NOVEL WEB V2 Chapter 73: Forbidden Tower 3
- 1st Person POV (MC)
-Present Time-
The blue hue intensified the more I climbed upstairs to the next floor. Wonder seeps into my mind and turns into questions as they emerge...
(“What’s there??”)
-Forbidden Tower 4th Floor-
Arriving at this floor, my eyes have adjusted to the constant blue hue as I notice it has turned into a darker shade like navy blue accompanied by countless glimmers here and there. Making a breathtaking scene that contrasted like white and black towards the previous floors of this tower.
In this chamber, there is no furniture or decor. Just an empty room with a...
Is that a pedestal...?
Right in the middle of this chamber, lies a pedestal carved in sophistry and embellished with silver filigrees. At its tip, there is a levitating pyramidal-shaped prism and I immediately realized what that is.
(“That’s the ‘phone’!”)
Just being in the presence of it made my skin shiver as the relic reverberates and with it comes whispers licking my ears.
“Come... Gifts... Hear...” -Creature-
It’s raspy in its voice and drawn out. Making my ears tingle uncomfortably and shivers run through my spine as I maintain a good distance from it.
The background music slowly changed into combat music as I looked around to see any enemies and my eyes landed on a figure.
Previously that figure was hidden by the intense luminosity of this navy blue hue radiation from that prism.
Nearby and my eyes adjusted, I saw it hovering above or should I say after looking at it closer, being suspended in mid-air by tendrils of flesh.
That humanoid figure wore Astera’s signature mage robe with a hood down.
It’s a man in his mid-forties, with gaunt malnourished cheeks and a sharp jawline. Underneath all of that, there are tufts of black hair that seem to spill out from gaps between the fleshy patchwork.
He seemed unconscious although he is covered by it. Those ‘things’ didn’t seem to grow from him. Is he not tainted by it then? But he did receive gifts from that creature...
My eyes squint in suspicion as the combat music tells me this will be a battle of some sort.
“Awake...” -Creature-
The whisper comes clear to my ears and presumably that guy. As it did, that person opened his eyes.
Instead of pupils and irises, I only see a red circle amidst the white sclera as he gives a tranquil smile.
“Yes... I am awake, ready to receive your wisdom.” -Ascended Fleshling-
The prism thrums with intensity, each beat causes more navy blue hue to glow and fade as I hear its whispers.
“Prove...” -Creature-
“By your words...” -Ascended Fleshling-
The fleshy growths that suspended him in mid-air began to recede with a loud squelching noise while he began to hover.
Upon his forehead lie symbols of celestial state proving he’s attuned to three all at once, proving that he has the creature’s gift.
(“No doubt, he too has [Imagine] ability...”)
Knowing that the boss continuously flying, I ordered the fragment to spread out in all directions covering the grounds while I re-summoned the undead...
It’s been great fighting with Death Lords and Dark Bishop but in this battle, I think, I need a more long-range and physical approach.
The ascended fleshling raised his arm in welcome with that very same tranquil smile as he announced himself.
“My creator, I will prove to you. I am worthy to be your vessel!” -Ascended Fleshling-
(“Okay, he’s cray cray...”)
*RATTLE* *RATTLE* *RATTLE*
Three fissures leading to the abyss opened and blackened skeletal parts emerged as they reconstructed themselves into three fully-sized humanoid skeletons around 2 metres in height.
They are wearing massive ancient-looking great bows made from animal bones and quiver with sets of thick heavy arrows strapped on their back.
Dang... Each arrow is approximately the same height as me. It would be terrible to be on the other side of it.
It’s my first time summoning them or an undead creature called ‘Deadeye’.
(“Aughhh... This is not the time to be amazed!”)
I ordered them to spread out too in a cardinal direction as ascended fleshling stared at me.
The combat music turns louder as the battle begins!
He mutters a few words and unleashes bolts of starlight radiance. They hit and burst into glimmering gossamer yet I was unaffected by it even my constant barrier didn’t budge.
