by Tao Wong
“Did you find the stairway down?” Liev said.
“Yes, we’re registered for the fourth floor,” Daniel said proudly.
“Very good! I do believe that makes you the first group to get that far,” Liev said, smiling slightly. “Well done.”
“Your thanks are appreciated, Attendant Halliope,” Omrak said. Daniel blinked, trying to recall where he had heard that name before. After a moment, he dismissed it. He had probably heard someone else call Liev by his family name at some point. It might even be a fragment left behind by his Gift. It was uncommon, but occasionally his Gift took fragments of a memory rather than complete sections.
“You should look at the quest board then. We just posted it today,” Liev said, smiling at the group as he finished counting their earnings. The pile of coin he pushed forwards was significantly smaller than yesterday’s, which made Asin grimace as she divvied up the amount.
“Thanks, Liev, we will,” Daniel said, waving goodbye to the redhead attendant as he walked over to the board. He did not need to ask which quest Liev had directed him to, for the posting dominated the board.
Dungeon Completion
The Adventurers’ Guild of Karlak has authorized a one-time payment of 50 Gold for the completion of the newly reorganized Karlak Beginner Dungeon. This is an open request available to all parties. quest completion will be ascertained via the delivery of the Dungeon Boss’s Mana Stone.
Daniel read the notice before Omrak’s insistent elbow made him read it out loud. Omrak sucked in a breath on hearing the quest reward.
“I could buy a farm …” Omrak muttered to himself.
“Farm?” Asin and Daniel’s harmonious cry of incredulity made Omrak look at them puzzled.
“Yes. The farm next to my father’s would be suitable,” said Omrak. Thinking back, he continued, “It lies on good earth and is fed by the same river as my father’s. The family needs more land. I believe we shall dedicate a third of it to cattle. The market for good beef is always strong.”
Daniel just continued to stare at the teenaged giant next to him, trying to imagine the muscular, shirtless barbarian pulling up weeds. Asin worked her jaw for a moment before she finally shook her head, prodding Daniel to make him shut his mouth. Omrak was oblivious to their reactions as he continued to detail his ideal farm.
“… and Greel can collect the shit!” roared Omrak with laughter at a joke that only he could understand.
“Oy! Shut it,” called another Adventurer, to whom Omrak bobbed his head in acknowledgement.
“Safe to say we’re going to try for it?” Daniel said, filling in the silence. He knew he had no need to ask Asin. It was more likely for her to turn down a meal than a chance to earn more coin. Especially as the quest coincided with something they were already doing.
“Yes!” Omrak nodded again, Asin inclining her head in agreement as her tail lashed out behind her in excitement.
As Daniel opened his mouth to continue, a commotion in the Guild entrance drew their attention. A party of four Adventurers strode in. The first wore full plate armor, his face covered by a helmet. Dirt and dust from the road caked the armor, dulling its shine, but Daniel could tell it was of high quality almost immediately by the lack of noise as the fighter moved. Behind him, a scarred older man walked, his shoulders broader than Omrak’s but a few inches shorter than the youngster. The older man carried the largest pack of all, his body bowed slightly under the weight. Following the pair, a bookish younger man walked, looking around with a studied air while a last, shorter, and quieter fighter brought up the rear.
“Mage,” Asin growled softly.
“How …?” said Daniel.
“Pouches.” Asin gestured to the belt and Daniel looked, finally spotting the indicated items.
“I don’t …”
“Mages must carry their spell components with them. The numerous pouches are often a giveaway,” rumbled Omrak.
“Oh …” Daniel shook his head, still uncertain about the reasons for this.
“Mana less. Crushed crystal expensive,” Asin explained.
Daniel blinked, nodding. Healing magic never needed a catalyst—the bodies they worked with were the catalyst that was used. When cast, the Spell took a small portion of the healthy body as the template and developed from there. It was why illnesses that degraded the whole body or old age were nearly impossible to cure—the Healer had no template to work from and had to substitute their own Mana. While a good Healer might slow the aging process using just Mana, it was to such a low degree that most did not bother.
