Why didn’t you tell me they went in there!
“I was about to.” Jeru groaned. “I didn’t think she’d go in there by herself.”
You mean she went in there alone and Oakley went in after her? Penelope wasn’t sure if that made her feel better or worse.
“Save the self-reflection for later unless you want me to reset it.”
“Not unless someone dies.” Penelope didn’t slow down as she ran through the barrier.
The square was a mess. There were only two moles, but they were knocking Oakley around like an armored ball. All three of the grasshoppers were hopping after Frederica. The Shadow Knight was approaching the human Tank with its hammer ready to strike.
Oakley was the more immediate concern, so that’s where Penelope diverted her attention.
“Light Bolt! Light Bolt!”
The two moles dropped, but she didn’t get any experience. She’d already outleveled this area.
“Light Bolt!”
The futile current of energy hit the Shadow Knight’s shield and splashed off of it.
“Oakley, are you okay?” Penelope kept her wand pointed at the Demon.
The Shadow Knight had stopped advancing and was focusing on her from behind the protection of the shield.
“Ugh. I need. I need. Potion.” The young man pulled one off the sling on his belt and tipped it under the helmet.
The Demon saw that the Tank had to put down both the shield and sword to take the potion and it advanced.
“Light Bolt! Light Bolt!” Penelope blasted the armored enemy to halt its advance. “Hurry up!”
Oakley grabbed his shield. “Help Frederica. I’ve got this.” He waved her off.
Penelope knew he didn’t have it, but neither did she. The only reason this Demon had been easy the last time she’d fought it was because she’d had her strongest spell. Neither of them were going to be able to fight like they needed to if they were keeping an eye on the older woman running around.
“I’ll be right back!” Penelope took off.
Against someone who still had their composure, a one-on-one with a Demonic Grasshopper would end in favor of the person. Frederica was not composed, and there wasn’t just one. The older woman hadn’t wounded any of the monsters enough to consider any of them to be damaged.
The good news was that they were focused on the screaming blonde and not the approaching ginger.
“Light Beam!” Penelope sliced through the grasshoppers as soon as she was in range. Using the beam spell allowed her to force the monsters away from the other woman as she cut each one of them down.
After the third one fell in half, Penelope ran over to Frederica, who was on her hands and knees gulping air.
“Are you okay?” Penelope knelt next to the older woman.
Frederica shook her head. She was bleeding in a few places, but nothing life-threatening.
“Catch your breath, I’m going to go rescue Oakley.” She patted the blonde’s shoulder, then took off.
Oakley was losing. The Shadow Knight was hammering its hammer against the human’s shield. The young man was trying to stay upright, but the Demon was stronger.
“Light Beam!” Penelope shoved her wand forward.
The stream of light hit the Demon in the back of the neck, one of the few exposed places. The beam burned flesh until the Shadow Knight turned around and blocked the beam with its shield. The light reflected off the shield and angled into the barrier until she dismissed the spell.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
“Come on!” Penelope gowled.
The Demon hid behind the shield as it marched towards her. Oakley was still breathing, but the Healing Potion healed injuries, not stamina and he’d already been rolled by the moles.
Penelope checked on her other companion, but Frederica didn’t appear to be in any condition to help her either.
“I hope this isn’t a reset.” Penelope grumbled as she ran at the Demon.
“You know that your spells can burn through the shield.”
“I don’t want to ruin it.” Penelope got close enough for the Demon to be able to swing at her, but instead of using the hammer, it tried to shield bash.
She tried to pivot around to the side, but this Shadow Knight was able to keep up with her. Penelope took a few steps back when she lined the Demon’s back to Frederica.
“When you get a chance, I could use some help.” Penelope kept her wand pointed at the enemy.
“You want me to help you?” Frederica laughed.
“This is a two person job and we don’t have time for Oakley to recover.” Penelope growled. “It can’t block both of us. If it turns to block you, I’ll kill it, if it doesn’t then you’ll get it.”
THAT’S WHAT YOU THINK.
“Great. Another one that can talk.” Penelope muttered.
“They can all talk.” Jeru corrected her. “Most just think you’re beneath them. Like talking to a spider before you step on it.”
“You-you-you can talk?!” Frederica started backing up.
I WILL TAKE ONE OF YOU WITH ME TO THE DEPTHS, THEN RETURN ON THE NEXT FLOOR FOR THE OTHER.
Penelope took a deep breath. “You are immortal, I’m insignificant, I get it. Light Ball!”
She underhand tossed the ball over the shield.
“Almost, try to throw it a little higher so it comes straight down.” Jeru floated above her and pointed at the spot for her to aim.
“I’m glad you decided to work with me.” Penelope eyed the Demon as she swapped her wand to her left hand so she could throw better. “Light Ball!”
The Shadow Knight raised its shield to block the falling ball. The ball hit the shield, but it had to raise the protection, leaving its feet unguarded.
“Light Beam!”
The beam hit the metal boot on the Demon’s right foot. The armored being shifted the shield to block the beam, but Penelope was already running to her right as she pointed the beam at the ground.
She drew a scorch mark on the stone as she ran past the shield, then brought the charged beam up and hit the Demon in the elbow. Without the shield arm attached to the Shadow Knight, the shield fell forward, leaving the Demon exposed. It threw its hammer in an attempt to force her back. It missed, but she didn’t.
Ding!
Experience +4
Penelope walked over and picked up the shield, throwing the gauntlet on the pile, then strapping it to her back. She might have a Tank now, but as he’d just proved, she couldn’t always rely on him. She harvested the
“You going to be okay?” She helped him take his helmet off.
“Sorry.” He had tears in his eyes. “I’m supposed to be the one who has the monsters attention and…” He sniffled. “And I failed.”
“Then do better next time.” She pressed the belt into his chest. “This is yours. Can you walk?”
He tried to stand, but was still too weak. “I took another potion.”
The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end before she heard the noise.
“Oakie!” Frederica rushed into the young man’s arms, crushing him in a hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay!”
“Still think this group is better than Ula’s?”
Penelope shook her head as she turned away. “There are parts of both that I’d rather weren’t part of the deal.” She sighed as she looked east and saw Ula talking to Judah. The grandmother was giving orders and showing the young man how he should be cutting the meat.
She took a deep breath and jogged over to the barrier between 3B and 3C. Walking around this square was going to take almost as much time as it would take her to clear it. Frederica and Oakley weren’t in any condition to join her and she was almost certain that Ula’s group wouldn’t be able to enter.
Penelope stepped through the barrier.
“Light Beam.”
The stream of light shot out of the tip of her wand as she ran towards the Demon. The three grasshoppers turned metallic, but her spell cut them apart anyway. The passive, Chaincast, made her spells stronger the more she cast in rapid succession.
The Shadow Buffer turned silver as it shielded itself and started to form metal shards in the air in front of it. The beam hit it in the face, dispelling the metal shards. It took two seconds for her to get the notification.
Ding!
Experience +12
“Now!”
Penelope stopped the beam.
“Light Burst!”
She didn’t bother turning around. All four barriers came down, letting her know that she had won.
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