Chapter 17: Chapter 16

Jackal talked with Zarkane as they walked to the entrance. The previous group exited a member short, and Tibs noticed they all had normal eyes. Inside the dungeon, the fighter was talking with Claudia and kept on talking as they reached the trap room, not stopping with the others.

“Stop!” Tibs called.

“We’re fine,” Jackal replied. “I know this room by heart, crossed it over a dozen times by now.”

“Jack!” Walter yelled, “The marks are gone!”

Tibs crouched as the fighter looked down and froze, foot in the air. “Oh shit,” he looked around. “Oh shit, oh shit. Tibs, what do I do?”

“Just put your foot back on the previous stone. Not that one, the one to the left. The other left.” The tension eased once Jackal had both feet on the floor. “Do you remember which stones got you there?”

“I wasn’t looking, I just know that on this side of the room the triggers are that one, that one, this one, and that one over there.” He pointed to the blank stones, and Tibs was impressed with the fighter’s memory. He’d relied on the marks to know which stones were which, even after multiple times of the triggers being the same.

He reached over to the closest one and first felt for the slight play, then pressed on it. “This stone is no longer a trigger. Not only did the dungeon remove the marks, but it changed the triggers too.” Tibs tried to remember who it was that said no changes in a dungeon ever made things easier.

Jackal looked sickly pale. “You mean I could have stepped on a trigger?” He looked around at them and crouched down for a jump.

“Don’t do it!” Claudia said before Tibs could. “You’re safe where you are. If you can’t make the jump, you might end up sprawled over multiple triggers.”

“Tibs, you’ve got to get me out of this.”

“I will. Claudia’s right; right now where you’re standing is the safest place.”

Of course, that was only true while he wasn’t testing the stones. Once he had to activate one, he’d have to take into account both their positions when looking for the stone spear’s path. He felt for the usual play in the closest stones before stepping onto the floor and testing the next one.

He looked behind. “Does anyone have a charcoal stick so I can mark the stones that are safe?”

When they all shook their heads, Claudia covered her hand in fire. “I can follow after you and scorch them.”

“Stay out of the room for now, but scorch that one, that one, and that one if you can reach it.” Once she was done, he tested the next stone and moved forward.

The click it made as it sunk was followed by Jackal’s scream. Tibs was face on the floor, then looking around as the stone spear, inches from the fighter, retracted. He glanced at the stone he’d stepped on. There had been none of the play in it that indicated it was a trigger.

“Tibs,” Zarkane called, “you look worried.”

“Things just got much more complicated,” he answered. “The dungeon didn’t just remove the marks, it changed the triggers. I need to come up with a new way to test them.”

“While you’re doing that,” Jackal said, sounding calmer. “Can you find where the loot’s hidden? It changes with every run.”

“I don’t think now’s the time to have Tibs distracted,” Claudia replied.

“It’s there,” Tibs pointed to what was, to him, the obvious hiding place.

They all look across the room.

“I was hoping it would be closer,” Jackal said, disappointed.

“Were you really thinking of testing how good my skill at finding the triggers is just for a piece of clothing?”

“It’s good quality clothing,” the fighter replied.

“And some of them are magical,” Walter added.

“But there are a lot of stones between me and it,” Tibs said as a new thought occurred to him.

“So it’s a question of how greedy we are,” Zarkane said as Tibs looked at the walls.

“Right,” Jackal replied. “I’m not that greedy. Hopefully, none of you are.”

“I’m wondering about Tibs,” Walter said.

“Tibs,” Jackal said, a warning in his tone. “It is just clothing, you’re the one who was questioning why we were thinking about it.”

“Why you were thinking about it,” Claudia corrected. “But he’s right, it’s not worth even Jackal’s life to try it.”

“This room is a challenge,” Tibs said, confident he had it right. “The dungeon changed it because it got too easy; like Jackal just walking through it. It’s forcing us to think. To figure out how to get through this one. We could hang onto the wall and make our way across to the other side.”

