A few minutes later, my body was fully restored, the last of its injuries washed away by soothing waves of chi heal.

Opening my eyes, I found myself looking out on the molten lake and repressed a shudder. The journey across had been harrowing and was not an experience I cared to repeat. Don’t die, I told myself grimly, and you won’t have to.

Reminded of the task before me, I rose into a crouch and peeked around the boulder. The edge of the red dome hung a few inches away, close enough to touch. The gateway itself was just a few yards beyond. Achingly close. Moving with deliberate care, I reached out and touched the dome.

This is a protective barrier formed of fire. Until it is removed, you cannot pass through, nor can the nether portal be accessed.

As I thought. I suspected the means to lowering the barrier was somewhere amongst the acolyte’s possessions. He was the strongest creature in the level and almost certainly the sector boss. Until I killed him, I wasn’t progressing.

Withdrawing my hand, I studied my three foes on the opposite end of the island.

They hadn’t moved.

The dome covered the bulk of the island, and to reach the trio, I would have to sneak either clockwise or anticlockwise around its rim.

Can I reach them undetected though?

Between the light given off from the molten lake, the portal, and the dome itself, the shadows on the island were not as thick as I liked, and I realized I would have to rely heavily on the terrain for cover. Thankfully though, the tiny island was far from flat, and there were ample dips, rises, and tall rocks to hide me.

And really, I only needed to get within nine yards of my target.

