It was quite late in the evening. The sun had already set, and the moon began to slowly creep into the sky. Trillia was ever so quietly leaving the camp. Mostly, she was trying to avoid waking Amelia or running into Mon'tag. The guards at the exit of the camp offered her a smile and a wave as she ran off toward the dungeon.
The dungeon was utilizing the mana from the girls and tribute rather well. The entrance was now smoothed and polished red sandstone. The same berry-laden vines curved around pillars holding up a small polished sandstone roof. The door itself was half engraved Trillia did her best to ignore it until the whole thing was done. As she approached the door and gave it a little push, it swung open.
Stepping inside, she put a smattering of herbs and plants in the offering bowl. Running her fingers along the engravings that told the story of the Red River Tribe. At least, that's what the dungeon assumed was the story. Its memory was still a little foggy.
Within the hall, the tone of the rock and stones was once more the grey of the surrounding plains. Trillia wondered how the dungeon had gotten ahold of the red sandstone. It certainly stood out.
A bit of grumbling and shuffling feet caused her head to turn toward the end of the hallway. Gobbinz shuffled out, rubbing sleep out of his eyes. Upon seeing her, he immediately straightened and bowed.
"We did not expect you until tomorrow." the little goblin spoke hurriedly as if he had somehow made a mistake.
Trillia offered him a warm smile as she shook her head. Taking one last glance at the engraving before turning her attention fully to the goblin. She was impressed at how rapidly he was developing his ability to speak the orcish language.
"I came alone. I was hoping your Father might indulge me. I want to fight and learn alone. I have some healing potions with me, should the worst happen. You can just dump one on the worst wounds. I also have a racial skill that makes it difficult to kill me in a single hit."
Gobbinz's ears twitched slightly as he glanced up. Trillia wondered why the dungeon didn't send its voice to them from the side. She didn't really understand Dungeons all that well, honestly. After a moment, the goblin nodded to her, motioning to a door that the two of them hadn't been allowed in yet.
"Father says you have a new class. That you voided one of your old classes. He thinks this passage will better suit a solo adventure. Good luck, Lady Trillia."
Trillia smiled and bowed to him. Checking her armor, pouches, and rapier. She walked to the now open door and stepped inside.
It was another hallway. This one was a little different, though. Trillia stood on a platform that was maybe two feet by two feet. The door behind her. A large pit of spikes and water in front of her. All along the wall were small stepping stones. Maybe six inches long and four inches wide. The ceiling held a long crystalline lance glowing orange to light the room. There were no enemies present. At least not yet.
Gobbinz stuck his head in, peering about and nodding. " Spikes hurt. So does the water. There is a ladder on this side, not the exit. You got about five minutes before the traps activate. Good luck!"
Before Trillia could ask any questions, the door closed. Gobbinz was nowhere to be seen. A gentle scraping sound could be heard; her timer had started. Taking a deep breath, she looked at the various stepping stones in the walls. No traps were currently active, letting her have an easy run of it. So she just took off.
For once, Trillia was glad she was so small. Fleet Foot and her small stature let her sail across the stepping stones with relative ease. Where other, larger creatures might not have enough room on each platform to get a good hold, such was not the case for Trillia. It took her a little over two minutes to cross the room. Smirking as she looked down into the water one last time, she turned and pushed open the door.
Inside was another obstacle room. This one had platforms that were dangling off of large chains, swinging haphazardly in what seemed like a perpetual wind. Every stone was slick with water. Instead of spikes in the water below, there was some sort of glowing orb with long strands of soft cloth behind them. The things seemed to pulse with mana as they swam. Trillia couldn't help herself.
[Jellyfish - Red Bell - 17] Electric Mana Manipulation
Huh...Trillia couldn't help but stare at the jellyfish for a while longer. Someone clearing their throat startled her, nearly causing her to topple forward and into the water. She sprang to her feet with rapier in hand.
A goblin stood on one of the platforms swaying in the wind. Dark red leather armor covered his form, bright orange eyes peered at her. A blade that looked almost identical to hers at his side.
