The Wandering Inn was full today as well. That was unusual, at least to Erin, Lyonette, and anyone who knew the inn well. Erin had developed an inn based around the idea of \u2018just enough people to survive\u2019 for quite some time. To have an inn that was actually bustling was surprising.<\/p>\n
However, word had gotten out that Erin\u2019s inn was a place with excellent cooking, fast service, interesting things, and most importantly, magical food. That, combined with the influx of adventurers into Liscor meant that her inn was a hotspot. Having a magical door leading to Celum helped.<\/p>\n
Indeed, it would be more surprising if Erin\u2019s inn hadn\u2019t become so famous. After all, Drakes and Gnolls might not like Humans that much, but who could resist going for a five minute walk and then popping into another city<\/em> to see what the smelly Humans were up to? And when you were tired of that, you could have a drink or quick bite on the way back. You didn\u2019t have to wait\u2014the inn had food pre-prepared that only needed warming up before it was hot and ready to eat!<\/p>\n Some might go as far as to say that Erin\u2019s inn was now a huge concern for the other inns in Liscor and Celum. Erin\u2019s current set of Skills had made her inn three times as attractive as every other inn. Well, except for Peslas\u2019 inn, the Tailless Thief. It was still a byword for Drakes in Liscor, but it was specialized. Erin\u2019s inn accepted everyone.<\/p>\n Everyone. From [Farmers] who stopped by for some food and a break from the cold, to [Guardsmen] and [Guardswomen] from Celum and Liscor who had learned that Erin had a soft spot for their kind. They sat and diced and laughed at tables next to [Merchants] who might be playing games of Chess and keeping an ear open for saleable news. However, these were all minority populations. The clientele that dominated Erin\u2019s inn at the moment were all of a different kind.<\/p>\n They stood out. They were the insane, the suicidal, and the reckless. Or, they could be deliberate, cautious, and mindful of the socioeconomic value of their class and be willing to take calculated risks for ample rewards. Either way, there was a broad name for them.<\/p>\n Adventurers.<\/p>\n Right now they were filling most of Erin\u2019s tables, staring at the Antinium Workers who were measuring the walls, whilst the adventurers shouted for drinks, and tried to eat plates full of Erin\u2019s magical cooking. It was excellent stuff all had to admit\u2014downing a plate could make you stronger, tougher, or immune to the biting cold winds. However, it was also regarded as a punishment game of sorts; Erin still hadn\u2019t perfected the recipe, and more than a few weak-stomached adventurers were swallowing their snail-based Strength Souffl\u00e9 hard.<\/p>\n Yes, a few silver coins and you could be strong enough to wrestle a Corusdeer with your hands\u2014so long as you minded the horns. That was a great service\u2014and a danger. Halrac lifted up a glob of the blue Scale Soup he\u2019d been served and stared at it grimly. He opened his mouth, swallowed the spoonful, and scraped the wooden bowl without a change in his expression.<\/p>\n He didn\u2019t have to. Revi, watching him, was making enough faces for the both of them.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is disgusting,<\/em> Halrac. How can you stand eating that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re eating it too, Revi. No objections.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d rather you poked a few needles through my head!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEat.\u201d<\/p>\n Halrac pushed the second bowl over to Revi. The [Summoner] Stitch Girl picked up a spoon reluctantly. She eyed the soup and kept complaining, much to Halrac\u2019s displeasure.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy can\u2019t I eat the Strength Souffl\u00e9? That at least looks palatable.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s got snails in it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEw!<\/em> How does Erin serve this stuff?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBecause it works. Eat.\u201d<\/p>\n Revi did so, reluctantly. She kept making faces, although the blue stuff really wasn\u2019t that bad tasting. Taste-wise, it was actually pleasant. It just had a terrible appearance, texture, consistency, and smell.<\/p>\n \u201cRemind me why we\u2019re eating this stuff? What about the Corusdeer Scramble? That tastes good<\/em> and it would keep us warm.\u201d<\/p>\n Halrac opened his mouth to snap at her, but a big head leaned over and interrupted him. Ulrien, the mild-mannered leader of Griffon Hunt, raised two fingers as he spoke.<\/p>\n \u201cTwo reasons, Revi. One, Erin\u2019s enchantments only work one at a time. Second, if it\u2019s a choice between the three she\u2019s offering\u2014strength, defense, or cold resistance, we\u2019re all getting the defense.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLots of these young adventurers are getting the Souffl\u00e9.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, they are.\u201d<\/p>\n Halrac glanced around. Erin\u2019s Strength Souffl\u00e9 could be seen on almost every table. Who wouldn\u2019t like to be stronger for a few hours? It was a great feeling, and it was a fun trick to challenge a friend to an arm-wrestling competition and then give them a sore arm. Some of the adventurers wearing cheap leather armor and bearing shabby weapons were flexing their arms and grinning at each other. They\u2019d probably never been able to afford an enchantment before and were savoring the moment.<\/p>\n \u201cNewbies.\u201d<\/p>\n At least Revi could understand what the rest of her group was thinking. The Stitch Girl shook her head as she spooned soup into her mouth. She grimaced, but for once it wasn\u2019t about the food.<\/p>\n \u201cI wonder how many of them will get killed because they think they\u2019re invincible? Does Erin know how many of these idiots are going out and getting slaughtered by monsters?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf she doesn\u2019t, don\u2019t tell her.\u201d<\/p>\n Halrac looked warningly at Revi. The Stitch Girl glared at him as she took a drink from her mug. It was no secret within Griffon Hunt that Halrac had a soft spot for Erin\u2026in his own peculiar way. She opened her mouth to needle him, changed her mind when Ulrien looked at her, and gave up.<\/p>\n \u201cIf Bronze-rank adventurers are dying, it\u2019s because they overestimate their abilities or underestimate their opponents. That\u2019s how it\u2019s always been. Smart adventurers will know that these enchantments are a useful tool, not an all-powerful spell.\u201d<\/p>\n Revi and Halrac nodded silently. Ulrien glanced around and grunted. His passive face turned into a frown.<\/p>\n \u201cStill, there are<\/em> a lot of them.\u201d<\/p>\n The three members of Griffon Hunt looked around. The inn was packed<\/em> with adventurers. As they watched, a group of them tossed some coins onto their table and made for the door to Celum. They were probably going to exterminate some monsters nearby. Another group of armed warriors were eating the Corusdeer Scramble with pleasure while they tried to cram a hot Souffl\u00e9 into their packs for later. That<\/em> was amusing to watch.<\/p>\n However\u2026there was a large group in the center of the room that looked ready for a fight now.<\/em> They were checking each other\u2019s gear, and Halrac\u2019s keen eyes placed them squarely as a mix of Silver-rank and Bronze-rank adventurers. There were about twenty packed into four tables, and one of them stood up with a mug in his hands.<\/p>\n \u201cWe will descend into the dungeon through the rift today! Today, Petra\u2019s Bane, Twinfold Daggers, and\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Halrac tuned the speaker out. He didn\u2019t need to hear the rest, or listen to the adventurers cheering their leader. He turned to Revi and Ulrien.<\/p>\n \u201cAnother group heading into the dungeon? Are they insane?\u201d<\/p>\n Revi and Ulrien just stared at Halrac. The [Scout] didn\u2019t really need an answer either. He understood the thinking of the cheering adventurers, though he condemned it.<\/p>\n After the wild success of Vuliel Drae, the wild fervor surrounding Liscor\u2019s Dungeon had reignited itself. It had gone out for a while. A new dungeon was one thing, but the first few rooms were so dangerous that it was a death sentence for anyone but an experienced Silver or Gold-rank team to attempt those first few steps.<\/p>\n But this new entry into the dungeon through the rift in the snow? That was something else. And Vuliel Drae had come out with a weapon worthy of a Gold-rank adventurer, or perhaps a Named Adventurer. The Mace of Howling had sold for thousands of gold coins already, and ignited the passions of every adventurer within three hundred miles. The thought was on everyone\u2019s mind. If one group could find a weapon of that caliber from one scouting attempt, what treasures were lost below? Just one such item could set up an adventurer for life.<\/p>\n Halrac was familiar with that way of thinking. He\u2019d been in the same boat over a decade ago, a poor Bronze-rank adventurer scrabbling for work. However, he and the rest of Griffon Hunt realized the danger in that line of thought. Liscor\u2019s Dungeon was not to be underestimated.<\/p>\n The adventuring group was listening to another impassioned speech, from one of the other team leaders. Halrac was familiar with that as well. Adventurers were people too; they needed to psych themselves up before they risked their lives. He turned back to the rest of his group, and addressed the trio sitting at the table next to theirs.<\/p>\n \u201cAlright, where did we go wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cExcuse me?\u201d<\/p>\n Jelaqua Ivirith looked up from her bowl of Scale Soup. The other two members of her group, the Halfseekers, looked up as well. All three were eating from their bowls of blue sludge. They\u2019d been laughing and trying to play chess together, but Halrac\u2019s comment made them sit up.<\/p>\n The Halfseekers. Ulrien gave Halrac a reproving glance for interrupting their conversation. Halrac didn\u2019t acknowledge it. They were supposed to be working together. The Halfseekers and Griffon Hunt had agreed to join forces to tackle this dungeon. If they were a team, they should talk like one.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m asking where we went wrong. Why are all these Bronze-rank teams getting ahead of us?