The next morning, Myles planned on doing something he desperately needed.

He took it easy.

When he finally took the time to take it all in, Myles realized how much he needed it. It felt like forever since he’d just taken a break from fighting and let his body recover. Granted, recovery in the Grand Dungeon was faster than anywhere else due to the high mana concentration and his status was starting to border on that of a true athlete, but that still didn’t mean he could fight forever.

It took the phantom pains of freshly healed muscles and a recovering soul to tell him that much. In the future, he made a note to never overuse mana again. Having your body broken down into primordial power was not a fun experience the next day. If Ashra had been here, she’d have already woken him up and demanded they start training.

He smiled at that thought. She’d be back to torment him soon enough. As he lay awake under the warmth of his covers watching the light stream into his room, he felt for his sapient monsters. Ashra was still too far away to communicate with properly, but Silpha seemed to be outside the house. She must have been waiting for him to wake up.

Well, might as well start the day.

Good morning, Silpha.

His greeting of mirth and cheer was met with an almost apathetic mental shrug. “Myles. It is nearly noon.”

He smiled wider and cuddled further into the sheets. He’d never slept in until almost noon before!

Then, it’s still the morning.

“What’s left of it,” Silpha relented, then allowed herself a little boat of cheer on a river of annoyance. “But good morning all the same, Myles. I know you’re still getting things in order, but we need to talk as soon as you’re ready.”

Myles gave her the impression of a nod before finally forcing himself out of the warm nest of sheets and pillows that was his bed. His body was still stiff, but he managed to get himself dressed easily enough until his hand nearly slipped through one of the growing holes in his sleeve.

Taking it off to examine, it wasn’t the only one, just the largest of the collection he’d gathered over the past two weeks of constant wear and tear.

His clothes were getting ragged by this point, and he was more than happy to spend whatever it took to get new shirts, pants, and underwear when the merchants came. If only there was a place he could hunt for clothes, but even the Frostfall apparel had only been outerwear.

Dressing again, Myles looked over himself in the mirror. Two weeks ago, he thought he looked good. He’d been proud ever of his looks, but now, he barely recognized the picture he cut. His muscles had toned, his hair was getting unwieldy, and when you added the holes in his clothes from training and wear against his armor…

I’m starting to look like a real Runner, aren’t I?

Kendra had been right on that account.

There was more of a smile on his face as he left the bedroom for the living room intent on making the best of the leftovers in his inventory and icebox then getting a long, hot shower.

Well, that was the plan until he found a problem.

Someone had already made him breakfast, and that someone was still sitting at a brand new table that hadn’t been there last night.

Someone he knew quite well by this point.

“Good morning! I know we said we’d talk about things later, I hope this is later enough. I even brought breakfast. I know you’re responsible for cooking so much, so this is the least I could do when I came calling.”

Myles stared blankly as Sindra sat at the new table where eggs and venison steak were set waiting to be eaten. There was so much to process that he barely registered the roasted, slightly bitter, wonderfully roasted scent of the dark cup of liquid next to it.

Silpha…

“She asked me not to say anything.”

And you listened?

“I thought it would be funny. Besides, do you want to tell her no?”

That was more than enough to send a chill down his spine as Myles’s addled mind worked to take in the meaning of what the spirit of the Purifying Wake implied. His mind worked like a [Baker] worked dough as he processed the dangerous implications. How had Sindra known she was watching over the house?

Please tell me she told you as a nymph, not you as a dungeon core.

“It was, but I think she knows more than she’s letting on. I’m outside tending the flowers if you need me. Just call.”

Myles relaxed a bit. He didn’t know if he could get in trouble for having a dungeon core or how long he could keep such a thing a secret, but he didn’t want to have to find out yet. Besides, Ashra would have been glad to know her flowers were being tended, but he was just happy that if things went south, he had the power of a dungeon behind him. If Sindra tried something, Myles had the distinct feeling he’d need it.

She always does. Be careful if she tries to talk to you again.

After his initial hesitation, Myles made his way to the empty spot on the table, took the cup, and inhaled the life-granting scent of the coffee, taking a sip before settling down at his chair.

“I know I should be more surprised by all this, and I will be once I’ve eaten,” Myles promised as Sindra sat across from him, emerald eyes smiling as much as she’d been. It was just as disarming as it’d always been. “I’m too sore to argue though, so please, let me eat first then we can talk about whatever you came for.”

