"Are you sure that you're doing anything Lyssara?!" Dagna grunted as she closed the distance with the beast, her Ion blade barely scratching the surface of the beast. "Of course I am, what are you doing?!" A response shot back as Lyssara leapt into the air with her wings. Tired of the long-winded fight, she chose to end it all.
Her flame circle from the Emberveil Sigil artifact grew larger, her golden mask now shining faintly in the moonlight. Dagna froze as she felt the aura that radiated off Lyssara. 'Is she planning to kill us all?!' She couldn't help but wonder as she closed the distance with the beast.
No name had shown when facing the beast, indicating that the two were low leveled to properly appraise it. Dagna managed to weave through the claws of the beast however it's tail whipped and crashed with her figure.
Rather than startled, a small smile formed on her face as she was sent flying. The beast let out a groan as it staggered back. Lyssara above gave a faint whisper before a massive ray of black fire was sent to the staggered beast.
*Whoosh*
Dagna's field of view was covered in flames, most of which thanks to the distance she had been sent flying managed to dodge.
*Roar*
The beast screamed as it was bathed in a sea of flames, the bones melting away before the only thing that was left of it was it's skull and it's tail.
[{Congratulations on slaying the beast}]
The notification popped for Dagna while Lyssara was left dumbfounded. "What is this? I helped in slaying it, didn't I?" Her frustration met with a chuckle from Dagna as a window of options popped up for her. 'Don't tell me that because of the stupid restriction that I don't get something to choose from.'
Her mind went back when she helped Kaelin with her first dive. At the time nothing noteworthy had taken place therefore she saw it as time wasted but now, it was a pain that she couldn't bear. 'Damn you Jarren.' A curse escaped her lips as she clenched her fists.
*Whoosh*
The two appeared back at the hallway, Dagna done with her selection. "I still can't believe that Jarren had this game made like this! Sure I understand that it's meant to be hard but give me some space to breathe!" Her words echoed through the halls. "Maybe you shouldn't have cleared it." Dagna taking the chance made her remark that soured Lyssara's face.
"Really?" Before the conversation could escalate, another voice boomed. "Welcome back Lyssara, and it would seem that you have a guest with you." It was Eamon Nightshade, the game vendor with his stall. Dagna narrowed her eyes as she leaned towards Lyssara. "There's something wrong with him, I can't sense him."
Her whisper met with a smile. "Yeah, he's...an anomaly in the programming. A fallen horror that promised me that he would cull the council of horrors." Dagna however didn't seem satiated with Lyssara's answer as her blade remained within her reach. "Come on Dagna, there is no need for this kind of hostility."
Eamon chimed, the curl on his mask further irked Dagna. "Besides you kind of need his help. It would be foolish to ignore it." And with that Lyssara approached Eamon, Dagna at first hesitated before giving in as she approached the stall. "Please do feel free to check what you wish to purchase. After all we have the same goal."
His casual air didn't sit well with Dagna as she spoke through the silence. "You do know that Jarren and the rest know that you are here. You are not out of their grasp of sight." Eamon didn't take her words seriously as he let out a chuckle. "Lady, you view those monsters with too much reverence. After all they are not the only monsters to lurk in the grand game."
Dagna didn't ease up as she began her browse. It was now that she became conscious of her money from the fights she had been.
[{You have 12,000 gold}]
Glancing at Lyssara, she was baffled as to why she used shards while her means of purchase was gold. Her eyes darted over the sea of trinkets offered before she made her choice. Lyssara had long made her choice as well. "I'll take that." She stated, aiming at a jar with it's contents pure obsidian.
"Of course." With a blink of an eye, her amount dropped from twelve thousand to ten thousand.
[{You have healed back to full health}]
[{Excess nanite bots have given you the mobility debuff. Your movement will be half of your original}]
[{The debuff will wear out once the player takes sufficient damage}]
She didn't have the time to protest as she felt her body increase in weight. 'I'm not one with the idea of a tank build but I guess I could make this work.' She mused trying to see the benefit of the debuff. Realizing that she still had somewhat of an abundant amount of gold, she went on with her purchase.
[{Your gold is now 2,000}]
She ignored the notification as a smile now rested on her face. Lyssara seemed content with her purchase as well. "I hope that we get to see each other once more. And thank you Lyssara for clearing those rats for me." The quest that Lyssara was tasked to do clicked in her head.
"Of course, maybe next time tell me that there are hidden paths and bosses. It could make this far easier." Eamon met her with a dark chuckle. "Sure those monsters can't see me but that comes with a trade. I can't map out any of these floors to search for hidden paths. If I did then they would easily find me and have me killed."
Dagna was still skeptical of the man however she didn't speak her mind. "If you are so afraid of them then why don't you leave? After all given that you have proved to be potent enough to hide from them." Lyssara asked as Dagna began to walk away from the stall. "It's... rather complicated Lyssara. I'm sure that you'll discover than within due time."
