Its first attack thwarted, the catten fighting Robin launched once more. He jumped back, getting out of its reach. Hissing and spitting, the catten stayed with him. Just as the catten struck with its claws, Robin did some slicing of his own. Arden watched the catten’s health points drop to 17.
The catten fought like that hadn’t happened. It didn’t slow down on its assault. In fact, the catten had Robin dancing around. His quick footwork allowed him to avoid the catten. The catten over-leaped, winding up on Robin’s side. A fast turn of his heels, and his dagger cut into the feline beast. 4 points down.
But it was the catten (and the pixie and dungeon watching it) who got the last laugh. Robin’s maneuvering came to an end when his foot slammed into a Leghold Snare.
Robin howled louder than the catten had.
Micah’s attention drifted for a second. That second was all the catten needed to land another hit with its sharp claws. Micah winced. He threw his leg out. It was a clumsy move. The catten easily dodged it but didn’t realize that it re-entered Micah’s strike zone. A critical chop to the back of its neck spelled its end.
It exploded into glittery dust.
“Retreat,” Arden said.
“Why? We can get them,” Minette said.
“Do it.”
Minette’s Influence appeared beneath the remaining cattens. They ran off, back down the hallway where they had once come.
“We’re going to have them regroup with others,” Arden explained.
The warrior and the mage hurried over to the rogue. Jennifer let down her electric defenses, her breathing erratic. Micah wiped sweat from his forehead. Robin’s scream broke through his clamped mouth. He bent down to examine the metal jaws shut over his foot.
“What’s the point of your glasses if you missed a trap like that?” Micah asked. “I thought you’re supposed to see everything.”
“Talon never relied on things like that for a good reason,” Jennifer said. “He used his natural skills without any gimmicks.”
Robin snapped, “I was tricked into walking into it! The glasses work. There’s nothing wrong with them.”
“You’re wasting his money on expensive scrolls and equipment you shouldn’t need.”
“You’re just mad that he didn’t leave you anything.”
Micah stepped in front of Jennifer. “Cut it out, you two.”
“We’re fine,” Jennifer said before letting out a long exhale.
“Sure we are,” Robin said. “I’m going to disable the trap. Shut up for a minute. I need to focus.” One of his daggers disappeared, absorbed back into his Inventory. His hand was now free to glow a color that matched his eyes.
Jennifer’s staff lit up, as well. “They’re still waiting around here.”
“Ambush tactics.” Robin sneered. “Can they be any more mindless than that?”
Once Robin was freed, Arden noticed something strange. Sparkles surrounded his damaged foot. The blood lifted and the broken bones were mended. The same happened for Micah and his torn leg.
None of them had reached for their potions, and Arden hadn’t seen any of them access their Inventory screens. The glazed look in their eyes would’ve given that away. Although she wasn’t watching them with the utmost attention, she’d at least have noticed something about them healing.
“They must be operating under some kind of buff,” Arden concluded.
“We don’t have anything to neutralize it,” Minette said.
“No, we don’t, but we can overwhelm them again. I’d like to draw them further into the dungeon. They should see what else we have to offer. Resource and workercat check?”
“Looking good. I’m having them move a couple more Projectiles closer to my room.”
“That’s a waste of time. We can’t let them get that far. Hold on,” she said, taking a moment to process everything. “Alright, let’s wait and see what they do next. I’m starting to think we’ve been going too easy on them.”
The adventurers’ steps were slow yet careful. Every so often, Robin would spin around. He was doing spot checks all over the place. The light on Jennifer’s staff dimmed, a signal of the cattens’ temporary retreat. Rather than follow their last strategy of going towards the monsters, the adventurers seemed keen to do the opposite.
“Pit traps here,” Robin warned. He produced a stone from his Inventory. He tossed it at the ground where the pit trap was, the weight falling through the tarp and revealing the pit. “I’ve seen better layouts in Level 1 dungeons. This is pathetic, pixie. You need to do better than this.”
“Be careful,” Micah said. He walked to the other side of the pit, then held out his arms for Jennifer. With his help, she made it to the other side without falling. It wasn’t like the pit was some grand hole, though. It was an excuse for a chivalrous gesture.
“Another wall trap,” Robin pointed out. “It’s a…a pit trap?” He pushed on it.
The false wall that was the tarp fell through. The creature waiting inside sprang forward, tackling him. The tarp became a protective layer to separate them. Without it, he would’ve been mauled. Robin flailed, trying desperately to get out from under the surprise catten.
Jennifer’s electric bolt slammed into the creature, knocking it away from Robin. Outnumbered, it scurried away. The adventurers didn’t give chase. Instead, Micah helped Robin off the ground. Jennifer chugged blue liquid from a jug.
“Again with the tricks,” Micah commented.
“Cheap tricks,” Robin said. He kicked the tarp to the side. “Shouldn’t your staff have told us about that thing waiting there?”
Jennifer’s jar disappeared from her hand when she finished it. “I was getting low on mana. It’s not like it’s a passive skill or anything. I have to conserve it when I can.”
“Right,” Robin said, sounding like he didn’t want to hear her excuses.
