by Tao Wong
“Move?” Asin growled, pointing at the tile space that was open.
“I guess,” Daniel said, and glanced at Omrak, who shrugged.
“Right, move it is,” Daniel said, and gently pushed one tile to the next. The moment he did, three of the red tiles that were now in a same line shimmered and disappeared. “Huh.”
Omrak glanced down at the tile set, noting the disappearance before he returned his gaze back to the room, his sword held at the ready. Asin’s lips peeled backwards in a predatory grin before she prodded another tile in the open space to make a set of four. These tiles shimmered and disappeared, other tiles above clanking together as if pulled by a force. This created another set of colored tiles which disappeared too before the experience repeated once more.
Without being asked or asking, Asin began to move the pieces. Daniel watched her for a few moments more, before he finally turned away to stare around the room. A few minutes later, Asin let out a frustrated yowl. The Catkin had seven pieces left and three colors, none of which could be shifted. Unable to continue, the board shimmered.
At the same time, a portion of the wall lowered, and a trio of elemental turtles waddled out. Immediately, Omrak jumped forwards and started attacking the creatures, his giant sword cutting and smashing the monsters. Daniel jerked himself to a stop, waiting for a monster to make its way pass Omrak before he could attack. Asin just waited, the room too small for her thrown weapons to come into play safely.
After the monsters were killed, Asin looked back to the board, which had reset itself with a different configuration of tiles. Lips pursed, she nodded to herself and started to move tiles around.
“Asin, can one of us have a try?” Daniel asked as he watched Omrak pick up the ex-Kobold’s Mana Stone.
“No,” Asin snarled, glaring at the board.
“Okay.” Daniel backed off. After over a dozen rotations, Asin seemed to have gotten better, with only a few final tiles left. “The better you do, the easier the monsters that come out when you fail.”
“I would almost ask you to fail more, Hero Asin,” Omrak said, glancing around the walls. “The monsters we have fought have been less than challenging.”
“No. Pass,” Asin said as she prodded at the board. Daniel sighed, and he went back to leaning against the door. So far it seemed that every wall could open, so the doors themselves were the only stable portion of the room.
“JAKA!” Asin shouted, jumping to her feet and laughing.
“Finished?” Daniel asked as he pushed himself off the door. Asin nodded, proud, as Omrak walked to the door, his sword held ready. Asin jumped over to the door, grabbing at the handle and yanking it open. Inside, there was just another room.
“Oh hell,” Daniel muttered as they all walked in. “This is a puzzle floor, isn’t it?”
Asin nodded and the trio looked around the room, taking it in. There was a single mauve-colored door in the room with a small cylindrical tube that was attached to the door where a handle would be. In the center of the room were three containers filled with red-, blue-, and yellow-colored liquids and a separate, empty container.
“We must match the liquid colors to the door,” Omrak said.
“You know of this?” Daniel said.
“It is a common puzzle,” Omrak said as he walked forwards. “May I?”
“Sure …” Daniel said.
Asin blinked as the large Northerner began to pour the colored waters into the empty container without hesitation. It took barely a few seconds before Omrak was done, holding the container up to the light.
“Good?” Asin asked, peering at the container and its contents. An unfortunate aspect of being a Catkin was her reduced ability to judge colors, at least as the humans saw it.
“A touch more red,” Omrak said, and walked back, fixing the liquid quickly before he poured the entire concoction into the handle. The door shuddered for a moment and Daniel hefted his mace, wary of additional monsters. He only relaxed when the door popped open and another empty room was showcased.
“Good.” Asin loped forwards, clapping Omrak on the shoulder. Omrak just shrugged, accepting the compliment.
“Did we just get transported back to the start?” Daniel asked, staring around. The last puzzle they had faced was a riddle. A single wrong answer and they were back in the tile room. Daniel exhaled roughly as he stared at the tile set Asin had taken charge of once more.
“It does appear so, Hero,” Omrak said.
“Daniel. It’s Daniel,” Daniel muttered irritably as he rested against the door again.
