371 days until the Arkon Shield falls

It took a while but eventually, I managed to convince the others of the wisdom of my idea. It was complicated and would require a fair amount of coordination from the different elements of our forces, but crucially, it would make the task of luring the orcs easier, or so I hoped. For that reason alone, Petrov and Tara agreed to go along with my suggestion.

The first step involved returning to the Primal Keep. Despite me having just arrived at the camp, we set out immediately. I was accompanied by Tara, Lance, John, Giselle, and the spider queen. Of the expedition’s leaders, only Petrov remained behind. His task was to prepare for our return.

As I expected, the journey proved taxing—for me at least. The others hadn’t spent the day traveling and were better acclimatized to the cold. Still, we made decent time.

As we hiked through the mountains, I filled my companions in on my adventures over the past few weeks, including what I learned of the Order and the orcs. Lance was delighted by Ash and disappointed to hear he would require sorcery to bind a familiar of his own.

I questioned the other mage on his own magic, sorcery, and enchanting. Lance had spent much time deliberating his own player build and had chosen to spec himself as a battlemage, learning the Disciplines of earth magic, life magic, heavy armor, warhammers, and anatomy. They were all excellent choices.

I was slightly envious that I could not follow the same path he had, but I consoled myself with the knowledge that what I lacked in physical skills, I more than made up for in magical abilities.

Despite Lance having no great skill with a staff, I still attuned one as his Focus. The wizard staff would serve him poorly as a weapon, but it would aid him in his castings nevertheless, especially with spells like sinking mud—which he’d already learned.

Sadly, Lance knew little about sorcery or enchanting and confirmed that the wiki had been silent on both subjects. “I wonder why that was?” he muttered.

We were traveling southeast through an escarpment. Giselle and the spider queen were scouting ahead while Tara and John guarded our rear, and Ash hovered aloft, keeping an eye on everyone. “Perhaps the gnomes did it to protect their own knowledge,” I said.

The blond mage stared at me. “Why do you say that?”

“The gnomes are artificers,” I replied. “Master crafters by the sounds of it, and makers of constructs and other magical devices. To do all that, they must have an in-depth knowledge of enchanting. It stands to reason they want to protect their know-how.”

Lance frowned. “Then they are not as altruistic as they led us to believe. The gnomes must have an agenda too.”

I nodded. “In this world, who doesn’t?” Lance had nothing to say to that, and we both fell silent.

Just before sunset, we reached our destination, the barren valley containing the Primal Keep obelisk. As we slipped between the stone pillars marking the valley’s entrance, a pair of scouts hurried forward to greet us.

It was Martin and Yana. “Captains, what are you two doing here?” Martin asked. “We were told not to expect anyone for a few days yet.”

Giselle cast me a sideways look. “Our plans have changed slightly.”

The two scouts followed her gaze and smiled in greeting when they saw me.

“Anything to report?” Tara asked.

“No, ma’am,” Yana replied. “The valley has been quiet. There have been no signs of orcs or any other hostiles.”

“Good,” Tara replied. “Lead us to the obelisk.”

The valley had undergone a few changes in my absence, I noted. Bultak’s camp was gone, and six human tents were in its place. From what Tara had told me, I knew a full squad had been posted in the valley. Two more scouts waited for us near the obelisk, and the rest I assumed were keeping watch from the surrounding peaks.

Two empty sleds were also amongst the tents. I caught Martin’s attention. “Those for retrieving the zelium?”

“Yeah,” he replied.

I glanced at Tara. “We should take them with us.”

She nodded and with Lance, Giselle, and John’s help began hauling the sleds towards the dungeon’s entrance.

Accompanied by Yana and Martin, I approached the obelisk. “Are you five planning on entering?” Yana asked.

“Six,” I said, jerking my head towards the spider queen. “Don’t forget her.”

“Ah,” she said.

I approached the black stone, hoping this dash back to the dungeon hadn’t been in vain. A big part of my plan hinged on what we would find within. Reaching the obelisk, I laid a palm upon it.

This is the entrance of the Primal Keep. Last cleared: 9 days ago. Status: minimally seeded. Availability: unoccupied. Maximum party size: 6 Trainees. Time limit: 3 days. Other restrictions: human entrants only.

Warning: Reconfiguring and reseeding of the dungeon is incomplete. Entering the dungeon may result in a less than optimal challenge.

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

I sighed in relief. We could enter. It made little difference that the dungeon wasn’t fully populated. What mattered was that the guardian prime was present.

“Well?” Tara asked from behind me.

I glanced over my shoulder. The party was assembled behind me, with John and Giselle each holding the reins of one sled. “It’s open,” I said.

“Good,” Tara replied. “I was a little afraid this might turn out to be a goose chase.” She turned to Martin. “We should be in the dungeon for no more than two hours. If we haven’t returned by then, send a message to Petrov.”

He saluted. “Yes, ma’am.”

Tara swung back and gestured for me to proceed. I motioned the others into position, and one by one, they laid a hand—and a foreleg in the spider’s case—onto the obelisk. With my palm still touching the cold stone, I willed a party into formation.

