Chapter 38: Going Deeper (Patreon)

Cass woke up feeling right as rain. Heavenly rain. The joyous kind that only fell once in a blue moon and brightened the world it touched. Or at least that’s how it seemed to him.

His previous evening with Adya lingered in his mind all through his return to the Survivor Dailies. That they’d begun a physical relationship in the alley of a money-hungry city, one hell-bent on feeding off its own citizens, only briefly entered his mind. They’d find a way to make the city better, just as they’d been doing, but for a single hour, there had been no work. Only…them.

And poor Bella…

Flicking a coin back and forth over his dextrous fingers, he considered his equine partner.

She was not a fan of the feelings Adya and I broadcast to the area. I didn’t know a horse could curse until last night. Still, it was worth it. I have a feeling she’ll either get used to it or move far enough away that she can’t sense us anymore.

Before dropping him off at the Guildtower for the evening, Adya had told him two things that had put a damper on the mood. The first was that she was approaching Level 16. Which was great! Adya advancing could only be a good thing, except that each time they reached an equilibrium, he advanced in levels freely.

Again, there was nothing wrong with that. Only at level 18 would the contract’s potential end approach. And then, who knew what would happen?

While putting his xp in abeyance had first seemed like a great limitation on his growth, he now viewed things differently. By putting his own leveling on hold, he was elevating someone whom he had very strong feelings for. With how much he gained from Liberty’s Quests, their nightly excursions, and their one time in the dungeon, experience wasn’t something he was in dire supply of. 

Stalling himself for a few days or weeks would save Adya potentially years of leveling, counteracting Alan’s perceived mistake in her build. The need for extra experience. All told, that was work worth doing. 

The second item that had put a damper on his mood was that, since a week had passed, Alan wanted to return to the Dungeon with more people. Emotionally, he was flip-flopping. Their last trip in, while successful, left him with lingering doubt and fear. It came in small waves whenever he remembered Awakening Joran. 

Short memories, replayed using the active portion of Battlefield Memory, brought to mind a terrifying crocodilian-like monster charging toward the steel Defender. By all accounts, the Rake still lived within, and he knew for a certainty he was no match for it.

So it was with some trepidation that Cass performed his duties in the Annex, then stepped out to the light of day. Adya and Bella waited for him, and sadly, the Scout was back in her leathers.

No fun tonight.

She gave him a brilliant smile while Bella threw him enough shade to cover the sun. He hopped up, and the horse shied sideways, almost causing him to fall off. Even when he was seated, she continued to lean.

“Bella enough!” Adya said, gently slapping the horse’s side. “We’ll make sure you’re not around the next time we do something like that.”

Several stomps and headshakes communicated her feelings to them, though Adya couldn’t understand her. She looked back at Cass, “What’d she say?”

“Better if I don’t repeat it,” Cass wrapped his arms around her. “Let’s go.”

And go they did. Then stop. Then go again. Followed by a sprint, stop, and sprint again. The draft horse had plenty of fun with them, bouncing them back and forth on her back like ping-pong balls.

“Bella, cut it out! We’re sorry!”

She didn’t cut it out. The trip to Caligula’s End came with a lot of bruises as Adya and Cass slammed into each other repeatedly. 

Adya tied a smug Bella next to Champion at the now dedicated horse area of the bar, and stood there staring at her for a moment. With a smile, she dragged Cass over to the underground entrance and abruptly stopped him before entering.

With an uncommon ferocity driving her, the kiss that followed ratcheted up both of their emotions until a loud neigh interrupted them. Then, with a devilish smile, Adya dragged him down the stairs.

“You know she’s going to make us pay for that.” Cass offhandedly commented as they stepped down.

“Worth it,” She replied, her fingers interlacing with his until the final step.

Alan was waiting for them with a twitching scowl, and several faces Cass had seen once before sat at their usual table in the room. The leanly muscled man had a thin sword strapped to his side as he glared at them. Weapon or not, his clothing was still the same rags as usual.

“You’re late.”

Cass shrugged, “My horse is on the fritz.” 

