He triggered the tripwire. The door behind the group closed, causing the noble to jump with fright as the other guards winced. Ryan was certain a few of them were thinking nasty thoughts about the noble.
“I’ve had it with this dungeon,” A-a-ron yelled as he regained his composure. He reached the bone pillar and grabbed at the key.
“Yes!” Ryan cried out gleefully, opening the ground up beneath A-a-ron.
Initially, he had planned for the trap to open a hole underneath a different adventurer in the party, to force the group to use the key to save that member. But this group didn’t know that, and this was a perfectly fine way to kill this annoying—
Faster than Ryan could anticipate, one of the guards, a knight with a wind affinity, called a Tempest Knight, rushed to A-a-ron, shoving him out of the way as the floor opened up. Unfortunately, that meant the knight fell through the hole and into the bone maiden instead.
“Alex,” Frank called out, lunging towards the now-sealed hole. Ryan watched Alex take in his new surroundings. Wind began swirling around the knight, trying to protect him, but Ryan’s bone spikes were lined with dark mana.
Slowly, they began cutting through the wind toward the knight. Frank looked at the cryptic message that appeared on the ground and turned towards the baron.
“Sir, we need the key.”
“Nonsense.” A-a-ron’s voice echoed out in the room. “Alex has done his job and preserved my life. Now, let us be on our way.”
The baron hastily exited the room, leaving the guards staring from Alex to the baron. With a growl of frustration, the three guards left the room before the door closed. The door may have been closed, but it couldn’t block out Alex’s cry as the bone maiden completed its task.
“You killed him,” Frank growled as he grabbed the baron’s collar, lifting him easily into the air.
“I don’t care. I want to be done with this dungeon now.” A-a-ron’s voice was cold as he pulled a pendant from his shirt, causing the guards to flinch. “Besides, if he was strong enough, he wouldn’t have died.”
Frank’s eyes flashed with anger.
“He was only in that trap because of—"
The knight bit his tongue as the pendant around A-a-ron’s neck began to take on a red hue. Gingerly, the guard set the baron down.
“I’m leaving.” With that, the baron simply disappeared, leaving the guards standing alone in the room.
“Did he just leave us?” one of the remaining guards asked Frank.
“I’m pretty sure that idiot forgot he had to mentally focus on teleporting us out as well.” Frank sighed as he stood. “Had the coward thought of that port ability sooner, Alex would still be alive.”
The group turned back towards the closed door, towards their fallen friend.
“We’d better get out of here before the baron gets himself killed in town.” Frank offered a sad smile at the others. “I really wish Alex had let that fool fall into the trap.”
“Me too,” Ryan whispered, feeling bad for the guards as they headed towards the exit. The guards seemed a good bunch, but that noble was something else.
However, even as the group walked quietly out of the dungeon, Ryan silently vowed to them that Alex’s death wouldn’t be in vain.
The Gold guard had given Ryan enough experience to level up, meaning skeletal fight club was back in business, and had also given Ryan a new idea on how to avenge the poor guard. He was going to come up with something extra special for the next time A-a-ron appeared.
Leaving his guard to die was, after all, something Ryan was sure the Goddess of Justice wouldn’t approve of.
Chapter Fifty-Five
“It seems you have mastered the basics of being a knight, Blake.” A grizzled man stood before him, offering him a gauntleted hand.
Blake took the knight trainer’s offered hand, smiling as he shook it.
“Thank you for everything, sir,” he replied.
Blake had spent the past month training with the knight class trainer, Gerald, who was a Gold sentinel with the Adventurers’ Guild. A sentinel was the purest form of knight, and Gerald had been able to teach Blake all the basic skills and abilities needed to be a knight. He had also helped Blake get used to the influx of power he had received when he became Silver.
Over the month, the knight trainer had not only helped Blake learn to infuse his mana into his equipment, and create various forms from his mana, but also taught him how to utilize all of the abilities he now had as a knight. Most of these abilities included defense techniques as well as taunts, skills that drew the full attention of an enemy, and were focused on allowing the knight to better protect those around him.
The thing that had most surprised Blake during his training was that many of the skills scaled with mana use. That meant that while a Silver Nine and Silver One knight had the same skillset, the Silver One knight could activate much more powerful forms of the skills. The skills also seemed to change depending on the mana type used.
For example, a knight with a fire affinity had a taunt that would send out waves of flame that could burn enemies, while a knight with a water affinity sent out a chilling wind that could slow enemies as well as taunt them. Blake had been taught over the past month that the key to growing as a knight was to learn how best to apply his mana to his skills, to utilize them to their full potential. There was only one problem with that train of thought.
“Just remember to be careful, Blake. The church might not take kindly to you now.” The knight’s eyes grew sad before he turned away. “And remember, boy: you’ve been blessed, not cursed. If you keep holding yourself back, you will die.”
“I won’t die, and I will still become a paladin,” Blake replied, even as the knight walked away. If the knight trainer had heard him, he didn’t stop to respond.
“I will,” Blake whispered to himself.
