ã€ŠDungeon Runnerã€‹


 Book 1: Bottom Rung, an introduction

    After being orphaned far too young, Tibs grew up on the harsh streets of his city, stealing for his survival. As harsh as they were, they didn¡¯t prepare him for what happened when he was caught for picking a pocket.

    His stay in the cell was short. Where he was sent instead was something he could never have imagined. To a newly discovered dungeon, to run it over and over until he died or became strong enough to be of use.

    The life of a Dungeon Runner is harsher than his street; the connection to the others like him easy to make, and easier to lose. Running away isn¡¯t a viable option, but if there is one thing his Street had taught Tibs, it¡¯s to get up after he¡¯s been kicked down.

    So Tibs is going to fight on because there is something he needs to do, and for that, he¡¯s got to find ways, approved or not, of surviving; and maybe of gaining the upper hand on those who think they can hold him down.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Tibs might have been a street thief, but he a Dungeon Rogue now. And if there¡¯s one thing that¡¯s made clear, it¡¯s that rogues don¡¯t play by the rules.

    Bottom Rung is the first book in the Dungeon Runner Series, and came about after reading one too many dungeon core books where the hero character is a happy go lucky person who basically had it easy because they stumbled upon a dungeon.

    I don''t believe that if dungeons did exist within a world, this would be allowed to happen. Controlling them simply give the owner too much power, so I set about demonstrating what such a world looks like. I also decided to tell the story only from the hero''s PoV because I feel showing the Dungeon''s would reveal too much of the mysteries behind such world.

    The plan, if I can pull it off, is for 10 books. 3 arcs of 3 books, then the conclusion.

    I enjoyed writing it, I hope you enjoy reading it.

    Edit:March 2024

    The book is now on Kindle unlimited, so I had to remove most of it from Royal Road to comply with their rules. you can read it here: https://amzn.to/3WEwrYJ</a> or, if you want a different way to support me, you can also find the story, and the other books on my support site: https://reamstories.com/fantsylvain</a>. I will also post the chapters in advance of Royal Road there for future books.

 Bottom Rung, Chapter 01

    ¡°You¡¯re all here,¡± the deep voice boomed from the front, louder than a voice had any right to be, ¡°because you¡¯re the dregs of society. You¡¯re nothing more than ruffians who steal and kill!¡±

    Tibs couldn¡¯t see the man. He could barely catch glimpses of shiny armor and the top of a helmet. He¡¯d always considered his short stature an advantage, small people had an easier time sneaking into and out of places, but now it meant all he saw was the back of people.

    He¡¯d tried to get closer, but they pushed him back. Even looking pitiful, a trick he sometimes borrowed from the beggars and street urchins, didn¡¯t help. He was snarled at and pushed back. The people around him looked nastier than the group he¡¯d arrived with.

    They¡¯d been taken from the cell and dragged through parts of the city Tibs had never ventured into, and onto a stone platform with gray columns at each corner ,carved with symbols. He¡¯d feared this was where he¡¯d get punished, but once the last of them stood on it, the surrounding buildings had been replaced with a grassy field, trees in the distance on one side, a mountain on the other, and tents being put up.

    Before he could take in more, he, and the group he was in, was dragged off the stone platform and they walked for a long while until they reached more people. A lot more people. Tibs had seen a wooden platform with the mountain as a backdrop. Then he¡¯d been among the crowd, all taller than he was, and he couldn¡¯t see much anymore.

    ¡°But,¡± the man¡¯s loud voice pulled Tibs back to the present. ¡°Instead of heading for your usual punishment, be it having your tongue cut out for practicing sorcery without accreditation, a lashing for fighting, hanging for killing, or losing a hand for stealing, you are the lucky ones.¡±

    The man next to him snorted. ¡°Right, lucky.¡± The man noticed Tibs looking at him and smirked. ¡°You here for pissing off a noble too, kid?¡± he was dressed better than Tibs, everyone was, but also better dressed than most others; but the fresh scar going from temple to jaw gave him a nasty look.

    Tibs looked away and rubbed his wrist to keep the impulse to rifle through the man¡¯s pocket in check. The butcher block was where Tibs had been headed; get a hand cut off, so whatever this was, he considered himself lucky. Not that it had been fair he should be thrown into a cell just for surviving. After Mama¡¯s death, he¡¯d had no one but himself to depend on.

    ¡°This once in a lifetime opportunity comes to you courtesy of this brand new dungeon.¡± The man on the platform moved. Tibs made out an arm going up indicating the mountain, but whatever he was expected to see there, was hidden from his view by the people before him.

    ¡°All of you will go through the dungeon.¡± The man¡¯s voice was so loud Tibs wondered if magic carried it. He¡¯d heard about magic, even if he¡¯d never seen anyone practice it. ¡°You¡¯ll be put in a team with four other people and sent to conquer the dungeon. Some of you will die.¡± The man stated. ¡°No, a lot of you will die.¡± He raised his voice over the complaint of the crowd. ¡°And I don¡¯t care! This will be faster and cleaner than what you were headed for, and your death will serve society, instead of your life being a burden on it. And who knows,¡± he continued, his tone becoming mocking. ¡°Maybe those of you who survive will manage to become productive members of our society.¡±

    The man next to Tibs snorted again. Was he a man? Tibs glanced at him. He was certainly older than Tibs, but then everyone here had to be. He was taller, but other than the scar and the clothing, his skin looked smooth and he looked around worriedly unless someone looked directly at him. Tibs looked around, paying closer attention to the people. Most wore rags, those close to Tibs¡¯s age being street urchins, while those older looked mostly like beggars. He saw one person reach in a pocket and out, a disappointed look on her face. No one had anything in their pockets, Tibs suspected. Like the man¡ªboy?¡ªnext to him, a few were dressed better. Maybe they¡¯d been more successful criminals, or, Tibs thought this one more likely, they hadn¡¯t been Street.

    ¡°I expect you noticed the tents being erected,¡± the man said. ¡°That¡¯s going to be the dungeon town. It¡¯s going to be where you¡¯ll stay while waiting for your turn in the dungeon.¡± He paused, and Tibs looked back, but his view in that direction was also blocked. The crowd seemed even deeper. How many people were here? Had they emptied his street completely? He¡¯d known two in his cell, a thug who worked as an enforcer for the thieves¡¯ guild, and a beggar who¡¯d pointed Tibs to a heavy pocket a time or two. But they¡¯d disappeared in the crowd as soon as they arrived.

    ¡°To those of you brave enough, or stupid enough, to think you can manage it, I encourage you to try to escape this duty. I am certain the adventurers who have been tasked with preventing you from doing so will be more than happy to introduce themselves to you in your attempt, maybe they¡¯ll even tell you what they did to end up with this job, before ending you.¡±

    Tibs looked at the handful of better-dressed people he saw. Was that who they were? Like magic, Tibs had heard of adventurers. Stories of them going around the realm, killing monsters, stopping wars. He¡¯d never thought about them beyond that. Somehow those among the crowd didn¡¯t have the heroic stance stories gave adventurers.

    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    ¡°If by now you don¡¯t understand that I don¡¯t care if you live or die, it¡¯s because you aren¡¯t listening. And because I want to make sure there¡¯s no confusion, I¡¯m going to state it clearly. You don¡¯t deserve to live!¡± the crowd erupted in protests. Tibs joined them. He¡¯d spent his life surviving, gathering slivers of copper to buy the protection of his sleeping hole, stealing a moldy loaf to quiet his stomach. Wasn¡¯t the realm there to ensure everyone lived? Even if it didn¡¯t seem to do anything for those living on the street.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡± the man¡¯s voice boomed so loud the crowd stepped back and Tibs almost lost his footing. ¡°If you want to live, you have to earn that right! And you do that by surviving this dungeon!¡± The crowd¡¯s protests quieted to displeased grumbling.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you lazy lot think all you¡¯re going to have to do is lie around while you wait for your turn. I¡¯m sure that¡¯s how you¡¯ve lived your life until now,¡± the man said, the sneer carried in his tone, ¡°but that is over. From this point on, you start earning your right to live.¡± A pause, but this time the crowd didn¡¯t react to the statement.

    ¡°Most of you are classless. That¡¯s also over. The guild has no use for anyone without a class. For those here because they were arrested, that crime more than likely dictates your class, since you¡¯ve already shown a predilection for it. The rest of you will be tested and classified according to the results.¡± The crowd grew agitated again. ¡°Quiet down! Those won¡¯t kill you, and if you aren¡¯t good for anything else, we¡¯ll make you a fighter. Anyone can be one of those. When you aren¡¯t busy training, you¡¯ll be helping build the town. Unless you want to sleep under the stars, you are done getting things for free!¡±

    Tibs snorted. Free. Like living on the street was free. Maybe it wasn¡¯t the work city folks did, but staying alive took a lot of work.

    ¡°What are you still doing here?¡± the man yelled. ¡°Go to town and see the trainers!¡±

    The crowd shifted, then as one it turned.

    Tibs hunched in on himself, knowing a crowd wasn¡¯t kind to anyone smaller than it was. He remained standing, watching pockets pass as people jostled him and each other. So many pockets his fingers itched to dip into some of them. This was normally a perfect opportunity, with everyone distracted by pushing others out of their way. He noticed one with a bulge. It was on a clean, undamaged pair of leather pants. Someone had something!

    He moved closer as a yell came from elsewhere in the crowd. ¡°Thief!¡± a woman yelled. The crowd parted around her and Tibs saw the beggar she punched fall. ¡°Keep your filthy hands to yourself!¡± She wore robes that had the look of wealth, even if they were dirty. She kicked the beggar as a man in clean armor, leather, Tibs thought, pushed his way through the crowd, and stopped her from administering another one.

    ¡°No fighting!¡± he ordered her.

    ¡°That filthy beggar touched me!¡± she yelled. ¡°Tried to steal from me!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with him,¡± the man said with a nasty smile and grabbed her arm. ¡°But unless you want me to deal with you too, you¡¯re going to do what I tell you.¡±

    ¡°Let go of me, you peasant,¡± the woman ordered. ¡°Do you have any idea who I am?¡±

    The man turned his nasty smile on her. ¡°You¡¯re a criminal. No better than that beggar.¡± He looked over her crimson robe as her angry expression broke under the statement. ¡°Stole forbidden books, I¡¯m guessing. Thought your money and status would protect you?¡± He pushed her away none too gently. ¡°In this place, it means nothing.¡±

    She slapped him, the action surprising her almost as much as him; emboldened; she tried again. This time he caught her hand, a blue aura surrounding it. Tibs thought the man¡¯s blue eyes glowed as the aura spread over her hand and arm, frost forming. Her expression turned to pain.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to let this one pass,¡± the man said, ¡°out of respect for the status you used to have. But don¡¯t think it¡¯s because I¡¯m nice. I got sentenced into guarding the lot of you, and I have the right to kill anyone of you who causes trouble. Is that clear?¡±

    She nodded and he pushed her away, the ice over her arm shattering and melting as it fell off.

    ¡°That goes for everyone,¡± he yelled at the people who¡¯d watched the exchange. ¡°Give me a reason and I¡¯ll be happy to do the dungeon¡¯s job for it. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll like your body already dead just as much as if it kills you itself.¡± His gaze left the crowd to settle on the beggar who¡¯d managed to crawl a few feet away.

    ¡°Oh good, you¡¯re running.¡± The man¡¯s smile made Tibs swallow in fear and hope to never have it turn his way. With a foot, the man pushed the beggar on his back and held him in place by placing it on his stomach.

    ¡°Please, don¡¯t hurt me,¡± the beggar pleaded, raising his hand to protect himself. ¡°I wasn¡¯t stealing, I just wanted to touch the robe, it¡¯s so beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Sure you weren¡¯t,¡± the adventurer sneered, grabbing one of the beggar¡¯s hands. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going to kill you.¡± The blue aura returned, and Tibs looked at the eyes. They didn¡¯t glow, they were simply such a vivid blue he¡¯d thought they had. The aura that encompassed the adventurer and beggar¡¯s hand grew brighter.

    The beggar whimpered in fear. Tibs had to look away as the intensity grew too much. There was a snap and a scream from the beggar. Tibs forced himself to look. The adventurer held the beggar¡¯s hand in his; it was the blue of ice on a sunny day, vivid and brittle and no longer attached to the beggar¡¯s wrist.

    The beggar cradled the jagged stump to himself, the end the same blue as the hand, although there, red was replacing the blue. It was melting, Tibs realized, and his stomach protested.

    Before it could empty itself, the man¡¯s blue eyes fell on Tibs, a cold and cruel blue that made him forget about the discomfort. As much as he hadn¡¯t wanted the man¡¯s nasty smile leveled on him, Tibs decided his cold and uncaring gaze was worse. This man didn¡¯t care. Not for the beggar¡¯s pain, not for why Tibs had needed to pick pockets, he just enjoyed causing pain. Without realizing it, Tibs had his hands behind his back, out of reach of this man filled with ice.

    ¡°Yes, little would-be thief, you¡¯d do better to keep your hands to yourself, unless you want to suffer this man¡¯s fate.¡± He looked at the hand he held, looked around, and everyone scattered to avoid receiving that gaze. He watched the adventurer squeeze until the hand shattered; Then Tibs too was running away.

 Bottom Rung, Chapter 02

    Tibs ran out of breath. Slowing to a walk, following the path of now trampled grass, he could take a better look at the tents. They were large, hastily put up, and far from the stone platform where he¡¯d arrived.

    A series of signs caught his attention, a sword, a bow, a hand with sparks around it, and a hand reaching into a pouch. Each had an arrow indicating further along the trampled path that wound between the platform and the tents. He peered into one tent in passing, rows and rows of cots; in another, the first thing he caught was the scent of food, then noticed the tables and the cooks at the back. His stomach growled, but he didn¡¯t enter. He didn¡¯t want to risk another of the adventurer guarding them finding him where he had no business being.

    He passed tents with displays setup and slowed, looking at what they showed. Armor, weapons, ropes, bandages. Adventuring equipment, Tibs realized. He looked around for anyone watching him. It wasn¡¯t like anyone would miss any of it, was it?

    ¡°You!¡± a woman in armor called to him. Their eyes met. ¡°What are you doing?¡± She wore armor like the ice adventurer, with a sword at her belt. Her eyes were a deep green, and she didn¡¯t look happy.

    Tibs forgot about the bandages as she took a step in his direction and he ran. He only stopped on the other side of the tents encampment, with more symbols drawn on planks and hurriedly looked around for the guard. He¡¯d expected her to be right behind him, but he only saw more of the people like him going to the left and right of the signs.

    They were the same sword, bow, hand with sparkles, and hand with fingers into a pouch. This time the arrows for the sword and bow pointed to his left, while the one with the sparks and pouch pointed to his right.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t know where to go,¡± the woman said, and Tibs nearly ran away in fright as her hand landed on his shoulder. ¡°Go with the fighters.¡± Her green eyes looked him over. ¡°How old are you?¡±

    Tibs shrugged, trying to pull away.

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re with this bunch and you aren¡¯t one of the worker¡¯s kid?¡±

    Tibs pulled harder, but she didn¡¯t even seem to notice his effort. She let go, and he staggered. He glared at her and she chuckled.

    ¡°Fighters are that way.¡± She indicated to the left.

    ¡°I¡¯m going that way.¡± He pointed to the right.

    ¡°Suit yourself. Watch where you put those fingers, kid. It would be a shame for you to lose them so early in your life.¡± She turned and walked away.

    He walked by a man in red and gold robes who eyed him suspiciously, standing next to the sign with the hand and sparkles. A woman only a little older than Tibs, he thought, stepped to him and he had her hold a crystal, before nodding and directing her to the groups beyond. The man leveled his suspicious gaze back on Tibs as he tried to figure out what they were doing, and when sparks appeared on the tip of the man¡¯s fingers, Tibs moved on.

    The man standing next to the sign with the hand and the pouch was a few years older than Tibs, and a thief, he had no doubt of it. The way those stone gray eyes looked at anyone walking by, the too-casual way his hands were folded together. He was successful, by the quality of his clothing, but Tibs was sure he¡¯d still pick his pockets if there was anything in them.

    ¡°Move on, kid, go back to your parents,¡± he said, sounding bored.

    ¡°I¡¯m one of them,¡± Tibs replied defiantly, indicating the people beyond that man. Where did he get off calling him a kid? Couldn¡¯t he tell he was a thief too? Maybe he should dip his fingers in those pockets and keep whatever he pulled out to show him.

    ¡°Really?¡± the man said with a snort. ¡°Go ahead, pick my pocket.¡±

    He watched the man¡¯s face and only saw mocking disbelief. Tibs looked around for guards, and considered how he¡¯d do it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about them.¡±

    Tibs looked the man over. ¡°No.¡± He tried to pass him again.

    The man stepped before him. ¡°You¡¯re not going in unless you do it.¡±

    ¡°Get out of my way,¡± Tibs demanded.

    ¡°Not happening unless you pick my pocket.¡±

    Tibs shoved the man, who barely took a step back. ¡°I can¡¯t do that when you know I¡¯m going to do it!¡± He shoved him again, harder, his fingers slipping into the jacket¡¯s pocket in the process. The man staggered out of the way and Tibs stepped past him, something hard and angled in his hand. Not a coin.

    The hand on his shoulder stopped him before he reached the group; some of the men and women at the back turned to watch the exchange. The man turned Tibs and he prepared himself for the blow.

    When it didn¡¯t come he opened an eye. The man¡¯s gray eyes were leveled on him, amusement in them. ¡°That was actually pretty good, considering how young you are. The shoving was a clever distraction under the circumstance. Now open your hand and show me what you took.¡±

    Tibs considered proclaiming innocence. He could always flick whatever he held away before bringing his hand forward, but the man¡¯s eyes weren¡¯t focused on Tibs face, they flicked around, his face, his hand, to the left and right of them. Tibs figured the man missed nothing.

    He opened his hand. He held a crystal; like the one the man in the robe had handed to the woman. It was clear with a few cracks in it. Not particularly valuable, Tibs thought.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    The man took it from him. ¡°Go on and join them.¡±

    Tibs made his way to the front. This time he wanted to see whoever did the talking. Around him, he made out thieves and beggars, as well as a few older ones Tibs was sure had been enforcers before they were caught. They should be with the fighters, not here.

    ¡°What d¡¯you get caught on?¡± someone asked in a whisper.

    ¡°Breaking in a house,¡± was the whispered answer.

    ¡°Stealing bread,¡± whispered another.

    ¡°Fingers in a pocket,¡± another.

    ¡°Me too.¡±

    ¡°Coming out of a house with rotten pears in my hands.¡±

    Tibs felt eyes on him and glanced to see a woman in rags looking at him expectantly. She wanted him to add to the conversation.

    ¡°Pockets,¡± he answered, not bothering to whisper, and those around him nodded knowingly.

    Picking pockets was the simplest way to survive the street if you were talented enough. And the fact they had both hands showed they all had been, even if, like him, they hadn¡¯t been good enough not to be caught this one time.

    A tall and regal woman stepped before them. She wore some sort of cloth armor, heavy-looking shirt and pants, in pale green. Her hair was long and so black that it seemed to form a hole around her head and shoulders. Her eyes were strange, the color in them seemed to shift as she moved. She looked them over and people took a step back under the gaze, which seemed to amuse her.

    ¡°My name is Tirania,¡± she said in a soft, but strong voice. Tibs shuddered as the image of her suffocating him with a pillow came, that soft voice soothing him as she killed him. ¡°You don¡¯t know me, but I¡¯m the only person in this entire¡­¡± Tibs thought she was looking for the right word, but instead she lost a fight for control as her face became a mask of disgust. ¡°Town, you need to concern yourself with. I am the final authority regarding what happens to those of you who will survive the coming trials. I am the one you need to impress if you want to proceed further.¡±

    She walked to one side of the large group, then the other, looking them over, frowning and nodding. She paused slightly as she looked Tibs over, who was a good head and a half smaller than anyone around him, before continuing.

    ¡°You called yourselves light-fingers, pick-pockets, lock-breakers, roof-artists, thieves,¡± she said with disgust, ¡°and many other fancy names that made you feel better about being the waste of space you had been.¡± She stopped and fixed her gaze on a woman in the process of opening her mouth. ¡°If you¡¯d been worthy of a better title,¡± Tirania said, ¡°you wouldn¡¯t be here; you wouldn¡¯t have been caught.¡±

    She returned to the center of their clearing, placed her hands behind her back, and looked them over. ¡°You are among the fortunate who get a chance to speed through the hardship most of our kind need to go through to earn the noble title of Rogue.¡± She paused, seemed to expect something, then continued. ¡°Others will do their best to convince you the Rogue is the least important member of any group. That all you¡¯re interested in is getting a larger proportion of the rewards. That greed is all that drives you. Don¡¯t listen to them.¡± She waved dismissively. ¡°Without you, no group can survive a dungeon, not even the simplest, because it is you who will be able to tell if an empty room is filled with traps. If the attacking monsters are there to push you into a tricked corridor. And yes, if there is a hidden cubbyhole where more treasure hides. If your party doesn¡¯t give you the respect you deserve, feel free not to tell them about that treasure. They won¡¯t miss what they don¡¯t know is there.¡±

    Tibs chuckled with the others. He didn¡¯t think of himself as a bad person. He picked pockets and broke into houses to survive and for a place to sleep, not to hurt anyone, but he had no problem returning mistreatment of one form with another.

    ¡°On any day you are not going into the dungeon, you will be spending the mornings with a trainer. They will evaluate your skills, then teach you what you need to know to round them up and increase your chances of survival.¡±

    ¡°How often are we going in the dungeon?¡± someone asked, sounding nervous.

    ¡°That will depend,¡± she answered, not looking at that person. ¡°The dungeon is new, so for the first few days, we¡¯ll send one team per hour. As it grows, clearing it will take longer. Then there¡¯s the number of people here. Teams will be five people strong, and as potential Rogues, one of you will be called on to be on each of those teams, you will be rotated, but as more and more people don¡¯t exit; those of you still alive will be called on more often. Based on previous dungeons, half of everyone here will be dead within a month. We will not bring anyone new until after the dungeon graduates, so take full advantage of this opportunity.¡±

    ¡°Is it true a new dungeon can make someone rich?¡± someone asked.

    ¡°How many coppers do you need before you consider yourself rich?¡± she replied.

    Tibs tried to find who asked the question, but while he couldn¡¯t, he saw others considering what she asked.

    ¡°The answer is,¡± she continued, ¡°that if you think coppers are enough for you to be happy with, you aren¡¯t right for this class. If copper¡¯s enough, go join the fighters right now.¡± She waited. Tibs heard shifting, but he didn¡¯t think anyone left. ¡°The pickings are always horrible the first few days, so hope you¡¯re in a later team. Dungeons need some experience to grow enough to provide anything worth mentioning, but even the first team should be able to find a few coppers. But don¡¯t get attached; coins go to the guild.

    Outrage exploded among the crowd and Tibs shared it. They were going to do the work, they deserved the coins, but her expression kept him quiet. She was amused. ¡°Do you prefer being back in your cell, waiting to lose a hand? This isn¡¯t employment,¡± she said harshly. ¡°It¡¯s an alternative to you dying on the street.¡±

    ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to give what I find?¡± a voice asked, sounding far. The distance provided an illusion of safety, Tibs figured. ¡°What are you going to do about it?¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± She shrugged. ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s the adventurers who will be searching you when you exit you need to worry about. Feel free to try to hide a coin from them if you want, it¡¯s good to weed out the idiots early on, and they¡¯ll be happy for a reason to work out their anger on you.¡±

    She waited. ¡°Good. Now, I¡¯m not here to indulge you, so don¡¯t bother asking more questions. I¡¯m here to tell you what will happen, nothing else. You know about the dungeon and your mornings. During the afternoons you will assist with the building of the town. If you cause problems, I will not hear about them. The guards will deal with you directly and permanently. Your continued survival depends on more than walking out of the dungeon. This is your town now. You will only survive if it does. So don¡¯t get in the way of that.¡± She turned and walked away.

    Tibs waited until the crowd thinned enough before moving and aimed to leave. ¡°Kid,¡± the man by the sign called to him and indicated a group to the left. ¡°You¡¯re going there.¡±

    Tibs joined the group with an older man in worn leather looking at them in disappointment. He led them away from the others, then distributed locks and other contraptions, demanding they open them or take them apart. Tibs spent the rest of the day working on locks and traps. All under the annoyed attention of the older thief.

    When they were finally released, the sun was low over the distant tree line. Tibs wanted to head to the lake he could just make out, but his instructor stopped him. They weren¡¯t allowed outside the town, so he turned and headed to the mess hall, where the food was no better than Tibs expected.

    Then he carried himself to one of the large tents with cots and fell asleep as soon as he laid down.

    * * * * *

    A commotion woke him in the night. Screams, fighting, then quiet again. In the following silence, as Tibs tried to fall back asleep, he overheard a whispered conversation. A group had tried to run, had been caught and killed.

    He fell asleep considering the implication of there already being fewer people.

 Bottom Rung, Chapter 03

    ¡°You,¡± a voice called as Tibs exited the large tent that was the barracks. He and those around him froze. Tibs controlled his urge to run. On the streets, you didn¡¯t wait for the guards when they called, not if you wanted to keep your hand. As he turned to face the adventurer who¡¯d spoken, some fled. The man was a fighter. Big, in chain mail, with a sword at his side and a shield over his back. His eyes were a gray matching his sword and his gaze was piercing.

    Tibs couldn¡¯t move as it fixed on him and he heard more people run off. The adventurer glanced away and Tibs thought he¡¯d have his chance, but the eyes were on him again.

    ¡°Looks like there¡¯s one smart guy in this town.¡± The man smirked. ¡°You¡¯re going in the dungeon today. Be at the gathering point two hours before zenith.¡±

    ¡°My training,¡± Tibs asked, before realizing there was a more important question. ¡°Where is that?¡±

    ¡°The dungeon is more important, just tell whoever¡¯s training you that¡¯s where you¡¯re going.¡± He studied Tibs. ¡°Are you even one of the crooks they brought here? If you¡¯re just pretending, I¡¯m warning you, you don¡¯t want to go in the dungeon.¡±

    Tibs nodded. In the three days he¡¯d been here, that was the most common reaction. When he joined the work-groups after the training, he was dismissed and told to go back to his parents. Now, this adventurer also thought he might be some merchant or worker¡¯s son. Too late, he realized it would have gotten him out of going to the dungeon.

    The adventurer clasped his hand on his shoulder and pointed toward the mountain. ¡°Just go where you were assembled when you arrived.¡±

    ¡°The clearing?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. You¡¯ll see the others. You aren¡¯t with the first group.¡± The fighter released him and walked away.

    Tibs hesitated, then hurried to the mess hall for a bowl of the slop they called breakfast; the same substance they¡¯d called dinner the previous night, or lunch before that. Done, he joined his training group and informed the old thief he¡¯d need to leave for the dungeon partway through the training. He received a disinterested shrug from him. The others gave him surprised and worried looks.

    Before anyone could ask him questions, they were set to studying traps.

    * * * * *

    People were assembled closer to the mountain, at the bottom of a slope leading to the rocky facade where three people were exiting a crack in the rock. It seemed narrow as they had to help the last one through, then they were supporting him or her, walking down, as a group of five were motioned to head up to the crack.

    ¡°You,¡± someone called as Tibs headed for the groups at the bottom of the slope. Again he froze at the authority in the voice and looked in its direction. ¡°Come here.¡± The man stood behind a table with shirts, swords, bows, and knives on it. He wore a worn but bright red robe.

    Tibs cast a glance at the assembled people and noticed they wore shirts the same dirty gray as those on the table.

    The adventurer looked him over, frowning. ¡°What are you?¡± His eyes were the same strange shifting colors as the woman who¡¯d addressed all the thieves that first day.

    Tibs struggled to figure out what he meant.

    ¡°Your class dimwit.¡±

    ¡°Thief?¡± Tibs had meant to make it a statement.

    ¡°You sure? If you¡¯re some merchant kid who thinks he¡¯s going to have fun in there, you¡¯re wrong.¡±

    ¡°I am a thief,¡± he stated.

    The man didn¡¯t look convinced, but he shrugged and threw a shirt at him. ¡°Put that over what you¡¯re wearing.

    The weight as it impacted Tibs almost made him lose his balance. The fabric was thick and without any holes in it. It was too big for him, going down almost to his knees, but despite not being as thin or supple as what he normally wore, he managed to fold the sleeves until his hands and forearms were free.

    The adventurer snorted and Tibs glared at him, which earned him an amused smirk. The man handed him a knife that had seen better days and pointed to the assembled people. ¡°Now you can join them.¡±

    Before he reached the people, which he realized were gathered into groups of four or five people, a woman stopped him. She wore leather armor colored in mottled browns and had an unstrung bow on her back.

    ¡°What are you?¡± she asked. Her red eyes piercing him.

    ¡°Thief,¡± Tibs answered, this time without hesitation.

    ¡°You should get used to calling yourself a Rogue.¡± She looked the groups over and pointed to one with four people. ¡°You¡¯re with them.¡± She gave him a light push in their direction.

    As he headed for the group, the three who¡¯d exited the crack walked by them. They were in bad shape, bloody, and their shirts cut up. The group of five who¡¯d started up the slope had reached the entrance, and Tibs could tell now it was narrow as they entered one by one, turning sideways.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want a kid! This is a dungeon run, not a crawl!¡± the tallest of the four yelled to the woman as Tibs reached them. He was wide-shouldered and wore the same kind of shirt as Tibs, although on him, it just went down to his belt and it seemed to stretch around his chest and arms instead of hanging loose. He had a sword that had seen better days too. His pants were ripped and a little too short for him.

    ¡°He¡¯s not a kid,¡± the adventurer called back, ¡°he¡¯s your Rogue. No team goes in without one, and you¡¯d do well to listen to him. Dungeons are sneaky.¡±

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    ¡°It¡¯s a dungeon,¡± the fighter yelled back derisively, ¡°not some dragon. It¡¯s just a bunch of rooms with stuff to kill.¡±

    The adventurer ignored him, but one of the injured members of the passing group, an archer by the broken bow in her hands, looked in their direction. She opened her mouth, but the fighter with her said something sharp Tibs didn¡¯t catch. Her brown eyes were filled with fear and pain, and Tibs thought it wasn¡¯t because of what her companion had said.

    He looked at the crack and wondered exactly what was in there.

    ¡°Are you listening to me?¡± the fighter said, and Tibs focused on him again. ¡°I said don¡¯t get in my way. That goes for each of you.¡± He looked around at the three others. One was an archer. She gave Tibs a shy smile when he looked at her. Next to her was another girl, a little older, holding a sword, and the last looked only a couple of years older than Tibs, in robes the same dirty gray. A sorceress, he realized. Which meant it had been a sorcerer behind the table.

    Tibs swallowed. He¡¯d heard stories of what sorcerers could do. Burn someone to ashes. Turn them inside out with a gesture. He fought the urge to step away. According to the stories he¡¯d heard, sorcerers were all crazy.

    A hand slapping on a surface made him turn. While he and the sorceress studied each other, the group had reached the table where Tibs had received his shirt and knife. The injured archer handed over the pieces of the bow, while the fighter with her dropped his sword and a few coppers on the table.

    Tibs stared at them¡ªwhole coppers¡ªas the sorcerer grabbed them and dropped them in a metal box. Tibs wondered just how many whole coppers were in that box, and where the box went when the day was over.

    ¡°How about I blast your ass right now?¡± the sorceress said, and Tibs turned to face her. What had he done? But she was glaring at the fighter. ¡°That¡¯s going to make things simple for you, won¡¯t it?¡±

    The fighter snorted. ¡°Like you can do anything at this point. Unlike you, I know how to use a sword. So I¡¯m going to go through that dungeon and if you get in my way, I¡¯ll just cut you down along with anything else in there. I don¡¯t intend on wasting my time. I¡¯m going to graduate fast, and that means killing as much of the things in there as I can. Just don¡¯t get in my way and you can get my leftovers.¡±

    The sorceress raised her hand, the amulet around her neck beginning to glow. She opened her mouth and Tibs moved away. He didn¡¯t want to be caught in whatever she was going to do.

    A hand clamped on the sorceress¡¯ shoulder and a man was suddenly behind her. ¡°If you don¡¯t close your mouth, I¡¯ll have no choice but to rip your tongue out.¡± The words were casual, almost friendly in how they were delivered.

    Her mouth closed with an audible click of teeth.

    ¡°Good,¡± the adventurer said. Tibs couldn¡¯t see any sort of weapons on him. The man caught him looking and smiled. His eyes were black and Tibs swallowed. ¡°If your teachers haven¡¯t explained how this works yet, let me. There is no magic outside the dungeon. No thievery, no fighting, no shooting unless you are with your trainer. This is the only warning you¡¯ll receive. If you break the rules again, you¡¯ll receive the punishment you were in your cell waiting for. Trust me, surviving the dungeon when you¡¯re handicapped becomes impossible.¡±

    He dusted the shoulder of her robe. ¡°So, please don¡¯t force me to do something I¡¯d rather not. None of us are here because we want to. Let¡¯s just make the best of it and ensure you live through it, shall we?¡±

    She nodded.

    ¡°Good.¡± He fixed his gaze on the fighter. ¡°You need to stop antagonizing your team. You can¡¯t survive a dungeon by yourself, even one that just appeared like this one. You¡¯re not getting a cleric until the dungeon graduates to Zeta, keep that in mind, and watch each other¡¯s back.¡±

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be here,¡± the archer said, her voice soft. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡±

    The man gave her a sad smile. ¡°If you¡¯re here, you broke a law. I can¡¯t change that. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°I just killed a rabbit,¡± she replied, sounding like she was about to cry. The fighter next to her wrapped her arm around the archer¡¯s shoulders. ¡°My family was starving. The king has plenty¡ª¡±

    The adventurer sighed loud enough she stopped. ¡°I already said I can¡¯t do anything about it. We¡¯re all here because of our crimes. You need to own up to them because pity isn¡¯t going to keep you alive. Remember, you need to work together if you¡¯re going to survive.¡± He turned and walked away.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what he said,¡± the fighter said once the adventurer was out of earshot. ¡°I don¡¯t need any of you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± the other fighter standing next to Tibs said, beaming at her counterpart. ¡°Once you¡¯ve gone and gotten yourself killed, I¡¯ll work with the others to make sure we all survive. My goal is to survive until I graduate to Delta and gain my freedom.¡±

    Tibs wondered what the graduating was about. The adventurer had mentioned it in relation to the dungeon, now she was saying it as if it applied to her too. But if it meant freedom, he should pay attention.

    ¡°What did you do to end up here?¡± the sorceress asked, before the other fighter could reply, or Tibs ask for details about graduating.

    ¡°I defended myself,¡± the fighter answered. She motioned stabbing at chest height. ¡°I planted a knife deep in his chest.¡± Then she moved her hand down to groin height. ¡°And then I cut off his¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± the other fighter protested.

    She looked up at him, amused and surprised. ¡°Oh, forgive me, afraid I¡¯ll do the same to you?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not stuff you talk about around kids.¡± He indicated Tibs and the archer, who looked to be the youngest, other than Tibs.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you gave a damn,¡± she said, her surprise sounding genuine this time.

    The sorceress placed a hand on Tibs¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask how you ended up here. You¡¯re a thief and you have the look of someone who survived the streets.¡± Her touch and tone were gentle, a contrast to her earlier speculative study of him. ¡°How old are you?¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°I was too busy surviving to keep track.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fifteen,¡± the archer said, sounding like she¡¯d gotten over her fear. ¡°You can probably tell people you¡¯re fourteen.¡±

    The sorceress cursed, which earned her a dirty look from the guy. ¡°What are they doing sending kids here?¡± She glared at the fighter. ¡°I don¡¯t care how you ended up here, but our job is to make sure these two survive this ordeal.¡±

    The man snorted. ¡°You want them to survive, go tell them to send them back home.¡±

    She maintained the glare for a few seconds, then looked at Tibs and the archer. ¡°You two stick with me, I¡¯ll make sure you survive.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± the archer said, and Tibs nodded. He was confused by the guy¡¯s behavior. He didn¡¯t seem to have any problem with Tibs being killed, but he didn¡¯t like that people swore around him? Like Tibs hadn¡¯t heard worse on the street, or known what she was miming cutting off.

    In the silence that followed, Tibs noticed someone exit the crack in the mountain; alone, she staggered down the slope. An adventurer rushing to catch her was the only thing that kept her from falling.

    ¡°You spoke bravely,¡± the woman who had guided Tibs to the group said to the fighter. ¡°So how about you and your group go next? I want to still be on duty to see what state you¡¯re in if you survive.¡± She smiled at him. ¡°So, don¡¯t take too long.¡± She motioned toward the crack.

    At the bottom of the slope proper, two adventurers stood on each side of the path that was forming in the trampled grass. They stopped them. ¡°You¡¯re dealing with three rooms,¡± the man on the left said. ¡°That¡¯s all I¡¯m telling you. No full teams have come out yet, and just this morning the dungeon ate six of them. Now, when you bring the equipment from your dead members back, you¡¯ll get to keep one copper you found inside.¡±

    Their fighter grinned. ¡°What happens when we all come back?¡± he smirked at the raised eyebrows. ¡°That¡¯s what¡¯s going to happen this time unless one of them gets in my way.¡±

    ¡°Confident.¡± The adventurer on the right said. ¡°Like we haven¡¯t heard that before. If you all exit, then we¡¯ll tell you what happens.¡±

    The fighter looked at her. ¡°Then get out of the way so I can clear this thing.¡±

    With a mocking bow and a smirk, she moved out of their way.

    ¡°Good luck,¡± the other adventurer said, rolling his eyes.

 Bottom Rung, Chapter 04

    They followed the well-trodden path up the hill to the crack in the mountain. Tibs had expected it to be larger, but they had to squeeze in one at a time; except for Tibs, who fit by turning sideways.

    The tunnel was rough stone, the same tan-gray as outside. The floor and walls were uneven, but the tunnel quickly widened until the two fighters could stand shoulder to shoulder. Torches illuminated the walls, casting undulating shadows and giving Tibs the impression they were being watched and followed.

    ¡°Slow down,¡± the archer called after the guy hurrying ahead of them, ¡°there might be monsters hiding in the shadows.¡±

    Tibs tightened his grip on the knife. It had been his imagination, hadn¡¯t it? If the archer said there could¡ª

    ¡°No there aren¡¯t,¡± the fighter replied dismissively and pointed to an even glow further down the tunnel. ¡°Don¡¯t you know anything? There¡¯s never anything until the first room.¡±

    By the time Tibs and the others reached him, he stood at the point where the tunnel widened, grumbling in disappointment. The even light came from there, so Tibs squeezed between the two fighters to see.

    The room was large; it looked like someone had aimed to make it square, but hadn¡¯t finished, making it round with flattened, uneven, walls, with an opening opposite where they stood. The light came from¡ªTibs couldn¡¯t tell where it came from. It simply was, but it had to be higher up, based on the shadows the irregularities on the walls caused.

    Something caught Tibs attention as the fighter stepped into the room. ¡°Stop!¡± he called, trying to understand what he was seeing. It was in the shadows. Something darker.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what to do,¡± the fighter replied. ¡°I¡¯m not giving you a chance to steal my kills. If this room¡¯s empty I¡¯m moving on.¡± He grumbled something about stupid dungeons and not knowing how to do things properly.

    There was a click, then the fighter had a pole through his body. Thin, made of stone, Tibs noted, like the shaft of a spear. It had happened too fast for him to see if the tip had been pointed, but it came from one of the shadows, crossed the room to another shadow, holding the unmoving fighter in place.

    Then the body moved, pulled by the shaft as it retracted back into the wall it had originated from. Something felt off to Tibs; it shouldn¡¯t be able to support the fighter¡¯s weight. It dragged the body to the wall, and Tibs saw the end of the shaft was flat.

    By the time the body slid to the ground, Tibs no longer paid attention to it, the vanishing shaft, or the gasp and retching behind him. He¡¯d seen worse deaths on the street: thugs having their fun with the beggars and urchins; The cold nights stealing the life of anyone without a warm place to sleep. No one survived the street without becoming inured to death.

    He was more interested in preventing his and the others from dying the same way the fighter had. The click had been a trigger. The blood was a good indication of where it was.

    A louder gasp made him look at the remaining fighter who was looking toward the wall where the body was¡ªhad been. Tibs caught the end of the body vanishing; melting away and being absorbed into the floor and wall it rested against.

    That, Tibs thought, was different.

    ¡°Well, that explains why I was told to retrieve the dead¡¯s equipment,¡± the sorceress said.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t told anything like that,¡± the archer replied.

    ¡°I was,¡± the fighter said, ¡°but I have no idea how we¡¯re going to do that. It only took a few seconds for the body to melt away.¡±

    ¡°I think...¡± The sorceress was silent as she closed her eyes. ¡°I sort of recall reading something about how our lifeforce can keep a dungeon from absorbing anything close to us.¡±

    The fighter pointed to where the body had been. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s right.¡± Even the blood was gone. Tibs looked where the click had come from and even that blood had vanished, and he couldn¡¯t tell which tile had been stepped on.

    ¡°He was dead,¡± Tibs told the woman.

    ¡°How do you know?¡± the archer asked. ¡°That didn¡¯t seem like much of an injury. I¡¯ve been shot in the arm before and his chest was bigger. That shaft didn¡¯t go in anywhere near his heart.¡± She swallowed and began looking greenish. Tibs stepped away, making sure not to enter the room. If she was going to throw up, he didn¡¯t want it on him.

    ¡°I know death. There¡¯s plenty of it on the streets. And if you can¡¯t tell it, going through someone who you just think is dead gets you beaten, or killed. You learn quick.¡±

    ¡°And if he¡¯d been alive, he wouldn¡¯t have melted away like that,¡± the sorceress said. ¡°At least he melted quick and clean. You don¡¯t want to see what a body actually melting looks like.¡±

    Tibs raised an eyebrow at her. He hadn¡¯t expected any of the others to be familiar with death.

    She grimaced. ¡°You sneak around sorcerers long enough, you end up seeing their mistakes. None of them are pretty.¡±

    ¡°Is that how you were caught?¡± the fighter asked.

    ¡°Yeah. I was lucky. They could have decided to keep me to experiment on. Instead, they turned me over to the guard.¡± She looked at where the body had been. ¡°At least I thought I¡¯d been lucky.¡±

    The fighter looked at him, motioning to the room. ¡°This is why you¡¯re here, right? What¡¯s your name? I don¡¯t feel like calling you thief all the time.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± he answered, going back to studying the room.

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    ¡°Okay, Tibs. Any idea how we get across without ending up like mister I¡¯m too impatient to be careful?¡±

    Without being able to tell where the gone fighter had stepped anymore, he studied the walls. Knowing where the shaft had come from, he could make out the hole within the shadow. That was what the darker spot was. Knowing what to look for, he found others around the room, a lot of them. If each one corresponded to a trigger, there had to be almost too many to make it across the room.

    He crouched and studied the floor. The first thing the old man who taught them about traps had said about dungeons was that they didn¡¯t cheat. That while they fed on people, they also wanted everyone going through them to get stronger; because that way, when they moved on to the next level, if the dungeon won and ate them, it got more out of it.

    Tibs hadn''t understood what that meant. It was the next part that he thought applied here.

    ¡°A dungeon always gives you a way through. It might be a fight that looks like you can¡¯t win or a puzzle that seems uncrackable. Remember that there is always a way through. Take your time. Think before you act, and you will survive to see the dungeon¡¯s next levels.¡±

    From his lower position, he realized most of the holes in the walls were at chest height, with only the occasional one set to take out someone¡¯s knee. He ran his hand over the closest tiles. They felt like the stone they looked like. Rough and mostly even with random cracks and scratched on them. He tried to wobble a few, but that didn¡¯t amount to anything. He figured he¡¯d have to put weight on them to find the correct ones.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t going to be fast,¡± he told them, lying down and making sure none of the holes lined up at knee height near the entrance. The approximate height was the only way he had to tell the trajectory a spear might take.

    ¡°Take as long as you need,¡± the archer said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die here.¡± The other two murmured agreement.

    He pressed one, then the other; one clicked, and a shaft crossed the room over it, neck height, Tibs estimated as it retracted. Once the tile was even with the others, nothing about it indicated it was a trigger. It was covered with scratches and cracks like every other tile.

    ¡°Are dungeons smart?¡± he asked, testing more tiles and pulling himself further in, making sure not to line up with any low holes.

    ¡°More like cunning, I think,¡± the sorceress answered. ¡°A dungeon is closer to a wolf than a dragon. They can¡¯t reason like we do, but they can still lie in wait and pounce when you think the path¡¯s clear.¡±

    There was a click as he put weight on a stone and a shaft flew over his head, so close he felt the air move as he pressed himself down.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± the fighter called.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± He¡¯d missed a hole; more than one he expected. There were so many shadows on the wall any of them could hide one. Once it retracted he raised himself so he could study the tile. More random scratches.

    Or were they random?

    He studied it and the previous one. Among the cracks, the scratches seemed to form a similar pattern. He looked around and noticed a tile with that same pattern among the cracks on it. It was the randomness of the cracks that made it difficult to realize the patterns matched; but did it mean anything?

    The next one was far enough only his feet were out of the room, and he made out five holes that seemed to line up over it. One set at foot height, which meant his head while he was lying down. He looked for another, but it required him going even deeper.

    ¡°Grab my feet,¡± he called, ¡°and the instant you hear the click you pull me out.¡± He paused and looked over his shoulder. ¡°You did hear the other clicks, right? It¡¯s not just because I¡¯m a thief.¡±

    ¡°We heard them,¡± the fighter said as she took hold of his feet.

    He took slow breaths to steady his nerves. This was no different from breaking into a house when someone was still in it, he told himself. It could be just as deadly.

    He placed his hand on the tile and pushed down. For a second, he thought he¡¯d gotten it wrong, then the tile moved.

    The pull was so sudden Tibs screamed and was ready to berate the fighter; she¡¯d been too fast. Then he noticed the shaft retracting. He swallowed. Foot height. He¡¯d be dead if not for her reflexes.

    ¡°You okay?¡± She asked.

    Tibs shook his head. He could have died. If he¡¯d been alone, he¡¯d have been dead. This was nothing like breaking into a house. He shook himself. It was like breaking in, in that he couldn¡¯t sit on his ass because of a close call. He looked at the room¡¯s floor. He thought he had it. But he needed to make sure the pattern wasn''t there to distract him from another set.

    He crouched at the entrance again, forcing his heart to slow with his breathing. He looked for other repeating patterns and found them, but when he pressed on those, the tiles didn¡¯t move. He stood and, as he let out his breath, he stepped into the room.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± The archer exclaimed as the fighter grabbed his arm and pulled him out.

    ¡°I have the pattern now.¡± He indicated a tile. ¡°Do you see the wavy circles made by the scratches?¡± at their confused expression he stepped to it, watching where he placed his feet and traced it. ¡°Ignore the cracks, they¡¯re there to distract from the design.¡± At their nods, he moved to another tile with the same design. ¡°That¡¯s the mark of the triggers. The cracks are different, so they make recognizing the pattern tough. But if you pay attention, you can make it out.¡± Again he traced it until they nodded.

    ¡°How sure are you?¡± the sorcerer asked. ¡°Can¡¯t the dungeon have done this to create a sense of false confidence?¡±

    Tibs looked around, quickly noting where the triggers were. ¡°What did your teacher tell you about what the dungeon does?¡±

    ¡°It eats people,¡± she stated. ¡°That by surviving we become tougher, that by fighting the dungeon we can gain in years the strength it¡¯ll take other sorcerers decades to reach.¡±

    ¡°Mine said the dungeon wants us stronger,¡± the fighter said. ¡°He more or less agreed with yours, but the way he said it, it sounds like the stronger we are, the more the dungeon gets when it eats us.¡±

    The three of them looked at the archer who shrugged. ¡°He told us not to die.¡±

    ¡°Mine sort of agrees with both of you,¡± Tibs said. Clearly, not everyone shared the same views on dungeons. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because us thieves have to consider how things work more, but he also said that the dungeon doesn¡¯t want us dead outright. It¡¯s testing us. Like you said¡­¡± he trailed off, looking at the fighter.

    ¡°Argyle,¡± she told him.

    ¡°Like you said, Argyle, it wants us stronger, but dying seems to be a side effect of failing the tests, not the reason for them.¡± He motioned to where their other fighter had vanished. ¡°This room is a puzzle. Once we work it out, we¡¯ve won. And,¡± Tibs walked around the room, watching where he stepped but making a circuit around it. ¡°I am this confident I¡¯m right.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Argyle smiled. ¡°Good work, Tibs. You saw the pattern we need to look out for. Be careful, and we will meet up on the other side.¡± She leveled her gaze on them. ¡°Do not let overconfidence turn you into another dead jerk.¡±

    Tibs watched his companions slowly cross the room, each carefully studying the tiles around them before taking a step. Was it that difficult for them? He could make out the pattern at a glance now that he knew what to look for, both patterns, but he didn¡¯t bother with the false one. It would have made more sense to him if they had behaved as triggers too, even as decoys. He kept up with them until they reached the other side, where they caught their breath.

    ¡°Do you think the traps are going to remain active once we¡¯ve cleared all the rooms?¡± Argyle asked Tibs, who shrugged and looked at the sorceress.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how dungeons work,¡± she answered. ¡°The little I¡¯ve gathered comes from listening in on conversations I shouldn¡¯t have, and a bit of reading here and there.¡±

    The fighter nodded. ¡°Then we keep that in mind when we leave. It would suck to clear everything and end up dying because we didn¡¯t step carefully.¡±

    Tibs looked at the floor, at the other set of patterns, and wondered if that was the trap he¡¯d have to look out for on the way out.

 Bottom Rung, Chapter 05

    A short tunnel led to another room, and all Tibs saw from the entrance were boulders with narrow paths between them. The smallest boulder Tibs saw went up to his chest, most were taller than he was, and in the center of the room, a stone column reached the ceiling.

    ¡°Do you think there are traps?¡± the fighter asked as she peered over the taller boulders.

    ¡°There¡¯s barely any floor to see,¡± Tibs replied, crouching and studying the scratched patch of floor he could see between the boulders at the room¡¯s entrance. There was enough room to squeeze by each boulder, but it would be tight for their fighter, and Tibs wasn¡¯t sure their other fighter would have fit between them if he hadn¡¯t gotten himself killed.

    ¡°I hear movement,¡± the archer whispered.

    Tibs listened, and in the silence of the others holding their breaths, he made out a scratching, but couldn¡¯t tell where in the room it came from. The sound seemed to bounce off the boulders.

    ¡°Do you know what they are?¡± he asked in a low voice.

    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯ve hunted cave creatures before?¡± she replied, her voice dropping as she realized she¡¯d raised it.

    ¡°You said you hunted on the king¡¯s land,¡± the fighter said before Tibs could apologize. ¡°The king has mountains, so Tibs''s question makes sense.¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t point out he didn¡¯t know the king had mountains, or even lands. Although it made sense. He¡¯d just never thought about it before. Royalty was too far beyond him to ever think about.

    ¡°What king do you have that has mountains?¡± the archer whispered harshly. ¡°The kingdom¡¯s all forest.¡±

    ¡°Clearly we don¡¯t come from the same kingdom,¡± the sorceress said before the fighter replied, ¡°And whatever those are, they might not be any animals we¡¯ve ever seen. Dungeons can make monsters.¡±

    The fighter stared at her. ¡°You have got to be fu¡ª¡± she closed her mouth and eyed Tibs as she took a breath. Had she avoided swearing because of him? ¡°I know you¡¯re not a fighter, Tibs, but you and me are the only ones who can do close combat.¡± She indicated his knife before looking at the other two. ¡°We¡¯re going to need you to give us some cover as we move.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be able to,¡± the archer said, looking into the room. ¡°All those boulders break any line of sight as soon as you¡¯re a few of them deep. To shoot anything I¡¯ll have to step into the room, and that puts me at risk. Both of us, unless you think you can do your magic around them.¡±

    The sorceress shook her head.

    ¡°We need to get through,¡± the fighter said, then considered something. ¡°Unless we want to turn around now.¡±

    ¡°And leave without having anything to show for it?¡± the sorceress asked. ¡°Are they going to even let us leave without some proof we tried?¡±

    ¡°We already lost a fighter,¡± Tibs said. The other team had returned members short and injured. Maybe they needed injuries for it to count? Tibs suspected this was where they¡¯d gotten that.

    ¡°Then we need to try to cross the room,¡± the fighter said. ¡°Tibs, stay by me.¡± She stepped in, squeezing between the boulders, and skittering sounded through the room.

    The sound was more the scratching of stone on stone than anything resembling small claws on stone. Tibs gripped the knife in his hand and looked at the floor for any sign of what was moving around them.

    The fighter stopped, and Tibs looked up to see the column and something small jumped at him. With a scream, Tibs dropped to his knees, hands over his head. The fighter yelled, then something fell next to Tibs. He opened his eyes and looked as a stone rat cut into two pieces dissolved into the floor, leaving behind a copper piece.

    A whole copper piece.

    Tibs picked it up gingerly and turned it in his fingers. In his entire life, he¡¯d only heard of whole pieces. There were so few of them on the street those living there had only ever handled quarters, maybe a lucky few had held halves.

    ¡°I think that¡¯s more mine than yours,¡± the fighter said, glancing at him before looking around, sword held at the ready. There was still skittering around them.

    ¡°Sorry.¡± He handed her the coin. ¡°I was surprised.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to survive by hiding from the creatures in here.¡± She took the coin without even glancing at it, then took his hand and pulled him to his feet. ¡°They gave you a knife, you need to use it.¡±

    Tibs looked on the floor for it and picked it up. ¡°I don¡¯t know how.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t they teach you?¡± she asked in disbelief.

    ¡°We went over traps and locks.¡±

    She cursed under her breath and blushed as she glanced at him. ¡°The pointed end goes into the creatures, as often as you can manage it.¡±

    A scream made them turn; the sorceress was batting away at something jumping and crawling over her. Tibs ran to help, having an easier time moving between the boulders. Something jumped at him from the top of a boulder and Tibs ducked. By the time Tibs reached the entrance, the sorceress had fallen between boulders, out of sight.

    When he stopped, something bit his ankle and he slashed at it without thinking. He cut the stone rat in two. Something jumped on his shoulder and bit. Gritting back a scream, Tibs grabbed the stone rat and smashed it on the floor, crushing it under a foot as he felt claws and teeth bite into his legs and arms. He screamed in fear and pain and anger as he planted the knife into them. They dissolved and left copper pieces behind.

    Once the rats stopped attacking him, he checked on the sorceress, who was unmoving, her throat ripped, and a pool of blood forming. He swallowed the bile, reminding himself it wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d seen someone die, although it was the first time he¡¯d been this close as they died.

    He turned at the sound of more scratching and realized it was the scuffing of cloth against stone as he watched the archer pull the fighter¡¯s body between two of the boulders. She looked pale but determined, as their eyes met.

    ¡°Grab any coins you find and pull her away from the entrance,¡± she said.

    Tibs looked on the floor. And where the dead rats had been, now were one copper coin each. He picked up the coins, noting some had different designs on them, and pocketed them. Then he grabbed the sorceress¡¯ arms and pulled. Her legs were between boulders and caught on sharp jutting stones.

    A rat appeared on top of a boulder and jumped at him. Tibs screamed and let go of the sorceress as he fell to his knees for protection. Something fell on his head, then plinked on the floor. He opened his eyes, and a copper coin spun on the floor before settling.

    He looked at the archer, who had another arrow notched as he felt himself for any new injuries. She¡¯d shot at him. He looked at the coin. She shot the rat in mid-jump and hit it. Hadn¡¯t her bow been on the floor as she pulled the fighter¡¯s body?

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°You looked like you needed help,¡± she answered his slack-jawed look at her. ¡°Grab the coin and get back to pulling her away. I¡¯ll keep an eye out for more of those rats.¡±

    He looked at the sorceress. Her legs were still between boulders. ¡°I could use some help.¡± He pocketed the coin, then grabbed her arm.

    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t know how far I can get before her body dissolves. I¡¯d like to be able to keep some of what we made here.¡±

    Tibs nodded. They¡¯d said they had to bring the dead¡¯s equipment back. So it would be the sorceress¡¯s robe, the fighter¡¯s shirt, and her sword. Did they use half coins here? The way the fighter hadn¡¯t even glanced at her coin made Tibs think she¡¯d been used to handling them.

    Finally, he had her legs out of the room and he leaned against the wall, panting. He slid down, eying the entrance for more rats, but he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d have the strength to fight them.

    The archer pulled the fighter¡¯s body next to the sorceress and sat by Tibs.

    ¡°Do you think they¡¯re going to let us leave?¡± Tibs asked, pulling his knees to himself and wrapping his arms around them. He never thought he¡¯d want to go back to the street after escaping it, but right now that seemed like the safer place. ¡°We didn¡¯t reach the last room.¡±

    ¡°If they ask, I¡¯m telling them we did,¡± she answered defiantly. ¡°I don¡¯t care how badly they want us to die. I¡¯m not giving them the satisfaction.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± He fought the tears. ¡°I didn¡¯t hurt anyone. I just picked a few pockets, took food from houses; it¡¯s not like they ever missed it.¡±

    She placed an arm around his shoulder and pulled him to her. ¡°And I just killed a few rabbits to feed my brothers and sisters. They don¡¯t care. We¡¯re street. As far as they¡¯re concerned, we¡¯re just good as dungeon food.¡±

    Tibs sniffled. ¡°I wanna go home.¡±

    ¡°Do you have a home to go back to?¡±

    Tibs shrugged. Right now he¡¯d take anywhere that wasn¡¯t here.

    ¡°Look,¡± she said after a stretching silence, ¡°I know you¡¯re scared, but we can do this. You showed us how to get through the first room. By the time it¡¯s our turn again, we¡¯ll have learned more and we¡¯ll make it through this room. We¡¯re going to show them that just because we¡¯re street, it doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re less than them. What do you say?¡±

    Tibs wiped his eyes and forced a smile. Her words reminded him of Mama. She hadn¡¯t wanted to give up either.

    ¡°Good, now you take her robe and amulet. I¡¯ll deal with the fighter¡¯s equipment.¡±

    ¡°What amulet?¡± Tibs asked as he pulled on the robe.

    ¡°Around her neck,¡± the archer said. ¡°She put it under her robe.¡±

    ¡°I know where they go,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°Why does she have one? Didn¡¯t they take away everything they had?¡± the guards had taken the few quarter coins he¡¯d had before throwing him in the cell. They¡¯d laughed, said they¡¯d earned a tankard each with them.

    ¡°It¡¯s a magic thing, I guess.¡± She had the shirt off the fighter. ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s an adventurer thing; back home I heard about an adventurer who could use an element.¡±

    ¡°I thought they were just stories,¡± Tibs said, and immediately recalled the adventurer who had caught the beggar¡¯s hand and coated it in ice before breaking it off. He shuddered.

    ¡°Maybe, but the bard who told the story isn¡¯t known for making them up.¡± She put the shirt over her shoulder and grabbed the sword. Tibs had to fold the robe so it wouldn¡¯t be too cumbersome on his shoulder. The amulet was a simple disk of brass with a clear crystal in it.

    He carefully tested the tiles before they crossed the first room again, and the triggers hadn¡¯t moved. Maybe the dungeon had taken pity on them, or maybe it wasn¡¯t as cunning as the sorceress had said.

    Exiting through the crack in the face of the mountain was tougher while carrying the fallen¡¯s equipment. In the end, he had to put what he carried down and have her pass it to him once he was outside.

    When they reached the bottom of the hill, the adventurers on each side of the path watched them. ¡°I see not everyone¡¯s back,¡± the woman said.

    ¡°What took that fighter of yours?¡± the other adventurer said. The one who¡¯d wished their overconfident fighter good luck. ¡°The traps, or the rats?¡±

    ¡°The traps,¡± Tibs said. ¡°I tried to warn him.¡±

    ¡°His kind never listens,¡± the adventurer said. ¡°Don¡¯t feel bad about it.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t,¡± the archer said, eyes fixed on him, ¡°but we also lost two others.¡±

    ¡°They were nice,¡± Tibs missed them, now that he wasn¡¯t busy trying to survive.

    ¡°That¡¯s going to happen,¡± the woman said dismissively. ¡°Don¡¯t get attached. Did you make it to the last room?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tibs said, at the same time as the archer said, ¡°yes.¡± She glared at him.

    ¡°You¡¯re not required to reach it,¡± the man said.

    The archer turned her glare on him. ¡°No one told us that.¡±

    He smirked. ¡°You¡¯ll never be told everything you need to know. Get used to that. It¡¯s called living. If you can¡¯t make your own decision while on a dungeon run, you¡¯re not going to live long. Sometimes being safe can pay off.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± the archer said belligerently, ¡°care to tell me how that pays off?¡±

    The woman smiled. ¡°Well, you¡¯re the first who haven¡¯t forced themselves to make a try for the last room and, not only are you walking out without assistance, you brought back equipment, which means you are going to get to keep some coins.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d keep that to yourself,¡± the man said in a whisper. ¡°Others might get jealous and decide those coins should be theirs instead.¡±

    ¡°I thought stealing wasn¡¯t allowed here,¡± Tibs said, fighting to keep standing.

    ¡°When has that ever stopped anyone?¡± the woman asked, eying him. ¡°When has that ever stopped you? It¡¯s not like if the thief is caught, we ask where he got the coins and return them. We end him and throw him in the dungeon to be eaten. So don¡¯t get any ideas yourself.¡± She motioned to the tables as a group approached the path. ¡°Now go hand over what you have, and remember, don¡¯t talk about what¡¯s in the dungeon with anyone.¡±

    The five coming up eyed them as they crossed paths and Tibs heard someone snide about how they¡¯d let the other members of their team down from the sorcerer who seemed to be in charge.

    At the table, the adventurer took their shirts, robe, and equipment, and dropped them on a pile of other damaged equipment. He took the coins Tibs and the archer put on the table, all nine of them, and put that in a metal box, closing and locking it with a key he pocketed.

    ¡°Hey,¡± the archer exclaimed, only to close her mouth under the glare of his utterly black eyes. Tibs sensed more than saw the people walking by. His eyes were on the pocket the key was in. If she could distract the adventurer, Tibs was confident he could get it. Then it would just be a question of getting the box and they could have coins.

    The adventurer leaned toward her, hands on the table, and the pocket came temptingly close.

    ¡°Do not ever raise your voice at me, Little Miss Arrow, is that clear?¡± he said in a low but firm voice.

    ¡°We¡¯re supposed to get coins,¡± she said, but sounded subdued.

    ¡°Is that so?¡± the adventurer asked. ¡°What about you, Mister Light Fingers? Do you think you deserve coins? Or do you plan on just taking them?¡±

    Tibs realized those black eyes were on him and swallowed. The man¡¯s expression was more amused than angry, and Tibs realized it had been a ploy to test him. If he¡¯d been only slightly less patient, he¡¯d have lost more than a hand.

    ¡°We returned the robe, a shirt, a sword, and the amulet,¡± he said, moving his hand behind his back and the adventurer chuckled. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean we get two coins each?¡±

    ¡°Does it?¡±

    Tibs turned to point at the two adventurers, but the man before him caught his hand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t point, it¡¯s not polite.¡± He pulled Tibs to face him and where the hand had been on the table were four copper coins.

    ¡°How?¡± Tibs stared at them.

    ¡°Think of it as something you have to look forward to if you live that long,¡± the adventurer said. ¡°Take what¡¯s yours and find a place to hide them. You don¡¯t want the others to know; not until it¡¯s common for you runners to survive and get coins out of it.¡±

    The archer grabbed two and walked away. Tibs took his coins and looked at them. Two whole coins. They felt real enough.

    ¡°Are you coming?¡± she asked.

    ¡°What can I get for them?¡± Tibs asked the adventurer in little more than a whisper.

    ¡°Not much right now,¡± the man answered. ¡°What the vendors sell costs more than a handful of copper, but soon enough there¡¯ll be an inn, taverns, sleeping houses. In those, a copper will get you a decent meal, a tankard of something better to drink than whatever they¡¯re serving you right now.¡± The man shuddered. ¡°That stuff is vile, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s food,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°I don¡¯t care how it tastes.¡±

    The man nodded. ¡°I vaguely remember that time. Sleeping houses will have rooms for you and your team, where you can keep your stuff and not have to worry about anyone taking it from you.¡± He motioned toward the accumulation of tents that passed for a town and the archer waiting for Tibs. ¡°Head off, little rogue. Keep your hands to yourself, learn what they have to teach you, and maybe one day, if you¡¯re really unlucky, you¡¯ll stand in my place, giving advice to some other rogue, hoping to survive what he¡¯s been thrown into.¡±

    Tibs thought about what the man said. ¡°No. When I leave here. I don¡¯t want to ever have anything to do with dungeons or places like this.¡±

    The adventurer studied Tibs, then leaned forward, pulling the sleeve on his left arm up and revealing a black band tattooed above his wrists. ¡°Then, one last piece of advice, Mister Light Fingers, when you leave here, be very careful not to be caught breaking the rules, because by then, you¡¯ll be considered too valuable to simply kill.¡± He covered his arm again. ¡°Now get out of here," he said harshly.

    Tibs ran to catch up to the archer.

    ¡°What did he want?¡± she asked, but Tibs shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m Ariana, by the way. Seeing how we survived, you should know my name.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± he answered, trying to understand what the adventurer, what the rogue had meant. If someone was too valuable to kill, what exactly did they do with them?

 Bottom Rung on Kindle Unlimited

    As Per Kindle Unliminted Rules, I''m not allowed to offer the book on other sites.

    So, if you have reached this point, that is all, as far as I was able to find out (KU rules are not particularly clear as to what ¡°exclusive to KU¡± means to them), that I am allowed to make available to you.

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    I apologize for the inconvenience, and I hope you will continue to enjoy my stories

 Stepping up, Foreword

    in book 1, Tibs has survived being thrown in a new world of dungeons intent on killing him, getting attached to people, only to watch them be killed by the dungeon. He discovered that magic is something real outside of stories, and because he is still alive after countless runs through the ever-growing dungeon, he can do it in the form of manipulating an element.

    Only, there is more than he was told as Tibs gets more than one element, but with barely any ability to use them. Still, he perseveres, makes friends who don''t immediately end up dead in the dungeon. And he finds out there is more to the dungeon than anyone knows. even its reason for existing isn''t what he was told.

    And when someone he thought was becoming a friend tries to kill the dungeon, Tibs sides with it, saving it, at great cost to him.

    <hr>

    Stepping up is book two in the Dungeon Runner series. It is around 85 chapters long, 220k words, as of Draft 1, which is finished.

    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    What is being posted here is the second draft, after going through editing via Grammarly, Pro-Writing Aid, and an out-loud reading and correcting (on my twitch, so feel free to drop by: https://www.twitch.tv/thetigerwrites</a>) so while cleaner than the draft one that was posted on my Patreon, it will not be perfect. Plot element will also have shifted from that draft as I discovered what did and didn¡¯t work. (or I simply forgot were there¡­anyone remembers that rivalry between Tibs and the other rogue? I didn¡¯t)

    As with book 1, this will be posted after it has gone through the tiers on my Patron (https://www.patreon.com/kindar</a>) so if you are impatient for the story, you can read it ahead of everyone there.

    The story will start on January 18<sup>th</sup> and will be updated on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

    I will remove the updates once it starts.

    I hope you enjoy it.

 Stepping up, blurb(?)

    Tibs survived running the dungeon, the death of friends and acquaintances, acquiring more elements than he was told is possible, and a betrayal that cut deeper than if a knife had been used.

    Mostly healed, he is back in Kragle Rock for more runs through the dungeon (and a new floor), more headaches, new friends, and a new enemy with a link to someone close to him.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    With the guild continuing not to live up to Tibs¡¯s expectation, and status as the savior of the dungeon coming with perks that might have hidden daggers attached to them, Tibs will need to make hard decisions as to where his loyalties lie and make alliances with people he''d never speak with, under better circumstances.

    When Kragle Rock comes under attack, who will step up to help him, and who will simply let it happen?

 Stepping up, Chapter 01

    Tibs paid attention to the essence around him as the world materialized. He couldn¡¯t sense the details, as void wasn¡¯t one of his elements, but he could still tell it apart from all those he couldn¡¯t differentiate by the way it stretched from the city he had been in, to this one.

    Dry heat slammed into him.

    He¡¯d forgotten, in the week he spent in MountainSea, as well as the stop in Kragle Rock, that it was High Heat in the kingdom of Pursatia. Seasons changed a lot when traveling from one city to the other using the transportation platform.

    He stepped down, then to the side, before pausing to look at the column that stood at the bottom of the stairs. He sensed the essence in it, as he had all the others, and he could tell it was connected to the platform, despite standing away at the bottom of the steps. He didn¡¯t bother walking around this time. He¡¯d done it enough over his months of traveling to tell all eight columns around the platform had their essence flow similarly to the center. He didn¡¯t know what role they played in the attendant moving people from one city to another, but that connectivity indicated they had to play one.

    As with many of the cities, this column had a board added to it, with a grid painted on it. Five columns and nine rows. At the top were words on two lines, and in each of the boxes was a number.

    He forced himself to decipher the letters of the top line. He¡¯d rather not bother, but he had promised Carina he would work on them while he searched for his city. He whispered each of the letter¡¯s names to himself, then pronounced them until he had the name of the city he had arrived in: Zaranka.

    Under it was the name of the month, a plaque that was changed each time a new one started and he could already read this one since it had been the same month in the last Pursatier city he had visited, Tameria, and the same names were used in the entirety of the kingdom of Pursatia: Burning Brush.

    Listening to the people around him, he could make out those who were from the kingdom, because he understood them, from the visitors. They didn¡¯t speak it the same way he did, and that had surprised him the first time he had arrived in Pursatia. He¡¯d expected everyone in the kingdom to speak the same, but they had different inflections; accents, as Carina had explained. This one sounded much like the previous city, since they were both on the west side of the kingdom.

    One of the merchants identifying Tibs¡¯s language had given him a place to start looking for his city, and he knew it had a transport platform. He¡¯d expected those two pieces of information to make the search simple, especially when one of the attendants told him only the largest cities had platforms because of how expensive they were to set up, but this was the sixth Pursatier city he¡¯d been to.

    The accent made him worry if this was the right city, but Carina had told him that in some of the largest cities, accents could vary from one part of it to the other. He didn¡¯t remember a specific way the people on his Street spoke, so this could still be the right city. He rejoined the line of people leaving the platform and followed them along the main road.

    The pain he¡¯d lived with after waking up from saving the dungeon had dulled into an ache deep within him. As if his body had given up fighting the corruption infecting it, he had to be content with that. He could ignore it most of the time; only sudden movements made it flare-up.

    After counting two sets of ten of the larger streets, he turned left.

    The area he wanted wouldn¡¯t be close to the platform or major roads. He didn¡¯t know where his Street was within the city, but there had been nothing like wealth anywhere within sight. The walk to the cells had been long, as had the one to the platform.

    Another thing that wasn¡¯t within sight was a city wall, so when Tibs saw the tall wall after turning a corner, he turned around and tried a different direction. When he¡¯d asked about it, back in MountainSea after his first Pursatier city, Kroseph¡¯s mother had told him that all cities had walls; it was what made them different from towns.

    She¡¯d laughed when he pointed out MountainSea didn¡¯t have walls. The mountains surrounding it were walls enough to keep them safe.

    He made another turn before the main road and looked for the urchins. He¡¯d noticed a difference in them in the other cities. They were a good representation of how wealthy each area of the city was. The clothing was part of it, but it was more the energy they had in going after anyone they identified as a tourist. Anyone they suspected had coins and could be convinced to part with some of them, either with a sad look, a story, or quick fingers.

    Tibs didn¡¯t fall victim to any of that.

    When the sun dropped low enough torches were lit, Tibs looked for an inn to spend the night in. As much as he wanted to run the roofs, he¡¯d learned that in a strange city, the people those belonged to didn¡¯t appreciate strangers.

    On the fourth day in Zaranka, he came across urchins who reminded him of his Street and knew he was getting close. They looked at him but didn¡¯t chase after him. They were too worn down by the street and counted on the misery on their face to be enough for someone to drop a sliver of copper. If that wasn¡¯t enough, some survived by offering to do things that would kill them slowly, unless they encountered the wrong person and things went too far.

    Then they died right there.

    The condition of the buildings worsened, which told him he was heading in the right direction. Soon, he¡¯d recognize an alley. A plank, broken off a wall in a specific way to mark the space behind it as belonging to someone.

    He¡¯d find his place. The one where he survived the cold seasons, with only a small fire keeping death away. The coldest month was called Deadly Ice in Pursatia. The thought of extinguishing it and allowing the cold to take him to Mama had been constant, and even now, he wasn¡¯t certain why he hadn¡¯t¡ª

    ¡°Now, here¡¯s someone who¡¯s wearing clothing that don¡¯t belong to him,¡± A woman said, stepping out of an alley a few paces away from Tibs. ¡°I think there¡¯s someone out there who could wear them so much better.¡± She was tall but thin. The thin of the sick; of those who didn¡¯t eat as often as they wanted, or needed. The thin of the Street.

    ¡°That means we¡¯re going to have to get him out of them,¡± a man said behind Tibs, out of easy reach. ¡°You think Grabby¡¯s gonna pay to use him?¡± A glance over his shoulder let him see the thin man with dark skin, which had a sickly sheen to it. He¡¯d seen it before, not that he knew what the man had. Only that he had to be very sick.

    Neither had an element; and what essence flowed through them was fainter than most people.

    Grabby wasn¡¯t a name Tibs was familiar with, but this area didn¡¯t look right yet to be his Street. He hadn¡¯t had any reasons to interact with anyone off his Street since that meant they were after something he had.

    They had no visible weapons, but there were plenty of broken planks and rocks for them to use against him. On the Street, weapons weren¡¯t limited to what you could carry.

    Tibs had two knives; the one at his belt and the one in the bracer on his left forearm. The one on his right had his lockpicks. They were the only piece of armor he¡¯d kept for his travels. The rest was stored in the room the guild provided him, and he wore what he considered to be his worst set of clothing, so he would fit in better.

    Looking at the rags the two wore, he realized he forgot how little people had on the street. He¡¯d been gone for three seasons at the most, and he¡¯d already forgotten what it was like to wear rags.

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    No wonder they wanted what he had.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to do this,¡± he told them. Not that he felt it now, but you never showed fear on the Street. Fear got you dead. Once you¡¯d survived and were hidden, then you could be afraid.

    ¡°You hear the kid?¡± she asked mockingly. ¡°We don¡¯t want to do this? Just because his daddy gave him a pointy stick?¡± Her face darkened. ¡°This is our street. We do whatever we want. If you didn¡¯t want to lose your stuff, you shouldn¡¯t have come here.¡±

    Tibs turned and stepped back, letting him watch both at the edge of his vision.

    She was the healthier one of the two, which made her the more dangerous. The man¡¯s hand was shaking, and the little essence coursing through him was frayed by the sickness afflicting him.

    ¡°I¡¯m a Dungeon Runner,¡± he stated. ¡°If you attack me, I¡¯ll kill you.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± she asked. ¡°Some fancy words for bed wetter?¡± The man snorted, then coughed. ¡°Get out of those and we won¡¯t hurt you too badly. Grabby pays more when the boys we bring him aren¡¯t damaged.

    Tibs drew the knife from his belt.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to have to hurt him,¡± the man said.

    ¡°Good.¡± The woman picked up a thick plank. ¡°I wanted to have fun.¡±

    Tibs ran for her, knife underhanded as Bardik showed him. She grinned at him, raising the plank over her head with both hands. She didn¡¯t even bother protecting herself. Tibs would have an easy time cutting her open, then¡ª

    His leg buckled under him as blinding pain flared. It felt as if the bone had snapped. No matter how often this happened, each time was like the first with how intense the pain was. He raised his hand, coating it in earth and adding water over that, icing it for extra protection.

    The impact dropped him to a knee as well as sent pain reverberating down his arm. He slashed blindly, unable to push through it to use their essence to locate them. Her curses, more than the slight resistance, told him he¡¯d connected.

    ¡°Grabby¡¯s not going to give us much for him by the time I¡¯m going to be done,¡± she snarled.

    He forced himself to pivot through the pain as she moved. His leg wasn¡¯t broken. As real as the pain was, there was no damage to it. It was his essence, reacting to the accumulation of corruption in it that broke. And just like the flow broke because of an injury, his body thought he was injured because of the essence.

    He nearly missed the man running at him because of how faint his essence was and didn¡¯t entirely deflect the kick, but there was little strength behind it and he barely felt the impact to his shoulder.

    Tibs pushed the man back, and he barely stayed up, his panting interrupted by sickly coughing.

    ¡°Are you trying to be funny?¡± she demanded. ¡°Fighting on one knee?¡± She ran at him before he had a reply for her. He deflected the plank with a blast of air and stabbed her in the side while she was off balance. With a cry, she dropped the plank and fell back.

    The pain diminished, and he pushed himself to his feet. He was sweating more than just from the heat, more than it could wick away. He let it. He needed to keep fire in case this hadn¡¯t been enough to scare them off. Stopping the strike had cost him all the air in his reserve. He had enough earth and water to coat an arm, but fire was the one element that scared everyone equally.

    She was on the ground, holding her bleeding side and crying. The man looked at him in fear, before running off.

    Tibs sighed and leaned against the building, taking the weight off his leg and forcing the essence into the proper flow. The corruption made the work difficult¡ªas if it actively wanted to make his life painful¡ªbut he was able to bring it back to its usual dull throbbing.

    ¡°I thought I heard someone scream,¡± a man said, followed by the sound of an impact and the woman¡¯s louder scream. Tibs forced his eyes open and readied himself.

    The man was older than the one who fled. His face was scarred, his hair dull brown and thin, dirty. His clothing was a patchwork of rags, making a shirt, pants, and shoes. He was one of the people running the Street.

    Tibs had never seen him before.

    The man kicked her injured side again, then glanced at Tibs. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you did this?¡±

    ¡°She attacked me.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s her boytoy?¡±

    Tibs nodded in the direction the man fled.

    ¡°Ain¡¯t love grand?¡±

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t love.¡±

    ¡°They thought it was.¡± The man shrugged. ¡°Now. As a thank you for dealing with this bothersome bitch, I¡¯m not going to kill you. You¡¯re going to drop the knife and pouch and you¡¯re going to walk on down that lane. It¡¯ll take you to the places your kind is welcome.¡±

    Tibs shook his head. The man didn¡¯t have an element, and his essence was faint, but that of a healthy person.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid, kid. I¡¯m being generous. I¡¯d rather kill you and sell your insides to people with copper.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of you.¡± Tibs pushed himself off the wall.

    ¡°You¡¯re not?¡± the man asked, surprised. He looked around, then let out a sharp whistle. People stepped out of alleys. Men and women, young and older, all were dressed in better rags than the woman on the ground, who was no longer moving. Some held knives, clubs, one even had a rusty sword. Tibs stopped counting at ten. The man smiled, showing rotting teeth. ¡°How about now?¡±

    Tibs was terrified, but he shook his head.

    ¡°That is too bad. If you¡¯d been scared, you¡¯d have done what I told you. Now you¡¯re going to try to be brave, fight us, and end up dead. It¡¯s probably one of them that¡¯ll do it. Do you have any idea how boring that¡¯s going to be?¡±

    ¡°Then come try to kill me yourself.¡±

    The man laughed. ¡°Kid, I didn¡¯t stay alive by accepting stupid challenges like that.¡± He stepped back. ¡°Kill him, but don¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°Guards!¡± someone in the distance yelled, and the call was taken up.

    ¡°Oh come on!¡± the man yelled. ¡°I get handed this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and the guards show up? It¡¯s just the Rafians trying to scare me off again.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the guards,¡± a man said, running into the alley.

    ¡°Why?¡± the man asked in disbelief.

    ¡°Something about a noble¡¯s kid being missing,¡± the runner panted.

    The man looked at Tibs, who shook his head.

    ¡°Scatter,¡± the man yelled, ¡°anyone caught is on their own.¡±

    They vanished down multiple alleys and Tibs picked one no one else had gone in. He had no intention of encountering the guards himself; he cursed when he heard booted steps following him. He slid down and squeezed under a half-fallen building.

    The feet passed him by and he gave them a minute before crawling out and heading for where he thought the main road was. The crowd there would make it easy to get lost and¡ª

    ¡°I saw someone!¡± a woman yelled, and Tibs looked over his shoulder as she rounded the corner. ¡°Over there.¡±

    He turned into an alley. A crowd didn¡¯t help him if they saw him enter it.

    ¡°There!¡± someone else cried.

    ¡°Stop running!¡±

    Why did guards always yell that? Who in their right mind stopped and waited for the guards to reach them? Tibs never had, and he wasn¡¯t about to start.

    He put his foot down, and the corruption forced the issue. The pain of the fall barely registered against that coursing through his body. He put a hand under him to push up, to get going again, but he didn¡¯t have the strength needed.

    Yells reached him through the pain; indistinct voices. He was gripped and pulled up. He screamed in pain and was dropped.

    ¡°What did you do to him?¡± a woman demanded.

    ¡°Nothing, I was just helping him to his feet,¡± a man replied defensively.

    ¡°How often do I have to tell you, you don¡¯t rough up the streetfolks.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not one of them.¡±

    ¡°Then you really can¡¯t¡ª¡±

    Tibs crawled away, pushing through the fading pain.

    ¡°Kid, don¡¯t do that,¡± she said in exasperation. She grabbed him and sat him. He reached for the knife at his hip and she closed a hand on his. ¡°You¡¯re safe. Whatever they might have threatened to do, they can¡¯t hurt you anymore.

    Safe? A guard was telling him he was safe? That she wasn¡¯t going to beat him just for existing? That she didn¡¯t mean him any harm? The guards Harry had brought with him to Kragle Rock hadn¡¯t been like the previous ones, or the one from Tibs¡¯s Street, but Harry didn¡¯t let anyone break his rules, not even his guards.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    He considered not answering, but angering her, when she had three others to say she hadn¡¯t done anything to him, was a bad idea.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± he answered, defeated.

    ¡°What are you doing here? Did you get separated from your parents? Are you lost?¡±

    He hadn¡¯t been lost until the guards had forced him to run for his life. Why was she being nice? He could lie, but something about her made him want to be defiant. For her to break her act.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for the Street.¡± He made sure she could hear the capitalization.

    ¡°Why would you want to go there?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s my business,¡± he snapped. Tibs pushed himself to his feet.

    ¡°That¡¯s not the noble¡¯s kid,¡± one of the other guards pointed out.

    ¡°The others will find him and bring him back to his father,¡± she replied, watching Tibs. ¡°This one¡¯s our responsibility.¡± She motioned the way Tibs had come. ¡°The Street¡¯s that way. A dozen blocks. If you¡¯re serious about going there, we¡¯ll escort you. You don¡¯t want to run into the people who live that way without protection.¡±

    A dozen was ten and two. So roughly where he¡¯d been attacked. That hadn¡¯t looked like his Street, and if it had been, that gang leader wouldn¡¯t have been a stranger. Even if he hadn¡¯t been one when Tibs left. He was familiar with all the gangs of his Street, had to so he could avoid any of their members.

    She could be lying, but why? She was willing to escort him there, so there was no point in sending him to a safe neighborhood pretending it was the Street. He realized they thought he was one of the well off kids, so she probably thought he was going there for some fun. Guards didn¡¯t care what happened to streetfolk.

    This wasn¡¯t his city.

    He sighed and headed for the main road, ignoring their calls. He had no reasons to stay now that he¡¯d confirmed that.

    Maybe the next city would be the right one.

 Stepping up, chapter 02

    Tibs paid attention again to how the essence stretched from the city he came from to his town, then snapped out of existence. He opened his eyes to the late afternoon sky over Kragle Rock.

    Nothing had changed, since the town had shut down along with the dungeon. Unlike when Sto graduated, there was no work being done to expand. No one but him knew Sto was alive and healing. The guild suspected he was. Alistair had mentioned that dungeons were resilient, but without his ability to speak with him it was more akin to hope than anything else. And that was more than the townsfolk even had.

    The bored guard leaning against the pillar at the bottom of the steps watched Tibs. He didn¡¯t stop him or demand to see the bracelet on his left wrist. Tibs didn¡¯t bother offering it as he passed by. He¡¯d decided after the first few times back that it wasn¡¯t his job to confirm he belonged here. The lack of reaction did tell him there was no indication Sto was about to open his door.

    A dog fell into step as he turned onto Dungeon Road, which would take him out of the town, to the plain separating it from the mountain that was where Sto existed. The dog was large, with short sandy fur, and looked at him plaintively, licking its muzzle.

    ¡°You know Serba hates it when I give these to you, right?¡± Tibs pulled a piece of jerky from a pocket and handed it to the dog. ¡°Where is she anyway?¡± Thump was too busy chewing to acknowledge the question. He looked around, she should have been berating the dog for interacting with Tibs. When he looked at Thump again, it was looking back, a miserable expression on its face.

    With an amused shake of the head, Tibs gave it another piece.

    The road was deserted.

    Without access to the dungeon, the nobles had left. A town like Kragle Rock held no other appeal to them; Tibs was grateful for it. But without their coins, all but the most basic of merchants had also left, which meant that anyone who could afford the cost was elsewhere. Hope in Sto reopening his door wasn¡¯t enough to keep people who could leave here.

    The town wasn¡¯t empty. There were the Attendants, the guild still had a presence, in the form of the guards, and enough people simply couldn¡¯t afford to leave. There were taverns still open, but there wasn¡¯t much of the sense of life that had filled the town before. Those left, lived with the fear of the town outright dying without a dungeon to bring people to it, and what would happen to them.

    They had been brought by the guild and a promise of a better life if they helped build the town. And, while as far as Tibs could tell, they weren¡¯t indentured to the guild the way he was, they hadn¡¯t been promised a way to leave should things not work out.

    More a lack of belief the town would fail on the part of the guild than maliciousness. Dungeons always meant success. And the stories of a dungeon dying were so rare Tibs couldn''t find anyone, not even Carina, who had heard one.

    Sto wasn¡¯t one of those, but only he knew that for certain.

    A whistle sounded, and Thump ran off to answer it. Not long after that, the road left the town, turning into a well-trod path winding down to what had become known as the gathering field, where Omega grade Runners assembled while waiting to be assigned to a team for their runs. Guards no longer ran into town looking for a free fighter, archer or sorcerer; if they weren¡¯t on the field, they weren¡¯t doing runs. And since the Omega Runners who had come after Sto graduated had paid for the privilege, they had all spent their time there.

    A handful of merchants had even set up booths there, selling food and drinks as well as cheap equipment. Unlike the group Tibs had arrived with, these could be expected to have coins even before their first run.

    Tibs remembered the first time he¡¯d seen a whole copper coin. The awe that it had been intact, that he could tell what the design on it was, instead of having to guess from the sliver he¡¯d held before. Tibs hadn¡¯t even held a half copper before he¡¯d picked up a full one in the dungeon.

    Or when he received the first copper coin he¡¯d been allowed to keep; although that memory was tainted by who had handed it to him.

    Bardik had stood behind the table, smiles, and nicknames at the ready. Bardik, who had taught Tibs how to fight with knives. Bardik, who had involved Tibs in a plot to kill the dungeon without his knowledge. Bardik, who nearly succeeded in killing Sto, and was responsible for the constant ache deep inside Tibs.

    Tibs tried to see the adventurer rogue between his trips to locate the city he came from, but no one he¡¯d asked would tell him where the prison Bardik was kept in was. All he found out was that it was the most terrible place the guild had.

    Tirania had been the most patient with him, listening to Tibs explain how he needed to find out from the adventurer how he could betray the guild and the dungeon like that. How he could betray Tibs when he thought they could be friends.

    She¡¯d nodded in understanding and told him there was nothing she could, or would, do about it. Bardik would never leave that prison, and no one, not even Tibs, would ever go there to visit him. Then she¡¯d explained that some people were never satisfied with what they had. That some needed to destroy what they couldn¡¯t have or control. That some simply hated what was different.

    Tibs had stopped listening. He knew the why of Bardik¡¯s actions. The man had thought destroying the dungeon would lead to the guild losing its hold on the town and the Runners here. Tibs hadn¡¯t realized he¡¯d still hoped the two of them could be friends until the pain of the betrayal had hit. The one thing he couldn¡¯t explain, that he wanted to know from the adventurer, was why he hadn¡¯t told anyone about how Tibs had drained his essence until he looked older than Alistair.

    Tirania, and those from the guild who knew more about dungeons, said it had been some defense; an attempt at stopping him, but they were guessing, Tibs knew that. For as much as people claimed to know about the dungeons, he¡¯d learned there was much more they didn¡¯t.

    Bardik could have enacted his revenge against Tibs by telling them he was responsible, by revealing one of his secrets.

    He paused at the bottom of the steps leading up the hill that ended where the door to the dungeon was. They were different from when they first appeared, after Sto graduated, or even from the last time Tibs visited. They had been rough then, now they were polished and had designs.

    ¡°Do you like them?¡± Sto asked.

    He looked up at them, then continued the motion by turning and taking in the empty field and path leading back to the town. He confirmed he was alone and looked back at the dungeon.

    ¡°Did you have to make them rats?¡± He indicated the designs. Whether Sto¡¯d intended it or not, He¡¯d given Tibs a hatred of all rat-related things. ¡°You sound better,¡± he added, walking up the steps. Too many of them had designs of rats running along the edge.

    ¡°It¡¯s good for the new Runners to know what to expect.¡±

    On the fifth step, the rats were replaced by Ratlings, and instead of running, Sto¡¯s humanoid creations were killing people. Tibs shuddered at the memory of having one of those on his back, claws coming for his face.

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    ¡°How¡¯s Gany?¡± Tibs started up again.

    ¡°Gany¡¯s¡­ not well. Nearly losing me did something. I don¡¯t understand most of the explanations. It seems pretty simple to me. If I die, there¡¯s another dungeon to be helped.¡±

    ¡°Losing someone isn¡¯t that simple; especially if you care about them. You saw how Walter¡¯s death hurt me, you understand that, since it¡¯s the reason you gave me the pouch and belt.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re human; Gany isn¡¯t. Neither am I. I¡¯m not saying this to be mean, Tibs, but when you die, I¡¯ll go on.¡±

    He nodded. It was why dungeons existed after all. To push the people exploring them so they became stronger, if they survived. Tibs didn¡¯t want to die, but he had no illusions about his chances. With his weak essences, and the fact he couldn¡¯t ask for help in training any but water, it was only a matter of time until Sto put an obstacle before him Tibs wouldn¡¯t be able to overcome.

    If he could tell someone at the guild about his multiple essences, they might help him, but more likely, since that was supposed to be impossible, they¡¯d want to study him, find out how to get someone else to have the same.

    They¡¯d never let him go.

    And the one element he had more essence than he knew what to do with, didn¡¯t exist. Or at least Carina had never heard of anyone with one that let them sense the essence coursing through other people, or use it to heal injuries, after a fashion.

    Or as Jackal liked to call it: splinting the injuries until a cleric could heal them.

    ¡°Maybe her people are more like humans than they are like you.¡±

    The slab of stone blocking the entrance to the dungeon was still featureless, but the columns on each side and above it were more elaborate now. Instead of just rats or bunnies, there was now a sense of each of the rooms on the first floor.

    There was a fighter, skewered by a spear between walls. Boulders, with a leg and an arm being nibbled on by rats. On the other column, the boulder scene was different, the Runner standing with a rat on top and¡ª

    ¡°Is that me?¡± Tibs demanded. The rogue was on the small size, thin, holding a knife.

    ¡°No.¡± Sto sounded offended. ¡°It¡¯s just a random rogue. They¡¯re the ones usually panicking among the boulders the first time they see the rats.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t panic,¡± Tibs stated, trying to stop the shudder at the memory of standing there, frozen in fear, a rat glaring at him from the top of a boulder.

    Another showed a bunny, launching itself at a sorcerer from a hidden door in the floor. The warren room. The next one he identified was the boss room, the golem breaking an archer into two with its whip-hand.

    ¡°Did you make all of these?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Did you think there was another dungeon in here, hiding and adding drawings when I¡¯m not looking?¡±

    Tibs studied the drawing of the trap room, this one a sorceress raised off the floor by an angled spear. He could make out the marks that had identified which of the tiles were triggers when Tibs had first gone through. ¡°You¡¯re good.¡± It was an easy admission. As unnerving at seeing scenes he¡¯d almost died in was, the skill needed to draw them was undeniable.

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    Tibs sat, his back to the stone door. ¡°Do you know when you¡¯ll be opening?¡±

    The answer took time in coming. ¡°Soon. Everything looks right, but the corruption seeped in deep. I¡¯m not finished cleaning it out.¡±

    Tibs raised an arm, feeling the ache with the motion. ¡°How are you removing it? I thought corruption just destroyed everything it touched.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s within me, Tibs. And I can control anything that isn¡¯t alive inside me. If I¡¯d known to expect an attack like that, I would have been ready for it.¡± He paused and his voice was subdued when he continued. ¡°I thought nothing could hurt me. The stone I make is supposed to be impervious to anything.¡±

    Tibs chuckled. ¡°The creatures aren¡¯t all that hard.¡± He¡¯d sliced rats into two with a dull knife.

    ¡°That¡¯s because I make them that way. Hard enough to be a challenge, tough enough to kill you if you aren¡¯t paying attention.¡±

    It hadn¡¯t made the losses he¡¯d experienced vanish, but learning that Sto didn¡¯t exist simply to feed off those who died within his walls had softened it. His purpose was to force them to improve, to get better and stronger. The guild had told them that surviving the dungeon would cause that for them, but they believed it was a secondary effect they were taking advantage of; not the reason dungeons existed.

    It was one of the things the guild had wrong about dungeons. One of many. As far as the guild was concerned, dungeons were nothing more than cunning animals.

    ¡°So¡­ soon?¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°I can¡¯t give you anything better, Tibs. You know time isn¡¯t something I understand the way the living do.¡±

    ¡°I should tell them to set up the schedule here. That way you¡¯d see how we separate the days in five weeks of nine for each month, then the seasons. It helped me figure it out, with my team¡¯s help.¡±

    ¡°How are they? They haven¡¯t visited.¡± Sto sounded disappointed.

    ¡°Jackal¡¯s with Kroseph in MountainSea. Carina travels, looking for books to read, but she stops to see them. Mez is with his family. The last time I saw him, he said something about his mother trying to convince the guild he didn¡¯t belong here, not as a Runner anyway. That he hadn¡¯t done anything deserving of that fate.¡±

    Tibs rubbed his wrist. As if picking a pocket to survive had been a crime so grave he¡¯d deserved to end up here, or get his hand cut off, which had been the alternative. Those who made the laws didn¡¯t care how it affected those under it. He¡¯d been caught, so he needed to be punished, the reasons why he¡¯d been forced to it could go to the abyss.

    ¡°And the cleric?¡±

    ¡°No one¡¯s seen Khumdar since Harry kicked all the Runners out. He tried to stay and look after me, but there was an argument with the purity cleric in charge here and he got banned from the guild house. If he couldn¡¯t look after me, he had no reasons to stay, is the consensus.¡±

    ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll come back?¡±

    Tibs ran a finger over the bracelet on his left wrist, with the yellow gem in it. ¡°If he wants to live, he¡¯ll have to.¡± If he was still alive. Unlike Tibs and any of the original runners, Khumdar hadn¡¯t come here from a cell. He¡¯d arrived after Sto graduated, which meant he¡¯d paid to come; or someone had paid for him. He¡¯d mentioned his choice had been here or to be killed, but it hadn¡¯t been by guards. Would whoever had sent him here appreciate he was free? The bracelet allowed a Runner to go anywhere they wanted, but all it took was one person to realize who you were and all your enemies could find out.

    They¡¯d paid to send him here, so they had the coins to follow him through the transportation platforms.

    It was one thing Tibs had learned from asking questions of the Attendants. The person who took you to your destination could always get back there, even if they weren¡¯t the ones who set the destination; such as when Alistair had taken Tibs to the caverns where he¡¯d had his audience with Water. Even if that Attendant had never been there before, afterward, they knew the way because they¡¯d felt how the essence had been shaped by the platform and could recreate it. They were there to provide the void essence that allowed the platforms to work which was why they needed to accompany even those able to set the destination themselves.

    The platforms and pillars acted as controls anyone with essence could interact with, while the Attendants were the power that allowed the transportation to occur.

    ¡°They haven¡¯t been back because they can¡¯t. Not until the gem in the bracelet turns red. I get special treatment because I saved you.¡±

    ¡°Your team helped. Jackal took on one of those adventurers that tried to chase you. He was taken down quickly, but it gave you more of a lead. Mez let out a bunch of arrows. He really likes his bow.¡±

    Tibs chuckled. ¡°It was lucky one of the chests had something so well suited to him.¡±

    ¡°It was, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Sto lowered his voice. ¡°I don¡¯t think Gany¡¯s going to believe it was random if it happens again.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it will.¡± Tibs stood. ¡°Tell her I¡¯m looking forward to seeing what she did with the third level.¡±

    ¡°How about you start by going through the second floor first?¡±

    ¡°I will. I¡¯m not letting you eat me on your second floor.¡± Knowing it would happen eventually didn¡¯t mean Tibs had to make it easy. ¡°You aren¡¯t eating me if I can avoid it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad, Tibs.¡±

    Back into town, the weaver was at his loom this time, working under the awning. ¡°Gone to see the dungeon again?¡± he asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want him to get too lonely,¡± Tibs replied and the weaver chuckled. They knew the stories of how dungeons were nothing more than animals, but unlike the guild, they thought even an animal deserved compassion.

    Or they simply indulged Tibs because he was the youngest Runner, and still alive and he¡¯d saved the dungeon, and indirectly, the town. He was allowed his strangeness because of that.

    ¡°I hope it¡¯s not going to last any longer,¡± the man said. ¡°There¡¯s no coins coming in with all the Runners away. And soon, I¡¯m not going to be able to pay the rent to the guild anymore.¡±

    Another reason the townsfolk¡¯s spirits fell. Most of them had come with the guild and promises of property and opportunities, and technically¡ªTibs hated that word¡ªthey had that. Only it came with a price. The guild hadn¡¯t given them the land or the building they lived in and used for their business. It leased it to them.

    The guild only cared about them so long as they could pay for it. Tibs didn¡¯t know what would happen to them once they couldn¡¯t pay. It wasn¡¯t like the guild would pay for them to leave via the platform.

    Was this how a city gained a Street?

    ¡°Soon,¡± he answered, putting confidence in his voice. ¡°Soon, we¡¯re going to come back, I promise.¡±

 Stepping up, chapter 03

    The humid air broke his concentration, and he was surprised by how bright it was, again. He wished he could arrive in MountainSea in the evenings or early morning, when the sun was still hidden by the mountains, but he couldn¡¯t figure out how time changed from one place to the other, so he kept being blinded on his arrival.

    He joined those to the side of the path, waiting for his eyes to adjust, and listened to the sounds of the marketplace just outside the pillars. Merchants calling out their goods, the bustle of people. The promise of pockets heavy with coins. It had been so long since he¡¯d dipped his fingers in a pocket and taken one out. He missed it, but the corruption in his body made his fingers untrustworthy. One spasm and he¡¯d lose a hand.

    It would pass, Tibs told himself; opening and closing a hand, feeling the ache. An exercise to gauge if it had gone down. Maybe it had. Or maybe he was trying to convince himself; to keep the despair of being unable to do what defined him.

    He joined the throng of people passing between the pillars and kept his hands in his pockets as he passed through the market and onto MountainSea Road, which ran through the center of the city, from the mountain to the sea. At Carlisle Way, he went left and followed it until it widened, at Stone Drop, into a small shop district where Kroseph¡¯s family had their inn.

    He stepped in and was blind again, until his eyes adjusted to the much lower light level.

    ¡°It is little man!¡± a woman yelled in heavily accented Pursatian, while he still barely saw anything, and he readied himself. The woman grabbed him and lifted him off the floor. ¡°Little man return!¡±

    ¡°Hi Jesebel,¡± Tibs greeted her.

    ¡°How trip?¡± she asked, carrying him to the back of the eating room, by the bar. She was one of Kroseph¡¯s sisters or a sister of his parents. Tibs had tried to learn, but explanations came too quickly between other duties, and as all but a few of Kroseph¡¯s family only managed broken explanations, he still wasn¡¯t sure.

    Greetings exploded on the way; his hair was ruffled, his back patted, his name called. More was said in a language he didn¡¯t understand but now recognized as the one spoken locally, and then he was placed down.

    Jackal once told Tibs that enthusiasm was one of Kroseph¡¯s defining traits. After visiting the family multiple times now, Tibs decided it was shared by every one of them.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± the older man behind the bar greeted him, then instructed Jesebel to get more ale.

    ¡°Mister Fernan,¡± Tibs replied, taking the offered tankard as he sat on the stool and had his hair ruffled again.

    ¡°How were your travels?¡± he asked. The perfect speech was a reminder that unlike the others in the family, Kroseph¡¯s father had the magic the platform imbued that let them understand each other. Only those who worked at the inn in Kragle Rock had received it; since it was expensive.

    Tibs placed the copper on the counter. ¡°I didn¡¯t find it.¡±

    ¡°You will.¡± The man glared at the coin before lifting his gaze to Tibs. They locked eyes, and after a few seconds, he sighed, took the coin, and placed it in a box under the counter. They had this contest of will each time Tibs returned, and like the previous times, Tibs couldn¡¯t explain why he insisted on paying for his drinks and meals. Why he wanted to be treated as a customer here when he was more of their extended family in Kragle Rock.

    The closest Tibs came to an explanation was that he didn¡¯t want to become too comfortable here. This wasn¡¯t his city. He was only visiting, and visitors paid for what they had.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Kroseph?¡±

    ¡°Off with Bad Fighter,¡± Jesebel said, returning from the back with a barrel of ale over her shoulder. She was one of the stronger family members, and she didn¡¯t approve of Jackal.

    ¡°Do not bad mouth Kroseph¡¯s man,¡± the innkeeper snapped. Tibs didn¡¯t understand Jesebel¡¯s reply, but the derision in her tone was clear. She was the one person Jackal couldn¡¯t seem to charm.

    ¡°Where are they?¡± Tibs asked, instead of allowing the argument to escalate.

    ¡°The arena.¡± The innkeeper glared at the departing Jesebel, and took the barrel, moving it with the others behind the bar. He sighed. ¡°At least this way he isn¡¯t going to end up in a cell anymore.¡±

    Jackal called himself a thug with too much pride for Kroseph¡¯s father¡¯s comfort, and without the dungeon or the training to survive it to direct his energy at, the fighter had gotten in several brawls, more than one ended with him spending a night or a few days in a cell, and having to pay most of the coins he¡¯d had when the last one had destroyed a tavern.

    Jackal spent the following days apologizing to Kroseph. He hadn¡¯t meant to fight. He¡¯d just gone in for an ale, but someone there had badmouthed the inn, and he couldn¡¯t allow that.

    Tibs heard about it when he¡¯d next visited, and how Jackal had promised that was the last brawl, only to get into another one a few days later. Fighting was for Jackal like picking pockets was for Tibs, and Tibs had more willpower, it seemed.

    Kroseph had suggested the arena, and Jackal had fought against it. Finally going to fights there as if he was heading for his hanging, rather than a way to work out his aggression, and even make coins. Kroseph had sounded baffled when he¡¯d told this to Tibs, and Tibs had explained how Jackal saw stepping into the arena as willingly risking death and leaving Kroseph alone.

    Kroseph had yelled at the fighter after that, then they¡¯d made up, and then Tibs had left because they¡¯d forgotten he was in the room and they were moving on to ¡®them¡¯ time.

    ¡°When did they leave?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°Just as you arrived,¡± the innkeeper answered, surprised. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see them?¡±

    ¡°All the light in this city blinded me.¡±

    The man chuckled. ¡°If you hurry, you might get to watch him fight. Since they don¡¯t plan ahead, it takes the organizers time to find a fighter that¡¯s a match for him.¡±

    ¡°They have Runners?¡± that¡¯s who they¡¯d need to be Jackal¡¯s match, and he hadn¡¯t heard of any others coming here.

    ¡°No, but the rules keep him from using his element unless his opponent has one too.¡±

    ¡°Jackal cheats,¡± Tibs replied flatly.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen,¡± the man said with a chuckle. ¡°But the arena uses a Sensitive to ensure there is no essence used during fights where it isn¡¯t allowed.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± no one had mentioned that word as a person before.

    ¡°All I know is that they¡¯re people who are sensitive to essence being moved around.¡±

    ¡°Can I talk with one?¡± Tibs asked eagerly. That sounded a lot like what he did. Maybe they could help him with his element.

    The innkeeper laughed. ¡°Ever the curious Tibs.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know how to contact one, but since they know Jackal has an element, I expect they will have one there.¡± He grinned. ¡°They also know he cheats.¡±

    Tibs finished the ale, then ran out, ignoring Jesebel¡¯s calls to return.

    * * * * *

    The arena was packed. That was normal, based on the few times Tibs had come. The one copper fee to enter was low enough that even some streetfolks were there. The crowd made resisting the pockets tougher. His hand cramping before he¡¯d reached into one made him push them into his own, cursing softly.

    Feeling coins against his fingers was so much better when they weren¡¯t his own.

    Instead of going for the seats, Tibs headed for the front. He wanted to see into the pit this time, not just the fighters in the center. People complained as he made his way, and then that he was blocking their view as Tibs pulled himself up to look over the stone railing.

    He knew Jackal wasn¡¯t in the pit yet. He was too far for Tibs to sense his earth-tinted essence, but he¡¯d be somewhere under the seats, where the fighters waited for their turns, and it wasn¡¯t who Tibs was looking for.

    He searched the pit the two fighters bashing each other with staves were in. If a sensitive¡¯s range was like his, they¡¯d have to be close to know when essence was used. Tibs could tell neither fighter had an element from where he stood, but if they moved away they would be out of his sense.

    Guard stood against the walls. They were there in case someone jumped in. He¡¯d been told it happened sometimes, when a popular fighter was scheduled. Or the rare occasion when a fighter tried to flee. All fights were voluntary, but once started, there were set ways they needed to end. One could forfeit or lose the fight. MountainSea didn¡¯t allow fights to the death, so occasionally the guards had to intervene, and sometimes, they weren¡¯t in time.

    No guards moved from where they stood as the fight moved through the pit. Then it was over with a cheer, and the fighters exited. Tibs couldn¡¯t tell who the winner was, and since he didn¡¯t have coins riding on it, he didn¡¯t care. There were officials in a booth, along with nobles. If there was a doubt who won, they decided and posted it on a board by the exits.

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    The new fighters were in a mishmash of armors that made no sense to Tibs. They entered the circle marked with stones in the center of the pit, putting them just at the edge of his sense. The crowd cheered, calling one name or another. Coins were exchanged.

    Not all betting took place via arena-approved methods.

    If the sensitive wasn¡¯t one of the guards, and since they couldn¡¯t move to ensure the fighters remained within their sense, it would be one of the officials. The fighters were far enough he couldn¡¯t make out the sound of swords striking shields over the crowd as he searched for anyone within the pit that looked right, but he only saw guards and the fighters.

    One fell and the other raised his sword. Cheers and jeers sounded. Coins changed hands, copper, with a few silvers. Tempting loose pouches and pockets. He focused on the pit as two new fighters entered, a man and a woman. No armors or weapons.

    He looked at the booth with the officials again. They were too far to see any details of the fight, but since they made the final decision when it wasn¡¯t clear, they must have something. Magic, most likely.

    The fighters only wore short pants, except for a tight wrap around the woman¡¯s breasts. The fight was quick, devolving to them wrestling in the sand. The woman was the victor. She helped the man up and they exited.

    Jackal stepped onto the field along with an older, more muscular man. They only wore pants. The cheering wasn¡¯t as loud as the previous fighters, but Tibs heard Jackal¡¯s name and the one of his opponent as coins changed hands again. This time, a woman in a gray uniform accompanied them, spoke once they were in the circle. She spoke again when neither acknowledged her, too busy glaring at one another. On the third time, they broke it and nodded to her.

    Tibs thought he¡¯d identified the sensitive and hoped there weren¡¯t too many people in that uniform so he could find her again, then he was distracted by the fight that started the instant she was out of the circle.

    Jackal punched the other man in the face, who barely reacted.

    Tibs was impressed. Even without using his essence, Jackal was strong. Quickly, the fight moved out of the circle, and beyond Tibs¡¯s sense. He searched for the woman, but she was nowhere he could see. How far could she sense? Could it be trained, extended?

    He focused on the fight, pushing his sense, trying to sense if Jackal used his essence. A punch landed in Jackal¡¯s stomach hard enough that it lifted him off the ground. He rolled out of the way of the foot aimed for his head. Enough sand lifted from the impact Tibs wondered if that might not have been enough to kill Jackal if it had landed.

    The crowd cheered.

    Tibs didn¡¯t.

    Jackal was up and kicked the other man¡¯s knee, with no visible result. The response was a backhand that sent Jackal flying back, then was on the ground again. Tibs hadn¡¯t paid much attention to his opponent; did he have an element? Wouldn¡¯t Jackal use earth if he did?

    The man kicked Jackal in the stomach when he reached him, sending him rolling away. He strode for another one, but the guards were pulling him away. The crowd screamed protests.

    Tibs ran, looking for a way under the seats. He¡¯d seen Jackal hurt often enough to know he was in bad shape right now. He found a passage, but then realized it didn¡¯t help him much. Corridors branched off in multiple directions, and even when one pointed toward the pit, it might not go that far.

    He pushed earth essence into the surrounding stone. The arena was entirely made of it. Maybe he could push enough of it around to sense where the corridors led, but he didn¡¯t have the practice spreading it he had with water, and it slipped from his control before he had more than his immediate surroundings and he had to pull it back. As with water, he had more than what he¡¯d sent out, but no amulet for it, so nowhere to keep it.

    On the next run, Tibs was keeping all the amulets. He was tired of never having enough of the essence he actually needed.

    He avoided people by the faint essence they all had and continued ever deeper into the arena. The corridors were lit by the outside light, reflecting on mirrors placed throughout them.

    He couldn¡¯t avoid everyone, and when guards or fighters saw him, they called after him; the guards in a serious tone, the fighters in amusement. The corruption remained quiet, so he evaded those who chased him.

    Until the woman in the blue and gold robes stopped him with a stare. Serious, stern. She said something Tibs didn¡¯t understand but sounded angry and he turned to run. Why did there have to be a noble down here? She raised her voice as he ran and fighters stepped out of rooms, reaching for Tibs. He ducked and dodged the hands, and thought he was free when corruption locked his leg and he crashed to the floor, swallowing the scream of pain.

    He hated corruption.

    Among laughter, someone picked him up and sat him on a bench, and Tibs nearly lost the battle not to scream as the jostling increased the pain. When he opened his eyes, she was standing before him, watching him. No, she was studying him; her gaze curious. He noted she wasn¡¯t the one who¡¯d stepped into the pit for Jackal¡¯s fight, then was busy fighting the pain. Corruption was being stubborn.

    She said something and through gritted teeth, he replied. ¡°I don¡¯t understand you.¡±

    ¡°Pursantier? Who are you, child?¡± her accent was slight.

    ¡°No one important.¡± He could breathe easier. Corruption was finally relenting.

    She reached for him, and he tried to slide out of reach, but the motion caused the pain to spike. She took hold of his left arm and pulled up the sleeve.

    ¡°Children who are not important do not benefit from this.¡± She ran a finger along the bracelet. ¡°Sealed. Enforced. You are not at a dungeon by choice.¡±

    ¡°What do you care?¡± he snapped, then focused on breathing through the pain.

    ¡°There is another with such a bracelet. One who does not shine so bright as you.¡±

    Of course, it would be her. ¡°You¡¯re the sensitive.¡± He took in the robe¡¯s quality, the jewelry. She didn¡¯t have as much as other nobles he¡¯d encountered, but enough.

    ¡°You seem to have a dislike of me, and yet we have not met before.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve met enough of your kind.¡± He should have better self-control; he cursed corruption for the distraction. Nobles were not people he wanted to annoy. If one took a dislike to you, life became extremely difficult.

    ¡°My kind?¡± she asked. ¡°And what kind is that?¡±

    ¡°Nobles.¡± The pain ebbed and he couldn¡¯t keep the sigh from escaping.

    ¡°It seems your leg is better,¡± she said, with a glance at it. ¡°What afflicts you?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell?¡± at least his tone wasn¡¯t as angry this time.

    ¡°I am sensitive, not all-knowing. I see you have the essence, but not the eyes to tell me what element you have. I have never known of such a condition.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m too young.¡± He massaged his leg. It didn¡¯t help with the pain, but it gave him a sense he was doing something.

    ¡°You are indeed young. Can you walk?¡±

    ¡°Why? You can¡¯t get one of them to throw me out?¡± he demanded. A few fighters remained at the periphery, watching them.

    ¡°If that is what you desire, it can be accomplished.¡± She waited a few seconds, and he didn¡¯t acknowledge her. ¡°You watched the other with this bracelet¡¯s fight. I expect it is who you are running to see. I can take you to him.¡±

    Tibs looked up from his leg and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Why would I not?¡±

    Tibs had more answers for that than he had time. ¡°Just tell me where he is.¡±

    She motioned along the corridor. ¡°The infirmary.¡± She said a word, then looked at him expectantly. With a sigh, he repeated it. She said it again, and he paid better attention. At least when Carina taught him something, she didn¡¯t sound so haughty about it. After the fourth time, she nodded. ¡°That is the local word for it. I wish you well, child, even if you do not wish the same to me.¡± He watched her go, trying to work out what her game was.

    By the time he could stand, the fighters were gone too. He followed her direction, then asked for the infirmary, and finally reached it. Kroseph was seated next to Jackal, his eyes red from tears. The fighter had more bandages on him than bare skin.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Kroseph said on seeing him, but not managing his usual smile, ¡°tell this idiot the arena isn¡¯t there for him to get himself killed in it.¡±

    Tibs looked at Jackal, at the way the essence flowed through him and reacted to his injuries. A broken leg and arm. The essence through his head was wrong, but Tibs didn¡¯t know enough about those kinds of injuries to know what it was. He had cracked ribs and broken ones. More things wrong inside him.

    ¡°Why did you anger him?¡± Tibs asked.

    Jackal took Kroseph¡¯s hand in his and winced at the pain it caused. ¡°You know me, always saying the wrong thing. I¡¯m sorry.¡± He gazed at Kroseph lovingly.

    ¡°I mean the other fighter,¡± Tibs said and looked away from the two of them, gazing in each other¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Who?¡± Jackal turned his head to look at him. ¡°Tibs!¡± he winced in pain. ¡°When did you get here? Did you see me fight?¡± there was something wrong with the way his friend looked at him.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± he asked, looking around for someone to help.

    A thin man carrying wraps under an arm and a knife at his belt paused by them. ¡°Head bruising.¡± He touched his head, then shook it sadly. ¡°Go to cleric. No healing that here.¡±

    ¡°There has to be something you can do,¡± Kroseph demanded.

    The man answered him. The tone didn¡¯t sound hopeful, then continued on.

    ¡°Rest and food,¡± Kroseph said. ¡°And maybe he¡¯ll be okay.¡± He swallowed and squeezed Jackal¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Tibs will take care of it,¡± Jackal said with confidence. ¡°He¡¯s my best friend.¡±

    ¡°Clerics are expensive, Jackal. I doubt Tibs has enough money.¡±

    Jackal smiled and Kroseph seemed to realize what he¡¯d meant. He knew what Tibs could do, but not having to depend on it to survive the dungeon meant it wasn¡¯t the first thing he considered. He looked at Tibs hopefully.

    The arm, leg, and ribs weren¡¯t a problem. The inside of his body didn¡¯t feel too damaged, more like it was all bruised. But the head was a problem. This wasn¡¯t like what Carina had had, but just like then, he was reluctant to wrap it in his essence and apply the pressure he does for broken bones. He could hurt if he did it wrong, and he knew that hurting the head was a bad idea.

    Even if he couldn¡¯t deal with that, there was the rest of him.

    He hesitated. Could that noble sense him from where she was? Her sense went further than his since she¡¯d known he was in the audience and he would have noticed someone like her. What would she do if she could tell what he did?

    The abyss with her. ¡°Cover his mouth,¡± he whispered. He wasn¡¯t letting his friend remain injured because of her. If she came demanding answers, he¡¯d deal with her. Maybe she¡¯d seek him out in Kragle Rock, and then Sto could help deal with the body.

    He encased the broken leg and tightened it back into place. Corruption flowed in with his essence, then Tibs felt it seep into Jackal. With a curse, he tried to pull it back, but he couldn¡¯t grasp corruption; it wasn¡¯t his element. Hopefully, it wasn¡¯t enough to make things worse.

    ¡°We¡¯re okay to take him to the inn,¡± Tibs said, putting as much confidence as he could in his voice. Kroseph didn¡¯t need uncertainty right now.

    * * * * *

    Tibs stood before the shop and hesitated. He should have done this sooner. So much sooner.

    He¡¯d rather be at the inn, but there was nothing for him to do there. Kroseph¡¯s father had contacted a surgeon to look after Jackal and treat the fever that had developed. That Tibs was sure corruption had given him.

    He entered the Cliffside General Gatherer and had to step aside to avoid colliding with a man carrying packages. Tibs headed for the counter where the heavy-set man stood. The tall and thin woman was speaking with a group of nobles by a display case.

    ¡°Hi,¡± Tibs greeted the shop owner. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you remember me. I came to your house and asked for a Sea Drop.¡±

    The confusion on the man¡¯s face turned to worry as he looked around the shop. ¡°Why are you here?¡± There was a hint of fear in his voice.

    Tibs knew the man played a part in what happened to Sto; That box he¡¯d given him was part of it. But what he remembered more was the worry about what Bardik was planning. The concern for the man himself.

    He decided just saying was the best way. ¡°Bardik failed. He was captured. They sent him to a prison.¡±

    The man didn¡¯t immediately react. ¡°Oh.¡± The man¡¯s tanned complexion paled. ¡°No.¡± He grabbed onto the counter, his arms shaking. ¡°Tari¡ª¡± The whisper was cut up by him falling and knocking over something behind the counter, which shattered.

    ¡°Chuck!¡± the thin woman yelled, and before Tibs reacted, she jumped the counter. Tibs looked around it. Chuck was on the floor, shaking, eyes wide with fear. She raised his head and placed a small bottle to his lips, whispering something Tibs couldn¡¯t make out. She noticed him and the concern turned into anger. ¡°Leave!¡± The rest was in language Tibs didn¡¯t understand, but even the lyricalness of the words couldn¡¯t cover up the hate in them.

    Tibs ran.

 Stepping up, chapter 04

    ¡°Everyone grab your crate!¡± Kroseph¡¯s father called to the people assembled in the area set aside for large groups like theirs, next to the transport platform.

    Tibs hadn¡¯t known the work needed to move this many crates of foodstuff between cities. He¡¯d thought merchants simply came and went to get what they needed, or had a messenger bring it to them. That worked when the merchant only needed a handful of small items, but anything large, as in, everything needed for Kroseph¡¯s family to run the inn in Kragle Rock, required an entirely different approach.

    Even if they could have done multiple trips, which they couldn¡¯t because of something Kroseph called the ¡®benefits of bulk¡¯, some of those crates required two people to carry.

    Another complication had been the coordination with the other platforms. Unlike when it was only one or two people traveling, or a small family, their group would occupy the entirety of the platform, making it impossible for someone to arrive while they stood on it.

    Or rather, one of Kroseph¡¯s sisters said with a grin, he didn¡¯t want anyone arriving while they were on it, since it got really messy, very fast.

    They also had to ensure that the platform in Kragle Rock was clear for their arrival. Considering how long it had taken the group to simply exit the inn in MountainSea to go pick up the stored crates, this platform would be unable to function for a while.

    One of Kroseph¡¯s brothers tried to explain how the Attendants could coordinate between platforms and the accent didn¡¯t help, so Tibs decided magic was enough of an explanation.

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± he asked Jackal. The fighter held three crates stacked and tied together, while Tibs only had a backpack.

    He¡¯d asked for more, but even getting the pack had proved difficult. Everyone told him he was too young to do the work. When he pointed to a girl around his age with crates, he was told she was family, so had to work. He wasn¡¯t.

    The behavior irritated him enough he snapped that he was a Runner and not some kid. This was too much like when he¡¯d arrived at Kragle Rock and couldn¡¯t get any work, as every Runner had been ordered to do as payment for having a place to sleep and food to eat. It had been amusing at first, but that hadn¡¯t lasted.

    Before Tibs yelled again, Kroseph handed him the heavy backpack, and he¡¯d been mollified.

    ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± the fighter replied, in spite of his pale color. The fever passed a day before the message came, informing Kroseph¡¯s father the town was ready for him to return if he was interested, but just this morning, he had trouble remaining standing for more than a few minutes. Right now, Tibs sensed how Jackal used his earth essence to anchor himself to the ground and stay up.

    ¡°For those of you who weren¡¯t with us the last time we did this,¡± Kroseph¡¯s father called over the raising noise. ¡°If you feel yourself getting sick on arrival, hold it until you¡¯re down the stairs. They charge for the platform cleanup.¡±

    ¡°And something else the guild uses to get money out of us,¡± Jackal grumbled.

    ¡°The guild doesn¡¯t run the platforms,¡± Tibs said.

    It was something he¡¯d learned while speaking with the Attendants when one of them wasn¡¯t busy and willing to converse. While like him they had grown in power through the guild and running dungeons, because they had void as their element, the people running the platforms paid off what the Runner owed so they could work for them. No one could tell him the exact nature of the platforms, other than the methods had been discovered a long time ago.

    Tibs was getting the sense that everything about essence and its uses had been discovered a long time ago and no one other than the sorcerers bothered trying to find out more anymore.

    ¡°I am sure they manage to get a cut of even that,¡± Jackal replied as the essence around them shifted.

    *

    Tibs fought to steady Jackal once Kragle Rock materialized, doing his best to still his own protesting stomach. Other than his first time traveling via the platform, it had never affected him this way, and he wondered if how much was being moved affected how the essence behaved during the process.

    Jackal pushed his essence into the ground and steadied himself.

    Without having to focus on the fighter, he sensed his own essence, felt how it was disrupted, and pushed it back into place. His stomach settled instantly.

    ¡°Everyone off the platform,¡± Kroseph¡¯s father yelled, ¡°before we get charged extra!¡±

    Tibs kept an eye on Jackal as they moved with the group. When he was healthy, the fighter had no problem shifting his essence as he walked, maintaining a proper connection and ensuring he didn¡¯t lose essence; but now he was leaving some behind with each step. Hopefully, his reserve had enough to make it to the inn, and he could rest.

    The procession stretched as they moved through the narrower roads and streets and soon it was more of a long and thin line, rather than a mass of people. Guards watched them, in their green and black uniforms, looking bored, but others appeared, looking excited. The reopening of the inn meant the town would be alive again.

    ¡°Put it down here,¡± Kroseph instructed Jackal once they were before the building.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± the fighter replied irritably.

    ¡°I know, but this is where these crates go. We can¡¯t get everything inside at once. Dad¡¯s going to make sure everything¡¯s fine with the inn, then we¡¯ll start moving them inside in the order they are needed.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t he have done that before getting everyone here?¡±

    ¡°More coins,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°He couldn¡¯t come first and then send for us,¡± Kroseph answered. ¡°He had to book the time as soon as he found out. The platform here is only going to get busier as time passes and more merchants return. Not being here when most of the Runners return would kill the inn. Speaking of. Do either of you know when the Runners will be called back?¡±

    Tibs looked at his bracelet. The gem was still yellow. ¡°It turns red when we have to come back.¡± He placed the pack down. ¡°I¡¯m going to make sure we have a room. Make sure he rests,¡± he told Kroseph.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Jackal snapped.

    The server smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure my man has no reason to want to do anything strenuous.¡± He took the fighter¡¯s arm and placed it around his shoulders.

    ¡°I can do strenuous stuff,¡± Jackal complained.

    ¡°And you will,¡± Kroseph replied, his voice softening as he leaned closer.

    Tibs hurried away. He was confident the strenuous stuff they¡¯d get to would be kept to the inside of a room, but not completely so. Walking in on them doing them stuff once had been more than enough for Tibs.

    He found the rooming house locked and considered unlocking it when no one answered his banging, but it had the same magical locks as the rooms in it had. Only the rooming houses had such locks, none of the shops. It gave Tibs a sense of what the guild considered theirs.

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    The rooming houses contained the Runners, while the shops only had goods and coins.

    He wondered if Darran had a pick that would open locks like these, so he headed to Merchant Row to ask.

    *

    The building was deserted.

    It hadn¡¯t even been locked.

    The sign that had hung over the door was also gone. He hadn¡¯t come by after, finally being allowed out of the guild building because he hadn¡¯t needed anything from the shops at that point.

    He hoped Darran came back. He liked the crafty merchant.

    He stepped out of the building to a gray dog growling at him. It was stout, but massive. He took a piece of jerky and crouched, offering it to the dog. The growling stopped, and it canted its head.

    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Tibs encouraged. ¡°You must be new. You¡¯re too healthy to be one of the roaming dogs. Take it, you must love jerky, Thump does. I do too.¡± He broke a small piece and popped it into his mouth.

    The dog hesitated, looked around, then took a step forward.

    ¡°No!¡± Serba yelled. ¡°Sato, sit!¡±

    The dog whined a little, but sat, eyes never leaving the jerky.

    ¡°Hello, Serba.¡± Tibs stood. ¡°Sato¡¯s new.¡±

    She stepped around the shop¡¯s corner. ¡°How do you do that? I train them to only obey me.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°Maybe you¡¯re too mean to them. Even dogs prefer someone who¡¯s nice.¡±

    She snorted. ¡°You¡¯re a thief, not¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a rogue,¡± he corrected.

    She snorted again. ¡°One of those wouldn¡¯t have anything to do with my brother. He¡¯s dirt. That makes you no better than he is.¡±

    He studied her. ¡°If you¡¯re angry at Harry for keeping you here when the rest of us could leave, be angry at him, not Jackal. Or me.

    She glared at him. ¡°Kid, don¡¯t tell me what to do.¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°Don¡¯t act like you need to be told.¡±

    She let out a series of whistles, and growling answered from the alleys.

    Tibs crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°I¡¯m more Street than that. You won¡¯t scare me with your attack dogs.¡±

    ¡°They are going to rip you apart, kid,¡± she snarled.

    He smirked. ¡°Good luck explaining to Harry how you aren¡¯t behind my death.¡± She was trying too hard.

    She looked baffled. ¡°How are you not scared that I¡¯ll have them kill you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a Dungeon Runner, Serba. I know I¡¯m going to die. But it¡¯s not going to be to something in this town. You¡¯re too scared of Harry to risk it, anyway.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡± She snapped her mouth shut.

    Tibs threw the jerky at the dog. ¡°Enjoy Sato. Don¡¯t let her be mean to you. Thump can find me if you want someone who¡¯ll be nice to you.¡± He stepped around the guard.

    ¡°I swear, Tibs,¡± she called after him. ¡°You¡¯re asking for one of them to bite your hand off.¡±

    He coated his hand in earth and water and iced that. It looked brittle and he sensed the way corruption was interfering even with that, but it would still be enough against a dog.

    He passed by Transport Road instead of turning onto it. Corruption¡¯s effect had reminded him he hadn¡¯t checked in on it during any of his previous visits. He hadn¡¯t been interested in spending any more time in the too-quiet town than the walk to visit Sto and return to the platform.

    He nodded to the merchants, who were moving into the shops. Some waved at him in recognition, while others, who Tibs had never seen before, either ignored him or watched warily. Successful merchants seemed to have a knack for spotting rogues.

    The stench began four buildings away from the pool, even with the breeze blowing in the opposite direction. No shop had settled in the buildings past that point.

    Where the Caravan Garden used to stand, along with the shop on the left, now was only the pool of corruption. Essence concentrated until it was made solid, or liquid in this case. Tibs didn¡¯t know if it had happened on purpose or not, but the corruption Bardik had had stored in the shop had been released and ate at everything, and everyone, in it.

    Tibs was also responsible for it. All those blue opals the adventurer rogue had Tibs drop and take from pockets had been messages about this and their plan to kill the dungeon. He suspected the box he¡¯d picked up from Cliff in MountainSea had contained some, and while Tibs had delivered it to a tavern, it had found its way to the Caravan Garden.

    There had also been the black bottle a messenger had delivered there for the shopkeeper¡¯s daughter. He¡¯d seen other such bottles changing hands before in the town, had even held one, which he¡¯d been instructed to drop in the pocket of a man leaving the town.

    Bardik had known the girl here, Tibs was sure of that now. It was why he¡¯d stood here the night after the corruption had been released. Tibs had thought the adventurer had simply been angry that it had happened, but the man didn¡¯t care enough about others for that. This had interfered with his plans. That was why he¡¯d been angry.

    A stone wall now kept anyone from getting close to the pool; it replaced the posts and ropes. It went to his chest, but the stench more than it kept people away. On the other side, the pool of not quite black, not quite purple, liquid still sat there, same as it had the last time he looked at it, before some of it was used against Sto.

    Did it mean the clerics hadn¡¯t been able to do anything to it, or that they hadn¡¯t even tried? He sort of remembered someone telling him they would be called in, but he couldn¡¯t recall who. The only cleric he had seen try was that strange girl.

    Could anything be done about it anymore, or was this part of the town condemned to always be abandoned? He hated this blight on his town. The reminder he¡¯d been used to hurt the dungeon. The people who lived here.

    He headed back to the inn.

    He would make it up to the town for his part in what had happened.

    *

    ¡°Tibs!¡± Carina called as she wrapped him in her arms. ¡°How are you? Did you grow?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he replied indignantly.

    She looked at the sleeve of his shirt. ¡°Did you buy a short shirt, then?¡± she asked suspiciously.

    He pulled on the sleeve, but it didn¡¯t help. He hadn¡¯t realized he¡¯d put on one of his old shirts, from when he had to be happy with what he found, or in this case, took from one of the dead runners. He didn¡¯t care how well, or not, his clothing fit him, but her attention made him self-conscious.

    She hugged him again. ¡°I missed you.¡±

    ¡°I missed you too.¡±

    ¡°What about me?¡± Jackal asked, approaching them.

    She looked at him, then leaned closer to Tibs. ¡°Who¡¯s the strange guy?¡± she whispered loudly.

    ¡°He¡¯s Kroseph¡¯s special guy,¡± Tibs replied, and had to keep from smiling at the fighter¡¯s eye roll.

    She brightened. ¡°Oh, he found someone. I¡¯m so happy for him.¡± She paused. ¡°He didn¡¯t settle for this one, right?¡±

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°No, he¡¯s had a lot of options, but somehow, this is who won.¡± He lowered his voice. ¡°I think he beat up all the others.¡±

    ¡°So you didn¡¯t think you could win a man honestly?¡± she demanded of the fighter.

    Jackal sighed. ¡°Will it help if I tell you I was hurt bad?¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± she asked, all pretense gone.

    ¡°He fought in the arena,¡± Tibs answered, while Jackal was looking for a more flattering way to say it. ¡°He pissed off another fighter. Bigger and stronger, and better at fighting.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to piss him off,¡± Jackal replied in exasperation. ¡°He commented on Kro¡¯s amazing looks. I agreed and added I was really lucky he was my guy, and somehow that pissed him off.¡± He paused and considered something. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I didn¡¯t put insults in there in the process.¡±

    ¡°The guy would have killed Jackal if the guards hadn¡¯t stopped the fight. He was hurt real bad.¡±

    Carina sighed. ¡°Sounds like he wanted to remove you, so he could get Kroseph.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Wait. Are you saying I actually didn¡¯t cause this?¡± Jackal asked, surprised.

    ¡°Are you lying to us right now, about what you told him?¡± she asked.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then, as unbelievable as it sounds, no, you didn¡¯t cause this.¡±

    Jackal beamed.

    ¡°Carina,¡± Kroseph greeted her, placing the tankard on the table, then hugging her. ¡°How is my favorite sorceress? You look good.¡±

    Tibs looked at Carina again, and Kroseph was right. Her dark skin had a glow to it.

    ¡°Glad to be home.¡±

    Jackal stared at her, tankard to his lips. ¡°Did you just call this place home?¡± he asked in disbelief.

    ¡°It is home,¡± Tibs stated, glaring at the fighter.

    ¡°For you and me, sure,¡± he replied. ¡°But she has a home.¡± He looked at her, concerned. ¡°Right?¡±

    She took a long drag of her tankard. ¡°I do. Here.¡±

    ¡°Carina, you¡¯re not Street,¡± Jackal said. ¡°That means you have people out there who¡ª¡±

    ¡°You have family, Jackal,¡± she replied. ¡°A sister and an uncle. Both in this very town. Wouldn¡¯t that mean you¡¯re not Street either? Who else is out there, worried about you?¡± she asked, her tone turning frosty.

    ¡°You have seen how Serba acts toward me, right?¡± the fighter asked. ¡°That Knuckles hates me. Trust me, there is no one out there worried about what might happen to me.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯d hate you less if you stopped calling him that,¡± Tibs said, then turned to Carina. ¡°Why are you back? The gem¡¯s still yellow.¡±

    ¡°I was visiting Morishita when the messenger came to inform her the town was ready for the merchants who wanted to return. She¡¯s the one who sells pigments for art,¡± she explained. ¡°She also sells books.¡± She considered something and took a book from a satchel. She opened it and placed it before Tibs. The page was blank. She added an inkpot and quill next to it before Tibs could ask what she was doing. ¡°Now, why don¡¯t you write the names of the places you visited?¡±

    Tibs stared at her in horror. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± She replied, her tone going stern, ¡°you agreed that you would¡ª¡±

    ¡°Give me a slate.¡± He indicated the book. ¡°I¡¯m not wasting your paper on my letters.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t going to be wasted, Tibs. It¡¯s going to be a record of how you progress.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not worth the gold you paid.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t pay for it. It was a gift.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you use it for the thing whoever gave it to you meant it for?¡± Jackal asked.

    She closed it and ran a hand over the leather cover. ¡°He said to use it to do something that made me happy.¡±

    Jackal raised an eyebrow. ¡°And you picked torturing Tibs?¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°The only other thing I could think of was torturing you with it, but I don¡¯t want to risk damaging it, as I¡¯d use it to hit you over the head.¡±

    Tibs smiled as he listened to them bicker.

    It was good to have his family back.

 Stepping up, chapter 05

    Tibs¡¯s left wrist itched.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s worse,¡± Jackal said, rubbing his now bare left wrist. ¡°The brand wearing those things puts on us, or what having it removed means.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to miss the freedom to travel,¡± Carina said wistfully, running a finger over where the bracelet had been only minutes earlier.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be able to do that again when the dungeon graduates, right Tibs?¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°But I won¡¯t have months of it.¡±

    ¡°So long as no one attacks him again,¡± Tibs grumbled, giving in to the need and scratching at his wrist.

    ¡°How long until everyone¡¯s back, do you think?¡± Carina asked.

    ¡°Two days,¡± Jackal replied, ¡°if they want to live.¡±

    Two days was how long the Runners had to return once the gem on the bracelet turn from yellow to red, which it had this morning. It would turn black after that, and anyone not in the town would become wanted, and the guild only cared about getting the bracelet back, not the person who was attached to it.

    Tibs hadn¡¯t heard of anyone being hunted this way, but some people hadn¡¯t returned when Sto had reopened after graduating.

    *

    ¡°Jackal,¡± Mez said, stepping up to the table. He nodded to the others. ¡°Carina, Tibs.¡±

    Tibs stared at the archer. Instead of the guild armor, and the good, but worn, clothing he¡¯d last seen on the man, he wore new leathers that looked in better condition than Tibs¡¯s armor. The clothing was dark brown, with black and silver trim, and of a quality that Tibs wouldn¡¯t be surprised to see on a noble.

    Mez stepped aside and motioned to a woman, slightly shorter than he was, with copper hair and the same dark tanned complexion as the archer. Her clothing was of the same quality as Mez¡¯s, and in the same color scheme, but hers had more silver,

    ¡°May I introduce you to Amanda Dhadly; my betrothed.¡±

    ¡°You got married?¡± Jackal asked in dismay, then cursed as his startlement made food fall on his lap.

    ¡°What about Tandy?¡± Tibs asked.

    The woman told Mez something, and he shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± She said something in a sharp tone. ¡°Just someone from the past.¡± He looked at Tibs. ¡°I¡¯ll explain things to her. She¡¯ll understand.¡±

    ¡°Mez,¡± Carina said, her expression darkening. ¡°You better hope you can run a lot faster than she can.¡±

    *

    Tibs paced in front of the transportation platform. He reached the pillar with the box of bracelets again; the gems were still red. He looked at the guard sitting on the ground next to it. There was no one waiting their turn. Since the gem had turned red, the platform was dedicated to arrivals.

    ¡°How much longer?¡±

    The man shrugged again. ¡°A few minutes, I¡¯m guessing.¡±

    Guessing wasn¡¯t good enough. Tibs did another circuit and looked in the box again. Still red.

    ¡°A few more¡ª¡±

    Tibs snarled as he turned.

    Where was he?

    Tibs didn¡¯t believe Khumdar would choose to die rather than return. The darkness cleric was aloof, but he considered the team to be his friends. Tibs was certain of that, maybe even his family, as Tibs did. If he didn¡¯t come back, it was because¡ªTibs refused to think about that. He wasn¡¯t ready to lose someone this close to him.

    He reached the box; still red. He turned for another circuit just as the gems darkened.

    He stared at them. It couldn¡¯t be. Khumdar wasn¡¯t ¡ª The essence on the platform shifted and a golden light appeared. An Attendant fell to the floor, along with someone else.

    Tibs ran up the stairs as Attendants stepped out of the building they waited in when not busy. Both men were in terrible shape; clothing cut and ripped. Tibs¡¯s hands came away from the black robe stained red when he turned the man on his back.

    ¡°Khumdar, are you all right?¡±

    The cleric laughed, then coughed. ¡°I have been better, Tibs. I have been so much better.¡± Then he was unconscious.

    *

    ¡°You¡¯re all here,¡± the man standing on the steps leading to the dungeon said. ¡°Because you think you can survive the dungeon.¡± The man was high enough Tibs expected he¡¯d see him even if he were at the back of the crowd. He¡¯d made sure to be in front and Jackal had been annoyed with him for that. Harry wore his usual tarnished and dented armor, but not the sword he had on while walking the town.

    ¡°My name is Harry. I¡¯m in charge of maintaining order.¡± He looked the crowd over, his eyes glowing brighter momentarily. ¡°Get on my bad side, and you¡¯re going to find out why I¡¯m called Hard Knuckles.¡±

    ¡°Get on with it, Knuckles,¡± Jackal grumbles, fidgeting.

    The crowd they were in reminded Tibs of the first one, both because of how large it was, and because more people than when Sto had graduated were in rags nearly as bad as what he¡¯d had on when he arrived. They also looked around, confused. A few eyed pockets and one nearly reached for it, stopping at the last moment, then holding his wrist.

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    Tibs recognized the gesture. He¡¯d done it himself, unsure how to feel about still having his hand, but not understanding why he was here instead.

    ¡°Those of you who were here from the start will notice some difference,¡± Harry continued. ¡°With the dungeon having been injured, we brought in more of society¡¯s rejects, since there aren¡¯t enough of you left to ensure it will return to full strength quickly. Those of you who are here, instead of at a chopping block. You are getting the chance to salvage this thing you called your life. Shut up!¡± Harry yelled over a protest. ¡°I don¡¯t care! I don¡¯t care if you didn¡¯t belong in that cell. I don¡¯t care if someone was going to pay whatever fines your city charges for the crime you committed. You were in a cell, and now you are here. If you survive until the dungeon graduates, you can take a trip to your city, if you even know where it is, and demand an explanation from them. You¡¯re going to be in a better position to get answers than if you tried that now.¡±

    Protests erupted, and Harry crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at the crowd.

    ¡°This feels familiar,¡± Mez said unhappily. He was out of his armor, but his clothing still made him look like a noble. Too clean, too vibrant, too costly. This time he was in dark red and green. The one thing about him that shattered the illusion of nobility was the mess of bruises on his face.

    The talk with Tandy hadn¡¯t gone as well as Mez had expected.

    Carina had rushed out as he¡¯d returned to their room, limping on top of the bruises. While she was away, Tibs offered to splint the archer¡¯s leg, but he¡¯d refused. When she returned, a few hours later, she screamed at him. Jackal had left before she started, but Tibs hadn¡¯t noticed her and once she started, he felt pinned to his bed even if he wasn¡¯t the target.

    While she hadn¡¯t touched him or used essence on him, Mez looked like she¡¯d taken a whip to his back by the time she left in a huff.

    ¡°Do they really need so many?¡± Carina asked Tibs, lowering her voice. ¡°I mean, is the dungeon really in that bad of a shape?¡±

    He waited for Sto to comment. They were close enough he could hear them, and he usually answered questions his friend asked Tibs.

    Without a reply, Tibs shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. If he was too weak, he wouldn¡¯t have opened the door.¡±

    ¡°Is the dungeon not¡­¡± Khumdar trailed off, looking around. He seemed in better shape than Mez, but that was because his black robes covered his injuries. Tibs could sense the way his essence reacted to how hurt he was. The cleric had let Tibs splint the worst of his injuries but hadn¡¯t offered how he¡¯d gotten them, or what he¡¯d been doing while Sto healed.

    Tibs hadn¡¯t asked. His friend would tell him when he was ready.

    Tibs lowered his voice. Not that anyone paid them any attention now that Harry was talking again, explaining how the new recruits were to gather in the field every morning so they could be assigned to a team.

    ¡°He¡¯s probably not paying attention to this. He¡¯s heard it all before.¡±

    ¡°For the rest of you,¡± Harry said, and Tibs paid attention. ¡°The veterans of the dungeon, and those who have paid to be here. The process is the same as before. The order your team will go in will be posted on the board. Only full teams are allowed in. Those who paid to be here, you can rearrange your teams as you like between runs.¡± Harry didn¡¯t sound happy about that. ¡°The rest of you only get to replace dead team members, but you get to pick among the new recruits, should one of them meet your exacting requirements.¡±

    ¡°What does that ¡®ex¡¯ word mean?¡± Tibs asked Jackal.

    The fighter opened his mouth, then closed it, looking at Tibs suspiciously. ¡°Why do you think I¡¯d know what it means?¡±

    Tibs smiled innocently.

    ¡°It means our requirements are difficult to meet,¡± Carina answered.

    ¡°See, she¡¯s the one who knows all of that, not me.¡±

    Carina snorted and Tibs never stopped smiling or looking away from the fighter.

    ¡°I believe,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°that is one secret that no longer needs to remain hidden.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not hiding anything!¡± Jackal yelled, then shrunk in on himself as he realized his exclamation came between Harry¡¯s instructions. The guard leader glared at Jackal, eyes brightening again, while the other runners looked at him speculatively.

    ¡°You did that on purpose,¡± Jackal growled under his breath.

    ¡°The training grounds are on the east side of the town,¡± Harry said, focused on the crowd again. ¡°The recruits will have priority use of them. But for any of you smart enough to realize you need more training, the trainers there will help you, when they have the time.¡±

    ¡°Like any of them can teach us anything anymore,¡± Jackal muttered.

    ¡°They are higher ranked than us,¡± Mez said. ¡°They may not want to be here any more than we do, but I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll have much to teach us; if we ask.¡±

    ¡°And you can be sure the guild¡¯s going to charge us for each question we ask,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°It¡¯ll still be worth¡ª¡± Mez closed his mouth at the glare Tibs gave him.

    The archer was his friend, but Tibs didn¡¯t like the way he was ignoring that coins weren¡¯t something any of them had much of. He missed the Mez of before. The one who didn¡¯t act like a noble. The one who claimed a noble was about helping others. He wasn¡¯t seeing any of that in his friend right now.

    Harry yelled something, and the crowd dispersed. The recruits ran off as if they had been threatened by a return to the chopping block. Tibs watched them, searching for¡­ he wasn¡¯t sure what. Someone familiar? From his Street, who could tell him the name of the city? As if anyone from his Street would know that.

    A girl was left behind, hugging herself, looking as if it took all the willpower she had not to cry. She seemed older than Tibs, but not by much. The rags she wore barely held together. He headed toward her.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal called.

    ¡°Leave him be,¡± Carina said softly.

    He walked into her line of sight and stopped well out of reach of her. ¡°Hi.¡±

    She startled and quickly wiped at her eyes, stepping back. ¡°Don¡¯t try anything,¡± she warned, but her voice broke with the sob trying to escape.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay. I¡¯m Tibs.¡± He remembered being scared and confused during his first days here. Maybe he could make it a little easier for her.

    Her glare warned him she might not be interested in help. ¡°You think I care what you think this is going to be, Tibs?¡±

    He was impressed with how much derision she fit in his name.

    ¡°I was where you are when the dungeon first opened. I was going to have my hand cut off, but I was brought here instead.

    She moved her hand to her back. ¡°Good for you,¡± she spat. ¡°I¡¯m not a crook.¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re a Runner now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not doing this! My parents are going to come to get me!¡±

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°The guild won¡¯t let them. The best you can hope for is that they come visit you if they can afford to pay to travel here.¡±

    Her face fell, and she looked about to lose the fight to keep the tears back.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay,¡± Tibs repeated. ¡°The dungeon¡¯s hard, but fair. If you train and pay attention, and work with your team; you¡¯ll get through it. You¡¯ll get stronger, and eventually, you¡¯ll graduate too.¡± He smiled and raised his hand, coating it with water and icing it. ¡°Graduating comes with interesting abilities.¡± He reabsorbed the water.

    She stared at him in shock. ¡°I thought the eyes were supposed to show who could do magic. It¡¯s what the stories say,¡± she added.

    Tibs sighed. It had been so nice not to have to explain this while he traveled. Not to have to lie. ¡°I¡¯m too young. That¡¯s what my teacher says. I¡¯m the youngest Runner to survive until he gets his element. That happens at Upsilon. You¡¯re Omega right now.¡±

    She bit her lower lip. ¡°I¡¯ll be able to do that when I graduate?¡±

    ¡°If you chose water as your element. There¡¯s a lot more to pick from.¡± He noticed the guards approaching. ¡°We should go. You need to head to the training grounds. They don¡¯t like it when you wander around.¡± He indicated the group still visible in the distance. ¡°I¡¯ll walk with you to where you can hone your skills. But if you want to go there alone, you want to follow the signs that have a hand in a pouch on them.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a crook.¡± She bristled.

    Tibs smiled. ¡°You¡¯re a rogue. That¡¯s something to be proud of.¡± He turned and headed for the east side of the town.

    She fell in step with him. ¡°I¡¯m Fedora.¡±

    Tibs smiled. ¡°I¡¯m glad to have met you, Fedora.¡±

 Stepping up, chapter 06

    ¡°How did you score the first place?¡± Don demanded, getting close to Tibs.

    He stepped back; he knew better than to allow the corruption sorcerer to touch him. The man might not be responsible for what infected Tibs, but it was a constant reminder of the damage that element could cause.

    That, and the pool at one end of Merchant Row.

    ¡°How about getting out of our way, Don?¡± Jackal said, placing a hand at Tibs¡¯s back to keep them from colliding.

    ¡°You,¡± the sorcerer snarled. ¡°This is because of you. Hard Knuckles is your family. No wonder you tried to convince us he hated you. You didn¡¯t want us to realize everything he did for you.¡±

    Jackal sighed. ¡°Don, Tibs says you¡¯re smart. So how about you stop saying stupid stuff? Knuckles wouldn¡¯t get me a tankard of water if I was on fire.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯d put you out,¡± Carina said. ¡°Harry wouldn¡¯t let a Runner burn to death, not even you. He¡¯s hoping you¡¯re going to feed the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°Carina, I love you like a sister,¡± Jackal said out the side of his mouth, ¡°but you realize I¡¯m trying to make a point with Don, right?¡±

    ¡°Then make a better one,¡± Mez said, which earned him a glare from the sorceress. He sighed.

    ¡°You can¡¯t fool me,¡± Don snapped. ¡°I¡¯m going to talk with the guild leader. There is no way she¡¯ll allow this to stand.¡± He stormed off, trying to shove them aside, but they moved out of his way. No one in Kragle Rock let an angry Don touch them.

    ¡°Is this in regards to something I miss by returning at the last moment?¡± Khumdar asked. He leaned on his staff, still reeling from his injuries.

    ¡°He said we¡¯re first,¡± Jackal answered, ¡°so it¡¯s got to be because he didn¡¯t have the coins to put in and he¡¯s going in after us.¡± He started walking again. ¡°Let¡¯s go check the board. I want to see how many noble teams are ahead of us.¡±

    ¡°All of them,¡± Tibs grumbled. They had all the coins, so it was easy for them to go in before anyone else.

    The board had come up in the morning, so the day before was when the teams had to hand over their coins to the guild if they wanted to increase their chances of going in early. On top of secretly charging the Runners for the training they received, the guild let them buy their way to an early position, but since they wouldn¡¯t tell anyone who had paid what, it forced the teams to hand over a lot of their hard-earned coins.

    In a quiet way of defying the guild, Tibs¡¯s team had stopped giving coins to increase their position. They¡¯d realized that the last team to go in was no more at risk than the first one. They¡¯d also passed their decisions along and until the attack on Sto, Don had been the only Runner still handing over some coins, and lording going in before any of the other Runners over them.

    There was nothing to be done about the training fees. The guild charged each of them three gold for each day they had their teacher. Tibs shouldn¡¯t know, but his teacher, Alistair, had told him as part of explaining what the word ¡®technically¡¯ meant. Once he reached Epsilon, Tibs would have to repay the entirety of the amount, which was more than Tibs could even comprehend. The promised freedom would only come once he no longer owed the guild any coins, not when he reached Epsilon.

    They reached the board and the other Runners became quiet, watching them. Tibs ignored them, if they were the first of the Runner teams, it was just randomness, not anyone arranging things for them. He quickly looked down the list, not bothering to read the noble names. They were long and had multiple parts to them. Only nobles could afford to have more than one name. He found the first of the Runner teams, Pyan¡¯s, and kept going. Was Don pissed just because his team had come before him? It was Don, so that was a possibility.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Jackal said, as Tibs reached the middle of the Runners'' name''s and still hadn¡¯t seen his. ¡°This could be a problem.¡±

    He looked at the fighter. Jackal was looking at the list too, but his gaze was higher than where Tibs had been searching. A lot higher. Tibs looked at the top of the list, and found his name there, ahead of every other team, including the nobles.

    ¡°Tibs did save the dungeon,¡± Khumdar said, as annoyance formed in Tibs¡¯s stomach. ¡°Some form of recompense for it makes sense.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Jackal trailed off. ¡°The problem with this kind of reward is that it¡¯s poisonous. Tibs, you should have a talk with the guild and have them remove us.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± Tibs agreed, ¡°but we¡¯d better do the run first.¡±

    ¡°Tibs, I think you need to get them to take us out of that spot right now.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see the harm in us taking advantage of it,¡± Carina said, but even before Jackal explained things to her, the annoyance was turning into dread.

    ¡°Carina, it¡¯s not just the other Runners we need to worry about, and if you¡¯ll look around, they aren¡¯t happy about this. Them we can handle. But nobles don¡¯t take kindly to being outdone, especially by someone who isn¡¯t of their status. Don is going to be the least of our problems, if this remains.¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t hear Carina¡¯s reply, he was running and cursing not having eaten anything before heading for the board. Tibs liked to have something in his stomach before dealing with problems.

    * * * * *

    ¡°Am I supposed to care what you want?¡± a woman demanded. The annoyance in Tirania¡¯s voice was loud out of the open door to her office and Tibs slowed. He¡¯d expected to find her alone, but by the tone, Don was still there.

    ¡°I was promised that if I paid, I would go before those nothings,¡± a man Tibs didn¡¯t recognize said in clipped and disgusted tones. Tibs peeked around the edge of the door frame. Three nobles stood in the office, with Don pushed to the side, glaring at them.

    ¡°The system is that whoever pays the most goes in first,¡± Tirania replied sharply. Her color-shifting eyes flicked in Tibs¡¯s direction before focusing back on the noble.

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    ¡°And you expect me to believe a nothing had the gold to match mine?¡± The noble wore a gray cloak trimmed with gold. As the man gestured, the cloak moved to show black pants, of a material Tibs didn¡¯t recognize, tucked into black boots. He also wore black gloves, over which were a handful of rings. Each with essence in them.

    ¡°Master Kilian,¡± Tirania replied, ¡°you can go into the abyss for all that I care what you believe in. You placed your bid, and it got you the second position.¡± She smiled. ¡°If you were so determined to be first, you should have bid more.¡± She raised a hand to silence the protest. ¡°If you aren¡¯t happy, feel free to go back where you came from. I am certain that one of these fine people will happily take your place on the list.¡±

    The man turned his glare on the woman and other man next to him, his gaze gliding over Don as if he wasn¡¯t there. He noticed Tibs before he could duck back. His eyes were ash gray.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Tirania called, ¡°why don¡¯t you join us?¡±

    Sighing, he stepped into the office.

    ¡°He¡¯s the one who stole your position,¡± Don said, pointing. ¡°He¡¯s a thief!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a rogue,¡± Tibs replied, locking eyes with the sorcerer¡¯s sickly purple ones and forcing himself to maintain it until Don looked away. Having an empty stomach was a good thing after all.

    ¡°Tibs stole nothing,¡± Tirania said. ¡°He earned it.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± Tibs asked, causing the guild leader to raise an eyebrow. ¡°I didn¡¯t put coins in, no one on my team did.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± she warned, ¡°do you really want to question how you deserve to be before all these gentle people?¡±

    ¡°The guild¡¯s supposed to be fair,¡± he replied, knowing it was nothing like that. But considering how none of the unfairness was explicit, Tibs figured she¡¯d want to maintain that illusion. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be treated special.¡±

    Don snorted and no one paid him any attention.

    ¡°You are not receiving special treatment, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°He has just admitted to not placing a bid,¡± the gray-eyed noble said. ¡°How do you justify him being the first to go in?¡±

    Tirania sighed. ¡°Tibs is the reason there is a dungeon for you to go into. He and his team were instrumental in stopping the attack that came far too close to destroying it. Going in first is their reward for the work they did.¡±

    The nobles looked at him in disbelief. ¡°You expect me to believe this nothing was part of a team of nothing, and that they were able to stop a group of corrupt adventurers? Do you take me for a fool?¡±

    Don was the only one still watching Tibs, but instead of anger his expression was calculating. That wasn¡¯t an improvement.

    ¡°I already told you I don¡¯t care what you believe, Master Kilian. I am in charge here, not you. If you want to continue to argue, I can sit here and let you do it, and still not care, for as long as you want. When instead, you might want to ensure you are ready for your turn in the dungeon tomorrow, after Tibs¡¯s team.¡±

    The man planted his hand on the desk and leaned toward her. ¡°Do not take for granted that your position as leader of this little dungeon outpost gives you the right to order me around. I am not one of the convicts you shipped in. I am brother to¡ª¡±

    ¡°No one I care about,¡± she cut him off with a smirk. ¡°And yes, being the leader of this little dungeon outpost does give me the right to order you around, Master Kilian. For example, I could tell Harry to grab you by the collar of that expensive shirt you wear and throw you onto the transportation platform and send you back to whatever kingdom your brother, the king, rules and keep you from ever returning here, or any of the other nobles there from being allowed here. Even his knights. If you really anger me, I can even have words with the leaders of other dungeon outposts, little or otherwise, and see to it that you and anyone from that kingdom have a difficult time convincing them to allow you there also. That is the kind of power I wield, Master Kilian.¡±

    The noble straightened, and the woman next to him covered her mouth in and attempted to stifle a laugh.

    ¡°Very well,¡± the gray-eyed noble said. ¡°You have made your point. I will retire.¡± His tone darkened. ¡°If you¡¯ll permit me that.¡±

    She nodded and he turned. Tibs stepped out from the doorway, but the noble still stopped before leaving and looked down on him.

    ¡°You, little nothing, would do well to watch what you think of yourself. Little nothing saviors will still end under my boot if they aren¡¯t careful.¡± Tibs watched him and the other two leave. He¡¯d have to find out which house was his and visit it in the night. Once he could trust his hands again.

    ¡°Is there anything you want to add, Don?¡± Tirania asked, startling the sorcerer who had still been watching Tibs.

    ¡°No. You¡¯ve made your position quite clear.¡± He too stopped before leaving. ¡°This isn¡¯t over.¡±

    Tirania sighed, rubbing her face. ¡°You do realize you¡¯ve made it impossible for me to put you at the top of the list, correct?¡±

    ¡°Why is my team at the top?¡± he asked, stepping to her desk.

    ¡°It¡¯s as I told them. Your reward for saving the dungeon. I¡¯m not blind to what you did, to what it cost you. You aren¡¯t limping anymore, but the corruption is still there, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Tibs shrugged.

    ¡°I wish I knew what was special about the corruption they used,¡± she mused. ¡°Unfortunately, the dungeon locked down before we could retrieve any of the bottles, and the ones left outside only contained normal condensed essence of it.¡± She studied him. ¡°Why did you go, Tibs? I know what you told the others. You wanted to protect the town, the dungeon, but Harry knows something he isn¡¯t telling me. I¡¯d like you to tell me the truth.¡±

    ¡°That is the truth. I never had a town of my own, just a Street. Kragle Rock is my home. If the dungeon dies, it dies with him. I¡¯m not going to let that happen.¡±

    She nodded and smiled slightly. ¡°I suppose that telling the same story every time ensures you won¡¯t make a mistake in the telling. Regardless of the real reasons, you did act Tibs, and for that I am grateful. I doubt you understand how important this dungeon is.¡±

    ¡°He is?¡±

    She nodded.

    She took a gem from a drawer and Tibs paid attention. It was cloudy, with a rose tint to it and he thought hints of gold. He couldn¡¯t make out any of the essences involved in making the communication gem.

    ¡°Alistair,¡± she said to it, ¡°this is truly not urgent, but the dungeon is open again, so you should already be here, fulfilling your duties to your student.¡± She put it away.

    ¡°Where is he?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. When he isn¡¯t teaching you, his duties are to the guild as a whole, not just me.¡±

    ¡°The guild is more than you?¡±

    Tirania laughed and the sound reminded Tibs of crystals gently clinking together. ¡°Ah, the innocence of youth. Yes, Tibs. The guild is much more than me. I¡¯m only the leader of this town and dungeon. Each dungeon has a guild, and a leader, and we report to a central leader who oversees all our operations. It¡¯s¡ª¡±

    Tibs raised a hand to stop her. All he¡¯d get out of this was a headache, not understanding. ¡°I¡¯m just a kid and a Runner. What you¡¯re talking about is beyond me.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°You¡¯re a wise one to recognize that. But to answer your initial question, yes, the dungeon is important. Every dungeon is. We need them to train the people we¡¯ll need when the time comes.¡±

    ¡°The time?¡± Tibs leaned forward. Now that sounded interesting.

    She smiled. ¡°If you consider how the whole of the guild works to be beyond you, Tibs, this is beyond even that.¡±

    Tibs wondered if it would be worth the headache to know what was coming in time. Probably not. Once he had the headaches, it would be even harder to understand the rest. ¡°Okay.¡±

    She leaned back in her seat and considered him. ¡°Are you going to squander every reward I give you?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want any reward. Not if it¡¯s going to make the nobles angry at me. You don¡¯t know what they can do.¡±

    ¡°Harry can keep them in their place.¡±

    Tibs snorted. It wasn¡¯t like they needed to move to cause Tibs problems. They had so much coins they could pay people to do that for them. Tibs didn¡¯t think any Runners would take nobles¡¯ coins, except Don, but the fresh recruits didn¡¯t know how dangerous it was to break Harry¡¯s rules yet.

    ¡°I¡¯m just a Runner,¡± he repeated. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be treated as anything else.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°Alright. Then I suggest you rejoin your team and get ready for tomorrow. I can¡¯t change the way this schedule is arranged.¡±

    Tibs knew she could. She was making a point by not doing it. To him, the nobles, the other teams.

    She was the person in charge, none of them got to dictate what she did.

 Stepping up, chapter 07

    He paused before the shop on noticing the wooden board swaying in the breeze over the door: a shield, a knife, and a coil of rope. This wasn¡¯t where the shop had been before. He walked in and had to step around a wooden box. A man, wrapped in layers over layers of clothing, stood up from behind the counter and Tibs smiled.

    He hurried to him. ¡°You came back.¡± He hugged the man tightly before he could move and slipped his finger into the hidden pocket he felt under folds of fabric; he couldn¡¯t help himself.

    ¡°Of course, I came back,¡± Darran said, gently prying Tibs from him and stepping out of reach. ¡°How else would I get to see my favorite little rogue?¡± he gestured. ¡°Now, hand it back.¡±

    Tibs gave the merchant an innocent look while trying to determine what he held by the shape and texture in his palm. It was long and narrow. A rod of some sort? Definitely leather and there was a seam going around it, close to the thicker end. It didn¡¯t have essence.

    ¡°Come now, I know you took something.¡± Darran smiled. ¡°What kind of rogue would you be if you hadn¡¯t?¡±

    At least the merchant wasn¡¯t outright saying Tibs had been clumsy. His fingers had spasmed slightly. He handed the sheathed weapon back. A narrow knife only the length of his palm without a guard. He¡¯d never seen its kind before.

    He extended his sense as Darran secreted it away again. He had multiple enchanted items on his person, all small, and¡­ Tibs couldn¡¯t determine more. Unlike the essence running through people. Items didn¡¯t have an intensity to give him an indication of strength.

    ¡°Did you feel me taking it?¡± He asked. Darran was one of the few people he could take from and then ask for pointers on how to improve.

    ¡°No, but I know you, Tibs. Those fingers have a mind of their own when it comes to pockets, plain or hidden.¡±

    ¡°They do what I tell them to,¡± Tibs replied, mildly offended. Well, most of the time, and more before the corruption.

    Darran laughed. ¡°Oh Tibs, you wouldn¡¯t be the accomplished picker of pockets you are if that were true. The best pickpockets are the ones who end up with items and no idea how they acquired them because the habit is ingrained so deeply their fingers move without thoughts. Which reminds me.¡± The merchant handed Tibs a sheathed knife. ¡°I believe this is yours.¡±

    Tibs reached to his belt, where the knife should have been, then took it out of Darran¡¯s hand. He¡¯d known the merchant was a rogue, well thief since he didn¡¯t work for the guild, but he hadn¡¯t expected him to be light enough with his fingers that Tibs wouldn¡¯t feel them. Merchants were usually more adept at stealing with their words than their fingers.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you in the other building?¡± It was still empty; Tibs had checked the day before.

    ¡°This has a larger workroom, so it will be easier to make alterations. I hadn¡¯t expected so many Runners to be this young and to outgrow what I sold them.¡± He looked Tibs over critically. ¡°You should bring yours in before you go into the dungeon, so I can adjust it. Don¡¯t worry if I¡¯m not open yet. You get special treatment.¡±

    Tibs shook his head. He didn¡¯t want to be treated special, but it wasn¡¯t all. ¡°It¡¯s still comfortable.¡±

    Darran¡¯s expression turned concerned. ¡°Are you eating properly? You should be growing faster than bamboo at your age.¡± He looked around the crate-littered room. ¡°Still, bring it when you can and I¡¯ll make sure you simply haven¡¯t grown used to how it pinches and binds. And in a few days, all this will be in place and you can start spending all those wonderful coins the dungeon hands you.¡±

    The merchant didn¡¯t even bother hiding the greed in the smile he gave Tibs.

    * * * * *

    Tibs looked at the lake. He was on the town¡¯s side of a post that marked its limit, with nothing else to keep him from leaving if that was what he wanted. He didn¡¯t, but he wished he could go to the lake. Soon it would be within the town, and he¡¯d be able to touch it.

    He¡¯d touched the ocean¡ªthat was what all the water on the eastern side of MountainSea was called¡ªand it had been an amazing experience, he¡¯d even tasted it and had been surprised it didn¡¯t taste like the water he¡¯d drunk during his trek up the mountain to have his audience with Air. It was salty, and instead of earthy, the taste had reminded him of a weak, not particularly good, version of the fish stew Kroseph has served him at his family¡¯s inn.

    But the ocean wasn¡¯t the lake, his lake. He wanted to touch it, see if it tasted different, more like this place. Maybe he could¡ª

    ¡°Hey You!¡± a man yelled with the authority that had Tibs nearly run over the town limit to escape a guard. ¡°You can¡¯t leave¡ªoh, it¡¯s you.¡±

    Tibs stared at the guard, now busy smoothing the green and black shirt they all wore over their simple leather armor, the surprise at being recognized and the man¡¯s pace slowing instead of increasing rooted Tibs in place.

    Tibs looked around. Maybe there was someone else? No, he was alone, at the edge of the town, looking, for all the guard knew, like he was about to escape. The idea he¡¯d been bribed by the noble to remove Tibs crossed his mind, but the guard wasn¡¯t reaching for his sword.

    Were there any other reasons he might know him? Alistair wasn¡¯t in the habit of having guards track him down unless it was urgent, and Tibs hadn¡¯t broken any rules, not with the way his body betrayed him unpredictably.

    ¡°You¡¯re Tibs, right?¡± the guard asked, seeming to doubt himself.

    Tibs considered lying. There weren¡¯t many good reasons a guard knew who he was, but this was a small place. An angry guard could make his life difficult without breaking any of Harry¡¯s rules.

    ¡°Yes.¡± He relaxes his body and readies himself to move.

    ¡°Okay, good.¡± He nodded to the post. ¡°Then this is fine.¡±

    This? What ¡®this¡¯ was the guard talking about. Tibs wasn¡¯t doing anything wrong.

    The guard turned back.

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    ¡°Wait,¡± Tibs called, and almost asked what the man meant, but instead of accidentally admitting to something, he pointed to the lake. ¡°Do you know when the lake will be within the town¡¯s borders? I¡¯ve been wanting to touch it for a long time.¡±

    The guard chuckled¡ªamusement instead of mockery. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go touch it now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not allowed beyond the town¡¯s limit.¡±

    ¡°The Runners aren¡¯t allowed,¡± the guard said. ¡°You¡¯re Tibs. You saved the dungeon and the town. We¡¯ve been told that unless you¡¯re committing an actual crime, we¡¯re to leave you alone.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t leaving the town a crime?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a rule.¡± The guard frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me how that¡¯s different. I just follow the orders I¡¯m given.¡±

    ¡°But what if I just leave?¡±

    The guard shrugged. ¡°You fought for the dungeon, so I guess they figure you aren¡¯t interested in leaving. If you are, don¡¯t tell me. I¡¯ll have to bring you back with me and I don¡¯t want the work.¡± He turned and walked away.

    Tibs watched him, trying to work out how he felt. He didn¡¯t plan on leaving, but to be trusted like that felt¡­ He was a rogue. Outside of his team, everyone should be worried about what he¡¯d do. Maybe being part of the guild changed that?

    Was this a trick? The noble, looking to make Tibs¡¯s life difficult? Only he¡¯d only encountered him a few hours ago, and why settle for making his life difficult? Nobles removed annoyances, not played with them.

    He rubbed his temple. Why couldn¡¯t he be left to the running and nothing else? He didn¡¯t need the headaches of trying to figure out what was and wasn¡¯t a trap. At least with Sto, that stopped the moment he stepped outside the dungeon.

    He looked around at the back of the buildings. The limit was over nine-nine steps away. He¡¯d stopped counting that. Carina said he would be fine with simply adding the one before to represent the hundreds, but it was easier to just stop, since he didn¡¯t need to know the exact number.

    He was alone.

    He turned toward the town, and ¡®tripped¡¯, regaining his balance on the wrong side of the post. When no one appeared to catch him and bring him to a cell, he looked at the lake again.

    Well, if they came for him, he¡¯d tell Harry a guard told him he could do it, and that would be the truth. The lake was three-five steps from the town¡¯s limit. The length of a building and street. What would they do with the lake once it was part of the town?

    One of the cities he went to on his search for where he''d been taken from had a river cutting it into two. It had been dark and murky, from everyone dumping their garbage into it. He¡¯d have to make sure it didn¡¯t happen to his lake.

    It was clear, showing the sandy bottom until it was too deep and the water turned dark green, or maybe blue, Tibs wasn¡¯t sure of the color. He crouched and touched it. It was cooler than he expected. The air was warm, and even the largest puddle, or rain barrel, ended up warm by this time of the day. He sensed the essence in the water.

    A lot of water, as he expected, air, earth, and even a little fire. Essence wasn¡¯t the element, but it still surprised him to find that here. Water put fire out, and it wasn¡¯t warm. What was fire doing there?

    He pushed his essence in and maintained control when the current pulled on it. It came from under, and moved toward the stream, on the other side, and to his left. His range with water was greater than with the other elements, or Carina and Jackal. At first, Tibs thought it was because of how dense his essence was, since it corresponded to more powerful adventurers within the guild. But for that to be right, the range wouldn¡¯t be limited to water.

    Harry and Tirania had the densest essence in the town, then Alistair and the other instructors. Even the old, uninterested ones who trained the Omegas had dense essence. Bardik had the densest of anyone else after that. Tibs now had more than the other Runners, but other than his range with water, he could hardly do anything like the others.

    This told him that his understanding of what the density of the essence meant was wrong, or incomplete. Considering he had no one to explain things to him, that was understandable. What had become clear was that the more he learned about¡­ everything, the more complex things became. His belief in the simplicity of the world around him had been shattered around the time he¡¯d arrived in this town, and definitely when he chose his element.

    He pulled the water essence back, refilling his amulet, then his reserve. It was effortless now. Absorbing it and moving it to the one he wanted. So long as he touched the amulet, it was effectively an extension of his reserve. He could sense it when he wasn¡¯t touching it, but the essence within no longer felt like his, and it was difficult to manipulate it then.

    He pulled his hand out and frowned at the water still coating it. The leftover essence from what he¡¯d done. As with the pool room in the dungeon, and the other times he¡¯d practice, he ended with more essence than he started with. It wasn¡¯t much. If he had an amulet to put it in, it would hardly be noticeable, but he still didn¡¯t understand how he could¡­ capture more.

    Without a place to store it, he let go, and it dripped into the lake.

    If it happened on its own, could he make it happen? Was that the way to manipulate and sense at the same time?

    He calmed his breathing and called a palm-full of his reserve into his palm. He felt it and extended the sense to include the lake. He sensed the essence there too, as well as that subtle ¡®not his¡¯ that it had. He shaped the water in his hand and immediately the lake vanished from his awareness.

    He cursed and tried it again, more gradually this time, but with the same result.

    What was different?

    He put his hand in the water and let his essence flow out, mixing with that of the lake. He sensed for the moment when the lake¡¯s essence became his, but it didn¡¯t happen. His essence flowed within the rest. He could shape it and with it, he could affect the lake¡¯s water, shape it, turn it into ice, move it opposite the current. So long as it was within his range, he could use one to affect the other, although the more distant it was, the more concentration it required to do anything precise with it.

    He pulled his essence back to himself, and when he took his hand out of the water, it was still coated. Again, he had more than what he¡¯d used.

    This should be impossible.

    He chuckled.

    Impossible was a word from before he was a Runner. Now, things only seemed impossible until he figured them out.

    So, how had this happened? How had essence that hadn¡¯t been his become his without him doing anything to make it happen, without him feeling it happen? How could something different from his essence then be the same?

    A shiver ran down his back.

    Essence was and wasn¡¯t.

    He looked over the lake. How had he not understood that sooner? It was so simple.

    He stood and expanded his sense of the essence around him. He removed air, fire, and earth from what he sensed and only focused on water. It was everywhere around him, a large concentration where the lake was, but there was also a¡­ fog of it all around.

    Essence was and wasn¡¯t. Essence wasn¡¯t the element. Essence wasn¡¯t what he held. They were simply ways for his mind to understand something that was¡­ not beyond his understanding, but that he wasn¡¯t in full understanding of.

    An illusion of sorts, so he could still make what he needed happen.

    There was no ¡®his¡¯ essence and ¡®not-his¡¯ essence.

    Only essence.

    This sense that some of the essence wasn¡¯t his, was no more than an illusion. And this time, it was working against him, instead of helping him accomplish something. He willed the illusion away and took hold of the essence that made the lake.

    The water within his range stilled, turning into a reflection of the sky. He made a column, then let go, retaking hold as the water splashed, stilling it again. Drops in the air fell and bounced on the solid, but not iced surface of the water.

    He smiled and took out his knife without letting go of the essence. He focused on the essence around him, without letting go of the lake. He manipulated that around him closer.

    While doing that, he sent essence from his reserve to the knife and pulled more into the reserve from around him.

    It strained him, and it wasn¡¯t as fast as when he did it with ¡®his¡¯ essence, but it happened. He could add more and more to the knife without depleting his minuscule reserve.

    The need to focus forced him to Etch the ¡®X¡¯ slowly, but it was happening, using only his unchanging reserve. He¡¯d need to practice, to do this with any kind of speed, but¡­

    He stabbed the center of the ¡®X¡¯, and gasped as he had difficulty maintaining the focus needed to keep the essence flowing into this reserve. The pull was faster than him and when he had to let go of it, the attack released, and the center of the lake exploded into a geyser that went high enough that it came down as thick rain, dousing a laughing Tibs.

 Stepping up, chapter 08

    ¡°You¡¯re the first ones!¡± Sto exclaimed as Tibs and his team walked up the steps. ¡°I¡¯m so glad for that. I can¡¯t wait for you to see what I¡¯ve done.¡±

    The cleric by the entrance was an older woman. Older than any Tibs had seen there, either before Sto was attacked, or even in the town. He¡¯d expected only the young ones to have this healer duty; as part of their training, with the older ones acting as teachers. It was how it had been with the Runners when Tibs was sent here. They didn¡¯t need guards to ensure they stayed. The clerics Tibs had tried to speak with all believed in Purity in a way that made him stop trying.

    She looked them over with an attentiveness not matched by the guards on either side of the door. A man and woman, in the green and black of Harry¡¯s people, who looked more bored than anything else. Her so pale eyes narrowed on settling on Khumdar and she signed in resignation before placing a hand on his shoulder.

    Tibs sensed essence flow, knowing it was purity only because it was the only element she could manipulate. No one but him had more than one element. He couldn¡¯t perceive the details of what she did. Only that the essence entered Khumdar where she touched him, and concentrated on his injuries. He knew it spread throughout the body from experiencing this kind of healing, but he couldn¡¯t make that out among Khumdar¡¯s darker essence.

    Khumdar straightened, no longer needing the staff for support. ¡°I thank you, My Lady of Light,¡± he said with reverence that surprised Tibs, until he noticed the amusement in his eyes at how she narrowed her eyes at him even more.

    He was the only one needing healing, so she nodded to the guards and Tibs followed Jackal into the dungeon.

    ¡°If you give me a nickname,¡± Tibs warned, ¡°I will stab you. I¡¯m still stuck with the one Bardik gave me.¡±

    ¡°It is the name of her family,¡± Khumdar replied. ¡°Of the Light is one of the families duty-bound to come to dungeons and heal.¡±

    ¡°How do you know that?¡± Tibs was distracted by the walls in the hall leading to the first room. Something was different about them, other than the hall was wider now. The lights were in the same places, the stone was the same earth-red color that matched the outside and was only slightly darker than the eye color for those who had Earth as their element.

    ¡°Oh, Tibs,¡± the Darkness cleric replied, amused. ¡°I know a great many things.¡±

    ¡°Just all those secrets you accumulate.¡± The walls shifted to gray as they approached the trap room, and Tibs decided his impression was from being away so long. Or maybe from the previous changes being obvious each time Tibs came in.

    ¡°Of course, that too.¡± Khumdar still sounded too amused for Tibs¡¯s liking.

    ¡°That¡¯s been improved,¡± Jackal said, standing at the entrance to the room. ¡°Looking nice, Dungeon.¡±

    The trap-room was now a room, and no longer a smoothed-out cave. The walls were interlocking flat stones, just like the floor, going up maybe three times the fighter¡¯s height. Unlike the floor, the tiles on the walls had designs on them, and Tibs recognized those that used to be on the floor. As he wondered where the spears would come out from, he realized that the three walls he could see were identical in how the tiles on them were arranged, and he thought they matched where the triggers were located on the floor.

    Then he noticed how many of the tiles had gaps where the spears could come from. Knowing where the spear came from would be more difficult, but the observant rogue could use the walls to make out the path across the room and avoid triggering them.

    At least until they no longer needed to use a set path.

    He took out the amulet and extended his senses. His range now reached to the other side of the room, which made it about double the last time he¡¯d been here. Until the lake and now, how far he could sense water hadn¡¯t been something he¡¯d paid attention to.

    He sighed, attracting the other¡¯s gazes. ¡°I need to start thinking of everything as a form of training, again.¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t stop doing that,¡± Mez said. ¡°Everything¡¯s a form of training.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Carina said, reluctantly.

    ¡°Just make sure you have fun doing it,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Like with your excursions into certain houses at night.¡±

    Tibs flexed his hand, the ache in it reminding him there wouldn¡¯t be any of those for a while.

    The air was dry, but there was water essence in it, more than he expected, for how dry it was. A subtle way that reinforced what Alistair told him; essence wasn¡¯t a representation of the world. Instead of pulling on the amulet, he spread his reserve, pulling on the essence around him, refilling his reserve so he could keep extending his essence until he had a sheet of water essence in the air, the width of the room.

    He smiled as he extended his hand into the room above the sheet, then snapped his fingers as he made the essence liquid. It splashed on the floor and he kept it from landing on them. There was less than he¡¯d expected.

    ¡°Tibs is becoming a showman,¡± Jackal said with a groan.

    The coating on the floor was barely visible.

    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him,¡± Sto said. ¡°I like showmanship.¡±

    ¡°Is your amulet empty?¡± Carina asked, concerned.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t use it.¡± Tibs crouched and looked at what he¡¯d done. He¡¯d expected more. He would have to learn to judge what the essence around him represented. If he¡¯d tried this as part of a fight, his attack would have been¡­ insignificant. Still, there was enough there for their purpose. He took hold of the water on the floor¡ªand lost his concentration as Carina pulled him up and into a hug.

    ¡°You figured it out!¡±

    Once over the surprise, he chuckled and hugged her back. ¡°I did. And now I¡¯m going to have to train myself so this kind of distraction isn¡¯t going to break my concentration.¡±

    ¡°Sorry.¡± She still grinned as she let him go.

    ¡°I¡¯m missing something.¡± Jackal raised a hand to forestall comments. ¡°I know, whenever am I not. So why don¡¯t we skip the digs at my intelligence, and just explain things to me?¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t sense and manipulate at the same time. Carina, Mez, and even you figured it out a while back. It was annoying because without it I couldn¡¯t do anything without having the amulet. I worked out how yesterday.¡± He Cliffed. ¡°It was so easy once I understood it that I can¡¯t believe it took me so long.¡±

    Tibs took hold of the water again.

    ¡°I am amused that you did not mention me,¡± Khumdar said.

    ¡°How could he?¡± Mez replied. ¡°It¡¯s not like we know what you can do, being all mysterious and stuff about what you do know.¡±

    ¡°I believe you are mistaking not bragging about what I am capable of doing, for being mysterious.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tibs replied, icing the water. ¡°You¡¯re just mysterious and stuff. You can¡¯t help yourself.¡± Knowing how slippery the ice was, he formed small ripples on it to give them traction.

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    The cleric laughed. ¡°You have seen through my deepest secret.¡±

    ¡°Somehow, I doubt that,¡± Mez grumbled.

    Tibs stepped into the room and studied the walls. The tiled walls made it so the cache was no longer obvious to him, but he still found it. He ran a hand over the stones. It was a set of nine, with the gap slightly larger around the whole. He pressed, and it clicked. When he moved his hand back, the door moved with him until he could take it out. Instead, he checked for traps.

    He wouldn¡¯t die because he was overconfident on his first day back, in the first room of the dungeon. He removed the door and smiled at what it contained.

    A pair of shoes

    He studied the walls for traps before reaching in for them. He recognized the way the essence was woven through them. His Silent Shoes. He held them against his chest, realizing how much he¡¯d missed them. His first magical item, found more or less like this time, the first time opening the cache in this room.

    He¡¯d lost them when he walked into a room filled with fire.

    ¡°I¡¯m keeping them,¡± he told the others once he joined them on the other side of the room.

    The boulder room gave them no problems, even if the number of rats had increased. Tibs took pleasure in cutting them up as he crossed it. The warren room was the same. More creatures, but not particularly difficult.

    Jackal looked the room over as Carina unlocked the door. ¡°This is going to give the Omega teams a lot of trouble.¡±

    ¡°Only if they don¡¯t work together,¡± Mez said. ¡°That¡¯s the secret to this floor. It¡¯s forcing us to learn to work with strangers and people we might not trust, and only those who can overcome that make it this far.¡±

    ¡°And how many teams were able to do that?¡± Jackal asked, ¡°back when the rooms were a lot simpler?¡±

    ¡°Maybe this time it¡¯ll be different with them,¡± the archer said.

    The lock clicked and Carina stepped back. ¡°A bunch of criminals who¡¯ve been thrown together against their wills.¡± She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s going to be no different than how it was for us. Only a few of them will survive to make Upsilon.¡±

    ¡°Does your experience not show it can happen?¡± Khumdar asked as Jackal pulled the door open. ¡°You were all criminals, thrown together against your wills, and here you are.¡±

    ¡°I tried working with the teams I was on,¡± Mez said, ¡°but egos kept getting in the way.¡±

    ¡°Says the noble,¡± Tibs grumbled and hated himself for it. Mez was a friend. His status in society didn¡¯t... shouldn¡¯t matter. He felt the archer¡¯s eyes on his back.

    ¡°How about we use that building aggression against that thing?¡± Jackal pointed to the golem, turning to face them in the raising light. ¡°It¡¯s better than using it against each other, and that was not appropriate, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Tibs took out his knives, looked at them, then the golem, with its whip for a hand. He had to get way too close to what he killed for his liking. He shuddered at memories of a clawed hand coming at his face.

    A sword. He had the time now, so he was going to learn to use one as soon as he was done with this run. And he was getting Carina and Mez to teach him about their elements so he could use them in battle, too.

    Jackal gave the signal, and seconds later, the golem was rubble.

    ¡°No comments?¡± Tibs asked, watching as the back wall lowered to reveal the chest and stairwell.

    ¡°I could comment on how long it took you to get here,¡± Sto replied with a Cliffle. ¡°The first floor¡¯s not made to give you trouble. That¡¯s where the second floor comes in.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal called, and he caught the amulet lobbed in his direction. It was identical to the one in his pouch, which he¡¯d also gotten from the dungeon. ¡°Two more and you get a full set out of this run.¡±

    ¡°Only if there¡¯s nothing more important you guys will want.¡±

    ¡°I think we need to give you priority until you have four,¡± Mez said. ¡°The more of your essences you can use fully, the better the odds we¡¯ll all survive the runs.¡±

    Tibs nodded. ¡°I am sorry for what I said. You¡¯re not like them. I know that.¡±

    ¡°I understand why it¡¯s difficult for you to accept it. You¡¯ve only experienced the bad side of nobility, and the more of them I meet, the more I realize that those like me will have a difficult time convincing anyone there can be good to come from nobles. But we will do so, I promise.¡±

    ¡°Hug already!¡± Jackal said in irritation. ¡°We have a second floor to clear.¡±

    Tibs and Mez looked at one another, then at Jackal. ¡°No,¡± they said in unison, then grinned. The fighter rolled his eyes and started down the stairs.

    At the bottom, Tibs frowned and turned away from the room to look at the alcove next to the stairs. There was something in that recess.

    ¡°That¡¯s interesting,¡± Ganymede said, and Tibs smiled on hearing her voice. He¡¯d been worried after Sto told him the attack had hit her harder than him.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Carina called.

    ¡°Give me a minute. There¡¯s something here.¡± He ran a hand over the wall. The essence in it was different. It wasn¡¯t a weave, but there was still¡ª

    ¡°Minute¡¯s up,¡± Jackal called. ¡°Unless you found loot, we know there¡¯s some on the other side of this room, and we need you to get across.¡±

    Tibs ran a hand on the wall. ¡°I will figure this out.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Sto answered.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you could tell there¡¯s something there,¡± Ganny said. ¡°Sto was really careful.¡±

    Tibs thought about how the essence had felt as he reached the edge of the pool. ¡°The essence isn¡¯t quite the same as the rest of the wall.¡±

    ¡°Do you want me to lower you to the water?¡± Jackal asked, trying not to smile.

    ¡°You dropped me the last time.¡±

    ¡°Only after you iced the water.¡± He lost the fight, and the smile formed. Jackal was planning something.

    Fortunately, Tibs no longer needed the fighter¡¯s type of help. He sent his essence to the water and used it to form stairs to the edge, then he pulled more essence into his reserve and sent that back into the pool, spreading in through all of it, even beyond his sense. He¡¯d already done this, so he knew it would work. He simply wasn¡¯t sure if how he wanted it to work would happen.

    Jackal took a worried step back as Tibs raised his hand between them.

    ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± He snapped his fingers, and the ice formed so fast that it cracked and snapped as it expanded through the pool.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have dropped you,¡± Jackal protested.

    Mez patted the fighter on the shoulder. ¡°Give it up. Your face is betraying you. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen such a maniacal grin before.¡± He walked down the ice steps.

    ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡± Jackal touched his mouth and cursed. ¡°Why am I betraying myself? I¡¯m supposed to be on my side!¡±

    Carina stepped by him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s endearing how you get so excited about your evil plans you can¡¯t contain yourself.¡±

    Khumdar followed her. ¡°I would simply ensure you do not make such plans while in the presence of someone who would truly be angered by them.¡±

    ¡°It is kind of amusing watching you try.¡± Tibs followed them down the stairs. The way the ice broke took care of the problem with it being slippery.

    ¡°But I¡¯m Jackal,¡± the fighter insisted, following him. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be evil without anyone realizing it.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°You¡¯re too nice.¡±

    ¡°I am not nice.¡± Jackal pouted, then grinned.

    Tibs rolled his eyes, but a shudder through the ice cut off his reply.

    ¡°Did you do that?¡± Jackal asked, alert in the following calm.

    ¡°No.¡± Tibs sensed through the ice. The floor was within his range, as were the walls on each side and¡ª ¡°Run!¡± He pointed to the other side as he ran in that direction.

    The ice shook again, and Tibs felt the pressure the floor exerted on it, as well as the cracks forming below as a section of the floor pushed against it. He cursed his shorter range when it came to earth essence.

    ¡°Hurry!¡± the ice was being pushed against by another section of the floor. He hardened it as much as he could, but he was fighting against Sto. He wasn¡¯t going to keep this from happening.

    Where the ice stairs were, the ice exploded as that section of the floor erupted. More sections were pushing against the ice, and they were catching up to them. Another pillar exploded behind them.

    ¡°Earth up!¡± he told the fighter as he felt the pressure build ahead of them. ¡°This isn¡¯t going to be fun!¡± he should have put earth in his amulet, now that he knew how to draw water as he used it. Or practice with his other element. There were so many things he needed to do!

    The ice cracked under their feet as they approached the end of the section. They were going to make it, Tibs thought, just before pain exploded in his leg as he set a foot down. He slid forward as the ice exploded under him.

    He cursed the corruption and Bardik for being the cause as he tumbled through the air and fought through the pain to get a sense of what was happening.

    His friend and Sto called to him in horror as he fell toward jagged ice. At least his friends had made it to the end.

    Not that Tibs intended to die. He didn¡¯t have enough of the other essences to help him survive. But ice was his element. He sent essence to where he was approaching, pulled in what was around him to ensure he had enough and melted the peaks, then kept melting the ice as it entered his range. It wasn¡¯t as fast as he wanted, but he¡¯d survive a pool of water.

    It splashed, and the cold was almost enough of a shock to keep him from getting out of it. But he felt the pressure building in the ice under him. He cursed as he realized it was also building in the section ahead of him.

    He watched Jackal leap and crash onto the ledge.

    ¡°Come on, Tibs,¡± Sto encouraged. ¡°You can make it. You can¡¯t die from ice.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t make it. Even if his leg wasn¡¯t still protesting, by the time he crossed the distance, that section would erupt under him.

    So there wasn¡¯t even a point in running.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Sto yelled, ¡°don¡¯t just give up!¡±

    Tibs crouched and called his essence back to him, into the ice below him rearranging its structure. He hoped this worked.

    The explosion that sent the block of ice he stood on in the air covered Sto¡¯s scream, then Tibs exploded the block, sending him toward the ledge. He grinned at his success. Then cursed as the next section exploded and pelted him with ice, sending him tumbling.

    He should still be heading for the ledge, but he couldn¡¯t tell with all the ice around him. He pulled on it, surrounded himself in water, then wondered if he should ice it as extra protection, or if that would¡ª

    The impact sent the water around him flying in the air and he slid down the wall to a victorious cry from Sto.

    ¡°Tibs!¡± Carina called, then was next to him. ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    He chuckled giddily. ¡°Sto might have made changes to the room.¡±

 Stepping up, chapter 09

    Instead of using water to dry himself, Tibs used fire. He¡¯d used most of his water essence surviving and he needed to practice with the other ones. He brought it to the surface, and the water steamed away.

    Once he and his clothes were dry, he absorbed the essence back¡ªthis hadn¡¯t cost him any¡ªand stepped to the edge of the pool. The surface was a jagged field of broken ice, now that the stone pillars were down again.

    ¡°I guess this means there¡¯s no safe way across anymore,¡± Jackal said, while Tibs pulled water essence from the iced pool to refill his reserve and amulet.

    ¡°Unless I deactivate the traps.¡± Tibs nodded to the wall. He could just make out the edge of the essence maze there.

    ¡°Is it worth it?¡± Mez asked. ¡°You made the ice because it was simple. The bridge isn¡¯t that difficult.¡±

    ¡°Unless the dungeon has changed that too.¡± Khumdar stepped on the bridge. ¡°What I am able to feel of this trigger and the next one seems to be unchanged.¡±

    Tibs felt Jackal¡¯s gaze as he finished filling his reserve. ¡°He isn¡¯t talking. Other than to encourage us, or mock us, he doesn¡¯t talk about the room or how he set them up.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡± Sto stopped. ¡°Hmm. Okay, I do mock you once in a while, but there are times your team deserves it.¡±

    ¡°No, we don¡¯t.¡± Tibs stood. ¡°You¡¯re just evil.¡± He saw the way the others looked at him and hurried to add. ¡°I¡¯m not serious.¡± As the only one who heard Sto, he needed to remember the others took his comments about the dungeon seriously. ¡°How about we keep going? Loot and all that.¡±

    The others headed through the exit, and Tibs didn¡¯t move. ¡°Did you¡­¡± He swallowed. Visions of the massacre he ran through when chasing Bardik. ¡°Is it different now? Than before he¡­¡± his throat constricted.

    Pain filled him, ate him alive. The corruption wouldn¡¯t leave anything of him, as it turned his own essence against him.

    He jumped at a hand on his shoulder.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Carina asked gently.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± he hurried to reply, then forced his breathing to slow. The pain was only a memory. He¡¯d already lived through it. Survived the corruption.

    ¡°If this is too hard, we¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he snapped. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    She nodded.

    He forced himself to walk to the other room, and she stayed with him.

    ¡°No obvious changes here,¡± Jackal said of the five Whippers and dozen stone rats. ¡°Let¡¯s stay on our guard for any surprises the dungeon might have added, but otherwise, we know how to do this.¡±

    Tibs nodded and took out his knife.

    It was quicker than the last time they fought them, and this time only they had small cuts and bruises by the time everything was destroyed. No one needed his help, and he was glad for it. After how his help to Jackal had left the fighter; he¡¯d rather not risk using his corrupted essence on his friends.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal called, lobbing an amulet at him.

    ¡°You¡¯re in luck.¡± Mez pulled another one from the rubble. ¡°This makes a full set.¡±

    ¡°Sto,¡± Ganny said, an edge to her voice while Tibs added the two amulets to his pouch. Three in one run was a first.

    ¡°Hey Ganny, I didn¡¯t notice you returning. How¡¯s the work going?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s going, but don¡¯t change the subject. We need to have a talk.¡±

    ¡°But they¡¯re heading to the Ratling camp.¡±

    ¡°If they survive this run, you can watch them the next time.¡±

    ¡°But.¡±

    ¡°Now, Sto.¡± The sternness in her voice was new, too. Tibs wondered what the coming scolding was about.

    ¡°The dungeon¡¯s going to be busy for a while,¡± he told the others as they exited the room.

    ¡°Meaning?¡± Carina asked.

    He looked at Jackal. ¡°Pleading with him for more loot isn¡¯t going to do anything.¡±

    ¡°Does it ever?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t plead,¡± Jackal said. ¡°I ask.¡±

    ¡°May I suggest working on the tone in your voice when you do so, then?¡± Khumdar said. ¡°There has been a definite edge of pleading in it the previous times.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡ªyou know what? I¡¯m not falling for this. There will be loot and I will not plead.¡±

    The changes to the encampment were small. The fires no longer had the same number of tents around them, ranging from three to seven. They were also no longer identical, each having differing adornments, or were made from different material.

    The tents no longer looked like they were made of stone. Tibs identified leather and fabrics as well as colors added to them in designs Tibs didn¡¯t recognize, as if the Ratling had decorated their homes.

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    Had they done so? Or had Sto placed everything? The dungeon said everything within him was there by his design, but this felt¡­ alive.

    The differences didn¡¯t extend to the Ratlings. They were still stone and fighting them was much the same. Carina and Tibs went around the edge, clearing the tents, and moved inward, while Jackal, Khumdar, and Mez headed for the center, attracting the bulk of the attention.

    By the time this room was cleared, the only serious injury was Mez¡¯s broken arm.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± The archer said as Tibs hesitated to use his essence to create the splint and bring the bone back into line. ¡°Once we leave, the cleric will heal me. It¡¯ll take care of that, too.¡±

    Tibs had explained what had happened to Jackal after he¡¯d helped him, but Mez wasn¡¯t impressed.

    ¡°Look, I can¡¯t use my bow with a broken arm. If I get sick because of it, I¡¯ll have the time to get over it. It¡¯s probably going to be a month before our next run.¡±

    Tibs tried to keep the corruption from moving into Mez with his essence, but as always, it didn¡¯t obey him.

    ¡°Well, that was fun,¡± Sto grumbled while Tibs searched the tents for chests.

    ¡°What did Ganny want?¡±

    ¡°To complain that I¡¯m ¡®breaking the rules¡¯, what else would it be.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t see you change the list of drops for the grouped Whippers,¡± She scolded.

    ¡°Of course I made changes,¡± he replied, slightly exasperated. ¡°I¡¯m always making adjustments to how things work. Why was this time deserving of a ¡®I¡¯m cheating¡¯ talk?¡±

    ¡°Because you added more amulets to the drop list.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re the cheapest and easiest of the magical items I can put in, of course, I added them.¡±

    ¡°And it just happened Tibs got three of them?¡±

    ¡°That was random. There are plenty of other things on the list for them.¡±

    ¡°Was it?¡± she asked.

    Had it been? Sto could affect what was in the chest, but not while they were in the room. That was how he¡¯d arranged for Mez to get his bow; after Tibs suggested it while they¡¯d been in the previous room.

    ¡°She¡¯s impossible,¡± Sto grumbled.

    ¡°I take it she left.¡± Tibs didn¡¯t know what Ganymede was. She seemed to act as Sto¡¯s guardian and assistant. She knew more than he did, and she made sure he followed the rules, so there wouldn¡¯t be repercussions. Who would enforce them, she didn¡¯t say, and Sto didn¡¯t seem to believe there was anyone to do so. There had been hints she could leave, but that Sto couldn¡¯t be left unattended.

    ¡°She¡¯s gone back to work on the third floor.¡±

    ¡°So, did you?¡± Tibs cleared another tent. This one had been arranged as a tannery, but didn¡¯t have the smells the tannery in the town created. There had been talk of getting it moved closer to the Corruption pool since they both stank, but the tanner wouldn¡¯t have it, and the guild refused to get involved in town disputes.

    ¡°Did I what?¡± Sto demanded, hints of anger in his voice.

    ¡°Affect the loot.¡±

    ¡°Of course not.¡± The anger turned into indignation and Tibs moved on to the next tent. This one had a cooking pot. It was the third such tent he¡¯d entered. All were identical in how they were laid out, with only the material being different. Like in the others, and the previous time Tibs had been in one, the pot was empty. He couldn¡¯t help the shudder as he remembered the Ratling on his back, the clawed hand coming at his face.

    ¡°Why did they talk like you need more amulets?¡± Sto asked.

    ¡°For my essences. My reserves are so small I can¡¯t do anything with them. With the amulets, I¡¯ll be able to train and use them the way those with them do.¡±

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you filling them now, then?¡±

    Tibs touched the pouch. ¡°Because if I use them now, the guild is going to force me to keep them. I don¡¯t want the team to have to give up an item that will be more useful to us just because I¡¯m forced to keep the amulets.¡±

    ¡°I thought you got to keep all the loot.¡±

    Tibs adjusted where he thought the limit of Sto¡¯s awareness was. The tables where the guild looked over their items were at the side of the waiting area. If he made a straight line from where he knew Sto could perceive, since he¡¯d spoken to Tibs there, those should have been included.

    This tent only had bedrolls and a chest. ¡°Everything we take out of here belongs to the guild.¡± He took the leather boots out. Well-made ones, but normal. ¡°We have to pay for what we want to keep.¡±

    Sto snorted. ¡°I made the loot, so it¡¯s mine. I get to say who gets it, and you do.¡±

    Tibs smiled, exiting the tent. ¡°They aren¡¯t going to believe me if I tell them that, and if they did¡­¡± He thought of Harry, and how he always knew when someone lied to him cause his element was light. ¡°Then I¡¯m going to have to explain how it is you can talk, and that I can hear you. Neither of us wants that.¡±

    ¡°So, you really could use the pouch of hiding, then.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°Yeah, but you said it was too costly to make.¡±

    ¡°You saved my life. I can sacrifice a little.¡±

    ¡°Will Ganny let you make it?¡±

    ¡°She can¡¯t stop me,¡± he snapped. He sighed. ¡°But she can yell at me. I don¡¯t like making her angry.¡±

    This tent was the last in his quarter of the camp, so he rejoined the others. Nothing enchanted this time around, so more they¡¯d be able to keep. The guild only kept unenchanted armor and weapons, anything else without essence woven through it considered useless. He looked at the boots before placing them down. Would those be armor or clothing? He couldn¡¯t tell. Among the clothing were a bow and a short sword.

    He picked it up, and it was heavier than he remembered the one Bardik had gotten him to hold had been. He used earth to strengthen his arm, then it was easier to wield.

    ¡°Planning on switching weapons?¡± Mez asked, Cliffling.

    ¡°Yes.¡± He swung it and he was pulled off balance. The archer caught him before he fell. ¡°Thanks. I¡¯m no good at throwing knives, and I¡¯m tired of how close those rats have to be before I can stab them.¡± He looked at the blade. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m the kind of rogue who sneaks around and plants knives in people¡¯s backs.¡± That was the kind of rogue Bardik had been, even if the knife had been figurative, and the corruption only on him before Tibs had run to catch it.

    ¡°And we love you for that,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Is this a good sword?¡± he asked the fighter.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t good quality,¡± Sto answered as Jackal shrugged.

    ¡°Those aren¡¯t my thing.¡± The fighter closed his fists. ¡°These are my weapons.¡±

    Tibs Cliffled. ¡°I¡¯d have to let the rats get even closer if I used my fists.¡± He shuddered, putting the sword back with the rest.

    ¡°Can you even get training?¡± Carina asked. ¡°Fighters are who get trained with swords.¡±

    ¡°Use enough coins,¡± Jackal said, ¡°and everyone says yes, eventually.¡±

    ¡°Is the dungeon back?¡± Jackal asked, and Tibs nodded. ¡°What¡¯s with the junk? An entire camp of Ratlings, and this is all we get?¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t junk,¡± Sto replied, offended.

    ¡°He¡¯s just pleading for better stuff,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°I am not pleading.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s definitely some whining in there,¡± Carina chuckled. ¡°That makes it pleading.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want better stuff?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°Of course I do, but it isn¡¯t junk just because it isn¡¯t as good as you want. The guild will let us keep most of this, so that¡¯s money for us. Money we can use to buy whatever we need that doesn¡¯t show up in the loot we find.¡±

    ¡°What do you need?¡± Tibs asked, relaying Sto¡¯s question, then wondering why the dungeon was interested.

    Carina fingered the cut in her robe. ¡°It¡¯s time I look for a better one. This was one sword swipe from a Ratling, and the creatures are only going to get harder as we go further. I¡¯m going to ask Darran if he can get me a robe like the one you had, Khumdar. With armor in it.

    The cleric nodded, putting the items that fit into Jackal¡¯s backpack. ¡°That should not be a problem for him. I purchased mine from an armorer in Virdan, but I have seen the like in stores catering to sorcerers.¡±

    ¡°Those were sorcerer¡¯s robes?¡± Mez asked.

    The cleric smiled, ¡°Of course. Cleric¡¯s robes only come in white.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 10

    The Bunnyling room was the same as the last time, down to the twitching nose poking out of one of the cover floor tiles, letting them jump out without warning.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Jackal said, ¡°last time, we underestimated those fluffy stone things that shouldn¡¯t be able to hurt anything. Let¡¯s not make that mistake again.¡±

    Tibs sensed the Bunnylings running under the floor from one cover stone to the other. The fundamental problem for his team, except Jackal and Khumdar, was that the room was bare of anything to use as cover. Stealth was impossible, which meant his role was that of a not particularly competent fighter. Carina would have trouble with her strong magic, since that needed time to focus, and Mez would have to fire his arrows on the move.

    Unlike the Ratlings, the Bunnylings seemed to know how much of a threat she represented. They spent the entire last battle targeting her, forcing the rest to interfere with their attacks, rendering theirs less effective. She touched her amulet, looking unhappy.

    ¡°I will protect Carina,¡± Khumdar said, slowly spinning his staff. Whatever else he¡¯d been up to while away from Kragle Rock, the cleric had become proficient in fighting with it.

    ¡°Mez, stay with them,¡± Jackal instructed. ¡°Khumdar can cover you, too. Me and Tibs will do what we can to keep them distracted and at a distance so you can both take your shots.¡±

    Tibs drew his knives. There were a dozen Bunnylings within his range, but the room was large enough there could be twice, if not three times that number under the floor. He¡¯d tried to keep track of them the last time, but the fight had deteriorated too quickly into one of pure survival.

    He and Jackal stepped into the room as one, and the nose poking out from under the cover tile stilled. Jackal continued walking toward it, while Tibs stopped, attentive. It screeched, and the Bunnylings ran for the closest cover stone, jumping out of their warren.

    They were a good head smaller than the Ratlings. Human-shaped bunnies with thick legs, scrawny arms ending with thin hands and long claws.They looked like they should be easy to defeat, especially after fighting the bigger and more savage Ratlings. But on top of being strong and fast, the Bunnylings were coordinated.

    Four ran at Jackal, three for Tibs and six, no, seven, spread around the room as more surfaced from the underground warren.

    Tibs coated his body with a thin layer of ice for extra armor¡ªhe remembered the ease with which those claws cut through his leathers. One rushed at him and Tibs stepped aside, slashing at it. Claws cut his leg, nearly throwing him off balance. He cursed their coordination and his weakened ice as he threw his knife at the retreating Bunnyling. The other was already out of range, joining two more circling him, weaving in and out, adding to the difficulty of keeping track of which one was readying for a leap, a feint, or a rush; instead, they came at him as a unit.

    He coated his knife in fire as he drew another one, turning as he slashed the first to reach him. He felt claws in his side this time, but it was worth it as one Bunnyling turned to rubble once it landed on the floor, and silver coins rolled away. He stabbed another one, then dropped to the floor, and a jumping Bunnyling flew over him.

    Not this time.

    He was back to his feet and used his essence to wrap his cuts and stop the bleeding. The pain still pulsed with each step, and he added earth to the ice, hoping that would compensate for how brittle it was now.

    They circled him, and Tibs moved with them, taking in the rest of the fight while not letting it distract him.

    Jackal was fighting six, two of them armed with clubs, but the rubble at his feet and grin on his face told Tibs he wasn¡¯t in trouble. Mez was firing arrow after arrow, but the Bunnylings dodged most of them. They cleverly maneuvered him in such a way that the archer nearly fired at Khumdar when a Bunnyling got out of the way of the arrow at the last moment.

    Even with the cleric keeping Bunnylings away from Carina, she had to stick with quick air-blade attacks, because the moment she began focusing on something bigger they mobbed her. Her attacks and Khumdar¡¯s staff seemed to do little more than keep them at bay.

    Motion out the corner of his eye had Tibs jump and reflexively slash at the lunging Bunnyling; he missed. He rolled to his feet, then claws had him falling forward due to their impact. At least, this time, they hadn¡¯t cut through his earth-reinforced ice armor. He put a foot under him and his leg buckled as corruption erupted there.

    He fought the pain, and the new weight on his shoulder, as teeth dug in it and bit down. He screamed at the pain and skewered the Bunnyling''s head. It crumbled away, revealing another running in his direction, head down.

    Remembered pain made him stagger back, looking for a way to escape, then the Bunnyling was nearly on top of him, crumbling to rubble as its essence added to his large reserve.

    He cursed as the stone settled at his feet. He¡¯d promised Sto he wouldn¡¯t do this again.

    Khumdar finally had the upper hand on the group of Bunnylings targeting him and Carina, his staff trailing darkness with each swing and sending any it impacted flying away. Mez and Carina used their attacks on those.

    The bulk of the Bunnylings was before Jackal, keeping the fighter focused on them, at the cost of a few of their numbers, while one exited a cover tile behind him.

    ¡°Jackal,¡± Tibs called, trying to draw his attention to his hidden attacker, but he was too busy to look away. Tibs pulled water essence in as he made the ¡®X¡¯ with his knife and when he stabbed it in its center, it was ripped out of him nearly as fast as he replenished it. He dropped to a knee as the focus required meant he had to let the corruption weaken his leg.

    Once he stopped the attack, he panted, and stared at another Bunnyling, helpless to move due to fear and exhaustion. Where had it come from? he wondered. Then he saw the raised floor tile. So he had his answer, not that it helped him move.

    The Bunnyling exploded, and Tibs covered his face to keep the hot stones from hitting it. He then pushed himself to his feet, tightening the essence wraps over his injuries where corruption had eaten at them.

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    ¡°Jackal,¡± Carina called. ¡°Throw one of them away from you.¡± All the Bunnylings that had been around her and Khumdar were rubble.

    The fighter kicked one, and she raised then lowered her hand, a feral grin on her face. Wind picked up the Bunnyling, then slammed it to the floor. Jackal kicked another, and Mez shot it with an exploding fire arrow. Khumdar joined the fighter, and together, they finished the Bunnylings that were left.

    ¡°Someone tell me there aren¡¯t any left,¡± Jackal said, holding his side. Tibs walked around the room, sensing under the floor.

    ¡°They¡¯re all dead.¡±

    ¡°Thank the abyss.¡± Jackal dropped to his knees. ¡°I never want to fight one of those again.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s going to be disappointed,¡± Sto commented. ¡°I¡¯m glad you survived, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°Thanks. Sorry about draining one of them. I just reacted.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m guessing you haven¡¯t had a lot of chances to practice.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Tibs let his voice trail off, wondering why Sto was unbothered. The last time Tibs had drained the essence out of one of his creatures, the dungeon had sounded like he¡¯d have no choice but to take action if it happened again.

    ¡°Do you need me to heal you?¡± Tibs asked Jackal.

    ¡°No.¡± The fighter took a step back. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯d rather not get that fever again.¡±

    ¡°But the cleric will heal us when we leave.¡± Mez sounded worried. ¡°Isn¡¯t that going to take care of everything?¡±

    ¡°If it does, then next time I might get his help, but he still has corruption in him, no matter how much they tried to purge it. And his wraps interfere with my stone body.¡± He smiled at the fearful archer. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. If you get a fever, I will take very good care of you.¡±

    ¡°I warned you,¡± Tibs said when Mez looked at him.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think it¡ª¡± he swallowed and nodded. ¡°Are we continuing?¡±

    ¡°We are searching this room,¡± Jackal instructed. ¡°We are not leaving without all the loot after I had to go through this fight.¡±

    Tibs looked at the room, empty except for the stone piles and errant silver coin. ¡°That means looking in the warren.¡±

    ¡°You said they¡¯re all dead,¡± Carina asked. ¡°Right?¡±

    Tibs nodded, toeing the closest tile open. He dropped in, not looking forward to this. The others opened tiles of their own and went in too.

    Tibs was closer in height to the Bunnylings, so he only had to bend down as he walked through the dark tunnels. He made a flame in his palm to provide illumination.

    Instead of chests, Tibs found small bags, each containing coins and gems. He had three when he exited. Carina was seated with Mez, holding a vial with a greenish liquid in it.

    ¡°What is that?¡± Tibs asked, joining them.

    She continued studying it. ¡°I think it¡¯s one of the healing potions they used to hand out at the training grounds; before we had the clerics.¡±

    ¡°It is a healing potion,¡± Sto confirmed.

    ¡°How did you make it?¡± Tibs asked. ¡°I mean, how did you know to make it. You said that you need to have something before you can copy it.¡±

    ¡°I need a basic form of it, yes, but after that, I can alter what makes it and see what happens. But in the case of this, a Runner had it on her and she died before she got to use it. The rest of her team couldn¡¯t get to her in time to keep me from getting her.¡±

    That had happened before Bardik¡¯s attack, since Tibs and his friends were the first in. ¡°Who were they?¡± How had a Runner stolen a potion from the guild?

    ¡°One of the nobles. A pack of Ratlings got her.¡±

    ¡°Why would a noble settle for one of those?¡± Mez asked. ¡°If I had a choice, I¡¯d never have drunk one.¡±

    Tibs bit back his reply. Mez wasn¡¯t a noble, he reminded himself. Well, not one like the others. It would be so much easier if his friend dressed in his old clothing and armor instead of the expensive ones. ¡°The good potions are expensive. Enough that Tirania is careful in how the guild uses those they have.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s five vials,¡± Carina said, indicating the bag in her lap.

    ¡°One for each of us,¡± Tibs mused. Was Sto cheating again? He wanted to ask, but if Ganny was around, it would start an argument between the two of them. Because he¡¯d promised he would keep her existence secret from his friends, he couldn¡¯t ask Sto if she was still busy on the third floor.

    ¡°We should keep them,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s extra money for us.¡±

    ¡°Will we get anything for them from the guild?¡± Mez asked. ¡°They were just giving them to us when we got hurt.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re going to pay for them,¡± Tibs replied, with only a little bitterness. ¡°Once we reach Epsilon.¡±

    ¡°Pay for what?¡± Jackal asked, pulling himself out of a hole. He reached in and pulled out a bag, then joined them. Carina showed him the potion.

    ¡°Is that a healing potion?¡± he asked, taking it.

    ¡°There¡¯s five,¡± she said. ¡°One for each of us.¡±

    ¡°Then everyone drinks theirs,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Are we allowed?¡± Carina asked. ¡°Won¡¯t the guild force us to pay for them?¡±

    Jackal drank his in a quick swallow, made a face, then sighed in relief. ¡°I¡¯m not telling them those were here.¡± He threw the empty bottle over his shoulder. ¡°If it¡¯s not with the stuff we bring out, how are they going to know?¡± the bottle bounced on the floor and rolled until it melted away.

    Tibs took the one she handed him. He hesitated, then drank it. He started to choke on the taste, but as with the previous time, that disappeared as his injuries healed. Tibs placed his bottle on the floor.

    ¡°If it is not too much to ask,¡± Khumdar said as he climbed out of the warren, then stretched, his back popping. ¡°I will pass on warren crawling duties on future runs.¡± He placed two bags with the others and sat.

    Carina handed him the last vial, and he narrowed his eyes in suspicion, then sniffed it. ¡°If you plan on poisoning me, Carina, you will need to be more subtle.¡± The cleric sounded amused, but his expression was serious.

    With a roll of the eyes, Mez took the vial out of the cleric¡¯s hand and drank it in one swallow. ¡°Abyss, I¡¯d forgotten how vile this was.¡± Then he sighed. ¡°Good thing it doesn¡¯t last.¡± He handed his bottle to the cleric.

    ¡°You¡¯ve never drunk one of these in your travels?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°I have heard of them,¡± Khumdar said, looking at the greenish liquid. ¡°But from all accounts, they are prohibitively expensive. Less than a respectable Purity Cleric, but still beyond the means of a common traveler.¡±

    ¡°Not like you¡¯re exactly common,¡± Mez scoffed.

    ¡°Thank you. Should we not keep it and hand it to the guild? The money will allow Tibs to get more of the amulets.¡±

    ¡°Drink it,¡± Jackal ordered.

    Khumdar eyed the fighter, then drank it. He gagged, ¡°This is horrib¡ª¡± His face brightened. ¡°Interesting. As the taste does not remain, using this is palatable, but something better tasting would still be appreciated.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get right on that,¡± Sto replied sarcastically, but Tibs didn¡¯t repeat it.

    Jackal motioned to the ceiling and Tibs nodded.

    ¡°Dungeon, these are so we¡¯re going to be ready for what¡¯s in the other room, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°I like him,¡± Sto said. ¡°Very perceptive.¡±

    Tibs covered his mouth to hide his snicker, and Jackal looked at him. ¡°He said that you¡¯re right.¡±

    Jackal stood. ¡°Makes sense. After the beating we got to make it this far, it¡¯s the only way to keep us going. I was going to turn us around once we¡¯d caught our breath.¡±

    ¡°And give up whatever loot is there?¡± Carina asked innocently.

    ¡°There¡¯s still going to be loot the next time we¡¯re here.¡± The sorcerer and cleric followed the fighter, but Mez kept Tibs behind.

    ¡°Did it heal the corruption?¡±

    Tibs sensed the essence wrap he¡¯d placed around the archer¡¯s broken arm, dissolving and reabsorbing it since it was now properly healed. He didn¡¯t sense corruption in that essence or Mez, but he knew that meant nothing.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. The corruption that¡¯s tainting my essence doesn¡¯t stay in it when I put the wrap on your wound. It leeches into your body, and after that, I can¡¯t tell what happens. Just like I can¡¯t see your essence in you, just the way it tints my essence coursing through your body.¡±

    ¡°I have your essence in me?¡±

    Tibs nodded. ¡°Everyone does. Even ordinary people, although theirs is so faint, I don¡¯t notice it unless I¡¯m paying attention. The Omegas are like that before their first run.¡±

    ¡°Does theirs have a tint to it?¡±

    ¡°No, only people with an element have essence, and that¡¯s what tints it.¡± He didn¡¯t mention the blacksmith or baker, who did have a tint to their essence. It wasn¡¯t his place, and he still had no idea what it meant beyond the obvious.

    He¡¯d nearly died to get his audience, other than with Water, but Ganny hadn¡¯t said nearly dying was needed to get one. Just intense emotions around the element. Didn¡¯t that mean it was possible to get an audience without the guild¡¯s assistance?

    Did the guild know that?

    Did anyone?

 Stepping up, Chapter 11

    Tibs remembered the damage to the walls of the long corridor as he stepped into it, but didn¡¯t let that distract him from potential danger. What Bardik had done to Sto with the corruption had been horrible, but that was in the past. That couldn¡¯t hurt him any more than it already had.

    He felt the essence ahead and counted his steps. While it still looked like the same corridor, it was a room, and the same number of steps separated what he felt from the room they¡¯d just left as every other room before.

    He stopped before entering it, and Jackal stopped next to him. As Tibs tried to make sense of all the essence ahead of them, Jackal extended a hand, then moved it sideways. Tibs watched him move along the closest of the multiple lines of essence.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked the fighter.

    ¡°Unlike you, I can¡¯t feel those things unless I¡¯m almost touching them,¡± Jackal answered, then added. ¡°Unless they¡¯re in the earth or stone, those I can feel at a distance, like that bundle in the pool room.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Tibs looked at the others and Mez nodded.

    ¡°I can feel essence through mine,¡± Carina said. ¡°all I need to do is send it out, and I can feel how they interact. There¡¯s a lot ahead of us and I can¡¯t figure out what we¡¯re supposed to do. This feels like it¡¯s just there to kill us. Shouldn¡¯t there be a way to get through it?¡±

    ¡°There is,¡± Sto said.

    Tibs sliced an essence trigger with his hand, and spears traversed the corridor nearly faster than he could follow. It was like a wall of them moving from here and away.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jackal said. ¡°That¡¯s made to kill us.¡±

    Tibs tried not to feel as defeated as his friend sounded.

    ¡°What is that?¡± Khumdar pointed to where the spears stopped appearing. It was a pedestal with the top angled toward them, and Tibs thought there was a plaque on it.

    ¡°I think,¡± Carina said, studying it, ¡°that it¡¯s how we turn the trap off.¡±

    ¡°Why put the thing all the way over there?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°By the time we can turn it off, we¡¯ve already crossed the room.¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s for when we come back?¡± Tibs said, trying to map out the lines and understand how the trap worked. There was a space behind what was effectively a wall of triggers. It was narrow, and there was an opening in the wall.

    ¡°I think that it¡¯s for the one among us,¡± Carina said, ¡°who happens to be smaller and agile. He can go through and turn it off so the rest of us, who are large and clumsy, can cross it without danger.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not¡ªOh,¡± Jackal said.

    Now that Tibs understood the essence wasn¡¯t so much triggers as limits, he could make out the path between them, up to nine layers in, which was maybe a quarter of the way. It wouldn¡¯t be easy. The path was relatively linear for him, but it would require using the walls, and getting under low triggers. He trusted Sto that there was a path through the whole thing, but that it would¡ª

    Tibs was down on the floor as the ¡®twang¡¯ registered and something flew over where he¡¯d been. He looked around for who had been hit, and his friends were looking at Mez, lowering his bow.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± Tibs demanded.

    The archer shrugged. ¡°Turned off the trap, I hope.¡±

    Tibs looked at the hall, and the essence walls were gone. ¡°How did you know?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t. I just figured that wasting one arrow on the chance it would work was worthwhile.¡±

    Jackal moved his hand where the essence had been. ¡°It was.¡± He stepped forward.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Sto said, miffed. ¡°That wasn¡¯t how it should have been done.¡±

    Tibs followed the fighter. ¡°You wanted me to get in there, step around, under and over those walls, didn¡¯t you?¡± He extended his sense as far as it went, in case Sto had surprises for them.

    ¡°You or someone else. This is supposed to be an agility test.¡± He was quiet. ¡°Although, I guess it works as one testing cunning. Not every team¡¯s as smart as yours.¡±

    Some were a lot smarter, Tibs thought.

    On the other side, Tibs studied the pedestal. Like almost everything in the dungeon, it was stone. The plaque easily moved in when pushed. If nothing else, Sto would change that for their next run.

    He joined the others at the entrance of the next room and tried to suppress the shudder as he remembered what had happened in it. He hadn¡¯t had the time to look at it properly the previous time, and it was larger than he remembered. Larger than the Ratling and Bunnyling rooms. Eight columns held up a high ceiling on each side and would provide a lot of blind spots for the dozens of Ratlings and Bunnylings in the room to hide behind.

    At the back of the room, at the end of this path created by the columns, three golems stood. One Bigger Brute with one Big Brute on each side. Sto had changed them slightly. Bigger Brute was more massive, the Big Brutes leaner.

    He remembered them in pieces on the floor, Bardik throwing vials of Corruption everywhere. Sto whimpering, Ganny sounding scared. Then, doing what he could to save his friend, and pain consuming him.

    A hand on his shoulder made him jump, but it kept him from stepping into the room.

    ¡°Will you be well?¡± Khumdar asked, in a gentler tone than Tibs was used to. ¡°If this is too much, we are not required to step in, this time. There will be other runs.¡±

    Tibs forced himself to see the room as it was today, including Jackal, who was nodding his agreement with the cleric. The gray polished stones of the floor and walls. The floor had large hexagonal tiles in different shades of gray, while the walls had designs on them that Tibs couldn¡¯t make sense of. Abstract, was what Carina had told him things like them were called.

    Sto had survived. So had he. He owed it to both of them to finish the floor.

    ¡°I¡¯m good.¡±

    Jackal smiled with pride, then looked to the room. ¡°We have Ratlings, Bunnylings, and two types of golems.¡±

    ¡°The smaller ones are Big Brutes, the larger is Bigger Brute.¡±

    The fighter rolled his eyes. ¡°At least we don¡¯t have to worry about those Whippers. Rats and bunnies we know we can handle, but they will be a distraction that lets those brutes reach us and might keep us from effectively defending ourselves. Ideas?¡±

    ¡°The previous encounter we had with the smaller brute,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°showed we could hardly hurt it. We have all grown in power, but I still believe we should focus on the larger one, as it will be the biggest threat.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Mez countered. ¡°We can¡¯t ignore the Ratlings and bunnies. There¡¯s a lot more of them and if they gang up, they will tear us apart. We need to thin them first and then focus on the Brutes. They aren¡¯t exactly fast and the room is large. We should be able to stay out of their reach easily.¡±

    ¡°Come on,¡± Jackal said, grinning, ¡°Khumdar said it. We¡¯re stronger than when that Brute showed up to save Tibs. We¡¯ve dealt with the Ratlings and Bunnylings easily enough. I say we run at the Brutes, give them all we can and then clean the rest out.¡±

    Carina glared at Jackal. ¡°That is stupid. Mez is right. We need to remove the easier ones because they have the numbers to overwhelm us. Me and Mez can attack groups of them, but that¡¯s not doing us any good if one of you is in the middle of them. I have no way to make my attacks ignore you while hurting them.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s just a question of you figuring that out?¡± Jackal asked, and she glared harder.

    ¡°There could be traps,¡± Mez said, looking at Tibs. ¡°Tiles do lend themselves to that.¡±

    Tibs sensed what he could of the room.

    ¡°I don¡¯t sense anything like that. There aren¡¯t any warrens under the floor I can sense, but the dungeon knows my range with stone, so he could have put that further in. Same with me not sensing hiding Bunnylings..¡±

    Sto remained silent.

    ¡°Can you tell if some of the tiles can be flipped open?¡± Carina asked.

    Tibs considered how he might be able to do that, then shook his head. ¡°Unless there¡¯s a mechanism, I can¡¯t know what a tile can do. The first four around us have only more stone beneath. That¡¯s all I can say. And other than colors, they all look the same to me. If they start jumping out, I¡¯ll look for a pattern, but that¡¯s only going to help us next time.¡±

    ¡°If the dungeon doesn¡¯t change things,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°I count at least thirty of the Ratling and Bunnylings,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Thirty-six,¡± Khumdar said.

    ¡°How did you count them so fast?¡± Jackal looked at the mass of mixed creatures. ¡°And with them moving.¡±

    ¡°I have noticed that twelve seems to be a significant number for the dungeon, although I do not understand why. There are twelve light stones on each wall between the entrance and the first room. Forty-eight of the floor tiles in the trap-room are triggers. Twenty-four rats in the boulder room, twelve before that. Twenty-four rabbits and twelve rats in the warren room.¡±

    ¡°One Whipper,¡± Jackal countered, grinning.

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    ¡°A boss creature.¡±

    Jackal frowned. ¡°Five Whippers on the second floor.¡±

    ¡°Along with nineteen rats.¡±

    The fighter counted on his fingers. ¡°That¡¯s twenty-four. The encampment and Bunnyling room?¡±

    ¡°I have not been in a position to be able to count the Ratlings, as many of them hide among the tents for Tibs and Carina to deal with, and the Bunnylings are still enough of a danger I have focused on fighting them, instead of counting. I suspect the numbers will be either thirty-six or forty-eight.¡±

    ¡°Thirty-six Bunnylings,¡± Sto said, surprised. ¡°Forty-eight Ratlings. How did I never notice I¡¯m always using twelves? Ganny!¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t bother confirming what Khumdar had worked out. Now that Sto was aware of it, he would make changes.

    ¡°I still say we¡ª¡±

    Tibs glared at the fighter, and Jackal sighed, then nodded, turning to study the room.

    ¡°Alright. The three of us engage and keep the horde busy. We have a lot of room, so we make use of it and give Carina and Mez as many chances to take them out in groups while keeping an eye out for the Brutes and letting us know where they are. Once we¡¯ve thinned the horde enough, you can start taking shots at the Brutes in preparation for us attacking them.¡±

    Tibs took his knives, looked at them and the creatures. Maybe he could grab one of their clubs or stone swords and give himself more range? How quickly could he unleash his ¡®x¡¯ attacks? So many things he needed to practice.

    He followed Jackal and Khumdar into the room and they split apart. Instead of splitting up into three groups, the Ratlings and Bunnylings divided into four. One for each of them and¡ª

    ¡°Carina, Mez!¡± Jackal called, but the explosion told them the two were aware of what was happening.

    Tibs ducked, blocked, parried, and cursed the first set of claws easily digging into his ice armor and added earth to it again. They were too fucking close.

    He sliced, stabbed, and shoved, trying to give himself the space for an ¡®x¡¯, but they were too close and used any opening he gave them. He should have stayed with Carina and attacked only at a distance. It wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d run out of water essence anymore.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Mez called. ¡°Jump back.¡±

    Carina called for Khumdar.

    Tibs did so, then kept retreating, managing an ¡®x¡¯ that took out a Ratling from the mass pursuing him. Then a flaming arrow hit the ground and exploded sending creatures flying in all directions, but half of them immediately got to their feet and took up the chase.

    Grinning at the half not getting up, Tibs ran into the fray, and immediately cursed himself as his corrupted ice and earth armor quickly chipped away to the point he received injuries. He should have remained at a distance. He had to stop thinking of himself as a close-range fighter.

    The last of the group attacking him fell, and Tibs put his hand on his knees, catching his breath. He wanted to go help, he could hear fighting still going on, but he¡¯d used up his fire reserve making his knives deadlier as well as his earth, and even with constantly replenishing his ice armor the corruption made it so brittle it broke nearly on contact with claws.

    The one good thing out of this fight was that his body hadn¡¯t betrayed him to the corruption. He straightened once the amulet was filled. Only Jackal was fighting; his body turned into stone, the amount of rubble around him an indication the horde, as he called them, had considered him the larger threat.

    A leaping Bunnyling shattered under a kick, a Ratling broke under the strength of a punch. Jackal grabbed another and used it to bash a Bunnyling, then grabbed the last one and broke it over his knee.

    The creatures had been right. Jackal was the bigger threat. If any of them had been made with a survival instinct, they¡¯d all have fled, instead of taking him on. His friend was a scary fighter when stoned-up like he was.

    Tibs opened his mouth to congratulate the fighter, but the ground shook in time with a ponderous slam. It happened again, and Tibs turned to face the Brutes, who were only now moving. Bigger Brute was in the lead, the ground shaking as his massive foot came down slowly. The other two trailed behind it, their steps lighter, if not faster.

    ¡°If anyone needs Tibs to heal them, hurry,¡± Jackal called. ¡°We aren¡¯t getting long before they reach us.¡±

    An inventory of his injuries told him they were all minor, cuts and bruises. Fatigue was his biggest problem, and he couldn¡¯t do much about that. Maybe they should keep the healing potions for this point in the dungeon. He had felt more alert after drinking it.

    Jackal looked fine. He seemed impervious in his stone form. Khumdar shook his head when Tibs offered.

    ¡°How are you two on essence?¡± Jackal asked, as Mez and Carina joined them.

    The archer patted his bow. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m low,¡± Carina said. ¡°I need either another amulet, or to be more careful about how I use my essence.¡±

    ¡°Then you stay behind,¡± Jackal said, cutting off Tibs. ¡°If you run out, you go by the exit in case we need to run. No arguing,¡± he snapped as she started protesting. ¡°I¡¯m not losing the team¡¯s sorcerer to stubbornness.¡±

    He faced the approaching Brutes, grumbling about this being the one time he wished Don was in his team so he could throw him at the enemy.

    Tibs Cliffled as he sheathed his knives. Mez had the time to raise an eyebrow at the action before Tibs pulled one out and flicked it at Bigger Brute. The jet of water splashed without visible effect, but he was proud to have thought about it.

    Mez shot fire-arrows after fire-arrows, leaving scorch marks on Bigger Brute. The ground shook again as another foot came down. Tibs did an ¡®x¡¯ attack, and nearly drained himself, with no more than a few flecks of stones flying off to join those Mez was chipping with his arrows.

    Tibs went back to flicking water as he refilled the amulet, trying it with two knives, but that threw his aim off.

    A blade of air hit Bigger Brute¡¯s face, shearing off part of it, but it didn¡¯t affect his approach.

