Breaking Step (Dungeon Runner 3)

Breaking Step, Chapter 89

Tibs slashed up, and the guard deflected the blow with its shield, losing part of it to the sharpness the filigree of Dhu added to the metal edge gave it. He jumped back instead of blocking the returned swing, having experienced how much strength they had even when they weren't overhead strikes. As soon as the guard's sword smashed in to the ground, Tibs ducked, sensing Khumdar's swinging in his direction. The impact staggered the gray-skinned golem person more than any of Tibs's strikes did; more than he thought the cleric's strength allowed.

He'd ask how that was later.

Khumdar caught the other guard's sword on his staff, deflected it and slammed the end into its face, cracking it and leaving wisps of darkness behind. Tibs spun on a leg before standing and swung at the guard trying to take advantage of the cleric's turned back. It wasn't as armored, going to speed over strength, and the tip of Tibs's sword left water in the cuts.

The golem didn't seem aware of either the damage or water; another reminder that as much as they looked like a form of people, they weren't. When enough criss-crossed its chest, Tibs sent the etching he'd held at the ready, and once it hit, the water turned to ice, spreading. It continued attacking, also seemingly unaware of that, and Tibs kept blocking and striking, adding more cuts and more water that immediately iced.

When it reached a shoulder, the arm no longer moved properly. But the golem attacked as if it was fine. The elbow, wrist, and hand moving, but unable to come close to Tibs.

Another cut and ice spread to a leg and the golem's attempt to step forward resulted in a limp that let Tibs inflict a long cut on the other leg, then turning to help Khumdar, confident this golem wouldn't be a problem.

The cleric had kept the two guards from landing blows and had managed a few of his own by the added darkness on them, but more were joining.

Tibs suffused himself with earth and barreled through the newcomers, and the pain in his side as the toothed lined sword bit into it was yet another reminder that Sto kept in mind the elements Tibs was immune to. He blocked the next strike and left shallow cuts on their armor. The spreading ice broke as they moved, showing it couldn't reach their body, but it impeded them sufficiently he was able to dispatch them.

He turned to help Khumdar in time to see the cleric smile and do a pulling motion that felt theatrical, but resulted into shadowed versions of the two people golems leaving the bodies, then them crumbling as he absorbed the darkness.

"You're teaching me that one," Tibs said, and Khumdar responded with one of his amused, enigmatic smiles.

"Okay," Jackal said, resting against a wall. "Other than taking too long, this was fun."

"The dungeon's found ways of making the golem people more resistant to fire," Mez said.

"And Corruption," Don added, wincing as he stretched.

"He's forcing us to think of new ways to fight," Tibs said, heading for the sorcerer. He was cut and had one break in his side. "I thought you were going to keep back." He applied a weave, keeping his sense on the approaching form. It was moving slowly, so he had time.

The sorcerer sighed in relief. "The dungeon is adapting to that, too. One of them threw a mace at me."

Tibs raised an eyebrow.

"It was made of something that resisted my corruption enough to do this."

Jackal made a fist, grinning. "This always works for me."

"We're not all too thick headed for our own good," Don replied with some bitterness.

"He's thick everywhere," Mez said. "That's why nothing the dungeon throws at him works."