Novels2Search

Chapter 9

“It’s trapped. So do we just turn around and find another path?” Tearis asked.

“We use bait. Tearis you wanna try using your new Hop skill to lure them all in one place then trigger the trap?”

“No. I’m not practiced enough with it yet.”

“Good answer.” Febrona took out a secondhand crossbow and fired it into a dark hall, the arrow making a wet squelch as a creature fell from a position in the air. It landed and didn’t start moving again.

Jolts of surprise and anger erupted from the hall as two small green-skinned creatures with long ears came barreling out of the hall straight towards that direction. Rusty daggers in their hands.

The dungeon rabbits looked up curiously as they, too, were dungeon monsters, joined the goblins.

“Hmmm…Michale when I give the signal, cut the rope. Tearis, when I fire into a goblins leg I want you to hit the other one in the head with a mana bullet.”

“Yes mamn.” Tearis and Michale said at the same time.

And so the goblins, enraged, entered the hall where the party was, trailed by four rabbits.

Febrona shot a goblin in its foot, pinning it and causing the creature to fall forward, releasing a squelch of pain.

Tearis cast a mana bullet at the other goblin hitting it in its head. Although something dangerous happened as time seemingly stopped and a memory played.

Five goblins trapped this dungeon area and placed the trap above on a pressure plate under the rope. While the rope was really the trigger for a boulder trap. There was no way to disarm the boulder trap as the goblins that created it in a hurry and abandoned all safeties. Trying carefully cut the robe would only leave them open to the surprise behind.

Febrona gave the signal, but Tearis wasn’t dying today. And pushed Michael back, placing a foot on and off the pressure plate.

“What are you!” Michale started, but the spears fell on cue and skewered the group of goblins and rabbits.

“What’s the rope do, Tearis?”

“Connects to a rolling boulder. If we hit it, something crushes us from behind.”

“I see. Michael, the plan has changed; step over the rope and let’s run. Not all of them are dead yet.”

Michale nodded and clinched his sword hand as he stepped over the trap along with Tearis and Febrona, and the group ran into a large room with pathways going in each cardinal direction.

“Now go west, or turn left and get to some high ground.”

The two new guild members followed her orders and did so. Febrona shot the rope with a crossbow bolt and immediately moved to catch up with the group.

A large ball of iron came rolling down the hallway crushing the goblins, rabbits, and spears as it made its way to the south exit and seemingly continued until a loud crash, could be heard in the distance.

Michale sighed and loosened his grip on his sword. “That probably would have killed me.”

“Same here.” Tearis muttered.

“It would have been inconvenient if both of you died to something like this.” Febrona stated.

“It’s trapped. So do we just turn around and find another path?” Tearis asked.

“We use bait. Tearis you wanna try using your new Hop skill to lure them all in one place then trigger the trap?”

“No. I’m not practiced enough with it yet.”

“Good answer.” Febrona took out a secondhand crossbow and fired it into a dark hall, the arrow making a wet squelch as a creature fell from a position in the air. It landed and didn’t start moving again.

Jolts of surprise and anger erupted from the hall as two small green-skinned creatures with long ears came barreling out of the hall straight towards that direction. Rusty daggers in their hands.

The dungeon rabbits looked up curiously as they, too, were dungeon monsters, joined the goblins.

“Hmmm…Michale when I give the signal, cut the rope. Tearis, when I fire into a goblins leg I want you to hit the other one in the head with a mana bullet.”

“Yes mamn.” Tearis and Michale said at the same time.

And so the goblins, enraged, entered the hall where the party was, trailed by four rabbits.

Febrona shot a goblin in its foot, pinning it and causing the creature to fall forward, releasing a squelch of pain.

Tearis cast a mana bullet at the other goblin hitting it in its head. Although something dangerous happened as time seemingly stopped and a memory played.

Five goblins trapped this dungeon area and placed the trap above on a pressure plate under the rope. While the rope was really the trigger for a boulder trap. There was no way to disarm the boulder trap as the goblins that created it in a hurry and abandoned all safeties. Trying carefully cut the robe would only leave them open to the surprise behind.

Febrona gave the signal, but Tearis wasn’t dying today. And pushed Michael back, placing a foot on and off the pressure plate.

“What are you!” Michale started, but the spears fell on cue and skewered the group of goblins and rabbits.

“What’s the rope do, Tearis?”

“Connects to a rolling boulder. If we hit it, something crushes us from behind.”

“I see. Michael, the plan has changed; step over the rope and let’s run. Not all of them are dead yet.”

Michale nodded and clinched his sword hand as he stepped over the trap along with Tearis and Febrona, and the group ran into a large room with pathways going in each cardinal direction.

