Chapter 34: What’s A Mid-Boss?

Chapter 34: What’s A Mid-Boss?

Wule moved around the party, patching up any injuries that lingered after the battle, while Hiral pulled Left and Right back into himself to restore their solar energy.

“What’s next, boss?” Yanily asked from where he sat to recover, and all heads turned to Seena.

Even Vix, who was on watch near the bridge, looked over at the question.

“Smokehouse,” Seena said without hesitation. “I think we should save the keep for last.”

“You don’t think more Troblins will come out of there when we hit the smokehouse?” Nivian asked. “Hiral definitely had the terrain advantage here—good job on that, by the way—but it would’ve been way tougher without that.”

“Actually hoping we can draw a few more out on the way over to the smokehouse,” she said. “Will make it easier when it’s time to go into the keep. Did any of you notice the tag on the smoke monsters in your experience notifications?”

“(Mid-Boss) Infernal Smoke 1?” Hiral asked, checking his notifications. “What’s a Mid-Boss?”

“Guessing a difficulty tier above Elite,” Seena said. “Those things were tough. And since it’s labeled mid, I’m guessing there is some kind of End-Boss-type enemy here.”

“And you think it’s in the keep,” Nivian said, nodding. “Okay, smokehouse it is.”

“Great,” Yanily said, clapping his hands together and standing. “I still need most of the level to hit twenty, so let’s get to it.”

“Slow down there,” Seena interrupted. “How’s everybody doing on solar energy?”

“Eighty percent here,” Wule said. “It’s sunny, but I’m absorbing energy slower than I expected.”

“Seventy-five for me,” Nivian said. “The Swarm Tactics I used at that first ramp is pretty costly.”

“Almost full,” Yanily said, and Vix chimed in with a “Me too.”

“Hiral? You’ve been using those runes of yours constantly,” Seena noted.

“Oh, I’m back to full,” Hiral said, and activated Foundational Split.

“S-Rank absorption right there,” Wule said with a shake of his head and a chuckle.

“I’m almost back to eighty myself. Vix, you spot the best path to take?” Seena asked, turning her attention to the man by the edge of the platform.

“Pretty straightforward,” Vix replied. “Down this bridge, along the keep’s balcony, then two more bridges and we’re there.”

“How many places for secret doors?” Nivian asked.

“About a million on the keep balcony, then we can expect them at each of the bridge crossroads,” Vix said.

“Do you really think Troblins have buildings like this?” Wule asked quietly.

“Maybe Dr. Benza will tell us when we clear this place,” Hiral said.

“Either way, it’s a question for later. Wule, give us Nature’s Blade again,” Seena said, and she recast Lashing Vines to replace the ability that had faded while they recovered.

“You got it,” Wule said, and the familiar pulse of energy strengthened Hiral’s limbs. “Bulwark should last until we clear the dungeon, one way or another.”

“Then we’re ready,” Seena said. “Nivian, take the lead again. Hiral, can I ask you and Right to cover the back in case we have more doors opening behind us?”

“For sure,” Hiral said, and the group moved back down the bridge to the balcony running along the outside of the keep.

“So far, so good,” Nivian said as they cleared the rope bridge, their feet back on solid ground, and then moved along the wide balcony.

The solid-looking wall on their right towered at least fifteen feet up before wooden crenellations protruded from there, indicating a third level, while a low parapet overlooked the lower levels on their left.

“Don’t see any secret doors,” Yanily said from his usual position on the right of the triangle formation.

“If you could see them, they wouldn’t be secret,” Vix said.

“Good point,” Yanily agreed.

“Just be on your guard,” Nivian said. “You never know when...”

A secret door twenty feet ahead of them slid open, and a group of five Troblins burst out—two with large wooden shields in the front, two more with crossbows behind, and then a Shaman with the familiar wolf’s-head cap.

“And that’s that,” Yanily said a short moment later, the last of the Troblin corpses toppling over the side of the balcony.

“How’d you take care of that side so fast?” Hiral asked as Right came over to join him.

“Was only two over there,” Right said, leaning in to inspect Hiral’s injured arm. “You okay?”

“Nothing I can’t fix. Hold still,” Wule said, and refreshing energy washed through Hiral’s body, the wound closing and sealing in a blink.

You have been healed by Nature’s Regrowth

Minor wounds and damage repaired.

“Thanks,” Hiral said. “Any idea where all those Troblins came from?”

“I think there’s a secret door on the back of this tree trunk,” Vix said while he ran his hand along the bark of the wide tree. “Can’t find it for the life of me, though.”

“One more bridge, then we’re at the smokehouse,” Nivian said. “We ready to move?”

“Hey,” Seena said to Hiral as she joined him, though she was looking at the top of the next bridge, “how’d you do that?”

“Do what?” Hiral asked.

“The way you fought them. It’s like you knew what they were going to do. You didn’t even draw your sword.”

“Ah. I think it’s the boosted attunement,” Hiral said. “I could just sort of feel where they all were. That, combined with my higher dexterity, let me react to the things I saw out of the corner of my eyes, or maybe heard? I honestly don’t know; that went way better than it had any right to.”

“So, you’re saying I need to put points in my attunement if I want to take full advantage of building my dexterity?” Vix asked, slapping the tree and finally giving up on finding the secret door.

“Seems like a lot of synergy there,” Hiral replied with a shrug.

“When we get out of this dungeon, we’re all going to have a chat about how we can work better together as a party,” Seena said.

Hiral blinked and looked at her. That was the second time she’d said something like that. Does she really mean it? “I... I’m really part of the party?” he asked, something clenching in his chest at the question. He’d always been on the outside—always the Everfail—up in Fallen Reach.

Seena raised an eyebrow at Hiral, then glanced at the other Growers. “Well, yeah, of course you are. What did you think?”

“That we were just keeping you around to get into the dungeons?” Yanily asked, and Nivian punched him in the shoulder.

“You didn’t have to say it,” Nivian said.

“Let me make it clear,” Seena said, glaring at Yanily. “You’re a member of the party. It’s that simple. We can talk more about the why when we get out of here, but it’s not because you can get us into dungeons. Okay?”

Hiral just nodded, words somehow difficult at that moment.

They actually... valued... his contribution?

Wow.

“Enough huggy-feely stuff,” Vix said. “Buffs are still good. Smokehouse?”

“You good to go first again?” Seena asked Hiral.

“For sure,” he said. “Right, you get the bigger group of Troblins next time.”

“Meh,” Right said, but it was the double leading the charge up the next rope bridge.

Like they’d seen from the entrance, the large smokehouse dominated the level, its three chimneys spouting gray smoke and the smell of barbeque wafting through the air. No windows decorated the building’s walls, and the only obvious way in was a single heavy door.

“You feel that heat?” Right asked, the rest of the group filing onto the platform behind them.

“If it’s that hot out here, I can only imagine what it’s like inside,” Hiral said.

“Says the guy who doesn’t even have a shirt on,” Yanily said.

“It’s where we have to go,” Seena said. “Nivian, open that door, and let’s go see what these Troblins are having for lunch.”

“Somehow I don’t think we really want to know...” Yanily muttered.