    ¡°Our turn,¡± Jackal said, punching his palm. ¡°You take the left. Keep bashing with your staff. The moment it focuses on either of us, we draw it away so you three can keep attacking. If the smaller ones join the fight, you guys will have to keep Bigger Brute busy.¡± Jackal stepped to the right with a deliberateness that Tibs felt should cause the ground to shake, attracting Bigger Brute¡¯s attention, away from Tibs and Khumdar.

    Instead of the darkness trailing the cleric¡¯s staff, as with his previous attacks, it amassed at the end. The cleric swung as Bigger Brute raised its arm and the dark edge sliced through the elbow, causing the forearm to fall to the ground.

    Khumdar hurried back as Bigger Brute turned its head in his direction in what Tibs could only think of as an angry glare, even if he had no eyes.

    Jackal punched the Brute before also stepping away and calling, ¡°Your turn!¡± His strikes didn¡¯t have the effectiveness of the staff, only leaving cracks against the golem¡¯s stone where they hit.

    Tibs did an ¡®x¡¯ attack on Bigger Brute, working to control when to cut off the flow, so it wouldn¡¯t drain him, but the Big Brute running in their direction distracted him. The attack hit Bigger Brute but Tibs was panting again. He forced himself to watch as he hurried to refill his reserve and amulet. Once the Brutes coordinated their attack, Tibs couldn¡¯t see how they¡¯d win this.

    Instead of attacking Jackal, or going for the still retreating cleric, Big Brute threw itself at Bigger Brute and broke into rubble. Tibs stared as he felt the essence move into the larger golem, some of the new rubble reforming the arm instead of falling to the ground.

    ¡°What?¡± Jackal demanded, staring too.

    ¡°Of fuck,¡± Carina cursed.

    ¡°Keep fighting!¡± Mez yelled, as Bigger Brute took advantage of the surprise and slammed an arm into Jackal. The fighter blocked, but the impact sent him across the room. ¡°Carina, Tibs, whatever you have left, we need to take out the other small one. We can¡¯t let them pull this trick a second time.¡±

    With only one opponent to focus on, Bigger Brute sent blow after blow against the cleric, and Khumdar deflected them, the darkness over his staff causing the fists to slide away, instead of impacting.

    With his attack being ineffective, Tibs ran toward the cleric as some of the blows still seemed to stagger him. He cursed Sto under his breath for cheating, but the dungeon didn¡¯t comment. Which was good. Tibs wasn¡¯t sure he could stop himself from arguing, and now was not the time.

    Jackal was at his side, screaming in rage. Tibs took out his knives, made a water slide, and used it to get between BB¡¯s legs, slashing at him as he slid by. His knives bit deep, but unlike people, the golem kept moving, keeping up with Khumdar¡¯s retreat.

    The next blow didn¡¯t deflect away from the cleric, the stone fist sliding and connecting with the man¡¯s shoulder. Khumdar didn¡¯t react more than move to a one-handed hold of his staff, but the break in the essence was clear to Tibs.

    Jackal landed on the golem¡¯s back as Tibs hurried to Khumdar¡¯s side. The fighter punched it in the head and stone flew away with each impact.

    ¡°We don¡¯t¡ª¡± Khumdar protested as Tibs placed his hand on his shoulder.

    ¡°Shut up.¡± Tibs poured his essence in and shaped it around the injury. ¡°You can¡¯t fight with only one arm.¡± The bone was shattered in the shoulder and the arm. It was a good thing a cleric would heal this afterward, because he doubted this would heal properly, even with his splint. He tightened it into place, then hardened the essence and focused on the fight.

    Jackal flew over them, but Bigger Brute¡¯s head was a mess. Half of where the face should be was only broken stone.

    Tibs flicked water there. Even if the eyes weren¡¯t visible, it needed to see. If he could break the other half, it would be blind and easier to defend against. His attacks splashed without obvious effect. Maybe his aim with his water jet was no better than when he threw knives and he needed to stick to larger targets.

    The one advantage his water flicking had over knives was that he could keep trying, instead of having to worry about running out of knives.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Khumdar said calmly, as he stepped before him and deflected a blow that could have taken off his head. ¡°Move away.¡±

    Tibs did as told. The remaining Big Brute kept approaching, slowed by the barrage of flaming arrows Mez shot at it. Carina was by the exit, looking worried and scared.

    Khumdar dropped to a knee to block an overhead hit, then Jackal slammed into the golem, sending it staggering back. The fighter¡¯s essence was broken in multiple places, but his stone body seemed to keep everything together.

    Tibs had to step further away as each punch sent stone flying off Bigger Brute. Jackal¡¯s stone fist was covered with spikes that left gouges in the golem.

    Big Brute was still advancing, and despite Mez¡¯s attacks, it still had a lot of essence. Unlike with his friends, the golem¡¯s essence didn¡¯t break as a result of its injuries. It didn¡¯t match any internal structure. Some of it simply flew away with the chunks of stones. Though Tibs hadn¡¯t kept track of how much damage Bigger Brute had received, a visual check told him it was significant.

    But it meant nothing if Big Brute reached it.

    Tibs stepped further aside and took out his knife. He pulled essence out of the air around him as he channeled water into it, refilling what it took from his amulet. He cleared his mind of the danger his friend was in and of his anger at Sto. He focused on the flow of essence through his reserve and traced the ¡®x¡¯.

    He stabbed the center and the watery jet materialized. Immediately his essence dropped. It wasn¡¯t as fast as before, but still faster than he could replenish it. It hit the golem but didn¡¯t cause damage he could see and he was too busy to sense it, but that didn¡¯t matter. What he had to do was ensure he could keep the jet going.

    He took hold of it and diminished its intensity, forced it to use less of his essence than he was pulling in. It was hard; the flow was raw, strong. Like what he thought a waterfall was, based on how the one in the cavern sounded. But it responded, and he smiled.

    Yes! He thought.

    And his control broke.

    His reserve drained, and he dropped to a knee. He tried to pull more in, to restart the attack, but all he could do was breathe, try to slow his pounding heart.

    When he finally heard something other than that, it was silence. No. Panting. Other people panting. He looked up, around. Carina was next to Mez, holding him up. Khumdar was lying on the ground, breathing. Jackal was standing eerily still.

    Tibs rushed to his friend. ¡°Jackal, are you okay?¡± He sensed his essence and couldn¡¯t stop the gasp.

    ¡°No,¡± the fighter said through gritted teeth.

    ¡°How¡­¡± there was nothing in Jackal¡¯s essence that wasn¡¯t broken?

    ¡°Will.¡± He closed his eyes. ¡°I am not dying here. I am not putting Kro through losing me.¡±

    Tibs tried to think of something he could do, but the damage was so extensive. Even his stone body was cracked and was missing pieces in place. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can splint everything that¡¯s wrong.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Jackal, you need to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Your essence stops me from using earth to make my body stone.¡± He stopped and Tibs sensed the earth essence move from the ground and into the fighter. ¡°I have to keep refilling myself with earth to maintain this, Tibs. Don¡¯t worry, the cleric will heal me. She has to because I¡¯m not sure how Kro¡¯s going to feel about me being made of stone all the time.¡± He grinned. ¡°Of course, there is one part of me that being hard all the time would¡ª¡±

    Tibs gagged, which made Jackal laugh, then groan.

    ¡°You cheated!¡± He yelled at the ceiling.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Sto replied.

    Tibs pointed to the rubble. ¡°You healed Bigger Brute! You can¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°I just did for them what you do for your friends,¡± Sto said, calmly.

    Tibs tried to contradict him, but he was right. Tibs had done it first, and Sto had never prevented Tibs from doing it. If he didn¡¯t consider it cheating. Tibs couldn¡¯t either.

    He looked at his friends. They were tired, injured, but alive.

    They¡¯d survived, and based on the chest at the back of the room, BB had been the boss.

    ¡°Someone go check on the loot,¡± Jackal said. ¡°I¡¯d love to be the one to do it, but I¡¯m worried that if I move more than I have to, I might fall apart.¡± He looked at himself. ¡°Quite literally.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 12

    Tibs joined Mez at the chest, as the archer pulled an amulet out of it. ¡°I think that¡¯s a full set.¡±

    ¡°If I get to keep them.¡± Tibs took it without looking, his eyes on the wall next to the chest. Mez said something, but he didn¡¯t pay attention. There was something about that section. He sensed the stone as he ran a hand on it.

    Sto had done something to part of it. The essence before him was different. It wasn¡¯t a weave or an etching. Sto didn¡¯t work that way unless it was the point of the trigger. This was just¡­ different.

    It was the size of a doorway, slightly taller than Jackal and wide enough for one of them to pass through if it was a door. Because it was in the dungeon, Tibs knew there was a way to activate it and find out what it was, but he couldn¡¯t think of how to do it.

    Carina exclaimed something, and Tibs spun, hand on his knife.

    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful!¡± She held the light gray robe against her and ran a hand over the heavy material.

    ¡°If she doesn¡¯t like the color,¡± Sto said, ¡°I can change it.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Tibs asked, and realized he was still looking around for a threat.

    ¡°I¡¯ve noticed sorcerers like to use colors representing their elements, but I can¡¯t take that into account in the loot rotation, so that ends up randomized too. If she puts it back in the chest, I can change it to whatever color she prefers.¡±

    ¡°Are you allowed?¡± The others were looking at him and he raised a finger to postpone any questions.

    Sto sighed. ¡°Probably not. Feels like I¡¯m not allowed to do anything, but it¡¯s just a color. I doubt Ganny¡¯s going to complain too loudly.¡±

    Tibs nodded. ¡°The dungeon says that if you want a different color, just put it back in the chest and say which one you want.¡±

    ¡°No, this is perfect.¡± She spun, but the heavy fabric didn¡¯t move much.

    Jackal looked in the chest. ¡°Can you change that into potions?¡± Tibs peered in and a sword, too long for the size of the chest, rested at the bottom.

    ¡°Not risking her anger on that,¡± Sto said. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    Tibs shook his head, then considered something. ¡°Maybe you can change things so there¡¯s always potions in this chest? That way those who survive the fight can have a chance to leave?¡±

    Judging the size of the sword was difficult since he couldn¡¯t trust what he saw of the chest, but Tibs thought it was longer than Jackal was tall. It was a normal sword otherwise.

    Who would use something like that? Who had used one? Tibs didn¡¯t recall seeing one like this before. So it had to be from the nobles. Maybe theirs had been enchanted to be less unwieldy?

    ¡°No. The previous room is because I want the teams able to appreciate this fight. How they leave is entirely up to them.¡± The pause was long enough Tibs looked up when Sto continued. ¡°It isn¡¯t like there are any real challenges on the way back, right?¡±

    ¡°What did you do?¡± he demanded.

    ¡°Me? Nothing.¡±

    ¡°We need to be on our guard on the way back,¡± Tibs warned. Sto had sounded far too innocent. ¡°The dungeon changed something.¡±

    Sto didn¡¯t protest, and that worried Tibs more. Maybe Sto was simply playing on the paranoia the previous runs had instilled, but Tibs wasn¡¯t taking a chance.

    The walk out of the room was slow, to keep pace with Jackal, who had to be careful not to jostle his cracked stone body, and it gave Tibs the time to sense around them for new traps. Mez deactivated the corridor maze by slapping a hand on the plate, and Tibs stayed by it, telling the other he wanted to make sure the dungeon wouldn¡¯t alter things while they were crossing it.

    Sto had shown enough craftiness no one questioned him.

    He waited until they were past the halfway point. Jackal¡¯s speed meant he had time.

    ¡°Sto,¡± he whispered, to be safe. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you using the mind essence to talk with other people?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t talk to others, you know that. Ganny doesn¡¯t even know why I can talk with you.¡±

    ¡°I know, but wouldn¡¯t mind essence let you talk to anyone with a mind? You have mind essence right?¡± He tried to remember if the essence Sto had reserves of.

    ¡°I do. I have all the essences. But that¡¯s one of the few essences I have no idea what to do with.¡±

    Tibs frowned. ¡°If you have an essence, shouldn¡¯t you be able to just use it?¡±

    ¡°Not really,¡± Sto answered after a few seconds. ¡°Is that something you can do, just use essence?¡±

    It was Tibs¡¯s turn to be silent as he thought about it. ¡°Well, yeah. I mean, most of it won¡¯t work at first, but over time I can figure out how to arrange the essence so it will do something, even if that isn¡¯t much. But I can then figure out more. Just by pushing air essence around, I can cause a breeze. That wasn¡¯t something I was taught, I just did it because I¡¯d seen Carina do it.¡±

    Sto was quiet again. ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem to be working for me.¡±

    ¡°Then how did you manage to do everything you do with essence?¡±

    ¡°By watching you and the other Runners. By absorbing those who died, I gain some of their knowledge. There haven¡¯t been any Runners with Mind as their element. Once I have a base of information, I can work with that, but I can¡¯t seem to do anything with what I have until then.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d have thought there would be Runners for each element by now.¡± No, he was wrong. Tirania had stirred him toward only four elements. Even after he¡¯d gotten her to mention more, she¡¯d made it clear they were inferior. There was also more of certain essence within the classes. Fighters seemed to have more metal and earth than anything else. Rogues had water, air, and darkness, mainly. Archers and sorcerers seemed to be more evenly distributed, but still more of those four main elements Tirania had told him about.

    Had every teacher pushed specific elements, instead of encouraging the Runners to figure out which one was best for them? Tirania has certainly insisted he decide there and then.

    ¡°What about the silent shoes? You made those before anyone had essence.¡±

    ¡°Before Runners started coming in, the guards were throwing bodies in me. A few of them had essence woven through pieces of clothing, and once I knew that was a thing, I experimented using other essences, changing how it was within the item. I didn¡¯t have a lot else to do and I could reabsorb what didn¡¯t work. Other than your pouch, which I was working on for the second-floor boss, everything else was simple stuff.¡±

    ¡°And doing that with mind essence doesn¡¯t let you figure it out?¡±

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°I¡¯ve played with it, but nothing I apply from what I know of the other element did anything.¡±

    ¡°Tibs!¡± Carina called. They were on the other side. The essence walls hadn¡¯t returned, so Tibs ran to join them.

    The Bunnyling and Ratling rooms were much the same, minus whatever bodies hadn¡¯t been absorbed by the time they¡¯d left. The pool no longer had any ice in it, only water.

    ¡°I can¡¯t cross the pool,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Even if the dungeon doesn¡¯t have the pillars to break us and the ice, I can¡¯t pull earth essence from that far. Without it, I am going to fall apart.¡±

    ¡°You could walk by the edge,¡± Mez said. ¡°You can pull from the walls, right?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Khumdar said before Jackal answered. ¡°That does not resolve the issue of the rising floor. And if Jackal can¡¯t move any faster, it renders crossing the bridge less than practical.¡±

    Tibs sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll deactivate the room.¡± He wasn¡¯t looking forward to the headache manipulating so much essence at once would cause him, but at least this time he wasn¡¯t exhausted.

    He made it halfway to the maze before a section of the ledge broke, but this time the one right after also broke, making crossing the larger gap more difficult.

    ¡°You¡¯re making it harder on purpose,¡± he grumbled.

    Sto chuckled. ¡°No. Which of the sections will have a breaking condition is set randomly when I reset the floor. One of those conditions is how much weight each of the sections can support.¡±

    Did that mean there was a possibility some rogues wouldn¡¯t be able to get close enough to the maze to complete it? Was that fair?

    The complexity of the maze as it came fully into his range amazed him. He hadn¡¯t been in a state to fully take in how the lines moved over, under, behind, in front, and doubled back on themselves without ever touching another line. The deep pattern was beautiful, but that didn¡¯t take away from its difficulty.

    His starting point was at the top; so it changed each time. He adjusted his fingers in the cracks as well as his footing and began willing water essence to move into the line. He focused on keeping it thin and not overflow, figuring it would be easier to fix problems as they came, instead of trying to get everything within the lines afterward as he¡¯d done the last time.

    He lost his concentration and had to restart a few times, but then he noticed a change in how he perceived what he did. He was able to look ahead and decide how to approach it without losing track of how his essence flowed through the lines he¡¯d already filled. It was as if his mind had split into two, no, three sections. The one looking ahead, the one looking behind, and the one taking it all in and deciding how to proceed.

    It let him think without losing track of anything in the maze.

    What he did lose track of, was the state of his body. He was reminded it existed as pain shot through his left arm, the spasm making him lose his grip on the wall. He screamed in pain as he tried to get his hand back to the wall as he fell back, unbalanced to the point his other hand slipped.

    His friends¡¯ screams vanished as he hit the water, then was submerged, and Sto¡¯s laughter.

    Once he was done cursing the corruption coursing through his body, Tibs pulled air essence out of the water and around him so he could breathe and let himself drift.

    ¡°You should see your face,¡± Sto said between bouts of laughter. ¡°It¡¯s hilarious.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t funny, Tibs thought as hard as he could, hoping the dungeon heard it

    If he did or not, Tibs couldn¡¯t tell as Sto exploded into laughter again.

    Tibs rolled his eyes, unable to stop the image of Sto falling off a chair because of how hard he laughed. He sighed.

    Maybe, from the outside, it was funny. But Sto was supposed to be his friend. Friends didn¡¯t laugh at each other¡¯s misfortune. He purposely ignored the times he¡¯d laughed at Jackal after one of the stupid things he did came back to smack him in the face; sometimes literally.

    He closed his eyes and enjoyed the quiet.

    He knew his friends were worried. But after the fighting, the yelling, the stress of the run, this was nice. He extended his senses to reach his friends, but they were too far. Instead he sensed something closer, a mass of his essence moving in his direction through the water.

    There was a creature in the water.

    Tibs choked on the water as his concentration broke and paddled to get away.

    Sto¡¯s laughter intensified.

    Focus.

    Water was his essence. He didn¡¯t have to rely on his body to move in it. He wove it into a funnel around him and propelled himself up and out. He flew out of the water similarly to when he¡¯d used the pylon bursting through the ice to propel him, except that this time he could see where he was going and with a fling of the hand, water flew ahead of him to form a cushion for him to crash into.

    It wasn¡¯t graceful, but at least he was on the floor and not the wall.

    ¡°There¡¯s a creature in the water!¡± he yelled at the ceiling once the water sloshed off him.

    ¡°More than one,¡± the dungeon replied. He burst out into laughter again.

    ¡°That¡¯s against the rules!¡± Tibs stood and used fire to dry himself and hoped the steam would show how angry he was.

    Sto had trouble not laughing, but managed to ask ¡°says who?¡±

    Tibs tried to reply. To come up with a reply. His anger flowed away as all he was left to fuel his protest was. ¡°This is a trap room. There can¡¯t be creatures in trap rooms.¡±

    Sto got his laughter under control. ¡°Again, says who?¡±

    ¡°But there haven¡¯t been any before.¡± Was he whining?

    ¡°There¡¯s never been a need before,¡± Sto replied. ¡°The first floor is tough enough as it is for brand new runners, and the pool was always set up for them to activate when someone fell into the water.¡±

    Tibs sighed. ¡°So we can¡¯t take for granted what any of the rooms will contain based on what it looks like.¡±

    ¡°Was that not already the case?¡± Khumdar asked. ¡°Never accepting anything as what we see within a dungeon?¡±

    Tibs nodded. He¡¯d gotten complacent. At least this reminder of the dangers he lived with hadn¡¯t cost him any of his friends.

    ¡°Sorry for yelling at you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Sto said. ¡°I do aim to create strong reactions, so yelling is expected. You should hear what some of the other teams call me. It¡¯s a good thing they don¡¯t know I can hear them. We good?¡±

    Tibs rolled his eyes. ¡°We¡¯re good.¡± He tried to move his arm, but the corruption was being stubborn. He was going to need help getting back to the maze. ¡°Carina, can your essence reach where I was when I fell?¡±

    She looked there. ¡°I think so, but it¡¯s too far for me to feel the essence in the wall. Pushing my essence at a spot isn¡¯t the same as manipulating what¡¯s there.¡±

    Tibs stared at her. He hadn¡¯t considered that someone from another class would try to solve the maze. He thought of it only as a rogue problem.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I have in mind.¡± He tried to move his cramped arm and winced. ¡°I can¡¯t hold onto the wall, so I need you to use your wind to support me, as I get there and while I¡¯m solving the maze. It¡¯s not going to be quick.¡±

    ¡°Time isn¡¯t going to be an issue. This is simple stuff and I¡¯ve rebuilt enough of my reserve for the initial push of essence.¡± She looked at Jackal. ¡°So long as no one breaks my concentration, you¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± the fighter replied. ¡°Too busy holding myself together to be the annoying little brother.¡±

    Tibs chuckled. At least Jackal wasn¡¯t in so bad of a state he couldn¡¯t try to be funny. He approached the wall and looked at Carina. She sat, leaning against it, and nodded. As he placed a foot on the ledge, wind pushed him to the wall. With it and one hand for added steadiness, Tibs made it back to the maze.

    He wasn¡¯t able to achieve the mental state he had before, but without having to worry about gripping the wall, he had enough attention to devote to the maze and he solved it faster than the previous time.

    He felt the ledge tremble with the rumble of the raising stone and water rushing out. He looked over his shoulder. Vents under the ledge let the water escape. He didn¡¯t see the underwater creatures.

    As he stepped onto the now level floor, he realized his arm had uncramped. He moved it without more than the usual ache.

    When they reached the hall leading to the dungeon¡¯s exit, Tibs wanted to study the section of the wall that was different, its dimensions were similar to that in the second-floor boss room, but Jackal¡¯s need for healing took precedence.

    The cleric was a man and his too pale eyes went wide on seeing Jackal. He took his arm, and immediately let go as small stones fell from it. ¡°You,¡± he told one of the guards. ¡°Go fetch Maria and Louis.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t leave my post,¡± the man replied. He was older than those there, except the cleric, and had a stern face and angry eyes.

    The cleric got in the man¡¯s face. ¡°I am here to ensure any Runner who steps out of that door lives. I can¡¯t heal him myself.¡± He looked at Jackal over his shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t even understand how he¡¯s still alive. You are going to go and fetch Maria and Louis, or you will find out just how difficult your life can be when you piss off one of us.¡±

    The man closed a hand on the pommel of the sword at his hip.

    The cleric glanced at it and raised his hand, which started to glow. He smiled. ¡°Please, do test me. There are things we aren¡¯t allowed to practice as part of our regular training.¡±

    The guard¡¯s resolve broke. He sidestepped the cleric, then hurried down the steps. The other guard had moved as far as he could without leaving his post.

    ¡°I was not aware purity clerics had the ability to inflict harm,¡± Khumdar said, his tone cautious.

    ¡°We don¡¯t.¡± The cleric stepped close to Jackal. ¡°But we¡¯re surrounded by so many stories, exaggerations, and outright lies that it¡¯s easy to fool most people at least once.¡± He grinned at Jackal. ¡°Count yourself lucky no one has pulled that trick on him before.¡±

    Carina¡¯s hand stopped just before she patted Jackal¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You can take for granted that no Runner has Jackal¡¯s knack for getting himself into the kind of trouble requiring this level of healing.¡±

    ¡°Next time,¡± Jackal said. ¡°You can be the one to go toe to toe against the boss.¡±

    ¡°Can you sit?¡± the cleric asked, cutting off Carina¡¯s reply.

    Jackal looked at the steps before lowering himself.

    ¡°Good, now, I recommend you all avoid distracting me. I have no idea how this will proceed.¡± The cleric¡¯s hand glowed again and Tibs winced along with Jackal.

    This healing didn¡¯t look to be soothing at all.

 Stepping up, Chapter 13

    Tibs looked up from the slate on his lap and chuckled at Carina¡¯s antics. She twirled in place as if her robe was a gown worn by the noblewomen. The fabric was too heavy to have much of a reaction, but she smoothed it down, anyway.

    On the slate was a list of words she¡¯d written in neat curved letters for him to figure out. They didn¡¯t give him the headache of when he started learning his letters, but that didn¡¯t mean this was enjoyable, so he took advantage of the distraction his friend provided.

    The robe had cost him the amulets, which he hadn¡¯t minded, and his shoes. That had been more difficult, but he¡¯d realized that the only reason he wanted them was that they were the first item he¡¯d gotten from the dungeon. He didn¡¯t need them. He was plenty adept at walking silently.

    She still had to hand over coins to cover the difference, and she¡¯d refused their help with that. She had the coin, and the robe wasn¡¯t so magical it became a team asset. She wanted it because¡­ she wanted it.

    The rest of the items, the non-enchanted ones, they sold to Darran.

    Tibs sensed the essence woven through the robe and tried to determine what each did. Earth, he figured, was to make it tougher, although if there was metal, that would help too. Air could help it move, make it lighter, cooler. She¡¯d mentioned that it wasn¡¯t as hot and stifling as her previous robes. Fire¡­ Tibs couldn¡¯t think why fire would be part of it beyond keeping her warm in cold weather, not that Kragle Rock got that. Cool was the worst Tibs had dealt with at this point.

    There were other essences he couldn¡¯t identify woven through the fabric, and he didn¡¯t know enough about what each did to hazard a guess about what they might be. Did a sorcerer¡¯s robe need to be anything other than tougher and lighter?

    She noticed him watching and stopped, blushing. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°What for?¡± He chuckled again. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with enjoying a new item.¡± He took out an air knife and made it float over his hand. ¡°I still like doing this.¡±

    ¡°I should be helping with your letters, not parading.¡±

    He had the knife make a figure eight, then caught it and sheathed it. ¡°You sitting next to me frowning when I get it wrong isn¡¯t making me learn faster.¡± He rested his head against the wall. ¡°I don¡¯t think anything can help.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get discouraged. I know it isn¡¯t easy, but you¡¯ll get it.¡± She touched the amulet hanging around her neck as she sat on the chair next to the bed. It reminded him he¡¯d wanted to address this once they left the dungeon, but he¡¯d forgotten due to Jackal¡¯s injuries, then dealing with the loot, and Fedora finding him for training on their way back to the town.

    ¡°It¡¯s not full?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°It takes a few days after a run for it to be full unless I spend hours focusing. That¡¯s boring.¡± She frowned. ¡°But you know that, right?¡±

    Tibs nodded. He remembered his early days with Walter¡¯s amulet. The hours spent actively drawing the water essence into it. It was one thing he¡¯d worked out how to do, even if he couldn¡¯t sense and manipulate at the same time¡ªCarina called it making himself a magnet. He didn¡¯t miss those days.

    That had been Tibs¡¯s first realization there could be a different way to recharge an amulet.

    ¡°How do you go about drawing the essence out of it?¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°I just do it.¡±

    Tibs shook his head.

    ¡°We don¡¯t just do something. Your teacher taught you how to sense the,¡± he searched for the words, ¡°shape of your essence.¡± She nodded her understanding. ¡°And you¡¯ve been using that ever since. It isn¡¯t that you ¡®just do it¡¯. You learned, got used to it, and it became natural.¡± He indicated her amulet. ¡°That¡¯s the same thing. You had to figure out how to draw from it. Or your teacher taught you that, too. It didn¡¯t just happen.¡±

    She ran a finger over the stone and nodded.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have anyone teaching me, since rogues aren¡¯t supposed to have a use for amulets. Because of how small my reserve is, it¡¯s made a lot of difference.¡± He moved his hand through the air, pulling water essence from it until he had a small pool in his palm. ¡°That¡¯s all I can do with only my reserve. If I spill it, I will feel it. A little larger, and spilling that would empty my reserve entirely.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve read that you can sever your link to your element that way.¡± She bit her lower lip.

    ¡°Now I¡¯m happy I never tried it. Because of it, I learned how to work with my amulet quickly.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I barely think about it anymore.¡± He absorbed the water, but kept his hand extended.

    She looked at it.

    Tibs waited. He¡¯d explain it if she asked, but she was smart, and she enjoyed thinking.

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    ¡°Now that you know how to refill your reserve while you use your essence, you Always keep it full, right?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°And you didn¡¯t let this essence go back in the air; you absorbed it.¡±

    He nodded again.

    ¡°How? You just said your reserve is full.¡±

    Another nod.

    ¡°Did you overfill your reserve?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°Alistair says it¡¯s dangerous.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯ve done it before. When you fought Bardik.¡±

    He¡¯d told her and Jackal the details of the fight when they¡¯d met in MountainSea. Mez and Khumdar hadn¡¯t asked

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t water, but my¡­ core essence. I don¡¯t know if I can do it with the other essences, and I¡¯m not sure if I should try.¡± Having his core reserve crack and all the essence fill him hadn¡¯t been pleasant.

    ¡°Then, how did you reabsorb the essence?¡±

    ¡°By first emptying my reserve.¡± He had to think back to how he did it, since it was a reflex at this point.

    She frowned at him, made a show of looking around, at the bed, then under it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think trickery would help me here.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to appear better than I am. I¡¯m showing you something.¡±

    ¡°Then I don¡¯t understand how you did it. The only way to lower your reserve is to use the essence in it. If you didn¡¯t do that, then there¡¯s no way¡­¡± she trailed off, and he waited. What she said contained the essence of the solution, and he could tell she was working it out.

    She took the amulet off and looked at it. ¡°You said that you take the essence from the amulet and into your reserve as you use it. I pull from it and use it for what I need directly. It¡¯s how I was taught to do it.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°I used to do it like that. I¡¯d have the essence move over my body to where I needed it.

    ¡°Used to,¡± she mused. ¡°Why did you change it?¡±

    Tibs thought about it. ¡°It felt quicker. If I was going to do the water flick, I¡¯d have to move it over my arms from the hand holding the amulet to the one holding the knife. I didn¡¯t know how to move it directly there from outside of me without losing ¡®touch¡¯ with it.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°So now it goes from the amulet to your reserve and to whatever you need to do.¡± She frowned. ¡°So, why would that work in only one direction?¡±

    Tibs smiled.

    ¡°And the amulet refills faster?¡±

    He nodded. ¡°To me, the amulet feels like an extension of my reserve now. I can refill that as fast as my reserve. I¡¯m so used to it now, I do it almost constantly.¡±

    She thought about it. ¡°If I fully drain my reserve, it only takes a few minutes of concentration to refill it. The amulet is much larger, but If I can do it at the same speed, I¡¯m looking at a couple of hours of work at the most instead of the near-full day if I don¡¯t stop.¡± She concentrated. ¡°How do you do it?¡±

    He pulled out his amulet. ¡°Like I said, it feels to me like an extension of my reserve. I first realized it when we fought the first-floor boss and I needed to ice the floor under it. When I explained it to my teacher, he was amused he¡¯d never noticed it.¡±

    Her nod was slow. ¡°Right, it is a reserve. My instructor never addressed it as something that¡¯s part of me.¡± She closed her eyes and gripped it. After a few seconds, she sighed and placed it back around her neck. ¡°I guess it¡¯s going to take more work. So let¡¯s get back to your letters.

    Tibs barely stifled his groan.

    * * * * *

    Tibs walked onto the fighter¡¯s training field, looking around. Two dozen boys and girls fought with swords, but they weren¡¯t who he was looking for. On top of an instructor, he searched for Fedora. He¡¯d given her the task of picking his pocket during the day. She was skilled, but lacked the practice of doing it while moving. It was what had led to her being caught.

    The trainees were almost exclusively Street, based on the rags they wore. Only a handful of Omega teams had gone in and he hadn¡¯t looked for who had survived. He didn¡¯t need the reminder of how easily Omega Runners died in the dungeon. He recognized two from the field when Harry gave his announcements and one from before the attack, and the girl from the team they had run into as they exited Sto. He was surprised. It had sounded like they hadn¡¯t enjoyed it and since they weren¡¯t forced to be here, would leave.

    ¡°Can I help you?¡± a muscular woman asked. Her eyes were metal gray. She didn¡¯t wear a sword, but her belt was worn where a scabbard would be attached.

    ¡°I want to learn how to use a sword.¡±

    She looked him over. He was in his leathers since he¡¯d figured training would involve getting hit. Jackal always came back from training bruised.

    ¡°You¡¯re Light Fingers, right?¡±

    He ground his teeth. ¡°It¡¯s Tibs.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°The rogue field is on the north side. They¡¯ll be the one to teach you.¡±

    ¡°The only weapon they teach is the knife. I need something with more reach. Something like that.¡± He pointed to an older, better-dressed woman practicing by herself. Her sword was shorter than most, but much longer than a knife.

    ¡°You should have thought about that before becoming a rogue,¡± she said dismissively. ¡°You use a knife. If a sword is what you wanted, you should have been a fighter.¡±

    ¡°Not every rogue uses a knife,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°Just like not every fighter uses a sword. My team leader doesn¡¯t use any weapon.¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°What they do once I¡¯m done teaching them is their business. I¡¯m hired to teach fighters how to use a sword. You¡¯re not Omega, so get yourself a teacher that¡¯s willing to waste time teaching you whatever you feel like learning today.¡± She walked away to help a fighter.

    He could get his own teacher? Why was this the first he heard of that?

    He watched as she adjusted the boy¡¯s footwork, then turned and exited the field.

    He wasn¡¯t getting a guild fighter to teach him. They¡¯d probably use that as an excuse to add yet more gold to what he¡¯d have to repay on reaching Epsilon. Did he even need a teacher? He could ¡®borrow¡¯ a sword from those on the field¡ªhe doubted anyone would notice¡ªand then¡­ what? He knew from what Bardik taught him of knife-wielding that it wasn¡¯t as simple as swinging it around. Like the boy¡¯s footwork, he¡¯d need someone to teach him proper stances and ways to hold a sword.

    What he needed was someone he knew, a friend willing to teach him. Maybe¡ª

    He grabbed the hand as it slipped in his pocket, loosening the grip as he recognized her. ¡°You still need work,¡± he told Fedora.

    She shrugged. ¡°I prefer taverns. They aren¡¯t moving and already distracted by the alcohol they¡¯ve drunk.¡±

    ¡°The town¡¯s too small to limit yourself like that. They¡¯ll figure it out, and either ban you or never stop watching you. Did your Street have a lot of taverns?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have a street. I moved about the Karnial.¡±

    Tibs had trouble imagining what he would have done with the belief he could go anywhere in his city, back then. His Street had been hard enough, and the rest would only have been deadlier.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go find some people who won¡¯t be too angry with you for picking their pockets, so you can practice some more.¡±

    She grumbled something about having better things to do with her time, but followed him

 Stepping up, Chapter 14

    Tibs swung the knife, pushing against the hand on his head, holding him in place, as hard as he could. Pyan¡¯s back was arched, and that was enough to put her stomach out of reach of his blade.

    She chuckled. ¡°I get your point, well, more like it doesn¡¯t get me. In a direct attack, it¡¯s easy to stop you. But aren¡¯t all of you rogues about sneaking and catching people unaware? Carrying a sword at your hip is going to get in the way of that.¡±

    Tibs sheathed his knife as he stepped back. At least she hadn¡¯t dismissed him outright when he asked her to teach him sword fighting, but this demonstration wasn¡¯t going to be enough, it seemed.

    ¡°Not that I¡¯m the kind of person who¡¯ll sneak and stab you in the back,¡± he said, not bothering to mask his offense at her thinking every rogue was the same. ¡°But in the dungeon, there aren¡¯t a lot of chances to fight like that. There¡¯s only two rooms with places to hide and sneak, and the rats make better use of the boulders than I could. I¡¯ve tried throwing my knives, but Tandy can tell you how bad I am at it.¡±

    The rogue behind Pyan covered her smile with a hand, but nodded when her team leader looked over her shoulder.

    Tibs tensed as Fedora walked behind Geoff at the same time, but she was attentive enough not to try to pick his pocket with someone looking in her direction. They were at the edge of the fighter¡¯s training field, so there was enough coming and going she didn¡¯t stand out too much as she kept walking behind the team, and assessing them. He was going to help her do that faster. Without him distracting them, they¡¯d have noticed her at this point.

    ¡°That just means you need to practice more,¡± Pyan said, focusing on him again.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s enough time in the year for him to improve significantly,¡± Tandy said, chuckling.

    ¡°I am not that bad,¡± he protested. He was, but she should be supporting him at least a little; they were both rogues, after all. ¡°And until I do get better, there¡¯s still the problem of surviving.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°True, but there¡¯s the problem of your strength. I don¡¯t know if you can get strong enough any faster. It might be best if you¡ª¡±

    Tibs quickly stepped forward and pulled the sword out of the scabbard at her hip, using earth essence to strengthen his arm, and raised it to her chest. He smiled and opened his mouth to make a point that he was stronger than he looked, but pain lanced through his arm as it cramped up and he dropped the sword.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± She hesitated while the rest of her team moved closer.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± he said between breaths. So long as he kept his arm cradled to his chest, and didn¡¯t jostle it, the pain was tolerable. ¡°It¡¯s that damned corruption.¡± It always passed, but would this time be minutes or hours?

    He caught Fedora picking a coin out of Amid¡¯s robe and felt better. She was taking full advantage of the distraction he was inadvertently providing.

    ¡°From when you saved the dungeon,¡± she said, awe in her voice. He glared at her. He endured it from strangers, people who weren¡¯t Runners, who didn¡¯t know him. But he knew she¡¯d have done the same thing if she¡¯d been the one Sto had called to. He was no different from any of them; just another Runner.

    ¡°I thought the clerics healed you.¡±

    ¡°They weren¡¯t able to clear the corruption out entirely. They said it was because of how much there was.¡± They were right, he thought, even if they didn¡¯t understand how it could happen. The corruption hadn¡¯t seeped into his essence immediately, only as more of it spilled out of the box and onto him. ¡°A lot of it cleared out by itself afterward. It¡¯s not like what Don does. It¡¯s not poisoning me, it¡¯s just there, doing this¡ª¡± he indicated his arm ¡°¡ªevery so often.¡±

    She picked up her sword and ran a finger along the edge. He felt the essence flow, even if he didn¡¯t see the effect it had. Pyan wasn¡¯t as showy with her use of essence as some Runners were.

    ¡°Sorry. I wasn¡¯t planning on dropping it.¡±

    She smiled. ¡°It¡¯s okay, an easy fix. But if there¡¯s a chance your arm will seize up like this, I¡¯m not sure now is the time to learn how to use a sword.¡± She considered something as she sheathed it. ¡°Does it only happen when you strain yourself?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°It just happens. How much I exert myself isn¡¯t a factor. More like it¡¯s looking to make my life miserable,¡± he grumbled.

    ¡°So it¡¯s very much like Don.¡±

    He chuckled along with them. Yes, in that aspect, the corruption sorcerer was very much like his element.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised they can¡¯t get all of it,¡± Karl said. ¡°Purity is the opposing element to corruption. You¡¯d think they wouldn¡¯t just give up on it.¡±

    They couldn¡¯t even tell there was any left in him anymore. They thought the cramping was Tibs seeking attention, and they¡¯d told him to stop bothering them with this when he¡¯d sought one of them out during one of his trips back to Kragle Rock.

    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right,¡± he said, wincing as if the pain was especially high and getting Amid¡¯s attention back on him. Fedora had fingers in his pocket again. And maybe Pyan was. What was the point of learning to properly hold a sword, only for him to drop it, or have his leg buckle under his weight?

    ¡°She¡¯s right, Tibs,¡± Geoff said. ¡°Focus on getting healthy, then see about learning something new. Learning already takes a lot out of you.¡±

    He knew that. He had the headaches from learning his letters and numbers. ¡°I just want to be more useful to my team,¡± he said. He did not whine.

    ¡°Says the person who took on an adventurer by himself,¡± the archer replied, ¡°and won.¡± His expression turned serious. ¡°Tibs, I don¡¯t think any of us would even have tried it, let alone won. Don¡¯t undervalue yourself.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d have done it,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°The dungeon is our life. If you¡¯d known what was happening, you would have done everything you could to protect him.¡±

    Pyan and Geoff exchanged a look. ¡°I¡¯d like to think you¡¯re right, Tibs,¡± she said, while the other three didn¡¯t look certain. ¡°But you¡¯re the one who did it. Geoff¡¯s right. You showed you¡¯re valuable just by being willing to take on an adventurer. And that¡¯s even if we don¡¯t take into account the other ways you¡¯ve helped your team. You were the first ones to open the Boss door, and I expect that¡¯s because of you.¡±

    ¡°I doubt I was the first one to notice it. I just happened to have an element that let me make the tools I needed to pick the lock. If someone else had¡ª¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Geoff said, ¡°the fact someone else could have done something doesn¡¯t take away from what you actually did. I did a run with you, remember? Maybe you aren¡¯t physically impressive, but you are smart, determined, and, probably even better: unlike a lot of people in this town, you¡¯re eager to help. Once you¡¯re healed, you¡¯ll be back to being a great help to your team whether you learn to use a sword or not. But until then, you need to take it easy and let them look after you.¡± He smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sure there are plenty of other, rogue-related, skills you can still work on and that will make you an even better member of your team, right?¡±

    Tibs nodded. The pain in his arm had lessened and maybe that contributed to him feeling better.

    ¡°Gotcha!¡± Karl exclaimed, grabbing Fedora¡¯s arm. ¡°I knew I¡¯d felt something, you little piece of¡ª¡±

    ¡°Karl!¡± Tibs called. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt her. I told her to pick your pockets.¡±

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    The fighter stared at him in disbelief. ¡°After Geoff went on about how helpful you¡¯ve been, you¡¯re stealing from us?¡±

    ¡°No, please. She¡¯s Omega and she needs the practice. We¡¯ve been there and you know how little they teach at the training ground. If none of you had noticed her, I¡¯d have made her give everything back.¡±

    Pyan glared at him, while Karl pulled Fedora forward. ¡°You should have told me what you were doing, Tibs, not set this wanting to learn as an excuse to get us here, so she could train.¡±

    ¡°I do want to learn,¡± he insisted. ¡°This just turned into a convenient way to add to her training. And if I¡¯d told you, you¡¯d have been on the lookout for her.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have told the others, Tibs. And I wouldn¡¯t have reacted if she¡¯d stolen from me. It¡¯s the courteous thing to do.¡±

    ¡°Leave him be, Pyan,¡± Geoff said, placing a hand on her arm. ¡°He¡¯s trying to help someone new to this. I know I¡¯d have liked help when I got here.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Tibs said. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d mind.¡± He motioned for Fedora to return what she¡¯d taken.

    Pyan let out a slow breath and patted the archer¡¯s hand. ¡°Just check in with me next time.¡±

    Tibs nodded. Not that there would be a next time, with the others looking at him suspiciously. Fedora only had a few coppers and one silver, which she stared at and seemed reluctant to return. Karl gave her the time to make the decision herself. Now that he¡¯d gotten over his surprise and anger, he looked understanding of her behavior.

    ¡°I¡¯m proud of you,¡± Geoff whispered in Pyan¡¯s ear, then nuzzled her neck.

    She giggled. ¡°Cut it out. I didn¡¯t do anything special.¡±

    The archer wrapped his arms around her. ¡°You held in that famous temper of yours, that deserves a reward.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s my signal to go find something else to do,¡± Amid said, before walking away.

    ¡°Remember to stay away from the room,¡± Karl called after him, then looked at his teammates with a roll of the eyes and also walked away.

    Tandy looked at them wistfully, and Tibs got angry at Mez because of it. He didn¡¯t know how close the two of them had gotten, but him choosing that noble over her had hurt Tandy.

    ¡°Come on, Fedora, they¡¯re going to have them time. We don¡¯t want to be around for that.¡± He recognized the looks they were giving each other. Jackal and Kroseph got similar ones before vanishing into the back of the inn. At least his friend didn¡¯t bring Kroseph to the team¡¯s room to do that stuff.

    ¡°Did you really fight an adventurer and win?¡± Fedora asked in awe, and Tibs groaned.

    * * * * *

    Jackal was on his bed when Tibs entered, sitting, shoulders slumped, head down. He was looking at his hands like he didn¡¯t know whose they were. Carina and Khumdar were watching the fighter warily from their bed. Mez wasn¡¯t there. Probably with his special girl, so she could look after him. He shouldn¡¯t feel good that the archer had gotten a fever from the splint Tibs had done on his arm.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Tibs demanded cautiously when no one said anything.

    ¡°I¡¯m Lambda,¡± Jackal replied, as if that was the worst thing to ever happen to him.

    ¡°How?¡± Carina asked, dismayed.

    ¡°Is that not a good thing?¡± Khumdar asked.

    The fighter sighed. ¡°Something about having to hold myself together while I was stone pushed my essence out of my reserve and throughout my body. Turns out that¡¯s what¡¯s needed to graduate from Rho to Lambda.¡±

    ¡°Were you even Rho?¡±

    Jackal shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve been avoiding getting tested since Tibs showed us how to stop thinking of my essence as the element.¡± He closed his eyes in pain. ¡°One of the instructors heard me bragging about how I¡¯d fought the golem and held myself together on the way back, and ordered me to the guild for testing.¡±

    Carina snickered, then fought to regain her seriousness.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t funny,¡± Jackal whined.

    ¡°Done in by your need to brag,¡± she replied, unable to stop herself from snickering again. ¡°It sort of is.¡±

    Jackal sighed. ¡°Yeah, it kind of is.¡±

    ¡°What was the test?¡± Tibs asked. Knowing that ensured he could fail it and not graduate.

    ¡°Levity aside,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°I still fail to understand why this is treated as if you have learned that¡­ that your father had fallen ill.¡±

    Jackal snorted. ¡°Trust me, this isn¡¯t the face I¡¯d make if someone told me my dad was sick.¡± He rubbed his face. ¡°The problem is that I¡¯m now too strong for this level of dungeon. The dungeon¡¯s only Upsilon, since it has two floors. The guild only allows one member on a team to be one level higher than the dungeon. That would be Rho. I¡¯m now one level above that.¡±

    ¡°They aren¡¯t kicking you off the team,¡± Tibs stated. He wasn¡¯t letting them do that.

    ¡°They considered it. My instructor said that there was talk of sending me to a different dungeon, one that recently started taking in Lambda adventurers.¡±

    ¡°But you aren¡¯t an adventurer. You¡¯re a Runner.¡±

    ¡°Definitely,¡± Jackal said, smiling. ¡°But it isn¡¯t like the guild cares about what we think it should do. Believe it or not, Knuckles talked them into keeping me here.¡±

    ¡°Would he not be the first to want you to leave?¡± Khumdar asked. ¡°He has made it clear he does not like you. This would suit his desire greatly.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jackal said bitterly. ¡°Which¡¯s got to make you wonder what the guy¡¯s planning.¡±

    Tibs had a memory from while he was sick with corruption. Vague enough, he wasn¡¯t sure it was more than a dream. Harry talking about Jackal. He didn¡¯t recall the words, but he was left with a sense that his animosity toward his nephew was more an act than anything else.

    But right now, there was only one thing out of this that mattered. ¡°So, you¡¯re staying. That¡¯s good.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± The fighter smirked. ¡°You¡¯re even the team that¡¯s still stuck with me.¡±

    ¡°Now the long face makes sense,¡± Carina said. ¡°Everyone knows you can¡¯t stand us.¡±

    Jackal smiled, but it faltered. ¡°The problem is that rule about only one Rho per team. With me as Lambda, they aren¡¯t going to let anyone graduating stay.¡±

    Tibs and Carina exchanged a look. Alistair had explained his test, and now that Tibs had figured out how to manipulate essence while sensing it, he would pass it with only a little training.

    ¡°I fear I am not familiar with that rule,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°I did not seek to investigate it when your uncle mentioned it since I do not expect the guild to be able to apply it to me, as they do not normally train clerics.¡±

    ¡°If you remember what Harry said,¡± Carina replied, ¡°then you know all there is to know. He mentioned it mainly for the nobles, since the guild can¡¯t control their levels as they do ours, but what Jackal said means we¡¯re also subject to it. The reason is that it makes it too easy for a team to best the dungeon if the Runners are too strong. You need to remember that as far as the guild is concerned, our primary function is to feed the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°Then they should let stronger people in,¡± Tibs said. ¡°He¡¯d have to increase the difficulty to match them and everyone else would die as a result. It¡¯s why I can¡¯t just drain the essence out of the creatures.¡±

    ¡°Are they able to enforce such a rule?¡± Khumdar raised a hand at the glare they gave him. ¡°I do not ask if they are allowed to make such a rule, but how long until so many Runners have reached Rho that it is no longer feasible for them to have teams with only one person of that level?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll care,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Maybe then, if the dungeon hasn¡¯t graduated, they¡¯ll send those of us who can¡¯t do runs here to another one.¡±

    ¡°Then we don¡¯t let them test us,¡± Tibs said. ¡°If they don¡¯t know what our rank is, they can¡¯t break up the team.¡±

    ¡°Can we refuse to be tested?¡± Carina asked. ¡°My teacher was testing me after each run. The only reason I haven¡¯t been tested this time is that she didn¡¯t know we¡¯d gone first. I¡¯m sure she¡¯d have been back already if she did.¡± She thought about something. ¡°I don¡¯t know how easy it¡¯ll be to fail the test, or at least without her realizing I¡¯m failing on purpose. Everything I do is easier since you made me realize the truth of essence.¡±

    ¡°Would Tibs not be able to convince the guild leader not to disband our team despite us having more than one member who is Rho?¡±

    Jackal and Carina looked at Tibs.

    He sighed. ¡°Isn¡¯t that going to be like us going before everyone else? The others aren¡¯t going to be happy if we¡¯re the only team that isn¡¯t broken up.¡±

    ¡°Will any of them know we should be broken up?¡± Carina asked. ¡°You might not be able to hide it, Jackal, once the story of how you survived spreads, but¡ª¡±

    Jackal snorted. ¡°It¡¯s already spreading. It turns out that Clerics love to gossip.¡±

    ¡°Still, so long as the rest of us avoid doing anything public, they could think we¡¯re still Upsilon regardless of what the guild knows.¡±

    ¡°You mean like a certain someone running along the roofs and leaping much further than anyone can?¡± Jackal leveled his gaze on Tibs.

    ¡°What?¡± he looked at them. ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡±

    Jackal looked surprised. ¡°You mean you aren¡¯t running around testing all those essences you have?¡±

    ¡°I am, but I don¡¯t have enough in any of them to do anything. I keep falling through the air disk when I¡¯ve tried it.¡±

    ¡°So the stories of the roof runner I¡¯ve been hearing are not about you?¡± Jackal was grinning again.

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not the only rogue running the roofs anymore; not that I¡¯ve done it since saving the dungeon. It¡¯s too dangerous to have the corruption cramp my legs in the middle of a leap. If I can¡¯t land properly, a fall will end up killing me.

    Jackal frowned. ¡°Then it¡¯s definitely someone else. They¡¯ve been seen over this last week.¡±

    ¡°I was here every night. How did you think it was me?¡±

    ¡°I sleep,¡± Jackal pointed out. ¡°I don¡¯t think you do.¡±

    Tibs rolled his eyes. ¡°I do. And I¡¯m wishing for this cursed corruption to go away because it¡¯s going to kill me sometime soon the way it¡¯s going. If not for the water when I fell off the ledge, I¡¯d have broken my neck there. I nearly died when my leg buckled under my weight in the middle of a fight. Just holding a sword this morning ended horribly, as my arm cramped and Pyan wouldn¡¯t train me because of it.¡±

    He sighed, misery creeping in. Maybe he should convince them to get a different rogue. He could convince Tirania to let that happen even if he wasn¡¯t dead. Don would bitch, but he¡ª

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Tibs asked, head snapping up. He¡¯d been so lost in his head he¡¯d only caught a few words, but ¡®corruption¡¯ and ¡®ask¡¯ close together was noteworthy.

    ¡°I said that considering you can do the audience thing with other elements,¡± Jackal said, ¡°maybe you should just jump in the corruption pool and ask the element to remove its essence from you.¡±

    Tibs stared at the fighter. ¡°That¡¯s got to be the stupidest¡­¡± He trailed off. It was stupid, there was no doubt of that.

    But¡­

 Stepping up, Chapter 15

    ¡°I¡¯m going to the lake,¡± Tibs told the guard as a way of announcing himself before he was within the circle of light her lantern created. Harry had put back the guards at the town¡¯s periphery to keep the new Runners from running off.

    ¡°You can¡¯t¡ª¡± she immediately protested, then stopped as the light revealed his features. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you. I guess it¡¯s fine then.¡±

    He didn¡¯t ask why she was unhappy about it as he walked by her. He might not care for being treated special, but now was the time to take advantage of it.

    Claria was the only moon visible through the clouds, slowly emptying herself. In a few weeks, she would be Torus¡¯s twin, before eating again and regaining her full figure. Or so one of the bard¡¯s stories claimed. Another was that she was in love with Torus, but he didn¡¯t know, so she was cursed with always trailing after him, turning herself into a copy in an attempt to catch his attention, before giving up and slowly returning to herself.

    He used to think the stories were silly. No one would let themselves waste away to be with another, and the two were only objects in the sky, not people. But now, he knew about Sto, a dungeon who wasn¡¯t only alive, but able to think. He¡¯d seen how Jackal looked at Kroseph, Pyan at Geoff, how Mez had used to look at Tandy. And he knew magic was real, that the elements were¡­ Well, that they could talk and think, just like Sto did.

    So maybe Torus and Claria were more than objects in the sky? Maybe they were in love but kept apart by curses, or never being fast enough, or one of them being inattentive to the other. Jackal proved it didn¡¯t matter how much someone loved another; sometimes, they just didn¡¯t pay attention, anyway.

    He didn¡¯t need light to find his way. He could sense the water in the distance, and he was adept at moving in darkness.

    Jackal had suggested he talk to Corruption¡ªit had been a Jackal thing to say. The same way getting into fights was a Jackal thing, or saying the wrong thing to Kroseph. He didn¡¯t mean it to be wrong, it just turned out that way, but there was usually something smart in it.

    There was no way Tibs was stepping into that pool of corruption, or even getting close to it anymore. Maybe he¡¯d believed Corruption was just another element at one point, but now he knew it to be bad. Don demonstrated that, and the fact that it had seeped into his essence and made his life difficult was further evidence. Corruption would probably laugh at him and increase the damage the essence was causing him just because he¡¯d asked it to stop.

    But he could talk with other elements; and one of them would understand his situation. It was what Water did. She offered support, understanding. She helped people get better.

    So long as he could get an audience with her.

    His foot stepped into the water and he continued. The coldness of the water surprised him again. His clothing didn¡¯t offer protection as the cold water seeped through the fabric. He¡¯d worn an older set and only a normal knife for protection.

    He didn¡¯t expect this audience to cost him what he wore, but Fire had burned him and everything he¡¯d worn. It had only been Sto¡¯s intervention that had allowed Tibs to survive. It had taught him to be cautious about audiences.

    And water could destroy. Not as quickly, or as eagerly, as fire. No elements were benign, he¡¯d come to realize. Air could shred skin, earth could pound bones into dust, metal could be sharp, darkness could hide deadly enemies. And water could cut as well as a knife. It might not be what his graduating test was about, but it was what he had picked up from his practices in gaining control of the flow.

    Uncontrolled, water simply blasted someone away and left him drained. But a narrower jet not only used less of his reserve but sliced the training crystal ball, instead of shattering it.

    He gasped as the water level reached between his legs. How could the water have suddenly turned even colder? He chuckled as he waited to get used to it. Maybe he should suggest this to Kroseph as a way of calming Jackal¡¯s ardor. He sort of remembered a story about cold water and a lustful beast. Tibs understood how a bard might have thought of it now. With how that part of him felt right now, he wouldn¡¯t be thinking about cuddling up to a special someone.

    Of course, Kroseph never complained about his man¡¯s desires, so maybe it would be wasted advice.

    The water rose with each step. His shoulders were where Tibs figured he¡¯d pause and ready himself for the next part. But as he considered what that would entail, the ground vanished from beneath his feet and he was submerged.

    He fought to regain the surface, trying to understand how it had happened, then he was out and breathing, and he remembered that being under the water was the goal. He had sensed earth and felt how the ground gave out sharply. He¡¯d been too focused on the next part of his plan to pay attention. It had all looked like an even slope in the daytime.

    Then he let go of the essence, but didn¡¯t sink. His feet moved up, tilting him and he pedaled and used his hands to keep them pointed down. There was no essence pushing on him, so he wondered why it did that. He was letting it happen again, paying attention, when he remembered he was here with a plan, not to indulge his curiosity.

    He took hold of the water and instead of using it to hold himself afloat, he pulled himself down until his feet touched the bottom again. Water and earth mixed so thoroughly, the mud felt like it was an element of its own.

    The silence under the water was different. He¡¯d been too surprised and angry, then scared, to notice that in the dungeon.

    There was a heaviness to the lack of sounds that pressed on him. Out of the water, silence had a fleetness to it while here, it felt solid, comforting. He decided that it was what being utterly alone with yourself would feel like, but only if you were fine with it.

    The solitude of self-reflection.

    His lungs burned.

    They wanted air, but he needed to fill them with water. Create that intense emotion Ganny said was needed. He needed to be dying to have his audience. So he had to open his mouth, breathing all this water.

    He wouldn¡¯t actually die, he¡¯d have his audience first, and then water would send him out and he¡¯d get himself to the surface. He had nothing to worry about. So why didn¡¯t he open his mouth?

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    Maybe¡­?

    Maybe he was afraid this wouldn¡¯t work? Alistair had warned him he couldn¡¯t have a second audience; that one was all he got. That Tibs had had audiences with other elements showed it was technically¡ªhe hated that word¡ªpossible, but they had also been his first audiences with each of them.

    He needed to do this. The burning was becoming painful.

    Only if Alistair was still right, he would die. He didn¡¯t want to die. He had a family, a town. He needed to find a different way. One that wouldn¡¯t¡ª

    The pain was too much. He opened his mouth to draw in air, and water poured in. He coughed and choked, fighting to push it out, but it didn¡¯t do any good. He needed to get out. He took hold of the water around him, then noticed the burning had stopped.

    He looked around. He was still under the water. Tentatively, he breathed in and felt the water move in as his lungs inflated. So why was he reacting as if the water was air?

    He groaned as he noticed the state of his reserves. Air had dropped.

    In his panic, he¡¯d found a way to use air essence to breathe underwater. He huffed in annoyance and bubbles rose before him. Maybe it wasn¡¯t that difficult. There was air essence in the water, and he¡¯d made an air bubble around himself in the pool.

    Only it wasn¡¯t what he needed to do.

    Why had it acted so easily without him wanting it to when it was so hard to do anything on purpose with it? It was like air knew what he was trying to do and was being difficult. Which, having met Air, he wouldn¡¯t put past them.

    Only this wasn¡¯t the element. It was essence. Essence he controlled. That had been Alistair¡¯s first lesson. His essence wasn¡¯t the element. Use enough will and he could control the essence around him that he already had in him.

    Now, he needed to use his will to ensure he didn¡¯t use any of his essences. Maybe another day he¡¯d find out how earth would act to keep him from drowning, or fire. Could he start a fire under the water?

    How much essence would that require? There was some already in the water; if he pulled on that and made one point of it and¡ª

    He was distracting himself from what he needed to do. He was still breathing air.

    He cursed loudly, but only heard air bubbles escaping his mouth. It was much less satisfying.

    He hardened what he thought of the walls around his reserve. Made them thick; enough that maybe sensing his essence through them would be difficult. He released what essence he held around him, and his body began tilting. He repositioned himself using water.

    If he needed to continue using one to stay down, how easy would it be for air to slip through the walls? He pulled himself down until the mud was to his knees and hardened that until it held him, then he released his hold on all essences.

    He opened his mouth and breathed in water. Immediately his lungs burned with the wrongness of it. He focused on keeping his reserves locked. He couldn¡¯t breathe for this to work. He had to let himself drown.

    Fuck! He was drowning.

    He thrashed, opened his eyes for a sign of where the surface was, but only darkness surrounded him. He had essence!

    No! He couldn¡¯t use it.

    He had to. He was going to die!

    He tried to kick up, but his feet were anchored. He needed his essence to undo it!

    No!

    His lungs were on fire. That was the burn he felt. As when he¡¯d breathed in flames. Why was he putting himself through this pain again? Even Jackal wouldn¡¯t do something this stupid on purpose.

    He tried to kick out again, but his body was sluggish. Except for one thought, no essence, his mind was too.

    Why had he done this? Alistair had told him he couldn¡¯t have a second audience. Tibs knew better. He knew his teacher wouldn¡¯t lie to him. He should have listened to him. Now, his family, the one he¡¯d built and fought to keep, wouldn¡¯t even know what had happened to him.

    He shouldn¡¯t have done¡ª

    He sucked in water and the relief was so strong he didn¡¯t chastise himself for having used essence.

    ¡°Welcome back, Child of Human,¡± a soothing voice said, and immediately Tibs calmed. ¡°It has been a long time since one of you came a second time.¡± The suggestion of a form moved before him. Hints of a woman, nurturing, reassuring.

    Tibs smiled.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    She smiled back, and he knew everything would be okay. She would help him.

    ¡°I need your help.¡±

    She floated before him, considering him. ¡°I see Earth, Fire, and Air, and¡ª¡± she frowned, moving closer. ¡°Something else.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I need your help with. I was soaked in corruption and I can¡¯t get rid of it. I need you to remove it.¡±

    She touched his chest and coolness soothed him.

    ¡°I cannot,¡± she said sadly.¡°Such is not mine.¡±

    ¡°But I need it out of me,¡± he insisted, pushing through the calm her presence engendered. ¡°It keeps getting in the way. It¡¯s going to get me killed. How am I going to do what you want me to if that happens?¡±

    She tilted her head. ¡°I? I have no want for you to accomplish.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ you said that it had been a long time since someone tried to get this element. That you hoped I¡¯d do a better job of it.¡±

    ¡°It has. But my hope does not come with a want for you to accomplish.¡± She tapped the spot on his chest where he imagined his reserves were. ¡°This is for you to use, to decide on the want you wish accomplished. You will decide if it burns hot or cool, is solid or flighty. It is your want that made you take it, was it not?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t found them yet.¡± He answered, feeling like he had let Mama down, then another thought occurred to him. ¡°What if I use it wrong?¡±

    ¡°Then you use it so.¡± There was no judgment in her voice. ¡°What you seek is powerful. Your kind is not always good at handling the power they seek. You will not stand alone if you also use it so.¡±

    He remembered mama crying as men who should protect her used her in ways the nobles who came to his street used people, and like them, these men left a husk when they left. A lifeless one.

    With her there, his hatred for them didn¡¯t burn as hot. ¡°Am I wrong to want revenge?¡±

    ¡°You are human.¡±

    He waited, and when she didn¡¯t add anything else, he nodded.

    Maybe the elements didn¡¯t see right and wrong the way people did. Alistair had said they weren¡¯t like him. The elements were different, not human.

    If she couldn¡¯t remove it. Maybe she could help differently. ¡°What do I need to do to remove the corruption?¡±

    ¡°Talk with Corruption.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± he protested. The imagined torture was distant because of her influence, but she couldn¡¯t take it away.

    ¡°You must.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s wrong, bad.¡± He searched for another word. ¡°Evil.¡±

    She considered him. ¡°It is what you must do; if you want to continue on the path of your choosing.¡±

    His choosing? Were they even talking about the same thing?

    ¡°You mean my element? I already got the audiences you told me to get. That¡¯s how it unlocked, or whatever happened.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Child of Human, that was but the first step on the path you chose. To get more, you need to speak with Purity, Light, Darkness, and Corruption. You need their part of this.¡± She tapped his chest again.

    More? He could have even more?

    ¡°What will happen once I do that?¡± It wasn¡¯t like he had all that much, really.

    She smiled. ¡°That is for you to discover. Once it is done.¡±

    He wished she could be direct this time, but she hadn¡¯t lied to him. And more meant that once he did find the men responsible for Mama, it would be easier to deal with them.

    ¡°Once I¡¯ve spoken with them, that¡¯s the end, right?¡±

    Her smile turned sad, and that was the only answer she gave him.

    No, it wouldn¡¯t be. She¡¯d said he was embarking on a hard path; when he¡¯d first chosen this. He¡¯d thought nearly dying three times was as hard as it would get. Now that she¡¯d told him of the next step, he had an idea of what would come after that.

    More. There would be more, even after that. How much more? Did it matter? Was there such a thing as too much power? She had said humans weren¡¯t good at handling it.

    ¡°Can I stop? If I decide I have enough, can I stop?¡±

    ¡°It is your path, Child of Human. You decide how far along you go.¡±

    He felt better knowing that.

    ¡°I guess I should go,¡± he said reluctantly. He¡¯d be back in the lake, drowning. Now that he wasn¡¯t panicking, he remembered he¡¯d hardened the mud around his feet, so he¡¯d have to deal with that first.

    That is, if she sent him back to the same place. Tibs hadn¡¯t asked Alistair what had happened in the cavern once his teacher let go of him. Jackal had started above the ground but returned under it. But was that because his teacher had buried him in the meantime, or was it Earth¡¯s doing?

    ¡°I suppose you must,¡± Water replied. ¡°Do keep your wits about you, Child of Human. You will need them.¡± She placed a hand on his chest and pushed him away before he could ask her to send him to the surface of the lake.

 Stepping up, Chapter 16

    He was in darkness again, and his lungs hurt. He tried to kick up, but his feet wouldn¡¯t move. He wanted to scream his frustration, but her warning came to him. Think, stay calm, stay focused.

    He needed to breathe, but his reserve of air essence was nearly gone. Did he have enough to pull more? What if he didn¡¯t and made it so he could never use air again?

    Focus!

    He knew where there was air; up. All he needed to do was swim there, but his feet¡­

    Of course his feet weren¡¯t moving. He¡¯d had to anchor himself down. He sensed the hard earth around them and loosened it, then kicked up.

    He swam hard. Air was near, he could hold off until then. He had to.

    The burn in his lungs increased, the water felt heavier. He wouldn¡¯t make it. He¡¯d die because he hadn¡¯t thought to use water to propel him up and out. He¡¯d¡ª

    He broke the surface and took a deep breath, then hacked out water and went back under. But this time, he remembered who he was and what he could do, and, despite having trouble breathing, he reached for his essence and found he couldn¡¯t pull it out of his reserve.

    He thrashed himself back to the surface.

    What had happened? Had he pushed himself too far without realizing it? He forced calmness, kept his arms moving. He was no longer drowning, so he had the time to figure this out. His reserve was full, but the walls were thick and resisted the essence passing through them at his command.

    He¡¯d visualized them like that so his essence wouldn¡¯t save him from drowning as air had done. He hadn¡¯t expected it to affect how he¡¯d interact with it. It was just a way for him to ¡®see¡¯ how his essence worked, wasn¡¯t it?

    It was how Alistair had explained it to him. Essence wasn¡¯t what he thought it was. That was just a way for his mind to deal with it; so it could deal with the abstraction of essence being and not being at the same time. There were no boxes made of glass around them. That was just how he imagined it being so he¡¯d have a way to handle them.

    Could he make them so thick he couldn¡¯t draw on his essence? He studied the walls, considered trying it, but his arms were getting tired, his coughing was becoming painful. Maybe this was something best left for when his lungs weren¡¯t filled with water.

    He willed them thinner, then used the essence to take hold of the water in his lungs and force it out. Then he hardened the surrounding water until it held him up.

    He turned until he saw the light of the town and moved toward it. When he sensed earth under his feet, he walked. His legs wobbled as he got out of the water. This time, the air felt much heavier than the water had. He dropped to his knees on the shore, then laid back, looking at the sky.

    Torus was the one not covered by the clouds this time. Its perpetual crescent pointed where the sun would rise. It had been odd, the first time he¡¯d watched the sunrise from one of the town¡¯s roofs. Back on his street, Torus didn¡¯t point directly to the sunrise; he was slightly off. The sun covered the left horn there, instead of being centered between them here.

    Tibs didn¡¯t know what it meant. Even Carina didn¡¯t, although he knew she could find a book with the answer. Then she¡¯d force him to read it, so he could learn not only that but more of his letters. That was why he no longer asked her every question he thought of. If he was going to have to suffer for the answer, it should be an important question.

    So, why Torus changed where he pointed, or how it could be evening when he stepped on a transportation platform in Kragle Rock, but midday when he appeared in MountainSea, or early morning elsewhere, or also evening, would remain mysteries to him. It would be nice to know, but not enough to be worth the extra studying.

    He stood, and the wind cut through his wet clothes. He pushed the water out of his clothing, motioning it away, and stopped, staring at the stream of water heading to the lake. It wasn¡¯t a jet of water, like his attacks were. This was a lazy meandering of the water in the air.

    He stopped it and it hung in the air.

    How?

    He sensed it and around it. It was water, air was around it, but neither¡¯s essence was shaped in any way that explained it floating. He¡¯d tried it before, after Alistair had made a floating ball of water. But it hadn¡¯t lifted off his hand. He could shape water, and he could shape air to support water, but this wasn¡¯t that. This made no sense.

    He rubbed his temples. Hadn¡¯t he learned yet that when it came to essence, making sense wasn''t important?

    Tibs willed the water over the lake and shaped it into a ball. He iced it, and being solid didn¡¯t affect its floating. That felt even more wrong. As if he was making a stone float on air.

    Which, now that he thought about it, he should be able to make happen. How different could it be from keeping ice in the air? He picked up a pebble, filled it with earth essence, and¡­

    Nothing.

    More concentration didn¡¯t change what didn¡¯t happen. With a resigned sigh, he pulled the essence out of the pebble and moved that in the air, among the little already there. He collected that, added it to the stone, and tried it again. To the same lack of result.

    He reabsorbed the essence into his reserve and, as with any time he used essence with its element, he was left with a surplus. Did the pebble now have ¡®less¡¯ essence? It was as heavy as it had been. He couldn¡¯t tell the quantity of essence on this small scale outside of his reserve, so sensing the stone didn¡¯t help.

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    If he used essence on the pebble long enough, would he convert all of it into essence? When he pulled it out, would the stone in his hand cease to be? He rubbed his temple again. Was and wasn¡¯t.

    He so wanted to ask Alistair about this. Ask someone, anyone, who might know the answers. He could ask his teacher about the water, but how relevant would it be to the air or the earth?

    He threw the pebble at the lake, then let the ball of ice drop.

    He wanted to trust Alistair with his secret, but everything the man said showed that, despite his misgivings, he put the guild first. He¡¯d tell them what Tibs could do, and then¡­ Well, Alistair would probably insist he continue teaching him, so there would be that.

    Tibs had to figure this out on his own.

    What was one more headache-inducing thing to the list of those trying to make his head explode?

    He headed toward the town and his bed. Maybe sleep would provide rest, if not answers.

    What he wanted to do was walk the roofs. That made him feel better, even when he didn¡¯t have answers. Only the corruption made that¡ª

    ¡°Hey you!¡± a man called, lantern becoming bright enough Tibs had to shield his eyes. ¡°You can¡¯t¡ªoh, Light Fingers. Sorry, I thought you were one of the convicts.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Tibs,¡± he replied, too tired to put his usual annoyance in it. How had his nickname survived Bardik¡¯s removal from the town? Without him to remind people, it should have vanished along with the man.

    ¡°Of course.¡± The man lowered the lantern. ¡°Again, my apologies, but the way you¡¯re dressed¡­ you look like one of them at a distance.¡±

    Tibs started walking again. He missed when it was the adventurers guarding the town. They didn¡¯t respect the Runners, but at least they disrespected them all equally.

    No. What he didn¡¯t like was how the guard¡¯s tone had shifted when he¡¯d realized who he was shining the light on. He wasn¡¯t one of the guild, or better than the guard. He shouldn¡¯t sound as if Tibs was owed respect. Tibs was just like any other Runner.

    And how many of them got to walk out of the town with the guild¡¯s approval? A voice at the back of his mind asked.

    He hated that the voice sounded like Bardik.

    * * * * *

    Tibs looked up from his plate as Mez dropped in a chair and motioned to a server. The archer¡¯s red and gray clothes did not help his sickly complexion.

    ¡°Someone should have stayed in bed this morning,¡± Jackal commented.

    Mez grumbled something unflattering as a response.

    ¡°I meant Tibs.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± He looked at the grinning fighter.

    Jackal pointed to the untouched plate before Tibs. ¡°You¡¯ve had that before you for at least five minutes, any more and the cook, I think it¡¯s Russel today, is going to barge out of the kitchen demanding to know what¡¯s wrong with the food he prepared. The only thing I can think of that would make you, Tibs, not eat, is lack of sleep.¡±

    Tibs looked at the plate. Scrambled eggs, ham, sausages, and roasted vegetables. Sleep had provided neither rest nor answers, and contemplating what Water had told him to do was killing his appetite.

    Carina studied Mez, and her expression softened. ¡°Are you feeling better?¡±

    ¡°The fever broke last night.¡± The archer forced a smile. ¡°Which is how I¡¯m out of bed.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Tibs whispered, forcing himself to eat some of the vegetables. He didn¡¯t want Kroseph¡¯s brother to think this was his fault.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t responsible,¡± Mez replied. ¡°You warned me, and this is a small price to pay for making it to the boss and beating it.¡±

    The server placed the tankard before Mez, and Tibs forced himself to eat with more gusto as he felt her eyes on him. If Kroseph weren¡¯t so busy from the breakfast crowd, Tibs would already have gotten an earful about not eating enough.

    ¡°Is the food not to your liking?¡± she asked. ¡°You¡¯re usually on your second plate by now.¡±

    ¡°Just tired,¡± he replied so she wouldn¡¯t turn this into a report for Russel about him not liking the food.

    She nodded and left. Unlike Kroseph, she didn¡¯t know him well enough to join in the stare the rest of the table gave him.

    He didn¡¯t know how to tell them what he¡¯d found out. Corruption, he was supposed to get Corruption as an element. What would they think of that? Jackal hadn¡¯t been thinking when he¡¯d suggested he have an audience, and he certainly hadn¡¯t been thinking about it meaning he¡¯d have the element.

    He forced himself to continue eating. ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m just tired.¡±

    Khumdar gave him that look he always gave when he knew someone wasn¡¯t being entirely truthful. The slightly raised eyebrow and little smile, as if the attempt amused him. Tibs decided that having someone able to tell when he held something back was just as bad as one who knew when he outright lied.

    At least the cleric didn¡¯t pry. More out of the promise he¡¯d find all the town¡¯s secrets before looking into the team¡¯s than any respect for Tibs¡¯s privacy.

    Not that Tibs could keep this secret. He¡¯d have to tell them and deal with the consequences. He¡¯d tell them after the fact. Telling them first meant he¡¯d have to endure their disapproval while working up the courage to have that audience.

    Or, he realized, he¡¯d have to deal with Jackal offering to help.

    * * * * *

    Tibs followed the crowd at a respectable distance. The noise had pulled him out of practicing his letters enough to look out the window. He¡¯d been using them to avoid thinking about the audience he needed to have. The number of people amassing as they walked had made him curious, so he¡¯d joined them. They were heading to the east side of the town, and he couldn¡¯t imagine anything happening on the training fields there that would interest them.

    When the crowd stopped, Tibs had to push through to find out what was going on. This elicited curses, but everyone was shoving, so he didn¡¯t bear the sole blame, and it covered for his fumbling when his fingers cramped in a pocket. He made it to the front a few coppers richer.

    Guards blocked the way, mean-looking ones, not the town¡¯s guards, and behind them, a line of wagons approached. Among the demands to be let through from the people around him, there were cheers. He noticed many of those in the front were merchants.

    Tibs tried to understand how a merchant could be this excited at the arrival of wagons. What would excite Tibs this much?

    At one time, unguarded food would do it. Now? A well-made lock, or a high window with no obvious way to get to it.

    Unguarded coins would only make him wary.

    What could merchants want this badly?

    A woman on horseback reached the line of guards and they parted. Tibs only now saw the group of the town¡¯s guard there and was surprised not to see Harry among them. Shouldn¡¯t the arrival of unknown wagons be enough to have the guard leader here? Not to mention how everyone in the town now seemed to be here, trying to reach them.

    Would any of the new Runners try to use the commotion to flee?

    The woman spoke to a man Tibs only knew as one of those immediately under Harry, and he pointed to an area to the left of the training grounds. There was some negotiating, and once it was done, half a dozen of the town¡¯s guards stepped through the ones blocking access to the field and started moving the spikes delineating the border of the town.

    Whoever or whatever those wagons represented, they were important enough for the town to be made larger. He wouldn¡¯t be able to find out why until they were closer, so he started turning, intent on going back to the studies of his letters. Then he felt it and looked next to him in time to see Fedora hurrying to place a hand behind her back.

    He smiled. This would be better than his letters, and less headache-inducing.

 Stepping up, Chapter 17

    Tibs looked around warily before knocking on the door. The last time he¡¯d been here, his annoyance at being treated special had propelled him. Now, and with the halls nearly deserted, he was unsure he should be doing this.

    ¡°Enter,¡± Tirania called. She smiled at him. ¡°Mister Light Fingers, this is a surprise. I¡¯d expect you to be watching the caravan, planning how you¡¯d liberate them of some of their valuables.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he stated, his mood darkening, ¡°not you. My name¡¯s Tibs,¡± he added at her raised eyebrow. ¡°I don¡¯t know why everyone keeps calling me that.¡±

    She leaned back in her chair, her smile broadening. ¡°You are someone famous in these parts now. Mister Tibs or Mister Street doesn¡¯t quite suit the person who saved a dungeon. Savior of the Dungeon is a little pretentious, even if it is accurate. Seems someone had already given you the moniker Light Fingers, on account of being a rogue, and it¡¯s been spreading.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never been caught.¡± He dropped in the chair. It wasn¡¯t like she¡¯d reprimand him for stealing; she was a rogue too.

    ¡°Anyone in a dungeon town quickly learns that Runners of the rogue persuasion will practice their skills at any and every opportunity. Being caught isn¡¯t required. It¡¯s one of the reasons I needed to ensure a man like Harry Hard Knuckles knew not to press the rules too hard on the town¡¯s rogue population.¡± She lost her smile. ¡°But I expect you aren¡¯t here to discuss your moniker. How can I help you?¡±

    Tibs bit his lower lip, unsure how to proceed now that he no longer had a way to distract from what brought him to her.

    ¡°Jackal¡¯s Lambda.¡±

    She didn¡¯t react to the statement, and Tibs realized she might not know who that was, so he added: ¡°He¡¯s my team leader.¡±

    She still didn¡¯t react, and Tibs hesitated.

    Her smile fell.

    ¡°You need to say what you have to say, Tibs.¡± She indicated the desk with the papers spread on it. There were a lot of them, golds worth of them. ¡°I have things to take care of while no one¡¯s around to interrupt me.¡±

    He nodded and felt foolish. Of course she¡¯d have a lot of work to do, she was in charge of the whole town and everything that dealt with the dungeon. ¡°Harry said that a team can only have one member who¡¯s Rho or more, but the dungeon¡¯s pushing us hard. There¡¯s going to be more than one soon.¡± He looked at her expectantly.

    ¡°Then, you¡¯ll have to replace one of them with someone who is Upsilon or Omega. There are more of them now, so I¡¯m certain you can find one that will fit with your team.¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to change my team.¡± He couldn¡¯t keep the whine from his voice. Her statement had hurt too much. ¡°They¡¯re my team.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s how things are done, Tibs. We can¡¯t have a team so powerful the dungeon no longer gains anything out of them.¡±

    ¡°But he¡ª¡± Tibs closed his mouth. As much as he wanted to tell her no one had to die for Sto to grow, and that he was already adapting to the increased strength of the teams, explaining how he knew would cause the two of them too much trouble. ¡°What if we don¡¯t do any runs until he graduates?¡±

    She rubbed her temple. ¡°It isn¡¯t how things go, Tibs.¡± She sighed and reached into a drawer, taking out the communication gem she¡¯d shown him months ago. ¡°Alistair, I no longer care what other duties you have, it¡¯s time for you to return and see to your student. He has questions and I am not the one he should be seeking for answers.¡±

    Tibs watched and sensed as she used it. The essences were so dense within the small gem that he had trouble making out even those he could identify, and there were many more he couldn''t. One of those had to be the essence for mind.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t think about taking it,¡± she said, her smile back, but not reaching her eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± he lied, then had an idea. ¡°But if I had one, I could talk with Alistair directly, instead of coming to talk to you.¡± He gave her his most innocent smile.

    Her laughter was deep, rich. ¡°You are a clever one, Tibs. But this is worth more than even you can imagine. And Alistair would need one to talk back with you. I admire the attempt, but I have an easier way not to be bothered by you.¡±

    Could he get in the building if she told the guards to keep him out? While they were Harry¡¯s people, and not adventurers, he¡¯d have the building itself to contend with, with all the essence coursing through its walls.

    He nodded his defeat. ¡°How does it work?¡±

    She considered him, then the gem. ¡°I think about who I want to talk with,¡± he heard her say, ¡°and they hear me.¡±

    Her mouth hadn¡¯t moved.

    She¡¯d sounded exactly like she did when she talked; like she had when she¡¯d instructed him and Alistair to come to her office while he was training.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you make small ones? Weaker ones? Like with the potions they handed out on the training fields before the clerics were here? It would make it easier for everyone to talk.¡±

    ¡°Why would I want to make it easier for you lot to talk? It¡¯s already difficult enough keeping you from talking about the dungeon when you¡¯re not supposed to. And making an item like this isn¡¯t like making potions. A failure doesn¡¯t result in a weaker version, it results in the destruction of the ingredients needed to make it, and if the sorcerer doing it isn¡¯t careful, the death of that person too.¡±

    ¡°A sorcerer can die weaving essence into something?!¡±

    She rubbed her temple. ¡°That, you can have your teacher answer, Tibs. Now, unless you have something I can actually help you with¡ªthat no one else can,¡± she added as Tibs opened his mouth. ¡°I have more important things to deal with.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°Thank you for answering my questions.¡±

    Once the door was closed he studied the essence around it. The weave wasn¡¯t as tight as that of the gem, but it was far more complex, and while he could tell apart each thread of earth, air, fire, and water, following them was nearly impossible.

    In a way it reminded him of the essence maze Sto had that deactivated the pool room traps, only much smaller, without making it less complicated. Even if he could identify every essence used, he doubted he could work out what it did. Her office had no windows, and he wasn¡¯t even sure if it was against an outer wall.

    There was something about the guild building¡­

    He counted his steps from Tirania¡¯s office to the exit and ended up with a number different than the count from when he¡¯d walked to it. He was certain he hadn¡¯t miscounted or taken a different route, so there had to be something else in play, something magical, that made difficult working out where everything was in the building.

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    He shrugged. It wasn¡¯t like he needed to sneak into it, so he¡¯d work on it again the next time he was inside. Maybe Carina would have ideas. Maybe Sto would have some too.

    No. It was better he didn¡¯t give the dungeon more ideas on how to make the runs harder.

    * * * * *

    Tibs now understood the excitement everyone displayed as he walked through the stalls. The new area had been turned into a marketplace¡ªa bazaar, he heard it called¡ªand thought it was appropriate: some of the things on display were bizarre.

    The outside of the bazaar had the wagons, some of them turned into shops, while others only acted as walls or storage. Inside the limits were mostly small tents and wooden stalls, with the occasional larger ones acting as taverns.

    Tibs paid a copper for a steaming drink that tasted spicy and sweet, and another got him a small loaf of bread almost as good as the ones he got from the town¡¯s baker, but this one was filled with a savory meat paste.

    He made the coppers back from pockets. The caravan¡¯s merchants, their helpers, or their guards weren¡¯t part of his town, so, other than sticking to his one copper rule, they were fair game for his rogue ways.

    The corruption nearly got him in trouble, cramping his fingers as he was slipping them in a pocket, but the crowd had been tight and the jostling that served to distract his target had also prevented him from accusing Tibs of a misdeed. The man had checked his pocket, but nothing had been missing.

    Back on his Street, the suspicion would have been enough to get the guards called, and he¡¯d have to run until they gave up; but here, he was simply one of the many people enjoying the bazaar.

    He¡¯d been more cautious after that, but as Darran had mentioned, Tibs didn¡¯t always realize what his fingers got up to. As if thinking of the merchant summoned him, Tibs saw the burly, fabric-covered man haggling at a stall selling hardened leather. Tibs stayed a few steps away to avoid distracting him, but Darran still glanced in his direction, then returned to haggling.

    It happened so fast, and with so many words in a language he didn¡¯t understand, that by the time the two shook hands, he had no idea what had been agreed to.

    ¡°Tibs!¡± Darran exclaimed. ¡°What is my favorite customer doing, walking among all these competing ruffians?¡±

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Tibs replied. ¡°Don¡¯t you have all the things you need?¡±

    The man laughed. ¡°Oh, Tibs. Your youth is so refreshing! Of course I don¡¯t have everything I need. Where do you think I get what I sell?¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°From other cities.¡±

    ¡°But how do I get them?¡±

    ¡°The transportation platform. I¡¯ve seen the crates arrive that way.¡±

    Darran placed an arm over Tibs¡¯s shoulders and guided him through the stalls. ¡°It always amuses me how it is that once someone discovers magic is something real outside of stories, they start thinking everything happens that way.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen those crates taken to your shop,¡± Tibs replied accusingly.

    ¡°And I do receive some of my wares that way, but I¡¯m not so fortunate as to be one of those who run the platforms. Do you know how expensive it is for a humble merchant like myself to have something sent through them?¡±

    Tibs nodded. He didn¡¯t know the number, but Kroseph had said it was expensive.

    ¡°A caravan like this is a much more affordable method of getting my supplies, although it comes with its own drawback.¡± A couple bumped into the merchant, and Darran apologized, then winked at Tibs as he put away a coin pale enough to be silver or electrum. Tibs tended to forget that Darran could steal with more than his words.

    ¡°If the stuff they bring is for you and the other merchants, why are they selling things here? Doesn¡¯t that mean you won¡¯t sell as much?¡±

    ¡°They won¡¯t stay, and most of them sell items I couldn¡¯t make good coin on if I kept them in stock. Rarity has a value of its own. It encourages caravans to brave the wilds to come sell items that had been sitting on shelves in other cities; and they will sell, simply because the good townsfolk here haven¡¯t seen them in a long while. It also means I don¡¯t have to pay as much for them to bring me my goods, and I can endure the competition for the few days they will be here.¡±

    Darran stopped at a stall and ran a finger over a box of candies being displayed.

    ¡°It also helps them with some of the risks. This was ordered by Olander, who owned the Sweetest Good, so selling them here, allows them to regain some of the investment.¡±

    Tibs vaguely remembered the shop. It had been set up after the Caravan Garden had been destroyed and sold much the same as it had. He realized he hadn¡¯t seen it since returning.

    ¡°The shop¡¯s not here anymore, is it?¡±

    Darran nodded. ¡°The dungeon closing for so long, so soon after the shop opened, ruined him. I do not know what has happened to him.¡±

    Tibs looked at the displayed candies and stopped on the box of misshapen lumps in layers of blues and greens. He read the letters but didn¡¯t recognize them. Carina was teaching him the letters she knew because she said they were the more popular ones. But not all kingdoms agreed to use the same ones. These weren¡¯t the ones she taught him.

    Still, the candies were distinctive.

    ¡°How much for a Sea Drop?¡± he asked the woman behind the counter.

    ¡°A copper each,¡± she replied, sounding bored.

    ¡°I can get a full meal, for a copper, and an ale,¡± he said, offended.

    ¡°These are Sea Drops,¡± she said, ¡°not a meal. You can only get them in one city, made by one¡ª¡±

    ¡°By Chuck,¡± he cut her off and she stared at him, mouth open. ¡°In MountainSea. I¡¯ve had one from him, and what he sells is way bigger than these. I¡¯ll give you a copper for six of them.¡±

    She snorted. ¡°Do you have any idea how much I had to pay for them? I was promised a copper for two by the shop that ordered them. I won¡¯t take less than that.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Tibs turned and started walking away. ¡°Since no one knows what they are, I¡¯ll be back before you leave to see how many you have left.¡±

    ¡°Three!¡± she yelled after him. ¡°Three for a copper, you thief.¡±

    Tibs returned, smiling. ¡°It¡¯s rogue. I¡¯m a Runner.¡±

    ¡°And you tell people about them. You send them my way.¡±

    He handed her four coppers, which she studied carefully, before handing him the candies. He counted them with the same level of scrutiny she¡¯d poured over his coins. He offered one to Darran once they walked away.

    ¡°You could have gotten more,¡± the man said before popping it in his mouth. ¡°You were right when you said she wouldn¡¯t sell many. These are specialty items. The only reason Olander took a chance on them is that, with the air here being so much drier than MountainSea, they will keep a long time. Even with you telling everyone in the town about her stall, I doubt she¡¯ll sell many.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll come back before she leaves and take the rest.¡± He suckled on the sweet and slightly salty candy before continuing. ¡°Why did she bring them since the shop¡¯s not here anymore?¡±

    ¡°She didn¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°How didn¡¯t she know? It¡¯s been months since the dungeon was attacked?¡±

    ¡°And the caravan was already on its way by then.¡±

    ¡°Why? Why leave and take so long to arrive?¡±

    Darran chuckled. ¡°The closest city is four months away, at the speed a caravan can travel.¡± Tibs looked at the merchant expectantly. The man knew Tibs wasn¡¯t great with those kinds of numbers. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me how many days that is?¡±

    Tibs narrowed his eyes. ¡°Carina talks with you.¡±

    The merchant smiled. ¡°Well, she is another one of my regular customers, like you. And yes we do talk about more than what she might need. Especially now that she has that new robe of hers. That will cut down on the repairs I do. Do remember to bring me your armor.¡±

    Tibs sighed. It was bad enough when each of them pushed him to learn more, but if they were working together¡­. A month was five weeks. A week had nine days. If it was ten, it would be five and zero days in a month, there are four of them, so two, zero, and zero. To that, he took away one for each of the weeks. ¡°One, eight, and zero days.¡±

    ¡°A hundred and eighty, that is correct.¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t everyone just use the same way of saying it? Why different letters? Why is it so complicated.¡±

    ¡°A great many people ask that question every day,¡± Darran said with a chuckle, ¡°but few do anything about it.¡±

    ¡°Why is the city so far?¡±

    ¡°Because dungeons have no common sense. If they did, they¡¯d appear in the middle of a city. That way, they¡¯d have all the food they want.¡±

    ¡°I wonder how they decide where they¡¯ll appear,¡± Tibs mused. He¡¯d have to remember to ask Sto.

    ¡°Universities have entire wings dedicated to that question.¡±

    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t tell me why they bring supplies for you. It¡¯s less than the platform, but if they don¡¯t know that a shop will be here when they arrive, don¡¯t they lose coins out of it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s part of all trade-offs when products are involved. They take on some of the risks, just as I do. This time a shop ceased to be. Next time, it¡¯s possible the caravan will not reach us because it was attacked. Those aren¡¯t common anymore, but the reason they have so many guards is that it still happens. There is always a trade-off.¡± Darran smiled and rubbed a gold coin that hadn¡¯t been in his hand before. ¡°It¡¯s why thievery is so popular.¡±

    Tibs put a hand over his coin pouch even if he knew he had no gold in it. He only kept copper on him since he knew how easily he could lose one.

    ¡°There¡¯s a risk with that too,¡± Tibs pointed out and looked around for guards.

    ¡°True, but that¡¯s something a good set of legs will resolve.¡±

    Tibs looked the man up and down, trying to imagine his large frame running.

    Darran grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t fall in the trap of letting appearance deceive you, Tibs. You, of all people, should know better.¡±

    Tibs nodded and found himself wondering how much of the merchant¡¯s bulk was nothing more than fabric.

 Stepping up, Chapter 18

    Tibs stared at the woman seated at his table, feet on it, playing with something he couldn¡¯t see from where he stood. Her boots were what caught his attention: thick leather, scuffed and scratched, but with bands of dark metal attached to them with newer leather strips. The metal was dented in places, as well as scuffed. A set of gloves on the table had a similar arrangement, with the metal on top of the gloves, knuckles, and fingers.

    The table wasn¡¯t really his, or his team¡¯s. No one could claim any of the tables at the inn, technically ¡ªwhy did he keep using that word?¡ª not even Jackal, being a server¡¯s special man, could make that happen. So this woman was in her right to sit there since the table had been unoccupied, but the Runners had an understanding.

    You didn¡¯t sit at another team¡¯s table.

    She looked up at him, went back to looking at what she held, then paused, looking up again. ¡°You Light Fingers?¡±

    Her hair was black, short, and straight, and her eyes were dark brown. Tibs sensed for what element she had, expecting her essence to have a tint matching her eyes, but she only had the wisp of someone without an element.

    ¡°It¡¯s Tibs,¡± he answered, the nickname adding to the annoyance of her being at his table.

    She dropped her boots to the floor, and they landed with a thud that resonated with their weight. She had the same old and worn leather covering her chest and shoulder, along with the metal bands strapped to it. Her arms were bare, lightly tanned, and muscular, except for bracers that also had metal attached to them.

    She offered her hand to him, moving her arm as if she didn¡¯t feel the weight of the metal on the bracers. ¡°I¡¯m Cross.¡±

    He looked at the hand, thick, callused, with scarred knuckles. ¡°Okay.¡±

    She pulled the hand back and leaned in the chair, then lobbed the object in her other hand. ¡°Got something for you.¡±

    He caught it¡ªa wooden cylinder the diameter of his fist and twice the length. ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m who you¡¯re looking for?¡± He turned it over in his hand. The side was covered in a series of small wooden squares that had some play to them.

    ¡°A few things,¡± she answered with a shrug. ¡°I¡¯m told that Light Fingers is the youngest of the Runners, and you look kind of young. He also has normal eyes, even if he has an element.¡±

    ¡°How do you know I have an element?¡± he demanded.

    ¡°But,¡± she continued, ignoring his question, ¡°mainly because you stood there glaring at me like I was sitting at your very own, private, table, and that friendly server told me this was the table Light Fingers¡¯ team sat at.¡±

    ¡°Kroseph told you my name is Light Fingers?¡± Tibs asked, suspicious.

    She searched the room. ¡°Is that him?¡±

    She pointed to a man on the heavier side with red wavy hair. Laurence, one of Kroseph¡¯s brothers. He shook his head.

    ¡°That¡¯s who told me.¡± She nodded to the cylinder. ¡°What do you think?¡±

    He thought he needed to have a talk with all of Kroseph¡¯s brothers, but he focused on the object he held. Each square was the size of the nail on his thumb. There were one and six rows of them, and the same number in length. They seemed like they could move length-wise or along the circumference, if they were properly aligned, but he couldn''t move them.

    He sat.

    Only two possible directions, but no actual motion. What was blocking it? He searched for one of the squares that could be pried off, gently pulling at each. Cross watched him carefully, but didn¡¯t seem ready to stop him.

    If none of the squares could be removed, then this was unlocked another way. He tested the caps. Those didn¡¯t move, but each end had a row of decorative carvings that continued over the top of the cylinder. Carvings were an easy way to hide how a piece could move.

    He found a square that slid up and partially out of the cap, allowing the one beneath it to go in its place, and then the squares in that row could slide up and down. The rings still didn¡¯t move when he tested them. So, how would this work? The only possible motion at the moment was in that one row, so he slid up one square, then tested the ring with the empty square. Then he slid up the next square and repeated. On the fifth one, the ring spun freely.

    He smiled. This was a combination lock. He¡¯d have to work through the sequence of positions to get it to the place where one of the caps could be removed.

    ¡°What¡¯s in it?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Nothing, as far as I know.¡±

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    He frowned. ¡°Then why give it to me?¡±

    ¡°I heard you like puzzles.¡±

    ¡°From who?¡± He wondered who might think that and speak freely of it. His team might figure it out, from his liking to pick locks, but they wouldn¡¯t talk to someone they didn¡¯t know about it. He hadn¡¯t even realized puzzles were a thing, outside of locks, until that box in the Caravan Garden.

    Where he¡¯d amassed a crowd without realizing it as he unlocked it.

    ¡°It¡¯s just something I heard from people among the stalls. How Light Fingers was good with puzzles and locks.¡± She smiled. ¡°I like puzzles too, but I''m no good with locks, so I thought I¡¯d ask around after him, well, you. You work it out?¡±

    ¡°Tumblers. Puzzles are just different kinds of locks,¡± he explained at her raised eyebrow. ¡°This unlocked the movements and now it¡¯s just about finding the right arrangement of rings and rows until one of the caps comes off.¡± He offered it back to her.

    ¡°Not going to try to unlock it?¡±

    ¡°Why do you want me to?¡± She didn¡¯t seem like she intended to harm him, but merchants weren¡¯t the only ones who knew how to use words to get what they wanted or act like something didn¡¯t matter when it was the most important thing to them.

    She grinned. ¡°I just want to see you do it. It¡¯s clear you enjoyed working out that much.¡±

    There was something in her smile, the tone. Not that she was trying to deceive him, but that she didn¡¯t think he could. An unvoiced challenge. He¡¯d only worked out part of how the lock worked, he decided, and she counted on that to stump him.

    He looked around for anyone watching them, but unlike at the shops, in the inn people minded their business. He spun the ring and tested each column until one moved, then looked for the ring that unlocked, the bottom one. He spun it until a column unlocked and then¡­ none of the rings moved.

    Did the puzzle have false moves? He was early enough he could go back to check, but how complex would the mechanism have to be to allow that? She¡¯d implied it was a box since she¡¯d said it was empty, so there needed to be enough space to contain something.

    Had he missed a detail? The one she believed would stump him?

    Then he understood. There weren¡¯t one and six rings. He turned the cap until the piece he¡¯d slid up was lined up and slid it down. He continued turning the cap until a new column was unlocked.

    Three moves later, he was blocked again until he realized the bottom cap also had a hidden piece. Then he was moving quickly, testing each square until something moved in a ring, then a column. This was more about being patient than finding a specific pattern.

    He stopped thinking about what he did, his fingers moving on their own, slowly making progress until¡ªhis hand cramped and he barely closed the other one on the puzzle before it slipped out.

    He cursed.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asked, worried.

    ¡°It¡¯ll pass,¡± he hissed. He set the puzzle on the table in case the corruption made his day truly miserable and spread to his other hand. He could see the desire to ask on her face, but she didn¡¯t, and he was thankful. She¡¯d be able to find out easily enough just by asking around.

    He had to go to the pool and have that audience.

    His stomach turned at the idea. The corruption would leave his essence, eventually. It had diminished over the months after all. So he just had to wait. Using his working hand and the table for support, he went back to solving the puzzle. Then used his other hand to hold it in place as he spun a ring, and after six more moves, he could manipulate it with both hands.

    Then his fingers were working fast again until, when he came to spin the bottom cap, it came off instead. The space revealed was small, and, as Cross had said, empty. It wouldn¡¯t even fit a stack of coins, so Tibs couldn¡¯t think of what it might hold. The mechanism took up a lot of space.

    ¡°That was pretty good,¡± she said, ¡°especially because of what happened.¡± She let the unasked question hang.

    And Tibs ignored it. ¡°Was that because you couldn¡¯t open it yourself?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± She motioned to a server. ¡°Even if your hand hadn¡¯t cramped like that, I can do it faster than you.¡± The girl, one of the townsfolk¡¯s daughters, put two tankards on the table and left. ¡°You earned it,¡± Cross said, pushing one at him. ¡°It¡¯s like I said. I heard you like them, so I brought it.¡±

    He took a sip before picking up the puzzle again, placing the cap in place. Sliding one square was all it took to lock it, but then he had to work backward to reset everything. ¡°Are there a lot of them? Puzzles like this?¡±

    ¡°It depends on your definition of ¡®a lot¡¯. This is a simple one. Most of the portable puzzles are kind of simple.¡±

    ¡°So there are larger ones?¡± The box had been larger then the cylinder, but Tibs didn¡¯t think of it as big. It had also been more complex than this. There had been an actual pattern to the steps.

    She Cliffled. ¡°Some are as big as people. Heard a story, once, about a castle in the Ylmiyan Low Lands that is supposed to be a puzzle.¡±

    Tibs looked up. ¡°The entire castle?¡± his fingers kept moving.

    ¡°So I was told. I¡¯ve never been to Ylmiyan, so I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you gone?¡± He reached a step that slid the square from the cap back in place, but it could spin, so that wasn¡¯t the final step.

    ¡°I¡¯ve yet to find a caravan willing to go there.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you use the transportation platform?¡±

    ¡°There aren¡¯t any dungeons in Ylmiyan, so no reason for the guild to invest in one there, and nothing of value to motivate the merchants. The whole of that area¡¯s desolated.¡±

    ¡°Then how did you hear about it?¡±

    She smiled. ¡°Because there¡¯s always someone stupid enough to travel to those kinds of places just because they¡¯re there. And some are strong enough to survive their stupidity.¡±

    The square from the cap slid into place, and none of the rings turned. Tibs handed it back to her.

    ¡°Okay, that is impressive. I have to look at it to make sure they¡¯re aligned and locked, and not just misaligned.¡±

    Tibs shrugged.

    She took it and stood. ¡°I¡¯ll bring you another one if I come back this way.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the caravan coming back?¡± He¡¯d been sure Darran had said it went back to the city, then returned. And that there would be others in between, now that the first one had established the route.

    ¡°Of course, but I might not be among those guards.¡± She shrugged. ¡°It gets boring always doing the same trail. Trouble learns it can¡¯t get away with it, and stops trying.¡±

    Tibs Cliffled. ¡°If you want trouble, you should stay here. Seems there¡¯s always some happening.¡±

    She studied him, putting the puzzle in a bag at her belt. ¡°And how much of that trouble are you causing?¡±

    He grinned at her. ¡°As far as anyone knows, none of it.¡±

    She grinned back, picked up her gloves, then ruffled his hair as she walked by. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later, Light Fingers.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Tibs,¡± he growled at her back, but he couldn¡¯t stop smiling.

 Stepping up, Chapter 19

    Tibs got looks from the guards and the Runners as he paced along the waiting field, just outside of Sto¡¯s range. He didn¡¯t want to know how Fedora¡¯s run was going. He wanted to hope her team was managing the run well. Sto would want to keep him appraised, and Tibs was worried that the dungeon would go easy on Fedora¡¯s team because of Tibs¡¯s involvement with her.

    Sto said he didn¡¯t play favorites, but there had been multiple demonstrations already that that wasn¡¯t true.

    Motion at the door, two people exiting; Tibs breathed easier. Fedora was being supported until the cleric placed a hand on her, then on the fighter. After that, they walked down the steps, still looking as if they were injured.

    The two placed their armor and weapons on the table, along with a handful of copper. No extra equipment meant they didn¡¯t get to keep any, and Tibs had warned her against trying to hide one on her person. He¡¯d heard stories, back in the early days, of those who tried it. They were always caught. The guild had magic, not just suspicions.

    The fighter headed for the town, but Fedora noticed Tibs and, after hesitating, headed for him. He wanted to say something to her but found he didn¡¯t know what. He remembered how he felt after that first time, confused, hurt, afraid. About the only thing he could offer was the confidence he¡¯d be there after each of her runs, no matter how many teammates she lost.

    ¡°It was hard,¡± she said, as he fell into steps with her. ¡°Those traps, they were horrible. We lost the archer. I don¡¯t know her name, and the way she just melted...¡± She shuddered. ¡°I tried to convince the fighter¡ª¡± she nodded in the guy¡¯s direction. ¡°¡ªthat we should turn around right there, like you said we should once we lose someone, but he was determined to make it to the last room. We lost the other two in the boulder room.¡± She shuddered again. ¡°I used to not mind rats.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°It won¡¯t be quick, but it gets easier. You¡¯ll figure out how the dungeon works, how he¡­ thinks, for lack of a better word,¡± he added. ¡°Those who survive their runs will know better than to push needlessly.¡±

    ¡°I wish you could just tell me what we need to do to win.¡±

    ¡°There isn¡¯t much more I can tell you. The dungeon changes things around. The clues were on the floor tiles when I first went through.¡± He noticed the surprised, then thoughtful, look she gave him. She hadn¡¯t worked out what the walls were about. No wonder she¡¯d thought the trap room had been hard, having to test each tile as they went. He was impressed with her skill that she hadn¡¯t died in the process, or only lost one person there.

    ¡°Do you know when I¡¯ll have to go in again?¡±

    ¡°No. Unlike those at Upsilon, they¡¯ll pick you at random while you¡¯re in the field.¡±

    ¡°So if I don¡¯t go to the field when we¡¯re told to, I won¡¯t have to go back in.¡±

    ¡°When they called you out, did they tell you what the consequences are for not going to the field in the morning?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t get food or a bed.¡± She shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t need a bed, and I can get food anywhere.¡±

    He rounded on her and she had to stop. ¡°No. You don¡¯t steal in town.¡±

    ¡°They won¡¯t know.¡± She spoke with the confidence of someone who didn¡¯t understand how this town was different from her city.

    ¡°They will. Kragle Rock is too small to have a Street for you to hide in.¡± And it never would have one if he had anything to do with it. ¡°Harry isn¡¯t going to actively hunt you down, but the moment one of the townsfolk complains to a guard about something going missing, they will be looking for you. It¡¯ll just be a cell when you¡¯re caught, but you¡¯re going to fall behind and that will end up getting you killed.¡±

    ¡°You steal. You had me steal.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s training, and I had you hand the coins back.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t at the point where you can pick a pocket and not get caught. And you told me locks aren¡¯t something you¡¯ve had a lot of practice with. The town is filled with rogue Runners. The townsfolk know to pay attention.¡± He wanted to offer to give her a few coppers so she could afford more than the slop the food tent had for Omega Runners, but he recognized the pride in her eyes. She¡¯d be offended, not grateful. ¡°You need to go through the dungeon, get better, bring back the fallen¡¯s equipment so you¡¯ll get copper, and you need to survive.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just not fair!¡±

    He nodded. The guild wasn¡¯t fair. There was nothing he could add to that.

    * * * * *

    A large group of men and women in rags and looking wary appeared on the platform as Tibs watched. He¡¯d sensed the shift in essence as he¡¯d walked by and stopped. He didn¡¯t usually bother, but the volume of the shift had taken in the entire platform, which had only happened while the merchants were returning once Sto reopened his door.

    He¡¯d expected a new merchant, with cargo, now that the bazaar was over and the caravans gone, but they were convicts. Runners for Sto.

    Fedora had had four runs over the last two weeks, and Tibs had been there for two of them. He¡¯d paid a copper to one of the guards for them to send word to him when she went in. On the last one, her entire team returned, deciding the warren room wasn¡¯t worth risking because of how injured they were, and they now knew why it was worth keeping the team alive.

    They got to keep the coppers.

    She¡¯d tried to kick him for not telling her that from the start.

    But out of the convicts who had arrived with her, very few were still alive. One team¡¯s worth was Upsilon now. Only a few weeks and already survivors were graduating. How long had it taken his group before that happened?

    But the death count was much higher.

    Even if the first floor wasn¡¯t for Upsilon Runners, they had become stronger running it, and Sto had to increase its difficulty. Now the new Omegas were contending with a harder dungeon from the start.

    So it made sense the guild had to bring more of them.

    A man broke from the crowd, pushing through the guards, and before Tibs wondered why they were letting him flee, a large gray dog jumped on his back, sending him face down in the dirt. Serba stepped out of an alley, patted the dog on its head. She hauled the man up by the collar and shoved him back among the others as they were herded to the field, where they¡¯d get the introduction speech. Tibs wondered if Harry would be giving it again.

    If these arrivals became normal, he couldn¡¯t imagine the guard leader going to the field each time.

    * * * * *

    The inn was busy, as usual, and Tibs looked around. Runners at all occupied tables, except for two. Nobles seated there.

    Kroseph¡¯s father didn¡¯t keep anyone out of his inn, unless they caused trouble, but he didn¡¯t give nobles the deference they requested of everyone, so few spent time here.

    One of the groups had that noble Mez was friends with, the one he claimed was a ¡®good¡¯ noble. She¡¯d returned and had reclaimed the house she¡¯d had before. Tibs hadn¡¯t heard of her doing anything wrong, but she was a noble, so he figured she was just better than most at hiding it.

    The Runners were a mix of old and new, but they¡¯d all gone through the dungeon a few times. Their clothes seemed sturdy and functional, but worn. Tibs thought some had to be from the cache in the trap room, others from the merchants, who sold old ones for cheap, and he expected other Runners had given them some, too.

    Tibs had given Fedora an old set of clothing he no longer wore. They were short on her, since she was a head and a half taller than he was, but still better than what she¡¯d arrived in.

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    He saw her at a table with six other runners, three of which had been with her the last time they¡¯d exited the dungeon, but it was the fighter who caught his attention. He was looking at Tibs with awe on his face.

    Tibs headed for them, instead of his table, to find out what that was about.

    ¡°You¡¯re Light Fingers!¡± the boy¡ªhe didn¡¯t look that much older than Tibs¡ªexclaimed, and Tibs groaned. ¡°Guys, that¡¯s Light Fingers!¡±

    Fedora eyed Tibs and seemed amused.

    ¡°My name is Tibs,¡± he introduced himself, wondering if she was responsible for spreading his nickname among them. She knew how annoyed at its use he was, and he didn¡¯t know her well enough to know if this was something she¡¯d do.

    ¡°He¡¯s the one who opened up the second floor,¡± the fighter said, bouncing on his seat in excitement. ¡°He used to be like us.¡±

    ¡°I still am.¡± Okay, so probably not Fedora, since he hadn¡¯t told her that part. They were all looking at him now. She had a suspicious look on her now. He¡¯d have to explain his reasons, although their reaction should be enough for her to figure it out.

    ¡°Were you really the one who discovered the door?¡± asked an older girl. She had the look of an archer: well-defined arm, and piercing gaze.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± He replied, then made his tone severe. ¡°We aren¡¯t allowed to talk about the dungeon once we¡¯re outside.¡± He eyed each of them. ¡°So I have no idea if someone else knew about it before I did.¡±

    ¡°I heard it was you who found it,¡± the fighter said, ignoring or, more likely, missing Tibs¡¯s implied warning. ¡°And that you killed the floor boss by yourself.¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± He fixed each of them with a look. ¡°It was my entire team. That¡¯s how the dungeon works.¡± If someone was spreading stories of Tibs being some bard song hero, no wonder they were watching him like they were.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± demanded a lanky boy near Jackal¡¯s age, now looking at Tibs with suspicion. He was a rogue, Tibs decided.

    Tibs considered him, them. They were all Omegas, their essence stronger, but still without a tint. He decided to find out how far the rogue¡¯s suspicion went.

    He smiled. ¡°I just wanted to see how you were all doing.¡±

    The rogue snorted.

    He looked at Fedora. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you found yourself dependable people.¡±

    ¡°You know him?¡± the fighter asked, amazed.

    She glared at him. ¡°We¡¯ve met.¡±

    ¡°And what did that meeting involve?¡± the rogue asked, smirking as he looked Tibs up and down. ¡°Is he even old enough for that?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant,¡± Fedora replied, looking disgusted. ¡°He¡¯s been giving me help with locks and pockets.¡±

    The rogue¡¯s smile turned nasty. ¡°Right, pockets. And what have you been playing with in his pockets?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re training Fed?¡± the fighter exclaimed. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say Light Fingers was training you? You are on my team the next time I have to go in, so stick close to me.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t pick who¡¯s on your team,¡± said a young man in a gray robe. ¡°You go in with whoever they tell you to.¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± Tibs said before he stopped himself. It was too late now. They were watching him attentively. ¡°They only assign the teams because they figure you haven¡¯t worked out you can do it yourself yet. Building your team is part of what this period is about.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re on my team, Fed!¡± the fighter exclaimed.

    ¡°Maybe you can let her decide whose team she¡¯s on?¡± the archer said, then smiled at Fedora. ¡°I can tell you in private what the advantages of being on my team are.¡±

    Fedora blushed, and Tibs kept from chuckling. Seemed like someone was angling for Fedora as their special someone.

    ¡°You can both be on my team,¡± the fighter said, completely missing the annoyed look the archer gave him. Were all fighters dense? Tibs wondered. Pyan seemed to be attentive, so maybe it was only the men that missed the obvious.

    No. Karl didn¡¯t miss much.

    So it was a Jackal and this guy thing.

    The rogue didn¡¯t miss the look, though, and rested his elbows on the table, leaning forward and smiling at Tibs. ¡°If I agree to pick your pocket for a while, will you give me special training?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Tibs leveled his gaze at the lanky man and didn¡¯t move it until he looked away. Let him try to intimidate Tibs. He¡¯d had to learn to resist that from tougher people, and before he¡¯d come here. This guy wasn¡¯t Street in any way.

    ¡°How have you been faring in the dungeon?¡± Tibs asked the fighter.

    ¡°It¡¯s fun!¡± he blurted out, and Tibs raised an eyebrow. If he found what Sto did fun, then Tibs didn¡¯t¡ª ¡°I mean, we survived.¡± Now he looked bashful. Just what did the stories say about Tibs that this guy had thought he found the runs fun?

    ¡°It¡¯s harder,¡± the sorcerer said.

    ¡°The dungeon had to grow as we survived more of our runs,¡± Tibs replied.

    The man shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not that. It¡¯s harder than before. I¡ª¡± he closed his mouth as Kroseph brought tankards for everyone at the table. Before anyone could act, Tibs placed two coppers on the tray and the server patted his back and left.

    ¡°Trying to buy our loyalty?¡± the rogue asked, pushing the tankard away.

    ¡°Celebrating your survival,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°Enough Runners don¡¯t get to enjoy that. You should.¡±

    The fighter took the rogue¡¯s tankard and drank half of it in one swallow. ¡°I¡¯m all for celebrating.¡±

    Tibs looked at the sorcerer and tried to place him. ¡°You were here before the dungeon was attacked?¡±

    ¡°I did one run. It was¡ª¡± he closed his mouth again. ¡°I wish we could talk about it.¡± He sipped his tankard. ¡°It would make learning how to survive it easier.¡±

    ¡°And what had he told you about surviving the dungeon, Fedora?¡± the rogue asked, smirking again. ¡°Or are you not talented enough in that to get him to¡ª¡± he gasped and held his side.

    ¡°Count yourself lucky I don¡¯t have a knife yet,¡± the archer said. ¡°And stop pushing what you¡¯d do on other people. You want to use your body to get special treatment, you fucking go and do it.¡±

    The rogue glared at her but remained silent. Then he looked at Tibs, all amusement gone. ¡°Fine. What do I have to do to survive that thing? I didn¡¯t grow up taking what I wanted just to end up dying in there.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you mean who?¡± the sorcerer asked, before drinking and covering his smirk.

    Tibs was tempted to send the rogue to Don, but all the man had done yet was talk. Talking didn¡¯t warrant Don. ¡°You train. You already survived your runs, so your chances of surviving the next ones are higher, but you have to train and find a team you trust.¡±

    The snorts at the table gave a good indication of how likely that was for the rogue.

    A look crossed the rogue¡¯s eyes and was gone. But Tibs had a sense of why he was acting the way he was, and he was glad he hadn¡¯t suggested Don. Acting like an ass out of fear was not worthy of the horror that was Don.

    ¡°You will lose people you know,¡± Tibs said. ¡°Friends you make. But it¡¯s less likely to happen with a good team. Don¡¯t push people away out of fear of losing them. All that¡¯s going to do is cause you to die too.¡± He swallowed his emotions. His own fears and worries and memories. This was for them. ¡°We survive. Each of us has our reasons to do it. Out of spite for those who sent us here, out of determination, out of a desire for power.¡± He smiled, thinking of Jackal. ¡°Or even because we¡¯re not quite smart enough to know better. But it¡¯s what we do. We survive what the dungeon sends at us. We grow stronger, and in turn, he does too, and we continue to get stronger. It will get easier once you get your element, but I don¡¯t think it ever ends.¡±

    They looked at him, taking in what he¡¯d said. He hoped.

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± The girl who spoke was thin, too much so. Like the others, her clothing looked to be from the dungeon or merchant, but she didn¡¯t look at ease in it. ¡°We¡¯re going to die in there. That¡¯s all we¡¯re good for. The stuff they tell out about surviving a dungeon making you stronger. It¡¯s a lie. You¡¯re lying to us.¡± She glared at him. ¡°You work for them. You just want us to go in there, so we¡¯ll feed that thing.¡±

    ¡°Tara,¡± the fighter said, tone gentle, ¡°he fought it, made it to the second¡ª¡±

    ¡°How the fuck do you know?¡± she demanded. ¡°You think one of us gets to be called something like ¡®Light Fingers¡¯? That we get to have guards look at us like we¡¯re not shit to be avoided? If he¡¯d been in there? He wouldn¡¯t be here telling us what do to. He¡¯d be dead!¡±

    ¡°You survived,¡± the sorcerer said softly. ¡°We all did.¡±

    ¡°And you know how I survived? I was too slow. Liam told us the best way through that room was to run, and I didn¡¯t move in time with them. I saw what it did to them. I barely pulled Carson¡¯s body out before the dungeon took him, too.¡± She hid her face, sobbing. ¡°We¡¯re all going to die.¡±

    Tibs tried to find something encouraging to say, but if she thought he worked for the guild, anything he said would just be another lie to her.

    The fighter placed a hand on her back, and she tried to shrug it off.

    ¡°Look,¡± Tibs said. After her accusation, he needed to offer something. ¡°If you¡¯re afraid you aren¡¯t strong enough to survive the dungeon, me and my team can help you train. We sit over there.¡± He pointed to the table, and Jackal, who was eating with Khumdar, noticed and gave an enthusiastic wave as the others looked in their direction.

    Tara glared at him.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t trust me, or if we don¡¯t have the specific set of skills that¡¯ll help you, ask one of the other teams. We have all been where you are and¡ª¡±

    ¡°You really think one of them will help people like us?¡± the rogue demanded.

    ¡°With one exception, every team will at least listen to you. And I doubt any of them will just turn you away. We¡¯ve learned to help one another. And it isn¡¯t because you¡¯re Omegas that we won¡¯t help you too.¡±

    ¡°Is that one exception a noble team?¡± the sorcerer asked. ¡°I have trouble envisioning any of them helping us.¡±

    ¡°They aren¡¯t Runners,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°They¡¯re nobles. And no, they aren¡¯t going to help. They¡¯re nobles. Runners will help.¡±

    He¡¯d pass the word around, make sure everyone listened to any Omega coming to them for help. They needed more Runners to survive if only to ensure noble teams didn¡¯t outnumber them.

    ¡°I don¡¯t trust you,¡± Tara whispered.

    ¡°I¡¯m not asking that you do. I¡¯m asking that you find people you can trust. But if you need help, we¡¯ll be there if you ask.¡± He turned and stopped. ¡°I hope I get to see all of you again after your runs.¡±

    He headed for his table.

    ¡°Making friends?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°More friends? Don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t noticed you and that little lady spending time together. You even took her to meet Pyan. I¡¯m hurt you haven¡¯t asked your special girl to pick my pocket yet.¡±

    Tibs rolled his eyes and motioned to Kroseph. ¡°She isn¡¯t my special girl, just another rogue I¡¯m helping. And they¡¯re having a hard time with the runs, so I offered to help them train if they need it.¡±

    ¡°Is it wise?¡± Khumdar asked. ¡°Will the guild not look unkindly on you if they find out you are poaching on their territory?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what poaching means,¡± Tibs replied, but then grinned. ¡°But if what I¡¯m doing gets the guild to treat me like another Runner again, then I can¡¯t wait for someone to ask for my help.¡±

    Jackal smiled. ¡°You¡¯re about to get your wish.¡±

    Tibs turned, and instead of Fedora, or Tara, it was the lanky rogue who was approaching. He tried to think of anyone who liked guys that would agree to train him because Tibs wasn¡¯t looking forward to constantly turning down the offers and snide comments about how else they could train.

 Stepping up, Chapter 20

    Tibs looked at the crystal sphere on the pedestal.

    The room was thirty paces in length, with the pedestal against the wall, but the exercise, the test he was practicing for, wasn¡¯t about the distance. It didn¡¯t matter how far from it he was, anytime he used the ¡®x¡¯ attack on it, he hit it. These weren¡¯t combat conditions.

    He took the knife out, channeled his essence to the point, and readied himself. For him, this was about controlling the flow of the essence as it flowed from outside and into his reserve and then to the knife as it fed the attack. He had good control over pulling the essence in, but controlling how much of it went into the attack was still a strain.

    He moved the knife, traced the ¡®x¡¯, and stabbed its center. The essence pulled out of his reserve and he focused on both replacing it and limiting how much went to the attack. He didn¡¯t want to balance it. He needed to bring in more than was taken out if he wanted to be useful to his team in combat.

    As every other time, he studied the sensations, both to figure out how to use them to better control the flow, and because he wanted a way to describe it to someone else so they could help him.

    But as with any other time trying to assign descriptions to essence, he ended with approximations that, while he knew were incorrect, he didn¡¯t know how to make better.

    It was like the wind flowing around him if he ran really fast, except that it flowed through him. It was like the pressure of the water against him when he¡¯d been in the lake, but again, inside him instead. A burning, tracing the path from his reserve through his body as it reached the knife, but instead of being hot, it was wet.

    He gritted his teeth with the strain of controlling both flows, and when he cut it, it was as if the string holding his hand steady toward the sphere was cut as the jet of water left the point of the knife.

    Instead of being sliced, the sphere exploded from the impact.

    ¡°You may have put too much essence in it,¡± Alistair said, and Tibs only stiffened in surprise. He didn¡¯t have the strength for more after a full morning of it, although his heart raced as if he¡¯d run from the boss¡¯ room on the second floor of the dungeon to the exit.

    ¡°I¡¯m still not good at controlling it.¡± He bent and placed his hands on his knees. He didn¡¯t understand why, but the position made the strain pass faster.

    ¡°Is your reserve not refilling?¡± his teacher asked, worried.

    Tibs chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s full. It¡¯s trying to hold back the flow that¡¯s tiring. I¡¯m trying to not cause the sphere to explode. I can cut it like you did, once in a while.¡± He straightened, turned, and stepped up to his teacher, hugging him. ¡°I missed you. I don¡¯t think Tirania¡¯s happy you took so long to respond to her call.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯ll take it up with our superiors.¡± He hugged Tibs back. ¡°I came as quickly as I could. And I missed your inquisitiveness, Tibs. I hadn¡¯t realized how accepting of everything we¡¯ve become until your questions.¡± He released him. ¡°Now, explain how you figured out how to sense and manipulate; then we¡¯ll see if that understanding is the reason this is straining you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like when I turned my reserve from the lake with the waves into the box it is now. It was about how I felt, no, thought about the essence. About how I thought there was my water essence and then, the essence outside of me.¡± He formed a puddle of his water in his hand. It barely covered his palm with only a sliver of essence in his reserve. ¡°I can add to that from the amulet, but that was also my essence. Although I didn¡¯t understand it wasn¡¯t true before, or how true it really was. It¡¯s two things that are and can¡¯t be at the same time, again.¡±

    Tibs watched his teacher for a reaction, approval or not, a clue that he was explaining things how Alistair wanted, but the man simply motioned for him to continue.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you meant it, but you gave me a hint, even before you told me to practice it. Back when you told me that I could disrupt someone else¡¯s essence. How could I do that if it wasn¡¯t mine? If I didn¡¯t have a connection to it in some way? But I only realized that afterwards, again. Carina set me on the right path, but not on purpose. She told me how, when she controls the wind, it¡¯s not all her essence. She only uses hers to pull along the rest. Then I realized I could do that with water.¡±

    Tibs grinned. ¡°I froze an entire pool of water in the dungeon that way to avoid a trapped bridge. Afterward, when I pulled my essence back to my reserve and the amulet, I had leftover. Things got too hectic after that to think about, but it stayed on my mind. At first, I thought the essence was contagious, like a sickness spreading along a street, but essence isn¡¯t people, so it couldn¡¯t be that. I thought that maybe, because I¡¯d spread my essence too wide, I¡¯d just lost track of what was mine and what wasn¡¯t, but that didn¡¯t work either, because essence doesn¡¯t ¡®know¡¯ that it¡¯s mine or not. It just is.¡±

    He sighed. ¡°I felt kind of stupid for taking so long to understand that I was the one telling the essence it wasn¡¯t mine. The essence didn¡¯t know, didn¡¯t care. It doesn¡¯t have a preference. Once I understood that¡­¡±

    He made the puddle in his hand a column as he pulled in more essence in his reserve and fed that into it, growing it larger.

    ¡°I was trying too hard,¡± he said finally.

    Alistair smiled.

    ¡°If you remember that, you¡¯ll find many of the exercises in the future will come easier to you. We grow accustomed to a specific way of thinking, dictated by how we lived. When you arrived here, you only knew the world as something to be judged by what you could touch, smell, feel with your outside senses. It was all you had access to, so that made sense to you. Getting your element forced a shift in how you perceive the world. Having to look at it differently, you now have to think about it differently.¡± He raised a hand to forestall Tibs¡¯s question. ¡°I know, it isn¡¯t an easy thing to do, especially when there are no direct results to observe on the way to figuring it out; or no specific method for you to follow.¡±

    ¡°But why can¡¯t there be a method?¡± Tibs asked. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have explained how it¡¯s all about how I understand things? That I had to stop thinking of the essence as the element, as something¡­ I don¡¯t know, as the same as something real?¡±

    ¡°But you already knew that, didn¡¯t you? Isn¡¯t that the realization you needed to make to take your reserve from the lake you envisioned it to be, to this box that contains it?¡±

    Tibs thought about it, then nodded.

    ¡°If I had told you it¡¯s all like that, would it have made the rest of your training any easier?¡±

    Tibs opened his mouth, then closed it. He wanted to think it would have, but how could he know? He shrugged.

    ¡°Sorcerers have looked for that simple way, that unified way, of understanding essence and making your progression easier. They did experiments, discovered exercises, classifications, methods to test you, so we¡¯d get an idea of which might work best. Those were a long time ago, and are how we have the classes and ranks. Rogues don¡¯t think like fighters, archers, or sorcerers. So we can¡¯t use the same exercises as they do. It¡¯s also why rogues gravitate toward the more subtle of the elements: air, water, darkness. We¡¯re not limited to them, but they mesh best with how we think.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s just to help, right? To make learning how to use my essence easier.¡±

    Alistair nodded.

    ¡°Then why does the guild dictate what I have to use?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you mean.¡±

    Tibs gestured with his knife towards the one at Alistair¡¯s belt. It was the only weapon his teacher carried, as far as Tibs knew.

    ¡°I was handed a knife when I first entered the dungeon and told that was my weapon. The rogue¡¯s weapon. But, do you have any idea how useless this is to me? I can¡¯t hit what I throw it at, and if I¡¯m going to stab a creature, it¡¯s going to be able to claw or bite me. And before you say it: this dungeon isn¡¯t made to sneak around them.¡± He made a sour face. ¡°When I asked Bardik to teach me how to use a sword, he told me it was a stupid idea.¡±

    Alistair raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Yes, I know I shouldn¡¯t have taken what he told me seriously, considering what he did. I think he was trying to make me like him, instead of helping me. But even the trainers on the field all tell me the same thing: you¡¯re a rogue, go practice with your knife. I had to go to a Runner friend for someone finally willing to listen to me.¡±

    ¡°And how did that go?¡± Alistair asked. There was no suspicion in his tone, only curiosity and some expectation. As if he knew what the answer would be, but still wanted to listen to it.

    ¡°It didn¡¯t,¡± Tibs said with a sigh. ¡°There¡¯s still corruption in my body and it caused my hand to cramp as I was trying to show her I could hold a sword. So now she wants to wait until that¡¯s passed before trying to teach me.¡± He considered the pool of corruption again. He had to believe Water when she said he needed to talk to Corruption to resolve this. But Corruption... Just the name said it couldn¡¯t be trusted.

    Alistair¡¯s nod was more contemplative than decisive. ¡°Do you think learning how to wield a sword will affect how you learn to use your essence?¡±

    Tibs stopped the roll of the eyes as it started. As annoying as having to always think things through around Alistair, his teacher always had a reason for pushing him. Although maybe it was just the man getting back at him for all the times Tibs had forced him to think outside what he considered normal. He smiled slightly at the thought.

    ¡°First,¡± Tibs said, raising a finger. ¡°A rogue can use a sword. Don had one who used it. He was metal, too. He tried to kill me with it.¡± He grinned. ¡°I won.¡±

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    He raised a second finger. ¡°Two. How would using a sword change how I think about my element? I¡¯m still going to use water. If a sword caused me to crave metal for some reason, a knife would do it, too. It is made of metal, not water.¡±

    He raised another finger, then lowered it. He couldn¡¯t think of a third point.

    ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± Alistair said, tapping a finger on his crossed arm, ¡°that the reason you are trained with a knife is because that is how it¡¯s always been done. The reason may be written in a tome, in a university, but if it was ever told to me, I don¡¯t remember. My early days in a dungeon didn¡¯t go as yours. I was sent by my family because tests showed I had an aptitude for thievery. A trainer was paid to get me to the point I could join. A team was found for me to be part of, and they protected me while I searched for traps and secrets. The dungeon was also many centuries old. It might not have been as aggressive as this one.¡±

    Alistair moved the tapping finger to his chin, his gaze distant. ¡°I think that once the corruption is out of your system, I should see about finding you a sword trainer. It would be interesting to see how, or if, it causes a shift in how you train with your essence.¡±

    ¡°I have someone already.¡±

    ¡°A guild trainer would be better,¡± Alistair said. ¡°They follow a specific regiment that can be linked to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Charging me even more gold,¡± Tibs stated. And hadn¡¯t they just gone over how ¡®the way things were always done¡¯ might not be the best? Even his teacher kept going back to that.

    The tapping finger stopped.

    ¡°Yes, it is your decision, and I understand your reluctance to give the guild more hold over you.¡±

    He motioned to the pedestal where the crystal sphere stood. It reformed within a minute of being broken. Tibs couldn¡¯t identify the essence woven in the pedestal, but he expected it was mainly crystal.

    ¡°Now, how about we get back to your practice? The sooner you get full control over the flow of essence, the quicker you can officially graduate to Rho.¡±

    Tibs looked at the knife he held. The mention of graduating brought his problem to the fore. ¡°Do I have to?¡±

    ¡°You have to practice if you want to improve, Tibs,¡± Alistair replied, sounding perplexed.

    ¡°Do this test. Graduate to Rho. I can do a lot of what they learn already, so why can¡¯t you just continue teaching me without the cursed test?¡±

    ¡°Because¡ª¡± Alistair stopped, and the finger was tapping again. He motioned beside them and two ice chairs formed.

    Tibs studied the weave as he sat, but it was still too complex for him to work out. It wasn¡¯t simply essence packed together. Strands moved up and down and around in something Tibs swore was a pattern, but he couldn¡¯t grasp it. It would be why the seat was soft, while the legs and armrests were hard.

    ¡°My reflex is to say you have to take it because that¡¯s how things are done.¡± Alistair smiled. ¡°But we¡¯ve established your opinion of that. Then, while in the end, that is the reason, let me explain it this way: there¡¯s only so much I can get away with when it comes to diverging from established methods of training. So long as I, or any teacher, can explain how their student requires specific training and that the results are within the accepted range, we will be allowed to continue. In this case, the result I¡¯m expected to get is you passing your test.¡±

    He motioned to the crystal sphere.

    ¡°As I said, sorcerers have done many experiments before determining this was the best way. You are demonstrating that we could be too adamant about following them, but they exist not only to keep you safe, but because we know they work. We know that by the time a water rogue can control the tsunami of his reserve to perform this sphere test, they have built an understanding of how their essence works that will let them absorb the exercises they learn at Rho, and those will set them on the path to becoming Lambda. There will be another test before that happens, and once they pass it, they will be ready for the teaching that comes with that rank.¡±

    ¡°But doesn¡¯t that mean the ranks don¡¯t mean anything?¡± Tibs asked. ¡°What about¡ª¡± he closed his mouth. He¡¯d almost asked about those who gained essence outside a dungeon, outside of the guild¡¯s control. If they couldn¡¯t know how far they had progressed in using their element, were they progressing at all? Only, the two people he knew that had an element without the dungeon¡¯s help didn¡¯t even know they did.

    ¡°What about Tirania?¡± Tibs hoped the shift wouldn¡¯t seem too odd. ¡°Is she really Beta, or is it just that she hasn¡¯t satisfied the guild¡¯s criteria yet?¡±

    It was Alistair¡¯s turn to close his mouth on opening it.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good question. One I don¡¯t have an answer for. But as the ranks progress, what they mean becomes even murkier than you already feel they are. At their base, they measure how powerful someone is, but how power is measured will vary from person to person, depending on what they consider important. Is Harry, who is Delta, really less powerful than Tirania? In a fight, which one of them would win? Harry is the better fighter, has more training, so he probably would, in a direct confrontation.¡±

    He sighed, then continued.

    ¡°Thinking on it, at those levels, ranks seem to be mostly titles to show where we stand within the guild¡¯s hierarchy. I can only think of a few times when rank came up while I was in the field. I expect that if Harry was offered a guild leader position, the rank of Beta would come with it, regardless of any test.¡± He tapped a finger on the armrest. ¡°I don¡¯t actually know what the test to reach Beta is.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you take it?¡±

    Alistair smiled. ¡°I¡¯m Delta. I have a ways to go before that test; if I even had an interest in taking it. I¡¯m comfortable where I am and the duties that come with this rank.¡±

    ¡°So you can choose not to take the test?¡± Tibs asked, grinning.

    ¡°I can,¡± Alistair agreed. ¡°Because I am no longer indebted to the guild. You are still being formed. Even if you were content with remaining where you are, which, let¡¯s both be honest, you aren¡¯t, the guild won¡¯t let you. It is investing in you, and it doesn¡¯t get any returns if you stagnate. It will demand that test eventually; after all, just by surviving the dungeon, you are becoming stronger. Remember, I am here to help you progress, not cause that progress. I speed things up, nothing more.¡±

    ¡°What happens if I wait until the guild forces it?¡± Tibs asked, voice trembling. Instead of answering, Alistair looked at him expectantly. Tibs sighed. ¡°Jackal¡¯s Lambda now. No one else on our team is officially Rho.¡±

    ¡°Which will change soon.¡±

    Tibs eyed his teacher angrily.

    ¡°You have to explain yourself, Tibs. Mind is not my element.¡±

    ¡°We can only have one person above the rank of the dungeon, which is Upsilon, since it only has two floors. We¡¯re lucky they haven¡¯t sent him to another dungeon, but as soon as one of us takes their test and graduates, one of the two is going to have to leave it.¡±

    Alistair¡¯s confusion turned to understanding.

    ¡°Of course. Your team is your family. I¡¯d¡­¡± he trailed off, smiling wistfully. ¡°I¡¯d forgotten how tight the bonds of that first team can be.¡± He became serious again. ¡°They won¡¯t be dead, Tibs. They won¡¯t even be far, just on another¡ª¡±

    ¡°No! I¡¯m not losing my team!¡± Tibs was out of the chair, pacing. ¡°I lost too many people already.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Alistair sighed. ¡°They won¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°How do I know that other team¡¯s going to do everything they can to keep them alive? How good is their rogue going to be? That they aren¡¯t going to let her die because they resent that she took the place of one of their friends? What good does my team being broken up do?¡± Tibs demanded.

    Alistair watched him in calm silence, and Tibs couldn¡¯t maintain his anger, faced with that expression. He sat.

    ¡°If one team outpaces the dungeon,¡± Alistair said, ¡°it can destroy it. They can cause more damage than it can sustain with what it gets from the other teams who don¡¯t survive. A dungeon does have limits, Tibs. It might be difficult for you to believe that, having only been subjected to what it can do, but a dungeon can be killed.¡±

    Tibs wondered if his disbelief looked anything like dismay; it would explain his teacher¡¯s reaction. The man had it so wrong. Yes, a dungeon had limits. Bardik had nearly killed Sto, but he¡¯d used concentrated corruption to get to that point. How could any Runner in Kragle Rock come even close to that? Even an entire team of Lambda would only challenge Sto, not make him fear for his life.

    But it would be the other teams who would pay for it. It was why Sto had told Tibs not to use his ability to drain the essence that gave the creatures life. Sto would have to compensate so Tibs would have a harder time, and the other teams weren¡¯t ready for that level of difficulty yet.

    And this was another reminder of the primary flaw in everything the guild thought about dungeons. They thought they were nothing more than cunning animals only interested in eating those who entered them. Sto wanted the people exploring him to get stronger.

    Tibs wanted to tell Alistair that. It was infuriating that to keep himself and Sto safe from the guild, other Runners had to keep suffering. He sighed and looked for something he could say that might get his teacher to think in the right direction without revealing any secrets.

    ¡°You said that sorcerers are always performing experiments, right?¡±

    Alistair nodded.

    ¡°Do they do any on dungeons?¡±

    Alistair chuckled. ¡°Why would they do that?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know?¡± Tibs replied, annoyed. ¡°Maybe to see if the guild got yet another thing wrong?¡±

    His teacher studied him, finger tapping.

    ¡°Tibs, it isn¡¯t because the guild doesn¡¯t do things the way you want them to that it isn¡¯t doing it the right way.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re saying that because you¡¯re part of it.¡±

    Alistair sighed.

    ¡°I¡¯m saying it because there are at least a thousand years of history telling us this method works. If it was the wrong one, it would have been changed by now.¡±

    And yet, Tibs thought angrily, not one of you realized a dungeon can think like a person in all that time.

    ¡°I¡¯m not taking the test,¡± he said with as much finality as he could muster.

    ¡°You are going to have to, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯m taking it after the dungeon has a third floor.¡±

    ¡°What about the rest of your team? There¡¯s no telling when the dungeon will graduate, especially since it¡¯s rebuilding itself after nearly dying. You said most of you could be Rho. Most teachers test their students after each run.¡±

    ¡°Then we don¡¯t do runs anymore.¡±

    ¡°Tibs, do you seriously think you can make that happen?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± he answered through gritted teeth. He¡¯d make it happen. He didn¡¯t care what his teacher or Tirania believed. He was a rogue, and he¡¯d find a way. Maybe he¡¯d send another team in their place. He knew he could talk his team into it. As much as he loved the loot, Jackal didn¡¯t want them broken up. Carina would stay. Khumdar wasn¡¯t governed by what the guild wanted, so he wouldn¡¯t mind, and Mez¡­

    Mez had his cursed sense of honor. He hadn¡¯t chosen to be a Runner, but that was what he was, and that meant doing the runs assigned to them. Maybe he should be on another team, Tibs thought bitterly, and immediately regretted it. Mez¡¯s inclination toward nobleship might strain their relationship, but he was still family.

    And Mez would do what he could to ensure the team did what was right, the way he saw it. Would he leave if he was the only one with a different opinion? Tibs thought it was already a lot that the archer didn¡¯t consider the test that important.

    ¡°I understand this is difficult, Tibs,¡± Alistair said. ¡°Life, the world, is difficult. This is only the first of many situations that will push you in directions you¡¯d rather not go. Hard decisions you will have to make, or be on the receiving end of. I won¡¯t insult you by claiming your life was easy until now, but while hard decisions will become rare as you grow in strength, they will become ever so harder.

    ¡°That is a truth of being an Adventurer, one the bards tend to avoid mentioning. There is nothing romantic about saving a caravan full of innocent travelers when to do so, you have to let a child be taken by slavers.¡±

    Tibs stared at his teacher. ¡°Is that something you¡­¡±

    Alistair nodded. ¡°My first mission for the guild once I reached Epsilon, a caravan taken by a band of slavers. Another on the team went after the fleeing slaver holding the child, but I told myself they would handle it. When they didn¡¯t return, we were too busy seeing to the survivors. It was a long time before I made peace with my decision. If you can learn to accept that some events are outside of your control, Tibs, your future will be¡­ if not easier, then easier to live with.¡±

    Alistair looked old as he sighed. Tibs knew he was older than he looked. He had another word for Runners, and Carina had told him how over the years¡ªlots of them¡ªthe words changed. So Adventurers became Divers, then Delvers, then Runners. But it was rare for Alistair to look so old, older than any of the people in the guild, who also had to be older than they looked.

    His teacher pushed himself out of his chair.

    ¡°How about we spend some time focusing on something within your control, instead of out of it?¡± He motioned toward the crystal sphere.

    Tibs did his best. He followed his teacher¡¯s directions, answered his questions, but he had trouble focusing, or even caring about not being able to maintain his hold on the essence as the attack drained him faster than he could replenish his reserve.

    What was the point in training if all it lead to was his family being broken up? To having to be among strangers again. People he¡¯d have to keep secrets from.

    When the corruption caused his arm to cramp, he didn¡¯t curse it this time. It provided a welcome excuse to bring his training to an end.

 Stepping up, Chapter 21

    Tibs stood, hands on the low stone wall, fighting the urge to throw up at the putrefaction emanating from the pool on the other side of it. It was night, not that anyone would come here even in the day, and he wore rags. He wasn¡¯t losing good clothing to this, like he had in his audience with Fire.

    He¡¯d tried to come here via the roofs, but his leg had cramped before he¡¯d grabbed onto the window ledge. The corruption was making him suffer on purpose, Tibs just knew it. Stealing the roofs from him, forcing him to resort to the alleys and having to avoid the guards and bribe one of Serba¡¯s dogs.

    He had still come, because he wanted the roofs back. He¡¯d finally reached a point where he would endure whatever humiliation the element put him through, so long as it took out what was in him.

    He pushed himself up and onto the stone wall, kicking a stone off, and it plopped into the pool. Tibs stared at it. It was the only thing visible in Claria¡¯s light, even the ripples it had to have caused in the liquid couldn¡¯t be seen.

    He heard the bubbling as the corruption ate away at the stone and he was certain the stench increased, forcing him to swallow bile. How was it affecting the stone? Wasn¡¯t that a base element? What would it do to him if he got closer?

    Wasn¡¯t he close enough already? Ganny had said all he needed was a strong emotion in the presence of the element, and he was fucking terrified just crouching there, staring as the stone ceased to exist. Why wasn¡¯t Corruption getting this going already?

    Because it was going to make him suffer every step of the way. It was going to force him to jump in there, feel himself melt.

    He swallowed more bile.

    Just push, he ordered his body. That was all he needed to fall in. He didn¡¯t move. Push! Did he want the roofs back or not? Did he want his body under his control, or to suffer this constant uncertainty as to when it was going to fail him, yet again, because the corruption inside his essence decided his day hadn¡¯t been miserable enough.

    What if he didn¡¯t survive it?

    Fire had nearly killed him. It had taken Sto¡¯s intervention, and being able to hear him, for Tibs to survive long enough to make it to the clerics.

    And if Corruption had any interest in giving him an audience, why hadn¡¯t it done that back when he¡¯d been covered in the stuff and thought he¡¯d die? That had been enough for the other elements.

    It didn¡¯t want him. That was the only possibility. If he jumped in there, he¡¯d dissolve into nothing.

    He dropped on the dry side of the wall. Water was wrong. Or at least, he needed to find a way to do this that didn¡¯t guarantee he¡¯d die.

    He¡¯d ask Sto, maybe. Try to find a cleric he could trust so there would be healing available.

    He didn¡¯t have to do this, he told himself, reminded himself. The corruption would leave his body eventually. He just had to be patient, then Corruption wouldn¡¯t have a hold on him.

    He looked at the corruption. ¡°I don¡¯t need you,¡± he whispered and walked away.

    * * * * *

    Tibs followed the guard through the guild building, counting his steps. He didn¡¯t know why he¡¯d been summoned, but this was another chance to work out the layout, attempt to figure out how the protection worked. There had to be a system. This was just another puzzle and with enough information, he could work it out.

    The guard knocked on the door, and it opened to show not Tirania, as Tibs had expected, but Harry. What did the guard leader want with him? Tibs hadn¡¯t done anything that could get him called; the corruption in his essence ensured that. Picking coppers out of pockets wasn¡¯t something Harry would bother with. If Tibs messed that up, the normal guards would deal with him.

    ¡°Leave us,¡± Harry ordered the guard, and then it was only the two of them.

    Tibs crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it.¡±

    Harry chuckled. ¡°Would you tell me if you had?¡±

    ¡°Am I lying?¡±

    ¡°You did something. You¡¯re a rogue, you can¡¯t help it. But no, you didn¡¯t do this.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯m going back.¡± Tibs turned to the door. ¡°I need to train.¡±

    ¡°I need your help, Tibs.¡±

    He froze, hand on the handle. ¡°I¡¯m a rogue. You don¡¯t even want us here.¡± He faced Harry, who looked tired. ¡°Why would you even want my help?¡±

    ¡°Someone¡¯s stealing from the nobles.¡±

    ¡°Good for them,¡± Tibs said before thinking, and grinned.

    ¡°No not good for them.¡± Harry rubbed his face. ¡°Not good for anyone. The nobles aren¡¯t going to take this for long. If it doesn¡¯t stop, they¡¯re going to take matters into their own hands. They aren¡¯t going to care who gets hurt in the process of catching that thief.¡±

    Tibs saw the conscious decision on the man¡¯s part in using that title instead of rogue, but he wasn¡¯t sure why. Did he not know if this was the work of one of the Runners, or was he just too annoyed at them?

    ¡°You¡¯re in charge. Tell them to let you deal with it.¡±

    Harry¡¯s expression darkened.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be any more difficult than you already are, Tibs. You know nobles. Only two of the families here do more than pay lip service to my authority. This has to stop.¡±

    ¡°Then find the rogue.¡± It had to be a Runner. Tibs would have heard about a stranger stealing in his town.

    ¡°I need your help for that.¡±

    Tibs stepped to the desk and put his hand on it.

    ¡°You want me to betray another rogue?¡±

    ¡°I want you to help keep this town safe. That thief¡ª¡± this time Tibs heard the anger in the word. ¡°¡ªis endangering everyone. They aren¡¯t like you, who just breaks in, walks around, and leaves. Or Ania, who leaves poems praising the resident, or Tandy, who peruses the books before leaving, or¡­ any of the other Runners and your cursed training, who don¡¯t actually cause trouble. What this thief is doing is breaking the rules.¡±

    ¡°Every Rogue breaks your rules, Harry,¡± Tibs said dismissively.

    ¡°But you don¡¯t do it to stir up trouble. I only know about you doing it because I know you. Ania¡¯s poems are endearing and residents actually hope she¡¯ll drop by their house. The others at least are discreet and don¡¯t do anything once in there. Or at least anything that leads to complaints. This thief¡¯s taken valuables from the houses they visited. Stuff the owners have noticed. And only from the nobles. It¡¯s got to stop, Tibs, before it escalates.¡±

    ¡°And you think I can do that?¡±

    Harry sighed. ¡°You know the rogues in the town. Even the new ones. If it¡¯s one of them, then just get them to stop. I¡¯m not asking you to hand them over to me. Have them return what they took, make sure they don¡¯t do it again and the nobles don¡¯t have a reason to pursue this. If it¡¯s not one of the Runners¡­¡±

    Then someone was intruding in his town.

    Tibs wanted to tell the guard leader where to shove his request. He didn¡¯t work for him. But if this was some stranger trying to cause trouble¡­ Harry might be a guard, but he did care about the town. And he didn¡¯t lie. If he said this would escalate, Tibs had to believe him.

    ¡°I hate that you know me this well,¡± Tibs complained.

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    Harry smiled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t if you didn¡¯t constantly poke your nose into guard business. You made it hard for me not to get to know you.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s a Runner, I¡¯m not handing them over to you, but I¡¯ll get them to stop.¡± He considered the rest. ¡°If it¡¯s a thief. I¡¯m going to try and get them to stop, and if they won¡¯t then I will make sure you get them. If that doesn¡¯t work for you, Harry, I¡¯ll¡ª¡±

    ¡°Do nothing?¡± the guard leader asked, grinning, then sobered. ¡°I just want this to stop, Tibs. You get that to happen, and I don¡¯t care who this thief was and where they went.¡±

    Tibs left, wishing he could convince himself not to get involved. Since he couldn¡¯t, he¡¯d have to make sure those he talked to knew he did it for the town and not for Harry. If he wasn¡¯t careful the next thing he¡¯d hear was that people thought he worked for the guild.

    Tibs shuddered at that thought.

    * * * * *

    Tibs wished the bazaar and those merchants were still here so he could ask them who they suspected to be thieves among them. Or at least the kind of thief who¡¯d want to cause trouble. But they¡¯d left weeks before. They¡¯d brought new people here and Tibs found it easy to imagine a thief among them finding a town like Kragle Rock more lucrative¡ª he had Darran to thank for that word ¡ªthan the caravan.

    That left Darran as a quick source of information about who might be new in town. The merchant paid attention to the new people, even if only as customers and potential competition.

    Tibs was halfway to Merchant Row when he noticed the excited people heading to the north of the town. Last time it had been the arrival of the caravan. What could it be this time?

    North was the fighter¡¯s training field, so it could be as simple as a fight, and those happened all the time, so it wouldn¡¯t be something to care about. He pushed through to continue on his way, when a thought made him hesitate. Those fights didn¡¯t usually excite the town like this. To attract all those people, it had to be something big, and Tibs could only think of one person who¡¯d manage to get into the kind of fight that would draw a crowd.

    Jackal could handle himself.

    Or get himself killed.

    Tibs ran. Knowing Jackal, if this lasted long, he¡¯d end up in bad shape.

    Instead of Jackal in the center of a marked circle in the ground, he found Cross, punching a Runner in the face hard enough that he fell and didn¡¯t get up again. Tibs recognized the man: Karl, the fighter in Geoff¡¯s and Pyan¡¯s team. Around the circles were other fighters nursing injuries. Metal, earth, one water. Jackal was also not among them.

    ¡°Who¡¯s next?¡± Cross yelled, arms extended as she turned in place.¡± She looked like she was receiving an ovation no one was giving her. ¡°Come on, there has to be someone here who wants a piece of this!¡±

    Karl struggled to get to his feet, then Pyan was helping him, and pulling him away. Karl was pissed and looked like he wanted a rematch despite his condition.

    ¡°I thought you Runners were all-powerful and stuff,¡± Cross yelled.

    A woman in leather armor that had seen better days stepped out of the crowd and as she picked up speed, Tibs saw her eyes glimmering. Crystal was her element. It was confirmed as she swung without slowing her run and the crystals forming over her fist and forearm glittered in the light.

    Tibs saw Jackal standing with the crowd and lost interest in the fight.

    ¡°I thought you¡¯d be fighting her,¡± he said, once he was next to him.

    Jackal shook his head. ¡°When a stranger jumps in the pit demanding to fight everyone, you let the others get pounded until you know what the fuck¡¯s going on.¡± He lowered his voice. ¡°What¡¯s her element?¡±

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t have one,¡± Tibs replied, just as softly.

    Jackal stared at him, then looked at the fight, where the crystal fighter was stepping back with each punch she blocked from Cross.

    ¡°Karl¡¯s only a little weaker than I am. She already took down Brent, Asmial and Mog. Arruh and Damian took her on as a team. Lidia¡¯s about to go down.¡±

    ¡°She came with the caravan,¡± Tibs said. ¡°I thought she had left with them. She was one of the guards there.¡±

    ¡°You know her?¡± Jackals asked, not taking his eyes off the fight.

    ¡°We talked. She¡¯s the one who showed me the puzzle I told you about.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t say she was a guard.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°It wasn¡¯t like I thought it was important. She was just someone I met and who likes puzzles too.¡±

    Jackal nodded as if Tibs had revealed something.

    ¡°Then she¡¯s smart. I thought she was Metal, with all of it on her armor, but I couldn¡¯t figure out why she wasn¡¯t doing anything with it. Maybe she¡¯s only using it as extra weight. Forces her to get stronger just by moving.¡± He winced as Cross landed a punch in Lidia¡¯s stomach that lifted her off her feet. ¡°And adds to the impact.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d think all those weights would slow her down.¡±

    ¡°Only if they¡¯re a recent addition. Heavy stuff is a way fighters in the pits get stronger.¡±

    Tibs thought about what he¡¯d seen of the armor when they spoke.

    ¡°I think they¡¯ve been there for a long time. Some have new straps holding them in place, but most have been there a while.¡±

    Again Jackal nodded.

    ¡°She¡¯s used to the weights, stronger, and knows how to use the added momentum they give her. I wonder how well she¡¯d fare against someone who used their essence properly in a fight.¡±

    ¡°Like you?¡±

    Jackal grinned. ¡°Come on, Tibs. Don¡¯t insult me. You know all I do is stone up and punch stuff.¡±

    Tibs snorted. Why did Jackal insist on acting dumb after using a word like ¡®momentum¡¯? Tibs didn¡¯t know that one, so it had to be one of the smart words. He didn¡¯t call his friend out on it.

    ¡°So you want me to fight her?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that your decision?¡± Tibs replied, studying his friend.

    Jackal didn¡¯t take his eyes off the fight. ¡°Do you think I can beat her?¡±

    Lidia crumpled after Cross landed and uppercut.

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°Only if you fight smart.¡±

    Jackal grinned. ¡°Oh well, it¡¯s been a while since I had my ass handed to me by someone in town. Could be interesting.¡±

    He stepped forward and Cross turned to face him. She noticed Tibs and gave him a wave before focusing on Jackal again.

    ¡°Big and strong.¡± She smiled. ¡°Just like I like them.¡±

    ¡°Seems those you like end up bruised and broken,¡± Jackal said. ¡°So how about we settle on you mildly tolerating me? Like everyone else in town.¡±

    She stepped around him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going easy on you, no matter how little I like you.¡±

    He moved with her.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way.¡± Then he rushed her, stepping to the side to avoid her punch. He stepped back then rushed and dodged again, and again.

    Tibs watched, concerned that Jackal hadn¡¯t tapped into his essence yet. The fighters moved within the circle, Cross moving forward as Jackal stepped back. Cross throwing punches, and Jackal dodging most, deflecting some, and enduring the rest.

    ¡°You planning on at least trying to hit me?¡± she demanded, her breathing ragged.

    ¡°Can¡¯t. My man doesn¡¯t appreciate it when I hit on anyone else.¡±

    She paused. ¡°Is that supposed to be funny?¡±

    Jackal shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m a one-man kind of guy. He still wants me, so you¡¯re going to have to be happy with doing all the hitting.¡±

    ¡°Then why did you step in here if you aren¡¯t going to fight?¡±

    ¡°I never said I wasn¡¯t going to fight you,¡± Jackal replied, grinning. ¡°I said I wasn¡¯t going to hit you.¡± He pulled out a coin. ¡°How about we make this worthwhile?¡±

    Tibs couldn¡¯t tell what it was from where he stood, only that it was pale, so silver or electrum. He didn¡¯t think Jackal had gold.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t a fight worthwhile in and of itself?¡± Cross asked as they circled each other.

    ¡°If it¡¯s a bar fight, maybe.¡± Jackal motioned around them. ¡°This is a match. In those, the winner should be properly rewarded. What do you say?¡±

    With a shrug, she pulled a coin. ¡°It¡¯s your money.¡±

    ¡°It is, and I love myself some coins. Tibs!¡± Jackal threw the coin at him. Electrum. ¡°Hold on to them for me, will you?¡± Tibs caught Cross¡¯s coins, then the fighters were circling again.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to do whatever it is your element lets you do?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Come on, how fair would that be. You don¡¯t have an element, why would I need to use mine to win?¡±

    She slammed her fists together and the metal on the gloves clanged.

    ¡°Seems pretty obvious what my element is.¡±

    Jackal smiled. ¡°First time around anyone with an element then?¡±

    He rushed her. She stepped aside and didn¡¯t try to punch.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been in town a while.¡±

    ¡°Then you haven¡¯t been paying attention. The eyes give the element away.¡±

    ¡°My eyes are gray.¡±

    She feinted, then punched. Jackal blocked the attack.

    ¡°Wrong gray for metal.¡±

    She stepped away. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to mock me for pretending, then?¡±

    ¡°After you took down half a dozen fighters who do have their elements?¡± He lunged at her but stepped aside as she tried to hit him. He grinned and with an exasperated cry she threw herself in a series of attacks.

    She got in enough hits that Jackal no longer smiled, but he didn¡¯t hit her back. He moved around the circle with each of her punches that connected, forcing her to move with him.

    Tibs noticed her breathing was heavy now and thought he understood what Jackal was doing. He smirked. Stone up and punch stuff indeed. At this rate, everyone was going to realize how smart the fighter was.

    Her attacks slowed as Jackal kept talking, but now too softly for Tibs to hear. Whatever he said, she didn¡¯t like it. Then, Jackal caught her punch in his hand, pulled her off balance and she was face down in the dirt, with his foot on her back.

    ¡°I believe I win.¡±

    She looked at him sideways. ¡°Feels more like you cheated. Fighting involves throwing punches.¡±

    ¡°You ever seen Samol women fight? But how about this? If you can get up, this fight¡¯s not over.¡± Jackal¡¯s skin turned gray, and Tibs sensed the fighter pull essence from the ground. He¡¯d seen him do this often enough to know nothing short of someone stronger with the element would move him.

    She tried, grunted, and looked at him again.

    ¡°You¡¯re using your element,¡± she spat.

    ¡°Essence,¡± he replied. ¡°And you made a point earlier of telling me I should.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re smarter than you look,¡± she said, tried again, then slumped. ¡°You win.¡±

    Jackal snorted. ¡°I¡¯m just smarter than those you fought to this point, which, really, isn¡¯t saying much. The really smart ones know not to even try.¡± He offered his hand and pulled her to her feet. ¡°I was a pit fighter before landing here. I learned to win, instead of fight.¡±

    Tibs joined them. ¡°And I do what I can to keep him from getting into too much trouble.¡± He handed Jackal his coins. The fighter grinned, then made a show of putting them in his pouch.

    She rolled her eyes then looked at them. ¡°He¡¯s on your team?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s my team leader.¡±

    ¡°Against my will,¡± Jackal added. ¡°I said Tibs should be it, but he refused.¡±

    ¡°Carina wanted it.¡±

    ¡°She wanted it too much.¡± Jackal grinned at Cross. ¡°Never hand over power to someone who wants it.¡±

    ¡°I never hand over power to anyone,¡± she replied. ¡°You want it from me, you¡¯re going to have to take it by force.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± Jackal grinned. ¡°Unless you want to keep fighting after you¡¯ve had me, I¡¯ll buy you a tankard with that new coin I won.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re buying me more than one,¡± she replied, ¡°unless it¡¯s filled with something really good.¡±

    ¡°The ale here is really good.¡± Jackal motioned for them to leave, and Tibs followed.

    Now that it was clear the fighting was over, the crowd dispersed.

 Stepping up, Chapter 22

    Jackal looked over the people Tibs brought to the fighter¡¯s training field. ¡°I thought you said we¡¯d train a team. I count nine of them.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re Omega,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°Teams were kinda loose back then, remember?¡± It had started with a friend of Fedora¡¯s, the archer that made her blush, asking if Tibs could get his team¡¯s archer to give her pointers, then an Omega fighter at a table next to theirs had asked for help too, and then a sorcerer had seen them talking and soon, well, Tibs had hurried to leave before every surviving Omega in the inn was at the table.

    He¡¯d still been surprised when there had only been nine of them, including Fedora, here this morning. The way people were talking, he¡¯d expected them to tell everyone his team had agreed to train them, which would have pulled in even more people.

    ¡°And you want us to train them?¡± Jackal¡¯s tone was neutral; no excitement or annoyance. He¡¯d been all for it when Tibs had proposed it. Now, looking at them, that was gone.

    ¡°Are we even allowed to do that?¡± Mez asked. Once Jackal had agreed, he¡¯d sent a message to the archer and where to join them. By his expression, this wasn¡¯t what he¡¯d expected their team activity to be.

    ¡°The rules say we can¡¯t talk about the dungeon,¡± Carina said. Her study of the assembled Runners was more cordial. She hadn¡¯t been overjoyed at the proposition, but she was willing to help. ¡°There¡¯s nothing there preventing us from helping the new arrivals.¡±

    ¡°I believe,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°that is because new conscripts are not usual after the initial group. There is an expectation that those who come after, since they must pay to do so, have received all the training they need for the level they wish to take on.¡±

    Jackal grinned. ¡°Well then, if it ain¡¯t in the rules, we can¡¯t be breaking them. Once Knuckles hears we¡¯re doing this, he¡¯ll probably change the rules so we can¡¯t, but until then, we might as well make the best of it.¡± He looked them over again. ¡°Okay, so which ones of you are the fighters?¡± He leaned to Tibs and whispered. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t it be easier to tell them apart?¡±

    Two girls and a guy stepped forward. The guy, the fighter who¡¯d insisted Fedora and the archer be on his team, was bouncing in place with excitement.

    ¡°If you fight with swords, get them and join me¡­¡± Jackal looked around and pointed to a vacant area. ¡°Over there.¡±

    The guy was back from the box with the swords, having taken the first one he pulled out, and talking with Jackal as they walked. He motioned excitedly, nearly stabbing Jackal with it. The girls were slower to get moving and took their time testing the swords before heading for where Jackal was waiting.

    Mez sighed. ¡°Archers?¡± a guy stepped forward along with Fedora¡¯s friend. Mez looked at Tibs, annoyed, then back to the two of them. ¡°Come on. I can¡¯t train you here. We¡¯re heading to the archery field, and you can tell me what kind of training you¡¯ve received.¡± For someone claiming nobles were about helping people, Mez wasn¡¯t particularly enthusiastic.

    Carina pointed to two guys. ¡°You and you are the sorcerers.¡± They nodded, surprised. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how much practice you¡¯ll be able to get in without an amulet of your own, but we can cover theory so that¡ª¡± she stopped looking at the two amulets Tibs offered her. ¡°Where did you get that?¡± she asked suspiciously.

    ¡°They¡¯re a loan from Darran. I have a few more. Once it was clear I couldn¡¯t limit who would come, I got more than I thought we¡¯d need.¡±

    ¡°Do I want to know where he got them?¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s a merchant. I expect he bought them off someone.¡± That was true enough. Now where that someone might have gotten them, Tibs didn¡¯t want to hazard a guess. He hadn¡¯t heard of any rogues getting caught stealing, but Darran had said more than once he¡¯d be willing to buy anything Tibs found lying around on his nocturnal walks.

    He¡¯d asked about thieves operating in his town, but the merchant had become apologetic about having no idea who might be doing what. Tibs didn¡¯t believe him, but respected that he wouldn¡¯t divulge what he knew.

    Carina looked as convinced about how legal their acquisitions were as Tibs felt, but finally shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll take two more. Those starter amulets don¡¯t have much in the way of reserves, and I have no idea how they¡¯re recharged.¡±

    He handed her the amulets, and they left.

    It left Tibs with Fedora, along with the guy who Tibs wished had found himself someone else to train him. At least, when Tibs leveled his gaze on him this time, the rogue blushed instead of making a lewd remarks.

    ¡°So?¡± Fedora said. ¡°Are you going to have us walk the crowd picking pockets as training until we¡¯re caught?¡± She hadn¡¯t quite forgiven him for Karl catching her. The guy looked at Tibs, worried.

    Tibs took out a knife, shaking his head as he looked at it. ¡°Not this time. This time, I¡¯m going to focus on helping you stay alive in the dungeon. And that starts with one of these.¡± He raised the knife. ¡°Don¡¯t bother with them. Get yourself a sword. I don¡¯t care what the teachers tell you about rogues only needing knives. These things aren¡¯t useful unless¡ª¡±

    The guy moved faster than Tibs could react and snatched the knife out of his hand. With a flick it was then flying, lodging itself in a box holding swords. Tibs looked at it. In the exact center of it, as far as he could tell. Tibs doubted that at this distance he¡¯d even hit the box.

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    The guy¡¯s smugness vanished as Tibs leveled his gaze back on him. ¡°Let me catch you stealing from me again, and it will cost you something.¡± He paused. ¡°Not your hand, you need that. But there are other parts you can do without.¡±

    Fedora snickered and Tibs tried to glare at her, but the guy¡¯s terrified expression and how his hands almost covered his crotch made it hard. Tibs hadn¡¯t even considered targeting that.

    ¡°You can keep using knives if you want,¡± he told the guy. ¡°Just remember that those you buy will be eaten by the dungeon after you throw them, unless they are made to resist that. Go to the Sword and Shield. Tell Darran I sent you. He sells the right kind for that.¡±

    Tibs looked around. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the rogue field. I can see how good you are with traps while me and Fedora get some knife fighting in, since as much as I hate the things, it¡¯s all I know how to use for now.

    * * * * *

    ¡°I am a horrible teacher,¡± Jackal said, then dug heartily into his meal.

    ¡°Perhaps you should teach them to fight with their fists,¡± Khumdar commented, ¡°instead of attempting to show them how to use a sword.¡±

    Jackal shook his head, chewing. ¡°Can¡¯t. None of them ever fought in the pits. Without that, they need an element for protection to survive. Even if all they do with the sword is swing wildly, that¡¯s going to increase their chances of surviving.¡± He paused. ¡°Okay, maybe I¡¯m not that bad of a teacher.¡±

    ¡°How are the archers?¡± Tibs asked Mez, who again looked annoyed.

    ¡°Horrible. I have no idea why they picked the bow. Neither ever touched one before coming here. I¡¯m surprised they survived their previous runs. Seems like anyone without training¡¯s been dying.¡±

    ¡°Range,¡± Jackal said between bites, then continued. ¡°Anyone smart stays as far from their enemies as they can.¡±

    Tibs joined the other in staring at the fighter, who was back to eating as if he hadn¡¯t said anything.

    ¡°What?¡± Jackal finally asked. Looking at them, trying not to grin. ¡°You guys know I¡¯m not smart.¡±

    ¡°How were your students?¡± Carina asked Tibs, after rolling her eyes at the fighter.

    Tibs sighed. ¡°The guy¡¯s asking to be eaten by the dungeon. He thinks that if I¡¯m his special guy, that¡¯s going to keep him alive.¡±

    ¡°It might,¡± Mez said under his breath.

    ¡°You have something to say?¡± Jackal demanded.

    The archer shook his head. ¡°Sorry. Been having a few bad days. Someone stole Amanda¡¯s family portrait. She¡¯s been demanding I do something about it, about you.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t take it,¡± Tibs protested.

    ¡°I know.¡± Mez rubbed his face. ¡°It¡¯s the one thing she considers of value she brought. Unlike what you think, Tibs, she doesn¡¯t care about riches. She had it painted before we left as something to remind her of what we¡¯d go back to once this is done.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come to us?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°And what would you have done?¡± Mez snapped, then sighed. He downed his tankard and motioned for another. ¡°You aren¡¯t the law. I went to Hard Knuckles, but never got to talk with him. I¡¯m not important enough.¡±

    Tibs sank in his seat, even if the accusation wasn¡¯t directed at him.

    Mez thanked the server. ¡°She isn¡¯t the only one to have lost something. Someone seems to be going through every noble¡¯s house and taking something especially significant to them. Not valuable in money, but sentiment. They are getting angry.¡± He sipped his tankard. ¡°But that is my problem, and I shouldn¡¯t let that affect how I behave. I apologize, Tibs.¡±

    Tibs forgot his embarrassment at the hint he was getting special treatment. Harry hadn¡¯t said anything about the value of what was taken, and Tibs had expected it to be in coins. The only reason Tibs could think for someone to take items people were emotionally attached to was to stir up trouble. If they were targeting nobles, they were looking to stir up really big troubles.

    ¡°What?¡± Tibs asked, looking at the others watching him.

    ¡°I said,¡± Jackal said, trying not to grin. ¡°What are you going to do now that you have a special guy?¡±

    Tibs glared at him. ¡°Feed him to the dungeon. Right after I talk with Kroseph about doing the same to you.¡±

    ¡°How about your friend, Fedora?¡± Carina asked over Jackal¡¯s laughter.

    ¡°She¡¯ll do better. She¡¯s angry at me right now, but that makes her work harder at proving she can do better than what I think. She¡¯s okay with traps and better than me with throwing knives¡ª¡± he glared at Mez, who choked on his ale.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t say anything,¡± the archer said between coughs, but then he was also fighting not to laugh.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Tibs admitted, ¡°every rogue¡¯s better than me at that. Still, I think she¡¯ll get to pick her element soon.¡±

    ¡°Can you tell when someone¡¯s ready?¡± Carina asked. ¡°You know.¡±

    Tibs shook his head and lowered his voice. ¡°I can tell the essence is stronger in people who aren¡¯t Runners, but I haven¡¯t noticed anything different in those who were taken to the guild.¡±

    ¡°Have there been a lot of them?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°I can¡¯t think of anyone I¡¯ve seen among the Omega fighters making it, but they¡¯re fighters; we do tend to die a lot.¡±

    ¡°I know of two sorcerers,¡± Carina said, ¡°but you¡¯re right, this group seems ill-prepared.¡±

    ¡°It is possible that it is happening too fast,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°As I have mentioned, there had not been a need to bring in new conscripts to a dungeon after the first group. As kingdoms want to gain favor with the guild, they will continue sending conscripts if requested, but they may be rounding up less experienced criminals, therefore less likely to survive.¡±

    ¡°And they are bringing in more,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°I suspect it will do little good,¡± the cleric replied.

    ¡°You speak as if you¡¯ve seen a lot of dungeons,¡± Mez said. ¡°Are they all as deadly as this one?¡±

    ¡°I have been to dungeon towns,¡± Khumdar corrected. ¡°But I have never investigated the level of deadliness of the dungeons. I was mostly busy remaining inconspicuous while finding ways to train.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just walk into this one?¡± Carina asked. ¡°I mean, walk into the town, not the dungeon.¡±

    Khumdar was slow in responding, and Tibs thought he was picking what would be true and what wouldn¡¯t. ¡°I did not have the funds to come. That was paid for me, both the passage through the platform and my admission as a Runner.¡±

    ¡°And what¡¯s your price?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°No one gives away something like this, and you said, back then, you also hadn¡¯t been given a choice.¡±

    ¡°I was given one,¡± the cleric said.

    ¡°Do this or die isn¡¯t much of a choice, as far as I¡¯m concerned.¡±

    Khumdar nodded, ¡°I¡­ do not know what they expect of me. I suspect they wished me to die while they could say they had nothing to do with it. Their situation regarding finding me was¡­ precarious.¡±

    They watched him, waiting for more, but Khumdar went back to eating. When he spoke, it was to ask. ¡°How are the sorcerers?¡±

    Carina gave him an annoyed glare before answering. ¡°Chom Sang has the knack for it. He¡¯s more efficient when he pulls the energy out of the amulet.¡±

    ¡°Does that translate into being a better sorcerer?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she answered, and Tibs stopped paying attention before trying to understand what she was saying gave him a headache.

    He also had something else to think about. Something his team couldn¡¯t help him with; as much as they would want to. No, what Tibs needed now was to speak with the other rogues in the town.

 Stepping up, Chapter 23

    Tibs crouched on the roof, looking at the others, and only seeing shapes in the faint light Claria provided. Getting up there had been an adventure, with the constant worry the corruption in his essence would make a hand, arm, or leg seize up and cause him to fall to his death. The last time he¡¯d had to take climbing a wall this slow was so long ago that he only remembered he had felt that same worry he experienced on this climb.

    And the same wonder, once he stood on the roof, looking at the expanse of other roofs stretching further than he could see. That had been why he¡¯d done it again and again, until going up a wall was as natural for him as walking along the shadows in an alley.

    The wonder was diminished now; Kragle Rock wasn¡¯t a city, so the roofs ended, instead of vanishing in the distance, and he¡¯d seen more wondrous things, like Water herself and the other elements. A mountain stretching so high he lost sight of it in the clouds, or could hardly see the streets and buildings as he looked down from it onto MountainSea.

    The sea¡­

    Bardik had mentioned his wonder at watching it, wanting to find out how far it went, what might be hidden there. Tibs understood that feeling. There was so much of it¡­

    There was so much of the world.

    Motion in the darkness.

    Tibs focused on it, two roofs over. It was gone, lost in the deeper darkness, but he could sense the essence in the Runner, along with the golden tint to it: Tandy.

    Except for Muller, the rogues Tibs had talked with had agreed to help him catch this thief that seemed determined to disrupt their quiet town. They¡¯d taken turns watching the nobles¡¯ neighborhoods from the roofs.

    The first thing they noticed were the guards the nobles had walking the streets. Mean-looking men and women in armor meant for combat, not for appearing respectable. Tibs had put on his best clothing and walked through the neighborhood to get a sense of them. Only one had an element, metal, and he thought she was Epsilon or Delta.

    In the time they had been watching, the thief struck twice, and Blazer nearly caught them before being tripped and sent off the roof. He wasn¡¯t dead but hadn¡¯t woken since, and because of the abyss-cursed rules, no cleric would touch him until it was his team¡¯s time in the dungeon, and then only if the team brought his unconscious form.

    Of course, they could pay for one of them to break the rules, even the clerics knew greed, but it wasn¡¯t like Tibs or the other rogues had the kind of gold a cleric would demand, so none of them had wasted time asking.

    What the sightings, along with the information Tibs received from Harry on the previous theft, told them was that the thief struck every fourth night. So tonight, one of the houses would be broken into, so five of them were spread throughout the roofs, waiting.

    * * * * *

    Maybe the thief knew they were there and wouldn¡¯t strike. It was what Tibs would do, once he found out people were after him. Break the pattern, let them exhaust themselves searching while he planned. It wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d be in a hurry if he only stole to hurt and disrupt the town.

    He¡¯d finally convinced Darran this thief wasn¡¯t someone deserving of being protected, and the merchant had asked around to the others like him, who weren¡¯t overly particular as to where an item had been obtained and told him that no one had bought anything that could come from a noble¡¯s home.

    There was the possibility the thief took what he stole away through the platform to sell in a city. But with how expensive traveling that way was, it would take away a lot of the coins that could be made selling valuables.

    And in Kragle Rock, if coins were the goal, there were better items to steal, especially from the nobles. Just one book would get him more coins than any painting done to have a way to look at their family.

    No, this was about causing his town problems, so the thief wouldn¡¯t strike now that¡ª

    The flash of fire was brief. The signal Radkliff had said he¡¯d give if he saw the thief. He was too far for Tibs to hope to be there on time, with how he needed to be careful, but as with the other two he could see, he moved toward the roof the other rogue was on.

    * * * * *

    Tibs was halfway there when he heard the commotion. He¡¯d wanted to be further along, but after nearly falling when a twinge in his leg had caused him to panic, he¡¯d forced himself to slow down even more. It hadn¡¯t been the corruption, just the normal not landing quite right, but because corruption was always at the back of his mind that was what he¡¯d thought, and because of that, he had nearly killed himself.

    There was a cry of ¡®fire¡¯, where he saw a form run away, then the fire was flaying about as Radkliff lost his balance. Tibs hoped he was okay and only hesitated a second before taking off after the fleeing shadow.

    The end of the roof approached and Tibs¡¯s steps staggered, but he forced himself to continue and jumped. He wouldn¡¯t make it. The hesitation had cost him the speed he needed. He pushed the panic down and thought through his options. He only had one. He sent the essence ahead of him.

    Water formed at the edge of the roof, extending it, then solidified as his foot touched it. He grinned at the solid footing it gave him. He needed to stop limiting what he did with his water, it could do more than simply keep traps from activating, or make water surfaces into ice. In fact¡­

    He sent more essence ahead of him, as he pulled what was behind back into his reserve, and evened out the slope of the roof, allowing him to run faster. When the next roof was in sight, he already knew he couldn¡¯t make the jump, but he kept running and took the leap. At the highest point, he sent water at an angle to the roof, and ran down it, picking up more speed.

    He saw the thief, and sensed them at the edge of his range. No element.

    Without having to worry about being able to make the jumps, Tibs took a more direct approach toward the thief, closing the too-long gaps between roofs with water.

    They were out of the nobles¡¯ neighborhood when the thief noticed him. The roofs were lower, but also closer, making it easier for Tibs to close the distance. Only a few roofs and he would be¡ª

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    He bit back the cry, as pain lanced up his leg and he fell. He threw water down, made it into ice as slippery as he could, like it was before he learned to take that aspect away, and adjusted its shape so he kept moving toward the thief as he fought against the corruption.

    He was never talking with it for this, he promised.

    He cursed as he lost speed despite how slippery the ice was, then realized he didn¡¯t have to, shouldn¡¯t let himself, be limited by what his body could do. So what if he couldn¡¯t run at the moment? He could alter the surface he was on.

    The water rose behind him, and Tibs was sliding down the newly made slope faster. He forced himself to his feet, favoring the weakened leg.

    He was catching up to the thief now. He would have them in a few¡ª

    They jumped down the roof and Tibs overshot them.

    He maneuvered the water around and tested his leg. The corruption was becoming more manageable. Good. He didn¡¯t want to see what the mix of water and ice he was using over the roofs would do to the building¡¯s walls if he had to keep sliding between them.

    He didn¡¯t see the thief as he set foot on the ground and turned the water he didn¡¯t reabsorb into mist. He didn¡¯t need to see them, there were few people out at this time of the night and Tibs still sensed their essence, as flimsy as it was.

    They were moving cautiously away from where Tibs was. He followed, choosing silence over speed. They were well inside his range and he could now tell they had nothing on them with essence.

    He controlled his glee. He¡¯d seen Cross take on fighters with essence and win. Thinking he was assured a win just because he had an element¡ªmultiple ¡ªwould make him overconfident. That thief had gotten away from Radkliff and Muller. Essence or not, they were good.

    When they stopped moving, Tibs continued, but more cautiously. They were inside a house.

    This part of the town was newly built, and most houses were unoccupied. They had two floors, so they would be more expensive. There were all sorts of rules about the houses, Carina and Jackal told him, but he¡¯d stopped them the instant the headache started. He didn¡¯t need to know why some larger houses in some part of the town cost less than smaller ones in others.

    He had his team¡¯s room, and that was more than enough for him.

    The thief was the only person within Tibs¡¯s range.

    He circled the house, studying it. No essence, so no magical defenses, but that left plenty of normal ones.

    He tested his leg¡ªthe corruption was back to the usual throb¡ªthen slowly climbed to the second-story window. He used essence to sense on the inside, and felt the string he couldn¡¯t see. It stretched through the room and connected to something too complex for Tibs to identify, but it had a point, and was pointed at the window.

    The window opened inward, so he iced the string in place, then made a shim to undo the latch. He slipped in and closed the window.

    The door to exit had another string attached to it, this one leading to a small bag suspended in the air. Opening it would cause the bag to dump out its content. Tibs didn¡¯t think that would be good. He carefully took it down and used the string to tie it securely before putting it in his own pouch.

    He cracked the door open, and a candle provided only enough light to cast too many shadows from the wooden boxes that were scattered in the hall. If Tibs couldn¡¯t sense people, he would think the thief had half a dozen of them hiding in there.

    He opened the door fully and looked at the item pointed at the window. There were parts of a bow attached to a wooden beam and the arrow was much thicker. A latch held the bowstring taut and connected to a lever.

    It was an odd contraption.

    He looked at the corridor and the barely visible floor. Interlocking wooden planks. So many ways a trigger could be hidden. Tibs smiled. At least he had ample experience with trapped floors.

    He spread a thin coating of water over the floor and hardened it. He didn¡¯t bother sensing for triggers under the floor, this wasn¡¯t about allowing others to follow him. He stepped into the corridor and listened. The only sound was someone moving below him.

    He ignored his curiosity as to what was in the boxes and spread air essence to feel tripwires in the shadows. All at floor level. Tibs smiled. This was easy. Even the first triggers on Sto¡¯s second floor were at varying heights.

    He stepped over them and reached the stairs. The ground floor had more lights, but also more shadows, from yet more wooden boxes. What was this thief doing with so many boxes? They couldn¡¯t all be to hide traps. They would get in the thief¡¯s way as much as anyone sneaking in.

    By the sounds, the thief was eating. So they wouldn¡¯t expect anyone. Even if they knew about essence and adventurers, as far as Tibs knew, he was the only one able to sense people.

    He smiled and decided to teach this thief a lesson.

    Don¡¯t get in the way, he warned the corruption, then leaped over the stairs and landed on the ground floor. He straightened, opened his mouth, then was throwing himself to the side as a knife flew through where he¡¯d been.

    So much for taking them unaware.

    ¡°You¡¯re a kid?¡± The thief asked, surprised. ¡°What are they doing sending a kid after me?¡±

    Tibs looked around the box he¡¯d landed behind, taking out his air knife. ¡°I¡¯m a rogue.¡± The man was standing behind the table, a knife in each hand. He didn¡¯t have a sword. Maybe they were right and thieves mostly used knives?

    ¡°Are you the one with the water that was chasing me?¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    The man Cliffled. ¡°A kid. I thought dungeons ate anyone not strong enough.¡±

    Tibs kept himself from replying. The conclusion seemed obvious to him, but if the thief didn¡¯t reach it, Tibs would enlighten him with more than words. He stood and threw the knife at the man, who moved aside even if the aim was off. At least, with this knife, Tibs didn¡¯t have to worry about how bad his aim was.

    With a flick of the hand and a bit of will, the knife changed direction mid-air and sunk into the man¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Maybe you shouldn¡¯t underestimate me just because I¡¯m younger than you.¡±

    The man looked to be Bardik¡¯s age, with long dark red hair held at his back. His face was long and his eyes were brown. His clothing was light black fabric, for ease of movement and difficulty of being seen on the roofs.

    With a snarl, the man threw a knife at Tibs, who used water to intercept it, then stepped forward, absorbing the water. The knife fell.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been stealing in my town. You¡¯ve been making the nobles angry on purpose. Why?¡±

    The man threw his other knife and Tibs caught it using water again.

    ¡°Because I was paid to do it.¡± He pulled the knife out of his shoulder and threw it at Tibs. It stopped within arm¡¯s reach. ¡°Fucking magic.¡±

    Tibs plucked the knife out of the air. ¡°Why would someone pay you to cause trouble in my town?¡±

    The man shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s not my business.¡±

    Tibs was almost within striking distance with a knife, and the man didn¡¯t move. Tibs stopped, trying to work out what he was up to.

    ¡°I want you to leave.¡±

    The man laughed. ¡°Kid, you can¡¯t afford my rates.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯m going to have the guards throw you out.¡±

    ¡°Like they can do anything. I¡¯ve been acting under their nose and not one of them even knows I¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°They will, when I hand you over to them.¡±

    ¡°So you work for the guard? I thought thieves were better than that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a rogue.¡±

    ¡°What you are is dead.¡± The man flung something, and Tibs had water splashing forward to catch it, only it wasn¡¯t a knife, but a small bag that broke open under the impact, then splashed in the man¡¯s face with the water.

    The man sputtered and wiped at his face, angry. Then saw what his hands were covered with and looked scared. With a scream, he lunged at Tibs, who side-stepped. Then the man was on the floor, between boxes, writhing in pain. His skin bubbled where the wet dust ran on it, and Tibs moved away, then forward, pushing his essence into the man, trying to stop what was happening, but it was eating away at the little essence there, and Tibs couldn¡¯t figure out how to stop it. It didn¡¯t attack his essence, but wrapping the man¡¯s in it also did nothing to slow it.

    When the last of the man¡¯s essence was eaten away, he became still. His face was pock-marked and blistered, his eyes ran with blood, and his expression made Tibs fight against throwing up.

    He couldn¡¯t be certain it was the same thing in the bag he¡¯d taken, but he wasn¡¯t taking a chance. He¡¯d stop by the pool of corruption as quickly as he could and throw it in. He didn¡¯t want anyone, not even himself, to have something that could cause the terror he was looking at on the man¡¯s face.

 Stepping up, Chapter 24

    Tibs was pleased. With himself, and the situation.

    The nobles had been put in their place by Harry returning the stolen items. They weren¡¯t happy about it, but they couldn¡¯t deny the guard leader did his job and did it well. There was only one item Harry hadn¡¯t returned, because Tibs had searched for it among the wooden boxes and handed Amanda¡¯s pictures to Mez for him to return it to his girl.

    Tibs wasn¡¯t happy about Mez picking her over Tandy, but the decision was Mez¡¯s, and as his friend and teammate, Tibs had to help him. So now Mez was his girl¡¯s hero.

    An unexpected side effect of the thief escaping the other rogues was that not even they knew Tibs was involved in stopping him. As far as the stories went, the success was entirely due to the guards¡¯ work. Harry didn¡¯t talk about it, which reinforced the idea he couldn¡¯t lie.

    And the pouch with the powder was destroyed. That was one temptation Tibs didn¡¯t have to worry about.

    His mood was so good, as he entered the inn, that it made the silence there hit harder.

    No one spoke.

    The inn was never silent. No, it had happened once, when Harry had appeared among them to scold Serba and scared everyone in the process. But this was different. Somber. The glances he caught were aimed at Pyan, alone at her table, head down, tankard held in both hands.

    He couldn¡¯t remember ever seeing her like that. Pyan was a bit like Jackal in that she was always loud, even when she was silent. He looked around for her team or Kroseph. Jackal¡¯s man always knew what was going on, but none of them were around.

    ¡°Pyan?¡± He asked once he was next to her.

    ¡°Go away,¡± she said without looking up from her tankard.

    ¡°Pyan, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°I said.¡± She looked up and glared at him. ¡°Go the fuck away.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Tibs wasn¡¯t leaving a friend with the pain he saw in her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Did someone fucking cut off your ears?¡± she demanded hatefully, getting to her feet. ¡°Leave me alone!¡±

    Tibs stepped back as her fist turned into metal with sharp edges, and a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Pyan,¡± Kroseph said, behind him. ¡°Tibs doesn¡¯t deserve this.¡±

    ¡°And I do!¡± she turned her hate on the server. ¡°He meant everything to me!¡±

    ¡°Pyan,¡± Kroseph said, tone understanding.

    ¡°No! You don¡¯t get to talk! Your man¡¯s made of stone. Mine wasn¡¯t! He¡­¡± She turned pale and tears started falling.

    Tibs pulled out of Kroseph¡¯s loose grip and hugged her as tightly as he could. She stiffened, and he tightened his hold in preparation for being pushed away. He wasn¡¯t letting her do that. She wouldn¡¯t suffer alone.

    He was going to have words with her team for deserting her when she needed them.

    ¡°Let go of me,¡± she ordered.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± she growled the warning.

    He looked up at her. ¡°I lost too many people I cared about to let you feel that pain alone. You can hit me if you want, but I¡¯m staying.¡±

    Her expression turned from angry to puzzled. Maybe he understood why the others had left. Pyan was scary when she got angry. But he¡¯d still talk with them. He wasn¡¯t leaving her, so they should have been strong enough to stay.

    The puzzlement broke as she sobbed and then held onto him hard enough he winced in pain. He said nothing. He just held her and let her cry.

    * * * * *

    Tibs ate alone.

    He wished his team was with him. After his time holding Pyan, he had tracked down her team and realized each of them was suffering just as much as she was, and instead of pulling together, each of them suffered alone.

    He could use the company right now, but Jackal was busy with Kroseph, so he didn¡¯t even have the server to talk with. Kroseph¡¯s brothers and sisters, as well as the townsfolk who worked at the inn, were nice, but he didn¡¯t have the history with them he shared with Kroseph, so it made opening up about how he felt harder.

    Carina was working with the surviving Omega sorcerer, while Khumdar was wherever he disappeared to when not with the team. Either off unearthing secrets or training. He had to have found someone to help him train.

    Mez was with his girl. From what he¡¯d seen of them walking about Merchant Row, she was still overjoyed Mez had found and returned her painting. Mez didn¡¯t look quite as pleased, and Tibs didn¡¯t understand his friend. How could he let honor keep him from being with the person he wanted to be with?

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Tandy was seated next to Pyan at their tables, along with the rest of their teammates. After suffering alone for a day, they had pulled back together, but they were still suffering. Watching them, Tibs reaffirmed his promise not to get involved with anyone. He would never put someone through what he was watching.

    He focused on his food.

    Food at the inn was always good, although Tibs didn¡¯t appreciate it as much as usual. The steak was tender and juicy, with just enough of a burned crust to enhance the taste. He thought Russel was cooking today. All of Kroseph¡¯s brothers at the inn knew how to cook, but Russel always made the meat taste better.

    ¡°Excuse me.¡±

    Tibs looked up, and on the other side of the table, an older man was watching him, hands resting on the golden handle of a cane of dark polished wood. He almost sneered at this noble, but every piece of clothing and jewelry was filled with woven essence.

    With what Tirania had told him of how magical items were made, how difficult it was for sorcerers to make them, and therefore how expensive they were, Tibs thought what the man wore had to be worth more than the entire town, not including the nobles.

    Tibs never included the nobles.

    The man¡¯s short-cropped hair was gray. His beard was a darker shade and hugged his jaw. His eyes were blue, the normal kind, and his face wrinkled with age.

    The jewelry was gold and silver, with precious gems of different colors in them. Necklace, earrings, bracelets, and pins on the green shirt of fabric so fine Tibs could probably buy a new armor if he sold it to the right merchant. The black overcoat was thick and looked warm, with gold threads glinting in the lamplight.

    ¡°Are you all there?¡± the man asked.

    Tibs looked down at himself. ¡°As far as I know.¡±

    Was there something with magic that let someone not be all in the same place? Probably. The stories said sorcerers could do just about anything.

    When he looked back, the man had an annoyed expression, then let out a sigh. And Tibs knew that for all the coin the man spent on dressing like a noble, it was an act. The sigh gave it away. Nobles didn¡¯t sigh, they sneered.

    Still, Tibs didn¡¯t care for the man. Who wanted to pass themselves off as a noble? Was he one of the merchants who¡¯d come with the caravan and decided to stay? Probably not. A man like this would have been talked about within hours of not leaving with the caravan. In the weeks since, he¡¯d have either been ridiculed or removed by the nobles. Tibs might not care for the man because he was pretending. But nobles hated no one more than those claiming to be one of them.

    He must be one from another city, then.

    ¡°Do you know a man going by the name of Jackal? I¡¯m told this is the table he eats at.¡±

    What did a merchant from some other town want with Jackal? Tibs hid his suspicion. Jackal sold the loot they got out of Sto to Darran, so this wasn¡¯t someone who knew him through business. Unless he was here looking to take coins away from their merchant? If Jackal knew someone like that from before, he would have talked about it. And it would have been from his time in the pits.

    Maybe that was why the man was here? He¡¯d heard of Jackal¡¯s fighting and wanted to¡­ watch him fight? Pay him to fight? Buy him from the guild so he would fight for him? Nobles did that, buy fighters to entertain them. Kroseph had explained that was in part how the arena in MountainSea came about.

    The man was out of luck. The guild wouldn¡¯t let Jackal go, and there were no fights a merchant could make coins from in his town. Harry barely allowed them those passing as training; if coins changed hands during them, he¡¯d throw everyone involved in the cells. At best, the man would have to settle for the bar fights. Tibs suspected not all of them happened by accident, and he¡¯d seen coins being exchanged afterward.Harry could only catch those who had organized it in a lie. Anyone else, simply taking advantage of the situation would be fine.

    The man sighed again. ¡°Clearly, you aren¡¯t all there.¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± Tibs replied.

    ¡°Then how about you answer me?¡± The man¡¯s tone had an edge to it. Not the threat of a noble who thought he could have Tibs arrested with a word. This was more like a knife in the shadows of the night.

    Tibs considered what to say. ¡°I know him.¡±

    It was best if he dealt with this. Jackal wasn¡¯t great with hidden knives, and he had to know it was coming to turn to stone.

    ¡°Where is he?¡±

    ¡°Busy with his man.¡±

    ¡°A man?¡± The man¡¯s face turned to disdain. ¡°Of course, he¡¯d do that to me.¡±

    Tibs raised an eyebrow. The man was too old for Jackal. Tibs hadn¡¯t known Jackal before he was with Kroseph, but he¡¯d talked about previous times, and they were always with guys his age. Or rough, from the pits. He¡¯d tried to explain why guys in the pit went to each other, but Tibs had walked out. Jackal knew Tibs didn¡¯t care about those stories, but it amused him to tell them, anyway.

    Maybe this was someone who was interested in making Jackal his special man, even if his friend didn¡¯t know it? But they¡¯d have to have known about him before the dungeon, and if that was the case, wouldn¡¯t they have taken Jackal out of the cell before he was sent here? Jackal had said he¡¯d been in the cell a few days before being brought to Kragle Rock. Buying a man¡¯s freedom was a good way to ensure he felt you were special, even if it wasn¡¯t the same kind of special.

    ¡°Get your mind out of there,¡± the man ordered, and Tibs forced his face back to neutral. ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m here for. What are you that you¡¯d even think that?¡±

    Tibs shrugged.

    ¡°When is he going to be done?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be awhile.¡± Tibs grinned. ¡°He and his man have a lot of energy.¡± At least when the two of them went to have their them time, they were always gone for a long time.

    The man¡¯s disgust became even more pronounced. He looked around the inn and his expression didn¡¯t improve. ¡°When he¡¯s done, tell him I¡¯m looking for him.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Tibs cut a piece of his now cool steak.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask for my name?¡±

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll tell him the guy trying too hard to pass off as a noble is looking for him.¡± He smiled. ¡°He might be done before the actual nobles here find out about you.¡±

    The man¡¯s face turned crimson, and he slammed his cane on the table as he rested his hand on it and leaned forward.

    ¡°I would watch my tongue if I were you, boy.¡±

    Tibs shrugged and bit the piece of meat off the end of his knife without looking away from the man. Not grinning was difficult, but worth it for how the man¡¯s face turned an even deeper shade of red.

    ¡°You will tell Jackal¡ª¡± He made the name sound like a curse ¡°¡ªthat Sebastian Wells is demanding to see him.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Tibs said as he chewed.

    The man leaned forward even more. ¡°Do not think to play with me, boy. I will see my son.¡± Tibs froze for only a second, but that was enough to make the man smile. ¡°Good, at least he told you who he is.¡± He straightened and placed the cane before him again. ¡°Therefore, you know what I¡¯m capable of. Consider that, before you decide to show me disrespect again.¡±

    He turned and walked out, with everyone in the inn watching.

    Tibs wondered if Jackal¡¯s father being here was enough to interrupt what he and Kroseph were doing, then shrugged and went back to eating. It could wait. Interrupting them meant he¡¯d have to see what they were up to, and Tibs could do without that.

 Stepping up, chapter 25

    ¡°Did you know?¡± Jackal yelled as he stormed into the guard leader''s ¨D his uncle¡¯s ¨D office.

    Tibs didn¡¯t want to be here, but Jackal had insisted. Other than breaking one of Harry¡¯s rules and hoping he¡¯d be dragged to his office instead of thrown into a cell, Tibs was the only way that Jackal could think of to be allowed onto the floors where those in charge had their offices.

    Tibs hadn¡¯t expected it to work, hadn¡¯t wanted it to work, even if he wanted to help his friend, but helping Harry had come at the cost of more special treatment.

    The guard leader¡¯s expression darkened as he looked up from what he was reading.

    ¡°Of course I did.¡±

    He turned the look at Tibs, who crossed his arms and stared back. Maybe helping Jackal get in would finally get them to stop with the special treatment.

    ¡°Then why haven¡¯t you thrown his ass out of here?¡± Jackal demanded, stepping to the desk.

    Tibs had told Jackal about his father¡¯s visit as soon as he and Kroseph were back from their them time. He almost hadn¡¯t. He and Kroseph had looked so happy, arms around each other¡¯s waist and Jackal nuzzling and whispering things to his man that had him blush. It was sickening, but in a good way. But Jackal needed to know, and wouldn¡¯t thank him for more delay.

    The change had been immediate: disbelief, fear, and then anger.

    ¡°Because my brother hasn¡¯t broken any of my rules.¡± Harry answered.

    ¡°You know why he¡¯s here!¡±

    ¡°To see you.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit!¡± Jackal spat. ¡°He wants the guild, just like the one before him. The one that got you in here.¡±

    Harry shook his head. ¡°He has no interest in the guild or the dungeon,¡± he stated.

    ¡°I asked him,¡± he added, voice hard, as Jackal opened his mouth.

    ¡°And you believe him?¡± Jackal asked in disbelief.

    ¡°Careful what you¡¯re implying, Jackie-boy.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not implying a fucking thing! I¡¯m telling you, you¡¯re an idiot for believing anything my father says.¡±

    ¡°I am light,¡± Harry said through clenched teeth as he got to his feet. ¡°No one gets away with lying to me.¡±

    ¡°If there¡¯s one person who¡¯d find a way, it¡¯s him!¡± Jackal snapped back.

    ¡°No one,¡± Harry growled.

    ¡°Jackal,¡± Tibs said, grabbing the fighter¡¯s arm. This was devolving. ¡°Maybe we¡ª¡±

    ¡°How does he even know I¡¯m here?¡± Jackal yelled, pulling his arm away. ¡°My sister told him, didn¡¯t she?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Serba said, stepping into the office. Tibs looked for her dogs, but none were there.

    ¡°You¡¯re lying,¡± Jackal said dismissively without turning.

    ¡°She isn¡¯t,¡± Harry replied. ¡°You think I kept her here because I enjoy having family around?¡±

    ¡°And did you bother keeping her from sending messages to him?¡± Jackal countered.

    ¡°You know, Jackie,¡± she said with a sigh, ¡°I usually find your paranoia amusing, but come on, I¡¯m no happier with Dad being here than you are.¡±

    Jackal glared at her over his shoulder. ¡°Really? Little Miss will-do-anything-to-be-Daddy¡¯s-pet isn¡¯t happy to see him?¡±

    Tibs stepped between the two as Serba took a step forward.

    ¡°Enough!¡± Harry yelled, and the word slammed into Tibs with what felt like a physical force. Tibs stared at the guard leader, trying to understand how he¡¯d done that. Light couldn¡¯t be solid, could it?

    The siblings kept glaring at each other, silently.

    ¡°Did you come here for another reason than to make my life difficult, Serba?¡± Harry demanded.

    ¡°Saw him storm his way in here, so I figured I should keep an eye on what he was doing. I didn¡¯t plan on stepping in until he accused me of being the reason Dad¡¯s here. And to make one thing clear," she added to Jackal, "I didn¡¯t even know he was here until you yelled it for everyone to hear. Unlike you, he didn¡¯t bother seeking me out.¡±

    Jackal rolled his eyes.

    ¡°Then you can go back to your station,¡± Harry said, ¡°which you shouldn¡¯t have left. I¡¯m dealing with Jackie-boy.¡±

    ¡°Uncle¨D¡± Serba stopped at the glare. ¡°Sir. As much as I hate to agree with my brother, if my Dad¡¯s here, there¡¯s a plan beyond seeing how much Jackie missed him.¡±

    Harry looked from one sibling to the other in exasperation. ¡°How is it neither of you think I know my brother?¡±

    ¡°When¡¯s the last time you saw him?¡± Jackal asked without looking away from his sister.

    ¡°Hours ago. When I watched him arrive on the platform and demanded to know why he was here?¡±

    ¡°Before that, obviously,¡± Jackal said, breaking the staring contest to look at Harry. ¡°I never saw you visit while I still had to live there, and my father complained about you often enough, I know you didn¡¯t visit while I wasn¡¯t looking. So he was what, my age, younger, the last time you saw him?¡±

    Harry kept glaring.

    ¡°Do you really think you know the kind of man he became in all those years?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°I know the kind of men who grow up to rule our family,¡± Harry replied darkly.

    ¡°And you still let him into town?¡±

    ¡°He hadn¡¯t broken my rules,¡± Harry said through clenched teeth.

    Jackal sighed. ¡°And you think you¡¯ll know if he does?¡±

    ¡°I have guards watching him.¡±

    Jackal¡¯s expression turned to disbelief. ¡°You have people watching him. Like he isn¡¯t already used to that. Do you know how many of the nobility back home¡¯s tried to insert people into the household, and how quickly they either vanished or switched to working for him? And the nobility paid their people extremely well. How much do you pay the guards? Considering how many I recognized from before I was brought here. How many do you think are loyal to him instead of you?¡± He searched his uncle¡¯s unreacting face. ¡°Come on, tell me you aren¡¯t that stupid.¡±

    ¡°Jackie-boy,¡± Harry growled.

    ¡°What?¡± Jackal snapped. ¡°My father¡¯s in town. You think you can scare me now?¡± He rested his hands on the desk and leaned close to the guard leader. ¡°My father¡¯s been here a few hours now. How many guards didn¡¯t report for duty?¡±

    Harry didn¡¯t react, but Tibs saw the concern on Serba¡¯s face.

    ¡°Harry.¡± Jackal paused. ¡°Uncle. You have to get my father out of here before things turn bad.¡±

    Harry eyed Jackal suspiciously. ¡°He hadn¡¯t broken my rules.¡±

    Jackal laughed bitterly. ¡°Of course he has. He¡¯s here. My father has never followed any rules but his own, and only when those benefit him.¡±

    ¡°Get out,¡± Harry growled.

    ¡°Sir,¡± Serba started.

    ¡°All of you! That¡¯s an order!¡±

    Tibs felt something urge him to the door, as if something inside him; as if his essence was trying to move him. He exited with Jackal and Serba, but kept watching the now tired-looking guard leader as he dropped into his chair. Harry looked up, saw him, and with a growl, there was a flash of light and the door slammed shut.

    ¡°Jackie,¡± Serba said, but the fighter ignored her. ¡°Jackal,¡± she called, and that made him stop and turn. ¡°We need to work together. Uncle isn¡¯t going to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Fuck off, Serba. I¡¯m not giving you a chance to spy for him.¡± Jackal turned, missing his sister¡¯s darkening expression.

    ¡°Jackal,¡± Tibs said once he caught up to him. ¡°I think she can¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, she can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°I think she¡¯s honest about how she feels about¡ª¡±

    Jackal stopped and grabbed his arm. ¡°Tibs, I trust five people in this town, in the whole fucking world. Any more than that, and I¡¯m giving my father an invitation to get in our room and either plant a knife in me while I sleep or steal me and bring me back home.¡±

    Tibs nodded. He couldn¡¯t force Jackal to let someone else help.

    As soon as they were outside, Jackal was looking around in what Tibs suspected the fighter thought was a discreet manner.

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    ¡°Stop it. You¡¯re telling everyone watching that you¡¯re searching for someone. I know what your father looks like. I¡¯ll tell you if I see him.¡±

    Jackal let out a breath. ¡°He isn¡¯t who I¡¯m looking for. There¡¯s a handful of people my father never travels without. It¡¯s one of them I want to spot before they spot me.¡±

    ¡°Then you need to pay better attention,¡± a man said, stepping out of the shadowed alley they were walking by.

    Tibs reached for his essence, placing a hand on his knife, even as he recognized him as one of the guards, but unlike the others, while he wore the green and black, he favored the black.

    He was an archer, didn¡¯t have essence, and the last time Tibs had noticed him was when he¡¯d shot a Runner who tried to escape the town using a fake bracelet. Jackal had recognized him then. Been afraid Tibs would call him out on it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for you,¡± Jackal replied and kept walking.

    ¡°Make the time, Jackal. Your father¡¯s here.¡±

    The fighter rounded on the archer. ¡°I know that. Why haven¡¯t you killed him already? Isn¡¯t that why the king placed you in his service?¡±

    ¡°The king doesn¡¯t do assassinations. How do you even know he¡¯s who I work for?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d be amazed at who you run into in the pits and what they know. What do you want?¡± Jackal asked tiredly.

    The archer looked at Tibs. ¡°I don¡¯t think you want Mister Light Fingers here for this conversation.¡±

    ¡°Feel free to tell him to leave,¡± Jackal said, then smirked. ¡°And good luck getting him to do it.¡±

    Tibs crossed his arms over his chest.

    With an annoyed shake of the head, the man motioned for the alley he¡¯d stepped out of. When Jackal followed him in, Tibs went along, sensing further for anything out of place.

    Once they were out of easy hearing range, the archer leaned against the wall.

    ¡°Well?¡± Jackal asked when the man didn¡¯t immediately start speaking.

    ¡°My orders are to help your father bring you back.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°I¡¯m with Tibs, that¡¯s not happening.¡±

    The archer nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve watched you enough to know that.¡±

    ¡°How does the king even know about me?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°I¡¯m just a pit fighter.¡±

    The archer laughed. ¡°That is the least of what you are. As for how he knows, that isn¡¯t something I¡¯m privy to.¡± He shrugged. ¡°But if I had to guess, I¡¯d say not all those people who you met in the pits were there by accident.¡±

    Jackal rubbed his face. ¡°Please tell me a man like him doesn¡¯t believe that story my father made up.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why he¡¯s interested in you, Jackal, and I¡¯m not going to share my suspicions.¡±

    Jackal cursed softly. ¡°I don¡¯t need this. Why is my father here? Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s just to bring me home. I¡¯m not that important to him.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not one of the people your father explains himself to. But I¡¯m guessing you already have ideas.¡±

    ¡°Fine. What are you going to do?¡±

    ¡°The strict minimum I have to, so I can say I¡¯ve followed my orders. That means you can¡¯t count on me to keep the worst of your problems off your back anymore.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    The archer sighed. ¡°Your father considers you important, Jackal. My employer considers you important. Do you think there¡¯s anyone back home who isn¡¯t aware of that?¡±

    Jackal¡¯s eyes widened, and he looked around as if he expected creatures to jump out from the shadows. ¡°Who is here?¡±

    ¡°No one you¡¯d know.¡± The archer smiled. ¡°But then again. Those were never circles you were interested in being part of.¡± He pushed himself from the wall and headed deeper into the alley. ¡°Watch his back for me, Light Fingers. I¡¯m one of the few people who¡¯s hoping he¡¯ll survive all this.¡±

    Tibs made to follow him, but Jackal stopped him. ¡°Don¡¯t. He isn¡¯t going to tell you anything more.¡±

    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s going to meet with your father?¡±

    ¡°He isn¡¯t. Fuck!¡± Jackal punched the wall. ¡°I thought all those people picking fights were just because they were jealous of how awesome I am.¡± He glanced at Tibs, who raised an eyebrow. ¡°Not buying it either?¡±

    ¡°There isn¡¯t enough coin in the entire town to make me want to. I thought it was the guards. You said they came from your city.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s been plenty of those, but also just strangers using stupid excuses to start fights. I never minded it, before now.¡± He sighed.

    ¡°Who do they work for?¡±

    ¡°Enemies of my father. And he has a lot of those.¡±

    ¡°You should ask Khumdar what he knows about him, and those fights.¡±

    Jackal frowned. ¡°Why would he know about those?¡±

    ¡°Darkness likes secrets,¡± Tibs said. He wasn¡¯t revealing anything the fighter wouldn¡¯t have figured out if he paid attention to the cleric. ¡°I got him to look into the ones the people in the town have, when he was being too curious about you and Carina.¡±

    ¡°He could just have asked,¡± Jackal said and Tibs snorted. ¡°I¡¯ll ask him.¡±

    ¡°In the meantime,¡± Tibs said, ¡°I need to teach you how to be subtle.¡±

    Jackal took a step back in surprise. ¡°Look at me Tibs. Nothing can make this subtle.¡±

    ¡°Only because you work so damned hard at getting everyone to notice you.¡±

    Jackal grinned with pride, and Tibs couldn¡¯t help it. He burst out laughing.

    * * * * *

    Jackal stiffened, a spoon of stew on its way to his lips, and Tibs raised a hand, looking around and spotting Jackal¡¯s father in the process of locating Kroseph. When he had his attention, he raised his tankard and motioned to the table.

    Tibs had looked around town in the hours since the conversation with the archer but hadn¡¯t found him again, or anyone looking out of place who might want to kill his friend. There were always strangers, nobles and wealthy people mainly coming from the platform to visit, so the less respectable ones stood out, but they had been there to see merchants.

    Sebastian scanned the room, his gaze slowing only twice, at tables with guards seated there.

    Khumdar watched Jackal intently, while Mez and Carina continued eating, unaware anything was wrong.

    Tibs had hoped they¡¯d have longer before this encounter. That he could find out more. He didn¡¯t know if Jackal had talked with Khumdar. The look could be nothing more than the cleric sensing secrets increasing.

    Jackal started when Kroseph placed the tankards on the table, causing the server to first look at his man, then the direction he¡¯d been looking into, but nothing caught his attention. Hadn¡¯t Jackal told him? Tibs considered this when Kroseph raised an eyebrow and nodded at the fighter, then shook his head. Even if Tibs thought it was his place to explain this, he didn¡¯t have the time.

    He was so going to kick Jackal in the shin for keeping this from Kroseph.

    Jackal¡¯s demeanor shifted as his father approached the table. All signs of worries melted away, replaced with his usual easy smile, and his body relaxed. Tibs had seen this act often. Jackal was good at hiding his worries behind being the brainless buffoon.

    This time Carina noticed something was off, but before she could ask, Sebastian stood between her and Mez.

    ¡°I guess it was too much to expect your¡­¡± He indicated Tibs with a dismissive wave of the hand. ¡°Whatever he is, to have told you I was looking for you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, he did,¡± Jackal replied, ¡°but you¡¯ve come all this way already. Why make the rest of your journey any easier?¡± He drank while looking over the man. ¡°You look like shit. The king¡¯s making your life hard? Or did you piss off one of your so numerous allies¡­ again?¡±

    Carina and Mez turned to look at the man between them, and the archer¡¯s behavior immediately changed, responding to how Sebastian was dressed, while Carina studied him.

    The man was in the same green and black, with gold and red trim as when Tibs had seen him earlier in the day. And if his essence woven jewelry radiated light instead of essence, Tibs would be blinded.

    ¡°You¡¯d know,¡± Sebastian replied, ¡°if you¡¯d stayed home like you were supposed to.¡±

    Jackal Cliffled. ¡°That wasn¡¯t going to happen.¡± He motioned to the room. ¡°This is a happy accident. There were days when I hoped to die in the pits, you know. To make sure you¡¯d never bother me again. But you have to make the best of what the abyss hands out, right?¡±

    ¡°Who is this?¡± Carina asked cautiously.

    ¡°This,¡± Jackal said in a dismissive town, ¡°is the man behind just about every problem to plague the city back home. Would-be noble, master of crime. The silver-tongued Sebastian Wells.¡± He paused, raising the tankard to his lips, then, as if in an afterthought, added. ¡°My father.¡± He took a long drink.

    Sebastian¡¯s face darkened, and Tibs thought he looked like an older Harry for a second. ¡°You will speak to me with respect, boy.¡±

    ¡°If you want me to address you with respect,¡± Jackal said, ¡°you¡¯re going to have to go away and never come back.¡± He paused in the process of taking another sip. ¡°Nope, not going to help. I can¡¯t even think about you respectfully.¡± He took a quick sip. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    The question seemed to startle the man out of his mounting anger. ¡°What do you mean?¡± He looked at those at the table as if they¡¯d have an answer for him. ¡°You vanished years ago. I thought you¡¯d been stolen from me. I waited for one of our enemies to make demands for your return. Then I was filled with despair as I realized that maybe they¡¯d just killed you and destroyed your body, so I¡¯d never know for certain what had happened. What did you think I¡¯d do the instant I found out you¡¯re alive, but a prisoner of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild? Did you think I¡¯d just let them turn you into food for their pet dungeon?¡±

    Tibs almost believed him. If he hadn¡¯t talked with him only hours before, seen the anger in his eyes when talking about Jackal, or heard what the mysterious archer had said, Tibs could have believed this was about rescuing his friend.

    ¡°So this is what?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°You bravely coming to my rescue?¡±

    ¡°Of course! They had no right to take you from me I¡¯m sure that¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh, cut it out.¡± Jackal¡¯s exclamation only surprised Mez, who seemed taken in by the story. Carina had grown more suspicious the more Sebastian spoke. ¡°You know I wasn¡¯t taken. I ran away twice before I managed to lose myself in the city to the point the people you owned couldn¡¯t find me before I knew they were coming.¡±

    ¡°Jack¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking finish that name,¡± Jackal snarled. ¡°It¡¯s Jackal.¡±

    Sebastian snorted, and Tibs saw through the act. For an instant, the disdain was clear, then he was the concerned father again.

    ¡°I¡¯m hurt you think so little of me.¡±

    Jackal rolled his eyes. ¡°Not even that much. Hadn¡¯t thought about you until I found out you were here, then did everything I could to drown those in ale. So feel free to be even more hurt. I can always dream it¡¯ll be enough you¡¯ll never want to see me again.¡±

    ¡°Why would you want me to ever feel that way toward you?¡± Sebastian asked, hurt.

    Jackal¡¯s smile turned nasty. ¡°Because I know how you deal with the people you never want to see again. And I know how to deal with people coming at me with intent to kill.¡±

    Sebastian was still. The inn was silent, and he¡¯s only now noticed, Tibs realized.

    ¡°Son.¡± Sebastian swallowed, seemed to search for words. ¡°Son, I am sorry you ever felt I mistreated you. All I wanted was for you to be prepared for the future that waits for you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll be happy to know I am prepared, then.¡± Jackal smiled warmly. ¡°The guild trained me well for my future, running the dungeon. I even have a team and a town.¡±

    ¡°A team.¡± Sebastian smiled. ¡°The one you¡­ lead.¡± It was malicious, and Jackal froze.

    Carina tried to help. ¡°He¡¯s a great leader.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t say.¡± Sebastian¡¯s smile bloomed into an evil grin, puzzling her.

    ¡°He¡ª¡±

    Jackal placed a hand on her arm and shook his head.

    ¡°You¡¯ve had your fun, father. The guild doesn¡¯t relinquish what it owns. It doesn¡¯t matter how much you threaten them. So you can go home and rule over those miscreants you enjoy so much.¡±

    Sebastian looked surprised, but the grin only intensified. ¡°Leave? But I¡¯ve only just found you again. You can¡¯t ask that I leave so soon. I mean, I only just paid for a nice little house by the noble¡¯s area, so I¡¯d be close to you again, son.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Jackal¡¯s bravado broke with that whispered denial. ¡°No.¡± He repeated more forcefully. ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± His hand shook before he closed it into a fist.

    Sebastian sighed. The sound of a man admitting defeat. ¡°You, Jackal, should know better than anyone that I most certainly can.¡±

    Mez looked between the two, then stood, smoothing his expensive clothing. ¡°Sir,¡± he said, his voice filled with respect. ¡°I think it¡¯s best if you leave.¡±

    Sebastian looked at Mez as if he only now realized the archer was there, looked him over, studying what he wore, how different he looked from the others at the table.

    At another table, Pyan stood too, then Aaruh at another one. As they were a threat, two of the guards also stood, hand on their sword.

    Kroseph¡¯s father stepped to their table from the bar. ¡°Sir,¡± he said, but with no more respect than he used for customers he liked, ¡°you¡¯re disrupting my customer¡¯s meal. I¡¯d appreciate it if you left. I¡¯m sure that whatever you and Jackal have to discuss can be resolved at a later time, and elsewhere.¡±

    Sebastian looked the innkeeper over, then smiled. ¡°Of course, my good man.¡± He was all joviality now. ¡°I¡¯d never think of disrupting such a vital business. You have my apologies. Jackal, I will seek you at a later time. Or, if you want to hurry this, you can find me at my new home.¡± He took a coin and handed it to Kroseph¡¯s father. ¡°For the disruption I caused.¡± Tibs saw enough of it as it changed hands to tell it was gold.

    Jackal opened his mouth, but the two men were leaving in their respective directions.

    Kroseph joined them. ¡°Are you okay? Is that really your father?¡±

    Jackal nodded and looked from one departing man to the other. ¡°Kro, I really wish your dad hadn¡¯t stepped in.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s what he does. We can¡¯t let things like this happen. It¡¯s not good for business.¡± He smiled at Jackal¡¯s worried expression. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my dad¡¯s used to dealing with MountainSea City officials.¡±

    ¡°Kro. Your dad has no idea how vindictive my father is.¡± He looked at his man intently. ¡°No one does.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 26

    Tibs looked around for any of Serba¡¯s dogs as they headed to the board listing the orders the teams were going in. The day before, one of the dogs had been found before the guards¡¯ barracks, its throat sliced open. It was the big one, the one with ash-colored fur, that was always growling to anyone other than Serba and Tibs.

    Tibs had wanted to go to her; she loved her dogs, and he didn¡¯t want her to go through the pain alone. But he didn¡¯t know where she was. The guards he¡¯d asked didn¡¯t know either.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Carina called, indicating the board.

    He scanned it. Recognizing how his name was written was simple now. ¡°We¡¯re the third to last team.¡±

    ¡°Where you belong,¡± a sneering Don said, walking away from the board. Finding his name was also easy. Tibs looked at the start of the list, right under the noble teams, and there was Don¡¯s name. First of the Runners to go in. Some of the other teams were talking about giving the guild coins again, just so they could shut up the corruption sorcerer.

    ¡°It gives us more time to train,¡± Jackal said, looking at the board. ¡°Pyan¡¯s not on there.¡±

    Tibs bit his lower lip. ¡°Do you think she joined another team instead of finding someone to replace¡­¡± He swallowed.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t spoken with Tandy,¡± Carina said. ¡°She¡¯s been avoiding me since¡­¡± She looked at Mez, then shrugged.

    Mez sighed. ¡°I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Explained things to her,¡± Carina cut him off. ¡°I know. Unfortunately, words don¡¯t do much for a broken heart.¡±

    Pain crossed Mez¡¯s face, then he forced it away into something resembling neutrality.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Jackal said, turning away. ¡°Let¡¯s go find her. If nothing else, Pyan always feels better after hitting me.¡±

    ¡°Is that an offer that could be made to Tandy?¡± Khumdar asked as they followed the fighter.

    Jackal frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t think she enjoys punching me.¡±

    ¡°I meant Mez,¡± the cleric said.

    ¡°Tandy uses a knife,¡± Tibs pointed out. Unlike him, she was quite good with hers.

    ¡°That¡¯d be cathartic,¡± Carina said, smiling at the archer, who only looked away.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know that word.¡± It didn¡¯t even sound like any of the words Tibs knew.

    ¡°It is the action of improving oneself through a painful experience,¡± Khumdar explained.

    ¡°But Mez will be the one feeling the pain. How is that going to help Tandy?¡±

    The cleric smiled. ¡°The word doesn¡¯t state who needs to feel the pain, so the person will improve.¡±

    ¡°Or,¡± Carina said, ¡°maybe Mez is the one who needs to improve.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Jackal said, as Mez let out an exasperated sigh. ¡°Mez has duties, and he¡¯s holding to them. I might think he¡¯s doing a shitty job, but I¡¯m going to respect his decision.¡±

    ¡°That is not as helpful as you think it is,¡± Mez replied, eying the fighter suspiciously.

    Jackal grinned. ¡°It¡¯s exactly as helpful as I want it to be.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs was looking for Serba when he noticed the smoke. Smoke in the air was common enough it barely registered, but this was thick, black, and smelled of more than burning wood. As soon as he ran in its direction he saw it, raising over buildings, and quickly he could tell it came from Merchant Row.

    Fire was bad. Fire was hungry for a lot of stuff, mostly wood, which was what the shops were made of, as well as most other buildings in Kragle Rock. He pushed his way through the crowd filling the street, pocketing a handful of copper in the process. Guards kept everyone from moving past the center, and behind them, the clothier¡¯s shop burned.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the water brigade?¡± the shop owner demanded of the impassive guard. Tibs only knew the man by sight. The clothes he sold were too fancy for his taste.

    ¡°They¡¯re coming,¡± the guard replied, tone hard.

    ¡°The wagon¡¯s broken!¡± yelled a guard further down. ¡°Just got the word.¡±

    The shopkeeper crumbled, and the guard stepped away, disgusted.

    ¡°Do something,¡± the woman who caught the shop owner told the guard.

    ¡°Not my job,¡± he replied.

    ¡°We should¡ª¡± another guard started, but stopped as he was glared at.

    ¡°Not our job,¡± the first guard stated. ¡°Our orders are to keep anyone from approaching so they won¡¯t get hurt. Anything else, someone else can deal with it.¡±

    Tibs was going to have words with Harry once he¡¯d dealt with this. The fire was getting close to the jeweler on the left, pushed by the wind. He stepped around the guard.

    ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t go there,¡± the guard said, reaching for him. Tibs sidestepped the hand, moving closer. Taking control of the fire would be the simplest way to stop this, but he didn¡¯t have enough essence for something this large. By the time he pulled enough from the fire itself, it would have spread to the next building and be even larger.

    He¡¯d have to be the water brigade.

    He pushed water essence to the fire, but it was pushed back. Too much fire for it to get in. He¡¯d need something more forceful. He needed to treat the fire as one of the dungeon creatures.

    He took out his knife, but before he started, a hand grabbed him and pulled him away.

    ¡°Get back with the others,¡± the guard ordered. ¡°I¡¯m not going to have you get hurt on my watch.¡±

    Cursing, Tibs coated his arms with water, causing the man¡¯s grip to slip. He ducked under the next attempt, tempted to use an attack to force the guard away ¡ª but Harry wouldn¡¯t like that.

    ¡°Someone keep him away,¡± he called to the crowd. ¡°My element¡¯s water. I¡¯m going to put the fire out.¡±

    Cross stepped out of the group and grabbed the guard by the arm. ¡°Why don¡¯t you let the kid try?¡±

    The man put a hand on his sword and he turned to face her. ¡°Unhand me, or I will¡ª¡±

    ¡°I would love to see you try,¡± she replied. Then Tibs forced them and everyone else out of his mind.

    He only had one attack that had a chance of helping here. More attacks. He had to ask Alistair for more kinds of attacks using water.

    He traced the ¡®X¡¯ with his knife, etching the needed essence in the air as he grabbed his amulet. For once, it contained the essence he needed. He was going to have to push as much essence in the attack as he could. This was like shattering the crystal sphere, only so much bigger. He couldn¡¯t afford to get drained.

    He pulled essence to him before he stabbed the center of the ¡®X¡¯ unleashing his attack, then he fought the torrent trying to drain him not by restricting it, but by pulling more essence in, trying to keep pace with it building it as large as possible, larger than he¡¯d ever done.

    When his control broke, it wasn¡¯t because he¡¯d run out of essence: there simply had been too much for him to hold in the point where the knife touched the ¡®X¡¯, and he dropped to a knee, panting as the jet of water flew at and through the fire.

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    Unlike with the crystal sphere, instead of continuing beyond the target once it shattered, the water exploded from within the fire. Tibs stared, trying to understand how it had happened as water and steam covered everything.

    Cheers rose, then turned to horror as the water was burned to mist and then away by the fire quickly coming back to life.

    Cursing, Tibs pushed himself to his feet, pulling water essence into the amulet. He needed to do it again, and this time he had to make it larger, hold on to the essence longer.

    ¡°Leon, make me an air sphere,¡± someone said, stepping forward. A dozen paces away, Don pulled another sorcerer past a guard who was holding his hand to his chest in pain. Don¡¯s fighter and archer eyed anyone trying to get close.

    ¡°Don,¡± the sorcerer pleaded, ¡°air feeds fire. If¡ª¡±

    ¡°Do what I tell you!¡± Don snapped.

    What was Don up to? If he wasn¡¯t busy pulling more essence to put the fire out, Tibs would go kick him where it really hurt. The man was an asshole, but he couldn¡¯t be so self-centered as to want this to spread to other shops. He had to know the guild would punish him for this. The shops were vital to the town, and the town belonged to the guild.

    ¡°Bigger,¡± Don ordered, as Tibs felt the air essence build between the two. Could he stop pulling essence long enough to disrupt what the sorcerers were doing? Leon wouldn¡¯t expect it, but Tibs didn¡¯t know how strong he was. Even with surprise on his side, it was usually the strongest who won, and Tibs wasn¡¯t particularly strong with air.

    No, he needed to focus on putting the fire out before Don was done. Then he could kick the sorcerer.

    ¡°I can¡¯t make it any bigger,¡± Leon said, sounding in pain.

    Tibs¡¯s reserve was nowhere near where it had been for his first attack.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Don said, annoyed. ¡°I¡¯ll just have to work with this.¡± The corruption sorcerer noticed Tibs glancing their way and smirked as he placed an open palm to the edge of the ball. Tibs sensed the man¡¯s essence flow in, and he smelled the fetid effect. He nearly lost his focus as the corrupted scent reminded him of the pool.

    Hurry, he urged the essence around him. He needed to be ready before Don¡ª

    ¡°When I tell you, we throw it into the fire.¡±

    ¡°Don,¡± the man pleaded.

    ¡°Don¡¯t argue, Leon,¡± the sorcerer threatened in return.

    Leon nodded resignedly.

    He couldn¡¯t wait. Tibs traced the ¡®X¡¯. Then, stabbed the center and realized he had to let the attack build.

    Don looked at him triumphantly as the two hefted the ball into the fire.

    Tibs pushed more essence into the attack and the amulet was empty before there was anywhere close to what he¡¯d used before. He had no choice. He released the attack as the ball broke over the fire and Tibs stared, stunned, as the fire sputtered under the putrid air.

    Tibs¡¯s attack did little damage to what was left.

    This time, the crowd¡¯s cheer shook the ground.

    Tibs looked at the sorcerers, and Leon looked as baffled as Tibs felt.

    The cheers faltered and grew pained.

    ¡°Leon,¡± Don said, as the fire came back to life again. ¡°I swear, if you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± a woman said, pushing through the crowd, slapping her hands together. She was a fighter with fire as her element. ¡°This I can deal with.¡± The guards didn¡¯t even try to stop her, also staring at the rebuilding fire, stunned.

    Don¡¯s expression darkened as she spread her arms and closed her eyes. She let out a breath, then inhaled. As she did, Tibs felt the essence in the fire being pulled toward her, then settling back among the building. She frowned.

    She let out a long breath and inhaled harder. This time, some of the essence left the fire, and she absorbed it.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°The fire¡¯s fighting me, no, that¡¯s not right it¡¯s¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t try to explain it,¡± Tibs said. ¡°I know you can¡¯t. It¡¯s the element. If I throw water at it, will it help?¡± He hesitated. ¡°If Don does what he and Leon did?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s like there¡¯s¡­¡± She tilted her head, as if she was listening to something. ¡°Something holding the essence in place.¡±

    Tibs sensed the fire, studied it, and now that he wasn¡¯t distracted trying to put it out, he felt what she meant. There was something in the center that was¡­ holding the essence there. It wasn¡¯t woven essence, so not magic. Tibs had no idea what could do that.

    ¡°Okay,¡± She said, sounding determined. ¡°Let me try this again. If it isn¡¯t enough, we do it together and hope to the abyss it¡¯s enough. My favorite shop¡¯s two down.¡±

    She exhaled, folding in on herself, then breathed in as she straightened. She screamed, and suddenly the essence ripped from what was holding it, and flew at her, into her. The fire dissipated as the essence vanished.

    Then only smoke rose from the remains of the building.

    ¡°Woo!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°That¡¯s a rush.¡± Tibs watched as her red-tinted essence grew denser, brighter, then settled into what he thought of as a warm glow.

    ¡°You¡¯re Rho,¡± Tibs said in awe, as the crowd cheered again.

    She smiled. ¡°I guess I am now.¡±

    Don glared at the two of them, and Tibs figured that if the crowd hadn¡¯t rushed him to hug and thank the sorcerer, Don would have tried to poison both of them, or at least Tibs, with corruption. Tibs shuddered at the idea of having more of it in him.

    Then the expression on Don¡¯s face changed, growing shocked at the treatment he was receiving, and into a smile, and Tibs thought it was the first time he¡¯d seen the corruption sorcerer smile with happiness.

    ¡°Enough!¡± a woman ordered. ¡°I want these people dispersed!¡± A guard forced her way through the crowd. Tibs recognized her as one of the people reporting directly to Harry, but he didn¡¯t know her. Two dozen other guards with her started moving people away.

    Tibs looked for Cross, but she¡¯d wisely disappeared. He hoped her help wouldn¡¯t cause the guard to make her life difficult.

    The woman stopped before them, one guard escorting a protesting Don to join them. ¡°What did you do?¡± she demanded angrily.

    ¡°They saved the row,¡± the shop owner said, melancholic, stepping to join them. She glared at him and looked for a guard, but they were all busy with the uncooperative crowd.

    ¡°They probably made this worse,¡± she spat. ¡°Runners have no business doing this. It¡¯s the water brigade¡¯s job.¡±

    ¡°And where are they?¡± the shop owner demanded angrily. ¡°I don¡¯t see them. One of yours said the wagon was broken.¡±

    ¡°They would have been here.¡±

    ¡°And by then, the row would have been gone!¡±

    ¡°There are rules!¡± she snapped.

    Don snorted. ¡°Rules are for those who won¡¯t act.¡±

    Tibs raised an eyebrow at the sorcerer. He stood straight, as usual, but there was something different in his attitude. When he rolled his eyes at Tibs, there wasn¡¯t as much disdain as before.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me that way. You¡¯re always breaking the rules.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. He was a rogue. Even Harry said it was expected of him.

    ¡°You could have made things worse,¡± the guard said. ¡°There¡¯s no telling what your magic could have done. What would you be saying, then?¡±

    ¡°They would say,¡± Tirania said, the crowd parting to let her through, ¡°that at least, they tried.¡± She looked the guard up and down. ¡°That is more than you are able to say.¡± She smiled at Tibs. ¡°And why am I not surprised you are part of this, Tibs?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°I couldn¡¯t let the fire spread.¡±

    ¡°Not that you stopped it,¡± Don said.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t do any better,¡± Tibs replied.

    ¡°Enough,¡± Tirania said as Don opened his mouth. ¡°This wasn¡¯t a contest. The three of you saved the row, and the people here. You should be proud of that.¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± Don hurried to say, then seemed surprised. ¡°I am,¡± he repeated, smiling.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± the woman who¡¯d absorbed the fire said.

