102 Chapter 30 - The Demon Crawler (1/2)
\”And that's the last Demon Crawler,\” Ellie said, checking off her list. She watched as the gigantic demon spider covered head to toe in spikes and corrupt iron charged into the lines of the warriors of the Great Spirit.
After ripping through a dozen spirit soldiers the huge spider lay a blazing red egg. Slashing claws and spitting electrical webs she slowed down or destroyed the endless swarm of spirit warriors and stone golems.
Egg reaching its critical mass, the Demon Crawler turned tail and fled, leaving the lessor demons to fight to the death around the egg before it exploded. The shockwave tore a gaping hole in the Great Spirit's lines before elemental spiders made of demonic electricity made their debut to cause further damage throughout the spirit ranks.
\”Do you see that everyone?\” Ellie shouted, pointing at the demon crawlers backside. The great spider was heavily armoured, yet it's backside was vibrant red around where she lay the egg, wild crimson energy pulsing within. \”The backside is it's weakness, so we need to draw her attention to the side. No retreating either unless the egg is lain, she's too fast and would web us if we tried. Give your all everybody!\”
A cheer, before the watching adventurers got to work. Trading in the 'spirit coins' they had collected so far they assembles potions, spell scrolls and what few spirit weapons and armour they could afford.
As always it was the frontline fighters that were geared first and foremost, Dwargon a moving tank of spirit steel and glowing with dozens of lines. The Sundrakes had similarly been outfitted with healing staves, that allowed them to cast low level healing spells when wielded.
Arriving in their prearranged positions, Ellie waited for the Demon Crawlers next charge. The Raid team withstood attacks from demon spawn and demon warriors in the meanwhile, but with spirit soldiers and spirit golems tanking the worst of it the Raid team could focus on the objective.
\”It comes!\” Fial shouted from his hill, and pointed in the direction of a great rumbling. Comets of hellflame roared overhead to crash into the ground, while a tide of demon spawn crashed into their lines.
Through the mayhem emmerged the Demon Crawler, yet with bronze motifs etched along its plate and a pair of turrets it's front. Twin blasts of flame gushed out to wipe away the spirit soldiers in an instant, fiery webs blasted out to sticky those golems on route to help.
\”A rare spawn!\” Master Kenji shouted as Dana, and already began raising the demonic corpses with [Mass summon] to fight again. \”Should we retreat?\”
Ellie knew he was testing her. No doubt the Grand Guildmaster knew of a way towards victory, and grinning Ellie caught onto just how.
\”Tanks, draw her attention to the golems, get them fighting. Archers aim for the pipes behind the turrets!\” they moved immediately to obey, Ellie watching as Dwargon used [Taunt] to get the huge creature to follow, while powerful bow shots slammed into the pipes right behind the magical turrets. Fire gushed forth, a Sundrake wind blast diverting the river of hell flame.
More shots into the pipes and the whole thing began to spurt and shudder. As explosions sent walls of liquid fury rushing down either side of the Demon Crawler, it shook it's harness free.
Screeching the demon crawler lost its great bundle of armour, revealing a fairy black body. Lowering its abdomen, the demon crawlers body flared with red hell flame.
\”Disrupt it, don't let it lay that egg!\” Ellie yelled, blasts of magic shoving the Demon Crawler aside. From behind it appeared Rams, who with a great sweep of her blade cut deeply into the Demon Crawler's weak point.
The Demon Crawler screeched, then arose. No egg was laid, although the Demon Crawler now seemed royally pissed off.
\”To the golems, hurry!\” Ellie shouted, Dwargon reactivating [Taunt] to pull the Crawlers attention from Rams and back to him.
\”Come get me you big hairy beastie!\” Dwargon shouted, causing Ellie to grin.
\”You're not usually one to talk Dwargon, don't tell me you've fallen for the thing?\” Ellie said as she used the Butcher's Blade to slice a demon spawn ear to ear. With the Butcher's smock. her agility had been enhanced too and leading those in charge of stopping the other demons getting involved.left three more demons dead in moments.
\”Hah! I'll show her my tender side to be sure, is that right you big beauty?\” smashing his mace rhythmically against his shield, Dwargon drew the Crawler closer and closer to the golems.
Another wave of webbed flame spat out, and was again pushed aside - a stray ice blast missed the web entirely and covered the crawlers head in frost.
\”Armen, watch it!\” Ellie growled.
\”Sorry,\” Armen said building up his next shot, yet the Crawler has already turned its ugly head at him.
\”Run Armen-\”
Blazing hot web spat at Armen, his wall of cold only removing the fire element from the web as it crashed into him and stuck him to the ground. Not just Armen, strands of the web had caught two of the Sundrakes too, rendering all three rooted to the ground as the Crawler came crashing towards them.
Spirit warriors and demonic ghouls threw themselves in the way with no effect, and sighing, Ellie supposed she'd have to do something herself. Rushing forward she hopped on one big hairy leg and launched her way onto the Crawler's head.
Her footing was good, but the speed of the thing nearly through her right off.
Rams and several of the Bloodhorn charged the Crawler from the side, hacking into its limbs. The rest were busy holding back the tide to demon spawn, leaving the key moment to Ellie.