The creature possessed the heavy, corded muscle of a lion under a coat of coarse tawny fur. Its head looked like a mistake of nature.
The snout was broad and blunt like a warthog, featuring two massive tusks that curved upward from the lower jaw until they nearly touched its eyes.
A ridge of wire-like hair ran down its spine toward a tail that ended in a heavy, bony knob.
The beast snorted, and thick plumes of steam billowed from its nostrils. Its eyes held a sickly, luminous yellow glow that seemed to pulse in the gray light of the dungeon.
"This was not here during our last run," Tamsin said.
"Random Gatekeeper," the elf noted, her voice losing its usual coolness. "The System must be bored today."
"What does random mean?" Jacob asked, his fingers tightening around the hilt of his sword.
"It is not tied to the floor's core," she explained. "Sometimes the System places a unique monster at the end of a level to disrupt the expected patterns. They are usually more aggressive and far stronger than the standard denizens."
"Unique loot," the dwarf grunted, his expression turning into something resembling cheer. "It is about time our fortunes shifted."
Carlos did not share the enthusiasm. "We have an active floor and a Gatekeeper that has no business being here. We move with caution. Jacob, stay behind Tamsin. If that thing turns toward you, get behind Grimmand immediately. We will take the front."
Jacob straightened his posture. His heart hammered against his ribs while the connections to his gear pulsed with expectant tension.
"Positions," Carlos commanded.
Grimmand moved forward with his shield raised. The elf began the low, rhythmic chanting of a spell.
Tamsin drifted toward the flank, his movements fluid and nearly invisible in the tall grass. Carlos rolled his shoulders and started up the slight rise toward the beast.
The Gatekeeper noticed them. It threw back its grotesque head and let out a roar that sounded like boulders grinding together.
The vibration was so intense that Jacob felt it in the soles of his boots.
"Good," the dwarf said. "I prefer it when they make noise." He shifted into a wide battle stance.
The beast charged. It moved with startling speed for such a massive creature, covering the distance in three powerful bounds.
Carlos met the impact head-on. He planted his feet and slammed his shield into the monster's shoulder.
The collision rang out like a heavy hammer hitting an anvil. Carlos was pushed back several feet, his boots carving deep furrows into the earth, but he did not fall.
"Now!" Carlos shouted.
Grimmand stepped in to hack at the creature's front legs while Tamsin reappeared on the opposite side, sinking his daggers into the thick muscle of the beast's hip.
The Gatekeeper screamed and thrashed, whipping its heavy tail around in a wide arc. Tamsin dove beneath the swing, the wind from the bony knob ruffling his hair as it passed.
"Watch the tail!" the gnome warned as he scrambled to a safer distance.
The monster ignored the dwarf and focused entirely on Carlos. It reared up on its hind legs and slammed its paws down onto the knight's shield. Carlos grunted as his knees bent under the sheer weight.
"It is heavier than it looks!" Carlos strained to speak. "Elara, slow it down!"
The elf unleashed a bolt of frost that struck the beast's flank. It turned the tawny fur white with ice, but the monster simply shook off the cold.
Its yellow eyes darted away from the shield in front of it. It looked past the warriors, focusing instead on the source of the magic.
"Aggro shift!" Tamsin yelled.
The Gatekeeper dropped to all fours and leaped entirely over the dwarf. It landed in the rear of the formation with a thud that shook the ground.
It was standing directly in front of the mage. Elara gasped and raised a shimmering barrier, but the beast shattered the magic with a single swipe of its tusk.
She stumbled backward, tripping over a cluster of stones.
The monster reared up to crush her.
Jacob moved before he could talk himself out of it. He did not analyze the risk or calculate the odds.
He simply saw the opening and stepped between the falling paw and the fallen mage. He planted his feet in the dirt, mirroring the stance his father had taught him.
He raised his sword to brace for the impact. The beast's paw came down like a falling mountain. It struck the flat of Jacob's blade.
The runes on the steel flared with a blinding light. The braking enchantment he had woven along the spine activated instantly, fighting the downward momentum.
The force of the strike traveled down the blade, through Jacob's arms, and into the plates of his coat. The three-dimensional lattice of the strengthening runes tightened, turning the leather and metal into a rigid, unyielding shell.
BOOM.
The force drove Jacob into the earth up to his ankles. The air was forced from his lungs, and his vision went white for a split second. Despite the pressure, his gear held.
He did not break.
The Gatekeeper paused, its yellow eyes wide with confusion. It had expected to crush soft flesh, not hit a wall of enchanted steel that refused to move.
That single second of hesitation was all the party needed.
"NO!" Carlos roared.
The knight crashed into the beast's side like a battering ram, knocking the Gatekeeper off its feet.
Before the monster could recover, Grimmand was there. His axe buried itself deep into the creature's neck.
Dark, hot blood sprayed across the grass. The beast staggered and gurgled. Tamsin appeared on its back, driving both daggers into the base of the skull with a final, decisive twist.
The Gatekeeper collapsed. Its massive bulk hit the ground only inches from where Jacob remained rooted in the mud.
Jacob gasped for air, his chest burning with the effort of breathing again. Carlos was at his side in a heartbeat, grabbing his shoulders with a grip that was far from gentle.
"Jacob! Report! Do you have broken bones?"
Jacob shook his head, still wheezing. "The armor, it worked. I'm just, a bit winded."
The elf stared at him from the ground, her eyes wide with shock. "You took a direct hit from a Gatekeeper. You are but eleven years old."
Jacob managed a shaky smile and patted the front of his brigandine. "I used good stitching."
Carlos did not return the smile. His expression was a mask of redirected fear and sudden anger.
"Do not grin at me," Carlos snapped, his voice trembling. "I gave you a direct order to hide. I told you to stay out of the engagement! You are not a tank, Jacob. You are a child under my protection. Do not ever attempt to be a hero on my watch again."
Jacob's smile vanished. He did not point out that the elf would have been crushed. He simply looked down at his muddied boots and nodded. "I am sorry, Carlos."
"Leave him alone," Elara said as she pulled herself up and brushed the dirt from her robes. Her face was still pale. "I tripped, and my barrier failed. I might be dead if he had followed your orders."
Carlos looked from the mage to the boy, his jaw working as he fought down the adrenaline.
The anger slowly drained out of him, leaving behind nothing but exhaustion. He realized he had allowed his own focus to slip during the fight.
He released Jacob's shoulders and let out a long, ragged breath.
Quest Updated
Objective: Clear first floor without losing anomaly.
Status: Completed
Reward Earned: Upgrade for one skill (one per team)
PICK ONE TEAM MEMBER TO UPGRADE A SKILL
New Objective: Clear second floor without losing anomaly.
Reward: Upgrade for one skill (one per team)
"System's sense of humor," Carlos muttered, wiping sweat from his brow. "Indeed."