Tristan

The hydra was at least twice as big as the Cinder Wyvern had been. However, just like the Wyvern, it seemed to be asleep. Once again, in defiance of all Tristan's experiences, it was exactly as the guide described, right down to the six, gigantic, sleeping heads.

"So what we're up against first is an event that determines how hard the fight will be," Chessa explained. "There are these big, locking collars that we've got to try and put around some of the heads."

"Must it specifically go around the heads, or would a neck suffice?" Xanax asked.

Opie wore a sly smile. "Why, you looking to try one on, Xanax?"

"I'd assume the neck would work," Cross said, ignoring Opie entirely. "That just makes sense, right?"

Drannis nodded. "Perhaps, but the guides tend to be quite particular. Who was the writer of yours?"

"Dungeon Delver Dave," Chessa answered.

Immediately Tristan groaned, but Manama actually looked pleased. "Oh, excellent," the entertainer said. "I've heard great things about all his guides. He's really highly rated!"

Laura was looking questioningly at Tristan. "What do you have against Triple-D, Tristan?"

Tristan ran a hand through his hair, debating how much of his personal grievances to share. "He's just... not always right, especially about variants. I've personally had two bad experiences because of him."

"Really?" Manama asked, clearly surprised.

Xanax looked mildly scandalized. "Have you reported his errors?"

Meanwhile, Sophie looked perplexed. "Two?"

"It's a long couple of stories," Tristan admitted.

"Then we had better focus on what awaits us," Drannis said. "We will take Tristan's warning into advisement, of course, but we must plan as best we can with what we have available." He turned back to Chessa. "What else can you tell us of this encounter, huntress?"

"Well, first we have to decide how many heads to chain." Chessa said, sketching out each of what Dave called the 'optimal approaches.' They varied depending on group experience, coordination, and desired challenge. "I think we could easily handle either two or three heads unchained, given what we've already accomplished."

"Why not more?" Cross asked.

"Why not less?" Kitara fired back. "We're trying to get through this with everyone alive and well, right? What's the point in amping up the difficulty when we've still got half the bosses left to fight. And the tougher half, at that!"

Cross shrugged nonchalantly. "Because more challenge usually means better loot. And it's more fun."

Kitara put her hands to her head. "Assuming we win. That only matters if we win!"

"We shall win," the raid leader spoke up. "We have gathered a great force here, united by our desire for loot and experience, and by our might we shall prevail!"

Opie just stared at Drannis with his mouth agape, totally silent for perhaps the first time in his life.

A notification popped up.

[Dungeon Quest available: Hydra, More Like Bye-dra!]

Everyone looked at Manama, who suddenly looked very suspicious. Apparently he had taken a few steps closer to the boss and crossed some invisible threshold.

"Sorry, I just wanted a bit better look," he admitted. "You know, for the eventual song I'll write?"

There were sighs all around, though no one seemed too upset. Tristan expanded the quest.

[Dungeon Quest: Hydra, More Like Bye-dra!]

Before you is the Great Hydra, currently resting after having devoured the last party that tried to place restraints upon it. Like it was for them, it may prove too great a challenge for you. But with those restraints still near at hand...

Rewards: Vary based on heads unchained

Tristan didn't find the description very helpful at all. It didn't even explain what the rewards might be.

Sophie quietly asked, "Chessa, could you explain why you recommend that difficulty?"

The huntress nodded appreciatively. "As long as we can chain at least one, we'll be fine. Two heads is safer, and three heads is a more moderate difficulty. It would be harder than the recommended four, but not too much so. With your big astral, we'd have a tank for each unchained head, which should negate a big portion of the expected difficulty. And, as Cross did say, the bigger the risk, the better the reward. There's some great loot that begins to drop at the three-head level."

"But two heads would be easier?" Kitara asked nervously.

"It would be, of course," Chessa replied.

"What happens with all of the heads?" Tristan asked.

Everyone turned to him.

"What? I'm not suggesting it--at least not yet. I just want to know so that I can make a fully informed decision."

Xanax nodded. "Wise words, Tristan. I, too, wish to hear the answer to his query."

Chessa sighed. "Well, the obvious issue is that with each additional unchained head, you've got that many more attacks. But the bigger problem comes in when you finally manage to cut off one of the heads."

"Two more grow in its place?" Opie offered with a cheeky grin.

"No, Opie. It's not that kind of hydra. This hydra consolidates its power and deals more damage! You really didn't read at all!"

"Hey, you were distracting me, looking all cute--!"

"I was reading in bed!"

