Wrath, page 23
“Well,” Pierre brushed back his hair and shook his head, clearing away whatever thoughts he he’d had moments before. “So, the system...it used to offer rewards to encourage dungeons to work together. Those stopped happening after Keldora’s dungeons were wiped out. From what I’ve heard from other wisps, that happened across multiple worlds. Perhaps the impact of so many dungeons being wiped out at once forced a mini update.”
Pierre nodded. “I go with my wording because it works whether it’s a natural phenomena or a natural one, but yes. And so Achievements like that one have been inaccessible.”
“Two possibilities occur to me. One is that it’s a function of your title. Perhaps the Achievements were locked behind the Silken Champion reward, to make sure only some dungeons could get them. The other is - whether by design or natural phenomena - the recent death of three dungeons - Lev, Oma, and your predecessor - has triggered an Event.”
Tira had been sending Pierre an image of her nodding, but stopped at the last word.
“Events are triggered by things like a Dark Lord rising, a threat from beyond the Woven World’s atmosphere, an ancient power breaking free of cores.” Pierre stuck his tongue in his cheek, considering the wording. “During an event, certain new rules are active. They’ll go inactive after the event.”
“Says the core who puts magma hearts into everything that isn’t nailed down and half the things that aren’t,” Pierre said with a cheeky little grin.
“I said, quite right,” Pierre motioned towards her core. “Mind pulling up the list of options again? I’d like to go through the newly unlocked ones.”
Tira did so, then just had to wait for the battles to wind down. Once the adventurers were done with her for the day, she gathered Glek and Zeke together.
Glek nodded, and Zeke bobbed his head. “We will hunt for secrets in Oma’s dungeon,” Zeke said. “And we will find a floating magic crystal.”
Another round of nods.
Tira made sure the non-sentient mob wouldn’t try to fly away. Zeke was able to kill it with a single strike. The mob heart shattered, releasing the items she’d stored. One of them was the net contraption. For Zeke, she’d created a piece of chest armor and an uncommon dagger, the hilt shaped to fit his hands. For Glek, she’d created a magic shortbow sized for his use with the piercing quality, so its arrows would penetrate armor more easily, and uncommon leather armor. The two helped each other equip their chest pieces.
Zeke looked unhappy with that solution, but Glek just seemed glad to have food with him this time.
Tira said, wracking her brain for anything she missed. She’d run the whole thing by Pierre earlier - the wisp was still sorting through the list of possible upgrades to find the best options - but his only suggestion had been giving them wine to take too. Tira had decided it would be best to not send the two servitors with alcohol.
“We’ll be fine,” Zeke assured her. “I am too mighty to be harmed.”
Then they were gone. She could, thanks to her upgrade, still feel them on the edges of her senses, growing slowly more distant, but she could only tell what direction they were in and where they were heading.
Tira said to Pierre. The wisp’s head shot up at her voice.
Pierre pursed his lips and nodded slowly. “Remember their hearts won’t shatter automatically. The moment you hit copper, if they’re not back, you can create something to go find them.”
“I think I have some options you’ll like. Because you’re so close to Tin Nine, I’ve added a few that provide their primary benefit with one more upgrade point.”
Pierre shook his head. “You can’t advance a tier without spending all upgrade points first. I’ve taken the liberty of writing down the parameters. If you just absorb this paper,” Pierre brandished the sheet in question, “you’ll be able to see the options.”
Tira did as instructed.
Improved Walls: Your dungeon walls become nigh indestructible. Only a being at least two Tiers above you can break them.
Living Walls: Your dungeon walls can create appendages appropriate to your theme. These appendages are human sized at Tin Tier, and increase in size with each Tier. Prerequisite: Improved Walls
Primal Fury: You can drive one mob into a frenzied state, greatly increasing its damage while lowering its defense. 10 mana. Prerequisite: Primeval Beast, Fiend, or Thunder Lizard theme.
Meteor Strike: You can conjure a ball of molten rock within your area of influence and launch it at a target of your choice. 10 mana. Prerequisite: Magma Aligned Mob Heart
Otherworldly Heart: You can create a mob heart that imbues another creature with fiendish or celestial characteristics, chosen when the mob is created. Prerequisite: Fiendish and Celestial mob provided by another dungeon.
