Chapter Seventeen: As the Dust Settles
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[Sage ---> System Notification]
> You’ve received a unique drop [Devouring Threads].
> Do you accept?
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Blychert stared at the system message blankly, not entirely sure if he could even believe what he was seeing. If it was real, and if he wasn’t just hallucinating on account of how much mana he’d burned through, then it was the first unique item drop he’d ever received.
“Xander!” Lisel shouted from across the chamber suddenly, and Bly’s look of delight turned into worry, remembering all at once that they weren’t out of this yet, and that they still had party mates in critical need of help.
Slow to his feet, Bly groaned as the pain flared through his body.
He hastily clicked [yes] on his system prompt, allowing the item to be stored away in his system inventory for the time being. It warranted future investigation when he was able, to be sure. But for now, there were more important matters to attend to.
As he crossed the chamber towards the bridge however, Bly couldn’t help but pause, taking an awestruck glance at Glemberfang. Its severed body was already glowing, beginning to decompose in a stream of embers within just a few minutes of its demise. It was common for dead spawns throughout the dungeon to deteriorate quickly. But seeing it happen to a boss rated enemy? That was mildly off-putting.
Bly winced, clutching at his side as he continued to move forward. His left arm was a numb, bloody mess, and his headache was more severe than it had been in a long time. But he felt a cautious sense of pride as he walked past that dead phantom spider. And just seeing it cleaved in two by the giant wall of ice, that he’d created no less, was just a bit of added encouragement.
All the excitement, the anxiety, and all the nerves from the last few weeks had come to a roiling head at one time—in this final moment of desperation—and it was more than a little exhilarating. It was strange too, to look back and consider that a nearly a year ago, he’d stared death in the eyes with the naïve hopes that none of it was real, that everything in his life would go back to the way it was supposed to be. But this? This was real, and he’d been a part of every second of it.
But more importantly, he’d wanted to be.
“They’re stable, but we need to get them back to camp.” Lisel’s worried voice broke through Bly’s innermost thoughts suddenly, and he quickly tuned out his own musings. Those were best left for when they were all safe, and so he continued through the chamber posthaste. As he drew closer to the other two, Lisel added, “I can do a little bit here, Xander, but I don’t have a full range of skills for this kind of reaction.”
Bly’s brow creased, noticing that she had somehow managed to pull both Bredic and Vineta down from the walls of the lair by herself. On a quick glance, Bredic appeared the worst of the two, heavily injured and wholly incapacitated. Vineta at least seemed to be grumbling and tossing somewhat, though all but certainly out of it.
Frowning, Bly realized that he didn’t have any experience dealing with spider venom either, and ultimately wasn’t sure how he was supposed to be of any help in this situation.
“You already gave Bredic one of our healing potions, right? That should be enough for now.” Xander replied reassuringly. His face was still caked in a good layer of dirt and blood, as he paced back and forth, “We’ll think of something else when we get out of here. Trelen, you be sure to take a potion as well. That arm looks nasty.”
Bly nodded groggily.
He might not have been able to help the other two out much, but he quickly realized that his own health was hovering way below half. Better to be safe than sorry, he imagined, and so he procured one of the small vials from out of his pack, and guzzled the sour, brackish liquid without a moment’s hesitation.
At that moment, however, an important detail suddenly occurred to him, elicited by Xander mentioning the use of healing potions, and so he said, “Hey, we have a healer in town. Er—Kara, she’s more of an herbalist, but she has healing capabilities too. If we can get there…”
“We can get there. Good thinking.” Xander interjected with a nod, his eyes flaring up with instantaneous hope. By the time he’d said it, Xander was already moving to pick up the limp body of their fallen wizard without delay, as he asked, “Can you two help her up?”
Bly agreed wordlessly, and together with Lisel they helped a dazed, somewhat feverish Vineta onto her feet, and made their way towards the now open chamber door.
Without even stopping, Xander pushed straight through the antechamber and activated the wayshrine. Its brilliant pale glow washed over the room for a brief second, and Bly caught one more look at their surroundings, before they were back outside the dungeon in the blink of an eye.
A stark gust of cold air washed over them, and despite the condition of the other two, Bly couldn’t help but let a brief smile cross his face. He didn’t think he could ever be so happy to feel the freezing evening air of Calvergia on his face, but there he was soaking it all in.
It didn’t take long for them to settle Bredic and Vineta down into their respective tents thereafter.
Lisel was able to manage a fire in no time at all, and soon the camp was filled with a roaring warmth that had been sorely lacking down in the dungeon all day. As Bly finished attending to the others, he took a moment to warm his fingers, shivering somewhat as the fire bloomed.
