The abyss pulsed like a living wound, dark waves smashing against Dock 13 as the Abyssal Herald shrieked in rage. Ethan's system prompt hovered before him, urging a choice. His chest heaved as the seawalls shook under the monster's wrath.
[Secondary Objective Complete – Seal Path Available]
Sacrifice your life force to prematurely seal the Rift.
Or… endure.
Ethan gritted his teeth and slammed his sword into the ground. "We're enduring this. No sacrifice. Not today."
Kaela's relief was immediate, but her face hardened as she raised her staff. "Then we fight until our bones turn to dust."
Brandon laughed bitterly, hefting his spear. "Figures. You always pick the hardest road, Ethan."
"Because it's the only one worth walking," Ethan snarled.
The system responded instantly.
[Endurance Route Selected – Final Objective Updated]
Defend Dock 13 for 30 minutes.
Dock Integrity must remain above 10%.
Enemy: Abyssal Herald – Leviathan Spawn.
HP: 66,314 / 98,520
Minute 1–5: The Second Collapse
The Herald's massive form lunged forward, its maw opening wide.
[Skill Activated: Tidal Collapse]
The ocean itself surged upward, transforming into a tidal wave of abyssal energy. It crashed against the seawalls with catastrophic force.
Dock Integrity: 43% → 29%
"Hold the lines!" Ethan roared, his aura exploding outward.
He sprinted into the wave, Greatsword blazing.
[Abyssal Rift Cleave] → Damage: -3,117
The energy split, redirected into harmless spray as Ethan carved through it. Still, the damage was done. NPC defenders were swept from the walls, their screams swallowed by the sea.
NPC Casualties: -22
Kaela gritted her teeth, her magic flaring. [Radiant Ward] expanded across the docks, reducing damage taken by allies within its glow.
Brandon's spear whistled through the air, piercing the Herald's eye ridge.
Damage: -2,335 (Stun Proc 1s)
"Keep hammering it!" Brandon yelled. "Don't let it breathe!"
Minute 6–12: Tentacle Siege
The Herald shrieked, tentacle-like appendages erupting from beneath its body again.
[Skill Activated: Leviathan's Grasp]
Dozens of defenders were seized mid-strike, lifted screaming toward its gnashing maw.
Ethan's rage burned. He activated [Abyssal Chains], tendrils of voidlight latching onto the tentacles, yanking them down with brute force.
Damage: -1,111 per second (DoT applied)
Brandon vaulted onto one appendage, driving his spear deep.
Damage: -2,567
Kaela unleashed a chain of radiant explosions, burning the corrupted flesh.
Damage: -2,221, -2,341, -2,419
But still, screams filled the air.
NPC Casualties: -14
Player Deaths: -3
The Herald's HP dipped further, but its fury only grew.
HP: 66,314 → 52,208
Minute 13–20: Abyssal Song
The Herald reared back, its voidlike eyes glowing.
[Skill Activated: Abyssal Song]
A psychic wave thundered outward. NPCs clutched their ears and fell convulsing; some simply went limp, their systems flatlining. Players staggered, HP bars dropping.
HP Drain Applied: -733 (Ethan), -642 (Brandon), -701 (Kaela)
Ethan snarled, forcing himself to his feet. He activated [Abyssal Resilience], cutting the damage in half. "STAND UP! Don't give it the satisfaction!"
Brandon spat blood but rammed his spear into the docks, channeling lightning down its shaft. [Storm Barrier] surged outward, creating a protective cage around the party.
Kaela's eyes glowed, her staff radiating pure golden light. "By the Flame Eternal—[Sanctuary]!"
The psychic wave was dulled, the defenders buying precious seconds.
Dock Integrity: 29% → 23%
But the cost was steep.
NPC Casualties: -19
Player Deaths: -5
Ethan's jaw clenched. "We can't keep this up much longer."
Minute 21–26: Fury Unleashed
The Herald slammed its body into the seawall, shattering entire sections.
Dock Integrity: 23% → 15%
Panic erupted among NPCs as water flooded the lower docks. The monster began to coil its massive body around the fortress.
"This thing wants to CRUSH Dock 13!" Brandon shouted.
Ethan's blood burned. "[Harbinger's Oath]!"
His aura erupted, amplifying everyone's strength. Kaela immediately followed with [Radiant Cataclysm], while Brandon's spear split into three phantom copies that struck as one.
Ethan Damage: -4,425 (Critical!)
Brandon Damage: -3,339 (Pierce) + Bleed
Kaela Damage: -3,222, -3,115, -3,431
The Herald's HP plummeted.
52,208 → 41,002 → 33,220
But the monster retaliated.
[Tentacle Slam] smashed down, flattening a ballista crew.
NPC Casualties: -9
Dock Integrity: 15% → 12%
Kaela screamed, sweat pouring down her brow. "We're running out of time!"
Minute 27–30: The Final Stand
The Herald bellowed, its scales glowing like molten abyssal fire.
[Enrage Phase Triggered]
Damage Output: +50%
Defense: +25%
Ethan's system chimed:
[Warning – Dock Integrity Critical: 12%]
The Herald launched forward, its massive maw opening to devour the central dock.
Ethan didn't hesitate. He sprinted, leapt onto the monster's head, and drove his Abyssforged Greatsword into its skull.
[Abyssal Harbinger's Judgment] → Damage: -6,117 (Massive Critical!)
The Herald shrieked, thrashing violently. Brandon hurled his spear into the wound.
Damage: -3,405
Kaela unleashed every ounce of her mana. [Divine Nova] → Damage: -4,555
The combined strike staggered the Herald, forcing it to retreat slightly. Its HP bar shuddered.
33,220 → 21,114 → 11,997
The system chimed—
[Time Remaining: 00:00]
A brilliant seal erupted across the sky. The Rift pulsed violently, then constricted, pulling the Herald back with it. The monster thrashed in fury, but the Rift closed like a vice, severing its form into mist.
[Endurance Objective Complete]
Dock 13 Survived.
Integrity Remaining: 12%.
Aftermath
Silence fell, broken only by the crash of weakened waves. Dock 13 was a ruin, but it still stood. The defenders, bloodied and weary, stared in awe at the vanishing Rift.
Kaela collapsed to her knees, trembling. "It's… it's over. For now."
Brandon pulled his spear free from the shattered dock, his chest heaving. "Hell of a price… but we're still alive."
Ethan stood amidst the wreckage, his sword dripping abyssal ichor, his eyes burning with both fury and resolve.
"No," he whispered. "This was just the beginning."
The system confirmed it.
[Quest Chain Unlocked: Abyssal Warfront]
The Abyss has taken notice of your defiance. More Heralds will rise. Prepare Dock 13 for war.