Kyto pulled the door open, peering into the corridor beyond. It was again pitch-black inside, and his familiar was the only source of light to breach it. He stepped inside, closely followed by Tiddles and the others. The corridor went straight for a while, then turned left. Tiddles moved ahead, scouting, his skill making him invisible in the darkness. They had been following the corridor for several minutes when they heard a rumbling sound and saw Tiddles suddenly appear in the light of the familiar.
"Run," he shouted, bounding towards them.
"Run," Kyto yelled as he began to turn.
The companions turned and fled back up the corridor. "What is it?" Kyto called out to Tiddles.
"The roof is caving in," he shouted over the sounds of their pounding feet and heavy breathing as they ran back.
The rumbling was getting louder, and Kyto glanced up, seeing a crack above them in the corridor's smooth ceiling. "Shit," he cried as flakes of stone began to fall around them.
"Move it is collapsing," he bellowed. Lars was slightly ahead of the three, with Tiddles bringing up the group's rear, and they sprinted for all they were worth. A large stone slab fell to Lars's right, and he just moved out of its way as it crashed to the ground. Sniffer leapt over it, but Kyto was too close to his back and did not judge his step, catching the boot of his toe on the slab and falling forward onto the floor heavily. Tiddles leapt over him as he fell, the earth from the hole in the ceiling pouring into the corridor.
"Get up," He shouted as he sailed over him.
Kyto hurriedly climbed back to his feet, and another block slammed into his shoulder as he did. His shield triggered, saving him from damage, but it stopped his momentum, and he faltered before moving forward again. The right-hand corner was just ahead, and Kyto recognised the stonework pattern and knew they were not far from the door. If they could get around the corner and up the final stretch, they would return to the Geblex room.
Lars and Sniffer disappeared around the corner, followed swiftly by Tiddles, and as he went out of sight no more than thirty feet ahead, the corner of the corridor collapsed inwards. The sound of the crashing stonework and the earth that followed it filled the gap before him. He threw himself forward, trying to get past before it blocked the corridor entirely, but he was too slow. The earth and debris blocked his path. He spun frantically, looking behind him, the light of his familiar allowing him to see the ceiling giving way and the tonnes of earth it held above collapsing into the interior.
Panic flooded his body, and he knew he was trapped. He could not get through the remaining gap, and the sound of the breaking stone and falling earth became deafening as it neared his position. Earth was beginning to fall all around him, and he could see the blue of his shield triggering as rock and earth landed on it, threatening to crush him. A large block of the stone fell towards him, and he put his arms up automatically to protect his head. The impact did not damage him again due to his shield activation, but it was still enough to force him down to his knees. He knelt on the corridor floor as the earth and debris fell around him. His familiar was blocked from his view and deactivated as the earth encapsulated him. The shield's blue light was the only thing saving him from being drowned in soil. The rumbling gradually began to stop as he knelt, now buried in earth and stone. His mana pool was draining as his shield tried to maintain the space around him, and he was struggling to breathe with the oxygen now being blocked from the corridor.
He was buried alive in a blue tomb of failing light. There was no way that the others could save him. If they had made it to the door and escaped the collapse, they would have over one hundred feet to attempt to dig through to get anywhere near him, and he knew his shield would have failed long before then. If not, he would have suffocated from the lack of oxygen. His mind reeled, emotion tearing at him as he knelt, feeling the weight of the earth slowly crush against his shield and trying to breathe with nothing to replace what he exhaled. There was nothing he could do, and he resigned himself to death. Closing his eyes, he hoped it would be quick, and he dropped his failing shield, his mana almost at zero. The earth gave no mercy, its weight crushing his body. He felt his bones crack under the sheer weight and force, his mouth filling with soil and being pushed down his throat, unable to resist its power, and in the instance before death took him, he now realised that he really did enjoy being alive.
His eyes opened, and he flung his hands around in panic, gasping for breath, realising that he was lying on the floor in the first chamber with the symbols' soft glow beneath him. The room was dark, and he called his familiar. He looked around and saw the three faces he had hoped for. Sniffer, Lars, and Tiddles sat watching him motionless.
"Well, that was fucking horrendous. Advice to all. Being buried alive is not a fun way to die," he said reflexively, coughing as though he could still feel the earth clawing at his throat. His System notification was flashing, and he read it.
You have died. You will respawn in the safe room. Time remaining to complete 8 days, 1 hour, 43 minutes.
"It says this is a safe room," Kyto stated, sitting up and brushing the dry dirt from his clothes where the signs of his death were visible.
"What?" Tiddles asked.
"Did you not get a message of a safe room?" Kyto asked.
"No. It just told me I had died." Tiddles replied.
"Must be a party leader thing," Kyto replied.
"So, this is a safe room. I assume then that nothing comes here?" Sniffer asked.
"I guess so," Kyto replied, shrugging.
"So, we can use this as a base then," Sniffer said.
