We Can Be Heroes ...?

39

In between fights with more and more hordes of creatures, the companions also found more and more ghosts. Huddled in tiny spaces, their faces pictures of fear at the events that had taken their lives. In houses, performing their last actions over and over again. Wandering the rubble strewn streets unaware of the catastrophe that had overcome them until the last moment, then retracing their steps to perform the scenes again.

Each time, Mila used the Scourge of the Dead on them and, each time, the cure seemed as horrific as what had befallen them as the city became torn from the world. Shion tried to imagine the power required to rip a city from its foundations and bring it here, into the cold, dank cavern that still appeared endless and unyielding. She couldn't. That kind of power had no place in the world. A power to rival that of the gods and they, Shion and the others, actively sought out the progenitor of the spell, as though they could even begin to stand against it.

As another ghost howled in torment as the Scourge severed the spectral bonds that held it, Shion looked away, covering her ears. She had no voice in the proceedings. An 'NPC' that was more encumbrance, a tool, than a part of the group. Yet she continued to play the part assigned to her, if only for the selfish reason that she didn't want to be alone in this place.

"Half full? What the fuck!" Mila shook the Scourge, as though that would make it more full. "At this rate, we'll never have it filled in time."

No-one heard her complaints. At least no-one that Mila thought mattered. Both Dave and Jova had taken to exploring nearby ruins whenever Mila released ghosts, searching for another crafting station. They had all gained more levels in the meantime and even Shion had noticed the attacks from their weapons were losing their edge. Not their abilities, those extra attacks gained through earning levels, but the attacks they used to refill their own energies.

Shion had learned, quite by accident, that she wasn't the only one that needed to recharge her pool of magic. She had expected as much for Mila, being a user of magic, but, apparently, Jova and Dave had to regain 'stamina' from enemies as much as Shion and Mila needed to replenish magic. All those attacks, fast attacks and heavy attacks from staffs, or enormous axe, or twin knives, were doing less damage and they needed all the damage they could hand out.

Mila's use of her colony of Bobs remained effective, but they were facing more enemies at almost each encounter. The Bobs led more and more enemies to them and not in ones or twos any more, but in threes and fives. Thanks to their newly gained abilities, they managed to fare well against them, but should a whole group attack, they would be as weak and vulnerable as they were upon first entering the city. Shion had need of her healing more and more often and it wearied her.

"Nothin' in these 'ouses." He strolled back with not a care in the world, long legs carrying him in a hip-swaying nonchalance. Dave never appeared to ever feel worried, or tired. "Mebbe tha' other one w's th' only one 'ere?"

"No. If there's one that early in the dungeon, there'll be another later on. We need to find it, or we'll lose this shield the set gives us." The ghost released, Mila turned her thoughts to other things. "Frankly, those shields have been the only thing saving us in some of these fights. We're still not high enough in level and we're at least forty levels away from Legend points. I can't help thinking, though, that this hasn't been as hard as it should be."

"Not hard?" Returning from the buildings on the other side of the street, Jova laughed, pointing to Dave and Shion in turn. "Died. Died. And every one of us has seen our health bars blinking in practically every fight. If it wasn't for darling Shion earning her Apex-Ability early, or her other, strangely powerful healing abilities, we'd all be gone ages ago. Not hard! Ha!"

Shion watched in silence as the others shared knowing nods between themselves. It felt as though they were conferring silently without allowing Shion to join in, but she had become used to it and had stopped even trying to be a part of their close-knit group. They didn't want her here as much as she didn't want to be here, but something Jova said stood out to her.