The past month had been hard on him, and he knew his future would be much harder – all because of his ascension a month ago. He turned and headed towards the guild hall at the center of town, losing himself to his memories.
After their last dive, Blake, along with Matt and Emily, finally had enough experience to ascend to the Silver tier. After a final meeting at the inn, Karan had tasked each of the Bronze One adventurers with seeking out their class trainer and ascending to the Silver ranks. They agreed to meet back after their training, which would take roughly a month for each class.
That night, Blake had barely been able to sleep, and he practically ran out of his tent at first light, nearly forgetting to grab his sword as he went. He was finally going to discover his affinity and take the next step towards becoming a paladin. It was going to be the greatest moment of his life. Or so he had thought.
Once he reached the trainer, he was teleported to the knight headquarters, along with the other hopefuls. It seemed most of the adventurers that had started with the original expedition were all choosing to ascend at the same time.
After arriving at the knights’ headquarters, Blake was sent to wait, along with the others, outside the quartermaster’s room. There, after what seemed like hours of waiting, Blake was assigned a room and given a time to report to the knight-commander. The knight-commander was the ranking official at the headquarters and was going to help each adventurer ascend to Silver.
Blake dropped his extra gear off at his room, and then, because he couldn’t wait, rushed to the training yard. He spent the whole afternoon training until it came close to his time to meet the knight-commander. He reported promptly to the great hall, where the ascensions were taking place, uncertain yet excited for his next step.
The knight-commander called him in when it was his time and had him sit in the middle of the great hall, within a small circle. Blake couldn’t ignore the fact that the ground was blackened and scored, and also ripped apart in a few areas. Just what did ascension to Silver involve?
After he was seated, the knight-commander had Blake bring forth his level triangle and experi
ence triangle. Both shimmered golden on Blake’s palms, and he promised the knight-commander he was ready and willing to ascend. The knight-commander placed a golden shield on the ground before Blake, and the beauty of the shield had caused Blake to pause.
The shield had four gems, representing fire, earth, wind, and water in four points, creating what appeared to be a plus sign. In the middle, running in a line, were three more gems: an opal for celestial, an onyx for darkness, and a strange stone that was a darkly colored with specks of red crisscrossing through it – a bloodstone, for chaos.
On either side of the shield, outside of the gemstones, strange silver markings swirled, and there were two spots for a hand to be placed. Blake was instructed to place his hands on those spots, and to channel his mana through his hands, into the shield.
The shield would serve as the conduit, locking his class as that of a knight, and unlocking in him the inherent skills and traits a knight would have. At the same time, his mana would flow freely through the shield until his affinity awoke within him.
At least I didn’t awake to chaos, Blake thought cynically, replaying the rest of his ascension through his mind as he neared the Adventurers’ Guild. He was to meet with the Guildmaster before he returned to his team. If they‘ll still have me, he thought gloomily.
The moment his mana flowed into the shield, Blake’s body erupted in pain. Strange visions flashed through his mind, faster than he could track, and it felt as if every muscle in his body was being torn apart. His mouth opened in a scream, but no sound came out, as the mana paralyzed even his vocal cords. Still more mana poured out of him, into the shield, before it rushed back into him. Each time it passed through the shield, the amount of mana seemed to increase, as did the pain it brought with it.
As his mind fought to stay conscious, Blake could also tell that the mana was growing stronger, and so was he. The pain was from his body being torn apart from the inside, and then repaired just as fast. While mana at Bronze tier had amplified his physical skills, he could tell Silver tier mana was changing him, improving him.
He also began to comprehend the images flashing through his mind. Countless abilities, all with their accompanying mana cost, flooded into him, along with years of training, skills honed and passed down by the original knights.
The shield was a medium, to pass on the knowledge and skills unlocked through generations of training. However, as the ritual reached its peak, Blake realized he still hadn’t had an affinity appear.
Would it have been better? To be without an affinity?
Blake wasn’t sure if such a thing existed, but surely that would have been preferable to what had happened.
“I’m here to see the Guildmaster.” Blake spoke calmly to the receptionist at the Adventurers’ Guild, who nodded as she reached up the crystal pendant around her neck. She whispered quietly into it, and then nodded.
“The Guildmaster is ready to see you.” She motioned towards the stairs, and Blake nodded, walking slowly towards them.
What could the Guildmaster possibly want with him?
His mind drifted back to the ceremony.
The mana flowing through him slowed, the pain and images subsided, and Blake was able to focus on the shield. His hands were white from the pain he had been enduring. Sweat dripped onto the shield, sizzling as it landed. The amount of mana circulating through the shield, and Blake’s body, was creating an immense heat.
Blake grasped the mana that flowed inside him, marveling at how much he had. He was certain it was double the 100 he had held at Bronze One, but he couldn’t confirm until he looked at his level triangle. However, none of the gems on the shield had begun to glow yet, meaning he still didn’t have his affinity.
Angrily, he pushed his mana into his palms, urging it to once again rush through the shield. Blake starred at the opal on the shield, his vision narrowing solely on to that gem. Silently, he prayed to the Goddess of Justice, begging her to give him a celestial affinity.
