Advent of Eternity - Chapter 125 (Patreon)

“Rules on the fight?” Cyll asked with an eager grin. “Nobody’s going to watch. I can do what I want, right?”

Knell sighed. “Considering you’ve already given your abilities away to Nyra, I suppose I can let you have fun. Just don’t forget that the less practice you get in, the harder it’s going to be to avoid screwing up later. And you’re still going to be paying for your inability to keep your secret with Nyra.”

“Is it really that big of a deal?” Nyra asked. Cyll shot her a glance out of the corner of his eyes. He rolled his shoulders and jabbed Lassie into the ground before peeling his shirt off and tossing it to the side.

“Now that’s new,” Nyra said, cocking an eyebrow. “You going to keep going?”

“Do you want me to?” Cyll pulled Lassie back out of the ground and bared his teeth in a grin. “I normally charge extra for that, but I might make an exception.”

“Not unless you want me to put an arrow through your back,” Stix said, only half joking. She pulled a bolt into place and gave Knell a nod. “I’m ready.”

They stepped into the short hall and approached the drop. Stix leveled her crossbow and let her finger drift over the trigger. Cyll’s tongue ran along his lips and he drummed his fingers on the hilt of Lassie impatiently.

None of the fishmen noticed them. Stix lined her shot up and tightened her grip. The small ballista thumped, launching its payload. It blurred down and into the room below, striking the staff-weilding boss with a crunch.

It staggered back, blood pouring out around the huge bolt protruding from its shoulder. Every single one of the fishmen spun, looking in their direction as Cyll dropped down the hole with a whoop.

His bones cracked as he hit the ground. By the time he stood upright once more, they were fully healed. Cyll bounded toward the two bosses, completely ignoring the smaller fishmen in his way.

Two of the fishmen thrust their pitchforks into his stomach and braced them against the ground, bringing his charge to a halt. Cyll laughed, snapping one of the weapons along the hilt with his knee.

He grabbed the other fishman by the neck and yanked it closer to him, slamming his forehead into its face with a loud crack. He whipped Lassie around, bringing it down on the monster and reaving it in two.

“More!” Cyll roared, blood spraying from his lips. He hurled Lassie toward the injured boss. A shield of rippling water rushed up from the ground, forming around the large fishman and intercepting the huge sword.

Cyll ripped the pitchforks out of his stomach and charged, ignoring the other fishmen as they tried to stop his charge.

“Go,” Knell said. “You’re meant to take care of the small ones, not ogle.”

“I am not ogling,” Nyra snapped, shaking herself out of her reverie. She hopped into the hole, sliding down the ladder and landing on the ground lightly.

“You two stay here. Maya, watch Stix’s back. Stix – keep shooting.” Caw hopped off Knell’s shoulder and onto Maya’s.

Knell dropped his staff down the hole, then clambered down the ladder using just his hands. He dropped to the ground with a grunt, scooping his staff back up and turning to survey how the fight was going.

Cyll, unsurprisingly, was covered in blood. Dead fishmen surrounded both him and Nyra. Both of the bosses still stood, but the mage was bleeding from several large wounds in its chest. Two bolts stuck out of its right shoulder, just a few inches apart.

Nyra’s hair churned around her like a pool of shadows. The other boss swung its halberd at her and her hair shot up, wrapping around the weapon’s hilt and yanking it out of the way. It thudded into the ground harmlessly and Cyll lunged, thrusting his sword for the monster’s chest.

A whip of water slammed into Cyll before the blow could connect. He rolled, snarling as he came back to his feet. Another bolt sailed through the air, but it was blocked by a shield of water.

The mage raised its staff. Hundreds of globules of water formed in the air above them. They sharpened, turning into spikes. Knell raised his free hand and used Warp. A large disk of green energy bloomed above them just as the spikes rained down. They all slowed to a crawl and Knell’s eyes lit a brilliant yellow.

“Step to your left, Nyra.”

Nyra obeyed his command just as the icicles reaccelerated, thudding into the ground all around her – but not a single connected. Several caught Cyll, but he didn’t even notice.

Knell Slowed the mage as it went to cast another spell. As soon as the bolt of green light struck it, Cyll pounced. His sword slammed into the monster’s side, digging deep into its rough blue flesh.

A bolt slammed into its eye a second later, snapping its head back with a loud crack. Cyll cackled, ripping Lasie out of the monster. The jagged fangs running along the sword ripped through its flesh like a saw, splattering blood across him and the ground.

