Edward looked down at the plated figure now on the floor. With the click of his fingers, the lanterns increased in brightness once more.
Humming to himself, he put the dagger away in its sheath and gave it a little pat. A job well done was worthy of a little praise, after all.
Now all he had to do was wait.
The Death Knight lifted his head up to regard the demon. “Why is it you have to make everything so sinister and dramatic?”
He shrugged in return. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Humphrey held up the book that he was reading through while sitting on the ground. “That you had to dim the lights and use a dagger as a key for the locked box that held this book. I’m assuming you meant the first, as in nobody else has read this?”
“Correct.” Edward sighed. “Demons... aren’t good people by nature. Even those of us who try to live a pleasant life… we have to do some kind of minor evil. For me, it is the constant plotting and inevitable betrayals.”
“I see.” The Death Knight returned his gaze to the book. “Always knew you were no true threat.”
“Maybe that’s what I want you to believe.”
Humphrey ignored him and flipped the page over. He hadn’t thought to question it at the time, but the magic used to create the sigil that kept the Outsiders alive… couldn’t have been created by Edward and Chuck. They just didn’t have that kind of ability at the time. The names of those who had truly helped had been obscured and forgotten - save for whatever lay within this tome.
He ran a plated finger down the open page. “So you think that our mystery person may have a connection to one of the sigil makers?”
“That’s what the question-mark on the board was for.” Edward rolled his eyes.
“Hmm.” The Death Knight paused, his finger wavering in place. “I was not expecting to see this name.”
----------------------------------------
Sally stepped back out into the main hall, with Poppy close behind. All eyes turned to the pair, but they continued straight out into the open air.
“Ah, Sally?”
She stopped, and they both turned to see Kenny join them. With a neutral expression on her face, she tilted her head and waited for him to speak up.
“Got you some items. I’m not sure how useful they’ll be… but probably a lot more so than taking up space in my Inventory.”
The System prompted her to receive the items, and Sally accepted.
[Health Potion (3)]
[Dungeonering Kit]
[Thieves Tools]
[Bandages (5)]
[Flash Pellet (2)]
“Thanks, Kenny. You best keep these people safe while we’re away.”
[Kenny has left the Party.]
“Will do my best.” He gave them both an awkward bow, before slithering his way back into the Keep.
[Claude: Give me 5 minutes and I will join you.]
She smiled. “Hey, it’s nice that he is still up for this. He didn’t give off the best impression at the start, but he is dependable.”
[Poppy: He has watched a lot of people die.]
[Poppy: Yet he always helps.]
“Let’s make sure he only gets wins in the future, then.” Sally smiled and then went to her Inventory to check out all the new items she had received.
Flash Pellets seemed useful - a brief stun or daze to a target when thrown. Probably intended to be used before escaping, but if she knew one thing, it was that debilitating an enemy usually gave a massive advantage in killing them off. Health Potions and Bandages were self explanatory, restoring an arbitrary twenty or ten percent health, respectively. Using her skill and a bandage at the same time could do the same amount, so that was the better use of what little items she had currently.
The Kit and Tools had various different parts for unlocking doors, disabling traps, and general dungeon-useful things. Rope, a small bag of ball-bearings, a hooded lantern, and chalk.
“How do I identify the pieces of gear that I received from the dungeon’s chest?”
[Poppy: Claude can do that ^^]
Sally was starting to believe that the healer was very important to keep around. She looked down at the cat, who was lying on his back with his tummy exposed to the sky. “Any estimate on what it’d take to get to STAR Three, Arch?”
“Hmm. While STAR One required Level Four here, I am uncertain if Level Twelve will be the threshold. It depends on your power, and how the scaling curves in this System.” He rolled back to his feet and shook himself off.
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She penciled in Ten as the possible level that she might be able to call on some aid. While getting her current level hadn’t taken too much time, she had a feeling that each further level would take a lot more effort. The trio turned their heads as Claude stepped out of the Keep.
“Let’s get going, ladies. The day is eager to bury us in nightfall if we meander.”
Sally stepped up beside him as they worked their way down through the valley. “Claude, would you be able to identify the two pieces of equipment from the Dungeon?”
“Of course, kindly hand them over.”
She did so, trading them directly from her Inventory to his. After a few moments where his eyes were unfocused, he then looked back at her.
“You may keep them both, as you have very little gear. I assume nothing else of value was found in the chest?”
[Poppy: I don’t need anything ^^]
Sally nodded at the knight, as she was intending on asking that. “Gold, healing potions, blank scroll…”
“Oh? May I have the scroll?”
She nodded, and they made the transaction.
[Crimson Cloak] [+2 Endurance, +1 Strength]
[Boots of Stability] [+1 Endurance, +1 Determination]
With a grunt, she put the boots on the old-fashioned way. No cosmetic slots or equipment switching on this world. They were heavy - a polished gunmetal compared to Poppy’s silver armor - but perhaps a lot better suited to battle than her diner flats. After struggling with the cloak, the knight stood behind her to get it arranged and clasped properly.