    Tirania nodded. ¡°I think you need to go see your teacher, Jenna.¡± She looked at the guard. ¡°You should go report this fire to Harry. He¡¯ll need to assign someone to look into how it started.¡± When the guard didn¡¯t move, Tirania raised an eyebrow and her crystal eyes glimmered. ¡°Well?¡±

    The guard walked away.

    Tirania watched her until she vanished into the crowd, then addressed them. ¡°Please go about your business. There is nothing worth seeing here anymore.¡±

    Tibs made to leave, but the shop owner hugged him. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t save your shop.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯ll be things that survived, and the guild will help me out.¡± He looked to Tirania, who nodded, then, with another look at the burned building, walked away.

    Tibs was surprised to realize it was only him and Tirania left. She was studying him. Her eyes made it difficult to tell what she thought, but in Tibs¡¯s experience, being studied never led to something good.

    ¡°What you did here was impressive,¡± she said. ¡°Do you think you should seek out your teacher also?¡±

    Tibs swallowed. Jenna would graduate to Rho, and Tirania had sent her to her teacher. Alistair already knew what he was capable of. But was Tirania ordering him to have his test? Was she breaking his team?

    The ball in his throat kept him from speaking.

    She looked at the building. ¡°It¡¯s been brought to my attention that the dungeon is gaining strength much faster than expected, probably a result of the recruits who haven¡¯t survived. I¡¯d expected much more of them. But there has also been a surprising number of Upsilons and even Rhos who have not returned from their runs. So I¡¯ve decided to alter the rules. One Lambda per team is acceptable from now on.¡± She looked at him. ¡°One, Tibs. Until the dungeon graduates, that is all I can do.¡±

    He swallowed the lump. ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡± It was for him. She was treating him special again. He wanted to protest. But doing that meant he¡¯d lose his team.

    ¡°I¡¯ll talk with Alistair when I see him again.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs didn¡¯t feel any different.

    Alistair had found him within hours of putting out the fire, and as if this had been prepared days in advance, within minutes of that, he was being tested, and as much as he wanted to fail on purpose, the teachers assembled to observe were all talking about the skill it had taken for him to use that much water.

    He was the youngest Runner to make Rho.

    He didn¡¯t feel any different.

    He looked out the window he sat on and considered climbing to the roof. If corruption ruined this day for him, he knew to use water to avoid dying.

    A hand holding a tankard pushed next to him. ¡°You know,¡± Jackal said, putting the tankard in Tibs¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯re the only person I know who celebrates graduating by thinking of throwing himself out of a window.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not throwing myself out,¡± Tibs replied.

    ¡°You¡¯re still not celebrating with the rest of us. We¡¯re not getting broken up. You should be drinking so much you can¡¯t stay conscious.¡±

    ¡°Only until someone else becomes Lambda.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Jackal said. ¡°You can still be unconscious from drinks at that rank.¡± He grinned. ¡°I speak from experience.¡±

    Tibs sipped the ale. ¡°How long until Carina or Mez becomes Lambda?¡±

    ¡°Or you, you¡¯re strong too, Tibs.¡±

    He shook his head. Pulling in essence while manipulating it wouldn¡¯t get him to pass the Lambda test, not that he knew what it was. ¡°It¡¯s going to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal said, sounding serious. ¡°You can¡¯t control the world. You have to enjoy what you have while you have it. And if, Abyss forbid, the team has to break up, we will find a way to stay together. I promise.¡± He urged Tibs back inside the room, then raised his tankard. ¡°To Tibs, our newest Rho Runner.¡±

    His teams and friends raised their tankards and cheered.

    Tibs forced a smile and wished he could think of a way to ensure his team would stay together through whatever the guild did to them.

 Stepping up, Chapter 27

    ¡°Tibs, You¡¯re back!¡± Sto exclaimed, startling Tibs. He¡¯d been pacing among the nervous Runners, waiting for Fedora and her team to finish their run. ¡°Where¡¯s the rest of your team? I can¡¯t see them. I have something to show you!¡±

    He checked where he was and confirmed he was out of Sto¡¯s range. What had been Sto¡¯s range? Like the Runners, Sto was growing in strength, and beyond adding floors as the mark of graduating to the next rank, how far his senses stretched was growing.

    Tibs looked around. There were a lot of Omegas, another group had been brought in the day before, and while they all looked older than him, they were so scared he didn¡¯t think they had spent much time surviving the streets on their own.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going in today,¡± he whispered, but not softly enough to keep an older boy from eying him, then stepping away, as if Tibs was scarier than the dungeon.

    ¡°Oh. Hurry up. I can¡¯t wait for you to see.¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t reply, stepping further away. He¡¯d have to be more careful if he didn¡¯t want Sto to realize why he was there.

    A few minutes later, her team came out. Again, the group was whole and Tibs smiled. It looked like she was part of a good one. They handed over their equipment, then ignored the merchant¡¯s stalls that had been set up since the bazaar had left. Instead of getting shops, some of them had set up stalls. Less of an investment, Darran told him, but also a riskier situation, since they had nowhere to secure their inventory.

    And few of the Runners seemed interested in dealing with them. The Omegas hardly had coins, and the more experienced ones knew the merchants of Merchant Row better. Maybe this was one of those things about losing coins now, in the hopes of making more later. Another thing Darran had told him merchants did sometimes. Tibs didn¡¯t see how not having anyone buy from them now would lead to more buying later, but he wasn¡¯t a merchant.

    ¡°How did it go?¡± Tibs asked Fedora as he fell in step with her. The others were used to him tagging along on their return now.

    ¡°Hard,¡± she answered, tired. ¡°I want a longer weapon too now. I hate how close those things can get.¡±

    ¡°I told you to stay behind,¡± the fighter said, then looked at Tibs. ¡°I can deal with those rats and bunnies easy.¡± He had an element now: earth.

    ¡°I was able to handle them,¡± she replied. ¡°I am still here, aren¡¯t I? I won¡¯t be one of those rogues that just looks for traps, then sits on her ass and lets the others do the rest of the work.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying that you don¡¯t have to¡ª¡± the fighter closed his mouth at the glare Fedora gave him.

    ¡°I have no idea how you survived your first runs without anyone to give you proper training,¡± she told Tibs.

    ¡°The dungeon was weaker then. It¡¯s sort of our fault it¡¯s so hard for you now. Those who died fed him, and those who survived forced him to grow stronger.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d think the guild would work harder at training us then,¡± the sorceress said. ¡°The only thing I¡¯m getting is, ¡®let the others get in and take the hits while you point and fire¡¯, and stuff about molding the energy so¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s sorcerer stuff. Probably doesn¡¯t mean anything to you.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s clear the guild doesn¡¯t care about us beyond throwing us into that thing,¡± the archer said. ¡°At least with Tibs¡¯s friend I¡¯m able to hit what I aim at most of the time.¡±

    ¡°Can I get some of that help?¡± the sorceress asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Carina will be happy to help you,¡± the fighters replied before Tibs could say he¡¯d check. ¡°They¡¯ve all been really great at training us.¡±

    Tibs exchanged a look with Fedora and tried not to smile. They were only good at it compared to the guild. They didn¡¯t have anywhere near the teacher¡¯s knowledge, but at least Tibs and his friends wanted the Omegas to survive.

    ¡°This is my turn,¡± the archer said, nodding to the sign with the bow and arrow. She squeezed Fedora¡¯s arm. ¡°I¡¯ll see you afterward.¡±

    ¡°I might as well head to my training grounds too,¡± the other fighter said, ¡°before one of them comes looking for me.¡± She rubbed her arm. ¡°They aren¡¯t gentle if they need to drag you there.¡±

    ¡°We meet up at the Tankard for food afterward,¡± their team leader said. ¡°We have to celebrate.¡±

    ¡°The Tipped Tankard?¡± Tibs asked Fedora as they walked toward the rogue¡¯s training grounds.

    ¡°Rog and the owner¡¯s daughter have a thing. She¡¯s been giving him discounts.¡±

    Tibs nodded. ¡°Do you want to train tonight? We can work on the roofs again.¡±

    She shuddered. ¡°All I do is fall.¡±

    ¡°But you don¡¯t fall as often. You¡¯ll get better and soon they¡¯re going to feel better than walking the alleys.¡± He couldn¡¯t wait for that to be true of him, too. Running the roofs using water to ensure he didn¡¯t kill himself when corruption acted up didn¡¯t bring the same excitement.

    ¡°Mister Light Fingers,¡± the rogue at the entrance to the field greeted him with a smile. ¡°We don¡¯t often get the pleasure of your company.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still not getting it,¡± he replied curtly. Helping put out the fire hadn¡¯t helped him go back to being just another of the runners, even if Don and Jenna had helped. Don was spending his time walking Merchant Row accepting thanks, while Jenna was like Tibs, but more successful in returning to anonymity.

    The young man Cliffled and offered the crystal to Fedora, who took it with a roll of the eyes, then paused as she went to hand it back. It was glowing.

    ¡°Looks like it¡¯s time for you to go see the guild leader,¡± the man said.

    ¡°What? Why?¡± she asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Tibs said soothingly. ¡°It means you¡¯re ready to choose your element.¡±

    Her breathing calmed. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have told me that was what this was for?¡± she demanded of the man. ¡°I thought this was some useless game you all played with us.¡± She looked at Tibs. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°I¡¯d forgotten about that.¡±

    ¡°Since you¡¯re here,¡± the young man said. ¡°Do you want to escort her to the guild?¡±

    ¡°Oh, and now you¡¯re going to get him to do your job?¡± Fedora said. ¡°You¡¯re taking me.¡±

    Tibs smiled and shrugged when the man looked at him for support.

    * * * * *

    ¡°I took air!¡± she exclaimed the next day, running into the inn and to Tibs¡¯s table. ¡°Now, I don¡¯t have to worry about falling off the roofs anymore.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go throwing myself off them just yet,¡± Jackal said. ¡°It¡¯s going to be a while until you can do anything significant.¡±

    ¡°I can make wind,¡± she protested. And pointed at Jackal, causing his long hair to blow around a little.

    ¡°Very impressive,¡± the fighter replied. ¡°That¡¯s almost as much wind as I can make.¡±

    ¡°Jackal,¡± Carina warned as the fighter stood.

    ¡°It¡¯s easy for him,¡± Kroseph said as he placed bowls of porridge on the table. ¡°He¡¯s full of hot air. Congratulations, Fedora.¡± He patted Jackal¡¯s shoulder, pushing him down to his seat before heading back to the kitchen.

    ¡°So we¡¯re going to the roofs tonight?¡± she asked Tibs.

    ¡°Once you¡¯ve had some training with your essence, we¡¯ll do it.¡±

    She looked disappointed, but nodded.

    * * * * *

    Tibs couldn¡¯t wait for the roofs to be his again. He¡¯d tried it once the sun set, and his arm had cramped as he¡¯d reached for the edge and he¡¯d slipped off. The pool of water he created kept him from breaking anything, but he¡¯d headed back to his room instead of trying again.

    It was having to rely on his element that was taking the fun out of it. It was one thing to use water to make longer jumps, level the roofs when he needed to catch up to a thief, but not being able to run the roofs without it was¡­ discouraging.

    Unfortunately, sleep didn¡¯t come. Tibs could usually sleep anytime he wanted, but this night, he couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the roofs, about the corruption in his essence. Fedora¡¯s excitement at every little thing she learned how to do with her essence. He couldn¡¯t remember joy when using his essence. It had always been a struggle then, and so much the key to his survival, he had no time for enjoyment.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    When he stepped out of the room, dressed in loose black clothing, it had been with the plan to go to the corruption pool, get in and finally have that audience and end it one way or another. Instead, he¡¯d headed in the opposite direction. Sticking to the dark alleys.

    He spent some time looking for Serba¡¯s dogs again. Not one of them had been seen since one had been killed. Even Serba hadn¡¯t been around. If Tibs could think of a good enough reason, other than he was worried about her, he¡¯d ask Harry. Without one, the guard leader wouldn¡¯t even see him.

    Then he headed for the clearing by Sto. Maybe they¡¯d talk, maybe he¡¯d sit in silent company. Or, Tibs realized as he saw the illuminated booths in the distance, he could see if there was anything the merchants had left there they wouldn¡¯t miss. Doing that while making sure the guards at the door didn¡¯t notice him in the lanterns¡¯ light would be fun.

    But not as fun, Tibs thought, as a form detached itself from a shadowed section of a booth, if there was also a guard there who had seen him approach.

    ¡°And a good evening to you, Light Fingers,¡± Cross called as a greeting. Not sounding the alarm loud, just making sure he heard her and had to acknowledge she was there.

    ¡°Hi,¡± he replied once he was close enough to do so in a normal tone.

    ¡°And what¡¯s bringing you out here on this fine middle of the night?¡± she asked, far too jovially for Tibs¡¯s liking. ¡°Were you thinking of visiting these fine merchant¡¯s stalls, by any chance?¡±

    He could be jovial at night, he was a rogue, it was his time. She was a guard. She should be annoyed at being here when she should be sleeping.

    ¡°No,¡± he replied, distracted from his annoyance by the faintly glowing cube in her hand.

    ¡°Really? You are here and don¡¯t plan on doing anything?¡±

    ¡°They only have stuff for Omegas,¡± he protested. ¡°I don¡¯t need any of that anymore. Why would I do anything?¡±

    ¡°For exactly that reason,¡± she replied, then lobbed the cube at him. ¡°Here, this is more interesting.¡±

    ¡°Stealing¡¯s not allowed,¡± he said, catching it. Each face of the cube was divided into nine squares etched with symbols. ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°Since when do rules stop your type?¡±

    He narrowed his eyes at her. ¡°My type?¡±

    ¡°Rogues, thieves, miscreants, you know. Your type.¡± She smiled, and Tibs had trouble being angry at her. There was a lot of Jackal¡¯s kind of ribbing in her words.

    ¡°I don¡¯t steal from the town,¡± he replied.

    Her smile broadened. ¡°Ah, but we aren¡¯t in the town, are we?¡±

    Tibs tried to find a way to talk around what he¡¯d intended to do, then just admitted defeat. ¡°I¡¯m not going to steal anything.¡± He focused on the cube since the stalls were off-limits tonight. The squares on the cube made rings that turned three of them, no matter the position he held it in.

    ¡°Don¡¯t force the turns,¡± Cross said when he had trouble with one. ¡°Make sure the squares are aligned and it won¡¯t resist.¡±

    She was right. The rings slid smoothly then. Studying the faces, he counted six different symbols and nine of each. So the point was to fill the faces.

    The essence woven through the cube was thin and the weave itself simple. He guessed it was light, because of the glow.

    He shook it next to his ear. ¡°What¡¯s in it?¡± Whatever it was, was held securely, and small. The cube was the size of his hand, and the mechanism had to take up most of it. Was the way to open it, positioning the symbol into a specific pattern, or filling one face? Or more than one? As simple as the size forced it to be, this was more complex than the cylinder because he¡¯d either have to know what the pattern was or try every possibility until one worked.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing in it,¡± she said, and Tibs told how little he believed her with a look, then proceeded to match the nine symbols to one face. She Cliffled. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not a box. It¡¯s just a puzzle.¡±

    Tibs paused. ¡°What¡¯s the point then?¡± He turned the cube in his hand. ¡°Puzzles are just another kind of lock.¡±

    She considered him. ¡°Why did you keep working on it after I told you there was nothing in the cylinder?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s a lock. I wanted to figure it out.¡±

    ¡°But why? You weren¡¯t getting anything out of it, and I doubt you¡¯ll even encounter one with that mechanism again.¡±

    Tibs thought about it. ¡°I like figuring out locks.¡±

    ¡°And so do I. That¡¯s why I picked this up in Kartrage when I came across it. I wanted to work it out. Now I like seeing what patterns I can make with the symbols.

    Tibs nodded, getting a sense of how the turns affected the positions of the symbols. He finished the crown on that first face.

    ¡°So,¡± she said, tone serious, ¡°why are you here, Tibs?¡±

    ¡°Why are you?¡± he replied, not looking away from the cube.

    ¡°My job. The merchants hired me to keep an eye on their stalls. It¡¯s bad for their business if someone from the town decides to come over and just help himself to their possessions.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just walking because I couldn¡¯t sleep.¡± He frowned as the move undid the face as it put the piece he wanted where he¡¯d intended on the middle ring. He didn¡¯t have the right order.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never known a th¡ªrogue to just walk at night, even when they can¡¯t sleep.¡±

    ¡°You know a lot of rogues?¡± He smiled. There. That was how to get the middle ring pieces in position while bringing what he¡¯d already done back into their proper place.

    ¡°Thieves are more the people I know,¡± she said. He glanced at her and she smiled. ¡°I¡¯m a guard. I come across a lot of thieves. I¡¯m even friends with some of them.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not a guard.¡± The last face was difficult because any changes to it required he keep in mind the five others. ¡°That¡¯s just your job.¡±

    ¡°What do you figure I am?¡± the question had amusement in it.

    ¡°A fighter.¡± He moved one piece into place, then studied how the move had undone everything, then returned them to their previous positions. ¡°You¡¯re like Jackal. You like to fight, and being a guard gives you a reason to do that.¡± Another set of moves to put the piece in that same position and he studied that, before undoing it.

    ¡°I guess challenging the Runners to fight me did give it away.¡±

    ¡°Jackal was the one who beat you.¡± Another one and again positions were altered, but this time, he¡¯d seen the changes coming. He was getting an understanding of the sequence.

    ¡°I know. I heard his name. And let¡¯s be fair here. He didn¡¯t so much beat me as trick me into losing.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°You lost, he won. Jackal doesn¡¯t care how he wins.¡± This time, he picked a different symbol to put in place and predicted how the rest of the cube would change.

    ¡°Pit fighters have never been known to fight fair.¡±

    Tibs snorted. ¡°The dungeon doesn¡¯t fight fair. You should run it. I think you¡¯d be good.¡± He smiled as the pieces ended up where he¡¯d thought. Now it was just a question of figuring out all the sequences that would let him move everything so that once he was done, only the piece he¡¯d intended changed.

    ¡°Dungeons aren¡¯t for me. I intend to live for a long time.¡±

    Tibs paused mid-turn. He thought about Harry, Tirania, Alistair, Bardik and all the others in the guild he knew were older than they looked. ¡°If you survive, you can get an element and that helps you live longer somehow.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s that ¡®if¡¯ I¡¯m not comfortable with. I like problems I know I can solve. It¡¯s why I like puzzles. It doesn¡¯t matter how hard they are. There is a solution. It¡¯s just about figuring that out.¡±

    ¡°I like opening stuff, seeing what¡¯s in them.¡± He turned the cube, spinning the faces. ¡°Working out the locks makes both easier.¡±

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s why you¡¯re the rogue and I¡¯m the fighter.¡±

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Sto called, and he looked up before he could stop himself.

    Cross tensed and looked around.

    He hadn¡¯t thought about where the stalls were. They were well within Sto¡¯s range.

    ¡°What is it?¡± she asked, voice soft. The guards at the door hadn¡¯t noticed her tension. They wouldn¡¯t have reacted even if they had. Unlike Cross, they didn¡¯t care to have to work when they¡¯d rather be sleeping.

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°I thought I heard something.¡±

    ¡°What are you holding?¡± Sto asked. He could see anything that took place within his range, but he couldn¡¯t distinguish what they were if they were close to people. Something about life force, or auras, or the power of the mind, or the concentration of their essence. Alistair couldn¡¯t give him an answer and neither anyone else he¡¯d asked, because since they couldn¡¯t talk to the dungeon, they had no way to know which of their ideas was wrong.

    What Tibs hadn¡¯t realized until now was that it didn¡¯t affect him. Otherwise, Sto wouldn¡¯t see what he was holding any better than when it had been in Cross¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Sneaky types tend to have better ears,¡± she said, not raising her voice. ¡°What did you think you heard?¡±

    ¡°Not every rogue depends on their ears. A lot depend on bodyguards.¡±

    ¡°Those aren¡¯t the kinds I¡¯m thinking of right now.¡±

    ¡°Probably just an animal. There are lots of rats around here,¡± he added, then returned to the cube.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Sto said, ¡°bring that in with you next time.¡±

    He paused mid-turn. ¡°Can I keep this? Figuring out the bottom is tougher than the rest.¡±

    She took it from him. ¡°Sorry. I don¡¯t let this one out of my reach. Night duties tend to be boring since I rarely get visitors.¡±

    ¡°You have the cylinder.¡±

    She handed that to him. ¡°That I can lend you. Don¡¯t break it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the same thing.¡± Sto sounded disappointed.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Tibs said. He waited. Once he knew where she kept it, he¡¯d know how to¡ª

    ¡°You realize I know what you¡¯re waiting on, right?¡±

    ¡°Sorry?¡± He smiled.

    She rolled her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve been around thieves, Light Fingers. I don¡¯t make a habit of showing them where I put things I care about, even when I like them. And just so you won¡¯t hang around all night. I keep it in my hand. It¡¯s too big to put in my pouch and not have it bulge. The cylinder¡¯s narrow enough it¡¯s not noticeable.¡±

    ¡°So you just hold it?¡±

    ¡°Until I get to my room, where I have a warded chest, Light Fingers. Don¡¯t even think of stealing from me.¡±

    ¡°My name¡¯s Tibs. I don¡¯t like being called Light Fingers, so please stop. The man who gave me the name tried to kill the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°That can be done?¡±

    ¡°So I¡¯m told. Dungeons are alive. My teacher said that there was a dungeon that was starved because the Runners were too strong, so the dungeon didn¡¯t get enough to feed himself. That¡¯s why they control the ranks of who¡¯s going in now.¡±

    She looked at the door. ¡°I had no idea there was so much thought put into who went into a dungeon. I just thought they gathered the people they didn¡¯t like and threw them in.¡±

    ¡°At Omega, that¡¯s what Runners without an element are called, it¡¯s kind of what they do. They just make sure there are some from each class in the groups they send in. It¡¯s once we get an element that they pay attention. I got lucky, but if we¡¯re not careful, it might end up breaking up my team.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Sto demanded.

    ¡°How so?¡± Cross asked.

    Tibs sighed. Maybe if Sto knew what was going on, he could adjust things, not push them as hard.

    ¡°Jackal is Lambda. That¡¯s two levels above the dungeon, who¡¯s Upsilon; he has two floors. Normally the guild won¡¯t let more than one runner be at a higher rank than the dungeon, so we¡¯ve been pushing back our tests, but when I put out the fire, I showed I was stronger, so they forced me to be tested. The guild leader changed the rules so my team wouldn¡¯t be broken, but if one more get¡¯s to Lambda, there¡¯s nothing she can do. They¡¯re worried we¡¯d be too strong for the dungeon and it would put him in danger.¡±

    ¡°You could starve him,¡± she said.

    ¡°But they keep sending so many weak ones,¡± Sto said. ¡°There¡¯s enough of them that they don¡¯t have to worry about your team.¡±

    Tibs took a few seconds to work out how to give Sto more information without making Cross suspicious. ¡°I don¡¯t think the guild knows how dungeons work.¡±

    ¡°I thought they made the dungeons,¡± she said.

    ¡°They find them. They have a way to know when a new dungeon appears, then they come to guard it and get Runners to feed him.¡±

    ¡°More like control how little I get fed,¡± Sto grumbled.

    ¡°How do you know so much about dungeons?¡± Cross asked. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard any of that before.¡±

    Tibs grinned. ¡°I ask questions.¡±

    ¡°And you get answers?¡± She sounded surprised.

    ¡°Most of the time. My teacher likes that I¡¯m curious, and the guild leader sometimes answers me.¡±

    She Cliffled. ¡°Never thought to do that. Figured if I didn¡¯t learn it by doing it, I didn¡¯t need it.¡±

    ¡°A lot of people don¡¯t ask questions. Even my teacher was surprised that I had questions he never thought about. It seems like a lot of people aren¡¯t interested in knowing a lot.¡±

    ¡°Not everyone needs to know stuff that¡¯s outside what we do. That¡¯s a sorcerer¡¯s job, figuring things out. Maybe you should do that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a rogue,¡± he replied.

    ¡°But you don¡¯t have to be one, right?¡±

    Tibs grinned. ¡°But I like being one. It¡¯s much more fun.¡± He turned. ¡°I¡¯m going to bed.¡± During his next run, he¡¯d be able to talk with Sto about his team, and maybe they could work things out.

 Stepping up, Chapter 28

    Tibs waited among the Omegas. He could tell who had been on runs from the new arrivals by how they were already clustered in groups of five instead of nervously looking around, waiting for what came next.

    He¡¯d cautiously walked to the stalls to see what they sold, ready to back away the moment Sto spoke to him or he overheard the dungeon¡¯s commentary on the team inside, but neither happened. Sto would be focused on them, and he had to ¡®speak¡¯ to Tibs for him to hear Sto¡¯s voice.

    The offerings were better than what the guild handed to the Omegas, but nothing of the quality the merchants in town sold. They were also cheaper. A handful of copper would get someone a piece of armor that could last them until they could reliably reach the first-floor boss room.

    It was that handful that was proving to be a problem for the merchants. Split between five people, the first floor gave little in the way of coins. And from what Tibs had observed, the team members didn¡¯t trust each other enough to pool their coins for one of them to afford the armor.

    They also died too easily for those merchants to accept the armor be paid off from future runs.

    Tibs waited for the team to come out. It was Fedora¡¯s first run with her element, and he wanted to hear about how it had gone, what realizations she¡¯d made that her teacher hadn¡¯t even mentioned.

    He wanted to share in her excitement.

    The team exited, and dread built in Tibs. Only three of them, one being carried. The fighter and team leader and the sorcerer. Tibs couldn¡¯t make out who was carried until the cleric healed them and the team¡¯s second fighter could stand.

    No.

    She had her element. She couldn¡¯t¡­. He looked at the door again. Wishing for her to have been delayed. He thought about stepping forward, within Sto¡¯s range, and asking what had happened.

    But Sto would tell him. Sto loved regaling Tibs with other team¡¯s misadventures, and while he no longer talked about who and how they died, if Tibs asked¡­

    No.

    He watched them step down and head to the guild¡¯s table, noting what they carried. Cheap armor they dropped on the table. The fighter walked away, and the defeat in his eyes as he saw Tibs sent Tibs running.

    No. Not again!

    He shoved through the crowd, fighting the tears.

    Why? Why had he done this again? He knew Omegas didn¡¯t live. So why had he helped her, gotten to know her? Hadn¡¯t he learned his lesson?

    He couldn¡¯t get attached to anyone outside his team because any of them could die. Geoff was proof of that. It had been a warning of what awaited him with Fedora. No, the rogue he¡¯d been training. He couldn¡¯t think of her as a person. He couldn¡¯t think of them beyond being Omegas.

    It hurt too much.

    The pained cry escaped his lips as his leg locked up. He was eating dirt, not caring until he noticed the laughter.

    He looked up as it spread, wondering who would laugh at him. Who would laugh at anyone for tripping, for being in pain?

    It was Don.

    Of course, it was him.

    He was bent over with laughter, and so was his team. And with the four of them, Radkliff was absent, Tibs noted, laughing along, it was enough to get the crowd going.

    ¡°Look at him,¡± the sorcerer said as he tried to catch his breath. ¡°The great savior of the dungeon can¡¯t even stand on his feet. He¡¯s crying because he fell!¡± He was laughing again.

    Recognition caused some of the townsfolk to stop laughing, but not many of them, and Tibs considered throwing a knife at the sorcerer; his air knife, to ensure he didn¡¯t miss. But one of his teammates would jump in front and take the hit for Don. Then Don would be mocking him even louder.

    He tried to stand, to show Don he wasn¡¯t weak. That he could endure the pain. But the corruption sided with the sorcerer, increasing the pain until the cry escaped against his will, and Tibs hadn¡¯t made it past being on all four.

    The laughter increased. Everyone joined in, it seemed to Tibs. Everyone who still had a town to live in, Runners to provide them with coins, because he had saved Sto, was laughing at him. He was going to make them pay.

    ¡°Have you no shame?¡± A woman demanded, then a hand took his arm and helped him stand. ¡°Do you not recognize Light Fingers? He saved this town, and this is how you repay him? Laugh at his pain?¡± At least there was one person in this abyss forsaken town who was on his side, even if it meant enduring his nickname again.

    He blinked and focused through the pain and tears, and then wished he hadn¡¯t.

    He should have known. This day was simply going to be the worst day for him. It wasn¡¯t the dress that gave her away. By itself, he could have thought she was a successful merchant since it wasn¡¯t the large and far too decorated thing they wore. It wasn¡¯t even the jewels on her, too many of them for the common folks. Again, a successful merchant with not particularly good taste could wear those.

    It was the look she gave the assembled people, those laughing at him.

    The look that told them just how superior she was to each and every one of them, because she, at least, knew who he was. She had the good sense not to laugh, because she was bred from much better stock than them.

    A fucking noble had just come to his defense.

    This day was simply the worst day ever.

    He wrenched his arm out of her hand. ¡°I don¡¯t need your help,¡± he snapped and wished he could move away, but any weight on the corrupted leg caused pain to shoot up.

    ¡°I am helping you,¡± she said haughtily. ¡°You should appreciate that I at least know who you are.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± he growled. ¡°Don¡¯t help. I¡¯m not a thing for you to use to make you feel better than the rest of us.¡± Like being on good terms with the guild wasn¡¯t trouble enough. Now Don was going to spread stories of how Tibs was friends with the nobles.

    ¡°Well, I say,¡± she replied, offended.

    ¡°Go say it elsewhere. We don¡¯t need you here. This is our town.¡±

    She looked at him as if she¡¯d realized she was next to a slug. Then she snorted. ¡°You¡¯re indeed all the same.¡± She turned with a huff and strode through the parting crowd.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s got to hurt,¡± Don said, snickering. ¡°The hero has just had a fight with his woman.¡±

    ¡°She isn¡¯t my girl!¡± Tibs yelled. The crowd had thinned, but those who stayed were now laughing with the sorcerer.

    ¡°Oh, I know what I saw,¡± Don replied between bouts of laughter. ¡°I knew you had aspirations of greatness, but I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d lower yourself to offering your body to one of them.¡± The disgust was so strong it could be comical, and the crowd thought it was.

    Tibs took a step forward and at least this time he didn¡¯t scream as pain exploded in his leg and he fell. The sorcerer laughed harder as Tibs looked up and glared at him through tear-filled eyes.

    * * * * *

    Tibs hated the sorcerer almost as much as he hated corruption. He stoked the hate. It was better than feeling the loss.

    His leg was still painful, hours later, but he could endure it now. It hadn¡¯t been this long-lasting since his early days out of the sick-bed.

    He hated that noble, too. What had she been doing there? Out of their part of the town? There had been nothing to attract nobles, had there? He tried to remember where he had been, but thinking about that brought back why he¡¯d been running away, and he focused on his hate and anger again. That noble.

    They always made things worse.

    ¡°Settle down, Tibs,¡± Jackal said, ¡°you aren¡¯t¡ª¡±

    Tibs glared at the fighter, who raised his hands in defeat from his bed. What was he even doing here? In their room? He should be with Kroseph, doing them things. Tibs wanted to be angry alone, without distractions.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    ¡°Fine, keep pacing. Stay angry.¡± Jackal stretched back, hands behind his head. ¡°But instead, you should do something about it. Break into Don¡¯s room, steal his coins. Put dung in his bed. It¡¯ll make you feel better than pacing.¡±

    ¡°Do something?¡± Tibs snapped. He shouldn¡¯t have told the fighter why he was angry, but Jackal had been there when Tibs slammed the door. ¡°And have the corruption hurt me at the worst moment? He probably did this to me. He¡¯s corruption, after all,¡± Tibs grumbled.

    ¡°Did he?¡± Jackal lost all amusement, looking ready to take on¡­ well, Don¡¯s team.

    Tibs thought about saying yes. Jackal would make the sorcerer pay and not care about the consequences. He was that kind of friend. So Tibs had to care about them for him, and even as angry as he was, he didn¡¯t want Jackal to end up in the cells and miss the next run, the chance at loot.

    ¡°No.¡± He sighed. ¡°I¡¯d have felt the essence come at me. It would have been obvious.¡± He dropped onto his bed and winced as his bad leg bent painfully. ¡°Everyone laughed, Jackal.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re idiots,¡± Jackal said, no longer looking ready for battle, but not back to the jokester attitude, either. ¡°Next time the dungeon¡¯s about to die, you let it happen. That¡¯ll teach them a lesson.¡± He frowned. ¡°No, never mind. I don¡¯t want the dungeon to die.¡±

    Tibs had to fight hard not to smile. ¡°You¡¯d miss the loot.¡±

    ¡°Well, yeah.¡± He smiled at Tibs, then grew serious. ¡°But the dungeon¡¯s your friend. You don¡¯t let a friend die, no matter what.¡±

    Even if that friend had killed someone you knew? He swallowed, the pain fighting to resurface, and he couldn¡¯t muster anger at Sto. He knew Sto hadn¡¯t set out to kill her, kill Fedora. He¡¯d tested her, and she¡¯d failed.

    He looked out the window by his bed. The clouds were dark red with the setting sun. Soon would be when he¡¯d run the roofs if he didn¡¯t have to worry about what the corruption did to him. It was how he liked to deal with his pain. Run up there, scream sometimes. Now he was stuck down here with the rest of them.

    ¡°I¡¯m just so fucking tired,¡± he said, looking away. ¡°Of people thinking I¡¯m a hero, or Don thinking I¡¯m against him, or the corruption hurting me at the right moment to make everything worse.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Jackal said simply.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for dumping this on you. I¡¯m just¡­¡± Tibs clenched his teeth in frustration.

    Just to do something other than complain, or pace, Tibs got out of his armor, pausing anytime laughter came through the window. They weren¡¯t laughing at him; he reminded himself. Maybe they were. Don would make sure no one forgot what had happened. He¡¯d probably tell everyone what room Tibs was in, so they knew what open window to look out for.

    And Tibs could do nothing to stop the sorcerer.

    He clenched his teeth at the pain as he took the legs off. Jackal didn¡¯t offer to help, and Tibs was grateful. Then he peeled off the sweaty underclothes, mulling things over.

    Jackal was right that he should do something about what was happening.

    He opened the chest with his stuff, and his dark clothes were on top. Mez still had them cleaned. Tibs looked through them for something older.

    He couldn¡¯t do anything about Don. Anything that wouldn¡¯t end up causing more trouble afterward. But he could do something.

    He put on the old set. It wasn¡¯t as dark as the one he used to run the roofs, or move unnoticed in the alleys, but it would do.

    It was time for him to confront the root of this particular set of problems.

    * * * * *

    He had to take an indirect route. It was still early enough in the night that there were a lot of people out. He didn¡¯t want to deal with people right now. Not those who might laugh, and especially not the guards. They wouldn¡¯t know where he was going, unless he was already close enough he could just run, and then deal with the questions afterward, so no. No guards, no bothering with lying to anyone, just deal with this once and for all.

    The smell caused him to falter. He¡¯d turned back before, but not this time.

    It wasn¡¯t keeping him away this time. That was why the smell made him sick, made him want to be anywhere but here. It wanted him to continue to suffer. It enjoyed this game of him never knowing when it would strike again, causing him to fall off a roof and die. Or worse, trip in a street and be mocked, on a day when he should have been able to mourn in peace.

    No more.

    It was time it learned that Tibs wasn¡¯t someone it wanted to mess with.

    He was going to fucking kick Corruption in the balls.

    He skirted the area until he located an alley going straight to that part of Merchant Row. When the stench increased, Tibs picked up speed to show he wouldn¡¯t be deterred this time. When it got bad enough his stomach tried to empty itself, he swallowed the bile with a snarl and pushed himself. He ignored the throbbing in his leg, the corruption still there mixing with the exhaustion.

    He crossed the street, fighting the urge to slow down, the voice telling him to reconsider what he was about to do¡ªprobably corruption seeping into his mind¡ªthat there had to be a better way.

    He was fast enough that even if all he did was hit the low stone wall, he¡¯d tip over it and fall in, so he placed his hand on the top and propelled himself over it.

    There, there was no turning back now.

    He looked down at the approaching darkness. It should be dark purple, but it didn¡¯t have any color in the faint light of Claria.

    Oh fuck. He couldn¡¯t turn back anymore. What had he been thinking? This was stupid beyond even something Jackal would do. He took a breath of fetid air and turned so his back would hit instead of his face and braced himself.

    The impact didn¡¯t splash. The corrupt liquid clung to him, viscous, burning with cold fire that made him want to scream. How long? How much did he have to endure? He¡¯d thought the pain he¡¯d felt each time the corruption in his essence acted up had been bad, but it was but a shadow of this. When would it end?

    Once he died?

    * * * * *

    ¡°Welcome!¡± Someone greeted enthusiastically.

    Tibs fought the urge to open his eyes and look at the speaker. That would just let more corruption eat at him and he was already in¡­

    Where was the pain?

    He opened an eye a little. Everything was dark and moved as if it wasn¡¯t quite solid. Dark purple. The color of the pool of corruption. Tibs was seated at a table, and opposite him was someone with features so fine he couldn¡¯t tell if they were a man or a woman.

    Their smile was radiant.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the pain you had to feel getting here. Rules and all that.¡± They rolled their eyes, the motion odd as they were entirely the same dark purple. Even the voice was indistinct. ¡°I never got why the others are so strict about sticking to them. I mean, if one of you wants to meet with one of us, why not just let it happen, right?¡± They placed their elbow on the table, the surface of which wobbled slightly, then rested their chin on their hands, which also wobbled. ¡°It is such a delight to finally meet you, Tibs.¡±

    Tibs startled. None of the elements had addressed him by name before.

    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind me using your name.¡± They looked worried they¡¯d offended him. ¡°I¡¯m not big on the titles and formal stuff.¡± They smiled. ¡°I mean, we¡¯re going to be working together, right? That is why you¡¯re here.¡± They offered him a hand, and over the open palm, the shadow of an element floated there, offered to Tibs.

    ¡°Just like that?¡± Tibs asked, eying it suspiciously.

    ¡°Of course, why would I¡­¡± They shook their head in annoyance. ¡°Let me guess. The others made you work for it. Of course, they did. I don¡¯t get it. What is the point? You already suffered getting to them, and once there, you have to what¡­ prove you¡¯re good enough to deserve what you sought? Someone like you comes around one in¡­¡± They frowned. ¡°How many of your lifetimes had it been since the last one?¡±

    Tibs shrugged, busy trying to figure out what the game was. He didn¡¯t believe they were just handing it over.

    ¡°Right, sorry. Time¡¯s a human thing¡­ Well, an out-there thing. Everything there feels it. Here, we¡­ we have the rules and that¡¯s about it.¡±

    Tibs nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t those rules say you have to make me earn this?¡± He pointed to the shadow over the proffered hand.

    They smiled and lowered their voice conspiratorially, as if someone might overhear them. Maybe there was. If there were rules, there had to be someone who enforced them.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to let you in on a little secret,¡± they whispered. ¡°I¡¯m like you. Something of a rule breaker. You¡¯ve made it here, you¡¯ve proven yourself enough to me. Testing you again is just redundant.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know that word.¡±

    ¡°What word?¡± they asked, surprised.

    ¡°Redundant,¡± Tibs repeated carefully.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    Tibs nodded.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s interesting. I plucked it out of there.¡± They tapped Tibs¡¯s forehead. ¡°I¡¯m plucking all the words I¡¯m using from there. No other way to communicate.¡± He looked at him. ¡°I guess that technically¡ª¡± they grinned as Tibs narrowed his eyes ¡°¡ªthere are so many words in there you might not realize what they all are.¡±

    Tibs rubbed his temple as he tried to work out what Corruption meant. ¡°You¡¯re starting to sound like Alistair when he wants me to realize something.¡±

    ¡°Sorry. You doing lessons is definitely not something I intend for you to do. The others can take care of that. All I¡¯m here for is to offer you what you want and, in return, remember that I didn¡¯t make you work for it. I¡¯m here to make things easier for you, that¡¯s all. If we work together, it¡¯s all going to be much easier.¡± They smiled. ¡°Do you get me?¡±

    Tibs kept his eyes on that face as he reached for the shadow.

    He¡¯d finally realized what they reminded him of. The con men and women of his street. The sweet talkers who convinced you to hand over the last crumbs of bread while having you believe you¡¯d get a whole loaf out of the encounter.

    The expression didn¡¯t change. They didn¡¯t pull their hand away at the last moment. When Tibs touched the shadow, it melded into his fingers. The core of his essence expanded, making space for the element among the others.

    They smiled. ¡°See, not everything needs to be a chore. You can tell the others I treated you with the proper respect you deserve when you go see them.¡±

    Tibs nodded, studying the feel of the essence, now that it was part of him. As with the others, he couldn¡¯t find the right way to describe it. The closest he came to surprised him because there was nothing sickly about it.

    It was simply sticky.

    ¡°Now what?¡± He asked, expecting the line to be pulled, now that he¡¯d taken the bait.

    ¡°Now, you go back,¡± they answered. ¡°As much as I enjoy your company, you belong out there.¡±

    ¡°Wait.¡± Tibs swallowed. ¡°If you send me back where I was, that¡¯s in the pool.¡± His voice faltered and was weak when he uttered the words. ¡°It hurts.¡±

    They looked at him, surprised. ¡°Tibs, I would never hurt you now that we are friends. You¡¯re special, remember that. If one of them hurts you after you took part of them into you¡­ well, I don¡¯t think highly of them. And neither should you.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs broke the surface with a gasp and scrambled not to be pulled back under the viscous liquid, then stopped when he realized he was sitting on the bottom and the liquid only went to his shoulders. He was certain that as he¡¯d held his breath, he¡¯d been dragged under much deeper before reaching Corruption. The way the man who¡¯d fallen into it had trashed about, when they had jumped out of the Caravan Garden building, had led him to think it was bottomless.

    He stood and above the middle of his thigh was exposed to the cool air. And the breeze made his private parts shrivel.

    He dropped. Fuck, he was naked. The corruption had eaten his clothing. He looked around. Now would be when Don would be here to gaze into his element. He would never let Tibs live this down.

    Tibs looked down at what he was sitting in.

    Maybe he should have Don see him right now. See just how superior the sorcerer felt. Maybe he¡¯d want to prove he was the better and step into the liquid.

    Tibs shook himself.

    Don didn¡¯t deserve this, no matter how angry Tibs was at him. Tibs certainly wasn¡¯t one to gloat, even if now was the time for it. No, now was the time to head back to his room without anyone seeing him. That wouldn¡¯t be easy. He could hear people in the distance. He looked up to locate Claria. Not a lot of time had passed during his audience.

    He saw the roof as he considered his option and reflexively flexed his leg.

    There was no pain.

    He smiled.

    Without the corruption getting in his way, he knew exactly how to go back to his room without being seen.

 Stepping up, Chapter 29

    ¡°You can¡¯t seriously be doing this,¡± Jackal told Pyan as he and Tibs reached her table. She was alone again, only this time it wasn¡¯t because her team had abandoned her. It was because she¡¯d abandoned them. ¡°You¡¯re the team leader, you can¡¯t just walk away from them and join another one.¡± There were four tankards before her, and as she reached for one, Jackal took it.

    She glared at him. ¡°What has being a leader gotten me?¡± she demanded. ¡°Geoff¡¯s dead.¡±

    To Tibs¡¯s surprise, instead of drinking the tankard¡¯s content, Jackal sniffed it and made a face. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be drinking this stuff, Pyan, especially if you have a run today.¡±

    ¡°What do you care?¡± she asked, taking the tankard from him and downing it. ¡°You¡¯re always drinking, even when you have runs.¡±

    ¡°Ale, not this stuff. That¡¯s going to kill you.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± she snarled. ¡°That¡¯s what I deserve for getting Geoff killed.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t¡ª¡± Jackal ground his teeth and looked at Tibs, his expression inviting him to jump in and help.

    But Tibs didn¡¯t know what to say. Or rather, he couldn¡¯t think of anything that disagreed with her. He¡¯d come down from his excitement at being rid of the pain of the corruption in his essence to the memory of Fedora¡¯s death, and it still hurt. Enough that he thought about not getting out of bed this morning.

    Wouldn¡¯t have, if Jackal hadn¡¯t dragged him out.

    Numbing the pain with whatever she was drinking had a certain appeal. As did ending it completely so he would never have to feel like this again. If not for his friends and how his death would make them feel, Tibs might have done it already.

    ¡°At least get a different team, Pyan,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Why? Tihomil¡¯s a good leader.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s an Omega,¡± the fighter replied, exasperated. ¡°His entire team is. They¡¯re just doing the first floor. You¡¯re not going to get anything out of that. There¡¯s got to be an Upsilon team in need of a fighter, there¡¯s been a lot of them not making it out of the dungeon too.¡±

    ¡°At least I have a chance of keeping them alive on the first floor.¡± She raised her tankard and motioned to her table.

    ¡°You¡¯re hurt,¡± Jackal said, looking at Tibs again. ¡°Don¡¯t make this decision now. Help them for this run, then rest. Grieve.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking tell me what to do.¡± She was up and in Jackal¡¯s face. ¡°Your man¡¯s still here.¡± She pointed to the approaching Kroseph. ¡°He¡¯s safe. You see how you feel when he¡¯s dead and it¡¯s your fault.¡±

    ¡°Geoffrey¡¯s death wasn¡¯t your fault,¡± Kroseph said, putting the tankard on the table. ¡°And this is your last one. You have a run today.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what to do either,¡± she ordered. ¡°I have the coin, you¡¯re going to keep bringing them to me.¡± She threw a silver at him and the server caught it with the ease of a man who had many of them thrown at him by angry customers and customers too drunk to aim.

    ¡°I want you to come back and spend more of your well-earned coins.¡± Kroseph placed the coin on the table. ¡°So yes, I can tell you that this is the last Itricion I will be serving you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take my coins elsewhere,¡± she threatened. ¡°What¡¯s the owner going to say then?¡±

    ¡°My dad¡¯s going to say he doesn¡¯t want your death to be because of something I let you do. There are plenty of taverns that won¡¯t care about more than the coin you¡¯re giving them right now. We aren¡¯t one of those.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡± She sat and drank angrily.

    Tibs could see that she¡¯d go to one of the taverns. She¡¯d lost her special man, her pain was stronger than what Fedora caused him. He¡¯d only known her for a short while and as nothing more than a friend he tried to help survive the dungeon.

    And failed.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal called, halfway to their table.

    Tibs shook his head. He didn¡¯t want food right now. He didn¡¯t want to be around Jackal and his good mood. He also didn¡¯t want to think about Fedora.

    ¡°Pyan?¡± he called, when she slammed the nearly empty tankard on the table. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go to the training field and you start teaching me how to hold a sword? My sickness¡¯s gone.¡± He forced the smile.

    ¡°What¡¯s the point?¡± she replied her mood turning morose. ¡°It¡¯s not like it¡¯s going to keep you alive any more than Geoff. That thing¡¯s set on eating all of us.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s got to be better than sitting here, right?¡±

    She eyed him suspiciously.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell Kroseph to let you drink more when we come back.¡±

    ¡°And I will agree,¡± the server said, startling Tibs. He¡¯d expected him to go with Jackal, or go back serving customers.

    ¡°Kro,¡± the innkeeper called.

    ¡°I¡¯m dealing with a customer, Dad.¡±

    ¡°This can¡¯t wait. Go to Gulmer and see if he¡¯ll sell us salt, we¡¯re almost out.¡±

    Kroseph frowned. ¡°How¡¯s that?¡± He headed for the bar. ¡°There¡¯s four bags left in the cellar.¡±

    ¡°Rats got into there and ripped them open, and somehow this morning¡¯s rain found a crack and got into that too. Russ was only able to salvage enough for the day.¡± The rest of the conversation was lost among the rest as they were close enough they no longer needed to raise their voices.

    Tibs refocused on Pyan, who still looked like she¡¯d prefer to keep drinking. ¡°Please? I¡¯d rather do something than think about¡ª¡± He closed his mouth.

    She sighed, standing. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s go waste your time.¡±

    * * * * *

    For the next five days, Tibs found her every morning before she¡¯d drank too much, and convinced her to go to the field for training. She made him pay for it each time by forcing him to use a sword nearly his height that felt heavier than him. When he¡¯d pointed out a short sword was what he wanted, she¡¯d smirked evilly and told him to deal with it. She was training him, he was going to learn the way she wanted. If he wasn¡¯t happy about it, he could let her drink in peace.

    Tibs had swallowed any more complaints and used as much of the little earth essence he had as he could to make himself strong enough to hold the massive weapon up. He got to train with pulling in that essence as he used it, but it didn¡¯t help. There was only so much of it he could put on his arm before it became visible and gave his secret away.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Tibs was so exhausted after a few hours of this that he had no strength to think about anything for the rest of the day.

    On the sixth day, Pyan¡¯s table was occupied by her old team and the new one, but not her.

    The solemn expression and tankards made Tibs stop before he reached them, then he forced himself to approach them.

    ¡°How?¡± he asked, swallowing the pain. They didn¡¯t have to tell him she was dead. ¡°You weren¡¯t due for a run for three more days.¡± He couldn¡¯t stop the accusatory tone.

    ¡°She talked the guards into letting her fill out one of the Omega teams that was missing a fighter,¡± Tandy said.

    Tibs stared at her. ¡°The first floor killed her?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard,¡± Tihomil said and Tibs glared at him. Of course, it was hard for him, he was still an Omega archer.

    ¡°She was Rho,¡± Tibs said, looking at the others for an actual explanation.

    Karl gave it to him. ¡°She gave up.¡±

    Tibs swallowed. He¡¯d tried so hard to use avoiding his pain to keep her from having to feel hers. How could he have failed like that?

    He backed away, trying to decide if he felt disgusted by them sitting there when they¡¯d done nothing to help, or by him, who¡¯d used her for nothing.

    He turned and shoved Jackal out of his way as he ran out of the Inn, ignoring his friend¡¯s amused ribbing. Nearly blind from the tears he climbed to the inn¡¯s roof then tried to outrun his pain.

    * * * * *

    The house wasn¡¯t what Tibs expected, not the first time he¡¯d looked at it, and not this time.

    He hadn¡¯t outrun his pain, but he¡¯d outrun the tears. He cursed corruption for not being there. Something to make him trip and fall and break his neck would have been nice.

    So much for Corruption and their promise of helping him, he thought bitterly.

    His roof running had taken him near the noble¡¯s neighborhood because there was just no way to avoid ending up there if he ran for any amount of time. And as he¡¯d considered turning around, he¡¯d realized that, after failing two friends, he could at least make sure Jackal didn¡¯t have to deal with his father.

    The small house Sebastian had told Jackal he¡¯d bought so he could stay close to his son was anything but. At least he hadn¡¯t lied when he said it was on the outskirt of the nobles¡¯ neighborhood, for the moment. It was the only occupied house. With the lavish construction, Tibs expected only nobles would afford them.

    The house was away from the road, with a yard filling the space, and a path leading to the front entrance. There was a yard at the back, as well as on each side, with houses marking the limits, with their yards also in front, pushing the road away.

    It was a noble thing, wasting the space that would be better used for another building.

    Sebastian had the largest house of them, as well as the only one with yards all around, and was two stories tall. It made reaching it from the street without being noticed difficult, but Tibs hadn¡¯t come by the street. And it was the same height as the buildings around it. He¡¯d had to use essence to reach the roof, extending it with water, but if he¡¯d wanted, and was interested in taking his time, he could have found a path to a roof close enough he¡¯d be able to make the leap unassisted.

    He¡¯d walked around it the first time he¡¯d come, the day Sebastian spoke with Jackal. It had been to familiarize himself with it, in case Sebastian decided to cause problems for his friend.

    Now, Tibs wasn¡¯t going to wait for that. He was going to make sure the man knew he wasn¡¯t safe in Kragle Rock. It was Tibs¡¯s town, and he didn¡¯t want him here.

    He lowered himself from the roof with one hand. Whoever had built it had only considered the distance to the ground as a deterrent against rogues, so the window was close enough to the roof that Tibs could reach the bottom without letting go of the roof.

    He paused as he was about to push on the window, to test if it was locked. The essence woven through it tingled. There had been no essence there when he¡¯d come the previous time. The window only had a latch to keep someone like him from pushing it inward and getting it. He hadn¡¯t been impressed by it then.

    He opened his sense and nearly lost his grip on the roof.

    The essence wasn¡¯t simply woven through the window. It was a tight, complex, weave. He studied the other windows on the house within his range and they all had the same kind of weave.

    He climbed back up and sat on the roof.

    Tibs knew little of enchanted items. Sorcerers and dungeons were the ones who made them, not rogues. But Tibs had sensed many of them since acquiring the ability to sense essence. What he had been able to determine was that the tighter the weave the stronger the effect was. The complexity he wasn¡¯t certain yet, but complexity meant multiple essences used, so he thought it meant the result, once triggered, would include all those essences.

    Tirania¡¯s distance-talking gem was tightly woven, but it didn¡¯t feel too complex. The armors and weapons Sto gave as loot were neither complex nor tightly woven. The magic protecting the Guild building was both tight and complex, more so than this house, but only because it permeated the entirety of it, not only access points.

    He looked down at the window. Could essence be woven into a lock? If it could, what kind of key would be needed?

    He¡¯d have to come up with a way to ask Alistair. He was a rogue, so it should be simple.

    Only, that was for later. Right now he wanted to get into this house and that window was keeping that from happening. He cursed, stood, and looked around. He smiled.

    The smoke drifting out of the chimney was thick, so they had a good fire going, and they probably thought that was enough to keep anyone from entering that way. He climbed on top and looked into the opening. Alright, the smoke and the size of the chimney would keep most rogues out, but neither was a problem for Tibs, being as small as he was, and having essences to help him.

    The light was far enough it would be the ground floor. From there he could sneak about until he found Sebastian and gave him his orders.

    The tightness made holding on easier as he lowered himself, using air essence to move the smoke around him so he wouldn¡¯t choke on it. As he got close enough to make out voices, he felt the heat of the large fire. Lowering himself further, it became uncomfortable, and he considered moving up and looking for loose bricks to enter a room on the second floor.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t much,¡± Sebastian said, and Tibs froze.

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± a woman answered. ¡°We have to be careful not to alert the others.¡± Tibs knew that voice.

    ¡°I understand,¡± Sebastian said, dismissively. ¡°How is that coming along? Did the¡­ reminder you left have the intended effect?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, sir. No one has seen your daughter since.¡±

    Sebastian snorted. ¡°She¡¯ll show up and come groveling for a bone. I¡¯m more interested in the other. Did it remind them where their allegiances are?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ think so, sir,¡± the woman said. She was the one from the fire, Tibs was certain of it. The one who had been screaming at him, Jenna, and Don for acting. ¡°The problem is that if I¡¯m too direct in asking, all it¡¯ll take is a stray word from them for Hard Knuckles to pick up a lie. Without more ways to shield them, I can¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Sebastian said with an annoyed sigh. ¡°I have the craftsman working on making more already, but they¡¯re frustratingly slow to make. And before you say it, I can¡¯t rush him. I learned that the hard way with the previous sorcerer I employed. She went up in flames in the middle of enchanting one of those.¡± Papers were moved. ¡°How about that¡­ annoyance?¡±

    ¡°I have someone on it. Again, it has to be done carefully, but trust me, they will learn that you are the better of the available options.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± More papers. ¡°And my son?¡±

    She sighed. ¡°Sir, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°My son,¡± Sebastian repeated, tone turning angry.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to get anyone he wouldn¡¯t recognize close to him. The person I paid to deliver the message was found the next morning beaten to a pulp. I don¡¯t think your son appreciated being told he needs to return home so he can take up his studies. I sent three more, with the skills to take him on, and only one returned, barely able to walk and speak.¡±

    ¡°And what did they have to say for themselves?¡±

    ¡°Your son gave them a message to pass along. He¡¯s a Runner, not a Wells. He belongs to the Guild and the dungeon, not you. Anyone else sent with messages from you will not be returning.¡± A hesitant pause. ¡°Sir, if I may?¡±

    ¡°Go on.¡±

    ¡°Jackal is a lost cause. You should focus on getting one of your other children ready. Even Serba would be a¡ª¡±

    ¡°No. Jackie will take over for me. It is his duty. It is how it will happen. He just needs to be made to see that.¡±

    ¡°If you say so, sir.¡±

    ¡°I know so,¡± Sebastian snapped. ¡°You¡¯re dismissed.¡±

    Steps going away, a door opening and closing. Silence.

    Movement again. Soft shoes instead of boots. Crystal clinking, liquid pouring. A sigh.

    ¡°Why, Jackie. Why are you fighting your destiny so damned hard?¡± Sebastian¡¯s sigh sounded pained. ¡°You know what was read. You¡¯re the only one who can ensure our family¡¯s survival.¡± Sebastian sat. ¡°Cursed Abyss. Maybe I should have told you she was the one who¡¯d read it. Maybe you wouldn¡¯t have fled if you¡¯d known that.¡±

    A knock. ¡°Sir,¡± a man said. ¡°Your guests have arrived.¡±

    Sebastian stood. The door opened, then closed.

    Tibs lowered himself, and the heat of the fire became painful. Cursing silently he moved up. He¡¯d wanted to take the papers. Carina could have read them and they would have known what Sebastian was planning.

    Still, he could tell Jackal about what he heard and they could look for who Sebastian was targeting. Khumdar could help, as could Carina. Mez¡­ Mez would work to protect the town. Once he saw Sebastian wasn¡¯t any kind of noble, but just another criminal, even the archer would help.

    This would be the perfect way to hurt Sebastian and get him to leave his town.

 Stepping up, Chapter 30

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us?¡± Carina demanded of Jackal.

    Tibs hadn¡¯t intended to start an argument when he¡¯d told Jackal about what he¡¯d heard in his father¡¯s house. He¡¯d just returned to their room, and the fighter had been there, along with the others, including Mez.

    ¡°What would you have done?¡± Jackal replied. ¡°You¡¯re all already on my father¡¯s bad side. There¡¯s no point in making it worse for any of you.¡±

    Carina was the only one angry. Mez was distracted, and Khumdar mulling over the information. Probably looking for what fit with the secrets he¡¯d already found out. Tibs needed to talk with the cleric about those, see if he knew anything that would help him keep Sebastian from causing trouble like the fire.

    Tibs was certain that was the man¡¯s work.

    ¡°We can help,¡± Carina said, then dropped onto her bed. ¡°We can take whatever your father sends. We¡¯ve survived the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°My father isn¡¯t a dungeon. He doesn¡¯t play by any rules.¡±

    ¡°What do you make of your father¡¯s claim that only you can save your family?¡± Khumdar asked. ¡°That he said ¡®it was read¡¯ implies a prophecy. Do you have an idea who this ¡®she¡¯ might be, that it could have changed your behavior if he had told you?¡±

    Jackal rolled his eyes. ¡°There is no ¡®she¡¯. There is no prophecy. It¡¯s just a story he made up to try to control me.¡±

    ¡°He was talking to himself,¡± Carina said. ¡°Why say that if it¡¯s not real?¡±

    ¡°How do I know?¡± Jackal said in exasperation. ¡°Maybe he said it so often he believes it now.¡±

    ¡°What is the story,¡± Khumdar asked, ¡°if you do not mind telling us?¡±

    Jackal sighed. ¡°Supposedly when I was born, there was a seer there, and she claimed that I would one day rule the family, that because I would be there, our family would achieve the dreams those before me have had. That without me there, our name would be forgotten to time and the abyss.¡±

    ¡°Is that a thing?¡± Mez asked, looking up. ¡°I thought seers were just in stories.¡±

    Carina and Khumdar exchanged a look.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Carina hesitated. ¡°Adventurers with Void as an element will sometimes know things out of sequence. There have been tests done, and those who participated have been able to predict the result of Kartelon with enough accuracy that the Sorcerers in Amstirden have an arrangement with the transportation group so that any attendants who show inclinations to prediction will go for testing.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s Kartelon?¡± Mez asked before Tibs could. ¡°Sounds like a game, but I¡¯ve never heard the name.¡±

    Carina rubbed her face. ¡°It is a game of chance. A wheel with numbers on it is spun with a die in it. The more faces on the die, the harder the game is and the more the players can make from their bets.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Run Dice?¡± Jackal said, sitting up. ¡°My father owns a few of those tables. Utterly rigged.¡±

    ¡°No, a properly set up one will give you a random result within the range determined by the dice. One with six faces is the simplest game and will give you one of nearly four hundred results. Then it goes up from there. The Amstirden Sorcerers use one with a one-hundred-faced die, so the odds of anyone guessing the result are low enough that anyone able to do it reliably has something special. The only ones to have done it have Void as their element.¡± She looked about to add something.

    ¡°But,¡± Khumdar took over, ¡°while I do not benefit from having read what sorcerers have done to study it, I have heard stories. If those are to be believed, anyone with a talent for predicting what will happen does not live very long.¡±

    ¡°But if they know what¡¯s going to happen,¡± Tibs said, ¡°can¡¯t they avoid what¡¯s going to hurt them?¡±

    ¡°The stories say those people go insane,¡± the cleric said. ¡°They turn into raving lunatics, are what those stories say.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s more that the more accurate the adventurer is at predicting what will happen,¡± Carina picked up, ¡°the quicker their mind deteriorates. The researchers describe it as them losing touch with the now, so they can¡¯t function anymore.¡±

    ¡°Now I know my father was lying,¡± Jackal said. ¡°He claimed that she was there for every one of his children being born.¡± He stood. ¡°Come on, I¡¯m done talking about this without at least some ale in me. Let¡¯s go to the inn. Once I¡¯m numb, you can go back to talking about visions and adventurers going mad.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs studied the barrels lining the wall.

    Drinking the ale had proved to be more of an adventure than usual as, for the first time since Tibs started drinking there, they had bad ale. A bad barrel happened, Kroseph had reassured them, but when Jackal pressed, he¡¯d admitted this was the seventh barrel in their cellar that had turned out to be bad.

    Jackal had been quick to claim his father was responsible, but Mez pointed out there was no way to open a barrel to add anything that would make the ale go bad. As part of learning to be a noble, his family had sent him to work in a brewery, so he explained how barrels were sealed, and how they were stored on their side. He¡¯d gone into the reasons, but Tibs had already been thinking of other things.

    Things that lead him to be in the inn¡¯s cellar this night, instead of on the roofs.

    Tibs had known he could get in with no one noticing him. What he¡¯d wanted to know was if anyone else could do it.

    He wasn¡¯t impressed.

    Only Garlan worked at night. He was the strongest and meanest looking of Kroseph¡¯s brothers, so his presence was enough to keep the nighttime drinkers from causing trouble. But he was also the cook and the server, which meant that with only a little patience, someone could get close to the kitchen, then in and through the door leading to the cellar without being noticed. Leaving would only require the same.

    So, Sebastian could pay someone to get in. Then what?

    As Mez had explained, the barrels were on their sides, held in place with wooden blocks and stacked three high, the highest the cellar¡¯s ceiling allowed. They were made of wooden slats, held in place by metal rings, just like the rain barrels. He couldn¡¯t remove a ring without the ale escaping. He couldn¡¯t remove a slat without leaving evidence it had been tampered with.

    Kroseph had assured Jackal that none of the barrels had been tampered with.

    It would take someone with wood as their element, Tibs decided. Or someone with water, to hold the ale in place while they removed the rings. Only even that would leave marks as the metal ring scraped against the wood.

    He sensed the liquid in the barrel, and the mix of essences there felt the same as that in the tankard he drank from. Water, earth air fire, in varying quantities, and he was surprised to sense a little corruption. There were more essences. He¡¯d noticed that everything, even what he thought of as being of an element, had a lot more essences within them than just that one.

    What did corruption have to do in ale?

    What did corruption do?

    His only experience with it was Don and when he had corruption in his essence. He¡¯d thought it was a bad element, but while there was something not entirely trustworthy about the element, they had been friendly.

    Every barrel had corruption in it, but Tibs figured that if he added more, no matter what its purpose was, it would make the ale go bad.

    So had Don done this?

    No. Tibs didn¡¯t believe that. For as much of an asshole as the sorcerer was, he liked the inn. More than that, Don thought of the town as his, too. He¡¯d hurt someone in it that bothered him, but not the town itself.

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Did Sebastian have an adventurer with corruption? He hadn¡¯t sensed an element in anyone he¡¯d seen near the man¡¯s house, or those he knew worked for him, but Jackal had made it clear his father was as rich as some nobles. So he could pay one to come and ruin the ale.

    Or he could have an item that let him do it. Tibs hadn¡¯t been able to work out what the woven items Sebastian wore did, but some had corruption as part of their weave. Complex items seemed to have a little of all essences, just like everything else.

    Left with only maybes on all the questions he had, Tibs snuck out of the inn and went roof running. He needed some certainties to balance out the maybes, and the best way he knew how to accomplish that was to break into a house or two, and tonight, they were going to be noble¡¯s houses.

    * * * * *

    The guard leader¡¯s expression was one of annoyance, more than anger.

    Tibs had debated doing this. When he¡¯d mentioned it to the others, Jackal had been vehemently against having him tell Harry. He didn¡¯t believe his uncle would believe him, even with light at his element. Tibs was a rogue, after all.

    ¡°I know you believe you¡¯re telling the truth,¡± Harry said, his tone guarded, then looked at the woman standing next to Tibs. ¡°Tell me again, Harna, do you have something, a magical device that allows you to lie to me?¡±

    Tibs hadn¡¯t endeared himself to Harry by following his lieutenant into the office so he could expose her.

    ¡°No, sir, I do not,¡± she answered flatly.

    The man peered at her, then nodded. ¡°She isn¡¯t lying.¡±

    ¡°But she¡¯s w¡ª¡± Tibs closed his mouth, kept himself from pointing to the medallion under her armor. Telling Harry he knew it was there would lead to him having to explain how he knew it was magical. ¡°I heard them¡ª¡± he stopped again.

    Harry¡¯s rules were strict. He couldn¡¯t get caught breaking into houses. Admitting to doing it was the same as being caught. Maybe it would be worth it, if it got Harry looking into Sebastian¡¯s business, or made him kick out the guards Sebastian controlled. Only he wasn¡¯t even questioning her now. Just accepting her answer.

    ¡°You heard them?¡± Harry asked.

    Had that been enough for Harry to know he was telling the truth? Then why did he sound doubtful now?

    And her, why couldn¡¯t she look smug like bards sang the villains always did? She just looked¡­ like a guard.

    And he¡¯d revealed to her that he knew they had something.

    He turned and left without adding anything. The only good thing he could see in this was that he¡¯d said enough to make her think he only knew because he¡¯d overheard them. All that would come for her reporting that to Sebastian meant the chimney would be unusable in the future.

    Which meant he needed to find another way in if he wanted to listen to more of their plans.

    * * * * *

    ¡°Can essence make a lock?¡± Tibs asked Alistair.

    His teacher sighed. ¡°Please focus, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°I am.¡±

    They were seated on the floor of the training room within the guild building, eyes closed. Had been for too long, as far as Tibs cared for.

    ¡°I¡¯m feeling my reserve. I¡¯m pushing the essence against the ¡®edge¡¯ of it. But I don¡¯t know what¡¯s supposed to happen, so I¡¯m asking you a question.¡±

    ¡°What is supposed to happen,¡± Alistair said, his tone strained, ¡°is that you need to work out how to get your essence to seep through the border of your reserve and into your body. One of the aspects of being Rho, on your way to Lambda, is to get your essence to suffuse your body.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be easier by just overfilling my reserve?¡± Tibs asked, thinking back to what had happened when he¡¯d absorbed Bardik¡¯s essence.

    ¡°If that could be done, I expect it would make it easier. But remember what I told you. Overfilling your reserve is dangerous.¡±

    It had been painful, but nothing bad had happened because of it. Well, other than being drenched in corruption, but that had been Bardik¡¯s doing, not his reserve spilling over.

    ¡°Does being able to move essence in my body let me have more of it? That would have been nice to work on earlier.¡±

    Alistair Cliffled. ¡°No, you¡¯re not getting a larger reserve out of this. What suffusing your body does is reinforce it, gets it ready for the next stage.¡±

    ¡°I thought Rho was about learning that I didn¡¯t have to just repeat how I was told to use essence.¡±

    ¡°You already know that.¡±

    ¡°Then when are you going to teach me how to do more?¡±

    ¡°When you¡¯re ready.¡±

    Tibs sighed. ¡°So, can essence be made into a lock?¡±

    ¡°Why do you want to know?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a house with essence woven through the windows and doors.¡±

    ¡°It seems like you¡¯ve just answered your question.¡±

    Tibs opened his eyes. ¡°How do I get through it?¡±

    ¡°You get the key.¡± Alistair¡¯s legs were crossed strangely, both feet over the calves. Tibs had tried, but it was painful.

    ¡°I can¡¯t get the key.¡±

    ¡°Then you can¡¯t get through it.¡±

    ¡°So, they¡¯re the perfect lock?¡± Tibs didn¡¯t believe in those, but that now he needed to keep in mind what essence could do.

    Alistair glared at Tibs. ¡°That is not what we are working on, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s what¡¯s on my mind.¡± He smiled. ¡°I¡¯m not going to be able to focus on anything else.¡±

    ¡°There are times, Tibs, when I seriously believe you do not wish to improve your essence.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m inquisitive. I can¡¯t help it.¡±

    Alistair raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°The word was in a book Carina¡¯s having me read.¡± He¡¯d liked the word, so he¡¯d been practicing saying it and had waited for the perfect time to use it.

    ¡°Maybe I should get you a book explaining the principles of essence etching versus that of weaving,¡± his teacher said, hints of a threat in his tone.

    Maybe he should have used the word with someone else. ¡°I¡¯d rather you tell me,¡± Tibs said casually, but he could tell Alistair saw his discomfort. ¡°It hurts less.¡± He rubbed his temple for emphasis.

    ¡°It¡¯ll hurt regardless once you start working on it. It is a complicated process to understand, but one you need before you can progress.¡±

    Tibs nodded. ¡°So the essence lock, it¡¯s perfect?¡±

    Alistair rubbed his temple and gave Tibs an annoyed look. ¡°No. There are no locks that can¡¯t be defeated, but one of those will be as close as it¡¯s possible to get.¡± He closed his eyes, took a few breaths, and when he opened them, the annoyance was gone. When his teacher spoke, it was as an instructor again. ¡°A lock will always have weaknesses. Tell me what could be the weakness of one made of essence.¡±

    ¡°The key,¡± Tibs said immediately, since if he had that, he could easily bypass it. He thought about it. ¡°The person who has it. I could trick them into opening it for me.¡±

    Alistair nodded and waited.

    Tibs shook his head. He was certain it had other weaknesses, but he couldn¡¯t think of any. ¡°If a lock like that is so good, why don¡¯t every house have them? That¡¯s the only house I¡¯ve found with them. Even the nobles rely on latches instead of essence.¡±

    ¡°Setting aside arrogance as a reason...¡± Alistair Cliffled and Tibs could envision a noble thinking they were too good for an essence lock. ¡°That window you noticed is now basically a magical item.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± That was one thing Tibs hadn¡¯t thought about.

    ¡°Yes. And as I¡¯ve explained, those are difficult and expensive to make. The more essence used, the more difficult, and therefore, the more expensive such a lock would be. I¡¯m surprised even one of the nobles has gone to that extent.¡± He considered something. ¡°Could you tell how many essences were used in the lock?¡±

    Tibs gave Alistair his ¡®are you really asking that question¡¯ look, then remembered how his teacher liked to work.

    ¡°Is there a way I can tell what other essences are?¡±

    Right now he could only differentiate those essences he had.

    Alistair smiled. ¡°Remember how I told you that with enough training, you can disrupt someone else¡¯s essence, even if it isn¡¯t your own? That¡¯s because, with that level of experience, you learn to tell minute differences between the essences. With enough skill and practice, you could tease about what essence compose a weave. Of course, the more complex the weave, the harder that will be.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all that mixing of essence, right?¡±

    ¡°Along with the fact that a complex weave is also denser than simple ones. The strands of essence are packed so tight that it makes telling them apart even harder. One of the main reasons they aren¡¯t used is that they are more than even a noble will need. Mechanical locks can be quite complex, enough they will stop all but the best thief. That this one went to this expense makes me question what they might be expecting of a dungeon town this new.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯d know the rogues here have essence.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but they¡¯d also know that no one who is currently running the dungeon would have the training to be able to do more than sense there is essence used in the window. And being able to use an element will not make getting through such a lock possible.¡±

    He extended his hand and water lines formed over it. ¡°A simple weave uses multiple essences to stop you because you only have one of them.¡± He broke a water line with a finger. ¡°You pluck this line, but the rest is still there to trigger when you break them. Most Rho rogues lack your training to be able to even tell there would be more essence. So they¡¯d be caught. That noble should consider that to be enough.¡±

    Tibs extended his hand and mimicked the pattern, then, taking a chance, he added more lines until they became nearly impossible to tell about.

    ¡°It felt more like this.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ overkill.¡±

    ¡°How would someone who wanted to get into that house do it?¡±

    Alistair narrowed his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t even think of attempting it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Tibs replied reflexively. ¡°I¡¯m just curious.¡±

    ¡°Trying it will end up killing someone, probably you, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°Could you do it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d need a team. How large would depend on how many essences are used. I¡¯d need at least one person who can tell them apart, so a sorcerer, then it would depend on what they tell me."

    ¡°All the others would be rogues?¡±

    Alistair¡¯s suspicious expression turned pensive. ¡°Ideally. But I don¡¯t know rogues that cover every element. Fortunately, because of how teams are built, nearly every class will pick up something from their rogue, so it¡¯s just a question of finding someone with the element and enough knowledge to be helpful. Helping break a lock doesn¡¯t require the kind of skill that needs a lifetime to learn. Does that answer your question?¡±

    Tibs nodded. He wasn¡¯t getting into Sebastian¡¯s house any further than the fireplace unless he found it extinguished, and he expected that even in a warm weather the man wouldn¡¯t let it go out. So the rest of the house was out of his reach...

    Unless he could make a team of rogues he trusted with his secret.

    ¡°Can we go back to your training, then? You won¡¯t be able to reach Lambda without that.¡±

    ¡°How will I tell when I¡¯ve managed it?¡± Tibs asked, setting the question of Sebastian aside for the moment.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Alistair warned, then stopped, surprised the question was on topic. ¡°Once you¡¯ve suffused your body with water essence, you will take on some of its characteristics. Your motions will be smoother, you¡¯ll be harder to hold, slipping out of bonds will be easier.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Tibs closed his eyes. That settled that worry at least. His body was already suffused with an essence, and that wasn¡¯t water. He wouldn¡¯t be the cause of his team breaking up.

 Stepping up, Chapter 31

    ¡°I think I have a way to keep us from being broken up,¡± Tibs said, then shoved food in his mouth, ignoring the looks. He¡¯d been thinking about it more and more as their run approached. And with it being the next day, he was out of time to find a different method.

    ¡°I was not aware we were about to be broken up,¡± Khumdar said.

    ¡°He means from another one of us graduating,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°I thought we¡¯d agreed you were going to make sure to fail whatever test they were going to give you,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°That¡¯s not sure to work,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°My idea is going to ensure it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any way to make sure we don¡¯t graduate,¡± Carina said.

    ¡°If we don¡¯t do the runs,¡± Tibs said, ¡°we can¡¯t get stronger.¡±

    ¡°That is not true,¡± Khumdar replied, ¡°but I understand your reasoning.¡±

    ¡°But we have to do the runs,¡± Mez said. ¡°That¡¯s what we are here for.¡±

    ¡°And with how attentive the guild is of you, Tibs,¡± Jackal said, ¡°I doubt they¡¯ll let you just not do it without punishing you in some way, maybe by breaking us up.¡±

    Tibs nodded. That had been one of the reasons this method was the only one he could come up with. Everything else and Tirania might decide he was testing her patience.

    ¡°We can¡¯t do a run if one of us is in a cell.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Jackal stated.

    ¡°Why would any of us end up in a cell?¡± Mez asked.

    Tibs raised an eyebrow at the archer. ¡°For breaking a rule.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re always breaking the rules,¡± Mez replied, for once without accusation. ¡°You¡¯re a rogue, you have to.¡±

    ¡°No, Tibs,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°But if I get caught,¡± Tibs told Mez, ¡°I¡¯ll still be sent to a cell, and the team can¡¯t do a run.¡±

    ¡°I said no.¡±

    ¡°But you don¡¯t get caught,¡± now Mez¡¯s tone had some annoyance in it. ¡°You¡¯re too good.¡±

    Tibs smiled, surprised at the indirect compliment. ¡°But I can make sure I get caught.¡±

    ¡°Why did you all make me the team leader if you¡¯re just going to ignore me?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°There¡¯s going to be other runs,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°And once Sto graduates to Rho, the loot¡¯s going to be better.¡±

    The fighter looked at Tibs. ¡°You really think this is about the loot?¡±

    ¡°When is it not?¡± Carina asked, covering up a smile with her tankard.

    Jackal opened his mouth and closed it. ¡°This time, it isn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not going to be bad,¡± Tibs said. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s something small, so it¡¯ll just be a few days. Harry likes me, so he¡¯s not going to be harsh.¡±

    ¡°Knuckles hates rogues,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°And he won¡¯t be involved in you being sent to a cell unless it¡¯s big. But I don¡¯t want you to do it, anyway. You have no idea what the cells are like.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°There¡¯ll be other rogues. Probably other Runners. It¡¯s not that bad, won¡¯t be as crowded as the cell I was in before coming here.¡±

    Jackal shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s more than just Runners breaking the rules, Tibs. Most Runners make sure not to break them because it can cost them a run. What you have in those cells are criminals coming here because they think a new town is easy pickings. Only they then have to deal with Knuckle¡¯s guards. And one of the reasons they¡¯re better than they should be for a town like this has more to do with us keeping them on their toes than them working for Knuckles. So those criminals in the cells aren¡¯t going to be happy with any Runner thrown in there.¡±

    ¡°I have my essence.¡±

    ¡°Where are the cells, Tibs?¡± Jackal asked.

    Tibs realized he didn¡¯t know. The only time he had a reason to want to go there was when he wanted to speak to Bardik after he was captured, but by the time he woke from his injuries, the adventurer had already been sent to another prison.

    ¡°They¡¯re in the guild,¡± Carina said, pensive. ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought about why before.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the only official building,¡± Mez said, ¡°so it makes sense that it¡¯s there.¡±

    ¡°But it also means they have enchantments all over the building,¡± she said. ¡°How else can you keep someone who has an element from using that to escape?¡±

    ¡°Would anyone try that?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen the kind of people they bring in, haven¡¯t you, Mez?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°Anytime Omegas arrive now, some of them try to run. You think getting an element, getting special power, will suddenly make them not try to use them to escape from any kind of captivity?¡±

    ¡°And did you spend much time in those cells yourself?¡± Khumdar asked.

    Jackal snorted. ¡°Of course I did. You weren¡¯t here before Knuckles was in charge of the guards. Before Tibs was there to make sure I stuck by the rules, I was always picking fights.¡±

    ¡°I never¡ª¡±

    ¡°Just pretend you did,¡± Jackal said, grinning. ¡°The story sounds better that way.¡± He sobered. ¡°But I¡¯m serious, Tibs. I don¡¯t want you to be thrown into a cell just to keep us together. They¡¯re not going to care how young you are. And you aren¡¯t good enough to survive what they¡¯d do to you.¡±

    ¡°You would,¡± Khumdar said.

    Jackal grinned. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no doubt of that. But I¡¯d have to deal with my man once I got out, and he has more potent threats to use if I step too far out of line.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll be fine,¡± Carina said as Tibs tried to come up with something to convince Jackal. ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±

    * * * * *

    ¡°Yes!¡± Sto exclaimed as Tibs and his team walked up the steps. ¡°Now you¡¯re really back and¡ª¡± his enthusiasm vanished. ¡°This is¡­ new.¡±

    The cleric by the door glanced at them and asked in a bored tone if any of them needed healing, then motioned for the guards to let them in.

    Inside, Tibs¡¯s steps faltered. Then he forced himself forward. Sto hadn¡¯t targeted the people he knew. He¡¯d just tested them, like he tested everyone who came in, and they had failed. To distract himself from the pain, he sensed the walls. He was sure he¡¯d felt something during his last run.

    ¡°So,¡± Sto said, ¡°corruption?¡±

    Tibs checked he was far enough inside. ¡°It was the only way to get rid of the essence that was in me.¡±

    ¡°By making it one of your essences? How is that any better? You do remember what that stuff did to me, right?¡±

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t the element.¡± Tibs tried to think of a way to explain it. ¡°The elements aren¡¯t like you or me. They don¡¯t care about us. It isn¡¯t Corruption that hurt you. Bardik is who did it, using corruption.¡±

    ¡°Is this going to be a thing? You accumulating elements? I thought you had all the elements you needed already. That¡¯s why we can talk.¡±

    Sto was evading, Tibs decided. But he didn¡¯t mind. As badly as the corruption had hurt him, it was nothing compared to what Sto had suffered. And his question reminded him that he¡¯d been so focused on dealing with the corruption in him he¡¯d forgotten Water¡¯s words.

    ¡°I need to get the rest of the core elements.¡± He went to name them when he realized that, as part of the conversation, he¡¯d forgotten to sense the walls. ¡°Hey, are you trying to distract me?¡±

    ¡°No, why?¡±

    ¡°I know you put something in the hall, and now I have to walk back to sense the wall because you made me forget to do it.¡±

    His friends froze.

    ¡°Oh, sorry,¡± Sto said. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to, but you aren¡¯t there yet. I¡¯ll be quiet.¡±

    ¡°I thought this hall was supposed to be safe,¡± Mez said, taking hold of the string on his bow. Tibs felt the fire essence forming.

    ¡°It is safe,¡± Tibs said, as the others also went on the defensive.

    ¡°Do you need us to stay back?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s not dangerous,¡± Tibs repeated. ¡°It was there the last time, but I didn¡¯t have the time to search for it.¡± He thought about something. ¡°Carina, has anyone from the other teams said anything about this hall?¡± He¡¯d stopped paying attention to the papers being exchanged between the teams¡¯ sorcerers. The longer it went on without Harry putting a stop to it, the less hidden it became. Now it was normal for sorcerers to huddle around a table and discuss their maps of the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°No. This is the first time I¡¯ve heard of there being anything in this hall.¡±

    ¡°Did none of you sense something when we exited last time?¡±

    ¡°You mean that time when I was barely holding myself together?¡± Jackal asked. He grinned. ¡°No, can¡¯t say that I did. But then again, until I walk into essence, I don¡¯t really notice it, do I?¡±

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°I believe it would be helpful to have more information to work from,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°¡®Something¡¯ is rather vague.¡±

    Tibs tried to remember details. It had been like what he¡¯d sensed on the second floor, but had it been the same? He¡¯d been distracted by Jackal when they left the dungeon.

    ¡°It was the shape of a door, and it had a lot of essences as part of it. Yours were there, I¡¯m sure of that. But you should still be able to tell when there¡¯s essence, even if it isn¡¯t yours.¡±

    Jackal closed his eyes and his entire face creased in concentration. Khumdar got a far-away look and Carina tilted her head. Mez just stared at Tibs, and he couldn¡¯t work out if he was annoyed, angry, or just hadn¡¯t gone before they entered.

    ¡°Got nothing,¡± Jackal said with a put-upon sigh.

    ¡°Then you aren¡¯t doing it right,¡± Carina said. ¡°There¡¯s stone all around us. You should be able to sense that.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that I do,¡± the fighter replied. ¡°But that¡¯s all I got.¡±

    ¡°I also have nothing,¡± Khumdar said, and Carina shook her head.

    Tibs tried to figure out how that could be. There were a lot of essences woven through the walls, especially earth, but also enough air that Carina should be able to sense the difference between¡ª

    ¡°You haven¡¯t been taught about etching and weaving, have you?¡± He¡¯d forgotten that some of what he¡¯d learned was more advanced. But the etching was needed for the test to graduate to Rho, so it had to be basic for them, too.

    ¡°I know etching.¡± Mez said, ¡°Not that I use it now that I can make fire arrows. It was how I made my explosive arrows before; I¡¯d mentally etch the essence into the tip to create the effect.¡±

    ¡°I knew it! My teacher said I had to use a knife to etch essence.¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a rogue thing?¡± Mez said.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s a mental discipline,¡± Carina said. ¡°And I know etching too, but I¡¯m nowhere near learning weaving. I asked my teacher about enchanting and she said I had to learn patience first.¡±

    ¡°I do not know the terms you are using, as I had no one to teach me,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°I do mold my essence through and around my staff and it does sound like what you mean.¡± He paused. ¡°I do not expect enchanting is something I am capable of, as that is the sorcerer¡¯s purview, even among purity.¡±

    ¡°I thought purity only had clerics,¡± Mez said.

    Carina shook her head. ¡°Purity¡¯s an element, and like all of them, they can be of any class. But they don¡¯t work for the guild and they only train at the purity dungeon. Then they mainly work to support the clerics.¡±

    ¡°As fascinating as the conversation is getting,¡± Jackal said, yawning, ¡°I¡¯m here to do a run, not find out what purity do or don¡¯t do. Tibs, is it safe to continue?¡±

    ¡°Keep talking,¡± he said, walking further in. ¡°I¡¯ll check it out.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal whined, ¡°I don¡¯t want to listen to them.¡±

    He smiled at his friend¡¯s antics, then focused on the walls. It had been the one on his right, and within a dozen paces, he sensed the door-like shape. He couldn¡¯t tell what essence made the door, but there was a bundle of every essence connected to it in the way the triggers for the traps were.

    He picked water since he had the most, but nothing happened. Studying the bundle, he found another thread containing water. Every thread was doubled, he realized, but they weren¡¯t identical. Where the thread he ¡®held¡¯ was made entirely of water. The other one was water around an empty center. He pushed the two threads together until it was all water.

    Essence shifted as the space within the doorway shimmered with a golden light. Then he was looking at the bridge going over the pool of water on the second level.

    ¡°It was Mez¡¯s idea,¡± Sto said with pride. ¡°It took me a while to work it out. Connecting two locations to each other isn¡¯t particularly easy.¡±

    ¡°And who explained the calculations behind it?¡± Ganny said.

    Tibs glanced around to make sure his friends were still occupied, then whispered. ¡°Hi, Ganny.¡±

    ¡°Hello, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°You did,¡± Sto said. ¡°I didn¡¯t claim I¡¯d done everything.¡±

    ¡°No, you just have a tendency not to mention my contributions.¡±

    ¡°I just forget,¡± he replied, annoyed.

    Tibs kept himself from replying as he noticed someone approaching.

    ¡°Is that the second floor?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°The dungeon says it was your idea.¡±

    ¡°I never talked with it,¡± the archer replied defensively.

    ¡°It hears everything we say,¡± Carina said, having joined them. ¡°You said the runs would be easier if we didn¡¯t have to do the first floor all the time.¡± She reached for the opening.

    ¡°Should you be touching this?¡± Khumdar said. ¡°It could be dangerous.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t,¡± Sto said.

    ¡°The calculations all line up,¡± Ganny added. Tibs didn¡¯t miss the slight hesitation. It reminded him that for as much as Ganny seemed to know, she, like Sto and Tibs¡¯s team, was learning as she went.

    ¡°I had a BB go through,¡± Sto said. ¡°Nothing happened.

    ¡°A Big Brute,¡± Ganny clarified. ¡°The bigger one wouldn¡¯t fit in it.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to touch,¡± Carina said, waving her hand through the open space.

    ¡°Neat,¡± Jackal said. ¡°It¡¯ll make coming back a lot faster. Come on, loot isn¡¯t going to collect itself with us just looking at this.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we go through?¡± Tibs asked. He was curious if this would feel anything like the transportation platform.

    ¡°I¡¯m with Tibs,¡± Mez said. ¡°This lets us start the second floor faster.¡±

    ¡°And miss the loot that¡¯s on this floor,¡± Jackal countered.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like there¡¯s a lot of it,¡± Carina replied, studying the doorway¡¯s edges.

    ¡°I agree,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°I, too, would prefer heading directly to the more rewarding tests.¡±

    ¡°Loot.¡± Jackal pointed toward the trap room.

    ¡°Only a handful of silver,¡± Carina said.

    ¡°Loot!¡±

    Tibs sighed. This could go on for a while. He stepped through.

    ¡°Tibs!¡± Jackal and Carina said at the same time.

    There was a tingling that vaguely felt like when he traveled on the platform, then it was gone and he stood next to the stairs going up.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Carina called, her voice distorted. ¡°Are you okay?¡± It was lower, sounding almost like she was a man.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he answered, then was distracted from studying the alcove the opening was in by the way his friends looked at one another. ¡°Can you hear me?¡±

    ¡°We can,¡± Jackal said, his voice higher than Carina¡¯s normal one, and vibrating. ¡°You sound like a morning songbird.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what those sound like.¡±

    The fighter stared at him. ¡°You have got to stop sleeping through the mornings. Your voice is really high, and it has a song-like quality to it. It¡¯s funny. But now you can come back so we can do this floor.¡±

    Tibs smiled. ¡°Or you can come through and we can do this one.¡±

    ¡°Loot, Tibs, loot!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only a few silver¡¯s worths,¡± Tibs countered, trying not to chuckle at how his friend sounded like a young girl clamoring for candies.

    ¡°How can you say no to loot?¡± he demanded suspiciously. ¡°You¡¯re a rogue.¡±

    ¡°I have enough coins to get anything I want.¡±

    Jackal¡¯s expression turned to one of horror. ¡°You can never have enough coins.¡±

    Tibs watched as Mez and Khumdar moved behind the fighter. With a nod, they ran at him and Tibs moved out of the way.

    Jackal stood there, the two with a shoulder against his back. He looked over his shoulder. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    They kept pushing, hard enough their feet slipped on the stone floor.

    ¡°Trying to get you to go through,¡± Mez replied through clenched teeth.

    Jackal rolled his eyes. ¡°Lambda Earth Fighter here. I¡¯m not moving until I decide to.¡±

    ¡°Then be reasonable,¡± Carina said. ¡°I¡¯ll give you the silvers you¡¯d get clearing the first floor, if that¡¯s what it takes.¡±

    Jackal stared at her, then stepped through the opening.

    By the time Mez and Khumdar crashed to the floor, the fighter was by Tibs¡¯s side.

    ¡°That was weird.¡± He turned. ¡°Well, what are you all waiting for? We have a floor to clear.¡±

    Mez glared murder at the fighter as he got to his feet, but then hesitated in stepping forward.

    Carina and Khumdar stepped through.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be void essence,¡± she mused. ¡°I¡¯ve never read anything about it being used this way, but that¡¯s the only one I can think of that can do this. I wonder why we have platforms instead of doorways like this.¡±

    ¡°I wish you could get me one of those platform things,¡± Sto said. ¡°A lot of Runners talk about it.¡±

    The comment reminded Tibs of something, and he took the cylinder out of his pouch. ¡°Mez, you need to come through.¡± He put the cylinder down on the other side of the doorway. ¡°He can¡¯t take this while you¡¯re in the room.¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± Sto said, ¡°a dozen steps away is enough.¡±

    ¡°Then why can¡¯t you make changes to a room while we¡¯re in it? They¡¯re bigger than a dozen paces.¡±

    Mez still hadn¡¯t moved, so Tibs grabbed his arm and pulled. Mez resisted, then stepped through.

    ¡°A room¡¯s more complex. I can change one specific thing if it¡¯s far away, but there¡¯s a lot of interconnectivity between what they do. So anything more than changing the look of a stone needs changes all over the room to work.¡± The cylinder melted into the floor. ¡°I wish you¡¯d gotten me the cube.¡±

    ¡°Cross wasn¡¯t willing to lend it to me.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s who gave you that?¡± Carina asked. ¡°I thought she was a fighter.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t use me as an example of what fighters are like,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± she replied. ¡°I knew Pyan too¡­¡± The rest faded as if she¡¯d just realized what she¡¯d said.

    Tibs swallowed the pain. Pushed down the desire to accuse Sto of killing his friend, two of them. They were Runners like he was, it was the danger of what they did.

    ¡°You can recreate it now, right?¡± Tibs asked when the cylinder didn¡¯t reappear. ¡°Cross is expecting me to return it.¡± Focusing on that was better than thinking of what had happened. It reformed, and Tibs picked it up.

    ¡°It¡¯s an interesting mechanism. Surprisingly simple for what it does.¡±

    ¡°Makes you wonder why you didn¡¯t think of it before, right?¡± Ganny asked with a hint of snark in her tone. There had been an accusation in her previous comment, too. Were they fighting about something?

    ¡°Alright,¡± Jackal called. ¡°We¡¯re here, so let¡¯s get going. Carina, what¡¯s the consensus on crossing the pool?¡±

    Tibs sensed ahead as they stepped to the start of the bridge.

    ¡°It¡¯s getting complicated,¡± She replied, looking over the papers. ¡°The pool is pretty much the only way unless we want to risk the ledge going around. The triggers on the bridge are too fast for most to attempt. There¡¯s also something in the water like Tibs said the last time, so swimming isn¡¯t a good choice.¡±

    ¡°Still don¡¯t know how,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°We¡¯ve seen what happens when Tibs ices the pool, but no one¡¯s recreated it. There¡¯s no telling what the dungeon has done to make it tougher.¡±

    ¡°I nominate Tibs to use the ledge,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Because he¡¯s the rogue?¡± Carina asked.

    ¡°Because he liked to climb walls, which this basically is, only he¡¯s got something under his feet, and without the corruption, he¡¯ll be able to reach that thing to turn the traps off.¡±

    ¡°Carina,¡± Tibs called in the ensuing silence, ¡°how fast did they say the triggers are?¡± He frowned, studying their motion.

    ¡°They just say that it¡¯s fast enough that they didn¡¯t want to risk it. Especially that last trigger. The way the lines move, and at their speed, the opening isn¡¯t there for very long.¡±

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t feel that much faster to me.¡± He waited until the line was high and stepped under it. Moving to the next one let him sense the last trigger. He frowned. ¡°Are you sure? I think Jackal can cross that last one easily.¡± He turned, and the fighter was at the first line, hand extended before him. ¡°Since we can all sense the triggers, I think this is the easiest way now.¡±

    He watched as Jackal¡¯s hand moved in time with the line. ¡°Can¡¯t you sense it at a distance?¡± He asked.

    The fighter shrugged. ¡°This is easier.¡± He stepped under it. ¡°I¡¯m with Tibs. If this is the speed the others are at, I¡¯m not going to have a problem.¡±

    Carina frowned, flipping through the papers she had. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. More than one said the bridge couldn¡¯t be crossed anymore, and not just recent Upsilons either. Francis, On Arruh¡¯s team, swore this room was now set on killing anyone stepping into it.¡±

    Tibs frowned. This would be where Sto commented on other teams and how they¡¯d made mistakes. Maybe he wasn¡¯t listening. It had sounded like he and Ganny were about to argue.

    He studied the triggers. Maybe one of the changes was that their speed varied from one time to the other, or depending on when they reached the room? Having to clear the first floor meant they¡¯d be here later. This could be a reward for using the doorway.

    He stepped around the trigger moving side to side.

    ¡°Unless Tibs says otherwise,¡± Jackal said, ¡°We¡¯ll use the bridge.¡±

    ¡°I say that we don¡¯t take for granted that next time it¡¯ll be like this,¡± Tibs replied, approaching the last trigger, ¡°and we¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    He waited for the opening to come twice, paying attention for changes, and when there were none, he crossed it on the third. He stepped off the bridge and looked at his friends. Jackal was at the last trigger. Carina was the only one not on the bridge yet, still looking at her papers.

    ¡°Carina, you can look at them later,¡± he called.

    She put them away and stepped on the bridge as Khumdar reached Tibs. She stepped under the first, around the second, crouched for the third, but froze and Tibs¡¯s heart started beating again.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°Nearly mistimed it,¡± she replied. Her eyes moved in time with the line going up and down, then she hurried across, the one moving from side to side, almost catching her. She turned once she was off the bridge. ¡°This was definitely nowhere near as fast as they led me to think. You think this is because of the doorway letting us get through faster? I could see the dungeon setting this trap to speed up as an incentive to either get through the first floor faster or to look for a way to cut through it entirely.¡±

    ¡°Unless they¡¯re not telling you the truth,¡± Jackal said. ¡°So we¡¯ll make mistakes.¡±

    She glared at the fighter. ¡°This is research. We¡¯re not going to accomplish anything if we withhold information from one another.¡±

    Jackal nodded. ¡°And sorcerers are so well known for always sharing everything they know, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Carina replied forcefully.

    Jackal didn¡¯t look impressed. ¡°We¡¯ll take time for you to make notes before continuing. What can we expect in the next room?¡±

    ¡°Carnage,¡± she said, taking out a sharpened stick of charcoal.

 Stepping up, Chapter 32

    Papers rustled in Carina¡¯s hands as Tibs tried to see any differences in the room. Five Whippers and a dozen rats, same as the last time.

    Carina shook her head. ¡°This says there are eight golems, or maybe that¡¯s seven?¡± she sighed. ¡°We need to use ink. The charcoal¡¯s always getting smudged.¡± She peered at the page. ¡°Maybe it is a five. It sort of looks like this in Kartian, and Olive is from there.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you should stop referring to them until you transcribe them with ink?¡± Mez said.

    She shook the stack in the archer¡¯s face. ¡°Do you have any idea how expensive ink is? Let alone paper? This was supposed to make it easier!¡± she cried out in frustration.

    ¡°Pounding on those Whippers will make you feel better,¡± Jackal said, grinning.

    She glared at him, carefully folding the pages. ¡°Pounding things is a you thing.¡± She placed them in a pocket in her robe and straightened it. When she raised a hand, grinning as a small whirlwind formed around it. ¡°I much prefer blasting them apart.¡±

    Tibs watched the essence move then tried to replicate it; but his reserve was empty before it did more than whip the air a time or two. Another essence to train in pulling in while using it. He so wished that what he learned using water essence worked for every other one.

    ¡°Then,¡± Jackal said, giving her a bow, ¡°my lady is welcome to the first strike.¡± He motioned to the room with a grand sweep of the arm as he straightened.

    Carina stepped into it, causing the Whippers to activate.

    It didn¡¯t have the same effect as in the first-floor boss-room, since this was already lit, as they turned to face the entrance. She rolled her hand, pulling essence from around her into the whirlwind; ripping apart Tibs¡¯s attempt at making his grow in the process. She pushed her hand at the center Whipper and the funnel hit it, lifting it off the ground and sending it flying against the far wall, shattering into pieces.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Tibs said, at the same time as Sto.

    ¡°Someone¡¯s been Training,¡± Jackal said with a grin. ¡°I doubt the dungeon¡¯s seen anything like that before.¡±

    ¡°I certainly haven¡¯t,¡± Sto confirmed.

    ¡°My teacher¡¯s finally started teaching me the theories behind what each shape I put the essence in does. So yes, I have been practicing.¡±

    ¡°May I point out that they are not attacking,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°although Carina is in the room.¡±

    ¡°I need a moment to take it in,¡± Sto said.

    ¡°He¡¯s impressed,¡± Tibs translated.

    ¡°And I¡¯m realizing I¡¯m going to have to make this floor more difficult. Your team¡¯s gotten much stronger since the last time.¡±

    ¡°Good to know,¡± Jackal said, running into the room. He turned to stone as he arrived before a Whipper, and the last step resounded. Then his fist connected with the golem, staggering it back.

    ¡°Sto, stop gawking!¡± Ganny yelled. ¡°Get things going or they¡¯re just going to walk through them.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡±

    The rats moved, as Tibs stepped into the room with Mez and Khumdar, running up Jackal¡¯s legs.

    The fighter tried to dislodge them by shaking a leg. ¡°Mez, get them off me!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to hit you,¡± the archer replied, pulling on his bow¡¯s string. Tibs traced the ¡®x¡¯ for his attack, putting only a little essence in it.

    ¡°Just don¡¯t make them explode and I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Jackal walked toward the stunned golem, as Tibs targeted another, chipping some stone away.

    Tibs etched more ¡®x¡¯s adjusting how much essence he let flow into it as arrow after arrow hit the rats still trying to bite and claw Jackal. Khumdar stepped forward, staff whirling in his hands, darkness trailing it, and him.

    That was new.

    Tibs kept his attacks going, getting into the flow, pulling the essence into him as the attack built, not needing to tap the amulet. Each hit damaged his target, but still not enough to bring it down.

    Carina was sending air blades at the last golem. After her first big attack, she seemed to conserve her energy.

    Tibs cursed as Khumdar staggered under a hit on his shoulder from the golem. The darkness surrounding him flew back further, as if it had taken most of the strength from the impact.

    Tibs shifted his aim for his next attack, only for it to break apart as he had to move to avoid his previous target¡¯s whip. It grazed him painfully and Tibs made an ice armor to strengthen his leather one. Khumdar had regained his footing, so Tibs refocused on the golem trying to kill him again.

    He tried for an ¡®x¡¯ attack, but this time the golem immediately went on the offensive and Tibs kept having to move out of the way, breaking the etching. Fine, so range was out of the question now.

    Tibs grinned, running at the golem. He could do close-quarter. He threw water at the golem¡¯s feet. He had tricks to use.

    The golem jumped out of the way as Tibs iced the water, and he was so surprised by the action he stepped on the ice and nearly slid off, mentally latching onto the essence under his feet. The sudden stop sent him to the floor.

    Cursing, Tibs rolled out from under the descending foot, absorbing the water in the process. He slashed at the leg as it hit the ground, only to realize he¡¯d lost his knife. He pulled an air knife with another curse. He¡¯d have to come up with a way to ensure he didn¡¯t lose his knives in a fight. A blast of air threw him out of the way of another foot coming down.

    ¡°Thanks!¡±

    He got to his feet, gathering essence for another etching, only to have to jump out of the way of the coming whip. He glared at the golem. This was getting tiresome.

    He threw the knife and guided it so it would hit. At the same time, he pulled his other knife and flicked a water jet at the golem. Neither did noticeable damage, but it took the golem¡¯s attention off Tibs as he blocked the knife.

    He etched the ¡®x¡¯, this time pouring essence into it until the golem looked at him. When he released it, keeping the jet from continuing to pull at his essence was difficult. He didn¡¯t know why the more essence he used, the harder it was to control, but it had been noticed during his test.

    Like everything else out of the ordinary about how he used essence, it was chalked up to his young age.

    The golem shattered under the powerful jet.

    As useful as the excuse was, Tibs was getting tired of it. It meant he couldn¡¯t ask for the answers he really needed and kept having to guess his way through what he thought he could do.

    ¡°This was fun,¡± Jackal said, standing in the center of rubble, shifting it with a foot. Looking for his well-deserved loot.

    Tibs smiled and pulled essence to him, refilling his reserve and the amulet. Carina and Khumdar also stood, recharging, while Mez joined Jackal in looking for the loot.

    Tibs was getting better at pulling the essence in; it only took a few minutes before the amulet was full. He was still slower than Carina. As he opened his eyes, she stood, pulling an amulet from the rubble.

    ¡°That¡¯s two amulets,¡± She said. ¡°You think we can let Tibs have them this time?¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t that depend on if there¡¯s something one of us needs more?¡± Mez answered.

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    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Jackal said, picking up silver coins. ¡°Tibs can¡¯t fight at full efficiency with only the little essence he has. And now he needs five amulets.¡±

    ¡°With them¡ª¡± Tibs started.

    ¡°Oh, I wouldn¡¯t worry about that,¡± Sto said, but didn¡¯t elaborate.

    ¡°With them what?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°With more essence,¡± he continued, trying not to let the mysterious tone Sto had used bother him, ¡°you can finally start teaching me how to use your essences.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± the archer said. ¡°I told you before, I don¡¯t know if anything I can do will work for you. I¡¯m an archer and¡ª¡±

    ¡°A rogue, yeah, I know. But you¡¯re the only ones I can ask for training. And you¡¯re supposed to learn how to do more with your essence now that you¡¯re Rho, so you can show me that, right? I am Rho too, after all.¡±

    ¡°I fear that until you gain darkness as an essence, I will have little to teach you.¡±

    ¡°But you can tell me how I can get my audience.¡±

    Khumdar didn¡¯t answer.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Tibs said. ¡°Let¡¯s wait until we¡¯ve cleared the floor before deciding if I¡¯m getting the amulets. Whoever they¡¯ll have at the table will probably be able to tell what kind of essence is in it, and they might question why anyone needs more than one amulet of their essence. And I¡¯ll be fine with just water.¡±

    ¡°Someone¡¯s getting cocky,¡± Sto said with a chuckle.

    ¡°Khumdar,¡± Carina called, ¡°that dark aura, it¡¯s new. I didn¡¯t know a cleric could use essence that way for defense.¡±

    The cleric inclined his head. ¡°Without anyone to guide my training, I find I am not limited to the preconceived ideas of what is possible. I have spent time studying the two fighters who have darkness as their element. They use it to make a shell that diminishes the strength of the impacts. Unfortunately, I have yet to understand how they make it so tight against their bodies.¡±

    ¡°Mindset,¡± Tibs said, icing the floor at his feet. ¡°Alistair said that how we think affects what we can do.¡± He slid his foot on it. ¡°It¡¯s why I can¡¯t do fire arrows even if Mez told me how he does it. He thinks like an archer, I think like a rogue.¡± What had he done to stop sliding?

    ¡°We¡¯re all about strength and hardness,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°While I am not.¡± Khumdar nodded.

    Tibs had shoved his essence into the ice, not wanting to fall from how slick it was. Unfortunately, he¡¯d been busy trying not to fall and be killed, so hadn¡¯t paid attention to what he¡¯d done. ¡°Just ask questions. Most people will answer them.¡±

    ¡°That would be a you thing, Tibs,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°I have found that people are more likely to try to take advantage of my lack of knowledge than fill it.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Carina said. ¡°Even now that she¡¯s teaching me how essence works, my teacher¡¯s always going on about how finding out the answer by myself is as important as knowing what the answer is.¡±

    ¡°She is not wrong,¡± Khumdar said.

    ¡°And sorcerers are all about the research, right?¡±Jackal asked. ¡°Everyone able to go on? Good. Onto the next room.¡± He had his back to Carina and missed the glare she gave him.

    ¡°Does anyone need healing?¡± Tibs asked, then added. ¡°There¡¯s no corruption in it anymore.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°The benefits of a stone body. Hardness is useful for more than pleasing my man.¡±

    ¡°I have bruises,¡± Khumdar said, as Tibs rolled his eyes at the fighter, ¡°but they will not impede my fighting, and I believe that it is good I learn to do battle when I am not at my best. You will not always be nearby to heal me.¡±

    Carina and Mez were uninjured, having stayed out of range for the entire fight.

    From the entrance, the Ratling camp looked no different than before.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Carina said, putting the papers away. ¡°I no longer know how accurate anything I make out is, but I am confident that when the others mentioned this room, they said the population doubled.¡±

    Jackal rubbed his hand and grinned. ¡°So we¡¯re getting a big reward. Same as usual? You and Tibs clear the tents while the three of us take on the bulk?¡±

    ¡°Go left,¡± Sto said.

    ¡°No,¡± Ganny countered.

    ¡°Yes, go left, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°We talked about this, Sto,¡± She snapped.

    ¡°You talked, I listened. You were wrong, I¡¯m right.¡±

    ¡°You go right and I take the left?¡± Tibs asked Carina. He didn¡¯t know what it was about, but Sto hadn¡¯t led him into any traps yet. Carina nodded, and he headed to the closest tent as Sto and Ganny¡¯s voices faded. He figured that once they were done arguing, Sto would explain.

    The first three tents were empty but looked like they were lived in, instead of the usual lack of anything when Ratlings weren¡¯t present. One was messy, with furs strewn about on the floor and seats. The other had a collection of carved skulls on a table and the third had bowls with pigments in them.

    Either Sto was using his skill at drawing to make them seem more alive or, despite what the dungeon said, the Ratling had lives and did stuff when not fighting Runners. Tibs wasn¡¯t sure which made him more uncomfortable. He preferred it when the creatures were clearly there to test them.

    The fourth and fifth tents had Ratlings, which he dispatched easily, collecting the silver.

    ¡°Ninth tent,¡± Sto said. Ganny didn¡¯t argue, so Tibs figured she hadn¡¯t returned. Clearly, as the dungeon, Sto was the one with the power. She could affect the floors since she was making the third one, but the final decisions were Sto¡¯s.

    He ignored Sto¡¯s prodding to hurry and cleared each tent. One tent was a repeat of the cooking tent from his first time in the camp, but with five Ratlings. This fight didn¡¯t give him any problems.

    The ninth tent was empty, except for the chest in the middle. He crouched and searched it for traps.

    ¡°It¡¯s safe,¡± Sto said in exasperation.

    Tibs believed him, but he didn¡¯t rush. Only once he confirmed there were not traps did he open it. The inside was the right size for the outside this time; it contained a set of worn, scuffed bracers. Tibs frowned. They were no different from the ones he wore, down to the lack of essence. They look too normal to belong on the second floor, let alone justify Sto¡¯s insistence he come to this tent.

    He picked one up and nearly dropped it as he felt the essence. It appeared to him the moment he touched it.

    ¡°You like?¡± Sto asked, with pride.

    Tibs placed it down, and once his hand moved away, it was a regular bracer again, just like the one next to it. ¡°This is like the pouch you gave me to keep Walter¡¯s amulet hidden.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to say yes and wait to see what happens.¡±

    Tibs wondered what that meant, but sensed the weave instead of asking. Sto wouldn¡¯t answer.

    It was tight and complex; it would have to be, to do what it did. It had all five of the essences he had, and what he couldn¡¯t tell apart had to contain many more. Once he stopped focusing on the weave, he felt what else it contained.

    Reserves.

    He turned the bracer over, looking for the stones. Amulets didn¡¯t have to be something worn around the neck. Like Mez¡¯s bow, the crystal that contained the essence could be attached to anything. Well, Tibs didn¡¯t know about anything, but it could be on other things. Only he wasn¡¯t seeing any on the outside or the inside.

    ¡°Where are the amulets? I can sense the reserves, but this is just leather.¡± A thought occurred to him. ¡°Can leather be turned into an amulet?¡± Had he taken for granted they had to be crystals?

    ¡°No, that can¡¯t be done as far as Ganny knows,¡± Sto replied. ¡°There¡¯s something about a crystalline structure that¡¯s required.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Ganny said, ¡°please put them back.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s his loot,¡± Sto stated, tone borderline harsh.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Tibs asked. Clearly, the argument hadn¡¯t been resolved.

    ¡°Sto¡¯s breaking the rules again.¡± Instead of her usual annoyance, she sounded worried.

    ¡°Who cares?¡± Sto said in exasperation.

    ¡°They¡¯re going to notice.¡±

    ¡°Who? Don¡¯t bother, because I don¡¯t care. Tibs saved my life. He deserves a reward.¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯ve done enough already,¡± she replied.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to get you in trouble,¡± Tibs said, distracted by the size of the reserves contained in the bracer. He picked up the other one.

    Eight in total. Deeper than his amulet, or the one Carina had, which was better. He¡¯d thought it was because it was slightly larger. Five out of them were filled with his elements. He couldn¡¯t tell what the other three were, but he could guess.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t,¡± Sto replied. ¡°Ganny¡¯s just trying to scare me into doing things her way. She doesn¡¯t even know who those ¡®them¡¯ are, so how can they be real?¡±

    ¡°They are,¡± she stated.

    Dungeon stuff was so beyond Tibs, but Sto was the dungeon, and it was his decision as to what happened. Now that he wasn¡¯t focused on the essence, he noticed that the bracer had a sheath for a knife, like his, and the other could hold picks.

    ¡°How did you copy my bracers?¡±

    Sto snorted. ¡°I didn¡¯t copy yours. I absorbed a lot of armor from Runners who died. A lot of the rogues had those same kinds of bracers.¡±

    Runners he¡¯d sent to Darran. Tibs fought to keep the weight of more people he¡¯d know being dead from pulling him down. It was the risk they lived with.

    He focused on his questions to distract himself. ¡°How did you hide the amulets? Is it like with the chest and there¡¯s a larger space, in it where they are?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an idea,¡± Sto said, ¡°but no. The amulet in your pouch is large because it¡¯s made using a poor gem, and the weave to contain the essence isn¡¯t great either. The one Carina has is only a little better, and the larger size compensates, giving her a larger reserve from it. The ones in your bracers, on top of being shaped to fit them without being noticed, are much purer.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s eight reserves. Four on each.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to have more audiences, so I planned ahead.¡±

    Tibs swallowed. ¡°you only found out about this when I entered. You can¡¯t have made this in that short of a time.¡±

    ¡°Tibs, you saw how quickly I reformed the puzzle. Sure, coming up with how to make the bracers. That took me a while, but I¡¯ve been working on the idea basically since your last run. This was just adding the four other reserves, and that¡¯s just a question of me having enough essence for it.¡±

    And a lot of Runners had died.

    Pyan, Fedora.

    ¡°Tibs, please,¡± Ganny said. ¡°I know you like having loot, and I know this is going to help, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ganny,¡± he whispered. He knew that Pyan and Fedora weren¡¯t in the bracers. They¡¯d died. But there might be some of their essences in how they had been made. To give them up felt like their death would have been for nothing. With them, he could honor their sacrifice.

    He took off his old ones.

    He could honor them by beating Sto. By surviving everything the dungeon threw at him.

    Ganny¡¯s sigh was more tired than angry.

    With them on, the wear and damage on them pretty much matched that of his armor. Enough, Tibs expected that only Darran would be able to tell they weren¡¯t the original ones, and only if he¡¯d seen them recently, which he hadn¡¯t.

    ¡°Why did you make them look used?¡± He liked that they didn¡¯t look out of place, they wouldn¡¯t attract attention.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Sto asked. ¡°It¡¯s so you don¡¯t have to run them by the guild, of course.¡±

    ¡°But they¡¯ll think they¡¯re ordinary leathers,¡± Tibs replied. Well, unless the person looking over the loot touched them, but they never bothered with anything that didn¡¯t have essence in them.

    ¡°Do you really want to give even one copper to them if you don¡¯t have to?¡± Sto asked, sounding miffed. ¡°I¡¯d make all your loot like this, but even with how things have been, I¡¯d run out of essence.¡±

    ¡°And the guild would get suspicious if the only thing you handed out was normal stuff.¡±

    ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought about that. But now, no one needs to know about them. Not even your team.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 33

    ¡°How¡¯d you make out?¡± Jackal called to Tibs as he entered the camp¡¯s ¡®center¡¯, carrying the sword he¡¯d found. It had been the only other chest in the tents he¡¯d cleared. It was enchanted with a simple weave of essences he couldn¡¯t identify, but suspected contained metal. He tried to study the weave to determine if there was more than one essence, but that was still beyond his abilities.

    ¡°I¡­¡± he hesitated. ¡°I made out okay,¡± he answered, handing the fighter the dozen coins killing Ratlings had given him. ¡°How about you?¡±

    There weren¡¯t as many Ratlings bodies as Tibs expected. Maybe they knew better than to take on Runners in such an open space after all this time? Sto knew, but Tibs hadn¡¯t worked out just how much of what he knew about the Runners he let the creatures know.

    ¡°Close to three electrum¡¯s worth in silver,¡± Jackal said, smiling.

    That was three sets of one and five. Three sets of ones became three. Three of fives became¡­ he counted on his fingers. One and five. So that one was put with the others and that became four. Four and five silvers. So yes, there had been more Ratlings than what Tibs saw.

    ¡°Carina isn¡¯t back?¡± Tibs asked, noticing how Khumdar leaned on his staff. ¡°Do you need me to heal you?¡±

    ¡°I am now,¡± she called, stepping out from among the tents, carrying a staff over her shoulder with pieces of armors tied to it.

    ¡°I am well enough,¡± Khumdar responded.

    ¡°Good haul,¡± Jackal¡¯s smile broadened.

    ¡°You¡¯re carrying this then,¡± she said. ¡°Why can¡¯t everyone just wear robes? That isn¡¯t as heavy.¡±

    ¡°Armor¡¯s better,¡± Jackal said. ¡°And everyone looks good in armor. You and me are about the only ones who can really make the robes work for us.¡±

    She dropped the staff and armor at the fighter¡¯s feet. ¡°Not that I¡¯ve ever seen you wear one.¡±

    Khumdar cleared his throat, but Jackal ignored him, except for his smile getting yet brighter.

    ¡°And overshadow you in yours? I¡¯d never think of doing that.¡±

    She rolled her eyes. ¡°You are so full of shit, Jackal.¡±

    The armor pieces were mostly metal, epaulets, boots, and greaves. The chest piece was leather. It and the boots had essence woven through them. A simple, but tighter weave than the sword. The staff was identical to Khumdar''s, except for the essence woven through it: fire.

    ¡°I¡­¡± Tibs hesitated again, running a hand over his bracers.

    Sto remained silent. Considering his suggestion that Tibs not mention them, he¡¯d expected some protest.

    ¡°I also found these.¡± He offered his arms to Jackal.

    ¡°Bracers?¡± the fighter took a forearm in his hand and looked it over. ¡°Why did you put them on? Yours were in better condition, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Sto exclaimed. ¡°I told you this would work.¡±

    ¡°What worked?¡± Tibs asked, before realizing Jackal hadn¡¯t mentioned the reserves. He should have felt them once he touched the bracer. Now he understood what it was Sto might have been suggesting he kept to himself. Of course, his question now has his friend looking at him for an explanation.

    Sto needed training in how to keep things from being accidentally revealed.

    ¡°You can¡¯t feel the reserves?¡± he asked the fighter. ¡°Sto put amulets in them.¡±

    Jackal frowned in concentration.

    ¡°They¡¯re attuned to you,¡± Sto said. If he felt something about Tibs telling his friends, it didn¡¯t carry in his tone.

    ¡°What does attuned mean?¡± Tibs looked at Carina as she took his other arm in hand to study it.

    ¡°It means only you can use them,¡± Sto said.

    ¡°Attuned is what we call an items made to only work for one person. The only way I¡¯ve read it being possible is if the person is included as part of the making, so their life force gets woven into the item. Don¡¯t ask. I didn¡¯t get the part that explained how that was possible. I didn¡¯t read anything about a dungeon doing it.¡±

    ¡°What can I say,¡± Sto replied proudly. ¡°I¡¯m just that good.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Tibs said, attempting to process what she said. ¡°But why can¡¯t Jackal and Carina sense the reserves? Even if only I can use them, they¡¯re still there.¡±

    ¡°Only you can see through the enchantment on them,¡± Sto said. ¡°The attunement means that for anyone else, even when they touch it, it still affects them.¡±

    ¡°And to do it, you have to know the thing that makes¡­ me? I thought you couldn¡¯t sense us.¡± He paused as Jackal opened his mouth, grinning, but a glare from Carina silenced him. ¡°Because of our life force. That¡¯s why you can¡¯t just absorb what we¡¯re wearing, or see it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not¡­ quite right,¡± Sto said. ¡°This might take a bit to explain. It might be best if I did that after you¡¯ve done the run?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t ask you questions when I¡¯m outside with all the Runners around,¡± Tibs replied, then told the others. ¡°The explanation won¡¯t be quick. Now¡¯s a good time to rest up.¡± He sat while Jackal grabbed the armors and staff before stepping away.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Sto said. ¡°I can see you. That should be obvious, otherwise I wouldn¡¯t be able to know who¡¯s entering me. And remember, I can sense everyone¡¯s essence. You¡¯re right, I can¡¯t affect you or what you carry, and from what I¡¯ve put together¡ª¡± Ganny cleared her throat. ¡°¡ªwith help, what¡¯s preventing me from doing that is that life force thing. But I can see what you¡¯re holding. It¡¯s just not as clear with the others as it is with you since we¡¯ve been able to talk. But even if I can¡¯t affect you through it, I do see your life force.¡± Pride filled his voice.

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    ¡°Calm down,¡± Ganny said. ¡°You¡¯re not that special. Every dungeon does that.¡±

    ¡°You heard Carina, she¡¯s never read of another dungeon doing what I did.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because they aren¡¯t in¡ª¡± She stopped. The anger had been mounting in her tone. ¡°Just because she didn¡¯t read about it doesn¡¯t mean it hasn¡¯t happened. Even she says there are way more books than she¡¯ll ever get to read.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t know I could do it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡±

    ¡°She left,¡± Sto said as the silence stretched.

    ¡°Are you two okay?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s just being difficult. Anyway. What I did is more clever than just putting how your life force is into the bracers as I made them. Ganny¡¯s annoyed because I figured out how to do something she said was impossible. I made the item so that whoever touches it first is who it gets attuned to.¡±

    ¡°What if I hadn¡¯t listened to you and Carina had picked them up?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Sto hesitated. ¡°With Ganny watching me, I couldn¡¯t have just moved them to a chest you¡¯d get to.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think she might be angrier at you for something like that than figuring out how to make these?¡±

    ¡°Oh no, that¡¯s not what got her buzzing about. She¡¯ll get over it.¡±

    From what Tibs had seen of Jackal and Kroseph, getting over a problem wasn¡¯t something that happened. Anytime Jackal didn¡¯t realize he¡¯d hurt his man, it escalated until he was made to realize it. Then the apologies started. He didn¡¯t get the sense that Ganny and Sto were that kind of special, but he hoped the dungeon realized he was hurting her with whatever this was.

    ¡°Okay, how did you figure out how to do the attunement? You said you need an example before you can try things with it. This seems far outside what you¡¯d get from the Runners.¡±

    ¡°Oh, a noble had a sword that was attuned to her,¡± he said dismissively. ¡°It was interesting studying it once I¡¯d absorbed it.¡± Tibs nodded. At least one of them had ended up being good for something. ¡°That¡¯s about it; unless you want me to go into how I made the weave, it might be best if you and your team went to the next room.¡±

    Tibs stood, and the others took that as the sign the rest time was done. The pieces of armor were tied to Jackal¡¯s pack while the staff was on Mez¡¯s.

    ¡°I should have been able to sense something,¡± Carina said, walking next to him.

    ¡°Bardik said that something like the pouch Sto gave me back then, which this is like, needs a specific mindset to go along with the essence to be able to see through the enchantment.¡± He smiled at her. ¡°You¡¯re not suspicious enough for it, I guess,¡± He offered an arm to the cleric. ¡°Do you want to try? Darkness is key to the weave.¡± To Tibs¡¯s surprise, Khumdar shook his head.

    ¡°So no one can even know it¡¯s enchanted?¡± Mez asked, and Tibs nodded.

    Bardik had said he was the only one in the town who could see through it. He¡¯s also implied few in the rest of the world could.

    ¡°Am I the only one who feels this is far too powerful to be found on this floor?¡±

    Jackal snorted. ¡°The dungeon made it for Tibs. He¡¯s soft on him. Has been from the start.¡±

    ¡°Am not,¡± Sto protested.

    Tibs chuckled. ¡°He made them because I saved his life. Each one can store four essences.¡±

    Carina whistled in appreciation. ¡°How much essence can you put in each?¡±

    That stumped Tibs. He sensed what was in the water reserve of the bracers and the amulet and shrugged. ¡°Three times as much as in the amulet? I don¡¯t know how to go about measuring it.¡±

    She whistled again, turning a bracer over and running a finger along the side. ¡°I can¡¯t even feel a bump where they¡¯d be. We¡¯re going to have to do tests to see how large the reserves are. I hope I can get the right books for that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not reading them,¡± Tibs stated.

    She smiled. ¡°They¡¯re for me. I have ideas on how we can go about doing it, but I want to find out what the official methods are first.¡± She let go of his arm. ¡°The thing is; if there are eight reserves. The dungeon knows what you¡¯re doing.¡±

    Tibs nodded. ¡°He sensed the corruption and I said I needed the core essences. He worked out which they were. He¡¯s smart that way.¡±

    ¡°What did you do with the other bracers?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°I left them behind for the dungeon to take.¡±

    Jackal opened his mouth in a clear protest, then closed it. ¡°Okay, that might be for the best. The guild might get suspicious if the dungeon handed out worn armor.¡±

    ¡°You could say it was one of ours,¡± Carina offered, grinning.

    Jackal considered it. ¡°Then we¡¯d have to explain who¡¯s wearing the ones the dungeon gave, and I don¡¯t want us to get into that. No matter what Tibs and the dungeon think about the magic on them. The guild has powerful sorcerers. And they are plenty suspicious.¡±

    They stopped at the opening to the Bunnyling room and Jackal rubbed his hands. ¡°But now you have all that essence to use to help us kill the bunnies.¡±

    ¡°Bunnylings,¡± Tibs corrected. ¡°And I don¡¯t know how to use all this essence I now have.¡±

    The fighter looked at him in surprise.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have anything to practice with before, remember? I¡¯ve flung a few air blades and tried to harden it. I can use earth to make myself tougher, my armor stronger, and me, too. Without someone to guide me, I don¡¯t know how to train with fire, and I don¡¯t even know if I want to train with corruption.¡±

    Jackal and Mez stepped away from Tibs, looking worried. He rolled his eyes. Although he understood their reaction. With only Don as an example of what could be done with corruption, Tibs wouldn¡¯t want to be around any of his own practices.

    He looked into the empty room.

    ¡°Does it feel weird to anyone else that there are no tents here? It is some sort of Bunnyling village or camp. There should be something.¡±

    He crouched and focussed on the essence moving under the floor. Then shifted his focus to the stone and tried to work out the layout of the warren. His range only let him cover this half of the large room, and the tiles the Bunnylings could jump out of were sufficiently well hidden he couldn¡¯t tell them apart anymore.

    He frowned as he thought about what he¡¯d done. About his range.

    His range was growing slowly, but that wasn¡¯t what bothered him. He¡¯d affected the entire pool when he¡¯d frozen the water, and the room had been larger than this. So why couldn¡¯t he do the same thing here?

    Simple. He¡¯d sent out his water essence, and it had affected more and more until all the water in the pool had been turned to ice. Here he was relying on what he could sense of the essence already in the floor because he didn¡¯t have enough essence to¡­.

    He used to not have enough essence. He rubbed the bracer and smiled. He placed his hand on the ground and pushed his essence through it and watched as the warren complex ¡®lit up¡¯ to his senses. He whistled in amazement as more became visible. How far could he see this way? The third floor?

    ¡°What is it?¡± Carina asked, sounding worried.

    Right. This room now, the rest of the dungeon¡­ one day. ¡°I can see the warren. It¡¯s more than just tunnels from one trap door to the other, like on the first floor. There are rooms, small and large, gathering places. The way they¡¯re positioned reminds me of how the Ratling camp is laid out. Either the dungeon made changes since the last time, or we missed most of this when we searched the tunnels.¡±

    ¡°Lots of loot?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°I can¡¯t sense that, just the shape of the tunnels. And why aren¡¯t you doing that? You have earth. This should be easier for you than it is for me.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the point? They¡¯re going to jump out of there to attack us.¡±

    ¡°You might have known about all the tunnels,¡± Tibs said and added, because that wouldn¡¯t be enough to make Jackal consider it. ¡°There could have been more loot in them.¡±

    ¡°And,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°we must keep in mind that the dungeon makes changes to more than the layout of the rooms. He also changes how the creatures behave. We may be required to hunt the Bunnylings into their warren if we want all the coins it is possible to obtain.¡±

    ¡°But it can only do that while we are outside the room,¡± Mez said, ¡°talking and giving it ideas.¡± The archer stepped into the room. ¡°I would rather kill them and continue.¡±

    Tibs smiled and followed Mez. Time to put his new, extensive water reserve to the test. And maybe he¡¯d get ideas for things to try with his others. After all, he couldn¡¯t burn down the dungeon if he had a mishap with fire.

 Stepping up, Chapter 34

    A flick of the knife sent a ball of water at the Bunnyling, knocking it off its feet before it could jump. Tibs dodged another, flicking another ball of water, but at the floor this time, so that the Bunnyling would land on ice. He threw his air knife at it. Despite the slippery floor the Bunnyling jumped out of the way, but with a flick of Tibs¡¯s finger, the knife changed trajectory and slammed onto the creature¡¯s back.

    He grinned, focusing on calling the knife back¨Dthen he was on the ground, concentration broken by the pain in his shoulder. He turned and wrapped his fist in fire as he punched the Bunnyling off him. The pain was sharp, but his shoulder worked, so the armor and ice combination were effective.

    Tibs got to his feet, assessing the battle.

    Jackal and Khumdar were in the center, punching, kicking, and staffing the Bunnylings to death. Carina, Mez, and him were at the outside, picking targets as they became available. Or, as had just happened to him, defending against those that tried to remove them from the battle. As he watched, a creature leaped in Carina¡¯s direction. She motioned and air wrapped around it, stopping its motion and holding it there for Mez¡¯s arrow to explode it.

    Tibs needed to learn how to do that.

    He¡¯d already tried a few things, now that he didn¡¯t have to worry about his essence. He¡¯d done his flick attack, using the other essences instead of water, but none of them had resulted in anything positive. The fire attempt had left his knife burned and melted and his hand was still painful from that.

    Another Bunnyling ran at him, but Tibs was ready, picking up the short sword that had appeared after he¡¯d killed an earlier Bunnyling, instead of the usual silver coin. He used earth to strengthen himself and block the claws, then slashed with the sword in return. His slash connected solidly, and the added strength sent the creature sliding back. It exploded as it got to its feet. Tibs nodded a thanks to Mez before running forward, calling the air knife to his hand, then throwing it at a Bunnyling that was running for Khumdar¡¯s back.

    He hit it without having to use essence.

    Tibs stopped and watched it dissolve. Then he was on his back, pain exploding in his chest, and barely putting an ice-covered arm between him and the savagely biting creature on top of him.

    A Bunnyling hit it, sending them away.

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to get in close range,¡± the fighter yelled, ¡°then focus on the Bunnylings attacking you, not the ones dying!¡±

    Tibs got to his feet and aimed an open palm at a Bunnyling in mid-leap. He formed the whirlwind pattern Carina had used, but he had trouble holding it. The result only caused the creature to land in a heap, instead of getting thrown back. Still, it was better than his first attempt.

    He did it again.

    No one was in dire need of help and no Bunnylings were running at him, so this was a good time to add training. He was missing something in how Carina used the essence, as it wouldn¡¯t gain the sharpness hers had. The Bunnyling getting to its feet and glaring at Tibs forced a decision, and instead of simply dropping the attack, he added water to it, since that was an essence he knew well.

    Instead of sending ice shrapnel at the Bunnyling, the essences interfered with each other and the whole thing exploded before Tibs, cutting him. The creature took advantage of his mishap to run at him.

    Cursing, Tibs grabbed a knife off his belt and threw it. When the knife didn¡¯t change direction at his command, Tibs realized that in his rush, he¡¯d grabbed the wrong one.

    Khumdar stepped between him and the Bunnyling, his staff slamming into the creature and sending the head flying.

    ¡°Do pay attention, Tibs.¡± Then the cleric was back in the fray.

    Okay, no more trying stuff. He joined the fight using the sword.

    * * * * *

    They looked around, searching for more attackers. Even Jackal was panting from exertion.

    ¡°Any more?¡± the fighter asked Tibs.

    Tibs focused on his essence. There was his team; Khumdar had a break in his left forearm and more bruises than Tibs could count. The others only had minor injuries. He didn¡¯t sense anything under the floor, but he couldn¡¯t sense the entire room, so he walked a slow circuit. There was a chance enemies would move to remain outside his range, but they¡¯d have to know what it was.

    Sto knew his range was large, but Tibs didn¡¯t think the dungeon could sense what it was since Tibs wasn¡¯t actively using essence to do this.

    ¡°We¡¯re good,¡± he said once he was back at his starting point.

    Jackal grinned. ¡°That we are.¡± His skin regained its usual tan coloration.

    Tibs checked his reserves. His use of essence during the fight was barely noticeable. He smiled, then stopped. He couldn¡¯t get overconfident. The bracers meant he could do much more, but if he was careless with his essence, he could still run out.

    He¡¯d have to work at it pretty hard, but he could do it.

    ¡°You got distracted,¡± Carina reproached.

    ¡°I was trying stuff.¡± He made the small whirlwind and tried to correct the fuzziness in the essence.

    She smiled but shook her head. ¡°A fight isn¡¯t the time to experiment, Tibs.¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°I just got these reserves. There¡¯s no better time than now to¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, Tibs.¡± All amusement was gone. ¡°Now isn¡¯t the time. The whirlwind that exploded in your hand; it hurt you. Why?¡±

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    He bit his lower lip. He hadn¡¯t realized she¡¯d noticed that. That was stupid; air was her element. She¡¯d probably felt everything he tried with it. ¡°I can¡¯t get it to feel like yours. I thought that adding water would help, since I¡¯m more familiar with it.¡±

    ¡°You got lucky that¡¯s all that happened. Mixing essences isn¡¯t something novices are allowed to do without good reasons. I¡¯m not even there yet. And the time to practice is definitely not when you have to focus elsewhere. Getting yourself killed because you let your curiosity distract you won¡¯t help you master any of this.¡±

    Tibs wanted to protest. It wasn¡¯t like he had died. But he could see she wouldn¡¯t take that response well. He was saved from having to work one out by Jackal calling to him.

    ¡°Tibs, you do the warren. The rest of us will go over the remains in the room.¡±

    He gave Carina a shrug and joined the fighter.

    ¡°You need to find a way to get yourself smaller so I don¡¯t have to do all of it by myself.¡±

    ¡°Not something earth lets me do.¡± Jackal grinned and slammed a foot on a warren door, breaking. ¡°But I¡¯m great at opening doors.¡±

    ¡°I could have lifted it open,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°But this looks cooler.¡±

    ¡°Not really,¡± Sto commented, and Tibs chuckled.

    ¡°What?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°The dungeon doesn¡¯t agree.¡±

    ¡°Well, until it comes down here and fights me, I think I¡¯m the better authority on what looks cool.¡±

    Sto let out a thoughtful hum and Tibs froze in the process of getting into the warren.

    ¡°You have him thinking,¡± he said, concerned.

    In response, Jackal¡¯s grin broadened.

    Tibs dropped, then moved forward in a crouch, grumbling. Had Sto made these smaller since the last time?

    Instead of only relying on his eyes, this time he used earth essence to feel the walls as he made his way. When he felt the first hidden door, he wasn¡¯t surprised he¡¯d missed it the previous time¡ªif it had even been there. The tunnel¡¯s walls were uneven and looked to have been carved out of the stone with claws, making the edge blend into the wall. When he opened it, the pivot point was two-thirds of the way, instead of the side. Just like the tiles, even if this door was in the rough wall.

    He thought it made sense for floor tiles, since the added weight on one side made them easier to lift, but he didn¡¯t understand why it was like that here. It opened to a room with pallets to sleep on. It reminded Tibs of the barracks he¡¯d slept in before getting his team and taking a room of their own. He found bags next to each containing what could have been the pallet¡¯s owner¡¯s possessions, if they weren¡¯t simply creatures made by Sto to challenge Runners. He had a handful of coins, mostly copper, with a few silver. A knife with fire essence woven through it. Vials of greenish potions that were probably healing, as well as clothing with varying essences woven through them.

    He surfaced long enough to drop them off, then went back to searching the warren. It was extensive, with rooms for groups to gather and cook, eat, and be social. Except for the barrack-style sleeping arrangement, the whole thing reminded Tibs of the Ratling camp. He dropped off what he found when he had to. By the time he was done, he agreed with something Jackal had said. Sto needed to make them some kind of bag that was larger inside, like the Loot chests, so he could clear the warren in one go. This took too long.

    When he returned with the last of what he¡¯d found, Jackal announced they had four golds worth in coin, a lot in copper, so the stacks were large. They had one and eight vials of healing potions, plus one that had a blue liquid in it. Carina thought it was something to wash away their exhaustion, but when she offered it to Jackal, the fighter took a step back.

    The items they¡¯d gained were mainly small. Clothing, with and without essence, including gloves rogues wore when working with traps that could have poisons or blades as part of the mechanism; thin leather instead of cloth.

    They drank a healing potion each and put away the rest.

    ¡°On to the hall?¡± Mez asked, smiling as he tapped his bow.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think the dungeon will let you deactivate the trap again,¡± Carina said, and the archer shrugged.

    When they reached the start of the trapped hall, Tibs stopped and looked it over. It looked the same, up to the pedestal on the other end, waiting for someone to press it.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be that simple, can it?¡± Carina asked.

    Tibs sensed through the hall as far as he could. The trigger lines felt closer together and the space between them tighter. He wasn¡¯t sure Jackal could make the path, even if he was agile enough. He broke the closest one and instead of a wall of spears going from one end of the corridor to the other; the spears came out randomly throughout it.

    ¡°A team figured out they could get across by using the time it takes the spears to reset between waves,¡± Sto said.

    Tibs wished he¡¯d thought about that, but he could see advantages to randomness.

    ¡°The pedestal is too far,¡± Tibs said as the other waited.

    Mez shrugged and raised his bow. ¡°I guess the dungeon decided to make our lives easier after the bunnies.¡± He released the arrow, but it shattered on something Tibs couldn¡¯t see before reaching the pedestal.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jackal said. ¡°The dungeon¡¯s not in the habit of making things easier.¡±

    ¡°Give me a minute,¡± Mez said, studying the hall, then notched another arrow. He fired it at the wall and it bounced off it, but it missed the pedestal.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you could do that with arrows,¡± Tibs said, awed.

    ¡°You need good quality arrows. The common ones you get from the guild will shatter even with this shallow of an angle.¡± He fired again, and this arrow broke on the wall. ¡°If this is going to be standard, I¡¯m going to need to find a merchant selling harder arrows.¡± He notched another one.

    ¡°You don¡¯t get any harder than Metal,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Metal¡¯s too heavy.¡± Mez let it go. It bounced off the wall, then hit the unseen obstacle before the pedestal.

    ¡°Can you not get an item that would add a hardening enchantment to your arrows?¡± Khumdar asked. ¡°Even should it make it metal, I do not believe such a metal would add any weight, as it would still be essence.¡± The cleric looked at Carina.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she replied. ¡°I haven¡¯t read anything on that subject.¡±

    ¡°Getting that would be prohibitively expensive.¡± That arrow hit the side of the pedestal, breaking. ¡°Good, at least now I know whatever that is doesn¡¯t go around the pedestal.¡±

    ¡°How long is this going to take?¡± Jackal asked impatiently.

    ¡°Less time than me trying to go through the maze,¡± Tibs answered, giving the fighter a look. ¡°It¡¯s not just having to avoid touching the trigger walls, there¡¯s barely any space to turn around, and in just what I can sense, there were multiple dead-ends and false paths.¡±

    Jackals raised his hands to placate him.

    ¡°You¡¯re down to five arrows,¡± Carina said. ¡°Maybe you should practice with fire arrows instead?¡±

    Mez thought about it. ¡°My worry with that is that if I hit the plate with a fire arrow, it¡¯s going to destroy it. Then this will have been wasted time.¡± He aimed, then let go. The arrow bounced off the wall and hit the top of the pedestal. Close enough that Tibs thought he¡¯d hit the plate. ¡°Okay, one more. If I miss, I¡¯m leaving this to you, Tibs.¡±

    Tibs nodded and considered what he could do to improve his chances as he searched for the right path.

    Alistair said that suffusing his body with water essence would make him more slippery; let him move like water. Would that make him more agile and flexible? Too bad he couldn¡¯t do it, with his essence already suffusing his body.

    The trigger lines vanished with a distant thunk.

    ¡°Did it work?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t supposed to be an archery contest,¡± Sto grumbled.

    ¡°It did,¡± Tibs said. ¡°But it¡¯s probably the last time. This isn¡¯t how he wants us to cross it.

    ¡°The dungeon doesn¡¯t like being outsmarted?¡± Jackal asked, grinning and starting to walk.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t outsmarting me,¡± Sto huffed as a reply.

    ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t,¡± Tibs translated as he followed the fighter.

    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s going to make us pay for it by making the boss-room harder?¡± Carina asked as she and the others joined them.

    ¡°Oh, I certainly hope so,¡± Jackals rubbed his now stony hands together. ¡°I want to have to work for my loot.¡±

    Tibs sighed. ¡°You really enjoy giving him ideas, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°So long as the end result is the loot getting correspondingly better,¡± the fighter confirmed.

 Stepping up, Chapter 35

    The colored hexagonal floor tiles were mostly hidden by ordinary rats and bunnies waiting for them to step into the room, among the also numerous Ratlings and Bunnylings. Behind them, between the two far pillars, stood Bigger Brute, flanked by a Big Brute on each side.

    ¡°The rats and bunnies are new here,¡± Mez said, looking at Carina.

    ¡°I gave up on the stuff that¡¯s written down,¡± she replied. ¡°They mentioned the increase in Ratlings and Bunnylings, but nothing about the rest.¡±

    ¡°We need to clear them,¡± Jackal said, tone grave.

    ¡°Just kick them out of your way,¡± Mez said. ¡°They can¡¯t do anything to you when you¡¯re stone.¡±

    Tibs looked at the fighter. ¡°Are you okay?¡± For all his bravado, Jackal had nearly died here.

    The smile his friend gave him looked forced. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He looked at Mez. ¡°And I want them dead so they can¡¯t heal that big brute. That¡¯s too unfair.¡±

    ¡°Bigger Brute,¡± Tibs corrected reflexively and Jackal rolled his eyes.

    Carina chuckled. ¡°Because Jackal is all about fighting fair.¡±

    ¡°Having the odds in my favor is what a fair fight looks like.¡± Jackal¡¯s grin faded as he looked the room over.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have to fight them,¡± Tibs said and squeezed Jackal¡¯s arm.

    His friend squared his shoulders. ¡°There is loot to get.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Carina said, getting his attention before he could object. Air essence took shape over her hand. ¡°This is what the essence for the whirlwind looks like.¡±

    He gave Jackal a concerned look before focusing on the essence. ¡°We need to watch him,¡± he said, watching it move, ¡°or he¡¯s going to do something stupid.¡±

    ¡°That is the best description for our team leader,¡± she replied with a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t let him die. Now, pay attention.¡±

    The essence moved and interlocked in ways that, while unfamiliar, didn¡¯t look difficult to recreate. He tried but ended up with something not quite like hers. He had the motion and the interlocking. The problem was with the form of the essence itself. His was fuzzy around the edges again. While hers was sharp, much like how she wrote her letters, all clear lines and each one always the same, while Tibs¡¯s letters were a mess and he couldn¡¯t always tell if two of them were the same. She said he¡¯d get it with time and practice, but Tibs wasn¡¯t sure. Letters were just so¡­ not his thing.

    He looked at his essence again. Was the fuzziness because he wasn¡¯t getting it, or¡­. Was etching like writing letters? Each person wrote them in different ways. Was that part of what Alistair meant when he said how they thought about essence affected how they used it? Did his teacher even know what that meant, or was he simply repeating something he¡¯d been taught?

    Could Tibs not recreate the whirlwind because his etching wasn¡¯t as precise?

    ¡°Sorcerers call this kind of etching ¡®spells¡¯,¡± she said.

    ¡°Can all etching move like that? My teacher only showed me two I have to do with a knife.¡±

    ¡°It depends on¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hate to break up the lesson,¡± Jackal said, ¡°but we have a room to clear.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll practice it later.¡± Tibs wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d be able to do it now. Not with the little he knew about it. He joined Jackal at the threshold, taking both air knives in hand.

    ¡°We clear as many of the rats and bunnies as we can before going after the ¡®lings,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Then it¡¯s the ¡®lings who die, and after that, the smaller golems. The big brute gets to be last if at all possible.¡±

    ¡°That sounds a lot like a strategy, Jackal,¡± Mez said. ¡°Careful, or we¡¯re going to start thinking you¡¯re a competent leader.¡±

    A smile cracked Jackal¡¯s stern expression, then was gone. ¡°Are we ready?¡±

    The others nodded, and the fighter stepped into the room.

    Tibs threw his knives as he stepped across, guiding them to cut rats and bunnies. When one got stuck, Tibs put more essence into getting it out of the bunny, but all it did was unravel the essence he¡¯d used to control it. When the second one got similarly stuck in a Ratling that had been getting too close, Tibs let it go and switched to water blasts, keeping his other knife coated with fire for when anything got too close.

    Fire and air exploded throughout the room, sending rats and bunnies flying, along with the ¡®lings caught in the blast. There were so many explosions that Tibs was surprised he only felt a slight heat or wind from them. He hadn¡¯t expected the size of the room to affect that.

    A dozen of the ¡®lings retreated to the golems while the others threw themselves at the attacks, taking the hits in their stead. When the room fell quiet, it was the five of them on one side, and the golems and ¡®lings on the other, and rubble in between.

    Tibs saw an air knife and used the quiet time to try to pull it back to him, but even with only rubble over it, he couldn¡¯t get the essence to pull it free. Another thing to add to the never diminishing list of what he had to practice or figure out.

    He hated not being able to ask questions.

    ¡°This is unfair,¡± Jackal growled as Tibs went to pick up his knives.

    Khumdar spoke after a few seconds of stillness. ¡°Must we cross another threshold before they will¡ª¡± the Big Brutes stepped forward, accompanied by half the ¡®lings. ¡°That will be a no, then.¡±

    ¡°Tibs, you and Khumdar thin the ¡®lings as best as you can. They¡¯re probably there to heal the brutes. Mez, Carina, take out anything you can, but especially ¡®lings trying to join this fight.¡± Jackal marched to meet the brutes, ignoring Carina¡¯s call to stop.

    Tibs exchanged a look with his friends. There was no keeping Jackal from this fight; only making sure he survived it.

    Tibs threw the air knives as he moved forward and to the side; forcing the ¡®lings to defend against them until he killed two of them, losing control of the knives in the process. Then he flung water at them and the ground, sliding around on it, only barely controlling his movement. He was getting the hang of¡ª

    He lost his footing.

    He planted a knife in the Ratling¡¯s foot coming down at him before rolling away. The next knife he planted in the side of a Bunnyling, then he threw one into the back of a Ratling heading for Khumdar, who was scattering ¡®lings with the sweep of his staff.

    Out of knives, he pulled the short sword. Another thing he needed to adjust to. It was range, then a sword if he had one, and only use knives after that. No wonder Jackal just ran in and hit stuff. It was a lot simpler.

    He blocked a Ratling¡¯s swing, cut a Bunnyling, stopped a club from taking his head off¡ª but that sent the sword flying out of his hand. Cursing, he backed up as the two still before him followed.

    Were they grinning? Expecting an easy victory now that he was weaponless?

    Tibs was a Runner with essence. He was never weaponless. He pulled air essence and formed the pattern Carina had shown him. Something almost like it should work anyway, right? He flung it at the two ¡®lings, and the only result was the fluttering of the rags they wore.

    Fire? He hesitated. He could get one started, but they were stone, not flesh. And fire was more effective when he coated a weapon with it, which he didn¡¯t have.

    His back hit a wall.

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    Earth? He could¡ª

    The Ratling attacked, and Tibs didn¡¯t think. He raised his arm to block, adding water to ice it, some of it splashing and becoming solid into a shard as the ice caught up to it. He ignored the pain in favor of the idea that formed.

    He shouldered the Bunnyling and got pain as a result, but those claws scratched ice and leather, instead of his skin. It also gave him some space and he let water drip into his hand. He flicked it and iced it as the water stretched.

    He smiled as he was now holding a wicked-looking weapon made of ugly jagged points and edges. It crinkled as it finished turning into ice, the points glittering in the light.

    Tibs¡¯s smile fell when, instead of stepping back at the sight, they attacked as if he was holding a spoon.

    He joined them, slashing, stabbing, getting cut and slashed in return. They didn¡¯t get through his armor, but it made him realize he¡¯d gotten too close. The point of a sword was to keep his enemies far enough claws couldn¡¯t reach him.

    Training. He needed more training.

    He faltered as he realized Pyan wouldn¡¯t be there to complain about training him, and was brought back to the fight with teeth in his blocking arm. With a scream, he stabbed the Ratling through and flung it away, then slashed the Bunnyling¡¯s head off. He met up with Khumdar and they took down a last Ratling.

    ¡°They have been made stronger,¡± the cleric said, panting. He had more cuts and bruises. It was a good thing they¡¯d all healed before this fight.

    ¡°It¡¯s what the dungeon does,¡± Tibs replied, forcing his breathing to slow.

    Jackal was fighting a Big Brute, while Carina and Mez kept the other from joining in.

    Sto had been surprised by how strong they were, and Tibs hadn¡¯t expected him to be ready for it this quickly. He¡¯d figured their next run would have been the hard one.

    Tibs sensed the golems. Unlike people, the essence in them didn¡¯t match the inside of their bodies, so he couldn¡¯t tell the level of injuries they¡¯d received. All he could assess was that Jackal¡¯s opponent had less of it left than the one being kept away.

    He felt the change in that golem just before it pushed through Carina and Mez¡¯s attacks to reach the other.

    Tibs cursed not picking up a knife as soon as his fight had ended.

    But he held a sword.

    He moved before the questions of if a sword could replace a knife, or if one made of ice even qualified as a sword. It had a point; that was what mattered right now.

    He etched the ¡®X¡¯, then poured all the water essence he had left in the attack.

    Khumdar caught him as it exploded forward, shattering the brute.

    Tibs absorbed the sword to have enough to stand on his own, and watched Jackal punch the other golem into pieces. He used the time to draw essence into his reserve.

    When Jackal joined them, his stone skin was cracked, as was the essence underneath, but the fighter didn¡¯t seem to notice.

    ¡° Was it about to heal my golem?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°I figure so,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°Why else force through the barrage?¡± He didn¡¯t voice what he¡¯d felt, the way the essence had shifted in the golem¡¯s body, moving to its extended hand. Sto already had too many advantages.

    ¡°Not that I¡¯m complaining,¡± Mez said, looking at the back of the room, ¡°but is anyone else worried that the big one didn¡¯t join in the fight?¡± He looked at Jackal. ¡°Did you surprise the dungeon by having a strategy?¡±

    ¡°I doubt it,¡± Tibs said, wondering more about why Sto wasn¡¯t commenting. In other rooms, he¡¯d think the dungeon was busy with something else, but this was the boss¡¯ room. He had to be¡ª

    Bigger Brute raised a hand, pointing at Jackal.

    ¡°You,¡± Sto said in Tibs¡¯s mind. ¡°Damn it, why can¡¯t I get that to work?¡± He sighed. ¡°Tibs?¡±

    Tibs snorted, and his team stared at him.

    ¡°Come on, Tibs,¡± Sto said, miffed. ¡°This is serious.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re getting your wish,¡± he told Jackal. ¡°That¡¯s the dungeon calling you out.¡±

    ¡°You mean I get a one-on-one fight with the dungeon?¡± Jackal asked, gleefully.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see it bringing anything else to that fight,¡± Carina said. ¡°We¡¯ve killed all the creatures here.¡±

    Tibs put a hand on the floor and sent earth essence. He relaxed when he felt no tunnels there. ¡°She¡¯s right, no other creatures¡±

    ¡°How do you wish to handle this?¡± Khumdar asked their leader.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m fighting it.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if we just blasted it?¡± Mez asked, slightly exasperated. ¡°We get the loot and leave. You¡¯re hurt.¡±

    Jackal looked down at himself and seemed surprised at the cracks on his exposed stone.

    Carina handed him a vial.

    ¡°How about it, dungeon? Do you think it¡¯s fair for me to heal?¡±

    ¡°Just take it and drink,¡± Carina ordered. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t fight fair.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to tell the dungeon that,¡± Jackal protested.

    ¡°I believe it is far too late,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°You have recounted many of your times in the pits while we were in the dungeon. It knows quite well that you cheat.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care that he cheats,¡± Sto said smugly.

    Jackal toasted the dungeon and drank the potion.

    Tibs sensed the fighter¡¯s essence react to the potion. The cracks filled with something that became the same as his essence as his stone skin smoothed over. What was part of the potion that caused the effect? Tibs couldn¡¯t tell. Yet another question he couldn¡¯t ask.

    Jackal stepped toward the golem. ¡°No holds barred,¡± he stated. ¡°This ends when one of us is in pieces.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Sto said, but Tibs stayed silent.

    ¡°If it looks like you¡¯re about to lose,¡± Mez said, aiming a flaming arrow at the golem, ¡°I¡¯m blasting it.¡±

    Jackal stopped and turned to face them. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tibs and Carina replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Tibs told Sto, ¡°but I¡¯m not letting you kill him just because of his ego.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± the dungeon replied, still smug. ¡°If you have to rescue him, it means I won.¡±

    ¡°Tibs, I have to do this,¡± Jackal said.

    He glared at the fighter. ¡°You are not dying.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to beat it,¡± Jackal reassured him.

    ¡°Then you don¡¯t have to worry about us.¡±

    The fighter sighed in defeat and continued toward the golem.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Sto said as Jackal came to a stop before the golem. ¡°Tibs when you say so, we¡ª¡±

    Jackal struck the golem in the featureless face, then the chest, then the shoulders. On the fourth punch, it raised its arm but was too slow to block it, and this punch staggered it back, cracking the chest.

    The golem swung, but the fist went wide. Jackal watched it, then punched the arm, cracking it. A foot in the chest sent the golem stumbling back.

    ¡°Is that all you have?¡± Jackal taunted.

    Sto sighed. ¡°This is a lot harder than you all make it look.¡±

    The golem rolled out of the way and Jackal landed on the floor with enough force the tile cracked. The golem swept a leg, but Jackal jumped out of the way. It was up before he could strike again. It still moved slowly, but there was precision to the movements now.

    ¡°You stopped controlling it,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°I thought it would be easy since I¡¯m the one who instructed BB on how to move in fights, but knowing how to do it isn¡¯t the same as doing it.¡±

    Jackal grabbed the punch, twisted until the golem¡¯s arm broke, and used that to strike it in the head. The arm shattered. He shattered its knee with a kick, caught it as it fell, and ripped the head off before it hit the ground and broke off into rubble.

    He turned his back to it, dusting his hands off. ¡°Okay, dungeon, why did you leave?¡±

    ¡°You could tell?¡± Tibs asked, as Sto stammered in surprise.

    ¡°I fought it before; it nearly killed me. I remember how my opponents fight. It barely knew how to move when we started, then it was back to being a decent fighter, but I already had the advantage.¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t know how difficult fighting was,¡± Tibs said.

    Jackal nodded. ¡°So the next one¡¯s going to be better?¡±

    ¡°I really like him,¡± Sto said.

    ¡°It will,¡± Tibs confirmed.

    ¡°Good.¡± Jackal turned. ¡°Now, onto the loot!¡±

    Tibs rummaged through the rubble for coins.

    ¡°Really?¡± Ganny demanded angrily, and Tibs looked up. ¡°I leave for a few minutes and you pull this again?¡± Mez held a black robe for Khumdar to look at.

    ¡°You went pouting,¡± Sto snapped. ¡°And I didn¡¯t do anything.¡±

    ¡°You expect me to believe that a black robe with metal and darkness woven through it just happened to be in the chest as if it was¡ª¡±

    ¡°Random,¡± Sto finished. ¡°That is a thing, you know.¡±

    ¡°After everything you¡¯ve done for them? You expect me to believe you?¡±

    ¡°Believe whatever you want, Ganny.¡± Sto was annoyed now. ¡°This is me. I decide what happens. You¡¯re only here to help me. You bossing me around is really getting old. And yes, this is random. It¡¯s not my fault the cleric¡¯s willing to wear a sorcerer¡¯s robe. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve had cleric¡¯s robes to work with yet at this point. Tibs¡¯s friend is the only one of them willing to brave me.¡±

    She didn¡¯t reply.

    Sto sighed. ¡°Yeah, you go and sulk again.¡±

    Tibs hesitated. But his curiosity got the better of him. ¡°What have you been doing for us?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. She¡¯s blowing things out of proportion. I reward you for saving my life and now, anytime something happens in your team¡¯s favor, it¡¯s me ¡®cheating¡¯. She keeps bringing up those mysterious ¡®they¡¯, and how ¡®they¡¯ aren¡¯t going to let me get away with this. Well, I¡¯m not seeing any ¡®they¡¯, and until ¡®they¡¯ step into me and try to tell me how I¡¯m supposed to do things, I¡¯m in charge. She doesn¡¯t like that I¡¯m not the ignorant dungeon she first met anymore.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you can let her help more?¡±

    ¡°She designed the entire third floor!¡± He seemed to catch his breath and sounded slightly calmer when he spoke again. ¡°How much more am I supposed to let her ¡®help¡¯ with? Why is she acting like it¡¯s my fault if I¡¯ve learned what she taught me?¡±

    Sto didn¡¯t want advice, Tibs realized, and he didn¡¯t know what advice to give anyway. Talking to her didn¡¯t seem like a good idea this time. Hopefully, they¡¯d resolve the issue, because Tibs had the feeling Ganny couldn¡¯t leave.

    He handed the coins he found to Carina, then stepped around the chest and sensed the wall. He found what he was looking for perfectly behind the chest, just like how it was arranged on the first floor, except the chest was within the stairwell, and the door opened by itself.

    The shape was the same as by the entrance and in the pool room alcove, as was the set of essence filaments. He used fire this time, putting it into the hollow one and making a single thread.

    The wall shimmered with golden light, and Tibs was looking at the hallway leading to the exit.

    ¡°That¡¯s going to be useful,¡± Jackal said, carrying a piece of metal chest armor over his shoulder. ¡°Now we don¡¯t have to worry about the puzzle that deactivates the triggers on the bridge.¡± He stepped through.

    With a curse, Tibs looked the way they¡¯d come. He¡¯d forgotten about the cache in the pool.

    ¡°What?¡± Jackal asked in his too-high voice, Khumdar and Mez at his side. ¡°Did we miss something?¡±

    Tibs almost told him, but realized Jackal would insist they go back for whatever was in it. Tibs had enough for now. He shook his head.

    Carina stepped through and looked at him. ¡°Tibs?¡± She asked in a deep voice.

    Tibs turned his back to the opening and, because he couldn¡¯t leave without at least trying, whispered. ¡°Talk with her. She¡¯s your friend. Don¡¯t let a bad mood ruin that. Find out why she¡¯s scared and angry and help her with that.¡±

    Sto didn¡¯t respond, so Tibs stepped through the opening and headed for the exit with his friends.

 Stepping up, Chapter 36

    ¡°What happened to all the teams?¡± Don asked, baffled.

    Tibs gave him the side-eye, then went back to looking at the board. They¡¯d died. That was what happened. What Tibs had trouble with was why so many of the Upsilon and Rho teams lost members.

    He¡¯d noticed that there were fewer and fewer people at the inn but, until now, he¡¯d thought it was because everyone other than the loyal customers were eating at other places because of the supply problems the inn was having.

    Just this morning, another shipment had arrived from MountainSea with many of the crates broken. The Attendants couldn¡¯t be blamed, since moving things using the platforms didn¡¯t affect the items, so Kroseph¡¯s father was in MountainSea now, investigating why so many shipments were damaged by the people transporting them to the platform.

    Two and eight teams were on the board. The eight first were nobles. Of the others, Tibs only recognized half the names. It meant that the leaders of the other teams were recent graduates to Upsilon or some Runners who had lost their leaders had had to take over.

    There had never been so many deaths of Runners with elements before.

    ¡°I get only the best survive,¡± Don said, looking at Tibs with more dismay than sneering. ¡°But you managed it, so more should have.¡±

    ¡°Did you lose anyone on your team?¡± Tibs asked, looking to Radkliff, the only member of Don¡¯s team present.

    ¡°No.¡± Don narrowed his eyes in suspicion. ¡°Are you implying I¡¯m not good enough to keep them alive?¡±

    ¡°Anyone know if they are bringing in new conscripts to fill the ranks?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°Some of the names are Runners who graduated, but not many.¡±

    ¡°Is there anyone left in the kingdoms¡¯ cells to send?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°I do not believe there has ever been a need for so many conscripts before,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°From what I have learned in my travels, the first group is normally large enough to cause a dungeon to graduate, and then people paying to run the dungeon suffice to continue feeding it.¡±

    ¡°I guess they never had someone try to kill it before,¡± Don said, glaring at Tibs. ¡°And have someone messing that up.¡±

    Tibs glared back at the sorcerer.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you were actually involved with those people, Don,¡± Carina said, annoyed.

    ¡°If they killed it, we wouldn¡¯t be here anymore,¡± the sorcerer snapped. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t need us!¡±

    Jackal snorted. ¡°You were wrong Tibs. He is an idiot.¡±

    ¡°Watch your tongue.¡± Don reached for Jackal, but Tibs stepped in front. The sorcerer¡¯s hand was surrounded with essence.

    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡±

    Don grinned evilly. ¡°If you want to suffer in his place, I¡¯m more than happy to make it happen.¡± The essence shifted, linked into strands that resembled barbed hooks, and when he put his hand on Tibs¡¯s chest, they pumped corruption into his body.

    Tibs considered acting hurt, letting the sorcerer think his attack worked, but despite the danger, he wanted to put him in his place. He looked him in the eyes and didn¡¯t react.

    When Don¡¯s surprise turned to suspicion, Tibs realized having Don look into what he was up to could cause problems, so he misdirected the sorcerer. ¡°I was doused in corruption. You can¡¯t make enough to compare to that.¡±

    Don snatched his hand away from Tibs, worry and annoyance on his face. Corruption was how he put people in their place. Tibs wondered how many of the Runners watching the exchange would stop being afraid now that they saw one person resist the sorcerer.

    To keep the sorcerer from lashing out later, Tibs stepped back and put effort into remaining standing. Jackal held him by the shoulder, worried.

    Don sneered in triumph. ¡°You aren¡¯t worth my essence.¡± He turned and left, Radkliff following after giving Tibs a powerless shrug.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Carina asked worriedly. ¡°I thought¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Tibs cut her off and walked away from the boards. Tibs took the essence and hesitated. Did Don continue to sense it once it was inside him? Could he, like Tibs did with water, have it act at a distance? Or was this like with Sto, where Tibs¡¯s life force would cut off the sorcerer¡¯s sense?

    Yet another question he couldn¡¯t ask.

    ¡°What¡¯s going to happen if too many of us die?¡± Mez asked as they walked.

    ¡°I think we have more important things to deal with,¡± Jackal replied, then lowered his voice. ¡°Tibs, what¡¯s going on? I thought you had the element.¡±

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    Mez chuckled and shook his head.

    ¡°What?¡± the fighter demanded.

    Tibs eyed the archer. They had their problems, but he hadn¡¯t expected him to be so callous.

    Mez looked around to confirm no one was close. ¡°He¡¯s acting.¡±

    Tibs raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Come on, it¡¯s obvious. Don touched him and Tibs didn¡¯t react at all. Only after a few seconds did he ¡®feel the pain¡¯. Probably to keep Don from throwing a tantrum.¡±

    ¡°Is that what you¡¯re doing?¡± Jackal asked Tibs.

    ¡°Don¡¯s not an idiot,¡± Tibs said, still acting as if he was in pain. He didn¡¯t care if it looked like they were alone. He knew how easy it was to eavesdrop. ¡°But he¡¯s also overconfident. So long as he thinks he has the upper hand, he won¡¯t worry that I resisted him a little.¡±

    ¡°You scared me,¡± Carina said, relieved.

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°So,¡± Mez said. ¡°What¡¯s going to happen if all the teams die?¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t happen,¡± Jackal said. ¡°We are not going to die. As for the rest, that¡¯s the guild¡¯s problem, not ours.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs massaged his chest, keeping up the act of being in pain for the few customers in the inn. Three other tables were occupied, but none by Runners. Tibs knew none of them, even by sight. People from other cities, here for a visit.

    ¡°And the best we have for my favorite Runners.¡± Kroseph placed bowls of stew on their tables along with tankards of ale, then dropped in the extra seat.

    ¡°Stew¡¯s the best you have?¡± Jackal asked before digging in.

    Kroseph sighed. ¡°There¡¯s only so much we can do with low-quality meat. Russ¡¯s going around seeing who can sell us better cuts while dad¡¯s back home, but no one has anything to sell. At this rate, we¡¯re not going to get anything until the next caravan¡¯s here in a few weeks, and they are going to jump on the chance to charge us far more than the meat¡¯s worth.¡±

    Jackal opened his mouth, but Kroseph raised a hand.

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s had a bad time, Hun. This isn¡¯t your father targeting us. I can count on one hand the taverns with good meat, and they aren¡¯t selling it since they have all those customers to feed now.¡±

    ¡°Is it not nonetheless suspicious,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°that supplies coming from so many different places will arrive with spoiled food?¡±

    ¡°Could your dad do this?¡± Carina asked Jackal.

    Jackal thought about it. ¡°I don¡¯t know. He would do it, that¡¯s sure, but he hasn¡¯t been here long enough to know where everyone gets their supplies from. Normally I¡¯d ask around, get someone who has had contact with people around my father to tell me, but none of the guards are speaking with me right now. Seems that after a few of them have had accidents, none of them will go against my father¡¯s wishes.¡±

    ¡°I thought none of them worked for him anymore,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°They¡¯ve seen the kind of things my father can make happen while they worked for him, so they know what those accidents really are. And they will be quick to warn any new guards Knuckles brings in, not that those would be of any use to me.¡± He looked around the nearly empty inn. ¡°My father is the kind of man that can make a lot happen with a few well-placed words.¡±

    Kroseph squeezed Jackal¡¯s arm. ¡°This isn¡¯t your fault.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s my father¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°Some of the guards have items that let them lie to Harry,¡± Tibs reminded the others.

    ¡°Have you been able to tell which ones?¡± Carina asked.

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°I tracked down the one who spoke with your father, and I can¡¯t sense any magic on her.¡±

    ¡°I expect this will not be what you wish to hear,¡± Khumdar told Jackal after giving Tibs a calculating look. ¡°But would it not be best if you submitted to him? It would alleviate the trouble he is causing. It would allow you to plan without him always watching.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s spying on you?¡± Kroseph asked in surprise.

    Jackal shrugged.

    ¡°I feel the eyes of the people he pays,¡± the cleric said, flicking his eyes to the occupied table on their left.

    Jackal glared at the occupants, and one of the men grinned, raising a tankard to him. They didn¡¯t care that Jackal knew, Tibs realized. Sebastian might even want him to know he was being watched.

    Kroseph kept Jackal from standing.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know my father.¡± He told Khumdar. ¡°Submitting to him wouldn¡¯t make him stop hurting the people I care about. At this point, he¡¯d do it so I knew how much of a mistake defying him was.¡±

    ¡°How about killing him?¡± Carina offered, and Tibs stared at her. That felt drastic coming from her, until he remembered what the dungeon had put them through. She might not come from the street like him, where that was a reasonable reaction to a threat, but she¡¯d hardened throughout the runs.

    ¡°It won¡¯t help,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°My father has orders in place to ensure that anything he considers his gets destroyed in the event of his death. He probably has something in place so even once time kills him, people will pay for letting that happen.¡±

    Tibs thought over what Jackal said, and why he¡¯d said it. ¡°This isn¡¯t his town.¡±

    ¡°He settled here, Tibs,¡± Jackal replied darkly. ¡°As far as he¡¯s concerned, it¡¯s already his, and I can¡¯t think of any way to force him to leave, not that I¡¯m sure he¡¯d stop thinking of it as his if I managed it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not his town,¡± Tibs stated.

    He studied the people at the table out of the corner of his eye. They looked like the others in the inn, and Tibs suspected that if not for Khumdar¡¯s connection to darkness, he wouldn¡¯t know they were spies either.

    Tibs needed that. He needed to know who was spying on them, no matter what they looked like. He couldn¡¯t afford to let the cleric keep this secret anymore. He finished eating while working out how he would arrange this.

    Once he was done, he stood. ¡°Khumdar, I think it¡¯s time for my next lesson.¡± He hadn¡¯t seen the spies before, so he hoped they didn¡¯t know his friends well enough to tell who usually did what.

    ¡°What lesson?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°His letters,¡± the cleric replied, standing. Tibs didn¡¯t react, but was surprised at the ease with which Khumdar picked up on his intent. ¡°You are welcome to accompany us. I am certain you too can benefit from more time practicing it.¡±

    ¡°No thanks,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°You two have fun with that.¡± He gave a questioning look to Kroseph, who simply smiled and patted his arm. ¡°Remember, we¡¯re training later,¡± Jackal called after them.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to protest?¡± Tibs whispered as they exited. The woman who¡¯d sat next to the man who had toasted Jackal was following them, not bothering to pretend otherwise. It made Tibs think someone else would do so too, out of sight.

    ¡°No. I believe there is now too much happening for me to hold on to this particular secret. For as much as I enjoy being the only one who knows so much about this town, you are the one better able to put this ability to use in protecting it.¡±

    ¡°You could just tell me what I need to know to protect everyone.¡±

    Khumdar smiled. ¡°Relinquishing one secret is difficult enough. I do not believe I would be capable of telling you everything you need to know. You will have to gather those secrets on your own.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 37

    Tibs closed the windows in the room. No one who¡¯d watched them in the inn had essence, but adventurers could be bought, and because they needed to pay off what they owed to the guild, Tibs expected a lot of them didn¡¯t care what the work was. Even Runners in town needed coins, and he knew few of those left well enough to trust they wouldn¡¯t spy on him for a few silver. He wished he knew how Alistair had used his essence to keep anyone from listening to their private conversations.

    At least, that was a question he could ask the next time he saw his teacher.

    Khumdar watched him with a calculating expression again, and Tibs did his best not to question the cleric¡¯s change in attitude, despite his explanation.

    Tibs pulled the chair away from the table and sat. ¡°How did you get your audience?¡±

    Khumdar sat on his bed, looking thoughtful. ¡°I do not know that the method I used will apply to you. In becoming a cleric, a show of devotion is required. It is not simply about reaching your chosen element. A teacher cannot take you to them.¡±

    Tibs chuckled. ¡°I fell off a cliff, was buried, and threw myself in a fire, then a pool of corruption. The only audience I had the guild¡¯s way was with Water.¡±

    Khumdar thought about it, then nodded. ¡°True. You also mentioned how the elements behaved as if they were expecting you. It is possible leniency is being accorded in your case.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Tibs said dejectedly. ¡°I¡¯m special.¡±

    The cleric smiled. ¡°Being special does not have to be a burden. It is what allows you to heal us.¡±

    Tibs sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t mind that part or the one about having more than one element. It¡¯s the guild treating me special that¡¯s annoying.¡±

    Khumdar raised an eyebrow. ¡°I do not believe that falls on the elements, but on you. They are not what compelled you to save the dungeon, after all.¡± He paused. ¡°Although they may have played a part in how you survived being doused in corruption.¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡± They hadn¡¯t spoken much about it. Tibs hadn¡¯t wanted to relive that time and Khumdar never volunteered information.

    ¡°When I reached you, there was so much of it that I do not know how you were not already on your way to melting. I doubt even Don would survive contact with so much corruption. There is a limit to the protection an element affords us when used against us.¡±

    Tibs swallowed as he remembered the pain. ¡°Tell me about how you got your audience.¡±

    Khumdar hesitated and Tibs wondered if that reluctance in sharing what he knew would be something he¡¯d have to deal with once he had the element.

    ¡°I stole the technique.¡± The cleric looked away.

    ¡°Are you ashamed?¡± Tibs asked in surprise.

    ¡°I am not¡­proud of what I did. Theft is not something I was raised with. There are rogues within purity, but you would not recognize them as such, I expect. I supposed that was my first indication darkness was which element pulled at me. It is the technique the purity clerics use. I modified it to suit my purpose.¡±

    Tibs considered that. ¡°So I¡¯ll be able to use it for the other essences too?¡±

    ¡°I expect so, yes. The issue you will face will be in finding locations where you can perform the¡­ceremony.¡± He frowned. ¡°Then again, you do not wish to become a cleric. The requirements may not be as stringent. I can guide you to the location for my element, and as there is only one location for purity, that will dictate where you go for that one. I am unsure how you will proceed for light.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll learn how to have the audience, then worry about figuring out where I¡¯ll do it. Maybe I can figure out a way to ask Harry.¡±

    ¡°Please allow me to be present when you make the attempt.¡± The cleric grinned. ¡°Watching you attempt to lie to a man so in touch with Light will be entertaining.¡± He became thoughtful. ¡°There is much of the cleric in what I have observed of him.¡±

    ¡°So, what do I have to do?¡±

    Khumdar shook himself out of his thoughts and focused on him. ¡°A cleric must show their devotion before they can attempt to have an audience. They will spend seven days in solitary meditation, considering their place within Purity. They will have nothing but the robe to remind them of who they are, and water. Once their solitude is over, they will travel through purity and again show their devotion by stopping along the way and explaining why they are right for them. Those seeking to be clerics must be pure in their words and actions, so that¡ª¡± the cleric paused and chuckled. ¡°I am reciting the dictates. Those will not be required of you, other than possibly being honest in your request. The elements know our heart, and trying to trick them may be¡­deadly.¡±

    ¡°Your thoughts,¡± Tibs said, remembering his conversation with Corruption. Khumdar looked at him with curiosity. ¡°They take the words they need so they can talk with us from our mind, so they probably know the rest, too.¡±

    The cleric nodded slowly. ¡°That may be true. Doctrines tend to be embellished so it will sound more¡­ poignant. But you must still be true in showing your devotion, and once again before the element. Or I had to. After speaking with Runners, I find that might be a cleric-centric requirement. And they are waiting for you. Your presence and ability to gain that shadow seems to be all that is required of you.¡±

    Tibs stared at the cleric. ¡°How do you know about that? I never talked about how I got them.¡±

    Khumdar smiled. ¡°Learning secrets is not only about listening to the words said. It is also about what is not said, how the words are said, what you look like when you say them. Darkness makes learning secrets easier, but it is not how I am able to learn them. And I did not know you had to do it until this very moment. Learning secrets is also in wording your own words so the other will feel compelled to reveal something.¡±

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    He crossed his legs. ¡°When you spoke of your audience with Corruption, you mentioned he gave you the shadow, and you sounded perplexed by the action. I do not know if the others noticed.¡± He stopped. ¡°Maybe Carina noticed, as attentive as Jackal is, he trusts you enough not to watch so keenly and Mez¡­ has other things on his mind. Your words made me think back to what you said of your previous interactions. You referred to it as taking the shadow the times you mentioned it. As you would not survive doing something an element did not want you to do, I figured it was a test of your determination and wits.¡±

    Tibs stared at the smug cleric. That was a lot to have worked out from the little Tibs remembered saying.

    ¡°Darkness will be as the others, I suspect. Maybe more difficult as it is about secrets and weakness. It may be more reluctant to let you have it.¡± He closed his eyes. ¡°But I cannot envision the method it will use to keep you from it.¡± He sighed. ¡°I wish there were others I could ask, to understand how it is that you and I saw it, while Jackal, Carina, and Mezano did not.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. That part wasn¡¯t important to him. ¡°So the first step is to meditate. How do I do that?¡±

    Khumdar looked at Tibs, stunned. ¡°I do not know. Or rather, it is something I learned so long ago I have not had to think about how I do it. It is a skill everyone with purity is taught.¡± He paused and his gaze became distant. ¡°Meditation is thinking on nothing, while thinking on everything.¡±

    Tibs groaned. Just the way Khumdar said it gave him a headache.

    ¡°Remember, there is embellishment to doctrine, and purity teaches through it. They want to maintain the impression that only those special enough can achieve the state needed to proceed forward. It would not do for the common folk to think they could become one of them.¡±

    Tibs¡¯s eyes snapped open as realization hit. ¡°You were supposed to be a purity cleric.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Surprise crossed the cleric¡¯s face and Tibs thought he saw worry there.

    ¡°You said you were taught young. Then that everyone in purity is taught. That means you¡¯re from that Temerity family, the one Carina accused you of being, then you¡­no, Mez diverted her and you got that pleased smile. That¡¯s how you know the way to be a cleric.¡±

    The smile that followed looked forced. ¡°I am glad you listen to what others say. I believe Darkness will indeed welcome you. Having said that, I would ask that you not speak of what you have worked out with anyone, especially not Carina.¡±

    ¡°Why? She¡¯s our friend and teammate.¡±

    ¡°The answer is complicated and would reveal things that are not for me to say.¡±

    Tibs narrowed his eyes. ¡°You tried really hard to get her to say something when you first joined. I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s whatever you don¡¯t want to tell me now.¡±

    ¡°It is. She was not a friend then. Getting her to reveal her secret was an amusing proposition. Now¡­ No, even then. Tibs, you must understand. There is a difference between knowing a secret and revealing it. Darkness demands that I amass them, and a revealed secret is no longer one, but there is also a power in holding them over the people who have them. Of making sure they know you are aware of them. That is not a good thing, I believe. It is not something Darkness demands of me; it is a part of me. One I try not to enable. I was not meant to be a cleric, Tibs. My family does not produce clerics. But this part of me made me¡­ unworthy of being part of purity at all.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like if I showed someone I broke into their house,¡± Tibs said, ¡°and told them I can do it anytime I want. Use that to make them afraid of me.¡±

    ¡°No, it is not¡ª¡± Khumdar started angrily, then stopped. ¡°Actually¡­ yes. How do you keep from doing such?¡±

    Tibs shrugged. He¡¯d never thought about it that way until Khumdar explained how it was for him. ¡°I get not wanting to hurt people, but why not use what you know? What¡¯s the point of knowing so much and not using it?¡±

    The cleric smiled sadly. ¡°Have you heard stories of dragons?¡±

    Tibs shook his head. He¡¯d heard the word but didn¡¯t know where.

    ¡°In the bard¡¯s tales, they are great beasts who decimate the land seeking riches and hoard what they find. They kill any seeking to claim them back. They do nothing with them other than hold on to them. And know they have them.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Darkness has made of me a dragon hoarding secrets.¡±

    ¡°But those are stories. You don¡¯t have to be like that. You¡¯re telling me one right now. Even the nobles use some of the coins they have to show the rest they have them. Bardik told me secrets.¡± And used them to manipulate me, Tibs thought bitterly.

    ¡°A cleric is closer to the element than others. I cannot know if I would still have a desire to search for and hold secrets as I do, if I had remained with Purity. But it is who I am. Parting with secrets is difficult.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t tell yours,¡± Tibs said solemnly. ¡°You¡¯re my friend.¡±

    ¡°I thank you.¡±

    ¡°So, meditating?¡± Tibs asked, bringing the conversation to what he needed to understand. ¡°Is it just sitting around not doing anything?¡±

    Khumdar chuckled. ¡°No. It is thinking as little as possible so that you can understand as much as possible. I know,¡± he said at Tibs¡¯s groan, ¡°but for as much as it sounds like doctrine, that is the core of it. When I am able to think about as little as possible, a thought will push through, and in that, I may find an understanding of one of the questions I had. I do not know that you need to do so, as you have already had audiences without it, but it is how purity clerics go about it, and how I did as well.¡±

    ¡°Seven days,¡± Tibs mused. ¡°No food, and only water. The water¡¯s easy.¡± He coated his hand and reabsorbed it. ¡°But I don¡¯t know if I can go without food for that long.¡± Again, he added mentally. He had gone hungry often before coming here, and now that he ate regularly, the idea of not eating scared him.

    ¡°It is difficult. It is why it is part of the purification needed so you will achieve the state that will bring you to the attention of the Element.

    ¡°Except that it¡¯s for purity clerics,¡± Tibs said hopefully.

    ¡°It worked for me, therefore there is a truth to it.¡±

    Tibs nodded, his hopes dashed. Then he recalled what Ganny said. ¡°The way to an audience is a strong emotion while around that element. Fear is what I used for mine. I always ended up thinking I was about to die. I guess not eating for seven days has to be like I¡¯m about to die.¡± He didn¡¯t remember pain from hunger, only a void that always needed to be filled.

    ¡°If that is correct, you can arrange so that you will feel the fear, but not be in danger.¡±

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°We tried it for air. I fell from roofs and tall trees with Carina to catch me. I wasn¡¯t afraid because I knew she was there. There was some fear and doubt, but I trusted her to catch me. It¡¯s when I tripped and fell off the cliff with no one to catch me that I was really afraid. It¡¯s when I had my audience.¡±

    Khumdar considered it. ¡°There is a possibility that the meditation creates a change that allows for the audience to occur without such heightened emotions.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°You know more about it than I do.¡±

    The cleric chuckled. ¡°Having been here and in the dungeon, as well as knowing you, I have lost some of the belief I held at knowing so much. It is possible much of the doctrines are only about ensuring those in power within purity maintain that control. If I had believed all I needed to do was starve myself on the Black Night, I might have attempted it sooner, instead of preparing myself in secret for years.¡± He smiled. ¡°You will be a demonstration of how little of them are needed.¡±

    ¡°Except that I¡¯m special,¡± Tibs said with a shrug.

    ¡°And yet, despite the Elements waiting for you, you must go through at least some of the same process as others seeking an audience. I expect that their desire for you to have the audience does not extend to easing your way to them.¡±

    ¡°Rules,¡± Tibs whispered. ¡°Corruption said they all have rules they follow,¡± he explained.

    ¡°I¡­ would not have expected that.¡±

    Tibs shrugged again. ¡°So, when¡¯s this Black Night?¡±

    ¡°That,¡± Khumdar replied, ¡°I do not know.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 38

    The Dark Night, Khumdar explained, was the night when Claria and Torus vanished from the night sky together for a few minutes away from their children.

    Tibs knew of those nights but hadn¡¯t known they had a name. They were the nights when running the roofs was dangerous because the stars alone, the children of the story, didn¡¯t provide enough light for him to see by.

    Carina hadn¡¯t known of it since nights didn¡¯t carry any significance to her. Mez had heard of it but didn¡¯t keep track, and Jackal hadn¡¯t been around to ask. Kroseph hadn¡¯t known, nor had any of his siblings. Tibs had asked Darran, who should have known, as someone who stole, but the merchant had never been one who depended on the night. He¡¯d approached other merchants on the chance they were familiar with it, but he was sent away when it became clear he wasn¡¯t buying.

    There was a dark mood hanging over Merchant Row since the fire.

    That left Tibs with one recourse. Alistair would know, and hopefully not wonder why Tibs asked about that particular night. The question was if he was in Kragle Rock already, or away and would only arrive in time for his training.

    The only way to know was to go to the guild.

    * * * * *

    ¡°Any idea what the plan is?¡± the clerk asked her companion as they walked. Tibs turned to follow them on hearing the next words. ¡°We¡¯re running out of people to send into the dungeon.¡±

    Tibs had been moving through the first floor of the guild building for a few minutes, checking the common and open practice rooms in case his teacher was there and had inexplicably gotten lost twice already. Magic had been involved; it had to be. He¡¯d been trying to make his way back to the entrance when he came across the pair of clerks.

    The man snorted. ¡°They¡¯re just going to bring in more criminals. The kingdoms are always happy to send those to us, to be disposed of.¡±

    ¡°But they have to catch them first,¡± she said. ¡°Have you looked at the numbers? We¡¯ve gone through over ten thousand since the dungeon was found. Now, the usual providers only have the kind of criminals that were caught on their first crimes. Those aren¡¯t going to do us any good, the way the dungeon is eating them.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s going to calm down,¡± the man said. ¡°It¡¯s probably still rebuilding its strength. It did nearly die.¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t if we can¡¯t send anyone for it to feed on.¡± She paused. They walked in silence for long enough that Tibs was about to go back to his search when she spoke again. ¡°You think there¡¯s something wrong with it?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve heard about it,¡± she insisted, and her companion shook his head. ¡°We lost nearly ninety percent of the original conscripts. They were Rho, with a handful of Lambda.¡± She lowered her voice. ¡°Samson says the dungeon¡¯s going feral.¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t a thing,¡± the man scoffed. ¡°You know better than that.¡±

    ¡°I heard stories of¡ª¡±

    ¡°Since when do you believe a bard? Or are you saying someone who knows what they are talking about is saying this kind of thing?¡±

    She didn¡¯t reply.

    ¡°I thought so.¡±

    ¡°You think they¡¯ll abandon it if things don¡¯t change?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. That¡¯d just be an invitation for one of the kings in the area to make a play for it. We know the mess that¡¯s going to turn into. I don¡¯t know what the Guild does if a dungeon ends up not being a good investment. I mean, we¡¯re here to train adventurers, not just feed it.¡±

    ¡°I am so glad I¡¯m never going to be of a rank where I have to deal with those decisions.¡±

    He chuckled. ¡°No ambition?¡±

    ¡°I am quite happy with doing inventory and filling out reports.¡± She stopped at a door. ¡°Speaking of which, I have to get back to it.¡±

    Tibs walked past them.

    ¡°Have fun with that. Lucky me has to travel and talk with magistrates and explain the criminals have to be of age, at least. I don¡¯t want a repeat of the toddler incident,¡± he grumbled.

    Was Sto sick? He¡¯d sounded fine during the run, other than him and Ganny arguing a lot. Would Tibs be able to tell if Sto was sick? He couldn¡¯t see the essence in him the way he did people, and Sto wasn¡¯t a person the way Tibs was. What would a sickness be like for him? Would Sto know? Was that what had Ganny worried?¡±

    ¡°Are you lost?¡± A woman asked, and Tibs froze. He¡¯d been distracted by what he¡¯d heard and hadn¡¯t been paying attention to where he was walking.

    He looked around. The room was large, with desks and people seated behind them. They had papers and ink pots. The woman at the one closest to him had wood for an element, by her green eyes, and the density of her essence made her slightly more powerful than Jackal.

    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s Light Fingers.¡± The man at the desk next to her said. His eyes were a darker gray than metal, and his essence was denser than hers. He wore light clothing; nothing that indicated what class he had. Tibs had noted that most of the workers in the guild dressed like artisans more than adventurers.

    ¡°Are you here for a meeting?¡± Another asked, looking up from a stack. His eyes were crystal, and based on how dense his essence was, he was barely Lambda.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for Alistair, my teacher.¡± That was a good excuse¡­and it wasn¡¯t an excuse. He was looking for him.

    ¡°Anyone know who that is?¡± The boy called. Despite his age and low rank, he seemed to have some authority.

    ¡°If he¡¯s a teacher,¡± someone replied, ¡°he isn¡¯t hanging out with the likes of us.¡± That made them chuckle.

    He studied the people in the room. Most of the eyes were green. Those who had another element seemed to be weaker in them.

    Did wood help with writing? Tibs hoped not. If it did, Carina would demand he get the element to help him practice his letters.

    Could he get wood? Once he had the ones Water had told him to get, would she give him more? How many were there? He¡¯d never asked. He wasn¡¯t sure how he could ask now.

    ¡°Mister Light Fingers?¡± she said, still smiling.

    Tibs considered telling her, all of them, that Light Fingers wasn¡¯t his name.

    ¡°I have to ask that you leave. You really shouldn¡¯t be in here.¡±

    He nodded. What was the point? They wouldn¡¯t listen. No one did. He wanted to find out where Bardik was so he could kick him in the shin for saddling him with that name.

    He made his way back, keeping his mind on where he was going so he wouldn¡¯t get lost a fourth time. He made it to the training rooms and Alistair was on the other end of the corridor, in an argument with Harry.

    Tibs stayed where he was. He didn¡¯t want to risk Harry asking what Tibs wanted, since he couldn¡¯t think of an answer that wouldn¡¯t contain at least a slight lie.

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    The guard leader noticed him and pointed before turning and storming away. Alistair wasn¡¯t happy at the interruption, but he put a smile on once he saw Tibs. ¡°This is unexpected,¡± his teacher said once Tibs joined him. His voice was strained. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to show up for your training quite this early.¡±

    ¡°What was that about?¡±

    Alistair ran a hand over his face in annoyance. ¡°Harry being Harry. Crime grows as a town does, and he isn¡¯t happy about it. He is under the mistaken impression that keeping the non-guild affiliated thieves that are settling here under control is my responsibility.¡±

    ¡°He asked for my help with one of them.¡± Tibs kept from shuddering at the memory of how the thief had died. What kind of person used a poison like that?

    ¡°He mentioned that. You shouldn¡¯t have accepted. He is in charge of stopping them, not you.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°He was trying to cause trouble for the nobles. Everyone would have paid for that.¡± He smiled. ¡°And Harry couldn¡¯t handle it without me.¡±

    ¡°Remember how you said you didn¡¯t like how the guild treated you special?¡± his teacher said soberly, and Tibs¡¯s smile fell. ¡°You aren¡¯t part of the guard, Tibs. You aren¡¯t responsible for the town. You need to focus on your training, on getting stronger. On surviving the dungeon.¡±

    Had that been worry in Alistair¡¯s voice?

    ¡°I am. But I can¡¯t train all the time. It gets boring.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t simply train when it¡¯s exciting. That will get you killed.¡±

    ¡°I do my lessons,¡± Tibs stated. ¡°I try to push my essence through the wall of my reserve,¡± he lied. ¡°But when nothing happens, it¡¯s hard to stay with it.¡± How long until Alistair thought there was something wrong with how long it took? How long would his young age work as an excuse?

    ¡°I know. I had to deal with that too, once.¡±

    Tibs raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Even without your particular difficulties, learning is still hard work. You¡¯ll get there. But not if you get yourself killed first. Stop helping Harry. We¡¯re rogues. We put ourselves first.¡±

    Tibs snorted. ¡°I did that my entire life and all it did was get me in a cell to have my hand cut off. I have a team now. I have a town. I¡¯m not going to let the nobles take that from me, or some thief who wants to cause trouble.¡±

    The exasperation in Alistair¡¯s eyes took time to get under control. ¡°What brought you here? Looking to put in more training?¡±

    Maybe he could¡ªlater. ¡°Do you know when the Dark Night is?¡±

    ¡°Why do you want to know that?¡± his teacher asked, surprised.

    ¡°Just curious. I heard people talk about it and I want to pay attention next time.¡±

    Alistair let out a breath and looked up, finger tapping his thigh. ¡°Let¡¯s see. We¡¯re the twentieth of Sarbon. In this part of the world, Claria will wink in three days, but Torus isn¡¯t due to ensconce himself then. It isn¡¯t until the¡­eighth of Marmel for him, and then¡­ no, Claria too that day. The eighth of Marmel is when it¡¯ll happen. You¡¯ll have to ask someone more familiar with the area for an exact time.¡± He grinned. ¡°I travel too much to bother with local times.¡±

    Sarbon and Marmel were names of the months, and each was four and five days long. ¡°Is Marmel next month?¡± He still had trouble remembering which name went with which month. Alistair nodded.

    So¡­he counted on his fingers. He had two and five days until Marmel started, then it was eight days, so¡­ He needed more fingers for those large numbers.

    ¡°You are working at this quite hard for something that¡¯s mere curiosity.¡±

    ¡°Carina wants me to practice my numbers, too,¡± he answered, not having to act at being annoyed. ¡°She wants me to add and remove, too.¡±

    ¡°What have you come up with?¡±

    ¡°Three and three days.¡± Tibs looked at Alistair hopefully.

    ¡°Thirty-three, that¡¯s right.¡±

    At nine days in a week¡­ could he borrow Alistair¡¯s hand? The first three were in tens, so if he took away one for each and moved it to the other¡­ three weeks and six days.

    That was a long time during which he would have to practice going hungry. ¡°When is the one after that?¡± A few more weeks meant he wouldn¡¯t have to suffer right now.

    Alistair studied him before answering. ¡°I¡¯m not an astrologer. I can tell you that Claria winks every thirtieth day, and Torus ensconces every fifty-second one.¡± He smiled. ¡°Why don¡¯t you make this an exercise and find the answer yourself?¡±

    Tibs looked at his hands. How in the abyss was he supposed to do that?

    Three and three. Three weeks and six days. That was how long he had to practice going hungry, or it wouldn¡¯t happen.

    * * * * *

    Tibs looked up as he approached the house. Claria was nearly all gone. One day and she¡¯d wink, as Alistair called it. The next one and he¡¯d try for his audience. If he didn¡¯t succeed, it wouldn¡¯t happen. Carina had told him when the next Dark Night would be, from the numbers he gave her, and it was so many days away Tibs couldn¡¯t understand the number.

    He looked around for movement before climbing down from the roof. Only cats roamed them with him. The other rogues and thieves might consider this too dark to risk the roofs. Or the area wasn¡¯t wealthy enough for them to bother with, either.

    Tibs paused between floors.

    When had a pouch of silver become ¡®not wealthy enough¡¯? Not so long ago, Tibs would have taken risks that could get him killed for the chance to see a whole copper. When had he stopped counting them?

    He dropped the rest of the way and listened for indication anyone had heard him. Workers lived in this part of the town, and the guards only patrolled it every other hour.

    He stepped to his target. The house had been abandoned when the town was deserted in the wake of the attack on Sto, and no one had moved back in. Tibs had thought it was because there were so many other houses, but then he¡¯d heard the stories of noises in and around it.

    Haunted, people said. A creature had escaped the dungeon, others said. Carina said a creature could escape, but it was one of the reasons the guards were at the door. Any who made it out would be killed. As for haunting. She scoffed at the idea. When people died, they just died. If it was in a dungeon, their essence fed him. If it was outside, the essence just went where essence went.

    When Tibs had asked questions of the people telling the stories, he got more details. Scratching was what they heard, but louder than rats. One had seen a beast on all fours, large, with red eyes and pointed teeth. It had growled, and laughter had sounded.

    The sounds had come more often recently, they had admitted.

    Tibs hadn¡¯t been able to get a day, but now he had an idea what this was.

    Or who.

    The window pushed in with the barest creak, but it was enough for something inside to move. Tibs dropped into the dark room and a growl came, then a second, a third. Claws sounded on the wooden floor as they approached.

    Tibs took the jerky out of his pocket and broke a piece off.

    The growling stopped.

    He smiled and crouched, offering it to the darkness.

    One of them approached, sniffled his hand, then snatched the piece and ran off.

    Tibs hadn¡¯t seen enough to be sure, but he thought that had been Thumper.

    He broke another piece and more came at him.

    He was under a pile of dogs, fighting to get jerky out of his pocket before they ripped it open, pushing them away from his face so they¡¯d stop licking him. Dog slobber was gross.

    ¡°No!¡± Someone snarled, and the dogs scattered. ¡°What the fuck are you doing here?¡±

    Tibs got to his feet as sparks flew and a candle caught. The woman who became visible in the pale light looked nothing like the one Tibs had met before. Her black hair was wild, her skin dirty. The way she looked at him, teeth bared, reminded Tibs of an angry dog.

    ¡°I was worried about you.¡±

    She snorted. ¡°You don¡¯t know me.¡±

    ¡°I hardly know anyone in the town anymore, but I still worry about it.¡± He stepped forward cautiously. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°What for?¡± she snarled.

    ¡°One of your dogs was killed.¡±

    ¡°One? You think one is what it took for me to come here?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I only knew of one.¡±

    ¡°That one wasn¡¯t for me. It was for the rest of them.¡±

    Tibs was close enough to see she wasn¡¯t wearing anything. And the dogs were massed around her. There were a lot more dogs than Tibs knew she had.

    ¡°Sebastian killed them,¡± he said.

    ¡°Had them killed. He doesn¡¯t do the work unless he really cares about those involved. I never warranted his attention.¡± There was so much anger Tibs couldn¡¯t tell if it was because he¡¯d ordered the death of her dogs or because he hadn¡¯t done it himself.

    The dogs growled as one as he took another step.

    ¡°Oh, now you don¡¯t like him?¡± she asked sarcastically.

    ¡°I¡¯m out of jerky.¡± He crouched.

    She looked disappointed.

    ¡°Serba¡­¡± He trailed off.

    ¡°What?¡± she asked, and the threat was clear.

    ¡°Are you going to stay here? Living like this? Harry worried about you.¡±

    She snorted. ¡°My uncle doesn¡¯t care about me any more than my father does. I¡¯m one of his guards, not family.¡±

    Tibs opened his mouth to argue, but her expression made it clear she didn¡¯t want to hear it. Harry had given orders for her to be found. He had worded them in such a way it sounded like he was angry at her for not being at her post, but Tibs didn¡¯t believe it. Harry cared about the wellbeing of his guards, and he had to care for her at least a little more since they were family.

    He wanted to tell her Jackal was worried, but that would be a lie. Jackal was terrified of her and her dogs, and any day she wasn¡¯t around was a good day for him.

    ¡°I came looking,¡± he finally said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry it took me so long, but you hid well.¡±

    Her smile was small, but the pride bright, if quickly extinguished. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°For you to come back.¡±

    ¡°If I go out there and don¡¯t do what my father orders me to do, more of my dogs are going to die.¡±

    ¡°What does he want you to do?¡±

    She shook her head.

    ¡°Serba. I want to help you.¡±

    She laughed at him. ¡°You are deluded if you think this is something you can help with. It¡¯s all lost, Tibs. This town was lost the instant my father set foot on this platform.¡±

    ¡°No. This is my town. I¡¯m going to keep it safe.¡±

    ¡°My father controls an entire city. Even the king lets him do what he wants. My father knows everyone who can threaten him and he¡¯s already dealt with them.¡±

    Tibs snorted. ¡°He hasn¡¯t dealt with me.¡±

    Her laughter died quickly. ¡°You¡¯re serious? You think that you can stand up to him? He¡¯s going to have you killed, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve survived the dungeon. I¡¯m not afraid of what Sebastian can do.¡±

    ¡°You should be,¡± She whispered. ¡°My father isn¡¯t like the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°He cheats, I know. But I¡¯m a rogue. I cheat too.¡± He ran a finger over a bracer.

    And he had access to so much more than anyone here. It was just a question of getting serious about his training.

 Stepping up, Chapter 39

    The commotion, as Tibs stepped onto Merchant Row, caught his attention. Two merchants were being pulled away from one another by guards. Tensions in the row had been higher since the fire. Theft was on the rise but he hadn¡¯t expected it would reach the point where guards were needed to bring arguments to an end.

    He paid attention to anyone close to him. This was the kind of distraction he would take advantage of if he wasn¡¯t on business already. He still, somehow, had an extra silver by the time he reached the Shield and Rope.

    ¡°I told you I¡¯m not interested!¡± The voice came from behind the counter, but Darran wasn¡¯t visible. Before Tibs called out, the merchant stood and turned to face him.

    The glare melted away. ¡°Tibs! How is my favorite rogue?¡±

    Tibs studied the merchant. His many layers of clothing were rumpled, instead of their usual neatness. He also looked tired and distracted.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Tibs asked.

    Darran waved the concern away. ¡°Nothing that isn¡¯t normal for a man like me. There¡¯s always someone thinking they can squeeze a copper or two out of merchants.¡±

    ¡°Two merchants were being dealt with by guards on my way here.¡±

    The man¡¯s lips drew into a line. ¡°There¡¯s been a rash of theft and sabotage ever since the bazaar left.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know that second word. Do you think those doing this stayed behind?¡±

    ¡°Sabotage is when you break something of someone else in such a way it benefits you.¡± He rested his elbows on the counter. ¡°As for the bazaar. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if some of what¡¯s happened since is because this thief or that stayed here.¡± Darran hesitated. ¡°But with the platform, it¡¯s more likely that¡¯s how they are arriving. So there is no need to worry about this becoming worse with the next caravan.¡±

    ¡°When will they be here?¡± Tibs would have to be on the lookout for thieves among them.

    ¡°A few weeks.¡± Darran shrugged. ¡°No more than a month. Once the path is worn by a few caravans, they will be more regular. But no worry, they will come. Dungeon towns have too much money for them to stay away. Good, honest money and¡ª¡± his expression darkened ¡°¡ªnot so honest.¡± The merchant shook himself. ¡°But you didn¡¯t come here to listen to me complain. How can I help you?¡± He pointed to the bracers. ¡°I see the dungeon is giving better armor now.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Tibs ran a hand over it, embarrassed. He hadn¡¯t expected Darran to be able to tell. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    The merchant laughed. ¡°That¡¯s one benefit of being a Runner. You will get gear none of us sell yet. Magical?¡±

    Tibs hesitated, then nodded. It made for a better reason for him to use them over the set Darran sold him, and since the merchant couldn¡¯t sense essence, he couldn¡¯t tell that they didn¡¯t seem magical to anyone who could.

    ¡°Good. Take advantage of what the dungeon gives you. Sometimes using it will be worth more than the coins I can give you. Now, what brought you to me on this fine day?¡±

    The merchant was purposely bringing the conversation back to Tibs, and that he could tell showed him Darran was distracted. Normally he could steer conversation anywhere he wanted without bringing attention to that. It had to be the troubles plaguing the row and Tibs considered asking, getting him to admit to what was wrong, but he didn¡¯t have skill at controlling conversations.

    He turned and showed the broken strap on his chest armor. It had snapped as he put it on for training this morning.

    The merchant shook his head. ¡°I have told you to come to have me fix those,¡± he admonished. ¡°Come in the back. I¡¯ll replace it and look over the rest.¡± Darran helped him remove the armor. ¡°You know you don¡¯t have to wear it when you bring it to me.¡±

    Tibs shrugged and tensed as the merchant took the time to look the bracers over, but he didn¡¯t remove them. The leather ties were in good condition, would remain so, Tibs expected, as part of the essences woven through them.

    ¡°Have you heard of a man called Sebastian Wells?¡± Tibs asked.

    Darran¡¯s hesitation was slight. ¡°Can¡¯t say that I have. Why do you ask?¡±

    How much could Tibs say? He trusted Darran more than any other merchant, but he was a thief and a man driven by coin. From what Jackal said of his father, he¡¯d pay for information that could help him. Did Tibs looking into what he was doing and the people he was using count?

    ¡°Just some man I met; tries to play at being a noble. I thought you¡¯d have noticed him.¡±

    Darran looked up from this work, smiling. ¡°If he wants to seem like a noble, he won¡¯t be seen at this end of the row.¡±

    ¡°Are the thieves targeting specific merchants?¡±

    ¡°You mean me.¡±

    Tibs sighed, and Darran smiled. ¡°Keep practicing.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m better with pockets and roofs.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you shouldn¡¯t train other sides of roguery¡±

    ¡°Is that a real word?¡±

    Darran smiled. ¡°That is the beauty of words. There are so many of them that no one can say for certain what is and isn¡¯t a real word.¡± He focused on the work again. ¡°If you want someone to tell you something without them realizing it, nudge the conversation toward the subject so that they think it¡¯s their idea when they tell you.¡±

    ¡°How do I do that?¡±

    ¡°That will depend on the person.¡±

    ¡°I prefer just asking the question. It usually works.¡±

    ¡°You do have a¡­¡± the merchant was silent as he reattached a strap. ¡°An aura around you that makes most feel comfortable. You look young, and people believe children are innocent. It causes them to lower their guard. Your forthrightness can also be disarming in certain cases. So many people will step around the pot for a long time before adding the ingredients.¡±

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Like you?¡±

    ¡°Like me indeed.¡±

    Tibs watched Darran work for a few minutes as he studied the scratches on another strap, then tested its flexibility before moving on to another one. ¡°How did you enjoy working for the guard?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t work for them,¡± Tibs stated.

    ¡°So you aren¡¯t one of those the guard leader brought in to stop the robberies that were plaguing the nobles?¡±

    ¡°That was weeks ago. And the guards stopped it.¡±

    ¡°With all the respect they are due,¡± Darran said sarcastically. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t be able to stop the lowliest of thief. Not that most of that gang would even try,¡± he muttered.

    ¡°Harry¡¯s a good guard,¡± Tibs replied, only slightly surprised at his eagerness to defend him.

    The look Darran gave Tibs was calculating, then he was working on the straps again.

    What did Darran know he wasn¡¯t telling Tibs? Tibs couldn¡¯t trick him into saying it. Should he buy the information? Did he have enough coin?

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to protect the town.¡±

    Darran paused. The shake of the head seemed sad to Tibs. Then he was back at work.

    * * * * *

    Tibs found Cross in the fighter¡¯s training field, beating up three fighters at the same time. ¡°Be with you in a minute,¡± She called, on noticing Tibs.

    The fighters attempted to take advantage of the distraction by rushing her, the second quickly following on the heels of the first, and the third trying to flank her.

    Cross ducked the first¡¯s attack, planting a fist in his stomach. She turned, pulling the man with her, and shoved him as the second attacked and then decked the third with a punch.

    ¡°And that is why ganging up on me isn¡¯t going to help,¡± she told the assembled fighters. Most were Upsilon¡ªmost Runners left were Upsilon or Rho¡ªwith the occasional Omega who¡¯s survived without graduating yet. As she stepped away, the trainer handed healing potions to the downed fighters.

    ¡°Are you done playing with the puzzle, Mister Light Fingers?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Can I have the cube?¡± He turned and walked away from the field.

    ¡°Are you holding my puzzle hostage?¡± she asked, following him.

    He smiled. ¡°Will that let me have the cube?¡±

    ¡°No. But if you return it, I might have another puzzle for you to figure out.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring it to you next time, then.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°Since you aren¡¯t vanishing on me, I¡¯m guessing you have something else you want to talk about. Wait until we¡¯re at the Crawling Craven. They¡¯re about the last place with drinkable ale.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s part of what I want to talk to you about.¡± Tibs didn¡¯t react to Serba standing in the shadows, watching him. Only one of her dogs was with her. She¡¯d agreed to his plan and would do whatever it took to get back in her father¡¯s good graces. She was back in the green and black and it seemed part of what she had to do was spy on him.

    ¡°Ale?¡± Cross asked.

    ¡°The lack of it. There¡¯s a lot of shortage in my town, and I¡¯m thinking you might have ideas why someone might want to disrupt it.¡±

    ¡°Your town?¡± She chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ve never known a thief to be so possessive.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a rogue.¡± He couldn¡¯t tell if she did it to annoy him or she didn¡¯t understand the difference.

    ¡°And you don¡¯t have more experience dealing with thieves?¡±

    ¡°Not with the kinds that move to another town. In my street, we stayed there. And here, the guild won¡¯t let us leave. You¡¯ve traveled. You¡¯ve met all kinds of thieves.¡±

    Cross pushed her way through the crowded tavern.

    Tibs made out people in black and green who seemed to be harassing one of the customers, but the crowd closed around them before Tibs could see if they were guards. Those were the color of Sebastian¡¯s people, too.

    The bartender demanded to see the coppers before he filled the tankards. One copper each was criminal, but Tibs paid it and followed Cross to a table that cleared as she approached. He noticed more green and black, and those were clearly guards. At least they weren¡¯t causing trouble.

    ¡°So, you want to know why someone would move to a town.¡± She sat and leaned back until the chair was on two legs and her back against the wall. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you why a thief would do it, but I can tell you why merchants would. Because it¡¯s a new market.¡±

    ¡°But a merchant wouldn¡¯t cause all this trouble.¡±

    She smiled before taking a sip of her ale. Tibs followed suit and was sad to find out the ale was indeed good, better than what Kroseph had left to serve them now.

    ¡°You¡¯d be surprised what a merchant would do to help set themselves up. If a merchant was behind what¡¯s happening here. They¡¯d call it disrupting the market. They¡¯d do it in a way that hindered their competitors while helping them.¡±

    ¡°Sabotage,¡± Tibs said, and Cross nodded.

    ¡°So if you want to figure out why this person you aren¡¯t naming has moved here. Look at who the disruptions are hurting and how they¡¯re helping him.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hurting the merchants,¡± Tibs answered, ¡°the town.¡±

    She raised an eyebrow and took a slow and long drink of her ale.

    Tibs looked at his tankard, then around the tavern.

    Not every merchant was suffering, only most. ¡°But she isn¡¯t doing this,¡± Tibs said. ¡°I don¡¯t know her well, but I don¡¯t think she¡¯d worry about how well or badly the other taverns are doing. And she wouldn¡¯t care about the rest of the merchants.¡±

    ¡°Where are you from?¡± Cross asked. ¡°Small or large city?¡±

    ¡°Street.¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s an environment within a city.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all I knew before coming here.¡±

    She thought about it. ¡°Okay, the mistake you¡¯re making is thinking the tavern owner arranged what¡¯s happening. Only you know there¡¯s someone else behind it, right?¡±

    ¡°You know who it is.¡±

    Cross shrugged. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter if I do or don¡¯t. I will tell you I am not involved, and you¡¯re going to have to decide if you believe me or not.¡±

    Tibs nodded. He wanted to believe her. She¡¯d arrived before Sebastian showed up, but the guard who answered to him, one of Harry¡¯s trusted sub-leaders, had also been here for a long time before. She hadn¡¯t done anything overt that hurt the town, but he¡¯d still have to be careful with what he told her.

    ¡°So why is she making money when so many other tavern owners aren¡¯t?¡± She asked. ¡°Are any other tavern owners making money? If so, why them too?¡±

    ¡°Maybe they¡¯re just better at protecting their barrels.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s possible.¡± Her tankard, as she took a sip, almost hid her smile.

    Tibs rubbed his temple. ¡°Why is it this is sounding more and more like another lesson?¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°Maybe if you didn¡¯t ask so many questions, you wouldn¡¯t get so many lessons out of them.¡±

    Tibs drank his disappointment away. ¡°So this is my fault.¡±

    ¡°Most of our pain tends to be of our own making.¡±

    Tibs snorted. ¡°You aren¡¯t running the dungeon.¡±

    She closed her mouth. ¡°That¡¯s a good point. I guess it¡¯s only some and not most, but my observation is still valid. You asked about this. Now you need to figure out what the lesson is.¡±

    He looked at the tavern again. The owner benefited, but she hadn¡¯t caused it. She was taking advantage of it. Charging more than the ale was worth because she and a few others were the only ones left with good ale.

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t she bringing in more ale?¡± This had gone on for a while. Kroseph¡¯s father had difficulties with the people selling him the ale because he was short on coins. She clearly wasn¡¯t. And yet, there were almost no barrels left behind the bar. Maybe how they were kept safe made it hard for her to get to them? He tried to drink the forming headache away, but he was out of ale.

    ¡°I never agreed to this,¡± he grumbled.

    ¡°Then walk away.¡±

    He glared at her, then groaned in realization. He had brought this pain on himself. Then he chuckled.

    ¡°Not the reaction I expect after what sounded pained.¡±

    ¡°Just realizing that I¡¯ve been complaining about Harry asking for my help, about how hard this is to figure out what¡¯s going on. But I decided to take this on. If Harry hadn¡¯t asked me, I probably would have dealt with that thief once I realized what he was doing would hurt my town.¡±

    ¡°As I said, just walk away.¡±

    The matter-of-fact tone with which she said it made him realize she could do it. She could stop caring about the town and its people. Or maybe she didn¡¯t care at all. She hadn¡¯t been here when it was only tents and dying Runners. She hadn¡¯t seen the town grow. The merchants arrive. Things improve.

    Maybe she had a city out there she called her own.

    He¡¯d never had that before. Not even his Street had been his own. He¡¯d just survived there.

    This was his town. Sto was his dungeon.

    This was his pain.

    He wasn¡¯t walking away. He¡¯d deal with the pain. He¡¯d work out what was going on and why. At least, the questions he was gaining he could ask and not worry about revealing secrets.

 Stepping up, Chapter 40

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Carina said, sounding unsure as she eyed Khumdar, ¡°that sounds dangerous.¡±

    The cleric raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Khumdar did it,¡± Tibs said. He¡¯d finished explaining his plan for the Dark Night to the rest of the team. ¡°And I¡­¡± Tibs hesitated. Had he gone seven days without eating anything? He knew he¡¯d gone hungry. Most of the time on his Street was spent feeling hunger, but he was too busy to count the days between scraps.

    ¡°He¡¯s a cleric,¡± she countered. ¡°They go through training to¡ª¡± She stopped and looked annoyed.

    Khumdar smiled.

    ¡°Except he didn¡¯t train to be a cleric,¡± Mez said. ¡°He just did the same things they do.¡± He frowned. ¡°How did you find out how they get their audience? I didn¡¯t think they talked about that.¡±

    ¡°They do not,¡± the cleric answered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t question that Tibs can get an audience,¡± Carina said, letting out an exasperated breath. ¡°My problem is that clerics spend the year leading up to their audience practicing going without food. You only have twenty-three days. That¡¯s not enough time. Not to say how that¡¯s going to affect everything else you need to do until then. It¡¯s one thing to not eat while you aren¡¯t doing anything, but you still have your teacher, our training, both as a team and figuring out how you can use your other essences to etch and weave.¡±

    ¡°Why the training?¡± Jackal asked before Tibs could point out he had years of training in going hungry. He didn¡¯t look forward to it, but he could endure it. ¡°The point is for Tibs to feel like he¡¯s dying. Getting used to that isn¡¯t going to help.¡±

    ¡°He isn¡¯t going to feel like he¡¯s dying,¡± Carina stated angrily. ¡°He is going to be dying. Have you ever gone more than a day without eating?¡± she demanded. ¡°Do you know what¡¯s it¡¯s like to go hungry?¡±

    ¡°Do you?¡± the fighter replied, smirking.

    She opened her mouth, then closed it. ¡°I¡¯ve heard from some who have,¡± she said, as if she was weighing each word. ¡°The first times are painful. They have trouble thinking, their coordination suffers. Tibs isn¡¯t going to have the time to get used to it. And it doesn¡¯t stop there,¡± she added to stop Jackal from replying. ¡°Do you have any idea how many of those who go for their audience to become a cleric don¡¯t come back? Those who do, don¡¯t suddenly feel better because they survived it. Many die on the way back.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just forgetting one thing,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°And what am I forgetting?¡± she asked sarcastically.

    ¡°Tibs is used to going hungry.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. I¡¯ve seen him eat.¡±

    ¡°And you never wondered why he eats like it¡¯s his last meal?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡± Tibs closed his mouth. Did he eat so much? He had at first, but he had slowed down, even before the inn had trouble with its supplies.

    Hadn¡¯t he?

    ¡°You asked me if I¡¯d gone even a day without eating,¡± Jackal said. ¡°I¡¯ve gone a few days, but no one wants their favorite fighters to be weakened by hunger when they go in the pit, so even when I wasn¡¯t winning, I got food. Tibs had no one to bring him food. If he didn¡¯t find it himself, he didn¡¯t eat. I¡¯ve seen kids on the street that have to scratch for every crumb. They know what hunger is. Tibs knows.¡±

    Carina looked at Tibs, her expression going from surprise to horror, then sadness. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    ¡°What for?¡± Tibs asked, surprised at her reaction.

    ¡°You should never have had to suffer like that. Someone should¡­¡± She trailed off.

    ¡°Be that as it may,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°He has known that suffering. It makes him well suited for this method.¡±

    ¡°But he isn¡¯t a cleric!¡± she insisted. ¡°The meditation, the hunger. They¡¯re about preparing him for a life of devotion. It isn¡¯t about hurting themselves. They are giving themselves over to Purity. That isn¡¯t what he¡¯s trying to do.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± the cleric said, with a smile. ¡°His audience will be with Darkness.¡±

    She glared at him. ¡°That isn¡¯t what I mean, and you know it.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean Tibs can use this method to get an audience with the other elements?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°After Light and Darkness,¡± Carina said, ¡°there¡¯s only purity that he needs to get. That is what Water told you, right?¡±

    Tibs hesitated. It was, but he wasn¡¯t sure if¡ª

    ¡°But what if he wants the other elements?¡± the archer asked. ¡°He¡¯s doing what he¡¯s told now, but what¡¯s to keep him from going for the other essences afterward?¡±

    ¡°Will they have this shadow Tibs must acquire?¡± Khumdar asked.

    ¡°He can find out once he has the audience,¡± Mez replied.

    ¡°But that could kill him,¡± Carina stated. ¡°We know Light, Darkness, Corruption, and Purity want him to have an audience, because Water told him. But, wont any other kill him just for arriving while already having an element. You heard the warnings about trying to get more than one audience.¡±

    ¡°From the guild,¡± Jackal said. ¡°For all we know, they know we can have more than one element, and they don¡¯t want us to be more powerful than they are.¡±

    ¡°Then why do they just have one element?¡± Mez asked. ¡°If they knew how to get more, I¡¯d think those in power would have more.¡±

    Jackal couldn¡¯t come up with a response, and Carina smiled in victory.

    She and Mez were right, Tibs realized. He might have a way to get an audience with any element he wanted, but he¡¯d need to find out if he could get them before trying.

    ¡°But regardless,¡± she said, ¡°first we need to deal with this situation. Setting aside that I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea for Tibs to starve himself. We only know how to have him get an audience with Darkness and Purity. What about Light? Is there something like the opposite of the Dark Night? A Bright Day?¡±

    ¡°Knuckles would know,¡± Jackal said, after seeming to reconsider his first choice in answer.

    ¡°Harry¡¯s going to ask why I want to know,¡± Tibs said. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to lie to him.¡±

    Jackal nodded. ¡°And you can¡¯t trust him not to tell that to the rest of the guild.¡±

    ¡°It is possible that once you have Darkness,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°you will be more resistant to his Light.¡±

    Tibs shrugged.

    ¡°Can the dungeon help?¡± Mez asked. ¡°He did with Fire.¡±

    ¡°I do not believe we have seen it do anything with Light,¡± the cleric said. ¡°It is possible that it does not have that element.¡±

    ¡°He has all of them,¡± Tibs said absentmindedly.

    Stolen story; please report.

    ¡°The light stones in the walls use it,¡± Carina said.

    Tibs was thinking back on what Corruption had said, as well as what Khumdar had about having an element granting some resistance to being hurt by them. Just getting his hand close to a flame hurt. Fire said he¡¯d broken a rule in how he got his audience. When you broke rules, you were punished¡­ when you were caught breaking rules. Tibs had been caught. Was this the punishment?

    He wished Water had explained how all of this worked.

    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t Tibs just prepare for the dungeon to do the Light next time we go in?¡± Mez asked. ¡°If he can¡¯t then we do the run as normal.¡±

    ¡°No. That is a bad idea,¡± Carina said. ¡°We need Tibs at his best to survive the run, not already dying from hunger.¡±

    ¡°Okay, then this coming run he tells dungeon what he needs,¡± Jackal said. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s going to be happy to accommodate him again.¡±

    Tibs stared at the fighter.

    Again.

    Why did that make him uneasy? A lot of what he¡¯d heard since their last run left him feeling like that, and he wished he knew why.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Carina called. ¡°I asked how you want to do this?¡± she said once he looked at her. ¡°I don¡¯t like the risks, but it¡¯s your decision.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°I think it¡¯s worth it for Darkness. I can¡¯t think of another way to get that audience. As for Light¡­¡± the audience in the dungeon with Fire had nearly killed him. That had clearly been one of the punishments for breaking the rules since he¡¯d walked out of his audience with Corruption losing only the clothes he¡¯d worn.

    ¡°I think¡­¡± What did light do? How would he be punished if he broke a rule with it? Would he not be able to see lies? Only there was more it did. Harry used it to be unseen by others. He¡¯d moved that noble, and closed the door to his office.

    He tried to remember if any of the Runners still alive had light as their element, but he couldn¡¯t. Considering how few were left, that meant no one had it.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s worth asking the dungeon,¡± he finally said. If Light hurt him as the fire had, Sto could keep a Brute by him so Tibs could heal, and he¡¯d deal with whatever the other punishments were when they happened.

    * * * * *

    Tibs forced his hand to stop shaking and told his stomach to stop complaining. It had only been three days since his last meal. He¡¯d gone much longer without eating, and it hardly affected his work.

    With his hand steadied, he peered over the edge of the roof at the window. Closed, but no magic protecting it. Only Sebastian had that, but it made Tibs check every time now.

    He lowered himself, let go of the roof, and caught the windowsill. He pulled himself up and propped himself on his elbows, and planted a foot on the wall. Like the other houses in this neighborhood, the walls were stone, and he used earth to lock his foot in place.

    The room on the other side was dark, so Tibs used air to find the latch. Top of the window. Water essence through the window allowed him to make ice and unlatch it.

    He pulled himself in and sat, panting.

    This had been harder than it should be. His hunger kept distracting him. He¡¯d believed Carina when she said working while hungry would be hard; he had been hungry before. But he hadn¡¯t expected to salivate at any smell of cooking meat, and want a steak from the inn with that sweet sauce Russ put on it, along with roasted potatoes and greens. Grendel¡¯s pie. Abyss could he go for his berry pie.

    His stomach grumbled painfully.

    Shut up, he told it. He was getting soft from having food any time he wanted it.

    He studied the room and made out the form of a bed, a dresser, and a wardrobe. He heard no one, but checked by sensing the essence. The noble who owned this house had a few servants, but he didn¡¯t let them sleep in his home.

    It was just like a noble to take a house large enough for a full family and live in it alone.

    He headed for the door. Taking from an unoccupied room was like taking from an abandoned house, meaningless.

    He cracked the door open and listened. He could use essence again, but he didn¡¯t want to grow too reliant on them, as he had with food. If there was a way to hide essence, he wanted to have other ways to find what he wanted.

    A conversation further down the hall, where the noble had his office. Tibs had expected him to be sleeping at this hour. More than one person was there, so it could be too long for him to wait. The bedroom, then. The man would have coins there too. Nobles always kept coins within reach. It was as if, for as much as they had, they couldn¡¯t bear the idea they might not touch them.

    He stepped to the next door, softening his steps using air essence, but he forgot the door, and it creaked as he opened it; the conversation continued without pause. He softened its sound to close it.

    This bedroom had a larger bed, with a table next to it, along with the dresser and wardrobe. Clothing was strewn everywhere. Tibs felt the clothes for pockets, for coins in them. Not finding any there, he searched through the garments in the dresser. There was a knife at the bottom, but that would be missed even if it wasn¡¯t in a silver sheath engraved with designs and gems added to it. Searching the bed, he found another knife under the pillow; this one in a polished bronze sheath with fewer decorations.

    Someone worried for his life.

    He had a hand on the pouch between the mattress and the bed frame when he caught motion at the edge of the window. He paused and waited.

    A click of the latch, and the window slid open.

    Tibs cursed. There were so few rogues left, how had another one picked this house to practice with too? Should he let them be? It wasn¡¯t like Tibs owned the houses. Others were free to practice where they wanted, so long as they didn¡¯t cause problems.

    The shadow slipped in, and Tibs made out enough to frown. Much too tall to be one of the Runners. Great, one of the thieves had picked the same house he had. Those would definitely not care if their robbery angered the owner.

    Tibs straightened and pocketed the coin he¡¯d taken. The thief stood before the window, making himself visible now, as if they, she? The body was lithe. Didn¡¯t know he was there, didn¡¯t care or, Tibs realized, wanted him to know.

    In the little of Claria¡¯s light coming through, Tibs made out some green among the black of her clothing. He looked at the door and she shook her head. He needed to stop looking where he sensed. The two in the office hadn¡¯t moved.

    What did she want? If it was to rob the house, she should be whispering suggestions, like how they could divide the rooms. He hadn¡¯t had this happen before, but if he had, back when he stole to survive, it would be what he did.

    Only she stood there before the window.

    Blocking the only quick exit?

    She moved quickly and Tibs readied himself for an attack and was almost too slow in reacting to what she did because of it. The vase she grabbed from the dresser was heading for the wall closest to the office, and Tibs jumped to catch it. The noise he made colliding with the wall was more than the vase would have caused, and he was further from the window, which the thief was closing behind her.

    Tibs ran for it as he saw her put something in the jam above and heard steps coming from the hall. He didn¡¯t have the time to deal with whatever that was and hide if she¡¯d jammed the window shut.

    He jumped behind the door as it opened and made steps with water to climb until he was in the corner of the wall and ceiling. He let the water turn to essence as the man in a pale shirt and dark pants pulled the door and shone the small lamp where Tibs had stood. Then ran to the window.

    It wouldn¡¯t open when he tried it, and when he reached for the latch, it was undone. He locked it, and hurried to the dresser, taking out the knife hidden under the clothing and relaxing.

    Tibs wondered what the reaction was about. It was just a knife. A man like him had to have enough coins to buy all the knives in the town, no matter how pretty or expensive.

    Tibs cursed his shaking arms and pushed earth essence there to steady them. This couldn¡¯t be caused by his hunger. He willed the man to leave since his precious knife was fine, but the man instead went to the wardrobe, looking inside before moving to the bedside table and opening a drawer, then noticing the vase Tibs had left on the floor in his hurry to leave.

    He raised the lamp and looked around the room. Tibs pushed himself as tightly against the ceiling as he could, but the man didn¡¯t look up; instead, checking under the bed. Only now he was going over everything again, and even with the essence, Tibs¡¯s arms were hurting.

    What was wrong with him? Only three days without food couldn¡¯t be doing this.

    He had to make the man leave.

    The lamp was fancy, a decorated oil reservoir with fine glass surrounding the flame to protect it from errand breezes, but the top was open. The wick was wide, so it would take more than a breeze to snuff it, and the man might feel that, but Tibs needed to do something.

    He was shaping the air essence when he cursed himself, again. Why did he keep forgetting he had more than earth, water, and air? He had fire, and snuffing a small flame was the simplest thing to do.

    He willed it, and the room was bathed in comfortable darkness again.

    Instead of leaving, the man placed the lamp on the dresser and removed the glass. He pulled something from a pocket and Tibs cursed as sparks flew from it to the wick. Of course, a noble would carry a fire starter.

    Tibs ground his teeth and kept the fire from catching as the man used the starter again and again. When was he going to give up and get another lamp? Tibs¡¯s vision swam from the strain. Clearly, the starter was defective. Even a noble couldn¡¯t believe repeating the same act over and over would change the result.

    What else could he do to escape unseen? Tibs hadn¡¯t covered his face, since he was adept at not being found while moving through a house. But he¡¯d have to leave by the door, and in that light, the noble would see enough for Harry to recognize; if he went to Harry.

    Tibs could handle the thugs the nobles had, but Harry would throw him in a cell, regardless of Tibs¡¯s status as Savior of the Dungeon, and he would miss the run.

    The man put the starter on the dressed and headed for the door.

    Finally.

    The man stopped as he reached for the handle and Tibs nearly groaned out loud. The man looked back, then exited, closing the door behind him.

    Tibs ground his teeth to keep from voicing the pain as he climbed down. Then headed for the window. He couldn¡¯t have long before the man returned. He sensed the shim the thief had jammed the window with and considered burning it away; but fire was hungrier than Tibs felt. He used water to move it, then he was out the window, carefully closing it and climbing down.

    Once on the ground, he headed for the inn and the largest platter of food he could convince whichever of Kroseph¡¯s brothers worked the kitchen tonight to give him.

 Stepping up, Chapter 41

    The guard stepped before Jackal and the team, blocking the entrance to the dungeon. ¡°You aren¡¯t going in.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± the cleric asked, but the other guard held him back.

    ¡°This is our run,¡± Jackal stated.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. You¡¯re not going into that death trap.¡±

    Tibs frowned. If the guards cared how many Runners were dying, did it mean they were afraid the town would die because of it and they would lose their job?

    ¡°There¡¯s loot in there,¡± the fighter said, stepping forward, stopping when the guard placed a hand on his sword. ¡°Loot, me and my team are going to get. So get out of the way.¡±

    The guard only glared at Jackal.

    ¡°Is the dungeon closed?¡± Mez asked, looking from one to the other.

    ¡°Yes, it has,¡± the guard facing Jackal said too quickly for Tibs to believe.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± Sto replied, offended, at the same time Jackal snorted.

    ¡°This has nothing to do with the dungeon,¡± Jackal said dismissively. ¡°It¡¯s my father.¡±

    ¡°Then you know I can¡¯t let you in.¡±

    Okay, that made more sense.

    Only¡­ Sebastian had to know how good Jackal was now. Why was he so afraid for Jackal? Sto wasn¡¯t that hard yet. Tibs watched the guards and how they tried to hide their fear.

    ¡°Maybe you haven¡¯t been paying attention,¡± Jackal said, ¡°but I don¡¯t answer to him. Move out of my way, or I am going to move you myself.¡± His skin turned the gray of stone.

    ¡°No,¡± the guard replied, his voice shaking.

    Jackal stepped forward.

    Instead of drawing his sword, the guard stepped back. Jackal took another step and, and another, each time the guard moved until he glanced behind him and realized he was at the threshold and got out of the way as Jackal took a last step.

    Grinning, the fighter entered.

    Tibs looked at the guards as he followed. They were terrified, but of what? That Jackal would die? Of Sebastian¡¯s retribution?

    ¡°Why did you let him in?¡± the second guard hissed once the team was inside.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see you come to my help.¡±

    Tibs stopped to listen.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not to the one who was ordered to keep him out. Don¡¯t fucking put this on me. If I¡¯d been you, I would have gone into the dungeon with him, instead of having to face Wells. Better those horrors than Wells¡¯ displeasure.¡±

    ¡°That can¡¯t be worse than what the Runners who came out said.¡±

    ¡°Right, you never worked for the man. You¡¯ve just had to deal with the orders he¡¯s given since arriving. There¡¯s still time for you to go in there and be tortured. Trust me, that¡¯s the better fate.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal called. He stood next to the section of wall where the doorway to the second floor hid. That he¡¯d stopped there meant he could sense the way the essence was altered. Was he getting better, or had Tibs missed the fighter putting his hand against the wall?

    Tibs joined them, mulling over what the guards had said. Those words in front of Jackal would have been an act to scare him into doing what Sebastian wanted. With no one but the baffled cleric there¡­ they were truly terrified of what Sebastian might do. Of what they had heard from the Runners who had made it out of the dungeon.

