Chương 48: Veiled Legacy Pt 1

Ch. 48 - Veiled Legacy Pt 1 Veiled Legacy passed through the dungeon portal and entered the third floor of [Anwyn's Redoubt]. It was familiar, even though it had been a while since some of them had entered this floor. The sky above was muted, grey without the presence of any clouds. Stunted plants abounded, with even the grass looking withered and sickly. The ground was uneven, littered with stone, stretching on until it met the foothills of broken-topped mountains that ringed the whole area.

It was always slightly too hot here, even at night. Like the sky itself trapped the heat in. As safe as the entrance to the dungeon was, Lera's team immediately moved into their accustomed positions and roles. Kelar walked forwards, setting himself between his team and anything that might appear from the foothills, while Lera, Senni, and Theo spread out so that Prym and Celia were in the centre of the group.

They looked around, taking in the surroundings, and the most glaringly obvious change to this floor of the dungeon. Prym tilted the brim of her hat upwards as she gazed out across the muted plains. There was nothing moving, as far as could be seen.

"There's no one here. I've never seen the third floor so empty. It's like the first floor." Lera nodded, scanning the horizon as well.

"You're right. This is…odd." The third floor was always busy, with Adventuring teams constantly moving about. The monsters here were not that dangerous, but not many Adventurers were confident enough to tackle this floor solo. Although rare, it wasn't unheard of for hordes to form. And if that happened, you wanted a team to watch your back. But now there was no one, only the guards that were stationed outside the portal proper. Kelar took a breath, squaring his shoulders.

"Alright, team, we knew it would be like this. It seems like every Adventurer has had the same thought. We missed the first rush, and almost everyone has stolen a march on us. But so what?" Celia leaned on her mages staff, an insouciant smile quirking her lips. Even so, her eyes were alert as she looked around.

"Still seems kind of important, Captain." Kelar shook his head, his eyes alight.

"There's still been no word of any great treasures being found—and believe me I checked. That means everything is still up for grabs. And I'll back our team over any other adventuring group on this floor. Particularly now that we are back to full strength." Celia beamed at Kelar.

"He says the nicest things sometimes, doesn't he." Senni gave Kelar a wry nod.

"I'll agree with you, Captain—as long as none of the Gold Ranks have descended from the fifth floor. Competition will get a bit dicey if they show." Kelar gave the [Scout] a tight smile.

"I doubt they will have bestirred themselves yet. They won't move unless the guild specifically requests them." Lera crossed her arms, rolling her eyes.

"Or if they get a whiff of an artefact they want. Then everyone will be throwing elbows." Kelar sighed.

"Granted, but my point is that it's not too late. We haven't been left behind. And we have an advantage when facing undead. Prym, were you able to prepare those new spells?" The [Witch] nodded, tilting her hat slightly with a smile.

"I did. It was a rush to get them done in one night, but I have [Illumination] and [The Sun Rises] prepared." Kelar nodded in satisfaction.

"Excellent. How many uses?"

"[Illumination] I can cast as many times as I have mana. It will weaken any undead, but not by much. [The Sun Rises] I can only cast once a day, but it should dust any lesser undead, and damage anything greater. I recommend we save that one for emergencies." Celia sighed enviously.

"I wish I could swap spells like that. Do you have any idea of how long I'd have to study to learn [The Sun Rises]?" Prym gave the green-skinned Protean a surprisingly youthful smile.

"That would carry more weight if I didn't know firsthand how much devastation you can lay down, Celia." Celia flushed slightly, but waved her hand at Prym.

"Oh, leave me to my envy, will you?" Lera put an arm around Celia's shoulders, jostling her affectionately.

"There's that maturity we all know and love, Cel'. We are ready to go when you are, Kelar." The Captain of Veiled Legacy, inclined his head back at Lera, smiling.

