“This is weird. I never saw two teams work together like that.”

“What are you talking about? I’ve seen it plenty of time.”

“I’m just happy he finally has friends.” Tag | Mom

Truth be told, it was getting a bit weird. The four of them walking in a deserted corridor, sloped and coiled to bring them up the main tower.

An intimidating arch brought them to a giant oval chamber. Full of pipes. Vapor leaked from a multitude of bad joints, whistling madly, turning the room into a wet sauna.

Sparce light sources, their purple color refracted by the water droplets, pulsed ominously. At least Enoch hoped it was water. On point, the music in his head switched to a creepy ambience.

Tetsuo said, “Mini Boss?”

Anton said, “most likely, however I’m not fighting in that hot mess.” He channelled green Mana. The energy crackled and pulsated as a dense bubble grew around his fist, the size of a beach ball. He held it for 6 seconds. The intensity lit the trapped Mana to a blinding glow. Without much of a transition, Anton shot forward. The healer turned into a missile engulfed in Mana.

Enoch froze, not understanding the point. Did the healer detect an invisible enemy? Before his own maxed out Perception? Doubtful. His addled brain didn’t find the answer in time. The answer suddenly obvious.

Anton punched the wall which promptly exploded. The hot wet air rushed outside. The physic engine perfectly simulated the difference in pressure and temperature. Definitely an amazing game.

Anton laughed, looking outside, a hand holding the side of the hole, his leg braced to resist the wind.

The three others swore. They were all losing it a bit. Had been at it for a long time. The first stack of the Fatigue debuff already here. It would get way worst before the end of the day. No safe spot to rest and they were only at the Mini Boss.

On the plus side, the room was actually cooling off.

Unsurprising, loud rustling came from the hidden depths of the room. An enormous shape unfolded, gradually revealed by the thinning vapor. The music jacked up a notch.

Still laughing, Anton joined his companions and said, “So much for the Mini Boss.”

Ally and Tetsuo frowned, disapproving of the atrocious joke. Enoch giggled.

The Tank Healer braced himself in the middle of the room. The Mage stayed back. The Rogue disappeared in the shadows. The Scout stood awkwardly a step behind the Healer. The stream noticed the problem.

“He’s so bad at this.”

“Might as well team up with a noob. I’ve been watching him for a month. He hasn’t fought a raid boss once.”

“He’ll be fine.” Tip | 30$

It was, of course, a Giant Mechanical Centipede. Around fifty sections interlocked, each big as a car. Articulated cannons to shoot Mana Lances. A mess of mouth with a smaller one inside. And legs. Too many. Sharp as swords.

Art Delvers and Enoch had, in short, a great time.

***

Enoch did find his niche. Annoyingly enough. He stood by the hole in the wall. Choo in his Tower Golem by his side. The fliers out there had spotted the hole. More worryingly, the Hollows from the plain were crawling up the tower. In the hundreds.

The undeniable sound of heavy machinery groaned behind Enoch, followed by a hard impact. Anton splattered close to Enoch, sighted, stood, healed the scout and went back to the fight. No expression. Eyes fixated on the target. In the zone.

***

Ally came out of the immobile and heavily damaged centipede. She did spare a furtive smile. The fight too exhausting for hard cheers.

The room gouged and burned. Smoke replaced the vapor. A dead jinn, a summon, faded to orange pixels in a corner. His work well done.

Achievement unlocked | Halfway there

You fought a Giant Mechanical Centipede in scolding vapor to access the upper canopy of the Hollows’ castle.

Reward | 12 000 XP

“You got something else to hold them for a few minutes?” asked Enoch.

Tetsuo began to answer. Froze instead. Orange light had enveloped Enoch along the usual catchy tune of a new level. The marker for second place.

“I told you we were helping him too much,” said Ally, “he’s doing the same stuff as we are, but solo.”

Enoch’s mind went blank, yet body couldn’t afford to stop, stuck in deadly combat with the horde pouring from the hole in the wall. Second place? He hadn’t planned for this. Would Art Delvers turn on him now? He slowly edged back. Monsters crawled in.

A lightning bolt took care of them.

“I… I found three wands on the way here.”

“Oh,” said Choo, coming in close, leaving the broken husk of his Tower Golem.

Tetsuo took them. Gave a mean look to Enoch and identified them. He gave two to Ally. Said, “These ones won’t do much for you. We’ll keep them.”

Annoying move but Enoch was kind of stuck between his own lies and the awkward second place marker. He let it pass.

“This one will do.”

The Mage pointed the wand upward with a sneer, all uppity.

He continued, “go on, all up the next room. Grab what ever loot you manage. With that marvelous hole,” and his voice was venom, “we don’t have time to be thorough.”

Another lightning bolt went for the hole. The creepy mechanical crawlers, dead inside, seized from the jolt and promptly fell backward. Funny sight but Enoch wasn’t in the mood for a laugh.

Choo, at least, chuckled to himself.

Enoch went straight to the treasure chamber. Obvious enough after this type of boss. A small recess in the floor, covered by a metal plate. Solid hinges locked it. They didn’t survive the Blink Blade.

Two Artifacts. A shield and a polearm. Loads of potions and scrolls. Bunch of coins. A pile of gemstones glowing from the trapped Mana.

They pocketed everything. Tetsuo stood back and looked at Enoch. Counting probably. No hostility. Work.

Anton’s bubble gave them the instants they needed. A new summons helped. A magical deer, horn glowing with golden light, fierce eyes, his aura grew lush vegetation over the industrial fortress.

***

Tetsuo pointed the wand back toward the room, almost with disdain, and activated it.

“Guess I have to say it,” said the mage, “the floor is lava.”