89: Blood in the Water, Part Four

Blood in the Water, Part Four

The battle opened with Neve using {Fireball} on the incoming two warriors.

MP: 1080/1100

And, of course, both her spells missed. 

[... Goddammit.] 

The ones holding the spears behind them stayed where they were, surprisingly. Neve wasn't complaining, though. Whatever opening they could get was one she'd appreciate. 

Though Erin was still cautious of these enemies after having lost to one of them previously, she stood between them and Neve, blocking their path to the healer. 

[Okay, just because you got their levels lower doesn't mean you can afford to take this easy,] she told herself. [Use your full arsenal here.] 

On that note, as Erin's blades met their tridents up ahead, Neve cast {Field of Brilliance.}

MP: 1005/1100

She followed it up by casting {Sacred Ground} under Erin and then spamming {Fireball} at both warriors until she finally hit them. 

MP: 905/1100

As Erin parried a pair of quick thrusts, the spheres of flame flying through the air collided with her opponents. The fish-like creatures dropped their weapons and scrambled to put the fires out and, seizing the moment, instantly used {Rorvan's Flurry}. 

Unable to dodge, the enemies saw their burnt flesh be ground down.

At the same time, a pair of spears embedded themselves in Erin's body. 

"Agh," Erin pulled back.

[What?] Neve thought as she realized, [those are javelins!] 

That was why they'd been perfectly content to remain where they were. 

More spears materialized in their hands and they prepared to throw another pair, just as the first two warriors died. 

EXP Gained: 60

EXP: 60/500

WST Gained: 120

WST: 74465

As {Rorvan's Flurry} stopped, Erin realized there were now spears sticking out of her and gave a muffled, pained, closed-mouth groan as Neve moved to heal her. 

Using {Great Healing Dart} four times as Erin pulled the spears out of her body, she managed to heal the lamia just in time, before the next set of javelins could take their place.

Erin dodged just before they would have reached her. Moving out of {Field of Brilliance's} zone, she closed the distance between herself and the opponents in a flash. Neve ran forward in an effort to keep up, making it halfway across the room just as Erin's blades met their spears. 

Unable to overpower these opponents as easily as she had many of the previous ones, it became abundantly clear to both Neve and Erin that these fighters hadn't just been strong physically, due to their previously obscenely high levels. Their skills must have been high as well. 

[If it wasn't for their weakness to fire, I wonder how tough this would be... Oh well, at least we have that to rely on.] 

Going around her summon, Neve strafed to the right, using {Fireball} numerous times. One of the warriors noticed her and dodged back, avoiding the incoming projectiles. The other, however, was busy trading blows with Erin and could not do the same. 

"Aaaaarrrrgh!" It screeched unnaturally as its body was wrapped in flames and Erin seized the opportunity instantly, placing both her blades at its neck and slashing to the sides, outward, decapitating it. 

Desperately, the last of the fish warriors began throwing out spears like a madman, aiming them at Neve specifically, in one last attempt at securing at least one kill before it fell. 

"Whoa!" Neve moved to dodge the attacks, but, with only 20 Speed now, was just too slow to keep up. She managed to avoid two spears, leaning to the left and then to the right, before the third one went straight through her abdomen. 

"Agh!" 

She was thrown back, sliding along the floor with the javelin sticking out of her. With trembling hands, she stared down at the foreign object inside of her as Erin finished off the enemy responsible for this just a short distance ahead. 

The lamia disappeared and Neve then reached for her staff, casting {Healing Ground} under her own body. The spell slowly pushed the spear out of her. Once it was out, Neve allowed herself to rest for a moment, wincing as she lay on the cold, white floor. 

[... Really glad I got my Endurance up to 40. What would have happened here if I had gone with it being any lower?] 

It was hard to celebrate this intellectual validation with a huge wound in her gut like this, but it still felt slightly nice to know she'd made the right decision in investing in that attribute. 

Eventually, Neve's body was fully repaired and her mana had regenerated. With that being the case, she summoned Erin next to her while she saw how much EXP and how many WST she'd gained. 

EXP: 120/500

WST: 74585

"These opponents of ours are quite skilled, I must say," Erin told her soon after she appeared next to her. "Their movements with these odd weapons are practiced. Is it safe to assume all of our enemies will have a similar level of proficiency?" 

