The Ruby Magician

“Any time now would be nice!” Wyn yelled, pulling his spear out of the Lacert’s stomach. The monster fell to the ground in a heap, and he inspected the wound on his leg with a quick glance. It was deeper than he liked, but still manageable. The worst part was that the pain slowed him down, and he needed his speed.

“Regen,” he muttered, and felt the warm flow of magic coat his body. He didn’t want to completely exhaust his mana, but he needed his leg to heal as much as possible so he could be mobile.

The other Lacert threw its spear up, hoping to block John’s sword strike. It succeeded but failed to completely block the stronger Climber - his sword continued along its intended path and cut a deep gash in the creature’s shoulder. The only thing that prevented its arm from being hacked off was the spear blocking a portion of the blow.

The Lamiert growled with its next attack, and John just managed to block the incoming axe with his shield. The force sent him to a knee despite his enhanced physicality from his Focus skill. He was handling both monsters at once and doing a damn good job of it, too.

Wyn rushed to the axe wielding Lamiert, thankful that his leg wasn’t slowing him down anymore. He pushed past the residual pain he still had and lashed out at the monster when he was close enough for a stab. The creature writhed its body out of the way skillfully, not needing to use its axe to deflect the failed attack.

His goal worked, though, giving John enough of a reprieve to recover by joining the fray so the Fighter wouldn’t be alone.

“I’ll take him on,” Wyn said, urgency in his voice. “Kill the weaker one!”

John spun without a reply and grunted with another slash of his sword. He turned up his intensity, hoping to kill the creature quick. A flurry of slashes and stabs improved by his aura overwhelmed the Lacert who was unable to completely block or dodge every strike. In seconds it was cut and gouged enough to die, falling to the ground in a sad yelp.

Wyn kept the sole Lamiert’s attention, aiming to keep it away from the others. He sidestepped one axe swing as it chipped at the stone ground, and Wyn knew he’d be dead if the strength behind that weapon hit him.

He suddenly, desperately wished for a better piece of armor.

Another swing followed the first, surprising Wyn with its speed. He knew he wouldn’t be able to completely dodge it. “Shield!” He yelled, and curled his left arm against his body. The spell formed a large convex shield around him and immediately absorbed the blow. The axe bounced off the magical force field but Wyn was pushed back several feet from the remaining force.

He stayed on his feet and thankfully didn’t feel the impact in his arm. A flash of his mark told him he had less than half of his mana left.

The Lamiert stayed on its attack and hissed, putting more force into another swing as it reared back with both hands. Wyn leapt to the side and back, avoiding the large axe as it cratered into the ground.

A splatter of blood hit Wyn in the chest and made him flinch. He looked up from the ground to see a purple bladed sword sticking out from the chest of the monster. It dropped its axe and coughed up blood, clawing at the sword.

John grunted and twisted the blade, causing the monster to howl in pain. It was a sickening sound, like a hiss mixed with a cry for help.

Wyn stood and stabbed it in the neck with his spear, silencing it for good. Both Climbers pulled their weapons back as the body went limp.

Wyn and John stood there for a second to recover. John looked as though he was barely tired, his aura radiating power and menace. Wyn felt fatigue begin to set in from his wound and effort but stayed vigilant.

This was only the first round, after all.

Wyn noticed the spears left behind from the Lacerts weren’t disappearing like the bodies. He jogged over and grabbed one, realizing it was the perfectly slim size to fit into the hole in the wall.

As he maneuvered himself back to the hole past the debris and distance, he pushed the weapon in and smiled. It was a good fit, fitting just enough to barely touch the stone edges. He shoved the weapon back as hard as he could and felt a soft resistance before a hard one.

A reddish pink color began to grow from the hole, and the first torch lit on the far wall. A single bar disappeared in front of the portal, as well.

“It worked!” Tasha yelled.

Wyn turned around to see a statue on the far left spewing fire. The others began to hurriedly rotate it, setting off the events needed to light the torches and remove the bars like the previous puzzles on this floor.