He wanted to take out his unique drop and look it over—down to every painstaking detail. But he figured it would be better to wait. It wasn’t like he was in any rush. And anyway, he thought it was probably better to bring it up to the party first, since they’d earned it together, but that could wait.
“Lisel, how’s she looking?” Xander asked abruptly, grabbing for his pack and sword again as he stepped out of the other tent.
“Coming around.” Lisel poked her head out from her own tent to say, “We probably shouldn’t start for town until we have some daylight. I can keep Bredic stable until morning with a salve. Though… if there’s a healer in Kelvalder, it would be best to get them to her straight away.”
Bly nodded, “Kara can handle just about anything. Trust me. They’ll be in good hands once we get back.”
“Good. Then if that’s the case…” Xander tarried, his gaze glancing back towards the dungeon. Then turning to look at Bly, he said sternly, “I’m going back down there. That thing probably dropped a prtty good-sized energy crystal, not to mention we’ll have the treasure horde to sift through. Even if it can’t respawn straight away, better to do it now while the lair is still cold. You mind coming with?”
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Bly shrugged approvingly, feeling much better now after the healing potion had taken full effect. He'd still need treatment, but he felt fine enough to cast magic again, and that was really the most important thing. Quickly shuffling up from the where he’d been sitting around the campfire, Bly grabbed his pack without delay, before starting in the direction of where Xander waited by the exterior wayshrine.
Lisel waived at the two of them, and in another flash of light, they were back in the doldrums of the dungeon.
The wayshrine glistened blue for a moment, before settling its light altogether. As it did, Bly murmured under his breath for a light spell to go off, and soon they were walking back towards the boss’s lair with a pale orb of radiance to guide their way.
However, before they made it to the door, Xander came to a slow and steady halt. The echo of his last foot resounded for a few more seconds, and he stood still for a long while. The light above cast his silhouette in a strange way, drawing sharp attention to his dark hair and armor.
Xander turned slightly, looking over his shoulder, “Can I ask you something?”
Bly stared for a moment, having been put off-guard by the shift in his tone, before nodding, “Sure.”
“When you killed it… Glemberfang,” He started softly, “Did you… did sage offer you a drop?”
So that’s what he wants to know? Bly thought curiously, having completely forgotten about their quest in the heat of the moment. Regardless, he nodded, “Yeah, it did.”
From Xander’s side profile, his left eye widened.
“It’s not what you’re after.” Blychert insisted, “I can show it to you, if you want? I… was going to bring it out for everyone to see, I just—I didn’t think now was the best time, is all. Sorry.”
“Ah, I see…” Xander’s eye narrowed, and a small grin etched his face, “Well, I guess that’s that then. Come on, let’s keep moving.”
Bly frowned.
For some reason, he couldn’t help but feel sorry for Xander. If he didn’t want to be here, it must have been doubly discouraging to find out that the item they were looking for was nowhere to be found. The swordsman was a tough one to read, but Blychert knew disappointment when he saw it, and Xander had it all over his face.
A tendril of anxious energy still lingered in Glemberfang’s chamber, as they made their way inside. The blue flames had all but died out, but the darkness itself was not magical like had been under Glemberfang’s authority. It was the simple, familiar kind of darkness one might expect in a dungeon, and nothing more than that.
As they approached the center of the lair, Bly could clearly see by the light of his spell that not only was Glemberfang’s body completely gone, but so too was the ice wall within which it had met its timely demise. All that remained now was a huge chunk of crystal—the size of Bly’s fist, surely—which was a deep shade of blue, sitting square in the center of a dark stain of ichor. However, as they stepped even closer, something else became visible under the light. A flow of faint energy was cascading around the spot in which Glemberfang had fallen.
“What is that?” Bly asked worriedly.
“…Essence. Or, at least, that’s what I think it is.” Xander murmured, though even at low volume his pondering voice echoed throughout the chamber, “Dungeon bosses are supposed to leave this stuff behind when there’s something left to interact with on their floor. Essentially, it’s sort of like a key.”
Bly furrowed his brow, “A key to what?
Xander sighed, “Well, seeing as how I don’t see much of a treasure horde in this chamber, I’d wager it’s for the route leading down to the next floor.”
“…Oh.” Bly stated, too surprised to say anything else.
If that was true, if they’d not only defeated the second-floor boss, but also found the third floor? Bly was certain Bold Arrow was about to become more famous than perhaps any of them had even thought possible.
“Hm.” Xander seemed to chuckle under his breath, and suddenly he laughed like Bly had never heard him do so before. His head leaned back and he looked towards the ceiling for a moment. Quieting again, he then stepped up to the spot in which the essence flowed, and surrounded himself in it, “You know something, Trelen? Dungeons really are a pain in the ass…”
The light of the raw essence shone bright for a moment, as Xander reached his hand up to touch it. Slowly, and as if encouraged by his presence, the essence began to swirl around his hand and into his open palm. Xander’s eyes flashed with light for a an instant, as the essence flowed through him, before everything went still once more.
