NOVEL NEXT CHAPTER 100: Day 5. Boss Fight
Atlas took a deep breath as he faced the imposing door of the boss room. The ornate metal, adorned with ancient runes and glistening with an eerie, magical glow, seemed to pulse with a menacing energy. He could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on him and his team. This was more than just a test of strength; it was a crucible that would forge their legacy as the greatest settlement dwellers in history.
"Everyone ready?" Atlas asked, his voice steady despite the tension. He glanced at his team, their faces a mix of determination and nerves. With a resolute nod, he pushed open the door, revealing the darkness beyond. The challenge that awaited them was unknown, but Atlas was certain that their combined skills and unwavering resolve would see them through.
“Portal crushers, you ready?”
“Portal Crushers, ready!” they all shouted in unison, their voices strong and confident despite the uncertainty that lay ahead.
Atlas nodded, taking a deep breath as he placed his hand on the massive door. “Let’s do this,” he said, pushing it open with a determined shove. The door creaked open, revealing the darkness within, and they stepped forward together, ready to face the challenge ahead.
It swung open to reveal a destroyed pagoda, with fallen skeletons all around it. A giant skeleton, towering at about 25 feet tall, looked at them, mouth gaping open in a silent scream. Its blue eyes flickered with malevolent energy, and without giving them a chance to prepare, it charged forward. Ragged bone wings flaring behind it gave off a terrifying death whistle sound.
"No way you're getting in behind me!" Hank shouted, charging ahead with both of his shields raised. He slammed them into the skeleton's leg with all his might, but the creature barely seemed to notice. With a swift dismissive swipe with its claw, the skeleton sent Hank flying across the room, crashing into the far wall.
Wilfredo leaped in next, his stance solid as he deflected the skeleton's next massive claw strike. The impact echoed through the chamber, but the force was too much. With a loud CRUNK, Wilfredo was flung to the side as well, colliding hard against the stone floor. He was briefly stunned.
"Don’t take the hits!" Atlas shouted, quickly assessing the situation. "He's too big. Everybody, kite him! Keep moving around. Just like the small ones, you have to either crush his head or take out his legs. Aim for the kneecaps!"
The group sprang into action, each member darting around the skeleton, launching coordinated attacks at its legs. The fight was intense, with the skeleton's gigantic claws sweeping through the air, narrowly missing the team as they weaved and dodged. They struck at its kneecaps, the blows landing hard but the skeleton was relentless, swinging it’s claws and swiping with it’s tail with terrifying speed and power.
Suddenly, John found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. The skeleton's claw came down in a sweeping arc, and though he managed to dodge most of it, the tip caught his arm, severing it cleanly.
"Why do I keep losing my arm?" John groaned, clutching the stump as blood poured out. Barbara rushed over, already pulling out medical supplies to stop the bleeding, her face set in grim determination.
Atlas cursed under his breath, pushing aside the panic that threatened to rise. "Keep at it! We can do this!" he yelled, trying to keep the team focused despite the chaos. They had to finish this fight, and they had to do it fast.
“Emperor sweeps the floor!” Yelled Wang Bo. A huge hit, cracking into the skeleton king's kneecap.
CRACK!
It teetered and fell to one leg.
KERBOOM.
The team took this opportunity to viciously attack the skeleton, slamming their weapons into its skull.
CRACK!
CRACK!
CRACK!
With the skeleton on one knee, Atlas saw their chance. "Now, everyone!" he bellowed, his voice cutting through the chaos. The team surged forward, each member continuing their flurry of attacks on the giant skeleton's head. The sound of weapons striking bone echoed through the chamber, a relentless barrage that finally began to take its toll on the monstrous creature.
CRACK!
CRACK!
Evalynh swung her chain flail with precision, the spiked ball smashing into the skeleton's skull with a sickening CRUNCH. The impact sent cracks spider webbing across the bone, and blue energy flickered erratically in its eyes.
"Home run, baby!" Alexander shouted, his enthusiasm undimmed even in the heat of battle. He leaped forward, bringing his two handed sword down in a powerful arc that shattered part of the skeleton’s jaw, sending fragments of bone scattering.
Wang Bo followed up with a series of quick, devastating strikes, his staff flashing as he targeted the fractures in the skull. "You think you're tough? Let’s see how you handle this!" he yelled, driving his staff deep into the skull, cracking it further.