“Can’t even control a horse.” He shook his head in exasperation. “Go join Team Deadweight; that name is making more sense by the day. We’re waiting on one more, then we’re heading in.”

Adya was already standing by the other three. Orla glared as he approached.

“I saw you yesterday. Why’d you run?”

Mirelle, Bella, Orla… there are so many girls angry at me lately.

He put on an act, “Saw us? I’m sorry, saw us where?”

“I know you heard me! I’m scouting out several potential members of the new and improved Common Solutions, and could’ve used you to interview them and save me some effort for your percentage. You know what I’m saying, so stop playing with my emotions!”

“No idea what you’re talking about.”

A few minutes went by as Orla harangued Cass over a metaphorical fire, then the last member came down the steps. It turned out to be Johan.

“Hello all!” The man said, a bulging bag over his shoulder. “I heard you’re in need of a medic.”

“Good,” Alan said, ignoring the man’s pleasantness. “We’re finally all here. The objective of the day is to make it a good amount into the Speed Dungeon with zero casualties. Get some kills, but take it easy. Joran isn’t with us as he has a contract that took him to the far south, so I’ll be joining you today to make sure nothing terrible happens. Cassio, you’ll be leading Team Deadweight. I expect you to map as much of the dungeon as possible. My reason for this will become apparent as we travel through.”

He looked over at the tall woman Cass had met only once, “Shirley, you’re second in command of this expedition. Make sure the young pups don’t die on us and that Team Razorwire doesn’t implode like usual. We don’t want to be caught out when the Guardian starts to push back. Johan, you’re here on Adya's suggestion, so I’m trusting you to keep your discretion and the injuries as minor as possible. Questions? No? Let’s go.”

There were three groups entering at the same time. Team Deadweight held the left. It consisted of Cass, Orla, Pellin, and Adya, with Johan walking beside them as an unofficial member as he chatted on and off.

Alan held the center, his no-fluff attitude keeping the other teams to their places as he stared straight ahead. Every so often, he’d disappear then reappear within moments. The distance he traveled didn’t even show on Cass’s map, so he had to assume the older man was clearing the way for them. A light sweat broke out on his forehead after the fifth disappearance.

On the right were the people at the table they’d first met when entering the real Caligula’s End. There were five of them, and each walked without fear as they strutted through the dark, packed tunnel. 

Their leader, Shirley, was decked out in a mix of metal and leather. Like Alan, she was a sword-user, though while the older man carried a rapier, held firmly as he marched forward, she preferred a heavy broadsword, which she carried in a single hand. Two other members held bows, with quivers resting on their backs, while another wore metal armor, and a final member carried an oversized backpack with a smile.

They weren’t attacked as they moved, and Cass already had his paper and System map out. He looked ahead and noticed a distinct lack of red dots as the backpacked man inched closer.

“Seein’ anythin'?”

“No, which is strange.”

“Ain’t so strange. The Dungeon knows us well, and Alan’s cleaning up any strays. It either sends the bigguns our way to turn us back, or we just plow right through the little fellas for some cheap xp. Played this game with it many a time. Get’s ya some quick leveling.”

“Sorry, I don’t know your name. I’m Cass.”

“Damien, and I know who you are. Just so you know, I’m a Trapsmith. Once we get in and are a little settled, it’s my job to set up our retreats. There’s a reason our team name is Razorwire. We just need to keep Shirley and Jason from fighting.”

“Which one’s Jason?”

“The fella with all the gear on,” He replied, pointing out the armored man.

“Why would they fight?”

“Why wouldn’t they?” Damien countered. “I could say it’s part of our team dynamic, but it isn’t. Former lovers should never be on the same team.”

“Ah.”

Well…that’s something I’ll have to consider. Cass ruminated as the map continued to update. If somehow things between Adya and me don’t work out, things could get real bad, real fast.

He didn’t see that happening, of course. But on the off-chance it did, things could get messy indeed. But then a brief image of the mutated Driftclaw flying overhead appeared in his mind. It soared with his impending death in its presence in a way that only stories told by firelight are normally shared.

Only, it was then redirected by the tip of a spear held by the woman he’d been with the previous night. As easy as that, the image burst, and he came back to reality.