Slowly, the shield began to draw in the mana he was pushing into it. It started as a trickle, but then the shield began to drink his mana in fully, and suddenly Blake found himself empty, his vision wavering. He could feel his organs protesting, feel his body screaming out.
The shield still pulled at more, tugging at his very essence. Blake fought, urging his mana to flow back into his body, refusing the hungering of the shield. He would not let his journey end here. He would not die from mana depletion. In his mind, he felt something give, as if he had broken past a barrier deep within his body, and suddenly, a bright light erupted around him.
Life rushed into him, and as his vision cleared, he could see the opal glowing. Golden light, just like his father’s, rushed around his body. He had done it. He had a celestial affinity. But then—
Blake’s hand was cold as he pushed open the Guildmaster’s door, and he stepped slowly in. Alice glanced up, a smile on her face as she looked at him. Her eyes swirled with colors, drawing him in.
“So nice of you to join me, Blake.” She stood from the desk and walked slowly towards him.
The woman looked no older than thirty, but Blake knew she was ancient. As a Diamond Two, she was one of the strongest humans alive, after all.
Alice came to stand before Blake, her swirling eyes holding him captive. No matter how hard he fought, he couldn’t move. The Guildmaster reached down and took his left hand, twisting it over so she could see his palm. She held her hand over his, and he could feel an unimaginably strong pull from her hand. Try as he might, he couldn’t stop as his mana responded to her strange pull, and his hand began to glow.
Golden lines crisscrossed his hand, calling forth his level triangle, even as golden, celestial energy flowed from his hand into Alice’s. Then, as his level triangle finished forming, a pitch-black energy meshed with his golden energy, swirling violently between the golden celestial energy.
His darkness energy.
“So, it is true.” Alice smiled as she stepped back.
The moment she took her hand away from Blake’s, his energy dissipated into the air. Alice raised her left hand towards him, calling forth her own level triangle. Red energy flared across her hand, creating a triangle that was nearly full.
Then, to Blake’s surprise, blue energy surged around her hand, intermingling with her red energy, creating a beautiful contrast of colors.
“You have two affinities, Blake. Just like me.”
Chapter Fifty-Six
Blake had never heard of anyone having two affinities, and he really didn’t know what it meant. In fact, he probably would have been ecstatic about it, had it not been for the darkness affinity. The church viewed dark mana users nearly in the same light as chaos users. Dark mana users had a reputation for evil, usually becoming classes such as necromancers and death knights.
People generally tended to avoid those who had dark affinity. Blake had even refused to use it during his month of training. He had secretly hoped that if he didn’t use it, it would simply go away.
“You have no idea how long I’ve waited for another.” Alice’s mana, taking on the shape of two serpents, one red and one blue, dropped to the floor, slithering towards Blake.
He tried to speak, tried to break her gaze, but she held him trapped. Her mana reached him, and each snake began to wrap itself around his legs, climbing up his body till the two snakes were positioned on either side of his face.
“I’m sure you are wondering what is going on.” Alice must have let her control over him lessen as she spoke, because Blake found himself able to move his head. However, he still couldn’t speak. Hesitantly, he nodded. She smiled at him as her eyes danced.
“First, I have a test for you, Blake.” Her eyes began to shift colors, faster and faster, and Blake felt as if they were staring directly into his soul. All the while, Alice’s smile continued to grow.
“At this moment, you stand at the very precipice of your future,” she said. “Before you are two paths. One is the path of pote
ntial greatness, though I am sure it would be filled with hardship and struggle.”
The red snake hissed, and Blake felt a rush of heat race across his body.
“Your other path will see you fulfilling your dreams, though your potential will be ruined.”
The blue snake hissed, and Blake nearly shivered from the rush of cold he felt.
“Tell me, Blake: what is it you want in life?” she asked.
Blake again felt her hold over him weaken, and he knew she was permitting him to speak. So he did.
“What do I want?”
His entire life, he wanted to become a paladin, just like his father. He wanted to serve the Goddess of Justice and make his father proud. However, Blake knew with a darkness affinity, he would never be allowed to become a paladin.
In fact, the church wouldn’t even allow those with dark affinity into their facilities. Blake’s dreams had been ruined the moment his dark affinity had appeared.
“I want to become a paladin. I want to serve the Goddess of Justice, just like my father.” As he spoke, Alice yawned, waving a hand dismissively towards him.
“Is that all, Blake?” she asked. “Do you want to become just like your father? Serving the Goddess of Light fully, putting the church before everything else?” Her eyes hardened, and her voice grew cold. “Think hard before you answer.”
Was that all he wanted? He knew his father was well respected, idolized even, amongst adventurers. But the more he thought about it, he wondered if he could become like his father. Did he want to be the cold, calculating paladin that his father was?
Blake wanted to get strong, to serve the Goddess, and to protect those he cared about. His father was strong, but his duties kept him from his family, and Blake realized he had never seen his father form a permanent team. If Blake became like his father, would he have to leave his team?
Bone Dungeon (Elemental Dungeon #1) - A Dungeon Core LitRPG Page 24