“Now go west, or turn left and get to some high ground.”

The two new guild members followed her orders and did so. Febrona shot the rope with a crossbow bolt and immediately moved to catch up with the group.

A large ball of iron came rolling down the hallway crushing the goblins, rabbits, and spears as it made its way to the south exit and seemingly continued until a loud crash, could be heard in the distance.

Michale sighed and loosened his grip on his sword. “That probably would have killed me.”

“Same here.” Tearis muttered.

“It would have been inconvenient if both of you died to something like this.” Febrona stated.

“It’s trapped. So do we just turn around and find another path?” Tearis asked.

“We use bait. Tearis you wanna try using your new Hop skill to lure them all in one place then trigger the trap?”

“No. I’m not practiced enough with it yet.”

“Good answer.” Febrona took out a secondhand crossbow and fired it into a dark hall, the arrow making a wet squelch as a creature fell from a position in the air. It landed and didn’t start moving again.

Jolts of surprise and anger erupted from the hall as two small green-skinned creatures with long ears came barreling out of the hall straight towards that direction. Rusty daggers in their hands.

The dungeon rabbits looked up curiously as they, too, were dungeon monsters, joined the goblins.

“Hmmm…Michale when I give the signal, cut the rope. Tearis, when I fire into a goblins leg I want you to hit the other one in the head with a mana bullet.”

“Yes mamn.” Tearis and Michale said at the same time.

And so the goblins, enraged, entered the hall where the party was, trailed by four rabbits.

Febrona shot a goblin in its foot, pinning it and causing the creature to fall forward, releasing a squelch of pain.

Tearis cast a mana bullet at the other goblin hitting it in its head. Although something dangerous happened as time seemingly stopped and a memory played.

Five goblins trapped this dungeon area and placed the trap above on a pressure plate under the rope. While the rope was really the trigger for a boulder trap. There was no way to disarm the boulder trap as the goblins that created it in a hurry and abandoned all safeties. Trying carefully cut the robe would only leave them open to the surprise behind.

Febrona gave the signal, but Tearis wasn’t dying today. And pushed Michael back, placing a foot on and off the pressure plate.

“What are you!” Michale started, but the spears fell on cue and skewered the group of goblins and rabbits.

“What’s the rope do, Tearis?”

“Connects to a rolling boulder. If we hit it, something crushes us from behind.”

“I see. Michael, the plan has changed; step over the rope and let’s run. Not all of them are dead yet.”

Michale nodded and clinched his sword hand as he stepped over the trap along with Tearis and Febrona, and the group ran into a large room with pathways going in each cardinal direction.

“Now go west, or turn left and get to some high ground.”

The two new guild members followed her orders and did so. Febrona shot the rope with a crossbow bolt and immediately moved to catch up with the group.

A large ball of iron came rolling down the hallway crushing the goblins, rabbits, and spears as it made its way to the south exit and seemingly continued until a loud crash, could be heard in the distance.

Michale sighed and loosened his grip on his sword. “That probably would have killed me.”

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“Same here.” Tearis muttered.

“It would have been inconvenient if both of you died to something like this.” Febrona stated.

Combat has ended, Experience gained 400/3 (348/400)

“I’m quite close to leveling up.” Michale stated.

“Same here.” Tearis added.

“Good. Now help me salvage some rabbit feet and goblin ears.” Febrona stated.

“Right.” Michale and Tearis answered at about the same time.

The trio spent the next few minutes salvaging their foes before approaching the east exit. As they passed through the corridor, the party eventually reached a wooden door at the end of the hall.

“That doesn’t make sense. Why would there be doors underground?” Tearis asked.

“Dungeons don’t have to make sense. They do what they want.”

Michale opened the door, scowled, and slammed it shut. “Three skeleton knights.”

“What are level fifteen monsters doing in the first stratum? Screw leveling, given the trap lethality it seems something dangerous is going on over here. Our next move will be to escape. Back the way we came and be swift.”

“I have a bad feeling about this.” Michale stated.

“Same. This is suspicious.” Tearis found his way back into the four-way room only to find that the north and south exits had vanished.

Tearis looked at the walls and found that they were excessively fragile. While using his structure-gauging ability to actively observe the environment.

“Should we go forward?” Michale asked.

“The false walls are fragile but that doesn’t stop enemies from being on the other side.”

“Enemies? You mean monsters?” Michale paled.

“No. People. It seems we’ve been ambushed.” Febrona stated.

“Can you tell how many?” Tearis asked.

