Dark has found the 19th floor boss, will he try to defeat it himself, or will he retreat and get help?
Chapter 19 Online
Kalinanda The Necromancer, the 19th floor boss. I was confident in my strength, but there was no way I was going to try and solo a floor boss. I looked behind me and saw I had a clear path to escape, I took a step back, watching the boss for any hint that it was going to attack. His glowing red eyes were on me as I slowly walked backwards. I still had my sword drawn in case I needed it, but if I was lucky I would have no need for it. As I turned to see how far I had gotten my foot caught on something and I fell, Kalinanda let out another laugh and hit the ground with the bottom of his staff. I got up and saw the ground all around us was moving, and a moment later skeletal hands and hands covered in rotting flesh came out of the ground. The hands pulled the bodies that they were attached to out of the ground, skeletons and zombies, all shapes and sizes, now had me surrounded, cutting off any escape route I had.
"Damn...I should have known something like this was gonna happen, it says so right in it's name." I was talking to myself, I looked around, hoping there might be something I could do to escape, but if there was it wasn't clear to me.
Kalinanda was once again standing still with his red eyes on me. I took a step towards him and a group of short sword wielding skeletons moved to block my path.
"Of course they'll protect him, he's the one that woke them from death." I moved back and focused my energy "Cutting Barrage!" I sent the waves at them and it broke their bodies completely, and they burst "Well, I might be in for an easier battle then I thought." As I said that a huge rotting corpse stepped out in front of me, I looked at the bar "Zombie Giant, level 25." I'm only one level above it. It let out a moan and then swung it's giant fist at me, I jumped back.
"Well this might be a little harder then I thought." The giant moved to me again, pretty quickly for a monster of it's size, and I kept moving back. I looked behind me and I saw I was close to the edge of the circle that the dead had made. I quickly dashed towards the giant and I went through it's legs, I jumped up and stabbed it in the back, getting my sword stuck as well. I placed my feet against it's back and I pushed off, ripping my sword out and sending myself against the ground. I got up and the giant was towering over me again, I rolled to the side as it's fist came crashing down and I stabbed into it's arm. It made no move that showed it noticed the cut and then it tried to step on me, I once again rolled to the side and then I jumped to my feet. I pointed my sword at the giant and it burst into flame "Dragon's Flame." I appeared in front of it and my sword was in it's stomach, it rose it's fist and I let my sword go and moved away. The sword was still on fire inside of it and it made no move to pull it out, instead it came after me and kept trying to kill me. After a while it's hp had run out, it burst and my sword fell to the ground. I picked it up and waited to see what was going to happen next.
After waiting a moment none of the other monsters attacked me so I turned my attention on Kalinanda, he stood still watching me. I ran towards him, expecting one of his undead minions to get in my way, none did. When I was within range I swung my sword at him and he held it back with his staff. I was pushing against it but I couldn't even budge it at all, and he wasn't even pushing back! I moved back and then thrust my sword at his chest and he moved the staff, hitting my sword from the bottom and out of my hand, sending it over the undeads heads.
"No!" I knew there was no way to get past the undead "What do I do...I can't win without my blade..." I thought my choices through...I really only had one choice, to use my fists and to hold out until I get help, or if I'm lucky, to win...that was slim though. Before I could move back, Kalinanda swung his staff with amazing speed and hit me in the stomach with it, sending me rolling backwards. I got to my feet, and looked around hoping I had missed an escape route, I didn't. A skeleton ran at me and swung it's war axe at me. I avoided it and then punched it's ribcage. I jumped back shaking my hand "Ouch, it's bones are like solid steel. This isn't going to work...not at all." The skeleton kept swinging it's axe at me and I kept avoiding, but sooner or later I was going to get hit. I get an idea and I kick the skeleton's leg making it lose it's balance. I move away from it and open my inventory, I go to the bottom and I see the item there, Expired Light. Demise's symbol...a blade I have never used and I'm not very keen on the idea of even touching it...but I might have to use it, at least until I can get my sword. I tap the black bladed dagger and it appears in my hand, after this I need to get rid of this blade, I'm not part of Demise and I don't want their symbol with me. I swung it at the skeleton that had just missed me and I instantly knew this sword was not suited to me at all. The skeleton turned to me, no notice at all that I just hit it and it swung it's axe at me, I dodged and I brought the dagger into it's skull, knocking the head off, I move back and focus my energy "Cutting Edge!" When I shoot the wave this time it is black. It hits the skeleton's body and it bursts.
