"One more volley."

The team's arrows shot out, on course, but the monster belched and boomed, throwing the missiles off course. "Deflection!" said the other shooter.

Vonn dropped his spell and readied his gun in both hands, pulling the lever that loaded a pellet. "Let's see how fast it can block." He aimed and fired. The gun barely kicked back and a lead ball shot out. He couldn't see the grey speck. He loaded and shot again seconds later. "Still too far away, I think."

Their leader said, "Then one arrow and the next a moment later."

Kotta growled, club and wooden shield in hand. "Let's run in."

Spike-hair had a halberd, himself. "Hold. Archers, go."

Vonn pushed the gun back on its shoulder strap and devoted both hands to magic. He got the sonic field running again quickly. So any moment now...

The beast let out another offensive belch before the archers could fire. Vonn steadied himself and drove his spell forward. A low musical note rang from just in front of him. He grinned, though a little of the blow got through like a slap. "Contra-bass."

The arrows stuck, one just missing and one piercing the monster's hide. It bellowed, too late to defend.

A Mage from the professionals' group asked Vonn, "No damage to you?"

"Just one point. Just push the incoming wave with sound."

"We're good to cluster, then," the Mage said, and started casting with an elaborate multi-metal wand.

Spikes said, "Okay. Close formation. Vulins, caster support."

Vonn and Tazo fell in beside the main wizard, concentrating on the sonic spell he was trying. He could see the whirling threads of Mana around the man's wand, and mentally herded them into place as some wandered off. The power there intensified. The distant beast boomed, and their defensive spell broke the incoming wave with another musical note. The distortion was big enough to shield the whole party.

"Works!" said the caster. "But it costs Mana and we're not doing serious damage."

Spikes nodded. "Advance ten." The group marched forward. Their enemy stamped the ground and backed off, but now it was up against a trench. "Magic counter, then melee!"

Vonn stopped helping with the caster for long enough to tap a few people's melee weapons with a charge of frost. Polestar started to speak, but another noise blast drowned him out. He'd drifted to one side of the formation but wasn't visibly hit. The noise washed over them.

The front line fighting men were already in action, running ahead of the casters. Kotta whooped and slammed his club down on the bass-beast's spine. Spikes was more careful, feinting with his halberd without landing a blow. A battle-clad lady maneuvered dangerously close to the trench to bury two knives in is back.

"Grimace!" shouted Polestar.

The violet blob had been out of sight in a pit. Now it leaped toward them, making only a sickening squelching noise as its unblinking, glowing eyes wobbled to stare at the intruders.

Spikes said, "Offensive magic on the blob; eat the sound damage! Retreat ten!"

Vonn wasn't confident in his offensive casting. Instead he stood by Tazo and helped with herding whatever spell she was casting. After a few seconds of muttering and molding energy she shouted, pointed her crude iron wand, and hurled a pouch of sawdust. It struck the purple thing and sank slightly into it. Tazo snapped her fingers and the bag burst into flame.

A moment later the main Mage's spell went off, launching a gout of flame that ripped across the monster without the sawdust part. The creature wobbled and lurched randomly before trying to close in on them again.

The whole group retreated except Kotta, and Spikes screamed at him, "Fall back!" Kotta landed a blow on the booming sound-beast and got head-butted in turn. He staggered away, trying to rejoin the group. Spikes spared him only an instant's glare. He jabbed with his halberd and said, "Cover the casters. More fire. Vonn, shoot the bassist if you can."

Vonn left off from support duty and leveled his wind gun. He backed off to try getting a clear view of the bassist. Just then, it belched at him and he was unprepared. He took the full brunt of its attack and crashed to the ground. Then it leaped at him with its froggy mouth open wide.

Kotta slammed it upside the head. Vonn grabbed his gun while prone, and fired. The bullet struck its mouth and interrupted its next lunge. Instead it only groaned. Kotta whaled on it, stepping aside only long enough to let Vonn shoot again at close range.

Vonn immediately got up and reloaded, but Kotta's club had smashed the beast hard enough to finally make it collapse. The Kobold slammed it once more for good measure. Vonn turned his attention back to Grimace. The melee people were trying to hold it back as bits of its slime tried to grab their shields and wrench them away. A flailing pseudopod struck the chief Mage and made him fall back shrieking, his flesh sizzling with acid. Spikes drove his halberd right into the burbling mass and ripped through the tentacle. Tazo threw another sawdust pouch from an awkward angle and only managed to catch the back edge of the blob. It was still burning, though, giving off a scent of rot.

"Polestar, see any more?" shouted Spikes.

"No, sir." The Centaur was busy with his spear but couldn't do much harm with it.

"Retreat twenty. Try to get some distance and -- aah!" The blob wrapped part of its burning acid body close enough to strike him along the arm, where some of his armor had come loose. He dropped his weapon and fell back gritting his teeth.

Polestar dropped his own spear to rush in and grab Spikes, swooping him over his upper shoulder and charging toward the rear.

Vonn took another shot but the bullet just sank into the bruise-like goo. "Slashing and fire, then?" The edges of his vision were green with Stamina exhaustion and his chest heaved.

Everybody fell back. Polestar dropped Spikes to a wobbly standing position and whirled, pulling out a dinky-looking knife. The leader was down to a knife too.