The dust was a swirl of earth Mana to her Elemental Eye, transparent enough that she was not surprised by the sudden appearance of three Simians and two Hoarhounds. Her Spears landed among them, detonating before she even landed and killing two of the giant monkeys immediately. The Hoarhounds were more nimble, but they had to jump away to avoid the blasts.
No no. You do not run!
Dragon's Descent!
Her horizontal momentum shifted, angling her body slightly so that she would land among the scattering hounds. Her partisan hit the crumbled earth first, casting up a shockwave of blasted stone before being followed by a razor-sharp field of air blades. The Hoarhounds yelped and fell, cut to the quick by her Journeyman Tier Skill.
Other monsters met similar fates. Vess' kata, Seven Steps of the Dragoon, had her seizing control of the flow of air Mana all around them, using it against her confused enemies. She had not yet mastered the kata, but she could feel her control edging closer as she guided the air Mana with her deceptively complex movements. Coupled with Dragoon's Footwork and she tore through the battlefield, a deadly whirlwind of blade and crushing force.
"Folly!"
The shout came from within the snarling horde, and it's stretched vowels grew increasingly intense as it slipped forward. A large Arcid, easily twice Vess' height and bearing a elongated, wedge-shaped head stomped forward. It's body was absolutely covered in metal spikes that dripped with some sort of viscous fluid. A combination of earth and shadow Mana, according to her Elemental Eye.
"Folly and disdain for the Truth!" Its words echoed in the relatively enclosed tunnel like tiny explosions of their own. The Arcid casually batted aside a lance of force Mana that Alister sent its way. The Mana didn't deflect so much as it oozed around the metallic man, in a way Vess had never seen Mana act. "You must all learn to submit!"
"Never!" Vyne declared dramatically. He was the closest to the Arcid and his massive shield was already planted and growing as it fed on his Stamina and Mana. "We're here to stop you!"
The Arcid laughed, a sound like bubbling tar, and surged forward. "A foolish choice!"
The metallic thing flowed toward them, ignoring terrain and its own allies as it smoothly advanced. Vess rushed to meet it, partisan up to thrust, but it slipped around her spear as if it were made of rubber. With a casual backhand, it swiped at her face.
Dragoon's Footwork!
Her movement Skill saved her life. The deceptive movements pushed her head just a hairsbreadth away from the savage spikes on the Arcid's gauntlets, close enough that she felt the tepid heat of the oily substance it exuded. What's more, it didn't stop to properly engage her; instead, the Arcid ran for the Haarguard and mages.
Wyrmling's Call!
A spectral dragon's head formed over her own features and roared with a resounding force. It was almost invisible to her, but she knew to others it was either alarming or simply horrifying.
An Unknown Arcid Is Taunted For 5 Seconds!
Wyrmling's Call is level 53!
Damnation. The Skill had an equal chance to Taunt or Frighten, and while both were useful, Taunt was the lesser option. Fear would have sent it skittering away from Vess, buying them some breathing room. Instead, the Arcid flipped in place and reversed direction, coming straight for Vess again. It's eye fires flared, and she could hear its Spirit rage against the Status Condition she had inflicted. Vess grinned.
Pierce the Sky!
Spear of Tribulations!
Dragon's Descent!
Stamina and Mana were consumed in a flash as she launched herself upwards. She flew so high that she cleared the hole above them, able to see the Tower still being assaulted and a furious altercation happening to the south. Then she came down as seven silver spears manifested all around her body, each of them following her fall and angling toward the Arcid down below. They hit, and she triggered their explosions all at once.
"Seven Tribulations!"
A storm of air Mana shredded the ground for at least ten strides, and more green-white Mana flared at the tip of her partisan just before it slammed into her foe. A shockwave rippled outward, hurling two Simians off their feet and staggering a Lesser Wretch.
"Pathetic," it spat, and Vess only had time to see that her spearsall of themhad missed the Arcid completely. It's body twisted, rotating at the waist like a wagon wheel and propelling its spiked fists into her chest.
Vess was caught, blindsided by the blow. The angle of the movement and spikes grabbed at her half-plate, while the sheer force of it hurled her to the ground hard enough to kill an Apprentice Tier. Vess choked off a scream of pain, muscling back the instinct as she rolled to her feet.
Status Condition: Broken Ribs (Minor)
Grace is level 59!
This is bad. Her Health was dropping and the splintered bone in her chest made moving agonizing. She snatched a potion from her waist, thankful the bottle hadn't broken, and quaffed it back. The Arcid let her, its Spirit burbling with amusement. It's toying with me.
"Is that all you have, Human? Spears and a touch of Mana?" It lifted its arms, spread wide as if offering its heart to her. "I stand here, unharmed! This is what my Master offers you! Submission! And in exchange, you too will be granted power untold!"
Siva grant me grace. I need help. Vess grimaced as she resummoned her floating spears and leveled her partisan at the slowly advancing Arcid. Atar, you better open that damn cage soon!