Take control

Part of what makes boss monsters so challenging is the Boss Abilities they are granted that separate them from regular enemies. If you are going to have any chance to survive, much less thrive, you need every advantage you can get your shadowy little claws on. On top of that, if you're waiting deeper inside the dungeon, then the heroes you do encounter will be weakened by the other creatures that separate them from their goal.

Making your way deeper into the dungeon, you notice how the other Shadows seem to move out of your way, but other than that, they ignore you, the same as the skeletons and ghosts that inhabit the deeper levels of the tunnels. You're not sure how you know, but you can tell that you're nearly at the end of the dungeon when you encounter another lone adventurer. This one is dressed in leather armor with plates of rusty metal strapped to certain parts. He looks tired as he dispatches the last of the skeletons before stopping in front of a remarkably out-of-place wooden door. Staying hidden, you watch as he pulls up his stats, and grimaces at what you presume isn't an ideal situation for taking on the boss of the dungeon before he shrugs.

"Oh well," he concedes, readying his sword. "Might as well see how strong it is before it kills me."

You seethe a little bit in rage at his nonchalant attitude concerning the cycle of **** and rebirth that imprisoned you and every other monster before you miraculous stroke of luck accompanied by what might as well be divine intervention.

The warrior opens the door, and you quietly follow him in as he prepares to face off against the large undead paladin waiting within. You closely examine the brawl between the two fighters, assessing their skills as you make a plan of attack. You consider sneaking up on one then the other and striking while incorporeal, but scrap that plan when you instinctively realize that you are unable to do any physical attacks while formless as well, and you have yet to acquire any magic attacks of your own.

Figuring that there isn't much you can do to tip the odds in your favor, you hide in the shadows and watch until the warrior is on his last scrap of HP before dashing forward with the help of your new ability and grabbing his sword with one hand while using the claws of the other to cut off his backpack, before plunging them into his neck. His HP vanishes, and he does as well, leaving the sword you were holding in your grasp and the bag to fall to the ground with a thump as he dies. A _ding! _chimes in your ear, and you feel slightly stronger, but the increase is nowhere near as large as the first, which was understandable.

Without stopping to check your stats, you dash at the undead paladin and clash swords with him, hissing slightly in pain as just being near the enchantment on his weapon causes you pain. Luckily, it was a weak one, and as an unholy creature himself, it's not nearly as strong as it could be.

Ducking under another swing, you make liberal use of your shadow dash ability to keep him off balance while taking quick swipes at him. It doesn't do much, but by the time you run out of MP, his already lowered health is in the red. Unfortunately, thanks to that cursed holy weapon of his, yours is as well, and you know that this next clash will decide whether your quest for independence continues or if it ends here with you returning to the void between **** and life.

The thought of dying and returning to the pathetic form from which you came fills you with a **** anger, and you roar as you raise your free hand towards the paladin, the miniscule amount of MP you have recovered draining`as sphere of dark energy gathers in front of you before blasting towards the paladin at remarkable speeds. The orb hits the creature and there is a violent explosion of power as it is blasted to pieces by the **** of your attack.

Panting, you drop your stolen sword and drop to your knees as another _ding _rings in your ear. You close your eyes and attempt to gather your energy before opening your stat screen when a familiar red light washes over you and a voice speaks in your mind.

"So, you finally did it."

Above your head floats the crystal from before.