    He looked at the doorway, fighting the urge to look in the trap room¡¯s direction. As far as he knew, his team was still the only one who had found the doorway. Carina hadn¡¯t said if she¡¯d told the other teams or not. Tibs didn¡¯t know how many sorcerers with elements were left.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you open it yourself?¡± Tibs said, stepping back. He¡¯d have to be quick. If something was going on, he didn¡¯t want Sto to hide it. Fedora had said the trap room was deadly. Was it more than only her inexperience?

    ¡°Tibs¡¯s right,¡± Carina said. ¡°We need to stop relying on him all the time for things we can also do. We should all practice interacting with the essence triggers.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather avoid doing that,¡± Mez said, ¡°since most of the time it means unleashing something deadly in all directions.¡±

    ¡°Which is why practicing here is so¡ªTibs!¡± Carina¡¯s yell trailed behind as Tibs ran.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Sto asked. His friends had joined Carina in calling after him. He could hear Jackal¡¯s heavy steps. ¡°Tibs, what are you doing?¡±

    How quickly could Sto make changes? A dozen paces were what he¡¯d said for distances, and that room had a lot of interconnected essences to make work. Would simply being on one side be enough to stop any of them?

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Sto asked again, sounding worried this time. ¡°Tibs, Jackal opened the doorway. They¡¯re going to go to the second floor without you.¡±

    Nice try. Even if he didn¡¯t hear the steps, the desperation in Sto¡¯s voice was enough to indicate something was wrong.

    Tibs stopped on the first row of tiles and looked the room over.

    ¡°Tibs, what are you doing?¡±

    It looked the same as the last time he¡¯d gone through it. The floor, with the blank tiles. The walls, with the patterns telling the Runner clever enough to work it out which tiles were safe to step on. And the camouflage holes among that where the spears came out of. No, there were more of those. Did that account for the room being referred to as deadly by Fedora?

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing here, Tibs,¡± Sto said, sounding too casual. ¡°You¡¯ve been through this room before. It¡¯s still the same.¡±

    No, it wasn¡¯t. The rooms were never the same. That was how Sto operated. He was always changing them, adapting them to be a better challenge.

    So why tell him it hadn¡¯t?

    He studied the walls, and he could have sworn the far one had changed from when he¡¯d looked at it on stepping in, but there were too many details to be sure. Still, it was best if he didn¡¯t rely on them for that.

    He spread air on the floor and let it flow under the tiles. There were a lot more triggers than his last time, but that seemed normal with Runners helping each other and the safe passage being indicated on the walls instead of having to discover which was a real trigger from a fake one.

    Of the eight tiles he could reach, only one didn¡¯t have a trigger. He studied the walls again, trying to work out the spear¡¯s path for the triggers around him. With there being more holes, more spears would cross any one of the triggers, making a miss-step more dangerous for the runner.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal said, sounding worried. ¡°What are you¡ª¡±

    Tibs pressed the tile. He was confident didn¡¯t have anything at his crouching height and the rest of the fighter¡¯s words were cut off by the explosion of spears filling the room and then retracting back into their holes. That had felt a lot like the way the maze worked.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Mez asked.

    Tibs pushed the tile in again and studied the way the spear covered the room, sensing the stone as far as he could to confirm that one miss-step wouldn¡¯t kill just the person stepping on this tile, but anyone in the room regardless of if they were on a safe tile or not.

    This wasn¡¯t a trap room.

    ¡°That¡¯s a kill room,¡± Jackal said, awe and fear in his voice.

    ¡°How¡­¡± Carina seemed unable to finish the question.

    ¡°What is going on?¡± Tibs demanded, standing.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean,¡± Sto replied.

    ¡°Bullshit!¡± He motioned to the room. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to test us. How is anyone supposed to survive this?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve had to make it tougher, as you¡¯ve all gotten stronger.¡±

    ¡°Omegas aren¡¯t stronger! They can¡¯t sense the triggers like we can!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just forcing them to be clever. There¡¯s the walls, after all.¡± The answer was so casual that Tibs ground his teeth.

    ¡°Why are you lying?¡± he demanded.

    ¡°Come on, Tibs. You have a run to do. I finally got controlling Bigger Brute down, so get Jackal there so I can give him his fight.¡±

    ¡°Not before you explain yourself.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Sto warned.

    ¡°What?¡± he yelled. ¡°What Sto? Come on, out with it! What am I going to find if I go to the boulder room? More rats than even one of us could deal with? There was more last time, but then again, you didn¡¯t have this number of spears in here either!¡±

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have to explain myself to you, Tibs,¡± Sto said darkly. ¡°I¡¯m the dungeon. I do things the way I want. Now get to the second floor and do your run.¡±

    ¡°What about the rules? You¡¯re supposed to be testing us! Everything in here is supposed to be about forcing us to get stronger and smarter. How does that happen if no one survives?¡±

    ¡°Who cares if they die? Some survive,¡± Sto scoffed. ¡°You do.¡±

    The casual way Sto addressed the runners dying took Tibs¡¯s voice away. Death didn¡¯t mean the same thing for the dungeon, but he used to hold a certain respect for it happening. It was a consequence of the tests, and with a few exceptions, Sto always sounded disappointed when someone failed them.

    He looked at his friends for help, but they were silent and confused. They only heard his side of the conversation, and his screaming did little to reassure them.

    ¡°Come on, Sto.¡± He fought to keep his voice calm this time. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to understand.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s there to understand?¡± the dungeon replied. ¡°I¡¯m just doing what I¡¯m supposed to.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Tibs snapped. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to make it impossible for us to get through a room!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not impossible. You can get through it fine.¡±

    ¡°This floor isn¡¯t for me anymore! Abyss, Sto, why are you killing everyone? What have¡­¡± He trailed off as he remembered Carina going over the pages, trying to understand why they weren¡¯t accurate. What they said was that every room should be harder than they were¡­ for him and his team.

    His blood turned cold.

    ¡°You¡¯re making it easier for me.¡±

    Jackal¡¯s jibe about Sto breaking a rule because Tibs asked.

    Sto said nothing.

    Tibs swallowed.

    Fedora, Geoffrey, Pyan. So many others he knew and didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°Why?¡± he whispered, then louder, looking up. ¡°Why?¡±

    Sto remained silent.

    ¡°What made you into a murderer, Sto?¡± Tibs asked, still having trouble believing that was what his friend had turned into.

    ¡°They did!¡± The loudness of Sto¡¯s reply staggered Tibs back. ¡°They hurt me! Nearly killed me! You think I¡¯m just going to let them try again? Never! They¡¯re never going to hurt me again! I¡¯m not going to let them use me just so they can come back and kill me with the strength I gave them!¡±

    ¡°They?¡± Tibs was momentarily confused. Then he understood. ¡°Sto, it was only Bardik.¡±

    ¡°No! You saw the others. You didn¡¯t hear them talk. Laugh at me, at how they were hurting me! About how they were going to do this to every one of us.¡±

    The hate in the voice scared Tibs.

    ¡°They were captured, Sto. Harry threw them all in cells, far away from here.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not enough! He should have fed them to me! He should find all the others who helped and feed them to me! They want me dead, Tibs! They want my kind dead. I am not going to let that happen!¡±

    Tibs stared at the ceiling. ¡°So you¡¯re just going to murder innocent Runners?¡±

    ¡°There are no innocents! They let it happen!¡±

    ¡°Bullshit! My friends came to help. They weren¡¯t the only runners to do so either!¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re different,¡± Sto said, his tone suddenly so gentle Tibs couldn¡¯t answer immediately.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± How could Sto think that? ¡°You think that if any of the others could have heard your cry for help, they wouldn¡¯t have rushed to your rescue? I¡¯m just a runner like them.¡±

    ¡°No, you aren¡¯t.¡± The certainty in Sto¡¯s voice scared Tibs and lend credence to Ganny¡¯s claim Sto was playing favorites. Made Jackal¡¯s jibes based on something real, instead of imagined.

    Tibs didn¡¯t want to be treated special. Not by the guild, not by the town, and not¡ªhe stepped into the room again, stepping on the trigger-free tiles¡ªby the dungeon.

    ¡°Tibs!¡± Jackal called after he missed grabbing him. ¡°What are you doing? Fuck, any of you see where he stepped?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t step into the room,¡± he ordered. ¡°Me and Sto have something to settle¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Carina said, sounding scared. ¡°I don¡¯t think putting your life in danger like that is the way to resolve anything.¡±

    It was the only way.

    He stood before so many triggers that he wouldn¡¯t be able to pick one, if that was what he wanted. He was pretty sure that this spot had the most spears crossing it.

    ¡°Tibs, what do you think you¡¯re going to accomplish?¡± Sto asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m just like them, Sto. Having all these essences, being able to talk with you, doesn¡¯t make me different as a Runner.¡±

    ¡°Tibs, you¡¯re nothing like them¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to murder them, I don¡¯t deserve anything different.¡± He raised his foot over a trigger.

    ¡°Come on, be reasonable. It¡¯s got nothing to do with what you can do. You¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not the one being unreasonable, Sto.¡± He thought about using earth essence to steady himself as he almost lost his balance, but Sto could sense that, and he might think Tibs wasn¡¯t serious. ¡°I was okay with my friends dying. It hurt, but it was because they hadn¡¯t been good enough to survive your tests. But that isn¡¯t what happened. You just murdered them. You¡¯re just a thug, killing anyone you want.¡±

    Sto sighed. ¡°Think of your team, Tibs. Without you, they aren¡¯t going to be able to make it through.¡±

    ¡°Why? Because you¡¯re going to make it impossible for them too? Is that what you¡¯re reduced to? Making threats? Do what I say or I¡¯ll kill more of your friends? I¡¯m Street Sto. Until I came here, everyone around me threatened to hurt me. I never gave into them. I¡¯m not going to give in to thug like you.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t do this, Tibs,¡± Sto stated. ¡°I¡¯m not going to let you.¡±

    The floor shook slightly, then again, but this time with the rhythm of steps. Sto was bringing the Whipper from the boss room here. Unless he could make a Brute this quickly? Or had already made one to deal with others?

    ¡°You think it¡¯s going to be here before I put my foot down?¡± The questions could wait until he¡¯d survived this.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to do it,¡± Sto said with what sounded like petulant determination. ¡°You don¡¯t want to die. No dying. Remember? That¡¯s what you¡¯re always telling your team. No dying.¡±

    ¡°That was when I thought we had a fair chance of surviving.¡±

    ¡°Curse it all, Tibs. Stop this. You¡¯re being childish. I have to eat to get stronger so I can make more floors and everyone else can also get stronger. That¡¯s how it works.¡±

    Did Sto even realize he was contradicting himself? Tibs considered things. He had time, and it was clear Sto wasn¡¯t taking into account what Tibs could do to the Whipper. He lowered his foot. His leg had started to hurt, anyway. And if it came to it, he could throw himself on the triggers.

    He wasn¡¯t certain he imagined the sigh of relief.

    ¡°So, this is just about getting stronger?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Sto sounded overjoyed.

    ¡°That is the only reason you¡¯ve gone so far?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Tibs, I swear. That¡¯s the only¡ª¡±

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you graduated?¡± He waited a few seconds. ¡°Come on, Sto. Considering the number of Runners you¡¯ve eaten and how many of those were Rho. You have enough to open the third floor, right? That is what you¡¯ve been doing with all that essence you¡¯ve been accumulating, right?¡±

    He looked down to hide the smirk that formed at Sto¡¯s lack of reply, and as he saw the bracers on his forearms all elation at his success vanished. He¡¯d been wearing them to honor his friends¡¯ sacrifice. But that wasn¡¯t what had happened. These were coins filled with blood. Every loot they¡¯d gotten since Sto reopened had been made with the needless spilling of Runner¡¯s blood.

    He thought about ripping them off his arm. He looked at the floor and considered throwing himself on it to stop the mounting pain.

    ¡°No.¡± He barely heard himself. He swallowed the pain. This wasn¡¯t about him anymore. It wasn¡¯t just about Sto. It was about his team, the Runners the guild would bring in next, and those who had survived.

    ¡°I need you to be stronger, Tibs,¡± Sto said in an almost soothing tone. ¡°I need you to be stronger for the next time they try to kill me.¡±

    ¡°Not at my friend¡¯s expense.¡±

    ¡°They weren¡¯t your friends,¡± Sto scoffed.

    ¡°Pyan was my friend,¡± Tibs snapped, then reigned in his anger. ¡°So was Geoffrey. Fedora was my friend. I¡¯m going to be friends with some of the new Runners. That¡¯s how it works. We help one another. We become friends. Some become family.¡±

    The Whipper was at the edge of his sense now. The last boulders were giving it trouble.

    He took a breath.

    ¡°You have to decide, Sto. Either every Runner is your enemy, and so am I. Or I¡¯m your ally and so are they. They are no different than I am.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Sto scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯s just like you, right?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯s an asshole,¡± Tibs said without hesitation. Then remembered how quickly the sorcerer had been to wish Tibs hadn¡¯t stopped Bardik. But that was because he thought that without the dungeon, the guild would let them go. ¡°He¡¯s a runner, like me.¡± He¡¯d done everything he could to extinguish the fire. Don was an asshole and Tibs didn¡¯t like him and his noble-ish tendencies.

    Did any of that make him a bad person?

    ¡°I believe that if it comes down to it. Don will be with the others to protect you. You can be sure he¡¯s going to make himself the most important person in the process, but he will be there. We all will.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re going to betray you, Tibs,¡± Sto said. ¡°Betray me. Tibs, I don¡¯t want to die.¡±

    ¡°No one wants to die, Sto. I don¡¯t, my friends don¡¯t. No Runner steps inside you wanting to die.¡± He swallowed the lump as he remembered Karl¡¯s words about Pyan¡¯s death. Tibs didn¡¯t think she¡¯d wanted to die. She¡¯d just wanted to stop the pain of losing Geoffrey. ¡°We take risks coming here. That¡¯s what anything in life is. Taking a risk. I can¡¯t promise you no one will betray us, Sto. I don¡¯t know people that well. But if it happens, you aren¡¯t going to be alone.¡±

    ¡°What if it¡¯s not enough?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the best I can offer, Sto. That¡¯s everything I have. All I ask in return is that you go back to the runs being a risk instead of a certainty of death.¡± Tibs waited and when Sto didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Ganny, you there?¡±

    Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the questioning looks his friend gave one another.

    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± she answered softly.

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing you tried to explain this wasn¡¯t right.¡± Tibs started unlacing the bracers.

    ¡°He hasn¡¯t been in a listening mood recently.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Sto asked.

    ¡°My friends died so you could make these.¡± Not making it an accusation was hard. ¡°I¡¯m not wearing them.¡±

    ¡°Tibs, you need them. You¡¯re too weak without proper reserves.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll manage.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not going to bring them back,¡± Sto said, and Tibs froze.

    He fought the tears.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Tibs,¡± Sto said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being scared, for not wanting to die, for¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stop!¡± Tibs closed his eyes and cursed. ¡°You can be scared. I get being scared. But lashing out at everyone isn¡¯t going to help. When you¡¯re scared, you ask your friends for help. Ganny¡¯s there. I¡¯m sorry if I didn¡¯t come by as often. But what you¡¯ve been doing has the guild saying you¡¯re going feral, whatever that means.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s when a dungeon loses its faculties,¡± Ganny said. ¡°It¡¯s rare, but it''s happened. No one knows why.¡±

    ¡°What happens then?¡± Sto asked.

    ¡°A feral dungeon is a danger to everyone,¡± she said. ¡°They create monsters and send them out to bring back food. If adventurers don¡¯t stop the dungeon, they will.¡±

    ¡°Them again.¡± Only this time, there was no mockery in his tone.

    Tibs looked at his friends. He wished he could let them know, but unlike Sto and Ganny, he didn¡¯t have a way to talk with them without the dungeon overhearing. He had to hope they¡¯d be okay with his decision.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to leave, Sto. You need to decide what me and the Runners are to you.¡±

    ¡°But your run. The loot I prepared for you.¡±

    ¡°You need to think about that, too. I¡¯m not special. If you¡¯re going to give me something like this.¡± He took the bracer off. ¡°Then every Runner should have them too.¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t survive if I did that for everyone.¡±

    Tibs nodded. ¡°Then you have an answer.¡± He crouched and put the bracer on the floor.

    ¡°Tibs, please keep the bracers.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± The words nearly couldn¡¯t come out. He was halfway unlacing the other one when Sto finally spoke again.

    ¡°I killed your friends, and I¡¯m sorry for that. Please don¡¯t let what I did in fear end up being for nothing.¡±

    Tibs closed his eyes and felt the tears. ¡°Alright,¡± he whispered. Maybe he was using the excuse to keep them. Or maybe, regardless of how they died. Tibs could still honor his friends.

    As he stepped out of the trap room, the Whipper stepped to the other entrance.

    ¡°We¡¯re leaving?¡± Jackal asked uncertainly, eying the Whipper.

    ¡°He¡­Sto needs to think on things. Let¡¯s go the to inn and¡ª¡± he thought of something. ¡°Sto, can you make the rats and bunnies out of flesh, like real ones?¡±

    ¡°Sure, but stone is kind of my thing.¡±

    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Carina asked.

    He wasn¡¯t sure. The idea of the stew Kroseph was stuck serving them had triggered the question. ¡°The town¡¯s having problems with food. Someone¡¯s interfering with our supplies. If some of the creatures were like real animals and you let us bring them back, we could survive off them.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯d have to eat rat?¡± Mez asked, disgusted.

    ¡°It¡¯s better than what Russ has had to work with recently,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Don¡¯t ask,¡± he added as the archer opened his mouth.

    ¡°That would get costly,¡± Sto said, uncertain. ¡°I use the bodies to make more. If I have to let that go¡­¡±

    ¡°What if you replace some of the coppers with meat drops?¡± Ganny offered. ¡°Meat¡¯s actually easier on you, and you have a lot of the essences needed to make those. You haven¡¯t been doing much with them. It also lets you keep the stone motif you¡¯re so enamored with.¡±

    ¡°Meat drops.¡± Tibs thought it over. ¡°Right now, that¡¯s probably worth more than the coppers.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± again, Sto didn¡¯t sound certain. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±

    Tibs felt better as he headed for the exit.

    ¡°So, we¡¯re really not doing this run?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t do the run?¡± Sto asked. ¡°Jackal sounds really disappointed.¡±

    Tibs patted the fighter¡¯s arm. ¡°His sacrifice is worth it for us to know where we stand with you.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 42

    ¡°Didn¡¯t any of that even impress you?¡± Carina asked Khumdar as they entered their room.

    Thinking back on the walk from the dungeon, Tibs realized that she¡¯d been fighting the urge to ask questions, and the cleric had been his usual stoic self.

    Khumdar sat on his bed and leaned against the wall before answering. ¡°I have realized early on knowing Tibs, that if I allowed myself to be impressed each time he did something new, I would never stop. It seems more productive to simply accept that such things will happen for as long as I am friends with him.¡±

    Jackal chuckled, dropping on his bed.

    ¡°Can you teach the rest of us how to do that?¡± Mez asked, placing his bow down before sitting. ¡°What happened?¡± he looked at the others. ¡°Who is this Sto, and who¡¯s that other person you mentioned Tibs.¡±

    ¡°Ganny,¡± Carina said, then stopped looking at the cleric as if his calm was a direct affront to her excitement.

    ¡°Ganymede,¡± Tibs said, sitting on the edge of his bed. So much for keeping that secret, but he¡¯d been angry and he couldn¡¯t expect his friends to just ignore what he¡¯d said. ¡°That¡¯s her full name. Sto¡¯s the dungeon. It¡¯s short for Stone Mountain Crevice.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a mouth full,¡± Jackal said with another chuckle.

    ¡°You are joking, right?¡± Mez asked. ¡°That isn¡¯t a name, it¡¯s more of a¡­description.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s the name he picked.¡± He leaned back against the wall. ¡°I got the sense he isn¡¯t much older than we are. At least the way dungeon measures it. He thought the name was interesting.¡± He thought back on that long-ago conversation. ¡°More him.¡±

    ¡°So,¡± Carina trailed off. ¡°There are two dungeons there?¡±

    ¡°No, just one,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°She¡¯s there to help. Like I said, I think he¡¯s young, and she was sent to him so he¡¯d learn how to do dungeon things. But he¡¯s the dungeon. If he doesn¡¯t want to do what she advises him, there isn¡¯t anything she can do about it.¡±

    When no one commented on that, Tibs looked at his friends. Jackal seemed to be asleep, but the three others stared at him. Even Khumdar looked like he was holding back questions.

    ¡°Sent by whom?¡± Carina finally asked.

    Tibs realized he¡¯d let something slip that might have been best kept to himself. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Ganny often refers to some sort of ¡®them¡¯ when she feels Sto is abusing or breaking the rules.¡± He tapped his bracers. ¡°Mez¡¯s bow. I think your staff¡¯s also part of that, but Sto denied it even when she wasn¡¯t around.¡± He paused. ¡°What he¡¯s been doing since reopening.¡±

    ¡°The robes?¡± The cleric asked.

    ¡°Those he said were random, and I believe him. They¡¯re the same as every other sorcerer¡¯s robes we¡¯ve found, and the colors have varied. They just happened to be black this time.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Jackal said. ¡°This is all fun and interesting stuff, but does it mean anything for our runs?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think this is more important than loot?¡±

    Tibs couldn¡¯t see the look the fighter gave the archer, but he expected it was shock and disbelief. Especially with the way Mez rolled his eyes.

    ¡°I wish I could speak to this Ganymede,¡± Carina mused. ¡°She must know a lot about dungeons.¡±

    ¡°Maybe not as much as you¡¯re hoping.¡±

    ¡°Still, she¡ª¡±

    ¡°Focus everyone,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Does knowing all this, that the dungeon has a name, has someone who helps it, change anything? Seems to me that it¡¯s going to go back to normal, now that Tibs gave him a talk to.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if he is going to do that,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°And even if he tells me he will. I don¡¯t know how much I can trust him. At least if Ganny isn¡¯t there to confirm it. He can only keep her from joining in our conversation, not affect what she¡¯ll say. He wasn¡¯t treating us the way he treated the other teams,¡± he explained at their confused expression. ¡°That¡¯s why those maps the other teams made didn¡¯t make sense when we were inside. They weren¡¯t going up against the same dungeon.¡±

    He paused, running a hand over a bracer. ¡°I think I talked sense into him. But I can¡¯t force him to do anything.¡±

    ¡°And since you told him to treat you like everyone else,¡± Mez said sourly, ¡° if it decides to go on killing, that now includes us.¡±

    Jackal snorted. ¡°Not the way it feels about our Tibs.¡±

    ¡°I told him to stop treating me special.¡±

    ¡°You saved it,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°You¡¯re the only person it can talk with,¡± Carina added.

    ¡°We¡¯ll know what he decided by the time of our next run.¡±

    ¡°You could go and ask,¡± Mez said. ¡°You said you wished you¡¯d been there to talk with it more.¡±

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to feel like I¡¯m influencing him.¡±

    ¡°You are, Tibs, that you be here or not,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°That is the nature of friendships.¡±

    ¡°If nothing changed,¡± Tibs said, instead of acknowledging the comment, ¡°I¡¯ll find a way not to go in.¡±

    ¡°If you aren¡¯t going in,¡± Jackal said in a neutral tone, ¡°then neither are we.¡±

    Tibs tried to work out how the fighter felt about it. Not all his need for loot was an act, Tibs thought.

    ¡°We can get a different rogue,¡± Mez offered.

    ¡°Only if Tibs dies,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°I will not be the one attempting to make that happen. Will you?¡±

    Tibs looked at Jackal instead.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me,¡± the fighter said, noticing the look.

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯ll miss the loot,¡± Tibs probed, then thought of something else. ¡°And the fighting.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not killing you,¡± Jackal replied in exasperation. He noticed the others looking at him. ¡°Abyss, do you all think I¡¯m unreasonable or something?¡±

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°I do not believe that is something we think,¡± Khumdar said. When Jackal stared at him, he continued. ¡°We know you will be unreasonable when it comes to fighting or obtaining your loot.¡±

    ¡°Our loot,¡± the fighter replied. ¡°I share.¡±

    ¡°That is true.¡± Khumdar looked at Tibs. ¡°Having settled this, all we can do is wait and hope the dungeon will come to its senses.

    * * * * *

    The next day, Tibs already knew Sto had made his decision. He didn¡¯t need to wait to hear what the Runners had to say about the runs. Of the six Runner teams who had gone in, only one lost a teammate.

    ¡°There you are, Mister Light Fingers,¡± Cross said, approaching their table through the crowd.

    Another change Sto had been quick to make was adding the meat drops. Because the inn had already been the preferred eating place for the Runners, they offered them to Kroseph¡¯s father first, and he had been happy to pay a copper a piece. As far as Tibs could make out, Sto was dropping a lot more meats than he used to coppers, so the Runners were winning from it.

    ¡°Carina, Mez,¡± Tibs introduced his friends, who were enjoying the first meal with the dungeon meat with him, ¡°meet Cross. She¡¯s the one who gave me the cylinder puzzle.¡±

    ¡°Lent,¡± the fighter corrected, extending her hand. ¡°Unless you aren¡¯t done with it, still?¡± Her tone had a hint of suspicion in it, and she barely masked the relief when he handed it to her. She studied it carefully.

    ¡°You¡¯re that fighter who¡¯d been going around beating up the others,¡± Mez said, and Carina frowned, then she was studying Cross. ¡°What¡¯s the point of the metal on your armor? It doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s there for protection.¡±

    ¡°Makes it heavier.¡± She detached a pouch from her belt and handed that to Tibs. ¡°And it does help with parrying and blocking swords.¡± She raised her forearm and showed the metal strip along the bracer, then those on her gloves. ¡°These give my punches more impact. I have some on my boots, too.¡± She smiled at him. ¡°You should give it a try.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m an archer,¡± Mez replied. ¡°I can¡¯t be slowed by all that.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s pretty quick,¡± Tibs said, looking at the pieces of wood that fell out of the pouch. He looked at her. ¡°I don¡¯t fix broken¡­whatever this is.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t broken,¡± she replied, smiling. ¡°That¡¯s a different kind of puzzle. Instead of figuring out how to open it, you need to put it back together. It¡¯s a cube once you¡¯re done.¡±

    Tibs took a piece from the pile and looked it over. It was the length of his palm, a little thinner than a finger, and had a square notch at a third of the way. He laid it on the table and aligned the others next to it. They were the same, except for where the notch was, and one didn¡¯t have a notch at all.

    ¡°What¡¯s the point of something like that?¡± Carina asked, a mix of curiosity and bafflement in her voice. Tibs was surprised. Of his friends, he¡¯d expected her to appreciate puzzles.

    Cross chuckled. ¡°Keeps the fingers busy and the mind sharp.¡±

    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t do anything,¡± she insisted.

    ¡°It¡¯s fun,¡± Tibs said. ¡°It¡¯ll be interesting figuring it out.¡±

    Carina studied Cross again. ¡°So you think yourself a rogue and a fighter?¡±

    Cross laughed. ¡°I leave the locks and traps to the people who know them, like those who live through the dungeon. I¡¯m just a caravan guard and I need something to keep occupied in the months it can take to travel from one city to the other. These help with that.¡± She grinned. ¡°And it also causes other guards, who think that because I play with those, this,¡± she motioned to her armor, ¡°is just for show, so they think they can win fights against me.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you leave with them, then?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°I needed a break. There¡¯s going to be one here in a week or two. If I¡¯m bored of this place, I¡¯ll leave with it. If not, the next one. And I still get to guard stuff, like the booths by the dungeon, so that Mister Light Fingers or his friends don¡¯t liberate any of the items there.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to¡ª¡± he closed his mouth at her chuckle.

    ¡°The other rogues aren¡¯t as considerate as you are,¡± she said. ¡°Then there are the thieves. Those have been a nuisance, but it keeps me busy, since the guards don¡¯t seem interested in doing anything about them.¡±

    Tibs frowned. ¡°There¡¯s been a lot of thieves?¡± He¡¯d tried to find out after his encounter in the noble¡¯s house, but while he heard about the increase in theft, he hadn¡¯t been able to figure out how many of them there were. Most of the rogues didn¡¯t care what other thieves did, and in at least two cases, worked with those thieves.

    ¡°A lot more than I¡¯d expect for a town like this. Even if it wasn¡¯t a dungeon town, with the Guild being here, the guards are usually better at discouraging thieves.¡±

    They probably didn¡¯t work for Sebastian in those towns.

    He hated the kind of influence Jackal¡¯s father had here, and that some of the Runners didn¡¯t mind working with his people. Tibs tried to explain the problem they were causing, but they saw it as an alternative to the guild. And they¡¯d already worked with other criminals before, so that was more comfortable.

    ¡°I wish they didn¡¯t bother the merchants,¡± Tibs grumbled. ¡°If they don¡¯t have items to sell, they don¡¯t get coins to pay us when we bring them the loot we found in the dungeon.¡± He noticed Carina and Mez staring at him. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Where on your street did you learn about the ebb and flow of goods?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Here,¡± he replied. ¡°Darran explained some of it, and I¡¯d have figured it out just by watching the shops and how the merchants acted when we brought them stuff.¡±

    Cross chuckled. ¡°You get this better than some of the merchants I¡¯ve worked for.¡±

    ¡°And not all Runners care about the town the way you do,¡± Mez said. ¡°For a lot of them, this is just a different kind of cell.¡± He paused. ¡°For the latest groups more than us, we had a chance to make friends and form tighter bonds. They didn¡¯t get that, so it¡¯s easy for them to cause Harry trouble, especially if the guards aren¡¯t doing their jobs.¡±

    Tibs nodded. He¡¯d noticed the lack of closeness among those who survived now, and realized he¡¯d forgotten how he was on those first runs, how he tried to keep everyone away. They were more successful because so many had died. And now, it might be too late for them to change their ways, even if Sto wasn¡¯t as deadly.

    He was going to have to find a way to change that. He needed every Runner in the town to work toward protecting it.

    * * * * *

    Tibs watched the men and women being escorted off the platform and kept his distance. He¡¯d overheard the guild was bringing recruits in today, and he¡¯d arrived early, but instead of a group of scared street people. The first group to appear had been a mix of guards in silver and black armor and adventurers with dense essence. They took positions around the platform, shields at the ready and hands on swords.

    Then this group had appeared, and the only ones not to step back were the guards and adventurers.

    ¡°I think the dungeon might have planted its sword into its foot,¡± Jackal said with awe.

    The people standing on the platform looked around, not scared or confused, but carefully, methodically. Tibs initially thought they looked older because of how mean their expressions were, but the more he watched, the more apparent it became they were older. Not one of them moved, but they were tensed, ready to take advantage of any opening.

    ¡°Those people aren¡¯t from the cells,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Abyss, the kings have to have gone to their catacombs to get this batch.¡±

    One of the guards in silver gave instructions, and for a moment Tibs thought there would be fighting. A few of the guards started drawing their swords, but a woman at the front stepped down the steps and the others followed, attentive to everything happening around them.

    ¡°You think it¡¯s because of how many Sto killed?¡± It had been a few days since Sto had stopped his killing spree.

    ¡°It¡¯s been devouring the young Omegas like they were sweetmeats,¡± Jackal answered. ¡°It makes sense that even if the kings have criminals in their cells, the guild might ask for a tougher cut this time around. But I don¡¯t think they expected the meat to be quite this hard.¡±

    Tibs¡¯s stomach rumbled. ¡°Why are you comparing them to meat?¡±

    ¡°Just hungry, I guess,¡± Jackal said. ¡°I missed breakfast this morning. It was definitely worth it. Kro did this¡ª¡±

    Tibs groaned to stop him and attempt to silence his hunger. Why did he have to try this now that the inn had good meat again? ¡°This is so unfair.¡±

    The fighter patted his shoulder. ¡°You need to practice, so why not do it when all this delicious food is available now?¡±

    Tibs narrowed his eyes at the fighter. ¡°If you don¡¯t stop, I¡¯m going to eat you.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s something only Kro gets to do.¡±

    Tibs opened his mouth to ask what his friend meant and closed it. The grin on Jackal¡¯s face said he didn¡¯t want to hear the answer.

    ¡°But yeah,¡± the fighter said. ¡°Something like them would have been months of work to arrange. My guess is that within days of the last group arriving, this was happening. We¡¯re going to have to be on our toes. If there¡¯s one batch that¡¯s going to try to destroy the dungeon thinking it¡¯s going to set them free, it¡¯s them.¡±

    ¡°They won¡¯t be able to do it,¡± Tibs said. ¡°Bardik needed concentrated corruption, and Sto has defenses against that now. They¡¯re just Omegas, so they can¡¯t be as tough as they look.¡±

    ¡°Looks can be deceiving, Tibs.¡± Jackal grinned. ¡°Just look at you.¡± He moved to follow the group. ¡°Come on, I can¡¯t wait to hear what Knuckles has to tell this new batch.¡±

    Tibs started to follow Jackal when he felt the essence coalesce on the platform. He looked in that direction to get a sense of who the new arrivals were and froze when a new contingent of guards in silver and black armor appeared.

    Tibs swallowed. ¡°Jackal,¡± he called. ¡°There are more arriving.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 43

    ¡°You¡¯ve been given a reprieve not one of you deserves,¡± Harry said in disgust. He stood on the fourth step, which placed him slightly higher than the platform had the last time. ¡°Consider yourself lucky.¡± He looked like saying the words angered him.

    The crowd of recruits didn¡¯t look impressed; a few even sneered. There had been one and zero groups to arrive in total, everyone in them looking mean, studying their surroundings. Tibs expected at least one person to run, but they hadn¡¯t. They followed instructions with silent glares.

    ¡°You¡¯ve already been assigned to your teams, don¡¯t bother bitching. No one here cares.¡±

    Tibs glared at the guard leader as he edged away from everyone, closer to the mountain. No matter how mean they looked, they were Runners now. The other Runners would care.

    ¡°They¡¯re going to be replaced as they die, and if I find out, and I will, you had something to do with that death. You¡¯re going to experience this dungeon alone, naked.¡± He looked the crowd over, a nasty smile forming. ¡°If you don¡¯t know what that means, please test me. You aren¡¯t even worth being dungeon food.¡±

    Tibs wanted to speak with Sto, and with everyone¡¯s attention on Harry, this was the perfect time.

    ¡°You might have been taken out of the catacombs you belong in, but this isn¡¯t freedom. Now you¡¯re going to have to earn what you get by surviving the runs we¡¯ll be sending you on.¡±

    ¡°Sto?¡± Tibs said, keeping his voice low despite the distance. He wasn¡¯t certain where the dungeon¡¯s influence started once away from the steps or the stalls. The previous times he¡¯d been right up against the stone, but now he thought he¡¯d stand out too much there.

    ¡°Hi Tibs,¡± Sto answered, sounding cautious. ¡°I have been more reasonable with rooms.¡±

    Tibs smiled. ¡°I know. You should hear how amazed the teams are when they return without losing anyone.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Tibs couldn¡¯t finish it. It wasn¡¯t okay. It had been unfair and vicious, and it still hurt. He took a breath. But it was done and over with, and now they had to move past it. ¡°Can you see any of the recruits?¡±

    ¡°Some of them, the first few rows. Harry¡¯s really bright. I¡¯d love for him to¡­¡± Sto fell silent.

    Tibs didn¡¯t think on what that was about and reminded himself that even if he was being more reasonable, Sto was still about testing those who went inside. Of course, if Harry stepped in, it would be Sto that was tested.

    ¡°These recruits are going to be tougher than the Omegas you¡¯re used to, I think.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sensing any element from them.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s more because of their experience. They¡¯re older. Jackal says they weren¡¯t caught for picking pockets, but for bigger stuff.¡±

    ¡°Like what? Robbing houses?¡±

    Jackal had shaken his head when Tibs had asked the same question, and before he could press, they¡¯d been at the field with Harry looking over everyone and it had felt¡­wrong to speak.

    ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Sto asked before Tibs could figure out something to say.

    Tibs looked the crowd over. What should Sto do? Was it even his place to dictate anything? He wasn¡¯t special, so it shouldn¡¯t be. But this was new for the dungeon. New for Tibs too. His street had had nasty people, but as far as he knew, none of them had ever caught a king¡¯s attention the way Jackal implied those had. What crime did someone have to commit for a king to be involved?

    ¡°I trust your judgment,¡± he finally said, unable to escape the feeling he was giving up.

    ¡°I won¡¯t let you down, I promise.¡±

    Tibs nodded and ran a finger along a bracer, looking for a way to ask what he wanted to.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to do the next run, right?¡± Sto asked, sounding fearful.

    ¡°I will. They¡¯re putting the schedule up tomorrow.¡± He looked at the crowd again. Harry was talking about how the Omegas would go in the morning, and any Upsilon got to put up coins to go ahead of the other teams. Tibs had to make sure the new Upsilon teams knew what that was about.

    ¡°Sto.¡± He hesitated, then push ahead. ¡°Can I ask a favor?¡±

    When the dungeon answered, his tone was more cautious than before. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want me to treat you differently.¡±

    ¡°I know. And I¡¯ve been trying to come up with a way to do this without asking you, but¡­ I need to have an audience with Light. I can¡¯t figure out how to make it happen out here.¡±

    ¡°Harry would know.¡±

    ¡°And he¡¯d ask why. I can¡¯t lie to him. It¡¯s a thing light does. He calls it shining on lies.¡±

    ¡°And you don¡¯t want him to know everything you can do?¡±

    ¡°If I do, he¡¯s going to tell the guild. And even if I didn¡¯t mind them knowing what I can do, I don¡¯t know how I could explain it without you coming up. Just avoiding mentioning you when you are involved a little would make Harry know something¡¯s off.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Sto said neutrally.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to,¡± Tibs hurried to add, ¡°I understand. I screamed at you for the way you treated me and now, I¡¯m here asking you to treat me special again.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to help you, Tibs.¡± The tone warmed. ¡°I can make a room and fill it with light. I don¡¯t know how to get the emotion part of it, though.¡±

    ¡°I have that part handled. Thank you. If you need me to do something in return, just say it.¡±

    ¡°If you have a way to bring me light essence, I¡¯d appreciate it. This will use a lot of what I have right now. And no Runners have had light, so I only know basic things to do with it.¡±

    Tibs hesitated. ¡°You want me to get a Runner to choose light so you can¡­¡±

    ¡°See what they do with it. Tibs, I swear, that¡¯s all. I can learn from watching them use their essence. That¡¯s how I did it before¡­¡±

    Tibs had no idea how he could do that, or if he even should, but¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do. Thank you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s what friends do, right?¡± Sto sounded so uncertain.

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    Tibs nodded. ¡°Yeah, it is.¡±

    He headed back to the crowd, just as a man broke from it in his direction. He was fast for his how much muscles he had, and dressed in ripped gray clothes that matched that of the group he¡¯d been in.

    Tibs was surprised he was the only one making a run for it in such an open space. Most of them had to think not every guard there could catch them all if they all ran. Tibs thought about stopping the man. At this distance, he could do a lot without anyone noticing, but Harry didn¡¯t want him involved in guard stuff; although he had asked Tibs to stop that thief.

    It was the expression on the man running toward him that made Tibs step out of the way so the guards now in pursuit could do their job, not that they were catching up yet. He wasn¡¯t looking in the distance, at his potential escape. His eyes were fixed on Tibs, and he changed direction as Tibs moved.

    He was heading for Tibs.

    Since he didn¡¯t have a choice, Tibs flung water between him and the man, wetting the ground, then icing it. The ground was so trampled, it barely absorbed any of the water before it was ice. The man fell on his back the moment he had a foot on it, then slide ten paces before he was able to get enough purchase to throw himself off and get back to his feet. Barely a dozen paces separating them.

    ¡°They¡¯re going to kill you if you keep running,¡± Tibs said, coating himself with a thin sheet of water. He didn¡¯t want what he was doing to be obvious.

    ¡°Not with you protecting me.¡± The smile was vicious. There was a time the confidence in the tone would have scared him. Would have promised a beating.

    ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen.¡± He mixed some earth with the water. Since he couldn¡¯t use too much right now, adding the effect would help.

    ¡°Then if they really want me, they¡¯re going to have to go through you.¡± The man lunged for Tibs. He stepped aside, but the man was even faster than Tibs expected, twisting in mid-leap and grabbing his arm, pulling him down with him. They were back to their feet, the man¡¯s arm around his neck before Tibs could harden the water and earth.

    ¡°Now, you¡¯re going to have to protect me with your magic,¡± the man growled in his ear. ¡°Stop!¡± he yelled at the running guards. They were a mix of silver and black, along with green and black. ¡°If you don¡¯t, I¡¯m going to break his neck!¡±

    ¡°They aren¡¯t going to listen to you,¡± Tibs said, just as the guards came to a stop. The ones in silver looked at the ones in green.

    ¡°You know magic, that¡¯s means you¡¯re important.¡±

    ¡°Not really.¡± He hardened the water and earth around his neck as the man tightened his grip when two of the guards in silver stepped forward.

    ¡°I said not to move, or he¡¯s going to die.¡±

    The guards stopped again, but their expression said this was only a pause. They didn¡¯t know Tibs and didn¡¯t care. He¡¯d be a casualty of them doing what they needed.

    Tibs didn¡¯t intend to die, so he pushed corruption essence into the man¡¯s arm. Not the barbed version Don loved to use. He simply let it flow in and mix with the man¡¯s thin essence. Unlike what had happened with Tibs, or when he¡¯d healed his friend while corruption tainted his essence, this didn¡¯t mix with it.

    Tibs realized he didn¡¯t know how it had happened. He¡¯d hoped to make the man sick, but that wouldn¡¯t happen. Could he suffocate him? He wondered as more guards approached, many of them in green. How many worked for Sebastian? Did they have orders to hurt him, so that would hurt jackal?

    ¡°What?¡± the man sounded surprised, and Tibs realized he was squeezing his neck harder. Enough Tibs should be choking.

    Right, Tibs thought, He didn¡¯t have to rely on air to make someone choke. He formed water at the back of the man¡¯s throat, and immediately he was coughing, letting go of Tibs.

    Two of the guards in silver rushed to grab the man. ¡°Thanks, Light Fingers,¡± one of them said.

    ¡°That¡¯s not my name,¡± Tibs snapped, then stared. The guard had only arrived with the recruits no more than what, an hour ago, and he already knew him by Bardik¡¯s nickname? Was there anyone in the world who didn¡¯t know of it now? ¡°What¡¯s going to happen to him?¡±

    ¡°If I had my way,¡± the guard said, straightening the man now that he could breathe, ¡°I¡¯d hang him. But my orders are to make sure none of them run. So I¡¯m going to throw him back with the rest and you people can deal with them.¡±

    Tibs grabbed the recruit¡¯s arm before they led him away. ¡°You¡¯re given a chance at life; appreciate that.¡± He paused as the man looked at him with suspicions. ¡°My name is Tibs.¡± Maybe everyone knew his nickname now, but maybe he could get one person to call him by his name. ¡°If you need help figuring things out, the inn is where you¡¯ll find me.¡±

    The suspicion turned to confusion, and when Tibs let go the guards dragged him away as he kept looking at Tibs over his shoulder.

    * * * * *

    ¡°This isn¡¯t good,¡± Carina said, tapping his name on the schedule. She hadn¡¯t even asked Tibs to find it.

    ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°Nine days is plenty of time for Tibs to get ready.¡±

    With how many recruits there were, the schedule had been altered more. Now only three teams went in the afternoon. It made the schedule a month-long, and the first seven days only had noble teams.

    ¡°That puts our run on the sixth of Marmel,¡± she replied.

    Tibs frowned, trying to remember why the month was important.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°that will make things difficult.¡±

    ¡°The eighth.¡± The Dark Night was on the eighth.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see how that¡¯s a problem. Tibs¡¯s going to have both¡ª¡± Jackal stopped and looked around. The crowd was thinner than usual on the first day of the schedule. Fewer teams meant not as much need for rushing here.

    ¡°How about we go back to our room so we don¡¯t need to worry?¡± Carina said.

    * * * * *

    Jackal dropped onto his bed. ¡°What¡¯s the problem with the run?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the run,¡± Carina said, taking a chair from the table. ¡°It¡¯s how close the two audiences will be. I should have thought about that. This is one time we should have paid to be earlier.¡±

    ¡°I do not expect we could outbid the noble teams,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°Therefore, the concern would have remained.¡±

    ¡°You two are agreeing,¡± Mez said, ¡°so this has to be serious. But I don¡¯t get it either.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m with them,¡± Tibs said, trying to understand how he¡¯d ended up with three coppers. Well, when he¡¯d somehow picked pockets for them. None of the streets on the way here were crowded. ¡°I¡¯ll just continue to not eat until the second audience.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple,¡± Carina said. ¡°I haven¡¯t found any books talking about what happens if you go too long without eating, other than dying. But you have to be really close to death after nine days. You can¡¯t go two more days after that.¡±

    ¡°So, Tibs starts so he¡¯s at seven when we do the run,¡± Jackal said and smiled proudly.

    ¡°That still puts him at nine days when he has his audience with Darkness,¡± she replied, exasperated. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous. You can do Light after you¡¯ve done Darkness.¡±

    Tibs pocketed the coins. ¡°I¡¯d rather not. Sto¡¯s going to graduate.¡± He ran a hand over a bracer. ¡°Maybe soon. He sounded like he had more powerful stuff ready for me. Since I¡¯m not taking them, he can use that to finish the floor. I want to use that time to get to the purity dungeon and get my audience there.¡±

    ¡°You can have the audience with Light after that,¡± she said.

    ¡°But it¡¯s going to take time for Sto to rebuild his reserves after he graduates. It¡¯s better if I do it now, then Darkness, and then I can travel while he¡¯s closed.¡±

    ¡°Can Tibs live off his essence?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°Oh, I hope not,¡± Tibs said, realizing the implications.

    ¡°Why do you think that?¡± Carina asked.

    ¡°He can heal himself,¡± the archer said. ¡°Isn¡¯t hunger just being damaged because of the lack of food? And why do you hope you can¡¯t do it, Tibs? That would be great.¡±

    ¡°I have to be afraid I¡¯ll die for this to work. If my essence can save me, there¡¯s no way I¡¯ll get the audiences.¡±

    ¡°I do not know how hunger injures the body,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°But Tibs has already gone hungry while having his essence. If it could stave it off, would it not have done so while he practiced going hungry?¡±

    ¡°Look, that¡¯s all irrelevant. He can¡¯t do this, not like this,¡± Carina stated.

    ¡°I have to,¡± Tibs said. ¡°With Sebastian here, I have to get whatever it is I¡¯ll get with those four-elements. Maybe I¡¯ll get yet another one, but you heard Jackal, Sebastian is already causing troubles here. I need to have everything I can to stop him, especially since I can¡¯t fucking learn to do the things you¡¯re all able to do already.¡±

    He hated that mindset thing. He could see how they used their essence, so he should just be able to copy it, but his versions never looked the same and while they sometimes did something similar, most of the time they just broke apart.

    ¡°You could die, Tibs,¡± she said softly.

    ¡°I can die anytime I go on a run,¡± he snapped back.

    ¡°Stop,¡± Jackal ordered as Carina stood, with an angry look on her face. ¡°This is what we¡¯re going to do. Tibs gets ready for the audience with Light. Then we clear the floor, beat the boss, and get the loot.¡± He looked at others and continued when no one commented. ¡°Then you and Khumdar watch him until the Dark Night. If both of you agree that it¡¯s too dangerous for him to risk it, we feed him and figure out when the next one¡¯s going to be, or we ask the dungeon for help again.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not ask Sto for another favor,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°And I¡¯d rather you don¡¯t have to do any of this,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°This, at least, is an alternative to you just dying in the attempt. Are you two okay with it?¡± he asked Carina and Khumdar.

    ¡°It is a valid alternative,¡± the cleric said.

    Carina sighed unhappily. ¡°I guess it is. I still don¡¯t like the way we¡¯re putting Tibs at risk.¡±

    ¡°Risk is an adventurer¡¯s life,¡± Mez said, sounding as if he was quoting someone.

    ¡°And with risks, come rewards,¡± Jackal added, grinning.

    ¡°Yeah, rewards,¡± she sounded nowhere near as enthusiastic about that as he did.

 Stepping up, Chapter 44

    Tibs walked among the booths being set up. He had planned to look for thieves among the people arriving with the caravan so he could identify those who stayed behind, but the smells of cooking sweets were distracting him; reminding him it had been seven days since his last meal. That his run was in the afternoon, and that he wouldn¡¯t be able to eat once that was done.

    He paused before a completed booth with pans over burning coals. There was nothing in them yet, but the smell of the smoke was enough to make him salivate.

    ¡°Come back in a few hours,¡± the woman behind them said, putting down wooden boxes with essence woven through them. Mostly air, some water, and others he couldn¡¯t identify. ¡°I¡¯ll have fried potatoes around Tardinian meats for a silver a stick.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Tibs asked. A silver for meat sounded like a great deal at the moment.

    She looked at the box. ¡°That¡¯s my cold box. I keep my meats in it so I don¡¯t have to pay to send someone back to my wagon for more all the time.¡±

    Tibs nodded.

    ¡°I know my food¡¯s great, kid,¡± she said with a chuckle, ¡°but you¡¯re just going to make yourself sick waiting for it to be ready. Come back in a couple of hours and I¡¯ll make sure there¡¯s one for you.¡±

    His stomach growled, and he put his hands in his pockets to keep them from shaking. He wanted to eat right now.

    He walked away, then out of the bazaar, giving up on his plan. All it would take was one booth with food ready and it would ruin his attempt at an audience today.

    * * * * *

    Tibs looked at the door at the top of the stairs and stifled the groan. There was no way he¡¯d make it up as weak as he felt. It was as if staying away from the bazaar when he knew there was food ready to be sold to him, was stealing more of his strength than if Khumdar was bathing him in darkness. Unlike Kroseph, they would serve him if he paid.

    Kroseph didn¡¯t know why Tibs was fasting, but he respected it and smiled when he came begging for scraps.

    He took a breath and steadied himself before starting up, his team at his side. He would do this.

    ¡°You realize,¡± Mez said, ¡°that the cleric is going to take one look at Tibs and know something¡¯s off. She had to go through this, right? She will know the signs.¡±

    ¡°Clerics will go through years of training before they will go through the process of readying themselves for the attempt at their audience,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°I do not expect she will recognize Tibs¡¯s state as an attempt of such. I expect she will not even consider that it is possible for someone not of a purity bloodline to know the method, let alone attempt it.¡±

    Carina sighed. ¡°He¡¯s right. Clerics can be narrow-minded.¡±

    Tibs did his best not to slow everyone, to keep his legs steady. Falling now would attract the cleric¡¯s attention, and the question of if she could heal hunger came back to him. Neither Khumdar nor Carina had sounded confident when they said clerics couldn¡¯t do it. And if she attempted to heal him and it didn¡¯t work, wouldn¡¯t that be suspicious too?

    ¡°Let¡¯s still be careful,¡± Jackal said in a low voice as they got within earshot.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Tibs whispered. ¡°I don¡¯t want to ever have to do this again.¡±

    ¡°Simply stay to the plan,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°and all shall be fine.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± Tibs barely stifled the groan. ¡°It never goes according to the plan.¡±

    ¡°You have the dungeon on your side. I am certain this will go well.¡±

    ¡°It will,¡± Sto said.

    So long as he got inside, Tibs thought, as the cleric focused on him.

    ¡°Do you need healing?¡± she asked, stepping forward. ¡°He looks weak.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s fine,¡± Jackal said casually. ¡°He spent the night running the roofs and forgot he had a run today.¡±

    ¡°I can remove the effect of lack of sleep.¡± She reached for him and Tibs stepped back. His foot slipped off the edge of the step and he had a flash of slipping off the edge of the mountain top, the dread of hitting the ledge. Khumdar steadied him.

    ¡°Just let them in,¡± the massive guard said, laughing. ¡°If they¡¯re looking to get rid of their thief this way, it¡¯s their decision.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a rogue,¡± Jackal replied harshly.

    ¡°Of course,¡± the guard scoffed and snickered. ¡°Because polishing a title changes who someone is.¡±

    ¡°Just like putting you in leathers, Murg, makes you anything more than a thug.¡±

    Murg stepped forward. ¡°Watch your mouth, Jack. Your daddy¡¯s not¡ª¡±

    Jackal moves faster than Tibs followed. Then the guard was hitting the rock wall next to the door.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Jackal asked sweetly. ¡°You really need to remember how clumsy you are, Murg. Constantly falling against my fist like that can¡¯t be healthy.¡± He turned to the cleric. ¡°My lady Cleric, while I am certain my friend would appreciate the assistance, he needs the lesson. The run comes before his pleasure.¡±

    Tibs snorted. ¡°Says the fighter who jumps Kroseph¡¯s¡ª¡± Carina put a hand over his mouth with a gasp and Tibs was thankful. He had no idea where that had come from. Maybe his hunger was affecting his mind as much as his body?

    ¡°We¡¯ll make sure he survives,¡± Jackals said. ¡°But a few close calls will do him good.¡±

    She looked at Tibs. ¡°My orders are to heal anyone before they enter the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°And we¡¯ll all vouch that you healed him,¡± Jackals said. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Murg? Allan?¡±

    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    ¡°Whatever you say,¡± the other guard said. Tibs couldn¡¯t make out what Murg grumbled as he got to his feet.

    ¡°There, as far as anyone who matters, you have healed him.¡±

    She made a displeased sound. ¡°If asked. This is so he won¡¯t take clerics for granted anymore.¡±

    ¡°Whatever tale you want to sing,¡± Jackal said cordially, ¡°I¡¯ll be happy to sing too.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t sing,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°I so can,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°Kroseph loves the way he can make me¡ª¡±

    ¡°Jackal, the run?¡± Mez said, indicating the doorway.

    ¡°After this, I will show you all how well I can sing,¡± the fighter grumbled, stepping inside.

    Tibs followed, and as soon as he thought the people outside couldn¡¯t see, he put an arm over his stomach in an attempt to lessen the pain. Maybe he was eating himself?

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Carina whispered, ¡°did the dungeon tell you how he was going to make your audience happen this time?¡±

    ¡°No. Maybe he got busy with something and isn¡¯t paying attention to here right now. Sto!¡± he yelled and his friends looked behind them at the still too close doorway.

    ¡°Does yelling make a difference?¡± Mez asked when the guards didn¡¯t come running in. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it know everything that happens inside, well, its body?¡± he sighed. ¡°I liked this more when I didn¡¯t know it was a person. This is really weird.¡±

    ¡°You should imagine how it felt the first time someone walked inside me,¡± Sto replied.

    ¡°There you are.¡±

    ¡°Dungeon¡¯s here,¡± Jackal said, then looked at the doorway again. ¡°Maybe we should move deeper in.¡±

    ¡°They can¡¯t hear you,¡± Sto said. ¡°I have it so sound from inside doesn¡¯t cross outside the threshold.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s got a silence thing on the door,¡± Tibs translated.

    ¡°Mayhap we should hurry regardless,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°The sooner this is done, the sooner Tibs can rest. I expect he will need to remain in bed for the next two days due to his hunger.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Tibs said as his stomach sent a shard of pain.

    ¡°Why are you hungry?¡± Ganymede asked.

    ¡°Hey, Ganny. I¡¯m using the way the clerics get ready for their audience. I don¡¯t like it,¡± he grumbled.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what that has to do with you,¡± she said cautiously. ¡°You¡¯re a rogue.¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s making me die of hunger, so it covers the ¡®intense emotions¡¯. And I do feel like I¡¯m going to die if I don¡¯t eat anything soon.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t not eating dangerous for people?¡± Sto asked, ¡°how long can people go without eating?¡± He became agitated.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Ganny replied. ¡°But if Tibs says he¡¯s dying, it can¡¯t be much longer.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Ganny, I know it¡¯s against the rules, but I¡¯m making him something to eat. Come on, I must have something ready to eat. Can you eat meat? Why didn¡¯t anyone come in with food?¡±

    Tibs moaned at the idea of a juicy steak and his stomach growled loudly enough Jackal looked at him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not eating,¡± Tibs forced himself to say. ¡°I need to have the audience.¡±

    ¡°Tibs, I put that in the same room you had your audience with Fire. I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d do this to yourself. There¡¯s no way you can get through the pool room and the whippers in your state, let alone the Ratling and Bunnylings.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s not good.¡± Maybe some food would be okay?

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Mez asked, worried.

    ¡°Things aren¡¯t going according to the plan.¡± His stomach insisted food was vital at the moment.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ve made a stack of some form of hard bread one of the nobles had; I think it was a noble. Why would a noble have that on them? Must have been someone else, but it¡¯s something I can make and I did. Just go to the second floor Tibs, and it¡¯s waiting for you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to help, Sto,¡± Ganny said.

    ¡°Ganny, I can¡¯t just let him die of hunger.¡±

    ¡°He isn¡¯t like you. I don¡¯t think people just get better as soon as they absorb nourishment. You saw how they work when you tried making one.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯m turning everything off.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tibs said. ¡°You¡¯re breaking enough rules for me by getting me the audience.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Sto implored.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be okay. My team will make sure of it.¡±

    ¡°We will,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Can we know what we¡¯re agreeing to first?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°Are you saying you won¡¯t help Tibs?¡± Sto demanded, then let out an exasperated cry. ¡°Why didn¡¯t your mysterious ¡®them¡¯ make it so I can talk with people?¡±

    ¡°Are you really going to turn your back on Tibs if whatever we need to do isn¡¯t to your liking?¡± Jackal asked Mez.

    ¡°Of course not,¡± the archer protested. ¡°But don¡¯t you want to know? What if the dungeon needs one of us to throw himself at the creatures so they won¡¯t eat Tibs?¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll do it,¡± Jackal replied, ¡°and watch them break their teeth.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not all made of stone, Jackal.¡±

    ¡°He won¡¯t ask you to do that,¡± Tibs said. ¡°That isn¡¯t how Sto does things. And you just agreed to help me survive the rooms between here and the Maze hall. That¡¯s where he put the audience room, the same place as where I had the audience with Fire.¡±

    ¡°Did he really have to use the same room where you nearly died?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°It was already there,¡± Sto replied.

    ¡°Sto had nothing to do with that.¡± Not knowingly, at least. ¡°And he saved me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s four rooms we need to get through,¡± Mez said. ¡°Without you being able to pull most of your weight in your current state.¡±

    ¡°I can roll the floor back to your first run.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tibs replied at the same time as Ganny protested.

    ¡°Come on, Tibs. Ganny, I can¡¯t just let him die. I¡¯m supposed to help him.¡±

    ¡°My team will¡ª¡±

    ¡°Come Tibs, be realistic here. There is no way any of them can get through the pool room without you, the way it is. You¡¯ve always been the reason they made it. You showed them the triggers, you iced the water, you deactivated the traps. And before you even think of mentioning that. That room is going to be turned off when you exit. That is final.¡±

    Tibs glared at the ceiling.

    ¡°At least¡­¡± Sto trailed off. ¡°Tibs, let me roll back the pool room. Just that one, please.¡±

    ¡°Ganny?¡± Tibs didn¡¯t trust his judgment in his current state of distracted anger.

    ¡°That one room. Sto, you have to just do that one room. After everything else, you can¡¯t risk attracting more attention.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t even know how any of that works,¡± Sto snapped. ¡°So don¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Tibs shouted. ¡°That¡¯s not fair! She¡¯s doing the best she can to keep you safe.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Tibs,¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s just scared for you. Dungeons have never gotten attached to one of the Runners. This is new for him. Both of us.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s time you stop saying that, Sto,¡± Tibs cut him off.

    ¡°While I am normally skilled at making meaning of things unsaid or unheard,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°I am now hoping one of you has understood something of this exchange.¡±

    ¡°Not a thing,¡± Jackal replied.

    ¡°Sto¡¯s going to make the trap room easier, but the rest we need to deal with as they are.¡±

    ¡°I am willing to change them,¡± Sto stated.

    ¡°He likes me, which is why Sto¡¯s broken so many rules.¡±

    ¡°Told you,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°But Ganny said that puts him in danger of attracting the attention of the people who enforce the rules, but Sto doesn¡¯t really believe they¡¯re real.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t make them up,¡± Ganny said.

    ¡°But you¡¯ve never seen them either,¡± Sto countered.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t going to work,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°You can¡¯t fight in your state, Tibs,¡± Carina told him.

    ¡°Dungeon,¡± Jackal said, ¡°the rooms with creatures in them. Are they going to be any harder than the last time we were in them?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead,¡± Ganny said resignedly.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m going to have them at that same difficulty.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re going to be the same,¡± Tibs told Jackal, who immediately picked him up.

    ¡°Activate the doorway, Carina.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I can walk,¡± Tibs protested.

    ¡°I¡¯m not risking you with the triggers in the pool room. Easy or not, you¡¯re not in a condition to attempt them.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t go if Tibs can¡¯t fight,¡± Mez said as Carina looked at the area where the doorway to the second floor was.

    ¡°We can deal with them fine,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Tibs stays in the hall by the entrance for each room.¡±

    ¡°Fine, what about the loot, then? We need¡ª¡±

    ¡°Fuck the Loot,¡± Jackal snapped, stepping toward the archer, and Tibs slapped him. ¡°Ow, what¡¯s that for?¡±

    ¡°You love loot! You love it almost more than Kroseph. I¡¯m going to get all of it.¡± He considered something. ¡°Except the one in the pool. I can¡¯t deal with whatever is in the water right now.¡±

    ¡°Since when is there loot in the pool?¡± Jackal demanded. ¡°Carina, have you heard anything about that?¡±

    ¡°No, but then again, the few teams where someone tried to swim across the pool didn¡¯t get any further after whatever is in the water ate them.¡±

    ¡°Next time I¡¯ll get it for you,¡± Tibs promised.

    ¡°You better,¡± Jackal said, stepping through the shimmering doorway. ¡°Because I love loot.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 45

    Tibs wanted to run into the room and help his team.

    His stomach twisted itself into a knot and he groaned. He couldn¡¯t wait for this to be done so he could eat.

    ¡°You okay?¡± Jackal asked, suddenly in front of him.

    ¡°No.¡± He couldn¡¯t shake the feeling he sounded petulant, and the fighter¡¯s smile said he hadn¡¯t imagined it. ¡°Do you need me to get the loot?¡± He looked around Jackal and noticed the trap doors to the warren were broken off.

    ¡°We managed, although Mez¡¯s armor will need to have the scratches worked out of the leather if he wants it to look like he only parades in it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about how used my armor looks,¡± the archer replied. ¡°I¡¯m a Runner, not someone pretending. But next time, Tibs, you go in there. Those tunnels are way too narrow.¡±

    ¡°I will. I guess that is the privilege of being small.¡± He took Jackal¡¯s hand, and the fighter hoisted him to his feet.

    It was strange crossing the room, seeing the result of the fight, and knowing he hadn¡¯t taken part. He felt like he was a burden. It didn¡¯t matter how hungry he was, he should be helping. He¡¯d fought when hungry before.

    He¡¯d lost most fights then, and in the dungeon, if he lost, he could die.

    It didn¡¯t help. He didn¡¯t want to stand on the sidelines.

    ¡°The opening is here,¡± Khumdar said, indicating the hallway wall, halfway in the middle of what had been the essence maze the last time. The pedestal with the trigger to shut it off was still at the end. ¡°I am afraid Tibs may need to unlock it. I cannot make out the essences involved.¡±

    ¡°Earth, fire, air, and water,¡± Tibs replied reflexively, their colors clear to his mind even if his stomach took most of his attention. He couldn¡¯t wait for this to be done with.

    ¡°Can¡¯t the dungeon just open it for him?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Sto replied. ¡°But even I have limits on how easy I¡¯ll make something. I made it as simple as I could to take into account your condition, Tibs.¡± He lowered his voice, ¡°you really don¡¯t look great.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not so out of it that I can¡¯t deal with moving essence around.¡±

    ¡°I can sense the air,¡± Carina said. ¡°That¡¯s interesting. It¡¯s woven into a hollow strand. Are the others the same thing?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Tibs said, as Jackal placed a hand on the wall.

    ¡°Okay,¡± the fighter said. ¡°I guess we have to fill the tube with our essences?¡±

    ¡°Is that safe?¡± Mez asked. ¡°You guys remember what tends to happen when Tibs doesn¡¯t get a trigger right.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t Sto testing us,¡± Tibs said, ¡°and I have all those essences, so I can handle them myself.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Carina said. ¡°We each handle ours. Mez, you have to get used to doing this.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m ever going to break into a fucking house,¡± the archer grumbled, stepping closer to the wall.

    Tibs moved water within the hollow and watched as the others were also filled. Air moved from one end to the other, never spilling out. Fire was just there, contained within the tube, while earth¡­ Jackal had trouble keeping the essence limited to inside. He grumbled choice words as he focused, and when the door began lowering, he stepped back in surprise.

    Tibs was surprised, too. He¡¯d expected the unlock trigger needed the essence to be cleanly within the tube.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t this thing go up last time?¡± Mez asked.

    Tibs didn¡¯t answer, staring up at the light spilling out of the ever-widening gap. It was so bright,

    A hand was over his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t look into it,¡± Carina ordered.

    ¡°But it¡¯s beautiful,¡± he whispered in awe.

    ¡°That¡¯s the kind of beauty that¡¯s going to claw your eyes out.¡±

    ¡°I knew a woman like that,¡± Jackal said. ¡°But this is more having her jab your eyes with a hot poker. I didn¡¯t know light could be so bright.¡±

    ¡°This will not be solely light,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°This is its essence. That is not something you will ever witness naturally. It leaves me wondering how large a dungeon¡¯s reserves are to accomplish this.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re big,¡± Sto said.

    ¡°Just wait until you¡¯re older,¡± Ganny added.

    ¡°But I can¡¯t maintain this indefinitely. Tibs, I need you to go in.¡±

    He stepped forward, only for Carina to tighten her hold on him.

    ¡°Is this safe?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s got to be safer than fire,¡± Tibs replied. He moved the hand off and stepped into the light.

    The door rumbled as it closed behind him, echoing his stomach. He looked around, but there was nothing to see. For all the light that was in the room, he couldn¡¯t even make out the door behind him.

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    ¡°Are you back?¡± Sto asked.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t go anywhere yet.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°Did I leave the last time?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, but it happened so quickly. The fire burning you, then the fire went out, and your friends rushed in trying to save you. I was so afraid I didn¡¯t pay attention.¡±

    Tibs nodded and extended a hand, feeling for the wall. Once he found it, he sat and waited. Holding onto his stomach.

    Food. There was a time he¡¯d believe food was more precious than the slivers of copper he¡¯d occasionally get. Food meant a diminishing of his stomach¡¯s complaints, but also a reawakening of the memory of what going hungry again would be like. As much pleasure as eating had brought him, it was always bittersweet since he hadn¡¯t known when the next time would be. Or if there would even be a next time.

    At least, once he was done with this audience and Darkness, he would never have to go hungry again.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Sto asked.

    ¡°Still here. How long has it been?¡±

    ¡°Long enough your friends are getting worried.¡±

    Why wasn¡¯t this working? He was among the essence; his stomach was hurting as much as it ever had. The idea he had to wait another two days to have the audience with Darkness and wouldn¡¯t be able to eat was distressing.

    ¡°Sto, did Ganny figure out what Fire meant when he said that you helping me have the audience with him broke some rules?¡±

    Sto chuckled. ¡°She has no idea of anything happening around you. She talks about asking some ¡®other¡¯ helper, older ones, but that means she¡¯d have to leave and¡­ well, I¡¯m glad she hasn¡¯t needed to at this point.¡±

    Tibs nodded. It sucked not knowing anything about this or having anyone to ask his questions to who¡¯d have a chance of knowing the answers.

    How long until the audience happened?

    How long until the guild thought his team had died and sent in the next one? It was longer for them than for the omegas, since clearing two floors took longer, no matter how over-skilled they might be for the first one. But there was a limit.

    If a second team made it here, how would they deal with it? He didn¡¯t remember who was the team after his on the schedule. Was there anyone left he¡¯d be willing to trust with his secret?

    Had there ever been anyone outside his team he trusted that much?

    ¡°How much time has passed?¡±

    ¡°Some,¡± Sto replied.

    Right, time wasn¡¯t something the dungeon had a good understanding of. Maybe he should steal a timepiece so Sto could learn to keep time.

    How much longer could he afford to wait?

    With a sigh, he pushed himself to his feet. ¡°It isn¡¯t going to work.¡±

    ¡°You could wait a bit longer. There is no other team waiting yet. That means there¡¯s still time.¡±

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°If it was going to happen, it would have.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    Tibs nodded.

    The room became so dark he imagined there were motes of lights floating around. Before he could be confused, the door rumbles, and a sickly light appeared in the crack.

    No, not sickly, just normal. After what Tibs had experienced, normal light looked¡­lacking.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal said, on seeing him. ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡± He kept walking, heading back the way they¡¯d come. He¡¯d wasted his time. He¡¯d gone hungry for nothing. Felt this pain again for nothing.

    ¡°Tibs, the boss is in the other direction,¡± the fighter called.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re fighting them,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°We can still proceed,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°as Tibs would remain outside the battle.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not leaving Tibs alone,¡± Carina said. ¡°Don¡¯t be a jackass,¡± she added.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m Jackal, not Jackass,¡± Jackal replied, offended.

    Tibs wrapped his arms around himself both in an attempt to stop the pain he felt and because for the first time in a long while. He wished Mama was here to hold him.

    * * * * *

    The cleric frowned when Tibs moved away from his touch.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he muttered angrily. He wasn¡¯t risking the healing reducing his hunger. Not that he was sure it would work for Darkness anymore than it had with Light. Maybe Carina was right, and only clerics could use this method.

    All this hunger and nothing to show for it. How had he stood it before?

    He kept going for the town when his friends turned for the guild¡¯s table to hand over the loot they¡¯d found. He bypassed the inn and went directly to his bed, and there he curled in on himself and let the tears fall.

    * * * * *

    ¡°I can walk,¡± he grumbled as Carina kept her arm around him.

    The two days had passed in his bed in a miserable blur of sleep and recrimination and trying to figure out why the audience with Light hadn¡¯t worked. His friends had tried to get him to leave it. Offered to accompany him to the bazaar, help him train, or just go see Darran, but Tibs hadn¡¯t wanted any of that.

    He¡¯d wanted to either die or eat everything the inn offered.

    Jackal tried to raise his spirits by telling him about the Omega¡¯s he¡¯d watch exit the dungeon, how subdued they¡¯d been, compared to how prideful on entering. The fights when some of them tried to hold on to the little they¡¯d found there.

    Tibs did his best to ignore his friend.

    He didn¡¯t care the Omegas who survived had learned a bit of humility. He didn¡¯t even care they had survived right now. All he cared about was how he was wasting his time. None of the pain he was suffering was for anything. Darkness wouldn¡¯t grant him an audience either, and then he¡¯d have to wait far too many days and weeks until his next chance.

    ¡°Are you sure we need to go that far?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°It¡¯s going to put us awfully close to the limit and the guards aren¡¯t going to be as understanding about us stepping over it than they are about Mister Light Fingers here.

    ¡°That¡¯s not my name,¡± Tibs grumbled, focussing on putting a foot in front of the other. He had a headache, his stomach hurt even more than it had ever in his life, and his limbs trembled.

    ¡°For the audience to occur,¡± Khumdar replied, ¡°he must be in the embrace of darkness. There can be no source of light; even the candles at the windows would ensure Darkness stays away. I traveled for a day into the deepest forest I knew of to have my audience. Tibs will have to contend with being as far from the town as possible. Even the grove of trees is no more.¡±

    Mez wasn¡¯t there. He couldn¡¯t leave his girl for this.

    ¡°I¡¯m wasting my time,¡± Tibs whispered.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± Carina replied. ¡°We¡¯ll figure out what happened for Light and find a way for you to get that audience.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going hungry for it,¡± he said. ¡°I am never going hungry again. I am going to eat all the time from now on.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just going to make yourself sick doing that,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Tibs snapped. ¡°What¡¯s the point, anyway?¡±

    ¡°To get more essence,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°To find out what happens when you get them this time,¡± Carina said soothingly.

    ¡°I wish I¡¯d never taken that shadow,¡± Tibs grumbled.

    No one commented.

    When they stopped, Tibs could barely make out the marker in the sliver of Claria¡¯s light. It had grown ever so smaller since the sun set, and soon, she would wink out. Looking back, Tibs couldn¡¯t even make out the town. He didn¡¯t know how far they¡¯d walked, too distracted by his thoughts.

    ¡°Here will have to be adequate,¡± the cleric said, and helped Tibs get to his knees. ¡°Remember, do not lie to them; they will know it.¡±

    That wasn¡¯t right. Light could see lies. Darkness went after secrets.

    ¡°Show them respect.¡±

    Then Tibs was alone.

    The thought popped into his head that his friends had abandoned him. Just like Walter, Pyan, Fedora, Mama. They¡¯d left him alone to die when they could have helped.

    The anger didn¡¯t come. He was too hungry, too tired. For as much time as he¡¯d spent in his bed in the last two days, he wasn¡¯t feeling rested.

    He would die here, alone, attempting something he had been warned couldn¡¯t be done.

    His stomach tightened, and he bent over.

    This was it. He was eating his insides now.

    When his friends came back for him, there would be nothing there.

    He should never have done this.

    He didn¡¯t want to die.

 Stepping up, Chapter 46

    ¡°You need to be more careful,¡± a deep, soothing voice said as strong hands straightened him.

    ¡°Where am I?¡± Tibs looked around, disoriented by more than the total lack of anything to see. His hunger was gone, too. ¡°Am I dead?¡±

    Had he failed so utterly?

    ¡°No, you are alive, for the moment. How long that lasts? Well, I have never had a say in that matter. Did you think that treating your body so poorly would endear you to me?¡±

    Why would he¡­ ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Now and here, that is true.¡±

    Here, only there was nothing, only the voice. He wished there was light for him to see who¡­ ¡°You¡¯re Darkness.¡± He focused on the speaker, trying to make him out.

    ¡°I am.¡± The voice moved as if they were now crouched before Tibs, putting them at eye level, if there had been light to see by. ¡°Tell me, child of human, are you one of those who believe that I hold dominion over the life and death of your kind? I do not. If you are here for me to undo the damage you have caused your body, I am afraid that you will be disappointed.¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t why I¡¯m here.¡± Why couldn¡¯t he see them? With the others, there was always some form for him to see, if he focused hard enough. And why did they sound familiar?

    ¡°I am pleased to hear this. So many come to me only to meet disappointment. Tell me, Child of human, what do you seek to hide?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not hiding anything.¡± Tibs worried. If he couldn¡¯t make out Darkness¡¯s form, how was he going to see the shadow of the element within them?¡±

    The chuckle spread around him. ¡°Oh, you do. It is in the nature of your kind to hide so much. It is why I enjoy you. Few of the living are as fond of their secrets as the humans.¡±

    Khumdar. That was who Darkness sounded like. Water had sounded like Mama. The others hadn¡¯t sounded like anyone he recognized. Corruption said they took the words from his mind. Did some of them also take a sense of people he knew?

    ¡°A secret?¡± Tibs forced himself to relax. Maybe he was trying too hard. ¡°Is that the price I need to pay?¡±

    ¡°No. You are not seeking that type of connection with me.¡± The following silence felt profound without someone to look at as he waited. ¡°Consider it a courtesy from one¡­ friend to another.¡±

    Tibs frowned at the choice of words. Only corruption had said they were friends. ¡°I don¡¯t have any secrets.¡±

    ¡°There is no need to lie,¡± Darkness said, a chuckle spreading. ¡°Are you not keeping what you can do a secret from those around you? From the Guild?¡±

    ¡°But you know about that, so it can¡¯t count, can it?¡±

    He sighed. Even without focusing, he couldn¡¯t make out Darkness¡¯s form from anything around him, or that of the shadow.

    ¡°You are correct,¡± they answered. ¡°But if you keep one from them, there must be others, some even I would not know about.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re taking the words from my mind, can¡¯t you take any secrets there that you want? Or you can just ask me. I¡¯ll answer you honestly.¡±

    ¡°That¡­ is not how I am. I do not take or interrogate. It is why my¡­ disciples are precious. They are not bound by the rules governing me. I accept secrets told to me. I open my arms and welcome them, and those seeking to say them in darkness.

    Arms.

    Tibs still felt Darkness¡¯s hands on his arms. ¡°Then I don¡¯t know how to tell what¡¯s a secret; other than the one you already know.¡± He looked at where the hand was on his arm and tried to make it out.

    ¡°How about this, then? Is there something you have never volunteered and that no one has asked you about?¡±

    Tibs looked up in surprise as he swallowed the answer to the question. He¡¯d never thought of that one thing as a secret, only something he didn¡¯t speak about. Would he answer anyone asking about it, other than Darkness?

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    He waited for the triumphant sense to come from the darkness. For the silence to take on a sense of glee. Khumdar spoke of a sense of power in finding someone¡¯s secret. Even bards sang of using those secrets to get the better of others. It was a surprise to realize, despite what Darkness said, that they weren¡¯t hungry for secrets to be spilled. They were patient.

    The words fought him. ¡°I¡ª¡± He closed his eyes so tightly he saw motes of lights. He realized that if he didn¡¯t answer someone asking about that, it wouldn¡¯t be because he wanted to keep it secret. It would be so he didn¡¯t have to feel the shame caused by admitting this.

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember Mama.¡±

    He remembered lying next to her. The comfort her voice brought him. He remembered her cold body next to him.

    But he didn¡¯t remember her.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    There was a gentleness in the answer, gratitude. This wasn¡¯t someone seeking secrets to use against their owners. Darkness cherished the secrets told to them.

    Khumdar had said that his desire to use the secrets came from him, not his element.

    He opened his eyes, and the motes took seconds to vanish. Then all was Darkness again. ¡°That¡¯s not enough, is it?¡±

    ¡°What you seek, Child of Humans,¡± Darkness said, sounding sad, ¡°is not something I can give. But it is within your reach, should you but find it.¡±

    ¡°Why are each of you different?¡±

    ¡°Because we are.¡±

    ¡°But we¡¯re different because¡ªI mean, people are different because we¡¯re born to different mothers. Were you born?¡±

    ¡°We¡­ came to be. So long ago, I doubt any of us remember the exact moment, or how it came to be. We are older than any of the living, be it humans or otherwise. We are so old, even the wisest of the living would be unable to comprehend it. We were old when the first of your kind thought we could be contacted, let alone one of you accomplished it. And we were different then from what we are now. Some who have sought me and claim themselves wise tell me that I came to be when they thought of me, that I am the result of their will, their desire. They are wrong. We are independent of your realm.¡±

    ¡°But there¡¯s your essence in my world.¡±

    ¡°That is not something I, or the others, willed. I could not remove it, should I wish to punish the living. If there is a method to parts of me being within your world, that is beyond me as well. So, I do not know why my brethren differ from me, or I from them. It simply is.¡±

    Tibs groaned as what Darkness said triggered memories and realization. ¡°Why do I keep doing this to myself?¡± he muttered. Then looked up at the being before him.

    ¡°Doing what?¡±

    Now that he¡¯d stopped looking for something dark, made of shadows, he could make out Darkness in the faint light within his form.

    ¡°I keep thinking you¡¯re all the same, even when I¡¯ve been told differently.¡± He was a tall and imposing man. Nothing like he imagined a keeper of secrets would look like. Old, bent over with a crooked nose and missing teeth. ¡°Khumdar told me it wasn¡¯t a shadow he saw within you, but something brighter.¡± But then again, that image was of someone who took delight in using those secrets to advance themselves.

    That wasn¡¯t who Darkness was.

    ¡°Understanding does not always come quickly. Often, it is a secret you do not realize you have been given until much later. But the realization can be that much sweeter for the time it took.

    Tibs took the mildly glowing shape, and it melded within him, making a space between fire and earth. His reserve grew to accommodate it. His surroundings didn¡¯t change, and that disappointed him. He¡¯d hoped to have a better look at Darkness before they sent him away.

    ¡°Before you leave, Child of human, I shall bestow upon you a secret Light has sought to keep for longer than the living have existed.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to hold on to your secrets?¡±

    He thought Darkness smiled. ¡°I believe that you will hold on to this one in my stead.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    ¡°Light¡¯s time isn¡¯t like mine. Seek them out when my echoes are at their weakest. When that time comes, look at Light directly and they will embrace you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what that means.¡±

    ¡°Then wait for that sweet realization, Child of humans. Wait, as we wait for you.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs curled in as his stomach tied itself into a knot. How had he forgotten his hunger?

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Carina said softly as she kneeled next to him. ¡°How do you feel?¡±

    ¡°Hungry,¡± he groaned. ¡°Did I go anywhere?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, we can¡¯t see anything still.¡±

    Tibs frowned as he looked at her. The darkness wasn¡¯t complete. There was enough of Claria¡¯s light to make out forms. Even if she wasn¡¯t used to working in the dark, she should see¡­ Tibs looked up and didn¡¯t see Claria or Torus.

    She offered him a vial. ¡°It isn¡¯t food, but it should help with the hunger.¡±

    He pushed her hand away, Darkness¡¯s riddle coming back to him. If he solved it, he¡¯d know how to have his audience with Light, and he had to be ready.

    ¡°Tibs, you have to drink it. Mez used his share of the loot to pay for it.¡±

    Tibs hesitated in pushing her hand away again. He hadn¡¯t been angry at the archer for not being here. He knew his friend had duties to his girl. But knowing he had done this made Tibs realize he had resented him slightly for it.

    He drank it. It would be easier to work out the puzzle without the pain, and once he had the answer, he could go through this again to have his audience with Light. The pain diminished but didn¡¯t completely go away.

    ¡°I¡¯m still hungry,¡± he complained.

    ¡°Healing potions don¡¯t replace food,¡± Jackal said. ¡°That¡¯s good to know.¡±

    Tibs struggled to his feet and looked at his friends. Khumdar was the only one looking directly at him, the only one able to see, even in this darkness. ¡°You were right,¡± he told the cleric. ¡°Darkness isn¡¯t interested in using all those secrets.¡±

    ¡°Then this worked,¡± Khumdar replied.

 Stepping up, Chapter 47

    Tibs moaned as he bit into the fried potatoes and the meat¡¯s juices within it poured into his mouth. He couldn¡¯t believe how good this was.

    ¡°You have to try this,¡± he told Jackal, who watched him, shaking his head sadly. ¡°This is really worth a silver.¡±

    ¡°If Kro heard you say that, Tibs, his heart would break.¡± Like everyone around him, Jackal had shadows within him. Secrets, Tibs figured. He had many and of varying density. He wasn¡¯t sure what that represented. How important they were?

    ¡°Not if he tried this,¡± Tibs replied. He didn¡¯t know how he did this. It was more like with how he sensed his essence in people. He could actively stop, but he didn¡¯t need to be using the essence for it to happen.

    He¡¯d had a broth at the inn once they¡¯d returned. He¡¯d wanted a full meal, but Carina had said no. She¡¯d said that when they came back from their audience, the clerics always only ate broth for a day or two so they could get used to food again. She must have told that to Kroseph, because this morning, he would only serve him broth, again.

    Fortunately, she was busy with her training right now, so Tibs headed for another booth as he ate the fried potato and meat.

    He had a tankard of a sweet ale, then a pastry that was so sweet it hurt his teeth. He still ate it, but decided he wasn¡¯t having that again. He had roasted meats sliced so thin light shone through when he raised it against the sun, meat in cubes wrapped in sour leaves, fruits dried in salt, or sugar, or marinated in wine, and even some in vinegar, those were surprisingly tasty.

    ¡°Slow down,¡± Jackal said. ¡°You¡¯re going to spend all your coins this way if you don¡¯t make yourself sick first.¡±

    Tibs shrugged, placing coppers on a counter in exchange for fried balls of sweet dough. There were enough people around no one would miss a copper here and there. Or if they did, they¡¯d think they¡¯d spent it without noticing.

    The merchants in the bazaar were good at extracting more coins than those buying from them intended.

    ¡°What do you think is Darkness¡¯s echo?¡± he asked the fighter, offering him one of the balls.

    He looked around as if Kroseph might catch him enjoying someone else¡¯s food and bit into it. ¡°Clerics, I¡¯d guess.¡±

    Tibs shook his head. He¡¯d considered that. ¡°But it¡¯s just Khumdar.¡±

    ¡°There have to be others. The world¡¯s too big for Purity to be able to hold sway over all of it. Even the Guild doesn¡¯t control it entirely, and there¡¯s a lot more of them than there are Purity¡¯s clerics.¡±

    But Darkness had implied Tibs could locate them, and that there was more than one. ¡°Okay, but if it isn¡¯t clerics, what could it be?¡±

    Jackal shrugged. Popping the rest of the ball in his mouth. ¡°Anything dark, I guess.¡± He chewed and swallowed. ¡°These are just okay. I¡¯m sure Kro could make better ones if he tried.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d eat all of them,¡± Tibs agreed. He¡¯d eat everything he could find from now on. He was not going hungry ever again unless he had no other choice. ¡°And it can¡¯t just be something dark.¡± He stepped around a noble. ¡°His robe¡¯s dark, but that doesn¡¯t make it an echo.¡± He ran to a booth selling candies and place his new coin on it, it was silver. ¡°Do you have Sea Drops?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Never heard of them,¡± the thin merchant answered.

    ¡°They¡¯re sweet and salty, hard, but when they melt in your mouth, it¡¯s like the foam on the shore looks like.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, kid, that doesn¡¯t sound like anything I have.¡±

    ¡°Something sour and sweet then. It¡¯s orange, and I prefer the chewy kind.¡±

    ¡°You know what you like.¡± The man smiled and pulled a box from shelves of them at the back of the booth. Tibs wondered what other candies were in them. Maybe he should come by during the night and see. Claria was still weak, and Torus hadn¡¯t returned. It would give him a lot of darkness to hide in, even with torches and lanterns hanging everywhere.

    He loved how weak light was in those times.

    ¡°Kid?¡± the merchant called. ¡°Are these what you want?¡±

    Light was weak in the night.

    He looked up. The sun was still hours away from its zenith. Was that when it was the strongest? Only, Darkness hadn¡¯t said when Light was strong, but when his echoes were at their weakest. Did one mean the other?

    He still hadn¡¯t worked out what the echoes were, though. Until he did, he wouldn¡¯t know.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal said, placing a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ve eaten enough.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take them,¡± he hurried to say.

    ¡°How many?¡±

    ¡°A silver¡¯s worth.¡±

    The merchant raised an eyebrow, then scooped candies out and put them on the counter before taking the silver coin. Tibs grabbed them and walked away.

    What were Darkness¡¯ echoes?

    ¡°You didn¡¯t even haggle this time,¡± Jackal complained. ¡°You could have gotten more for that silver.¡±

    Tibs shrugged and popped a candy in his mouth and fought not to spit it out. That was far sourer than he¡¯d expected or had tasted before in a candy.

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    ¡°Now I¡¯m thinking he passed you the stuff he can¡¯t sell since you weren¡¯t actually paying attention.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that bad,¡± he answered and fought not to make a face. Was there any sweetness in there?

    ¡°And I thought I was a horrible liar.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs walked the roofs.

    It wasn¡¯t his usual time; the sun being up, but he¡¯d needed to ponder Darkness¡¯ riddle, and he always thought better when he walked the roofs. Light and Darkness. One saw lies, the other sought secrets. They weren¡¯t exactly opposites in what they did, but around him, they didn¡¯t mesh well. Darkness got stronger when the light was weak, and weaker when there was more light.

    He cursed as the realization hit at the same time as his foot slipped off the roof¡¯s peak, then he was stepping on ice to avoid falling and looking up, shielding his eyes. The sun was high, but how did he know if it was at its zenith?

    He¡¯d know because it would be when there were the least amount of shadows cast by objects.

    Shadows, they were Darkness¡¯s echoes. And the zenith was the right time. All he had to do was look directly at Light and he could have his audience. He looked around for a shadow and didn¡¯t see any, not even the chimney cast one. He stepped back on the roof, absorbing the essence, and walked around it. The sliver there was so thin it might be in his imagination.

    He had it.

    He knew how to go about having his audience.

    Now all he had to do was go hungry again.

    He cursed. He¡¯d only gotten to enjoy food for one day. It wasn¡¯t fair that he had to give it up again.

    He glared at the sun. ¡°When I see you, we¡¯re going to talk about this need for me to go hungry all the time.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t force you to do anything,¡± a man said, and Tibs spun, then looked down to make sure he wasn¡¯t about to lose his footing. The roof was gone. The town was gone. All was light.

    He looked at the form he could just make out. ¡°Harry?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not Harry.¡± The form sounded a lot like the guard leader.

    ¡°You¡¯re Light. How is it possible? I didn¡¯t do the strong emotion thing.¡±

    ¡°And who told you such is the only way to reach me?¡±

    Tibs shrugged. Light already knew, since it knew what was in his mind. It seemed that Ganny didn¡¯t know as much as she thought about how to get an audience. He shouldn¡¯t be surprised, if she was as young as he figured she was.

    ¡°Much has been lost,¡± Light said. ¡°Much has been¡­ distorted.¡±

    ¡°Then how do I do it?¡±

    ¡°You do it the way that works.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not helpful.¡±

    ¡°Did you come seeking me for help?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tibs admitted and looked at the form he was certain looked more like Harry than before. ¡°Now you look like him.¡±

    ¡°I am what you make of me.¡±

    ¡°So that isn¡¯t because you like him? Khumdar said he was almost like a cleric in how he worked for you.¡±

    ¡°Like is a term of the living. It is not something I, nor my brethren, have. He is but one of many who had his audience and who I accepted.¡±

    ¡°Then why does he act like you¡¯re everything to him? My teacher says that the elements influence how we think.¡±

    ¡°Maybe believing some of his choices are taken away provides him with comfort. The living are interesting in different ways. Like you, putting yourself through so much, and for what?¡±

    ¡°Water said I need to do this.¡±

    ¡°No, Child of Humans, Water did not. Don¡¯t let falsehood cloud your sight. You will find that it is a poor way to be when you desire to wield me. I do not take away the choices when you are in the living, but you are with me, and here, I have my rules. You will obey them.¡±

    Tibs nodded. ¡°Sorry.¡± What had Water said? ¡°I need to get the audiences if I want the rest.¡± He looked at Light and tried to make out the shadow, but while the shape was like Harry, that was all it was, a shape of light within more light.

    ¡°Why do you want it? Why do you put yourself through this for it?¡±

    ¡°To¡ª¡± The words caught in his throat as if a block had appeared there to stop them.

    ¡°No lies, Child of Humans.¡±

    ¡°I¡ª¡± again the protest was prevented from leaving his throat. Light watched him in what Tibs thought was amusement.

    Tibs ordered his thoughts. ¡°I want the power to avenge Mama,¡± he said, then hurried to add. ¡°But also to protect my friends.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Humans, more than most of the living, are complex in their motivations. It¡¯s what makes you so interesting.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t mind that I¡¯m going to hurt people?¡± Tibs expected someone about truth and rules to be against him doing anything bad with what they gave him.

    ¡°What you do with what I grant is up to you. You will be the one to endure the consequences of your actions. But you, Child of Humans, need to bear in mind that you are not like most. You have taken on far greater responsibilities. You will not bear my essence only, but that of all of us. That will exact a price on you. Multiple, in fact.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m okay with that.¡± Water had implied as much.

    The chuckle didn¡¯t come from the form, but all around him. ¡°Only because you don¡¯t know what it will be.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to tell me?¡±

    ¡°No. It isn¡¯t our place to tell you that. It¡¯s something for you to discover, should you survive that long.¡±

    Tibs waited for them to say more, focusing on the form, trying to make out the shadow among all this light.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you just give it to me?¡± he asked when he still didn¡¯t make anything out after a few minutes.

    ¡°That isn¡¯t how I work, how any of us should work.¡± Tibs looked up at the reproach in the word. ¡°But not all of us do things how they should be done. We are much like those outside in that way.¡±

    Tibs rubbed his face. ¡°This is going to take a while, then. I can barely make you out. I definitely can¡¯t see anything. How do you expect me to find it like this?¡±

    ¡°You can see,¡± Light said. ¡°You simply refuse to look. You believe you know the truth of what I am, and that limits you.¡±

    ¡°Then how about you tell me how I¡¯m wrong? That would be helpful.¡±

    ¡°It is, but only if you understand it.¡±

    Tibs glared at the form. ¡°Do you all enjoy being obtuse?¡± He paused and frowned at the word. Where had he learned it? It sounded like one Alistair or Carina would know. Had either explained it to him?

    ¡°It seems confusing,¡± Light said while Tibs was silent, ¡°because you are limiting your understanding.¡±

    Tibs closed his eyes, but Light poured through his eyelid. What did he know? What was he certain of? ¡°The shadow is inside you.¡±

    ¡°That is correct.¡±

    Tibs looked at the form, stared at it hard enough spots formed at the edge of his vision. With an exasperated cry, he threw his arms up. ¡°I can¡¯t see it. You¡¯re so cursed bright I can¡¯t see anything but those damned spots.¡±

    Light watched him impassively.

    Tibs kept himself from screaming at Light. It wouldn¡¯t care, and he wouldn¡¯t be able to think. What did he know? What was he certain of? He¡¯d gotten the shadows from the others through trickery. No, more taking advantage of the situation that had presented itself. Fire and Corruption were the exceptions. Fire because Tibs was dying, and they were too eager to see what he¡¯d do with it and Corruption for¡­ he hadn¡¯t worked out that part. It said because they were friends, but could he trust that?

    Two out of six he hadn¡¯t tricked. Light said they each had their reasons for doing what they did. Just like Air hadn¡¯t simply wanted to test him, or give him the shadow, she¡¯d wanted to play. He chuckled, and she¡¯d been winning until he worked out how to control his fall and surprised her¡­

    She¡¯d said something.

    Tibs looked around. Light was everywhere, everything. Except for those spots he was still seeing.

    Light was everything.

    He groaned. ¡°All of this is you.¡± Abyss, he¡¯d tricked himself, again. When was he going to stop ignoring what he¡¯d already been told?

    If he was inside Light, he couldn¡¯t only look at the form to find the shadow. It could be anywhere.

    He looked around, and almost missed it because it was only one spot among all those he saw. Only this one didn¡¯t move with the others.

    Light had been right. He¡¯d seen it. He just hadn¡¯t been looking.

    He grabbed it, and the shadow melded into him, a new reserve pushing itself between air and corruption.

    ¡°Well done.¡±

    Was that pride in their voice?

 Stepping up, Chapter 48

    The inn was full.

    It was busier than Tibs remembered seeing since its early days; when it was the only place offering an alternative to the slop the guild had for them. He made his way through the Runners and got glared at by some. A muscular woman even growled at him. Tibs kept his hands to himself. He didn¡¯t want to be responsible for a brawl here. The inn was the one place he knew of that didn¡¯t have a reputation for them.

    He waved to Kroseph when he saw him, moving through the crowd, with the ease Tibs had on roofs, holding a tray with platters and tankards. The server acknowledged him with a nod, then he was swallowed by the crowd around the bar. The recruits wanted ale, rather than coins, even the poorer kind Kroseph¡¯s father could only get right now.

    At least the food was good again.

    He breathed in the spicy and oily aromas. No, it was great again. His stomach growled as he dropped into his seat and Carina raise an eyebrow. Tibs ignored the questioning look and focused on looking innocent. That Jackal wouldn¡¯t look at him gave him an idea of why she was expecting something of him.

    She, like Mez and Jackal, had shadows. Khumdar wasn¡¯t with them, but Tibs had caught sight of the cleric, and he was certain the lack of shadows within him had nothing to do with not having secrets. The cleric had more than the entirety of Kragle Rock. Or more precisely, he probably had every secret contained within the town.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to say for yourself?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m hungry,¡± he replied.

    She sighed. ¡°Tibs, you have to give time for your stomach to get used to food again. Clerics who return from¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a rogue.¡±

    ¡°You still went a week without eating. Then you spent the morning gorging yourself at the bazaar. You¡¯re going to make yourself sick.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll take sick over hungry.¡± He tried to find Kroseph in the crowd and hoped he wouldn¡¯t take too long to bring his meal.

    The crowd thinned slightly as many left the bar unhappy. There was now enough meat coming from Sto, Kroseph¡¯s father had to turn them away, and they had to settle for one of the taverns which didn¡¯t pay as well. He wondered if Sto would realize that too much meat wouldn¡¯t be any better for the Runners than no meat at all.

    Could it be something they sold to other towns? Exporting, Darran called it. Most dungeon towns made part of their coins by exporting something their dungeon created.

    Tibs stared at the dark form sitting at a corner table, her back to the wall, seven dogs lying around her. He could tell them by the essence. Even animals had it, and in some, it was denser than in people, even if the dogs had no elements.

    Or at least Tibs didn¡¯t think dogs could have an element. He hadn¡¯t seen one with a tint to their essence.

    He stopped seeing the darkness, and she didn¡¯t look happy to be there. She didn¡¯t meet his gaze when she looked over him as she scanned the room.

    Kroseph placed a tankard before Tibs, along with a bowl of broth.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Tibs demanded of the haggard-looking server.

    ¡°Meat broth,¡± Kroseph answered.

    Tibs looked at Carina. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal stared, and stop at the glare.

    ¡°Please?¡± he begged the server.

    ¡°Start easy, Tibs,¡± Kroseph replied before his father called him away.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to give all my coins to the food booths at the bazaar,¡± Tibs grumbled, searching the broth for even a small piece of meat or vegetables. Could he get Sto to drop vegetables along with the meat?

    ¡°Don¡¯t you mean other people¡¯s coins?¡± Mez said.

    He looked at his supposedly friends. ¡°You know that once I¡¯m too hungry, I won¡¯t be able to sneak and I¡¯m going to get caught. You need me for the runs.¡±

    ¡°We need you healthy, Tibs,¡± Carina said. ¡°Eat your broth, then we¡¯ll discuss letting you steal from our plates.

    Jackal pulled his plate away from Tibs. ¡°Hers. I¡¯m not agreeing to this.¡±

    Tibs eyed the fighter¡¯s plate. There was more food on it than Carina¡¯s, and Kroseph always gave his man the best of what they had cooked, so it would be better, and after ratting him out to her, Jackal owed him, so¡ª

    ¡°Eat, Tibs,¡± Carina coaxed him.

    ¡°There has to be something in there for it to be eating,¡± he replied.

    She smiled. ¡°Then drink.¡±

    Tibs pointedly took a long swallow of his tankard and then made a face. Ale. Could Sto make barrels of ale? He looked in his tankard. Good ale?

    A shout rose above the already loud conversation. A table crashed to the ground as people moved away from the starting fight. Before Tibs or Kroseph¡¯s father reacted, Serba¡¯s dogs were in the middle of it, Growling and forcing the two Runners away from each other.

    Tibs was surprised neither of them kicked the dogs. They were big dogs, but those men looked like they¡¯d have no problem kicking anything. With the things Jackal implied someone had to do to end up in a king¡¯s catacomb, they couldn¡¯t be scared of the dogs.

    Serba looked more annoyed as she stood, and Jackal cursed. He hadn¡¯t known she was in the inn. The two Runners moved away from her, as well as the dogs.

    ¡°Her dogs have sent half a dozen of those Runners to the clerics,¡± Jackal answered at Tibs¡¯s silent query. ¡°Word spread quickly, and now they don¡¯t want to risk it. I told you they were monsters,¡± Jackal muttered under his breath.

    ¡°They¡¯re nice,¡± Tibs said, then felt a nuzzling of his leg. Thump sat next to him, looking up balefully. ¡°Sorry, you¡¯re going to have to go hungry, too. Someone wouldn¡¯t let me get jerky this morning.¡±

    Jackal was standing and the woman behind him complained loudly as his chair hit hers, but didn¡¯t do more. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me one of those things is here.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Thump,¡± Tibs replied, petting it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch it,¡± the fighter warned. ¡°It¡¯s going to bite your hand off.¡±

    ¡°His name,¡± Serba said, her tone more annoyed than usual, ¡°is Thumper.¡± The dog looked at her as she said its name, tongue lolling out between its teeth.

    ¡°He likes Thump better,¡± Tibs replied, regaining the dog¡¯s attention.

    ¡°How can you be that bad of an influence on him?¡± she demanded. ¡°On any of them.¡±

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°It¡¯s a gift,¡± Carina said. ¡°Do you want to sit? I don¡¯t think Jackal¡¯s using his chair.¡±

    ¡°I am,¡± the fighter protested, taking it and moving it back to the table, but he looked next to Tibs and couldn¡¯t seem to get himself to sit.

    ¡°Thanks, I¡¯d do it, too, just to watch Jackie squirm, but I have a job to do and that doesn¡¯t include socializing with Runners. Anyway, if I let them spend too much time with Tibs, the next thing I¡¯ll know, they¡¯re going to start snuggling up to my brother.¡±

    Jackal let out a terrified croak and looked around.

    Kroseph wrapped his arm around his man. ¡°It¡¯s okay, baby. I¡¯ll protect you from the big bad doggies.¡±

    Jackal relaxed.

    ¡°Thanks for keeping them from fighting,¡± Kroseph told Serba. ¡°The last thing the inn needs, now that food is no longer a pressing issue, is to become a place people don¡¯t feel safe in.¡±

    ¡°Just doing my job,¡± she replied, and Tibs watched, waiting for something to happen. Light shone on lies, was what Harry said, and he knew Serba was lying since her job wasn¡¯t to stop the fights. Or maybe she¡¯d just meant she was here as part of her job and this meant nothing?

    Was the lack of anything light-related happening due to her not lying, not thinking she was lying, or his lack of knowledge about how to use light?

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t the others doing anything about the fighting?¡± Mez asked in reply to something Serba said.

    ¡°How would I know?¡± he replied, eyes fixed on Jackal.

    Now, Tibs knew she was lying, so the lack of a reaction from light meant¡­ something. She had nothing magical on her. Maybe, unlike darkness, it wasn¡¯t something that happened automatically. Did that mean Harry had to be looking for the lies for him to see it? Or did it become automatic once he was used to it?

    Tibs rubbed his temple. Why did there have to be so many questions?

    ¡°My father¡¯s behind it,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Obviously.¡±

    ¡°If you say so,¡± she replied.

    ¡°Serba, you¡¯re working for him. I don¡¯t care how friendly your dogs are with Tibs, it¡¯s just some big ploy from him for you to get close and learn stuff from us. Why do you even bother pretending anymore? Come on, for once, come clean about something.¡±

    She snorted. ¡°You don¡¯t even know what you¡¯re talking about, Jackie. If I could, I¡¯d get my dogs to rip that man apart. I¡¯d feed every little piece of him to them, to all the dogs in this town. And don¡¯t bring up this ¡®the guild owns me¡¯ bullshit. You know dad¡¯s going to find a way around that and get you back.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t fight,¡± Tibs said as Jackal opened his mouth angrily. ¡°You¡¯re family.¡± And it was his fault it looked like Serba was working for their father.

    ¡°No, Tibs,¡± Jackal said, glaring at his sister. ¡°We¡¯re family. She¡¯s just someone I¡¯m related to. Like my father.¡±

    She rolled her eyes as she turned. ¡°Come on, Thumper. We have better things to do than hang around a deluded fighter and his pet rogue.¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t know if he should be hurt or impressed. Even knowing she was on their side, she sounded like she meant the insult.

    Thumper looked up at Tibs and whined before joining her and the other dogs. The Runners moved out of her way as she left.

    ¡°Are you sure she works for your father?¡± Carina asked. ¡°Doesn¡¯t he want trouble to happen? That¡¯s why not every guard¡¯s doing their job, right?¡± She looked at Tibs and Jackal.

    ¡°She likes this place,¡± The fighter replied, running a hand over Kroseph¡¯s arm. ¡°Just like everyone in town. But she¡¯s a Wells. If we aren¡¯t leaders, we¡¯re nothing more than thugs following someone¡¯s orders.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t obey anyone,¡± Tibs said, and wondered how much of that was more than his friend¡¯s anger speaking.

    Jackal stared at him. ¡°Tibs, how can you say that? I do everything you and Kro tell me to.¡±

    Tibs looked away as the two of them looked into each other¡¯s eyes. Then lunged for the fighter¡¯s plate, pulling it to himself as Jackal tried to get out of his laughing man¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Carina protested as he shoved meat and vegetables in his mouth and then moaned. Even the vegetables tasted good, as hungry as he was, crunchy and full of¡ª

    He stared at the plate and the healthy vegetables on it. He swallowed.

    ¡°Where did you get the vegetables? I thought everything had arrived rotten.¡±

    ¡°Runners,¡± Kroseph answered. ¡°This morning they had vegetables as well as meat. Said they dropped from the dungeon too.¡±

    ¡°Kro!¡± His father yelled. ¡°If you¡¯re with your man instead of doing work, you can move in with him!¡±

    Kroseph kissed Jackal¡¯s cheek and whispered, ¡°tempting,¡± before letting go and vanishing in the crowd.

    ¡°You¡¯re getting your own room,¡± Tibs warned as Jackal sat.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. Kro loves the inn too much to put me before it.¡±

    ¡°So, did you do that?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°You were there on the run. Food only came up in terms of Sto wanting to feed me.¡±

    ¡°Poison you, you mean,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Whatever those things that were on the floor when we stepped on the second floor were supposed to be, they were nasty.¡±

    ¡°And I just thought about asking him for that when I was searching for something to eat in that broth. Did any of you mention the vegetables?¡±

    Mez chuckled. ¡°Why are you looking at us?¡±

    ¡°Because we¡¯re the only ones who know,¡± Carina answered.

    The archer shook his head. ¡°You think no one¡¯s been complaining in detail about how bad the food got? You think they stopped because they were in the dungeon? Tibs gave it the idea with the meat. It must have worked out the rest from the complaining.¡±

    ¡°But how?¡± Carina asked, then lowered her voice. ¡°Tibs said he has to start by copying one. Meat, I get how it did it. Rats and bunnies wandered in. Some died, and there it went. Vegetables don¡¯t just wander in.¡±

    ¡°People,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t say something like that.¡± Carina¡¯s face took on a sickly color. ¡°That¡¯s one thing I¡¯ve been doing my best not to imagine.¡±

    ¡°Not what I mean,¡± the fighter said, pulling his plate back to him and frowning at how little there was left. ¡°What I do mean is that people will snack on raw carrots, celery, and lots of other stuff. I¡¯m sure plenty of Runners have died in the dungeon with at least one of those on them. And someone will have eaten during their run.¡±

    ¡°He can sense outside the mountain too,¡± Tibs added. ¡°Some of the stalls are in his range.¡±

    ¡°Those would only have prepared food,¡± Carina said. ¡°But Jackal¡¯s theory makes sense. And vegetables can grow in the wild. Maybe there are some near the base of the mountain.¡±

    Kroseph placed a plate of steaming meats and vegetables before Tibs. ¡°Now you have no excuses to steal.¡±

    ¡°Tibs doesn¡¯t need excuses for that,¡± Mez replied.

    Tibs breathed in the sweetness and spiciness before savoring the meat.

    ¡°Kro,¡± Jackal said, his tone thoughtful. ¡°What kind of vegetables have the runners been bringing in?¡±

    ¡°Potatoes, carrots, some nuts I¡¯ve never seen before, but Russ thinks they¡¯ll go well in his stew. I haven¡¯t seen everything since dad deals with that.¡±

    Jackal nodded. ¡°Can you do me a favor? When we¡¯re heading for our next run, give me one of each of the best vegetables you can find, especially those any of your brothers likes to cook with.¡±

    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± The server asked, chuckling. ¡°Make an offering as thanks.¡±

    Jackal smiled at his man. ¡°Something like that.¡±

    Amused, Kroseph headed away.

    ¡°What are you planning?¡± Carina asked.

    ¡°Unlike everyone here, we know how the dungeon does it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a secret that dungeons absorb what is in them and can recreate them,¡± she replied.

    Jackal looked at her. ¡°Okay, that might not be a secret with sorcerers and people who actually like to read. But in this bunch, who does?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know,¡± Mez answered.

    ¡°And neither did I,¡± Jackal added.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t equate what you know to what I know,¡± the archer said, pained.

    ¡°No worries, you¡¯d never measure up. But my point is that we should take advantage of this. We can bring things to the dungeon we want it to make, instead of waiting for it to work it out on its own.¡±

    ¡°Like with the cylinder puzzle.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± Jackal said, sounding dubious. ¡°But with stuff people actually want, or need. Think about it. Anything my father is trying to keep from arriving, the dungeon can make.¡±

    ¡°Not everything,¡± Tibs said. ¡°Sto can¡¯t use up all his reserve, and metals and armors take a lot. It¡¯s why there¡¯s only a few of them as loot.¡±

    ¡°But those aren¡¯t things my father¡¯s interested in.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t stop the thieves,¡± Tibs pointed out.

    ¡°But theft¡¯s normal,¡± Carina countered.

    ¡°Not to this level,¡± Tibs said. ¡°And this is more to cause problems than get coins. No one¡¯s been trying to get the merchants to buy stuff that was stolen.¡±

    ¡°Not that they could afford it,¡± Mez said. ¡°Not with the way they¡¯re struggling. They¡¯re also suffering from unexplained losses.¡±

    ¡°Sabotage,¡± Tibs said. ¡°And we know why they¡¯re happening.¡±

    ¡°To cause trouble,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Disrupt the town¡¯s economy,¡± Carina mused. ¡°And it becomes easier for someone to take control.¡±

    ¡°Except that the guild is in control,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°Through the guards,¡± Jackal replied.

    ¡°Most of whom work for Sebastian now,¡± Tibs finished, ¡°instead of Harry.¡±

    ¡°But wouldn¡¯t Harry¡­¡± Carina trailed off. ¡°Right, that item you overheard them talking about.¡±

    ¡°And it¡¯s possible to not lie,¡± Jackal said, ¡°and still not tell the truth.¡±

    Mez looked at Tibs. ¡°Please tell me you aren¡¯t thinking of trying to stop that man. Taking on one thief is one thing, but this is the guards¡¯ job. We need to tell Harry.¡±

    Jackal snorted. ¡°He¡¯s not going to believe a bunch of Runners over the people he picked himself to help him. You¡¯ll see, this is just the start of it. Soon enough, people are going to have ¡°accidents¡±, buildings will ¡°accidentally¡± get destroyed. You remember that fire Tibs helped stop? The one where the guards weren¡¯t doing much to help? Eventually, the people are going to want to turn to someone to make all that stop, and since it¡¯s going to be happening under the guild¡¯s watch, they aren¡¯t who they¡¯re going to want.¡±

    ¡°Jackal,¡± Tibs said, remembering his conversation with Cross, and how Darran had greeted him. His comment of people always trying to get something out of a merchant like him. ¡°What happens if the merchants turn to your father for help?¡±

    Jackal¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Nothing good, Tibs. Nothing good at all.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 49

    The two thieves broke into the store from a window in the darker part of the alley, where the pitiful light from the torches set to illuminate the street barely reached. Tibs needed to ask Sto about the light stones used at his entrance. If those could work without having essence pushed into them, it would make lighting the town easier and make such easy entry into buildings rarer.

    The shop was a tailor¡¯s. The owner moved in when Sto was healed and catered to anyone who thought looking important was better than keeping their coins. Nobles were the majority of their customers, but Tibs had seen a handful of Runners shop there.

    Don wasn¡¯t one of them. The sorcerer didn¡¯t dress the way his behavior said he should. He thought himself better than any Runner, but his robe was worn, just like the others. He kept it until he found one in the dungeon, then only spent the coins to have it dyed that dark purple that almost matched Corruption¡¯s color.

    Tibs sneaked in through the small window a minute after the thieves. It was too small for them to take anything out, so this was sabotage.

    There were two other tailors in the growing town, but they aimed their wares at the more common folks. They had received business from the nobles since, until this tailor, the nobles¡¯ only other option was to travel to another city, and even they found the cost of the transportation platform to be too much. Tibs would have to look into which of them paid Sebastian¡¯s people to do this.

    The shop was on two floors. The ground one was divided into the storefront, with two wooden forms showing what the tailor was capable of, a smaller room for the tailor to take customer measurements and do fittings, and the storeroom at the back.

    Tibs had explored the building when the tailor first moved in, as he did with all shops. The rolls of fabrics were stacked to the ceiling and only had enough space for the tailor to move and pull out what he needed. At the back, to his left, since he¡¯d entered from the side, were the stairs leading up to the living quarters.

    Tibs moved silently, listening to the two thieves grumble as they had to squeeze through tighter space caused by the uneven stacking. The tailor was thin and Tibs was small; the thieves were neither.

    He saw the back of one of them. To him, it was as if Claria and Taurus were in the sky, providing enough light to make out shapes and larger details. Khumdar told him it was possible to see more by weaving the essence, but Tibs hadn¡¯t managed that in the last few days.

    He maneuvered close without being noticed, had his hand in and out of the pocket without a reaction, then retreated to look at the item he¡¯d taken. He¡¯d aimed for that pocket because the thief had patted it before entering. It was a box, but he couldn¡¯t make out more of it. Inside, he felt his essence wriggle about. Whatever was in it was alive. He pocketed the box; Carina would know what was in it.

    The thieves were further in when Tibs returned to them. The one he¡¯d picked the pocket of was cursing softly, patting himself.

    ¡°What?¡± the other thief hissed. Tibs climbed the walls of fabric to ensure he was out of their way.

    ¡°I can¡¯t find the tin she gave me,¡± his victim whispered back.

    Tibs wondered how deep of a sleeper the tailor was.

    ¡°Did you at least take it before we left?¡± the other asked with derision.

    ¡°I did. I checked I had it before we entered.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s probably in here and it opened on falling through that hole in your pocket.¡±

    ¡°There isn¡¯t a hole.¡±

    ¡°I still have mine so, don¡¯t worry, even if you lost it outside, this is still going to happen.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t we need both tins?¡±

    ¡°I hope not. I released my little buggers. So we can get out of here.¡±

    ¡°Why is this so tight?¡± the victim complained and gave up trying to turn, moving sideways instead.

    Tibs had planned to follow them to their hideout and make sure Harry found out about them, but he had to deal with what had been released. He didn¡¯t know what something so small that many of them fit in the box he¡¯d taken could do to the rolls of fabric, but it wouldn¡¯t be good.

    Tibs filed the mention of a ¡®she¡¯ to look into later. He doubted it was the guard lieutenant he already knew worked for Sebastian. She had to be too busy handling the guards to deal with this. Could either of the two other tailors have arranged this directly? They were both men, but one was married. The few times he¡¯d seen his wife, she was complaining about the town and the people.

    Once the saboteurs were outside, Tibs lowered himself to the floor. He released light essence in his hand, and the soft glow blinded him, before letting him see more of the fabric he stood between. The rolls were in bright color, and there were more of them than he remembered. There might be enough to dress everyone Tibs had seen in the MountainSea marketplace or the bazaar.

    He looked around, searching for anything small on the ground that wriggled, but there was nothing. He absorbed the light. He wouldn¡¯t need it for how he did the next part, and it was always simpler for him to work with one essence at a time, especially since he was sensing for something specific.

    The essence in his pocket registered first as he expanded his sense. As with anything alive but without an element, it was faint. The next thing that registered was the man, sleeping in his bed.

    How didn¡¯t he sense what the other saboteur had released?

    He pulled his sense back in until the tailor no longer registered. He was roughly where they had stood, so it should be close by.

    Searching for smaller groups of essence, he felt them, but under the floor. There were far too many for those to be what the thief had released, and what would they do from under the building? As he tried to decide if he could bring in his sense more, he noticed how some groups dispersed, the individual essences nearly vanishing as they were so faint.

    That had to be what had happened. There were many things in the box, and each went in different directions, making it difficult to sense each one.

    He¡¯d planned on picking them up and adding them to his box, but now, he didn¡¯t think that was possible. The only alternative he had didn¡¯t appeal to him. They weren¡¯t dungeon creatures, so they deserved to live, but he couldn¡¯t let them be used to hurt his town.

    He¡¯d only done this once on purpose, against a Whipper, and Sto had warned him against doing it again. The other times, it had been a reflex, out of fear.

    He sensed through the rolls until he found the faint essence. It was only a dot that barely registered, but it was his essence. Anything that moved had it, even flowers. He pulled on the essence, and he no longer sensed what had been there.

    If it was like the Whipper, rat, or Ratling, it was now dead.

    He sensed that same area, waiting for a change. For a sign it was regaining the essence. It didn¡¯t happen.

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    He sensed another one and absorbed that essence. It didn¡¯t register in his reserve for how faint it was. He did another, then another, and realized he would be at this all night. He didn¡¯t know how many had been released.

    He extended his senses around him until he sensed the tailor, then pulled it back. He didn¡¯t want the man to be drained. Tibs didn¡¯t want to use this against a person, ever.

    He swallowed. Ever again.

    Knowing what he could do, he realized only his small reserve had saved Bardik, that, and how dense the man¡¯s essence had been. Would a normal person¡¯s essence register even more than that of the bugs he¡¯d killed?

    He shuddered and put that out of his mind.

    He could sense what was under the ground, and he thought he sense the individual bugs among the rolls of fabric. He pulled on the essence of one of them, and they all winked out. There was nothing left with his essence within his sense.

    He¡¯d targeted one, when he did it in the dungeon, but he¡¯d been touching the Whipper, and he had no idea how he¡¯d done it when it was a reflex. He stepped among the fabric, and he felt more of his essence, in the ground and among the rolls.

    He didn¡¯t want to kill what lived in the ground, but he couldn¡¯t sacrifice his town for them. He also couldn¡¯t spend the time locating each bug that had been released.

    He walked through the fabric and absorbed all the essence he found.

    He needed to add to his ever-growing list of things to train in, the ability to only affect one thing within his sense at a time.

    * * * * *

    ¡°Abyss!¡± Mez Exclaimed, knocking his chair over as he stood, backing from the table and against a Runner who shoved him back toward it. ¡°We¡¯re eating.¡±

    Tibs had opened the box, which turned out to be tin, to show the content to Carina while he waited for Kroseph to bring his breakfast.

    ¡°I have to know what these are.¡± The things in the tin were worms, and like everything else that had been in his range as he absorbed his essence in the shop, they were dead.

    ¡°You should have done that in your room.¡± Mez sat down and moved away from Tibs until he was pressing against Khumdar.

    Carina looked into the tin and poked at them. ¡°I don¡¯t know what they are.¡±

    Jackal motioned for the tin as he ate and looked into it. ¡°Thread Eaters. Where did you find this?¡±

    ¡°In the pocket of a pair of thieves who broke into tailor Murgandi¡¯s shop.¡±

    The fighter raised an eyebrow. ¡°I hope the other one didn¡¯t have one. A tin of those would eat through a storeroom full of fabric in a few months, and once they start breeding, burning the place down is the only way to get rid of them. There was a time, when I was a kid, that the entire artisan¡¯s district was decimated by these. They didn¡¯t stick to the tailors. They ate anything that was fabric.¡±

    ¡°I made sure there aren¡¯t any left,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean that if Tibs hadn¡¯t stopped it,¡± Mez asked, ¡°Those things would have spread to other shops? Everyone uses fabrics. What about the houses?¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t care whose fabric they eat,¡± Jackal said, going back to eating.

    ¡°And thieves were unleashing them?¡± Carina asked in dismay.

    ¡°At someone¡¯s orders,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°A woman. She probably works for Sebastian.¡± He looked at Jackal.

    The fighter nodded. ¡°My father¡¯s like the guild leader, or Knuckles, when he controlled most of the guards. He gets people to carry out his orders. And he might not have given this order directly. He has people who handle the smaller stuff. Back home, there are a few thieves ¡¯ guilds who operated without supervision because they know what¡¯s expected of them and stick to it. Kragle Rock¡¯s too small for a full one of those, but that woman will have a crew.¡± Jackal grinned. ¡°She might be the one behind all those thefts you aren¡¯t doing.¡±

    ¡°You think some of the Runners work for her?¡± Tibs asked.

    Jackal looked around grimly. ¡°If coins are what they¡¯re after, probably.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing, Tibs?¡± Mez asked. ¡°You need to leave this to Harry and his guards.¡±

    ¡°You mean my father¡¯s guards,¡± Jackal corrected. ¡°I¡¯ll be surprised if Knuckles has more than two handfuls of guards loyal to him left. He¡¯s so sure everyone knows they can¡¯t lie to him, he won¡¯t bother checking. So even if they aren¡¯t using whatever my father is making available, he might not realize he¡¯s being lied to.¡±

    ¡°And how does that make it our responsibility?¡± Mez looked at them, and only Khumdar looked uninterested in the conversation, but Tibs was now sure it was an expression he had practiced so he could overhear secrets.

    ¡°If Harry can¡¯t keep the town safe, who will?¡± Carina asked.

    ¡°The guild,¡± Mez stated. ¡°Abyss, there¡¯s only five of us. What can we even do?¡±

    ¡°Whatever we can,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t our responsibility,¡± Mez repeated.

    Tibs fixed his gaze on the archer. ¡°I won¡¯t be a child.¡±

    Mez¡¯s face turned red before he looked away. ¡°It¡¯s got nothing to do with that. Being a man means knowing what is and isn¡¯t your responsibility. We have to train and do the runs. We need to become stronger so we can reach Epsilon and leave this place.¡±

    ¡°I think, Mez,¡± Jackal said, ¡°that you missed the point where Tibs decided he wasn¡¯t leaving.¡±

    ¡°I never¡ª¡± Tibs closed his mouth at the smirk and raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Your town,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Your people. You¡¯ve been calling it that for months now. You wouldn¡¯t be fighting so hard for it if you planned to leave the moment you could.¡±

    ¡°The guild isn¡¯t going to let me go,¡± Tibs protested.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you have to stay here, and you know that. The guild is everywhere.¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t reply.

    He hadn¡¯t thought about staying until now. He had been too busy surviving. Then his team had turned into his family without him realizing it, and now it seemed the same had happened to his town.

    He found he was okay with that.

    ¡°It is a good place to stay,¡± Carina said. ¡°We get to help shape what Kragle Rock becomes. Not a lot of people get to say that, to do that.¡±

    Mez looked at them in disbelief. ¡°This place is our cell. It doesn¡¯t matter that it¡¯s bigger than the room we were held in. It¡¯s nothing more than that.¡±

    ¡°There are always limits on what someone is able to do,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°on where someone is able to go. What are limits today, may be opportunities tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense,¡± Mez snapped.

    ¡°Mez,¡± Jackal said, ¡°sit down. You want to know how this is different from a cell? I¡¯m not about to die here like I was back there.¡±

    The archer dropped into his seat. ¡°You might die anytime you go in the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take might over will anytime.¡± The fighter leaned back in his chair. ¡°Anytime I¡¯ve walked into a pit, I might have died. That didn¡¯t stop me. I love the fight, and the dungeon¡¯s giving me fights I¡¯d never have anywhere else.¡± He became somber. ¡°Back home, the penalty for killing someone is to be tied to a post and be beaten by anyone passing by until there¡¯s no life left.¡± He took a long swallow from his tankard. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of dying. But I don¡¯t want it to stretch on. In the dungeon, if it happens, it¡¯s going to be quick.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not going to happen,¡± Tibs stated as Mez let out a cry that was a mix of pain and anger and something else Tibs couldn¡¯t place. People at nearby tables looked their way as the archer stood and left.

    ¡°That sounded like something his girl would say,¡± Carina said, ¡°more than what Mez would.¡±

    ¡°Has someone been spying on the enemy?¡± Khumdar asked with a smile.

    ¡°And how do you understand what she¡¯d say?¡± Jackal asked.

    Carina looked at Khumdar with defiance. ¡°Mez¡¯s girl speaks Karkaran, and I had to learn it growing up.¡±

    ¡°And why would you be required to learn a language from so far away?¡± Khumdar asked.

    Tibs opened his mouth to tell him to stop, but Carina¡¯s smile stopped him.

    ¡°You said you traveled a lot. Surely you know why someone would have to learn a language that isn¡¯t spoken anywhere near her city.¡±

    ¡°So, have you been spying on her?¡± Jackal asked.

    Carina shook her head. ¡°She likes to read, so we end up being in the same places a lot. Not all books are written in the same language, and the magic of the platform that lets us understand each other doesn¡¯t extend to reading, so the merchants have many languages in the books they sell.¡±

    ¡°Is she turning Mez against the town?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°She has nothing against Kragle Rock, other than it isn¡¯t her home; their home. They¡¯re betrothed, and she¡¯s afraid that means that she¡¯ll have to stay here if he does. From what I overheard her say, her family is trying to get the guild to release him.¡±

    Tibs looked at where his friend had disappeared into the crowd. ¡°And he wants to do right by her.¡± Was that how Mez saw being a man? Was it? He spent most of his time with his girl, but then so did Jackal, and he still made time for the team, the town.

    But Kroseph wasn¡¯t expecting Jackal to take him away from the town. The two were happy here.

    ¡°He does, but I think there¡¯s more,¡± she said. ¡°That comment you made about not being a child sounds like a thing she said. I get the sense that his betrothal to her comes with responsibilities that conflict with what it means to be a Runner or an adventurer.¡±

    ¡°How do we fix it?¡± Tibs asked.

    Her smile was sad. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is the kind of problem we can fix. Mez has to be the one to figure out how to make it work¡­ or if he even wants to.¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t like it. Mez was acting more and more like the other nobles of the town, instead of what the archer said nobles should act like, and it seemed to be because of his girl.

    ¡°He¡¯ll work it out, Tibs,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Want it or not, he¡¯s a Runner, so he has to stay here.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a bad liar,¡± Tibs replied.

    ¡°I lack Khumdar¡¯s practice at it,¡± the fighter said with a smirk.

    The cleric raised an eyebrow but didn¡¯t comment.

    Tibs reminded himself he couldn¡¯t fix everything at the same time. He wanted to help Mez, but he needed to make sure his town was under control first. Once the thieves and the corrupt guards and saboteurs and everything else Sebastian was arranging were dealt with, maybe he could show Mez¡¯s girl Kragle Rock was a good place to live in, even if it wasn¡¯t the home she came from.

    He sighed.

    So, one problem at a time until they were all fixed.

 Stepping up, Chapter 50

    Tibs walked along Merchant Row, observing the merchants, the customers, the men and women dressed in green and black who might or might not be Harry¡¯s people. Tibs couldn¡¯t tell anymore unless he saw them doing something that Harry didn¡¯t allow. Here, they were keeping merchants from assaulting one another or listening to complaints.

    Another thing he was doing was trying to ignore the fighter who was trailing him. The man wasn¡¯t very good at it.

    As many nights as Tibs spent patrolling the row, he wasn¡¯t able to stop all the acts of sabotage, and it led to these arguments, as one merchant accused another of being responsible.

    Tibs noted the man and woman, dressed in green and black, hassling the leathersmith. He stayed far enough they wouldn¡¯t notice him, since the guards and the people working for Sebastian knew him. Every few nights, when he found the time to train, another thief tried to get him discovered. He¡¯d won those encounters, and even got a couple of them caught in his stead, but he wasn¡¯t sure how far Sebastian would push this. Jackal was certain his father wasn¡¯t going to stop until he was crawling to him, asking for forgiveness.

    He couldn¡¯t hear what the might-be guards said, but he could read the promise of violence on their bodies. They were demanding some form of payment for the protection that should come simply by the shop being on the row, and the guild protecting the town.

    Tibs would find them later and¡­ he had no idea. He wanted to make them pay, but he didn¡¯t know how to go about it. If they were guards, Harry would take it as Tibs causing him problems, and even if the guard leader would know Tibs wasn¡¯t lying, would the two guards have the protection that meant Harry wouldn¡¯t be able to tell they were lying?

    His attempt at explaining that to Harry had gone so well the last time, with his lieutenant boldface lying to Harry about not having anything magical on her while Tibs could see the essence weave. But he couldn¡¯t point it out without having to explain how he saw it and¡­

    He wanted to scream in frustration.

    Instead, he stopped, spun, and glared at the fighter.

    The man stopped as if it had been his intent.

    Tibs didn¡¯t recognize him, but he had to be one of the new Runners. He was older, mean-looking, and wore a shirt of dirty gray-green rags. The pants were new, so he had been through the dungeon once. His essence was slightly denser than the townsfolk, but didn¡¯t have a tint. There were a lot of secrets in this man.

    ¡°Well?¡± Tibs demanded.

    People instinctively walked away from them, wary of the possibility of a fight, and it let Tibs spot the guard watching them. Was he looking to keep the fight from happening, or make sure it ended badly for Tibs? He hoped it was the former. He wanted there to be some guards he knew for certain were Harry¡¯s people.

    ¡°We need to talk.¡± The man¡¯s voice was deep and with a growl that made Tibs think it was how Bigger Brute should talk.

    ¡°Then talk.¡±

    ¡°Not here.¡± The man didn¡¯t look around. His brown eyes didn¡¯t even flick to show if it was the guard he was concerned about or someone else.

    Tibs didn¡¯t have the time. He had too much to do. ¡°You want a dark alley or a tavern?¡± But if he didn¡¯t deal with him, the fighter might act when Tibs needed it even less.

    The man looked at him suspiciously. Tibs¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t what he¡¯d expected. Tibs could fill a few taverns with the number of people who were surprised when he didn¡¯t act intimidated by them.

    ¡°Tavern.¡±

    At least this wasn¡¯t about stabbing him, then.

    The man nodded to the tavern between the cookware shop and cobbler. Tibs waited until the man headed in that direction to move and stayed out of reach. The fighter didn¡¯t have a weapon, but Jackal was proof that for some of them, fists were weapons enough.

    The tavern was busy; a combination of people pausing during their shopping and this being one of the few with good ale. Sto couldn¡¯t make ale in a way that would help the town. He could make water skins, and he could make ale, so he could fill one with the other, but when Tibs tried to explain about the barrels, Sto asked for him to bring one and¡­

    The man pointed to an empty table at the back, then headed for the bar. Most people were standing there, drinking in a hurry before heading back out. Tibs didn¡¯t see anyone eyeing him. One Runner sat alone on the other side of the room, looking in his tankard as if there might be an escape in it.

    Tibs sat, his back against the wall. The man returned with two tankards and placed one before Tibs as he sat.

    Tibs eyed it; felt the essences in it. There was corruption in it, but he¡¯d discovered that corruption was part of a lot of things, now that he could sense it. Poisons hadn¡¯t surprised him; But ale, wines, and spirits had. He took a long sip, watching the man. If there was poison in this, someone was in for a surprise.

    The man drank. ¡°I¡¯m told you¡¯re the one to talk to about surviving the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not allowed to talk about the dungeon outside of it.¡±

    The man leaned forward. ¡°Do I look like I give a fuck what the people running this place want? I wasn¡¯t planning on sticking around, but I saw what happened to a few who had the same idea. They pulled us out of bed so we could watch them being thrown in that thing buck ass naked.¡± He took another drink. ¡°Now I¡¯m thinking surviving that thing is my best bet. That means you telling me how.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been in,¡± Tibs said, then smiled at the man¡¯s surprise. ¡°The pants, they¡¯re from the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°The thief got¡ª¡±

    ¡°Rogue, if they¡¯re a Runner, they¡¯re called rogues.¡±

    The man narrowed his eyes. ¡°The rogue got them out of the hiding spot in that first room,¡± he said carefully.

    ¡°Did you steal them from your rogue?¡±

    ¡°I took them when one of those spears went through his head. I figured he wasn¡¯t going to need them anymore and they fit me. And it isn¡¯t like his skinny ass was going to be able to use them, anyway.¡±

    For the harshness of the tone and the way he sounded dismissive about a man dying before him, there was something that made Tibs think the core of it was true. He¡¯d taken them off a dead man. Was it because of his light essence, Darkness?

    ¡°I watched him turn to goo, and that sent the four of us running out. I¡¯m not going to end up like him, so don¡¯t force me to insist.¡±

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    Tibs raised an eyebrow, tankard to his mouth. ¡°You think you can force me?¡±

    ¡°Kid, I¡¯ve broken men three times your height, way thicker than you, and who knew how to kill people. You aren¡¯t even going to make me sweat.¡±

    ¡°Any of them able to do this?¡± Tibs pulled all the water out of the man¡¯s ale, turning it into essence to pass it through the tankard, and back into water, holding it above the table, crystal clear.

    The fear in the man¡¯s eyes was quickly covered up.

    ¡°I guess they didn¡¯t tell you everything about me.¡±

    ¡°How about you give me my drink back?¡± The trembling in his voice was small.

    He put the water back, but even before the man made a face after sipping it, Tibs knew it wouldn¡¯t be right. The essences he could sense hadn¡¯t mixed the same way; hadn¡¯t woven together as they had been.

    ¡°Look,¡± the man sounded more reasonable. ¡°There¡¯s no way you work with them, this guild. Story is that you saved the dungeon, but I don¡¯t believe¡ª¡± he looked in his tankard. ¡°Anyway, what I do know is that you¡¯re one of the few still alive who was dragged here with the first group. You¡¯ve been thrown into that thing more often than anyone else here. You can¡¯t tell me you aren¡¯t any less eager to get out of here than I am.¡±

    ¡°This is my town.¡± Tibs considered what he said next. ¡°So I¡¯m not leaving it.¡±

    The man snorted. ¡°You don¡¯t run this place. Best I can work out no one does right now, although some guy¡¯s looking to take control of it.¡±

    ¡°You plan on working for him?¡± Tibs tried to keep the question casual, but the man¡¯s expression turned guarded.

    ¡°What¡¯s it to you?¡±

    ¡°This is my town.¡± Tibs fixed his gaze on the man. ¡°The guild built it, and they brought me here. But it¡¯s my town. All I had before this was a box to keep the worse of the wind and cold off me, and I had to defend that if I wanted to return to it. I am not going to let Sebastian take this from me. If you plan on working for him, I¡¯d rather you walk your ass in the dungeon and let him eat you.¡±

    The man stared at Tibs. ¡°How old are you, kid?¡± Disbelief seeped into his tone.

    ¡°Old enough, I survived my Street. Old enough to be someone who survived the dungeon and who you came to for help.¡±

    ¡°You know the kind of man he is? If you get in his way, he¡¯s going to crush you.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°He knows. He tried, and I¡¯m still here.¡± Exaggerations were in his favor right now, not that he planned on letting Sebastian crush him when he tried.

    The fighter studied him as he sipped his tankard, then made a face and motioned to a server.

    ¡°How did you survive those early days in the dungeon?¡±

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°Are you, or are you not planning on working for Sebastian? I¡¯m not wasting my time with someone who¡¯s just going to get in my way later.¡±

    The tankard arrived, and the man handed the copper for it, having trouble letting go. As if it was dear to him, or something he¡¯d held onto for a long time. Had he come here with coins? The guards had taken everything Tibs had when they threw him in the cell, but maybe catacombs and kings did things differently.

    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±

    Tibs thought there was something there, again, and he believed him.

    ¡°I¡¯ve done the work-for-others thing, and it ended badly.¡± He smiled to himself as he sipped his ale. ¡°After that, I decided I¡¯d be the only one in charge of my decisions.¡±

    ¡°Protect your team. Make sure they protect you.¡±

    The man snorted. ¡°That¡¯s not how the world works, kid.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the world. It¡¯s the dungeon. If you want to survive it, you need a team and you need to trust them to keep you safe. Harry said you get told who¡¯s on your team, but if it¡¯s like it was for me, they¡¯re not going to care if you make your own. You¡¯re going to need a rogue who¡¯s clever enough to work out what the dungeon tries to hide. You¡¯re the fighter, so your job is to be the first one in the fights, keeping the creatures away from those who need distances for their attacks. That¡¯s your archer for sure, and probably your sorcerer, at least at first. Carina says that more powerful sorcerers can be on the front lines. They¡¯ll be able to pick off monsters so you don¡¯t get overwhelmed, and your rogue should be able to help out too, if he¡¯s any good.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s four. The teams always have five people.¡±

    ¡°Clerics aren¡¯t here yet, at least not to join the teams. I don¡¯t know when they¡¯ll do that. I figure you¡¯ll have the chance to pick one if you¡¯re still alive, then.¡±

    ¡°You expect me to trust a thief to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Rogue.¡±

    ¡°A rogue,¡± the man said irritatedly, ¡°at my back. All I¡¯m going to get out of it is a sword in it or its edge across my throat.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°You asked me how to survive your runs. Ask any of the teams who survived this long. You have to trust one another or you die.¡± He paused, his mood threatening to drop. ¡°Even if you have that, surviving isn¡¯t guaranteed. But if you want a chance, you need to have a team you trust.¡± Tibs snorted. ¡°Even Don¡¯s managed to put one together, and he¡¯s enough of an asshole, we all expected him to be kicked into the rats by the first team he made.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard the name before.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a sorcerer with corruption as his element. Water¡¯s mine. He thinks he¡¯s better than everyone here, even the nobles.¡±

    ¡°And you say he has a team he¡¯s able to control, even though everyone hates him?¡± the man asked thoughtfully.

    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it. Don¡¯s got no problem using his element. He¡¯s going to have you begging to stop.¡±

    ¡°Kid.¡± The man stood. ¡°I don¡¯t beg.¡±

    * * * * *

    The man fell onto the free chair next to Tibs, shattering it. Tibs watched the man curled in pain on the floor before looking at Don, standing smugly next to Akron, his fighter.

    ¡°Did you really think you could use him to get rid of me?¡± the sorcerer asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t even need his help to deal with him.¡±

    Jackal shook his head at Don. ¡°You know you¡¯re going to have to replace that chair, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with that too,¡± Don replied.

    ¡°I told you not to think about it,¡± Tibs told the man, then to Don. ¡°I didn¡¯t send him. I told him you were good enough to build a team you trusted to protect you. He decided that was the team he wanted.¡±

    Don put his hands on the table. ¡°You¡¯re lying. You think I didn¡¯t notice how no one¡¯s paying attention to me anymore? Yet you¡¯re still the savior of the dungeon? I know you¡¯re behind that, too.¡±

    ¡°Might have more to do with that ever so pleasant attitude of yours, Don,¡± Jackal said, grinning at the sorcerer. ¡°You know Tibs doesn¡¯t care enough about you or how good you think your team is. He¡¯s got me, so he already has the best the town has to offer.¡±

    The sorcerer sneered. ¡°You think you compare to me? I seem to recall you on your knees before me, crying.¡±

    ¡°Pain¡¯ll do that to me,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°Meet me on the training field if you ever want another go at it.¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t worth my time.¡± He glared at Tibs. ¡°Neither of you are.¡± Don spun and screamed in fright as he faced an angry Kroseph.

    ¡°The chair, Don,¡± the server said through clenched teeth.

    ¡°I was heading to pay for it,¡± the sorcerer hurried to say, then was pushing through the crowd, the server on his heel.

    Jackal looked at Akron. ¡°You know he¡¯s going to get you to pay him back.¡±

    The fighter shrugged. ¡°I can deal with his temper if it means surviving the dungeon. You two watch yourself. The town¡¯s turned nasty recently.¡± He headed for the exit.

    Tibs crouched next to the man on the floor. The corruption was hooked deep within his body. Looking solid in the otherwise ephemeral essence. He had warned him, so Tibs didn¡¯t have to do anything. The cleric should be able to deal with this before the run, and since Don was the only person with corruption in the town, he wouldn¡¯t be able to deny doing this.

    Only, this wasn¡¯t Don just being an asshole.

    Tibs had no doubt this man would have gone as far as killing Don to get the team. And considering how strong Don was, this was only a small use of his essence. Tibs could get a candy to dissolve into foul-smelling goo just by pushing corruption essence into it. What could Don do to a person with his?

    Harry already didn¡¯t like the recruits, so how was he going to act to someone attempting to kill a Runner? Would it be just a cell? Or did he have worse punishment planned for them?

    He took the man by the shoulder and pulled him onto a chair, absorbing most of the essence in the process and disrupting what was left. The pain would quickly go away, but if it was the same as what Tibs had done to his friends. The man would be sick for a while.

    ¡°It¡¯ll pass,¡± Tibs said, ¡°Don¡¯s quick to put people who don¡¯t matter to him out of his mind.¡±

    ¡°I am so glad he was nowhere near this strong when I pissed him off,¡± Jackal said. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°What d''you care?¡± the man snarled.

    Jackal took Tibs¡¯s tankard and placed it before the man. ¡°I¡¯m Jackal, you already know Tibs. Seeing how we¡¯re all on Don¡¯s bad side, we might as well get to know each other.¡±

    The man glared at the sorcerer¡¯s back. ¡°Does he have a good side?¡±

    Don and Kroseph¡¯s father were arguing, and it didn¡¯t look to be going in Don¡¯s favor.

    Jackal chuckled. ¡°Not that I¡¯ve ever seen, but he¡¯s held on to his team, so there has to be something there, right?¡±

    The man took the tankard. ¡°I¡¯m Quigly. Quigly Marshal.¡± He drained it.

    Tibs waited until Kroseph looked in their direction to motion for more ale. As the server stepped behind the bar, Don handed a silver piece to his father.

    ¡°Tell me, Quigly Marshall,¡± Jackal said, studying the man. ¡°What did you do to get sent to the catacombs they took you out of?¡±

    The man smiled and fought to keep it as he straightened through the pain. ¡°I killed an entire regiment of King Barnacle the Just by myself.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 51

    ¡°Have you ever heard of a King Barnacle the Just?¡± Tibs asked Alistair, who was seated before him on the floor, legs crossed over each other in a way that looked to be painful, but his teacher didn¡¯t seem to mind. Tibs was seated on the floor too, but his legs crossed the normal way. This was supposed to be another session of him trying to push his essence out of his reserve, but since that had already happened when he¡¯d absorbed some of Bardik¡¯s essence, his mind kept wandering.

    He really wanted to tell his teacher about that, so they could move on to something useful to him, but¡­

    Secrets weren¡¯t supposed to make his life difficult.

    ¡°I can¡¯t say the name is familiar,¡± Alistair answered, eyes closed, ¡°but the world is large, and there are many kings. Now focus on your reserve, Tibs.¡± For a few seconds, during which Tibs fought the urge to ask why there were so many kings, the only sound was their breathing. Alistair sighed. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°One of the recruits claims to have killed one of his regiments.¡±

    Alistair opened an eye. ¡°Did he, now?¡±

    ¡°Is he lying?¡±

    ¡°Do you know how large a regiment is?¡±

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°Jackal told me it¡¯s a group of people that fights for a king, and there¡¯s a lot of them in one, but he didn¡¯t know the number.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll vary in size between kingdoms. The smallest I know of is made out of two hundred and fifty soldiers. Julius of Bastalon keeps his regiments at one thousand.¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t bother working out the size of the numbers. Hundreds were enough to boggle his mind, so a thousand would be bigger.

    ¡°Then he¡¯s lying.¡±

    ¡°Exaggerating, at the very least. Did he say if he was alone when he did it?¡±

    ¡°Sort of.¡± Tibs shrugged. ¡°I killed a regiment, is what he said. Maybe he was trying to impress us.¡±

    Alistair looked thoughtful. ¡°Criminals are not who I tend to interact with, certainly not any that would be pulled from catacombs. Unlike you and those who arrived before, they aren¡¯t breaking laws simply in the pursuit of surviving. They¡¯ll be at ease with it. Laws are¡ª¡±

    ¡°Rules,¡± Tibs said. ¡°Like the ones Harry set for the town. I know what laws are. So those recruits, they¡¯re all bad people?¡±

    Alistair started responding, but stopped. ¡°The laws they broke are king¡¯s laws. That makes them more important, but not all laws are just. If this king Barnacle feels the need to proclaim himself ¡®the just¡¯, I doubt he is. It doesn¡¯t mean what this recruit you speak of did was right, if he did it, but he may have felt his reasons for it were good.¡±

    Tibs thought about Bardik, who was willing to kill Sto to stop the guild from exploiting people like him. ¡°What happened to Bardik?¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°He was the leader of those who tried to kill the dungeon. He was an adventurer, and he has darkness as his element.¡±

    ¡°Right, him. You knew him. He was here because he¡¯d broken guild rules, then trying to destroy a dungeon is among the worse thing he could have attempted. He was sent to Castle Despair.¡±

    ¡°I thought he was sent to a prison.¡±

    ¡°The castle is a prison, or rather, its catacombs. That¡¯s where we send prisoners who are too powerful to be held anywhere else.¡± Alistair studied Tibs. ¡°Put him out of your mind, Tibs. No one sent to Castle Despair ever leaves it.¡±

    Tibs closed his eyes. He thought it would be kinder to just kill Bardik instead of sending him to a place like that. ¡°So, could he have killed a regiment?¡±

    ¡°Bardik?¡± Alistair asked, surprised.

    ¡°No, Quigly. That¡¯s his name. The recruit¡¯s name.¡±

    ¡°Could one man kill a full regiment?¡± his teacher mused. ¡°A smaller one, maybe, if this man knows how they operate and had time to prepare the terrain. But such a man wouldn¡¯t be here. A man who defies a king this solidly is beheaded in front of a crowd to ensure it¡¯s never attempted again.¡± Alistair fell silent, and Tibs opened his eyes. Alistair looked back at him in curiosity. ¡°It is possible that your recruit was caught for something else. A king can¡¯t act in reprisal if he doesn¡¯t know he has that culprit in a cell. But then, he wouldn¡¯t be in the catacombs.¡±

    Tibs hesitated. ¡°Why are you looking at me like this is my fault?¡±

    Alistair chuckled. ¡°That isn¡¯t why I¡¯m looking at you. If anyone else had told me this, I¡¯d tell them the man was outright lying to them. But you, Tibs. You have a habit of attracting the oddest people.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Look at your team. The son of a master criminal. A man claiming to be the cleric of Darkness, when no such thing is even possible. You, a rogue, have befriended Harry Hard Knuckles, whose dislike for us is so intense that if not for his orders from the guild, we¡¯d all be in cells.¡±

    ¡°Harry isn¡¯t my friend,¡± Tibs scoffed. ¡°He doesn¡¯t even like me.¡±

    ¡°But he respects you enough to ask for your help. That¡¯s an even harder thing to make happen¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not special,¡± Tibs grumbled. He didn¡¯t want to be respected by the guard leader, or the guild. He wanted to be Tibs, Runner and rogue, and nothing else.

    ¡°Your eyes contradict you, Tibs,¡± Alistair replied with a smile. ¡°But it¡¯s also how you think and what you¡¯ve accomplished.¡± His teacher¡¯s expression became serious. ¡°I suspect that you, Tibs, will be someone who accomplishes great things, given time.¡±

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª I¡¯m not¡ª¡± Tibs¡¯s frustration strangled the words. He was only interested in keeping the town safe, surviving his runs, reaching Epsilon, and then¡­

    He didn¡¯t know what would happen then. He¡¯d be an adventurer and no longer a Runner. But that didn¡¯t mean he¡¯d do what Alistair thought.

    And he wouldn¡¯t do anything if he couldn¡¯t figure out a way to graduate despite not being able to push water out of his reserve. ¡°I¡¯m going to start by reaching Lambda,¡± he told his teacher resolutely and closed his eyes. There had to be a way to make himself slippery, as had been described, without suffusing his body with water.

    * * * * *

    The thief moved cautiously through the dark alleys.

    She knew she was being followed. Anytime Tibs got close enough to watch her, she looked over her shoulder and around, even up. She¡¯d almost seen him one time, despite his dark clothing against the night sky. So now, he relied on his senses, keeping track of her faint essence.

    He hadn¡¯t been able to stop her sabotage. She¡¯d sneaked into a tavern¡¯s stockroom, the Sleeping Drunk, and had poured something into a handful of smaller barrels. Tibs hadn¡¯t felt the corruption she was carrying until it poured out of the container, and it reacted with the drink too quickly for him to stop it.

    Smaller barrels meant more expensive alcohol, spirits of some kind; since wines were in bottles. She got to half the barrels before Tibs could pull the corruption out of what she poured as she poured it. He wanted to get close, to take the container and find out why he couldn¡¯t sense through it, but since he hadn¡¯t been able to stop her from causing damage, he wanted to follow her to whoever was giving the orders.

    He wanted to hand over that person to Harry. Hopefully, they would have a connection to Sebastian that Harry wouldn¡¯t be able to ignore.

    When she stepped out of the alleys and onto the road, they were in the part of the town the workers called the garden neighborhood because of the large section of grass around which the houses were built. Not every house was finished, but she walked with purpose along the street, so Tibs thought they were close to her destination.

    He was down in the lane, ready to continue following her from the ground when he realized there was essence over him and jumped in time to avoid the crate that fell. He¡¯d been so focused on his saboteur, and used to ignoring normal essence, that he hadn¡¯t paid attention to what had been in the balcony¡¯s doorway. He barely made out the form of someone disappearing inside.

    He cursed at the the tools that spilled out of the broken crate and rushed for the end of the lane before his target moved out of his range, or left the neighborhood for one with people still out at this hour and he lost track of her among all that faint essence.

    A man stepped out of a darkened doorway and Tibs threw himself to the side at the sight of torch light reflecting off metal. The knife flew by and he was running toward them. They drew a sword and Tibs stopped.

    This was more than just keeping him from following her.

    ¡°We don¡¯t like it when people interfere in our business,¡± the man said.

    Tibs cursed again. She was reaching the edge of his range. He ran again, sending air essence before him, hardening it and compressing it. This man didn¡¯t know who Tibs was, and he couldn¡¯t see his eyes in the dark. When he stepped on the essence, it sent him over the man, who cursed and tried to slice him up.

    Tibs landed on the other side and ran.

    He was making back what he¡¯d lost when he noticed people stepping out of doorways and he felt more of them ahead.

    This many people shouldn''t be leaving their houses at this time of the night, and not out of deserted homes. They stayed by the doors. He slowed as he stepped onto the street, then slowed again. Seven of them stepped forward, each armed with a sword.

    ¡°I told you,¡± the man behind him said. ¡°We don¡¯t like it when people in our town step out of line.¡±

    ¡°This is my town,¡± Tibs hissed. ¡°And I don¡¯t like having criminals causing problems for the people who live here.¡± Himself against eight people. He wasn¡¯t Jackal, and he wasn¡¯t sure the fighter could take on these odds, even with his stone skin.

    He cursed. He wasn¡¯t finding out where she was going tonight, but he had still learned something. Sebastian had spread his people further in his town than Tibs had thought.

    He ran for an alley, and the closest people to it rushed to block it. Two women and a man. Tibs armored an arm and made a sword out of ice. He blocked and cut one, then shouldered the other aside. The last jumped on him and they went down.

    Using earth, he strengthened his elbow strike, and she was off him with a surprised cry of pain. He was running, then climbing, and only once he was many roofs away did he slow. The cuts in his shirt were coated with a liquid that had a lot of corruption in it. They might not be chasing him because they expected him to be dead soon, regardless.

    * * * * *

    ¡°I,¡± Tibs announced as he dropped into the chair, ¡°am going to kill each and every one of them.¡±

    Jackal looked at him, tankard to his lips. ¡°That¡¯s a lot of people, Tibs. And the town needs them to be, you know, a town.¡±

    Tibs glared at the fighter. ¡°Sebastian¡¯s people.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll help.¡± He drank, then returned to eating.

    ¡°What have they done, this time, to enrage you such?¡± Khumdar asked.

    ¡°They¡¯re ensconced in that new neighborhood that¡¯s almost finished.¡±

    Jackal nodded. ¡°My father considers the town his, and he¡¯s going to make sure his people can move about without problems, and with most of the guards under his control, that neighborhood is only the start.¡±

    ¡°How many guards have that magical item that lets them lie to Harry?¡± Carina asked.

    Tibs shrugged. Other than the lieutenant, he suspected a handful of them had one, but all he could say was that they had something with woven essence in it. Not what it did, since he couldn¡¯t tell what most of the essences were.

    ¡°And they don¡¯t need one to get away with lies,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Knuckles is too sure people are afraid to lie to him. And he doesn¡¯t believe anyone can lie to him.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you should show him,¡± Carina said, ¡°since you said you could lie without actually lying.¡±

    Jackal snorted. ¡°I¡¯d end up in a cell until I¡¯d died of old age. Us Wells can be a vindictive bunch at times.¡±

    ¡°I thought Wells were smart,¡± Tibs replied.

    ¡°Have you met me?¡± Jackal asked, offended.

    ¡°You really think that act fools any of us, Jackal?¡± she asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s not an act,¡± he protested. ¡°I¡¯m as dense as the stone I¡¯m made of.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡± She patted his hand. ¡°If it makes you feel better, I believe you.¡±

    He smiled. ¡°It does.¡±

    ¡°My dumb and loving man,¡± Kroseph said, placing a plate with meats and vegetables before Tibs, along with a tankard. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have him any other way.¡±

    ¡°I thought you¡¯d have me any way you could¡ª¡±

    Tibs gagged. ¡°About to eat here. How about you keep that to your special times?¡±

    ¡°And how special they are,¡± Kroseph said, grinning as he took the empty plates and tankards.

    ¡°You can go with him,¡± Tibs said to Jackal, as the fighter longingly looked at his man.

    ¡°After the last time I took him away while he worked, his father made it very clear what he¡¯d do to me if I did it again.¡± He grinned at Tibs. ¡°And I need that part so I can¡ª¡±

    Tibs groaned as loudly as he could, and Jackal laughed.

    ¡°Have you considered,¡± Khumdar said, watching Tibs, ¡°that this goal of you handling this situation by yourself may be unrealistic?¡±

    ¡°Are you volunteering to help?¡± Carina asked. ¡°We will as soon as Tibs stops going alone all the time.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re sleeping when the sabotage takes place,¡± Tibs replied.

    ¡°I too will help, although my skills may not be well suited for such a direct endeavor.¡±

    ¡°Then that¡¯s just three of us,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Is it?¡± The cleric smiled. ¡°Have you, perhaps, not looked around?¡±

    Tibs looked at the room, along with Carina and Jackal. At the people eating, Kroseph and one of his visiting sisters serving them. His father, behind the bar, laughing with the people standing there. Russel, stepping out of the kitchen to drop a platter of food on the counter for one of the other servers to take.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think Kroseph¡¯s family can do much to help us,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s who he means,¡± Carina said thoughtfully.

    Tibs looked around again¡¯ at the people eating, drinking, arguing, making plans for their next runs. Most of them were Runners.

    ¡°They aren¡¯t going to help,¡± he said bitterly. ¡°All they want to do is get out of this town.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 52

    ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Learbel exclaimed. He was one of the survivors of Sto¡¯s ¡®rampage¡¯ which Tibs knew mostly by sight. ¡°I¡¯m not putting my team at risk for a bunch of merchants.¡±

    Tibs had gathered as many of the team leaders as he could into an unused building by the bazaar grounds. It was used to store the caravan¡¯s goods when they were here, and unused the rest of the time, as far as Tibs could tell.

    The two dozen or so Runners were mostly from before Sto reopened, with only three from after, and Tibs counted eight nobles, which confused him since he hadn¡¯t invited any of them. Mez¡¯s noble friend was among them, so Tibs figured the archer had told her and she¡¯d told the others and they had come to¡­ He didn¡¯t know why they were here.

    ¡°I¡¯m with Lear,¡± Johanson said, sitting on an empty crate. She was an older leader, not from the original group, but she¡¯d been a Runner longer than almost anyone else here other than Tibs. ¡°Getting in the middle of what¡¯s going on is a bad idea. I get that you want to help, Tibs. I don¡¯t get why you think the rest of us should make an enemy of the people who are going to run the place.¡±

    ¡°The guild runs the town,¡± Tibs said, and she smirked.

    Fine, so they didn¡¯t actually run anything, other than the guards, and barely that right now. They had still set up the town and owned the land, which Darran said meant something, not that Tibs understood it.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t our lives hard enough already?¡± a girl asked softly. She was one from after Sto had reopened. Tibs didn¡¯t know her either. The times he¡¯d seen her, she kept to the walls, looking like she was afraid anyone would pay attention to her. ¡°We might be dead on the next run, shouldn¡¯t we just focus on surviving that?¡±

    She blushed as the others looked at her, and Tibs wondered how she became a team leader.

    Instead of someone coming to her aid, she got Rorgar, who snorted. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go back to your room and let the adults handle this?¡±

    She glared at the fighter and momentarily looked older. Tibs realized that under the shy woman was a fierce core. Rorgar glared down the people snickering, while the nobles simply watched. Tibs couldn¡¯t read their intentions and that worried him more than the derision directed at either the shy woman or Rorgar.

    The fighter nodded to Tibs. ¡°I¡¯m in. Been around enough rackets like this to know merchants¡¯ trouble always ends up affecting the small people like us. We need them to buy the stuff the dungeon gives us. Unless you think the guild¡¯s going to pay us favorably for anything they aren¡¯t already forcing us to hand over for a pittance?¡±

    That was one team, hopefully not the la¡ª

    ¡°Me and my team are in.¡±

    Tibs stared at Don as the crowd moved away from him. He had invited him, because not doing that would have been a dungeon¡¯s worth of trouble, but he hadn¡¯t expected the sorcerer to show up.

    ¡°What? You think you¡¯re the only one here who wants this place to survive and not become some criminal¡¯s playground?¡± he looked around. ¡°He isn¡¯t the only one who¡¯s been trying to fix this quietly, just the one making sure everyone knows he¡¯s doing it.¡±

    Tibs kept his disbelief to himself, unlike some of the others. So he had two teams, maybe. Don would try to take over, make this about him, and Tibs would have to figure out how much of that trouble his help was worth.

    ¡°I,¡± one of the older Runner said, looking the room over, ¡°could be convinced to help.¡± She was on the most recent recruits, and a rogue, since she ran the dungeon, but Tibs had trouble not thinking of her simply as a thief.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have coins to pay you,¡± Tibs said and went back to looking at the others, hoping someone else would be willing to help.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I hear,¡± she replied, forcing Tibs to come back to her. ¡°Word is, you¡¯re tight with the people in charge of this place, well, those in charge for now. Why don¡¯t you convince them my¡ªour¡ªhelp¡¯s worth silver, if not gold.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t include me in your racket, Embun,¡± another one said, and Tibs looked around as he realized he, too, was from the recent arrivals. Instead of two dozen people, he was close to three and zero. ¡°He¡¯s looking to end a protection racket, not switch to you running it.¡±

    ¡°What, you don¡¯t want the assholes who got us into this to pay for it?¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you in a cell?¡± a younger woman said, ¡°like the rest of us? That means you¡¯re here because of your own actions. My understanding is that you older folk were caught doing some really bad stuff, while the rest of us were just trying to survive. Maybe you should just be happy you get a chance to live and actually do something positive with it.¡±

    ¡°If I may,¡± a tall and thin man said, stepping away from the nobles and stopping Embun¡¯s response. He wore a sorcerer¡¯s robe in bright orange with blue trim that looked too flimsy to survive runs, but it was woven through tightly with essence.

    Tibs fought the urge to tell him to get out, to tell that to all the nobles. What did people like them care about merchants who catered to Runners?

    He looked the crowd over like a¡­well a noble. ¡°I understand that what is happening may be somewhat beyond your comprehension. After all, you are criminals, no matter how you came to be so and how you are now helping society through running the dungeons. This town and this dungeon, along with everyone in them, are an ecosystem. One that corruption, no matter how inevitable it may be, does not help.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s rich,¡± Embun said, sneering. ¡°You, talking about corruption being bad, when all you nobles do is corrupt everything you touch.¡±

    ¡°I beg to differ,¡± the sorcerer replied, barely masking his contempt. ¡°I do not go around robbing law-abiding citizenry. I have chosen to be here. I have chosen to put my life at risk for the good of society.¡±

    ¡°Oh sure,¡± Freya said, yawning. ¡°You¡¯re such a credit to nobles everywhere. Must get exhausting patting yourself on the back like that, or do you get your noble buddies to do it for you? Not sure why you expect us to join in, I mean, nobles are the reason I¡¯m in here, something about me not living up to her expectations.¡± She shooed him away. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go back to your buddies so you can all be impressed with how you keep helping the lower class.¡±

    The man harrumphed. ¡°What I am looking to impress on you, girl, is that no matter what you think, corruption has no place in the world.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a load of shit,¡± Don said, stepping toward the noble. ¡°Corruption¡¯s an element of the world, not only that, it¡¯s considered one of the core elements. It¡¯s my element. So if you think you can insult it without reprisal, think again. You can ask everyone here. I don¡¯t take kindly to being insulted.¡±

    The noble sighed, pained. ¡°Child, do not presume to¡ª¡±

    Tibs elbowed the man as he got between them. ¡°No, Don.¡± Tibs glared at the muscular woman who stepped forward. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡±

    Don lowered his gaze to Tibs, and the hate was bright. ¡°Are you defending that?¡± he demanded. ¡°Do you have any idea what they are?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not defending them,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°I¡¯m keeping you from making a mistake.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡± Don ground his teeth. ¡°They aren¡¯t going to thank you,¡± he hissed.

    Tibs snorted. ¡°I¡¯m not doing it for them.¡±

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    The sorcerer calmed. ¡°Fine. He isn¡¯t worth my time, anyway.¡± He moved away.

    Tibs relaxed. That could have been really bad.

    ¡°Thank you, Light Fingers,¡± the man said, rubbing his stomach where Tibs¡¯s elbow connected. ¡°I am glad to see one of you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you listen?¡± Tibs rounded on the man. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it for you. Just say what you want so we can get back to the work of keeping the town safe.¡±

    The man narrowed his eyes, which swirled with gray, and Tibs wondered what element he had.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Balder,¡± a woman said, placing a hand on his shoulder. ¡°They have lived under the kind of nobles that put us all to shame. While misdirected, their anger is justified. It is good to see you again, Tibs.¡± Her eyes were fire red. Tibs tried to remember her name; Mez had introduced her once. Amelia, maybe? ¡°Balder¡¯s team, as well as my own, will help.¡±

    Her statement was met with disbelieving laughter.

    The man bristled, but she didn¡¯t react.

    Tibs reminded himself that Mez vouched for her and that while he hadn¡¯t looked in on what she did recently, he had never found her doing anything against the town or the people in it.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± he told the room. He really hoped he wasn¡¯t going to regret this. ¡°We¡¯re going to need all the help we can get.¡±

    The door opened and everyone turned to glare at the new arrival.

    Cross stopped and looked them over. ¡°Way to make a girl feel welcome. You know, Tibs, you could have invited me. That way, I wouldn¡¯t have had to find out about this little gathering when I noticed way too many team leaders weren¡¯t in any of their usual taverns.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± a muscular man in a sorcerer¡¯s robe demanded, fire flicking over his hands.

    Cross sighed. ¡°What I¡¯m doing here, other than pointing out that if the goal was for this to be a secret meeting, you have failed utterly. I¡¯m surprised there¡¯s no one out there waiting to take you out when you leave, is telling you to put that out before I make you burn yourself with it.¡±

    ¡°Cross,¡± Tibs said with a sigh. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m paid by the merchants to watch over their stalls. It¡¯s only a question of time before they¡¯re targeted too, so of course, I¡¯m here to help. I¡¯m hurt you didn¡¯t ask me, though.¡±

    ¡°This is a town problem,¡± Tibs said, studying her. She had secrets, like everyone, and he believed she wanted to help, even if he didn¡¯t have a sense of truth from her he sometimes got.

    ¡°And I¡¯m in town, so I¡¯ll help. And I can make part of this easier since I have a working relationship with a lot of the merchants already.¡±

    Embun snorted. ¡°And what happens when someone pays you more than the merchants? Like the guy causing the troubles. You sell-swords are like that, right, working for whomever has the most money?¡±

    ¡°Girl,¡± Cross said with a sigh, ¡°you do not want to get into this with me.¡±

    Tibs moved between them as Embun dropped from the crate she sat on. ¡°Enough.¡±

    ¡°Move it, Kid,¡± she said, ¡°before I move you.¡±

    ¡°Touch him,¡± a man said before Tibs could warn her off, ¡°and I will rip that hand off.¡± Quigly stepped out from the others.

    Tibs was getting tired of being surprised by who was showing up.

    ¡°What are you doing here, Quig?¡± Embun asked. ¡°It¡¯s for team leaders.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s for anyone with the guts to help,¡± the fighter replied. ¡°And helping people is how I ended up here, so I¡¯m not going to stop.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I hear,¡± she replied. ¡°Butcher of Arrow Pass.¡±

    For a second Tibs thought he¡¯d have a fight on his hand, but Quigly simply smiled.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t believe everything you hear.¡± He looked around. ¡°Look, none of us asked to be here and I don¡¯t know what your situation was like, but this is an improvement over the hole in the ground I was shoved in. No matter if you deserved to be there or not, this is a chance at a better life. In case you missed that speech when we got here. When we get good enough, we will be allowed some level of freedom. We need the dungeon for that, we need the town and the merchants. Like the noble said, this all works together and we want it to work well so we can do our runs and gain our freedom.¡±

    The following silence felt stunned, then broke into pockets of discussion.

    ¡°Who¡¯s the hunk?¡± Cross asked Tibs, forcing him to look away from Quigly and trying to figure out what that Butcher comment had been about. She was pointing at him. ¡°You know if he¡¯s taken?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t. And if you¡¯re going to make him your special guy, keep that away from me.¡±

    ¡°A guy doesn¡¯t have to be that special for me to be interested in him,¡± she replied, looking the fighter over appreciatively. ¡°Just good enough for me to drag him into¡ª¡±

    ¡°I so don¡¯t wanna know,¡± Tibs growled before walking away from her. What was with people and talking about what they wanted to do with someone around him?

    * * * * *

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this just exchanging one set of problems for another?¡± the woman demanded, looking Tibs, Cross, and Darran over. She seemed to include the merchant in the ¡®set of problems¡¯.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see how working with people who benefit from our continued prosperity is a problem,¡± Darran replied. ¡°Not to mention that I can vouch for Tibs Light Fingers¡¯s intentions. He has been a loyal customer since he started getting enough coins to buy from me.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re no better than those crooks swindling us,¡± a man said, his voice rising as he spoke. ¡°Right now they¡¯ll do it for free, but you¡¯ll see. The moment the competition¡¯s gone, they¡¯re going to become the problem.¡± The man cursed. ¡°I came here to escape that kind of stuff. I was told the adventurer¡¯s guild didn¡¯t stand for this kind of behavior.¡±

    They were in the Long in the Tooth tavern. Old man Walrus had been taken away for his part in Bardik¡¯s attack on the dungeon, but his daughter took it over. Harry had questioned her intensely and said she hadn¡¯t been involved. She¡¯d also been one of the harder hit by the sabotage.

    ¡°You believed that?¡± a man said. One of the two tailors who was still doing okay. ¡°Guilds only looked after their own interests and nothing else. What I want to know is how adding more guards will help. From what I hear, the man behind the problems has a vault filled with platinum. He¡¯s just going to pay these¡­¡± he looked at Tibs. ¡°Questionable folks and they¡¯ll end up working for him too. It¡¯s not like he¡¯s going to care which criminals he hires for the work. No offense meant, Mister Light Fingers.¡±

    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s taking offense anyway,¡± Cross said. ¡°He put a lot of work in convincing the others you lot are worth their help, considering all you do is fleece them.¡±

    ¡°Johanna,¡± a woman said, actively ignoring the tankard before her¡ªshe owned one of the other taverns, ¡°do watch your language. You work for us, not them.¡±

    ¡°Actually, I work for them.¡± Cross motioned around the room, ¡°not you, seeing how you haven¡¯t needed a guard among all of this. Exactly why did you come?¡± she didn¡¯t wait for a reply. ¡°You hired me to help keep some of your stuff safe. What¡¯s the point if someone¡¯s getting to everything else you own? They¡¯re offering to help. You don¡¯t want it. You¡¯re free to leave.¡± She looked at the seated tavern owner. ¡°Of course, you leave now, and you won¡¯t be able to report what¡¯s going to be decided here and use that as a bargaining chip to try and lower the protection fee you¡¯re paying.¡± She looked around. ¡°That is what those of you here already paying are hoping for, right?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡± Tibs yelled over the erupting protest. A lot of them had taken offense to Cross¡¯s words. They stopped arguing as they shifted their attention to him. ¡°I don¡¯t care if Sebastian Wells knows what we¡¯re doing. He already knows I¡¯ve stopped some of the sabotages.¡± He ignored the surprised exclamations. ¡°The only way this town gets rid of him is if we all help each other. That means those of you paying him, too.¡±

    ¡°You think saving the dungeon means you can do anything, kid?¡± the grizzled old leathersmith said. ¡°Do you have any idea what happens to people who get in the way of groups like this?¡± he sighed. ¡°I¡¯m with Randolf. I came here hoping a small town would be easier on me than a city, but I should have known better. Mark my words, the only way to survive this is to pay them.¡±

    Lies, Tibs almost yelled, surprised by the certainty of his feeling. He didn¡¯t know what part of what the man said was the lie, but there was a big one in there.

    ¡°It must have helped that Alan¡¯s leather was mysteriously destroyed, right?¡± Darran said. ¡°It means that until he can get more, you¡¯re the only one anyone can go to. You¡¯ve been making a lot more money, right? How much of that have you been able to keep?¡±

    ¡°I had nothing to do with what happened.¡± The old man said, and Tibs believed him. ¡°If he¡¯d paid them, they would have left him alone. And you¡¯re one to speak, Darran. You thieves do cling together, don¡¯t you?¡± He eyed Tibs.

    ¡°Tibs is a rogue,¡± Darran said. ¡°And why are we, merchants, not clinging together? Are we not one brotherhood the same as those who pick pockets, cast spells, or arrows? How can we simply stand aside and let this man, this Sebastian Wells, come into our town and demand that we pay him for the privilege of doing our trade? I say that we stand with the Runners and oust him.¡±

    Rolls of the eyes and jeers answered him, and Darran¡¯s face turned red with anger. Tibs placed a hand on his arm as he was about to say something and shook his head.

    He waited for the room to be quiet. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you here to tell you we wanted to be paid for our help. I¡¯m here to tell you that you are going to be protected. All of you, that are paying Sebastian or not. This is my town, our town. I¡¯m not letting him take it from me.¡±

    ¡°Kid,¡± the leathersmith started.

    ¡°What¡¯s he going to do to me?¡± Tibs cut him off, ¡°that the dungeon can¡¯t do a hundred times worse? I might die anytime I step in him. I don¡¯t want to have to worry about that when I¡¯m in my town. I won¡¯t. He¡¯s already threatening what I care about, so I am going to stop him. If you don¡¯t want us to help you, that¡¯s fine. You can want that. But I¡¯m still going to do it because my town needs you to survive.¡±

    ¡°Kids,¡± someone muttered, ¡°always thinking they can do anything.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± someone else said, ¡°at least this one¡¯s proved he can do something. I say we let him try.¡±

    The merchants began talking among them, even arguing. Some stormed off, others tried to sway those who were agreeing to let Tibs do what he wanted.

    In the end, of the six and three merchants who had gathered, more than half gave him their blessing.

    Tibs was pleased with that. The rest could simply complain as he went about keeping them safe from Sebastian. And once the man had been kicked out, Tibs wouldn¡¯t even expect thanks from them.

 Stepping up, Chapter 53

    The guards on each side of the dungeon¡¯s door eyed Tibs, ignoring Jackal. The cleric was a woman of Carina¡¯s age with pale skin.

    ¡°Do any of you need healing?¡± she asked.

    ¡°You¡¯re not doing anything for them,¡± the smaller of the two guards said in a flat tone.

    ¡°It is my duty to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Unless you want to be healing yourself,¡± he said, tone turning hard, ¡°you¡¯re going to do what you¡¯re told.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re fine,¡± Jackal said as she started to protest. ¡°We take it easy between runs.¡± He grinned as the guards looked at him hatefully.

    For the last week, they, as well as the other teams who had agreed to help, had been busy discreetly guarding the shops. Serba had slipped Tibs information via her dogs on which were due to be targeted for sabotage, as well as which of Sebastian¡¯s people were posing as guards.

    It had led to days of the fighters dragging the posers into alleys for beatings or interfering with the guards who were in Sebastian¡¯s employ, and nights of chasing down saboteurs and thieves looking to cause trouble.

    Tibs¡¯s nights had been more troublesome than the others, since many times, he was the one being hunted by Sebastian¡¯s people, instead of the reverse. But, the result was the same, they ended up hurt, instead of him.

    ¡°Hey Dungeon,¡± Jackal called as soon as he stepped inside. ¡°I hope you¡¯re ready for a fight because we¡¯ve been getting a lot of practice in recently.¡±

    The taller guard looked at Jackal as if he was crazy. From the conversations Tibs had overheard, it seemed to be the consensus, among those working for Sebastian who knew of Jackal, that he was insane for not working for his father. His actions now only served to add to the belief.

    ¡°Oh, I am ready,¡± Sto replied smugly. ¡°This time you aren¡¯t breaking my avatar.¡±

    Tibs could imagine Sto¡¯s impatience as he walked in silence.

    ¡°Come on, Tibs, tell him,¡± Sto let out in a huff. ¡°How am I supposed to gloat if you aren¡¯t going to tell him.¡±

    Tibs looked over his shoulder to confirm he was far enough. ¡°Sto¡¯s going to kick your ass.¡±

    ¡°Good enough,¡± The dungeon said as Jackal snorted.

    Tibs paused by the doorway and looked at the glowing stone on the wall, sensing the essences that made it. It was mainly stone and light, as he expected, with a little of something else he couldn¡¯t identify. He figured metal since the stone was decorated with metallic filaments.

    ¡°These are the best vegetables Kro could get me.¡± Jackal had dumped the content of his pack on the floor. ¡°They really like what you¡¯ve been providing, especially those nut things, Russ loves those. But I figure that the more kinds you have, the better it is for everyone.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d complain about him expecting me to be some sort of food booth,¡± Sto replied, ¡°but I¡¯m liking the arrangement. I¡¯ve been keeping more of my reserves since we started this. I hadn¡¯t realized how much coins took overall to make. Especially silver.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s okay with the arrangement,¡± Tibs said, back to studying the stone, trying to work out how the light essence got to it. ¡°Sto, how do you get the essence to all the light stones?¡±

    ¡°The¡­ oh, those. I just move it there, why?¡±

    ¡°Could you make one that has a reserve?¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± Sto said, hesitatingly. ¡°Tibs, I thought you didn¡¯t want me doing you favors anymore.¡±

    ¡°No, not for me. Well, not as something to give me. It¡¯s just something I think would be useful for people and the town. The roads are lit with torches and lanterns and that¡¯s a lot of wood and oil, so there are a lot of dark places where thieves can hide. With these, we could just put them up and it would fix the problem.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you like dark places?¡± the dungeon asked.

    Tibs smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t think many people will put them on the roofs.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±

    Mez stood before the shimmering opening. ¡°Are you done bribing the dungeon?¡±

    Tibs ignored the jibe and stepped through, studying the tingling as he passed.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a bribe,¡± Jackal said, his voice too high. ¡°It¡¯s for the town.¡±

    ¡°You understand that it¡¯s not going to last,¡± Carina said, her voice deep. ¡°Sebastian isn¡¯t going to be able to keep this embargo going forever. Eventually, food will start flowing from outside again.¡±

    ¡°Is she right?¡± Sto asked.

    ¡°Probably,¡± Tibs replied, sensing the triggers on the bridge. They were moving as fast as they had before. ¡°She knows those kinds of things.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­ Ganny,¡± Sto called. ¡°We need to figure out how to make the food I drop better than anything they can get elsewhere.¡±

    ¡°And how do you expect to do that?¡± she replied, sounding as if she was joining them.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, you¡¯re the smart one here.¡±

    ¡°You know you only say things like that when you want me to do something you should be taking care of.¡±

    ¡°So that isn¡¯t something you can do?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡±

    ¡°Good, then I¡¯ll leave it with you,¡± Sto said proudly.

    ¡°How are we crossing?¡± Jackal asked, distracting Tibs from Ganny¡¯s less than forceful protests. He was glad that their arguing had more playfulness to it.

    ¡°You take the bridge. I¡¯m going to get what¡¯s in the cache.¡± He stepped to the edge of the pool.¡±

    ¡°Is that wise?¡± Khumdar asked. ¡°Will the creature in the water not attempt to stop you?¡±

    ¡°Just let him do whatever he wants,¡± Mez snapped, ¡°like always.¡±

    ¡°Mez,¡± Carina said in a chastising tone as Tibs plunged into the water.

    He propelled himself along the wall, looking for the color variation that marked the cache. He also sensed the stone, but Sto had empty pockets in multiple places in the wall to keep him from finding it that way.

    He found the cache opposite the entrance, by the bridge, and set to work on it, and quickly found a smaller stone panel and how he needed to press it in, then up to be able to remove it. The ¡®keyhole¡¯ was a cylinder with four spinning rings. They didn¡¯t have tiles to move, but it was clearly inspired by Cross¡¯s puzzle.

    He spun the rings to get a sense of how they worked and realized he could feel the mechanism move within the water. As he lined the gates, he felt a presence at the edge of his senses and smiled.

    This time he could consider how he¡¯d deal with it.

    It was twice as long as Tibs was tall, thin, and moved by undulating its body. It reminded Tibs of a flattened worm.

    He pulled water to him, packing it tight until moving his arm through it became difficult. He stopped trying and continued pulling more water, making it even tighter. Tight enough that even if it wasn¡¯t iced, he thought it would stop this creature from reaching him; not that that was his plan.

    When it was within lunging distance, Tibs let go of the water. Like a clump of straw he¡¯d held in a closed fist, the water expanded on being released, only much faster. So fast that it pummeled Tibs into losing his concentration and he choked on the water until he was able to pull air out of it again to breathe.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    He smiled as he sensed the creature, fleeing.

    He rotated the rings until the gates aligned, then pushed them down to unlock the panel, the ¡®click¡¯ more felt through the water than heard.

    Inside, he saw the nearly invisible wire before the wrapped bundle before he felt it. Or rather felt how the water reacted to it. It was a physical trigger. Sto wanted to trick any Runner who thought this floor only had essence triggers. With it, he felt the thin gap along the top of the cache. Too thin for any blade Tibs had ever encountered, but Sto didn¡¯t have to limit what he made to something that could be hammered. Any overconfident rogue would lose a hand to this, and then, possibly their lives to the creature.

    Tibs carefully took the bundle without disturbing the wire, then, out of curiosity, he used water to pull on it.

    The blade cut the water with ease as it dropped and it was no thicker than a page from one of Carina¡¯s books.

    Could a cleric regrow a hand?

    Could they reattach it, if the rogue was able to bring it to them?

    He pushed himself up, then the water took him to the edge, where Carina and Jackal pulled him into a hug.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Tibs protested.

    ¡°What happened? ¡°Carina asked. ¡°The water bowed up as high as the edge.¡±

    ¡°I thought you¡¯d be hurt,¡± Jackal said reproachfully. ¡°Mez almost jumped in the water to rescue you.¡±

    Tibs looked at the archer in time to see the glare he gave the fighter, then he was scowling. ¡°We have a run to do.¡±

    ¡°I exploded the water to chase the creature away.¡± He massaged his chest, which was still sore from the pummeling he¡¯d received.

    ¡°You chased it away?¡± Jackal asked in disbelief. ¡°I didn¡¯t know they could do that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m experimenting with autonomy,¡± Sto said.

    ¡°He¡¯s experimenting with autonomy,¡± Tibs repeated. ¡°I don¡¯t know the last word.

    ¡°It means letting it do what it wants,¡± Carina explained.

    ¡°Letting it run off like that wasn¡¯t what I wanted, but you¡¯re the first to manage it. The other teams have been acting like, well a team, distracting it from above while their rogue gets what¡¯s in the cache. How did you like the lock?¡±

    ¡°I liked it,¡± Tibs said, keeping to himself how it had been so easy.

    ¡°What¡¯s in there?¡± Jackal asked, and Tibs undid the oiled skin and revealed a shirt and pants, both in vibrant green with some gold in them, along with a set of supple leather boots.

    Tibs was disappointed. Considering the lock, and the creature guarding it. He¡¯d expected something with essence in them. Those were just normal clothing.

    ¡°May I?¡± Khumdar asked, and Tibs handed him the bundle and the cleric studied the shirt. ¡°This is exquisite quality.¡± He ran a hand over the shirt. ¡°Silk. The embroidery might be actual gold, and the design is reminiscent of those from Paltanin.¡±

    ¡°You know your shirts,¡± Jackal said in a slightly mocking tone.

    ¡°I have¡­¡± the cleric¡¯s pause was purposeful. ¡°Traveled.¡±

    ¡°Oh sure.¡± Carina rolled her eyes. ¡°That explains it.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s worth a lot of coins?¡± Tibs asked. He knew better-made clothes cost more. He had a set Carina had insisted he get that had cost him all the coppers he¡¯d made on the first floor that time. When she wasn¡¯t there to ¡®help¡¯ him buy his shirt and pants, they only cost him a few coppers.

    ¡°This is something a noble will be willing to pay silver for,¡± Khumdar said, folding the shirt. ¡°A handful of them for the ensemble. I expect one of them was wearing this when they died here.¡±

    ¡°How about someone else in the town?¡± Tibs asked. ¡°Someone who can use clothes, instead of just spending the coins to show they have coins?¡±

    ¡°This is not something one wears out to the shops, or even behind the counter serving customers. This is made to impress, and in the appropriate crowd, it indeed will.¡±

    ¡°And since it¡¯s just clothes, the guild isn¡¯t going to want it,¡± Jackal said. ¡°So those coins are ours. And think of it this way, Tibs. The noble who buys this will be out those coins we get. We¡¯ll be why he¡¯s a little poorer.¡±

    Tibs rolled his eyes. ¡°Nobles don¡¯t notice silver.¡±

    ¡°But I do,¡± the fighter said with a grin, ¡°and of the two, I¡¯m far more important.¡± He placed the clothes in his pack. ¡°Onward!¡± he proclaimed as he shouldered it. ¡°We have Whippers to whip!¡±

    Sto groaned as they left the pool room.

    * * * * *

    ¡°You can¡¯t do it,¡± Tibs said and Mez glared at him, notching an arrow.

    Tibs wasn¡¯t insulting the archer. Sto had added a crystal wall on each side of the pedestal with the plaque that turned off the maze, on top of the one that was already in front. Mez was the best archer Tibs knew, but this wasn¡¯t just about bouncing the arrow off a wall anymore. He¡¯d have to bounce it off something behind, then on a crystal wall.

    Unless Mez could use fire to move the arrow the way Tibs could move his air knives, there was no way to make that shot.

    Tibs considered it. Could he do it? The pedestal was in his range, and he had ample reserve with the bracers, but his control diminished the further away from him the knife was. He could get it to the other end of the hall, but get it to turn around the walls? He wasn¡¯t sure. Would dropping the knife on the plaque be enough to turn the maze off?

    With a growl, Mez lowered his bow.

    ¡°This was never meant for you, Mez,¡± Khumdar said in a conciliatory tone. ¡°That you outsmarted the dungeon so many times is something to be proud of.¡±

    The archer closed his eyes and let out a breath. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± He glanced at Tibs. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you¡­ that I¡­¡± he sighed and shook his head.

    ¡°Are you going to be insulted,¡± Sto said with relief, ¡°if I¡¯m happy you finally have to do this?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tibs replied, sensing the walls of triggers. ¡°This is a rogue room more than the pool.¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡±

    ¡°How many others have tricked you?¡± he asked.

    ¡°No one tricks me,¡± Sto stated.

    ¡°How many have been smarter than you so their rogues didn¡¯t have to go through the maze?¡±

    ¡°Oh. Only Mez.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the only one who was able to outsmart Sto here,¡± he told the archer. ¡°Khumdar is right. You should be proud.¡±

    The basic setup was the same as the other essence triggers, each line was made of all essences so anyone could attempt to go through the maze. So long as they could contort themselves to avoid breaking one of them, or sense further head than their hand. Some turns required preparing for them early.

    Even if he was agile enough, Jackal wouldn¡¯t be able to do it.

    Tibs broke the first line, and three spears crossed where he would be if he¡¯d broken them from inside the maze. He couldn¡¯t see how someone could position themselves to survive it, and trying to move once the trigger was broken would almost guarantee more of them broke.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this,¡± Carina said.

    Tibs waited for Jackal¡¯s protest and looked at the fighter when he didn¡¯t.

    ¡°Tell me you can do this, Tibs. Otherwise, we¡¯re turning around.¡±

    ¡°Is he joking?¡± Sto asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Ganny answered. ¡°Looks like you come second to Tibs.¡±

    ¡°Third,¡± Sto grumbled. ¡°Loot comes before me.¡±

    Tibs smiled. ¡°I can do this, but it¡¯s going to be slow.¡± He was happy that unlike some Runners he kept his armor free of decorations. Anything dangling would be a hazard in the maze.

    ¡°Then you go and show the dungeon that you¡¯re better than it is.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not showing up anyone. I¡¯m just going to survive this.¡±

    Jackal grinned. ¡°And that¡¯s going to show it, won¡¯t it?¡±

    Instead of answering, Tibs stepped into the hall, between the line marking the start of the maze. The space between the two trigger walls was minimal, and it reminded Tibs of the essence maze in the pool room that turned the triggers on the bridge off. Only here, he needed to keep himself within the space, instead of essence.

    The passage narrowed as it angled, forcing him to bend forward as he turned to the side. In some places he had to crouch as it turned again as the maze¡¯s ¡®ceiling¡¯ lowered; in others, step over triggers in his path as he avoided touching the wall. In some, it was as simple as walking sideways between a narrower section.

    He was crawling on the floor when he heard stone rub against stone and realized he¡¯d broken one of the triggers.

    Jackal yelled his name as Tibs gritted his teeth at the pain of the spear piercing his leg. He wrapped essence around it as soon as the spear was gone and tightened it.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± he called and looked in his friends¡¯ direction. They were further back than he expected. Looking toward the pedestal, he thought he was in the middle of the hall. So long as the maze didn¡¯t backtrack, he was halfway to the end.

    He crawled, slower to ensure he kept his dragging leg away from the triggers when he had to turn. When he had to walk, he extended the wrap to his entire leg for extra support.

    He nearly lost the use of his arm the next time he broke a trigger. He saw it happen and coated it in earth and the spear pushed him aside, instead of through, and he was able to keep from stepping into the wall. He didn¡¯t want to see what would happen if he broke so many triggers at the same time.

    He paused, leaning against the stone wall, and looked up at the opening in the triggers. He¡¯d tried to come up with another way of doing it since he¡¯d sensed the elevated location, and hadn¡¯t come up with any.

    He was no more than two and zero paces away from the pedestal, so if not for his injured leg, he might run it, not that he had many hopes even then. They were a lot more holes in the walls for that last part. Sto wanted to discourage anyone from that tactic.

    The wall had handholds, but his leg would make it harder.

    He looked at the holes in the walls, plotted angles, and tried to find one safe spot he could run to and let the spears retract before continuing.

    There weren¡¯t any.

    He sighed.

    But there was an option.

    If he was fast enough and he had the angles right.

    If he was wrong, the spears wouldn¡¯t shove him to the side, they¡¯d push down and through whatever protection he gave himself.

    He looked at the handholds again, the opening, his leg.

    He had no good option.

    He coated his chest and back in ice and earth, then threw himself diagonally to the other side of the hall and made himself into a ball against the wall. Pain erupted in his back as spears raked it hard enough to break his armor and cause the ice, earth, and leather to cut him.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± he said breathlessly as the pain diminished and he used his essence to stop the blood. His friends kept yelling his name so he raised his voice. ¡°I¡¯m okay!¡±

    He used the wall to carefully stand.

    Three turns to go and he was out.

    The last one was going to be a problem.

    He hobbled his way to the first turn and as he headed for the second, he maneuvered himself sideways, since the space past it wouldn¡¯t let him do it. So close. Could he run it?

    Not with his injuries.

    He approached the last turn and bent to match the way the passage did and nearly lost his balance and caused his injured leg to take more of his weight, and while he cried out in pain, he remained standing and didn¡¯t break any triggers.

    When he was able to breathe, he used water to create a wall over the triggers he could use for support and he crept into the angled turn. Then he was outside and leaning against the pedestal.

    He slammed his hand on it, then let himself fall to the floor, leaning against the pedestal while his friends joined him.

    ¡°I was afraid you wouldn¡¯t make it for a moment,¡± Sto said.

    Tibs looked up. ¡°Yeah, me too.¡±

    He closed his eyes and decided unconsciousness would be nice right about now.

 Stepping up, Chapter 54

    Tibs cracked an eye open.

    ¡°You okay?¡± Jackal asked, crouched next to him and no longer shaking him by the shoulder. Offering a healing potion.

    Tibs¡¯s attempt at snorting came out as a pained groan.

    ¡°This¡¯ll make you feel better.¡± Jackal pressed the bottle to Tibs¡¯s lips.

    The pain vanished as he drank. The sensation of the muscles wriggling as the potion repaired them, his wounds closing, was odd, but short-lived.

    ¡°Next time,¡± Tibs said, offering his hand to the fighter, ¡°you do it.¡±

    Jackal pulled him up with a laugh. ¡°Sure, then you can take over fighting the boss.¡±

    Tibs rolled his eyes. ¡°Even half-dead you won¡¯t let anyone else have that fight.¡± He stretched to work out the stiffness left by the healing potion.

    ¡°This is why we get along so well. I know you, you know me. It¡¯s like we¡¯re meant for one another.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling Kroseph you¡¯re putting the moves on another guy,¡± Mez said as he walked by.

    Jackal closed his mouth on the reply. ¡°Did he just make a joke?¡±

    ¡°Are you putting the moves on me?¡± Tibs asked.

    Jackal made a face. ¡°You¡¯re like my little brother, Tibs. That¡¯d be weird.¡±

    ¡°Then he¡¯s making a joke.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think he knew how. He¡¯s been so serious since coming back.¡±

    Tibs watched the archer¡¯s back. ¡°He has serious stuff to deal with.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s no way to live.¡±

    ¡°Some people don¡¯t get to choose.¡±

    They caught up to Mez and Jackal patted his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make sure you remember to have fun.¡±

    Mez let out a pained breath. ¡°I have a bow. I¡¯ll shoot you before you¡¯re close enough for it.¡±

    ¡°There you go.¡± Jackal grinned. ¡°You¡¯re remembering to make funny quips at me.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not joking,¡± Carina said.

    ¡°That¡¯s what makes it funny.¡±

    ¡°I believe we have more important matters to deal with.¡± Khumdar pointed to the room they approached. Bigger Brute and the two Big Brutes were still at the back, but the number of rats, bunnies, Ratlings, and Bunnylings had increased.

    ¡°That is a lot of them,¡± Carina said.

    ¡°We can handle the flood,¡± Mez replied. ¡°It¡¯s that the boss has changed that worries me.¡±

    Bigger Brute no longer looked like a mass of stones stuck together in the shape of a person. It looked more like a person, dressed in a stone version of leather cuirass and skirt Tibs had seen the occasional fighter wear. The exposed arms and legs had a blockiness to them, but looked like muscles.

    ¡°This is going to be fun,¡± Jackal said, grinning.

    ¡°Before you comment,¡± Ganny said. ¡°We got some strange reactions before Sto put the armor on. Something about not wanting to fight someone naked.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think Jackal cares about it,¡± Tibs replied. He looked the form over trying to determine if it looked more like a man or a woman and couldn¡¯t. ¡°But Kroseph might.¡± He didn¡¯t elaborate when Jackal looked at him. There was no point in distracting the fighter with possibilities.

    ¡°Me, Tibs, and Khumdar rush it,¡± Jackal said. ¡°We clear the room until only the brutes are left. If they join the fight, we deal with them, but last time, they let the horde soften us up. So let¡¯s stay away, in case being close also triggers them.¡±

    ¡°The dungeon might have changed things,¡± Mez pointed out.

    ¡°That¡¯s why we stay alert. Mez, Carina, go with area-of-effect if we aren¡¯t going to be in your range. The more you can take out, the better shape we¡¯ll be to deal with the boss.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you mean you¡¯ll be in?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I need you to keep the other two from healing the boss.¡± Jackal looked up. ¡°I remember that trick.¡±

    ¡°He has you,¡± Sto said, ¡°I have my brutes.¡±

    Tibs took out his knives, looked at them, and sheathed one. He pooled water in his hand, then flicked it, icing it as it stretched. The resulting blade was uneven and jagged, but Tibs didn¡¯t mind this time. He added earth for durability, dirtying the clear blade. He considered adding corruption, but he didn¡¯t know if it would act like a poison, or if it would affect the essence that made up his weapon.

    Something to test later.

    Jackal nodded in approval and slapped his hands together. ¡°Let¡¯s fill this room with rubble.¡±

    He stepped into the room and it came alive. Tibs ran past, throwing his air imbued knife ahead and controlling it. It cut two bunnies while they were in the air, and got stuck in a third. He sliced at the swarming rats and grinned at how easily his sword cut them.

    Wind buffeted him as it detonated on the other side of the room and was followed by a rain of small stones. A louder explosion heated the room and the stones resulting from that were hot enough Tibs had to protect his face after one burned his cheek.

    Tibs iced his arm to block a jumping rat, batted it aside, and hurried to throw a knife at it, and missed.

    He should just give up on throwing normal knives. He found the air knife among the rubble and recalled it. He turned to face a hissing Ratling, catching the knife by the feel of its essence and ran at it, sword high.

    The Ratling dodged and swiped, its claws leaving scratches on the armor and Tibs cursed. Darran had just repaired the damage to it from his last fight. Without looking he threw the knife at a Bunnyling, who tried to sneak close while Tibs was distracted. It leaped out of the way as Tibs blocked the Ratling, and he changed the direction of the knife and it slammed into the Bunnyling¡¯s back. He cut the Ratling¡¯s arm off, then its head.

    He caught the returning knife as he quickly assessed the battlefield.

    As Jackal predicted, the Brutes remained where they stood. The fighter was smashing creatures with abandon, while Khumdar¡¯s staff only had minor effects in smacking them away.

    Tibs slashed at rats and bunnies as he ran to help. ¡°I have your back.¡±

    ¡°It is appreciated.¡±

    Tibs swung at Ratlings, who jumped out of the way, exposing a Bunnyling in mid-leap, arms extended, claws out, fangs bared. Tibs only had the time to raise an ice-covered arm for the Bunnyling to bite into, through the leather, and into his flesh.

    Tibs felt the corruption seep in as he noticed this creature¡¯s eyes were the purple of the element. He cleaved it into two and moved the spreading corruption to his reserve. ¡°Watch for the eyes,¡± he yelled. ¡°Some have a corruption poison with their bites.¡±

    ¡°Which creature?¡± Khumdar asked, staff smacking the Ratling by Tibs¡¯s side and sending it reeling away.

    ¡°The Bunnyling I just killed, but there¡¯s probably others.¡±

    ¡°Are you capable of targeting them specifically?¡± the cleric asked, blocking a Bunnyling attack. ¡°The dungeon has made them tougher against my staff. There is only so much damage my robes can absorb before a bite will get through.¡±

    Tibs tried to feel the difference, but he was interrupted by a group of bunnies rushing them. Those that made it through his defense did no damage, but they unbalanced him enough that he backed into the cleric, and Khumdar nearly fell as a result.

    ¡°Too many of them for me to focus. Just look at the eyes.¡±

    ¡°I have had enough of this,¡± the cleric growled.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Tibs felt, instead of heard, the impact of the staff¡¯s end against the ground. Then a wave of darkness rushed past him, dropping him to a knee, barely able to breathe.

    The air was around him, he could sense it, but the act of breathing it in took almost more strength than he had.

    He forced his head up. Rats and bunnies were dissolving, while Ratling and Bunnylings struggled to remain standing. Khumdar stepped around Tibs and swung hard. Those hit fell back and turned into rubble.

    Tibs looked around and, within a dozen paces, only the lings were standing, until the cleric reached them and brought them down with a blow from his staff.

    The darkness had weakened them, and him. Tibs tried to counter it with his darkness, then to absorb it as he had the corruption, but neither worked. Sensing inward, he found it, the darkness seeping into him, weakening his essence. He pushed against it, hardening his essence, and made slow progress until, suddenly, the darkness was gone and Tibs could breathe again.

    ¡°I apologize,¡± Khumdar said, panting, hand on his shoulder, ¡°but these creatures were simply more than I could handle the usual way.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Tibs enjoyed the feel of the air filling his lungs. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could do that.¡± He stood and the cleric steadied him. Not all his strength was back.

    ¡°It is not in the nature of one who holds secrets to reveal something.¡±

    Tibs rolled his eyes.

    ¡°Are you two okay?¡± Carina called. With a gesture air sliced through one of the last groups of rats remaining.

    ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°Just getting my breath back.¡±

    Mez exploded Ratlings, while Jackal hit anything getting close to him hard enough one strike broke then.

    ¡°You should have protected him from the effect,¡± she chastised the cleric.

    ¡°Not all of us have the luxury of¡ª¡±

    A loud whistle brought their attention to Jackal, who pointed to the three waiting brutes. ¡°Assign blame after.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we should rest, since they aren¡¯t attacking,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Tibs replied. Without having to fight against Khumdar¡¯s darkness, his strength returned as he added his essence from his reserve to that of his body.

    ¡°We¡¯re not risking finding out what the dungeon has for those who think they get to rest,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Take a potion if you have to but we¡¯re still in the middle of a boss fight.¡±

    Sto¡¯s chuckle made Tibs sense around them, then curse.

    ¡°There¡¯s a warren under the floor. I¡¯m not sensing creatures in it, but it extends outside my range.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything jumping out of trap doors,¡± Carina said.

    Mez cursed. ¡°Which means they¡¯re reinforcement. I hate it when Jackal¡¯s right. I can take it from the rest of you, but he¡¯s Jackal. I¡¯m smarter than he is!¡±

    ¡°Now you get it,¡± the fighter replied happily and Mez shook his head in confusion before looking at Tibs.

    He shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s Jackal. Trying to understand him is a waste of time.¡±

    ¡°Kroseph manages it,¡± Carina said.

    ¡°People,¡± Jackal called. ¡°There¡¯s a boss fight waiting. I¡¯m doing that with or without you.¡±

    ¡°You think you can take them on alone?¡± Mez asked in disbelief.

    Tibs headed by the fighter¡¯s side. He wasn¡¯t finding out.

    ¡°I wish you guys didn¡¯t have to deal with the smaller brutes,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°You¡¯re not fighting all three,¡± Tibs warned.

    ¡°I know. But you¡¯re going to be too busy to watch my fight. Who¡¯s going to recount it afterward?¡±

    ¡°One,¡± Carina said, ¡°we can¡¯t talk about our runs outside the dungeon.¡± She ignored the disbelieving snorts. ¡°Two, you¡¯re going to be telling everyone about it, anyway.¡±

    ¡°But they sound so much more awesome when it¡¯s someone else saying how awesome I am.¡±

    Mez sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s get this done.¡± He raised his bow. ¡°Or do you prefer debating how to tell the story over fighting?¡±

    Jackal ran and reached Bigger Brute before Mez released the fire arrow at the brute to the left. Tibs followed on the fighter¡¯s heel but attacked the one on the right.

    He saw Bigger Brute block Jackal¡¯s punch, deflecting the fighter¡¯s run to the side with a whoop of joy from Sto, then Tibs was busy with his fight.

    He used the old trick of icing the ground, but the brute was more agile, leaping aside before it reached it. Khumdar was there to hit it as Tibs slid on the ice, slashing at its back as he passed. The edge of the sword broke, instead of cutting it.

    He absorbed it, using his knives to attack. They survived without damage, but only left shallow cuts. On the other side, the cleric blocked every attack, but couldn¡¯t get in any of his own.

    These brutes were much tougher, and, by the glimpses of how Bigger Brute forced Jackal on the defensive, the boss was a better fighter.

    Tibs thought about absorbing the essence and ending the fight quickly, but beyond Sto being angry about it, and the possible repercussions, Tibs realized he wanted this fight.

    He blocked the arm and despite not letting himself slip on the ice, he still slid back. He got the knife in the armpit, but it skidded off the stone. Khumdar used the brute¡¯s split attention to land a blow on the side of its head and regain its full focus.

    Tibs wanted to be pushed.

    He wanted to see what he was capable of here so that he could bring it out to the town when Sebastian caused problems. This was the one place he could practice his other essences and not worry about who saw what.

    And thinking of other essences, he figured this was the time to try something. To borrow from Khumdar but use it in a way Tibs was familiar with, since trying to do exactly what one of the others did rarely worked.

    Instead of corruption, he coated his knife with darkness. Sto protected everything against corruption after Bardik¡¯s attack, but darkness could also weaken, as Khumdar had just shown.

    He sliced at the brute¡¯s back but the cuts weren¡¯t deep enough to let the darkness in. Then he was dodging as it attacked him. As he moved he saw Carina and Mez pummeling their brute with air and fire and slowly hurting it. And Jackal, now in a more even exchange of blows with Bigger Brute.

    Tibs blocked, feeling the impact under the ice, earth, and leather. Khumdar attacked, using a darkness edge at the end of his staff, but this time the brute wasn¡¯t getting distracted. Tibs got in a few solid cuts, and a little of the darkness made it in, but something fought back against it. The brute had a resistance against darkness too.

    Tibs cursed, and in his attempt to force it deeper was struck hard enough he flew back against a pillar.

    He had broken bones and wrapped them in his essence, pushing through the pain to stand and run at the brute¡¯s back, who was back to attempting to kill Khumdar. He jumped on its back with a yell and planted the knife in, then holding on with an arm and his legs as he pushed all the darkness he had into it, fought against its resistance.

    It staggered and Khumdar had to step out of the way. ¡°You are a fast learner,¡± he said with a smile.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Tibs replied through gritted teeth, ¡°but I¡¯d really prefer if you did something to it rather than compliment me. I¡¯m pushing as hard as I can, trying to weaken it, but it¡¯s resisting.¡±

    The cleric spun his staff before him. ¡°Of course.¡± Darkness trailed behind it as it picked up speed, then Khumdar raised quickly and brought it down against the brute¡¯s neck. The staff stopped without even chipping the stone, but the trailing darkness caught up to it and kept going through the stone neck and chest.

    Tibs pushed off as the brute¡¯s upper body slid against its lower one.

    Tibs looked up as he caught his breath, Carina and Mez had their brute chipped down to little more than stone bones, but it was Bigger Brute catching Jackal¡¯s punch and slamming the fighter into a wall that had Tibs¡¯s attention. His other fist ready for what could be a killing blow.

    ¡°Sto, Stop!¡± he yelled before he could stop himself.

    Bigger Brute froze in mid-swing, fist lined up with Jackal¡¯s head. The fighter looked too stunned to react.

    ¡°My fight,¡± Jackal said, words slurred.

    ¡°He¡¯s going to¡ª¡±

    ¡°My fight!¡± the words were harder, the slur less pronounced.

    Tibs wanted to protest. He couldn¡¯t lose Jackal, Kroseph couldn¡¯t lose him.

    Khumdar placed a hand on Tibs¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It is how things must be. We get stronger, or we fall.¡±

    ¡°We die,¡± Tibs growled. ¡°I hate it when you use some other word. It doesn¡¯t make it better. Jackal¡¯s going to die if I don¡¯t stop the fight.¡±

    ¡°Jackals never going to forgive you,¡± Carina said, joining him. An explosion punctuated her arrival and hot stones fell around them.

    Bigger Brute continued to look at him. Tibs wanted Sto to say something. To justify why he was doing this, instead of letting the cleric¡¯s words be what did. Instead, it was a silent look asking for permission.

    Tibs almost closed his eyes as he nodded, but he wouldn¡¯t look away. He would honor his friend by watching what happened.

    The fist moved as if it hadn¡¯t stopped.

    Until Jackal caught it in his hand. The sound of stone hitting stone seemed louder than it should be as Tibs watched in surprise.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the thing,¡± Jackal said, all traces of slurring gone, grinning, ¡°that you didn¡¯t think about.¡± Bigger Brute pulled, but his fist didn¡¯t move out of Jackal¡¯s grip. The fighter didn¡¯t even seem to notice the effort.

    ¡°How?¡± Sto asked, confused.

    ¡°You¡¯re stone, I¡¯m earth. Stone¡¯s included in that. We¡¯ve been fighting like this, and it¡¯s been fun, but I was never going to lose. Want to know why?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Sto asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to act like you just asked because, otherwise, I can¡¯t gloat. I cheat.¡± Jackal twisted his hand and Bigger Brute¡¯s fist broke off at the wrist. ¡°Stone on stone, I can pull Tibs¡¯s trick and absorb the essence. Which means you aren¡¯t that tough.¡± He wrenched his hand out of the one holding it, and the fingers shattered. ¡°Better luck next time.¡±

    Jackal planted a fist through Bigger Brute¡¯s head and it exploded into dust. The body broke down immediately after.

    Jackal grinned as Tibs stomped toward the fighter. ¡°See, I¡ª¡±

    Tibs kicked him in the shin. ¡°I thought you were going to die!¡±

    ¡°Come on, Tibs. I¡¯m¡ª¡±

    Tibs kicked him again.

    ¡°I¡¯m stone, Tibs. I¡¯m not even feeling it.¡±

    Tibs glared at the fighter and coated his hand in darkness. He didn¡¯t have much left, but Jackal couldn¡¯t know that. ¡°I figured out something new today. Do you want to see what happens if I fill you with darkness? How tough you¡¯re going to be then? I¡¯m also going to kick high enough Kroseph¡¯s not going to be able to enjoy special time with you.¡±

    ¡°I would advise against antagonizing him further,¡± Khumdar said, joining them. ¡°Darkness can steal strength, and Tibs has learned quickly.¡±

    Tibs smiled at the fighter nastily and moved his hand closer.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Tibs.¡± Jackal took a step back and stopped at the wall. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to scare you, I just wanted to surprise the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°He did,¡± Sto said, sounding awed. ¡°That was well played. I should have known you¡¯d done something. You¡¯ve told plenty of stories about how you won by cheating.¡±

    ¡°He can¡¯t hear you,¡± Tibs snapped. ¡°And I¡¯m not repeating it. I don¡¯t need you encouraging him with compliments.¡±

    Jackal beamed, and immediately stopped as Tibs narrowed his eyes. With a sigh, Tibs hugged the fighter.

    Jackal wrapped his arms around him. ¡°I am sorry.¡±

    ¡°You should have told me what you were going to do. I wouldn¡¯t have said anything.¡±

    ¡°I know, but I wanted the fight to be awesome. It wouldn¡¯t have been this awesome if you¡¯d known what I was doing.¡±

    Tibs kicked him in the shin again.

    ¡°I said I¡¯m¡ª¡± Jackal closed his mouth as Tibs readied for another kick. ¡°I will warn you next time.¡±

    ¡°You better.¡±

    ¡°It was awesome,¡± Carina said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t encourage him,¡± Tibs warned. ¡°You¡¯re not stone. You¡¯re going to feel my kick.¡±

    She smiled. ¡°Only if it connects.¡±

    Tibs stepped in her direction. ¡°Do you want to test it?¡±

    Khumdar stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. ¡°That is enough. Jackal deserves your anger, but Carina does not. We are all well. Let the anger go.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling Kroseph what you did,¡± Tibs told Jackal, then smiled. ¡°Now, I can let it go.¡±

    ¡°I think that qualifies as torture in some kingdoms,¡± Mez commented.

    ¡°I deserve it,¡± Jackal sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s collect the loot, deal with the guild so I can get my punishment, and then tell everyone how awesome I was.¡±

    ¡°If you aren¡¯t careful Tibs,¡± Sto said. ¡°I¡¯m going to start liking him more than you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome to him,¡± Tibs replied. He smiled innocently when Jackal looked at him quizzically.

 Stepping up, Chapter 55

    The bored-looking woman behind the table didn¡¯t look like the ones Tibs was used to seeing there. Normally, those who looked through the items the team got from Sto were sorcerers, occasionally, they¡¯d be from another class, but this was the first time Tibs couldn¡¯t tell if she even was an adventurer, other than by how dense her essence was, and the silvery tint to it. She looked to belong more in that room Tibs had accidentally wandered into previously where the guild clerks worked.

    She set aside two pieces of armor, the usual amulets¡ªwhich were now the most element-related loot¡ªa sword, three healing potions, and a quiver that Mez had studied before deciding he wasn¡¯t interested in it. They were at the point where nothing Sto gave out as loot, other than the potions, helped them.

    Each of them got four silver and six copper in exchange.

    The normal items they were left with were the set of noble¡¯s clothing, leather boots, gloves, epaulets, worker¡¯s pants and shirts, and a lot of meats and vegetables, including some that Jackal had given Sto when they entered.

    Those would go to the inn even if Kroseph¡¯s father couldn¡¯t pay for them. It was home, so the food belonged there. The armor and clothing would go to Darran if he wanted them and to those offering the best price for what the merchant didn¡¯t.

    The merchants at the stalls called to them with offers to unburden them in exchange for the wares they offered, but a quick discussion between them and Jackal had them walking away. Their offers weren¡¯t good enough to warrant antagonizing Darran. The merchant always offered them good coins and services¡ªsuch as repairing Tibs¡¯s armor¡ªfor what they brought.

    Darran took the armor, and Tibs¡¯s, with a shake of the head, but didn¡¯t ask how Tibs had managed to get most of the back ripped. The clothing went to the tailors. Tibs wanted to hand the noble¡¯s set to the one who refused to pay Sebastian, to help her, but she didn¡¯t have the coins to pay them, and Jackal wouldn¡¯t accept her offer to pay them once she sold them.

    As payment for the food they brought, Kroseph¡¯s family cooked them the best meal Tibs ever ate, even better than what he¡¯d found at the last bazaar.

    * * * * *

    ¡°I know you¡¯re responsible for this,¡± Harry growled, waving papers at Tibs. There were letters on them, Tibs saw that, but he didn¡¯t bother trying to decipher them. ¡°All these reports of fights, you are behind them.¡±

    ¡°You told me to stop the thieves,¡± Tibs replied, trying to use darkness as a shield for his words.

    ¡°You¡¯re lying. I told you to stop one thief.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°There are others. I figured you were going to ask me to stop them, too.¡±

    ¡°Stop lying,¡± Harry said through gritted teeth. So much for the guard leader just assuming no one lied to him. Or maybe it was because Tibs was a rogue?

    Tibs picked his next words carefully. Not because he planned on lying, but because angering Harry more wouldn¡¯t help.

    ¡°Those thieves have been working around the guards, Harry.¡± Not your guards. Tibs had identified a handful who were loyal to Harry, and those were working themselves hard trying to stop the thieves and the fights. If he could convince Harry to have them look the other way for those, it would make Tibs¡¯s job easier.

    ¡°The merchants are suffering, and we need the merchants to buy our loot. Me and some of the Runners are keeping them safe. When we tried handing them over to the guards, they were almost more interested in putting us in cells because we fought so¡ª¡±

    ¡°Fighting isn¡¯t allowed outside the training fields,¡± Harry snapped.

    Tibs swallowed his annoyance. ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re now allowing thievery?¡±

    The guard leader glared at him.

    ¡°Then isn¡¯t the fighting the lesser problem?¡±

    ¡°Rogues,¡± Harry cursed.

    ¡°You said I could train so long as I didn¡¯t get caught. I¡¯m applying this here. None of us have been caught fighting.¡± He was sure the guards writing those papers on the fights did so based on what the beaten thieves told them. There had been a discussion about killing them to prevent that, but Tibs would never be able to get Harry to look the other way from that.

    ¡°You think it makes this better?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not doing this to make you feel better!¡± Tibs snapped, then swallowed the rest at the glare he received. ¡°I¡¯m doing this for the merchants and the town. Sebastian knows that if he disrupts the merchants, the town will be easier to control.¡± Darran had explained it, not that Tibs had understood it all.

    ¡°My brother has nothing to do with what¡¯s happening.¡± Harry sounded like he wished it wasn¡¯t the case. ¡°I¡¯ve questioned him about it, multiple times.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s lying to you!¡±

    ¡°He can¡¯t!¡± Harry was up, hand on his desk, glaring so hard at Tibs, he thought he saw the light from his eyes move forward.

    Tibs shook from keeping his frustration contained. ¡°I told you, he has something that lets him lie to you. Him and that lieutenant.¡± More did, but Tibs figured that if he could get Harry to find it on her, it would be enough to make him suspect others had the same thing. Harry wasn¡¯t the most trusting person Tibs had noticed, other than his overconfidence in his ability to know when someone lied.

    The guard leader studied him. ¡°I know you believe that, but I¡¯ve had them checked. I brought in a sorcerer so he could tell me what kind of magic they are using.¡±

    Tibs stared, the surprise dampening his anger.

    ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot, no matter what you seem to think.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡± Tibs shut up. He hadn¡¯t had good thoughts about Harry recently.

    ¡°My brother has too much magic on him. He always believed that was the only way to stay alive, but he has nothing that lets him hide lies from me.¡± Harry dropped into his chair.

    How could that be? Tibs remembered what Bardik had told him about the magic of the pouch Sto had made for him, how it took a specific set of abilities and way of thinking to see through its protection. Could that be the same as what Sebastian was using?

    Except Tibs could easily tell the guards who had one. But Tibs¡¯s abilities weren¡¯t normal, so¡­ he so wanted to scream. He needed answers, but there was no one he could ask his questions to.

    Harry was still looking at him expectantly. Reminding Tibs they had gotten sidetracked from the actual issue.

    He let out a breath. ¡°Harry, we aren¡¯t starting those fights.¡±

    The man rolled his eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m not lying.¡±

    ¡°But you told those helping you not to tell you how they did their parts, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Tibs smiled. ¡°I find they work better if they don¡¯t have to worry about what I¡¯ll think of their methods. I leave peering too closely at other people to those with Darkness or Light as their element.

    ¡°Light preserve me if you¡¯d been a Darkness rogue.¡±

    Tibs kept his face impassive. He was counting on Harry being too set in his belief to wonder. Tibs¡¯s element was water. That had been established with his audience. No one could have more than one element. So it was impossible for Tibs to also have darkness.

    Tibs offered the one compromise he was willing. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell them not to start any more fights. But unless you can get the guards to keep the merchants safe, we will continue to do it. If they catch Runners fighting, you can put them in cells.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± Harry stated. ¡°And the instant one of them tells me you ordered them to fight, I¡¯m throwing you in there along with them.¡±

    Tibs wasn¡¯t worried. He¡¯d always worded everything in terms of protecting the merchants. Not once did he say they had to fight the thieves to stop them. And Harry would know if one of the Runners lied in an attempt to get out of the cell. And Harry wouldn¡¯t be able to get himself to take the Runner at his word.

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    ¡°Get out of here,¡± Harry said in disgust.

    * * * * *

    Jackal fell into steps with him as soon as Tibs was out of the building. ¡°I¡¯m not noticing any missing pieces,¡± he commented, looking Tibs over.

    ¡°Harry wouldn¡¯t do that.¡±

    ¡°I heard light essence can burn stuff, so you never know what will happen if he gets angry enough.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fire.¡± Tibs thought back to the way the light had moved out of Harry¡¯s eyes. Maybe it hadn¡¯t been his imagination. ¡°Did you know Harry doesn¡¯t have any secrets?¡±

    Jackal shrugged. ¡°I never met him until I was here. All I had were stories of how he betrayed my family for the guild. But since he has light as his element. I expect it¡¯s hard for him to keep secrets.¡±

    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m just not strong enough to see them. I¡¯ll ask Khumdar.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea to have him get close to Knuckles.¡±

    ¡°He probably has already. Two alleys ahead, on the left.¡±

    ¡°Saw them. You think they¡¯ll try something?¡±

    The man and woman leaning by the entrance did everything but look in Tibs and Jackal¡¯s direction, making it obvious what they were doing. They wore worn leathers, the kind Runners ended up wearing after a few runs without getting upgrades from Sto. They could pass for Runners, especially from the most recent group. But with the escalation in attacks on the merchant recently, Tibs had met all of them, even those who took Sebastian¡¯s coins.

    ¡°This is more public than the other attacks.¡± Tibs sensed ahead, around them, for anyone hidden in the alley. ¡°They¡¯re alone.¡±

    ¡°My father¡¯s going to reach a point where he isn¡¯t going to care how public things get. If he can get someone to kill you, we¡¯re going to be at a serious disadvantage.¡±

    Tibs rolled his eyes. ¡°You can give them instructions better than I can. You should be the one doing this.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t about who gives the orders, Tibs. If that was it, Don would have taken over already. The others are doing this because they see you standing up to my father.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not doing anything special.¡±

    Jackal chuckled. ¡°I so want Knuckles to catch you saying that one day so we can find out if you actually believe that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Tibs insisted. ¡°Anyone who cares for the town and bothers to look at what¡¯s happening would do something about Sebastian.¡±

    ¡°Knuckles doesn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Harry¡¯s blinded by his light,¡± Tibs said in exasperation.

    The two thugs stopped looking away and glared at them as they walked by.

    ¡°We can go around and catch them by surprise,¡± Jackal suggested.

    ¡°We don¡¯t start fights,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°That¡¯s how we keep out of the cells.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just no fun,¡± Jackal grumbled. ¡°Let¡¯s go eat then.¡±

    * * * * *

    ¡°Don¡¯s first among us again,¡± Mez commented as they looked the posted schedule over.

    ¡°His coin to waste,¡± Jackal replied.

    ¡°We¡¯re low on the list again,¡± Carina said and glanced at Tibs. ¡°You think it¡¯s still because of you?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°Tirania isn¡¯t like that. The first time it was to tell me she understood. Now it¡¯s just random.¡±

    ¡°How certain are you she has much influence on the order of the list?¡± Khumdar asked.

    ¡°She¡¯s the guild leader,¡± Tibs replied.

    ¡°That is my point.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Jackal said, as Tibs tried to understand what the cleric meant. ¡°It means more time to train.¡±

    ¡°But with whom?¡± Carina asked. ¡°Pyan and her team were who kept the others coming back.¡±

    ¡°Would not some of the recruits be willing?¡± Khumdar asked. ¡°Many seem eager for fights.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯d be nice to fight some of them,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°You¡¯re still going to be stronger,¡± Mez replied. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of them risking the second floor yet.¡±

    ¡°Being physically stronger isn¡¯t everything,¡± Jackal said. ¡°They¡¯re going to be more vicious than anyone else.¡±

    ¡°Then you should get that woman the merchants are having guard the booths,¡± the archer said. ¡°I hear she¡¯s taken down the fighters who went up against her.¡±

    ¡°How about Quigly?¡± Carina asked and raised an eyebrow at the looks she got. ¡°He¡¯s the only recruit I know of. I¡¯m not like Tibs and learning all their names.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask him, Tibs?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°You¡¯re the fighter,¡± Tibs countered.

    ¡°But you already helped him with Don.¡±

    Tibs rolled his eyes. ¡°It isn¡¯t because I do something nice that someone is going to like me.¡±

    Jackal sighed. ¡°Why isn¡¯t Knuckles around when I need him to catch you lying?¡±

    * * * * *

    Quigly didn¡¯t come to the training field alone.

    The fighter had been quick to accept Tibs¡¯s offer when he¡¯d made it, but he hadn¡¯t said anything about bringing anyone else. Four others, another fighter, a woman, a rogue, a woman, an archer, a man, and a sorcerer, a man. They all looked like they had come from a fight, even if their clothes were of better quality.

    ¡°Meet my team,¡± Quigly said. ¡°And they aren¡¯t particularly happy at being here. So I want to make one thing clear before you get on their bad side. This is about helping us. Not trying to prove you¡¯re tougher than we are.¡±

    ¡°With all due respect to you and your team, Quig,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Call me that again, and you¡¯re going to find out that sharing a meal with you won¡¯t keep me from turning this little thing you¡¯re planning into the nastiest fight of your very short life.¡±

    ¡°Do I need to kick you again?¡± Tibs asked Jackal as the fighter opened his mouth to reply. Jackal closed it and stepped back. ¡°Jackal likes nasty fights, but he isn¡¯t always smart in how he gets them.¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± Jackal protested. ¡°I¡¯m never smart.¡±

    ¡°Is he for real?¡± the other fighter asked. Her left arm and calf were covered in leather armor.

    ¡°He is,¡± Carina answered. ¡°Every team needs an idiot, and no one else wanted the role.¡±

    She looked them over. ¡°And he¡¯s your team leader?¡± Suspicion dripped from her tone.

    ¡°Not willingly,¡± Jackal said. ¡°I was tortured into the position.¡±

    ¡°How in the¡ª¡±

    ¡°Enough,¡± Quigly said. ¡°It¡¯s something of an act with him and his team. The goofy idiot everyone underestimates. The team that doesn¡¯t quite take anything seriously enough.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Jackal said, ¡°that¡¯s just hurtful. No one underestimates me. Do they Tibs?¡±

    Tibs studied Quigly. The man was watching them, not letting the antics distract him. This wasn¡¯t the same man Tibs had first met, then helped, or who had shown up at the meeting to support him. There was a hardness to him now. Tibs wasn¡¯t sure if that meant what he¡¯d said about the regiment was true, but he wasn¡¯t going to underestimate him either.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackals asked, sounding worried. ¡°I need my confidence boosted here.¡±

    Tibs shook his head.

    ¡°Okay, then,¡± Jackal said, the switch to seriousness causing the woman and the man Tibs figured was the sorcerer, even if the left side of his body and arm was covered in leather armor, to stare at him. ¡°Onto the main event. I¡¯m Jackal. You¡¯ve all at least met Tibs. That¡¯s Khumdar, Mez, and Carina. Quigly, if you¡¯d do us the honor of introducing your team.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Quigly, warrior.¡±

    ¡°The guild¡ª¡± Mez began.

    ¡°I really don¡¯t give a fuck what those people want,¡± the warrior replied. ¡°I fought a king. I get to decide what I am.¡± It was more than the confidence with which Quigly said it that made Tibs believe him. There was something¡­else.

    ¡°This is Ma-nim,¡± he indicated the woman with the armored arm and leg. Her features were delicate and her skin a little lighter than Tibs¡¯s. Her eyes were gray and angled differently from most people. Carina had told him where people with those kinds of eyes were from, the first time he saw one, back in MountainSea, but he hadn¡¯t paid attention. ¡°She¡¯s a fighter. That¡¯s Stabby, archer.¡±

    ¡°Stabby?¡± Jackal asked, barely containing the grin. The archer nodded. He was lean, with frizzy blond hair and freckles on his cheeks. ¡°Who names their son Stabby? My father hates me and he saddled me with something better than that.¡±

    ¡°Stabs doesn¡¯t say much,¡± Quigly answered after a few seconds of Jackal waiting expectantly. He indicated the other woman. She was stocky, with short-cropped black hair and fair skin. ¡°Jabba is an assassin, and on her right is Ren, war mage. Don¡¯t ask. As far as I know, he didn¡¯t even know magic was a thing until he had to pick a class.¡±

    The lean man grinned. ¡°If I¡¯m going to kill people, I want it to be as easy as I can.¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t killing anyone here,¡± Mez said, tone hard.

    ¡°That¡¯s okay.¡± Ren smiled in a way Tibs didn¡¯t like. He¡¯d seen that smile before, back on his Street. ¡°I¡¯m a patient man.¡±

    ¡°Ground rules,¡± Quigly began.

    ¡°I think you don¡¯t know how this goes,¡± Jackal said, expression hardening.

    ¡°Ground rules,¡± the warrior repeated, eyes fixed on the fighter. Jackal slowly made fists, but nodded. ¡°Any of you do something that normal people can¡¯t do, and this ends badly. Tibs said this is training for the dungeon, not about getting our asses handed to us. We are not here for your entertainment. Am I clear?¡±

    ¡°You are,¡± Jackal answered, words clipped. ¡°No essence, except for the sorcerers. Yours tries anything untoward, and Carina will do more than hand what¡¯s left of his ass to you. Is that clear?¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± Quigly replied with a chuckle. ¡°How about you and me take this to the side, so no one other than you gets hurt?¡±

    ¡°Pair up,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Don¡¯t let the Omegas intimidate you.¡±

    ¡°Lady Ma-Nim.¡± Khumdar bowed to her, which seemed to take her by surprise. ¡°If you would do me the honor of sparring with me.¡± She studied him and his staff before nodding.

    Jabba stepped before Tibs, looking down at him while the archers moved toward targets and Carina escorted the war mage to an open area.

    ¡°Light Fingers,¡± she greeted him.

    ¡°Jabba,¡± he replied. They¡¯d only exchanged a few words when he¡¯d introduced himself as part of getting to know the recruits.

    She reached for him, and he stepped to the side and out of the way, then he was under her attempt to grab him. When Tibs stopped moving, he was next to her, looking up and smiling. His knife was pressed where a man¡¯s most precious part would be.

    She smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t have a weapon, yet.¡±

    ¡°So?¡± Tibs asked, not moving.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be more fair of you to fight without one?¡±

    He stepped away, watching her. ¡°If we cared for fair, we wouldn¡¯t be rogues.

    She crossed her arms. ¡°Too small for real weapons?¡± she asked with a smirk.

    ¡°Quigly said no essence.¡±

    She raised an eyebrow. ¡°What does that have to do with it?¡±

    Tibs made sure the fighters were busy trying to outdo each other before letting the water flow down his free hand. He took control of it this time and shaped it into a sword, trying to make it like those fighters¡¯ used, but it still ended up with jagged spikes and edge.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I didn¡¯t know magic lets you make stuff.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s essence, not magic.¡±

    She frowned. ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡±

    Tibs opened his mouth and paused. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. My teacher refers to anything we do with it as essence, or etching, or weaving. It seems to be only when it¡¯s in an object that it¡¯s called magic. Or when sorcerers do it.¡±

    ¡°Okay, but that¡¯s ice. It¡¯s going to break on the first hit.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not ice, it¡¯s essence. It¡¯s as hard as I want it to be. I¡¯ve cut rats, Ratlings, Bunnylings, and golems with it.¡±

    ¡°Ratlings?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re like the rats, but bigger, stand up like us, and use weapons. They¡¯re on the second floor.¡±

    ¡°So the Bunnylings are the bunny version. Still made of stone?¡±

    Tibs nodded. ¡°Everything¡¯s made of stone. I don¡¯t think the dungeon can do any other creatures.¡± He¡¯d have to ask Sto about that on the next run.

    ¡°Good to know. Now, how about you put the sword away, or whatever you do to get rid of it and lend me a knife so we can have a proper fight?¡±

    The sword melted as Tibs absorbed it back. He took a step back and crouched. ¡°I¡¯m keeping the knives.¡±

    Jabba crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°Don¡¯t you want this to be a fair fight?¡±

    He smiled. ¡°You¡¯re a lot bigger than I am. I think that makes it fair enough. Don¡¯t you?¡±

    She smiled and crouched. ¡°I like you, Light Fingers. But I¡¯m not going easy on you.¡±

    ¡°My name¡¯s Tibs,¡± he replied. ¡°And until you start calling me that, you can expect to get cut.¡±

    Jabba¡¯s smile turned feral.

 Stepping up, Chapter 56

    Tibs limped into Tirania¡¯s office and she raised an eyebrow, looking him over.

    He had a black eye, a split lip, and more injuries she couldn¡¯t see. He had them wrapped in his essence, but broken and dislocated bones were still painful.

    ¡°Training,¡± he told her, motioning for the seat.

    She nodded, and he gingerly took it.

    ¡°Do you want me to call a cleric?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll rest until my next run and I¡¯ll get healed at the door.¡±

    She smiled. ¡°You want me to get you one, then. It closed its door to graduate. It¡¯s part of why I asked to see you.¡±

    If Sto was graduating, it was time for him to prepare for his trip to the purity dungeon and not having injuries would help. He nodded.

    She took the messaging crystal from her desk and Tibs sensed it and, inadvertently, the room. There was a lot of essence in the walls. He knew the guild building was protected by it, but with seven elements he could sense, he had a better sense of how tightly it was woven, even if there was so much he still couldn¡¯t differentiate.

    Even the desk was composed of a weave so tight Tibs wondered if essence was all it was made of.

    The door opened a few seconds after she put the crystal away and a young man in the white cleric¡¯s robes entered, placed a hand on Tibs, causing all his pain to vanish, then left. On top of being able to move without problems, he felt as if he¡¯d just stepped out of bed.

    Tirania placed a bracelet with a yellow gem on the desk. ¡°I know you don¡¯t like having your status acknowledged; which is why I¡¯m doing this here.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the bracelet we get so we can leave the town.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and once the dungeon is ready for runners again, it will turn red. Unlike those the others will receive, this one will not turn black. It will turn green.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°It means that instead of paying a reward for the return of the bracelet, regardless of if you are attached to it or not. We will only do so if you are with it and unharmed.¡±

    Tibs bit off his protest. He was heading into a dungeon with no idea how long it would take to get in or get his audience once inside.

    ¡°Understand, Tibs, that this is a show of trust I¡¯ve never given a Runner.¡± Her glimmering eyes were fixed on him. ¡°But you protected a dungeon at the risk of your life. You went beyond what I¡¯d expect an adventurer would. And Harry keeps complaining about how you are trying to take over his job. You care for the people here. I see a great future for you as an adventurer.¡±

    The silence stretched, and Tibs wondered if she expected him to respond.

