Kaden shared the logs with Mr. Dervish. “I really don’t want to be known as the Adventurer who made a deal with a demon lord.”
“You mean ‘as one of them,’” Mr. Dervish said. “Normally wouldn’t happen until level fifty but with you, I an’t surprised. Turn it down, not like he’s going to hate you more.”
It was an easy decision. “Why? And How? And also, what does it mean?”
“Means you got power. Demon Lords ain’t human. They don’t hold the same kinds of grudges, and if they can use your power, well, they will. I’ve made a few alliances in my time.” With that, Mr. Dervish headed back to the workshop. “We got five employees in the building. That enough for Leader of the Pack?”
Kaden checked the logs. “One point one percent higher.”
“It’ll have to do, I can’t wait on this one.” Mr. Dervish began to focus, applying a skill to a workbench token. Threads of white energy wrapped around it, then blue, then green, then yellow. The energy began to shift back and forth, getting brighter and brighter until all Kaden saw was spots. When the spots faded, the token he’d worked on pulsed through the entire spectrum. “Did it fail or succeed?”
“This is only the first part. An epic sumoning token could still draw a valuable beast. Now, I use it and we see what shows up.” Mr. Dervish tossed the token into the circle.
It exploded into fibers of a soul-bond, which whipped toward Mr. Dervish—and stopped an inch from his hand. “Come on. I can feel you watching.”
A shape coalesced, expanding—then collapsed down into an ape shorter than Kaden, with curly black hair and silver claws and hands too large for its fists.
“Harmpanzee. Sorry,” Kaden said.
“Don’t be. Ain’t what I was hoping for, but there’s five others in a Summoner’s Party, and it’ll sell to one of the others because with six of ‘em, they’ll buff the owner and each other.” Mr. Dervish activated another skill, and the bond threads that hadn’t attached whipped back into the [Harmpanzee]. “May as well while you’re here.”
He turned and activated his abilities on each of the other tokens. “Epic, rare, rare, rare, rare. It’s just that kind of night.”
“Sorry.” Kaden always expected more from his title. “I have to head home. How’s Okit doing with her [Marauders]?”
“Long road to go. We figured out that improving the health of the basic [Marauder] improves health of additional ones. Don’t think that skill would have fit you. You don’t have the right mindset for a [Summoner]. Your beasts are weapons, shields and tools. You treat them like…I don’t know what but it’s not how you need to be.”
“No worries. I can’t force you to be right,” Kaden said. “I’ll talk to Captain Blanco about the Icons when I get time. And I know you don’t agree with all the things I do. It’s ok.”
Mr. Dervish turned to face Kaden, not menacing, for the first time, truly looking at him like an equal. “I’ve committed my life to the balance of how things are. When I was younger, I was like you. I built up cities and destroyed dungeons. I’d have told myself I was doing right and only the centuries have made me sure I wasn’t.”
Kaden had always been in awe of Mr. Dervish, but as he gained levels and experience, that awe had changed to respect. “See you around.”
He headed out to the Guild, wrapped himself in [Stealth Aura] and pretended he didn’t hear the Quest Broker shouting his name as he sprinted upstairs to the FarPortal and left.
###
Dawn rose on the Eastern Road, and Kaden sprinting along with Trella at his side. Behind him four women followed in single file, matching his pace exactly. The Dungeon’s location called out to Kaden, though he called a stop at the ruins where the Trial of Yarrow had been.
Trella had met the Sisters in Verona and laid down hard rules. Kaden was in charge. Kaden called targets, Kaden set rules. They were being brought along for XP and a chance at a title, and that was the beginning and end of their roles.
What had surprised Kaden was that these women didn’t dress in the traditional black that [Shadow Blades] were known for. Two wore green that would have him mistake them for rangers, one wore a brown cloak and tan, and one wore indigo blue with a gray cape. “You should take style advice from them,” Kaden said. “You could wear yellow.”
“My [Stealth] skills need to be high enough that the color doesn’t affect them, and then I will—at least some of the time. I have a set of gear on commission that will change colors.” Trella watched as the others combed the ruined cathedral, testing anything remotely door-shaped in case Yarrow hadn’t truly moved.
An hour later they ran the final miles. ‘Close to the road’ was relative. The dungeon was, in fact, closer to the road than, say, the nearest volcano. In the distance, in scrublands, stood a cabin.
“That’s it,” Kaden said as he slowed near it. “The Infernal Abyss. Fake demons, level twenty five, possibly erratic. We have to kill every mob, period. I’ll scout first.”
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Bluey (as he called the blue [Shadow Blade]) scoffed. “We’re a party of scouts. Let us handle it. We can do—”
Kaden seized the door and declared himself non-combatant.
The Infernal Abyss was modeled on narrow pathways along steep cliffs, where the Adventureres would fight their way to the bottom. According to the report it wasn’t a long dungeon, but it didn’t need to be. Flying monsters assaulted parties on the rock sairs leading down, and several eternally broken bridges placed even more peril.
Add that to the pit of death on one side and perhaps it was enough. Very few treasure rooms, almost every trap sent rocks sliding down from above, except for two sections of cliff that would collapse for instant death with no warning.
Kaden worked his way down through the dungeon—then stopped midway through. The descent here was certain to set off an avalance of rock that would trigger the demons performing a ridiculous ritual at the bottom.
The result would be a battle on treacherous ground where the goat-men’s headbutt could send an Adventurer off the edge and into the abyss. If Kaden crossed it, the rocks might count as an attack. Better to climb back and bring them in.
