Evelyn watched grimly as with a spurt of crimson and a chittering gurgle the rat beastkin’s blade sliced through the arachnid woman’s throat before he began stalking towards where the unconscious kangaroo beastkin lay. She was no stranger to doing what must be done, but such casual betrayal had her nails almost piercing her palms as she tried to contain her anger. Not that she could do anything about it. The dungeon was simultaneously too dangerous for him to conquer and unable to touch him as long as he chose to flee.
“But why…? Just why?” The bewildered despondency in Ivy’s voice was heartbreaking, though Evelyn would never admit it, part of her was thankful that some of the young woman’s emotions were sealed away, the world she was used to seemed much… cleaner.
“I don’t know. I don’t think we’ll ever entirely know.” Evelyn tried to keep her voice even, “He saved the young fox earlier but his decision to split the group was suspect. He may have never intended for the whole group to leave. These may have been deaths that were going to occur regardless, the dungeon just a convenient excuse.”
The kangaroo beastkin died. He was courageous against Twrch, he survived the air trial, only to die to a traitor’s blade. It just didn’t seem right. Evelyn noticed the flesh on the rat man’s stump was bubbling and… growing?
“Or perhaps it was tied to the loss of the limb,” Evelyn admitted before noticing an odd expression on Ivy’s face. “Ivy, are you well? You know his actions aren’t your fault. The trials were a great success.”
“I know it’s not my fault,” Ivy's face was puckered like she'd just eaten something sour, “but I think I may just have benefited from it. I levelled up.”
“What?!” Shock washing the anger and everything else from her mind before decorum reasserted itself, “Congratulations!”
“Is this a victory Evelyn?” She gestured towards the rat-man now stalking through the charred entrance of the fire trial after noting the sand pouring from the earth trial with a smirk. “Is this really the sort of thing we were aiming for? Does Timberhollow benefit from this? I was proud when we made Twrch but few of the delvers can make the jump from training on the first floor to surviving the second, and the third is even more deadly. Did we miss the point?”
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“You’re overreacting, even the first floor was much more dangerous until delvers knew what to expect. Training takes time and they are being cautious, meanwhile we are staying safe. These beastkin travel from city to city through the wildways, and though they keep the details secret…”
“So, it doesn’t matter if they died because they weren’t from Timberhollow?”
“Hardly, though I won’t deny it lessens the impact for me. The beastkin provide a valuable service to Timberhollow through trade that is not reliant on the elves or risking our own soldiers on dangerous convoys. I take no pleasure in their deaths but their presence here means word is spreading of the dungeon’s existence and likely many will come who do wish to see the dungeon destroyed. I want to help Timberhollow grow but to achieve that our first priority must be our own survival.”
“Put on your own mask before helping someone else with theirs…” Ivy mumbled. Evelyn’s confusion must have shown as Ivy quickly clarified, “It’s a common piece of advice, actually guidance I guess, for a… method of transportation common in my world. The details don’t really matter but the point is, it’s basically saying before you can save anyone else you need to save yourself first. It always sounds kinda callous every time I hear it, but that’s how the most lives are saved because you can’t help anyone else if you’re dead.”
Every time Evelyn felt like she was beginning to get something of the measure of Ivy’s world some new piece of information would make her question everything. Were life and death struggles more common than she thought there? Was it simply that Ivy was often shielded from them or didn’t have the personality to cope with such things? Yet she seemed so familiar with a quote espousing such a pragmatic philosophy.
“A wise sentiment, preserving your existence should indeed be your first priority, though I am glad to see the actions of such scum produce a righteous anger in you both.”
The words as much heard as experienced felt like a firm but comfortable embrace, Evelyn sensed her spine straightening even as her muscles seemed to unclench and relax. The words somehow tasted; like spicy honey. Even as she took all this in, a golden woman materialised before them both, pointed ears suggesting half elven heritage.
“Now I’m sure you both have many questions,” she smiled, “but we only have a little time thanks to your new [oracle] skill, and no doubt our dear friend Div will be along shortly. So, I hope you’ll understand if I take the lead in our little tête-à-tête.” She almost seemed giddy, “Such a fun language, pity you didn’t know more of it, but anyway, my name is Pamyel and I have come to bargain.”