“Worked?” Bly asked anxiously, biting his lower lip.
Xander nodded, “If it’s anything like other dungeons, I think there's supposed to be a receptacle back in the wayshrine chamber. Come on, let’s go find our reward.”
Back in the wayshrine chamber, it didn’t take Xander very long to find what he was looking for. In fact, the chamber seemed to respond to his very presence. Raw essence flowed from his fingertips and intertwined with the stonework along one of the walls, and within a matter of seconds an archway was revealed, and a series of stairs leading down into even further darkness.
However, along the wall next to the newly opened path, another door suddenly became visible too. Approaching it, Xander slowly turned its handle, and opened it.
By the light of Bly’s spell, a small cupboard-like room became apparent. Mounds of coins in both gold and silver lined the stonework, and other precious gemstones could be seen scattered throughout. The ends of several small vials poked out here and there, and even a funny looking metal helmet with wing-like ornaments on its sides sat right on top of the pile.
“I… think maybe we ought to come back for this.” Xander rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, seeing as how neither of them was in any condition to haul a horde of treasure out by themselves. He only wished for a moment that their personal system inventories could handle more than individual items, but wasn't going to complain about getting out of any more labor for the day.
At that moment, Bly couldn’t help but notice out of the corner of his eye, that Xander seemed to be holding something in his hand, rubbing it ever so slightly. It was connected to a silver chain, wrapped around his neck, and Bly realized it was an amulet of some kind. Curiously, Bly hadn’t noticed it until now for whatever reason. But then, he hadn’t seen Xander take it out before this moment either.
“What is that?” Bly pointed out.
“Hm?” Xander looked down. He quickly stuffed the object back into his tunic, and turned towards Bly with a smirk, “All this gold and you’re worried about the piece of jewelry hanging around my neck? Honestly, I think you might cut it as an adventurer after all, you know.”
Bly shrugged with a small grin, “I worry about a lot of things.”
“So I’ve noticed…” Xander rolled his eyes, closing the door behind him as he turned his attention back on the stairwell leading down.
Bly followed him, and together they stood side by side peering into the darkness.
After a long moment’s pause between them, Bly said, "Sorry you didn’t find your sword.”
"Sorry I almost got you killed." Xander shifted a little, and shook his head, "If I'd have known we couldn't get out, there's no way I would have let any of you in there.”
“About that…” the words lingered on Bly’s tongue for a while, before he eventually said, “What did you mean? When we were fighting Glemberfang, you said you were going to try something? That we didn’t have a choice. But… I don’t understand. Was that why your sword turned all red? What were you going to do?”
Xander’s eyes narrowed ever-so slightly, as he took a small breath, and said, “We agreed, didn’t we? You and I? Whatever it takes? It may not be obvious to you, but not every skill I have is cut out for the team. Hell, most of what I can do is completely selfish. But back there, I saw no other choice but to put it all on the line. Even for your sake. Because the truth is…” Xander turned away from the stairwell, and started back in the direction of the wayshrine, saying over his shoulder, “If you can’t be the one to fall on your sword, then you shouldn't call yourself a leader.”
“You sure are confusing…” Bly mumbled under his breath, slow to realize that Xander hadn't even answered the question at all. At this point, he wasn't sure he even knew what Xander wanted out of all this. Maybe, he never would.
“Trelen?” Xander asked, his tone plain but serious, as they stepped forward to the wayshrine, “How did you keep yourself alive in there? I thought by the time I’d gotten up, well… I’d feared the worst, to be honest. But then there you were? How’d you do it?”
Now it was Bly’s turn to sidestep the question.
“Well…” He stammered, shrugging offhandedly, “Luck, I guess? I limited myself to mostly shields and ice spells, and I have fairly strong proficiency in both.” Smirking somewhat, Bly added, “Sorcery is a top magic class. Besides, what kind of a guide would I be if I couldn’t bring you in, and back out again? I’m only as good as my word, you know.”
“Trelen…” Xander sighed, clasping a hard but weary hand on Bly’s shoulder. Bly jumped somewhat at the contact, looking towards the swordsman unexpectedly. An amused grin betrayed Xander's otherwise heavily confused expression, as he said, “You really are full of surprises, you know that?”
More than you need to know. Bly pondered ominously, wondering if he wasn't being somewhat hypocritical, but offered an awkward glance nonetheless, saying, "…Thanks."
Xander reached his other hand out, a sudden spark bloomed throughout the chamber, and the light of the wayshrine flashed before their very eyes.