Ch. 66 – Astragos VII (Patreon)

Felix eventually ran out of breath and inhaled – surprised as the water entering his mouth and lungs didn’t hurt or even feel odd. It was almost relaxing. I should have asked if we can talk normally down here.

Reth turned back to the two, “We can talk down here as well.” His voice was slightly distorted, but other than that – Felix could hear him just fine. “That weapon won’t be very useful down here,” He stated as he pointed to Tinuriel’s sword.

She shook her head and, to prove a point, swung her sword with only slightly reduced speed than she would if she was on the surface. “I don’t need to worry about that.”

Felix put his hand to his neck and gripped the Talisman of the Tides. “I can make this an easier journey. And probably faster.” He focused on the thought of the water parting, and to his delight the water receded on either side and the trio were standing in a small channel between the two walls of water.

Reth looked at Felix with curiosity, “How’d you do that?”

“A magical item,” Felix stated as he kept his hand on the talisman. The corridor was only sixty feet long, but as he focused on reshaping the waters around him, a sphere thirty feet in diameter formed instead of the channel. “Let’s go.”

Tinuriel led the way and Felix activated Ghostwalk as it could stay active indefinitely outside of a Dungeon.

Reth glanced back at Felix as he pulled his metal rod from his sleeve, “Best be ready with some type of weapon. The oceans are perilous outside of the sandbar.”

Felix activated his Hardlight Recurve and the mounted-wrist-crossbow version popped out. He pressed the trigger as a hardlight arrow appeared, primed and ready to be released.

An hour passed as the oceans grew darker and darker around them. Even with his vision shifted to Lucifer’s red-hued dark sight, the waters around them hampered his vision. “Hellfire Wick.”

The crimson and black flame popped into a spot above him, and Reth wheeled around. “What are you doing?!”

“Making light.”

“You idiot! That’ll draw things right to us!”

Uh-oh. Felix let the Hellfire Wick fade. Anxiously, he scanned the surrounding waters. A trio of dark shapes lurked at the edges of the contained area lacking water. “What are those?” he whispered to Reth.

The agent cursed under his breath, “Sharktopus. We should be safe as long as we stay at the center of this cleared space, and none of them are large enough to grab us with a tentacle.”

That’s just what it translates to for you. It sounds less goofy in their language.

Tinuriel raised her weapon and activated several Skills in rapid succession, her body and blade blazing with various hues of blue. Execution, Eviscerator, Obliterate, Bastion, and Deathless Juggernaut.

“There’s a large one far off in front of us,” she said as she chuckled. “I’ve been wanting a good fight.” As if on cue, an enormous tentacle lashed outward in front of Tinuriel. Instead of dodging, blocking, or slashing it – she let it grab her. She cackled with joy as she was ripped forward into the murky depths.

“Damnit, Tinuriel.” Felix saw a large flash of blue light as she struck whatever enormous creature had grabbed her.

Reth cursed once more, “Damn. She’s going to die for sure.”

Felix chuckled and watched with satisfaction as Tinuriel’s bars – even the temporary health – had not moved at all. “She’s fine.” He glanced to his left and saw an enormous creature eyeing him. The front of the creature was that of an enormous hammerhead shark, and halfway back its body the form merged with that of an octopus. “That’s a big one,” he muttered. “Detect Weakness.”

The golden pulse went out, and Felix saw several weak spots – on the rear of the creature, near the gills, and the eyes. Glancing around, he saw a total of five of the creatures – including the one that Tinuriel was fighting against – whose golden targeting circles were far larger than the ones surrounding the others. She was doing incredibly well if her bars were anything to go by.

“She’s got the big one handled.”

Reth glanced at the creature, “It won’t reach us if we stay at the cent-”

The tentacle whipped out from the creature and Felix ducked the grappling appendage. It grappled Reth and the man yelped in surprise. Reth was dragged towards the water wall, and Felix instinctively pulled his dagger, letting the watery barrier vanish as his palm left the talisman. Ah, crap. He aimed the wrist crossbow at the hammer-head sharktopus’ eye and fired off a shot. The bolt of hardlight streaked unerringly and slammed into the creature. It roared and let Reth go, swimming off into the distance.

