Dungeon Runner (Book 1 and 2)

Stepping Up, Chapter 81

Tibs grunted as his ice shield took the fist. He felt the impact all the way to his feet and ice fell off, but he kept it whole.

"You okay?" he asked the cleric, who pushed himself to his feet using his staff.

"The blow took me unawares. It will not happen again."

"Will you two move!" Mez yelled as a series of small explosions caused the Brute to stagger back. "I can't use anything bigger with you so close!"

Keeping his shield between the brute and them, Tibs backed away along with Khumdar. The explosions slowed as the distance grew, but their intensity increased. A glance to the side showed him Carina, keeping the other Brute from moving closer to Jackal and Bigger Brute. The stone creature had cuts all over its surface, but none were as deep as the last time they fought the boss creatures.

It raised a foot to step forward, and he felt the air essence accumulate under as it brought it down and explode. It barely caused any damage, but the brute staggered back, effectively keeping it where it had been.

Mez's exploding arrows also didn't have the effect they used to.

Jackal yelled happily as he pounded away on the Bigger Brute. The two rock-being punched each other to little visible effect and Tibs wasn't sure Jackal was trying to destroy it.

The explosion was large enough Tibs felt it around his shield.

"Finally," Mez snarled.

A peek around the shield showed Tibs red hot rubble, and he ran toward the Brute Carina fought as it was able to put a foot down through the exploding air and move forward.

While their need to get close to cause damage was a serious flaw in their creation, the Brutes didn't get tired or have to worry about their reserve running low.

"Coming through!" Tibs yelled as air buffeted him. He melted the shield and reformed the water into a sword. The wind died and Tibs slashed at the Brute's leg. The cut wasn't as deep for him either. Sto had increased their overall resistance to the elements. He rolled out of the way of the coming fist and coated the ground with ice, but the Brute didn't chase him.

Sto had also changed how they fought.

That had been Tibs's biggest problem with the fight. He'd expected the Brutes to do as they'd done before. Chase whoever was the closest until they could move toward Bigger Brute to heal it. Then, getting them to slip on his ice was simple, and he could hit them with minimal risk to himself while they got back up until they couldn't anymore.

Sto said they weren't alive, so Tibs didn't know if their actions were them adapting to all the fights they had gone through, or if Sto simply added new reactions to them.

"Remain down," Khumdar instructed, sounding too far to help, but Tibs did so. A wave of darkness passed over him and impacted the Brute, causing it to stagger, and step on the ice as it attempted to keep its footing.

As soon as it was on its back, Tibs sliced at it and added as many cuts as he could before it was standing again. Khumdar joined him and got in a few piercing blows too.

"Step away," Carina called.

They moved and the ball of air that flew at the Brute was so dense with whirling essence it was visible to the eyes. It exploded on contact, the air ripping into the cuts and breaks already there, sending stone flying away until there was nothing left of the Brute.

Carina was panting, hand on her knees.

Mez wasn't out of breath, but the reserve in his bow was nearly depleted. "Jackal," he called. "You planning on ending your fight at any point? We can't get to the third floor until that."