Ardur, Asura, Ed, Jason, Momma Slime, Mother Rat
"Leave him be for now, Mother. Take the other Skeleton." Asura called out as Jason was sent flying. Momma Slime burbled something in response, and headed towards the fray between the red amorphous slime and the two skeleblins.
Trying to keep his body as rigid as possible, shifting into a somewhat rounded cube like a dice, Jason managed to stop himself from continuing to bounce away. Quickly forming back into a ball, he raced back toward the fight as fast as he could. With the addition of extra traction, turning himself into more of a tire, he could definitely feel that his speed was better--and his course could be controlled better as well.
“Son of a bitch that hurts!” Ardur took cover and healed himself, restoring his HP to full. As Steve continued to make her way towards him, he got a better view of his opponent. The Ghost Wisp's glow was that of rancid flesh stretched over a spotlight, or perhaps something like radioactive waste. Looking back to his friend Ardur called out to her, “Steve! Start spinning your webs for a trap. I’m going to lure this thing in toward it so we can deal with it.”
Forced to make a decision, Asteria gave a hurried order to Ed and Mother Rat to stay put. Mother Rat didn't seem to understand the words, but she was already protectively huddled over Ed, so it seemed she wouldn't do anything to endanger him. The other rat dashed off, her swift speed carrying her across the cave...
Asura felt the burning pain of the Mana Orb; thanks to his Magic Resistance it was significantly less than it had been before, but he still didn't have as much of a tolerance for it as physical damage. He could feel that he had taken some solid damage overall, but he still had plenty of HP--however, choosing not to take risks, he quickly digested a Healing Herb and was back to Full. He chose to ignore the Ghost Wisp for now and surged towards the injured Gawain. The Ghost Wisp fired another Mana Orb, but missed due to Asura's movement and slowly began to descend...
Momma Slime lunged at Leonidas, but the Skeleblin had been ordered to focus on defense. With its lighter frame and greater speed, it was able to dodge aside as Momma Slime's big blue pseudopod smashed into the ground--quite similarly to what Asura had been showing her to try and get her to use Smash.
As the Ghost Wisp moved to try and get a better angle at Ardur, Steve turned her backside to the enemy and used the large orange eye on her abdomen to aim a [Web Spit] at the glowing creature. When the ball of partially-liquid silk struck it, the creature was weighed down heavily and struggled to maintain its levitation--holding it in place as Ardur began to chant.
"“My soul is fire; my heart is of the sun--" Ardur's palm began to heat up quickly, and the red glow began to spread up his veins...
As he barreled toward the fight, Jason knew he had to end this quickly; as Ardur would likely be back soon with full mana. With Ed and Asteria seemingly hesitant to take part in such a fight, he needed to end this quickly. Using [War Cry II] and [Spell Chant I] together, Jason intended to use his 'warchant' to attack Asura's biggest vulnerability.
"LET THE PILLARS OF THY MIND QUAKE--" As Jason's voice boomed, two spinning violet circles appeared in the air in front of him.
Gawain struck out at Asura as the slime spread over it like a net--despite Jason's order, it couldn't dodge or defend with its current injury, and so it seemed some form of basic preservation overcame the logic that couldn't be executed. The Ghost Wisp threw itself against his back in some form of tackle. Asura barely felt the impacts as they rippled along his spreading form, which began to glow with red light--
Using her own shapeshifting ability, Momma Slime tried to imitate Asura again, shooting a pseudopod straight out instead of swinging it like a haymaker--
"Mighty sky father guide my shot--" The fireball igniting in Ardur's palm grew brighter, just like when he had cast it into the cave before.
"AS MY WILL CRUMBLES AWAY IT'S VERY FOUNDATION!!!" As language and linework began to fill the circle, Jason's booming voice would forcefully draw Asura and Momma Slime's attention at the last moment. But they were already mid-attack...
Asura's mass was spread far enough that even with his focus elsewhere, he collided with Gawain and rolled over the skeleton like a tidal wave. Smash's damage had been decreased because of the larger surface area, but with Gawain's ankle already injured this attack slammed it into the dirt hard enough to destroy the joint. The skeletal foot went flying, and the injured skeleblin was left to crawl on the ground as it tried to get away. The Ghost Wisp once again tried to ram its body against Asura, but its attacks were little more than slaps.
Momma Slime's attack was thrown off center by the Warcry, and once again Leonidas was able to dodge it, leaping back to get some space between itself and the blue mass...
"WITH YOUR FINAL MOMENTS AT HAND, FACE MY MIGHT--" Jason could feel a strain within himself as he continued to use Warcry on the words of his Chant, and the spell circle had been split into four quadrants. One sigil had appeared in a corner and another was beginning to form--
"So they may rest in your everlasting light. Fireball!" Ardur let loose his spell, and it hit the Ghost Wisp head on! Steve's web proved quite flammable, producing a sort of napalm mix that clung to the Ghost Wisp as flames began to consume it. The creature screamed out, and suddenly seemed to disappear--the flaming web fell towards the ground. However, the magical flames seemed to remain floating as an empty sphere in space. In a blink the Ghost Wisp reappeared--then seemed to dissolve into ash.
