“Greetings, my name is…” The voice paused. “Ah, it appears you are currently in a dire situation. Protocol delay introduction commencing. Assessing the situation. I see.”

“What is going on?” Charlie asked.

“What do you mean?” Orb asked.

“There’s a voice…”

“Oh god, Merlin, Charlie has stress-induced schizophrenia. This is not good,” Orb said.

“No! It’s something else!”

The voice spoke again. “It appears you currently lack offensive capabilities outside of the dungeon. Computing a strategy. One moment, please.”

Charlie paused.

He lacked offensive capabilities outside of the dungeon. When he hadn’t been able to take Richard and Mary, and later Merlin, into his dungeon, he had brought parts of the dungeon to them. So, what if…what if he used two skills at once? Wasn’t that what he had done before? He’d used transfer to bring a part of the dungeon to this world, and then dungeon manipulation had worked to overlay it seamlessly into the area around him. And if he could do that, then…he could fight.

He could fight outside the dungeon.

“Merlin, can you make a hex for earth magic?” Charlie asked.

Merlin didn’t dare look back to respond. He whispered the words. “Uh, yeah. That’s just an elemental hex. But why?”

“Because I think we can fight these guys. And, well, you told me to pretend to be a normal baby. Normal babies can’t do what I’m about to,” Charlie said.

“Wait, what are you—” Merlin started to ask, before two cultists seized him by the arms. He struggled against them but couldn’t break free from their hold.

Od smirked. “Restrain him. You two, there was a girl with them. Likely a villager. Make sure she doesn’t make it back home to report what she saw,” Od said to two of his followers.

The two hooded men nodded and ran off in the direction of the village.

After Hilda.

“Merlin! Now!” Charlie shouted.

Merlin frantically said the words. “Emerald Hex Elemental!” Two emerald hexes appeared on either side of him.

“Solution found. I recommend utilizing the e—”

Charlie ignored it. He had a plan.

Transfer, Dungeon Manipulation!

On either side of Merlin, a slanted pillar of rock jutted from the earth. Each of the cultist restraining him were swiftly pounded by the rock and sent flying into the air. One hit a tree, hard. A satisfying snap reverberated around the clearing. The other landed on a different cultist. Neither got back up.

“It worked!” Charlie said.

Merlin’s mouth was agape. He quickly recovered. “Well, you cultist have left me no choice,” he said with false bravado. “Time to kick some as—” he paused, turning to look at Charlie. “Time to kick butt,” Merlin said, readying another emerald hex.

Charlie started to throw a baby fist into the air in support, but then decided against it. He was pretty sure normal babies did that. Why wouldn’t they? But just to be safe, he opted for a more appropriate giggle. His thoughts returned to Hilda. She was fast, but could she really outrun the cultist? He frowned. Bleedy and Mousifer were with her. They would keep her safe. He had to trust them.

He focused on the battle at hand.

Merlin threw up the next hex, this time, aiming it directly toward Od. Charlie, however, focused his attention elsewhere. A group of the cultist to their right were bunched together. A spear like rock spat forth from the earth, aiming directly for them. The cultist tried to move out of the way, but just before it passed them, the spear splintered apart. They cried out as earthen shrapnel tore through their cloaks. Merlin looked at the onslaught before turning to look back at Charlie. “Hey uh…we gotta coordinate our attacks a little better…”

“I didn’t make it do all that…I just wanted to throw a big rock.”

“I intervened and modified your last attack slightly. Your current ability usage is extremely inefficient. I recommend smaller, more precise attacks on enemy combatants.”

“I’m doing my best!” Charlie said.

A series of hexes appeared as the cultist went on the offensive. Merlin covered his face with his hands. Sweat rolled down Charlie’s face, as, at his command, a slab of rock split the earth in front of Merlin and caught the attacks. The impact of one particularly powerful fireball left a massive dent in the slab’s center, but the attack hadn’t harmed them. The slab split apart and crumbled back into the dirt. The remaining pieces evaporated into the air, as if made of dust. Charlie found that odd. But didn’t have time to think about it further.

