Chapter 172: Safety in Numbers

  I was anticipating a grand reunion with the pany. Maveith would let me do all the talking to expin our time in the dungeon so far. Mateo ehe safe room first and fmboyantly announced, “We found some wandering creatures in the dungeon. They smell like an ogre’s ass, but they’re good people.”

  This drew Castile’s attention, and Adrian and Bze looked up. Bze had a massive grin on seeing us, and Castile smirked happily, though she did not quite allow herself to smile. Adrian looked pleased at seeing us alive, nodding to us and smiling.

  I challenged Mateo’s statement, “I think it was us who found you. And the only one in the pany who has ever smelled like an ogre’s ass is you.” There was a chorus of ughter at the truth of my statement sieo had literally wiped an ogre’s ass outside of Macha. A brief debate erupted on who had discovered whom, since Konstantin had smelled me before I announced myself.

  Adrian spoke seriously ohe levity died down. He asked me pointedly, “Brutus and the Schor didn’t make it?”

  “They live. We got separated wheered the dungeon,” I said, pointing to Maveith. “Maveith was struck by a specter and lost tact with the Schor. eared on the lower levels of the dungeon.” Castile looked fused.

  Adrian, who detested dungeons, growled, “Lower levels? That isn’t normal. Then again, nothing about this dungeon is normal. I’ve never heard of any duhis rge before, or with such a variety of beasts.”

  Konstantin interrupted the reunion to get me to report to Castile. “Tell them about the summoner and the others.”

  I faced Castile, who was clearly happy we had rejoihem. “We saw Fvius, Kolm, Linus, Donte, Brutus, and the Schor. We could not reuh them because ah drake was in the room between us.”

  Maveith leaned in, trying to help. “It was a really big earth drake—over sixty feet from snout to tail tip.”

  I firmed, “Yes, it was huge. But I think they’re just a few rooms back. Brutus told us that he and the Schor exited the dungeon, hoping to reenter near anroup.”

  My voice heavier, I tinued, “They found the bodies of Remus, Cyrus, and Soren torn apart before they reentered.” Castile frow the news, and looked like she had been spped with the sting of more dead. I added wly, “The Schor noticed bloody footprints leading bato the dungeohinks an elf made them.”

  Silence hung in the room before Konstantin voiced what he was thinking. “If the summoner is in the dungeon, he might be using goblins to disrupt rooms.”

  Uo hold my curiosity any longer, I asked, “You saw a goblin?”

  “Twice, but maybe the same oh times. It appeared while we were fighting in rooms. The first time, angry spiders were chasing it, and the sed time, it was a winter wolf.” Konstantin spoke, clearly frustrated. “We were occupied both times, and the goblin mao get away.” It appeared that the little goblin got around. I immediately took a liking to it if it could cause Konstantin suxiety.

  Bze asked me hopefully, “Did you see any signs of the roup? Lu, Pavel, Lirkin, ao?” Pavel and Bze were both pany archers and often worked together.

  I did not have any good news for him. Looking him in the eye, I noticed Bze’s quiver only had two arrows. “No, but I’m sure we’ll find them,” I reassured him. “There is a lot of duo explore,” Konstantin gru the truth of my statement.

  As the mood turned a little somber, Castile annouo everyone, “Prepare a good meal for the return of our lost panions.” She motioned for me to join her and Adrian.

  I paused momentarily to pce a rge number of purple vitelotte potatoes oone, smiling as I said, “My tribution to the meal.” From what I saw, it looked like they had been living off meat and nuts. The potatoes got greedy stares from everyone as they were added to Firth’s preparation.

  Castile now had a genuine smile as she stepped into the corridor, directed at me. “I am happy you survived, Eryk. How many rooms did you clear? And tell me about the ring.”

  The shiny ring of sustenance was a bit fshy and easy to spot. I held it up, sidering. “We found it in a room. I think it allows me to get by with less food and sleep.”

  Adrian arched an eyebrow, surprised. “That sounds useful. And the goliath’s ring?” I should have realized that the artifacts were extremely noticeable. I would have to start wearing gloves regurly, or it would be an advertisement that I was wearing runigs, sihey arnished.

  “He’s less affected by cold wearing it,” I stated simply.

  Castile nodded in uanding. “They are probably a ring of sustenand a ring of warmth. Both are rare dungeon finds. We have had our share of lu the dungeon as well.” She informed Adrian before fog on me again. “And how many rooms have you explored?”

  “Our focus was to find the others. When we learned we were in the dungeon’s lower levels, we tried to find stairs going up. gest challenge was getting around the drake at the top of the stairs.” I said. I did not want to lie to either Adrian or Castile, but it looked like I had no other choice. I robably showing a little disfort, feeling ered for the truth.

  Castile seemed to notid rescued me. “How did you find us? Did you e across one of the messages we left behind?”

  “Yes, a few rooms back, we found the safe room that led to the spider co room. At first, I thought the cos were victims of the spiders.” Adrian scoffed at the thought their group would fall to spiders. “Still, those spiders nearly trapped Maveith and me,” I admitted.

  “Weavers. They are called weavers, Eryk.” Castile looked at Adrian. “We had seven to hahe room, and I was able to restrain three of the weavers. With just the two of you, it is remarkable that you made it through.”

  “Their silk sacs are extremely valuable on the market, making an incredible thread for durable garments. They were mentioned in the Schor’s books. Do you know how to reach Fvius and the others?” Adrian pressed.

  “Yes, I think they were in the dire of the sand room,” I said, ag like I was thinking. I was obviously unving as Castile’s eyes narrowed.

  Castile moved in a little closer between Adrian ahe sand scarabs are dangerous. We could not get them to surface to fight.” I felt unfortable under her assessing gaze. “Do you remember who I told you that you could trust, Eryk?”