“Don’t get mad at me because you fell for something silly.”
Micah cleared his throat. “Guys, the mission. Move on.”
For a second, Arden thought that she saw something glimmer beside the adventuring group. It was a strangely shaped something. When she did a double take, it didn’t seem to be there anymore. Rubbing her eyes didn’t bring things into focus, either.
What else was Jennifer upkeeping with her mana besides her Detection spell? Arden felt her body leaning closer, even though it didn’t make a difference for the vision she had through Minette’s Overview mode.
She mentioned it to Minette. “Did you see that?”
“No, I was preparing the next catten squad. What was I supposed to see?”
“I thought I saw something, but maybe I had a floaty in my eye.”
“I’ll watch out for it. I’ll let you know if I see anything. The second squad is almost in position, so I think it’s time for you to go down there.”
Arden had been looking forward to enacting this part of their planning.
Switching out of the Overview mode, she hurried through the hall she’d been waiting in. Minette remained Arden’s eyes and ears on the adventuring party as she flew. They’d practiced this countless times.
“They’re well past the first group,” Minette said. Arden was somewhat aware of that already. Jennifer led them away from their collection of cattens. That group was where the first batch of them ran back to. “They should reach your area in a couple minutes.”
“Tell me when to do it,” Arden said quietly.
Arden reached the second group of cattens. They waited before a junction where the adventurers could go straight and walk right into the cattens or take a right turn to continue further into the dungeon. The group consisted of a hardy five. Their numbers included the one catten who had surprise-attacked Robin.
“First group mobilizing,” Minette announced. That meant that she was using her Influence to have them attack the adventuring party from behind. “Running! Do your thing.”
Arden focused, conjuring the image of a dirt wall. It wasn’t that hard to d
o seeing how she had inspiration no matter where she turned in the dungeon. In exchange for 25 mana points and counting while it was active, she cast a Hallucination. The fake dirt wall blocked her and the cattens from view.
She whispered words to calm them. Some of the cattens seemed restless. Arden could hardly blame them. After all, a group of humans was coming their way, and they had to stay put.
“You’ll kill them soon enough,” she reassured the group. Green circles of Influence appeared beneath them, a sign that Minette was doing her part to keep the creatures in place. Arden couldn’t help the smile that appeared on her face.
Minette giggled.
Arden pressed her face against her shoulder to get rid of her smile.
Her voice lined with a serious edge, Minette said, “Here they come.”
Arden knew that without Minette telling her. She could hear the adventurers talk, their banter much more like bickering. Micah kept trying to get in the middle of Robin and Jennifer’s argument.
“Now’s the time,” Minette announced.
The fake wall Hallucination disappeared.
They needed a painting that captured the look on their faces. She would’ve hung it in the Warp Gate room so their visitors could have a laugh before starting their dungeon crawl.
Robin’s mouth fell open. Jennifer’s eyes widened in a benign and pretty sort of way. Micah flexed for some reason. Maybe his flexing was a reflex, an ingrained response to shock.
She capitalized on their fear. “Boo.”
The five cattens charged for the adventurers. Their close proximity meant that Jennifer couldn’t bring her staff up in time. She was left with no choice but to turn on her electrical aura. But little did she realize that these catten didn’t want her. With Minette’s Influence spurring them on, the feline beasts went for Robin and Micah.
It only took one catten to knock Robin down. The other two of the trio circled him, waiting their chance to get in their strikes. The final two took turns feinting blows in Micah’s direction. His movements were clumsy, leaving himself completely open, but the cattens didn’t go for it. They pushed him back, away from Jennifer who was now running to get some distance.
Too bad for her that there was nowhere to go.
They were still some distance away but, when she squinted her eyes, Arden could see the first group of cattens coming their way. The cattens were going to turn the adventuring party into a delicious sammich. Arden cackled maniacally, a feat she deserved some credit for seeing how her pixie body naturally wanted to teehee instead. Teeheeing like that would’ve spoiled the mood.
Robin shoved the catten off of him. A glowing light appeared over his legs before he rolled off to the side. He bounced back up to his feet, his daggers at the ready. The three cattens stared him down.
Yowling for the entertainment to come, they attacked in formation. One charged from the front, attempted to slash him, and then retreated. The next one would swoop in from the side. It would do the same, then step back. The final one, on Robin’s other side, followed suit. Even when their hits didn’t connect, they continued to weave in and out of combat.
Micah activated his grappling skill. He shoved his hand forward, grabbing one of the two cattens griefing him.
Arden made a beeline for Micah. She snapped on her Disguise, becoming a magical missile. In fright, he dropped the catten. Arden wound up skimming the top of his helmet. She deactivated the Disguise, grinning to herself. Micah let out a brutal scream as the cattens scratched him.
He wasn’t the only one screaming. Jennifer had finally realized their “sandwich” predicament. She aimed her staff at the incoming group of cattens.
A horizontal beam of electricity exploded out from it. It hit the group, some of them worse than others. One of them exploded into glittery dust, but Arden didn’t let that get to her.
She cast a Hallucination, another dirt wall to block Jennifer. Jennifer whirled around in confusion. Sparks burst from her staff, heading for Arden.
