Adventurers came through the Portal that Jeze had repurposed. The first groups to arrive were Initiate ranked and were shocked to enter a pitched battle. Some immediately came to the Proven’s aid and reinforced the front line to prevent the Swamp Demons from overrunning the chamber. Others, who were Scavenger teams and guards for merchants, retreated back through the Portal.

The Proven stayed in the fight and were pushed to the limit before the tides of battle shifted in their favor when Drake and the Empire’s Special Forces arrived. These Adventurers were also Legionnaires and trained for large-scale battles. Four teams arrived, and they formed a spear wall with archers in the back. The Legionnaires fought with impeccable discipline, and eventually, they and the Proven pushed the Swamp Demons out of the tunnels. Jeze was not sure if she preferred death than to have fought alongside Drake.

“Sir! We have secured the perimeter around the stairwell above ground,” a soldier in jingling plate armor announced with his right arm to his chest and their posture straight like a pole.

“Excellent. Have Scout teams survey the bog for hidden Monster Portals. This level is teaming with Swamp Demons,” Drake responded.

Jeze wanted to punch his smug face. She and the Proven refused medical aid from the Legionnaires and relied on Mikal and the Healing Broths to recover. Even though the fighting was long and intense, the Proven suffered minor injuries. Hannah’s new set of armor held up extremely well and offered incredible protection. When the fighting was over, the Proven made camp within the Portal chamber. Rolfe and Helga were stitching minor tears in the team’s armor. Jeze sat on her bedroll in her padded shirt and cloth pants. She groaned when Drake approached them.

“You should camp at the base while we secure this Dungeon. It is not safe yet, and we do not want anything to happen to you,” Drake suggested.

“Worry about yourself, and we discovered this Dungeon. We will not allow your filthy hands to touch the treasure that is ours by rights,” Jeze snapped.

Drake arched an eyebrow in her direction. “If I recall, it was my troops that rescued you and pushed the Swamp Demons out.”

“Oh ya? Well, you can take your recollections and shove them up your arse!” Helga responded.

Ziplocke and the Proven laughed in glee. Drake shook his head and his Legionnaires glared. Dunar did not laugh and he rose to his full height and turned toward his team. The Proven Leader ignored the Legionnaire Captain.

“Proven! We rest for thirty more minutes, then gear up! We move out to explore this Dungeon,” he barked.

“Hurrah!” The others cheered back as one.

Drake nodded and turned to go but paused. The dark-skinned Captain spoke from over his shoulder, “Be careful. Lots of accidents can happen in these types of Dungeons.”

“Is that a threat?” Jeze roared as she rose to her feet. Drake’s soldiers leveled their spears, and she was held back by Helga.

Rolfe and Dunar approached Drake, and the Legionnaires tensed. Drake was a little shorter than Dunar, and Rolfe stood a head taller. The big Frostsworn warriors made a menacing pair even without their armor and weapons.

Drake, to his credit, did not appear intimidated. He eyed the two and responded, “No, not a threat. It was friendly advice.” He gave a smile that showed perfect white teeth and departed.

“I don’t trust that man,” Rolfe said and added, “He is a snake.”

“That he is,” Jeze growled.

“Oh, ho! Look who just arrived,” Helga pointed.

Across the expansive chamber, Irvin, Lady Kalina, and Miss Heng arrived through the repurposed Portal. They were followed by members of the Runic Research Division. No other Amber Guard came with them.

“I heard that many of the Amber Guard joined teams to enter the Wandering Spire,” Rolfe pointed out.

Mikal nodded. “They say that we may not even get past the sixth floor for this Wandering Spire event.”

Jeze scowled. “We will finish all ten floors and seal away the Fiendish Lord for good,” she promised.

“Aye!” Rolfe and Helga cheered.

Mikal shook his head and asked, “Be reasonable. If the more experienced teams are struggling, how can we expect to succeed where they can’t?”

“Have faith, Micky! We gain in strength every day!” Hegla cried.

“That is true. We did well yesterday. Our Will is stronger, our combat skills much improved. Our conditioning allowed us to fight for many hours without fail. It is through our discipline that we are able to advance,” Dunar responded.

Mikal shook his head and muttered, “Fools.”

Ziplocke fell over laughing. “I just pictured the look on your faces when you realize you are in over your heads! Fools!”

Jeze smiled. The Proven were used to Ziplocke’s antics, and she fed him some paste. Irvin, Lady Kalina, and Miss Heng approached them. Jeze sighed. She was in no mood for an interrogation.

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“Report,” Miss Heng ordered. The Amber Guard looked tired, with bags under her eyes.

Jeze snarled and looked away. But she decided to skip their usual back and forth. Jeze was too tired and battered to play the usual game with the Amber Guard. She described in detail what she saw through the Portal.

“Val?” Irvin asked with an arched bushy eyebrow.

Jeze nodded.

“Are you certain?” Lady Kalina asked.

“Yes, I know who I saw,” the Scout answered.

Miss Heng stated with a flat face, “That is a harsh accusation, girl.”

“It is the truth!” Jeze snapped back. No matter what, the two will always get into an argument.

“A group with knowledge on how the portals work and that are actively trying to sabotage the Wandering Spire. To what purpose?” Irvin stated.

