“I’m sure you’ve all had suspicions about how I know so much about dungeons.”
They nodded.
“Well, when I was Bronze, I had the opportunity to form a party, much like this one, and train in a new dungeon.”
Oh, no.
The last dungeon to form, before the Bone Dungeon, was a notorious fire dungeon. Blake had heard horror stories of that dungeon. It had claimed so many lives that the Adventurers’ Guild had banned adventurers lower than Platinum from diving in it. Blake had known Karan had experience with dungeons, but not that dungeon.
“The Dungeon of Ashes?” Jack asked, interrupting Blake’s thoughts. His voice was gentle. Blake guessed Jack had come to the same conclusion as he had.
“Yes.”
Karan’s eyes seemed to become lost in the memory as she began her tale.
“I was a young adept, having only been in the Adventurers’ Guild for about a year when the dungeon first emerged. I was so excited when it formed, and even more excited when I was allowed to join the expeditionary party.”
She allowed herself a bittersweet smile.
“At first, it was much like this. I was picked up into a group filled with other Bronze adventurers. Our leader was a Gold Five sentinel named James.”
Where have I heard that name before?
“James was amazing. He made sure none of us took any damage as we began our dungeon dives, instantly taunting every mob in every room, even letting the mobs hack away at his mana so that we could have practice fighting.”
“You fell for him,” Emily whispered, and Karan nodded.
“He’s the reason I became a healer. I didn’t want him to get hurt, and I wanted to be able to heal him if anything ever happened to him.” Her voice cracked for a moment, before she regained her composure.
“James had special connections, and we were able to dive into the dungeon every day. As such, we climbed the ranks faster than any other group had, and we broke into Silver before the dungeon had even transitioned.” She shook her head. “Sometimes I wish we hadn’t grown so fast.”
“Then what happened?” Blake’s question sprang unbidden from his mouth, so enthralled was he by her story.
“By the time the dungeon hit Silver, we were already in the mid-Silver ranks, having farmed the first floor so many times. We easily cleared the second floor once it was created and continued our rapid growth.” She took a drink, her hand shaking. “We didn’t notice the dungeon was becoming more violent. Many adventurers were starting to fall to it, but we couldn’t understand why. Everything it threw at us, James simply taunted, and we easily dispatched them.”
Her knuckles turned white as she gripped her mug, sudden emotion taking hold.
“The next time the dungeon closed to undergo a change, it was down for two months. During that time, we completed our ascensions to Gold, and James and I began seeing each other.” Her eyes were distant. “He even introduced me to his mother.”
“Alice.” Blake suddenly remembered where he had heard James’s name before.
That was the name of the Guildmaster’s only son. The son that was killed in the Dungeon of Ashes.
“Yes, James was her only child,” Karan said, her voice barely more than a whisper. “She adored him, and was so protective of him. Just like the Guildmaster, James was strong-willed, and he rarely allowed his mother protect him.”
Blake knew firsthand just how strong-willed Alice was.
“Just like his mother, he threw himself into dungeons, pushing himself to grow stronger, and working to protect those around him. Because of this, we were the first group back into the dungeon once it reawakened.”
Tears started to fall from Karan’s eyes, and it was Jack who acted next. The thief placed his hand gently on Karan’s, offering her a small smile.
“It’s all right, Karan,” Jack said.
She placed her hand on his and gave him a small, sad smile, before she cleared her throat to continue.
“We cleared the first two floors with ease, just as we always had. The moment we got to the third floor, though, everything changed. The third floor was simply a massive cavern, filled with streams of lava. James led our group cautiously into the floor, scanning the room for enemies. We were so fixated on looking for enemies, we didn’t notice the door behind us lock closed.”
Blake brought his hand to his mouth, even though he knew where the story was going.
“Once we reached the center of the room, sinister laughter filled the chamber. James turned to us, and his smile, the smile he had always worn, was gone. Fear had taken it from him. He screamed a warning to us, but it was too late. Horned humanoids burst from the lava around us, their eyes burning with hunger.”