Reth pointed his small metal rod towards Felix. Red sparks gathered before crackling with power and merging into a single beam of bright, neon-red energy that zig-zagged towards Felix. The beam flew past Felix and into a creature right behind him. The creature seemed unphased and dashed past Felix.

He stabbed into it as it passed, and the creature wheeled on him, biting at him with a maw of razor-sharp teeth that was as big as Felix’s torso. The speed of the creature surprised him, and it chomped down onto his left hand with the crossbow, thrashing back and forth. Felix screamed in pain as he felt the muscles and tendons ripping. His arm – from the forearm down – was ripped off as the creature swam away with its meal and prize.

“Felix!” Tinuriel yelled. “Invigorating Charge!”

She flashed in a blur of blue light and sliced the sharktopus that was about to bite him from behind – that he hadn’t even noticed – in half. 

“Regenerate,” Felix muttered.

His arm regrew from the stump and the pain vanished instantly. He turned around and saw Reth pointing his small metal rod once more. Another arc of light lanced out and slammed into the last of the creatures that was still present. The creature roared and dashed toward the agent.

Tinuriel threw her sword like a javelin and it arced through the water, going right into the sharktopus’ mouth and ripping through it through the middle. The creature stopped moving and floated in the sea as the blade appeared in Tinuriel’s hand again.

[Experience Awarded = 45]

[Experience Bonsu from Execution alike Stacking Skills = 15]

[Congratulations! You have reached the Experience threshold to level up! Speak with your Versewalker Core when you are ready to Choose your next Class.]

She swam over to Felix, “Your bow,” she said as she grabbed his arm.

“And the Gloves of the Icy Embrace. The item doesn’t function without both!” Felix looked in the direction the creature had gone, “Detect Object.”

The golden line arced in a line going straight ahead, and he began to swim after it.

“That’s not the way to the Coralith Empire,” Reth stated as he swam behind Felix.

“I’m getting my items back!”

No one eats my arm and gets away with it!

Reth cursed once more, “They have breeding grounds. It’s a suicide mission! There’ll be hundreds of them!”

Felix glanced back at the man and stopped. Tinuriel swam next to him and the two faced Reth. “Those items are valuable,” Tinuriel stated. “A bow that has unlimited ammunition, and gloves that enable all attacks to harm in the form of shivering cold. You’d really have us give that up?”

Reth nodded, “Going that way is death.”

Tinuriel shook her head, “I fought most of those myself with little issue.” She turned and swam after the line, with Felix following.

Reth cursed and followed with a moment of hesitation.

I can’t believe it got my arm.

Lesson learned. Keep your hands inside the area with no water at all times.

Haha. Very funny.

You’re going to get it back. Not like you need it since you have a brand new one.

I want my gear back. I worked hard for it!

Totally understand. Oh, by the way. Roy has tested a number of people on Vugog…none of them made the cut. They all turned tail and ran when the cannibalistic tribesmen descended on them. No casualties were suffered, but your backup plan just got taken away.

Felix groaned, eliciting a glance from Tinuriel. “What’s going on?” she asked.

“Roy’s recruits didn’t pan out.”

“Damn.” Tinuriel glanced at Reth who was swimming behind them. She moved closer to Felix – moving through the water with grace and speed, and whispered to him. “Then he’s our current best option?”

Felix nodded and looked back at Reth, “No point in hiding it from you, either.”

“Hmm?” Reth swam faster to get next to the two. “Hiding what from me?”

“I’m looking for another Versewalker Escort. Someone who can fill the role of our Animancer. Basically, a mage. Tinuriel is a great front liner, and I find myself enjoying the role of a rogue. Plus, since I’m the most important person…no offense, Tinuriel.”

“None taken,” She stated tersely with a slight frown.

“I need to be in the role best suited to get away if everything goes to hell. What do you say? Would you be interested?”

Reth gestured for them to pause and the two did so. He looked between the two with a stern expression, “I was raised my whole life to serve the Monolith Empire by nature of my birth. I’ve known nothing else other than service to a cause.” His tone lightened and he grinned, “If you’re truly trying to bring peace and solve problems – which I think you are – then I would be honored to accompany you.”

“Great! So, Lucifer, how do we do this.”

“What? You want to level him up here? It’s not the safest place.”