Od stared at them intently. A strange look on his face. Merlin and Charlie realized it at the same time.

Merlin hadn’t used a hex that time.

Only Charlie had acted. But if Od noticed, he didn’t say anything.

The other cultists were taking the fight seriously now. A majority of them now took shelter behind trees, firing bolts of fire, blast of water, and sometimes combinations of the two. Charlie threw up barrier after barrier. Merlin did his best to keep his hexes in sync to match Charlie’s pace.

Finally, with a surge of effort, Charlie summoned a rock wall that encased them entirely. Leaving just enough room so that Merlin could turn around inside the small space. They needed to figure something out, quickly. Charlie was running out of energy.

The cult had them on the defensive.

“Charlie needs a break,” Orb said, stating the obvious. Charlie didn’t have the energy to respond. He managed a faint nod.

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Merlin stroked his chin.

“Charlie, we really should have let Merlin make the heroic sacrifice he was trying to make before. We could’ve made it out of here with no problems.”

Merlin scoffed. “You are the worst little ball I have ever met, and it’s not even close.”

“We need a plan to get out of here,” Orb said.

Merlin nodded. “Charlie, do you think you could manage one final attack? If we take out their leader, chances are the others will abandon the fight.”

“Mhm, I think so,” Charlie said, struggling to keep his head up.

“Actually, according to current dungeon integrity—”

“I can do it!” Charlie shouted at the voice.

The rock wall came crumbling down, and both sides stared at each other, waiting to see who would make the first move. The standoff was interrupted by a cult-member who ran up and approached Od. As soon as he reached him, he fell to his knees, sucking in air. “Sir! An adventurer…an adventurer party was spotted not far from here. We need to leave…soon.”

Od looked at him, a panicked expression on his face. “We need to wrap this up,” he said, turning to eye Merlin.

Merlin smirked at the news. “Charlie, did you hear that?”

Charlie didn’t respond. Fighting eyes that seemed determined to close themselves. But he had heard. If they could just buy time, the adventurers would show up and take care of the cultists.

Merlin looked over his shoulder. “You okay, kid?” he asked.

Charlie leaned his head against the back of Merlin’s neck, trying not to fall asleep. “I’m…fine.”

“Merlin, we’ve gotta end this. Now,” Orb said.

Merlin nodded. “I know. I’ve got this,” he said.

“What are you gonna do?” Orb asked.

“I’ll buy time. Charlie, get your spell ready. Remember, we just need to take out Od.”

Charlie forced himself to lean up, barely peaking over Merlin’s shoulder.

Od chanted quickly, and a small, but dangerous looking void hex appeared next to his right shoulder. “Surrender. Now,” he said.

“I don’t think—” Merlin started to say, before five long but thin shards shot forth from Od’s hex and embedded themselves into his leg. “Ow!” Merlin shouted.

“Surrender. Or the next will go through your neck.”

“Merlin!” Charlie said.

“I’m fine.” Merlin straightened himself, bearing the pain. He rose to his full height and stared Od down.

He clapped his hands together and poured everything he had into the con of his life.

“Ancient art. Divine forbidden technique. Shhhh, pshh kshh kshh kshh.” Merlin added sound effects with his mouth as he spoke. A void hex of massive proportions formed above his head. If the hex earlier had been the size of his wagon, this was easily as large and imposing as one of the trees around them now. Charlie could tell. This was possibly the largest, scariest, and coolest fake hex Merlin had ever made before. It was amazing to see.

“I didn’t wanna use this. Once this spell starts to form, there’s no going back. Even I can’t dispel it. I only hope the villagers won’t be caught in the aftermath.”

One of the cultists, the messenger from a moment ago, looked at Od. “He can’t be serious! The village is miles away!” Od looked at the man, before turning back to massive hex in the air above them.

“You really should’ve surrendered when you had the chance. Prepare to die,” Merlin said. The hex started pulsing ominously, and at that moment, a stroke of good fortune caused the wind to pick up. The cultists looked around as stray leaves of sycamara root flew past, caught in the breeze. Merlin smirked.