"This dagger changes my skills...I don't like this...but I have no choice."
Two zombies staggered towards me, one from my front and one behind, they were both carrying spears. I looked at the bar, like I always do "Zombie Spearman, level 20." I ran at the one in front of me and I hit the spear's handle and broke it, I then slashed across the chest, it kept coming. From my experience in other games and movies there is only one way to kill a zombie, I move back and then I thrust my dagger towards it's eye, the dagger plunges into the eye, and it's hp bar hits 0 and it bursts. The way to kill the zombie, disable/destroy the brain. I turned to the other one and before it could do anything, I plunged my dagger into it's eye, destroying it as well. If I kept this up I might be able to escape. I waited to see if another one of Kalinanda undead minions would attack me, I wasn't waiting long before two big zombies came near me, but nearly as big as the zombie giant was. I looked at the bars "Undead Brutes, level 24." Great...two level 24's, guess I have to try beat them...maybe after I should try and kill Kalinanda since he's the one controlling them. The two brutes were staying near each other, most likely knowing if they separated I could dispatch them easier, I'm still gonna take them out. I wait until they are closer then I try and slash it's leg with the dagger, but it grabs my wrist. I try and pull back but the brute tightens it's grip and jerks my wrist backwards, hurting my arm and causing the dagger to fall out of my grasp. I try to grab it but the other brute grabs my left wrist and does the same as the first, causing me to drop my shield. Now I was defenceless, both arms being held by monsters and my blade and shield at my feet...not much I can do now. Kalinanda started walking towards me.
Kalinanda stopped in front of me, I fought against the brutes, trying to escape from their grip, but to no avail. Kalinanda pointed his staff at me and then thrust it towards me and the sharp point punctured my left shoulder.
"Ow!" He was going to keep doing this, if he was just going to kill me he would have done that already. The pointed staff stabs into my left arm again, just under my shoulder wound.
"Damn!" I fought harder to get away from the two monsters holding me, I couldn't get away but there was something I could do. I pull my legs off the ground and then I kicked forward knocking Kalinanda to the ground and making his staff go into the air and landing into the right arm of the brute holding my right arm. It's grip loosened a little and I pulled my arm away, grabbed my dagger and shield and stabbed it into the other one's arm, it loosened it's grip again and I pulled away from it to. I ran towards the undead that my sword was behind and focused my energy "Cutting Edge, Cutting Barrage!" I used two skills at once and I shot the waves at them, some of them stagger and a few fell but it wasn't enough.
I focused my energy again, still running toward them "Cutting Barrage!" I shot the waves again, and this time since I was closer it did more damage. It took out more and it opened a small escape route. I sped up and ran through the small gap, I grabbed my Dragon's Fury and was about to run towards the door when I looked up and realized I was surrounded again...for decomposing bodies and bones, they move quickly. I looked behind me and saw Kalinanda was coming towards me, I got into a battle stance, looks like it's time to fight the boss himself. I looked at my bar it didn't even go down a quarter from getting stabbed. Once Kalinanda got close enough to me he swung his staff at me, I blocked it with my shield and I tried to stab him with my sword, he moved his staff so it was against my shield and holding my blade back. This is not going to be easy at all. I heard something behind me move. I turned and saw his minions were starting to move closer, I pushed away from him and aimed my sword at the monsters behind me "Flame Whip!" my sword burst into flames and I shot the flames at them, but the flame around my sword wasn't red or orange it had changed to blue and when it hit the monsters all that was left was ash. A message appeared, it said "You have mastered the skill, Flame Whip. From now on even when you unequip your weapon you will still have the skill and it has increased in power." I smiled as I read the last line. I looked around and saw the monsters were still moving closer.
"Well then, let's see what I can do about this." I planted my feet on to the ground "Flame Whip!" My sword got covered in blue flames and I swung the sword completely around me, sending the flames at all the monsters around me. Kalinanda jumped over it, but all the other monsters around burned to ash. Kalinanda looked around then rose this staff.
