The tents created a space much like what Market Place had been, but with everything larger. Instead of booths, people would live out of the tents, and they were spaced further apart. Tibs expected that once those who would be stuck living there arrived, it would be chaos, much like what he’d experienced when he’d arrived.

Again, he couldn’t understand the guild’s decision to waste workers on paving the path to Sto’s steps instead of building housing for the new runners and more families.

Tibs stood in the open space on the other side of the path from where the shops were being constructed, along with the other teams, two and six of them. The runners had formed nine teams, and the nobles comprised the rest. One group was on a side of the space, the other at the other end, with ample space between them. Amelia had acknowledged Tibs as she and her team arrived, but had joined the other nobles.

That she’d been the rare noble to take part in protecting Kragle Rock had done little to change the Runners’ attitude toward her. She was the least horrible of the nobles, but she remained a noble first and foremost.

The Runners spoke among each other, Don the only one remaining silent on his team. Tibs answered when addressed, but otherwise waited silently for this… whatever Tirania was going to turn it into, to start. And listened to Sto get more and more excited.

The indication things were now underway was the guards planting the board at the bottom of the steps on the side, then adding plaques with names to each of the nine columns. He couldn’t make out the names, but counted two and six plaques. While the excitement among the Runners rose, no one moved.

Tirania arrived with Commander Irdian, two guards, and a handful of clerk types that made out most of those working within the guild. She walked up the incline by the stairs until she was even with the fourth step. Irdian remained at the bottom with the guards and clerks, looking at the thin crowd dispassionately.

As Tirania looked them over, Tibs felt a shift in the essence wash over them and beyond his ability to sense. “Today marks when life begins anew for you and Kragle Rock.” Her voice sounded all around them. “In a few days, the Omegas will arrive. Tomorrow the reconstruction of the town begins. And today, the first team starts their run.”

“Yes!” Sto yelled. He was the sole person to react, but if lack of enthusiasm at her words registered, Tirania didn’t show it.

“Because of their part in protecting the town, the Team of Heroes will go first.”

“Ganny!” Sto yelled, “Tibs is coming in!”

Again, if the last of reaction bothered her, she didn’t show it.

The lack of reaction at this news from the nobles surprised Tibs. The last time she’s done something like this, their protest had been vocal. Maybe this time she’d informed them ahead of time in private. Or maybe the nobles learned there was someone they couldn’t bully into agreeing with everything they wanted, and no longer wasted time arguing with the guild leader… or should he think of her as sub-leader if she took someone else’s orders?

“Once they are inside, the rest can look over the board to learn in what order the teams will go in starting tomorrow. Because all of you have earned the guild’s respect through your actions, there will no longer be a fee attached to going in early. The rotation will be done automatically so that over the course of the coming weeks, each team will go in first.”

Tibs’s silent scoff was voiced by Jackal, Mez and other Runners. The decision had to have more to do with the Runners not giving coins to the guild for the ‘privilege’ of going in early for months, rather than the respect she claimed they had earned. Had the nobles bothered giving more than a coin or two by the end? Well, it would be two at a minimum, since Don had never managed to pay for the first position on the board.

“Teams will be required to start on the floor they are ranked at so an efficient flow can be maintained, and each team will be allocated a fixed amount of time to complete it. If they clear it early, they can venture on the next one, but still must exit by the end of their allocated time to avoid having teams cross path.”

Tibs wondered how she was planning on enforcing it. It wasn’t like she could close the door on anyone who stayed beyond when she said. Even with the shield telling them how close they were to when the next team was about to enter, once they started dealing with Sto’s creatures and traps, it was hard to keep track of time.

“The Omegas will be an exception as the first floor is an especially difficult challenge for those who have never run a dungeon before. Each day, four Upsilon teams, and two Rho teams will do their runs.”

Were any of the teams Upsilon? A few of the Upsilon Runners had survived Sebastian’s raids, but wouldn’t that have helped them graduate, if there had been enough of them to even make a team? None of the rogues or sorcerers were at that rank. Did the leader determine the team’s rank, or was it arbitrarily assigned?

Two and six teams—if they were all Rho—meant Tibs’s team would go in every one and three days. For every two teams that were Upsilon, they’d go one day sooner. Jackal was going to be happy about that.

