Once I'm done with the beds, Delpha and I start making our way to the marsh. I could have just used telepathy to ask the Dragonewt, but visiting the village would also give me a chance to see if there was anything they needed.
Delpha walks alongside me for the first part of the trip, but soon fatigue overtakes her, and she ends up riding on my back the rest of the way. She's slightly perturbed by the Gasts, as I detour slightly to check on them.
Due to their Skills, as long as they don't move, their SP doesn't decrease, and as long as I'm not giving them any orders, or they're not being attacked by anything, they'll not move. It's a sad existence, but I'm not quite ready to end them just because.
Besides, what would the others think? 'Oh they're not doing anything or being useful so I killed them' wouldn't sit well with anyone if they heard their Master say that. No, better to just let them sit there...
I push the thoughts to the back of my mind as the Lizardman village comes into view. It's gotten a few more buildings since I last was here, all in the same style of 'roughly house-shaped piles of floatsam'.
A shadow leaps from behind one of the buildings to right in front of me, splashing stinky, murky water everywhere as they land. Using Control: Water, I shield myself and Delpha from the deluge.
"Master! What do I owe the honor of your visit?" The Dragonewt makes a show out of bowing as deep as he can without falling onto his face. "I've come to ask you if you'd like to join me in a quest. There's a Dungeon to the south of my Lair, I wish it destroyed." I inform him, trying my best to not let my tone betray my amusement at his antics.
He whips upright with such speed I fear he might throw his back. Eyes wet with tears of joy, he exclaims "It'd be the greatest honor to aid you, Master! When do we depart?" He then guiltily looks aside; "And... what would be the reward for aiding the Master?"
Of course, the Servant's mostly serve me for the protection I give, but asking them to perform dangerous tasks such as this would require me to provide extra incentive. Hmm... "I can craft you a new spear, as well as other kinds of weapons and armor your village may require. Other than that, there's sure to be items of interest in the Dungeon."
He wags his tail at this. Seems it's settled then. "If it's not too much of a hassle, might I have the spear before we depart, as I still haven't been able to replace the one I broke..." He adds. Sure, I don't mind, in fact, we need some time to prepare the others who'll be coming with. "That's all right, I'll call upon you once we're ready to move out."
With that settled, Delpha insists on looking around. As she's with me, the Lizardmen allow it. "Look Millibelle! Eggs!" She's gently peeking into one of the larger, more sturdily built, huts. Eggs, at this time of year? I ask the Dragonewt about it. "Those are... Well, they're late hatchers... Laid at the normal time of year, they should have hatched before mid-summer, but they haven't."
How odd... I inspect them.
*Bidra Egg - Alive - The dormant Egg of the Rare Pseudo Dragonoid Bidra. Awaits the right conditions for its birth.*
*Salamandra Egg - Alive - The dormant Egg of the Rare Pseudo Dragonoid Salamandra. Awaits the right conditions for its birth.*
*Tatzelwurm Egg - Alive - The dormant Egg of the Rare Pseudo Dragonoid Tatzelwurm. Awaits the right conditions for its birth.*
*Tarasque Egg - Alive - The dormant Egg of the Rare Pseudo Dragonoid Tarasque. Awaits the right conditions for its birth.*
*Quetzalcoatl Egg - Alive - The dormant Egg of the Rare Pseudo Dragonoid Quetzalcoatl. Awaits the right conditions for its birth.*
*Lampetia Egg - Alive - The dormant Egg of the Rare Pseudo Dragonoid Lampetia. Awaits the right conditions for its birth.*
Uhm.... they're all rare kinds of Pseudo Dragonoids? I recognize some of the names from my old World, sans Bidra and Lampetia... World Knowledge?
*Eggs laid and incubated in a high Magic environment like your Lair might cause rare species to be born.*
*Estimating... Chance of this specific distribution of species: 0.5%.*
*Eggs in the dormant state will stall development until the right environmental factors are present, usually awaiting a seasonal change in the ambient Elemental Magic composition, such as the 'High Heat Event' you experienced in early summer.*
So... I might be able to trick the eggs into hatching by manipulating the Magic around them...