“Five or so. Four under level ten the leader around twelve. If they attack or threaten, you have my permission to use all your abilities. Just fight smart.” Febrona holstered both of her hand crossbows before walking forward through the room. Tearis and Michale followed worriedly, the former his flute cast, the latter their sword and shield gripped hard.

A tall man with a bald head and broad shoulders stepped out from the northern wall and looked down at Tearis before looking at Febrona with a rather lascivious look as they lingered.

“Tearis Maviris. The Reaver guild offers their apologizes for turning down the patronage from someone such as yourself and have disposed of the idiots that ran you out. Mistakes happen after all.”

Read between the lines activated: Disposed of = Killed.

“And what do you hope to do with us?”

“You? Maybe cut off a leg and arm for causing so much trouble and have you sign away all your assets to us. But that’s after I have some fun with your guildmate over there and kill the squire.” Unfortunately, what was said didn’t match his vocal movements, as his lie skill failed.

“Gods your evil. Who hurt you so bad?” Michale asked, his sword already drawn and shield ready.

“I mean their guild name is called the Reaver’s. It would be weird if they weren’t evil.” Febrona stated.

“Yeah, had I not been promised dismemberment and told you’d all be killed or worse. I may have agreed to some terms. Now… Any chance we can take em?” Tearis asked.

“Me alone, would be annoying but I could overtake them. Get the big guy with a spell and I’ll take care of him. Who sends their strongest out first anyways.” Febrona scanned the area waiting.

Tearis stared at the brute and quietly chanted his mana bullet spell, filling it with all eight of his mana.

The blast hit the brute between the eyes, and he stumbled back before freezing.

Febrona put two arrows through the brute’s eyes and watched as he fell to the ground dead in moments.

Two archers emerged from the false north wall and began to fire arrows in retaliation.

Michale ran forward, shield raised, protecting his head and neck with his shield, while the broad side of his blade was raised to protect against shots aimed at his heart.

Tearis downed a mana potion filled up and fired another charged mana bullet at the second archer.

The first archer pointed their bow at Tearis and fired.

“Hop!” Tearis jumped before the arrow was entirely loose, moving five feet to the side. The arrow seemingly curved and cut him on the side as it passed into a wall.

Two crossbow bolts hit the first archer as they were left open after firing and ill-prepared for the two that embedded him in the neck and heart. Although, by some trick of fate, the archer hadn’t gone down yet.

Michale got close enough to the second archer and began stabbing down at the prone figure, decapitating them after five strikes.

The first archer turned and fired an arrow into Michale, only for the squire to continue charging forward unbothered.

Tearis drank a second potion and noticed he had gotten light-headed.

Febrona ran forward toward Tearis. “Don’t drink potions back to back, like that. You’re damaging yourself.”

Febrona then turned toward the enraged Michael and gave chase. The duo passed through the false wall with ease and stopped in confusion.

“No.” Tearis walked over to the brute and retrieved a great shield, which was strapped to his back, and a black battle ax, which was used as a makeshift walking stick.

“What in Almira!” Michale yelled as blood covered his armored form.

A figure with golden eyes that gleamed in the light moved towards Michale incredibly quickly. Two strikes landed against the knight’s shield. Followed up by a kick to unbalance.

Febrona fired two bolts at the figure, one aimed at center mass and the other at their right leg.

The golden-eyed figure stopped, twisted, and passed by both bolts as though he knew where they would pass.

“Stop. Or I won’t miss!”

“Try me, I’m taking your eyes either way. Least you could do is make me work for ‘em.” Said a maddened tenor. Their voice filled with madness. The figure cleaned his blade with a swipe of their sword, as blood and viscera were immediately removed.

“Your insane.” Febrona muttered.

“Possibly.” The swordsman turned away from Michale and began to approach Febrona.

Febrona fired two shots in quick succession before tossing a spherical ball in between.

Most would raise a shield to block or get out of the way. Yet this boy moved into the attack as a swipe of his blade disrupted the attack. The ball exploded into a rain of caltrops that were just as quickly turned into scrap metal as a series of cuts rendered him useless.

Febrona appeared behind the boy in a flash of movement, firing two shots into his back, aiming to paralyze him. Only to appear fatal as the figure fell prone and unmoving, blood flowing from his back.

“Behind you!” Michale yelled.

Tearis eventually managed to get his barrings and came to join in the fight as it seemed to be getting worse.

Febrona scowled as the boy appeared in her blind spot in her left eye passing over him as he remained undetected, his hand a few inches from her nose before he stoped suddenly confused.

“Cousin?” Tearis seemingly recalled that crazy voice and odd attraction to eyes.

Febrona seeing an opening rolled to the side, and tossed three knives toward the boy, what would have hit had he pursued.

