Kackling Phantom (larva III), Rank: F
-- Third-Stage
-- Magic Orientation: Dark Elemental Magic
-- Magical energy: 1200
-- The final larval stage of the Kackling Phantom before entering its pupa stage. It has gained tendrils that allow it to embed itself into and parasite its surroundings – not only absorbing electromagnetic waves from its surroundings but the energy of whatever it is attached to. Not only can they communicate through electromagnetic signals released by the antennae on their head, but they are highly adept at manipulating the electrical energy stored in their bodies.
-- Though capable, these monsters no longer need to break through security and fire walls. True to their name of phantom, they have now reached the stage where they are all but invisible to security and pass right through any firewall…
Gloria, Vee, and Cole looked at this new adversary. Cole regarded it with wide-eyed shock, but Gloria's gaze quickly shifted to the wooden box in the middle of the room. Vee, meanwhile…
"Ah, fuck, no," Vee shouted as she darted out from behind Cole. Faced with repeated embarrassment at letting the strange creatures of this Dungeon get one over on her, she had developed a degree of bitterness and frustration toward them. Faced with a new variation, she had no intention of letting it do anything and wanted to strike first.
The aggressive slasher dashed toward the floating creature.
"Vee," Gloria yelled.
Startled by the sight of Vee dashing out in the corner of his eye caused Cole to look away from the phantom. His eyes widened. "It's not just one!"
Hearing Cole's cry, Gloria took in their surroundings and saw the ten First-Stage Units leaping toward them – bodies crackling with electricity. She was quick to turn her revolver on them. Firing once, she used her magic to control the bullet's trajectory and keep it in motion. Under her control, the bullet curved through the air after piercing one of the enemies. It continued moving in an arc and whizzing around so to strike one after another – successfully taking out them all.
Meanwhile, the Third-Stage Unit faced Vee's charge. The fleshy tendrils hanging from its floating head lifted up and spread toward her as if to ensnare her.
Vee threw her hand back to prepare to slash away at the Unit – seemingly ignoring the tendrils moving to surround her.
However, in the next moment, the tendrils stopped. A faint crackle of electricity was the only warning to what was about to happen.
The tendrils then discharged electricity that danced between them. Drawn to Vee's metallic claw, the slasher screamed in agony as she was electrocuted by the jolts of electricity – effectively ensnared in a net of energy.
It was at the same moment that Gloria's gunshot could be heard.
The Third-Stage Unit glanced over as the last of its lesser kin was killed and the bullet continued toward it. It moved to the side to evade it, but in doing so, it had to stop its attack on Vee – its tendrils going limp and drifting behind it as it moved to the side.
Vee collapsed to her knees – her body smoking and skin lightly charred.
Though having dodged Gloria's bullet, the Third-Stage Unit saw as Cole charged forward to Vee's aid. Having one of the intruders coming toward it, sparks of electricity danced along the surface of its skin. It reared its head back as the energy focused on its mouth.
Having collected himself, Cole rushed forward to help Vee. He stepped in front of her as the Third-Stage Unit was moving out of the way of Gloria's shot and continued to charge toward it. He saw as it began to open its mouth and could see a mass of energy crackling within.
The Third-Stage Unit threw its head forward and spat out a ball of energy.
Cole lifted his armored arm to protect himself but did not stop his charge. The ball of energy struck his guarded arm and dispersed to seemingly no effect.
The Third-Stage Unit again tried to move after seeing its attack did nothing. Its enemy quickly approaching, it attempted to lash him with one of its tendrils.
Seeing the attempted attack, Cole caught the tendril as he continued to run toward the Unit. He then pulled on it to force the creature to come within range of him. Reeling his fist back, he threw a punch forward – striking it.
Cole then yelled, "Burst!"
The Third-Stage Unit's head already began to contort under the force of the impact. However, the armor of Cole's hand then developed cracks along it before dispersing in a strong spray of sharp shrapnel. These rock shards flew out and tore through the Unit's body with ease.
The Unit's body began to dissipate into nothing. It vanished before it could touch the ground.
Cole blinked owlishly. He retracted his hand to look at it – clenching and unclenching his fist. "It's like punching a balloon…" He then heard Vee's pained groaning and turned to her in panic. "Vee!"
Collapsed on her knees and arms, Vee struggled to move.
Releasing his magic, Cole's armor quickly began to fall to pieces as he approached Vee. He collapsed to his knees as he tried to tend to her – though unsure how. "Are you okay!?" He then turned to Gloria. "We should give her that potion!"
Vee cast a glare at Cole. She ground out, "I'm fine, loser."
Surveying their surroundings to be sure there would not be another ambush, Gloria put away her revolver as she approached. She turned her attention to Vee and sighed. "I just lectured Cole for not doing his job in acting as our wall, and you decide to go charging in like that. Idiot."