Pursing my lips, I considered the two paths before me. The right one, I decided after a moment. Slipping out from behind the boulder, I began my final approach.

~~~

Staying low and moving with torturous slowness, I circled the red dome. Every few feet, I paused and ran a leery gaze over my foes. But the elementals and the acolyte didn’t glance my way, not even once, leaving me to wonder if my abundance of caution was unnecessary.

In any case, I reached the outcropping I’d been aiming for without mishap. With my back braced against the rock, I peered around the edge. The black throne was eight yards away, and within it, I could just make out the acolyte.

The savant was still and unmoving. With his head bowed and his arms folded in his lap, he seemed the perfect target. Oblivious and vulnerable.

Smiling grimly, I drew my swords.

Three hostile entities have failed to detect you! You are hidden.

Both blades came free of their sheathes with barely a whisper of sound. Closing my eyes, I took a moment to prepare myself, casting reaction buff, piercing strike, and whirlwind.

Your Dexterity has increased by +4 ranks for 20 minutes.

You will deal double damage on your next attack.

Your attack speed has increased by 100% for 3 seconds.

I wasn’t sure if the acolyte was truly as defenseless as he appeared. But it didn’t matter. Whether or not he was riddled with unseen protections, it didn’t change what I needed to do.

Strike hard. And strike fast.

If my attack failed, I was prepared as I could be for any eventuality, and if it succeeded, well then, the battle was half won already.

Time to act. Exhaling softly, I raised my blades and shadow blinked forward.

You have teleported 8 yards. You are still hidden.

I flickered back into existence beside the black throne, a barely seen shadow. I was already poised to act too. My gaze fixed on my suspecting target, I brought my swords rushing down, plunging first one, then the other into one side of the acolyte’s throat and out the other.

You have backstabbed your target for 4x more damage!

You have backstabbed your target for 2x more damage!

You have killed a level 155 savant acolyte.

I didn’t pause to celebrate.

Despite the success of my sneak attack, I still had a second foe looming at my back and another nearly as close. Not waiting to observe the elementals’ reaction, I wrenched free my blades and dropped into a roll.

A few feet away, almost at the edge of the molten lake, I sprang back to my feet and whipped around, swords held at the ready.

The magma elementals hadn’t shifted out of position.

Indeed, they seemed to have been frozen into inaction. Only their heads had swung my way, the pulsing of their red eyes increasing in tempo as they studied me from impassive faces.

Summoning psi, I wove a charm spell in my mind and dropped into a wary crouch. But I didn’t release the casting. The elementals weren’t attacking.

Yet.

The tableau held for a drawn-out moment. The two creatures studying me, and I scrutinizing them in turn, both parties waiting to see what the other would do.

I shifted uneasily. What are they thinking?

I didn’t relish the prospect of fighting the elementals. Even if I succeeded in charming them—which wasn’t guaranteed by any means—I suspected it would be a long and protracted battle.

Much better if they flee.

The elementals tilted their heads to the side… almost as if they’d heard me. But before I could figure out what that meant, the pair dissolved, their magma forms liquifying into lava to seep into the ground.

Mouth dropping open, I gaped at the two-already cooling puddles that were all that remained of the elementals. “Well, I’ll be…” I murmured.

Unbending from my crouch, I cleaned and sheathed my blades. Only then, did the enormity of my accomplishment penetrate. I’d done it, I’d cleared the level.

Raising my head, I glanced at the portal. The fire barrier protecting it had vanished the moment the acolyte had died. The way to the next level was open.

But before I could move on, there were a few things that needed doing.

Striding up to the throne, I yanked back the acolyte’s hood. The savant was a strange looking being. His face, while humanoid, was distinctly inhuman. He had neither teeth nor nose. His lips were gummy, and his eyes were round and bulging.

In death, the savant made for an altogether pitiful sight. But the creatures have proved themselves my foes and I could afford them no mercy.

Splitting open the acolyte’s robe, I inspected it carefully. The fabric was bulky and torn, and I judged it would offer little protection. My newbie gear is better, I thought, flinging away the garment to riffle through the rest of the corpse’s belongings.

Unfortunately, that did not amount to much.

Beneath its robe the savant was naked, wearing not so much as a pair of boots. Other than the robe, the acolyte bore only two other items: a necklace around its neck and a bracelet on its right arm. Ripping both free, I inspected each in turn.

The target is a bracelet formed from shards of polished glass.

The target is the amulet of fire, the first piece of the guardian amulet of elements. In its present form, the amulet grants the bearer +10% resistance to fire magic.

I dropped the bracelet—it was worthless. The amulet though was worthy of more attention. It consisted of a medallion attached to a thin metal chain. Four quadrants had been etched in the round metal disc. Three were empty, while the last was filled by a ruby crystal.

Pulling the amulet over my head, I tucked it beneath my cotton shirt. I recalled mention of the amulet in the gnomes’ notes and knew I would need it on the final level.

If I make it that far.

Ignoring the errant though, I turned about to stare at the molten lake. I’d seen savant mage’s corpse slip into the lava earlier, and like the bodies of the fire slugs, it was lost to me.

The scholar’s corpse remained on his lonely perch. But after what I’d found on the sector boss, I was not about to brave the lake again to search it.

With a shrug of disappointment at the lackluster loot—I’d been warned though, so I hardly had cause to complain—I strode up to the portal and concealed myself in a shallow crevice. I’d not forgotten about the mantises, hence the precautions. They hadn’t shown up yet, but I didn’t doubt they would.

Safely shrouded in shadow, I finally turned my attention to the waiting Game messages, including the ones I’d suppressed from the earlier encounters.

The first sector boss has been slain! Sector bosses remaining: 4 of 5.

You have reached level 109!

Your sneaking has increased to level 79. Your shortswords has increased to level 84. Your two weapon fighting has increased to level 58. Your meditation has increased to level 90. Your telepathy has increased to level 61. Your insight has increased to level 89. Your deception has increased to level 85.

I’d gained a total of five levels in the sector, which was low considering the number of higher-ranked foes I’d slain. But I still had five attribute points to spend, leaving me with a difficult choice.

Dexterity or Mind? I wondered.

I’d come into the dungeon realizing I would have to depend heavily on my Mind skills. My faith in my mental abilities had been borne out in the first sector, and I expected things in the second sector to be no different.

The question, though, was, did I keep pushing my Mind higher?

As my player level and telepathy increased, eventually I would reach the point when I could overcome the savants’ mental resistance—and perhaps even their hold on their minions.

But would I get the point while still in the dungeon? And dare I delay reaching that point by not investing in Mind?

No. That would be too risky, and I’m already playing for keeps. Decided, I spent my new attribute points.

Your Mind has increased to rank 57.

My player progression seen to, I rose to my feet. Almost involuntarily, my gaze slid to the distant entrance chamber, and for a brief moment, I contemplated staying on longer in the level to await the mantises.

But after further consideration, I decided against it.

This sector’s design was too open, and once I revealed myself, I doubted I would be able to easily hide again. Ideally, I wanted to strike at the assassins from the shadows and just as quickly fade back unseen.

Perhaps the next level will suit me better. Resolved, I slipped through the gateway.

Transfer through portal commencing…

…

…

Passage completed!

Leaving sector 105 of the Endless Dungeon.