We Can Be Heroes ...?

29

Mila showed no sign of knowing what Shion and Jova had talked about. Or, at least, she didn't mention it, but now Shion had a better idea of why Mila had such a brittle attitude. If Shion could believe Jova, and she couldn't see why not, Mila had remembered something horrific. Something that would traumatise anyone and, if she had come to know these people as well as she thought she had, Mila mourned how her sister's life ended far more than the end of her own.

With none of them getting any sleep, Mila decided to gather them all together. Without anyone else knowing, she had left the inn to survey the next few areas. The way to the south for the totem piece, and then to the north-west for the Scourge, the weapon that could help them against Nukrambuzer. Mila had them all touching her as she summoned her map, in order for them all to see.

"To the south, it's more ghosts. I tested the range of where they returned to their positions and we can try and pick them off one by one." Her finger indicated the south, where more of her map had become drawn, and then moved her finger to the north-west. "For the Scourge, it's not so simple. Almost a dozen zombies, but the streets are thinner, more twisty. They'd catch us if we try to outrun them and hit them individually."

"So we're going to have to fight a dozen zombies and then fight a boss monster." Jova released her sister and became indistinct, but they could all still hear her. "We're all going to die."

"Won' be th' firs' time." Now Dave took his hand from Mila's shoulder, moving away. "Migh' be the las', though."

As Shion took her hand from Mila's arm, she saw Dave drop onto a chair, lifting a mug of beer to his mouth and drinking what remained. He didn't seem to care that the alcohol must have sat there for decades, perhaps even hundreds of years ago. It was time to move out and continue through the city, but Dave looked in no hurry to go anywhere. It was as though he were quite happy to spend the rest of his life in this dungeon.

Shion was not. Once again, she found herself siding with Mila, not that that would change how the woman thought of her, or how she treated her, but that wasn't important beside their need to get through this impossible city. About to voice her opinion, both Jova and Dave pushed themselves up from their seats and began to move to the door of the inn.

It only took them a few minutes to reach the clutch of ghosts that barred the way to the second totem piece and Mila immediately set the Bobs to work. Three blue blurs scampered away toward the ghosts and then came scampering back, all under the direction of Mila, drawing the ghosts toward them as they stood only a little outside their range.

They performed the trick several times, the Bobs leading the monsters their way, them all attacking only one enemy at a time, and they whittled away at the numbers with only minimal need for Shion's healing abilities. A couple of times, they had to face more than one ghost at a time, but they managed it. They won. The magical shields, that their armour created every so often, proved helpful and decisive and Shion began to believe they may well stand a chance.

That was until she saw the creatures that guarded the second totem, the grey, spinning sigil hanging above a battered chest beyond the three ghosts that stood in their way. Or, rather, floated in their way, spectral clothing billowing behind them as though an ancient wind caught hold of them. A wind that no-one else could feel. They had to fight three powerful monsters at the same time and the giant skeleton had proved more than enough of a challenge.

"Alright. This is going to be tough." Mila took another look at the ghosts, before looking back. "Very, very tough. Jova, you're in front. Use that self-heal swing and keep them occupied. If they try to move past you, hit 'em with a stronger individual shot."

"Right on." Jova gave a salute and summoned her axe once more, looking as though she could fight all three ghosts at once. "Just say 'when'."

"Me and Dave take Jova's flanks, making as many attacks as possible. NPC, you stand behind us all and use your ring of healing. Watch your magic levels and replenish while our health is up." Mila took charge so well, giving clear and direct orders, and Shion felt more confident because of her. "Jova's right, though, we probably are going to die. This is going to be a shit storm."