Chapter 23

Maura

The leveling notification flashed before my eyes, cutting through my self-pity. The faint rush of energy that came with it felt hollow, almost like a cruel joke after everything we’d just been through. My HUD pulsed with a soft light, illuminating the cave walls in pale, icy blue.

Level Up!

Level 11 Technomancer

New Ability Available

I sighed, feeling the weight of the victory, if you could call it that, settle heavily on my shoulders. The strength it took to keep moving forward felt like it was pulling me apart at the seams. With a deep breath, I opened up my stats, hovering over my Intelligence before applying the point.

The familiar sensation of clarity washed over me, sharpening the edges of my thoughts just a fraction more. But it did little to lift the oppressive silence that hung in the air. I let my HUD fade out, the faint glow disappearing and leaving us in the cold, shadowy depths of the dungeon.

Felix glanced over at me, his eyes reflecting the soft light from the crystals around us. He’d stayed quiet since the wind trap, his usually talkative nature subdued. I could see him mulling over everything that had happened. It felt like we were all struggling under the weight of unspoken words.

“Congratulations on leveling up,” he said quietly, his voice echoing softly in the vast cavern.

“Thanks. You too,” I murmured. The words felt small, almost meaningless. What did it even matter if I was a little stronger now? It hadn’t stopped Byte from being destroyed. It hadn’t saved us from the harrowing hours of struggling through traps that seemed specifically designed to pick us apart.

I glanced at Felix and then at the remnants of the wind trap. The corridor was now silent, devoid of the howling gusts that had nearly thrown us to our deaths. Shattered bits of crystal and wiring lay scattered around where we’d fought, a testament to how close we’d come to failing.

As I took a breath, I noticed a new notification blinking in the corner of my HUD, indicating a new ability was available for selection. I tapped it, bringing up a menu of choices that seemed to shimmer in the dim light of the cave. Each ability description pulsed softly as I hovered over them, the text clear and easy to read.

Arc Weld

Description: Channel intense heat and energy through your fingertips to weld or fuse materials together. This ability allows you to repair equipment, craft complex gadgets, and even melt through certain barriers. Can also be used to heat any metal in battle.

Mana Solder

Description: Create a thread of pure mana that can be used to fuse materials at a microscopic level. Ideal for creating intricate circuits or for alchemical binding. When used offensively, it can cut through weaker materials or disrupt magic constructs.

Technomancer’s Forge

Description: Temporarily transform any metallic object into a high-efficiency crafting tool. You can modify or repair items with ease, and gain a bonus to crafting efficiency and speed. Additionally, when used on a weapon, the item becomes superheated and deals fire damage for a short duration.

I paused, weighing the options carefully. Each one seemed to offer a unique blend of utility and adaptability, but I was particularly drawn to the flexibility of Arc Weld. As an offensive spell and I could also use it to create a new body for Byte.

Arc Weld it was.

I selected the ability, feeling the familiar sensation of energy surge through me as it integrated into my system. I raised my hand experimentally, watching as the tips began to glow and emit quite a bit of heat.

“Let’s hope this works the way I think it will,” I murmured, closing my HUD and flexing my fingers to dissipate the heat. I could already envision using it to fix Byte—maybe even upgrade him with more of the Mechweaver components we’d scavenged earlier.

I glanced back at the remnants of the wind trap. “You know, if we’d had more time, we could’ve probably deactivated this thing without ever engaging it.”

Felix nodded thoughtfully. “Yeah, I think I’ve got an idea how we could’ve done that.” He moved cautiously toward the far wall, his fingers tracing a series of interlocking symbols that I hadn’t noticed before.

I raised an eyebrow, curiosity momentarily replacing the heavy feeling in my chest. “What do you mean?”

Felix gestured to a specific pattern etched into the stone, almost invisible unless you knew what to look for. “See these markings? They’re not just decoration—they’re part of a rune sequence. It’s like a hidden switchboard. We could’ve activated or deactivated each section of the trap manually if we’d known the sequence.”