“You are all worthy representative of the guild!” she announced, and Tibs was surprised at the lack of light on the words, considering the lack of respect her decisions had shown for them during Sebastian’s attacks. “I look forward to the day you all become adventurers!” She walked down the incline, and the two guards and cleric headed up the steps.

Irdian left with Tirania as the Clerks motioned and workers brought tables and placed them next to the board. Tibs watched them set up, papers to note what the Runners brought out, what they were allowed to keep, how much they were scammed for when the guild forced them to buy an item they’re earned by surviving their run.

“What are you still doing there?” one of the clerk asked on noticing them. She had the blue eyes of Water. “Go.” She motioned to the stairs.

“Finally!” Sto exclaimed. “You are going to have so—Wait a minute,” he added when Tibs reached the third step. “What is he doing with you?”

Tibs didn’t answer. He couldn’t, and he expected that without the ice filling him, he would have laid into the sorcerer for making it impossible for Tibs to talk with Sto.

“Ganny, what am I supposed to do?” he called. “If Don’s on Tibs’s team, can he use the room I set up?”

The cleric looked them over and gave Don a reproachful look, but nodded and they were allowed inside.

“I guess that if he’s on his team,” she replied, sounding as she was arriving, “Tibs must have told him about what he can do.”

Tibs glared at the ceiling.

“I think that’s a no,” Sto said. “And Tibs would have told me if he was going to tell Don.”

“His presence is going to be a problem, then. How is Tibs going to practice his other elements?”

“Maybe I can rework the third floor to force him apart from the others,” Sto mused. “Tibs won’t have to worry, then.”

“And how long until Don questions what’s happening? He is one of the smarter Runners.”

“What’s he going to do?” Sto asked and continued mockingly. “Tell them I’m targeting him? Tell the guild? They think I’m some kind of animal.” He paused. “Maybe I can just kill him.”

“That’s going to take some doing,” she replied. “Anything that will ensure Don dies will endanger the whole team.”

“Tibs’ll be fine,” he replied confidently.

“And so will Jackal,” she agreed. “But what about Mez and Khumdar? And you know how Tibs feels about you killing his friends.”

Sto grumbled something Tibs didn’t make out as Jackal stopped before the doorway and looked in the direction of the first trap room.

“We can clear this and the second floor if you want,” Mez said. “We can probably go through them fast enough it’s not going to affect our time on the third. We’re the only team going in today, so there’s no danger of running into the others.”

Jackal let out a breath and placed a hand on the wall. “We’re heading directly to the third floor.”

“Our esteemed leader chooses to pass on easy loot?” Khumdar asked. “Did the abyss suddenly fill itself?”

The fighter rolled his eyes. “It’s you bunch who kept insisting I stop being an idiot. The loot here’s nothing like what we get on the third floor.” His voice hardened as the doorway opened. “And nothing here gives me the kind of fights I need right now. The creatures have better be extra tough today, because I need to hit something really hard.”

He stepped through.

* * * * *

Tibs sliced the golem person, then rolled back before it brought down the large hammer where he’d stood. He wanted to ask why a hammer but, like the previous times, he had to swallow his question as he sensed the Corruption that was part of his team.

He stood and shortened the blade to that of a knife before etching.

Straight lines gathered the essence, Alistair had explained during the last training session. Where the lines intersected, the essence focused. More lines and intersections meant more and faster gathering, but there came a point where they pulled the essence out faster than the Runner could provide it, and control became harder to maintain.

It was why the ‘X’ attack only used two lines and one intersection. It couldn’t be done so wrong by someone new to it, that it would be dangerous, but Tibs still remembered how this had brought him to a knee the first times, as he had so little reserve and his ability to pull essence in hadn’t matched that being drained by the attack yet.

Tibs traced four lines without thinking about it with one intersection, feeding as much water essence as it would take before stabbing the center. The jet of water sent the golem person back into the wall hard enough it broke apart and crumbled, as if, instead of being made of flesh and armor, it was made of stone.

Lines didn’t have to be straight. Alistair had showed him loops and waves and how they added effects, but Tibs hadn’t had the time to practice those while distracted. With added complexity, even as simple as these were, came added danger if done wrong.