Sally brandished her sword and stood in place for a second. “Now I feel like more of a knight!”
The healer stopped and looked back at her, a soft smile on his face. “Best you find something that protects your torso, and a skirt isn’t terribly practical.”
She tutted. “I’ll have you know that I defeated a dragon in this drip, pal. Or it was jeans, I forget.”
“A dragon?” He raised an eyebrow at the knight.
Sally put her hands on her hips and looked off to the horizon. “Gods, I was strong then.” In some ways, she was stronger now. Maybe not as the System saw it… but her experiences after crushing Ruben had done nothing but hone her into something even more like a living weapon than she used to be.
It was difficult not to labor her new friends with the full picture. They continued through the valley in silence. Difficult, but she’d endure. No good would come from telling them her full unlife story and having to explain what the real plan was here. Maybe at the end of the road—if they succeeded—it would feel like she’d betrayed them by stealing away their world… but she could live with that because they’d be able to live in peace.
“I… am thankful you did not kill Kenny,” Claude eventually said. “Your mercy was surprising, but appreciated.”
“Eh.” She pulled a face. “I’m here to save people, and he wasn’t being malicious… just scared and dumb. Don’t get me wrong, though. I’m not afraid to break eggs to make an omelet.” Sometimes just break eggs for fun. Just right there on the counter in a big mess. Metaphor aside, she’d need to apologize to Theo when she saw him again.
“I take it you’ve killed Players before, then?”
She watched his expression. He seemed a little apprehensive, but it wasn’t paranoia that was driving the line of questioning. No sense in lying about it.
“Some.” She shrugged. “A lot of people saw me as a Monster filled with loot. Something just to kill for experience. I was not so easily put in the dirt.”
“Clearly.” He gave her a nod, but pressed no further.
Although she didn’t care to think about how many people she may have eaten during her time in Sanctuary, she didn’t regret any of them. Some were undeserving… especially at the start - but it had taken her a while to understand and accept what she was and what she wanted. Which was currently a hot stack of pancakes and plateful of Theo.
They reached the end of the valley where the Dungeon once stood. Now a ruined mess of dark brown shards that once comprised the walls. No sign that it used to travel underground whatsoever - as if the ground had just eaten it up. Now, rolling fields stretched out in all directions. Some woodland to the right, and potentially another village in the far distance.
What caught her attention, however, were the handful of singular structures dotted around this landscape. More Dungeons.
“Any clue which we should head to first?” She sighed and tried to stretch out her back.
Claude withdrew a short cylinder from his belt and extended it, holding it up to his eye. He pointed it between the three closest Dungeons, his tongue sticking out of his mouth slightly as he thought. Eventually, he removed it and turned to the others.
“We have two combat and one puzzle Dungeon close by. The lowest Level is a Five, and is one of the fighting ones.”
Sally clicked her fingers. “I’m down for that. Might as well go for the easy things first, right?”
[Poppy: I agree ^^]
[Poppy: Is that the centaur guardian?]
The healer nodded. “He uses a bow, so getting close can be an issue. I believe there was a group who lost two members because they underestimated the range and power of the Monster.”
“Ah.” She nodded and rubbed her chin. With little armor of her own, she didn’t fancy getting an arrow through her chest.
[Poppy: Best if I lead and provide cover?]
“Yeah, Claude if you stay as far back and out of sight as you can - I’ll shadow Poppy into combat.” She turned to the knight. “You don’t have like… a spear or lance you could use, I guess?”
[Poppy: I have a skill called [Lion’s Lance] which lashes out like one.]
“Perfect.” Sally grinned. “Then let’s go kill us a Guardian.”
----------------------------------------
Lucius stepped out of his office and into the sunshine. It was a pleasant day and he had the rest of the afternoon off - so a nice walk sounded like the perfect way to relax.
Even from here, he could hear the waves lapping up against the shore. Having lived his System life purely in the Wasteland, it made a nice change to be so close to the sea. Relaxing, and something his patients seemed to appreciate as well.
Fiddling with the strap of his satchel, he stepped around and down the short stone staircase to the promenade walkway. Tomorrow was the first meeting of the New Environment Research and Development team and… oh, he just got the acronym. He wondered which jokester came up with that.
Anyway, with that underway, it gave him a lot to think about. It was going to be the New Player area, and so there were important tasks to consider - how they should be greeted and what could be done to get them integrated into the System as smoothly as possible.
With Lana’s help, he had already sent out surveys to many of his patients, asking them how they felt about their appearance here, and what could have been different to make them feel more at home. Sally had left him a handful of messages before she left, insisting a diner that served pancakes was a necessity, but that-
He paused and turned around. His crimson eyes narrowed back down the promenade. Pretty empty, considering - but this area usually didn’t see much traffic, anyway. The small beach huts lined up against the short stone wall… well, he thought he heard movement, but he must have been mistaken.
Turning back to the way he was walking, he paused, bumping into something. Before he could apologise, a cold pain ran through his stomach, causing him to buckle over. Unable to fully process what had happened, he dropped to the warm ground.
And then there was darkness.