- Being Scott, for a change.
- >As your group fights its way through the first rooms of the Tower, you brief the team on what will happen.
- “So, long story short: Twi’, RD, Brad and I already did this Dungeon once, so…”
- >“Wait, really? The four of you? Damn, you’re better than I give you credit.”
- >“Well, no, we got help from another group of four.”
- >“They were such nice kids.”
- >“It pains me to admit it, but they were a lot better than I thought… Far from the usual kids we played with on Call of Battlefield… Good times…”
- “Brad, enemy on your left. Anyway, we beat the Tower with our team of 8, but it wasn’t easy, however, this time, we’re 9 and I know what to expect, so if you follow the formation I prepared, we’ll be done in 2 hours max. Then again, it would be a waste to not try the hidden challenge rooms with this group.”
- >“Are the bonus rooms really worth our time? We don’t have much time before the rendezvous and we’ll have to clear the mandatory dungeons of the 2nd Stratum.”
- “This is the reason why we should try the bonus rooms, if we manage to win the four of those, we’ll get some Mythril Ore to upgrade our items, and thus, make the 2nd Stratum a lot easier.”
- >Norman seems convinced by your argument. [spoiler]As your team leader, only his opinion matters, honest reasoning, totally no unrequited gay feelings as justification.[/spoiler]
- >Flutters spotting the stairs to the 2nd level is your cue to explain the strategy.
- “I kept it simple so everyone will be able to understand, be grateful. First: Norman, Dash and Brad, you three are our vanguard, you are the tankiest of us and your damage output is good enough to deal with the frontline. Second: AJ and BlueBlood, you lack of range so you’ll have to stay close to the frontline, but do not engage the enemies alone, since you are our healers manage your mana and keep an eye on our backline. Finally, Twi, Pinkie and Flutter, you’ll harass them from as far as possible, since Blue and AJ will babysit you, you’ll have to make sure our frontline doesn’t die. As for me, I’ll go for the squishy enemy casters, simple no?
- >After explaining it, everyone marks their agreement and you confirm to the pop up that you want to proceed to the next level.
- Be YellowQuiet.
- >Being all together again feels so nostalgic; everything has a strong sense of déjà vu.
- >“For the love of… Pinkie! Stop healing the mobs!!”
- >“Sorry sorry Scotty, that spell is random element, I can’t help it.”
- >“Yes you can help it! Use Acid Rain dammit!”
- >“But Sparkling Vials makes the prettiest explosions! Look at that red one! Oooooooh sparkly!”
- >“I’ll say it again because it seems you still don’t get it: Fire heals these dudes!! Quit it Pinks!”
- >“Stop yelling and keep fighting!”
- >“No! You shut up, fall back and let me heal you!”
- >“I don’t need you to babysit me!”
- >“Norm’! Outta tha way!”
- >“F*ck, that was a close one, thanks AJ…”
- >“Neither of you move, going back in the melee would be suicide. Here, all patched up.”
- >“AJ! I tought you watched my back!”
- >“Consarnit Rainbow! Where are ya going you’re out of reach of mah Glyphs!
- >“Assistance!”
- >“Sh*t! She’s done for!”
- >“Everyone follow me! We’re coming Rainbro!”
- >“Wait Brad! I’m mid channeling!”
- >“If Twi gets interrupted we’ll get destroyed by her spell! Blue with me!”
- >“Do not give me orders!”
- >“OKAY! Auntie Pinkie got this one! FATAL TRIGGER ACTIVATE!”
- >“Wait wha-“
- >The forum says the detonation could be felt from three Stratums deeper. A feat considering Fatum is an archipelago of flying islands.
- >…
- >“That was so f*cking sick awesome Pinkie!!”
- “I really thought we were all gonna die.”
- >“Pinkie I swear to everything that is holy, if you use one more time this Trigger of retards I’m gonna tear you a now *sshole!!”
- >“Aww why the frowny face Scotty? We survived it, so all is well!”
- >“NO PINKS! We’re the luckiest f*ckers of this entire server! You had one chance on a hundred to get Vitality Transfer on that potion! ONE F*CKING PORCENT!! Everything else would have killed us!”
- >“Can you get more vulgar? It’s no wonder you still live alone with such foul words spewing from you all day long.”
- >“BlueBlood, go suck a d-“
- “Yeah… Almost the same.”
- >Back to Norman
- >“Alright team, we’ve made good progress so let’s wait a bit for our HP and MP to refill.”
- “I lost count, how many rooms do we still have to clean before the boss?”
- >“Do not worry Norman, the boss is right behind these doors, almost done.”
- >“Glad to hear, this was getting tiring.”
- >“I agree, I’m starting to worry about my critters downstairs.”
- >“Flutters and Blue are right; Full Immersion is still as taxing as I remember.”
- >“In any cases, we can be proud of ourselves guys, we didn’t fuck up any of the challenge rooms, this means one Shard of Orichalcum for each!”
- >“Cool! Just what we need to breeze through the next Stratum!”
- >“I’d like to share your optimism, RD, but I’m afraid it won’t be as easy as you make it sound.”
- >“Only one way to know. I’m ready for the last fight in this wretched Tower.”
