David charged forward, his shield held ready to deflect the first blow from the behemoth of an orc. Predictably, Loeg, swung his massive hammer over his head, hoping to smash the attacking Paladin. When he reached the boss, he ducked under the swing of the hammer and shoved upwards with his shield. Metal scraped on metal as his attack did nothing against the heavy plate armor. Amaz’zuk lunged at David from his right, foam forming around its teeth. David slashed out with his sword, drawing blood on the warg’s muzzle.

“Now?” Sam said beside Ethan, his hands alreading glowing in a sickly purple glow. His familiar chittering frantically at the scent of blood in the air.

“Keep holding.” Ethan said. His own blood surged through his veins like fire, pulsing in his ears.

David slashed at Loeg, sparks flying from his sword as it clanged harmlessly off the Orcs armor. The warg recovered from its own wound and reared up on its shorter back legs, and clawed at the Paladin.

David only barely managed to block the animal, but paid for it with a crushing blow from Loeg’s hammer that sent him down on one knee.

Golden light radiated from David’s sword as he thrust up from his crouched position, finally piercing the humongous orc’s armor.

“Now!” Ethan shouted as he leapt for the massive animal. “Go! Get the warg down!”

Alera beat him to his target. Blinking in and raking her katars along its left flank before blinking to its right to attack again. Amaz’zuk howled in pain as the razor sharp blades bit into its flesh.

Ethan landed hard, enraging as he slashed at the warg with his frozen blades. The rush of blood in his ears had turned to a roar, the fire in his veins now feeling like an inferno needing to be released.

Sam’s familiar landed between the monster’s shoulder blades and began ripping and tearing with its claws indiscriminately. Purple bolts of energy slammed into its sides as Sam unleashed his barrage of Dark Bolts. The warg bucked wildly, trying to throw off its unwanted passenger but the hideous monkey demon held tight, flapping its bat-like wings to steady itself.

Ethan sliced again and the warg turned its attention to him. Fuck. Before it could lunge at him, a heavy vine whipped forward, snapping against the animal’s head with a thunderous crack. Ethan looked quickly at Leah who was now channeling lighting into her hands. Electric spiderwebs arced between her fingers as she discharged the bolt at Amaz’zuk.

“Warg health check!” Ethan yelled out as he drove his blades into the animals' sides. Frost formed around the wounds and slowly creeped over the animal’s body. Finally it procs.

“Eighty-four percent!” Sam called back to him. At range he had a better position to see the add’s health bar than Ethan, who needed to focus on not getting bit or clawed.

Alera blinked on top of the warg, driving her katars into its neck. Hot blood sprayed across Ethan from one of the wounds.

“Seventy-three!” Miguel called out. “I think she hit an artery!”

Amaz’zuk reached back with its massive head, catching Alera’s arm in its monstrous jaws. With a jerk, it launched her across the room. She landed hard and rolled into a column.

“Miguel!” Ethan yelled as she hit the floor.

“Got her!” A bolt of golden energy shot out of his hand directly at the fallen Rogue.

“I’m okay!” Shakily, Alera got back to her feet and blinked back to the fight.

Ethan hacked furiously, avoiding the jaws and claws of the wargs attacks. David had lost aggro from the overwhelming attacks of their party, but Ethan was their off tank. He was the backup, he could handle the warg for the few more moments it would take to wear it down.

A cluster of vines sprouted from the floor, wrapping around the warg and digging thorns into its rough fur. Ethan turned his head at a loud buzzing in time to see a torrent of hornets erupt from Leah’s palm. The insects landed and stabbed their barbed stingers into the hide of the restrained animal.

Reás, bless me. Vewa, calm me. Ethan prayed silently to the elemental spirits as he triggered his Fiery Rage. The inferno inside of finally him burst out of his skin and flames enveloped his body.

