Somnia Online by K.T. Hanna (reading strategies book txt) 📕

of attack it’d possess. She had no idea what to expect given the way an anemone was built. Tentacles stood out from its head, while the column of its body was solid. As long as Devlish could keep the attention of the tentacles, the melee fighters should be able to attack the beast’s column section.

Theoretically, of course.

The column appeared to have multicolored streaks running down it, almost like blood red had mixed itself into it somehow, making it bleed perpetually.

“Please tell me someone else is having difficulty not making anime porn references because of the tentacles.” Merlin’s tone was so put upon that even Murmur snorted with laughter. It was the perfect icebreaker to help them get through the sudden appearance of a boss none of them had expected.

And it was the last break they got for a while. Murmur knew Mez was off the table. It always was with bosses, but stuns sometimes worked. Flux just stared back at her like she was dreaming or hoping. But the one thing this boss had going for it—Anemomight was a magic user, or at least a mana user. That made Murmur’s job so much easier and a hell of a lot more fun. Balancing all her support skills and more, was the whole reason the enchanter now appealed to her. Draining mana wasn’t always easy, and on a larger mob of importance, rarely a sure thing.

Just as she expected, the notification flashed across her vision as soon as she cast the spell.

Warning.

This spell will have diminishing returns on Anemomight. While mana draining can help, in this instance it might be better to find another route to disabling it.

Murmur grinned, and this time she felt a well of self-satisfaction within her. Fine, she wouldn’t drain its mana, she’d just block it from using it. Concentrating, and glad that she had built up such a large pool of MA, Murmur released Mind Bolt on the creature as soon as she saw it begin casting.

Anemomight squealed in frustration at being unable to cast, and its feelers twisted and turned on its body like it was seeking the source of its discomfort. Seeking her.

Tentacles rushed forward, attempting to attack all the nearby melee, to shoot through them. It was only with great effort and taunting skill that Rashlyn and Esolan managed to pull some of the aggro over to them. Both Risk and Devlish had struggles of their own.

Devlish seemed angry, even if it wasn’t directed at the other dread knight. He seemed to be angry at the boss. “Risk and I need to swap out aggro on a regular basis. The debuff can’t reach more than a few stacks, or else we’ll take too much damage. Make sure you’re watching for the switch, healers.”

Murmur saw Sinister’s bristling irritation out of the corner of her eye and not for the first time wasn’t that sad that she no longer healed. After all, it was always more difficult than people thought it was. But the bloodmage adapted so well. Her abilities swayed between the two tanks. From what Murmur observed, they seemed to be alternating between each other, distributing hit points to help, while, at the same time, leeching healing off the Anemomight as the blood mage spells slowly sucked away at its life.

Exbo and Merlin led the rangers in shots. Naturally fire wouldn’t work in water, not in any way. Or at least it shouldn’t. While it made a lot of sense, Murmur thought it comical that the game-world chose this instant to decide to pay attention to physics.

She glanced to the other side where Mellow managed the mages with Ishwa. The tiny gnome seemed a bit worse for wear. His eyes had bags under them, which had to be pretty severe if they were showing through in the damned game world. But his power as a mage was enthralling. Ice seemed to do the best damage, and in short order, every attack that could raise ice did.

Anemomight squealed in pain, several of its very many tentacles drooping lifelessly. Slowly its health bar inched down further, until it hit fifty percent.

Murmur had given up on creatures having predictable thresholds in this world. Nothing ever made sense as if Somnia was trying to constantly keep them guessing.

In a way I do.

Shut up, I’m concentrating. But Murmur liked being right. Although maybe not as much as usual this time around.

When Anemomight hit fifty percent health, its squeal changed. More pain and rage filled the entire area, echoing underwater with gurgles intact. Murmur found that her ears ached so much a trickle of blood came out, and she stared at the liquid on her fingers. The emotions it put out were almost overwhelming to her.

Dansyn sped away from the group, suddenly pulling out a lute. He struck a discordant melody that was almost as painful on the ears as the screech that made her bleed. Fish in the closest proximity to them scattered, the sensation of panicked alarm echoing back into Murmur’s net.

For a few moments, Anemomight appeared to be practically frozen in place. Its health still ticked down with all the DoTs on it, but it simply sat there, swaying in the water with no other movement. As if Dansyn had stopped the Anemomight from executing a horrific ability.

Just when it seemed like everything was fine. Just when it appeared to moving into the next stage of the battle, the creature globbed.

It was hard to describe. Glob was the only term that came to her mind. Its column lurched suddenly, bulbously, and lurched again, like it was throwing up. But what would an anemomight throw up then?

It ended up being a question Murmur really wished she hadn’t thought of. Because slowly, like a gremlin birthing, the column began to sprout bubbles. Except they weren’t bubbles. They were more like eggs or perhaps pus-filled boils that birthed smaller, just as annoying mini anemomights. So many of them Murmur lost count. Snowy growled and Sinister gulped next to her.