The Tower in the Shadows

Dotum was back.

Maximus was informed.

I waited to see what would happen.

He was eager for the rematch. There were a few who had managed to defeat him, and like Krag, he sought to fight them to exact revenge. He was searching for a new direction to attack when he entered the floor.

I had shifted the additional void essence traps down to the 11th floor, looking at whether I could add others. My resources were still limited after the creation of the new floors, but I was still investigating new and innovative ways to defend my core.

I was still creating new void stones regularly for the city above. I had placed an order for several more books to help expand my knowledge base, and they would be delivered sometime in the next few weeks, with payment to follow. This was a fair exchange, but I still wasn't happy about creating new stones.

No other monsters had appeared from the access points to the Underlands. I had thought about locking them off, but decided to leave them both open as a means to attract new monsters to my dungeon.

I had been reviewing the latest addition to my roster. I had no idea what to do with it yet, but I was optimistic I could come up with something eventually.

Doltum arrived on the 10th, and the fight broke out fast.

I wasn't too interested in what was happening as I was more focused on the static sheet in front of me, thinking about options for the future. Maximus was highly intelligent. I trusted him to do what he needed to do to win the fight. The odds were against him, but his adaptability might just give him the edge to pull it off.

The lizard was interesting, with some decent stats. I can easily modify it, especially with Earth mana. I could also use Boltons to create something similar to a fire drake or a fire salamander. But I thought I was a bit predictable, so I wanted to create something a bit different to make it more unique.

Seela was committed to the fight now. I took a glance at what was happening, and things were still unfolding. I returned to my musings.

The Angel was a good Guardian, but I felt I should have something as unique for the 12th floor. What can I do?

A powerful explosion drew my attention back to the fight. Doltum was unleashing some serious, magical, and destructive power. I think he was aiming to end the fight faster than usual. I wondered how this would affect its ability to fight on the floor below.

Again, I thought about a floor full of Pucks and the amusement I could have doing it. I could create a lot more millions with illusory powers, as well as make the walls reflective. Similar to a funhouse with mirrors that reflected the viewer's image, which could cause disorientation.

Then it occurred to me, could I reflect magic?

Oooohhhh. Now that was a thought.

I checked on Maximus and found that this health bar was about half depleted now. Doltum and Seela were using more items and spells that were infused with celestial magic to weaken him faster.

Smart. I expected other adventure groups would adopt that tactic quite quickly.

Back to the theoretical 12th floor. Reflective walls, illusory magic amongst all of the minions. What else?

In theory, it was a good idea, and if I could reflect magic, it would be a devastating addition to the floor, but I need something else. But I cannot figure it out yet.

Things to consider for the future.

Doltum was using far more celestial mana-infused items and spells in his attacks. This was allowing him to gain dominance over Maximus in the fight; the Guardian was not going down quickly or easily. His health bar was falling along with the other two.

It wouldn't be long before the fight ended. Maximus was wounded but had scored several hits upon his opponents, but not enough to turn the battle in his favour. I went back to daydreaming about a possible 12th floor.

What else could I do?

I don't Wanna do something typical like a graveyard or a whole forest. What I liked about my first idea was that it was different, and I wanted to explore such ideas more. I need to consider the possibility of gaining additional resources and minion designs from the Underlands.

I could once again delve into my own world's mythology and create something unseen in this world. I was delighted by the way Maximus turned out and wondered if I could do more. That would mean I would need more bestiaries. Thankfully, Ranus still owes me a lot, so I might put in an order for as many as I can get delivered to me.

There was a bright flash on the 10th floor, and Maximus screamed out in pain.

What was that?

I turned my attention back to the fight, seeing that Maximus' health bar was almost completely drained. Not much longer now. Whatever was used was a combination of light and celestial magic.

Maximus can strike a few more times with his magic and skills, but the fight has turned decisively against him. I watched him fall a few minutes later. The reward appeared and was collected. Doltum and his companions bypassed the rest of the possible source of income on the floor, heading straight for the 11th.

I focused my full attention on this fight, curious to see what the old man would do next. He had gotten the measure of Maximus and beat him, though the fights were taxing for him. The Angel was a very different beast.

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They descended to the next floor, and I shifted my perception to follow them.

They stopped in the stairwell room. Doltum looked across the floor towards the statue in the distance. His face was focused with intense concentration, and Seela had removed a heavy pack and was digging through it, pulling out a series of bottles. She put away her club and pulled out a heavy-looking hammer. It glowed with magic, and I could see the faint outline of energy running through the rooms engraved along its head.

Part of me hoped it would be dropped in the fight.

After a few more minutes of preparation, the pair set out across the floor. Elian once again held back from joining them, instead recording everything that was happening. I quickly moved ahead of them and checked the two portals into the Underlands. It has suddenly occurred to me that something might pop out during the fight or as they were making their way towards it.

I felt a mix of amusement, embarrassment, and worry about such a thing happening.

I found nothing, so I let out a mental sigh of relief that the fight would proceed uninterrupted. The possibility of something like that happening was something I would need to look into in the future. Barney wanted to leave it as it would make things far more interesting.

My attention was drawn back to the impending fight as they entered the area that had triggered the undead skeletons. The eight bodies erupted from their coffins and attacked the intruders, and I knew that the Angel was also preparing to engage. They had been aware of them since they entered the floor.

It knew them already, and I suspect it was planning its attack strategy even now. Or I hope so; it wasn't the most talkative of my guardians.