"Team, let's head out!" Veiled Legacy marched across the third floor, alert but unafraid. They had cut their teeth on the second and third floors back when they were Iron Rank, and now frequented the upper floors of the dungeon. The monsters here should pose no threat to them. Senni, their [Scout] was ranging ahead, keeping an eye out for anything unexpected. It was a two day trek to where the new crypt had been unearthed, and they would have to rest overnight.

Kelar wanted them to push ahead as far as possible on the first day, so that they could enter the crypt tomorrow. Their Captain was balancing eagerness to start exploring with caution. Celia hooked one arm behind her elbow, stretching both arms into the air with a sigh as they marched. Both her and Lera were both having no problem keeping pace with the team, their unique biology meaning they became fatigued far slower than the others.

Only Senni was outpacing them, and his class was specifically geared towards roaming the outdoors. Prym gave Celia a sardonic look. The [Witch] was keeping pace, but there was a light sheen of sweat on her face.

"Don't make me hex you, Celia." The Protean grinned at her.

"Aw, don't be like that, Prym! And here I was going to offer to keep you cool in your tent tonight." Prym chuckled.

"As tempting as that is, you know I prefer to sleep alone. You're too clingy. Besides, I know where you've been." Celia flashed her an impish grin, skipping ahead a few steps with her hands clasped behind her back.

"Trust me, you really don't." Lera, walking next to them, just rolled her eyes.

"You only get away with that kind of teasing with people that don't know you, Celia. We've all been together too long to fall for it." Celia shrugged, smiling.

"I know, I'm just keeping in practice!" Lera laughed.

"Practice for what? And Prym, I'm fairly sure Kelar is going to keep us marching well into the evening. If that changes your decision at all." Prym sighed, pulling the front of her robes forward slightly to get some airflow.

"He is, isn't he? Alright, Celia, we're bunkmates again. I really wish I could dissipate heat as well as the two of you. The only spell I have for the heat is [Icy Wind], and I don't fancy trying to sleep under a layer of frost." Celia smiled broadly, giving the [Witch] a swift hug. Then she tutted with mock sympathy.

"Poor meat-sacks. I honestly don't know how you all cope sometimes." Prym gave Celia a shove, but not a hard one.

"Don't give me that! When we used to frequent the second floor, you would be constantly begging to share my tent because it was 'too cold'!" Celia waved a hand airily.

"Don't get hung up on the past. We are all friends here." Prym scoffed, then she gave Lera a gauging look.

"Speaking of friends, should I be making an effort in getting to know that young man you introduced me to this morning?" Celia started, then a smirk spread across her face.

"Oho!" Lera cleared her throat, looking uncharacteristically evasive—a fact that wasn't lost on the others.

"That's…not necessary." The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Prym grinned, then glanced at Celia.

"Is that right, Celia?" The green-skinned Protean shook her head merrily.

"Not at all. Wyatt is special, right, Lera?" Lera gave her a warning look.

"Celia, don't start that up again." Celia laughed merrily.

"Don't worry, I won't. He's not here, so it's not as fun to tease you as it was last night. But don't pretend he isn't special." Prym blinked, looking from one Protean to the other.

"Really, Lera? That is a surprise." Lera hesitated.

"It's not as clear-cut as you are probably thinking, Prym. It's…complicated." Prym tilted her head, a smile quirking the corners of her mouth.

"I see." Celia nudged Lera pointedly.

"Well I like him. Even not taking into account you-know-what." Lera sighed, knuckling her forehead in exasperation.

"Your subtlety is nonexistent, Celia." Celia's smile widened into a full on grin.

"Oh, I don't know. I got you to actually make a move last night. So I think I have my moments." Prym watched as Celia ducked a swipe from Lera with a laugh.

"Hmm…sounds like I should get to know him after all." Celia ducked behind Prym, keeping the [Witch] between her and the vengeful Lera.

"Well, she's seeing him after we are done exploring the crypt. But she might not appreciate any company. So maybe we should give the two of them a few days to—ah!" Celia yelped as Prym shot a narrow blast of cold air across her neck. The [Witch] shook her head.