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Halrac growled as he reached for a bowl of walnuts. That was Erin\u2019s newest attempt to add \u2018cool stuff\u2019 to her inn. He cracked one of the walnuts one-handed and flicked the pieces into a second bowl. Jelaqua and the Halfseekers turned obligingly to listen as the [Scout] aired his grievances.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have more levels in our team than that entire group does between them. How are we still struggling to get past the first set of trapped rooms?\u201d<\/p>\n The other adventurers shared a look. Jelaqua edged her chair forwards and then leaned back in it until it rested on the table behind her. She looked incredibly pleased at this development; Halrac thought it was juvenile.<\/p>\n But that was the way the Halfseekers worked. Griffon Hunt prided itself on being a group that valued teamwork, planning, and serious commitment in the field. By contrast, the Halfseekers\u2026not two seconds ago, Seborn and Jelaqua had had a contest seeing who could down their bowl of Scale Soup faster. They were too relaxed for Halrac\u2019s liking. However, he had to admit that they were competent.<\/p>\n Both groups knew of each other\u2019s reputation. They were sometimes competitors, sometimes adversaries in the same field. So when Moore spoke, Halrac listened.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel bad for these new adventurers, Halrac. I do not feel they\u2019re getting ahead of us. Rather, I\u2019m worried about their inexperience. Vuliel Drae\u2019s success was a mistake. They survived the dungeon thanks to the mysterious masked swordswoman, not through their own efforts, or so I understand.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah. Her.\u201d<\/p>\n Halrac grunted. He\u2019d heard the stories too. There was a Named Adventurer down in the dungeon, was there? Someone who\u2019d gotten past all the traps and entered the dungeon without anyone seeing? Hardly likely, but Vuliel Drae had sworn on truth spells it was true.<\/p>\n One of the Halfseekers seemed to believe in the swordswoman\u2019s existence, at any rate. Seborn leaned forwards, and Halrac glanced at the armored half of the Drowned Man\u2019s face, noting the way the crustacean shell blended with his skin. Seborn seemed immune to the scrutiny as he sipped from his mug of water and spoke.<\/p>\n \u201cIt has to be true. The dungeon is too dangerous for Silver-rank adventurers to survive a trip down there without being overwhelmed. We\u2019ve all gone head-to-head with the traps. We teamed up because they\u2019re that bad. This dungeon\u2019s not like the other ones. It\u2019s nasty.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n Nasty. That was one word for it. The other Gold-rank adventurers shifted in their seats. Ulrien nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been in several dungeons before. Not deep, and not when they were just discovered, but I\u2019ve seen where the traps used to be and fought their monster populations. They\u2019re nothing like this dungeon. This dungeon feels like it wasn\u2019t meant just to hide treasure. It feels like\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLike a huge trap. Yeah. I\u2019m calling it. This one\u2019s a vengeance dungeon.\u201d<\/p>\n Jelaqua drained her mug and slammed it down on the table. The Selphid sighed and pushed her bowl back. Halrac studied her dead features silently. He was in agreement.<\/p>\n \u201cVengeance dungeon?\u201d<\/p>\n Revi was confused. Halrac glanced at her and remembered that she was new. Ulrien and Halrac had hired her and Typhenous into Griffon Hunt, and both [Mages] were competent, but Revi wasn\u2019t nearly as old or experienced as the other three men. He let Ulrien explain.<\/p>\n \u201cDungeons come in several types, Revi. I know [Mages] study which empire built them and their composition and so on\u2014adventurers have a simpler system. Dungeons are either for containment, future generations, or as an act of vengeance.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cInteresting terms. What\u2019s the difference between the three?\u201d<\/p>\n Halrac pushed Revi\u2019s bowl of unfinished soup towards her as Ulrien explained. The Stitch Girl sighed, but ate as Ulrien talked.<\/p>\n \u201cContainment dungeons are meant to contain something. Simple enough; it could be a threat, a natural resource too valuable to let someone else get ahold of\u2026I once saw a dungeon that had been built solely to combat Vampires. It was more like a fortress that made use of light-based traps and spells.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay. Then future generations\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n Jelaqua grinned.<\/p>\n \u201cDungeons built with traps that test people entering. Say an empire\u2019s about to collapse. Well, they want to leave something behind, right? Only, the people who build the dungeons want their shiny magical artifacts to go to the deserving. So they build a dungeon which only the best can enter. That way, future generations can follow a handy map and get through the traps, or a brave adventuring group can fight their way through and retrieve past glories. Just a way for the previous generations to help us out.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI get it. Then a vengeance dungeon\u2019s what happens when\u2026what? You have angry ancestors?\u201d<\/p>\n Revi frowned. Jelaqua nodded. She grimaced.<\/p>\n \u201cYep. They\u2019re what you get when the empire or civilization doesn\u2019t<\/em> feel like being nice to future generations. So they build a dungeon with their best artifacts sealed away\u2014I mean, where else would you put them?\u2014but they put the nastiest <\/em>traps and monster eggs down there. So when someone cracks the lid on the dungeon, a thousand ravening Crelers crawl out and eat their faces off.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGreat. And that\u2019s what we\u2019re up against? Remind me why we\u2019re not hunting Griffins? That\u2019s what I signed up for.\u201d<\/p>\n The Stitch Girl pushed her empty bowl back, looking upset. Ulrien sighed, but Halrac decided to answer this time. He saw Ulrien\u2019s warning look, but he could be encouraging too.<\/p>\n \u201cJust because the dungeon\u2019s designed to kill, it doesn\u2019t mean there\u2019s no point entering it, Revi. We\u2019re looking for treasure, and it\u2019s down there. The mace is proof of that. The only difference is that this dungeon\u2019s out to get us. So we need to be wary. And fast. Which is why I\u2019m asking why these amateurs are\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n The [Scout] broke off when he realized someone was standing behind him. He turned in his seat and glared at the leader of the adventurers he\u2019d just been insulting. The young Drake must have come over and he\u2019d been too busy complaining to notice. Halrac scowled, more upset that he\u2019d let his guard down than anything else.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUh, pardon me, but you\u2019re Halrac the Grim, aren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n Halrac hated<\/em> that name. He growled at the Drake, eying him from head to tail.<\/p>\n \u201cSo?\u201d<\/p>\n The young Drake was wearing iron armor, but he had a steel sword. He was probably Silver-rank, but Halrac would put him on the lower end of that spectrum. Still, he was bold enough to approach the Gold-rank adventurers, which most Human adventurers wouldn\u2019t have the courage for. He smiled nervously as Halrac stared at him.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry, but you might have heard. We\u2019re heading into the dungeon\u2014we uh, were hoping you had some words for us? Some advice, maybe? Tips?\u201d<\/p>\n The other Gold-rank adventurers shifted. Revi raised her eyebrows and shook her head, not trying to hide her incredulity. Ulrien sighed. Drake and Gnoll adventurers clearly weren\u2019t like Human ones. No group of adventurers up north would be this bold\u2014they were keenly aware of the hierarchy and unwritten rules, one of which was not to bother the veterans.<\/p>\n Not that Griffon Hunt was into hazing adventurers. But asking for advice? Halrac just stared at the young Drake. He was ready to tell him no and turn away, but Jelaqua sat up. She smiled and gave voice to the feeling shared between all the Gold-rank adventurers.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d be ready to run, kids. Maybe write a letter to your loved ones, if you have any. Best advice? Don\u2019t go down. You\u2019re going to die.\u201d<\/p>\n She nodded at the listening adventurers, who\u2019d gone silent. Jelaqua gave them a friendly smile, her pale, dead lips at once friendly and horrific.<\/p>\n \u201cA strength enchantment\u2019s no good down in the dungeon, not against traps or monsters ambushing you. Don\u2019t go down. Find another quest, level up, and come back when you\u2019re all Silver-rank, or better yet, Gold. We wouldn\u2019t go into the dungeon through the rift, and we know what we\u2019re about. That\u2019s my advice. Take it or leave it.\u201d<\/p>\n The inn had gone silent at Jelaqua\u2019s words. Halrac looked around and saw a lot of the adventurers looking nervous. But one of them, drunk on bravado and alcohol, raised his voice.<\/p>\n \u201cHah! You\u2019re just afraid we\u2019ll get to the treasure first! What kind of an adventurer\u2019s a Selphid, anyways? A body stealing coward doesn\u2019t know anything about Drake bravery!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOr Gnoll courage!\u201d<\/p>\n Another adventurer raised his paw, and the other adventurers around him cheered. Jelaqua shrugged, looking slightly hurt, but more resigned. Seborn nudged her as she sat and Moore frowned, which was as good as one of Halrac\u2019s scowls.<\/p>\n Selphids got that reaction. But this was passing beyond rude. Jelaqua was a Gold-rank adventurer. The Drake leader shouted down his companions, and turned to Halrac, smiling as if they<\/em> were friends.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about you, Mister Halrac?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou heard her. You\u2019re going to die.\u201d<\/p>\n The Drake\u2019s smile vanished. He stared at Halrac, as if expecting the [Scout] to smile. But Halrac\u2019s face didn\u2019t change. He folded his arms.