moat did.

  Cold and remorseless, she dealt death with breath-taking efficiency. And this was one of her weakest shells on the physical plane. What would a more powerful incarnation of her be like?

  “Champion,” the sylph’s cold voice pulled Aveyad from his thoughts. “The minotaurs are dead.” She paused. “My time on this plane is almost done. Should I assist your companion? Or do I help Barlax against the demon?” For the first time, emotion coloured her voice. “I recognise him. He is a dangerous. Best you destroy him quickly.” Now there was no mistaking the eagerness in her voice. “Should I attack, Champion?”

  Aveyad gulped, disturbed by the thus-far-emotionless sylph’s sudden enthusiasm for her work. He glanced at Talia again. She appeared to be faring well enough on her own. He turned to—

  Velia has been banished (duration: 1 hour).

  Aveyad fell to his knees as the cords that anchored Velia on physical plane were cut, and the little divine mote recoiled back into the shelter of his divine spark. He took deep calming breaths to still his suddenly racing heart and looked inward to confirm that Velia was alright.

  “Has the little spirit been harmed?” asked Satia, who had sensed the divine’s mote banishment.

  Aveyad stood again, his knees still weak. “She is uninjured but shaken.” He grimaced. It had been foolish of him to leave Velia unprotected near the demon knight. Thankfully, she had suffered no lasting harm.

  He shifted his gaze to the chamber’s centre where Barlax and Sufalyx raged against each other. The centaur lord was in trouble. His torso was riddled with chaos-infected wounds and he struggled to hold the demon at bay. Satia was right. Sufalyx was dangerous and far too wily. It was time they took the battle to him.

  He nodded to the sylph. “Go,” he said. “Do what you can.” With a curt nod, the sylph launched herself in the air. Her body transformed into an arc of water that easily spanned the moat.

  Aveyad turned his attention to the planar summons and the rangers. They had nearly destroyed all of the dryads. Only three of the sorceresses remained. He turned his gaze inwards and studied Lera’s and Elias’ status in the battlegroup. As ordered, the rangers had conserved their strength, and their essence pools were more than half full. Good.

  “Elias and Lera, leave the remaining dryads to the planar summons,” Aveyad commanded. “Turn your attacks on the floor captain. Disable him. Stagger your fire to maximise the effect. Leave it to the aspects to deal the damage.”

  The rangers nodded and set to it. Trusting them to fulfill their orders, Aveyad directed his attention to his planar summons. He turned his gaze inward and queried the Game to check how much longer they could remain on the physical plane.

  Planar summons time remaining: 1 minute.

  Aspect time remaining: 1 minute.

  The summons’ time neared its end. And even though nearly all the floor captain’s minions had been swept clear from the field, the most dangerous part of the battle was still to come. When the aspects left, the party would be left to face the demon captain—alone.

  It was time to put their plan for dealing with Sufalyx into effect. He glanced at Talia. She was nearly done, and would be ready to play her part soon. To the rear of the chamber, he saw the last of the dryads fall. It was time to see to his own role.

  He sent a message to Talia across the battlegroup and informed her of what he was going to do. Then, he began his casting.

  Chapter 17

  When not called to physical form, demons reside in the Abyss and divines in Godshome. Demons in particular are said to hunger for the physical plane and release from the Abyss which is reputedly filled with untold horrors. They have been known to seduce mortals with the gift of chaos magic, providing it to would-be anarchists in exchange for an anchor on Myelad’s physical plane. —Johlya Seerixa, naturalist.

  Sufalyx was frustrated. The centaur lord had not fallen yet. The demon captain had cut the divine more than a dozen times, leaving wounds that dripped with the black tar of chaos. But amazingly the centaur still stood. His restorative powers were incredible. Sufalyx let out a strangled growl. Why will this wretched divine not die?

  He rushed forward to unleash another offensive when he heard a tell-tale splash of water behind him. Without hesitation, he abandoned his atta
ck and dove to the left. A hail of starburst sailed over him. He rolled to his feet and found himself facing two foes. The sylph had joined the fray.

  He stepped back and looked around. His trap had failed spectacularly. The roving bands and dryads had been defeated. He was on his own. He snarled in silent fury. It was a setback, but not an insurmountable one. He only had to outlast the aspects, he reminded himself. He reined in his fury, and stepped back, poleaxe held warily on guard before him.

  The sylph watched him with a predatory gaze. Lazily she lifted her hands and threw a slew of starbursts at him. Sufalyx was ready for her. With a double-handed grip he thrust his poleaxe forward. Chaos essence poured out of the weapon and formed a stygian shield. The shimmering curtain of black energy stood firm against the divine storm.

  Sufalyx has cast stygian shield.

  Satia’s 12 starburst have hit Sufalyx for 0 damage (1315 blocked by stygian shield).

  The centaur stepped right, while the sylph, still sending streams of starbursts towards him, circled left. To counter their flanking attempt, Sufalyx retreated. Keeping the stygian shield firmly pointed in Satia’s direction, Sufalyx stepped cautiously backwards. But he only managed two steps before he stumbled, tripped up by an entangling weave that fell from the sky.

  Elias’ ensnaring arrow has hit Sufalyx. Partially resisted (duration of effect reduced), Sufalyx ensnared (1 second).

  The weave was weak and did not manage to hold him for more than a second. But the unexpectedness of the attack caused him to lose concentration for a crucial moment. His shield blinked out, and Satia’s starbursts tore into him.

  Sufalyx’s channelling has been interrupted.

  Sufalyx’s stygian shield has failed.

  Satia’s 3 starburst have hit Sufalyx for 120 damage (divine). Remaining: 1080 / 1200 HP.

  He flew back at the impact and landed on his back. Satia’s barrage followed him. He rolled away, trying to escape. From the corner of his eyes, he saw the centaur charge in. He dragged himself to his feet in time to fend off the centaur’s charge, even as Satia’s divine fire continued to bite into him. He tried to bring up his shield again but was interrupted by another entangling weave.