From Real to Realm

Lyon reached forward, placing a hand against the door. “He’s definitely back.”

A few people in the group shared confused looks.

“Alright, we know he’s back. If you have any last-minute adjustments to make, now is the time to do it,” he said, turning to everyone behind him.

Each party wasted no time in splitting off from the others. During the fight, they were expected to work together, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t prepare separately first.

Amarisse grabbed Val’s shoulder. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

Val looked at her, a bit surprised by the sudden demand. “I won’t.”

Amarisse held her gaze. “We can’t lose you.”

“I can’t lose any of you, either,” Val said, gently patting her arm. “I’ll do my best to make sure we all get out alive.”

Tension was in the air all around them. Both new parties were diligently discussing their plans for the fight. Neither had taken on a boss before. Lyon and Cyrus’ group were sitting back, watching intently as the others planned.

“Do you think they can handle it?” Lyon asked, looking to Cyrus.

Cyrus watched Val intently. Only after almost a minute did he finally answer. “It depends. The King is going to test a lot.”

“Is that your opinion for both groups? Or just Valnarei’s?”

Dolf chuckled next to Cyrus.

“I think Madeline’s group has as good a chance as Val’s, but I don’t know them like I do Val,” he said, crossing his arms. “She’s stubborn, which can either screw her over, or be the push her group could use. I know from firsthand experience just how stubborn she can be.”

“Being stubborn can get you killed down here,” Lyon said, gaze fixating on Val. “Be honest with me, Cyrus. Is she a risk?”

Cyrus opened his mouth to reply, then stopped, sighing.

“I don’t think she’s a risk,” Irina said, looking up at Lyon. “Maybe a bit headstrong and stubborn like Cyrus said, but I think she’s more asset than risk.”

Lyon looked down at the mage, studying her for a moment. “Valnarei was chosen for this delve for more than one reason.”

Cyrus’ entire group turned to him, surprised.

“Care to elaborate?” Zennia asked.

Dolf grumbled. “It better be for a good reason.”

Lyon chuckled. “Her name has been brought up multiple times in the guild in the short few months she’s been here. Overreactive affinity test, double soul mimic encounter, then there’s the way she acts.”

Irina glanced over at Val. “I think I know what you mean.”

“She’s unique among the new class of adventurers,” Lyon said, stepping down from the obsidian rock he was perched on. “I already have orders to decide on whether she’d be an asset to Stormveil or not.”

“Val’s not exactly the type to plan ahead,” Zennia said, shaking her head. “She’d fit in more with a chapter like Blightmoor or Crimson Hollow.”

Dolf rubbed his chin. “You think she’d feel more at home in a chapter that relied on aggression or someone who knew how to channel that aggression?”

Lyon chuckled, finding it impossible to hide his smile. “Why do you think we have our hooks in her as of now?”

Realization flitted across everyone’s faces as they turned around, looking at Val talking amongst her group.

Val crouched down, using her finger to draw through the soot on the ground. “Alright, I think we should stick to our usual formation. Amarisse will be up front, and I’ll be on her flank, ready for the right moment. Both Lynesia and Cera should be a little further back than normal, just to give us room to dodge.”

“Where should I be?” Mina asked, looking at the diagram on the floor.

“You’ll be on the opposite flank from me. Ideally, when there’s an opening, one of us should be able to make a move.”

Val looked up. “Save your shields unless it looks like we might take a hit.”

Lynesia nodded. “Cera should probably stay just behind me, right?”

“That should work. If she needs to move up to provide healing, you move with her.”

Across the room, the other new group was talking amongst themselves as well. They were in a decently heated discussion about how to handle fighting.

“You need to control your battle frenzy during this fight!” Madeline yelled, poking Braun in the chest. “I don’t care how hard it is, if you go off half-cocked, you’ll get yourself killed!”

“How do you know that?!” he asked, smacking her hand away. “It’s worked so far!”

Madeline pushed forward. “This is a boss! This isn’t another rat or wolf!”

Val watched as Cyrus walked over to the group, stepping between the two of them. She couldn’t quite make out what he was saying, but they all seemed to calm down afterward.

“Everyone ready?” Lyon asked, voice raised.

Both groups walked up.

“Good. Now, remember, we will be staying out of the fight,” he said, motioning to Cyrus’ group behind him. “If we feel you need our help, we’ll push forward and step in.”