GHOST_WISP_003 KILLED BY INTRUDER_PIXIE!
Forcing his attention back with a grunt of will, Asura followed up his attack on Gawain with a pair of bludgeoning pods. The skeleblin was unable to get away, and as the blows rained down the magic of the dungeon could no longer hold the bones together. Gawain's skull chattered before his spine and ribcage were crushed. The Ghost Wisp rolled slightly downhill on the uneven terrain, seeming to bob partially in and out of the stone. It seemed tired.
GAWAIN KILLED BY INTRUDER_AMORPHOUS_SLIME!
Mother Slime, once more drawn by the Warcry, rolled up into a ball--tighter this time--and once again charged at the mage slime...
"--AND BE NO MORE! MIND WAVE--PSIONIC DESTRUCTION!!!" The second sigil was fully formed and a third had just begun to flash when Jason unleashed his spell. His voice was full of power, his magic surged throughout his being, and rage filled him like magma beneath the volcano. Asura had to learn that actions had consequences! How dare Ardur destroy souls like this! He would protect his Monsters--protect his Dungeon--and destroy whomever he had to! Even his own mother!
Like heat waves coming off the asphalt on a hot summer's day, only sped up tens of times, an unseen force rippled through the air towards Momma Slime. It struck.
The blue blob was hurled backwards--or rather, it almost seemed as if she, herself, had recoiled with such strength as to throw her body back. Her entire form shivered, and she sank down as if she were deflating--she was hurt, badly. Something, this thing, she couldn't see it, but it HURT--
Momma Slime
screamed, her voice distorted with liquid blurbles and deep echoes--and then began to rock back and forth, gurgling in pain. Her membrane seemed like it was leaking as she
sobbed in shock, seemingly unable to even react. Slimes were not used to taking pain--especially THIS kind of pain, that resonated deep within the mind.
"AHHHH, UUGH, AAAAAHSSSOOO!! AHHHHSOOOOWAAAAAH!" Momma Slime writhed back and forth, trying to collect her body--and failing. "AAAAAHHHHGH, AHHHSOOOWAAAAAAH!" She seemed confused, as if she didn't know where he was--
Your Stamina is Low.
You have no MP remaining.
You have overdrawn your MP again. Mana Burn has upgraded to Mana Disorder again. Natural MP Recovery has stopped. Item MP Recovery reduced by 50%.
Leonidas's teeth chattered as it glared at Momma Slime. Right now it seemed Jason's order was still holding it back...
CONNECTION FAILING DUE TO NO MP. PREPARING TO OVERRIDE ORDERS...
Asteria, ???
As the sounds of battle raging behind her grew less over the distance, Asteria returned to the pool. She ran, and ran, speeding back into the cave, towards the lake. She still clearly remembered the mysterious dream. Now or never, she knew she hadn’t yet managed to manifest any magical ability property, but was aware of her potential. And this was a dire enough of a situation for her to concentrate fully on her task, leaving no room for doubts, her intention unwavering, her mind sharply focused on this singular purpose. Asteria put both her paws inside of the lake, and called loudly: “Water spirit, heed me!"
Asteria might have heard a splash as she approached, before she called out. The water near Torrent's ill-fated tunnel was rippling as she leaned over the bank. That small stream seemed to have been enlarged--now it was more like a proper creek, spilling shallowly towards Jason's cave.
"It is I, Asteria! Hear my call!"
Something down in the depths of the pool glimmered.
"AEGEUS!"
The glimmer suddenly darted, disappearing. As Asteria continued to plead, thrusting her paws into the water, she felt...a current? But it wasn't pulling her into the pool, or flowing towards the cave. It was something coming
up.
"Let thy whispers resound! Grant us calmness of heart, clarity of mind, and tranquility of body! May our souls know calm, peace, and acceptance! SOOTHE!"
Like a pressurized tank of air, something
blasted up from the depths. With a waterspout as if from the back of a whale, it burst forth into the open air. What little light reflected from Mana Crystals and broken shafts of sunlight glimmered on a surface of steel.
It spun through the air--then landed in front of Asteria point first, sinking at least six inches into the ground.
Suddenly, the Dire Rat felt as if an icy grip had taken hold of her heart and lungs.
Your Mana is being Drained!
Temporary Excess MP has been Drained!
Your MP is Low!
You have no MP remaining!
The MP she had taken from the Dungeon Core, and from Ardur, had overfilled the Dire Rat's tank to the point that it might actually have started to be too much for her body. However, all of that, plus her natural amount of magical energy, had been drained--and it felt like a drop in a bucket.
The phantasmal hand withdrew from her, and within the blade's reflection she saw a pair of blue eyes.
You, who have called my vessel's name...I remember you. But you cannot wield me--and I do not think I can accomplish what you wish. However, through this slight link, you have allowed me to restore a very small piece of my power. If you are willing to take the risk, I may be able to destroy the core of this place, and release its hold...
