Pandora Unchained - B1C49: The Battle at the Temple

With the addition of Haster and Barbara's teams, their speed through the labyrinth increased severalfold. They encountered four groups of demonic creatures that took a total of a minute each to dispatch before arriving at a different entrance to the center of the maze.

"I hear sounds of battle," said Gareth as they approached the entrance. "Sounds of steel and magic and bows."

"Looks like someone made it here before us," said Stephan. "Let's see exactly who we're up against before making a decision."

The entrance led to the side of the temple. Tinted glass from where they'd broken out to escape still littered the ground. Not far away, a large group of 16 adventurers was engaged in battle against the mighty minotaur. "I see Orpheus and Nale and Mercella's teams," said Gareth. "Permission to shoot them in the back?"

"Permission denied," said Stephan. "We're better than that."

"How much better, exactly?" asked Barbara. "Because I'm not fond of either of those teams. Judging by your story earlier, you have just cause to hit back at both Orpheus and Nale."

"There's a big difference between a frontal clash and stabbing someone in the back," said Stephan. "As much as they deserve such a fate, I also deserve to sleep at night. Either way, I won't feel the slightest guilt over sneaking into the temple while they're fighting. Lawrence?"

"Just ahead of you," said Lawrence, sprinting towards the temple. He was about to reach the window when he suddenly stopped. "Damn it!" The rogue cursed and picked up a broken shard of glass. He tossed it towards the temple, causing a reaction from a golden shield that now isolated the temple from the rest of the labyrinth.

"You idiot!" cursed Stephan. "You ruined our element of surprise!"

Sorin looked over to the minotaur and noticed that its bull head was staring straight at them. Orpheus had also noticed them, and their teams were now adjusting their positions in case of potential treachery. In addition, he felt a cold sensation sweep through his body. Their three teams stiffened as sounds of grinding stone drowned out the those of the ongoing battle.

"The labyrinth!" said Gareth. "It's shifting!"

"Thank you very much for pointing out the obvious," said Stephan. "Everyone, prepare for battle!"

The grinding sounds only lasted thirty seconds, but they were immediately followed up by bestial roars from the same passageways. Demons began pouring out from all eight entrances to the center of the labyrinth, making it clear that with all obstacles between them and the labyrinths, many demons had been cleared.

"Defensive formation!" Barbara called out. Her team members adjusted their positions with military precision.

"Get ready to cut a wedged towards the boss," Haster commanded his team. Then, to Sorin's surprise, he pulled out a large waterskin and took a deep drink.

Wine? thought Sorin as he pulled out his dagger and summoned a handful of poison needles. He then carefully inspected the eight different varieties of demons that emerged all at once. There were lizards and serpents and all manner of furred animals. There was even a group of cyclopes like the ones they'd killed earlier.

"Steady!" shouted Stephan as he assumed his bear form and received the charge of a group of demonic boars. "Their numbers are great, but their strengths are weak. Let's push forward towards the minotaur!"

Sorin and Lawrence pulled back and guarded Daphne as she chanted a spell. Thanks to her new staff, a fireball that was fifty percent larger than usual formed in record time. It blasted the group of thirty charging boars, directly eliminating half of them. As for the other half, Stephan directly swatted two to death, and Barbara's team used swords and spears to finish them off.

Having received the initial charge, their group sped toward a of forty lizards that had surrounded Orpheus's team. While Sorin believed they should let them deal with that themselves, fighting so many one-star demons while also handling the minotaur would likely not end well for either of their allied teams.

The lizards only realized their predicament seconds before they clashed. Sorin used Adder Rush and Viper Strike to dispatch a few that came towards him and threw out a handful of poison needles, killing another two.

"I don't suppose you're open to cooperating against this thing before we all die?" Stephan asked Orpheus as he smashed a pair of lizards to a pulp.

"You're just here because you have no choice," Orpheus snapped back. "And the answer is yes, obviously. Get your elites in here so we can deal with this large monstrosity. We'll each peel off a portion of our members to hold back the lesser demons."

"Barbara, Haster, Sorin, and Lawrence, you're with me," commanded Stephan. "Gareth, help us out with a few well-timed arrows. Spend the rest of your time with Daphne and Sypher, and pick off those they don't eliminate with their area of effect spells.

Having already discussed their strategy against the minotaur, their teams were fine with these arrangements. Barbara's team was well-balanced and had its own life mage. In contrast, Haster's team consisted of swordsmen and a single frost mage, Sypher, who quickly teamed up with Daphne to eliminate a large group of cyclopes as they emerged.

Orpheus and Nale's teams each had their respective tanks and life mages, but it was clear that they were having trouble holding out as they distracted the minotaur. Stephan directly launched himself at the creature and attacked with a Lunisolar Paw, drawing its attention. This bought time for Sorin to close the gap with Adder Rush and stab the minotaur in the side.