Ethan slammed his frozen weapons into the ground, his frozen Earth Spikes erupted into the belly of the beast. The vines binding it kept the warg from flying backwards, holding it in place over the jagged icy spikes. He could hear the crack of Amaz’zuk’s ribs breaking from the impact.

Alera blinked back and forth on each side, plunging her daggers into the damaged ribs.

“Thirty-two percent!” Leah yelled. He couldn’t see David from his position, but he could occasionally hear grunts of pain from both Orc and human.

Amaz’zuk snapped frantically, futile trying to reach any enemy it could from its restraints. Ethan and Alera stayed to its sides, slashing and stabbing with their blades. Lighting, hornets and Darkbolts flew rapidly from Leah and Sam.

Fatigue slowly began to set into Ethan’s limbs as his Fiery Enrage burned through his stamina. Vewa, help me calm myself. His rage calmed and Ethan felt completely in control once again.

“Thirteen percent!” Sam called out.

A fireball exploded next to Ethan, burning through the vines holding it in place. Roaring it turned to Ethan, attempting to lock its jaws around his throat.

Ethan dodged and swung his seaxes into the beast skull. He felt bone crunch and hit something metal. Below him, Alera had blinked under Amaz’zuk and drove her katars through the soft part of its jaw.

Light left the mighty beasts eyes as it slumped over. Alera just barely managed to blink out the way of the collapsing corpse of the warg.

Their dual critical hits, only possible because the add was within the execute range of low health, had killed it.

“Amaz’zuk!” Loeg roared as his pet fell to the ground, turning away from David momentarily. “You will all pay for this!” His distraction allowed David to quickly cast two radiant self heals.

“Everyone on Loeg!” Ethan shouted as flames ignited along the angled backs of his seaxes replacing the icey enchantments he’d been using. “Sam, give me a health check!”

“Ninety-one!” Sam called back to him. Two foot long ethereal purple nails appeared over the back of the Orc and sank into its armor. The Warlock’s Curse of Rending pierced through the boss’ armor, providing a weakness the melee attackers could use.

Loeg continued slamming his hammer against David’s shield. The measly nine percent damage their tank had managed to deal was keeping him high on the bosses threat table. David was continuing to counter attacks with slashes of his own, holy power radiating from each blow.

Ethan took position behind the Orc and stabbed his seaxes through the magical holes Sam’s curse had caused. He could just barely make out Leah and Miguel behind David. To him, it looked like they were both casting healing spells. Shit, is David taking too much damage? We’re still early in the encounter.

Next to him Alera blinked close to the boss and shoved her katars into its side before blinking to his other side to do the same. Her pointed push daggers easily pierced the metal armor.

“Seventy seven!” Leah yelled from in front of Ethan. “Adds coming soon!”

“Everyone be ready to switch again!” Ethan shouted, moving to Loeg’s left side for a clear leap towards the door the adds would use to enter the room.

“Warriors! Def-“ Loeg’s call for reinforcements was cut short by David slamming his shield into the Warlord’s face. He followed up with a slash across Loeg’s midsection. Golden light and sparks flashed as the blessed sword bit through armor.

“Switch!” Ethan called out, leaping high into the air. Four sparsely armored Orc warriors had entered the room.

Ethan landed hard between the two in the middle. He slashed backwards with his seaxes, hamstringing the pair, before plunging his swords into the chests of the Orcs. His left weapon plunged completely into his target's chest, two inches of sizzling metal exiting through the Orc’s back. His right struck armor and glanced off, causing minimal damage.

Alera blinked back and forth between the two remaining berserkers, quickly leaving shallow wounds as she alternated her targets. The two Orcs couldn’t keep up with her rapid movements and were caught confused as they tried in vain to attack her.

Ethan ripped his seax free of the dead Orc, and swung it into the neck of its surviving friend. His burning sword cauterizing the wound as it dug deep into soft flesh. The berserker howled in pain and fury. Ethan swiftly stabbed his other sword through the orc’s head. Ending its misery.

