A graceful shadowy hand slapped the arrow inches away from Julian's face, before bouncing off the wall with a rattling echo.
"Nocta! Umbra protect them."
Unlike Sena, he couldn't rely on his abilities to protect them, and Julian's orders wouldn't make them move faster. He wondered why they only applied to Sena but shook his head instantly, removing these thoughts from his mind.
"Fran, can you find the enemies?"
"I'm on it!"
A strange horn blew in the distance, followed by the sound of goblins yodling and skittering. The goblins' primitive, guttural call transmitted their ssages throughout the dungeon.
Now most of the goblins would be awake, or aware of intruders.
Fwoosh!
Fwoosh!
Two arrows arced through the sky,
Julian's eyes snapped around, and he knew Eclipsa would protect him.
As he lunged toward the stone walls and slid along the ground, the two arrows batted away and missed his body once again. However, this ti, they pierced through the shadows' hands, creating a small hole and dealing 10 damage overall.
'Hnnng~ it hurts.'
Eclipsa's voice sounded in Julian's mind as she moaned in pain, a slightly sultry voice, as he felt her shadow cling to him tighter.
"Julian! There are six goblins up there!"
Fran and Maria rushed behind a pillar on the other side with Nocta and Umbra, while the goblins attacked them from a ledge to the northwest, just above the bridge.
Julian watched Fran's agile movents as she dodged an arrow. Then, hopping onto the ledge with one foot, she drew her bow to the limit.
"Arcane Shot!"
A radiant glow wrapped around her arrow, glowing light blue, as she loosed two arrows in rapid succession.
Twang!
Her first arrow twirled through the air like blue cots, before they tore through the goblins, dealing 40 damage, ignoring their armour and level difference, while the second grazed the goblin's cheek and dealt 10 damage.
'I hit them!' Fran celebrated, before Nocta's hand yanked her back, a huge shield clanging against the wall as four arrows hit the surface, before bouncing off.
"Phew..."
"Careful little bunny. Now let give you so cover."
The redhead pulled Fran into a safe position before she started to tap her foot, each note causing the water orbs around her to rotate faster.
"Tempest!"
Maria's eyes narrowed, before snapping her fingertips, sending several blue dagger-shaped blades at the enemy, using eight of her ten shards to attack the sa goblin Fran did.
The ice-blue blades tore through the sky, dancing in the air as Maria's body twirled around the pillar. Her arms were outstretched, and she shone with a spiralling aura of water that wrapped around her.
10 damage
10 damage
10 damage
Three shards dealt successive damage, while the other shards blocked the enemy's arrows, stopping their attack as Maria's beautiful lips parted, still dancing like a graceful swan.
"Julian, it's your turn to show your new tricks!"
'How did she know?!'
Julian gritted his teeth, standing from the wall, and gazing at the goblins. His breathing cald as he realised the dangerous situation would start once those archers died.
A crackle of shadowy energy wrapped around his wand, channelled from his abdon. The magic ford slowly—the cast for this spell was longer because it was the first ti.
'Nocta, Umbra goblins will soon flood that bridge, prepare to block them!'
The air around Julian beca cold, icy and void of heat as the swirling orbs of shadow folded, rging as he pulled back his arm and snapped his wand towards the goblins.
— Mana Enhancent!
The surrounding air thickened as his mana filled it with unstable energy.
The wand trembled in Julian's grasp, raw mana crackling like a wild beast eager to break free.
A crackling snap echoed as Julian's wand shot out, the shadows gathering with lethal intent.
"Shadow Bomb!" he hissed, his voice low, venomous.
The orb of pure darkness rocketed forward with unnatural speed, the air itself warping as it hurtled toward the ledge where six goblin archers lined up, their crude bows raised in anticipation.
The shadows swirled with hunger, a void of malice.
Julian's eyes flashed with focus. A surge of power coiled tighter around the runes of his wand, the shadows twisting, darkening, becoming denser, more unstable. The surrounding air warped, as if it too couldn't handle the force boiling just beneath the surface.
The goblins barely had ti to react before the orb collided with the stone ledge.
Boom!
An explosion of shadows blasted across the area, sending goblins flying backward. The dark energy swallowed their screams.
