About thirty minutes of breaking and smashing eggs later, after double checking the room for any possible threats that could be waiting for us to lower our guards before pouncing on us, we looked at one of two tunnels leading deeper into the dungeon. Then, for the next ten or so minutes we were discussing every ‘for and against’ for each of the options, taking into consideration the tunnel's angle, width, the way in which it seemed to curve, and even stench coming out from each of them. Finally agreeing in unison we picked a tunnel which appeared to be the least deadly as staying in a room smelling like dead lizards would attract the attention of other predators, eventually.

And so, we resumed our journey.

The corridor that we chose was simple - it didn’t have any crossroads or bigger rooms. It was one tunnel, simple, a few kilometers long, here and there it curved. We walked it for a good two or three hours before we heard some noise from the next turn.

It was impossible to tell the sounds apart due to specific acoustic properties of the huge, stone rooms, but, we knew that it wasn’t a lone creature that made the noise, it sounded like a river - or like the insides of a beehive - dozens of similar noises merging into an unrecognizable cacophony.

We dropped low, crouching, trying to sneak towards the tunnel’s turn to see what was the reason for these noises. My companions, holding their breath, moved step after step with serious, focused expressions and tense muscles. But once they reached it, they loudly exhaled air that they had held in their lungs.

“It’s them…” one of the scavengers who volunteered to check the area said without even looking in our direction, his facial expressions softened as the entire stress left his body “... it’s the attack group!”

The rest of the team bolted onward to see if with their own eyes, as if not believing the words of their friend. I, of course, also followed, though at a bit of safer distance, just in case it proved to be another illusion sent by some hypnotic snakes.

Only when I saw the same thing did I feel as if a huge stone was just lifted off my chest, allowing me to breathe normally.

We entered another huge, round room - this one was colossal. From the opposite direction from ours, there was a tunnel through which the attack group had to get in here, and then, around ninety degrees to our left, there was a huge, colossal even, portal - like a frame without a door, leading to something that looked like a boss room.

In front of it, dozens of tents were erected and even more soldiers walked left and right, setting up a camp, together with small fortifications in case of an enemy attack. The keen eye of a camp’s guard quickly noticed our group appearing on the other side of the room - sending a scout to run deeper into the camp - most likely to deliver a message of our arrival.

Not even waiting for an invitation, our group started walking towards the camp, at first, some of them were even running, but after almost two whole days in the dungeon, numerous battles, and a loss of our party member, the exhaustion did attack them unexpectedly, reminding them how worn out their bodies were. Until now, the scavenger group was moving fueled by fear and pure training drills. Now, as both were gone, after reaching the border of the camp, my newest friends literally collapsed on the ground, falling asleep on the spot.

In no time Capitan Godric and his two lieutenants came to us with a mixture of angry and puzzled expressions.

“What are you doing here? You were supposed to move directly behind us! We have even marked our paths so you wouldn’t miss the turn.” “With all due respect…” the sergeant looked left and right, checking whether other knights weren’t within earshot to hear the forthcoming act of violation in the chain of command “...You fucked up, Godrick. You checked rooms half-assed. Barely in the third room, we were attacked by an ambusher, we lost a man there, and, in yet another room there was this weird mind-controlling snake! We almost killed one another there! Later was only better - we DID FOLLOW your markings, but, they led us into a completely new, virgin even, side of the dungeon. The ten of us fought with hundreds of Ratptoxes!...” “So did we, but I am not making a fuss out of it, Adam.” the two clearly knew each other, or else a proud captain would never allow someone to act like that in front of him. “Is that so? At the same time? With only ten men?” “Wait, wait, wait! Ratptoxes make packs of around twenty, you want to tell me...” “I don’t WANT anything, Godric. I am TELLING you. One room. Hundred beasts. They found us.” “... with only ten, no, nine people? How?” “We used a chokepoint of the tunnel, perfect maneuvering, and Alabaster. In a day and a half, he saved us thrice! THRICE! From a mind controller, from a swarm, and from a huge ass mutated Ratptox queen!... Also, I noticed that he doesn’t get tired… But… Ah fuck, for now, that’s irrelevant. Godric. My men are exhausted and wounded, please, send some priests to check up on them, and if you could give them some food, we would be grateful. We have completely exhausted our supplies." “Of course, you too as well go get some sleep. You do look like walking misery. As soon as you can get up, visit me at the commanding tent, we will be storming the boss room and I could use some of your ideas.” “That’s just my face.” sarge just waved his hand, smiling but exhausted “... fine. I will be there for sure, just give me two... no! Three hours!” “Take four. And now get out of my sight, maggot.” “Sure, sure…” only then did the sergeant drop his traveling bag off his backs, picking up a sleeping bag and setting his provisor “bed” next to one of the tents. “Alabaster, care coming with me for a moment?” Captain asked, but only as he was sure that no one else was eavesdropping on us. “...How much does he know? About you?” “Only that I no longer need to eat or sleep. I didn’t betray any details, shamelessly saying that my hands are tied as I vowed that I wouldn’t speak too much about my relationship with the Lions, adding that it is up to you - the captains - to decide to whom how much details are about to be given. Oh, he also called me a techno-craft.” “Hm? He probably thinks that you are one of those advanced combat homunculi. Let’s let him believe that for now. I will neither confirm nor deny his story. But you must know that only by accident were we able to avoid problems regarding your… condition.” “I… will keep that in mind. Sorry for all possible troubles that I might have caused." “Don’t sweat it, kid. Heads up, chest out, backs straight. You are almost one of the Lions, so act like one.”