<\/p>\n The Drake looked around the table, hoping perhaps for a second opinion. He got none. Revi raised an eyebrow and Ulrien shook his head. Both Griffon Hunt and the Halfseekers stared silently at the adventurers. They lost their bravado. In the silence, the leader turned.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s\u2014let\u2019s go.\u201d<\/p>\n They left the inn quietly. Halrac wished they had stayed, or that they turned towards Liscor, rather than north, towards the second dungeon entrance. He had a feeling he would not see their faces again.<\/p>\n \u201cOur turn.\u201d<\/p>\n Halrac stood up in the silent inn. He nodded towards the door and the Gold-rank adventurers went with them. They walked west out of the inn, towards Liscor and the small, fortified tunnel leading downwards. They were going to the dungeon too. The only difference was that they were ready for it.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Typhenous caught the silent group of Gold-rank adventurers as they were halfway towards the unearthed entrance to Liscor\u2019s dungeon. The [Mage] had been in the city finishing an errand, but they had agreed to meet at this time.<\/p>\n \u201cWhy the dour expressions? Has Halrac been talking to all of you too long?\u201d<\/p>\n The [Mage] was in good spirits, but he sobered slightly when he heard about the adventurers trying the dungeon. Typhenous sighed and stroked at his grey beard.<\/p>\n \u201cI had heard of other adventurers attempting to emulate Vuliel Drae\u2019s success. How distressing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey might make it.\u201d<\/p>\n Jelaqua offered the idea up as an idle hope, but Halrac shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cToo many adventurers. A smaller group might have a chance, but a large one like that generates too much noise and attention. They\u2019ll be attacked at once. Best case is that some of them make it back up.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUp a set of ropes that stretches over a hundred feet down? They\u2019ll be lucky if they don\u2019t lose a few just falling, with all that they were carrying. Unless one of them knows [Featherfall].\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe issue is that their way out is too dangerous. And they\u2019re entering into the middle of the dungeon. If they don\u2019t secure their exit out and make sure they\u2019re not swarmed from behind\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAmateurs. This is why you go in from the front. Shortcuts just get you killed.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n Seborn\u2019s sigh was the last word on the matter. Griffon Hunt began to discuss their latest developments as the Halfseekers listened in silence. They trudged through the snow, grilling Typhenous about their latest contingency plan. That was the difference between experienced adventurers and the reckless dead. Gold-rank adventurers always<\/em> made plans.<\/p>\n \u201cI was in the city, requesting a shipment of specialized lodestones. You see, young Pisces had the notion of connecting Miss Solstice\u2019s magical door to more than one location. However, as Moore and I discovered, such a feat is impossible, at least, without proper anchoring points.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMakes sense to me.\u201d<\/p>\n Revi nodded while Halrac shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cExplain it simpler, Typhenous.\u201d<\/p>\n He had no time for [Mage]-talk. Typhenous sighed. He liked to pontificate.<\/p>\n \u201cVery well. We cannot link the door to multiple spots because it is too difficult. Thus, we need magical beacons\u2014ways to differentiate between locations. Thus, the lodestones. Moore had the idea of devising some sort of mechanism by which the door could be attuned to each stone, creating multiple connections. We shall attempt to change the enchantment when the stones arrive.\u201d<\/p>\n Ulrien nodded, as did Halrac. That they could understand, at least in part. Griffon Hunt\u2019s leader frowned.<\/p>\n \u201cSo an emergency teleportation stone like Erin was talking about\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Typhenous shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cImpossible until my delivery arrives. It should get here, or rather, to Celum, within the week. I was unwilling to pay a Courier for the stones, given their price and our needs.\u201d<\/p>\n Halrac sighed. The magical artifact Erin had described\u2014an emergency escape device\u2014sounded incredibly useful, although he wasn\u2019t sure if it would work in the dungeon\u2019s magically charged atmosphere. However, it was worth looking into. Such a tool would allow both Gold-rank teams to breathe easier. There was nothing an adventurer feared more than being trapped.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t need the artifact that badly, but if it looks like we\u2019re heading into a particularly dangerous spot, I\u2019d rather pull back and try to get an emergency escape\u2026lodestone\u2026ready. We have time.\u201d<\/p>\n Ulrien was talking with Typhenous and the others, advocating for caution again. Moore nodded, tapping one huge lip with his fingers.<\/p>\n \u201cIf it comes to that, I\u2019m sure Miss Solstice will oblige us. But you don\u2019t think it will be that dangerous today?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot if it\u2019s more of the same. Ah, here we are.\u201d<\/p>\n They\u2019d reached the entrance to the dungeon. The official entrance, so to speak. It was guarded by the city. A group of sixteen guardsmen, armed with bows and spears and one who looked like a [Mage] were waiting under a tent. They were watching the entrance to the dungeon from behind a small wooden rampart. It had a row of sharpened stakes thrust into the ground in front of the wall and enough space for the [Guardsmen] to loose arrows and jab spears at whatever might come out of the dungeon.<\/p>\n \u201cHello there! We\u2019d like to enter the dungeon!\u201d<\/p>\n Typhenous called up to the [Guardsmen] huddled beneath the tent. Some were sipping hot drinks and they all looked miserable in the cold. One of the Drakes twitched his tail.<\/p>\n \u201cYou lot again? The uh\u2026Griffon Hunt team and Halfseekers? Alright, go on through.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs there anyone else down there?\u201d<\/p>\n Ulrien looked at the dungeon for tracks, but the [Guardsmen] shook his head.<\/p>\n \u201cNot today. All you adventurers are too interested in the rift. Suits us. The less of you that go down, the fewer things that come back up. But if you want to go in\u2026be our guests.\u201d<\/p>\n Ulrien nodded. Jelaqua was already hopping over the edge of the ramparts\u2014the Drakes had neglected to build a gate into the defensive fortifications\u2014and Moore was eying the drop.<\/p>\n \u201cI would like to avoid the spikes and squashing you, Jelaqua. Give me more room.\u201d<\/p>\n As Halrac walked up the rampart, he watched Moore jump, and then offer a hand to Revi and Typhenous. The two other [Mages] let the half-Giant guide their descent, rather than fall. Ulrien leapt, and the Drake [Guardsmen] spoke to Halrac. He nodded to the tunnel the Antinium had dug, that lead down to the double doors that marked the start of the dungeon.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve seen adventuring groups go in and come out. More go in than come out, obviously. But your group\u2019s Gold-rank, right? You go in and come out almost every day? What are you doing down there?\u201d<\/p>\n Halrac grunted.<\/p>\n \u201cBeing cautious.\u201d<\/p>\n He leapt, and the Drake [Guardsman] rolled his eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I got that. Lousy Humans\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n He turned away, muttering, as Griffon Hunt and the Halfseekers descended into the dungeon.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n This is what the Gold-rank teams did all day. They went into the dungeon after preparing, making plans, checking gear, and arguing. They moved slowly down the first corridor and stopped when they saw the room beyond. Halrac and Seborn, both of whom were taking point to scout for traps, held up hands and the group stopped.<\/p>\n Both Halrac and Seborn scouted the room, taking care not to enter it and only look into it. There didn\u2019t seem to be much to see. The room was empty and nondescript. Halrac saw the wide, grey tiles of stone continue seamlessly into the room. The walls were some kind of faded beige, made of simple stone. Any unsuspecting individual might have taken the room as harmless, but Halrac wasn\u2019t fooled. Beyond the first corridor was where the dungeon\u2019s traps began. This first room was certainly trapped.<\/p>\n Seborn nodded to the empty room beyond. He\u2019d found a red mark on the wall, a stripe of very bright paint.<\/p>\n \u201cLooks like the same room as before. We\u2019ve cleared this one.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou have? I\u2019m not familiar with it.\u201d<\/p>\n Halrac had seen many of the dungeon\u2019s trapped rooms. They appeared each time you went down the corridor, and what was worse, changed each time you entered the dungeon. There were any number of rooms you could enter, and so you had to be extremely careful not to assume one room was like a previous one.<\/p>\n However, the Gold-rank adventurers were familiar with dungeons and knew how to take precautions. Seborn nodded to the paint, which was a horizontal slash with a vertical line to the left.<\/p>\n \u201cThis one\u2019s a spike trap. Simple, but deadly. I\u2019ll trigger it. You stay back.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n He walked into the center of the room and slowed. Seborn took two steps as the other adventurers watched\u2014then threw himself to the ground.<\/p>\n The ceiling fell. A series of phantasmal spikes, glowing ghostly pink-white, shot down through the suddenly low ceiling, almost brushing the top of Seborn\u2019s head. Halrac heard Revi inhale as the magical blades shimmered in the air.<\/p>\n \u201cJelaqua.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Seborn spoke. Halrac moved aside as Jelaqua stepped forwards. The Selphid was holding her two-handed flail. She threw it out across the floor and Seborn turned and grasped hold of one of the chains. Jelaqua pulled<\/em> and Seborn shot back across the floor while the spikes waited menacingly a few feet over his head.<\/p>\n Halrac helped the [Rogue] up as Seborn patted himself and rubbed the top of his head. The Drowned Man seemed barely fazed. He nodded at Halrac, one trap expert to another.