Sindra’s face fell as if he’d taken the last chocolate from the box and left the empty remains for her to find. Myles did his best to ignore it, but it took more Will than he wanted to devote to the task.

“I’m sorry, Myles. Not for letting myself in, but not considering the toll yesterday must have taken on you. Mitchel gave me a very thorough report. I’m impressed even if you lost to an elite monster.”

Myles mumbled thanks through a mouthful of eggs and steak.

I wanted to catch you before you left for the day since your group is in charge of breakfast tomorrow,” she explained, taking a bite from her eggs before swallowing and speaking again. “I thought I’d drop everything off since I was coming here anyway. We have our own business to discuss best done in private anyways.”

Myles wasted no time as she spoke, and his plate was cleared by the time she’d finished speaking. Eggs, meat, and coffee were downed in an unholy hurricane of hunger as he eyed the bread from last night Lyna didn’t find under the cloth on the counter. Mentally, he made a note that working magic was almost more tiring than physically fighting and to have more food on hand.

“It’s not that,” he finally explained as he got up, took out his dagger, and cut himself and Sindra a slice of the bread. It wasn’t stale yet, but it had a bit more bite to the crust. Even so, she took it without question when he arrived back at the table. “You just have a way of showing up with things I didn’t even know I needed at the moment.”

Sindra smiled as she examined the slice carefully. “That’s because I’m good at my job. I learned how to keep records and Assess things at a young age. When I cross-referenced your build with the number of vouchers I knew you had, I knew you didn’t have a real table. So, I brought one with me so we could eat like civilized people.”

“Do you do this good of a job for everyone?” Myles countered as he chewed a bite of the night-old bread.

Emerald eyes shimmered for just a moment before they closed as her lips closed around the bread and chewed. “Pantheon above, Mitchel was right about the summoner’s food,” she said happily as she took another bite, then another before the slice was done. She glanced longingly at the loaf before realizing she hadn’t answered the question. “Oh, yes and no. I take care of those I have a vested interest in, and there are about six teams that I, or one of my team, make visits to on a pretty regular basis to keep up relations.”

Vested interest?

“Why us?”

Sindra seemed to focus more on the food as she began eating her breakfast again. There was a long silence only broken by the sounds of breathing, chewing, and metal scraping against ceramic. She didn’t speak again until her meal was done.

A few minutes of agonizing silence later, Sindra wiped her face, took a drink of her water, and gave him another pixie-grin of a smile. “Because your group seems genuine and I like that. Well, that and I think that your team has a good chance of surviving to the bottom if we work together. Do I need a better reason?”

Well, he did want an answer. At least it made sense. He was about to say as much before she continued.

“About your Soul Oath,” Sindra began, instantly making the dual Classed man freeze. “I told you it wouldn’t be anything dangerous, and that much is true. It will require you to survive the fight against The Broken King though. I’m sure you already planned that though, right?”

Her soft giggle was almost as disarming as her smile and her eyes, but he nodded. “No plans on dying here.”

She nodded. “Right. Right. Well, I’m not sure if you know this or not, but Shardking has Class-specific drops. Drops that aren’t broadcast to exist for reasons that should be obvious once I explain what they are, but according to my sources, this item isn’t always useful for the Class that gets it.” She paused. “Well, it is useful, but it’s not the most useful, anyways. More like a shortcut. It's much more useful to other Classes than your own.”

He knew she was either nervous or excited the way she was talking, but which one was anyone's guess. From her ghost of a smile, he figured the latter. “Why?”

Sindra shrugged. “To encourage cooperation? The Grand Dungeon just finds it funny? No one really knows, but I need your word that you’ll show me whatever you get, and if it's the item I need, you will hand it over without question and tell no one what it was until I reveal it.”

Myles took the request in stride and considered his options, of which he had none. Curiosity was his downfall in the end, and he asked the obvious question. “What is it?”

“Does it matter?” Sindra countered. “I need it, and it wouldn’t be a big use for you.” She sighed slightly and picked up her plate before going to Myles and picking up his. He almost objected when she went to ash them in his sink as she continued to speak. “I’m asking for this as your oath’s fulfillment. It won’t hurt you, it won’t inconvenience you, and I’ll even make sure another Skill gem finds its way to you. All you need to do is keep things quiet about it.”