After the third torch was lit, the group basically sprinted across the room to the far right section. There was only one statue to breathe fire into as the second was the broken mess on the floor, but another black mass formed in the middle of the floor.

More enemies were coming.

“I’ll help this time,” Marcy said. She ran over and placed a trap on the ground, the large magical runes flashing on the stone floor.

Wyn took a deep breath. If he could lead one or two enemies into the trap, he’d be able to manage the third. But being bait was never fun and always risky.

Two Lamierts emerged from the portal before it closed behind them. One held a mage’s staff and had dirty braided black hair, and the other twirled two swords while hissing. It wore a bone helmet on its head and bone armor on its torso.

Marcy stepped back after the trap was set and launched a glowing arrow at the Lamiert with the staff. It raised its weapon and caused a large block of earth to magically rise from the ground, blocking the arrow and causing it to shatter. The mound of rock and dirt was well crafted and precise rather than a large and wide mass, showing the monster’s skill with magic. It looked like the Shield spell except earth based.

Wyn stepped forward to meet the encroaching creature with dual blades. It didn’t rush towards him but instead took its time, hissing and glaring at him with intent. These monsters were obviously smarter and stronger. Which, unfortunately, made them far more dangerous opponents.

He knew monsters at this caliber would be showing up sooner or later - it was just unexpected they showed sooner rather than later.

When the distance was less than 15 feet, the monster suddenly lashed its tail into the ground and lurched itself forward, lashing out with a sword stab. Wyn rolled and dodged it, trying his best to brush off the discomfort of the hard stone floor against his body. At the end of his roll he stabbed out on his knees, though the monster slithered out of reach.

Wyn stood up with his spear readied. The monster began to circle him as though it was assessing him. This creature wouldn’t be a pushover, but Wyn had magic. And experience.

He slashed out in an arc though the Lamiert easily blocked it. Wyn used the momentum to spin and hook it with the clawed end of his spear, pulling it to one side. The monster didn’t expect the move and was lurched awkwardly, though flailed its tail around to try and right itself. The counter worked, and it was able to glide out of Wyn’s range.

Despite it wielding swords and Wyn wielding a spear, they were still evenly matched regarding the reach they possessed, as the monster was easily more than eight feet tall, and its tail gave a frustrating advantage. Even so, it couldn’t use magic like the Magician.

Wyn heard the plunk of Marcy’s bow firing arrows and magic erupting all around the chamber. He couldn’t take his eyes off his opponent, though, or he’d give it an opening he couldn’t afford to lose. He had to trust his allies to hold their own as he carried out his plan.

The Lamiert continued to circle around Wyn. It occasionally shot glances to the other Climbers, but considered Wyn itss closest and most immediate threat. Wyn was fine with that, as long it kept moving exactly where he wanted it to go. He suddenly stepped to his left and pressed hard, yelling and striking wildly. The monster blocked and parried his attacks, but was on the defensive, moving away from him backwards.

Only a few more feet in the right direction and their fight would be over.

Wyn struck out one more time and the monster maneuvered itself back yet again. Marcy’s trap activated and ensnared it, magical chains erupting from the ground and grabbing its arms, waist, and neck. It screamed in surprise and horror, caught off guard by the trap. Wyn didn’t hesitate to stab it hard through its chest, though its bone armor was dense. Two more hard strikes and the spear finally buried deep. It only took seconds for the vital blow to kill it, the magical chains falling to the ground as the Lamiert’s body dissolved.

That would have been far harder without the trap holding it in place for basically a guaranteed kill. Wyn was thankful for his team and their abilities.

A scream pulled Wyn back to the task at hand. He turned quickly to see Marcy on one knee, holding her left arm that hung awkwardly at her side. Her bow lay on the ground beside her and blood was falling from her shoulder.

“No!” Cedric yelled. He let go of the wheel he was helping rotate, and it reverted back to its original position.