He emerged from the dungeon in complete darkness. All around him, growls and screeches rang out. “Hey, we’re ready. Let’s go in.”
His cry brought a [Hydroboar] rushing to have its head split open by Remembrance. Bacon was always good. The smell of fresh blood brought a pack of [Walking Wolves], wolves who walked on two feet like men, but also didn’t walk at all with their legs cut off, just like men. Kaden dispatched the Falcrow and waited paitently, killing the occasional spawn, until movement in the wilds had him ready—to put Remembrance away as Trella led her fellow [Shadow Blades] back. The women emerged from the darkness dragging something.
“Sorry, we saw a wandering boss and I just couldn’t resist. Brought you a present!” Trella turned and pointed to a corpse.
[Shadowrack - Shapeshifting Dark Warrrior]
The Shadowrack exists to punish those who defy the Time of Monsters. Taking the form of its enemy, it perfectly battles every oponent with its own skills. It is not afraid of dark, and to engage it near dawn is to die, for the Shadowrack will wrestle until first light, and drag you with it when it departs to lands unknown.
What remained was possibly humanoid, but even as he watched it, the corpse shifted forms, sometimes looking like a Beast, sometimes a man, and once a [Gauntling]. Kaden studied the [Reap Materials] report. “There’s only one thing this offers you actually want. The hide will make a [Shifting Cloak]. I doubt it shape shifts.”
Kaden activated [Reap Materials], taking time to snip all the highlighted mana points, dozens of them, until at last he got the notice.
Your skill with [Reap Materials] has increased!
You have gained 1x Fine Preserved Shadowrack hide.
Kaden held it up. “Who killed it?”
All of them pointed to Trella, and Bluey spoke. “It took all of us. And I’m sorry, but your cloak is going to be so full of holes you can fish with it as a net.”
“Funny thing about crafting skills.” Kaden ran his fingers over the hide. “Once they level, they repair a lot of damage.” He folded it and handed it to Trella. “I bet you know someone. Or you can trade it for equipment.”
She handed it back. “Never heard of a [Shifting Cloak]. Anyone?”
Her Sisters all murmured denials.
It might be a [Thief’s] equipment. Kaden stored it and looked to them. “Sara gave me the eplanation, we’re going to form a Hunting Party. It’s not the same bonds as a regular party, but it’ll let me know if one of you is dead. Speaking of which, this dungeon is full of death traps, as in you die traps. We’re going to map it and clear every mob. Good news is, not a lot of hidden rooms. As in zero. Bad news is, if you fall off, it’s over.”
Kaden focused on Trella and the will to start a Hunting Party.
You have extended an offer to Trella Sonos to join a Hunting Party.
Adventurers are stronger when they stick together!
Trella Sonos has accepted your invitation.”
Kaden repeated the process. Now five additional indicators gave him an alive or dead indicator.
You have received a quest: Stronger Together - Keep your Hunting Party alive. Reward: Specific Loot Drop on party disband.
Cutter Karn had never mentioned that Quest and he was fairly sure it was standard. That implied she’d collected drops on at least three occasions and never mentioned them. He’d mention them to Sara for sure. The notifications weren’t done.
You have received a quest: Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way - Successfully complete a Quest with your first Hunting Party.
You have received a quest: Stand By Me - Do not have a single party member defect. Reward: minor weaponry.
You have received a quest: A Rising Tide - Have a party member level in your hunting party. Reward: minor armor.
Before they entered the dungeon, he shared all the quest logs. “See this? If you don’t believe Trella, believe your common sense. I have every reason to get you four through alive. The Dungeon Entrance leads to a low cave that opens into the abyss. I’ll go through first, Trella will come in last.”
He lead the way into the dungeon, stepping clear of the entrance and counting until Trella joined them. Then he shut the door. The crystal on this side turned red, but the door didn’t lock.
Good.
Kaden looked to Trella. “You want to scout down to the first stairway?”
“No need. We know our plan, we know our enemy. Ladies? Kaden and I are the shield but you are the edge of the blade. Teamwork can make up for one tier of difference, and where teamwork won’t cut it you have us. Rhys, what do you see?” Trella stepped aside for the blue cloaked [Shadow Blade].
“Four Goat Men on foot, two shriekers circling.” Bluey activated a skill. “They’re the first spawn, we can use this cave to block off [Shriekers] and stagger their attack. We use bows on the [Shriekers]. If they come alone, we kill them alone. If the goat men follow, goats die first.”
Trella considered it. “How many Dungeons have you scouted?”
“Four. We completed three,” she answered.
“Who packed what I told them to?” Trella asked. “Show me your [Agony Cloud] potions.”
Three of the four drew them. Bluey had health potions. “We don’t have a real healer. Just [Minor Mend].”
“Lead with one potion,” Kaden said. “Bows if the [Shriekers] are flying, if they’re not focus on one [Goat Man] (or woman) at a time. You know what’s better than healing? Not getting hurt. Go when you’re ready.”
“And remember the signal we talked about,” Trella added. “If you find yourself out of your league, scream. What are we waiting for? You heard the plan.”
One of the green [Shadow Blades] didn’t hesitate. She hurled her potion. It arced through the air—right as the other one appeared behind a [Goat Man], [Backstabbing] it. The potion exploded, blossoming out in a cloud of death.
“Four seconds in, and there’s the signal,” Trella said, sprinting forward.
How Sara put up with this, Kaden couldn’t say.