Novels2Search

Book 3 - Chapter 12

Ocean Dungeon

Second Floor

The kelp forest was more green than Owin had remembered. As soon as he emerged from the black doorway, he hopped off the stairs, passing right by Myrsvai and Suta.

“The girhuma village is this way.” He hurried through, pushing tall stalks of seaweed aside until the first little hut appeared in the distance. “We can go right to Graliel’s city if you want. I don’t know if it’s worth looking through the village.”

Within minutes, the glowing ball signaling a quest shone on the opposite end of the village. The girhuma stood in the same spot, staring off blankly in the distance. Before Owin could get close, a door flung open behind him, launching bubbles through the water.

“A spy!” A girhuma tripped out the door, falling right in front of Suta. The water elf scrambled, kicking sand up until it stood right in front of the familiar, pointing an accusatory finger that hung right between Suta’s mandibles.

Myrsvai used his staff to push the girhuma’s hand aside. “And who is he spying for?”

The finned finger returned between Suta’s mandibles. “Algae suckers!”

Suta closed his mouth, chomping the finger off. The girhuma pulled his hand back, screaming, and cradled it against his chest. He stumbled back, falling into the sand again.

“Ah!” He tried pointing a finger again, spilling more blood into the water. His screaming gathered the attention of the other girhuma, though they watched from a distance. “Monster!”

Suta pulled the finger from his mouth and wiggled it. “Eat?”

“No, Suta.”

Owin reached over the screaming water elf and snatched the finger from Suta’s grip. “I don’t think it’ll give me any boosts, but I can eat it if you want.”

Suta nodded excitedly.

“Owin . . .” Myrsvai sighed. “I guess there’s no harm.”

Owin popped the finger in his mouth and crunched on the bones. “It’s salty. And not good.”

“You algae sucking freaks!”

Myrsvai scowled. “That sounds incredibly xenophobic.”

“I don’t know what that word means,” Owin said.

Myrsvai jammed the butt of his staff through the girhuma’s head, killing it instantly. “I would explain, though I don’t see it being a useful way to spend our time. Are those horrible looks from the other girhuma going to be an issue?”

Water elves pressed their faces against windows. They were all staring. Even the cetanthro in the horrible disguise looked on as if Suta was a monster.

“No.” Owin stepped away from the corpse. His lying hadn’t gotten better, which was clear from Myrsvai’s immediate shift into battle mode. The water stirred around him and magenta flames swirled at the top of his staff.

“I guess we could just kill the whole village,” Owin said quietly. He didn’t want to cause fear, but the girhuma weren’t even scared. If anything, they were angry.

Suta raised his fists. “Fight.”

“I thought we could get the quest reward.”

“A quest reward would be helpful, but the experience may prove more beneficial at the moment.” Myrsvai’s eyes glowed.

“Are you close to leveling up?”

“I am.”

Owin stepped aside and gestured into the village. “Kill away.”

Suta vanished. Myrsvai stayed still, sending a barrage of abyssal spells through the water. Before any spells hit, Suta reached the girhuma with the quest and punched hard enough that his fist went straight through the mob’s chest. A moment after, the Abyssal Barrage broke the windows, killing all the low level water elves immediately.

“Hm. Not quite enough experience. Where is Graliel?” Myrsvai set off into the village, walking with ease over the sand.

“There’s a trap door over here.” Owin guided them to the house and hurried through to the trap door. Once he opened it, he stood aside, allowing Suta to drop through first. Myrsvai followed without hesitation.

Soon, Owin would be showing people secrets and guiding them through the dungeon just like Artivan. He smiled and hopped into the trap door.

Myrsvai tapped his staff against the brick wall surrounding the ladder while Suta stood idly in the middle. The familiar watched Owin land and waved, but didn’t attempt to find a way out of the room.

“There’s a secret button.” Owin walked right over to the brick and firmly pressed it. The door ground open, revealing the tunnel full of mushrooms. “Those are Green Death.”

“I see that.” Myrsvai strode right into the tunnel.

“Eat?” Suta asked as he hurried to get ahead of the magus.

“No. They’re called Green Death because they will kill you.” Owin plucked a green mushroom. “I think? I don’t actually remember what Katalin said.” He tossed it over his shoulder and followed them.

Last time, Katalin had been sure to collect the mushrooms, specifically to gift to Althowin. Owin saw no reason to gather them. Even if they sold well, he didn’t plan to carry any potentially deadly mushrooms all the way through the tenth floor.

