Chapter 53: Showtime


    The conversation continued with Liv and Samil specting about the strength of their respective monstrous ancestors. Leif tuned them both out, not on purpose, he was simply too distracted by the most recent revtion.


    <em>Level fifty. It was so close, there was no way his goal would be so easily within reach. Right? </em>He thought. Maybe he had suffered enough? Maybe this was the world’s way of apologising for his unfair treatment?


    The thought was somewhatforting. But a twinge in his soul told him that it couldn’t possibly be so easy. Something would go wrong, or there would be unexpectedplications. His mind kept spinning as the night crawled on.


    ===


    Marcus waddled over, more than a little tipsy. He startedining about how: “Arcane forms should just get along.” It seemed like nonsense and after a minute he was dragged away.


    When Leif finally was in the state of mind to talk he asked more about awakening, but nobody really knew much more than the name. Samil suggested asking an awakened monster about it which wasn’t actually a terrible idea. If he knew where to find one, which Leif currently did not.


    As the night went on the food ran out and the drinks quickly followed.


    Several people began to drift away, some expedition members returning to their tents and the nomads back to their camp. He noticed several people slip away in pairs but didn’t bother to investigate.


    It wasn’t his business. As long as they weren’t actively hurting each other or in danger he didn’t particrly care. The cracked face of Season hungrge in the sky as Leif returned to his animals. He paused, looking at a suspiciously shaped pile of hogs. His amber eyes narrowed as he beheld the seemingly self made pyramid.


    Leif looked around for the deer. He wasn’t sure why, but he found thepany of the two creatures who had been with him the longestforting.


    He couldn’t find them.


    <em>Uh oh. </em>


    Leif spent several minutes searching, only to discover a hoofed leg sticking out from under the pile of hogs. Leif let the slowly building tension leave his body and made his way to a mostly t stretch of hill.


    <em>Level fifty… </em>


    He was close, or closer than he had been before his advancement. At level thirty two he was still a ways off. But it wouldn''t be long, right?


    Hera was strong, and she seemed young, only being a few years older than the Academy students.


    <em>Maybe there’s a way to level up quickly. </em>He contemted. <em>Perhaps there’s a method or location that could grantrge quantities of experience? </em>


    He thought over his possibilities, the burning desire for growth building up with every passing minute. Then it struck him.


    <em>Dungeons. </em>


    It was what the expedition had been searching for. Leif considered his options, a part of him wanted to get up and march into the wilderness. To rip and tear until he was level fifty. But was rushing truly a smart idea?


    He tapped a golden set of fingers on the ground. Torn between a growing impatience and a desire for connection. He stood, then sat. Then he stood again and started to pace.


    <em>What can I do? What should I do? </em>He thought. <em>Linus and Adriana found a dungeon? But something happened and they had to leave? Is it essible? Is it even nearby? And aren’t most dungeons underground? </em>


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    A group of hogs, members of the self made stack shuffled awake as he marched around. They trotted over to him one by one until he had a little group trailing behind his every step. Leif stopped and sighed.


    He flopped down to the ground with his arms spread. Hogs piled on, nuzzling against him as they went back to sleep. Leif looked to the side as hey, peeking through a gap between two sleeping animals.


    He saw four skinny legs poking out of the now dismantled pile. Only four. <em>Oh gods, where is the other deer? </em>


    ===


    It was the hunter, prowling through the night, unseen, unnoticed, a shadow flitting-


    The deer tripped over a rope used to tie a tent in ce. A short metal peg popped free from the rocky ground and the whole construct began to tilt sideways.


    A predator, the most sneaky being to-


    A pot crashed down from the crate the deer had bumped. The creature froze, ears twitching to see if the noise had awoken any of the tall ones.


    Like a whisper in the dark, under to moon it slunk, nobody would sense-


    Its foot became trapped as it idently stepped into an empty mug. The animal iled about as its bnce became jeopardised. A minuteter it had regained its footing and continued forward. The deer approached the now cooling embers of the night’s fire.


    The smell of tasty things still hung in the air, the deer liked those. It sniffed around, overturning tes and searching sacks. It only nearly woke up the entire campsite three separate times. It found a tter of what had likely been used to prepare the evening’s meals.


    It began to lick greedily at the meat juices, then it recoiled at the spicy pepper taste. It trotted around the camp with its tongue lulling from its mouth. Eyes watering it searched for more ‘prey’. It was unsessful.


    At least in the area around the campfire.


    The deer, apex predator that it was, tried to break into the nearest tent. It failed because the p was tied shut. If it had hands the creature could have just reached under the loose gap and tugged on the dangling cord.


    But it was neither capable, nor smart enough even if it was. It tried the next tent and to it, and the universe’s surprise actually got in. The tent was empty, which was odd. Normally there should be a person sleeping within.


    Confusion was a general state of being for the deer so it mostly didn’t consider this oddity. It sniffed around, flinging loose clothing around and generally making a mess. No food though, <em>disappointing. </em>


    It tried the next tent, but it was sealed shut. The muffled soundsing from within were strange so the deer tried extra hard to get in. This attempt involved pushing its face into the tent p as hard as it could, leaving a deep impression in the fabric.


    Fortunately the tent’s upants seemed to be distracted by something and didn’t notice.


    It tried the next tent, nothing.


    Then the next. Also nothing.


    Somewhat peeved at its repeated failure to break and enter it moved to one of the outer tents. The p was open. Sess!


    Without thinking, though that probably didn’t need to be mentioned, the creature eagerly darted inside. It was dark, the outside was somewhat illuminated due to Season’s crimson and white glow but within the tent the animal couldn’t see anything.


    Or at least that <em>should </em>be the case. A dim glow emanated from the far side of the tent. And while the illumination wasn’t great it was just enough for the deer to make out a lying figure.


    But even if its sight was mostlypromised it could smell and hear something. Breath stained with far too much drink, and soft snoring. The deer crept inside, kicking over a sheathed sword and spilling a waterskin onto a pile of clothes. <em>Perfect entry. </em>


    The figure didn’t notice, despite its toes bing damp after the deer gave them an experimental lick.


    <em>Salty. </em>


    It sniffed the air, there was <em>something </em>further inside. The deer’s tummy rumbled in anticipation as it snuck further inside. It identally stepped on the sleeping man’s leg but he just groaned and rolled over.


    The scent of yummies became clearer. The deer sniffed again, sure enough they were near the human’s bald head. A sack, small and roughly pillow shaped, was being used as a headrest. Within were crunchy ration bars.


    Yummy ration bars.


    But the man’s face was directly where the sack’s opening was.


    The deer stared nkly into the dim light, its single digit brain cells working overtime.


    <em>Showtime. </em>