“Fine, my gear first. Then we got to the VBV, level him up, transfer over some Affinities to make him more versatile as a caster…and then I respec.”

Make sure you keep a level dip in Warrior, Animancer, and Fallen Angel.

I’ve got an idea of what I’m going to do.

Reth nodded, “Then let’s get your gear back.”

The trio swam for what felt like hours. The deep ocean around them was eerie, but thanks to Lucifer’s vision enhancement, Felix could see everything around them for quite a distance. The natural blue of the water combined with the red cast everything in a slightly hazy purple. Tinuriel and Reth could see about thirty feet ahead, when he asked them about their vision. So, Felix kept his head on a swivel the whole time.

They followed the Detect Object line to a large cavern. The entire mouth of the cavern was covered in a viscous, black, tarry substance. “The lair,” Reth stated.

“Duh,” Tinuriel said as she cast a grin over to Felix. “What’s the plan?”

“I don’t want to fight all of them. I just want my gear back. Let me sneak in and get it.”

Tinuriel nodded, “Hand me that Talisman. We can stay safe inside the sphere.”

Felix handed the item over to her and she waited until he got out of the thirty-foot radius before activating it, putting herself and Reth into a protected bubble where the Sharktopi could not get to them. Well, unless they were very large – but Felix knew Tinuriel could take care of that. Ghostwalk, Undetectable Step.

He swam forward into the black tunnel. The viscous ichor sticking to the walls was ghastly to look at; bones and bits of detritus and filth were clinging to the space. Disgusting.

You realize you’ll have to kill that sharktopus to get your arm back.

Won’t be a problem. I’ve got Vital Strike upgraded. And I already know that I can harm people whilst keeping my Ghostwalk and Undetectable Step active.

The combination only prevents detection. They can still trash about and possibly take another bite out of you.

What would you suggest I do then?

Just be ready to run if you can’t kill it outright.

You saw how easily Tinuriel dealt with that giant one.

She’s built to be a monstrous damage dealer and tank. Plus, she has centuries – in her ‘Verse’s time – of combat experience.

Felix paused his swim and pushed himself towards the side of the tunnel as a sharktopus made its way past him. And what, I’m useless in comparison?

No, Lucifer’s thoughts came across as…almost pleading. Just…be careful. You’ve grown reliant on Tinuriel being around. When it was just us on that Death World, you survived because of your own abilities – and my help.

Hold on – are you jealous?

Lucifer’s voice became laced with indignation, What? Me? Jealous of a mortal? No. I’m an immortal, undying, fallen angel who can never die as long as the System exists.

Felix continued his swim forward, keeping an eye on this slowly depleting Vigor bar.

Have I been neglecting you? I mean, you’re a part of me.

Lucifer sighed, A Versewalker and their Core have a bond deeper than friendship. You and I are two separate entities, yet we share the same body – save for when you’re in the VBV. Technically, yes, I am a part of you.

But…

Look, this is weird to dance around, so I’m just going to say it. Yes, I’m jealous of Tinuriel. I’m jealous that you’re relying on her so much and not relying on me as much.

I do rely on you. Hell, you run the whole VBV for me. Not to mention without you, I’d not have any of these Versewalker Classes or Affinities. I’d be dead without you.

Lucifer chuckled, That’s true. Just…promise me that you will stop relying on Tinuriel so much, okay?

You’ve got it. When we are in the VBV next, want to binge a few movies? Just have a guy night?

Felix could feel the gratitude in the back of his mind, Sure. I’ll pick out something good. Now, let’s focus on finding your arm.

Felix refocused his attention on the task at hand as he entered a large, cavernous space. There were several sacks of membrane-covered eggs that pulsed with rhythmic intervals. Several Sharktopi tended to this seeming nursery.

And to his surprise, Felix spotted his arm – Hardlight Recurve and glove – laying on the bottom of the cavernous space. He swam down and looted the items, reequipping them immediately. He felt his fingertips go cool for a moment as the gloves reactivated, and the wrist-mounted-crossbow version of the bow appeared on top of his armor.

They must have not liked the taste.

Mhmm. Now to get out of here.

As he turned to leave, he stopped. An enormous sharktopus – larger than the one Tinuriel had fought – squeezed its way into the cavernous space. It looked ancient – covered in scars and marks on its hide.

That’s a problem.

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