Smoke hoped that this dodge rate was enough to stand against a krampus monster. They had traveled all of the possible monster dens and great halls in the area.
Both of them stood in front of an engraved door similar to the hidden air chamber. The plaque on the engraved door stated:
I am called the bringer of life,
but I do not have any form.
Without me plants are in strife.
I am very abundant in a storm.
What am I?
|
Smoke looked at Espion, and raised his eyebrow.
"Are all the hidden chambers opened with elements?"
Espion nodded.
"Pretty much. Once you get one of them the rest are kind of easy."
The DarkElf took out one of his canisters of water and poured some into the spherical cavity. The engraved door opened, and both of them entered at once.
The room had a similar size to the first hidden chamber which Espion showed the DarkElf. The rectangular room had an area of 150 square meters.
Smoke searched for the receptacle, and took out a shiny emerald, the stone of vision. He stood beside the inscribed plaque.
Place the stone of vision
to meet the second revision.
|
"Espion, are you ready?"
The young Spy motioned that he was excited to see what the stone had to offer.
"Do you think another gem will appear, and we'll take that to the hidden Fire chamber?"
Igniz hovered near Smoke, as he placed the green colored gem into the receptacle. The whole room shook and dust started to fall from the ceiling and the pillars.
A large opening started to part on the far side of the wall opposite to the entrance. Smoke and Espion looked at each other and wondered whether they should walk closer towards the opening.
Ca-chunk! Ca-chunk! Ca-chunk!
Sounds of heavy chains being flung was heard from the opening. Smoke instantly realized that he had made a terrible mistake.
Slowly a pair of black horns came into view. It was followed shortly with two cold black eyes. Both of them saw the head of a huge krampus.
The gigantic hairy monster stepped out of the opening. Its eyes were fixed on the two intruders before it. It took its heavy chain and whirled it over its head.
The krampus threw its chain against Smoke. The DarkElf was able to dodge it, but the debris from the chain's impact damaged him. Smoke's lifebar displayed (91,867/92,212 HP).
The DarkElf briskly equipped his Rzeka glaive. Simultaneously, Espion threw sixteen fire enchanted knives at the krampus' back.
With the krampus' high defense, each throwing knife only damaged the beast for 240-310 points. Igniz trapped the krampus in a fire cage.
However, the krampus broke through Igniz's fire cage like it was made out of red paper. The krampus' lifebar displayed (342,680/350,000 HP). Together with its name, Herzog Popanz.
The krampus that they previously encountered only had 280,000 HP. Popanz had 25% more HP when compared with an ordinary krampus. Even the maneator king, Konig Mitleid only had 300,000 HP.
Lumbering, Popanz ran towards Espion with its iron chain spinning over its head. Popanz was about to launch his chain against the young Spy, when Smoke who stealthily circled around the monster, leapt from behind.
There was barely any space in the room for his weapon. Yet, the DarkElf swung his Rzeka glaive, and delivered a loud crashing blow, worth 2,100 points on Popanz's right shoulder blade. The krampus winced in pain and stumbled forward.
Espion took advantage of Popanz unbalanced state and ran at the krampus with a pair of green dual knives. The Tail's of the Virile and Fecund Lizards knives which Smoke had leant him, was lodged into Popanz head.
The krampus cried out, and tried to grab Espion with both its hands. The young Spy was able to dodge with a hair's breadth.
Smoke and Espion stood on opposite sides of Popanz. The krampus looked left and right, and was confused on who to attack.
Popanz grabbed its heavy chain and started to swirl it around the whole hidden chamber. The length of the heavy chain was enough to cover the areas where Smoke and Espion stood.
On the double, Espion dodged down. While Smoke quickly unequipped his Rzeka glaive, and scaled up to the ceiling of the secret room with his rare gloves, Claws of Chiropterra.
Clinging to the ceiling with his right hand, Smoke took out his electro charged bullwhip. He aimed for Popanz's right hand which held the heavy iron chains.
The DarkElf cracked his bullwhip, and stopped the heavy iron chains from swirling around the room. Smoke held onto Popanz's caught arm with all his might.
The moment the attack of the swirling chains halted, Espion ran to Popanz. The young Spy performed thirty two blinding slashes on the krampus' right armpit.
During their past six days of training, Smoke taught Espion to focus on the monsters' limbs. A severed limb meant the monster would receive a maimed status.
Also, the damage of the amputating blow was more than doubled. Espion was inculcated to follow up after Smoke's attack. The initial blow to Popanz's right shoulder blade meant that the young Spy was supposed to attack the opposite side of the same limb.
The thirty-two slashes from the green dual knives only made a total damage of 8,640 points. The bullwhip's electric shock damage only did 120 points every 3 seconds.
Nevertheless, Popanz was still caught. The krampus did its best to snatch Espion with his left hand, but the young Spy was too fast for it.
Espion kept on with his lightning fast slashes, and managed a total damage of 25,920 points. Popanz's lifebar now displayed (312,940/350,000 HP).
The humongous krampus realized that it needed to free itself from the DarkElf's bullwhip. It grabbed a hold of Smoke's bullwhip.
Popanz focused all of its strength, and pulled Smoke towards it. The DarkElf was unhinged from the ceiling, and hurled rapidly into the Popanz's dangerous hand.
Smoke did not resist Popanz's pull. Instead, he welcomed it. As he was yanked towards the krampus, he took out his flamdius sword with his right hand.
The DarkElf used the momentum from the hauled bullwhip attached to his left hand, and lunged his sword into the Popanz right shoulder joint.