The bolt smacked Arden out of the air. She spun. In her spinning, she caught glimpses of the cattens running through the Hallucination. Jennifer’s scream could’ve been a cushion for Arden’s fall, Arden felt so good hearing it.
Something shattered like glass.
An ethereal glow lit the hallway.
“Portals?” Arden gasped.
[WARNING!
Two human adventurers have entered the dungeon.]
Arrows whizzed by. They landed in the cattens’ sides.
“And you said you couldn’t do this without us,” gloated the archer. Her ponytail swished around as she took in what was going on. She released another arrow, aiming her attacks for the cattens surrounding Jennifer. Robin and Micah continued to struggle with theirs.
Beside her stood a blonde-haired boy dressed in all-white. He held a book, muttering something fast under his breath. A spell; an incantation of some sort. A glimmering light arose from the pages, intensifying the longer that he talked.
Arden stayed low, flying towards the boy’s knees. Her arms were outstretched as if she planned on punching him.
She accessed her Inventory screen just as she activated her humanoid Disguise.
Daggers materialized into her hands. Arden took a wild swing, tearing through his pants and breaking through the skin. The probable cleric dropped his book. He scrambled to back away from her.
Arden managed a single step. The arrow to her knee put a damper on things. Somehow, through sheer force of will, she managed to stay standing. She locked eyes with the archer.
“We’ve got to retreat,” Minette’s voice echoed in Arden’s head. “Where’d they come from?”
Arden glanced over at Robin. His blood poured, dripping down from his various wounds. His movements were sluggish. The three-on-one battle took a clear toll on the rogue. He used his vaulting technique to get away, but that attempt ended in failure when the cattens gave chase.
“No,” Arden said. They couldn’t retreat, not now.
The next arrow pierced her foot. It pinned her in place. Had it not been for that arrow, she would’ve fallen over from the pain.
Micah hurled a catten at her.
Good news: the arrow in her foot dislodged when the catten slammed into her.
Bad news: it hurt horrifically.
The catten recovered before she could. Closer to a new target, it fixed its sights on the archer. It reared up to hit her. But the thunk of her arrow hitting it dead-on in the face spelled its bitter, glittery end.
Micah shouted for Robin to stop running. He cleaved through a catten’s head. The beast burst into glitter.
Jennifer’s electric aura fizzled out. Minette’s Influence on the remaining catten locked their focus on the mage. Despite the arrows coming for them, and despite the health they were losing, they kept up their attacks. One in the crowd exploded into dust.
The cleric boy snatched up his book.
Arden reached down. She snapped the arrow, splitting the shaft from the head.
Micah was fast in his approach, getting close to Arden in no time at all. He raised his ax over his head. Arden threw the normal dagger towards the cleric, knowing that it was doubtful to do anything more than distract him.
The ax sliced into her shoulder and upper back. Biting back her scream, Arden let go of her Disguise. She dove low to the ground. Micah stepped over her, his next aim to assist Jennifer in the crowd of cattens she was trapped in the middle of.
“Your health’s critical,” Minette said. “Teleport out of there!”
“Send more cattens,” Arden said, her voice slurred.
“No, we need to lead them away.”
“Do it!”
A powerful light flashed in the room. It seared Arden’s vision. The whines and yelps from the remaining cattens informed her that they were also suffering from some sort of Blind ability. It was most likely the cleric’s doing.
Some of their pitiful noises were abruptly cut off. They were becoming qu
iet, less of them around now. Arden shook her head, blinking rapidly, trying anything that she could to clear her vision. What she could see were her numbers, her statistics telling her that Minette’s warnings rang true.
[Health: 22/300
Mana: 29/200]
Arden prodded at the wound in her foot. She nearly bit through her lip holding in her voice as she messed with it.
Three health points down. Two points, four points…
“What are you doing?” Minette yelled. “There’s only two cattens left!”
By the time the flash started to fade from her vision, her health points were already at a 3. The adventurers were talking, their voices sounding as if they were a long ways away. Had they assumed that she was already dead?
If that was the case, then they would be right for a moment, at least.
[Health: 1/300
Mana: 29/200]
[SPECIAL!
Last Chance activated. Units with this special trait regain 50% of their maximum health and mana when they hit 1 HP.]
[Health: 151/300
Mana: 129/200]
She revived in her pixie form. The gaps of carnage in her skin fused back together. Much of her pain lifted, but not all of it. Some would say that half of her pain left her.
“—supposed to be—”
Parts of the adventurers’ conversation filtered in.
“…can’t leave without him.”
“…look at Jen!”
Arden grabbed the arrowhead. It was close to her size. She kept low as she made her way towards the adventurers.
Minette’s voice boomed loud for everyone to hear. “Turn back while you can!” She did her best to sound threatening through her usual chipper tone.
It actually didn’t matter how she sounded. Just hearing her made the adventurers look up. That was when Arden zipped upwards with the arrowhead.
Jennifer’s exposed throat was ripe for the slicing. Arden threw her whole body into the movement.
The Trash Tier Dungeon Page 19