Chapter Nineteen: Why Would I Even Want Goblin Ears?
As reality seeped back in, a hollow ache spread through my heart, the weight of the present moment pressing down on me. Seeing Peckolin so brimming with life, so effortlessly joyful, pierced me with a sharp pang. His carefree spirit was a stark reminder of what I once had. Overwhelmed by the ache in my heart, I found myself collapsing to the ground, a helpless heap unable to rise from the grip of my sorrow.
I lost track of time for a while, thoughts drifting back to my life and what little I could recall. I lay there helpless for a few minutes before I dried my eyes and got to my feet, determined. I would get that joy back. I would escape Penance.
As if she were waiting for me to calm down, Crystal had held the notification until I stood.
Corpse - Run 2
Death Boons:
Gold: 288
Name
Amount
Condition
Effect
Description
Torch
3
10/10
Deals 1-4 physical damage. 5% chance of causing burn effect on target
A simple wooden torch wrapped in oil-soaked rags.
Gold
288
N/A
The Currency of Penance.
A simple gold coin on one side is the visage of the Merchant of Death, and on the other is a Thumbs up.
Dagger of Penetration
1
15/15
Deals 3-7 damage. Ignores 2 points of defense.
A sharp and durable iron dagger with a well-balanced design, perfect for quick and precise strikes.
“A very sharp dagger.” — Photonius The Dead.
Iron GreatAx
1
/25
Deals 4-14 damage
A massive iron great ax with a double-edged blade, designed for powerful and sweeping strikes.
Copper Mace
1
15/15
Deals 1-6 damage 5% chance to stun.
A robust copper mace with a heavy, rounded head.
Arrows
5
4/5
Allows you to fire a bow.
A simple wooden arrow with a stone arrowhead.
Rat Teeth
1
NA
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None.
The Incisor(s) of a Giant Rat. Who knows? If you collect a lot, something good may happen.
Rat Meat
1
NA
+5 health 80% chance of poison if consumed.
Juicy, full of protein, and only tastes a little like sewage! Who knows? If you collect a lot, something good may happen.
“Tastes like chicken!” – Photonius the Dead
Cloth Shirt
1
10/10
+1 defense.
It's a shirt!
– My friend went to Penance, and all I got was this lousy T-shirt!
Leather greaves
1
15/15
+1 defense.
A worked and treated pair of leather greaves covering the waist down to the ankles.
I shuddered as my corpse exploded into stardust.
As I approached Slikk's lifeless form, a sense of foreboding dampened my enthusiasm. For some reason, I knew I wouldn’t get good loot from his corpse.
[You have looted 74 gold.]
I paused, letting an exhale of air escape my lips. That was it? After all of the trouble that Monster gave me, I got 74 gold. I rushed forward to kick the corpse in the head as a little revenge for the grief it gave me, but just as my foot would have made contact, the corpse vanished, causing me to stumble forward into the body of the next Goblin: Drip. The dice rolled.
[You have looted a chest key.]
My face fell. All that work for something this class could do on its own. At least I would have it for a future run. My heart pounded with anticipation and fear as I moved my hand to the final corpse. Surely, I’ll get something better this time. I looted the final goblin. The dice rolled.
[You have looted Gurgle’s staff of noxious Fumes. You have looted a chest key.. You have looted 47 gold. You have looted 2 Goblin Ears.]
Among the loot from the final goblin was Gurgle’s staff, a twisted piece of wood that seemed to writhe with a life of its own, emitting a faint, eerie green smoke. Hanging from the top were five potion bottles I couldn't remove from the staff, bubbling multicolored concoctions swirling inside.
“Why would I even want goblin ears?” I spat in disgust as I looked up at Crystal.
[Those trophies are as good as currency among certain unsavory types on the 2nd and 5th floors or as a quest item.]
“Hey Crystal, bring out the map. That second secret room was around here, wasn’t it?”
[Your ability to recall information borders on clairvoyance.] Crystal said, mirth in her voice.