“Maybe you can,” Walter said, “but the dungeon wouldn’t want you to test it while someone else is in danger, would it?”

“How does it know?” Tibs looked at the sorcerer. “The room was set up as soon as the other team exited. It didn’t know we were the ones coming. It didn’t know Jackal was going to just walk on without noticing the obvious change.”

“I’m feeling like that’s a dig at my skills of observation,” the fighter said.

“Anytime one of us steps into the room, can the dungeon know how many there are?” he asked, ignoring Jackal. “It can’t change anything while we’re here, right? This is set up so there’s always a way through; it’s just a question of being smart enough to find it.”

“We agree,” Jackal said, “and how about you show us how smart you are by focusing on getting us to the exit instead of the loot?” he looked at where it was. “We can get it after you’ve impressed us all.”

Tibs looked at the members of his team. This challenge was set up in such a way that everyone could survive it following the same method. He could use the wall, he was adept at climbing, but what about the others? Zarkane looked to have the arm strength to overcome a lack of skill, but Walter and Claudia didn’t. By his own reasoning, that meant the wall wasn’t his answer.

It came back to the floor, to finding the difference between an ordinary stone and a trigger one. He studied the one that had almost killed him and the one next to it. Their shapes were different, but it couldn’t be a visual clue, not anymore. If the sideway’s play that used to tell one from the other was gone, what was left? There was still some sort of gap for the stone to move down when someone stepped on it, but by then it was too late unless they could keep it from moving down.

He smiled. “Walter, in your training, have you done more than fling water missile?”

“Of course, I can make a shield, it’s the first thing they taught me.”

Tibs cupped his palm and summoned a little water in it. “How about just forming water?”

“That doesn’t require training, you should be able to do it since your element is water.”

“Oh thank the essence,” Jackal exclaimed, “I’m not the only one with poor observation. His eyes are brown, the normal kind.”

“I’m a water rogue,” Tibs said. “The eyes are because of my young age. Can you freeze your water?” he asked Walter.

“Yes, but you should be able to.”

“I did tell you I can’t do a lot yet.” Tibs motioned to the room. “I can’t cover this floor. Can you?”

The sorcerer looked at the room. “I can, but… Tibs, I’m going to be useless for the rest of the dungeon. There’s nothing stored in my amulet at this point, this is going to require all my reserve.”

“Only if you let go of it.”

Walter stared at Tibs. “What are you talking about.”

It was Tibs turn to stare. “The water is part of you until you let it go. You put your hand down, let it flow over the floor, freeze it. Once we’re done, you melt it and reabsorb it.”

“That isn’t— no one— How do you know that works?”

“I can barely get a palm-full of water and I’m exhausted anytime I let go of it, so reabsorbing it seemed like a natural thing to do. My guess is that you could coat yourself into an armor of ice and not feel drained because it’s still in contact with you.”

Walter nodded slowly. “Why didn’t my teacher tell me that?”

“My guess,” Zarkane said, “is that she has so much reserve she could fill this room from floor to ceiling and not notice. Under normal circumstances, you wouldn’t notice until you’d flung water as attacks for a good while. It’s rare you’re pushed to your limit like this.”

“Alright, but I have another problem. I’m on this side, my hand is going to be stuck in the ice while you get across. I’m still going to be on this side once I melt and reabsorb it.”

Tibs cursed. If they couldn’t all make it, that wasn’t the right solution.

“Do you have to freeze and thaw it all at once?” Claudia asked.

“I don’t know,” Walter answered. “Tibs?”

Why did the sorcerer expect him to know? “I can’t make enough water to try it. Test it on a small puddle.”

Walter knelt and placed a hand on the floor. A pool formed around and over it, then small chunks of ice formed in it, floating and moving in different directions.

“Not to be a stick in the mud,” Jackal said, “or would this be a stick in the water? In the Walter? But that looks like confirmation. Can we move on and continue with this run?”

Walter grinned as the water vanished. He looked at his hand. “Tibs, you’re amazing.”