<\/p>\n \u201cThat scared the life out of me the first time it happened. I\u2019m not too happy about it the second time.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n Halrac was impressed by Seborn\u2019s courage\u2026and a bit disturbed that he\u2019d chosen to throw himself into danger. He would have found a way to trigger the trap without entering the room, but the Halfseekers were more direct. Revi stared at the blades and the lowered ceiling, looking pale.<\/p>\n \u201cDo the blades last forever? What about the ceiling? Do we have to crawl our way to the next room?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNope. Wait for it\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n Jelaqua was barring anyone from going into the room, for good reason. The ceiling spikes were still lowered when Halrac felt his [Dangersense] tingle and then a second<\/em> set of ghostly blades shot up from the ground. They would have impaled Seborn or anyone else who\u2019d been lucky enough to avoid the ceiling. Typhenous and Ulrien muttered as Revi swore quietly.<\/p>\n The Halfseekers had already seen the trap and just shook their heads. Halrac grimaced at the trap.<\/p>\n \u201cSimple, but deadly. That second layer of spikes is malicious\u2014and probably overkill.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe difference between a dungeon designed for vengeance and one that\u2019s not?\u201d<\/p>\n Revi looked at the others and got a nod from Seborn and Halrac. Having seen the trap, the adventurers drew back to confer.<\/p>\n \u201cThe trap\u2019s got a timer of around one hour before it resets, and the spikes are smaller\u2026the spell probably needs more time to fully recharge. We can keep triggering it each time we go through, but if the aim of all of this is to clear all the rooms going in so we\u2019ve got a way out, we can\u2019t have that trap still here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI agree. Can any of you dispel it?\u201d<\/p>\n Jelaqua and Ulrien were both of the same opinion. Typhenous, Revi, and Moore were all inspecting the spell, but it was apparently hidden in the ceiling. Seborn and Halrac were in their own conference, inspecting the room now the spikes were gone. Both [Scout] and [Rogue] were ready to leap to safety if the trap reactivated, but their Skills were telling them they were safe for the moment.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m of the opinion the trap is magical. It activates the moment I cross this threshold. See?\u201d<\/p>\n Seborn was talking to Halrac. The [Scout] nodded. He could see a faint aura around the part of the room Seborn had described.<\/p>\n \u201cCross that line and step anywhere in the room and the trap activates. Want to try breaking the floor?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWorth a shot. Do you have a hammer?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAllow me.\u201d<\/p>\n Ulrien stepped forwards and both Seborn and Halrac retreated. The big [Warrior] took his greatsword out and gripped the blade with both of his gauntleted hands. Using the hilt of his sword like a hammer, he cracked<\/em> the stone floor with a mighty strike.<\/p>\n \u201cHm. Not spelled against strikes. Will that do it?\u201d<\/p>\n Carefully, Ulrien inspected his greatsword as Halrac and Seborn knelt by the cracked stones. Ulrien\u2019s blade was enchanted, but he obsessed over it. Halrac nodded as he saw no aura around the stones.<\/p>\n \u201cThat does it. Let\u2019s tear up the room and see if that deactivates the trap.\u201d<\/p>\n So they did. Moore and Jelaqua and Ulrien began hitting the ground, Moore with his staff, Jelaqua with her flail, and Ulrien with his greatsword. All three could break the stone and Halrac, Seborn, Revi, and Typhenous helped clear the rubble away.<\/p>\n No one used a hammer. A sledgehammer was less useful than an enchanted weapon. You could swing Ulrien\u2019s greatsword all day and not chip the blade or hilt, whereas a sledgehammer would eventually break.<\/p>\n It was hard on the hands, though. Twice Ulrien had to take a break and massage his hands. Mordhau, as the technique he was using was known, was not meant for repeated strikes like a hammer.<\/p>\n By the time an hour had passed, half of the room was destroyed and the smooth tiled flooring had been broken away and a rougher surface had been exposed. Seborn once again entered the room and very cautiously walked from side to side, testing to see if the trigger mechanism for the spell had been successfully destroyed.<\/p>\n It had. However, that didn\u2019t mean everyone crossed through the room at once. Halrac carefully entered the room and did the same test as Seborn, senses alert for anything suspicious. Only after he was done did he let both teams go through one at a time.<\/p>\n That was the first room. The second was a pit trap nearly thirty feet deep. Halrac showed the Halfseekers where he and the rest of his team had strung up a rope bridge to cross without having to touch the ground. The third room was filled with books on shelves\u2014they were supposed to explode when read. The adventurers walked past them without touching any of the tomes.<\/p>\n The fourth room they came to was unfamiliar to both Seborn and Halrac. It was locked by a door, and after determining the door itself wasn\u2019t trapped, Halrac and Seborn carefully opened the door and gazed into a circular room with a grating floor and very dark pit.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not going in there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMe neither. Think the door closes after someone goes in?<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cObviously. Let\u2019s take it off.\u201d<\/p>\n Some traps were predictable. Halrac motioned Ulrien over and explained what they wanted to do. Ulrien sighed and grabbed the door\u2019s edge. He was incredibly strong\u2014strong enough to swing around his greatsword like it was nothing, and Halrac had seen Ulrien beat a Minotaur in arm-wrestling once. But no matter how hard Ulrien strained, the door wouldn\u2019t budge.<\/p>\n \u201cAllow me to help.\u201d<\/p>\n Moore had to duck his head as he grabbed the door with one hand. He and Ulrien pulled at the door and now Halrac heard creaking<\/em> as the door and its hinges fought with the wall of the dungeon to be freed.<\/p>\n \u201cRoom for one more?\u201d<\/p>\n Jelaqua handed her flail to Seborn and stepped up, edging between Ulrien and Moore. Between the three strongest adventurers, the door was beginning to come loose. Ulrien grunted.<\/p>\n \u201cReady? One, two, three, heave\u2014<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n The three adventurers pushed<\/em>, and with a crack<\/em> of breaking stone, the door broke off its hinges and they let it crash to the ground. Rubbing at their arms, they let Seborn and Halrac inspect the room again.<\/p>\n \u201cEnchanted doors. As if they didn\u2019t expect us to pull each one off. Waste of time.\u201d<\/p>\n Halrac grunted. Seborn nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cWaste of time. And I bet the door\u2019s not got more than a protection spell on it. Still, it might be worth taking back with us.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhy? Who needs a door with a protection spell?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSomeone might pay some gold for it. You must admit, enchanted doors aren\u2019t cheap. If worst comes to worst, some Bronze-rank adventurer can use it as a shield.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n The dry comment made Halrac grin unwillingly. He got along with Seborn, which wasn\u2019t surprising as both occupied the same role in their party. Seborn nodded at the center of the room.<\/p>\n \u201cAh, I see. It\u2019s a pressure mechanism.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cYou think so?\u201d<\/p>\n Halrac was surprised. He hadn\u2019t seen any magical aura that would have indicated a detection spell, but he hadn\u2019t noticed the way the grate was wired to a spring until Seborn pointed out the tiny grooves where the grating would descend to trigger the trap. Halrac shook his head, grateful for a second pair of eyes.<\/p>\n \u201cSimple trigger. Typhenous, I need a ball of webbing. Heavy. Unless Revi wants to use one of her summoned creatures as a test?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSpare me.\u201d<\/p>\n Revi rolled her eyes as Typhenous spun out some sticky webs from his staff. The enchanted webbing would only last a few minutes, but it was a useful tool and one of the reasons why he was in Griffon Hunt.<\/p>\n \u201cMind if I add something to it? I can conjure grass, or grass clippings. If it\u2019s weight you\u2019re after, that might help.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBy all means, Moore.\u201d<\/p>\n The half-Giant tapped his staff and some magical grass and vines grew out of the stone. He carefully mixed that with the webbing and came up with a heavy ball of plant matter and webs. Halrac and Seborn rolled it to the door as they talked conversationally.<\/p>\n \u201cI haven\u2019t had time to see Revi fight. She\u2019s your second [Mage], right?<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c[Summoner], actually. She can conjure spirits of Stitch-warriors or summon other creatures. It\u2019s useful, but not when we\u2019re disarming traps. Her summoned creatures can\u2019t think for themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh. Here we go. Would you like to do the honors?<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSure.\u201d<\/p>\n Halrac kicked the ball of heavy matter into the room. He saw the grating descend fractionally, and then both he and Seborn leapt backwards.<\/p>\n \u201cSo that\u2019s the trap.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYep. Acid mist.\u201d<\/p>\n Halrac and Seborn backed up into the previous room as all the Gold-rank adventurers drew back. A very fine spray of colorless liquid was shooting down from above. It didn\u2019t affect the stone or metal, but the instant it struck the plants and webbing, the ball began smoking and disintegrating with a subtle hiss.<\/p>\n Jelaqua shook her head as the others waited for the trap to finish its work. As a warrior, she and Ulrien were of the least use in this situation. She leaned against a wall with Ulrien, ready to help if called upon, but mostly alert for a monster sneaking up around them. Since they were fairly confident no monsters existed in the trapped rooms they\u2019d passed through, she allowed herself a short conversation.