Sorin's enchanted dagger punched through the creature's thick mana shield and hide and injected a hefty dose of flesh-melt poison. Sorin was now able to inject twice as much poison as usual. While it wasn't very effective, it helped to disperse his personal manabane poison, as well as the thick black poisonous film he'd applied to his dagger before charging in.

Violet tendrils spread out from the point of entry, severely weakening the minotaur's flesh and creating disruptive ripples in his mana shield. The minotaur responded violently to Sorin's attack. It chopped down with its axe, and Sorin, not nearly as nimble as Lawrence, was barely able to avoid the attack and suffered a six-inch cut to his shoulder.

The minotaur's aggressive reaction was within expectation. Lawrence took the opportunity to take its back. He used triple stab execution with his enchanted sword to apply another dose of manabane poison, further disrupting its shielding. This was quickly followed up by a penetrating arrow from Gareth and Barbara, who shot one of its legs and its dominant arm, respectively.

"Gareth, pull back! Barbara, switch to your spear!" commanded Stephan. "Haster, its shields should be weaker. You're in!"

The drunken swordsman stumbled forward and swept out awkwardly with his sword, cutting a gash six inches deep into its hide, far deeper than anyone else had so far.

But Haster's efforts seemed in vain because the wound immediately began to close over. Violet and black streams leaked out from the wound, indicating that the poison was now spreading all over the minotaur's body.

The minotaur, enraged by the sudden development, grabbed his axe with both hands and chopped down on Collin, who'd just activated a taunting ability. The power of the attack took him entirely by surprise and sundered his shield in half, Collin's arm out along with it.

"Damn it!" shouted Nale, pulling a bleeding Collin out. "Hellen, apply a healing potion and stop the bleeding before coming back. Collin, you're useless now. Make sure to pull back and away from the fighting."

Sorin was in no rush to attack a second time. As the only team member with leftover manabane poison, the minotaur had grown wary of him. This was the final dose of manabane poison that could disrupt its heavy shielding and mana-reinforced muscles. Failure was not an option.

With Gareth picking off those Daphne and Sypher don't eliminate, we don't have to worry about outside interference, thought Sorin. But whenever I get close to the minotaur, I immediately draw its attention.

"Sorin, get ready!" shouted Stephan. "Orpheus, use a powerful attack to draw its attention! Lunisolar Paw!"

"Nether Blade!" shouted Orpheus as he attacked with a sword encased in sinister energy.

"Drunken Sword!"

"Masterful Stab!"

The minotaur, overwhelmed by the sudden onslaught, suddenly erupted with dense mana fluctuations. Golden axe blades erupted from it, forcing back all four attackers.

Sorin used Adder Rush on instinct, avoiding the heaviest part of the minotaur's burst attack. He suffered a few cuts on his chest. In exchange, he stabbed the minotaur's arm, injecting another heavy dose of manabane poison and further disrupting its mana shield.

Despite its predicament, the minotaur was ready for Sorin. It swept out with its arm and moved to swat him like a bug. But Sorin had learned how heavily it could hit the hard way and immediately used Python Coil to wrap around its arm. He held on like his life depended on it and stabbed it several times with Viper Strike before the minotaur managed to fling him off towards a group of demonic lizards.

Sorin rolled away just in time to avoid a burning claw. An arrow struck another lizard in the head, buying Sorin the time he needed to pull back to where Daphne and the ice mage were located.

"You alright?" asked Gareth.

"I'm fine," said Sorin, wincing as he rolled his shoulder. "It's not worth wasting my half a healing potion on."

"You're the physician," said Gareth, nocking three arrows and shooting down three bat demons that had just emerged from the tunnel.

The battle was progressing nicely. The manabane poison was only a one-star poison, but it was a potent one that had been applied in large quantities. Thanks to its effects, Haster, Orpheus, Stephan, and Barbara were able to effectively execute their attacks.

But it's still not enough, thought Sorin, noting how quickly its wounds were closing. Having struck it twice, he was familiar with its anatomy and knew that these attacks were just flesh wounds.

Having no more manabane poison, Sorin could only rely on his personal poisons. His poison needles were useless against the creature. Still, by jumping in between attacks, he was able to land a few more Viper Strikes. And unlike before, the minotaur didn't pay much attention to him. It must have powerful instincts and must have been able to sense the threat of the manabane poison, thought Sorin. But that suited him perfectly. His poisons might not be immediately effective, but they were debilitating once they reached a high enough concentration.

Sorin continued landing one Viper Strike after another, steadily increasing the dose of poison in the minotaur's body. This also applied several levels of curse from his dagger, weakening its offensive prowess enough for Stephan and Orpheus's tank to resist its attacks.

"I sense sharp mana fluctuations," Orpheus suddenly shouted. "We've reached the halfway point. Prepare for the next phase!" The minotaur let out a loud bellow as it suddenly grew to a height of thirteen feet, with arms and legs the thickness of Sorin's torso.