"Father says we fight. You win. You go forward. You lose. You leave dungeon tonight."
Trillia nodded at that. Taking one last look at the jellyfish before she began hopping across stone platforms towards her adversary.
[Dungeon Goblin - Red River Fencer - 45] Enhancement Mana Manipulation
Notable Traits:
Aquatic Adaptation
Trillia smirked as she finally landed on his platform. Another new mana type. There seemed to be no end to them, or perhaps dungeons could just create the exact mana manipulation they wanted.
Now that she stood in front of him, she saw that they were about the same height and build. His rapier appeared in his right hand. Trillia raised the tip of her blade towards him.
"I look forward to this. May I have your name?" The grin on Trillia's face just refused to go away. She knew dungeons were normally dangerous, but right now, she was just having fun.
The goblin extended the tip of his blade out toward her. A little grin on his own face. "If you win, I'll tell you when I respawn." With that, he lunged forward.
"[Bleeding Thrust]!"
The tip of his blade turned red. Trillia took a half-step back and swung her blade to the right, pushing the tip of his rapier aside.
"[Riposte]!"
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"[Parry],[Counter Riposte]!"
Half a second was all it took for the opponent before her to roll his blade around hers and force it down and away, as once more, the gleaming red tip of his blade came forward, aimed at her chest. Her mind raced before she let [Fleet Foot] and instinct take over. With a mighty grunt, she jumped backward, landing precariously on one of the swinging platforms. Her weight and momentum caused it to swing even more wildly.
The goblin ran forward and jumped after her. Words sprang to her mouth for a skill she hadn't used before.
"[Daring Lunge]!"
A short run forward before she dove down and slid along the slick rock. The tip of her blade aimed at the goblin's stomach. Her feet already working themselves back under her. The call for riposte came. She knew the skills. She knew how they worked. She had, after all, seen him use them. Hundreds of mana were dumped into her shouts.
"[Parry],[Counter Riposte]"
The skills almost felt slow in comparison. Trillia could use them. Had the class. Had the weapon and had seen them used. But they weren't skills she had learned properly. They weren't equipped. As such, it was more like she was doing the moves herself, and the skills just gave her the know-how to do them instead of being boosted by the system.
The sound of metal ringing off of metal reverberated on the walls. The two went back and forth. Anytime she was overwhelmed - which was almost every exchange - she'd leap to another shifting platform. By now, all the platforms were heaving to and fro with the constant momentum shifts. Sweat beading on her head, her stamina was dipping dangerously low. She knew she could just use [Restorative Chant], it wouldn't give her mana, but it'd heal her stamina.
She refused.
She wouldn't use [Restorative Chant] and her endless mana to cheat her way to a victory here. As her opponent leapt towards her platform, she ran forward and leapt off at him. The goblin's eyes went wide as he tried to maneuver his rapier into position, but her blade found him first and sliced cleanly into his shoulder, causing him to drop his weapon as their bodies crashed together mid-air. Both were sent into the water below.
The jellyfish swarmed them. Trillia had never wanted to scream so much in all her life, but the very thing making her want to scream in agony was preventing her body from doing so. A burning sensation ran along her body anywhere their tentacles touched. Electric mana pulsed through the connection, causing both of them to spasm.
You've been paralyzed! The effect will last for 60 seconds.
You've been paralyzed! The effect will last for 60 seconds.
You've been paralyzed! The effect will last for 60 seconds.
...
You've been paralyzed! The effect will last for 60 seconds.
Trillia's mind was going numb. The jellyfish weren't doing any health damage, but she was slowly slipping deep into the water, unable to swim or breathe.
You're drowning! Health is decreasing by 1% per second! Swim to the surface!
What a helpful system message, Trillia thought as water took the place of air in her lungs. She tried to will her body to move, but it simply refused to do so. As her vision began to blur and turn wavey, strong hands grabbed her and yanked her out of the water. She couldn't breathe, though. Water had filled her lungs, and she felt herself choking.
She was vaguely aware of two hands rising above her chest before slamming down. It hurt. Another set of hands pressed deeply on her chest, and yet another pushed her to the side. A final open palm slapped her back enough to actually deal a couple points of health. With a racking cough, water was spit up. More and more before she could eventually gasp for air.
