Chapter 23

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[Dungeon]

When the group of adventurers entered the ice level, I felt immense anticipation, how would they react to the slides, would they die. I’d only ever killed one other adventurer, the mysterious man from a while back. I was looking forward to my next one though as the rush I had felt was astonishing. Intoxicating.

I wasted the next few moments thinking back to that moment and I missed some of their conversation. I phased back in as I watched Kael turn around and slide down the slope, seemingly without thought. As he glided forwards standing on his two feet like it was solid ground navigating the turns and twists with supernatural ease, I was annoyed. When he stopped at the platform and then hopped over two channels and glided down the next set of tubes, I was furious. How the fuck did the man miss all of the traps. Of all the goddamn lucky son… I ranted to myself.

In the end though, my ranting was cut off as I felt another sharp pounding cut through my mind.

Oooohhh I thought, someone new has come to visit.

Racing up through the floors my mental presence caught them as they fell down the stairs, in a clattering jumble of limbs until they landed on top of each other. I cackled to myself. Yes, the stairs were the best. Hahahahaha.

Once they sorted themselves out, they looked around in wonder at my first floor. I felt extremely proud and I couldn’t wait to turn their wonder into horror, I licked my metaphysical lips at the thought.

As they pushed through the thick grasses, I could see them wincing a lot. They were a group of five young boys, and clearly very inexperienced in a dungeon as they had no awareness at all as they pushed forwards. Except for perhaps one, who stayed at the back. He was a tall lad, taller than the others by at least half a head, though skinny as a bean pole. He had dark brown hair and a freckled pattern around his eyes that made him seem slightly like a racoon. He seemed more timid than the others, like a mouse who knows the cheese is good, but that there might be some sort of trap. The others had none of his worries though as they laughed jolly as can be and pushed through.

When they reached the end of the first set of walls, they paused a moment before one of them shouted “loot” and ran off. A shorter fellow, apparently called Mik, or at least I assumed so, the others shouted that after him as he ran off.

As he ran towards said loot, I looked over the tree, hoping it was the killer sort.

Continuing my run of bad luck, it wasn’t, and it wasn’t long before the group had taken their first ‘loot’ splitting it evenly…ish. Their de facto leader nicking the leather bracer that I had put inside. Though the others didn’t seem so happy about it, they said nothing, and the group went on their way.

I looked over the leader of the group, tall, not as tall as the mousy one, but tall enough and well built, he was strong and his personality matched, making the others follow with ease. He had smoky blond hair that was cut short, with a few misbegotten strands, sticking out at random. A nice leather bracer now adorned his spear arm, protecting him.

As they forged on, in pursuit of more of my loot I sank back through the floors to check on the other group.

“Argghhhhhhhhhh!!!!” a scream of pain, resounded, echoing out through the floors. It was a scream of anger and pain, melded into a furious battle chant.

Sigurd was busy hacking into a flailing yeti with two daggers whilst Jenna was focusing on healing his split open back, Jackson was unconscious on the floor, next to a big ice spike wall with a large dent in his chest piece and blood leaking out from the joints in the plate armour.

Kael was trying to climb up the icy ramp to get back to the floor, but it was hopeless as he kept sliding back down again. Preternatural agility he may have but he was stuck with the same non-grippy shoes as the rest of them. I laughed as he once more slid back down, throwing the little pickaxe away in anger. With a plop it slid through the archway and into the ocean of the next floor.

With a final roar, the yeti ceased its breathing, the dark blood spitting out of its mouth as its choking last breath rattled out. A good fight. A very good fight.

Checking on the other group, I realised they had found another chest and that one of their number had disappeared. It confused me because I hadn’t noticed him die, until I realised that he had been injured somehow and taken to rest outside of the entrance.

The others pushed on, seemingly unwary. I concluded that he had hurt himself in a silly way and that they didn’t know about the trees. So, I sat back to wait for a while.

It was a surprise to me that what got them first wasn’t stumbling into the killer trees in search of loot, but it was the eagle. Swooping down, graceful and silent he lunged, talons outstretched. Just skimming past the tall one, it clawed at the one they called Mik, taking a chunk of its head with it as the eagle swooped by. I laughed as they freaked out. The blood raining on the floor energising me. As the man lay dying, I could feel the slightest trickle of life energy feeding me.

The others panicked and I laughed to myself even more.

They picked him up, by his feet and arms, and waddled like penguins over to the nearest tree. The grass and brambles pulled and tore at the dying mans clothes and flesh and made their work in moving him all the harder.

