The Tree of Ascension: A LitRPG Apocalypse (Peril's Prodigy Book 2) by Craig Kobayashi (ebook reader 7 inch TXT) 📕

assume we’ll have to kill another four Necro-Shaman. And each time we do, one of us will have to go through one of those doors. Once we’re all in there, who knows?*

“I don’t want to go in there,” Daisy said, looking at the free-standing door a few feet away.

*I don’t think any of us do, Daisy. But there’s no way we’re going to let the dungeon take one of us to stay here forever,* Garath told the girl. *Whatever’s going on in there though, Atlas is facing it by himself. Let’s not make him wait any longer than he has to.*

With that, the Party set off to continue their dungeon run. Garath stopped briefly to poke his head into the Necro-Shaman’s tent, and was sure glad he did. He came out a moment later, holding a black gem in his cute little cat mouth.

Darkened Quartz

Reagent

Item Score: 85

Rarity: Epic

***Note: this Quartz Crystal was darkened by blood from willing sacrificial victims.

Nobody had any idea what they’d do with the diamond-shaped, pure black crystal, but, in the case that anyone back at HQ needed one for crafting or something, Garath figured it’d be better to have it than to put it back where he’d found it. With the first gnoll encampment properly raided for valuables, the Party set off, following the same path that brought them there.

“Who’s going through the next door?” Sharon asked as they headed south along the east side of the little island.

*Auto is,* Garath told her.

*I am?* Auto asked, turning to look over one beefy shoulder at Garath. *You going to do the tanking then, fuzzy pants?*

*Nah,* Garath said. *I’ll have my demons do that. Sharon, you’ll have to go through the third door. Daisy after that, and I’ll take the last one.*

“You don’t want to go in there either,” Daisy said with a side-eye glance at the Necrologist.

*Yeah, why do you get to go last?* Auto asked.

*I was thinking Daisy could, but that would mean she’d have to fight her way through the last portion of the dungeon alone,* Garath explained. *Of any of us, I have the best chance of making it through the final leg because I’ve got reinforcements.*

“Suuuuure,” Daisy said, folding her arms and looking unconvinced.

Auto came to an abrupt halt as the fires of another gnoll camp came into view perhaps fifty yards ahead through an opening in the dense forest. As they continued forward cautiously, more of the second gnoll encampment became visible through the thick fog. This one, thankfully, did not have any towers packed with ranged fighters. Instead, the Party appeared to be approaching an ongoing ritual. Two Necro-Shaman were clearly visible, standing opposite one another on raised platforms with infantry gnolls forming a circle around them.

*This should be interesting,* Garath mused. *Auto, how do you want to do this?*

*I count ten gnolls and two Necro-Shaman,* Auto said. *I don’t see any way that we’d be able to pull any of them without pulling all of them, so this might get a little chaotic. I’d say let’s just walk in there like we own the damn place.*

“Well I say we come up with a better plan,” Sharon said, arms folded.

*Auto’s right, Sharon. We’re going to have to fight them all at once,* Garath told her. *I’ll wait for Auto to get their attention, then sneak behind the melee fighters and try to take down those magic-users before they do anything terrible. Auto, see if you can pull them back here a ways to get yourself out of range of the casters. Sharon, root any gnoll that breaks away from Auto. Daisy, as usual your job is to wreck them all, but focus on any gnoll that Sharon roots. Got it?*

Auto trotted down the path toward the gnolls with the Party following behind. Garath dismissed his demons but made sure to let Bill and Handsome in on the plan through their mental connection. He kept his Dreadreaver active with orders to assist Auto.

When the gnolls spotted the charging Unibear, a roar of excited barks filled the foggy air. The gnolls formed up in two lines of five between the approaching party and the enemy casters. In tandem, the two Necro-Shaman began a chant of growls and barks. After a few seconds, with Auto nearing melee range, the effect of the spell they were casting became apparent. Several totems, little more than blackened dog skulls on sticks, popped out of the ground before them. In response, each of the ten melee gnolls swelled in size as they received a group buff, and then they charged as one. Garath spared a second to Inspect one of the totems.

Spirit Totem

Totem

Health: 1/1

Level: 1

Station: none

Mana: 0/0

Empowers gnolls within 30 meters, increasing their Strength and Dexterity by 10%, and their size by 20%.

Green light suffused Auto’s Unibear form from Sharon’s Nature’s Touch as Garath slipped past unnoticed. Garath’s Dreadreaver stood with Auto and, together, they met the charge. The two Necro-Shaman continued their chant as the fluffy white Necrologist approached.

When he was close enough to begin his attack, Garath summoned Bill and Handsome. Already knowing what was expected of them, the two demons sprang into action. Bill leaped onto the closer of the two platforms and wrapped his mouth around the leg of the Necro-Shaman atop it, tearing into the skin and scraping the bones beneath with his sharp teeth. Handsome took aim at the Necro-Shaman, now yelping in pain and whacking Bill in the head with its staff. He fired a steady stream of Death Bolts as Garath got into position between the two platforms.

As one, the two Necro-Shaman made a series of throaty sounds and wove their hands through the air in intricate patterns. When the casting was complete, both Bill and Handsome were rendered useless by the cages of black iron that popped into existence around them. A debuff icon appeared next to each of their Healthbars and Garath glanced at the information provided.

Dark Cage - creatures locked in Dark Cage will