“Of course, Hero Daniel.”
“No. Just Daniel.”
“Yes, Hero Just Daniel.”
“You’re joking, right?”
Omrak just smiled while he glanced back to Asin and the tile set to see how far she had gotten.
After a second failed attempt by Asin, Daniel turned to Omrak. “What made you come to Karlak? There must have been closer Beginner Dungeons.”
“Four,” Omrak said. “None were suitable for melee fighters alone. I had planned to complete Karlak by myself.”
“What changed?”
“Coin,” Omrak answered with a self-deprecating laugh. “I could not progress as fast as I earned. A group aided that.”
“Huh,” Daniel said. The grinding of a wall rising made the stout Adventurer turn, glaring at the Kobold that came out. Idly, he caught the attack high on his shield and twirled his mace around, slamming it into the space between the Kobold’s third and fourth ribs, pulping its heart and killing it immediately.
“Asin, how are we doing?”
“Close. Easier now,” she muttered, staring at the option she had now. Daniel just bent down to collect the Mana Stone before resting against the wall again. This was going to be another long day.
“Late day,” Liev murmured, staring at the small portion of coins the trio offered.
“Puzzle floor,” Daniel grumbled. At Liev’s raised eyebrow, he detailed the floor for Liev who nodded.
“Ah, those were always enjoyable,” Liev said, smiling at his own memories.
“Huh. For you maybe,” muttered Daniel. Four times more the three had managed to get past the first room. They had even finished the third room once, but each failed attempt after the first room sent them back to the first room to start again. It did not help that the questions in the third room, like all the other puzzles, changed constantly, such that a correct answer once was no guarantee of a correct answer the next time.
Each new room was a different puzzle, the fourth a series of levers and ropes which controlled weights that had to be perfectly aligned. This puzzle Daniel had taken a shot at, and failed. Omrak continued to be the star performer of the group, never once failing to match the door’s color.
“Are the Elms out yet?” Daniel asked.
“No,” Liev said, shaking his head. He paused, staring at the trio before he continued slowly, “They might decide to spend a little time on this floor on purpose.”
“Why?”
“They have a Mage with them,” Liev said, as if that explained everything. The confused looks he gets from the others makes him continue. “Mages gain experience from knowledge and puzzle-solving. A puzzle floor like this could progress a novice Mage by a few levels.”
“Oh …” Daniel said. Well, that made sense. Healers, real Healers with the Class and all, gained experience from Healing. It made sense that Mages would gain experience from puzzles and gathering knowledge.
“Best not to rush,” Liev cautioned. “We lost Ilona’s group today. Pierson’s group found their corpses on the third floor next to the Champion.”
“But … they were—” Daniel said, stuttering a little.
“Stronger than that? Not if you push too hard. A mistake and you’re dead. You know that,” Liev said, shaking his head. “Just because it’s the lower level, it doesn’t mean you can push it too hard.”
Daniel grimaced as he accepted the coins from Asin. Liev was
right, even if Daniel hated that fact. Caution, no matter what rewards were available, was important. They needed to slowdown and take it more cautiously, even if the fifth floor did not pay well. Even if they were not gaining much in terms of experience.
“Take care, Liev,” Daniel said, waving goodbye to the red-haired attendant. Already, the others in his party had broken off, heading home after taking their share of the day’s earnings. They had an early start tomorrow.
Chapter 9
“We should be exploring level seven, not playing stupid puzzles,” snapped Amrah, as she stared at the Mage over dinner a week later in the Top. Daniel and Asin were quietly eating their meal not far from them that evening, enjoying the warmth from the fireplace close to them. The trio of Adventurers were still stuck on the fifth level, though at least they now knew that there were eight rooms in total. The last room held no puzzle, just the Floor Champion. If they could puzzle-out and beat the seventh room by tomorrow, they might finally be able to move on.
“We agreed to split our time,” Harald the Mage said calmly. “Is this a formal request to change our agreement?”