And with that his stall was swallowed whole with the wall vanishing. "I don't think that he's as powerful as he thinks he is. It could be Jarren playing tricks on us. Having an innocent soul think that he can face the monsters of Redfall." Dagna said flatly, her tone apathetic as she began to head into the next elite.
Lyssara caught up to her in a flash, her tone uncertain. "It could be the case...or it could be genuine. After all there's something about him that I can't quite detect. Something that I've felt off Jarren plenty of times." Dagna remained unfazed with her words. "What did you say about that poem that you read back then?"
Lyssara recalled the gruelling joke with the poem. "It was nothing more than a taunt he pulled." Dagna narrowed her eyes. "From the way you told me, it would seem that there is more to it. Maybe he could have distracted you with the whole party." Lyssara didn't want to recall the orgy she was with, her skin shuddering.
"Look, how about you ask Jarren about his poem then? After all we both know that he did it to mess with me. Could have learnt it from Callista for all I know." Lyssara's tone turning bitter as the sound of their steps echoed. The door of the last elite came into view, the air between the two tight.
"I'm sorry about the whole...event back then and for bringing it up at all. Maybe Eamon could be the key from escaping this whole nightmare." Dagna chimed, her tone tender as she locked eyes with Lyssara. "You don't have to apologize, now I'm ready to watch you crumble with this next elite." The tension began to ease, now easygoing.
"Have you learnt nothing from the last fight? Besides the new skills I have won't drag this fight." Aware of her cocky attitude, Lyssara indulged with her. "Then how about a small bet, to help cull your pride." Dagna now eager took it with glee. "Name your price." The two made their bet, placing their dignity on the line.
"Expect to lose Dagna." Lyssara said. "I doubt it." Dagna shot back as the two walked in.
...
[{Broodgnaw Matriarch}]
The notification flashed between the pair, Lyssara with her arms crossed over her chest shone a smirk while Dagna tightly gripping her ion blade was ready for the fight.
*Whoosh*
Her drone once destroyed came into the scene furrowing Lyssara's brows. 'I should have had her unable to use that thing. It seems that she has a cool down for it after it is destroyed.' Still, she was sure that she would emerge victorious from their bet. Dagna gave a dark smirk as she closed the distance with the matriarch.
With a wave of her hand, her drone disintegrated, turning into digital fragments. 'For her to have this kind of arrogance...I wonder what she had as her choices.' Lyssara's calm face began to ripple as she realized the overbearing confidence exuded from Dagna.
Aware of her debuff, she was sure that her movements would be halved further dragging the fight but her smile seemed to suggest otherwise. "How about I end this fight in a matter of minutes Lyssara, just to see the expression on your face." Lyssara was unsure that she would be capable of such a feat.
"Then I'll extend the date by two days then." This elicited a chuckle from Dagna as she took her fighting stance. Lyssara's gaze sharpened as she realized that something was wrong with her body. 'What is is this heat that she is radiating?' It wasn't the heat that gave off any readings, rather her flesh and tendons began to boil beneath her skin.
The matriarch seemed to notice this as well as it began to fill the cave with it's screeches.
*BOOM*
Without warning her body was wrapped in a black coat, the edges of her frame in a brilliant golden light. Lyssara didn't have the time to register what she saw before Dagna made her move.
[{Congratulations on slaying the Broodgnaw Matriarch}]
Her face turned pale realizing that Dagna had just won the bet. 'She knew what she was doing! But what move was that?' In her mind, she turned into a streak of darkness and gold before concluding the fight. There were no phases that she had to go through, a clean strike of her ion blade was more than enough to do the job.
"Well how about it then." Dagna mused as she turned to face Lyssara, a predatory gleam resting on her face. "You cheated, aware that you could do this and you still went through with the deal." Lyssara's protests were met with a scoff. "Well what did you expect dear? Did you think that I would play fair with you?"
Dagna mused as she put her blade on her back, Lyssara closing the distance between the two. "Fine it was a bet but I do have to ask, just what kind of move was that?" Her mind still warped with what she had done. 'It was too fast for me to see as well. It's way too potent for me to face it.' She knew that the speed she operated at would be too fast for her to react.
"That? Oh, I'll never tell." With a giggle, Dagna took her leave, Lyssara on the other hand still bitter that she was tricked by Dagna. "Well she is one of those monsters now. I should have seen this coming." She muttered beneath her breathe, still baffled that Callista and Jarren would give her such an overpowered skill this early on.
"You really do plan on rubbing it in my face with her, don't you?" Her snarky comment met with a playful chuckle. "Of course dear, I just wanted to see how you would react to the madness of it all." Callista mused, her tone playful making Lyssara grit her teeth. "Well just how long before she breaks the game then?"
Her question met with silence. "Hey, are you coming or not?" Dagna asked at the exit, her smile persisting on her lips. "I'm coming." With a sigh, Lyssara made her way to the egress as well.