    ¡°But I understand the temptation freedom represents,¡± she continued. ¡°If you run, I will see to your punishment myself, and the trust I am showing you will never be shown again, not even if you nearly kill yourself for the dungeon a second time.¡± She pushed the bracelet toward him. ¡°So treat this with the respect it deserves.¡±

    He placed it around his wrist and snapped it shut. The pain was sharp and immediate, and once it passed, the bracelet was tight against his skin.

    She smiled. ¡°Keep it covered until the gathering is called in a few hours, and stay at the back so no one will notice. Then you can enjoy your travels.¡±

    * * * * *

    The gathering before the closed dungeon went much like the previous one, except that instead of guards moving through the Runners, handing out the bracelets, they had to line up before tables, where their names were checked against a list. As far as Tibs saw, everyone who had survived Sto¡¯s rampage got one, and to his surprise, a few of the recruits also received one.

    There were fights among the recruits, as some without bracelets tried to steal one, but the only thing they got were guards taking them away, the recruits had had to put it on before leaving the table, and once on, it could only be removed with essence.

    Harry stood to the side as a man explained what the closure meant, and how they didn¡¯t know how long it would be, and when the bracelet would tell them to return and the deadly consequences of not returning. The guard leader glared at all of them, not just the recruits, and Tibs had the sense he couldn¡¯t wait until he no longer had to deal with any of them.

    Two weeks was what the man said they could expect, even if it might be longer or shorter; no two dungeons took the same amount of time when it came to graduating.

    Not thinking one and eight days would be enough, Tibs sneaked to the mountain in the night and asked Sto to remain closed longer, for one month, and discovered that like Tibs, when he¡¯d arrived here, Sto didn¡¯t know what a month was. Or even what a day was.

    Since Sto didn¡¯t see or sense the sun, Torus, or Claria, Tibs had to resort to the nightly closing of Sto¡¯s door¡ªSto wasn¡¯t aware he closed it as the sun set¡ªand asked for five and zero of those.

    Tibs had to hope that would be enough time.

    Jackal had opted to stay in Kragle Rock, both to be with Kroseph, and to keep an eye on his father. With so many Runners away, his friend expected him to try something.

    Mez had to go to his home with his betrothed and Khumdar stated he was never setting foot in that city again unless it was to watch it burn. Carina glared but hadn¡¯t commented.

    * * * * *

    The sky was gray when the world came into focus again.

    Carina pulled him off the platform, breaking his concentration as he tried to tease apart the difference in how using the platform felt compared to the doorway Sto made. The tingling was there, but unlike with the doorway, he couldn¡¯t work out its source.

    Then the rain registered as the cold water seeped through his clothing, then it no longer reached him or Carina as he willed it away.

    ¡°Welcome to Kadalisayan,¡± she said, ¡°where I promise the sun will shine, eventually.¡±

    ¡°It rains a lot here?¡±

    The ocean is a few leagues that way, and the mountain is over there. The wind pushed the humidity here, and it accumulates until¡­¡± she motioned around them. ¡°I¡¯d forgotten how comforting the sound of falling rain was.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the sound of home for you.¡±

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    She smiled. ¡°What¡¯s the sound of your home?¡±

    He remembered the screams, the fights, the yelling of the guards¡­their laughter. ¡°Nothing worth talking about.¡± As with nearly every platform he¡¯d stepped off, it opened to a marketplace filled with colors and too many languages. The rain didn¡¯t keep the merchants from yelling to entice visitors to their booth, and the awnings served as another attraction as people used them to step out of the rain.

    The one he understood as they passed praised the bowls she sold as the best for getting hot water, as well as her selection of teas to go with them. He looked at the bundles of leaves and kept from asking why there were so many kinds. He was here for the dungeon, not satisfying his curiosity.

    * * * * *

    Tibs was surprised at how not white the buildings were.

    MountainSea was more white than this city.

    How could a city next to the only purity dungeon be so¡­drab?

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Carina asked, following his gaze into an alley that was covered with so much filth it qualified as having hills.

    ¡°How come it¡¯s so dirty?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a city. Dirt happens,¡± she answered casually.

    ¡°But it¡¯s a purity city. Doesn¡¯t that mean anything?¡±

    She chuckled. ¡°It means everyone is helping the dungeon, directly or not. Just like in Kragle Rock.¡±

    ¡°But purity.¡± Tibs imagined he sounded like Jackal when he said ¡®but we won¡¯ as an excuse for the stupid thing he¡¯s done.¡±

    ¡°The dungeon¡¯s power doesn¡¯t extend over the city, you know that.¡±

    ¡°Sto is sensing further as he gets more powerful.¡±

    ¡°Yes, a dungeon¡¯s influence grows as they age, but fortunately, not very far from the mountain they live in. You don¡¯t want it to reach the city. It would be able to create creatures in our homes when we are away, working. Every building would become a room in the dungeon.¡±

    She slowed and looked at the people. ¡°Even knowing dungeons don¡¯t exist to eat us, it¡¯s still not something I¡¯d want. No one here would be ready for that, and they¡¯d still die as it tested everyone, and most failed. Normal people aren¡¯t ready for a run.¡±

    ¡°So this is just a city like the one where my Street is?¡± he asked in disappointment.

    ¡°You really thought it was different?¡±

    ¡°The way you talk about dungeon cities, the way Khumdar hates this one. I thought purity had more of an influence.¡±

    ¡°His problem is like mine, I think,¡± she said pensively. ¡°If exacerbated by what he is. I¡¯m an aberration in my family, while anyone with a link to purity will see him as one. If I¡¯d seen the error of my ways and joined the folds of my family, instead of sneaking ever deeper into the library, I would have been welcomed back. He never will. If his family ever acknowledged him, it would be to hand him over to the fighters for execution.¡±

    ¡°But he could explain things,¡± Tibs said. ¡°It¡¯s not like what he does goes against the clerics here.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± she said with a mix of sadness and anger. ¡°We¡¯re taught from the moment we¡¯re old enough to understand the stories, that before purity made the clerics, madness covered the world. That the other elements used their agents to sow chaos, dissension, and outright madness. That it, through us, brought peace to the world.¡±

    ¡°What I¡¯ve seen of the world isn¡¯t particularly peaceful.¡±

    ¡°And the stories explain that, by saying there are still agents of the other elements in the world working against Purity. That we have to be vigilant lest one day, chaos and horrors will return.¡±

    ¡°Do you believe those stories?¡±

    Tibs looked around to keep from pressing her as she stayed silent. They¡¯d walked long enough he¡¯d expected they had crossed into different neighborhoods with changes in houses to represent them, but they were all similar in their¡­ ordinariness. Some were three stories, those seemed to be mostly shops. Some were two, but even they had a lack of refinement that made them more like the one-story houses than different.

    Tibs associated plainness with Streets. His and others he¡¯d visited in his search were places where coins were too rare for anyone to improve the buildings. He¡¯d thought that anyone for whom coins were a normal thing would use them to make their home look better, feel better.

    He hadn¡¯t seen any houses in disrepair yet, but also nothing beyond the essentials of what made a building.

    ¡°I questioned them,¡± she said, snapping his attention back to her, ¡°even before meeting Khumdar. I didn¡¯t understand why my family was against me reading from the library until I found books contradicting the stories I grew up on. The sorcerers of purity don¡¯t interact with the clerics because they know too much that would challenge the beliefs they need to be effective. Because the guards spend so much time with the clerics, they too can¡¯t know too much.¡±

    ¡°What about rogues and archers?¡±

    She smiled. ¡°We don¡¯t have much of one, and none of the other.¡± She paused. ¡°Or so we are told. There are archers within the guards, so I expect that is what class they are, and as guards, they will be limited in what they can learn.¡±

    ¡°And the rogues?¡± Tibs asked, then stopped to watch a man in a uniform, that made Tibs think he was a guard, talking to a penitent-looking woman. Tibs didn¡¯t understand the words, but the tone was that of a lecture.

    ¡°He¡¯s chastising her for sitting there when there is work to do,¡± Carina explained.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t it be her decision? It¡¯s her coin to make or not.¡±

    She watched the exchange for a second more. ¡°Have you listened to the clerics in Kragle Rock?¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t say much when they heal us as we leave the dungeon. There was that old guy, when the corruption pool happened, but he just screamed to have Khumdar thrown into a cell for helping. The rest of the time they keep to themselves¡­but,¡± he remembered one. ¡°There was a young cleric, and she was trying to get rid of the pool. She seemed determined to remove the corruption, even if the attempt killed her.¡±

    Carina nodded. ¡°Hard work is one of the core tenets of purity, and the clerics adhere to them more than any here.¡± She nodded to the woman, who stepped into the house, now that the guard was done reprimanding her. ¡°Everyone here lives under those tenets. You are more likely to be stopped for vagrancy here than larceny. At least with theft, you are working toward something.¡± She smiled at him as Tibs eyed a high window. ¡°You will still be arrested if you are caught.¡±

    It lacked the refinement that added purchase, but it also didn¡¯t have any work done that made reaching it more difficult.

    ¡°I¡¯m not walking the roofs here.¡± Tibs started walking again. ¡°What I have to do is more important.¡±

    ¡°Then be sure to keep your fingers out of others¡¯ pockets. They aren¡¯t any kinder to pickpockets here than elsewhere.¡±

    ¡°But they¡¯ll be kinder to me than to a vagrant?¡± Tibs asked, grinning.

    ¡°Barely.¡± She motioned ahead. ¡°We¡¯re nearly here.¡±

    The only difference Tibs saw in the houses here, compared to the rest of their walk, was that they seemed slightly larger. Or maybe it was his imagination.

    She stopped before the door and smoothed her wet robes down. She looked Tibs over as if the good set of clothing she¡¯d forced him into might not be good enough, then knocked.

    There was motion inside. Something fell, someone cursed. There was laughter.

    The door opened and a man with colorless eyes scowled at them, then immediately smiled. ¡°Carina!¡± He hugged her, transferring wet clay from his shirt, pants, and hands onto her robes. ¡°And you are the young man who fell off a mountain.¡± He greeted Tibs after putting her down.

    ¡°Tibs, this is¡­¡± She trailed off, trying to remember the name the cleric had given them, Tibs realized.

    ¡°Paul,¡± Tibs said. ¡°That¡¯s the name he said to use.¡±

    She blushed. ¡°Right. Paul.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re bringing him to my home, I think we¡¯ve moved beyond aliases, Carina. And I doubt Zakaria would stick to calling me that.¡± He gave Tibs a slight bow. ¡°I am Peolo Whiteblood. Cleric, purveyor of her word, protector of her honor.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Tibs.¡± He hesitated. ¡°Rogue.¡±

    Peolo smiled. ¡°Simplicity does have its place. Please come in.¡± He stepped out of the way. On the other side of the room that made up the entire floor, someone picked up lumps of clay off the floor next to an overturned table. ¡°Forgive the mess. You startled me while I was turning clay.¡±

    ¡°When did you start working with clay?¡± Carina asked, ¡°Hi, Zack! It¡¯s good to see you again.¡±

    The man, no, woman? Tibs couldn¡¯t decide. They had the square shoulders and hips of a man, but also breasts. When they answered Carina, their voice was deep but carried a lightness Tibs associated with women. In a way, they reminded him somewhat of the newer version of Bigger Brute Sto had used to fight Jackal.

    Peolo crossed the room and pulled them to their feet with an amused giggle. Then kissed their temples.

    ¡°Stop it,¡± they said, pretending to push him away. ¡°We have guests.¡±

    ¡°And now, our visitor can understand you.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± They smiled and curtsied. ¡°I am Zackaria. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. Did you say your name is Tibs?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a lovely name.¡±

    Tibs realized he was blushing. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Peolo straightened the table and Tibs focused on the top of it, which was spinning.

    He didn¡¯t understand what about them made him¡­uncomfortable? No, the opposite. They put him at ease in a way he¡¯d only felt before in Water¡¯s presence. Only their eyes were the green of grass with flecks of gold that seemed to light up when they smiled.

    ¡°It¡¯s rather early for you to have reached Epsilon,¡± Peolo said, then to Zackaria, still fussing with the clay on the floor. ¡°Leave it. Carina never cared and her friend is a runner like her. A messy floor won¡¯t bother him.¡±

    They reluctantly stood. ¡°Should I get us wine?¡±

    Peolo looked at Carina.

    ¡°Please?¡± she said. ¡°You don¡¯t know how much I¡¯ve missed it.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. He¡¯d drink what was offered.

    They left, and Peolo motioned to a set of low stools. ¡°Now, what brings you both to our humble home?¡±

    ¡°Tibs needs your help,¡± Carina answered. ¡°He has to get into the dungeon. He wants Purity as his element.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 57

    Zackaria returned with a crystal container and crystal goblets, placing them on a low table while Peolo studied Tibs. They filled the goblets with red wine and handed them over. They smiled as they looked at them in appreciation, and Tibs thought they were seeing them as a painting to be admired.

    Peolo glanced at them and his expression turned pained. ¡°I¡¯m afraid we¡¯re going to need privacy, Dear.¡± He smiled at Zackaria. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure we all spend time together, but for now, you can¡¯t stay. This is going to be¡­Order business.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± They kissed the top of Peolo¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯ll be working in my studio. I look forward to hearing stories of your adventures in the dungeon,¡± they told Tibs and Carina before heading out of the house.

    ¡°Carina,¡± the cleric said, shifting his focus to the two of them again, ¡°there are rules.¡±

    ¡°You were the one who told me that obeying rules without questions led to chaos.¡±

    ¡°That was when you were a child and didn¡¯t question anything you were told.¡±

    She smiled. ¡°You never said anything about no longer questioning them once I grew older.¡±

    ¡°I know you were beyond my advice the day you stole your first book.¡± He ran a finger along his goblet. ¡°I doubt I¡¯m the reason you kept on questioning everything, but saw how little success everyone else demanding you obey blindly had.¡± He smiled at her fondly. ¡°I preferred that we remain friends.¡±

    Peolo looked at Tibs. ¡°This isn¡¯t me agreeing to help, but tell me why you want Purity when there are so many other elements who would suit you better.¡±

    ¡°Because I have to.¡±

    And Tibs realized that Jackal¡¯s words about lying without actually lying were something he¡¯d heard before.

    * * * * *

    Never lie,¡± Old Grangston had said, his voice shaking from age, pain, and probably tainted ale. ¡°Especially when you lie to a mark.¡±

    The old man wasn¡¯t talking to Tibs. He hadn¡¯t known Tibs was present. If he had, his three apprentices would beat Tibs up instead of listening to a lesson.

    Tibs had sneaked to the back of the shack the old man claimed as his home and listened through a broken plank. He had watched Grangston twist a noble around his tongue, and Tibs wanted to learn from him, no matter how many times the old man told him no.

    ¡°The truth is the best lie to tell. You twist it, you bend it. You mold it until it suits your needs, but never, ever, break it.¡±

    Tibs had never gotten good at it, and with each attempt ending in a beating, he¡¯d given up on using his tongue to steal. His hands were better at it.

    * * * * * *

    But now, his tongue was all he had.

    ¡°That is a rather bold claim to make.¡± Peolo¡¯s tone didn¡¯t hold accusation, but there was an expectation of needing more in it.¡±

    And Tibs wasn¡¯t stealing with it this time.

    Not really.

    The elements were there for any who could get an audience, after all.

    ¡°Maybe I don¡¯t have to,¡± he admitted, ¡°but I¡¯ve watched the others with their elements. I¡¯ve watched what they do, how they talk about it, and I came to the conclusion that Purity is who I want.¡±

    ¡°Conclusion?¡± Peolo said, sounding amused.

    ¡°Carina taught me the word. It means that I think over what I want, what¡¯s available, and what I can do, then pick something.¡±

    ¡°And Carina explained about Purity?¡± now there was a hint of disbelief in his voice.

    ¡°No, well, a little. I spoke mostly to the clerics who came to Kragle Rock when the dungeon graduated. There was an¡­ accident that created a pool of corruption, and one of them tried to remove it by herself. When I asked her why she tried it when it had to seem impossible, she said that it wasn¡¯t the success that was important. It was that she did the work as best as she could that mattered.¡±

    Tibs paused and thought back over his life. He didn¡¯t have to pick and choose the events. Nearly all of them fit what he was saying.

    ¡°I¡¯ve had to work hard all my life to stay alive. On my Street, now in the dungeons. The guild didn¡¯t make it easier on me because of my eyes.¡± He hesitated as he realized what he¡¯d said and said the best thing he could think of to explain it. ¡°Even if I had no element when everyone else did. It¡¯s been tough.¡±

    * * * * *

    ¡°If you think you¡¯ve screwed up,¡± Grangston said harshly, ¡°don¡¯t act like it. The mark doesn¡¯t know what you planned to say, or what¡¯s supposed to be the right thing you have to say. You¡¯ll be telling them you screwed up or not by how you behave.¡±

    * * * * *

    ¡°How many times have you gone into the dungeon?¡± Peolo asked.

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°A lot.¡±

    The cleric looked at Carina.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say,¡± she answered. ¡°At first, they just grabbed us off the street if our role was needed to fill a team. We didn¡¯t get to tell them we were tired, or that we¡¯d already gone that day. We went in with strangers and did what we could to survive. When the dungeon graduated, we¡¯d build our teams and there was a schedule. More for the nobles than us, I think. I think that since then, we¡¯ve gone in more than a dozen times, less than twenty, I¡¯m sure.¡±

    ¡°What is your role, Tibs?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a rogue.¡± He said again, puffing out his chest, this time.

    Peolo smiled slightly and didn¡¯t seem surprised. ¡°Those aren¡¯t known to have the best survival rate. There is a lot of distrust, them being thieves who are simply granted a more official-sounding title.¡±

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°I was a thief. That¡¯s how I ended up in the cell that had me sent to Kragle Rock; I picked the wrong pocket. But I¡¯m a Runner now, and a rogue. I want to continue because it¡¯s what¡¯s right for me. When I reach Epsilon, I¡¯m going to become an adventurer and work for the guild.¡±

    ¡°You sound very confident about your chances.¡±

    * * * * *

    ¡°Never think of your real reasons for what you¡¯re saying. They don¡¯t matter and they¡¯ll show on your face. Not one of you¡¯s good enough to make your face say something you aren¡¯t thinking.¡±

    * * * * *

    ¡°What¡¯s my other choice? Think about how I¡¯m going to die and not reach it? I can¡¯t go back to my Street once I¡¯m free after everything I¡¯ve lived through. I¡¯m going to make it. I have to.¡± He looked at his hands and lowered his voice. ¡°For Mama.¡±

    ¡°Does your mother know what happened to you?¡± Peolo asked,

    He shook his head. ¡°She died; in the cold. She wouldn¡¯t want that to happen to me. The dungeon¡¯s hard, but I¡¯m no longer on my Street. I have to survive; for her. My team¡¯s not going to be enough now, not with him being Rho. I need an element. I¡¯m going to continue even if I can¡¯t get one. I don¡¯t care how hard I have to work.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll be the first adventurer ever not to have an element, but my chances are better if I have one.¡±

    ¡°And you would rather not have an element if you can¡¯t have Purity?¡± There was a forced neutrality to the tone that made Tibs consider his response.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to die,¡± he finally said with a sigh. ¡°So I¡¯ll take what I can get. But none of the others sound right for me. Fire¡¯s all about heat and energy. Air¡¯s about playing around. Earth is grumpy. Water¡¯s about waiting around. Darkness is about being mysterious.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t Darkness be a good fit for you? Rogues and mystery go well together.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s what I¡¯ll take if I can¡¯t get Purity,¡± Tibs said. ¡°But the one darkness rogue I¡¯ve known was alone because he could tell how devious everyone is. I know people are devious, but I don¡¯t want to be alone. I want to believe some can be my friends, my family.¡± He wiped at his eyes. He hadn¡¯t intended to let Bardik¡¯s memory get to him.

    ¡°Uncle, I know there are no Purity rogues, and I know Tibs won¡¯t reveal it to anyone. It¡¯s his one chance to continue advancing with us. I don¡¯t think he can survive what¡¯s coming without an element.¡±

    ¡°He said he¡¯d take darkness,¡± Peolo replied.

    ¡°Do you really think he¡¯ll survive an audience if his heart isn¡¯t in it?¡± she countered.

    ¡°There are no guarantees he¡¯ll survive an audience with Purity, either.¡± He looked at Tibs. ¡°You understand that there are no guarantees either way.¡±

    Tibs snorted. ¡°I¡¯ve known that my whole life. Anytime I¡¯d get a little, someone bigger and tougher showed up to take it. But I didn¡¯t let that stop me. If I¡¯m going to die because an element refuses me. I¡¯d rather it be the one I want to be with than my second choice.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t even promise you¡¯ll make it to have your audience,¡± Peolo said.

    Tibs looked up in surprise.

    The cleric smiled. ¡°Do you think we have it any easier because we have a dungeon dedicated to our element? It¡¯s still a dungeon, and it still wants us dead. All we did was find ways to incorporate that aspect into the rituals that lead to the audience and ensure only those who truly work hard make it that far.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Tibs said, trying to sound like he was forcing himself to stay positive. ¡°I¡¯d rather have a chance at the audience than settle for another element.¡±

    Peolo nodded. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll help.¡±

    * * * * *

    ¡°Never, ever, ever, react to your victory. It¡¯ll mean nothing if that noble has a guard cut your throat while you grinning at him.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs covered the bracelet as Peolo nodded to it, happy for the distraction from his elation.

    ¡°How long until you need to go back?¡±

    He focused on it as a reminder of his servitude to counter how pleased he felt.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way to know,¡± Carina answered while Tibs still brought himself under control. ¡°A few weeks, at least, is what we were told.¡±

    ¡°That might not be long enough,¡± The cleric said. ¡°Unlike with the other elements, there is no speeding through the process to have your audience. Getting to Purity takes as long as it needs to. I can¡¯t simply go with you and lead you into Purity¡¯s embrace. Like everything else, you will have to work for it to happen. What will you do if the gem turns while you are still working toward your audience?¡±

    The shrug came easy. ¡°I¡¯ll accept whatever comes.¡± It was how he¡¯d lived. He tried as hard as he could, then events unfolded as they would. ¡°If it¡¯s my death, then I¡¯ve gotten there aiming for what I wanted.¡±

    Peolo¡¯s lips tightened in a line. ¡°I¡¯d rather you live unhappily than die fulfilled.¡±

    Tibs smiled at him. ¡°I¡¯d rather live happy and fulfilled.¡±

    The cleric chuckled. ¡°I hope I was never this refreshingly na?ve. Otherwise, what a grump have I turned to in my old age.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not old,¡± Carina said.

    Peolo rolled his eyes. ¡°I am three times your father¡¯s age. Remind me again what you said when you found out how old he is?¡±

    She straightened. ¡°I will not. We have company.¡±

    Tibs looked at her, wondering what she could have said she didn¡¯t want him to hear.

    ¡°You know that as you get more powerful with your element,¡± Peolo said, ¡°your body will change, correct?¡±

    Tibs nodded. ¡°I got from the adventurers in Kragle Rock that some are a lot older than they look. Some call what we do a ¡®crawl,¡¯ or a ¡®dive¡¯. It¡¯s what they used to call doing a run when they did it.¡±

    The cleric nodded. ¡°The more powerful you are, the higher in rank, as your guild counts it, the slower you age. I don¡¯t know how adventurers handle it, but here, most have families, since we are all dedicated to Purity.¡± He looked at Carina and smiled. ¡°It makes it possible that we don¡¯t have to fear outgrowing the children we have grown fond of.¡±

    ¡°Do you have many?¡± Tibs asked as Carine looked at her feet, her dark skin turning darker in embarrassment.

    Peolo shook his head. ¡°My love is Purity. I don¡¯t have any left to dedicate to a family.¡±

    ¡°Then Zackaria is¡­¡± Tibs trailed off. He only had other Runners as a reference, and while not all of them had someone special. Any who had someone looked a lot like Jackal and Kroseph, or¡ªhe swallowed¡ªPyan and Geoff.

    ¡°What Zackaria and I have is comfortable. I like and enjoy their company and they enjoy spending time with me. But eventually, they¡¯ll grow bored with me not giving them what they want. I explained it to them when they courted me, but they think that their love is enough to change me. They¡¯ll realize it isn¡¯t, and there will be pain and anger. They might lash out at me. Then, they¡¯ll go to someone who can give them the kind of happiness they want. Until then, we enjoy each other¡¯s company.¡±

    ¡°You make it sound easy,¡± Tibs said softly, ¡°them leaving you.¡±

    ¡°It is, now.¡± Peolo grew thoughtful. ¡°The first few were hard. I didn¡¯t become a cleric knowing where my devotion would take me. Like Carina¡¯s parents, I, too, married.¡± He smiled. ¡°She was a lovely woman, a fighter.¡± His smile fell. ¡°My duties to Purity got in the way. Fortunately, we didn¡¯t have children. Then there was a man, outside of the order, because I thought his shorter life would make it easier for him not to be as involved with me. Instead, it made him ask for him, and not being of the order, I couldn¡¯t make him understand what Purity means. We argued and fought. There were a few more until I understood how much I could give, and learned to accept the consequences.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better not to be with anyone, then?¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Carina exclaimed.

    Peolo chuckled. ¡°Possibly. But Purity doesn¡¯t warm a bed. Hug me when I¡¯ve had a hard day. Devotion and hard work don¡¯t mean you don¡¯t have a right to comfort once the day is over.¡±

    Tibs looked at the floor, seeing the similarities between the cleric and Jackal. ¡°I¡¯m a Runner. I don¡¯t want to die, but I will. I can¡¯t put someone through that kind of pain.¡±

    ¡°Then take your pleasure where you can. There are plenty of men and women willing to offer it without attachment.¡± He drained his goblet. ¡°But now that I have talked about myself far more than I am accustomed to, there is a last warning I must give you. I can get you into the dungeon within the next group of acolytes, in three days, but there is nothing I can do to help you leave, should you survive your audience. Once an acolyte exits the dungeon, they are carted away to start their training.¡±

    Tibs nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll find a way. What do I have to do to get ready?¡±

    Peolo looked Tibs over again. ¡°Get your hair shorn. On the morning I¡¯ll take you in, you¡¯ll need to take a proper bath. I¡¯ll have acolyte¡¯s robes ready for you.¡±

    Tibs frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t I need to starve myself?¡±

    Peolo laughed. ¡°The dungeon will see to that part itself.¡± He glanced at Carina. ¡°In fact, you should go with Carina when she visits her family and enjoy their cooking.¡±

    ¡°What?" She was on her feet, glaring at the cleric. ¡°I¡¯m not going there. There¡¯s nothing you can say that¡¯ll get me to want to ever see them again after the way they treated me.¡±

    Peolo smiled. ¡°It is the price of my help to get Tibs into the dungeon.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 58

    ¡°Are they that bad?¡± Tibs asked as Carina dragged her feet.

    He wore an oiled sheet over his nice clothing to keep them dry in the drizzle. Zackaria had cleaned them and had also shorn his hair down to the thickness of a finger. They¡¯d hummed through the process and asked Tibs about the dungeon. He kept his stories to the exciting part of exploring the first and second floor and didn¡¯t mention all the deaths he had had to endure. They were too nice to hear about those.

    ¡°They¡¯re a bunch of self-centered, narrow-minded, no imagination Puritans,¡± she grumbled.

    ¡°That last one sounds like it would apply to everyone in the city.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make it any better!¡± she yelled in exasperation and some of the men and women passing by looked in their direction.

    She wore her sorcerer¡¯s robes; the one she¡¯d gotten from Sto. Peolo had offered her one of Zackaria¡¯s dresses, but Carina had glared at the cleric. Tibs was sure that if the dress hadn¡¯t belonged to Zackaria, Carina would have shredded it.

    ¡°Will it go better if you tell them I¡¯m your special guy?¡±

    She glanced at him, an eyebrow raised.

    He shrugged. ¡°Seems everyone expects us to have a special someone.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not going to help, but thank you for offering. And they aren¡¯t going to have a problem with you. You¡¯re not part of the family, so they aren¡¯t going to have expectations as to who you should have become.¡±

    The neighborhood they entered had larger houses, but they were no more luxurious than any of the others before. By the sound coming from them, as well as the number of people coming and going, the size seemed to accommodate larger families, instead of denoting status.

    When Carina stopped, Tibs did the same. Little set the house they stood in front of from the others. It was made of rough stones and the wooden beams supporting the porch were coated in pitch to protect them from the water. Zackaria had explained they used the wood from a tree that was more resistant to rain, but even then, it needed the extra protection.

    The three rocking chairs and bench under the yawning looked well used. The shutters were open, the glass keeping the drizzle out and letting the light in.

    Voices came from inside.

    A lot of them.

    ¡°How many people are in your family?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°It depends who¡¯s in the city.¡± She sighed. ¡°By the sounds, I¡¯d say we¡¯re dealing with at least thirty of them.¡± She looked miserable.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have my knife,¡± Tibs said. Maybe Peolo had known what Tibs might offer to make Carina feel better because he had kept the one knife Tibs had brought to the city. ¡°But I can make one with ice and lower their numbers if it¡¯s going to make you feel more comfortable.¡±

    She fought against the smile. ¡°No killing my family, Tibs.¡± She lost, then her sigh wasn¡¯t so filled with misery. ¡°I¡¯m not happy with them, but not so much I want any of them dead.¡±

    Tibs thought Peolo had come close with his offer of the dress.

    ¡°I can pick pockets so badly I¡¯ll get caught and they¡¯ll kick us out.¡±

    ¡°No picking pockets,¡± she said, horrified. ¡°You can¡¯t go into the dungeon if you¡¯re in a cell.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s kind of how I ended up¡ª¡±

    ¡°No picking pockets, Tibs,¡± she instructed. He nodded, and she sighed in resignation. ¡°I guess I just have to go through with this and hope it¡¯s worth it.¡±

    ¡°It will be.¡±

    She glanced at him. ¡°For you, certainly. You¡¯re the one getting an element out of this. All I¡¯m getting is¡­¡± she motioned to the house.

    ¡°A family?¡± He did his best not to let his confusion sound. Wasn¡¯t a family you didn¡¯t get along with better than no family at all?

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    ¡°I have a family,¡± she replied, tone firm. ¡°He¡¯s next to me right now. One¡¯s in Kragle Rock, having too much fun with his special guy. I should have forced him to come so he could suffer with me.¡±

    "Yes.¡± Tibs chuckled. ¡°Jackal among new people who¡¯ve never heard his stories. He¡¯d suffer so much.¡±

    ¡°Right. Then you can tell him of all the chances to impress people he missed once we¡¯re back.¡± She straightened. ¡°That¡¯s going to serve him right for not being here to support me through this.¡± She stepped onto the porch and entered the house.

    ¡°Carina¡¯s home!¡± a man yelled as he placed polished stone plates on a long, pale-wood table. Unlike in Kragle Rock, among the other Runners, what Peolo had done to Tibs so he would understand the city¡¯s people let him hear the other language and know he didn¡¯t understand it, but he also understood them. The cleric had explained that what he¡¯d woven within Tibs¡¯s mind purified the words to their meaning, and everyone understood meaning.

    Tibs hadn¡¯t quite understood what that meant.

    ¡°You¡¯re looking good,¡± a woman said, as she walked by, stone goblets in her arms. ¡°Who¡¯s your friend?¡± she was gone before Tibs could introduce himself.

    A child poked their head around the edge of a doorway, eyeing them suspiciously. Men and women walked by, offering greetings faster than Tibs could react to, carrying items for preparing the table for the coming meal.

    When he glanced at Carina, her eyes were closed and she had a small smile. She opened them as if sensing him looking, and shrugged, but the smile remained.

    No one ignored them as they moved, no, worked, but they were too busy setting the table to stop for their greetings. It was a chaos that reminded Tibs of Kroseph¡¯s family at the MountainSea inn when it was busy. Only here, there was no stopping to chat with a customer when serving them. Or leaning against the bar, taking in the room before heading in. Only the youngest children didn¡¯t take part, but they stayed at the edge of the room, out of the way, as they watched the adults and older children.

    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there,¡± a woman said as she walked by, carrying baskets of bread in her arms. ¡°There¡¯s lots more food in the kitchen that needs moving.¡±

    Tibs couldn¡¯t read the expression that flashed on Carina¡¯s face. It might have been relief, but that didn¡¯t make sense since she¡¯d been given work to do.

    ¡°Yes, Mother.¡± She hurried to the other room and Tibs followed, only to stop with the woman, Carina¡¯s mother said.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to. Guests don¡¯t need to share in the work.¡±

    Tibs looked around at everyone moving and tried to imagine standing here, just doing nothing. ¡°What if I want to help?¡± he put his hands in his pockets. None of the people¡¯s pockets were bulging, but he could tell there were things in them. As much as he¡¯d been joking when he talked about picking pockets, he knew that if he didn¡¯t stay busy, the temptation would only increase.

    ¡°Then you are most welcome to the family,¡± she said, as she placed the baskets on the table. With a nod, she indicated a door. ¡°In that room, you¡¯ll find the chairs. Why don¡¯t you help bring them to the table?¡±

    Tibs set to work, and immediately he became one of them. When the chairs were placed, he was set to help bring the candelabras, then fetch the candles. Then he was in the kitchen, turning the spit over the fire in the open back of the house, with only a large oiled sheet hanging over the deck keeping the rain off him and the food. Talking never stopped, but no one questioned who he was or what he was doing here with Carina.

    They asked about where he was from, and how he met Carina, but they didn¡¯t press for more than he gave. One teased him, asking if he and Carina were engaged. Because of what Peolo had told him of how things were between him and Zackaria, Tibs knew that means betrothed, like Mez and his girl. No, he told them. They were simply friends and teammates.

    He stopped himself from saying they were family because whatever reservation Carina had had about being here, they were gone now, replaced by contentment as she worked alongside her parents, siblings, and others related to her in ways Tibs didn¡¯t understand.

    * * * * *

    They sat as a man lit the candles on the table. He seemed no older than the other adults, but there was a sense of authority about him that turned the lighting into a ceremony. The energy that had filled the house was now an undercurrent to the peace surrounding the table.

    There were three and six people around the table, including him and Carina, but not the children who sat on the adult¡¯s laps. Tibs had never seen so many people at one table, or a table so large it fit them all. How was he going to reach for the meat he wanted when it was eight places away?

    ¡°You did good work, Carina,¡± the man said, once he sat among the others. Carina was seated between her mother and father, who looked barely older than Carina. He shared the same brown hair with hints of red, but his skin was closer to Tibs¡¯s light brown than hers and her mother¡¯s dark version of it. ¡°As did your friend. Welcome to our family, Tibs.¡±

    Tibs¡¯s thank you came out soft. He was unsure if it meant he¡¯d been greeted as her special guy, if anyone who helped became part of the family, or even what being part of the family meant.

    ¡°The meal has been made with care and attention,¡± the man intoned. ¡°The table set with determination and effort. Fire has been brought to assist in purifying the room. Live pure, work hard, and always keep wary of corruption.¡±

    Chaos erupted as soon as the last word was said; people reaching for bowls, plates, or bottles. Wine and ale poured among the laughter and meats and vegetables being passed around for each to take. Conversations were light and intense. There was a lack of order to how they served themselves that stunned Tibs, since the work leading up to this moment had felt organized.

    The company was good, the food better, and Tibs ate heartily, as did everyone else.

    He¡¯d never tell Kroseph, but Tibs thought the food might be better than what the inn served.

 Stepping up, Chapter 59

    Tibs stood among the supplicants¡ªPeolo had called them¡ªin the uncomfortable clothing that had been provided. A shirt and pants of rough fabric, and hard leather sandals that did nothing to protect his feet. He pointed that out to the cleric who smiled and said Tibs wasn¡¯t going to the section of the dungeon where the fighting took place.

    No one looked at him, or each other, as they were led to the dungeon¡¯s entrance. Unlike Sto, this entrance was at ground level, in the sloped face of the mountain, the corridor stretching out in white marble veined with gold and silver.

    ¡°Oh,¡± a female voice said excitedly once Tibs was within knife-throwing distance of the opening. ¡°The next group¡¯s here! Craren, you have to come see¡­¡± she trailed off. ¡°Craren, get yourself here. What¡¯s with that one?¡±

    Tibs fought the urge to look around for the unseen voice. He hadn¡¯t expected to hear this dungeon. He and Sto were good friends. Had considered him so even before Tibs could hear him. He¡¯d thought that had been the reason he could hear him and Ganny. If he could hear this dungeon also, could he hear others?

    ¡°Hun?¡± another unseen voice said, sounding like she was approaching. ¡°What is it?¡± she said, bored, ¡°a rogue? Okay, we don¡¯t see a lot of those.¡±

    Tibs frowned. How did she know he was a rogue?

    ¡°Not that, look.¡± The dungeon said.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking, Val.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re looking,¡± Val replied dismissively. ¡°But I need you to Look.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m¡ªwhat¡¯s that?¡± was that fear in her voice? ¡°What in Purity¡¯s light is that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m wondering the same thing. You ever seen someone with more than one element? Did we ever have one come in? Your memory¡¯s better than mine.¡±

    ¡°No, we haven¡¯t. And I¡¯ve never seen one. That¡¯s not possible. Why is he here?¡± Craren sounded more concerned than afraid now.

    ¡°How would I know.¡±

    ¡°Keep him out,¡± Craren stated. ¡°Whatever he is, it can¡¯t be good.¡±

    ¡°Okay, how do I do that? If I close my doors, it¡¯s going to raise questions, it¡¯s been what¡­ a long time since I¡¯ve done that? And I can¡¯t just keep him out, look where he is. If I close the door just before him, I¡¯m going to crush those in front.¡±

    Tibs forced himself to ignore the dungeon and her assistant as they stopped and a man stepped before the entrance. He wished that, like his ability to sense the surrounding essence, he could stop hearing them.

    ¡°Welcome supplicants.¡± The man¡¯s voice carried over the crowd of five and zero people¡ªPeolo had told him how many were entering with him.

    ¡°He¡¯s after Purity,¡± Craren said excitedly. ¡°Look, he has seven of the elements, that the one he¡¯s missing.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not giving it to him.¡±

    Tibs closed his eyes and wished they¡¯d be quiet. He needed to listen to the instructions.

    ¡°Today, you are embarking on a journey that will last you a lifetime. Those of you who return with your element will become the guardians of our world. Through your swords, your bows, your halberds, your shields, and your dedication, you will keep corruption and chaos from gaining a foothold. You will fight them back where they try to enter. You will protect your brothers and sisters in your element as they go about healing the damage that has already been caused. And when you fall, even if it is today, you will do so knowing that your hard work has made the worlds safer to those who don¡¯t have the privilege of serving Purity.¡±

    ¡°To serve is to be Pure,¡± Tibs chanted with the crowd, although he was out of step. The girl on his left glanced at him before looking ahead. Peolo had taught him the responses, but he didn¡¯t have years of practice giving it.

    ¡°Your devotion began years ago, but your test starts today. The dungeon will test your dedication to Purity through hard work. Through testing your willingness to endure hardship and resist temptation. You start as many, but your journey will be alone as the world will not often grant you support in your ordeals. At each junction, you will take the one the person before you did not, and once you are walking alone, you will be tested.¡±

    ¡°Oh you can be sure we¡¯re going to test him,¡± Craren said in the pause as the man looked the group over.

    ¡°You can turn back at anything,¡± he continued. ¡°There is no shame in finding your limit and realizing you are not yet worthy of your audience. You will be welcomed back, and returned to your studies and meditations.¡±

    ¡°To know is to be Pure!¡± Tibs was in step this time.

    ¡°We are not like the adventurers, who will throw anyone in their dungeons simply to make it grow stronger and profit from it. Our dungeon is here to help you along your path so you can grow and fight the enemies of the world. Some of you will fall, as part of your training, or against the enemies, but it will not be because you are unprepared. We are the world¡¯s army, and we will be ready!¡±

    ¡°To fight is to be Pure!¡± As Tibs said the words, he realized the dungeon had fallen silent for a time. He wasn¡¯t sure if the silence was good or bad. The man stepped aside and they entered.

    Unlike Sto, the entrance had no decorations. The marble formed an archway wide enough for two, but as they approached, the supplicants formed a single line. The entry hall was shorter than Sto¡¯s, maybe no longer than what extended outside the mountain.

    Instead of ending in a room, the hall split into two. The man before Tibs took the left branch, and he took the right. The light diminished for a few more steps away from the entrance, then settled to something resembling late dawn, but there were no light stones, the light just was. Sensing for the essence, it permeated the walls without discernible form.

    At the next junction, Tibs took the left, then he took another left, and two rights. Then he could no longer see the person before him, but he heard their steps. Peolo had warned him against hurrying to catch up. At the junction, he had to strain his hearing to figure out which branch they had taken. He went left.

    He thought he was alone, but he came across another junction. He closed his eyes and listened.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give him that,¡± Val said, and Tibs nearly jumped in surprise. ¡°He takes this seriously.¡±

    ¡°If he¡¯s hunting all the essences, he¡¯d have to,¡± Craren replied.

    ¡°How do you think he does it? Don¡¯t the elements kill anyone trying to have more than one?¡±

    In the pause, Tibs thought he heard a sound in the distance.

    ¡°I thought they did,¡± Craren said. ¡°You think he can make out the one who went left?¡±

    Tibs stopped himself from moving. He¡¯d been about to head in that direction.

    ¡°The sound doesn¡¯t travel that far. If he didn¡¯t think to keep track of the splits, there¡¯s no way he knows which to take.¡±

    Tibs went right and was annoyed at himself for not thinking to do that. Anything in the dungeon could be a test.

    ¡°You think him being a rogue has something to do with surviving the audiences? The few rogues that have come through have been tricky.¡±

    ¡°Then he¡¯s about to find out you don¡¯t trick Purity,¡± Craren replied in a mocking tone. Then she sounded uncertain. ¡°Still, I don¡¯t think we should risk it.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying you don¡¯t have faith in the element we represent?¡± Val asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s our job to make sure only the worthy have their audience, isn¡¯t it?¡±

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    ¡°Well, yes.¡± There was a sense Craren was stating the obvious in Val¡¯s tone.

    ¡°He isn¡¯t worthy, so we can¡¯t let him have the audience.¡±

    Tibs smiled at the finality in those words. He was going to prove to Craren who, of the three of them, was the most determined.

    Of course, being able to listen in on their conversation gave him an edge they might consider unfair, but he was simply using one of the skills he had access to as a way to survive his run.

    He stopped as the path ended in a featureless wall.

    Okay, having listened to them didn¡¯t prepare him for that.

    ¡°Turn around, essence boy,¡± Val said. ¡°This is the end of your quest.¡±

    Not happening, Tibs thought. This was his one chance to have his audience. He wasn¡¯t missing it.

    The gray walls, floors, and ceilings looked like stones, and that was one of the essences they were made of, it wasn¡¯t the primary one. Unlike Sto¡¯s walls, which were mostly stone and then had what Tibs expected some of all the other essences, since there was so much he couldn¡¯t identify, this wall only had one element he couldn¡¯t identify, the seven others were those he already had.

    The dungeon didn¡¯t want him to continue, but maybe she couldn¡¯t simply prevent him. Dungeons were about testing what the Runners could do, forcing them to push forward. Maybe she didn¡¯t know any other way to stop him than to give him what she thought was an uncrackable puzzle.

    It would certainly stop anyone else.

    Tibs reached for the earth essence and gently pulled it out of the weave that made out the wall.

    ¡°What is he doing?¡± the dungeon asked.

    ¡°Being tricky,¡± Craren replied, ¡°he¡¯s a rogue. It¡¯s what they do.¡±

    ¡°But he¡¯s pulling the essence out,¡± Val replied, offended. ¡°He can¡¯t do that.¡±

    ¡°Of course I can,¡± Tibs whispered as he started on the water, then cursed himself as the dungeon and Craren fell silent. He concentrated on holding earth aside, without his bracers, he had no space for more essence in his reserve. He didn¡¯t alter how quickly he worked, worried that any change would make the dungeon more suspicious.

    ¡°Did he just reply to me?¡± Val asked, the uncertainly making her sound afraid.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± Craren said. ¡°They can¡¯t hear us. He¡¯s talking to himself. You¡¯ve seen them doing that once they have no one else to speak to. Talk talk talk. Humans just don¡¯t appreciate silence the way we do.¡±

    Tibs would appreciate some silence right now. The weave wasn¡¯t causing him problems, but he¡¯d grown so used to talking with Sto during his runs he wanted to reply to them.

    Fire followed water, then air. Then darkness and light. He was surprised there was corruption and he moved that away, but then, the dungeon wasn¡¯t the people making the proclamations, she knew how the elements were all vital.

    He stepped through the opening he made.

    ¡°How¡­ how is he walking through like that?¡± Val asked.

    ¡°Because purity isn¡¯t solid,¡± Craren said, ¡°you know that. No essence is solid unless it¡¯s woven that way, and here you have them solid because of the way the essences interact with each other, just like the real stuff.¡±

    ¡°Are you telling me I¡¯m going to have to rebuild everything?¡± Val said, horrified.

    ¡°Only if you expect another one like him to show up. They aren¡¯t supposed to have purity yet on this floor, let alone seven elements. Cheater, that¡¯s what you are.¡±

    Val sighed. ¡°It is sort of what rogues do.¡±

    Tibs smiled. Considering Val said she hadn¡¯t seen many rogues, they must have left quite an impression. The other side of the wall was another long corridor. Was that all this dungeon was, a series of unending corridors?

    ¡°I hate that I can¡¯t just encase him there. Craren, how bad would it be if I changed things so he got crushed further down? I mean, it isn¡¯t like anyone would know.¡±

    Tibs kept walking but sensed as far as he could ahead. A dozen-pace was the distance Sto needed to be able to make changes, and the only thing keeping him from changing rooms when they were in them, other than the rules, was because of how interconnected he made the essence in them.

    ¡°You¡¯d know,¡± Craren replied. ¡°So you can do it, so long as you¡¯re comfortable with the thought, and the memory. I doubt anyone else will come to check how you work after millennia without causing trouble.¡±

    ¡°Why do I have to be so cursed strict about what I can do,¡± Val grumbled and Tibs relaxed. ¡°I¡¯m still making changes ahead, I¡¯d like to see him get through those.¡±

    Ahead proved to be far enough Tibs didn¡¯t sense the changes. When the count for his steps reached nine and nine after the opening he made and he still hadn¡¯t encountered anything, he stopped counting. He knew how to go higher by just adding another number, so one, zero, and another zero, but it was too much of a hassle at that point.

    The hall widened into a semblance of a room, with stalagmites and stalactites growing until they almost touched, reminding Tibs of a growling dog, like one of Serba¡¯s.

    He snorted. ¡°You think that¡¯s going to stop me?¡± He stepped forward gauging the space between the ¡®teeth¡¯ for the best way through, then stopped. ¡°Yeah, this is too easy.¡±

    The dungeon chuckled.

    Tibs studied the floor, visually and by sensing the essences. Like the wall that had blocked his way, this was earth woven through with other essences, although Val seemed to have learned from what he¡¯d done because there were a lot more essences he couldn¡¯t identify. There were no traps on the floor or among the stones. Without regular visits by rogues, she might not have a lot of traps or situations she could use them with.

    Purity was about hard work, and Val had said that was her element, just like Sto was about stone, so that would be a large part of how this room could be overcome.

    He studied the gaps. They varied in size but they would all require squeezing through in some way, so how to get there would take work. The stalagmites didn¡¯t have handholds, but they also weren¡¯t perfectly smooth. Even without resorting to using earth, he¡¯d find a crack here and there to make the climb.

    He picked a path, and in a few minutes of climbing, he was up. There was no ledge for him to stand so he grabbed onto the end of the stalagmite to steady himself and immediately let go with a cry of pain, then fell down the side and ended on the floor.

    ¡°I bet you think this is funny,¡± Tibs growled once he had his breath back, as the dungeon laughed. His hand was cut open in multiple places. He sensed the state the rest of his body was in, only bruising, then wrapped his essence over his hand to stop the blood.

    ¡°Craren!¡± Val cried out. ¡°He¡¯s got life!¡±

    ¡°That''s impossible,¡± she replied, sounding as if she was returning. ¡°Only dungeons have that one.¡±

    ¡°Then explain how he did that?¡±

    The silence stretched as Tibs got to his feet.

    ¡°How did I miss he had that?¡± Craren mused.

    The same way anyone missed important details, Tibs mentally answered, by getting distracted by the not-so-important ones. Like how he¡¯d let the ease of the climb distract him from sensing ahead. He flexed his injured fingers to ensure the wrap moved with them. It was his first time using it on such a nimble part.

    This time, the climb took much longer. His hand slowed him, pain lancing through each time he put weight on it as he pulled himself up, but he also paused to sense ahead, and that way caught the places where Val added small spikes of stones to some of the handholds. Most of the obvious ones, forcing him to detour.

    Val and Craren discussed what his ability to use life essence meant. Val suggested Tibs was a dungeon creation who¡¯d gotten out and was¡­she couldn¡¯t come up with a reason why he¡¯d come here. Craren pointed out a creation wouldn¡¯t be able to manipulate essence. Only living creatures could do that. Could he be a dungeon who had figured out how to¡­ she couldn¡¯t complete that, and asked Val asked how she¡¯d go about putting her core into a body. Which Val couldn¡¯t answer either.

    As Tibs reached the opening between the ¡®teeth¡¯, they decided that he had stolen the essence, just like he clearly had stolen the other essences he''d used. He was a thief after all. They were now more determined to stop him from getting an audience and stealing Purity¡¯s essence.

    Tibs couldn¡¯t identify the essence that coated the other side of the teeth. He decided metal, based on how his hand was sliced up. With only his personal reserve, all he could coat was a hand with water and added earth. He iced one, made the other as hard as stone, then reached in for purchase.

    ¡°Cheater,¡± Craren said as Tibs pulled himself in enough to look. Thin metal blades lined that side of the stalagmites¡¯ peaks. Sensing, that same essence only went down as far as he could reach with an arm. The stalactite above didn¡¯t have any, so he reached up, found handholds, and pulled himself through and over the blade. His landing on the slope was awkward and he tumbled his way to the ground.

    ¡°You have to give him that,¡± Val said, chuckling, ¡°he¡¯s resourceful.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have to give him anything, do we?¡± Craren replied dismissively.

    ¡°You know, you are right, we don¡¯t.¡±

    Tibs readied himself for something as he got to his feet.

    ¡°We certainly don¡¯t have to give him any light.¡±

    It was dark

    The kind of dark he¡¯d only experienced once, and even if it had resulted in an audience, it still made a shiver run down his back. Even with darkness as an element, he saw nothing at all. This was the darkness of bard¡¯s songs, moments before they announced the truly evil thing of the story came at the hero. It was the dark that hid creatures that sucked the life out of people, which the bards also sang about.

    He had to stop listening to the bards.

    The light he called was a reaction to those stories, to the fears he¡¯d had when Mama was still there to comfort him and make the bad things in the dark go away. His breathing slowed as he made out the floor a few paces around him. He wanted more light, but it was all his paltry reserve let him do.

    ¡°He is such a cheat!¡± Craren complained.

    ¡°He has light as an element,¡± Val said with a sigh. ¡°I should have thought he¡¯d use it.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Tibs told the darkness beyond his light. ¡°That was well played.¡±

    ¡°And he can appreciate a cunning plan,¡± Val said with pride.

    ¡°Because he beat it.¡±

    Tibs preferred Ganny, Craren was too bitter. Ganny didn¡¯t need to win so much, she could enjoy watching the Runners succeed.

    Maybe it was because she was younger. Craren spoke of millennia. Tibs didn¡¯t know how many years that was, but the word had a sense of weight to it, so it had to be a lot.

    Taking that first step into the little light he created was harder than it should be. He could see where he stepped, but a voice, little and terrified, at the back of his mind, clamored that anything could hide beyond the light, and the darkness was close enough it might jump at him easily.

    Only staying here, staying still, ensured it didn¡¯t find him.

    And it wasn¡¯t like he needed to move, another part said. It wasn¡¯t afraid, but still willing to side with his fear. He would grow hungry and he was in a purity dungeon, so he would get his audience.

    He agreed with it that he could. But it was Val and Craren¡¯s plan to scare him into remaining where he was. He would not let them win.

    He moved a foot, then the other, and took another step. His progress was slow, but it was progress. He looked ahead and saw nothing, but he imagined the other room, the other challenge he would face.

    And oh, abyss, did he imagine that one with a lot of light.

 Stepping up, Chapter 60

    Tibs rested his head against the stone. He stopped fighting the exhaustion and closed his eyes. The climb, and falling, of the stalagmites, had only been the first of the challenges the dungeon put in his path.

    After a long walk in the dark, there had been blocks blocking the way, and he had to punch through them. Tibs wanted to take them apart through essence use, but the dungeon knew which he could control, and had made sure they were in the minority this time.

    He¡¯d coated his fist with ice, earth, and corruption, and hit them. The corruption helped degrade the essence that made up the block, while not interacting with his. Craren was unhappy about that realization.

    After that was a challenge clearly aimed at rogues. A large pit with too many spikes glinting in the light at the bottom. Columns were spread throughout the pit, ending in small platforms at floor height, and if Tibs had his bracers, he would have been able to make the jumps. Without them, the only way he could cross was to use the beams from the stack by the side of the entrance.

    It was a puzzle, where he needed to find the right beam among the varying lengths provided to create a path from one platform to another until he made it to the other side. He suspected that if he got one wrong, he would either lose it as it fell in the pit or be in a position where he had to bring them back and start anew. There were more beams than he thought he¡¯d need, but he had no way to know if he¡¯d reach a point where he¡¯d lost too many to make it.

    An added complication was the weight of the beams. From the shortest to longest they were all the same, and as he had to carry more and more of them over the precariously narrow beams he put down, the strain increased. The beams weren¡¯t flat, which would make walking along them a problem, if not for Tibs¡¯s experience walking roofs, and being able to pull earth essence from the floor to secure the ends.

    He lost two of the beams and watched them shatter as they hit the spikes. He shuddered at the idea that was what waited for him if he wasn¡¯t careful. Their loss didn¡¯t keep him from reaching the exit, but forced him to take a longer way around the platforms.

    Then there was the talking. Val and Craren were much more talkative than Sto and Ganny.

    Unfortunately, other than Craren¡¯s complaints about Tibs making it through this clever trap of theirs or that impossible challenge, they didn¡¯t talk about him, or the ways they planned on stopping him. They didn¡¯t even seem to talk about the other Runners trying for their audience.

    They were reminiscing about previous Runners while he worked. That supplicant they had sent back running and crying after he¡¯d broken a hand trying to make it through the blocks, that girl, who had bragged about how strong she was on the way to the entrance, and how she¡¯d thought climbing the wall they had set before her would be easy. Hadn¡¯t it been sad when that cleric died because he relied on his faith instead of fighting the monsters that populated the lower floors?

    On and on they jabbered. Nearly causing Tibs to fall once as Val exclaimed at a fighter¡¯s battle they had lost, as if it was happening right now, next to Tibs.

    * * * * *

    He woke with a start and looked around.

    How long had he slept? How long had it taken him to cross the room? Unlike Sto, there was no sense the dungeon had a schedule to keep. All the Runners had entered together, and Peolo said weeks could go by before more supplicants were ready to enter. They weren¡¯t interested in feeding the dungeon, so they took the time to get them ready to reach their audience.

    He stood and started walking again.

    More blocks he needed to break, a wall he had to walk along, and nearly fell because he forgot to sense for traps in the handholds and cut his hand. Craren had laughed, then been annoyed when he¡¯d regained a hold and kept going. Other than adding more cuts to his hands, the previous ones seemed to heal quickly. Having clerics heal him when he left the dungeon made it hard to know if his wraps did more than keep any injuries from getting worse. Those he got while training went away quickly, but he¡¯d always thought of those minor injuries.

    * * * * *

    Tibs woke up, again.

    Or was he waking up for the first time?

    Val was going on about something, speaking loudly and quickly enough it took Tibs a few seconds to assemble that another Runner had just returned from their audience.

    He closed his eyes, but the two of them kept on talking excitedly. Why did they have to do that here and not wherever that Runner was? He could only hear them if their focus was ¡®near him¡¯.

    The next room was a floor made of sliding tiles he needed to move until they were in the right pattern to mark the path. If he had it wrong, they would crumble under his foot, opening onto a deep chasm.

    Val seemed to have a thing for long falls.

    In the middle of his sixth attempt, his stomach loudly reminded him his last meal had been a while ago.

    ¡°Time to set up the feast,¡± Val had announced, and Tibs barely kept from sighing in relief.

    ¡°You can¡¯t do that, Val. They need to fast so they can have their¡­¡± Craren trailed off. ¡°Oh, sneaky.¡±

    Tibs lost track of the puzzle as he worked through what they¡¯d just said, then remembered clerics used fasting to reach their audience. They might be so set in their ways the dungeon forgot that high emotions were the actual reliable trigger.

    But her plan still worked against Tibs¡¯s. It had taken him nine days without eating to have his audience with darkness. How long would it take him to have one with Purity if he ate? Tibs didn¡¯t usually reach strong, so he didn¡¯t know if it would happen at all.

    He put Craren and Val out of his mind and had to restart this attempt from the start. It took him three more before he had the path to leave the room.

    He was assaulted by smells.

    Spices, sweets, meats, bread. Oils and char. His mouth watered before he looked toward the tables laden with food.

    Cakes and bread, platters of meats and vegetables, bottles of drinks, tankards of ales. It was indeed a feast. One that if Sto ever recreated, would have people clamoring to do runs just for the chance to look at it, let alone taste what the smells promised.

    Tibs quietly cursed the dungeon for how close to the tables he needed to be as he headed for the next room. Halls were supposed to be safe places.

    He had a tankard in hand before he realized it, and his throat constricted as he forced himself to put it down.

    Val could put a noble to shame with her cruelty. How could she claim purity as her main element and do this?

    ¡°Come on,¡± Craren cooed, ¡°you have to be hungry. Just one bite. It¡¯s the best Val ever made. Trust me on that.¡±

    He made fists and walked to the next challenge as she laughed.

    This one forced him to lift and push beams out of his way until he reached the other side, where, exhausted, he was confronted with a puzzle on the door.

    A square with one and five tiles in it, leaving one empty space. It was a sliding puzzle like the one in a previous room, but each tile had a scene drawn with multiple creatures on them. Val was not the artist Sto was. Tibs had no idea what creatures they were supposed to be. Or what the pattern was.

    He slid them around aimlessly for a time, wondering if they would fall in the right order before his exhaustion, thirst, or hunger caused him to have his audience.

    When he noticed the detail, he felt like hitting his head on the puzzle. The exhaustion had to be the reason he¡¯d missed such an obvious one. No two scenes had the same number of creatures on them, not only that, but they made out the first one and five numbers, so the answer was clear. He needed to arrange them in order.

    Getting them there in his state took time, even with his practice working the one in the other rooms.

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    He groaned when the smells enveloped him as the door opened and he forced himself against the wall away from the table to avoid temptation, or his fingers moving for the food on their own.

    He¡¯d considered taking a nap there, but now, he might end up eating something in his sleep.

    The next room and another puzzle on the door. A square with nine spaces in it, and nine tiles on the table he had to put in them.

    ¡°You¡¯re done,¡± Craren had said in satisfaction.

    Each tile had a number from one to nine on it. He placed them in order.

    ¡°How?¡± Craren demanded. ¡°How can he read the numbers? There¡¯s no way he¡¯s from around here.¡±

    ¡°Rogues are clever,¡± Val replied. ¡°He probably studied them because he was coming here.¡±

    Tibs silently thanked Carina for teaching him.

    Putting them in order wasn¡¯t the solution.

    He noticed the arrows etched on the side of the square pointing inward, marking each line and diagonal as being important. This time, he rested his head against the door and cursed. He was too tired for this. It wouldn¡¯t be only numbers, this had to be some form of calculation.

    Without a number, as the answer, marked anywhere on the door or in the room, the answer would have to be self-evident within the puzzle and relate to the arrows.

    Tibs wished he could strangle Val.

    It took him a long time, once snapping awake as his head touched the door¡¯s cool stone, to work out the answer. The floor had lines on it where Tibs had to use them once he ran out of fingers to count on.

    One and five was the answer.

    It was possible to put the nine numbers in the square so that each line gave him one and five as the answer.

    He was done after this, he promised himself.

    He was never doing numbers again.

    Carina could scream at him as loud as she wanted. He was done.

    ¡°Oh, come on!¡± he cursed as he smelled the food.

    Craren laughed.

    * * * * *

    Tibs snapped awake because of the pain in his stomach.

    Again, he hadn¡¯t meant to sleep, not with food so close, but again, he hadn¡¯t eaten anything in his sleep. His stomach made sure to remind him of that.

    He tried to recall how many times he¡¯d slept to equate them to how many days he had been in the dungeon, but he couldn¡¯t. There were times when he couldn¡¯t even tell if he¡¯d been dreaming of being in the dungeon or awake.

    He was definitely awake now, but he didn¡¯t want to be.

    He closed his eyes. He¡¯d woken up without having eaten enough now, he thought it was safe and being able to think would help him ensure he survived the rooms.

    ¡°Then, you remember what she did?¡± Craren said excitedly, her voice increasing, as if she was walking in his direction.

    ¡°She threw herself off the ledge!¡± Val replied, as if it was a revelation.

    Tibs groaned. As if the smell of food wasn¡¯t enough to make sleep difficult, now those two had to show up. The quiet had been so nice recently.

    ¡°Yes! She was almost there; I could tell. All she had to do was make her way across and I know Purity would have been waiting for her.¡±

    ¡°Purity was still waiting,¡± Val said, her tone turning somber. ¡°But there is no returning from that embrace.¡±

    ¡°Then there was that sorcerer!¡±

    And on they went. He wanted to scream at them to shut up, had his mouth open, but stopped himself in time. They were telling stories Tibs had already heard them talk about again, as if it had just happened.

    * * * * *

    He snapped awake to a cry of excitement.

    He¡¯d fallen asleep through their jabbering?

    Or had he imagined he was sleeping? He certainly didn¡¯t feel any more awake.

    He shambled to the other room, looked at the variying height of the tiles there, and closed the door. He was in no condition to deal with it.

    He sat, closed his eyes, and¡­

    Had to listen to them talk.

    He banged his head against the wall, hoping pain would somehow cover their voices. He did it until he felt wetness down his back. Sensing, he noticed his broken skin and wrapped essence over it, cursing.

    They didn¡¯t even notice he¡¯d hurt himself, too busy talking about a sorcerer who had read from a book as he proceeded through the rooms on the seventh floor, instead of looking around and dealing with the challenges.

    The third room killed him.

    Once Val absorbed the book, she found it was something about mathematical equations, instead of about her.

    They laughed loudly at the sorcerer¡¯s insanity.

    ¡°Will you two shut up!¡± Tibs yelled at the ceiling.

    The silence that followed was profound, and Tibs closed his eyes.

    Finally.

    ¡°He can¡¯t have said that,¡± Craren said fearfully.

    Tibs groaned as he realized he had said it out loud.

    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s insane too and imagining someone¡¯s talking,¡± Val offered, her tone doubtful.

    ¡°I wish,¡± Tibs grumbled.

    He tried to enjoy the ensuing silence, but the idea it would break kept him from relaxing. These two just couldn¡¯t stop, so they would¡ª

    ¡°Hello?¡± Val said, tentatively.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it kind of late for that?¡± Tibs said with a sigh. ¡°I¡¯ve been here a while now. That¡¯s what you say when someone arrives, but you were too busy gawking at my essence to say anything then. So how about you shut up now and let me sleep? And take away the food. I¡¯m not going to eat it.¡±

    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you bossy, for a human trapped in a dungeon?¡± Craren said haughtily.

    ¡°I¡¯m fucking tired because you two never shut up, so forgive me if my manners aren¡¯t up to your fucking standards. And what is it with you and recounting everything that happened before? Go watch the others instead and leave me alone.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t hear us,¡± Val said with determination.

    Tibs let his head fall forward. ¡°You have no idea how much I wish that was true. Sto never yammers on like you do.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s Sto?¡± Craren asked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t encourage him,¡± Val chastised her.

    ¡°He¡¯s my dungeon.¡±

    ¡°Your dungeon?¡± Val demanded. ¡°No one owns us!¡±

    ¡°Sorry, sorry.¡± Tibs waved his hand, hoping that would quiet her down. ¡°He¡¯s my friend. And he happens to be a dungeon, like you. I saved his life.¡±

    Craren snorted. ¡°Oh, sure. A human saving a dungeon. Like that ever happened.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°Look, is it too much to ask for some silence? I just want to sleep and get through everything you have planned and be done.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Val demanded.

    Tibs sighed. No, he wasn¡¯t getting his silence. ¡°You worked out why I¡¯m here pretty quickly. You know which one I¡¯m missing.¡±

    ¡°What are you after?¡± Craren asked. ¡°Why do you want another element? You¡¯re just a greedy rogue.¡± Tibs snickered, and she huffed. ¡°You think this is funny? Val, why don¡¯t you bring a bunch of creatures to that room he needs to go through next?¡±

    ¡°You can bring a creature from a lower floor to here?¡±

    ¡°What if I can?¡± Val asked.

    ¡°What, don¡¯t have a dungeon you can ask?¡± Craren said mockingly.

    ¡°Sto¡¯s working on his third floor, and it never came up. And he¡¯s also never threatened to change a floor I¡¯m already on.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Then again, his first floor¡¯s tougher than yours, even if it isn¡¯t this large.¡±

    ¡°This floor isn¡¯t about killing supplicants,¡± Val replied, offended. ¡°I test them. I make sure they have the determination needed and are worthy to have their audience.¡±

    Tibs smiled. ¡°How do I rate?¡±

    ¡°Too well,¡± Val said bitterly.

    ¡°Look. I¡¯m not asking that you make things any easier on me than you do on the others. I understand what you¡¯re about. Ganny explained it to me. You¡¯re pushing me to be better. Like you said, you test us. If we fail, we might die.¡±

    ¡°Except that you¡¯re cheating,¡± Craren said.

    ¡°I was,¡± Tibs corrected. ¡°You¡¯ve made sure I don¡¯t have much to work with.¡±

    ¡°You still have all that essence,¡± she snapped.

    ¡°I¡¯m not letting you have the audience,¡± Val stated. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re the first person to come here and try to lie and cheat their way to an audience?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not lying.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a rogue,¡± Craren said. ¡°That¡¯s all you do.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a roof runner,¡± Tibs said with pride. ¡°And a pickpocket. I lied to get in, but I¡¯ve done everything else according to the rules.¡±

    ¡°The rules say you can¡¯t use essence,¡± Craren said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°I¡¯ve gone through Sto¡¯s first floor while having essence. A lot of us got our element before his second floor was ready. It didn¡¯t help everyone survive.¡± He felt something on his cheek and was surprised to wipe away tears. ¡°I lost a lot of friends to him.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re saying you are friends?¡± Craren asked, no, demanded. She didn¡¯t like Tibs calling Sto his friend.

    ¡°I was angry at first, and I thought he just wanted to eat us. That was before I could hear him.¡±

    ¡°You couldn¡¯t always hear us?¡± Val asked.

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know I could hear another dungeon until I came here. You¡¯re just the second dungeon I¡¯ve been into¡­ that I¡¯ve met.¡±

    ¡°What happened to make you hear him?¡±

    ¡°I had four audiences,¡± Tibs said with only a slight hesitation. He was in no state to manage anything believable. And who would Val and Craren tell? ¡°Water was first. She told me to get the others. Then Earth, Fire, and Air. That¡¯s when I heard them for the first time. Well, that¡¯s when I was able to understand them. I¡¯m pretty sure I sort of heard something before that.¡±

    ¡°So you decided that if four let you talk with a dungeon; more would let you control us?¡± Val was suspicious again.

    ¡°Water said I needed to get the next four.¡±

    ¡°You said she sent you after the first four,¡± Craren replied.

    ¡°That was the first audience. On my second with her, she told me about getting these. My essence got corrupted as part of saving Sto, and it wouldn¡¯t go away, so I went to Water, hoping she¡¯d remove it. She said to ask corruption when I had my audience as part of getting Light, Darkness, Purity, and Corruption.¡±

    ¡°You went to Corruption before us?¡± Craren demanded.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t easy to reach,¡± Tibs replied, ¡°and there¡¯s a pool of it in my town. I was in pain, angry and Don was having people laugh at me, so throwing myself in it was easier at that point.¡±

    ¡°So you want me to believe that you aren¡¯t trying to control us?¡± Val asked, the suspicion still loud.

    ¡°Why would I want that?¡±

    ¡°Power, what else? You¡¯re corrupt, so that¡¯s what you¡¯re after.¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯re listening to the clerics too much. You have to know the elements aren¡¯t like they¡¯re saying. Corruption is needed. I don¡¯t know why, but if he wasn¡¯t, he wouldn¡¯t be an element, right?¡±

    When they didn¡¯t reply, Tibs closed his eyes and hoped that¡ª

    ¡°Fine,¡± Val said. ¡°You know more than the usual supplicant.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Can I sleep now?¡±

    ¡°Leave. Just get up and get out. I¡¯m going to let you do that. If you keep going, I am going to make sure you fail.¡±

    Tibs sighed. Hopefully, being so tired wouldn¡¯t lead to a fatal mistake. He¡¯d just have to take it slow. At least Carina wouldn¡¯t wait for him indefinitely. Once her bracelet changed, she¡¯d return to Kragle Rock. If he wasn¡¯t there by then, it would mean he hadn¡¯t survived.

    ¡°I guess we both have to do what we feel is right.¡±

    ¡°No more using your essence,¡± Craren said.

    ¡°That isn¡¯t how this works,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°I¡¯m going to use every tool I have so I can survive, and you¡¯re going to make it as hard as you can for me to do so. Enemies don¡¯t make deals.¡±

    ¡°Is that what we are?¡± Val asked, sounding slightly disappointed.

    ¡°I¡¯m too tired to think of a better word. I don¡¯t want you dead. I just don¡¯t plan on letting you kill me.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t stop us,¡± Craren said.

    ¡°I¡¯m not looking to kill anyone,¡± Val said. ¡°That isn¡¯t what I¡¯m about.¡± She paused and sounded sad. ¡°But my challenges can kill you.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± Tibs yawned. ¡°Now, if you don¡¯t mind. I¡¯m going to try to sleep, so go back to talking among yourselves.¡± He closed his eyes, and it felt to him that the next seconds of silence had an offended feeling to them.

    Then, Craren and Val were talking.

    Loudly.

 Stepping up, Chapter 61

    Tibs stared at the column blocking his way. It was in the doorway, and he couldn¡¯t understand why there would be a column where a door should be. It was made of twelve thick disks, stacked one atop the other, and each had a part taken out, as if some stone-eating creature had bitten into it once, then put it back, but hadn¡¯t bothered lining up those bites to allow him to use the gap that opened to go on the other side.

    ¡°I think we broke him,¡± Craren said, ¡°finally.¡±

    That was inconsiderate of that creature. Tibs had to get to the other side. Although he couldn¡¯t quite remember why.

    This had happened a few times before. He remembered that, this loss of knowing why he was pushing forward. This time, he also knew it had to be because of how little sleep he got. Anytime he lost consciousness, those two would just start screaming until he woke and not stop until¡­ did they ever stop?

    ¡°I think you¡¯re right,¡± Val replied.

    It wasn¡¯t because of his hunger or his thirst. His hunger had decided quite a few unconsciousness ago it wasn¡¯t even worth clamoring for the pit to be filled. And the smell of food almost repelled him now, instead of pulling him to the tables that lined the corridors. Thirst, meanwhile, had simply closed his throat as a protest against his decision to no longer imbibe ale. Even swallowing was painful.

    His elements. That was why he was here.

    No, one of them, but which one? And couldn¡¯t they help with this, somehow?

    He looked around, then headed for a table.

    What he needed was a nap.

    He crouched to move under. Craren and Val raised their voices. They weren¡¯t saying anything, just making sounds. Loud sounds. Far too loud.

    But Tibs was exhausted, so maybe he¡¯d still¡­

    He wanted to scream at them, but his throat constricted at the thought of pushing air through it.

    Air! That was why he was here.

    He stumbled to the column and stared at it.

    No, that couldn¡¯t be right. It was made of stone, mostly, and the other elements, of course, like everything.

    But the column had to go. It was blocking his way.

    He put his shoulder to it and started pushing. Val and Craren laughed. They kept on laughing as he pulled earth from the floor to increase his strength.

    They were right to laugh because the column won. Tibs¡¯s feet slid out from under him and he landed face-first on the floor.

    * * * * *

    He woke with a start to Craren screaming in his ear.

    Abyss, what had he done to deserve this kind of treatment. And they said Corruption was the bad one.

    He slowly got to his feet and blearily stared ahead.

    Right. He needed to get that column out of his way. He sighed resignedly and put his shoulder to it again, this time crouching until he had the edge of a bite as a leverage point.

    This was about determination, so he just had to keep going and he¡¯d¡­ what? What was he doing this for?

    Something clicked. He moved forward, slipped, then his head hit the floor, but he fought through the flashing lights to stay conscious. Craren¡¯s screaming was helpful for that.

    He ignored the bloody handprint he left on the floor as he pushed himself to his feet. How often had he cut himself at this point? So often that he could actually feel a gap in his essence¡¯s reserve. He couldn¡¯t remember that ever happening before.

    It had to be wrong since he was a Runner and remembered that getting hurt was what a Runner did, but he didn¡¯t remember those times, so they didn¡¯t matter.

    He stared at the column.

    It was still right there.

    He kicked it weakly. It had clicked, so why hadn¡¯t it gotten out of the way? That was how it worked. He did stuff, they went click, then he passed through!

    No, that wasn¡¯t quite right.

    He hit his temple with his palm. Come on Tibs, think. He was usually good at that.

    He also usually slept and ate well.

    He stared at the column, cursing its presence, its very existence. Why couldn¡¯t it just have moved?

    He canted his head.

    Wait. Something was different.

    He touched the place where he¡¯d rested his shoulder, moved to put his shoulder against it again, but couldn¡¯t put as much weight against it because it was deeper.

    Yes! He¡¯d moved it.

    He repositioned himself and pushed. He even pulled earth essence to him for more strength and remembered to anchor himself to the floor this time so he wouldn¡¯t slip.

    It didn¡¯t move.

    With a painful croak, he wanted to be a scream, he grabbed the other edge of it as he stepped away and pulled.

    It clicked and rotated toward him.

    He stared.

    Then he kicked the column. It had clicked, so why was it still there?

    But it had clicked in the opposite direction he wanted to go.

    That was why.

    He pulled on it again, but it didn¡¯t move. He pushed, and it clicked. He pushed again and did nothing. He pulled and clicked, pushed and clicked; did it again and again.

    He stopped when his throat hurt from trying to laugh and frowned.

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    He grabbed hold of the bite above the one he¡¯d moved. This one was more toward the center, so moving it wouldn¡¯t help him get through, but¡­

    It didn¡¯t move; in either direction.

    ¡°Do you think that¡ª¡±

    Val shushed Craren. ¡°He hears us, remember?¡±

    He tried another of the bites, one higher than the floor, it was close to the edge and if¡ªit clicked when he pushed it and it opened the gap, letting him get his arm through.

    Yes, he had it now. He needed to move them to that side, and he didn¡¯t even need to move all of them. He was small enough that if he got the one below and above there, he¡¯d be able to squeeze through.

    The one below wouldn¡¯t move, but the one above did, moving to the center, but no further. He pushed as hard as he could, then in frustration grunted and kicked the one at the floor. He hurt his foot, but he ignored that. The one he kicked had moved. Not enough to click, but closer. He pushed it and it clicked. Then it wouldn¡¯t move anymore. Two more and it would open the gap.

    He pushed harder.

    He pushed as hard as he could, but it didn¡¯t move. Neither did the one he¡¯d move before.

    But he¡¯d made progress.

    Progress was good. It meant he hadn¡¯t given up. And that was the most important thing.

    And that they had moved meant something. It had to be important because Craren had almost said something when he¡¯d started this.

    Air, it was about air.

    No. It wasn¡¯t air. The column was stone, so earth.

    But there was something about air.

    It was around him. Could he get it to push with him? He didn¡¯t have much reserve, so it would take longer to gather what he needed, but he had time¡ªthat wasn¡¯t right¡ªto gather as much as he needed.

    And it meant he was still pushing forward. That was the important thing.

    He pushed the air essence out, and it spread, letting him make more of it his. He stepped to the column and concentrated what he had on the side of the bite at the floor. When he used it to push, it spread around it, instead of moving it, letting Tibs sense its shape, the thin gap between it and the one above it and¡­

    What was that?

    The disk was hollow, and in the center was¡­something.

    Many somethings.

    Rods and gears, and holes for some of them to move in and out of.

    It was important, he almost had it. That was the solution. It had to be. It was¡­

    Something.

    He rested his head against the column in frustration; he¡¯d tried banging it at some point and it didn¡¯t help.

    Think, Tibs, think.

    Sense.

    The center of the column was hollow from the bottom disk to the top, and the hollowness was filled with all those things, and they connected to each other and the disks via rods and gears, and¡­

    He almost banged his head, but stopped.

    And he could sense what happened to them when he moved a disk. He pulled the floor disk, and the motion turned a gear. That turned a shaft that turned many gears, some of which pulled a rod deeper into the center or against a disk. Against a hole in a disk, which could hold it in place.

    That was it!

    So¡­

    How did he use that to move the column out of his way?

    He pushed and pulled on the bite and sense the ¡­ mechanism¡ªthat¡¯s what that was¡ªa mechanism, move, trying to understand what the motion meant.

    It meant that what he did with this disk affected the others, and what he did on them would affect this one. He just had to work out which ones affected the others and in what way.

    He tried one slice after the other, and the seventh from the floor moved forward.

    He kept his elation in check. This could be a trick from the dungeon. Dungeons were tricky that way.

    He reached the top without any moving, and almost gave in to despair, but went back to the bottom again. The fourth one from the bottom pushed toward the edge and Tibs danced with joy. He was right. That was how it worked. All he needed to do was push until the gap was open and he was through!

    On the next pass, the eighth from the ground moved!

    On the one after that, none of them moved.

    How could that be? They weren¡¯t all in place. Only three were in the opening, and not two of them were next to another.

    No, he had been so sure this was the way. It had to be.

    He went through each disk again, pushing as hard as he could.

    He slumped on the floor and felt like crying.

    He wanted this to be over. He wanted to go home to Kragle Rock, hang out with Jackal and Carina and Khumdar and even Mez, because even if he wasn¡¯t nice to be around right now, he was still his friend.

    ¡°You can leave,¡± Val said, or had said. ¡°There is no shame in it.¡± He couldn¡¯t tell anymore when they were talking or when he was remembering them talking.

    Unless they were yelling, that was always happening in the now. He never remembered them yelling.

    He stood.

    He wasn¡¯t leaving until he was done.

    And that meant getting through this door.

    He tried pushing them again, and of course, they didn¡¯t move. The only one that would move was the last, but only to put it back in its previous position. He did it a few times, sensing the gears and rods move, trying to understand why they wouldn¡¯t move forward anymore.

    Then he tried again to push the disks that weren¡¯t in the right position, at one point putting his back on the edge of the bite above and his foot on the one below to give himself more of something he couldn¡¯t remember the word for that would make it work better.

    He ended up on his back.

    When the pain of hitting his head cleared, he stared in horror at the bite, which had moved back one step.

    That was impossible. They had to move forward, and that wasn¡¯t the one he¡¯d moved last. He hurried to put it back in position and hoped no one noticed.

    Then he looked at it again.

    Could the dungeon be that cruel? Could she let him get this close and just force him to undo everything?

    Yes, Val could be that cruel, especially with Craren giving her ideas, but no, she wouldn¡¯t get him to undo everything. She was a dungeon and dungeons existed to test people.

    They could cheat, Sto did, but Val stuck to the rules. She¡¯d even complained about doing it too much.

    Tentatively, Tibs pushed on the other bites and one moved forward. Immediately he tried to put the one that had moved back in its proper position, but it didn¡¯t want to move.

    Why?

    Why was this so hard?

    He banged his head against the column in frustration, and a thought came to him.

    He had trouble grasping it. Something about a cylinder that had been given to him, no lent. She¡¯d made that clear and how there were rings on it like on this column and¡­ something.

    Something in how he moved the pieces.

    The tiles on the floor in one of the previous rooms. More than one, how they slid and something he had to do so he could get to the solution, find the¡­

    He wailed. He almost had it, it was right there in the patterns of the idea¡ª

    The pattern.

    There had been a point with each of them where he couldn¡¯t move forward anymore unless he moved back.

    That made no sense.

    No, it did, because he didn¡¯t move back blindly. He¡¯d had to find the pattern in moving back that let him move forward.

    With a shaking hand, he tried each disk, pulling and pushing. He almost stopped when one that was in the right position pulled out of it with a click.

    He closed his eyes. He saw his surroundings with the air essence he had spread. He forced himself to stop thinking of this as a door he needed to get through. It was a puzzle, nothing more. One that he solved by lining up the bites in this position. Not because it let him pass, but simply because that was how the solution was.

    He pulled and pushed each one in turn, noting how and if they could, sensing the mechanism. The pattern was long enough that more than once he woke to Craren screaming at him. And he had to start from the beginning because he forgot what he was trying to do.

    When he had two adjacent gaps in the right position, Tibs tried to squeeze through and broke down when he couldn¡¯t.

    Once he was done, he got back to it, getting close to lining up a third gap, before the pattern he had to follow undid everything. Then he had four of the bites in position, but none where adjacent.

    It undid again, and he continued through the despair. What else could he do, give up? Have Craren beat him? She was the vicious one. Val was just the dungeon, doing what she was told. She wouldn¡¯t do this if not for Craren. Tibs was sure of it.

    He had three adjacent bites lined up, only to discover that it wasn¡¯t enough. No matter how he contorted himself, his shoulders wouldn¡¯t fit.

    His world collapsed as the pattern undid his work. The idea that it would reform was difficult to hang on to, as it seemed to take even longer for it to reform. Only the glee he imagined Craren expressing as he gave up kept him going.

    She might have tortured him for an eternity, but she wasn¡¯t going to beat him.

    The clicking of the turning disks became a drone, and more than once, he wanted to stop just to have some silence.

    Click, click, click.

    Clicking was the world. That and pushing and pulling in time with the clicking. Stopping would end the world, he was sure of that.

    When he had four adjacent gaps, he hesitated. They were three off the ground, but he wasn¡¯t worried about the short climb.

    What if he didn¡¯t fit?

    Could he survive tearing his world apart again and hope he could reform it?

    ¡°Is he really doing it?¡±

    It was the awe in Craren¡¯s voice that prodded him forward. He didn¡¯t have long until she told Val to do something to stop him; he was sure of it.

    He pulled himself up, then got stuck partly in. He wriggled and pulled and pushed. Was that her trap, to get him stuck here forever?

    He croaked in fear as he unstuck himself and fell forward, and kept on falling.

 Stepping up, Chapter 62

    ¡°That might be the least dignified arrival I have witnessed,¡± a woman said.

    Tibs untangled himself, groaning as he opened an eye. How was he still alive? That fall had to have been¡ª

    The form looking down on him straightened. ¡°Good, you are all here. You had me concerned for an instant.¡±

    Tibs sat. Of course, his audience.

    He looked around and was surprised at the banality of the space. A stone room with a stone table and two stone chairs. Shouldn¡¯t Purity be more¡­ he searched for the word.

    ¡°Yes?¡± she asked.

    He stood. ¡°Sorry, I was just expecting¡­¡± he motioned to the only things beside them.

    ¡°More what?¡± her tone was¡­ she wasn¡¯t offended, or even amused, more like¡­ nothing? She sounded bored was the best Tibs could come up with.

    She shrugged. As with her voice, her form was feminine, but plain, like the room they were in. With the other element, there had been a sense of vastness. He had been in their presence, in what felt like a place, but there had also been the sense they weren¡¯t limited by it, or by anything.

    ¡°Your mind seems to have trouble staying still.¡± She motioned for the chair opposite hers. ¡°Sit.¡± He did. ¡°Now, please find that thought again and complete it. More what?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± He tried to sound confident, but she could see his thoughts, so she knew the truth. ¡°I guess the plainness makes sense now that I think about it. Everything in the city is plain.¡±

    ¡°And you believe they are such because it is what I am.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t tell if she was making a statement. She sounded so bored the question didn¡¯t make it to her voice.

    ¡°The other elements were more¡­¡± he hesitated. He didn¡¯t want to offend her, then remembered she heard his thoughts. ¡°They had stronger personalities, is the best way I can put it.¡±

    ¡°And you believe that makes them more.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said after thinking about it. ¡°I don¡¯t know a lot.¡±

    ¡°Few of your kind do, as much as they delude themselves otherwise.¡±

    ¡°It was like there was more to them if that makes sense,¡± he continued, then shook his head at what he¡¯d said. ¡°That¡¯s not right. Like they had concentrated a small part to speak with me.¡± He motioned around the room. ¡°This feels like that is all there is.¡± He hesitated. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t there be more?¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°We are what we are. What we are not is not a responsibility of yours. Despite what it may seem; what you have undertaken. You need not concern yourself with my state.¡±

    ¡°You know who I am.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°You are a child of humans. One who has set himself on a journey that will see you dead should you try to reach its end. You should not have done this. Your kind is too fragile. And yet.¡± She paused. ¡°You do not fear that outcome. That is interesting.¡±

    ¡°I was going to die before I came to the dungeon. No one lives long on my street unless they¡¯re willing to kill without thinking about it. I can¡¯t do that. Then the dungeon was going to eat me. I know that¡¯s not true, but I didn¡¯t know that then, and¡­¡±

    ¡°Please say it.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°I want to make the men who hurt Mama pay for what they did. That¡¯s going to help.¡± He motioned for her torso. Unlike the other element, the shadow was there, plain to see.

    ¡°It won¡¯t if you are dead.¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°At least I¡¯ll die trying. I¡¯m okay with that. It¡¯s not like even with it I know where they are. It¡¯s accepting they won¡¯t be punished that I don¡¯t want.¡±

    She studied him. ¡°I did not think you would come,¡± she finally said. ¡°The places where my connection to your world exists have grown few, and they are guarded through strength, if not all with cunning. I am impressed with how hard you worked to reach me.¡±

    ¡°But not pleased?¡± somehow, that disappointed him.

    ¡°I am not someone who is pleased. Being pleased means you are done with the work. The work always continues. It is better to appreciate what has been accomplished than be happy with what has been done.¡±

    Tibs nodded. ¡°What do I have to do to get the shadow?¡±

    She raised an eyebrow. ¡°You only have to take it, as it is with each of us. I leave obfuscation to the others. Light and I have this in common. We prefer being straightforward.¡±

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Tibs walked around the table. She turned in her chair to face him, her expression impassive. He reached for it and stopped.

    ¡°Will this hurt you?¡± he¡¯d been so preoccupied with figuring out how to get the shadow from the others he hadn¡¯t considered what it would do to them. They hadn¡¯t acted like it hurt, but did he know what pain looked like to an element?

    ¡°It is not I that it will hurt.¡±

    He nodded. She might be straightforward, but it wouldn¡¯t be as simple as closing his hand over it. Even with Fire and Corruption, the ease had come with the hint of a cost, or, with Fire, the burning immediacy of it.

    He touched her and immediately pulled his hand away. The pain had been intense. Not like the fire. Heat, but not the burning of his flesh. That memory was still clear, even after months.

    He touched her again, and the pain returned. A deep burning that reminded him of when he¡¯d been doused with corruption, but only in how profound it was. This burning also reached into his essence. He pushed and ground his teeth. When he opened his eyes, he only had his fingers in her to the first knuckle.

    He pulled his hand away in fright as he saw there was nothing left of his fingers inside her.

    His fingers were whole.

    Was this a trick? An illusion to make him think he couldn¡¯t do it? He searched her face for signs of duplicity, but all he saw was curiosity and only a hint of that.

    She was Purity. Hard work was what she appreciated, so this was something he needed to work at.

    He touched her again, and this time he kept his eyes open and watched his fingers break her ¡®skin¡¯ and the pain felt more intense for him watching his finger dissolve.

    It wasn¡¯t like the man in the pool of corruption. Instead of melting, his fingers exploded, like embers from a kicked burning log, and left nothing behind.

    He pulled his hand out, his blood running cold. Was it only something pure that could pass through her skin to reach the shadow? There had been nothing left of his fingers, of him, inside her.

    ¡°Am I not¡­¡± he searched for the words. ¡°Pure enough? Worthy?¡±

    ¡°Are you not?¡± the question had no judgment to it.

    If there was nothing left when he pushed inside her, how could he grasp the shadow?

    She was Purity. The only way he could do it was by working at it.

    He slammed his hand into her before he could think better of it and screamed in pain. His wrist was in, then half his forearm. He fumbled about, trying to feel the shadow, grab it, but he couldn¡¯t.

    He realized he¡¯d closed his eyes.

    Opening them didn¡¯t help. He saw the shadow, but there was nothing of his hand to close around it. Despair clawed at him, but he pushed it away. More work was all he needed, and he pushed more of his arm in, hoping that with enough, there would be something left for him to use.

    He kept his eyes fixed on where his arm entered, despite the desire to close his eyes in the belief not seeing part of himself disappear would diminish the pain. He was to his elbow now. Would he have to go in completely? Would he be able to come back?

    Watching, he noticed the white line where his arm met her body, then realized it was on his side, in his arm. A white so bright, so clean. He wondered why it wasn¡¯t going in. This had to be the pure part of him who he was, the part that she¡­

    White wasn¡¯t Purity¡¯s color.

    The only essence that ever registered as white to his mind was his, the one filling his vast reserve, the one Val called life. He searched the line for a sign of the other elements. Blue, red, brown, purple, black. The storming blue-gray or even the brightness that was Light. None of them were there.

    The only essence pushed back was his white one.

    He stopped pushing. His arm was in past the elbow. If she was a living person, his hand would be out the other side¡ªthat was an image he¡¯d have preferred not having¡ªso there was enough there.

    Why wasn¡¯t there any part of himself in her? If the other elements got through, they should be there, giving his arm form and solidity¡­ shouldn¡¯t they?

    Except they weren¡¯t his element. His element was white, Life. That was him, the pure him. Then why wasn¡¯t he inside her?

    Because, being who she was, she¡¯d make him work for it.

    He relaxed. Pushing physically wasn¡¯t making it go in, so he needed a different way. It didn¡¯t change the pain, other than since he wasn¡¯t pushing against it, it seemed easier to set it aside, as he had the despair.

    He could control his essence, move it around himself and into others.

    He pushed all of it, and nothing happened. He sensed instead of looked. Where his essence pushed against Purity¡¯s skin, it pushed back. He focus his push on a single point, the smallest he could think of, hoping he could overwhelm her. Only she wasn¡¯t a person, she was an element. She was Purity. She might seem more limited than the other he had met, but she would always be more than he could be.

    But he was also a rogue.

    She¡¯d mentioned cunning.

    Had that been a clue, or was she simply pointing out what had happened? He¡¯d used cunning to get around a strong defense. It had worked because the guards hadn¡¯t expected it. She would, wouldn¡¯t she?

    He continued the assault, but moved one strand away, then pressed it. He put as little strength as he could into it. The way moving slowly in soft shadows made people not notice his movement.

    It wouldn¡¯t. It couldn¡¯t work. She was not someone; she was an element. Moving one strand to the other side of his ¡®arm¡¯ and pushing ¡®less¡¯ wouldn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t notice. Her body wasn¡¯t what he was fighting against, she was the entire space he was in.

    He could have cursed.

    He stopped pushing against her ¡®skin¡¯, and let his essence explode around him.

    He felt her smile as he dispersed. He was through her and the room.

    Maybe the vastness of the other elements was an illusion; because the room was the limit of what she was. He shifted his focus away from that and onto the work he was doing. He felt the shadow of the element, was all around it, through it as he was through her. With a thought, he ¡®grasped¡¯ it, and it was no longer there, but inside him, where Purity made a space between light and darkness.

    His element¡¯s reserve again grew, and then¡­

    Nothing.

    He was seated opposite her, wondering why nothing had happened. He had all eight elements. Getting the first four had unlocked his element. Shouldn¡¯t getting these do¡­ something?

    ¡°Sometimes,¡± Purity said, ¡°working hard does not mean using brute force.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°I sometimes forget I¡¯m a rogue.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°And sometimes, doing the work correctly will still not give you what you expect.¡±

    He frowned, and she tapped his forehead. ¡°Be careful not to let this get in your way.¡±

    ¡°What happens now?¡±

    ¡°Now, you go on your way. You still have a long journey ahead of you, and it must begin with you surviving the next few steps.¡±

    Tibs opened his mouth to protest¡ª

 Stepping up, Chapter 63

    His throat clamped shut with a painful croak.

    ¡°He¡¯s back,¡± Val said.

    ¡°You could just crush him,¡± Craren said.

    Tibs wished she did.

    He¡¯d forgotten how much pain his body was in while he was with Purity. Once he¡¯d been sitting before her again, the pain of getting the shadow had ceased to be. He opened an eye and looked up. The door was only twice his height away.

    He snickered, then stopped in pain. How had he been terrified of that fall? He¡¯d thrown himself out of windows far higher in his attempts to have his audience with Air.

    He struggled to his feet.

    The room was more cavern, with uneven walls and floor. His thinking felt clearer than before his audience. Maybe his time there had allowed him to rest. Maybe being in Purity¡¯s presence had healed him a little? Although he was in too much pain still for that.

    Regardless, he was happy he wouldn¡¯t have to deal with whatever surprises this room had. He used the handholds the unevenness provided and climbed back to the door and the opening.

    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Craren demanded.

    Tibs didn¡¯t answer until he¡¯d pulled himself through and was catching his breath. ¡°Leaving,¡± he croaked, surprised his throat didn¡¯t hurt as much as he¡¯d expected. Another effect of being in Purity¡¯s presence?

    He used the door to stand.

    ¡°You can¡¯t just let him leave,¡± Craren said.

    ¡°He passed the test,¡± Val replied. There was a forcefulness to the neutrality of her tone and Tibs couldn¡¯t tell if she was hiding her anger or didn¡¯t want to show even a hint of pride. ¡°He worked hard, Purity took him and judged him worthy. Who am I to pass judgment now?¡±

    ¡°The dungeon he¡¯s in. Come on, no one will know.¡±

    ¡°How sure of that are you, Craren?¡± Val was quiet and Tibs was too tired to do more than put one foot before the other. If she broke her rules, there was nothing Tibs could do to stop her. ¡°Do you think Rangar expected anyone to mind what he did? Until they came and killed him?¡± She hadn¡¯t emphasized ¡®them¡¯ like Ganny did, but Tibs had the sense they were the same people.

    ¡°He was out of control. He wasn¡¯t listening to you anymore. If they hadn¡¯t stopped him, his creatures would have been unleashed on the world.¡±

    ¡°But how did they know he was about to do that? We didn¡¯t tell them. Sparky didn¡¯t, not the way he felt about Rangar. Do you think he told anyone else?¡±

    Craren was slow to answer. ¡°No. He didn¡¯t trust anyone but you, and that¡¯s only because of your bond.¡±

    Craren and Val¡¯s voices faded as he walked, as if they stayed behind, discussing the other dungeon.

    The hall remained a hall, and when Tibs fell unconscious, he didn¡¯t wake to screams, just the pains and aches of his body, and not feeling any more rested. The dungeon didn¡¯t stop him or help. Val didn¡¯t even offer food. The idea of eating made Tibs sick.

    The trip back to daylight was shorter than that to his audience. It had to be, not that Tibs was sure of anything by the time the point of light was stronger than the dungeon¡¯s own.

    Then he was outside, and the brightness blinded him. Arms closed around him, and he didn¡¯t care what they intended to do with him. Maybe they¡¯d figured out he wasn¡¯t one of them and they would¡ª

    ¡°I¡¯ve got you,¡± A man whispered.

    A cell would have a cot where he could sleep properly. He¡¯d take that.

    ¡°Show me your eyes.¡± Fingers took his chin and moved his head up. He prepared himself for the too intense light and opened them. The man¡¯s eyes, with their non-color, turned sad. ¡°At least you came back so you can try again.¡±

    ¡°How¡ª¡± Tibs¡¯s throat closed up painfully as he was seated.

    ¡°More meditation and reflection,¡± The man said. ¡°Much as before.¡±

    ¡°How long?¡± He forced out through the pain.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way to know, you will¡ª¡± He looked over his shoulder. ¡°You mean how long you were in the dungeon?¡±

    Tibs nodded.

    ¡°Longer than anyone I have ever heard of. Twenty-four days.¡± He put a small cup in Tibs¡¯s hands. ¡°Eleven days ago is when we considered everyone who was going to have their audience to have returned. I admire how hard you tried, but I respect that you recognized your limit and returned, even if it took so long. I¡¯m sure that next time, Purity will take you in. Drink it slowly. It will help.¡±

    The liquid was like syrup, but had no scent or taste. It coated his tongue and throat and soothed it, then his stomach. It didn¡¯t take his pain, thirst, or hunger away. But his mind cleared enough that he realized what had caused the man¡¯s reaction.

    His eyes were still brown.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°It will be a while before someone¡¯s here to take you back,¡± the man said. He no longer sounded like he was soothing Tibs. He sounded like a man performing his duty now. ¡°As I said, we no longer expected anyone to come back at this point. Just wait here and one of the clerics will take you to your chamber where you can rest fully.¡±

    The man walked away.

    The man simply left him alone in the small room filled with plain and not too comfortable chairs.

    Of course, as far as he was concerned, Tibs wasn¡¯t an intruder, just another supplicant who hadn¡¯t gained his audience.

    Once his cup was empty, he stood and walked out of the door. He didn¡¯t even recall walking here from the dungeon. Men and women walked by, but no one even glanced his way. Tibs joined them and after a couple of turns, was on a larger path and then headed for the gate that marked the area reserved for the dungeon.

    The guards there didn¡¯t stop him.

    Outside, he received looks, and people gave him space. More to avoid smelling him, Tibs decided, than out of respect. His walk felt aimless, and sometimes he wondered why the dungeon had recreated a city around him. What the trap or puzzle could be he needed to overcome to proceed toward his audience.

    Then he remembered he had met Purity.

    He was out, and he needed to go¡­

    It would come back to him.

    * * * * *

    He looked around the marketplace, the smells both enticing and revolting, but the sights¡­

    Those were familiar.

    He¡¯d been here before.

    No, he¡¯d come here to learn something.

    To learn the way back.

    He knew where he needed to go.

    * * * * *

    The door opened and Zackaria took a step back, covering their nose as their eyes grew wide in surprise.

    Tibs smiled. He¡¯d gotten it right on the first try. He¡¯d found the right door even with the dungeon trying to confuse him. He¡¯d made it.

    Which was good, he decided, because darkness was right on his heel.

    No, it was right here.

    He barely felt Zackaria catch him before darkness was all he was.

    * * * * *

    He woke in a bed that was too fancy and comfortable to be his. His pain was gone, as was his hunger and his thirst.

    That felt wrong. He¡¯d lived with both for so long that it was like those should be normal.

    ¡°How do you feel?¡± Carina asked, and Tibs opened his eyes.

    ¡°Strange. Where¡¯s the mountain that should have fallen on me?¡±

    ¡°You returned,¡± a man accused, and Tibs looked at Peolo. ¡°You understand that I will not get you in a second time.¡±

    Right, his eyes.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have the time, anyway,¡± Carina said, showing the bracelet with its still yellow gem. ¡°I¡¯m surprised it didn¡¯t turn red already.¡±

    Right, two and four days, plus however long he was asleep here.

    ¡°I know you thought Purity was for you,¡± Peolo said, his voice strained by restrained. ¡°But now you have to accept that what you want isn¡¯t always what is right for you.¡±

    Tibs kept his confusion from showing as he nodded; then the cleric left, and he looked to Carina. ¡°What is wrong with him?¡±

    ¡°You came back.¡±

    That didn¡¯t help. ¡°So? They let others leave. The guy who helped me from the dungeon seemed proud I¡¯d decided to do that.¡±

    ¡°He thought you were a supplicant.¡±

    Tibs considered it. ¡°Peolo thinks I gave up. He thinks I wasn¡¯t determined enough to see it through or die trying.¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°You aren¡¯t one of us. People who don¡¯t grow up as part of purity aren¡¯t as¡­.¡± She trailed off. She looked at the closed door, and Tibs felt air essence shift. ¡°Did it work?¡±

    ¡°I had my audience. I have all the essences, but if it did something, I can¡¯t feel it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°Water said I needed it. Maybe I need to do something more before I get whatever I¡¯m supposed to. Or maybe there¡¯s nothing for me to get. She did say it would be hard. Maybe all I¡¯m getting out of this is a little of more of the essences and I have to learn to deal with it. Since I know how to have an audience with her, I¡¯ll go to the lake and ask her what she needs me to do once we¡¯re back in Kragle Rock.¡±

    He frowned. ¡°Why aren¡¯t I hungry or thirsty? How long was I asleep?¡±

    ¡°Only one day. It took me a lot of work to convince Peolo to heal you.¡± She paused. ¡°I think he gave in because it means you¡¯ll leave sooner.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯d rather I died, doesn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be¡ª¡° She sighed. ¡°He¡¯s disappointed. I think he¡¯s angry he took a chance and he was wrong. I wish I could tell him you didn¡¯t just give up.¡±

    ¡°What did you do while I was in the dungeon?¡± Tibs asked to change the subject.

    She brightened immediately. ¡°I spent time with my family. My mother¡¯s disappointment in me was because she thought all the time I spent in the sorcerer¡¯s library, instead of on my meditation and preparing to become a cleric, meant I showed an inclination to laziness. She beamed when I told her I made Rho in only a few months.¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t use levels here, do they?¡±

    Carina shook her head. ¡°But they have to know them because clerics will go to other dungeons as part of their training.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad your time waiting was good.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad Peolo forced me to go. I didn¡¯t realize it would be this easy to fix it. I was terrified that I¡¯d try and I¡¯d find out they hated me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s better to try to fix things,¡± Tibs said. ¡°We¡¯re Runners, so we might die before we can if we wait too long.¡± He studied her. ¡°Do you want to stay?¡±

    She ran a finger over the yellow gem. ¡°I can¡¯t. When I¡¯m recalled, I have to go.¡±

    ¡°I mean until then,¡± Tibs said. ¡°I¡¯m going back as soon as I get out of bed.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Don¡¯t you want to spend more time resting?¡±

    He rolled his eyes. ¡°What I want is food. After the ways the dungeon tortured me with tables full of the stuff, I want real food, made by one of Kroseph¡¯s brothers.¡±

    ¡°You have to take it easy when eating, Tibs. You might¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, and I am going to eat all the food at the inn.¡±

    The soft knock interrupted Carina¡¯s protest. Zackaria stepped in carrying a tray with a couple of slices of bread, meats, and cheeses on it, along with a tankard.

    ¡°I hope I¡¯m not interrupting a special moment.¡± She looked from one to the other meaningfully. ¡°I thought Tibs could use something to eat after his experience.¡±

    Carina stood. ¡°I¡¯ll go give my proper goodbyes and we can leave once I¡¯m back.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°My family will understand.¡±

    Tibs nodded and took the tray from Zackaria.

    * * * * *

    Tibs rubbed his stomach and did his best not to show the pain.

    ¡°I told you to take it easy,¡± Carina said, chuckling.

    ¡°It¡¯ll pass.¡± Tibs winced and slowed his pace. Eating the food Zackaria brought him had rekindled his hunger, and they had been happy to feed him more and more. Carina had taken longer than Tibs expected to return and had definitely overeaten as a result.

    ¡°If you think you¡¯re going to be sick, we should stop at a tavern until it passes. We don¡¯t have to go back to Kragle Rock this instant.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just the motion pushing the food around,¡± He replied.

    ¡°Zack¡¯s too soft,¡± she said.

    ¡°I was hungry.¡±

    ¡°And how hungry are you now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m hoping the walk from the platform to the inn will make me hungry again, so I get to enjoy their food.¡±

    She looked at him and shook her head, chuckled as they stepped into the line to get to the platform. The long wait helped settle his stomach. Then, as the assistant stood next to them and made the motions to take them back, Tibs concentrated on sensing something new he could pick up.

    There was nothing new. It was all tingling and indistinct essence moving around.

    It wasn¡¯t until that went away and Kragle Rock materialized around them that there was something new.

    The pain was new.

    Being shoved back by an arrow in his shoulder; that was new too.

    Tibs screaming in pain as he fell back? That wasn¡¯t entirely new.

 Stepping up, Chapter 64

    Tibs tried to wrap his essence around the wound. But the pain made it hard to concentrate. Then he saw the archer on the roof of a house notching another arrow.

    ¡°What¡ª¡± Carina started asking, but Tibs grabbed her arm as she crouched and pulled her off balance and on his other side.

    ¡°Archer,¡± Tibs said through gritted teeth. The motion had made the pain more intense. An arrow broke on the pillar behind where Carina had been standing.

    Air essence accumulated around her hand, took a shape, but Tibs couldn¡¯t focus on it. It had never been this hard to think, to concentrate. The shape adjusted around her moving hand, then she flung the weave at the archer. It continued to change, then it was out of his range.

    The archer flew out of sight as if Jackal had punched him while fully stoned.

    Tibs tried to grasp at the details through the increasing pain, but all he could get was archer and pain.

    ¡°Cover.¡±

    There might be others.

    Where were the attendants? Where was the one who had come with them? The people waiting to travel? Where was everyone?

    Carina pulled him behind a pillar, and Tibs looked across the platforms to the houses on that side, they were one story. They were taller further back, but the ground sloped down on the way to the mountain.

    Maybe this was why every other city he¡¯d traveled to had a market around the transportation platform. It made it harder for anyone to shoot at the arrivals.

    ¡°We can¡¯t stay here,¡± Carina said, glancing around before focusing on the arrow in his shoulder. Tibs screamed as she pulled at the skin around it and she stopped.

    ¡°There¡¯s something else. It hurts too much.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you wrap your essence around it? That helps with the pain.¡±

    He shook his head and regretted it. ¡°Mind¡¯s fuzzy.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s poisons,¡± she mused.

    ¡°No corruption.¡± He could tell that, at least.

    ¡°There are other kinds.¡± She looked around. ¡°We need to move.¡±

    ¡°The inn,¡± Tibs said. Whatever was going on, the answer would be at the inn. That¡¯s where he¡¯d find Jackal, and the fighter always knew what was going on.

    She hesitated, then pulled him to his feet. He screamed again; it felt like the pain was spreading away from the wound. He looked around the pillar. The road was empty in all directions. The road to the platform was never empty.

    A raid, he thought, the guards were raiding the Street.

    He shook his head to clear it. No. He was no longer there. This was something else.

    Someone else.

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have left,¡± he said. ¡°We left the town to Sebastian.¡±

    ¡°This was your one chance at Purity, Tibs. And nearly every other Runner left. If the Conscript couldn¡¯t keep this from happening, I doubt you would have made a difference.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my town.¡± His growl came out as more of a whine to his ear.

    ¡°How do we get to the inn, Tibs? I¡¯m thinking we want to stay off the streets, but I don¡¯t know the alleys.¡±

    He tried to focus on the alleys he could see and remember the layout. This part of the town hadn¡¯t changed in months, but the fuzziness made it difficult.

    ¡°That one,¡± he pointed, then his hand dropped as if stones had been attached to it. ¡°It¡¯s like a maze, and there¡¯s going to be creatures, no, people there to stop us.¡±

    ¡°So this is like a run.¡±

    But they weren¡¯t in the dungeon. He looked at the sky to confirm it. ¡°Jackal¡¯s going to want loot.¡±

    ¡°Jackal can come get us if he want¡¯s that loot so badly,¡± she muttered. ¡°Ready?¡± She asked, but didn¡¯t wait for his answer, pulling him along.

    Tibs managed not to scream at the jostling, but he was sweating when they stopped by the entrance.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see anyone,¡± she said, peering into the alley. When she looked at him, her expression turned concerned, then angry. ¡°And Peolo just healed you.¡±

    Right. He had purity.

    He sensed the reserve, with its paltry quantity of essence, but he couldn¡¯t grasp it. When he focused on pulling it out, his mind¡¯s fingers turned numb. And what would he do with it, he realized. It wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d ever sense how a cleric healed.

    ¡°Hopefully there¡¯s no one,¡± she whispered. She moved slower, supporting more of his weight. ¡°Jackal¡¯s going to be angry if you get anymore hurt.¡±

    ¡°Maybe the archer died when he fell and left loot behind.¡± The words came out without him intending to say them. He knew people didn¡¯t leave loot behind.

    They made it to another street without incident. There, Carina stopped. The street was empty again, but Tibs realized she was concentrating only in one direction, then he made out the sounds of fighting.

    He stepped in that direction, but she pulled him back, causing him to scream again as the pain flashed. It seemed as if any sudden motion caused the left side of his torso to scream in pain.

    ¡°We have to help,¡± Tibs said, when his panting subsided enough.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have armor, or your bracers. Where¡¯s the inn?¡±

    Tibs looked around, then pointed across the road, away from the fighting.

    ¡°Then that¡¯s were we¡¯re going.¡±

    They made past a few more alleys before coming across a man sprawled on the ground, his neck bent in a deadly way. Next to him was a bow, a spilled quiver, and a ruptured purse with coppers spread on the ground next to it.

    ¡°Loot,¡± Tibs said, then snickered until the pain stopped him. She leaned him against a wall and searched the man, gathering the coins.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s the archer I hit.¡± She pulled a medallion from under his shirt and showed it to Tibs. A rearing horse was etched on it. There was essence woven through it.

    ¡°It¡¯s the thing that lets people lie to Harry, I think.¡± He couldn¡¯t focus on the details of the weave to see if the essence he could tell apart were the same. Of course, now that Sebastian was openly attacking would be when he¡¯d be able to get his hand on the proof he needed to convince Harry. Why couldn¡¯t it have been any of his actual attempts at stealing one of them from the guards.

    ¡°Tibs, it¡¯s you.¡± She showed him a charcoal drawing of his face. There were words too, but that was too much effort.

    ¡°Sebastian,¡± Tibs said hatefully.

    She looked at the drawing. ¡°Could be Don.¡±

    Tibs stared at her, then burst out laughing, then doubled over in pain.

    She was next to him, holding him up. ¡°Tibs?¡± she called. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t try to make you laugh.¡±

    The pain subsided again. He realized it didn¡¯t last long. As soon as he stopped moving, it became manageable. If not for the danger of one of Sebastian¡¯s people finding them, staying put until the poison passed would be the best thing to do.

    ¡°No one likes Don enough to take his coins to hurt me.¡± He paused. ¡°And he doesn¡¯t hate me that much anymore. Only when he thinks I¡¯m trying to make people not like him.¡± Which did seem to be nearly all the time. Don had problems. Tibs just wished the sorcerer would stop thinking Tibs was the cause of them.

    ¡°Loot!¡± Tibs said. ¡°Jackal¡¯s going to be happy.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t even worthy of a first floor,¡± she replied, disappointed.

    ¡°Then this is the floor before the first one,¡± Tibs said, and immediately knew there was something wrong with that, but he couldn¡¯t think what.

    ¡°Don¡¯t even joke about that.¡± She shuddered. ¡°I¡¯d hate to think of the dungeon reaching this far.¡±

    ¡°Every house a room,¡± Tibs whispered. Peolo had said that. He was sad the cleric didn¡¯t like him anymore. One day, Tibs would go and explain things to him. When he no longer had to fear what the guild did to him if they learned about all his essences.

    She put his arm around her shoulders and they made it to the other side.

    ¡°Hey, you!¡± someone yelled.

    Tibs looked over his shoulder at a man in blood stained leathers carrying a chest under an arm.

    ¡°Stop!¡±

    Carina hurried into the alley and Tibs did his best not to voice his pain.

    ¡°Get him!¡±

    Who was the man talking to?

    Partly through the alley, Carina dropped him. Before the pain passed enough he could voice his complaint, he felt the air essence around them shift and gather. Thugs were shoved back where Carina pointed.

    Tibs tried to count how many there were, but he mostly saw legs, and there were too many of those. Numbers above one and zero were just too hard right now.

    Carina stepped across him. ¡°This might hurt,¡± she said, as essence gathered tighter around them, well, her. She continued pushing the approaching thugs away with a hand, while gathering more essence into a weave.

    That was a lot of essence, Tibs thought in awe.

    She closed her free hand into a fist and the weave compressed into a sheath around her. Was she making armor out of air? He so had to try that when he had his bracers.

    She was sweating, and panting.

    ¡°Abyss, I hope this works,¡± She whispered, then opened her hand.

    The impact shoved the breath out of Tibs hard enough it was a pain apart from the injury. The walls in the alley cracked and broke as they bowed away. The thugs flew away, some through walls.

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    When the pain passed, Carina was leaning against a support beam that was all that was left of that wall. ¡°You okay?¡± she asked.

    He nodded in spite of the continuing pain. Wow, was all he could think. He¡¯d never seen her break things unless it was with her air blades and those only did small damage.

    She pushed herself away and pulled him up. It was a strain to do that now, Tibs noticed. The made it to the other end, past the street, and into more alleys. They were nearly to the inn, Tibs thought.

    ¡°You¡¯re done,¡± someone growled.

    Ahead of them, two thugs blocked their way. They were cut and one had a broken arm, but both held swords.

    ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t have pissed us off like that.¡±

    Behind them three more appeared, also injured.

    ¡°I guess I need more essence for it to kill anyone,¡± Carina muttered.

    ¡°Down!¡± someone new ordered and Tibs screamed in pain as Carina was on top of him. There was fighting around them. Then, ¡°Finish those three.¡±

    Someone was next to them and Tibs tried to grab any of the essences to defend Carina and him, but they all slipped through his mental fingers.

    ¡°Are you two okay?¡±

    Carina moved and Tibs saw the man, his eyes were the red of fire, the woman there had essence the gray of metal. They were Runners.

    The relief was almost enough to cancel out the pain.

    ¡°We¡¯re good,¡± she said, helping Tibs to stand. ¡°I don¡¯t know you.¡±

    The man was older; that made him one of the conscript. Tibs tried to remember his name, but like everything else in his mind, the information kept slipping away.

    ¡°Garrett,¡± the man answered. ¡°That¡¯s Kaylie, and over there¡¯s Arny.¡±

    ¡°Arnstein,¡± the man corrected. He didn¡¯t have an element. ¡°If you call me Arny one more time, Garr, I will pull your tongue out.¡± There was none of the friendliness in the banter Tibs was used to with his teammates.

    ¡°What is going on?¡± Carina asked, and Tibs was happy for it. He too wanted to know, but words were too difficult right now.

    ¡°Not long after the dungeon closed and you guys left there was an influx of people. After that there were archers set up to shoot anyone arriving. We¡¯ve removed a lot of them, but there¡¯s always more.¡± He nodded to Tibs. ¡°You two are lucky you survived.¡±

    ¡°No luck,¡± Tibs muttered. Luck wasn¡¯t a thing.

    ¡°I removed the one that shot Tibs,¡± Carina said, ¡°but the arrow poisoned him.¡±

    Garrett nodded.

    ¡°You¡¯re lucky you didn¡¯t pull the arrow out,¡± Kaylie said. ¡°Nasty things with barbed heads. He would have bled out if you did.¡±

    ¡°The poison¡¯s something to keep you bunch from using essence,¡± Arnstein said. ¡°We have someone at the inn who can deal with it, if they aren¡¯t exhausted from all the healing they¡¯ve been doing.¡±

    ¡°Where is everyone?¡± Carina asked.

    ¡°If you mean right now,¡± Kaylie said with a snort, ¡°all around town. If you mean when we''re not patrolling, then the inn is where we regroup. We control the buildings around it and we¡¯re sheltering as many of the townsfolk as we can find. I¡¯m sure there are a lot of them in other parts, there aren¡¯t enough of us to search the entire town. I can¡¯t wait for the dungeon to recall everyone so we can kick their ass finally.¡±

    ¡°Jackal?¡± Tibs managed to say.

    Garrett shrugged. ¡°Probably out there, kicking every one of their ass he comes across. I think he¡¯s the only one actually enjoying this.¡±

    ¡°What about the guards?¡± Carina asked. ¡°They can¡¯t all have been working for Sebastian. What are they doing to help?¡±

    Arnstein snorted. ¡°Those that are left are posted around the guild building and aren¡¯t moving from there. They aren¡¯t even guarding the dungeon. Those assholes only care about their asses.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t get in,¡± Tibs muttered, ¡°until Sto lowers the door.¡±

    ¡°Until the stone door opens,¡± Carina said. ¡°As you can tell, he¡¯s out of it. How about you lead us to the inn and explain what happened on the way?¡±

    Tibs muttered protests as Kaylie picked him up and she chuckled, then grew serious. ¡°When this started,¡± she said as they walked, ¡°the guards turned on each other. I don¡¯t know who won, but like Arnstein said, those who are left don¡¯t leave the guild building. We only see them if we manage to make an excursion in that direction. The thugs aren¡¯t bothering them as far as we can tell.¡±

    ¡°What about adventurers? Surely the guild has called in help.¡±

    ¡°Can they do that?¡± Garrett asked.

    ¡°They have to,¡± Carina replied. ¡°They¡¯re top level adventures, one of them must be strong enough to send a call, if they don¡¯t have something to do it for them.¡±

    They did, Tibs was sure of it, but he couldn¡¯t remember what it was.

    ¡°No one¡¯s come to help,¡± Arnstein said. ¡°I told you, those guild assholes don¡¯t care about us.¡±

    They were attacked once, so close to the inn Tibs thought he could smell the food. Garrett and his team took them down easily. Carina tried to help, but she barely had any essence left after that blast. The thugs fled moments after the fight started and it was clear they were on the losing side.

    Other Runners joined them on the last stretch, then they were inside the inn.

    ¡°Injuries!¡± Kaylie yelled, and the crowd parted around a blood stained table. She placed Tibs on it, and a woman, well, a girl, stepped to him. She was tiny, and her pale skin was sunk in. Even without her robes, Tibs suddenly knew who she was. She was the cleric who had tried to clear the pool of corruption by herself.

    ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± Jackal yelled, but stopped steps away from the table as the cleric glared at him.

    She looked at Tibs and worry crossed her face. Her expression grew resolute, and she placed a hand on him.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Libby,¡± an older man said. ¡°You need to rest.¡± He wore cleric¡¯s robes, but they were stained and torn.

    ¡°I can do this, Senior,¡± she whispered.

    ¡°Your determination is admirable, but you must learn to see the future. These people will need you tomorrow and the day after. If you push yourself into Purity¡¯s embrace now, how will you help them then?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Senior.¡± The resignation seemed forced to Tibs.

    ¡°May I heal you?¡± the man asked Tibs, who nodded. ¡°The poison has spread far into your body, when did you arrive?¡±

    Tibs¡¯s answer was wrenched away as the man pulled the arrow out, then the pain soothed and Tibs was able to glare at him. ¡°Are all of you clerics this cruel?¡±

    ¡°All of us?¡± The man smiled. ¡°You¡¯ve dealt with many?¡±

    Tibs almost told the man about Val and Craren, but stopped himself from revealing he¡¯d been in the dungeon. Then realized that he could have said they were clerics he¡¯d met and they had taken pleasure in torturing him, but the healing had taken away his anger.

    The cleric pulled his hand away, leaving behind a lack of injuries on Tibs¡¯s body and a clarity of mind that made Tibs realize he should have paid attention to what the cleric did when he healed him.

    Tibs sat carefully, wary of the pain the poison had caused, but that was gone too. ¡°How many clerics are in Kragle Rock?¡± The clarity wouldn¡¯t last, so he wanted to take advantage of it.

    ¡°Six, including me.¡±

    ¡°Only six? Where are they, all the others?¡± Tibs frowned. ¡°Or did they go home since they weren¡¯t needed?¡±

    ¡°We are always needed,¡± the cleric replied, ¡°but yes, with the dungeon closed, many took the time to focus on themselves.¡± His face darkened. ¡°But, many took refuge within the guild when the chaos started. Too many have forgotten that our work means we must be where trouble and danger are, not where comfort is.¡±

    Tibs looked around. There were a lot of people in the inn. More than even when they served meats and good vegetables again. Everyone looked tired, and some were injured, but no one had serious injuries.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you and your group are here to help.¡±

    Jackal was looking at him warily.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, and Carina has loot for you, from our run to the inn.¡±

    She handed the fighter the few coppers the archer had had.

    ¡°You thought of me in the middle of being hurt?¡± Jackal said in awe, then frowned. ¡°You do know I¡¯m with Kro, right? I love you, but as a brother. If this is an attempt at¡ª¡±

    Carina slapped his shoulder hard enough she winced. ¡°I handed you the coins and you act like Tibs is the one making the advance?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s the one who said I had loot,¡± Jackal replied, ¡°and I know you¡¯re not interested in me, I¡¯m way too dumb. You like men who like reading.¡± He flashed her a smile and she blushed.

    Tibs made his way to the bar. ¡°What happened?¡± he asked the trailing fighter. The tankard appeared as soon as Tibs was there, and he thanked Russel. It was watered, but it was home.

    ¡°Just my father and his bid to take over the city while its strongest protectors are away.¡±

    ¡°I should have realized he¡¯d do that and stayed.¡±

    ¡°I should have thought about it,¡± Jackal grumbled. ¡°I grew up under him. I should have known things being quiet was just him waiting for the right moment.¡±

    ¡°Quiet?¡± Tibs asked. ¡°He had thieves creating trouble we barely kept in check.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just normal business for him.¡± Jackal looked at the counter. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I¡¯ve grown so comfortable here that I expected Knuckles to deal with my father when he made his move.¡±

    ¡°Harry¡¯s a good man,¡± Tibs replied reflexively. Then had to wonder if that was true, where was he when the town was in trouble?

    ¡°He¡¯s a guard!¡± Jackal snapped. ¡°You never trust a guard!¡±

    The crowd cheered.

    Tibs nodded. He¡¯d known that too, once. Not trusting guards went just after not trusting nobles. There was also a time, not too long ago when he didn¡¯t trust the guild either. What did it say about him that he was surprised two of the three had betrayed his trust in them?

    ¡°What about the nobles?¡± not that he cared, but he needed to know where they stood in all this.

    Jackal snorted. ¡°They¡¯re playing my father¡¯s game, most of them. They have enough coins and he¡¯s smart enough to know to only ask for a pittance. Those who aren¡¯t, have hired their own guards to keep anyone from approaching, and I mean anyone. We tried to get to them and offer to help, and they barely made it back to be healed.¡± He paused. ¡°There are four nobles who have been helping.¡±

    ¡°What are they after?¡± Tibs demanded suspiciously.

    ¡°Best I figure, nothing.¡± Jackal raised a hand. ¡°I know, they¡¯re nobles. One of them is that friend of Mez, the one that¡¯s a fire archer too. The other is her brother. She vouched for the other two. They haven¡¯t argued about orders I¡¯ve given them. They even offered helpful suggestions,¡± he added in exasperation. ¡°They¡¯ve taken in the townsfolk in that part of the town.¡± He looked at Tibs. ¡°I know how you feel about nobles, but if they¡¯re after anything, they¡¯re being awfully sneaky about it, even for nobles.¡±

    Tibs bit back his reply. They were nobles. Anytime one of them offered something, they took a lot more in return. Still, if they helped now, he¡¯d deal with the problem they caused later.

    ¡°The team?¡±

    ¡°You and Carina are the only ones back. I don¡¯t expect Mez or Khumdar to return before the recall.¡± He lowered his voice. ¡°Can you get the dungeon to open now?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But before I venture in that direction, I need my bracers. My armor would be nice too.¡± He looked at Jackal expectantly.

    The fighter sighed. ¡°The first thing my father did was put people around the rooming houses. A lot of people. Enough that the few attempts we¡¯ve made couldn¡¯t make it past them.¡± He smiled. ¡°But until now, it isn¡¯t like we had a real motivation to get in, so I¡¯ll get people and we will do it again.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s Kroseph? I keep expecting him to scold me for getting hurt.¡±

    Russel gave Jackal a look and Tibs worried.

    ¡°He¡¯s alive,¡± the fighter hurried to say, and glared at the barman, mouthing ¡®really?¡¯

    Russel shrugged and moved on.

    ¡°My father tried to burn the inn down this morning. A lot of people are staying here, so if it had worked it would have been a blow to the town¡¯s morale even if no one had been hurt. It was before sun up, and my Kro was up. You know him, I can never keep him in bed when there¡¯s work to do.¡± He motioned to himself. ¡°You have seen me, right? Explain to me how anyone could resist being in bed with me?¡±

    Russel snorted.

    ¡°I pass on that all the time,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°You¡¯re my brother, you don¡¯t count.¡± Jackal sighed. ¡°Kro smelled the smoke and the idiot ran out instead of getting me. He found three of my father¡¯s people there. He yelled to get people to come, but I wasn¡¯t fast enough. They gave him a solid beating before I could stop them.¡± He accepted the tankard Russel placed before him. ¡°There¡¯s nothing left of them, Tibs. I made sure of it.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± Tibs wasn¡¯t sure what he¡¯d have done if one of them has escaped.

    ¡°Kro¡¯s healed, but he¡¯s never been beaten up. Never been in a real fight. The inn doesn¡¯t count,¡± he told Russel as the barman opened his mouth. ¡°The people who come in here respect him and no matter how drunk they are, they aren¡¯t going to try to kill him. This¡­ what those bastards put him through took something away from my man.¡± The tankard shattered in his hand.

    ¡°Will he be okay?¡± Tibs asked when Jackal didn¡¯t react, not even to bemoan the loss of ale.

    Jackal hesitated. ¡°I hope so. I¡¯m sorry Russel.¡± He grabbed a rag and cleaned the mess he made. ¡°I¡¯ve seen it happen, but it¡¯s never the same. And before I didn¡¯t¡­¡± he let out a breath. ¡°I hope he¡¯s going to be okay. He hasn¡¯t gotten out of bed since, Tibs.¡± He forced a smile. ¡°And I know one thing that will make him feel better. Come on, I¡¯ll take you to him.¡±

    The common room up the stairs was packed with people sleeping on the large beds and even the floor. The next floor had the rooms for Kroseph¡¯s family, as well as a few for those with coins to afford a bed to themselves.

    Jackal hesitated, then knocked on a door. ¡°Kro? It¡¯s me.¡±

    ¡°Come in,¡± came the reply.

    Tibs was through before the door was fully open and hugging Kroseph, who was seated on the bed. The server was too stunned to react immediately, then wrapped his arms around Tibs.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Kroseph said dismissively. ¡°I¡¯m just tired. Did you just arrive?¡±

    Tibs nodded and studied Kroseph¡¯s face. Jackal was right, there was something gone, some of the fire in his eyes.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tibs said, then had an idea. ¡°And Jackal nearly ripped my shoulder when he hugged me.¡±

    ¡°He did what?¡± the server demanded, glaring at the fighter.

    ¡°He¡¯s lying,¡± Jackal replied, terrified. ¡°I didn¡¯t touch him. That cleric was there, glaring at me.¡±

    ¡°I had an arrow poking out, and he just squeezed me. It hurt a lot.¡±

    Kroseph got off the bed and stalked to the fighter. ¡°How dare you hurt him! What is wrong with you?¡±

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal pleaded.

    Tibs thought about letting this go on a while longer. It wasn¡¯t often he got to see Jackal on the defensive. But he had accomplished his goal. Kroseph was out of bed, and by the sound of it, had regained his fire.

    ¡°I was lying.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Kroseph rounded on Tibs. ¡°Why would you do something like that? Him I get doing something stupid, but you?¡±

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°How do you think? I¡¯m pissed. I¡¯m pissed that you did this to me. I¡¯m pissed that someone tried to burn my inn. I¡¯m pissed that I¡¯m scared to leave my room!¡±

    Tibs hugged him. ¡°It¡¯ll get better.¡±

    Again, it was a few seconds before Kroseph had his arms around him. ¡°What just happened?¡±

    ¡°Magic, I think,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me. Tibs can do too much stuff I don¡¯t understand.¡± He kissed Kroseph¡¯s temple. ¡°I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re back.¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t think a kiss if going to make me forget,¡± the server warned. ¡°Why did it take a cleric to stop you from hugging Tibs when he was injured?¡±

    Jackal sighed. ¡°Can we go over my punishment when we get back?¡±

    ¡°Back?¡± the server asked fearfully. ¡°From where? Why are you leaving?¡± he tightened his hold on Tibs.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± there was pleading in Jackal¡¯s voice again.

    Tibs looked up. ¡°I need to get my equipment from our room. I¡¯m useless without it.¡±

    The fire was back in Kroseph¡¯s eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say that, Tibs. You are never useless. If not for you, this town would have fallen to that one¡¯s father already.¡±

    Tibs frowned. ¡°I wasn¡¯t even here.¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 65

    ¡°How is the defense really going?¡± Tibs asked as he, Jackal, and Carina left the inn, both to know, and because he didn¡¯t want to think about how Kroseph held him responsible for not being here to protect the town. He could have explained how getting purity was better in the long run, but that wouldn¡¯t take away how his friend had been attacked.

    ¡°It¡¯s going well,¡± Jackal answered as they walked through the alleys, ¡°in that we haven¡¯t lost any of the runners already here. It¡¯s going bad in that my father¡¯s caught a lot of people returning. I don¡¯t know how many of them are Runners, or what he¡¯s done with them, but I¡¯ve yet to see anyone they brought to that building get out of it. He¡¯s also taken control of a lot of the town. Mostly housing, since we were already watching the shops and a lot of taverns.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t let him control the ale?¡± Carina asked.

    Jackal tried for a smirk and failed. That, more than the words, told Tibs how bad things were. ¡°If he gets hold of any more of them, we might as well let him have everything. With everyone we need to house and feed, we need all their kitchens. Not that we have that much food left.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll talk with Sto, see if he¡¯s ready to open. I can ask him to make sure there¡¯s more meat and vegetable. Maybe if there¡¯s a small barrel of ale, I can bring that to him and he can add those to the drops.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯ll be good,¡± Jackal said, ¡°but I doubt my father¡¯s going to let us just go in to do runs. He can¡¯t let us do anything that will make us stronger, and him weaker, in return.¡±

    Tibs made sure the street was clear before they hurried to the other side. ¡°Do you think he killed the Runners he captured?¡±

    Jackal didn¡¯t answer immediately, and Tibs glanced at him. He was worried. ¡°It depends what he¡¯s really after. He isn¡¯t stupid, so he isn¡¯t going to anger the guild needlessly. Trying to take the town isn¡¯t doing it, and somehow he must have known that, but outright killing one of us? We¡¯re the guild¡¯s property, so that¡¯s going to give him pause. Of course, if he¡¯s after the dungeon, then he¡¯s already planned for dealing with the guild¡¯s reprisal, and we don¡¯t matter.¡± He paused. ¡°But if he somehow found a way to take control of a dungeon from the guild, why bother with the town?¡±

    At the next road, they had to wait until a patrol walked by after Jackal confirmed they weren¡¯t part of the town¡¯s defense.

    ¡°Don¡¯t take this the wrong way, Jackal,¡± Carina said once they were in the alleys again. ¡°But how in the abyss does your father have so many people here? How come you haven¡¯t wiped them out already? There¡¯s no way they¡¯re tougher than the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°Me and what army?¡± the fighter snapped. He looked away and cursed quietly. ¡°Everyone left when the dungeon closed. I¡¯m not blaming them. If I didn¡¯t have Kro, I¡¯d have been the first on the platform, but that didn¡¯t leave me much to work with. The conscripts are skilled and we have as much of the town as we do because some of them are great at this kind of stuff. If you had doubts about Quig¡¯s stories, you can consider them confirmed. But the few who have an element are Upsilon. I think some are ready to get an element out of this, but we have no one to take them to their audience. And unlike you, I don¡¯t think they¡¯re willing to throw themselves off a cliff or into a fire for the chance.¡±

    Another empty road and they were in alleys, getting close.

    ¡°My father holds a city, Tibs. With nothing more than the people he controls and his coins. He¡¯s been holding it for decades now. I¡¯m not going to claim his people are better than the king¡¯s army, but then, neither are we. And for every one we do take down, he brings in three more. They¡¯re the only ones who arrive and don¡¯t get shot. They have a signal, but we haven¡¯t figured out what it is, or how to give it to anyone on their way here if we were to get it. Even Serba hasn¡¯t been able to find out what it is.¡±

    Tibs smiled. ¡°You¡¯re talking with her?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Jackal protested. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything to do with her and her mutts. And it¡¯s too dangerous. If my father finds out she¡¯s helping us, he won¡¯t hesitate to kill her. She sends her mutts with messages and someone else deals with them,¡± he added. ¡°Quig likes mutts, for some reason.¡±

    ¡°We need to take him out.¡± Tibs pushed them back into the alley as a patrol approached. Unlike the previous one, these took the time to peer in before continuing.

    ¡°You¡¯re asking for a lot, Tibs,¡± Jackal whispered. He looked at the roofs on the other side. ¡°Watch for archers. There¡¯s been some each time we tried to reach the housing buildings.¡±

    Once the street was clear, they ran to the other side.

    ¡°Why are you talking like we can¡¯t win?¡± Carina asked.

    Jackal looked at her. ¡°Because we can¡¯t. We¡¯re just a bunch of Runners. We need people with real strength. We need those assholes in the guild building.¡±

    ¡°Stop.¡± Tibs focussed on what he sensed at the edge of his range. It was only a mass, but he could tell they weren¡¯t animals, and that there were more people than the patrols they¡¯d encountered until now. ¡°There¡¯s a group further away.¡± He oriented himself. ¡°Close to our rooming house. I don¡¯t think they have an element, but I need to be closer to be sure, and to tell the people apart.¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t have groups there before, just normal patrols.¡± Jackal looked at Tibs. ¡°He knows you¡¯re back.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡± he closed his mouth. There was no point in arguing, and even if there was, now wasn¡¯t the time.

    They took a longer route, and once he could tell how many there were, he had his friends stay behind as he used the roofs to scout ahead, on the lookout for anyone else on the roofs. He returned with bad news.

    ¡°Eight of them. No element. They¡¯re in that courtyard across from the house the tavern uses when there¡¯s too many people drinking.¡±

    ¡°Keeps them out of sight if we come in from the usual roads, but it lets them see the front. Can we use the back?¡±

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°I was able to sense another group there, as well as one on the sides.¡±

    ¡°So they¡¯re covering everything. But they can¡¯t see in that courtyard.¡± Jackal thought things over. ¡°We need to go in, hit them fast and hard. We can¡¯t let one of them run off to warn the others. Carina, can you do that thing you did to walk silently, but so none of the fighting can be heard?¡±

    ¡°I should, but that¡¯s going to limit what else I can do for the fight. I can¡¯t just set it and move on.¡±

    ¡°Then do that unless it looks like me or Tibs are about to lose a fight.¡±

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    ¡°You, lose?¡± Carina mocked and received a serious look in return. She sobered. ¡°Okay, this is serious.¡±

    ¡°Tibs, what can you do to give us an advantage?¡±

    ¡°Nothing,¡± he answered dejectedly, taking the knife out of his sheath. ¡°No bracers mean no reserves. I can¡¯t even make my sword, or be strong enough to lift a normal one. I might be able to pull essence in as I use it, but I have to keep some of my attention on my sword to keep it hard.¡± Having his bracers made using his ice sword effortless, so he hadn¡¯t bothered with training, and now he was paying for it.

    Once Jackal¡¯s father was dealt with, he was getting Carina to write a schedule of everything he needed to be trained in, so this would never happen again.

    They moved to the back of the courtyard. The spaces weren¡¯t really alleys there, only places where the houses with their back to the courtyard didn¡¯t touch and a body could slip through.

    The men and women were seated at two tables, acting like they were out for an afternoon of drinks and fun. Occasionally, one of them glanced at the front of the housing building, but not with the kind of attentiveness that made Tibs think they took this assignment seriously.

    Jackal motioned to an opening on each side, Tibs at one, Carina at the other.

    Tibs hurried to get in position. From these shadows, he could see the places where Jackal was, and Carina would be. He didn¡¯t know what the signal Jackal would give was, but since Jackal was giving it, Tibs knew it would be obvious.

    Carina stepped out of her shadow only enough for Tibs to see her. Then she was back out of sight. Hopefully, Jackal had seen her too.

    He must have because he stepped into the courtyard and was leaning against the wall before the people there noticed him.

    ¡°Now, what would my father think of you slackers?¡± Jackal shook his head sadly. ¡°He sends you here to make sure I can¡¯t get the stuff I forgot in my room, and I just walk here and you don¡¯t even know it?¡± Another shake of the head as they hurried to stand. ¡°Don¡¯t you lot know how my father deals with incompetence?¡± he grinned. ¡°It¡¯s almost enough to make me go to him and tell him about you, just to see the result.¡± He pushed himself off the wall. ¡°But who am I kidding, right? It¡¯s going to be a lot more fun to just punish you myself.¡±

    They rushed him as Jackal¡¯s skin turned gray, and Tibs hurried behind them, jumping at one¡¯s back and planting his knife in. He had it in the chest of the one at the side, who¡¯d noticed the attack before the man screamed in pain and fell. His knife caught as a third swung a sword at him, but his throat ripped apart as the air blades slashed through. He nodded his thanks to Carina and moved on to a fourth one, who¡¯d frozen, staring at a blood-soaked Tibs.

    She snapped out of it before Tibs reached her, and he dodged her swings but didn¡¯t have the reach to hurt her. He considered an ¡®x¡¯ attack, but that required he have the time to etch it.

    The slice at his back reminded him he had more than one person to focus on. He wrapped his essence over that as that man was thrown to the back of the courtyard with a scream.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Jackal said, ¡°that one slipped through.¡± He motioned to the sword woman. ¡°Do you mind?¡±

    Tibs shook his head. It wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d been winning that fight.

    He hated being useless.

    She ran before Jackal stepped in her direction. Only to fly back to the center of the courtyard with a gesture from Carina.

    Jackal looked down at her before slamming a foot on her face.

    ¡°Is anyone coming?¡± Jackal asked.

    Tibs forced the annoyance away, at least, that he could do. ¡°No. They aren¡¯t moving.¡±

    ¡°Good, then we¡ª¡±

    ¡°Wait.¡± Tibs focused. ¡°There¡¯s a group that wasn¡¯t there before.¡±

    ¡°Abyss,¡± Jackal looked at the housing building, searching. ¡°Reinforcement.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Tibs pointed away. ¡°They¡¯re over there, not that far. Eight of them.¡± This close, he could sense them moving. One, smaller, was shoved to the ground as two others were held. A woman screamed for them to stop.

    ¡°Tibs!¡± Jackal called after him as he ran. He knew that fear. He¡¯d heard it often enough in his Street when nobles came to have their fun. He wasn¡¯t letting one of them do that to his people, not in his town.

    He knew it was going to happen. They were going to treat anyone here like they were Streetfolk. Well, Tibs was going to teach them a lesson. He didn¡¯t care what the other nobles did. He was going to protect his people.

    This courtyard was made by houses facing in.

    Tibs stopped, trying to take in the scene. Where were the nobles? The two half-dressed men who fondled a woman each, their fronts torn off, were thugs. Even the guards the nobles paid were better dressed.

    ¡°It hurts,¡± someone complained and Tibs attention snapped to the boy, held face first into the ground, the man kneeling between the spread legs, thrusting¡ª

    With a scream, Tibs ran at him, knife held high. A man interposed himself, fully dressed in dirty clothes.

    How dare he get between him and protecting one of his people? The knife by itself wouldn¡¯t be quick enough. He didn¡¯t have much, but fire would scare him off even if Tibs couldn¡¯t connect. Everyone feared fire.

    Not Tibs.

    Essence coated the blade.

    Tibs loved fire.

    It ignited.

    Fire hungered like he hungered. Fire would consume them for hurting his people.

    A tongue of flame followed his slashing motion, hitting the man where his knife didn¡¯t even come close, and continued, hitting the houses on the other side. Almost hitting one of the men who held a woman.

    That wasn¡¯t right!

    He took hold of the fire.

    She deserved protection, too!

    He redirected a long flame away from the burning wall, keeping it fed by his will. It was alright, he told it. It wouldn¡¯t be long and it would be fed properly.

    With a scream, the man threw the woman at the fire, and Tibs had it move around her.

    Not her. She wasn¡¯t who Tibs wanted to feed to the fire.

    He exploded a smaller flame on the other side of the courtyard, catching a woman who was running away. She wore leathers, had watched, so needed to be fed to the fire.

    The one who had been over the boy stood, exposing himself to Tibs.

    Tibs grinned as the man looked around in fear. He molded essence around the man¡¯s groin. Never again would he hurt someone like this. Tibs was going to feed his¡ª

    He was flying to the side, weight on him. With a thought, he ignited the essence, and the man screamed.

    Tibs landed on his back, his head hitting and ringing, keeping him from feeding that attacker to fire for trying to stop his revenge. The man was gray, stone, yelling something Tibs didn¡¯t hear over the hunger conflagrating inside him. The man raised a stone fist, and Tibs realized fire wouldn¡¯t be a defense against that.

    He caught the fist in his own graying hand and locked it in place. Earth was solid and immovable when he set his mind to it.

    ¡°Why?¡± he asked Jackal. ¡°I. Was. Protecting. Them.¡± But why the rush? Why had he hurried, instead of considering the situation carefully? Rushing only led to making things worse. Speed was never the answer. He had all the time in the world, so why hadn¡¯t he taken it?

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal sounded unsure.

    ¡°Who. Else. Would. I be?¡±

    The fighter tried to pull his fist out of Tibs¡¯s grip.

    Tibs smiled. Earth didn¡¯t relinquish that easily. It would only happen if Tibs let it, and he wasn¡¯t letting it until Jackal explained himself. They were supposed to be friends.

    ¡°Tibs, let go.¡± There was urgency in Jackal¡¯s voice. ¡°I have to go help put out the fires before they spread to more houses.¡±

    Tibs looked around and sighed. This was what rushing did. Every house around the courtyard was burning. The two women were huddled together next to Carina, holding the boy between them. The sorceress had air wiping at the fire, pushing it away, but also feeding it.

    Jackal ran to a burning wall, raising earth and pushing it against the fire, smothering it. That worked better than air, but it would be too slow.

    Water was best against fire.

    He raised a hand and water essence slammed into the buildings.

    Fire fought, fire always fought against having its hunger extinguished, and Tibs had fed it a lot. But it lost since Tibs was no longer supporting it.

    He pushed himself to his feet.

    Whatever satisfaction he might have felt at putting the fire out was extinguished by the pained wailing of a woman cradling the boy in her arms, rocking in place.

    He went to her and crouched.

    This was his fault.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said. ¡°I wish I¡¯d been here sooner. I shouldn¡¯t have left. I should have done a better job protecting you. All of you.¡± He pressed a hand to her and the other woman¡¯s brow and let water cool them. ¡°I will do better.¡±

    The woman not wailing looked at him in confusion.

    It didn¡¯t matter. He had said it and he would hold himself to it. He would find a way to bring comfort to the town and its people. He would see to it they never had to worry again. He owed them that for such a grave failure.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Carina called to him tentatively, placing a hand on his shoulder.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he whispered, then looked at her. ¡°I am so sorry.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Abyss,¡± she said, stepping back.

 Stepping up, Chapter 66

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Tibs told Carina. He wasn¡¯t surprised at her reaction. He¡¯d failed utterly at keeping the town and its people safe and comfortable.

    ¡°For what?¡± she asked.

    ¡°For letting this happen. For letting people be hurt. I should have made Sebastian understand he shouldn¡¯t be doing this. That there are better ways to get the comfort he¡¯s after.¡±

    ¡°Jackal,¡± Carina called, without looking away from Tibs. ¡°You need to come here and look at his eyes.¡±

    ¡°I saw them,¡± the fighter said, looking in their direction as he walked to a burned man, crawling away. He paused. ¡°Okay, so he can make them blue too,¡± he said, surprised. Then resumed walking.

    Tibs raised a wall of water between the fighter and the other man, who was looking to escape the pain he was in.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°I won¡¯t let you hurt him any more.¡±

    ¡°Think of it as me making sure he doesn¡¯t suffer anymore,¡± the fighter said.

    ¡°No. Killing him is not the solution.¡±

    Jackal looked at Tibs. ¡°He was part of those who hurt these women, killed those two men.¡± He indicated two bodies who had escaped being burned by already being stretched on the ground. ¡°You¡¯re the one who burned him, Tibs. I¡¯d think you want me to finish the job.¡±

    He had caused the pain. It was an act he would have to live with, atone for. ¡°Because I made a mistake doesn¡¯t mean I can let you make one, too. Violence isn¡¯t the way to solve anything.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Carina said. ¡°You need to let the essence go.¡±

    Go? ¡°What do you mean? I can¡¯t let go, it¡¯s me.¡±

    Carina looked around, pausing on the burned buildings and corpses. ¡°No, Tibs. The essence isn¡¯t you. And I think¡­¡± she looked at him. ¡°I know they¡¯re affecting how you think.¡±

    ¡°No. That¡¯s wrong. I''m thinking clearly, finally.¡± He frowned. If he was thinking clearly now. What did it mean for before? Hadn¡¯t he felt like his thinking was clear when he wanted to consume everything and everyone? Or when he¡¯d wanted to lie there and ponder all the possible solutions instead of going and helping take the pain away?

    No, it had just been an illusion of clarity then. Imposed by the essence he manipulated. But this was him. Water was his first element, after all.

    But the concern in Carina¡¯s eyes worried him. He should do what he had to, so it would go away. To calm her, make her feel better.

    ¡°Once Jackal promises not to hurt that man.¡± But he couldn¡¯t do that at the expense of someone else¡¯s death.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal whined.

    ¡°Jackal,¡± Carina said. ¡°Come over here.¡±

    ¡°But he¡¯s trying to get away.¡±

    She looked at the wall of water. She couldn¡¯t sense the man on the other side. The pain he had to be in. Tibs didn¡¯t sense that. Only how he was slowly moving away. Once Carina was appeased, Tibs would go see to that man; soothe him. Beg forgiveness for causing the pain.

    ¡°He¡¯s probably just trying to get away from you. Come here and he¡¯ll stop trying to escape. And Tibs wants to be sure you aren¡¯t going to rush to hurt him once the wall falls. We¡¯ll talk about how to deal with him afterward.¡± She smiled at Tibs. ¡°That¡¯s okay, right?¡±

    Tibs smiled back. He knew she¡¯d understand. Carina didn¡¯t enjoy causing pain, either. She was simply limited in how she could resolve conflicts.

    Jackal dragged his feet, leaving furrows in the hard dirt. ¡°I¡¯m not happy about this,¡± he said once he was nearer to them.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to fix that, too.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s here,¡± Carina said, as Jackal opened his mouth. ¡°So that man isn¡¯t in danger. Now, I need you to let go of the essence.¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t know how he¡¯d do that. But he had to try; to help Carina feel better. He loosened his mental fingers, as he released his breath, knowing it wouldn¡¯t change anything, but¡ª

    Tibs sucked in air and looked around in confusion. ¡°Wha¡ª¡±

    Why had he done all this?

    ¡°His eyes are normal again,¡± Carina said with a satisfied smile.

    Normal? Why wouldn¡¯t they be? He looked from her to Jackal. The fighter looked concerned.

    Tibs thought back on what he¡¯d done. How had he unleashed so much fire? He¡¯d been angry and¡ªno, not angry. He¡¯d been enraged. Still¡­ he checked his reserves. He had no more essence in his reserves for fire, earth, or water than he had before, although they were somehow still full, while the vast reserve of his element was noticeably lower.

    His gaze fell on the man who was crawling away through the mud. One of the men who had hurt these women; killed two of the townsfolk. With a snarl, he moved to stand, but Carina caught his arm.

    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± she instructed.

    ¡°He isn¡¯t getting away with taking part in this,¡± Tibs snarled.

    ¡°Does that mean I can go finish him?¡± Jackal asked hopefully.

    Tibs almost said no. That he needed to be the one to end him. But his recent shift in how he thought stopped him. Was this him, wanting this, or¡­

    What had happened?

    He nodded to the fighter.

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    ¡°Make it quick,¡± Carina said. ¡°We need to take these women and child to the inn to be seen to, and then deal with something¡­important.¡±

    ¡°Sebastian has to pay for this,¡± Tibs said. That was what he wanted. Tibs was sure of it. Sebastian was behind this like he¡¯d been behind so many things going wrong in his town. And he wanted to make him pay for those, too.

    ¡°He will,¡± she said, ¡°but after we figure out what happened.¡±

    ¡°They were¡ª¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean.¡±

    The burned man¡¯s pained pleading came to an abrupt stop.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have your bracers, Tibs. So how did you have all that fire? Or the essence to stop it? Could you do that wall of water even with your bracers? You said nothing had changed after your audience with Purity.¡±

    ¡°It hasn¡¯t,¡± he protested. ¡°I don¡¯t have any more essence in the elements¡¯ reserve.¡± He studied the reserve for his element. It shouldn¡¯t be this low since all he¡¯d used it for was for the cut at his back. The only way he could think of it being this low was if¡­

    ¡°I think I used my essence to do this.¡±

    ¡°Well, yeah,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°It¡¯s kind of obvious you did this because your eyes were fire red, and there¡¯s no one else with fire around.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what he means,¡± Carina said pensively. ¡°But that isn¡¯t possible, right?¡±

    Tibs stared at her. ¡°You¡¯re the one who reads a lot, so you should know.¡± He noticed motion at the edge of his vision. The women and boy. He hated himself for having forgotten about them, even after Carina mentioned them.

    He stood.

    ¡°I think this is one time where you''re right, and what you can do won''t be in any book,¡± she said. Tibs headed for them, and she followed him. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to try something when you aren¡¯t distracted by a fight and feel what happens.¡±

    ¡°Can we make it something safe?¡± Jackal asked, crouching next to the woman cradling the boy. ¡°Are you okay with me picking both of you up?¡± he asked her gently.

    ¡°There are no safe elements,¡± Carina replied, helping the other woman up. Tibs used his element to wrap both women¡¯s forming bruises and the boy¡¯s injuries, getting angry again at how he¡¯d been violated. He found the man who¡¯d hurt the boy, dead. The only injury was his groin, burned to ash.

    Tibs hoped the man had suffered.

    The woman didn¡¯t reply to Jackal, didn¡¯t seem to even notice he was there. So the fighter picked her up carefully.

    ¡°Tibs didn¡¯t seem quite as inclined to burn everything down when his eyes were blue or earth brown,¡± Jackal said quietly.

    ¡°My eyes were blue?¡± Tibs asked jubilantly, then frowned. ¡°But they aren¡¯t anymore?¡±

    He scouted ahead as Carina spoke.

    ¡°They seem to change with the essence you used.¡±

    They were one street away from the attack when he realized he hadn¡¯t given a second thought to moving away from the rooming house, and his bracers, and he was happy about it.

    He kept them away from anyone. With three injured people, they weren¡¯t in a position to risk another fight, and he didn¡¯t want to risk using any of his essences until he understood what had happened.

    At the inn, they handed the women and boy to the clerics. Then Jackal went around telling the Runners there what they had caught Sebastian¡¯s people doing to them while Carina spoke with Kroseph and his father.

    Tibs was glad to see the server out of his room.

    Nearly all the Runners were out of the inn by the time Carina rejoined Tibs. By their expression, Sebastian would be down a good number of people by the time the day was over.

    ¡°Kroseph is letting us use his room,¡± she said, then they headed up the stairs. Jackal kissing the server on the cheek in passing.

    Inside, the fighter leaned against the door, and Carina had Tibs sit on the bed while she took a chair.

    ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it, and because it¡¯s the element you¡¯re known for having, and Jackal was right that¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t sound so surprised,¡± Jackal said. ¡°I have been right before.¡±

    She rolled her eyes. ¡°You seemed calm when you were using water, so I think that¡¯s the best one to test it with.¡± She looked at him expectantly and he nodded, not wanting to do anything without being prompted. When she became a teacher, she wasn¡¯t always appreciative of him getting ahead of her, and in this case, he didn¡¯t want to try anything without her being ready.

    She took his hand and turned it palm up. ¡°Make a little water, just enough to hold.¡±

    Water formed and Tibs closed his eyes as he remembered the abrupt way the man¡¯s pleading had ended. How could he have agreed to that? He raised his gaze to Jackal. ¡°Why?¡± he demanded, plaintively.

    ¡°Carina?¡± the fighter asked, sounding worried.

    ¡°Tibs, look at me.¡±

    He wanted to ignore her, to get Jackal to explain his actions, his wanton causing of pain and death, but the concern in her tone pulled at him.

    ¡°Why did I let Jackal kill that man?¡± he asked her. ¡°How did that solve anything?¡±

    ¡°What are your reserves like, Tibs?¡±

    What was the point of the question? What was the point of this, if he was willing to let pain and even death happen? Didn¡¯t he know better? His role was to soothe, to take the pain away, not¡ª

    ¡°Tibs, I need you to focus,¡± Carina said. ¡°What are your reserves like?¡±

    He focused on soothing her since he couldn¡¯t do anything about what had already happened. That meant answering her question.

    ¡°They haven¡¯t changed. There¡¯s still barely any in any¡ª¡± How was that possible?

    ¡°Tibs?¡± she asked, and the worry made him answer.

    ¡°It¡¯s all water.¡±

    His vast reserve was no longer white. It was blue. So much blue. With all this, he could soothe the entire town, even all of MountainSea.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± she called again. ¡°I need you to let go of it.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± How could she ask that of him. He hadn¡¯t even tried to take the pain away. To work out how he could comfort everyone in Kragle Rock.

    ¡°Tibs, we need to know what will happen.¡±

    ¡°People will continue to suffer.¡± He was going to be willing to let them suffer, to cause the suffering. ¡°I can¡¯t let that happen.¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t your element, Tibs,¡± she said in a soothing tone. ¡°Do you remember when you explained that to Jackal and me?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do that,¡± he replied.

    She smiled. ¡°Not in those words, but it¡¯s what you meant. Once I understood that I advanced faster. Now, you need to remember that, so that you¡¯ll get back to yourself.¡±

    ¡°I am myself.¡± He searched her face, trying to understand what she meant. He was who he should be.

    ¡°Right now, you¡¯re different.¡±

    ¡°Water,¡± Jackal said.

    Tibs nodded. ¡°I¡¯m water.¡± Why were they confused by that?

    ¡°You aren¡¯t water,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re Tibs. Water is only an element, and you use its essence. You told me you saw her as a woman, that she¡¯s caring. She understood you and your pain. She accepted it, even as she encouraged you to let her soothe it away.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t wanting that better than wanting to inflict pain?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to inflict pain, Tibs,¡± she replied with a smile. ¡°Of every Runner here, of anyone linked to the guild, you¡¯re probably the only one I know of who¡¯d rather we have quiet days of doing our runs and nothing more.¡±

    ¡°But I have inflicted pain,¡± he said, unable to mask his shame.

    ¡°You did. It isn¡¯t because you¡¯re willing to inflict pain, that you want to inflict it. You don¡¯t live in the world of the elements, Tibs. Here, we all have to make decisions we don¡¯t like. Make the best of not always great situations. You have to be yourself to do that.¡±

    ¡°Do it for Mama,¡± Jackal said.

    He closed his eyes as he remembered her laugh, her encouragement, her cold body. He could let go of her now, of the pain, the loss. He could wash it all out.

    He could even forget her entirely; if he chose to.

    He gasped, and Carina caught him.

    How? How could he even contemplate forgetting Mama? He needed to find those men and make them pay for what they did to her.

    ¡°You okay?¡± Jackal asked.

    Tibs nodded. ¡°Thanks for bringing me back.¡±

    The fighter smiled. ¡°Poking your sore spot is the least I could do after you lied to get my man angry at me.¡±

    ¡°Your reserve?¡± Carina asked.

    Tibs sensed inward and was rewarded with a vastness of white, with only some of it missing.

    ¡°It¡¯s back to normal.¡±

    ¡°Can you use any essences without causing your eyes to change color?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He looked at the room. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to do it when I used fire. And I don¡¯t think this is the right place to try it. I don¡¯t want Kroseph angry at me again.¡± He looked at Carina and smiled viciously. ¡°But if you want to watch to see if it happens, you can come when I go burn Sebastian¡¯s house with him in it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m up for that,¡± Jackal said, over Carina¡¯s protest, rubbing his hands together. ¡°One question, though. You going to do that before or after you figure out how to not burn the entire town down? You know, so I can let Kro and his family know to leave first?¡±

    Tibs sighed. He could always count on Jackal for an inadvertent dousing of his burning anger.

 Stepping up, Chapter 67

    Tibs looked at them, Jackal, Carina, and Kroseph, and wished he could wash away the worry off their face. He wanted to offer them comfort, but how could he, when he was the cause? He was who they worried about. It was why they were in Kroseph¡¯s room again, and why he was here this time. The first time he¡¯d been told everything about what Tibs had done since getting his first audience with Water.

    Kroseph had been surprisingly accepting of what Tibs had been told was impossible even after he¡¯d done it. Maybe being surrounded by people who could wield essence and with a dungeon that changed to continuously challenge the Runners made the impossible less so for him.

    He wished that telling them not to worry, that he was fine, would be enough. Instead, he pointed out he wasn¡¯t that important in the end. ¡°We need to be out there, helping the town.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound so different from the Tibs I know,¡± Kroseph said.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal said. ¡°How about we go out there, find my father, and kill him so he can¡¯t hurt the town anymore?¡±

    Tibs couldn¡¯t believe what he heard. ¡°No. Violence isn¡¯t going to solve this. I need to find him and soothe the pain that¡¯s causing him to act out like this. To explain there¡¯s a better way.¡± He wanted to head out immediately. The sooner he found Sebastian, the quicker this could stop and everyone would be better. But he¡¯d agreed to stay with his friends until they were satisfied he was fine.

    And, judging by their expression, they weren¡¯t there yet.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kroseph said. ¡°That¡¯s too nice even for Tibs. And you said every element makes him act differently?¡±

    Carina nodded. ¡°I only saw Water and Fire. Jackal saw him using Earth. With Water, he wants to help everyone. With Fire, he wanted to burn the entire town, like there was only rage inside him. Is that what fire is?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Jackal said. ¡°I¡¯ve asked the Runners here who have fire as their element. They don¡¯t describe Fire as being angry. Eager is how one of them described it. Running hot is how another one did. Tibs¡¯s understandable anger at what those men were doing became an uncontrollable rage.¡±

    ¡°So his anger triggered the fire?¡± Kroseph asked.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t call on Fire because I was angry. All I had was a knife, and I wanted them to be afraid so they¡¯d stop.¡± He paused. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have wanted that. Fear doesn¡¯t help. Once I called on fire is when I lost control.¡±

    Kroseph looked around his room. ¡°Why are we doing this in the inn, then? What if he loses control?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why we are doing this with water,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°We need to understand how to have Tibs channel essence without his personality changing.¡±

    ¡°Tibs can make ice,¡± Kroseph pointed out, ¡°and the weather is turning warmer. What if he decides that icing everything is how he¡¯ll make everyone feel better?¡±

    ¡°Then I don¡¯t think anywhere in the town¡¯s safe,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°He said his main reserve is basically bottomless, and it becomes whatever he¡¯s channeling.¡±

    ¡°So maybe have him not channel through it?¡± Kroseph asked uncertainly.

    ¡°That isn¡¯t how it works,¡± Carina said. ¡°At least I don¡¯t think it is. This isn¡¯t something I¡¯ve read about, but when I channel, I just do it, I don¡¯t decide how, it just happens. Maybe if he had his bracers, he could do it. I need to think about pulling from my amulet, but we don¡¯t have that.¡±

    ¡°Back to yourself, Tibs,¡± Jackal instructed.

    ¡°Why?¡± Tibs asked. ¡°I can do much more good using my essence.¡±

    Jackal ran a hand over his face. ¡°I think we¡¯re trying for too much. We should just get him to let it go on command. That way, we can tell him to stop if he starts losing control like he did with fire.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll be more helpful if he remains in control while using essence,¡± Carina countered.

    ¡°Sure, but it¡¯s not like we have the time,¡± Jackal snapped. ¡°I know you just got here, but we¡¯re in the middle of a war.¡±

    Kroseph stepped before the fighter. ¡°Calm down. You know she isn¡¯t dismissing what¡¯s happened. It¡¯s how she handles problems.¡±

    Jackal looked at Kroseph and let out a breath. ¡°I¡¯d love to have some amazing weapon to throw at my father, but right now, Tibs¡¯s a danger to the town.¡±

    ¡°He isn¡¯t a weapon,¡± Carina snapped, stepping up and stopping at Kroseph¡¯s hand on her chest. ¡°He¡¯s our friend, and he needs our help.¡±

    Tibs was at a loss as to how to help calm them. They weren¡¯t listening to each other. Would they listen to him?

    ¡°Hey Tibs,¡± Kroseph said, crouching before him and pulling his attention away from the mounting argument. ¡°They¡¯re just scared. That¡¯s why they¡¯re snapping at each other. They¡¯ll get over it.¡±

    Tibs nodded, but he bit his lower lip. He needed to help them reach that point now, not later.

    ¡°Tell me,¡± Kroseph said, drawing his attention to him again. ¡°Why do you think you need your essence to help?¡±

    ¡°Because with it, I can soothe the pain away.¡± Tibs touched Kroseph¡¯s temple with a finger and let essence flow over him.

    His friend smiled. ¡°I appreciate the effort, but you might need more training to do anything more than get me wet.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Tibs whispered. ¡°I have all of this essence, and I keep forgetting all I¡¯ve learned to do with it is commit violence. Why would I do that?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± Kroseph took Tibs¡¯s hand in his. ¡°You¡¯ve used water to put out the fire. You¡¯ve used your very own essence to heal your teammates. You¡¯ve always used the best tool to help the rest of us.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the only way I have to help now.¡±

    Kroseph smiled. ¡°The most helpful thing you ever did, you did without using an element. You convinced Don, a man you really don¡¯t like, to speak to Harry. You avoided a lot of death and violence that way, without using an element. You talked the merchants into accepting your help against Jackal¡¯s father. You kept the Runners from thinking only about themselves. You got them to work together, to tell each other how to survive the dungeon, even if the guild forbids that.¡± He smiled. ¡°You¡¯ve talked sense through the thick thing my man likes to call his head.¡±

    He squeezed Tibs¡¯s hands. ¡°Your elements, they¡¯re important, but they aren¡¯t why you¡¯re strong. You were that before you got your first audience. You need to remember that the only thing your elements do is make you stronger. Not that you are weak without them.¡±

    Tibs nodded slowly. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Now, please let go of water.¡±

    Tibs did so, and his perception of the people in the room shifted. He hugged Kroseph tightly, taking him by surprise. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re okay,¡± Tibs whispered, his eyes getting wet.

    Kroseph chuckled and hugged him back. ¡°I¡¯m glad too, but this is about helping you.¡±

    ¡°You did.¡± Tibs let go. ¡°But I don¡¯t know how easy it¡¯s going to be with the other elements. I couldn¡¯t think when I used fire, just act. With Earth, I was so comfortable I didn¡¯t worry about anything. I knew, I was certain that all I had to do was take my time, and I¡¯d find the solution to any problem.¡±

    Tibs thought back to how he¡¯d felt when he¡¯d used each of the elements in the courtyard. ¡°None of them was the right way to do it. I can¡¯t protect anyone if all I want to do is help everyone. I can¡¯t keep people safe if I don¡¯t think about what I¡¯ll do, but I can¡¯t just think about what I should do either.¡±

    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Jackal squeezed Kroseph¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Seems like each element represents only a part of who we are, but individually, they aren¡¯t enough. Just like one element isn¡¯t enough to make anything real, like that bed, chair, or a tankard of ale.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not right,¡± Carina said. ¡°They don¡¯t represent us, they existed before we¡ª¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think now¡¯s the time for a lesson,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°I¡¯d think you¡¯d be curious about what we know of the elements.¡± She smiled. ¡°You usually don¡¯t seem to care what else we should be doing.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m usually not at war,¡± he replied. ¡°We need to focus on saving the town; then you can tell me about why I think differently when I¡¯m using an element.¡± He took Kroseph¡¯s hands in his. ¡°And saving the town means I need to learn how to switch between the elements at my will.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs roared in anger as he unleashed fire on the thugs trying to escape.

    ¡°Tibs, stop!¡± Jackal ordered.

    Over the last eight days, Tibs had had no success in deciding to stop calling on an element. The inside of two unused warehouses attested to the damage fire could cause. It was the most volatile of the elements he had, so the one he¡¯d worked harder getting to let go.

    Tibs let Fire go.

    While he hadn¡¯t managed to exert his will over the elements, they had reached a point where, even under one of their influence, he listened to an order to stop.

    ¡°I¡¯m calling on water,¡± he told the fighter and didn¡¯t wait for an acknowledgment. He didn¡¯t have the time. He chastised himself for always reverting to violence as he spread the water over the fires he had started, extinguishing them. This was the last time, he told himself. He would never call on Fire again, or any of the other elements. His role was to soothe and comfort, and he could only do that by wielding water.

    ¡°Let it go, Tibs.¡±

    He looked into Jackal¡¯s stern face and opened his mouth to explain why he couldn¡¯t.

    ¡°I said to let it go, Tibs.¡±

    Reluctantly, he did.

    ¡°You okay?¡± his friend asked, searching his eyes.

    ¡°Just strange how Water¡¯s the hardest one to let go of. With how out-of-control Fire makes me, you¡¯d think that would be the hardest one.¡± It was knowing there was so much sorrow out there, Tibs thought, that made Water so stubborn.

    The other elements had proved easier to let go of, although he avoided Earth whenever possible because of how slowly he thought. He had no problem letting it go, but the time it took between hearing Jackal¡¯s order and doing it was time lost not helping.

    The one element he didn¡¯t use, under any circumstances, was corruption. When they had tried it, Tibs had nearly talked Jackal into going out with him so they could melt Sebastian¡¯s face off.

    Eight days of training as often as he could with letting go and it was the first time Jackal had been confident enough for the two of them to go out. On patrol, he told the others, then had to reassure them he¡¯d make sure Tibs was safe. What Tibs would do, was talk to Sto. Find out if he could open his door so the others could be recalled.

    Unfortunately, this was the fourth group of Sebastian¡¯s people they¡¯d run into.

    ¡°You know,¡± Jackal said as he searched one of the burned corpses, ¡°the one downside of Fire is that you don¡¯t leave loot for me to get.¡±

    ¡°If you want, I¡¯ll let Water soothe the next group into not running away if you think that¡¯ll get you more loot.¡±

    Water and fire were the two Tibs had used the most. Air was too playful, Earth too slow, and of the rest, he didn¡¯t know enough about how to use them to do anything useful, even with all the essence at his disposal.

    ¡°I¡¯ll settle for less loot if it means my father doesn¡¯t find out what you can do.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s still going to want me dead.¡±

    ¡°If he finds out what you can do, he isn¡¯t going to want you dead anymore. He¡¯s going to want you collared like an animal.¡±

    Tibs sensed around them, pushing away the image that brought up. Instead of a clear way, or another patrol, he sensed a group in a house.

    ¡°There¡¯s a family huddled together in that house.¡±

    ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll be safe until we come back?¡±

    Tibs glared at the fighter.

    ¡°Getting more Runners here will help more people, Tibs. And we need the dungeon to be open for that.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know if Sto¡¯s even ready. They are in danger now.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s be careful,¡± Jackal said. ¡°We¡¯ve had instances where my father¡¯s people acted like scared townsfolk to lure us in.¡±

    Tibs picked up the short sword he¡¯d taken after their first encounter. He wasn¡¯t good with it, but it had better reach than a knife. The pommel was singed more now, the leather was starting to peel off. He never let go of it quickly enough when he called on fire.

    He cautiously walked around the house, peering through the windows at the empty rooms. They¡¯d hidden in a small room, probably at the sounds of the fighting, one that only had one door Tibs could see.

    He sensed five people, two who were small, so Tibs didn¡¯t think these were Sebastian¡¯s people, but as Jackal had said, they could be sneaky.

    The two doors were locked, and the ground-floor windows latched. Tibs didn¡¯t have tools, and couldn¡¯t use water. Another reason to head for the rooming house soon. He stopped Jackal from kicking in the door by pointing at the open window on the first floor. The fighter nodded, then threw Tibs in.

    Once Tibs got over the surprise, and up from the floor, he stepped to the window and glared down at the grinning fighter. Once he had control of his elements again, Jackal was going to pay.

    The fighter made a shooing motion and Tibs moved away from the window.

    He was going to burn all the loot Jackal had ever found.

    Down the stairs, he opened the door and looked in. The five were at the back, the man and woman pulling the two small children to themselves tighter while to older one stood to interpose himself. He looked scared, but determined.

    The pantry¡¯s shelves were nearly empty, and they looked like he¡¯d felt partway through Val.

    ¡°Are any of you hurt?¡± he asked. His element was the only one that didn¡¯t cause him to act differently. And since he could use it without anyone noticing, so long as he didn¡¯t wrap it over broken limbs, he figured it was the one thing he could still do to actively help.

    ¡°I¡¯m Tibs,¡± he said when they didn¡¯t reply or move. ¡°I¡¯m a Runner. I¡¯m with the town. Jackal¡¯s waiting outside. We¡¯ll take you somewhere safe.¡±

    That got them moving, but hesitatingly so.

    He didn¡¯t want to think what else they¡¯d had to do to survive this long. Why they were the only ones he could sense in any of the houses.

    As he led them out of the house, Tibs couldn¡¯t shake the feeling this part of the town was now very much like his Street had been.

    * * * * *

    Tibs looked around at the broken crates spilling pots and broken furniture. He would never have guessed that having so much fun would result in this much chaos. Kroseph was in Jackal¡¯s arms, with Carina next to them, against the wall. There was a line of debris before them, marking where she¡¯d been able to keep anything from hitting them, but they looked scared.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Tibs said, face burning.

    This had been a celebration, in part. Not of finally getting to let go of the element when he wanted to. That had happened four days ago, but of retrieving his bracers and air knives.

    It had started as a test of him pulling essence from the bracer, hoping it would let him use the elements and not have his personality affected. He¡¯d picked air because he¡¯d felt playful and he had his knives.

    It had felt so good to not worry about anything and just enjoy himself. Of course, that meant he hadn¡¯t worried about the damage he¡¯d caused. This wasn¡¯t quite as much as while he¡¯d worked with fire, but only because Air couldn¡¯t spread the damage to other buildings.

    ¡°Are you sure the owner doesn¡¯t mind us using his warehouse to practice?¡± Kroseph asked worriedly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Jackal said casually. ¡°We¡¯ve cleared it. It¡¯s fine.¡±

    His man narrowed his eyes at the fighter. ¡°Do you even know who owns this warehouse?¡±

    Jackal shrugged. ¡°Not your family. I know that for sure.¡±

    * * * * *

    ¡°The information¡¯s right,¡± Jabba said. ¡°Something¡¯s happening. There¡¯s a dozen archers on the rooftops watching around the platform.¡±

    ¡°Where does your father keep getting them?¡± Carina asked. ¡°Just in the last six days, you and Tibs have to have taken out two dozen of them.¡±

    Jackal shrugged. ¡°Archers are easy for my father to get. The king¡¯s always training some, but he doesn¡¯t pay all that much. A handful of silver will get my father a regiment of them.¡±

    ¡°But we haven¡¯t seen anyone arrive in a week, right?¡± she looked around at the others. Tibs nodded, as did the rogues who spied on the platform.

    ¡°Knowing my father, if he didn¡¯t bring hundreds of them with his first group, he had them trickle in way before that. Even if he knew the guild wasn¡¯t going to be a problem, the town¡¯s full of Runners. He knew he¡¯d need a lot of people to deal with even only a few of us.¡±

    Tibs frowned. ¡°But how didn¡¯t Harry notice? That¡¯s a lot of people with a lot of weapons.¡±

    ¡°Weapons can be brought in crates marked as something else,¡± Quigly said. ¡°They might even have come in via one of the caravans.¡±

    ¡°How Knuckles missed this is something that¡¯s going to have to wait until he gets his ass out of that building,¡± Jackal said flatly.

    ¡°He should be out already,¡± Tibs said, more to himself. ¡°He should be keeping the town safe.¡± He¡¯d sneaked out in the night to try to get to Harry and ask him why, but he hadn¡¯t made it. The guild must have something to let them know when someone approached because as soon as he stepped onto the street opposite the building, he felt Adventurers manipulating essence and had retreated.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Carina said, ¡°Harry¡¯s job isn¡¯t protecting the town. It¡¯s maintaining order.¡±

    ¡°But¡ª¡° Tibs started among the derision the older Runners let out.

    ¡°Nope,¡± Jackal said. ¡°It¡¯s not even that. I told you, us Wells only do two things, we give orders or we obey them, and it¡¯s the rare Wells who gives them. He does what the Guild tells him. And as we know, they aren¡¯t going to get off their asses unless the dungeon is under threat. Speaking of which?¡±

    ¡°The door is still closed.¡± Tibs went to Sto every night, but the dungeon had yet to acknowledge his presence.

    ¡°Look,¡± Jabba said. ¡°Do we really have the time for questions and discussion? We need to get ready for whatever is about to happen.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a kid,¡± Tibs replied, grinning at her. ¡°Asking questions is how I learn stuff.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Jackal warned her. ¡°And we¡¯re waiting on more information. As far as we know, it isn¡¯t happening today, so there¡¯s no need to rush.¡±

    She looked around. ¡°Has anyone considered that maybe he¡¯s holding us back because he wants his father to take over?¡±

    Jackal burst out laughing. ¡°Jabba, Jabba, Jabba. I know no one¡¯s keeping track, and that is a shame, but I am willing to bet a silver that I¡¯ve killed more of my father¡¯s people than anyone here. Not to say of those I killed trying to escape him before I landed in this town. The only reason I will see my father out of here alive is because I know his death will cause us more trouble than he¡¯s already causing. I will die before I side with him.¡±

    Tibs glared at the fighter. ¡°Those archers,¡± he asked Jabba, ¡°where are they?¡± He¡¯d keep them busy with that, instead of letting them goad each other into a fight, while they waited for Serba to send them more information.

 Stepping up, Chapter 68

    ¡°Are you sure we can¡¯t get closer?¡± Carina asked.

    Tibs sensed ahead and on the roofs for all the people there. He had no idea how many people Sebastian had, but it seemed like they all had to be here.

    Tibs had found the dog in the inn this morning when Jackal shrieked and jumped on the bar, pointing at whatever had touched his leg. Tibs had never seen this dog, and he had no idea how Serba had trained it to go to Jackal when she hadn¡¯t been near the inn, but it was one of hers. The collar made that clear, as did the message tucked under it.

    It¡¯s happening today.

    So they had pulled anyone they could spare from the patrol, in case it was a diversion, and had taken position to intercept what Sebastian was bringing in.

    Now, Tibs wasn¡¯t certain they could do it.

    ¡°There¡¯s people at every road and in the alleys between us and the platform, four thick. There aren¡¯t as many archers on the roofs, but there¡¯s still too many.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s got to be important.¡±

    Tibs nodded. That was why everyone agreed Sebastian couldn¡¯t keep it. But was it worth sacrificing Runners for? Tibs was happy he wasn¡¯t the one making that decision. Jackal and Quigly were the ones who¡¯d make it. All Tibs and Carina had to do was wait for the signal, like everyone else.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to the roofs to get a view of the platform.¡±

    ¡°Is that safe?¡± she asked. ¡°You said there¡¯s a lot of archers.¡±

    He rolled his eyes. ¡°They¡¯re on my roofs. They aren¡¯t going to see me.¡± He was two stories up the wall before she voiced further objections.

    They were far enough none of the archers noticed him crawl along the roof until he was behind the chimney. When he checked, he noticed that even though they were on the roofs; they were only looking down at the ground. Typical.

    He found a handful of rogues who¡¯d taken position and were scanning the rooftops. Two gave him an acknowledgment signal, and he returned it before moving closer to the platform.

    By the time he could see it, in the valley of a roof between two of Sebastian¡¯s archers, Tibs knew it was arriving. The essence shifted over the empty platform and people appeared. A lot of people. At least three and zero of them and at least that same number of those guarding the platform taking position by the steps.

    Those in the center bent down as those around formed into a mirror of those by the stairs, weapons drawn, lined up on each side. And now he saw the long crate eight of them held between them.

    It was as long as two Jackal¡¯s height, as broad as three of him. And thick enough, two of them could fit. He sensed it, to have an idea of what was inside, and frowned as what he got was muddled. Blurred as if he was looking at it through many windows, each distorting the image further.

    There was Earth in the crate, he could tell that. There was air and water and fire, but he couldn¡¯t figure out which one had more of, and after that he couldn¡¯t tell what the essences were through the distortions.

    He watched them walk down and away, waiting for the signal to come and relieved when it didn¡¯t. He didn¡¯t want his people to die needlessly.

    He watched as most of Sebastian¡¯s people followed after the crate, trying to work out what could cause essence to be distorted. He sensed Runners follow at a distance. Maybe they¡¯d have an opening along the way, but Tibs didn¡¯t think so. Sebastian wasn¡¯t taking a chance with this.

    He waited until there were only two archers left, both watching the platform instead of the streets, before crawling back to the edge of the roof. Without the thugs on the streets, getting back to the inn would¡ª

    The essence over the platform shifted and Tibs ran for the front, throwing himself off the roof. He hoped someone stayed behind to deal with the archers. He rolled and wrapped his essence over the bruises and ran.

    The people took form as he reached the steps, one wearing the golden robe of the attendants, and the other in dark purples sorcerer¡¯s robes.

    Tibs¡¯s heart sank.

    He was never going to hear the end of this.

    A yell came from a small building to the side of the platform, just beyond the column. It was where the attendants went when they weren¡¯t needed.

    An archer stood on a roof as the attendant and Don looked in the direction of the person yelling. The sorcerer¡¯s head snapped in Tibs¡¯s direction and the annoyance turned into anger; then Tibs collided with him and the attendant. The attendant screamed in pain before they were on the ground.

    ¡°Get off me!¡± Don ordered, shoving Tibs off.

    ¡°There are archers shooting at anyone who arrives,¡± Tibs said. ¡°The arrows have a poison on them that makes it hard to focus.¡±

    ¡°Do you take me for a¡ª¡± his expression turned into shock, then he raised a hand. Tibs sensed the corruption form, then weave into a mesh over them.

    Something splashed on Tibs¡¯s back, something being eaten away by corruption.

    Don¡¯s expression of superiority went away as he looked at Tibs¡¯s back. ¡°I did not just save your life,¡± he cursed.

    ¡°We¡¯re even then.¡± Tibs got to his feet and pulled the attendant up, making a wrap around the wound. ¡°We need to get to safety before they shoot again.¡± The weave of corruption stayed between them and the archer, and something splashed on the ground next to Tibs. Metal melting away, the wooden shaft was already destroyed.

    ¡°I¡¯m not saving you,¡± Don said. ¡°I¡¯m protecting her.¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t care.

    As they reached the building, two attendants grabbed her, and Tibs and Don followed them inside.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Tibs demanded. The two attendants were the only ones in the room. There was a table with dice on it, half a dozen cots and chairs. ¡°Have you been staying here since Sebastian started shooting anyone arriving?¡± how did they feed themselves? The few chests by the cots couldn¡¯t contain enough food to last them this long. They were normal.

    He felt the essence shift and turned in time to see the arrow in the attendant¡¯s shoulder vanish in a golden glow.

    ¡°We¡¯re here to make sure returning attendants aren¡¯t killed.¡± The one standing said, handing a bottle to the one seeing to the injured.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be more worried about the person they¡¯re bringing?¡± Don demanded, by the partially opened door, maintaining his weave. ¡°We¡¯re the ones paying you, after all.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not paying us anything,¡±

    Tibs undid the wrap. By the purity in the bottle, it would heal her.

    ¡°Any of us who die weakens our organization, so we rotate who is on watch so we¡¯re ready to act.¡±

    ¡°You call yelling something we couldn¡¯t understand acting?¡± Don said with a snort. ¡°If not for me, she¡¯d be dead.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, rotate?¡± Tibs asked.

    The man looked at Tibs as if he was an idiot. ¡°Do you think the two of us are the only ones here; and that we¡¯ve been staying here?¡±

    Listening wasn¡¯t what this man was good at, Tibs decided, but didn¡¯t comment. ¡°Then how do you come and go without getting shot?¡±

    ¡°Void is our element. Space means nothing to us. All we need to do is think ourselves somewhere.¡±

    ¡°Then why is that thing here then?¡± Don demanded.

    ¡°Because it¡¯s one thing to think myself around this town. It¡¯s another to think myself across the world, with passengers. The Platform links to all the other ones and gives us a template to use for where we need to go.¡±

    ¡°So, for you to go from here to somewhere in the town is the same as you going to another town, except that the distance means you need the platform?¡± Tibs asked, hoping he was understanding this correctly.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you listen? I just said that the platform¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did listen.¡±

    He ignored what the fact that Jackal hadn¡¯t told him about this implied of the attendants¡¯ actions since this started. Seemed anyone with power over others wasn¡¯t interested in helping them.

    ¡°You said passengers when you first talked about the platform. Is that because you can¡¯t move people with you without it, or also because of the distances?¡±

    Tibs was going to change that.

    ¡°You do not listen, do you? Of course, I can move people without it, the platform¡ªwhy are you grinning like that?¡±

    ¡°Because you just saved my town.¡±

    Whether the attendants wanted it or not.

    * * * * *

    Don preened under the congratulations of how he¡¯d convinced the attendants to help in taking townsfolk still trapped out of those dangerous areas. He¡¯d proclaimed it the instant they stepped into the inn and had smiled at Tibs, defying him to call him out.

    He hadn¡¯t.

    And it wasn¡¯t like Don had simply stood there while Tibs talked.

    The only thing Tibs was able to do was get the attendant to summon their local leader, who was the person Tibs had to convince if he wanted their help. The three there wanted to help, they made that clear. So clear Tibs had trouble believing them, but the organization as a whole had to come first.

    The leader was a woman with a hard face and demanding golden eyes who scoffed at any mention of the greater good for the town, instead referring to what the Runners did as ¡®playing hero¡¯ and that the only thing that came of that was death. And she couldn¡¯t afford to lose anyone if the attendants were to remain independent.

    ¡°And what will the attendants letting the town be taken over do for your reputation?¡± Don had asked so casually it reminded Tibs of Old Grangston. ¡°What will anyone think when they find out the attendant can¡¯t keep the people they bring to a town safe? Or do you think no one will mention how you¡¯re willing to let us be shot in favor of covering your asses?¡±

    Tibs had moved next to him and whispered a few pieces of information he now realized were relevant.

    ¡°Or how you never bothered verifying the intent of the people you bring to a town, or what they¡¯re bringing that will end up causing trouble? Or are you going to claim you weren¡¯t complicit when the criminals who paid you to come here to gain control of our town are exposed?¡±

    Tibs was going to ask Carina what ¡®complicit¡¯ meant as soon as he saw her, because that had been the word that caused the leader to give in.

    He left Don to his now adoring public and headed for his table, where Jackal and Quigly were glaring at each other.

    ¡°Tell him,¡± Jackal said on seeing Tibs.

    ¡°Tell him what?¡±

    ¡°Tell that over-piss-filled, good-for-nothing coward we could have taken them.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear you giving the signal,¡± Quigly replied.

    ¡°The deal was we have to both agree,¡± Jackal snapped. ¡°And I respect my deals.¡±

    Tibs could see Quigly didn¡¯t believe that any more than Tibs knew it to be false. Which meant this was about pride. Or the impression of pride. With Jackal, Tibs didn¡¯t always know which part was an act and which was really who his friend was.

    Sometimes he wondered if Jackal knew either.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we could win,¡± he said. ¡°Especially not after all those people arrived.¡±

    ¡°Did any of them have essence?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°I doubt it, unless Sebastian can afford adventurers willing to take on the guild.¡±

    The guilty look Jackal gave Tibs wasn¡¯t missed by Quigly either, but the warrior didn¡¯t bring it up. Then Jackal looked away, and he was angry again.

    Jackal Pointed to the sorcerer. ¡°What lies has he told to get that treatment?¡± Don had people laughing around him and keeping him from noticing Jackal.

    Tibs told the fighter what had happened after everyone left the platform, but the news Don wasn¡¯t actually lying when he said he¡¯d convinced the attendants did nothing to improve Jackal¡¯s mood.

    ¡°You realize that before the day¡¯s over, he¡¯d going to think he¡¯s in charge, right?¡±

    ¡°Is that a bad thing?¡± Quigly asked. He raised a hand to keep Jackal from yelling his protest. ¡°Take it from me, a guy who was in charge of a big battle and lost. Having your enemy think someone else is in charge can be a good thing.¡±

    ¡°My father¡¯s never going to believe he¡¯s in charge,¡± Jackal said. ¡°He isn¡¯t that dumb. And Don¡¯s going to get more people killed than my father has. He doesn¡¯t give a fuck about anyone in the town.¡±

    ¡°He cares,¡± Tibs said. ¡°But he wants people to know he helped them.¡±

    ¡°And keeping someone like that from causing problems just means being there to advise him when needed,¡± the warrior said.

    ¡°You realize that means being within touching range of the guy with corruption at his fingertip,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°You do remember what that feels like, right? Wait before answering.¡± He headed to the bar and returned with three tankards.

    ¡°I thought they were out?¡± Quigly said, making a face after taking a sip.

    ¡°My man has his reserve.¡± Jackal looked in the tankard. ¡°Not that there¡¯s any of the good stuff left there, either.¡±

    Tibs missed good ale. ¡°I think we can guide him to help us make Sebastian leave,¡± he said. The statement causes the two others to stare at him. ¡°He has the one element that can get us through all the protection Sebastian has on his house.¡±

    Jackal looked at the sorcerer speculatively, while Quigly simply looked confused.

    ¡°Corruption affects the other essences,¡± Tibs said. ¡°That¡¯s how those who tried to kill him got into the dungeon. The corruption ate through the door, which is supposed to be impossible to damage.¡±

    ¡°My father¡¯s got all sorts of enchantments on his house because he¡¯s paranoid about his safety.¡± Jackal took a long swallow. ¡°You know that plan is going to make Don unbearable to be around.¡±

    ¡°The man¡¯s a coward,¡± Quigly stated. ¡°He will never agree to put himself in danger like that.¡±

    Jackal snorted. ¡°You have no idea the stupid shit someone will do for pride.¡± He looked at Tibs. ¡°But that isn¡¯t the entirety of your plan, is it?¡±

    Tibs shook his head but didn¡¯t elaborate.

    ¡°You realize that getting there might be more impossible than convincing Don leading that charge will mean he¡¯s the Hero of Kragle Rock now.¡±

    Tibs nodded.

    ¡°What if you can¡¯t manage it?¡±

    ¡°Do you two want me to leave so you don¡¯t have to be cryptic?¡± Quigly asked, annoyed.

    ¡°Would you?¡± Jackal replied sweetly.

    ¡°We can talk about the rest later, Jackal,¡± Tibs said. ¡°One thing we need to figure out is how many of the townsfolk still live around Sebastian¡¯s house. We can¡¯t ask the attendants to just go around without knowing what to expect.¡±

    Jackal looked at the warrior.

    Quigly sighed. ¡°I can have people get that information. You two do know that keeping stuff from your allies is rarely a good thing.¡±

    ¡°This falls in the ¡®we don¡¯t have much of a choice¡¯ category, Quig,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± The warrior stood. ¡°I get that, but trust me when I tell you if you aren¡¯t careful, those secrets can turn into knives planted in your back.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 69

    Tibs looked at the large room with the broken crates strewn about. ¡°It might be time to move these to another warehouse,¡± he said, smiling. ¡°Using fire or air in here again could bring it all down.¡±

    Carina looked around thoughtfully.

    ¡°Remember,¡± Jackal told her and Kroseph, ¡°if one of us starts agreeing too much with him, the other two need to call him out on it. And Tibs, if we say so, you release the essence.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°This is just practice, after all.¡±

    Jackal looked away, rubbing his eyes. ¡°I think corruption picked that color so we couldn¡¯t look him in the eyes and tell if he¡¯s lying.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Tibs grinned.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think the element chose a color,¡± Carina said. ¡°It just is that.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still unsettling the way the color changes with each element,¡± Kroseph said, not having the difficulty looking at him Jackal had. ¡°And how your expression is different. It¡¯s like you¡¯ve been replaced by someone else.¡± He then looked at Carina. ¡°What is that color?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still me,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°And when I sense Don¡¯s reserve, it registers as purple to me, a lot like his robe, but not quite. His isn¡¯t the same color as me, mine isn¡¯t odd like his.¡± He smiled. ¡°The advantage of having more of it, I guess.¡±

    ¡°How do you feel?¡± Jackal asked tentatively. ¡°No urges to go on a rampage and melt the entire town?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. All I suggested the other day was that we go and melt your dad¡¯s house.¡±

    ¡°With everyone in it.¡±

    ¡°Of course, what¡¯s the point if your enemies aren¡¯t there when you bring a building down on them. The goal is to make it easy on you, right?¡±

    Jackal squirmed under the other two¡¯s attention. ¡°I didn¡¯t agree to it,¡± he protested weakly.

    ¡°But you considered it?¡± Carina asked.

    ¡°He made good points. That¡¯s why we have to watch each other. He¡¯s¡­ quite convincing.¡±

    ¡°So being convincing is what he¡¯s like when using corruption?¡± Kroseph asked.

    ¡°More like sneaky,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how honest he was, or if he just wanted to be outside, then do whatever he wanted.¡±

    ¡°Jackal, I¡¯m hurt. I¡¯d have done what we agreed to.¡±

    ¡°And then?¡± Carina asked.

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯d have seen what happens?¡± he smiled. ¡°There is a lot that can be done out there.¡±

    ¡°Like melt the town,¡± Jackal said.

    Tibs rolled his eyes. ¡°Of course not. Can you imagine how annoying it would be to deal with all that complaining?¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s about not bothering others?¡± Kroseph asked. ¡°I thought compassion was Water¡¯s thing. If Corruption¡¯s like that too, and he¡¯s convincing, that would work in our favor.¡±

    ¡°Except Water wants to help everyone,¡± Carina said, ¡°even our enemy.¡±

    ¡°So do you want to help Jackal¡¯s father too?¡± the server asked.

    ¡°Of course not.¡± Tibs paused and considered it. Sebastian was strong and, ultimately, Tibs wanted out from under the guild¡¯s control. Maybe with the man¡¯s help that would be easier¡­ he noticed the way Jackal was looking at him.

    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± the fighter asked.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t want to help him, of course. But he doesn¡¯t know that. What if I told him I was fed up with the guild and how all they¡¯re interested in is feeding me to the dungeon? Look at how they aren¡¯t protecting the town. This is too much for a kid like me to deal with. I could convince him I want to help him take over, then turn around and bring him down.¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t a bad¡ª¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Jackal cut off Carina. ¡°It¡¯s too good. So he¡¯s planning something else.¡±

    ¡°Jackal. You know me. I want what¡¯s best for the town, for Sto, for all of you.¡±

    ¡°I know Tibs with the brown eyes,¡± the fighter replied. ¡°He wants all that. You¡­ have your own plans.¡±

    Tibs sighed. ¡°I¡¯m not going to win here, am I? You¡¯re too afraid of doing what has to be done, so you¡¯re seeing my plan as a ploy.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Carina exclaimed. ¡°How can you say that? Jackal¡¯s like a brother to you.¡±

    ¡°You think my idea¡¯s good. That it would work. He¡¯s the only one who doesn¡¯t want to do it. I know he¡¯s the leader, but a good leader listens to the person who is smarter than he is. And that¡¯s you.¡±

    Kroseph whistled in admiration. ¡°I think that he¡¯s about getting his own way.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about doing what¡¯s right for the town,¡± Tibs countered.

    ¡°Turning Carina and Jackal against one another isn¡¯t good for the town,¡± the server countered. ¡°You¡¯ve told me that you aren¡¯t good at stealing with your words, but with Corruption¡¯s influence you seem to be very good at it.¡±

    ¡°But he isn¡¯t wrong,¡± Carina said doubtfully.

    ¡°That¡¯s always how the confidence-people do it,¡± Kroseph said. ¡°They give you just enough of the truth you won¡¯t notice where the lies are.¡± He chuckled at the surprised look she gave him. ¡°I¡¯m a server in an inn. Back in MountainSea those people are a staple anywhere you get crowds. My father made sure I learned how to spot them before they could use me to swindle him.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why this isn¡¯t going to work,¡± Jackal said. ¡°We can¡¯t trust him.¡±

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    ¡°Look, I¡¯m not lying. I want to help and this is the best way to do it. I know Kroseph means well here, but he¡¯s seeing a threat where there isn¡¯t one.¡±

    ¡°No, he¡¯s right, Tibs, let go¡ª¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± Carina said. ¡°He might be right.¡±

    ¡°Carina,¡± Jackal said in exasperation.

    ¡°No, Jackal, listen to me, please.¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t smile as the fighter looked in his direction, uncertain. Even with Kroseph pointing out what Tibs had been doing, the doubt had been seeded.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°So Tibs, you want to pretend to switch sides. That means you¡¯ll have to keep Corruption as your element.¡±

    He nodded. That was obvious.

    ¡°But for Jackal¡¯s father to want your help, you¡¯ll have to do more than just have information for him. You¡¯re going to have to be able to use the essence in a meaningful way. Melting stuff isn¡¯t going to be enough.¡±

    ¡°True, but it¡¯s not like Sebastian knows what I should be able to do. I¡¯m just Rho.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll know. Remember, he¡¯s smart. Unlike Jackal, he¡¯ll have done his research. I think you need to get Don to train you.¡±

    Tibs opened his mouth and closed it. The idea had merit. Don was the only expert in town, and getting him to agree would be simple enough. He already thought he knew more than everyone around him.

    ¡°You¡¯re considering it?¡± Jackal asked in dismay.

    ¡°Her idea is good. Don¡¯s full of himself, so he¡¯ll believe me when I tell him I realized his element is the best.¡±

    ¡°Don isn¡¯t an idiot,¡± Kroseph said. ¡°He knows Water is your element.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell him the truth. Bringing him into my confidence is going to make him feel superior, so more inclined to help.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s going to tell the guild,¡± Jackal said, ¡°you can be certain of that.¡±

    ¡°Right, that is going to be¡­¡± Tibs trailed off.

    Would it be a problem? He had power. Potentially a lot of it. And the guild wanted power. He could use the knowledge he had to get them to loosen the noose around his neck. He rubbed the bracelet. Well, his wrist.

    ¡°You were right,¡± Carina told Kroseph. ¡°With Corruption, Tibs is definitely self-centered. He¡¯d never consider revealing his elements to the guild or Don otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Are you done with this experiment, then?¡± Jackal asked, sounding annoyed. She nodded. ¡°Let go of the essence, Tibs.¡±

    He did. He wasn¡¯t worried; it wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d think any¡­ he frowned, thinking over what he¡¯d been contemplating.

    ¡°Welcome back,¡± a smiling Kroseph said.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t gone,¡± Tibs replied. The ease with which he¡¯d been willing to betray his friends bothered him.

    ¡°You were contemplating working with the guild, right?¡± Carina asked.

    ¡°I was going to sell what I know about the elements for my freedom,¡± he replied.

    ¡°They¡¯d never give that to you,¡± Jackal scoffed.

    Tibs nodded. ¡°With corruption, I didn¡¯t believe that. Like with the other elements, I don¡¯t think about the consequences of what I want.¡±

    ¡°And what do you want?¡± Kroseph asked.

    Tibs hesitated. He¡¯d thought he knew what he wanted, but Corruption had shown him the town¡¯s safety wasn¡¯t what was most important to him.

    ¡°I want to leave.¡± His face burned as he said it.

    ¡°Well, duh,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°You aren¡¯t an idiot, Tibs. Of course, you want out.¡±

    ¡°But I keep saying I want to keep the town safe.¡±

    ¡°So? Just because you want one thing, it doesn¡¯t make the other thing you want a lie. I want to take Kroseph and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Jackal,¡± his man warned.

    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t also want to help you.¡±

    Tibs nodded.

    ¡°Does that mean using corruption isn¡¯t possible in the plan?¡± Kroseph asked.

    Tibs thought about it. He couldn¡¯t lie to himself, but could he convince himself, even while using corruption, that removing Sebastian from the town was what was best for him? It would make him look better to the guild, and Tirania would give him more leeway, and with that, he could work toward gaining his freedom.

    Would thinking that be enough? With the elements, his thinking was narrower.

    ¡°I can still do it.¡± Tibs didn¡¯t try to sound confident. ¡°But I¡¯m going to have to be careful that something doesn¡¯t happen to change how I think about what we¡¯re doing and make me not follow the plan.¡±

    ¡°You mean like how you stayed behind instead of returning to the inn, as per the plan,¡± Jackal said. ¡°And rescued Don?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t rescuing Don,¡± Tibs replied, offended. ¡°I was keeping the archers from killing a Runner who had no idea what they were appearing into. I could feel someone was arriving.¡±

    ¡°You could sense the void essence?¡± Carina asked.

    ¡°No, but I can sense any big shift in essence, and on the platform, what else was it going to be?¡±

    ¡°Tibs, everything¡¯s going to change as we attack my father¡¯s house,¡± Jackal said. ¡°I think it¡¯s best if we come up with a new plan.¡±

    ¡°Finding a way for Tibs to think like himself while channeling essence would be the best way.¡±

    ¡°Can you make that happen in the next few days?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°How about your bracers?¡± Kroseph asked. ¡°Carina said her amulet feels like a different part of herself. Couldn¡¯t you use that and not channel Corruption?¡±

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°Unlike her, I¡¯ve had to learn to use amulets as part of my reserves, since mine are so small. I don¡¯t know how to not do that; how to think of them as something other than my reserves.¡± He considered it. ¡°And even if I manage it, I don¡¯t know there¡¯s enough essence there to do what we¡¯re aiming to do.¡±

    ¡°We need more time,¡± Carina said.

    ¡°Which we don¡¯t have,¡± Jackal countered. ¡°If we don¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°How about we stop now,¡± Kroseph said. ¡°We¡¯ve made progress in knowing what we need to work on. The rest can wait until after we¡¯ve had a meal. I¡¯m sure I can get Russel to cook you up something edible.¡±

    * * * * *

    Don looked over the rough sketch of part of the town on the table. He placed a finger on a group of buildings. ¡°That won¡¯t work. The Crawling Worm¡¯s right here. They¡¯re going to notice that what used to be empty houses now have people in them.¡±

    They were working on finding places for the attendants to take the families trapped near Sebastian¡¯s house. Don was there as part of Quigly¡¯s suggestion, and because of the part he¡¯d played in getting the attendants to join in the town¡¯s defense.

    Jackal wasn¡¯t happy about it, but kept his temper under control.

    Barely.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know my father had people in the Worm.¡± The words were clipped.

    Don looked at the rogue he¡¯d brought. Citlali was an older woman with lean features and normal green eyes.

    ¡°Best I¡¯ve been able to tell,¡± she said, ¡°they got there last night. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get word of it by the end of the day.¡±

    Tibs elbowed Jackal in the side as he opened his mouth. Now was not the time to argue over who should have been given the information first. Don¡¯s smirk had Jackal shaking from restraining himself.

    ¡°What¡¯s the alternative?¡± Carina asked, louder than she had to. It forced Don to look at her and broke the building tension. ¡°There¡¯s still the need to house those families, and if they can¡¯t rely on that tavern for food, that removes that entire neighborhood from our list. The only other houses I can think of to house them, with a tavern I know isn¡¯t taken over, is in the noble¡¯s neighborhood.¡±

    Don rolled his eyes. ¡°Like those people would ever allow anyone like us there. They¡¯d just hand them to Jackal¡¯s father to make sure they were left alone. The only reason they haven¡¯t been suck¡ªkissing his boots is that there¡¯s more of us who have an element, than of them. They know that all the money they have won¡¯t save them if they really piss us off.¡± He looked through the drawing of other sections of the town and pulled one out.

    ¡°This is where we¡¯re putting them.¡± He tapped six houses around a courtyard. ¡°It¡¯s away from anything important, and from what I¡¯ve been told, they already did a sweep, so if they were interested in it, they¡¯d have taken it. The closest tavern isn¡¯t close, but the fact no one¡¯s looking at that area is more important. That courtyard also means the kids won¡¯t have to be inside all the time.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an open courtyard,¡± Jackal countered, indicating the spaces between the houses. ¡°All it¡¯ll take is one of my father¡¯s people walking by and they¡¯re going to see those kids playing outside.¡±

    Don¡¯s grin made even Tibs want to punch him. ¡°Maybe if you bothered walking around and learning the town, you¡¯d know that whoever drew this screwed up. The houses are close enough together to block all visibility except along this path.¡± He tapped on the lane connecting the courtyard to an alley. ¡°I¡¯d have expected you to know that,¡± he told Tibs.

    ¡°The town¡¯s changed too much. I haven¡¯t been able to learn the new sections yet.¡±

    ¡°Even if you¡¯re right,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Putting them there means we need to have more people assigned to make sure they¡¯re safe. Less chances of them being found doesn¡¯t mean no chances.¡±

    ¡°How many people you think it¡¯s going to take to keep those you house not far from a tavern your father owns safe?¡±

    Jackal ground his teeth. ¡°Alright. Your idea is better.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Don put so much superiority in those two words, Tibs was surprised his friend didn¡¯t throw himself over the table to strangle it out of the sorcerer.

    Tibs was proud of Jackal for that.

 Stepping up, Chapter 70

    ¡°I don¡¯t like this,¡± Don grumbled, staying close to the alley¡¯s wall. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be putting myself at risk like this. I¡¯m the leader of this whole thing.¡±

    Tibs glared Jackal silent.

    He and the fighter were accompanying Don and his team to Sebastian¡¯s house. They¡¯d told Don it was to help, but this was what both had been worried about. Although they had picked up an unexpected ally within Don¡¯s team.

    ¡°They need to see you be part of this, Don,¡± Radkliff said, glancing into the alley¡¯s intersection. ¡°Like you said, you¡¯re the leader. You think any of them would be doing their part without you here showing them how it¡¯s done?¡±

    Don straightened and when Radkliff motioned for them to move forward, he gave Tibs an amused smile.

    The attack on Sebastian¡¯s house had been simple to push through. Destroying your enemy¡¯s base of operation was a sound strategy, and they now had someone who could get them through the magical defenses of the building, with Don and his element.

    That was when things had gotten complicated for Tibs.

    With realizing the plan needed him to be on the front lines, Don had become resistant, even if, until then, he¡¯d been more than happy to take the credit for it. He wasn¡¯t loud in his resistance, he clearly understood he had to maintain the illusion he was behind the plan to keep people looking up to him, but he kept trying modifications that allowed him to do his part at a distance.

    Jackal had had a hard time staying silent when confronted with the sorcerer¡¯s cowardliness. And while Quigly had no problem remaining friendly as he tried to keep Don on point, he never cared what people thought of him. Tibs had stayed out of it because he didn¡¯t know anything about strategy, but despaired of the plan falling apart until Radkliff had joined in the manipulation.

    The rogue had been able to word things so it made Don sound more important for being with them. He talked about Don¡¯s leadership, his wisdom, and his charisma. At no point did Radkliff say Don needed his ego fed, but to Tibs that was clearly what he was saying.

    And it worked, although they had to keep reminding Don how important his place in the plan was.

    Sawat climbed down from the roof and took up her bow. ¡°There¡¯s a group two intersections ahead. I counted six.¡± She was a conscript who¡¯d graduated to Upsilon the day before Sto closed his door. Don had made her part of his team since his official archer had yet to return. She had air as her element.

    Tibs sensed seven. Not that one person without an element would change how this fight went.

    ¡°Jackal,¡± Don said. ¡°Once they¡¯re in sight, you and Raonull rush them. Radkliff and Tibs are on the roofs to flank them. Sawat finds a vantage point to shoot at anyone trying to run. Don¡¯t worry about kill shots. Once they¡¯re down, we¡¯ll make sure they¡¯re out.¡±

    Tibs was up the wall the moment Don stopped giving instructions. The direct line to the roof he wanted wasn¡¯t possible as the alley was wider than he could jump. Then he noticed Radkliff was heading away, and the others were moving slowly on the ground. Even Sawat was staying there for the moment.

    Without anyone to see him, he ran for the large gap, already anticipating how fun that was going to be. He jumped over the void and channeled air to push himself further, only managing to keep his glee to a chuckle as he realized that even with that he wasn¡¯t going to make it. He sent essence ahead, hardened it, stepped, and leaped again, arms wide as he pirouetted the rest of the way.

    He landed and posed for the crowd that wasn¡¯t there, and his momentum sent him tumbling down the angled roof. With an oops at his miscalculation and a laugh, was over the side and falling. He switched to earth and hardened himself only seconds before the impact.

    He remained there.

    Being still was comfortable, right. Being still was when he thought best. Considered his actions. He had to act, but he should never be hasty. Haste led to him falling off roofs.

    But he did have to act.

    He let go of the essence, then hurried up the other wall. Two more leaps placed him on the opposite side of the attack as Jackal and Rao started it. He threw a knife at a woman¡¯s back as she engaged with Rao, but the pommel hit, instead of the blade.

    He hated how bad he was at throwing when he didn¡¯t have essence to help.

    Tibs was down, short sword in hand, and joined the fight by cutting a fighter¡¯s back open. Then he was backhanded and was on the ground.

    ¡°Stay there,¡± Radkliff called as the fighter stepped in his direction. ¡°And be ready.¡±

    As the sword went up for a strike, a loop of rope fell around it and tightened at the wrists as the rogue pulled on it. The fighter staggered off balance and Tibs planted his sword in the man¡¯s side. When that didn¡¯t make the man fall, he twisted it, pulled, and planted it there again. The man fell, taking Tibs¡¯s sword with him.

    He had a knife in hand as he stood and looked around for a target. The only one still alive wasn¡¯t anymore as Jackal slammed a foot down on his neck.

    ¡°Injuries?¡± the fighter asked.

    ¡°That bastard sliced my armor!¡± Rao complained, looking at his side and the cut hard leather. ¡°And it was my first time wearing it in a fight.¡± Blood left a small line going down his pants from there.

    ¡°Good here,¡± Radkliff said.

    ¡°Me too.¡± Tibs picked up his knife.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you been practicing with those?¡± the rogue asked, trying not to chuckle.

    Tibs gave him a mock glare. ¡°That¡¯s why I have this too.¡± He pulls his sword out of the body and sheathed it.

    ¡°We should have brought a cleric,¡± Jackal said, catching Tibs¡¯s attention.

    He shook his head. The cut was too visible for him to wrap it and¡ª

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, it¡¯s just a scratch,¡± Rao said.

    It was more than that, Tibs couldn¡¯t sense that much, but the fighter¡¯s essence was doing something around the wound that was slowing the bleeding. Rao had metal as his element, so Tibs didn¡¯t understand how that could be healing him. He opened his mouth to ask, then stopped himself. Now was not the time to give in to his curiosity.

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    ¡°Good fighting,¡± Don said, handing a clean cloth to the fighter. ¡°Bandage that so you don¡¯t bleed out before we¡¯re done.¡±

    ¡°I am fine,¡± the fighter insisted but took it as the sorcerer glared. Tibs was the only one able to tell the fighter was right, and Rao had been on Don¡¯s team long enough any protest died when those eyes settled on him.

    ¡°If they weren¡¯t such cowards, one of them would be here to help us,¡± Don grumbled. ¡°They and the attendants are nothing more than leeches. The least those could have done was transport us to your father¡¯s house and wait to take us back. That way we wouldn¡¯t have to risk our lives for their sorry hides just getting there.¡±

    Tibs agreed with him about the attendants at least. It had been the one part of Don¡¯s plan everyone had eagerly agreed to, except the attendants. They claimed that they couldn¡¯t make it any closer than three blocks, and pointed to the injured attendants as proof Sebastian had that line well defended.

    No amount of insisting had changed their minds.

    The alternate plan was for a massive attack on all fronts to provide the needed distraction for Don to take down the magic protecting the house.

    They made it another block before the next fight. Then, as they moved closer Tibs felt¡­ something. He slowed, trying to understand what it was. The essences were still around him, but it¡­ had a different quality to it.

    ¡°Can you feel that?¡± Radkliff asked, stopping by the mouth of the alley.

    ¡°We¡¯re about three blocks from the house,¡± Sawat said. ¡°I think this is what¡¯s been stopping the attendants.¡±

    ¡°Then how am I feeling it?¡± the rogue asked. ¡°I¡¯m fire, not void.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m air,¡± the archer replied.

    ¡°Metal,¡± Rao said.

    ¡°Water,¡± Tibs added.

    ¡°I¡¯m not feeling anything,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°You can sense that?¡± Don asked in an incredulous tone. ¡°I thought you couldn¡¯t do anything.¡±

    ¡°I can sense my essence fine,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°I just don¡¯t have a lot in my reserve to use.¡±

    The sorcerer¡¯s smirk didn¡¯t last as he looked ahead of them. ¡°If this is affecting all our elements, we¡¯d better turn back and come up with a plan that accounts for it.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡ª¡±

    ¡°Come off it, Don. We all know why you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s committed,¡± Radkliff said, cutting Jackal off. ¡°If we¡¯re this close, then so are the others, and Sebastian has to have figured out what we¡¯re doing. If we have them turn back, it¡¯s going to be a fighting retreat and I can¡¯t see that man stopping once he has us cowering back at the inn. Can you, Don?¡±

    Tibs watched as he felt the essence coalesce around the sorcerer. There was a sluggishness to how it accumulated, but it was still corruption. Tibs hadn¡¯t seen Don use it in a fight, but nothing the sorcerer did with it would be pleasant.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a coward,¡± Don stated.

    ¡°Never said you were,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Stop talking,¡± Tibs ordered the fighter as Don rounded on him.

    ¡°I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stop talking,¡± he repeated.

    Jackal closed his mouth, and Don turned the glare on Tibs. ¡°You better keep him under control, or I¡¯m turning him into a puddle.¡±

    Tibs nodded.

    Don looked at his hand, and the essence moved around it. ¡°The way it¡¯s affecting me, I¡¯m not going to be useful in the coming battles and since I¡¯m the only one able to take down the enchantments on the house it means you¡¯re all going to have to work harder at keeping me safe.¡±

    He looked in the house¡¯s direction and missed the mix of glaring and roll of the eyes.

    ¡°Since enchantments are essence-based,¡± he mused. ¡°Whatever is causing this will have to end before we reach the house. It might be why there¡¯s so many people between here and the house. He wants to make sure we can¡¯t figure out that closer, we¡¯ll be able to fully access our elements again.¡±

    Tibs hoped so because the way his range on his sense ended abruptly only one block away didn¡¯t make him confident about the rest of the plan. His reserve was vast, but he had to be able to channel the essence out of himself to be able to use it.

    ¡°Me and Rao take point,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Tibs and Radkliff on each of Don¡¯s sides. Sawat, you have the rear. Stay far enough that you can fire at anyone that needs taking down. How are you for arrows?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m down to half my quiver,¡± she said without looking at them. ¡°There hasn¡¯t been a lot of archers on the way for me to replenish from.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t count on that continuing. My father¡¯s going to have sent word to those at the platform to hit us from behind, so stay alert.¡± He looked at Don. ¡°It¡¯s the best protection we can manage with who we have. Does that work?¡±

    Don¡¯s nod was curt, and they took position.

    ¡°Our goal is the house,¡± the sorcerer said as they started moving. ¡°Don¡¯t waste time going after someone to kill them. So long as we destroy their leader, it doesn¡¯t matter if they live or die anymore.¡±

    ¡°That means no stopping to collect loot,¡± Tibs told Jackal.

    ¡°I¡¯m hurt, Tibs.¡± The fighter replied, his tone comically pained. ¡°You know the loot collecting takes place after the fighting¡¯s done, not on the way to it.¡± When he continued his tone was serious. ¡°And the loot I want is what I¡¯ll get from my father¡¯s house once we¡¯ve chased him away. You guys can come back and loot the bodies.¡±

    Instead of moving forward with him, Tibs¡¯s sense continued to stop as they moved closer to the house. Then it was like it was being pushed back when he tried to sense around him. This had to be what it felt for Jackal. When he focused hard, he could make out how the essence shook, and if he tried to mentally take hold of some, it flew away.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal called, having continued to walk. ¡°Later.¡±

    Tibs was the only one still stopped. The others had gotten over the surprise already.

    Sawat made a face as she reached him, eyes distant, and he hurried to rejoin the others.

    The next fight was harder.

    They hit the nine thugs together, and immediately, they were on the defensive as only Tibs didn¡¯t reflexively reach for essence, and only Jackal was able to do anything with his, his body turning gray as it hardened.

    Tibs attacked with his sword but was at a disadvantage against the larger and stronger fighters until Rao was there to help him. When the fighter''s sword broke, he used the pommel to bludgeon a thug, then took one of theirs.

    Tibs gave the fighter space and went to help Radkliff take down his opponent.

    Once the fight was done, even Jackal had injuries.

    Tibs was cut and bruised.

    ¡°Looks like whatever this is,¡± Jackal said, ¡°our body counters it like it does in the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Don replied. ¡°In the dungeon, our presence will create a space around us that¡¯s safe from the dungeon influence. Raonull would have been able to use his essence on his sword there.¡±

    Tibs wrapped his essence around his injuries. The bruises reacted normally to it, but the the essence was ripped away as it reached the surface of his skin, so the cuts kept bleeding.

    Sawat won them the next fight as she took down six of the thugs by the time Jackal reached them. Tibs took a sword in the side for Don, and the sorcerer grabbed the swordman¡¯s arm as the attacker swung again, melting it into a purple mass as Radkliff sliced the man¡¯s throat.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Tibs said as Don helped him to his feet. He couldn¡¯t stop the bleeding, but wrapping his essence over the injury within his body, slowed it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bleed to death.¡± Don handed him a clean cloth, then raised his voice. ¡°We can move essence into someone else through touch.¡±

    ¡°I guess a cleric would have been useful after all,¡± Jackal said.

    Tibs winced as he used his armor to hold the cloth pressed against his injuries.

    Don snorted. ¡°They¡¯d have run off at the first battle. Cowards the lot of them.¡±

    They continued, slowed by their injuries.

    The next fight was nearly their last, even if they were only fighting six thugs. Sawat only injured one with the two arrows she had left, and while Jackal and Rao kept three busy two rushed Tibs, Radkliff, and Don. The rogues took them down, and Tibs only got another cut from the fight, but as Radkliff pushed his opponent off him, he had a sword in his gut.

    Cursing, Tibs dropped next to him and put his hand over the wound, pushing his essence in, covering the internal injuries, but the blood escaping Radkliff¡¯s body didn¡¯t slow. He took the cloth Don gave him and put that over, and immediately it was soaked.

    ¡°Fuck.¡± Radkliff chuckled, then groaned. ¡°I really thought the dungeon was what would get me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not dying,¡± Tibs said as blood started dripping off the cloth.

    ¡°You better pull this off,¡± Radkliff said, ¡°because it¡¯s going to suck if I died for nothing.¡±

    ¡°No dying,¡± Tibs ordered. Pushing more and more essence in. Why wasn¡¯t this working?

    ¡°You better help him.¡±

    Tibs glared at the other rogue. ¡° I said, no dying. You aren¡¯t allowed to die outside the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Radkliff said, his voice growing softer. ¡°So I¡¯m just going to nap. Wake me when¡­¡± his body sagged.

    Tibs pushed more essence in. This couldn¡¯t happen. They were Runners. The dungeon was where they died. They tried to beat Sto and when they failed they died. The town was where they went to rest, to be safe.

    Fighting wasn¡¯t allowed in the town!

    He fought back the tears as his essence was ripped away from him inside Radkliff¡¯s body. He wasn¡¯t going to cry this time.

    He got up.

    This time, he was going to get even.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill him,¡± he told Jackal as he walked by him.

 Stepping up, Chapter 71

    They had to leave Sawat behind when an archer shot her in the calf. By then, Don was vicious with what he did to their attackers any time he was able to get a hand on them. He¡¯d left enough half-melted corpses in his wake, Tibs thought he¡¯d have trouble sleeping once this was over.

    Unlike what Don had predicted, the interference didn¡¯t end as they reached the road on the other side of which stood Sebastian¡¯s house. Surprised at the lack of visible guards, Jackal and Tibs went in separate directions around the property to check where they might be, leaving Rao to protect Don.

    The house stood in the middle of the block, with only grass and a path leading to an ornamental gate at the front and back around it. There was the occasional tree, but they were young and thin, unable to hide anyone.

    When the fighter rejoined them he shook his head.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see any guards either,¡± Tibs confirmed.

    ¡°Why would your father leave himself unguarded like that?¡± Don asked. He leaned against the wall but straightened as Tibs looked in his direction in the process of scanning for approaching thugs.

    Jackal took his time considering the house. ¡°It¡¯s possible he¡¯s finally running low on people. If that¡¯s the case, he¡¯s going to have a force inside the house, and the others are out there, preventing anyone from getting this close.¡± He paused. ¡°It¡¯s also possible he thinks that whatever this is, is enough to prevent anyone from causing him trouble with essence.¡±

    ¡°Well, he¡¯s right with that,¡± Don replied. ¡°I can¡¯t do anything to the house¡¯s enchantments with this in the way.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to try,¡± Jackal said. ¡°We have to force him to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what I have to do,¡± Don snapped. ¡°This is my plan, remember?¡±

    ¡°Your plan?¡± Jackal replied. ¡°The only thing you did was sit there and repeat the stuff Tibs and Quig told you to and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don,¡± Tibs said as the sorcerer stepped to the fighter. Rao looked scared of getting in the way.

    ¡°If you think I¡¯m going to take your insulting too,¡± Don replied, glaring at him.

    ¡°Is this affecting the enchantments?¡± Tibs asked, not looking away.

    ¡°How the fuck would I know? You think I¡¯ve read everything there is to know about essence?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°You¡¯re a sorcerer.¡± It was part flattery, part truth. Sorcerers were always reading.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°But you know more about essence than any of us. If this doesn¡¯t stop before the house, can Sebastian protect the enchantments on it from being disrupted?¡±

    The sorcerer visibly took hold of his temper, and after a few seconds, he nodded. ¡°He can.¡± He looked thoughtful. ¡°But it¡¯s easy to test if it reaches the house.¡± He straightened his shoulders. ¡°Rao, you¡¯re with me. You two keep an eye out for anyone trying to take me out.¡± Don hurried to the other side of the road, then over the decorative fence and onto the property.

    Jackal stepped next to Tibs. ¡°What¡¯s your plan?¡±

    Tibs stared at the fighter.

    ¡°That¡¯s why you sent him off, right? So you could share your plan with me and not have him bitch?¡±

    ¡°I just asked a question. I didn¡¯t know he¡¯d leave us alone.¡± He looked at the roof line for any changes.

    ¡°Come on, Tibs. I know you, you have a plan.¡±

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not a plan, just that if the house isn¡¯t protected, then it¡¯s just a normal house and¡ª¡±

    Don hurried back. ¡°The enchantments aren¡¯t working.¡±

    ¡°How¡ª¡± Jackal started, sounding unconvinced.

    ¡°Then,¡± Tibs said, cutting him off. They didn¡¯t have time for pointless arguing. ¡°Do you think it means that whatever is causing this is inside the house?¡± Quigly had confirmed that the long crate had been delivered here.

    ¡°You really expect me to know something like that?¡± Don demanded, exasperated.

    Tibs swallowed his own exasperation. ¡°You¡¯re the smartest person here, Don. If there¡¯s someone who can figure out how it works, it¡¯s you.¡±

    Don ground his teeth, and Tibs thought he saw worry in his eyes before they closed. When they opened, all he saw there was determination.

    ¡°What we know,¡± Don said, turning to look at the house, ¡°is that this field got stronger as we approached until it leveled off with our essence basically useless. That speaks to a radius of effect. We don¡¯t have the time to go around and test where it starts so we can figure out where the epicenter is, but except for one detail, it would make tactical sense for the house to be the center, since if the intensity continues to get stronger as we approach, and we are simply too low in rank to notice that, it would ensure this is the hardest place for essence to be used.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the one detail?¡± Jackal asked, tone serious.

    ¡°I can¡¯t figure out why he wouldn¡¯t ensure his house was protected from that effect.¡±

    ¡°My father doesn¡¯t have adventurers in his employ as far as I know.¡±

    ¡°But he has magic,¡± Don said. ¡°I¡¯ve seen what he wears. If the house is defenseless, all that is also useless in this field. He has money, so why didn¡¯t he arrange to have a protection crafted?¡±

    ¡°How long do you think it would take to craft something like that?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°I have no way to know. It would depend on factors like, is this something previously unknown? How complex is the interference, what kind of sorcerer he can pay to do the work.¡±

    ¡°If you didn¡¯t know about it, then¡­¡±

    Don shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not all-knowing. There are more books I haven¡¯t read than are grains of sand on a beach. I have read about essence being disrupted. It is a battle technique, and I have read about items with essence woven into them in such a way it can disrupt one of the elements, but nothing on this scale, or affecting all our elements.¡±

    ¡°If the enchantments aren¡¯t working, I can get in the house,¡± Tibs said. ¡°They were the only thing that was stopping me. How do I stop the item that¡¯s causing this.¡±

    Don glared at Tibs. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Smash it,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Are you insane?¡± the sorcerer demanded.

    ¡°It works for me and anything that¡¯s in my way,¡± the fighter said with a shrug.

    ¡°You don¡¯t destroy something you¡¯ve never encountered before. You capture it. You study it. You figure out how to use it against your enemies, fuck, you figure out who¡¯s willing to pay for it and get rich.¡±

    ¡°Would smashing it make it stop?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard what I said?¡± Don demanded.

    ¡°He¡¯s the greedy one,¡± Tibs pointed out, ¡°and he didn¡¯t change his mind when you talked about getting rich. All I care about is protecting the town. If I break it, will it stop this and let you rot the house.¡±

    Don swallowed his protest. ¡°Possibly. Most weaves need to be intact to work. But there¡¯s no guarantee you can break this. It¡¯s going to be a crystal, since they take best to weaves, but some crystals can withstand an incredible amount of damage.¡±

    ¡°What size is it? The size of the crate they brought in, or was that to fool us into thinking we¡¯re looking for something big?¡±

    Don ground his teeth. ¡°It might be either. That will depend entirely on who made it. The more powerful and skilled a sorcerer is, the tighter the weave they can create.¡± He paused. ¡°But for something to create this large of an effect, it won¡¯t be something that can be held in your hands.¡± He looked at Jackal. ¡°And I don¡¯t care how rich or influential your father is. He couldn¡¯t afford the sorcerers with that kind of power. No one can. So if I am to guess, it¡¯s going to be something on the larger size. Maybe as big as that crate I never saw, you mentioned.¡±

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    ¡°That makes it simple, he can¡¯t put something like that in a safe.¡±

    ¡°It can still be under guard,¡± Don said. ¡°And this one said his father would have people inside with him.¡±

    ¡°Then a guarded room.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an assumption,¡± Don said as if the word itself was painful. ¡°But it is a reasonable one.¡±

    Jackal placed a hand on Tibs¡¯s shoulder as he studied the third-floor windows for the best one.

    ¡°Tibs, this isn¡¯t the dungeon. My father doesn¡¯t fight with any kind of rules. The only thing he cares about is getting his way.¡±

    Tibs smiled at him. ¡°I¡¯m a rogue. I know about cheating.¡±

    Jackal¡¯s serious expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°But my father is a master at it.¡±

    * * * * *

    The yard around the house put nearly every rooftop too far to be able to make the jump. The previous times, Tibs had used water to extend the roofs enough to make it, but he¡¯d also taken the time to find which of the roofs was the closest. Which one he might be able to make a jump from without help from his essence.

    He¡¯d meant to test it multiple times before. But he¡¯d always ended up preferring using his time looking for a way to bypass the enchantments on the windows. This time, he didn¡¯t have that luxury. He couldn¡¯t even call on earth to make himself stronger and jump further.

    He considered climbing the house itself, but the odds of someone stepping out and seeing him were too great. Sebastian had made sure there was nowhere along the walls where he could hide while a guard passed and looked up. And he didn¡¯t think anyone working for that man would forget to look up searching for intruders.

    It was only three stories. He¡¯d fallen from higher and only had bruised himself. Of course, those times he hadn¡¯t landed in the yard of someone who wanted him dead and had guards ready to carry the order.

    If he missed this jump, Tibs would have more than bruises to worry about.

    Starting from the peak, Tibs ran down the incline, pushing himself as hard as he could. He sailed over the gap and made it onto the roof with paces to spare, but before he could rejoice, he was sliding down, his feet unable to find purchase.

    He grabbed onto the end of the dormer and kept himself from falling, but his fingers were already slipping. He planted a knife in the roof to prevent that and, holding on to that, rubbed the fingers of his other hand together.

    Oil.

    Sebastian had impregnated the roof tiles with oil.

    Jackal was right; his father cheated.

    Tibs looked at the window he was hanging next to. It wasn¡¯t the window he¡¯d intended, but he¡¯d have to make do. There was no one inside as far as he could tell. If there had been, they¡¯d be at the window and Tibs would be in trouble. The latch was set, but he saw nothing else trapping it. Tibs wiped the oil off his hand and pulled the shim out from his bracer. He had to hope Sebastian had relied entirely on the enchantments for protection.

    He was in a precarious position to force the shim under the jam, but it finally went in. Then getting the leverage to force the latch to give nearly had him losing grip on his knife. It would go so much easier if he was holding onto the window sill, but after the roof, he didn¡¯t trust that to be able to hold him.

    As soon as he saw Darran, he was buying a pouch of fine sand.

    The latch gave, and he pulled on the window, then he had a foot on the sill and confirmed he¡¯d been right. That too was oiled. With one leg inside the house, and holding onto the edge of the window as best as he could, he let go of his knife and pulled himself in.

    He stayed on the floor catching his breath, then stood and located Jackal on the other side of the road. A thumbs-up and Tibs closed the window.

    The room contained crates. Those that were open were empty or still had a few weapons in them, swords and arrows. Those that weren¡¯t open Tibs couldn¡¯t shift, so they were still full. He looked at the room. Even if this was the only room with such crates. It showed Sebastian had been ready for this siege.

    The door didn¡¯t open when he tested it. The keyhole went through it, and Tibs studied it as he took picks out. It was well made. The kind Tibs had only thought existed in stories. Then he came here and the nobles moved in, and he had had many of these kinds of locks to train with.

    He took his time, but it turned and he cracked the door, listening.

    With no sounds other than far indistinct voices, he opened it further and looked in the hall. At one end were the stairs. Opposite him were two doors, the furthest from him and the stair guarded by a woman in leathers seated next to it and seemingly asleep.

    Tibs pulled a knife and hoped she didn¡¯t notice him. He didn¡¯t want to have to rely on throwing it. He had a hand over her mouth before she reacted. The knife was in her side, between the ribs, and stilling her. The opening eyes fluttered back shut. He left the knife in and made sure she didn¡¯t slump over as he let her go.

    A search didn¡¯t produce keys but gave a spare set of picks and seven silvers. He picked the lock and slipped inside. More crates, all unopened, as well as a metal safe in the center of the room with a dial on its door. Tibs rolled his eyes. Even if he thought what he was after fit in that. It was too obviously a decoy.

    At the stairs, he still couldn¡¯t make out the conversations, but he thought they came from the ground floor. If they were on the floor below him, then they¡¯d be in the rooms with the doors closed. Sebastian¡¯s office was on that floor but at the other end.

    He stepped down them until he could sneak a peek at the corridor. Two doors on each wall, with one thug walking the length. One of the far doors would be the office, on the left, the thought, placing the chimney he¡¯d listened in from. He timed the thug¡¯s walk from one end to the other. He couldn¡¯t pick these kinds of locks in the time his back was to Tibs, but he could¡­

    As soon as the guard turned and walked away from the stairs, Tibs was at the closest door, testing it. It opened and he slipped in.

    He froze as someone snorted. When no cry of alarm came he cautiously turned. The room was dark, heavy cloths had been thrown over the window, but he made out six cots against that wall. With four of them occupied. One shifted, turning on his side.

    On and around a chest was clothing. Tibs pulled a shirt and pants and quietly put them on. He had to roll the sleeves and pant legs, but now he looked like one of the thugs instead of an armored rogue. All he had to do was make sure no one looked at him too closely so they didn¡¯t notice how his armor defined the shirt.

    When the sound of the walking thug moved away from the stairs again, Tibs slipped out and confidently walked to the ground floor. If he didn¡¯t find what he was after, he¡¯d have to come back and figure out how to go about searching the other rooms. Hopefully, other than Sebastian¡¯s office, the floor was all sleeping quarters.

    ¡°We¡¯re running low on people,¡± were the first words Tibs made out, from a woman Tibs recognized the voice of. Harry¡¯s first lieutenant. With it came the smell of cooking and Tibs¡¯s stomach rumbled. He¡¯d eaten only a few hours ago, he told it. He couldn¡¯t be hungry already.