The clang of metal against stone had Tibs look over his shoulder.

Jackal rubbed his jaw. “Not bad.” He blocked the next punch. “But still not hard enough.” His punch caved in the metal helmet. “You have ways to go if you’re serious about putting me down.” He slammed a fist down on top of the golem person’s head and it dropped the floor, starting to crumble before it was all there.

“Didn’t you make those tougher and stronger?” Ganny asked. “He dealt with the Gnolls easily in the previous fight.”

“I did,” Sto replied, sounding baffled. “That last hit was hard enough Jackal should have been sent off his feet. He wasn’t even anchored. Tibs, what is going on with him?”

“He—” Tibs clamped his mouth shut, glancing at the sorcerer.

Don remained at the back with Mez, but with a few gestures, corruption flew from his fingers to the golem person approaching Khumdar from behind, hitting it at the joints. He was precise. Tibs couldn’t deny it. And he didn’t cower. He took part in every fight, but remained silent. No boasting, no demanding they paid attention to him.

He didn’t argue with Jackal, mock Tibs when he’d missed a trigger and they had to redo a hall to open the passage. Don hadn’t said one word in the time since they’d gathered for Tirania’s announcement.

It was the oddest thing about his behavior. While fighting Sebastian, Don never shut up. He had opinions, mockery to throw as enemies and allies alike, victories to claim. The man was full of himself, and during those battles, he had no problem letting everyone know.

Now, it was as if it had leaked out of him and left… Tibs had no idea who Don was without his ego.

The golem person’s limbs fell off, the sickly purple consuming them and the torso until there wasn’t enough life essence left and the rest crumbled away. If Don had used that against someone, they would have screamed in pain the entire time, but the golem was as silent as the sorcerer.

“How’s everyone?” Jackal asked. Following Khumdar shattering his opponent with a staff strike.

“I’m good,” Mez said.

Don nodded.

“I have been better,” the cleric said, holding his arm against his chest and supporting himself with his staff. “The dungeon took your challenge, and it seems I am the one suffering for it.”

“Tibs, how about—” Jackal closed his mouth.

Tibs wasn’t the only one who had to watch what he said. His friends had grown comfortable with everything Tibs could do and the Dungeon was one place where they didn’t have to worry about it.

“Do you have any healing potions?” the fighter asked.

“I have one,” Mez replied. “More than one, actually. The dungeon’s focusing on you close combat types, so I haven’t needed them yet.” He took his pack off and rummaged through it.

“Have I really been neglecting the archers and sorcerers?” Sto asked.

“If Mez is pointing it out, I’d say you have,” Ganny replied. “Unlike the boasting thea others ranged attackers like to do, he knows you listen in.”

“Heal up everyone,” Jackal said. “We want to be in top form before we step into that room.” He motioned to the crest at the end of the hall. Once Tibs put the pieces in their correct order, it would reveal a lion. So inside the room, they would play a game of Conquest.

“Anyone noticed how much healing potions we’ve been finding?” Mez asked as he handed a bottle of green liquid to the cleric. “Even using them as we need, we’re going to have to start leaving some behind as we get different loot.”

“Nothing gets left behind,” Jackal stated. “If we have to, I’ll turn my shirt into a bag for them.”

“You do know we get nothing out of you exposing yourself like that,” the archer replied.

“You’d rather I used my pants?” the fighter asked. “I mean, won’t your girl mind?”

“Like she’d care,” Mez replied sourly. “I mean, since there’s something attached there, I have no interest. And I know your man wouldn’t let you get close to her even if you had interests in that direction.”

“What about you Tibs?” Jackal asked, grinning as he reached for the belt. “You going to get something out of—”

“I’ve seen you naked often enough while you slept in our room,” Tibs pointed out.

“Right. It’s what me and Kro do that you get—”

“Bored by,” Tibs replied, then ignored the stares in favor of heading for the crest.

Sliding the tiles into the right position was quick, then the door opened.

As with the previous times, the five golem persons were already positioned on the board, and different from before. It meant that Jackal or Khumdar would have to come up with a new strategy.

Jackal stepped behind Tibs and looked in. “Alright. How about you tell us where we need to stand, Don?”