“The streets breed creativity,” Jackal replied, sounding bored, “And our Tibs is as street as it gets.”

Walter placed his hand on the first stone and water spread from it until the entire floor was covered the thickness of his fingers. Then it crackled as it froze, cracking, and trapping Tibs in place.

So this needed work.

“Walter, buddy,” Jackal called. “For this plan to work, me and Tibs need to be able to move.”

“Sorry,” The sorcerer replied, eyes closed. “I’m trying to sense where you are so I can melt that and there’s a lot of ice to feel through.”

Tibs touched the ice and wondered if he could melt it against Walter’s will. He could sense it wasn’t his water, but it was still water. Could he freeze any water he touched, or did it have to be his water? He’d have to ask Alistair the next time he saw his teacher.

“Walter,” Jackal said, “why don’t you open your eyes, melt the spot before you and move it until it reaches me and Tibs?” The ice did just that, splitting as it passed Tibs, so part also reached Jackal.

“That’s better,” Jackal said, stepping out, while Tibs felt the ice change to water; felt Walter’s control of it. Could he take it over? Another thing he’d have to ask Alistair.

Jackal yelled as he slipped on the ice and landed on his back.

“Sorry,” Walter called as Jackal groaned in pain. “I can’t do anything about how slippery it is.”

“Be careful everyone,” Jackal said, “it is extremely slick.”

Following their team leader’s advice, Tibs remained on all four as he stepped onto the ice, then crawled to the wall.

“Tibs, the exit is this way,” Jackal called.

“We can’t let this opportunity pass us by,” he replied. He felt around the stone for traps, then found the latch and pulled, jerking back at a sound. He looked around, but the others were busy keeping their balance on the slippery ice. He shrugged. It might have been one of them under their breath.

With the cover stone removed, he did a second check for traps, only reaching in once that confirmed there weren’t any. He pulled a gray robe out. Focusing on it, words appeared.

Robe of Weak Protection, Average Quality.

He smiled at being able to understand them. It didn’t translate into reading, since he couldn’t match the words to when Alistair wrote what he said he saw, but it was still very nice. He placed the cover back and slid himself to the others. Jackal pulled him to his feet and off the ice.

“So, you’re the greedy one,” the fighter said.

“Typical Rogue,” Claudia added with a chuckle.

“I waited until it was safe,” Tibs said defensively. “And I think Walter deserves a reward.”

Walter looked at him and the robe as the last of the water pulled into his hand. “Tibs, come here.”

“Don’t you want the robe?”

“Yeah,” Jackal said, “because if you don’t want them, I do, I look great in gray.”

“Am I even allowed to take it, you found it.”

“I don’t think the dungeon cares who uses which of the loot we find.”

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“In that case, thank you.” He took the robe from Tibs once he was next to him. “But I still need to show you something.” He indicated a stone. “That’s a trigger.”

Tibs studied it. “How can you tell?”

“Place your hand on it and let your water flow over and under it, but don’t let go. You’ll understand.”

Tibs eyes widened as he felt the water flow around and into the mechanism of the trigger. He pulled the water back and, making sure he was out of the paths the holes in the wall marked, pressed it down. A click and a stone spear crossed the room at head height.

“Next group you’re with, you’ll be able to find them and get everyone across.”

“It won’t be as fast, but yeah, thanks. If they still put us in random groups, this is going to make it a lot easier.”

“We good?” Jackal called.

Walter pulled the robe on over the one provided by the guild. “No such thing as too much protection, right?”

“Not in this dungeon,” Tibs agreed.

The boulder room was easy. He, Claudia, and Jackal ran to the center column and waited for the rats to climb the boulders. Those Walter and Zarkane didn’t kill, Jackal smashed with a thick earth covered fist and Claudia cut with her flaming sword.

Feeling left out, Tibs tried to reach one, only for it to be crushed under Jackal’s fist.

“I was going to kill it,” Tibs said.

Jackal smiled. “You’ve already shown your worth to the team, I can handle some mindless bashing.”