Wild Mutation: Mutation chance for mobs battling in the Arena increase after every battle where a mutation does not occur. Mutation chance resets to base levels after a successful mutation.
“That heart is particularly interesting,” Pierre said. “It’s the one you unlocked for giving Glek a mob heart. There are others at higher tiers that build on it, I’m certain.”
Pierre nodded. “I think you’ll want to save such mobs for your second floor, to avoid shocking people too much, but given the theme of your slaughterhouse room…”
“Without question. Such increasing probabilities always work that way.”
“Wonderful,” Pierre said. “Feel better?”
Chapter 31
The next day was the start of a new week, so Tira had respawned the plants in her main room. With everything going on, she’d nearly forgotten about that part of her routine and the purpose it was supposed to serve.
Which meant it was almost a surprise when the first fight broke out.
Thanks to nameplates, Tira was able to see the name of everyone who was working in her dungeon. Isak was a Tin one Knight, Pael a Tin two of a class Tira had never seen before, a Centimane. He could conjure hands out of the air, and as soon as the plant respawns were announced, he’d rushed in. Those spectral digits, all four of them, were allowing him to grab what six men could.
Isak noticed. “Hey!” he growled. “Rules are we can only take what we can carry.”
“And I am,” Pael said. “It’s not my fault you can only carry so much.”
“It’s not right,” Isak said. “You know what the Guild meant.”
Pael shrugged, the spectral hands still doing their work. “They know what centimanes can do. They chose to set the rules the way they did. Not my fault.”
“What’s going on here?” a woman asked. Amma, a Tin one Archer.
Isak went first. “This greedy son of a-”
“No need for name calling,” Amma said calmly. “What’s going on?”
“He’s using centimane hands to grab six men’s worth of work.”
Pael gave Amma a helpless look. “I am just using the abilities granted to me.”
Amma shook her head. “C’mon. We’re all trying to get our fair share. No need to grab more.”
“Bite me,” Pael said, turning his physical hands back to work. “I’m not here for you all. I’m here to get what I can get.”
“Just because you chose a class that is subpar for everything but farming doesn’t mean you need to act like a ponce,” Amma said, her own temper flaring up.
“And you can take that attitude, turn it sideways, and shove it all the way up your-” Pael cut off when he heard a very distinctive creaking sound, and looked over his shoulder to see Amma had drawn her bow. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Pael asked, his voice jumping up an octave.
“Just using your own logic,” Amma said, holding the bow ready. “Just using the abilities granted to me.”
Isak drew his sword, a wicked grin curling his lips.
“Come on,” Pael said, his voice pleading. “You’re going to physically threaten me? I’ll have you before the Guild-”
“Shut up and leave with what you gathered already,” Amma said.
“I haven’t even gotten a full load!” Pierre held out his physical hands to show they were empty, his face contorting into a glower.
“What’s that you liked saying so much?” Isak’s grin widened. “Not my problem.”
Amma nodded.
“Help!” Pael shouted. “These two are robbing me!”
That got the attention of other laborers, who had been so focused on their work so far they hadn’t even noticed the brewing conflict. Immediately some started to rush Isak and Amma. Isak turned and raised his knight barrier. “He’s the thief!” Isak shouted.
Amma rolled her eyes and then took a quick moment to focus on Pael and released the bowstring. Pael screamed. “You’ll live,” Amma said.
“You shot my knee!” Pael howled at her. “How...argh. I need a healer!”
“In the next five minutes,” someone muttered. “No way that heals properly without immediate magic.”
“I can’t afford that!” Pael shrieked.
“Guess your adventuring days are over, then,” Amma said, pulling another bow out of her quiver. “Get out.”
“I can’t walk, you absolute lunatic!”
Amma drew the bow again. “Not. My. Problem.”