As they reached the boundary of the tree the tall one - john - slipped, his feet sliding forward as he tipped over backwards. It was perhaps good fortune as he fell out of the attacking radius of the tree, which quick as a whip took off the leader’s head, slashing through his neck with ease. I laughed in joy as it fell to the floor with a wet slapping sound before rolling away a few feet. Perhaps it was a bit too sharp… I thought for a few moments while it killed the other one. Nah, it’s just about right I decided.

As the death of the three individuals arrived, I felt the bliss creep through my body, bathing me in the energies.

I smiled, relaxing as the mana suffused me, I loved killing, it felt so good.

John ran from the floor, tears streaming down his face as he wept on the entrance steps.

“Five entered, two get to leave. Three stuck down in the realm beneath, their essence sucked up with a joyous smile, killing feels good, I do it with a smile” I sang to myself.

After relaxing for a bit, I thought to check on the other group and discovered that they were all up again and healed up, although Jackson’s chest plate had had to be removed because of the dent. When the yeti had hit him it had dented the metal into the mans ribs so that it could no longer be worn after he was healed.

They carried it with them, even though it slowed them down. And I wondered how they were going to tackle the next room whilst lugging it around.

Gathered at the archway leading to the next floor, they waited for some unknown signal.

“alright, go!”

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[Sigurd] (floor7/8)

Sebastian watched the waters, waiting for the slightest ripple in the dead calm waters. So smooth and clear that the mirror like surface reflected me in perfect clarity. There was something about ultra-calm waters that seemed cold, the reflections of the icy ceiling didn’t help too much, and it gave the water a whitish glow instead of a warm blue, adding to the frozen feel.

Lorelei’s fire aura was a godsend, but it still barely prevented the chill from sinking bone deep. I shivered, feeling the cold flow down my nape as the collar of my cuirass lifted, letting the frigid air pour in.

Sebastien straightened up “alright, go!” he commanded, jumping onto the first icy block. To my great relief it didn’t move, no rocking or shifting in the slightest. Kael jumped over with ease and Lorelei and Jenna held each other as they stepped over, Lorelei catching Jenna as her feet slid on the icy surface.

Jackson and I following, the big man taking just one step whilst I managed with a short hop. As before there was no movement and we shuffled over to the edge before moving on to the next platform.

It was a few platforms later when the first issue presented itself in the form of a bird. We had just jumped our first gap, when from the heavens the bird swooped at us, luckily it went at Kael and the man managed to twist out of the way with ease, letting the bird continue till it crashed into the ice, cracking a large section.

“Blimey, that’s a shocker” he said, pulling the bird from the floor. It squawked I shock until he tipped it upside down, at which point it quieted down.

“How’d you know that would work?” I asked.

“oh, dad was a chicken farmer, it’s a well-known trick to keeping them calm and quiet. Though you have to be careful, if they’ve just eaten, the food dribbles back out if you keep them upside down a while, smells and looks fowl, heh.” He said raising his eyebrows. I snorted at the pun.

“The more you know” I commented.

Sebastien took a closer look at the bird, pointing out a few of its features. “You see the bill?” we nodded

“It’s short and stubby, backed up into its face, and the bony head supports it, allowing it to crash into us with ease. Its ingenious really. See the wings? How swept back they are? When it crashes, they can be held next to the body and kept out of harm’s way.”

“Well, lets keep an eye on the sky, I think if you got knocked off the ice by one, it’d be a job to try and save you. And we’re out of healing potions too.” Sebastien said before leading us off to the next platform.

It was two more platforms before we encountered our first fight, we stopped one jump away from it and Kael pointed it out for us.

“You see the snow pile, its another monster, we’ve got a bigger platform and the dungeon has liked to hide its monsters as snow drifts, probably another yeti hidden in plain sight.”

“You sure?” Jenna asked not convinced.

“yeah, saw it move not a minute ago. It’s a damn good disguise and if we hadn’t encountered any so far, I would have discounted it. Looking for threats from the sky or the sea would keep us distracted enough that maybe you’d miss it.”

“This dungeon’s a tricky one, god help anyone not experienced coming in before our report makes it to the guild.” Sebastien commented before continuing.

“Right, Jackson and Sigurd same plan as that first yeti. Jackson, take the first blow, Sigurd you take the legs down. Ill sneak behind it and deal damage, just make sure to keep its attention. Kael, Lorelei long range, when Jackson and Kael split apart funnel the damage between them. Jenna, heal Jackson unless one of us is in trouble, he’s got no protection for his front right now so he’s more vulnerable.” We all nodded.

