Tristan

For the briefest instant, as the construct spun to face him for the first time, Tristan was amazed by--of all things--the beauty of its construction. It was a marvel of craftsmanship that the swordsmith simply could not explain. In the very center of its chest, its heart was a glowing rose, brighter than the hottest forge Tristan had ever seen. Now that so much stone had been chipped off, its armor was smooth and practically flawless, save where recent battle scars criss-crossed its breast. Its arms were like flashes of liquid silver, and almost as fast as anything Jamal had ever hit him with.

The almost was important, because Tristan had to parry and dodge a combination of three strikes immediately. While some missed, many--normally it would have been too many--got through, triggering his breastplate's [Tempered Spirit]. It was good he had healers supporting him this time.

But after that opening barrage came the real haymaker, the [Paralyzing Slash]. There was no possible way to mistake it, just as there was no way to avoid it. The molten, lava-filled core flared, creating a blade of liquid heat that shot straight toward him, slicing across the chest, ignoring any attempt at deflecting with his sword entirely.

It struck at him both physically and magically, and it stole his breath away.

Despite the reduction from [Rivalry] and the bonus armor from [Attention!], the hit still took half his health, stole a good chunk of his speed, and put a patch of lava under him. Pain rang out from both his chest and feet, and for the first time in years, he felt awkward just moving around. He couldn't immediately escape the burning beneath him.

You have one stack of [Petrification]. You are now slowed. You have been afflicted with [Amplify Stone].

It felt a little like Aaric's chilled condition--but worse. Like his whole body had just decided not to work properly, which he realized also might make blocking harder.

But the Heart turned away from him.

For a moment, he thought maybe Cross or Drannis had taunted it back. But no, it turned the wrong way.

It turned toward the ranged.

His attention snapped back to raid chat, which had begun scrolling at breakneck speed.

Laura: Oh fuck. Kitara: Why's it looking at us?! Laura: I crit... with all my cooldowns popped Chessa: AWAY FROM LAURA! NOW! Cross: Laura?! I've still got Stealth! I can't [Taunt] yet!

Looking at his buffs, Tristan saw that there was still over a second left on [Attention!]. How in the gods' names did she manage to pull off me?! He swung his sword again, trying to reclaim aggro, but the boss didn't seem to care. Not after whatever Laura had done.

"LAURA!" Cross yelled, clearly trying to run in her direction but moving far too slowly.

A pillar of lava suddenly erupted from directly under the thunder mage.

A jarring set of chords blared and somehow seemed to stunt the pillar's growth, pushing it slightly askew--but only slightly. The pillar still rose to meet her.

Laura screamed. She collapsed to the glossy black ground and was immediately covered in green, healing light.

Cross was on his knees crying. Perhaps he'd fallen in his frustration. Tristan couldn't tell, because the Heart whipped back around to face him and he had to block another set of three swift swings.

Drannis: Taunting! Cross: Laura, say something! Please be ok! Cross: Please say something!! Sophie: She's out cold. Kitara: She is alive though. Chessa: We're going to need to move her before the next shift.

As Tristan hurried back to the safer position behind the boss, he heard Cross yell in rage nearby. No doubt the tank knew he couldn't get to her in time. But what could Tristan do about it? What could any of them do except try to burn down the boss?

Drannis: Opie, how low is the boss? Without Laura... Manama: Going double damage buffs again. I can do both as pure vocals. Then I'll lift her. Opie: 24%, now 23%. Drannis: Do so then. And I shall require another to [Taunt] off me after the next [Petrifying Slash]. I will not be able to take another stack. Cross?

But Cross did not respond. He had managed to get up again and was slowly moving closer to the ranged group.

Chessa: Quickly. Spew in 10! Xanax: I can carry the DPS if I'm kept standing. Sophie: I'm getting Mister Biggs.

In a flash, the maned, bear-like astral appeared. He was still missing patches of fur from his last encounter, but he was there, and that was what mattered.

Her ring, Tristan realized.

He was finding it harder to focus than he'd expected. His body, though only 20% slower, felt so strange and tired. His mind felt groggy, too. He knew he was supposed to be dealing as much damage as possible, pushing to win the race against time. He used [Combat Switch] to return to his more damage-oriented greatsword. But it, too, was sluggish in his hand.

Drannis: Sophie, he must [Taunt] as soon as he is in position! Cross, are you back with us?

A loud roar confirmed that Mister Biggs had gotten the message. The Heart pivoted only slightly this time, as the astral tank was standing just ahead of Drannis--right where Cross should have been.

Sophie: He taunted.

