“Stop that! I am right here, you know!” A man at level 15 in an embroidered robe with dark skin and fancy gold earrings came running up to her. She was quick to notice the musket holstered at his waist.
“Sorry.”
Huay sheepishly put the canteen back in its pouch.
“Too late for that now…” He sighed. “But it is not an issue. There are more pressing concerns we must attend to! I trust that you are an adventurer?”
“What are you on about?” Huay looked around the area, “I don’t even know where I am, I thought I was dead until I saw your camels.”
“Hmm. I assume you lost your camel along the way? My condolences,” he paused. “Say… would you be interested in joining my group for a delve? We already have three of the four needed to enter!”
“I still don’t know what you’re saying.”
“It is a four-person dungeon! And you will be fine! You made it this far, did you not? Just come with me so that we can get started.” The man gestured for her to follow, but Huay didn’t move. “We have food and drink in our tent. You are welcome to as much as you like if you join us!”
He gave her a nudge and, with that, they both started walking toward the massive structure ahead of them. Nighttime moonlight became a cavelike black as they stepped foot beneath a ceiling several hundred feet above. Light came only from sparse lanterns or campfires and, as the two ventured further into the abyss, an approaching crowd came into view.
The first to arrive was a grubby-looking teenager, level 8.
“Miss! You’re an adventurer, aren’t you?” You should—”
The lavishly dressed man cut her off and extended his arm protectively in front of Huay. “Boorish child! You should be silent! She will be joining my group. Can you not tell that this woman has more class than you could hope to attain? Your request is a spit in the face to her prestige!”
The girl responded. “But our group got here before yours! It’s only fair! And we’re stronger too! We cleared Moonlit Graveyard last month!” Huay stood awkward as they bickered, unsure of what to make of the odd subject matter.
“This is a child’s dungeon!” The man snapped back. “My group has more than one hundred clears on it! You know nothing of the dangers Sand-Swept Tomb is host to! I have many years of training and yet even I tremble at the thought of entering.”
An unsettlingly low voice cut into the conversation. “Ma’am. You may wish to join me. Although I understand that you may have plans to the contrary. I hope to hear your judgment on this matter once you feel ready to share it.”
“What in the world?” Huay’s jaw dropped as she looked up at the speaker. His appearance was like that of a centipede standing upright on two human legs. Black plate armor covered his entire body with no gaps. “What… are you?”
“I have six arms. There is nothing wrong with that.”
“But you’re like 12 feet tall!”
“My precise measurement is 13 feet and five inches. Taller people exist.”
Huay noticed that she could pick out three distinct levels, one for each pair of arms; 17, 17, 17. The amalgamate level of the trio was 23. She was unsure of what to make of the numbers but, even without her sixth sense, the truth was obvious. “There are literally three people under that armor!”
“It is true that I count for three people when entering dungeons. I do not know why.”
“R-right…” Huay stuttered. “So do you guys not see anything wrong with this?”
The rich man from earlier answered first. “He is just a little unique. I see no problem with that.”
“Yeah! Mr. Business is just a little unique.” The teenager chimed in.
“His name… is what?”
The ‘man’ in armor bent down and offered one of his six hands for a shake. “Bigoor Business. I would like to reciprocate the question.”
“Okay. Sure.” Huay reluctantly grabbed hold of his gauntlet, and was surprised to discover how gentle the looming giant’s grip was. “Good to meet you… Bigoor. My name is Huay.” She then turned her attention back to the well-dressed man. “So, umm, you said you had food, right?”
“Indeed,” he cleared his throat. “I, Rasieu Baranzaar Junior, son of Chief Rasieu Baranzaar Senior, shall treat you to a feast out of simple compassion! Follow me to my luxurious banquet. My companions will be eager to meet you.”
He gave Huay yet another push and the two resumed in the direction they had been going before the others had stopped them. Bigoor and the girl trailed close behind.
“Isn’t the camp back toward the camels? I think I saw some tents over there.”
“We have been waiting for one such as yourself for nearly a week now. There was ample time to set up a second camp for festivities!”
“Aren’t you worried about, like, stealing?”
“Nobody steals from the son of Rasieu Baranzaar Senior! And there is already a good lady keeping watch over the camels, for a small fee.”
“Right…” She must not have been keeping very close watch if she didn’t stop me from stealing the water.
Disinterested in Rasieu’s antics, she took a quick survey of the other groups. Each group had its own little area with tents and a campfire to match, so figuring out who belonged to each group wasn’t difficult.
The young girl eventually gave up and went back to her trio. Each member was level 8 and incredibly ragged in appearance. The amalgamate level for the group was also 8. A glance was enough to tell that the members of the ‘peasant’ group were far less formidable than Rasieu or Bigoor.
