CH14

Day 17

My foot impacted a chimera mix of insect and bird, crushing its gizzard and shattering its ribs. Attacks flew through images as my chainsword came through, with Gemini Waltz cutting through enemies as I traveled in a straight line toward the mid-boss. Body parts covered my path, floating in the blood lake while the walls of the dungeon quivered like a living organ. Gas from dissolving corpses filled the air as I plucked the skill shards I found until I was once again alone.

I clicked a button on my sword, turning off the saw before sheathing the weapon on my side. Through the dissolving bodies I found a new pair of pants and looked down to see my own was cut to ribbons. Replacing my clothes would at least help keep me sane. Letting myself degrade until I was nothing but a bum covered in the remains of my clothes might be my final death. At that point, what would be left of me but a shell absent of civility and self-respect.

The tearing of what remained of my pants filled the silence as I strained my ears to listen for the next attack. I took off my half-torn leather boots and quickly put on my new pants, nearly catching myself in the zipper as I struggled to get the change over with. My foot struck out, pulverizing a flying chimera as my skill once again leveled.

I resisted the urge to take a look; I wanted to see a big hall of skill points. Using them as I received them wasn't going to work for me. I might be tempted to use them for the big prize instead of what I needed. Lots of completed skill trees were better than one big one for me. I needed the extra skills they might bring.

After defeating many enemies, I found 4 skill shards.

Skill Shards 

Crow Step 

Description: Move as if black feathered wings will whisk you away at any movement. Sounds from your movements are quieter, and you move faster with every level. 

Psy Bolt 

Description: Produce of bolt of psychic power and fire it at enemies in the form of a projectile. Based on willpower and stamina, this is an active skill. 

Fell Wind 

Description: Produce a gust of wind containing psychic power around the user to damage groups of enemies. This attack will strike both friend and foe. While difficult to control at low levels, higher levels will increase damage and control over this skill. Based on willpower and stamina, this is an active skill. 

Drill Spear Mastery 

Description: A passive skill to help improve combat tactics with the drill spear. Higher levels will decrease flaws and allow the easier use of the drill spear. 

It didn't matter what skills I found; I needed them, so I would take them. Adding a spear to my weapon set wasn't too big of a change. It sounded like a quick and easy form of skill points. A weapon with a longer reach and piercing power sounded like a great thing to add. Too bad I had no idea where I could find a drill spear.

New Skills 

Crow Step lvl1 

Psy Bolt lvl1 

Fell Wind lvl1 

Drill Spear Mastery lvl1

Images filled my mind of various monsters using psy bolts, calling down psychic winds and moving like a ghost to slay enemies without a sound.

I sucked in a breath and let it out. Being alone here in the dungeon sucked, but at least it felt like I was making progress. My skills were becoming more numerous, and were focused more on combat than ever. I wasn't a tamer, but at least I wasn't weak.

With my enemies mostly dead, I moved almost silently with steps that were far less heavy. There was a breeze that I could feel starting in my bones with Lingering Will that wanted to rage like a storm. For the first time since entering the dungeon, I was a lot less normal than before. I had legitimate psychic power to throw around and enough willpower to make me dangerous.

The spider nest in the distance gained detail as I approached, changing from a white blob to a silver castle made of silk. It was the same cordage as Silver Strings, the skill I had but couldn't use.

My hand went for my weapon, and I moved carefully, paying attention to the lines of strings. As I moved, certain strings spasmed, and I knew stealth wasn't really an option. The wind started blowing as I moved in the blood lake rippled like a gathering storm had passed onto it.

Chimeras fell off their webs, and I slashed them with my blade as I approached the castle. All I could think about was how much I needed this to work. More wind blew around me as I started to feel something behind my right eye. The strain was there, but I had to keep moving forward.

More skill shards dropped from the monsters I cut down, and I stored them in a bag I brought with me. I crossed into the building, where a strange monster confronted me. It was more rabbit than anything else but was tall and stood upright. The chimeras head was on the larger side and I felt a weight from it that wasn't natural.

"You are the invader." It said.

That hit home: this place was the home of these creatures and an ecosystem that I wasn't a part of. At the same time, the dungeon dropped rewards, so if it didn't want me here, it wouldn't reward me for it.

