It was strange, a tiny corner of Eric’s mind thought as he took in the massive Aztec-like temple of carved stone flashing with the lightning crackling from the clouds overhead, how painfully quickly exhilaration could turn to dread.
The shadows moved oddly across its surface, coalescing in odd effigies of torment, silent screams of broken souls as howling devils gloated over their despair.
Only to fade to whisps of nothing an eyeblink later.
Until shadows twisted and writhed like the tentacles in the necks of one of Kevin’s puppets, all of them flashing wide smiles of bitter shadows and violence… glaring right AT Eric who felt tiny and small and helpless and terrified, never mind that he was riding a quarter fucking mile long Titan Wyrm half-step from a World-Eater, so why the fuck should he be afraid of any shadow whatsoever?
His guts clenched as his companions began whistling in dismay or cursing under their breath.
“Fuck, Captain. That’s no hidden treasure. That’s an Ebony tier dungeon. FUCK! I knew this place was getting close to a black break!”
“Chill, Long,” Barrett snapped in their party link, all of them speaking subvocally, as fast as thought. An instinctive reaction to the peril they were all sensing from those ruins. “Elly?”
“Half-step Ebony, first tier. As in equivalent to our rank. Ha. As if mecha idiots like us had a chance in true black. Still, it’s glowing deep red more than anything else. Could a party of half-step Bronze, Level 99 White-tiers who knew what they were doing take it on? Probably.”
“I don’t know, Captain,” Said Myl. “I get a fucking bad feeling about this place that just won’t go away.”
“Well good thing you’re not going in then,” Lone noted with a strained smile. “I guess you, Naje, and the girls get to luck out and stay in our little bone pavilion on top of a World Eater surrounded by seventy veloci piranhas that chew through tungsten carbide like I would a ham sandwich. Because we have a Necromancer King on our side, and now it makes sense why all the fucking powers that be hate them.”
“Yeah, too much of a challenge to the happily corrupt status quo,” Elly snorted. “And were they not an ungodly abomination utterly against the natural order—sorry, Eric, but it’s true—I’d be rooting for a little transformative change myself.” The odd smile she gave Eric pierced his dismay with something close to warmth, though he couldn’t quite parse what the twinkle in her eyes meant. She truly was dismayed by his arts, he could sense that, but it didn’t prevent her pupils from dilating whenever she looked his way. And the pheromones she was giving off…
Eric forced a chuckle. “It’s cool. Not everyone can appreciate the awesomeness that is Wormy.”
Elly’s teasing smile tightened. “You actually named this abomination ‘Wormy?’”
Eric mimed a pout. “Hey, come on! That’s a perfectly acceptable name. I mean, you haven’t even met Slurpy.”
She blinked. “Do I want to meet Slurpy?”
“Well… if you don’t mind lots and lots of eyes and a huge mouth full of independently moving octopedian tongues then…”
Elly held up her hand. “Please, Eric. Just… no.”
“Ha ha. Took it too far then. Sorry.”
The elf sighed, her expression turning solemn. “Are you sure about this, Eric?”
He flashed a strained smile. “Yeah. Unless we want Freetown to fall into goblin possession and the citizens to endure a fate just like the ones those FUCKING shadows FUCKING with our minds are playing over and over again on the sacrificial alters it’s teasing us with… then yes. 120,000 souls are sort of counting on it.”
Elly gazed up at him for long moments, before slowly dipping her head. “Alright. I’m in.”
“No, Elly. You were injured! You know protocol in times like—”
The captain’s words were cut off when she clenched her fist. “Stop it, Barrett. You know damn well I heal faster than most.”
He blinked, before slowly dipping his head. “Of course. But Elly…”
“No butts. Old injuries that the System refuses to reset for me aside… as a Magebane bolt now ‘defines’ me, ha ha, all it takes is an hour of perfect stillness… and I’m back in the game.”
Eric blinked, suddenly recalling her words that he had taken in such easygoing stride when first hearing them. Only now understanding their true significance. “Because you’re also a Contender.”
Elly flashed a sad smile. “Once upon a time. And I’m nowhere near as resilient as a first flush prodigy enjoying the second year of a world ascending so rapidly that I’m terrified we’ll all supernova. But yes. My Vitality also allows me to regenerate all injuries, scar free, after an hour’s rest. Physical wounds, at least.”
Garrett glared at the hideous temple of crackling purple lightning, vile shadows and silent screams. “Alright. Our treasure pickup and transport’s turning out to be a full-fledged delve. I know half of us, hell, all of us, were expecting just that, however surprised our client looks.”