The next ‘group’ she spotted was comprised of a level 35 parrot on the head of a level 15 man on the back of a level 5 horse. It was difficult to say for sure with the darkness, but it seemed like the man’s hair was styled like an oversized birdnest. The amalgamate level for the trio was 19. What the hell is up with these people? They’ve all got swords and stuff…
The final group she saw sitting out in the open looked far more professional than the other groups, and they had levels to match: two levels 19s and a 20. The amalgamate was a monstrous level 27, and it was clear from the sheer sobriety of their faces that they were a force to be reckoned with. Huay felt a little nervous at the sight of them.
“Uh… Why are there only groups of three, anyway? Why would you even come here without the four people you said you need?”
“Ah. Well… I trust you are strong. No? Perhaps even level 20?”
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“What are you babbling on about?”
“Oh? You are insulted? To have survived this long on your own denotes immense strength. Perhaps you are beyond even the mighty level 25?!”
The other groups, who hadn’t been paying much attention to Huay before then, perked up upon overhearing Rasieu’s shouted remarks.
“Whatever you say…” I don’t even know how to tell my own level. But it’s probably best to wait until after I’ve eaten to start asking questions…
“And so humble too! I can now understand how you have endured as you have! A solo adventurer must be able to work effectively with anyone! This is a trait you have evidenced yourself to possess! We opted to leave an opening for a qualified adventurer such as yourself in our group. The two-person groups already teamed up with each other, and full parties enter without issue, leaving only three-person groups,” he paused. “I had presumed it much easier to find a fourth than the way things turned out…”
The level 20 of the more competent-looking group stepped out from the crowd and sized up Huay’s appearance. “He’ll only slow you down. We’ll work with you if it’s true that you’re level 25. You get a thirty-five percent cut from the profit. Don’t waste your breath on part-timers.”
Damn… These people are wackos. I need to find a city nearby, I should just enjoy this guy’s ‘banquet’ and leave. This ‘dungeon’ talk is nonsense.
“Oh. Um, I’ll think about it.”
“I know you’ll make the right decision.”
“Uh-huh... Well, I’ll be headed to this banquet now. Talk to you soon.” Huay was intimidated by her brashness.
She and Rasieu arrived at a campfire tucked behind the monumental staircase leading to what she imagined was the dungeon’s entrance. There were several half-eaten meat dishes scattered across a large mat on the ground. Huay guessed that they were leftovers from a feast of some sort, and she wondered how anyone could afford to be so wasteful in the middle of a desert.
Two young men, one at 15 and the other at 14, sat playing cards atop the sandy rug. They wore the same golden earrings and embroidered robes as Rasieu—each of which was level 30—and, with Rasieu only a few feet away, she was able to discern that the group’s amalgamate level was 15.
Rasieu puffed up his chest, “Brothers! You may rejoice! For I have brought our fourth!”
The other two looked up at Huay from their cards.
The man at level 14, who had unusually long and luscious hair, spoke. “Really? She does not look like a fighter.”
“Looks can be deceiving, brother. This woman is level 25!” said Rasieu.
“Is that so? Did she tell you herself?”
Rasieu fidgeted. “Ah… Well, it is obvious enough! Is it not?”
“Lady, what is your name?”
“Huay Celashen,” said Huay.
“Valnier Baranzaar is mine. And what is your level?”
“I’m not sure.”
“You would not be wise to hide these things if you are to enter a dungeon with us. At least summarize your abilities,” said Valnier.
“Uh… How about we discuss this over our meal?” Huay at least wanted to get some food before they kicked her out.
“Very well.”
Once everyone had taken a seat on the rug, the rich person who had not spoken yet cleared the old dishes and used a ladle to scoop a curry made from a type of meat she failed to recognize. Plates were divvied out along with spoons, and a steaming pot of a spicy herbal tea made rounds shortly thereafter.
Huay was surprised that they could make such a lavish meal in what she imagined was the middle of nowhere. She devoured everything given to her without a word. The curry was a lofty level 22, and the taste was heavenly.
“There are some monsters coming out of the dungeon,” said Bigoor. “Look up for a second.” Everyone looked up at the gates and saw nothing, then looked back at Bigoor a few moments later. Half of the food was gone. “Forgive me. I was wrong.”
Each of his six hands had residue from the curry sauce on them. Huay couldn’t help but chuckle at what had just unfolded. The others didn’t seem to notice.
Rasieu gave a pat on what might have been Bigoor’s back. “No worries, Bigoor! Thanks for keeping a lookout. It really is a shame that you count for three people. We would love to run a dungeon with you someday!”
