Garret forms a new layer of earthen armor over his chainmail that seemed to be made of sturdier materials than previously as he is now using the dungeon material which now formed into a dark prismatic plate armor with specs of dried blood dabbled here and there, the mace grows jagged and rough, as shards of dark stone and ancient soil creep up from the ground, encasing the weapon. The new layers pulse faintly with an earthy glow of mossy green, illuminating faint carvings or runes that emerge as the magic channels through it.
Alden whistles as he beholds his friend's attire and pats him on the shoulder, the two take point as they continue through the dungeon halls with the rest following close behind, "According to the maps drawn by people who have scouted the dungeon there is a mini boss in the far room on this floor that guards the way down to the second floor." Alden references the map as they move through the halls with precision while shooting a few zombies in the head with his enchanted arrow before they could notice and swarm.
A group of zombies behaving strangely up ahead caused the party to halt in their tracks. The zombies had blue flames in their eyes and moved as a unit, with one larger zombie fully equipped and its eyes blazing with long-lost duty. "It's a Lesser Death Knight, be on guard!" Garret roared as he bashed his shield with his mace, drawing the attention of the zombie horde.
"BANG!"
"BANG!"
"BANG!"
"STONEWALL TAUNT!" Garret roars as the lesser death knight points its sword toward the group, whispering in a dark and deathly tone, "Charge!" The zombies began to lunge at Garret, who had slammed his tower shield into the ground to brace for impact. Soon, the small horde of zombies was clawing at the shield while Garret swung his mace, smashing the skulls of a few zombies that got too close. They collapsed to the ground with their black blood pouring from their rotten flesh.
"Windstep Surge!" Alden said as he was attempting to kite the zombies with his blades, weaving between them using power of his wind to create a path that increased both his speed and agility. He managed to pass through the small army of zombies with only a few small wounds from the bony fingers of those he couldn't dodge in time.
Water formed a shimmering shield around Alden as the Lesser Death Knight swung its massive blade downward in a cruel arc, aiming to cleave the adventurer in half. The massive blade hissed through the air, its edge glowing with dark, necrotic energy. The shield of water wavered under the strike, but just as the blade began to breach it, the barrier shattered with a deafening crack.
Alden, however, had already anticipated the blow. With a sharp twist of his body, he slid beneath the blade's deadly arc, narrowly avoiding the fatal strike. His heart raced as he slid across the stone floor, the smell of death heavy in the air. He ducked behind Garret just as the Death Knight's blade embedded into the stone with a resounding thud, leaving a jagged crack in the floor.
Garret, the earth mage, was already in motion. His broad, muscular form loomed like a mountain next to the smaller, more agile Alden. Garret wielded his stone-encrusted mace with terrifying strength, swinging it in wide arcs that crushed everything in its path. His mace struck the decaying zombies with sickening force, each blow turning their bodies into pulps of decaying flesh and bile. The stench was overwhelming, but Garret's resolve never wavered. With every swing, he cleaved through the undead horde as if they were nothing more than fragile branches under the might of a storm.
The Lesser Death Knight, seeing its minions fall under the earth elemental's strikes, let out an ear-splitting howl. It turned to face Garret, its empty eye sockets glowing with a malevolent, fiery light. Clearly something was looking at them through the eyes of the undead knight. The undead knight raised its sword into the air which spread a red malevolent aura around him, "Death Knell!" the knight managed to growl causing the red aura to surge into the undead filling them with unholy strength and speed which caused Garret to suffer more as he was slowly being pressed back by the empowered undead!
Alden weaved through the legs of the Death Knight, dodging another mighty swing from the undead. He noticed the armor on its legs was particularly rotten along the ankles. With a burst of wind, he reoriented himself to a better position to attack. With a loud roar that echoed through the dungeon, he shouted, "Whirlwind Slash!" The edges of Alden's swords formed a cyclone along the blades, slashing straight through the ankles of the undead knight. The knight immediately lost its ability to stand and fell forward, its sword clattering to the ground. Before the undead knight could call for help, a flare javelin blasted into its socket and out the other side, leaving a large gaping hole where the entire left half of the Death Knight's face had been causing it to tumble as it began to dissipate in light which now left the zombies without a clear commander as the blue light in their eyes faded and returned to the normal rotten appearance.