Myles blinked. What was that all about? In the light of her sudden change, he elaborated. “No, I mean what is it. I can’t know if it’s the item if I don’t know what the item is.”

Sindra seemed stunned for a moment, then wiped a hand down her face and snickered loudly. “I’m an idiot,” she admitted a second later. “I’m sorry, Myles. I thought you were making a demand, not asking a genuine question. You’ll show me whatever you get from the fight, so it really isn’t necessary. Since I snapped when I didn’t need to though, I’ll indulge you. Fair’s fair, right? Just promise not to tell anyone, okay?” Myles nodded as she returned to the table, clean plates vanishing into her inventory. “It’s an item called Soul Dew.”

Myles shrugged. The name didn’t ring any bells. “Soul Dew?”

She nodded. “You noticed after every floor that some Runners had a jump in power?”

Of course, he had, but that was just normal growth from complexity and experience after a floor boss… wasn’t it?

A moment later, Sindra produced a small vial from her inventory to set on the table, offering it to Myles to examine. At first glance, it didn’t look like anything special. He picked it up and examined the design with a Keen Eye. It was no wider or longer than his index finger, crystal clear, and covered in fancy silver filigree. From what he knew of potions, it was probably True Silver to keep outside aether from filtering into it. If it weren’t for his ability, he would have dismissed the item entirely.

Soul Dew

Value: Priceless

Grandmaster Enhancement Item - Potion (Soul Elixir)

Class: Paladin

Description: A small vial of clear, gently glowing liquid.

Detail: Soul Dew, first discovered by an [Oracle] during the Age of Trials, is the condensed essence of a Soul Node, otherwise known as a Class Skill or a Trait. This unique liquid is produced in one of three ways, but most commonly from distilling a soul’s essence in the process of Soul Break or death.

It has extremely potent mana restoration properties and can serve as a catalyst to unique Class modifications or evolutions based on the Class that condensed the Soul Dew.

When used by a Paladin:

Effect 1: When drunken, increase your mana regeneration, Soul Energy regeneration, and mana pool by 50%.

Effect 2: 1/10 chance to Manifest a new Skill or Trait.

When used by another Class:

Effect 1: 25% Chance to Manifest a new Class from the current Class(es) in conjunction with Paladin.

Effect 2: 50% Chance of modifying a compatible Skill or Trait

He nearly dropped the vial as he examined the description and details a second time. This was the result of someone’s soul? This? Shouldn’t it be more… fancy?

Shouldn’t it feel like power?

It was so…

Sindra just smiled and held out a hand for it. “It’s pretty plain looking for something so powerful, isn’t it?”

He handed it back with a newfound respect and a new level of care. “And you’re just carrying this around?”

“Well, I’m not just going to leave it at home,” she said simply, making it vanish back into her inventory. “It’s no good to me there if I need it or if someone decides to break in and take it. Besides, the side effects would put me on my tail for a few days, and it won’t be long until we have to raid.”

Myles sighed, but she was right.

For a while, he sat and considered what she was asking. If it was a Soul Dew for the [Monster Tamer] Class, he didn’t really have a use for it as much as she did. It might unlock a new Skill or enhance his mana, but he wouldn’t have gotten to Ashra without her help. Still, it didn’t sit right with him. His mind kept coming back to the same question. “What Class are you trying to unlock that I couldn’t help you learn?”

He did not get the reaction he expected.

It was like he popped a balloon as her smile vanished. “You won’t believe me.”

What?

“Try me,” Myles offered. “I’ve believed stranger things than someone looking for a new Class.”

“Keep it to yourself?” When Myles nodded, he couldn’t deny the smile that grew wider on her face, the glimmer in her eyes, and the way everything about her just lit up. “I’m not just trying for one Class; I’m trying for everything, Myles.”

“What?” She just kept smiling. “What do you mean by everything?”

“Are you sure you want to know?”

Myles looked on at the woman, clearly curiously. “I’m in for it now.”

Sindra looked at him for a moment longer before she practically exploded. “Exactly what I said. I want to do everything, be everything, I want to fight. I want to make things, wonderful things! I want to cook and sew and dance and sing and fly. I want to fly, Myles! Could you imagine that?”