"Considering that both Tiddles and I have been killed since we came in here, it will be nice to know we have somewhere to return to," Kyto stated.
Kyto reached for his backpack, suddenly realising it was not there. "Shit. My backpack is gone."
"It seems that things you carry do not appear back here," Sniffer said.
Lars looked concerned about that detail and signed it to Kyto. 'I think we should leave, meet with the guard, and come back better equipped.'
"That may be a good idea. Lars suggests we leave and come back better equipped. If we lose items or weapons each time one of us dies, we could have serious problems." he said.
The four companions looked at each other before Tiddles replied. "If this can be a base, we can return here and rest. We have no idea how big this dungeon is and how long it will take us to clear."
"Every time we die, it takes time to reappear. We waited here for over thirty minutes in the pitch dark once your body appeared for you to come around." Tiddles said.
"Let’s head back out, meet the guard, get more equipment, and return. Whatever happens, at least the guard can start to set up immediate defences outside the mine entrance in case we fail to complete the dungeon. Now that we know that this is the source of the infestation. I also could do with a drink, and my canteen was in my backpack." Kyto said.
Lars reached to his belt, pulled a canteen from a pouch, and handed it to him.
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"Thanks," he replied before taking a deep swig.
They left the dungeon, exiting through the invisible barrier and headed back outside. The night was dark now, having waited until night to enter again. They climbed into the truck, Tiddles jogging by its side as they returned to town. The journey was much faster now they knew where they were going. It only took them a couple of hours to return to the gates. The glow of the town's lights was visible in the sky above it. Kyto had never felt as pleased to see the town as he did now and wanted to get back to the house and get a bath. His clothes were still caked in dirt from where he had been crushed, and he had not realised at first, but there was a hole punctured through his sleeve where one of his bones must have been broken. It made him shudder involuntarily, reliving the thoughts and feel of the earth crushing him.
Ryan was at the gate as they approached. "Hey, guys. You are late back. Did you find anything?"
"Hi, Ryan. Yes, we have discovered the source. I am guessing that most are asleep now. We will head home and brief TJ and Reece in the morning before we head out again." Kyto replied.
"Sure. See you in the morning." Ryan said as they drove through the now-opened gates, allowing them into town.
The tension in the town was still present, and the usual night-time activities had not returned, the streets being much emptier than usual. They passed down them with no problems, coming out of the far end and heading towards the compound unhindered. The guards on the compound sprung to attention on their arrival, seeing the beast jogging by the truck, and opened the gates for them without question. Within minutes, they had parked outside the palatial mansion and walked inside. Lights had turned on as they pulled up in the truck, and Tabs came running down the stairs with Elizabeth and Crystal. Brandon was groggily following them with three cubs close on his heels.
"What happened?" Tabs said, seeing the state of Kyto's clothes.
"Long story." he replied wearily, "I need a bath and sleep now. We can discuss it in the morning."
Tabs followed Kyto as he trudged up the stairs to their room. Tabs ran a bath for Kyto as he undressed from his dirty attire and threw it in the corner of the room. It would take a lot to clean, and the jacket looked irreparable where the hole was. He walked through into the ensuite bathroom area. The hot steam filled the room, and the scents from the oil Tabs had dropped into it, tingling his nostrils with a hint of mint. Tabs left to go and get him some food and a drink while he took a bath. He lowered himself into the scalding water, allowing the heat to soak into his bones. It felt luxurious, and he lay back, closing his eyes and inhaling the mint scent deeply into his lungs.
Tabs came back upstairs not long after, and Kyto was still lying in the tub, tears running down his cheeks with his eyes closed.
"What is wrong?" she asked, concern on her face.
"I died today," he replied, opening his eyes and blearily looking at her.
"What do you mean you died today?" Tabs replied.
"I was crushed to death and then brought back to life."
"What the hell do you mean you were crushed to death?"
"The dungeon where the infestation source is. We have to clear it, but if we die, we get brought back again. Tiddles died first, and then the second time we went in, I did."
Tabs sat her mouth open, staring at him, unable to respond.
Kyto closed his eyes, held his breath, and allowed himself to sink under the water's surface. He lay there for several moments before returning to the surface, exhaling heavily. Tabs now clung to the side of the bath, looking at him with deep concern. "Are you alright?" she asked him quietly.
"No," he replied, fresh tears flowing from his eyes.
She leaned over and hugged him, pulling his face into her shoulder, not caring that she was getting her clothes wet. Kyto sobbed for several minutes before she finally released him, and he leaned back again. The tears had stopped. Tabs did not question him. She knew he would talk more when needed. She had known him long enough to understand how he operated, and he would eventually tell her all, but for now, just being with him was sufficient. She leaned over him, picked up some soap, created a lather on a cloth, and began to wash him. He did not resist allowing her to clean him while he stared at the room's ceiling, not speaking.
