Giant blob-like ticks charged at the party.
Species: Splash Tick
Class: Crippled Star
Statistics: 100% HP
Skills:
- Corrosive Bite
- Corrosive Pop
Weak spot: Head
Just looking at them made Dallions stomach churn. It was like watching a large squishy water balloon with legs and a hardened pin of a head on top. Only one emotion rang through thema deep desire to destroy everything and anyone.
A knife split the air, hitting one of the creatures in its blobby body. The Tick burst with a pop, splashing everything around it with greenish yellow liquid. Even from this distance Dallion could sense the acid sll among the bouquet of disgusting odors.
Corroders, the lieutenant said. Imdiately, everyone in the party unsummoned their armor.
And thats why you dont use ranged against them, Alera told Dallion. You might get a few of them from a distance, but when they get close, things get ssy.
Dallion nodded.
Ill try to slow them down with music, Dallion shouted, gripping his harpsisword.
Speed is not the issue, the lieutenant said. Make them dizzy instead.
That was a novel suggestion, but quite good. The issue with the ticks wasnt the speedeven slow, they would slowly advance towards the party en masse, then start biting what they couldit was precision. A dizzy tick wouldnt be able to attack, allowing the awakened to kill them off in an efficient manner.
Dizziness, Dallion said to himself as he played the corresponding chords, synching with the attacking creatures. The lody vibrated loudly, imdiately affecting the front rows of ticks, then moving further on. Of course, the effect was only temporary. Not wasting any ti, Dallion played a second chord.
Familiar with the thod of creating states and emotions, he didnt even have to look at the music markers as he played. He had gone a long way since he started learning music a while back, but he felt it wasnt nearly enough. The more complicated the tasks, the stronger the enemies he was facing, and it was no longer possible to simply freeze them as he did to low-level guardians.
Not bad. Spike grinned. According to the emotions within him, he was more amused than impressed, but at this point Dallion was willing to take that as a complint. Being among elites made him feel quite out of place, and by the looks of it, with good reason.
As expected, Spike was the first to attack, slashing off the heads of several ticks with one strike. The precision was such that it instantly killed the creatures, not giving them a chance to splash their contents on anything. Monts later, the rest of the party joined in.
Very soon, it beca clear why all of them were only equipped with short weapons. Anything longer would have made fighting in a cluster much more difficult, not to ntion it risked killing a tick by accident. Only the removal of the armor didnt make sense, but Dallion decided to ask that at a later point. For now, he had to focus on his music.
Any chance you can make them fall asleep? one of the younger mbers asked. He was a skinny guy with long black hair tied in a braid. Unlike most of the other party mbers, he was only able to take out two ticks at a ti and even that with difficulty.
Stick to dizziness! the lieutenant barked. It seed that Dallion wasnt the only person he had a thing against.
The sea of ticks slowly surrounded the group. No attempt was made to avoid or even delay the process. On the contrary, the people specifically waited for that to happen, even slowly moving towards the thick of the enemies.
Rows of ticks poofed out of existence every second, barely making a dent in the overall numbers.
Dal, get ready! The lieutenant shouted. Once I give the order, cocoon yourself in your shield. After that, dont co out until soone taps twice on it.
Sure. That was very specific.
Any idea what hes got planned? Dallion asked.
An all-out attack, if I had to guess, Nil said in a disapproving voice. Thats the problem with kids. No patience and at the sa ti, they waste their ti with everything beneath the moons, instead of learning their craft.
Hes way old to be a
Now! the lieutenant shouted.
Within seconds, all mbers, with the exception of Dallion, dashed forward, leaving a line of destruction in their wave. Rather, it wasnt a line of destruction, it was lines of emptiness, like a vacuum cleaner passing over a floor covered in dust. In the monts before enveloping himself with the armadil shield, Dallion managed to get a glimpse of the attack style they used. It was very similar to the zig-zag thod he had learned from Janna and Kallan, but significantly more sophisticated. What was more, each of them wasnt going a simple run, they were doing a split run. Dallion could see five instances of each reaving through the ticks. In each case, it was the best outco that was selected.
Shield! Dallion said. Before he could see more, the shield ford a sphere around him , protecting him from any potential harm.
So thats what an elite is, Dallion thought.
Indeed, dear boy. An elite is a very good expert whos had decades to develop enough tricks for the battlefield. Sotis centuries. Thats not what a party leader is, though. A lieutenant, and a captain for that matter, is soone who could command their party in a way that would maximize their efficiency. There are many different styles, but the outco is roughly the sa. That is why youd often see elites with far greater skills than their party leaders, even in the city guard, or the Imperial Army.
Waiting silently in the shield, Dallion counted the seconds. Ten seconds in, the sound of fighting intensified. He could hear the lieutenant barking orders to direct the party mbers about. Another ten seconds later, the yells sounded a lot closer than before. Shortly after, there was silence.
Holding his breath, Dallion counted to five, then to ten, then to twenty. All that ti, there wasnt a sound to be heard.
