The silent scream of the Minor Void Terror was more unnerving than any bestial roar. It was a psychic assault, leaving David feeling queasy and exposed, the +2 Defense from his own aura feeling suddenly inadequate. Hailey clutched her head for a moment, her cheerful humming ceasing abruptly. Even Isaac flinched, his usual bravado momentarily faltering. Katrina, however, seemed less affected, her expression hardening as she nocked an arrow.
"Don't let its mental assault distract you!" Katrina commanded, her voice cutting through the lingering dread. "Focus! David, Isaac, engage! Hailey, look for openings, but be wary of its touch!"
The Void Terror drifted forward, its movements unnervingly smooth, its shadowy vortex-head swirling. Two more materialized from the darkness of the cavern behind it, their silent screams adding to the psychic pressure.
"Three of them!" David grit his teeth, shaking off the last vestiges of nausea. He raised his [Livingwood Aegis], the earthy presence of the shield a grounding force against the creature's unnatural aura. "Isaac, left one's mine!"
"Fine by me!" Isaac growled, hefting his axe and charging the closest Void Terror.
David met his target head-on. The creature's elongated, shadowy arm lashed out. David caught the blow on his shield. There was no physical impact, no jarring force, but an icy coldness seeped through the wood, and a red [-7 HP!] flashed in his vision. Below it, another small notification: [Vitality Drain Resisted (Minor)]. His evolved tunic's [Faint Vitality] was probably helping, but that drain was nasty.
He retaliated with a slash from his [Trainee's Blade]. [-9 Damage!]. The creature recoiled slightly, a flicker in its shadowy form. These things weren't heavily armored, but that vitality drain was dangerous.
He needed something more potent. His [Swift Strike] was ready. He focused on the swirling vortex of its head, hoping it was a weak point. "[Swift Strike]!"
The blade plunged into the shadow. [-15 Damage!]. The Void Terror let out another silent shriek, stumbling back. The attack had definitely hurt it.
But the mana cost… David felt a distinct, though small, drain of energy from within himself, a sensation he hadn't truly registered before when fighting weaker foes. It wasn't debilitating, but it was noticeable. His system didn't display a mana bar yet, but there was clearly a reserve being tapped. He couldn't spam [Swift Strike] indefinitely.
He glanced over. Isaac was trading blows with his Void Terror, his axe leaving dark rents in its shadowy form, but he was also visibly paling as the vitality drain took its toll. Hailey darted around the third Terror, her daggers finding small gaps, but she was clearly cautious of getting too close. Arrows tipped with a soft silver glow flew from Katrina's bow. They hit harder than expected, making the creatures silently hiss and retreat.
"Their shadowy forms are vulnerable to concentrated light or spirit-infused attacks!" Katrina called out, loosing another glowing arrow that made a Void Terror smoke where it struck.
Light… David's mind raced. His [Swift Strike] was just a physical attack. He had EP – the Riftlings and the Stalker had replenished his stocks nicely. He had about 80 EP now. He looked at his [Swift Strike] skill in the system panel. An option appeared: [Evolve Skill: [Swift Strike] (Cost: 50 EP)].
It was a gamble mid-fight, but Katrina's comment about light gave him an idea.
[Evolve [Swift Strike]? YES/NO]
[Potential Evolutions:]
[1. Increased Potency: Higher base damage, slightly reduced cooldown.]
[2. Bleeding Edge: Adds a lingering bleed effect to targets struck.]
[3. Nova Strike: Infuses the strike with a burst of radiant light, dealing minor AoE light damage around the impact point. Effective against shadow/undead creatures.]
Option three. It was perfect.
"Cover me for a sec!" David shouted, disengaging slightly from his Void Terror, relying on his shield to block its next chilling touch. He quickly selected the "Nova Strike" evolution.
[Evolving [Swift Strike] into [Nova Strike]... Please wait.]
A warm light bloomed briefly along the blade of his [Trainee's Blade], then subsided. The skill icon in his panel changed.
[[Nova Strike] (Active Skill - Evolved)]
[A quick, forward-lunging attack infused with radiant light. Deals 120% weapon damage to the primary target and 30% as light damage in a small AoE. Highly effective against shadow, undead, and void entities. Cost: 8 Mana. Cooldown: 12 seconds.]
The mana cost had increased slightly, as had the cooldown. But the added effect…
The Void Terror David had been fighting lunged again. This time, David met it with his new skill. "[Nova Strike]!"
As his blade connected, a brilliant flash of white light erupted from the point of impact, briefly illuminating the entire cavern. The primary target shrieked, its shadowy form visibly dissolving and crackling under the radiant energy. [-28 Damage (Physical)!] [-15 Damage (Light)!]. The AoE burst also splashed onto a nearby Skittering Riftling that had crept up, making it hiss and recoil.
The effect was dramatic. The Void Terror, already wounded, staggered violently, its form flickering erratically. One more solid hit would finish it.
"Yes!" David exulted. The light damage was incredibly effective.
Hailey, seeing the effect, whistled. "Shiny! And ow, that looks like it hurts them!"
Even Isaac grunted in approval from where he was battling his own Terror. "About time someone brought a flashlight to this pity party."
Empowered by his new skill, David pressed his attack. The Void Terror, weakened by the light, couldn't withstand another focused blow. It dissolved into nothingness with a final, silent sigh.
[Minor Void Terror defeated! +60 EP!]
The tide was turning. With one Terror down, David moved to help Isaac, whose face was now alarmingly pale from the sustained vitality drain. Katrina continued to pepper the remaining Void Terror with her glowing arrows, while Hailey, emboldened by David's success with light damage, focused her attacks with more confidence.
Together, they brought down the remaining two Void Terrors. The psychic pressure in the cavern lifted, replaced by the tired panting of the party.
"Nice work, David," Katrina said, lowering her bow. "That [Nova Strike] is a game-changer against these things."
"Definitely packs a punch," David agreed, feeling the satisfying thrum of 60 EP gained. He checked on Isaac. "You alright, man? You look like you've seen a ghost… or wrestled one."
Isaac scowled, but it lacked its usual venom. "Just… a bit drained. Nasty creatures." He grudgingly accepted a healing draught Katrina offered.
Hailey was already peering into the larger cavern the Void Terrors had emerged from. "Whoa. This place is… big. And there's something glowing back there."
The sunrod's light wasn't enough to fully illuminate the vast chamber beyond the shattered wall But in the distance, a faint, pulsating purple light emanated from what looked like a crystalline structure. And around it, David could make out more shadowy figures, including several that were noticeably larger than the Minor Void Terrors they had just faced.
Their first major encounter in the Sunstone Mines was over, but it was clear the heart of the problem lay deeper within. And it looked far more dangerous.