Tasha was already running across the chamber with surprising speed, surprising Wyn. His initial reaction was to go help but with Tasha acting so quickly he decided to let her handle it. She would be more useful anyway.

A large green rune appeared in front of the monstrous mage, and a dozen large rocks formed and shot from the air towards the Ranger and Diamond Mage.

Tasha looked up to watch the incoming spell, and resolve built up inside her instead of fear. She knew Marcy wouldn't be able to dodge the attack in her condition. "Shield!" Tasha yelled, holding her staff in front of her. A large magical barrier formed in the air, protecting the women from the rock onslaught.

The force field held as Tasha held up her staff in defiance. The barrier winked out of existence as the last bits of rock fell harmlessly to the ground beside them. A loud growl escaped the Lamiert's mouth, and it began to slither towards them with its staff held high.

Tasha tapped her staff on Marcy's shoulder, silently casting the weapon's Cure spell to heal her arm. The white aura immediately began to radiate around her wound, and the Ranger took a satisfied breath. She stood and made a circle in the air with her arm, testing her physical ability after the recovery. Tasha, though, stayed resolute, and pointed her staff at the quickly approaching opponent.

For all the times she was afraid but feeling helpless, as though she was unable to contribute much to the group, she now stood rooted in the ground, confidence exploding out of her. She felt fear at the edge of her mind, but she suppressed it with a sense of determination and courage.

"Holy Beam," she said, speaking the spell into existence. Her outstretched staff produced a light as though the sun itself formed in the chamber before concentrating into a singular beam of light. The light shot forward at an incredible speed, hitting the enemy mage directly in the chest. It bellowed in pain and stopped its advance as the light seared its skin. It held its free hand in front of it to try and block the light, but the beam was too thick with magic.

Tasha held the spell in place as it continued to sear the Lamiert. Marcy stepped to the side while it was distracted and pulled back an arrow, whispering a spell that caused the arrow head to light in magical gusts of air. She released it in a loud whoosh, and the arrow pierced the exact spot where Tasha's spell connected.

The arrow struck the wall at the far end of the chamber, causing chunks of stone to fly out of the structure and litter the ground. The crater in the wall was easily a foot wide, though it was nothing compared to the mage. The top half of the monster fell to one side while its waist and tail fell to the other, slumping to the ground in pieces.

Tasha relaxed her staff and drew in a deep breath. Marcy put a reassuring hand on the Mage's shoulder, feeling it tremble under her steady palm.

"Tasha," Wyn said, stunned at Tasha's performance. "That was incredible!"

"I won't be left behind anymore," Tasha said, stomping her staff onto the stone floor. She turned her head to Wyn and looked at him with a piercing gaze. No words escaped her, only confidence.

Reassured at the group’s ability, Wyn helped to continue managing the dials. No monsters or black portals showed for another minute, and they were able to secure the third statue and fourth torch.

"What now?" John asked. "There isn't another statue. The fourth one over here was the broken one and there’s only a fifth in the middle."

The others didn’t have an answer, but Cedric ran to the statue in the middle. "It has to do with this one, I know it. But what?"

"Two torches left," Wyn said. "There aren't two more statues to breathe fire into, though. Only this giant one and the two on either side that created the flames."

Cedric smiled as though the answer was given to him. Which, in a way, it was. “Help me with these dials. We need to rotate this large statue to face one of the others that made the flames.”

Wyn furrowed his eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

“There are two bars left but three statues. This huge one and the two statues that spewed fire. I think this final, huge statue will create a larger spout of fire that we need to direct into the two statues that previously made fire. They’ll be the ones to take it now, instead.”

The others looked at Cedric with varied, but all confused expressions.

“Don’t just stand there,” Cedric barked. “Help me! We have seconds before more enemies will show up!”

Wyn and John hurried over to the middle wheel and helped Cedric turn it. It was more stout than the others but turned the giant statue to face the left, smaller stone snake. Before they were able to rotate the wheel needed to create the fire another black portal formed at the far end of the chamber. Cedric sighed while Wyn left the wheel to fight.

