The Primal Hunter, #4
The Primal Hunter 4
by Zogarth
Contents
32. The Paragon Option
Overview
As the Deepdweller Warlord returns, it impales itself on its halberd to trigger a mass absorption, devouring allies and the Golden Mushroom to become a colossal abomination. It overwhelms the Cave Troll until Jake discovers two juvenile trolls, chooses to protect them, and turns on the Warlord.
Using Limit Break, potent necrotic poison, and a cross-cut of Descending Dark Arcane Fangs, Jake dismembers the Warlord and survives its final self-detonation. He claims an Infused Golden Mushroom, levels up, and brokers a quiet truce by healing the injured troll family.
Summary
Jake continues bombarding the battlefield around the Golden Mushroom, eliminating the remaining Fungalmancers and destabilizing the Deepdwellers. The Cave Troll struggles on, while the Warlord returns grievously wounded, then in a shocking move stabs itself with its crystalline halberd to draw in life mana.
The Warlord’s aura mutates nearby Deepdwellers, then absorbs them to grow, culminating in consuming the Golden Mushroom and gaining golden, pulsing veins. It battles the exhausted Cave Troll and smashes open the cave, revealing two injured juvenile trolls. Jake, seeing the troll protect its young, decides to intervene on the troll’s side.
Jake cripples the Warlord with an Arcane Powershot and follow-up volleys, then closes in under Limit Break with blades coated in uncommon Potent Necrotic Poison. He executes a dual Descending Dark Arcane Fangs cross-cut, quartering the abomination. When the head-bearing mass prepares to self-detonate, Jake kicks it far from the cave and shields the entrance with an arcane barrier.
The Warlord’s distant explosion fails to harm the trolls. Jake receives multiple level-ups and retrieves the now Infused Golden Mushroom from the blast site. Returning, he offers a healing potion to the injured Cave Troll and administers potions to the two juveniles, establishing a tense but respectful truce as he meditates to recover.
Who Appears
- Jake (Avaricious Arcane Hunter)Protagonist; bombards foes, chooses to protect troll young, uses Limit Break and necrotic poison to kill the Warlord, retrieves Infused Golden Mushroom.
- Deepdweller WarlordMutates by impaling itself on a crystalline halberd, absorbs allies and the Golden Mushroom, battles the Cave Troll, dies to Jake’s cross-cut and explosion.
- Cave TrollExhausted guardian of two juveniles; fights Warlord, retreats to shield its young, accepts healing from Jake and refrains from further hostilities.
- Juvenile Cave TrollsTwo injured young trolls revealed in the cave; receive healing potions from Jake and motivate his choice to aid their parent.
- FungalmancersDeepdweller casters; remaining members are eliminated by Jake, removing support for warriors before the Warlord’s mutation.
- Deepdweller WarriorsSacrifice themselves to stall the Cave Troll, enabling the Warlord’s transformation; ultimately wiped out.