Grand Game 469: Battling with One’s Demons (Patreon)

Much to my surprise, the moment the blue flames vanished, the survivors of Yara’s group charged into the shaft corridor—some of them, anyway. 

I did not join in. 

No matter what Tyelin had said about the danger of letting the aspects into the storeroom, there was no way I was going to try battling the three demons in the tight confines of the corridor, especially not with dozens of other players hampering my attacks.

Glancing left and right, I realized I wasn’t the only one who thought entering the corridor a bad idea. A third of the Blades assigned to the east door remained behind, including Haiken and his squads. 

Huh, at least not everyone has bought into Tyelin’s nonsense. 

Facing forward again, I watched Emery and the others rush the demons. The sixty-odd Blades slammed into the three aspects like a tide crashing against a cliff—and broke apart just as easily.

Swinging their arms like battering rams, the red trio swept aside the Blades, hurling them into the adjoining walls with abandon. Bones were snapped, skulls were crushed, and limbs were torn off.

I winced even as I rued the players’ foolishness. 

Their charge had only bought a few seconds but had cost two thirds of our defenders. “Yikes,” I heard someone mutter. “That was stupid.”

I couldn’t have agreed more. 

Trampling over the dead and dying, the demons resumed their advance. Many of the Blades glanced at Haiken for guidance, but he stayed tight-lipped, his eyes fixed on the aspects.

More stupidity.

“Back everyone,” I growled. “We need space to fight.”

Haiken’s gaze darted to me. I was openly disobeying Tyelin’s orders—and encouraging the others to do so as well—but surprisingly, he did not rebuke me. 

“He’s right,” the elite said, nodding jerkily. “Form a half-circle around the door. We’ll let them in but keep them contained at the entrance.” Snapping off further orders, he began chivvying the Blades into place.

About bloody time, I thought, turning back to the aspects. The trio was fast approaching, their faces devoid of expression and their arms held at the ready. Studying the creatures, I considered my own role in the forthcoming battle.

The demons had utilized no magic so far, but that didn’t mean they had none. And their hammer-like fists were dangerous enough all on their own. A single strike had been enough to maim or kill. How would the players accompanying me fare against them? Well enough to stop the creatures?

I didn’t think so.

A little help is warranted then.

Backstepping in time with the other Blades, I tapped into the pool of magic at my core and released the spell weaves held ready there.

You have cast slime tentacles. 

Four lengths of wriggling black darkness materialized in the east doorway just as the aspects stepped through.

A slime tentacle has hit Bulezu!

A slime tentacle has hit Bulezu!

A slime tentacle has hit Bulalayo!

A slime tentacle has hit Bimal!

Darting through the air, the coil of oily darkness snaked around their chosen victims, the first two wrapping around Bulezu’s arms, the third around Bulalyo’s throat and the last around Bimal’s left ankle.

Unfortunately, the demons proved more resilient than I hoped.

2 of 3 targets have passed a magical resistance check! 

Goddamn, I cursed as the tentacles around Bulalayo and Bimal unfastened and fell lifelessly to the ground. Still, I couldn’t be too unhappy. I’d managed to slow one of the red trio. That had to be good enough.

Bulezu has been befouled (speed reduced by 20% and life drained by 2% per second).

“Good job to whoever did that!” Haiken yelled as Bulezu fell out of step with his fellows. “Everyone, focus on the other two.” Not waiting to see if the Blades under his command heeded the order, the elite dashed forward. 

Bimal’s arm flashed down. Bulalayo’s hands reached out.

Both missed.

Moving so fast that even to my eyes he was a blur, Haiken ducked beneath both attacks to strike at Bimal from behind with his needle-like blades. 

The elite’s daggers failed to penetrate.

“Feh!” Haiken spat. “They’re resistant to physical damage!”

Watching intently, I sensed the Blades at my side who were about to step forward hesitate. I didn’t blame them, Haiken’s report would’ve given me pause too. 