She lay there face down, gasping for air and shaking. Someone else was evidently doing the exact same thing by the sounds of it. Metal clattering onto stone caused her to finally look up. Stibs stood there drenched in water, what looked like long burn marks up and down his arms as he dropped two rapiers to the ground.
The familiar face of Gobbinz popped up in front of her.
"Father says you real brave and real stupid. I think his exact words were, 'What a fucking psychopath' I'm not sure what a psychopath is. But I know he only says the f-word when he's real angry or real surprised." Gobbinz offered her a smile as he patted her on the back.
Trillia, once more, wore her grin. Now that she wasn't drowning. Looking up at the other goblin, who not only had been stung by the jellyfish but also had a giant gash on his chest.
"Call it a draw?" Trillia smirked as she half-choked, asking the question.
Her opponent shook his head at her insanity. "You crazy. I not able to drown, yet you make me drown! Draw now. We fight again soon."
Trillia nodded before flopping onto the ground on her back. Clenching and unclenching her good fist to get the feeling back in it. A bunch of notifications rang in her mind. She'd check them eventually.
Stibs stood over her, looking down. "Father says you no win. You no lose either. No more dungeon tonight."
Trillia extended her hand and gave him a thumbs-up. Content to just lay there and breathe. She found she rather enjoyed breathing. She wouldn't so easily take it for granted in the future. Eventually, she rolled over and, with some help from Stibs, made her way out of the dungeon for the night. Flopping down outside next to the door with a smile.
She dove into her notifications.
Species: [Mortal]; [Orc] Level 33 -> 35
Subspecies: [Mana-Infused Orc-Adolescent;Runt] Level 27 -> 28
Class: [Swashbuckler] Level 0 -> Level 3
Active Skills:
Swashbuckling
Daring Lunge added!
Passive Skills:
Bravado
Class: [Fencer] Level 13 -> Level 15
[Fencer] Breakthrough Skills Obtained!
Active Skills:
Riposte (In Use)
Parry
Counter Riposte
Passive Skills:
Fencer's Grace (In Use)
Rapier Mastery
Fleet Foot (In Use)
Weapon's Path
Unerring Tip
Trillia first looked at what a Breakthrough skill even was.
Breakthrough skills are obtained by utilizing a skill that is often learned at a later level in your class. Such skills can only be obtained when used against you in combat.
She'd make a note to seek out people who used classes like hers in the future. She also wondered why no one had ever told her about this. Surely with all the warriors and berserkers of her people, someone had to have gotten a breakthrough before.
With a shrug, she looked at the skills from [Swashbuckler] first.
Daring Lunge:
This skill is a mirror of the Fencer skill Lunge. With the exception that the power of the attack goes up and the cost of the attack goes down, the more precarious your position in a fight is. As with all Swashbuckling skills, it is a gambit.
Bravado:
This skill boosts your stats based on how recklessly you fight. This is not the same reckless charge of some Berserker. No, this is the recklessness that comes with experience. You know you can get out of any position you put yourself into with enough courage and intuition. This skill allows you to make an otherwise impossible situation possible. Once per day, equal to the level of this skill plus 1. You may use this skill an additional time equal to your Intuition divided by 20.
That was amazing! She was sure it had some limitations. She didn't assume it would let her jump off of a mountain and land in a puddle without breaking most of her bones. But maybe she wouldn't die for the stupidity of such a choice.
[Parry] and [Counter Riposte] seemed to be used in unison. Rather, [Counter Riposte] could only be used after successfully parrying an enemy attack. She added both of those to the active skill list. Adding [Bravado] to the passive list of [Swashbuckler].
Weapon's Path
This skill allows you to sense where an opponent's weapon is going to be. You can see the 'future' of a weapon up to 3 seconds ahead of time. You may do this for one weapon per level of this skill. (Minimum 1)
Well, she had a passive slot open. That seemed very useful. She added it. With all that done, she saved her points and made her way back to camp to get a little bit of sleep.