“We also have our potions,” Alburet pointed out. “Ten percent of our health per dose which, while not a lot, will mean the difference between death and life at times. So, if Marysue gets hit with the pollen, we need to chug-a-lug to keep ourselves up until she’s free to heal again.”
Gerald nodded, pointing to his belt, “I have six of the next dose up, so mine do twenty percent a go. Mary only has three health, but also three…” he paused as he looked at her belt. “Two mana potions?”
“I used one during Gnasher. I didn’t want to use all of them which is why I ran out of mana,” Marysue responded to the question.
“Ah, right,” Gerald acknowledged her reply. “Anyway, we do have some options to stay up until Mary can get us healthy again.”
They started forward again, and after a minute two vines snapped out, wrapping up Marysue and Karen. Everyone jumped on the one holding Marysue first, then attacked the one holding Karen. Alburet noticed that his axe seemed to be doing a bit more fire damage than it should. He looked at the logs after the fight and confirmed it.
“They’re vulnerable to fire damage,” Alburet informed them. “I’m supposed to get fifty fire damage with this axe, but it’s doing sixty to the vines.”
“So, an Elementalist with fire abilities or even your imp once upgraded would do well in here,” Gerald rubbed his chin as he spoke, eyes lost in thought for a second. “It’s too bad your area of effect spell hurts allies.”
Alburet sighed, “Yeah, tell me about it. I don’t get why the Devs did it that way.”
Karen shrugged, “Who knows what evil lurks in the minds of the Devs?”
The other chuckled, then Fluff spoke up. “So no minions for the boss, then?”
“Yeah, I think no minions is the right idea,” Gerald told her.
“What about just two Bobs?” Alburet suggested. “He doesn’t get wrapped so if they do target him they should just disappear like in the tunnel. In the meantime, he can do double fire damage with a bonus against the plants. All it means is maybe an extra vine for us if it doesn’t go for Bob. It might be worth that risk.”
Gerald considered it for a moment, “I’m not sure. It does increase the chance of Mary being wrapped up.”
“Bob can focus on me first if need be,” Mary pointed out. “Also, he’ll help us kill vines faster. I think we should chance it.”
Fluff nodded, “I agree with Marysue.”
“I’ll side with them,” Karen added.
“Fine, bring Bob and a copy of him out, Alburet,” Gerald sighed, giving in to the women’s demands. “If this goes wrong, then the next time we go with no imps.”
“Fair enough,” Alburet said, summoning Bob. “Hey, Bob. We think two of you is the way to go here.”
Bob blinked as he was summoned then copied in quick succession. “I will do my best, master,” Bob responded quickly, glancing at Karen as he spoke.
Karen laughed, “So, you still want that hug, do you?”
“Who wouldn’t?” Bob countered as he smirked at her. “Care to up the ante? If I’m the most valuable member of the fight then you kiss me.”
Karen laughed while shaking her head, “Not ready for imp action yet, Bob. Let’s see if you can earn a hug this fight, then we can see about larger bets in the future.”
“Done,” Bob’s reply was snapped back quickly as he skipped up to Gerald. “So, we going?”
Gerald shook his head with a sigh, “Sure.”
They started down the tunnel again. After a hundred yards or so more purple haze popped into existence, catching them all again including both Bobs. As they started to cough three vines snapped out, one catching Marysue, the other Gerald and the last going over the top of one of the Bobs then vanishing back into the wall.
Hacking as they were Fluff, Alburet and Karen converged on the vine holding Marysue. They swung at it as two Fire Blasts hit it from both Bobs, who were still hacking. Another set of attacks from them all and the vine withered and died, allowing them to turn to Gerald. A few seconds later Gerald was free while they all waited for the debuff to wear off. When it did they stood around catching their breath for a moment.
“I didn’t know imps could cast while coughing,” Gerald said, looking at Bob.
“We do not need to speak to cast our spells, though we still need our hands,” Bob replied, looking a little smug.
“We made the right call I think,” Marysue opined as she patted Bob on the head.
“I’m not a dog, lady. I’m an imp, an Infernal of flame. Next time I’ll burn your hand,” Bob snapped, glaring up at Marysue.
“Why you little…” Gerald snarled as he took a step towards Bob.
Marysue stepped between Gerald and Bob, looking over her shoulder at Gerald, “Stop.” She turned back to Bob and dropped to one knee to be more on his level, “I apologize, Bob. It was not my intent to demean you. Will you accept my apology?”
Bob glanced at Gerald, who was still glaring at him, then looked back to Marysue, “I accept, Marysue. Seal it with a hug?”
Marysue smiled as she pulled Bob into a hug. While she did, Bob let a look of pure bliss cross his face as he looked at Gerald, who was silently fuming. Karen held back her laughter as she turned away from the scene. Alburet sighed, shaking his head in exasperation, while Fluff looked on as if working through a puzzle. Marysue let Bob go after a few seconds.
“We good now?” Marysue asked.
“I am fantastic, thanks,” Bob replied with a huge grin. As Marysue got up and started to turn away Bob winked at Gerald. “We good to go, Gerald?”
Gerald was glaring at Bob still when Marysue turned to face him. “Gerald, what is the problem?”
Gerald jerked as he looked at Marysue, “Nothing…”
Marysue frowned, “Stop glaring at Bob, we made up.”
Sighing Gerald turned to face down the tunnel, “Yeah, okay.”
Bob stuck his tongue out at Gerald while pumping his fist once in victory. Alburet thumped Bob lightly on the head, shaking his. “Don’t antagonize him,” Alburet told the imp softly.
Bob shrugged as he skipped along beside the group as they began to move again. “So, I just need to collect a hug from Fluff now to complete the set,” Bob said out loud.
“A small, oversexed teenager,” Fluffball said. “That is what he reminds me of.”
Karen broke out into laughter, “Oh, I think you’re right. That would explain so much.”
Bob frowned, “I’m not small. Just because you all didn’t stop growing isn’t a reason to call others small.”
“We’re here,” Gerald cut in. “We can all look in, the fight won’t start until we cross over the threshold.”
They all looked into the room. It was about the same size Gnasher’s room had been, but this one was covered with leafy vines. Glowing flowers were scattered across the ceiling, providing illumination. The light flowers were reminiscent of sunflowers, with the petals emitting weaker light than the brighter glowing center. In the very center of the ceiling was a huge flower, similar to a passion flower. The vibrant purple of the petals caught the eye. Where the white middle of the flower would be, instead it was a neon green. When it was targeted it gave them its name, Passionate Constrictor.
“Well, that definitely looks like nature warning of poison,” Karen chuckled. “Reminds me of the tree frogs in the Amazon.”
“It will spit poison at a random person, every thirty seconds. The poison splashes in a five-foot area, so spread out a bit but not too far,” Gerald informed them. “The vines come up about ten seconds after the last one of the previous wave dies. We need to get through ten sets of vines, maybe more since we’ll be counting on them missing Bob a few times. Each wave of vines accounts for ten percent of its life, so depending on how many we miss it might stretch out longer, since I doubt it will deduct life from the boss for vines we don’t kill.”