Chapter 37: Hand To Shield Tank
"I can't go in there, you have to go K, sorry," Tim said bowing his head.
This made sense, the others wouldn't be able to fight off whatever came out of it.
'Be careful child this is going to be the Blood Queen that you will face. She is a Quirk that has always been deep inside of you, but the System is slowly bringing her forward, but it is too soon for you to take that power. If you try, she will take you. The Mimic will only be a fraction as strong as you are, but it will still have long claws like knives and be able to turn into blood mist.' -Drania.
Not trying to talk me out of was all I really needed to tell me that this was my job, but I knew that. I could do this, I had a good reserve of blood and my shield was still in good shape. I went to walk forward, but Lesha stopped me.
"Are you sure? You're a tank? You're not really meant to…"
Lesha was cut off by Tim's laughter. She turned to scowl at him, but he closed his only eye and put both hands up, open-palmed.
"Sorry, but I would be more worried for whatever comes out of there. I will be watching carefully to see how you deal with this, Guild Leader. I have faith that you will make me look like an amateur in a one-on-one fight."
I wasn't sure if that made me feel better, but I did appreciate it. I smiled at Lesha and kissed her, then Mei came and gave me a hug. Great, it was like I was going off to war, and they would never see me again, but that was partially my fault for my bland face.
"Don't worry girls, I got this," I said walking into the room.
The doorway that I had just walked through completely smoothed over and I couldn't hear any more sounds. The room was quiet, it was only me and the mirror. I walked up, shrinking my shield, the sound loud in the absence of any other.
I stepped in front of the mirror and looked deep into it. At first, I only saw myself, and I was surprised that I didn't look that bad in the dress! Then, the image shifted and it was me again, but in a black dress this time, form-fitting and a ghostly train flowing behind me.
Then my skin turned black, and my teeth grew sharp, all of them. Finally, my black hair turned blood red and it undulated to look like flowing blood. The image stepped forward and then out of the mirror, causing it to shatter as the Blood Queen stepped free.
This thing was hiding inside of me somewhere? I was part of this or it was part of me? Suddenly, it attacked without warning, but I had already strengthened and targeted the same spot the goddess was weak in, interesting.
I smashed up with a one-handed right shield stick and then I drove a left blood-powered hook to the targeted area. The creature smashed into the wall, but came for me again, but extended the shield, and then turning it to the side and batting the creature away. I shrunk the shield and leapt at the creature that was trying to get up.
As I brought the shield down, I activated the shield extending it with a crack just at the right moment to help shear the monster's head off. I pulled all the blood into me immediately and gasped.
It was freezing cold again! I had used almost all my blood in that short fight and I was lucky this thing even gave me blood. It was enough, for now, but I would need more, and I would have to be more mindful of how I used it.
"Woah! Now that is a scary tank! You barely even moved that entire fight! No extra effort! Truly impressive! See, Corbit, that's what a legend in the making looks like!" Tim said slapping the open-mouthed Corbit on the back.
If they only knew how much effort and blood went into each of those strikes, still there was a black crystal left from that thing, so there was some gain, I would just have to conserve in the next room. So far things were going good, but anything could happen, and I was letting Tim and Gobby take care of the traps when Lesha came over to see me.
"How are you feeling? You looked pretty white before you got that blood?"
"The fight was tough, I didn't want to hold back, but I used too much blood. I just need to be careful. I will just play a tank in the next room, I played hero once today, that's enough, hehe!"
"You were pretty impressive, but that thing you faced, it was you, right?" Lesha asked.
"Yeah, Drania says it's called The Blood Queen, and it's a part of me. I have to be careful and not let it out until I can control it or she will consume me."
"That doesn't sound very helpful? But if you were in trouble I could see why it would be good to have. Well, let me have some of the action this time, she has been itching to try her new spell out. Oh, and make sure you watch, she really wanted you to see it...and don't forget to praise her!"
"Yes, mother, I will tell our little girl how special she is!"
"Hey! Someone has to remind you to be nice sometimes!" Lesha jokes.
"That hurts my feeling!" I joked back, doing an impression of Gobby.
Both of us started to giggle, and Mei came over to see what was up, but that was when Tim and Gobby called to us.
"Halls clear, but I don't think we should go any farther. There is a Boss Room up ahead!" Tim shouted down to me.
The words Boss Room sent a chill down my spine.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone