Broker

Chapter 53

Flames danced across Firestorm’s fists as he raced forward to stand dead center in the killing field that Bluestar had made. The first of the twisted creatures hurled itself at him and he drove his fist forward with a snap. It wasn’t anywhere near perfect, but he had been practicing a little boxing on the side in order to get better control over his punches. Fighting Kingshark had awakened a competitive spirit in him that he hadn’t really known existed. He’d only fought monsters that had been weaker than him up until this point, laying waste to them with quick flashes of intense flame or using his more complicated techniques on occasion. Overwhelming force.

Kingshark had almost exclusively used his abilities as an extension of himself, using water conservatively to disrupt Firestorm’s attacks. He was a skilled brawler, someone who understood his craft and his ability intimately. Firestorm didn’t even believe he’d really driven the man off, rather, the supervillain had accomplished what he’d set out to and opted to retreat as the heroes were rallying. Ultimately that lead him to a painful conclusion. He had been humiliated on Hero Day. He hadn’t brought this up to his friends and allies, it wasn’t something they could help with. He had to overcome this obstacle himself.

The quick jab snapped out and crashed into the unholy looking face of the creature, bone and cartilage cracking under the force as flame added to the damage done, spreading across the creature’s body in a flash of heat and pain. It let out a shriek and was thrown back several meters only to be replaced by the next. Slobber covered teeth and a long thick tongue bared in a manic effort to dig into Firestorm’s flesh. He drove his left fist up and into its tiny abdomen, folding it in half and sending it into the air where a dark arrow came from nowhere to pierce its body.

Two down, and from a quick glance he guessed at least thirty to go. He popped his neck as another dark arrow flew down and ended the life of another devil as it raced across the ground towards him, black nails outstretched. He brought his fists up and set his feet. These things went down just as easily as hounds, at least, so he decided to use them for practice. Fists and bodies flew, the sounds of bodies slamming into the ground and walls adding to the chorus of screams and screeches of rage. Not once did he take a step back, his eyes fixed on the tunnel his friend had made and the door beyond it.

It didn’t take as long as he had expected to put down the last of the devils in the room, frankly they were easier to deal with than Hounds now that he had fought so many of them. Hounds used pack tactics and would often work together to overcome a stronger opponent. These things would literally push one another out of the way to get to their presumed prey. He looked down at one of the smoking bodies on the ground and frowned, considering throwing a few back through the portal before moving on. He decided against it, turning his attention to the door ahead of him.

“Hold up,” Lifesaver said, putting a hand on his shoulder. He gave Firestorm a look over before nodding, “Looks like the gear is working out,” He said from behind his mask, stepping away as Bandit hopped down from the ceiling and Bluestar dismissed the two magical walls that had protected them.

“That was easy,” Bandit said, stretching his arms over his head and rubbing his neck.

“I don’t think it’s over,” Bluestar said, nodding to the door, “I feel something on the other side.”

“Heh, it’s like a dungeon in a game,” Bandit said, ambling over to the door and giving it a once over. 

Firestorm glanced at him and shook his head, “No idea how you’re not dizzy after hanging upside-down for so long.”

Bandit was crouching and examining the door thoughtfully as he glanced over, “My ability regulates my blood flow when I’m in a weird position like that. I don’t even feel it,” He rubbed his neck, “Shame it doesn’t do anything better than that though. Or at least I haven’t figured it out.”

“It’s grown a lot since we met,” Bluestar said, turning away from Lifesaver and walking towards him, “You could barely fire a few arrows before feeling winded.”

Bandit grinned, “It’s thanks to you guys, I hadn’t figured there was more to it than just the dark arrows, but the more I practiced the more my instincts told me. It’s kinda weird, getting knowledge out of nowhere like that sometimes.”

“Ding, level up,” Lifesaver joked and joined Firestorm as they approached the door.

