Dungeon Life

Chapter Twenty-Six: The Battle at Neverrest

Whew, I can still sense them, and even give them orders! I can only sense what they sense, though. Colors are pretty washed out, but Tiny gives a pretty good view with his various eyes. Fluffles heat sensing is great, and with him constantly tasting the air, I have a pretty good idea of what alls going on.

The townspeople are giving us curious looks, but they dont look very concerned. I feel like Im in an impromptu parade: something interesting to look at, but nothing to really get excited over. I can at least fill in my map with some good details while Im here. I should see if the delvers are interested in more field trips some time.

Speaking of, they all look well, not relaxed, but pretty at ease. I guess this is kinda their job, so theyre used to it. Theyre not used to getting to ride a huge tarantula with ants clustering on their backs, but the calm before a battle is definitely something theyve gotten used to.

And I havent. I keep thinking of what else I could have done or could do. In fact, I have a second part of the plan that Im supposed to do. I tell my stuff in the tunnel to press forward, make Neverrest think Im attempting to counter down there. Hes gotta have most of his forces down there already, but I want to make him get everything else he can.

The undead get quickly overrun, at least at first. I definitely have the numbers advantage, but his zombies are much tougher than my spiders, rats, and snakes. I manage a good few dozen yards before his lines seem to solidify, and were back to a mostly stalemate, if one much less organized. I fight carefully, doing my best to retreat wounded forces and get the ants to triage, not wanting to give him more mana than hes spending on undead.

I think its still pretty even, though, which is less than optimal. I just hope he thinks thats all my strength, and so tries to push through to crush me. I mean he might be able to, Im not sure how much other stuff he has to throw at me. From here, though, I get the feeling hes not too concerned about what I can do to him. I kinda want him to bring one of his scions down here but I also kinda dont. Jello could probably stand up to the skeleton for at least a bit, but shes my last real combat scion thats still at home.

I still prefer her chances against him than the party, though. The scions with them could probably team up and take it down, but I dont want to risk the party. My guys respawn, I dont think delvers do. Either way, though, were approaching the gate. Teemo seems to have some good stealth options, so I send him off ahead to do his things once the cemetery comes into view. With him scurrying off, the party seems to accept that this is go time.

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Ragnar readies his shield and hammer, giving the approaching gates a wary eye. Men th spiderll keep their attention as we make our way t th crypt. We cannae get bogged down or well be overrun, so keep movin. The scionsll do whaever theyre gonna do once there, an well need t make sure they cn do it.

Aelara and Yvone both nod, and I have Fluffles nod as well. Its more an outline than a full plan, but simple is good. Simple means more room to adjust on the fly. No plan survives first contact with the enemy, but I dont know any sayings about how outlines fare.

Meanwhile, Teemo has slipped inside, and it looks like hes not been spotted yet. At least he cant sense anything that indicates it. The main yard is looking much less populated, which is a good sign. Im probably going to have a serious counter-push in the tunnels soon, which is exactly where I want all those undead to be.

Unfortunately, it doesnt look like the skeleton scion has taken the bait. Teemo can see him at what seems to be his post: standing in the doorway of the crypt. He also has a cape, which he didnt have last time. That lich must have made something new for him, and I have no idea what itll do. Well, its not like we can back down right now.

I have Tiny stop right in front of the gate, to the suspicious looks of the guards there, but the party disembarking the spider seems to calm them. Aelara holds up a scroll for them to inspect.

Were here on official business of the Dungeoneers Guild. Let us pass. The guards look at the scroll for a few moments, then nod and step aside. Strangeness aside, nobody would be able to fake that seal. Fluffles slithers up Aelaras staff and settles himself on her shoulders, his tail pointing towards the crypt.

Looks like things are mostly going well, for now, says Yvone, nocking an arrow. I can see electricity arcing along the shaft, which is really cool. I want some kind of storm thing. The party braces themselves for a moment, before we all charge the gate. Tiny bangs the gates wide open and hurries through, Ragnar right beside him. The huge spider could go a lot faster, but I dont want him leaving the dwarf in the dust.

A small group of zombies notices the party and moves to intercept, but Teemo darts from cover to nip at all three. I can feel hes done something, and the smile on Yvones beak confirms something has happened.