The beautiful golden city of Ligala Lepis soon appeared like a magical mountain. Before Owin could stare in awe once again, he caught sight of the cetanthro in disguise. The same cetanthro who had certainly just died from Myrvai’s blast.

The creature ripped off the mask, revealing its hideous fish face. “Fools,” the fish said. “You have chased me to our holy city, Ligala Lepis.”

“Did I not just kill this mob?” Myrsvai asked.

“You did. I guess maybe it’s just part of the whole floor?” Owin shrugged as he walked across the bridge.

The cetanthro took a step back. “Stay back, beast!”

Owin took another step, which the cetanthro matched backward. Before he could continue toying with the mob, Suta came flying overhead, tackling the fish to the ground. Bubbles trailed the familiar and soon vanished as a cloud of blood blossomed from the dead mob. Suta stood with chunks of cetanthro fish in his hands.

“No eat?”

“No. I don’t want to eat them either.”

Suta nodded and tossed the chunks to the side.

The city glistened as a shining white figure descended from above. Instead of falling, Graliel slowly glided down with his feathered wings outstretched, landing so gently that not even the sand was disturbed. His seaweed crown swayed in the water and his trident shone with the same beautiful light as the rest of the city.

“What the fuck,” Graliel said.

“I wouldn’t have assumed cathkabel could use that word.” Myrsvai crossed the bridge and waved his staff through the blood cloud, helping disperse some of it.

“What happened to Temikiel?”

“I ate him,” Owin said. He grabbed Suta and guided the familiar back toward Myrsvai. “He’s mine.”

Suta nodded.

“Impossible. Temikiel is a Priest of the Globe. A mere goblin couldn’t handle that type of luminous power.” Graliel shoved the butt of the trident into the sand, letting it stand on its own. “That umbra said you would be here. I didn’t believe him.”

“Vondaire? Did you two fight?” Owin tried to imagine what a fight between the two would look like. It had to have been quick.

“Yes. It was a long, arduous battle, which he unfortunately won.” Graliel looked over his shoulder at the golden city. “If you insist on killing me, can you at least not devour me this time?”

“You’re not going to fight?” Owin walked right up to the cathkabel. Graliel’s huge silver eyes stared straight down at Owin.

“If Temikiel cannot kill you, neither can I.”

“Where’s the secret on this floor?”

“Hm?”

“If you tell me where the secret is, I won’t eat you.”

Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!

Graliel’s eyes flicked to Suta and Myrsvai, who stood a few feet back. “What of your allies?”

“They’ll do what I ask.”

“No eating,” Suta said.

Graliel stroked his small chin. “An intriguing offer. How would Sloswen or the emperor feel if I assisted you?”

Owin tried to think of an answer, but he didn’t know Sloswen or the emperor. Sloswen, as the god of the Ocean, had never talked to Owin like Ruvaine had back in the Great Forest. He had only heard the name mentioned a few times.

“Sloswen is a forgiving god,” Myrsvai said.

“And what would a pawn of the Abyss know of the mighty Sloswen?”

“I have studied nearly every piece of literature on the gods of Verdantallis.”

“Did those stories ever mention Ruvaine letting a goblin escape?” Graliel asked.

“I was just telling Myrsvai that I don’t like to cause fear. I don’t like people being scared. We talked a lot about remembering deaths and how horrible it would have been for me back in the goblin caves if I remembered every time I was killed.” Owin pulled the golden trident from the sand before Graliel could react. “I don’t feel any of that for you.”

Graliel took a huge step backward. “The secret is this way.” He gestured toward the city.

“It’s in Ligala Lepis? Not above?”

“Do you want to see it or not?” The cathkabel grumbled and walked ahead.

“Is he actually showing us or is he going to try to ambush us somewhere within? Walking into a luminous city does feel a little foolish, even if we did just storm a cathkabel fortress,” Myrsvai said.

“I think he’s going to show us. If not, I’ll kill him. The guards were easy to manage last time, and we’re all strong enough to be fine.” Owin set off after the cathkabel. “Just follow my lead.”

The golden city was no less unique than the first time Owin saw it. Graliel waited between the first archways near a cetanthro guard. The mob didn’t react at all upon Owin’s arrival.

“Are the mobs going to be hostile?” Myrsvai asked, keeping a wary eye on the huge guard.