Knell released his spell and Slowed the other boss as it swung at Nyra. She vaulted backward and the halberd slammed into a strand of her elongated hair, cutting through it. Nyra cursed and her hair flinched, retracting back to her head.

Knell scooped a stone from the ground and thrust it into the artifact on his shoulder. The skull ground down on it and a bullet rolled out of its mouth and into his awaiting hand. He slotted it into his flintlock, Slowing the mage again as it went to cast its shield.

He fired, and a small hole bloomed open in the monster’s head. It let out a pained screech, the staff slipping from its fingers. Surprisingly, it was still standing. Knell snapped his fingers.

He drew on his Scion abilities, studying the monster. Death magic swirled around the monster like the reaper waiting to take it into its arms. Knell obliged. He snapped his fingers. The magic, thickest around the hole between its eyes, surged back into the wound.

Blood erupted from the wound like a fountain and the large fishman crashed to the ground. All the death energy surrounding it vanished as its lifeforce was drained away. The other boss roared, lunging for Nyra.

She arched back, narrowly avoiding its halberd as it whistled over her head. Cyll charged into it, thrusting Lassie into its chest while it tried to recover its balance from the large swing. They both staggered as Cyll pushed the blade deeper.

Blood rushed down the handle and into his sword. The monster screeched in pain, presenting its mouth to Stix in what could have only been an invitation. She took it, and a bolt sprouted in the back of its throat.

Nyra’s lashing hair surged, rushing into its mouth. The fishman’s eyes bulged an instant before jagged black spikes punched out from within them and every other orifice on its head. Nyra extracted herself, ignoring the blood dripping from the ends of her hair.

The boss pitched forward and crashed to the ground beside its compatriots, its head nearly completely torn to shreds. A second of silence passed, broken only by Cyll’s heavy panting.

The gods have granted you experience for besting your foe. You have leveled up.

You have defeated an entity more powerful than you. Experience Gained. Your Level has been adjusted accordingly.

“Gross,” Cyll said, straightening back up. “How often do you wash your hair again? Because I cannot imagine dipping my beard in that much blood. It would get so brittle.”

Stix and Maya slipped to the ground. Maya tossed Cyll’s shirt at him. He grabbed it out of the air and slipped it on with a satisfied sigh.

“That wasn’t quite as difficult as you led me to believe,” Knell said, nudging the mage with the end of his staff. Coal fluttered down to the monster and pecked at it, then ruffled his feathers in evident satisfaction.

“No, it wasn’t,” Nyra agreed. “Though I am starting to realize that you are considerably stronger than my old team, and I have also grown considerably since then. I wonder if I overestimated how difficult this would be.”

“Planning to try to back out of the deal?” Cyll asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Nyra snorted. “Do I look like an idiot? I could take some of you, but not all of you. Besides, I have no need for a Path Change stone. I’m quite comfortable with mine.”

“Cyll, take the halberd,” Knell said. “It will probably sell for a good price. The staff is too big to be practical. I don’t need it. Do you want it, Nyra?”

“Not interested. I can’t be bothered lugging that around.”

Cyll glanced at Lassie. “It’s not a sword, big gal. You don’t mind, do you?”

It vibrated slightly in his hands. Cyll grinned and sheathed it before picking the halberd up. He made an exaggerated gagging sound. “Eugh. Horrible. What a rough shaft. Completely unsophisticated. I would never use such a thing in battle.”

Lassie vibrated even harder, making a noise like a large, metallic cat’s purr. Nyra glanced at him out of the corners of her eyes, then cleared her throat. “Not the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen, but it’s up there.”

“I’m sure he’ll do worse by the time this is over,” Knell said dryly. “I’m not seeing those rewards, though.”

“They were deeper, last I remember. These were just two of the bosses. I told you, this dungeon is weird,” Nyra said, nodding at a rocky exit on the other side of the room. “Oh, I appreciate the save.”

“Saves,” Knell corrected. “You’re welcome.”

“How’d you know the icicles wouldn’t hit me if I moved to the left? There were too many to count that quickly.”

Knell grunted. “Ask too many questions and I’m going to have to kill you.”

Nyra started to laugh. Then she stopped and squinted at Knell. “Wait. Are you being serious?”

Knell gave her a one-shouldered shrug. “I’m just a cripple. What threat could I possibly pose to a strong woman with a fifteen thousand gold bounty? I would never dream of even trying to touch you.”

She snorted. “You’re a real charmer. I don’t believe that in the slightest.”

“Good,” Knell said, starting toward the exit. “You’re getting smarter.”