Mages who were attempting to alter the very fabric of nature would need to carry a catalyst of some form to start the process. A crushed Mana Stone, which was basically pure Mana, could be substituted, but of course, was expensive. What Daniel had not known was that other reagents could be used. After all, Daniel had never met a Mage in-person before.
Lost in thought, Daniel missed the rest of the entrance of the group. When the stocky Adventurer started paying attention again, he was surprised to note that the plate-mail-clad fighter was a brunette female who had stowed her helmet under one arm.
“We just came from Silverstone. What do you mean you can’t let us in till tomorrow!” the woman demanded, her voice cultured and smooth. Around her, the Guild had fallen silent as everyone listened in.
“I’m sorry, but Guild rules are clear. Every group must take their turn on entry. As tomorrow is the last day of the group entrances, I can fit you in then. But not a moment earlier,” Liev said, entirely calm.
“This is ridiculous. We will finish your Dungeon in a week!” she snapped, her hands pressing down on the table. “Let us in and get this done and we’ll be gone.”
The warrior woman either ignored or was oblivious to the indrawn breath and hisses her bold statement caused among the other Adventurers. The shorter party member at the rear, though, was not, hunching lower as he squirmed in embarrassment.
“Amrah, this is sufficient,” the scrawny Mage said. “I would prefer to rest anyway.”
The brunette warrior turned, glaring at the Mage, but then deflated. “Fine. Get us a token for tomorrow then, attendant. Make it out to the Crimson Elms.”
When the group finally left, the Guild Hall broke into excited babbling.
“Advanced party?” Daniel asked Asin and Omrak, knowing in his heart that they were.
“Yes.”
“It is clear.”
“Damn …” Daniel sighed, looking towards the quest reward. Their chances of winning it was now gone. They stood no chance against an Advanced team. Asin followed his gaze before she shrugged, tapping her coin pouch as she eyed the deepening sun.
“Dungeon tomorrow?” Asin asked to confirm plans.
“I fear I might not be able to acquire such equipment as necessary by tomorrow,” Omrak rumbled. “It is late.”
“We can skip the nets for now,” said Daniel, staring into the distance. “You don’t use a bow or crossbow, do you?”
“No. It is not traditional for my people. I am well versed in the throwing axe, though I lack one,” Omrak said.
“Not a problem; I know someone who probably stocks some.” Daniel grinned and said to Asin. “We’ll get going then.”
Asin nodded, before she waved goodbye to the pair, who immediately headed out of the doorway.
A short while later, the pair of Adventurers were banging on the door of Max’s shop.
“He’s a very good armorer. Also carries some weapons, though he doesn’t specialize in it. We did a quest for him not so long ago so he kind of likes us,” explained Daniel to Omrak.
“Some of us like to sleep,” the armorer and weaponsmith grumbled as he dragged open the bar across his door. “If it weren’t for you, Daniel …”
“I know. I know. I’ve got news for you though,” Daniel said as he stepped in, while Max wandered around the shop lighting the lanterns. Omrak walked in, his eyes drinking in the displays of armor and weapons he could ne
ver have afforded.
“Well, out with it!” grumbled Max.
“We managed to make it to Level Four! Now, on Level Three there’s these weird monsters called Twinkin Spheres …” Daniel immediately launched into an explanation of the monsters. Max nodded, listening as he stroked his beard in thought. Behind them, Omrak perused the store, searching for a suitable weapon.
“… so we were thinking it’d be nice to have a net. For all three levels. They’d catch the turtles and fish them out, grab the Spheres and we could even use them against the birds,” finished Daniel.
“And they’ll need to be weighted,” muttered Max, and nodded. “We can make that. Simple work, in fact.”
Omrak cried out, pulling forth a pair of throwing axes in their sheaths from a weapon rack near the back of the shop. Grinning, the large Barbarian held up the pair to Max.
“How much for this, Master Tradesman?”