*Correct*
Is there a time limit to this dormancy?
*Analyzing... All six eggs have a life expectancy of five months from now. After this time has elapsed, the Eggs rapidly lose viability, and will die a week afterwards.*
Okay, I have some time. Let's solve one problem before tackling the next one. I turn to the Dragonewt. "The eggs are all Rare Pseudo Dragonoids. They're awaiting the right conditions before they hatch." I inform him. He smiles elatedly. "So they're not petrified... What a relief!"
I pick up Delpha, and prepare to leave again. "We'll discuss the eggs after we deal with the Dungeon." I tell the Dragonewt, who gives a salute as we leave. The way back was as uneventful as could be, and once I return I set about making some weapons and armor.
Dragonewts, and Lizardmen for that matter, have thick, sturdy scales covering their bodies, except for their bellies. The scales there are soft and pliable, making it an obvious weak spot. It's a bit uncomfortable, but by using Shed Shell, I shed my current covering of scales, giving me lots of material to work with. It even shed my tails stinger.
I'm left in a vulnerable state though, as my newly molted form is weak and soft, the scales denting from even a little pressure. As long as I take it easy though, I should recover by tomorrow. I then take the scales and fashion them into some sort of scale armor by layering them.
With some failures, I eventually manage to make a set of armor for the Dragonewt. It's light-weight, but it has several of my defensive Skills.
*Crafting Skill: Armor Crafting (Novice) Became Armor Crafting (Apprentice)!*
*Because Users Skill is Insufficient, Armor: ??? Monarchs' Scale Armor is weaker than its materials imply.*
*Armor Crafted: Flawed ??? Monarchs' Scale Armor - Uncommon - +100 Arm, +100 M.Arm, Grants Skills: Steel Shell (Lesser), D.R: Physical (Normal), Jagged Scales (Lesser - Unique(Tyrant))*
Oh... So since I'm kind of shit at this, even if it's made from my own parts, it's worse than it should be. Oh well. This should be good enough, and I can always get better and then make another one. Now, for the replacement spear.
Originally I only promised the spear, but I wanted to test to see how Shed Shell would behave anyway. Also, it didn't get rid of my Marked for Death (Grand) Status. How annoying! The Spear is easy enough. A suitable stick sourced from the forest, and my stinger affixed to it, bonded through Weapon Twisting.
*Crafting Skills: Weapon Crafting (Apprentice) and Weapon Twisting (Apprentice) Became Weapon Crafting (Adept) and Weapon Twisting (Adept)!*
*Because the Users Skill is insufficient, Weapon: ??? Monarchs' Stinger Spear is weaker than its materials imply.*
*Weapon Twisted: Flawed ??? Monarch's Stinger Spear - Uncommon - +150 Atc, +50 M.Atc, Inflicts Poison (Normal) on hit.*
Egh, this one too? It can't be helped, I guess. Neither armor nor spear looks flashy though, so it shouldn't garner negative attention. And even if some stupid hunter decided to attack the Dragonewt for them, they'd have to contend with me and his tribe. I'm not very worried, only a little.
Of course, if I ever become able to make Legendary armaments, I'm sure there's a lot of folks who'd come knocking to get their hands on it. I mean, just look at how much people squabble for the Tear of Ashala.
I decide to leave it at that for today. It's already quite late.
The next day, I pick out a Jotun and a Gyger, along with Huldr and the Dragonewt they'll aid me in taking out the Dungeon. I give the Jotun and Gyger their pick of weapons from my pile of stuff I've collected during previous conflicts. The Jotun, the second biggest, but with a gentle personality at odds with his looks, picks a Great-Axe previously used by a Glove of Aurellium.
The Gyger picks the claws I took from the Photian Dagger. She looks fearsome with them equipped, befitting the only Gyger that would rather hunt with the Jotun than stay in the grove and tend it. Huldr decides upon a small buckler and the staff the Ayvin Dagger was using. Huldr is more stealth and support oriented, but having some extra firepower is never a bad thing.
With weapons selected, we make our way towards the midway-point between the grove and the marsh. The Dragonewt meets us there, and I hand over the promised spear and the added armor. It fits nicely with some quick adjustments, and he's on the verge of tears of happiness from being given it.
The others would have been given armor, but there wasn't enough time to prepare some that fit. I'm planning on using the full power of Guard Share on them though, along with Barrier, so they might be more protected than the Dragonewt in the long run.
Once we're all assembled, the Goblinoids get onto my back, and I and the Dragonewt take off into the skies. It's a bit hard to match his speed, as I'm much faster than him even if I'm using Draconic Flight. It's down to the Speed difference it seems.
It takes around twenty minutes of 'as fast as the Dragonewt can manage' before we land where the town ruins start. Proceeding further in the air seems like a good way to miss things, since one of my goals is to locate the graveyard. From the air, everything looks like loosely arranged squares with no differences between what once was a tavern and what was a residence.
The Dragonewt is heaving from the exertion, not used to fly for long and at that speed. We decide to take a quick break to let everyone recover from the flight, as particularly the Jotun seems to have a bad case of motion sickness.
Once everyone is settled, we start heading towards the middle of the ruins. Suddenly, a heavy fog sets in, despite my weather forecast claiming that it would be clear for at least several hours more. I quickly attach silk threads to the others as the fog obscures all. It's clearly unnatural, considering it doesn't react to me beating my wings to clear it.
My Servants gather close to me in fright. As suddenly as it set in, the fog retreats, revealing the sudden change the area has undergone.
*The False Town*
*Difficulty: 6*
*Predicted Inhabitants: Undead, Celluloids, Insectoids, Pseudo Dragonoids, Chimera*
*Dungeon Boss Active!*
Only now is the Dungeon information shown. The craggy terrain formed of weathered house foundations has been replaced with complete houses of various use. The spaces between them, which once were uneven paths filled with pebbles and thorny brambles have turned into cobbled roads. I look behind me, to find the way back covered with a shimmery film, not unlike the air disturbances generated above sun-blazed pavements.
I hesitantly turn around and try touching this barrier. My hand slides through effortlessly. Seems this is the border of the Dungeon. But to think it's this big!
*Dungeons left untouched for decades slowly grow in power as the Magical Anomaly that power it takes in more and more Magic. Once a certain point is reached, the Dungeon undergoes a dramatic transformation referred to as a Bloom, where the effects of the Anomaly spill out into the area surrounding the Dungeon itself.*
*In essence, the true Dungeon is still further in.*
Oh, so this is then the border of the Bloom of the Dungeon. I turn back around and inform my Servants of the situation. Once they understand, they seem less frightened by the events that just transpired.
We steel our resolves and continue ahead. Now, the reason I brought my Servants along is simple: I want to limit the use of Power Osmosis as much as possible. I have a leeway of less than four thousand points in most of my Stats, and I'd much rather save that for when I slay those required monsters.
Once I've gotten the Skills I need, I'll be more content with killing things myself. As long as we don't spend too long in here, we should be fine. Of course, if something appears that the Servants have no chance against, I'll defend them.
With me in the middle, Huldr and the Gyger to my left and right, the Jotun behind and the Dragonewt in front, we proceed. Looking ahead, there's a tall building in the distance, a tower of sorts. The bottom of the structure is obscured by the other buildings, but it might be a bell-tower?
As soon as I look upon it, the toll of a bell reverberates through the air. At the same time, I hear the whistling of hundreds of arrows. I barely manage to yank the Dragonewt out of the way, as the street in front of him is covered in a torrent of arrows landing from east to west. Traps? Environmental Traps? This area was laid to waste during the war between Parshura and Harmek.
*Bloomed Dungeons contain multitudes of hazards related to the original creation of the Anomaly. It would seem, from analyzing this event, that the sacking of the town is what birthed the Dungeon, and as such, those events are replayed upon those that intrude.*
Cheezus. Making a quick decision, I gather up everyone onto my back. It's a tight fit, and both the Goblinoids and the Dragonewt grumble at this, but it's the safest way to get past this trap. I secure them all to me with silk threads, and get ready.
Once I step back to the same spot where the bell tolled, it rings out again. Quickly, I use my Strong Legs and bound across the street, which seems to be the main street judging by its width. As the hail of arrows land behind us, I breathe a sigh of relief.
That relief is short lived, however, as we take in the scene before us. A stream of blood is slowly trickling down towards us from the massive pile of gore that sits before us. It's located in a town square of sorts, but the aura it gives off is definitively that of an arena.
I let the Servants off my back. We then proceed in formation towards what's indubitably a mini-boss. I think it's odd that we haven't met any other monsters, but that might be because I scare them off? Or perhaps this outer area is lacking monsters in general and the real populace will be inside the Dungeon proper.
We take our stances as what, at first glance, looked like a massive, three meter tall pile of gore quivers and rises as one cohesive entity. As it gets up, I inspect it.
*Carrion Behemoth*
*Fearsome, aggressive, unpredictable. Those are three descriptors apt to use about this Undead monster. Unusually, formed from the combined bodies of multiple people, left to rot in a pile without any of them receiving their Rites. As such, the Other Wills that animate it constantly fight each other for control, resulting in sporadic moves and sudden shifts in fighting styles as different Wills attain control for a brief moment. As the conditions for its rising are specific, they're rare, though most often they're found at the sites of old battles where there isn't time to give everyone their Rites. As with all Undead originating from humanoids rising, there's several taboos around using its body for weapons and armor, and it is usually cremated upon its defeat.*
*Rank: 5 Stars*
Abandoned Dead of the Town Square
Species: Carrion Behemoth (Undead - EXRare)
Gender: NA
Status: Dungeon Hearts Blessing: Lesser Guardian (True)
HP: 1000 (750+250)
MP: 500 (250+250)
SP: 1000 (750+250)
Attack: 250 (200+50)
Armor: 200 (150+50) (-50 Vs Light)
M.Attack: 150 (100+50)
M.Armor: 100 (50+50) (-25 Vs Light)
Speed: 75 (25+50)
STR: 200
CON: 150
INT: 100
WIL: 50
DEX: 25
Skills:
Divided Will (Grand) - Undead Vigor (Great - Unique(Undead))
Undead Stamina (Great - Unique(Undead)) - Mighty Punch (Normal)
Heavyweight (Normal) - Unrelenting Grip (Normal)
Plaguebearer (Normal) - Unbearable Stench (Normal)
Damage Resistance: Death (Great) - Damage Resistance: Dark (Great)
Damage Resistance: Physical (Normal) - Condition Resistance: Poison (Grand)
Condition Resistance: Paralysis (Great)
Titles:
Mad - Lesser Dungeon Guardian
One From Many - Final Form
Long Lived - Relentless
Patient - Unnerving
As the pile rearranges itself, all of us start to gag from the foul stench emanating from it. It finally takes a shape roughly resembling a headless humanoid. Two heads seem to replace eyes, peering out of the main mass of viscera that makes up its torso. Its two legs are actually formed from the eight legs of humans standing tight together.
Likewise, each of its arms are formed from the torsos of two humanoids fused together, their arms acting as fingers. Heads are the weak point of any Undead, but this thing has many, and will most likely live as long as one remains intact. Two acting as eyes, two on each shoulder, and two on each side of its hips, for a total of ten.
"I didn't know we stepped into the world of Resident Evil."
It's eyes in Resident Evil, not heads. Anyway, a massive maw, with ribs for teeth, opens up in the middle of its torso, and it roars in challenge. The roar sounds like the frightened cries of many people. A chill runs down my spine. "Aim for the heads! Don't get grabbed! It has no ranged attacks, but mind its speed!" I quickly instruct my Servants.
I cast Barrier upon them all, and the battle commences.
