“Maybe, Maebe might know, so we could ask her whenever she comes back,” James finished speaking, and I looked toward the door that we had entered when coming in here. It was open now, and I could make out Maebe and Fainnir against the shadows.
They seemed to be discussing something serious, so I left them alone.
“Found the door,” Muu called from the other side of the room.
A small doorway with a symbol of a spider on it barred our exit from this portion of the dungeon. There was nothing else on it, but that didn’t mean we just sat there idly looking at it with our thumbs up our butts.
“Open, says me,” Balmur joked. The rest of us looked at him, but he was still laughing from finding himself so funny that he didn’t care.
“Maybe try touching it?” James offered his hand, reaching toward the barrier. His palm touched it, and nothing happened. Huh.
“What about that crystal?” Yohsuke shrugged. “There wasn’t anything like a key, I checked.”
“And I had an eye out, too.” Balmur lifted his jar of eyes, which now included two human eyes and one of the spider’s several.
Jaken gagged. “Oh, gross.”
I rolled my eyes and took the crystal out, the blood on it had dried a little bit. I glanced from it, to the door, then held it out until it was almost touching, then a blur of teeth snapped it out of my hand. Flecks of the blood landing on the door and the symbol. The door shifted a little, but the thing that took all of my energy was Bea. She had the crystal in her mouth and began to jerk her head back like she was swallowing.
“Are you fucking serious?” I spat, more in exasperation than anger. “What is your deal, Bea?”
She finished swallowing before I got to her, then started to strut around the room, her head bobbing forward like she was the queen of the roost.
ALERT!
Your familiar has found and consumed a monster crystal. This has resulted in there being a Mutation to her abilities.
Venom Claw – The creature that obtains this ability through consuming the crystal can envenom their main means of attack for a small mana cost. Cost: 20 MP. Duration: 30 seconds. Cooldown: 1 minute.
Do you accept? Yes? / No?
“Get the hell out of here, man,” I grumbled. “Jaken called it, that was a monster crystal, and I guess consuming them can result in mutations. So, we may be able to find something down here for Tmont, too, Bokaj.”
“Hear that T’?” Bokaj excitedly pulled his cat out of his hood, her meowing at him bitter and slightly mutinous as he swung her around. “We might get you something cool.”
I turned back to see Yohsuke throw his hand inside the wounds of the spider and come away bloody. He walked over to the door and smeared the blood over the symbol on the door, and it raised all the way.
“Clever way to get through,” I observed, the gamer in me screaming about how amazing this was. I accepted the mutation and watched as the talons on the larger toes on Bea’s feet darkened and turned brown. “That’s fucking cool.”
She eyed me haughtily, her tail flicking back and forth making me growl at her. “Don’t you look at me in that tone of voice, young lady. I’ll still beat your ass if you don’t learn to listen to me!”
She sniffed but came over to me and nuzzled my knee lovingly. I could feel her pressing against my mind and opened our connection.
Father stupid. She teased, but I could feel both her tolerance and love for me in the thought.
“You make it real hard not to be angry at you, you little shit.” I reached down and picked her up, letting her lick my nose. “Stop that, I’m mad at you right now.”
She rumbled in her throat; it sounded decidedly like laughter. I sighed, and she rubbed her nose against my cheek. “Dumb lizard.”
“We are ready to move on,” Maebe announced as she walked back into the room with a bashful Fainnir in tow.
She stopped, and the dwarf stepped forward. “You were right.” He looked up at us. “I’ll listen to wha’ ye say, an’ I’ll learn proper, because the lot o’ ye are trustin’ me with yer lives, and me people are trustin’ me with their future.”
Maebe put a gentle hand on the young dwarf’s shoulder. “Well done, Fainnir. You should be proud to serve as a leader. Leaders can do what?”
“Admit their faults an’ seek guidance when it is available,” he stated as if coached repeatedly.
“Lead on then, Fainnir.” James waved him forward. They walked off, and I stayed back, letting the others go so I could talk to Maebe.