William managed to grab the discarded sword and deposit it into his shadow as these cursed weapons tend to sell quite well in auction and he knew the group would appreciate the forethought, and as the group managed to finish off the last remaining zombie they opened the door they were guarding and entered.
The room's air was thick with tension, the blue-flamed torches casting unsettling shadows that flickered as the first two undead clawed their way out of the tombs. William's heart raced in his chest as his mind scrambled to find a way to help. He could barely make a dent in a fight like this, but if he could buy them time, maybe that would make a difference.
"Stay focused!" Garret barked, charging toward the first zombie, his earth magic surrounding his body like armor. His massive mace smashed into the decaying creature, sending it crashing into the stone wall.
William's hands shook as he extended them toward the crypts lining the walls, the skeletal tombs of long-forgotten warriors. The Darkness magic he wielded was weak, but in this situation, it could still be useful. He concentrated, drawing from the shadows around him, and the air seemed to thicken as the crypts responded to his call.
The shadows lashed out, curling around the open crypts like living tendrils. William gritted his teeth, pouring every ounce of effort into the magic, hoping it would work. Slowly, the lids of the crypts began to shift, the stone grinding against stone as the Darkness magic latched onto them, forcing the lids down with a deep, resonating groan.
"It's working!" William shouted, his voice strained as the crypts began to close. But it wasn't enough. For every crypt he forced shut, another would open, the undead inside clawing their way out.
"Keep them closed, William!" Raven's voice rang out, her Water magic flaring as she blocked an incoming arrow from the Greater Death Knight's bow. She threw a look back at him, her brown eyes flashing with urgency. "We can't let them overwhelm us."
"I'm trying!" William gasped, sweat beading on his forehead. The crypt lids were heavy, the Darkness magic fighting against centuries of entombment. His powers, though weak, were enough to slow the process. He pushed harder, his hands trembling as the crypts continued to creak and groan under his will.
But it was a losing battle.
Another two undead crawled from their graves, their eyes glowing with malevolent hunger. One of them, a bloated zombie with rotting flesh hanging off its bones, swung a putrid arm at Holly, who had just finished dispatching the first zombie with a burst of fire.
"Watch out!" William shouted, his shadows stretching toward the zombie's feet, trying to ensnare it before it could strike. The shadows wrapped around the zombie's legs, dragging it to the floor, but only for a moment.
"Nice try," Garret said, his voice low as he slammed his mace down into the zombie's skull, turning it to dust. But even as the undead fell, more crawled out of the crypts.
"They're coming faster!" Garret shouted, stepping forward to take the brunt of the attack.
William's heart pounded. He couldn't stop them all. His Darkness magic was too weak to deal with the oncoming tide of undead. He needed more time, just a little more.
"Hold them off!" Alden shouted, creating a whirlwind around himself to push back the advancing undead. He focused his wind magic into a powerful gust, knocking one zombie back into the crypts.
The undead might have been slowed, but the constant barrage was starting to take its toll. Two more crawled from the tombs, and this time, they were joined by another skeletal warrior, its bony hands gripping a rusted sword. William's breath caught in his throat. This wasn't going to stop unless he did something drastic.
He reached deep within himself, summoning all the Darkness he could muster. His palms felt hot with energy as he forced the crypts to close tighter, slamming down with every bit of his will. The tomb lids scraped against their frames, the stone grinding against the ancient walls.
But it wasn't enough. The undead were relentless. The force of his magic was fighting against the centuries-old seals of the crypts, and it was like trying to hold back a flood with a single hand.
"William, don't overdo it!" Raven warned, her voice urgent as she used her Water magic to fend off an undead warrior lunging at her.