“Any last questions?”

After a few shaken heads and silence, he smiled. “Madeline, Val, the two of you lead us into the room.”

The two of them shared a nervous glance. Even though both groups felt ready, being right here was another thing entirely. Beyond the large scorched door waited a boss, the first boss they’d be fighting.

“You ready?” Madeline asked, fingers flexing.

Val nodded, gripping her halberd tightly. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

Both girls placed their hands against the doors. Immediately, they could feel heat seeping through, almost to the point of being unbearable. Neither stopped pushing as the doors creaked open slowly. A large gust of hot air filled with embers caused everyone to shield their eyes.

“The Ashen Crucible,” Val murmured.

The doors opened onto a large, oddly shaped arena. It was almost rectangular in design, but didn’t quite maintain the shape. Craggy outcroppings of obsidian jutted from every surface in the room while bright veins of magma continued to worm their way across the ground. What was left of various trees littered the entire room, perpetually burning from the inside out. Within seconds of walking into the room, small bursts of flame erupted from small cracks along the ground and walls.

“Holy shit, it’s hot in here,” Amarisse said, tugging at her armor.

Step by step, both parties walked forward carefully. Lyon and Cyrus’ group followed behind, already aware of what they were entering. They were a bit more focused on what the rookies would do as they moved through the large room.

Val suddenly held out her hand, signaling her group to stop. Madeline, confused, turned around and held her hand up to her group.

“What is it?” she asked, looking around.

Val pointed ahead. On the other side of the room was a large craggy throne made of obsidian. A subtle glow emanated from within the rock, but was partially blocked by a large figure sitting on the throne.

“The Ashen King,” Val said, rotating her shoulder. “He’s waiting for us.”

Even though all sixteen people within the group were inside the room, he hadn’t moved. The arena was easily a few hundred feet across from door to throne. As of now, they were barely more than a dozen feet into the room.

“Let’s keep moving,” Val said, walking forward. “Stick close to trees and outcroppings in case he makes a sudden move.”

As Val had suggested, they began moving deeper into the room. They made sure to move along groupings of trees or large obsidian outcroppings. It was slow going at first, but the heat was becoming oppressive. It wasn’t long before they realized the longer they lingered in this heat, the more it was going to become a problem for everyone.

Boom.

Everyone turned around. The doors to the room had shut on their own.

“The doors shut?” Val asked, eyes locked onto Lyon and Cyrus. “Is that normal?”

Cyrus and Lyon were sharing a look that shook Val to her core.

“I’ve never seen that happen,” Lyon said. “What about you?”

Cyrus shook his head. “Neither have I. Should we back off now?”

The sound of rustling plate armor pierced the air before either of them could make a decision. Slowly, everyone turned back to see the tall figure standing in front of his throne. His eyes glowed bright orange, as if made of magma. Small bursts of flame occasionally licked up his body from cracks across his armor. It dawned on Val that this thing was likely double her height.

“Looks like he’s deciding for us,” she said, twirling her halberd in her hands. “Be on guard!”

The Ashen King stared in their direction, slowly moving his limbs as if limbering up for the fight. A handful of seconds later, he reached down on either side of the throne. Soot fell off the two longswords as he pulled them from the floor.

“Holy shit… those are big…”

Val looked over at the other group. There was a mix of emotions showing, but they weren’t running.

The Ashen King started walking forward. With each step, more and more soot fell from his armor. A cloud of ashen darkness was left in his wake as more details were revealed to the group. Just like the environment around them, his body was covered in magma veins. However, the biggest difference was the orange orb in his chest pulsing with an orange glow like a heartbeat.

When he was about a hundred feet away, he stopped walking. Everyone watched as he seemed to take a deep breath.

“He’s doing something!” Val yelled, rushing toward the closest tree. “Get behind cover!”

A sudden massive gust of air rushed past her a second later. Only it wasn’t just wind. A thick haze of ash completely enveloped everyone close to her. With how thick it was, just for those few seconds, she couldn’t see anyone.

“MY FUCKING EYES!”

Val could hear someone in the direction of Madeline’s group yelling about their eyes. Even now, her eyes were watering as well, thanks to the ash floating through the air. She figured it was completely possible someone in the other group didn’t get to cover quickly enough.

