The First Mid-Boss

I distinctly remember there being a few mid-bosses on the second floor. After they're dealt with, there's the final boss, and then you can advance to the third floor.

Here's the thing, I don't actually remember how many mid-bosses there are, nor do I remember what creatures they were, so I don't know how much farther we have to go or what we're going to face.

But I do remember how to tell you're in a boss or mid-boss arena. The crystals in the area all begin to glow an ominous red.

"So… that doesn't look great," Wyll says, looking around.

Like now.

Every crystal in this forest-like area has begun glowing red, and since there's no other source of light, literally everything here is now bathed in a scary red light.

"Well spotted," I say sarcastically, trying to see if I can spot the mid-boss.

"Is something about to happen?" Wyll asks nervously.

"You're about to have your first encounter with a mid-boss. Get ready," I say.

Wyll raises his blade, and just then, a large creature bounds through the trees. It has the same orange fur as the flame monkeys, but it's much stronger looking, and its tail isn't on fire. Instead, it's its limbs that are on fire, and they leave scorch marks every time it takes a step.

I recognise it: it's a flame gorilla.

It charges at us with an angry roar, and we scramble out of the way. We manage to avoid it, and it slams against the trees behind us, taking a large chunk out of them.

Wyll gulps as it turns and bares its fangs at us like we personally offended it or something, "I don't think I can take a hit like that…"

"You can't," I confirm, "But the same logic with the flame monkeys applies here."

"R-right," Wyll says, and just as the flame gorilla begins to charge at us again, he shouts, "Waterlog!"

The resulting cone of blue directly catches the flame gorilla, and it slows. It snarls at Wyll, and he winces. I step in front of him and swing my sword at the flame gorilla. It's too slow to avoid my attack, so it must take it, but my blade catches in its thick muscle. I can't push further into it no matter how much strength I put into it, and when it raises its arms to crush me into a scorched pancake, I pull my sword out and retreat a few paces.

"Are you okay?" Wyll asks worriedly.

I glance at my sword and see that it has been warped by the flame gorilla's heat. It can no longer be used effectively as a sword. Then I see the flame gorilla regain its speed and charge at us again, and I say hurriedly, "Slow it again!"

Wyll takes a moment to comprehend my instruction, and by that time it's too late. I lunge at him and we both tumble out of the way, the flame gorilla's charge missing us by a hair's breadth.

"Wh-what are we going to do?" He asks as he sees my ruined sword.

"Slow it again," I say once more.

The flame gorilla has already turned towards us again, and it spreads its arms, widening its whole profile. I don't think we'll be able to pull off a near-miss again.

"Waterlog!" Wyll casts, but the flame gorilla has learned. It's far enough away that it can swerve around the approaching cone of blue, and it charges us one more time.

I intend to make it the last time.

"Again!" I command Wyll.

He looks at me, his eyes wide and fearful, "But—!"

"I said, again!"

The flame gorilla is almost upon us now, its arms spread wide to catch us should we try to dodge, and Wyll casts again, "Waterlog!"

The flame gorilla is so close now that he isn't able to swerve around it this time, and I pull my warped blade back. I don't know what it is, I've never risked my life like this before, but this moment feels just right.

The world slows, and I imagine the future I wish for with crystal clear focus. Then, I swing, declaring, "Abyssflame Slash!"

My bent blade slices through the air, and moments before the flame gorilla reaches us, my swing arc is completed. The wave of black flames strikes the flame gorilla point blank, and it roars in pain as it beats its chest.

I grin, feeling the tension in my body almost snap my being, "Looks like my flames burn hotter than yours."

The flame gorilla is reduced to nothing in a matter of moments, and when I spy the blue gem through my disappearing fire, I collapse on my bottom, breathing a sigh of relief.

-

50 EXP

-

That's a little low… I guess that means Thomas has fought this thing before? Still, that was my first true battle with a close call, being done with it makes me feel more relieved than I think I've ever felt.

The crystals return to their normal, colourless state, and Wyll says, "That was… so scary," I look towards him to see that he too has collapsed. He meets my gaze, "What was that last attack you used?"

"I fought fire with fire," I say. Honestly, I don't even know what I'm saying, but I feel so lightheaded, I don't care.

"Yeah," Wyll laughs, "I guess you did."

After a while, I rise to my feet once more, and as I pick up the blue gem that the flame gorilla dropped, I say to Wyll, "Come on, let's go. We don't want to be here when it reappears."

Wyll looks at my warped sword as he too stands, "Are we going to continue? How will you fight?"

"I can't," I say, "We'll have to return for today."

"Oh, ok," Wyll says, and I can tell he's trying not to sound too relieved. We backtrack from where we came from, taking down the occasional lycan and flame monkey that respawned after we had gone on.

The forest turns into a cave once more, and once back in the safe zone, we touch the orb in the centre of the cavern. The rollercoaster-like sensation assaults me once more as we are transported to the entrance of the Great Dungeon.

The stone walls of Ward Academy feel so safe after all that I encountered in the Great Dungeon. The same old woman with the greying hair and sharp gaze is still behind her desk, and I see several students appear out of thin air, as I assume we did. They go up to her to hand her the blue gems they collected. Some even give her their weapons, and I realise that the standard-issue weapons are probably returned to her. She deposits them in a box filled with weapons.

Wyll and I approach her, and when she sees me, her expression turns sour, "Had fun in there?"

I gather the blue gems in my pockets and hand them to her, imitating the other students I saw, and she quickly runs her hands over them, "You got to the second floor, huh?" she asks, "And you defeated a flame gorilla. You'll get a decent amount of points for that. You're a lot more serious about this than I thought. Too bad it's for stupid reasons."

Wyll stares between us in confusion, no doubt wondering why I'm being treated with such hostility. Honestly, I don't hold it against the old lady; Thomas Filmore deserves it.

"Here," I say, handing her my warped sword and the medallion I was given in the beginning. The old lady looks the slightest bit confused as she takes them and deposits the warped sword in the box with the other weapons, "What happened to all those things you said about how our equipment is 'worth less than dirt, and a sign of how the whole institution is spiralling by catering to the commoners?'"

"I wanted to try it out," I say. But I must admit, even though Thomas Filmore deserves any and all hostility, being on the receiving end of it is still annoying. So, I pointedly look at the warped sword that I just gave her, "And look what happened to it."

She glares at me, "You're not supposed to swing it at everything recklessly!"

I don't respond and step aside to let Wyll have his turn to give in his gems. The old lady treats him with far more gentleness, and even praises him, "You made it to the second floor in your first year? Impressive!"

Wyll smiles, "I had help," he glances at me.

The old lady's softness wavers, "I see. Be careful about your choice of friends, young man."

Wyll looks at her confusedly as she finishes storing his gems, and when she says nothing more, we leave.