(“So that’s his basic attack, a magic one... light element as expected.”)
Nevertheless, I internally commanded one fragment to cast a {Spell} while also ordering the Skellies to begin their <Arrow Storm> attack.
The boss looks at me curiously upon noting that the attack didn’t work.
“How peculiar...” -Ascended Fleshling-
He then raises his right hand, clenching it into a fist.
From nothing, specks of dust appeared into existence then solidified into pebbles and started to merge into solid heavy rock. It’s like [Imagine] but... It’s not listed in his {Status}.
Effortlessly, he launched it to me changing his basic attack and it crashed into bits of rubble as that chunk of rock hit my barrier.
I can feel an onset of heaviness on my shoulders and a slight twinge of drowsiness began to seep in.
(“Yeah, it learned... Now it’s changing its basic attack.”)
“[Extend: Terra Constellation]”
It is very quick casting {Spell}, and the visual effects kick in. A conglomeration of stars appeared above my head creating the very same constellation representing earth. It glows before imbuing my body with its strength. Reducing physical damage taken by a certain %.
I do not know if it helps but I will take what I can get! I am the tanker now... as it seems the aggro is on me.
“[Lunar Embrace]”
As I overlapped it, a sphere encapsulated me. It has a beautiful pearly white colour representing the full moon as it shines in its pale silver light.
A long-duration barrier and portable, unlike my {Trait} this one has its own HP so it needs to be destroyed before enemies can harm me. Part of why celestial mages are being recruited is that they can prevent damage using these kinds of {Spell}.
Meanwhile, the boss kept attacking me dealing some damage as he too was injured by arrow attacks from Deadeyes.
*ZIIIINGGGG*
Angelic choir begin to descend upon this place and all entities here are suddenly being imbued by light as one of the fragments finishes its job.
Immediately, I ushered a command to simul-cast [Maximize: Blight] plus assigned them to repeat the casting of it until they crumbled while I focused on re-casting every barrier {Spell} I remember.
*CRASH*
Several barriers have been broken by the boss as he continues a barrage of heavy rocks on me. I cannot dodge due to my abysmal AGI {Status} so I take them head-on.
That is until...
“Persistent, are you?” -Ascended Fleshling-
He expands his arms out and then slowly moves into himself. In doing so, I hear a quickening heartbeat on the prism...
“HAAAGHHH!” -Ascended Fleshling-
With a heavy grunt, he unleashed some kind of energy that encompassed the entire room.
*CRASH*
My barriers are shattered immediately yet they didn’t take any damage rather it is as if they are unravelling at their seams.
(“What is that?”)
My eyes darted to the Boss’ {Status} and noticed one of its capabilities was listed [Unravel]. So uh... What should I do? My barrier {Spell} is in cool down.
“I believe...” -Ascended Fleshling-
The boss with an eerie grin pulled his right hand as if mimicking the way an archer pulls their bowstring. As he does so, those heavy rocks crash into one another and then turn metallic and thin shaped like a lance.
(“Ookay... this is the [Imagine] ability.”)
*FWOOOSH*
Unleashing that, the newly formed lance was launched at me as I warped away to dodge it while the boss’ being barraged by fragments and Deadeyes.
(“Change of plans! Fragments A and B...”)
In my mind, I commandeer 2 fragments to stop their spam of [Blight] and cast a myriad of barriers onto me. It reduces DPS but if I’m knocked out then the entire thing would be in vain and...
(“I doubt the boss can spam [Unravel].”)
The multiple layers of barriers reformed once more make me feel safer within them. Though not for long...
*CRASH* *CRASH* *CRASH*
The boss hurled more and more solid rocks created from nothing breaking the barriers. Knowing this, I juggle between fragments A, B, and me. Creating a loop of barrier creation and destruction while still commandeering other fragments and Deadeyes to hone into the boss.