"That's not endearing, Celia. We don't give you a hard time about who you date." Lera groaned.

"Not you too. Prym, I'm not dating—gah, never mind!" Lera sped up, moving forwards to walk next to Kelar. Celia and Prym exchanged looks, with the Protean leaning close with a hushed voice.

"Told you!" Prym lowered her voice as well, eyeing their friend as she spoke with their Captain. The [Witch] smiled.

"Tell me more." It was late afternoon, approaching evening, when Senni returned from where he had been ranging ahead. The [Scout] was running, and there was measured alarm on his face.

"Captain, undead forming ahead of us. A full on horde." Kelar raised a hand, and Veiled Legacy halted. He looked at Senni, without alarm. Even a horde wasn't something they needed to fear, only be careful of.

"How many and how far off?" Senni was already readying his weapons, swapping out his lightweight scouting armour for gear that offered more protection.

"They've already sensed us so they are on their way. Five minutes, tops. And perhaps two hundred Skeletons, but that's not the problem. There's maybe two score Zombies, and I swear I saw some Ghouls mixed in." Kelar blinked, then squared his shoulders. He called back as he readied his own gear, pulling out his shield and mace.

"Team, horde incoming. High level undead mixed in with the chaff. Gear up!" No more instructions were needed; they'd all adventured so long together that everyone knew what needed to be done without being told. All the members of Veiled Legacy were armed and ready when the first undead shuffled into view. Kelar grunted, rolling his neck from side to side.

"Right. [Battlefield Awareness]." The [Vanguard]'s Skill spread out across the terrain in front of them, allowing Kelar to keep track of the upcoming battle. He and his team waited as more of the undead appeared, milling about in an uncoordinated mass. They gathered and gathered, their numbers swelling, until an indeterminate point was reached.

Then they all fixed their empty eyes upon Veiled Legacy, and began a shuffling charge towards them, eerily silent except for the rattling of bone and the collective pounding of hundreds of footsteps. Kelar's voice was even as he gave the order.

"Prym, give us some light, and slow them down if you can." The [Witch] nodded at their Captain. She raised the brim of her hat, tilting it, and spoke her spells.

"[Illumination]. [Binding of the Quagmire]." Light fared into life overhead, casting everything into stark relief. The charging undead faltered, with some of the Skeletons actually crumbling, their bones crushed underfoot by their fellow undead. Prym's second spell took a moment longer to take effect. The ground roiled for a moment, rippling underneath the undead. A creeping mist appeared, snaking amongst and between the legs of the Zombies and Skeletons, and the charge abated entirely.

The Undead were now moving at a crawl. The [Witch] called out to Kelar.

"Thirty seconds for that many foes, Captain."

"Got it. Celia, you're up. Thin them out." The green-skinned Protean smiled tightly, lifting her staff.

"You got it, boss. [Piercing Hail]!" The sky darkened overhead, a strange contrast with Prym's [Illumination] still shining. Clouds formed, swirling and building. A few splatters of rain fell for a moment, striking just the area where the undead were bound. Then the air chilled, and shards of ice began to fall, a deluge that crashed down with a tumultuous roar of sound. Celia's spell smashed into the undead, shattering the Skeletons almost in their entirety.

The zombie's too were damaged, huge gouges of rotting flesh being torn from the bodies, some becoming so damaged that they literally fell to pieces, the magic binding them together failing. The [Mage]'s eyes glowed with power as she channeled her spell, raining down devastation. Lera, Theo, and Senni were waiting in a semicircle around her and Prym, guarding their spell casters. Kelar was watching closely, using his Skill to gauge how much damage was being done.

"That's enough, Celia. Save your mana. Well done." Celia released her spell, breathing a little faster as she recovered from the exertion. She pulled a potion out of her bag of holding, drinking half of it down.

"Back to full mana, boss." The [Vanguard] nodded tersely.