    He remembered the hunger as he walked through Val¡¯s halls and chastised himself for that too. He¡¯d known hunger, he had grown up with it.

    ¡°They¡¯ll be fine,¡± Sebastian replied.

    ¡°Sir, they have magic.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re children.¡± His tone was dismissive. ¡°And they barely have any training. If any of them had the kind of strength that could cause us trouble, the guild wouldn¡¯t let them get involved. That is the one thing you can always count on. The guild doesn¡¯t waste what it has. It hoards power, instead of using it.¡±

    ¡°They still managed to take out half the people we had here. Nearly all the archers.¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll send for more. They¡¯re low on food, so it¡¯s only a question of days before the town turns on them, on their so-called protectors.¡±

    Tibs continued. He might learn something valuable from their conversation, but until they could use essence again, it wouldn¡¯t be useful.

    A sitting room had thugs looking outside, searching for anyone approaching. A table had three playing a dice game. More thugs at the window in the next room. The door to the outside was guarded.

    Each window in the rooms had someone looking out, so Tibs was happy they were so bored they hadn¡¯t noticed them on the other side of the street. None of the rooms had the crate or something resembling a large crystal, so Tibs turned back the way he came. The kitchen was beyond the stairs, and with that would be the eating room, which would have the kind of space needed for a large crystal. The pantry would be large in a house like this, and it might fit in that if it was standing.

    ¡°With them trying to reach us,¡± the woman said. ¡°We have no one watching the platform. Now would be the best time for their reinforcement to arrive.¡±

    ¡°And how did they let anyone outside the town know they¡¯d be attacking us?¡± Sebastian replied. ¡°Unless you¡¯re implying your archers let someone leave by the platform.¡± The threat was heavy in his tone.

    ¡°No one left.¡±

    ¡°Then we don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡±

    ¡°The guild could have¡ª¡±

    ¡°The guild could have crushed me the moment I stepped off that platform and my brother was there to greet me. He might have believed everything I told him about being here only to see Jackie, but he will have told the guild. If they gave a damned about what I can do, I¡¯d be dead.¡±

    Another room on the way, more people looking out windows. More still sitting and looking bored.

    ¡°This is the perfect opportunity for them to get someone out,¡± she said.

    ¡°They have everyone focused on this assault. And they¡¯d need one of the attendants to leave. Not one of them will risk going to the platform after how many we injured. They¡¯re going to realize this is a waste of time, and as they are licking their wounds, we¡¯ll mount our own assault on them, and then the town will be mine.¡±

    Sebastian was standing by the table, looking at papers on it. Out of her guard¡¯s armor, the woman looked less intimidating. Tibs continued on. The kitchen had a few people preparing food, and the only other room had more people looking out the windows.

    There had been nothing like a crystal or the crate that had been carried here in any of the rooms. Could he get in the kitchen to check the pantry? Could it be small enough to be in that safe? Maybe having it look like a decoy was part of what made it work? There was Sebastian¡¯s office and the other two rooms on the floor above.

    Tibs turned as someone stepped out of a door in the room that was partially obscured by a tall plant. He stopped halfway to the stairs as the location of that door registered. It should have opened onto the hall he¡¯d been in. Only there was no door there.

    In fact, the hall was short, now that he considered it. The door leading outside was in the kitchen, and the hall was¡­ short.

    That did create a space large enough the crate would fit in, standing.

    Tibs returned to the room. The glances he attracted were, like the previous ones, uninterested. Standing here again, he knew how he¡¯d missed the door. There was none. Beyond the plant was just more of the wall, except it was slid aside, revealing an opening. Tibs headed to it, nodding at the woman doing needlework by it.

    Instead of a room, the opening had wooden stairs going down.

    The cellar was a hurried construction. The walls were rough with boards holding the packed dirt in place. Beams kept the ceiling from crashing down, and dust or flour fell through the floorboards from the kitchen.

    In the middle of the dug-out space, lying on top of what was left of the crate it had been brought here in, was a crystal that emanated a soft green glow. while it was not as large as the crate had been, it barely fit in the opening in the wall to be brought down here.

    Around it, eight muscular men in armor turned to face him.

    ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡± one of them demanded.

 Stepping up, Chapter 72

    Tibs rushed the guards, pulling out his short sword. He slashed, but they stepped away, leaving an opening to the crystal block. Tibs slammed the end of the pommel down as hard as he could, to no visible effect. Don had been right. Crystal didn¡¯t have to be fragile.

    He dodged a sword, and it hit the crystal, chipping some of it. Was it because this thug was stronger than Tibs, or the edge of the sword? Could crystal be cut?

    ¡°Careful!¡± someone yelled. ¡°The boss¡¯ going to snap your neck if you break it.¡±

    He missed his parrying, and the cut burned his arm until he had it wrapped in his essence. Their attacks were coordinated now that the surprise had worn off, and only the large crystal block kept them from surrounding him. He dodged and was momentarily out of strike range from any of them.

    This was a horrible situation. What he needed was strength and the only element that gave him that was Earth. It also made him tougher, but he had no idea how to get himself to take the kind of damage Jackal could. And while it gave him that, it would make him slow to react.

    Standing still here meant his death.

    He crouched under a swing and scored a cut deep enough to draw blood through the leather armor. Tibs threw himself to the side as he noticed someone behind him, and found himself pressed against the packed dirt wall, with four of the thugs between him and the block, and all of them between him and the only way out.

    ¡°Looks like our little intruder¡¯s taken on more than he can handle,¡± the person who¡¯d called the earlier warning said. The men before him parted to reveal a man much like the others. Nasty looking, wearing good leathers with black and green on them. ¡°You think the boss¡¯ going to care if we hand him a corpse, instead of someone to question?¡±

    Tibs stepped forward for an attack, and quicker than he understood, his sword was flying out of his hand, the man lowering his back to his side. Tibs pressed the attack, ducking around the man, and nearly ran into a sword¡¯s point. He stopped in time, but then flew back against the wall as someone pulled him by the collar. Before he reacted to that, a hand was around his neck.

    The man leaned in with a vicious smile. ¡°They¡¯ve gotten desperate if they¡¯re sending kids now.¡±

    Tibs reached for a knife, but the man caught his wrist with his other hand.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that,¡± the man said, as if he was conceding a point. ¡°It¡¯ll just prolong this. Someone skewer him.¡±

    Tibs had his free hand on the man¡¯s face. ¡°Fuck that.¡± He pulled the essence into him.

    The man staggered back in shock, but he was already pale from the little Tibs had drawn away, and he looked gaunt.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± the man asked, his voice raspy.

    Barely anything, Tibs thought as he grinned menacingly at them. Pulling on the man¡¯s essence had been as hard as it had been doing the same to Bardic. And as soon as he¡¯d lost physical contact, he couldn¡¯t pull at it anymore with the crystal affecting him.

    ¡°They can¡¯t use magic,¡± one of them said as they all took a step back.

    ¡°Who told you that?¡± Tibs asked. Not taking his eyes off them, he picked up his sword and sheathed it. ¡°You think something like that¡¯s going to stop us? We¡¯re Runners. We go up against the dungeon, and you have nothing on him.¡± He tried to make himself taller, and to his surprise, they took another step back.

    ¡°He¡¯s lying,¡± another said. ¡°If they could use magic, they¡¯d have destroyed this place already.¡± He stepped forward, raising his sword.

    Tibs ran at him, taking a cut on his shoulder at the mistimed dodge, but not slowing. He jumped on the man as he wound back for another attack and took hold of his face. Pulling the essence in. It resisted, but he was stronger. The man dropped his sword and tried to dislodge Tibs, but the push was weak and getting weaker. When he fell back, and the last of his essence was ripped away from Tibs¡¯s control, he was an unmoving, gaunt version of who he had been.

    Tibs stood and turned to the others. ¡°Since I am definitely not able to use magic,¡± he gave them the best maniacal grin he could. ¡°Who¡¯s next to prove I¡¯m lying?¡± He stepped toward them and as one they ran off, screaming.

    He let them go, not bothering to watch the one he¡¯d partially drained stumble his way up the stairs. The screams would bring others, and he needed to be done with the crystal before that.

    He raised his fist and started a scream of his own as he made himself stronger with Earth.

    The scream didn¡¯t come. There was no point in making himself angry. The red-brown that his essence turned into ensured that everything would be resolved, in good time. His fist moved down, but not with speed.

    What was the point of speed? It only led to making mistakes. Even this decision, which had been rushed because he didn¡¯t think he had much time, could be a mistake. There might be another way to resolve this situation.

    There most certainly was.

    His fist continued to move down as he thought about other possibilities. He could stop it, but that involved making changes, and he had time to do that.

    Inertia was a word Carina had told him about in one of her lessons. It meant that it was easier for something that moved to just keep on moving than it was to try to get it to stop. He hadn¡¯t understood what she¡¯d meant, then. If a plate slid on the bar, it was simple enough to put his hand on it and stop it.

    Now, he understood.

    It was the wanting, the changing, that was hard. The plate didn¡¯t want to stop. It wanted to keep sliding. It might have made it to the end of the bar and over the side if Tibs hadn¡¯t stopped it. His fist was moving, and it wanted to continue. Tibs was fine letting it do that. It gave him time to think.

    And he knew it would come to a stop soon enough without him having to do anything.

    It stopped once it connected, and something else Carina had told him came back. When something was forcefully stopped, that power transferred into what had stopped it. With a hand stopping a fist, it could manifest as getting hurt, or the palm stinging. Here, that power caused his fist to go into the crystal by two fingers¡¯ width at the impact and causing a crack to travel from there along the narrow width from end to end.

    Now, instead of one crystal block, there were two, each pulsing at their own speed. He didn¡¯t feel a change in the essence, so maybe this had been a hasty decision after all.

    Pain in his side interrupted his musing, and he sent essence there as he turned. His skin hardened as the thug¡¯s hand slipped off the pommel when he tried to yank it out. Tibs looked at the sword, then the man, whose eyes were growing wide and was backing away.

    ¡°They¡¯re right!¡± he yelled. ¡°He¡¯s doing magic!¡±

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    ¡°What¡¯s happening to his skin?¡± a woman at the bottom of the stairs asked.

    Tibs didn¡¯t question what they meant. He¡¯d have time to ponder that question once he was done working out if he should hit the crystal again. Jackal had told him it needed to be destroyed, and while his friend had a history of making bad decisions even when he thought things through, every decision he made was to help Tibs and the team and the town.

    So, he could continue with that while he figured out something else to do. Raising his fist and bringing it down didn¡¯t require any thoughts after all. He brought it down again while trying to decide what he would do if the people arriving attacked him. It wasn¡¯t like they could hurt him, so he had plenty of time to make that decision.

    His fist impacted one half of the crystal, and then there were three parts, with flecks flying off too. Yes, this was definitely a rash¡ª

    His sense of the essence around him grew slightly, then lowered again. He used the opportunity to send essence through the ground to immobilize the people crowding the entrance before they made a rash decision of their own, but it was still ripped away from him. This shifting of the interference wasn¡¯t enough to let him use essence.

    Yet.

    Maybe this was one of the times Jackal made a good decision. Tibs didn¡¯t know how long he¡¯d spent thinking about it, but Carina had to have been involved, and she always took her time deciding.

    His fist rose.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let him break it any further!¡± the woman yelled.

    He¡¯d need more essence, and he was partially through shifting it out of his reserve and into his body by the time the first man collided with him. Tibs took a lone step back to maintain his balance.

    It was enough to make his fist miss the crystal.

    That was¡­perplexing. He couldn¡¯t remember where he¡¯d heard that word. He had wanted to do what Jackal told him, and this man had kept that from happening. He had his hand around the man¡¯s throat before he realized it had moved.

    He shouldn¡¯t be acting so quickly. He might make a mist¡ªthe man¡¯s head smashed into the crystal. The impact didn¡¯t have the focus his fist would have, so it didn¡¯t break, but a spiderweb of cracks spread from it.

    Tibs flicked the body away, trying to understand what had come over him. It hadn¡¯t been a complete mistake, but he should have taken his time thinking about his actions.

    The body hit the wall, shattering the planks there and making an indentation in the hard-packed dirt before sliding down and remaining on the floor.

    He felt the impacts of the swords, but they didn¡¯t hurt him or even damage more than his armor. Darran would be annoyed and amused at him again. His entire body was filled with his essence now. There was nowhere for something like a sword to find a weakness.

    So he had the time to do what Jackal had told him to.

    ¡°Stop him!¡± the same woman said, and his fist was high. There was added weight to his arm. Not that much, only enough for it to register. The man screamed as he came along with the fist that punched through the larger piece of the crystals. The section shattered, and the man let go of his arm, his head cut to the bone, with shards embedded into his face.

    Every piece pulsed at its own speed, and the disruption fluctuated more.

    He sent essence out and earth climbed over a man¡¯s foot, stopping his momentum, and making him fall in Tibs¡¯s hand before the essence was ripped away again.

    Up the stairs, over the sound of approaching boots, Sebastian was giving orders. He sounded rushed, so ordering his men to kill Tibs was a mistake.

    The man Tibs held crashed into a large crystal, shattering both as shards exploded from the impact through the man¡¯s chest.

    As he let the body drop, he sensed Don running toward the house. There were now enough pieces, each pulsating at a different speed, that the light in the room seemed to settle into a softer version of what it had been, and the disruption could hardly be felt.

    Tibs pushed people away to make space. With Don approaching, he had to move on to the next step, too. Bones shattered as he sent them flying away.

    More entered the cellar. Sebastian was mixing threats with rewards to get them to come down. Tibs had been right. Sebastian wasn¡¯t thinking things through.

    Anytime they piled onto him, to keep him from walking toward the stairs, Tibs moved them out of his way with a slow sweep of his arm, but more arrived, and walking through them was becoming an impediment even as he forced them out of his way.

    Corruption washed over part of the house and the now freed enchantments fought against it. Don was strong, even comparing the density of his essence to that of the other Runners. Only Jackal had as dense essence, but that strength was nothing compared to the enchantments.

    Don needed help, and Earth wasn¡¯t what could do that, so Tibs switched to another element.

    ¡°Sebastian!¡± He called tauntingly as the red-brown in his body was replaced with resplendissant purple. The people holding on to him let out beautiful screams as they let go, skin and armor melting off them. He took a deep breath and sighed at the wonderful aroma.

    Acting brought about such amazing results.

    ¡°Sebastian,¡± he called again, ¡°I¡¯m coming for you.¡±

    He¡¯d considered joining forces with the man at one point. He remembered that. But that wasn¡¯t what he wanted anymore. Now, he wanted a good helping of revenge for the damage Sebastian had caused to his town, his people.

    Tibs stepped toward the stairs, the people recoiling away from him. He smiled at one, and she stepped back before bending over and throwing up. Tibs decided to be merciful and ended her misery permanently.

    Making his enemies pay felt so good.

    He reached to pull a dying man out of the stairs and noticed his armor was melting off. Even the leather of his bracers was flaking.

    ¡°No!¡± he yelled in horror. It was his. He wasn¡¯t losing that.

    The deterioration stopped.

    ¡°That¡¯s better.¡± He wished he could repair the damage, but that wasn¡¯t what he did. Explaining this to Darran was going to be¡­ interesting. But the man would do what Tibs wanted. He probably wouldn¡¯t even have to threaten him, either. The merchant was good that way.

    With that resolved, he raised a foot to start up the stairs and froze at the sight of the rotted steps.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s inconvenient.¡± He might have been pushing his essence too far if it was keeping him from getting what he wanted. He looked up as a woman pointed a bow at him. But when they locked eyes, and before Tibs thought to focus his essence on her, her pale skin took a sickly green color before she hurried out of the way.

    That was a shame. That color had looked good on her.

    That long gap to the ground floor needed to be dealt with. He quickly considered his options. Earth would let him mold the ground into stairs, but that would take an eternity to make happen. Water could do the same with ice, but he¡¯d get distracted by looking for the injured and helping them. Well, the plan was to take the house down, so Fire would do that, but the plan was also for Don to take the blame. None of the other elements would work here.

    He smiled. ¡°It¡¯s always best to just do it yourself, isn¡¯t it?¡± he asked the corpse next to him before pulling the corruption from it. It had alredy done the work, anyway. All the corruption he¡¯d unleashed in the cellar had done its work.

    He stared at the crystal shards.

    ¡°How are you still there?¡±

    He diverted a little of the essence he was accumulating to destroy the crystal, but the essence ripped apart as it was about to make contact.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Tibs said, looking at the gap to the door again. ¡°I don¡¯t even care about you, anyway.¡±

    The essence formed into a ball, floating before him. Corruption and nothing else. ¡°Why did Harry say this was difficult to make?¡± he looked at the corpse but got no answer. He had enough there that even Sto wouldn¡¯t be able to protect himself.

    He smiled. Yes, without a dungeon, the guild wouldn¡¯t have reason to hold¡ª

    The essence nearly hit the floor before he got hold of it again.

    What had that been?

    He hadn¡¯t felt an attack. He¡¯d simply¡­ didn¡¯t he want his freedom anymore?

    Was there a limit to what he¡¯d do to get it? ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡± He¡¯d deal with that later. Right now, he wanted Sebastian dead. So that was what he would work on.

    He pushed the ball where the stairs had been, and it stretched, going from the floor to the door, molding itself into iridescent purple steps. He didn¡¯t let it eat away at the bottom of the door. Not until he was up there.

    He walked up. The stair gave slightly under his weight, but he had enough will to keep from falling through.

    He stepped into an empty room. Voices and screams told him where the running was happening. He couldn¡¯t make out Sebastian¡¯s voice, but he¡¯d be with them. Tibs turned in that direction, but paused as something tugged at his mind.

    Right, Jackal wanted him to help Don.

    That wasn¡¯t what Tibs wanted.

    He looked in the voices¡¯ direction. He wanted Sebastian.

    Jackal wanted him too, but he wanted him to help Don first.

    ¡°Why do I even listen to him?¡± He demanded of the empty room, calling the essence that made the stairs to him. Well, if he was going to do this, he should make it quick so he could get back to chasing after Sebastian.

    He slammed his hand against the wall and the concentrated essence hit it a second later. It instantly broke the enchantment it touched and spread through the wall, chasing more essence to eat.

    Quickly the walls darkened and rotted away, exposing darkening beams. Wood was so nice to watch rot. He¡¯d never noticed that before. The way the layers peeled as they died their last death. By the time this beam rotted through, the wall was darkening to the ceiling, and he felt the walls on each side of the room also rotting.

    The ceiling groaned and shifted.

    He looked up as pieces began falling on him.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s going to be inconvenient.¡±

    Then the entire first floor fell on his head.

 Stepping up, Chapter 73

    Tibs sighed.

    This was what hurrying caused.

    He should stay here, lying on the earth, where it was comfortable, but he had things to do.

    He sat, and the house¡¯s debris shifted until it slid away. He looked up at the sky and sighed again. He needed to stop rushing.

    He stood and walked toward the outside of the house¡¯s remains. He pushed beams out of his way as he moved, their mass barely registering.

    ¡°Tibs!¡± Jackal called.

    He turned and smiled at his friend and began to greet him.

    ¡°No time!¡± the fighter yelled. ¡°My father¡¯s on the run. We need to make sure he leaves the town.¡±

    Tibs frowned. That had been the plan, but not what he¡¯d intended to do. He¡¯d changed his mind partway. Yes, Radkliff¡¯s death had caused him to rush. Had caused all of this.

    ¡°I said no time.¡± Jackal grabbed his arm as he ran by and was nearly thrown off his feet when Tibs didn¡¯t move at the pull. He looked at him, eyes wide in surprise. ¡°Abyss, you can do that already?¡±

    ¡°What. Do. You.¡±

    ¡°Let go of it, Tibs. Now!¡±

    ¡°Mean?¡± There was running heading in their direction from behind. Corruption and metal. Tibs didn¡¯t want to let go of Earth. He¡¯d rush off again and make mistakes.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal pleaded.

    Tibs nearly fell from the pain. He leaned on Jackal and wrapped his essence around¡­ all of him. The cut in his side was the worse of the injuries, but there was not one part of him that wasn¡¯t bruised.

    ¡°That¡¯s what someone with real power can do,¡± Don said with pride.

    Tibs only nodded. The pain was receding.

    ¡°Never doubted you,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°Tibs, can you move? If we don¡¯t make sure my father leaves, there¡¯s no telling what he¡¯s going to cause.¡±

    Sebastian.

    ¡°How is he going to leave?¡± Don asked. ¡°There are no attendants at the platform.¡±

    Tibs ground his teeth and forced himself to move, even if the pain wasn¡¯t all gone. Sebastian had to pay for what he¡¯d done.

    ¡°My father has a plan; he always has half a dozen of them.¡± Jackal followed as Tibs picked up speed. ¡°And there¡¯s always one escape in them.¡± Jackal caught up and gave Tibs a worried glance. ¡°Don. You did your part admirably well. This is going to get more dangerous. You need to get back to the inn.¡±

    ¡°And let you claim you did everything?¡± the sorcerer said, closer than Tibs expected. ¡°Not a chance.¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t claim it,¡± Jackal snapped. ¡°Abyss, you¡¯re the only one with Corruption. How would me or Tibs claim to have done that to the house?¡± they rounded the back of the house, the only part still standing, and Don¡¯s protest was cut short by the dozen thugs waiting for them.

    Tibs cursed, then dodged a sword.

    No. Sebastian wasn¡¯t getting away.

    ¡°I¡¯m taking the roofs!¡± he yelled and threw himself to the side, then ran, not looking back. Jackal¡¯s call was more anger than worry and Tibs hated himself for abandoning his friend, and Don and Rao, but they could deal with the thugs now that they could use essence. And Tibs told himself he wouldn¡¯t be of any use in the fight since he couldn¡¯t use his without revealing how it changed him.

    That was a delaying tactic and nothing more, and Tibs wasn¡¯t playing Sebastian¡¯s game anymore. That man wasn¡¯t escaping after causing Radkliff¡¯s death.

    Someone tried to grab his foot as he started up the wall, and Tibs slammed it in their face. From the roof, he saw the mass of people running and ran after them. They had to deal with turns and the Runners. Tibs could run straight for them.

    So long as he kept himself from getting distracted.

    He threw himself off the edge as hard as he could. He knew he wouldn¡¯t make it and he didn¡¯t care.

    He laughed as he fell, enjoying the wind against his face. He threw air below him as he rolled and, as he landed on it, had it explode under his feet, sending him to the other side of the road and the roof.

    He landed and pouted.

    That should have been more fun. Maybe he should try it again?

    No, trying something different would be much more enjoyable. He ran the length, making a plan. Well, figuring out what he¡¯d try. He didn¡¯t know if it would work and discovering that would be just as fun as doing it.

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    He launched himself in the air and wrapped more around him the way he¡¯d seen Carina do.

    He saw the roof approaching and with a chuckled ¡®oops¡¯ tucked into a ball just in time to crash on it and roll to his feet, then he ran down the incline. He pouted. He¡¯d been certain that would work. He jumped off the roof, made a disk of air to land on, and jump again to reach the other roof.

    He¡¯s done that so many times it was actually boring.

    He threw himself off that roof.

    He got why it hadn¡¯t worked. He was too heavy for air to lift him like that. But that was simple enough to change. He pushed the essence out of his reserve and through him. Shoving everything else away and leaving only the wonderfulness that was air.

    He laughed as he saw the approaching house through his hand. He marveled that it seemed so thin, barely there, that he could make out the details of the roof tiles.

    ¡°Oops.¡±

    He giggled as a gust of wind sent him up. Looking down at the roof he¡¯d almost crashed into, he saw he still had his armor on, and that it too was translucent, like his body. He laughed at the idea he might have been doing this stark naked.

    What would Jackal say if it was Tibs being caught naked this time?

    That was easy enough to find out. His armor became more solid, and he wondered at what point it would fall off.

    He stopped that, distracted by motion in the distance. Fighting. Wow, they were so far from him. He looked around at the small buildings. No, he was the one who was really far from them, from everything. So far in the sky that he bellowed his laughter and was certain no one heard him.

    He should stop going up. He laughed. He really should.

    Hmmm. How fast could he go on the way down?

    Only one way to find out.

    ¡°Shit, shit, shit!¡± Tibs looked around for anything to grab, but there wouldn¡¯t be until he was closer to the ground, and by then, if he tried, he¡¯d rip an arm off. It was what it had felt like when he¡¯d tried catching himself; early in his roof-running career. Now, with all this time to go faster?

    Options.

    Earth. He could be hard, but hard enough to survive this? Even stone shattered if they fell from high enough, Carina had told him when he¡¯s asked about a cracked boulder on the side of the mountain in MountainSea. Water, fire, Darkness, Purity, Light, Corruption. None of them would help.

    ¡°Abyss.¡± He only had one choice. He hoped it didn¡¯t get him into a worse predicament.

    He laughed as the houses became larger.

    This was more fun than he¡¯d thought.

    A yell made him look to the side. A small group was breaking away from the fighting, and even at this distance, he recognized Sebastian among them.

    Good for him, he thought, then had a moment of distress.

    Not him.

    Sebastian didn¡¯t deserve to have fun. He¡¯d ruined too many people¡¯s fun for that.

    But Tibs was enjoying¡ª

    How much more fun would it be to make Sebastian pay?

    Tibs smiled. Yes, he could have fun that way. Maybe he could teach Sebastian how fun it was to look at the town from on high, and then watch it get larger really fast.

    But Tibs wouldn¡¯t be able to do that if he hit the ground.

    Translucent again, wind buffeted him left and right before he had control of them and was falling at an angle to the roofs, toward Sebastian. The man was heading for the platform with a dozen people.

    No, that wouldn¡¯t do. Tibs couldn¡¯t teach him to have fun if he got away. Only he couldn¡¯t fall any faster.

    Couldn¡¯t he? If the wind could push him to the side and change his angle, why couldn¡¯t it¡­

    He whooped as he moved down even faster, then leveled over the roofs. Hmmm, if he could push himself down faster, couldn¡¯t he¡ª

    He moved forward faster with a yell of joy. It was so bad no one ever looked up. They couldn¡¯t see him doing this.

    What was that?

    The wind brought him to a stop and held him there.

    It happened again. Something flew through him. He turned in time to see a stick vanishing in an arc back to the ground.

    Looking around, he found the archer on a roof. He was dressed in black, and even his bow was black. He fired again and Tibs nudged himself out of the way.

    How dare he.

    ¡°I¡¯m having fun here!¡± he yelled. ¡°Stop that!¡±

    The man notched another arrow.

    ¡°I said¡ª¡± Tibs smashed his hands before him, sending a wave of air at him. ¡°¡ªstop that!¡±

    The man jumped and was sent tumbling behind a house by the edge of the wave. The bulk of it ripped the roof off the house.

    ¡°Oops.¡± Giggling, Tibs looked around to see if anyone had seen him do that. No one was looking up, as usual. Good. Sebastian was still heading to the platform. This had let him get closer, too.

    No, no, no. He flew toward him again. Not escaping your coming fun, Sebastian.

    Tibs watched the passing roofs and wondered.

    He landed and ran along it. He jumped off the edge and kept the wind from helping him. How far could he jump when he was translucent? He watched the roof he¡¯d aimed for pass, and laughed. Further than when he wasn¡¯t.

    He hit the wall of the house beyond it with a ¡®omfs¡¯ and let himself slide down it with a chuckle. The sound had been more surprised than anything else. The impact had hardly registered.

    How high of a fall could he survive like this?

    The wind carried him up and over the roofs. He¡¯d go as high as he¡¯d been before, no, even higher and¡ª

    Sebastian was a few blocks from the platform.

    Right, someone had to learn what fun was really like; Tibs would fall alongside him and see what happened.

    The wind pushed him down, then over the roofs. He weaved around the chimneys, then up and down and¡ª

    How had Sebastian gotten so close to the platform? The man was only running on his legs while Tibs was running on the wind.

    That was so unfair.

    Sebastian was such a cheater!

    The wind pushed Tibs faster. He was going to get right in his face, grab him, and yell at him for cheating. Cheating ruined the fun!

    How was he going to grab Sebastian when the arrow had flown through him? He¡¯d hit the wall, but he didn¡¯t know why that had been different. He was getting closer. A few houses and he¡¯d be on the platform.

    Now, how was he going to grab Sebastian?

    Well, that was easy.

    He let go of Air.

    Tibs hit the ground before he could do anything and rolled. His head spun and his body hurt even more, but he forced himself to his feet. The wraps of his essence he¡¯d put in place were gone, turned to air and then released. He ran as he wrapped more around his increased injuries.

    It had been stupid to let the element go like that. If he¡¯d been knocked unconscious, Sebastian would have escaped.

    He stepped out of the alley and watched in horror as Sebastian ran up the stairs of the platform with a woman next to him. The rest of the people turned to run in Tibs¡¯s direction.

    Tibs didn¡¯t understand what Sebastian thought he was doing. Without an attendant, he couldn¡¯t¡ª

    The woman looked over her shoulder and Tibs saw her golden eyes.

    ¡°No!¡± Tibs yelled, and summoned fire.

    Sebastian turned, grabbing the woman by the arm. He snarled something Tibs didn¡¯t hear over the roaring of his anger as he unleashed all the fire he had to stop the man from escaping his vengeance.

 Stepping up, Chapter 74

    Tibs groaned as he came awake, but that was interrupted by a sharp pain in his jaw. He reached for his essence and found his reserve was empty.

    How? He forced himself the rest of the way to wakefulness and sat. He was in Kroseph¡¯s bed, it was daylight outside, and Jackal was seated facing the bed, his feet propped up on the end of it. He was glaring at Tibs.

    ¡°What was that?¡± the fighter demanded, tone hard.

    Tibs opened his mouth, and the eyes narrowed.

    Instead, he tried to figure out why Jackal was angry.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I ran off. But you and Rao were more than enough to deal with those thugs, and I couldn¡¯t do anything to help since I can¡¯t control how I act when I use an element.¡± He bit his lower lip. ¡°Did Rao die?¡± That would explain the anger.

    ¡°No. Neither did Don.¡± That the answer was flat and didn¡¯t have any added comments about Don worried Tibs. ¡°You think you running off is why I¡¯m pissed?¡±

    What else could it be?

    ¡°The plan was to chase my father out of town. Don¡¯t try to tell me one of the elements made you run off to kill him. I saw your eyes.¡±

    That was what Jackal was angry about? ¡°He got Radkliff killed!¡±

    Jackal snorted. ¡°You think he¡¯s the only one?¡±

    ¡°No, and your father had to pay for all of them!¡± Tibs wanted to stand and get in Jackal¡¯s face, but now that he was awake, his entire body ached. What had he done with his essence for it to be just about empty? That reserve was so deep Tibs thought it never ended. Now he could barely make out the sliver of essence in it.

    ¡°Oh, so now he¡¯s my father and no longer Sebastian,¡± Jackal spat. ¡°Do you have any idea what¡¯s going to fall on the town if you killed him? I told you he has plans in place.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll deal with that.¡±

    Jackal was on his feet. ¡°No, we won¡¯t! With my father dead, all his coins go to destroying those responsible! You think having him here was bad? He wanted the town for himself. Now, if he¡¯s dead, there might not be a town left a few sunrises from now.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t sound sure he¡¯s dead.¡±

    ¡°I fucking hope he isn¡¯t, but you didn¡¯t leave much for anyone to know.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Jackal looked at Tibs suspiciously, and he tried to remember. The house and the chase were clear, even if his thinking didn¡¯t always make sense. Then he¡¯d crashed and ran to the platform. Sebastian at been on it, about to escape and Tibs had been angry and he wasn¡¯t going to let that happen. He¡¯d called fire and then¡­

    Then it was heat and roaring and screams. He touched his jaw. Someone had punched him and knocked him out. He looked at Jackal.

    ¡°Don¡¯t even think to ask me to apologize. What I¡¯m sorry for is not getting there sooner.¡±

    ¡°What¡­¡± Tibs swallowed, putting some things together in what Jackal said. ¡°What did I do?¡± That the fighter didn¡¯t immediately answer worried Tibs. What had he done with all that fire?

    ¡°Possibly more damage than my father managed in the time he was laying siege to us. Other than the platform, there is nothing left standing for three blocks around it, Tibs. It¡¯s all been burned to ashes.¡±

    Tibs pulled his knees to himself. ¡°Did I kill any of the townsfolk?¡± He barely heard himself asking as he wrapped his arms around his knees.

    Again, Jackal was slow in responding, and Tibs tightened his hold.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Jackal sounded tired. ¡°We tried to evacuate as many as we could from the area, but with my father¡¯s archers always there, we never confirmed if it was clear. You didn¡¯t leave much for us to be able to tell. Even my father¡¯s people were nothing more than ash by the time I knocked you out and they were in the open. If there was someone in a house you burned down, there¡¯ll be no way to tell what is them and what is the burned house.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± He mumbled in his knees, tears falling.

    ¡°I know you are, Tibs. But abyss, I was there to keep you in control and you just left.¡±

    ¡°I was angry.¡± That sounded like such a bad reason now.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make it better,¡± Jackal snapped. His breathing was harsh. ¡°The only good thing I can see out of this is that no one knows you did it.¡±

    ¡°How is that good?¡± Tibs demanded, glaring and wiping his eyes.

    ¡°You really want the guild to know you can do that?¡±

    Tibs swallowed and looked away. ¡°I might have killed some of the townsfolk.¡±

    Jackal started to wave it away and stopped. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to figure out how to deal with that.¡±

    ¡°Where there any Runners there?¡±

    Jackal snorted. ¡°Only the dumbest ones would have gotten close to that kind of heat.¡± He paused, frowned, then muttered. ¡°Abyss.¡±

    Tibs couldn¡¯t help the smile.

    Jackal sighed. ¡°Well, now Carina won¡¯t be able to claim I¡¯m not the dumbest one in the town.¡±

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    Jackal shrugged. ¡°Stone doesn¡¯t burn easily. But you owe me a set of armor. As far as anyone knows, I went in to rescue you, and your water, as little of it as you have, saved us. How did you manage to keep your armor from burning?¡±

    Tibs shrugged. He remembered turning his armor to air along with him and keeping the corruption from melting it, but he¡¯d just willed it.

    ¡°You¡¯re lucky you didn¡¯t do with Fire what you did with Earth. I don¡¯t know what I could have done to stop you if you had.¡±

    Tibs tried to remember what he¡¯d done while channeling Earth, but he didn¡¯t recall anything unusual.

    ¡°The story that¡¯s spreading is that my father had a plan in place to cover his escape.¡±

    Tibs raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t hide that my father¡¯s always making plans. The fire probably covered what he used, if he had time to activate it.¡±

    Tibs wiped at his eyes again. It hurt that he¡¯d damaged the town, maybe killed townsfolk, but he couldn¡¯t make that right by sitting here and crying. With Sebastian dead, he needed to know what he had to work with to help. And, if Jackal was right, prepare for a dead man¡¯s revenge.

    ¡°The Attendants?¡±

    Jackal looked at him in surprise, then was serious. ¡°No idea. They didn¡¯t drop by the inn and no one¡¯s been in a mood to chase them down.¡±

    And if they didn¡¯t want to be found, Tibs didn¡¯t think there was anything that could be done about it. ¡°The clerics?¡±

    ¡°By the time we got back, they were gone. Someone came to collect them. Some higher-up who could order them around. According to Quigly, there was a lot of arguing, but in the end, they had to do what they were told.¡±

    That explained why no one had healed him. Unless Jackal had considered that punishment for what he¡¯d done. Tibs wouldn¡¯t argue with it. He put his feet on the floor and winced and the all-encompassing pain.

    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°I need to go see what I can do to help fix things.¡±

    ¡°Sit your ass down,¡± Jackal ordered as Tibs stood. ¡°You are not getting off that bed until we¡¯ve come to an understanding. We can¡¯t risk you causing that kind of damage again, ever.¡±

    Tibs sat. ¡°It¡¯s not like I can do anything right now. I don¡¯t have any essence in my reserve, and outside of the dungeon I don¡¯t know how long it¡¯s going to take before it¡¯s refilled.¡±

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. Going forward, you¡¯re only using water. I¡¯d rather deal with you wanting to hug everyone than more destruction that can¡¯t be blamed on my father this time. If you somehow cause this kind of destruction with water, at least we have what you did to put the fire of the shop to partially explain it.¡±

    Tibs nodded.

    ¡°Promise it, Tibs. I want your word.¡±

    ¡°I swear.¡± When he looked up, Jackal was studying him, suspicion in his red-brown eyes. He wanted to insist he was being truthful, but Tibs, like Jackal, wasn¡¯t above lying when it served him.

    With a sigh, Jackal stood. ¡°Come on. Kro made sure there¡¯d be what¡¯s passing as stew left. It¡¯s going to be a while still before we have good food unless the dungeon opens today¡±

    Tibs looked at the gray shirt and pants he wore. They were made of rough canvas and they weren¡¯t his.

    ¡°I told Kro you don¡¯t care if you sleep in your skin, but my man¡¯s got ideas as to what can and can¡¯t be done that way.¡±

    ¡°Not sleeping I take it?¡± Tibs stood and let the aches settle.

    ¡°Not alone.¡±

    Tibs chuckled. ¡°So he considers it okay for those in the common room to sleep in their skin?¡±

    Jackal rolled his eyes. ¡°I meant with your special person, and you know it. It¡¯s easier when it¡¯s only skin to go and do¡ª¡±

    ¡°I really don¡¯t want to know.¡± Tibs had meant to sound amused, but it had come out harsh.

    ¡°One day, Tibs, you¡¯re going to think differently.¡± Then jackal grinned. ¡°And on that day, you can ask me all the best tricks.¡±

    Tibs batted the hand that was about to ruffle his hair away.

    Tibs heard the celebration as soon as Jackal opened the door as an indistinct din in the distance. How quiet the third floor was always impressed Tibs since no essence was used to make that happen.

    The voices became distinct as they walked down the stairs.

    ¡°¡­poured everything I had.¡± Don¡¯s voice was louder than anyone¡¯s. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it would be enough. The enchantments were so strong, but I wasn¡¯t going to let any of you down. So I dug deep, I found every scrap of essence hiding away in my reserve and my amulets and I shoved everything at them as hard as I could, as sharp as I could make it and I won!¡± the final word was a snarl.

    Don was standing on a table, turning and soaking in the cheers.

    ¡°We won!¡± he yelled and the cheers increased. Tibs looked around, worried it would shake the walls hard enough to bring the inn down.

    Jackal leaned closer as he maneuvered Tibs through the crowd. ¡°He¡¯s been telling the story over and over. I think the Hero of Kragle Rock might be outdoing the Savior of the Dungeon.¡±

    Don was welcome to the popularity. Tibs didn¡¯t deserve it.

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Kroseph asked as they reached their table. Carina had her arms around him, then immediately let go as Tibs winced and mouthed a ¡®sorry¡¯.

    They were far enough from Don that the crowd muffled the cheers. The server placed a bowl of thin stew before each of them along with a tankard.

    ¡°I ache.¡± He rubbed his jaws, but Carina was the one to look apologetic, not Jackal.

    ¡°You¡¯re lucky that¡¯s all you¡¯re feeling.¡± There was restrained anger in Kroseph¡¯s voice.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to,¡± Tibs mumbled before starting to eat.

    ¡°Maybe not,¡± the server said and Tibs was surprised he heard him over the noise. ¡°But you should have known better, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we should do this once Tibs has had time to rest and heal?¡± she said.

    The server ran a hand over his face and looked in Don¡¯s direction. ¡°Did you know he could be such a show-boaster?¡±

    Tibs paid attention to what Don said. He was retelling the story, and from what he made out, it was surprisingly accurate to the events. Don made himself seem more important, of course, and hardly mentioned Tibs or Jackal, but he didn¡¯t make anything up, and when he spoke of Radkliff, the respect in his tone sounded genuine.

    ¡°He thinks he''s the best one around,¡± Tibs said, looking for meat in what was more broth than stew. ¡°Now it¡¯s true.¡±

    Kroseph lowered his voice. ¡°But he isn¡¯t the one who brought the house down.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Sebastian¡¯s dead. That¡¯s what I wanted. I¡¯d rather he get the popularity than me. Let him deal with the guild.¡± Tibs didn¡¯t look up, but he saw the worried look Kroseph exchanged with Jackal. He hoped it was about if Sebastian was actually dead or not because Tibs didn¡¯t want to deal with them encouraging him to be the face of their victory.

    ¡°You think Don¡¯s going to last long as the hero?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°Or is he going to shatter the illusion by being an asshole again?¡±

    Tibs chewed what he wasn¡¯t sure was meat or some stringy vegetable. ¡°He¡¯s smart enough to make it last longer than you think.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs straightened in his chair, tankard to his lips, as he felt the group step into his senses. He looked at the door, trying to discern the elements in the group, but except for the two strongest, they were too far and close together to tell apart.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°The guild¡¯s coming,¡± he whispered. The inn was quieter now. Don had stopped telling the story and was at his team¡¯s table, speaking with those who sat with him. He smiled like Sto had opened his door and handed the sorcerer all the riches he could make.

    ¡°Maybe we should leave,¡± Carina suggested. ¡°We have no idea what they¡¯ll think of what we had to do to fight Sebastian.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not moving from here for them,¡± Jackal said, slamming the tankard on the table. ¡°We fought for the town. If they wanted it done nicely, they should have acted.¡±

    The door opened and silence fell as Tirania entered with Harry at her side. The Runner¡¯s expressions weren¡¯t pleased, but no one voiced their resentments. As she stepped forward, the Runners moved aside and she headed for Don¡¯s table. The sorcerer stood and smoothed his robe. He looked uncertain.

    ¡°I am here,¡± she said in a firm tone, ¡°to carry the guild and the town¡¯s thanks to you, Don Arabis, for saving so many people and chasing the troubles away.¡± She inclined her head.

    Tibs couldn¡¯t tell how she really felt. As with any time she addressed them as a group, she only portrayed confidence.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Don stuttered, then regained control. ¡°I only did what was called of me. What honor requires of me when trouble comes for the people who took me in and gave me a home. As soon as I heard about what was happening, I came.¡±

    Too much, Tibs thought. He wasn¡¯t talking to one of his teammates or another Runner. Tirania would see through his bluster and maybe even call him out on it. Tibs didn¡¯t think she took kindly to¡ª

    Her nod was almost a small bow, then she turned away.

    ¡°But,¡± Don added, ¡°this victory isn¡¯t mine.¡± She stopped and faced him again, expression neutral. ¡°We won. Those here in this inn, those now in their home who can finally sleep soundly. We came together to protect our town.¡± Don was looking at her, and there was an edge to his voice. ¡°We didn¡¯t abandon one another, we stood strong and that is how we defeated the monsters that sought to destroy us.¡±

    They watched one another, then Tirania smiled.

    ¡°But a crowd can only be as effective as its leader. You were that leader, Don Arabis, you guided and shaped the people of Kragle Rock as a force that could defeat that criminal. Take the praise that is being bestowed onto you, because without you, this town would have been destroyed.

    Don¡¯s expression went from confused to beaming with pride.

    Tibs watched Tirania walk away. She knew the point Don had tried to make, and she¡¯d turned it around and used it to feed the sorcerer¡¯s ego.

    Noble, popped into his mind as she reached the door and turned to face them. ¡°All of you have my thanks.¡± She gave the Runners in the inn a nod.

    It didn¡¯t have the effect on them her praise had had on Don, and it seemed to make Don realize how he¡¯d reacted.

    ¡°I¡ª¡± Jackal said, but Tibs shook his head, nodding to Harry who, unlike Tirania¡¯s entourage was approaching, instead of leaving the inn.

    ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t the high and mighty leader of the guards,¡¯ Jackal said disdainfully, raising his tankard to the man. ¡°How proud you must feel.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not here to get into an argument,¡± Harry replied. ¡°I¡¯m here to say thank you. I know you three had more to do in saving the town than he did.¡±

    Jackal was on his feet. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have had to do any saving if you¡¯d done your job! I told you what my father was here to do! I warned you but you are so abyss full of that light you brushed me aside like one of those girls you like to bed.¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°I told you he had something that let him lie to you,¡± Tibs said, trying to keep his town even.

    ¡°I had a sorcerer verify that he didn¡¯t,¡± Harry replied through clenched teeth.

    ¡°Oh, like my father doesn¡¯t have enough coins to bribe anyone you¡¯d hire, because I¡¯m going to guess the guild didn¡¯t simply hand one over for you to use.¡±

    The flash of anger in the guard leader¡¯s face told Tibs Jackal was right.

    ¡°All this,¡± Jackal said, ¡°happened because you didn¡¯t do your job, Knuckles.¡±

    ¡°I did everything I was expected to.¡±

    ¡°Except listen to the people who knew what was going on!¡±

    The inn fell silent.

    The table legs scraping on the floor as Harry walked into it were loud and he stopped, looking at it as if he was surprised it was there. Then he looked around. Everyone in the inn was looking at them.

    ¡°Watch how you speak to me, Jackie-boy,¡± Harry threatened.

    ¡°Or what? Knuckles? You¡¯re going to do to me what you should have done to my father the moment he appeared on that platform?¡±

    ¡°I am the authority, here. Not you.¡±

    ¡°Then fucking act like it! Where were you during the siege? Where were those few guards who were still loyal to you? I didn¡¯t see you help anyone. Isn¡¯t that your job? Keeping the town safe, enforcing order? Oh no, how stupid of me. You don¡¯t give a fuck about the town. It¡¯s the dungeon you care about. It¡¯s the dungeon you rushed to protect, too late, by the way, when I sent one of my teammates to tell you. Whatever part of the town my father destroyed can be rebuilt after all.¡±

    The two glared as Jackal caught his breath.

    Harry opened his mouth.

    ¡°Or were you going to be the one destroying it,¡± Jackal asked, a smile forming, ¡°if we didn¡¯t manage to stop him?¡±

    The guard leader¡¯s mouth snapped close.

    Tibs stared. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have,¡± he said in disbelief.

    Harry hadn¡¯t acted to protect the town, but he wouldn¡¯t have acted against it. He was its guard. Harry glanced in Tibs¡¯s direction before turning and leaving. The pain in those eyes left Tibs shocked, and then angry.

    Jackal had been right.

    ¡°Why?¡± Tibs asked in a whisper, looking at Jackal. ¡°How could you think that?¡± he wanted to scream at his friend for shattering the belief Tibs had had in Harry. But Jackal had done nothing more than shining a light on a lie. Something Harry should have been the one doing.

    Jackal sighed as he dropped in his chair. ¡°If a house is infested with rot beetle, you barricade it before anyone can leave and you burn it down with them in it, because if only one of those things survives, they¡¯ll be spreading again in days and before you know it, an entire neighborhood is falling and taking the city with it.¡± He picked up his tankard. ¡°Of course, my father would have escaped, beetle that he is, and it would have been for nothing. But I doubt the guild would have cared what he got up to once he was gone. And they would have had ground to sell to people who wanted the privilege of living right next to a dungeon.¡± He downed the tankard¡¯s content.

    ¡°Sebastian¡¯s dead,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°I really hope you¡¯re wrong Tibs.¡±

    ¡°How can you say that?¡± Carina asked.

    ¡°I told you, my father has plans for how to be avenged. So long as he¡¯s alive, he¡¯s going to take it personally and target only the person responsible.¡±

    ¡°The whole town beat him,¡± Tibs said.

    Jackal snorted. ¡°My father¡¯s not that stupid. He knows who¡¯s behind it, and it isn¡¯t Don. That a kid beat him is going to make it worse for him, because if that story spreads no one¡¯s going to fear him anymore.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re speaking as if he did escape,¡± Carina said.

    ¡°I know him. If Tibs had killed him, one of the things he wears would have activated and tried to take an immediate revenge.¡±

    ¡°But the fire was pure essence,¡± she countered. ¡°It could have disrupted whatever that item did.¡±

    Jackal nodded. ¡°How about we hope that¡¯s not the case and we prepare for an attack on Tibs, instead of something that is going to erase Kragle Rock from the world''s memory?¡± He raised his tankard and took a drink, cursing when it was empty.

 Stepping up, Chapter 75

    The front half of Sebastian¡¯s house was rubble. A mix of melted and broken wooden supports and walls. The back half was still standing, but listing forward, and looked to be about to continue falling at any time.

    Harry¡¯s guards surrounded it. Tibs knew them to be because he recognized a few of them. They no longer wore the black and green that had been the guard¡¯s colors before. The only symbol of their status was now a painted insignia on the front of their armor; a white shield with two crossed swords. They had been hurriedly painted over the leather or metal, and each was sufficiently different Jackal had commented how easy it would be to paint it on their leathers and pass themselves off as guards.

    Tibs hadn¡¯t even considered it. Harry¡¯s guards weren¡¯t liked by the town, and Tibs wanted them to know those who protected them had nothing to do with the guard leader.

    There were only a dozen guards around the property, with maybe twice that patrolling the town. Harry had lost a lot of people to Sebastian¡¯s treachery, and until the attendants allowed the platform to be used again, he couldn¡¯t bring anyone new. A few of the Runners had been offered a position among them, but not one accepted.

    The only people to arrive, in the two days since the fight for Kragle Rock had come to a decisive end, were adventurers. Tibs counted eight of them, each with Corruption as their elements. They were moving what Tibs and Don had created in the process of destroying the enchantments, and the house, into barrels.

    They, along with crates of various sized, were transported to the guild buildings by other adventurers and people with essence that worked there.

    Tirania had gotten the attendants to bring these adventurers in within hours of her coming to the inn, but she hadn¡¯t gotten them to do anything for the town itself, like get supplies in.

    Tibs had tried to get into the house that first night, to retrieve one of the crystals so Carina could figure out what it was, but even then, the guards were there and were keeping an eye out for anyone attempting to get in, and for Tibs specifically.

    ¡°You know we aren¡¯t going to let you in, don¡¯t you?¡± the guard said, approaching Tibs.

    Tibs didn¡¯t reply. This wasn¡¯t about getting in, it was about finding the patterns that would let him sneak past the guards. He¡¯d get in, Tibs was certain of that. And he¡¯d get a piece of that crystal.

    * * * * *

    The remnant of the house was lit by globes of lights. Some stationary, others following those searching through the rubble.

    It forced Tibs to remain at the edge of the work. He¡¯d be able to get closer, maybe even into the house to get one of the crystals he could still sense in the cellar, but he¡¯d have to use Darkness to slip through the shadows, and he¡¯d promised Jackal he wouldn¡¯t.

    He didn¡¯t think he¡¯d do anything destructive while channeling darkness, but he also had no idea how it would affect his mind. Secrets were something Darkness enjoyed, so would he get distracted by them and ignore his original intent?

    He hadn¡¯t expected the light. That was the problem.

    It hadn¡¯t been there the previous night, and Tibs hadn¡¯t known anyone other than Harry had that element. It meant he¡¯d either missed someone there, more than one, by the number of light globes floating around the house, or Tirania had gotten the attendants to bring in yet more adventurers while doing nothing to help the town.

    Cursing under his breath, he turned away and climbed to a roof. He¡¯d break into one of the nobles¡¯ houses as a way to vent his frustration.

    * * * * *

    ¡°You¡¯re alive!¡± Tibs was across the inn and hugging Serba.

    ¡°Let go of me.¡± she said, tensing.

    Tibs smiled at her, stepping away. He looked around for her dogs and his face fell when he saw none.

    ¡°I left them outside,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m not letting you corrupt them anymore.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m out of jerky,¡± Tibs said.

    She rolled her eyes. ¡°Like you even need that.¡± Tibs followed her to the table, and Jackal leaned to the side, then looked under the table.

    ¡°Serba,¡± he said tentatively, ¡°do I want to know where your monsters are?¡±

    Instead of answering, she handed the fighter a folded piece of paper. Jackal looked at it suspiciously before taking, unfolding, and glancing at it, then passing it to Carina. The fighter relaxed slightly the instant he looked at it.

    Carina frowned as she looked it over, then read it out loud. ¡°Tell my brother whatever you have to, but get back in his employ. Keep me appraised of how he is altering the town¡¯s security. Get on good terms with your brother and let me know what he and his band of annoyances are getting up to.¡±

    ¡°Dad¡¯s alive,¡± Serba said.

    ¡°And he wants us to be friends,¡± Jackal replied mockingly. ¡°He might have lost his mind when he escaped.¡±

    ¡°How does he expect you to work for Harry again?¡± Carina asked, handing the paper back. ¡°As far as he knows, you joined your father against the town.¡±

    Serba dropped an amulet on the table. ¡°He made sure I had a way to trick Knuckles.¡±

    ¡°Harry knows about them,¡± Carina said. ¡°As far as I know, he forced everyone still working for him to remove everything before he questioned their loyalties.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need it. I was actually working against my father and for him.¡± She nodded to Tibs, who was back in his seat. ¡°He¡¯s going to have to believe me, since it¡¯s the truth.¡±

    ¡°That might not help as much as you¡¯d like,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Knuckles isn¡¯t particularly happy with Tibs and us at the moment.¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t need him to be happy, just to believe me, because I want to keep working toward protecting the town. You know Dad¡¯s planning something already.¡±

    Jackal nodded. ¡°At least, with him alive, it¡¯s going to be more targeted than just erasing Kragle Rock.¡±

    Serba glanced at Tibs before focusing on her brother. ¡°You think that¡¯s a better thing?¡±

    ¡°I can keep Tibs safe from him. There¡¯s no way I can protect the entire town from his after-death revenge.¡±

    ¡°I can protect myself and the town,¡± Tibs said.

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    ¡°Not against our Dad,¡± Serba said.

    ¡°We did it already.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°And I don¡¯t think you realize how much he hates you for it.¡±

    ¡°Everyone was part of it.¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t how he sees it. When he found out you were back and survived the ambush, he was livid. That¡¯s also when your side started getting the upper hand.¡±

    ¡°He really thinks Tibs makes that much of a difference to the town?¡± Carina asks.

    Serba watched him. ¡°Tibs has a way of¡­ getting to people and animals. Of making them feel like things might go in their favor. That leads to people not caving into my father¡¯s demands, and¡­¡± she motioned around. ¡°Standing up for what they want to protect. I doubt he¡¯d have won even if you weren¡¯t here, Tibs, but he has decided you¡¯re the reason he lost. So he will make you pay for it dearly.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± Tibs asked.

    She shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Our father¡¯s too devious for me to even guess at it. But he¡¯s going to aim for what will hurt you the most.¡±

    ¡°That''s the town,¡± Tibs said, ¡°it¡¯s people.¡±

    Jackal sighed. ¡°I hope he doesn¡¯t think that, because that puts us right back to keeping the town from being erased.¡± He nodded to the paper Serba held. ¡°While I appreciate the warning, doesn¡¯t you coming here in person put you at risk? If you got that, it means Dad has people in the town again.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure he does, but not the one who handed this to me anymore.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean the attendants are letting people use the platform again?¡± Tibs asked, hopeful. ¡°Will we have good food soon?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, but yes, there¡¯s been a few arrivals earlier.¡±

    Finally, Tibs thought, good news.

    * * * * *

    Tibs cursed.

    There was nothing left of Sebastian¡¯s house. In one day, everything had been removed, down to the lumber that had remained standing until then. From asking around, Tibs learned of a downside to the attendants allowing the platform to be used. The guild could bring in a larger workforce.

    The entire plot of land was down to bare earth. The cellar was filled in, and even if he hadn¡¯t promised not to channel earth, there was no point in it. Tibs couldn¡¯t sense any of the disturbances the crystal caused, even while standing over where he had shattered it.

    All this waiting for the opportunity, and it had been a waste of time.

    * * * * *

    ¡°How much?¡± Tibs asked the man seated at the table, feet on it and balancing on the chair¡¯s back legs.

    Tibs had followed him from Sebastian¡¯s house; the man had come to it as Tibs was leaving. He was an adventurer and had Corruption as his element. The density of the essence placed him around Delta. Needing to do something after failing to get a crystal, Tibs had decided to handle a blight on his town that had been there too long.

    The man raised his eyes to Tibs from the tankard he was holding. They were the same not quite purple that used to make Tibs sick as Don¡¯s and stood out even against the deep tan and sandy-colored messy hair.

    ¡°This is a copper,¡± he replied, ¡°but you¡¯re going to want to start with something softer, kid. Getting used to the hard stuff will ruin you.¡±

    Tibs ground his teeth, unable to tell if the man was mocking him.

    The man had headed to the Crawling Worm directly after walking the entirety of Sebastian¡¯s property. It was the only tavern with good ale, as the owner had somehow gotten a delivery arranged with the first arrivals.

    ¡°How much to buy your services.¡±

    The man studied Tibs with more attentiveness, then smiled. ¡°You¡¯re way too young to be needing my services, kid. Go back to playing at being an adventurer.¡±

    Tibs put his hands on the table. ¡°I¡¯m a Runner,¡± he said through gritted teeth. ¡°And I don¡¯t fucking care what you think of my eyes,¡± he continued as the man opened his mouth. ¡°Ask the guild about it since¡ª¡± He swallowed the rest. He wouldn¡¯t get the man¡¯s help if he insulted him. ¡°How many coins will it take to get you to remove a pool of corruption?¡±

    The man dropped his feet. ¡°You¡¯re talking about the one at the end of the shops?¡±

    ¡°Yes, how many coins?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t be done.¡±

    Tibs fought his anger. ¡°I can get the coins. The dungeon¡¯s going to open soon.¡± Sto still wasn¡¯t speaking, but it had been close to four and zero days since he had closed his door. ¡°The third floor¡¯s going to be accessible then, and the loot will be better.¡±

    ¡°You are going to do a third floor?¡± the man asked, his voice a mix of disbelief and amusement.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Tibs wanted to channel water and show this man he wasn¡¯t some kid pretending, but it would derail him.

    The man¡¯s humor left. ¡°Take a seat.¡±

    Tibs thought about staying as he was, but he was too short to loom, so he sat.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go on the third floor for this.¡±

    ¡°Listen, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to have you die for something that can¡¯t be done.¡±

    Tibs tried to understand. ¡°But Corruption is your element. It¡¯s just a question of you being strong enough, right?¡± If Delta wasn¡¯t strong enough to deal with that, could Tibs find anyone higher?

    ¡°You know your stuff.¡± The man smiled. ¡°Good on you. But strength isn¡¯t going to help here.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    The man considered something. ¡°I already checked the pool out. I figured I could make some quick money from the guild even if I asked for less than my normal rates. The guild doesn¡¯t usually like having one of those that close to them. But it can¡¯t be removed.¡±

    ¡°How is that possible? It¡¯s just essence, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you the how. In fact, since you live here, you can probably tell me. Something must have happened after it was created. It would have been¡­ significant and it would have involved more Corruption.¡±

    Tibs shook his head, thinking of the one thing of significance that had happened.

    ¡°Yeah, no one I asked seems to have noticed anything after it was created, either. But no matter what, somehow, that pool now has a direct connection to the element.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°You¡¯ve heard of those having an audience, right?¡±

    ¡°I had one.¡±

    The man stared at him, and looked like he was about to ask a question, then changed his mind. ¡°That place you were taken to,¡± he said, watching Tibs. ¡°It has a direct connection to¡­your element. It makes the audience easier, but it also makes the concentration of essence higher. To the point that your reserve will refill as fast as you¡¯re using the essence.¡±

    Tibs hesitated, since it seemed like that would make the job easier, not harder. ¡°Not running out of essence means you can work harder.¡±

    The man shook his head. ¡°But not hard enough to do what you want, because that pool can¡¯t be emptied of essence. Clearing up what happened at that house was just about collecting the essence that was left behind and eating everything. That pool¡­ that¡¯s something different.¡±

    ¡°Because of what you say must have happened there.¡±

    The man nodded.

    ¡°What am I supposed to do about it, then?¡±

    The man shrugged. ¡°Buy the land before news of it reaches a Corruption sorcerer. Or before someone realizes how valuable it¡¯s going to be for their research and experiments. Right now, it¡¯s a blight no one wants to have here. So it¡¯ll be cheap. Once the sorcerers get here. There¡¯s going to be a fight over who owns that land. With the winner able to demand whatever they want for it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve realized what it¡¯s worth.¡±

    The man nodded. ¡°But I don¡¯t like to be attached to one place. I¡¯m the wandering kind of adventurer. Buying that land means I¡¯d have to stay here until I sell it, otherwise it¡¯d be stolen, and getting what I¡¯m owed from that kind of theft is more trouble than it¡¯s worth.¡±

    Tibs nodded and tried to think of everything. As much as he didn¡¯t like having the pool there. If it was as valuable as the man claimed, he should look into it. Jackal or Carina would know how to go about it.

    ¡°You said you don¡¯t know what happened, but do you have an idea what must have happened for the pool to become what it is?¡±

    The man was thoughtful. ¡°The fact no one noticed anything makes it hard to guess. It normally takes something big for one of the elements to take direct notice of a place in our world. But that¡¯s what happened. Corruption noticed that pool for some reason, and because it¡¯s paying attention to it, the essence flows freely.¡±

    ¡°So someone could convince Corruption to stop?¡±

    The man stared at Tibs, then burst out laughing. ¡°Oh, kid. You clearly have no idea what Corruption¡¯s like.¡± His gaze became distant. ¡°It gets you to agree, never the other way around.¡± There was sorrow in the man¡¯s voice.

    Tibs stood, trying to decide if it was worth attempting it. ¡°Thank you for the information.¡± He put a copper on the table, then turned and left.

    He was the reason the pool couldn¡¯t be removed. If he asked, would Corruption stop paying attention, or would he pay more attention to it because of it? Tibs remembered what Jackal had told him of when he¡¯d channel corruption. How convincing he¡¯d been.

    He cursed.

    Now that was going to stay there and eventually bring sorcerers to the town.

    And what about the other places? Was there a spot behind the archery field with a connection to Earth? Or the lake to Water? The top of the mountain? Did Sto have a room that would never run out of fire? He frowned. Wasn¡¯t that the same room he¡¯d tried for his audience with Light? Was that why it hadn¡¯t worked? Wouldn¡¯t Sto be able to tell there was something odd about that room?

    He screamed his frustration and the few people on the street moved further away.

    He didn¡¯t care about those other places. They weren¡¯t a blight.

    All he¡¯d wanted was to have that pool out of his town. If the guild had acted to remove it when it had first appeared, it wouldn¡¯t have been there for Tibs to have his audience in, and this wouldn¡¯t be a problem now.

    This was another place the guild had failed his town.

    The list of those failures was becoming too long.

 Stepping up, Chapter 76

    The street teemed with people, even if the only illumination was lanterns hung on poles throughout the burned-out husk of buildings. Each husk with a family going through the rubble, in case anything meaningful had survived, rose Tibs¡¯s spirits because it was one more family his action hadn¡¯t killed.

    Most remains had no one looking through them.

    It didn¡¯t mean he¡¯d killed them, some had been able to afford to leave the town when Sto closed his door, but he wouldn¡¯t know until everyone came back, and in his current state, seeing the potential hope among the despair he¡¯d caused was difficult.

    He stepped toward a group, parents with three children. The youngest was crying in her father¡¯s arms. Each looked lost as they walked through the ashes. He had caused that pain, so it was his responsibility to¡ª

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Kroseph asked.

    ¡°To comfort them. To explain their pain wasn¡¯t intended and that I will make it better,¡± Tibs explained, then turned to move again.

    ¡°You can¡¯t do that.¡± The statement was firm. The previous three nights Kroseph had taken Tibs around the destroyed buildings surrounding the transportation platform, he¡¯d explained. He¡¯d cuddled, he¡¯d reasoned. Now, he¡¯d had enough.

    Kroseph had re-explained everything once they were at the inn, and Tibs had agreed with him. Kroseph had complained that it was a waste of time, that when he was in that state, nothing got through to Tibs. But even tonight, he¡¯d taken Tibs out again.

    ¡°Their suffering is my fault.¡± Tibs understood Kroseph¡¯s reasoning. It was the server who didn¡¯t understand that he had to take responsibility for what he¡¯d done while wielding fire, no matter what the consequences were. It was the right thing to do, the only way he could make it right to those he¡¯d hurt. Those he¡¯d killed. If the price he had to pay for that was the guild knowing what he had done and never letting him go, wasn¡¯t that simply proper punishment?

    ¡°So? Use that mind of yours, Tibs. Don¡¯t let your emotion govern you.¡±

    ¡°I am using my mind,¡± he replied petulantly, then looked at the ground. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t use that tone. You¡¯re just trying to help me.¡±

    Kroseph looked at him and let out a faint chuckle. ¡°And I can¡¯t tell if that was you apologizing, or Water. I guess that means you¡¯re improving.¡± Doing this at night, and while staying away from those still hoping to find something in their old houses, was to keep them from seeing Tibs¡¯s eyes.

    It had been his decision, and while his reasoning that he wasn¡¯t ready for the guild to think he was at the same level as the others had made sense to him when he¡¯d given it. Now, it sounded as an excuse to avoid being held accountable for his actions.

    ¡°There¡¯ll be time later to offer help,¡± Kroseph said. ¡°This is just a stroll.¡±

    Jackal and Carina had wanted to be involved in the walks, but Kroseph had pointed out that while Jackal had been good about ordering Tibs out of his element, talking with him in that state wasn¡¯t something he had an easy time of. And Carina had trouble telling Tibs when enough was enough. She wanted too much for him to understand her reasoning. When channeling Water, Tibs needed a more balanced handling.

    He looked at the family again. The eldest son looked to be old enough to work at whatever shop his parents had. He put up a stoic front, but Tibs could see the pain and loss in how he moved. The middle child clung to her mother¡¯s hand, looking confused more than anything. She wasn¡¯t old enough to understand what had happened. She, most of all, needed the comfort.

    But Tibs didn¡¯t go to them.

    He¡¯d agreed to listen to Kroseph¡¯s instruction. To think beyond how he felt, what he wanted to do in the moment. It didn¡¯t make sense. Now was what was important. But he¡¯d agreed to listen, so he returned next to Kroseph and ignored the disappointment he felt.

    ¡°You have to think about the consequence of your actions, Tibs.¡±

    Tibs stifled the sigh. They were back to that again. Kroseph telling him what was important and what wasn¡¯t. Tibs had given up explaining it to him. The server was so¡­ human. He couldn¡¯t understand what it meant to be Water, to exist to comfort and bring peace.

    ¡°These are the consequences of my actions,¡± Tibs replied, watching a lone woman pick a burned something out of the rubble and hold it to her chest, crying. ¡°How can you look at her and not want to go comfort her?¡±

    ¡°I want to.¡±

    Tibs looked at him in dismay. ¡°Then why are you standing there not doing it?¡±

    ¡°Because that¡¯s not what I¡¯m here to do.¡±

    ¡°How am I more important than her peace?¡±

    ¡°Because, Tibs, if you do it cautiously, with care and attention to what you do and when you do it, you can provide comfort to much more than her.¡±

    Tibs ground his teeth. ¡°But she¡¯s here, now. Tomorrow doesn¡¯t matter if she¡¯s in pain right now.¡±

    ¡°And what about the person in pain tomorrow? How are you going to help them if you are in a cell because the guild noticed what you did and won¡¯t let you go?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain it to them and they¡¯ll understand that¡ª¡± He frowned. No, not them.

    ¡°What are you thinking, Tibs? Last night you went on about how the guild could be made to understand how they¡¯d mishandled things.¡±

    His frown deepened. He had said that. He remembered. But how could he have believed it? The guild didn¡¯t care. It was that simple.

    He rubbed his temple. Why did it have to be so complicated, so muddled? He wanted the clarity.

    ¡°The guild doesn¡¯t want to help us, just themselves.¡± They weren¡¯t as direct about it as Tibs was when channeling corruption, but he could see the similarity.

    ¡°So no running to them and hugging them?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°But she¡¯s not them. I could go to her and¡­ be careful how I did it.¡±

    ¡°Right now isn¡¯t the time, Tibs. And telling her how this is your fault isn¡¯t going to help her. It might make her angry, make her lash out at you.¡±

    ¡°But it would be so I can make it right. She¡¯d see that.¡±

    ¡°Maybe not. If you could simply go to her, hold her, and listen. That might help, but I¡¯m not sure you can do that yet.¡±

    Tibs bit back his argument and remembered that Kroseph had years of experience dealing with people. That he¡¯d been working at the inn almost longer than Tibs had been alive.

    ¡°How would you do it?¡±

    Kroseph looked at the woman. ¡°I¡¯d ask her if she wants to come to the inn. I¡¯d bring her an ale, maybe two, and not ask for her to pay. I¡¯d let her numb herself to the pain for a little while so she could rest and hopefully, tomorrow, she¡¯d be in a better state to pick up what¡¯s left and move forward.¡±

    ¡°What if she isn¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ve done what I could. The rest is up to her.¡±

    ¡°But I can do more. I can take her pain away, make her comfortable.¡±

    Kroseph chuckled. ¡°Like you did when you made me wet?¡±

    Right. Tibs couldn¡¯t do everything he wanted. Everything he knew he should be able to when channeling Water. Sometimes he did do more, but he didn¡¯t know how, and when he tried to redo it on purpose, it didn¡¯t happen.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do everything,¡± Tibs said. He¡¯d been told that. He¡¯d even told himself that before, but this time it¡­ didn¡¯t sound like an excuse. It didn¡¯t make him want to help any less, but¡­

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    He ground his teeth. ¡°I wish Sebastian had never come.¡±

    ¡°Is that anger?¡± Kroseph asks, surprised.

    Tibs frown. How could he be angry at a time like this? It was his anger that had caused him to channel fire and cause this destruction. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± He mumbled and hoped Kroseph didn¡¯t hear.

    ¡°And now shame?¡±

    Tibs felt his cheek burn. Why did Kroseph sound so happy about it? Everything being muddled wasn¡¯t a cause for happiness. He kicked a stone as they started walking away and pouted.

    * * * * *

    ¡°Okay,¡± Quigly said, sounding unsure, even while holding a well-made sword in his hand. ¡°Why am I doing this again?¡±

    Tibs recognized Sto¡¯s work in the etching along the blade. The sword was ordinary, but the warrior was skilled in using it.

    ¡°Because Jackal trusts you not to hurt Tibs in the process of training him in how to fight with a sword,¡± Carina answered.

    Tibs¡¯s nervousness had nothing to do with the sword part of the training.

    ¡°He has his element,¡± Quigly said. ¡°What¡¯d he need with knowing how to sword fight?¡±

    It was the element part that he wasn¡¯t sure about.

    ¡°You scared?¡± Tibs asked, and the look of reproach on the warrior¡¯s face told him his bravado looked as thin as it felt.

    ¡°Do you understand how easy it is to hurt you with this?¡± Quigly brought his sword up quickly, then slashed. Tibs was too far to be in danger, but the ease with which the warrior handled the heavy sword was¡­ uncomfortable.

    ¡°I do. There are plenty of fighters. That¡¯s why I need to learn.¡± It was one of the reasons, anyway. The other one¡­

    He swallowed and looked at Jackal, lounging on the crates.

    The other reason was why they were away from the training grounds for this.

    Kroseph had pronounced Tibs good to advance in his practice the day before, and Tibs had argued against it. He didn¡¯t feel ready. How were one and three days of nightly outings in the troubled area so Tibs couldn¡¯t do anything to help an indication he was ready for more?

    ¡°You¡¯ve got this,¡± Jackal said.

    Tibs closed his eyes and let the essence flow out of the bracers and onto his hand, then stretched it until it was the length of a short sword and hardened it into ice. He listened for his need to melt the dangerous weapon and absorb it, and set that aside. Caring was for later. This was a time to harden himself.

    He smiled.

    This was a time to be like ice.

    He opened his eyes and was disappointed at all the jagged edges of his sword. It wasn¡¯t what he¡¯d envisioned, but yet again, the smooth blade escaped him.

    ¡°You¡¯re eyes,¡± Quigly said. ¡°They¡¯re blue.¡±

    ¡°It comes and goes,¡± Carina said. ¡°He can¡¯t control it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a thing?¡± the warrior asked. ¡°Mine didn¡¯t do that.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s his age,¡± she replied.

    He was going to hurt someone with this, Tibs realized and also understood it was Water influencing his thinking. There were times when hurting someone was needed to protect others. He didn¡¯t like how muddled his thinking had become, but that was the price of being human. That was what he was, even if there were times when he thought he was the element.

    Tibs released his breath. He was ready.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Quigly asked, and Tibs jumped. He looked at the vicious weapon he held, envisioning all the pain he¡¯d inflict with it and he nearly flung it away.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± he said, trying to keep his voice from shaking. He was okay. He was Tibs, human. Not Water. He didn¡¯t look to inflict pain, but he had to be ready. He had to be better at it so he could defend himself and the town when he had to.

    ¡°You don¡¯t look okay.¡±

    ¡°Holding the sword¡¯s shape isn¡¯t easy.¡± He¡¯d practiced the lie after Jackal told him the plan for the morning. He¡¯d done so with and without water. Lying while channeling water was tricky because he could say the innocuous ones easily, like this. But lies that could hurt stuck in his throat. Telling himself the lie was innocent didn¡¯t help. He knew the truth and Water knew it.

    So he had to practice them. Tibs wasn¡¯t much for lying, but he wasn¡¯t above it, and lies were as much tools of the rogue as were the lock picks or his fingers. He was a rogue, so he needed to be able to use all his tools.

    Quigly looked unconvinced. ¡°Okay. What kind of training do you have?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve practiced with metal swords, but even the short ones get heavy.¡±

    ¡°And that isn¡¯t?¡±

    Tibs looked at his jagged sword again. ¡°It¡¯s water.¡± It did look thicker than those he¡¯d trained with. ¡°It¡¯s my essence. It¡¯s part of me. It doesn¡¯t weigh anything.¡± He slashed left and right, trying to make it look as effortless as the warrior had, but it felt clumsy.

    Quigly smiled. ¡°How¡¯s the balance on it, then?¡±

    Tibs stared at him, then looked at his sword, trying to understand what it was supposed to balance with.

    Quigly tapped the hilt of his sword. ¡°This is for more than protecting your hand. It balances the weight of your blade and allows for easier motions. On a well-made blade, it¡¯s about here.¡± He placed the flat of the blade on his finger close to a hand-span from the guard. The sword wobbled a little, then didn¡¯t move. ¡°This is the sword, not me using my element. I¡¯m hoping that I¡¯ll be able to do what you did, eventually. Being able to make my weapon will make my life easier.¡± He smiled. ¡°Although I¡¯m going to stick with making mine look ordinary. I¡¯m skilled enough that I don¡¯t have to scare my opponent.¡±

    ¡°I keep trying to make it look better,¡± Tibs grumbled.

    ¡°What about the balance?¡±

    Tibs found a spot without shards on the flat of the blade that was close to where Quigly had put his finger and placed it. It remained still.

    The warrior approached and studied the placement. ¡°On a sword this long, it should be about here, but the jagged part will change the balance. I think it should be more there.¡± He reached for it and paused. ¡°Can I?¡± Tibs handed it to him and Quigly found a place for his finger. When he put the sword there, it was still. ¡°Did you change anything about how it¡¯s balanced when you handed it to me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m holding it the same as I was when I had it.¡±

    Quigly placed his finger at another spot. Again, the sword didn¡¯t move. ¡°You¡¯re not talking about how it was on your finger, are you?¡± He handed it back to Tibs.

    ¡°It¡¯s made with my essence; that¡¯s what I¡¯m holding.¡±

    The warrior stepped away and looked at his sword. His brow furrowed in concentration, and disappointment was over his face when he lowered it. ¡°Is it a water thing, or can I look forward to doing that with the sword I¡¯ll make, too?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll learn more about molding the essence at a higher rank,¡± Carina said. ¡°That might be one of them.¡±

    ¡°What rank are you?¡± he asked Tibs.

    ¡°Rho, but because of my age, I¡¯ve had to learn differently. You might learn it at a higher one.¡± He wondered if the lack of resistance from Water was because he¡¯d told the lie so often it was natural, or it was one of the harmless ones.

    ¡°You need to keep in mind that metal isn¡¯t known for being malleable,¡± Carina said, ¡°so that will have an influence too.¡±

    ¡°But I will be able to do it.¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t see why not. Essence isn¡¯t limited to what we think of this.¡± She flicked the blade with a finger. ¡°It¡¯s purer and more¡ª¡±

    ¡°Please no teaching,¡± Jackal groaned. ¡°This is about Tibs learning sword play.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you more later when he isn¡¯t around to complain.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡± Quigly faced Tibs and silently tapped his foot. ¡°How long can you make the blade?¡± he asked when Tibs started wondering if they¡¯d do anything.

    He shrugged. ¡°I want to learn how to use a short sword.¡±

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve tried others. I can¡¯t even lift one well.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but weight isn¡¯t an issue with this, right? Neither is balance.¡± He raised his sword. ¡°This isn¡¯t about if it¡¯s long or short or thin or thick. It¡¯s about what you¡¯re able to manage. A long one will be better because it keeps your enemies away from you, but with weights comes difficulty in controlling the swings. Your height would also be a factor because anything longer than that you¡¯d need to carry on your back, and unlike what the bards want you to think, that¡¯s not how you want a weapon when a fight surprises you.¡±

    He sheathed his sword and turned to show how the end of it was just above his ankle.

    ¡°When I can make mine, it¡¯ll be a little shorter because I don¡¯t like how this keeps tapping on my¡ª¡± he snorted. ¡°Right. When I can make mine, I won¡¯t have to worry about carrying it. So if length or weight and balance aren¡¯t an issue, you want to go for as long of a sword as you can wield.¡±

    Tibs looked at his sword and with a thought, the blade stretched until the point was in the crate next to Jackal¡¯s head. ¡°Sorry.¡± He pulled it out and nearly scalped the fighter as he moved it. He let go of it in horror of the pain he could have inflicted. How could he have been that thoughtless? ¡°I¡¯m not doing this.¡±

    Tibs turned and headed for the alley.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to let one mistake stop you from learning?¡± Quigly asked, and the tone stopped Tibs.

    ¡°I am not afraid,¡± he said, rounding on the warrior. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt Jackal.¡±

    ¡°I can take a scratch,¡± the fighter said, amused.

    ¡°It¡¯s not funny!¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Carina said. ¡°You need to think. You need to remember what Jackal¡¯s able to do.¡±

    Tibs closed his eyes and forced his breathing to slow. That had been Water. And he was Tibs. Jackal could take a beating, so a scratch from his sword wouldn¡¯t bother him.

    He nodded and came back, picking up the sword and shortening the blade. Did it mean something that he¡¯d dropped it, instead of reabsorbing it? Water refusing to take back something that could have caused pain? Or Tibs, knowing he¡¯d need it still?

    ¡°That¡¯s too long for precision work,¡± Quigly said, although the way he looked at him made Tibs suspect he had questions he¡¯d rather ask. ¡°But being able to change the length as you fight is an advantage. You can adapt to your opponents and surprise them.¡± He grinned. ¡°I will definitely figure out how to get that to happen.¡±

    Tibs swallowed the bile threatening to come up. Not only would he be better at hurting people, but they wouldn¡¯t see it coming. How could he contemplate such a thing?

    Because he had to protect others. He had to make right what he¡¯d allowed to happen and he could only do that by being better at taking down his enemies.

    He hated that he would have to fight again.

    Tibs raised his blade. ¡°How do we start?¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs panted as the sword came to a stop by his neck. Quigly looked at him and Tibs nodded. He was dead.

    He was dead from exhaustion, too. His sword didn¡¯t weigh anything, but moving around trying to hit the warrior was tiring. He straightened, he couldn¡¯t let that stop him, and readied himself.

    ¡°Well,¡± a woman called, ¡°there¡¯s my favorite guy.¡±

    Tibs absorbed his sword and let go of Water.

    ¡°I¡¯m taken, Cross,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Please remember that, or my man is going to have to have words with you.¡±

    ¡°He can keep you,¡± she replied.

    ¡°Cross,¡± Quigly greeted her nervously. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were back. I¡¯d have met you at the platform.¡±

    She hugged Tibs and ruffled his hair. ¡°How¡¯s my puzzle partner? found any good ones while you were away?¡± She winked at him as she ignored the warrior.

    Tibs sighed. He was going to get caught between people and their specialness again. ¡°I found a few, but I couldn¡¯t bring them back. They were like that castle you told me about. Part of something.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°How about I show you those I got, and you can tell me the fun I missed?¡±

    ¡°So,¡± Jackal mock whispered to Quigly. ¡°You and her?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± the warrior hurried to answer.

    ¡°Smooth, man.¡± Jackal patted his shoulder. ¡°Way smoother than how I found out I was Kro¡¯s special guy.¡±

    Tibs sighed. Why did he always get dragged into this kind of situation?

 Stepping up, Chapter 77

    ¡°I hate this,¡± Tibs grumbled as the crowd cheered.

    ¡°Come on,¡± Jackal said, ¡°enjoy the show.¡± He joined in the cheering as the woman connected with the man¡¯s face hard enough that he staggered to the side.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t a show,¡± Tibs complained. ¡°It¡¯s two people needlessly hurting each other.¡±

    He hadn¡¯t known the town has a fighting circle. Considering Harry¡¯s rule against fighting, the guard leader didn¡¯t either. He studied how he felt, and yes, it was him, not Water that hated this. He¡¯d have put a stop to it when it started if he¡¯d found out. They had enough with Sto giving them something to fight, they didn¡¯t need to hit one another.

    Once this exercise of Jackal¡¯s was done with, Tibs was bringing an end to this place.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing needless about this, Tibs.¡± Jackal sat and the fighters went at each other again. ¡°That¡¯s why I brought you here. This might not be pretty, but it¡¯s needed for our town to survive. Especially if you want really violent crimes kept to a minimum.¡±

    ¡°The dungeon already has them fight,¡± Tibs complained.

    ¡°What do I do between runs Tibs?¡±

    ¡°You train.¡±

    ¡°What did I do when the dungeon was healing?¡±

    Tibs tried to work out what Jackal was getting to. ¡°You went to MountainSea with Kroseph and his family.¡± Was this about forcing him to think about something other than the now? It was easier, with Water being less of an influence on how he thought, but he didn¡¯t always enjoy that. There was a comfort in not thinking about yesterday or tomorrow. In not worrying about what his actions caused.

    ¡°And?¡±

    Tibs thought it over, and not liking what he was coming up with said, ¡°you nearly got yourself killed in the arena.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t go in looking to die,¡± Jackal replied in far too casual a tone. ¡°And the Arena wasn¡¯t going to let me die. It looks bad for them when a fighter dies outside of a death match.¡±

    ¡°The healer there didn¡¯t sound like he thought you¡¯d live when I got there.¡±

    Jackal smiled. ¡°But I wasn¡¯t dead, was I?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡± Tibs demanded angrily.

    ¡°I¡¯m not like you, Tibs. A lot of us here aren¡¯t. I don¡¯t just accept that violence is something I have to do. I crave it. I rejoice in it. Sure, the dungeon gives me the best fights I¡¯ve ever had, but how often do I get to fight it?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve fought here?¡± Tibs asked in dismay.

    Jackal chuckled. ¡°Who do you think helped get this started?¡±

    ¡°Are you out of your fucking mind?¡± Tibs stood as he yelled, and silence spread from him to the entire room as the people there turned to look at him. Even the fighters noticed the change and paused to watch him. His face burned in embarrassment, but his anger kept him from sitting down and wanting them to forget about his outburst.

    ¡°How can you do this to one another? Didn¡¯t Sebastian kill enough of us? Are you looking to finish what he started?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got this,¡± Jackal said over the raising murmurs as expressions of confusion turned to anger. ¡°No one needs to worry about a thing other than¡ª¡± he winced ¡°¡ªnot paying attention to their opponent.¡± He placed a hand on Tibs¡¯s shoulder. ¡°No one¡¯s killing anyone here, Tibs.¡±

    The grumbling continued as the others sat.

    ¡°What do you call that?¡± Tibs pointed to the result of the previous fight. Arruh was stretched on a bench, his face bloody and an arm at an unnatural angle. Tibs could sense the other injuries the man had.

    Jackal grinned. ¡°Alive and in a fucking lot of pain.¡± His expression sobered. ¡°But he¡¯s alive. He¡¯ll get healed when it¡¯s his team¡¯s turn to go into the dungeon. And for now, he¡¯s gotten the fight out of him.¡±

    ¡°When Harry finds out about this, he¡¯s¡ª¡±

    ¡°Knuckles isn¡¯t finding out, Tibs. We¡¯re making damned sure of that.¡±

    ¡°But¡ª¡± Tibs couldn¡¯t find the words. How could Jackal think this was a good idea? How could his friend take part in making something that would only end up hurting the people in his town?

    Jackal sat, making Tibs do the same as the other stood and cheered. ¡°Tibs. The guild took each of us out of cells. We were all criminals before coming here. You run the roofs. Carina sneaks in reading books she shouldn¡¯t. I fight. I have to fight, I love to fight, Tibs. Everyone who steps into that circle is like me. It¡¯s part of who we are more than the element we¡¯ve taken. If we didn¡¯t have this, we¡¯d be starting fights elsewhere, and possibly without meaning or wanting to.¡±

    ¡°The tavern fights.¡± He¡¯d known most of those were arranged. He hadn¡¯t liked it but he had accepted they¡¯d happen.

    ¡°One of the ways we keep Knuckles from looking for this place. And it gives the townsfolk a show to watch. Notice how it¡¯s just runners here? This isn¡¯t for them.¡±

    ¡°How can you be sure no one¡¯s going to die?¡± Fighting his despair kept him from being angry.

    ¡°Can never be sure of that, but we have rules. Only fists. No element. And there¡¯s always a stronger fighter than those in the circle keeping watch to make sure it stops before it goes too far. Some go in to settle scores, others to prove they¡¯re better. Most of us just do it because it¡¯s how we have a good time.¡±

    Tibs wanted to cry, to scream. To accuse Jackal of betraying everything they were doing. He let go of Water and it only reduced the intensity of what he felt. He tried to calm down, so he could explain how wrong all of this was, but his emotions strangled the words.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal called as he turned and pushed his way out.

    * * * * *

    The dog fell into step with him and whined as it looked up.

    ¡°You know,¡± Serba said, falling into step on Tibs¡¯s other side. ¡°I swear he¡¯s more loyal to you than he is to me. Anytime he catches your scent, it¡¯s all I can do to keep him at my side.¡±

    ¡°Go away.¡± He should have climbed to the roofs. Thumper nuzzled his leg.

    ¡°My brother might have the tact of a boulder, but you know he means well, right?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s getting them to beat on each other,¡± Tibs replied, words clipped. ¡°We¡¯re supposed to help each other, not hurt one another.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s giving their violence an outlet.¡±

    He rounded on her. ¡°We have the dungeon for that!¡±

    She chuckled. ¡°Not unless they can go in anytime they feel the urge to put their fist in someone¡¯s face.¡±

    He narrowed his eyes. ¡°You fight in there?¡±

    She chuckled. ¡°I work out my frustrations in other ways.¡± The lecherous smile she gave him made it clear how.

    He kicked a stone and started walking again. ¡°I want the town to be a safe place.¡± He placed a hand on Thump¡¯s head and scratched the base of the ear.

    ¡°The circle¡¯s part of that. Everyone, everything has urges. They¡¯re going to come out no matter what we do. My dogs have to chase each other, snap and bite. Thugs have to hit people.¡±

    Tibs sighed and looked up. Torus was the only one visible at the moment. Did he feel lonely too? Or did looking down on them mean he never felt that? ¡°I hate it.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t change that it¡¯s needed.¡±

    ¡°I hate that what you and Jackal tell me makes sense.¡± He looked down at Thumper and looked at his tail wagging. Did dogs worry about things like this? ¡°It means I¡¯m getting used to it. To having people being hurt, letting them get hurt.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re only getting used to that now?¡± Serba asked, sounding amused. She raised a hand as Tibs glared at her. ¡°You said you¡¯re street.¡±

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°This was supposed to be different.¡± The tears were born as much of frustration as sorrow. Completely normal reactions that somehow felt out of place, even while he wasn¡¯t channeling Water.

    He was surprised when she squeezed his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s one of the world¡¯s lessons. It doesn¡¯t matter where you are. It¡¯s still going to suck.¡±

    He chuckled.

    She smiled. ¡°You good?¡±

    He snorted. ¡°No.¡± He sighed. ¡°But that¡¯s getting to be normal, too.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs walked to the mountain, away from the steps leading to the door. Even with the plain devoid of people, Tibs didn¡¯t want to be too obvious. There were no guards at the door, not that Sto needed protectors, because Harry still hadn¡¯t replenished the ranks. One could still walk by at any time.

    He looked over his shoulder to make sure neither Jackal nor Carina were in tow. Giving them the slip had proved harder than it should have been. He was a rogue, after all, and they weren¡¯t. But they knew him so they knew his usual routes. The other problem was that in vanishing like he had, he caused them to worry. He could ignore the pull of Water to put their well-being before what he wanted, but it was still there, reminding him he was causing them pain, no matter how little, or that they¡¯d understand once he told them

    He was tempted to let the element go. Water was exhausting, with always worrying about everyone else. He wasn¡¯t supposed to care about the consequences of his actions when he channeled an element. He was supposed to be entirely in the now.

    Unless his actions went contrary to that element, then all he could do was worry about it. Letting it go would solve that, but it wouldn¡¯t give him the practice he needed in remaining himself.

    ¡°Tibs! Welcome back. Oh, your trip was successful. But what happened to your element? It¡¯s all water now.¡±

    Tibs smiled. ¡°The work¡¯s all done?¡± not feeling like getting into his problems right now.

    ¡°Yeah, Ganny¡¯s plan took more work than either of us expected. How long has it been? Where¡¯s everyone? I expected crowds eagerly waiting for me to open my door. Or at least the usual guards.¡±

    Tibs¡¯s pleasure at Sto¡¯s return fell. ¡°Most are busy helping rebuild. More died.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. What happened?¡±

    ¡°Sebastian tried to take over the town while most of us were away. We won, but he got away.¡±

    ¡°Wait, does this mean there¡¯s going to be fewer Runners to explore my third floor?¡± Sto ask.

    ¡°Yes, Sto,¡± Tibs snapped. ¡°Runners died defending the town, so there¡¯s going to be less of us to see that floor.¡±

    ¡°What¡­did I say?¡±

    Tibs sighed. ¡°I¡¯m just tired.¡± He sat and leaned against the cliff face. He knew better than to expect Sto to react the same way he did, or even the way another human would. He was a dungeon. His priorities were different. His understanding of how Tibs felt was based on what Tibs had told him, not because Sto felt the same. He existed to pull people in, to test them against his traps and creatures. What happened outside was¡­ distant for him.

    ¡°Then I hope you¡¯ll rest before your run, you¡¯re going to need all your strength and cunning. Do you know when you¡¯ll be in?¡±

    Tibs chuckled. ¡°The guild isn¡¯t going to recall the others until you open your door, it¡¯s going to be a few days after that before there¡¯s enough of us back for them to set up the schedule. Once they call them back, they have two weeks to return.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ eighteen days. Why so long? I¡¯m ready now.¡±

    Tibs felt the vibration in the stone, but he couldn¡¯t see the door from where he was.

    ¡°There, now they know.¡± He paused. ¡°You know, there are no guards, so you could tell the Runners they can come in whenever they want.¡±

    Tibs chuckled. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have opened your door. The guild will have guards there before I reach the town.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Sto said, then hesitated. ¡°Can I ask a favor?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask the other teams for information on the third floor. I want you to experience it as if you were the first team to go in. It¡¯s going to be worth it, I promise.¡±

    Tibs closed his eyes. Thinking of sharing information brought Pyan to his mind, and with her Geoff. Then other¡¯s he¡¯d lost. Of that team, Tandy was the only one left. He had no idea who she¡¯d team with once she returned.

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± He¡¯d have to warn Carina, but she¡¯d appreciate discovering the floor as much as he did.

    ¡°You are going to have so much fun!¡±

    Oh, that did not bode well.

    * * * * *

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Darran called as he approached the table.

    ¡°I was going to go get my armor,¡± Tibs said noting the pack the merchant had with him.

    ¡°I decided being in public would make trying to get you to tell me how it got damaged the way it did less tempting. And don¡¯t worry about paying for it. Consider it my thanks for leading the defense of the town and making sure Merchant Row wasn¡¯t forgotten in the middle of all the troubles.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t Don lead the defense?¡± Mez asked. He and Khumdar had arrived that morning. Tibs had been surprised to see the cleric arrive on the fourth day after the recall was sent. He¡¯d cut it close the last time. He wasn¡¯t surprised that the version of Don¡¯s story had already reached them.

    Jackal smiled. ¡°We¡¯re happy to let him spread that story. Keeps the guild out of our lives.¡±

    ¡°But we of Merchant Row know who the true heroes are.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t here for most of it,¡± Tibs protested.

    ¡°You were here in inspiration,¡± Jackal replied.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you start telling people that,¡± he warned the fighter, his tone sharp enough Mez raised an eyebrow and Tibs took a breath to calm himself. How he felt about Jackal¡¯s part in the fighting circle kept slipping into other arguments, even needless ones like this.

    ¡°And now that Sebastian¡¯s gone, and the guild is going to bother Don for anything they want to happen in town, I can finally go back to running the roofs, practicing in the noble¡¯s houses, and just resting between runs.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes,¡± Darran said, and Tibs immediately had a bad feeling about what would follow. ¡°Jackal, do you mind if I borrow Tibs? I¡¯ve been tasked by the other merchants with addressing something with him.¡±

    ¡°Look,¡± the fighter warned. ¡°Whatever they¡¯re complaining about, Tibs had nothing to do with it.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t about any of the troubles that might have happened, or might be happening.¡±

    Tibs sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can to help.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Carina warned. ¡°You don¡¯t have to help with anything. Remember, there are more important things than looking after others¡¯ wellbeing.¡±

    Tibs nodded and checked how he felt. This was him, not Water. ¡°Darran wouldn¡¯t have come to us if it wasn¡¯t important. Do you want another table, or elsewhere entirely?¡±

    Mez exchanged a quizzical look with Jackal and Carina. He¡¯d been happy for Tibs that his eyes had finally changed color, but he hadn¡¯t been told everything that meant yet.

    The merchant looked around uncomfortably. ¡°I¡¯d prefer a tavern. One without Runners.¡±

    Tibs hoped that whichever Runners had been taking advantage of the merchants would be easy to convince to stop. He didn¡¯t want to have to set rules again and enforce them.

    Darran led him to the Drunk Sow. A tavern near the worker¡¯s neighborhood. Everyone in it looked tired, but content. He ordered a tankard each, and they sat at a table.

    ¡°There¡¯s been a rash of robbery,¡± Darran stated. ¡°Nothing valuable. Mainly supplies for runs, but it¡¯s affecting how the merchants feel toward the runners. If it continues, it will affect the balance of mutual respect we have.¡±

    ¡°Have you told Harry?¡± Tibs asked, knowing the answer.

    ¡°No one wants to deal with the guards after the harassment they suffered at their hand.¡±

    ¡°Those who worked for Sebastian are gone,¡± Tibs said. ¡°Killed or fled.¡±

    Darran watched him as he sipped his tankard. ¡°Did they work for that man? Or did the guild simply take advantage of the situation? Most of us came here with the promise of¡­not an easy time, but with expectations, this wouldn¡¯t be a city. There¡¯s a dungeon, the adventurer¡¯s guild has a hall here. The implication was that we would be better protected. But those adventurers were replaced within months of arriving by ordinary guards, corrupt ones at that. To make that worse, they were brought here by the then-new leader of the guards. A man still in charge.¡±

    Tibs wondered if explaining that Harry had been fooled by Sebastian and that magic had been used would make Darran willing to go to him. Tibs was still angry at Harry for not listening to him and Jackal, but he wanted to believe he¡¯d learned and that he would do better if given the chance.

    ¡°Those are only the worst of why we are now reluctant to go to the guild. Complaints have been ignored from the moment we arrived. Small things, nearly inconsequential, but which accumulate. Even those who have had enough can¡¯t necessarily leave, because the clauses in the contracts we signed are rife with ways the guild can extract more in the process. Not every merchant in the row has had the fortune I have had.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to the Runners, make them stop, but I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re telling me everything else.¡±

    ¡°During the siege, Jackal and Quigly took charge of protecting the Row, but he was only continuing what you started. You arranged to protect us from the corrupt guards. We, all the merchants of the Row, would like to restart that arrangement, but officially. We want to hire you to provide the security for Merchant Row.¡±

    Tibs ground his teeth to stop himself from immediately agreeing. Of course, he wanted to help. And he didn¡¯t believe it was Water influencing him. But should he? Was it the wise thing to do for him, the Runners, or even the town?

    This would put him against Harry.

    Who had been willing to let the town be destroyed by Sebastian, maybe even finish the destruction if it came to it.

    Alright, so maybe Harry couldn¡¯t be trusted with the Town¡¯s best interest. It was the guild he was loyal to.

    He¡¯d have to rely on the Runners. Could he depend on them? On them not taking advantage of the position, on them surviving the dungeon so they could keep helping with the town? Could he use this to help the new Runners? The ones the guild was sure to bring in to make up for everyone who¡¯d died during the siege?

    Would the Runners even want to help? A lot of those who had been part of the first group had died in the siege. He had no idea what the new Runners would be like.

    More importantly.

    Could he do this?

    He wanted to. He wanted his town to be safe, even if it wasn¡¯t the perfect place he¡¯d thought it to be. No, because it wasn¡¯t perfect, he wanted to push it in that direction as much as he could. But he was just a Runner. What did he know about keeping people safe? Most of what had been done before had been implemented by Jackal. Tibs had only handled the rogues.

    Jackal was still there, and Quigly would help. He¡¯d help as much as they were willing to trust him back then, and had kept the town safe during the siege. As much as the idea didn¡¯t sit well, Don would also help. And if Tibs could trust him to keep his ego in check, Don would be able to keep the guild¡¯s interference down.

    ¡°I¡¯m willing to do it,¡± he finally said and immediately continued as Darran smiled. ¡°But it depends on being able to find people to do this with. I don¡¯t know if I can get a lot of the Runners to help.¡±

    ¡°There will be money to pay them with,¡± Darran said.

    ¡°The first rule is that no one talks coins with anyone other than me.¡±

    Darran grinned. ¡°Planning on keeping most for yourself?¡±

    Tibs glared at the man, trying to determine if he was trying to be funny. He knew him better than that.

    ¡°Only talking money with you,¡± Darran stated.

    ¡°You need to be certain none of the other merchants will take Harry¡¯s protection. This won¡¯t work if I can only protect some of the shops¡±

    ¡°On that, you have no worries. The few who were uncertain about this only had to be reminded of what happened to those who took the guard¡¯s protection before the siege to decide the danger was too great.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t me saying yes,¡± Tibs stated, wishing the merchant would stop smiling. ¡°I¡¯m just going to see what I can arrange and we can talk again later.¡±

    The smile did not diminish. ¡°Just knowing you are willing to take this on makes me feel safer.¡±

    Tibs rolled his eyes. ¡°Really? You¡¯re asking a rogue to look after your valuables and you feel safe?¡±

    ¡°Ah, but Tibs, I am not asking a rogue. I¡¯m asking you.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 78

    ¡°Let me get this straight,¡± Stick said. ¡°You want us to take on the guards. The guild backed guards. And give our pay to good-for-nothing Omegas?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not taking on the guards,¡± Tibs replied.

    Stick was a rogue and thin enough, Carina had asked if he was sick, which had earned her an annoyed roll of the eyes. Quigly had brought him to the planning after Tibs had told him, Jackal, and Carina what Darran had offered. Carina had brought in Josaca, and Samuel had simply showed up, saying Khumdar had suggested he come. How the cleric knew what Tibs was up to, he put to his obsessive search for secrets, not that Tibs would have kept it for him if he¡¯d asked.

    Stick motioned to a server with his tankard before draining it. ¡°Keep telling yourself that when Knuckles throws you in a cell, and us along for helping you with his insane idea.¡±

    Tibs knew the man as one of the recruits. He had stickier fingers than Tibs and they had had a few arguments over him being too free about which pockets he slipped his fingers into and how empty he left them.

    Samuel was an archer, one of the few survivors from the first arrivals, who Tibs had rarely interacted with despite that. Josaca was a sorcerer, and Tibs knew nothing about her, other than Carina knew her.

    They were at Tibs¡¯s team¡¯s table, enjoying the ale that was back to its good standards.

    ¡°Knuckles isn¡¯t going to do that,¡± Jackal said. ¡°He likes Tibs too much.¡±

    Tibs snorted.

    ¡°I am with Stick,¡± Josaca replied, looking at them cautiously. ¡°The guild has an interest in making sure they are in control.¡±

    ¡°Of the dungeon,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°They¡¯ve demonstrated how little they care about the town when they responded to my father¡¯s attacks.¡±

    ¡°Barricading themselves in a building, behind adventurers and all that magical protection wasn¡¯t much of a response,¡± Quigly said.

    ¡°My exact point.¡± Jackal grinned.

    The warrior shook his head in annoyance. ¡°But, unless the merchants stop paying their taxes to pay Tibs, I don¡¯t think we have to worry about the guild.¡±

    They all look at him. ¡°I didn¡¯t think to ask Darran about that.¡±

    ¡°You should have,¡± Josaca replied, ¡°if you¡¯re¡ª¡±

    ¡°Lay off, Joss,¡± Carina said. ¡°Darran approached Tibs without saying what it was about. He didn¡¯t have the time to find out what kind of questions he should ask.¡±

    The sorceress looked around, some of her bluster melting away. ¡°I¡¯m simply saying that Tibs has a history of getting in over his head. Now he¡¯s pulling us in with him.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Carina said. ¡°He¡¯s coming to us for help. To find out the best way to go about it, because he knows he doesn¡¯t have the experience needed to do it alone. Would you ask for help?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯d asked you.¡±

    Carina motioned to the others around the table, and Josaca¡¯s expression became guarded.

    ¡°Tibs isn¡¯t smart the way you and I are, or in the ways Jackal, Quigly, and Samuel are.¡± She glared the fighter¡¯s attempted protest down. ¡°But he is smart when it comes to asking questions and getting others to help him. He didn¡¯t tell Darran he was doing it. He said he¡¯d see if he could. This is what we are here to decide. All of us.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your problem with the Omegas, Stick?¡± Quigly asked as the thin man gave the server a sweet smile and almost reached for her hip, but he noticed Tibs¡¯s eyes on him and pulled his hand away.

    ¡°Kind of obvious, ain¡¯t it?¡± He sipped his tankard. ¡°If I¡¯m doing the work, I don¡¯t see why they should be the ones benefiting.¡±

    ¡°So they survive,¡± Tibs said.

    The rogue snorted. ¡°What do I care if they¡¯re the ones feeding the dungeon? Better them than me.¡±

    ¡°You should,¡± Quigly said, ¡°because each one who survives because we helped them will be someone to share the burden of protecting Merchant Row once they are strong enough.¡± He ran a finger along the rim of his tankard. ¡°Right now, our biggest problem, as far as I can see, is one of numbers. If Harry objects to what we¡¯re planning, we can¡¯t stop him from shutting us down. How final that is will depend on how much goodwill Tibs has built with the guild. But the more Runners we add to our numbers, the easier it is to operate despite their protest.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like you need the coins,¡± Jackal said, ¡°with the loot the dungeon hands out.¡±

    ¡°And how much of that do I get to keep?¡± Stick replied. ¡°Do any of you know how much this training we are forced to go through is costing, or that we¡¯re going to have to pay for it at some point? I don¡¯t know about you, but I¡¯m not planning on being a slave to the guild for my entire life.¡±

    Josaca looked at Carina, while Quigly looked at Jackal.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you the details later,¡± Carina told her, and Jackal simply offered a shrug.

    ¡°The merchants aren¡¯t going to pay us enough for that to make a difference,¡± Tibs said. It didn¡¯t matter how much the merchants would offer, Tibs hadn¡¯t thought to ask about that either, but the coins the guild demanded for each day of training were gold. Only the dungeon could hope to approach that, and Alistair had told him that even that wouldn¡¯t be enough to pay for everything.

    ¡°It could be, if we charge enough.¡± The grin Stick gave wasn¡¯t pleasant. ¡°After all, if they don¡¯t pay us, who¡¯s going to keep them safe from all the criminals in the town if we don¡¯t? The guards?¡±

    ¡°Stick,¡± Quigly snapped as Tibs stood, water moving over his hand and forming into a jagged blade.

    ¡°I will,¡± Tibs said, glaring at the rogue. The sword crackles as the water turned to ice, parts flaking off to reveal sharp points and edges. ¡°This is my town. If you don¡¯t want to help, that¡¯s fine. But I will protect the people here. I¡¯m going to do it if no one pays me. Sebastian nearly destroyed us. I¡¯m not letting you or anyone else try it.¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± Stick said, raising his hands defensively, ¡°relax, I was joking. Of course, I wouldn¡¯t do anything against the town and the people here.¡±

    ¡°Why is he here?¡± Tibs asked, not taking his eyes off the rogue. He was lying. He didn¡¯t need to see the way he glowed to know it. Trying to excuse something with humor was something Tibs had been on the receiving end of often. Even Jackal used it, but with him, it was to excuse the moments where he showed himself as not being the idiot he wanted people to see him as.

    ¡°He¡¯s here,¡± Quigly replied reluctantly, ¡°because he has a better understanding of the rogues who came with us than I do. He proved instrumental in getting them to help and keeping them controlled while we survived what Sebastian threw at us. I also thought he understood what was important. Seems I was wrong about that.¡±

    ¡°The dungeon,¡± Stick scoffed.

    ¡°The town,¡± the warrior countered before Tibs could. Tibs wasn¡¯t sure how Quigly kept his voice steady. ¡°The dungeon¡¯s where we work. It¡¯s like the mines those who can¡¯t afford the land for their farms go to so they can pay their taxes to¡ª¡± he looked around, even Tibs had pulled his gaze from the rogue to look at him, wondering what he was talking about. ¡°Never mind. The point is that the town is where we live. If that goes to shit, how are we going to rest between runs? You really want the merchants pissed at you?¡±

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    ¡°Fine-fine.¡± Stick took a nervous swallow. ¡°I¡¯m on board. Honest, I am.¡± He lied as Tibs narrowed his eyes at him. ¡°But you can think of me as what you¡¯re going to have to deal with trying to convince the others.¡± That wasn¡¯t a lie. And Tibs had trouble figuring out if it was because the rogue knew the others that well, or because he didn¡¯t and just believed they¡¯d be like that. ¡°Fuck, what kind of criminals are you?¡±

    ¡°The surviving kind,¡± Jackal replied, and Tibs heard the smile in his voice. ¡°Maybe if we hadn¡¯t been sent here, those of us who survived our crimes would be like you and no longer care about the larger painting made of everyone that it affects and is affected by us.¡± He paused. ¡°Maybe if I hadn¡¯t met Tibs, I¡¯d be like you, anyway. But we¡¯re not. We had to depend on each other to survive. And we can take what we learned, teach the new Omegas that they aren¡¯t alone either, and along the way, make sure they don¡¯t die needlessly and that they will want to help the rest of us survive in return.¡±

    Stick stared at the fighter, stunned.

    ¡°I was told you were stupid,¡± Josaca said.

    Jackal grinned proudly. ¡°Oh, I am the stupid one. So if you think what I¡¯m saying sounds smart, maybe you should pay attention to what Tibs says a little more. I don¡¯t need to include Carina. You two are friends, so you already know she¡¯s the smartest person in this town.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t lay it on so thick,¡± Carina replied, rolling her eyes.

    ¡°The point remains,¡± Jackal said, ¡°I¡¯m the idiot, so listen when Tibs speaks.¡±

    * * * * *

    ¡°Stick, stay seated,¡± Jackal said as the others stood to leave.

    The discussion had gone on too long, as far as Tibs was concerned. They were going to help, so why worry about who would do what, what split of the payment made more sense to use for which group of Omegas. How would they decide which Omegas they helped? Because as much as Tibs wanted to help all of them, even he knew that was impossible.

    But the important conclusion that had been reached was that they would accept Darran¡¯s offer. The rest, the others could deal with, as far as Tibs was concerned.

    Tibs sat down again, as did Quigly. Carina looked at Jackal, who shook his head, so she, Josaca, and Samuel left. The archer had offered a suggestion here or there, but on the whole, seemed as mystified as to why he was there as Tibs was. He¡¯d have to check with Khumdar.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to stay,¡± Jackal told the warrior.

    ¡°I brought Stick in. Whatever this is, I should be taking some of the fallout.¡±

    Jackal nodded.

    Stick looked too comfortable for Tibs¡¯s liking.

    ¡°First of all,¡± Jackal said, ¡°I want to make it clear that your help during the siege was invaluable. I don¡¯t think we would have lasted quite as long as we did if not for the way you kept the rogues in line and on our side.¡±

    The smile the rogue gave showed he knew what he¡¯d done and what he believed he was owed in return.

    ¡°So, take what I¡¯m going to say next with that in mind.¡± Jackal¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°If Tibs doesn¡¯t skewer you for what you¡¯re thinking of doing, I am going to rip your head off.¡±

    The smile vanished, replaced by confusion.

    ¡°See, I think you forgot who my father is,¡± the fighter said. ¡°What he trained me to become. I know how you organized the rogues and that it¡¯s how you were able to be effective. The problem for you is that I also know what the next step is. Now you¡¯re thinking you¡¯re too important to be replaced. If you were to¡­oh, die between this table and the door, the other rogues would rise up and avenge you and we can¡¯t deal with that.¡± The smile he gave the rogue wasn¡¯t pleasant. ¡°Just nod if I¡¯m even slightly close to what¡¯s been going through your mind.¡±

    Stick nodded, then swallowed.

    ¡°Now. Here¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong. Those people you organized; they aren¡¯t thieves or cutthroats. They¡¯re rogues. They¡¯re Runners. The dungeon forces us to understand that everyone dies. So when you do¡­if you do. They¡¯re just going to look for someone else to take charge. There might be scuffles as they work out the order, but even if they know who caused it to happen, they aren¡¯t going to care. You aren¡¯t that important overall. And the guy they end up rallying behind isn¡¯t going to let them cause the kind of problem you¡¯re imaging.¡±

    ¡°You,¡± Stick stammered nervously. ¡°You sound rather certain of how who¡¯d replace me will act.¡±

    Jackal shrugged. ¡°I know how Tibs thinks.¡±

    Tibs narrowed his eyes at the fighter. He wasn¡¯t taking over anything.

    ¡°So, you need to decide what¡¯s really important to you, Stick. I¡¯m not someone who wants to keep people in place through fear, but I understand its effectiveness. If that is what it takes, I can scare the shit out of you.¡± Jackal¡¯s smile turned sweet and Stick paled.

    ¡°But you¡¯d prefer if Stick realized that what we¡¯re doing is better for him,¡± Quigly said.

    ¡°See, that¡¯s why I thought you should stick around,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°You¡¯re better with words than I am.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t know how you lived, Stick,¡± Quigly said. ¡°I can make guesses they can¡¯t, but that¡¯s all they¡¯re going to be. But you aren¡¯t alone anymore. If you can understand that. This can turn into a good thing for you.¡±

    ¡°Or at least a longer¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stop,¡± Tibs ordered and, for once, Jackal¡¯s mouth obeyed.

    * * * * *

    Don preened next to the schedule.

    His name wasn¡¯t on it, because he was going in before everyone, even the nobles.

    Tibs had been surprised to find out the schedule was up since there had been no gathering the day before, as there had been the previous times Omegas had arrived. He¡¯d noticed a few arrivals throughout the previous day of young men and women escorted by guards, and Tibs had thought Harry was still organizing and would give his speech today.

    As the Hero of Kragle Rock, it had been easy for Don to rebuild his team. Even those who hated him and had found themselves without a team on their return had flocked to join. The sorcerer had been far too happy when he told some of them that no, they weren¡¯t suitable for his team.

    ¡°There are a lot more teams now,¡± Carina remarked.

    ¡°Only five new ones among the nobles,¡± Mez pointed out.

    ¡°Are any of those new teams the Omegas?¡± Tibs asked. ¡°Is that why there was no gathering?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Carina said. ¡°Usually, by the time a dungeon is Rho, everyone who comes pays for the chance. With it surviving the attack, it made sense they brought in convicts then, and after the way nearly everyone from that group died, the recruits also made sense. Now, I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to see anymore convicts.¡±

    ¡°Is that going to affect the plan?¡± Tibs asked.

    Mez stared at him, his expression darkening, while Khumdar simply smiled. When Tibs had asked him about Samuel, the cleric simply replied not to underestimate the man¡¯s value. In the following meetings, the archer had revealed a knowledge of the town that even Tibs didn¡¯t have, and he had been vital in planning patrol routes and scheduling them.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to see,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°They¡¯re still Omegas, so even if they paid to be here. They will need help. Did you¡­ have any idea what the third floor¡¯s going to be like?¡±

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to discover that just like everyone else.¡±

    ¡°Except we¡¯ll have the information the previous teams give us to help,¡± Mez said, then looked at them. ¡°Won¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°You recognize any of the names before us?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°Everyone new will have been told not to talk about the dungeon outside of it. They won¡¯t have our experience with how the guild doesn¡¯t actually care. So this time, I think Tibs¡¯s right.¡± He grinned. ¡°It¡¯s going to be brand new to us.¡±

    Tibs had told Jackal and Carina of Sto¡¯s request for them to explore the third floor without foreknowledge and the fighter had been eager for it, while Carina had only agreed reluctantly and as a concession to Sto being a person, and not simply a creature.

    ¡°We have two weeks before it¡¯s our turn, so that¡¯s plenty of time to get in training.¡±

    ¡°Did this siege I and Mez missed not count as training?¡± Khumdar asked, still looking the names over.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°Did I say our training? I mean, your training. Unless you and Mez got caught in a war of your own while you were enjoying your time away, you two need it much more than we do.¡±

    * * * * *

    Alistair¡¯s expression became one of pride at seeing Tibs. ¡°Your eyes, they¡¯re blue.¡±

    The smile Tibs wore was forced. He hadn¡¯t been looking forward to this meeting. As used to functioning while channeling Water as he was now, there would be a lot of lies with Alistair and Tibs wasn¡¯t certain he had enough control not to give himself away to another rogue, one far more experienced at it.

    He would have preferred not to channel the element for this, but too many people had seen Tibs¡¯s eyes while he channeled at this point, and Carina¡¯s story of the color ¡®coming and going,¡¯ had only worked in the early days, before Jackal insisted Tibs always have Water at the ready, both as an exercise in controlling himself, and because that was the element he¡¯d need to rely on until they were certain of his control of the others. None of them had been willing to even entertain testing them now that the town was filling again.

    ¡°It started happening after I came back, among the fighting. Sometime toward the end of it, they stayed blue.¡±

    Alistair took Tibs¡¯s chin and made him look up, studying his eyes. ¡°I heard about that. Nasty business. I¡¯m glad you came out of it better.¡±

    ¡°Like you¡¯d have come.¡± Tibs cursed himself mentally for letting that slip.

    ¡°Of course, I would have, Tibs. If I¡¯d been called, I would have taken part in protecting the town.¡±

    Alistair didn¡¯t lie, and Tibs hated his ability to tell that right now. He couldn¡¯t be angry at him for something he hadn¡¯t even known had taken place. And he didn¡¯t want to ask if Alistair would have defied the guild if they instructed him to stay out of it, the way Harry had.

    Harry had told him, at some point, that there were times when not asking a question was better than knowing the answer. Tibs understood what he meant now that he¡¯d have to deal with the truth, no matter whether he wanted it or not.

    Alistair smiled and seemed invigorated. ¡°Now that you are fully Rho, we can move on to the good stuff.¡± He led Tibs to a training room.

 Stepping up, Chapter 79

    The stairs leading up to the door had changed. Tibs had noticed they weren¡¯t flat stones in the ground, as he walked by to check in on Sto previously, and more like steps, with gold edge and black spots. He¡¯d stayed far enough he hadn¡¯t realized the spots were designed to be rats and bunnies, made to seem like they were running up the stairs.

    The two guards by the door ignored them. Like all of Harry¡¯s guards in the town, they wore simple leathers, with a badge emblazoned on the breast. The white shield with the crossed swords wasn¡¯t painted on anymore, but silver, delicately engraved with black filigree Tibs couldn¡¯t identify. There was essence woven through it, but he couldn¡¯t tell which, or what the effect might be.

    The cleric was who stood in front of the door; an older man with a hard expression. He looked them over, placed a hand on Mez¡¯s shoulder without asking, then stepped away.

    Tibs went over how the essence had moved and shaped itself within the archer. He¡¯d decided purity was the next element he¡¯d work on, now that Water¡¯s influence was mostly unnoticeable. He wanted to properly heal his friends and felt the hard-work mindset of the element would be the least destructive.

    ¡°Was it my imagination,¡± Khumdar said, once out of earshot from the entrance, ¡°or were the guards wary of us?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think they know what to make of the job they have to do,¡± Carina answered. ¡°You¡¯ve seen them in town, edging away anytime they realize there¡¯s a Runner nearby. I don¡¯t think any training they got in whatever kingdom they came from covers how to keep adventurers in the making under control.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d think the guild would take care of that,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°You¡¯d think,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°But we had the adventurer rejects first, then drafted thugs, and now, men and women utterly out of their depth. It¡¯s almost like they have no idea how to handle a new dungeon or the Runners they send in it.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t they just get guards from other dungeons to come help or train these?¡± Tibs asked. ¡°They¡¯d know how to do it.¡± He studied the walls, looking for noticeable differences, but they were much like the last time.

    ¡°Maybe not,¡± Carina said. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since there was a new dungeon. I think nearly a century. The city that grew up around the last one would have proper militia now, and the Runners all pay to go through it. And I doubt they had as many recruits pulled from cells as we did. This dungeon had a tumultuous start. I won¡¯t be surprised if books are written about it.¡±

    ¡°Is that good?¡± Sto asked, and Tibs relayed the question.

    Carina shrugged. ¡°It¡¯ll probably affect the next dungeon, especially if there are still people left of that group who tried to kill you. But just to make sure it¡¯s better guarded, I think. Until the guild understands that you¡¯re a person, I doubt they¡¯ll be able to properly prepare for what a dungeon will do. What works for an animal won¡¯t work on someone who can reason.¡±

    ¡°Ganny doesn¡¯t like the idea they might learn I can think,¡± Sto said.

    ¡°She¡¯s right.¡± Tibs shook his head at Carina¡¯s quizzical expression. ¡°What happened to clerics being part of the teams once Sto was Rho? I haven¡¯t seen any team with them on it.¡±

    ¡°Maybe they meant Lambda?¡± Mez said.

    ¡°Who knows?¡± Jackal replied, walking past the hidden doorway.

    ¡°Jackal,¡± Carina called. ¡°The door¡¯s here.¡±

    ¡°I want to go through the first floor again. You know, to see what changed.¡±

    ¡°The loot isn¡¯t going to be worth the trouble,¡± Carina said.

    Tibs looked up.

    ¡°I can¡¯t force you to use the doorway,¡± Sto replied. ¡°But I didn¡¯t make any changes to this floor that will mean anything to your team. This is just for Omegas. Omegas who aren¡¯t supposed to be trained, or have good equipment,¡± he added in a miffed tone.

    Tibs smiled.

    With the coins the merchant had paid him for the security the Runners now provided, Tibs had gotten Darran to get enough cloth armor and basic weapons for two teams. Tibs had spoken with some of the Runners who survived their first runs, those who had been sent in with nothing but the armor and weapons the guild provided and offered to help them with better armor and training, although he made sure they weren¡¯t told anything about the traps and dangers they would face within Sto. The only thing he couldn¡¯t provide them with was the amulet for the team¡¯s sorcerer. The starting ones were all in the guild¡¯s possession, and the ones the merchant sold needed the sorcerer to have an element to be used.

    The guild hadn¡¯t complained about what he was doing.

    Yet.

    ¡°Sto doesn¡¯t mind,¡± Tibs said.

    * * * * *

    ¡°Well, this was a waste of time,¡± Mez said as they walked down the stairs to the second floor. ¡°Sorry dungeon. I mean no offense.¡±

    Sto chuckled. ¡°I can¡¯t be offended that you guys barely had to do anything to make it through. Although watching the Stone spears break on Jackal was a surprise.¡±

    ¡°No higher rank teams have done the first floor?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°Of course, but none of them have been brave enough to step on a trigger and see what happened.¡±

    ¡°Sure, brave is how I¡¯d describe what he did.¡±

    ¡°Idiotic,¡± Carina said.

    ¡°Are you talking behind my back?¡± Jackal called, already at the bottom of the stairs.

    ¡°Where else are we going to do it?¡± Carina replied, ¡°with you all the way down there?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m excited to face the upgraded second floor.¡±

    ¡°He just wants the loot,¡± Mez muttered.

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    ¡°Why do you always sound surprised when you say that?¡± the fighter asked.

    Mez startled, then answered. ¡°Because I keep thinking there has to be a point when you¡¯ll have enough.¡±

    ¡°That is blasphemy.¡± Jackal had his arms over his chest as they reached him. ¡°Even without the guild holding our debt over our head, there is no such thing as having enough money.¡±

    ¡°Now, that is a noble¡¯s way of thinking,¡± Carina said, stepping past the fighter, ¡°if I ever heard one.¡±

    Jackal sputtered at her while Tibs went to the alcove at the back of the stairs, drawn there by the new essence next to the hidden doorway leading back to the first floor. It had the same essence lock, so Tibs used water, but nothing happened.

    ¡°Sorry, Tibs. You have to unlock it from the other side first.¡±

    Tibs studied the pattern closer. Sto¡¯s warning simply meant he had to be cleverer about how he went about unlocking it here. He noticed that each of the essence tubes that had to be filled also had a thin string extending deeper into the wall until it was out of Tibs¡¯s sensing range. He sent water along it, but he couldn¡¯t tell what happened once it was out of his sense, other than the doorway remained closed.

    ¡°Do you think I can get other elements?¡± Tibs asked as he rejoined his friends.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have enough already?¡± Mez replied.

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t do much with essences I don¡¯t have.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, much?¡± the archer asked. ¡°What can you do to other essences that we can¡¯t?¡±

    Tibs kept his irritation at Mez¡¯s accusatory tone in check. ¡°At some point, you¡¯re going to be taught how to sense the other essences. It came up for me as part of learning to absorb water essence as I use it. All I know about that at this point is that being able to sense them lets you defend against other Runners using their essence against you.¡±

    ¡°I thought you could do that because of your element,¡± Carina said, surprised.

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°My teacher showed me how to disrupt another Runner¡¯s etching. My element just makes it easier for me to do it.¡± He couldn¡¯t find a way to explain how knowing what color the essence was in the Runner gave him a better idea of how to disrupt it.

    ¡°How about you use that element to get us across the pool?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°My element can¡¯t let me do that,¡± Tibs replied, trying not to smile. ¡°I need water for that.¡±

    ¡°Well, blue-eyes,¡± Jackal said, grinning. ¡°Get to it.¡±

    ¡°Sto will have something in place. You know that, right?¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just walk across the bridge?¡± Carina asked Jackal. ¡°That idiotic idea worked well enough for you in the trap room.¡±

    Jackal smiled at her. ¡°I guess that is the limit of my idiocy.¡±

    Mez snorted.

    Tibs sent essence ahead of him as he stepped off the edge and he landed on a solid disk of ice, wobbling on the water as it expanded. He stopped its expansion and controlled how deep it went. He didn¡¯t have to make it thick, his will determined how solid it was.

    ¡°Someone is trying to out-think me,¡± Sto said, amused.

    Something impacted the ice, making it tilt before breaking, and Tibs used essence to keep himself secured as Jackal yelled in surprise, sinking in the water. He solidified the water under the fighter and raised him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not ready,¡± he said, reconnecting the ice. He considered leaving him dripping, but decided to be the nice one and pulled it off.

    ¡°It looked ready,¡± the fighter said.

    Tibs made the ice harder, compacting the essence on top of willing it so. ¡°If you¡¯re in such a hurry, you should have used the bridge. I¡¯m trying to think of a way to keep Sto from using the stone pillars in the pool against us.¡±

    ¡°That was fun,¡± Jackal said.

    Tibs glared at him and considered removing the ice from under his feet. Forcing him to walk to the other side under the water would be a proper punishment for that statement. Only he didn¡¯t know if Jackal needed to breathe when he was stone. He went back to working on the ice platform.

    ¡°How is this going to be different?¡± The fighter asked. ¡°It can turn them on as we cross.¡±

    ¡°He can¡¯t make changes once we¡¯re in the room.¡± Tibs extended a path across the pool. ¡°That means the pillars have to be on some sort of trigger. The last time I iced all the water. And somehow it got larger. I think that¡¯s what triggered it. Now I¡¯m making sure it¡¯s not going to press against the walls or the floor.¡± When there was enough space for his entire team, he called up. ¡°It¡¯s safe to come down.¡±

    Mez was the first one, freezing in place, then carefully walking around, then looking perplexed. ¡°Why isn¡¯t it slick?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my essence,¡± Tibs replied, taking hold of the water around the platform to keep the wobbling from tipping them too far as Carina dropped to it. When Khumdar landed, it hardly reacted. He smiled as their safe path to the other side of the room solidified and hardened.

    He started forward. He had outsmarted Sto.

    That feeling lasted until they were in the middle of the pool and Tibs felt something move deep in the water.

    ¡°Oh, come on!¡± How had he forgotten about that thing? ¡°This is a trap room!¡±

    His friends were already running, and he ran after them. He shaped the water on the other end into stairs. He couldn¡¯t wait until they were¡ª

    The creature was approaching quickly. It was going to¡ª

    The ice exploded, and Tibs pulled chunks under him and his team as they were launched in the air, reinforcing it as wind buffeted him.

    ¡°Tibs!¡± Carina yelled with urgency.

    He cursed. They were sliding toward the edge and even her wind wasn¡¯t enough to stop them. He pulled more ice and made a wall to arrest them.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Jackal demanded.

    ¡°Hold on!¡± Tibs called as the platform started falling. It steadied as Carina added winds under it, but it wasn¡¯t enough.

    It impacted the water, and Tibs took hold of it to keep the platform steady.

    Heat bloomed behind Tibs and a glance showed him Mez firing arrow after fire arrow at the water. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is,¡± he muttered, ¡°but dead is what it¡¯s going to be.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not helping!¡± Tibs added essence to the rear of the platform to compensate for the heat.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see you do anything!¡± the archer snapped.

    ¡°He¡¯s keeping us from falling in the water,¡± Carina snapped in return.

    ¡°Yelling isn¡¯t going to help anything,¡± Jackal said.

    Tibs put them out of his mind and sensed for the creature in the water.

    ¡°Should you not hurry us to the other side?¡± Khumdar asked in a soft tone.

    ¡°It¡¯s not attacking, so it¡¯s planning something.¡± It was swimming back and forth ahead of them. Did it not know where they were? Was it clever enough to anticipate Tibs¡¯s actions? Was Sto controlling it directly? That seemed to be the one exception to him not being able to change a room. He could control his creatures. Or was it just the brutes? Or the boss creature? Tibs much preferred things when he thought trap rooms meant only traps and creature rooms only that.

    ¡°We can¡¯t stay here,¡± Carina said, standing behind him.

    ¡°I know. But I don¡¯t think it can tell where we are if we aren¡¯t moving. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be able to keep up together if it shatters the ice again.¡±

    ¡°Get that water jumper out of the water, and I¡¯ll deal with it,¡± Mez said angrily.

    ¡°I¡ª¡± Tibs started, his anger rising at the tone, then realized something. ¡°¡ªmight be able to make that happen.¡±

    How crafty was Sto? How crafty had he made the creature? He formed a platform of ice ahead of them. Hardened it. Then made human-like shapes on them. Five of them. It wasn¡¯t reacting.

    Did it know they weren¡¯t real? Did it not sense them? They had been walking before it attacked. But they¡¯d been walking for a while by then. So, a range in its senses. Or had Sto wanted to be certain they¡¯d be too far from either side? The second, he decided. Sto was clever that way. He wobbled the fake them. When that didn¡¯t make the creature react, he tried to figure a way to imitate them walking. He had no idea how Sto got stone creatures to move.

    Instead, he changed their shapes and broke pieces so the ice fell on the platform at the rate of steps. As soon as the first piece of ice hit the platform, the creature swam for it.

    ¡°It¡¯s coming!¡± Tibs yelled.

    ¡°I¡¯m right here,¡± Mez muttered.

    The creature broke through the platform, sending ice and water everywhere. Tibs watched in awe as it sailed through the air. It was translucent blue, shaped like an elongated barrel with fins around it and a snout in the front, and a flat tail at the back.

    Then it exploded in a ball of fire and shards of it rained around them.

    Tibs pushed the platform to the edge as fast as he could. He couldn¡¯t sense another one in the water, but he didn¡¯t care to risk it.

    They were up the ice stairs he made and on the stone platform. Tibs leaning against a wall, panting. ¡°What was that?¡± He demanded. ¡°Sto?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± the dungeon hesitated. ¡°I was going to call it a swimmer. But I kind of prefer Mez¡¯s name for them. So it¡¯s a Water Jumper now.¡±

    Tibs laughed. He laughed hard enough he slipped to the ground. When he finally got it under control, he saw the worried look on Mez¡¯s face and he was laughing again.

 Stepping up, Chapter 80

    Five Whippers waited for them in the next room, along with more rats than Tibs cared to count.

    ¡°You guys mind if I take that on by myself?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tibs replied, glaring at the fighter.

    ¡°The rats can¡¯t hurt me,¡± Jackal said. ¡°And I¡¯m pretty sure I can take the Whippers on without trouble. You guys can jump in if you decide I¡¯m in over my head.¡±

    ¡°Then we might as well go in with you,¡± Mez said. ¡°We already know you¡¯re in way over your head.¡±

    ¡°I believe it could be good for him to test his limits here,¡± the cleric said, ¡°rather than against the boss.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m with Khumdar,¡± Carina said.

    Jackal looked at Tibs.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Tibs replied with a sigh. ¡°But if you die here, I am going to hurt you.¡±

    * * * * *

    ¡°I think,¡± Sto said, ¡°that I need to find a way to keep anyone as strong as Jackal off this floor.¡± The fighter moved rubble with a foot, bent down, and straightened, holding a silver coin.

    Jackal had turned to stone as he stepped into the room and then ignored the rats biting at his ankles. When a whip hit him, he caught it and pulled the Whipper off its feet. A few punches and kicks, and there were only broken stones left. The other four went as easily, and stepping on the rats took care of them.

    ¡°You can just make them stronger,¡± Tibs replied.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not kill everyone else who reaches this floor.¡±

    ¡°It might be time to look for a way to let those strong enough to unlock the doorway to the third floor without going through these,¡± Ganny said.

    ¡°Not sure how to do that. I haven¡¯t seen anyone approaching Jackal¡¯s level demonstrate anything I could use as a key.¡±

    ¡°How many are close to his level?¡± Tibs asked. He hadn¡¯t realized Sto could sense that, and having someone to compare what he felt with could help him get better at it.

    ¡°A few. You, Don, Arcam, Sallice, Arruh¡ª¡±

    ¡°Who are Arcam and Sallice?¡± Tibs didn¡¯t think he¡¯d ever heard the names before.

    ¡°Two of the nobles.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± That would be why.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal called, ¡°let¡¯s move on.¡±

    The fighter handed him four silvers, a dozen coppers, and one amulet, which the guild gave them twenty for.

    ¡°You know, dungeon,¡± Jackal said, ¡°this room is worth more than that.¡±

    Tibs rolled his eyes at Jackal¡¯s acted disappointment.

    ¡°Tell him he can get a lot more on the next floor,¡± Ganny said, sounding amused.

    ¡°This is plenty,¡± Tibs said as they walked. ¡°Four silver covers the room for the month, along with the repairs from this run.¡±

    ¡°Unless you destroy your armor, again,¡± Mez commented.

    ¡°Which I use my coins for,¡± Tibs snapped, and the archer rolled his eyes. Mez hadn¡¯t found that, yet again, Sto used one of his ideas, amusing. Or appreciated Tibs¡¯s laughter. Tibs was certain he was no longer imagining the sharpness in Mez¡¯s tone anymore.

    ¡°So,¡± Mez said as they stopped at the entrance of the Ratling encampment. ¡°We¡¯re letting Tibs go off on his own while the rest of us do all the fighting?¡±

    ¡°How about I,¡± Tibs replied, fighting the urge to grind his teeth, ¡°try something?¡±

    He figured this place was the safest one to do it in, and that would help them at the same time; the walls, floor, and ceiling would survive. The one problem he could see, and possibly turn that into an exercise, was how angry Mez was making him. If that became what he focused on, he wasn¡¯t sure the archer could count on his element to survive.

    ¡°What do you have in mind?¡± Jackal asked, unbothered, while Carina studied Tibs.

    ¡°Something to impress Sto.¡± And nothing more, hopefully. He let Water calm him and wished he could keep that once he switched elements. ¡°You should step back. It¡¯s about to get really hot.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s a good idea?¡± Carina asked before Tibs stepped into the room.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine,¡± he replied. He was calm. He was mildly concerned about the pain he¡¯d inflict on the Ratlings in the room, but reminded himself they were there to test him and make him stronger. Was he doing this because he hated the Ratlings? Was it a good reason?

    ¡°Just let him do his thing,¡± Mez said, then muttered something Tibs didn¡¯t catch as he focused on remaining calm.

    ¡°Mez. You¡¯ll want to step further back. I wouldn¡¯t want you to get hurt¡­by accident.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s back up to the other room,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Call when it¡¯s done, Tibs.¡±

    Tibs stepped into the room and the fighter let off a curse, then they hurried away. Mez the only one protesting.

    He let Water go with reluctance and fought to keep his anger on the Ratlings instead of Mez. He and Mez could resolve this, he hoped. The Ratlings, on the other hand.

    As soon as the fire licked his finger, it blossomed into an expanding ball.

    Tibs laughed along with the roaring fire. He loved this. The rawness of the destruction. Who cared for plans or being careful when he could simply remove everything that ever bothered him.

    Mez.

    He stopped mid-turn. Mez was really getting on his nerve, but he was with the others and they hadn¡¯t done anything to warrant being embraced by this wonderful heat. He¡¯d deal with the archer later. When only he would be the recipient. Now, he had creatures he hoped would gain nightmares from this the way they had given him some.

    He screamed, and the heat pushed against everything. Ratlings screamed in response. He smiled. He hadn¡¯t known they could scream. That was great. Let them learn Tibs wasn¡¯t a weakling. Let them be the ones to wake at night, stifling a scream so he couldn¡¯t cause the others to worry.

    Never again would he let something scare him. He would remove it before they ever got the chance.

    He ignored his name being yelled. He was too busy sensing for more Ratlings to obliterate. Making plans for finding Sebastian and making sure this time, the man didn¡¯t escape. He wouldn¡¯t threaten his town, his family.

    And the guild. Oh, he was going to burn that building down as soon as he was done with the run. Actually, why bother with the run, when he had¡ª

    Stars erupted along with pain at the back of his head. He spun, ready to remove who dared to¡ª

    Jackal was smoking before him, and the shock caused Tibs to let go of Fire. The heat diminished but didn¡¯t go away. The walls glowed from it, and cursing, Tibs pulled that into him and the walls turned dark, then snapped loud enough Tibs didn¡¯t hear Jackal¡¯s angry shout.

    ¡°Ganny!¡± a fearful Sto yelled.

    ¡°That is it!¡± Jackal snapped, looking annoyed at having to repeat himself.

    ¡°I saw,¡± she replied, awe and fear in her voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°Never again, Tibs,¡± Jackal snarled. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to ever use fire again.¡±

    ¡°I need¡ª¡±

    ¡°No! There¡¯s no controlling fire. All it does is destroy everything.¡±

    That wasn¡¯t true. Tibs hadn¡¯t turned it against Mez, but Jackal was too angry to listen.

    ¡°I must disagree,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°Tibs was most certainly in control of the element.¡±

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°Have you looked around?¡± Jackal snapped.

    Tibs did so now. The large cavern was back to the normal brightness Sto maintained. The walls were broken and blackened. Mounds of melted stones, also cracked, littered the ground. By their positions, Tibs figured they were what was left of the tents and the Ratlings.

    ¡°I have.¡± The cleric pointed to the entrance, where the ground went from cracked and blackened to pristine.

    ¡°The dungeon keeps stuff in the rooms,¡± the fighter protested.

    ¡°The dungeon does not activate a room until we step into it. I do not believe it is capable of stopping us from affecting the hall from within it. This is because Tibs did not want us harmed.¡± He glanced at Mez. ¡°Despite how he feels.¡±

    ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± the archer demanded.

    ¡°What he did here,¡± Khumdar indicated the room, ¡°he did because he wanted to.¡±

    ¡°Why would he want to do something like that?¡± Jackal demanded.

    ¡°To punish them,¡± Tibs whispered.

    ¡°What?¡± Jackal asked, surprised.

    Tibs turned to face his friends and was surprised Jackal¡¯s armor had survived the fire. There was earth essence woven through it now. That hadn¡¯t been there before Tibs destroyed the room.

    ¡°For scaring me.¡± He sorted through the intensity of the feelings. ¡°For making you think I¡¯m weak.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that,¡± Jackal protested and motioned to the damage in the room.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you? All I could do that first time was curl into a ball and let the rats bite me. I couldn¡¯t control myself enough not to try to kill you right now.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make you weak,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make me think you¡¯re weak.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Tibs said. ¡°But it¡¯s how I felt. It¡¯s why I needed them to suffer.¡±

    ¡°I think we underestimated how complex the way Fire affects Tibs is,¡± Carina said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t just feed on his anger.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that makes it any safer,¡± Jackal said.

    Tibs nodded. ¡°No more fire.¡±

    ¡°At least not until we come up with a way for you to practice control over it that won¡¯t cause this kind of destruction,¡± Carina said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think¡ª¡± Jackal began.

    ¡°He can control it,¡± she said. ¡°He got hold of how Water makes him act. He can do the same with Fire.¡±

    Jackal¡¯s sigh was pained. ¡°I¡¯m leaving you to figure out the how of that one. How does the dungeon feel about what you did, Tibs?¡±

    Tibs closed his eyes, scared Sto would use that as his excuse to yell at him.

    That he didn¡¯t say anything was scarier.

    ¡°Sto?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ glad it¡¯s you wielding this level of power.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you angry?¡±

    ¡°Why would I be?¡±

    ¡°I killed all the Ratlings in here. I heard their pain as they burned.¡±

    ¡°They aren¡¯t living people, Tibs. I make them knowing they¡¯re going to die.¡±

    Right. He knew that. But their cries, their pain had sounded so good to him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for breaking your walls.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You showed me I¡¯m not as ready to protect myself as I thought. Like I said. I¡¯m glad it¡¯s you with this power and not anyone else.¡±

    He dried his eyes and looked at Jackal. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for destroying all the loot.¡±

    ¡°Just stick to your promise not to use fire again,¡± Jackal said, ¡°and I¡¯ll consider it fine.¡±

    Tibs studied his friend, worried he was holding back his anger, but concern was the only thing on his face. ¡°I will.¡± He turned and headed for the exit.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Sto called.

    ¡°Yes?¡± Now it was coming.

    ¡°Consider me impressed.¡±

    Tibs would have preferred the reprimand he anticipated.

    * * * * *

    The Bunnyling room became Mez¡¯s show of power.

    He stepped into the room as they were still planning how to deal with it and shot the Bunnylings as they came at him. He fired methodically and precisely. Even when Tibs was certain the numbers were too many for the archer, he kept firing.

    Some arrows explodedf on impact, taking out a group. Others pierced through the target to strike those behind it, but more were brought down by one burning arrow in their eye.

    When they stopped coming, the closest pile of stone was half a dozen paces from the archer.

    Tibs crawled through the warren and found three chests. One staff woven with an essence Tibs couldn¡¯t identify, and normal pieces for leather armor.

    Then they were in the maze hall and Tibs sighed in resignation.

    ¡°I have this,¡± Carina said, then looked at Khumdar. ¡°Unless you¡¯d like to do the honor?¡±

    The cleric smiled. ¡°I have no need to impress anyone with my gained prowesses.¡±

    She nodded, then held her amulet in a hand and extended the other forward.

    Tibs sensed the essence she sent ahead. It wasn¡¯t the usual controlled torrent that made him think of storms, but a ribbon of tightly woven air essence. It slipped through the essence wall of the maze and beyond Tibs¡¯s ability to sense it.

    Carina¡¯s smile dropped away as she concentrated. ¡°Come on,¡± she whispered. ¡°Almost there.¡± She took a step forward, then another. Tibs stepped before her, keeping her from taking the next one.

    ¡°You¡¯re about to cross the triggers,¡± he told her.

    ¡°But I¡¯m almost there,¡± she hissed, eyes closed.

    ¡°If you can¡¯t reach it,¡± Jackal said, ¡°it¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°I can,¡± she snapped. ¡°I just need a little more essence.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you just¡ª¡± Tibs started

    ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡±

    Whatever the reason, doing this kept her from drawing from the essence around her. He looked at her amulet. It was the one she¡¯d found on this floor. Still wrapped in leather, but she¡¯d had that redone at some point. The crystal looked like any of the other Sto has as loot. Cloudy and gray, the size of his thumb. Setting many side by side, it would be impossible to tell which contained what essence unless they sensed it.

    This one contained no essence anymore, which meant it could take in any of the essences someone put into it.

    Could he?

    ¡°Jackal?¡±

    ¡°Oh, come on,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°Yes, Tibs?¡± the fighter replied, his tone cautious.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to try something with Air. Make sure I don¡¯t fly into the maze.¡±

    Tibs ignored the archer¡¯s muttering and channeled Air.

    He protested at the hand keeping him in place. ¡°I can do the maze,¡± he told Jackal. ¡°I¡¯ll be fast enough none of the spears will touch me.¡± He fought against the shoulder. ¡°Come on, you big meany. Let me go.¡±

    ¡°Focus Tibs,¡± Jackal said. ¡°You wanted to try something.¡±

    Tibs rolled his eyes. ¡°Where¡¯s the fun in refilling a dumb amulet?¡±

    ¡°You do that, and then you can fly.¡±

    He looked at the fighter suspiciously. The fighter had a habit of keeping him from having fun. ¡°You promise?¡±

    ¡°I do.¡±

    ¡°Double promise? And if you break it, you¡¯re not spending any time with Kroseph for¡­ a year.¡± There, that would show him Tibs was serious.

    ¡°I promise,¡± Jackal said with a chuckle.

    Tibs placed a finger on Carina¡¯s amulet and gently pushed essence into it. As much as he wanted to get this done with. He couldn¡¯t be too forceful. He had to get the essence to flow through the matrix and Carina¡¯s hold on it.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Khumdar asked.

    ¡°Refilling it,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°What does it look like I¡¯m doing?¡±

    ¡°You cannot refill someone else¡¯s amulet.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I can. Amulets are made to absorb essence. I¡¯m just¡­ helping.¡±

    Carina sagged and smiled at him. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± He pulled against the hand. ¡°Let go now.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡±

    Tibs filled himself with air and pulled his tongue at Jackal as his shoulder slipped through the hand.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Carina said.

    Tibs readied to launch himself into the wall and stopped, confused.

    ¡°Bring it back!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Sto said.

    ¡°Please,¡± Tibs whined. ¡°I want to fly through the walls.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait for your next run. I can¡¯t reactivate it until you¡¯ve left.¡±

    He rounded on Jackal. ¡°You knew this was going to happen! You broke your promise. You¡¯re not doing anything with Kroseph for a year!¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t, not that I¡¯d bother keeping that promise.¡±

    ¡°But I wanted to have fun.¡± He stomped a foot down and frowned at the lack of sound. He let go of Air as he stomped it again. It hit the floor solidly, but he felt stupid for the tantrum. ¡°Did you know she¡¯d be done so quickly?¡±

    Jackal snorted. ¡°Do I look that smart? I figured I¡¯d hold you as long as I had to. I didn¡¯t expect you to pull whatever it is you did. It¡¯s not like you were going to stay angry at me once you let the element go.¡±

    ¡°How did you do that?¡± Carina asked.

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°When I channel an element, it¡¯s like there¡¯s stuff I just know how to do. But I don¡¯t know how I do it.¡±

    ¡°Once you are in control, we can experiment with it.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Ganny said as they started down the hall. ¡°What just happened?¡±

    ¡°I refilled Carina¡¯s amulet.¡±

    ¡°That I know. But you weren¡¯t acting like yourself. It¡¯s the same as when you unleashed the fire. And your reserve changed. Now it¡¯s back to being life.¡±

    Right, he wasn¡¯t channeling Water at the moment. ¡°When I channel an element now, my reserve becomes that, and it changes how I think. It makes me think like the element. Air¡¯s all about fun. Fire¡­ I guess it makes all my emotions stronger.¡±

    ¡°But you were yourself while your reserve was all water,¡± Sto said.

    ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯ve been training for weeks at staying myself while channeling it. It still affects me a little. I¡¯ll get the other elements to be the same, but it¡¯s going to take time, and a lot of them can cause destruction like Fire, so we need to be careful.¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t fighting them alone,¡± Carina said, and Tibs realized they¡¯d reached the entrance to the boss room.

    ¡°Just the boss. I¡ª¡±

    ¡°No,¡± She said. ¡°You showed us how great you are. We all had our turn, now we¡ª¡±

    ¡°Khumdar didn¡¯t,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°As I have stated,¡± the cleric said. ¡°I do not have a need to impress.¡±

    ¡°You sure?¡± Mez asked. ¡°Taking all of that down with Darkness would impress me.¡±

    ¡°I fear disappointment is what you would get. Even if I had such desire, fighting them all is beyond what I am capable of.¡±

    ¡°Now that¡¯s cleared,¡± Jackal said, ¡°you guys deal with¡ª¡±

    ¡°What did I just say?¡± Carina asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to take on the boss alone,¡± Jackal protested. ¡°You¡¯re going to be there to deal with everything else.¡± He looked up. ¡°Dun¡­Sto, help me out here.¡±

    ¡°What exactly is he expecting from me?¡± Sto asked.

    ¡°He probably wants you to say you want your revenge for how he tricked you last time.¡±

    The fighter nodded.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s okay. Like Khumdar, I have nothing to prove here.¡± The smugness in Sto¡¯s tone worried Tibs.

    ¡°He¡¯s not helping.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Jackal said, surprised. ¡°You don¡¯t want a chance to kill me?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that,¡± Sto replied, and Tibs glared at the ceiling.

    ¡°What?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m getting a bad feeling about the third floor.¡±

    ¡°You can always turn around now,¡± Ganny said, amused. ¡°If you don¡¯t think you¡¯re ready for my floor.¡±

    Tibs snorted. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can say that¡¯s going to keep Jackal from fighting the boss, and after Sto got me to promise not to get information on it from the other teams, I want to see your floor.¡±

    ¡°Now that¡¯s settled,¡± Carina said. ¡°We clear the rats and bunnies, the lings, and then we deal with brutes.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Tibs?¡±

    ¡°No fire.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but also, try to stick with Water. Air was a reminder all the elements are unpredictable in different ways.¡±

    Tibs channeled Water and formed a sword. He¡¯d finally get a chance to put into practice what Quigly had taught him. Jackal looked at Carina pleadingly, and when she shook her head, he sighed and motioned them into the room.

    The instant they were in, the creatures started moving, rushing them.

    Tibs jumped over rats and bunnies, slashing as he passed them. He wanted real opponents, armed ones. He cut a Ratling, then faced a Bunnyling wielding a spear. He parried the thrust, then slashed. Another took its place, the spear piercing Tibs¡¯s side to the skin.

    With a snarl, he pulled his essence to stop the blood, only to realize it was water. He iced it through the wound and went on the offensive.

    His next Bunnyling was more adept at using the spear to keep Tibs at a distance. Tibs smiled and elongated his sword, and used the extra reach to cut its head off. Then he sliced two Ratlings, who tried to sneak up on him and sent three more flying back with a quick ¡®x¡¯ attack. Not having to worry about running out of essence made it a more practical attack now, and much stronger.

    Another dead ratling, and when two Bunnylings attacked him, Tibs made a second sword and used it to impale one while he cut the other.

    He needed to check with Quigly if fighting with two weapons was a thing.

    He turned, looking for his next opponent, but the only creatures still standing were the three Brutes at the back of the room, waiting for them.

    ¡°So,¡± Jackal asked, ¡°do we collect the coins now? Or after we¡¯ve turned those three into rubble.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 81

    Tibs grunted as his ice shield took the fist. He felt the impact all the way to his feet and ice fell off, but he kept it whole.

    ¡°You okay?¡± he asked the cleric, who pushed himself to his feet using his staff.

    ¡°The blow took me unaware. It will not happen again.¡±

    ¡°Will you two move!¡± Mez yelled as a series of small explosion caused the Brute to stagger back. ¡°I can¡¯t use anything bigger with you so close!¡±

    Keeping his shield between the brute and them, Tibs backed away along with Khumdar. The explosions slowed as the distance grew, but their intensity increased. A glance to the side showed him Carina, keeping the other Brute from moving closer to Jackal and Bigger Brute. The stone creature had cuts all over its surface, but none were as deep as the last time they fought the boss creatures.

    It raised a foot to step forward, and he felt the air essence accumulate under as it brought it down and explode. It barely caused any damage, but the brute staggered, effectively keeping it where it had been.

    Mez¡¯s exploding arrows also didn¡¯t have the effect they used to.

    Jackal yelled happily as he pounded away on the Bigger Brute. The two rock-being punched each other to little visible effect and Tibs wasn¡¯t sure Jackal was trying to destroy it.

    The explosion was large enough Tibs felt it around his shield.

    ¡°Finally,¡± Mez snarled.

    A peek around the shield showed Tibs red hot rubble, and he ran toward the Brute Carina fought as it was able to put a foot down through the exploding air and move forward.

    While their need to get close to cause damage was a serious flaw in their creation, the Brutes didn¡¯t get tired or have to worry about their reserve running low.

    ¡°Coming through!¡± Tibs yelled as air buffeted him. He melted the shield and reformed the water into a sword. The wind died and Tibs slashed at the Brute¡¯s leg. The cut wasn¡¯t as deep for him either. Sto had increased their over all resistance to the elements. He rolled out of the way of the coming fist and coated the ground with ice, but the Brute didn¡¯t chase him.

    Sto had also changed how they fought.

    That had been Tibs¡¯s biggest problem with the fight. He¡¯d expected the Brutes to do as they¡¯d done before. Chase whoever was the closest until they could move toward Bigger Brute to heal it. Then, getting them to slip on his ice was simple, and he could hit them with minimal risk to himself while they got back up until they couldn¡¯t anymore.

    Sto said they weren¡¯t alive, so Tibs didn¡¯t know if their actions were them adapting to all the fights they had gone through, or if Sto simply added new reactions to them.

    ¡°Remain down,¡± Khumdar instructed, sounding too far to help, but Tibs did so. A wave of darkness passed over him and impacted the Brute, causing it to stagger, and step on the ice as it attempted to keep it footing.

    As soon as it was on its back, Tibs sliced at it and added as many cuts a he could before it was standing again. Khumdar joined him and got in a few piercing blows too.

    ¡°Step away,¡± Carina called.

    They moved and the ball of air that flew at the Brute was so dense with whirling essence it was visible to the eyes. It exploded on contact, the air ripping into the cuts and breaks already there, sending stone flying away until there was nothing left of the Brute.

    Carina was panting, hand on her knees.

    Mez wasn¡¯t out of breath, but the reserve in his bow was nearly depleted. ¡°Jackal,¡± he called. ¡°You planning on ending your fight at any point? We can¡¯t get to the third floor until that.¡±

    ¡°You guys done?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Mez replied, then lowered his voice. ¡°He¡¯s showing off, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    A fist through the Bigger Brute¡¯s chest, and then Jackal ripping it apart was the answer.

    ¡°I was waiting for you to be done,¡± the fighter said, dusting his hands off with a grin.

    ¡°Of course you were,¡± Carina said, still panting slightly. ¡°That''s why you didn¡¯t end it before Mez called to you. You weren¡¯t even paying attention to our fights.¡±

    ¡°I was kind of busy,¡± Jackal replied without any bashfulness. He picked up the bracers from the rubble. They were leather, and had earth and air essence weaved through them. A set a knives with an essence Tibs couldn¡¯t identify was within the rubble of the Brute Carina destroyed, and a red sorcerer¡¯s robe in Mez¡¯s.

    Stone grinding against stone announced the opening of the door in the far wall.

    ¡°And that¡¯s our stairwell to the third floor.¡± Jackal headed in its direction and Tibs hurried to join him. The ornate chest was on the left before the stairs.

    ¡°I¡¯ll check it,¡± Tibs said before Jackal could step toward it.

    ¡°But we won,¡± the fighter protested.

    ¡°And such is how many a great warriors died,¡± Khumdar pronounced.

    ¡°What he said,¡± Mez added.

    Tibs searched for a lock, and didn¡¯t find one. Then he looked for traps and found something. The left hinge had a pin connected to it through a spring mechanism that went through a hole in the chest. He¡¯d never seen something like this, either in his own training or what he¡¯d received when he was an Omega.

    He could work out that as the hinge moved it would compress the spring until it released and struck the pin which would¡­ He wouldn¡¯t know that part until he opened the chest, but not with the pin there. He made small picks of ice and used one to move the spring out of the way and the other to pull the pin out.

    He showed it to Jackal before gently opening the chest.

    Attached to the back was was a crystal vial with a dark green mist inside.

    ¡°There¡¯s a lot of air packed in there,¡± Carina said. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t take much to make it explode.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s corruption there too,¡± Tibs added and studied it more carefully. ¡°Also earth, and other elements I can¡¯t identify. The pin would have cracked the vial, and the air would have sent the mix in the face of whoever opened the chest.¡± He glared at Jackal. ¡°And you have to know it wouldn¡¯t be good for them.¡±

    The fighter nodded thoughtfully.

    ¡°And you knew it was trapped?¡± Mez said, the accusation clear.

    ¡°No,¡± Tibs replied, and kept the rest to answering the archer. ¡°I¡¯m a rogue. I survive by not taking for granted that winning means I¡¯m safe. And Sto¡¯s always changing things. He knows how over confident Jackal is, so it¡¯s why I¡¯ve made sure to check all the chests before him, or did you forget that?¡± He couldn¡¯t keep his anger from slipping through. ¡°I¡¯m just surprised this is the first time it¡¯s happened.¡± Once they were done with the run, he was letting Mez have it. ¡°I¡¯m guessing he either didn¡¯t think of it until now, or he didn¡¯t want to put too many problems until we were able to deal with the rest.¡±

    ¡°A bit of both,¡± Sto said.

    Tibs sensed the essence within the vial and had an idea. ¡°Jackal, I¡¯m going to try something with earth.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think now¡¯s the time to channel an element you haven¡¯t practiced, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°Now¡¯s the prefect time,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°Sto¡¯s the only one I can damage if something goes wrong, but Earth shouldn¡¯t cause that. And I¡¯m not going to channel him. I can sense the essences, so I want to see if I can manipulate them without channeling the element.¡±

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    ¡°Haven¡¯t you tried that before,¡± Carina asked.

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°Other than my training with Alistair, I haven¡¯t done any work with the elements since we were waiting to make sure I had Water under control. The only time I¡¯d manipulate essences is to refill my reserves, but they''re all full, except for my core one, and I¡¯m not risking hurting anyone to fill that.¡±

    He placed a finger on the crystal container. ¡°If I can get this to work, it¡¯ll give me more versatility in fights, but I¡¯m also trying it with Earth instead of Corruption, because I¡¯m easier to talk into letting him go if I end up channeling him in the process.¡±

    He found a strand of earth essence in the mix within the vial and mentally took hold of it. He stopped as he felt his hold over water slip. His reflex was to channel what he manipulated. He tried again. Alistair had taught him to split his attention as part of his training, and this shouldn¡¯t be different, other than he was splitting it between two elements, rather than two conditions of the same element.

    The earth essence within the vial responded to his pull and he smiled. He pulled everything that was inside into a tiny pebble. Now, could he work with more? He reached for the earth essence in the wall and pulled some over the vial. The crystal became brown with dirt, then earth grew over it, and Tibs made that stone.

    He sighed.

    ¡°Still you?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m always me.¡± Doing this had left Tibs more tired than he expected, but now he didn¡¯t have to worry about switching to another element when he needed to affect it in small ways. It should mean he could pull from his bracers, but he didn¡¯t want to try it yet.

    He used water to break the ties holding the now rock covered crystal vial and pocketed it. He couldn¡¯t tell if the vial broke in the process, but that didn¡¯t matter. The stone would keep the gas from escaping.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Sto said as he moved to let Jackal access the chest.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s mine.¡±

    Tibs smiled. ¡°Not anymore. Think of it as another reward from the chest.¡±

    ¡°No, no, maybe,¡± Jackal mumbled as he pulled items out. Two sets of nice clothing, but without essence. the maybe was a pair of leather boots. Carina eyed them, they had air woven through. ¡°Anyone needs amulets?¡± He set down two. Then a crystal bottle containing a yellow liquid. ¡°This is different.¡± Jackal studied the set of two leather bands as Tibs picked up the bottle.

    ¡°Tibs, look.¡± Jackal had placed the leather stips over his fists and they had metal knobs where they went over his knuckles.

    ¡°I really wish that hadn¡¯t made it into this chest,¡± Sto said.

    ¡°What¡¯s in it?¡± Mez asked as Tibs sensed the composition of what was in the vial.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I think it¡¯s essence, but I¡¯ve never felt something like this.¡±

    ¡°The guild is sure to know what it is,¡± Khumdar said, as Mez turned so Tibs could put the bottle in the pack.

    A boom had Tibs on his guard, making a sword as he turned in Jackal¡¯s direction. The fighter moved his first from the wall, where cracks were spreading

    ¡°You guys mind if I keep that?¡±

    ¡°You just used them,¡± Mez said, ¡°which means we don¡¯t have much of a choice.¡±

    ¡°Right. Sorry. I just wanted to see if they did more than protect my knuckles.¡±

    ¡°They go boom,¡± Carina said, putting the amulets in Khumdar¡¯s pack. ¡°That was air detonating on impact.¡±

    ¡°Like he isn¡¯t already strong enough,¡± Ganny commented.

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who said it all had to be random,¡± Sto replied.

    ¡°I prefer he get that, than you give them whatever Tibs asks for.¡±

    ¡°Down we go?¡± Mez asked, heading for the stairs.

    ¡°Anything else on them?¡± Jackal asked, stepping next to Tibs.

    Tibs nodded. ¡°But I can¡¯t tell what they are.¡±

    ¡°Metal would make them harder,¡± Khumdar said.

    ¡°There should be someone at the guild who can tell you more about them,¡± Carina said.

    Jackal scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m not giving them anymore of my coins. They go boom, and that¡¯s plenty for me.¡±

    They joined Mez at the bottom of the stairs. Tibs glanced at the junction before them, then went to the alcove next to the stairs, where he sensed the doorway. He activated it and looked at the bridge over the pool.

    ¡°We can come down to the third floor directly,¡± he announced.

    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of loot we¡¯ll be missing on,¡± Jackal commented.

    ¡°This floor will have better loot,¡± Carina said. ¡°Although I¡¯m not sure how this will work.¡±

    Tibs looked at where they were meant to go. The hall was a dozen paces of roughly carved floor and walls which reminded Tibs of Sto¡¯s entrance in his early days, then it split into three.

    ¡°Are we supposed to split up?¡± he asked. His friends looked at him questioningly. ¡°I¡¯m asking you. Sto doesn¡¯t give that kind of help, anymore.¡±

    Ganny let out a bark of laughter.

    ¡°You¡¯re done tricking me,¡± Sto stated and Tibs smiled.

    ¡°If this is about splitting up,¡± Carina said. ¡°I feel there should be five options, not three.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s about picking the right one?¡± Mez asked.

    Tibs studied the junction from where he stood. ¡°I¡¯m not seeing anything that would let a wall slide down to block a way, so we can turn around if the one we pick doesn¡¯t go anywhere.¡±

    ¡°But the dungeon can just close it anyway,¡± Mez said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t need actual doors.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make changes to a room while we¡¯re in it,¡± Carina pointed out.

    ¡°But is this a room?¡± Khumdar asked. ¡°And are we certain what the rules are for hallways? As has been demonstrated, the rules are not always what we believe them to be.¡±

    ¡°The dungeon said it doesn¡¯t make changes,¡± Jackal said.

    Mez snorted. ¡°Right, and do we know it was honest?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Sto replied.

    ¡°He¡¯s got no reason to lie,¡± Tibs said, although he didn¡¯t think the jab about honesty was aimed at Sto. ¡°The rules are there for everyone. I think we¡¯d have noticed by now if he lied about what he does.¡±

    ¡°Remember, the dungeon is here to make us stronger,¡± Carina said. ¡°There have to be rules for Runners to work out. I think Khumdar¡¯s right. Here, the challenges might be working out what those rules are in relation to what is a hall, what is a room, and what else there might be. And if the rules are always the same.¡±

    ¡°Whatever it is,¡± Jackal said, ¡°we aren¡¯t going to figure it out standing here. Let¡¯s pick one and move.¡± Before anyone could comment, the fighter headed for the central hall.

    ¡°Jackal!¡± Carina and Tibs called after the fighter. When he didn¡¯t slow or anything happen, Tibs ran to catch up. With a huff of exasperation, Carina joined them, followed by Mez and Khumdar.

    The uneven floor and walls continued. Even the lighting was more like when Tibs was Omega, with torches causing the shadows to dance instead of the light stones. The passage¡¯s width varied, as did the direction they went in.

    After a few minutes, they reached an intersection. The corridor they were in bent to the right, while a section jutted to the left.

    ¡°Is the goal to have us die of boredom?¡± Jackal asked, peering into the left junction.

    ¡°Or hunger,¡± Mez said. ¡°If we get lost, that could become a problem.¡±

    Jackal placed a hand on the wall. ¡°We won¡¯t get lost. There¡¯s stone essence in everything so I can remember the way we take.¡±

    ¡°What can you tell of what¡¯s ahead, Tibs?¡± Carina asked.

    ¡°Not much.¡± Tibs sensed ahead of them. ¡°Ganny knows I can do this, so there¡¯s essence everywhere. Its¡¯ denser in places, and that might be a creature, but I¡¯m too far to be sure.¡±

    ¡°So we need to make a decision again,¡± she said, looking at one junction then the other. ¡°I think Mez is right, this will be a maze.¡±

    ¡°Then we go that away.¡± Jackal stepped into the right turn and froze as something clicked under his foot. He turned to stone as everyone moved aways from him. Nothing happened and Tibs looked for anything that could be the part of the trap the trigger activated.

    ¡°I believe,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°that we are being confronted with one of those potential rules. If there are no distinctions between rooms and halls on this floor, then traps could be anywhere.¡±

    With the trigger still not having activated something else, Tibs went to Jackal and studied the area around his foot. The roughness and unevenness of the floor made noticing it harder, but there was a tile there. He poured water over it. The mechanism under it was complex, but didn¡¯t seem to go anywhere.

    ¡°I think this one¡¯s a decoy.¡± He iced it in place.

    ¡°Maybe it warns the creatures we¡¯ve arrived?¡± Mez asked, holding his bow at the ready.

    Tibs sensed, but he couldn¡¯t make out any essence filaments from the saturation. The denser spot hadn¡¯t moved, at least. Maybe those were decoys too?

    Jackal raised his foot. ¡°Then Tibs takes the lead again.¡±

    Looking for traps along this would slow them down. If Sto had made the floor, there would be a pattern Tibs could work out and use that to go faster, but he had no idea how Ganny thought.

    He moved cautiously, searching for tiles. When he found one, he iced it. There was no point in trying to work out how they were set up this time. On the next run he¡¯d take the time since they wouldn¡¯t bother with the second floor. The easiest way would be for him to ice the entire floor, but Ganny knew he could do that. And just like Sto had come up with a way to make it problematic in the pool, He suspected Ganny would make him pay for such a thoughtless approach.

    They reached another branching of two paths, like a ¡®v¡¯ ahead of them. The trap tiles continued along both. The essence also felt saturated the same.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to die of hunger,¡± Mez stated.

    ¡°We can go back,¡± Tibs replied, stepping to the right branch and looking for something to tell him which was the right one. ¡°The doorway to the second floor¡¯s back there.¡±

    ¡°Oh sure, unless the trigger our fearless leader stepped on closed the path.¡±

    Tibs opened his mouth, then closed it with a shrug. Without studying each trigger he couldn¡¯t tell if one signaled behind them. He thought they would have felt a wall coming down, but maybe there was a way to make that happen quietly.

    ¡°Locking us in doesn¡¯t seem right,¡± Carina said. ¡°That has the feel of setting us up to die, instead of challenging us.¡±

    ¡°And how is walking around with just traps challenging anyone other than Tibs?¡±

    ¡°There will be more,¡± Khumdar said before Carina could reply. ¡°Of that, I am certain. Mayhap this challenge is regarding maintaining our alertness?¡±

    ¡°Hey dungeon,¡± Jackal told the ceiling.

    ¡°Ganny,¡± Tibs corrected. ¡°It¡¯s her floor, so she¡¯s the one making the decisions.¡±

    ¡°But this is still the dungeon, so it¡¯s the one doing all this.¡± the fighter motioned around them.

    ¡°Jackal,¡± Carina said. ¡°When you want something at the inn, do you ask Kroseph, or his father for it?¡±

    Jackal opened his mouth, closed it and thought. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s a good point. Ganny, just a reminder that fighting is part of how we¡¯re supposed to be tested.¡± He then looked at Tibs.

    ¡°Alright,¡± she said, ¡°I will answer this one. There will be fighting. And when it happens, I don¡¯t want to hear any complaining about it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to get your fighting,¡± Tibs translated. ¡°Possibly more than you want, even.¡±

    Jackal snorted. ¡°I will never get enough fighting.¡±

    ¡°Is it too early to point out that this is the type of response that has doomed entire adventuring parties?¡± Khumdar asked.

 Stepping up, Chapter 82

    The attack came out of nowhere.

    The tunnel had widened until they could stand side by side, and Tibs wondered if this would qualify as a room when he felt the essence above him shift, and before he could work out what was happening, creatures dropped on them.

    They were numerous and fast, armed with swords and shields. Tibs had a sense of lean stone creatures as he worked with Jackal and Khumdar to create space for Carina and Mez to join in the fight.

    Even using his bow as a staff, Mez wasn¡¯t effective in close range and Carina only had ranged attacks.

    Tibs iced the floor, but they didn¡¯t fall. A glance as he blocked a sword with his shield showed him they had claws that dug into the ice. Their faces were dog-like, with sharp fangs they sometimes tried to bite him with.

    Would Sto call them Doglings?

    Once the creatures were all destroyed, Tibs let go of Water and used his essence to stop his wounds from bleeding. He caught his breath, then looked at the others. Jackal¡¯s stone body was scratched, but they didn¡¯t go deep. Carina had managed to keep them at bay, while Mez only had bruises.

    Khumdar¡¯s leg was broken, so Tibs went to him and wrapped it in essence. ¡°I need to practice with Purity, so I can figure out how to properly heal.¡± He stepped away and channeled Water, studying what happened to Khumdar¡¯s wrap. It remained as he¡¯d set it.

    ¡°You¡¯re bleeding again,¡± Mez pointed out.

    ¡°This is why. The essence I use on you stays, but on me, it changes to whatever element I¡¯m channeling.¡± He iced his wounds.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just switch to Purity, heal yourself, and then back,¡± Mez said. ¡°That¡¯s not going to be long enough for you to screw things up, is it?¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t that simple,¡± Carina said, while Tibs focused on going through the rubble instead of acknowledging the archer¡¯s tone. ¡°It¡¯s not just pushing essence in. New clerics will practice night and day before they can get that right.¡±

    ¡°It is unfortunate that watching others struggle to achieve results does not impart the knowledge of how they succeeded.¡±

    ¡°I sensed how the clerics healed during the siege,¡± Tibs said, ¡°but until I can trust my actions while channeling Purity, I can¡¯t practice it.¡± Not that he thought how they did it would work for him if copying how Carina used her element hadn¡¯t before.

    ¡°Then try it now,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°No,¡± Jackal replied, taking a sword from the rubble. ¡°If something goes wrong, and he hurts himself worse, it puts everyone at risk. We stick with what we know works for now.¡± He looked around. ¡°Does anyone know what happened?¡±

    ¡°I think the dungeon¡¯s using the same kind of doorways it made for us to bypass floors to keep the creatures out of Tibs¡¯s sensing range,¡± Carina said.

    ¡°Smart woman,¡± Ganny commented.

    Tibs considered what Mez said. He couldn¡¯t just switch to Purity, but he could switch between water and his element easily and without affecting his behavior. The problem was maintaining what he¡¯d made once he switched.

    He could manipulate outside essence even while channeling a different one, so his problem was how to get his element from outside without drawing it from his team. He looked at the broken creatures. They had none left. Once they died, any essence they still had returned to Sto, not that they had much then. The level of essence they had seemed to indicate how much life they still had.

    He¡¯d have to remember that going forward.

    He¡¯d also have to practice pulling his essence out of them a little at a time. Sto didn¡¯t want him to kill them that way, but he¡¯d have to be okay with a slight drain. But that didn¡¯t help him now. The ice would crack the instant he had to move quickly, and he¡¯d bleed again.

    He studied his bracers and the reserves there.

    Curious, he emptied the one of Water essence into his main reserve. The crystal felt like any of those they found, empty of essence. Which meant he could put a different element there. He switched to his element and filled it. Going back to channeling Water did not affect it.

    He now had nine elements he could access, but as soon as he pulled on his element, he was channeling it, the same as with the others.

    So it wasn¡¯t that easy.

    But if he had a reserve of his element when he channeled Water, shouldn¡¯t that give a wrap he applied to himself something to remain anchored to once he switched? Was that even how it worked?

    He melted the ice on his injuries and replaced it with a wrap of his essence, focusing on only using what was in the bracer. The wraps nearly drained it completely. Working with such a vast reserve, even as low as it currently was, made him forget how much each wrap required.

    Another reason to get a handle on Purity as soon as possible.

    This was just another version of sensing and manipulating, he told himself. Which he¡¯d already done with Earth.

    He forced himself to slowly switch to channeling Water, not that it helped. The change was sudden, and he¡¯d feared he¡¯d lost the sense of the wraps but once his sense settled, the wraps were still there.

    He smiled.

    Just like the wrap stayed when he placed one on Khumdar, now that he had a little of his essence still, it remained. He couldn¡¯t sense any connection between the reserve and the wraps, but it worked, and that was what mattered.

    He noticed the silence, then his friends watching him.

    ¡°You did something,¡± Carina said.

    He pointed to his no longer bleeding injuries. ¡°I found a way around my essence changing when I channel Water.¡± He tapped the bracer. ¡°With some of my essence in there, it¡¯s staying. I won¡¯t be able to make wraps in a hurry, but what I¡¯ll make will stay now.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure there¡¯s no risk they¡¯ll vanish in the middle of a fight?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°No, but I don¡¯t have to think about it for them to stay, so it should be fine.¡±

    ¡°Okay. That works for me. Since Carina says the dungeon can drop creatures on us without warning, I want us to¡ª¡±

    Stone grinding against stone came from further ahead, stopped, started again, then stopped and started.

    ¡°That isn¡¯t a door,¡± Carina said.

    ¡°Sounds like someone dragging an injury,¡± Jackal said.

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    ¡°One of the Doglings?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°They¡¯re called Gnolls,¡± Ganny said.

    ¡°They¡¯re called Gnolls,¡± he corrected himself.

    Carina shook her head. ¡°The dungeon needs to come up with better names.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t come up with that one,¡± Sto protested.

    ¡°It sounds too heavy to be one of those,¡± Jackal said. ¡°And it¡¯s coming toward us.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t make up the name either,¡± Ganny said. ¡°It¡¯s something another dungeon made, I copied.¡±

    Tibs closed his eyes and rubbed his temple.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Khumdar asked.

    ¡°Sorry. Too many conversations right now.¡± He focused on the distant sound. ¡°Sounds like there¡¯s only one. Are we checking it out?¡±

    ¡°Oh definitely,¡± Jackal replied, grinning. ¡°If it¡¯s big and lumbering, I want a go at it.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not get overconfident,¡± Carina said. ¡°It could be a decoy. The dungeon has plenty of creatures that can move quietly.¡± She motioned around them. ¡°Or just drop them on us.¡±

    ¡°How many coins did we get from the Gnolls?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°Thirty-six silver,¡± Mez replied.

    ¡°And this sword.¡± Jackal handed it to Khumdar and headed toward the sound.

    Tibs was alert for any change in the concentration of essence around them as they followed Jackal. The creature came into view as they went around a bend.

    It was of a height on par with Jackal, but thicker all around, blocky. It had no weapons, and instead of raising its feet, they dragged on the ground.

    ¡°What does the dungeon call this one?¡± Mez asked. ¡°The Not Big Brute?¡±

    Khumdar chuckled.

    Tibs looked up at the lack of response. ¡°He isn¡¯t saying.¡± He frowned. ¡°Maybe something else got his attention.¡±

    ¡°Hey, dungeon,¡± Jackal called. ¡°You¡¯re really going to miss another time I win a fight against one of your creatures?¡± He grinned at Tibs. ¡°I think it just doesn¡¯t want to see this massacre.¡±

    ¡°Or it¡¯s busy setting up this ambush,¡± Carina warned. ¡°If you plan on taking it on alone, get to it.¡±

    Jackal ran at the golem and punched it in the head. He landed three solid blows before it started reacting to him.

    It was too slow, Tibs thought. Jackal was slower when he was stone, but nothing like that. It wouldn¡¯t stand a chance unless it was tougher than any of the previous ones.

    ¡°I think this is a failed attempt,¡± Jackal called over his shoulder.

    ¡°Pay¡ª¡± Mez started yelling as the golem¡¯s slow fist impacted Jackal¡¯s chest. ¡°¡ªattention.¡± The impact was powerful enough Jackal slipped back a few paces.

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t make sense,¡± Carina mused as Jackal threw himself at the creature. ¡°What can you sense, Tibs?¡±

    He focused, trying to tell apart the creature from the rest of the essence around him. ¡°There¡¯s Earth, my essence, but everything else¡¯s too faint to be distinct from here. Maybe Jackal¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°It can take a pounding,¡± Mez said as Jackal hit it over and over and barely cracked the stone.

    ¡°The dungeon is well aware Jackal enjoys hitting its creature,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°It would create some with that in mind.¡±

    ¡°Fine, but how long are we letting this go on?¡± the archer asked. ¡°He might be having fun, but I¡¯m¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t finish that,¡± Carina warned. ¡°You¡¯ve already given the dungeon enough ideas.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Ganny said casually as Mez¡¯s mouth snapped shut. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. You aren¡¯t going to be bored for long.¡±

    The punch made the golem stagger as part of its head flew off. ¡°Finally!¡± Jackal exclaimed.

    The chunk bounced and landed a few paces away from Tibs. Instead of being jagged, broken stone, the inside was smooth, shaped as if the golem was hollow.

    ¡°Abyss!¡± Jackal stepped back, moving to return to them.

    As the golem turned to follow him, where the stone was missing revealed a face underneath. Skin, not stone. With metal gray eyes and brown hair. Only half her face was visible, but Tibs recognized her.

    ¡°Pyan?¡± Jackal asked, pausing in his retreat.

    ¡°You have no idea,¡± a voice said, coming from her mouth, but not sounding like her. It was slightly deeper. ¡°How happy I am you reacted like that. It makes carrying all this weight around worthwhile.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡± Jackal stammered, and Tibs was as confused as the fighter.

    ¡°Come on, Jackal. Where did you think I¡¯d be if I wasn¡¯t watching you fight?¡±

    ¡°Sto?¡± Tibs asked, his voice breaking. He didn¡¯t sound anything like when he normally spoke.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Pyan smiled in a way he¡¯s never seen her do. ¡°Now, hit me again so I can get out of this. I didn¡¯t realize it would be impossible to break it from the inside.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I am going to pound you into dust for this,¡± Jackal snarled. Then he was on her¡ªhim¡ªit. Each punch sent stone flying.

    Tibs wanted to look away but kept staring as Jackal attacked their old friend hard enough he was going to kill her again. He knew she was dead, that this was just some other creature Sto had made, but each hit against the stone body, exposing more of the flesh under it, or worse, when Jackal connected with flesh, hurt Tibs. His friend had never fought against her so viciously.

    ¡°We have to stop him,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°That is not our friend,¡± Khumdar stated.

    ¡°Then how come it looks like her?¡± the archer demanded. ¡°Everything in here¡¯s made of stone! Maybe the dungeon didn¡¯t kill her, and it¡¯s just using essence to¡­ I don¡¯t know, control her! Jackal¡¯s going to kill her!¡±

    Jackal hit the creature and stone went flying.

    ¡°Finally,¡± it said. ¡°Now we can have a real fight.¡± She¡ªit. Tibs refused to accept that was Pyan. It wore the same armor Pyan had on the last time he¡¯d seen her; when she was still mourning Geoff. If Mez was right and that was her, did it mean Geoff wasn¡¯t dead? How about Walter? The other friends he¡¯d lost to the dungeon?

    ¡°That is not Pyan,¡± Carina said, her voice cracking. ¡°It¡¯s just a copy the dungeon made.¡±

    ¡°How do you know?¡± Mez demanded.

    Jackal threw himself at the other fighter, but it easily stepped out of his way and when it hit him, he staggered back.

    ¡°Because Pyan could never hit Jackal hard enough so he¡¯d feel it in his stone body,¡± Tibs said, making his voice hard.

    ¡°But¡­¡± Mez trailed off, his voice cracked too. ¡°Everything the dungeon makes is stone.¡± He sounded as if hope had been wrenched away from him, and Tibs wondered if there was someone Mez had cared for who had died in the dungeon.

    ¡°That¡¯s all we¡¯ve fought until now,¡± Carina said, the sorrow in her voice tainted with curiosity, ¡°but it¡¯s on us for having assumed that¡¯s all there would ever be. No one said that¡¯s what would happen. Definitely not the dungeon.¡± Her voice hardened. ¡°We should have known better.¡±

    Jackal was trying to strike it¡ªSto, but Sto was too agile now that he wasn¡¯t encumbered by stone. It was like he¡¯d trained for this moment¡­ or had always lived with the body.

    ¡°Fuck this,¡± Mez snarled, and the arrow hit with an explosion that sent Jackal flying back.

    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s not fair!¡± Sto yelled, now in his usual voice that only Tibs heard, as Pyan¡¯s body burned until it melted away, leaving behind the full set of her armor. ¡°Tibs, tell Mez he had no business getting involved.¡±

    ¡°I had it!¡± Jackal yelled, storming in their direction. ¡°You have no business shooting it!¡±

    ¡°See,¡± Sto said, ¡°Jackal feels the same.¡±

    ¡°Business?¡± Mez demanded. ¡°That was my friend it used. My friend you were happily pounding on!¡±

    ¡°Happy? Did I fucking look happy? I was going to make this fucking dungeon hurt for using her face like that. I was going to break each and every bone in that flesh sack until it begged me to stop!¡±

    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s excessive,¡± Sto said, sounding puzzled.

    ¡°Jackal,¡± Carina said.

    ¡°No! I was going to make it suffer, but Mez had to go and just kill it!¡±

    ¡°Tibs? What¡¯s going on?¡± Sto asked.

    Tibs looked at the empty armor and wiped the tears away. It shouldn¡¯t feel this raw. She¡¯d died months ago.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t stand watching you hit her!¡± the archer yelled.

    ¡°That is enough!¡± Khumdar yelled as Jackal raised a fist. With the words came lethargy, and Tibs sat down. He should fight against it, counter it, but at least now the pain wasn¡¯t as strong. ¡°I do not know if turning us against each other is the dungeon¡¯s plan, but I will not allow it to happen.¡±

    ¡°I think we made a mistake,¡± Ganny said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Sto replied.

    ¡°I don¡¯t either, but this isn¡¯t what we thought would happen.¡±

    ¡°What did you think was going to happen?¡± Tibs demanded. He couldn¡¯t tell if his anger carried through the exhaustion.

    ¡°I thought you¡¯d enjoy watching a good fight,¡± Sto said. ¡°I thought Jackal would like fighting with Pyan again. She always talked about how much they enjoyed pitting themselves against one another. Why are you all so angry?¡±

    ¡°She was our friend,¡± Tibs snarled.

    ¡°And you got to see her again.¡±

    ¡°No, we didn¡¯t.¡± Tibs got to his feet, the weakness vanishing. ¡°I got to watch you in a creature that looked like her.¡± The others were watching him. ¡°I watched Jackal try to kill her! I watched her die again!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Tibs,¡± Ganny said meekly. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it would affect you like that.¡±

    ¡°Are you telling me none of the other teams recognized her!¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t do this with the other teams,¡± she said. ¡°This was a special treat for you and your friends.¡±

    ¡°Well, thanks a lot,¡± he snarled. ¡°Sto and Ganny didn¡¯t realize this would hurt us,¡± he said dismissively as he walked by them.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Sto began.

    ¡°No!¡± Tibs stopped and looked around, wanting a target for his anger; someone to scream at instead of the ceiling. ¡°You don¡¯t do this to me and expect me to be okay with it! You know how it hurt!¡±

    ¡°When they die, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°It still hurts!¡±

    ¡°But I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Leave it, Sto,¡± Ganny said softly. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is something we can fix by explaining ourselves.¡±

    ¡°But the rest of the floor,¡± Sto said.

    ¡°No one touches that armor,¡± Jackal ordered, joining Tibs as he retraced their path. ¡°I don¡¯t want that thing floating around the world.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re giving up loot?¡± Sto asked, confused. ¡°Jackal, there¡¯s so much more for you to get. Tibs, tell him about all the loot we readied. Please!¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t say anything. He didn¡¯t even acknowledge he heard Sto. This was the best way he knew to hurt the dungeon, and right now, he wanted Sto to suffer.

 Stepping up, Chapter 83

    ¡°What is your problem?¡± Tibs demanded of Mez, grabbing his arm and forcing him to stop.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal said, tone sharp.

    ¡°You keep going. Me and Mez need to talk.¡±

    ¡°Is this an appropriate place for such a discussion?¡± Khumdar asked.

    They were halfway between the mountain and the town.

    ¡°It¡¯s better than once he leaves to go to his fancy house, and I can¡¯t get him to explain himself,¡± Tibs replied.

    Mez yanked his arm out of his grip. ¡°I don¡¯t have to fucking explain myself to you.¡± He didn¡¯t move from where he stood.

    ¡°When you keep snapping at me for no reason, yeah, you do.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Carina said, worriedly.

    He opened and snapped his mouth on what he was about to say, swallowing his anger instead of directing it at her. ¡°We just need to talk,¡± he told her.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Mez said, mockingly, ¡°Tibs just needs to tell me what I¡¯m supposed to do.¡±

    They glared at each other in the following silence.

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to hit one another,¡± Jackal said, ¡°go to the training field.¡± Then he walked away. Khumdar followed and, after looking at them in concern, so did Carina.

    Tibs waited a few seconds. ¡°Well?¡±

    ¡°Well, what?¡±

    ¡°You going to tell me what the problem is?¡±

    ¡°You mean what my problem is with you doing whatever the fuck you want and never having to pay for it?¡±

    ¡°What the fuck are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°You get to have¡ª¡± Mez motioned to Tibs. ¡°¡ªeverything you have, and it doesn¡¯t cost you anything. You steal and everyone treats you like some hero. You lie to everyone and no one gives a fuck!¡±

    The surprise at the accusation kept Tibs from stopping the archer. ¡°Cost nothing?¡± he said as Mez caught his breath. ¡°I nearly died. Each time! I burned, I starved, I went without sleep for longer than I can count! Just because you didn¡¯t see it, because you weren¡¯t there. Doesn¡¯t mean it didn¡¯t happen! I don¡¯t lie any more than I have to. I fought for the town, was shot, I¡ª¡± he closed his mouth. ¡°Too many people died. What were you doing while we were fighting for our lives here? Enjoying the best food? The best ales? Your girl?¡±

    ¡°I was trying to get back here!¡±

    Tibs snorted .¡±Oh right, Because you hate all those nobles things you now get to do.¡±

    ¡°I do,¡± Mez snarled. And the anger in the words made Tibs step back. The archer was shaking, his clothing smoking.

    ¡°I thought¡ª¡± Tibs¡¯s sarcastic tone died and Mez made fists. He let Water cool him and watched his friend. ¡°I thought,¡± he said keeping his tone neutral, ¡°that was what you wanted.¡±

    Mez closed his eyes. ¡°I thought,¡± he replied, tone clipped, ¡°that I¡¯d have them once I reached Epsilon and had proven myself. Once I went home between working for the guild. Not that I¡¯d have this taken from me.¡± He motioned around them angrily.

    ¡°They can¡¯t take this from you,¡± Tibs said cautiously. ¡°The guild¡ª¡±

    ¡°Has other dungeons,¡± Mez snapped. ¡°That can take a Rho fire archer. Dungeons that didn¡¯t try to eat everyone who went in. With a town that didn¡¯t nearly get destroyed. One that isn¡¯t going to be filled with criminals who are a bad influence on me!¡±

    Tibs tried to find something to say. He hadn¡¯t expected not to be the reason Mez would ultimately give for his anger. ¡°If you''re angry at them, why are you yelling at me?¡±

    ¡°Because you have all of that! You have the town.¡± He motioned to the mountain. ¡°That. And no one¡¯s talking about taking it all away from you!¡±

    ¡°Someone tried, and I fought him until he fled. Tell them no.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t! I¡¯m betrothed to her. I can¡¯t be a child and just walk off.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Because being a man means having responsibilities to others. Like my family, her, hers.¡±

    Tibs noticed the Runners and others giving them a wide berth. Khumdar had been right, this probably wasn¡¯t the place for this discussion.

    ¡°What about a responsibility to you?¡±

    ¡°A noble puts others before himself,¡± Mez said, teeth clenched.

    Tibs snorted and Mez glared. ¡°Sounds more like you¡¯re being sold into indenture.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± the archer growled, then the heat radiating off him died down. ¡°It¡¯s not fucking fair.¡±

    Tibs was reminded of what Serba told him, but kept that to himself. ¡°If they aren¡¯t going to be fair with you, why do you want to be fair to them?¡±

    Mez growled in exasperation. ¡°Because I want to be better than them.¡±

    ¡°Letting them mistreat you isn¡¯t being better than them.¡±

    He glared again, but this time there was pain in his eyes too. Mez cursed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do.¡±

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Jackal gets into fights when he looks like you.¡±

    The archer snorted. ¡°Jackal gets into fights when he looks fine.¡±

    ¡°That too. You can try getting drunk. He does that too.¡±

    Mez let out a breath. ¡°Jackal isn¡¯t exactly someone I should copy.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Because he¡¯s the example her family keeps bringing up as a bad influence on me.¡±

    ¡°Seems like that¡¯s the best reason to do what he does.¡± His friend cracked a smile, it was pained, but it was an improvement. ¡°How about we head to the inn. I¡¯m sure Kroseph will have better advice than me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t sell yourself short, Tibs. But yeah, a drink sounds good right now.¡±

    * * * * *

    The argument with Mez, and the following drinking with his friends didn¡¯t take his mind off what Sto had done to him for as long as he¡¯d hoped, so Tibs stayed busy to keep the images of Jackal pounding on Pyan away. The way she melted, on the floor after the explosion from Mez¡¯s arrow.

    How Jackal had been ready to hit the archer for having his revenge denied.

    He practiced sword fighting with Quigly. Approached the Omega rogues who¡¯d survived their first runs and offered his help with their skills; so they¡¯d have an alternative to the guild. And spent hours showing those who accepted how to work with locks and traps, borrowing them from the training grounds.

    Because of the way the merchants only let him know of a theft he needed to look into, or how they included calculations to explain the amount they paid for the Runner¡¯s help, Tibs had to spend time getting better with his letters and numbers. When he¡¯d begged Carina to take care of that, she¡¯d patted his shoulder and smiled, leaving him to decipher the small scribbles that were how the herbalist put down his letters.

    And every evenings, under Jackal and Kroseph¡¯s supervision, Tibs channeled Purity.

    The problem he experienced, was how tempting it was to work ever harder so he wouldn¡¯t have to think about Sto. his pain, the memories, his troubles with the letters and numbers, or the few rogues who refused to follow his rules. Why shouldn¡¯t he work? Work was good. It helped the town, his friends, even himself. Of course, having to earn the meal he was served made sense. Coins weren¡¯t enough to show that. He should cut the wood for the oven, help move the crates when they were delivered. No, he couldn¡¯t accept an ale just because someone was being friendly, he had to earn that too. And if the friend couldn¡¯t find something for Tibs to do, well, Carina just had to understand that Tibs would simply go parch instead.

    So he fought the urge to channel Purity all the time and forced himself to not always work, even if memories intruded during those times.

    * * * * *

    Tibs was looking over the numbers, comparing them to the list he¡¯d made of how much each of the merchants who could handle repairs for the sturdy cloth armor they were providing to the chosen Omega teams charged. He¡¯d hoped to get Khumdar to deal with this part, but in the three weeks since their run, the cleric always managed to vanish as soon as Tibs remembered to ask.

    He marked which of the merchants to ask, noting that he needed a guarantee on when they would be ready so the next team would have a full set in time. Helping the teams survive was involving them returning with damaged armor, instead of dying and losing the armor.

    He¡¯d decided he could deal with that price early on.

    He looked up as he felt Harry enter his sense. There was nothing around the inn that would require the guard leader to come to his part of the town, and it was quickly apparent the inn was his destination. Don wasn¡¯t there, so Tibs couldn¡¯t fool himself into believing the sorcerer was needed for some guild task.

    He motioned to the server with his empty tankard, then assembled the papers that had spread onto the table into piles based on what they dealt with, then put them away into the satchel Darran had provided him with. The papers were provided by the merchants and their messages. He rubbed the charcoal off those and wrote on the back of the pages when a merchant used ink.

    Harry¡¯s expression was dark as he approached the table. He stopped and looked at the surface, which was covered with charcoal dust.

    ¡°This needs to stop, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because you aren¡¯t in charge of protecting this town. I am.¡±

    ¡°You mean the town you¡¯re willing to burn down if it suits the guild¡¯s need?¡± He¡¯d wanted to remain calm, but Harry¡¯s actions, or lack of them, burned nearly as much as Sto¡¯s.

    ¡°You¡¯re too young to understand,¡± Harry said through gritted teeth. ¡°That protecting the guild¡¯s assets isn¡¯t as simple as deciding one is better than the other. Each decision has consequences that must be weighed.¡±

    It annoyed Tibs that Harry wasn¡¯t lying.

    He was nowhere near as skilled as the guard leader when it came to seeing the lies, but he¡¯d gotten enough practice just listening to the Runners in the inn to notice how a lie radiated out of someone¡¯s mouth as they spoke it. It got so much at times he had to shut down his ability to sense essence around him to be able to get some peace.

    ¡°Then isn¡¯t me taking care of the town one less consequence you have to worry about?¡± Tibs offered, unable to keep the smugness from his voice.

    Harry planted his hands on the table. ¡°This isn¡¯t how it works, Tibs. You¡¯re a Runner. You do what the guild tells you. And I am telling you to stop this.¡±

    Tibs smiled, picking up his tankard. ¡°I¡¯m a rogue. Doing what I¡¯m told isn¡¯t all that interesting.¡± He took a long swallow, watching the guard leader fume.

    ¡°This will not make you friends among the guild.¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone willing to let me, my friends, and my town, fall victim to someone like Sebastian is someone I want as a friend. And I¡¯m not doing this because I want to, but because, for some reason, the merchants no longer feel like you¡¯re the best person to look after their safety. It might have something to do with how they were left to fend for themselves when Sebastian tried to take over, despite assurance of safety when they were convinced to set up shop here.¡± Not to say of how it was too costly for most of them to leave, but he doubted that fell under Harry¡¯s purview.

    ¡°I will throw all of you in a cell, Tibs,¡± Harry threatened.

    Tibs smiled. ¡°Who¡¯s going to be left for the runs? Are there enough nobles to satisfy the dungeon, because those are about the only ones not taking part in protecting the town? Will the dungeon go back to eating everyone if he gets too hungry? How much will people be willing to pay if it¡¯s nearly certain they¡¯ll be eaten?¡±

    Carina and Darran were responsible for the line of reasoning. Tibs had known that, as Quigly predicted, Harry would try to stop them, but they were who had explained the economic reasons he could use to keep most reprisal at bay. They had used a lot more numbers than Tibs did.

    The guard leader studied Tibs. ¡°You are playing a dangerous game.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not playing, Harry. I¡¯m doing what I can to make sure this town survives without you.¡±

    ¡°This town can¡¯t survive without the guild.¡±

    ¡°We survived Sebastian without it. Or are you going to claim you somehow had a part to play in getting him to leave?¡± Harry¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Go bother another dungeon and see what becomes of us.¡±

    ¡°You think you can tell the guild where to go?¡±

    ¡°You know what to do to get rid of me,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°That¡¯s what it¡¯ll take for me to stop. But if you want to help me, seeing how you probably aren¡¯t as busy as before, with me taking care of the town, how about you find out what Sebastian¡¯s up to? Jackal tells me he¡¯s still a threat to the town.¡±

    The pain was quickly covered with anger.

    Tibs wondered if Harry had tried to find out and failed. Or had he wanted to, but been prevented from doing so? Did the guard leader know what was coming?¡±

    Harry straightened. ¡°Don¡¯t come complaining when this falls around you, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°Tell Tirania that the next time she wants to threaten my town, she can come do it herself.¡±

    Harry shook his head sadly. ¡°This is why you need to stop. This wasn¡¯t a threat; it¡¯s my attempt at helping you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d have an easier time believing you,¡± Tibs replied flatly, ¡°if you¡¯d tried to help us when we needed it.¡±

    Again, pain crossed Harry¡¯s face, but instead of covering it, he turned and left.

    Tibs knew Harry hadn¡¯t lied, Harry never lied, and there had been no light as he spoke. But he didn¡¯t care. He also didn¡¯t care that his words had hurt the man. A second person he¡¯d knowingly hurt with his words, or, in Sto¡¯s case, lack of them.

    And unlike with Sto, Tibs had no interest in making sure to smooth things over with the guard leader.

    He simply wasn¡¯t ready to smooth them with Sto just yet.

 Stepping up, Chapter 84

    Tibs watched the cleric work.

    He found her in one of the worker¡¯s barracks after hearing about her going around and healing the workers who needed it. Only a handful of clerics left their quarters to work among the townsfolk. The rest only went to the dungeon¡¯s door and back. He¡¯d learned that the guild¡¯s inability, or unwillingness¡ªhe hadn¡¯t worked out which¡ªto go out and bring back the clerics who had been caught outside by Sebastian¡¯s siege had created a rift between the two groups.

    He sensed how she moved the essence through the woman¡¯s injury, the shape she gave it, how much he thought she used, and where she concentrated the essence within the wound. She was healing a man with burns on his arms.

    They weren¡¯t from a fire. Tibs could identify those by the way the essence of those burned felt afterward. The way it had been¡­eaten away.

    He¡¯s reached the point with Purity where he had its influence under control and he wanted to figure out how to heal someone. He wished he could go to her, or another of the clerics and ask how she did it, but even if she had shown herself to be more like the Runners than any of the other clerics, he didn¡¯t trust her with his secret.

    He wondered if she had a sense of her patient¡¯s essence the way he did. From the discussions with his friends, mainly Carina, he knew none of them sensed anything of other¡¯s essences within their bodies. Even when it was the same element, people did not register as having essence to them other than through the color of their eyes.

    But Clerics worked closer to people than anyone else, worked with the essence flowing through them. Or that was how it felt to Tibs. Did she? Or did she use the burns on the arm she was healing to guide where she sent the essence? How did clerics work with injuries that left no clues on the body they existed?

    She noticed him. ¡°Hello.¡± She looked thinner than when Tibs had last seen her at the inn before she and the others there had been taken back to the guild hall by a high-ranking cleric. She patted the man on the cot on the shoulder. ¡°You will be fine, but the next time you work with lye, make sure you wear the proper protection.¡±

    The man wasn¡¯t fully healed. The burns on his arms were less intense, but still present, as were the injuries of the others in the large room. The cleric¡¯s essence was thin. If he hadn¡¯t known her to be at least Rho, he¡¯d think she¡¯d only just reached Upsilon. It was how the other Runners¡¯ essence-drain registered to him.

    She staggered as she stood and Tibs caught her.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°You look exhausted.¡±

    She gave him a strained smile. ¡°Exhaustion is the price of hard work.¡± She looked at the men and women on the cots. ¡°It¡¯s a price I gladly pay to help these people.¡±

    Exhaustion could kill, he nearly told her; but remembered the demands Purity put on clerics. It wasn¡¯t like with the runners, whose influence wasn¡¯t even certain. And she wasn¡¯t like him, who could choose not to channel it, before he¡¯d gained control over the influence. Some clerics¡ªhe thought of Hightower¡ªseemed to have found ways around the aspects of the influence they didn¡¯t like, but she gladly gave in to all of them.

    ¡°Then, let me treat you to food and drink to replay your hard work.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡±

    ¡°I know, but I¡¯d like to.¡± He smiled. ¡°If you want, you can consider it payment for answering some questions¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    The tavern, a few buildings from the workers¡¯ barrack, was called the Tired Ale, and it was busier than Tibs expected. Before he could offer they go to a different one, workers noticed them and stood from a small table. They thanked her profusely and, to Tibs¡¯s amusement, didn¡¯t seem to know who he was.

    Before he could head to the bar, a server brought each a tankard and he ordered them a meal.

    ¡°I was wondering why you stayed to help during the siege,¡± he asked, doing his best to keep his tone casual. ¡°In the early days, it would have been easy to make it to the guild building.¡±

    ¡°I suspect you don¡¯t understand how chaotic the early days were,¡± she replied with a smile, ¡°but I didn¡¯t try to leave. Few of us did. There was work for us to do there.¡± She thanked the harried server who brought them each a bowl of stew and bread. ¡°I¡¯ve found that Purity¡¯s urges to work is a good way to placate those who think they make decisions for it.¡±

    The stew was watery, the meat stringy, and the vegetables mush. He considered complaining but noticed the relish with which she ate and he realized he¡¯d become spoiled by the quality of the food the inn served. If he wasn¡¯t careful, he might start demanding that any place he stepped in met his exacting standards.

    Just like nobles did.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you did. But one of the reasons I was surprised to see you there is that I thought you were going to kill yourself trying to purify the pool of corruption.¡±

    She looked up from her bowl, so pale eyes wide, and studied his face. ¡°You were the boy.¡± She smiled. ¡°The one who spoke to me. The one who is Street.¡± Her smile fell. ¡°I had what that means explained to me. I¡¯m sorry you lived such a hard life. Hard work is one thing, but to be in a situation where being sent to a dungeon seems liberating¡­. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re still among us. And I see your eyes are blue now.¡±

    ¡°I grew into it,¡± he replied casually. ¡°Why did you stop?¡±

    ¡°I was forbidden from returning to that place.¡± The flat response and how she immediately went back to eating stopped Tibs from pressing. And it didn¡¯t matter. This was his curiosity sidetracking him.

    ¡°What is it like to heal someone?¡±

    She sighed in pleasure. ¡°To help those in need is a pleasure beyond any. One I don¡¯t get enough chances to feel.¡±

    ¡°How do you do it?¡± he asked before he could stop himself.

    She eyed him with a mix of amusement and suspicion. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that without Purity, and without being a cleric, you wouldn¡¯t understand.¡±

    Stolen story; please report.

    He shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t understand a lot of things.¡± He smiled. ¡°It¡¯s why I ask so many questions. My teacher says it¡¯s a good thing. Others¡­ don¡¯t always agree.¡± He filled his palm with water. ¡°All I need to do is gather my essence to make that happen. Even making the water flow is more about moving the essence than shaping it.¡± The water lifted over his hand, molding into a small blade. ¡°This is just me holding the essence so it won¡¯t spread away.¡±

    He realized the tavern was silent. The workers were watching them with a mix of curiosity and apprehension.

    ¡°Adventurers are something they only heard of in stories,¡± she said. ¡°Magic isn¡¯t something any of them expect to see this close.¡±

    ¡°But the town¡¯s full of Runners.¡±

    She smiled. ¡°How many of them come to this part of the town? If they do, will they show what they are?¡±

    Tibs looked at the worker¡¯s faces, the awe, the fear, the suspicion. He knew those expressions, had worn them himself back before he came to Kragle Rock.

    He hadn¡¯t avoided this area, or at least not on purpose, he told himself. The town was growing ever larger, so how could he visit all of them anymore? He was reminded that Samuel knew more about the town than he did now. Hadn¡¯t he prided himself on knowing every roof and alley at one time?

    Would this place become a Street? Was Tibs taking part in making that happen simply by not paying attention to it? He was the one looking after the town. There had to be something he could do to make sure there never was a Street in Kragle Rock.

    ¡°Am I breaking a rule?¡± he ask the server as she stared at the water floating over his hand. One thing he could do was make sure he didn¡¯t simply trample over how things were done in the tavern.

    She startled, then looke1d worried.

    ¡°There ain¡¯t no rules,¡± a man said, dressed in the heavy and worn clothing of the workers. ¡°Just never see water do that before.¡±

    ¡°Can you ask the owner?¡± Tibs asked the server. ¡°If they say I have to stop, I will.¡± That man did not look like he was in charge here.

    She nodded and stepped away.

    Tibs iced the small blade, focusing on keeping it smooth, and ended with fewer jagged points than usual, but the gasp from the crowd could have been fear as much as surprise. He considered what he did to make it happen before speaking. ¡°Making it do that just needs me to push the essence into a simple structure. It¡¯s just interlocking the essence, really, but even then, I can¡¯t get it to do exactly what I want.¡±

    ¡°So making the weapon look terrifying to anyone facing you isn¡¯t your goal?¡± she asked, smiling.

    Tibs chuckled. ¡°This is the least threatening I can make it.¡± He looked around. ¡°And I think it¡¯s more because of how small I made it.¡±

    She lost the smile. ¡°A weapon will always be threatening to someone facing it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, I mean that I¡ª¡± her expression did not soften, and he tried again. ¡°I just think¡ª¡± he melted the small blade into a pool of water. ¡°I guess being a Runner makes me feel different about the things I need to use to survive.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°But a demonstration like this only serves to remind them you are more powerful than they are. And you need to remember that those with power often show that power so people will fear them.¡±

    Tibs absorbed the water and looked at the table.

    ¡°What I do,¡± she continued, and he looked up at her, ¡°and I am not particularly skilled yet, is much the same as you did. I link the essence into a¡­ fabric is the best analogy, and apply that to the wound.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Tibs asked, surprised. He hadn¡¯t felt that kind of structure to what she did. To him, it had felt like nothing more than the essence moving through the injury to reach the places where the man¡¯s essence had been affected, and that had caused the injury to heal. ¡°I thought there was more to it. The way the clerics act when healing us at the dungeon door makes it seem more¡­ involved.¡±

    ¡°It can be,¡± she replied after thinking. ¡°There, Runners have graver injuries. But what I did is simply apply the¡­patch to the wound. The essence is then drawn in deeper, pulled to what needs healing the most until it is all¡­used up.¡±

    Tibs nodded as part of what he¡¯d sensed became clearer. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re so tired. You can¡¯t pull the essence back into you the way I did.

    She nodded.

    A man wearing a grease-covered apron approached them nervously. ¡°My Lydi said you needed to talk to me?¡± he was heavy-set, with badly shorn copper hair.

    Tibs was taken aback by the caution in the man¡¯s expression. ¡°I just asked her to find out if you had rules against using essence here. I was giving¡­.¡± He hesitated and was stunned to realize that even after the multiple times she¡¯d healed him during the siege, he¡¯d never asked her name. ¡°My friend a demonstration so I could explain how I use it, and it caused more of a reaction than I expected.¡±

    ¡°Oh no,¡± the tavern owner hurried to say. ¡°I¡¯d never think to keep one of you adventurer types from doing anything.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a Runner,¡± Tibs corrected, but it didn¡¯t calm the man. ¡°Has anyone with essence, magic, caused problems around here?¡±

    ¡°Oh no. Not since those first guards left.¡±

    The cleric looked at Tibs quizzically.

    ¡°When we were brought here at the start,¡± he told her, ¡°we were the first ones ever to run this dungeon. The guild used adventurers as guards. It was a form of punishment for rules they¡¯d broken. They didn¡¯t like being here and didn¡¯t do a great job at guarding us; unless it was to make those who tried to escape pay. They were sent away after¡­¡± he pushed Bardik¡¯s memory down. ¡°After the dungeon was attacked.¡±

    He looked at the crowd, then at the tavern owner. ¡°Can you do something for me?¡±

    The man nodded, swallowing and grabbing the edge of his apron nervously.

    ¡°My name is Tibs, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re Light Fingers,¡± the man hurried to say. ¡°We all know who you are. You saved the dungeon. You helped Don protect the town.¡±

    At least Don came first, he comforted himself. Still came first, so the Sorcerer wouldn¡¯t hound him for trying to steal his fame.

    The cleric raised an eyebrow at him. Was that because they knew him, or how he¡¯s saved the dungeon? He¡¯d explain that later and somewhere with fewer people to overhear.

    ¡°I want you to pass the word that if anyone uses magic to cause trouble around here, I want to know about it. Leave word with any of the servers at Fernan¡¯s Inn, and I¡¯ll be told.¡± He wasn¡¯t letting anyone take advantage of people just because they had the power to do so.

    * * * * *

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure you should do that,¡± Jackal said, lying on a cot in an unused section of the building after the server and Carina had laid him on it and Tibs approached, doing his best not to show his eagerness.

    Jackal had won the pit fight, but the victory had come at a cost. The bone poked out of his calf. Tibs had no idea how the fighter wasn¡¯t screaming in pain right now.

    ¡°I warned you this would happen,¡± Kroseph said. ¡°If you took on that fight.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t he always getting hurt in this place?¡± Carina asked, pulling a crate closer for Tibs to sit on.

    ¡°Oh, those I don¡¯t mind.¡± Kroseph patted Jackal¡¯s arm. ¡°When he gets hurt, I get to cuddle him.¡±

    ¡°Kro,¡± Jackal whined, blushing.

    ¡°Oh, you love it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a tough fighter,¡± Jackal protested. ¡°See, I¡¯m not even screaming in excruciating pain right now. Me melting under your cuddling is something no one other than you needs to know about. I have an image to keep.¡±

    Tibs¡¯s chuckle died partway as he channeled Purity and frivolity seemed like a waste of time. He pushed the feeling to the side and drew essence out and shaped it into what he thought of as a fabric. He¡¯d asked a tailor about them, and then he¡¯d destroyed an old shirt to study how the filaments went over and under.

    ¡°What I told him,¡± Kroseph said, ¡°was that the next time he got seriously hurt, Tibs got to practice on him, and Arruh has been bragging about how much training he¡¯s been getting in with that convict. Stop pouting, I¡¯ll cuddle you once Tibs is done. I¡¯ll even do that thing¡ª¡±

    ¡°Can you not talk about that while I¡¯m trying to concentrate?¡± Tibs asked. ¡°Fighting against throwing up isn¡¯t going to help me heal Jackal.¡±

    ¡°One of these days, Tibs,¡± Jackal said, chuckling.

    ¡°You really want me to screw this up, don¡¯t you?¡± He had the essence woven into something resembling the fabrics he¡¯s studied. He wouldn¡¯t want to wear something made like that, with all the fraying ends, but it would pass as fabric.

    ¡°Of course not, Tibs,¡± Jackal said, ¡°but¡ª¡±

    ¡°This is where you shut up, love. And let Tibs do his thing.¡±

    He smiled at the fighter. Of course, Tibs wasn¡¯t the one who¡¯d be wearing his essence version of fabric, and Jackal kept talking about how much punishment he could take, so he could handle a little bit of healing, even if Tibs got it a little bit wrong, right?

    Tibs,¡± Jackal said, worriedly, ¡°I really don¡¯t like the look on your face.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 85

    Tibs ran through the crowd, forcing his problems out of his mind.

    Most of the town was here, perusing the booths the caravan merchant had set up. The chaos made practicing his pickpocket easier and avoiding the guards fun. At least that was what he told himself after having had to break up two altercations between Runners and Harry¡¯s guards already.

    The merchants provided most of the ones for the bazaar, but the town still needed to have a presence. If it meant Harry¡¯s or Tibs¡¯s people, that hadn¡¯t been established, and Tibs didn¡¯t want to have to deal with it at this moment.

    This was supposed to be the time for his game, not dealing with problems. The first day the booths were up after the caravan¡¯s arrival. Run among the people, pick the pockets, and used those coins to try food and drinks from places he¡¯d never heard of.

    Enjoy candies.

    This time, unlike the previous ones, the bazaar had been set up in the center of the town, around the transportation platform, filling the space the fire¡ªhis fire¡ªhad cleared. He did his best not to let the memory dampen his enjoyment.

    The caravan merchants had been lucky, in a way. They had left a few days before Sto closed his door, and this was their first time back since. They¡¯d missed Sebastian and the siege. Now, they were enjoying more visitors since the Attendants didn¡¯t charge as much to come to Kragle Rock while the bazaar was running. It had to be an arrangement with the caravan, but it benefited the town as a whole since the taverns filled up with customers. Even the Inn benefited, although it was further into the town. Tibs and his team would eat in the kitchen, since there would be too many customers for Kroseph to keep their table unoccupied.

    It probably meant the bazaar would end early, since they hadn¡¯t known of the new location and more visitors meant running out of goods sooner.

    Tibs saw Cross and changed direction before she noticed him. She was a guard at the moment, not his friend. She wouldn¡¯t see him pick pockets¡ªshe wasn¡¯t that good. But after he returned the last puzzle by slipping it into her carry pouch without her noticing, she¡¯d find him at some point, loom over him and demand he hand over what he¡¯d taken. She wouldn¡¯t believe him when he said he hadn¡¯t taken anything.

    The cube she¡¯d handed him had been a fun challenge. Even once he understood it was about lining the notches so the other parts would slip into place, figuring the right order to place and insert them had been difficult. Once he¡¯d succeeded, the second time doing it was simpler only because he knew to identify and keep track of the wooden pieces. There was no pattern to memorize, and if one piece went missing, it was impossible to assemble the cube.

    He bought enough different candies from the merchant to fill his pouch, then set about locating Carina. He found her at the third booth selling books, in an excited discussion with the merchant. He slipped a few of the candies into her pouch and moved on to finding another of his friends.

    Mez was with his girl and seemed happy. Tibs slipped him more candies because he could see it was a lie. Then, having to think it over, slipped one into his girl¡¯s pouch.

    Khumdar vanished nearly as soon as Tibs saw him, taking a step into a shadow, and it swallowed him completely. The woman the cleric had been talking with was surprised by the action, then looked around furtively. He considered following her as she walked away, to find out what his friend was up to, but decided to let him have his privacy.

    Tibs let Jackal see him approach, and the fighter eyed him suspiciously. He no longer walked with a limp, and it had only taken Tibs eight tries to heal his leg correctly. He hadn¡¯t minded the hard work it required, and he thought he now knew why he had so much trouble when he simply copied what Carina did.

    Alistair had been right. He didn¡¯t think like her, so he couldn¡¯t handle the essence the way she did.

    Tibs raised a hand filled with candies to keep the fighter from grabbing Kroseph and heading away. Jackal hadn¡¯t screamed at any point in Tibs¡¯s practice on him, but he had kept his distances since.

    Kroseph kept him from disappearing. ¡°Just take one,¡± he said, picking a bright pink candy from the selection. Tibs waited until the server reacted to the spices before grinning. ¡°On second thought,¡± he wheezed. ¡°I think he¡¯s trying to trick us into having a reason to practice some more.¡±

    ¡°The yellow one¡¯s safe,¡± Tibs said. ¡°They¡¯re called sunbeams, but they¡¯re cool instead of hot.¡±

    Jackal took it, but kept his eyes on Tibs as he placed it on his tongue. After a few seconds of it in his mouth, Jackal raised an eyebrow. ¡°It is cool.¡±

    ¡°Joy,¡± Kroseph wheezed some more. He¡¯d spit the candy out, but the spices were still burning.

    Jackal grinned at Tibs. ¡°Definitely.¡± He pulled his man close. ¡°Let me show you.¡±

    Cursing, Tibs ran off before his friend kissed Kroseph.

    * * * * *

    ¡°Enjoying yourself?¡±

    Tibs was startled to a stop and put his hand behind his back, then remembered he wasn¡¯t doing anything wrong. Well, not right now. He smiled at the guard leader and offered him candies.

    Harry eyes them. ¡°Are you trying to bribe me?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tibs replied, insulted the man thought he¡¯d try. Tibs knew he had nothing to bribe the guard with.

    With a nod of satisfaction, Harry took a gray one. Those were sweet with some sourness to them. Tibs didn¡¯t care for them all that much.

    ¡°Are you trying to convince the merchants here to let your rogues protect them?¡± Harry¡¯s tone made it clear he figured the protection was more of a racket than anything else.

    ¡°No, they have their own guards.¡±

    ¡°And yet,¡± Harry said, ¡°I see many of them here, not perusing the offerings.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s plenty of your guards, too.¡±

    ¡°It is our job to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Protect the guild interest, I know.¡±

    Harry narrowed his eyes.

    Tibs knew that wasn¡¯t what he¡¯d been about to say, but he wasn¡¯t letting him think the town was his responsibility.

    ¡°If I were to ask you what act of thievery you have been up to? What would you tell me?¡±

    Tibs grinned. ¡°Ask and find out.¡±

    He was curious if the guard leader would. Tibs wouldn¡¯t lie, there was no point, and Harry would have to act on it, even if it¡¯s as inoffensive as picking pockets. Normally, the man didn¡¯t want to know about something like this. It was for his guards to uncover and deal with. But it would be a way for him to throw Tibs in a cell, since he couldn¡¯t do it for handling the security of Merchant Row as well as the surrounding blocks, now that he had a few more Runners.

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    ¡°Rogues,¡± he finally grumbled, as he turned and walked away.

    ¡°You know,¡± Alistair said, behind him, and Tibs¡¯s satisfaction disappeared as he startled. ¡°When there is so much tension between the two of you isn¡¯t the time to push him until he throws you into a cell.¡±

    Tibs turned and his teacher smiled as he popped a blue candy, swirled with green, into his mouth.

    Tibs checked his secret pocket, where he kept his favorite candy, and he was short one Sea Drop.

    ¡°I should call Harry on you.¡±

    ¡°Think of it as the cost of failing a test. No matter how good you are, don¡¯t take for granted there isn¡¯t someone who can get into your pockets.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re like Delta. There¡¯s no way I¡¯d stop you.¡±

    ¡°True, but you can still be aware something is happening.¡±

    Tibs was aware, he wanted to tell the man. He was aware of much more than Alistair could imagine. But in a crowd like this, there was too much for him to be aware of to make anything of it. He couldn¡¯t leave his sense active all the time, he¡¯d go numb. So he needed to know something was about to happen for him to activate it.

    And that was probably what Alistair meant. Tibs should always expect something from the people around him. Which meant he needed to find a way to not let any of his tools distract him to the point he didn¡¯t use them.

    ¡°Does this mean this is teaching time?¡± he asked with a disappointed sigh. He¡¯d wanted to enjoy the day.

    ¡°Any time is a time to teach,¡± Alistair answered, walking. ¡°Someone as curious as you should understand that.¡±

    ¡°When I do it,¡± Tibs grumbled, walking next to him, ¡°it happens when I want it to.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Alistair smiled. ¡°Always so careful to plan those times so they¡¯ll derail the training I try to impart to you. Quite the strategist, aren¡¯t you?¡± He looked at Tibs expectantly.

    ¡°I know what strategy is,¡± he replied. ¡°I learned the word as part of learning to fight in the dungeon, and we had to do a lot of it during the Siege.¡±

    Alistair nodded. ¡°Today is going to be about focus. How are you coming along with suffusing your body with water essence?¡±

    ¡°I manage it,¡± Tibs answered with a shrug. He could do it with a thought, not that he saw a point. After the novelty of being more slippery had passed, he¡¯d realized that a shield was more efficient in the middle of a fight, and not being seen made not getting caught easier than evading capture.

    ¡°I want you to maintain it while we walk around the bazaar.¡±

    Tibs considered how much he should let his teacher figure out. ¡°That¡¯s going to be hard, isn¡¯t it?¡± he asked. Nothing had been easy until he had the elements, and it shouldn¡¯t be now either.

    ¡°That will depend,¡± Alistair said. ¡°Most Runners only start this type of training once they reach Rho. You had to learn to do more than one thing at a time earlier, so that might help here. Also, some have an affinity for focus and that makes exercises like this simple. Others will struggle with them most of their lives. ¡°

    So he shouldn¡¯t make it seem too easy, but if he slipped, it wouldn¡¯t reveal him as being different. ¡°Will it do more than make me slippery?¡± He sensed his teacher¡¯s essence. Unlike Tibs, who pushed it out from his core, Alistair¡¯s essence radiated from the channels coursing through his body.

    ¡°Why should it do anything more?¡± Could his teacher sense how Tibs¡¯s essence flowed in his body? None of his friends could, but Alistair was Delta.

    ¡°Jackal turns to stone when he does it.¡±

    ¡°He told you?¡±

    Tibs rolled his eyes. ¡°He¡¯s on my team. I¡¯ve seen him do it. And he¡¯s my friend. So yes, he told me what it does.¡±

    Alistair nodded. ¡°Earth isn¡¯t subtle. You can expect most of what they do to have noticeable results. They¡¯ll turn their bodies to stone, encase you in it, walk through a wall of it. Most of the solid elements tend to be like that. You could say that it¡¯s in their nature to be obvious. Water is more subtle in what it does. No one will notice how you¡¯re harder to grab hold of unless they are trying to do so.¡±

    Tibs hadn¡¯t thought about it like that. ¡°But isn¡¯t subtlety what Darkness does?¡±

    ¡°It does. But that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s the only element able to do that. You need to remember Tibs that the element doesn¡¯t define what you can do. With enough training and determination, any element can be made to do something like what another element is known for. Even Earth can be used in subtle ways. Some elements simply lend themselves to certain effects.¡±

    Tibs remembered something his teacher had done in one of their early session. ¡°So, when you made it so no one could listen to us. You were copying something Darkness does?¡±

    ¡°No. I didn¡¯t copy Darkness. And while you are correct that Darkness can do something like that, it isn¡¯t how I realized I could. And I¡¯m not letting you derail this lesson. Are you maintaining your essence?¡±

    ¡°I am.¡±

    ¡°Good. Now, to go back to your initial question, the one relevant to the exercise, there are many stages of making use of the essence within you. The effect you¡¯re creating at the moment is the weakest of them. Yes, that means that as impressive as your friend turning into stone is, that is the least of what he will be capable of.¡±

    Tibs nodded and pulled his essence back into his core and waited to see if his teacher would notice.

    ¡°When inside you, you can¡¯t etch or weave the essence. There, it¡¯s more about taking on aspects of Water than forcing a result. And you need to focus. You¡¯ve let your essence retreat into your reserve.¡±

    ¡°You can tell?¡± Tibs stepped around someone and nearly bumped into another. He didn¡¯t but suddenly it was as if the crowd had gotten thicker.

    ¡°I can see the results of you not being suffused by it,¡± Alistair replied with a smile.

    Tibs looked at himself, still having to be conscious of everyone around him too. He couldn¡¯t see any difference as he pushed the essence through his body. ¡°You can¡¯t sense it? The way we sense the essence around us?¡± He looked around as people stopped nearly bumping into him.

    Only the crowd hadn¡¯t thinned.

    ¡°Pay attention, Tibs,¡± Alistair said, and he brought his attention back to his teacher. ¡°Sensing within someone else¡¯s body is difficult. There are a variety of theories as to why, but the most accepted revolves around the reason why a dungeon can¡¯t simply eat you when you enter it. Being alive protects us from it, and it also blocks an adventurer¡¯s senses.¡±

    Tibs nodded, listening and studying the people around him. They weren¡¯t doing anything to avoid him. He was the one somehow slipping between them without effort.

    ¡°I see you¡¯re noticing another effect.¡±

    Tibs pulled the essence back into his core and, while he could tell nothing about the crowd changed, avoiding those walking around him took more care. He suffused himself, and he no longer had to think about avoiding them. He wasn¡¯t slipping against them, as he¡¯d initially thought, since suffusing himself with Water made him slippery, he was¡­flowing between them.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t we always doing this?¡± he asked, marveling.

    ¡°A few reasons. The main one is that after a while, people will notice an oddness about you. They won¡¯t be able to explain it, but it will put them on edge. People aren¡¯t comfortable with things they can¡¯t easily explain, and adventurers aren¡¯t so common someone will consider magic as the reason for the oddness.¡±

    Tibs tried to imagine what it looked and felt like for the people around him as he flowed among them. Maybe they¡¯d think he was a spirit? Some dungeon-made creature here to steal them away?

    ¡°Another reason,¡± Alistair continued, ¡°and one more relevant to you. Try to pick a pocket.¡±

    Tibs looked around for guards, then slipped his fingers into the¡ªnext to the closest pocket. He tried again, and he couldn¡¯t tell if it was the man noticing without realizing it, or some other influence, but he moved and Tibs missed the pocket completely. He tried with a woman¡¯s coin pouch, then a man¡¯s pouch. They didn¡¯t seem to realize what he¡¯d attempted. Even so, Tibs missed each time.

    ¡°As you can see, what¡¯s an advantage one moment can turn into a disadvantage the next.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s easy to fix,¡± Tibs said. ¡°I move the essence away from my hand and¡ª¡± he stared at his hand as the essence didn¡¯t obey him. He focused harder. It was his element. He should¡ªhis focus broke as he bumped into a woman.

    ¡°Careful there,¡± she said, continuing.

    He looked after her, trying to understand what had happened. Water still suffused him; they shouldn¡¯t have touched, right?

    ¡°There are limits as to what suffusing will let you do,¡± Alistair said when Tibs looked at him. ¡°For one thing, you need to remain aware of what is around you, so you can¡¯t focus on something else and expect the essence to simply keep you safe.¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I do it?¡± Tibs asked as they walked again. ¡°I let the essence out of the reserve. I can pull it back in. So why can¡¯t I pull it out of my hand?¡±

    ¡°Right now,¡± Alistair said, a look of concentration on his face. ¡°It¡¯s because of your lack of training.¡± He handed Tibs a copper coin he took from a pocket. ¡°But even with training, it¡¯s difficult. This type of suffusing is more of an all-or-nothing proposition. As I said, when it comes to the essence within our body, it¡¯s more about taking on aspects than shaping the results.¡±

    ¡°So, other than walking in a crowd without being slowed, does it have more uses?¡±

    Alistair smiled. ¡°Once you can maintain this while performing more strenuous actions than walking, we¡¯ll address the next stage.¡±

    ¡°You mean fighting,¡± Tibs said, the realization hitting him. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t¡ª¡± he closed his mouth, unsure if he should reveal he had fought while suffused with Water and the results hadn¡¯t been impressive.

    Or hadn¡¯t he done it correctly?

    Alistair looked at him expectantly, and Tibs turned his protest into a question.

    ¡°How is this going to help in a fight?¡±

    Alistair¡¯s answer was simply to smile.

 Stepping up, Chapter 86

    Tibs¡¯s slash missed Alistair again, even if, as far as Tibs could tell, his teacher hadn¡¯t moved.

    Alistair had been impressed with Tibs¡¯s ice sword, but he pointed out a flaw with it by placing a finger on the jagged blade and shattering it with a thought. Tibs had felt his control ripped away, but couldn¡¯t do anything against it. He comforted himself knowing that only another water adventurer could disrupt his control and that unless that adventurer was much more skilled or powerful than Tibs; he had his core reserve to use in such a contest.

    His next attack almost connected, maybe. Tibs couldn¡¯t tell.

    His teacher wasn¡¯t trying hard, Tibs was certain of that. He didn¡¯t have to; he had decades of experience over Tibs and he wasn¡¯t the one practicing something. Tibs was the one who had to keep his body suffused with water as he fought.

    And Tibs now understood why his initial fights while keeping his body suffused with Water hadn¡¯t shown much results. He hadn¡¯t kept his body suffused.

    He could suffuse his body with only thought under ordinary circumstances. Even walking didn¡¯t strain him. Fighting, on the other hand, posed multiple problems he hadn¡¯t considered. He could suffuse himself with essence with a thought, but he needed that thought to keep it suffused.

    Fighting required him to use all his thoughts. He wasn¡¯t sure why he didn¡¯t notice he was no longer suffused at the end of a fight, but considering he¡¯d tried it in the dungeon, in larger fights, exhaustion could be the answer.

    He didn¡¯t have that problem with his shield and sword, because he couldn¡¯t not think about them as he fought. They were there; they were how he survived, so they were always in his thoughts. Other water essence-based attacks and defenses were instant, done, and over with.

    ¡°I think this is enough,¡± Alistair said, as Tibs missed him again. This time, it had been Tibs¡¯s aim that had been horrible.

    Tibs let go of his sword and it splashed to the floor as he put his hands on his knees and focused on breathing.

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±

    Tibs glared at his teacher. He wanted to switch elements. Purity would take away all his aches, wouldn¡¯t it? Make breathing simple again?

    ¡°Were you able to keep your body suffused?¡±

    Tibs shook his head.

    ¡°Your fighting form is good. Did you get one of the fighting teachers to train you?¡±

    Tibs shook his head again. ¡°Another Runner,¡± he wheezed out. ¡°A convict.¡±

    ¡°Ah. Yes, they are older so some of them would have proper training. Please reform your blade.¡±

    His breathing came in smoother, enough that he could stop thinking about it. He extended his shaking hand and his jagged sword reformed. It was more jagged than while he¡¯d been trying to hit Alistair. His teacher studied it. ¡°The jaggedness concerns me. You should be able to make a smooth blade with the level of control you demonstrate. That you can¡¯t, tells me you are deeply angry about something.¡±

    Tibs snorted. ¡°I think the guild¡¯s given me plenty to be angry about.¡±

    ¡°Anger and water are not¡ª¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s bullshit,¡± Tibs snapped. ¡°Water doesn¡¯t care how I feel. Water¡¯s who is about soothing and making nice. I¡¯m me. I¡¯m a kid who got pulled here instead of losing a hand. And that I¡¯m grateful for. But the rest? Everything since I got here? Being treated like food for the dungeon? Like some commodity the guild¡¯s already made plans for once I¡¯m strong enough. And that was before I realized the guild doesn¡¯t care enough about the town and the people here to stick to the agreement it used to get them to come. That fucking guild of yours left us to die!¡± He waited for Alistair to snap at him angrily. To offer a defense for the guild¡¯s action. To say something.

    When he finally did, his tone was sad, matching his expression. ¡°You have to let it go, Tibs. Anger at something you can¡¯t do anything against will only lead you to make mistakes you¡¯ll regret.¡± Alistair rubbed his left wrist. It had been a while since Tibs had seen the motion, and it took him a few seconds to remember Alistair¡¯s admission at having once worn the black band of an adventurer who broke the guild¡¯s rules.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to do anything to the guild,¡± Tibs said, letting water calm him. ¡°I want to, but I know my limitation. I¡¯m just a kid. Taking charge of the town¡¯s survival is how I¡¯m getting back at them.¡±

    Alistair smiled. ¡°Harry told me to get you to stop that.¡±

    Tibs absorbed his sword as he crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°I¡¯m not going to listen to you either.¡±

    His teacher nodded. ¡°Be careful that protecting the town doesn¡¯t become turning it against the guild. You saw what it can let happen when it doesn¡¯t care about something. So consider what it could do, should it want that thing removed.¡±

    ¡°This is just about protecting the townsfolk.¡±

    Alistair studied him silently for quite a long time.

    * * * * *

    Tibs stopped as he and his team stepped onto the clearing. He realized that this was the first time, since he had his team, that he wasn¡¯t sure if he wanted to do the run. And this time, it had nothing to do with what the dungeon could do to him and his friends.

    Yes, Sto had hurt him, his feelings. But Sto wasn¡¯t human. He didn¡¯t think like them, didn¡¯t understand things the same way. He¡¯d seen what he did as a nice gesture and a way to have fun. Tibs had been justified in walking out, in hurting him then and there.

    The staying away all this time?

    If Tibs got angry at one of his friends, he yelled at them, he kick their shins and then they talked. Tibs hadn¡¯t done that last one with Sto. He didn¡¯t even know why. He¡¯d kept himself so busy he hadn¡¯t had the time to think about it.

    No, he¡¯d kept himself busy so he wouldn¡¯t think about it. Purity was good for that, giving him reasons to do instead of think.

    And now that he no longer had a choice about speaking with Sto, he realized he was afraid of what the dungeon would tell him. Or maybe Sto would just remain silent the entire run. And he didn¡¯t know which was worse.