<\/p>\n \u201cHow many more rooms are like this, do you think?\u201d<\/p>\n Ulrien shrugged his broad shoulders as he watched the acid make the stone walls slick with moisture.<\/p>\n \u201cImpossible to say. But there has to be a limited number. Once we\u2019re through here, we can be sure our exit\u2019s safe. Unless there\u2019s a teleportation trap hidden on the way back?\u201d<\/p>\n He looked at the other [Mages], all of whom shook their heads. Typhenous tapped the walls with his staff.<\/p>\n \u201cI have been checking for that diligently, as per your orders, Ulrien.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs have I.\u201d<\/p>\n Moore nodded. Reassured, Ulrien looked at Revi. She shrugged, looking embarrassed and annoyed.<\/p>\n \u201cNot my specialty! I told you that Ulrien! But I haven\u2019t seen anything either.\u201d<\/p>\n He nodded. The adventurers sat back when it became apparent the acid wasn\u2019t stopping anytime soon. They began to chatter idly while they waited. Other, less-experienced groups might have stayed on their feet or tried to find something to do, but the Gold-rank teams knew patience was their biggest asset.<\/p>\n \u201cAcid mist. Great. Didn\u2019t Erin say she used to sell acid?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSell acid? You must have heard her wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d believe anything of her. Want to try and bottle it up?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s magical acid. It\u2019ll disappear after a few minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI hate traps like these. What\u2019s the point? A few seconds of acid and you\u2019re dead. Why waste spell power keeping it going?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI guess in case someone casts a spell. The acid probably wears away at magical protections too. If you\u2019ve got an enchanted cloak for instance, this is probably when the acid eats away.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNasty. Hey, anyone want some food?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou brought a snack? <\/em>What\u2019s the point? We\u2019re five seconds away from Liscor.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI get munchy when I\u2019m bored, and this is boring. Toasted baguette anyone? I\u2019ll share. Ham and cheese. Erin made it for me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll have some.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, if you\u2019re offering\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Jelaqua split her sandwich with Typhenous and Seborn. As they ate, Ulrien looked over at his counterpart. Jelaqua\u2019s white face was pale as death, and she was unmistakably a corpse, but there was still life behind the eyes. Literally.<\/p>\n \u201cYou lot are very relaxed, especially in the middle of a dungeon.\u201d<\/p>\n She grinned at him, chewing and swallowing her meal. Part of Halrac wondered whether Jelaqua could taste the food she ate\u2014then he remembered her complaining about trying to keep her body\u2019s taste buds fresh so she could enjoy food.<\/p>\n \u201cShouldn\u2019t we be? What\u2019s the use of tensing up?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe like tense. And serious. Halrac and I are both former soldiers\u2014and we hunt Griffins. Idle chatter in the field can alert our quarry and get us all killed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight, that\u2019s in the name of your group. I wish we were so efficient.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo you don\u2019t. You\u2019d quit if you couldn\u2019t talk every two seconds.\u201d<\/p>\n Moore nudged Jelaqua with one finger. She grinned and swatted at him.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, I wish I<\/em> was that efficient.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEach to their own. It\u2019s not like the Halfseekers don\u2019t get the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTrue. Hey, was that a compliment? From Halrac the Grim no less. Hah!\u201d<\/p>\n Jelaqua laughed and Halrac scowled. She waved at him.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t take it so personally. I\u2019m happy to hear that, really. And I wish I had a title. All I get called is \u2018corpse snatcher\u2019 and \u2018body thief\u2019, and all Selphids get called that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t ask for my title. Ulrien <\/em>doesn\u2019t have a nickname. There\u2019s no reason for me to have one if you don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n Halrac snapped and rose. The acid had stopped, although the walls were still wet. He went to study the room with Seborn while Jelaqua turned to Ulrien. The Selphid looked concerned.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t mean to offend him.\u201d<\/p>\n Ulrien grimaced, looking at his friend\u2019s back.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t take it personally. Halrac just doesn\u2019t like the attention. It\u2019s nothing to do with you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, well, you know how titles go. We don\u2019t choose them, other people do. And you have to admit, it suits him.\u201d<\/p>\n Jelaqua winked slyly at Halrac, whose shoulders had tensed up. Ulrien smiled and covered it with a hand.<\/p>\n \u201cHe has a point, though. Halrac\u2019s one of the best [Scouts] on the continent, and probably one of the best ones working as an adventurer, but he\u2019s hardly as noticeable as your team is. Come to that, the Halfseekers have more of a reputation in the south than Griffon Hunt does.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAw. Stop. You\u2019re making me blush. See my orange cheeks?\u201d<\/p>\n Tickled, Jelaqua laughed and pointed to her cheeks, which were indeed glowing slightly orange. Ulrien smiled and Typhenous leaned forwards, chewing aggressively while crumbs fell into his beard.<\/p>\n \u201cUlrien does have a point, though. I\u2019m quite old, but the Halfseekers have been around for a long time, haven\u2019t they, Miss Ivirith? I wouldn\u2019t be surprised if you were older than I was. When I was young, I remember hearing you\u2019d come from Baleros as a Silver-rank adventurer. I recall a time when the Halfseekers were one of the best Gold-rank teams on the continent. There were seven of you back then, weren\u2019t there?\u201d<\/p>\n Jelaqua stopped laughing. She lost her smile, and Ulrien saw Moore sit up slightly. The two Halfseekers looked at each other wordlessly. Typhenous coughed.<\/p>\n \u201cForgive me if I misspoke. I did not mean to pry.\u201d<\/p>\n Adventurer deaths were common, but each party remembered their own differently. Halrac and Ulrien had buried more than a few friends, and it was courtesy not to bring up the fallen. But Jelaqua shook her head. She put her hands on her knees and sat cross-legged as Moore rested his weight on his staff, looking tired.<\/p>\n \u201cEight. There were eight of us, not too long ago. We were great, yeah. We thought we could become a Named Adventuring team. None of us were on that level of course, but together? We could have taken down a nest of adult Crelers and fought our way through a trio of Wyverns like that.\u201d<\/p>\n She snapped her fingers softly. Halrac and Seborn half-turned\u2014they were trying to saw through parts of the grate. Jelaqua waved a hand and they turned away.<\/p>\n The other adventurers sat a bit closer. Revi scooted over, looking concerned.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat happened then? If you don\u2019t mind telling. I remember hearing the Halfseekers had lost a lot of their group, but I never heard what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n Typhenous cleared his throat gently.<\/p>\n \u201cI ah, heard it was in relation to the Sepicus Delve, where you fought through the caverns and looted the swallowed treasures\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cClose, but not quite.\u201d<\/p>\n Jelaqua grinned and then shook her head, closing her eyes and frowning sadly. Moore\u2019s head was lowered.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was actually after that. We got chewed up down there, but we came back, all eight of us. I was wounded and needed a new body, Moore was too hurt to walk and needed the poisons leeched out of him before he could be healed and Seborn was asleep when it happened. Our other five members were checking over our loot when a fight broke out.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOver treasure? But that\u2019s such a rookie\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Revi broke off at Ulrien\u2019s glance. Fighting over magical artifacts was a typical end to many groups, but he had a feeling that wasn\u2019t what Jelaqua was referring to.<\/p>\n He was right. Jelaqua shook her head.<\/p>\n \u201cIf it was a quarrel over treasure\u2026no. This was different. It was betrayal, pure and simple. One of our own turned on us. He slaughtered four of our own and fled with everything we\u2019d found. We went after him of course, but we never found him. Moore, Seborn and I are all that\u2019s left.\u201d<\/p>\n Silence fell after Jelaqua\u2019s story. Ulrien stared at the Selphid.<\/p>\n \u201cThat is odd. Fighting over an artifact is one thing, but killing? Was what you recovered so valuable?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo! And that\u2019s the damned thing!\u201d<\/p>\n She struck her leg repeatedly, bruising her dead flesh until Moore grabbed her hand. He spoke while Jelaqua looked down.<\/p>\n \u201cI am afraid the matter isn\u2019t so cut and dried, Ulrien. If it were just treasure our companion wanted\u2026we might have given him all of it. We don\u2019t discriminate if the needs of one of our group outweighs the other. But instead, our friend\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat bastard.\u201d<\/p>\n Jelaqua muttered. Moore nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cHe ran with everything and killed our companions. Not because he feared we\u2019d make him share, but, we think, to hide what was stolen.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAn artifact of great power?\u201d<\/p>\n Typhenous sat up, eyes alert. Moore nodded quietly.<\/p>\n \u201cOr a secret.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd he\u2019s still at large? Your companion? Who is he?