Chapter 33: Boss Fight

  "God damn it, Devon."

  "Devon, seriously?"

  "What the fuck, Devon?"

  "I'm sorry!"

  Two bodyguards climbed out of the den behind the den mother. It was obvious what they were, given that both of them were twice the size of the badger warriors. If the warriors were the size of bears, Alex rated these things to be the size of an Asian elephant.

  The two hulking beasts walked out on either side of their matriarch, snarling and snapping at the tiny humans that encircled them. They were bigger, and more aggressive than the warriors. As they stepped forward, the den mother stepped back. She stopped just before the opening to the den.

  Is she blocking it off? Alex eyed the beast while trying to keep a vision of the two bodyguard badgers at the same time. The den mother settled down on her back paws in front of the opening and stopped. It looked like she was going to sit out the fight after all. That was fine with Alex.

  "The den mother is just blocking off the entry. Looks like we can ignore her and focus on the big ones," Alex called out over the snarls and snapping of jaws.

  "Garret, Henry," Eric yelled. "Distract the one on the left. We will focus on the one on the right."

  The two scouts-turned-tanks nodded and rushed at the left bodyguard. Garret angled to its far side while Henry ran head-on. Alex looked away before the clash occurred, he had his own job to do.

  Lance, Holly and Devon were moving before Alex was. The trio jabbed with their spears in near unison and jumped away just as quickly. Alex went in next, Eric on the opposite side. The giant badger was recovering from a missed claw swipe at Devon. Alex thrust forward and felt his spearhead make contact. The metal blade pierced into its fur and Alex felt his arm jolt from the sudden halt as it hit the beast's muscle.

  It's like a rock wall. Alex knew that wasn't true. He felt a bit of give from the muscle tissue, but is was so thick and dense it absorbed the impact from his attack leaving little damage at all.

  What the hell do we even do here? Alex twisted and yanked back as he jumped away. He didn't even see blood on the wound, the fur covered it up before the bleeding could even start.

  "Its muscles are too thick!" Alex shouted out to the team.

  "Go for a tendon!" Alex didn't look back at her, but he heard Allie's voice.

  He waited for the others to make their attacks and retreats before he closed in again with Eric. They had a rhythm down already. Alex ducked under the swipe of the paw that the beast threw at him, just barely dodging the blow. Based on the speed it moved and the size of the thing, Alex guessed it could break his bones with any of its strikes. Dodging was a priority.

  He stepped up next to the thing's back leg and aimed his thrust behind where it looked like its knee was. Alex felt the blade go just a bit deeper this time and began to twist the spearhead in the hope of damaging the ligaments in the area. He didn't get to finish the attack.

  The bodyguard badger turned its head in a shocking display of mobility and snapped at Alex. This time, being so close, he didn't have the speed to dodge it. He angled the length of his spear in front of himself and the badger's mouth closed around it, hard.

  Somehow, the wood didn't break. Alex saw large teeth grind into the wood and leaving marks, but it held. The badger yanked its head back and Alex failed to manage to hold on to the weapon. The spear was torn away from his grip, the beast ripping the blade from it's own back leg, and then tossed the spear off into the distance.

  Fuck me! Alex jumped back before the creature could perform a follow up attack. Lance and Holly were already jabbing their weapons into the thing's flank. Devon came in a fraction of a second later to attack its shoulder.

  Alex drew his sword, already regretting the shorter reach of this particular weapon. Complaining wasn’t going to be helpful at this juncture though, so he gritted his teeth and prepared to jump back into the fight.

  He risked a glance at the other bodyguard badger far to his left. Henry had just sidestepped a claw by using the butt of his spear to push on the ground and propel himself the opposite way.

  Why the hell hadn't I thought of that? Alex shook his head and turned back to focus on his own problem. He flourished the sword in his hand and frowned.

  "Allie," he shouted again, "I need a flash."

  "Gigitty," Garret shouted back.

  "Watch it," Devon yelled out as he jumped back from another claw strike.

  "Coming up. Give me two seconds." Allie began her spell chant. Alex tensed his legs and watched the badger's head like a hawk. He would have to be fast, even faster than he normally was. He didn't dare try to stay in the range of this thing and take an actual hit.

  Allie's hand shot out and Alex moved before the spell even finished. He closed the few feet between himself and the badger bodyguard in a mere moment. With a jump, he was at the same height as the beast just as the flash of light erupted in the eyes of the animal. Alex struck.

  The sword tip punctured the eyeball easily, and then it slammed into the bone behind it like a rock wall, jarring Alex’s shoulder. While still in the air Alex drove his knee against the handle in attempt to force the blade through the bone. It felt like his kneecap almost burst, the sword didn't budge even a centimeter.

  He failed at stifling a cry of pain and pulled the sword back only just in time for the badger to head butt him in the chest.