Alera finished her pair of Orcs quickly and blinked back to Loeg.

“Their deaths give me strength!” Loeg roared, his bulk increasing from his enrage. An empowered hammer blow landed hard against David’s shield, sending their tank back several feet on his back. Loeg leapt at the fallen Paladin, swinging his hammer over his head.

David, usually stoic and silent in combat, smiled calmly as the boss leapt towards him. Twin golden spheres flashed over him as Loeg’s hammer bounced harmlessly off the holy barriers.

The Paladin used the distraction to return to his feet, slashing wildly as he continued to chip away at the bosses health pool.

Ethan returned to the backside of the boss, Alera had blinked back and was already stabbing wherever she could reach. The puncture holes from her katars caught his attention.

“Alera!” Ethan reached out and grabbed the rogue before she could blink to another position. Her attacks had given him an idea.

“What!?” She screamed back at him. “Why did you stop me?”

“Target your attacks here and here!” Ethan pointed at several points on Loeg’s body. Alera followed his hand confused, before smiling in comprehension.

In the blink of an eye, she was gone, reappearing on Loeg’s side. She plunged her katars in rapidly and blinked away again. Rents and holes appeared all over the Orc’s armor as she dealt a flurry of disappearing blows.

“Sam, I need another health check!” Ethan shouted, what he was about to do would be extra dangerous if they were too close to a phase change.

“Fifty one! Adds incoming!” Sam yelled back at him, dark bolts of energy flying from his hands.

“War-“ Loeg’s shout was cut off again by David’s shield bash.

“Switch!” Ethan yelled, leaping again.

Archers surged through the door as Ethan flew through the air, launching a volley of arrows. Two struck Ethan in the chest before he handed. Pain radiated from the wounds the arrows inflicted, quickly dulled by adrenaline of combat.

Thud! Thud! Clang! Two more arrows pierced his armor as he sprinted to one of the six archers. A third bounced harmlessly off his armored left shoulder.

Before he could swing his seaxes at his first target, half a foot of pointed steel erupted from the orc’s throat, spraying blood on him.

“I’ll finish these, get back to the boss!” Alera shouted through the chaos as she withdrew her katar from the dead archer’s neck.

Ethan nodded wearily through the dull pain of the arrows sticking out of him. Grenat, harden me. He mentally prayed as he began ripping the arrows out of his chest. The manageable pain turned to searing agony and he activated Ignore Pain and Second Wind. If Miguel hadn’t healed him yet, then David was still taking significant damage.

Relief coursed through him as his wounds began closing. Green mist enveloped him and warm energy provided further relief from the pain. Ethan saw Leah nod at him before turning back to David and Loeg. By the time he landed hard behind Loeg, his health and stamina were both fully restored.

Ethan roared and Enraged. Flames once again erupted from his shoulder, travelled down his arms and flared on his swords. The smoldering glow of the metal was replaced with dark blue fire as they burned hotter and brighter. For his plan to work, he was going to need all the enhanced strength he could manage.

Swinging his swords over his head, he plunged them into Loeg’s massive back. The burning blade sizzled as they burned through muscle before lodging in bone.

The Orc Warlord howled in pain, but continued to focus on David. Game mechanics are a bitch. Ethan allowed himself a quick grin before releasing the handles of his seaxes.

Time to see if I’m being clever or just stupid. He thought to himself.

Ethan grabbed at one of the holes Alera had made in the boss's armor and pulled. He was hoping that he could use his Enrage boosted strength to rip the damaged armor off of Loeg. If he could, then he and Alera could deal extra damage for the rest of the fight. Works on players and mobs out in the world, hopefully it’ll work here too. He reasoned inwardly.

The rent metal armor dug into his fingers as he pulled, slicing into them. Even though the boss wasn’t attacking Ethan, it was still moving around and swinging wildly. As it pushed towards David, the plate metal ripped from Ethan’s hands.

“Fuck!” He yelled, his fingers bleeding.