"Oh no you don't!" I ran and managed to hit him in the chest before he could call the dead again. I saw his hp drop quite a bit, his strength must be in the minions he can call and his defence must be close to nothing. As this thought went through my head, Kalinanda took the chance and swung the staff right into my face, I rolled back. His attack is pretty high though. He rose his staff again.
"I already said I won't allow that." I focused my energy "Cutting Edge!" I shot the wave at him and it hit the staff out of his hand. He looked at me his eyes glowing a darker red. He rose his hands up and let out an inhuman shriek, I covered my ears because of the noise. The staff went above him and he got covered in a beam of red light, like the one that came from the cross in the first place. When the light cleared I was no longer staring at the old Necromancer with a staff. I was now staring at a knight in black armor, holding a huge black sword, and on a skeleton horse. I looked at it's bar and the damage I had done was still there but there was a different name too "Kalinanda, The Dread Knight."
"What the hell...is this?" The boss had transformed? I can't out run him when he's on a horse...I have no choice but to fight.
The horse ran at me, and he had his sword raised ready to attack me. As he ran at me I moved to the side and hit the skeleton horse's leg but my sword bounced off of it.
"The bones are able to withstand my attacks." I mutter.
The horse had turned around and ran at me again, I ducked under the sword and tried to figure out a tactic I could use to defeat him, nothing came to mind yet.
I focused my energy "Cutting Edge!" I shot the wave and it hit Kalinanda, he made no notice that it hit him but his hp dropped a little. He commanded the horse to come at me again...is this all he's gonna do? The horse ran at me, and I jumped and slashed my sword across The black armor, which shattered from the blow! The armor broke that easily...could he still have the same defence status that he had before he transformed? Kalinanda jumped of the horse as I landed and he moved in front of me and slashed down my body. The cut was a deep, damaging one my hp was at half, but I had potions if I really needed them. The horse ran towards us and he jumped back onto it. I can't take the horse down, it has no health bar, no name and no level which means it's an unkillable object, so I had to aim for Kalinanda himself! I focused my energy and as the horse charged at me again I jumped into the air took aim and fired "Cutting Edge!" I shot it directly at where the armor had broken, Kalinanda almost fell off the horse but he managed to stay on, his health was still on the first bar,half way down.
"I need to do more damage...but the question is how?" I ran through my skills, Cutting Edge, Cutting Barrage, Flame Whip and Dragon's Flame. Wait...Dragon's flame that could work, since it hit the one the point is aimed at, plus it's a very damaging move. I pointed my sword at Kalinanda just as the horse was turning "Dragon Flame!" My sword burst into flames and I appeared in front of Kalinanda, who was still on the horse, and by stabbing him with the flaming sword he was taken off the horse and to ground, he was on his back and I was standing over him with the sword pushed into his chest. He tried pull the sword out but I was holding it tightly and pushing down. Realizing he wasn't going to get it out that way, he tightened the grip on his sword and before I could dodge and the blade smashed right into the side of my head. I fell to the ground, spots flashing before my eyes. I felt dizzy and I knew my hp must have gone down quite a bit from the strike. I stood up still dizzy when I noticed Kalinanda was up and my sword was at his feet. I took a step forward then I staggered backward, dizziness...not a very good thing to have in a battle. I opened my inventory and took a potion out, I opened it and drank it. I saw my hp bar went up to three quarters full. Still a little dizzy I ran at him, I had to get my sword back. He swung his sword and I ducked under it and grabbed my blade, I didn't move quick enough and I felt the metal of his blade hit my back, also hitting flat on the ground. I rolled away from him and I heard his sword hit where I had been just a minute ago.
"I need to figure out a way to finish him..." I looked at his health and I had taken a bar and a half with my Dragon's flame, he now had 2 bars left, he was at the half way point! His horse had come back, but he slashed at it with his sword and killed it! He was going to fight me alone now. I got into a battle stance. He came towards me, not running but walking. When he got close to me, we both swung our swords and the sounds of metal upon metal filled the air, I was pushing against his but his didn't even move, but he was pushing this time too, I just need to find a way to take down the last half of his life...easily said then done. I focused my energy into my blade "Cutting Edge!" the closer I am to the target with this move the more powerful it seems to be, I shot the wave against his sword and his grip failed and it flew behind him, he turned to see where it landed and I took my chance "Flame Whip!" My sword burst into flames and I not only shot the flame at him but since he was in front of me my sword cut him too, dealing more damage. He hardly acknowledged my attack and he went towards his sword.
