SweetSpearGirl Returns

Chapter 8
Old Summoners And Bold Summoners

Cast of Characters
SweetSpearGirl, the Mighty Spearazon
Euyfura, the Adoring Sidekick
The Summoner

TAKE HEED AND BEAR WITNESS TO THE TRUTHS THAT LIE HEREIN, FOR THEY ARE THE LAST LEGACY OF THE HORADRIM...

"Horazon, Horazon, Horazon!" Euyfura muttered to herself. "All anyone talks about round here is Horazon!"

And the boss had a stick up her butt about the long-lost mage too, the rogue mused as they entered Jerhyn's palace. Where the couple soon ran into Invaders, distant cousins of the Sand Raiders from the sewers. Blunderbores and Dune Beasts soon followed. No problems there, and they soon descended to the Palace Cellars.

Level 1 was swarming with fireball-lobbing Horror Mages, some of them led by Puke Shank (mana burn). SweetSpearGirl was still trying to figure out his name even after she downed him (she was grateful for the healing pots he dropped, too - fire resist of only 27 meant the fireballs hurt...)

"Onward and downward," she remarked to Euyfura in an aside as they waypoint-hunted. A few Invaders barred their way before they activated it, but they felt no need to return to town yet. Besides, people would still be going on about Horazon up there. They pressed on.

Level 2 possessed a Champion pack of Horror Archers which were strong enough for SweetSpearGirl to need several potions ("damn unleechable skeletons!" she griped). Euyfura's arrows finished off the nearby Invaders while the zon scavenged a purple from one of the crumbled Archers. Her pack was full so they portalled back to sell off their loot (and avoided people talking about Horazon...).

Back to the fight; level 3 contained more Horror Archers and lightning-tossing Mages (more potions needed!). It also contained Fire Eye (fire-enchanted, extra fast), a nasty Invader boss whose minions swarmed the intrepid couple. He did, however, drop a purple - allowing SweetSpearGirl to cube up three of them.

She smiled. "Let's kick rubber and burn some arses!" was her comment.

Euyfura just rolled her eyes.

A few Dune Beasts later, there was a glowing blue portal in front of them.

"After you," Euyfura quipped. SweetSpearGirl shook her head and stepped through.

Spectres and Ghoul Lords greeted them just past the waypoint, along the Arcane Sanctuary's eastern arm. Followed up by Hell Clan Goat Boys and a few Lightning Spires. Not dropping much loot, sadly (an Amulet of Gheed - I mean, Greed - was the most notable drop), but what else was new?

They moved slowly up the eastern arm, slaying badly-behaved beasties as they went. Euyfura levelled to 20, shortly after followed by SweetSpearGirl reaching 22.

"Five more to go, then I can use that Tannr Gorerod!" the latter enthused.

"Who or what is Tannr anyway?" Euyfura wondered. SweetSpearGirl shrugged.

"Beats me. If it kills demons, I don't care what it's called!"

"You'd soon change your mind if it was called the Horadric Phallus!" Euyfura smirked. SweetSpearGirl stuck her tongue out.

"Watch it, girl, or I might borrow the thing from Charsi!"

Further along, someone dropped a Lapis Chain Mail of Balance, which was a nice improvement over Euyfura's Angelic armour, so she swapped over (pretending not to notice SweetSpearGirl's ogling as the rogue slipped out of her old armour). The spearazon picked up an Experience shrine shortly before reaching the end of the eastern arm (packed with gold and items), although the effect sadly wore off before they were finished gathering in the loot.

Next up was the southern arm. A mana-burning ghoul boss, Pulse Thorn the Jagged, barred their way, but SweetSpearGirl had no truck with his kind and swiftly shoved her spear up him.

The remainder of the arm was nondescript - just more beasties - until they reached the end. A sudden Glacial Spike shot out of nowhere.

"It's the Summoner!" SweetSpearGirl yelled and leapt back. She gestured to Euyfura.

"Follow my lead!"

The two of them gradually lured out the Summoner's hangers-on, taking care of them while avoiding his curses and missiles. One Glacial Spike impacted SweetSpearGirl (who yelled, "Ouch!") but she shook it off and continued attacking. Soon the Summoner was down and then a few more Ghoul Lords later, Horazon's Journal was hers.

They hopped through the red portal, took the waypoint back to town, and relaxed. And everyone had shut up about Horazon, too!