I was given a strong hit on my back, which almost knocked me over

You have suffered [4] blunt-type damage. Remaining HP: [446/450]

I wanted to walk with Captain a few moments longer, but I was quickly bugged by one of the priestesses. A woman - long brown hair tied into a single ponytail for sake of not getting in the way during the combat. She looked at me from toes to ears, and from ears to toes.

“You are one of those scavengers that lost their way and ended fighting several nests alone? Poor thing, fret not! I will cease your pain. Come here, I will treat your wounds!” pure goodness danced in her eyes. “N-no, thank you, I am fine.” “Nonsense! That hard-boiled attitude of your adventurers won’t work on me! I will quickly run basic tests and…” capitan didn’t leave quite yet, and so, he enjoyed the spectacle of me trying to escape another meeting from fire or white magic sources - I was trying to avoid that mostly because, well, it hurt. “I believe that there are other people requiring your services…” “Of course there are! Always have been, and always will be, as long as there are dungeons ready to infest the world then so will there be adventurers ready to keep on diving into them, and getting hurt. So, I can risk a statement that despite my efforts, I will never run out of work.” “I see, interesting point of view, still, I think that there are other people wounded far more badly and…” “Oh mother of merciful heaven and thirteen harbringers of her words, I beg thy, bestow upon this child like merciful warm light, burn the impurity of the wounds, so once again he can become a vessel acting according to your will…”

She ended the chant and the spell, entrapping me in a small ball of light.

My new tormentor was just a novice and so, her magic was still weak and underdeveloped. But, it didn’t change the fact that it hurt like the lowest layer of hell!

You are under the effect of [Hymn of Restoration] Warrning!

Magic-Type not compatible with [User]'s race!

The effect of the spell shall be altered. You have suffered [25] holy damage “And? Feeling any better?” she asked with a concerned tone. “Yeah! Much better! I feel anew! Right down to my bones!” I decided to demonstrate how ‘well I was feeling’, starting to perform several dozens of jumping jacks. “Ah! Great! Literally marvelous! Now, just to be sure, let’s do it one more time!” she raised her hands above my head, trying to start a chant.

.

.

...Nononononononononono....

“Hm? Did you hear that?” I bluffed, looking into the direction of the tunnel from which we came from. “N-no? What was it?” “I have no idea, but I will quickly go and check it for us…”

I said, using this opportunity to increase the distance between me and her, at least for the duration of the healing session.

I walked to the other part of the room and hid behind a column, dedicated to waiting these few hours in absolute peace, far away from noisy priests and their painful, well meaning but still painful, magic.

Fuck. I have lived through a Ratptox Queen, I have lived through praetorians and a nest filled with over a hundred monsters! I killed a mind manipulating snake! And what do I get? A zealot priestess that wanted to cover me from head to toes with extract of holy water.

No. Nope. Thank you, but no. Not this time. I didn’t come this far just to die from a priestess with god/hero-complex.