We quickly surround it, to its great confusion. Since each Will that animates it desires to fight a different one of us first, it starts turning to each of us in turn, before seemingly changing its mind and picking another target. Although this keeps it from attacking us, it also makes it difficult to approach it, as you don't know when it will decide to go for you instead.
Seemingly tired of its shenanigans, both the Jotun and the Gyger raise their hands, impaling its many legs upon two Ice Lances. Although the Lances manage to pierce its flesh and stop its movements for a moment, the actual damage dealt was insignificant because of Undead Vigor.
Not wasting this moment, the Dragonewt leaps into action, aiming his spear at the base of one of the shoulder-heads. From experience, he knows that aiming directly for the head with a piercing type weapon doesn't always work, but the neck on the other hand...
The spear is now wedged between the body and the head, and with a flap of his wings and a twist of his body, he manages to turn the spear in such a way that the head is twisted off. It lands on the ground with a wet thud, its face still writhing in painful expressions. The Jotun quickly takes the head out by splitting it apart with his Great-Axe.
The Behemoth gargles in pain, and reaches for the Jotun. I immediately step between them, using my arms and wing-arms to stop the four 'arm-fingers' of the Behemoth. Everyone retreats to a safe distance as I manage to wrestle it to the ground, using my tail to sweep its legs out from under it.
"Now!" As the Carrion Behemoth struggles to get back up. The Gyger and Huldr step to it, the Gyger deftly lopping off the remaining shoulder head on the left side, and Huldr doing her best by bringing her staff down on one of the left hip heads. As she's easily my weakest Servant, more suited to support and stealth, I'm impressed she actually dared to get into direct combat with the Behemoth.
A change comes over the Carrion Behemoth as one more head is removed. Its movements up until now had been a jittery mess, but as the amount of heads decrease, its focus seems to improve.
We all back off as it manages to get back up, and it immediately charges Huldr. She yelps in fear, and with a flash of magic, she's gone.
*Spell Learned: Invisibility (Lesser) - An Illusion Spell that twists the light around the user in order to mask their true location. Performing certain actions whilst under this effect, such as attacking, using an Active Skill or casting a Spell other than Illusion type Spells, causes the effect to end prematurely. Current maximum time: 30 Sec.*
The Behemoth keeps going, smacking face-first into one of the buildings making up the walls of the arena. It stumbles around, seemingly having hit its 'eye-heads' as it collided with the wall, before gathering itself. With the weakest target out of sight, it quickly decides that the Gyger is a suitable second target.
I decide to speed things up a little, and cast Quickening on everyone. With this, the Gyger is able to outmaneuver the Behemoth, slipping behind it and, with a series of swipes, sever the Achilles tendon in several of its legs.
Its legs give out from under it, and I cast Empower upon the Servants as they take aim at the remaining heads.
It's sort of pitiful, as the Behemoth is now unable to move other than attempting to drag itself along the ground to get away. The only heads left are the 'eye-heads', so I use my strength to flip its body over onto its back to let them finish the job.
"It's a shame, it had lots of useful Skills..."
Well, we could always go looking for another one once I've got the necessary Skills for my Evolution. The Behemoth goes limp as the last head is crushed. Double-checking by inspecting it, I confirm that it's dead. I then order the Servants to stand behind me as I quickly cremate the remains.
Oddly, although cremating the body of a humanoid might produce a Sprite called Urobach, cremating the body of an Undead poses no such risk. Perhaps the Urobach is the last ditch attempt of the Other Will to manifest in this World?
We take a breather after the fight, it's best to take things slow and steady, after all. Using cups looted from the Aurellium logging operation, I hand out water to the others. Especially the Dragonewt drinks a lot. Not that's an issue, as even if I run out of my stored water, I can make more with Create: Water.
The bell tolls again. We warily look around, but nothing immediately dangerous seems to be happening. Then I hear it. Low groans and moans, issuing from within the houses and down the streets. It seems the Dungeon was saving the common monsters until after we slew the Lesser Guardian?