“Isn’t that just the [Jack of All Trades]?” Myles asked, fishing for the term he’d head before from Mitchel.

Sindra rasberried. “They’re close but no. Jacks obtain their skills by complexity, not by choice.” When Myles didn’t follow, she sighed. “Have you studied the Soul Nexus Theory? The way that Classes solidify and create Skills and Traits?”

“No, but I know the basics.”

Everyone did.

Sindra took that as it was given and explained it further. “Your Class determines what Skills and Traits you can learn through related or repeated actions. You know that much, right?” Myles nodded. It was how he improved his Taste Test or how he’d obtained Dagger Mastery. “Well, [Jack of All Trades] is still limited. They can learn any combat Skills, any Traits, but there are still things they can’t do like say…”

“Fly?” Myles offered.

Sindra smiled. “Right, like fly. They can jump off cliffs all they want, but they would just develop something like a [Barbarian]’s Leap or some sort of impact resistance Trait since Jacks can’t fly and it would take a very specific set of circumstances to even begin down an aerial combat path.”

“Whereas you think…”

“Know,” she corrected.

“Whereas you know that the Skill can Manifest in…”

“In the [Sky Dancer] advanced Class for the [Dancer] Class is the easiest.”

Myles paused to take in the information. There was no way he could verify…

“She’s right. Flight is the advancement of the Trait Wind Walker that [Dancer]s and [Aeromancers] can unlock. Takes years of dedication and a huge mana pool with an air, beast, or celestial alignment, but it is possible.”

You’re really amazing, Silpha.

“Oh, I know that. I don’t need you to tell me that, but it is nice to hear all the same. Thank you, Myles.”

After a few more moments of silence, Sindra cleared her throat. “As I said, I do have a plan, and so that we’re clear, any Soul Dew comes to me.” She confirmed. “Anything else I want to catalog just as a record, but you can keep it.”

At least she wasn’t asking for his firstborn as he agreed to the terms. If she were right, there would be plenty of chances to get more to test anyways.

“I owe you,” he said simply, only a slight bitterness tainting the words.

She nodded, slightly dour at that. “I don’t like to extort people when they’re down,” she began, “but you’re the only [Monster Tamer] right now, and a dual Class at that. Your Soul Dew would be unique, and I couldn’t risk someone else approaching you for it that would waste its potential. A few have shown an inclination that could unlock variants of your Class like [Summoner], [Binder], or [Beast Artist], but I don’t need variants. I need what you are.”

That was interesting. “How do you know where people’s Class advancements are at?”

She simply smiled. “Do you want a free piece of advice, Myles?”

A familiar chill ran up his spine, but he replied all the same. “I can always use some advice if it’s free.”

“There’s not much I don’t know,” her voice grew slightly quieter as she spoke each word as if confirming it was something dangerous, something volatile. “There are things I know I shouldn’t. Things I’ve stopped that I wished I’d never had to see, things I wish I could have and couldn’t. I’m…” her voice dragged off for a moment before seeming to snap back to her attention. “I’m the leader for a reason whether I want to be or not, Myles, and I will do everything I can to keep my Runners safe,” almost silently, she added something he doubted he’d have caught two weeks ago. “Even from themselves if I have to.”

The chill froze his blood at that moment as his mind caught up with the words that weren’t ominous in the least.

The rest of the visit was short in comparison. Sindra made small talk while Myles split his attention between feeding Silpha information and speaking with Sindra about the weather and some small details about his life she found interesting. Despite her standing, it was interesting to see how she acted in private. As she had before when he met her at the temple, Sindra was fairly normal, but something kept tugging at his mind, something that he felt he should have remembered, something important.

The half-baked thought never had a chance to rise further before she stood, bidding Myles do the same before the table and chairs vanished into her inventory. She gave him a warm smile all the same, almost melting the tension that had risen in the past few moments.

“Will Ashra be joining you for the fight?”

He shrugged, triggering his ability again almost out of habit now before answering. “She’s healthy enough, but she has other issues to work out before she can work with me again.”

“Hopefully she works things out before tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Right. Tomorrow.”

“Why…”

“Because tomorrow, Shardking will rise.”

His jaw dropped.

“How in the Mists did she know?”

