I heaved myself over and fell sixteen inches to the stone roof just as an arrow flew over me and into the distance. I started scrambling towards the Rat Archer as it pulled out another arrow to shoot at me. Fumbling it nocked the arrow and pulled back.

I pulled my crowbar off of my belt and whipped the chisel tip around to smack his bow and knock his arrow off target. I continued forward and up to my feet. I switched my grip and brought the hook end down square on the top of it's head.

‡ Congratulations! [Two-Handed Blow] is now level 8, +1 Skill Point ‡

‡ You have defeated Lvl(3) Rat Archer +50XP ‡

‡ You unlocked Rat Archer Bestiary entry +5XP ‡

+ Rat Archer +

One of the myriad minions of the Rat King.

+ Summoned by the Rat King using The Shadow these creatures are mere fodder. +

I didn't throw up but when his eyes popped out you can bet it was a close thing.

Running over to where I could see Stew and Meagan I waved them over. I looked for something to throw down. The tower top was a ten foot square with a trap door sitting at the back. Also on the roof was a dead rat archer wearing a two foot long cloak and a bow laying close by. Not much to help anyone else get up here, not a single helpfully coiled rope anywhere.

I looked down my friends below me. "I can't find anything here. I'm going to have to go in. Try  to find something."

"Not without backup." Meagan looked at me sternly.

I looked at Meagan. "I can't find anything to help and climbing that without a skill isn't going to happen."

Meagan's eyes flashed. "You think skills are the only way to do anything now? Or are you too big for us now that you're level 6?"

My mouth hung open as she turned around and started giving orders to Mike and Stew. The guys stood next to the wall then each got down on one knee. Meagan climbed onto their shoulders and supported herself against the wall. Then they slowly stood up. Once they were standing Meagan looked down and gave them an order. "Further."

Bringing their hands up Meagan stepped into them and they lifted. My mouth stayed open as she started climbing. In thirty seconds she had just covered more than I had managed with five minutes. It didn't take her much more than that to get high enough that I could reach down and help her the last bit.

She gave me an oddly intense look as I pulled her up. "Skills don't matter as much as the person using them. Did you search this guy?"

"Yes, I mean no. I mean. You're right, and no I didn't search him."

She rolled the creature over. Nothing but a quiver for the arrows.

"Think this is worth anything?" She handed me a few copper coins.

"I don't know. Where did you find these?"

Meagan was studying the bow. "They were in a pocket of his cloak. Can you believe this thing?"

‡ Ratty Bow - This shoddy piece of work is so bad that only a Rat Man can use it. Even then it's a near thing. ‡

"I don't think it's any good." I said.

"Neither are the arrows. They better not have turned everything into nesting material. My dad found one in our shed after they had been at it all winter. It smelled."

‡ Ratty Arrows - If the leaves they didn't bother trimming off don't bother you, give it a shot. ‡

"All right lets go." Meagan started towards the trap door.

"Wait. I have to do it." I tried to get in front of her.

"Why? Can't a girl do something? Don't think I can manage?" She looked furious.

I spoke in a harsh whisper. "What the fuck is your deal? I have an ability for sensing, that's why I need to go first. Something doesn't seem right here. And just so you know Stew was ready to head in earlier when I told him we'd be idiots to go without you."

"Oh," Meagan looked taken aback. "Sorry. I was mad about some stuff my dad said and then you left me behind with Stew."

"All right. I can't do anything about your dad but I left you behind because I didn't want Stew to do something really stupid. And I figured if you saw an actual chance you would take it. Also this might not be the best time to have a heart to heart."

She nodded and motioned me ahead of her.

Looking down I saw a wooden ladder secured to the wall that went down five feet to a wooden floor. I still couldn't sense anything and it just seemed wrong that one door would lead to some unstoppable death machine and the other was just a rat guy with a twiggy bow. I slowly adjusted my weight for a solid grip, making no sound, and lowered my head down.

Most of the room was clear except for a brazier of some kind and another rat sitting with his back to me and facing the glowing coals. Hanging from some chains above the heat was a giant cauldron. Off to one side there was an open staircase leading down.

