Arcane kingdom online co.., p.15
Arcane Kingdom Online: Complete Box Set, page 15
There was such a commotion of activity, it was hard to keep track of it all.
With one Golpe squad whittled away, Shade and Serena turned around to assist Edward. I didn’t have much MP left so I idled on the tree branch, taking in the battle. If they needed me, I’d jump down and fight with the sword. But, right now strategically, it was better for me to see the whole swamp.
Edward pulled out his shining blade from the Golpe’s head, pulling out a burst of blood and flesh with it. He kicked the corpse back into the swamp and wiped the blood off his face.
A list of experience prompts stacked in my HUD.
+123 EXP!
+123 EXP!
+123 EXP!
+123 EXP!
+123 EXP!
+123 EXP!
“Alright—”
A large shadow emerged from the swamp. Ascending from the water was a blue skinned Golpe, riding on top of a massive swamp croc.
Croc Rider
Level 15
HP: 730
MP: 20
“Oh shit,” I said. “Guys get back!”
The croc rider galloped across the swamp and leapt onto the docks. Its tail whipped through the air and knocked the party onto their backs, dishing out a whole bunch of damage to all of them.
Edward jumped to his feet and cast Royal Honour on the rest of the party. He lunged his sword forward, stabbing the croc right in its large pink mouth. It snapped shut, mauling at Edward’s hands, dealing leaps of damage. Serena swung her sword into the other side of the creature’s mouth, forcing him to open it and wail in pain. Edward pulled his sword out and went for another jab. He quickly stabbed it inside the mouth. He yanked his blade out of the creature’s tongue, slipping his arm out from the shadows of the creature’s jaw.
Thankfully my HP and MP had replenished during the tiny moment of respite between battles, so I powered up an energy ball and whipped it at the rider. The croc tail swung out and blocked the attack, defending the rider.
Interesting. The rider didn’t want to get hit. If we took him out, the beast would lose its power.
I unsheathed my sword and power jumped off the tree branch until I hovered over the croc rider. I let myself crash down, sword first. My blade ripped through the Golpe’s head, crushing its skull.
Critical Hit!
I crashed onto the croc’s scaled back and tried to balance. I pulled my sword out of the Golpe rider, who despite my insane attack, was still conscious and alive. He spun around and came at me with a dagger. I infused my sword with mana, giving it a silvery glow and swung it at the Golpe rider. The magic-infused blade caused the rider to panic and instead of blocking he cowered as the incoming blow sliced his body in half, his intestines spilling onto the scales of the croc.
“Happy you killed the rider,” yelled Edward, “But do you mind helping us slay the beast?”
I hurried up along the croc’s back to where the rider had been sitting. How had the Golpe kept the beast under its control? I reached out to the loose scales on its back and lifted them up, seeing snot-colored croc skin underneath. As I pulled the scale, the croc screamed in pain, whipping its head erratically.
I scrambled back to my feet, keeping my balance as the croc writhed in all directions. I let my mana course through my arms and into my blade. I lifted the scale and let my silvery sword slip through into the croc’s skin. It flipped back and forth and went crazy as a long list of critical hits stacked in my HUD.
The croc rolled into the water, submerging us both into the swamp. Dirty yellow water surrounded me as the creature thrashed about in the water. I twisted my sword in the creature’s weak spot, letting the critical hits stack and stack until finally I got a message for 132 experience points.
The croc’s sinking body pulled me with it. I swam out from underneath only to confront a whole group of swamp monsters creeping towards me. Oh no, oh no, oh no. I hated any underwater creatures: sharks, piranhas, crocodiles. I needed to get out.
I swam upwards. Hitting the surface, I gasped for air. Both Edward and Serena held their hands out for me to grab. Something clung onto my foot. “C’mon!” I yelled, reaching out for my companion’s arms. They yanked me out, saving my legs from being croc dinner.
I collapsed on the dock, heaving with exhaustion. Holy shit. Too scary. Note to self: never power jump onto a croc rider again.