The demons, meanwhile, had halted their advance to focus on their attacker. Bulezu, still plagued by the tentacles, drew back his arms while Bimal and Bulalayo spun around to face him.

Haiken was undaunted though. 

Ignoring the aspects’ own maneuvering, he kept striking at Bimal. But the fury of his assault made no difference and not a single blow penetrated. 

Then it was the demons’ turn. 

Three sets of iron fists rushed at Haiken. 

The elite, though, was not as oblivious as he appeared. A split-second before the trio made contact, Haiken multiplied. Where before there had been one Haiken, now there were nine.

But that didn’t stop the demons’ attacks from landing.

In the twinkling of an eye, one of the Haikens—the original—disappeared in a spray of blood and guts. “Damn,” I murmured, shielding my face with a gloved hand as gore rained down on me and those nearby. Why had the elite been so foolish as not to dodge? When I lowered my arm though, the sight that greeted me wasn’t what I expected. 

The other eight Haikens were still fighting.

My eyes widened in amazement. The Haiken who had ‘died’ was no illusion. The spots of red on my cheek was testament to that. An interesting spell that.

“What are you fools waiting for,” the surviving Haikens snarled in unison. “Attack! If enough of us strike at them, one of us is bound to get through!”

The players around me surged forward. Not me, though. Haiken’s demonstration, as impressive as it was, made one thing clear: blades alone were not the answer. My gaze darted to the trailing demon.

Bulezu is befouled. Remaining health: 76%. 

Magic, on the other hand, seemed to work well enough. Unfortunately, I had no further spells to utilize. That left me with only three options.

Stay disengaged while I waited out my debuffs. 

Swap out faithful for my stygian swords and enter the fray. 

Or lastly, add Ghost to the mix. 

I refused to expose my familiar, though. Despite her innate stygian nature, Ghost was susceptible to physical attacks. Mammon’s demonic aspects would hammer her as easily as they did the Blades. And there was no telling what the players themselves would do if she suddenly appeared in their midst.

That leaves option one and two. 

I didn’t want to engage the aspects myself, though. It would only attract more unwanted attention. Deliberating further, I glanced over my shoulder and took stock of the situation at the north entrance. 

Unsurprisingly, matters were altogether different there. The three elites—Auris, Bern, and Lune—were arrayed around the demon and keeping it pinned in the doorway. What’s more, Bern and Lune—spellblades of one sort or the other—were using swords charged with ice while Auris wielded twin stygian daggers. All three were dealing damage. 

The north demon would fall soon, I realized. 

I turned back to the east doorway, where despite Haiken’s best efforts, neither Bimal nor Bulalayo looked any closer to falling. Sighing, I sheathed faithful and withdrew my stygian swords from my bag of holding.

You have equipped a +3 stygian shortsword and a basic stygian shortsword. Your attacks will now deal necrotic damage.

My reluctance notwithstanding, I had to take the fight to the aspects. If I didn’t, the demons would tear the Blade force at the east entrance into shreds. And while their fate did not unduly concern me, there were the Riders to consider. Malikor and his people could not be far behind.

Let’s do this properly then. 

Not caring who was watching—my disguise would be compromised soon enough—I activated my buffs.

You have cast load controller, gaining a 10-minute encumbrance aura that slows any armor-wearing foe within 5 yards by 50%.

Then I joined the fray.

✵ ✵ ✵

I had deliberately not cast vanish. 

In the close quarters fighting around the east doorway, the ability would only increase the likelihood of me suffering an accidental strike from an ‘ally.’ 

Besides, the less the Blades knew about my abilities the better. “Make way,” I shouted. “I can hurt them!”

The players in front of me glanced back and, seeing the naked stygian swords in my hands, hastily parted. I waded through, peripherally aware that somewhere to my left the surviving Haikens still danced about Bimal while on the right, the tentacle-wrapped Bulezu flailed ineffectively at the nearby Blades.

