“With pleasure,” Kaiden said, whipping his shield up just in time to block the crackling electricity of an Improved Warden’s Bolt lashing out at everything around it. It tore at his health anyway, dropping him to fifty-two percent. In the chaos of the melee there was just too much damage flying around to avoid being hit, even with Improved Blur active. Matter Shift was still on cooldown, but there was another option. Kaiden pulled out the Matter Insubstantiator he’d looted from the Dark Turen forever ago and activated it.
Warden Matter Insubstantiator
Rarity: Rare
Durability: 100%
+2% movement speed
+2% dodge chance
*Special ability: Once per day, you may activate this item to become insubstantial for 2 seconds. During this time, no attack can hit you and damage cannot be dealt.
He broke into a sprint as his character became semi-transparent. A group of wardens had gathered into some semblance of a formation and stood between him and Titus.
No matter, he thought, chuckling at the pun as he ran straight through them like a ghost through a wall.
The two seconds expired and Improved Blur timed out as well. Kaiden was still a few paces from Titus. The big man was waving him in as Kaiden sprinted as hard as he could. Something hit him in the back, dropping his health to forty-seven percent. A glob of acid missed a nearby warden and splashed on to Kaiden’s hip, and his armor sizzled as his health dropped another five percent.
Almost there.
The last obstacle was a blast warden, leveling his hammer-gun at Kaiden. He raised his shield and the attack exploded against it, making its surface waver. Kaiden rushed forward before the blaster could attack again. He landed a hammer strike on the warden’s head then slipped past him. Titus lowered his shield for a moment and Kaiden darted into the room.
Safe! Little health left, but safe! At least for the moment. He’d brought stimpacks with him, as had the others, and they’d managed to keep him alive so far. They were all used up now, but they’d done their job. Had been enough of an advantage over the wardens who didn’t have any; most would have come thinking they could rely on the medbays.
Kaiden let out a heavy breath as Titus and Thorne stepped back up to the door. His relief was cut short a moment later, however, as he realized how low on health they were. Thorne was down to ten percent, and Titus fifteen. They’d taken a beating while he’d been gone. No doubt they had used all of their stimpacks, too.
“We might still die here,” Thorne said, swinging her hammer at any mob or warden that dared get close to the doorway. “But at least we’re taking all of these bastards with us, yeah?”
“We have to stay here,” Kaiden said. “Use the room as cover. The Huntsman mobs are going after the highest-level targets in the area. Thankfully, that’s not us. If we can avoid taking much more damage until the fighting dies down, maybe there’s a chance we can fight our way out past the survivors.”
“That’s a long shot,” Thorne said. “I don’t think—” Her eyes went wide, and a split second later, Kaiden saw why. Her health bar was replenishing. It filled all the way back up to one hundred percent.
“I… I leveled up,” she said, shock in her eyes. “Why did I get assisted kill credit for…”
Even as she spoke, Kaiden noticed a message had appeared in his vision. It’d been there a moment but he hadn’t paid attention to it until now.
Blast Warden QuertyBoy01 assisted kill - 5,000 EXP gained!
Kaiden stared at the notification a moment. He’d done damage to a blast warden on the way in, sure, but he hadn’t killed him. Kaiden peered through Titus’ shield and saw QuertyBoy01 face down on the ground. A group of hominoids was attacking his corpse.
“I dealt damage to him…” Kaiden said as the realization hit him. “And then the mobs finished him off! But I still get assist credit on the kill!”
“We get assisted kill credit,” Thorne said, excitement filling her voice. “And experience!”
Power Warden Tomson assisted kill - 4,700 EXP gained!
“Tomson…” Kaiden said.
“Was the power warden we fought in the doorway,” Titus said. “He must’ve just died.”
The full impact of what was happening began to settle on Kaiden. He felt his eyes go wide, felt the breath catch in his throat.
“Guys…” he said. “This is our way out.”
“Hit every warden you can!” Zelda shouted. “Get damage on them all, and when they die, we get assist credit.” Even before she finished speaking she began firing into the hallway; an Improved Scatter Shot that winged several wardens, then an Improved Warden’s Bolt that zapped even more.
Shield Warden Manzer assisted kill – 4,700 EXP gained!
Titus’ health blossomed back to full as he leveled up from the experience. At the same time, a notification appeared in Kaiden’s vision.
Level 43 achieved!
Max health and stamina increased
+3 stat points
“Level up!” Zelda shouted, also back to full health.
“This… this is good.” Thorne turned toward the melee beyond Titus’ shield. “It’s open season, everyone. Hit every warden you can, just once, then move to the next.”
“One second,” Kaiden said. “I have a gift before we leave.”
Ability: Distortion Field
A field of energy surrounds you and nearby allies. You and all allies within fifteen feet get a 25% increase to dodge chance. Does not affect chances of area of effects to hit you or your allies.
“Oh hell yeah,” Thorne said, then raised her hammer and plunged into the chaos.
Titus followed her, bellowing a battle cry.
Kaiden adjusted his grip on his hammer, then gave Zelda a nod.
“Full health, abilities coming off of cooldown, and a horde of mobs that might as well not know we’re here.” He smiled. “Let’s go make some trouble.”
The chaos of the melee was dying down. Most of the mobs had been killed and even more of the wardens. It’d been a fight, even with the chaos giving them
