Chapter 49: Abyss Dungeon III
As they entered the second floor, the environment shifted dramatically. The walls were now jagged obsidian, and rivers of molten lava snaked through the floor. The oppressive heat made it hard to breathe, and the faint smell of sulfur hung in the air.
A deep growl echoed from the shadows, causing everyone to draw their weapons. From behind a cluster of blackened rocks emerged a massive, fire-infused beast. Its body was covered in glowing cracks, and flames danced along its mane. Its eyes burned with an intensity that made even Kara, bolstered by her new skills, take a cautious step back.
"A Magma Beast," Leon muttered, analyzing the creature. "It's fast and deadly up close. Be ready for ranged combat."
Lyric, the group's archer, quickly nocked an arrow. "On it, Captain. I'll keep its attention from a distance."
"Dren, Kara, keep its charge in check. Marian, focus on buffs and heals," Leon continued, issuing commands with precision.
"What about you, Captain?" Marian asked, gripping her staff.
Leon's eyes gleamed with determination as he summoned Eldritch Blast to his palm, the swirling energy crackling with power. "I'll hit it where it hurts."
He turned to Roselia, whose crimson aura glowed faintly, blending with the fiery surroundings. "And Roselia, focus on helping others if the need arises," Leon commanded, his tone steady yet trusting.
Roselia gave a small, determined nod, her dark wings unfurling slightly as she hovered close to the group. "Understood, Captain. I'll ensure no one falls."
Roselia kept a sharp eye on everyone, her senses attuned to the slightest signs of danger.
The battle erupted with a roar as the Magma Beast charged forward, its claws leaving fiery trails in its wake. Lyric's arrows struck true, embedding themselves in the creature's thick hide, but it seemed more irritated than injured.
"Keep it occupied!" Leon shouted, weaving between its fiery strikes. He unleashed a barrage of Aether Bolts, each impact chipping away at the creature's molten armor.
Dren and Kara worked in tandem, using Repel Block and quick counterattacks to deflect the beast's furious swipes. Kara absorbed a particularly heavy blow and released it as a powerful shockwave, forcing the creature to stagger back.
"Nice one!" Lyric called out, loosing another arrow that found its mark in the beast's eye.
Marian chanted a spell, her staff glowing with soft light. "Fortitude Aura!" she cried, enveloping the group in a protective barrier that dulled the beast's fiery attacks.
When Lyric narrowly avoided a molten projectile, she was there in an instant, her shadowy tendrils intercepting the attack before it could strike him.
"Thanks, Roselia!" Lyric called out, his voice tinged with both relief and admiration.
"Stay focused," she replied curtly, already scanning for the next threat.
Her presence, though often understated, became a silent assurance to the team. Whether it was shielding Marian while she cast a crucial spell or deflecting stray embers that threatened Kara's concentration, Roselia's interventions were swift and precise.
Leon glanced back briefly, his gaze meeting Roselia's as she neutralized another threat. "Good work," he said simply, his voice carrying genuine praise.
Roselia smirked faintly, her sharp features softening just enough to reveal her pride. "Just doing my part, Captain."
The creature howled in frustration as Kara's shockwave blasted it backward, its watery form rippling violently from the force. Kara stood firm, her shield shimmering from the absorbed impact, ready to retaliate if the beast struck again.
Leon's sharp eyes caught the creature momentarily destabilized, its mass shifting chaotically. Without wasting a second, he channeled his mana into Gravity Flux, creating a localized field around the beast. The air distorted as the field took effect, pulling the monstrous entity downward with immense force. Its movements slowed as if struggling through an invisible mire.
"It's vulnerable! Focus your attacks!" Leon barked, his voice cutting through the chaos.
Lyric, already in position, leapt onto a nearby ledge and loosed a flurry of arrows infused with elemental energy. The projectiles pierced through the creature's semi-solid form, bursts of frost and flame erupting as they struck.
"Nice shot, Lyric!" Dren shouted, charging forward with his greatsword. The blade glowed faintly with his aura as he cleaved through one of the creature's tentacle-like appendages. The severed mass splashed to the ground before reforming, but Dren's attack forced the beast to redirect its focus.
"You're not getting me that easily!" Marian yelled, her staff alight with radiant energy. She unleashed a series of searing beams, each one striking the creature's core with unerring precision. The light seemed to destabilize its shadowy mass further, causing it to writhe in pain.
Roselia hovered above the fray, her crimson eyes fixed on the creature's movements. Sensing an attack, she raised her hand, summoning a wall of shadows that intercepted a surge of dark energy the beast had launched toward Kara. The impact scattered harmlessly across the barrier.
"Keep going! We've got it on the ropes!" Roselia called, her voice resolute.
The beast, though weakened, wasn't done yet. It let out a guttural roar, sending waves of dark energy rippling through the air. The shockwave threw Lyric and Marian off balance, forcing them to retreat momentarily. Dren barely managed to dig his sword into the ground to steady himself.
"Kara, cover the others!" Leon ordered.
Kara planted her feet and activated Iron Will, her passive skill granting her immunity to the stunning effects of the shockwave. Raising her shield, she absorbed the brunt of the incoming energy before releasing it in a second, more powerful shockwave. The blast destabilized the creature even further, buying the group precious time to recover.
Leon seized the moment. "Roselia, with me!"
Roselia nodded, swooping down to Leon's side. He raised his hand, gathering energy for Eldritch Blast, while Roselia channeled her dark aura into a concentrated lance of energy.
"On my mark," Leon said, his voice low but steady.
The creature lunged again, its mass coalescing into a massive appendage aimed directly at the pair.
"Now!" Leon shouted.
The combined attack—Leon's Eldritch Blast and Roselia's shadow lance—struck the creature's core simultaneously. The force of the impact caused a deafening explosion, and the creature let out an ear-splitting wail as its form began to unravel.
The group didn't relent. Lyric, recovering from the earlier shockwave, loosed another volley of arrows, while Marian fired more radiant beams. Dren charged in once more, slashing relentlessly at the creature's collapsing form.
With a final, guttural cry, the creature's core shattered, and its body dissolved into a swirling broken parts of ash and black rocks. The cavern fell silent except for the faint hum of residual energy from the shattered core.
Leon exhaled deeply, lowering his hand as the last remnants of the creature faded. "Well done, everyone. That was teamwork at its finest."