I felt a surge of anger, but I did my best to ignore it and her comments and studied the map as it came into view. It was here in the boss chamber. Right next to the stairs. With all the fighting, it was obvious why I had never noticed the discolored bricks making up the boss chamber wall. The rest of the chamber was the standard gray-green of the rest of the sewers, but here by the path to the next floor the bricks weren’t green at all. As if the slime had been moved away. I tapped on the bricks multiple times, and in different spots thinking that there was a hidden switch on the door itself. It wasn’t invisible like the Dragon skull doorway, but nothing seemed to work. And then I remembered the switch on the underside of the Necromancer’s Altar. Maybe there would be one here. I made my way up to the scorch-marked altar. I felt around the altar for a switch, but couldn’t find one. After a few minutes, I gave up, frustrated, before sitting on the altar and staring out at the room. I had to find the secret.
I stared around at the grey-green bricks.
Grey Grey Grey Green Green Green. Purple. Grey Grey Green Grey Green Grey. I sighed, hopped down off the altar. “Well, I guess thats that. You ready for the next floor.”
Dejected, I walked forward to the stairs, when it finally clicked in my brain. Purple. There was no reason for there to be a purple brick if it didn’t mean something, right?
I ran to the switch, excited, and slapped the brick. The room started shaking and then the wall slid upwards into the ceiling.
I raced forward and into the next room.
~Run 5, 2L, Floor 1, Sewers of Aerlyn~
The room was the smallest I’d come across so far—smaller than the previous treasure room, barely half as large as the entrance room. It had just two doors and a crate right in the way. I opened the crate and found a copper dagger inside. “Well, this might come in handy,” I muttered, slipping it into my inventory. I stepped over the crate and headed for the door on the other side.
I stared uncomprehendingly at the door. It was completely different from the other doors on the level, inlaid with gold and full of intricate carvings of rats. I blinked a few times, trying to make sure I wasn’t imagining things, but as I approached the door, I shrugged and pressed down on the handle, expecting the door to open. I slammed the door, having not stopped moving as I tried to open it.
It was a puzzle, of course. A secret within a secret. Just like the stories said, I felt a chill run down my spine as Professor Perrod’s warning about leaving secrets buried flashed in my mind.
“There are some secrets in Penance that not even the gods know—the kinds of secrets they kill for. If you find yourself in Penance, run from every secret. Or soon you’ll find yourself running from something far, far worse.”
The voice faded as I studied the door. It was almost like a clock, 12 panels spaced out evenly each depicting a certain number of Rats. There was something off about the rats; I wasn’t sure if it was the color of their eyes or something else. Like earlier in the dungeon, these rats showed signs of intelligence; one of the rats wore a ballerina outfit, another three swung from a trapeze, while 7 and 10 played different sports.
Yep, definitely something off about the rats here.
I noted briefly that Crystal was being silent but didn’t say anything. After her earlier comments, I wasn’t in the mood to talk with her.
Something else was off about the rats. I noticed that I could move the panels around on the door. But I was always terrible at puzzles and would probably be stuck here forever if I didn’t get any help. There was nothing for it, so I had to say something.
“Hey, Crystal?”
[Oh, talking to me again, are we?]
Okay, weird. What does she have to be angry about? “Any idea what I need to do here?”
[It’s a clock. It’s not that difficult of a puzzle to solve. Even someone like you can probably do it.]
Another dig. It was all she was doing now, and it was getting harder and harder to control my anger. I didn’t think either of us would be happy with the end results. So I gritted my teeth and forced the thoughts down.
“A clock. Like the number of…” I trailed off and started counting the rats. 1, 2, 5, 3, 7, 4, 8, 9, 6, 12, 10, 11. The panels were out of order! Carefully, I pried the fifth panel off of the door, amazed at how easily it came loose. I stuck it back and place, and magically, a force made it cling to the door again. I took down the pieces and rearranged them in order. The door flashed, a lock clanged and clinked, and the door opened.