Xane had to wait another 2 days before his next dungeon. This one Calrin promised that they both would go through. It wasn’t a young dungeon, instead being in the second tier. It was similar to his first one with a rule that only allowed 2 people to enter. It also had a rule about cheese. No cheese was allowed in the dungeon. Why? No one knew. “I heard that the rule was initiated when the boss was killed when it was hit with a wheel of cheese at high speeds.” Xane was happy that he didn’t have any cheese on him.
Something that Calrin neglected to tell Xane was that all loot was taxed by the city. The dungeons held by Zakor was a business. The young one was seen as a training dungeon and wasn’t taxed. The one called The Ghostly Lament, the one they were heading to, was taxed. A hefty 30% of all monetary earnings. Things like coins, resources like ore and crafting goods. Things like skill books, spell tomes, cores and other more rare items were even more taxed at 50%. You had to practically buy it yourself. There was another rule that super rare items could outright just be taken. This annoyed Xane. If he wasn’t doing it more for experience in dungeons and the feat he would have just found his own dungeon not owned.
The pro to going to an owned dungeon was security from overflowing dungeons and that you can request information about the dungeon to better fight them. Things like weaknesses and strengths. What the enemies were. Boss attacks. Common secrets. This was of course costly information as well.
The last one made Xane mad at himself for not thinking of. Of course there were secrets and he didn't even think to look for them. He did put a challenge to not use his x-ray, something he wouldn’t do again after hearing about secret rooms and caches.
“This one by the name I assume is ghost related.”
“How did you know?” False shock covered Calrin’s face. “Yeah kid it is. Non-magical weapons do pretty much nothing to them.”
“The reason I will be going with you this time is that even though their level is a few levels below yours they are very dangerous. If you aren’t strong of mind some simply known as possessors can take over your body. If that happens it is a death sentence as it can just force you to kill yourself. Or get swarmed by the other ghosts. On top of that there are skeletons and undead to worry about.”
Lyenn promised Xane that since she was technically taking that spot if any tried to take over they’d have to go against her will which was leagues above Xane’s. Nothing would be able to attempt such a thing. Mind control was a similar situation. That eased his tension. It was also something he couldn’t tell Calrin so he nodded in affirmation.
“Here we will also coat our blades with spirit water. It will give a boost of damage to any spiritual creature.”
As they got close to the cemetery that the dungeon was in Xane felt the unease increase. It was a haunting place. The cemetery was not far from the main city. And unlike sludge land this one had more than one guard. There was also a line of sorts. Xane was told that the higher the tier of the dungeon the more groups that could go through at the same time. They would never see each other and would be in a different instance of reality. But that wasn’t a rule as even an aged dungeon could only allow 1 group at a time. The ones allowing more generally smaller.
When it was their turn the walked up to a clerkly looking lady at a table. “Names please.”
“I’m Calrin and this is Xane.”
“Yes I have you on for today. I see you have many completions with Xane having only just the one. Do I need to go over the rules?”
At first Xane didn’t know what rules she meant. Dungeon rules? Zakor’s dumb tax rules? “I have already gone over them with the kid.” Calrin said.
“Good. Any storage items? We will provide our own for security purposes.” Calrin did tell Xane about this and Xane was not handing it over. Calrin handed over his making sure to pull out his weapon and a few choice items like healing potions and some rations. Xane didn’t take his ring off hoping they wouldn’t think he had one on.
“Step forward as we make sure.” This caught Xane’s attention.
One of the heavily armored guards held a long rod and waved it over Calrin. Nothing happened. “He is good mam.” Next was Xane. His heart pounded as he tried to think of something to do. The guard walked up to Xane assuming it was nervousness for the dungeon itself instead. He waved the rod around Xane and again nothing happened. The rod was either fake or his ring was too power for it. Of course someone who like Akiad would put in safety measures to allow him to take his work anywhere. Xane was starting to understand the man as he read the notes left behind in the books. From what he could tell Akiad loved breaking rules and making his ring be able to fool detection was something he would do.
Xane smiled happily internally while keeping the a false sense of anxiety. The guard slapped him on his back “You’ll do fine-Xane was it? This is an easy one. Only 10 deaths a week.” Xane hoped he was joking.
“You ready kid?” Calrin said a smirk teasing his lips. Xane nodded and they entered a mausoleum.
It felt like a minute of walking in darkness until they exited on the other side. Xane felt the same sense of vertigo as before. The inside was actually the outside. It looked pretty much the same as the cemetery they just left. Except one thing. It was at least five times larger. A temple in the farthest point from them was a landmark against the many short gravestones and wrought iron fences. More mausoleums were scattered about. The sky was an eerie mist that stopped vision.
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He could see shambling bodies and dirtied boned skeletons. Most were just standing or laying staring at nothing as if they were dead. Like dead dead. That was until a crow landed nearby and an arm lashed out. It missed as the crow took off. Xane looked around to make sure nothing was near. The mausoleum they exited was on the outskirts of the cemetery. The fence locking them in. Xane believed he could easily just jump over it but didn’t try.
“So how did you get your ring through security? Did you know that would work?” Calrin said, pulling his attention from the surroundings.
“Like I said before I found a very powerful ring. Honestly no I didn’t know it would work.”