\u201d<\/p>\n Ulrien looked at Jelaqua. It seemed incredible that a Gold-rank adventurer could turn traitor and he not hear of it. Normally every adventurer within a thousand miles would receive a bounty on the head of the criminal. The Adventurer\u2019s Guild did not tolerate traitors. But Jelaqua and Moore paused.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s alive, but there\u2019s no bounty on him and no one knows he\u2019s out there but us. We couldn\u2019t tell anyone else except for our closest allies, and we had few of those even in the good days.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou can count us among them. If not to help, at least to listen.\u201d<\/p>\n Ulrien spoke for his group. Jelaqua hesitated. She looked at Moore and he nodded. She sighed.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, but you\u2019ll understand why we kept this secret. You know the Halfseekers are all about taking races that don\u2019t quite fit? Not just half races like half-Elves or half-Giants like Moore\u2026people like me. Selphids. Races that don\u2019t quite fit with other groups. Well, our last member was really different. He was a Goblin.\u201d<\/p>\n Revi gasped. There was a clang<\/em>, and then an oath. Halrac, working in the room next door, had dropped his metal file in surprise. Of course he\u2019d been listening as well. Ulrien stared at Jelaqua.<\/p>\n \u201cNo. A Goblin? How could that be possible? They\u2019re savages.\u201d<\/p>\n She shrugged tiredly.<\/p>\n \u201cLooks like they are in the end. But our companion was a Hobgoblin, not an ordinary one, you know? He was as good as any Goblin Chieftain\u2014better, actually. We always thought he was as good as a Goblin could get without being a Goblin Lord. His name was\u2026Garen Redfang. We know he\u2019s still alive. Got his own tribe now too, by the sounds of it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRedfang. Redfang\u2026I\u2019ve heard of that tribe. It\u2019s one of the Goblin tribes around the High Passes. It\u2019s considered a danger to Gold-rank adventurers.\u201d<\/p>\n Ulrien recalled the warnings. There were only a few Goblin tribes with that kind of warning, and the Redfang tribe had earned theirs by killing several Silver and Gold-rank teams that had gone after them. Jelaqua grimaced.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s not surprising. Garen was\u2026one of our best warriors. A natural leader, too. He\u2019s a [Rider] and a [Warrior] and he\u2019s got magical artifacts. Like any Gold-rank adventurer.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo he betrayed your team. Over what?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t know!\u201d<\/p>\n The Selphid spread her arms helplessly. She looked around at the others.<\/p>\n \u201cWe were wary of Garen, but he was with us for two years<\/em> and saved all of our lives more than once. He was one of us, but when he found the treasure\u2026I knew there was something wrong. But I can\u2019t remember what we pulled out. I was almost dead and one of my eyes was missing\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSeborn remembers a key, a magical orb of some kind, some spell scrolls, a few magical weapons\u2026it may be the key, but what would a Goblin know of keys? Their people don\u2019t use keys and identifying the lock would be a tremendous task for the most well-informed [Spymaster]. If the key even had a lock. As for the rest\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Moore shook his huge head. Ulrien and the others sat in silence for a while. In the distance, they heard Halrac and Seborn finally cut through the grating and send the entire contraption clanging<\/em> into the pit below.<\/p>\n \u201cIf your companion\u2019s a threat, he needs to be taken care of. Justice should be done for your fallen. After this dungeon\u2026we could discuss it.\u201d<\/p>\n Ulrien offered the suggestion to Jelaqua. She nodded tiredly. A bit of a smile crept back onto her face, which Ulrien was glad to see.<\/p>\n \u201cWho knew Griffon Hunt was full of such softies? Don\u2019t let it get out or Halrac\u2019s reputation will be ruined. And don\u2019t worry\u2014we won\u2019t let the past get in the way of the dungeon. To rebuild our group we need coin and treasure, and that\u2019s what we\u2019re here for.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBut you won\u2019t forget, will you?\u201d<\/p>\n Revi spoke up. Ulrien looked at her and saw the Stitch Girl\u2019s hands were clenched. The String People valued their own highly, he recalled. No wonder Revi felt passionate. Jelaqua nodded slowly and Moore sat up. The gentle half-Giant\u2019s eyes were shadowed.<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry, we won\u2019t forget. Ever. Garen knows it, which is why he\u2019s always kept his head down. He\u2019s on our list.\u201d<\/p>\n With that, the conversation ended. Seborn and Halrac came back to report the trapped room had been cleared and they were constructing a bridge across the chasm to the next room. The Gold-ranked adventurers moved onto the next trapped room, and the next.<\/p>\n Six hours after they\u2019d begun, the Halfseekers and Griffon Hunt emerged blinking back into the white, snowy world. They were covered in dirt, tired, hungry despite Jelaqua\u2019s snack, and on-edge from dealing with traps and close calls.<\/p>\n One of the last traps had extended back into the corridor and one of the camouflaged wall scorpions had nearly stabbed Ulrien through the face. It had got Revi in the arm, but she\u2019d pulled her arm off and had cut the envenomed cotton away. She still needed a healing potion though, and the pain from reattaching her arm and feeling the wound in her flesh for a few moments had made her more snappish than usual.<\/p>\n \u201cHold! Who goes there?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUs! It\u2019s always us!\u201d<\/p>\n Jelaqua shouted as the [Guardsmen] on the barricades heard them coming up the tunnel. After a pause they were allowed to continue, and the Gold-rank adventurers found a flurry of commotion on the wall. One of the Gnolls tossed down a ladder so the adventurers could climb up. The rest were packing up their gear and heading towards the city.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n Ulrien and the other adventurers were immediately alert. The Gnoll paused long enough to growl at them.<\/p>\n \u201cTrouble. Something just crawled out of the second dungeon entrance! The Captain\u2019s locking down the gates! If you want into the city, hurry!\u201d<\/p>\n He loped off towards the gates. The adventurers looked at each other. Typhenous frowned.<\/p>\n \u201cUp through the chasm? But that rift stretches down hundreds of feet\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot a problem for some monsters, especially if they can fly. What should we do? I can scout the trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n Halrac was looking at Ulrien. The big man considered their options. As Gold-rank adventurers they were expected to help in times of crisis, but that didn\u2019t mean taking on every threat, especially when a city like Liscor could easily defend its walls from most enemies.<\/p>\n Revi shook her head as the Gold-rank adventurers conferred.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not our fight. Why invite trouble?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cErin\u2019s inn isn\u2019t within city limits. That\u2019s all the trouble you need, especially if whatever\u2019s out there decides they want an easier snack.\u201d<\/p>\n Jelaqua pointed that out and Ulrien nodded. He turned to Halrac.<\/p>\n \u201cHalrac\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m gone.\u201d<\/p>\n The [Scout] charged through the snow, running fast despite the deep drifts as he scouted ahead. His Skills would let him see danger and avoid it which is why Ulrien let him go alone. Jelaqua was looking at Seborn.<\/p>\n \u201cI could let Seborn\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot necessary. Halrac\u2019s a [Scout]. He can retreat if anything comes at him. Unless Seborn has similar Skills?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPoint. Let\u2019s get to Erin\u2019s inn, then!\u201d<\/p>\n The Gold-rank adventurers began marching hard through the snow, keeping an eye out for trouble. On the walls of Liscor, they saw Drakes and Gnolls running back and forth. The gates closed as a group of people streamed through it. The Gold-rank adventurers marched on, yet the monsters weren\u2019t visible from their position on the snowy plains.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s Halrac!\u201d<\/p>\n Revi shouted as she saw the [Scout] racing towards them over a hill. Halrac waved his hand and pointed north\u2014both teams of adventurers picked up the pace and met him halfway.<\/p>\n \u201cUndead! Two Flesh Worms, two Crypt Lords<\/em>\u2014a score of Ghouls and lesser undead as well.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFrom that hole in the ground? How?\u201d<\/p>\n Jelaqua demanded as Halrac took a few deep breaths. The [Scout] grimaced.<\/p>\n \u201cIt looks like they crawled up<\/em> the hole somehow. They probably used the ropes those idiots left! I think the Flesh Worms carried both Crypt Lords. And the undead\u2014I\u2019m fairly certain they\u2019re the group that left.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDamn it.\u201d<\/p>\n Ulrien wasn\u2019t one to curse often. He frowned as he looked towards the Wandering Inn in the distance. It was near Liscor, and it wasn\u2019t a stretch to think the undead might target it.<\/p>\n \u201cDidn\u2019t Liscor have a big problem with a Flesh Worm one time? A special one?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSkinner. I\u2019ve heard the stories. It got over the wall. Want to bet these ones can do the same?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo bets. I\u2019m of the mind that we take the undead out rather than risk them attacking the inn or the city. If they killed that adventuring group, we can avenge them. It\u2019s the right thing to do. What does your group think?\u201d<\/p>\n Ulrien looked at Jelaqua. She grinned.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re down for a fight. You leave one of the Flesh Worms to us\u2014we\u2019ll hit them from one side and you squeeze them from the other. That sound good?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWorks for us.\u201d<\/p>\n There was no time to come up with a detailed plan and besides, both teams didn\u2019t need anything elaborate. The enemy wasn\u2019t that dangerous. Ulrien gave rapid orders to his group, going over a plan of attack while they marched through the snow towards the rift.