Suddenly the rat bent over and started coughing. I pulled my head up quickly so I wouldn't risk being seen. I could hear him hacking for a good minute then a spitting noise followed by a sizzle. Guess I found out why he didn't come to help his friend.

"I'll go first. Just one guy hacking up a lung." When Meagan nodded I started making my way down.

It was nerve wracking getting down far enough to be able to keep an eye on him and be silent at the same time. I had found that the idea of an arrow colonic was not the right kind of stimulating. I did gain two levels of sneak from trying to sneak climb a ladder while hunched over and peeking through my armpit to see below and behind me. As my head passed through the plane of the roof I felt a blooming sensation in my head. Suddenly I knew that sick rat man was the only creature in this part of the building. Another ten were in other parts of the building, somewhere on the ground floor past where checkout had been. A little distressing was that I could feel one that was slightly different, maybe more intense was the right word, that one was somewhere on a level with me. I also got a notification partially explaining the difference in entrances.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

‡ Welcome to The Rat's Den. Level 5 Dungeon. ‡

‡ Welcome to The Spider's Lair. Level 7 Dungeon. ‡

‡ Warning! This dungeon is suffering from internal conflict as ownership is contested. There may be opposition above the stated level. ‡

‡ Quest: Stop the Rat King from creating his Rat Kingdom. ‡

‡ Reward: Title: Scourge of Rats, One Shiny Gold Coin. ‡

‡ Failure: If he don't kill you, he'll remember you. ‡

‡ Quest: Something lurks, something waits, something hungers. ‡

‡ Reward: One Shiny Gold Coin, Spider egg if you want it. ‡ ‡ Failure: Something's not so hungry anymore. ‡

Looks like we would get something whether we found diapers or not. Once I got to the floor I waved at Meagan and stepped aside. While she carefully made her way down I looked over our target.

‡ Lvl(3) Rat Soldier ‡

It was identical to the Archer except I didn't see a bow anywhere. Same build and same gray cloak. It did have a metal rod sticking through something that it was cooking over the coals.

I was glad when Meagan made it down, and not because she didn't get noticed. I felt really awkward standing around waiting to murder someone. Even if it was a three foot monster.

I motioned towards Meagan letting her know she could have the XP. She looked around then mimed hitting the ceiling with her quarterstaff.

Man. Talk about awkward. I not only stood around to offer the murder to someone else but they turn me down because I didn't think it through. At least this guy wouldn't know about it.

‡ Congratulations! [Sneak] is now level 7, +1 Skill Point ‡

‡ You have defeated Lvl(3) Rat Soldier +50XP ‡

‡ You unlocked Rat Soldier Bestiary entry +5XP ‡

+ Rat Soldier +

One of the myriad minions of the Rat King.

+ Summoned by the Rat King using The Shadow these creatures are mere fodder. +

"Sorry thought you might want the XP. Guess I didn't think it through." I rubbed the back of my head.

Meagan was already rifling the cloak pocket. "Don't worry about it. Here." She handed me a few more coins for me to stuff in my pocket. Picking up the thing it had left in the brazier she grimaced. "Is this a rat?"

"On a...Ratty Sword?" I said.

‡ Ratty Sword - Surprisingly well made for Rat equipment...It isn't really a sword though...It's a shiv... It's a Ratty Shiv, OK? It's called a sword because they tried really hard. ‡

"Ew." Meagan dropped it and wiped her hand on her pants. It hit the floor point first and stuck, quivering.

I could feel two creatures split of from a group and start heading towards us. "I think we have company coming. Two of them coming this way."

"Let's pull this guy up to the roof. Maybe we can get them to come all the way up here."

I grabbed his cloak and dragged him towards the trap door. When I got there I hesitated. "I don't really want to just throw him up there."

"What? Is tossing him up really so much worse than smashing his skull with a crowbar?" Meagan asked.

"What if I don't throw hard enough and he falls back down?"

----------------------------------------

Average - You don't suck

•Attack +5%, Str+1

•Defense +5%, Vit +1

•Learn: Dodge, Dex +1

•Learn: {Mana Bolt}, Int +1

•XP +5%, +15HP