“Not this time. Usually they would smell your filthy abyssal stink from miles away, and that would be enough to cause aggression. By my command, they will allow you to pass.” Graliel walked part way up the stairs. “If you go back on your word, all of Elysium will know of it.”

“I don’t really care about Elysium, but I try not to lie,” Owin said.

“Will another priest try to stop us in this secret?”

“If they could appear anywhere they wanted, they would have already ambushed you and cut you to pieces.” Graliel made a point of looking at Myrsvai’s missing arm. “Pieces they could send to the Lords.”

“Owin is strong enough to kill you, but I can cause a lot more pain with my magic.”

Suta chirped and lifted his hands.

“Apologies. This way.” Graliel continued straight ahead on the second floor, leading into the massive, bountiful garden Owin had briefly spotted on his first visit. Cetanthro darted about the room, caring for and harvesting all sorts of underwater plants. All of the fish were so focused that they didn’t even pay their lord any attention as Graliel weaved between garden beds.

“This is an incredible place,” Myrsvai said.

“It’s better seeing it like this. Last time, Ernie had to use grenades and covered most of the city in blood.”

“It was clean by the time I respawned,” Graliel said, standing at the threshold to the next area. There was more garden beyond, but instead of small plants, it was a room filled with seaweed that bent as it grew against the ceiling. “Clean other than the crater you left me.”

“That wasn’t me.”

“Hm.” Graliel continued once Myrsvai and Suta were reasonably close. He walked directly to the back corner of the room and gestured to a solid golden wall. “The secret. May I go?”

“I did just promise not to eat you, you know. I could still kill you.”

The cathkabel scowled. He pressed a hidden button that Owin would have never found, causing a hidden door to slide open. Inside was a long room with a statue of a multi-limbed figure on the far side. Various cetanthro were kneeling before the statue, only turning as the door grinded open.

“They are praying to . . . Sloswen,” Myrsvai said.

“The hidden sect of Ligala Lepis. A sect that worships Sloswen as a cathkabel. There is a whole story behind it, but I have to assume the goblin doesn’t care and won’t let me tell the story.” Graliel stared at a piece of seaweed. “I might as well just lay myself on the trident and get it over with.”

“I don’t actually need to kill you,” Owin said. “You’re making me feel bad.”

“I did not think you were capable of it.”

“Don’t make me want to kill you again.”

Graliel sighed and leaned against the golden wall. He lazily gestured inside. “Despite how it looks, this is less intense than Venoliel’s fortress that you so happily destroyed.”

Owin stuck his head inside. There were two chests on the opposite wall, flanking the statue, but nothing else that really looked like the other secrets he had seen.

“Are you sure this is the secret and not just a closet?”

“Do you think cathkabel keep fish in their closets?”

Owin shrugged. “Every secret I’ve seen has a void nexus door.”

“No, they don’t. They have a void gateway, just like you took from the water elf village to get here.”

“Void gateway?” Myrsvai tapped Graliel with his staff, causing the cathkabel to squeak. “While Owin is inside, you and I are going to chat.”

Graliel tried to inch away, but Suta was already on his other side. “Chat?” he asked quietly. “About what?”

“The difference of nexus and gateway. I don’t pass on the opportunity to learn.”

“If I teach you . . .”

“We’ll let you live.” Myrsvai held out his hand. “I promise.”

Graliel nodded toward Suta. “What about the insect?”

“He’ll do what I ask.”

“No eating,” Suta said again.

“I’d feel safer if he went inside with the goblin.”

“No,” Suta said immediately.

“He won’t be going anywhere. Owin?”

Owin nodded and fully entered the weird closet. All the cetanthro stayed on their knees as they watched Owin slowly descend the small staircase. “Hi.”

No response.

“Okay.” He looked back and forth as he walked through, stopping only when he stood before the statue of Sloswen. He didn’t like having his back to a dozen fish, but he hadn’t seen weapons and a quick glance confirmed that none had moved.

Owin poked the statue, which caused the whole room to gasp. “Does he talk?”

“Filthy goblin, touching the statue of Lord Sloswen!” More cetanthro cried out, repeating the similar things. Still, they remained on their knees.

Owin poked the statue again. “You don’t like this?”

“If Lord Graliel didn’t—”

“Oh.” Owin stopped poking the statue. “I get it. I’ll just take the loot and leave you alone to cry at your statue.” He opened the chest and immediately started laughing.

“Are you okay?” Myrsvai shouted from the doorway.