“What were they?” Blake had never heard of a creature that fit Karan’s description.
“I’m not sure.” She shook her head. “Sometimes I wonder if I simply imagined them, given the panic and chaos that ensued. We rushed back towards the door, only to find it was locked. We tried to teleport out, but the dungeon’s magic kept us from fleeing. So we turned to fight.”
Blake could hear the pain in her voice. It cracked as she went on.
”No matter how many we killed, more kept appearing. One by one, our members fell, until only James and I remained. I remember that moment so well.” She broke down into tears, sobbing. “He was so hurt, and I just…I didn’t have any more mana to heal him.”
“He saved you somehow, didn’t he?” Emily’s voice was barely audible, and Blake glanced at her, noting her eyes were filled with tears as well. In fact, they all were on the verge of tears.
“Somehow, we survived the final wave. He killed the last mob before us and turned to me. That was when the room began to shake, and the laughter returned. James took my hand, and before I could speak, he placed a single crystal into my palm.”
Tears ran down Karan’s face, but she lifted her chin, determined to finish her tale.
“He closed my fist around it, breaking it. Suddenly I was back in Alice’s office, covered in blood and wounds, grasping at nothing, crying out James’s name.”
Karan wiped at her tears, looking around at the group.
“The crystal was a legendary item that Alice had given James. It had the ability to instantly teleport a single person back to a set point. Alice had given it to James, had made him promise to use it if he were ever near death. Instead, he used it to save me.”
She turned back towards Blake and offered him a small smile.
“I haven’t seen Alice since that day. The moment I explained everything to her, she teleported to the dungeon town and I ran away from her. I wandered aimlessly for a while, broken, beyond repair I thought, until I met Sean.”
“My father?” Blake asked.
“Yes. He helped me find a purpose, told me I was saved so that I could save others. He helped me to cope with James’s death, and find a new purpose in serving the Goddess of Justice.” She pulled out an emblem, the two scales of the Goddess. “He gave me this, and I promised that I would repay his kindness if he ever found a way for me to.”
She let out a sigh and offered the group a large smile.
“Go figure his way for me to repay him would see me once again in a dungeon with a party of adventurers.”
The group rubbed their eyes, and all offered Karan rueful smiles of their own. Blake couldn’t imagine the strength it took for Karan to lead a group of adventurers into a dungeon after what had happened to her. He was suddenly much more appreciative of everything she had done for him and the group. He also understood now why she had been so strict with them.
“I’ve made a promise to myself that I’ll never let another adventurer fall while I’m in their party,” Karan said.
“Well, maybe I’ll try not to be so reckless next time.” Jack offered Karan a sheepish grin, though his eyes held sincerity.
“You just keep me on my toes.” Karan returned his smile, and even seemed to blush slightly.
�
�Ay, well, you know—“
Jack stopped mid-quip, his entire body going stiff. A moment later, a figure appeared behind him. Sasha.
“Sorry to interrupt the chat here, cuties, but Marcus wants to speak with the knight.” Sasha pointed a finger towards Blake, beckoning him.
As she did, she leaned down to Jack’s ear, and whispered something to him. A moment later, Blake, Jack, and Sasha were heading out of the inn, towards Marcus’s headquarters.
Viktor
He took a sip from his ale, watching the group as they shared their stories. He was too far away to hear what was being said, but he could tell it was an emotional story. Truly, they were pathetic creatures.
His eye caught the flash of silver on the young man’s hand, and sure enough, he could make out the shape of a wolf’s head on the ring. This was the lowly being that would be his target.
Now he just needed to get the man alone. He planned to follow the man to his tent and forcibly drag him back into the dungeon, but a moment later his plan was ruined.
Viktor’s side flared with remembered pain as Sasha appeared at the group’s table, and he fought down his rage. The earring the Exalted One had given him allowed him to completely hide his presence, even from the assassins. In addition, it applied a sort of glamour over him, which allowed him to pass unnoticed through the town and blend in.