Calrin did something Xane didn’t expect and slapped Xane hard sending him into the wall. “Don’t pull something like that again.” He visibly calmed himself but Xane could still see anger in his eyes. “I should have told you. It is my fault. But you could have gotten us both banned from being allowed to enter dungeons owned by Zakor. They take their tax very seriously especially during these times.” Then an evil grin sprung on his face. “However when life gives you gitu you make gitu water. Lets take as much as we can feasible take.” Xane didn’t know what gitu was but hoped the idea of getting rich would be enough to calm Calrin. Xane had never seen him like this before.
“Yeah that's the plan.”
The commotion didn’t go unnoticed as a horde of undead went their way. Calrin motioned for Xane to deal with them as he sat down against the stone wall. Xane gladly went forward to get out of the situation knowing he was better at this than social interactions. Xane rushed forward with a new weapon that he enchanted. It was a steel shortsword he had dual enchanted with frost and durability. His rapier is practically useless against bones. He didn’t think the sword would do much better but it was his only option for melee.
He inspected both types.
Skeleton(Undead Variant)
Level: 13
Agility: 38
Endurance: 28
Dexterity: 26
Information: Woe to anyone who is forced to become such a creature. These mindless killing machines have only one thing in mind. That is killing. Somedays I wish I was that mindless-
Unlike what they previously were, undead don’t level by killing. They level by consuming those they kill. All undead are susceptible to heavenly damage. Skeletons themselves are resistant to non magical piercing and slashing.
Zombie(Undead Variant)
Level: 14
Stats:
Endurance: 35
Constitution: 34
Strength: 29
Information: blah blah blah stuff about undead. Zombies are the more fleshy brother to the skeleton and still has a brain. You know what to do. Double tap and all that.
As he rushed forward he took shots at the heads of the undead praying that they were similar to earth's version. It was successful as just one well placed shots took down some. With 6 shots he killed 4 out of 11. Not fair odds. He smirked. The undead were slow and uncoordinated fighters getting in the way of each other more than Xane. His blade easily cut through the low level undead.
It only took 20 seconds to take out the lot. Xane wasn’t even close to being out of breath. The loot forming as the bodies disappeared. Something he was noticing more now that he was killing higher level creatures was the lack of experience. “Calrin why do I feel like very little experience is gained in dungeons?”
“Forgot to tell you but you get practically nothing when it comes to system experience in dungeons. However, the fighting experience is better in my opinion.” He answered, getting up and looking over the haul. “Well that is practically nothing. Forgot how bad low tier dungeons are. Put all this into the bags they gave us. Lets only take good things so they think we didn’t scam them.” Xane did as he was told.
Similar fights broke out as they explored. Xane doing all the work and getting more used to wielding a heavier blade. He much preferred the rapier. Calrin though was forcing him to venture out. Xane had a thought that Calrin wanted Xane to follow in his footsteps as a master of all swords. Xane wouldn’t go that far. Learning different blades was good though.
The loot stayed meh with only coins and some materials for crafting dropping. Nothing that good. They were only low level cannon fodder but Calrin complained that they usually dropped at least one death attuned core every few fights.
Xane looked with his x-ray being able to see through the rock and stone and into graves. He passed it off as a weird feeling each time he saw one. The things they found in those secret spots were much better. Weapons of decent quality, some potions and a bag with 5 gold worth of silver coins. He even found a shovel that was runed and named.
Gravediggers Consecration(Runed)(Holy)
Can dig larger areas than normal.
Deals extra damage to undead.
The gravedigger tried to save his home but in the end succumbed only a small plot of land safe from the hoard a shovel warding off the undead.
“Ahh that is what is called a dedicated drop. You’ll usually find one of those in here.” Calrin told him when he found the shovel. Xane stashed that in his ring for later inspection. He believed he could learn the runes. And if he couldn't, a shovel had uses.
Their first encounter with the name sake of this dungeon was quick. Xane felt his hairs stand on end and spun around to see a spectral entity looking at him. Xane could only feel it looking at him. For it was a blank face with no details. Xane slashed out with his blade slashing through it. Similar to the sludgelord only portions of the ghost was torn away. He dodged a comparatively slow attack slashing again and again. The coating he put on his blade eating away at the form of the ghost. Right before it died Xane made sure to inspect it.
Ghost(Undead Variant)
Level: 16
Stats:
Intelligence: 51
Wisdom: 46
Agility: 45
Information: Unlike its comporeal siblings ghosts don’t consume flesh but the raw mana of beings to grow. Ghosts like other spectral entities take heavily reduced damage from nonmagical attacks and are vulnerable to spirit magic.
It condensed into a lump of spectral blob. It slowly floated down from the air Xane had killed the ghost in. “Finally something good. That is spirit clumps. Used in many forms of magic and very valuable. The only reason this place was allowed to stay here. If we get a few more of those we can easily trick the clerk and take much better stuff. Put it in the bag.” In the bag it went, Xane feeling cold when he touched it.
They, as in Xane, fought off attacks and looked around for hidden treasure. In the end they earned a decent haul as the two went towards the temple that was in the beginning so far away. “Ok I will be in the room if you need me. These bosses aren't to be underestimated. My first time in here I almost died.” That sobered up Xane as he, similar to the last dungeon, breezed through it.
“Yeah I’m focused.” The heavy set doors opened on their own as they approached. Xane made sure everything was in place. “Wait bosses?” Xane half asked as the doors slammed shut on them. The Bladesman just smiled and disappeared after chugging a small vial. “What the hell Calrin?!”