Chapter 250 - Eye of the Haze I (2/2)
Sheela hissed as she clasped her hands together, a little splatter of blood fl.i.c.k.i.n.g from her palms colliding. She had a few wounds on her by now from the much stronger undead, and the haze's healing debuff prevented her shamanic healing spells from being as effective. But that meant she had all the more blood to use as a resource for incredibly powerful dispelling spells.
A red sigil formed around the wraith's shadowy body in a ring before exploding, setting the spirit ablaze in blood colored flame that quickly disintegrated it.
Old Thane nodded before looking to the threat that faced him and Vilga, cutting them off from Tia's duel with the drake. It was a Flesh Golem stitched from the various bodies of several abominations and armored with spiked steel. Through tears in its body, noxious gas spewed forth, threatening to inflict poison damage to all that made contact with it.
”I shall follow your lead, Vilga,” said Old Thane, and Vilga growled before rushing forwards.
The golem was more than twice her size, but she was easily several times more agile than it. She dashed under a heavy sweeping strike from the golem's battering ram of an arm and slashed upwards with glowing claws, using the [Qi Claws] skill that projected mana infused claw strikes forwards.
Bladed white lights shot forth from her fingers, slicing into the golem's torso and carving out great scars in it. From those scars, blood and entrails and chunks of body parts spilled out, but the damage was not enough.
Old Thane followed quick behind Vilga and nodded at her, beginning to analyze how she moved and finding the best way to support her. He noticed that her combat style was almost pure offense, flowing like a raging typhoon in her twirls and relentless offense, but not having much in terms of self-defense.
”I'll take this blow!” shouted Old Thane as the golem went for another sweep. He gritted his teeth and took the golem's club-like fist right to the c.h.e.s.t. The fist was almost as large as the old man himself, but he ground his feet into the rocks and stood firm, grasping at the fist with both his arms, anchoring himself to it.
His body tinged red, and his veins became unnaturally visible like shivering serpents as he activated [Berserk], finally dipping into his Berserker subclass skills. The skill would massively enhance his strength stat while also providing him incredible resistance to most forms of damage including the noxious fumes that poured over him from the golem's arm.
”Helm!” shouted Old Thane, though it sounded more like bestial growl at this point. ”Break the helm!”
Vilga looked up at the flesh golem. Its head was a fusion of several kinds. Of humans, orcs, beastmen, and any number of creature, but its multi-eyed and jawed face all found safety under a horned helmet adorned with glowing green runes of defense.
She grunted before she leaped up once, landing atop the arm Old Thane held still and using it as a stepping stone to jump high above the golem's head. She spun in the air as she flung down her leg in axing motion, her heel encased in glowing white energy in the shape of a thick spike meant for punching through armor.
Her heel slammed into the golem's helmet with a groaning wrench of metal tearing, and the qi-infused impact of the blow traveled down the length of the helm, splitting it neat in two. She leaped backwards, and the two halves of the helm fell heavily down, crushing stone below.
”Sheela!” roared Old Thane as he used [Giant Strength], his muscles suddenly engorging with mass, making him seem twice his size as he shoved the golem to the side, breaking the balance it had held in its pillar like legs of flesh. ”The head!”
Sheela materialized seemingly out of nowhere on all fours, jumping forwards to the golem's falling form. She was using [Stalk] to maintain stealth, recognizing that this deep in the haze, she as an Assassin primary could not afford to take hits to the same extent as Vilga and Old Thane.
But where she lacked in durability, she made up for in monstrous offense. She shot forwards, wreathed in spiraling crimson patterns, and she essentially drilled into the golem's thick neck, shredding it apart and tearing the head clean off in one fell motion.
”Now, onwards to our dragon!” shouted Old Thane as he tossed the golem's body behind him with a heavy breath. ”Sheela, keep watch over spirits, for neither can I nor Vilga deal with their ilk. And Vilga, fear not for stray blows for I have watch over ye.”
The two beastwomen nodded, and Vilga ran forwards while Sheela faded away into the shadows on all fours.
Li felt a sense of pride from the old man. It was highly evident that in his youth, Old Thane was the shotcaller. He was the one who glued together the party and made it work.
It made Li realize just how much more to the old man there had been other than farming, though certainly, that was the part Li appreciated the most.