“Do we divide the coins now?” Claudia asked.

“Who keeps the extra two?” Walter added.

Tibs turned, knife at the ready, thinking he’d heard something, but nothing moved, even when he looked around a boulder.

“We have twelve coppers, Tibs,” Jackal called. “All the rats are dead. How do you feel about it, split now or later?”

“I’m fine with later. Didn’t you hear something?”

They fell silent, and no sounds came.

“Not hearing anything,” Jackal said.

His imagination? He didn’t think he was tired, but the trap room had needed a lot of thinking. “I’m going to search the room, there’s something hidden in it.”

“How about we do that after we cleared the next room?” Claudia asked.

“I think it’s best if we have it before entering the next room,” he said, looking over the closest boulder.

“Have what?” she asked.

“The key to the door.”

“What door?”

He looked up from his search. The four of them were looking at him. “The one on the wall on the other side of the warren room. The hidden one. Didn’t any of the rogues you were with notice it?”

“If they did, they didn’t mention it to me,” Jackal answered, sounding annoyed.

Tibs missed the other’s comments as this time he was sure he’d heard something, but still didn’t see anything. Could It be a crack in the wall? It had sounded a bit like a hiss. He shuddered at the thought there was a rat in the room hissing at him.

“Tibs?” Jackal called. “We’re heading to the room.”

With a last look for whatever had made the sound, Tibs followed them. “Once we’ve cleared it, I’ll show you the door.” They paused at the entrance and Tibs shuddered at the line of rats.

“Okay, Walter and Zarkane, you shoot the bunnies first, once they’re dead you can go after anything else left alive.” He paused, “except us.”

“Please, no one die,” Tibs said.

“No worries there,” Jackal said with a grin, “I want us to keep all the coins.”

Tibs shook his head. “I lost a…a friend here on my last run. I want to stop losing the friends I make. It hurts too much.”

The silence that followed turned uncomfortable as they all looked at one another.

“Alright,” Jackal said in forced jovialness. “I’m with Tibs on this, no one die. But my reasons are entirely greedy. I want coins,” he added to reinforce his point. “Everyone ready?”

Tibs nodded and changed his grip on the knife to the underhanded one Bardik had shown him.

“Go,” Walter said.

Tibs ran for the rats, determined to make them pay for the friends they had taken from him. He ignored the forms at the edge of his vision that jumped around him. They were the ranged combatant’s job.

He slashed one, was bit in the shin by another, stabbed the next, almost lost his knife as one bit his hand, only coating the grip in water and ice kept it from falling out. He slashed another and looked around.

Coins littered the floor.

“We’re missing two,” Zarkane yelled, just as stone scraped against stone behind Tibs.

He turned as something hit him and sent him sliding to the floor. He hurried to stand. Where he’d been, Jackal was on his back, unmoving.

“Jack!” Tibs yelled. Not again. The dungeon couldn’t have—

“It’s Jackal,” the man wheezed, then groaned. He pushed himself into sitting and groaned again.

Tibs impacted him and they were back on the floor as he hugged the man as hard as he could.

“Ouch, ouch, ouch,” Jackal said with fervor.

“I thought you were dead.”

“I was sitting when you collided with me. I don’t think the dead can do that.”

“Sorry.” Tibs grinned as he stood.

Jackal offered him his hand. “Since this time it’s your fault I’m on my back, help me up. That rabbit busted my arm in spite of the earth protection I had. I can’t wait to graduate to something harder.”

Tibs pulled him to his feet.

“Collect the coins,” Jackal ordered. “Check the warrens, there’s silver in them. Tibs?”

“It’s over there.” This time he easily saw the camouflaged shape, but still had to feel around for the stone covering the keyhole.

“And this is what the key you mentioned is for. Do you know what’s on the other side?”

He shook his head. “I just noticed it on my last run; we left before even thinking of looking for the key.”

“Do you think anyone has opened it yet?”

“Wouldn’t they tell us the dungeon had a fourth room if someone had? They still say three.”