  My mind skipped back to the versation. It felt like a lifetime ago. “Felix, Adrian, Mateo, and Bze,” I recalled softly. Castile nodded.

  Adrian looked a little shocked that I knew of their shared spiracy to leave the Empire. “Felix is dead, Eryk. That leaves Adrian,” Castile nodded in his dire to firm her trust, “Mateo, and Bze.”

  I could tell she wanted me to be ho with her. I was still having trouble sharing. Even Maveith only knew half of my secrets. I relented, “We killed the scarabs. After killing the first two, the others rushed us into the corridor, leaving the sand. Beyond the scarab room, there’s a room with ties. The others should be just beyond that room in a safe room. That’s what they told us, anyway.” Admitting that I could have joihe others had Adrian eyeing me suspiciously.

  “Good,” Castile said, rexing now that she had the information she wanted.

  Adrian was not as tent. “How did you kill the scarabs uhe sand? And the harpies, for that matter?” He did not have a ce to ask why I had not joihe others.

  Castile gave Adrian a cold look. “We discuss this aime. Adrian, we will reect with the others after the shadow bear returns. Prepare the men with the good news.” As Adria, I peeked into the room to see a number of people talking with Maveith. Could Maveith keep my secrets uhe scrutiny of the others—Konstantin in particur?

  Castile interrupted my and asked me softly again, “How many rooms did you clear?”

  I tore my eyes from Konstantin and Maveith talking animatedly. It was hard to focus, but I thought about it. “Twelve different rooms, maybe.” I was not ting the number of times we cleared rooms more than once.

  “Twelve?” Castile looked more than a little shocked. “We quered seven rooms on the first floor and found six safe rooms.” She seemed to be sidering me again in a different light—either as a threat or an ally.

  “Is the summoner a threat? he summoures ihe dungeon?” I focused her thoughts oher danger.

  Castile looked me in the eyes for a long time before speaking. “I do not know. If he summoures in the dungeon, he has access to more aether, being so close to the ley line.” She sighed. “If he is in here, hopefully, he is struggling as much as we are.”

  “You seem to be doing well,” I stated, realizing my mistake. We had lost two men iy, four men in the dungeon, and four were unated for. I added quickly, “I mean, we are surviving well here. This dungeon could also be a major source of food for Sobral.”

  Castile looked ill. “No, we are not surviving in here, Eryk. We got lucky that the shadow bear dropped a healing potion each time we killed it. Firth nearly lost his arm a few days ago, and Mateo got mauled by the shadow bear yesterday; either could have died. Although the essences boost morale, we put our lives on the line every other day just to eat.” I guessed they had not been as fortunate as us with as many varieties of food in the rooms as we had. But then again, we visited twice as many rooms, and they had seven people to feed.

  “Did you know all the bears drop healing potions? At least, that has been our experience,” I said.

  “Not all the time. You must have gotten lucky. We have killed six bears and received four healing potions,” Castile said heavily. I guessed that maybe the dungeon ulling ba rewards because Castile’s group had nine people. This dungeon was definitely aware of us.

  “If the summoner is in the dungeon, are we going to flee? He would not be outside to stop us,” I asked.

  Castile’s eyes betrayed her as she was thinking the same thing. There were four men of the pany we would potentially be abandoning if we left and tried to outrun the summoner. “If he is in the dungeon, I assume he is cheg the exit periodically for tracks. We could get lucky a a head start or ambush him when he exits. It will also depend on how many specters are waiting for us he entrance.”

  Castile added, “Adrian and I have discussed our aking it through the city to safety. If we try and have to retreat bato the dungeon, we will all be separated again.” I nodded, as these were a number of things I had not yet sidered. “I would also like to firm the fate of Benito, Pavel, Lu, and Lirkin.” The burden of leadership was ione and on her face.

  I nodded in uanding. “Just let me know what you need of me.”

  Castile smirked. “Oh, you be sure of that.”

  We moved to joihers, and Mateo was pining jokingly about the food, “We really o find Lirkin. This dungeon fare needs a professional cook to make it taste edible.” Firth elbowed him, as he had cooked this particur meal.

  I was handed a bowl of purple mashed potatoes with charred bear meat ks. On the side were some bitter, round, toasted nuts. I ate without pint while listening to the versations.

  “So, Eryk. How did you get your armor melted?” Wylie asked.

  I chewed some nuts while I spoke. “We entered a female demon with pointy ears. She threw a fireball at me, and I failed to dodge.” I shrugged like it was not a big deal. Everyo silent, and I pulled out an apple and started mung on it to se my pate. I do not know if they were more shocked at the apple or my fabrication about a demon. I tossed an apple to each of them in turn. I was careful not to reveal too much from my dimensional space, but it felt like the group needed a little boost in morale.

  “I’ll never ask you to use your amulet again if you have a sed apple for me,” Mateo pleaded after eating his—core and all. I tossed him a sed apple. I could see Castile reassessihe mood was jovial as we ed and prepared to sleep.

  Soon, everyone made to get some rest. The stone shelves and floor were packed with the nine of us. I was surprised Castile had not requested the dreamscape amulet. I had been expeg it. Instead, I utilized it for sword practice. The amulet worked with the ring, so I only hree hours of sleep for a plete rest. I quickly, even before Konstantin.

  Firth raised his head as I moved but went back to sleep, seeing it was just me. I o Bze to get some sleep. Konstantin was supposed to relieve him, but he eagerly took the extra sleep and found a cozy spot on the floor.

  Nine of us, soon to be fifteen. With so many, the dungeon rooms should not be as challenging.

  ? Chted 2024 by AlwaysRollsAOne

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