"Got it. Remain on standby. The rest of us should be able to mop of the remaining stragglers—" Kelar broke off, watching as the destroyed undead began to rise once more, their bodies reforming. There were less of them than there had been at the start, with some of the undead being damaged beyond reanimation, but there was still over a hundred left. Prym's [Binding of the Quagmire] began to fade, and the undead began to move with increasing speed towards them. Kelar's brow furrowed as he checked his Skill.

His eyes widened as he turned to his team.

"There's a master undead somewhere in the horde! It needs to be dealt with or they are just going to keep rising. Theo, find it and take it out." Veiled Legacy's [Rogue] nodded tightly.

"Got it. [Shadow's Take Me]." Theo took a few steps to the side, moving to flank the undead, as darkness swirled around him. Then he was gone from view. Kelar readied his shield and mace.

"Celia, walls. You and Prym move to targeted spells only. Take out anything that gets by me. Senni, watch my back. Lera—" Lera moved forwards, light on her feet, two blades in her hands; a sword and a long knife. She grinned.

"Got it, Kel. It's been a while since I cut loose. I'll try to save a few for you." Kelar barked out a laugh.

"I appreciate it! No mistakes, team—let's take them down!" Celia swung her staff to the left and right of Kelar.

"[Force Wall], [Force Wall]!" Shimmering barriers appeared on either side of the [Vanguard], blocking off any of the undead from surrounding him. Kelar clashed his mace against his shield, calmly stating his taunt Skill.

"[Goading Taunt]." The undead all started to stream towards the Elf [Vanguard], their haste causing them to stumble and get in one another's way. Celia and Prym started to fire off spells, sniping Zombie's on the edges of the mass.

"[Fire Bolt]!"

"[Hexen Blast]!" Anything the two spell users hit was blasted into pieces, body parts raining down. Unless the bodies were completely destroyed, the undead began to rise again, but it slowed them down. Kelar was advancing, his shield set, and his mace at the ready. He shifted, muttering Skills, as he swept his shield in front of him, catching clawing strikes from multiple directions at once. He didn't swing his mace often, but when he did undead vanished, falling at his feet in a crushed and broken mess.

Once Kelar was engaged, Lera sprang by him. Her leap carried her into the thick of the gathered undead, but she was moving too fast to be caught. She whirled and spun, attacking without cease with her sword and long knife. Any strike that made it through the wall of steel was contemptuously deflected with the vambraces she wore on her forearms. Lera's attack was leaving a trail of dismembered undead behind her as she cut her way into the horde.

Unlike blowing them apart with a spell, beheading an undead prevented them from being reanimated. As the undead thinned out, the Ghouls were revealed. They resembled a hulking version of a Zombie, their limbs twisted and contorted with unnaturally concentrated muscle. There weren't many of them, less than ten, but they shrugged off any spell that Celia and Prym shot at them, their bodies absorbing the magical impact.

Kelar was stopping the Ghoul's advance in its tracks, his shield ringing like a bell as he countered blow after blow. They couldn't get by him, but it wasn't a good matchup for the [Vanguard] either; their bodies absorbed much of the impact from his mace, and it took multiple blows to bring down a Ghoul. Any that he did manage to down were finished off by Senni. The [Scout] darted forward, driving his blade two-handed into the base of the Ghoul's skull. With a sharp twist, he severed their spine, killing it.

Kelar's eyes were constantly darting around as he traded blows with the Ghouls, tracking the fight with [Battlefield Awareness]. His gaze fixed on a point near the back of the horde, a place amongst a small grouping of trees where an armoured figure was standing in shadow. He bellowed ahead to Lera.

"Lera! Theo is about to make his move, back him up! It's a Death Knight, straight ahead of you!" Lera's onslaught paused for just long enough for her to gauge the distance between herself and the high level undead. Then she was sprinting through the horde, her blades flickering out as she passed by, severing limbs with ease. As the Protean approached the Death Knight, Theo struck. The [Rogue] lashed out, still hidden by his Skill, his twin daggers opening up bloodless gashes on either side of the undead's neck.