"I'm not done yet! Dragon Flame!" My sword once again burst into flames and I appeared in front of him, my sword stabbed through him. I looked at his health bar and saw it was just before half one bar, I almost defeated him! He swung his fist and I fall, he pulled my sword out and threw it and then he picked his own sword up. He turned to me, and I picked mine up too. I got to my feet and he ran at me, I blocked his attack with my shield and tried to deal the finishing blow, but he stopped my blade with his armored had and stabbed his sword right into my stomach, I fell to the ground and he stood above me, sword poised to deal a finishing strike. I gripped my sword and thrust it upwards, it went into his helmet and must have stabbed into his head. He fell and burst. I had defeated the 19th floor boss! A message appeared in front of me, the boss reward "For Defeating Kalinanda you have you have been rewarded with The Dread Armor Set." I smiled, a new armor set, which means my lizard scale set is finally going to be removed...well if this armor is better. I tap the okay button and then a level up message appeared it said "You have leveled up from 26-28" I had gone up two levels for it, I hit the okay button for it and then I go to get up and realize something...the wounds I took won't allow me too, great now I had to wait here.
"Having a little trouble?" A female voice said
I looked up and saw a red haired, hazel eyed girl in about her mid-thirties standing in front of me, she looked kind, but looks can be deceiving "And you are?"
"You'll find out soon enough, Dark."
"Well that gave it away, where's your trademarked dagger?"
She smirked "Right here." She pulled out an Expired Light.
"Demise must really take killing a member seriously."
"True, but you have killed several member not just one."
"I had no choice, they die or I do."
"You killed them in vain, because now you are staring death in the face, and there is no escape."
"You would think that." I try to stand again but I can't lift myself up "But then again I've lived this long haven't I?"
"Everyone must die at sometime. It's your time now." She took a step towards me.
"I'm not defenceless you know?" I grip my blade tighter "I can still fight."
"I still have the height advantage and the fact that I didn't just solo a boss."
She was right, I was tired and I was weakened...but I had to keep fighting.
"So are you going to attack me or are we going to stay here for a while?"
She swung the dagger down at me and I rose my shield and swung my sword across her leg.
"That was a weak slash."
"I just fought a boss, what do you expect?" I focused my energy "Cutting Barrage!" I shot the waves at her and she easily dodged "Dammit, stay still!"
"You expect me to listen to you and don't forget I have skills too."
"I know."
"Like this." She slashed her sword in the air "Night Cutter!" a dark wave flew at me and hit me in the chest, cutting across it.
"Ouch..." then I saw the black glow around it "Not this again..."
"You can't heal that cut now."
"Seriously...I have had this done before to me too...I didn't enjoy it then either, even so I won't lose!"
"You can't win a fight being immobile. I'm ending this now!"
"Dark!" we both looked where the voice was coming from and I saw a brown wolf on top of the hill, it let out a bark.
I smile "Rocky." I turn back to my enemy "Looks like my party is here."
"What do you-" She stopped as Lea and Sienna came into sight on the hill and came towards us.
They got to us and they instantly noticed I was hurt.
"What happened this time Dark?" Sienna asked
"I'll explain later. Look in her hand." I say gesturing to the woman "The symbol of Demise."
"She's a member then." Lea said, glaring at her.
"Which makes her an enemy." Sienna finished.
"An enemy you can't beat." The woman said taking a step forward.
Rocky growled and dashed at her.
"Stupid Mutt." She stepped to the side as he jumped at her, she then stabbed him in the side, this was the first time I saw him actually get hit.
"Rocky!" Lea ran over to him, his health bar dropped a little above half, he was fine, but he couldn't fight now.
"Sienna, you have to fight her. I can't stand and Lea and Rocky fight as a team, and now one of them can't fight."
"That's fine. Now I can see how strong a Demise member is." She drew her sword.
"Demise is not to be messed with, and you will learn that soon."
Sienna ran in front of her and hit her in the head with the hilt of the sword, knocking her to the ground "You are underestimating us as well."