Opie pointed at her with both hands. "Exactly! 'IN BED'! How can you expect me to concentrate on anything when you're lying there half naked? Who in their right mind would read up--?"

"ENOUGH!" Drannis shouted.

First, everyone's eyes went to him. Then, one by one, they turned to the hydra.

"It didn't just move, did it?" Laura whispered.

Sophie, not waiting for or offering a reply, took a few steps back and began what Tristan recognized as the ritual to switch out Poof for Mister Biggs.

A full minute passed in silence. Tristan literally watched the seconds ticking by on his [Clock] skill.

Then Drannis sent a message through raid chat.

Drannis: All communications should go through raid chat now, if at all possible.

He looked around the circle to see all the others nod in agreement.

Drannis: Please continue, Chessa. What happens when a head gets cut off? And what about if none of the heads are chained?

Chessa's answer was prefaced by pursed lips and a nervous swallow.

Chessa: A 'removed' head/neck gets reincorporated into the body, increasing the damage of the remaining heads each time. And If left totally unfettered, it would not only give us more heads to deal with, meaning higher damage output by the end, it would also allow the hydra to move about the entire area.

She paused, pulling an arrow from her quiver and using its tip to sketch a series of three concentric circles in the dirt. She touched the outermost with the arrow.

Chessa: There would be no guaranteed safe zone at all. Tristan: So, at least one head has to be chained to lock it down.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Chessa: Exactly. But I think we aim for three.

Cross grunted and scowled, but other than batting a hand through the air, he didn't harp on his frustrations.

Opie: Fine by me. Manama: Me too.

Kitara, Laura, and Tristan again nodded their agreement.

That left Sophie, who was just finishing up her ritual, and Drannis. The dwarf stared down at the circles in the dirt.

Sophie: I'm fine with that, too. Drannis: I find your judgment sound in this, huntress, and will abide by it. Three it shall be.

Chessa exhaled quietly, and she began drawing more lines in the dirt with her arrow.

Chessa: Great. Then let's talk about how we're going to lock down three of the heads.

- - - - -

After taking enough time to thoroughly go over the plan, apply a fresh round of buffs, and guarantee that everyone's resources were completely topped off, the raid approached the six-headed monster as slow as honey in the depths of winter.

They'd set up three pairs to deal with the chains, both moving them from where they rested in the center of the circle and then placing and locking them around one of the hydra's necks. Specifically, each of the nearest heads was assigned to either Chessa, Xanax, or Tristan, since they were either sneaky or more capable of handling any sudden aggro.

Each of the three was also partnered with a tank, who would follow a few paces behind just in case. Cross followed behind Chessa, Drannis went with Xanax, and Mister Biggs pranced softly beside Tristan.

Getting to the chains had been tense enough. Every footfall and crunch of gravel rang out loudly in the oppressive silence, yet they'd all managed. Now Tristan held the thick, cool metal in his hands, and he worried about its strength. It felt too light for something expected to hold back so much power, but he also knew it was literally designed for this purpose. He just had to put his faith into the idea that they would hold.

A part of him wondered if his hesitation wasn't more because of his uncertainty about the plan in general. It had sounded great during their planning, and in Dungeon Delver Dave's guide, but now, staring up at the hydra, Tristan was worried that a lot of it rested on his ability to sneak, and he wasn't very good at that.

Tristan: Are we sure Chessa can't just do all three collars, one at a time? Xanax: I'm already approaching my assigned position. Tristan: Yeah, me too, but... Chessa: I worry that it will be so much slower. I'm already having Cross carry mine. Kitara: And what if it wakes early? Manama: I could try my [Mesmerizing Melody].

It had been nice of the entertainer to link his ability for all to expand and see.

[Mesmerizing Melody] A musical ability allowing the user to perform a soothing melody that up to four creatures of the singer's choice within range can hear. Each affected creature falls into a deep, dreamless slumber for up to one minute or until it takes any damage.

Opie: That doesn't look like it would work on bosses. Cross: Tristan doesn't have to do his if he doesn't want to! Laura: You just want to see the loot from the harder version. Cross: You're not wrong. Laura: I rarely am. Cross: I think we should try it. Drannis: That's enough. Let us all please focus on the plan as we've laid it out. It will work. We just need to keep our nerve.

Tristan forced himself to exhale slowly--and very quietly--as he stood only a handful of paces from one of the snoring hydra's heads.

You can do this, Tristan told himself, trying hard not to think about how every move he made caused the chain of the collar in his hands to clink a little. You're as quiet as a mouse. As quiet as a mouse in a kitchen with a cat. As quiet as that cat stalking the mouse!

