Chapter 442

“Let’s set this whole floor ablaze.” Rue said in a mocking tone, as she and James stood back, watching the battle unfold. On Ifrit’s words, Steve had rushed into corn field, using the massive corn stalks to hide his small stature. The plan was simple. Steve would start stacking debuffs on Old Man Jenkins, while he used the corn itself as additional cover, to keep himself from being hit. Once the boss was fully taunted and occupied with Steve, then Ifrit would move in, using his swords to land rapid blows to Old Man Jenkin’s back, increasing his chance at critical hits. All the while, James would keep applying buffs to Ifrit, and Rue would monitor everyone’s health pool. Because of the level difference, they were certain they could pull this battle off, without James having to move in to add more DPS.

It was a solid plan. And yet, it had all gone to hell in about three seconds. Steve rushed in, and did manage to land a single blow on Old Man Jenkins. Then, as the boss bellowed in rage, Ifrit decided he didn’t like the original plan. The Djinn, apparently, was feeling…flashy. And, on top of that, had, it would seem, not told James all of the summoned mob’s abilities. Mainly, a cooldown the fire Djinn had been keeping secret. Fireball.

Like a crazed lunatic, Ifrit raised his two flaming swords above his head, as the fires of his body roiled and swirled. Where the two blades met, a large ball of flame began to appear, crackling with dangerous power, its heat so strong James could feel it all over his skin. He flinched, at the sight of the ball of flame, even as his mind had processed what was going on. The moment realization settled in his mind; it was too late. With a massive effort Ifrit brought his swords down, leveling them in Old Man Jenkin’s direction, and the fireball was sent flying.

The grass on the ground burned from the heat as the ball flew towards its target. The first few corn stalks completely incinerated during its approach, the fiery sphere burning a direct path between it, and Old Man Jenkins. However, on either side of the ball, past its immediate reach, the heat had a different effect. The corn stalks began erupting, launching white, fluffy bits of popcorn all around, as the field experienced the drastic heat of the attack.

Old Man Jenkins turned in time to take note of the attack, his pipe smoke letting out an impressive stream of smoke as he readied himself. While Steve was supposed to be the tank, Ifrit’s approaching ball of fire, combined with the fact Steve hadn’t yet landed enough blows to secure aggro, meant Old Man Jenkins had a new target. His eyes narrowed toward Ifrit, and a smile spread on the demonic farmer’s face. A smile, made all the more sinister, as his face was painted by the flames of Ifrit’s attack.

“E.” The farmer’s roar was audible, even against the roar of the fireball. James knew what was coming.

“Ifrit, run.” James said, even as Old Man Jenkins uttered the next syllable, the I.’

“Pah, such cowardice is beneath me.” The Djinn countered. “Behold, the fruits of my might.”

“E-“ Old Man Jenkin’s next utterance was slightly interrupted as the fireball connected with him, erupting in a twister of flames around the boss. The rest of the corn field erupted in popcorn, and all of Steve’s cover burned away. Thankfully…there wasn’t friendly fire, as James was certain, Steve would have suffered a decent chunk from that attack. However, there was something about Old Man Jenkins that Ifrit seemed to not know. The demonic farmer, had resistance to fire attacks.

“Run, now.” There was urgency in James’s voice. The fireball and the flaming twister had hidden Old Man Jenkin’s movements with his pitchfork, but now, beneath Ifrit’s form, was the telltale pentagram that would summon the Demonic Donkey and it’s powerful Donkey Kick.

“You would dare insult my pride as a-“

“-I”, the symbol below Ifrit glowed bright, yet the Djinn was transfixed on the fiery tornado. It would seem, James’s Djinn, was a pyromaniac. Who knew.

Without thinking, without any time to process what he was doing, James lunged at his summon, shoving the fiery form away, and taking the creature’s place instead. With his level advantage on Old Man Jenkins, he’d be fine. Ifrit, on the other hand, may not have been so lucky.

“O.” James knew what was going to happen, but still felt his eyes widen, felt his heartrate increase, as the two hooves appeared from the symbol. He winced, instinctively, as the demonic donkey kicked him, sending him flying through the air, the stun debuff already apparent on his status bar. The damage itself, didn’t seem terrible, but then he hit the ground, and his health bar dropped even lower. Had they not cleared the floor previously, that would have been bad. Real bad, actually, considering he’d landed near one of the Dicken Coops. Old Man Jenkins had, over his time serving as James’s first floor boss, gotten rather good at aiming where he sent players flying. When James was watching, it was brilliant. He’d even seen the boss launch someone into a sacrificial lamb pit trap. But, being on the receiving end, James couldn’t help but wonder if his boss was a little too smart with that tactic.

Crimson light flooded over James as his stun was cleansed, and a small bit of his health pool returned. Rue was already healing him. Considering he was her healing pool for any big healing spells she needed, in reality, she was just topping off her healing ability, to help Steve if needed. But still, James knew, deep down, his love wouldn’t betray him. She would do everything she could, to ensure he stayed alive.

“Next time, freaking listen to me.” James shouted at his summon, his anger flaring at the damned mob. He knew the Djinn were advanced AI, but seriously, would it kill the creature to actually listen to their battle plan, and do what he was told? Because, if he didn’t, and had James not known what was coming, the bastard would have been killed, and all their hard work, would have been wasted.

Ifrit’s face was unreadable as the Djinn looked back at James, before it wordlessly turned towards Old Man Jenkins, and rushed to join the battle. To his credit, Steve had been using the whole time to build up his stacks, and gain aggro from Old Man Jenkins. It would seem a giant fireball, and literal tornado of flames, was not enough to derail the spanker. And for that, James was grateful.

“Children can be so troublesome sometimes. I think he gets his stubbornness from you.” Rue said with a laugh as James dusted himself off and moved back towards her. She turned her gaze to the battle, watching Old Man Jenkins stomp about, trying his darndest to catch the quick footed halfling. Ifrit, wordlessly, was striking at every opportunity he got, the Djinn’s eyes, and face, a mask of cold anger.

James shot Rue a look, but his anger had already faded as he watched the battle, keeping an eye on his buff timers for Ifrit, as well as Ifrit’s health pool. As the summoner, it was his responsibility, to ensure his summon survived.

“If you’re claiming that.” James countered with a chuckle, “then he get’s his reckless nature from you.”

Rue leaned her head against James’s shoulder, a wry smile on her face, as the two watched the floor continue to burn, popcorn raining down all around the battlefield, as a halfling spanker, a djinn dervish, and a demonic farmer, engaged in a dance of death. To anyone unfamiliar with James’s dungeon, and all that was DCO, it would have been an impossible scene. And yet, this battle was par for the course, in James’s mind, for what a dungeon dive in DCO should be. His excitement grew, as he realized they still had at least one more floor to go, maybe even two, before they’d have to reset their dive, to keep leveling up. He could hardly wait.