Once he was washed, she grabbed one of the large towels and brought it to him, and he climbed out of the bath, wrapping the towel around himself tightly and walked back into the bedroom. Tabs then made him dry himself off thoroughly before climbing into bed. She then brought the tray with the food to him, and he sat in silence, half-heartedly chewing on a bread roll and some meat, washing it down with non-nectar. He had finished eating, and she took the tray away and climbed into bed beside him. He immediately curled up into her, and it was not long before she heard his soft snoring.
The morning came too soon for Kyto as he was awoken by Tabs gently shaking him. She was already up and dressed, and he looked at her beautiful face and smiled. Since her escape from the metal factory, her hair had grown back fully, and it now rested as a bob around her face, encasing her with its vibrant red. Her hair was not as bright as Crystals but had a slightly deeper hue, which, to Kyto's eyes, made her features even more exquisite.
"Morning," she said cautiously.
"Morning," he said, feeling re-energised after last night. "Sorry about last night."
"No need to apologise. I spoke to Sniffer, who told me what happened, so I know what you all went through."
Kyto smiled, glad he would not have to explain in detail what had happened to him or them. "The others are all up and ready to go when you are. TJ is downstairs, and Sniffer has explained the plan to him. Lars has repacked the truck with more provisions and clothes just in case."
"Thankfully, we have such good friends."
He climbed off the bed, dressed, and followed Tabs downstairs and into the large kitchen where everyone was waiting. "Morning," Sniffer said as he entered. No one asked him how he was. He knew that Tabs would have spoken to the others in his absence.
"You ready to make a move?" TJ asked, looking over at him from above a mug of coffee.
"I will be once I have one of those inside me," he replied, grabbing the coffee pot and pouring himself a mug.
Not long after, the companions climbed into the truck, bade their farewells, and drove into town. The daylight hustle of the township was beginning in earnest, many switching to be locked up at night now instead. There was still a cloud of despair over the town, but Kyto could tell that it would eventually recede and return to more of a normality in time. That was as long as they could successfully defeat the dungeon. Reece met them at the barracks, where two large trucks were parked up, already full of the waiting guard who would be travelling with them today. Kyto recognised some of the faces but not many and made a mental note to himself that he must try to find out their names when he had the chance.
The procession of vehicles moved out of town not long after and began their journey to the mine. It was slightly slower with the larger trucks, but they still made good time compared to yesterday. Nothing had changed at the mine on arrival, the only fresh tracks being those they had left, and it was clear that no Geblex had left the mine overnight. TJ began to order the men, giving them instructions about securing the perimeter and began the construction of some form of defensive position around the mine entrance. He had mentioned that if all else failed, they would at least blow the entrance with a fuel barrel they had brought, giving them some extra time before any Geblex could get out.
Brandon had accompanied them in the truck. He had felt useless at the township, and even though his cleaned-up appearance was not recognisable compared to his previous beggar state, he had opted to join the companions and help them in any way he could rather than stay there. The companions led TJ inside, carrying lanterns that they had brought, and positioned some more around the inside of the chamber, indicating the tunnel where the dungeon had begun. TJ would post a guard inside the cavern while they entered again.
"Can I come with you?" Brandon asked Kyto as they stood checking the equipment they would take with them.
"It is not a safe place to be," Kyto replied.
"I understand, but I may be able to help out. I am pretty good at finding things, and from what you have spoken about, there are traps inside, which I may be able to help with," he said.
"How?" Kyto asked, frowning at him.
"I have always had an eye for detail and been able to see most things quite easily when it comes to material flaws," he said sheepishly.
"How will that help?" Kyto said.
"I heard you all talking about traps, and I may be able to spot them," he replied.
"If you are sure you want to, you can join. Just be warned, though, if you die, you feel everything, and it doesn't leave you." Kyto replied, sending him an invite.
Brandon accepted, and his bar appeared alongside Sniffer and Lars. Both men turned and looked mildly surprised at his addition, but neither commented. Brandon had shown no abilities that they could see as beneficial. Then again, Sniffer was not a brawler but was still coming with them again. Elizabeth has tried to talk him out of it, but he would not let Tiddles or Kyto go in alone. Lars was like their stoic totem. He stood tall and proud at all times, and they all relied on him without even knowing it, his presence giving them moral courage.
The five companions finished packing and picked up the bags before walking to the entrance. Kyto placed his hand out with TJ, and a few guards watched as they did.
As party leader, would you like to take your party into the Infestation Dungeon? Yes/No. Time remaining to complete 7 days, 11 hours, 51 minutes.
Kyto selected yes.
Due to the change in the party, the dungeon has been reset.
"Shit. I did not think of that." Kyto cursed on reading the message.
"What?" Sniffer asked.
"The dungeon has reset due to the party amendment," he replied.
"Oh well, too late now and just more Geblex to kill," Tiddles replied as he strolled through the barrier. The rest followed him.