  Alex flew for the first time in his life. He soared mightily and freely, backward and directly into a tree. He crumbled to the ground and coughed. Blood speckled the grass below him, and he knew that was not a good sign.

  "Alex," Allie was already kneeling beside him. She pressed on his ribs and chest, forcing him to wince and hiss from the pain. "I don't feel anything broken, that was a hell of a hit though. Probably some burst capillaries in your lungs. Bruised bones and tissue"

  "I'll be okay. That thing's bones are tough as hell. I don't think we can pierce it." Alex tried to stand and felt his knee give out from under him. Knee checking his sword hilt turned out to be the bad move this time. He couldn't put his full weight on it.

  Left knee and right arm, Alex was losing limbs at far too rapid a pace. He could still move though, even if barely.

  "What do we do then?" Allie turned back to the fight.

  "Allie, I have an idea. Use your spell again," It was Holly who yelled out this time. She danced between the beast's paws as she said it. Even so close a range, she was very nimble. Alex secretly wondered if her agility was even higher than his own, or maybe she just knew how to utilize it better.

  Probably the later. Seems to be the case. I barely even know how to use a spear. Alex was just picking up things he learned from his friends and adding it all to his skill set. Devon’s twisting attack. Henry’s leveraged movement idea. He felt more clueless than any of his teammates seemed to realize, he was just grabbing at every idea they came up with.

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  "Holly," Alex had to try stopping her. "It’s too tough. Even if we get the other eye-"

  "Just trust me. Allie, cast it!"

  Alex bit his lip and watched as Allie went through casting her spell. He was finally close enough to really pay attention. Her chant still sounded like a strange rhythmic gibberish. She also went through a set of gestures with her hands, some real Mr. Miyagi kinda stuff. Her hand shot forward and a stream of light burst from her palm.

  The stream erupted into a flash in the creature's face and then suddenly Holly was there. The spear held in her hand, her eyes focused, determined. She jumped, just as Alex had, thrust forward and upward. The spear struck right into the badger's open mouth.

  Holly yanked it free as she fell and rolled away. The badger reared back like it was trying to move away from Holly and then it fell to the side. The thing thrashed and shuddered on the ground. Even from where Alex stood, he could see an unfathomable amount of blood coming from the beast’s mouth, like garden hose spout opened all the way.

  It was only a few seconds later the creature laid still, dead.

  "Holy hell," Devon said.

  "Way to go girl," Allie rushed to Holly and hugged her.

  "How though?" Alex limped forward. The beast was very dead, but it was barely even struck by her from what he could see. He didn't get it.

  "I saw it open its mouth the first time you hit it with your spell," Holly said. "The back of the throat isn't protected. It is right next to the arteries and primary nerves along the spinal cord just below the skull. But… no bones."

  "Well fuck, I didn't think of that." Alex looked at her with new appreciation. She was quite the picture of a warrior princess with the spear in hand and the basic clothes they had bought. The leather armor really would have just ruined the image. A warrior princess, spear in hand, the breeze playing with the long strands of her dark hair.

  What am I even thinking? Alex coughed and looked away. From the corner of his eye, he saw Holly look down at the ground and away. Allie, watching all of this, smirked and Alex fucking swore he saw her give him a wink.

  "Uh guys," Garret yelled out at them from the side.

  Alex turned to see that Henry and Garret were still ducking and diving to keep the other bodyguard badger busy. It had only been thirty seconds or so, but that was a long time in combat, especially when any blow could mean serious injury, or death.

  "Lance, Devon, with me," Eric shouted out. The three of them went to harass the badger and ease their tank's suffering.

  "We don't have time to have Allie regain her energy," Holly said.

  "Then we whittle it down slowly," Alex said. He began to go toward the fight and limped on the second step. His left leg still wouldn't support him. The sword was still held tight in his left hand, but he knew he wasn't going to be any more help in this fight.

  "We got this," Allie grabbed his shoulder. "Step back. It's okay."

  Alex ground his teeth together. He watched Garret jump back from a bite from the badger. Lance jabbed at its right flank. Henry slammed his spear pommel into its face before ducking a claw swipe. They were all doing their part. But he was-

  "It's okay," Allie repeated.

  "Okay." Alex swallowed his pride and his shame.

  Allie helped him move a few feet to a tree. He leaned against it as Allie sat down. If she could manage to gather enough aether for another spell, they could end the fight. At least with the bodyguards.

  Alex looked over at the den mother sitting at the entryway. She was looking directly at him.

  His blood ran cold under the creature's stare. It didn't feel like he was being watched by a beast, but by a person. A person who hated him. He shuddered slightly at the thought.

  Why was she just sitting there? Watching? It baffled Alex. He could only chalk it up to system stuff yet again. Perhaps it was limiting the beast's actions to make the quest fair? Yeah right, the system is an asshole, it doesn't care about making things easier for us.