He gave a dismayed Eric a clap on the shoulder.
“Lone, Elly, and I will be accompanying Ernest into the delve. We’re doing a cautious first-pass, adjoining entrance rooms only! If beast types are understood and threat level’s judged minimal? We proceed. If we find ourselves dealing with multiple unknowns or threat level: Perilous… we come out and reassess. Sound fair?”
Eric gulped, suddenly feeling too many eyes on him, understood what was being asked between the lines, and having no problem with it. “I understand. We’ll make a good-faith conjoined effort to tackle the delve and get the loot. But you and Lone both have superficial injuries still, though I see you’ve almost regenerated, and half our crew will be staying here, resting, with my crew keeping everyone as safe as seventy elite mercenary guardians and a half-step ascended monster can.”
He took a deep breath, saying what he knew Barrett wanted to hear. “If, after an exploratory dip, you feel the risk to our half-party unacceptable… I’ll accept the ‘unreasonable risk’ clause of our contract and release you from your commitment, penalty free.”
Eric instantly sensed the tension in everyone’s gaze easing to pleased smiles and approving nods.
“Good man, Eric. It’s a pleasure working with clients who understand the realities of our situation.”
Eric nodded. “That’s fine. But I will expect you all to stick around when I go on ahead.”
Barrett blanched at that.
“Captain, did he just say that he’d run the delve alone if you judge it too perilous?” Said a disbelieving Lone.
Eric nodded, ignoring the concerned and irritated looks he was getting.
“Boy’s being a damned fool. And if he falls… so do we,” Svena noted softly.
Eric winced at that.
“Our number one priority is to keep you and ourselves alive, Eric,” Barrett gently reminded him.
“Fair point. My primary goal is to keep 120,000 people forever free of goblin collars, chains, and soul forges. And seeing as its a choice of either running this dungeon or all-out faction warfare, which my partner most definitely wants to avoid… I have to clear this dungeon. No matter what.”
Barrett cursed under his breath. Lone gave Eric a strange look.
“Buddy, you have what, nearly six dozen of those raptor revenants at your command after taking out those packs stupid enough to follow us? Why not just take the whole damned flock with—”
Svena shook her head. “It doesn’t work that way, Lone. Necromancers can only control their minions in the actual world that spawned them, channeling the world’s potency to master their undead legions. The minute you enter a pocket realm, the bodies are just that.”
“Because pocket realms are as much dreams made flesh as reality,” Elly declared. “Which is why there is the potential for such magic and wonder. Glorious artifacts and arcane treasures that have no equal in any arcane crafter’s shop… so many fragile wonders that can be pulled free with first-runs… so long as you have attuned party members or bind them to your soul before they can fade under the sun.”
Svena grinned. “Or tomes uncovering paths of magicka thought lost to time. So many precious treasures to bind to your soul. Though one must still exercise prudence, lest the last item bound truly be the last item you ever uncover.”
For some reason Elly and Lone both shivered at Svena’s gentle warning.
Eric, however, just grinned. “Good thing I have a knack for claiming treasures then,” he said, deciding not to emphasize his Soul Reserves or the boons his Blood Magic gave him with efficient Soul-binding. “Though I haven’t encountered much in the way of prizes… just things trying to kill me.”
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Elly gave him a pointed look. “And yet here you are… ‘Treasure Hunter?’”
Eric gave an awkward chuckle. “Yeah… alright, we all settled then? Let’s—”
His words were cut off when a message pinged off his interface, one of the very few he was more than eager to acknowledge.
El – Who is this?
“Guys, hold on, something just came up!” Eric said breathlessly, feeling such a surge of hope and relief as he typed a quick reply.
Er – Thank heavens, you’re okay!!! Please tell me you’re okay? Everything’s alright? That the ward is holding?
El – You still haven’t told me who you are.
Eric cringed, sensing the walls hardening, realizing he was being an idiot, just sounding like someone feeling her out for crucial intel.
FUCK! He was messing up again.
Er – Please don’t hang up (lol) it’s me. The absolute idiot whose back you had when he just had to go rat hunting… risking yourself because I was so desperate to be more than a weak little nothing. And the results of my own pigheadedness when I should have waited… it pains me to this day. I’m sorry, E. I love you, you’re my better half, and I let you down. But thank HEAVEN you’re alive!!