All I did was glance her way when she spoke, “He took what you said in anger to heart.”
“I didn’t mean to be so harsh.” I frowned, feeling like an asshole.
“I know that, and the others know that.” Maebe took my hand and had me wait inside the entrance. “But he needed a gentle hand. Luckily, I was able to help him understand that he is a leader, and that much is expected from him, because it is. And that we will be hard on him so that he knows how to comport himself on his own.”
“I can sense the ‘but’ in there.” I sighed.
“But from this point on, I need for you to be the king I will be training you to be.” Her hand squeezed mine. “You are not just a mentor anymore, you are a ruler of the Unseelie Fae, and one of the only people in all the realms to have the blessings of the elements. You have to be the best example of all. You will be nothing less than that, do I make myself clear?”
I rose to my full height as I looked down at her, not like I was trying to intimidate her, but because I wanted to be that man. To be that person she needed me to be. To be the person my friends and Fainnir needed.
The kind of person they could rely on.
“Yes, my love,” I said quietly.
Her hands cupped my cheeks and forced my gaze to her own, her green eyes shining in the dim light that floated ahead of us.
“I did not mean for that to sound so harsh, but cruel is the life of a ruler at times.” She frowned, concern taking over her features. “And much the same as in my own life, I left you with little choice.”
A wry grin split my face, and I shifted into my human form, as I pulled her close, I said, “I did say yes. I knew I wanted you. And if this is a price that I have to pay to have you, I pay it gladly.”
We shared a tender moment together, there in the damp darkness of the dungeon then joined our friends.
They arched their eyebrows at me in my human form, but I ignored them. I stepped next to Fainnir and Pebble.
“Alright, you two, the experience is limited in here regardless, so we’re going to have you go in with Bea anyway, ready?” I looked down at them, and they looked confused.
“Who are you, human?” Pebble asked with concern. “When did you—oh. Zeke. That was you?”
I had shifted into my fox-man form while he had been speaking and waited patiently. “Are we ready to proceed?”
“Aye.” Fainnir looked forward and held himself upright, carefully scanning the distance. “Pebble, scan ahead an’ report to me.”
The elemental melted into the ground with a nod and left us there alone.
“You know, Fainnir, I was harsh, and I would like to apologize.” I put a hand on his shoulder gently.
“It were only words, Zeke.” He shrugged my hand off easily. “I know’d things’d be different. But I failed to realize that me position was so important. Ain’t a normal dwarf no more, so I can’t be approachin’ things as a normal dwarf.”
“You’re special,” I agreed. “That difference will cost you much, but you are also a legend in the making. Never forget who you are, and forge ahead.”
He nodded, but I wasn’t done. “You have a new Way now, Fainnir. And it is along that path, your path, that your people will find a measure of safety and salvation.”
I saw his grip tighten on his weapon, tears streaming from his eyes. “That be a lot to put on a dwarf’s shoulders.”
Pebble returned then, his diamond eyes searching, and my lips qu
irked at the timing. “Yeah, it is. I guess it’s a good thing that you have friends to help you bear that burden.”
Pebble nudged his master and gave a lopsided grin of support. Fainnir sniffed and ran a hand under his nose.
“There are several groupings of creatures up ahead, small, not quite the size of the bugs from before,” Pebble reported and turned, stepping in front of the earth mage.
“Then we march on, ye’ll take the lead an’ majority o’ the physical attacks as I work on damagin’ and defeatin’ our foes.” he glanced at me. “Zeke, I don’t know what ye be wantin’ Bea to do, but please, keep her away from Pebble. My earth magics won’t harm him, but they will her.”
“Excellent strategy, Earth Mage Fainnir,” I congratulated him, softly. “I will do as you ask. For this floor, these are your calls. If you have questions, ask. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
He nodded once and grunted. “Let’s go cautiously, Pebble.”
I watched them stalk off, Jaken taking lead for the rest of us, letting the rest of them go before I did with Maebe.