  He ignored the den mother and went back to watching the ongoing fight. Their spears really weren't doing a lot of damage. Every attack added up though. Eventually, they all added up. Slowly but surely, the team started to bring the beast down. Its fur and fat could inhibit the bleeding, but when every one of its muscles was shredded by dozens of punctures and tears, the external bleeding didn't matter. It finally gave in and laid down.

  Flesh wounds on top of flesh wounds began to gather, making mince meat of the skin and underlying muscles all over the creatures body. It leaked blood and anger from ever inch of its body, but Alex and his team were relentless in their assault. Stabbing, cutting, bashing at every moment they could. Until finally, the thing fell just like its counter part did. The last couple of stabs each of them added after were just overkill.

  There was a long and tense silence that followed. Alex watched each of his teamates gain a breather for a moment, wiping their weapons off with rags, or on the clothes. Each doing so while eyeing the den mother hesitantly. No one was sure what it was thinking.

  Eventually Allie stood up. "I have enough for one more. It'll have to count." Alex and everyone else gave her a nod. Then, they all turned to the den mother.

  The creature stood up and looked at each of its fallen bodyguards, then at Alex again. It grunted, and Alex could have fucking sworn he saw it nod. Then it let out a loud huff, blowing the loose dirt around it into the air.

  "Is it telling us to leave?" Devon asked.

  "Poor thing doesn't know it's next," Garret said.

  "I think it sees its bodyguards as a trade. Their corpses are probably worth a lot to a rival predator given animals would eat for a while on it." Lance said.

  "Well, not much we can do about that. Quest says to kill the den mother, so get ready." Eric pointed its spear toward the beast and got into a fighting stance. That seemed to piss it off. The beast snorted again and growled. The hair on it poofed out, making it look even wider than it already was.

  Then it charged.

  Garret ran forward in a blur. Alex saw a flash of light on his hand as he seemed to activate his ring. His leg muscles bulged suddenly and Garret leapt forward over Eric. It was a majestic leap, he covered fifteen to twenty feet in that one bound. His trajectory put him directly on course with the den mother.

  "Leeeeeroooooy Jen-" Garret collided with the den mother and was sent flying. Just like Alex did earlier, he collided with a tree. This time though, Alex could hear a sickening crunch and Garret sagged to the ground. He didn't move after.

  "Fuck, Garret," Allie ran towards his fallen form.

  Everyone else burst into action at the same time. Henry closed in and shoulder-checked the boss in the face. The impact turned its head, but just barely.

  Lance, Eric, Devon and Holly all stabbed with their spears. From what Alex saw of the attacks and the resulting looks on their faces, they hadn't even managed to pierce into thick skin and fur. They wouldn't be able to go with the slow whittle-it-down strategy here.

  "Allie, we are going to need that spell," Holly yelled.

  "He's unconscious, but he's alive," Allie said, her fingers up to Garret’s throat, checking his pulse.

  "Allie! Spell!" Eric yelled. He ducked a swipe, but his eyes went wide as the backswing caught him in the chest and he tumbled off into the bushes with an audible "oomph".

  This one is smarter. Alex thought.

  He pushed off from the tree that was supporting him and limped a step closer. He watched the den mother closely. It was fighting like the bodyguards, like the warriors. But then again, it wasn't. Its eyes weren't crazed and feral, they danced around looking at each of the team members. Watching, waiting.

  "Take him back," Allie said. Alex looked to his left to find Peter kneeling next to Garret and Allie. His hands were still tied, but he managed to heft Garret's unconscious body onto his shoulder and stand. Alex gave him a nod when they locked eyes, Peter nodded back.

  "Henry, get Eric," Allie yelled. The stoic man looked at her and without even a word, ran into the bushes that the captain had been sent rolling into just a moment before. "Holly, I'm casting now."

  Holly jumped from foot to foot as Allie started her chant. They were going to have to time things just right. Both their tanks were out of the fight now. Lance and Devon still poked at the beast, far more cautiously than before, but kept it preoccupied for now. It would be close, but the two girls could do it, Alex was sure of it. He looked to the boss creature, again seeing its eyes move between Allie and Holly.

  Alex felt a lump form in his stomach. Something was wrong, very wrong. His eyes flitted between Allie, the beast and Holly. Allie's chant filled his ears. The beast's mouth filled his vision. It was opened, it was already open. It’s eyes flickered between Holly and Allie. Alex's eyes widened. Oh fuck.

  "Allie wait," Alex called out.

  He was too late.

  He watched Allie fire off her spell, and Holly jumped forward with her spear. The light exploded in the badger's eyes and it reared back slightly. It reared back too soon, it moved before the light appeared, just before. It's mouth opened wide, Holly thrust her spear.

  "No!" Alex shouted.

  There was a crunch and a crack. Holly screamed.

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