The explosion reverberated through the cavern walls, shaking dust loose from above.
A massive shockwave knocked the remaining goblins off their feet, and their limbs twitched from the blast.
468 shadow damage.
The force of the blast left the goblins as broken husks, their bodies ravaged by Julian's spell's amplified power. Once the shadows receded, only the scorched earth and faint scent of burning flesh remained.
The strain of the attack hit Julian almost imdiately, causing a rebound of 100 damage.
"Urkk...."
Julian covered his mouth, vomiting as a crimson gloss poured from his lips, using too much mana at once causing imnse damage to his throat and body.
The air humd with the aftershock, his body pulsing from the excess of energy.
But he didn't care. 10% of the damage dealt was his to claim—46 health surged back into his chest, easing the burn from his previous wounds.
"Ha... that felt good," Julian muttered, watching the goblins recover... even his strongest attack only brought them just below half health.
He lifted his wands, wanting to cast another spell, but staggered, his face as pale as snow before leaning against the wall, almost falling into the pit.
"Ack.."
"Julian?"
"Eh?"
Maria's dance suddenly stopped, her Tempest ending because of her shock.
"Ugh... it hurts."
She rushed across the opening and grabbed him in her arms, pulling him to the floor as an arrow pierced through her shoulder, dealing 35 damage.
'He can't die again...' Her hands wrapped around his cheeks—normally she would need to heal soone using a dance, but... in dangerous tis.
"I'll cover for you!"
Fran's bowstring twanged as she shot another arcane shot, her arrows constantly tearing through the sky, as the first goblin died with her headshot dealing 40 damage.
'The fox can be a little helpful... even if she clearly wants to appeal to Julian!'
Her thoughts raced while she focused on the most important task: healing her partner.
Maria closed her eyes as she summoned a gentle wave of water that flowed into her mouth and started to glow. The sweet flavour of her mana filled her throat before she pressed her lips against Julian's.
She pressed her lips against his, nervous and soft at first. The delicate tenderness of his lips awoke sothing in her as she beca eager, parting his lips with her tongue, pushing her tongue into his mouth and releasing the healing waters down his throat.
The liquid danced across his flesh, soothing the inflad tissue, healing the torn fissures down his throat, and restoring so colour to his face.
"Nn..."
'I am taking advantage of you, but Sena isn't here!' She thought desperately, trying not to lose herself in his touch, although his hand wrapped around her waist.
'I'm doing this because I have no choice! Yes, that's right. He can't get mad.'
A deep, sultry whimper escape her throat when she felt him respond, his lips wrapped around her tongue and started sucking on it.
'Finally! This kiss is heaven... I never expected the prince to kiss so well.'
Her eyes closed before she snapped them open, placing both hands on his shoulders as she pulled away. A wet stringy strand of saliva ford a bridge from their tongues, glistening before it fell onto the dusty ground.
'I almost lost my composure... this is a battlefield.'
"Haa... thanks... my chest doesn't hurt anymore." Julian gasped, realising he shouldn't overwork himself and avoid relying on those special skills he gained from the goddess.
'She kissed ...' Julian flicked his wand, sending a lance of shadowy energy, striking one of the four remaining goblins for 23 damage.
"Nora, I won't bla you..."
He leaned back, stroking her dazed cheek, enjoying the soft sensation, before patting her shoulder.
"So let see your beautiful dance once again, and prepare for the actual battle."
'Ah... can I stop myself if he's like this with ?' Maria's cheeks beca red—she held back and tried to just remain a little flirtatious... but it didn't work.
'I am the worst friend.'
"Hurry!"
Fran's voice echoed, as the pair noticed the amount of arrows now on the floor from the goblins.
"Go, Maria, I'll support you."
He stood from his half kneeling position, and whipped his wand towards the enemy, casting his basic spell Shadow Bolt.
The shadow lance struck like lightning, killing a third goblin, while Fran's fourth magic arrow penetrated the throat of another, leaving just two goblins.
"Listen to !" Julian said in a commanding and serious tone.
"Once we kill the last goblin, the first boss fight will trigger instantly and a pack of goblins with shields and spears will fill the bridge."
"Pull back after the last goblin is dead, and prepare to hold them!"
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