“That’d be two silver for you,” Max said. “And before you ask, that’s as low as I’ll go.”
Omrak nodded, pulling the sheath off the head of one and looking at the edge. He frowned slightly, turning it side to side before checking the next one. “This is not your work.”
“No. Apprentice work. Good enough to sell, though.”
“Aye, but not as fine as your other equipment.” Omrak hefted the axes one last time before he slid them into their sheaths. Hefting his pouch, Omrak turned to Max, “Two silver is fair.”
“Good. You going to change out that mace of yours anytime soon, Daniel?” Max asked, glancing at the battered weapon by the stocky Adventurer’s side. “Seen better days.”
“Mmm … not yet.”
“Well, let me know when you’re ready. Now shoo! Some of us have lives.”
Chuckling, the pair quickly exited the shop soon after, parting ways as they left.
In the Clinic, Daniel stretched. After a hard day’s dungeon delving, most others would be taking a break. For Daniel, as he had a little Mana left and a girlfriend who worked at the Clinic, he found himself finishing up his day in the small examination room and office.
“You need to eat more than potatoes,” Daniel sighed, waving a finger at the muscular man before him. “Meat. Fruit. Have a stew once in a while.”
“But I don’t like anything else,” the large man whined.
“Then you’ll continue to be tired. Can’t do anything for you,” Daniel said, pointing to the door. “Your body isn’t getting what it needs. Eat properly.”
Daniel watched the man leave glumly and shook his head. It bothered him that he could feel the deficiency in the man’s body with his Gift, but he had no idea what it was. Last winter, he had seen quite a few of these cases, which led him to believe it had to do with the reduced food types available to his patients. Even with the combined knowledge offered by the Elves and Dwarves, there was much that they still did not understand. He often felt like he was blindly subscribing cures because they worked, without understanding the why.
As the door opened, Daniel shook his head and focused on his new patient. Another patient who had waited too long before visiting, ensuring that a simple cut was now infected. Grunting, Daniel reached for the basin of water to clean the wound. Having wiped away dirt, pus and blood to see the cut properly, Daniel cast Healer’s Mark on the man.
“Wait outside; don’t touch the wound. It’ll heal in an hour. When it’s healed, you can leave,” Daniel said, a slight headache reminding him that he was close to running out of Mana.
“I have to …”
“Don’t. Leave,” Daniel snapped, fixing the man with a glare. The laborer looked at the large, stocky Healer before him and remembered that as nice as he was, he was also an Adventurer. Dealing with a stubborn laborer would not be a problem for him.
“Yes sir!”
Daniel rubbed his forehead and washed his hands as the man left. Maybe he should have just washed it down with Dwarven Whisky. It normally worked. However, the stubborn idiot probably would never come back if it did not. Even before his breath had caught, the door opened again with another patient.
“You look like you could use a night’s sleep.” Khy’ra’s voice floated to Daniel’s ears as he sat quietly, eyes closed. As he opened his eyes, Daniel realized that he had actually been sleeping for a bit.
“Sorry. Long day,” Daniel said. “The patients …?”
“Are gone. Sent them home for today.” Khy’ra walked over, grabbing his arm and then wrinkling her nose. “What is that smell?”
“Twinkin Spheres. Level Three monster. Very strange …”
“Huh. Bath house first then,” Khy’ra said, pulling Daniel up with one hand. “Come on, you can tell me all about it there.”
Later, in a private room in the bath house, Daniel stared at the delivered plate of food. He poked at it, glancing over to his girlfriend before he asked, “I didn’t realize they let you eat in here.”
“It helps if the owner owes you one,” Khy’ra said, arching her back slightly as she dug fingers into her lower back. “Ugh …”
“Here, let me do that,” Daniel said, pulling her over to help and copping a quick feel. Khy’ra snorted, shaking her head, but relaxed into his strong fingers.
“Can you afford this, though? A private room is expensive,” Daniel said, glancing around.
“It’s fine.”
