Little Swarm 1
The dihexapede looked uncomfortable as the small skeleton was running around under it causing mayhem. Each of its legs shuddered when a dagger was pierced into their joints.
The monster couldn’t even defend itself now, much less attack.
Hammers smashed down on it repeatedly, and just as it got used to the pace of the battle, a bolt would suddenly pierce into its chest.
There was nothing it could do, it was outmatched; it was a completely different fight compared to when it was part of a swarm - it had never even been attacked until now.
A primal fear set in, a stressful panic. It desired to flee, but at this point it didn’t have a choice but to fight - its own kin was behind it, pushing it forward and blocking its retreat.
After a desperate struggle, the light from its eyes left it while its body collapsed.
The next dihexapede walked over its corpse and soon enough, it met the same fate.
[130 Exp]
[Soul stone] (Empty) x 6
A third charged in, but it died even faster than the second; Jay’s party was getting proficient at slaying them, especially with the crafty little dual-dagger skeleton contributing to the fight now too.
[65 Exp]
[Soul stone] (Empty) x 2
Screeching noises came from the mist as the third one died, and the attack was over.
All the dihexapedes crawling over the tower disappeared and the dungeon went completely quiet again.
“Okay, looks like it’s over. Let’s move.” Jay pointed to the mist.
They had to climb over the piled up corpses to get back outside, but then they were well on their way.
“Hmm… three dihexapedes…” Jay thought as they ran through the cloud, beginning to notice a pattern.
Once more, a crescendo of screeching sounds pierced the silence - right as another tower appeared in the mist.
Once again they repeated the same strategy: Enter the tower, form a wall of skeletons, exterminate the hopeless creatures.
After a short battle later in the new tower, three more dihexapedes had died.
[195 Exp]
[Soul stone] (Empty) x 7
Just like last time the dungeon went quiet after three were slain.
“Ok, I think that pretty much confirms it… They retreat after three die.” Jay nodded silently to himself.
“You alright there?” Anya asked, seeing him nod. He looked like he knew something.
“Yeah. I just have a hunch. Ready to leave?” Jay decided not to share in case he was wrong.
“Yep” she smiled, “They’re getting easier to kill. I guess that congenital linking skill makes them weaker as they die.”
“Oh yeah, I forgot about that - Heh, I just thought we were getting more efficient.” Jay chuckled with a shrug.
Anya smiled back as she ripped a bolt out of a dihexapede.
“Probably a mix of both.” she added.
“Alright, let’s see if we can make it into the next tower before the next attack.”
“Just try to keep up” Anya curled her lips.
Jay stashed his weapon and shield away as they both ran through the fog.
Scriiiiii!~
“Damn, so soon?” Anya frowned.
“No… I think the next tower must just be further away. Let’s just keep running.” Jay urged her as he made three skeletons cover them from behind again.
Without much more warning, the level 1 creature was the first to be snatched.
[Your feeble creature has been slain]
“Dammit, where the hell is the next tower?” Jay thought, clenching his jaw.
Compared to the distance between the last two towers, they had run about twice as far with no tower in sight.
“Did we run past it? Or could it be just a little further? What if we were meant to stay at the third tower?”
Thoughts were running through Jay’s head as the dihexapede swarm bore down on them, charging mercilessly.
[Your skeleton has been slain]
“Hmm… It surely isn’t that simple?” Jay thought.
As the second one died, Jay put his idea into action.
“Anya, we’re gonna stop running and fight them.”
“What? But we don’t even know how many there are.”
“We’ll be fine, I think I figured something out.” Jay gave a reassuring smile as he had the three skeletons behind them turn around to face the brunt of the swarm.
Multiple dihexapedes clashed against the skeletons, causing them to jump back multiple times. Thankfully the dihexapedes slowed down after some painful hammer strikes.
The skeletons did take a few hits, but it was worth it to stop the swarm.
Anya had already started launching bolts which slowed them down enough for the skeletons to defend themselves.
Jay had already created a large bone pile on the ground and started summoning skeletons.
“Just focus on one of them at a time” Jay said as he went to join the fight with his undead minions.
“Focus one? But there’s so many…” Anya thought to herself as she shook her head.
Looking at Jay fighting, she was curious why he seemed so calm.
He was blocking slashes and dealing damage with the skeletons, not really standing out very much though; he wasn’t some incredible fighter. Yet he seemed fine as he had a relaxed look.
[Your skeleton has been slain] x1 … x1 …. x1
Jay resummonded them as quickly as he lost them.
The fight was mostly one sided, but the dihexapedes were slowly being chipped away at.
A dihexepede suddenly shuddered as a bone was ripped right out of its body; black blood and unknown tissue went everywhere, splashing onto other dihexapede faces as the bone flew into Jay’s gauntlet, being crushed and disappearing.
The wailing dihexapede then went down with a final hit from one of the skeletons.
[65 Exp]
The first dihexapede finally went down, along with another skeleton perishing which was quickly resummoned. The semi-circle of dihexapedes surrounding them all paused for a moment as they were weakened.
Hey, this is the free one from the 25th. Enjoy:)