But if he made a move now, the glamour would break, and he would likely have to deal with not just Sasha, but an entire town of adventurers, her twin, and Marcus. Viktor was confident in his own strength, but that battle was outside of his ability for now.
With the Crown of Sorrows, though... Viktor licked his lips in anticipation. All he needed to do was complete this task for the Exalted One, and then revenge would be his.
Sighing, he moved away from his table, and out of the inn. He would need to keep an eye on the young man, so that he could complete his task and claim his reward.
Chapter Sixty-Four
The walk to Marcus’s office was a quiet, awkward one. Sasha didn’t say a single word, and even more eerily, neither did Jack. The thief spent the entire walk with his head down, not even glancing around. Blake was curious what Sasha had said to him but was afraid to break the silence that hung over the trio.
Once they reached Marcus’s office – one of the nicer buildings in the dungeon town, given it was the Adventurers’ Guild headquarters for the town – Sasha simply motioned for Blake to enter. Then she turned and walked away with Jack on her heels.
“I hope he’ll be okay,” Blake whispered as he headed inside. He had no idea what she could possibly want with Jack, but Blake had a feeling it had to do with Jack’s newly revealed wolfkin bloodline.
“Don’t worry about your friend.” Marcus’s voice pulled Blake’s attention to the center of the room, where a large desk was sitting. Behind it, legs propped up on the table, sat Marcus the Platinum rogue.
“Sir?” Blake bowed towards Marcus, uncertain why he had even been summoned to speak with him.
“Sasha and Rasha just need to chat with your young thief friend. I believe Sasha wants him to join her pack.” Marcus offered Blake a grin. “Though, if I know Jack, which I do, I doubt he will leave you guys.” Marcus motioned towards a chair besides his desk. “Now, come. We have something else we must discuss.”
Blake walked slowly towards the chair and hesitantly sat down. Blake only ever saw the rogue out in public, where he often came off as a gruff, serious leader. But now he seemed completely relaxed and carefree, which was concerning Blake.
“First, let me congratulate you on defeating the second-floor boss.” Marcus pulled his feet off the desk and leaned forward, staring at Blake. “It’s rare for an unknown boss to be taken down for the first time without a single casualty. Your team is very—“ Marcus paused before he said the next word. “—interesting.”
Blake opened his mouth to speak but closed it quickly. He had no idea what to say to the rogue.
Marcus held up his fingers and started counting off. “A Gold Four cleric, the sole survivor of the Dungeon of Ashes dive that killed Alice’s son. A half-breed thief. A summoner with a baby dragon.” He paused with three of his fingers down, smiling knowingly at Blake. “A dual affinity knight.” The fourth finger went down. “Four out of five interesting members in your party. I wouldn’t be surprised if your archer does something crazy when he hits Gold, just to make your party even more unique.” Marcus started chuckling.
“How do you know—“
“So much about your team? Or about your dual affinities?” Marcus waved a hand at Blake, stopping him from responding. “I’m in charge of this dungeon town, Blake. I am the eyes and ears of the Adventurers’ Guild in this area. I know everything that goes on.” His eyes twinkled and he offered Blake a grin. “I even know who fancies who in this here camp. And I must say, Blake, you have a few admirers.” He shot Blake a wink, causing Blake to blush. The rogue was keeping him completely off balance in this conversation.
“But just because I know everything doesn’t mean others should.” Marcus suddenly took up his bored, serious tone that he often used to address the group. “So far, only a handful of people know about your dual affinities, and I have been asked by Alice to ensure it stays that way.”
“How?” Blake finally managed to speak, and that was all he got out.
“Well, for one thing, you are banned from training in public.”
“Wha—" Blake’s outburst stopped as Marcus narrowed his eyes. A warning, which Blake obeyed. His mind, however, was racing. How was he supposed to get stronger if he couldn’t train?
“I have spoken in detail with Alice on this fact. While you are not allowed to train in public, I have agreed to allow you to train in secret in the dungeon at night. This will not only give you a safe place away from prying eyes, but easy mobs to practice skills on.”