“Okay Charlie, now’s your chance. All eyes are on my hex,” Merlin said.

Charlie focused.

Transfer, Dungeon Manipulation!

Nothing happened.

Dungeon Integrity at zero.

Transfer unavailable. Dungeon Manipulation unavailable.

“Told you.”

Charlie felt the strange voice in his mind fade away. Like it wasn’t there anymore. At least, not for now. “Uhm, Merlin, I think I’m out of magic.”

“Uh…what?” Merlin said, louder than he meant to. He paused, stunned like a deer in torchlight.

The hex instantly disappeared. “Actually…” he turned to look at the cultist. “On second thought, perhaps we can work this out.”

The messenger spoke again. “I… I thought you said you couldn’t dispel it?” he asked.

Merlin shrugged. “Well…well yes. When I said it, it was true. But a real master magician is always overcoming his limits. I pushed past that weak form you saw only a moment ago and grew even stronger. Don’t test me!” He jabbed a finger at the messenger. The messenger took a quick step back, swallowing. “I’ll bring that spell back…no, two of those spells. Is that what you want?”

“No! I don’t want that!” the man said.

“Good. Good. Now, let’s come to a mutually satisfying arrangement. I’ll let you leave with half, no, a quarter of all the sycamara root you’ve harvested.”

Od shook as he spoke. “A quarter is not nearly enough! We’ve been here for months!”

Charlie tilted his head. Was Od really going along with this?

Merlin laughed. “You forget adventurers are pursuing you even as we speak. Taking more than that would slow you down. Not to mention without my help they’ll catch you no matter what at this point. I’m the one who's going to have to hide your tracks from them. I think that’s worth some extra compensation. And of course, adventurers are greedy. I’ll offer them some of the sycamara root as well, in exchange for ‘saving me’ from the cult. I’ll earn their trust, and when I point them in the wrong direction, they’ll go right along with it. Allowing you to escape,” Merlin said.

Od squinted. “Cover our tracks? What do you mean?”

Merlin gestured to the fallen cultist all around. “Isn’t it obvious? My mastery over earth elemental magic will make it easy to create a false trail.”

“And you would use it to help us escape?” Od scanned the ground in thought.

“I’m a simple man. I’ll help anyone if there’s profit to be made. The Cult of Cendra are friends I wouldn’t mind having.” Merlin smirked.

Od nodded. “I see. There is wisdom in your words.” He turned to the men behind him. “Take two carts, leave the rest.”

“But sir…”

“Enough! That man is not one to be trifled with. Be grateful you’re leaving with your life.”

The man bowed to Od and returned to the camp with a few others. Od turned to leave as well, before pausing and looking at Merlin over his shoulder. He spoke, wagging a finger for emphasis. “The return of Cendra is imminent. Someone of your talents would be welcome among us.” With those words, he departed, fading away into the woods.

***

True to their word, the cult had left a majority of the carts behind, the rest of their belongings were scattered about. They’d clearly left in a hurry, prioritizing their injured and unconscious comrades over all the supplies they left behind. Charlie could feel his energy slowly returning to him from resting against Merlin’s back.

Merlin’s contagious excitement helped, too.

“We’re rich! They left us so much! They really left it! We’re rich!”

“Relax…I can see the dollars signs in your eyes,” Orb said.

Merlin turned; his head tilted. “What’s a dollar sign?” he asked.

Orb bounced in a shrug, before diving into Merlin’s hood with Charlie.

The sound of crashing hooves reached them only a moment before the adventuring party arrived. The first one to breach the clearing was a large man in heavy silver armor. He swiftly dismounted, and in two fluid strides, he was standing before Merlin.

He clearly didn’t perceive Merlin as a threat. “Are you alright? We received word of cultist out here.” He surveyed the trampled camp and scattered supplies.

Merlin didn’t hesitate for a second. “Yeah, they went that way,” he said, turning his head and pointing his finger in the right direction.