<\/p>\n \u201cI want our worm immobilized. Revi can deal with the bulk of the lesser undead, and Halrac can support from the air.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou want him high up?\u201d<\/p>\n Typhenous looked at Ulrien. Both Halrac and Ulrien nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no ranged or aerial threats, aside from the Crypt Lords spitting black blood. You and Revi keep back while I engage the Crypt Lord. Just pour on spells from the side and we\u2019ll be fine.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGot it.\u201d<\/p>\n Both [Mages] nodded. Ulrien grunted, drew his greatsword, and picked up the pace. Within minutes he could see shapes rushing over the snow in the distance. Two giant red worms, writhing and shooting across the landscape at unsettling speed were leading a pair of giant Crypt Lords, amalgamations of rotten flesh and bone. A horde of zombies, ghouls, and skeletons rushed behind them. It was an army of the undead, but Ulrien knew the only true threats were the Flesh Worms.<\/p>\n They were both twenty feet long, had thick red flesh, tiny black eyes and long antennae, and two whip-like appendages with feelers on the ends. These feelers could latch onto flesh and tear it away in an instant. Ulrien had heard stories of Flesh Worms building themselves obscene layers of armor from the skin of their victims over time. These ones didn\u2019t have any such protections, but they were fast, strong, and capable of wiping out a party of Bronze or Silver-rank adventurers by themselves.<\/p>\n Not Gold-rank, though. Not Griffon Hunt. The instant the undead were spotted, Ulrien stopped and lifted his greatsword up, blade flat. Halrac ran towards him, bow at the ready and Typhenous raised his staff.<\/p>\n It was a maneuver they\u2019d performed many times. Halrac leapt onto the flat of Ulrien\u2019s huge blade and Ulrien grunted. He heaved up,<\/em> and Halrac leapt from his sword into the air as Typhenous raised his staff.<\/p>\n \u201c[Platform of Air].\u201d<\/p>\n Halrac landed on the transparent disc ten feet above the ground and reached for the quiver at his side. He snapped down at the others as he put an arrow with a shimmering yellow-tipped head to his bowstring.<\/p>\n \u201cShocking left!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cImmobilizing right. [Sticky Webbing].\u201d<\/p>\n Typhenous lifted his staff as Halrac shot the first arrow. There was over twenty meters separating him and the Flesh Worm, but his arrow still stuck the undulating red serpent straight between the eyes. It shrieked<\/em>, making Halrac clench his teeth as lightning burst from his arrow and made the Flesh Worm twist upon itself in agony.<\/p>\n At the same time, a stream of grey tendrils lashed out from Typhenous\u2019 staff. The older [Mage] caught the second Flesh Worm with the mass as it tried to evade. The sticky web from his spell anchored parts of the worm to the ground, impeding its movement. The Flesh Worm tore up parts of the ground as it tried to free itself.<\/p>\n \u201cWhoo! Mage support! Alright Halfseekers, let\u2019s do this!\u201d<\/p>\n Jelaqua\u2019s team was less refined than Griffon Hunt. They charged across the snow at the first Flesh Worm, all three of them. It twisted upright, hissing, as Jelaqua whirled her flail and attacked its side.<\/p>\n Ulrien charged the second Flesh Worm as it struggled to free itself. The snow was making his footing unstable, so he took care to plant himself in front of the worm before slashing. The worm swung a feeler at his head and Ulrien cut.<\/em> The Flesh Worm screamed as one of its \u2018arms\u2019 was severed and fell to the ground. Ulrien pressed the attack, cutting into its side with his greatsword.<\/p>\n \u201cI will assist Ulrien. Revi, the Crypt Lord is advancing.\u201d<\/p>\n Typhenous commented to Revi as he shot magical missiles of light at the Flesh Worm\u2019s head, forcing it to dodge as Ulrien sliced into its side, trying to saw it in half. Revi sighed.<\/p>\n \u201cI see it old man. Give me one second.\u201d<\/p>\n She reached into her pouch and pulled out a huge chunk of amber. Embedded in the center was a fragment, a bit of horn. Revi held it up and shouted.<\/p>\n \u201cCome forth! Rush, Corusdeer!\u201d<\/p>\n As the Crypt Lord advanced, spitting black blood onto the ground, something shimmered in the air in front of Revi. A bright, antlered shape burst out of the air and the fire from its body melted the earth. Revi pointed and uttered a command.<\/p>\n A glowing Corusdeer formed out of red and yellow fire charged towards the first Crypt Lord. It rammed the undead and there was a wordless howl as it engulfed the Crypt Lord in flames. The Corusdeer broke off, ran a circle in the snow, and rammed the Crypt Lord from the other side. Revi was pointing, commanding its path as two spectral warriors appeared in front of her and Typhenous, waiting for the Ghouls to approach.<\/p>\n Halrac drew an arrow to his cheek and loosed it at a Ghoul. The arrow hit the undead in the head as it ran and the Ghoul dropped. Halrac turned, shot a Ghoul trying to sneak up on the [Mages] from behind, and looked over at the Halfseekers to see how they were doing.<\/p>\n Jelaqua was a whirling image of death as befit her [Iron Tempest] class. Her two-handed flail was a danger to everything around her, and the undead charging at her were torn to bits by her whirling flail\u2019s heads. She closed on the Flesh Worm as it hissed at her. It lashed out, but one of Jelaqua\u2019s flails smacked its tail away as it tried to hit the Selphid.<\/p>\n \u201cI will take it down.\u201d<\/p>\n Moore ran towards the Flesh Worm, long legs churning through the snow. The half-Giant raised his staff and balled his other hand into a fist.<\/p>\n \u201c[Thorny Fist].\u201d<\/p>\n Thick brambles of dark wood engulfed his right hand. Huge thorns shot out, dark and grey like iron and turned Moore\u2019s hand into a deadly weapon. He lashed out at the Flesh Worm\u2014<\/p>\n And missed. The giant red worm was incredibly agile. It leaned back and dove head-first at Moore, mouth opened wide. He blocked it with his enchanted hand, but the magical gauntlet of wood and thorns wasn\u2019t stronger than the Flesh Worm\u2019s flesh. It had bitten through several layers of the bark surrounding his vulnerable skin when Seborn appeared and stabbed the Flesh Worm in the side with glowing daggers.<\/p>\n It screamed as part of its flesh caught on fire and whirled to attack Seborn. The [Rogue] dove out of the way and seemed to vanish in the snow. Moore backed up, shaking his hand.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks, Seborn.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTake care of the undead. Let Jelaqua and I handle the worm.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAgreed.\u201d<\/p>\n Moore took a few steps back as Jelaqua lashed the Flesh Worm\u2019s side with her flail and Seborn stabbed its tail. He turned and saw the undead were about to fall on his party from behind.<\/p>\n The half-Giant calmly kicked a zombie hard enough to send it flying through the air, punched a Ghoul down as it leapt on him, and then stepped on its back. Halrac winced as he heard bones crack.<\/em><\/p>\n The other Crypt Lord charged Moore, but hesitantly. It was actually shorter than the half-Giant and Moore was nearly as wide as it was. Moore used the remains of his enchanted hand to hold the Crypt Lord at bay as its rows of teeth and claws scratched harmlessly at his wooden gauntlet. Then he raised his staff with his left hand.<\/p>\n Moore thrust the tip of his broad staff into <\/em>the Crypt Lord\u2019s side, tearing into dead flesh and pushing the undead monstrosity back. As it tried to swipe at him, Moore uttered a spell.<\/p>\n \u201c[Entangling Vines].\u201d<\/p>\n Thick, green ropes of plant matter erupted from the Crypt Lord\u2019s side. It engulfed the struggling undead as Moore let go, sealing its mouth, anchoring it to the ground and rendering it immobile. Moore nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cProblem solved.\u201d<\/p>\n The half-Giant turned away and began hitting the undead around him with his staff, not bothering with more spells. In the meantime, Jelaqua had brought the battle to the Flesh Worm.<\/p>\n Five times, ten times, twenty times she struck the Flesh Worm\u2019s side with her flail. Its hide was incredibly thick, but the force of each of her flail strikes was able to tear into its hide slightly. And she kept hitting <\/em>it. Jelaqua\u2019s arms were a blur as she lashed the Flesh Worm\u2019s side, tearing it apart hit by hit. She was laughing as she attacked.<\/p>\n \u201cStrikestrikestrikestrikestrike\u2014<\/em>whoa, that was close.\u201d<\/p>\n Jelaqua ducked low as the Flesh Worm lashed out towards her with its feelers. It swung its body around and its tail came at waist height. Jelaqua cursed as she dove beneath it, and then saw the Flesh Worm poised to lunge. The worm opened its mouth and then an arrow sprouted from one eye.<\/p>\n It screamed. Seborn took the opportunity to sever a good section of its lower body with a decisive strike. The Flesh Worm screamed again as it bled orange-red blood and tried to retreat. Jelaqua cut it off and her flail caught it on the head this time.<\/p>\n \u201cTake this!\u201d<\/p>\n She lifted her flail and buried the spiked ball into the Flesh Worm\u2019s head. The worm screamed, tried to move. Jelaqua whirled her flail, building up speed. She hit the same place again. And then again. The third blow crunched something in the Flesh Worm\u2019s brains and it went still.<\/p>\n As the gigantic creatures stopped moving, Jelaqua studied the broken arrow shaft in its eye and looked around. She saw Halrac standing on his platform of air, shooting down Ghouls and Zombies. She waved a hand at him as he turned his head her way and grinned.<\/p>\n Halrac lifted one hand. He grinned as he shot a Ghoul through the head. Jelaqua laughed and spun. Her flail crushed a zombie\u2019s skull and she whirled her two-handed flail, knocking another zombie off of its feet.<\/p>\n Ulrien finally managed to hack the second Flesh Worm in half and dashed back as it fell to the ground, screaming. It was still alive though, and Typhenous had to blast it with [Fireballs] twice before it fell. Revi\u2019s summoned Corusdeer had incinerated her Crypt Lord, and with her summoned warriors and Halrac\u2019s shooting, the rest of the undead on their side were cleaned up in minutes.