The stairs creaked under Yvlena’s weight but held steady as she descended into the darkness, her way lit only by the torch in her hand. They reached the bottom in no time, hearing a spsh of water as they took their first step fully into the basement.

  Yvlena lowered her torch to see her boots standing slightly above dirty, rust colored water that would have been up to her ankles without the water resistance of her boots. The sound of dripping water followed them, growing louder.

  “It’s nearly flooded. A pipe must have burst or something. I guess that expins the drops we heard.” Yvlena said.

  The smell of rust was significantly less, covered by the smell of semi-stagnant water. “Yuck!”

  She grumbled, pushing forward with the sound of the water sloshing as she walked. Lifting her torch, she began looking around for the rge cogs she would need to fix the mechanism. Junk bobbed in the water, and Yvlena held her torch over her surroundings as she looked.

  Sprite flew about scouting, while Rabbit Knight rested his hand on his sword, anticipating an enemy was around the corner.

  Finally, Yvlena’s torch cast its glow over a glinting metal item in the corner of the room where she stood. On a table was one of the cogs she needed. Yvlena ran to grab it, immediately storing it in her inventory.[Large Cog 1/2]

  “The second one must be around her somewhere.” She said, frantically looking around the basement put her on edge, as if something stalked the darkness of the room. Yvlena shuddered, turning around to pick up some more ore.

  [Yvlena Acquired

  ***

  Iron Ore x1]

  Setting her eyes on the other side of the room, Yvlena began her slow walk toward it with the intent to look for the other cog. As she approached, a low, rumbling growl began from the direction she was heading in, followed by an unusual squeaking of hinges.

  Yvlena held her breath, hoping the creature she was about to see was something she had fought before. Her hand trembled lightly as she shined the light over the corner of the room to be met with a gaping mouth snapping it’s jaws shut in an attack.

  [You have encountered: Lower Miasmic Beast]

  [Lower Miasmic Beast Cast Bite]

  “Now you tell me!” Yvlena yelped, leaping back with Kuti in her grasp. The doll jingled like a small bell as she was shaken from the force of Yvlena’s movement. It was then that Yvlena realized she couldn’t hold Kuti, the torch, and her Moon Sickle at the same time.

  She was reminded of her first encounter with the Miasmic beast within the Rose Manor, where she had left the fight up to her summons due to the unstable environment. The warehouse was the same, if she wasn’t careful, the whole basement would come crashing down on her.

  “Sprite, Rabbit Knight, it’s up to you, Kuti, cast Paralyze!” She yelled, but she hadn’t seen what she was fighting. The creature’s mouth had closed in on her before her light had a chance to show her what awaited in the darkness.

  Amber eyes glowed across from where she stood, the creature lunged forward, its sights set on Rabbit Knight.

  [Kuti cast Paralyze (05MP)]

  [Lower Miasmic Beast inflicted with paralysis, Lower Miasmic Beast might be unable to move]

  Despite the one off chance it might end up paralyzed, Yvlena knew it was better to have the status effect strike at a time they least expected it.

  [Kuti cast Weaken (03MP)]

  [Lower Miasmic Beast inflicted with weakness, -20HP]

  The doll took the initiative, casting again as Sprite, and Rabbit Knight took the lead in battle. Yvlena could barely see in front of her, realizing that the light Sprite had cast on the torch was waning.

  She gasped.

  “Sprite, cast sting on the torch before it goes out!” Yvlena said, lifting the fading light. She heard the growl of the Miasmic Beast, but to no one’s surprise, Rabbit Knight was holding his own with jabs and parries he kept the beast away from them.

  Sprite shot towards Yvlena as soon as she heard the order. If the light went out, the creature would have the advantage, and while Kuti had weakened it and lowered its HP, they didn’t know how long it would st.

  [Sprite Cast Sting (01MP)]

  As soon as the ball of light hit the torch, it was restored to its full luster. The room lit up enough for Yvlena to gaze upon the beast they were fighting.

  “What is that?” She whispered in horror. The Miasmic beast was a rge rat weighed down by water soaked fur and mechanical parts covered in rust, gears and mechanisms protruded from its face and back. The bronze had long since corroded, leaving a molted green behind. Amongst its mechanical parts was a Large cog.

  The moment Yvlena id her eyes on it, she knew that was the second piece she needed. She gulped, leaving it to her summons. The Miasma must have corrupted the creature, turning it into the monstrosity before her.

  In the light, the beast screeched as its form was now revealed. It ran towards the light in a bid to attack the elf and doll she cradled.

  [Lower Miasmic Beast cast Cng]

  On its back, two copper rods began striking each other, causing a distorted sound to ring through the basement. It reminded Yvlena of a broken bell trying and failing to ring clearly through the air. She already knew it was some sort of confusion attack.

  “Kuti Cast paralyze again!” Yvlena ordered before the visible sound waves could reach her.

  [Kuti cast Paralyze (05MP)]

  The doll obliged, casting the status effect with the hope that a double cast would have a higher chance of rendering the creature paralyzed.

  [Sprite is afflicted with dizziness, Sprite cannot control herself]

  It was too te, the sound waves resonating through the basement knocked Sprite out of the air. Yvlena moved to catch her, letting Kuti’s tiny doll hands grab Sprite before she could hit the water.

  The fairy’s eyes were overtaken by cartoonish, dizzying swirls Yvlena found amusing. Rabbit Knight, too, began swaying to the rhythm, his eyes too, overtaken by the swirls of dizzying confusion.

  With no other choice, Yvlena handed the torch to Kuti and took out her sickle to attack.

  [Yvlena Cast Crescent Throw]

  Her Moon Sickle sailed through the air, colliding with the rat’s head and stopping the infernal ringing. It struck again and again, causing the Miasmic Beast to release and ear piercing screech, loud enough to snap Sprite and Rabbit Knight out of their dizziness.

  [Lower Miasmic Beast is Paralyzed]

  The summons shook themselves awake and attacked as soon as Yvlena’s weapon returned to her hand.

  The summons shared a smug look and unleashed their skills on the prone beast.

  [Rabbit Knight cast Ssh (05MP)]

  [Sprite cast Stun (03MP)]

  [Battle Skill: Rabbit Sting Combo]

  The beast hit the floor, sending a spsh of water in all directions. It struggled to get up, smming a bronze cw into the basement floor as it lifted itself to try again.

  Rabbit Knight didn’t wait unching into a Rabbit Volley and piercing his rapier through the skull of the Miasmic beast before it could rise again.

  [Yvlena Acquired

  850/2300

  ***

  Large Cog x1

  Moldy Cheese x2

  Shadow Essence x2

  ***

  Moon Points x600]

  [Skill: Paralyze leveled up]

  [Skill: Rabbit Volley leveled up]

  [Skill: Stun leveled up]

  “Thank goodness that’s over.” Yvlena said, watching the Miasmic Beast’s body dissolve into fkes of light. With its death, the basement seemed to lighten up. The smell of stagnancy faded, and only a light coppery smell remained.

  Yvlena and her summons walked toward the basement exit, ready to head to the next level of the warehouse. The sooner they fought the boss of this mini dungeon, the sooner she could upgrade the Moon Sickle and possibly learn more about the Harvest Guardian.

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