One of the few concessions Tommy had managed to acquire from Ingrid and the dwarves was that they had to find some other sucker to go into the smoke-filled room and risk their arms. Diving into the well where he drowned that useless pile of blubber Harry wouldn’t have been his first pick – that was the light puzzle the guard captain had managed to claim – but it did provide a window of opportunity. As he reached the well, he considered for a moment; it had probably been long enough, and slapped the surface. Covered by the sound of the splash he dashed on the balls of his feet back to the entrance of the room, sure enough everyone had dispersed to their own trials. Now he just needed to hope no one looked back.
He swiftly stalked through the central room, past the pile of shattered bones that used to be a huge skeleton. No one should hear him, he’d been a bit unsure of Ingrid until her stupid explosion but if the dwarves heard him over the racket from their own armour he deserved to be caught. Only the guard captain’s preoccupation with the puzzle prevented him from turning and seeing Tommy. Then again he might simply not care, Tommy certainly wouldn’t in his position. Still his hair was standing on end and throat was tight. If Ingrid did find him he might not get a chance to talk his way out of this one.
Only as he slipped onto the stairs that led to the saferoom did he relax. He still needed to move quickly, it wouldn’t take Ingrid long to get her token after all and he needed to be in the well by the time she returned. Or did he? Cresting the top of the stairs at the far end of the saferoom he saw the shimmering veil marking the gate to outside. He hadn’t expected the dwarves outside to survive but he’d thought they’d last longer. That plate-clad guard was a problem, how did some simpering civil servant even afford plate living in a dump of a city like Timberhollow? He’d need to save [muscle stimulant] to deal with him, but if he’d gathered enough friends by the time Tommy was leaving things could get dicey. Still, if he left before the job was done, and the dwarves found out, then he wouldn’t just lose his pay.
He was dithering and he didn’t have the time, shifting to what he came here for he opened the chest the dwarves had so kindly confirmed was untrapped. Two small bars of gold gleamed in the warm light of the torches ensconced in the walls. Tommy grinned as he slipped the heavy weights into hidden pockets sewn for just such an opportunity. The dwarves would never understand, they feared anything being taken from a dungeon, but Tommy had waded through mud and blood long enough, he wasn’t going to let hard earned gold lay. This dungeon was supposed to be the payday that bought him a better life; a house, some slaves, maybe even a pet or two, and one way or another he was going to make that happen.
With one last look towards the exit and the reassuring weight of gold in his pockets, he slunk back towards the well.
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“It appears I owe you an apology Ivy, I underestimated the greed of our delvers.”
“All good. So that was what the rat was up to then? I meant to ask, what did you place in the chest? I felt you tweak the rewards while they were fighting Twrch.”
A smile Ivy could only describe as smug stole across Evelyn’s face, “Weights.”
“I feel like there’s more to it than that. What did you do?”
“I simply conjectured if one were to open the chest, bars of gold would hold the broadest temptation while burdening those who indulge their vice.”
“But the chests only spawn loot up to a certain mana cost, and isn’t gold really mana intensive to make?”
“But bars of stone coated in gold aren’t.”
Sometimes Evelyn’s prim and proper manners made Ivy forget just how deviously her mind could work, “That’s… delightfully mean. And it couldn’t have happened to a better person. I wonder how long it takes him to realise he’s either going to have to swim with it or leave them unattended in a dungeon…”
Evelyn’s eyes widened and her grin grew, “Surely he wouldn’t be foolish enough to… Ah I think he’s just realised his predicament.”
“And the giant just left the fire tower, he cut that fine. Pity he didn’t get caught.”
There was a faint splash and the giant’s head snapped towards the water trial. After a moment the tension in her posture faded and she tilted her head and started poking at her injured ear.
“He’s had some luck but it would seem he’s chosen to value gold over safety, perhaps it will slow him enough for the ogre skeleton to do damage. Even if all it does is speed his fatigue for the next floor, I’ll count it a success.”
A shout from the air trial drew their attention. The trap sensing dwarf had made remarkable progress traversing the room, though given one of his classes was [explorer] it perhaps shouldn’t have been so surprising. He stood before the token breathing deeply and looking pale. It would seem he had some idea of what was about to happen when he lifted it. Once the giant was at the entrance to the room, he confirmed she was ready, and in a single smooth motion grabbed the token and pitched it at her.
The giant fumbled the catch but managed to drop it on the ground beside her rather than in the trial itself. Most of Ivy’s focus however was on the dwarf who had immediately jumped towards a nearby pillar, but rather than trying to land on top of it instead aimed much lower and curled his arms and legs around it, grasping on like a limpet to surprising success. As the cacophony began and the air was flooded with projectiles, Ivy couldn’t help but admire his idea to get below the level most of them were aiming for. Many of them plinked off him on their way down after striking the pillar, their momentum spent. However, she had considered this possibility, and the storm of metal, wood and bone projectiles were fired from the walls at many angles as well as, in a few cases, dropping from the ceiling.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
The dwarf suddenly appeared like a porcupine as needles of bone and metal poured from above and sank into the gaps and padding of his armour. A limestone cannon ball struck a glancing blow against his back on its way towards a higher perch, careening off course in a spray of white powder. He dropped a full dwarf length, staggered from the blow, before retightening his grip. Ivy fancied she could hear a groan of pain over the cacophony.