"I, can't!" William gasped, his hands shaking violently now as the crypts continued to open. His energy was nearly spent, but the tide of undead seemed endless. His body trembled, the Darkness swirling around him like a living thing, fighting his will.
"Focus, William!" Alden yelled, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Don't let them break through. We're almost there!"
The words pushed him forward. With a final, desperate push, William called upon all his remaining strength. The Darkness flared around him, tendrils of shadow bursting from his fingertips, lashing out to hold back the crypts and prevent any more undead from emerging.
For a moment, the crypts stilled. The undead paused in their crawling. The room seemed to hold its breath.
But it wasn't enough to stop the inevitable.
From the tombs, two more undead clawed their way out, their skeletal hands reaching up to drag themselves out of their graves. The floodgates were open, and William was fighting a losing battle.
"We need to end this now!" Holly shouted, flames erupting around her as she took down another zombie, her fire magic igniting the room with the brightness of a blaze.
"Garret, cover us!" Alden barked.
"We're running out of time," Garret grunted, using his earth magic to trap two more undead in a massive stone fist, sending them crashing back into the crypts.
William, his hands still outstretched, fought to keep the shadows writhing around the tombs, forcing the lids back into place. The Darkness was growing weaker, his power diminishing with every passing moment.
"We need to stop the knight!" he shouted, his voice hoarse. "It's summoning more."
Alden turned to face the Greater Death Knight, who was now notching another arrow, ready to rain death upon them all. "We can't do this without you, William," he said, his voice steady, even in the chaos. "Focus on the undead. We'll take the knight down."
William nodded weakly, a sense of urgency pushing him forward. The Darkness swirled around him as he focused on keeping the crypts sealed, just long enough for the team to deal with the knight.
As Garret slammed his earth-covered mace into the next wave of zombies, Alden darted forward with a blast of wind, pushing the remaining undead away from their path.
The battle wasn't over, but they had a chance now.
The battle raged on, but the Greater Death Knight stood firm, its skeletal form towering over the group. It wielded its dark, wreathed bow with deadly precision, loosing arrows that hissed through the air like venomous serpents. Each time one of its arrows connected, the adventurers felt the sting of death, a chilling cold that froze their bones.
William gritted his teeth, his hands trembling with the effort of keeping the crypts sealed. The Darkness magic swirled in chaotic patterns around him, but he was starting to feel the weight of exhaustion. Each failed attempt to close another crypt drained him further, and the pressure of holding back the undead was taking its toll.
"William, focus!" Raven's voice cut through the chaos, sharp and commanding. She was holding her own against the smaller undead that had appeared, her water magic forming shields to block incoming blows. Her movements were fluid, controlled, like a dancer amidst a storm.
He turned to look at her, his heart racing as he fought to maintain his balance. "I'm trying... but..."
"I know," she said, cutting him off with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "But I need you to do something for me." She reached to her side and drew a small vial from her belt, its contents shimmering faintly in the torchlight. "I need the holy water."
William blinked, confused for a moment. "What?"
"The holy water. You have it, don't you?" Raven's voice dropped slightly, almost coaxing.
William's heart skipped a beat. The holy water, of course. He had been carrying it hidden in his shadow, stashed away in the depth of his magic, a small but powerful vial. He had intended to keep it safe, but now it seemed it would play a crucial role in defeating the Greater Death Knight.
He nodded quickly and lowered his hand to the shadow at his feet. The darkness rippled, and his fingers brushed against the cool glass vial. With a flick of his wrist, he pulled it out from the shadow and handed it to Raven.
Raven's eyes glimmered as she took the vial from him, her fingers brushing his for just a moment, sending an unfamiliar thrill through his chest. "Thanks," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. But there was something in her gaze that made William feel like a pawn on a chessboard, something he couldn't quite place.
He pushed the feeling aside, though. They had a battle to win.
She wasted no time. Turning swiftly, she rushed toward the Greater Death Knight, holding the vial aloft as if it were a weapon. The Death Knight, its hollow eyes flashing with malice, loosed another arrow, but Raven moved with the grace of water itself. With a flick of her hand, she sent a wave of water to intercept the arrow, knocking it aside, before dashing forward again.
