DCO- Dungeon Core Online

Chapter 36

James was pretty sure everyone in The Knights Who Go Ni was crazy. Well, maybe not crazy. After all, this was just a video game, and they didn’t have any real stakes against them. And they were, without a doubt, the most experienced and cohesive group of gamers he’d ever had the pleasure of meeting. But even still, the reckless abandon with which they’d throw themselves into the unknown, especially to help each other, and attempt to seize victory, inspired James. It also cemented in him his decision to bring them into the fold, once they were somewhere a little more… private.

“Snare the pitchfork,” Med Ic called out to Oak as he prepared to put his plan into action. The tank glanced back at the healer, then shrugged, and activated a snare effect. Lightning erupted from around him, creating a massive cage of pulsating power. The Unique Boss lashed against its electric confines, like a dog placed in a too small cage. The snare was effective, but it’d be short lived. Most effects were, after all. Especially against bosses.

“If this works,” Med Ic was already running towards Oak and the others. He nodded in passing to Elm, “follow me.”

Elm nodded back, a wild grin on his face.

“What about me?” Oak grumbled. He wasn’t even bothering to ask what Med Ic was up to.

“Stay here and tank. We’re splitting for a zone fight.” And with that, Med Ic reached the caged Unique Boss. He reached his hand out and grabbed hold of the obsidian handle. Just like before, the skull at its base flared with power, and then, Med Ic was gone. James checked and confirmed that just like Z, the healer’s name had greyed out.

“Here goes nothing,” Elm had begun moving even as Med Ic raced towards the pitchfork. The electrical cage around it cleared, and it shot upwards, but Elm was just as fast. An arrow shot towards it, crackling with power, and smashed into it. It wasn’t a snare, but a slow. The pitrchfork’s movement speed decreased by about half, giving Elm the time he needed to grab hold of it.

And then, just like that, they were down three members.

“Guess I’m supposed to just sit here and keep tanking it.” Oak grumbled, his shield already interrupting another blow. James looked at the poor tank. Oak did his job well, but it usually meant he was stuck with the short end of things.

“I can have Ifrit try and tank, if you want to go with them,” James offered. Med Ic had discussed the plan with them. Z’s pets could serve as tanks wherever they were. With Elm and Med Ic reunited with Z, the healer was confident they could handle whatever they were facing on the other side. And with Rue as a healer as well, Med Ic didn’t feel bad about risking his life on the plan.

“Appreciate it,” Oak grunted as the pitchfork slammed into his shield. The A.L.I.E.N. head on the shield lashed out, spraying acid, the green ooze covering the gleaming obsidian, “but it’s probably best if I stay out here. If we wipe out here, who knows what happens to them.” He sighed, “and sadly, my level gap means I’m better suited to be the tank out here anyways.”

“It’s not like it’s a hard job right now,” Faust added. Lightning storms crackled above, and the pitchfork seemed to dance as it weaved around the strikes. Some hit it, others completely missed, as the Unique Boss engaged in a deadly tango. All the while, Oak held its aggro, masterfully working his skills to keep the unique boss fully focused on him. Given Faust and Ifrit’s extremely high damage outputs, it was impressive.

“I never said it was,” Oak’s shield rang out as it blocked another attack. Crimson light glowed from Rue, rushing towards him to heal him. He nodded back at her appreciatively, as he prepared another skill. “Just hate splitting the party.”

“It brings back memories though,” Faust said as they continued their clash. Hokey Pokey had only lost about a third of its HP so far, and James knew this was going to be a long battle. “Locking us out of communication with each other is new though.”

“It’s not like the good old days, where we could all just chill in Voice Chat with each other outside of the game, and work around any mechanics meant to hinder our communication,” Oak chuckled, his voice filled with nostalgia. “Really crazy how much more intense these battles can be.”

“Definitely makes DCO worth playing,” Faust concluded. “Between the endless class possibilities, and the sheer variety of dungeons and experiences we get to try out.” He laughed, pointing both of his hands towards the pitchfork as he spoke. Energy crackled, as a massive beam of raw lightning tore from his hands. The air around him distorted from the heat as it smashed into the boss with an impressive crashing sound, like waves upon a cliff. Then, a boom ripped out around them, deafening James for a moment.

“Glad we got the chance to play a game like this in our time,” Faust said as everyone’s hearing returned. “Makes what we’ve lived through all worth it.”

Oak and Faust went quiet at that, and James felt a solemn weight fall upon the group. He had no idea what they’d all been through. He knew Z’s story of course. And former Marine turned brilliant doctor turned school nurse had a tragic backstory. What about the others though? What had they all seen? What had they all been through? And how did they continue pushing forward, through all of that? How did they smile and laugh, when it was clear they’d all seen their fair share of tragedy and sorrow?

James looked at Rue, but she shook her head. It wasn’t their place to interrupt the somber moment. He got that. This was something intimate, something they were outsiders for.

And that was fine. They could have their moment. James focused instead on dealing with Hokey Pokey and surviving this unique boss. He’d help them get another potential Instance first, and another set of fun experiences, before he turned the mood even darker. Before he told them the truth about DCO, and what was to come.

For now, they had a possessed pitchfork to deal with. After, they’d deal with the darker truths of the game they’d all come to love.