The world around CJ dissolved like sap running down a tree. It felt twenty degrees warmer immediately. He then found himself standing in a remarkably familiar dark space. A space with one source of light pouring over a pedestal that held two objects. CJ got closer to inspect the two items on the table dimly noting the lack of one shoe. The first item was a wooden box with a glass top. Inside were three spell scrolls. One was an earthy green color, another was deep blue, and the third was bright white. Next to the scroll container sat a ring box covered in blue velvet.
“Can we get out of here already?”
“Keep your cotton tail on.”
CJ lifted the hinged glass top of the scroll container and touched the green tinted paper scroll immediately receiving a prompt.
New Spell: Earth Fist- Common Spell/ Earth Mana: Cost 10 mana. An earthen fist rises from the ground and attacks or grabs a target. Damage from attacks are equal to your level. Lasts until destroyed or dispelled. Would you like to learn Earth Fist? Y/N
CJ mentally chose yes, adding this spell to the spell book tab in his slate. He then noticed several blinking slate notifications in the lower right of his vision. While he was distracted with that, the scroll container blurred and was replaced by a large tome with a long piece of golden satin that ran through the pages.
“My word. I thought I’d be left on top of the tower forever. Idly immobile for eternity while my magic kept me in pristine condition. Forever. Goodness me, it seems we are reunited.”
“Liber? I… but… Where did my scrolls go!?”
“You took too long. We’re still in the dungeon until you accept all the rewards. Now pick up the damn ring box and let’s get out of here,” complained Monty growing more agitated by the second.
CJ stored the ring box without opening it. Then he picked up Liber as an afterthought. Kicking himself for leaving the magic book up in the tower to begin with. He might have had both the book and the scrolls if he’d just grabbed it on the way down. Now he just hoped his hunch from earlier, when he checked everyone’s party status, would be right on the money.
The world ran like peeling paint before that kaleidoscope effect hit CJ. He knew in that moment they were about to be ejected back into the real world. The sun was positioned above the eastern sky letting CJ know they’d only been in the dungeon for the better part of the morning. It felt like much longer with all the fighting. He looked to his left and his right to find all of his party members accounted for. Elena looked a little worse for wear, but Jenn was already feeding her a red liquid from a discarded water bottle. CJ looked at his party interface to see all statuses were the proper color now.
“Holy shit! We can’t die in the bolster dungeons!” exclaimed CJ pumping his fist.
“It sure as hell felt like death,” coughed Elena, “Did you know Monty? You little bastard.”
“Of course I did, but if I told you that you’d take dumber and dumber risks. This way you learn what the dungeon is trying to teach you. The pain helps you remember.”
“You let me feel like I lost my niña! You could have told me. Cabron!”
“I’m not the one who shot down the hole and charged a demon wolf dungeon boss. Exactly when could I have told you?”
“Not the point and you know it.”
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“Listen, you’re mad at me right now but what rank did you get in the dungeon?”
“A.”
“Right, the three of us got an A and I bet the two ladies got a B rank.”
“I did get a B rank. I got this cool rare sprayer. It’ll refill whatever substance I put into the canister for fifty mana. Let’s say I want to load up that flesh melter solution. I can have an always ready supply and when I run out, boom it fills up with the expenditure of a little mana. Not too shabby. I also got this necklace. It’s okay, I guess. Keeps my hands sterile, but its always functioning. I don’t have to pay a mana cost or anything,” explained Jenn as she propped Elena’s head up on her lap.
“I got an overcharge chain for my saw. Once installed it should increase the rpms of the saw blade. Effectively making it cut faster. Oh, and a foraging skill book. I already used it. I know how to forage now. Picked up two skills today. Not bad,” added Elena as color started to return to her complexion.
“Two skills? What was the other one?” asked CJ.
“Haven’t you checked your slate messages yet? I assumed we got it.”
CJ stopped what he was doing and put Liber on the ground. Then he sat down next him. He then proceeded to take out his Mobius Twinkie and made himself comfortable. Monty continued to argue with Rubio over the ethics of not telling people they were in danger or not. CJ put it out of his mind. That conversation could be handled later. Now it was time for some new prompts.
New Title earned: Dungeon Diver- While this title is active, you’ll have a twenty percent greater chance of spotting hidden details in dungeons.
New Skill Learned: Firearms-You are now proficient with pistols and rifles. Maintenance and reloads will fail less often. Level this skill further to add more variations.
Skill level Up: Firearms is now level 2.
Skill Level Up: Trick Cards is now level 3.
You have reached level 7; you have one undistributed attribute point.
Quest Update: Bolster Dungeons- Clear five bolster dungeons before the next full moon while educating the masses about them. 2 of 5 cleared.
CJ was pleased with his results although he thought it would be a good idea to get moving. There was another bolster dungeon in this area. If he could clear that quickly, they could grab Roger and head back to Leaf’s Bend. Secretly CJ hoped it wouldn’t be another survive challenge. He did not like wave based tower defense.
“Hey, we should probably get going. We have another dungeon and a trip back to Leaf’s Bend. Wait a tick. Rubio, did you get anything?” asked CJ as he knelt down to pick Liber back up.
“A special clip for the rifle. Any bullet fired from the clip will count as enchanted but do half damage than normal. It should help with monsters that resist regular weapons like Red Fang or the Flesh Ball. The other thing was a stone that multiplies itself until it fills a space. Not sure how useful that will be. Here you take it.”
CJ caught it in his free hand after storing away the twinkie. It looked like a simple gray blue rock. Very reminiscent of the stones the keep was made from. It was slightly polished on one side with a rougher opposite side.
New Item: Volumetric Stone- Single Use Item. Once activated, this stone will replicate until it fills up any space it finds itself in.
CJ found this item remarkably interesting. He stored it in his inventory for later inspection. Intending to use this stone as the test bed for his new class ability Reverse Enchanting. If he could make a spell out of that enchantment, even a lesser version of it, it would be pretty frustrating for his enemies.
“About the next dungeon. You kids go without me. I think I’ll go check on Roger. Maybe take a break,” said Rubio as he turned to start making his way back to the retirement home.
“Wait, Rubio—” CJ was cut off by Elena who shook her head.
“Let him blow off some steam. I’m surprised you weren’t more worried about us. Not a very confidence boosting look for a leader,” said Elena.
“I was worried until I realized you didn’t drop out of the party interface. Your details were just greyed out. I assume when you are dropped from the party you’d leave the interface. Otherwise, people who died while in a party would always have grey bars and a name in everyone else slate view. I took that to mean you weren’t dead, just unreachable. Does that make sense?”
“Well try it now. Drop one of us from the party and see what happens.”
CJ did so. He dropped Elena from the party. Her name and details disappeared from the interface. The four gathered compatriots looked at each other nodding sagely.
“What happened?” asked Elena but the others just kept nodding at each other.
Every time she talked CJ, Monty, and Jenn just kept nodding. Until Elena got fed up and stormed away leaving CJ and Monty giggling while Jenn chased after her to calm her down.