Shadow Clone Sorcery
Chapter 21: Dwellers Of The Deep (2)

The creature retreated, pulling its arm free. Fluids that glowed with the same bioluminescence as the ambient fungi dripped from the wound. Its strides once again grew loud and heavy.

When it struck again, the attack came much slower. Instead of blocking it outright, El-One angled his shield, attempting to deflect the blow. He succeeded, but cracks sounded from the shield and all the way up his arm. While darkened, the monster wasn’t just heavier and tougher but also proportionally strong.

“Get behind the circle,” Lukas said, retreating.

The clone followed without question, keeping his now limp shield between himself and the creature. It attacked again, slowly swinging a heavy limb at them. It lit up like a blue firecracker, burning and sputtering. The swing went off course, and the monster retreated again, roaring angrily as the fire spread up its limb. The limb rotated almost one-eighty degrees and bent under the creature before the heavy torso dropped on top of it.

“It’s clever,” Lukas whispered, using the opportunity to dash forward. “Frar.” His entire body sped u,p and the sword’s magic stores dropped to just under half. It wasn’t the time to be conservative. He stabbed at the side of the creature’s slender neck. Much to his disappointment, the tip failed to penetrate. However, the edge successfully cut through the surface as the blade skated along the carapace, a thin fluorescent-green line on the metal.

The creature started to transition while retreating, becoming visible again. It looked reptilian for a moment as the scales and little feathery hairs on its limbs, back, and neck became visible. But then Lukas noticed the compound eyes and pincers. It sped up as light started to pass through its body, but the transition was slower than before, and he took advantage of the opening. He swung at its head, putting his hips and shoulders into the blow. The monster threw up its already injured limb, blocking the attack.

Lukas’s shortsword bit in deeper, traveling almost all the way through the appendage before getting locked in place. His fatigued arms failed to pull it free. He drew the stolen knife with his off-hand and swiftly inserted it where his sword had entered. “Rifa Tar!” The carapace exploded around the point of contact. It looked like shredded black fabric, speckled with glowing green.

The monster pushed forward, rising and taking advantage of Lukas’s overcommitment to the attack, and successfully got him off balance. The other forelimb came down at him, clawed digits first.

El-One took the attack. He hadn’t stayed back while Lukas dashed forward. The clone attempted to raise his damaged arm but failed to do so in time. The claws pierced through the leather before the round shield’s sharpened edge struck. It cracked the carapace and splattered El-One with fluorescent green.

“Grab it!” Lukas yelled, dashing in. He dispelled the clone sitting at the inn and practicing arcane recovery exercises. Magic flooded him. It wasn’t just the magic encasing the soul fragment that returned to him but also everything El-Two had absorbed during his training. He summoned another clone, empowering it for toughness and strength, and they descended on the monster together. It was the primary reason he had personally descended into the undercity. Until the clones gained the power to use shard abilities, he needed to personally attend to summon new ones or replenish numbers.

El-One threw himself on top of the monster.

El-Two wrapped his arms around its head and right shoulder.

Lukas took the almost severed arm.

They heaved and pulled together, roaring, and pulling with all of their might, putting everything they had into into the group grapple. If it failed, they’d have no choice but to retreat and hope the magic circle held long enough for Bass and Penelope to return.

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The combined strength of two and a half proved just enough. They dragged the monster toward the magic circle as it thrashed and fought to shake them off. Lukas jammed his shield into the damaged limb’s cut, drawing a high-pitched screech. He successfully pried the forearm off, leaving a weeping stump on the omnidirectional elbow joint. Lukas stabbed the stolen dagger into the opening and yelled, “Suga Eljan!”

It came as no surprise when the creature started to transition again. Lukas struck the head with his shield but didn’t seem to do much. Their opponent grew heavier and tougher with every step. Fortunately, the injury and the enchanted knife slowed the change. Pincers snapped at Lukas, forcing him to retreat. “Laeknir.” A deep gash on his arm immediately knit itself closed. The sleeve remained ripped and would need patchwork.

The clones did no such thing. They somehow got under the monster just as it reached its completely visible state and lifted its rear half so only a lone injured leg remained in contact with the ground. They flipped the darkening creature, and most of its slender, horse-sized frame landed in the magic circle.

A thunderous cry filled the darkness, its pitch oscillating wildly. Azure frames swiftly enveloped the beast as it thrashed, limbs rotating, trying to get under it. Only the rear limbs found traction. The injured foreleg was far too damaged to carry its weight. It seemed the darker-than-black form only granted resistance to physical damage. Attempts at rolling and crawling out of the circle failed.

Lukas and the clones didn’t relax. They waited just outside the inscribed spell’s perimeter, ready to strike if the beast escaped. El-One handed his weapons and the damaged shield to El-Two and was dispelled soon after. He had suffered several more wounds and breaks while wrestling the monster. El-Two had a few bruises and a couple of fractured fingers. Claw marks also ran across his chest. The injuries were enough to sell his participation in the fight. Being toughness-empowered, he also shared El-One’s wider frame.

It didn’t take long for the monster to fall silent, but an eternity seemed to pass before the lanky body stilled. The carapace had mostly melted, and the feathery hairs melted away, but the glossy scales remained unharmed. Its egg-shaped skull cracked open, and luminous gore spilled out. In the midst of it sat a glass sphere, its core a swirling mass of black. The edges were permeable, much like the monster in its low-mass form, while the center appeared the opposite.

Essence of Phasing

Lukas also inspected the monster’s corpse. It was the second reason he had personally delved into the undercity instead of just sending a pair of clones. It was a valuable opportunity to learn about the space, learn about valuable materials, and more. The clones couldn't summon the journal or use Inspector's Compendium, after all.

Mutated Phaser

Phasers are simple house-cat-sized predators that live in dark, underground, magic-rich environments. The insectoids hunt creatures and entities rich in magic but are very much a threat despite their size. Little is known about the creatures because of the rarity of their sightings.

Their high-mass forms seem to absorb light and grant them enhanced strength and toughness at the cost of speed. Light phases through them in their low-mass form when they’re fast but frail

This specimen has mutated after consuming draconic flesh. It doesn’t seem to have adjusted to its sudden growth, and the control over phasing has weakened.

“They’re coming back,” the new Elvis announced, flumping on the floor next to the magic circle. His eyes scanned for more phasers.

Loud sloshing and splashing echoed from the tunnel at the bottom of the stairs. Their employer was on their way back.

“What are we telling them? That we took it out?”

“It’s the truth,” Lukas replied.

“Are we telling her about the essence?”

“Yes. And we’re keeping it. She gave us our word.”

“We’re fucked if she reneges,” El-Two said.

“Given how weak we are and where we are, we’re alive because she wants us alive. Proving ourselves useful is how we get out of here and succeed.”

“I’ll take your word for it, El-Prime.” The clone sighed, worsening the damage on his leather armor to appear more convincing. “To be fair, there is no hiding or running if her inappropriate kitty comes after us. That thing is terrifying.”