El – ?? You’re alive? FUCK! YOU’RE ALIVE! Thank god. Thank god! I was so worried. Where’s mom? Why can I hardly remember her? Why can’t I even remember my childhood? What happened, bro? I feel like I’ve woken up as a sleeping princess, with weird jumbled memories my servants tell me can’t possibly be true, and somehow we’ve always been here, but that’s bullshit. I’ve SEEN THE MOVIE! I made them all watch, where we’re both teenage actors, but I can’t remember anything but the films I’m offering Blue Corp big credits to make in their electromana format and the minute I see the movie I remember it all! The coworkers, the directors, the parties, the boyfriends :( what an idiot I was! To the point I wish it all was a dream, but it’s not. It’s all real. It all happened. For good or ill, bitter and sweet. And the pain… at least I think I know what caused it. The pod. You saving my life. The pain of that fire pit that never stops burning… and YOU you’re real. Thank GOD! I KNEW you were real!
Eric winced, so desperate to confirm, but not daring.
Er – Please, call me Ernest! - And YES I’m real. YES it all happened. And YES I have to be very discrete since very bad people want us both dead. So thank you for NOT using my name. But… just so you know I’m me... You left me a crumpled up chain mail shirt with riveted and soldered links, none of that butted bullshit, as well as a dashing hat, a pink scarf, and a letter that touched my heart.
For long moments there was no answer.
El – Ernest.
Eric swallowed the anxious knot in his stomach.
Er – That’s the name I’m going by right now. So less fuckhead assassins and elite pawns can dial in on me and snipe my sorry ass from angles I can’t even fathom. But you know who I am. You KNOW me. You already know my name. And let’s never say that aloud until I have a chance to visit and you ID me for yourself! Then, only then, can we speak as we should.
El – Ernest. That name sounds… Fuck. You’re not Ernest ‘Edgelord’ Slaughter? A leader board monster who also happens to be a necromancer and half the elites put a fifty million fucking bounty on your? No. Fucking. Way. I’ve been trying to recruit you!!!
Eric winced.
Er – Yeah… sorry, better half. I’ve kind of kept my interface box turned off, so if you’ve been trying to do it through third party channels… far too many barristers and corrupt administrators trying to use contract curse magic to bind my soul or otherwise trap me so I’ve been kind of flushing everyone’s messages down the metaphoric toilet.
El – 0_0
Er – Sorry?
El - :) It’s okay, I’m just fucking glad that you’re alive! So, better half, wanna come join my team? It’s about 2 square miles, with no real resources and less than 100 brave souls under my banner, and the whole Northeast Counsel has declared me fair game for everyone to kill so… yeah! GOOD TIMES!
Eric couldn’t help chuckling even as his heart filled with dread.
Er – I walk a VERY unorthodox path. I hate to say it, but I have limitations… but NOTHING says I can’t protect my better half, especially if I get nothing out of it. Just family helping family.
Okay. Here’s the deal. I got massive shit to take care of to protect the largest tech city in the Northeast that I think/hope you can consider yourself good friends with… that will acknowledge you and won’t betray you… but once things are stable, I’ll do my damnedest to get over to your neck of the woods and take out ALL the fucking trash that assholes left on your doorstep. But seriously. Elonia… if you need me to come right this second… I can.
A painfully long pause.
“Everything okay, Eric?” Elly gently asked.
Eric clenched his jaw, slowly shaking his head before the followup message came.
El – My windward still holds. It’s now being supported by the mana of my very small, very tiny territory. I don’t know for how long, though. I hope it will for a lifetime! It could give out in half an hour, and there’s a flood of Reds surrounding me.
Eric’s heart was pounding.
Er – Do you know their race or power level?
El – Not a fucking clue.
Eric squeezed his eyes tightly shut, taking deep, steadying breaths.
Er – Okay. You don’t have to confirm, I already know. You should have a card with a HEFTY balance. We won’t say it aloud. But if you want to make VERY good friends with Lord Caliban, the Blue Faction administrator who’s not hiding his status in this timeline, ha ha, I’d send him a message. You might find him more than willing to extend Bronze Tier units for protection or extraction. And if you were to invest in his city… assuming I can pull off a miracle… I think you’d get EXTREMELY fat returns!
El – Are you serious right now, bro?
Er – I want to keep you safe. If you have Blue Corp bronze mercs ready to pick you up and keep you safe, I would feel so much better.
El – Lol, you really aren’t a Contender are you? I somehow thought you were?
