None of the Demons moved when she walked into the square.
All five of the lesser Demons had their eyes on her, but none of them reacted. After a few seconds of standing near the barrier, Penelope started walking towards the cluster of monsters.
“What are they doing?” She muttered under her breath.
“All their attacks have the same range as yours. They’re going to use hit-and-fade tactics.”
Penelope nodded as she kept an eye on the monsters.
When she was a hundred-fifty feet away from the cluster, the Demonic Spiders skittered across the ceiling, forming an arc around her that was expanding into a circle. The Shadow Caster and Demonic Frog stayed in the center of the square, neither one moving as she approached.
The Demon reached down and scratched the head of the Demonic Frog, then its silver eyes opened and fixated on her.
THE PALE ONE COMES FOR US
Penelope’s eyes widened. “You can speak?”
YOUR TONGUE IS SIMPLE BUT EFFECTIVE
“You know it’s trying to distract you?”
Penelope swatted at the air like she was waving away a bug. “I don’t suppose you’ll leave without a fight?”
The Demon laughed, releasing a noise that was closer to gravel hitting glass than joy.
THERE IS NO LEAVING FOR US. ONLY SUBMISSION FOR YOU
Penelope scrunched her brow. “What?”
WE ARE NOT DEFEATED HERE, ONLY SENT BACK TO FIGHT AGAIN
Jeru, what is it talking about? Penelope tried to keep an eye on the spiders that were moving around her.
“I told you not to talk to it.”
Penelope let a growl roll in her throat. I did, so explain what it meant, or I’ll ask it.
“This’ll be good.”
“Ugh.” Penelope looked at the Demon. “What do you mean, you’ll fight again?”
WE DO NOT DIE. YOU CUT OUR TETHERS, BUT WE WILL BE BACK AS LONG AS THE GATE IS OPEN
The Shadow Caster spread out the fingers on its right hand and waved it slowly in front of it. Metal shards that looked like pieces of glass materialized in the wake of the hand.
THE ELF MAY HAVE LIMITED OUR POWER, BUT THERE ARE ONLY FIVE OF YOU. IF I FALL HERE, THEN I WILL WAIT FOR YOU ON THE NEXT FLOOR AND THE NEXT. I CAN FALL HUNDREDS OF TIMES. WHEN YOU FALL, I WILL ADD YOU TO MY COLLECTION
The smooth sides of the metal shards changed from smooth silver to faces of people and beings. There were Elves, Goblins, Dwarves, Anubis, Centaurs, and a lot more races that Penelope had never seen before.
“Told you not to talk to it.” Jeru pulled on her right earlobe. “Behind you.”
“Light Beam!”
A stream of light shot out of the tip of the wand as she spun to her right.
The Demonic Spider on that side of her spit a stream of webbing as thick as her arm at her. Her spell sliced it off as she twisted the wand to cut more of the sticky stream while she honed in on the spider.
The monster dropped off of the ceiling to avoid the beam, skittering backwards to get out of range. The webbing changed from a thick rope to a wide net. The net didn’t shoot as far, but it did cover the stone floor, making it impossible for her to get into range without clearing the trap first.
Penelope canceled the beam spell before it used more mana than three of her single-cast spells. Before she could think about how to clear the webbing, she caught the attack of another spider to her left.
“Light Blast!”
The surge of light evaporated the webbing, but only for as long as the light shone. After the spell died down, the webbing kept coming.
“Light Blast! Light Burst!”
A shard of metal sank into her neck.
Penelope grabbed a Healing Potion out of her left pocket as she backed away from the Caster. A few of the shards cut her robe, and one managed to sink into her cheek.
Penelope pulled the lid of the vial off with her teeth and downed the liquid. Cool glue chased away the spicy sensation as the Demonic Spiders managed to start covering her in webbing.
“Light Burst!”
The light that erupted out of her burned away all of the webbing, freeing her to face the incoming metal. Penelope put her arm up in front of her face and started running.
GIVE UP. YOU ARE FATED TO DIE
“Light Beam!”
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Penelope was done talking to the Shadow Demon; all she wanted from it now was for it to die.
The beam of light chased through the metal projectiles, destroying the ones that crossed through the beam. Many got through, tearing more holes in the robe.
“Light Burst!” Penelope destroyed the webbing whenever it hit her while keeping the beam chasing the Demon. “Light Burst! Light Burst!”
The Shadow Caster stopped, letting her get within range. Her beam clipped its shoulder as Penelope swept to slice the neck.
FROG!
WHAM!
The tip of the Demonic Frog’s tongue hit the side of her knee, knocking it out from under her. Her beam went wide, scorching a black mark across the ceiling.
Penelope turned her wand towards the frog at the same time that the bludgeon at the tip of the tongue hit her right hand.
