Arriving at the mine, I came to see that everyone had already beat me there. Kairen had a new doru made from bronze rather than wood. Other than the spear the only other difference was that everyone seemed stronger, more confident.

“You’re late!” Rosetta complained.

“Sorry I needed to buy some supplies. Everyone seem stronger.” I said quickly changing the subject.

“Yeah we have all been training separately although, they won't tell me what kind of training.” Rosetta replied glaring at Kairen.

“Well now that we’re all here, let’s go kill that manticore” Rosetta said cheerily.

We entered the mine to find that all the scorpions had respawned forcing us to kill them all again.

I activated wind enchantment on my blade wanting to test its effect and pierced straight through the scorpion’s carapace. Zach had similar ideas and used a new spell. “Lightning blade” he called

A thin bolt of lightning in the shape of a boomerang flew out from his hand and rotated end over end until it struck the scorpion, cleaving it in half and turning it into grey dust.

I quickly casted my life entrapment in order to gain enchanting reagents.

you have received a scorpion life orba reagent used for enchanting

Weapons: adds poison chance to attacks

Armour: adds 10% poison resistance

We all shuddered at the destructive force of Zach’s new spell. “I don’t want to be on the receiving end of that.” Kairen commented.

“I didn’t think it would completely kill it in one hit!” Zach commented completely shocked.

“I guess we will reach the manticore much faster this time” Rosetta added.

Just as Rosetta said, we cleared through the mines much faster being able to fatal hit with Zach’s spell, or eventually my own thrusts when imbued with wind magic if I hit the heart. I amassed a large collection of scorpion life orbs, although we didn’t use any since nobody was getting hit and the scorpions are immune to their own venom.

When we came up to the humanoid scorpions we tried Zach’s spell but, it wasn’t as effective. It still did considerable damage but, the armour on the humanoid scorpions was stronger so it wasn’t cleaved in half. With my wind enchanted blade, I could strike through the tail in a single hit detaching it and taking away its most deadly weapon making the battle easier. Kairen had to tank the scorpion whilst Zach and I whittled down its health until it disappeared.

Using soul entrapment I got a different type of orb.

you have received a scorpion leader life orba reagent used for enchanting

Weapons: adds paralysis chance to attacks

Armour: adds 10% paralysis resistance

We continued through the mines until we reached the manticore’s room. all in all it took us two days to reach the manticore and we gained three levels each in the process, although Zach gained four since he made most of the killing blows. I gained two levels on my life entrapment, and one level on wind blade.

“Finally my turn” Kairen stated being bored with the previous fights.

“Wait just a second before we enter, I have some blessing now.” Rosetta claimed.

“Blessing of Power” she cast causing our strength stats to rise by 15.

“Blessing of Speed” Our movement speed increased by 5%

Whilst Rosetta was blessing us individually, I began enchanting the parties armour. I pulled out three scorpion leader life orbs, and two scorpion life orbs and held them in my left hand. The scorpion orbs were about the size of a small marble with the scorpion leader orbs being slightly larger. Both kinds of orbs were pitch black. I added my mana into the orbs and touched the armour of Kairen to enchant it temporarily. The enchantment lasted for 10 hours.

I proceeded to repeat the enchantments for the rest of the party to help give us some protection against the spikes of the manticore.

“Ok let’s win this!” Rosetta shouted.

“ORAAAAHHH” we screamed in unison.

“Humans! Just as I was getting hungry too” the manticore claimed standing up and bearing its three rows of teeth.

“That’s a lot of teeth” Zach commented.

A group of scorpion’s and scorpion leader’s as I found out their real names appeared and blocked the entrance so that we couldn’t escape.

The Manticore shifted its weight onto its rear legs and launched itself towards Rosetta.

Kairen let out a shout “I stand my ground!”

As he shouted he lowered the back of his spear into the ground and pointed the tip on an angle towards the manticore.

The manticore hearing the taunt changed direction mid lunged and targeted Kairen. As the manticore hit the doru, Kairen placed all of his weight into it in order to not be pushed back.

The Spear impaled the manticore straight through its shoulder two metres into its body and lodged there. A spurt of blood began pouring from the wound and one metres length of the spear butt stuck out from the shoulder. The manticore screamed in agony and backed away.

Kairen drew his sword and charged at the manticore keeping as close as he could in order to prevent the manticore from charging.

Zach and I leapt into action. I began my dance of the dragon. Normally boss type creatures are immune to fear but, when they have sustained a major would like the manticore had from Kairen’s doru, they were more susceptible to it.

Zach started launching lightning blades at the manticore causing shallow cuts in the manticore making small amounts of blood to pool on its crimson red fur.

Rosetta cast healing spells on Kairen in order to keep him alive since he was constantly being injured from the blunt trauma inflicted through the impacts of the manticore’s claws against his shield.

Kairen repetitive stabbed at the manticore’s face and shoulder to slowly chip away at its health. Thanks to the doru stuck inside the manticore, the manticore’s movement was hindered.

I enchanted my rapier with wind and started stabbing at the manticore’s body.

Everything seemed to be going well for the first 40 minutes of battle until the manticore began using its tail. The tail shot spears all around the room occasionally hitting Rosetta and Zach. Thanks to my enchantments, most of the time the hit’s didn’t paralyse or poison but, occasionally the worked.

The manticore’s fur started glowing a deep shade of red and our attacks stopped having any noticeable effect. The manticore’s wounds had begun sealing up and a black tar began covering its tail.

I changed my enchantments to fire enchantment aiming at the tar on its tail. Immediately everything went white and we were thrown back off the manticore.

The air was filled with deafening screams causing us to feel dizzy and nauseous.

The manticore’s tail was on fire and began melting. The flames on the tail were white and the heat we could feel was almost unbearable. Our health started declining rapidly from the heat in the room and Rosetta had to constantly heal us until finally, the flames died out and the manticore’s tail was no more.

“I’m out of mana” Rosetta exclaimed.

“Me too” Zach added.

“Guess it’s down to us” I said.

Kairen and I charged at the manticore. Kairen hit first with his shield ramming the doru further into the manticore. The manticore fell on the ground giving me time to run up behind the manticore and strike a series of repetitive blows in its rear end right where the tail used to connect.

The manticore rolled around unable to stand or move. Kairen and I wailed down blows on the manticore for five more minutes before finally the manticore disappeared in a cloud of grey dust. Leaving behind 4 golden coins.

I used my life entrapment skill on the manticore.

you have received a Manticore life orba highly prized reagent used for enchanting

Requires intermediate level enchanting

Can be used to permanently enchant a body.

We looked at the loot and took one coin each.

Golden DrachmaThe currency of the gods. This priceless currency can be used to obtain favours from the gods.

Rarity: B

As soon as we picked up the coins, the remaining scorpions and leaders, all charged at us at once. Zach having recharged some mana quickly eliminated eh scorpions with his lightning blades leaving only 3 scorpion leaders which I destroyed with my wind enchantment.

Quest Complete: Clear the abandoned mineYou have successful exterminated the monster’s in the abandoned iron mine. Work will resume mining the iron ore allowing the town to prosper. See the adventurer’s guild for your reward.

Rewards: 50 silver

+50 fame

We left the mines and headed to the adventurer’s guild to claim the rewards. Each of us received a bag of 50 silver. We decided to add each other as friends because if all reputation E quests were like this one, we decided it wouldn’t hurt to have more people around to help.

Somehow i'm a bit dissappointed with how this chapter turned out. if anyone has any suggestions to improve it I would appreciate it.