Lux, Dallion thought. Better get ready to co out. Nox, you too, buddy. We might be in a bit of trouble.
Just as Dallion was about to order the shield to return to normal, the two taps sounded as if soone was knocking on the surface.
Shield, Dallion whispered. The guardian obeyed, opening up and contracting to its original form.
Welco back, Spike said.
There was no trace of the ticks. Not only that, but Dallion saw that the air tendrils had diminished. Looking at the horizon, however, there was no change, suggesting that the mist was still present. The lieutenant and several of the party mbers had gathered around one of the newbies, who seed to have half a trouser missing.
Do you need to stop? The lieutenant asked.
The other didnt reply.
What happened? Dallion whispered.
Skiv got in a bit of a ss, Spike replied. A tick bit him, then burst. Nasty thing. The pain will last for weeks and will need serious treatnt. He wont be able to take on big jobs for a while.
That serious?
Nasty stuff. But hey, its the life of an explorer. Beats being an item nder.
As harsh as it sounded, there was truth to that. Even Dallion had no intention of going back to standard nding.
Theres no way to heal him?
Not if you know any magic, Spike snorted.
Ill make it, the guild mber groaned. I just need a bit of rest.
You dont look like you just need rest, Alera said. Get out of here. Well take you to the guild once were done.
I can heal him, Dallion said.
At that mont, all eyes turned towards him. There were elents of confusion in the people, along with curiosity, but for the most part, there was universal disbelief. If healing involved magic, it had to be a pretty big deal. Dallion knew as much from the cleric hed seen during the chainling hunt.
Its not magic, Dallion quickly said. I have a familiar that can do it.
There was another long mont of silence.
Show , the lieutenant said.
Out you go, Lux, Dallion thought.
The firebird appeared on Dallions head. Happy like a chick that got a chance to fly out of its cage, it chirped several tis, then looked at the people nearby with almost as much interest as they were looking at it.
Thats Lux, Dallion explained. Hes a healing firebird?
Dont expect them to know what that is, Nil said. If I hadnt co across such a creature, they certainly wouldnt have.
That can heal? the old man in the group asked.
It can restore health for certain. Dallion tried to grab Lux from his head, but his hand only passed through the blue fla. The firebird seed rather amused by it. Never tried it on sothing like that. I guess its worth a test? Whats the worst that could happen?
I guess theres no harm, the lieutenant had to admit. Are you up for it, Skiv?
The other nodded eagerly. From his perspective, anything was better than remaining in this state.
Lux, go on his leg, Dallion said out loud. If anything feels off
Before he could finish, the bird had zood from Dallions head onto the woundeds leg. Clearly the firebird was reckless as its owner, in its own unique way. Blue flas surrounded the entire affected area of the leg.
For several seconds, nothing happened. Normally this was the point at which a red rectangle would appear, making it known that five percent health had been restored. While that did happen, it was also accompanied by a sudden browning of an area of Skivs leg. Green fus went up along with a distinctly sour sll of rot.
Lux, get Dallion began, but was quickly interrupted by the lieutenant.
Not yet.
Looking closely, Dallion saw what the other antthe area was slowly shrinking. What Lux was doing was effectively pull the corrosive substance out of Skivs leg and burning it away. It wasnt the fastest process, and quite slly, but it managed to do sothing which was otherwise considered impossible.
None of the guild mbers said a word, but Dallion could see awe vibrate inside them. For once, even the lieutenant was impressed.
Everyone, rest up for another ten minutes. The lieutenant looked at the size of the infected area on Skivs leg. Make that fifteen. Well tackle the swamp afterwards. Dal, he added as the rest started walking away. You stay.
In Dallions experience, being asked to stay behind ant either sothing good or sothing very bad. Considering the circumstances and the emotions he could see in the lieutenant, it was possible to go either way.
How did you get it? the lieutenant whispered.
It happened during the Art incident. I guess sohow he changed a firebird guardian into
Im not asking where, Im asking how.
Dallion remained silent, not understanding the question.
There are four people in the entire guild with familiars. Half of them received them as an inheritance from a family mber. The rest got them from birth. You didnt have it before, and I doubt you inherited it, so Im asking again. How did you get a familiar?
It just happened? Dallion replied. After I defeated the guardian, a blue rectangle appeared and told that I had an azure firebird. Thats it.
The lieutenant glared at him.
Thats all that happened. If I knew how I did it, Id have gotten a few more to help in combat. And not only there.
You really have no idea, do you?
Idea of what? I know its not that rare for an awakened to have a familiar. So even have more. Captain Adzorg even said that
Its normal for the Archdukes city, or Imperial capital. Just look at Skiv.
The mans leg was all but healed. Nothing more than two large brown pimples remained and even they were quickly fading away beneath the blue flas.
Only magic can do that.
Dont worry, I dont have any magic.
I know, but the familiar does, and when people find out, therell be many more questions coming your way, including from people that wont accept the answer youve giving.
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