Amrah growled but sat down with a thump, refusing to meet the Mage’s eyes. A slight smile crossed Harald’s face before he turned back to his drink. It had been over a week since their arrival and by now, the lure of an Advanced party had died down. There were still those who asked for and listened to the stories Amrah was more than willing to tell, but for the most part, the Adventurers had their own stories to tell.
The town buzzed with commerce now, and even Elise was talking of expanding her inn. The new levels had sparked the imagination of many wannabe-Adventurers who were arriving in a constant flow and taking up all the rooms in the inns throughout towns. Even experienced Beginners were willing to test out the new Dungeon, especially as the wider range of floors provided a more diverse training experience. Karlak was fast becoming a city that catered to a wide variety of Adventurers. It was said that Vinnie, the only bowyer in town, was now so busy that he had tripled his prices.
Daniel glanced at Asin, curious to see if she had noted the conversation. The Catkin offered a simple nod while she sipped on her Sabu, ears twitching a moment before she turned to the door with a smile. Khy’ra entered a moment later dragging along a protesting red-haired attendant. Spotting the two, she bee-lined towards them immediately.
“Daniel, Asin,” Khy’ra greeted them before bending down to place a kiss on Daniel’s lips. “Keep an eye on this one. And you. Sit.”
Liev, grumbling, sat next to the bemused pair.
“I’m here under protest.”
“Healer’s orders,” Khy’ra said as she plunked down a pair of foaming beer mugs. “Scoot. You’re not dating Daniel.”
Liev grunted, shifting seats and letting the Elf sit next to the stout Adventurer.
“Where’s Omrak?”
“Dock,” Asin said.
“He’s still working down there?” Daniel asked, blinking. That he did not know. For that matter, how did Asin?
“Coin.”
Khy’ra smiled slightly, listening to the pair, while Liev sucked down his beer.
“Not seen you out in a while, Liev.” Daniel turned to the redhead. Liev coughed, clearing his throat as he finished up his beer.
“Yes. Well, a new Dungeon requires a significant amount of work. A very large amount of work,” Liev said, and sighed. “I really should be back there. There are reports to file, maps to be commissioned, complaints to deal with …
“Owww!”
“No. You need a night out. And some decent food,” Khy’ra said, pulling her hand back.
“You didn’t have to hit me,” Liev muttered, rubbing the top of his head.
“No, but it was fun,” Khy’ra mocked the old attendant before she shook her head. “Gods, this reminds me of the last time I had to drag you for a break.”
“In Corabia?” Liev said.
“Yes,” Khy’ra said, smiling slightly. “We had to pull you from the library by force just to get you to eat after three weeks.”
“They had dozens of books I never did see anywhere else. I had to copy them down,” Liev said.
“That’s what you always said.” Khy’ra rolled her eyes.
“You two adventured together?” Daniel asked, glancing at the pair.
“Yes. It’s good to get out once in a while and keep the hand in,” Khy’ra said, smiling. “Not that we do it much these days, but …”
“But bills must be paid,” Liev finished for her. “And we’ve all got expensive habits.”
“The Clinic isn’t a habit.” Khy’ra pouted and Daniel nodded, giving her a quick squeeze around her waist. The waitress walked by, dropping off their plates.
“Of course not,” Liev replied, smiling quietly as he scooped up some mashed potatoes on his fork. He paused, holding the fork in hand, and added musingly, “We never did make it to the Rysy Spires.”
“No. Maybe another time,” Khy’ra replied.
“Isn’t that the Master Dungeon?” Daniel said. “One of a dozen in the world?”
“Yes. One of the two that lie within the borders of Brad,” Liev said. It was actually part of the reason why the Kingdom had as much sway as it did. As Adventurers made up a significant portion of the Kingdom’s armed forces, their ability to conveniently progress within the confines of the Kingdom ensured that they could contribute significantly to any conflict. It also meant that they often would act as ambassadors when they visited nearby kingdoms to clear those Dungeons.
“Dechen Cave?” Asin said, pointing between the two.