“Good to see you back on the docks,” smiled Edward, patting me on the back. “Now you can actually help us out.”
The whole group laughed. It was the nervous delirious laugh of people who’ve stared death way too closely in the eyes.
“Time to get moving,” said Serena. “The Golpe weren’t attacking us for intruding on their swamp. They think we’re murderers.”
“Yeah this place is starting to give me the creeps,” said Shade, as he bent over and added the Golpe’s shields and spears to his inventory.
“Uh guys,” I said, pointing out to the swamp. A whole crowd of yellow eyeballs floated across the swamp towards us. At least thirty pairs getting closer and closer.
“We need to run,” said Edward.
“Your words, not mine,” said Shade, galloping across the docks back the way we came.
My heart pounded as I hurried across the rickety dock. Water splashed as the Golpe leapt out of the swamp and onto the platform. Their webbed feet smacked against the wooden boardwalk. We arrived at the fork in the road and took the other passage.
The war cries of the Golpe echoed behind us. Arrows ripped through the air. I strafed diagonally back and forth as I hurried down the dock. I ran and ran. The mist around me grew thicker and thicker until I ran smack into Shade.
“Um, Shade—I thought we were running for our lives.”
“Don’t worry,” the Lirana said quietly. “They’re not going to come here.”
Lying in front of us were dozens upon dozens of Golpe corpses, torn apart and left to rot.
25
The stench of dead bodies thickened the air. This was the work of the mutant Skren monster. It tore through hordes of creatures with ease. It was why the Golpe had screamed “murderers” at us when they attacked. They had thought we had reaped this destruction upon them. They were so blinded by hate they never realized we were seeking the same thing: the destruction of this evil creature. What a waste.
Edward and Serena were silent. Each of us dealt with the destruction at our feet in their own way. I took a step onto the island, investigating it. Why were there so many Golpe here in the first place? A line of blood stretched across the ground and led to the mouth of a cave. Except it wasn’t exactly a cave: two crumbling columns divided the shrouding mass of darkness. It was the entrance to an underground temple. A dungeon.
“It looks like the creature we seek went down here,” said Edward. “Do we follow it into the depths of this ancient crypt?”
The group was battle weary. I wasn’t sure if we had it in us.
“Might I add,” continued the royal knight. “The monsters down there will be more powerful. It would be wise to go get backup.”
“He’s right you know,” said Serena. “Dungeons are more interactive maps and will spawn mobs based on the level of the adventurers inside. With Edward in our party, it means we will get extra strong mobs.”
I considered the small army of Golpe behind us. Going back wasn’t right. It only gave the creature down there more time to wreak havoc and destruction in this world. We had to stop it sooner rather than later. It got stronger every minute we wasted.
“I think we should keep going,” I said. “We didn't come out here to do a reconnaissance mission. We came to slay the mutation before it gets stronger and ends any more innocent lives.”
Serena nodded her head to me, approving my answer. Everyone else did the same.
“Shall we continue?” said Edward.
“Hang on a second,” said Shade, toppling over with a pile of spears and shields. They quickly dematerialized into his inventory and he made a face at all of us. “Why are you guys looking at me like that? Loot is loot!”
It was in poor taste, but Shade did have a point. Those spears and shields would net decent coin back in Arondale. I headed over to a nearby body and added a shield and spear to my inventory too. I was left with five slots for whatever other cool stuff we found in the dungeon. Checking out my inventory, though, gave me an idea.
“Hey everyone,” I said. “Battling crocs and Golpe is tough. How about a snack?”
I concentrated on my inventory, mixing my apple slices with my honey jar and after mixing the two together, a prompt appeared on my HUD.
You have cooked: Honey Drenched Apple Slices
Ingredients: Apple, Jar of Honey
A perfect afternoon snack. +3% faster HP regeneration while in combat (Duration: 30 minutes)
Your cooking skill increased by 0.3.