People don’t do that because they’re only a little interested. I need to take this relationship as seriously as she does. After all, she traveled across the wilds to find me. She deserves the same commitment. Plus, my dad certainly liked her, and that’s not nothing.

The thought of his parents and sister settled on him as he shifted a few of his former priorities around. Bella, as his bonded partner, was already top of the list, but Cass made room beside her for Adya. In his mindscape, she’d only been one rung below, but not anymore.

As he performed his mental exercise, undiscovered portions of the map began to appear on its edges. They’d reached the cavern.

“Damien, get your skinny ass up here and start building our exit. Need Razorwire on both sides that’s ready to pull in behind us if we need to get out in a hurry.”

“Coming, Shirley!” The Trapsmith replied. He gave Cass a nod, then ran, backpack jingling, before setting it down and removing several items. Alan made his way over.

“So, what do you see, Vale?”

“Not much, it’s the same as when we were here last with Joran.”

“That’ll change,” Alan said, spitting to the side. “You’ll understand once we enter the Dungeon.”

“I thought we were in the dungeon.”

“We told you several times, you were on the edge of it. Today we’re entering the real thing, and it has to be experienced to be believed. But don’t worry. The Speed Dungeon is only the middling one.”

“What’s the strong one like?”

“Hah, you’re a long way from being ready for that. I’ll give Damien a few moments to set up his traps, then we’re heading in.”

They waited around for several minutes as the Trapsmith created several fallback positions within the cavern. A few times, it looked like a Slipfang was trying to sneak forward, but one of Team Razorwire’s archers picked it off, then grumbled as they went to retrieve their arrow. With his enhanced vision, Cass noted that each shot went straight into the monster's eye and easily came out without a nick.

Once Damien gave the okay, they formed up in a group. Shirley and her armored partner, the enigmatic Jason, took the lead, while Alan and Gary fell in right behind them. The two archers whose names he didn’t pick up were on the wings, with Orla and Pellin holding the center. Just behind them stood Cass and Damien, with Adya falling to the rear to keep an eye on anything that might be approaching them from behind.

Like this, they moved forward at a slow, cautious pace, from the edge of the cavern into the darkness beyond. Once they reached the rocky edge of the tunnel, Damien handed Jason and Alan torches to light the way. But Cass barely noticed as something forced itself into his screen.

Warning: You’ve just entered a Dungeon

Dungeon Variation: B847A1

Modifying conditions applied in the territory:

Darkness

Increased weight

Experience halving

Scaling environmental hostility

Incentives for completion:

All hostile entities within grant points toward minor, major, and portal closure rewards

Listed Minor rewards: Resources and materials

Listed Major rewards: Bonus experience and additional Path unlocks

Listed portal closure rewards: ???

…

The screen went away, then quickly returned as he took in a breath, then coughed. 

[SYSTEM NOTICE]

A corrupted object is located within, activating a special condition.

Special Condition:

Corrupted object within grants 500 points for cleansing, as well as an additional reward tailored for Junior QuestWright Cassio Vale

“Cass…”

Is 500 points a lot?

“Cass…”

Who knew a dungeon was like this? Is every dungeon the same? Probably not. After all, the numbers and letters the System identified it with were pretty long. I’m betting there’s about as many different types of dungeons out there as there are people.

I wonder-

“Cass!”

A punch in the arm snapped him out of the screen. 

“What!” 

Then he started coughing. In fact, a lot of them were.

“We need to get moving,” A lightly grimacing Adya got out. “Alan said the longer we’re in here, the more the air will hurt us. Look at your map.”

“Right.” With stinging eyes, he pulled up the map, then looked down. That’s when he got another first-time experience since entering the dungeon. Everything around them was moving.

“So, I don’t know how to say this, but-”

“The Dungeon’s moving, we know,” Alan said with a sigh. “Why the hell do you think I’d bring a guy with a map in here? You’re our ticket to closure, Vale.”

Alan’s thin yet oddly heavy hand patted his back as Cass said, “Uh…oh. That makes sense.”

Please don’t feed me to the dungeon.