Lady Kalina shook her head and responded, “This is very concerning.”

“They want to set the Fiendish Lord free,” Jeze quietly said.

All this time, she thought it was the Emperor trying to keep his family’s secret that he was not immortal. How foolish she was to think that so much effort would be wasted over something so trivial. The real reason for Seb’s murder and the sabotaging of the portals was that this group wanted to make it to the top unhindered. To free the Fiendish Lord! But what was Drake’s role in all of this? Jeze wondered. Was he working with this mysterious group? Why else would he attack her and Raynor at the Pyramid? Jeze remembered that Drake did ask about her brother! What did Daverius discover to warrant an investigation from an Imperial Agent?

Miss Heng snapped Jeze out of her thoughts and asked, “What do you mean?”

Jeze looked up. The puzzle pieces were coming together, but much of the puzzle was still a mystery. “At first, I thought the Runes sealing the Threshold in the Pyramid were faded overuse. But no, that was not the case. They were purposely marred to release the Demons.”

“What is she talking about?” Miss Heng asked Irvin and Lady Kalina.

Irvin reminded the Amber Guard of the Pyramid where Jeze found the tome on the Portal Runes and Seb’s report.

“The Dungeon in Narcadia?” Miss Heng asked, and Irvin nodded. “You believe that this is somehow connected to that?” She asked.

Jeze answered, “I believe that Val and this group were the same ones that tampered with the Seals.”

“To what purpose?”

Jeze was getting frustrated. “Have you not been listening? To free the Fiendish Lord!”

Her outburst drew the attention of the Legionnaires and Drake. The Captain came over and bowed before Miss Heng.

“Is everything alright here?” Drake asked.

“Sod off!” Jeze snapped.

Dunar and the Proven rose up. Helga and Rolfe had just finished donning their armor. If they were intimidating without their gear, they were more so while armed and armored. Jeze could see the look of worry on the special forces Legionnaires.

“Enough!” Miss Heng exclaimed in a sharp voice that cracked the air like a whip. The Amber Guard rubbed her face, and for a moment, Jeze felt sorry for her. Miss Heng had a lot to deal with.

“The Legion will secure this area. This Dungeon needs to be explored. Lady Kalina and Irvin, gather all the evidence here and take it to the Runic Research Division below,” Miss Heng ordered and looked at Jeze.

The teenager crossed her wiry, muscled arms and was prepared to be defiant. The Amber Guard sighed and departed without another word. She would let Jeze and the Proven do what they want. They were Adventurer Rank, after all, and she had no jurisdiction over them. Jeze grinned at that.

“It was good to see you again,” Irvin said to Jeze. The two hugged.

“Be careful,” the older man added before going with Lady Kalina.

The Proven were left alone in their corner of the Portal Chamber. Merchants arrived and were setting up shop. However, for the moment no other adventurer teams came through.

“What now?” Jeze asked. She was eager to explore this Dungeon before it became crowded. As it stood now, it was only her team and four teams of Special Forces Legionnaires.

“We are waiting for you to put on your armor,” Mikal said with a scowl.

Jeze glanced around and noticed that her team had already suited up. “Right!” She exclaimed and began to strap on her armor.

“So, we have Demons, Cultists, and let us not forget that someone in the Empire wants to kill little Jezie here. Looks like we have our hands full!” Helga exclaimed.

Dunar nodded and said, “I think we might need to do some shopping before we head out.”

“Are you sure? If we wait any longer, we will miss this opportunity,” Rolfe whined.

The large Protector looked with worry every time the Portal flashed. He sighed with relief when it was just a merchant squad and not an adventuring team.

“We have money, and we should invest in more tools. We did well today, but we are lucky to be alive,” Dunar said.

Helga asked, “Lucky? It was our skill and discipline, ya?”

Rolfe agreed wholeheartedly with the Striker, and Mikal rolled his eyes. Ziplocke snickered and reminded everyone of his belief that they would fail no matter what.

“What did you have in mind?” Jeze asked.

Dunar looked at her and answered, “I was thinking when we came down the stairs, we could have been surrounded by Thralls and Swamp Demons. We were lucky you scouted this chamber first and that they were still mobilizing.”

“We do what Carl Jorgenson and Berserker Orn said. We keep moving and fighting,” Rolfe pointed out, and Helga agreed.

Jeze was on the same page with Dunar and said, “We can buy Runic traps.”

“Yes! Something to help us get into a better position,” the Leader agreed.

“Can you create Rune traps?” Mikal asked.

Jeze snorted and replied, “Yes.”

“She knows how to trigger them!” Ziplocke squeaked.

Jeze ignored the Goblin and asked, “Why do you ask?”

“I saw a shop that made pre-made Runic trap patterns. They are like Channeling tools and require the final Glyphs and Will to activate,” Mikal replied.

Jeze’s eyes went wide. “Are they big?”

Mikal shook his head and answered, “They should fit in our packs. Especially with our big ox here.” He tapped Rolfe’s broad shoulder.

“I am strong like ox,” the Protector beamed.

“Let’s go shopping,” Dunar said.

“What? We are not exploring this Dungeon?” Helga whined.

“Maybe we can find you something that will allow you to kill more monsters,” Jeze suggested.

Helga’s eyes went wide, “oh ya!”