I sat down next to Iser and we started to probe the armor with magic. After just a moment Iser spoke up.

"It has a rather interesting smell to it. Like Autumn before it switches to Winter." He said.

I retracted the armor so we could focus just on the initial item. I also took a small chance which was rather surprising to myself. I switch my arm to scale instead of skin. In the low light it would not be super obvious particularly without the claws. I then leaned over to Iser and presented said arm and arm band.

He initially took my arm just expecting it to be a human's arm. He paused for just a moment as his fingers then eyes picked up the new texture.

Iser lingered over my arm feeling the pattern of scales my mind no doubt subconsciously selected. He took a quick look around, seeing everyone else was sort of focused elsewhere his lizard tongue shot out briefly then sort of licked the tip of my nose.

I sort of worked my way up behind him and rested my chin on his shoulder. He let out a very low hum that I more felt than heard. With my body pressed comfortably up to his we examined my new little trinket.

After a few minutes of both of us probing with magic I whispered to him.

"I take it that scales are not a requirement for you?" I asked quietly in his own tongue.

"Nice yes but you are correct… Lluvia had already… calmed you and I didn't want to interfere." He said.

"Hey I am my own woman I can choose who I want to be with… also I can take the scales much further." I said with a hint of amusement.

"I remember… you were trying to make yourself tougher, the claws were interesting as well." He said.

"What changed?" He asked.

"I've learned to be more comfortable with myself and my wants… also your comment about the smell was very poetic… which reminded me how much your race uses scent." I asked.

"Your scent has always been interesting and I find it quite alluring even for how mild it is." He whispered.

"You two figure out anything else about that nifty armor." Lluvia said with the hint of a smile in her expression. Oh… she must have realized a while ago.

"Umm yes, it's nothing major but it will slowly fix itself up over time growing well mold over damaged areas and flaking away once repaired. Also anyone that lands a melee hit… or I guess any hit will be affected by a spore cloud that can be mildly disorientating." I said.

"Interesting combo, and can the spore cloud affect others?" She asked.

"I'm… we're not as sure about that aspect… maybe" I said.

Lluvia turned out and started to collect her stuff, while she did so in the brief window of being unseen I placed a small kiss on Iser's Snoot. His hum increased in intensity.

"Alright armor seems good for what I fight. And my mana is topped up." I then said to the group… maybe a little too loudly.

All but Fin started to collect equipment.

"Will start heading back to the town shortly. Root did a good job stitching me up but gut wounds can still be dangerous." He said.

Once we were ready I let Lluvia take the lead as our scout. Orlo only a few feet behind me as I was second and the rest of the team following behind.

After several minutes I finally asked, when I felt we were far enough away.

"Why did we kick out Fin? I get he attacked me but that was due to the spores." I said.

Root paused and let out a long sigh.

"...That was just a convenient excuse for both parties…" he said.

"You knowing more about their own dungeon scared him… like really scared him. These places I generally considered quasi-religious. I said that correctly right Iser?" Root said and Iser confirmed that.

"Yeah but that's no reason to attack someone…" I said.

"Do you not have religion where you come from?" Root asked.

"... we do and many have done some horrific acts in the name of said religions. Which I honestly don't understand or connect with." I said.

"Religious and Philosophical debates aside… we should keep moving forward." I said, trying to avoid the topics all together. I would need alcohol to handle that.

The next floor appeared to be yet more cavers but this time we could hear arguing in the distance, Low, guttural and clipped.

"I'm going with Deep Gnomes or Grey Dwarfs." I whispered.

"You don't think it is a deep elf?" Lluvia said with a smile.

"Do any of your race talk like that? Or well sound that deep?" I asked.

"Some do but I have cousins who have a Dwarf for a parent so…" she said.

"Ok… maybe a bad assumption on my part then…" I replied.

Several minutes later we stumbled on a sight I was not expecting… at least based on the description Fin gave.

We had Deep Dwarfs bossing Deep Gnomes around with the ladder digging and mining.

"Nicole what do you make of it?" Turnip asked as quietly as she could.

"Slaves most likely… assuming lore pans out the same." I said.

"Well most floors have multiple ways to solve them… slave revolt?" Orlo asked.

"As good of an idea as any right now. But if things go bad be prepared for a possible fighting retreat." I said.

"Yep, understood, Orlo like last time keep an eye on Nicole. Nicole it is absolutely critical you stay on task here. You and Orlo will have to take the lead and guide if we are being followed." Root said.

"Understood, and if I happen to find spots that might work well for my clay-mores?" I asked.

"If you can drop or toss them into a spot and they won't affect our own party… sure" Root said.

"Alright… by the way can you understand them?" Root asked.

"Yeah, just basic taunts, insults, and threats." I said.

"What are the chances that Fin and his people just trampled over all the dungeon constructs without a thought about problem solving?" I asked.

