Well, not for long.
Completing my second [Lightning Bolt], the frosty minor goblin nearly instantly slumped to the floor as electricity discharged from its body and into the ground below. A second later, and the dwarf was engulfed in that warming golden light that restored him to full health with ease.
Ten seconds had passed since I pulled, and the third minor goblin fell to the archer's volleys leaving only the two [Outcast Goblins] still standing. Three [Frost Bolts] and two [Lightning Bolts] later, and we were down to one.
Repeating the process, the fight was over in less than forty seconds.
These fights took well over a minute with the [Liberated Souls] group that was composed of a rogue and two archers. Having two offensive casters certainly warranted some respect, for this type of pacing was definitely easier for everyone involved.
The only issue… was our mana consumption.
Well, mainly my mana consumption.
A [Lightning Bolt] used up nearly 7% of my mana while a [Chain Lightning] used up almost 15%. The math on the spell cost was partially percentage based plus a small number, so even with a larger mana pool I wouldn't be able to cast indefinitely. The Frost mage on the other hand was using something like 3% of his mana per [Frost Bolt].
Needless to say, after that fight he was sitting at 76% remaining mana while I was down to 43%. Pacing was important since a full rest could take up to five minutes with the lousy provisions we had.
Maybe in the future I'll make sure to carry around some higher quality food. I couldn't be the one slowing down the group after all. With only my mana pool depleted and everyone else sitting around waiting for me… that didn't bode well for future invites.
As I sat on the cold mossy ground floor of the dungeon, the dwarf walked over with a smile on his face. With actual emotion compared to before, he spoke up. "Hey lightning mage, ye do good work. Those spells of yers stunned 'em every time. Made my job a hell'uva lot easier."
And with that he gave me a pat on the back and nodded.
He was ready to start the next group, whenever I was.
The second fight proceeded just like the first, and by the third trash group I had ended up switching to my bow due to my mana shortages. The priest had actually shown some concern when I went to pull that third group with only 15% mana remaining, which was something I valued in a party member.
He was watching my mana bar during the fight.
That was a sign of a good player.
Especially when one considers that a healer should be attentive to his or her party's needs. It's imperative that they know the condition of the party before, during, and after a fight. As a former healer, I could really appreciate when others showcased good habits.
Plainly put, I liked this group.
As we sat down to eat snacks and recover, I decided to peruse the damage meter. Pulling up the damage chart to see all of the details, it seemed I was leading in damage done by quite a margin. Leading the pack at 52% of the total damage done was yours truly, with the Frost Mage at 25%, the Archer at 19%, and the Tank at 4%. I also had the highest damage per second, which was sort of implied by leading in total damage done, and had the highest Area of Effect and single target damage as well.
Sorting out the categories, there was even a tab that showcased hit-zones for player accuracy. The archer and mage both aimed center-mass, with the majority of their attacks landing in the chest. The tank mostly deflected and parried blows but would occasionally land counter blows below the waist of the goblins. On the other hand, I was a bit higher up from center-mass, with a lot of my arrows hitting the neck or head.
I actually wasn't losing to the other archer in terms of arrow damage… it was a little saddening. Needless to say, we were both accurate minus a few wayward arrows between us. The headshots seemed to have brought me up to par, seeing as he had a better bow and superior arrows. Accuracy and well-placed shots were more important than the gear itself, after all.
Once we finished our rest we repeated the pattern, three groups and a five minute break, then two groups and a shorter three minute break. And then, the mini-boss of the first floor that gave me fits the previous time. That [Goblin Guard] with his [Old Aspis] and [Old Dory] that nearly proved too difficult the last time, was now a [Goblin Guard] with an [Old Dory] and some inferior quality shield.
One of the more interesting aspects of The Dragon's Wrath was that you could visibly tell what loot or items a creature had. The shield this guard was using was of a clearly poorer quality than the [Old Aspis] I picked up.
I guess I got kind of lucky after all.
Or maybe it was unlucky that the boss was so well-equipped the first time around, I couldn't really decide. Either way, it was one or the other.
Looking at the dwarf's gear, his shield appeared to be one and the same. The same wooden hoplon design but without a leather cover on the outside compared to mine, and with small cracks running through the wood. It honestly looked as if it would break at any moment, and that was a large concern with the items in-game. Most of the early items were only used a few times before being replaced.
My wood-chopping axe had been replaced four times already.
Knowing that our tank had such a poor quality shield that could break at any point during a fight, I felt a little guilty. If he knew I had a better shield in storage at the village, he would probably rage, or at the very least, be jealous.
It was likely in my best interest to keep quiet on that front.
Without any real change to our previous strategy, the mini-boss fight was started with a [Chain Lightning] from me, along with a full chanted verse [Frost Bolt] from the mage directed at one of the two [Outcast Goblins]. Making quick work of the minor goblins and the regular goblins, all that was left was the [Goblin Guard].
The dwarf's shield actually shattered mid-fight, but it wasn't really an issue.
By all accounts, the mini-boss fight went smoothly.
Another [Old Dory], a [Cracked Aspis] to replace the dwarf's now defunct shield, and a [Worn Leather Vest] were the major spoils. Nothing too special really, but it was only the first boss. The fifth boss was the big guy, and I was sure he would drop something nice.
Now, it was time to finally start the second floor.
Something new, exciting, and hopefully fresh… well, the air was likely to be stale still, but one could dream!
Chapter 43: The Second Floor
(Wednesday, May 26th Game Day / Thursday, February 18th Real Day)
Heading down the narrow dark gray and black rock tunnel that was loosely supported by a random assortment of old and rotting lumber left a lot to be desired. At least, we figured it wouldn't collapse.
If it did, well, that would only add to the realism I suppose.
The ash that permeated the air had also suddenly become thicker. We were already well acquainted with the smoke that obscured our vision and made it difficult to breathe, but I never imagined it would get progressively worse.
What used to be a slight burning sensation in my eyes and nostrils was now a steady burn. My mind wandered at the thought of what the third, fourth, and fifth floors would be like. If the situation continued to deteriorate with each descent, there may come a point where a mask would become a necessity. The thought of choking on smoke for an hour wasn't exactly appealing, even if there weren't any negative health implications.
Eh, but that was neither here nor there.
The situation in front of us was at least bearable.
The lighting that was barely serviceable before at least did not disappoint, and remained a constant. To think that we would all be glad to see a few torches spread randomly throughout the cave interior. Well, what little light the torches provided was at least reassuring, even if the situation was excessively dreary.