"Maybe," Neve replied with a shrug. "I do know for a fact that the enemies will be getting more complex and more powerful as we go on, but I don't know if their skill level with weapons will be affected." 

[I imagine it will, but I'll need to head to the Fourth Floor and see what those enemies are like before it's fully confirmed.] 

The healer then went and inspected all four of the monster's bodies. 

The first two enemies they'd encountered had not dropped anything she could use. She wondered if the same would be the case with these. 

[50% of all drops and loot, right? So, with us having fought 6 enemies now, statistically, 3 of these guys should have Priestess-class loot.] 

The first three enemies whose possessions she went through only had the tridents and javelins they'd been using, along with something she hadn't seen before. 

{Atlantean Fat - Alchemy Material - Uncommon} 

{Effects: Unknown}

[Huh?] Neve thought as she looked at this. [No value, though. I'm guessing this means it can't be sold. What can I make with this? Will Ahlakan be able to find out if I bring it to her?] 

Moving the item to her inventory, she sold the weapons off and amassed an extra 200 WST. 

WST: 74785

And then, finally, she found some actual Priestess-class drops. 

Ring of Favor

{Uncommon}

{Accessory}

{Effect: While wearing this, Buff-type spells cast upon the wearer are 10% more effective}

{Val: 500 WST}

Sacred Orb x3

{Uncommon}

{Consumable}

{Val: 50 WST}2

{Effect: Pot that spreads Holy Essence when thrown onto a Player. Players wrapped in Holy Essence repel any impure-type enemies for 1 minute} 

Priestess Dagger

{Common}

{Weapon}

{Req: Priest/Priestess}

{Regular dagger. Scales with Strength, Precision, and Speed} 

Neve's eyes just about bulged out of their sockets as she saw these items. 

She didn't care too much about the Sacred Orbs since {Holy Beckons} was enough to destroy Impure-type enemies on its own, but the other two drops were important. 

Firstly, if Ring of Favor stacked with Neve's staff, then her buff spells would be even better than they were, further boosted of course by {Field of Brilliance}.

Second, the dagger was, realistically, kind of worthless, but it confirmed something Neve had been wanting to know. 

There did, in fact, exist conventional weapons that Priestess-class Players like her could use. 

[If I find one that's actually good, I won't have to bash shit over the head with my staff anymore! Holy shit!] 

Noting all of this, and feeling rather excited over it, Neve took the items and placed them in her inventory, except for the ring. 

This, she took to Erin personally, turning toward her and holding it out. 

"Hey, can you stick your hand out for a second?" Neve asked. "I found something for you." 

Erin pulled back, raising a brow high as she looked down and saw the ring in Neve's hands. 

"..." Her lips parted, but no words came out. She was shocked. 

Neve, however, was so excited that she didn't even register her summon's reaction. Instead, she waited until Erin did as she asked and Neve quickly slid the ring down Erin's ring finger on her right hand. 

"Fits pretty-" Neve stopped as she looked up and found Erin blushing. "Um, is something wrong?" 

"... No," Erin replied quietly, looking down at the item and then back up at her. "Just a cultural difference, I suppose," she muttered. 

Neve hadn't really cared too much about its appearance, but looking at it now, she did note that it was quite elegant. A deep crimson band with a line of tiny, black letters carved into it.

Its impressive appearance was probably what made Erin pause. 

"I just did not expect such a thing." 

[Oh, well, yeah... I guess I haven't given her too many gifts. Still, is a simple gift that meaningful to her kind?] 

Out of curiosity, Neve went through Erin's personality settings. Having confirmed before that they could change in real time, she wanted to see if she made a mistake somehow. 

Instead, she found: 

Romantic/Cold: 44

[... What was that at before?] Neve thought. [That went to the left, didn't it?] 

Clearing her throat, Erin asked:

"Where are we heading next?" 

"Um... May as well keep going this way," Neve replied, pointing at the doors that the two javelin-throwers had been standing in front of. 

"Very well. I should lead the way, then." 

Just like that, Erin began slithering away, sneaking one last look at her right hand before she pushed the doors open. 

[Uh... Okay then.] 

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