I presented the group with my yummy treat. They all came towards me and grabbed a handful. They munched on the snack. In the corner of my vision, the +3% HP regeneration buff flickered beneath their icons.
“And he cooks too,” said Serena, flirtatiously.
“Yes,” I said, hoping something witty and cool would also follow my initial one-word response but then I remembered I’m Mr. Smooth (aka. an idiot).
I turned to my inventory, pleased I’d now cleared up two more slots, meaning I would be able to loot as hard as Shade. Okay not as intensely as him—I wasn’t sure it was possible—but I was happy to have room for more treasure.
Edward and Serena took the first steps into the shadows of the dungeon with Shade and I following behind. It got darker and colder as we descended. I kept my hand against the stone cavernous walls to keep my balance and orient myself while in the murky blackness. We headed downward into the gloom for a good few minutes until a faint glowing light emerged.
At the bottom of the steps was a large cavern lit by a pink radiance coming from the walls. Illuminated crystal shards poked through the stone surrounding the underground cave. Mining picks and wheelbarrows laid about the ground.
“Whoah,” I said. “What are these crystals?”
“Crystallized mana,” answered Shade.
“It exists underground?”
“Of course it does,” he said. “How do you think the continents float in the air like they do?”
I’d never thought about it. Interesting. “But what happens if we mine it all?”
Shade shrugged. “Isn’t it obvious?” He then gestured with his hand to mimic a continent falling and crashing into the sea. “But hey, none of the makers of managuns or airships want you thinking about that, so nobody does.”
“You better not be making an underhanded comment on the Laergardian Royal Family,” said Edward, walking right up to Shade, ready to trade blows.
“Hey guys,” I said. “Let’s not fight—”
My words get cut off by a rumbling in the ground. The earth at our feet splits open and out comes a horned bug out of the dirt. [Crypt Beetle] hovered above its name as it climbed out onto the cavern’s surface. I took in its stats.
Crypt Beetle
Level 20
HP: 1130
MP: 25
Two more beetles climbed out of the hole it dug through and faced us to fight. Edward unsheathed his shining sword and went to work, stabbing the beetle head on. Serena came behind, leaping into the air, and struck down with her massive sword like a butcher cutting through a massive slab of pork. Despite the spectacle of their moves, they didn’t deliver much damage.
Staff in one hand, I powered up an energy ball in the other. The power of the ball was more intense than usual. It must’ve been the staff picking up the excess of mana floating amongst the crystals. I fired it at the beetle Edward was fighting and the damage was so-so. It had equal amounts of magic and normal defense stats.
One beetle did an uppercut attack to Edward in the chest, knocking him back. “They’re defense is too high,” yelled Serena. “Our attacks aren’t doing any damage.”
I turned to Shade to see if he had any ideas. But he had completely disappeared.
“Guys—where’s Shade?”
The cat thief appeared out of the shadows behind the beetles and lifted one up with his arms. The tiny beetle legs scurried on the ground and dug into Shade, but he simply heaved the beetle until it was upside down, rolling on its curved back.
“Get it while it’s down,” Shade smiled, pulling out his dagger.
We all attacked the one flipped over beetle, hailing a flurry of attacks at it. Critical hit stacked critical hit until its legs stopped crawling in panic as the life left its body.
+175 EXP!
We turned to the other beetles which were both aggro’d on Edward. His HP was above 50%. He was trading blow for blow with the two beetles. Serena and Shade came up to one and flipped it on its side and went over to the next. As they flipped over the remaining beetle, I pummeled the current upside down one with as many energy balls I had. Next I ran up to it, infusing my sword with my mana and swiped again and again, slaying the giant insect. When I finished, they had already cleared the other beetle themselves. The stacks rolled by in my HUD.
+175 EXP!
+175 EXP!
Shade glowed as he leveled up again.
