Krieg

Two of the skeletons reported back with the most recent location of the wandering dungeoneers, being briefly congratulated by Lakus on their success. We started up the stairs quickly, our footsteps and other noises now being masked or at least muffled by [Stealth], from a cacophany of rattling and clattering to the occasional quiet jingling.

The two skeletons up front took us down corridors, around corners, twisting and winding our way toward our targets. If I had a heart it would've been beating faster and faster, even as I heard the distant sound of fire and the rumbling of air being set ablaze. We kept moving closer and closer as the sounds of combat faded away, replaced by tense voices, and questions of if everyone was okay, and if anyone saw any more skeletons.

We found ourselves hiding some distance away from the nearest intersection between halls, weapons raised as Rivena readied her spell, holding it back so that it wouldn't end up going off too early. With no idea what direction they would take, we sat there for what felt like hours before footsteps began to fall, punctuated with heavy metal clicking against stone again and again, moving further away from us. Lakus signaled someone forward, and I saw a skeleton near the front of the group move to the corner, leaning ever so slightly around the corner, attempting to expose as little as possible.

Still looking around the corner with their back against the wall, they raised a single hand toward us, gesturing to follow.

We moved as slow as possible in order to keep our presence hidden, having to sacrifice precious opportunities and several other groups of new skeletons in order to ensure that we weren't discovered too early. The grips on our weapons were tightened and loosened as each of us was affected by nerves and fear that I hadn't expected to see from them, considering just how many of us there were, along with all the fancy gear they had on.

Then I remembered just how quickly everyone else was being killed. It felt like I was looking at all the people in front of me with new eye sockets. They were all afraid to die, afraid to execute what seemed like a suicide mission. I nodded once to myself, and took the lead as we began following after them again.

I was weaker than all of them. I was lesser than all of them. I was worse than all of them. But that also meant I had more to gain. More to prove. Furthermore, I had lost friends to these monsters. They began walking again, backs turned away from us. The big guy was in back, his shiny metal armor mocking me as though I couldn't even begin to put a scratch on him. "Rivena, get ready to trap them. You all better keep up." I growled the words out even as my feet made contact with the stone, letting out a small clicking noise as I rounded the corner. "Casting in five seconds." I heard Rivena behind me, though I didn't hear her move. I left the safety of the edge of the stone, my dagger clenched in my fist like a crucifixion nail.

For my friends. For my newfound people. For me.

The spell was cast, the sound of armored and non armored footsteps falling silent. I was leaping onto the armored man before he could even react, letting out a silenced scream of rage as I crawled up onto his shoulders, hands reaching for his helmet. Boney arms and hands followed behind me, grabbing hold of his body and hauling him back just as the rest of the dungeoneers began to turn around, sensing something was off. Two seconds later and they were leaping back into action, attempting to cast spells or fire an arrow.

Rivena let out an incredibly bright light from behind us, bathing the stone hall in white. The armored man was restrained even as he struggled against the mass of bones holding tightly to him, his one still somewhat free arm clutching tightly at the helmet he wore. I gave up on the metal headwear, opting instead to stab at the hand and joints. There was no blood, though each impact rocked up and through my arm bones,

The bowman was covering his eyes and screaming something that got lost in the silence spell, while the fire user and the other dungeoneer fell back, attempting to shield their eyes. They were screaming too. The armored man was lifted above all the others, most of his limbs restrained while I stabbed at the other. Rivena let loose another dazzling light that blinded me for a few seconds, an impact beat against my jaw, erasing the feeling of having a jaw entirely. I grabbed onto the arm again, bringing my crude weapon down again and again, the cracking of the dagger felt through my bones. We came out of the silence and I heard screams coming from the man that I was still holding onto. I had fallen onto his chest, my arms draped around his shoulder.

When my vision returned we had rounded a corner and I could hear the roar of flames starting up behind us, along with panicked screaming for what I could only assume was the man we had grabbed. There was maybe three quarters of the skeletons we had started with all carrying and restraining him. He kept screaming, trying again and again to break free. "[Lion's Strength]!" He roared, his arms coming free once more, one of them grabbing onto my spine and snapping it like a twig. I held on even as my legs fell to the ground, the world beginning to grow dark. I reached for his helmet with my dagger as another skeleton hastily grabbed it and literally tore it from the buckles that held it in place, the pieces of metal and leather clinking as they fell to the stone. My dagger came down with as much force as I could bring to bear, his screams falling silent a moment later.

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Level increased to 32! Hp, Mana, Stamina restored! Injuries fully recovered!

Enemies killed at level 1:

Overpowered Veteran Adventurer, Experience received; 80,575

I found my legs returning as I fell off the now limp body, hitting the ground with enough force that I should've cracked something at least. I suffered no injuries, feeling far stronger now than I had ever felt in the past several hours. "Get the body to the fourth floor! Move!" Lakus was shouting as three Sentinels rushed back in the direction of the flames. They had all thrown away their weapons, taking the shields of those who had their hands full. Their zealous fury was just as strong as the desperate attacks by the party of three dungeoneers, their firepower being completely unleashed as they tried to force their way through.

