Max took a big breath. This would work. It had to work. He gripped the cube tightly and took a deep breath. “Three, two, one, GO!” he shouted.
Several things happened at once. Gus stomped, using his Sonic Step card. The floor vibrated and gave him an idea of exactly where everything was in the next room. He took the metal cup from James and rushed to the right side of the door. He kept pounding the floor. The sound was only as loud as a standard stomp, but it caught the attention of the enormous parasite. It crawled towards the door.
Lily’s mushroomantis stood just within reach of the monster, wiggling around. The parasite took the bait and stuck a tentacle out to squash it.
Gus tossed the contents of the metal cup an instant before it reached its tentacle through the door. He was running away before a drop touched the monster. James winced at the sight. He had bled a lot to fill that cup. His Acid card required his own blood as a base for the potion.
While they were maneuvering the monster around, Max transmuted the cube he was holding into a potassium hammer. It was a soft metal, and he had to wear gloves to handle it, but it was worth it for his next move.
The magically powerful acid started eating through the monster’s skin. It started smoking before the parasite jerked its tentacle back and roared. The sounds of pain and anger reverberated through the room.
That was the moment Max had been waiting for. He sprinted forward and flung the hammer towards the monster’s open mouth. It spun end over end, flying in a shallow arc. The monster started to react as it saw something approaching. The hammer slipped between its teeth an instant before it slammed its mouth shut.
Max skidded to a stop and turned to run away. He had to get close to ensure that their one shot made it in the monster’s mouth. A tentacle snaked through the door and reached for him before Max got far. It was fast enough to sweep his legs and send him sprawling on the floor.
Yang, Lily, Ashley, and James pulled on a rope all as one. They couldn't hope to tangle up the monster, but that wasn’t the plan. They pulled on the harness attached to Max, ensuring his escape. Since his Levitate was running at full blast, they were easily able to yank him across the room.
Once they stopped pulling he rolled to his feet and turned to watch. The reaction was startlingly quick. Once the pure potassium hit the spit and blood in the monster’s mouth, it started reacting, creating potassium hydroxide and hydrogen gas. The reaction was hot enough to self ignite and burn a bright white color.
The billowing hydrogen ignited with a bang, causing the monster to open its mouth in pain. The roof of its mouth was savaged and bleeding, and its tongue was useless now. The hammer wasn’t done though. The potassium kept reacting with the newly exposed blood and bouncing around to ignite the hydrogen again and again. Bang, bang, bang. It was like they had thrown a string of grenades into its mouth.
By the time the hammer stopped reacting, the monster was obliterated. The top of its head was blown off and its torso was a smoking crater.
Major amount of essence gathered
Level Up
“Level up, baby!” Gus yelled and pumped his fist.
Max slowly walked into the twelfth room. He could barely believe it. They did it. Twelve rooms. They were vastly underleveled for this dungeon, but they had survived.
Mandatory Quest complete. Additional rewards created in the first room.
A grin spread across his face and he shouted in celebration. The squad embraced each other, reveling in the joy of being alive. It took them a while to calm down.
The sight of Ashley’s dead body brought them back down to Earth. They slowly gathered around her two halves.
Max closed his eyes and said, “Ashley, thank you for fighting with us and making the ultimate sacrifice. May you rest in peace and your spirit find a pleasant afterlife.”
A soft chorus of amen’s filled the room. They might not like her much, but they recognized that she didn’t deserve to die like this. A pang of loss washed through Max. He missed Kezhi. The two losses so close together wore on him.
Gus grabbed her backpack and started rifling through it for anything useful. It had been knocked across the room when she died. Despite the fact that she had three cards when she died, only one remained. Max made a face as he read the details.
Common
Listen
Bell
Allows cardholder to hear the surface thoughts of beings within 23 feet. Those without complex thought will sound like static. Mana cost renewed every .9 minutes.
Mana Cost: 8
Concurrent targets: 1
Card Level: 6
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“What? What’s wrong with the card?” James asked.
Max wordlessly turned the card around so everyone could read it. Yang and Gus started swearing, each one upping the other in their insults about Ashley.
“I knew she was acting weird since we left the city. I had no idea it was because of this,” Lily said, disgusted.
“Are you sure it started then? Maybe she was listening to our thoughts the whole time.” James said. “That would explain a lot. She hated me from the get go, she must have heard that I thought she was a meth head.”
“No, I think Lily is right,” Max said. “Ebba picked up an extra Bell card when we left the city, Feng’s old card. I saw her give Ashley a card when we were walking here. I didn’t think it was important until now. I bet it’s how Ashley suddenly got good at detecting monsters.”
“Damn. I can see why she didn’t tell us she had it though,” James said.
Gus cleared his throat and said, “I found this one in her bag.” He showed them the card he found.
Common
Deafen
Clover
Cardholder can reduce the sound reaching a target within eyesight. Effect can be resisted if the target is aware of cardholder.