It dropped further.

“Er... That’s what I needed to talk to you about! I felt it starting yesterday, but I couldn’t be sure being in another dungeon’s influence.”

Sindra just smiled. “I have a few [Scout]s keeping an eye on the city. From the runic formation images they’ve returned to me with, we have at most about thirty hours as of noon before Shardking rises if my estimates are right.”

“Are they?”

“Are they what?”

Myles sighed. “Are they right?”

“Oh, yes. Give or take five hours from the size of the runes and their intensity, yes,” she assured. “I’m good at calculations involving runic capacity and function. It’s a fascinating area of study that is sadly lacking since the Heaven’s Shards were fully integrated into society to power the local enchantments and magical defenses. He will be here by nightfall tomorrow.”

Of course. By the Pantheon, was this what real power was? What was she before coming here?

“Remember, breakfast tomorrow,” she reminded him. “Cinnamon rolls if you can. There’s enough there for that. You could make up a few different things too. Kessivan Toast is always good. Oh! A fruit salad would be nice too. Remember, you’re feeding a few hundred of us if everyone comes.”

She left it at that, a smile, and a wave as she saw herself from his home.

Myles sighed.

Silpha, can you assist?

“With what? Cooking breakfast?”

Yes, with cooking breakfast.

To her credit, there was only a bit of indignation at the request. “Do I look like a [Chef]?”

Myles sighed. No, you look like someone that can recreate my meals in a matter of seconds so that I can go talk to everyone about tomorrow.

He felt the mental equivalent of a shrug as she replied. “True enough. Being a dungeon core does have its advantages. What are you going to do?”

I’m going to prepare for war, Silpha.

***

The others took the news surprisingly well once they all got together at Kendra and Will’s.

“Mist-driven bastards!” Kendra cursed to herself as the others reflected her sentiments. “I thought we had more time.”

“I know you’ve been keeping track. It’s almost day fifteen,” Will pointed out as he lounged back in his seat. “We knew it was going to happen sooner rather than later. It’s never been later than halfway through the first month.”

“But we haven’t done anything to trigger it, and tomorrow is supposed to be the delivery day!” Kendra argued. “Last year it was arriving at the point, the run before were the keys, the run before that…”

“Was more controlled,” Will pointed out. “The dungeon changes the challenge every run from its conception.”

“But…”

“If it interrupts meeting day, I’m sure it’ll be the first safe day after. Relax and focus on the task at hand.”

Kendra looked as if she wanted to say more, but she settled for fuming as Tail’s tail twitched in discomfort. The Korgan said nothing for the moment, but Myles could sense their issue with the impending challenge.

Lyna, to Myles’s great surprise, took it the best.

“Finally!”

So much so that it took him off guard.

“What?”

She gave him a smile more at home on the face of a well-placed mimic than a halfling as she replied. “Oh, come on! We’ve been stuck on the first floor for how long now? Going on half a month. We’ve not found another dungeon or done another real adventure since the dungeon that shall not be named. There aren’t even more than an armful of monsters left in each of the regions. We’re finally going to the good stuff! Who knows what the second floor’s going to hold! Remember the last Run?”

“Death?” Will offered, reminding her that the second floor had the highest mortality rate after the first floor.

“For everyone else,” Lyna grinned, ignoring his crotchety attempt to ruin her fun. “We’re Rising Star, and we’re going to kick some serious tail!”

“Unless it’s a challenge floor or a puzzle floor,” Tail interjected, reminding the others of their presence still.

“Bah.”

Myles relaxed as he felt their emotions begin to come back into a more reasonable place as their anger turned to the situation. In the end, he didn’t tell the others about Sindra’s request. Unless someone in his party wanted to become a [Monster Tamer], it really didn’t matter. He wouldn’t mind getting some Soul Dew of his own in the future.

As he did on instinct now, he felt for Ashra’s connection and tried to send her a message about the current situation. She was still too far to receive it, of course, but when he used his other Skill to sense her, she was still thankfully feeling safe and content with no injuries other than what felt like a bruised shoulder.

Strange, but nothing to worry about.

“So…” Kendra said, breaking the odd silence. “What now?”

“Now?” Myles asked as he pulled out a few loaves of bread to hand out. “We enjoy the time we have before everything goes to the Mists.”