Daniel fell silent, working the knots out of her lower back. This display alongside the continued existence of the Clinic once again made him wonder exactly how successful an Adventurer Khy’ra had been before she retired. While he knew that she received funds from the City and other donors, he doubted it was sufficient. And if Khy’ra lived a mostly austere life, her occasional indulgences seemed to be particularly spectacular.
“Thinking again,” Khy’ra said, interrupting Daniel’s musing. “You should be eating before it gets cold.”
“Yeah, sorry.” Rather than admit his actual thoughts, Daniel said, “We had an Advanced team arrive today. They’ll probably take the Dungeon clear quest.”
“Why?”
“Probably for the quest.”
“Why do you think they’ll win?”
“They’re an Advanced team,” Daniel said, frowning. It was obvious, was it not?
“And …?”
“They’ve got more experience than we do! Better equipment, better Skills,” Daniel said, exasperated.
“Not necessarily. And it’s not all important.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Think about it, Daniel. Would a high-level Advanced group travel all the way to just complete a Beginner Dungeon? How much did that Advanced Group you worked with make in one day on the first floor?”
Daniel opened his mouth and then shut it, thinking back to his visit to Silvestone. She was right, Nico and his party had only completed Peel because it was on their way. They would not have traveled to Karlak just to complete the Dungeon. The experience bonus and the earnings, even with the quest, would not have been worth the travel time.
“They’re still an Advanced Group …”
“That just means they’ve completed a Beginner Dungeon,” Khy’ra said. “The difference between a Beginner Adventurer and a new Advanced Adventurer isn’t that great. Not like it is for the gap between Advanced and Expert. And don’t forget, a party is more than their levels. It’s the Skills and the teamwork that matter.”
“You think we can complete the quest?”
“I don’t know. And neither do you.”
“Oh …” Daniel blinked. Khy’ra as always was right. It was annoying sometimes dating a couple-of-hundred-years-old Elf who had seen it all before.
“Daniel …” The Elf frowned, staring at the young man before she shook her head.
“What?”
“Never mind.”
“What?”
“Why are you an Adventurer?” Khy’ra finally asked.
Caught off guard by the question, Daniel paused in silence as he tried to find the
answer to that. ‘Because I wanted to be’ was not really a good answer. Neither was ‘I didn’t want to be a Healer or Miner’. Neither really spoke to why he wanted to be an Adventurer in particular. Brow furrowed, he tried to work out a proper answer for Khy’ra, who nibbled on the dishes while she waited.
“Well … I guess I wanted to see the world,” Daniel finally said.
“Mmm … so why not be a questor?” Khy’ra asked. Questors were Adventurers who specialized in fulfilling quests. They rarely, if ever, entered Dungeons.
“I don’t like quests. They are boring,” Daniel said. “It’s the same thing, all the time. There’s no... thrill, no danger.”
Khy’ra laughed, shaking her head. “And that makes you a true Adventurer. But what do you want from it?”
“Well … I …” Daniel paused as he attempted to find a reply.
“Perhaps something to think about for later. Now, let’s eat before the tub gets too cold!” Khy’ra said, pushing a plate towards Daniel. She knew better than to push him, not now.
Chapter 5
“Good balance,” Asin said as she watched the borrowed throwing axe embed itself in the tree. Inside the Dungeon on the fourth floor, the group had taken a short stop to allow Omrak a chance to refresh his throwing Skills. Nearby, Daniel sat with his crossbow knocked, clad only in the helmet, breastplate, shoulder pauldrons, and bracers of his plate armor, watching the skies for potential trouble. Thus far, none of the birds had come close.
Unlike other floors, this one seemed to stretch forever, a single trail leading forwards through the plains. Daniel knew that much of this was illusion—that there was a definite wall in the distance and all around them, but the illusion was so convincing, he struggled not to accept it. As the wind rustled the grass, he stared at the scrawny tree that the pair had taken to punishing.
“We done yet?” Daniel asked impatiently.