CRUNCH!

The sound of burned trees being absolutely shattered echoed through the room.

BOOM!

The ground shook hard, making Val stumble slightly. However, she couldn’t give that much attention. The ground beneath her was rapidly heating up and beginning to glow.

“Oh, fuck me!” she yelled, running from her hiding spot.

A few seconds later, a small geyser of magma erupted where she was standing. The ash was beginning to clear a bit by now, thanks to the sudden slam from the Ashen King.

“Val!”

Within seconds, Amarisse and Mina were right next to her, taking their positions.

“Cera and Lynesia are behind that stone at your five 0’clock,” Amarisse said, raising her shield. “They’re okay.”

“What about the two of you?” Val asked, wiping ash from her face. “Any injuries?”

Mina shook her head. “I’m okay.”

“Me too,” Amarisse said, turning to Val with a nod.

“We need to do something,” Val said, giving Amarisse a pat on the back. “We can’t stay on the defensive. He’ll just keep blinding us and using his magma attack.”

Amarisse nodded, then pushed forward at a run. “I don’t know how the other group is doing, but we need to grab his attention.”

WHOOSH!

Ash was pushed completely aside as a huge obsidian sword swung through the air. Mina and Val both dove to the ground to get beneath it. Amarisse was a bit slower to react, but thankfully, she was able to use her shield to deflect it. Val watched as she was tossed a dozen or so feet to the side from the attack.

“AMARISSE!”

Val reached over, grabbing Mina by the wrist. It was one of the few times she’d seen her truly pissed off, baring her teeth completely.

“Calm down! We need to be smart here!”

Mina yanked her hand free from Val’s grip. “He hit Amarisse!”

Val climbed to her feet. “Cera! Might need some healing up here!”

Other voices were echoing through the room at the same time. Madeline’s group seemed to be regrouping after the blinding spray of ash earlier, finally. All Val and Mina needed to do was keep the King’s attention long enough for Cera and Lynesia to help Amarisse.

Val only spared a glance behind her. She saw both Lynesia and Cera rushing forward already, both cloaked in a magical barrier. They were already bee-lining it for Amarisse.

“Alright, it’s just the two of us for now. Let’s move!”

Val took off in the direction of the Ashen King with Mina hot on her heels. Right now, they needed his attention long enough for everyone else to get back into the fight.

Thunk, thunk, thunk.

As Val and Mina got closer to the King, three arrows sank into his chest in rapid succession. Val knew what that meant. The Ashen King brought one arm up in time to block three more arrows from hitting him in the face.

“Split!” Val yelled, pointing toward his left foot.

Mina didn’t say a word as she split off from Val. The two of them moved in to attack separate legs on their own—anything to keep him as off balance as possible.

Clang!

Val watched as Cain from Madeline’s group rushed forward, deflecting an overhead attack from the Ashen King with his shield. If it wasn’t for him, the attack could’ve been dangerous for Mina.

“I’ll get you for trying to blind me, you fucking overgrown smokestack!” he yelled, rushing forward with Mina.

All three of them reached the Ashen King just as multiple purple bolts of energy smacked him in the face from another angle. Val didn’t recognize the attack, but she wasn’t about to waste the opening it gave her. When she was within reach, she rotated her body in time to slide along the ground. When her front foot finally dug into the rough rock, she used the momentum to thrust.

At the same time, Mina had slid between the Ashen King’s legs to get behind him. This forced him to twist his upper body, opening up his ribs for the spike on Val’s halberd to dig deep. There was no vocalization of pain from him, though. Mina used the opportunity to slash at his ankle. Her dual kukri-style blades had no trouble finding the gaps in his armor and doing damage.

Boom!

The Ashen King stomped his foot hard after Mina cut into that ankle. Both she and Cain were forced back by it. Val, however, wasn’t given the same treatment. By some miracle, she brought her halberd up just in time to block a sword swipe with the haft. This was no deflection, as she was launched through the air by the sheer power of the attack.

After what felt like minutes, she finally hit the ground, hard. It wasn’t a soft landing as she slammed down and rolled for another couple of dozen feet further. The last thing anyone else saw was Val blocking the attack before being launched to the side. Then they’d see puffs of soot each time she slammed into the ground during the rough landing.

“VAL!”

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