He pointed out the intricate web of runes, explaining how certain combinations could have redirected the wind currents or shut off particular segments of the corridor. As he spoke, his hands moved with a practiced grace, activating the sequence.

The stone wall groaned, shifting slightly. I took a step back, my heart thudding loudly in my chest. With a soft hiss, a panel slid open, revealing a hidden compartment embedded within the wall. And there, nestled carefully inside, was another fragment of the key.

Fragment of the Key (2 of 3)

Rarity: Unique

Description: Collect all three fragments to unlock the vault.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Felix plucked the shard out of the compartment. “Looks like you were right. Each corridor probably holds one of these.”

I stared at the glowing shard, the pale blue light it emitted casting faint shadows across Felix’s face. “It’s beautiful… but I hate that it cost us so much just to find this.”

He nodded solemnly, his expression pensive. “It’s always like that, isn’t it? The hardest fights end up giving us the keys to something bigger. But you know what? We made it through. We both got stronger and I’m confident Byte will be able to be rebuilt.

“I feel so stupid.” I ran a hand through my hair, glancing at the compartment as if expecting something to jump out at us. “We didn’t even see this before. We almost got ourselves killed running straight into the trap instead of taking a moment to look around.”

Felix’s gaze softened. “You’re being too hard on yourself. This place is designed to throw us off our game, to keep us running scared so we make mistakes. But we’re learning, Maura. Even if it doesn’t feel like it.”

He held the fragment up between us. “We’re one step closer to whatever’s at the end of this dungeon. And whatever it is, it’ll be worth it.”

“Let’s hope so,” I whispered, taking the shard carefully from his hand and slipping it into my inventory. “We’ll need to be smarter in the next hallway. No rushing in. We analyze everything before we move. I don’t want to lose you.”

We cleared out a place at the end of the corridor to rest for awhile.I had taken some charcoal from our last fire and took it out of my spacial storage. While we waited for our rendezvous time of 4 o’clock, I began drawing out sketches of Byte 2.0 and schematics.

At four o’clock sharp I called John and put the phone on speaker.

**

John answered on the first ring. His voice was hushed and hurried. “I have a diversion, but I don’t know how long it will last. The leaders of the group—Matt and Jared—have me under pretty constant surveillance. There are six armed men. Four level 10 and two level eleven. I think they killed someone else yesterday, a young man named Colin.”

Felix and I exchanged grim looks as John continued, his words spilling out in a rushed, low murmur.

“There are several people from the camp who have started working for or with them,” he said, voice thick with frustration. “Mrs. Alcott, Thomas, and a few others. We still have allies here, though. They’re keeping us fairly separated, but we’re passing messages through Susan at dinner. I can get you the names of the allies next time we talk. I’m afraid the walls have ears, and I don’t want to compromise anyone.”

I tightened my grip on the phone, listening to the tension in John’s voice, imagining him hunched over, glancing nervously around to ensure he wasn’t being overheard. The image sent a wave of cold anger through me, making my fingers tremble slightly as I clenched the phone tighter. Even when the world literally fell apart John had always been calm and collected—the strategist. Hearing him like this, knowing the pressure he was under… it made everything feel that much more dire.

“Additionally, if at all possible, you need to get here before the shop opens up on our tenth day,” John continued, his voice dropping even lower, barely more than a whisper. “They’ve taken all of our credits and plan on making a few big purchases before heading out. They keep talking about preparations being almost complete. I believe they are going to be raiding another camp.”

Felix leaned forward, his eyes wide with concern. “With that many credits they could buy something that makes them untouchable, and they’re going to be able to do it that soon?”

John’s voice hitched, as if he was struggling to keep it steady. “Yes. I’m almost certain of it. They’ve been bragging about it—how they’re going to take over everything around here, how they’ll make sure no one can challenge them. But it’s more than just talk. They’re waiting for something specific. They think whatever they buy from the shop will be the final piece they need.”

“What are they planning to buy?” I asked, my heart pounding in my chest.

