Linked Skill Name: Frostfire Ball
Xatherite Color(s): Red
Linked Skill Grade: Rare
Type: Magic
Effect: Convert mana into a high energy blast of frostfire that will travel in a straight line until exploding, causing major frostfire damage in a 1.5m radius around the blast.
Mana recharge time: 13.1 seconds
Linked Skill Name: Refreshing Rain
Xatherite Color(s): Red, Orange
Linked Skill Grade: Intermediate
Type: Magic
Effect: Create a localized storm around a target. The storm will have a radius of 10m and will infuse mana into all creatures within its radius, reducing fatigue and lactic acid buildup doubles the natural healing of anyone who stands in the rain for at least five seconds.
Mana recharge time: 1 minute 45 seconds
Linked Skill Name: Shocking Acid Arrow
Xatherite Color(s): Red
Linked Skill Grade: Intermediate
Type: Magic
Effect: Creates two fast moving balls of acid from a finger that travels in a straight line until it impacts a target, dealing moderate amounts of acid damage. Upon contact, each ball will impart a moderate amount of electrical damage.
Mana recharge time: 16.1 seconds
There were some important upgrades in all that. Acid arrow got a damage upgrade, putting it at the same damage level as lightning bolt. It could probably one shot a troll if he sent both darts at a single target now. The linked skill version of it also got the upgraded damage, making it able to kill a troll with each dart. Energize’s healing doubled, making it four times normal, and refreshing rain had also acquired the healing qualities of energize.
Dancing blade’s duration had increased from 30 seconds to a full minute. It might be worth casting at this point. The real benefit of dancing blade’s upgrade was the extra two melee hits it gave the new bladeshield before he took damage. Cone of frost’s length changed from four meters to six, giving him an extra two meters of effect while also improving its damage. This, of course, meant that the linked skill had received similar updates.
That seemed to be all the changes, and he took the time to recast all his buffs to make sure the upgraded versions were active. Daryl had followed the tunnel until he got to a door at the end. The tunnel itself seemed to have been magically constructed. It was a mostly oval shape, wide enough for three people to walk side by side comfortably. The entire thing was perfectly smooth, clearly created by some xatherite skill.
Just shy of an hour after Drew had named the team members, they left the temporary shelter. JP oversaw the combatants left behind, but Bill was in overall command. If the rescue team didn’t get back before the storm, they were to set off for the stadium as soon as daylight came. That gave the rescue roughly eighteen hours to find and bring everyone back. The major delay had been to allow Min Sun enough time to sew pockets on everyone’s armor. Everyone but Drew was carrying a pistol, at least five spare magazines, two glowrocks, two glow rods, and enough food and water to last three days. Drew carried everything but the gun paraphernalia, while he and Sarah both had included a small first-aid kit among their belongings.
Daryl left first. The scout invisible as he nearly always was to ensure the route was still clear, but the other four members of the party hesitated. Drew and Sarah were hesitant to separate from Katie again. The two girls gave each other a hug and exchanged a few words that Drew tried not to listen in on. When it was Drew’s turn to say goodbye, he gave Katie a hug. Aware of the fact that at least a dozen people were watching them, neither did anything beyond that.
“I’ll be right back. Just got to run a few errands,” Drew whispered into Katie’s ear, and she snorted into his chest.
“Sure, I’ve heard that before. You’re gonna go down to the pub and shoot a round or two with the boys. And I’m gonna have to drag your drunk ass home past midnight,” She said. Her voice was brittle, like a hint of wind would break it.
“You know, I don’t actually drink.”
She pulled away from him and raised an eyebrow, “Did I really get saddled with some sort of religious freak?”
Drew laughed, “Well, sort of. I was raised Mormon, even did a mission.”
Katie raised an eyebrow. “Well, you’ll have to come back and tell me that story.”
“You got yourself a deal,” Drew said, swallowing down the fear that threatened to break his voice. They were going back into the darkness. True, he wasn’t alone in this anymore. But he shuddered involuntarily at the thought of a massive spider queen, and the phantom pain of injuries she had given him.
“Alright, go play hero. I’ll mind the kids.”
Drew nodded, not quite able to laugh just yet. “Alright,” he said softly. Then he looked around at the rescue team. Putting a hand in the air, he did the ‘spin up’ motion with his finger. “Let’s roll out.”
JP, Robbi, and Trista had been talking off to one side. The two cops gave each other a bro-hug before the three of them separated, with JP staying behind. He looked over at Drew and made eye contact. They both shared a nod. And then Drew turned away from the group, heading out towards the northwest where Daryl had found the entrance of the tunnels.
Forcing himself not to look back, Drew walked about fifty feet away from the entrance before he couldn’t take it. He looked back. JP and Katie were still standing near the entrance, while most of the rest of the group had turned back into the camp. He raised a single hand to wave and Katie returned the gesture. JP gave him a salute. Drew compressed his lips into the closest thing he could make of a smile and nodded his head again.
The rest of the trip to the tunnel entrance passed in uncomfortable silence. Everyone dealing with their nerves in their own way. Drew saw a few larger animals, mostly more of those horned rabbits and squirrels, although a crow that looked more like an eagle cawed at them from its perch on a tree as they passed. None of the animals seemed interested in trying to attack though, allowing them to approach the tunnel’s entrance without incident.
“Almost there, the tunnel is still clear.” Daryl’s voice appeared in his head, and he relayed the message to the rest of the team.
“Alright, weapons ready starting now,” Robbi said, pausing at the tunnel entrance. He had a lot more recent experience fighting in enclosed space than Drew. He was also taking point as the only melee fighter of their group. Daryl was ahead of them, at least Drew assumed he was, but the scout was too far away for his aura to be visible. Drew was next in line, positioned where he would be able to bring the most firepower to bear. Sarah came next, and Trista held the rear. Everyone uncovered the glowrock that Min Sun had mounted on their left shoulders. She had created a small lip so that the light wasn’t shining directly into their eyes, but it was still a less than ideal situation.
Sarah’s spear was held in both hands, her knuckles white from the grip already, while Trista had a Sig P226 held in a double grip. The xatherite she had acquired was more important than any impact the caliber would have imparted. Robbi’s red sword glinted strangely in the light, sending ominous red shadows playing across the walls of the tunnel. Drew frowned. He was almost positive the blade had been a katana before, but it was now a more traditional longsword. Drew wiped the sweat from his empty hands on his pants.
The first few steps into the tunnel caused the panic in Drew’s mind to come back. He looked behind him to reassure himself that the sun was still shining. The tunnel was pitch black beyond the glowrock’s light. He wasn’t even sure how Daryl had scouted this place out. He must have done it by touch. He would have to ask the other man how he did it later.