“Teari!” The blood-covered youth changed directions with a pivot and boosted forward.

“No! Hop!” Tearis quickly jumped past his blood-covered cousin and continued to run. “Ah yes Febrona I wouldn’t recommend continuing this fight.”

“What abyss did you crawl out of, kid?” Febrona pointed her crossbow at the kid’s back.

“Sheesh, long story short, my mothers birth canal, followed by the fact that I’m blind and had to find a way to get around, then I was trapped in a place with reduced sensory input for my job trial and discovered a truth. But that’s later. I then had to learn how to read by learning the feel of letters on my fingers. I hit level ten in my job two years ago and have been stuck, risking my one life because it hardly matters in the grand scheme of things. I completed my class trial, evolved my job and found out my favorite cousin had been underselling my character and decided to pay him a visit. Also your step mother was here recently, I can smell her. Now where was I again? I…Eye…Ah yes these people were sent to kill you, which was rude. What if they damaged your eyes? Nobody kills you until you agree to give me an eye. Also my total level is sixteen.”

“How!” How Michale yelled in shock.

“When a mommy and daddy love each other very much, they perform a dark ritual on the Telefron Eclipse. Then stuff happens.” The boy waved his hands.

“Stuff. Wait no the last thing.”

“Stuff was the last thing, before you rudely interrupted me. Are you a ditz?”

“I really wanna hit your cousin Tearis. But he’d probably kill me If I did and I think I kinda owe him my life.”

“No you don’t.” Febrona stated.

“Don’t want to hit me, nor do you owe me your life. The bolt user, while incompetent with hitting me with them, is quite a bit stronger than I am.”

“It did take me a while, about two minutes of skulking about…” The young man holding Tearis disappeared and reappeared behind Febrona.

Febrona twisted and seemingly appeared behind Tearis. A long scythe in her hands as she eyed the child in suspicion.

“Not one for tag it seems. That’s fine.” The boy rubbed a bloody hand all over Michale innocently.

“Now you’re it.”

“My armor!”

“What’s wrong with your armor aside from it being cheap? Could rip that apart with my hands.” The boy broke a piece off the clearly cheap plate.

Michael had begun taking deep breaths. Thinking to himself, do not provoke this murderer. He’s crazy and might try to kill you. It isn’t worth it.

“What kind of coward of a knight are you anyway? Scared of a kid aren’t….”

Michale’s fist seemingly moved before his brain could react, hitting the blind child across the face. “Oh no. I didn’t.”

“Varys!” Tearis ran forward to check on his cousin.

Varys, the blood-covered youth, got back to their feet and smiled while tears coated his blood-covered face.

Michael jumped back out of instinct. “Sorry about that.”

“You hit me. You hit me. You must now take responsibility. Not even mother can hit me easily. Has to be indirectly.”

“Huh? Like I said, I’m sorry.”

“If sorry worked we would need guards, you will now be my best friend forever.”

“Huh?”

“You heard me. We’re best friends now.”

Michale looked at Tearis, who had facepalmed. Then he looked at Febrona, who had given up on this stupidity and decided to start looting the corpses.

“Well then we should get out.”

“As a friend I’ll show you my stats. Stat share!”

Varys has shared their stats with you all.

Health 169

Mana 112

Stamina 109

Stats

Strength 10

Dexterity 34

Vitality 36

Endurance 19

Mind 40

Charisma 3

Wisdom 9

Intelligence 70

Luck 2

Febrona sputtered. “You are all kinds of, unbalanced. Aren’t you?”

“If that’s a compliment then yes. I am rather focused in my build.”

“Right. Let’s get out of here.” Tearis led his group toward the exit and watched as various corpses belonging to humans littered the ground. Some belonged to the guild Dark Horizon.

“I thought that I only pissed off the Ravagers.”

“Ah, that’s because some of them are demon-possessed. Humans don’t get experience from killing humans. When a human willingly lets themselves get possessed they grant experience on death. I killed quite a few on my way in. The rest I thought were your doing.”

“Not good then.” Michale muttered.

“Checks out. This is the dungeon defending itself. Which means that trap wasn’t for us” The group made their way to the exit and stopped in horror as the exit was gone.

“Right. Let’s get out of here.” Tearis led his group toward the exit and watched as various corpses belonging to humans littered the ground. Some belonged to the guild Dark Horizon.

“I thought that I only pissed off the Ravagers.”

“Ah, that’s because some of them are demon-possessed. Humans don’t get experience from killing humans. When a human willingly lets themselves get possessed they grant experience on death. I killed quite a few on my way in. The rest I thought were your doing.”