Runeguard 038

Your max health has increased to 297 HP. 

Your movement speed, attack speed, and damage have increased by 10%.

I entered the boss’ chamber fully buffed. 

My sword glimmered a deadly crimson, its edge sharpened beyond what was physically possible by Beth’s spell, while my armor and limbs felt lighter, buoyed by Jorge’s spell. My own casting played a part too, raising my health beyond the norm.

All in all, I felt stronger, faster, and tougher than I ever had before. Invincible, really.

Now let’s not get entirely carried away, I thought wryly. These are all lesser buffs only, and remember you are facing a boss. 

I strode into the chamber and looked about. The ground was sandy and hard packed, like an arena floor. The walls were whitewashed and dull and rose up to a ceiling that arched high overhead. 

It was a chamber fit for giants.

The far end of the room was shrouded in darkness, and I focused my attention there. 

That was where the boss had to be hiding.

The ground shuddered underfoot. Once. Twice. Then in a rippling series of unabated thuds. Alright, maybe not hiding. Tightening my grip on my longsword and shield, I waited for the minotaur to appear.

I saw its eyes first, two monstrous orbs, burning an ugly red. Then its horns. Each was large—twice the length of my own sword—and wickedly curved. Sharpened to deadly points, they seemed to brush up against the ceiling.

Only then, did I realize how far upwards my neck was craned. 

Bloody hell, that thing is huge!

I ran my gaze over the twenty-five-foot-tall behemoth. A flattened snout, two hooved feet, a shiny black coat, and a swishing tail completed the picture. Catching sight of me, the minotaur snorted.

Was that disdain I sensed?

“Be careful, Dace,” Bayan whispered from behind. “He’s about to charge.”

I nodded imperceptibly. The boss was still more than forty feet away. Surely its charge can’t reach me from all the way over there?

I shifted my feet, ready to dodge. Just in case. While I waited, I reached out and examined my foe.

You have examined a dungeon creature and have partially perceived its nature. Your target is a level 18 demonic minotaur.

“Demonic?” I muttered to Bayan behind me. “What the hell does that mean? Is this thing a demon?”

I felt more than saw his shrug. “I have no idea. Perhaps it’s just a colorful descriptor?” he suggested.

I snorted at that and was about to reply with a rejoinder of my own when Night interjected. “A demon? Are you sure that is what it is, Dace?”

My eyebrows rose in surprise. “I am. Or at least the System is.” I frowned. “Why?” 

I didn’t get to hear Night’s answer, because just then the minotaur lowered its head and charged. 

The ground bucked underfoot. 

I staggered and for a moment had to fight to retain my footing. When I looked up again it was to see that the minotaur—silent but for the resounding thuds of its steps—had already covered a third of the distance to me.

I gulped. Just how fast is this thing? I shifted my weight forward, poised to spring out of the way.

Then something curious happened.

Ethereal smoke exploded out of me and straight towards the advancing monster. “Night, what are you doing?” I yelled.

The black dragon spirit did not respond as she raced forward. I had no idea what Night thought she was doing, but I couldn’t spare her further thought. The minotaur was nearly upon me, and I fully expected it to charge straight through my companion’s mist-filled form.

To my surprise, it didn’t.

On catching sight of Night billowing its way, the boss reared up and broke off its charge in an abrupt change of momentum that had to be gut-wrenching.

I rocked back on my heels in shock. The minotaur was backpedaling, and looked for all the world like it was doing its level best not to let any part of itself come in contact with Night. 

Was that fear I saw in the boss’ eyes?

“Dace, what the hell is going on?” Bayan growled.

I have no idea, I wanted to retort, but instead I reached out to my companion again. “Night?”

This time she answered. “Tell the psi-witch to ensorcel the demon, while I can still hold it at bay with my presence. I fear it will overcome its shock soon.”

I bit back the questions threatening to spill out. There would be time to address them later. “Enrage the monster now, Bayan, while it is still distracted,” I shouted.

Trusting the Paragon guildmaster to act as directed, I dropped my shield and sprinted forward to engage the still-retreating behemoth.

I closed the distance without the minotaur paying me the slightest heed. Taking my longsword in a two-handed grip, I struck at the creature.

Unfortunately, given the minotaur’s size, I barely reached above its trunk-like thighs and was forced to plunge my sword into the creature’s knee instead of attempting a more lethal strike.

To my relief, the weapon’s sharpened tip sliced easily through skin and bone and emerged out the other side of the minotaur’s limb wet and bloody.

You have hit a demonic minotaur with a sneak attack. You have handicapped a demonic minotaur! 

An earth-shattering roar shook the chamber as the boss gave voice to its pain. In the midst of its agony the minotaur forgot its preoccupation with Night and staggered backwards.

I cursed as its movements yanked my sword out of my hands, and I stumbled forward, intent on getting my weapon back.