Slowly but surely, the boss’ HP whittled down as he cycled between normal basic attack, offensive [Imagine], and [Unravel]. It’s the beginning phase after all...
That is until he reached around 75% of HP.
*THRUMS* *THRUMS* *THRUMS*
The thrumming of that floating prism intensified and the ascended fleshling was engulfed with some kind of strange shimmer.
In fact...
The entire room is shimmering? What is this??
I waved my hands several times in front of my face as the glimmer moved like waves of water but it’s air?
“Thank you, creator.” -Ascended Fleshling-
He always has this tranquil smile and now a buff is added below his {Status}.
After uttering those words of thanks. He points his right index finger at me... as the [Imagine] ability triggers.
*PRANGGGGGGGG*
Multiple layers of barrier suddenly break apart like glass and its pieces simply shatter to the ground before turning to dust. This is far different! It is not unravelling rather they were hit by a powerful attack.
I was not fast enough to react as all of a sudden I felt an impact on my shoulder and later quickly followed suit, a sharp stinging pain.
(“Huh...?”)
As my eyes darted to where they ache, I saw a piece of jagged metal roughly moulded in the pointy end as if someone wanted to tamper with it but was not skilled enough to make one. It appeared from nowhere and pierced my left shoulder breaking past my prismatic skin too.
I could even see floating pieces of it hovering around where the wound and my eyes widened in realization of what this meant...
(“Shit...”)
Right on cue, not a moment too soon...
A sudden onset of powerful drowsiness set in, it felt like my shoulders, eyelids, and back weighed ten tons. A familiar symptom when players are out of MP coupled with the constant stinging sensation from my shoulder.
It’s only a matter of time before I am unconscious! My vision turned blurry and shaky as I felt heavier on one side tempting to simply just fall into slumber.
Before I can pull out a potion though...
My (Artefact) suddenly glowed in brilliant starlight and engulfed me within its light. Then as if I am splashed with cold water, I’m jolted awake refreshed and my prismatic skin suit reformed.
(“Haaa... I am glad it got activated.”)
I also have several buffs suddenly applied since the [Contingency] {Spell} got triggered including I am being displaced from that jagged metal due to [Sigil] as well...
The buff on the ascended fleshling vanished, I haven’t taken a good look at it so I do not know what it does. But I assume it enhances his [Imagine] ability to create a powerful version...
How should I say this? I survived a tank buster move it seems.
Tank Buster are boss’ abilities that specialise in dealing heavy single-target or splash AoE damage requiring the tanker to use damage reduction {Skill} to minimize damage taken and position themselves away from other party members.
My barrier layers and prismatic suit on top of the multitude of buffs allowed me to survive this once. I’m pretty he has more of this in the future... I need to think of a way to handle that.
Meanwhile, the boss is constantly being bombarded by [Blight] and arrows, I re-summoned the crumbled fragments that were out of MP and ordered them to spread out. Resuming the DPS, while focusing two of them to spam barrier {Spell}.
Meanwhile, I healed myself and refreshed the buffs to make sure I was on top of everything in case he was going to do another tank buster.
Thankfully there’s a telltale sign of him using a tank-buster move. Whenever that prism thrums, he will get buffed and use that enhanced [Imagine] ability.
Now that I know that...
*THRUMS* *THRUMS* *THRUMS*
A familiar thrum echoed in the room creating countless glimmer as Ascended Fleshling received a buff.
“[Shared Torment]”
I cast the {Spell} and purposefully aimed at one of the Deadeyes. Visual effects of a ghostly chain linked it and me together...
Not a moment too soon, the boss points to me and in an instant, I feel an impact on my back as if I just had an awful fall yet none of the pain.
Good...
That magic essentially ‘shared’ the damage I took to an ally of my choosing. Thanks to that, I did not lose a high amount of MP while Deadeyes has taken some HP damage. Necromancer Class {Spell}... they always come in handy!