The skeleton’s movements grew sluggish, its once-terrifying power fading as the team pressed their advantage. Hank, having shaken off the earlier hit, charged back into the fray, slamming both of his shields into the skeleton’s remaining knee. With a thunderous crash, the creature collapsed, sprawling helplessly on the ground.
"Finish it!" Atlas roared, his voice filled with determination. They couldn't let up now; the monster was vulnerable, but it still posed a deadly threat.
With one final coordinated effort, the team delivered a series of crushing blows to the skeleton's skull. The blue light in its eyes flickered one last time before extinguishing completely. The massive skeleton shuddered, then finally stilled, its colossal form crumbling into a heap of bones.
The chamber fell silent, the only sound the heavy breathing of the Portal Crushers as they stood victorious over the defeated creature. Atlas lowered his weapon, scanning the room to make sure there were no more surprises waiting for them.
"Good job, everyone," he said, his voice steady despite the adrenaline still coursing through him. "But let's get John patched up and out of here. We’ve got what we came for, and I don't want to push our luck any further."
Barbara was already at work, her hands steady as she applied pressure to John's wound. "I’ve got it under control," she said, her voice calm. "We just need to get him back to camp as soon as possible."
"First the right arm, now the left," John grumbled, though there was a hint of humor in his voice despite the pain. "At this rate, I’ll be all out of limbs before long."
Atlas chuckled, clapping John on the back. "We'll get you fixed up again. And hey, think of it as a badge of honor. You’ve faced down some serious threats and lived to tell the tale."
"Easy for you to say, Atlas," John replied, wincing as Barbara tightened the bandage. "You’re not the one who keeps ending up on the chopping block."
"Well, someone’s gotta keep you ‘limbered’," Atlas said with a cheesy grin, his humour and confidence returning now that the battle was won.
As they gathered their gear and prepared to leave the chamber, Atlas took one last look at the pile of bones that had once been a formidable enemy. This world was dangerous, unpredictable, but with the right team by his side, he knew they could face anything that came their way.
“Wow, that was a hard fight,” Atlas admitted, wiping sweat from his brow. He looked around at the team, doing a quick headcount. Everyone was still standing, though some were in better shape than others.
“Has anyone seen my arm?” John asked, glancing around the room.
“Here,” Barbara called, holding up the severed limb. Without missing a beat, John walked over and took it, shoving the arm into his backpack. “I swear, I’m gonna need a new one soon,” he muttered.
Atlas shook his head with a smirk. “Alright, let’s move on,” he said, directing the team’s attention to the back of the boss room. A large treasure chest sat there, waiting for them as a reward for their efforts. Atlas led the way, opening it up to reveal a glinting pile of mana coins. There were close to five hundred coins in the chest.
“Now that’s what we call a payday,” Kingsley said, his eyes gleaming at the sight.
“Yeehaw!” Alexander could taste the victory.
“That’s not the best part,” Atlas said, his tone growing more serious as he looked past the chest. “The best part is right behind it.”
“Ooh, a shiny gem,” Isabella exclaimed, her eyes catching the glimmer of a large, glowing stone embedded in the wall. She instinctively reached out to grab it.
“Whoa, whoa, wait, Isabella, don’t grab it,” Atlas warned, raising his hand to stop her.
Isabella froze, inches away from touching the gem. “Why not?” she asked, her hand still hovering near it.
“That’s not just a gem,” Atlas explained, eyeing the glowing stone carefully. “That’s a dungeon heart. It’s the source of all the mana in this area.”
“Then we should definitely take it,” Isabella said, lowering her hand but still clearly interested.
Atlas sighed, remembering his first experience with dungeon hearts. “That’s what we did the first time around. But here’s the thing—if you take them, the dungeon stops spewing mana.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?” John asked, tilting his head in confusion.
“No, that’s actually a bad thing,” Atlas corrected. “Sure, it seems good in the short term. No more monsters, no more trouble, right? But here’s the problem: when the mana runs out, the monsters in other areas keep getting stronger. They’ll start migrating toward your settlement, drawn by the mana there. Meanwhile, you and your settlement are left with nothing because there are no more monsters spawning in your area dropping coins.”
“Oh, that makes sense,” John nodded, the realisation dawned on him.
Atlas stepped closer to the dungeon heart, inspecting it closely. “What we need to do is link this dungeon gem to our settlement instead. That way, we can control the flow of mana, keep the monster spawns manageable, and make sure we’re not drained dry.”
The team gathered around, listening carefully as Atlas laid out the plan. It wasn’t just about defeating monsters anymore; it was about managing resources and thinking ahead.