“Third place for me.” Spat Hattie, disgusted by the words as much as with herself.

“Why would you take third place over second place?” Prompted Nestor.

“You know why!” Shouted Hattie.

Nestor frowned at the outburst, but let it go. He had not meant to reopen her loss of levels and make her suffer. He opened his mouth to speak then shut it, struggling to find the right words that would comfort her without increasing her suffering.

“Your recent setbacks can be overcome. Do not forget your newest talent.” Said Nestor.

“Oh yes my newest talent, I’ll just steal until I'm back to my old self. Then maybe I can steal myself some parents.” Blurted Hattie.

Nestor’s eyebrows rose so far that she thought they might form a new hairline. His mouth fell agape for an instant. Hattie knew she had gone too far.

In that moment she would have given anything to take back her words. To heal the wound she had inflicted on the only living relative she still had.

Piper materialized on the terrace beside them. Startling the party with her arrival.

“Am I interrupting something?” Asked Piper, not really caring for an answer she continued talking before the others could speak.

“No tracks lead in or out of the dungeon. Which could mean this is a side door or rear exit. I tried opening it but the doors are too heavy for me to move alone. There I scouted for you, this is as far as I go without your names.” Demanded Piper, folding her arms over her ample bosom.

“Thank you. Please forgive my rudeness, but I must test our diviner as well as you two. Hattie, please do for her what you did for Eric.” Requested Nestor.

Hattie sighed. Failing to express her emotions in a way that would heal the fissure between them.

“Nara Piper Sophrona, half elf, thirty six levels in archer and eleven levels in thief. Uhm, for thief class talents are stealth, backstab, and vanish. Archer talents are quickshot, double shot, precision, enhanced precision, trickshot, deadeye, lucky shot, then lethal shot, arcane shot, barrage. Her hair tie blocks appraisal, maybe detection, It’s like the daggers, blurry and covered in shadows. Her bow improves accuracy via magic, the bracers and gloves give poison immunity, the quiver is enchanted to hold… Hundreds of arrows? Wow, and it coats them in poison! It’s all jumbled because of the hair tie.” Said Hattie.

While accurate her observations were half hearted, leaving much to be desired.

“Rude much? Don’t peek without permission.” Snapped Piper.

“Cmon Nara, cut the rooki-” began Eric.

“It’s Piper to you lot. Forget you ever heard any other name.” Shouted Piper.

Eric’s eye glinted with annoyance. His hand tightening on his axe.

“Rose seems like a better fit for you. Seeing how prickly you are.” Countered Eric.

Nestor saw the annoyed twinkle in Eric’s eye and decided to intervene.

“That’s enough from both of you. I do not believe you understand your positions here. My name is Nestor Quade. Guildmaster Roark sent me to ascertain if you have the devil’s luck or if you are party killers.” Intoned Nestor.

At the mention of his name Piper’s mouth snapped shut. Muzzling her ill tempered retort before it could be spoken. Eric frowned at the name, eyes darkening as Nestor laid out his accusation.

“Our quest is a simple one with clear objectives. First, our diviner,” Nestor gestured to Hattie as he spoke. “Must survive. Secondly, we are to escort her through this dungeon testing her knowledge as we go. Kendra Roark will be confirming our findings at a later date. That is our mission. Should we fail in either task then your guild certifications will be permanently revoked and you will be branded as the cause of your comrade’s deaths.” Finished Nestor.

Eric hefted his ax, resting the single edged weapon on his shoulder. His jaw worked, chewing on his thoughts.

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“Seems as though you’ve weighed the scales against us sir Quade. A protection quest like this should have been laid out at the guild; we could have asked Father Matimeo to join us and protect her with his wards. Besides this here breastplate I got nothing for defense or protection.” Said Eric, knocking on his armored chest to drive the point home.

Clink

Clink

Hattie gave him another look as his knuckles rapped against steel. Eric wore gloves, not gauntlets, he wore pants instead of greaves and bore no shield. Offense constituted his defense.

“This quest is the height of human arrogance. What punishment awaits us if we decide to abandon this quest?” Asked Piper.

“Your licenses will be revoked and you will be barred from any future recertifications within the kingdom.” Answered Nestor dryly.

“Oh is that all?” Quipped Piper, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

By kingdom, Nestor meant continent, since the current High King Agamemnon ruled all human city states in a loose federation of kingdoms.

Spinning on her heel she stormed off. Grinding her teeth loudly enough for the others to hear. Eric could not resist scoring one more point off her retreat.

“I never thought the rumors of half elven cowardice would be proven by those heart shaped hips.” Mused Eric, making sure his voice was loud enough to reach Piper.

The archer raised her middle and index fingers in an unmistakable display of her string fingers. Hattie frowned disapprovingly and set off after her, running to close the distance on the much taller woman.

“Causing party strife immediately before entering a dungeon? That’ll count against you Eric.” Warned Nestor.

