Chapter 12

On the north side of the mountain that was now the Undead Frontier a long stone bridgeway spanned the surrounding lake-waters.

Dave eyed the water uneasily as he and his followers trekked their way across the stone bridge. The two-headed snake monsters that infested lake were too high-level for his group to take on, even with the two death knights and the squad of dunlords that accompanied them. It wasn’t just about levels and numbers, size does matter, the snake-things were huge, Drahma-category huge.

After crossing the bridge the party moved in the direction marked on Dave’s map by Delvina.

The battalion marched through the Underworld in battle formation, with Delvina’s dunlords acting as roving scout-sentinels around the periphery of Dave’s more diminutive Undead minions. The scorpion-monsters were an impressive force multiplier for his small battalion.

The Dunlords had a peculiar, almost delicate mincing gait, moving agilely on the sharp points of their six walking legs as if they were on tiptoes. But they advanced like earth-movers, implacable and unstoppable. Each of the ten massive killing-machines sported a shemagh wrapped around its head, their faces completely hidden within the folds of dark cloth. Occasionally, one of the behemoths would snap a boulder-crushing armored claw, the sound it made was like sheet metal ripping apart. Otherwise the scorpion-creatures moved in uncanny silence, only the faint clicking of chitin on stone betraying their presence.

Dave kept one of the hulking dunlords near him. It was like walking next to a stealthed battle-tank. He felt almost as safe as when Drahma had accompanied him on his first foray into the Underworld.

Eventually, in the distance Dave saw a formation of rocks and large hills that created a canyon of stone in the far distance.

“Dunlords, scout ahead,” ordered Dave, and the party of ten scorpion-monsters reacted instantly, diving underground in a cloud of dirt and a shower of rock shards.

The scorpion men rushed forward like small hills dispersing in the distance.

Dave’s battalion followed after the tracks of the scouting Dunlords.

“B-Bosssss…dhissss...ssssmell...wronnnng,” the hoarse voice of Dave’s favorite ghoul came from behind him.

“What do you mean, Bud?”

Dave had noticed that Bud was always nearby, usually behind him. Eventually he realized that the ghoul had appointed himself to be Dave’s bodyguard and protector. He was very touched by the ghoul’s devotion and protectiveness.

“Sssmell…of demonssss. Thissss...not ssssafe,” the ghoul hissed.

“Okay, Bud I understand. But we have to go there, if it's too dangerous we’ll have to find another way.”

Dave didn’t worry much about it. After all, he had two level 400 Death Knights with him. They could fend off any monsters below Mythic Tier.

He also had a new Skill, Unyielding, which he got after surviving the guild assault on the Undead Frontier raid-zone. The skill prevented him from dying for 5 seconds after his HP dropped below 1%. It made him immune to being one-shotted and guaranteed him five seconds of life. Five seconds was enough time for Dave to think his out of almost any mess.

Once they entered the stone valley, Dave looked up to see some aged veins and roots growing on the rocks. However, something like a shadow flickered across his field of vision then disappeared.

Suddenly, giant pincers exploded from the ground in front of Dave. His heart leapt into his throat as he stumbled back rapidly, almost going ass-over-teakettle. Massive human torsos rose up out of the cloud of dirt and pelting rocks, followed by chitin-armored thoraxes and wickedly barbed tails.

Two dunlords had returned to report the results of their scouting mission.

“The way ahead is clear, sir,” one of giants said in a basso profundo voice.

The remaining Dunlords came back soon after the first two. They all reported the same thing, the path ahead was clear of danger. Dave sent them out again to keep scouting.

‘Strange. The dunlords say there is nothing ahead. But ghouls have a strong sense of smell, and Bud said he smelled demons. So what was that flash of movement?

‘Lord Samael’s marker is somewhere near the the other opening of this canyon. There’s no help for it, we can’t turn back we have to keep moving forward. This is an important mission for the Legion and I just can’t lose Reputation with the Undead.

“Let’s keep moving,” Dave ordered.

Two dunlords walked at the front of the formation, next came the two Death Knights with Dave between and a step behind them.

A long loud growl vibrated the area where the party moved.

“Everyone, be on your guard!”

A shadow jumped from the upper rocks of the valley and a beast of enormous size dropped in front of the party.

It was a tiger the size of a small hill, it towered over the party, and looked at them menacingly.

It was black in color and had several eyes on the side of his head.

The tiger exuded black smoke from his body, and began starfing the party while issuing low growls.

Dave inspected the beast.

Demonic Shadow Tiger

Tier: Epic

Danger Level ☠ ☠

Level 420

40,000-50,000 DMG

500 000Hp

35 000 DN

15 000 MA

A territorial Demonic monster that is highly aggressive toward those that invade his territory.

[Mawl] Deals 10% maximum Hp in Bleed Damage over 10 seconds

[Ravage] deals 200% basic damage to a single target

[Pounce] Jumps to a target area Dealing 50% attack damage in a 5X5meter area and applies stun effect.

[Shadow Escape] after reaching a certain amount of hp, the monster will prioritize escape.

“Good god this thing is strong. Everyone gather up, Death Knights flank it, Dunlords stay behind and only attack when the tiger decides to pounce on me,” Dave back away.

We won’t be of much use in this fight, the monster is several hundreds of level above me and my battalion, but the Dunlords and the death knights can take care of it. at the same time, I can use the battalion to harass him to assist the Damage dealers. And what the heck is up with that [Shadow Escape] skill?

Dave finished planning and ordered the attack.

One of the Death Knights used [Charge] and stunned the tiger, and immediately the second Death Knight attacked with its jagged greatsword on the left side of the beast.

[-6222]

[-11 223]

The Tiger howled in pain and swiped the Death Knight who wounded it.

[-12 333] a huge damage value appeared above the Death Knight, yet compared to its HP, it was not much.

The Monster Pounced at the backline and began ravaging the Undead.

Two of the casters instantly fell to its high Damage value, and a Dunlord immediately charged the Tiger grabbing it with its claws and smacking it right in the head with its poisonous Stinger.

Demonic Shadow Tiger has been Poisoned for 10 seconds

-800 HP/Sec

“Good!” Dave used [Spectral Bomb] and blew it up in the face of the Tiger.

It didn’t deal damage, but secured the EXP for Dave and also staggered it, helping one of the Death Knights to deal an increased amount of damage.

[-16,220]

The Tiger growled in defiance, but the combined attacks of all the undead soon brought most of its HP Down.

Most of the Damage came from the Death Knights, and the two Dunlords acted as good tanks to soak up the damage from the creature.

Dave’s Party of casters only served one purpose, to use their magic to attack the death knights, Yes attack the death knights.

As Dave had tested before, the magic from his casters can actually heal the undead and damage the living. So, he used it to keep the death knights at almost full HP all the time.

The Tiger pounced several times after that, killing some of Dave’s Undead and casters, to that Dave ordered them all to retreat, he didn’t wish to lose more troops.

Once the tiger reached 20% HP it backed away and dived into a nearby wall.

“Damn!” cursed Dave as the Beast escaped.

Yet before he could relax, the shadow behind him exploded as the tiger emerged from under his feet and pounced at Dave pinning him to the ground.

[-25 222]

The maw of the creature opened wide and was about to rip Dave’s head off…