“Right, plan set, let’s hope it doesn’t go to hell. Jackson… Lead the way.”

We hopped over the gap and got ready to fight. Adrenalin rushed through my veins and the beast stood up with a roar.

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[Dungeon]

They arrayed themselves around the polar bear, obviously aware of the beast. Their experiences on the previous levels teaching them well.

Stepping forward Jackson slammed his shield into the bear as it stood roaring. Before moving right slightly. As the creature followed him, Sigurd darted forward spinning to the left and driving his axe through the right foreleg of the bear. As it tripped the bear lashed out catching the edge of the shield and sending Jackson sliding back and spinning.

Lorelei and Kael took the opportunity to blast the bear with fire and arrows that roasted off the fur and stuck in the flesh like the quills on a porcupine. The stream of fire ended and revealed a slightly singed Sebastien and a very singed bear.

Regaining his footing, Jackson flew back in, bashing the bear in the head with the edge of his shield and knocking it to its side, the foreleg not strong enough to stop it rolling. The collision with the beast forced Jackson off his feet as he fell on top of the it.

Roaring with ear deafening loudness the bear rolled more on its back and clawed him up with its hind legs, snapping at him with its jaws as well. Unfortunately for me, but I suppose fortunately for them, Jackson was just out of reach of the grasping mouth, though he did get slashed a few times with the claws on its hind legs.

Sebastien emerged from behind the fight and drove his sword through the bears skull ending its fight with a single blow. I sighed, another good fight. When this team were on it, they were extremely good, far too good for the current monsters. I would have to build the remaining fire levels soon, because I was doubting that the ice would stop them.

Standing up, Jackson got a quick heal from Jenna and collected his shield that had been knocked away in his tussle.

“Good fight everyone.” Sebastien commented. “Now, who wants to cut it open?” to which no-one replied.

“O…Kay. Who wants to cut it open knowing they get first choice of any prize found?” He asked, providing more incentive.

“Go on then.” Sigurd responded, patting the dead bear. “You’d better have a nice surprise for me beastie”

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[Sigurd] (floor 8)

Elbow deep in animal guts was a familiar place for me, I wish it weren’t. But, alas, it was. First you had to slice down the belly, opening it up from the dip at the front of the neck – just between the clavicle bones – to between the creatures’ legs. Next you reached in with a short sharp blade and severed the throat and then pulled it all out, cutting what remained connected at the other end once it was all out. A quick look through it yielded no treasures so I kicked it off the platform and into the sea, wondering what would be eating that later.

Up inside the animal, towards the head, where the heart was, usually just nestled behind was a mana core. Most creatures started forming them once their growth was done and they often were encased in layers of tendons and veins that allowed the mana that was absorbed to keep feeding the animal and allowing it to grow. This time was no exception and I dug around for a few minutes before locating it.

Taking out my boning knife, I cleaned my arms in the icy waters and the cut up the legs before circling them at the feet. This would allow me to peel the pelt from the carcass and a super soft white pelt that I’d never seen before would probably net me a very tidy profit. Things were looking up.

“Jesus, Sigurd, didn’t know you knew how to butcher” Lorelei asked, open mouth at my skills. I felt pride. “Yep, pa taught me ages ago, comes in useful when you encounter something like this. Though ill have to cut the section you ruined away, should still net me a decent profit though.”

“Hey, Sig?” Kael asked.

“You fancy cutting off a few steaks for us, I’m up for some mystery bear meat tonight, Lore can cook it for us and I don’t want any jerky and flatbread now.”

“Sure” I laughed, “one sec.”

Once I was done with the pelt and the meat for Kael, we kicked the carcass off the platform and lo and behold underneath was a treasure chest.

“Good lord, it keeps getting better!” I exclaimed, kneeling down to open it.

Inside was a large purse of coins, mostly silver, as well as a steel bracer and pouldrons. There were a fe shiny gems and a couple ice mana crystals too.

Pulling them out I showed the others. “Look at this haul, you think these’ll fit Jackson?” I asked.

“Hmm, maybe, give me a sec and I’ll try them, it’ll be good to have at least shoulder armour again.”

“Wow, that’s a lot” Jenna remarked happily.

Once we’d split the loot, the pelt and mana core went to me as well as an equal share for the chest, and Jackson had fitted the Pouldrons we got ready to advance again.

I was about to step onto the next platform when I heard a twang and a squawk, followed shortly after by a splosh. I glanced at Kael.

“Diving bird just came at us” he said in answer to my question.

“Nice shot” I replied before continuing on.