“Well done.” She grasped my hand and pulled me forward behind the others.
“Contact!” James hollered back to us, and I hurried forward.
When I made it to the front, the view opened up. Fainnir, Pebble, and Bea worked well together.
Bea went in first, collected the creatures that were nearby, and led them to Pebble. Pebble raised a stone partition that kept them near him, and Fainnir used his earth spells to whittle them down while Bea harried them at the rear.
It was an ingenious plan, and highly respectable. Once the violence was truly at an end, I checked on the group. Nothing more serious than a bite wound on Bea’s leg, but she was fine once Jaken healed her.
The creatures were rats, but not the gigantic kind I had expected, but they looked a little on the malnourished side.
“Well done, all of you.” I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face. “Excellent teamwork.”
Fainnir nodded and made a motion to Pebble, who sank into the ground and went forth once more.
So the second floor went, the group would work together to bring the rats together into a trap, then dispatch them as swiftly as they could. They usually did this with minimal need for healing and with as much communication as what Fainnir deemed necessary. I would pass along Bea’s observations, which typically were to kill more, and they would adjust where it was needed.
The boss of this area was interesting.
Hamelin’s Weasel Level 4
The large weasel stood nearly as large a pony, slick gray fur and beady red eyes watched us as we entered the room. The amount of us that came in seemed to intimidate it a little bit. It cowered back toward a large burrow it’d made in a pile of rubble and stone.
“Pebble, I think we can make this work in one go.” Fainnir squinted at the pile of rubble and our surroundings. “Check for an exit, and close both it and the entry off. I’ll be takin’ care o’ the rest.”
Pebble shrank into the ground at his feet and was gone for only a second before he was back and lifted his arms. Stone shot out of the earth in front of the entry, sealing it just enough that we could see a little of what was going on inside.
Fainnir stepped forward with a sigh and a look of resignation on his features before lifting his own hands and muttering a string of words under his breath.
Shrieking squeaks and hissed pain met our ears as he motioned into the air. Blood leaked from the slight sighting space we could see at the entry, the floor growing slick with it. Though we couldn’t really see what was going on inside due to the dark and the motion, Fainnir could, and a swift casting of Life Sense showed me that the creature was dead.
I was really going to need to make use of more of my spells. Bea seemed only a little interested in the body, but that was more for the fact that she had worked up a strong hunger and wanted a snack. Otherwise, she didn’t seem to dig for anything in it once it was gone.
I took my hand and ran it through the blood of the weasel and slathered it over the image on the door to the next floor. They had said that every three floors there was a room to rest. It had only felt like we had been in here a couple of hours, we could make it through this place quickly if we pushed ourselves.
Then again, if we were tired and got careless, that was how people got hurt. We could afford to gauge our progress and go from the rest area if that was the case.
Something’s up with Fainnir, guys, Muu stated through our earrings.
I blinked over at him, and Jaken responded, Yeah. He’s not taking this kind of use of his powers well, I don’t think.
What are you all talking about? I snorted in disbelief. He’s killing it! He’s a fucking rockstar right now. And Pebble and Bea are right there with him!
Muu shook his head. I think we need to dig into this a little deeper when we can afford to, he looks…morose.
James nodded. Different from the kid I met last night, that’s for certain. I think we should observe a bit longer, then call it and rest for a bit at the safe area while we try and sort him out if he needs it.
I nodded, not really getting what the big deal was. He was a fucking earth-wielding wrecking ball, and now that he was using all the tools he had available to him, he was so much stronger than before.
We walked down a narrow path that wound down until it touched on the next floor, and immediately, the whole dynamic of the dungeon changed. There was air here, fresh and flowing freely. The ground was covered in grass taller than my ankles, and the room we entered was large and roomy. There appeared to be alcoves somewhat along the walls spaced out in irregular intervals with some trees and bushes scattered here and there.
“Could this be the rest area?” Balmur whistled softly.