The rat scion can mark, she says simply before loosing her arrow. Its not quite a lightning bolt, but it definitely does arc. It hits the first zombie and seems to turn in mid air to pierce the other two, dropping the small group without anyone needing to slow down.

We sure have his attention now, though. The rest of the undead on the surface start shambling towards the crypt, and theyll get there before we will. I redouble my efforts in the tunnels as well, sending in the ratlings now, and starting to steadily push the hordes down there further back. Cant let him think he can ignore the tunnels, even with the assault on his core.

Ragnar is the first to hit the crowd of zombies and skeletons, and he does so like a meteor. I wonder if that armor of his is designed and enchanted along those lines. Either way, he bowls a lot of them over, and Tiny helps ensure few are able to get back up.

Aelara is confirmed as an earth mage as she does her best to give the corpses a burial they wont be able to escape from this time. Fluffles does his best to push away any that manage to get too close. A few actually get into range to swipe or bite at her, but the mythril seems to do its job. Thankfully, Ragnar and Tiny are keeping most of the crowd away from the squishies.

Yvone is shooting arrows as quickly as she can draw them, and Teemo is darting and marking as many as he can. Unfortunately, it seems the skeleton scion isnt going to sit there and wait for us to get to him. He clashes his swords together before charging. I guess he cant exactly roar without lungs. He makes a bee-line for Ragnar, and the dwarf simply laughs maniacally. Im pretty sure thats his thing to put off damage. I just hope that family shield of his fares better than the tombstone did.

Yvone and Teemo try to focus some fire on the scion, but he dodges Teemos teeth and maneuvers his billowing cloak to intercept the arrow. Looks like its specifically enchanted against ranged stuff. Thats gonna be annoying. I try to get Teemo to mark as many of the other undead as possible, hoping Yvone will get the hint and shift her focus to the horde. I also have Fluffles point out the scion to Aelara, and the two try to shift from crowd control to single-target.

Meteor! shouts Aelara, and I can feel Fluffles helping as the elf pulls a large rock from the earth and launches it at the skeleton. I can actually hear it break the sound barrier when Fluffles contributes his telekinesis. Block that with your cloak, jerk!

The apparent enchantment interposes the cloak between the rock and the skeleton, and his armor rings like a gong from the impact. Unfortunately, while the dent would have collapsed the rib cage of anything else well, it probably did the same for him, come to think of it. He just doesnt have lungs to be inconvenienced by something like that.

He does seem a bit hampered by the simple physical shift in his structure, though. It drops two of its swords to wrap those arms around itself, while the other two arms swing at the laughing dwarf. Ragnar is able to catch both swords on his shield and grins like a maddwarf. With a wild laugh, he counters with his hammer, but the foe is still nimble enough to dodge out of the way. Hes not able to dodge the upward swipe from Tiny, though, which sends the monster flying almost straight up.

Being in the air like that seems to give everyone ideas. Teemo and Fluffles team up for a kind of fastball special, launching the rodent at the scion to mark it. Aelara opens a yawning pit underneath it, which definitely wont be good for it once it lands. Ragnar and Tiny seem to refocus on the zombies, which are much less of a horde already. The dwarf charges once more, and Tiny tosses a large web over a lot of them. Yvone takes her time nocking and drawing her bow.

True Strike! she shouts, and this time it does look a lot more like a bolt of lightning, if a lot slower. I think the scion knows thats not going to be good for it, and it cocks an arm back to throw one of its swords. Teemo, gnawing on one of his legs, spots the action, and jumps, putting himself in the line of the sword as it leaves the skeletons grip. A moment later, the lightning strikes the scion, and the same thing happens to it as what happens to frogs that get struck by lightning.

Unfortunately, the sword is still in the air, sailing quickly towards Yvone! Fortunately, Teemo is in the way! More unfortunately impaling him doesnt seem to have slowed it by much. It does seem to have thrown the arc off slightly. Even with Yvone doing her best to dodge, it probably would have taken her in the throat, or maybe in the heart. Her turning, though, and Teemo weighing it down, it takes her just above the floating rib. It cant go all the way through her, once again thanks to Teemo, but judging by the look on Aelaras face, thats still not good.