Book Two Chapter Sixty Two: LT_Boss

Book Two Chapter Sixty Two: LT_Boss

As soon as the giant scorpion was exposed, Sewer Bard activated.

Cover your ears! he yelled to the group. The instant everyone was protected, he launched into his spell. This time there was no sandstorm to shield the scorpion, and so the effect hit it full force. The scorpion staggered, and then screamed. Qube hadnt even known that scorpions could scream, but this one did. It lashed out, its stinger flailing wildly as it smashed into the floor, walls, anything that it could reach.

[Lesser Shield], Qube cast with her hands still clamped over her ears. Shed never cast without using her hands before, but the magic still responded, protecting Sewer Bard just before the stinger hit, instantly shattering his shield.

As suddenly as the attack started, it stopped. The scorpion went quiet, crouching in place as the spell continued to weave around it, the various colours gently settling onto its yellow carapace.The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))

Finally, Sewer Bard stopped playing. Qube sighed as she felt the pressure of the spell ease, and she could remove her hands. As soon as she could hear again, she noticed that the thumping, repetitive beat of the battle music was gone. Instead it was a strange, almost tinkly kind of music, like the noise crystals would make if they could be played.

On Qubes frantic waving that it was safe, the rest of the group also uncovered their ears. They all looked around in the ensuing silence. Qube peeked into her jam jar. There was no trace of the massive amount of sand it had sucked up. It was all gone, like it had been eaten. There had to be some way to get it back though, right? Even pocket magic couldnt just destroy so much matter. It must be teleporting to a new location.

The sudden mental image of an unravelled mummy, followed by several tonnes of sand, falling out of the sky and landing on someone flashed through Qubes mind. She would have to ask Definitely Bad Guy about it later, make sure they werent accidentally ruining someones life with their jam jars.

The scorpion continued to do nothing. But no doorway opened. No Bestowal pedestals, or sparkling portals to take them to whatever decision lay at the heart of this particular Temple.

In a flash of horror, Qube suddenly saw the terrible flaw with her brilliant plan.

The Boss wasnt attacking them. It wasnt friendly, or at least Qube wasnt sure how to check a giant scorpions emotional state, but it was certainly no longer a threat to them. But the Bestowal pedestals had only appeared after theyd killed the other Bosses.

It turned out that defeating the Boss wasnt enough. They had to kill them, and release the pedestals from their inner pockets.

Oh no, Qube moaned, sinking to the ground and burying her face in her knees. Oh no, oh no, oh no.

Can you understand me? Sewer Bard loudly asked the giant scorpion towering over him. The scorpion just slowly crouched, then rose back up again, similar to when the others were standing around not doing anything in particular.

You are also an arachnid; would you be able to communicate with this creature? Definitely Bad Guy asked Sexy Screamy Spider Lady. The Hunter gave him a stare so withering it was amazing that the Mage didnt spontaneously combust.

I, Sexy Screamy Spider Lady said with awful dignity, am a cursed being, who stands to claim the Thorny Crown, and who is both wood elf and other. I am not, have never been, and will never, be an arachnid. All the stitched-on childrens faces angrily silent-screamed at the Mage. And if you speak of me in such a way again, I will eat you, she finished. She opened her mouth to add something else then stopped, her fangs dripping venom. You will not enjoy it, she finally said grudgingly.

Definitely Bad Guy displayed more social sense than Qube would have expected when he jerked a nod at the Hunter.

I did not intend to offend, he said shortly.

If you had intended offence, little man, you would not still be breathing, Sexy Screamy Spider Lady nearly growled.

Are we going to have to kill it? Qube asked in a small voice from her hunched over position on the ground. Right now she was too preoccupied with the idea of potentially having to kill a peaceful creature to worry about the fact that whatever uneasy alliance Sexy Screamy Spider Lady and Definitely Bad Guy had built (mostly around her telling him what to do or say) seemed to be rapidly dissolving.

I shouldnt think so, Sewer Bard said, carefully walking over to Qube while keeping a wary eye on the scorpion. The Bosss head followed him, before it spotted Qube. All its eyes fixated on her and its nostril slits flared. That would be most unjust, and the Temples have, so far, displayed a sense of fairness in their challenges.

Youre right, Qube said, a tiny part of her relaxing.

Im sure that now we have broken the beast free of its shackles, it will be more than happy to cooperate with us, the Bard said. Qube gave him a timid smile. After all, what honour would there be in slaughtering an innocent creature? Surely even the Devs wouldn't allow such a thing.

She tried to radiate Good towards the Boss. We also have the Chosen One with us! Well, not actually with us we left him asleep upstairs but hes here! Hes the one foretold by the Golden Prophecy to save the world, which includes you!

Was this Boss someone like her, who had wandered into the Temple with the best of intentions, only to find themselves transformed into something hideous? Qube wasnt sure who a scorpion would be ordering about the beetles maybe?

If you truly care for the kingdom, she said, trying desperately to think about what a giant scorpion would care about, then youll help us.

She just had no idea how the scorpion was supposed to help them.

Can you please make your portal appear so that we can continue? she said, but without much hope. The scorpion looked at her. Um, in the other Temples, when the Bosses that were there moved on the portal appeared and let us get to the next place.

The scorpion regarded her silently. Slowly it reached out and very, very gently prodded her with one of its claws. It seemed to have learned from its interaction with Sexy Screamy Spider Lady, so there was only the barest hint of pressure as it made contact with Qube.

It withdrew its pincer.

Qube was stumped.

The Temples are supposed to be trials for us to prove our worthiness, she continued talking at the shiny shell and eyes before her, valiantly ignoring the fact that it was now very slowly and very softly attempting to pat her on the head with a claw. And, well, weve befriended you, or at least weve made it so that we dont have to fight you, which is a kind of worthiness, isnt it? And you dont want us to murder you, or fight, so really, what would be gained by it?

The other Bosses, were they just trying to defend themselves? Sexy Screamy Spider Lady asked, troubled. Did they know that we wanted their forbidden treasures?

It is possible, Definitely Bad Guy said carefully, that the portal, and Bestowal stones, are spells cast by the Bosses as they perish. If they know that their purpose is to test us, and they have fulfilled their purpose, it may be that they are doing as they were told.

But how awful, Sexy Screamy Spider Lady gasped. To be forced to exist just to fulfil the whims of a Temple, to be born only to be killed!

The giant scorpion, having patted Qube on the head enough to its satisfaction, tried to close a pincer around her waist. Qube stepped away from its potentially crushing embrace. While it wasnt hostile, she wasnt sure what it wanted, which made her nervous. It paused, as if recalculating, before reaching out towards the next closest person.

We do not know if these creatures are even sentient, Definitely Bad Guy said, as two massive claws slowly closed around him. They may not be actual creatures, just beings shaped from pure mana to test us.

The scorpion started to lift the Mage.

Put me down, Definitely Bad Guy ordered sharply. I am the Mage Advisor, and I will not be handled by a subject of study like this.

The giant Boss put the Mage down and, somewhat sheepishly, withdrew its pincer.

My spell has affected this righteous protector of the Temple, Sewer Bard pointed out, watching the exchange with mild interest. How can a being of mana be affected by a mana spell?

That is common enough, Definitely Bad Guy said, waving away that argument. There is nothing incongruous in that. No. The question is whether or not the beast can voluntarily summon the portal and Bestowal pedestals, or if its death completed the summoning ritual, thus bringing the portals into being.

The scorpion slowly started reaching for Sewer Bard.

Qube put her head in her hands as the enormity of what she had ordered done hit her.

They were now well and truly stuck.