I took it upon myself to cast Life Sense once more and wasn’t surprised to see my friends surrounding me when the little blips lit up on my minimap. What did freak me out was the more than twenty red blips that had us surrounded.
“Uh, guys. We’re kind of surrounded,” I warned the others. “Twenty of ‘em. Anyone want to take a guess as to what the theme of this place could be?”
Yohsuke growled and looked like he was beginning to puzzle it together. “I got it, I think. The first floor was bugs and a spider. The second floor had rats and a weasel. If it follows some kind of system, then whatever we fight here, the predator is the boss.”
“Sounds reasonable,” Muu muttered and looked around. “I mean, it’s only level three for these enemies, so not all that much to be worried about, right?”
“They are beneath the ground.” Pebble had knelt down and touched the earth beneath him. “But they seem to be content to stay where they are, for now.”
“How many o’ them be there, Pebble?” Fainnir glanced around and knelt next to his elemental friend. “Can ye tell what they are?”
“Twenty-four creatures in the immediate area and some of them are deeper down.” Pebble put his other hand on the ground. “I do not know what they are, but I can go down and lure them up to you if you want me to?”
“Let’s try something else first.” Fainnir looked to me. “Could you have Bea sprint straight toward where some of the creatures are to see if they react to pressure?”
I thought about it for a moment, then decided that she was going to do what she wanted, anyway. I may as well try and get her used to the idea that I could help and at least steer her in ways I needed her to go.
I touched her mind with mine and we made a plan. All she had to do was sprint twenty feet out, turn and book it back our way. That was all.
I had her wait until we were all ready, then she took off at a trot.
“They’re moving toward her, and the farther away she is, the faster they’re going to move, get her back.” Pebble, his normally placid tone replaced by panic, shouted, “Now!”
I mentally shouted for her to kick it into overdrive, and Bea was a blur as she sped off toward the far wall with long
lines of overturning topsoil forming behind her. She kicked off the wall and was on her way back. She juked left as a pair of long, wickedly curved claws reached out of the ground toward her. The earth gave way beneath her feet, and she sprung off the air as a creature gave chase, flying from the dirt and into the air behind her and closing.
Suddenly, Kayda was there, snatching the beast out of the air and screeching her sovereignty to the world around her. She flapped her way toward us, tossing the creature so that I caught it deftly and wished I hadn’t. It was covered in dirt, smelled like shit, and urine, and was trying to claw me even though I was easily capable of killing the animal.
Mole Level 3
“If that’s a mole, my magic won’t be very effective against it.” Fainnir looked distraught for a moment, and I could finally see what the others were talking about.
“Don’t worry, buddy.” I smiled comfortingly at the dwarf. “We can take care of these guys.”
I looked at the others, some of them grinning, James looked bored and Jaken like he wasn’t sure what to do.
“Balmur and Yoh, you two and I will use our shadow magic to reach into the holes and pull them out.” I looked to the melee fighters. “You guys will kill what we pull out. Bokaj, anything jumps out at my babies—”
“Fill it full of arrows, got it.” Bokaj took out his bow and sent an arrow soaring through the air and into the head of a mole that had latched onto Kayda’s leg. “Hey, Tmont, time to play.”
The cat yowled angrily as he shook her from her place in his hood. Once she hit the ground, she was growing and moving toward the action.
“Alright, boys, let's get to it.” I drew the shadows on my side of the area toward me, then regarded Fainnir. “Fainnir, you protect yourself and the familiars. I’m counting on you.”
“Aye!” The dwarf barked and set his feet in grim determination and marched forward with Pebble at his side.
I cleared my mind and fed the shadow infused mana in my hands toward the ground and into the earth itself, confining it to the holes that were growing around the dodging Bea.
Motion on one end of it made me yank whatever I had touched to the surface and reel it in like a fishing rod. A sniffing mole careened toward me, only to be cut in half by Jaken, who waited at my side.
Into the Darkness: A Fantasy LitRPG Adventure (Axe Druid Book 4) Page 35