I scrambled to my feet as the others ran around the corner, the sounds of their movements suddenly falling nearly silent, save for the jangling of a corpse in heavy plate armor. I followed after them, finding it much easier to keep up than before. I heard screaming and sobbing behind us as we turned another corner in an attempt to lose the dungeoneers. We kept going, moving as fast as our bodies would allow. Having limitless stamina was proving an incredible boon as we managed to outrun those following close behind.

A wail reverberated throughout the second floor as we took the stairs down to the third, a corpse with a stone dagger through the eye carried on our shoulders.

Six of us carried the body in the center of our formation, only ten remaining to guard the flanks as Rivena and Lakus were also safely ensconced in the center.

"I'm going to be honest, Lakus. I didn't expect that to go nearly so well as it did. I'm saddened by the deaths that were needed to give us such a victory though. Those were good men and women." Rivena spoke with hesitation, seemingly caught between joy and grief. She had probably known the three now dead Sentinels for awhile. Lakus only nodded in response, not saying a word as the skeletons at the front of the formation led us through the third floor.

We stopped at one of the areas on the third floor where I learned that there were multiple ways to the fourth floor, none of which remained open all the time. Lakus decided it was best to keep moving, lest the three dungeoneers decide to make another attempt to find us.

When we finally reached the fourth floor, we had encountered two groups of goblins who were quickly dispatched by Rivena and her Sentinels, who blinded and slaughtered them without a second thought, and also come in contact with what were apparently some newer recruits who'd been lucky enough to escape the initial massacre. They had been told to return to the hidden barracks as we passed, though I'd been brought further down solely because I'd killed the dungeoneer.

The fourth floor was barren, battles echoing in the distance, unnoticed except for those few sounds of weapons clashing. We moved at a jog until the lights of a ramshackle fort came into view, armored skeletons patrolling all over the place, only giving us brief nods before continuing onward.

The gate rose with a slow clanking noise, and what I saw completely defied expectations. I had expected a well put together group of warriors to have some actual buildings, though all I could see were tents and poorly put together structures that seemed about to collapse at any moment. Lakus bid Rivena farewell as the corpse was transferred to the few who were not her direct subordinates, and I was led along with the remaining few to a tent at the back of the fort, standing a bit taller than the others, with much more space.

I could hear a conversation being held inside between two others. One voice belonged to a woman who seemed both disappointed and dissatisfied about something. The other voice was a man that sounded filled to the brim with resolve and control. "... Gone with them, at least to provide a lightning quick strike in the event they get discovered." The woman was currently speaking as we approached, only to be denied. "If I had sent you with them and failed, we would be losing three of our best. Rivena knows what she's doing, and this is something Lakus needs to be able to do if he's to handle future tasks. As you reminded me, a leader who doesn't lead by example will see no loyalty, faith, or trust from his or her subordinates."

We entered the moment he finished his sentence, both of them turning to face us from behind a table with several rolls of parchment scattered across it. Candles lit the room in several areas, allowing for decent enough vision even though it wasn't necessary for us.

They both stared at the corpse as it was brought in, and set down off to the side. Lakus then dismissed the group with a quick word of thanks, though he told me to stay behind. The woman moved with incredible grace, each miniscule movement seeming dedicated to agility. She wore solid leather armor that had become a dark crimson in a few places and a shining rapier at her hip, a testament to her experience.

The man was a different story entirely. His skull above the right eye was cracked, his armor patchwork at best, a mixture of metal plates, chainmail, and leather. It was a wonder how it worked at all. What I saw the most however, was his gaze. The way he moved, spoke, and acted all spoke of an ironclad conviction, along with barely contained rage. "So we got one of the bastards, then. Good work Lakus, you can pass my compliments on to your men and Rivena's as well. Truly well done. If they decide to come after us, losing their protective giant will be a serious hammer blow to their effective strength. All the easier to gut them if they try."

He turned to me, his gaze intense. "You're not wearing armor and you have no weapon, yet you are completely unscathed. I doubt Lakus would keep you here if you hadn't made any contributions. What's your name?" His voice sounded in my head like a hammer blow. "Krieg, sir. I only woke up a few hours ago. If Lakus hadn't found me, I'd probably be dead." Lakus moved to stand next to me, resting a hand on my shoulder. "Krieg here was the one to kill him after having his spine snapped in two, severing him from his legs entirely. I figured since he was the one to make the killing blow, you could figure out a use for him."

I swore that the skeleton man in front of me smiled the way only a villain could do. "A level one killing someone vastly stronger than him? Yeah, I can think of a few uses." He didn't stop looking at me as he spoke. "Your name is Krieg, right? You can call me Broken Skull." As Lakus took his hand from my shoulder, I found myself being guided over to the corpse, the armor shining in the flickering candlelight.