I scanned the beetles for items and picked up a beetle horn off each of them. The party was already heading deeper into the cavern by the time I had finished scanning the beetle corpses. I caught up with my team and we continued through the crystalized cavern. The dungeon narrowed and a small archway formed, linking the cavern with another room. We walked through the archway towards the other room with trepidation.
The ground turned from dirt to cobble stone and the room we entered was full of statues. The stone monuments were of old Rorn kings.
“Whose crypt is this?” Serena asked.
Replying to her question, three stone tombs rumbled. The coffin lids slid open and out came ethereal spirits of dead Rorn. They were short and stout like the Rorn, but they lacked a physical nature. They were ethereal, made up of white bluish wisps. One of them wielded a sledge hammer, the other had a battle axe, and the other had a great sword. Their weapons were made of the same ghostly material as they were.
“I do not like the looks of these guys,” said Shade.
Rorn Spirit
Level 20
HP: 730
MP: 18
The ghosts ran at us and Serena and Edward met their charge. Steel clashed against the ghost weaponry. I fired up an energy ball and whipped it at the sledgehammer ghost. Shit damage. Damn, high magic defense. Unsurprising: they were magical spirits from the afterlife.
I infused my blade and jumped into the battle. My blade swung into the battle-axe spirit, digging into its ghostly flesh. I dug the sword in and out, sawing at its ethereal skin, cutting away health points with every slice back and forth. The spirit decided he’d had enough. Turning his attention away from Serena, he side swiped his battle axe into my stomach. Blood burst from my gut as 30% of my HP fell off. The bleeding debuff flickered onto my status bar.
“Stay out of the way,” Edward said, as his blade clashed with the sword-wielding spirit.
“You don’t have the toughness to withstand hits from these guys,” said Serena. “Stay back.”
I stayed back and guzzled down an HP potion. My HP bar restored itself and my disemboweled stomach sealed itself shut, good as new.
Shade circled the battlefield, dancing in and out of the fray. He front-flipped into striking distance and threw out a nasty backstab with his dagger and then back flipped out to safety.
Serena unleashed a blade tornado, twirling between the three spirits, ricocheting between them like a deadly pinball until their red HP bars fell to zero. They exploded into dust, littering the cracks of the stone floor.
+175 EXP!
+175 EXP!
+175 EXP!
I walked over to the fallen blue dust on the ground and it registered in my HUD as “Spirit Dust.” I picked it up and added it to my inventory. Crafting materials for the win.
The bricks of the center wall moved and rolled back, forming a secret archway. The killing of those three spirits had triggered the opening of another room. When the door fully emerged, a purple shadow swirled in front of it.
“Looks like we found the end of the dungeon,” said Serena. “The purple shadow signals the room inside is a boss room. If we run through the shadow, we can’t come back until the boss is defeated or—” Serena didn’t finish her sentence.
“The mutant skren bandit must’ve gone in there,” I said.
I turned to Shade and Edward. “Are you guys sure you want to go in there? If Serena and I go in—we’ll come back even if we die. It’s not the same for you.”
“A royal knight never leaves his party behind,” said Edward. “If you two are going to fight whatever lies beyond this shadow, then I’ll join you.”
“And Shade?”
The cat thief smiled and said, “You think I’d run away now? After fighting Skren, Golpe, giant beetles, and Rorn spirits. I’m sorry mate, but I’ve already been given plenty of excuses to leave. Yet here I am. Also, lest we all forget, rare creatures mean rare loot.”
“Okay then,” I said. “It’s settled.”
I took a step forward when Serena put her hand on my arm.
“Clay,” she said. “Can I talk to you over here a minute?”
We stepped off to the side and Serena’s face was intensely serious. “Clay—we can’t enter the room thinking we’ll be okay if we die. Those players I saw fighting a similar monster never came back. You’ve already been branded by it in your death. If it kills us, it’s forever. Are you still sure we should go in there?”
I gulped. The harsh reality wasn’t pretty. But we hadn’t come all this way only to decide now the mission was too dangerous.
“Whatever happens, we have each other’s back, right?”