There were likely some more incidental blows she missed through the storm, but as suddenly as it started, the barrage ceased. Tenderly, he began inching his way back up the pillar. His previously rugged but functional lamellar now coated in dents, missing plates and sprouting needles from the padding and likely deeper in a few places. As he dragged himself to his feet, one hand supporting his back where the cannonball struck, he looked like a man who had been to war, albeit one against a very irate sewing club.
Ivy glanced at the other trials, the captain was still struggling with the light puzzle, the earth trial had not yet begun to rumble and a clanging resounded regularly from within the smoke of the darkness trial.
“How are the two who ventured into the darkness trial getting on? They can’t have long until the blade drops?”
“They are being cautious with the blade so close. The beastkin must have forewarned them however-”
An almighty thunk cut of the end of Evelyn’s words.
“Did we get either of them?!” Ivy bounced on the balls of her feet.
“Unfortunately, no. They managed to retreat just in time”
“Why aren’t you more disappointed?”
“Because they didn’t get the token.”
It took Ivy a second to put it together and Evelyn’s smile only grew as she saw Ivy’s appear.
“The blade blocks off the holes to retrieve the token and only resets when the dungeon does. They’ll have to go through all the trials again!”
“They’ll get some rest before the reset, but not too much. Why don’t we use the time for you to tell me about the projectile weapon you made that needed a gem affinity skeleton?”
Ivy quickly got into a rapid ramble, “It was a super interesting project, if something of a rush job. I hope it works alright; it was really mana costly but I figured we needed to take some big swings. You remember how that spider lady fired a bunch of crystals? Well, it turns out that was two skills, one to throw them and the other to crystalise things. The physics on the latter seems really wonky by the way, turning things solid should really have a thermal effect…”
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While Evelyn seemed a little unsure of some of the finer points, Ivy was fairly convinced she’d managed to convey the general gist of the weapon when the two dwarves emerged coughing and spluttering from the darkness trial. They’d gotten somewhat turned around on their way out but were explaining the situation to the unimpressed giant between gasps. Once the two had recovered she decreed they would show her the problem.
“It’s not like she can lift it right?” Ivy asked, suddenly concerned. “I mean she might be able to get a bit of a grip at the top, maybe, but that thing is massive.”
“She can grow rather large herself, but I think it unlikely…”
“But you’re not totally sure?!”
“Regrettably not. I may have more experience with the effect of levels on physical capabilities but what that giant is capable of I do not know. She certainly has more strength than I’d expect from any sorcerer, even at level 40.”
A deep gasp and splashing drew their eyes to the water trial where the beastfolk dragged himself out of the water, sopping wet like, well… a drowned rat. Even this sight couldn’t lighten Ivy’s mood, he was finding his feet as he found his breath and while blood swirled in the dripping water from a few scrapes, if he’d suffered any serious injury he hid it well. A rumble from behind them indicated the earth trial token had been found. Meanwhile The guard captain was a few moves from victory with the light puzzle and the [explorer] had sunk to the ground after finally escaping the air trial. Tension was bubbling in Ivy’s gut, she’d been so calm a moment ago. She had to do something.
“Let’s follow and see what she does.”
Thankfully the smoke seemed translucent to them as they walked through it. Whether some facet of their ethereal nature, or simply because Evelyn as [dungeon keeper] wished it to be so, Ivy wasn’t sure but also wasn’t about to question a good thing - at least in this instance. The giant quickly reached the massively oversized guillotine-like blade blocking access to the token. Once more the giant grew, every dimension doubling and stretching baggy robes taut across dense musculature. She grasped the two chains upon which the blade descended before the final drop, her knees bent, and she heaved. There was a painful metallic clatter as chain and blade shifted, raising for a moment before dropping down. Ivy released her held breath, she could shift it but not properly lift it.
“It’s not over yet.” Evelyn advised.
Before Ivy could even respond the giant was lifting once more, chains clanking as the blade went up and up and up. The holes were visible! The Dwarves were just about to dash forwards to attempt to retrieve the token when the blade crashed back into the ground. The giant was coughing and looking frustrated. A ball of flame appeared in her hand but this time rather than crackling with a warm glow it was pitch black and radiated danger. She plunged it into the blade and it burned through both it and the wall beyond, revealing the turnstile upon which the token and the many fakes rested.
“It was like it wasn’t even there…” Ivy murmured, her mind refusing to process what her eyes had seen, “Even the wall…”
“So that’s destruction affinity.” Evelyn laid a hand on Ivy’s shoulder, “It’s certainly troublesome, but we forced her to use it. I can combat it more effectively now I have a clearer picture of what it can do. Moreover, I imagine there must be a steep mana cost for such a skill. This cost her Ivy. She isn’t a foe we can stop in a single strike but that means every cut, every skill, every drop of sweat we extract from her along the way has value.”
“I suppose you’re right, that was just…” Ivy shivered.
“I know.” Evelyn grimaced, “The light trial was just completed.”
Unfortunately, whether due to a skill, some dwarven sense for tunnels, or just blind luck, the dwarf from the earth trial returned sandy but victorious, shortly afterwards. Even one of his greaves clanging around with the strap looking distinctly gnawed wasn’t enough to lift Ivy’s mood. They placed all the tokens into the heavy door, and for the first time, it creaked open. They had reached the fourth floor.