    Why hadn¡¯t he come sooner and talked? Gotten Sto to apologize for what he did so that Tibs wouldn¡¯t now feel like he was the one who¡¯d done something wrong by remaining away all this time.

    Carina had told Jackal, what felt like a long time ago, to give Kroseph some leeway on account that one was street and the other a city folk. Tibs understood now why the two continued having arguments over those differences afterward. Knowing you were different didn¡¯t help. Tibs still wanted Sto to just know why he¡¯d hurt him.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal asked.

    He shook himself and moved again.

    Sto was silent as he arrived at the stairs, and still as he climbed them.

    At the entrance, the cleric frowned as he looked at Tibs, and Tibs returned it. The man was old, but the concentration of his essence marked him as no more than Rho.

    ¡°Is there a problem?¡± the guard asked, her tone disinterested. The guards had settled into a state of not particularly caring what the Runners got up to unless they broke the rules. Or at least that was how it seemed to Tibs. They no longer flinched when they realized one was nearby, or watched in awe unless they were brand new.

    ¡°No¡­¡± the cleric hesitated, still watching Tibs. Did he sense how Tibs had healed himself this morning?

    Tibs had discovered that suffusing his body with Purity healed him. It wasn¡¯t fast, but it was constant healing. He¡¯d also realized, after being attacked late in the night after his roof running, that it removed his tiredness.

    Carina had forbidden him from using it to avoid losing time to sleep after she found out he¡¯d been doing just that, so he now stayed up far too long, slept a little, and suffused himself for a few minutes as soon as he woke up.

    It left him feeling as if he¡¯d had a long night of sleep.

    ¡°Then let them through,¡± she said.

    Tibs felt the cleric¡¯s eyes on him until he was far enough inside he was out of sight.

    ¡°Are we heading to the third floor by the doorway?¡± Mez asked.

    Tibs looked up as the silence stretched. His friends glanced at him and that annoyed him. Why were they waiting on him? He wasn¡¯t the leader.

    ¡°Tibs¡ª¡± Jackal closed his mouth at the glare Tibs gave him. He was the leader, he should decide, and Tibs had to go along with it.

    ¡°We¡¯re heading to the third floor,¡± Carina said, sending essence into the closed doorway. ¡°We¡¯re dealing with this right now.¡± It shimmered, then showed the bridge over the pool. She stepped through before anyone commented, and stepped to the side, where the other doorway was.

    Tibs was through the doorway with only Khumdar behind him. The cleric had looked at him impassively as Tibs glared at him to go first, then he stepped through the doorway to the third floor.

    ¡°Is it my imagination, or does this feel more ominous than the last time?¡± Mez asked.

    Again, his friends looked at Tibs.

    ¡°What?¡± he snapped.

    ¡°You¡¯re being quiet,¡± Jackal replied.

    ¡°I believe the word you wish to use is brooding,¡± Khumdar offered.

    ¡°I¡¯m not brooding,¡± Tibs replied, ¡°I¡¯m¡ª¡± he snapped his mouth shut. He was scared. He was worried. He wanted to scream at Sto to say something, but he was terrified of what the dungeon had to say. ¡°Sto isn¡¯t saying anything,¡± he admitted.

    Wasn¡¯t that enough of a signal he wanted Sto to talk?

    ¡°Which passage are we taking?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°Same as last time,¡± Jackal said after glancing at Tibs. ¡°Like Carina said. We¡¯re going to ¡®deal with it¡¯. So that¡¯s where we need to go. Tibs?¡± Jackal stepped to the side and motioned to the floor.

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    Tibs thought about coating the floor with water to bypass whatever triggers were on this part of the hall, but decided against it. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t believe there was more than the one Jackal triggered the last time. Even along the other halls, there weren¡¯t as many triggers as Sto had put in the first trap room, so they could have missed them.

    It was that rushing through felt like he¡¯d insult her.

    Yes, Ganny had also played a part in how Sto had hurt him. But could he hope to have a conversation with either of them if he just ignored the work they put in making the floor? Maybe if he showed them he still took this seriously, Sto would talk to him.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal whispered. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re going to find the traps just by looking ahead.¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± Tibs said, chuckling, then shook his head at Jackal¡¯s surprised expression. ¡°Maybe next time.¡± He crouched and proceeded forward. With the floor not perfectly flat, and with the occasional unrelated cracks, identifying each trigger without using his water took time. When he found one, he sensed the mechanism. This close to it, the saturation Ganny maintained on this floor didn¡¯t prevent him from telling some of the essences that were part of the triggers, but he couldn¡¯t follow where they went beyond a couple of paces.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°Wasn¡¯t there three branches here last time?¡±

    Tibs looked up. Ahead, where the hall had split into three, there was now a branch going to the left, one going to the right, and a flat wall between them.

    ¡°That wall wasn¡¯t there,¡± Mez said.

    Tibs confirmed there were no triggers the rest of the way, and they approached the intersection.

    Tibs tapped it, then studied it, then sensed it.

    ¡°It¡¯s stone,¡± he said, looking at Jackal.

    ¡°It goes on deeper than I can sense,¡± the fighter said, hand on the wall.

    The essence was tight, but Earth and Corruption was all there was. It went on further than he could sense, but it had to open up to a hall again, so Tibs should be able to undo the wall until he reached it. But it would take time, even without considering how slow he was when channeling Earth. And because this was Ganny¡¯s floor, there might be nothing there.

    And he realized that there might be something else, a trickier way she¡¯d arranged it. He looked over his shoulder the way they¡¯d come.

    ¡°Is that his ¡®we need to worry¡¯ smile?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Carina replied. ¡°That¡¯s the ¡®he¡¯s figured something out¡¯ one.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have different smiles,¡± Tibs protested.

    ¡°Oh, you definitely have a ¡®I¡¯m going to enjoy this a lot more than you will¡¯ one,¡± Jackal said, rubbing the leg Tibs had practiced his healing on.¡±

    ¡°So, what did you figure out?¡± Mez asked before Tibs could protest again that he hadn¡¯t enjoyed it¡­ much.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think the triggers I had us avoid were traps, or at least not all of them. Remember how the one you stepped on didn¡¯t seem to do anything?¡± He pointed to the wall before them. ¡°What if it opened this?¡±

    ¡°So we¡¯d have to find all the triggers that open walls to find all the ways we can go?¡± Carina asked, dubious.

    ¡°That would seem excessively dangerous,¡± Khumdar said.

    ¡°There¡¯s a way to tell the ones that open walls from the ones that will kill us,¡± Tibs replied, turning to go study the triggers.

    Jackal stopped him. ¡°Next time. Right now, we¡¯re going that way.¡±

    Tibs smiled at Jackal. ¡°But there could be loot behind this wall if I open it properly.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s your ¡®look at me, I¡¯m too innocent to be planning anything¡¯ smile. Next time Tibs.¡±

    ¡°Maybe the hall won¡¯t lead there unless I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Tibs, I only stepped on that one trigger,¡± Jackal said, ¡°and that is what it seems to have done. I¡¯m sure that we¡¯re going to¡ªthat Sto will¡ªit won¡¯t¡ª¡± He let out an exasperated sigh.

    Tibs bit his lower lip. He¡¯d been looking for a way not to go forward again. He wished Sto said something, anything at this point, so Tibs had an idea where his¡­friend stood. With a resigned nod, he headed in the direction Jackal nudged him into.

    Without the creatures to fight, they reach where they had encountered the¡ª

    They stopped and waited.

    The silence stretched. No scraping of stone, no approaching¡­thing.

    ¡°Are we sure this is the right place?¡± Carina asked, studying the walls.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°Tibs?¡±

    He sensed ahead for anything, but the hall was still saturated, so he went to the bend from which Sto had come that last time wearing¡ª

    Nothing waited there to ambush them.

    ¡°Okay, is anyone else crept out by this?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°Tibs, what¡¯s going on?¡± Carina asked.

    He glared at her, how did she expect him to know? Only, that wasn¡¯t what she meant, and his cheeks burned at the realization. He was the only one who could find out.

    He let out a breath. ¡°Sto?¡±

    Silence.

    ¡°Sto,¡± he demanded. ¡°Come on,¡± he said, the lack of responses angering him. ¡°Don¡¯t be a baby. Talk to me.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Ganny replied, her tone gentle, ¡°you are the one who should say something?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± he demanded and immediately regretted his tone, but couldn¡¯t stop himself. ¡°He¡¯s the one who started it when he brought¡ª¡± Fuck, breathing was difficult. Had Sto done something to the air?

    ¡°But you¡¯re the one who walked out, Tibs,¡± she replied in the same gentle tone. Why couldn¡¯t she be angry at him for how he talked to her? He didn¡¯t want to be the only one angry. ¡°Who stayed away.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here now,¡± he snapped.

    ¡°Because it¡¯s your run. You didn¡¯t even come¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, okay?¡± he yelled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I just left. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t come and talk.¡± He wiped at his eyes. ¡°It hurt too much. Then I was busy with the town, then I use that not to think about how much it had hurt, then to not think about how ashamed I felt for not talking about it with you. Then I was scared you wouldn¡¯t want to talk to me. Then I was angry again because I didn¡¯t want this to be my fault and¡­¡± he lost the words in how he felt.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I hurt you,¡± Sto said softly, and Tibs found he breathed easier. ¡°I thought you¡¯d¡ª¡±

    Tibs tried to say something, to think of something to say as Sto stammered into silence.

    Sto sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t understand people very well.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Tibs said. ¡°I should have given you leeway because you¡¯re a dungeon and not a human. But seeing¡ª¡± He swallowed and forced himself to say it as calmly as he could. ¡°Seeing Pyan again, it hurt too much. We aren¡¯t like your creatures,¡± he continued before he could find out Sto had nothing to respond with. ¡°We don¡¯t exist to do just one thing. When we leave you, we still have lives, we still exist. And those lives happen with the people around us, beyond our team. You said that you heard how she enjoyed fighting with Jackal, but that meant more than fighting. We shared ales and meals. We helped each other. When someone like that dies, that stays with us. The pain diminishes in time, but it never goes entirely away.¡± He thought of Mama, and those times when he missed feeling her arms around him.

    ¡°Seeing her like that. It reminded me of the friendship I lost. That hurts Sto, being reminded she¡¯s gone. I didn¡¯t want her to die, but after Geoff did, I shouldn¡¯t have been surprised.¡± He looked at Jackal. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ll never have a special someone. No one will ever feel that kind of pain because I¡¯ve died.¡±

    The look Jackal gave him was¡­ odd. Sadness and amusement.

    ¡°Are we good?¡± Mez asked before Tibs could ask what that was about. ¡°I mean, is the dungeon¡ªFuck, this is too weird.¡± He ran a hand over his face. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be able to have a conversation with it, but to only hear one side of it just¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to go from here, Tibs,¡± Sto said while Tibs tried to come up with an answer for the archer. ¡°If making a Runner is going to hurt you each time, how am I¡­¡±

    There were plenty of Runners Sto could use Tibs wouldn¡¯t care about, but what about Carina and Jackal? What about the other Runners? Everyone had lost teammates here. Mez had lost an entire team to the dungeon. Or Khumdar who¡­ Tibs realized he had no idea if the cleric had lost friends here. Or if he had friends outside the team at all.

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t know what to do if he can¡¯t create Runners,¡± Tibs told them.

    ¡°He can just make more creatures,¡± Mez said. ¡°Those work fine.¡±

    Sto snorted. ¡°Have you seen how easily you go through them? I haven¡¯t cracked what¡¯s needed to improve them to the same level as¡­¡± he paused. ¡°People are¡­ I don¡¯t know how to explain it, but it¡¯s like they¡¯re made for this. They move faster, easier, they¡¯re just plain¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡± Tibs prodded as the silence stretched.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you again, Tibs.¡±

    Tibs nodded and readied himself. ¡°Just say it.¡±

    ¡°People are just plain fun. I can talk when I¡¯m in one of them. It¡¯s easy to move them, to fight. I didn¡¯t realize how slow and lumbering the brutes are, even the one I made just to fight Jackal, until I was in¡­. I think I could win a fight against him using a person.¡± The eagerness died off. ¡°But not if that means causing you pain.¡±

    Tibs chuckled.

    The idea Sto didn¡¯t want to hurt him when he existed to test them to the point they¡¯d die was nearly funny. That he said he wouldn¡¯t use someone Tibs knew because it would hurt him, at the same time as saying he could use them to kill Jackal would be funny, if the idea of losing his friend didn¡¯t hurt so much.

    He told the others what Sto said.

    Jackal stepped forward. ¡°Dun¡ªSto. First off. I don¡¯t care who or what you use; you aren¡¯t beating me. I¡¯m the best fighter you¡¯ll ever meet.¡± He looked at Tibs.

    ¡°He¡¯s waiting for whatever else you have to say.¡±

    ¡°Second.¡± Jackal sounded miffed at not getting a comeback. ¡°I demand payment for the help I¡¯m about to give you.¡±

    ¡°Jackal!¡± Carina snapped. ¡°You don¡¯t make demands of a dungeon.¡±

    ¡°Already have.¡± Jackal looked at the ceiling. ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°I will¡­consider it,¡± Sto replied. ¡°Based on how helpful it actually is.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll think about it,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll take what I can,¡± he said, annoyed. ¡°Put a helmet on their heads so we can¡¯t see their faces. Have them wear armor so we can¡¯t recognize their body, there¡¯s that fixes the problem.¡±

    ¡°Helmets don¡¯t cover faces,¡± Sto said. ¡°Did I miss one that does that?¡±

    ¡°No, but that¡¯s an easy enough change to make,¡± Ganny said. ¡°And you don¡¯t need to worry about holes for the eyes. And you can make it part of them, so it doesn¡¯t fly off when hit. The Runners move well enough when wearing armor, so you¡¯ll do too.¡±

    ¡°They like the idea,¡± Tibs said, smiling at the excitement in Ganny¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Can I offer an alternative?¡± Carina said as Jackal rubbed his hand together eagerly. She glared at him. ¡°Without needing to be paid for it.¡±

    Sto chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll listen, then decide on the payment.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to enjoy pitting them against each other, aren¡¯t you?¡± Ganny asked.

    ¡°Yes, but this would be so much more fun if they knew that.¡±

    Tibs sighed. ¡°I am getting tired of being stuck in the middle of these.¡±

    ¡°The price of being special,¡± Ganny replied, chuckling.

    She was so lucky she wasn¡¯t someone he could glare at. ¡°Whoever has the better idea wins,¡± he told them.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s easy.¡± Jackal grinned. ¡°I always win.¡±

    ¡°Do you need me to blast you all the way to the entrance?¡± Carina asked, and Jackal winced.

    ¡°I do not believe you currently possess the control needed that will let you navigate him around the bends between here and there,¡± Khumdar said.

    She grinned at him. ¡°He¡¯s stubborn enough. His head can survive a direct line through the stone.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the rest of him that¡¯s going to need the cleric when he lands outside,¡± Mez said, chuckling.

    ¡°I hear a lot of boasting,¡± Jackal said, ¡°and no actual idea.¡±

    Carina stepped to his side. ¡°Do you have to make them identical to who they were?¡± She grinned at Jackal, and his confidence cracked.

    ¡°What does she mean?¡± Sto asked, and Tibs relayed the question.

    ¡°I noticed all our creatures are kind of the same,¡± she said. ¡°You have groups, but within that, there isn¡¯t a lot of variety. Maybe the Ratlings and Bunnylings use different weapons and some will wear better armor, but they all look the same. Same with your golems. You have the Whippers, the Brutes, and the Bigger Brute, but other than what needs to be different for what they do, they¡¯re the same too. The one time one was different is when you fought Jackal. Is that a choice you make when creating them, or a limitation you have to work within?¡±

    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know. I just make them until they worked fine for what I needed them to do. Ganny, can I change them beyond that?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she said. ¡°I mean, everything in here is part of you, so yes, you can change anything you want. It just never occurred to me to suggest it. Like you said, they worked fine.¡±

    ¡°Can you try it now?¡± Tibs offered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how much concentration it¡¯s going to take,¡± Sto replied. ¡°I¡¯m going to start on it once you¡¯ve ended your run, but I think it¡¯s something I¡¯m going to have to work on for a while until I get it right. People are more¡­complex to make than the stone creatures.¡± He paused. ¡° Tibs, do you think the other teams are going to react like you did if they confront other Runners? Having people as creatures is the entirety of my contribution to this floor, and if I can¡¯t do that, it¡¯s going to diminish the experience.¡±

    The idea others might go through what he had made Tibs sick. He wanted to forbid Sto from doing it outright, regardless of how Sto felt about it. But he needed to keep in mind that Sto wasn¡¯t a human; he was a dungeon. He needed to do the things he had to. The guild had been worried when he¡¯d been eating nearly everyone who went in. How would they react if they thought he didn¡¯t do everything he could to test the Runners? Would they think he was sick?

    What did people do with sick animals?

    Instead of deciding, he told his team about it.

    ¡°What about my reward?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t pick your idea,¡± Carina countered.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t pick yours, so clearly mine is better.¡±

    Sto and Ganny chuckled.

    ¡°We can deal with that afterward,¡± Tibs stated. ¡°Should Sto use the people creatures with the other teams even if they look like dead Runners?¡±

    ¡°Why does he care?¡± Mez asked and immediately raised a hand as Tibs was about to protest. ¡°I get why what happened with us is a problem. He likes you, and hurting you caused you to not talk to him, and that hurt him. But unless he likes someone on another team, what does he care what they¡¯ll think?¡±

    ¡°It is not what they will think that worries it, is it?¡± Khumdar asked.

    ¡°Who else would it¡­¡± Mez looked at Tibs. ¡°Oh.¡±

    And Tibs was stuck in the middle again. Would Sto keep protesting if Ganny called him out for being sweet on Tibs?

    Everyone was looking at him.

    ¡°Alright,¡± he said, sighing. ¡°I don¡¯t like it, but,¡± he hurried to continue, ¡°you have to do what a dungeon does. It¡¯s what you are. And,¡± he added because otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be fair to the other teams, ¡°if you can¡¯t use either of Jackal¡¯s or Carina¡¯s idea, you can do it with us, too.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Sto asked. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you like that again.¡±

    ¡°You test us. That¡¯s just another test. Who knows, maybe it¡¯ll teach me how to stop caring so much.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Tibs,¡± Jackal ordered.

    ¡°Fuck off, Jackal. You don¡¯t know how much it hurts to care about all this.¡± He rubbed his face. ¡°Sorry. You don¡¯t deserve this. I¡¯m just¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re you,¡± Ganny said. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s a big part of what makes you special.¡±

    Tibs rolled his eyes. ¡°So, this is done? We can go on with this run?¡±

    ¡°Before you do,¡± Sto said, tone serious. ¡°I have to render my verdict as to who gets the reward.¡±

    ¡°Stone Mountain Crevice,¡± Ganny warned. ¡°Don¡¯t you even think about it.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 87

    A slash up, then across, and the Gnoll fell. Arm up, his shield took the overhead blow. A turn, a slash, another creature fell. Tibs carefully pivoted, shield and jagged sword at the ready. Only rubble remained. His friends only had minor injuries.

    They had raised their guards the moment the hall had widened to give them maneuvering space. Even Sto¡¯s surprise declaration as to the distribution of the rewards hadn¡¯t caused them to allow Ganny to get the literal drop on them, again.

    ¡°Anything drop?¡± Jackal shifted rubble with his foot.

    ¡°Silver,¡± Mez replied.

    The fighter cursed. ¡°Is Sto getting greedy?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s your job,¡± Carina said.

    ¡°There is¡­something here.¡± Khumdar¡¯s eyes were closed as he turned in place slowly. ¡°A secret, but one we are meant to discover. This¡­.¡± He sighed. ¡°I have never felt such a secret before. Secrets are usually not intended to be found out.¡±

    ¡°So, a cache?¡± Jackal rubbed his hands eagerly. ¡°Tibs?¡±

    ¡°Looking.¡±

    ¡°I would have¡­ I have never felt the ones in the trap room or the pool. The one holding the key in the boulder room is also not one I sensed.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re getting stronger,¡± Carina said, ¡°like the rest of us. Maybe that means you can discern subtle details like intent, now.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be something with essence again,¡± Tibs said, sensing the wall before him.

    ¡°A puzzle?¡± Mez asked.

    He shrugged. There was mostly Stone and Corruption making up the walls. Unlike the doorway Sto had in place for them to bypass the floors, the ones Ganny used to drop the Gnolls on them vanished once they were used.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal called. ¡°There¡¯s something here.¡± The fighter was on the other side, looking at the wall.

    Tibs sensed what had caught his attention as soon as he focused on it. The same essences were there, but their structure was different. Something in it led Tibs to think they were meant to interact with it. As he stepped next to the fighter he was already shifting the Earth essence around so they would divide and¡ª

    He stopped.

    ¡°Hey, Khumdar,¡± Jackal called, ¡°is this what you felt?¡±

    Tibs knew how to do this.

    ¡°I do not know,¡± the cleric replied as Tibs studied what he sensed. ¡°There is no direction to what I am sensing, other than one of it being here.¡±

    The way it worked didn¡¯t require someone to sense the corruption to undo the lock.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°You can open it.¡± It was time to have someone else learn something.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a rogue.¡±

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t need a rogue, just someone with Earth as their element.¡±

    ¡°The wall is three paces thick,¡± Carina said, then added, at Tibs¡¯s raised eyebrow. ¡°I can sense the air beyond that. It¡¯s a room, but I can¡¯t make out any details in it.¡±

    ¡°So you can open this?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s yours,¡± Tibs said before Carina replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m the team¡¯s dumb fighter, Tibs. If it can¡¯t be done by hitting it, it¡¯s not for me.¡±

    ¡°So, try that.¡±

    With a roll of the eyes, Jackal tapped the stone, then punched it lightly and harder. He made his arm stone and struck it hard enough that the impact sounded like it should have cracked the wall, but left no marks. He put the knuckle wrap on and hit it again, to the same lack of result. ¡°Not for me,¡± Jackal said.

    He motioned for the fighter to lean in and Tibs lowered his voice. ¡°You don¡¯t always have to be the dumb one on the team.¡±

    Jackal looked offended and waited for Carina, who simply chuckled. He let out a resigned sigh. ¡°I hate the two of you sometimes.¡± He placed a hand on the wall.

    ¡°You do realize that anyone who knows you has realized the dumb-fighter is an act, right?¡± she said.

    Jackal snorted. ¡°Not next to the two of you. Now be quiet, you¡¯re forcing me to focus and that¡¯s hard.¡±

    Tibs sensed Jackal¡¯s work. The way his essence radiated into the wall where his hand touched it. How it moved and tightened to push and pull at the other essence. It was¡­direct, and clumsy, and Tibs wasn¡¯t sure if it was because Jackal wasn¡¯t experienced, or a reflection of how he thought. It wasn¡¯t how Tibs would have done it, but that was the point of the exercise. Jackal needed to learn to do something like this, the way Jackal would do it.

    When the fighter pulled his hand from the wall, it looked identical as before he¡¯d touched it. Jackal turned his arm to stone and punched it hard.

    Where it had no effect before, the impact left a crack. With a grin, Jackal hit it again. With the third punch, chunks fell off.

    ¡°I¡¯m not feeling any fire,¡± Mez said, watching Jackal work. ¡°Does it mean only someone with Earth can open it?¡±

    ¡°And Corruption,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°After Bardik¡¯s attack, Sto put Corruption in the walls along with whatever other element make them. It¡¯s to keep someone else from using it against him.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t making something some teams might not be able to find break the rules of how a dungeon works?¡± the archer asked.

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    Sto¡¯s chuckle made Tibs consider who had told him that. ¡°My teacher is who told me that. He believes it, but he also thinks Sto is a mindless creature¡±

    ¡°Which I¡¯m not,¡± the dungeon replied smugly.

    ¡°But,¡± Tibs continued, ¡°you also think about what we¡¯ve learned of how the ¡®rules¡¯ work? They aren¡¯t what we thought they are. And I think that if they are rules, they apply to what we have to do to survive. This feels more like gaining an extra reward. Maybe different caches on this floor will need a different element to open them. We need to remember that Ganny designed this floor. She isn¡¯t as straightforward as Sto is.¡±

    ¡°Got that right,¡± she said.

    ¡°Why do I feel like that¡¯s a dig about how I designed the first two floors?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± she said. ¡°You have your set of strengths, I have mine. That¡¯s why we¡¯re supposed to work together.¡±

    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s a dig,¡± Sto replied and Tibs smiled.

    ¡°Are they talking to you?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°Each other.¡± Tibs frowned. ¡°How did you know?¡±

    ¡°Well, what you told us isn¡¯t worthy of a smile, and you got distracted.¡±

    Jackal had stopped pounding on the wall and looked at Tibs. ¡°You realize that if you¡¯re right, you¡¯re the only one who can open all the caches on this floor.¡± He grinned. ¡°We are going to get so much loot.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have all the elements, and Don can open them, too, since they all have Corruption mixed in.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Sto said, and Tibs could hear the grin. ¡°Did you just miss something?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I did,¡± Ganny replied, ¡°not that it¡¯s a problem. Unless you want Tibs to be the only one who has an unfair advantage.¡±

    ¡°I never said he should¡ªhey, you made this floor. Hey, don¡¯t you float away with that smirk on your face, Ganny. You¡¯re the one who¡ª¡± Sto¡¯s voice cut off as if a door closed on it.

    Tibs¡¯s chuckle died as the implication of what had happened sunk in. He¡¯d always assumed that when Sto talked about being busy elsewhere, it meant his focus was on another part of the dungeon since he was the dungeon. But this made it sound like he and Ganny could move around, that the dungeon was more a place they lived in, rather than what they were. Were there corridors behind the walls, somehow hidden from his senses?

    Had there been more to Bardik flinging the corruption about than just looking to melt the dungeon?

    He realized his friends were looking at him with quizzical expressions. ¡°Later. Are you getting the loot, or do we have enough and can move on?¡±

    With an affronted huff, Jackal went back to punching his way to the cache.

    ¡°So, have any of you come up with something to ask the dungeon?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°I am uncertain I should take the dungeon up on the offer,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°This staff is already more than I could ask for, and while I understand it was a random item, I am also not one of those who made a suggestion the dungeon is rewarding.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not either,¡± Mez said, ¡°for once. But Tibs said we all get to pick one item, and so long as the dungeon can make it, we can have it.¡±

    Instead of revealing which idea Sto had picked, he had offered the reward to the entire team. One item for each of them, locked to them the way Tibs¡¯s bracers were locked to him. Sto had been surprised when silence was the reply to his offer. Jackal was who put into words how Tibs felt, and by the other¡¯s nodding along, they too.

    ¡°That¡¯s too much for me to just blurt something out. I have to think about it. Figure out something that¡¯s going to be useful to me.¡±

    Tibs agreed with Khumdar. He had his bracers. On top of that, Sto had helped him have his audience with Fire, and had tried to help him with the one for Light. Asking for more felt like taking advantage of his friend.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Jackal yelled. He pushed broken stones out of the way and disappeared into the dark room he¡¯d opened. The short passage was narrow, barely wide enough for the fighter, but the room that was becoming illuminated as Tibs stepped in after his friend was large enough that they could all fit.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Carina said, looking at the five pedestals on the other end of the room. ¡°Maybe this is worth locking behind a specific element.¡±

    Each pedestal had an item on it. The one on the left had a quiver. Next to it was a book, then a leather roll, a shield, and the last one an amulet.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch it,¡± Carina ordered the archer as Mez reached for the quiver.

    ¡°That¡¯s clearly for an archer.¡±

    ¡°The leather roll has lock picks,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°The shield is for a fighter,¡± she added, ¡°the book for a sorcerer and that leaves the amulet for the cleric.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t need to fight over who gets what,¡± Jackal exclaimed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch it,¡± she ordered him.

    ¡°Why would I touch a shield?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think five items is a little excessive?¡± she asked. ¡°Considering the fight wasn¡¯t that hard.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Jackal replied flatly.

    Carina was right, Tibs realized. Each item had some essence in them and looked to be of good quality. That was a lot for that one fight.

    ¡°Khumdar,¡± she said, not taking her eyes off the fighter, ¡°tell me there isn¡¯t a secret to this room.¡±

    The cleric opened his mouth, then closed it, surprised. ¡°You are correct. There is something hidden.¡± He frowned, closed his eyes, and looked thoughtful. ¡°No, not a thing. This is more of a thought or an idea.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Has gaining strength in your element confused you as much as this does me?¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Jackal replied.

    ¡°Not really,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°You have no idea,¡± Tibs said, rolling his eyes.

    Carina chuckled. ¡°You and Tibs are the only ones without a preexisting system governing how they learn. We¡¯re just doing what, we¡¯re told when we¡¯re told, as we grow stronger. With an exception here and there,¡± she added, smiling.

    ¡°Why is there a trap in here?¡± Jackal whined. ¡°It¡¯s a cache, they¡¯re supposed to be about getting rewards.¡±

    Tibs decided not to mention how some caches could come with traps, or creatures protecting them.

    ¡°How did you know?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°Something Tibs said in combination with this being too many items,¡± she replied. ¡°Ganny isn¡¯t straightforward, and she is who designed this floor. She¡¯s taken what we expect and used it to trick us. We expect that we know what a cache means, so, she added something to it. Tibs, what can you sense?¡±

    ¡°Essences,¡± he immediately replied. Then focuses on gaining more information. ¡°I think they¡¯re all there, at least my eight are. I don¡¯t know enough about weaving to tell what they do.¡±

    ¡°So this might be a death trap?¡± Mez said, annoyed. ¡°Great. Let¡¯s just leave then. It¡¯s not worth risking it since we don¡¯t get to keep it anyway. Not that I have a use for a quiver. Tibs doesn¡¯t need picks. Like he said, Jackal doesn¡¯t use shields. What do you think the book¡¯s about? The amulet¡¯s a reserve.¡±

    ¡°The book will be about learning something,¡± Carina said. ¡°That¡¯s what books are for. Amulets have only been reserved to date, but is that all they can be?¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re all agreed on not taking anything?¡± Jackal asked.

    She nodded. ¡°Mez is right. Without knowing what this is about, we shouldn¡¯t risk it.¡±

    Jackal looked at Tibs, who shrugged, then at the cleric.

    ¡°Nothing on display matters to me.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± The fighter turned and grabbed the shield off the pedestal before Carina could object.

    ¡°Jackal!¡± she yelled.

    Tibs was distracted from the surge of anger by the shifting essence. The air around the four other pedestals shimmered and the items on them vanished.

    ¡°What kind of stupid move that that?¡± she demanded.

    ¡°Tibs said I don¡¯t always have to be an idiot.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s how you prove him wrong?¡±

    ¡°The dungeon wasn¡¯t going to kill us,¡± Jackal said. ¡°This is a cache, not a death trap. You didn¡¯t want any, so I took mine and now we know what happens.¡± He motioned to the empty pedestals.

    ¡°That¡¯s the secret you sensed,¡± Tibs told the cleric. ¡°We only get one item, but we can pick which one it is.¡±

    ¡°Unless we¡¯re fast enough to pull them all off at the same time,¡± Jackal said, a gleam in his eyes.¡±

    ¡°I am not attempting that,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°Not a death trap,¡± Jackal repeated with the certainty of the inexperienced.

    ¡°Having your hand disappear with the item isn¡¯t going to kill you,¡± Mez replied. ¡°Immediately.¡±

    ¡°Enough,¡± Carina snapped. ¡°Alright. What you did wasn¡¯t entirely stupid, but pushing for more, that is being an idiot. Don¡¯t put your greed before our safety.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t.¡± Jackal motioned for the exit. ¡°Let¡¯s move on to the next one so Tibs can find us another cache.¡± He attached the shield to Khumdar¡¯s pack.

    ¡°You are agreeing to this too easily,¡± Carina stated.

    ¡°I know when I¡¯ve lost a fight,¡± Jackal replied cheerily.

    ¡°No, Jackal, you don¡¯t,¡± Mez said. ¡°That¡¯s why you end up on the ground, unconscious, so often.¡±

    Tibs stared at the archer.

    He didn¡¯t know Mez went to watch the pit fights too.

 Stepping up, Chapter 88

    Another fight against Gnolls. This one along a narrow passage that made it hard to keep out of each other¡¯s ways. Some of the injuries Tibs healed were caused by his teammates.

    This cache¡¯s entrance was hidden behind a weave of Light, Earth, and Corruption. Tibs carefully drew light from around him and manipulated that into the weave, causing the weave to expand, and let them walk through the still visible wall as if it wasn¡¯t there.

    On the other side were more pedestals. One had an arrow, the next a knife, then a metal helmet, another book, and another amulet. Without knowing what the book contained, Carina couldn¡¯t judge its value, and the amulet was much like every other one, which made the helmet the best value.

    Then, they went through a handful of intersections and halls without incidents, before reaching a door blocking their way.

    It looked to be made of a dark wood, set in a golden frame, but the essence making it up was mostly Light, with Earth, Corruption, and other essences he couldn¡¯t identify. The weave was tighter than that of the cache and when he added Light to it, nothing happened. He tried the same with Earth and Corruption, to the same lack of results. It had no handle or keyholes, and Tibs couldn¡¯t find any hidden latch that might open it.

    For decoration, it had three black shields, each with a different design. The one at the top was like a bird with its wings spread, but it had four legs with claws and it didn¡¯t seem to have feathers.

    ¡°That¡¯s a dragon,¡± Carina said. ¡°I¡¯ve seen paintings of them in books.¡±

    ¡°The way it¡¯s posed within the shield makes me think this is a crest,¡± Mez added. ¡°Which would make the one with the boar another crest. I don¡¯t know what that one is.¡± He indicated the bottom one, with the face of a golden animal, its muzzle open in a scream, surrounded by brown mane.

    ¡°It¡¯s a lion,¡± Jackal said. ¡°The Arena in Mountain Sea had one while I visited with Kroseph. They¡¯re deadly and it¡¯ll take three or four of the better fighters to take one of them down.

    ¡°So, what do they mean?¡± Carina ran a hand over them. ¡°They¡¯re part of the door.¡± She looked at Tibs.

    ¡°They don¡¯t move. The essence that makes them is woven into the door in a way that feels it¡¯s all one thing. I¡¯ve tried changing the weave and I can¡¯t; it¡¯s too tight. I don¡¯t think that whatever we need to do is in the door.¡±

    ¡°Maybe this serves only to distract us?¡± Khumdar offered. ¡°Keeping us from exploring more of the floor.¡±

    ¡°You sense any secrets?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°Many, but as with the others before, the sense of them is strange. There is an eagerness to the surrounding secrets that I do not understand.¡±

    ¡°They want us to discover them?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°I do not know. The caches, which want to be found, have a different sense to them.¡±

    ¡°If we need to explore more of the floor,¡± Carina said, ¡°we¡¯re going to need to start mapping it; otherwise, we¡¯re going to get lost.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Jackal said, as Tibs said.

    ¡°I can get us back.¡±

    They looked at each other, and Tibs motioned for the fighter to continue.

    ¡°I can sense the way we came to get here. It¡¯s not the dungeon doing it, I just have a¡­. memory of the stone that¡¯s around us.¡±

    ¡°That is interesting. Does it work in the town?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I just realized I can do this,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°And it¡¯s not like the town is filled with stone.¡± He looked at Tibs.

    ¡°I just remember the way we came.¡±

    ¡°Alright, then, if being lost isn¡¯t a problem. How far do we go?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Until we¡¯ve cleared the floor,¡± Jackal replied in a tone that asked why that was even a question.

    ¡°Do we have that kind of time?¡± Mez asked,

    ¡°We did not bring provisions,¡± Khumdar pointed out.

    ¡°And what happens if we¡¯re here so long they send in another team and we run into them?¡± Carina asked. She looked up. ¡°What happens if two teams are on the same floor?¡±

    ¡°No idea,¡± Sto replied. ¡°I mean, there aren¡¯t any rules Ganny knows of, keeping it from happening, but none of the floors are designed for more than one team at a time.¡± He was silent for a few seconds. ¡°Although, the only actual cost to anyone would be that you¡¯d have to share the loot on the floor, since I can¡¯t control when teams enter and leave the floor.¡±

    Tibs grinned at Jackal. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind sharing the loot, we can have another team here with us.¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Jackal said firmly. ¡°There won¡¯t be any sharing of our loot. Can you tell us when the next team enters?¡± he asked the dungeon.

    ¡°Not really, I don¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± Ganny interrupted Sto. ¡°There might be something better, and it would make the floor more of a challenge. We set a countdown, at the end of which we lock all the closed doors so they can¡¯t proceed forward. We can even make that countdown dependent on the delay between each team, since they¡¯ve come in at the same rate.¡±

    ¡°They have?¡± Sto asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± She replied, slightly exasperated. ¡°Maybe this is a way you can start paying attention to how people count time. Tibs, you and your team have been in for about half the time it takes for the next team to enter.¡±

    How much time was that? He hadn¡¯t kept track. ¡°We have as much time as we¡¯ve already been in before the next team enters. I don¡¯t know how long that is.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t keep track,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Me neither,¡± Mez added.

    Stolen story; please report.

    ¡°Then, we have been here for two hours,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°The spacing of the teams beyond Omega and Upsilon has been four hours.¡±

    ¡°That sounds about right,¡± Carina said. ¡°I¡¯ve been using my amulet¡¯s recharge rate to keep track. It¡¯s not a clock, but it¡¯s steady enough.¡±

    Jackal rubbed his hands together. ¡°Then there¡¯s time for more loot.¡± He headed back the way they came and took the other branch at the intersection.

    * * * * *

    Tibs ducked under the Gnoll¡¯s swing, and Khumdar¡¯s staff passed over him, hitting the creature and sending it flying against the wall, where it cracked, then crumbled, leaving a silver piece to drop to the floor.

    ¡°Anyone know how we¡¯re doing for time?¡± Mez asked, looking around for more opponents.

    ¡°No,¡± Carina replied, then added. ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to let my amulet recharge with all these attacks.¡±

    ¡°We keep going,¡± Jackal said, picking up the coins. ¡°If we encounter another team, we¡¯ll deal with it. Considering how large the floor is, we might not even know they¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t they be able to follow our trail by the caches we¡¯ve left open?¡± Mez asked. ¡°Or the fact there won¡¯t be any creatures along that way unless the dungeon puts them back. Can the dungeon reset a floor if we¡¯re still on it?¡±

    ¡°That depends,¡± Sto answered, ¡°on if Ganny is willing to break a rule or not. You only keep me from changing one room¡¯s worth of a floor, so I could reset everything else, but I¡¯m not supposed to. Not that there¡¯s anyone here to keep us from doing it, right, Ganny?¡±

    ¡°There is a reason for the rules,¡± Ganny stated, but she didn¡¯t sound happy about it.

    ¡°They aren¡¯t sure,¡± Tibs told Mez. ¡°But something we need to keep in mind is that we¡¯re getting tired. We¡¯re going to have more and more problems in the fights,¡±

    ¡°But you can heal the tired away,¡± Jackal pointed out.

    ¡°I can do it in myself, but when I heal you, you just feel better, not like you slept.¡± He grinned. ¡°But if you¡¯re saying I should practice that on you, I can do it.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re heading out,¡± Jackal hurried to say.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think Jackal could be scared by Tibs offering to help,¡± Mez said.

    Carina smiled. ¡°You weren¡¯t there when Kroseph volunteered him for Tibs to practice his healing on after a rough pit match. Jackal ended up healed, but by the look on his face during the long and imprecise process, it wasn¡¯t pleasant.¡±

    ¡°Then maybe he¡¯ll learn to stop fighting in the pit,¡± Mez said.

    Tibs sighed. ¡°That¡¯s not the lesson he learned from that.¡±

    * * * * *

    ¡°I thought you¡¯d left with the caravan,¡± Tibs told Cross on seeing her at one of the merchant¡¯s booths in the clearing.

    ¡°Just because you¡¯re too busy looking at papers and counting numbers,¡± she replied with a grin, ¡°doesn¡¯t mean the rest of us aren¡¯t there. Don¡¯t I remember a certain rogue telling me how horrible his friend was for forcing him to learn letters and numbers?¡±

    ¡°Just letters,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°Dealing with the merchants forced me to learn numbers early so they wouldn¡¯t swindle me.¡±

    ¡°I thought the merchants liked runners.¡±

    Tibs grinned. ¡°Merchants will swindle everyone, especially their friends. Darran taught me that.¡±

    Learning numbers early, along with how the merchants loved including calculations with everything they sent him, to explain why they didn¡¯t pay as much as they¡¯d agreed to, had brought Tibs to the point where he could count to the hundreds and not need to heal the headache away afterward. He also had to make conversion of coins so often he could divide by fifteen mostly in his head.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m still around. If you¡¯re looking to be rid of me, the next caravan will be here in a few days.¡±

    In a few days, it would be nearly three months since the end of the Siege, and already, most of the reminders of it were in Tibs¡¯s memory. The one noticeable change was in how sections of the town were becoming more different as a result. The grounds around the platform was already called the Market Place, on account of merchants setting up booths there for any travelers stepping off the platform. The only rule the guild had for them was that no one could build a permanent building on the open space.

    That part of the town was Harry¡¯s to protect. Tibs had approached the Attendants so the Runners could protect them, but in spite of how the guild left everyone in the town, including them, to fend for themselves, they refused.

    The nobles wanted nothing to do with Runner security or the Guild. Tibs found out through Serba they had been firm, loud, and vulgar when the guard leader had gone to them to inform them of the rules they¡¯d have to follow. Tibs hadn¡¯t bothered approaching them.

    Samuel had told him the nobles were buying houses just outside their neighborhood, paying more than they were worth, and not doing anything with them. Tibs had to ask Mez for the answer.

    The Nobles were setting up for building a wall around their neighborhood.

    Tibs didn¡¯t know how he felt about it and left that to the guild to deal with.

    And Kraggle Rock now had a Street.

    Tibs did everything he could to keep it from happening, but the Siege had left too many people broken and unable to leave, work, or even look after themselves. He got into a fight with Harry over that. Over how the guild let it happen, and the guard leader didn¡¯t seem too happy about it when he shoved in Tibs¡¯s face that Tibs had demanded he be left to deal with the town.

    Tibs almost handed the town over to him at that. Why he didn¡¯t was that ultimately, no matter how much good Harry wanted to do, he¡¯d do what the guild told him. And the guild didn¡¯t care about the town or the people in it.

    The merchants wouldn¡¯t help either.

    ¡°There¡¯s no coin in it,¡± Darran told him sadly.

    His friends wanted to help, but even Tibs had no idea how they could. He knew what he¡¯d want to have happened to him when he lived on his Street, but how did he ensure everyone there was fed properly? Was healed when injured¡ªa handful of clerics did the rounds, but after one died of over-exerting himself, they did so against their superior¡¯s orders. Tibs had discreetly healed some of the worst off, but it hadn¡¯t led to them picking up and leaving. They¡¯d stayed there, not doing anything other than the bare minimum needed to subsist.

    Tibs didn¡¯t know how to heal whatever was broken in them, because as far as he sensed, they were okay. Only they clearly weren¡¯t.

    The one thing Tibs could do was ensure that no noble ever considered the Street their playground. Enough Runners had lived on a Street, or known of a Street, Tibs had no problem finding people to patrol it and kick any nobles out of it as hard as needed for them to get the message.

    It took six beatings, and cost him three Runners. But the nobles stayed away from the Street.

    His Street.

    Then, there was the pool.

    Darran had told him people had approached him regarding purchasing it away from him. How they¡¯d found out the merchant was the one officially owning it now, Darran didn¡¯t know, but suspected a great use of coins. The amount was larger than Tibs could fathom, which he suspected made refusing to sell it to them, or anyone, easier.

    Jackal had found out that officially, the guild owned the land where the pool of corruption was located since the destruction of the Garden Caravan had come with the death of the owner and any family he had. So no one to pay what was owed to the guild.

    Tibs couldn¡¯t approach the guild to buy it from them, no matter how few coins they¡¯d want, as the corruption adventurer had claimed. So he¡¯d asked Darran do to it. When the merchant asked him why, Tibs lied.

    Tibs lied well.

    Tibs loved lying, lying was such a simple way to weave and find secrets. And when he channeled Darkness, Tibs loved that secrets existed. He wanted there to be more. He wanted people to want to find out about them, search, and rejoice in the discovery. Discover that it led to yet more secrets to uncover.

    So Darran had investigated, and Tibs had felt sick for lying to his friend.

    He handed Cross the sphere. ¡°It¡¯s the same thing as the cube. It¡¯s just memorizing how the pieces fit together.¡±

    She took it, then made a show of patting her pouch. ¡°Not every puzzle¡¯s about patterns and locks.¡±

    Tibs looked around and considered what had been running through his mind. ¡°Sometimes, they¡¯re about how people think.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°The greatest puzzle of them all; Society.¡±

    Tibs rubbed his temple and grumbled. ¡°That¡¯s one puzzle I don¡¯t want to work on.¡±

    She patted his shoulder. ¡°Then, you shouldn¡¯t have started running this town.¡±

    He glared at her. He wasn¡¯t running it, he wanted to scream. The only thing he¡¯d agreed to do was keep the people safe, but that was turning into so much more.

    Like the coming bazaar.

    It took place on Market Place, so it was Harry¡¯s responsibility, and the guard leader was welcome to it, but Tibs was still going to have to make sure some of the rogue Runners kept an eye out for thieves and other kinds of troublemakers, because any trouble Harry¡¯s guard missed, would have repercussions on the town even if it took place among the bazaar.

    Tibs so couldn¡¯t wait for his next run so he wouldn¡¯t have to think about all this for a while.

 Stepping up, Chapter 89

    ¡°You,¡± Don snarled, ¡°are doing this on purpose.¡±

    Tibs sighed as he looked up from yet more papers he had to read, more numbers he needed to calculate. He¡¯d needed to focus, so he¡¯d turned off his sense. He suspected the tailor wasn¡¯t paying what he owed, but he had to go through all the justifications for the number of coins he¡¯d sent. There were a lot of numbers and words that claimed to explain everything.

    ¡°What am I doing?¡± he asked, not adding the ¡®this time¡¯.

    ¡°The Lake Path neighborhood!¡±

    Tibs closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He quickly suffused himself with Purity to deal with the forming headache. He couldn¡¯t handle Don while nursing it. Channeling Water again, he looked at the Corruption sorcerer.

    ¡°What about it?¡±

    ¡°I spent a week speaking with them, convincing them to let the guild patrol and days later you go and have your people patrolling those streets.¡±

    Tibs put the satchel on the table and looked through the papers in them. Yet more papers. Just the night before, he¡¯d had a dream where he was drowning in them. He found the report he was looking for and handed it to the sorcerer.

    ¡°I gave them the time to catch those thieves,¡± Tibs said as Don read, his expression darkening. ¡°They aren¡¯t rogues. They¡¯re from a city called Tamariel. They robbed six houses, right under Harry¡¯s guards¡¯ noses.¡±

    ¡°Then, do you have to be fucking blatant about it?¡± Don threw the page at Tibs, which went fluttering to the side. Don¡¯s exasperation as something not going his way amused Tibs, but he didn¡¯t show it. Now was not the time to make the sorcerer angrier. ¡°You¡¯re rogues. I spent the day having to explain why it was your people there instead of the guild¡¯s.¡±

    Tibs studied Don. The problem they were in was that they both wanted the same thing. For the town to be safe. But Don had made himself the Hero of Kragle Rock, and Tirania had played on his ego to make him the mouthpiece of the guild. Don knew the guild didn¡¯t care about the town, but if he turned against them, his status would suffer. And Don was nothing without his status.

    ¡°Have you gotten Harry to get better guards? Some that know how to catch thieves?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s trying,¡± Don said through clenched teeth. ¡°But unlike you, who can just do whatever he wants; he has procedures he must follow. He must justify the expenses he incurs. He can¡¯t just get experts from the capital to come and help him until the guild is aware there¡¯s a problem. And because you¡¯re always swooping in and stopping those crooks, they never find out.¡±

    ¡°So you want me to let the people of our town suffer until the guild sees the suffering?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I said,¡± Don snapped.

    But it was what he¡¯d meant, even if Don wasn¡¯t willing to admit it. What could Tibs give the sorcerer that would both appease him and not endanger their town? It had to be something real, which meant the danger to the townsfolk would be real if the guards couldn¡¯t handle it.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors of a gang setting up somewhere in the Dungeon Side neighborhood. I can give you the likely locations, based on what we¡¯ve gathered. If you can get the guards to clear them out, that¡¯ll go some ways to appeasing your¡­ supporters.¡± His ego was what he felt like saying.

    Don narrowed his eyes. ¡°If you think you can play me, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°Don, I¡¯m not the one playing games.¡± Not the right thing to say, the darkening expression told Tibs. ¡°I¡¯m offering you something to help you. You don¡¯t want to use it? Tell me and I¡¯ll keep my people on it.¡±

    The sorcerer ground his teeth. ¡°What do you have?¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs entered the second-story window from the darker side of the house.

    Khumdar¡¯s message had been clear about not being seen coming in. He sneaked through the unoccupied bedroom, wondering what the cleric was doing here and why the secrecy.

    No, that one he knew why. He experienced the pull toward secrecy anytime he channeled Darkness. He didn¡¯t have the cleric¡¯s need to keep those secrets to himself, but he understood their appeal. Each element came with one need that, if left unchecked, could become dangerous. Water¡¯s was to soothe, Purity¡¯s to work hard, Darkness¡¯ to create secrecy. Earth¡¯s was to take his time, and Air¡¯s was to have a good time. Earth¡¯s and Air¡¯s he almost had a complete handle on. Light¡¯s was about being honest, Corruption¡¯s selfish and Fire¡¯s¡­ fire consumed.

    Fire was the one element that scared him, so he hadn¡¯t worked on it yet.

    He sensed two people below him, on the ground floor. One had Darkness as his element; the other didn¡¯t have any. He took a knife as he descended the steps and held it behind his back.

    They were seated in the living room. The one with Darkness wore Khumdar¡¯s essence woven robe, but was seated in the darkest corner. The other was in the light, seated in a kitchen chair, but Tibs couldn¡¯t see her hands, and both were tense.

    ¡°It¡¯s safe,¡± the cleric said, but Tibs continued edging to the side until he could see them properly. She was tied to the chair.

    Remaining in shadows, he channeled Darkness. There were a lot of secrets among the two of them. Tibs tried to discern the kind of secrets, the way Khumdar could, or the relationship of those secrets to the two of them, but he wasn¡¯t practiced enough yet. He channeled Water and stepped into the light.

    The glare she¡¯d been directing at the cleric turned to worry on seeing Tibs.

    ¡°You should tell him,¡± Khumdar said with a directness Tibs wasn¡¯t used to. ¡°You will feel better for it.¡± Was he angry?

    She went back to glowering at him.

    ¡°This is what¡¯s been keeping you busy?¡± Tibs sat in the old seat. The room felt lived in, with a painting of an older man and woman on the wall that hung crooked. A dirty plate was on the side table by the couch. There was a sense the occupants had arrived recently. A lack of clutter Tibs was used to in homes that were lived in for a while.

    ¡°One of them.¡± Khumdar smiled. ¡°Kragle Rock grows ever larger, and so do the secrets contained within it. I now suspect I will never be able to get to our teammate¡¯s secrets.¡±

    ¡°Do we have any left?¡± He watched her. The casual conversation wasn¡¯t causing her to relax.

    ¡°It is a sad fact of this world that we always keep secrets.¡± The cleric was silent for a few seconds, and that caused her to be more worried. ¡°Often, even from ourselves.¡±

    ¡°And what are her secrets?¡± Tibs asked, and fear entered her eyes.

    ¡°I have worked out two of them. She has many more, but those two were enough for me to decide the two of you should meet. The first one is that she works for Sebastian.¡±

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    ¡°I don¡¯t know who that is,¡± she stated.

    Tibs sighed. ¡°Everyone knows who Sebastian is. You can¡¯t be in this town and not have heard of the Siege.¡±

    It made sense. Within days, Serba had been approached by one of her father¡¯s agents. By now, Sebastian had to have many spies in the town. Some wouldn¡¯t even know he was who the information they reported eventually went to. Coins could get someone anything they wanted if they had enough.

    ¡°Of course. I know that.¡± She was fighting her fear. ¡°But I don¡¯t know him the way he¡¯s saying. I work at the Tipped Tankard. I¡¯m a server and I do some of the cooking. I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s talking about.¡±

    The Tankard was a tavern a few streets away from the inn that had been part of the town since the early days. Tibs had visited it, but nothing about it stuck in his memory.

    ¡°She indeed does work there,¡± Khumdar said.

    Tibs nodded. There had been no glow when she spoke. How he saw lies was more precise when he channeled Light. He could get a sense of how they lied, but he couldn¡¯t do this now after she¡¯d seen his blue eyes. Or even before. She knew who he was.

    Could he stand behind her so she wouldn¡¯t see his eyes? Would Light let him be threatening unless he meant it? He didn¡¯t know. He lacked practice with that element.

    Not that he wanted to play games. Puzzles were one thing. Playing games was something else.

    ¡°What¡¯s her second secret?¡±

    ¡°She is here to watch you, specifically,¡± the cleric answered.

    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous,¡± she replied. ¡°Why would I watch him? Whoever he is.¡±

    Tibs sighed. He didn¡¯t need the glow escaping her mouth to know she lied. Jackal had warned him Sebastian would look for ways to hurt Tibs when he came back.

    ¡°How long have you been here?¡±

    ¡°Not long,¡± she lied.

    ¡°She arrived within days of the attendants reestablishing transport,¡± Khumdar said.

    She glared at him. She wasn¡¯t good at hiding how she felt.

    ¡°And what did she find out?¡±

    ¡°Nothing,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯m too busy working.¡±

    ¡°I can not give you the details,¡± the cleric said. ¡°But she is at the inn every day. She is playing at wooing Russel. She has not approached you, but she has seen the work you do at our table.¡±

    Then she didn¡¯t know the details regarding the security of the town, but Sebastian had to have someone else on that. He¡¯d have to check with Serba regarding anyone suspicious within Harry¡¯s people.

    ¡°How interested in her is Russel?¡±

    ¡°In that aspect, she is rather gifted. I am afraid that Kroseph¡¯s brother is rather smitten with her.¡±

    That wasn¡¯t going to be fun to deal with.

    ¡°Can you sense anything about the secrets she has? I have no idea how I¡¯m supposed to question her.¡±

    Khumdar shook his head. ¡°Unfortunately, I have not been able to recreate what I did within the dungeon.¡± He paused, then smiled. ¡°And I am uncertain I want to. There is an enjoyment at having to work at obtaining that meaning.¡±

    ¡°What did you tell Sebastian?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know him,¡± she repeated, and again her mouth glowed.

    ¡°There are three convicts I am aware of,¡± the cleric said, ¡°without the needed morals to stop them from ensuring she answers your questions.

    Now she was scared again.

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not having anyone tortured. There are spies in Kragle Rock. That¡¯s enough knowledge for now.¡± He studied her. ¡°But I don¡¯t know what to do about her.¡±

    ¡°I suspect the dungeon would not find it amiss for someone to wander in during the night. I am certain that between the two of us, we can handle the guards and the door.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t do that,¡± she yelled. ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything wrong!¡±

    ¡°We aren¡¯t feeding her to the dungeon.¡± Maybe Tibs would have considered it, back when he thought Sto only existed to eat them. But he wasn¡¯t getting his friend to kill someone simply because they were giving Tibs trouble.

    He¡¯d have asked Sto to get rid of Don first.

    ¡°Then, I am uncertain of what we can do.¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t like the only option he saw. ¡°We send her back and make sure she can¡¯t return. We¡¯ll do that with anyone you uncover. Maybe you can have some of the other Runners with Darkness as their element help you. Put them at the platform so they can feel when those kinds of secrets arrive?¡±

    Khumdar nodded. ¡°I can see to that within the hour.¡±

    Tibs had no idea if Khumdar could actually do it, and he realized it didn¡¯t matter. If she reported they had something in place to catch them before they could do any damage, it might cause Sebastian to stop wasting time sending people.

    Right. Or he¡¯d just find a different way and Tibs would still have to deal with spies.

    Khumdar stood. ¡°I will escort you back where you entered.¡± Tibs followed the cleric up the stairs and to the bedroom he¡¯d entered by. ¡°How will you afford the attendants¡¯ fees to send her and others away?¡±

    ¡°Jackal knows one of them,¡± Tibs replied, not overly happy about the situation. ¡°Hopefully, we can work something out.¡± The one thing this idea had going for it was that the Attendants didn¡¯t work for the guild. ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯re set up to hold prisoners. If I ask Harry, he¡¯s going to use that as an excuse to force his guards to take over more of the town.¡±

    ¡°Sebastian will not believe what she tells him. The information I have gathered on Sebastian marks him as a man who has accumulated knowledge about essence. And I can not simply tell others who share my element how to do what I do. I am not like them.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°Maybe Darkness is one element he doesn¡¯t know much about. We aren¡¯t losing anything doing this. Can you find other spies the same way you found her?¡±

    Khumdar shook his head after a few seconds of consideration. ¡°I was capable of sensing her because of how focused her attention was on you, how much she did not want you to notice her. And because she was within the inn, I was close by while she was there. Those things I expect Sebastian will ensure against if he sends someone to replace her. That is why you should not send her back.¡±

    ¡°And I can¡¯t keep her here. And no, I¡¯m not murdering her just because she works for Sebastian. That¡¯s something he¡¯d do.¡± He watched the cleric. The man was older, more aware of the world. Would he¡­ ¡°do you want to handle sending her back yourself?¡±

    Khumdar¡¯s smile was small. Then he shook his head. ¡°I will not kill her behind your back, Tibs. You would not be able to trust that I told you I have not done it since you are aware of how Darkness lets me step around Light¡¯s abilities. You would grow to mistrust me, and I do not wish to sacrifice that trust. I will advise you on how I believe you should proceed, but I will follow your instructions.¡±

    Tibs nodded. ¡°Then keep looking for the spies and I¡¯ll work on something to send them away.¡± Hopefully.

    * * * * *

    The man with the golden eyes had an¡­ oddness to him Tibs didn¡¯t remember from the previous time he¡¯s seen him. When they¡¯d left for Mountain Sea that first time and Jackal had used a favor with him to get Kroseph to come, despite how expensive it was to normally travel that way.

    The best way Tibs could describe the difference was that he didn¡¯t seem to look at what his eyes were aimed at, but at something¡­ beyond it, as if he didn¡¯t see it in the same position as it was. The man was at least Epsilon, like anyone who could leave the employ of the guild, if they paid what they owed, or had it paid for them. It meant that while he looked of an age matching Jackal; he had to be older, and could be much older.

    Tibs didn¡¯t know how that worked, but he¡¯d interacted with enough guild people to know that as their essence became more concentrated, time had less of an effect on them. That left Tibs wondering how long he¡¯d look like a kid, and if that was a good thing or bad.

    ¡°Free transportation?¡± the man asked distractedly. ¡°For the people you want?¡±

    ¡°Not free,¡± Jackal corrected. ¡°We¡¯ll owe you favors. You know I¡¯m good for them. And not for coming and going; just to send them away. And passing the word they aren¡¯t allowed back.¡±

    ¡°The extent of your influence hasn¡¯t been the same since your father tried to take over the town,¡± the man said, eyes still sort of fixed on Tibs.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll just have to work harder. I¡¯m still good for it.¡±

    ¡°Are you?¡± The man raised a hand to silence Jackal.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ll ask,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°So I don¡¯t know how hard it¡¯ll be to do. But Jackal¡¯s going to help with it, so it¡¯ll happen.¡±

    The man¡¯s smile was fleeting. ¡°I appreciate honesty over false promises, no matter how well-meant they are. One owed favor per person you have me send away. What is their destination?¡±

    ¡°Can you send them back to where they came from?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°Doubtful. Those are not kept track of here, and sending a request for the information from the scribe will cause delays and complications I don¡¯t think you want.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll be from Ardiel,¡± Jackal said. ¡°My father won¡¯t bother hiring outside his city just for spying on us.¡±

    So that was where Jackal was from. ¡°Send them wherever they want to go, so long as it¡¯s not going to cause you troubles.¡±

    The man nodded, turned and, with a golden shimmer, disappeared in the middle of the step.

    Tibs leaned back in the chair and breathed easier. He hadn¡¯t expected this to be so stressful. He kept expecting Harry to kick the door down and throw him in a cell. He didn¡¯t think he was breaking rules, but Harry wasn¡¯t going to like this.

    Jackal slapped his shoulder. ¡°Congratulation on your first successful¡­¡± he frowned, ¡°no, there was the one with the merchants, then getting the conscripts to be part of the security, how many of the armor smiths have you worked out deals for repairs now?¡± he grinned. ¡°You¡¯re turning into quite the expert at this.¡±

    ¡°The others weren¡¯t this stressful.¡±

    ¡°Working with strangers will do that the first few times. Yarton¡¯s a good sort.¡± He paused. ¡°Well, he probably still is. He¡¯s not as¡­ focused as before. But he¡¯s one of those you and Don saved. I think that¡¯s why he didn¡¯t press as hard as he could have. That or, you know.¡±

    Tibs nodded. Carina had told him how adventurers with Void essence tended to change as they became more powerful. How they experienced the world and time differently.

    He smiled. ¡°So long as this is the worst I have to deal with. I might be able to get used to this.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 90

    Quigly shoved the Runner to the center of the room, and the boy looked around at the damaged walls.

    They were in the warehouse Tibs used to train his control over the elements, and the walls were scratched, cut, and the parts that had fallen due to rot were improperly covered. What was left of the wooden crates were piled up in a far corner. Jackal assured him that no one would come claiming the building anytime soon.

    Tibs sighed as he looked the boy over. He couldn¡¯t be much older than Tibs had been when he¡¯d arrived, and after everything he¡¯d gone through, he looked much younger than Tibs felt.

    He was named Drasko and was a rogue, as those fell directly under Tibs¡¯s supervision, and he¡¯d recently graduated to Upsilon, with their assistance, although Tibs didn¡¯t know what they¡¯d provided beyond the armor and weapon. Almost certainly training, but with handling the merchant, the patrols, and his own training, Tibs hadn¡¯t had time to help with that aspect.

    Not to say of all the papers he had to read as part of making sure the coins balanced.

    When he¡¯d asked Jackal to take over dealing with the merchants¡¯ accounts, the fighter had laughed so hard he¡¯d fallen out of his chair.

    Along with the rogue, Quigly, and Tibs, were a handful of other runners, there to witness and make sure the punishment wasn¡¯t so out of scale with the crime. Carina called them the Board of Impartiality.

    Tibs hadn¡¯t asked what they had to do with planks, but had had to ask about impartiality. She¡¯d explain it meant they would be fair. Tibs didn¡¯t know that would be true, but he knew too well how vindictive people were, so having someone there to keep things from getting out of hand made sense.

    With them was the merchant Drasko has been caught stealing from, Hanna of Souster. Her shop sold a variety of items to put in houses. This was the first time a rogue broke Tibs¡¯s rules.

    When Tibs had been informed, Jackal had smirked and pointed out he¡¯d had to knock heads dozens of times already among the fighters to keep them from fighting where they weren¡¯t supposed to.

    Tibs was annoyed it had happened at all. His rules were fair, and he didn¡¯t charge for the assistance they provided, so why had he needed to steal?

    ¡°Why?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°What d¡¯ya mean, why?¡± Drasko asked, chest puffed out. ¡°Imma rogue. It¡¯s what I do.¡±

    Tibs rubbed his temple. Whoever, because he¡¯d found out it wasn¡¯t something the transportation platform did, but someone, had woven the magic when the last group of Runner was transported to Kragle Rock had done a poor job of it. All of them spoke with an accent that, at times, made it difficult to understand. If sorcerers didn¡¯t demand so many coins, Tibs would have it done again, so they¡¯d speak properly.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to steal.¡±

    ¡°Ya kidding?¡± he asked with derision.

    ¡°Mind your¡ª¡± Quigly¡¯s arm was up.

    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Tibs ordered. ¡°I¡¯m not going to have someone beaten just because he doesn¡¯t know who I am and¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know ya,¡± the boy said with a snort. ¡°Ya the Hero of the Dungeon. Like ya could save anyone.¡± He smirked.

    ¡°He saved the town,¡± Quigly stated.

    ¡°Don did that,¡± the Runner countered with, and added, in a tone that said he wasn¡¯t sure that was true, ¡°he helped.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still in charge of protecting the merchants.¡± Tibs wasn¡¯t arguing over who protected the town anymore, with him and Harry doing it officially, and Don claiming some of it as part of being the guild¡¯s go-between. ¡°And who set the rules you have to obey. One of which is the merchants are off limits. We need them for supplies and they need us to sell them what the guild lets us keep. If we don¡¯t work together, it¡¯s going to make the runs tougher.¡±

    Drasko snorted again. ¡°I don¡¯t need you or this. My team does the runs fine.¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t think Don had put him up to it. They needed each other too much to actively interfere in how the town worked. Don was the Hero of Kragle Rock, the one anyone talked to when they needed the guild to act on something. Don loved how important that made him, even if he complained to Tibs about how his teacher was on his back about demonstrating the good that Corruption could do.

    Tibs was still second to him in who the townsfolk considered important, and with the attempt on the dungeon growing ever back in time, some of the newcomers didn¡¯t even know who Tibs was.

    Tibs didn¡¯t mind being forgotten.

    ¡°If your team doesn¡¯t need the help, why did you accept it?¡± Tibs asked.

    The Runner beamed. ¡°I never turn my back on something that¡¯s given for free.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t free,¡± Tibs said. ¡°You were told the rules and obeying them is the price.¡±

    ¡°How am I gonna practice?¡± Drasko demanded. ¡°I donna just pick pockets. I want stuff.¡±

    ¡°Buy it,¡± Tibs replied, keeping his mounting annoyance at having to parse what he said to himself. ¡°The dungeon gives you plenty.¡±

    The Runner snorted.

    ¡°Have you started on the second floor?¡± The fearful expression answered him and put the lie to his statement he didn¡¯t need their help. ¡°Once you do, you¡¯ll see the loot gets better. As for training. Break into a noble¡¯s house instead, and take something small. They have so much they won¡¯t notice it.¡±

    ¡°Ya crazy?¡± Drasko demanded. ¡°They gonna beat me for it.¡±

    ¡°Only if¡ª¡±

    Quigly shook his head.

    Tibs sighed. ¡°What happened?¡±

    Stick answered. ¡°We¡¯ve had some of the trainees take on nobles houses before they were ready and¡­ they were still alive when we found them, but we had to go to those clerics that do the rounds of the bad part of town to get them on their feet.¡±

    ¡°Why did they do it if they weren¡¯t ready?¡±

    ¡°Seems there¡¯s this kid running the roofs who gets in and out of noble¡¯s houses without even pausing,¡± Stick said, with mild reproach. ¡°If that kid can do it, they¡¯ve got to be able to.¡±

    Tibs stared. ¡°Why haven¡¯t I been told? I could have explained to them how long I¡¯ve been doing this.¡±

    The rogue trainer shrugged. ¡°You¡¯ve been busy.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m never too busy to know that rogues are having problems. They¡¯re my responsibility.¡± Not that he was sure anyone would have listened to him, but he suspected Stick was quietly undermining Tibs¡¯s position. The rogue hadn¡¯t lied in anything he¡¯d said, but he could be skirting the truth in ways Tibs couldn¡¯t pick up on yet.

    He considered Drasko. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll look for a way to address proper training. You still broke the rules, so you need to be punished.¡±

    ¡°I gave it back,¡± he complained, glaring at Quigly.

    ¡°Then that¡¯s one part of it I don¡¯t have to worry about. I¡¯m not handing you over to Harry, because your team would end up paying too.¡±

    Jackal had told him to have cells made, but Tibs didn¡¯t see a point in them. Those who went through Harry¡¯s cells didn¡¯t come back with a new way to look at what they¡¯d done. Neither had all those from his Street¡­ if they came back. No, they just went back to how they did thing, and tried not to get caught another time.

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    Tibs didn¡¯t want to train his rogue in not getting caught¡ªwell, not exclusively that. He wanted them to be people the townsfolk trusted, would go to if there was a problem.

    He was trying to turn rogues into trustworthy people? He could hear Jackal laughing again. Except, Tibs was simply trying to get the town to trust them, not respect all the laws. He wanted the rogues to see Kragle Rock as their home, not another cell they¡¯d been sent to.

    Hanna wore a dress in light purples and blue. Seeing her in the street, Tibs would think her one of the poorer nobles, instead of a successful merchant. She was one of the few merchants left over from when Tibs had arrived. Which was why he knew her name. He was so busy he didn¡¯t have the time to visit the newer shops, get to know the owners the way he felt he should. He certainly didn¡¯t have the time to meet those who were setting their shops at the periphery of Market Place.

    Was time an element?

    ¡°Hanna, do you need help in your shop?¡± Maybe seeing the Runners going more than enjoying their rest and training between runs would help the townsfolk see them as being part of the town. It might also get Drasko to feel like he was one of them.

    She chuckled. ¡°There¡¯s always a need for help. Most come here for the excitement of the dungeon, not the tedium of shop work.¡±

    ¡°Then, an extra set of hands for¡­¡± this was Drasko¡¯s first time breaking the rules¡ªgetting caught breaking them, he corrected himself. He hadn¡¯t come across any reports from the merchants about being robbed, and he was sure they would jump on the chance to pay less than they owed. He still wanted this to show he took their security seriously. That he wasn¡¯t the guild.

    But he couldn¡¯t be so harsh that Stick could band rogues and Runners against him.

    He rubbed his temple again. He was understanding why Jackal knocked heads together when it came to teaching the fighters to follow the rules. So much simpler.

    ¡°Would two weeks be helpful?¡±

    ¡°Ya can¡¯t do that,¡± Drasko protested as she studied him.

    ¡°It¡¯s that or Harry¡¯s cell,¡± Tibs replied, not interested in looking for an alternative that was more acceptable to the rogue, but¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll arrange for you to get supervised training so that when you do break into a noble¡¯s house, you won¡¯t have to worry about getting caught.¡±

    He could sweeten the deal. Except that¡­

    ¡°It means he¡¯d only work in the morning,¡± Tibs told the merchant. ¡°And if he has a run, he doesn¡¯t have to work that day, or the one after,¡± he added, remembering how exhausting the runs used to be before he had Purity to help him.

    ¡°It would,¡± she replied, then added to Drasko, ¡°and I¡¯ll pay you a copper for the half day of work.¡±

    He looked at her suspiciously. ¡°Whyd¡¯ya do that? How¡¯s it a punishment if I¡¯m getting paid?¡±

    She smiled. ¡°The work will be arduous enough. And I think that the coins will act as an incentive for you not to consider that an opportunity to steal again.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s eighteen coppers,¡± Drasko said thoughtfully, and she nodded. ¡°Make it that statue of the rearing horse instead, and we gotta deal. The small one, with the black hooves.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an oddly specific request,¡± she replied with a raised eyebrow.

    ¡°That¡¯s the one I was after, the rest was just¡­¡± He shrugged. ¡°They were there.¡±

    ¡°All right,¡± she said after thinking it over. ¡°After two weeks of work for me, you get the statue of Stident Rearing.¡±

    Statues were named? Tibs set that aside. ¡°So, this works for you?¡±

    Hanna nodded.

    ¡°How about you?¡± he asked Drasko when he didn¡¯t answer.

    ¡°Me?¡± he replied, surprised. ¡°Why d¡¯ya care?¡±

    Tibs stifled the sigh. ¡°Because if you¡¯re not happy about this, you¡¯re going to look for ways to get back at me, and I don¡¯t have the time for that.¡±

    He thought about it. ¡°I guess it¡¯s fair. I¡¯d get worse back home.¡±

    ¡°Good, then be at Hanna¡¯s shop tomorrow when it opens. I¡¯ll have someone meet you for your training once you¡¯re done there.¡± Not Stick.

    They left, with Stick hanging back, until Quigly motioned for him to leave.

    ¡°Not letting Stick deal with that one?¡± the fighter asked in a tone that told Tibs he knew the rogue was up to something.

    ¡°How dangerous is he becoming?¡±

    Quigly shrugged. ¡°He has aspirations. That¡¯s always trouble. What kind of training are you planning on giving Drasko?¡±

    Tibs glared at the fighter. Did he have any idea how busy he already was? He couldn¡¯t personally see to the training of another Runner. ¡°More than hitting someone on the head.¡±

    Quigly chuckled. ¡°If that¡¯s what you think fighting¡¯s about, I¡¯m not doing a good job of teaching you swordplay.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not play,¡± Tibs replied, having memories of the bruises to support the claim. Which reminded him. ¡°What are the clerics asking as payment?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    Tibs narrowed his eyes. It was one thing for a cleric to go around helping the townsfolk, but to be sought and have to work for the runners? Well, he knew of one who¡¯d do it, but she couldn¡¯t be the only one involved. Quigly had made it sound like it had happened multiple times already.

    ¡°I swear they aren¡¯t. One¡¯s doing it because Purity demands it, another because he wants the training and got tired of waiting for his turn at the door. One uses it as an excuse to get aways from ¡®the old crystals¡¯, her words.¡± He paused. ¡°I think we¡¯re getting the rebels among the clerics; if there is such a thing.¡±

    He took the fighter at his word so he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about yet another thing. Although, if they needed the training, why weren¡¯t they placed among the teams yet? Could the animosity the siege had created between the clerics and the guild be that bad? And if it was, why still be here at all?

    ¡°Do you have any idea how we can train them to break into a noble¡¯s house so they aren¡¯t going to be caught and beaten when they finally try it?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°You¡¯re asking a warrior about rogue stuff?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m asking someone older than I am,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°Who¡¯s seen more than I have.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen war, Tibs. No house breaking. But using that, I¡¯d say that whatever else you do, you need to have lookouts to keep an eye outside, and someone competent with them inside to assist if it gets to that. With them having their own guards, we can¡¯t depend on them always keeping in mind we¡¯re Runners. Some might start just vanishing.¡±

    ¡°Lookouts and muscle,¡± Tibs grumbled. ¡°That sounds a lot like how the gangs did things on my street.¡±

    Quigly shrugged. ¡°People use what works.¡± He took a step toward the door and stopped. ¡°Of course, an even safer way to let them train is to get the noble, who¡¯s house they¡¯re going to break in, to go along with it.¡± He grinned. ¡°If you can trust one of them with something like that.¡±

    Tibs snorted. Like there would ever be one noble he trusted with anyone¡¯s safety, let alone a rogue.

    Only¡­

    * * * * *

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you talked me into this,¡± Mez complained as he led Tibs through a part of the town he¡¯d only seen before from the roofs. The road was paved with flat stones, the houses on each side were pushed far enough back an entire house would fit in on that lawn. Before he¡¯d gotten more air essence, reaching these roofs had been challenging.

    The people who noticed them stared.

    No, who noticed Tibs.

    The guards looked ready to grab him and throw him out back where he came from. Some of them even looked ready to question Mez about why he was associating with someone like Tibs.

    Tibs had dressed in the best set of clothing he owned, and he still shouted that he didn¡¯t belong here. By contrast, Mez, in his leather armor emblazoned with red gems, and the orange cape with ash gray border, looked the regal part of a noble, even if Tibs knew he wasn¡¯t a fan of the people they were walking among.

    Tibs wasn¡¯t either.

    He wanted to be on the roofs, unseen, instead of looked at with disdain. Where he didn¡¯t feel like they silently told him to go back to the Street. That Street he was keeping them out of.

    ¡°Please be courteous with her, Tibs,¡± Mez said as they approached a house that fit the others. That looked as ostentatious, and as a waste of space better used to house more families, as any of the others in this part of the town. ¡°I know nobles aren¡¯t all that great, but she¡¯s one of the better ones.¡±

    Tibs¡¯s reflex was to argue that a noble was a noble and there was nothing redeeming them. But this one¡­. Tibs hadn¡¯t actively looked for anything bad she did. He hadn¡¯t had to with the other nobles. They were always getting themselves known by causing trouble; demanding things be done their way, even when they were the ones intruding.

    She¡­ seemed to be helping.

    She¡¯d helped when Tibs had first organized the protection for the merchants against Sebastian. He hadn¡¯t been able to confirm any of them, but there were stories that she had protected some of the poorer neighborhoods during the siege. Before and since, she went around the town, helping in one way or another and she had yet to demand anything in return.

    Quigly had said he¡¯d need to trust a noble.

    Tibs didn¡¯t know if he could trust her.

    Mez stepped up to the opulent door and pulled a cord that caused a bell to ring deep inside the house.

    But Tibs was willing to try.

    The door opened, and instead of a servant, the woman who answered wore a white shirt and pants, trimmed in red. Her long brown hair was held behind her by braids of gold with blue and green gems set in them. The necklace around her neck was also gold, with a sparkling red gem set in its center.

    It was an amulet with as tight a reserve of fire essence as Tibs had ever sensed.

    ¡°Mezano!¡± Amelia exclaimed, then hugged him. ¡°It¡¯s such a pleasure to see you again. I miss our times on the archery field. I hear you¡¯re becoming the accomplished archer.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, my Lady,¡± he replied with more formality than Tibs expected. ¡°Your assistance was, as always, invaluable in me becoming the archer that I am.¡±

    She looked surprised by the attitude. ¡°I doubt I did that much to help you understand Fire.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you were part of it,¡± Tibs grumbled without meaning to, remembering that argument.

    ¡°That,¡± Mez said, tone clipped, ¡°is Tibs. I am certain you remember him.¡± Tibs could see how hard it was for the archer not to turn and glare at him.

    ¡°Mister Tibs Light Fingers,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again. I hear you played an important part in ending the Siege. Andia,¡± she called to the inside, ¡°pour four crystals of wine. We have guests. Please come in.¡± She motioned for them to enter.

    ¡°We won¡¯t be here long enough to warrant refreshment,¡± Mez objected.

    ¡°Nonsense, Mezano. It isn¡¯t often I get to enjoy another Runner¡¯s company anymore. I¡¯m not letting this one pass, and relax. There¡¯s no one inside the house who¡¯ll rate your behavior.¡±

    The statement made the archer visibly uncomfortable.

    ¡°I want to get your house broken into,¡± Tibs stated. Figuring he should end this now.

    She stiffened, but her expression turned quizzical instead of angry once she was over her surprise. ¡°You want to rob my house,¡± she said thoughtfully, then broke into a smile. ¡°Please, tell me more.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 91

    The house¡¯s balcony was on the third floor and looked over wealth-filled houses that, in the daytime, were bright, with their vibrant colors set among large yards. In the darkness, with only essence-powered lights among the streets or lamps in the windows, he only saw spots of colors, and they looked dull.

    He¡¯d picked this balcony for his entry because it meant an inexperienced rogue wouldn¡¯t have to worry about hanging on as they unlocked the door. The house had many windows the more experienced ones could use.

    He took picks out of his bracers and set about unlocking it.

    It felt strange to break into a house with no plan of taking anything, especially a noble¡¯s house. But this was about evaluating Amelia¡¯s house and its suitability as a training place for Omega rogues. It meant he needed to work with what those rogues would have.

    When was the last time he¡¯d broken into a house using lockpicks?

    The lock yielded to him quickly, and he cracked the door open. Someone snored.

    This was the house regent¡¯s room. The man had been informed that Amelia had volunteered her house, but he had been adamant that he would give anyone he caught breaking in a solid beating.

    Tibs smiled as he located the wicker cane by the bed; within the man¡¯s reach.

    Rogues who¡¯d found Sto¡¯s silence shoes would have an easier time moving through this room. He didn¡¯t need them. He didn¡¯t even need to use essence to move unheard. He reached the door and¡ª

    It was locked.

    He smirked at the sleeping man, like that made things any more difficult.

    His smile faded as he reconsidered. This wasn¡¯t a problem for him, but an Omega? He nodded in appreciation at the complication the regent had added. This would force the rogue to evaluate if the loot was worth the danger. They wouldn¡¯t know about the lack of real consequences for being caught the first time they came through.

    Tibs silently unlocked the door and carefully cracked it open. He smiled at the lack of squeaking. Noble houses were good for that. Hinges were well oiled. He used his body to block the light in case the regent was sensitive to it. Even without essence, some people woke at the slightest beam of light.

    A woman walked by the door without noticing it wasn¡¯t fully closed. She wore the light clothing of a servant, but it was woven through with essence Tibs couldn¡¯t identify. Most likely metal. Amelia wasn¡¯t a fool. She had guards inside her house. They too were in on the help she was providing, but only Amelia would know when a rogue would break in.

    She thought it was a way to keep her guards on their toes, as well as helping Tibs¡¯s rogues. It was one reason she¡¯d agreed. The other, she said giddily, was that it sounded fun.

    Tibs stopped sensing, reminding himself that was something the others didn¡¯t have, as the guard posing as a servant reached the stairs and continued down them.

    Tibs exited the room and closed the door, pausing at the click of the latch and listening for motion inside the room. Then he moved toward the stairs.

    The challenge with this entry point was that his target was one floor below and the only way there inside the house was the stairwell the guard had taken. Once the guard reached the landing, she would turn and make her way back up.

    There was a door on each side of the hall before reaching it, so a rogue planning on using either would have to be quick to make it in and hope they didn¡¯t wake the person inside.

    The room on the left was Amelia¡¯s, and the one on the right was Andia¡¯s.

    The arrangement confused Tibs. Watching them during his meeting to negotiate the use of Amelia¡¯s house, he¡¯d thought they were special to one another, like Jackal and Kroseph were. But then, why the separate sleeping rooms?

    Tibs didn¡¯t pry.

    He also didn¡¯t use either room.

    He scurried to the wall until he was in the corner by the stair and held himself there using only strength. He wanted a sense of how observant the guard was.

    It was getting easier to hold himself without using earth to increase his strength. His ice sword might weigh nothing, but slashing, parrying, and blocking was a strain and, as a consequence, he was getting stronger.

    The guard came back and Tibs fought the urge to switch to Darkness to ensure he wouldn¡¯t be seen in the shadow. Few runners had Darkness as their element, and an Omega wouldn¡¯t even have the option of an element.

    The guard walked under him without glancing up. When she reached the regent¡¯s door, Tibs dropped silently and was moving down the stairs, avoiding the fourth one, which he¡¯d noticed creaked when Amelia gave him a tour of the house.

    Conversation stopped him at the landing and he fought against sensing who was there, and if the guard was on her way back.

    Laughter on the next floor, his target floor. A glance around the turn on the stairs didn¡¯t show him anyone, so he eased himself down those steps until he saw them. A man and a woman, their back to him halfway down the hall. He was rotund; she was muscular. Tibs couldn¡¯t make out what they said.

    He listened for the guard, who had to be on her way back now, but didn¡¯t hear her. She was light on her feet, so he might not hear her in time. The two weren¡¯t moving. There was a door on the left, but it might be locked.

    Of course, the only thing standing here would get him, was caught.

    He chose the picks he¡¯d use once he saw the lock. This, having to work with the real chance of being detected, would cause many rogues to be caught. Indecision could be more dangerous than action.

    They¡¯d also lose time having to figure out which pick the lock needed. Tibs had the right ones and was inside. It was a servant¡¯s room and was silent. Maybe it was the room one of the two in the hall used, which meant one or both of them might come in.

    A visual check of the room told him the best place to hide was under the bed. As if it wouldn¡¯t be the first place, the occupant checked on entering.

    He heard the guard speak from the bottom of the stairs, and the woman replied in a jovial tone. A moment later, that fourth step creaked, and Tibs cracked the door open. The man patted the woman¡¯s shoulder and entered the room to his right. She headed toward this room.

    Tibs cursed, and he gently closed the door. Was this her room? He¡¯d been certain she was a guard, too. Did Amelia treat her guards well enough to let them have individual rooms instead of a common one?

    He stepped away, listening, ready to jump under the bed.

    When the door didn¡¯t open¡ªhe cursed himself for not relocking it¡ªwhen he thought she would reach it, he returned to it and listened. Not hearing anything, he cracked it open in time to see her head vanishing down the stairs.

    He hurried to the door on the left at the end of the corridor. His target.

    This lock was better and required a delicate touch. This would be where most would get caught, as they¡¯d have little time to open it. Once she reached the bottom of the stairs, she would turn around and¡ª

    The lock clicked as her brown hair came into view. He was inside; the door closed and relocked. His exit would be through the window.

    He listened to the silence, resisting the urge to use his element to help him.

    This was Amelia¡¯s office, a servant¡¯s room she had converted. The desk was in the corner, so she could see the door. Tibs hadn¡¯t liked having his back to it while they talked. In front of the desk would be two chairs for those speaking with her. To the left were two more chairs, more comfortable, with a table between them for those she was more at ease negotiating with.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    What he was after would be on the desk. That was one thing they¡¯d argued over. Tibs had wanted it in a safe as added training, but Amelia wouldn¡¯t allow the use of that and didn¡¯t see a point in adding one just for training.

    So the carving called ¡®The Tree¡¯ was on the desk, just asking to be taken, yelling that it was a trap. He wasn¡¯t sure if this would be the clue that tipped off the rogue that something was wrong with the setup.

    Tibs planned to have the rogue he wanted to train come here of their own volition. Darran would hint he had a buyer willing to pay good coin for the carving, so he would reward any who brought to him handsomely. Everyone knew of Tibs¡¯s dislike for nobles, so they wouldn¡¯t question the offer from someone known to be his friend. The merchant would also hint others had expressed an interest in making the coins, so the rogue would have to hurry.

    Rushed work led to mistakes. Under the conditions he had engineered with Amelia, those mistakes would lead to learning.

    The setup would only work the first time with each rogue, but he thought it was enough so they would take any subsequent run through the house seriously.

    He moved cautiously, not relying on his memory of the layout, but testing with a foot that the path was clear and stepping around any moved obstacles. He reached the desk and clunked a copper coin on it before sitting on a chair facing it.

    The lamp lit, showing Amelia touching the wick with a fine stone. ¡°I saw the door open,¡± she stated.

    ¡°Which is why I said that wouldn¡¯t count. If a rogue chooses when you¡¯re working here to break in, they deserve to be caught.¡±

    ¡°What did you think of my security?¡±

    Tibs smiled. ¡°They didn¡¯t see me.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°Which means I need to have a talk with them. What should I bring up?¡±

    He didn¡¯t like helping a noble, especially not with making their house more secure, but that had been part of the agreement. This first run was both so Tibs had a sense of what the rogue would deal with, and so Amelia could ensure no one other than those being trained had a chance of making it to this room.

    ¡°They don¡¯t look up,¡± he said reluctantly, telling himself that for all Amelia was a noble. She was the least noblish of them. ¡°I hid in a corner of the wall and ceiling by the stairs and she walked under me. They also don¡¯t pay attention to details. I had a door cracked open, and she missed it.¡±

    She smiled. ¡°The danger of a quiet life.¡±

    He shrugged.

    ¡°So, any rogue caught is returned to you with nothing more than bruises and those who manage to take this.¡± She pointed to the carving. Stone with parts at the top jutting out randomly in what Tibs could imagine were branches, if he tried hard.

    ¡°Gets told they¡¯re good enough to attempt one of the other houses and probably won¡¯t be caught.¡±

    ¡°How long until they spread the word this is just a test?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m hoping to convince them that having others go through this blind is best. Even knowing there are no consequences or reward, some will still want to test themselves against your guards.¡±

    She watched him thoughtfully. ¡°We can widen the¡ª¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Tibs glared at her. ¡°I told you before, we aren¡¯t bringing anyone else into this. I only trust you with this because Mez vouches for you. Even you said most of the other nobles aren¡¯t good people.¡±

    ¡°Most,¡± she said. ¡°There are some who see our position as an honor, not a privilege to be exploited.¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°Then I will hope I can earn your trust enough that my word will mean as much as Mezano¡¯s.¡± She stood. ¡°I shall escort you out. There¡¯s no need for you to jump out of a window.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs looked around the warehouse. The walls showed no more damage than the last time he¡¯d been here, even if he¡¯d practiced channeling Air only a few days ago. He¡¯d kept the playfulness from getting out of control. He was getting good at that with nearly every element.

    Except fire.

    He knew he¡¯d have to deal with it at some point, but he was terrified of it, of how raw everything was when he channeled it. He wished he could rip that element out of him.

    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s still stranger than when you channel Corruption,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°What?¡± Tibs asked, turning his attention to his friends. He wished Mez would stop lying to himself about the price he was paying for what he was after. He thought about telling him, but he had enough control over the element now not to blurt it out.

    ¡°The way your eyes glow, but don¡¯t produce light,¡± Carina answered. ¡°Considering you¡¯re channeling light, you have to admit that¡¯s odd.¡±

    ¡°The essence,¡± he corrected. That was one thing about channeling that essence. He hated when people were imprecise. Carina knew how important it was to use the right words, so it annoyed him even more, when she didn¡¯t bother.

    ¡°How do you feel?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°Lonely, stressed. Wishing I¡¯d let Sebastian destroy all of this. What?¡± he asked at his friends¡¯ troubled expression and then realized what he¡¯d blurted out. ¡°I¡¯m not always wanting that,¡± he said. ¡°Just¡­ today¡¯s been rough.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t say that before,¡± Jackal said.

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t have a bad day then. And this isn¡¯t your burden, so why would I volunteer information that will just make your life more difficult?¡±

    ¡°Because we¡¯re your friends,¡± Mez said, and Tibs was pleased to see the archer wasn¡¯t lying. They¡¯d resolved their difficulties, but there were times when he hadn¡¯t been sure that meant they were friends again.

    ¡°That is why I won¡¯t burden you with this more than I¡¯ve already have. I took on the responsibility of keeping the town safe, not you. And that also means keeping all of you safe from everything that comes from having taken on the responsibility.¡±

    Khumdar smiled. ¡°There is the overabundance of honesty you are in need of controlling, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°How about you control that need to lie instead?¡± Tibs snapped.

    The cleric stiffened. ¡°And what do you mean by that?¡±

    Tibs stepped to the man, watching the spikes of light trying to escape the darkness engulfing him. He kept the sneer under control, but he didn¡¯t understand how the cleric spent so much energy hiding so much.

    The twinge of pain told him that was a lie. He knew why. He felt it when he channeled Darkness.

    He¡¯d just lied to himself. Was that a mark of improvement, or a detail of how light worked he hadn¡¯t noticed before?

    ¡°What are you hiding from yourself?¡± Tibs asked, and was surprised that Khumdar jerked away as if Tibs had poked him with fire instead of a question. Was that a reaction to his light? Could he use it to burn away the darkness, for some honesty from the man? That would do him some good.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Tibs,¡± Carina said.

    ¡°Why?¡± he asked, facing her. Maybe it was time they all stopped lying to themselves. ¡°Because the idea you don¡¯t need your family scares you? Don¡¯t you get that clinging to them holds you back? They aren¡¯t going to understand you and what you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Mez said, ¡°come on, don¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°You hate what you have to do to be considered a noble,¡± Tibs snapped, barely keeping the derision out of his voice. ¡°Why are you even bothering when it¡¯s keeping you from the girl you love? Tandy is¡ª¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Tibs,¡± Jackal ordered.

    ¡°Oh and you¡ª¡±

    The fighter grabbed Tibs by the shoulders and shook him once. ¡°You can tell everyone what you¡¯ve worked out about me, Tibs, but first there¡¯s two things. One. Do not ever speak to your team this way, is that clear? I don¡¯t know what happened today that¡¯s having you be so hurtful, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°We lost three teams to the dungeon this week,¡± Tibs snapped.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Jackal said uncertainly. ¡°I don¡¯t see why that¡¯s any¡ª¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know their names. I¡¯ve gotten so busy with useless stuff I can¡¯t know who¡¯s coming to the town anymore to have Sto eat them. I¡¯m supposed to keep them safe. That¡¯s my job. If I¡¯m not going to do that, I should at least know who I failed.¡±

    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll address that later,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Right now, I want you to remember that everyone keeps secrets, including you, and the reasons are their own.¡±

    Tibs wasn¡¯t planning on keeping things like that. Once they were done, he was walking himself to the guild and telling them everything. At least they¡¯d be able to help him get a handle on all this. The cost be damned. Of course, before they were done, he had to deal with Jackal.

    ¡°What¡¯s the second thing?¡± he demanded impatiently.

    Jackal let go of him and dusted Tibs¡¯s shoulder, grinning. ¡°That one¡¯s simple. You¡¯re going to lie to me.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Tibs asked in disbelief.

    ¡°One lie. I¡¯m not even asking for a big one. Tell me you¡¯re okay with Khumdar keeping things to himself. Or that there¡¯s nothing wrong with Mez picking his honor over his heart.¡±

    ¡°There is nothing wrong with that,¡± the archer replied angrily.

    ¡°Tell me my family will understand,¡± Carina said weakly, then swallowed.

    What was wrong with them? Tibs looked at his friend, angry and in pain. The truth fixed things. Lies were what caused pain, not truths. Truth was freedom. Lies shackled people down. How did they not understand that? It was a kindness to tell them how things truly were. He didn¡¯t do this to hurt them.

    The pain brought him to his knees.

    The pain of lying.

    But he hadn¡¯t lied. They had to know the truth, so they would¡ª

    He screamed.

    Fine! He was angry. He wanted to lash out at someone, anyone, at this point. Didn¡¯t he have the right to some revenge after everything he¡¯d endured?

    He was on hands and knees, panting.

    Was this what Harry dealt with? No, it wouldn¡¯t be. Harry wasn¡¯t affected by Light the way Tibs was. No one was affected by their element like he was. Harry¡¯s need for honesty was something the man had decided on.

    ¡°Tibs?¡±

    That was who he was.

    Tibs. A man¡ªa boy¡ªnot light. He didn¡¯t exist in a place where things were clear-cut. In his world, lies were needed.

    He readied himself for pain that didn¡¯t come.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal asked again.

    The world functioned because people lied to each other and themselves. Carina told herself her family would understand, because they were important to her. Yes, the truth was that clinging to them would probably hold her back, but she was a Runner. She would be an Adventurer. She had years ahead of her to come to terms with it. To let them go or let go of her dreams.

    Khumdar probably didn¡¯t have a choice in the secrets he kept. Yes, it wasn¡¯t Darkness demanding he kept then, but the craving for them was still there.

    And Mez¡­

    ¡°You¡¯re an asshole,¡± he told Jackal.

    ¡°I know. Now lie to me, because we clearly didn¡¯t make the progress we thought we had the last time.¡±

    Tibs rolled his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re an idiot.¡±

    ¡°I said lie, Tibs,¡± the fighter said, impatiently. ¡°Everyone knows that one¡¯s true.¡±

    Tibs wished he could show his friend how bright that lie was. How he didn¡¯t have to play the idiot, the jester. The urge to spew the truth was there, and it was strong, but he fought it. Jackal was right in that he didn¡¯t have the control over this element he¡¯d thought he had. Jackal needed the safety being the idiot granted him. If no one took him seriously, he believed he could never become the danger his father was.

    Tibs patted his cheek and let him keep that lie.

    His body protested as he stood, and looking at Carina kept him from going to her. She was hurt and fearful of him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what I said. I was wrong. They understand why you¡¯re doing this.¡±

    ¡°So,¡± Jackal said, ¡°we¡¯re all good?¡±

    Tibs looked at the others. ¡°No. We¡¯re not.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re still friends, Tibs,¡± Mez said, turning to leave. ¡°But don¡¯t come close to me for a while.¡±

    One by one, his friends left him. Even Jackal¡¯s facade of buffoonery cracked and with a shake of the head he left.

    Alone, Tibs looked at the warehouse¡¯s wall and wished that¡¯s where the damage had been this time.

 Stepping up, Chapter 92

    Loneliness sucked.

    Tibs hadn¡¯t expected that.

    He threw himself in the work that needed doing, channeling Purity. Once it was dark, he ran the roofs, then broke into a noble¡¯s house, then headed to the room to sleep and found it empty.

    That¡­ had hurt.

    It was his fault, and he accepted that, but the realization he¡¯d expected at least Jackal or Carina to be in their room made him understand how badly he¡¯d hurt his friends.

    He tried to ignore the hurt by working and training with Quigly, but he was distracted glancing around, hoping Jackal would show up to cheer him, even jeer him.

    They didn¡¯t even come to their table to eat their meals.

    * * * * *

    ¡°How angry is he with me?¡± Tibs asked Kroseph as the server brought him his meal.

    Kroseph looked around, then sat. ¡°He¡¯s not angry Tibs. He¡¯s hurt.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, he¡¯s hurt,¡± Kroseph said. ¡°After your training, my man decided it was a good idea to go to the pit and Arruh was more than happy to make him regret fighting distracted. He¡¯s been healing since.¡±

    Now, Tibs felt bad for not considering Jackal might have a reason not to seek him out. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me¡­¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t want you to feel like you had to go see him.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s my friend, of course I¡¯d have gone to see him.¡±

    ¡°Jackal¡¯s not always the smartest around, you know that.¡±

    ¡°Should I¡­¡±

    Kroseph patted his arm. ¡°That¡¯s for you to decide.¡± Then he left to go back to his work.

    Tibs looked at the papers he¡¯d set aside to make space for the plate; they had to be dealt with. Even without channeling Purity, that was what he wanted to do. But, he decided, no matter how angry Jackal was or wasn¡¯t with him. If Tibs was in trouble, his friend would come help.

    Tibs could push through the discomfort of facing someone he¡¯d hurt to help him.

    * * * * *

    Tibs closed the door and dropped the satchel by it, then turned to look at Jackal lying on the bed. He looked fine, if Tibs ignored the bandages on his legs, chest, arm, head. Sensing the essence, Tibs saw he had no injuries that put his life in danger, but they were extensive.

    ¡°You going to judge silently?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°Or you¡¯re going to tell me how much of an idiot I was?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the idiot. I shouldn¡¯t have said what I did.¡±

    Jackal¡¯s chuckle was interrupted by a groan of pain. ¡°The plan was for you to practice overflowing with truth.¡±

    ¡°I failed.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come to me with your problems, Tibs?¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°I told you, I didn¡¯t want to burden you with them.¡±

    ¡°But why? I can take burdens. I¡¯m pretty fucking strong.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re already helping plenty with the fighters. I didn¡¯t want to take more time away from you and Kroseph.¡±

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    The silence stretched.

    ¡°Okay, wow, you are right. You¡¯re an idiot, Tibs.¡± Jackal looked at him. ¡°Helping you isn¡¯t taking anything away from me and my man. You¡¯re my friend. Fuck, you¡¯re more of a brother than those who were born to my mother. I can be there when you¡¯re having hard days without sacrificing what I have with Kro.¡±

    Tibs forced himself to say it. ¡°I¡¯m scared to be the reason you get in trouble with Kroseph.¡±

    Jackal¡¯s head snaps in his direction, and he winced it pain. ¡°Tibs, that¡¯s even more stupid than anything I¡¯ve ever come up. Kroseph considers you family. He¡¯d have helped, if you thought none of us could. Fuck, talk to Russel if it comes to that. With those big ears of his, he can definitely do that. And don¡¯t bring up that thing with the girl he was sweet on. He¡¯s a grown man. He understands she was using him.¡±

    Tibs stepped next to his friend. ¡°Do you think I can fix this?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve fixed me after worse mistakes.¡±

    ¡°I mean the team,¡± Tibs replied, but couldn¡¯t keep from smiling.

    ¡°Of course you can, Tibs. You just have to go and do it.¡±

    * * * * *

    He found Carina in the cellar of a bookseller, surrounded by books. He was only slightly surprised. He knew she had guys she spent times and nights with, but she always found books more comforting.

    ¡°Not so scared of books anymore?¡± she said, not looking up from the one she was reading.

    ¡°Only if you plan on throwing one at me.¡±

    She looked at him, horrified. ¡°Tibs, how dare you think I¡¯d do that. These things are heavy and they hurt.¡±

    ¡°I think I deserve some pain after what I inflicted.¡±

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡± She sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t either.¡±

    ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°I never realized how dangerous truth could be. Everyone¡¯s saying how lying¡¯s bad, that it¡¯ll ruin everything around you, but all it took was one truth, and I was ready to walk away from everything we¡¯ve shared.¡± She looked thoughtful. ¡°Do you think they do it on purpose so we won¡¯t all wield it as a weapon?¡±

    Tibs shrugged.

    She smiled at him. ¡°I guess not all lessons come from books.¡±

    * * * * *

    Khumdar found him.

    Tibs was walking along an alley and the cleric stepped out of a shadow.

    Tibs wasn¡¯t surprised and he couldn¡¯t tell if it was because he¡¯d been too lost in thoughts or if he¡¯s sensed something.

    ¡°I will tell you why,¡± Khumdar said.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°You are who made me search, you deserve¡ª¡±

    ¡°I had no right.¡± Tibs rounded on the cleric. ¡°Even with Light pushing me, I had no right to say what I did. To question you and why you do what you do. You¡¯ve respected us. I should have been strong enough to respect you.¡±

    Khumdar studied him and nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs ground his teeth as he felt the looks, the stares, the disapproval at his presence on their street. They wanted him there as much as he wanted to be here, but this was where he needed to go to speak with Mez.

    And it was fitting punishment for the pain he¡¯d inflicted.

    The house wasn¡¯t the largest, or the most extravagant, but it was still larger than it needed to be for the handful of people living there. The cord was a delicate fabric Tibs didn¡¯t recognize, the chime when he pulled it sounded as delicate.

    Mez¡¯s girl opened the door, and the look she gave him was withering.

    ¡°He is not here,¡± she said slowly, enunciating the word, but it did little to smooth the accent. She slammed the heavy door before Tibs could ask where Mez was.

    * * * * *

    Mez was at the archery field.

    Not firing his bow, but helping another archer with his posture. He noticed Tibs, gave a nod and focused on helping the man again. Then he stepped aside as the man drew the bow.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for causing problems between and your girl,¡± Tibs said.

    Mez raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°I went to the house you stay at and she answered the door.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t cause that. We¡¯re having a difference of opinion on what we¡¯re meant to do with the position we hold in society. Multiple differences, really.¡± He shook his head.

    ¡°Can I help?¡±

    Mez chuckled. ¡°This isn¡¯t something you can fix. And it¡¯s not your responsibility.¡± He motioned around them. ¡°A lot of this isn¡¯t your responsibility, Tibs. You can¡¯t save everyone, or protect everyone. You need to learn to accept that, or what you¡¯re trying to do will kill you.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t just give up on them.¡±

    Mez faced him. ¡°Tibs, strangers who came here knowing they could die, and did, sent you in such a bad place you hurt us. Yes, it¡¯s bad that they died. It¡¯s worse they did knowning what we know about the dungeon, but it wasn¡¯t your fault. They weren¡¯t your responsibility. You need to figure out how to let some of this go before they drag you down to oblivion along with them.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s going to keep everyone safe if I¡¯m not the one doing it?¡±

    Mez grabbed him by the shoulders. ¡°We will, Tibs. Me, the team, the others. And as much as you hate it, even some of the nobles. You aren¡¯t alone in this. We¡¯re here for you.¡±

    * * * * *

    ¡°I can¡¯t eat with you for a few days,¡± Jackal said, dropping in his chair, ¡°and you start thinking you can just put anything you want in my place.¡± He gingerly pushed papers away from him.

    Tibs smiled and made neat piles of the papers.

    ¡°You need to get a proper desk,¡± Carina said, dusting charcoal dust off the table. ¡°I don¡¯t think this goes well with venison.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s going to have to be in a corner here,¡± Mez said. ¡°Tibs likes being around people too much.¡±

    ¡°It is all those pockets,¡± Khumdar said, sitting. ¡°Rogues simply cannot move away far from them.¡±

    Tibs¡¯s smile hurt as he put the papers in the satchel, but he didn¡¯t mind that pain.

 Stepping up, Chapter 93

    ¡°We¡¯re lost,¡± Jackal said, looking around the hallway.

    ¡°You can get us back to the entrance, can¡¯t you?¡± Carina asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then, we¡¯re not lost,¡± she replied smugly.

    ¡°Except I have no idea where we¡¯re going.¡± He pointed at the dead-end before them. ¡°That should keep going. Help me out here, Tibs,¡± the fighter said.

    Tibs stared at his friend. What did Jackal want him to say, or do? It wasn¡¯t like he could force Sto to remove the wall.

    Walking through the third floor had turned into a series of rooms with fights, finding caches, and halls where he had to figure out what trigger was a trap, was a decoy, or changed what passageway in intersections would be open to them. Or, as it turned out, would be open entirely. And, because going from a ¡®hall¡¯ to a ¡®room¡¯ didn¡¯t always come with visual cues, Tibs had been caught a few times when Gnolls dropped on them while he looked for triggers.

    He had thought that avoiding every trigger would lead to the floor remaining open, as well as ensuring they weren¡¯t caught by the traps, but it was now clear Ganny had out smarted him on this. This floor would be about working out the sequence of triggers that opened the halls to where they wanted to go.

    He smiled at the scope of the puzzle Ganny had given him to solve.

    ¡°At least,¡± Mez said, ¡°all this walking means we¡¯ll have more fights.¡±

    ¡°But the real loot¡¯s at the end of the floor!¡± Jackal pointed to the closed-off passage.

    ¡°That is not the end,¡± Khumdar said. The cleric stood away from them, from Tibs.

    While Tibs¡¯s refusal to let the cleric tell him the secret about himself he¡¯d uncovered had helped heal the rift Tibs¡¯ weaponized use of the truth had caused, he remained cautious each time they were together.

    ¡°Sto?¡± Carina called, then looked at Tibs and had Jackal and Mez stare at her.

    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± Sto answered, and Tibs nodded.

    ¡°I know what I want.¡±

    ¡°Oh good,¡± Sto replied, giddy, making Tibs chuckle. ¡°What is it?¡± He nodded to her to continue.

    ¡°You¡¯re doing this now?¡± Jackal asked, as if he was affronted that this level of loot was requested before they¡¯d reached the boss room.

    ¡°I want wizard¡¯s robes,¡± she said, pointedly ignoring the fighter, ¡°the same gray-blue as these. Actually, I¡¯d like it to look exactly like what I¡¯m wearing, down to how it¡¯s scoffed in places. It needs to be armored. I don¡¯t expect it to resist everything you¡¯ll throw at me, but I am tired of getting hurt anytime something gets close enough to hit me. But the one thing I really need it to have is hidden reserves like you did for Tibs¡¯s bracers, but for every element, not just a few of them.¡±

    ¡°Must you not be higher in rank before being taught how to extract essence from objects?¡± Khumdar asked.

    ¡°Yes, but if there¡¯s one thing Tibs showed me is that I¡¯m not gaining anything by waiting for the guild to teach me.¡± She smiled. ¡°They¡¯re holding me back. So that robe, especially with that enchantment that keeps anyone from knowing it has essence through it, is exactly what I need to start figuring things out on my own.¡±

    ¡°The guild¡¯s going to be pissed when they find out,¡± Jackal said.

    She snorted. ¡°They aren¡¯t going to find out.¡±

    ¡°Anything else?¡± Tibs asked, and she shook her head.

    ¡°I can do that,¡± Sto replied. ¡°I¡¯ll have it at your next run.¡±

    ¡°Next run,¡± Tibs told her, and she beamed.

    ¡°Well,¡± Jackal said with reluctance, ¡°since you got this started, I¡¯ll go next. I want a pouch like the one you gave Tibs after Walter died. The one that no one can tell what¡¯s in it,¡± he added. ¡°But I also want it to be like those chests that are larger inside than out, and the stuff I put in the pouch won¡¯t weigh anything.¡± Jackal smiled proudly.

    ¡°No,¡± Tibs replied, cutting off Sto.

    ¡°The dungeon can¡¯t make that?¡± Jackal asked, confused.

    ¡°You¡¯re just going to use that to hide all the loot we find.¡±

    The fighter¡¯s grin was enough of an answer.

    ¡°The guild¡¯s going to know you¡¯re scamming them,¡± Tibs snapped, fighting to keep his anger in check. ¡°We always come out with loot.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a first time for everything,¡± Jackal stated, still grinning.

    ¡°What about the second, third and all the following ones?¡± Mez asked. ¡°You¡¯re not going to stop with just one, Jackal.¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Tibs exclaimed.

    ¡°I will,¡± Jackal said smugly. ¡°Look, I¡¯m going to do it once, then I¡¯ll just hide one or two things from each run, I swear.¡±

    ¡°Sto,¡± Carina said, ¡°don¡¯t make it so the items¡¯ weight is removed.¡±

    ¡°Carina,¡± Jackal exclaimed, offended. ¡°That¡¯s my reward.¡±

    ¡°And your greed is going to get us thrown in a cell and get Tibs in even worse trouble. How are we going to explain this when the guild finds the pouch and all it¡¯s going to have in it? You think they¡¯re going to stop with you? Sto, how many people have items no one can detect even when touching them?¡±

    ¡°One,¡± the dungeon answered.

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    ¡°Just me,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°But they can¡¯t tell he has it,¡± Jackal insisted.

    ¡°Until they cut them open and find the gems. They aren¡¯t going to miss anything we¡¯re wearing after they find your ordinary pouch filled with more items than a shipping crate can hold. They¡¯re going to find out about my robes and whatever Mez and Khumdar ask for, and¡ª¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ask for anything,¡± Mez interrupted.

    She nodded. ¡°Even if it¡¯s just the three of us, that¡¯s going to be suspicious. You think they¡¯re going to believe it¡¯s just random we have such perfect items? Or that it¡¯s just us? They¡¯re going to look at every Runner, and when they confirm it¡¯s just us, they¡¯re going to want to know how we managed it. Someone with mind as an element will be questioning us at some point. Questioning Tibs.¡±

    Jackal looked at Tibs, and his expression finally showed worry. His shoulders slumped. ¡°Okay, the stuff can weigh what it normally does.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re strong,¡± Tibs pointed out. ¡°You¡¯ll be able to take a lot.¡±

    ¡°But not everything,¡± Jackal said, dejectedly. He forced a smile. ¡°Which is for the best. It¡¯s not like I¡¯d be able to sell everything, anyway.¡±

    ¡°I will also not ask for a reward,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°This staff and the robe have been enough of a boon, and if it were to change, that will draw attention to us as well.¡± He took a breath. ¡°Jackal, unless you object, I would like to speak with Tibs in private.¡±

    Tibs nodded when Jackal checked with him, then followed the cleric back the way they came until they were at the site of the previous fight. Not that any signs of it remained.

    Khumdar turned to face him, looking uncomfortable. Tibs was surprised. He usually maintained a detached attitude to what happened around him that gave the impression nothing unsettled him.

    ¡°I understand you told me I do not need to tell you this, Tibs. And then, I was relieved at the prospect of being able to keep this to myself. But I have observed how I behave, how I think, and now I believe that you were wrong in letting me keep this secret.¡±

    ¡°I told you not to pry into ours. I can¡¯t then tell you to tell me yours.¡± Tibs kept a tight hold on his curiosity.

    ¡°And that is the danger of good intentions. So here I will remove the guilt from your shoulders, because I need to say this so I will be kept from believing the story I have been telling others.¡± He took a few breaths, and essence gathered around them. The Darkness didn¡¯t affect the light, but the sounds of the team muffled by the distance became even more difficult to make out.

    When Khumdar spoke, his voice shook. ¡°As you have worked out, I wear the patronym ¡®of Temerity¡¯ not because I wish to appropriate it, but because I am from that family.¡±

    ¡°A family of Purity Cleric,¡± Tibs said with a nod.

    ¡°Of fighters,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°The Temerity family has the strongest fighter serving Purity. They are proud, they are strong, they are,¡± he said with disdain, ¡°unbendable. No Temerity shall ever be something other than a warrior.¡± He leaned against the wall, resting his head. ¡°I have the pride of my family, the will. What I lack is the physical strength. I am told I nearly died on birth. My father refused to allow the cleric to heal me. What good was a son of his if he couldn¡¯t win such a fight without help?¡±

    He closed his eyes. ¡°Thinking back on this, I am surprised at how little being told about the story of my birth hurt. In part, it was the understanding¡­ no. It was trusting that my father had been right. That initial fight could do nothing but make me stronger. Another part was that by the time I was told, I had grown used to ridicule. My brothers and sister and other relatives, including my father, were not kind with their words each time I tried, and failed, to lift a sword or halberd.¡±

    His tone grew hard. ¡°What proved too much, what finally put me on the path to despise him and my family, to turn my back on them, is the pride when he told me how he never let my cries, my pain, make him waver from the path of Purity.¡±

    He paused and caught his breath. ¡°I told you all of how I sought Darkness because I was drawn to it. I have told that lie so often I have grown to believe it. Darkness was not the first element I considered. Corruption is what I wanted. If Purity hated me so much, I would ally myself with its antitheses. But hard work is ingrained into me. It includes researching what I intend to do. What I discovered of the people following Corruption sickened me. It may be a core element, but the people representing it do not make following it seem appealing.¡± He looked at Tibs and smiled. ¡°Most of them.¡±

    Tibs almost pointed out he didn¡¯t follow Corruption, but he didn¡¯t want to interrupt the cleric.

    ¡°I do not know why Darkness allowed me to have my audience, let alone allowed me to return. I approached it filled with deceit and the belief I could outmatch it.¡± He smiled. ¡°I supposed that is as good an introduction as Darkness can ask for. Having no others to ask, I did not know what Darkness had made of me until much later. I was not a fighter, I knew that. I was also not a sorcerer, but while never skilled, I had learned the bow, and deceit is the realm of the rogue. I found out when I encountered a group of adventurers whose fighter had Darkness as her element. I could not keep my connection secret from her, but she kept my secret from the others. I¡­ suspect I know why.¡±

    ¡°She was special to you, to each other,¡± Tibs stated, and Khumdar¡¯s surprised expression nearly made Tibs roll his eyes. He¡¯d noticed that when it involved their special person, people often made the ¡®not best decisions¡¯.

    ¡°She did not understand what I was anymore than I did. I do not believe she would have been able to justify keeping the existence of a cleric outside of Purity a secret from the guild. I lived under the pretense of being a rogue then. But my interaction with her, watching how she interacted with her essence and how she viewed Darkness, showed me I was not like her. I also knew enough of clerics through those living around my family to recognize in part how I was connected to Darkness.¡±

    He sighed. ¡°Knowing what I do now, I regret not choosing the other option. That shadow you picked would have let me show my family¡¯s hypocrisy, show Purity. I would have been able to make them regret not acknowledging the hard work I put into wanting to be its fighter.¡±

    ¡°But Purity wants people to work hard,¡± Tibs said. ¡°That¡¯s the core of what it is.¡±

    Khumdar nodded. ¡°But its people are not the element. They say hard work is good, but most only include the type of work leading to the outcome they want when they say that. Or only include that hard work done by the kind of people they approve of. After all, I know of no one in that city who will congratulate the thief who works hard and breaks through the security of their house to rob them. When confronted with their hypocrisy, they fall back on the mantra of ¡®Purity demands it¡¯. Purity does not care what is done in its name, neither does Darkness.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think any do,¡± Tibs said. ¡°They don¡¯t think like us. They don¡¯t see consequences, just what they are. You saw how I was when I channeled Light. All I wanted was to expose the truth without care for what happened after. They don¡¯t have to deal with what happens after.¡±

    The cleric nodded. ¡°I crafted the story of how my affinity to Darkness led to me seeking it out, and there may be truth to it after all. But the lie existed so I would not have to confront the pain that set me off on the path that led to it.¡±

    ¡°Okay, but I don¡¯t get why they acted like that.¡± Tibs crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°You¡¯re a good fighter. I mean, you aren¡¯t Jackal good, but you¡¯ve killed your share of Ratlings, Bunnylings and Gnolls. If you could do something like that then, why didn¡¯t your family let you?¡±

    Khumdar shrugged. ¡°I will not attempt to explain their behavior. I have spent the years I lived among them, and after, trying. Hoping that in that explanation I would find the way to make them accept me, acknowledge me. They are flawed, as are we all. I have accepted that, and it is enough for me.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you want the others to know?¡±

    Khumdar thought about it. ¡°In part, because I enjoy having my secrets. But Carina would enjoy having been right about me too much. I am content letting her believe it is mere coincidence I share the name with that family. I am telling you, because you reminded me that I too am flawed, and in that reminder exposed that I am as proud as my family. And that pride, I will not allow to control me.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for telling me.¡± Tibs hugged the cleric, who stiffened, before hugging him back. Tibs pulled away. ¡°We should head back to the others before Jackal loses patience and finds a way to the other fights without us.¡±

    Khumdar smiled. ¡°Our esteemed leader does enjoy his fights.¡±

    ¡°And it¡¯s our job to make sure he¡¯s able to go back to Kroseph after the run.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 94

    ¡°Hasn¡¯t it been quiet for too long¡± Carina asked as they cautiously moved through yet another hallway.

    Tibs had noticed that the cracks in the floor which formed the tiles Ganny used for triggers weren¡¯t entirely random. He¡¯d identified four set of shapes that repeated, and always had triggers. He was almost sure which shape hid the triggers linked to the traps, but Ganny was sneaky, so he was careful not to take it for granted. He also thought he understood what some of the other shapes did, but that left a few with no apparent uses, and Tibs didn¡¯t like that.

    And he didn¡¯t put it beyond Ganny to have set them up like this specifically to kill him with worry over what they did.

    He looked around and realized Carina was right. By now, Ganny should have dropped Gnolls on them. How many intersections had it been since the last fight? Three, four?

    ¡°Maybe the dungeon got tired of the easy money it¡¯s been giving us?¡± Mez said, ¡°so it decided to stop attacking?¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Ganny said, and Tibs shuddered at the smirk in her tone. ¡°Just for that, I¡¯m¡ª¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s cheating,¡± Sto cut her off. ¡°You can¡¯t change the way things are set to happen.¡±

    ¡°You,¡± she said incredulously, ¡°are calling me out on bending the rules?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± now it was Sto¡¯s voice that carried the smirk, ¡°considering how often you¡¯ve come down on me for not following them, I think I¡¯m entitled.¡±

    ¡°I supposed you are right,¡± she replied with a put-upon sigh.

    Tibs stood, forming his sword.

    ¡°Something coming!¡± Jackal called, gleefully.

    ¡°But,¡± she continued, ¡°since you aren¡¯t in the habit of listening to me, why should I?¡± She cackled maniacally.

    Ganny was enjoying herself too much for his liking. He listened and heard nothing. He believed Jackal, mainly because of Ganny, but how¡ªhe heard the steps in the distance. Boots on stone by the sound.

    ¡°Since those aren¡¯t dropping on us,¡± Mez said, readying his bow, ¡°I think we¡¯re about to find out what the dungeon settled on for the¡­ I don¡¯t know to call them.¡±

    ¡°People golems,¡± Carina said. ¡°And remember, whatever they look like, they are not our friends.¡± The tremble in her voice took away some of the confidence she tried to impart on them.

    Tibs wasn¡¯t worried. Whatever Sto and Ganny had settled on wouldn¡¯t resemble people they knew. Sto had been too regretful about how he¡¯d hurt Tibs with Pyan¡¯s golem.

    ¡°Is it wise to simply remain here?¡± Khumdar asked.

    ¡°Are you saying we should rush them?¡± Jackal asked, the astonishment giving way to eagerness. ¡°I¡¯m all for it.¡± He stepped toward the sound.

    ¡°No,¡± Tibs said, glaring at the cleric, who took a step back.

    ¡°That¡¯s quite the stare, isn¡¯t it?¡± Jackal said, stopping, but not turning.

    ¡°And you know he did this how?¡± Khumdar asked, still looking at Tibs warily.

    ¡°When you¡¯ve been on the receiving end of it as often as I have. You learn to feel when it¡¯s happening to others.¡±

    Tibs turned the glare on the fighter.

    ¡°Or on me.¡± Jackal¡¯s raised hand stopped Tibs¡¯s comment. ¡°They¡¯re almost at the intersection ahead.¡±

    Five¡­ people golems came into view.

    They were shaped like people and wore leather armor, with one a robe instead. But they had no features. Their heads were without eyes or mouths, and where the nose should be was only a bump hinting at one. They were easily identifiable as the representation of Runners, but not anyone specific.

    The fighter had a sword in its hand, the rogue held two knives, and the fourth in armor didn¡¯t have weapons, so it might be a second fighter or rogue.

    ¡°This might be¡ª¡± Mez started, but the faceless archer let loose the already notched arrow.

    Jackal caught it in a stone fist and immediately dropped it with a curse. ¡°That¡¯s a corruption archer.¡±

    Before Tibs could go to his friend to heal him, knives were flying at him and he used air to deflect them.

    ¡°Behind me,¡± Khumdar called as another arrow flew in their direction.

    Mez responded with one, but its fire fizzled away halfway to them. ¡°One of them has fire as an element!¡±

    ¡°The Sorcerer,¡± Tibs called, sensing the essence taking shape as it gestured. ¡°Carina, down!¡± he switched to water and hardly had to think about the motion as his sword moved and formed the ¡®x¡¯ attack. The jet caught the sorcerer in the chest just as the gout of flame formed. The sorcerer slammed back into the wall and dissolved as it slid to the floor.

    A blast of air broke the flame apart.

    ¡°I forgot to take into account how fast Tibs switches between elements,¡± Ganny said thoughtfully.

    He cursed as a knife sank into his shoulder. The opposing rogue flung them so quickly, as it ran at him, that Tibs realized they were forming mid-motion. He formed a shield to take the others as he pulled at the knife in his shoulder, and the shield almost fell apart at the pain trying to remove it caused. It was made of wood, and Tibs could sense the foreign essence digging into him as if they were roots.

    He glared at the rogue. Okay, it was time to show that thing why knives weren¡¯t the weapon a rogue should use.

    He rushed it, blocking the barrage of knives, then slashed, only for it to leap over the attack and leave a line in Tibs¡¯s armor with it knife. He glared at the damage. Wood shouldn¡¯t be able to cut leather, and the inattention meant he was barely ready for how quickly the golem ran at him after landing.

    It moved fast, parrying Tibs¡¯s attacks, the knifes almost imperceptible. Was that why Bardik felt knives were the better weapon? Or was this something being a dungeon creature allowed it to do? Only Quigly¡¯s training and the ease with which Tibs moved his sword allowed him to keep up.

    Tibs took a strike on the shield and slammed it into the rogue, grinning. Knifes meant it had to come in too close when not throwing them.

    It recovered from the stagger, casually shook its head, then raised its hand and slowly brought it down.

    Tibs¡¯s shield moved down.

    He fought against the motion, and pain exploded from his shoulder to his wrist.

    Those roots. Tibs hadn¡¯t kept track of them as they fought and they were now through his arm, moving it against his will.

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    He cursed. How far could they spread? How much control could they take away from him?

    He needed a different element.

    He absorbed the shield since it was useless and kicked when the rogue came in for an attack instead of throwing a knife.

    What could he use?

    He cried out in pain as his arm bent in a way it wasn¡¯t meant to. He glared at the rogue, and Tibs swore he could see it smirk at him. He dropped to a knee as the pain intensified. He stopped trying to stand. He¡¯d just fall from the pain. It wasn¡¯t trying to kill him this way, this was about breaking his concentration.

    He grinned at it.

    Too bad for it. He¡¯d had to fight through pain to gain control over one of the elements recently. It was never easy, but knowing he was able to do it help endure it. He didn¡¯t look at his bent arm. Knowing he¡¯d be able to heal any damage it was causing help endure that.

    He reached for the one element that was the enemy of wood, that craved it, consumed it with ease.

    He stopped, horrified at what he¡¯d nearly done.

    He couldn¡¯t channel fire, his friends were here, he was inside Sto.

    What else could he do?

    It was spreading through him. Would it turn him against his friends or simply kill him?

    He had control of his other elements now. Surely what he¡¯d learned mastering them meant controlling fire would be easier.

    The pain flared, but toward his chest.

    Fuck it.

    The heat felt good spreading through his body, burning the intrusion, but that wasn¡¯t enough. The cause was still there, outside of him. He pushed the heat out, growling at the hated thing that had hurt him. He got to his feet, the flames licking over him. He was going to reduce that thing to ash, consume everything that made it. Then he was moving on to Sto for having made the thing. For having caused him pain, for thinking it was okay to hurt him.

    The punch staggered him, nearly brought him down, and he glared at his attacker, fire pooling over his hand. He was going to destroy¡ª

    ¡°You fucking promised!¡± Jackal yelled. ¡°No matter what, no fire!¡±

    ¡°That hurt,¡± Tibs snarled.

    ¡°Fucking deal with it!¡±

    ¡°I am.¡± Tibs expanded the fire. ¡°I will burn this place down. I am going to stop everything that¡¯s ever caused pain.¡±

    ¡°Sto!¡± Ganny yelled. ¡°Tell me you can deal with this.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯re burning me down too, right?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°You saw what he did the last time he channeled Fire,¡± Sto replied. ¡°I¡¯ve made changes, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°I as well.¡± Khumdar stepped next to the fighter and Tibs stopped paying attention to the dungeon. There was nothing Sto could do to stop him, anyway. These were the larger threat.

    Carina joined the two, silent, except for the loud disapproval on her face.

    Mez stepped between them and Tibs, placing his bow on his back. ¡°I guess this is where we find out if the size of your reserve is a match for my training?¡±

    ¡°Do not stand against me,¡± Tibs warned. ¡°You can¡¯t stand that heat.¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t the element, Tibs,¡± Mez replied. ¡°Just like that¡¯s not fire.¡± He motioned to the large ball of flames around Tibs¡¯s hand.

    ¡°You think this is Fire?¡± Tibs replied mockingly. ¡°This is me! This is me having fucking enough of being hurt, of this place hurting me, hurting you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the one doing the hurting right not, Tibs,¡± Mez said, his voice steady. ¡°You are.¡±

    Tibs snorted. They had no idea what pain was. What pain he could inflict if he chose to. If they forced him to.

    ¡°You broke your word to us. You¡¯re going to hurt your friend.¡±

    ¡°Then get out! Get out and you aren¡¯t going to be caught in what¡¯s coming.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving. We¡¯re not leaving and letting you hurt another one of your friends.¡±

    Another one? What the fuck was Mez going on about? He was giving them a way out. ¡°Then,¡± he snarled, ¡°I¡¯m¡ª¡±

    ¡°Being a child!¡± Mez snapped. ¡°Pain exists! Pain serves a purpose!¡± He took a breath. ¡°Only children lash out at it without care for who else will get caught in the blast, or the consequences. You helped me understand some of what it means to wield fire, to be a man, and not a child. I am telling you, Tibs, that nothing comes from childish anger.¡±

    Tibs¡¯s snarl was silent as he sensed the essence Mez had woven between them. It was intricate, but it would never hold against him. Nothing could stop him from consuming those who hurt him. He took hold of the weave and readied himself to show the archer what it meant to wield fire. He was going to make him regret for not standing at his side.

    His hold on the weave fell as the implications hit him. He burned the doubt away. He was in the right here.

    ¡°Are you ready to burn everyone you care about, just for some fleeting satisfaction?¡± Mez asked, searching his face.

    Tibs¡¯s answer was interrupted by noticing the fear on his friends¡¯ face, but them not moving, knowing he was ready to burn them along with this hated place. He had given them the opportunity to leave, to be safe, to avoid his wrath. Now, they could pay for betraying him.

    The dismay hit him hard enough the fire flickered.

    What was he contemplating? He loved them. They were his family. He¡¯d do anything for them.

    No! They deserved to burn for not agreeing with him.

    But they were doing it because they care for him. Loved him back. Wanted the best for him.

    Lies!

    Everything needs to burn.

    They are¡ª

    ¡°Stop it!¡± He grabbed his head as his hate and love kept flaring. He couldn¡¯t think. He had to think. What had someone said about the way Fire affected him? It pulled his emotions to extremes.

    Fuck, did he have a lot of anger.

    He thought about letting go of it. He was terrified the fire would consume him along with everything else if he didn¡¯t. But that terror was another emotion being ripped out of his control.

    And he had let terror control him too much already.

    Mez said something, but the words burned away in the conflagration happening inside Tibs.

    He couldn¡¯t do this, something whispered fearfully.

    He shouldn¡¯t do this, another yelled angrily.

    He must do this, another encouraged him.

    On and on feelings given words assaulted him; consumed him. Tore him about until nothing remained but¡ª

    Him.

    He was Tibs.

    He was angry. He loved. He was afraid. He was prideful. He was so many things, and each burned.

    But he was Tibs.

    His anger was justified, in places. The way he loved was justified, at times. His fear was warranted, but not always. His pride was earned, but only in moderation.

    His emotions had their place, and they could, would, be out of control at times. He didn¡¯t need to wield fire for them to consume him.

    And he could wield fire and not be consumed by them.

    He let out the breath, and some heat left with it. He pulled the essence he¡¯d radiated back into himself. It resisted him, no; he resisted ending the fire.

    There was comfort in that heat. In letting an emotion burn everything else alway.

    But it was the comfort common to every element he¡¯d channeled. One that only cared about the now.

    Tibs cared about tomorrow too.

    He opened his eyes, and Mez smiled at him.

    Anger spiked, and Tibs considered wiping that smug expression by ripping apart the barrier the archer had woven. Only it wasn¡¯t smug, that was the anger trying to get him to unleash it.

    Mez was proud.

    ¡°That was dangerous,¡± Tibs told him.

    The archer shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m a Runner, danger is sort of our thing. You¡¯re eyes are still fire,¡± he pointed out.

    Tibs nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not letting go. I¡¯ve been afraid of it for too long. I have to get used to how it makes me feel.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that dangerous?¡± Mez asked.

    Tibs grinned. ¡°I¡¯m a Runner. It¡¯s kind of our thing.¡± He looked around the archer at Jackal. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for breaking my word.¡±

    The fighter shrugged. ¡°Hey, this caused you to get control, so it¡¯s good. And if you had lost it, at least here, the town would have been safe from that inferno.¡±

    ¡°Kind of casual about how I could have been damaged,¡± Sto commented dryly.

    ¡°Sorry for scaring you and Ganny.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t scared,¡± Sto replied smugly. ¡°Well, not much.¡±

    ¡°I was,¡± Ganny said. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be able to hurt Sto the way you did, Tibs. I don¡¯t mean you¡¯re too nice of a person to do it. I mean that by everything I have been taught, it should be impossible for one person to cause the kind of damage you did the other time, and almost did now. I felt that heat all the way here.¡± She sounded awe and afraid. ¡°You¡¯re an impossibility, Tibs. A dangerous one. I¡¯d hate to think what could have happened if it was someone else who¡¯d chosen what you did.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just sorry I waited until I didn¡¯t have a choice before dealing with it. After how the others went, I should have known better than hope there would be a right time to do it.¡±

    Jackal rubbed his hands together. ¡°Now that¡¯s done, how about we collect the loot and move on to the next fight?¡±

    ¡°Maybe we should head out,¡± Mez said. ¡°Tibs should heal up and rest.¡± He pointed to the mess that was Tibs¡¯s arm.

    That brought the pain back to the surface and Tibs stifled the cry. The knife was gone, as were the roots it had spread, but his arm was still broken in ways no limbs should be. He¡¯d been too consumed by his emotions and the problem of resolving them for the pain to register.

    He suffused himself with Purity and immediately felt better. He felt good, but the look of horror on his friends¡¯ face as his arms uncontorted itself told him it shouldn¡¯t. When he let go of the element, the sense he had slept soundly after a day of work remained.

    He hesitated, then channeled fire.

    Anger returned, demanded that he¡ª

    He pushed it down, back where it belonged¡­ or at least below the surface of his thoughts.

    ¡°Are you thinking of burning me down again?¡± Sto asked casually.

    ¡°No. I¡¯m not burning down anything.¡±

    Not even the guild?

    If Ganny said he could do the impossible in hurting Sto, didn¡¯t that mean the enchantments protecting the building would just burn away under his fire? That all he¡¯d have to do was feed it until it burned them away?

    Yes, he could do it. He realized. If not fire, then corruption.

    But who else would pay for his revenge? For indulging his rage? Did the whole of Kragle Rock deserve to burn along with the guild?

    He smiled to himself. That settled it. He wasn¡¯t burning anything down. His role was to protect the town and its people. Not avenge them.

    He smiled and rubbed his hands together, mimicking Jackal. ¡°Let¡¯s go see what else Ganny has in store for us.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 95

    The slash bit deep and the Gnoll fell away from Tibs. It dissolved and left behind two silver coins. He spun, searching for the next enemy, but only his friends were left stand¡ª

    ¡°Tibs!¡± Mez yelled, kneeling next to Carina, who was on the ground, bleeding heavily from her side.

    He let go of the sword along with Water as he ran to her. He had the weave of Purity formed by the time he was beside her, cursing the fraying edges. It still worked, but he figured it would work better if he could get the essence to behave.

    He applied it to the wound and the bleeding immediately slowed, then stopped. The weave melted inside her, the Purity gathering around the most ¡®wrong¡¯ parts within her, which was how he saw the injuries when only looking at them through Purity. He kept weaving and adding essence until all her injuries were healing.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal called. ¡°When you¡¯re done, this one¡¯s yours.¡±

    A glance at the large shield on the wall at the end of the hall didn¡¯t tell him why his friend thought that. It was blue, with gold and brown. He returned his attention to Carina¡¯s injuries.

    Once they all had Purity essence mixed within them, he joined Jackal, who had a hand on the shield and his eyes closed.

    ¡°There¡¯s a room behind this. Straight walls like the caches on this floor. Thirty paces or so wide, deeper than I can sense.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re getting better.¡± Tibs studied the shield and pieces that made up its face. Up close they were squares, and he smiled as he found the square hole at the top.

    ¡°I think,¡± Sto said as Tibs slid pieces around, using the empty one. ¡°That you¡¯re making it too easy on him.¡±

    Quickly, he had the bottom of the lion¡¯s head recognizable.

    Ganny sighed. ¡°I was hoping he hadn¡¯t come across something like this before.¡±

    ¡°Val used something like this,¡± He said. And he realized this kind of puzzle was like the cylinder Cross had lent him. He proceeded quickly; until he was on the last row and two tiles were flipped. He stared at them, trying to remember how he¡¯d resolved it on the one Val had given him.

    He had been awake, hadn¡¯t he? So much of his time in the Purity dungeon was a blur. Tibs wasn¡¯t certain which puzzles he¡¯d done half asleep or fully awake. But he had gotten through her version of this, so he should be able to figure it out even if he didn¡¯t remember the method.

    ¡°Looks like you have him stumped,¡± Sto said.

    He almost had it. He moved the tiles until he could use the hole above the shield to put them in the the right order, but now they were in the wrong place, and he¡¯d flipped a set of tiles that had been fine before in the process.

    He thought about just pulling the pieces off. There was enough play for him to slip ice under and dislodge them, but that was definitely cheating. Too much of it, even for him. There was a way, and he¡¯d find it. It would be a pattern, a set of moves that put everything right after¡­ After seemingly mixing them up.

    That was the solution to the cube. He had to allow the pattern to mix everything up so that it would then get back into the order with the piece he¡¯d been trying to adjust also properly placed. Here, he¡¯d been trying to stay within the row of mix squares.

    Once he allowed himself to undo some that were already in place, the chain of moves came quickly, and he had the face of the roaring lion. Once he slid the last piece from the position above the design into place, there was a click, a motion of essence, and the wall slid aside, revealing the room Jackal had sensed.

    It was a large square, with tiles on the floor alternating between silver and ebony. Eight squares on each side. On the opposite stood five golem people, but instead of being at the back, each one stood on a square.

    The most imposing was a woman in full metal armor, standing tall, holding a sword with both hands, the point resting on the floor of the ebony tile she stood on. A man in sorcerer¡¯s robes stood on a silver tile three rows before the lady and to the left of the room, with an archer on the opposite side, but on the same row as the lady, also on a silver tile. On the left and right of the sorcerer, two rogues were crouched. One on a silver and one of an ebony tile.

    With a sigh of annoyance, Tibs stepped forward, only for Jackal to hold him by the shoulder.

    ¡°I have to figure out what¡¯s the trap or puzzle,¡± Tibs told his friend.

    ¡°Unless you know the game,¡± Jackal said unhappily, ¡°this one isn¡¯t for you.¡±

    ¡°Game?¡± Tibs studied the room, trying to figure out what game he might be referring to.

    ¡°Strategion,¡± Khumdar said.

    ¡°We call it Conquest,¡± Jackal replied.

    ¡°I am surprised you know of the game. I was under the belief it was used to teach commanders about the difficulties of battle.¡±

    ¡°My father had big plans for me,¡± Jackal said, and added unhappily. ¡°Prophesy big. He brought in a few teachers of the game, but I wasn¡¯t good. The first thing we need to figure out is if the point is to get to the other side, or conquer the board.¡±

    ¡°That is the Lord.¡± Khumdar pointed to the armored woman.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you mean the Lady?¡± Carina asked. ¡°It¡¯s a popular game among Purity fighters and I watched some of them play. That looks like the Lady.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t have a game without the Lord on the board,¡± Jackal said. ¡°it¡¯s the one piece you can¡¯t afford to lose. Without any other that fits the role, she¡¯s it. That¡¯s the sorcerer, that the archer, and the last two are the infantry.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re rogues,¡± Tibs said. The way they crouched was definitely roguish.

    ¡°The dungeon appears to have replaced some pieces with Runner roles,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°And to answer your question. I believe this is about conquering the board. Strategion is always only about a complete victory over your opponent.¡±

    ¡°And we do that by taking out that Lord lady?¡± Mez asked, drawing his bow.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jackal replied, still studying their opponents.

    The arrow exploded over the tile before the Lord and she didn¡¯t react to it.

    ¡°I do not believe the dungeon will allow us to play by any other rules than those of Strategion.¡±

    ¡°Then we walk up to them and kill them one by one.¡± Tibs figured that was the point of the squares. They could only move one at a time or something like that.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple,¡± Jackal sighed. ¡°Each piece has to move in a specific way. The Lord can move in any direction, but no more than one square in the turn. It can also attack in any direction, but only one square immediately around it. The archer can only move one square too, but its attack covers the full lines ahead and behind, as well as to the left and right. In a normal game, the attack will automatically take the target out, but Sto hasn¡¯t made anything that easy on us yet.¡±

    ¡°The sorcerer,¡± Carina said, ¡°can move along any straight lines, but it can only attack a piece that¡¯s more than one square away from it. If it has line of sight to the Lord, instead of attacking, it can switch place with it.¡±

    Tibs rubbed his temple, trying to keep track of all the rules. ¡°Why is a game so complicated?¡±

    ¡°Because it is not simply a game,¡± Khumdar answered. ¡°It is a tool of war.¡±

    ¡°Which is why it¡¯s called Conquest back home,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Okay, so are we the pieces we represent?¡± Mez asked.

    Khumdar studied the two rows closest to them. ¡°Unless the dungeon indicates otherwise, I believe that figuring this will be part of beating this room.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving this to you,¡± Jackal said. ¡°I¡¯ve lost every game I played.¡±

    ¡°I find that difficult to believe,¡± Khumdar said, stepping to the edge of the room. ¡°You enjoy acting the idiot, but an act is all it is.¡±

    ¡°You willing to bet your life on it?¡± Jackal grinned. ¡°Because I don¡¯t think that losing a fight here will just get us put on the side of the board until the game¡¯s over.¡±

    ¡°How far can you jump?¡± Khumdar asked Jackal.

    ¡°Far, why?¡±

    ¡°Fourth row, Second square from the left.¡±

    Jackal frowned. ¡°That puts me next to the sorcerer. I¡¯m clearly the Lord, so I¡¯m not going to be able to protect myself once it moves.¡±

    ¡°I know. It is part of my strategy.¡±

    Jackal backed away. ¡°Give me room.¡± He ran and leaped the distance, landing in the middle of the square and used his essence to keep from having his momentum pull him to the next one. Jackal looked at them and grinned.

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    When Khumdar didn¡¯t give instructions, Tibs looked at him.

    ¡°I was waiting to determine if the game began with the first piece set, or waited until we were all on the board.¡± He pointed to a silver square by the entrance. ¡°Mez, here.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t shoot at anything from there,¡± the archer protested.

    ¡°You will have a target,¡± Khumdar stated. ¡°Carina, can you reach the fifth row, third from the right?¡±

    The wind picked up around them, and Carina leaped and was carried to the square by it.

    ¡°Mine was more impressive,¡± Jackal said, ¡°since I didn¡¯t have anything helping me.¡±

    ¡°I think all the hot air in that head of yours is what kept you aloft,¡± she replied.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you keep saying my skull¡¯s all iron?¡± the fighter asked.

    ¡°Which should impress on everyone just how full of yourself you are.¡±

    Khumdar used his staff to jump to the third row, two squares away from the archer.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that make you a sacrificial piece?¡± Jackal asked, studying where they were on the board.

    ¡°Only if Tibs cannot reach the position I need him in.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that putting a lot on him?¡± Carina asked.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± the cleric said, ¡°can you stand one square away from the Lord, before her?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you sneak,¡± Jackal said, grinning.

    ¡°Can he make that?¡± Mez asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think Carina could even with her air.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not Carina,¡± Tibs said. He channeled Air, pushing and shaping it ahead of him. Once it was as he wanted it, he locked it in place. He wove more essence through the shape, then stepped up on the step, and onto the path it made. He crossed the board and stepped down onto the target square.

    ¡°How did you do that?¡± Carina asked in dismay.

    He pulled the essence back and switched to water. ¡°I poured almost all my reserve into making the air hard.¡± He smiled. ¡°I understand now why the adventurers never seem to think about the early stuff they learned. Just putting a lot of essence into what you do means you don¡¯t have to be all that precise with it.¡±

    ¡°Okay, is anyone else annoyed that Tibs, yet again, can do something the rest of us can¡¯t?¡± Mez asked, grinning.

    ¡°Only if that makes him stop studying,¡± Carina said. ¡°If you lose access, you¡¯ll only have your low reserves and you have to know how to work with those.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re done talking,¡± Ganny said, sounding annoyed, ¡°it¡¯s my turn. I didn¡¯t count on the level of mobility you all have.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean we win?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°No, because you have to win the fights first.¡±

    The Lord stepped forward.

    ¡°What kind of move is that?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°All Tibs has to do is take the Lord.¡±

    The cleric glared at the woman as she raised her sword.

    ¡°Khumdar?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°Can you beat it?¡± he replied.

    Tibs sensed the Lord¡¯s essence. ¡°She¡¯s not at strong as Jackal. I¡¯m guessing she¡¯s metal because of all she wears. Without eyes, I can¡¯t tell for sure.¡± He considered it as he formed his sword. ¡°It¡¯s going to depend on how good she is with that sword.¡±

    ¡°You weren¡¯t listening when I said Sto wouldn¡¯t make this as easy as just taking a piece, were you?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°I was,¡± Khumdar said darkly, ¡°but I let the challenge of the strategy push any other thoughts back. I am sorry to say that the reality of the situation was not what my thinking was on.¡±

    ¡°Carina,¡± Jackal said, ¡°switch with me.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Khumdar ordered. ¡°That will leave Tibs vulnerable.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m lined up with Tibs,¡± Jackal said, ¡°but I don¡¯t have range. She does. I don¡¯t care what else Sto wants, unless the dungeon specifically plans on killing Tibs. The rules of the game don¡¯t let it sacrifice the Lord because that means we win.¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t we just all move so we can protect him?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°The rules only let each side move one piece at a time, in turn,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Khumdar?¡± Carina asked.

    ¡°Tibs, you are the one at risk,¡± Khumdar said, sounding defeated, ¡°and you know the dungeon better than us.¡±

    Tibs nodded. ¡°I trust Jackal.¡±

    ¡°And scarier words were never uttered,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°You keep coming up with stuff like this,¡± Carina said, ¡°and no one¡¯s going to believe the idiot act anymore.¡±

    ¡°What happens in the dungeon stays in the dungeon,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°How do we do this? Do we have to jump at the same time?¡±

    ¡°They can walk,¡± Ganny said.

    ¡°Walk,¡± Tibs repeated.

    Jackal stepped and stopped, pressed against the edge of his square. Carina had the same problem.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Jackal demanded as he slammed his shoulder against the unseen barrier. ¡°Is the dungeon cheating?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tibs said, even as he made out the tight weave, through the concentration of all the other essences in the room, keeping his friends stuck on their squares. Ganny didn¡¯t cheat, which meant they¡¯d missed a detail.

    ¡°Then why can¡¯t I pull the rescue move with Carina?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°Jackal,¡± Mez said, sounding worried, ¡°that¡¯s a move only the Lord can pull, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Another shoulder slammed against nothing.

    ¡°And the Lord is the most important piece on the board, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we lose that and the game¡¯s lost.¡±

    The archer fixed his gaze on the fighter. ¡°Then why did you say you¡¯re the Lord?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m the team¡­¡± Jackal turned pale. ¡°Oh Abyss.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°that was not¡­¡± He looked like he was about to be sick.

    ¡°What?¡± Tibs asked, and they looked at him.

    ¡°You¡¯re the most important piece,¡± Carina said, weakly. ¡°You¡¯re our Lord.¡±

    ¡°I thought I was the Infantry,¡± he said.

    ¡°I planned on using you as such,¡± Khumdar said, sounding like he was forcing himself to speak. ¡°But you have yet to move, and we did not begin with the starting position. This means that we assigned your importance because¡­ because you are. I am¡­¡±

    ¡°Then Tibs can move back,¡± Carina said. ¡°the Lord can move in any direction. I have line of sight on the square behind him. I¡¯ll be able to switch with him then.¡±

    ¡°Can you take on that fighter?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve beaten you before,¡± she replied.

    ¡°Once, and that was a while ago. And that¡¯s a dungeon creature, not a runner.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s going to keep Tibs safe.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not dying for me,¡± Tibs replied.

    ¡°Enough,¡± Khumdar said forcefully. His face was stern, almost angry. ¡°Now that I understand the role each of you must play. I have a strategy. I need all of you to trust me as Tibs trusts Jackal. I may tell you to move in ways you do not understand, but if you follow my instructions, we will be capable of trapping the dungeon¡¯s Lord.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Ganny said.

    ¡°I trust you,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°I certainly trust your plans more than Jackals,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°I trust you, too,¡± Carina said.

    ¡°Jackal?¡± the cleric asked when the fighter didn¡¯t say anything. Finally, he gave a curt nod.

    ¡°Mez, two squares ahead of you,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°Please do not ask questions. I do not wish for the dungeon to discern my strategy.¡±

    ¡°What is he doing?¡± Ganny said as Mez took the assigned position.

    ¡°Ganny, doesn¡¯t that leave Tibs open to you?¡± Sto asked cautiously.

    ¡°It does, so why did he make that move?¡± she asked back.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me. This is your game. I don¡¯t understand any of it.¡±

    ¡°Okay, then I have to¡­¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to hesitate on my account,¡± Sto said, and Tibs readied himself for the fight. ¡°I knew this was going to happen, eventually.¡±

    The sorcerer moved to threaten Mez.

    ¡°Wha¡ª¡± Carina started

    ¡°Quiet,¡± Khumdar ordered. ¡°Tibs, move back a square.¡±

    Tibs did as instructed.

    ¡°Okay, that move I get,¡± Ganny said, although she sounded uncertain. The Lord stepped forward.

    ¡°Jackal, tell me you are capable of beating the sorcerer.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± the fighter replied, but his scoff sounded forced to Tibs.

    ¡°Then make the one square move you are allowed as Infantry, I will maneuver the board so you get the opening, then we will move on to the next step.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not good if you lose the sorcerer, right?¡± Sto asked.

    Ganny didn¡¯t reply, but the sorcerer moved two squares back.

    ¡°Carina, two squares to the left and forward, that will put you in line for the sorcerer¡¯s next move.¡±

    Ganny cursed. And the sorcerer moved three squares forward.

    ¡°Tibs, one to the diagonal left. We almost have it where we need it.¡±

    Tibs moved.

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t,¡± Ganny said, and the sorcerer walked across the board, out of reach of any moves Tibs thought they could¡ª

    The dark energy blasted the Lord right out of her square, and spread over her as she fell, then dissolved.

    Tibs turned to look at Khumdar, who was using his staff to support himself, shaking heavily.

    ¡°What just happened?¡± Mez asked at the same time as Ganny.

    ¡°He played the commander,¡± Jackal said. ¡°That was dangerous.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t either,¡± Ganny said.

    Jackal looked at the cleric, who shook his head. ¡°Khumdar got Sto¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ganny¡¯s who we were going against,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°He got Ganny to believe that the sorcerer was critical to his plan, so she¡¯d forget to pay attention to her Lord. Any experienced player would have seen the ploy for what it was.¡± There was anger in Jackal¡¯s voice.

    ¡°I could not think of another way,¡± Khumdar replied weakly. ¡°That miscalculation had doomed Tibs, and I¡­¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± Mez said. ¡°How come your attack worked when mine didn¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°The game had not started when you did so.¡±

    ¡°But that was a sorcerer¡¯s move, right? Attacking something you had a line of sight to? Carina¡¯s the sorcerer.¡±

    ¡°Each side has two,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°So, we won?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°You won!¡± Sto said, sounding far too happy about it.

    ¡°I¡¯d argue the point,¡± Ganny said, still sounding perplexed. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t win by tricking me. But my Lord is dead, so I definitely lost.¡±

    Carina hugged Tibs tightly.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡±

    ¡°You could have died,¡± she said.

    He tried to tell her it was okay, but he hugged her back instead. ¡°Did you sense something about Ganny that let you do this?¡± he asked Khumdar when she let him go.

    The cleric shook his head, still looking mildly sick. ¡°I cannot tell what secrets here are whose, or what they are. The dungeon is young. I hoped it meant the helper was also and not experienced with the game. I asked Darkness to protect you, but ultimately, Tibs. I believe we simply got lucky.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not a thing,¡± he replied.

    Khumdar shrugged. ¡°It is nonetheless how I feel about it.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal called. ¡°We¡¯re going to need you here.¡±

    ¡°Go, I shall need more time to settle myself.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about what might have happened. That¡¯s one thing from Jackal I¡¯m trying to do, too.¡±

    ¡°That is easier to accomplish when one does not spend so much time thinking.¡±

    Over the chest, at the back of the room, was another blue shield, with the same lion roaring, on the wall. He sensed filaments of essence from it vanish into the mire of essence that filled this floor. None of them stayed, which could indicate a trap. They were all waiting for someone to provide essence and activate something in the distance.

    ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± he asked Jackal.

    ¡°Tell me why there¡¯s so much essence, and what it¡¯s for?¡±

    ¡°Why would I know that?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re our expert when it comes to this,¡± Carina said.

    He looked at her. ¡°Did you try to figure it out? Wasn¡¯t it you who said I shouldn¡¯t depend too much on something?¡± she blushed and he turned his gaze on Jackal.

    The fighter raised his hands. ¡°Hey. I¡¯m the idiot here. Of course I didn¡¯t think to check. If I don¡¯t know something, the smart thing is always to call you over.¡±

    Tibs sighed. ¡°You aren¡¯t that stupid.¡± He pointed to the shield.

    Jackal placed his hand on it and closed his eyes. ¡°What am I sensing for?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s there?¡±

    Jackal shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s a lot. I¡¯m guessing all of them, but earth is just one thread in there, going too far for me to sense.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to need some help here, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°What do you know about essence?¡±

    Jackal looked at him. ¡°Nothing.¡±

    Tibs stared at him.

    ¡°It can be used to do stuff.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re starting to sound a lot like Carina, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°Good. And?¡±

    ¡°No, not good. You¡¯re not supposed to like it when she teaches you, so you shouldn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°No one¡¯s going to know you can think, Jackal.¡±

    The fighter sighed. ¡°To do something, essence has to be etched or woven. Etching is something that happens, then is gone. Weaves stay.¡±

    ¡°And that?¡±

    ¡°This is more like the way we open the doorways, except I don¡¯t know where the other end is.¡±

    Tibs nodded, proud of his friend. ¡°I can¡¯t tell what¡¯s at the other end, but it¡¯s not going to affect this room.¡±

    ¡°So this could be locking up another corridor?¡±

    ¡°Or opening one,¡± Carina said. ¡°We did win.¡±

    Jackal looked from one to the other, then pushed essence into the thread. Tibs felt it brighten, and a few seconds later something in the distance rumble.

    ¡°Any idea what that was?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Other than the background,¡± Mez said. ¡°It¡¯s the same crest as on that other wall where the three are.¡±

    ¡°So, we have to look forward to two other rooms like this?¡± Carina asked.

    ¡°Then I shall ask that it not be Strategion again,¡± Khumdar said, joining them.

    ¡°I¡¯m with you.¡±

    ¡°Other than the Gnolls and people golems,¡± Carina said, ¡°this floor does put a demand more on our minds than on our fighting.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m the thinker in this dungeon,¡± Ganny said.

    ¡°You do know I¡¯m the dungeon, right?¡± Sto said.

    ¡°You¡¯re the body and I¡¯m the mind,¡± she replied smugly.

    ¡°That¡¯s not how it works, Ganny.¡±

    ¡°How would you know?¡± she said, chuckling. ¡°You¡¯re just the body.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 96

    The building Tibs slipped into, through the window, was lit only from the lanterns placed on the floor where the group was crouched around papers. As he landed silently, two spun and unsheathed weapons. A knife for Gerald, and short sword for Armania. They put it away on recognizing him.

    Tibs joined the eight of them around the papers, and looked at the routes marked on them. Jumian placed a finger on a spot where a corridor hadn¡¯t been marked. ¡°That passage continues forward.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Gerald said. ¡°It turns to the left.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s another one with multiple ways to be unlocked,¡± Bea said, writing letters next to the spot. ¡°Anyone noticed the triggers that might affect them?¡±

    Shakes of the heads all around.

    Each of the Rogues here was on a team that had made it to the third floor, and Gerald had been the one to suggest they do their own version of the sorcerer¡¯s map, but one with the information they could use, instead of theorizing about things that meant nothing to the run.

    Having listened to Carina talk about some of those theories, Tibs knew they had their uses, but this was something he could take an active part in.

    The only path they could all agree on led to the three crests, as well as the crest with the lion. It was the only path that remained open if they made sure not to trigger any of the traps. It meant that they all agreed on it until the first intersection. After that, it depended on which trigger had been stepped on by accident.

    Tibs had decided it was Ganny¡¯s way of teaching them triggers weren¡¯t always meant to be avoided, which was the ingrained reaction after two floors of the way Sto did things.

    Armania was who had picked the attic of the unoccupied house as their meeting point. It was at the edge of the noble¡¯s neighborhood, a house they had bought to prepare for building their wall, but they still had ways to go since many owners of the houses the nobles needed were being difficult.

    It might have something to do with the nobles plans having been learned by the townsfolk.

    Tibs had hoped it would lead to them rallying against the plan, but they were holding out until the nobles offered a lot more coins.

    ¡°From the bottom of the stairs to the first intersection,¡± Tandy said, ¡°it¡¯s sixteen paces.¡±

    ¡°Twenty-three,¡± Bronze corrected at the same time Armania said.

    ¡°Nineteen.¡± They shared a look. ¡°If we can¡¯t agree on that, it¡¯s going to make everything a lot harder.¡±

    ¡°It would be easier if the floor was tiled instead of this cracked pattern.¡±

    Tibs took a piece of paper from his¡ªhe had no idea where the others had come from, and he wasn¡¯t asking¡ªpouch, and drew the layout of the floor leading to the intersection. ¡°This is what it is.¡± He identified the triggers, using symbols to show which he knew worked together. ¡°I¡¯m not good enough to show it this way, but the way the cracks make the tiles isn¡¯t random.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve noticed a repeating pattern,¡± Nataniel said. ¡°I was planning on figuring out what they did.¡±

    ¡°Okay, that might be what I noticed,¡± Gerald said. ¡°I hadn¡¯t made the connection.¡± He used a blank space to draw a pattern.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen one like that,¡± Bea said. ¡°We nearly lost our archer to that trap. If she¡¯d been just a little slower, she¡¯d have lost her head instead of an arm. We had to turn around right then to get her and the arm back to the cleric.¡±

    ¡°Anyone noticed if the tiles change from one run to the other?¡± Armania asked.

    ¡°They haven¡¯t on my runs,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°They haven¡¯t for us either,¡± Bronze said. ¡°But we know better than to trust that they¡¯ll be the same tomorrow.¡±

    Tandy studied the drawings. ¡°I don¡¯t know. This entire floor seems predicated on us working out how to get the walls to open so we can reach the rooms we need to unlock that final one.¡± She tapped where the three crests were on the map, then the one with the lion. The boar and dragon were drawn on the map too, but without corridors leading to them since Bronze and Bea¡¯s teams had been the only ones to see the boar, and couldn¡¯t agree on how to get there, and only Tandy had reached the dragon and how she¡¯d gotten there didn¡¯t work with what they agreed on of the layout.

    ¡°The dragon¡¯s door has seven locks,¡± she continued. ¡°Even after unlocking all of them, it still didn¡¯t open. The locks are mechanical, with some essence in play. I¡¯m not sensitive enough to tell you what it did, but I didn¡¯t get a sense they interfered with the locks. If I have to put the feeling I got into words, it¡¯s that it reacts to what I did to the locks.¡±

    ¡°What did you see in the room?¡± Armania asked.

    Tandy shook her head. ¡°The dungeon¡¯s flooded the entire floor with essence. It makes it impossible for me to change the distance I can see at and look through doors.¡±

    ¡°Same with me,¡± Bronze said. ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to get a resonance going on that floor.¡± His element was crystal, and when Tibs asked about it, he¡¯d explained that they were more than the gems everyone thought of them as. Crystals were part of a lot of other things, not simply as essence, but physical crystals. They were in stones, in metal, even in the air. He was able to use his essence to make all those crystal resonate and get a sense of the space they were in.

    What Ganny had done hadn¡¯t been to interfere specifically with Tibs, he realized, as more of the rogues had shared stories of the third floor. Any who had a way to get a broader sense of their surroundings through essence was now unable to rely on it.

    ¡°Nat, your team¡¯s next,¡± Tandy said, ¡°I need you to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don won¡¯t let me do anything yet,¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s still certain the only way to get through the maze is to not trigger anything and follow the right wall. If it doesn¡¯t take us to another crest on this run, I might be able to convince him to let me test the triggers.¡±

    ¡°How confident are you he can win the game in the lion¡¯s room?¡± Armania asked.

    ¡°He was taught it,¡± Tibs answered. Tibs hadn¡¯t made the connection, back during the siege, because Don referred to the game as King Killer. It had come up after a strategy session where Tibs had asked how he knew so much about that. ¡°Listening to him talk, he mastered the game, but it¡¯s Don, so he might be boasting. I think he¡¯s good enough to win against the dungeon, anyway.¡± He looked at Nataniel, ¡°but if someone else on your team knows the game, they better be on his good side because if they see him make a mistake. They are going to have to be careful with how they suggest an alternative.¡±

    Nataniel snorted. ¡°You think we don¡¯t know that already?¡±

    ¡°My team¡¯s the next one after Nat,¡± Tandy said. ¡°I¡¯m going to pick one shape and see what happens when I activate all of them. Hopefully, I¡¯ll survive to report the result.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t joke about dying,¡± Tibs ordered. ¡°We can¡¯t afford to lose anyone. Each death will set us back. We have time, so if it takes months, or years, to work it out, then that¡¯s what it takes.¡±

    ¡°How adamant are you all about not bringing in the next Runner whose team reaches the third floor?¡± Armania asked. ¡°The more people we have working the problem, the faster it¡¯s going to be.¡±

    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°Only if we can trust them,¡± Bronze said. ¡°With all those new Runners, and how some convict¡¯s have been acting, there¡¯s no way to be sure one of them won¡¯t go to the Guild thinking we¡¯re breaking big rules with this in the hopes of getting favors from them.¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t help them,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean they won¡¯t do it anyway,¡± Bronze replied.

    Nataniel chuckles. ¡°If they get that favor, Don will have something to say about it. He¡¯s very protective of his position as Hero of Kragle Rock and Voice of the Guild.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Tibs grumbled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if how the guild treats him is what leads some to rat us out.¡± Sticks was definitely one of those, Tibs had decided, and wished he could keep him out of the official meetings now. ¡°Those convicts you¡¯re thinking of see how he gets to ¡®decide¡¯ when he goes on his run and figure they can avoid the runs altogether if the guild likes them well enough.¡±

    ¡°It only looks that way because of how eager Don is to be first all the time,¡± Nataniel said.

    ¡°Those types,¡± Gerald said, ¡°never see what¡¯s there, just what they want to be there.¡±

    ¡°Which is why we need to be careful,¡± Bronze said. ¡°We¡¯ll get to know the rogues who¡¯ve made it to the third floor, then decide.¡±

    Armania looked around. ¡°Is there any other information to add to the map?¡± they shook their heads. ¡°Unless you learn something from your run, Nat, we¡¯ll meet up after Tandy¡¯s, to go over what she found.¡±

    * * * * *

    ¡°You can¡¯t do that,¡± Jackal said, taking the Infantry piece and moving it back to the square it had been on.

    ¡°It¡¯s right there,¡± Tibs replied in exasperation, pointing to the sorcerer before it, only four squares away.

    ¡°The Infantry is on foot, so they can only move one square. They have a halberd for a weapon, so they can only reach one of the three squares in front of them for their attack.¡±

    ¡°This is a stupid game,¡± Tibs complained, dropping his head on his arms and wishing he¡¯d never heard of Conquest, or Strategion, or King Killer, or whatever some other kingdom used as its name. Ganny was evil for using it and forcing Tibs to learn yet again something new.

    He had too much to do already.

    ¡°It¡¯s a very smart one, actually,¡± the fighter said casually. ¡°It forces you to think within boundaries, and to maximize your options with each move so that you can win, even if your ploy is defeated.¡±

    ¡°Losing to Ganny means one of us dies,¡± Tibs said dejectedly.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s even more important you learn the game, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    He wanted to glare at his friend, but Jackal was right. With a sigh, Tibs straightened and studied the board.

    He had eight infantry, two sorcerers, two archers, two fighters, the Lord and the Lady. Sixteen pieces over six types, each with their own rules as to how they move or killed another piece. No piece could interact with another, unless it was to kill it.

    Tibs moved the infantry piece one square ahead and Jackal shook his head sadly. The facing sorcerer killed it. Three moves later and Tibs¡¯s Lord was dead.

    Instead of letting Tibs go, Jackal reset the board.

    * * * * *

    Tibs ran among the booths, doing nothing more than enjoying the scents and sights, and making sure neither Jackal, Carina, nor Khumdar could find him. Over the last week, the three of them had worked together to ensure Tibs couldn¡¯t escape his daily game of Conquest against Jackal. For someone claiming to not be very good at the game, the fighter kept on killing his Lord each time.

    So today, on the first day of this bazaar, Tibs wouldn¡¯t let them get their hands on him and¡ª

    ¡°There.¡± A hand reached for Tibs, and he reacted without thought, suffusing his body with water essence and twisting as the hand closed around his arm and slipped over it. How had one of his friend gotten ahead of him to¡ªAlistair stared at him in surprise and Tibs tripped on seeing his teacher there.

    ¡°I¡ª¡± Tibs stammered. Wasn¡¯t suffusing his body supposed to be hard? At least he¡¯d channeled water and not one of the other elements. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he asked, getting to his feet.

    His teacher raised an eyebrow. ¡°Can¡¯t I enjoy the vendors too?¡± then added. ¡°And take advantage of a chance meeting with my student?¡±

    Tibs kept on staring. Chance meeting his ass.

    Alistair nodded. ¡°It¡¯s time you went back to daily training.¡±

    ¡°The guild just wants more gold.¡±

    ¡°No, Tibs. I want you to survive what the dungeon will pit against you as it gets stronger. That means taking your training more seriously.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m too busy,¡± Tibs complained.

    His teacher chuckled. ¡°I think your attempt to drive Harry to insanity can wait.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m doing.¡± Tibs stepped forward. ¡°He let the people in the town be hurt. We don¡¯t trust him to keep us safe.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Alistair said, sounding tired, ¡°things are not always as¡ª¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± he snapped. ¡°I¡¯m street. I know better than to trust a guard to care about me. But guards look after cities. Folks like me don¡¯t matter, but merchants and townsfolk do.¡±

    Alistair sighed. ¡°That¡¯s not true, Tibs. You¡ª¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡± his yell caused the people to look at them. Instead of moving away, they paused and watched. ¡°I don¡¯t care what the guild wants, Alistair. What it thinks of me, of us, Runners. This is my town. If you won¡¯t keep it safe, I will. The guild can go sleep in the noble¡¯s shit for all I care.¡±

    ¡°Making an enemy of the guild isn¡¯t wise, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t make an enemy of it, Alistair. It made an enemy of the town when it broke its promise to them.¡± He motioned to the people around them. ¡°I¡¯m not going to do that.¡± He let water cool his temper. ¡°I¡¯m not going to cause the guild problems, Alistair; I told you before. But I can¡¯t wait so the guild will let us die, either.¡±

    They stared at one another silently.

    Alistair let out a slow breath. ¡°Tell me you at least understand I am saying this because I want you to be safe.¡±

    Tibs snorted. ¡°I¡¯m a Runner. The guild didn¡¯t take me out of my cell, so I¡¯d be safe. You tried to fix things your way. It didn¡¯t work. I¡¯m going to make things better for the people I care about, for my town. The guild can deal with it however it wants.¡±

    ¡°Hope that it never gets to that, Tibs,¡± his teacher said calmly. ¡°It¡¯s possible the guild broke trust; I don¡¯t know what the agreements were. But don¡¯t make the mistake of thinking this town can survive without the guild.¡±

    ¡°Really? Because it sure as shit didn¡¯t look like it was going to survive with the guild until us Runners got involved.¡± He let more of water cool his still raising temper and the image of it turning to steam under the heat of his anger helped. ¡°I¡¯ll go through my training, Alistair. I¡¯m forced to be indentured to the guild right now. But I¡¯m not going to let it make my decisions for this town. And once I paid off the coins I owe it, it will never see me again.¡±

    Tibs turned and walked away toward the bazaar¡¯s exit. There was no way he¡¯d be able to enjoy his time here today, anymore.

    * * * * *

    ¡°As far as I worked out, these don¡¯t do anything.¡± There was a pause. ¡°That one¡¯s a fire trap, so if you plan on triggering it, do that at a distance.¡±

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Armania called. ¡°Not joining us?¡±

    Tibs turned away from the window. ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m having trouble focusing.¡± He stepped to the group.

    Tandy had marked circles with an ¡®x¡¯, and drawn a flame inside another one. He had trouble matching them to his mental map of the dungeon floor until he saw the drawing of the tile she¡¯d followed; then he had sense of it.

    ¡°I¡¯m not surprised,¡± Bronze said, grinning, ¡°after declaring war on the guild the way you did.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t declare war,¡± Tibs protested.

    Only hours after his altercation with Alistair, Don had found him at the inn, and interrupted Tibs¡¯s attempt at losing himself in his work. He¡¯d been livid that Tibs¡¯s little outburst had undone all the good work Don had managed toward getting the guild to see to it the town was properly protected. And Tibs hadn¡¯t been able to keep his feelings to himself.

    He laughed at the sorcerer and pointed out how Tirania was manipulating Don into getting the townsfolk to bend to the guild¡¯s will, instead of getting the guild to change how it did anything.

    The sorcerer wasn¡¯t happy with Tibs at the moment.

    ¡°No,¡± Gerald said. ¡°The way I understand it, you served notice to the guild.¡± Tibs joined the others looking at the rogue in confusion. ¡°It¡¯s something that needs to be done, back home, before you can duel someone. You lay out their offense and set the terms of what they need to do to avoid the duel.¡±

    ¡°I was just angry.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t afford to be angry,¡± Nataniel said. ¡°Don is¡­ well, you are basically the reason for his mood, so I don¡¯t need to tell you. But it¡¯s having more of an impact than you might have planned. People have been slamming their door in his face.¡±

    ¡°There was a brawl at the Crawler yesterday,¡± Bea said, ¡°with guards. From what I heard, it was started by a few of the townsfolk.¡±

    Tibs groaned. Why was anyone taking the words of an angry kid and using them to start trouble? ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ do something.¡±

    ¡°It might be best if you don¡¯t,¡± Nataniel said. ¡°Don¡¯s going to get over his anger and he¡¯ll smooth things over with the town.¡± Tibs snorted. After that talk, he expected Don would want to melt the town just to get back at him for what he¡¯d said. ¡°You need to trust him, Tibs. In his own way, he¡¯s looking out for the town.¡±

    He swallowed his reply, his angry reply. ¡°It would be easier to do if he didn¡¯t let his pride do the talking so often. What has he gotten the guild to do for the town in all the time he¡¯s been the Hero of Kragle Rock?¡±

    ¡°What have you let them do?¡± Tandy asked.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t start this!¡±

    She raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°The merchants came to me for help.¡±

    ¡°After you¡¯d already saved everyone.¡±

    ¡°Don did that,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°I just helped.¡±

    Their laughter was mocking.

    Tanya was the first to gain control of hers. ¡°No one who¡¯s had a conversation with Don believes he can lead the Runners to oppose someone like Sebastian and his army of thugs.¡±

    ¡°Actually¡ª¡± Nataniel said.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Tanya admitted. ¡°No one who has an idea of the level of danger actually involved believes it. Which includes the merchants. Why do you think they went to you instead of him?¡±

    Because Darran was his friend and was already aware of the work Tibs had quietly put toward protecting the merchants before the siege. Not that, even if he hadn¡¯t done that, Tibs thought any of them would have gone to Don for help.

    ¡°Nat¡¯s right. Let this be. Anything you say will be used to fuel the town¡¯s anger.¡± She indicated the map. ¡°Focus on unraveling the puzzle that is the dungeon¡¯s third floor with us. It¡¯s going to distract you from the rest.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 97

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Alistair greeted him stiffly as Tibs entered the training room. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you came.¡±

    Tibs let out the breath he¡¯d been holding. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for how I said what I said at the bazaar.¡±

    ¡°But not for what you said,¡± his teacher said coldly.

    ¡°Have you¡ª¡± Tibs closed his mouth on the anger and took more breaths. ¡°Have you talked with the townsfolk, or are we too Street for you?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t, but not for the reasons you imagine.¡± He stepped around Tibs, making him feel like he was on display. ¡°I¡¯m an adventurer. There¡¯s nothing I can do to hide that.¡± He looked Tibs up and down, and Tibs did his best not to see judgment in those vivid blue eyes. ¡°When an adventurer shows up in a town, or a city, it is because something bad has happened, or will happen. We are not people the common folk want to speak with.¡±

    ¡°Kragle Rock isn¡¯t just another town,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°We live among them here. They know we aren¡¯t any different than they are.¡±

    ¡°Only you are.¡± Alistair stepped before Tibs and put his arms behind his back. ¡°You, Tibs, wield essence. Magic. Something the common folk can only dream of doing because they can¡¯t imagine putting themselves through the hardship required to unlock the possibility. You¡¯re right that Kragle Rock differs from most places, but again, it isn¡¯t for the reason you imagine. It has nothing to do with Runners living among the people, but with how young the dungeon is. How not too long ago, you were one of them, without essence, without power. Many here remember you as the Omega you were. As the child filled with fear, unsure of his future. Even now, many who come to brave the dungeon are little different from the people living here. But in a few years, after the dungeon has graduated a few times, the Omegas will be lost among all the others who come here to strengthen themselves. The people here will no longer see those similar to them, but powerful adventurers, here to become more powerful. They might even see Gammas or Betas, should the dungeon become strong enough. Then, it will not be adventurers they see, but forces of nature.¡±

    ¡°Not all dungeons graduate to the point where all levels of adventurers can train there?¡±

    ¡°No, but you will not sidetrack me this time. This isn¡¯t about dungeons, but about the reality you are still too young to fully understand. A Zeta adventurer can level a house with a thought. It doesn¡¯t matter the element they wield. Even a Purity fighter can cause it to happen. Bards tell stories about how we travel the world and stop monsters. They leave out the destruction caused in the process. Or if they leave it in, they do so in a way that the monsters shoulder all the blame. After all, if they weren¡¯t out there, the destruction would not have happened.¡±

    He collected himself. ¡°Monsters are rare, and everyone is grateful for it. I am grateful for it, for if I have to go after a monster, no matter how careful I am in taking it down. There will be little left of the area the fighting takes place in. The monster will not be the one causing all that destruction. And keep in mind that I will take care to cause as little of it as I can manage. Not every adventurer is as careful about the power they wield as I am. Few are, really. Our position within society leads many to be, as you would refer to them, nobles.¡± There was no anger or disdain in his teacher¡¯s voice, but sadness.

    ¡°You say the people here are different, but they have heard the same stories sung in every city in every kingdom. They have heard the darker stories told by traveling merchants. Few will be true, but when one tells of a village or town no longer being there as they pulled in to sell their wares, it will leave an impression, regardless.¡±

    Alistair sighed. ¡°We are both saviors and destroyers. We can not escape one role without abandoning the other. And people forced to flee the place they were born too quickly forget the danger that led to that happening, but remember the people who forced them to leave. So some stories whispered between people are true, and in those stories, who is the monster is rarely as clear as in the bards¡¯ songs.¡±

    ¡°Is it really that bad?¡± Tibs asked in dismay.

    He could envision an adventurer bringing down a house. He¡¯d done it with Sebastian¡¯s; but a town, a city? Even a group of them couldn¡¯t do such a thing, could they?

    ¡°You¡¯ll find out for yourself in time, Tibs.¡± Alistair sighed. ¡°There is a reason most adventurers remain with the guild once they have repaid what they owe. There are few other places where we are welcomed with open arms, and not drawn swords.¡± He raised a hand as Tibs opened his mouth. ¡°We¡¯ve delayed your training long enough. Let¡¯s start with what you did at the bazaar when I went to grab you.¡±

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been practicing suffusing my body while doing other things, like fighting in the dungeon.¡± That was true enough. ¡°It¡¯s become easier to not be distracted.¡± Again, that was true. ¡°And it¡¯s causing most attacks to miss me.¡± Which was only true when he was suffused with Water. Which he no longer spent all his time in the dungeon doing. ¡°When you grabbed me, I thought you were¡­ well, I just reacted.¡±

    Alistair¡¯s smile was small. ¡°You simply reacted. I suppose the dungeon is honing your survival instincts quickly.¡±

    Tibs shrugged.

    ¡°Tell me, because I don¡¯t believe I asked this. How did you first cause your body to be suffused with your essence?¡±

    Tibs frowned and tried to figure out how to answer him. He could sense what it was like for Alistair, when his essence filled the channels of life essence with water, but that didn¡¯t tell him how his teacher did it. He hadn¡¯t asked his friends because he hadn¡¯t considered the question might come up.

    All he had to go with was what had happened. ¡°I¡­ I pushed more essence in my reserve than it can contain.¡± He still remembered the pain of pulling in Bardik¡¯s essence into himself, of forcing it into what he thought of as his unending reserve and having to pull in more when it was full, the walls cracking and it spilling out through his body.

    ¡°Really?¡± Alistair asked, surprised.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t think of another way,¡± he said, hoping his reasoning made sense. ¡°When I overfill a tankard, it spills over. I thought that if I could get it to do the same in my reserve, the spill would go in my body.¡± He bit his lower lip. ¡°Isn¡¯t that how it¡¯s done?¡±

    Alistair laughed. ¡°Tibs, you should have realized by now that there is no fixed way something is done. The brute force approach is more of a fighter¡¯s way of doing it than a rogue¡¯s, but what matters is that you survived what you did.¡±

    Tibs stared at his teacher. Others died learning to suffuse their body with essence? He¡¯d felt like he was dying even before the corruption was trying to do the same, but he¡¯d thought it was the circumstance, not the process, that had caused all that pain.

    ¡°Did you have to overfill it the second time?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tibs said, feeling that was more believable, ¡°but it became easier the more I did it. How did you first do it?¡±

    Alistair smiled. ¡°What is essence, Tibs?¡±

    He nearly groaned. That question again. How often had Alistair asked him that? How often had he been right to ask? Tibs thought about it and gave the same answer as the previous times. ¡°It is, and it isn¡¯t the element.¡±

    His teacher nodded. ¡°If it isn¡¯t, how can the walls of your reserve contain it?¡±

    Tibs opened his mouth and closed it when he realized he had no answer. How did his reserve contain something that was and wasn¡¯t?

    ¡°You force your will on it,¡± Alistair said. ¡°I realized that my reserve was my will and what I willed to be contained could be willed to be released, in part or in whole.¡±

    Tibs frowned. That felt¡­ not right. Or maybe¡­ Tibs¡¯s situation was different? He couldn¡¯t affect his small reserves, other than channeling the essence in them, and as soon as he started on that, his core reserve became that essence.

    He rubbed his temple.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Alistair said in an understanding tone, ¡°essence never stops being confusing.¡± Alistair placed a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Tibs, now¡ª¡±

    ¡°This is it, isn¡¯t it?¡± he asked, unable to keep the despair from his voice.

    ¡°What do you expect is about to happen?¡± Alistair asked cautiously.

    ¡°Jackal told me that when he was able to suffuse his body with essence, they made him graduate to Lambda.¡±

    ¡°That is the clearest way to know you are ready for the next stage.¡±

    ¡°There can¡¯t be two Runners at Lambda on a team. The rule is that only one can be a level higher than the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°I was under the impression there had been changes implemented due to the dungeon being more aggressive than expected.¡±

    ¡°The rules went back when he graduated.¡± Or at least Tibs expected they had. With how he and the guild viewed each other, he wasn¡¯t asking Tirania if she was willing to leave them be.

    ¡°Not graduating will hold you back, Tibs. There are resources I would call on that will help in the coming training.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°I haven¡¯t had a family in a long time, Alistair. I don¡¯t want to lose them.¡± The reason was true, if not the entirety of his feeling. His official level within the guild might be Rho, but with all the elements he could channel, what difference did it make if he couldn¡¯t advance with Water for a while? It would let him look for ways to train with his other elements, wouldn¡¯t it?

    ¡°I know you¡¯re going to tell me that even if I¡¯m on a different team, Jackal, Carina, Mez and Khumdar will still be my family. Or that it doesn¡¯t matter what I do. I am going to lose them one day, so I should get used to that now. But I have them now, and I¡¯m going to do what I have to, to stay with them.¡±

    Alistair nodded. ¡°I know you think the guild is uncaring in how it does things, but you¡¯ll find that how it acts has come about as reactions to how the dungeons behave.¡± He became thoughtful. ¡°But I don¡¯t see any harm in keeping your level from the guild. I¡¯ve already had to be unorthodox about how I trained you, so I can use that to justify some requests, and for those I can¡¯t?¡± He smiled. ¡°Well, I think that forcing myself to train you outside my usual method will be good for me. You¡¯ve shown me that I have grown complacent in how things can be done.¡±

    Tibs stifled his sigh.

    At least that resolved one potential problem.

    Now he simply had to hope Alistair wouldn¡¯t take over all the time Tibs wasn¡¯t busy keeping the town safe, because he needed some of that for the training he had to do on his own.

 Stepping up, Chapter 98

    ¡°These.¡± Tibs pointed to the uneven set of tiles on the floor. ¡°Are the ones you have to avoid between here and the intersection. Most just rearrange the layout of the halls, but a few will explode under you.¡±

    ¡°How about we wait until you¡¯re done, then?¡± Jackal asked.

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°Stepping on any of them will change the floor, but we¡¯ve worked out the sequence that resets it. If you accidentally¡ª¡± he glared at the fighter ¡°¡ªstep on one, I can make sure everything¡¯s the right way for us.¡± He paused. ¡°Unless you step on an exploding one. So don¡¯t think about trying something stupid.¡±

    ¡°Why do you think I¡¯d¡ª¡± Jackal closed his mouth as Carina, Mez and Khumdar stared at him. ¡°Fine.¡± The fighter grinned. ¡°No thinking at all for me. Only way I can¡¯t come up with something stupid, right?¡±

    ¡°If absence of thoughts leads to a better performance out of you, Jackal,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°then, Carina must, once she has become an Alpha Sorceress, confine you to a university tower to be studied, for that will be an accomplishment worth replicating.¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be stone,¡± Mez said. ¡°It¡¯ll be too easy for him to get out of that and go right back to thinking.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have it made of metal,¡± she said, ¡°and I¡¯ll make sure he¡¯s restrained so he can¡¯t punch his way out.¡±

    ¡°Kro is so going to be pissed,¡± the fighter said with a sigh.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯d like to know you won¡¯t be able to get yourself hurt anymore.¡±

    Jackal smirked. ¡°He likes taking care of me too much for that.¡±

    ¡°Should I stop healing you then?¡± Tibs said, distracted by the floor.

    He and the other rogues had spent so much time going over what each had learned from their runs and drawing the map of the floor with the proper sequences that Tibs was dreaming them now. The problem was that in his dreams, the sequence kept changing anytime he thought he had it memorized. That left him uncertain it wouldn¡¯t change halfway through him setting the right triggers.

    The others argued good-naturedly about Jackal¡¯s need to be restrained and Kroseph¡¯s willingness to help as they traversed the hall, watching where they stepped. The intersection had the same floor of broken tiles, even those that were triggers in the hall were present there, but every rogue had confirmed that they were not triggers.

    Yet, Tibs reminded himself. Ganny could change that anytime she wanted between the runs.

    The idea things could change always made the runners nervous. It was so easy to grow complacent, and that could be the run where things weren¡¯t as you had grown used to. Tibs hadn¡¯t asked Ganny about why she hadn¡¯t done that here yet, because he hoped it was something that hadn¡¯t occurred to her.

    She tended to get lost in the setting up of the puzzle and the traps, and didn¡¯t see the weakness until confronted with them.

    ¡°We¡¯re all here,¡± Jackal called.

    Tibs looked over the map for this hall Tandy had insisted he bring. She¡¯d made sure each rogue had a copy both so they could update it as needed and so they couldn¡¯t forget a crucial detail.

    Where she got all the papers needed¡­ Tibs had his suspicions. Mez had mentioned a few times how his girl¡¯s household seemed to always be low on them.

    He activated the triggers as he walked. Ganny had been smart enough to make the sequence use a variety of shaped tiles, but they were in a straight order. He wasn¡¯t required to go back the way he¡¯d come to follow it. Another weakness he hoped no one mentioned while inside the dungeon.

    He really wanted to tell them to never talk about the traps while in the dungeon, but the explanation of why would be problematic.

    The biggest complication Ganny had put in his path was how some tiles were clustered together so that one miscalculation or misstep would lead to the wrong one being pressed. It was also where most of the explosive triggers were.

    He was halfway through the hall when he activated the trigger that opened the middle path in the first intersection. He felt that rumble in the floor, while the distant ones the other triggers activated were so faint he sometimes didn¡¯t feel them at all even while channeling Earth.

    ¡°Is getting the whole sequence correctly supposed to make the run easier?¡± Carina asked. ¡°Or harder?¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s not what we¡¯re working on. It was easy to workout they did something, since avoiding them all only leads to the wall with the three crests and the one with the lion.¡±

    ¡°Which clues us in that we need to find two other doors,¡± she said.

    ¡°Tandy made it to the door with the dragon crest, but she hasn¡¯t gotten it open yet. Bea¡¯s team reached the boar crest, but she isn¡¯t sure how they managed it. I¡¯d like us to try to make that one so I can work on that pattern of triggers.¡± He looked at the shield that was now on each of the intersection¡¯s corner, at the top of the walls. Instead of one of the design, they contained a green line going from the top to the bottom. ¡°That¡¯s how long we have to clear the floor. You can just make out a little red at the top. It¡¯s going to fill more as time passes.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s when the loot chest refill, right?¡± Jackal asked gleefully.

    ¡°How long does that give us?¡± Mez asked. ¡°And what happens to us if we¡¯re still on the floor when it¡¯s all red?¡±

    ¡°I suspect,¡± Khumdar said before Tibs could answer, ¡°it will be all red near the zenith, as that is when the next team is set to enter.¡±

    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    Now that enough teams were doing the third floor and had made sure the guild knew how complicated it was, the schedule had been changed. Teams who came back with loot from the third floor were put on a morning and midday schedule. That means two teams a day only, but as they were still under a dozen of them, it meant they got at least one run a week. They weren¡¯t required to head directly to the third floor, but Tibs suspected that focusing only on it would be the only way to unlock all the rooms and go through the games in them.

    The day was divided into six for the teams going no further than the second floor, and in twelve for those only on the first one.

    ¡°So that¡¯s what, six hours?¡± Mez said.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like enough for the entire floor,¡± Carina said.

    ¡°It¡¯s because we¡¯re still figuring out how to get where we need to go and how each of the puzzle rooms works,¡±Tibs replied. ¡°Once we have that, the only thing that will slow us are the fights and how quickly we can go through each room. I¡¯m hoping I can get us to the boar room. If not, we¡¯ll be able to get there by our next run and know what¡¯s the puzzle in it is.¡±

    ¡°Okay, then the plan is,¡± Jackal said, rubbing his hands together. ¡°We clear the caches on the way to the Lion room, win that game, go to the dragon¡¯s room, clearing those caches, Tibs figures out how to open it, wins the game and gets us to the boar room, we win that, then we go back to the lion room and wait for the floor to reset and¡ª¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Carina said in exasperation.

    ¡°That¡¯s not why we set up the timer,¡± Ganny stated.

    Tibs smiled. ¡°You really thought Jackal wouldn¡¯t use it to get more loot?¡±

    ¡°The dungeon¡¯s commenting on Jackal¡¯s obsession?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°Ganny.¡±

    ¡°How is it I¡¯m the only one who thinks more loot is a good thing?¡± Jackal asked in dismay.

    ¡°We all consider it a good thing,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°but we realize that taking the loot from those rooms means it will not be there for the next team. What will the runs become if each team decides to interfere with the next one, instead of helping them as they are now? You must think of the long term.¡±

    ¡°You mean like we get more loot in the long term if we take more in the short term?¡± the fighter asked, grinning.

    ¡°What do you think the guild¡¯s going to do when they find out we¡¯re staying past the end of our run?¡± Carina asked. ¡°And before you give me snark, remember that Harry is the one making those decisions.¡±

    Jackal grumbled unhappily.

    ¡°If it helps,¡± Sto said. ¡°Tell him that if he doesn¡¯t redo a room, it means I¡¯m left with more essence, and that means that in the long term, I could increase the value of the reward each room gives.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be keeping all that extra essence for your next floor?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°We¡¯ve come across something on that floor that¡­ well, it¡¯s helping a lot, in a lot of ways, too. The main thing is that it¡¯s not going to need as much essence as Ganny had calculated to set it up, but we are going to have to rethink the whole thing around that.¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t take from the other teams,¡± Tibs told Jackal, ¡°Sto can slowly increase the value of the loot we¡¯ll get the next times.¡±

    ¡°But he can keep it the same if I take the extra loot, right?¡±

    Sto groaned.

    Tibs chuckles. ¡°What did you think he¡¯d say?¡±

    ¡°His greed knows no limit, does it?¡±

    ¡°Probably, but I doubt you can make enough to reach it.¡±

    ¡°Is it offering more loot?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Sto exclaimed. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s try this. Tibs repeat exactly what I say. Jackal, please do not stay past the end of your run.¡±

    Tibs raised an eyebrow at the ceiling. When Sto didn¡¯t explain himself, he repeated the words.

    Jackal stared at him, then looked up. ¡°Really? You think asking nicely is enough? You have met me, right?¡±

    Sto groaned. ¡°What about if I add a little something for Kroseph?¡±

    ¡°Can you do that?¡± Tibs asked.

    Sto was slow in responding. ¡°I¡¯ve already made it, actually, but don¡¯t tell him that. Now I¡¯m worried that he¡¯s going to keep it for himself.¡±

    ¡°If you agree, Sto will add something for Kroseph.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Jackal demanded suspiciously.

    ¡°You¡¯ll find out when you get your pouch,¡± Tibs replied before Sto could say anything.

    ¡°And I only get it if I agree to leave once the time for the run runs out?¡±

    ¡°Promise to leave,¡± Carina stated.

    ¡°Each run,¡± Tibs added.

    ¡°Promise to leave on each run,¡± Jackal corrected darkly. A second later, he brightened. ¡°Okay, I promise to leave once the time runs out, each time we have a run.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Mez asked in surprise. ¡°No arguing, no trying to find a way to get more than you should?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s for Kro,¡± Jackal replied, beaming. ¡°I¡¯m not going to deny him a present. He¡¯s going to be so grateful that he¡¯s going to do the¡ª¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear that,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°I¡¯m kind of curious as to what Kro will do,¡± Sto said. ¡°Humans have really odd rituals.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s them time,¡± Tibs said. ¡°That¡¯s none of our business.¡± He glared at the fighter. ¡°No matter how willing someone is to talk about his.¡±

    Grinning, Jackal raised his hands in defeat. ¡°Now that¡¯s settled, how about we get on with the reward giving?¡±

    ¡°After you¡¯ve done the room you are going for,¡± Sto said. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see how you work that one out, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°Are you hoping Jackal¡¯s going to die there and you won¡¯t have to give him his reward?¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Jackal protested.

    ¡°No,¡± Sto replied, offended. ¡°It doesn¡¯t change anything if I give it to him now or not. If he dies, I get the essence back.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it changes something,¡± Ganny said. ¡°No offense, Tibs, but that guy needs to learn some patience. If the price is him getting hurt, I am all for it.¡±

    Hurt, not dead. Tibs could deal with that.

    ¡°We¡¯re getting the rewards as part of winning the game behind the boar crest,¡± Tibs said, crouching at the start of the hall they needed to take.

    ¡°Tibs, the lion room is through this hall,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°I said we¡¯re doing the boar¡¯s room,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°Yeah, but you can do that after the lion and dragon rooms.¡±

    Tibs looked over his shoulder. ¡°Are you willing to risk Kro¡¯s gift on me having enough time to figure out the trigger pattern that will get us there, the lock and the puzzle that will unlock the dragon room then get us to the Boar¡¯s crest and win that, just so you can have more loot?¡±

    Jackal narrowed his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s playing nasty, Tibs.¡±

    Tibs smiled. ¡°There¡¯s going to be fights and caches along the way. You¡¯ll have plenty of loot. Now pay attention. These are the tile shapes we need to avoid on the way to the next ¡®room¡¯.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not staying behind to unlock the hallways?¡± Carina asked.

    ¡°You¡¯re waiting after the fight, right?¡± Mez said. ¡°Because we can be sure that¡¯s going to spill out of that area and into the hall.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs got complacent, and it almost got him killed.

    He was careful with each hall, double checking the triggers against the papers, but after four battles of Gnolls dropping in on them and one with the people golem waking around a corner. Tibs thought he knew what to expect when he felt the essence shift over them.

    Except, they were still in a hall, with triggers on the floor. He made the realization as Gnolls and people golems dropped from the momentary doorways. He backed away, then the trigger clicked under his foot. As he hurried to switch to fire, hoping it would offer some protection, he felt the rumble of a distant hall changing.

    ¡°Watch where you step!¡± he yelled

    A second later, there was an explosion as a Gnoll stepped on a trigger.

    Tibs dodged thrown knives, crystal this time, and grinned as another Gnoll stepped on a trigger. This one was propelled to the ceiling by the small tile and crushed there. Well, however he made them, Sto¡¯s Gnolls weren¡¯t as observant as the people golem, who danced around the triggers with ease.

    So Tibs was going to have to deal with them himself.

    The fireball that engulfed the crystal thief bathed him in comfortable heat as it exploded.

 Stepping up, Chapter 99

    Tibs added notes to the paper regarding the sequence of triggers that had led to the boar¡¯s crest. The next team would have to verify his work.

    As with the lion crest, this one was a puzzle; also a sliding square puzzle. But unlike the other, instead of moving one square at a time, using the empty space, he needed to slide a line in its entirety. The square at the edge vanished into it as he slid it and reappeared on the other side.

    ¡°How does it do that?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°Essence,¡± Khumdar replied in his usual casual tone.

    Tibs felt the essence as he pushed a column down. He couldn¡¯t tell all of them, but it had the same overall sense of the doorways as the square moved through it. Tandy didn¡¯t know how Sto could use the essence in this way. She¡¯d asked her teacher, but if he knew, he wasn¡¯t telling her.

    Once he set aside the question of how it happened, moving the square to reform the crest was straightforward. Just like with the lion, the closer to finishing he was, the tougher it became, but this time he wasn¡¯t stuck at accomplishing it without undoing the previous work. All he needed to do was find the sequence of moves which gave the appearance of chaos, while actually ending with the tiles he wanted in their proper place.

    The last column slid into place, completing the boar crest. Something clicked, and the door slid down with a groan of stone against stone.

    The room consisted of a grid made of one and eight square tiles in each direction, large enough for one person to stand on it. It made them roughly half the size of the ones in the lion room.

    Instead of lying flat on the ground, they were at various heights, only a few levels were with the floor, some pressed against the ceiling, and most somewhere between, but with the gaps in height large enough that they would be difficult to leap.

    Gerald¡¯s notes on the room told him the sides were too sheer and hard to be climbed, even with tools, and that the columns¡¯ height changed each time someone stepped onto one, but his team hadn¡¯t been able to work out the pattern governing the changes. On the other side was a lever which, unless Ganny changed how things went, would turn the room ¡®off¡¯. So if they could get one person to the other side, they¡¯d won.

    The door was wide enough he had four tiles to pick from, but two were higher than the top of the door, and one was too close to it for him to be willing to risk it. Gerald had told him the columns moved the moment a person¡¯s weight was added, and not always down. With that one, if it went up, he wouldn¡¯t have the time to get fully on. The column also didn¡¯t go down to where they had started when the person let go. That information also told him all four started near the floor, so the room didn¡¯t reset identically for the next team.

    Tibs leaped and grabbed the edge of the tile and hurried to climb on it even as it lowered. Half his height from the floor, it clicked and stopped, while the one next to it kept moving until it was level with the ground, and the one on his left move up past the top of the door. Within the room, more columns moved up and down until it was a new landscape of heights.

    Tibs sat and looked at his friends. ¡°And that¡¯s the puzzle for this room. Anytime one of us steps onto a tile, it, and others, will change in response.

    ¡°So you move around until you¡¯re stuck,¡± Jackal said, ¡°then one of us goes in until it opens up for you again.¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be that simply,¡± Carina said, then closed her eyes. ¡°The room is square, and eighteen tiles twice is¡­. Three hundred and twenty-four.¡±

    ¡°Eighteen twice is thirty-six,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that kind of twice,¡± she replied. ¡°It¡¯s twice because they¡¯re in both directions.¡±

    ¡°And this is why I leave numbers to the sorcerer,¡± the fighter said.

    ¡°Can these four tiles change things enough you¡¯ll be able to be unstuck?¡± she asked.

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°Gerald¡¯s team is the only one that went in at this point, so I don¡¯t have a lot of information. Some columns might be fixed, but for the others, it¡¯s like you saw. Stepping on one moves a lot of them, but not always in the same way. Getting on here made it go down. If I do it again, it might go down further, or go up. This one might stay the same, it might move in either direction.¡±

    Mez leaned in to look at the ceiling. ¡°If we¡¯re on a tile as it goes to the ceiling, that¡¯s going to be a problem.¡±

    ¡°Then you jump off,¡± Jackal said.

    The archer looked at him. ¡°That¡¯s quite a drop. You¡¯ll be fine, being stone, and Tibs likes to throw himself out of high windows so¡ª¡±

    ¡°I only did that trying to get my audience with air,¡± Tibs pointed out.

    ¡°It was my understanding,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°that you accomplished it by throwing yourself off a mountain.¡±

    Tibs glared at the smiling cleric. ¡°I tripped.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still experienced,¡± Mez said. ¡°Carina can use air to lower herself. Me and Khumdar won¡¯t manage it without breaking something.¡±

    ¡°And landing on a new tile will cause more changes.¡± Carina studied the landscape. ¡°It looks open all the way, so I should be able to float myself there. Or you can use that trick with hard air you did in the lion room.¡±

    ¡°Ganny made this floor,¡± Tibs said, ¡°so I¡¯m confident she¡¯s figured out a way to keep us from cheating since she saw us do that last time.¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± Sto exclaimed. ¡°Are you implying I can¡¯t come up with a way to stop you from cheating?¡±

    ¡°How many tries did it take until Tibs was forced to go through the maze you made for him?¡± Ganny asked innocently.

    ¡°Tibs, find a way to cheat,¡± Sto ordered.

    He smiled. ¡°We can try it, or something else. I can¡¯t activate the lever from here since even without the mess Ganny made of my sense, I can¡¯t reach that far.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t see it,¡± Mez said, ¡°so I can¡¯t shoot it.¡±

    ¡°Same with me,¡± Carina said.

    ¡°Do you know where it is?¡± the archer asked, thoughtful.

    ¡°All Gerald managed to get is that it¡¯s on the far wall, by the crest and over the chest. I don¡¯t think destroying it will help us.¡±

    ¡°Does the lever have to be pulled up or down?¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°They didn¡¯t get far enough to try it, and what position it starts with isn¡¯t something he noted.¡±

    ¡°Then I think we¡¯re going to have to make our way across somehow,¡± Mez admitted.

    Tibs stood. ¡°Let me walk around the room and see if I can work out the pattern, then we¡¯ll see how we go.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs stood on a platform, watching the others move as he had instructed. Platforms all around him moved, but his was one that either wasn¡¯t affected by how he¡¯d moved around, or didn¡¯t move at all. He was ready to jump off the moment he felt it shift.

    He¡¯d tested using the hard air. As soon as he¡¯d stepped on it, the platforms randomly moved up to smash against the ceiling, as Ganny giggled maniacally, until he stepped onto a tile. Everything shifted, then settled into a landscape that didn¡¯t try to outright kill him.

    He wasn¡¯t able to write it down yet, but Tibs¡¯s confidence there was a pattern grew as he moved around and with how none of the platforms rose to flatten his friends against the ceiling.

    Now, it would have to be enough to get one of them to the other side.

    ¡°Jackal,¡± He called, once the platforms stopped moving. ¡°Two ahead and one to the left. Can you make it?¡± It was twice the fighter¡¯s height, but from where he was, Jackal was hidden from Tibs¡¯s view.

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    ¡°I think so.¡±

    Tibs decided there was enough confidence in his friend¡¯s voice. ¡°That one shouldn¡¯t cause ours to change.¡±

    ¡°And if we start feeling our platform shift,¡± Carina picked up, ¡°we jump to¡ª¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°Or, you know, if I can¡¯t make the jump,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Tibs ordered. ¡°Can you or can¡¯t you make it?¡±

    The fighter took his time answering. ¡°Yes, I can.¡±

    ¡°Okay. If your platform shifts, you only jump if it goes up, and I¡¯ll tell you where. If we start jumping on and off without a plan, we¡¯re not going to make it.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Tibs,¡± Mez said. ¡°Unlike Jackal, I¡¯m not scared.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not scared,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°Just worried my actions will kill one of you. Then I have to deal with hiding from Tibs, so he doesn¡¯t kill me.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t kill you,¡± Tibs said, ¡°Kroseph wouldn¡¯t forgive me.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Carina said. ¡°If Jackal ends up killing one of us, he might find that an acceptable reaction. I¡¯m sure that given time, he¡¯d forgive you.¡±

    ¡°Jackal isn¡¯t going to get anyone killed,¡± Tibs said in exasperation, ¡°so I¡¯m not going to have to kill him and Kroseph isn¡¯t going to have to worry about forgiving me. Now, can we get on with this?¡± He told his friends which platform to jump to if theirs shifted, then gave Jackal the go ahead.

    With a grunt, then the groaning of stone as the landscape of the room shifted, Jackal became visible on above it.

    Tibs watched the change, counting the number of platform that moved. He counted two and two. That meant he¡¯d missed two of them. He was sure that each platform was connected to two and four others.

    ¡°Carina,¡± he said once they were all still. ¡°Drop to the one on your right. Khumdar, you¡¯ll got three ahead, Mez, yours will go down, if it goes up, two back and two to the right. Khumdar, if yours goes up, drop to the one on the left and back. Jackal, can you hang off the side of yours?¡±

    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want to kill me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m checking. I¡¯m not sure how high yours will go in response to Carina¡¯s move, and there¡¯s nothing you can reach I¡¯m confident I can predict the effect of on our platforms.¡±

    The fighter leaned over the side, rested a hand against the column, then pushed in and made a handhold. ¡°Not as easy as it should be, but I can manage it.¡±

    ¡°Then do that.¡± Once he was ready, he instructed Carina to move. Mez had to leap off, as his moved up, and that caused more movement, but none that affected them, it only complicated Tibs¡¯s view of the room.

    Until they worked out the pattern, he suspected it would be impossible to do this room and the others in the time they had before the next team entered. He added notes to the papers, studied the room, and gave his instructions.

    The progress was slow and came with three near-deaths. Two because his instructions were wrong, and the last when Khumdar couldn¡¯t reach the pillar he¡¯d leaped for and the one he landed on sent Carina¡¯s rocketing up. She threw herself off and used air to control her descent. Tibs quickly working out a safe platform before Ganny¡¯s safeguard against them flying kicked in.

    He made a note of how long Carina was in the air. There might be a way to make use of it in the future. That unexpected shift had resulted in even more delays, but in time, they were on the other side.

    Jackal was the one to leap off and onto the safe section. He pulled the switch down and slowly, every platform lowered to the ground. By the time Tibs was done making his notes, he could feel the fire filament in the crest pulsing beyond what he could sense, and he barely felt the vibration in the floor that resulted from it.

    ¡°It¡¯s empty,¡± Jackal said, crestfallen, looking into the open chest.

    ¡°Did he think I was going to trust him not to take something meant for one of you?¡± Sto asked smugly. ¡°Tell him to close the chest.¡±

    Jackal slammed the lid close hard enough Tibs was surprised it didn¡¯t break. The fighter glared at Tibs when he was instructed to open it again. The glare as he looked in turned to surprise, and he pulled a belt pouch out of it.

    It wasn¡¯t like the one Sto had given Tibs. That one had been a supple leather bag he could attach to his belt. This one was larger and made sturdier. It went from the tip of Jackal¡¯s fingers to the middle of his forearm and was boxier. It reminded Tibs of what the workers had to hold nails and other small material they needed when building homes, but theirs would come attached to the belt and have hoops to hold tools.

    Sensing it gave him an odd sensation. He couldn¡¯t sense the essence that had to be woven through it¡ªJackal put his arm in it up his shoulder¡ªbut he had the impression something wasn¡¯t entirely right about it.

    ¡°Khumdar,¡± Tibs asked, ¡°Can you sense anything about it?¡±

    The cleric shook his head. ¡°Despite the evidence, I sense no secret from the pouch.¡±

    Jackal took Mez¡¯s bow and placed it inside. When he approached the cleric, Khumdar stepped back, moving his staff behind him.

    Did that mean it wasn¡¯t Darkness responsible for the oddness? Was it light letting him know there was a lie in the pouch? Something else entirely?

    Jackal took the pieces of armor they¡¯s accumulated from the fights out of Carina¡¯s pack and added them to the pouch. With each piece that fit, the fighter grinned as if Kroseph had just whispered something they were going to do in private.

    ¡°He is having a lot more fun with this than I expected,¡± Sto said with a chuckle. ¡°Close the lid, Tibs. I¡¯ll tell you when to have Carina open it. This one is hers.¡±

    ¡°I thought you couldn¡¯t change something when I¡¯m this close to it.¡±

    Jackal put a dented metal breastplate three times wider than the opening of the pouch and Tibs had to look away as the way it distorted to fit through gave him a headache.

    ¡°The chests aren¡¯t part of the room,¡± Sto said. ¡°Well, no, okay, let me try this again. The outside of the chest is in the room. I can¡¯t absorb it with you there. But the inside is on¡­ I don¡¯t know how to describe it, but it lets me put items in it as needed. The normal way I have them set up is that the items are assigned automatically when I reset a floor, but this was the most convenient way I could think of handing you your rewards. You can call her over.¡±

    Jackal held on to her by the backpack as she tried to step away, and instead of arguing. She took it off. Then Carina opened the chest and took a blue-gray robe from it. Tibs closed the chest as she admired it.

    Again, there was an oddness to it in how he sensed it.

    She studied the imperfections, smiling as she ran her fingers over them.

    ¡°As she asked, there are reserves hidden throughout. I¡¯ve put more for air, but every essence will accumulate over time, or she can do it. I don¡¯t know how sorcerers work, and I haven¡¯t overheard anything that tells me how sorcerers go about using other essences. There is metal, earth, water, fire, and air woven through the material. It makes it as resistant as I can and it will give her some protection against the elements. Mez is next.¡±

    The archer was as surprised as Tibs to be called over.

    The chest contained a quiver when it was opened, and Tibs focused on it. He made out essences, but they were muted, as if much further than he knew them to be, until Mez touched it, then all sense of them went away, leaving behind this oddness that Tibs thought might be some part of him knowing there should be more to what he was sensing.

    ¡°Mez has mentioned a few times how running out of arrows can be a problem. This quiver never will. So long as there is one arrow in it, it will make more. It uses fire essence, so Mez can make sure it¡¯s never out. Don¡¯t ask how that works, it¡¯s complicated. If he puts in different kind of arrows, the quiver will remake them evenly, which will slow it down. And obviously, if he isn¡¯t careful, people will notice the arrows reforming.¡±

    Tibs explained how it worked.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Mez told the ceiling in awe. ¡°For this and the bow.¡±

    ¡°I had nothing to do with the bow,¡± Sto stated. ¡°That was just randomly assigned loot.¡±

    ¡°He said that you¡¯re welcome,¡± Tibs replied as he heard in the distance Ganny grumble something.

    ¡°Next is Khumdar.¡±

    ¡°I have not asked for anything,¡± the cleric said uncertainly. ¡°Nor did I contribute to the ideas which led the dungeon to awarding these.¡±

    ¡°Jackal and Carina wouldn¡¯t be who they are if not for the three of you,¡± Sto replied, and Tibs repeated. ¡°It felt wrong not to acknowledge that.¡±

    Khumdar opened the chest and pulled out a black robe like the one he was wearing.

    ¡°It has the same protection as Carina¡¯s,¡± Tibs told the cleric as Sto told him, ¡°and above that, it will help you hide. You mentioned how you aren¡¯t particularly suited to it, despite Darkness being your element. When you feed your essence into the robe, it will create an area that will bend the shadows around you and anyone close to you. The darker the shadow, the easier it will be, but if you put enough essence into it, you will be able to hide even in a faint one.¡±

    ¡°This is more than I deserve, Sto,¡± Khumdar whispered.

    ¡°It¡¯s a gift,¡± the dungeon replied. ¡°Not something you needed to earn.¡± Once Tibs had repeated what he said, Sto added. ¡°And now for you Tibs.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? You gave me the bracers, the pouch, and the shoes.¡±

    ¡°Two of which I destroyed.¡±

    ¡°I destroyed them when I walked into an inferno wearing them.¡±

    ¡°Still, what I said to Khumdar applies to you too, but more so.¡±

    In the chest was a leather armor. Other than the essence woven into it, it was like the one he wore, but without the bracers.

    ¡°I considered remaking the pouch, but even if no one can tell what¡¯s in it, it¡¯s still a pouch and it¡¯ll draw attention. What I did is take the hiding place and give them a treatment similar to Jackal¡¯s pouch. You¡¯ll be able to keep more coins in each and even larger things, like amulets. The belt has something extra in its hiding spots. It¡¯ll take knives and other items like that. When you use darkness essence, you¡¯ll be able to move one of them directly to your hand. It¡¯s more complicated than it sounds and I can¡¯t really explain it, so you¡¯re going to have to test to work out the appropriate way to trigger it. It felt right to use darkness, since it¡¯s about hiding and all that. You can fit six knife-like things, although if they are smaller, you might be able to put more. I¡¯m not entirely sure about that one.¡±

    Tibs tried to think of something more appropriate than thank you, but had to settle for ¡°Thank you.¡±

    They were all silent. Even Jackal had had enough playing with his pouch. He¡¯d laid everything in it on the ground and just looked at it. Tibs hesitate, then asked the one thing that was nagging at him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think this gives us an unfair advantage over the other teams, Sto?¡±

    ¡°Not as much of one as you think,¡± Ganny answered. ¡°You might have noticed that this floor put more pressure on you to think. The fighting¡¯s there just to keep Sto happy.¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± the dungeon replied. ¡°They¡¯re there because it¡¯s not fair for a floor to only push those who think. The teams have fighters and archers, and those don¡¯t always do a lot of thinking.¡±

    ¡°So he claims. But, there¡¯s also the fourth floor,¡± she said. ¡°We are having to rethink a few things to take it into account. Just think of what you¡¯re getting as a personalized version of things we¡¯ll start putting in the chest when we¡¯re closer to opening it. Well, the armor and protective items, and weapons. The pouch and hiding things; that¡¯s just for you and your team.¡±

    She didn¡¯t sound as reproachful as Tibs expected. Even if they were going to give similar armor, what Sto had given him and his team was¡­ significant.

    ¡°So, there¡¯s going to be a lot of fighting on the next floor?¡± Tibs asked.

    Jackal stared at him and grinned.

    ¡°Oh yes,¡± Sto says. ¡°Enough that¡ª¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Ganny interjected. ¡°I swear, you¡¯d rather tell him how clever you are than let him discover it the amusing way.¡±

    ¡°Well, when you put it that way,¡± Sto said. ¡°Tibs, there¡¯s one more item left. Close the lid and tell Jackal it¡¯s time for Kroseph¡¯s gift.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 100

    Jackal hurried to open the chest, looked in, and frowned. He reached for the content, but stopped. ¡°If it¡¯s for Kroseph, can I touch it?¡±

    Sto laughed. ¡°He can think! Yes, he can touch it. I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d bring his man to me, so I had to make the ring like your old pouch, instead of these items. Any adventurer touching it will sense the weave in it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s safe,¡± Tibs told his friend.

    Jackal took a simply golden ring out of the chest.

    ¡°I¡¯ve worked out how special Kroseph is from the way you guys talk about him,¡± Sto said. ¡°To Jackal and the rest of you. I¡¯ve also picked up that adventurers live longer than other people, if they aren¡¯t killed. And I¡¯ve seen from you, Tibs, how having some you know die hurts you. I didn¡¯t make this connection as quickly as I¡¯d like, but people growing older leads to them dying. That seems wrong to me, but Ganny tells me that¡¯s how things are. Kroseph is going to get older faster than Jackal. That¡¯s not fair to them. Now, I don¡¯t know if the ring is going to match how Jackal ages, because I still don¡¯t understand how him having essence changes that aspect, but it¡¯s going to give you time to figure it out. When you do, you can explain it to me and I¡¯ll make Kroseph a new ring.¡±

    Tibs swallowed the lump in his throat and wiped at his eyes.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal asked cautiously. ¡°You¡¯re making me want to put it back.¡±

    ¡°You keep it,¡± Tibs said, and smiled. ¡°And you make sure you live, okay?¡± He wiped at his eyes again. ¡°Sto made the ring so Kroseph can be with you for a long time. He¡¯s not going to get old like townsfolk, but like adventurers.¡±

    Jackal stared at him. When he spoke, his voice cracked. ¡°I can¡¯t, Tibs. I can¡¯t ask him to live so long when I¡¯m going to die.¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t dying!¡± Tibs ordered.

    ¡°I¡¯m a runner!¡± Jackal snapped. ¡°If I survive this, and don¡¯t you dare go easy on me because of my man,¡± he told the ceiling, ¡°I¡¯m going to be indentured to the guild. I¡¯m not one of those heroes the bards sing about. I¡¯m the kind of adventurer the guild throws at monsters to slow them down while those heroes get ready. I¡¯m the kind that gets eaten.¡±

    ¡°Then you get better,¡± Tibs said, glaring at him. ¡°You stop playing at being an idiot so the guild knows to keep you alive.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡± Jackal started, sounded exasperated.

    ¡°Stop! Stop thinking that. You start thinking more. You do that for Kroseph. You do that, so you come back to him every time.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how, Tibs,¡± Jackal replied, sounding lost. ¡°I¡¯ve fought against that for so long I don¡¯t know how to be that anymore. That¡¯s who my father wants me to be. He wanted me to learn and to do and to rule. I fought all of that because it was the only way I knew to hurt him.¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t matter anymore,¡± Tibs said. ¡°This is for Kroseph. I¡¯m going to help you.¡±

    Mez placed a hand on the fighter¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re all going to help.¡±

    * * * * *

    Convincing Jackal to leave most of the loot out of his pouch, for the guild to get, proved to be easy. The only things that went in were the ring and Mez¡¯s quiver, because all it would take was for the person behind the table to take an arrow out and they would notice something odd about it. Jackal only took his eyes off the ring once it was away, but still looked lost as he helped repack the rest of the items. Tibs changed into his new, worn looking armor, as did Carina and Khumdar, leaving the old ones behind.

    It was a man behind the table this time, young looking, but tired. His ash gray eyes looked less full than many. As with just about every one of them, he barely glanced away from the items they placed on the table to look at them. Anything without essence was theirs to keep, and they didn¡¯t need anything Sto had given out as loot that had essence.

    Tibs was worried that if they no longer needed to keep anything the guild would get suspicious, but that was a problem for their next runs. Right now, his pressing concern was Jackal and how un-Jackal he was, being so subdued. As soon as they were away from the table, he took he ring out of his pouch and turned it in his fingers. He only put it away again as Tibs opened the door to the inn.

    ¡°Can you¡­¡± Jackal trailed off. Tibs wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d ever seen his friend looking this uncomfortable. ¡°Can you all wait out here?¡±

    They agreed, but Tibs kept the door open, watching as Jackal spoke with Kroseph. The server glanced in Tibs¡¯s direction, looking worried. Tibs wished he knew why neither looked happy. Jackal returned alone, and Kroseph looked confused.

    ¡°I need a drink,¡± the fighter said, and walked away from the inn.

    Tibs opened his mouth, but Khumdar placed a hand on his shoulder. Tibs looked at him, expecting an explanation, but the cleric was watching Jackal. Only when he entered the Cracked Tankard tavern, did he speak. ¡°He needs time.¡±

    ¡°Time for what?¡± Tibs asked. ¡°And the ale there¡¯s horrible. Why does he look like he¡¯s about to tell Harry about the pit, and why did he leave Kroseph behind?¡±

    ¡°Because, Tibs, it is my belief that our esteemed leader is doing something he has never done in his life.¡±

    Tibs waited, and waited and as he opened his mouth to tell the cleric what he thought of his games. Khumdar said.

    ¡°Jackal is considering the consequence of his actions.¡±

    * * * * *

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kroseph demanded as he slammed the door to the warehouse shut. ¡°What the fuck is going on?¡± The anger on his face turned to confusion as he watched them.

    Tibs couldn¡¯t muster the enthusiasm he had earlier now that he understood some of Jackal¡¯s concerns. Tibs hadn¡¯t considered all the consequences of giving Kroseph the ring. None of them had, except Jackal.

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    He couldn¡¯t claim it was a lucky find, not with his man. That meant he had to tell him about the dungeon and how Tibs could talk with him. How Sto had made the ring for him specifically.

    Kroseph knew about Tibs elements, since he¡¯d been key in helping him learn to handle them, but Sto had never come up among that. It had always only been about Tibs.

    ¡°Look,¡± Kroseph said, worry mixing with annoyance in his voice. ¡°No one died. So unless you¡¯re about to tell me Tibs can¡¯t fix what¡¯s in the process of killing you right now, you better start talking, because that be patient speech you gave me earlier has just stopped working on me.¡± The server was glaring at Jackal, fists shaking.

    The fighter took one of them in his hand and led Kroseph to a crate he¡¯d arranged earlier. He sat on the one facing it. Tibs stood on Jackal¡¯s right, with Carina, Mez and Khundar were on his left. Kroseph looked at each of them before focusing on Jackal again.

    ¡°Something¡¯s happened,¡± Jackal said, then faltered. He swallowed. ¡°I wanted Tibs to be the one to tell you because he¡¯s better at talking than I am. But a certain someone put her foot down and said I had to be the one to do this.¡± Carina rolled her eyes at the accusation. ¡°There¡¯s things you need to know, but you won¡¯t be able to talk about them with anyone but us.¡±

    ¡°I know about Tibs¡¯s elements, Jackal,¡± Kroseph said with a forced chuckle, which immediately died. ¡°So this is something else.¡± The next chuckle was nervous and went on too long. ¡°Are you about to tell me you took over the guild and you want me to give up working at the inn?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d never ask you to give that up, Kro. You know that.¡±

    Kroseph took Jackal¡¯s hand in his. ¡°Then what is it? You know you can tell me anything, right?¡±

    Jackal¡¯s nod was unsure. ¡°It¡¯s about Tibs. And the dungeon. And us too, really. It¡¯s complicated.¡±

    Kroseph¡¯s smile was simple and sweet. ¡°Tell me and I¡¯ll do what I can to uncomplicate it.¡±

    ¡°I love you so much,¡± Jackal whispered.

    ¡°That I know,¡± Kroseph replied.

    Jackal let out a breath. ¡°Tibs talks to the dungeon.¡±

    Kroseph took a few seconds to process that. ¡°You mean like he talks to your sister¡¯s dogs?¡±

    ¡°Abyss no. Those are just beasts. The dungeon, it can think. Like you and me. Well, you, anyway. We all know how great I am at the thinking thing. But the dungeon, it can think, and it has a name. And it¡¯s a person. No matter what the guild or the bards claim, it¡¯s a person, Kro, with feelings and rules and things it wants. It¡¯s not an animal.¡±

    ¡°And you can talk with it?¡± Kroseph asked Tibs.

    ¡°It¡¯s my element. It lets me do that. We don¡¯t know why.¡±

    Kroseph nodded. ¡°So you¡¯ve been able to do that for a while.¡± He looked at Jackal. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me that when you told me the rest. If you¡¯re telling me now, something changed.¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t mean to keep it from you,¡± Jackal said defensively. ¡°We just never thought to do it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Kroseph replied reassuringly. ¡°I knew there¡¯d be stuff you wouldn¡¯t be able, or want, to tell me about. I mean, you did tell me a lot the guild can¡¯t want you to.¡±

    Jackal forced a smile. ¡°You remember that day I came back from the run all pissed and I didn¡¯t want to talk about it?¡±

    Kroseph nodded. ¡°It¡¯s the one time you looked like you didn¡¯t have fun on your run.¡±

    ¡°The dungeon, Sto, that¡¯s its name. It did something hurtful. Not just try to kill us, but something that hurt us here.¡± Jackal tapped his heart. ¡°It didn¡¯t mean to, but that didn¡¯t help. On the next run, it and Tibs had a talk. I can¡¯t hear it. Only Tibs does, but Tibs told us. The dungeon was hurt that it had hurt us. It kind of likes Tibs, and us too, by association. So after Tibs explained why it hurt, it didn¡¯t know how to keep the¡­ we call them people golems, and not have it hurt us again like that.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Tibs said I can tell you everything we talked about then, but it can wait. What you have to know is that as a result, Me and Carina helped it come up with a way to do it.¡±

    ¡°I thought you can¡¯t talk with it,¡± Kroseph said.

    ¡°It hears what we say. We¡¯re inside it. The inside of the mountain is like its body and it can change it. When it pays attention to a place inside, it sees and hears what happens. It likes watching Tibs a lot because of how clever he is. It keeps trying to stump him. It likes watching me, too.¡± Jackal straightened as he said that, and his smile turned silly. ¡°But for other reasons.¡±

    Kroseph narrowed his eyes, but before the accusation Tibs expected came out, it turned into a frown. ¡°It likes watching you destroy its creature?¡±

    ¡°It likes trying to kill me,¡± Jackal replied, puffing his chest out. He leaned in and lowered his voice. ¡°I got to fight it.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you always fighting it? It¡¯s its creatures you¡¯re beating.¡±

    ¡°No, I got to fight it directly. It made a golem, and it put itself in it and¡ª¡± Jackal shook his head and smiled ruefully. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later. But yeah, me and Carina helped it and it promised us a reward in return.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the day you were so happy coming back from your run.¡± Kroseph grinned.

    Jackal mirrored it. ¡°Yeah. Don¡¯t tell Tibs all the things I did to you because of it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I know better than to start talking about what you can do with that tongue of yours, and¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving,¡± Tibs announced with a groan.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re not,¡± Jackal replied with a chuckle. ¡°We got our reward today. The dungeon made something for you, too.¡±

    Kroseph stared at him blankly. ¡°Why me? I¡¯ve done nothing for the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°You look after us. Me, Tibs, the team, the other Runners. You¡¯re part of the town and one of the reasons we can go on our runs confident we¡¯ll have a place to come back to.¡± He smiled. ¡°But that isn¡¯t why it made it. Like I said, it listens to us when we¡¯re inside, and we talk about you.¡± He nodded to Mez and Khumdar. ¡°These guys just can¡¯t stop taking about how lucky I am that, for some reason, you¡¯ve yet to kick me out of your bed and who am I to disagree, right? The dungeon¡¯s smart, so it got how important you are to me. That¡¯s why it made this.¡±

    Jackal reached into his pouch and his hand was in a fist when he took it out. His expression grew serious. ¡°The thing is, this comes with consequences. Not from the dungeon,¡± he hurried to add as Kroseph¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t do that. It¡¯s about us. If you accept this, Kro, things are going to be different between us. I¡¯m going to have to make changes.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to change, Jackal. You know that, right? If whatever you¡¯re holding is going to force that, then I don¡¯t want it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not forcing it. Not the way you mean, at least. I love you, Kroseph. You helped give me a reason to fight the dungeon hard. To not let the mess I made of myself drag me down. But I never made you a promise because deep down, I knew something I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve realized.¡±

    Jackal took a breath and let it out slowly. ¡°I¡¯m a Runner. I¡¯m going to be an adventurer. I talked with those who guarded us when we arrived, to my instructors and some who work at the guild building. The one thing I got from all those talks is that what we have, you and me, it never survives. You¡¯re going to grow old and I¡¯m not; at least, not like you. Unless the dungeon kills me, or one of the creatures the guild sends me to fight does, I¡¯m going to live decades more than you, maybe centuries. You¡¯ve heard the bards and their stories of adventurers fighting for always. They aren¡¯t all made up. Knowing that, I decided I was going to be the one to die first, while you were in my life. I know it would hurt you, but you don¡¯t know what losing you will do to me, Kro. My family¡¯s real small. You¡¯re the only one in it that¡¯s not going to be killed by some creature or the dungeon. So I was going to enjoy my time with you as hard as I could, because it wasn¡¯t going to last long.¡±

    Kroseph placed a hand on Jackal¡¯s fist. ¡°This changes that?¡±

    Jackal hesitate, then opened it, revealing the golden band. ¡°The dungeon doesn¡¯t know how long it¡¯s going to be, but if you wear this, you¡¯re going to live a long time. You¡¯re going to be like an adventurer that way. If you take it, I¡¯m going to have to stop thinking about dying, and start thinking about winning all my runs. It¡¯s going to have to be about more than just proving I¡¯m better than the dungeon or about all the wonderful loot I can get out of it. Kro, if you take this, I¡¯m going to have to start fighting for you.¡±

    Kroseph looked at the ring for a long time. ¡°Are you sure?¡± he finally asked.

    Jackal snorted. ¡°This is me, Kro. I only do sure if my fist is about to hit something. But I don¡¯t care about being sure. I care about you being in my life. If you take this, I promise I will do everything in my power to come back to you every time.¡±

    Kroseph gingerly took the ring. ¡°Then, Jackal, I accept.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 101

    Something was off with Kragle Rock, but Tibs couldn¡¯t figure out what.

    There had been no reports of unusual crimes from the Runners patrolling Merchant Row and the surrounding neighborhood Tibs handled. Jackal continued to have a difficult time finding training partners, since him deciding he would do all he could to survive the dungeon had turned into fighting harder during training. Even in the fighting pit, he had problems finding opponents.

    The tension between him and Harry¡¯s guards was the same as it always was. Each side glaring at one another, daring the other to start something. The townsfolk had finally stopped getting involved. Tibs didn¡¯t know what Don had said to either side, but he was grateful. He¡¯d even delighted the sorcerer by telling him that to his face.

    The one detail he had noted that seemed out of place was the nobles walking about the town. They weren¡¯t causing more problem than the usual demand for everyone to bow to their likes. But having so many of them out of their neighborhood was unusual. The only times any of them left it was to go on their runs or to Merchant Row for one of the few there who catered to their needs.

    And the Bazaar. The bazaar always drew everyone outside.

    Tibs¡¯s wandering led him to the edge of the town opposite the dungeon, where the caravan¡¯s trampled path was becoming a full dirt path since it was now used as the main route out of town for those who went to the far woods to hunt, or to simply leave. There were few of those, but once in a while a family set out on the path looking for something closer to what they¡¯d hoped to find in Kragle Rock.

    Tibs found Cross standing there, looking into the distance.

    ¡°One of your men gone and didn¡¯t come back?¡± He asked. Cross had a lot of men in the town she spent them time with, even if none of them were her special man. Quigly had mopped around for a while after realizing that Cross didn¡¯t want a special guy. She just wanted guys to have them time with.

    She glanced at him, and the worry there wasn¡¯t that of some guy leaving.

    ¡°The caravan should have been here by now,¡± she said.

    Tibs frowned, looking in the distance. ¡°I thought they came when they could. That it was never the same from one visit to the other.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t,¡± she replied and fell silent.

    ¡°Cross, I don¡¯t know what question to ask here. I don¡¯t know much about caravans. Why don¡¯t you act like I asked the right one and answer it?¡±

    Her lips quirked up before returning to a tight line. ¡°To you, it¡¯s like they come whenever they feel like it, but that isn¡¯t how it works. They have to make plans, schedule what they will need for their next trip. Merchants know how long those will take to acquire, so once they know what they will bring the next time, they can work out when they should be back. There¡¯s a lot of merchants on a caravan, so it¡¯s not precise, but they¡¯ve been doing this for a long time. Even on a new route like this one, they won¡¯t be off by more than a few weeks.¡±

    ¡°And?¡± Tibs finally prodded.

    ¡°And I talked with them. I go around during each bazaar, and I learn when they expect to be back. It tells me how long I have until I get a new puzzle, or when a caravan guard who likes me is likely to bring me gifts.¡±

    ¡°And?¡± he asked again when she didn¡¯t continue.

    ¡°The longest one of them expected it to take before they were back had them here almost a month ago.¡±

    Tibs looked out again, noticing the people gathering around them and also searching the distance. One looked at him as if expecting Tibs to explain what they were watching for.

    ¡°But stuff happens when they travel,¡± he told Cross instead. The townsfolk could work out what they were talking about on their own, or grow bored and head back to their other duties. ¡°There are monsters out there, bandits. Bards are always singing about those.¡±

    ¡°There aren¡¯t as many monsters as they¡¯d want you to think,¡± she said with a chuckle. ¡°Bandits are the usual problems caravan face, and yes, they can¡¯t know if they¡¯ll encounter some, especially on a new route like this one. That¡¯s why they have so many guards with them. Once a route is established, the bandits know better than to waste time trying to rob them. But if they realize they¡¯ll be later than expected, they¡¯ll send a rider to let the town know. It¡¯s not to a caravan¡¯s advantage to surprise a town with their arrival, since time will be wasted making space for them.¡±

    ¡°Okay, but stuff can still happen.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°But the level of bad luck needed to delay a caravan this much is only found in the songs from bad bards.¡±

    ¡°Luck¡¯s not a thing,¡± Tibs said reflexively. He felt the runner step up next to him and nodded to Tandy. ¡°Can one caravan cause another problems? Can that be why they¡¯re late?¡±

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    Cross shook her head. ¡°Not here. This kingdom¡¯s caravans are organized. They have to agree on how they will proceed before they¡¯ll be allowed on a route or to join an existing caravan. Only the smaller kingdoms will have those kinds of problems, unless the town in question has a dungeon. Then the guild makes sure everything runs properly.¡±

    ¡°So the way the guild does things here isn¡¯t normal?¡± Tibs asked, surprised.

    She shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe all new dungeon towns are left to survive on their own. I wasn¡¯t born when the last one happened. I haven¡¯t even heard songs about one. It doesn¡¯t seem like it should be normal to me, but who knows how the guild thinks.¡± She paused. ¡°How anyone thinks, really. That¡¯s one thing you¡¯ll learn once you travel the world. People don¡¯t always think in a way you feel makes sense.¡±

    He snorted. ¡°I already know that one.¡± He looked into the distance again. ¡°Is it worth trying to get one of Harry¡¯s guards to go out and see if they¡¯re in trouble? I can¡¯t send my Runners outside the town.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no point. If they were close enough to be reached, they¡¯d have sent a rider. Maybe I misunderstood what they¡¯d said,¡± she added unconvincingly.

    Tibs didn¡¯t think Cross misunderstood anything, and if the townsfolk had a sense of when the caravan should arrive, it could explain the general uneasiness he¡¯d felt. Nobles would know, wouldn¡¯t they?

    He felt the essence weave form, and glanced at Tandy, who was squinting through a tube of what would be void essence.

    ¡°Someone¡¯s coming,¡± she said. And excitement spread through the crowd, while Tibs readied himself for a fight.

    ¡°How many?¡± he asked, trying to make out what she saw.

