The doors slammed shut behind them.
Adams turned to the source, but the stone had sealed up. Not a crack or seam, just solid stone.
Riven stepped forward and ran his fingers across the wall. He searched for any weakness.
"Thats new," he said.
Elena tightened her grip on her staff. She kept her focus on the creatures in the room. "We don’t have the time."
The beast stepped down from its raised area.
Its armor clinked against itself as it moved. A deep and massive weapon hung from the creatures side, dragging across the stone floor behind it, carving a slit into the ground.
Adams raised Gravemarsh.
Riven moved in.
Elena positioned herself several feet behind the two men, her hands glowing with power.
For a moment no one attacked.
The creature lowered its head and surveyed them with those dark blue eyes. It was weighing options, Adams knew.
Then it charged.
Adams met it head on.
The weapon above smacked towards his head, powerful enough to snap a bones if he missed. Adams blocked with Gravemarsh and was sent skidding back on his knees.
The creatures weapon dug into the stone, carving out a deep groove.
Adams rolled to the side and away from the beasts reach. His hands shook from the impact, and his knees protested their earlier use.
Riven slid in from the side, striking the beast in the ribs. The elite forged weapon bit into one of the creatures black plating and for a moment Riven allowed himself a grin.
It twisted around, its tail swinging and nearly taking Riven’s feet out from under him. With surprising speed the beast lunged forward and tackled Riven to the ground.
Adams was already on it, bringing Gravemarsh across the creature’s chest, cutting into one of the plates, a black line of sparking energy following the cut.
The creature jerked back, surveying the damage.
Adams noticed the way it was calculating the fight. "So it can bleed," he said.
The beast howled and attacked again.
Adams blocked the first blow. He sidestepped the second and sent a powerful slash across the creatures midsection. A hunk of black plating fell to the ground.
Elena’s orbs of energy exploded across the chamber, striking the creature in the shoulder. It sent the monster stumbling backwards, off balance.
Adams took advantage of its moment of weakness. He drove his shoulder into the beasts side, knocking it back. He sent a blast of energy into the wound, widening it.
The creature swung at him, but Adams jumped over the attack and nearly had his head caved in by the beast’s tail. His gauntlet, already cracked from the encounter with the World Boss split apart, sending bits of metal scattering to the floor.
Adams looked down at his broken glove. Then he tossed the remains aside.
"Forget that," he muttered, grabbing Gravemarsh with both hands.
Riven fought back in. He’d learned a few things in the past minute. The creature moved fast, but fought in predictable patterns. Its preferred side was its right. It always attacked from above with the intention to kill, and it guarded its front with a deep layer of protection.
Instead Riven attacked its blind side. He slashed across one of its legs. The beast whirled around, weapon swinging.
Riven jumped back, the blade passing nearly at his toes.
Elena hurled a focused blast of energy and the creature’s shoulder, planting it off balance. It was a small opening, but enough for Adams to exploit.
He slashed across the creatures other thigh, cutting through one of the black plates. It stumbled.
Riven followed, driving his weapon into the same spot. The blade went deeper, forcing the creature to one knee.
Adams raised Gravemarsh for the killing blow, but the beast brought an fist down onto the ground. A shockwave erupted from the impact and sent Riven and Adams sprawling across the ground.
The creature’s armor cracked as it stood. Its glowing blue eyes flared with an intensifying light. Elena was sent crashing into a pillar and her staff clattered to the ground.
Adams struggled to his feet as the beast approached. He inspected its damaged side, noting the chinks in its armor. "Its growing stronger," he muttered.
"It was holding back most likely," Riven stated as he climbed to his feet beside Adams.
"It would have been nice to know five minutes ago," Adams grumbled.
The monster attacked.
Adams blocked the first blow, but the second caught him in the ribs and sent him flying across the room and into another wall.
For a moment the world went hazy, pain blooming behind his eyes.
Elena was quickly there, her hands hovering over his side. "Where does it hurt."
"Ribs."
"How many?"
"I don’t know."
She placed one hand over his ribs and green energy spread out from her fingers. The pain in Adams’ side dulling. His lungs gave a few shallow breathes before steadying.
"That should do it for now," she said, withdrawing her hand. "Can you fight?"
Adams stood. He could feel the discomfort, but it wasn’t crippling. "I’ll be fine."
Across the chamber Riven was having more trouble. He took a step back from the beast’s charge. The weapons swung low, nearly taking off Riven’s feet. Instead it caught his shoulder, sending him to one knee.
The creature raised its free hand.
Adams charged forward, but the weapon was already attacking. Gravemarsh met beast’s wrist, the claws barely missing Riven’s head. Riven rolled away from the swinging blade, reclaiming his weapon.
"Thanks," Riven said.
Adams merely nodded.
The beast turned towards Adams, its attack coming faster than he expected. He activated Kinetic Reinforcement. The power fed into Gravemarsh and he deflected the blow, his muscles tense. He exhaled and fed the power into his legs.
He was faster.
Inside the beasts reach, he drove the weapon into its front. Sparking black lines of energy ran along the creatures body. It staggered.
Adams drove in again, and a third time. Sparks dancing off the creatures armor. It recovered, grabbing Gravemarsh with both hands.
Adams struggled, but the beast was stronger.
Its head met his, sending him flying backwards. A claw ran along his shoulder, sending blood spilling across the floor.
Elena sent another focused blast into the creature’s arm, forcing it to release Gravemarsh.
Adams withdrew his weapon and took steps back.
To be continued....