She got to her feet and rubbed her head "Maybe I was at first...but that mistake won't be made again. Dark Cut!" the dark wave went toward Sienna and she quickly moved.
"You think a move like that can hit, me, someone who specializes in speed?"
"Speed users can still be caught off guard." Her dagger started glowing black "Like now for instant. Raging Shadows!" From the dagger darkness shoots out and takes shapes of monsters and they rush at Sienna. Sienna easily starts to dodge them, and she manages to cut a few which makes them disappear.
The woman just watches her "Let's see how long you can keep that up for."
Sienna ignored her and continued dodging. Just then I notice a movement out of the corner of my eye.
"Sienna, watch out!"
She turned, but not fast enough, one of the shadows had got behind her and tackled her sending her to the ground.
"Like I said, even a speed fighter can be caught off guard."
Sienna pushed herself up and I saw the damage done to her back. The clothing she had on had been ripped and her back was cut up badly. I looked at the shadow that hit her and saw it had spikes on it.
Sienna tried to get up, but the pain must have been really bad because she couldn't manage it.
"Now I will be able to take all of you down." She walked towards Sienna with the dagger. My stomach wound was the one keeping me down, and if I couldn't do anything now what would happen to us? There was something I could do, I gripped my sword tighter and focused my energy "Cutting Edge!" I shot the wave at the woman and she jumped away from Sienna.
"Trying to save her? Fine, I was hoping to save the main target for last but I guess I'll take you down first."
I stab my sword into the ground and I pull myself up "I'm not finished yet." I pull my sword from the ground and almost fall back down.
"This is going to be disappointing. You're already weakened."
"I can still take you down. Flame Whip!" My sword goes on fire and I shoot the blue flames at her and they hit her left arm.
"You'll pay for that!" She sent the last few shadows at me.
"Cutting Barrage!" I shot three waves to take care of the shadows, then I ran at her and shot the last two, she must not have been expecting it, because both of them hit her.
"You little-"
"Still up...fine." I pointed my sword at her, and it burst into flames "Dragon Flame." I appeared in front of her and the sword was through her "This is the move I use most often to take out Demise members." She didn't say anything as her hp bar in 0 and she burst. I staggered back a few steps before falling.
"Sienna, are you all right?"
"It hurts, but I'll be fine."
"Lea, how's Rocky?"
"He's okay, just in pain."
"I would expect that he took a knife into his side."
Sienna asked me a question now "How did you get the stomach wound and the one on the side of your head?"
"I got in a fight against a monster."
"What monster damaged you so much?"
"Kalinanda, The Necromancer/Dread Knight."
"Wait, was it a-"
"A boss. It was the 19th floor's boss."
"Wait, but no one could find it, why did it appear here?"
"Something to do with the time, maybe, I'm not sure, I just know the cross grave blew up and he appeared."
"That explains how you took so much damage."
"Why are you two here by the way, I thought you went back to the inn."
"We did, but Lea came and told me you hadn't come back and we decided to come find you."
I look over at Lea and smile "Well, I'm alive...not sure if I would be if you two didn't arrive, and right now the only one that can fight, is you Lea."
She nodded.
6 hours Later
We hadn't moved from where we had fallen, I was on my back now and Sienna was still on her knees and Lea was kneeling over Rocky.
"We took more damage then we thought, didn't we?" I asked
"I did, but it's to be expected that you would be hurt after fighting a boss yourself."
Before I could respond I heard a voice call to us "Hey!"
I moved my head so I could see who it was and I saw Takumi coming towards us. When he got to us he just looked at us.
"What happened to you?"
Sienna answered "We got into a fight against a Pk-er."
"A pk-er did all of this damage."
I spoke "They did no damage to me, this is from a monster."
"Must have been a strong one."
"It was the floor boss."
"...Can you repeat that?"
"I fought against the 19th floor boss and I defeated it myself."
"You soloed a floor boss?"
"Yes."
"Wow...you never cease to amaze me." He opened his inventory and handed me and Sienna and Lea A vial. "Drink these, they don't recover hp, but they ease pain."
Me and Sienna drank ours and Lea gave one to Rocky. I felt the pain lessen as I swallowed, I sat up.
"Wow. It really works."
Sienna stood up and so did Rocky.
"Thanks." Sienna said.
Takumi smiled "No problem. Dark, you beat the boss here, right?"