As Raven approached, the Greater Death Knight raised its bow to unleash another strike. But Raven was faster. With a final surge of speed, she hurled the vial of holy water directly at the monster.
"Now!" she shouted.
The vial struck the creature with a bright flash of light, shattering upon impact and releasing a flood of radiant energy. The holy water burned through the dark magic binding the Death Knight's bones, and the creature howled in agony, its form writhing as the power of the water began to erode its unholy strength.
Alden, ever the opportunist, didn't wait for further orders. He sprinted forward, his eyes sharp and focused as he drew his bow. He nocked a wind arrow, the air around it buzzing with energy, and fired it with precision at the Death Knight's weakened skull.
The arrow tore through the air like a thunderclap, striking directly into the Death Knight's empty eye socket. The force of the shot caused the knight's skull to crack, but it didn't fall. The creature staggered back, its bones rattling as if caught in a violent storm.
"Garret!" Alden shouted. "Now's your chance!"
Garret, always ready for a fight, was already charging forward. His earth-crusted mace gleamed with raw power as he moved, his body a wrecking ball as he barreled through the undead that still swarmed the room. The ground shook with each step, and when he reached the Greater Death Knight, he raised his mace high.
The massive weapon swung down with all the force of the earth itself. It collided with the Death Knight's skull, smashing it into pieces with a deafening crash. The dark magic that had once held it together dissipated in an instant, and the skeletal figure crumpled to the floor in a heap of broken bones.
The room went eerily silent.
William, still panting from his exertion, could hardly believe it was over. His legs buckled beneath him, and he collapsed to his knees, the exhaustion from his earlier efforts crashing down on him.
"We did it," Garret grunted, surveying the scene with a look of quiet satisfaction.
"Barely," Raven replied, her voice sharp. She didn't show much relief—her gaze remained fixed on the treasure chest that lay behind the now-defeated Greater Death Knight. "But we're not done yet."
William's heart was still racing, but the feeling of relief was short-lived. They had won this fight, but the journey ahead was far from over.
As he caught his breath, he couldn't help but feel a pang of unease. Despite the victory, something about the way Raven and the others had treated him lingered in his mind. He wasn't sure what it was, but it felt like he was playing a game he didn't understand.
For now, though, he pushed the feeling aside. There was a treasure to claim, and the path forward still beckoned.
Alden did the honors as he dealt most of the damage to the knight itself and opened the chest revealing an eerie bow, this bow is a masterpiece of dark elegance, crafted from the bones of ancient, storm-touched trees. Its frame is sleek and black, with intricate carvings that seem to pulse with a faint, eerie light. The bowstring, made from the sinew of mythical beasts, hums softly with every draw, as if whispering secrets of the storm.
He drops his bow which William subconsciously stores in his shadow and nocks an arrow in his new bow, when the arrow is nocked and drawn, the air around it crackles with energy, and a faint, ghostly wail can be heard, reminiscent of the howling winds of a tempest, he begins aiming at the last remaining zombie that was struggling under some rubble before releasing the bowstring with an audible "Dink!" the arrow released from the bow fly with unnatural speed and precision, leaving a trail of shimmering air currents in their wake and once it collides with the skull of the zombie an arc of red lightning released from the tip and fried the zombie from the inside leaving it charred to the point of releasing a high-pitched whine.
"Oh I like this!" Alden exclaims as he held the bow like a trophy, the rest of the group already moved on to the door leading below and were waiting for him to finish salivating over his new weapon.
the group sigh collectively as he reaches them and begins setting up a temporary camp in the center of the room, they spend a few hours recovering their stamina and healing their wounds and Holly lights a fire so Garret can make the group a mixed stew, after a few hours the group finally digests the food and potions and gather around the door leading below, "Let's go, no time to waste!" Garret says as he opens the door, immediately the group descends to the floor below