"Very high I suspect… alright ideas on how to kick this off?" Root asked.

"Take out guards in rapid succession and I will start trying to rally the Gnomes." I said.

For the initial strike we would be hitting as many guards as possible. I was even given a target but I expected to only mildly injure the thing.

I took aim at my target and waited for the signal. Luckily I didn't have to wait very long and we all shot at different targets. My aim was for one inch lower than the base of the spine. I figured that Dwarf skulls were thicker and tougher than humans.

My shot landed right where I wanted it and as soon as it did it detonated. As luck would have it the combination was such that the strike nearly decapitated the dungeon construct.

With my target taken care of I started to do my next task shouting.

In what I hoped was the Deep Gnomes native language I said.

"Rise up, fight for your freedom."

I kept the message simple for the moment without anything else to go on.

That seemed to do the trick as the deep Gnome miners immediately switched to 'mining' the deep Dwarves. With that I enacted the third part of the plan, 'run'.

I expanded my senses via my path ability and started to move with Orlo by my side. It didn't take me long to collect the other four as they knew the path I was supposed to take initially.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"Seems to be working…" I said as I started to breathe harder.

"I'll take it." Orlo said.

For the most part the corridors of rough rock seemed uneventful. I caught glimpses of other parties of Deep Gnomes being worked by Deep Dwarfs. Or well they would have been if the sound of fighting had not spread faster than we could move.

There were less paths than on other floors but we did encounter a few areas we needed to climb. Including a rather nasty climb of over 50 feet up a chimney of sorts.

"O fuck… umm I'm going to have trouble climbing that." I said in a mild panic.

"Don't worry we got you. I'll be tossing down a rope, come on Orlo." Lluvia said.

Iser came barreling into our chamber.

"Oh climbing, I'll head up and assist with lifting Turnip." He said as he sort of just stuck to the wall going upwards.

Root was the next into the chamber.

"What the hold… nevermind… Turnip we have a climb." Root said.

"I’ll need a moment to get into my harness, Nicole you have some more bombs?" She asked keeping her shield facing down the direction we came.

"Yeah three, big or small?" I asked.

"Small?" She said not sure what I meant.

"Down the path with the pissed off NPC?" I asked.

"Umm yeah, Root get ready to switch I need to equip the harness." She said.

"Yet your ass up that wall Nicole, hold the rope if that's all I can manage… Ready Turnip." Root said.

"Activating detonation in 5 seconds." I said, counting down in my head. As I lit the metaphorically fuse then used a mage hand to position the bomb in the corridor at around shin height. In the meantime I grabbed the rope that had just fallen down and started to tie it around my waist.

The next thing we heard was a loud pop as the energy in the clay expanded outward. Half a second later we heard clattering armored bodies and cursing.

"Switch" Turnip said, then unlatched her shield handing it off to Root in a well practiced maneuver. She then reached around to a harness that was already stationed ready to go and started to deftly put it on.

Meanwhile I felt myself get tugged upwards. Luckily I had rock climbed before… in a proper harness with a proper belay system… in an indoor gym… this was going to go so well…

"O one more for the road." I said as I aimed my crossbow over Roots shoulder and fired blindly.

A moment later we hear a much sharper pop. As the metal tip of the bolt explodes.

"Up please…" Root grumbled.

I lost sight as I had to start paying attention to the uneven walls around me. Kicking off to ensure I didn't cause a snag on the rope. The rope was also sliding up my torso to under my armpit and pressing into my boobs really uncomfortably.

It didn't take long to reach the top and I found Lluvia and Iser both pulling the rope while Orlo was 20 feet away keeping a lookout.

"Fuck your heavy…" lluvia said.

"Hey I'm losing some of my chunk…." I said indignantly.

"Alright next up will be Root but he can jump and climb. Last will be Turnip and we will have to pull her up as she is guarding the path." Lluvia told me, while I got myself situated.

"Ready" I heard from Turnip down below, then a moment later "Switch" from Root.

A moment later Root popped up over the side.

"Start pulling 10 seconds." He said, then took Lluvia's spot while she stepped back a few and grabbed the rope.

"Pull!" We heard Turnip yell and we, myself included, started to pull up Turnip.

Root helped get her over the side a moment later.

"Got me on the leg… shallow but annoying." She said.

"Ok will tend to it in just a moment. Nicole keep doing your path thing." Root said.

"I one second, just leaving a parting gift." I said as I stuck down my larger clay more and configured it to go off in one minute.

"Ok this way…" I said and directed the group down a corridor on the left.

We could hear the huffing and cursing of mildly injured Deep Dwarfs climbing up the shaft.

I then tossed my last small one over the side and detonated it mid air. I heard a short fall and more curing.

"Don't have long, move." Root said.

About a minute later we heard a very loud pop and pinging of metal objects bouncing around.

Then we heard and even more furious rawr of anger.

"Was that the large claymore?" Lluvia asked.