“Likewise. I appreciate the hospitality.” Bigoor turned to Huay. “I would understand if you chose to join their group over my own. I offered you no hospitality.”
“Uh-huh.” She looked down at her food. It was strange how natural seeing levels had already started to become. The meat was level 17 while the sauce was level 19. The couscous was level 15. That was all there was to it. The overwhelming rush of new information had gotten more manageable, and Huay was beginning to feel as though she had a grasp on her sixth sense.
“So, to return to our discussion,” Valnier looked her in the eye, “What can you do in a dungeon?”
“Well…” She didn’t know exactly what a ‘dungeon’ was supposed to entail. “I still don’t know if I want to go inside of this thing.”
“You came all this way only to be unsure?”
“Guess so. How far is the nearest town?”
“You’ve got to be joking.”
“But how far is it?”
“I suppose it would be about three weeks by a level 10 camel assuming all goes well. Sand-Swept Tomb is one of the most remote destinations in all of Shaam.”
“Three weeks? So I guess I need a camel. Where do I get one?”
“Get one? Did you not come with your own?”
Rasieu chimed in, “She did not arrive with a camel herself—no, my brother, she came on foot!”
“I take it you got caught in a sandstorm on the way to your destination, then. You were lucky to have been stranded so close to a dungeon.” Valnier sighed. “There is a merchant keeping watch of our camels and supplies, on the condition that she takes ownership of them if we don’t survive the delve. You could negotiate with her for a deal, she probably has two or three for sale, if you have the money.”
“Are you implying that Huay is not an experienced adventurer like ourselves? That is preposterous!” exclaimed Rasieu.
“But it is true. This woman has no weapons or armor. She does not look athletic either. I would wager she is an unlucky merchant who lost her cargo and camel on the way to Misrafal. Nothing more. Am I correct?”
“I’m not an adventurer, but I’m not a merchant either. I don’t have any money—I don’t know why I’m here at all really, I can’t even remember how it happened. To be honest, I don’t even know anything about dungeons,” Huay said.
“My condolences. Do you have anything valuable to trade? I would imagine the merchant is charging extortionate prices. It’s either buy from her or die trying to walk.”
“Oh! I have my phone. I bet it’s worth a lot.” Huay produced the phone from her pocket. She tried to power it on to show the others, but the battery had already run out by then. The noise-canceling wouldn’t work either, my earbuds are wired.
“A pocket mirror? The material is odd. Not reflective enough to have value.”
“No, it’s like—you can play music with it.”
“How so?”
“Well, it can’t do anything right now.”
“Foreigners have such strange technologies. It has no value without proof of its functionality,” Valnier sighed. “The garment tied around your waist may be worth something: the pigments are unusually vivid. The same goes for your sandals. But I can’t imagine the merchant would consider unembroidered clothing equal to a camel in value.”
“So I have nothing?”
“If you can convince another group to let you into the dungeon, and you somehow make it out alive, you could trade some of the loot for a camel,” he paused. “What do you think about all this, Bigoor?”
“I would offer up my camel if I had one. It’s unfortunate that I walked here on foot. And I would never bring someone who couldn’t fend for themselves into such a dangerous situation. Perhaps I can offer you some treasure to buy a camel after I complete the dungeon myself,” said Bigoor.
“So Bigoor is out too. That narrows it down to the parrot-person-horse group and the ex-soldiers.”
“What about that group with the girl?” asked Huay.
“They’ll die,” Valnier said without hesitation. “I would offer you money as a token of goodwill, but we didn’t bring anything beyond our food and what was strictly necessary. We can feed you a while longer, but as a low-level foreigner, you won’t survive long in the desert unless your Heat Resistance is Skilled or above.”
“I do not think this woman is the type to beg.” Bigoor dropped to his knees and looked to Valnier. “So I shall do it in her stead. Perhaps those jeweled robes you wear will cover the price? The golden earrings may be worth something as well.”
“The robes are a treasure of our clan. They aren’t ours to give away, and their magical properties boost recovery from wounds, which is necessary for our delve. But the earrings?” Valnier took them off and handed them to Huay. Rasieu and the silent member of their group hesitated, then did the same. “You can try your luck with them, although I fear they won’t be enough. They are merely gold-plated. It would have been foolish to bring anything more valuable to such a precarious dungeon except where absolutely necessary. And offer your clothes to the merchant, as well.”
“Oh my god. Thank you! I’ll never forget this.” Huay took the earrings. “I’ll give it my best shot.”
Rasieu pointed toward the merchant’s tent and sent Huay on her way. Each of the Baranzaars, along with Bigoor, wished her luck as she stood up to leave.