GH - 229

The wardcrafter zombie took damage from [Healing Touch], screeching as it recoiled. I sighed in relief. Part of me was worried the runic armor would negate my skill. What if Ancestral Flame Arts didn’t work on Mardukryon-crafted equipment? But the target was still an ‘undead’, I supposed, regardless of its outfit.

“Good thing you didn’t jump-scare me while examining you a while ago,” I said. Or I’d have broken you into pieces, I added in my head.

Funny how the corpse was easy to destroy earlier. Now, the Glacial Ifrit was holding it together, even repairing it with Mardukryon magic.

A fifth of its health down, the bullshit adaptation mechanic of Glacial Ifrits kicked in. Instead of becoming an insect like the first one, the second Glacial Ifrit decided to wrap itself into a ball around its precious runic armor. Another proof it was a smart creature recognizing the armor’s importance to its survival. Skin and fur tore as folds of bare muscles and dozens of bones formed a cage around the armor. The ball then shrunk, flesh compacting into itself. Soon, it was around half the original size of the wardcrafter, with the armor somewhere inside. And it was continuing to shrink.

The wardcrafter zombie’s ashen skin and thick white fur sewed themselves back together to cover the outside of the ball. It was now a third of the Mardukryon it once was. There was no fixing this ball of flesh back into a Mardukryon body.

I made a face. “This is the most amount of gore I’ve seen in this game so far. I hope I’m not puking in real life.” Was this supposed to make it tankier? Could be against physical attacks? The damage of [Healing Touch] stayed the same.

(Such desecrations!) Inuus stomped his hoof. (You must’ve let this go unpunished, musical friend. Uphold the honor of your herd!)

“I’m doing my best. Punishment is underway, and I’ll take care of these two soon enough.”

Still not done, the second Glacial Ifrit summoned pink crystal panes that enclosed it. I wasn’t sure what those were for because it didn’t stop [Healing Touch]. Was my healing going through because it wasn’t registering as damage? And why wouldn’t these Glacial Ifrits just leave? I couldn’t catch them if they spawned a bunch of legs and hauled ass.

“Or not that soon,” I clarified to Mr. Inuus. “The healing of the minor ward is a bit of a problem. Why is it healing it though? Why not damage it?” Was it because it was its own ward? Or it might not actually be doing healing in the normal sense, perhaps counted as regeneration.

When [Penitent Fortune Healing] was up, my damage outstripped the recovery of the healing ward. But if it was down—which was around half the time—the wardcrafter zombie’s health slowly crept back up, undoing part of the damage I’d dealt. It was still a net loss for it. This was going to take time, but victory was assured.

The first Glacial Ifrit went ballistic with its attacks, trying to draw my attention back. Tons of explosions behind me. The tunnel trembled, ice slabs detached from the ceiling, gusts of snow buffeted us, and cracks echoed everywhere. I didn’t bother looking back because that was uncool. I was also confident Mr. Inuus wouldn’t let me die.

Then the noises died down. Wondering if the first Glacial Ifrit gave up, I looked over my shoulder.

It was also turning its possessed body into a ball. It was smaller than its friend because it didn’t have armor inside it. After it finished, it rolled forward. I thought it was going to crash into the barrier, but it went up the walls, using its momentum to not fall, and headed to the second Glacial Ifrit.

“Two balls now, huh? You know what they say about balls.”

(Does your herd have a saying about orbs, musical friend? Please enlighten me with it.)

“Uh, no, I mean
 balls make the world go round
 or something. Look! The balls are doing something.”

Black slime oozed from cracks in the flesh balls. I still couldn’t get over the fact that those used to be Mardukryon corpses. Regular zombies were way tamer than whatever these were. Meatballs, in some sense of the word. Did the game adjust disturbing encounters like this depending on the player’s age? A lot of parents were going to protest if their kids got traumatized by something like this.

The slime drippings from each ball stretched to each other as if magnetized, forming branching connections. I nonstop spammed [Healing Touch] while this weirdness was happening. Then I noticed that [Healing Touch] started dealing less damage.

“What the—?” My eyes flicked to the first Glacial Ifrit. Its health bar had a small notch of damage. I cast [Healing Touch] again on the second ball. Both of them took damage.

They were sharing it!

Since the damage of [Healing Touch] was halved, the healing ward could completely erase it. For both of them! The stupid heal of the minor ward was AoE. I could deal permanent damage—as in net of the heal—only if [Penitent Fortune Healing] was up and double healing procced. Good thing that victory was still possible because I didn’t have any more ideas if I could no longer hurt them.

“This is going to take a long time,” I groaned.

After more than ten minutes of spamming [Healing Touch], I finally killed the Glacial Ifrit with the wardcrafter’s armor. Wasn’t too bad. I had some fights that lasted longer. This was just very monotonous.

I thought that the first Glacial Ifrit would escape after its friend's death. But it returned to attack mode. Without the healing ward, it went down in a couple of minutes. Essence and Gli flowed to me, signifying the death of the Glacial Ifrits. The corpses they possessed were left behind.

“They stuck together until the end,” I said, approaching the two mounds of crumbling frozen flesh and bones that were once Mardukryon bodies. The armor that I wanted was inside the mound to the right.

Mr. Inuus was behind me. He wasn’t playing any sad songs. Did he consider these heaps as ‘bodies’ that needed respect? Would he get angry if I looted them? Might as well risk it and just come up with an excuse later.

I knelt. The loot button appeared.

[ Loot: 88,200 Artas, (Unidentified) Ring, Runic Armor Shard ]

I clicked my tongue in disappointment. The armor didn’t survive.

I took the [Runic Armor Shard] out of my inventory. A piece of warped metal with etched runes appeared on my hand. The runes weren’t glowing. I held the pieces up to the boulder. Just a random test; I had low hopes it’d do anything.

But then I pulled back. A worrying question popped into my head. Why didn’t the Glacial Ifrits leave?

Could there be lots of their buddies trapped on the other side of this boulder? Perhaps stronger versions of their kind? That could explain what happened to this tunnel, with all the ice around. If there were other possessed Mardukryons inside, we’d have to retreat. Better the cave was sealed for now. I’d bring serious firepower when I’d find a way to open it.

“I guess that’s that, Mr. Inuus. My kinsmen avenged by Herald Stone, the Avenging Avenger of the Dead!”   

(Congratulations on your victory, musical friend! I never doubted once that you’ll vanquish those despicable spirits disturbing the rest of those departed in the musical beyond.) Mr. Inuus summoned maracas and tambourines, doing a little dance as he played a song with a joyful beat. (With your brilliant mind—)

“Glad to see some recognition around here.”

(—you found an unconventional way of killing the Glacial Ifrits. And against insurmountable odds, you persevered, no matter how long it took to succeed.)

I shrugged. “Well, that’s just how Herald Stone rolls. Hang on, that’s a banger of a line! That one goes into my filing cabinet of coolness.”

(I am impressed. Very much so.)

“Of the ‘Herald Stone rolls’ line?”

(Of your triumph over the Glacial Ifrits much stronger than you, though steeped you are in the healer’s arts instead of a warrior’s fighting prowess, and young in years at that. A friend with your mind and mettle will benefit greatly from learning music magic from an experienced teacher.)

“What are you saying?” A notification popped up. “Oho! Another jackpot!”

[ Hidden Achievement: Persevering Non-Combatant ]

Defeat a Glacial Ifrit with a heal so weak it needs
two-hundred and fifty casts to kill it.

“I used Healing Touch more than two-hundred fifty times?” I sighed, shaking my head. “Dammit. It’s another hidden achievement for how weak I am, like the one for dying more than a hundred times before entering the village when I hunted Mirdabons. Oh, well. I supposed I did display commendable perseverance that merited an award.”

(You have learned the absolute basics of music magic. Imagine how great a musician you’d be if you had an experienced teacher.)

“Imagine
 The crimson goat of Kurghal Village separated from your herd when he was young. I don’t think he knows much music magic. Imagine indeed if I have an experienced teacher.”

(I promise to take you in as my student when we reach Mezhu Nue, after the proper ceremonies. Ocadules of the herd I’ll impart on you after the pertinent tests you have passed. For now, one of my instruments, I give you to mark our bond, my musical student.)

“You won’t regret having me as your musical student,” I said, thumping my chest.

Mr. Inuus summoned his gift—a roughly cylindrical drum, around as tall as my lower body, made of wood. It had beads and talismans around its rims and had the skin of an animal covering its ends. I accepted the gift and hurriedly examined it in my inventory.   

Abosom Shrine Drum {3}| Item Level: 30
Legendary | Melee | Two-Handed
  110-274 Attack Power (Earth)
  1.3 Attacks per Second
  17% Physical and Magical Damage Reduction when playing a Song
  Use highest single target heal on self when attacked while playing a Song (2.5 sec cooldown) 
  Requires: 122 Might, 140 Vigor, 85 Spirit 
--------------------
  +23% Armor when playing a Song
  Recover 35 Health when attacked if Song Skill Shard is slotted
  +11% chance to negate incoming damage when playing a drum-based Song