Chapter 9 - All in on Alicia
He was engaged.
Technically married, but as they had not received the blessing of Alicia’s mother, he was only considered engaged for now.
What was worse is Alicia was technically a child in the eyes of the el’vei, she was just a little older than him, but still just a child within her culture.
Thanric had given him a brief explanation of what had just happened after they left the auction.
As it was the first thing The Sage had chosen to explain to him he spiralled into a state of shock and failed to comprehend the rest of their conversation.
Alicia had just disappeared to her own quarters, Syl following after her for some unknown reason. Leaving him alone with Thanric as if he wasn’t suddenly having a personal crisis.
The elderly el’vei man took him to his quarters to find him some clothes that fit better. Thanric was just as tall as him, but he was of a much lighter build, thankfully he had some old travelling cloths that were easily adjusted to fit much better than the jeans and T-shirt combo he currently wore.
He had been handed the new clothes and just changed into them in a daze.
Before he knew it he was wearing loose white linen shirt and a pair of tough leather trousers with lacing running up the side of each each leg.
Thanric had helped him adjust things to fit as he had no experience using anything other then a zip, buttons or a belt to put trousers on.
Just as he had been put in a chair and given a pair of mid calf boots to put on Syl had reappeared. Bobbed in front of Thanric for a bit and then the next thing he knew he was being directed through a portal into a dungeon.
You are entering a trials dungeon.
Entry level limit lv.1 to lv.10
Party members:
Kai Lv.0
Sylph lv.0
Alicia Lv.5
Stumbling through the portal he appeared in a small round room.
Lit by a dim crystal set in the ceiling. The room was bare stone from floor to ceiling with only the open portal he had just entered through behind him and a archway to a narrow corridor leading off somewhere hidden in shadows ahead of him.
Just as he was getting his bearings Syl appeared just in front of him floating in her wisp form. “You might want to step out of the way.” She said her flame flaring as she spoke.
“Wuh-“ he said still a little slow on the uptake.
Next thing he knew he nearly knocked off his feet as Alicia came through the portal just behind him.
Turning around he was met with a glare from the little el’vei woman, girl?
Looking down on her from this close he noted how short she actual was, it didnt seem right with her being the stereotypical beautiful, youthful, elven woman in every other way.
She was wearing the same leathers she had on at his auction. But she had come equipped with a short sword on one hip, the other a belt quiver stuffed with arrows. Several slim knives strapped to her thigh. And on her back was securely strapped a little leather pack that seemed a bit too small to carry anything substantial.
Alicia even held a simple yet functional short bow in one hand and had an arrow at the ready in the other.
You couldn’t get any more stereotypical elven then that, beside maybe a mage or healer of some kind, he thought to himself.
“What are you staring at?” she asked frowning up at him.
“How tall are you, I mean in comparison to other el’viaran?” he asked before he could stop himself.
Her frown deepened, “I was about five three last time I checked, but I still have another ten years or so to reach my full height. Why do you ask?”
There was a flare of light as Syls little wisp form erupted in a cascade of cyan flame revealing her true form. “Where he comes from your kind are typically described as taller than humans, he’s still adjusting to the difference in reality and popular fiction.”
Alicia looked Syl up and down, “System Guide, when you told me that was not your true form I was not expecting this.”
“Why, are you jealous?” Syl said as she did a little spin showing of her figure. She was wearing the combat gear she had used when beating him black and blue. “And I told you to call me Syl.”
“No I… Syl, your eyes, they glow too.” Alicia asked as she looked between the two of them.
“Yes, I believe it’s a physical trait of our race, not sure if it actually does anything.”
“Your race? Its not something unique to Kai, like a skill he has?” Alicia asked as she stepped forward, reached out with both hands to make Kai look down at her so she could examine his eyes more closely, “interesting.”
“My eyes glow?” Kai asked remembering he still hadn’t gotten a good look at himself since his race change as the visual analogue had already disiapeared when he came to.
“Light blue with a hint of purple closer to pupil, central heterochromia,” Alicia said holding his head in a vice like grip.
“Why? Do you think its pretty,” Syl said as she drifted past grinning.
Alicia turned red faster than he personally could as she let go of his face and stepped back putting a few feet between them.