Pael gestured, and his four ghostly hands converged on Amma. As if that was a signal, the fight began in earnest. Three sides emerged. Those who thought Pael was being wronged were the largest group. A few who apparently knew either Amma or Isak formed the second group. The remaining group was trying to grab people to get the fighting to stop. It was absolute bedlam, and Tira wished for a mouth so she could sit back and sip tea, or a glass of Pierre’s wine.
Then Amma put an arrow though Pael’s skull, right as one of Pael’s spectral hands sunk a dagger into Amma’s throat. It was so simultaneous that Tira wasn’t even certain if Amma had been going for a lethal shot, or if the strike from the dagger had made her jerk upwards. At the same time, she’d been walking forward, and Pael might have been aiming for shoulder and misjudged slightly.
Finally, the commotion attracted the attention of the groups outside that were getting ready. Fosor’s group and a group of all Bronze members rushed in. Sara and Fosor used barrier spells to pull the combatants apart, the Bronze group’s Saint and Mage started to throw more powerful binding and sleep spells on those that Sara and Fosor were struggling to force apart, and the other three members of both group moved in to restrain anyone the casters had taken out of the fight. A third person died in the following chaos, charging at Sara with an axe raised and howling fury. Isak, thinking the charge was aimed at him, shoved his sword through the man’s gut without hesitation.
Moments later, it was over. Three dead, dozens wounded, and the two groups looking at what had happened in shock horror.
“Fosor, right?” The tank of the Bronze group, a Warrior named Raem, asked. Fosor shook his head clear and nodded in agreement. “Your people okay?”
Fosor nodded curtly. “Yours?”
Raem returned the gesture. “We had first run today. Mind if we swap for your noon spot? I want to take these people so the Guild can deal with them.”
“He was stealing!” Izak said.
Without turning his gaze away from Fosor, Raem backhanded the man with a gauntleted hand. A tooth went flying to land on Tira’s floor.
“I’m fine with the swap,” Fosor said. “But we can take them back.”
Raem shook his head. “We’re just doing a quick run before this place gets a second floor. We don’t need anything a Tin dungeon can offer. Appreciate it though.”
Fosor nodded. “Then...thank you.”
“No problem,” Raem said, scooping up Izak by his shirt. Now, the Bronze warrior finally looked at the man. “You say one more word - just a single one - and I’ll throw you into the next room so the Dungeon can decide your fate. Understood?”
Isak nodded with wild eyes.
“Good boy.” Raem motioned for his group. “Let’s get these idiots out of here.”
“The outcome of the fight, or the fact that a Bronze group will be coming through before you even hit copper?”
Pierre looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “Is that why you are disappointed?”
Tira did her version of a sigh.
“I’m just wondering if you’re more disappointed that you were right about how they were react,” Pierre said, giving her a sad smile.
“All right, let’s go ahead and go in,” he said, pointing to the next room. “We should get started.”
Sara’s eyes widened. “I think I need a bit of fresh air first? We just saw...I mean…” she trailed off. No one else but Tira seemed to notice what her hand did - it pressed against her coin purse.
“We’ll loose our run for the day,” Fosor said. “Which is fine if you need it.”
“No! I mean…” Sara shook her head. “I have my coin purse on me. After what happened, I don’t want to lose it.”
Korah laughed and slapped her on the back. “Give it to Lavez to put under his armor. It’ll be safe.”
“Right,” Sara said, pulling it out and passing it to Lavoz. “Keep it safe,” she said, leaning in to give him a quick peck. The motion wasn’t just affectionate, however, and she whispered in his ear. Tira pulled her focus in so she could hear what Sara said. “The thing I told you about? It’s in there.”
Lavoz’s eyes widened and he nodded. “I’ll protect it with my life.”
“It’s some coins,” Fosor grumbled. “Honestly, she’s a bad influence on you, Lavoz. Let’s not get greedy.”
Lavoz faked a smile. “Just having a laugh, man.”
“You better be,” Moa said, her eyes narrowing at the room ahead. “I’m the rogue. Being a miser is my job.” That joke helped diffuse some of the tension in the group, and they prepared to advance.
“Yes,” Pierre said, his eyes glistening with excitement. “Oh, I must admit, I am quite eager to learn what secrets that holds. I’ll get a good look at it.”