The skeletons were dying quickly…. Wait, they are already dead, so destroyed would be the better term, I think. Whatever the correct term was, they were falling quickly. Doltum was fighting them, but watching the statue as well.

He saw the first movement from the Angel and called out a warning to its companion as it took to the sky with a great leap, extending its wings. It angled itself to come down, aiming to use its mace to impact Seela. Which I thought was interesting. I would have thought it would have aimed for Doltum first, that he was the greater threat.

Alerted to the threat, she quickly sidestepped the attack, moving away from the impact point with surprising grace and speed. The heavy mace collided with the ground, sending dirt and grass flying in several different directions.

Most of the undead were now down as she concentrated on them while Doltum stepped in to attack the Angel. I expected him to launch a magical barrage, but instead, he placed his wand into an outer pocket of his robe and began pulling out bottles from different pockets. He threw them as soon as you produced them at the Angel.

The glowing bottle sailed through the air, and the Angel sidestepped one and smashed another. Several others, however, make contact with its main body. As soon as the battles shattered, a lime green substance was produced that glowed slightly. It covers the Angel, and I saw steam starting to rise from where it made contact with its body.

It appeared to be an acid of some kind.

The marble began to discolour and melt as the acid began to burn into the Guardian's body. Several other bottles were thrown at it, but this time it triggered its [Light Shield] to try to prevent further impacts as it moved to dodge out of the way. The spell did not protect it, however, from the substance being released from the bottles that were shattered by its barrier.

I noticed that the Angel's health bar was starting to drop now. In response to this attack, it began to intensify its own efforts. Seela had finished off the remaining undead and was joining in, throwing bottles at the Angel.

"Ya potions aren't as effective as they should be!" Seela called out.

"I see it. They are working, so keep it up." Doltum called back.

The Angel glowed as it triggered an ability, and I suspect it was [Charge], and its opponents realised it as well. They tried to move away, but they were too close, allowing the Angel to cross the distance quickly. Again, it aimed towards Seela over Dolutm.

Still with surprising speed, she moved out of the way, but not fast enough. The Angel's shoulder barge triggered an enchantment or spell upon contact, creating a barrier of light similar to the Angel's ability. Unfortunately for Seela, the Angel's speed and mass weren't far more than the magical barrier could handle, and it was shattered, but it did rob my Guardian of some of its power in the collision. The impact centre flew backwards across the cavern, crashing into the stone coffins that hid the undead before they were revealed. As she impacted them, I heard a nasty, sickly crack from her body. She slumped to the floor, not responsive.

"Seela!" Doltum cried out in fear as he saw his companion lying on the ground.

She was severely injured. I did not know at this moment how badly. But from her appearance, it wasn't good.

He pulled his wand out and launched a furious assault with both magic and blade against the Guardian. His attacks were driven by fear and rage now and were not as precise as they usually were, but still, they were coming in fast and furious.

The Angel's health bar continued to decrease, but it was not out of the fight yet. It launched its counters in both physical and magical attacks. Doltum was able to avoid most of them, but a few court glancing hits against him, and I could see he was hurting from his injuries. All the magical defences, as well as his enchanted clothing, were protecting him to a point, but the Angel's raw power was breaking through.

This was fast becoming an interesting fight. Doltum had met his match in many ways. He relied on speed and magic to carry the day in a fight, but the Angel was a force of endurance and relentless attacks. As a golem, it did not tire as the fight wore on. I realised that Doltum was breathing harder and harder.

That led me to think: more golems for the 12th?

Seela had not got up yet, and she seemed to be unconscious. Doltum was taking in everything with rapid head and eye movements, trying to figure out a way out of the predicament he was in.

He had damaged the golem, which was clear to see. The black things across its form, where the acid had connected, had eaten deep into its frame, but it was still in fighting condition. He was starting to tire, and I wondered what his magical reserves were looking like. His companion was out for the count and was in danger of being killed by a stray attack.

"He's going to pull out."

I have become accustomed to reading adventurers' mannerisms when they realise they have lost the fight and are pulling out of the battle. Looking at Doltum, I could see he was making the same calculations right now. He had realised he wasn't going to win this one.

He lifted his wand and released a series of spells quickly. All were aimed at the Guardian, and it raised its [Light Shield] using up the last of its mana to at least absorb some of the possible damage heading its way. The spells impacted against the light shield, collapsing it first and then carrying on to its head. They were not the typical combat spells, but some form of darkness spell. I've seen him use this the last time he withdrew from the fight. The Angel's head was covered in a black cloud of darkness, now preventing it from seeing. In response, it struck out with its mace, trying to strike at Doltum, but the man was already moving when he cast the spells. He ran over to his companion and pulled her up, pulling out of the floor as fast as he could. He managed to get halfway to the stairwell when his spells ended, allowing the Guardian to see once more.

Looking around, it quickly identified where they were, and the cavern shook with its heavy form charging across the distance towards them. Dolutum was not out of tricks yet. He had been pulling his companion under the arms, dragging her across the floor. He still had his wand in hand and quickly pointed it towards the ground before the charging Guardian. Several more spells were released, and vines erupted from the ground.

The Guardian collided with them, and its momentum was such that it caused it to trip and fall to its knees, giving the man enough time to get his companion to the stairwell before it freed itself.

Doltum and Elian were carrying the unconscious body of Seela from the dungeon.

"Wow. Still undefeated."

I said to myself again as I looked at the Guardian as it made its way back to its plinth.