“No, it’s just interesting,” she blurted, “You said it was because of your race?”
“I will get to that, but I think its best we set Kai off on his first adventure. I’ll answer all your questions and give you your quest reward when we are on our own.”
“Quest reward?” Kai asked.
“Yes, I was able to offer Alicia a quest. First she had to offer you that contract so we didn't get bound to anyone, then we form a party.
Alicia is a support type and she has some unique connections for someone her level. That’s why I was able to get us into this dungeon so quickly. Alicia was already here with Thanric doing some training whilst they waited to join the System Event.
I had to bribe her with my help as a System guide and the Omniglot skill. She really hesitated on the terms of the contract.”
Alicia shifted her stance slightly at mention of the skill or possibly the mutual contract, he couldn’t tell which.
“And you’re certain you can just give this skill away?” he asked remember the headache getting the skill from Syl had given him.
“The system wouldn’t let me use it as a quest reward if I couldn’t.” Syl said as she continued drifting slowly around the two of them.
“Alicia please give Kai an explanation about this dungeon before we send him off.”
“Oh. Did my gra- did my master not explain it to him? He likes to explain things.”
“We tried, Kai had his mind on other things…” Syl said as she drifted up to Kai and made to flick him on the forehead, her finger just passing strait through where it hit him.
“Where to begin,” Alicia started, “This dungeons used for initiation and training. It is a series of chambers that gradually increase in difficulty, scale and complexity.
There is a reward for every five rooms cleared. The rewards are good because they seemed to be based on how you performed, so you nearly always get something you need to help with the up and coming rooms.
You can only enter it if you are under level ten, but the lower level you are when you first start the better the rewards seem to be, like you I was still level zero when I came in.
No one knows exactly how many rooms there are because no ones has finished the dungeon as people are forced to give up or die trying.
The party I joined on my run got me to the twenty fifth room before I had to leave to join my master for the event.
I will not be able to join in on any room I have already done. but I can follow behind until the room I last got to is reached.
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
As the dungeon scales to the number of participants Kai should in theory be able to get that far, though trying solo is considered much harder.
Most people only get to run the dungeon once as they either receive an injury or something else that forces them to exit. They can not re-enter because they are past level ten or they cant find a way to be carried back to the room they last got too.”
“I should have asked for a brief explanation.” Syl said interrupting Alicia who still seemed like she had more to say.
“Kai, go through that archway, you’ll find yourself in a room with one or two monsters in it. Kill them. With your stats, experience and all sparing we did together it should be a piece of cake,” Syl snapped her fingers getting his attention back from the archway he had turned too. “This is the important part. When you have gathered enough essence the system will try and level you up, do not let it.”
“How?”
“Simply not wanting to level up yet should stop the system from doing it for you. It will feel like your full, like your about to burst. But you cant let the system level you up. Just clear the room and wait for Alicia and myself to join you. Ill explain what you should do with all the essence then.”
Kai just nodded, turned and walked through the archway.
“Is he going to be okay?” Alicia asked Syl.
“Yes. Believe it or not he has about a thousand years of accumulated experience, he just doesn’t remember any of it. He just needs to trust his instincts and stop holding back, he will be fine.”
“No I mean he has no weapon, armour or recovery items.”
“Elf tits, I forgot to get him to check his ring.”
The goblins had already started screaming.
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The moment Kai stepped threw the archway the shadows cleared and a room appeared at the other end of a short corridor.
He made his way carefully up to the opening to see what the dungeon had prepared for him.
It was too short skinny green goblins in soiled loin cloths.
They had their backs to him as they bickered with each other, neither of them noticing his approach in the corridor.
If he was quick he could probable take them both out before they could even react.
Darting into the room he put his hand out to his side to conjure a fresh blade, he was thinking a short sword would be best in the small room. But the moment he focused his intent his hand just itched, tingling as nothing appeared he realised his first mistake.
He wasn’t in his domain, he was in a dungeon.
Weaponless and charging head first at two goblins he had to think fast.
He crouched low putting his left should first and shoulder checked the closest goblin.
The smelly little green man screamed as it was sent flying into the far wall,
‘I cant believe you actually tried to conjure a weapon,’ Syl said her voice in the back of his head.
