The First Legendary Beast Master

Chapter 874: Spiders and Dark Elves

The next group had a pair of Dark Elves riding on spiders, leading the group of Spiderlings. While the Elves didnʼt hesitate to engage, their mounts balked for a moment before obeying, giving the ranged fighters a half second longer than usual to prepare before being engaged by the insanely agile combatants.

The Spider Riders leaped straight over the defenders and went for the ranged fighters, only for one to be bombarded with spells, while the other had its rider stripped by Hawk, who twirled in the air, adjusting to the weight, then lit the Dark Elf on fire and hurled it into the nest where the Dire Bear Golems were waiting for it.

The Elf put up a valiant fight, but against two Dire Bears and already covered in Ghostfire, it was a losing battle.

One of the Dragonkin intercepted the spider, stopping its flight, while the ranged fighters focused on killing it.

Then they could turn their attention to the Spiderlings, which were fighting the melee group and the golems.

The pure number of monsters would make it difficult for a small group to survive in here. They had over a dozen golems and summons active, and they were all fighting multiple Spiderlings at the start of the engagement.

”Ranged, pull the next group to us. This spot is more defensible, and there are groups on either side of that intersection.” Thomas instructed.

”Hawk has it.”

The bird grabbed a dying Spiderling and hurled it off the wall across the street, letting it bounce into the group hiding around the corner.

That was something that most spells couldnʼt do.

In general, spells were line of sight in nature, and firing them blind around a corner was possible, but difficult. Plus, if you missed, or the group didnʼt see you, it wouldnʼt engage.

That allowed you to bombard it from out of sight, but that would take all day.

However, the dying Spiderling knew exactly where it came from, and the bombarded group ran to provide support, just as Hawk had hoped.

Thomas smiled as he saw the group of Elves with three spider riders in the back charge down the street and towards them.

”Good work, bird. There is a mage in this group. Focus him down first.” The Paladin called.

Rae [Shadow Stepped] behind the group and grabbed the mage, which then exploded into a dark red mist.

Karl had to admire her restraint. She made it two whole groups before she made something explode.

The surprise attack distracted the attackers just before the Dwarven Warriors charged. They slammed into the troops, while the ranged fighters targeted the Spider Riders.

It was an efficient clearance, and the Dwarven Shaman who was doing the majority of their healing was using a long duration healing spell that was keeping everyone in top form, even when they happened to take enough damage that the [Eternal Lightning] barrier briefly broke.

The amount of damage that these Elves could do with their deep black blades that seemed to absorb the light around them was impressive. For so many fights, Karl and Thor had rarely worried about the barrier being broken. But now Karl was using the majority of his mana regeneration to keep them active, and the rest on firing arrows.

He wasnʼt the primary damage dealer this time, unless you counted his beasts and summons.

It was a great relief for the healers, as the secondary healer was a Black Dragon Cleric, and her specialty was not healing, but adding damage buffs to others. Between that and casting Shadow magic for damage, she was still busy, but they were getting by with just the one Shamanistic healer and Karlʼs barriers.

They were also moving through the fights at a remarkably fast pace, as far as Karl could tell.

Thomas was having Hawk pull groups directly to them to continue fighting in the same location, and Hawk could get them moving before the previous fight had even ended.

Five groups into the fight at that location, Thomas held up his hand, signalling a pause between groups.

”Take a breather and keep hydrated. This isnʼt like those short thirty minute dungeons, we will be in here long enough to need at least one meal and a few hydration breaks.” He declared.

That was wonderful news for Rae. She could be in a dungeon all day long and still have things to kill, plus inferior spider species to bully? This place was incredible.

Even Hawk approved. Spiderlings and their webs burned in a most beautiful way.

Once the water break was over, Thomas led them to another intersection, and then had Rae pull the next group.

Once they had followed her into combat, Hawk could pull the ones that came after, so nobody needed to leave their station. But without other dungeon mobs in combat to lure them in, or having Hawk move into range of the Elves magic, attacking and retreating could fail to pull them away from their position.

That would not be true if Rae and her golems went on the attack, however.

”Just remember, bring them back to us. Itʼs faster that way.” The Dwarf reminded her, as Rae laughed in Karlʼs head.

They had only known each other for under an hour, and the Dwarf already understood her.

Not just her, but Hawk and Cara as well. She had even caught the Paladin holding an Elfʼs sword arm so that Cara could use [Pilfer] before killing the unfortunate warrior.

”Why is the Void Badger so confident in battle? Is she used to fighting with your barriers active?” One of the Dragonkin mages asked.

Karl smiled. ”She is, but she is like that all the time. You see, a Winged Void Badger has a racial equivalent of Limited Immunity, and an incredibly large health pool. If you canʼt do ten percent of her health in a strike, you canʼt hurt her.

Plus, we managed to upgrade it, so she heals at the same rate at [Trollish Regeneration].”

The mage looked impressed.

”The Beast Master Class is truly terrifying.”