Kit-Kat charged forward, swinging in wide arcs with Sanguine Fang. Each hit delivered cut deep into the cultist's massive body. The fuller of the blade glowed with a deep red light on each strike. At the same time, what wounds Kit-Kat had obtained while in the dungeon were quickly healed. And that’s why I will always trust her as a tank. She had the gear and the skill to not need a healer in normal difficulty content.

            This was different, though, I could visibly see her constant regeneration not keeping up with the sheer damage that the cultist was returning to her with his ax. To help, I dashed forward with a flying kick, catching the boss in the cheek. The damage was minimal but definitely got his attention.

            “You fly!” He shouted as the ax blade whirled in my direction.

            “I’m your opponent!” Kit-Kat shouted as she slammed her chest plate with her fist.

            The cultist’s arm paused, giving me just enough time to pivot in mid-air, dropping to a perfect landing. Sadly, the hulking human had grown so big that most of my skills could only connect with his kneecap. I was putting a dent into the boss’s massive health bar, however.

            Suzuha, meanwhile, made her way to the Stoneborn strapped to the sacrificial alter. His muscles tensed as he tried his best to break free but to no avail. The chains holding him down were far too thick, even for the largest player race.

            “Hey, I’m Suzuha. We’re here to get you out.”

            “Help!”

            “Ah, a screamer. Ok, you’ll be out of here in a flash.”

            Suzuha flicked through her inventory until she came across the item she was looking for. A lockpicking set appeared in her hands. Despite the combat behind her, she got to work. Her fox ears flicked with each flick of her fingers, which worked at a fast, but steady pace. In real life, I doubt lock picking was something she had knowledge of. Here, however, it was like second nature, as was most skills here.

            Kit-Kat took a hard hit to the chest, knocking her on her backside. The cultist loomed over her; ax ready to cleave her in two. Her sword came up, blocking the attack, but the stones beneath her cracked under the pressure.

            “Suzuha! We could use some help!”

            “I’m trying to get your friend out!”

            Another blocked ax strike sent shockwaves through the room, “Now Suzuha!”

            “Fine!” Suzuha stopped lockpicking and whipped out her guitar. “Here’s the help!”

            A power chord sang from the stringed instrument. Three tiny orbs of light spread from the cultist and entered Suzuha’s form. She played a different chord and those same lights transferred into Kit-Kat. The Werewolf’s form grew in size, quickly becoming the same size as her opponent.

            “Now we’re talking!” Kit-Kat swung her sword into her enemy, forcing him to take a step back.

            While Kit-Kat kept the beast occupied, I continued my assault. Despite being a Brawler and having no magic capabilities, I still managed to add an electrical charge to each attack. Each punch felt like I was slamming into concrete. Each kick sent shivers up my body. Despite the difficulty of each blow, I could visibly see the cultist’s health bar depleting. However, it was not erasing fast enough.

            “Suzuha, are you done yet?”

            The last clink vibrated through Suzuha’s ears, “Now I am!”

            Rocky sat upright, rubbing his, now raw, wrists, “Thank you! Let’s get out of here!”

            Suzuha spun on her heels, facing the giant cultist with anger in her eyes, “You go. I’m staying.”

            She threw out a constant stream of Sound Burst from her guitar, peppering the boss with little, but consistent, damage. Rocky stayed behind her since the door was blocked by the ruckus ahead of him.

            We were winning. Now that Suzuha entered the fray, we could see the enemy’s health bar depleting faster than Kit-Kat’s was. That victory was short-lived.

            “Enough!” The cultist shouted, swinging his ax in a wide, but powerful arc.

            The energy radiating from the weapon knocked the four of us into the walls. My muscles seized, and a little lightning bolt appeared next to my health bar.

            “That’s not good.” I grimaced.

            The cultist lumbered towards me, “That’s better. And now I have three more sacrifices!”

            I tried to move, but the paralysis debuff kept me grounded. My party was in the same position. Pinned to the ground, I was forced to wait for my health bar to deplete. I braced for impact.

            A screech, then an explosion, rang through the boss room. Green smoke rose from the cultist’s cheek. I forced my head to face the door and I saw my savior. Leaning against the doorframe, palm outstretched and also smoking the same color, Lucky stood, breathing heavily. Next to him, Candy leaned on the other side of the frame.
            FeelinLucky shot another bolt of green energy directly into the cultist’s chest, “Glad we could make it in time!”