Eric wrinkled his nose at the old swordsman. but thought better than to argue. He grumbled to himself and leaned on his axe.

Hattie caught up to Piper and touched her arm. They exchanged words that the men could not hear. After a few moments they quieted, with Hattie turning to look at Eric. Her eyes imploring him to apologize.

Eric joined them in front of the dungeon. “I’m just frustrated with the recertification. It’s hard enough to lose your friends. You have my apologies Piper. I’ll be counting on you to watch my back in there.” Offered Eric.

He extended his hand, palm up, towards the half elf. Piper looked him up and down. Eyes narrowing at what she found.

In a flash, she drew a spare knife from Eric’s belt and hurled it at him. Narrowly missing his outstretched hand as the knife slammed into the dirt.

Furious hissing erupted from the knife, catching the three human’s attention. They turned, finding the blade hilt deep in a viper’s forehead. The dark brown serpent writhed in a deathroll, its fangs pinned to the dirt only a few inches from Eric’s foot.

Without any explanation Piper took Eric’s outstretched hand. Shaking it once before dropping it.

“Lead on.” She said tersely.

Adventurers are a weird bunch. At each other’s throats one moment then ready to kill for one another the next. Thought Hattie.

She stepped forward, heading for the knife and dead viper. Eric caught her by a shoulder, guiding her away from his blade.

“Any mid level goblin can drop a blade like that, but an antidote is far harder to come by. There are only four of us. Leave it. The farmer can have it and the snake meat for all I care.” Explained Eric.

With their feud settled, or maybe just postponed, the two mid level adventurers approached the doors. Straining against the double marble doors. Their levels meant their strength was far greater than a normal human’s, despite this, the marble doors did not budge.

“Think they pull open?” Asked Eric.

“Do you see a handle anywhere?” Gasped Piper, gesticulating at the door.

Eric groped the door, running his fingers over the bah relief until they landed on the most prominent feature. He stuck his fingers into the carved nose. When that failed he tried scratching the nose.

“Man, I was really hoping that would work. Guess he hasn’t been sitting here long enough for an itch to set in.” Joked Eric.

Piper crossed her arms, turning to Hattie.

“Got any ideas? Or are we going to have to cut down a tree and ram our way in?” Asked Piper.

Eric winced at the suggestion, realizing he was the only one with an axe. Hattie squinted at the door. She could see the dungeon’s overall status, but nothing about the door itself. Activating Divine Discernment she scanned the door again.

A vague shape appeared over the stone dwarf face, directly on top of the nose. Hattie came forward to examine the shape, uncertain what it might be.

She extended her hand, caressing the vaguely square object. As her fingers contacted the object she felt her mana drain.

-10 MP

The shape vanished.

Stone ground against marble as the doors opened. Inviting the adventurers into the dungeon.

“I knew it was the nose!” Shouted Eric, pumping his fist in celebration.

Hattie couldn’t hear him. The darkness of the dungeon was complete, no light emanated from within. Giving the structure the appearance of the same gaping maw that had ended her normal life. Terror paralyzed her heart. Making her step back. The darkness seemed to swell, as if something was rising to devour her.

She tried to flee.

“Stop!” Barked Nestor, stopping her with a hand on her back.

His words were spoken as an order. But the tone conveyed a warning by Eric and Piper who leapt away from the entrance, reading their weapons. Piper knocked two arrows faster than Hattie could follow, backpedaling towards Hattie’s open flank while Eric swung his bearded axe through the portal, stepping into the strike only to dodging away an instant later.

“Good reflexes you two. However, that is points off for Hattie. That could have been a trap, why did you just stand there? What would have happened to you if there was an ambush waiting within?” Questioned Nestor.

“What? I- uhm. You would have saved me!” Retorted Hattie, saying the first excuse that came to mind.

“Yes, but others will not! You need to call out the plan before it can be implemented. In there we have to act as each other’s eyes and ears. What one person notices could save another’s life. You must work together! See how Eric feigned a charge to buy Piper time to withdraw? They are following the orders you gave. Eric in front, Piper behind. Follow their example.” Demanded Nestor.

“I did! How can you fail me before we are even inside?” Snapped Hattie, meeting Nestor’s iron gaze.

Her petulance vanished as she met his eyes. Nestor loosened his grip on her, squeezing her shoulder gently.

“You haven’t failed. No one expects perfection on your first certification. It is my duty to call out mistakes that the dungeon does not punish. We may not escape unscathed next time.” Counseled Nestor.

He gently pushed her forward, guiding her closer to the entrance. Eric retrieved a handful of glowstones from inside his pack. Dumping the majority of them into his front pockets until he found an unusually spherical stone.

“Ever played marbles in the dark? Me neither.” Laughed Eric, rolling the glow stone into the gaping maw.

They all watched with bated breath as the stone rolled. Blue light illuminated the dungeon’s atrium, reflecting off polished white marble walls.

“Beautiful.” Whispered Hattie.