Dungeon Hunter: Act I

Death Blow

There was no announcement which meant just bringing the Minotaur to its knees didn't mean the system considered this the end of the battle. It was clear what we had to do. The idea left a bad taste in my mouth. Before us, the half-human beast was howling at its restraint, still tugging at their locked arms. I requested Jye to dart in and add a few Loads to their legs when they could to ensure our approach to put the Minotaur out of its misery would pose no further risk. The giant had yet to complete the action when I heard the hiss of an ability being activated and turned to look at the others.

Frowning, I glanced to Axel who was grinning triumphantly down at the Minotaur, perhaps considering ways in which he could deliver the final blow. Obviously he hadn't heard the sound. This was just another thing I would talk to the others about when we were finally all back together. The list was growing long now. And I really was jumping the gun by thinking we would all survive. But there was a weird sort of confidence growing inside me. Perhaps we were really doing it.

Still, the source of the ability being activated worried me. Was it Wren healing herself? Tam fighting the mimic? The both of them would have to face whatever they were doing alone.

"So, what's the go?" I asked, knowing none of us were equipped to deal large amounts of damage to a single target and that all of us had to be low on stamina and mana. Knowing that Gigi regenerated half xir stamina in the same amount of time it took for me to restore 4 points of mine meant that maybe Jye and Axel would get theirs back quicker as well. Lucky them.

I'd also prefer to not stand around and slowly cripple another "living" being.

"Target practice?" Jye suggested, stepping behind the creature carefully to do as I'd previously asked. They did not need to bend down to lay nervous hands on the Minotaur's hooves.

I really had to stop extending idea generation to the redhead.

Pinching at the bridge of my nose, I said, "No, Jye. We're not using a living creature as target practice."

"It should have a weak spot," Gigi supplied.

I glanced over to xem, my brows furrowing in thought. Xir words hadn't been censored which meant what xe was saying had to be common knowledge. I mean, yes, in games bosses tended to have weaknesses that glowed red for players to attack. There was nothing so obvious about the Minotaur.

The familiar hiss sounded as Jye applied a Load each onto the beast's hoofed feet. It wasn't as much as I'd like, but it was better than nothing. We'd stay clear of the Minotaur's legs, just in case. In reaction, the creature let out an inhuman growl, tossing its head about in protest. It looked like little had changed, but it did seem more panicked. The fear on its half-bull face did make me feel a little nauseous. If we were going by mythology, the Minotaur was half-human. What we were doing would be akin to an execution, or at least 50% of one.

"How do we find it?" Axel asked.

He had begun circling the beast, taking a wide berth, his blue eyes narrowed in scrutiny.

"Wish Tam would lend us a hand," I muttered under my breath.

She'd been the one to see the gem in the crystal wall that had triggered the trap. If there was anyone on our team capable of spotting any type of weakness, red glow or not, it would've been her. Too bad she was such a poor sportsman. She was probably skulking about somewhere nearby waiting for a chance to kill-steal. Typical Tam. And then our next bet was Wren who'd identified the trap soon after. And she was a no go.

Why were the rest of us so goddamn blind?

"Huh," came Jye's voice as they stepped back from the legs of the Minotaur.