You have been created a dungeon party consisting of:

Jamie Sinclair, a level 68 human player with his level 1 familiar, Ash,

Tara, a level 46 human player,

John, a level 39 human player,

Giselle, a level 38 human player,

Lance, a level 35 human player, and

Bunny, a level 43 brown spider queen.

I nodded thoughtfully at the Trials’ response. I’d been uncertain if Ash and Bunny—I still couldn’t get over that name!—would be considered separate party members or not.

It seemed that while the spider queen was considered a distinct entity, my familiar was assumed to be part of me. Certainly something worth noting for future dungeons, I thought.

“Ready?” I asked the party.

Receiving their nods of affirmation, I turned back to the obelisk and willed the portal to open. The obelisk’s runes flared, emitting green strands that gathered together in a pool at my feet.

Rift opened.

I turned to the others. This was the first time they’d seen a portal and were staring at it in fascination. “Listen up,” I said, drawing their attention to me. “The rift will not stay open long. Follow quickly after me.”

After receiving their acknowledgment, I stepped forward and entered the portal.

You have entered a dungeon rift. Beginning transfer to the Primal Keep. Transfer will be completed in 5 seconds.

4…

3…

2…

1…

✽✽✽

I stepped out of the portal and onto the same rain-swept peninsula and green sky. Smiling, I raised my face upwards. Nothing had changed, not here at least. Removing the elemental seed from my pocket, I flung her aloft. “Go scout, Ash.” The familiar pulsed in acknowledgment before disappearing into the pouring rain.

The others appeared behind me, exclaiming in awe and surprise at the sky. Turning around, I addressed them. “The dungeon hasn’t fully respawned, and this should be easier than I described. If we stick to the tactics we discussed, we should sweep through the dungeon in no time. But stay on your guard. If the Keep’s configuration has changed, I don’t want us being caught out.”

“Agreed,” Tara said. “Let’s not get overconfident just yet.” Her gaze fell onto the spider queen. “Giselle, keep your pet close to Jamie. If things go awry, her priority must be protecting him.”

“Got it,” Giselle replied.

Swinging around, I limped down the peninsula while the party trailed in my wake. The others were understandably cautious, scanning their surroundings with every step, but the farther we advanced, the more relaxed I became. Everything was as I remembered.

It didn’t take us long to reach the hill before the Keep’s doors. Before cresting the slope, I raised my hand, halting the party.

“What is it?” John whispered from a step behind me. He, like the spider queen, had been tasked with protecting me. Tara was in the party’s rear, defending Lance. I suppose it was a compliment of sorts that she hadn’t considered it necessary to guard me herself.

“One second,” I murmured to John. “Let me see what’s up ahead.”

Looking through my familiar floating aloft, I observed the Keep, checking first the four towers, then the gate and moat.

The ice elementals were missing. As were the granite elementals. I wasn’t sure about the serpents. From this distance, the moat’s waters were dark and opaque. It would be better if the sea snakes were missing, but I felt a twinge of disappointment finding the elementals absent, ruing the loss in fragments I couldn’t collect. On the bright side, though, it meant our dungeon run would go quicker.

The Keep doors were open, the portcullis was raised, and the drawbridge, still destroyed. I frowned. That the drawbridge was not there surprised me, although I suppose it shouldn’t have. The Trials notice had warned us that the dungeon’s ‘reconfiguration’ was incomplete.

The more pressing question, though, was, would we be forced to swim across a serpent-filled moat?

I hadn’t banked on that.

“Everything looks clear,” I whispered to John, not explaining my concern, and hurried down the slope until I reached the moat’s edge. Staring into its depths, I searched for any sign of the snakes.

The water was not still.

Waves lapped at the sides of the moat, but this time their motion lacked the more violent churning I’d observed during my first visit. Or so I thought. The moat’s calmness was a good sign, but it wasn’t enough for me to be certain there was no danger.

Opening my magesight, I probed the moat’s depths again, but the water was too dense for me to see through with my magical sight. Much like walls or stones did, the water obscured any spirits that might be sheltering within or beyond them. I ground my teeth in frustration. There was only one way now that I was going to be sure the moat was empty.

The others reached me and skidded to a halt. “What are you looking for?” Giselle asked, panting.

“Sea serpents,” I murmured. “I’m not sure if they’ve respawned.”

“Serpents?” Tara asked sharply. “You didn’t mention them before.”

I studiously didn’t look her way.

“Uhm, how are we going to get across the moat?” Lance asked.

I gestured to the ruined remains of the bridge. “There was a bridge here.” I shrugged apologetically. “I had to destroy it on my last run.”

“Then what’s your plan for getting in?” John asked.

I gestured at the dark water. “We swim.”

He stared at me. “In the moat filled with the sea serpents?” he asked doubtfully.

“If it helps, I don’t think they’ve respawned,” I said.

John gaped at me, not in the least reassured.

Giselle laughed. “Well, I’m not going in first.”

Tara opened her mouth, no doubt either to admonish me for my foolishness or to volunteer herself. I beat her to it. “I’ll do it.”

John frowned and Tara scowled, but I spoke over both. “Of us all, I’m most likely to survive if the serpents have respawned.”

Not waiting for either’s reply, I hopped into the moat.