"We need to help him!" Arthos yelled as he charged at the enemy realizing that Percy was in danger.
Arthos and Kristan attack furiously in tandem at the nimble enemy but were unable to land a single hit. The stalker easily dodged and blocked the sword strikes as he danced around the two fighters. He struck Arthos in the face with a powerful elbow that managed to knock him down. The stalker then inflicted numerous small cuts on Kristan as it sliced the air with countless dancing blades.
Wain unleashed a series of fireballs far too slow to connect with the agile enemy. The stalker easily dodged and evade each fireball like a professional dodgeball player.
"Hector! Heal Percy as quick as you can…don't worry about us...we can hold the stalker." Arthos yelled as he regained his footing.
"Wain, can you shoot slower?" Arthos called out.
"Slower?"
"Yes, make the fireballs fly as slow as possible...shoot as many as you can!" Arthos instructed with a hurried and desperate tone.
Wain released a dozen fireballs in rapid succession…each flying through the air like a dandelion dancing in the wind…slow and steady. As expected, the Night Stalker easily dodged the slow moving fireballs…but his movements appeared to be awkward and clumsy. It appeared to be inexplicably distracted by the fireballs…almost as if something instinctual and primitive was overriding his judgement.
"NOW! HIT HIM NOW!"
[SKY PIERCE skill activated]
[Sky Pierce increases attack by 200% and increase defense penetration by 50% for 10 seconds]
[FLAME LANCE skill activated by Wain]
[Flame Lance increase attack by 100% for one attack]
[BREAKER skill activated by Kristan]
[Breaker skill decreases targets attack and defense by 50% for 10 seconds]
All three attacks landed causing significant damage on the stalker. It let out a sharp painful cry and lashed out chaotically at the Kristan and Arthos knocking them back. In that small instant, the stalker disappeared and retreated into the darkness.
"Damn…he's too strong…even our best attacks didn't inflict enough damage to kill it." Arthos grumbled to Wain and Kristan.
"Wait…I noticed something," Percy said as he and Hector joined the group.
He continued explaining, "The creature is primitively drawn to light…against all reason, it can't fight against its instinctual urges."
Percy thought for a second as an idea formed in his mind. He said, "Wain, can you make a giant fireball? I mean giant like a hot air balloon. It doesn't need to have punching power…in fact low power is better. I want you to inflate a fireball as big as possible and maintain it. When I give the signal, pop the fireball."
"I got it! I can do it!" Wain said with a bright smile. Without an explanation, he managed to decipher Percy's plan.
Percy gave the other members brief instructions. A minute later the team was in position and ready for their final assault.
Wain closed his eyes as he focused his mana…this technique would require finesse and control instead of speed and power. He inflated a fireball to the size of a beach ball. It continued to rapidly grow and expand until it reached the size of a person. Bigger and bigger the ball grew until it reached the size of a car…followed by the size of a house. Larger and larger it grew illuminating the entire area with bright alluring light.
Caught in a trance, the Shadow Stalker walked mindlessly toward the light no longer caring about its opponents. It walked slowly as if possessed or enchanted by the bright light.
"NOW!" Percy shouted.
Wain violently pushed his mana causing the fireball to explode in a super bright flash of light…later Wain nick-named the attack the "Big Bang."
At the same moment, Arthos, Kristan, and Hector launched themselves onto the stalker. Arthos and Kristan pierced its feet with their swords straight into the ground…like tent-stakes holding it firmly in place. Hector grabbed its two arms in a professional wrestler hold, pinning its arms behind its back.
The creature shrieked, squirmed, and struggled to break free…lashing violently in every direction.
[SKEWER skill activated by Percy]
In an instant, Percy unleashed hundreds of cuts and slashes with his twin daggers. Each slash was performed faster and deeper than the previous. The avalanche of surgical strikes carved a giant hole through the stalker's chest shredding its heart and organs to confetti.
!ALERT!
[NIGHT STALKER DEFEATED]
[YOU LEVELED UP!]
[YOU LEVELED UP!]
[YOU LEVELED UP!]
[Dungeon cleared – bonus rewards include:
2 Ghost Blades (A-rank daggers) ticket. These blades increase damage by 80%,
1 Power Belt (B-rank) ticket. Belt increases Strength by 40%,
1 Magnos Light Armor (B-rank) ticket. Armor increases Intelligence by 40%,
1 pair of Survival Gloves (B-rank) ticket. Gloves decrease damage by 50%,
1 Royal Cape (B-rank) ticket. Cape increases all stats by 20%,
$500,000 Nanocoins]
"I can't believe that worked! We would have been toast if it failed." Wain said as he laughed joyfully at their good fortune.
"Thank you guys…you…you saved my skin." Percy struggled to admit. For the first time in his life, he felt genuinely grateful for the assistance.
"That's what we do…we stick together." Kristan said in response. Despite her tough exterior, she realized a long time ago that their rag-tag group was family…and that they were indeed stronger together.
The rest of the group nodded in agreement.
"Can you believe these drops? The Ghost Blades looks awesome, and they are A-rank! Totally next level…I think these should go to Percy…here's the ticket," Arthos said as he handed the ticket over to Percy.
"The belt and the gloves are both great…which one do you guys want? Kristan asked.
"Belt…if that's ok." Hector replied.
"Sure…I still can't believe you are a healer…you fight like a berserker." Arthos smiled as he handed the belt ticket to Hector.
"Can I have the gloves? They will definitely help my tanking." Kristan suggested.
The group nodded in agreement.
"I will take the mage armor." Wain said.
"That leaves the cape to me then. We dropped 500,00 coins. That's 100,00 each," Arthos said with a bright smile…the dungeon and 2x drop event really paid off.
"Arthos…wait. We dropped 500,000 coins. If you add to that the 200,000 coins from last raid, that means we are only 300,000 away from starting our own guild. I think…I think we should pool our coins together. Also, maybe we can sell some of the gear tickets to reach the target." Wain suggested as he did quick math in his mind.
While the group was considering their options, Percy asked, "you plan to form your own guild?"
"Yes," the group answered in unison.
Arthos explained with a passionate voice, "we are all orphans…forgotten and left behind. Overlooked and taken advantage of. Guilds like Eterna, Paragon, Legion, Death Squad, and so many others…we don't belong there. Look at us…we will never fit into those guilds… and they will never accept us."
He continued, "so, we decided long ago that we would do things our way. Equal say and equal share. One day, we WILL form our own guild…for us and for people like us."
"Does the guild have a name?" Percy asked.
"Scavengers," all four replied together.
!ALERT!
[Percy has gifted you 300,000 Nanocoins]
"Wha…what's this?" Arthos asked in disbelief.
"A short-term loan. Scavengers guild starts today."
The group fell silent…they had talked about and dreamed of this moment for a long time. They figured it would take months maybe years to realize…but the moment was finally here.
"Can we form it tomorrow? I'm starving!" Kristan openly admitted.
The group laughed and made dinner plans.