“Dace, look out!” Lauren screamed.

I looked up to see a massive, clawed hand sweeping downwards. Falling to my knees, I rolled out of the way.

I was too slow though.

Halfway into my dodge, the minotaur’s reaching hand found me. Struck a glancing blow, I was picked off my feet and sent whirling through the air to crash into one of the chamber’s walls.

I hit hard. The air left my lungs in a whoosh and stars danced in front of my eyes as I slumped to the ground. With a groan of pain, I rolled onto my back. “Damn, I think it broke my ribs,” I wheezed.

I heard the stomp of approaching feet and forced my head around.

The minotaur was charging me again. 

Which was both good and bad. Good for the Paragons. Bad for me.

Even with its knee handicapped, the behemoth moved fast, and for a second, it was all I could do to stare at the enraged beast. The minotaur’s eyes glowed red, and its nostrils were flared wide in unmistakable fury.

As it drew closer, the bull-like creature lowered its head and pointed sharpened horns my way, choreographing its intent to pierce me through.

Biting back my cries of pain, I shoved myself to my knees, and in the instant before the behemoth impacted, managed to wrench the threatening horns off target with my mailed fists.

Ooof! 

The air exploded out of me as I was crushed up against the wall again. But I was only battered, not run through. My quick thinking had spared me from being pinned by the behemoth’s horns.

I glanced downwards and found myself staring at the minotaur’s bald head. I grimaced. I was wedged tight, barred from escape by the bull-like horns to my left and right. 

While I had saved myself from almost certain death, my circumstances hardly seemed much improved.

Gods, I hope this bugger doesn’t bite. 

The minotaur snorted, sending its hot, fetid breath washing over me, before it shoved harder into me as it tried to flatten me against the wall.

I pushed back, but it was like trying to move a truck. The boss budged not an inch, and slowly I felt the life being crushed out of me. 

I can’t take much more of this, I thought. 

Just then, life-giving strength flowed into me.

You have been restored for 10% of your health by Lauren Chambers.

You have been restored for 5% of your health by Beth Chambers.

“Bless you, ladies,” I whispered.

The boss sensed something was amiss and began backstepping away, leaving me in a quandary: hold on to the horns or let go?

I had only a split-second to make a decision and chose to retain my grip on the twin spears of ivory. Better to keep it close than be charged again, I thought.

An instant later, I had cause to regret that unwise decision as the minotaur reared up—taking me with it.

In mere seconds, I was hoisted aloft and left with my feet dangling helplessly and my face plastered against the boss’ angry face. 

The minotaur stretched to its full height and bellowed in fury. I swayed in the wind birthed by its roar and struggled to hold on.

What my plan was, I wasn’t quite sure. I only knew if I fell, I risked being crushed beneath the minotaur’s hooved feet. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted two oversized hands reaching upwards for me. “Damnit,” I growled.

In a spurt of adrenaline-fueled fear, I wrenched my body upwards and around, grabbing onto the tufts of hair surrounding the monster’s ears, and in the process, barely avoiding the minotaur’s grasp.

My relief was short lived though as the boss reached for me again.

But this time help was on hand. An arrow whistled through the air and sunk into one clawed digit. 

The projectile had to have caused the monster no more pain than a pinprick, but it still made the boss swing around and pin Gavin with a furious stare. 

The boss’ momentary distraction was all the opportunity I needed.

Swinging myself around, I dropped down the back of the minotaur’s head and onto its shoulders and wrapped my legs and left hand around its thick neck.

Then, saddled firmly in place, I drew a dagger from my belt and plunged it deep within the boss’ exposed flesh.

The minotaur staggered back. 

Raising its head, the minotaur moaned pitifully. Ignoring its cries, I drew out the dagger and thrust it again into the boss’ neck. 

Then again.

Frantically, the boss reached backwards and tried to yank me off, but for a few crucial seconds, I resisted its desperate fingers. My arm rose and fell, each time dealing huge swaths of damage and weakening the already dazed boss further.

It proved all too much for the minotaur, and in a slow tortured fall, the dungeon creature fell backwards.

My eyes widened as I realized which way it was falling. Not again, I thought with a groan. I had just about enough of being crushed. Squeezing my eyes shut, I braced myself for the impact.

It was as bad as I expected. 

Stars spun across my vision as a few hundred pounds of dead minotaur landed on me. Then my vision went white. Agony coursed through my body. Limbs shattered and blood gurgled out of my mouth in copious amounts. 

This time I was sure all my ribs were broken. Slowly consciousness began to slip away. I tried to fight it, but I knew it was not a struggle I would win.

“Adi,” I breathed through the pain wracking my body. “Am I alive?”

Silence. Then, “You are, Dace. Barely.”

I couldn’t help a small smile of pleasure at that. We had done it. The dungeon was defeated. And I had survived.

Then darkness took me.