Almost on cue, something resembling a comet or a solar flare sliced straight through one of the construct's arms, which clattered noisily to the floor.

Xanax was like a glowing god of glory wielding a blade of summer sun.

There was a slight flash of red light glinting off the Heart's side, but it was gone in the blink of an eye. No other light could compete with the brilliance of Xanax 's sword.

Sophie: He took the slash. Is he taking the next, too? Opie: 16% Opie: And please no. His mitigation isn't as good as the others'. Kitara: Agreed! I'm running dry! Sophie: I'm healing Mister Biggs, too. Kitara: Definitely appreciated. Chessa: Cross? Cross: Wait, where's her arm? Drannis: Cross! By all my ancestors, you must snap yourself out of it, or we all may die!

Tristan saw that his [Amplify Stone] debuff had timed out.

Tristan: I could take the next Slash. Drannis: That may not be wise, with Xanax firing as he is. We need the hard lock of a [Taunt]. Xanax: Indeed! Drannis: Cross, are you with us? Cross: She's down a fucking arm! Opie, can you reattach it?

Again, raid chat seemed to pause while everyone parsed the second tank's words.

Opie: In the middle of freaking combat? NO! Cross: You've got to at least try! Opie: I'm already kind of busy, man! Drannis: I shall take the Slash then. Manama: Cross, get a grip, man! Cross: She has ONE ARM! Opie: Yeah, maybe not your best choice of words, bard. Opie: Wait, Drannis, what stack will that be? Drannis: It matters not. After this, Mister Biggs shall retake aggro, and you all must burn the Heart to ash! Opie: No, nono, wait! That'll be five stacks! Drannis: Taunting! Chessa: Drannis, don't!

But the huntress's plea was too late, not that the proud dwarf would have listened anyway. Tristan watched as the [Petrifying Slash] passed straight through Drannis's shield, just as it had with his sword, and the dwarf instantly stopped moving. His skin lost all its color, turning a uniform slate gray. His chest no longer rose or fell. His eyes still stared at where the boss's last attack had come from. His mouth was caught in a snarl of defiance.

Sophie: It's on Mister Biggs now! Kitara: He's... Drannis isn't taking damage any more. Tristan: He looks like stone. Manama: We don't need to mourn him; he's only petrified until the fight is over. We'll save him when we beat this boss! Come on now. Push yourselves. Any bit of damage, we've got to kill this thing! Opie: 10% -- and I'm almost on fumes! Chessa: Yeah, and we're almost out of space, so it has to be now!

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Tristan knew she was telling the truth, as he felt the presence of the ranged and healers moving nearby. More than that, Manama, singing at the top of his lungs even with Laura's body now slung over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, was like a beacon that told Tristan they were nearly back to their starting position. There wasn't much more free space to be found.

Kitara: I'm down to 10% mana, too. Chessa: Just keep Xanax alive. Xanax: I fear the taunt may not last long enough, but I appreciate the attempt. Opie: Just keep swinging that massive sword, dragon man! And use a potion if you have to. I'm nearly tapped out!

Despite the debuff slowing his whole body, Tristan's heart was racing. He existed in a cycle of reading his allies' comments while using every ability he had as soon as it came off cooldown. It wasn't quite full panic, but it wasn't all that controlled either.

Beside him, Xanax was going absolutely berserk: flipping, spinning, and jumping, his feet constantly landing in the fire, which only forced his blade brighter, and it was already painful to look at.

But is it going to be enough?

Opie: 4%. Anyone have a mana pot?

Xanax took another huge swing, as did the boss.

Opie: Thanks, Sophie! I've got maybe three more big heals in me now. Then my mana's dry again. Opie: But 3%! Sophie: I've got more. Opie: 2%! TWO FREAKING PERCENT! COME ON!

But then Xanax took another swing so powerful it literally cracked the glassy floor holding them up. And the Heart spun around again, this time facing him.

Tristan considered switching swords again and using his [Attention!], but several swift attacks swung right past Xanax's sword. The scaleborn wasn't even trying to block--and Tristan understood why, knowing the way his sword worked.

Xanax's sword cut a deep gouge down the middle of the construct's chest.

The construct's next attacks sent Xanax flying backward into the pool of lava, where he showed no sign of movement. It was the fairy who relayed the obvious.

Kitara: Xanax is down! He's under 5% health! Opie: WELL THE BOSS IS ONLY 1%! NOW IT'S LESS THAN 1%! Chessa: Slash in 10! Manama: I can move him, too. Then I'll use my [Bellowing Chant]. It's my only damage skill, and it's got a long cooldown. Chessa: Better than nothing! Chessa: Can Biggs take the Slash?

