Sighing inwardly at again being called weak or useless, he nodded. “Bob, don’t cast until Gerald has it, but after that feel free to go to town.”
“You got it, master,” Bob said rubbing his hands together and bouncing a little in anticipation. As he did a pop-up appeared before Alburet, who glanced at it with a smile before closing it and going to pull the first mob.
Constantly allowing your imp to follow his heart has raised his happiness.
Bob’s Happiness has reached Content.
Your Minion receives a 25% boost to stats and damage.
“Okay, game on,” Alburet called out, targeting the closest goblin. The Goblin Shieldbearer level eight, 700/700 health was wearing studded leather of bad quality and carried a tower shield and a spear. Alburet clenched his fist and opened it. “Die in a fire,” he called out threw the Fire Blast past Gerald, smacking the goblin in the side.
“Wait, what? That can't be the standard casting for that spell,” Rocksure said as he waited for Gerald to gain aggro.
Alburet chuckled, “It wasn't, but it is now. One of my first abilities was Personal Spell, which let me change the motions or verbal components of my spells.”
“You took that over the other choice?” Rocksure said shaking his head, “Dude, you got to be a newb.”
Alburet didn't respond to Rocksure, but began to shape his next Fire Blast as Gerald had already hit the goblin twice. “Alright Bob, let's do this.” Twin Fire Blasts hit the goblin in the side as Gerald was slowly spinning the mob so its back would be to the group.
As the blasts hit, Rocksure hit it with some kind of ice spell which seemed to slow it and did minimal damage. Fluffball leapt in with her sword, hacking at the mob and taking a chunk off its life. Her fur glowed with a faint red aura as she triggered her combat ability.
The fight went smoothly, with Marysue easily able to keep up with the damage the goblin did to Gerald. Gerald was laughing as he fought, clearly he didn’t have his pain sensors turned up past nerf bat levels. Fluffball seemed to enjoy herself as well as she savagely sliced into the back of the goblin. Rocksure had used an electric spell of some sort as his main damage spell.
The first mob dropped some copper which was automatically split evenly across the group as well as a small bag. Mary nodded, “We shall go in alphabetical order for loot. Take your turn, Alburet.”
Alburet touched the bag and got a blue arm band with a shield icon on it. “Arm band.”
“It have a shield on it?” Gerald asked to which Alburet nodded. “So they kept it the same from beta,” Gerald smirked. “They have a 25% drop rate off the goblins in here and a 50% chance inside the dungeon. We’re all ready to go puller. Keep an eye on Mary's mana. If it's above 50% just pull the next one when we get the one we’re fighting to 100 health.”
Nodding, Alburet picked out the next closest goblin and began to shape his spell. He found the Goblin Swordsman level eight, 650/650 health also in the same leathers as the last one, but carrying a rusty sword. “Die in a fire,” he called out, sending the spell flying into his target.
“So stupid,” Rocksure said sadly, shaking his head. “Wasn't the other choice a flat damage increase?”
“Yeah, but it would only have affected...” Alburet cut off, stepping behind Gerald and casting Retribution on him. “My weak damage reflect and my Fire Blast.”
Rocksure shook his head, “DPS is DPS. What you took isn't even a utility ability, just a cosmetic one.”
“Enough of the criticism,” Marysue said, “just do your jobs.”
The group fell into a rhythm for an hour, pulling and killing mobs with little difficulty. Alburet hit level seven, gaining a new spell while Fluffball, Marysue and Gerald all reached level eight. Dropping all his points into Intelligence this time, he checked his new spell.
Sap Strength: Mana cost: 50. Duration: 1 minute. Removes 10 strength from the target. Point your finger at the target and say the words, 'Sap Strength'. (You may modify this spell due to an ability.) Alburet tapped the area and changed the words to just 'Weaken', accepting the change.
Nodding he looked at the others who were all looking at him, “Sorry, was checking my new spell. I'm ready to go now.”
“We were thinking of going into the dungeon now, actually,” Gerald said. “It’ll be harder for you, but the rest of us are at the normal level now.”
“Are the mobs level eight inside?”
“No,” Gerald replied, “level ten, but we can take them.”
“Why don't we grind a touch longer? If you hit nine and I hit eight it’ll be even easier inside,” Alburet said.
“Some of us only got a little over an hour left and we want to hit the place is why,” Rocksure said. “We can do it with the tank and healer we have. If we dropped you and got a real DPS it would be cake.”
Biting back his reply, Alburet turned to Marysue, “It's your group. If you want go in, we go in.”
Mary smiled, “Thanks Alburet, but Gerald is really the one in charge. I made him the leader during the last fight.”
“We’re going in,” Gerald said with a smile. “We just have two goblins between us to get to the main doors. I’ll pull them both over to the wall next to the portal. Once we drop them, we step inside.”
Alburet renewed Retribution on Gerald, “Lead on, McDuff.” Gerald began to trot across the courtyard to grab the two mobs between them and the portal.
“Wrong quote, actually,” Fluffball said.
“Yeah, but most don't know the real quote,” Alburet chuckled. “Lay on, McDuff, and damned be him that first cries, 'Hold, enough!'”
Fluffball pursed her lips, “Thank you, I hate it when people misquote good lines.”
Alburet chuckled as they reached the wall, “Alas, poor Yorick! I knew, Horatio, A fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy. He hath borne me on his back a thousand times, and now, how abhorred in my imagination it is! My Gorge rises at it. Here hung those lips...”
“Enough, get into the fight,” Gerald called out cutting off the line. “Recite Hamlet later. We have mobs to kill.”
“Fair enough,” Alburet smirked as he slammed his staff into a goblin's head. “I shall not quote any more full lines while combat is ongoing.”
Fluffball growled as she leapt into the fray, glowing her usual red from the Berserker buff. “I enjoyed it, not many can actually get the lines right from any of Shakespeare's plays.”
Mary giggled, “So if he did the garden scene of Romeo and Juliet to you...”
Fluff missed her next attack as she spun towards Mary blinking, “What?”
“Enough,” Gerald roared, “We are fighting here.”
Rocksure sighed, “This is all the Summoner’s fault. If we kick him for a real DPS, all of these issues go away.”
“No,” Marysue replied firmly, “he was very helpful to me and he is holding his own. As long as he does as Gerald asks, he will stay.”
The fight ended a few moments later and the loot was collected. “There’s a safe spot just inside the entrance. You’ll also get the quest for the dungeon when you step in, make sure to accept it.” Gerald entered the white swirling mist that denoted the dungeon entrance. He was swiftly followed by Marysue and Rocksure.
Alburet winked at Fluffball, “But, Soft! What light through yonder window breaks?” Fluffball went a deep red through her fur before she darted into the portal, cutting him off. Alburet shrugged, “Guess not.”
“Struck out trying to catch some tail,” Bob cackled.
“Oh, you so funny,” Alburet sighed, “come on before they wonder what happened to me.” He stepped into the portal following the others.
Alburet
Human Summoner
Level 7