“Don’t know yet. They haven’t said anything specific, just ‘the items they need to lock down their position.’ I’ve been trying to get more information, but they’re watching me closely. Especially after what happened to Colin.”

Felix ran a hand through his hair, his face tight with frustration. “What did happen to Colin?”

John was silent for a moment, and when he spoke again, his voice was heavy. “He challenged Matt. Said he didn’t want to be a part of this anymore, didn’t want to be part of the violence. Matt made an example out of him. He said that if anyone else had a problem with how things were being run, they’d end up just like Colin.”

“Bastard,” I spat, a surge of anger flaring up inside me. “We need to do something.”

“I know,” John replied quietly. “But we have to be smart about this. If we just rush in, we’re going to get more people killed. We need to get you two back here, but we have to be strategic about it. Timing is everything.”

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. He was right. As much as I wanted to charge in there and tear Matt’s group apart, we couldn’t afford to be reckless. People were depending on us.

“Okay,” I said, nodding even though John couldn’t see me. “We’ll figure it out. We’ve almost cleared this dungeon. Once we’re done here, we’ll head back to Galene.”

“Just… be careful,” John murmured. “And, Maura… make sure you have a plan before you get close. They’re getting desperate. Matt’s paranoia is growing by the day. He’s convinced someone’s plotting against him, and he’s started to suspect everyone, even his own people. If he catches wind that you’re coming, he’ll do whatever it takes to stop you.”

“Understood,” Felix cut in, his voice firm. “We’ll be smart about this, John. Just hang in there a little longer.”

“I’ll try. And Maura… Felix… thank you. For everything. You don’t know how much it means to know someone’s out there, trying to make things right.”

I swallowed past the lump in my throat. “We’re not giving up on you, John. We’re going to take Galene back. I promise.”

The line crackled, and John let out a strained breath. “I know. I believe you.”

Felix shifted beside me, his expression contemplative. “John, I need to ask… You mentioned that Matt’s group has blessings? What exactly does that mean?”

There was a brief pause before John spoke again, sounding almost weary. “It’s… complicated. The blessings were given to them by someone named Leander. He’s part of a larger hierarchy—the Patron Archelaus’s pantheon.”

“Patrons?” Felix and I asked in unison, exchanging confused glances.

“Yeah. From what I’ve gathered, they’re like powerful beings that oversee parts of the multiverse. And they’re very interested in gathering followers. The blessings they give enhance certain stats—strength, dexterity… that sort of thing. But it’s more than just a buff. It’s like… it binds them somehow, makes them loyal.”

Felix’s face darkened. “So, Matt’s group is following this Leander character?”

“More like they’re following Archelaus through Leander,” John corrected. “They think it makes them untouchable, that they’re chosen to lead… or to conquer. And right now, it’s giving them the edge they need to stay in power.”

Felix clenched his jaw, his hands balling into fists. “And they’re going to use that power to keep hurting people.”

“Yes,” John agreed, his voice tight. “Which is why you need to be extra careful. If they find out you’re coming, or if they get more blessings… it’s going to be a bloodbath.”

“We’ll be careful,” I said, forcing as much determination into my voice as I could muster. “But we’re not going to let them keep control.”

“Good,” John replied softly. “I’ll keep gathering intel. We’ll get through this.”

“We will,” I said, and I meant it.

The call ended, leaving a hollow silence in its wake. I stared at the phone in my hand, my mind whirling with everything John had told us. Matt was preparing to move, and we were running out of time.

Felix shifted beside me, his gaze intense. “We need to get out of here, Maura. The sooner we finish this dungeon, the sooner we can get back and put a stop to whatever Matt’s planning.”

I nodded, slipping the phone back into my inventory. “Yeah. Let’s finish this.”

We packed up our makeshift camp, our movements quick and efficient. With renewed determination, we headed back down the corridor, the glow from the mushrooms casting strange shadows across the walls as we made our way to the main room.

“Let’s find that last key shard,” Felix muttered, his jaw set. “And get the hell out of here.”