Simultaneously, Espion kept on hacking on the opposite side. Popanz had prepared itself for another attack that came near its torso.
The krampus hugged Smoke with all its might. The death squeeze attack damaged Smoke for 1,200 points per second.
Igniz and Espion became desperate. Igniz began firing his strongest fireballs on Popanz head, but its low damage at 150-200 points made no effect on the krampus.
While Espion climbed on top of Popanz shoulder and started to hack at his right shoulder joint with the green dual knives.
The Tail's of the Virile and Fecund Lizards active ability to paralyze an opponent did not work on Popanz. Espion became desperate as he saw Smoke's lifebar drop to (55,867/92,212 HP).
Igniz stopped attacking with his fireball attacks. The dark ember sprite knew he had to do something to save Smoke's life.
He charged at Popanz with his top speed. Igniz's dark purple flaming body was small enough to fit into one of Popanz gigantic nostrils.
The dark ember sprite rammed himself into Popanz nose. Once inside he began emitting bursts of powerful flame attacks.
Popanz's fire resistance was weaker from the inside of its body. Each of Igniz's flame attacks damaged the krampus for 800 points.
The dark ember sprite lodged in the krampus' nose severely irritated the huge beast. Popanz released its death grip on Smoke, and tried to wriggle Igniz out of its nose.
As soon as he was released. Smoke activated his necklace, Heart of ReenTe. The necklace's active ability increased the DarkElf's lifebar at an amazing rate.
On the ground Smoke switched weapons, and took out his Rzeka glaive. He focused all of his energy on his feet and leapt up with all his might.
Smoke swung down his Rzeka glaive with a deadly blow, and finally severed the krampus' right arm. Smoke damaged the krampus for 8,400 points.
Popanz cried out in pain as its blood began to gush out of where his severed limb used to be. The krampus' lifebar shown (268,828/350,000HP).
Igniz remained safe inside the nose and kept on with his flame attacks. Smoke quickly gave the young Spy an order.
"Espion, grab Popanz's iron chains, and lock its left arm into its body!"
Swiftly, Espion unequipped the green dual knives, and followed Smoke's command. He managed to circle around Popanz three times.
Espion successfully disabled the krampus with its own weapon. Smoke switched his attacks onto Popanz's kneecaps.
With a strong horizontal Mountain Split attack, the DarkElf knocked Popanz down to the floor. He started to chop off the krampus' right leg.
"Espion, start on the back of Popanz's neck."
"You got it."
Popanz writhed around on the floor. The monster was in complete pain. The maimed status and the loss of blood, drained some of the krampus' strength.
Smoke kept on striking down Popanz's knee cap. After his sixteenth stroke the krampus' right knee was sliced off completely.
The combined attack of Smoke, Espion, and Igniz whittled down Popanz's lifebar. It now displayed (145,628/350,000 HP).
"I've almost got its head as well."
The krampus' second severed limb gave back its drained strength. The monster busted out of its own chains. Popanz went after Espion's head.
The young Spy was busy slashing the krampus' neck that he didn't notice Popanz's claws were coming at him.
"Espion! Behind you!"
Espion turned around and saw the claws right in front of his eyes. He tried to dodge, but Popanz reached Espion's face and scratched his right eye.
Igniz flew out of Popanz nose as he tried to look after the injured Espion.
Smoke moved in front of Popanz and swung his Rzeka glaive at the krampus' eyes as well. The strike temporarily blinded the beast.
The DarkElf twisted his body as far as it allowed him. He stretched out his glaive for maximum force.
"Igniz, enchant my glaive!"
Immediately, his Rzeka glaive was covered in smouldering flames. Smoke struck Popanz's neck with all his might.
However, the hit was not enough to decapitate the beast. Espion tried to help by throwing his enhanced knives at the back of Popanz's neck.
Only eight out of his sixteen throwing knives hit their target. At the same time, Smoke kept on striking the front of Popanz's neck.
Popanz tried to grab Smoke, but without its right arm and right leg it had a hard time trying to move.
Smoke, Espion, and Igniz kept on with their attacks. Until finally, Smoke delivered the finishing blow and decapitated Popanz's head.
+ Your party has dealt a fatal blow to krampus: Herzog Popanz.
+ Your party killed krampus: Herzog Popanz.
+ Your party gained 400,000 exp.
As the body of the krampus, Herzog Popanz. started to fade away, it left behind a precious loot.
+ Acquired rare iron chains: 'Swirling Iron of Death'.
+ Acquired krampus hide.
+ Acquired krampus horns.
+ Acquired krampus hooves.
+ Acquired krampus embryo.
Smoke didn't have the time to check on the dropped items. He quickly stored them away in his backpack window.
After he secured the items, the DarkElf went to see how Espion was doing. The krampus' attack blinded Espion's right eye.
"Are you okay?"
"I'll live. Don't worry about it. If you hadn't warned me in time, that monster would've probably cleaned my head off."
Smoke prepared his medicinal deer stew after he applied bandages on Espion's eyes.
As they ate, Smoke inspected the items and found that the acquired krampus embryo was described as the key to unlocking the center of the labyrinth.
Smoke told Espion and Igniz that as soon as they were rested they would head back to the central hidden chamber.
* * * * * *
Back in the central hidden chamber of Fire. Smoke, Espion, and Igniz prepared for the worst. They were at optimum fighting condition.
Espion had his throwing knives at the ready, and Igniz was prepared to launch a series of fire cages or even lodge himself into another nostril.