Bandit leaned against it, “Heh, yeah, something like that. Everything comes with experience I-” Before he could finish his thought, the door behind him began to open, reacting to his touch. He spun around with a start and kicked off the ground, darting back a full four meters and pulling his bow out, a dark arrow already prepared. The others went on the defensive as well, eyes fixed on the space beyond where they saw… nothing.

“The hallway?” Bluestar said, confused, and walked towards the door.

Firestorm hurried to join her and poked his head in first, glancing around. The hallway ended immediately to his left but extended out to his right. He conjured up a weak fireball and sent it down the hallway to get a bit of illumination. The hallway was empty, nothing there. He frowned and stepped inside, half expecting something to happen but no danger came his way. He glanced at the others and shrugged, “We’re at the lowest level of the real thing, so I guess we go up?” He suggested.

“Makes sense to me,” Bluestar said and with a murmur created three balls of blue light that she sent to orbit around their heads, casting illumination around all of them but Bandit. She gave Firestorm a reproachful look when he blinked at the sphere around his head, “Did you forget?” She said, glancing at his hand where the fireball had just been.

He gave her a sheepish look, “Sorry.”

Bandit slipped into the hallway next to Firestorm and sniffed, “I’ll go ahead,” He said and darted into the darkness, vanishing as if he had become a part of it.

Firestorm was about to say something to stop him, but Lifesaver put a hand on his shoulder, “Let him have it, he won’t go far and he’s not stupid enough to engage without help.”

The team leader let out a sigh and shrugged, “Alright then, let’s get moving.”

They made their way down the hallway before eventually finding the very same stairs that they’d come down to get to this level before following it up. The passages remained as narrow and humid as they’d been in the real world, the only difference was the occasional cluster of glowing mana crystals that provided additional illumination. They’d made it up almost four floors before they finally found Bandit sitting at the top of the stairs leading to the fifth floor. He had a thoughtful expression on his face. Behind him was the elevator that could take them to the ground level.

“Anything?” Firestorm asked.

“Nothin’, haven’t tried the elevator yet though,” He said and got to his feet.

“I don’t like it,” Lifesaver said as Bluestar walked past him to check the elevator.

“It’s operational, at least,” She said when she hit a button, turning to face them. The elevator chimed and the doors started to open, “Maybe we’ll find the enemy when we-”

Bandit moved like lightning, practically teleporting from where he stood to her side, pushing her down to the ground just as a blade swiped across the space where her head had been. He kicked off the ground and slid to a stop, Bluestar in his arms. He turned his attention towards the elevator. Lifesaver had already moved back and Firestorm’s fists were alight. The elevator interior was dark, save for the glint of metal from whatever had tried to put an end to the fledgeling guildmaster.

Two black eyes stared at them from within the shadows, catching the light of the fire. They were hollow, devoid of anything but a bottomless hunger that seemed to draw them in. Firestorm hesitated, a chill rushing up his spine as four hooked blades curled out from within the elevator. Not blades. Fingers. A creature straight out of nightmares poked its head out of the darkness. Its tiny red-skinned head consisted mostly of an enormous pair of black eyes and a too-wide mouth filled with serrated teeth. Its limbs were as thin as sticks, bending at a sharp angle as it tried to maneuver its body out of its confines. At the end of those stick-like limbs were hands that extended into five sickle like claws at least half a meter in length.

Poppopop clickkkkickickkkk

The sound it made was like if an alligator had been wrapped in cotton. A low clicking and popping growl that was muffled by something, making it almost impossible to hear if it weren’t for the utter silence surrounding them. Firestorm swallowed hard as it slowly pulled itself out before fixing his shoulders and drawing power into his fists. Heat began to build. He wasn’t going to give this thing a chance to attack them, not after it had made the first move like that. “Everyone back!” He called, Bandit quickly pulling Bluestar out of his line of sight.

“Burn!” He bellowed and released a column of fire, filling the hallway with orange-red flame. 