Despite her words, Gloria reached into the outer pocket of her jacket and retrieved the Healing Potion they had gotten earlier. She held it out for Vee to take. "Here."
"Didn't you hear me," Vee said. "I said I'm fine."
"Just take it."
"Isn't the whole reason we're here," Vee argued. "To get that?"
"Once is coincidence, twice is pattern," Gloria stated. "It stands to reason there will be more if we just keep an eye out for whoever is restocking it. If we can catch them, we can find out where its coming from and even how they're making it. Besides, I know how much it sucks to be hit by a fire-based magic. So, stop being a baby and just take it."
Vee glared at the vial for a moment. However, she soon scoffed and took it with shaking hand.
Gloria stepped forward to look around the space they were in while Vee seemed to struggle some with opening the vial – harshly refusing Cole's offer to help. Every room thus far looked the same as just part of a long, stone tunnel. Each one was its own space, so it was impossible to ever truly know how far one had made it as looking back would just see an endless tunnel and looking forward would be an endless tunnel.
But this room was different. Looking back, all you could see was an endless tunnel despite Gloria being positive they had not traveled far enough not to be able to see the entrance. But looking ahead was a stone wall so to indicate the end of their journey.
"So, this is it," Gloria observed before turning her attention back to the box in the middle of the room.
Meanwhile, Vee managed to get the vial open and down the contents of the potion. She sighed in relief as it worked its magic in healing her. She then rose to her feet but was clearly uneven on her feet. The limited healing had left her body still sore and worse for wear. "So, what have we got this time," she asked as Gloria approached the box.
"I was just about to find out," Gloria replied. She then turned to Cole. "Cole, open it."
"Whaaaa," Cole whined. Though faced with Gloira's commanding gaze, he eventually slumped his shoulders, rose to his feet, and approached the box. Opening it, he smiled. Quickly, he pulled out the contents and presented it to the others. "Look, another potion!"
Though Cole was pleased by their gain, Vee seemed uninterested and Gloria's eyes narrowed in suspicion.
What Cole held was indeed a vial similar to the one that Vee just drank, but Gloria noted that it was emerald green in color rather than the azure blue they had seen thus far. Still, she stepped forward and took it. They would need to test it to be sure, but she considered how now was not the time to have Vee test the contents.
"So, is that it," Vee asked. "Are we done here?"
"Not quite," Gloria said as she pocketed the vial. She then pointed toward a slightly obscure crack in the wall to their right. "Seems there's another hidden room here. Cole, you go first. Vee, you can stay here if you're not up for it."
"Screw you," Vee bit as she – slightly shakingly – stepped forward. She brandished her blade-like fingers to show she was fine.
Though he was without his armor, Cole pouted as he did as he was told and walked toward the crevice in the wall. It was more than large enough for a person to walk through but narrow enough that it required the three of them walk in a line.
Following behind Cole, Gloria stood at the back with Vee between them. As they came to the end, she grabbed Vee by the hood to stop her as Cole continued into the room alone.
"How's it look," Gloria asked as she watched Cole look around the room.
"Hmm? Oh, yeah, it's just like before. A complete dead end, but there's a treasure chest here."
Relaxing at seeing that Cole was not being ambushed and did not see any enemies, Gloria's brow pinched in confusion. "A treasure chest?"
"The hell you mean a treasure chest," Vee asked.
"Just take a loo-," Cole began but stopped upon turning around to see that the two were still in the small tunnel leading into this room. "What the-!? Did you guys use me as bait!?"
The two proceeded to walk into the room unbothered by his accusation.
"The creatures here seem inclined toward ambush tactics," Gloria stated.
"Better these things get the drop on you than us," Vee shrugged.
"You suck!"
Ignoring him, Cole's two female companions looked around him at the supposed treasure chest. True to what he had said, there sat a rectangular, red wood crate with a curved lid and reinforced with pieces of metal. A pair of latches on the front served to lock the box.
Gloria and Vee glanced at each other for a moment and turned their gaze onto Cole. "Open it," they instructed.
"Why me," Cole cried.
""Just open it idiot/loser!""
Under the gaze of the two women, Cole quickly gave up any resistance and reluctantly turned around. He approached and knelt before the chest to open it with Gloria and Vee watching over his shoulders.
Unbeknownst to the trio, a pair of large, golden eyes opened to reveal themselves on the ceiling above. Pulling away from the ceiling, the figure of a Third-Stage Unit began to appear. Taking advantage of its soft, spongey body, it had effectively flattened itself against the top of the room with its tendrils spread out – using its abilities to render itself invisible. Seeing that some intruders had come and were about to open the chest, it started to drop its concealment.
Despite her focus being on Cole and the chest, Vee seemed to sense something amiss. She raised her head and her eyes widened as she came upon the grinning face of the Third-Stage Unit. She quickly turned back to the others and opened her mouth to warn them but it was too late.