Drannis: Are we all in position? Xanax: I am. Tristan: Almost.

Tristan, carefully taking one small step forward at a time, appreciated the huntress's request. It allowed him to take a bit more time in his approach. He knew that Mister Biggs was still only a dozen or so paces behind him, and Opie was with the rest of the raid and within healing range, but Tristan's hands still shook a bit.

Holding the collar up, he also wasn't exactly sure how it was meant to close. The two ends didn't seem to have any visible latches or locks, but he couldn't rule out the possibility that there might simply be magic that would hold them together. He held the two ends apart, breathing shallowly as he leaned down toward his assigned neck.

Tristan: In position. Xanax: I, too, am still prepared, though this collar is heavy.

The seconds ticked by, with Tristan watching each and every one of them as his own arms started to feel the weight of the collar. It was no wonder that Xanax, with his lower Endurance, was having a harder time.

And there was still no update from Chessa.

Drannis: What seems to be slowing you over there, Chessa? Cross? Do you require additional assistance?

A few seconds passed before any response came.

Chessa: He won't... Cross: We're fine. Chessa: Cross isn't giving me the collar. Cross: What if we just did two chains?

A moment of utter silence passed through the raid in which Tristan didn't even dare breathe.

Drannis: That was not the plan to which we all agreed. Cross, please give Chessa the collar. Cross: Or we can just pull with two chained. Tristan: Should I be chaining mine now, then? Xanax: I feel that chaining these two now is sound strategy. Kitara: Our plan was for three! Why was Cross holding the third anyway? Chessa: I'm not a Strength Class, and they're blessedly heavy! He offered! Manama: Hey now, we should all be on the same page here! I don't want to end up writing a song about petty collar drama! Cross: Hear me out, guys: We can do this with only two chained. Opie: Cross, don't be an idiot. Laura: And how about we not call names until after we're done with this boss? Drannis: We must all regain our composure, and now! This is not the time for insubordination. We need focus and teamwork!

A few seconds ticked by.

Xanax: I would appreciate an estimate for how much longer I am expected to continue holding this collar. Cross: We could also just do none chained.

Reading the half-giant tank's message, Tristan began to panic.

Laura: Cross! Sophie: Whoa, whoa there. Calm down, Cross. Drannis: Cross, we had an agreement. As a man of honor, you must abide by it! Cross: Hear me out: we've handled a hardmode already, and the last boss was easy. Why not give it a shot? Drannis: Because that's not what we as a full raid agreed upon! Cross: Then I suppose you two should probably chain the other two heads. Laura: What do you mean? Kitara: Cross, please, we're not prepared. Sophie: Cross, please think through what you're doing. Chessa: Shit, guys! He looks like he's about to throw the collar!

There was a moment's hesitation before the next message.

Manama: In which direction? Cross: Make your choice on your collars, guys, but for what it's worth, we can do this!

Tristan's panic reached a new level, and he cast a worried glare back at Mister Biggs. The big astral merely cocked his head to one side, clearly sensing Tristan's anxiety. But he can't see raid chat! He doesn't know what's going on!

Xanax: Drannis, shall I clamp this around the hydra's neck now? What is your order? Drannis: Cross, stop acting like a bloody ignorant giant and give Chessa the collar!

But even as Tristan read the raid leader's words, he knew that the dwarf's words would be ignored. Cross had already made up his mind.

Chessa: TOWARD THE HYDRA! Chessa: HE'S THROWING IT TOWARD THE HYDRA! Opie: Oh, what the freaking FUCK?! Chessa: CLAMP! CLAMP NOW!

Tristan struggled to believe what he read, but he knew better than to doubt Chessa. He moved as quickly as he could to close the collar around the hydra's neck. But while he was locking it down, three things happened in quick succession.

First, he caught sight of Chessa sprinting away at full speed, presumably back toward where the rest of the raid waited in what he hoped would still be a safe zone--assuming either he or Xanax was able to secure one of these collars around the boss's neck.

Second, he heard a battlecry, or perhaps it was a [Taunt]. Tristan would never be sure. He just knew that it came from Cross: "Rise and shine, you scaly, six-headed bastard! It's time to meet your end!"

Third, the neck beneath him jerked, pulling away from him as the whole monstrous Hydra rose. The collar went with it, but without the lock to hold it in place, it quickly fell away, landing on the now-shaking ground a few paces from Tristan.

All six heads sprang immediately up on their thick, intertwining necks.

And not a single one of them bore a collar.

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