“LIGHT BURST!!!”
The Demonic Frog reeled back as her spell burned off the tip of its tongue. The monster’s greatest weapon had been neutralized, but Penelope no longer had her weapon.
Her wand clanked across the floor, where it was secured in place with webbing. More metal shards hit her side as her mind tried to think about how to proceed.
YOU FAILED! STOP STRUGGLING AND I WILL KILL YOU NOW!
Penelope’s right leg couldn’t hold any weight, and her left side was full of metal shards. Webbing hit her between the shoulders and yanked her back, while more webbing caught her right foot and yanked her forward.
“LIGHT BURST!!!”
The webbing attached to her vanished, dropping her on her right side.
“Light Blast!” Penelope threw her right arm at the Demonic Frog mid-jump.
DING!
Experience +12
The body of the frog didn’t lose much momentum. It hit the ground a few feet away from her and rolled.
Penelope scooted the best she could while she dug into her pocket for another Healing Potion. She managed to scoot back, but webbing stuck her left arm to her side.
“Light…” Penelope had to use her right arm to protect her face now. The Demonic Spiders were closing in. Two others had stuck her legs to the cold stone floor. She could see the fourth one eyeing her right arm.
Penelope pointed at the Shadow. “ARROW!!!”
Nothing happened.
Her eyes went wide, and she started hyperventilating.
“LIGHT ARROW! LIGHT LASH! LIGHT BOMBARDMENT! LIGHT MAGIC!!!”
Penelope jammed her right hand in her pocket and grabbed a Mana Potion. She yanked it out only for her right hand to get webbed against her chest. She bent her neck down, snapping her teeth as she tried to bite the lid.
HAHAHAHA!!! YOU’RE OUT OF MANA AND CAN’T TAKE A POTION!!!
The Shadow Demon walked up to her and plucked the vial out of her hand.
“HEY!!!” Penelope strained against the webbing. “THAT’S MINE!”
A POTION MADE IN THE ABYSS? NO, YOU TOOK THIS AS A PRIZE JUST LIKE I AM.
It opened the lid and poured the cool liquid into its mouth.
AH, NOTHING LIKE A NICE TOP OFF.
The Shadow Demon looked down at her.
I PROMISED A SWIFT DEATH IF YOU SURRENDERED. THIS IS NOT SURRENDER.
Penelope smirked. “No, it’s not."
She hadn’t used all her mana like she wanted the Demon to believe. In fact, she still had thirteen mana.
“LIGHT BURST!”
The webbing restraining her vanished. Her right hand went back in her pocket as her left pointed at the Demon that was close enough to touch.
“LIGHT BLAST!”
DING!
Experience +36
You are now Level Nine
Stats increased: Recovery +1, Magic +1
You have learned: Light Torrent
New Class Unlocked!
Greenhorn -> Spellshot
New Passive Unlocked!
Chaincast
Mana Sponge
The point in Magic and the point in Recovery gave her four more mana, which was enough to cast two spells. The four spiders abandoned any caution and charged her.
Penelope pointed her left hand at the incoming spiders on that side.
“LIGHT TOR-”
Nausea washed over her, and she saw double. Penelope pulled a Mana Potion out of her pocket and downed the contents as the spiders reached her.
A leg speared through her left leg, while in front another spider missed spearing her in the face but still punched her in the nose with the bend of its leg. Teeth sank into her right shoulder, and a sharp pain in her back drove all of her breath away.
“Light Burst!”
SKREE!!!
The pain in her back intensified as she was lifted into the air. She summoned her strength, but the words still came out in a whisper.
“Light Burst.”
DING!
Experience +6
Experience +6
Experience +6
Experience +6
The stone didn’t give as Penelope bounced off it. She rolled over, but the dead spider’s leg was still in her back. It was hard to breathe, and she was having a hard time speaking.
“Don’t speak, just talk to me here.” Jeru appeared in front of her while he spoke in her mind.
I need a potion.
“A potion won’t fix this.” The blue Elf shook his head. “You have to get that spider leg out of you first.”
Light Burst? Just speaking in her mind was taking more energy than she had. Penelope’s eyes started to close.
“If you could speak.” Jeru shook his head. “But you haven’t learned silent casting.”
What do I do?
“I can reset it.” The blue Elf looked south, then back at her. “Or you can wait and see if Ula comes over to check on you before you die.”
Penelope closed her eyes. She’d cleared the room, but she wasn’t going to get to enjoy the spoils of this one just like the last room had been stolen from her.
Reset it.
“You sure?” Jeru eyed her. “You could still salvage this run.”
Just do it. Penelope tried to cough, but it gagged her. I can get more done by working my way through another run than I can waiting here to see if I die before I get saved. She closed her eyes. Just do it.
A blinding light was his reply.
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