"Yes."
"Then...where is the door to the next floor?"
I look around "I guess where the boss came from." I say pointing to the hole the cross made after it blew up."
"But you can't be sure?"
I walked in front of the hole then jumped down, it was pitch black "It's a tunnel, as far as I can tell."
"Well go on ahead, I'll wait for the guild." Lea, Rocky and Sienna came down too.
"All right."
We let Rocky lead the way since he could see in the darkness. After 5 minutes of walking Rocky gave a bark, I reached forward and felt a handle and pushed it open. We stepped through the door and saw the 20th floor. The first thing we saw was a huge field of grass, then plant life like trees, flowers, bushes all types of things.
"Well this is a nice change from a graveyard." Sienna said
"Much better." Lea said happily.
I saw a town about a 10 minute walk away "I guess that's where we go first."
We arrived at the town, which had no shortage of grass, and plant life and we went into the inn and headed to one of the rooms.
"I think the vial Takumi gave us is wearing off already." I say "My head is starting to hurt again."
"I think it's just you, I feel fine." Sienna said with a smile, Rocky gave a small bark.
"Either way it hurts." I opened my inventory.
"You said the boss was a Necromancer and a Dread Knight?" Lea asked.
"It transformed, I don't know how or why, but it did. When it turned into a Dread Knight it smashed my head with it's sword, which is why I have this cut."
"And the reward?" Sienna asked.
"A new armor set, The Dread Armor."
"You got a whole set for defeating the boss?"
"Yeah." I looked through the set "Five pieces, Helmet, Chestplate, Gauntlets, Greaves and shield...even though the boss didn't use a shield."
"Why haven't you put it on yet?"
"Haven't had the chance, but I guess I should." I tap each piece and equip them. The whole set is black like when the boss had it on. The helmet didn't cover my face but it did protect my head, the Chestplate protected my chest and back from attacks, the Gauntlets protected my hands to my shoulders where it met with the chestplate, the Greaves protected my ankles up to my waist where it also met with the chestplate and the shield could protect me anywhere. There isn't much design to the armor only to the shield which has a Red Skull in the middle of it.
"This armor is so heavy."
"What would you expect? It's a whole suit of armor." Sienna said
"That armor's makes you look evil." Lea said.
I opened my inventory and took the armor off "It's not something I can wear all the time, like when I'm sleeping, only when I might be in a fight."
"That's how most armor is meant to be worn, you only had light armor on before, so it was pretty comfortable as well."
"I am aware of that."
"Hey Alex, can you tell us about the boss?"
"I guess, if you want me too."
After telling them about the fight with Kalinanda it's gotten dark outside. I pretty much zone out as they're talking and when I come back to my senses I see that Lea and Sienna had fallen asleep. Rocky is sitting beside the couch I'm on.
"How long have they been asleep for?" Rocky just looked at me.
"I guess you can't answer that question, can you?" He didn't make any sounds and he jumped onto the bed with Lea. When it's silent I seem to start thinking about the day and the events that happened during it, today is no different. I had soloed a boss, then a Demise member took the chance to try and finish me, but the thing that has been bugging me is the fact that I had accepted defeat before Lea and Sienna arrived...but once the demise member had hurt Sienna and was going towards her with the dagger, something flared inside of me and forced me to continue fighting, and it wasn't just because she was my teammate...this felt different, like I couldn't bare if something happened to her. I figured it out quickly, but this isn't the time for these types of feelings...we are trying to escape from a virtual world and now I feel like this...I'll have to keep it hidden. Although if I want to protect her and Lea there is one thing I can do, and it will happen sooner or later. I opened my message tab and tapped on one near the top, on of the first ones I had got, and it was from no other then the one that has been causing so much trouble for me, Marks from Demise. I tapped the message and hit the reply button. I sent him a massage that said this:
Marks, I am sick of your minions now, I challenge you to a duel to the death.
We will both come alone to floor 18, and we will meet in the Colosseum and
that is where we shall have this fight. I'll be waiting.
From DarkBlade.
I made sure Lea, Sienna and Rocky were asleep and I opened the door and before I closed the door I whispered
"Sorry you three, but this is a battle only I can do, and I can't put you in anymore danger."
I close the door and head off.
Chapter 11 Offline