<\/p>\n All the undead around Moore had been thoroughly smashed as well. The half-Giant was leaning on his staff and talking to Seborn as he regarded the bound Crypt Lord. No one was in the mood for a fair fight, so Revi let her Corusdeer charge into the Crypt Lord and burn it to pieces. The adventurers headed back towards the Wandering Inn, chatting and cleaning undead gore off of their weapons.<\/p>\n There was something cathartic about fighting monsters. It was simple. There was no tension, worrying that a trap might go off and endanger the group. When you killed a monster, you killed it for good, even if that meant burning the remains until there was nothing left.<\/p>\n \u201cNice moves against the Flesh Worm. Have you fought them before?\u201d<\/p>\n Ulrien was chatting with Jelaqua. She shook her head, looking rueful.<\/p>\n \u201cNo. I didn\u2019t expect the bugger to be so quick!<\/em> Your Halrac\u2019s a great shot, though. I\u2019d prefer not tangling with those worms anyways, to be honest. My flail\u2019s not a good matchup against them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTrue. Holding them down and cutting them apart works for my group.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh? Well next time I think we\u2019ll just let Moore entangle it and then beat it to death as well. He\u2019s got some great vine spells, as you saw back there.\u201d<\/p>\n Revi was smiling for once, and chatting with Seborn and Moore.<\/p>\n \u201cThink we\u2019ll get a bounty on the undead?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cPerhaps. Although we didn\u2019t take any trophies.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTrophies? You can see their bodies over there! If the city wants proof so bad, they can just come out here and count themselves. Anyways, that was refreshing. Anyone want a drink?\u201d<\/p>\n Moore nodded.<\/p>\n \u201cI could do with a keg of something spicy. And Lyonette promised me a lot of pasta with meatballs tonight. I prefer the Gnollish kind, having tried them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOoh, share some with me. I think I\u2019ll have Erin make this\u2026\u2018lasagna\u2019 she keeps talking about tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m partial to that as well. Let\u2019s order some for all of us.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n The Gold-rank adventurers returned to the inn, chatting, smiling, and not talking about the adventurers that had died. It was part of their life. The others had taken a risk and paid for it. Mourning them was appropriate, and perhaps some words would be said. But death was too often part of their lives for it to detract from living.<\/p>\n \u201cHey! It\u2019s you guys! How are you? Had a busy day?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin Solstice looked up from her tables, beaming as the Gold-rank adventurers took a seat. In moments she had drinks coming their way courtesy of Drassi, and she was already directing Lyonette to take out the pre-cooked lasagna, much to Revi\u2019s delight and Seborn\u2019s dismay.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not a fan of cheese. Cows are\u2026odd creatures. We don\u2019t have things like them in the sea. Do you have anything less cheese related?<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHow about fish? Lyonette had one jump out at her and she beat it to death with a bucket. Sound good?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat would be excellent. Can you make it spicy?<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWill do! Oh, by the way, did Lyonette tell you all about what I wanted to talk to you earlier about but never got the chance to talk about?\u201d<\/p>\n Halrac blinked and Typhenous rubbed his ears as the adventurers tried to decode Erin\u2019s convoluted statement. Moore sat up as Lyonette and Drassi lifted a huge pot of spaghetti and meatballs onto his table.<\/p>\n \u201cI recall something about slimes.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah! Slimes! Let me get your food and we\u2019ll talk. Or actually, Lyonette and the others will get your food and I\u2019ll talk. Isn\u2019t having help great?\u201d<\/p>\n Erin beamed as she hovered around the tables with her guests. She had hot food, cool drinks, and a warm, inviting smile. All an adventurer wanted at the end of the day. Well, Revi could have done without the smile. She just wanted the drinks.<\/p>\n \u201cHow was your day? Did anything interesting happen? I heard there was some kind of monster attack, but Bird says all the monsters are \u2018taken care of\u2019. Did anything crazy happen to you guys?\u201d<\/p>\n Halrac glanced over at the rest of his team, and then at Jelaqua and the Halfseekers. It was the Selphid who grinned and casually took a mug from Lyonette\u2019s tray.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, nothing special. What\u2019s this about slimes?\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \u2014\u2014<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n So it went. Adventurers did their jobs and got paid for it. Some were quiet heroes, others bold and unapologetic. The experienced ones took calculated risks and paved the way for others to follow. They did their job, and it was a mark of experience that they did not brag about what they did.<\/p>\n However, the inexperienced didn\u2019t know that and so talked constantly. On one snowy trail recently cleared by flame magic, one such adventurer was lauding his achievements to a very patient, very blind young man on a wagon. Laken Godart sat on the wagon\u2019s back, wishing for once that he were blind and deaf.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2014so as I said, we\u2019re not Gold-rank<\/em> adventurers, but we\u2019re\u2026pretty close. I mean, Silver-rank\u2019s the best you\u2019ll see around most parts. Not Invrisil, true, but I like to think we\u2019re competitive with Gold-rank teams for a lot of assignments.\u201d<\/p>\n One of the adventurers, a young man with a sword and an air of unwarranted confidence, was riding a horse and chattering to Laken. He was quite taken with the [Emperor], mainly because Laken was rumored to be some sort of rich [Lord] and it never hurt to impress the nobility. He was the leader of the Windfrozen Riders, one of the two Silver-rank teams Laken had hired to protect Riverfarm and escort him back to his village.<\/p>\n He was regretting that choice. Charitable though the Windfrozen Riders might be to the plight of simple villagers, humble they were not. Their leader had talked his ear off for three hours straight, and this was the second day of travelling with him. He only broke off when Durene walked to the head of the wagon and spoke with Laken.<\/p>\n \u201cLaken.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, Durene. Thank you for saving my ears. Is he gone?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s talking to Gamel. Hey, Laken, can I punch him?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat? Durene\u2026no. No, that wouldn\u2019t be right.\u201d<\/p>\n It was uncharacteristic of the half-Troll to be violent at all. However, she was almost as annoyed with the cocky adventurer as Laken was. He dismissed her question, trying not to imagine how satisfying the sound of her thumping the young adventurer would be.<\/p>\n \u201cPatience, Durene. We need these adventurers as friends. I\u2019ll ask him to quiet down a bit, but violence isn\u2019t the answer. Punching him wouldn\u2019t do him any good, would it?\u201d<\/p>\n Durene made a disgruntled sound.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, but if I punch him, I\u2019ll save him from being killed by the other adventurers. The [Mage] with the glasses say she\u2019ll turn him into a toad. Can she do that?\u201d<\/p>\n Laken laughed, and then frowned thoughtfully.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s a [Witch]. And I think she\u2019s not high enough level to do that. She\u2019d probably only give him a long tongue and slimy skin. Maybe some webbed feet, but that\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n He heard a shuffle, and then a note of complaint in Durene\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, but can I punch him anyways? He keeps telling me that he\u2019s got a second sword just as long as his first sword. Which is impossible. It wouldn\u2019t fit in his pants. And who\u2019d want a sword that big, anyways?\u201d<\/p>\n Laken made an amused face.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019d be surprised what some guys think they\u2019d like, Durene.\u201d<\/p>\n There was a pause. Durene trudged alongside the wagon as Laken found Frostwing\u2019s head. The bird was getting very big, and she was starting to flap her wings as if she was trying to fly. Laken wondered what would happen when she did. Would he be able to command Frostwing? Talk to her? He was a [Beast Tamer].<\/p>\n After a moment, Durene edged closer and whispered in Laken\u2019s ear.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know I don\u2019t mean sword, right? He was talking about his pe\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI get it, Durene.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo can I hit him?\u201d<\/p>\n Laken sighed. He could hear the adventurer coming back towards the wagon. He stared ahead, and wished he were back at Riverfarm sooner.<\/p>\n \u201cWell?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m thinking about it.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Previous Chapter<\/a> Next Chapter<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Wandering Inn was full today as well. That was unusual, at least to Erin, Lyonette, and anyone who knew the inn well. Erin had developed an inn based around the idea of \u2018just enough people to survive\u2019 for quite some time. To have an inn that was actually bustling was surprising. However, word had […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52856846,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_searchwp_excluded":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"patreon-level":0,"patreon_level":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[11693084,349],"tags":[7224,250708,4330244,4472517,11693079],"twi_volume":[11693133],"twi_collection":[],"class_list":["post-4116","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-volume-4","category-writing","tag-fantasy","tag-inn","tag-web-novel","tag-web-serial","tag-writing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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