The arrows continued to fly in a gigantic intensity, turning to Ryan, with a startled look the tank questioned "did you see that thing". Both of them were bothered by that presence, and nodding, Ryan confirmed.
'That bug is still looking at me...'
<The smile... Gross>
That smiling creature then held out one of its hands, commanding all the creatures to move forward. The goblins and orcs came running out from all directions, jumping and roaring as if hungry for flesh. Behind the two travelers, the sentries started to attack those blue creatures, but the number of monsters was easily outnumbering the attacks of those crystal giants.
"We are closed... Damian, I will advance to the Boss. Can you handle this room alone?" Ryan said.
The tank just nodded as he continued to advance and attack goblins and orcs. Arrows were still flying towards the two of them, so he remained vigilant with his shield raised to the sky. That mining area was cold and noisy, Damian's body was shaking from the ice, but he a strange sensation arose beside him. Within seconds an intense flame completely heated his armor. Turning around, he saw how serious Ryan was.
Walking towards the monsters, his body began to glow more and more with that black flame. "I knew it was you..." Damian said in a low tone of voice, he was remembering the events at the green portal.
Four orcs ran towards Ryan, trying to hug him. Those blue monsters came from all directions as if they were American football players, but as soon as they made contact with him, the monsters died in the same instant. Several goblins were advancing, trying to stab, kick and punch him, but the response was the same.
One of the goblins attacked with a leap, directing a sword at Ryan's head. With two fingers, he stopped the monster's attack, flames flowed from the sword causing the creature to spit fire as it had its body burned from the inside out. In the middle of that mining area, Ryan activated his wings. Those flames grew even larger, until within seconds he was standing in front of the ice sovereign.
That smiling creature was salivating as it looked at Ryan, a blue goo was leaking from the monster's black lips while that creature's eyes glowed in an intense red light. Ryan punched towards the monster's face, but neither the flames nor his attack were effective, holding his fist, that creature opened its own mouth.
"Kurak mahatak nyokik" The monster said, with a smile.
<He is challenging you to a duel>
'Can you translate for me?'
<Yes>
Nyx and Ryan's mental bond then intensified, the succubus was taking care of Ryan's auditory and linguistic brain processing.
"I accept your duel, but shut your filthy mouth" The words that flowed from Ryan's mouth were being controlled by the succubus, he was speaking the same demonic dialect as that creature.
"Hahaha! It's been a while since I found an interesting diversion... It's been a while" That monster's face then clouded, that creature's eyes stopped shining in that red light, returning to a blue one as his smile disappeared. Placing both hands on Ryan's shoulders, the monster shouted "WHERE AM I?" the ice sovereign's voice was shaking, not from fear, but with a kind of agony and wail.
Looking at the ice sovereign, Ryan sighed "Stop the attack and we can talk." The creature nodded and followed walking down a crystal corridor that led to the entrance of a cave, passing through a rough stone wall, the two found what looked like a room dug by the goblins. That room was dimly lit, possessing only a few torches lit on the wall.
"I was ordered to come to this abandoned mine by the master... How long ago... What... I don't remember" Joining both hands, the ice ruler created a kind of black cloud, at the same instant, Ryan took a step back, placing one of his hands on the pistol on his belt.
<It is a communication magic with the lower world>
The monster's face was even more confused "There is no contact. Where am I?"
Tired, Ryan said "You are trapped in a time stream" that phrase didn't seem to make much sense to that ice ruler, but that was the only answer the creature had. "Kill me," that monster said, kneeling.
Ryan withdrew one of his pistols from his belt, "First, order the goblins and orcs to die. Then I will give you mercy." The ice sovereign nodded, raising his neck he activated that black smoke again, all the goblins in that dungeon began to choke and scream in pain, while the orcs let out their heavy tears with hateful howls.
* Bang *
Part of the Ice Overlord's brain came out the other side of his head, as his body fell backwards to the ground. In theory, the challenge of that portal had finally been finished. 'Let's return them home and check on Crystaldrift...' Ryan concluded.
* * *
Standing in front of the group, Ryan said 'There doesn't seem to be an exit nearby'. The druid, now in his human form, was visibly calmer "Let's use the watch to return to base, the loot from the crystals is enough." The group nodded, Nivia and Ruri were holding two large bags of valuable crystals from that dwarven mining area.
Activating the teleportation mechanism on the watch John Wrynn gave them, the group of travelers returned to the base. Their bodies were enveloped by the energy of the portal, causing them to disappear at the same time.
* Vwuush * Vwuush * * Vwuush * * Vwuush *
But Ryan remained in that challenge. Sighing, he looked at both sides of that empty dungeon. Hundreds of bodies were lying on either side, walking back to the room of the ice sovereign, he followed looking for a way out.
* * *
"Where's Ryan?" Ruri said, looking from one side to the other.
Kodiak was looking worried "He stayed at the portal?" again, the gray haired girl put one of her hands on the druid's shoulder "He beat the boss of that challenge by himself, if the teleportation gave trouble, he just needs to find his way back to the starting portal." This reasoning was reasonable, so before they could worry about Ryan, important news arrived.
One of the guild agents came through an automatic iron door "Good that you are back, Roy is waiting for you in the medical area." Kodiak's eyes widened at the news, and together with Nivia and Ruri, he took off running towards his injured friend.
Running and crossing those wide corridors, the sound of the three travelers' footsteps echoed throughout the base. Some of the other travelers and guild members sent watchful glances in the direction of the three, slowing their pace, they began to walk as they approached the medical area.
There was an iron door with a fingerprint reader beside it, and with the palm of his hand Kodiak opened the door. In front of the group was a tall man with a white lab coat, looking to the three young travelers, he gave a weak gentle smile "Your friend is already okay. Just wait a couple of minutes and you guys can see him".
The Druid then nodded, and sitting in that room they waited. There was a sound of small footsteps walking towards the group, "That smell" Kodiak said, turning around. Roy's panther was walking depressed, approaching the three of them, that gigantic white cat lay near Ruri and Nivia's foot. Still some of its master's blood on that creature's paws and chest.
Extending one of his hands, Ruri began to pet Snowy "It's going to be okay, you know how strong Roy is." The panther began to purr. "I hope Ryan doesn't get hurt, in the end he's just another rookie" Kodiak said as he looked up at the ceiling.
The doctor's wooden shoe then announced his arrival "Roy is waiting for you in the other room, please follow me"
* * *
<The ice ruler's life must have been pretty boring>
"There aren't many things to do here," Ryan said as he walked out of the dungeon with the twenty crystal sentries. "Maybe he was only here for a short time, but his consciousness was captured in the portal" he said, extending one of his arms.
'Fire Fang' A blade of fire came out of his hands, cutting through some of the earth that formed the path out. He was extending the tunnel, ensuring that the crystal sentinels could pass through. Looking at the small army of puppets, Ryan sighed "I don't want to lose these idiots, but transporting them is horrible.
<I remember they can shrink to a compact form, we can test with the book later>
"So these things were really famous in your world?" As he spoke, a small puff of smoke came out of his mouth. Finally they had arrived out of the dungeon, they were relatively close to the portal.
Ryan left the twenty sentries lined up near the exit portal, "If these critters get out on their own, the guild agents will destroy every one of them..." the sentries were grouped near a tree, with his katana, Ryan left a note.
Engraved on the wood was written " <- 20 crystal soldiers - all belong to Ryan Whitemane"
Looking up into the sky and activating his wings, Ryan took off flying towards Crystaldrift.
//SleepyNotes//
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