Mana Cost: 15
Duration: 5.6 Minutes
Card Level: 6
“She lied about this one too,” Max said. “I bet she was planning on sneaking around and stealing stuff.”
“I knew there was a reason I never liked that girl,” Gus said.
There was an awkward pause then James asked, “So, what are we going to do with the cards?”
“If it’s acceptable with the group, I would like the Deafen card. It would make monsters easier to sneak up on,” Yang said.
“I was hoping I could get that card, actually. It would make it easier for me to fling glass shards at monsters if they can’t hear them coming,” James said.
When no one else spoke up Max said, “I think it would be better for the group if Yang got this one, actually. Sorry, buddy.”
“It’s fine. You can make it up to me by giving me the Listen card,” James replied.
“Hell no!” Gus said. “Ain’t nobody gettin' that card. My thoughts are staying private. I don’t wanna hear your stupid thoughts either.”
Yang firmly said, “Anyone using that card is a violation of our privacy. It’s the only privacy we have left.”
“I agree,” Max said. “But I don’t want to throw away the card. Is it alright with everyone if I keep it so we can sell it later? You all know I can’t use it because I specialized in citadel cards.”
“Fine by me. Just as long as nobody uses it. Sell it as soon as you get a chance,” Gus said. “By the way, Ashley had two large and fourteen little cores in her bag. I guess Max can hold them and we can sell and split them in the next city.”
Max nodded and tucked everything away. “Alright. Now that we have that sorted, I think it’s finally time for loot!”
“Oh, yeah! The message said rewards in the first room. Let’s go!” James said and dramatically pointed.
They hurried through the rooms, one after another. The dead monsters had been all cleared out by the time they passed through.
“Max, can you tell if something is cursed or not?” Lily said. “Ebba said that most of the dungeon rewards are cursed.”
“Uh, I hope so,” Max said.
The first room was empty. The counter the custodian had been standing at was now covered in random items. There was a strange knife, a golden apple, a belt with six pouches, three rings, a barometer, a necklace, and a rubber donut.
Max took a deep breath and stared at them. Insight triggered. To his delight, there was a name and a description for all of them. He carefully read through each one.
Carapace Scraper
Hygiene tool for maintaining osseous tissue. Repeated uses will slowly increase ductility and strength. Scraper edge is self sharpening.
Golden Apple
Upon consumption, grants the user the full effects of a fremulon rejuvenation over the course of two hours. The standard psychological adjustments do not accompany the rejuvenation.
Utility Belt
Once a day, five of the pockets will be filled with something new. Sixth pocket is a dimensional pocket. Pockets may be relocated along the belt.
Ring of Time Travel
Move forward in time two seconds. User will exist in a quantum antiposition during those two seconds. Effect is recharged every two hours.
Shitty Ring
Cure for constipation. Takes effect gently after five minutes of wear time. Effects cease when no longer worn.
Ring of Justice
Thwarts one crime a day within city limits. Adamant chains will appear and restrain the criminal until a law keeper unlocks them.
Weather Tube
Controls weather within a limited space. Contains enough energy to affect a sphere eleven feet wide for six hours a day. Size can be increased at the cost of usage time.
Arousal Band
Assists beast procreation by creating an illusion of similar animals mating. Replicates sight, sound, and smell. Works on any non-sentient being over three feet tall.
“Bit of a good news, bad news situation,” Max said. “I can read the full descriptions of all the items, but none of them say if they are cursed or not. I think if we want to take any of them, we’ll just have to guess.”
“Ah, fluffernutter,” James said and slumped his shoulders.
Max laughed and read off the descriptions to everyone so he could get their input.
Gus tapped his chin. “Well, some of these are easy. The Shitty Ring is clearly cursed. You put it on and you can’t stop shitting.”
“Maybe. The dungeon was created by the builders, who are clearly not human. Who’s to say they will follow the same tropes as us? Maybe it really is just a simple cure for constipation?” Max said.
Gus tilted his head back and forth. “I see what ya mean. If we can’t guess at their motivation, then we can’t pick any of these rewards. But I’m guessing. I ain’t leaving without a magic artifact.”
“Why?” Yang asked.
“Why, what?”
“Why don’t you want to leave without taking something? There is nothing special about this dungeon, and all of these items might be cursed. The smart thing is to leave without taking anything. We can collect rewards after Max’s Inspect is high enough to detect curses.”
Gus opened and closed his mouth a few times. “Ok, yes. That is the smart thing to do. I ain’t gonna do it though. Pappa getting some bling.”
Max laughed. He knew how Gus felt. Max wanted to take something for the same reason Gus had. Yang was right though, there was no reason to take the risk. He just had to convince himself of that fact.
Gus leaned over and stared at the items one by one. “The Arousal Band probably isn’t cursed. It’s basically a monster porn projector. No one in their right mind would want it. I ain’t touching the Golden Apple, no telling what a fremulon is. Utility Belt could be really useful, just depends on if the pockets get filled with slime every day or something...” He continued to mutter to himself as he went over every item.