“Not me,” Liev answered, shaking his head. “Nothing interesting there for a Mage. No spell books or tomes or anything else.”
“Just a couple of times,” Khy’ra answered.
“Couple?” Asin’s eyes widened, staring at the Elf.
“I was led through it the first few times,” Khy’ra reassured Asin, waving a hand down. “It’s not as difficult as most think.”
Liev snorted at her mock humility. Daniel just sat there, staring at his girlfriend. There obviously were a few things that he did not know about the beautiful Elf. Or, considering how old she was—probably more than a few things.
Still, he leaned over and murmured into her ear, “Is that how you keep the Clinic funded?”
“Mostly. I get donations of course and they help,” she replied in a whisper, glancing over at Liev. “I hope you don’t mind. He just needs some time away, but he won’t take it.”
“No,” Daniel chuckled and then suddenly grinned. “Liev, so you’ve delved with Khy’ra before. I’m sure you’ve got a few stories …”
Khy’ra let out a little gasp and proceeded to glare at Daniel. He chuckled at his girlfriend’s reaction until she elbowed him in the ribs, whereupon he gave her a quick kiss before looking back to his new prey. The red-haired attendant watched the byplay between the two before he smiled, saying, “Well … there are a few. There was this time in Sopot …”
Daniel settled in with Asin to listen to Liev talk of Khy’ra and their old adventures. Yet, in the corner of his mind, he turned over the idea of the two Master Dungeons, one of which even his accomplished girlfriend had not completed.
Chapter 10
“Is it just me or is this Dungeon a lot weirder than it used to be?” Daniel asked the next day, his eyes wide. It only took them a single try to make it all the way through the other rooms and now they stared at their last obstacle—the Floor Champion. The Champion’s room itself was bare bones, illuminated by a series of torches with flames of varying colors.
“Weirder,” Asin confirmed.
“What do we attack?” Omrak said, his voice puzzled.
“Ummm …” Daniel squinted at the monster, which was made of colored squares that constantly shifted. The monster had no head or true body, the entirety of its form morphing and twisting. Stranger, the colors in each block shifted as well. Daniel’s new Skill Proficiency did not seem to be g
iving him any hints as yet as the monster lacked any eyes, ears or other clear weaknesses. “Hit them all and see what happens?”
“Fan?” Asin asked, pulling a series of knives from her hand.
“That works. Omrak and I will follow up if we see anything. Omrak, go high and I’ll go low,” Daniel decided firmly as he leaned back around the doorway and cranked his crossbow to insert a bolt.
“Ready,” Daniel said.
Asin flicked a glance to Omrak who gave a single nod before she spun around the corner and dashed into the room, throwing her knives and triggering her Skill Proficiency. Her knives bloomed, multiplying and striking the monster across its cubed bodies. Most deflected off the creature’s armor, only a pair sinking into a blue cube.
Immediately, Daniel sighted and fired his arrow at a blue cube that was holding the creature off the ground. Omrak cast his throwing axe as well, but both attacks bounced off. Daniel hesistated, confused for a moment at this unexpected development. A moment and then he released his crossbow, allowing it to drop to the ground as he charged the monster.
Omrak was ahead of him, swinging his sword at each cube while dodging the sudden changes in direction as best he could. Asin scampered to the side as well, flinging her knives at random cubes as they attempted to figure out what the puzzle solution in this case was.
“Green!” Ormak roared as his blade sank into the colored cube. He tore the blade out even as Daniel, a moment later managed to land his own successful blow. Asin’s thrown knife a few seconds later clattered off a similarly colored cube at the creature’s top.
Omrak, his attacks no longer working, had switched to randomly striking again. A sudden shift in the cubic body resulted in the Northerner being smashed without warning, throwing him back. Daniel, nearby, could almost swear he heard the bones break. He had no time to pay attention to his friend as the monster now turned its attention to him. Forced to defend himself, Daniel worked his shield and mace together to block and parry attacks that came in sudden surges of colored blocks.