“A little busy Syl.” He said as he turned his attention to the goblin right beside him.
Luckily it had no weapon either and seemed more surprise at Kais sudden appearance and its companions abrupt flight then anything else.
Moving faster then it could react Kai spun and brought his boot up between the goblins legs.
With a sickening crunch the goblins eyes rolled back as it collapsed.
Standing over the poor little fella Kai raised his leg up to stomp on its head.
He couldn't help but think the goblin looked pitiful as it curled up into a little ball clutching its jewels, heaving for breath.
Suddenly the other goblin was on his back and he found himself tumbling forward.
The little green thing was screaming maniacally as its sweaty long bony fingers wrapped around his throat, long ragged nails tearing at his flesh.
Whether the goblin was weak or his improved stats were just that good he didn't know but the attempt at strangling him felt like that of a feeble old person bereft of any notable strength.
As he got to his feat the goblin must have realised its attempt to strangle him wasn’t going to work so it dug its filthy little teeth into his shoulder.
“You little-“ Kai immediately jumped and slammed his back down into the the solid stone dungeon floor.
He felt the little goblins rib cage crumple in on itself as he hit the ground, the goblins fetid breath whooshing bast his shoulder as he rolled off it.
Getting to his feet again he immediately checked what the other goblin was up to, it was too busy vomiting to be any real threat.
‘You know with the stat difference you probably could of just kicked both of them in the head, they are short enough.’ Syl said.
Ignoring the constructive criticism he checked the goblin he had just crushed.
It was badly winded and was struggling to catch its breath as it turned an odd shade of blue.
‘You had the right idea before. Make it quick and put them out of their misery.”
Kai stepped up to the closest goblin. It wheezed as it clutched at its crushed torso.
He half expected it to plead for its life but the eyes that looked up at him were just filled with rage. Had their positions been reversed he knew this pitiful thing wouldn’t hesitate for a moment.
You have killed Goblin Wretchling Lv.1
You have killed Goblin Wretchling Lv.1
He had done it, stomped on both of them, putting them both out of their misery like Syl had said.
It just felt wrong, he felt odd, numb.
“What is wrong?” he heard Alicia ask as she entered the room just behind Syl.
“The world he is from only just got initiated, culturally killing is... its complicated.” Syl said as she drifted in front of him trying to get him to look at her. “Kai we talked about this, you expected this the moment the system connected to you.”
“I know, I just need a moment to process what just happened.”
“Why were there two of them, my party only had one for each member. Made me fight mine one on one to make sure I had it in me before we continued.” Alicia squeaked, what happened to the corpses? they just vanished.”
Kai looked around confused, “they’re not supposed to vanish?”
Alicia shook her head, “we get to dismantle them for ingredients and materials.”
“Check the ring you got as compensation,” Syl said.
“I don’t-“ looking down at his hands he noticed a silver looking ring on the ring finger of his left hand.
The ring didn't exactly shine, it kind of glimmered, as he moved his hand to get a better look the light that caught it flared through the the whole spectrum and back again. Looking closer he noticed it wasn't actually one piece of metal but hundreds, possibly thousands, of interwoven, braided bands of metal that seemed to be actively rolling in on itself.
Pulling it off he focused on it. Trying for his first item description he wasn't disappointed when a blue window appeared next to the ring as he rolled it between his thumb and forefinger.
Kai’s Soul Ring ( Unique - Soul bound, looting, dismantle, obscure, indestructible )
Made of a long forgotten material, This storage ring connects directly to Kai’s Soul allowing him to store physical items within his nascent domain.
( This ring also posses the looting, dismantle, obscure, stuck and indestructible Enchantments. This ring is part of a set. )
Doing his best not to react outwardly, he was ecstatic at having a storage item, he focused on the list of enchantments hoping the system would fill him in.
Looting - will aromatically deposit your ‘loot’ in your storage. Currently set to all.
Dismantle - will auto dismantle loot. Currently set to off.
Obscure - this item is obscured, obscured items cannot be detected or examined by others. Currently set to only those who know.
Stuck - this item is stuck where it is. Will return if removed.
Indestructible - This item will be restored by the System if it is somehow destroyed.
Set - 1 of 2 rings.
“Okay, I know I’m new to this but even I know that that is a bit much.”