“What are you doing?” He heard Sam yell from across the room.

Ethan ignored him and tried for another hand hold.

When Loeg moved again, Ethan shifted his weight and held on.

“AARRGGHH!” He yelled, pulling on the heavy metal. His enhanced strength finally won out and he felt the armor bend. Ethan changed his grip and pulled again. The metal continued to bend.

Alera, finally finished with the archers, blinked back beside him. Wordlessly, she nodded at him and jabbed several times in the direction the metal was bending. Her added help caused the metal to bend further before breaking free. Only a torn and bloody leather jerkin covered the bosses back with the removal of its backplate.

Loeg didn’t seem to notice or care that he was now missing a great deal of protection. He just continued attacking David.

Ethan tried to scan over the bosses body, looking for any other piece of armor he could remove, as he tossed the battered armor to the ground.

“I got this.” Alera said, taking a step back.

In a flash of blue light she was gone, instantly teleporting over Loeg’s head. With quick slashes, she severed the leather straps holding the orc’s pauldrons and breast plate in place. She was back beside him before they hit the ground.

Both Loeg and David stopped midswing of hammer and sword when the armor clattered to the ground. The bell-like peal of metal hitting the ground caused everyone to stop fighting in confusion.

Ethan couldn’t see Loeg’s face as the boss realized he was suddenly unarmored. He could see the tip of David’s sword as it pierced through Loeg’s side.

“Holy shit!” Miguel shouted. “You just dropped him 4% health!”

“Blow all your cool downs and burn him!” Ethan grabbed the handles of his seaxes, the simmering orange flames once again burned blue. “Ignore the adds and finish him now!”

Ethan ripped down on his swords, leaving seared and bloody gashes down the bosses back. Alera blinked next to him and jabbed repeatedly into where the Orc’s kidneys should be.

“Good, because you’re about to push him!” Leah yelled out from in front of Ethan.

“Keep going!” David shouted, dodging a blow from the massive war hammer.

Less than a minute later, Sam called again.

“Incoming! Eleven percent! Ungh.” Ethan couldn’t see the adds, but they must have moved in and started hanging up on the ranged group, hitting Sam.

“ENOUGH!” Loeg roared, spinning his hammer in an arc. Ethan, Alera and David were knocked backwards from the blow. The Orc leapt towards his throne, dropping his hammer and retrieving twin serrated axes. “The strength of the Orcs is mine!”

Ethan was just barely back on his feet when Loeg charged into him. The Orc’s axes bit into his stomach and the attack knocked him backwards again.

***System notice: less than 25% Health Remaining***

Warmth and calm enveloped him again as Leah and Miguel restored him to full health. Ethan pushed himself back to his feet once again, just in time to see a golden arc slice through the air. David had thrown his shield at Loeg to regain aggro. Alera, Leah and Sam had all switched to the adds that were running rampant and attacking whoever they could.

Guess we shouldn’t have ignored them, he thought wryly, still slightly dazed from being knocked down twice so quickly.

David and Loeg were once again locked in combat. The Paladin was using both his sword and shield to evade the speed and damage enhanced axes, holding his ground but not able to return damage. If Ethan and his group didn’t get back into the fight, he’d be locked in the stalemate until he ran out of stamina.

Ethan Charged back at the boss, hoping his momentum would throw it off balance. But all he managed to do as he slammed his shoulder into the enormous Orc, was daze himself again.

“Quit fucking around, Boss.” Miguel yelled while Ethan tried to steady himself again.

The combined assault of the five of them, combined with his lack of armor, was even more quickly wearing Loeg down. His brutal attacks were starting to move slower, David was able to start actually attacking and instead of having to parry each blow.

Suddenly, a blinding flash of amber light exploded from the Paladin, forcing Loeg to shield his eyes. In the second that he opened himself up, David jabbed his radiant sword straight through the orc’s jaw and into his brain.

Warlord Loeg collapsed to the ground dead.