Blake stared at Marcus in disbelief. Only groups of five were allowed in, and only during the day.
“Before I give you such access, I need you to promise me two things.” He tossed a dark stone towards Blake. “First, you can only train in the first room of the dungeon. If you dive in further and die, Alice won’t forgive me.” Blake nodded as he took the stone, eyeing it. “That stone will allow you to pass through the barrier we have enacted at the dungeon entrance without setting off the alarm. No one knows of it, but I had a barrier there to keep unwelcome visitors from entering the dungeon without my knowing.”
“And the second thing, sir?” Blake asked as he pocketed the stone.
“Well, speaking of unwelcome visitors.” Marcus rubbed his eyes and offered Blake a small grin. “You’re going to do me a huge favor before you start your training.”
“I... How can I help, sir?”
“You remember the team that dove into the dungeon before it was opened?” Blake remembered that team. The sole survivor, Todd, was a likeable enough guy, though no one had taken him into their parties since the event. They considered him cursed.
“Yes, sir, I remember them.”
“Well, Todd has been begging me to allow him to go back into the dungeon to pay his respects to his team. I’m certainly no babysitter, but I also haven’t had any poor saps to task with this.” He flashed a mischievous grin at Blake. “Until now.” Blake didn’t like where this was going.
“I’ve already sent word to Todd that you are going to take him into the dungeon, but only to the first room. There, he will pay his respects to his fallen team. Afterwards, he has promised to leave this town and stop pestering me.”
Blake sighed and nodded. He hadn’t planned on going to train tonight, given how tired he was from his boss fight with Buttercup. But he supposed he could at least lead Todd into the first room and let him pay his respects. None of the mobs in that room posed a threat to Blake, especially not now. By clearing the first and second floor, Blake, Matt, and Emily had all reached Silver Seven, while Jack had reached Silver Six. That meant Blake now had 600 mana points, with 4
80 points increasing his physical attributes. Even though he was Silver Seven, he was as strong now as a Silver One adventurer. He was a lot stronger than he had been that morning.
A knock on the door pulled Blake’s mind from his growth, and Marcus motioned for him to go. “That must be our friend Todd. Keep him safe and prove to me you are capable of going into the dungeon on your own.”
“I won’t let you down, Marcus.” Blake stood and turned, preparing to leave.
“One last thing, Blake.” Marcus’s words caused Blake to pause, and he turned back to the rogue.
“Sir?”
Marcus looked down at a piece of parchment and back at Blake. He opened his mouth and then closed it, shaking his head. “Never mind. Just…“ His voice softened. “Be careful out there.”
“Will do, sir.” Blake offered him a confident smile and opened the door. How hard could it be, keeping Todd safe?
Chapter Sixty-Five
“Little skrat, doo doo doo doo doo doo,“ Ryan hummed to himself as he scanned over his mobs. It had been an exciting day, especially with Buttercup’s defeat at the hands of Blake’s team.
“Bigger skrat, doo doo doo doo doo doo.”
Ryan flipped through his mobs and compared them to the cards he had made. The first card to drop was Buttercup’s, given to Blake’s team. Now, Ryan was planning to add them to all his mob’s loot tables so that adventurers would be able to get little information cards on each of his mobs.
“Infested skrat, doo doo doo doo doo doo.”
He paused as he looked it over. Currently, the paralysis on that particular mob was rather weak. What if he tried to evolve it more? He generally didn’t like zombies, but a stronger paralysis or poison-type mob could be useful in the future.
“Well, you are in a good mood,” Erin laughed, a wide smile on her face as she flew lazily around the room. She was in just as good a mood as Ryan was; he could feel it through their bond.
“Blake’s team has that effect on me.” Ryan flipped back through his mobs, grinning as he looked at the next two on his list: the final forms of his skrats and skuirrels. Well, for now, anyway. He silently assigned cards to each, careful to not give their existence away. Rule number one of skeletal fight club, after all.
Bone Dungeon (Elemental Dungeon #1) - A Dungeon Core LitRPG Page 29