“What I don’t see anything.” Alicia said as she watched him intently.
“Oh, here,” took the ring of his finger and tossed it at Alicia.
To her credit Alicia reacted faster then he expected and grabbed it out of the air, opening her Gloved fist to find there was nothing.
She looked about trying to see where it had gone “I am sorry, I swear I caught it.”
As she looked back to Kai apologetically Kai held up his left hand displaying the ring that had returned to his finger the moment Alicia had closed her hand around it.
“Stuck enchantment.” He staid thinking that would be enough of an explanation.
“What enchantment?” said, her confusion writ plain on her face.
Kai took a moment to read off the rings description and the systems explanation of its enchantments.
The more he spoke the wider Alicia eyes grew.
His explanation over Kai switched the ring to the middle finger of his right hand, he wasn’t quite ready to put anything on his actual ring finger.
but to his dismay the moment the ring settled and he took his eyes off it it shifted back the ring finger of his left hand.
He looked at Syl who just smiled at him.
“You certain it says soul, not spatial. I mean I’ve heard of a spatial storage device, everyone has, everyone wants one?”
“Defiantly says Soul.” Kai checked.
“No capacity, weight reduction or time dilation.” Alicia was rambling. “ No mention of killing anything living you store inside!” the little el’vei girl practically squealed.
Alicia pulled the pack off her back and held it out to them, “This cost me over a hundred gold!” She said with tears brimming in her eyes.
Kai looked at the pack a focused.
Lesser Spatial Pack of holding.
Despite its size this pack will hold up to 1 cubic meter or 35 cubic feet worth of items. Items in the pack will weigh half what they normally do and will experience 1 5th the normal passage of time.
As this item distorts time and space storing living matter is not recommended.
Alicia sank down till her butt hit the ground and she pulled her pack tight, “I hate you, stupid ring.”
Syl drifted close to her and patted her on the head. Or at least she pretended too, “there there, he has that effect on people. He will grow on you I promise.”
“It is not fair.”
“I would tell you he is just lucky, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.”
“But all my gold?”
“Think of it this way Alicia, with Kai around you wont have to worry about looting stuff or dismantling.”
“No dismantling monsters?”
“Yup. It gets better. With Kai looting everything there wont be any real limit on what we take from dungeons, rifts and ruins.”
Alicia's golden eyes glimmered, “but the local Economy?”
“But your gold.”
“Just how big is his Soul space?”
Syl turned to Kai and let out a hmm. “You didn’t level up did you?”
“I don’t thinks so.” Kai said trying to feel for the full feeling Syl described, there was something there that hadn’t been before, but he wouldn’t say he felt full.
“Great, there’s somethings I want to talk to you both about and if we have a visual aid it will be easier for the both of you to understand.”
She looked around the empty room, “Alicia, will this room re-spawn if Kai was to stay here for a while?”
“No, once a rooms cleared that is it. The only time a room resets is if you retreat before clearing it. Why?”
“Kai, loot Alicia and join us at the house.”
“That’s possible?”
“I don’t see why not,” Syl said shrugging as she burst into cyan flame and was gone.
“So I just-“ he focused on Alicia and thought about her being in his domain.
“Wait I-“ Alicia disappeared, ‘do not think… good… idea. Crusty Dwarf Beards!’
Kai stood alone in the dungeon chamber and thought about how easy that had been, he hoped he could get her back out again. He better check.
Alicia reappeared, “What the-“
“You okay?” he asked.
“A little disorientated, I do not like how you can-“ she disappeared again. ‘do that!’ Alicia cried inside his mind.
‘If it wasn’t for the contract I doubt he could do it, you’re engaged to him get use to it already.’ Syl said.
The fact that he heard it meant she wanted him to hear it.
Confused Kai took a moment as he sat down on the cold hard tiles of the dungeon floor.
Something was annoying him, he thought Syl liked him, but she seemed all in on Alicia.
He toyed with his new ring, twisting it on his ring finger, he might just end up marrying the little el’vei girl if he wasn’t careful.
Suddenly Alicia appeared in-front of him, “it worked, I was able to exit on my own.”
She looked at him, “Syl try and bring me back please, he is blushing like he was up to no good and I do not like it.”
And just like that she was gone again.