"We're halfway back guys lets keep moving, little more and we can rest." I yell out as the rest of the group follows behind us. I can't help but smile in pride as I check my inventory again and see the five slave cages marked as occupied, the last one in the group having a skull on it signifying a boss.
"Know its hard to tell Big sis but its going to be dark soon. We need to move faster unless we want to run into the nasties out here. With the boss scritcher gone and its hoard mostly massacred it won't take long for the nastier creatures to repopulate." Iron says as she looks around warily with her axe still in her free hand while her other holds Sarah's legs in place as the child rides on her massive shoulders.
"I be new in dis area, saw some of the creatures but not many. What be worse than the undead and beasts?" Slax asks with caution as Iron looks around before nodding to herself.
"Well little guy the undead like the wraiths and zombies aren't the worst of them. You have nightstalkers, wights, skeletal monstrosities that just kind of merge together and hunt. Several types of spirit including damn banshee's which are a nightmare to fight. You have to keep them silenced or their screams cause damage and added to that are curses that are extremly hard to cure. The wandering dungeon bosses that are dead set on either murdering or taking prisoner anything humanoid with intelligence. Plus the lanyo is in this area hence we need to hurry." Iron says seriously as she tries to prod everyone into picking up the pace.
"But what be a lanyo exactly? I know it be a creature of some strength since it be on our hunt list but why the fear?" Slax asks curiously as he forces his legs to pump faster to keep up with the taller woman.
"Lanyo are rare creatures and extremly aggressive. They stand an easy ten feet tall at the smallest and the largest was found at seventeen feet tall. They mostly travel on four limbs but its front paws have digits that can actually carry stuff and it can walk upright if it chooses. Its spit and claws secrete an extreme hallucinogen that causes waking nightmares, it has magical ability to control earth and darkness to an extent and they're extremly intelligent. The older ones are known to actually be able to speak and like to play with their prey before consuming them while they're still alive. It has a feline body covered in durable scales, claws that are sharp as a blade and a head of long scraggly hair that goes from the base of their neck to the top of their skull. An elongated face like a lizard pokes through this hair and eyes that glow red can be seen within them. Lanyo are rare because they can't live somewhere with another, even going so far as to kill each other. That's all I know about them and some of it could just be rumor but a fact is if a lanyo is in an area it will hunt down anything it see's in its conceived territory until its free of anything but prey for it to consume. Hence we need to move befo...." Iron cuts off as she looks off to the side of us and her eyes go wide.
"Yesssss human.....please continueee.....I have never heard the stories told of our kind but its nice to know we are still feared." Rasps the creature stalking us from the shadows of the wooded area around us. Soon a head pushes through a large bush causing all of us to hold our breath. The face of the creature is a combination between a dead horse and a lizard, glowing red orbs stare at our party as its maw smiles eerily at us while a thick green tongue licks its maw. It's head looks down upon us as greasy, scraggly, knotted hair hangs over its face and hangs from its head, the ends moving slightly as if alive.
"May we have one moment great Lanyo before this fight commences? We wish to prepare and give you a worthy challenge." I say slowly as the beast nods its head and its smile widens as it slowly walks its body out of the shadowy woods and sits in waiting.
"Iron I'm transferring my inventory to you and Sarah. You know what you have to do. We'll see each other soon." I say while grasping Iron and Sarah's hand giving each of them the slave cages before pulling my lance from the air. Iron nods and sprints as fast as her legs can carry her as an amused chuckle comes from the Lanyo.
"Ahhhh humans are so refreshingggg. Dwarves tend to fights foreeevvver and elves have no taste. Gnome and goblin of this place taste rotteeen but human is delicious. No worriiies I shall have them soon, but first let us plaaaaay." The creature says with malice in its voice as it stands on its hind legs and stretches its front arms into the air.
I watch its body taking note of anything that could be a weakness, I can clearly see its a male so a stab there could give us more time. It has a long tail almost like a crocodiles behind it that its using to balance as well as there being dried blood near one of its back legs, a small cluster of scabs covering a small wound. I glance over at Slax and notice him staring at the beast with clear fear written over his face.
"Slax get it together. Remember we won't fall here but Sarah and Iron aren't that lucky. We need to hold this thing off long enough for them to get to base. Once they make it there we'll see them again just like banshee." I say as the geckonian slowly shakes himself out of his fear as he nods and begins chanting a spell before slicing his hand open overtop of the ground.
"Buy me a few minutes, I be having an idea that may help" Slax says as I nod and square myself off against the towering creature before us.
-------------------------------------Within the Dungeon--------------------------------------------------
{WARNING!WARNING! Slax, Pacted Gilded Geckonian, is attempting to perform a summoning ritual. Creature being summoned is not within Pacted creature's ability to control! Allow summoning to succeed or contain creature being summoned until Pacted being is able to control said creature?}
'Allow Slax to complete the summon. Send a message to the creature if able. Message should state the following, I am the dungeon core known as Kyle. You are to protect you summoner and his companion to the best of your ability or you will be locked away from the rest of the world for all eternity. No death, no life just darkness forever. Succeed and you may be free inside my dungeon and can do whatever you want to your hearts content as long as it matches my dungeon plans. Choose wisely.' I finish saying as Tilly looks at me with eyes filled with shock at the coldness in my voice towards this entity.
"Hey you okay Kyle? Usually your more....upbeat." tilly asks cautiously.
'I'm fine Tilly, but that monster wants to eat my friends. I'll be damned if I let that happens without a damn fight.' I say as we watch as a burning circle appears before Slax on the screen and a blood chilling scream comes from it.
--------------------------------------Back to the Fight-----------------------------------------------------
I try to dodge from the claw flashing towards me but the tail slams into my side as I hear multiple cracks coming from my ribs before I fly across the small path and land several feet from the lanyo, its malicious chuckling filling the area as it licks some of the blood off of its tail.
"Amusinnng. You are a strong human but I am still superiorrrrr. I shall devour you now then the snack. Then hunt down the rest of my meeaaal." The lanyo rasps out with a sickening smile before a scream is heard from Slax's area. Looking over I see a burning circle filled with strange symbols in front of his unconscious body before a chitin covered hand reaches out of the fire. The lanyo backs up as it watches this new opponent appear with extreme vigilance as the being finally appears.
"Your dungeon core's an asshole but it's fine I've served under worse. If you can move grab my..."master" and run while I play with this child." says a voice that seems to be both male and female as it glances towards the lanyo in disgust. The lanyo looks at this new being in anger as it returns to standing on four legs and growls towards the new combatant.