Almost in response, the construct spun back around, striking Mister Biggs with four devastating attacks that returned the tank to the astral plane. Sophie let out an agonized scream before crumpling from the backlash.

Chessa: SHIT! Cross? Opie: CROSS, CAN YOU TAKE ONE FREAKING SLASH?!

Tristan had been doing the math. He'd been considering who was still standing, and who wasn't. They'd lost Laura--and basically Cross--then Drannis, then Mister Biggs and as a result Sophie. The healers were out of mana. Manama was doing every support thing he possibly could... That just left him and Chessa.

Him and Chessa, maybe half a percent of boss health, and an incoming [Paralyzing Slash].

That's why he'd pulled out two devices from his bag and begun activating them, beyond thankful that the casting timer wasn't affected by his slowed condition. It was still the slowest two-second casting time he'd ever seen in his life.

We can race it. With some luck.

He threw the first [Signal Flare] toward where the tanks would have been if everything hadn't gone to shit. Even before it landed, the Heart spun to face it. There was no time for the second.

With a thought, Tristan used [Combat Switch] to bring his tanking sword back into his hands. He was next. There was no doubt of that. How long had it been since he last took damage? [Tempered Spirit] had to be up again.

At least the [Signal Flare] had absorbed a full round of attacks. So when the construct didn't turn to face Tristan, he was genuinely surprised.

Out of nowhere, Cross had appeared. Squatted over, barely keeping his shield up, tears streaming down his face, the half-giant roared at the Heart.

A barrage of arrows flew straight into the construct's core. Tristan swung his sword at a recently-revealed crack in the boss's lower back.

Then the next blows exploded across Cross's shield, and he was in no position to handle them. The shield spun from his grasp--but not before slamming into the side of his head and sending him reeling. He didn't even have time to cry out in pain before slumping to the ground.

Tristan found himself face to face once again with the Heart of the Mountain. And somehow--somehow!--as he rose and fell in a [Descending Crescent], and Chessa loosed another volley, and Manama shouted at the top of his lungs, the Heart stilled.

Within an instant, it looked as if all its metal components were drawn magnetically into the center of itself... before all crashing to the ground.

You have slain [Heart of the Mountain, level 24]

[Raid quest updated: A Cleansing Fire]

Tristan nearly couldn't believe it, notification or not. It's done, he thought, also falling to the ground--where there was now no longer any sign of lava.

A shining golden aura caught his eye though, as did the unmistakable Ding! sound. Someone had leveled up, though it took him a while to realize it was Kitara, hovering midair, that was surrounded by the glow.

Manama: Congrats, Kitara! Kitara: Don't even. I'm just happy to be alive. Opie: Hey, Tristan's right. Never look down on a freaking level-up, okay? They're always worth celebrating. Chessa: Yeah, congrats, fairy friend. Kitara: Can we focus on our other friends instead?

Tristan wanted to, but honestly he was too tired to do anything other than lay there, and the excitement from the close battle still hadn't fully left him. Luckily, he didn't have to think about it too long before a better distraction presented itself.

Drannis: Gods and ancestors be praised! We managed it after all, not that I had any doubts about whether we would!

The dwarf was beaming now, standing straight as ever, and giving no visual indication of how close he'd come--no, they all had come to an inglorious end.

Kitara: I think you may be the only one. Opie: Because you're not insane, Kit. Drannis: Say what you all will, but we should be celebrating our victory! And did I see that our resident druid gained a level? Congratulations are surely in order! Kitara: Yeah, yeah, thanks I guess.

"Can we all go back to using our voices now?" Manama asked. "I'm rather fond of the nuances they can produce."

"And you like to hear yourself speak," Opie said, chuckling lightly, perhaps trying to bring some lightheartedness back to the group in between sips of his mana water. He was sitting cross-legged on the ground, staff propped up against his shoulder, looking very frazzled.

"True enough," the bard replied with a smile and a deep belly laugh.

The dwarf looked around at those still standing. "It appears that it was a tad closer than I imagined it would be." He paused as he approached the fallen scaleborn. "Are they all...?"

"Alive? Yeah," Opie answered.

"But they are not all so well off," Kitara added, her eyes wandering in the direction of Manama's feet, where the fallen thunder mage lay.

Drannis shook his head. "Is it truly gone then?"

Opie groaned. "Just so everyone's clear, there was no way either of us was going to be able to reattach her arm, even if we weren't in combat!"

"That was never truly expected of you," Drannis said reassuringly.