Owin held up the right pauldron of the chitin armor. “Look!”

“Incredible!”

“You’re welcome,” Graliel said.

“You didn’t put this here. Do you even know what’s in the chests?” Owin walked to the other chest. “Tell me what’s in here before I open it.”

“Mana potion,” Graliel said immediately.

“You think a chest in a secret would have a plain mana potion?” Owin opened the chest just enough to peek inside. “Do you want to change your guess?”

“I have little experience with secrets, and even I know that was a terrible guess,” Myrsvai said.

“What do you all want from me? You threaten me and drag me through my own city, then you harass me in front of my followers.” Graliel slumped. “It’s been a terrible day.”

“Don’t you spend most days getting killed?” Owin asked.

“I kill some heroes.” Graliel adjusted his seaweed crown, scowling the whole time. “I kill more than kill me.”

“Okay.” Owin opened the chest and pulled out a purple potion.

“I said it was a potion!”

“Purple,” Suta said, pointing at Owin. “Mana is blue.”

Journeyman Constitution Buff

+20 Constitution

Duration: ???

Owin immediately drank the potion and tossed the empty bottle back into the chest. He had enough bottles with all of the potions filling his bag.

Hero

Owin

Deficient Wizard

Nimble Hog Hero Company

Level: 1

Strength: 386

Constitution: 310

Dexterity: 235*

Intelligence: 275

Wisdom: 169

Charisma: 160

“Is this all there is?” Owin asked.

“If you killed all the cetanthro, you would find more gold. Please leave them alone. They’re doing no harm.”

Owin slowly walked back through the worshipers, who did indeed return to worshiping the statue of Sloswen as soon as Owin passed.

“Do you need the trident?” Graliel asked.

Owin was still holding the weapon. “I was hoping to get a new one. I broke the last one I took from you.”

“What am I meant to fight with?”

“Won’t it respawn?”

“Not until my death.”

Owin rolled his eyes and handed the trident back. “At least I got this.” He attached the pauldron, causing the description to appear in his vision.

Crab Chitin Pauldron - Right

Journeyman Magical Item

The Crab Chitin armor set is formed of broken pieces of chitin from crab mobs throughout the Ocean Dungeon. Only 1 of each piece can be worn. Acts as normal armor unless the hero has acquired the complete set.

Note: Armor piece binds upon first touch. Cannot be unbound.

Note: Current Crab Chitin set - 3/8

“Do you think I can find five more pieces?”

It was silent for a long stretch as Graliel polished the trident, trying to rid it of Owin’s fingerprints. Finally, the cathkabel realized they were all looking at him. “How am I meant to know? If you stop in every secret, there is a strong likelihood you will find more pieces. All five? Impossible to say. Now, it appears we are done here. Am I allowed to return to my roost?”

“How long ago was Vondaire here?” Myrsvai asked.

“I am unsure of the timing. I would estimate he is nearing the end of the third floor, though he is considerably stronger than most heroes without a shard. Perhaps he is somewhere on the fourth?” Graliel turned and strode along the line of seaweed. “If you are hoping to catch him, these detours are not going to help.”

“We aren’t trying to catch him. Am I going to see other cathkabel in the dungeon?” Owin asked.

“That, I cannot answer. Anything about what lies beyond would gather ire that I do not wish to manage. At least showing you the secret in Ligala Lepis is within my control, as the holy city is my domain.” Graliel stopped at the archway leading back to the small plant section. “Will I ever have to see you again?”

“Probably not,” Owin said. “Twice is enough.”

“I couldn’t agree more. If the emperor sends anymore after you, don’t mention me. I’d like to stay on my own here in Ligala Lepis.”

“Coward,” Suta said.

“And you’re an abyssal bastard.” Graliel turned his back to them. “Goodbye forever, Owin.”

“Sure.”

They all watched the cathkabel leave. Graliel glanced over his shoulder, then quickly ran, disappearing around the corner.

“Was that a good idea?” Owin asked.

“It is difficult to say. I’m sure we will find out before long. Is there anything else you would like to do here?”

“No. I think we’ve spent enough time in cathkabel places.”

Suta nodded. “Hurry.”

“I wouldn’t mind stretching my legs a bit. A race back to the tunnel?” Myrsvai asked.

Before Owin could answer, Suta launched himself through the room, smashing his way straight through the stalks of seaweed. Myrsvai and Owin both took off as fast as they could, leaving a trail of bubbles.