Er – Hmm… let’s just say, hypothetically, that I am. What am I saying or doing that’s so clueless that you’re now totally doubting me?
El – Because, goofball, the minute I reach out for help like that is the minute I’ve conceded my tiny piece of land to Blue Faction. Then I’m just another pretty princess and socialite enjoying a happy life in Freetown. And I can even still call myself a princess. Yay. A gracious courtesy extended despite by only being the sovereign of a 2 square mile chunk of land that would then forever be under Blue Corp management.
Eric winced.
Er – I’m sorry. I didn’t realize. I… yeah, I’m not following the Path of Conquest.
El – Obviously. Which is strange, considering how much you like to organize and fine-tune things. Right, bro? You’re very hands on.
Er - :( No I’m not. I’m a lazy couch potato bum who’s only good at fencing or streaming kick-ass Exile’s Path streams that are nothing compared to my daughter’s. And Mother Dearest gave me a fuck ton of great insights for starting up some sweet real estate ventures... but day-to-day management is something I’ll HAPPILY leave to someone else because I’m ALL about the big picture and leaving management hassles to Blue. Or You and Mom. So long as I don’t have to deal with stressful shit. I do NOT like stressful shit unless my life is actually on the line and I can KILL the threat and level-up.
El - :) Okay, you pass. I missed you, better half.
Er – Worse half! Even if I was first.
El – You were SO second :) Now tell me about your baby?!? I’d say you’re lying you’re ass off, but I halfway remember something. Didn’t you have a Cherokee girlfriend you knocked up a few years back? Did mom totally hide it? Is that why you guys were always fighting? You wanted to marry her?
Eric flushed, realizing it was confusing, and now Elonia was reasonably trying to fill in the blanks of what could have been, mixed with what actually was.
Er – I did have a girlfriend I could have fallen in love with… but she found refuge in a better place when things got crazy :( I’m afraid I might never see her again. And I DO have a daughter. But… - Shenanigans ensued – and now she’s currently fighting under a VERY cool girl’s banner ;)
El – 0_0 No. Way. General Lilly is your DAUGHTER? That’s not possible.
Er – Tell that to the System. Resurrection’s a no-no. But conception and fatherhood is not. - Read between the lines -
El – But is she really?…
Er – Yes. Biologically, she is my kid and your niece.
El – That is both terrifying and extremely cool. Why aren’t you watching her back?
Er - :( Things played out a certain way. I did what I could. As much as I was able to. You know I’m not an ass. I would have done even more if I could have. Besides, for what it’s worth? BunBun reassured me that her daughter’s kicking ass.
El – Wait… WAIT! I remember. That’s your familiar! Wait… Eric…
Er – No. System Shenanigans. Before BunBun was my familiar she was Lilly 1.0 – The girl I brought to life, Lilly 2.0, is a genetic recombo of me and Lilly 1.0. You know. Just as if we had actually hooked up and had a kid together. But if I was fully human, so my genes recombined 100% like every other humans. As opposed to us both looking like near identical versions of mother dearest, even if I’m the masculine version. Which is why Lilly 2.0 actually looks like both you and me and Lilly 1.0 from her streaming days. Whereas if you marry some handsome asshole I’ll have to make sure knows his place ;) your girls will look just like you :) Very cute… but near identical. Mother Dearest’s phenotype is VERY strong. It’s MANY generations before that breaks down.
El – Okay. Just to be clear… you and Lilly never actually hooked up? Because I know she had the hots for you back when we were in recovery together… or was that just a dream?
Er – It was real in the original timeline. Don’t ask. But it’s okay. And no. We didn’t actually hook up. We talked about doing a co-stream together, though. She took pity on my micro-small audience. And I was like \_0v0_/ But then the world ended, so that never happened.
El – I miss you, better half. I wish you were here :(
Er - :) I WILL be swinging by to say hi to all your red friends :D – Just as soon as I take care of business here and earn Blue Corps eternal gratitude.
El – Good. Because I could really use a helping hand... when you get a chance :)
Eric took a deep breath, coming back to himself and feeling the weight of everyone’s gazes.
“Sorry, just making sure that someone I care about is okay.”
He looked toward the dungeon, the temple of stone, blackened steel, twisted shadows and silent screams that made his flesh crawl. Because somehow, it almost felt like it was waiting for him.
And that it was hungry.
He turned back toward his worried-looking companions, forcing a smile that he knew was little more than a strained grimace. “Looks like we got a fresh delve waiting for us, guys. Who’s up for some sweet, sweet first-clear points?”