Tristan glanced toward where Cross was still unconscious. "Cross might not agree."

Manama stirred then and looked very uncomfortable. "It was because of my cat."

Opie stood up and cracked his knuckles. "Yeah, well, I think that's a conversation we'll want to have with Cross and the others. At least they're still alive."

At that, Kitara floated up toward the center of the group. "So... what order do we heal them in? They're all unconscious now, but--"

"Cross last?" Opie asked.

"Or Laura," Manama offered, "so that she might have some support for what is going to be a... difficult conversation."

The dwarf raid leader bowed his head and twirled his beard. "That is an interesting and difficult question. I agree they should be the final two. Let's awaken the others first, and then Cross. That way, we can all give Laura our combined support."

Both healers seemed agreeable to that, and they went about their jobs without any further grumbling. At one point, right after healing Sophie, Opie turned to Tristan and said, "Honestly, man, I think that might have been the worst possible way it could have gone with us still winning. Regardless, we did some damn fine work today."

Sophie gasped and shot upright, eyes open in panic. "MISTER BIGGS!" One of her hands immediately grasped at her chest. "Oh, oh gods," she sobbed as tears began to roll down her cheeks. "At least we won, didn't we? We won?"

Tristan was there to offer her a hand and, when she seemed ready, help her stand. "We did," he answered her, pulling her up and even farther, into a comforting hug, "and Opie, you did a heck of a job guaranteeing we did. You and Kitara both. Thank you."

As Sophie moved away, Opie only shrugged as he sat down again, pulling out more mana water to drink. "Hey man, you had a lot to do with that, too! Thank the gods you have so much health. Otherwise, you might have gone down just like Laura."

Drannis approached quietly but spoke calmly. "Are we ready to wake them?"

When no one denied him, though none of them really said anything at all, Kitara flew over to the fallen tank. "OK, then I've got the asshole, I guess."

Opie nearly choked at the fairy's angry reply, but he said, "And then we'll wake Laura after."

Chessa sat beside him and put an arm around him.

Rather than following the fairy, Tristan stood silently beside his two oldest friends as Sophie, still shivering slightly, came up to join them. It felt like there was some unspoken agreement between them. The four of them huddled close, just being glad that they were all still in one piece.

Tristan's eyes drifted to Laura's body just as her boyfriend came to, and the yelling started.

"LAURA!"

Cross shot up, completely ignoring the gash healing on his own head, and sprinted away from Kitara toward where his girlfriend lay.

The woman's arm ended just above where her elbow should have been. The healing magic had mended her arm as a stump. It didn't look bad, just rounded and... Permanently scarred, just like me, he thought, suspecting he knew the pain she was going to be in soon.

Strangely, though, the wound reminded him of something else he'd seen. Something he couldn't quite place at first. It took him a moment to realize, and as soon as he did, he turned, collapsed to the ground, and vomit forced its way out of him.

The arm, before it was healed, made her look like one of the bodies he'd seen while chasing Venom.

No, I can't think about that right now.

Cross's rising voice brought him back to the present situation. "So she'll be okay? Tell me she'll be okay!"

"Tristan?" Chessa was asking from much closer by. He saw her boots by his quivering arms. Right beside them were Opie's.

Sophie was another pace back, still quiet. As Tristan apologized and looked up at each of them, he saw the sadness and pain reflecting damply in Sophie's eyes. He wondered if she had made the same connection. Somehow, he believed she understood.

Someone, probably Drannis, was clearly giving Cross quiet reassurances, but Tristan barely heard them.

There was a startlingly quick motion, which pulled Tristan back to his senses. Cross had jumped to his feet and was striding toward the second tallest figure in the group: Manama.

"You saved her life," the tank said, staring almost eye-to-eye with the entertainer. It wasn't a question, but a statement.

The bard looked uncomfortable. "Yeah, but my cat is what started all this."

"Maybe, but in the end, when it really came down to it, your ability saved her!"

"I suppose my [Clashing Chords] did cause that pillar to miss--"

His words were cut off as Cross gave him a crushing hug. It lasted longer than Tristan might have thought. "Thank you," Cross said, half sobbing again. "Thank you so much. After... Just thank you."

After a moment, Manama seemed to just relent and hug the half-giant back. When he was finally released, he gave a deep breath. Then he said, "As a support, I signed up for a thankless job. I know people don't see all the ways we contribute, even when they're rather large. And that doesn't really bother me; I don't do it for thanks." Then he smiled and rested a hand on Cross's shoulder. "But it's still really nice to see my songs make anyone's world a better place. So thank you as well, and you're more than welcome."

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