“Keep doing whatever you need to do,” Wyn said. “If I need help, Marcy or Tasha can step in.”

Wyn readied his spear but didn’t have time to wait. Four Lacerts were running after him, crazed and knocking each other out of the way to attack him. He swiped his spear horizontally releasing the Wingbeat spell. The magical gust of wind sliced through the four Lacerts and continued, gashing three more behind them. The enemies on the front line fell from the elemental attack, but more and more kept pouring out of the portal.

It was a horde of basic Lacerts, and they were all running straight towards Wyn.

He took a few steps back and raised his palm. He didn’t know how long he could use his Flame Blast spell, but now would be the time to use it. The ability of the spell to be continuous would be more than helpful for a mass of enemies, and he began to treat the horde like a bottleneck. Wyn stepped closer to the portal and unleashed the spell, the Lacerts howling and screaming in anger and pain.

They died before they got close, as the magical fire either quickly burned them to death if they foolishly kept pushing to the Magician, or delayed the inevitable when they ran away while the magical embers kept them aflame.

After more than a dozen more Lacerts wound up on fire and the portal closed, Wyn stopped the spell. There were some stragglers in the room trying to put out their fires, but before he could start finishing them off, arrows began peppering them. He looked over to see Marcy drawing and firing her bow with impressive speed, a calculating look on her face as she shot.

One Lacert recovered but was quickly roasted by the large statue in the middle of the room as it spewed a stream of fire easily twice as wide and intense as Wyn’s spell. The light and heat was staggering and far more potent than the previous flames. It was an unfortunate placement for the monster.

One of the smaller statues that produced fire was in the direct line of fire though nothing happened as the fire roared. It’s mouth wasn’t facing the jet.

Cedric ran over and pulled Wyn to the wheel. “We need to rotate the statue to face the flames!”

Wyn hurriedly grabbed the right wheel and began to move it, and Cedric came to help. Between him and Cedric together, they rotated the statue in short order despite the Wizard’s physical limitations. He looked up to see the fire perfectly going into the statue’s open mouth, and the fifth torch lit and second to last bar slid away.

Cedric let out a satisfied yell, and Wyn smiled in relief. The Wizard was right, of course, and they only had one statue remaining before they finished the third floor.

The two Climbers rushed back to the middle wheel as the others were already turning the final statue, realizing Cedric’s revelation and final piece to the puzzle. In seconds they’d be done, and they all frantically worked to move both pieces as quickly as possible.

Wyn cursed out loud when a black cloud formed in the middle of the chamber. He put more effort into the wheel, trying to stop the blast of fire so they could rotate the large statue to the left side of the room. The resistance suddenly increased as he noticed Cedric step away from the wheel, staring at the black portal.

“Cedric, we’re almost there!” Wyn growled through gritted teeth. It would only take a few more inches before the statue was set in its correct place.

He looked up to see what Cedric was staring at and balked, nearly losing the progress he made turning the wheel. His feet were ground in place but he stopped pulling.

Two giant Lamierts emerged from the portal alongside a tall humanoid figure draped in a ripped black cloak and wearing a white porcelain mask. A sword was sheathed on their hip, familiar runes lining the edges and hilt. The monsters were easily over ten feet tall, one wielding a large hammer and the other holding a halberd that was even taller than the creature.

Lightning began forming around Cedric’s body like static electricity. Wyn could feel the hairs on his arm stand, and with a last surge of strength he turned the wheel in its needed position before letting go.

He stepped over beside Cedric as the enemies just stood there, the black portal staying open behind them. The rest of the group joined them as everyone stared at the opposing forces, monsters and Climbers alike.

A red aura seeped from John, and he took loud, deep breaths like a bull. Tasha recoiled from her friend’s display.

John then roared in anger, and his aura expanded further than Wyn had ever seen.

“That’s my sword,” the Fighter growled, his sword and shield swinging as he stomped towards their enemies.