Bulalayo, meanwhile, had spotted my approach and was swinging around to face me. Setting aside thought of the other aspects, I focused on the foe in front of me. 

Up close, the demon loomed monstrously large. Nearly twice my height, the creature was forced to hunch his shoulders lest his horns scrape against the ceiling overhead. Fighting like that will restrict his movements, I surmised. 

There was no time for further analysis, though. 

Bulalayo had closed the distance and was already on the offensive. Activating my final buff, I rushed to meet him.

You have cast whirlwind, increasing your attack speed by 3x more for 3 seconds.

An arm speared forward. Sidestepping, I ducked out of the way. 

A fist raced down.  Twisting my torso, I evaded the blow. 

A hoofed foot whirled around. Jumping, I leaped over the attack.

You have evaded 3 of 3 hostile attacks. 

The demon’s opening salvo had been blisteringly fast, leaving no room for thought nor time to counter. But Bulalayo had erred with his last maneuver, and for a single split-second, his large frame was precariously balanced on one leg.

It was my moment to strike.

Darting forward, I drove the sword in my left hand through the demon’s exposed flank. Facing the wrong direction, the aspect was helpless to counter, and toughened hide notwithstanding, my stygian blade penetrated all the way.

You have critically injured your target!

Throwing back his head, Bulalayo roared in anger as his stomach was ripped open. My lips curled up in satisfaction, but I didn’t follow-up with a second attack—even though the urge to do so was almost irresistible. 

Given the demon’s demonstrable speed and aggression, I suspected his response to my success would be nothing short of cataclysmic. Retracting my blade, I stepped back. 

A precaution, I had cause to be thankful for only a moment later. 

Seemingly more outraged than hurt, Bulalayo resumed his offensive, attacking with both fist and feet. Throwing blow after blow with abandon, he stepped up the tempo of his attacks.

Matching him for speed, I ducked, dived, and weaved. 

You have evaded a bludgeoning fist. 

You have evaded a stunning kick.

You have evaded a twin strike.

But despite the demon’s disregard, the gaping wound in his side was no minor injury, and little by little, it tore further.

Bulalayo is now bleeding. Ongoing damage sustained. His health is at 80% and dropping.

Even in the midst of my foe’s furious onslaught, my smile widened. There was no need for me to strike at the demon again—the wound in his gut would kill him soon enough. Only one thing was required of me from this point on.

Not getting hit. 

As hard as Bulalayo was striking, even a glancing blow could prove fatal. Narrowing my focus, I let my awareness of the surroundings shrink to the demon’s four limbs. For the next few seconds, nothing else mattered. 

Nothing except for the motion of those four lethal appendages. 

You have evaded an attack.

You have evaded an attack.

…

…

Sway. Dip. Retreat. Advance. Moving in sync with my foe, I mirrored his movements, avoiding each and every blow he threw at me.

All while he inched closer to death.

Bulalayo’s health is at 73% and dropping.

Bulalayo’s health is at 61% and dropping.

…

…

Despite my almost feverish focus though, I couldn’t but help catch snippets of conversation from the surrounding Blades.

“… that Mazeen?”

“… can’t be…”

“Wow… he’s fast.”

“No way…”

“… see that?”

“How… doing that?”

“… must be… Power…”

My disguise had just become redundant, but I didn’t let that fact trouble me. Bulalayo was weakening fast, and Bulezu also hovered near death. Only the fate of the last aspect—Bimal—was uncertain. 

The elites can take care of her, I decided, executing a perfect backflip as Bulalayo’s hands came crashing down on the spot I’d just occupied.

You have evaded hammer’s fall.

Poised on the balls of my feet, I waited for the next attack, but somewhat to my surprise, none came. Going the way of his hands, Bulalayo’s face slammed into the ground.

He’s done for, I realized as the rest of the demon’s body followed suit.

You have killed Bulalayo.