- >“Pinkie, are your consumables ready?”
- >“Yessir! Here you go guys! Eat up!”
- >After using the stats enhancing items on yourself, you activate the door and the find yourself in a vast rectangular room, the walls are decorated with weapons, shields and banners of varying colors, and at the far end of the room sits a colossal black armored knight on a throne.
- >“F*ck, its Alexander of Saturnism.”
- “How bad is it?”
- >“Couldn’t be worse. Among the five possible bosses of this Tower he must be the toughest. Twi’ what do you remember about him?”
- >“Natural resist of 33% to everything including all ailments, Staggering and Sweeping Blows, a gap closer and Armor Eater Enchantement plus the passive Executioner. His Signature Move: Honorable Duel, for 2 minutes only the target of the spell is able to damage him, but his attacks will still hurt everyone hit.”
- >“Well this isn’t broken at all…”
- >“Not bradical.”
- “In short, he can make everyone useless for 2 minutes, can stun multiple targets at once, we get squishier and he gets tankier each times anyone is hit and he’ll deal double damage when we fall under 33% HP… Fucking hell.”
- >“I-I-Is Honorable Duel a long range skill?”
- >“Thankfully, no, but he can dash to you and then use it.”
- >“Eep!”
- >“AJ and Blue, I want you to stay as close as possible to our ranged.”
- >“Ah won’t fail ya!”
- >“A judicious decision.”
- >“Alright team, let’s fuck him up!”
- >“This guy is dust!”
- >“We shall teach this barbarian a lesson.”
- >“Let’s get this party started!”
- >“This is going to be so interesting!”
- >“Please everyone, be careful.”
- >“Yeehaw!”
- “For Rarity.”
- >“Leeroy Jenkins!”
- “GODDAMMIT BRAD!”
- >While the first minutes of the battle go without problems, the fight sours immediately after Alexander dashed to Scott and knocked him out with a critical strike, prompting AJ to go too far from Fluttershy. The dash of the knight towards the yellow girl is interrupted by Rainbow’s lightning fast reflexes, but your relief is short lived as dark aura starts to swirl around RD and the boss.
- >A blinding bolt of lightning hits the monster square in the helmet only to see a small “Invulnerable” appears over the target.
- “Rainbow! Fall back, you’re low on health!”
- >“Heal is on cooldown!”
- >“Ah’m OOM!”
- >“You healers are the most useless class ever!”
- >“Shut it and dodge! You have 0 armor currently! One hit and you’re dead!”
- >“No pressure!”
- “Your Trigger! Go for it!”
- >“Good call! Blood Thirst: Activate!”
- >As soon as the skill is called a small red text appears around Dash before fading as soon as it came.
- >“To live for battle is to sow bereavement and to reap death.”
- >“I’m still not doing enough damage!”
- >“But you’re healing yourself!”
- >“It isn’t lifesteal, it’s health regain on hits. With her crazy attack speed it’s kinda broken.”
- “But her trigger doesn’t last 2 minutes, does it?”
- >“… Correct, it only lasts 30 seconds… Dash, as soon as Blood Thirst is over, fall back! You have to wait for the armor debuff to wear off!”
- >“But if I break the duel he’ll go for you guys and you won’t be able to retaliate!”
- “… Then buy us some time! Everyone, ready your best skills! We’ll hit him with all we’ve got!”
- >“3… 2… 1… GO!”
- >Immediately after Scott’s command, all hell breaks loose on the knight and, for the first time since the start of the fight, he staggers.
- “Alright! We can do it! Brad, with me, we keep the pressure!”
- >Unfortunately, your opponent disagrees with your strategy.
- >His dash catch you wide open and the unpleasant ringing of a Critical hit echoes in your ears, you’re sent crashing to a wall but the Boss isn’t done with you yet as he follows up with a second gap closer and drives his sword through your left elbow.
- >You’re blinded by the pain but when your vision comes back, true terror fills your mind, the dark aura is swirling around you.
- >However, Death’s flight gets delayed. Blueblood still, crackling with electricity, just stabbed his spear in Alexander’s back and, with a groan and a large sweep of his weapon, pulls the titan away from you.
- >“Move you cretin! I interrupted his channel! Your Trigger! It’s now or never!”
- >You glance at your wound, now glowing and already healed enough for what’s to come.
- “Thanks.”
- >Red words circle you as you start your move.
- >“Vengeance shall not bring back the dead, only add to their ranks.”
- >You swing your blade in a wide circle and hit your mark, the second half of the circle is tainted red, and the knight steps back, his hand to his face, you just blinded him, a perfect half bisection of the bridge of the nose and both ocular globes.
- >His left foot is the on closer to you, you spin again, this time, counter clockwise and glide to his left, another red half circle and Alexander kneels, you caught the unprotected part of the articulation and cut through it like a warm knife through butter.
- >You sheathe Wyvern Bite and point your handgun to the knight’s temple. For a moment, time suspends its course, the whole universe waits. And as soon as it came to be, the silence is broken by a detonation, for a millisecond Alexander’s head is a blooming red flower.
- >The lifeless body crashes to the floor and a small window announce to all present:
- >“Victory!”
- >“Welcome to the 2nd Stratum!”