He kept it going for several seconds, a low gurgling shriek filling the air alongside the roar of flames. After a moment, the shrieking stopped just as he felt a tingle on his fingertips. He let the flames stop and watched it burn for a little longer. His ears listening for the faintest sound, any hint that- Blue light flashed right above his head as a barrier took shape before he could even react. Above him, the horrible overthin creature had landed on one of Bluestars barriers, both of its clawed hands scraping against the surface.

He shifted back a pace, eyes wide as the clearly smoldering creature let out another gurgling pop and opened its mouth. A faint keening began to build at the back of its throat, a sound that grew more intense with each heartbeat. At first it was just a little annoying but it quickly became painful, grating at the inside of Firestorm’s head. He grunted and prepared to release another gout of flame when four black arrows peppered the creature in the side of its head. The shadowy shafts going straight through its flesh and out the other side. The keening stopped after that, and the creature fell to the ground. Dead.

It was only then that Firestorm noticed that he could barely hear anything and felt something warm and wet dripping down his neck. He reached for his ear and dabbed his finger, pulling his hand away and looking in horror at the blood that soaked his gloved fingers. He glanced back at the others who weren’t faring any better. Bluestar looked like she’d taken the worst of it, her face pale as she leaned against the wall, cupping the side of her head. Lifesaver was already at her side, hands on either side of her face as Bandit stepped towards the horrible thing with a scowl.

“Those were maxed out arrows,” He said with a frown, looking at its still twitching body.

“Looked like they did a good job,” Firestorm agreed, walking to his side but caught the tense expression on his friend’s face, “What’s wrong?”

“Those arrows could pierce a lurker and go all the way through and into the wall behind it,” He said and glanced at Firestorm, “They may have killed it, but…”

Firestorm swallowed and looked down at the blade devil, that’s what he was going to call it now anyway. Bandit’s point was clear, this thing’s hide was tougher than a lurkers. Worse than that, they still hadn’t made it to the ground floor. If this place was modeled after the real world building, than was it possible they would have to go all the way to the top floor? What the hell was up there? He chewed his lip and glanced over at Bluestar who met his gaze before nodding.

“We’ll continue,” She said confidently, “No one’s fought these things before, so we don’t know the strategy, but we’ll figure it out as we go. None of us have had to go all out yet.”

Firestorm turned to Bandit who seemed to consider it before nodding, “I’m not backing down.”

Lifesaver just shrugged off to the side, “Just don’t make too much work for me.”

With them all in agreement, Firestorm made his way over to the elevator and inspected it for a moment before finding it free of any more surprises and still in working order. They piled inside and he held his finger over the button, “Be ready for anything,” He said, and selected the ground floor. He would have picked higher, but this service elevator only offered access to the lower levels and he doubted the upper level buttons would work even if it did have access. His gut told him they had a long way to go.

The doors closed and they each took a quick breather as it ascended, their eyes fixed on the doors, waiting for them to open. Bluestar was already muttering under her breath and Bandit was drawing arrows as Firestorm’s palms began to glow. He set his feet and held his palms out towards the doorway, the elevator creaking once as it shuddered to a stop. He swallowed and the doors opened with a friendly chime, revealing a sea of red skin and bulbous eyes beyond. Nearly a hundred little devils turned to look at them at the same time, their too-wide smiles curling in malice.

No room for practice here. Burn it all. He told himself and took a deep breath as the creatures began to break out into a run. There was a flicker and then a sudden rush of air and sound as flames raced out of the elevator, a cone of destruction that washed over the little devils as Firestorm marched forward, palms still extended. Bandit climbed along the ceiling of the elevator and out the top behind him, planting his feet on the wall above and beginning to release volleys of arrows to Firestorm’s right. Blue bolts darted out to his left, covering his other flank.

He narrowed his eyes and twisted his hands, whipping them out to the side and parting the sea of flame he’d created, washing it over the entire room before them.