The Death Knight flung itself backwards though, avoiding decapitation by a hairs breadth, and Theo cursed, still invisible. The armoured corpse staggered, lashing out blindly with its sword as the injury to its neck regenerated. Theo struck it twice more before his Skill ended, revealing him. It was a bad matchup for the [Rogue] once his opening attack had failed. The Death Knight couldn't hit him, but nor could Theo finish it off. The [Rogue] dodged and struck, wounding the undead, but little more than that.

Lera arrived in a silent rush, her eyes glowing as she swung her sword at the Death Knight's throat. The undead parried her strike, but Lera barely slowed, spinning in a whirlwind of unending attacks as her off-hand weapon sought the same target. The Death Knight began to back up, slowly at first, then faster in growing desperation. Lera drove it back, not giving it a moments respite.

The master undead was managing to avoid a crippling injury, but Lera was inflicting cuts and gashes on it faster than it could regenerate. Blackened armour was gouged away piece by piece, revealing sickly pale flesh underneath. The Death knight stumbled, its guard faltering. Lera swept her long knife across the undead's throat, opening up a deep gash. As the bloodless wound began to close, Lera spoke her first Skill.

"[Once Marked, Twice for Death]." Lera's sword lashed out, so fast that it left a trail through the air. It barely paused as it struck the same spot that her knife had, sweeping through the Death Knight's neck, and sending its head flying. Theo stared at Lera for a heartbeat, as the Death Knight slowly toppled over onto the ground. He let out a low whistle.

"Hells, Lera—I knew you had leveled, but that…" The [Rogue] shook his head. There was no time to talk though; the undead were no longer reanimating with the Death Knight downed, but there was still a sizeable number of them left. Both Theo and Lera ran back to help the rest of their team. The rest of the undead were mopped up without incident. The remaining ghouls went down the hardest, but with Veiled Legacy all fighting as one it didn't take long.

The entire fight had taken no more than a quarter of an hour all told. Kelar was cleaning some of the clotted flesh from the head of his mace.

"Sound off! Anyone injured?" After everyone said that they were fine, Prym raised a hand.

"I'm a bit low in mana, but it's nothing major. I'll be fine in an hour or so." Kelar shook his head.

"Take a potion, I want everyone in top condition." The [Vanguard] kicked at one of the dismembered Ghouls, frowning. Theo raised an eyebrow at the Captain.

"You noticed then?" Kelar nodded.

"Yes. There are always bands of undead on this floor, but so many? I wouldn't expect to run into Ghouls outside of one of the larger ruins. Let alone a Death Knight." Celia leant on her staff.

"Do you think it's because so many Adventurers are in the new crypt? Maybe there aren't enough people to cull them." Lera had crouched down by one of the Ghouls. She was rolling it over, examining it closely. Lera shook her head.

"That's not it—look. Skeletons and Zombies are pretty standard, but these? The Ghouls are fresh. Some of the flesh on them is barely rotted." The other Adventurers were silent for a moment, taking that in. Then Prym sighed.

"Can you see any guild tags?" Lera shook her head grimly.

"None that I can find. They might have been incorporated into the flesh when it was raised, but I don't exactly feel like tearing it apart to look."

"I don't blame you." Kelar rubbed at his chin, thinking. He looked at their [Witch].

"Prym, can you buff everyone for speed?" She blinked at him, but nodded.

"Yes, [Fleet Foot] doesn't take much mana."

"Good, do it. Team, I think it's best if we push on, I don't want to risk being attacked in the dark. There's something going on here, and I don't like surprises. Not in the dungeon. I was expecting this kind of undead activity in the crypt, not outside of it. Now, it'll be tiring even with Prym's spell, but I'll rest easier when we reach the camp around the entrance to the crypt. There'll be so many Adventurer's gathered that it will keep any additional hordes away. Any objections?"

The members of Veiled Legacy glanced at one another, then shrugged, shaking their heads at their Captain. Kelar grunted.

"Good. Let's get going. We should be able to make it most of the way before the sun fully sets."