"Yes, the first 4 Deep Dwarves in the passage are likely a pulped mess." I said then thinking I checked my notifications.

5x Congratulations, you plastered ‘Duergar’ Level 17 to a mess! Bonus Exp was granted for annihilating a monster above your level! Reduced Exp was granted for working in a group.

2x Congratulations, you plastered ‘Duergar’ Level 18 to a mess! Bonus Exp was granted for annihilating a monster above your level! Reduced Exp was granted for working in a group.

Mana Explosives

Rank C - 100%

Your explosives have grown more efficient and more powerful. You can more effectively shape the blast.

This ability is ready to rank up. Would you like to spend one (2) Class Point to upgrade to rank B?

Congratulations, your MacTinker class has reached level 9!

Mana +5

Magic +5

You have gained: One Class Point

"Fuck make that 7 maybe. Also I Dinged!" I said.

After several more minutes of moving through corridors and crawl spaces we slowed our pace a little bit.

"Think the climb was a chokepoint?" Turnip asked the group.

"Could have been but let's keep moving." Root said in reply.

With Lluvia just In Front of me I was directing and even manipulating the path as much as I felt was safe.

She eventually held up a hand to pause the group. Then she 'signed' ‘small group ahead’. Non verbal communication I should look into that.

I held up my finger for just a moment to get everyone to stay silent. Then I closed my eyes and focused on my very odd hearing. It took a moment to 'filter' out breathing from others and such but eventually I found what I was looking for, whispers.

Well let's see if I can talk to Lluvia via hand gestures, it is a form of language after all.

"You understand me?" I asked first by pointing to her, then pointing to my other hand then pointing at myself.

She nodded in affirmation.

"Communicate ability" I said.

She replied back with a thumbs up.

It certainly was not a complete language in a normal sense but it would work.

"Tap pattern stone? Not dwarfs up ahead"

"Maybe… ask group" she signed.

It took us several minutes to convey the entirety of what I was trying to say. Eventually everyone agreed, even with my ability I didn't actually have a map.

I spent the next few seconds tapping out a simple repeating pattern.

"Who are you" I heard in the form of tapping.

It was by far the most jarring form of my universal translator ability I had encountered. I could hear the taps but I could hear the words as well.

"Adventures, delvers, wanders, no allies of Duergur." I said.

A pause likely for some sort of signed discussion.

"How can we trust you?" The taps asked.

"Unknown, just looking for a way out of the complex" I said.

"Meet one each, other members stay back." The taps said.

"One on one meeting watch my back" I said.

Lluvia panicked, grabbing my wrist and shook her head emphatically.

"Need help, can't do this alone need directions at least."

She didn't like that response but as I was the navigator for this adventure in this dungeon it was my call.

"Am brining one individual rest of my group not liking me going alone" I said

After a very long pause I got a response.

"Very well but only one" they said.

I nodded to Lluvia and indicated for her to follow.

It took us several minutes of navigating the passageways which I marked in a way the rest of the party could find and follow.

Eventually we came across two creatures with similar color skin tones, one more bluish black the other purple and black.

"Human and Elf? From above?" The smaller bluish black one said.

"Yes I am Nicole and this is Lluvia both from the surface." I said

"Odd to come down this far, nothing is here for your kind." They said, I was pretty sure it was a woman at this point but the scale and low light made it difficult.

"We are just looking for passage, nothing more." I said.

"Were you involved in the slave uprising?" She asked.

"Yes we had no other recourse, we needed to fight our way through the Duergar. We also took that opportunity to provide a better chance for your people." I said, it was the truth but it showed that we used them too. If I remembered lore correctly they valued truth and respect quite highly in the Underdark. Or at least the Deep Gnomes did.

"Many lost their lives." She said in frustration.

"I am sorry for your loss." I said honestly. This was supposed to be a mindless NPC sort of construct by the dungeon but this entity felt alive. It was very disconcerting.

"They would have died by Duergur hands if nothing had been done. Others that would not have had it received a chance today. It is a sad day but a hopeful one." She said.

There was a moment of pause while she thought.

"Come gather the rest of your party, we shall show you the exit from the warren." She said.

We collected our allies and joined back with the now 3 Deep Gnomes.

"We are not far, follow quietly." The same woman from earlier said.

We did so and after maybe another 20 minutes of walking we eventually were directed to a particular passageway.

"This is the exit of this Warren, follow this and you will eventually reach the next." She said.

"Who was the one who advocated for fighting the Duergar?" She asked.

I slowly raised my hand in response.

"Take this and count yourself and Ally of all Deep Gnomes." She then handed me a small rock hammer and just happened to notice my leather armor.

"Ahh you already count yourself an Ally of the mushroom people. This is good, now off with you and be safe on your journey." She said as a fair well.

We filed into the crack that eventually led back to the entry room. There were no splitting paths but it did snake around more than others so far.