“Do you think the people who run this place know about the room and just aren’t telling us, or are they as ignorant of what the dungeon does as we are?”

Tibs shrugged, studying the keyhole. Something Bardik told him about his element made more sense now that he’d experienced that last trigger stone.

“So if we find that key, we’ll be the first ones to look into that room,” Jackal mused.

“I don’t think I need the key.” He closed his eye as he placed a finger against the hole and let his water flow into it. He felt it move around, felt the tumblers, how they needed to be positioned to unlock. It was hard to move the tumblers with only water, and once they were in position, he had to carefully turn the water to ice. Even with still being in contact with his water, he was panting from exhaustion by the time he carefully turned the ice key.

Jackal grabbed a stone at the edge and called for the others. Tibs staggered back, barely able to stand as the four of them slowly forced the door open and then stood looking in. Tibs joined them, leaning against Claudia to stay standing and ignoring the pounding in his head.

The room was dark and empty, except for a stone form in the center that became visible as the illumination slowly came up, like a curtain revealing what an audience had been eagerly waiting for.

Jackal cursed loudly.

The stone form was humanoid and massive, at least seven feet tall. As it settled its gray eyes on them, a long whip unfurled from its right hand; no, it didn’t have a hand. The arm ended in a whip, Tibs realized. Behind it was a chest, large enough that even if all it contained were copper coins, Tibs would be set for life.

“So,” Jackal said, “Just how greedy are we?”

“I’m not that greedy,” Tibs answered. Even set for life, he couldn’t leave this place until he was Epsilon.

“If we were all healed and with better armor,” Claudia said, “I’d consider it. As it is, we try it and we're asking to be killed.”

Jackal looked at them. “So we’re agreed?” He grabbed onto the door and they closed it. “Now, I know they won’t let us mention this outside the dungeon, but we need to decide together how we’re proceeding. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but they have a tendency to put surviving members together, only adding whoever’s needed to bring it up to five. That means we could attempt this together. We can still be the first to take that monster on, but that means we don’t mention it, or the door, if we’re filling in on another team.”

“I want to wait until we’re back together,” Claudia said. “I don’t care if someone else beats it before that, but this isn’t going to feel the same if I beat it with a bunch of strangers.

“I agree,” Walter said. “We made it here as a team, we should clear that room as one too, that we’re first or not.”

“Same,” Zarkane said.

Jackal turned to Tibs. “You basically found the room. You’re probably the first to have done so. I’ll understand if you want to kill that golem as soon as you can.”

Tibs looked at the fighter, the others. “You’re my team,” he said, feeling possessive of the them. “I want to fight that thing with my team.”

“Then we don’t tell whatever other teams we get put on about the door or the room. We don’t prevent them from getting in, if they know about it,” he added with some reluctance, “but we don’t volunteer information. Walter, what’s our take?”

“Twenty four rats and twelve rabbits, that’s forty-eight coppers. There were eight silvers in the warrens.”

That leaves three coppers and three silvers after an even split,” Zarkane said, amazing Tibs with how fast and high she could count.

“We can get the silvers converted in town,” Claudia said, “since the guild enforces the conversion, it’s forty-five coppers and we don’t have to worry about one of the merchants swindling us.”

“We can do that,” Jackal said, “Or, we can put two silver toward Walter’s amulet. Believe me when I say this, but we don’t want anyone in our team to be under someone else’s thumb.

“The coppers?” She asked.

“Tibs,” Walter said. “He came up with the ideas for the trap room. He unlocked the door. He more than earned them.”

“I’m good with that,” Jackal said, and the others nodded.

“That leaves one silver,” Claudia said, “and by now I know you well enough to know you have a plan for it.”

Jackal smiled. “I’m thinking that we use it to have actual food as a reward for a dungeon well fought.”

Tibs grinned. “Yes. I am so tired of the slop.”

Zarkane stared at him. “You had coins before, why didn’t you get a meal at the inn?”

He looked back at her, offended. “I don’t spend my coins on food, I’m not stupid.”

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