"Regardless, we will do battle. Your stolen power won't defeat me." The creature said.

I crossed the room as bolts fo psychic energy lashed out firign dozens a second. There was no way I could meet the attack, so I didn't. Attacks struck afterimages as I used my footwork to overcome the projectiles and close the distance.

The ground shuttered before lifting upward as the mid-boss hovered in the air, and the ground opened beneath me. I turned off my blade and stabbed it into the floor before yanking myself upward. My muscles felt like they had exploded from the move as I launched upward with my sword raised. I slashed, taking one of the monster's ears as it waved its hand, yanking pieces of the wall off of the structure and flinging them at me.

I dashed from side to side as the building warped, and my Fell Wind continued to buffer the clearly mage-type monster. Flying insect chimera dive-bombed me as I ran on the top of the folded floor. My blade cut through their chitinous bodies, spraying the silver thread walls with monster guts. A table from an upper floor, along with its silverware, came down aimed at me.

My blade flashed as I dodged and slashed as my opponent held its ear stump and flew higher. I jumped, feeling my boots make an indention in the wall before running. With speed alone, I ran up the wall using Crow Step to lighten my body enough to defy gravity. So many chains I never knew bound me felt like they were breaking free. I jumped, flinging my body faster and harder than ever, and slashed with my blade. One of my opponent's legs fell from below the knee, and blood spurted from the wound.

I contacted the wall with both feet and rushed forward as the wall I stood on exploded outward. A jump from the wall took me to the upper floor, where the telekinesis was already warping the floor to yank it free. Knives and forks shot out of drawers aimed at my head, only to be parried. I jumped on the nearest wall and leaped through a hole in the ceiling to the top of the castle.

On the roof I waited as the rabbit floated up from the one of the holes it made in the wall. It raised its paw, and the building began twisting as I ran across it. The roof of the dungeon appeared close enough to touch, and the two of us must have been specks to the massive thing on my land.

I kept quiet as my wounds healed, and I caught my breath. The fast movements hadn't done me any favors. My leg had been twisted, and some of my toes were dislocated from my stunts. The bottom of one of my boots had come off, leaving me slowed by broken equipment.

Waiting was a mistake.

A rumble shook the castle as the chimera mid-boss began her final gambit. She had lost too much blood to hold back, and it showed.

Parts of the castle started to move, crushing supports throughout the castle and even killing monsters on the spot.

All the while, I struggled to catch my breath and get some of my stamina back. My heart felt like it was going to explode in my chest no matter how good my regeneration was.

Purple light consumed parts of the castle as the rabbit chimera's final act actualized.

The castle twisted like an empty soda can as I leaped to action and charged before the force twisting it could crush me, too. My Fell Wind blew, acting as a bubble protecting me from the monster's psychic grip. I slashed when I jumped, and the monster's head detached from its body. I fell into the blood lake with a splash.

Within those twisted waters creatures that thrived in the environment encircled me as I slashed and cut while Fell Winds flowed even in the blood. Creatures bit at my sides, chest, and legs as I struggled to kill them while Fell Winds did the rest. I struggled and killed as I swam to the surface and took a deep, relieving breath.

My eyes narrowed into slits as I swung my blade and churned the creatures within the lake into chum. I ached from every part of my body, but I hadn't let go of the skill shard and swam slowly to shore. Then I heard a splash when the falling castle slammed into the lake bed. A 100ft blood wave raced across the lake, sweeping away monsters as it flowed away from the impact.

I turned and ran faster than I ever had before as my breath came out in short huffs, and all I could rely on was my regeneration to see me through my ordeal.

My feet pounded through my boots as I ran until no more waves were crashing behind me. When I finally stopped running, I stood at the entrance and knew I couldn't take another minute in the dungeon. There was still so much I needed from the dungeon, but I couldn't remain. I would be back stronger, and that was a promise. Before I left, I held up the skill shard I gained from the mid-boss.

Skill Shard 

Fell Whirlwind 

Rank: Uncommon 

Description: Unleash a whirlwind of psychic energy to blow away enemies at low levels. High levels of this skill can summon psychic tornadoes, hurricanes, or wind tunnels. Multiple Fell-based skills will empower each skill. Based on willpower and stamina. 

New Skill 

Fell Whirlwind (UC) lvl1