98 Chapter 26 - Cannibal Gnomes (2/2)

”Who is it~” warbled a strange tone, as two flares of crimson red flashed from the darkness.

Crimson flames lit the torches through the vast room, a distant gnome tall as a man yet rail-thin grinning from a hundred feet away. The creature's aura flared, Kenji left shuddering as it's power lashed his own.

”Retreat-”

Iron gates descended behind Kenji, bocking off their escape. Pulling his hand from the lever, the creature pulled forth an immaculately gleaming knife, that sang as it swished through the air. It was made of intertwined silver and had an aura of its own as powerful as any man. An aura of steel, and utility, of a blade that would cut iron as easily as flesh.

”Spread out, and don't let that damned thing get close!” Ellie searched the room quickly and found several islands of earth amidst the pool of blood. ”Get out of the blood too-”

”URGH!” Armen collapsed into the blood, several spiked retracting through where they had skewed his legs and back into the floor. Quickly hidden by blood, the spike trap was impossible to see.

”Come now my pretties, let's play, shall we?” plump gnomes in butchers smocks appeared from little doors to the left and right, each twice as tall as the ones outside, and their blades made of a lesser version of the boss's shining steel.

”Sundrake, keep the boss off us, Bloodhorn don't let us be surrounded. Ellie's crew fill the gaps,” Ellie said in quick succession, ”Master Kenji-”

”Focusing on holding up the reinforcements outside right now,” Kenji jutted in, feeling his ghouls die one by one, ”without me, they'll be overrun.”

Ellie grit her teeth, but continued. Pulling out her bow she took a shot, but the boss stepped behind a carcass on a meathook, blocking her view. Fial fired a shot at one of the lessor butchers, the gnome deflecting the arrow with a flash of a gleaming blade.

”Sundrakes, roast that pig!” Ellie yelled, waves of flame spurting out along the meathouse to scorch flesh, scour blood and set the entire area the tall gnome stood in ablaze. Howling it flew out into the open, three arrows smacking into the creature's side before it could slip behind another carcass and begin weaving it's way closer.

To her left and right the Bloodhorn were fully engaged with fighting the Butcher's apprentices, the occasional lance of a spike trap reducing them to wounded wretches.

”Taki, heal the wounded please.”

”Already doing so,” the little furbolg said, a flow of green leaving his hands to bind wounds closed and return the adventurers to the fight.

The Butcher had closer in - Dwargon used [Smash] and missed, his mace crashing into the ground instead. Rams used [Hell Blade] and sent a slash of hell flame, he Butcher hiding behind a carcass only for her power to slice right through the carcass and bite into his side. Howling, the boss was exposed as the carcass fell to the ground.

Muttering a prayer to some horned god, Fial unleashed his [Power Shot], the Butcher deflecting the arrow. In doing so he raised his blade at an odd angle, Ellie appearing to his side to use [Critical Strike] to pierce his spine. He cut back all the same, silver blade slashing right through her right hand as if air.

Screaming Ellie plunged the knife in her left hand in the Boss's eye, Armen spearing the tall gnome through the back with an [Ice bolt] while Dwargon used another [Smash] to shatter every bone in the Boss's body.

Collapsing face-first into the pool of blood, the Boss died.

And just like every other boss in this godforsaken dungeon, a chest appeared. It was bloody, small and stank of the freshly dead. Snatching at the Boss's silvery knife, Ellie allowed Taki to stop the blood flow from her missing hand and smashed the lock.

Inside were health potions of excellent quality, an enchanted smock that increased movement speed, a skill book and various plates of high-grade magic meats. Sausages amongst them.

”Let's get out of here,” Ellie shouted, Bloodhorn finishing up with their gnomish enemies plucked them free of loot. The doors opened too, both revealing the way behind as well as several hallways leading further within.

But Ellie had had her fill with butchery.

Stumbling back, Taki held her side. Smashing her limb back on, he blasted healing magic to fuse the skin and get the blood flowing. Her hand was pale and limp, yet with an effort she could curl the fingers, although not a hint of feeling returned.

”I'll help you walk-”

She shook him off.

”I'm fine, focus on the fight Taki,” Ellie said. She couldn't look weak, not now that she had earned their approval. Peering to the Bloodhorn and the Sundrakes she found them ready to obey at the drop of the hat, ”focus on healing those in battle. That's an order from your Raid Leader.”

Sighing Taki complied, as the Raid Group got stuck into the long slog back.

And Ellie tried not to worry about her ruined hand.