Cole had already undone the latches on the chest and begun to open it. The unmistakable cackling of the Third-Stage Unit was the only warning he and Gloria received before Layfon's 'surprise' activated.
The chest's lid suddenly blew open as countless First-Stage Units poured out.
In a moment, the room was crawling with one-hundred First-Stage Units – no more, and no less. Several had landed on Gloria and Vee and began to release an electric discharge that left the two screaming in agony.
Cole was in a similar situation himself, but seemed to handle the electric shock better than the two of them. He tried to pry the small creatures off of him, but found them stuck to his body – clinging to him with their small, stubby legs. He turned his gaze to the Third-Stage Unit that had removed itself from the ceiling and floated in front of them while cackling away.
Spotting the Third-Stage Unit begin to gather energy in its mouth, Cole's eyes widened. He quickly turned toward the others. Grabbing Vee by her jacked with one hand and her shorts with the other, he threw her back toward the hallway they came through. He then did the same with Gloria – grabbing her by her shirt and jacket. He then yelled out in pain as he was hit in the back by the energy blast released by the Third-Stage Unit.
Falling down, Cole was left at the mercy of the creatures as the First-Stage Units descended on him – forming a large, electrified pile.
Meanwhile, though the path was not long, it was not short either. Thus, it showed considerable strength on Cole's part to have thrown Vee and Gloria clear through it to the other side and back into the previous room – Vee reaching further than Gloria.
Gritting her teeth, Gloria fought through the pain to move. She reached into her coat and pulled out her revolver. Struggling to lift it, she seemed not to be aiming at anything in particular before firing off five shots.
The bullets sailed toward the wall before veering off course. Each one glowed with the traces of Gloria's power as they turned back toward her.
Despite the pain, Gloria managed to navigate the bullets to strike the First-Stage Units covering her. Even if she was not able to get a good hit in, a glancing blow seemed enough to disorient them enough to get them to stop shocking her. Though weakened, she quickly turned her revolver on any who remained – using the remaining bullet to finish them.
The Units covering Vee noticed their cohorts being vanquished and quickly acted to suppress Gloria. Leaping off of Vee, they tried to cross the distance but were unaware that Gloria's five bullets were still on the move. They turned away from their path toward the other side of the room and again turned back toward her.
Now that she was not being shocked, Gloria was able to exert more focus on her control of the bullets to have them turn more sharply and with greater accuracy. Striking five of the Units attached to Vee, they continued on to strike those that had leaped off of her as well.
The remaining Units attached to Vee seemed to become confused and were unsure what to do, but there was little time for them to consider. Vee's razor-sharp fingers quickly sliced through the few that remained.
Collapsing onto her back, Vee panted, "I'm actually starting to get used to being zapped…"
"The job's not over yet," Gloria stated as she struggled to her feet – switching out one revolver for the other.
"Right," Vee grunted as she struggled to her feet. "Gotta save the loser."
Back in the special room, the Third-Stage Unit floated in place with its perpetual wide grin making it seem like it had a mocking expression as it gazed at the pile of First-Stage Units.
However, multiple gunshots were heard.
The Third-Stage Unit's eyes widened as five, glowing bullets suddenly flew into the room through the passage and began weaving their way through the pile. Again and again, each bullet flew through multiple First-Stage Units before turning in the air and flying back to strike more.
It was only a few moments, but Cole – singed and twitching – was uncovered and free.
"You alive, idiot," Gloria asked as she stepped back into the room – revolver aimed at the Third-Stage Unit.
Cole groaned in pain.
"Yeah. You're alive." Cackling drew Gloria's attention back to the Third-Stage Unit. She smirked. "What are you laughing about?"
*Kekekekeke*
"Let me guess," Gloria pulled her revolver away and tapped it against her shoulder. "You think you'll overwhelm us with your remaining numbers, right? I think you should take another look around you."
The Third-Stage Unit tilted its head in confusion. Its eyes began to drift around the room when it realized something was amiss. Though the majority of their number had swarmed Cole, several First-Stage Units had remained on the walls. However, none could be seen now.
Unbeknownst to the Third-Stage Unit, a shadow came up behind it.
Herself an ambush predator, Vee is adept at concealing herself and striking unnoticed. Having already taken out the First-Stage Units around the room, she now came up behind the Third-Stage Unit with her arm raised high.
Bringing down her blade-like claws, Vee sliced through the Third-Stage Unit. Landing on the ground in a crouch, the sliced remains of the Third-Stage Unit faded into nothing. Raising her head, she looked to Gloria. "Can we get out of here now?"
Kneeling down, Gloria grabbed Cole by the arm to pull him up. Supporting him with her body, she held one arm over her shoulders. "Yeah. Let's go."