    ¡°Just one.¡± The weave changed. ¡°Yes, only one. I think they¡¯re injured, and they¡¯re on horseback.¡±

    ¡°How can you see them?¡± Cross asked, hands over her eyes and scanning the distance.

    ¡°My element is void. I¡¯ve learned how to use it to make the distance between me and what I¡¯m looking at shorter.¡±

    Cross gave a concerned glance in Tandy¡¯s direction before going back to peering ahead.

    ¡°Can you tell how far they are?¡± Tibs asked.

    She shook her head. ¡°As far as ground lasts. I can¡¯t see beyond that. Don¡¯t ask. My teacher tried to explain it to me, but once she started talking about how flat ground wasn¡¯t actually flat, I figured it was too advanced for me.¡±

    ¡°That puts them around ten minutes away at horse¡¯s gallop,¡± Cross said.

    ¡°They¡¯re not galloping,¡± Tandy replied.

    ¡°Tandy, I need you to gather Runners. If they¡¯re injured, there might be someone chasing them. Let¡¯s be ready to defend them if it comes to that.¡±

    ¡°It should be the guard¡¯s job,¡± she replied, still looking ahead.

    So much should be. ¡°Just in case they¡¯re too busy with everything else they have to do, we should prepare to help.¡±

    Tandy smirked, nodded, then ran off.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how much good you¡¯ll be able to do if they¡¯re being chased.¡±

    ¡°However much we can, but at least we¡¯ll be ready to help.¡± Tibs looked around, hoping to see guards. The crowd kept him from seeing more than two people deep with how much taller everyone was.

    ¡°If it¡¯s bandits,¡± she said, ¡°there won¡¯t be much anyone can¡­¡± she glanced at him. ¡°Right, magic. Okay, you can probably take on an entire band by yourself.¡±

    ¡°Not me,¡± he replied. ¡°But Jackal could. You too.¡±

    ¡°That is not a fight I¡¯d be looking forward to,¡± she said.

    Tibs stared at her. ¡°I thought you were a better liar than that.¡±

    She grinned, and they waited.

    * * * * *

    A few minutes later, the rider¡¯s dust cloud became visible. If they hadn¡¯t been galloping when Tandy saw them, they seem to be now. Tibs had seven Runners with him, and a dozen guards were present. They¡¯d dispersed the crowd and taken position on each side of the Runners.

    Tibs had ignored them, while Don had quietly talked with the guard who led them.

    Tandy had returned with two Earth Runners, two Metal, all four fighters. A Crystal Sorcerer, and Don.

    ¡°Who¡¯s dealing with him?¡± Tibs asked Don.

    The sorcerer eyed Tibs, and for a second, it looked like his response would be snarky, but he straightened. ¡°I convinced Hamed I should be the one to greet them so you wouldn¡¯t make a mess of things and still feel like they¡¯re respecting your position.¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t react to the implied insults in there. If it was what it took for Don to keep the guards from forcing him away to watch at a distance, as they probably did nothing, it was fine.

    ¡°I need to know who hurt him, and if they¡¯re a threat to the town,¡± he told the sorcerer.

    ¡°I know what to do,¡± Don snapped.

    Tibs bit back his own snarky reply. ¡°I just want to make sure I can prepare the town¡¯s defense if it comes to that. Tandy can get a healer here if we need to, but unless he looks like he¡¯s dying, I have to know what he¡¯s running from before the guards take him away.¡± He fixed his gaze on the sorcerer. ¡°Can you tell me we can depend on Harry to protect the town this time?¡±

    Don broke the staring contest to look at the approaching rider. ¡°Only if it¡¯s a monster after him.¡±

    ¡°So if it¡¯s bandits, it¡¯s up to us.¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t how he wants to do things, Tibs,¡± Don said.

    ¡°But it¡¯s how he¡¯ll do them, anyway.¡±

    ¡°The guild is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don, do you care who is forcing him to let us die? Don¡¯t you think making sure we don¡¯t is more important than making it seem like the guild is on the side of the townsfolk? Once we¡¯ve dealt with that, you¡¯re welcome to tell the story in a way that makes them the heroes, for all I care.¡±

    Don snorted, but the rider was now close enough the sorcerer headed in his direction.

    The man fell off as soon as the horse came to a stop next to Don, and the sorcerer barely caught him.

    Tibs saw the blood covering his clothing, and he sensed the way his faint essence was cut where the gash he couldn¡¯t see was. All he could tell from the essence was that the man wasn¡¯t dying, but he looked like he¡¯d been riding for days. What he could see of his skin under the dirt was gaunt and pale.

    ¡°Tandy, see if any of the clerics can come. Clara would be best if you can arrange it.¡±

    Don yelled for a cleric, and one of the guards took off at the same time as Tandy and Tibs silently cursed. Clara would listen to him and she¡¯d ask questions as she worked. Whoever the guard brought wouldn¡¯t speak with Tibs.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Don asked, helping the man walk toward the town, angling them so they would be between Tibs and the guards. Don making sure neither side could claim he favored one over the other.

    The man¡¯s response was too soft for Tibs to hear, but the look of fear on Don¡¯s face meant Tibs had to know.

    ¡°Who did?¡± the sorcerer asked, and Tibs closed his eyes and channel air. He hurried to form a tunnel of essence, pulling the air toward him. The weave was rough and if he stopped thinking about it, it unraveled; and it did, when the man¡¯s answer reached Tibs.

    ¡°Green and black.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 102

    Harry glared as Tibs entered the room.

    Don had convinced the guard leader to allow Tibs to be present, but Harry wasn¡¯t happy about it. Don looked smug, and for once Tibs thought it was justified. He couldn¡¯t think of one thing the sorcerer could have said to make Harry agree. With them was Cross, who, as someone who worked with the caravan, and hadn¡¯t pissed off the guards, could justify being there and a cleric Tibs didn¡¯t know overseeing Casper¡¯s, the caravan rider, recovery. Tibs didn¡¯t understand why, but unless there was an urgent need for them to leave, the clerics always stayed nearby for a while after healing someone.

    Carina had wanted to come, and Jackal had reluctantly said he should be there too, but Don made it clear Harry only agreed to let Tibs come. Mez hadn¡¯t shown an interest in the meeting, and Khumdar had yet to make an appearance. Tibs figured he was still rooting out secrets within the town.

    Harry focused on the man reclining on the bed. ¡°Tell us what happened.¡±

    Casper was still pale. His physical injuries were healed, but he was malnourished and dehydrated and looked around nervously, as if he expected someone to jump out of the shadows and drag him back. Tibs wondered how long he was under the care of Sebastian¡¯s people before escaping.

    ¡°We were a month out when they attacked,¡± the man said, his voice rough. ¡°They overwhelmed our guards. There were so many of them we had no chance. They could have captured a city, there were so many.¡± He fell silent and when he spoke again, his voice was softer. ¡°Few of us died in the attack. They wanted prisoners. Bandits don¡¯t want to keep anyone alive, they just want riches. Most who died did so when it came time to get the caravan moving again. To convince the caravan master to cooperate.¡± He was quiet again, his gaze distant. Tibs saw no lies in his words, sensed no secrets that felt pertinent.

    ¡°Who gives the orders?¡± Harry asked in what, for the man, felt like a considerate tone.

    Casper looked around, surprised and fearful, then calmed. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he finally said. ¡°I never saw anyone other than our guards. They¡¯d come and take someone away anytime there was a problem. That person never came back. They laughed at us, and those who thought they could make demands on their boss. Some always looked eager to take us away. Some used us for their amusement.¡± He shuddered.

    Tibs glanced at Harry as the man looked at him. They knew who gave the orders. Even if Sebastian wasn¡¯t present, this was his ploy. Was the question to confirm that he was there? Would his presence mean the guild would do something this time?

    ¡°I lost track of how long we traveled. They chained the feistier of us to the wagons and forced them to keep up. We just walked along at our pace, so long as we didn¡¯t go too slow for our guards.¡± He looked at his hands. The right wrist was scared raw where a manacle had been attached. It now looked like an old wound, after the cleric had healed him, but Tibs suspected that for a time, Casper had been chained to a wagon.

    ¡°The longer we walked without causing problems, with pacing the wagons, the less the guards paid attention to us. Enough that some thought they could run off. They couldn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t think about running. I knew it was hopeless. We would get where they were taking us and they would end us. I¡¯d given up. I think that¡¯s why I agreed when the others needed people to cause a distraction. We¡¯d fail, but at least it would be over for me then and there. I was tired of waiting.¡±

    The man¡¯s voice turned hollow as he spoke.

    Cross placed a hand on his arm and he jerked. ¡°You¡¯re safe,¡± she said in a soothing tone. ¡°What you tell us will help us save many of them.¡±

    ¡°They can¡¯t be saved,¡± he replied quietly. ¡°There were a dozen of us. We all rushed through the guard and went for the horses. Five of us made it. I nearly didn¡¯t. I was cut bad as I reached one, but I made it on and galloped off with them. More fell to arrows. I blacked out and woke nearly falling off the horse. I was alone. I didn¡¯t stop. When I found the track, I didn¡¯t know if I was heading toward them, or away anymore. I didn¡¯t care. I rode as hard as I could. Slept in the trees, hoped for something to kill me in the night and end my torment. When I saw the smoke, I thought I was back at Tarlage, instead I¡¯m here, where I¡¯ll die with you.¡±

    ¡°How certain are you about them being in green and black?¡± Harry asked.

    Casper glared at him with the first show of emotion. ¡°I saw those colors anytime they took one of us. Anytime one was taken to be punished or played with. When she took me to¡ª¡± He stopped.

    ¡°How far behind you are they?¡± Tibs asked as gently as he could.

    Casper shrugged.

    ¡°Why would they bother with the caravan?¡± Cross asked.

    ¡°My brother want¡¯s to use it to take us by surprise,¡± Harry said, thoughtful. ¡°I don¡¯t think your escape is a ploy, so he has too many people there for the chain of command to be effective. He won¡¯t know we have been warned, so we can turn this to our advantage. It will have to be discreet, but we can arrange the clearing leading to the town into a trap for them.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s going to have to be big,¡± Cross said, as Tibs stared at Harry in surprise. ¡°The caravan I came on had thirty wagons. There could easily be twice that on this one.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to protect the town?¡± Tibs asked, suspicion and dismay mixed in his voice.

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll defend the town,¡± Harry snapped back. There were no lies in the words, but Tibs knew better than to trust that. Harry never lied, but that only spoke of what he believed or wanted, not what the guild would order him to do. Tibs shifted to Casper and again spoke as gently as he could. ¡°Do you know if anyone there has essence? Does magic?¡± he added at the man¡¯s confused expression.

    He shook his head. ¡°I just saw the guards.¡±

    ¡°Adventurers aren¡¯t cheap,¡± Cross said. ¡°It¡¯s why caravans don¡¯t use them. And wouldn¡¯t the guild know about it? You have to report what you get paid for, right?¡±

    ¡°Those who¡¯ve paid their dues,¡± Harry said, his tone darkening, ¡°aren¡¯t required to be part of the guild. And not all who leave us do so to go back to a quiet life.¡±

    ¡°And Sebastian has enough coins he can make people forget who they should be loyal to,¡± Tibs added.

    ¡°He isn¡¯t going to throw money at adventurers,¡± Harry said, ¡°When the cost for one of them can pay for an army.¡±

    ¡°We chased him out of the town,¡± Cross said. ¡°And if he thinks the guild will get involved this time, can he think that¡¯s going to be enough?¡±

    ¡°My brother is counting on the element of surprise. It¡¯s why he attacked the caravan and not the town with the people he has.¡±

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s going to have adventurers. Even if he thinks a lot of us died in the dungeon.¡± Knows many did. Tibs wasn¡¯t telling Harry how many of Sebastian¡¯s spies they¡¯d found. That was an argument he didn¡¯t need. ¡°He won¡¯t think we just went back to how things were once he fled.¡±

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°You¡¯re Omegas and Upsilons,¡± Harry said with only a hint of contempt in his tone. ¡°A few Rhos and not even a handful of Lambda. None of you are far in your trainings. What you did had more to do with luck than being a match for him.¡±

    ¡°Luck isn¡¯t a thing,¡± Tibs said. ¡°And we had plans, and they work. And we¡¯re going to make plans this time, too. Sebastian knows¡ª¡±

    ¡°You will stay out of this,¡± Harry ordered. ¡°This isn¡¯t a place for children who think they¡¯re adventurers. I will¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sure,¡± Tibs said dismissively. ¡°And while you keep the town safe, just like the last time. We¡¯re going to make plans to do the same. This time we know he¡¯s coming, and we¡¯re all here, not away since the dungeon¡¯s closed. The only thing we need to work out is how long we have until they get here.¡±

    ¡°How long did you ride for?¡± Cross asked Casper, and the man shrugged.

    ¡°If it helps,¡± the cleric said, surprising Tibs, who¡¯d forgotten the man was there. ¡°The gash in his side had the feel of an injury about a week old.¡±

    ¡°So we have under a week,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°No,¡± Cross countered, thinking. ¡°He pushed his horse as hard as he could. That would get him here four, possibly five times faster than the caravan. Unless that man wants to kill the horses before he gets here, there¡¯s only so fast he can move it. We can count on two weeks at a minimum before they get here. To know more precisely, you¡¯ll have to send scouts.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to find out where the caravan is,¡± Harry said.

    ¡°A Runner will¡ª¡±

    ¡°I think this is the guard¡¯s responsibility,¡± Don said, ¡°not yours.¡±

    Tibs bit back his initial response. ¡°I¡¯ll need to know when the caravan will be here, so I can have my¡ª¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Harry said. ¡°You will not¡ª¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t it be better,¡± Don said, ¡°if Tibs is aware of what the guards are doing, so he can make sure the Runners don¡¯t get in your way? You know they are going to do something. Tibs can¡¯t keep from interfering in your work. So controlling where he goes and what he does will let you better do you work.¡± The sorcerer looked at Tibs. ¡°You will follow instructions if Harry keeps you involved, right?¡±

    Tibs searched Don¡¯s face for deception. He hadn¡¯t lied, but there was no way he believed the guild would do anything that helped.

    ¡°He¡¯s going to hide in his building like last time,¡± Tibs told Don.

    ¡°I will not,¡± Harry replied through clenched teeth.

    Tibs snorted.

    ¡°If you want to be involved,¡± Don said in a calm tone Tibs hadn¡¯t known the sorcerer capable of. ¡°You need to remember Harry and the guild are in charge here.¡±

    Tibs saw the lie in the words and was comforted that Don wasn¡¯t believing the guild was their ally either.

    ¡°Fine. So long as you don¡¯t try to keep us out of the coming fight, we¡¯ll follow your plans.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs knew they had a problem before Jackal said anything. Tibs looked over the empty room as he stepped into the inn Jackal stood at the counter, with Kroseph and the others who worked there.

    ¡°We have a problem,¡± Jackal said.

    Tibs nodded. He knew where the Runners were. He had them setting up ambush points along the road leading to Market Place. It was only one day since Casper¡¯s arrival and Harry hadn¡¯t left the guild building or sent word as to what the plan was, so Tibs was setting up his own battle plan. If Sebastian stuck to pretending it was just a regular caravan, they would have a progression from the entrance of the town to Market Place. Tibs would have people at all points ready for an attack.

    That should have left the entire inn for townsfolk to enjoy.

    ¡°The town knows my father is on his way.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± That had been one thing he and Harry had agreed on easily. They weren¡¯t telling the town. ¡°It¡¯s not Don,¡± he added as Jackal opened his mouth.

    ¡°Well, he¡¯s out there now, telling everyone they don¡¯t have anything to worry about. Are you sure he didn¡¯t start this to make himself seem more important?¡±

    ¡°Don knows how bad people panicking will be. There¡¯s going to be a run for the platform as they try to leave and¡ª¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the second problem we have. People are already there, but the Attendants are gone. Yarton had word sent to me they were being evacuated well before the coming attack. If you¡¯re sure Don isn¡¯t behind it, then I don¡¯t know who let the information out. I don¡¯t know how long it¡¯s going to take for the town to realize the platform is useless, but once they do, they might just start running. I don¡¯t know if anyone here is ready to deal with the wilderness.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs called over the Runners he saw as he headed for the platform and he had nine of them, not including Jackal, Mez and Carina, who had been running for the inn when he exited it. When he reached Market Place, the crowd was so tight he couldn¡¯t see more than three rows of stalls, and of the platform all he saw was the top of the pillars. They were going to have to push their way through if they wanted¡ª

    He felt the essence weave in time to glance at Carina, trying to guess at what she was doing, then the thunder clapped over their heads.

    ¡°Abyss,¡± Jackal said, looking like he shouted, but his words were muffled by the ringing in Tibs¡¯s ears. ¡°Warn us next time.¡±

    Tibs agreed with the fighter, but decided, as he saw the crowd turn their way and part, that it was worth it.

    Tibs marched to the front.

    Don stood on the platform, with his team around him. He looked haggard, the regal robes he¡¯d taken to wear as his badge of office as Voice of the Guild were dirty, and the man looked like he hadn¡¯t slept since they had left Casper to rest. He didn¡¯t look happy to see Tibs, but motioned to the center of the platform instead of commenting.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Tibs demanded once they were there. The distance, along with the runners, keeping any of the townsfolk from hearing them.

    ¡°Someone talked,¡± Don replied. Tibs limited his reply to a glare. ¡°Not one of the guards as far as I could find out. Harry is livid this got out, and he¡¯s ready to throw you in a cell for it.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t me or my people.¡± Only three Runners outside of his team knew: Quigly, his rogue, and sorcerer. Tibs trusted them.

    ¡°I told him as much. That leaves everyone in the guild, because as soon as Harry told what he learned from Casper to those who had to know so he can get what he needs to defend the town, word spread. I had people there ask me to confirm what they¡¯d heard.¡±

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s the guild,¡± Tibs said. He motioned around them.

    ¡°No idea where they are. I came as soon as I learned about the people massing. There were fights the guards managed to break up.¡±

    ¡°The Attendants have left. Jackal got word from someone he knows among them.¡±

    Don ran a hand over his face. ¡°This isn¡¯t good. Without this way to leave, we¡¯re not going to be able to keep anyone from walking out, and the wilderness will kill them if they don¡¯t run into the caravan, which would be worse, since that¡¯ll tell that tyrant we know he¡¯s coming.¡±

    Tibs looked over the crowd, which had fallen quiet, but was looking expectantly at them. ¡°How do you want to deal with this?¡±

    Don stared at him. ¡°You¡¯re going to let me talk to them?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the Voice of the Guild, the Hero of Kragle Rock. I¡¯m just the Savior of the Dungeon, and only to those who remember that. I don¡¯t know how to talk to a crowd. I¡¯m a rogue.¡±

    Don¡¯s expression went from worried as he looked the people over, to resigned, then confident as he took a breath. ¡°Okay. You stand by me, you keep your mouth shut, and keep that fighter of yours silent. I might have a way to keep them from running.¡±

    Tibs followed Don as he stepped through the Runners.

    ¡°Don¡¯t react to anything Don says,¡± he ordered Jackal as he walked by him to then stand next to the sorcerer. Hopefully, the shock on Jackal¡¯s face would last until this was over.

    Don raised a hand and the growing restlessness of the crowd calmed.

    Tibs was impressed.

    ¡°Citizens of Kragle Rock,¡± Don said, voice firm and carrying further than Tibs thought possible without essence. ¡°Today you have learned that the bandit who we chased from our town is on his way back.¡± Fearful murmurs spread and Don waited a few seconds before raising his hand and, again, the crowd calmed.

    ¡°We beat him before. We can beat him again. Not only because we are rightful in our defense, but because this time, the guild will be at our side. We know the enemy is coming. We know when he will be here, and we have time to prepare our defenses.¡± The crowd became agitated and when Don raised his hand, it took longer for them to quiet.

    ¡°I know this is scary. I know that you wanted to be away from this, especially those of you who survived the Siege. I do not know where the Attendants are, but rest assure that the guild will contact them, and they will arrange for the evacuation to begin in an orderly fashion. But know that in the event the Attendants prove to be too cowardly, we will keep you safe. I will see to it that not one of you suffers this time. This will not be a repeat of the Siege.¡±

    The cheers were mixed with fear.

    ¡°Some of you have not known him since you arrived after the Siege. But by me stands Tibs, Savior of the Dungeon, who single-handedly kept villains from taking your livelihood away from you. He and the Runners who are responsible for how safe Merchant Row is will be working alongside me and the guild. We, all of us, will keep you safe, no matter what happens.¡±

    This time, the cheer was loud and confident. Don¡¯s smile grew as he straightened, and Tibs¡¯s mood darkened as he began considering the sorcerer had arranged all of this to make himself more important. Then he heard what Don muttered under his breath.

    ¡°I fucking hope Tibs has a plan, otherwise we are fucked.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 103

    Tibs looked over the map of the town. He hadn¡¯t known there was an official map until Darran brought it to him. Until then, he¡¯d been using the one the rogues had made, spread over stacks and stacks of papers. Samuel had redone some, fixed others and even glued papers together, so some areas were easier to understand, but he hadn¡¯t made one map of them all.

    Tibs had mentioned to the merchant, when he¡¯d bought a new set of lock picks, how the pieces of papers made figuring out how to position his people almost harder than just going from his memory. They got moved around, misplaced, or the people drawing them hadn¡¯t used the same system of symbols.

    A few hours later, Darran was at the inn, taking the largest piece of paper Tibs had ever seen out of a tube and unrolling it on his table. In the time between it was taken out and unrolled, Tibs figured it was so he could draw the town and have it all on one paper, but Kragle Rock was already on it. Drawn in precise lines of ink instead of crude charcoal.

    There was a group, Darran explained, whose sole job was planning the town, and making sure the maps were accurate. The description reminded Tibs of what Samuel had told him his father did, other than the making of maps part.

    When Tibs asked how much it cost, the merchant smiled and said that it was his contribution to the defense of the town.

    Immediately Tibs, Jackal and Quigly set about using it to prepare and now it was covered with charcoal lines and letters and numbers showing where the Runners should assemble depending on how Sebastian attacked.

    * * * * *

    Don entered, and Tibs sighed at what would be another interruption. He¡¯d lost count of them over the last days. The number of Runners who told him they couldn¡¯t fight, townsfolk demanding to be included in the defense, or those imploring him for a way to leave before the attackers arrived.

    With a few exceptions, they were always asking for something that was out of his control.

    Hopefully, Don had some good news for him this time.

    ¡°The Attendants aren¡¯t returning,¡± the sorcerer said, then dropped into a seat next to Quigly, leaving one as space between him and Jackal.

    ¡°The guild¡¯s not even trying, are they?¡± The fighter said.

    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know,¡± Don admitted unhappily. ¡°Those I¡¯ve been asking all tell me it¡¯s not their decision, and they¡¯re right. Harry and Tirania are never available when I try to talk with them, nor anyone who would know what the decision has been.¡±

    Quigly shook his head. ¡°They don¡¯t want anyone to leave. This is going to be a war, and they¡¯re going to use us as fodder.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know that word,¡± Tibs said, ¡°but it doesn¡¯t sound like anything good.¡±

    The warrior looked the map over. ¡°We¡¯re going to lose.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not just going to hand Sebastian the town,¡± Tibs protested.

    ¡°If you insist on using this plan, you are.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s going to be at his most vulnerable once he¡¯s in Market Place,¡± Jackal said. ¡°We¡¯re going to be able to surround him. We¡¯ll be able to pick at his forces on the way there.¡±

    ¡°I am telling you again,¡± Quigly said, ¡°you cannot wait for him to be inside the town.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s where he was when we kicked him out,¡± Jackal pointed out.

    ¡°That was a different situation, one you had no choice in how you handled and one where Sebastian miscalculated when he judged what you were capable of. How many people can he have brought here? How many more can he pay to join his assault?¡±

    Tibs looked at Don.

    ¡°Oh, now you want me to weight in?¡± the sorcerer asked, but the bitterness sounded forced.

    ¡°You¡¯re better at this than I am.¡± Tibs motioned to the map. ¡°So long as you don¡¯t tell me to let the guild deal with it, I want to know what you think.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to like it.¡±

    Jackal snorted. ¡°When do we ever like what you¡¯ve got to say?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re being this kind of idiot.¡± Don thumbed at Jackal. ¡°You have someone who fought one war sitting at your table, but you¡¯re too stubborn to listen to his advice because it¡¯s beyond what you¡¯re able to understand. I don¡¯t understand what a war will mean here, and I¡¯ve read about them. What I do know, is that you¡¯re not going to win if all you want is to do things your way.¡±

    At least Don hadn¡¯t told him to let the guild handle this, Tibs thought bitterly. He looked at Quigly, taking the rag they used to remove the charcoal marks from the map.

    ¡°Okay, how should we be handling this?¡±

    * * * * *

    ¡°He can¡¯t help,¡± Don snarled, grabbing the tankard off the table and emptying it.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Jackal protested, ¡°that¡¯s mine.¡±

    ¡°Get your man to bring you another.¡± The sorcerer dropped into the seat.

    ¡°You knew the guild doesn¡¯t care about us,¡± Carina said.

    ¡°Harry isn¡¯t the guild,¡± Don replied and Jackal snorted.

    ¡°I told you it was a waste of time,¡± Tibs said. ¡°You¡¯re the one who insisted Harry would do the right thing.¡±

    ¡°You should have been there with me,¡± the sorcerer said. ¡°We could have convinced him. But you¡¯re too busy with making yourself important.¡± He motioned to the rolled-up map.

    ¡°He¡¯s not the one out there claiming we¡¯re all going to be safe so long as the town listens to him,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°I¡¯m keeping the townsfolk from panicking,¡± Don countered. ¡°All you¡¯re doing is scaring them.¡±

    ¡°What we¡¯re doing,¡± Tibs said in as calm a tone as being accused by Don let him, ¡°is everything we can to make sure the town survives. That means not wasting time waiting for the guild to act, or just being its voice.¡±

    ¡°I was supposed to do good that way!¡±

    The whole inn fell silent in the wake of Don¡¯s exclamation and Tibs forced himself to remain calm.

    ¡°You did,¡± he finally said. ¡°As you said, you¡¯re keeping the town from panicking. You know how to talk to them. I just tell them I can¡¯t help, and that¡¯s not what they want. I¡¯m street, I can take things being bad, that¡¯s how they¡¯ve been most of the time for me. I don¡¯t know how to make them think they¡¯re going to be better other than telling them I¡¯m working hard at it.¡±

    ¡°At least you haven¡¯t made promises those who should keep them won¡¯t. I told them the guild would keep everyone safe. What is the town going to do to me when they realize I can¡¯t keep them safe like I promised I would?¡±

    ¡°What if you could still keep them safe? Or some of them?¡± he added. As confident as he was of his plan, he hadn¡¯t talked with Sto about it yet.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal warned.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Don asked, looking from the fighter to Tibs suspiciously.

    ¡°The dungeon can protect some of them.¡±

    The sorcerer narrowed his eyes. ¡°Everything in there tries to kill us. The townsfolk aren¡¯t going to last minutes.¡±

    ¡°The entryway¡¯s safe,¡± Tibs replied.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Don thought it over. ¡°It¡¯s not that big.¡±

    ¡°But we can pack people in, as many as we can. I¡¯m going to need you to convince them to only have those who matter go in.¡±

    ¡°What if the door¡¯s closed?¡± the sorcerer asked, looking thoughtful. ¡°If the attack starts when the dungeon¡¯s closed, that¡¯s another promise I¡¯ll have made that won¡¯t come true. And we can just ask them to go in now.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re going to know when my father¡¯s no more than a day away,¡± Jackal said. ¡°And I can tell you that the fighting¡¯s going to start the next day at the latest.¡±

    Stolen story; please report.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to initiate the fight?¡± Don asked in disbelief.

    Jackal grinned. ¡°You¡¯re the one who told us to listen to Quigly. Aren¡¯t you happy we did?¡±

    ¡°Fine, but that doesn¡¯t resolve the issue of the door.¡±

    ¡°I can handle that,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°You, can open a dungeon door?¡± Don asked, the disbelief even stronger.

    Tibs smiled and ignored the worried look Carina gave him. ¡°I¡¯m a rogue, and that¡¯s just a door.¡±

    * * * * *

    The guards at the bottom of the stairs eyed him suspiciously as he walked by them.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Sto asked. ¡°Everyone¡¯s been talking about an attack, and the guards at the door keep muttering about how it¡¯s all your fault.¡±

    Once Tibs was out of earshot of the guards, he said. ¡°Sebastian¡¯s on his way. He¡¯s going to try to destroy the town.¡±

    ¡°What about you? What about the Runners? Tibs, what happens to me if they aren¡¯t there?¡±

    ¡°The guild¡¯ll make sure there¡¯s always Runners to go through your halls.¡±

    ¡°Oh good,¡± Sto said, relieved, then. ¡°I¡¯m not getting something, aren¡¯t I? You might die in that fight. What you told me about how the Siege went, it was bad.¡±

    ¡°This is going to be worse. Sebastian didn¡¯t want to destroy the town then. We¡¯re going to need your help if we¡¯re going to win.¡±

    ¡°Tibs, I can¡¯t do anything outside, and if I could, I¡¯m not allowed to act like that. I¡¯m a dungeon. I¡¯m not someone who protects people.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything outside. I just need you to do two things.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± Sto said, sounding uncertain.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to need weapons. They can¡¯t be magic because the guild¡¯s going to take that from us, but they need to be good quality. Our lives are going to depend on them not breaking as we use them.¡±

    ¡°I can do that. I can¡¯t promise the loot will have the exact weapon the Runner needs, but I can change the list. Only giving out ordinary loot, even if it¡¯s better quality, will save me some essence.¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t all be normal. There has to be some with essence.¡±

    ¡°But you said the guild¡¯s going to take them.¡±

    ¡°If there¡¯s never anything for them to take, they¡¯re going to start wondering what you¡¯re doing, or if we¡¯ve gotten something that lets us hide some loot.¡±

    ¡°The way Jackal might do with his pouch.¡±

    ¡°Yes. So there needs to be a few magical items. They¡¯ll take that. We get to keep the rest.¡±

    ¡°Okay. What¡¯s the second thing?¡±

    ¡°I need you to make space for the townsfolk to hide inside you while the fighting happens.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Sto said after a long silence, ¡°I¡¯m a dungeon. I test people, and those who can¡¯t pass, I eat. I don¡¯t need Ganny to tell me how wrong it¡¯ll be for me to turn off my traps and my creatures to let people in.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to turn anything off. If Ganny¡¯s nearby, have her listen to what I¡¯m asking. If it breaks the rules too much, we¡¯ll figure something else.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± Ganny said, tone more severe than usual. ¡°I heard everything you said.¡± That would explain the tone.

    ¡°All I¡¯m asking is for you to increase the size of the entryway. Nothing else.¡±

    ¡°How large?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Large enough to fit everyone in the town.¡±

    ¡°How many people is that?¡± Sto asked.

    ¡°A lot,¡± Ganny said. ¡°Tibs, we¡¯re not supposed to get involved. People think we¡¯re animals, and we¡¯re not supposed to do anything to change that.¡±

    ¡°No one¡¯s going to know you¡¯re doing it to help. Sto is alway altering his halls. So this is just one more change.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s a large one, Tibs. Towns can have thousands of people in them.¡±

    ¡°Is that a lot?¡± Sto asked.

    ¡°It is,¡± Tibs replied. Those weren¡¯t the kind of numbers he was dealing with yet, but he was getting close.

    ¡°And making changes like that comes at a cost,¡± Ganny said.

    ¡°Not that much of one,¡± Sto countered. ¡°I can easily triple the size of the entryway and not notice it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to do that a hundred times at least,¡± she replied.

    ¡°Oh. That is a lot.¡±

    Tibs nodded. ¡°So you can¡¯t help with that.¡±

    ¡°I want us to, Tibs,¡± Ganny said, ¡°but there are rules, and they¡¯re there for a reason.¡±

    ¡°But I need the Runners, right?¡± Sto said.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Ganny replied suspiciously.

    ¡°And the Runners need the townsfolk. Tibs told us that. You¡¯ve heard how the Runners talk about them during the runs.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re stretching things,¡± she said, but didn¡¯t sound as adamant as she usually did when she was about to cut off one of Sto¡¯s plans. There was a definiteness to that tone Tibs could easily identify.

    ¡°Then, don¡¯t I need the townsfolk, too?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not¡ª¡± she stopped. ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡± the silence stretched. ¡°Okay, I think I see a way we can do it. Not giving away as many items with essence does grant us a reserve that we can tap into without attracting their attention. But it¡¯s going to have to be slow, Sto. None of that all at once stuff you pulled that first time.¡±

    ¡°No worries there. I ached after that for way too long.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re going to do it?¡± Tibs asked, not entirely believing it.

    ¡°Yes, Tibs,¡± She replied. ¡°We¡¯re going to help.¡±

    ¡°Oh, one last thing. About the door.¡±

    * * * * *

    Yells of surprise caused Tibs to look up from the papers. The crowd in the inn was parting, but unevenly; as if something he couldn¡¯t see was shoving them aside. Cursing, Jackal got up and moved away from the table. Before Tibs could ask why, something hit the side of his chair hard enough it skidded. Then a dog had its paws on the seat and was licking his face.

    ¡°Down,¡± Tibs ordered, trying to push Thumper away. ¡°Stop that. Jackal get¡ª¡±

    ¡°I am not getting close to that thing,¡± the fighter stated.

    ¡°How about a nice bowl of broth?¡± Kroseph said, putting it on the floor.

    Thumper sniffed the air, then had its nose in the bowl, lapping away. Tibs wiped at his face before running his fingers along the dog¡¯s collar and pulling the paper that was lodged underneath.

    ¡°The Caravan has been sighted,¡± he read. ¡°It¡¯ll be here tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s time to set everything up,¡± Jackal replied. He eyed the dog. ¡°I¡¯ll go tell Quig.¡± He kissed Kroseph and left.

    Tibs petted Thumper as it licked the bowl cleaned. ¡°And I¡¯m going to go tell Don.¡±

    * * * * *

    The crowd parted to let Don through, with Tibs and Jackal following a few steps behind. It had taken most of the day for word to spread and get everyone assembled in the field at the foot of the dungeon. Of course, that hadn¡¯t gone unnoticed, so the line of guards, with Harry at the head, blocked the way to the stairs.

    ¡°I hope you can play your part,¡± Don muttered as he slowed for Tibs and Jackal to fall in next to him. ¡°Because this all goes to the abyss otherwise.¡±

    ¡°I knew this was your idea,¡± Harry snarled, glaring at Jackal.

    ¡°My idea?¡± the fighter replied? ¡°You think I¡¯m that smart? That I¡¯d be able to come up with a plan to protect the townsfolk when you wouldn¡¯t do it, yet again?¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t your¡ª¡±

    ¡°You lied to me!¡± Don yelled loud enough for the accusation to carry over most of the crowd. ¡°You promised me you¡¯d look after everyone this time. That your guild would keep us safe.¡±

    ¡°I tried convincing Tirania,¡± Harry snapped.

    ¡°And just because your guild leader tells you to let everyone die, you¡¯ll do it?¡± Don¡¯s tone turned gentle. ¡°Just do the right thing, Harry.¡±

    Harry¡¯s expression turned pained as he looked at Don. As, Tibs thought, he did everything he could not to see the people around them. ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± he said through clenched teeth.

    ¡°And there is it,¡± Jackal said. ¡°You really are a Wells, aren¡¯t you, Knuckles. Blindly taking orders like the rest of us.¡±

    ¡°I am nothing like you!¡± the man bellowed, hands in fists and trembling from not acting.

    Jackal laughed. ¡°When has there ever been any doubt about that? When have you seen me do what anyone¡¯s told me to do? I am my own man. I have made more screwed up decisions than can be counted, but they were mine! When¡¯s the last time you made up your own mind? Harry? Was it the day you betrayed your family for a new master, or did they make that decision for you? How¡¯s that working out for you? How¡¯s that light inside you dealing with the fact you¡¯re still just some thug breaking the necks of the people you¡¯re told to break? Or is the fact that it¡¯s no longer a criminal telling you to do it enough to soothe it?¡±

    ¡°You think I want to stand here protecting that thing?¡± Harry yelled, pointing to the closed door as he stepped toward Jackal. ¡°You think I don¡¯t want to be out there, getting ready to stop my brother? To wipe the stain that are the Wells from this world?¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you?¡± Jackal asked calmly. ¡°Leave your guards here. Walk away from this and go through the town. You know that you being on the front line will save lives. Not just Runners or townsfolk. My father¡¯s only using money to make the people with him fight. He probably told them how easy this is going to be, almost as if he knew the guild wouldn¡¯t lift a finger to help. But the family, they remember you. It¡¯s not just your betrayal that is spoken of, but your courage, your strength. How no one who ever stood before you survived your assault. They see you there, with us. They¡¯re going to know they are the lost cause. You can end the war before it starts, Harry.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± he growled, anger in his eyes. ¡°I have my orders.¡±

    Jackal¡¯s nod was sad. ¡°And a Wells never disobeys his master¡¯s orders, does he?¡± Harry¡¯s anger cracked, and Jackal nodded again. ¡°If you aren¡¯t going to do what you can to stop the fighting, at least tell me you have the courage to do something that will save some of the townsfolk¡¯s lives.¡±

    ¡°I have my orders,¡± Harry said, pain mixing with his anger.

    ¡°Do those orders prevent anyone from entering the dungeon?¡±

    The question confused Harry. ¡°No, but the door¡¯s closed, no one can¡ª¡±

    The rumble of stone on stone caused him to snap his head to the opening door.

    ¡°What do you know?¡± Jackal said smugly. ¡°The dungeon¡¯s not closed anymore.¡±

    Harry looked from the door to Jackal, his mouth moving, but no sounds coming.

    ¡°How the fuck did you manage that?¡± Don muttered.

    ¡°I¡¯m a rogue,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°And that¡¯s just a door.¡±

    ¡°Helps that you know the dungeon controlling it,¡± Sto said.

    ¡°Are you going to gawk at me all day?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°I don¡¯t mind, really. Well, actually, I do mind. I have a special guy already, and you, Don, aren¡¯t my type. So, how about you get that rousing speech ready for them?¡± He looked at Harry. ¡°Unless you plan on opposing defenseless people seeking shelter? Did your guild give you orders to make sure they all died out there?¡±

    The guard leader looked lost, then he stepped aside, and with that motion, the other guards moved to open the way up the stairs.

    ¡°All yours,¡± Jackal told Don as he turned and stood next to the sorcerer.

    Don gave Tibs one more sideways glance, then straightened and looked at the crowd. ¡°People of Kragle Rock, today will be a hard day. The enemy approaches, and those we looked to for protection have denied us. Fear not!¡± he raised his hands as the crowd grew agitated. ¡°Not all is lost! I, Jackal and Tibs have secured safety for some of you.¡±

    Tibs caught the surprised look from Jackal at being included. He was mainly surprised Don had said his friend¡¯s name without the usual disdain.

    ¡°The dungeon has opened its door to you, and as much as we want to tell you, all will be safe within; there is only limited space. It will not be comfortable, but I promise you that it will be safe.¡±

    Instead of protesting at the idea of setting foot inside the dungeon, which was what Tibs had expected, the crowd waited quietly, almost eagerly.

    ¡°Children and their caretakers will go in first,¡± Don said, ¡°then the elderly and the sick. If there is still space, then the able-bodied will go in. If you want to fight with us. If you want to play your part in keeping your town safe, in protecting your loved ones, we will welcome you. But so long as there is space within, no one will fault you for seeing whatever safety is to be found within the dungeon.¡±

    The crowd moved, families with children being allowed to the front. The town didn¡¯t have many elderly, but those there were assisted in forming a group of their own.

    ¡°You will be in the entryway,¡± Don said as the crowd rearranged itself. ¡°It is the only safe place within the dungeon. The traps in the first room have killed many. Do not step into it. The dungeon will eat you if you do.¡±

    Don looked at the townsfolk for a few seconds, then stepped aside and the first of the families started up the steps.

 Stepping up, Chapter 104

    ¡°You sure the caravan¡¯s been taken over?¡± Tandy held her hands before her, palm facing, two hand-span apart, framing where her essence did¡­ something. Tibs couldn¡¯t discern what, but he saw the effect.

    Looking between her hands, the distance changed. He could see the horizon as if it was only a few minutes walk, instead of¡­ What had Cross said, ten minutes of horse¡¯s gallop? He watched the caravan approaching, wagons appearing over the far-away hills.

    He, Tandy, and Quigly stood on the roof for the better vantage point, but the warrior looked as if he¡¯d rather be elsewhere. Anytime he glanced down, his tan skin took on a sickly tint.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be a kicker?¡± Quigly said. ¡°We do all this, and it was all a setup to get us to destroy an innocent caravan.¡±

    ¡°You care?¡± Tandy asked.

    ¡°Of course, I care.¡± The warrior¡¯s tone was tired. This was a subject Tibs had heard him have to explain over and over. The convicts had been in cells, catacombs, Jackal said, because their crimes had been much graver than what Tibs and those who had been sent here had committed, but even among those, Quigly¡¯s history made him someone ever worse. The warrior claimed those weren¡¯t true, but someone had made sure they spread through Kragle Rock.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t end up here by butchering the innocent.¡±

    Tandy rolled her eyes and Quigly ground his teeth.

    ¡°I killed a tyrant¡¯s army. I killed his soldiers. If I¡¯d won, bards would sing of my heroism. Fuck, if I¡¯d died, they¡¯d have done the same. But he wasn¡¯t going to let me be a martyr. So he made me a butcher.¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t lie,¡± Tibs said, meaning the rider, but Quigly also told the truth. Tibs saw no light as he spoke. ¡°Harry would have known. And he would have called the rider out on it.¡±

    ¡°Because no one¡¯s ever tricked him before,¡± Tandy muttered.

    Only the rider had nothing enchanted on him, which was what it took to trick the guard leader. That or a really clever mind, and with him, Don and Tibs there, one of them would have noticed something, if the rider had tried to be clever.

    ¡°I¡¯d still prefer it if we saw confirmation,¡± Quigly said. ¡°There¡¯s nothing easier than to turn the protectors into monsters with a little planning on your enemy¡¯s part.¡±

    ¡°I wish Cross was up here,¡± Tandy said. ¡°She knows those people. She could tell us if things looked wrong. I wish I saw black or green,¡± she added.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t offer her enough coins to climb up with us,¡± Tibs replied. Like Tandy, he was searching for any signs these were Sebastian¡¯s people, instead of merchants and the guards they traveled with.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t offer me money,¡± Quigly said, offended.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t ask,¡± Tibs replied, grinning at the warrior.

    ¡°Can you move what we see?¡± Quigly asked. ¡°They¡¯re probably hidden from anyone looking at them from here.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the kind of far-sight you¡¯re thinking of,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯m nowhere near that strong. I can just change the distance of what¡¯s in front of me.¡± She panned left, then right, showing what she meant. ¡°It¡¯d take one of the Attendants to show you any other point along the caravan, or another angle.¡±

    ¡°Too bad not one of them stuck around,¡± the warrior said in disgust. ¡°That¡¯s the kind of power we could use.¡±

    ¡°We could use the power of the guild,¡± Tibs muttered, echoing the disgust. ¡°If they were willing to do more than guard the dungeon.¡± At least that meant the townsfolk were safe. He trusted Sto that nothing could get through his door or the mountain¡¯s walls anymore, but the added guards couldn¡¯t hurt.

    He was still amused by Harry and Don¡¯s disbelief as more and more people entered. The entryway was large, but after the children, the old, and the infirm, there shouldn¡¯t have been space for more than a few handfuls of people. Instead, they kept going in until only the few willing to help remained outside.

    Tibs didn¡¯t know how Sto had kept the changes from being noticed by the runners, but he¡¯d felt the increased essence woven through the walls in his last run.

    ¡°I see some green,¡± Tandy exclaimed.

    Tibs looked, but he didn¡¯t see it.

    Muttering, Tandy moved and placed her hand before him. ¡°Look for the driver of the front wagon.¡±

    Tibs frowned. The man wasn¡¯t wearing any green or had any by¡ªa woman looked over his shoulder from within the wagon, putting her head and shoulders into the light. She couldn¡¯t know she was visible at this distance, but she still acted like it, moving forward only enough to look over the driver¡¯s shoulder to the left and right. He thought the man tensed at having her this close. The shirt was gray, with black trim and green patches.

    That was one of Sebastian¡¯s people, he had no doubt. If only they¡¯d seen the man himself among those visible. Tibs wanted to hand him over to Harry personally and shove in the guard¡¯s face that he¡¯d done what he wouldn¡¯t.

    ¡°Time to get in position,¡± Quigly instructed.

    Tibs slid down the roof, then dropped the three stories, making a column of water to cushion his landing. Tandy and Quigly would go down the other side, the safe side.

    Quigly had set up the battlefield at the edge of the town, but outside it. The advantage of Harry and his guards remaining at the dungeon was that they weren¡¯t here to tell them they couldn¡¯t step outside of the town limit. Runners with Earth as their element had made mounds for the others, whose elements let them attack at range, to hide behind. When the signal came, they would attack with everything they had. The warrior didn¡¯t think that would be enough for them to win, but they needed to make use of the element of surprise to ensure this ended as quickly as possible.

    Once the range attack was over, it would be time for the fighters to get involved.

    * * * * *

    Tibs stood in the middle of the way, at the town limit, along with every Runner without range, and the townsfolk who wanted to help. They were waving at the approaching caravan doing all they could to act eager for them to be in Market Place and selling their goods.

    Quigly had been adamant that they needed to maintain the illusion they wanted them here, just like the previous times. Both because it was what they would expect, and so the people in the caravan had to be focused in front of them, not at the sides. Sebastian¡¯s people needed to believe they were the ones springing the trap instead of rolling into one.

    Jackal whistled loudly at the caravans, adding a wave of the hand. Cross just waved. She¡¯d been preoccupied ever since they¡¯d been able to see the first wagon in the distance.

    From where he stood, the sorcerers and archers were visible behind the mounds made to look natural from the side of the caravan. Somewhere among them, Carina and Mez waiting for the signal.

    It came as the first wagon was only a hundred paces from where Tibs and the town stood, still cheering. The wagon exploded as fire, air, metal, wood and other elements rained down on it, then the ones behind it.

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    Those who survived the onslaught ran, and were ignored unless they wore green and black. They¡¯d all agreed Sebastian was too clever to have all his people in the colors, but they¡¯d deal with telling them apart once it was over. There was going to be enough dead as it was.

    The first five wagons were reduced to kindling and metal bits. When the dust cleared and Tibs saw the attack on the sixth wagon, it was no longer going in their favor. People in black and green stood before it, large shields planted in the ground before them, and the essence attacks deflected away from the wagon. Behind them, more people jumped out of those wagons, some with shields, others with swords and bows.

    ¡°I guess it was too much to hope for that they wouldn¡¯t have those kinds of defenses,¡± Cross said.

    ¡°My father¡¯s going to have defenses against most of what we can do.¡± Jackal grinned. ¡°That means it¡¯s our turn.¡± He took off.

    Tibs looked at Cross and she squared her shoulders, then ran at her side.

    When they were within range, Tibs sent an ¡®x¡¯ attack, but it fizzled away a few paces before the shield bearers.

    ¡°It won¡¯t work,¡± Carina said, falling into step with her. Well ahead, Jackal barreled into them, sending people and shields flying. ¡°The shields are enchanted to repel essence and we aren¡¯t strong enough to overwhelm them.¡±

    A Runner screamed and fell, an arrow in their chest.

    ¡°And they¡¯re on the offensive now,¡± Mez said, shooting down arrows as he ran. Other archers joined in and all kind of essence flew, destroying arrows.

    The display amazed Tibs. The runs rarely lent themselves to those types of shots.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± someone yelled, and he looked ahead in time to see an archer in green and black loose an arrow in his direction.

    He suffused his body as he stepped out of the way, but he felt the impact on his shoulder. When he looked, the scratch in the leather shimmered as it repaired itself. Carina stared as she used air to deflect more arrows. He added ice to his armor, then used ¡®x¡¯ attacks to destroy as many arrows as he could, but his aim was horrible.

    The rumble announced a change in their enemy¡¯s tactics.

    ¡°Scatter,¡± came the yell as fighters ran around the shields and archers. A lot of fighters.

    Tibs readied himself for the incoming force, as well as the knowledge that they wouldn¡¯t be able to keep the fighting out of Kragle Rock as they¡¯d hoped.

    * * * * *

    Tibs ran.

    He ran because people were after him; a lot more than he¡¯d expected.

    He jumped at the wall, three paces away from the intersection, kicked off it to make the turn and threw water ahead of him, icing it just before he landed, slid, and gave himself more traction to continue running as it ended. He left the ice there and smiled at the yelps of pain and surprised behind him.

    He threw corruption at a column supporting a balcony as he ran by it. It weakened it silently, but the other supports groaned as they had to take on more of the weight until they shattered and fell.

    When the screams came behind him, they were louder than he¡¯d expected and caused him to look over his shoulder. Limbs poked out from under the rubble, and some who had avoided being caught were dealing with the splashed corruption.

    That was a definite oops that he¡¯d have to clean up before people started accusing Don of it. But later.

    No, he had to keep on running because whoever he came across next would try to capture him. It was now clear that whatever else Sebastian had planned, Tibs¡¯s capture was a top priority. As soon as the fight had spilled among the town¡¯s street and one of the attackers had identified Tibs, the chase had been on.

    He saw the smoke and changed directed, heading toward it.

    One thing Sebastian wanted was to destroy the town. This was the third time Tibs had come across thugs setting fire to buildings. Jackal had been right when he¡¯d said his father was no longer interested in taking over Kragle Rock.

    The group of would-be fire users was already under attack by Runners, a team, by their count of five, but they were up against a dozen armed thugs. With a scream, Tibs joined the fight wielding his jagged ice sword in a hand and a spiked shield in the other. Ice crackled as it formed over his armor.

    He turned the tide of the fight with quick, precise strikes, as well as surprise, when he extended the blade through an attacker. But their victory came at the cost of three of the Runners. He buried that pain, iced it over. He didn¡¯t have time for that. The other two were injured, as were the two women who had been hiding in the building. Tibs doused the fire. The women carried a bow and quiver each.

    They had one cleric, at the inn. Clara was the only one who had slipped away when the order for them to lock down within the guild came. Those in charge hadn¡¯t wanted a repeat of what had happened during the Siege.

    ¡°Can you move?¡± he asked the woman with the leg injury. ¡°We need to go to the inn.¡±

    She nodded through the pain and pushed herself to her feet.

    He escorted them, and the trek was slowed even more by the attacks.

    Tibs had to take them on alone and, because of those with him, had to limit himself to water as the element they could see him use. But that left him his element, and while he normally hated being forced to use it against people, he was growing less bothered by it as this day of fighting Sebastian¡¯s people stretched ever longer. He drained an attacker on top of slicing them open, Sometimes the drain left them dead, instead of the wound. He wanted them dead, so really, what did the how it happened matter?

    And he enjoyed the practice. He could now pull his essence in through his weapons, going a step further toward masking what he did. And it let him weaken the enemy even if a strike wasn¡¯t fatal, so that his next one was more effective.

    The one drawback was that as he was channeling water, he could only fill the reserve of his bracer with it, let it disperse, or accumulate it within his body. He couldn¡¯t send it to his large reserve, since that was water at the moment. His attackers might not even rank as Omegas, but he had absorbed enough essence from them over the day that it was becoming uncomfortable.

    This wasn¡¯t suffusing his body. It didn¡¯t seem to do anything, other than make him feel like something inside him was pushing against everything there. This wasn¡¯t even the same as when he¡¯d absorbed the essence from Bardik and caused his reserve to overflow into him. This wasn¡¯t pain, but it was no less uncomfortable.

    What he wanted was time to study what this was doing, but he wouldn¡¯t get that until Sebastian was in irons and thrown into a catacomb. All he could do now was let the excess go, but that felt like such a waste.

    Then came the attack that nearly caused him to make the situation ever worse. It wasn¡¯t the thugs that had almost caused him to lash out. It was the group of six nobles who had walked by and barely glanced in their direction, along with the four adventurers escorting them, two of which Tibs knew from when he went to the guild more frequently.

    He nearly forgot about the thugs, the people he was protecting, and his secret. He almost channeled fire and burned them away.

    The pain of a sword cutting his arm saved them, saved him, but he promised himself he wouldn¡¯t forget how the guild took the noble¡¯s coin to keep them safe.

    It wasn¡¯t his distraction that caused the death; he told himself. The fight had been hard, and the Runner would have died, regardless.

    No, he wouldn¡¯t have died if those adventurers had helped.

    * * * * *

    The inn was crowded.

    Tables were used as beds for the injured unable to stand or sit. Kroseph and his brothers ran around, passing boiled cloth for the cleaning of wounds. Clara looked up from where she sat, looking gaunt and tired. There was no resignation as the cleric stood, only determination as she motioned for him to bring the woman he carried to her.

    * * * * *

    Tibs looked at the people in the inn. The injured he could heal if not for his secret. Clara was slumped over a table, taken by exhaustion, and still there were dozens and dozens of people who could use her help.

    His help.

    But to heal one of them was to reveal what he could do. That he could channel Purity. Even the way Clara did it, there was nothing discrete about healing, and he was far clumsier with the essence. It might be possible to prevent the sense of wellbeing that came with healing, although what cleric would want that for her patient?

    Maybe the townsfolk wouldn¡¯t understand what it meant, but only if they hadn¡¯t been under the care of a cleric, and every Runner with an injury had felt what that kind of healing was like.

    Tibs wanted more than anything to help them, to heal them.

    No, not more than anything. He didn¡¯t want the guild to find out what he could do. And all it would take was for one of them to inadvertently let something slip. There might not be any ill intent on their part, but Tibs would still end up at the mercy of the guild for as long as he lived.

    So they had to suffer for him to keep his freedom.

    A bowl was pushed into his hands.

    ¡°Eat,¡± Kroseph ordered.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he replied. ¡°They need it more.¡±

    ¡°You have to eat, Tibs. You¡¯ve been out there all day, fighting. If you die because you were faint from hunger, Jackal isn¡¯t going to forgive me.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need to.¡± He gave the server the bowl back.

    Kroseph opened his mouth, but his expression went from severe to quizzical. He leaned in and whispered. ¡°You don¡¯t have to eat anymore?¡±

    ¡°Not right now. Not for a while. Purity,¡± he added in a whisper.

    When he suffused himself with Purity, it did more than heal him and take away his exhaustion. It also healed whatever else was wrong with him. Whatever going hungry or thirsty did? It was gone. Suffusing himself left him well rested, quenched, and sated.

    There had to be limits. He knew that if he went more than five nights suffusing himself instead of sleeping, that stopped working. The limit might be the same for food and drinks, or it might be different, but he¡¯d deal with that if the battle for Kragle Rock pushed on that long.

    He looked at Clara, sleeping, head on her arms, and wished he could tell her what she¡¯d been able to do once she learned how to suffuse her body with Purity. Maybe the knowledge would make her work harder toward it. Even if she didn¡¯t, Tibs knew she would become a better healer knowing that.

    She was another victim of his secret.

    Were more people suffering because of what he wanted than what the guild didn¡¯t do?

 Stepping up, Chapter 105

    ¡°Over there!¡± someone yelled.

    Tibs looked up from the woman he dispatched in time to see green and black vanish around the corner.

    ¡°After them,¡± he yelled, and ran.

    ¡°But my guy¡¯s not dead,¡± one of the fighters with him replied.

    ¡°Who cares,¡± said another, falling into steps with Tibs.

    He¡¯d wanted to have his team at his back as they went after the people Sebastian sent in the town, to sewing destruction and chaos, but Quigly had pointed out that, as some of the few original Runners left, along with the notoriety Jackal, he, and his team had, it was more efficient to have each lead a different group. It was the same with any Runner that had even a little renown. The one person who avoided this was Khumdar, who disappeared as assignments were given.

    The two fighters with Tibs were Upsilon and had Metal as their element, but they had little training. He did his best to remember he¡¯d been where they were once. Not even a year ago, or was it slightly over that now? So much had happened he had trouble keeping track. On top of that, by the time he¡¯d had to take on his first real fight outside the dungeon, he¡¯d already gone through a lot of hardening within it. One of the fighters, Ernest, had arrived days before the Attendants vanished.

    They ran through empty streets, barely keeping the group in sight. The houses became more luxurious as they proceeded, and in the distance, he made out the noble¡¯s neighborhood. He wondered if that was their destination and why.

    Jackal had told him Sebastian wouldn¡¯t rest after his defeat, and that he¡¯d seek to hurt Tibs personally, so they agreed the town was the target, but even Sebastian had to know how much Tibs hated nobles. He couldn¡¯t think he had anything to gain by attacking that part of the town.

    Tibs stopped as the group ahead flew back. He raised his arms, channeled Earth, and blocked his companions path with them. The only way that had happened was through the use of essence, and Tibs didn¡¯t want to seem like another group of attackers to the adventurers the nobles had bought.

    The thugs in green and black were getting to their feet by the time Tibs was close enough to see the lone adventurer standing in the middle of the road in the intersection where the nobles neighborhood started.

    She had golden eyes, and her chain-mail armor glowed from all the essence woven through it. The sword was still sheathed, but she looked ready to draw it as she noticed them.

    ¡°This area is off limits,¡± she announced. ¡°If you try to get any closer, I¡¯ll take you down.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re on the same side,¡± Ernest called back. ¡°We¡¯re here to help you deal with them.¡±

    She focused on them and Tibs formed his sword and shield as he sensed essence shift between them. He had no way of knowing what an adventurer working for the nobles would do, but forming essence couldn¡¯t be¡ªit dissipated.

    ¡°Good, you deal with them in that case.¡± She relaxed.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t she going to help us?¡± Ernest asked. ¡°We were going to help her.¡±

    ¡°You have a lot to learn about adventurers,¡± the other fighter said.

    Especially those who took nobles¡¯ coins, Tibs thought darkly.

    ¡°That¡¯s okay,¡± the fighter said. ¡°We don¡¯t need her.¡±

    The group between Tibs and the adventurer was composed of three women and two men in light green and black leathers and armed with swords. They turned their back on the adventurer and smirked as they look Tibs and his group over.

    That was fine by Tibs. He liked being underestimated.

    He ran before they made their moves. He had the overall advantage, having essence when they didn¡¯t, but they would be more experienced in combat. He made a patch of ice and slid to the center of the group. He got in a few minor slices before they got over the surprise. Then he was fighting two, while his companions kept the other three busy.

    The adventurer stepped back and relaxed.

    Tibs didn¡¯t have time to think the dark thoughts as he leaped aside the strike meant for his neck, then blocked the other sword. He had the spikes on the shield grow, but the man jumped away before they struck him. They also avoided the patches of ice he put down. He wanted to ice the entire street, but his allies didn¡¯t have his ability to move on ice.

    While these thugs might not have been told of his dislike for the nobles, they had been informed of how he liked to use ice, and about some of his more recent tactics, too. He surprised one when he blocked with his sword and used his spiked shield to slash her stomach open, but it allowed the other thug to cut his sword arm.

    He lost hold of his sword and let the essence go. Tibs filled the wound with ice as he dodged and backed away from the mad strikes. The man grinned at him until he noticed the knife in Tibs¡¯s hand. Instead of confusion as to where it had come from, the man backed away as Tibs threw it.

    He didn¡¯t hit him, not that surprised him, but all he¡¯d wanted was to put distance between them. With a thought, the man was covered with water, which iced and thickened as he fought to break free. His effort became more frantic as Tibs approached, reforming his sword. It went through the ice without resistance, then through the man¡¯s chest.

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    His allies were also done with their opponents, Ernest keeping the other fighter from falling, and they were staring at him. So was the adventurer, who again looked ready to fight.

    The two¡¯s reaction didn¡¯t surprise him. They might have heard stories of what Tibs had done, but how likely were they to believe them? Her reaction, on the other hand, perplexed him. He expected she knew of him. His interactions with the nobles were indirect, but there had been enough altercations between his Runners and the noble¡¯s guards; they all knew who he was. Not to say of his habit of training by breaking into the nobles¡¯ homes.

    Maybe she too hadn¡¯t believed the stories.

    He did an inventory of his reserve. It was imprecise, he wasn¡¯t sure how much he¡¯d had when the fight started, and how much went into forming the sword, one of which he¡¯d just let go, instead of pulling essence back. He frowned as he had more essence than he thought he should, but put that out of his mind as something for later.

    The injured fighter yelled. ¡°You could have helped!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± Tibs said, crouching to examine the injury. ¡°The nobles own her, and she¡¯s guild.¡± He filled the deep cut with ice to explain why the flow stopped, then added a wrap of his essence to ensure it didn¡¯t get worse as they returned to the inn.

    ¡°You¡¯re guild too,¡± she called.

    He stood and faced her. ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to yourself, kid.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a Runner,¡± he told her, glaring. ¡°I¡¯m here helping the townsfolk, not hiding in the hall, or letting the nobles think nothing¡¯s happening just because you took their coins. I¡¯m doing what the guild should.¡±

    ¡°You think you¡¯re the only one who got into this wanting to help everyone?¡± she replies with a sneer. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that¡¯s going to get beaten out of you, too.¡±

    ¡°I will never let the guild turn me into someone like you,¡± he snarled.

    She snorted. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who thought that, either. You¡¯ll see they¡¯re right, eventually.¡±

    Tibs turned his back to her instead of replying. He had more pressing things to deal with. Like getting the fighter to Clara so she could heal him and he could go out and remove more of Sebastian¡¯s people from his town.

    * * * * *

    Carina dropped into the chair next to Tibs and rested her head on her arms. ¡°I hate Jackal¡¯s father,¡± she muttered.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t alone,¡± he said, forcing himself to eat. Kroseph hadn¡¯t taken no for an answer this time. So even if he wasn¡¯t hungry, Tibs had to eat. The server looked meaningfully at the bowl of stew before Tibs as he placed a tankard and bowl by Carina.

    ¡°Did you lose anyone?¡± she asked, thanking Kroseph with a nod.

    He shook his head. ¡°But we¡¯re losing too many overall.¡±

    She sighed, stirring the stew with her spoon. ¡°The guild¡¯s going to have to empty more cells if they want to continue having runs.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I don¡¯t get,¡± Mez said, taking his seat, and putting the plate down. ¡°I don¡¯t like that they aren¡¯t defending the town, but I can understand why. It¡¯s about resource management,¡± he said when Tibs glared at him. ¡°For whatever reason, they don¡¯t have the resource to defend it.¡±

    Tibs snorted. ¡°They have it, they just aren¡¯t using it.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll still have a reason for doing it,¡± the archer said, cutting the steak. ¡°But leaving us out here to basically die doesn¡¯t make any sense considering how much they kept saying we¡¯re important once we became Upsilon.¡±

    ¡°They lied,¡± Carina said before Tibs could give an equivalent, but angrier, answer.

    ¡°They wish for us to become stronger,¡± Khumdar said, sitting. ¡°This will be nothing more different from the fights in the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t agree,¡± Carina said. ¡°Maybe for the Omegas and Upsilons it feels like what they¡¯ve gone through on their runs, but the fights I¡¯ve been in barely push what I can do. How about you?¡± she looked at them before finally starting eating.

    ¡°Now that you mention it,¡± Mez said. ¡°The fights have been hard, but definitely not third floor hard.¡±

    Tibs shrugged, chewing without tasting the food. If the fights were easier than they expected, then it had to mean more would survive over all, and he¡¯d take that. ¡°Anyone seen Jackal?¡± he asked, trying to decide if his bowl still half full would be enough for Kroseph to let him go back out.

    ¡°Out there, fighting, I expect,¡± Mez answered.

    ¡°I know that, but has anyone seen him?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d have to ask Kroseph,¡± the archer said.

    Tibs wasn¡¯t worried, yet. But he would like to know that his friend was okay.

    * * * * *

    Tibs stood on the roof as the sun vanished over the horizon, watching the wall the caravans had been turned into while Tibs and his people had been busy rounding up Sebastian¡¯s people throughout the day.

    Had been kept busy doing that, Tibs was thinking, since without all of them attacking the caravan, it had allowed Sebastian to have them turned on their sides and moved, so he now had a barricade fortifying his position. But it wouldn¡¯t have been the only reason for the incursion, as Quigly called what had happened.

    Tibs thought Sebastian always had multiple reasons for everything he did.

    No one from Sebastian¡¯s camp was running into the town anymore. They¡¯d stopped as soon as the sun touched the top of the distant trees. Quigly was confused, since it gave the town the time to rest and heal. The tactical thing to do, as far as the warrior was concerned, was to push until the town broke, or Sebastian ran out of people. There was too much motion behind the barricade for them to be out of people.

    Which meant Sebastian had a different reason for what he was doing. One Tibs didn¡¯t understand yet.

    Outside of his team, and Darran, who didn¡¯t believe Don could do anything worthwhile, no one knew Tibs was responsible for the destruction of Sebastian¡¯s house, or that the man held Tibs responsible for what had happened. So the attack was just general revenge as far as everyone else was concerned, instead of a way to hurt Tibs as deeply as possible. Among the orders the spies Khumdar had captured had, there was one about finding out everything and everyone in the town Tibs cared for.

    He had no way of knowing how many had reported their findings, or what those had said. He loved the town as a whole, but as with anyone else, he had places he preferred over others. The inn, Darran¡¯s shop and the merchant. His team¡¯s room, the candy shop. He had no idea what someone spying on him would make of the places he visited when he wanted to relax.

    On the other side of the barricade, torches and lanterns lit.

    He considered sneaking into the camp in the darkness. If he could find Sebastian, maybe he could simply end the man instead of dropping him at Harry¡¯s feet to be dealt with. Or maybe, and more likely, as Jackal had warned him, the lull was to lure Tibs into acting and falling into the trap his father had set.

    Tibs idly considered mustering all the fire essence he had and incinerating the camp along with everyone in it. Part of him thought it would be worth the problems doing that would cause him with the guild to ensure Sebastian was ash. But on top of the questions he would have to answer, he couldn¡¯t be certain such an attack would kill the man. Sebastian had all the enchanted protection he could pay for, and he¡¯d seen the fire that nearly killed him, even if Tibs didn¡¯t expect the man knew it was him who¡¯d done it.

    And then, there were the prisoners Sebastian had. He didn¡¯t put it past the man to have killed everyone not working for him, but he couldn¡¯t be certain, and if his fire was large enough, hot enough to kill the man, it would kill everyone else in the camp without care for if they were prisoners or not.

    If he wasn¡¯t going to go running into the trap, or burn the whole thing down, Tibs was left with making sure he was ready if Sebastian tried something in the night.

 Stepping up, Chapter 106

    Tibs straightened, trying to make out what the increased illumination at the back of Sebastian¡¯s camp was about. There had been activity all night long, with distant sounds of hammering and large objects being dragged about. Unfortunately, no matter what roof he stood on, he couldn¡¯t see anything that told him what was happening.

    Now, in the pre-dawn lightning of the sky, it looked like Sebastian¡¯s people had lit a bonfire.

    There was a distant clunk and Tibs stood, stunned, as a large ball of fire arched over the town and fell onto a building somewhere deeper, splashing and sending flames flying on the surrounding ones. The tar like smell that trail the ball snapped him back and he ran toward the fire, jumping roofs using air, uncaring who might see him. He had to go put the fire out before it could spread.

    Runners were already fighting it as he dropped from the closest roof. They kept the fire from spreading and pulled the air away in an ineffectual attempt to smother the flames. A couple of Earth users were trying to do the same, but they didn¡¯t have the training to affect only small patches of the ground and they damaged a building attempting to save it.

    With all of them there, Tibs had no choice but limit himself to water, and he pulled essence out, ready to unleash a torrent on¡ª

    An explosion sent rubble and a badly burnt Runner flying, and Tibs redirected the water to catch them. Trying to process what had happened.

    ¡°Don¡¯t use water!¡± someone yelled. Cross tackled a Runner concentrating on a ball of water before them, breaking their concentration. ¡°Water¡¯s only going to make things worse!¡±

    Two other Water users looked in her direction and dismissed her.

    ¡°Do what she says!¡± Tibs ordered. The Runner he was laying on the ground was also a water user. ¡°Cross, what is going on?¡± The other runners looked in his direction before letting go of the water essence they¡¯d been collecting.

    ¡°You¡¯re dealing with Everburn,¡± she told him, pulling the runner to her feet. ¡°Water just makes the stuff burn hotter.¡±

    ¡°Magic?¡± he asked, even if he didn¡¯t feel any sort of weave under the fire. How else could water help fire?

    ¡°Alchemy,¡± she replied. ¡°Which I guess is a sort of magic, but it doesn¡¯t need people to have an element.

    People without elements could do magic? ¡°Why hasn¡¯t the guild told us that¡¯s a thing?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to ask them,¡± she replied, letting go of the now steady, if still confused, runner. ¡°I know about it because one of the caravan I was a guard on, years ago, had an alchemist traveling with them. Her ¡®act¡¯ was based around Everburn, challenging anyone to put out a small fire with it at its base. She also made stuff that would keep infections from setting in and speed up healing, but the Everburn trick was how she attracted the attention.¡±

    ¡°How do we stop it?¡± one of the Water user asked, joining them.

    ¡°You don¡¯t,¡± she replied. ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s called Everburn. The only thing you can do is make sure the fire doesn¡¯t spread while it consumes itself.¡±

    Tibs cursed as Runners ran off, calling others to themselves and combining elements to control the flames. If the fire consumed the Everburn, then there was a way to put it out quickly, but Tibs didn¡¯t have the time to figure out how right now. ¡°It came flying from Sebastian¡¯s camp. Is that something an alchemist can also do, or does it mean we¡¯re sure he has adventurers now?¡±

    ¡°He has a catapult,¡± Quigly said, running. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen one used to send Everburn, but if they have a way to put it in its bowl before lighting it, it¡¯ll work.¡±

    Something else Tibs would have to ask about once this was done.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to cost him the catapult,¡± Cross said. ¡°Everburn doesn¡¯t care what it¡¯s in. Once lit, it¡¯ll burn it, and the stuff sticks like tar.¡±

    ¡°Smells like it too,¡± Tibs muttered, watching the others work, feeling powerless to help since he couldn¡¯t use his other elements.

    ¡°From what Jackal told me, if his father¡¯s using something, he has a way to control it. And essence has to be stronger than the stuff, so he could have adventurers keeping it from causing him problems.¡±

    ¡°Which means he does have adventurers,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°Or he had the wood for the catapult enchanted before leaving,¡± Quigly countered. And Tibs groaned. ¡°Sorry, war never comes with certainties.¡±

    ¡°I hate this,¡± he muttered.

    ¡°You and everyone who¡¯s been caught in one,¡± Quigly replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to destroy that thing,¡± Tibs said, and started marching.

    ¡°Tibs, you can¡¯t just march in there,¡± the warrior said.

    ¡°I can¡¯t let Sebastian burn down my town!¡±

    ¡°Get a team together,¡± Quigly told him, running to catch up. ¡°You know this is exactly what Sebastian¡¯s after, you, pissed off and marching into his trap.¡±

    ¡°He won¡¯t know I¡¯m there.¡± He couldn¡¯t do what Bardik or Khumdar could, but when he suffused himself with Darkness, he became difficult to see. All he¡¯d need were shadows, and he¡¯d be unseen.

    Quigly grabbed his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m not letting you commit suicide.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not letting him burn my town!¡±

    ¡°Think, Tibs. You don¡¯t have to rush. The fact he hadn¡¯t sent a second one means he only has one catapult. He can¡¯t put Everburn into its bowl until what¡¯s already there stops burning. Cross, do you know of anything that can stop Everburn?¡±

    ¡°No, the alchemist had to let it burn through the metal bowl she put it in and eventually, the fire consumed it all. There was nothing left once that happened.¡±

    ¡°She put it on a table?¡±

    ¡°The ground.¡±

    Quigly frowned. ¡°Did it burn the earth?¡±

    ¡°No, it just sat there.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°Then it can be smothered.¡± He looked around. ¡°Do we have anyone at Rho or Lambda with Earth as their element? I think we¡¯re going to need that level of control to not destroy the buildings while covering them in earth.¡±

    ¡°Jackal¡¯s Lambda,¡± Tibs said, ¡°but he never worked on being precise. Making himself harder and stronger is all he¡¯s been practicing with.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Quigly said, ¡°it¡¯s the same with the two other Earth fighters I know. Rogues?¡±

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°Not really something that helps us. Water, air, metal, are what we seem to go for.¡±

    ¡°Darkness?¡± Quigly asked. ¡°I saw your cleric do something that made fire burn weaker.¡±

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    ¡°No, Bardik told me it¡¯s popular,¡± Tibs said, ¡°but no one here chose it. I think we¡¯re all too angry to consider something that subtle.¡±

    ¡°Then sorcerers,¡± the warrior said. ¡°We can¡¯t get them here in time to save these buildings, but if Sebastian can smother Everburn by filling the bowl with earth, the next one is coming soon.¡±

    ¡°Then I have to destroy¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, you aren¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t get to tell me what to do!¡±

    ¡°Jackal ordered me to keep you from doing exactly this,¡± the warrior replied. ¡°Carina asked me to look out for you. Mez said something about not acting like a child and Kroseph made it clear that if I let you get killed, I wasn¡¯t going to be far behind you.¡± Quigly glared at Tibs. ¡°Do you have any idea how scary that server can be?¡±

    Tibs smiled in spite of himself, remembering the times Jackal came running down the stairs in terror after he¡¯d said the wrong thing to his man. He forced it and the smile away. ¡°So you¡¯re just going to let Sebastian burn everything?¡±

    ¡°No. But I¡¯m not going to let you walk in there and be killed while we have other options.¡±

    ¡°What other options?¡±

    The warrior raised an eyebrow and motioned around them, at the Runners controlling how the flames moved, keeping them centered over the buildings already covered with Everburn. ¡°For one thing, we have essence.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs fumed.

    He hated that Quigly had been right. He¡¯d been so focused on avenging the destruction he hadn¡¯t thought beyond his need to act, to do anything that gave his anger an outlet. He hated that Don had inserted himself in the group of archers standing on the roof with him, and he hated even more that Amelia was diferring to the sorcerer, when it came to who gave the orders.

    She¡¯d assembled the group, three Wood archers, one of which was Rho, two Fire archers, her at Lambda and Mez at Rho. And the last two were Omega, but they¡¯d still be able to return the favor to Sebastian.

    Containing Everburn was how Don had made himself invaluable to this attack. He and three other sorcerers had smothered, and found a way to manipulate the tar-like substance with their combination of essence, and now he had a large bucket of the stuff with arrows stuck in them ready to be pulled out and lit before being sent back to their attackers.

    The distant thunk made Tibs curse, and he was in the process of turning, to chase after it when¡ª

    ¡°Stand firm,¡± Don instructed. ¡°There is nothing any of us here can do for it. The sorcerers will contain the damage. We are here to make sure this is the last one they send.¡± The sorcerer purposely didn¡¯t look at Tibs as he spoke, but there was no doubt who the order was for. Not that Don wanted him here.

    Tibs had nothing to contribute. Not here, not with the fires. Don hadn¡¯t gone so far as to say he was useless, but the implication had been there. No one had cared, not that Tibs would have let anyone stop him. If he couldn¡¯t, shouldn¡¯t, walk into Sebastian¡¯s camp to destroy the catapult, he was going to watch it happen.

    ¡°I say we let it burn,¡± Richard said, watching the arc. He was one of the archer taken from a cell in the last group of arrival. He¡¯d been in the process of being released, when the guild¡¯s demand for more criminal came, and had been shipped here. He had even less love for the guild than Tibs had these days.

    And the ball of burning Everburn was heading for the guild building.

    Tibs couldn¡¯t believe Sebastian had done that. The guild would have to respond to a direct attack, wouldn¡¯t they? He could see people on the roof, a lot of them. He made out some in armor, or colorful clothing that adventurers seemed to favor, but most were bland at this distance. A sea of people who would do what?

    Tibs had his answer when the ball of Everburn exploded, sending small globs of the stuff all over the town. Had Sebastian arranged for that? Was that something else alchemists could do? Then he noticed movements on the roof, and in response to those, the globs still heading for the building were flung in other directions.

    Whatever hope Tibs had clung to about the guild burned away. They had exploded the Everburn over the town. They¡¯d made it impossible for the few sorcerers able to smother it to concentrate their efforts. He watched as more buildings than he could count erupted. More buildings than they had runners able to control the flames for.

    To save their precious building, the guild had sacrificed a large part of the town. ¡°I¡¯m going to fill that building with corruption,¡± Tibs growled through clenched teeth, ¡°and laugh as they all melt in it.¡±

    ¡°No, you won¡¯t,¡± Don said calmly, watching the guild¡¯s effort to destroy their town. ¡°But if you ice it over, I¡¯ll be happy to do it for you.¡± He turned to face the encampment. ¡°Wood archers, charge your arrows!¡±

    Tibs felt essence shift. Raona was the Rho archer, and she¡¯d spent the hour here instructing the other two on how to create one specific effect.

    ¡°Fire archers, ready your attacks!¡±

    Mez and Amelia pulled on the string of their bows and essence coalesced into the form of an arrow. The Omega archers pulled an arrow out of the bucket each and notched them.

    ¡°Mez?¡± Don asked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll light them as soon as they release them.¡± Fire essence pooled at the tip of the arrows.

    ¡°As arranged, fire!¡±

    Raona let her arrow fly, and the response from the encampment was immediate. Arrows came at them. Tibs smiled and took hold of the water vapor in the air. He hadn¡¯t been able to justify his presence when Don had questioned it, but Tibs had come up with things he could do while they waited.

    An arrow entered his range, and it was coated with water, then it stopped, held there by Tibs¡¯s will so Don could see, before it dropped. A second and a third, and a¡ªthis one rotted and had nothing solid for the water to hold as it formed around it. Tibs caught Don¡¯s smirk and pushed his ranged further with effort.

    Out of the corner of his eye he saw fire arrows fly at Sebastian¡¯s camp, some entirely of fire, others only the head, the Everburn igniting as it passed through the cloud of fire essence in front of the arrow.

    He caught more arrows, not bothering displaying them, before they fell. When another rotted as he caught it, Tibs gritted his teeth and pushed further. He would show Don who was the¡ªa scream came. The youngest of the Wood archers had an arrow in his shoulder and was falling back. Cursing himself for letting wanting to outdo Don distract him from protecting his people, Tibs send a mountain of snow on the inclined roof for them to land and slide in, as well as on the ground and to cushion their fall.

    The curses from the fighters, there to guard them and the building, as the snow buried them was a small price to pay for the archer surviving the fall.

    He and Don shared a look as they focused ahead again, and the sorcerer looked as sorry as Tibs felt for letting this happen.

    ¡°Will this be a problem?¡± Don asked, as they stopped more arrows.

    The fire spread within the camp. Spreading quicker than it should in places, while exploding in small bursts in other.

    ¡°No, the work was in the arrows we sent,¡± Raona replied. ¡°At this point, one less isn¡¯t going to make a difference. And we should see it right about¡ª¡± The cracking of wood overshadows every other sound. ¡°¡ªnow.¡±

    Then came the screams, and Tibs¡¯s concentration faltered as he watched trees grow at the back of the encampment. A lot of them, and they were growing fast, and growing tall.

    ¡°I would love to see them untangle that thing out from that,¡± Raona said, beaming.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let pride be your downfall,¡± Amelia said, continuing to fire. ¡°You may have taken out their largest weapon, and congratulation on that, but there are still many more of them. We must continue to¡ª¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Don said. ¡°Our job was to destroy or incapacitate the catapult and do as much damage as you could in the process. Now it¡¯s time to retreat. Me and Tibs will cover you as go down.¡±

    The Omegas were lowered, then the wood archers. By the time Amelia started down, a pained scream came from below. Tibs exchanged a look of worry with Don before running down the roof. Thugs in green and black were mixed in with the runners. The few still alive fought hard, but even with essence, they weren¡¯t as skilled as the men they fought against.

    Tibs sent water below him and landed in it, creating a wave that sent everyone down.

    The thugs were quicker to get up. ¡°There he is,¡± one of them called.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Mez called from where he was climbing down. Amelia right behind him. At the edge of the roof, Don looked down, eyes wide in fear, before vanishing up the slope.

    Tibs forced the sorcerer out of his mind. He didn¡¯t have the time to hope he was just looking for a better position to attack from. Two of the Runner stood and backed to his position. The Wood archer Tibs made the snow bank for, as well as Richard were the only archers still breathing, but they weren¡¯t conscious. He pulled them to him on a sheet of water, then the three fighters he could see breathing.

    ¡°Mez,¡± he told his friend as he heard him land. ¡°You and the others need to take the injured to the inn. I¡¯ll keep them busy.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not leaving you here alone,¡± one of the fighters said.

    ¡°Mez,¡± Tibs said, looking over his shoulder. ¡°I need you and the others to take anyone alive to the inn. I will hold them back.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± the archer asked. ¡°This sounds a lot like a Jackal thing to do.¡±

    Tibs grinned. ¡°I¡¯m not Jackal.¡± He looked at the thugs. ¡°And I have been wanting a chance to let loose.¡±

    ¡°You heard him,¡± Mez said. ¡°Grab someone and start moving. No arguing.¡± The archer picked up the wood archer. ¡°No dying,¡± he told Tibs, before leaving.

    Tibs stood alone, facing one and five thugs in green and black. They¡¯d come for him, and they¡¯d come in force.

    ¡°You¡¯re smart to send them away. Now they don¡¯t have to see you surrender.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not surrendering. I¡¯m going to kill each and everyone of you.¡± He made a sword and shield from ice, both jagged and dangerous looking. He¡¯d start with that, then he¡¯d have fun with the other elements. But not fire, he decided. Fire would end this too quickly. The only thing he had to worry about was making sure the buildings were still standing by the time they were all dead, so this would be fun.

    Well, he decided as the confusion on the thugs turned to determination, he should try to keep them standing. If he couldn¡¯t, he could always claim one of them was the reason the building had been destroyed.

 Stepping up, Chapter 107

    Tibs trudged into the inn and looked around for the sorcerer.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Kroseph called worriedly on seeing him.

    ¡°It¡¯s not mine,¡± he told the server, heading for his table, where Mez and Carina were eating. ¡°Where¡¯s Don?¡± He demanded.

    Carina was exhausted and barely looked up for the stew she ate mechanically.

    ¡°I thought he was with you,¡± Mez said. ¡°When he didn¡¯t come down after me and Amelia, I figured he¡¯d help you from a safe distance.¡±

    ¡°His team left the inn maybe fifteen minutes before you got here,¡± Kroseph said. ¡°Tibs, you should wash up. You¡¯re rather gory.¡±

    He grabbed a tankard off the table and drained it. ¡°I¡¯m not going to get any cleaner today. If you see Don, tell him I¡ª¡± Tibs put the tankard down, then shook his head at Kroseph¡¯s expectant expression. ¡°Never mind. I¡¯ll tell him myself when I find him.¡±

    Now was not the time to start a fight with the sorcerer, no matter how badly he deserved it. He turned to head out and paused. ¡°Oh, if anyone asks what happened to the block of houses by Edge Row, they did it.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs ran after another group of Sebastian¡¯s thugs and watched as one threw a pouch at a building. Tibs deflected it so it landed on the ground ahead of it, but it burst and the Everburn it contained splashed as it ignited and the fire reached the house, anyway. He didn¡¯t waste time pulling at the fire. He¡¯d have to let the thugs get away for how long it would take him to pull all that essence away. It was like Everburn simply made the essence appear.

    Tibs had hoped the loss of the catapult would have broken Sebastian¡¯s people, if not the man himself. Instead, the raids had redoubled, with them now using the Everburn the way Tibs had just seen.

    And there were other groups of thugs throughout the town, burning down homes and shops.

    He tackled the slowest of the thug in green and black, planted his sword in her back while the others kept running, then picked up the chase.

    Quigly felt this would be over quickly now.

    Tibs wasn¡¯t so sure, but they didn¡¯t have the luxury of this stretching on. Kroseph¡¯s father had mentioned the people in the dungeon had no more than two day¡¯s food left, if they were careful how they ate. They had provisioned them, but once Sto closed his door, he couldn¡¯t open it again until the attack was over. Otherwise, it would seem too suspicious. Animals sensed danger, and Sto had been attacked already. Those Tibs could use to explain the dungeon¡¯s behavior if it came down to it. Anything else and he¡¯d be in trouble.

    So he needed to end this as fast as possible.

    * * * * *

    The scream came as Tibs dispatched another one of what felt like Sebastian¡¯s unending supply of thugs. He¡¯d fought them through the night, as the sun rose, and it was just past the zenith now. He had no idea how many of them he killed, but it never seemed to be enough. The only part of the town free of damage and fighting was the noble¡¯s neighborhood, as they had adventurers blocking every alley leading there.

    The scream came again, accompanied by mocking laughter, multiple people laughing.

    He climbed the closest building and ran the roofs until he reached the courtyard, then dropped as he saw an archer scanning the roofs. He¡¯d caught sight of two more, and heard one of them let loose an arrow ahead of the scream coming yet again.

    ¡°See anything?¡± a man asked.

    ¡°You really think this is going to draw him out?¡± a woman answered. An arrow was loosed, a man screamed. ¡°This is a big town.¡±

    Tibs sensed eight people in the courtyard, one of which was the man being shot, by the way his essence was broken, and he had an element. Corruption.

    Tibs considered leaving Don to his fate. It would serve him right for leaving Tibs to die.

    ¡°And there¡¯s a lot of people for us to use as bait. I want that reward. If you¡¯re not interested in it, why don¡¯t you go back and ask for kitchen duty.¡±

    Tibs edged to the peak of the roof and peered over. Not that Tibs thought he was a better man than the sorcerer in saving him. Or that it would show him who of the two was better.

    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± She snapped, and the man screamed. ¡°I¡¯m doing my part.¡± He screamed again. ¡°I don¡¯t see you do anything other than stand there and watch.¡± He screamed again.

    Tibs needed Don. The man, as much of a coward as he was, knew strategy. He could speak to the people, he could calm even nobles. Tibs hated him even more for how much Tibs needed him to ensure the town survived.

    ¡°Careful where you aim. The point is to have him scream for as long as possible, not kill him.¡±

    The building creating the courtyard also made four alleys between them. He could see two, each with a thug in green and black holding swords. They leaned against the side of the buildings, watching the archers take turn shooting the man who was out of Tibs¡¯s sight. He could sense the other two thugs at the mouth of the unseen alleys.

    He considered turning away again, the way Don had. No one would know. The man would just be yet one more Runner to die at the hand of Sebastian¡¯s thugs.

    And the town would suffer more for Tibs indulging his anger.

    He leaped over the peak and slid down the roof; the archer keeping watch, loosed his arrow and missed. The house was only three stories. Tibs wouldn¡¯t even need essence for the drop.

    ¡°Told you!¡±

    He suffused his body with Earth because this wasn¡¯t when he should take chances, rolled and let it go to retake Water as he stood. He had hold of the humidity as the archer loosed another arrow, stopping it as he formed a sword and shield.

    Don was conscious, and their eyes met. The man still had enough energy to look more scared on realizing who was saving him, then Tibs blocked the coming sword with his shield, and with a scream, he planted his sword into the thug, exploring it into shards of ice. Don¡¯s team was on the ground, dead. Cut and shot.

    He reformed his sword to parry the other thug, kicked him away as an archer drew her bow. He sent and ¡®x¡¯ attack and put enough essence into it she didn¡¯t get up.

    The man came back at him, two more coming from the alley they had been guarding. An arrow nearly hit him, and Tibs didn¡¯t have the time to find the last archer as he dodged and parried.

    A sword came down hard, and somehow, Tibs sword shattered under it. Cursing, Tibs summoned a knife in his now free hand and planted it into the thug¡¯s stomach, then ripped it out viciously before sending it back to its hiding place.

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    A detail Sto hadn¡¯t considered, which Tibs appreciated, was that only the knife returned there. None of the blood it was coated with.

    One less thing he had to clean when the battle was over.

    Tibs sent another ¡®x¡¯ attack at the one archer he could find, but the man jumped to the side. Then the two thugs were on him. That was the problem with that attack; anyone who saw it once, knew to get out of the way when he did the motion.

    He blocked the first to attack and used his shield to bash her away; the spikes leaving her bloody, but only angrier. She came again, hard, but smarter, darting left and right. Without the mass most men had on them, her agility made even Tibs¡¯s surprise attack of elongating his blade not as effective. He only nicked her.

    Fighting her to something of a stalemate, and keeping an eye on the archer notching another arrow and worrying about the other archer he still hadn¡¯t located meant that the only thing that saved Tibs from the sword in the back was that the sheet of ice covering his armor made it skid off and dig into the side instead.

    With as a scream of rage and pain, he let go of his sword and grabbed the man¡¯s arm, pulling at the essence. He realized he was pulling Water and not his element as the core reserve refilled, and the man¡¯s arm withered, and he gasped. It happened so fast Tibs didn¡¯t understand what he¡¯d done, and the woman before him stared at him, her expression turning to horror. He had his sword in her chest before she could do more.

    The archer stood, bow drawn, and Tibs had water ready when the man glanced over Tibs. He turned, icing the air between him and the hidden archer as she let her arrow loose. How she¡¯d been hidden from his senses would be a question to answer later, same as how it was that arrow shattered his wall of ice and he landed on his back from the impact. It was in his shoulder, fortunately, not deep enough for the barbs to rip his flesh as he pulled it out and wrapped that injury along with the one in his side in his essence. He threw it to the side as he stood, only absently noting the head was made of a green stone.

    He ran at her as she readied another arrow. She dropped it and pulled a sword. He blocked and maneuvered himself to place her between him and the other archer. Immediately, she moved out of the way as she attacked.

    She was better than Tibs expected, and underestimating her allowed her a few hits, but they didn¡¯t get through his layers of armor. He wasn¡¯t used to an archer knowing how to fight with a sword. It even felt wrong for her to be that good.

    He intercepted the arrow with his shield and worried he¡¯s made a mistake and allowed a repeat of the shattering of his wall, but it embedded itself in the ice. He pressed her, and she panicked. He used her uncoordinated retreat to dispatch her.

    The remaining archer turned to run, but Tibs had a wall of ice before him, then at his back, and he closed off another side, leaving him with only one option. Facing Tibs.

    The archer fired arrow after arrow as Tibs walked in his direction until he was out. None of them hit. Water in the air caught them, made them fall, and by the time the man reached for his sword, it was too late. Tibs ran the last paces and shoved the man against the wall with his sword in his gut.

    The wound wasn¡¯t fatal. Tibs made sure of that. Knowing where people¡¯s essence was in their body told him where to strike to kill, or not to kill.

    He left the sword in, rearranged its essence, made it a weave that caused the water around it to turn to ice, and let the weave spread. Tibs had no idea how long it would take for all the water in the man to be turned to ice, but he expected¡ªhoped¡ªthat it would not be a pleasant experience.

    One last thing to deal with.

    Tibs located the sword that had shattered his, along with the arrow with the green stone. Now that he wasn¡¯t fighting for his life, he understood what had happened. The sword had a stone of the same color in the hilt. When he tried to reach for either with essence, he couldn¡¯t. The stone dissipated it.

    Tibs knew Sebastian hadn¡¯t been close to the block of green stone when he¡¯d shattered it. He also hadn¡¯t been able to take any before fleeing. Which meant that he¡¯d gotten these after the guild had collected them. And Tibs knew only the guild had collected them.

    Why did it surprise him that Sebastian had been able to pay someone in the guild to give him some fragments? The man seemed to have more coins than could be counted, and the guild seemed willing to do anything, so long as it brought it coins.

    He broke the tip of the arrow off, then shattered the hilt to retrieve that stone. He thought about putting them in his magical hidden places on his armor, but the way it disrupted essence couldn¡¯t be good for that, so they went into his pouch.

    Let the guild make an issue of him having those.

    He straightened, turned, and strode toward the sorcerer.

    Don was still alive. Considering the number of arrows in his arms, legs, and chest, Tibs was impressed. Don¡¯s terror rose as Tibs approached.

    ¡°I¡ª¡± the man said, the rest devolving into a gargle.

    Tibs looked down at him, not bothering to hide his anger. ¡°Did you hide behind them? Did you force them to fight for you until they were dead, Don? Did you fucking care?¡± he yelled.

    Don shook his head and tried to say something, but blood dribbled from his lips.

    He would die, Tibs could see that in the way his essence was broken. He thought it was already fading. In someone without an element, this amount of damage would have killed them long before Tibs arrived.

    ¡°If you could talk, Don. Could you give me even one reason to not walk away right now and leave you to die?¡±

    ¡°Pl¡ªplea¡ª¡± he coughed and spat blood.

    Tibs ground his teeth against his desire to just heal him. No one deserved to suffer like he was. To look at him with desperation and have to justify being saved.

    But fuck if Don didn¡¯t come close to it.

    Tibs crouched. ¡°Can you melt the arrows? If I pull them out, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll hurt you enough it might kill you.¡±

    ¡°Please,¡± Don managed to say, sounding pathetic. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not letting you die!¡±

    Don winced, shuddered and cried.

    ¡°Can you melt the arrows?¡±

    The sorcerer closed his eyes.

    Tibs couldn¡¯t see his reserve, and while the concentration of the essence gave him a sense of how powerful a Runner was, it wasn¡¯t a representation of how empty their reserves were. By the strain on Don¡¯s face, he has little left, but the arrows fell out, leaving only corrupted goo in the wound. That was one thing Don didn¡¯t have to fear since it was his element.

    Tibs iced the injuries, wrapping them in his essence at the same time. He couldn¡¯t afford for Don¡¯s essence to be anymore disrupted while he carried him. Even if it didn¡¯t come with the sense of wellbeing healing with Purity brought, Tibs wasn¡¯t trying it. Having met the two elements, he didn¡¯t believe the animosity Clerics had toward anyone wielding Corruption came from the elements, but he had no way to know how opposed essence would interact with the little control he had.

    Yet one more thing he¡¯d have to figure out a way to practice.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t going to be pleasant,¡± He told Don as the only warning. He closed his eyes, channeled Earth, pulled the sorcerer over his shoulders and stood. The man¡¯s whimpers were not something to be enjoyed, Tibs repeated to himself as he started walking.

    * * * * *

    His arrival, with Don over his shoulders, turned the inn into an even more chaotic place than it had been. Clara was horrified at the sorcerer¡¯s state, but at least, she didn¡¯t seem worried that his element was Corruption.

    As soon as soon as Tibs place the man on the table, he switched back to water and hoped no one would question how he¡¯d carried him all this way.

    Kroseph grabbed his arm and roughly pulled him to the bar. ¡°You saved him?¡± he demanded in a low, angry voice.

    ¡°He¡ª¡± Tibs started, tiredly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t even try to tell me it was the right thing to do. Mez thought he stayed behind with you. You had no idea where he was. That means the man left you to die, Tibs. Why the fuck did you save his miserable life?¡±

    ¡°The town needs him.¡±

    Kroseph scoffed.

    ¡°How many of us are left, Kro?¡± Tibs winced at using Kroseph¡¯s abbreviated name. It was Jackal¡¯s name for him. Not¡­ ¡°He¡¯s the Hero of Kragle Rock. His death will kill morale. I¡¯m not going to be the reason for that. And he¡¯s better at planning than I am.¡±

    ¡°You have Quigly, you have Jack¡ªokay, sorry, I know he promised, but the only thing he¡¯s done since this started was go out and hit as many of them as he can.¡±

    ¡°So Jackal¡¯s still out there?¡±

    Kroseph nodded.

    ¡°Have you seen the rest of the team?¡±

    ¡°Mez left not long after you. He came back for some food, then went back out hunting. Carina would not listen to me and sleep. She¡¯s probably still out there with the other sorcerers controlling the fires and Khumdar¡­ if he¡¯s been in the inn since you last saw him, I haven¡¯t seen him. But then again, the way he loves wrapping himself in shadows now that he can. He could be next to us and I wouldn¡¯t know it.¡±

    ¡°He isn¡¯t,¡± Tibs said, grinning. Sometimes, he thought the cleric felt about his new darkness robes, the way Jackal felt about Kroseph. Someone had to have noticed him vanishing in shadows by now, and there was a risk the guild would find out, but Khumdar didn¡¯t care.

    Kroseph plopped the bowl of thick stew before Tibs. ¡°Eat.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡±

    ¡°Eat, Tibs,¡± the server ordered. ¡°Then you¡¯re going to rest. I don¡¯t care if you need it or not. I will tie you to a bed if needed.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not your man. I will get out of it.¡±

    ¡°Has my man been telling you stories?¡± Kroseph asked, amused.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tibs groaned. ¡°He never listens when I tell him I don¡¯t want to know.¡±

    ¡°Then if you don¡¯t rest, I will tell you some things we¡¯ve been getting up to that I know he wouldn¡¯t ever think of telling you.¡±

    Tibs opened his mouth to protest, but the seriousness in Kroseph¡¯s eyes made him close it and take the spoon that waited next to the bowl.

 Stepping up, Chapter 108

    Tibs stalked the group of thugs in green and black.

    They knew he was there and kept trying to lose him, splitting up and rejoining. They seemed to think that if he had to pick one group, it would make him hesitate and cause him to lose their trail; he didn¡¯t. Even when they were out of his sight, they never strayed far from each other, so they remained within the range of his sense. And he also knew what they were trying to do.

    It was unfair for them, really, how easy it was for him to dispatch them. He had those thoughts when he was so focused that he forgot about the damage Sebastian¡¯s people had caused his town, the number of Runners they¡¯d killed. Half the town was on fire or burned down already. Anyone with essence that helped control the fire was busy doing that, which had left the rest at the thugs¡¯ mercy.

    There were no Omega Runner¡¯s left, and few Upsilons.

    Now, Tibs wanted any thugs still in his town dead, even if he had to be the one to kill them all.

    These weren¡¯t the first Tibs had stalked since his enforced meal a few hours before, and by the time the sun set, there would be no one in green and black left alive if Tibs had his way. He wanted Sebastian without protection. He wanted the man to fear the moment Tibs would stalk in his camp and bring him down.

    Tibs would take his time, make the man suffer for everything he¡¯d done, for each person who had lost or been lost. He would cut him slowly, but he¡¯d keep him alive. He also had a lesson to teach Harry, and he would do that by giving him what he¡¯d been unwilling to help get.

    He would be¡ª

    The group of thugs rejoined in a courtyard and stopped moving. So, this was where they¡¯d make their move against him.

    Tibs walked around the courtyard, using the alleys, sensing the seven there in the center. Their backs to one another. Looking in every direction he might spring out on them. It felt too much like a trap for him to barge in. He hadn¡¯t come across anyone else with the green stones, but their nature made them hard to sense unless he knew to focus on them.

    Did they think seven thugs without elements were enough to capture him? After two days of this, they had to know how deadly he was. The seven there were no more than an annoyance to him.

    Or the bait in a trap.

    He sensed for the Everburn, but they didn¡¯t have any. Few did anymore. Sebastian might be out of the stuff. But it meant he couldn¡¯t do as he¡¯d done with previous groups. Ignite it, watch them burn and move on.

    Tibs widened his sense. In the direction of the transportation platform, at the edge of his range, a fight was happening. It was too far for him to get details, but he sensed the essence being used. He sensed people with elements to his left. Far, but closer than he¡¯d expected. He hadn¡¯t realized they were this close to the nobles¡¯ neighborhood. Those were the adventurers they had guarding the alleys leading in.

    And Tibs almost missed the trap¡¯s poison. Would have missed them entirely if the green stone hadn¡¯t made him keenly aware of how it distorted his essence. They were on a roof, three buildings back.

    Tibs considered the building¡¯s layout. That position would give them a view of anything happening in the courtyard. He thought about going for the assassin, but decided to have fun instead. Give that person something to consider when they were running for their life, trying to get back to Sebastian and report what they were about to see.

    He strode into the courtyard, and instead of attacking him, or goading him into position for the assassin to take him out, they gawked. Hadn¡¯t Sebastian told them who Tibs was? Or were the stories told so extraordinary they expected him to be some warrior like Jackal or Quigly? Maybe an archer or a sorcerer?

    Was it that someone as small and unimpressive, but no longer skinny as he was, couldn¡¯t be the terror that was roaming this town, killing anyone in green and black he encountered? Time to educate them about the folly of making assumptions when it came to Runners.

    He channeled Air, and sent a gale to shove them back, then switched to Earth, intending to have it grow over them to encase them, but he misjudged his level of control over that distance and couldn¡¯t harden it before they stood and separated.

    ¡°He¡¯s not alone!¡± the woman in the lead yelled.

    ¡°Fuck that,¡± a man replied, turning to run. ¡°That¡¯s not what I agreed to.¡± The ball of fire Tibs sent caught him as he reached the alley. No one was leaving this courtyard.

    They stared at him again. Tibs had formed the ball in his hand and thrown it, making it clear he was the one with the fire. One peered at him, and seemed surprised, then apprehensive. Tibs¡¯s eyes were now blue. Had any of them noticed how they changed color with the element he channeled? They were normally quite distinctive.

    Tibs remained aware of the distortion that was moving down from the roof they¡¯d been standing on as a fighter ran at him, sword high and belting a battle cry. Tibs channeled Earth and suffused himself with it. Her eyes widened as his skin turned to stone, but she didn¡¯t slow. He blocked the sword with his arm, making the motion lazy, then hit her hard enough she flew back and landed before the group. She didn¡¯t get up.

    Tibs released the essence.

    ¡°Hold!¡± the leader ordered as two stepped forward. ¡°Remember your orders.¡±

    Something to the effect of ¡®keep Tibs distracted and in the courtyard until the assassin got him¡¯. Assassin had to be the wrong term. Unless the orders had changed, they were looking to capture him, not kill him. Said assassin was now creeping toward the courtyard behind Tibs. Which meant they couldn¡¯t tell he was the one doing all this.

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    He channeled corruption and flung some at a sword. He sent a blade of light at the leader, but the essence unraveled and, and she only glowed slightly. He wrapped the thug¡¯s head next to her in darkness, and he clawed at his face, trying to remove it.

    He channeled Purity and¡­ let it go. He had no idea how he could use that one to hurt or scare them.

    The leader looked from him to the people around her. Her determination cracking. She seemed unsure if she should believe what she saw him do. Tibs helped her. He channeled water, making a ball of it in one hand, then pulled fire essence from his bracer¡¯s reserve to make a ball of that in his other hand, smiling at her.

    She stared at him. Everyone knew the stories. Only sorcerers could do things with more than one element, and even if she thought he was a sorcerer. He was a kid. He shouldn¡¯t be this strong yet.

    She turned and ran. A man that had looked ready to bolt used that as his signal. He got the fireball in the back. She got the quick ¡®x¡¯ attack Tibs etched with his finger. It wasn¡¯t as strong as he¡¯d intended, but it showed he didn¡¯t need a blade to etch it.

    The last two remained frozen in place as Tibs approached. One dropped his sword and raised his hands in surrender. Tibs shook his head, and he summoned the knife to his hand to etch the ¡®x¡¯ attack. It was too late for any of them. He willed the beam of water thin, and it hit him in the eye, exiting at the back of the head.

    He grew the ground over the last one¡¯s boots as she tried to turn. He crossed his arms over his chest as she tried to pull them out in a building panic.

    ¡°Now, what should I do with you?¡± he asked calmly, keeping track of the approaching distortion. He could make out someone now, but he couldn¡¯t sense much of the essence that should be there, even if they had no element. If she noticed them as she trashed, she didn¡¯t give an indication. Maybe she was too far gone, or what the assassin had did more than mask them to his senses.

    ¡°How about I cut you up, put what¡¯ll fit into a pouch and send that to Sebastian? Do you think it would be enough to make him stop? Would he even care you died carrying his orders? Was this worth the coins you¡¯ll never get to see?¡±

    The assassin was only a few paces behind Tibs, and he couldn¡¯t hear their steps on the hard earth. Was that another effect of the distortion, or were they simply that good? It didn¡¯t matter. This meant he wouldn¡¯t have to chase them across the town. That would be fun, but would let other thugs go about their business until he caught them.

    He spun and planted the knife in the assassin¡¯s chest. The man was older, his face scarred. The look of surprise was satisfying. The man gasped. Tibs purposely missed the heart. The green stone was around his neck, and Tibs snapped the leather cord and flung it away.

    The man gritted his teeth and raised his knife. He screamed as what Tibs tried worked.

    He coated the knife planted in the man¡¯s chest with water and had that explode in frozen spikes. The man dropped the knife and grabbed onto the pommel Tibs let go off to turn and lob the head off the last thug, now that she¡¯s outlive her usefulness.

    The man was on his back, screaming as he tried to pull the knife out. He sensed the way the man¡¯s essence was unraveling and used purity on him. He was not letting him die.

    ¡°I hope you speak Pursatian,¡± Tibs said as he crouched, ¡°or that Sebastian paid for that magic that lets us understand each other, because we need to talk.¡± The man snapped his mouth shut, no longer pulling on the knife. ¡°Just tell me you can understand me,¡± Tibs said with a sigh, melting the sword down to the size of a knife.

    ¡°I can.¡± His accent was thick. ¡°You are a dungeon-made monster.¡±

    Maybe the man had seen more than Tibs thought. ¡°That sounds like you want it to be an insult, but I know the dungeon, so it isn¡¯t.¡± He looked at the knife, could now sense the corruption coating it. ¡°Were you supposed to kill me?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± A bark followed, that he might have intended to be a laugh, but he was choking on blood.

    ¡°Oh no, you don¡¯t.¡± Tibs channel purity and pushed more in to the man as he moved him on his side so the blood could flow out of his mouth. ¡°Did Sebastian think you could do it?¡± If the man was no longer interested in capturing Tibs, didn¡¯t that mean something had changed? Had he killed so many of his thugs he¡¯d made Sebastian afraid?

    ¡°No,¡± the man rasped. ¡°But I am the best and he paid me enough to buy a duchy, so I was going to do it, anyway.¡± He reached for his throat. ¡°He gave me this to help.¡±

    His fingers searched, and didn¡¯t find what he was looking for.

    ¡°If it¡¯s the stone, it didn¡¯t help you.¡±

    ¡°It does not matter. All he wanted me to do was keep you from helping her. I would have liked to be a duke, but my son will enjoy the honor.¡±

    ¡°Help who?¡± Tibs demanded.

    The man laughed until Tibs grew a new spike through his chest and he screamed. The essence healed the damage, but didn¡¯t prevent the pain.

    ¡°Tell me who? I can do this for a long time. I¡¯ll make sure you don¡¯t die from any of this, but it will hurt.¡±

    ¡°Pain is an old friend.¡± Then he screamed, and Tibs screamed his question over and over, growing desperate. He didn¡¯t know many women, but if he ran to help the wrong one, he¡¯d leave another to¡ª

    The thunderclap shattered the air.

    * * * * *

    Tibs ran into what remained of Market Place. Bodies littered the ground, most in green and black, but too many not. The damage was mainly from swords, but there were burns and a metal spike growing out of the ground, and people with their heads wrapped in earth, unmoving fingers still trying to pull it off.

    And there was sand everywhere.

    Not sand the way Earth Runners used it, but the way it was flung about when picked up by the winds. Bodies looked to be sliced by hundreds of blades.

    Tibs knew how hard air could hit, and if all that sand was floating in it as it struck? Carina could have killed most of them on her own that way.

    He sensed as he ran through the battlefield. She¡¯d been fighting the fires with others. He recognized a few of the Fire Sorcerers lying dead. Too many Runners were dead here. How many thugs had Sebastian sent on this attack? And why hadn¡¯t they all come after Tibs? He was the one Sebastian wanted to hurt.

    Tibs knew the answer even as he fought to ignore it.

    Someone coughed, and he ran there, hoping it was a Runner he could save, that it was a thug he could heal so he could make them hurt all over again.

    The sorcerer tried to stand, only to fall again.

    Tibs sent Purity through them, then channeled water again and he helped them on their back. He had no idea if they¡¯d be able to tell, and he didn¡¯t care.

    ¡°Where is she?¡± he demanded. ¡°Carina,¡± he added as the man¡¯s confusion, ¡°was she here? Where did she escape to?¡± She had to have escaped. She was strong, she was smart. She wouldn¡¯t have pulled a Jackal and tried to fight them all.

    ¡°They got her,¡± the man said, then turned on his side, coughing.

    ¡°How?¡± Tibs looked around at the devastation her sand born wind had caused. How had anyone survived this?

    ¡°The green stones,¡± the sorcerer said, sounding stronger. ¡°A few had them and our attacks did little to stop them. They were after her, Tibs. I¡¯m sorry. We didn¡¯t realize it quickly enough. Then they were overwhelming her. I thought she¡¯d broken their hold when she shattered the air, but I saw them take her away before darkness claimed me.¡±

    Tibs stood.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± the man called as he walked away. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    He was going to rescue Carina.

    He was going to destroy Sebastian.

    Then he was going to burn anyone wearing green and black down to ash.

 Stepping up, Chapter 109

    Tibs destroyed the wagon blocking the entrance to Sebastian¡¯s camp with a blast of water. He didn¡¯t bother shaping it using one of the two attacks he knew. He simply massed all the essence he could muster and sent it ahead of him into a chaotic wave. He felt a lot of it dissipate before hitting, but the nice thing about having such a deep reserve of an element so simple to refill was that there was enough only wet kindling and bodies were left by the time he crossed into the camp.

    They were dry as he walked over them and he pulled the water back into his reserve, as well as that of anyone that came close enough to exchange blows with him. Tibs pushed the disgust he felt at how easy it was to turn them into husks. They chose the wrong side, now he made them pay.

    Arrows stopped in the air, glistening with water, then fell. He sent the occasional attack to dissuade the archers, but began hording his essence. Sebastian wouldn¡¯t fall easily.

    Finding the man proved easier than Tibs expected.

    Too easy.

    He sat on a wooden throne where the road ended at the new forest which had become the back of the camp. Sebastian wasn¡¯t cowering away after the display of power Tibs had shown. He sat there, in the large, ostentatious, had to be uncomfortable chair, with a crystal goblet in one hand and a smile on his lips.

    Tibs stopped well away from the man, the muscular one standing to his left, and Carina, strung up on a contraption of metal, wood and ropes by that man who had a hand on the wooden wheel at the side of it. Tibs fought the urge to rush to her rescue. He couldn¡¯t sense her, but she looked to have only minor injuries.

    He couldn¡¯t sense them through the odd sense in the air. It wasn¡¯t what Ganny did to the third floor, or what the block of green stone had caused, and it made Tibs cautious. Looking around for what caused it didn¡¯t reveal it, but it showed him that while Carina was restrained now, she¡¯d caused damage before that. Fully loaded wagons that made walls to control movement with the camp were pushed away, the earth scratched with the motion. Bodies were littered under them, flayed by debris, from what Tibs could make out.

    ¡°Do you know what one way to deal with your kind is?¡± Sebastian called over the distance. ¡°Exhaustion.¡±

    Tibs sensed his reserve, closed his eyes and suffused himself with Purity long enough to chase away any trace of that. Sebastian might think he knew everything there was to know about Tibs, but since the guild didn¡¯t, the man couldn¡¯t.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how powerful you are,¡± he continued as if this was a conversation with a friend, instead of being yelled at a hated enemy, ¡°you¡¯ll eventually run out of that, oh so, precious thing none of you can do anything without. Stamina. You might be able to call on that essence as long as you want, but if you can¡¯t muster the strength to move, well.¡± He motioned to Carina casually. ¡°I win.¡±

    ¡°Let her go,¡± Tibs growled.

    ¡°Or what?¡± Sebastian asked, amused. ¡°You¡¯re going to blast me with water? You¡¯re going to use one of those trinkets the dungeon hands out and throw fire at me? Or muss my hair with wind?¡± he sipped his goblet. ¡°Go ahead. Try something.¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t. Learning to keep himself controlled while channeling fire had proved useful when he let it go. He could see Sebastian goading him into acting through his anger, demanding he do so. Which meant the man had protections in place. One of the green stone attached to his outfit would be from the shattered block, maybe all of them. They stopped all essence from affecting them, so Sebastian would see them as a great first line of defense against Tibs or any adventurers.

    Tibs stepped forward. He didn¡¯t need essence to kill Sebastian. All he needed was a knife and to be within arm¡¯s reach. The man was overconfident enough to let that happen.

    He crossed half the distance when Sebastian¡¯s body language changed, going from relaxed to expectant, and Tibs froze, alert for anything to happen.

    Except what did.

    Line of essence sprang out of nowhere around him to latch onto his arms and legs as if they were ropes, and Tibs had a fleeting memory of Radkliff and his lasso. Then, as the odd sense over the area dissipated, eight sorcerers stood around him, easily two and zero paces away, each holding one of the line of essence, pulling on it, on Tibs¡¯s limbs, and holding him in place.

    Each of the sorcerer had the element they used for the line holding him, Water, Fire, Earth, Air, Corruption, Darkness, Light, and Purity.

    Sebastian stood and beamed. ¡°These sorcerers cost me a fortune, but the assurance you would be powerless so I could break you is worth the world to me now.¡±

    ¡°You think they can keep me from killing you for what you did to my town? For taking my friend and hurting her?¡± Tibs grinned. ¡°For all you know, the dungeon gave me something that lets me use metal, and crystal, and void.¡±

    Sebastian laughed. ¡°They really don¡¯t teach you anything, do they? Haven¡¯t you wondered why these eight elements are called the core elements? Every other element is related to them, a child of a sort, and unlike my son, these children listen to their parents. Or anyone wielding the parent element. So go ahead and try to use metal to get yourself out of this. Or wood, or even mind. Please, exhaust yourself testing their power.¡±

    They were epsilon. Tibs didn¡¯t have to sense the essence within them to know that much. They had to be for them to work outside the guild, and he found he couldn¡¯t believe the guild was greedy enough they would take Sebastian¡¯s coins knowing he would turn those adventurers against the town and their dungeon. And Carina had mentioned that sorcerers and their research were worth a lot of coins, so it was simple for them to repay their debt and leave. Few sorcerers found the life of adventuring appealing.

    Tibs thought the Fire and Darkness were Gamma, the others Delta or Epsilon. Tibs hadn¡¯t had enough encounters with adventurers of those levels to tell them apart, but he could tell who the weakest of them was, and, amusingly enough, it was the Water Sorcerer.

    Tibs sent his essence along the line of water, feeling for a crack in the tight weave. The sorcerer had experience and training over him, but Tibs had his deep reserve to fight with. He smiled, locking eyes with the sorcerer as his essence reached her hand, and pulled as hard as he could on the water within her.

    Tibs gasped as instead of pulling her essence to him, his was ripped away and into her. He let go, but the shock was enough the only thing keeping him standing were the taut lines of essence.

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    ¡°Not so powerful after all, are you?¡± Sebastian said smugly, then waited. Once Tibs¡¯ breathing was under his control, he glared at the man. ¡°Now, here is what will happen.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything he wants!¡± Carina yelled, then screamed at Sebastian¡¯s raised hand, and the muscular man turning the wheel a quarter turn. Sebastian lowered his hand, and the wheel was moved back. Carina panted quietly.

    ¡°You¡¯d think she¡¯d learned by now,¡± Sebastian mused, then smiled wistfully, ¡°But Jackie always made friends with people who were as bad as he was.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to make you pay for that,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°Me, pay? It¡¯s you that¡¯s going to pay, kid. You¡¯re going to pay for a very long time. You think you get to humiliate me like you did and walk away? Or even just die? Do you have any idea the damage you caused me? The stories of how this town stood up to me reached my city before I could catch my breath and I¡¯ve had to put more would-be usurpers down than even my forefather did when he build my family. No, I am going to parade you before everyone, bound to my will by what these fine sorcerers will do to you. You¡¯re going to be my puppet, with no desire but what I give you. You won¡¯t even have the will to suffer for what I¡¯m going to make you do to this town in my name. How I¡¯m going to have you bring me my son, so I can teach him to stay in the place I set for him.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll never do what you want. They¡¯ll have to kill me before I let them do anything to me.¡±

    ¡°Kids, they let you run a dungeon a few times, and you think nothing can hurt you.¡± Sebastian raised his hand and Tibs tensed, as did Carina, but he snapped his fingers. ¡°But maybe you¡¯re right. Stories are you¡¯re the youngest crook to be thrown in one of them and walk out. And you¡¯ve done so often enough to have accumulated an arsenal of magic, and kept it out of the guild¡¯s hands. I¡¯m told that¡¯s actually impossible to do, so yeah, maybe you can stand up to eight powerful sorcerers until it kills you. And if you don¡¯t, nothing I¡¯ll do to you afterward will matter to you anymore.¡± He grabbed Carina by the hair as the muscular man handed her to him.

    With a scream, Tibs ¡®saw¡¯ the ¡®x¡¯ of the attach before him, etched it and mentally stabbed with essence and the jet of water appeared, thick and fast, and vanished paces away from Sebastian¡¯s head, the essence ripped apart.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s surprisingly disappointing,¡± Sebastian said. ¡°I guess none of those items have recharged enough for you to do something truly impressive. Don¡¯t worry, I will make full use of them once you hand them to me.¡±

    Carina elbowed him and Sebastian shook her. ¡°Stop making yourself more trouble than you¡¯re worth, girl. Don¡¯t you want to look honorable for your man?¡±

    Carina froze, surprised.

    Tibs stared, also surprised, but now noticed the necklace of green stones around her neck.

    ¡°Oh, you thought you two kept that hidden?¡± Sebastian laughed again. ¡°I¡¯ll grant you, you have the decency of keeping those things discreet, unlike that son of mine, but I¡¯ve had spies watching you for months.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re friends,¡± Carina said.

    ¡°Teammates,¡± Tibs added. ¡°Family.¡±

    ¡°And how intimate of a family are the two of you? Disappearing almost every night, making sure it¡¯s never together. Didn¡¯t take a lot of thinking to know what you two were up to.¡±

    ¡°I was breaking into nobles¡¯ houses,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°I was reading forbidden books,¡± Carina snapped. ¡°Tibs is a brother to me.¡±

    Sebastian snorted. ¡°You know that in some places they frown on siblings doing what the two of you do? I mean, I never had any interest in my sisters, but what business is it of mine who you take to you bed? Who you grow especially attached to.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not special to each other,¡± Carina said in exasperation.

    ¡°Really?¡± Sebastian pulled out a knife. ¡°Then, this isn¡¯t going to matter to him?¡± He put the blade to Carina¡¯s neck.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Tibs yelled.

    The man smiled. ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t because I¡¯m special to him,¡± Carina said through greeted teeth. ¡°It¡¯s because he¡¯s a good person, unlike you.¡±

    Sebastian shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m someone who gets what he wants. That¡¯s served me better than putting other people before me.¡± The smile he gave Tibs was filled with malice. ¡°What caring for someone else gets you, that they be special or not, is this.¡± With a quick motion, he cut Carina¡¯s throat open.

    Tibs sent purity at her before the knife was done moving, but it was ripped away. With a scream, he sent more. When the reserve in his bracer ran out, he channel purity and kept trying to heal her as Sebastian held her up by the hair. As her essence thinned into nothingness.

    Tibs kept trying until even his deep reserve was nearly empty. He could force the rest out, Alistair had warned him that using up all his essence could kill him, but if he¡¯d had the strength, Tibs would have sacrificed himself to bring Carina back.

    Instead, all he could do was cry as the pain of another loss buried itself in his heart.

    ¡°No,¡± he growled. He channeled water, froze the pain where it was. He wasn¡¯t going to let pain bring him down this time. Not while the man responsible was within reach. Ice was good for that, stopping emotions from interfering. He raised his head, the tears still falling, but his voice hard. ¡°I am going to kill you.¡±

    ¡°Impotent rage, how wonderful that is,¡± Sebastian said, smiling. ¡°Don¡¯t you understand yet that there¡¯s nothing you can do to me? I won. I took the most precious thing from you. Soon, they¡¯re going to take any desire you have away and you will be mine.¡±

    ¡°Them?¡± Tibs said, straightening. ¡°You think they can protect you?¡± Tibs released Water, keeping his control of the ice through the reserve in his bracer. He didn¡¯t replace it with anything.

    ¡°His eyes,¡± the Sorcerer before him said. ¡°How?¡±

    Tibs pushed the remnant of his essence along the line of water essence. He didn¡¯t react as it made contact with the woman¡¯s hand, as he wove his essence in with hers. He was utterly uncaring to her screams as he ripped the essence out of her and into his reserve. As soon as he had enough, he sent another strand over the line of Earth.

    He smiled at Sebastian as he dropped Carina in his surprise. At the Earth sorcerer who joined the withering woman in screaming.

    The line of light loosened around his leg and Tibs latched onto it. ¡°No.¡± He send his essence along the line reaching the sorcerer before he could get over his surprise panic. He had his essence reach for each of the sorcerers and pull on theirs until there was nothing left. When his reserve was full, he continued forcing essence into it.

    He froze the pain caused by it shattering and the excess essence filling him.

    Sebastian still hadn¡¯t moved, Carina¡¯s body next to him, looking at the frail and old bodies the sorcerers turned into before the last of the essence left them.

    ¡°You really think anything can protect you from me?¡± Tibs asked coldly.

    The muscular man ran.

    Tibs switched to water and felt his body crackle with the motion of raising his hand. Then the man froze in place as the essence impacted him, his skin gaining a blueish tint. He wobbled, then tipped over and shattered as he hit the ground.

    Now, Sebastian backed away.

    ¡°No. You don¡¯t.¡±

    The essence didn¡¯t impact the man, the green stones dispersed it. But that was fine. The stones only affected the essence he manipulated, not what it made once he was done. So he surrounded himself, Sebastian and Carina with a wall of ice, and thickened it, making the space within ever smaller.

    ¡°Men like you killed Mama,¡± Tibs said, knife in his hand as he approached Sebastian. His body no longer resisted moving, now that the essence was out of it. ¡°They destroyed the small world I had, and they never paid for it.¡± He pulled the essence from the outer side of the wall to continue making the inside smaller, as he stepped toward the retreating man. He stored the excess back in his no longer full reserve. ¡°I made a new world here, made a family. Carina wasn¡¯t special to me like you meant. But she was special. She was part of my world. She was part of my family. And you took her away from that.¡±

    His smile was emotionless. ¡°It¡¯s okay. This time I get to make the person responsible pay. And I have all the time to do it. Then, I¡¯m going to make anyone who helped you do it pay, too.¡± He considered the man. ¡°Them, I¡¯m going to have to make quick. Because I¡¯m going to take my time making you pay.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Sebastian said, his voice cracking. A broche clipped to his chest flashed red and woven fire essence flew at him. Tibs batted it away carelessly, then closed the hole it made in the ice wall.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care how many enchanted items you have. It¡¯s just going to make things go slower, and right now, I want things to be slow. I want you to suffer for a long time, because once you¡¯re dead, I won¡¯t be able to make you scream anymore.¡±

 Stepping up, Chapter 110

    Tibs held Carina.

    He¡¯d been holding her for a while now.

    The sun disappeared behind Sto to Sebastian still screaming for Tibs to stop, for Tibs to end it. For Tibs to kill him.

    His screams drew thugs, and the bodies of those who tried to rescue their master littered the grounds. He didn¡¯t know how he killed them. He had no memory of doing so; they had been unimportant, mere annoyance trying to interrupt his important work.

    Making Sebastian scream.

    When Sebastian finally stopped being able to scream, he was spread over the grounds nearly as wide as the bodies of those who tried to save him.

    Him, Tibs remembered how he hurt. He remembered icing one of the man¡¯s fingers, then snapping it off as Sebastian watched in horror, then started screaming as the part still attached thawed and the pain registered. Another finger he pooled fire in until it smoked, then blacked, and finally flames danced over it.

    He melted a foot with corruption, used darkness on a hand until it was so weak the essence dissipated from it. He made him cough out sand, then water. He filled the man with so much light he was babbling all the things he never wanted others to know.

    And Tibs used Purity.

    Anytime he wasn¡¯t using another element on Sebastian, he filled him with Purity. It did nothing for the pieces he¡¯d removed, but it kept the man alive for far longer than what Tibs did to him should allow.

    But in the end, it wasn¡¯t long enough for Tibs. Eventually, he removed one piece too many, and after flinging it away, no amount of Purity could keep the essence within Sebastian from dissipating entirely.

    Tibs screamed then.

    He screamed at being denied the entirety of his revenge. At Sebastian being let off far too easily. With all the power he had, he should have been able to prolong the justice he administered for days and weeks, not mere hours.

    He filled himself with fire and let his rage burn.

    It burned the wagons and their contents. It burned people running toward and away from him. But it didn¡¯t burn away the evidence of his work, or Carina.

    He wanted his work to remain as a warning to any who would think to hurt those he cared for. He wanted them to know what Tibs was capable of and stay away. He never wanted to do this again. He never wanted to lose anyone again. He never wanted to have to rely on Water to keep the pain he allowed through him as he took Carina in his arms.

    He wailed as he cradled her.

    He wailed until he couldn¡¯t wail anymore and simply cried.

    He cried until he ran out of tears and simply held her.

    He held her until he was back to himself enough to know this wasn¡¯t her in his arms. Carina was gone. She¡¯d never get to chastise him for not taking his letters seriously. Laugh with him as Jackal looked baffled as something he said sent his man storming off.

    The body wasn¡¯t her, but it was all Tibs had left of her, and he couldn¡¯t let go. If she wasn¡¯t there, Tibs wasn¡¯t sure he wanted to be there either. If he wasn¡¯t there anymore, he wouldn¡¯t feel this empty pain that had settled deep in his reserve.

    * * * * *

    When the soft voice registered, he knew it had been there for sometime. Tibs didn¡¯t care. If they were here to kill him, that was fine by him. It would take the pain away. He wouldn¡¯t have to think about how he failed his family. How he hadn¡¯t protected Carina.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± this time his name was called with insistence and pushed through his pain enough he recognized the voice.

    He looked up at Jackal. ¡°She¡¯s gone.¡± The statement was hollow, the pain stealing any strength from it.

    ¡°I know.¡± Jackal tried to smile and failed. ¡°Looks like you made my father and his people pay for it.¡±

    ¡°Not enough,¡± Tibs said, an ember of hate pushing through the pain to give his voice heat.

    ¡°You¡¯re lucky there¡¯s still enough fighting in the town to keep everyone busy. If anyone else saw this¡­¡± Jackal looked around. ¡°I¡¯m going to cover it up and¡ª¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tibs growled, the ember igniting into fire. ¡°They have to see it. They have to know what I¡¯ll do to them if they ever lay a finger on you or anyone in my family.¡±

    ¡°Tibs, if the guild sees this, you won¡¯t be able to protect anyone.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll destroy them,¡± he said, the fire building.

    Jackal¡¯s smile was gentle. ¡°I know you¡¯re good, Tibs. But you can¡¯t take on all the adventurers out there, and I need you here with me to keep Kro safe. So let me hide this. I¡¯ll help you keep our family safe, but I can¡¯t do that if the guild takes you.¡±

    Tibs swallowed, fought the fire down. It protested. It was hungry and part of him wanted to feed it. But Jackal sounded like he was being smart, and Tibs knew he was acting in a Jackal way right now. In the old Jackal¡¯s way.

    He nodded and pushed the fire down even deeper.

    ¡°How did you know I was here?¡±

    ¡°Word reached me you¡¯d been seen heading this way. I would have been here sooner, but my father¡¯s people were in the town in mass. I wish I¡¯d seen what you did to him for him to end up all over the place like that.¡±

    ¡°I made him scream.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    Essence flowed from Jackal¡¯s feet and through the ground. Like the fighter, it wasn¡¯t precise, it went all over the place, and Tibs could tell much of it was wasted, but when it was under a body, or parts of one, it pooled there and the ground softened until what was over it sank in and vanished.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t keep her safe, Tibs,¡± Jackal said. ¡°I never thought he¡­ I expected him to come after me.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t your fault.¡± His voice was hollow again, without the fire. ¡°I was the one who should have kept her safe. I pulled our family together. But I let myself get distracted. Sebastian knew what to do, so I¡¯d forget what was important. He made me go where he wanted. Fight who he wanted, so that I wouldn¡¯t realize who he was really after.¡±

    The hand squeezed his shoulder. ¡°You avenged her, Tibs. That has to be enough.¡±

    ¡°It didn¡¯t bring her back.¡±

    ¡°But it brought her peace. She went to Air knowing the person who did this to her paid for it.¡±

    ¡°Not enough,¡± Tibs whispered. ¡°He stopped screaming too soon.¡±

    Jackal chuckled. ¡°Considering how little my father suffered until now, I¡¯m sure it felt like the unending abyss to him. There, now no one can tell what happened here.¡±

    ¡°You missed some.¡± Tibs smiled. It was such a Jackal thing to do, to be so confident of the work he¡¯d done while leaving obvious clues.

    ¡°They need to be able to make a story,¡± the fighter said. ¡°I only left parts that don¡¯t show other elements. Anyone who looks at this will know that someone with Water killed these people, and did so in a vicious way. But that¡¯s all they¡¯ll be able to see.¡±

    ¡°I burned a lot of wagons.¡± And people.

    ¡°My father used Everburn,¡± Jackal said after a few seconds. ¡°The stuff doesn¡¯t leave anything behind once it¡¯s done burning, so let them think a batch of it caught and spread to the rest.¡±

    Tibs nodded.

    ¡°The guild will only be able to say that my father took Carina, that you came here to rescue her, and avenged her death. There¡¯s enough stories sung about adventurers doing more than they should be able to because of anger and grief. They won¡¯t question the pieces you left, but they¡¯ll be able to tell it¡¯s all that¡¯s left of my father. As for the parts that aren¡¯t there?¡± He sighed. ¡°Who cares? Maybe some of his people took them when they fled. Maybe the dogs ran off with them. Not everything odd has to be answered.¡±

    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ¡°They¡¯ll ask me. They¡¯ll know I did this. They¡¯ll ask me how I did it. Harry will know when I lie.¡± He clutched Carina to him, fear overtaking the pain. They were going to find out what he could do, and they were going to take him away from his family.

    Jackal crouched before him. ¡°How did you do it Tibs?¡±

    Tibs searched his friend¡¯s face, trying to understand why he¡¯d want to know that. There was no deception there, no more darkness than usual, and little of it at that. Jackal had shed most of his secrets when he¡¯d promised Kroseph to be better.

    ¡°I¡ª¡± the words stuck. ¡°I¡ª¡± he tried again, but they wouldn¡¯t come. He could see himself hurt Sebastian. Those memories were clear, but how he¡¯d manipulated the essence he¡¯d used to do it? That was a fog of anger and pain and essence. He had pulled so much as he worked, he had no idea what he¡¯d done with it.

    ¡°Rage tends to blur the mind,¡± Jackal said. ¡°So if Harry asks, you can honestly tell him you don¡¯t know, that you don¡¯t remember. But he won¡¯t ask. My uncle¡¯s an asshole, but he isn¡¯t that kind of asshole.¡±

    Tibs nodded.

    ¡°How about we take her back, Tibs? She deserves better than to be here, among my father¡¯s ruins.¡±

    ¡°She deserves to be alive.¡±

    ¡°Yes. She does, Tibs. If there was any fairness in the world, it¡¯d be me here d¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that!¡± the ember turned into an inferno. ¡°You dead is not better! I don¡¯t want anyone to die!¡±

    Jackal nodded and, at the lack of protest to fuel it, the inferno died quickly.

    When the fighter reached to take Carina, Tibs pulled away, so he helped him up instead.

    She grew heavy in his arms as they walked out of the camp and through the town, but he endured the pain and only used Earth to strengthen his arms when he thought he might drop her. It was his fault she was dead. He should suffer too.

    Tibs heard sounds of fighting, but as he listened and walked, they died out.

    Someone walked to them. Tibs saw them, but didn¡¯t as well. They were a form, nothing else.

    ¡°Who did this?¡± a woman demanded, anger in her voice.

    ¡°They¡¯re dead,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°As is my father. Whoever else might have been in the camp fled. It¡¯s over. Spread the word, tell those thugs still fighting. If they surrender, let them. Give them to Knuckles to deal with. Let the townsfolk know it¡¯s safe to come out.¡±

    ¡°The door¡¯s going to be closed,¡± she said. ¡°I heard Tibs got it to¡ª¡±

    ¡°The dungeon¡¯ll know it¡¯s safe now,¡± Jackal said. ¡°They can sense stuff like that, so it¡¯ll open the door soon so we can go do our runs again.¡±

    Tibs sensed the people massing around them as they walked. He recognized Mez and Khumdar by their essence as they stepped in next to him.

    More people waited for them outside the inn, with Kroseph at the forefront.

    ¡°I am so sorry, Tibs,¡± he whispered, hugging him around her body. ¡°I hope you made him pay,¡± he added hatefully.

    Tibs nodded, then let himself be guided inside. Instead of heading to their table, Kroseph led Tibs up the stairs and to a room where a tired-looking Clara waited.

    ¡°Can you save her?¡± Tibs blurted out, suddenly hopeful. She was a cleric, and she had more training than he did. Who knew what they could do?

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said sadly. ¡°That is beyond Purity¡¯s purview. What I can do is ensure her body is preserved until it can be returned to her element in the way she wanted.¡±

    ¡°Her family should be told,¡± Khumdar whispered.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get right on it,¡± Jackal replied sarcastically. ¡°As soon as we have a way to send messages out.¡±

    ¡°I mean only that while her element is Air,¡± the cleric replied tiredly, ¡°her family is from Purity. They may wish to handle her return according to their ways.¡±

    Jackal sighed. ¡°I know. I¡¯m just¡­¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re all angry,¡± Mez said, lips tight. ¡°If your father wasn¡¯t dead already, I¡¯d have an arrow burning through him right now.¡±

    ¡°His head¡¯s still there,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°Feel free to get in some target practice, but stick to normal arrows. If there¡¯s even a suspicion he escaped, no one here will be able to rest quietly.¡±

    Clara guided Tibs to the bed, where he reluctantly laid Carina¡¯s body. She did something with Purity, but he didn¡¯t pay attention. His focus was on Carina. He pulled a stool to the bed and sat.

    Clara finished her work, then left. The conversations died down, people moved around him. Some lay a hand on her. Tibs didn¡¯t move.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackals asked. ¡°You should come down.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving her.¡±

    ¡°Tibs, she¡ª¡±

    ¡°Let him be,¡± Kroseph whispered. ¡°He has to deal with this in his own way.¡±

    More came and went. Eventually, no more came, and those still there left, one by one, Jackal being the last.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he told her. He¡¯d said so often enough he thought there were no numbers for it. He felt as hollow as his voice sounded. Being sorry didn¡¯t undo what he¡¯d let happen. He wanted to make it up to her for failing her in such her way, but she didn¡¯t wake up to tell him how he could do that.

    He so wanted her to wake up and be angry at him. To scream at him, to promise she¡¯d make his learning his letters more horrible than it had been at this point.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he told her yet again, and discovered that he had tears left to shed.

    * * * * *

    The food on the plate had been steaming when it was put before him. Now it would be cold. He hadn¡¯t touched it.

    He wasn¡¯t hungry, or thirsty, or anything anymore. This wasn¡¯t the way Purity took those away. Anything he felt was sucked into the abyss inside him. Even that ember was gone, dead from nothing to feed on. Everything fell into that abyss, attempting to fill it, Tibs thought, and failing.

    He wasn¡¯t at his team¡¯s table by choice. He wanted to stay at Carina¡¯s side, but Tandy had wanted time alone with her friend to say goodbye. He hadn¡¯t been able to refuse her. Carina had been important to a lot of the people in the town, and they too would want time with her.

    He wavered between feeling better that so many people had cared about her too, to feeling bad that in failing to keep her safe, he¡¯d cause them to suffer as well.

    Something poked his leg. It poked it again, then whined. Tibs looked down at the dog seated next to him. It licked its muzzle.

    Tibs put the plate down before it.

    ¡°I swear,¡± Serba said, ¡°absolutely nothing I do teaches her to stay away from you.¡± She dropped into a chair. ¡°How are you doing?¡±

    He kept watching the dog.

    ¡°Look, I¡¯m sorry for what it cost you, but I¡¯m happy you killed the bastard.¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡± he asked, not looking up from the dog. She hadn¡¯t cared about Carina or him. She didn¡¯t care about people. Her dogs cared more about him and Carina than she did.

    ¡°Your presence is being requested by Guild Leader Tirania,¡± she said. ¡°Should have been the vaunted Voice of the Guild here telling you that, but he¡¯s nowhere to be found, so Harry decided I was the next best thing for a reason.¡±

    Tibs petted the dog¡¯s head, and she licked his hand. The gesture was more comforting than anything Serba said.

    ¡°Did you hear me, Tibs?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± He scratched her behind the ears and her tongue lolled out.

    ¡°Well?¡±

    ¡°Well, what?¡± The dog canted her head, and Tibs saw the sorrow in them. She understood his pain. Or she knew firsthand how much of a pain Serba was.

    ¡°She isn¡¯t going to like that you¡¯re making her wait.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± Why should he care for anything Tirania wanted? Where was she when Sebastian attacked the town? When he killed Carina?

    ¡°Tibs, she isn¡¯t someone you tell no to. And this is about rewarding you. You get to be a hero again. You aren¡¯t going to refuse to have the guild leader sing your praises, are you?¡±

    He looked up to see her grin, and that ember Tibs thought was dead came to life.

    Praises? Someone wanted to sing his praises when he¡¯d failed so miserably? And that person was the one who had forced him to take charge of this fight? Have put him in a position to fail Carina?

    He poured Water on the ember. Serba was only a messenger. He kept on pouring water when the ember fought him, reminded him there was someone else that should pay for Carina¡¯s death. He agreed with it. But this wasn¡¯t something he could take on under its heat.

    He iced the Water inside him until the heat was gone, poured it into that abyss that didn¡¯t seem to want to fill. He couldn¡¯t fill it with ice, but he could block it. Make it so it couldn¡¯t demand more and more out of him. He iced every part of him that even hinted of wanting him to feel pain, to feel anything.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Serba said in the stretching silence of him ensuring nothing of what was about to come could hurt him. ¡°You really don¡¯t want Harry to be the one to drag you there.¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t care. Tibs found he cared very little for what anyone wanted. The only thing that mattered was his plan, as vague as it was. And it only mattered because it gave him something to work toward to avenge those who had wronged him. And because he didn¡¯t care, he saw that his plan started with him playing the part of the subservient.

    He stood, taking Serba by surprise, and she hurried to catch up to him, whistling for her dog. Outside, instead of heading for the guild building, she led him to the transportation platform. Not even one block out, Jackal joined them, silently glaring at his sister.

    Tibs didn¡¯t care.

    ¡°Here he is!¡± Tirania¡¯s voice resounded over the crowd assembled there. ¡°Your champion!¡±

    The crowd parted to let them through. On the platform, Tirania stood in what would be resplendissant clothing, if Tibs cared. On her left stood Harry, straight, ready to obey whatever order he was given, no matter how wrong they were. If Tibs cared, he¡¯d be screaming at the man for standing by the dungeon door while his help would have ended the fighting in hours. On her right, Alistair look at Tibs, his expression neutral, but there was anger behind that cool expression. Tibs knew his teacher well enough to see that, not that he cared. If he cared, he¡¯d have words for the man about sacrificing his beliefs for the easy path of going along with what the guild did. How hard had he tried to change things from the inside, if, by his own admission, they hadn¡¯t?

    The crowd exploded in cheers as Tibs reached the steps leading up to the platform, as if someone has instructed them on when to let their enthusiasm loose.

    If he cared, he knew he¡¯d explode on them, possibly literally. It would be wrong, but if he cared, the ember of his rage wouldn¡¯t care. They¡¯d lost nearly everything because of the people on the platform and yet, here they were, cheering to her command. They were victims, just like Carina. But if Tibs cared right now, that would be one thing he wouldn¡¯t be able to care about.

    He joined her, adding more ice to the ember fighting it as she placed a hand on his shoulder. His rage couldn¡¯t get what it wanted by being unleashed.

    The smile he gave the crowd was as cold and uncaring as he felt, but they cheered anyway. They cheered him and the woman who had let Sebastian nearly destroy their town. The woman who simply by stepping outside her cursed building could have stopped all of this from happening. She could have done so just by ordering Harry to stop it.

    But she hadn¡¯t. She¡¯d remained inside her precious building.

    Tibs¡¯s smile stopped being cold as an idea of a plan formed. It didn¡¯t turn into a pleasant smile, but the crowd didn¡¯t notice that either. She didn¡¯t notice it, because all she had eyes for was the adoration the crowd sent their way. She was making herself a hero to the town by associating with him.

    Let her.

    Tibs didn¡¯t care.

    Let her think herself the hero.

    Let her think herself safe within her guild.

    Let her do that, until the moment Tibs brought it all crashing down around her.

    This end Stepping Up.

    Tibs¡¯s story continues in Breaking Step

 Stepping up, Afterword

    Thank you for reading this book. I am touched at the overall positive response to this part of Tibs¡¯s story.

    I¡¯ve started Book 3, and I¡¯m posting the draft 1 chapters on my Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/kindar</a> if you want to follow along) as I write them. Once Draft one of the book is finished, I will post the Draft 2 chapters to Royal Road as I write those. I don¡¯t have an ETA on when that will be.

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    I¡¯m doing my best to keep to 3 chapters a week, but I have no idea how many chapters the book will be. I have a destination in mind for it, and a few signposts I want it to hit, beyond that, it¡¯ll be up to Tibs and the others. I will posts updates every so often, possible every few months, or you can drop by my Twitch to see how I¡¯m doing live, https://www.twitch.tv/thewriterwrites</a>

    So, until I return with Breaking Step, I hope you have a good time.

 Breaking Step, Foreword

    Tibs and Kragle Rock survived Sebastian; but at a cost. Friends and allies died, people crossed lines they might not be able to come back from, and Tibs¡­ Tibs no longer believes there are any lines that can''t be crossed to make the guild pay for their betrayal.

    All he needs is enough power and a plan to take the entire thing down. Only, power isn¡¯t always what someone thinks it is, and taking down an organization that¡¯s been around for so long hardly anyone remembers when it started and has control of all dungeons, except one?

    Well, that¡¯s going to need something of a complicated plan.

    And until Tibs figures that one out, he¡¯s got to deal with running the dungeon, a new leader of the guards, and Sebastian¡¯s revenge from beyond death.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    But that¡¯s okay; because if there¡¯s one thing ice is good for, it¡¯s to fill a young runner with patience and determination.

    Tibs will get his revenge, and woe to anyone getting in his way.

    <hr>

    Breaking Step is book 3 in the Dungeon Runner series.

    Draft one clocks in at 110 chapters and slightly over 250k words

    This is the second draft. It has gone through an edit by ProWriting Aid, as well as an out loud reading to catch further errors (done live on my Twitch Tuesday mornings, 8am EST so drop on by: https://www.twitch.tv/thetigerwrites</a>)

    As with the previous books, Chapters will go live after they have trickled through my Patreon tiers (https://www.patreon.com/kindar</a>) but unlike them, the delay will be longer. I estimate my Patreons to be between 20 to 25 chapters ahead of what is posted here.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 01

    With a scream, wind ripped the crate apart. Broken wood flew in all directions, a plank shattering on the wall, partially embedding itself. Tibs kept screaming as he tried to keep the pieces within the whirlwind. When the last of it flew out, past his head, he dropped to his knees, panting as the wind died.

    He wiped at his eyes and cursed himself for it. He didn¡¯t have time for tears or the pain of loss. He wanted to keep himself filled with ice so he wouldn¡¯t have to feel it, but he needed to train, and, for that, he had to channel the other elements. Water was good to fight and defend himself with, but if he was going to bring the guild down, he needed to master all his elements because they knew he had Water.

    They had many adventurers of higher rank in that element, much older and with years more training than he had. His one advantage was his many elements. If he could figure out how to recreate what he¡¯d seen other Runners and adventurers do with them.

    He gritted his teeth and stood.

    He¡¯d seen Carina use Air to turn items into projectiles. He¡¯d even sensed how she wove the essence to make it happen.

    He recreated the weave and, as the wind picked up in the center of the abandoned warehouse, it was already frayed at the edges. He focussed, willed them back into place; added essence to increase the wind and fought to keep the weave from breaking under the added pressure.

    Dirt rose off the floor into the whirlwind, along with smaller debris left over from the day¡¯s previous practice. There. That was how he should be. Now, all he needed to do was alter the weave so it would wrap ar¡ªIt unraveled, and the wind died, dropping what it had kept aloft.

    ¡°Why?¡± Tibs screamed. ¡°Why can¡¯t I do this?¡±

    No answer came. Air was probably too busy having fun to bother helping him avenge someone dedicated to her.

    Killing Sebastian hadn¡¯t been enough.

    He¡¯d killed Carina, but only because the guild had let him do it. They hadn¡¯t upheld their part of the bargain with the people of Kragle Rock. With the Runners they had brought here to serve as food for the dungeon.

    To indenture the survivors into the guild¡¯s service.

    It was what Alistair had told him, using less harsh words. What Bardik showed him through his punishment. They were all here only to serve the guild.

    It acted like the Runners were valuable, and yet had left them to fend for themselves when Sebastian tried to gain control of the town, then when he returned to destroy it.

    To destroy Tibs.

    Tibs screamed, unable to stop the memory of the man running a knife along Carina¡¯s throat. Of how he was kept from saving her life.

    He wanted to feed his rage to Fire, but, as angry as he was, there would be nothing left of the building if he did; of the neighborhood. It was possible that all that would survive of the town was the guild building, and that was the opposite of what Tibs wanted.

    He switched to Earth. Sent a wave of it out, made the ground ripple, then flattened it. He formed a weave through the dirt, used it to shape it, lift it in the air. It immediately frayed, but not as much, as if something about earth essence made it want to stay unchanged.

    He moved the dirt around him, added more essence to get it to move faster. If he couldn¡¯t use Air to make the sand blast Carina had, maybe he could use Earth directly to make it happen.

    Except that Earth didn¡¯t want to move fast.

    He could make columns to slam into his opponents, cracked the ground open to crush them once they¡¯d fallen in. He¡¯d done some of that when Sebastian attacked the town, and adventurers could make it happen faster than he did, but he had seen none of them manage the sand blast.

    The column of earth moved around Tibs in a lazy circle, and he cursed. He wanted sand to rip everything in the warehouse apart, the way Carina had done. He pulled Air from his bracers and wove that through the Earth to add speed, but the explosion sent him off his feet.

    It could be done! He cursed silently as he got to his feet.

    Sto was filled with weaves containing multiple essences. Sorcerers pulled essences from items and wove them together. Carina had told him about that, about how eager she was for her training to move on to teaching her how to do it.

    If sorcerers could do it, so could Tibs.

    He pulled Earth essence from the ground and Air; carefully mixed them. All he had to do was be¡ªthe detonation sent him through a crate, and it was only because he was already channeling Earth that he kept from being injured.

    ¡°Fine,¡± He snarled, standing. ¡°Let¡¯s see how you like this one, then.¡± He channeled corruption and let the essence spill off him.

    The air took on a putrid smell. He didn¡¯t like it, but it no longer made him want to throw up. The wood rotted away; the nails falling and melting. In places, the ground bubbled as everything the essence touched took on a purple tint. Even if the corruption essence didn¡¯t outright melt something, like the stone that made the base of the wall, they had other elements within them the essence could latch onto. And there were insects within the earth under his feel, small burrowing animals.

    He pulled the essence back from the ground. They¡¯d done nothing to him. They didn¡¯t deserve death, especially not one caused by corruption. Even the rats he knew lived in the cracks in the walls shouldn¡¯t die this way, as much as he hated rats. Sto¡¯s stone rats he could take pleasure in destroying, those within the town he just didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with.

    He pulled the essence to his hand and made a ball. He spun it and let it expand, creating a whirlwind of corruption essence. The crates it touched melted into goo, but the freed pieces weren¡¯t picked up to be flung. He needed a weave to make something happen, or an etching.

    He pulled the essence back into him and took a slow breath.

    He pulled his knife and etched the ¡®x¡¯ with that essence, but as he stabbed the center, all that happened was that it dispersed. Only Water created the blast when he did that.

    He did the knife flick, hardly having to think about it anymore, and a blob of corruption flew out and impacted a broken plank, then sizzled as it melted. He looked at his knife. Even focussing on keeping the essence from eating at it, the edge was now dull. Corruption and Fire did that when he used the knife flick. The other elements didn¡¯t harm his knives, but they also barely had any effect.

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    A flick of a mental finger sent more corruption essence at another crate, and the wood bubbled as it rotted away. Corruption, like Fire, was nothing but destruction. He pulled the essence away from the wood. But Corruption at least let him remain in control, no matter how raw his emotions were.

    ¡°What have you been doing in here?¡±

    Tibs spun and, with a snarl, flung all the essence at the speaker. How dare anyone come here and bother him?

    He recognized the man through the purple cloud, as his skin turned stone gray; the only indication Jackal was worried.

    ¡°No!¡± Tibs yelled in fear and dissipated the essence until there was too little of it to do any damage. Just like every element, there were traces of corruption all around them.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Tibs yelled, glaring at the fighter. ¡°I could have hurt you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s time.¡±

    Tibs spun and channeled Light. ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡± He¡¯d yet to find something useful to do with it, which meant he needed more practice. He made a ball of it, and it glowed over his hand.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal said gently, ¡°You have to come. She¡¯d want you there.¡±

    He whirled and threw the ball of light at Jackal. ¡°You think her parents want me there?¡± he demanded. ¡°I got her killed!¡±

    ¡°No, Tibs, you didn¡¯t.¡± The fighter stepped aside, and the essence hit the door, splashing light. ¡°My father did that. Everything that happened is on him, and you made him pay. Now, it¡¯s time to be with Carina so her family can do the rites they need.¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t need me for that.¡± He channeled Darkness. It was more than the opposite of Light. It weakened, possibly to the point of death, and Tibs thought he could make use of¡ª

    ¡°It¡¯s not about them, it¡¯s about you.¡±

    ¡°Then, I don¡¯t want to go.¡± How much essence would be needed for something to become so weak it couldn¡¯t live anymore?

    ¡°You have to go.¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t!¡± he¡¯d wound back to throw the Darkness before he realized it and let go of the essence. He let go of all of them. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see her again!¡± He swallowed. ¡°Not like that.¡± Tears came and he let them. ¡°It¡¯s not fair. She was going to be a great sorcerer and because your father wanted to hurt me, she¡¯s dead.¡±

    Before the pain brought him to his knees, Jackal had his arms around Tibs. ¡°I know. But it happened. Now we have to go on. That means going to her home; being there for the rites and saying goodbye to her.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to,¡± Tibs said through his sobs, holding onto the fighter.

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re going to hate me.¡±

    ¡°They won¡¯t. If they have to hate anyone for this, it¡¯s the guild. They were supposed to protect Carina and us. She died because they didn¡¯t do what they should have.¡±

    ¡°I hate them,¡± Tibs growled, envisioning that building burning down, melting to purple goo and filled with darkness until no one in it had strength to draw breath.

    ¡°I do too.¡±

    Tibs shoved himself away from Jackal and glared at him.

    He¡¯d intended to push his friend away, but even if he wasn¡¯t stone anymore, his essence was Earth and he remained anchored to the ground.

    ¡°How can you say that and be so fucking calm about it?¡± he yelled.

    Jackal leveled his gaze on him, and Tibs wanted to hate him for how calm he looked.

    ¡°Because if I let myself be angry, I¡¯m going to use my fists.¡±

    Tibs laughed bitterly and motioned at the wreckage inside the warehouse. ¡°So, hit something!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hit something, Tibs. I want to hit people. I want to hit those who let this happen, but I can¡¯t. So I want to hit anyone that I can reach, and I can¡¯t use the pit, because there¡¯s no one to fight there. Even those who are healed aren¡¯t in a state to fight. So I can¡¯t let myself get angry. I¡¯ll do that during our next run. Sto can take the damage I¡¯ll cause.¡±

    Tibs ground his teeth. ¡°Fine.¡± He channeled Water, then used it to cool his anger. He had to make it ice before the desire to channel Fire instead and burn everything went away.

    When Jackal opened the door, Tibs stepped outside, no longer quite caring about what he¡¯d have to endure.

    * * * * *

    Tibs thought he recognized one of the three women at the bottom of the steps, holding the stretcher on which Carina¡¯s body rested. She might have been at the meal Tibs shared with her family, which would make her a sister, cousin, or an aunt. None of the five men looked familiar.

    Tibs had expected to reach the platform and just go to Carina¡¯s city. Instead, he had to put up with being used for another of Tirania¡¯s shows.

    ¡°Tragedy strikes in all forms,¡± the woman said, and Tibs contemplated letting go of Water. He couldn¡¯t channel Fire. Too many here were innocent, had not even been here during the attacks, or were more of Sebastian¡¯s victims. She thought him subservient, so he could catch her by surprise as she went on about those left behind.

    He could wrap her in Corruption, watch her melt. It would feel so good to hear her screams turn to gurgles.

    She placed a hand on his shoulder, spoke of how he was continuing through the pain of loss. How everyone needed to use him as an example.

    But there were clerics here, and they might be able to save her. And what would killing her accomplish? Give him short-lived satisfaction? Her leader would simply appoint someone else to her position and nothing would change. Just like they¡¯d replace that first guard leader with one who did things the way the guild wanted them done.

    He¡¯d be dealing with those false smiles again as this new person would reassure everyone they cared for the people and would never let what had happened before take place again. All the ways they would¡­what? Tibs still had no idea why the guild did what it did.

    Alistair said they had reasons, but he¡¯d never given them. To Tibs, he had sounded like he didn¡¯t know what they were.

    Ice was good for that. For thinking, instead of lashing out in anger. Jackal could decide to hold his anger in until he could do so safely. Ice cooled Tibs¡¯s anger until he could think and plan.

    And he needed to plan. If he wanted to keep Kragle Rock safe from the guild, he needed to come up with a plan to end all of it, not just the woman in change of the building lording over his town.

    ¡°And we will march on,¡± Tirania pronounced. ¡°We will honor the fallen by rebuilding; by becoming stronger. When the next challenge comes at us, we will know we can defeat it because, together, we already defeated many.¡±

    The crowd cheered, but to Tibs¡¯s ears it wasn¡¯t as enthusiastic as on the day after Sebastian¡¯s death. People had had time to think, too, consider what Tirania had said then, what it meant. Maybe her words no longer sounded true to them as well. Maybe they didn¡¯t have to see the light her words carried to his sight to know she lied to them.

    Oh, they weren¡¯t all lies.

    There were simply too many of those for Tibs to care about whatever truths she slipped between them.

    The woman holding the stretcher on the right looked angry as she stood there. Could Purity be used to tell when someone lied? Wouldn¡¯t lies be impure?

    Paolo had made it so Tibs understood their language by using purity to let Tibs understand the meaning within the words. The pure meaning, or something like that. Tibs didn¡¯t remember the details. He¡¯d been preoccupied with dread at going hungry in the dungeon.

    ¡°May all the dead return to the Elements,¡± Tirania said with finality, ¡°as this fallen hero does.¡± She stepped aside, and the procession climbed the steps, taking place in the center of the platform.

    Tibs rejoined what was left of his family. They would be next. The only ones allowed to go. Others had asked, he¡¯d been told. Tandy had demanded, begged even.

    Tibs might have been able to help her, if he¡¯d learned about it sooner, instead of as he and Jackal walked to the platform. But he¡¯d been busy training since Carina¡¯s death. That was the best use of his time.

    The essence shifted over the platform. The air turned golden, and those holding the Carina''s stretcher, along with it and the Attendant as their side, vanished.

    The Attendants.

    They were cowards, but they weren¡¯t the reasons the deaths happened. They could have lowered the numbers, if they¡¯d stayed to transport people away, but the guild would have prevented them from taking Runners away, even those who had no chances of surviving against Sebastian''s people. They would never let them go. He¡¯d feel differently about the Attendants without the ice, but right now, he understood that they had never pledged to keep the town safe, to ensure as few as possible were hurt.

    They were people with a job to do, nothing else. Sebastian targeted the platform and the Attendants during the Siege. They had every reason to believe they would be targeted again, so they¡¯d fled.

    Tibs understood cowardice. He hadn¡¯t killed Don for abandoning him to his death; he couldn¡¯t hold the Attendants responsible either.

    At least it was how he felt for the moment, filled with ice so cold it cracked as he walked up the steps to stand at the center of the platform.

    Tirania hadn¡¯t even bothered getting them to wear the bracelet as a way to force them to return. Did she think their actions showed they were devoted to the town and the guild? Was she lying to herself, and believed that loving the town meant loving the guild?

    She didn¡¯t have to worry on his account, at least.

    Tibs was returning.

    Tibs would be back, and he would find a way to make her regret ever making him think she cared about any of them.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 02

    Tibs barely noticed the city as it came to be around him. He, and what was left of his team, walked behind the procession, passing merchant¡¯s booths. People paused to watch, even once they were out of the market surrounding the transportation platform, then returned to their shopping or selling.

    Tibs ignored the embers, demanding to grow into an inferno at the un-bowed heads, after they put who was on the stretcher out of their minds. He wouldn¡¯t let the ice thaw. These people didn¡¯t deserve his anger. Even without essence, those living in this city followed the teaching of Purity; hard work first, then the rest. They had acknowledged someone had fallen, and now they had work to do.

    A few did pause longer; some outright stopped. Not everyone had the same dedication to their dungeon¡¯s element. But then, someone pulled them away, so they¡¯d stop wasting time.

    He wondered what they were heading to. Did people who wield Purity make time to perform rites for the dead? Would Carina¡¯s family do more than pause in their work? If they performed rites, what would they look like?

    On his street, the dead were left where they fell, to be collected by somber women in robes of brown so deep they could be black. Before that, the scavenger took anything of value. Where they took the bodies, Tibs didn¡¯t know. He never cared to find out. Mama had remained hidden in their small home until the warm weather returned and the smell pushed even Tibs away for longer than he¡¯d liked. When he¡¯d returned and found their home empty, the pain hadn¡¯t lasted; his hunger was too strong. It was when he understood she wouldn¡¯t be there for him anymore; that he¡¯d have to fend alone through everything that was yet to come.

    He¡¯d left and never went back, focussed on surviving however he had to.

    When the procession stopped, Tibs didn¡¯t recognize the drab buildings. They looked only slightly better than those closer to the platform. This could be where Carina¡¯s family lived. Someone stepped behind Tibs and placed a hand on his shoulder.

    Zackaria smiled at him when he looked, squeezed his shoulder, then let go. At the front of the procession Paolo looked at Carina, pulled the hood of his robe up, then turned and led them onward.

    * * * * *

    When they stopped, they were in a courtyard on the east side of the city, darkened by the mountain¡¯s shadow. Men and women waited for them. Tibs recognized Carina¡¯s parents, and others seemed familiar; but most were strangers.

    ¡°Another one fell.¡±

    The voice was so unexpected that even as frozen as he was, Tibs startled. Both that Val spoke and the solemness in her voice caused it. They were much further from the mountain, the dungeon, than Sto could reach.

    ¡°What¡¯s he doing here?¡± Craren asked in disgust.

    ¡°Not now,¡± Val replied. ¡°Can¡¯t you see how sad he is?¡±

    ¡°All I¡¯m seeing is how cold he¡¯s made himself.¡±

    ¡°Why do you think that is? He isn¡¯t the first. Our people make connections with others, and they deal with grief in their own way.¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°Not now.¡± The firmness in Val¡¯s tone silenced Craren.

    How long had it taken the dungeon to push her influence this far? Why wasn¡¯t she making this part of herself? There was a wall around the entrance, which Tibs had thought was how far she reached. And Carina had mentioned how it was there to keep the town safe, in case a dungeon creature escaped. He¡¯d been well inside the wall the first time he¡¯d heard Val and Craren.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    Didn¡¯t it mean every house was a dungeon room? She couldn¡¯t affect anywhere people were, but how long did she need them out of their home before she could convert it? He sensed his surroundings, and none of the structures felt any different.

    Thinking back on his time within this dungeon, before they realized he heard them, anytime they talked about the clerics and other Runners going through their floors, there was always respect in their voice. They were certainly amused at the antics, but never did they speak like the Runners weren¡¯t important.

    Maybe¡­ he looked around. Maybe Val wasn¡¯t turning everything she reached into part of her because she wanted the townsfolk here to live unhindered by her creatures. She had to have creatures. Fighters and archers couldn¡¯t simply walk through empty halls and do puzzles. They needed creatures to be put to the test.

    ¡°My daughter chose to work a different path,¡± Carina¡¯s mother said in a steady voice, once she took position where Paolo had stood. ¡°And I failed her by not understanding that her choice did not mean she rejected what we stand for. In demanding that she adhere to my way of working, I pushed her further into her own, while never realizing how hard she worked to achieve it. She broke our rules, made her way to the forbidden parts of the Great Library, and all I saw was that she disobeyed me. Not how hard she had to work to make it past the security keeping the uninitiated out.¡±

    She paused, but shook her head when Paolo whispered to her.

    ¡°My actions led to her being discovered, not her own,¡± she said. ¡°If I had understood what she craved, allowed her to pursue those cravings, she would have followed the steps and been allowed within the library. Instead, my stubbornness in only seeing what she wasn¡¯t doing led to her being taken away from our element. Led to her having to choose another.¡±

    She watched as her word caused the crowd to shift uncomfortably.

    ¡°My daughter honored Air as much as Purity. She added lightness to her dedication to the work. She did not replace one with the other. My weakness pushed her to another element, but my daughter remained true to who we are. The Whitebloods are clerics, but before that, we are hard workers. My daughter worked hard at everything she did. She worked hard at becoming a sorcerer. She worked hard at surviving a dungeon she was never prepared for.¡±

    She reached back, and Carina¡¯s father joined her, taking her hand.

    ¡°We were fortunate to see her again when, as is tradition with the young dungeons, those surviving them are allowed to leave while it transitions to a higher difficulty, and my daughter chose to return home. Chose to spend some of the little time she had away from that place with the person who had forced her there.¡±

    This time, the pause was caused by tears. ¡°I met the woman my daughter became. I found out about the work she put into becoming her. She¡ª¡± her voice cracked. ¡°She forgave my stubbornness.¡± She took slow breaths.

    ¡°I am not here to grieve the daughter I lost. I am here honoring the woman she was. The woman who fought to protect the town she lived in. Who only stopped working hard when that work was brought to an end by a man who should never have been allowed to come close to that town.¡±

    She straightened. ¡°My daughter is of Air, but she made Purity proud.¡±

    Tibs swallowed, and the ice cracked. The tear fell before he regained control, freezing the pain so it couldn¡¯t dig its claws into him.

    She stepped aside, and the crowd parted to reveal an intricately carved metal table with thick legs. Lines and knots were all Tibs could make out of the designs.

    ¡°As is tradition,¡± she said as the stretcher was placed atop the table. ¡°My daughter will be purified down to the element she was, so she may rejoin it. It will be Air, but I also believe some of her will make their way to Purity, and that Purity will embrace her without hesitation.¡±

    Paolo, along with five others, each with their hoods up, stepped around Carina and placed a hand on her. Tibs sensed the Purity essence flow from them and into her, and her colors faded away, letting him see through her until she was no longer there.

    ¡°Sweet travels, Child of Air,¡± Val said, as the last of Carina ceased to be. ¡°I did not get to test you, but you proved yourself one of the elements. Know that I will remember you, Carina of the Whitebloods.

    ¡°Your essence rejoins those who came before you,¡± Craren said solemnly. ¡°And the spark that made you will guide those who come after.¡±

    ¡°Goodbye, sis,¡± Jackal whispered. ¡°Abyss, I¡¯m going to miss you.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 03

    ¡°How are you doing?¡± Zackaria asked as Tibs and the remnant of his team started back to the transport platform.

    Jackal turned to face them, and the others followed suit. ¡°And who are you?¡± the fighter asked, an edge to his voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m Zackaria,¡± they answered with a gentle smile. ¡°I met Tibs when he and Carina visited. I¡¯m glad you found your element, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re Paolo¡¯s special person,¡± Tibs said, then added, ¡°He was the cleric who healed me in Mountain Sea. I¡¯m fine,¡± he then told them.

    Their smile turned sad. ¡°Tibs, she was special to you. You can¡ª¡±

    ¡°She wasn¡¯t my special girl,¡± he snapped as the ice cracked. He fought the pain that tried to escape.

    ¡°She was still special to you. I could see that. It¡¯s alright to acknowledge you¡¯re in pain.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± he stated.

    ¡°We are dealing with her death as best we are able to,¡± Khumdar said.

    They smile at him, the nod of acknowledgment interrupted as they searched the cleric¡¯s face. They shrugged. ¡°Be there for each other and you will pull through. It¡¯s what family is for.¡±

    ¡°We know that,¡± Mez said. ¡°We don¡¯t need some stranger telling us.¡±

    ¡°Of course. I didn¡¯t mean to intrude. If you ever need to talk, Tibs, or any of you, I¡¯m here and always¡ª¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t be able to come back.¡± Jackal cut them off. ¡°We¡¯re runners. They only let us leave if the dungeon¡¯s closed.¡± He rubbed his left wrist. ¡°This was a special circumstance.¡±

    They nodded. ¡°Then send word, and I will visit your town.¡±

    ¡°We will.¡± Tibs turned to start walking.

    ¡°If I may,¡± they said, and Tibs stopped, catching the cleric stiffening out of the corner of his eye. ¡°What is your name?¡±

    ¡°It is Khumdar.¡±

    Tibs turned to face them again as they searched the cleric¡¯s face. ¡°Have we met? You seem-¡°

    ¡°No,¡± the cleric stated, the word bright to Tibs. It wasn¡¯t often the cleric let a lie be visible.

    They nodded. ¡°Be well, then.¡± Zackaria turned and headed back to the assembly.

    Tibs started toward the platform again, and the others fell in step with him.

    ¡°You think he,¡± Mez hesitated. ¡°She?¡±

    ¡°They,¡± Tibs corrected. Zackaria had worn pants this time, along with a loose shirt, but they only highlighted the combination of curves and more masculine features.

    ¡°Do you think they picked up on Khumdar¡¯s lie?¡± the archer asked the group. ¡°I don¡¯t have Light, like Tibs does, but that ¡®no¡¯ sounded a false as I¡¯ve ever heard.¡±

    ¡°I did not expect they would recognize me,¡± the cleric replied defensively. ¡°I was much younger the last time they saw me, and much less¡­ hearty.¡±

    ¡°You realize you just admitted you¡¯re from this city, right?¡± Jackal pointed out.

    Khumdar shrugged. ¡°We have been a¡­ family long enough. This is one thing you can know about me.¡±

    ¡°Real generous of you,¡± the fighter said sarcastically, ¡°to grant us this one secret.¡±

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°It is indeed,¡± the cleric agreed, with a magnanimous nod and slight smile.

    * * * * *

    Kragle Rock appeared around them, and the first sounds were that of a commotion. Guards subduing a group of respectable looking men and women.

    ¡°Watch for the pouches,¡± a guard said, a knee to the back of the woman he held on the ground. Tibs recognized the sense of the Everburn as the man continued. ¡°The last group had theirs filled with that burning tar stuff. You don¡¯t want that stuff spilling out and igniting.¡±

    Quickly, the other guards removed the pouches from the people they were arresting.

    ¡°Looks like your uncle¡¯s finally taking his role as protector of the town seriously,¡± Mez commented as they walked away from the platform.

    ¡°It¡¯s about time,¡± Jackal muttered. ¡°I just wish it hadn¡¯t taken watching the town be destroyed while he stood by, because that¡¯s what his orders were, to get his head out of his ass and be a man.¡±

    It was too late, as far as Tibs was concerned. The man had already done too much damage just following orders, for anything he might do now to mean anything. Around them, buildings were burned husks. How long until they were rebuilt? Until the houses were up, the shops at the edge of Market Place reopened?

    He didn¡¯t care that people needed them, filled with ice as he was. The town was what needed the houses rebuilt and the shops reopened, for it to survive. It needed people to inhabit it, to return from wherever they¡¯d fled and bring commerce with them. More shops than those on Merchant Row were needed for the town to function.

    Merchant Row had escaped the worse of the damage, because of the Runners ensuring they were protected, but the merchants there wouldn¡¯t be able to supply everything a grown town needed. Market Place was needed for that.

    Could Kragle Rock even grow beyond where it stood?

    When Tibs had checked in with Darran, not to see how the merchant was doing, but to find out how the row was managing after the assaults, the merchant had explained how numbers meant a lot to the growth of a town, how it needed so much of one versus the other. Ratios, profits, the flow of people.

    Tibs had found the numbers interesting, but didn¡¯t understand all of them. What he had taken from the merchant¡¯s lecture was that Kragle Rock needed those extra shops, those houses, if it was to thrive.

    * * * * *

    Kroseph had his arms around Jackal as soon as they stepped within the inn. They spoke quietly while Tibs continued to their table. Not long after he sat, Kroseph placed bowl of stew and tankard before him.

    ¡°Please eat,¡± the server said, squeezing his shoulder.

    Tibs wasn¡¯t hungry, but if he didn¡¯t eat, his friends would pester him about it, so he made slow work of the food.

    Someone brought a chair to the table and sat.

    Tibs ignored them.

    ¡°I know you don¡¯t wan to deal with this right now,¡± Quigly said, ¡°but with how effective the guards are, we need to pull the people we have together and get them back to patrolling the Row, or the merchants there will start thinking depending on the guards is enough.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with that tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Tibs, this can¡¯t wait.¡± The warrior put a hand on Tibs¡¯s arm.

    ¡°I said tomorrow,¡± he snapped, the ice cracking under the heat of his anger.

    Quigly¡¯s one eye searched his face. The left side of the warrior¡¯s face was still bandaged, but Tibs had seen the mess that eye had been before Clara started healing it. Quigly had stopped her the moment it no longer oozed blood and other liquids, ordering her to see to those with worse injuries. He¡¯d waved away her warnings that if she didn¡¯t heal the eye now, she might not be able to later.

    ¡°Tomorrow,¡± the warrior said, standing, but not sounding happy. ¡°Be careful you don¡¯t alway push tomorrow back, Tibs. You don¡¯t have a lot left to control right now, but if too many of them pass before you take action, you won¡¯t have anything.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll sit and deal with this tomorrow,¡± Tibs replied, filling the cracks with more ice. ¡°I¡¯m not letting the guild take the town away from us, no matter how much work Harry puts into it now. I¡¯m not giving them a chance to betray us again.¡±

    With a satisfied nod, Quigly left with his chair.

    * * * * *

    Tibs stepped into his team¡¯s room.

    He should go roof running. He always felt better up there, rather than in here, but he was tired. Purity could deal with it, but it meant letting go of water, and he needed the whole of his reserve to keep the ice intact. Even if he filled the eight reserves in his bracers with water, he knew there wouldn¡¯t be enough.

    He stopped as he saw her bed.

    He saw her there, sitting, laughing. Chiding him for throwing the clay tablet aside in frustration.

    The ice cracked, and he swallowed. He forced himself to breathe and removed his armor.

    He was the only one in the room. Jackal was with Kroseph, Mez with his girl, and Khumdar¡­ Tibs had no idea who the cleric might be with.

    Tibs had the ice, and it made sure being alone in his team¡¯s room didn¡¯t bother him.

    He sat on his bed and looked at hers, next to it.

    He didn¡¯t care that it, too, was empty.

    He pulled his knees to his chest. He didn¡¯t care that the others has someone to seek comfort with and that he didn¡¯t.

    He didn¡¯t¡ª

    The ice cracked.

    He wouldn¡¯t¡ª

    The ice broke.

    He¡ª

    He lost hold of Water as tears flowed.

    He missed Carina.

    He missed Mama so much.

    It all hurt so much that he couldn¡¯t reach for the one thing that took his pain away.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 04

    Tibs looked at the names on his list; two and three of them. The Runners left who¡¯d protected Merchant Row, and half of them were still injured because the guild wouldn¡¯t let the clerics heal them until they reached Sto¡¯s door. Only a little more than twice that has survived Sebastian¡¯s raids.

    The guild had yet to announce when the runs were starting again, and Tibs wondered if those could happen with so few Runners. Was it best to let Sto rest, instead of getting him to use up resources with little in return? After surviving the raids, the first two floors wouldn¡¯t be much of a challenge for the Runners left doing them.

    He only had eight fighters left and two archers. The others were all rogues. He didn¡¯t know the distribution of those not working for him, but more fighters than the others had survived among them, too.

    Was there even more than four sorcerers left? Unless the guild allowed teams to double up on a class of Runners again, there was no way everyone could have a team to do their runs. And then that would mean, at most, ten teams, plus the nobles.

    Each team would go in twice every nine days. That would make Jackal happy, at least.

    ¡°What do you think, Tibs?¡± Quigly asked from the other side of the table.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be tough keeping all the businesses safe if thieves come in droves. It¡¯s a good thing Harry¡¯s guards are stopping most of them as they arrive.¡±

    ¡°Those aren¡¯t thieves,¡± the warrior pointed out. ¡°Those who manage to make it past the guards, and that we¡¯ve caught, are intent on destruction, not robbery. And they don¡¯t care what they destroy.¡±

    Tibs hadn¡¯t expected Sebastian¡¯s revenge from beyond death to start this quickly. He¡¯d hoped for weeks to rebuild his forces and the town. If not for the guards, Tibs would be overwhelmed trying to stop them.

    ¡°I¡¯ll speak with the other Runners. After the raids, they have to understand how important it is we keep the town safe.¡±

    ¡°Or they aren¡¯t going to want to have anything to do with fighting anymore,¡± Quigly replied. ¡°Not all survivors become hardened soldiers.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re Runners.¡±

    But Tibs knew that didn¡¯t make them people who wanted to fight. The dungeon didn¡¯t give them a choice, and neither had Sebastian, but how many only did the bare minimum to survive their runs? Went to the appointed training, then spent their time enjoying themselves?

    Acted like their next run would be their last, instead of making sure they survived it.

    It surprised him how many survive with that attitude. A handful of them were Runners who¡¯d paid to be here, stuck fighting Sebastian¡¯s people when the Attendants vanished. Only the serious Runners had stayed once they returned. But Tibs wasn¡¯t sure he could trust them to want to keep the row safe.

    They were here willingly, so they didn¡¯t suffer at the hand of the guild as harshly, so weren¡¯t as attached to Kragle Rock as the others. In their favor was the fact they weren¡¯t nobles, but they also weren¡¯t street, or criminals for whom being a Runner had been a reprieve of a more direct punishment. He¡¯d had few interactions with them, outside of offering help with how to deal with the runs.

    ¡°We need everyone who can be convinced to help,¡± Tibs finally said, ¡°especially if outright destruction is the goal. When the guild brings in the new convicts, those will be easier to talk into working with us. We¡¯ll just have to manage until then.¡±

    Quigly watched him, and Tibs ignored the look. The warrior was the one who¡¯d wanted Tibs to get back to running things, so he could accept this was how things would go.

    ¡°Alright. How do you want to divide the patrols?¡± Quigly asked.

    * * * * *

    Tibs watched the workers laying down the paving stone along the end of Dungeon Way, which cut most of Kragle Rock in half on this side of the transportation platform, and over the dirt patch continuing to the steps leading up to Sto¡¯s door.

    The townsfolk were crowding into the few surviving buildings, and this was what the guild spent resources on? Turning a dirt path into a paved one? They should build housing, restoring the shops, seeing to the people who kept the town going, instead of¡­ this. Why would Runners care if they walked on dirt or stone when going to do their Runs?

    Amelia, Mez¡¯s noble friend, was doing the work of the guild, bringing in workers to rebuild the town, while the rest of the nobles were taking advantage of the destruction to separate themselves from the rest. Mere days after Sebastian died, the rubble around the noble¡¯s quarters had been cleared, including houses that had been untouched by the destruction. They planned to erect a wall to protect them from the rest of the rabble.

    Tibs didn¡¯t know who had owned those buildings, or if they¡¯d survived the raids and had left using the coins the nobles paid for their houses, and he didn¡¯t care. They weren¡¯t townsfolk anymore, and this was simply more of what nobles did; which was whatever they wanted.

    More workers leveled the ground by the bottom of the steps. Not where the path would be, but on the side. These were dressed in aprons and leather chaps to protect them from the sharp tools they used. They were townsfolk, working with whatever they could find.

    He noticed Cross among them and headed there.

    The people cheered on seeing him. Slapped his shoulder when he was in reach, thanked him for saving them. Hero of the Town, they called him, Killer of Raiders, and other names he didn¡¯t care for. He wished Don had played his usual games and claimed all the fame, but the sorcerer was nowhere to be found.

    He was still in the town. He had to be since he, like everyone brought here from a cell, wasn¡¯t allowed to leave.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Cross called, pausing in pulling a larger stone out of the ground with a few other workers, and wiping sweat from her brow. ¡°Lowering yourself to our level and offering to help?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t make me larger than I am,¡± he replied flatly. He didn¡¯t care that she was making a joke, he didn¡¯t like being made into something he wasn¡¯t.

    She looked at him with an odd expression. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He motioned to her leather armor, with the metal weights attached to it. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to work without all that?¡±

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°That¡¯s the point,¡± she replied. She kept watching him for a few seconds, then went back to the stone. Around them, the others leveled an area large enough for a house. None of the area facing the dungeon was flat, even if this wasn¡¯t as bad as where it turned into the hill going up to the town.

    ¡°Have you asked Runners to help?¡± Tibs asked. ¡°This would be easier with Earth essence.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve done enough making sure we lived,¡± a woman said, her accent thick, and smiling at him. ¡°They deserve a rest before getting back to this.¡± She motioned to the door with the old shovel in her hands.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t asking heroes to work like this,¡± a man said, using a spear to stab around a stone.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t heroes,¡± Tibs said, and got amused looks in return. ¡°You did as much as us,¡± he told Cross, ¡°so why are you letting the guild force you to work here?¡±

    ¡°The guild¡¯s not making us do this,¡± an overweight man said, his clothing sticking to him from the sweat. ¡°This is where my new shop will be.¡±

    ¡°Mine¡¯s going to be next to it,¡± a woman said, covered in dirt. She pointed to the other half of the area being cleared.

    ¡°We¡¯re helping,¡± another said, ¡°because what¡¯s going to happen if all we do is rely on the guild?¡±

    ¡°Nothing,¡± a handful of the workers replied.

    ¡°Then more reasons Runners should help you,¡± Tibs said. ¡°Your shops help us as much as anyone else in the town.¡±

    The overweight man grinned. ¡°The coins you¡¯ll spend at our shops will be help enough.¡±

    Tibs nodded. He¡¯d offered, and they¡¯d refused. What else could he do?

    ¡°Why are you doing work then, Cross? You aren¡¯t going to benefit from the shops the way the merchants will.¡±

    She motioned to them. ¡°They¡¯re paying me to stand guard.¡±

    ¡°What you¡¯re doing doesn¡¯t look like standing guard to me.¡±

    She rolled her eyes. ¡°Look around. What¡¯s going to tempt a thief? It¡¯s boring, just standing and watching. And what I did during the attacks is nothing like what you Runners did. I didn¡¯t take on dozens of thugs, like a certain fighter we both know. Or, if the stories are to be believed, how you did.¡±

    ¡°That the groups you took down were smaller doesn¡¯t diminish the help you gave,¡± Tibs countered. ¡°And without an element, what you did is more impressive than anything one of us did.¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°And what¡¯s bringing you to this part of the land? If you¡¯re hoping to convince them to let you in, you¡¯re not going to have much luck.¡± She nodded to the guards on each side of the open door at the top of the steps. ¡°I think they¡¯re overcompensating for standing around not doing anything while you went and saved everyone.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I did,¡± Tibs stated, to which she smirked. ¡°I¡¯m walking around seeing the state of everything after spending the morning going over the state of our people with Quigly.¡± He motioned to workers at the top of the hill. ¡°I noticed them and went to see what they were doing, then noticed you down here.¡±

    ¡°What is the state of the Runners?¡± Cross asked, and a few of the workers paused to listen.

    ¡°There¡¯s barely five and zero of us left. Half of that I need to convince to help protect Merchant Row if I don¡¯t want to exhaust the Runners doing the patrols there.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll help,¡± a young woman offered. She was muscular and had been swinging a pick at a larger boulder. She¡¯d be at it for some time. The rock extended deep under the ground.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯ve been through enough. We¡¯ll handle it.¡±

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Cross asked him, that odd look back.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Sto said, while Cross looked like she was debating something, ¡°can we talk?¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°I¡¯d better get back to work. I can¡¯t just stand around and set a bad example.¡±

    Tibs nodded and walked away from them and to the cliffside.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Sto asked. ¡°My door¡¯s open, but no one¡¯s coming in.¡±

    Tibs waited until he reached the stone wall. ¡°The guild¡¯s not letting us do runs yet.¡±

    ¡°Until when? It was fun listening to the people I protected, but that was a while ago.¡±

    Tibs sat and watched the workers. ¡°It was only a few days ago.¡±

    ¡°Still too long,¡± Sto said dismissively, ¡°and I¡­ Tibs, are you okay? You seem, I don¡¯t know, different.¡±

    ¡°Carina died.¡± He tightened his hold on the ice to prevent it from cracking. ¡°Sebastian killed her before me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Tibs. I¡¯m so sorry. I know how close you were to her and¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he said, fighting the straining ice. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Oh, alright then. Do you know when you¡¯ll be doing a run again? Or anyone else. I¡¯m bored and¡­ wait. No. You don¡¯t just sit there being fine when someone dies. You hurt and you miss them. What¡¯s going on Tibs?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡± The ice cracked, and he pushed against the reminder of the pain harder.

    ¡°Ganny! Something¡¯s wrong with Tibs!¡±

    ¡°Tibs?¡± she said. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Carina died,¡± Sto said, and Tibs closed his eyes to focus on the ice and the heat building under it.

    ¡°Oh, Tibs. I am so sorry to hear that.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Okay, there¡¯s something wrong with him.¡±

    ¡°Oh, good,¡± Sto said with relief. ¡°I was worried I¡¯d been wrong.¡±

    ¡°You called me over, Sto.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but how often to I get stuff wrong about them? You¡¯re the one who gets them. It¡¯s why I called you. I was pretty sure there was something wrong with him, but now I know, so we can fix it.¡± Silence. ¡°How do we fix this?¡±

    ¡°What wrong, Tibs?¡± Ganny asked, her tone soft and sounding closer. Was the ground under him riddled with tunnels they could move through, now that Sto¡¯s influence extended past the mountain?

    ¡°She died,¡± he said, not intending to, and cracks appeared in the ice.

    ¡°Did you make Sebastian pay?¡± Sto asked. ¡°What? Don¡¯t look at me like that. You heard the things said when he didn¡¯t know I could hear him. Tibs doesn¡¯t just sit down and miss someone who dies.¡±

    ¡°I did.¡± His smile cracked the ice more than the pain, and if not for how quickly one could switch to the other, he¡¯d let some of the control go. He wanted to enjoy how he¡¯d felt, shattering that man piece by piece. ¡°I broke him until there was nothing left of him.¡±

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you angry, Tibs?¡± Ganny asked.

    He swallowed, and heat slipped through the cracks. ¡°It hurt too much.¡± He tried to push it down, fill them with water. ¡°If I get angry, I¡¯ll want to burn everything down. When I¡¯m angry, I hate everyone for letting Carina die, even those who had nothing to do with it.¡±

    ¡°And if you did that,¡± she said, ¡°the guild would know you have more than one element.¡±

    He frowned, and working out what was wrong with her statement tempered the heat slightly. ¡°Yes, but I¡¯d have hurt people who don¡¯t deserve it.¡± Sto said she understood people more than he did, but this showed she didn¡¯t understand them completely. There was only so much either could learn from listening in on Runners.

    ¡°Of course. I¡¯m sorry.¡± She was quiet. ¡°Isn¡¯t there a place you can be angry and not hurt anyone?¡±

    ¡°If I get angry, I¡¯m going to channel fire and I¡¯m going to let it eat everything. Ice is safer for everyone. It¡¯s easier to deal with everything then.¡±

    ¡°But is it safe for you?¡± she asked.

    The look Kroseph gave him when Tibs told him he was fine. How Quigly had looked at him this morning, whenever they weren¡¯t addressing the schedule directly. Or how Cross had, only minutes ago.

    Even those who didn¡¯t understand how he was doing it didn¡¯t like what he was doing.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± The heat was buried under the ice again, and he no longer cared about the consequences. Not that neither Ganny nor Sto could do anything to¡ª

    ¡°Would it help if you could be angry somewhere no one would get hurt?¡± she asked.

    ¡°What are you doing, Ganny?¡± Sto asked.

    Tibs chuckled at the idea anything could be safe while he channeled fire. Then clamped down, as cracks spread again through the ice.

    ¡°Remember what Robert said when he was talking about his father? All that anger he kept bottled up?¡±

    ¡°That was a while back, Ganny. He is the one who was eaten by the rats when I added them to the second floor boss room? Yeah, that¡¯s him. He was talking about that with the rogue.¡±

    ¡°He said it killed his father. He had so much of it that it was like thorns growing in his chest until he died.¡±

    ¡°But that wasn¡¯t real, was it?¡± Sto asked. ¡°It¡¯s that thing you told me about. A figure of speech.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but his father still died from being so angry all the time. Do you want that to happen to Tibs?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. But when you say ¡®somewhere no one will get hurt¡¯, I know you mean me, and that does hurt. I¡¯m not saying I won¡¯t do it,¡± he said in a tone that made Tibs think that if Sto had eyes, they¡¯d be rolling. ¡°Just reminding you it¡¯s my body you¡¯re offering for him to burn.¡±

    ¡°Just part of it,¡± she replied.

    ¡°No. I¡¯m not going to hurt you.¡±

    ¡°I can deal with it, Tibs,¡± Sto said. ¡°And if it¡¯s going to help¡ª¡±

    ¡°I said no.¡± Tibs stood. ¡°I¡¯m not hurting anyone. It¡¯ll pass. I got used to mama not being there anymore. I¡¯ll get used to Carina¡¯s absence, too.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s Mama?¡± Sto asked.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Ganny said gently. ¡°If doing this can kill you, aren¡¯t you hurting yourself?¡±

    He shrugged. If he was, at least he was hurting someone who deserved it.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 05

    Tibs felt the weave throughout the guildhall¡¯s walls, as he headed for his destination, but could only make out a small part of what it was made of, and he didn¡¯t know enough to be sure what those might even do, although he could hazard a guess at the basics.

    There was a lot of Earth, and that would be to reinforce the building. Water and Air could be to deflect attacks. Darkness would¡­.what would it do? Wouldn¡¯t it weaken the other essences within the weave? If it didn¡¯t, then did it weaken the attacks? Serve to make the building harder to find? I was the largest structure in the town; all an attacker had to do was look, and they saw it.

    He simply didn¡¯t know enough about weaves and essence and the elements.

    But he was hoping to fix that now.

    He stepped into the training room, where Alistair waited for him.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t have to send a reminder this time,¡± the man said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a lot keeping me busy, now that Sebastian¡¯s dead,¡± he replied flatly.

    ¡°Now that you killed him, you mean?¡± his teacher accused him.

    ¡°He killed Carina,¡± Tibs snapped hotly, the ice cracking. ¡°And I didn¡¯t hide that I¡¯m the one who avenged her.¡±

    The man snorted. ¡°Avenged?¡± He took a breath and his expression softened. ¡°I am sorry that she was killed, Tibs. I truly am. But what you did, it goes beyond avenging her. What you did means you lied to me.¡±

    Tibs studied his teacher, trying to determine what he could have discovered. Had he left something behind of what he¡¯d used to free himself from the sorcerers? Was there a residue showing more than one element had been used?

    He had the excuses of having used his bracers; Alistair knew about them. If it came down to it, he could blame whatever his teacher had sensed on Sebastian. The man had covered himself in enchanted items; anything could be blamed on them.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t at the edge of Lambda,¡± Alistair stated. ¡°That¡¯s why you didn¡¯t want to be tested. Somehow, you¡¯ve advanced beyond what you should know and you want to keep that from the guild; keep it from me.¡± The pained expression was marred with anger. ¡°Why, Tibs? I¡¯ve been helping you. I postponed your test so your team would remain intact. Why didn¡¯t you trust me with this?¡±

    There was no light on the words, so Alistair hadn¡¯t lied. But he¡¯d also stated little of worth. Even if the pain was real, Tibs no longer trusted him. He was guild first and foremost, and like all of them, the only thing he cared about was the guild.

    ¡°Where were you when Sebastian raided the town?¡±

    ¡°I was away,¡± Alistair replied confidently, but the words were bright.

    ¡°If you¡¯d been here,¡± Tibs continued in spite of knowing the lie, ¡°would you have disobeyed the guild? Come to help us?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± the light built as Alistair hesitated, then he closed his mouth on the words he¡¯d been about to speak and sighed. ¡°Tibs. It isn¡¯t that simple.¡± No light this time. Not that it mattered.

    ¡°No, of course it isn¡¯t,¡± Tibs stated. ¡°I¡¯m sure it took the guild a long time to decide guarding the dungeon was more important than protecting the town that stood between it and Sebastian. That it was our job to protect it, that taking the noble¡¯s coins and protecting them was worth the sacrifice to the guilds so important principles¡­ or does taking coins come before anything else for you, like it did for the gang leaders from my Street? How long did it take them to decide protecting the guild mean letting the Everburn splash onto the town, when there were other ways to stop that? Well, you were away,¡± he said mockingly, ¡°so you didn¡¯t have to watch as your guild threw us and the townsfolk away.¡± His expression hardened. ¡°So don¡¯t ask me to be nice to them. To temper my words for your and their comfort. I¡¯m here to be trained, nothing else. So teach me about weaving essence.¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t ready, Tibs,¡± Alistair said dismissively.

    ¡°How do you know?¡± Tibs snorted. ¡°You have no idea what I¡¯m capable of.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t do as much as you think you can.¡± Alistair was amused. ¡°What you did to that man tells me you¡¯ve grown in power, Tibs. But what we do is about more than power. It¡¯s about control. That, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve gained since our last training session.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re one to talk about control and what I¡¯ve gained. You didn¡¯t even know amulets could be used as reserves until I showed you.¡±

    ¡°I never needed¡ª¡±

    ¡°Exactly. You never needed anything, while I¡¯ve had to fight for everything!¡± Tibs stopped himself, found the cracks his growing anger had caused, and filled them with ice. ¡°Having more essence means you don¡¯t need control.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a fighter¡¯s way of thinking, Tibs,¡± Alistair said, disappointed. ¡°We¡¯re rogues. We have to be cleverer than them, because they¡¯ll always have more power that us. You¡¯ll be hard pressed to find one fighter who does more with their essence than make themselves or their weapons harder and stronger. They¡¯re a reason they¡¯ll pick Earth and Metal. Even those who chose Crystal hardly do anything clever with it.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t there fighters for all the elements? Harry¡¯s Light.¡±

    ¡°I said you¡¯ll be hard pressed, Tibs. Not that you¡¯ll never find one. How does the fighter on your team use his element?¡±

    Wastefully, Tibs thought. ¡°That doesn¡¯t change things. More power means I don¡¯t need as much control.¡±

    ¡°What do you think weaving is, Tibs?¡± Alistair demanded. ¡°You think it¡¯s just about pouring more and more essence into something? It¡¯s called weaving because of the fabric weavers. Have you looked at the clothes you wear? Those designs at the cuffs, are they just more and more threads pushed together?¡±

    ¡°Teach me, and I¡¯ll make it happen,¡± Tibs demanded.

    ¡°No.¡± The shake of the head was sad. ¡°I don¡¯t care how much you¡¯ve increased your reserve. How quickly you can pull essence into it as you use it, or how many amulets you have secreted on yourself. If you don¡¯t have control, I¡¯ll be wasting my time.¡±

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°I can have control!¡± Tibs snarled, the ice cracking.

    Alistair¡¯s smile was filled with satisfaction. ¡°Then show me. Land one strike against me.¡± He crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°And I¡¯ll teach you essence weaving.¡±

    Tibs forced more ice in the cracks as he placed a hand on the pommel of his knife. ¡°What can I use? An essence attack? Does it have to be my fists?¡±

    Alistair shrugged. ¡°Either, or your sword, or something else.¡±

    Tibs flicked his knife and the jet of water flew at the other rogue without him having to think about it, only for it to deflect to the side at the raising of Alistair¡¯s eyebrow.

    ¡°Really?¡± the man asked.

    Tibs formed his sword and the jaggers spikes grew, with the cracking of ice, into an uneven edge. Alistair shook his head, the disappointment clear on his face. Tibs recalled his teacher¡¯s talk of anger, and how it caused his sword to look like this, instead of it being because Tibs like the fear it engendered. Tibs smiled, tapped the tip on the floor, and with more crackling, the jagged pieces fell off, leaving a smooth and straight blade.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve at least gained that much control, Tibs. But you haven¡¯t landed a blow yet.¡±

    Tibs ran, swung, and was shoved aside, barely remaining on his feet. All that registered was a flash of Alistair¡¯s knife and essence, but neither had come close to him. He hadn¡¯t noticed the details of what the man had done.

    He rushed again, and this time Alistair stepped aside as casually as if Tibs was passerby he disliked.

    With a snarl, Tibs send a wave of essence, the water forming a wall that distorted the man, who drew his knife and, with a few flourishes trailing essence, parted the wall before it was close to him. Tibs send another, then another, and each parted to a slice of that knife.

    With the next one, Tibs threw a knife and smiled as Alistair reflexively moved his arm to block it. All he needed was to make contact, and that would¡ª

    The air behind the parting water crystalized before the arm into clear ice as intricate as any gems the nobles wore. It shattered as the knife impacted it, but also sent it careening aside.

    Tibs stared, then attacked. Waves of water mixed with shards of ice. He even tried to encase the man in ice, but he stepped aside before it formed, or shattered what Tibs formed with a flick of his knife that trailed essence.

    Tibs gritted his teeth, but in annoyance and at the strain of having to fill the constantly appearing cracks.

    Etching. His teacher was stopping Tibs strongest attack with simple etchings. From talks with Carina, he¡¯d gotten the sense that etching was weak, something Runners did until they learned weaving; not something to depend on, the way Alistair was right now.

    He sent a wave and ran behind it, sword high. When Alistair parted it, Tibs brought the blade down hard. His teacher smiled and barely moved. The blade slid aside just before making contact. Tibs reversed the attack, but Alistair was landing out of reach.

    Tibs formed water on the floor around Alistair and he flicked jet after jet to force the man to split his focus. He iced the patches as he ran, but Alistair kept his footing on the ice. He formed a patch of ice and dropped to his knee, sliding under the last of the jets, sword extended, ready to cut his teacher¡¯s legs out from¡ª

    The abrupt stop sent Tibs face first on the stone floor and the pain was followed by water falling on him. He groaned and pushed himself up, only to drop. He hadn¡¯t realized how tired he¡¯d become. He had ample essence, but all he could do for the moment was keep the ice within him from cracking.

    A few seconds to catch his breath. Channel Purity only long enough to get his stamina back and¡ª

    ¡°This is what control lets you do, Tibs.¡±

    He looked at his teacher, who stood well out of reach.

    ¡°Wielding all that power comes at the cost of exhaustion. Control lets you find ways around that.¡±

    ¡°You used etching,¡± Tibs accused him, panting.

    Alistair smiled. ¡°I used all the tools I needed to teach you this lesson. It doesn¡¯t matter how powerful you are, Tibs; how vast an adventurer¡¯s reserve is. Control and cleverness will always come up with a way to get the upper hand.¡±

    ¡°I want,¡± Tibs said, painting angrily, no longer able to keep the cracks filled, ¡°to learn to etch.¡±

    His teacher crouched before him. ¡°Yes, I think you¡¯ve reached the point where I can teach you that. But there will be rules, Tibs. No more lying to me about what you can do. I know you don¡¯t like the guild, and I understand why, but I am your ally here.¡±

    Alistair¡¯s words were without light, but that didn¡¯t mean Tibs had to believe him. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll tell you everything I¡¯ve figured out how to do,¡± Tibs lied.

    * * * * *

    Tibs frowned as he watched tents being put up behind where the townsfolk were still working on the buildings.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Sto asked. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    The tents were of various sizes, reminding him of what Kragle Rock had looked like before buildings went up there.

    He made sure no was close and whispered, ¡°I think the new runners are going to arrive soon.¡±

    ¡°Yes! That means you¡¯ll be doing runs soon.¡±

    ¡°Why? Are you getting hungry?¡±

    ¡°What? No, of course not. That isn¡¯t how¡ªoh, right.¡± Tibs heard the smile. ¡°Because you all refer to me absorbing those who fail the tests as eating them. No, that¡¯s still fine. So long as I don¡¯t do too much work, I don¡¯t ¡®get hungry¡¯. I¡¯m just bored. Ganny says that by this point, dungeons have so many runners there¡¯s always people in them.¡±

    ¡°You mean they don¡¯t all close their doors at night?¡±

    ¡°Ganny?¡± Sto called. ¡°Do I have to close my door like I¡¯ve been doing?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want some time to rest?¡± she answered, her voice gaining strength. ¡°Hi Tibs.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think I¡¯ve gotten enough rest at this point?¡± Sto replied.

    ¡°Okay, then, are you done making adjustments to the floors?¡±

    Sto snorted.

    ¡°There you go. You can¡¯t do that when people are inside.¡±

    ¡°Of course I can. All I have to do is block off the parts where¡­ Okay, I see how not having anyone inside makes things simpler. Still, I could leave it open when I don¡¯t have anything to do.¡±

    ¡°People like things to be regular,¡± Ganny said. ¡°If they can¡¯t tell when you¡¯re going to let them in or not, they¡¯re going to get irritable.¡±

    Runners wouldn¡¯t care, but Tibs saw how it would make scheduling the runs more difficult for the guild.

    ¡°So that¡¯s why you insisted I did it for the same length of time each time.¡±

    ¡°That and in an attempt to get you to understand how time works. I can¡¯t believe anyone else is having this hard of a time getting their dungeon to understand such a simple concept.¡±

    ¡°Do you understand time, Tibs?¡± Sto asked.

    He waited until those walking by were far enough and whispered. ¡°I know how to count it, well, how to tell it by where the sun is. Or where Claria and Torus are at night. I think void essence has something to do with it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­interesting,¡± Sto said. ¡°The sun, Claria, and Torus aren¡¯t within my area of senses, Ganny, so don¡¯t bother bringing them up. What about time is part of void? I have plenty of that and never noticed it doing anything with time.¡±

    ¡°Like you¡¯d know if it did,¡± Ganny mumbled.

    ¡°You¡¯d have told me, and tried to get me to match with how people do it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Tibs whispered. ¡°Carina said that adventurers who have void as their elements sometime end up being aware of time in different order.¡±

    ¡°I wonder how that happens,¡± Sto mused.

    ¡°And I¡¯m going to say we wait until you have a better handle on that essence before you try anything.¡±

    ¡°Why are you making such a big deal of me losing a room?¡± Sto asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not making a big deal of you losing the room,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯m making a big deal of what¡¯s there in its place.¡±

    ¡°How do you lose a room?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°Go on,¡± Ganny urged in the silence. ¡°Tell him.¡±

    Sto sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know how I did it. I was experimenting with doorways, seeing if I could build a puzzle like those Ganny made on the third floor, but with them instead. I set them inside a room because, unlike what someone thinks, I¡¯m not stupid enough to do that in the open and¡­ Well, when I activated the whole thing, the room just wasn¡¯t there anymore.¡± Ganny sighed in exasperation. ¡°Fine, there was something else in its place and we had to make changes to that part of the fourth floor because I couldn¡¯t make it go away. Happy now?¡±

    ¡°How can part of something inside the mountain, inside you, be something you don¡¯t know or can¡¯t move?¡±

    ¡°And,¡± Ganny said, ¡°That¡¯s why I say we aren¡¯t experimenting with void anymore.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 06

    Tibs froze as he stepped into the office.

    The summons to Harry¡¯s office¡ªnow he knew why the guard as referred to the man as commander, instead of by his name¡ªhad been expected.

    While Tibs didn¡¯t have many Runners to patrol Merchant Row, he ensured the patrols happened, which had led to altercations with the guards assigned there and those rogues ending up in the cells. Tibs hadn¡¯t sought Harry to get them released, since there were no runs to be missed, and the stays in the cell were only a few days long, but he had expected the guard leader to summon him about it.

    Except that it wasn¡¯t Harry sitting behind the desk. The man with the hard metal gray eyes fixed on Tibs looked older. Black hair, tied in a tail, streaked with gray and a short beard, also black and gray. His leather uniform had metal strips attached, which Tibs thought were more there as something to use with his essence, than to add protection.

    The concentration of essence made the man weaker than Harry, but still in the range of Gamma adventurers.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Harry?¡± If not for the ice, Tibs would have demanded, or accused. Instead, he was simply annoyed the guard leader had delegated the delivery of the ultimatum to a subordinate. For all the problems they had, Tibs still deserved to be yelled at by the leader of the guards himself.

    The silence stretched, the man unmoving. If he thought he could out-wait Tibs, he was in for a surprise.

    ¡°Not here,¡± the man finally said in a flat tone. ¡°He left.¡±

    ¡°Left for where?¡± and when would he be back? Tibs wasn¡¯t interested in dealing with¡ª

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. And it¡¯s not what should bother you. I¡¯m in charge. And unlike him, I¡¯m not going to humor this little game you¡¯re playing at.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t play games.¡±

    ¡°You and your friends are playing at being guards. That ends now.¡±

    Tibs snorted. ¡°So you can betray us the way Harry and the guild did? You¡¯re welcome to what Harry protected. I¡¯m keeping Merchant Row and the surrounding neighborhoods. If Harry didn¡¯t tell you what¡¯s mine, the guards will know.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s yours,¡± the man said, his tone not changing, ¡°is that room you pay for, the table in the inn that you¡¯ve claimed, and the team you do your runs with. Tirania might indulge you, because she finds you useful, but I don¡¯t. You will tell your Runner friends to get off the street and let my patrols do their work. The alternative will be harsher than a day or two in the cells.¡±

    ¡°Like what?¡± Tibs smirked. ¡°Feed us to the dungeon? Leave us to fend for ourselves the next time someone tries to destroy my town? We survived Sebastian. There¡¯s nothing you can scare us with.¡±

    ¡°My job isn¡¯t to scare you. My job is maintaining order. You¡¯re interfering with that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a rogue. Breaking rules is what I do.¡±

    ¡°Breaking the rules comes with consequences.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°Have fun catching me doing it.¡±

    The man raised an eyebrow, and Tibs sensed the essence that opened the door behind him. ¡°I¡¯ve already caught you. Take him to a cell.¡±

    ¡°Sir?¡± the guard standing on the other side asked, surprised. She didn¡¯t have an element. ¡°They¡¯re full, after that last bunch of arrests.¡±

    The guard leader smiled coldly. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be happy to make space for him. My understanding is they are here for him, after all.¡±

    ¡°Sir, Runners are supposed to¡ª¡± she stopped as the expression was shifted to her and turned colder.

    ¡°I¡¯m not my predecessor,¡± the man stated. ¡°He abandoned his post. Left behind Runners who think they get to set the rules and guards who think that¡¯s fine. When they break the rules, that are treated like any other criminals. Throw him in a cell.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± She placed a hand on Tibs¡¯s shoulder and guided him through the building. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. After everything you did for us, he shouldn¡¯t treat you this way. I¡¯d let you go if it was up to me.¡±

    Tibs nodded, still thinking over what the man said. Harry had abandoned his post. Not left, abandoned. What could push Harry to do that? The guild was everything to him.

    He was pulled from his thought at the muffled cacophony come from a barred door and the amount of woven essence behind it. He stood at the bottom of stairs he didn¡¯t recall walking down.

    ¡°The Hero¡¯s getting the tour?¡± one of the two guards by the door asked, amused.

    His escort hesitated. ¡°He¡¯s getting to share in the accommodations.¡±

    Tibs kept his expression neutral. All he sensed from within what had to be the cells was¡­ he had no idea how to define it. There was no definition to what he sensed. He couldn¡¯t even tell if there were people in there, even knowing there had to be.

    ¡°What?¡± the other guard asked, pushing himself from the wall he¡¯d been leaning against. ¡°Is this a joke?¡±

    She shook her head.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t anyone tell him what he did for us?¡± the first guard asked. ¡°There wouldn¡¯t be a town for us to guard is not for Tibs and Don.¡± He shared a confused look with the other. ¡°I get throwing the occasional Runner in when they get uppity, but him?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome to go up and explain that to him,¡± she replied, ¡°but until you convince him to change his mind, Tibs is going in a cell.¡±

    ¡°How the fuck does he expect us to clear a cell for him?¡±

    ¡°His orders are to put him in with them.¡±

    They looked at Tibs in disbelief. ¡°They are going to rip him apart when we put him in there without his armor or weapons.¡±

    ¡°The captain didn¡¯t say anything about taking anything away,¡± She said.

    ¡°But the rules are that we have to disarm anyone we put in the cell,¡± the guard on the left said.

    ¡°But not remove their armor,¡± the one of the right added, smiling. ¡°We¡¯ve just been doing that because it takes away the one advantage a runner might have over the others.¡± His smile faded as he looked at Tibs. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to take that knife.¡± He hesitated. ¡°And any others you might have secreted on you.¡±

    Tibs handed the one at his belt, and the one from within his bracer. If they¡¯d told him to, he would have removed his armor. He wasn¡¯t worried about the others in the cells, or whatever the guild had that disrupted essence. He had enough to make sure he was left alone.

    The guard secured the knives in one of a series of chests along the wall that had a simple-looking lock. The other unbarred the door.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother trying to do the water thing you do,¡± that man said. ¡°The cells have all kinds of enchanting on them to keep anyone in them from using magic.¡±

    That could explain why he had trouble sensing inside the cell. ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°How should I know?¡± the man replied with a chuckle. ¡°Magic. It¡¯s got to be that, since it can do anything.¡±

    Tibs was tempted to point out all the things it seemed not to be able to do, but the man opened the door and the muffled sounds of before became loud voices speaking over one another, and arguing, laughing.

    His escort urged him forward, and the loudness vanished as the prisoners noticed them, then was replaced by hushed conversations.

    Men and women dressed in clothing ranging from street to wealthy looked at him as if he was the answer to all their problems. No, as if his corpse was the answer.

    The few Runners among them looked concerned. And when Tibs fixed his gaze on a woman he recognized, the hungry expression was replaced with shame as she looked away. He didn¡¯t know her name, but she was one of the townsfolk, here, like the others townsfolk in the cells, because she¡¯d caused trouble.

    Tibs couldn¡¯t make out the weaves on the bars. Like every other one within the walls of the building, they were too dense for him to even clearly sense the essences he could identify. Whatever effect they had didn¡¯t stretch on this side of the bars.

    ¡°Make space,¡± his escort told the men and women in the cell they stopped before. As far as Tibs could tell, it was the one with the fewest people in it, but only by one or two. When they moved back against the wall, it only left a third of the cell free.

    ¡°This is Tibs,¡± she said, watching them. ¡°He saved this town, so you¡¯re going to treat him with respect, or we¡¯re going to get in there and teach you to respect heroes; is that clear?¡±

    The only ones who looked to take her warning seriously was the woman, and two others who had to be townsfolk and Gwenfire, one of the rogues who¡¯d been arrested. The others looked ready to act the instant the door was closed again.

    The lock to the cell was large, and its key matched. His picks would break trying to open it. Not that he intended on breaking out. Tibs was going to show that man he could take whatever punishment he handed him and still go on protecting his town.

    His step faltered as he entered the cell, assaulted by essence, and he pushed back against it to keep the ice filling him intact. It was unlike anything he¡¯d sensed before. Sheer violence without organization. This was an example of Alistair¡¯s lesson, where quantity was used to overwhelm, and where Tibs¡¯s application of precision deflected most of it. The angles he formed on the surface of the ice caught and shifted the assault around, instead of through him.

    He opened his eyes as the door closed and tested his limits. He could alter the ice, so long as he was careful to maintain the angles, but anything he pushed beyond it was ripped away. Trying to use essence from his bracers did nothing, as his method of moving it was over his body. He¡¯d have to work out how to move them from within him later.

    One and six people watched him; one and three hungrily. This time, the woman didn¡¯t look away, emboldened by greed and the others. Tibs gave a minute shake of the head when Gwenfire opened her mouth. He didn¡¯t want her involved in this. The other two townsfolk looked afraid.

    These would only a small portion of the people Sebastian¡¯s coins had convinced to avenge him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not Tibs the Hero,¡± he said flatly. ¡°I¡¯m Tibs the Dungeon Runner. I¡¯ve been up against the dungeon more times than I can count and survived. If you really think you¡¯re deadlier than him, come and try me.¡±

    The first was a muscular woman. Two steps and she was close enough to swing at him. He blocked and punched her in the stomach, then groin, chest and finally the face. She fell back with a pained groan. His fist hurt. The Earth he¡¯d reflexively pulled from his bracer to harden his hand hadn¡¯t survived to reach it.

    He kicked out the knee of the man who attacked next, breaking it. Then Tibs was pushed against the bars and punched in the face.

    Tibs let the ice crack slightly and with an angry scream, he kneed the man in the balls, then smashed his elbow in the side of his head. As the man crashed to the floor, Tibs kicked him in the face.

    He didn¡¯t care that no one in this cell was responsible for Carina, for what his town had suffered, for the pain leaking through the cracks. He needed to lash out, and these people had volunteered.

    More hits made it through his defenses than he stopped, but after so many runs, so many fights against Sebastian¡¯s thugs, even without essence to lessen it, physical pain was something he was used to, and now, it had to overwhelm his emotional pain before it bothered him. His grunts each time he was hit barely registered above the pained scream of those he hit back, and that was buried under the cacophony of the people in the other cells, calling for his death, for him not to give in, for them to stop hurting him. Tibs made out bets being exchanged.

    He didn¡¯t care.

    All he wanted for the moment was the little revenge he could get.

    * * * * *

    ¡°Please,¡± she pleaded, arms up to protect her face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Tibs had her against the back wall. She was the last of the attackers left in his cell, and Tibs vaguely put together she hadn¡¯t actually done more than look at him hungrily. He reformed the ice. She¡¯d actually stepped back when Tibs reached for her, raised her hand in surrender. She hadn¡¯t wanted to hurt him. Tibs had been the one needing to hurt anyone, and her momentary lapse in judgment had been excuse enough for him.

    He let her go, and she scurried to the other two townsfolk, who edged away from her. Again, he shook his head when Gwenfire opened her mouth. He still didn¡¯t want to interact with anyone other than to hurt them. The groaning from the people littering the floor of his cell was the only sounds, as the people in the other cells watch in anger, fear, dismay and satisfaction.

    Tibs smiled as he dropped onto the bench and leaned against the wall. Maybe Jackal had a point about the pit and how useful hitting people was.

    The door opened as conversations restarted, hushed this time, and a guard stopped before his cell. ¡°She did tell them to treat you with respect.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Do you need anything?¡±

    ¡°Ale would be good,¡± Tibs replied. He looked at his hands. ¡°A cloth to clean the blood off. I¡¯d use water, but¡­¡± he motioned around him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡± His expression darkened as he looked over the people on the floor. ¡°How badly did you hurt them?¡±

    ¡°I used my fist, feet, and any part of my body that would connect.¡± Tibs shrugged. ¡°They¡¯re alive, but a cleric should look them over.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think they can afford to pay for one.¡± He considered something. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about any of them claiming you started this. I¡¯m sure everyone who saw this will say you only defended yourself.¡± He raised his voice. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right? Or should I move Tibs to your cell?¡±

    The agreements from the other cells were loud and hurried.

    ¡°I¡¯ll bring you a tankard and some old cloths,¡± the guard said before returning to the door.

    * * * * *

    Tibs opened his eyes when door opened. His cellmates were conscious again, and giving him as much space as they could. He¡¯d reassured Gwenfire that his presence here meant nothing regarding protecting the Row and the town. He hadn¡¯t gone as far as calling it posturing on the part of the new guard leader, because he didn¡¯t know him well enough, but Tibs wouldn¡¯t let him win.

    Again, he considered letting go of Water to suffuse himself with Purity to deal with the aches the fight had left him with, but he reminded himself that even without the risk of losing control of his emotions, the guard has seen the cuts on his face. He¡¯d have no way to explain how they¡¯d gone away.

    In the ensuing quiet from the cells, two sets of boots approached. Tirania was the first visible, and with her was the man responsible for his imprisonment. She looked at Tibs, the injured people in the cell, and pursed her lips.

    ¡°Why is he in here?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s where criminals belong,¡± the man replied. He looked no happier at what he saw, but he glared at Tibs in response.

    She faced him. ¡°Commander Irdian, he isn¡¯t a criminal. He is the Savior of the Dungeon. The Hero of the Town. Do you have any idea what it will look like if he isn¡¯t among them to go into the dungeon?¡±

    ¡°That anyone who breaks the rules gets punished?¡± the man replied flatly.

    ¡°Not everyone is the¡ª¡±

    ¡°I enforce the rules,¡± The man cut her off, and Tibs stared. Even Harry had never done that to her. ¡°I was put here because the man you¡¯d picked to maintain order did a piss-poor job of it, and then vanished. He cut them the slack you wanted him to, and look at what that left behind. I¡¯m not having that happen on my watch. So no, I will not make an exception for your pet. If you aren¡¯t happy about it, you know the procedures to have me replaced. See if you can get him to agree with you.¡±

    ¡°I am in charge of this dungeon,¡± Tirania replied in a much calmer tone than Tibs thought the disrespect deserved. ¡°He placed me here because he trusts me to¡ª¡±

    ¡°And does he know what¡¯s been happening?¡± he demanded. ¡°The way it¡¯s been told to me, you hadn¡¯t informed him Harry was gone by the time I had to be assigned here. So maybe you need to stop telling me he trusts you and do the job he put you here to do.¡±

    Now Tirania glared at the man.

    So this was why he could speak to her like that. He didn¡¯t report to her, but to that other man, the one who had also assigned Tirania here. Could he make use of that?

    ¡°Tibs is leaving the cell, Commander,¡± she stated. ¡°Now.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re overriding my authority?¡± the man asked, his tone, again, flat.

    ¡°In this one case,¡± she answered in a conciliatory tone, ¡°yes.¡±

    The man nodded, and a guard stepped forward to unlock the cell in response to his signal. Tibs exited the cell, and turned to follow Tirania as she headed for the door, but the Irdian grabbed his arm.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think her getting you out means you can do whatever you want. Stop playing your games, or I will throw you back in here.¡±

    Tibs locked eyes with the man. ¡°I never play games.¡± He wrenched his arm out of the grip, and joined Tirania, already making plans to ensure his people avoided the guard¡¯s patrols.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 07

    Tirania glanced at Tibs as they walked and pursed her lips. ¡°I should let you take the time to clean up.¡±

    Tibs pushed essence to the surface of his skin, through his armor, and made it water, which coated him. He moved the water to his hand, and it brought with it the blood, dirt and anything else that had been on him. He absorbed most of the water back, leaving only enough to keep the foreign matter suspended in the now darkish liquid. He could absorb all the essence, leaving the rest to drift to the floor, but he suspected Tirania would be displeased.

    She raised an eyebrow at the display. ¡°That is a rather¡­pedestrian use of your element.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s faster than getting a bath ready,¡± he replied with a shrug. ¡°Even if you have someone heat all the water at once. Where do you want me to put this?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a latrine on the way to my office.¡±

    Unlike the bucket in Tibs¡¯s room, here the latrine was its own room, with stalls for people to do their business over holes that had complex weaves of essence inside them. The dirty water vanished as soon as it passed into the hole, with the essences that made everything in it breaking down, then moving deeper within the building until Tibs lost track of them.

    Not for the first time, Tibs wished such a system was in place in his housing building, so he wouldn¡¯t have to take the bucket to the outhouse to empty it.

    He followed Tirania inside her office and immediately stopped, glaring at the back of the seated sorcerer in deep purple robes with the hood up and shoulders slumped forward. She sat behind her desk and motioned for Tibs to take the other seat.

    ¡°As I told Commander Irdian, the runs will soon start again.¡±

    Tibs forced himself to look away from Don, who hadn¡¯t acknowledged his presence, as he sat.

    ¡°I¡¯ve sent for the new batch of Omegas and they should be here within days, but there are enough Runners to form teams and have runs until then. With the training defending the town provided, I expect everyone will find their floors easier, and it¡¯ll be years before the dungeon has a fourth floor.¡±

    She steepled her fingers on the desk. ¡°Since teams have to be complete, Don will join your team, Tibs.¡±

    He stared at her, so surprised it was a few seconds before the ice cracked and he said a disgusted, ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve had ample time to¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not letting that abyss kissing, selfish asshole on my team. I don¡¯t care what you want. You can¡¯t make me take him.¡±

    Don didn¡¯t react to the insults.

    She leaned back and studied Tibs. ¡°I understand that while you protected the town, there were difficulties working together. But you overcame them, and¡ª¡±

    ¡°He got his team killed,¡± Tibs said through gritted teeth, filling the cracks. ¡°All he cares about is looking important. Put him on a team that can deal with not trusting him.¡±

    Tibs paused to let Don rant. Retort with all the ways what had happened hadn¡¯t been his fault. Tibs was ready to counter with how Don had also left him to die at the hand of Sebastian¡¯s thugs. But the sorcerer remained silent; he didn¡¯t even move. If not for sensing the essence coursing through the man, Tibs might have wondered if he¡¯d died while waiting for them to arrive.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have a sorcerer,¡± she pointed out.

    ¡°I¡¯ll find one.¡±

    ¡°You had ample time. You¡¯re the only team with a role that isn¡¯t filled, and Don is the only sorcerer who isn¡¯t assigned to a team.¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll do our runs without a sorcerer until more arrive or gain their elements.¡±

    ¡°Teams must have five¡ª¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll get someone else,¡± Tibs snapped, then fought against showing the strain of keeping the cracks in the ice from widening.

    She shook her head. ¡°While I¡¯m allowing repeats for most teams who can¡¯t fill every role, much like before the clerics arrived, you¡¯re a special case. I need your team to be complete for your run.¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll pass on the runs until there are other sorcerers.¡±

    ¡°No. You saved this town, both of you, so it¡¯s only just that you go first. You are a symbol of what can be done by working together.¡±

    Tibs snorted derisively, but he also wondered why Don wasn¡¯t reacting to the praise. The man lived to drink in people saying how important he was.

    ¡°You can¡¯t make me take him,¡± Tibs snarled.

    She leveled her gaze at him. ¡°Do you prefer I assign your friends to different teams so I can make one for you that won¡¯t include Don?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t do that,¡± Tibs said in stunned surprised.

    She smiled. ¡°I¡¯m the guild leader, Tibs. I can do whatever needs to be done to ensure the guild prospers. Right now, we need the boost to morale having the two of you on the same team will bring; show that even in adversity, the guild succeeds. But if Don¡¯s mistakes are such that you can¡¯t work with him now that the danger is past, I am certain I can use how each of you chose to lead a team to greatness as a motivator.¡±

    ¡°You can''t do everything you want,¡± Tibs said before he could stop himself; and ignored the lack of light on her words as he continued. ¡°You don¡¯t lead the guild; there¡¯s someone giving you orders. That¡¯s why there¡¯s a new guard leader.¡± Just because she hadn¡¯t lied didn¡¯t mean what she said had to be true.

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    ¡°Of course, someone gives me orders,¡± she replied with a chuckle. ¡°The guild is much too large for me to be in charge of it all. And yes, they assigned Irdian when Harry vanished. They found out before I¡¯d realized it. I was too busy making the arrangements for the new Omegas to be sent here. But this dungeon is my responsibility. Here, I have the authority to do what I see fit to strengthen the guild.¡± She steepled her fingers again. ¡°What will it be, Tibs? Will your team be the Team of Heroes? Or will I have five teams led by heroes?¡±

    Tibs forced aside her acknowledgment she wasn¡¯t in charge of everything and focussed on the ice so he could think.

    His plans weren¡¯t formed, so having to change his target could be accommodated, and was for a future time. Don was what he needed to deal with now, and she wasn¡¯t giving him any choice. He filled the cracks as they formed so his voice would remain steady.

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    He stood and headed for the door. Glaring at the clerk on the other side hard enough, she stepped back and held the papers to her chest. He walk by her and froze when he realized Don was at his side. Tibs opened his mouth to make sure he knew what he thought of this arrangement, but the distant, hollow gaze gave him pause enough he noticed the pale skin within the hood¡¯s shadow, how prominent the bones were.

    Then he heard the clerk speak.

    ¡°Guild leader, I have an important missive from Marger for you, with instruction to return your responses immediately.¡±

    ¡°I have already sent him my report,¡± Tirania snapped. ¡°What more does he want of me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± the clerks aid sheepishly, ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡±

    ¡°Close the door. This is not something for any passerby to listen in on.¡±

    Tibs cursed the enchantment within the walls. No sounds made it out once the door closed. Then remembered Don, who hadn¡¯t moved. He wouldn¡¯t have been able to listen in and confirm if this Marger was the person in charge of the entire guild. The sorcerer was bound to report everything Tibs did to Tirania.

    He headed for the exit and made fists as Don fell into step with him. He didn¡¯t care what game the man was playing at. Tibs wasn¡¯t going to¡ªthe ice cracked and Tibs turned. ¡°Why are you letting her do this?¡±

    Don looked away.

    ¡°What? You think that because she forced you onto my team, we¡¯re going to let you become leader? Is that it? You think that we¡¯re going to let you cower behind us until you get someone killed?¡± Tibs yelled. ¡°Well? Say something!¡±

    He ignored the clerks hugging the walls as he waited.

    ¡°Why did you save me?¡±

    The question was so soft, Tibs wasn¡¯t sure he heard it over the pounding of his blood in his ears. ¡°Because even someone like you didn¡¯t deserve to be one of Sebastian¡¯s victims.¡± One of the clerks against the wall glared at them and Tibs glared back, causing the man to hurry away.

    Don¡¯s snort was feeble. ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± he whispered. ¡°I didn¡¯t deserve to be saved.¡± He raised his head and tears fell. ¡°You¡¯re right. I got them killed. I didn¡¯t mean to. I didn¡¯t want them to die. But it¡¯s my fault we walked in the ambush.¡± He started looking away, then stopped. ¡°I did hide behind them.¡± The shame was loud, but Tibs ignored it and kept on glaring at him. ¡°I¡¯d used up my reserve, so I needed time, but some of them had those fucking green stones, and I got scared. I hid behind the others while I tried to think of something that would make us win. Then the arrow hit me and I realized I was the only one left. I wish they¡¯d killed me, instead of using me to draw you out. I wish you¡¯d never heard me scream. That you¡¯d let me die. Why didn¡¯t you let me die, Tibs?¡± he pleaded.

    The ice broke under the anger, and Tibs immediately filled it with water, muting it. He kept himself from screaming, from exploding at the sorcerer about his own wish that Don had been the one to die instead of Carina. The temptation to let the ice shatter was there, but as the anger cooled, so was the realization that he wouldn¡¯t stop at screaming. If he exploded, it would be literal.

    And then, Tibs would be a prisoner of the guild for the rest of his life.

    ¡°Too many people had died already,¡± he said after letting a breath out. Too many had kept on dying.

    ¡°You should have saved someone else. I ran away from that fight and left you to die. You should have done the same to me.¡±

    Tibs snorted. ¡°I survived it.¡±

    ¡°Not because of me,¡± Don whispered.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter.¡± He¡¯d still have survived with Don there, with his help. It simply wouldn¡¯t have been as fun, as satisfying to have to use only water.

    The sorcerer dried his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t say anything. I want to learn how to do that. Not care about how someone wronged me so I can do the right thing.¡±

    ¡°I care,¡± Tibs growled, the ice cracking.

    Don looked at him in surprise. ¡°Then I want to know how you do that. The right thing, even when you hate me.¡±

    * * * * *

    ¡°Is this a joke?¡± Jackal demanded as Tibs reach their table at the inn accompanied by Don. Mez watched in dismay.

    ¡°It¡¯s that,¡± Tibs answered, dropping in a chair, ¡°or Tirania splits us up so we¡¯ll lead different teams.¡±

    ¡°This was her idea?¡± Jackal looked at Don suspiciously.

    ¡°Said it¡¯s to show people how well the guild works. Help with morale.¡± He motioned to a server. ¡°A new batch of Omegas is on the way.¡±

    Jackal nodded, not looking away from Don. ¡°Figured as much, with the tents and everything they put up in front of the dungeon. Are you sure you want him?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Tibs snorted. ¡°But I¡¯m not letting the team be broken anymore.¡±

    ¡°Sit down.¡± Jackal pointed to a free chair. ¡°I¡¯m not craning my neck while telling you I¡¯m not taking any of your bullshit. You try to order us during a run and I¡¯m going to throw you at a monster hard enough you¡¯ll both break. Is that clear?¡±

    Don nodded and sat.

    The server placed a plate before Tibs and Don, to both their surprise, then she placed the tankards before moving on to other customers. Mez looked after her for a moment, then back at them, his expression concern.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to tell Kroseph,¡± he said. ¡°If he finds out Don¡¯s sitting with us by having to serve him, things are going to get ugly.¡±

    Jackal looked at Tibs hopefully. ¡°How about you handle that?¡±

    Tibs shook his head and started eating as the fighter sagged.

    * * * * *

    The argument wasn¡¯t pretty.

    While Tibs didn¡¯t hear them, as the two stood on the other side of the nearly empty inn, the gesticulations were sharp, with a lot of finger stabbing at Jackal¡¯s chest and Kroseph pointing to Don, sitting alone at their table now that Tibs was done eating and Mez had left halfway through that. Kroseph hadn¡¯t forgiven Don for leaving Tibs to die.

    When Jackal joined him by the door, Tibs couldn¡¯t tell if the argument was resolved. Kroseph had walked away, throwing his hands in the air.

    ¡°Are you sleeping in our room?¡± Tibs asked as they exited.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Jackal looked inside the inn before closing the door. ¡°Once he calms down, I¡¯ll explain again how we don¡¯t have a choice. If I¡¯m lucky, he won¡¯t punish me for someone else¡¯s decisions.¡± They walked past damaged buildings. ¡°You know that having Don on the team¡¯s going to cause nothing but trouble, right? How are you going to practice with elements during our runs?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°How about talking with Sto? How is that going to¡ª¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Tibs snapped, the ice cracking. ¡°I argued against it, but she doesn¡¯t care what we want, as usual. It¡¯s all about making the guild seem like a good place, or something like that.¡± He breathed and hardened the ice. ¡°Maybe Don will get himself killed during our first run, and that¡¯ll be the end of it.¡±

    They passed a few more building in silence, only one of which someone was working on, a woman Tibs thought lived in the destroyed house.

    ¡°So,¡± Jackal said. ¡°About Don getting killed during the run. How much help should we give the dungeon in making that happen?¡±

    Tibs closed his eyes and focused on holding the ice together. ¡°None.¡± With how much he and Don hated each other, Tibs didn¡¯t think there would be anything he could tell Tirania that would convince her it had simply been Don failing one of Sto¡¯s tests.

    He was going to have a hard enough time working out if this Marger was the real guild leader and if not, who they were, without her also angry at him. As much as he hated the idea, Tibs was going to have to ingratiate himself within her good graces until he had all the information he needed, and had a plan to bring them here so he could administer one deadly blow to the guild.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 08

    The tents created a space much like what Market Place had been, but with everything larger. Instead of booths, people would live out of the tents, and they were spaced further apart. Tibs expected that once those who would be stuck living there arrived, it would be chaos, much like what he¡¯d experienced when he¡¯d arrived.

    Again, he couldn¡¯t understand the guild¡¯s decision to waste workers on paving the path to Sto¡¯s steps instead of building housing for the new runners and more families.

    Tibs stood in the open space on the other side of the path from where the shops were being constructed, along with the other teams, two and six of them. The runners had formed nine teams, and the nobles comprised the rest. One group was on a side of the space, the other at the other end, with ample space between them. Amelia had acknowledged Tibs as she and her team arrived, but had joined the other nobles.

    That she¡¯d been the rare noble to take part in protecting Kragle Rock had done little to change the Runners¡¯ attitude toward her. She was the least horrible of the nobles, but she remained a noble first and foremost.

    The Runners spoke among each other, Don the only one remaining silent on his team. Tibs answered when addressed, but otherwise waited silently for this¡­ whatever Tirania was going to turn it into, to start. And listened to Sto get more and more excited.

    The indication things were now underway was the guards planting the board at the bottom of the steps on the side, then adding plaques with names to each of the nine columns. He couldn¡¯t make out the names, but counted two and six plaques. While the excitement among the Runners rose, no one moved.

    Tirania arrived with Commander Irdian, two guards, and a handful of clerk types that made out most of those working within the guild. She walked up the incline by the stairs until she was even with the fourth step. Irdian remained at the bottom with the guards and clerks, looking at the thin crowd dispassionately.

    As Tirania looked them over, Tibs felt a shift in the essence wash over them and beyond his ability to sense. ¡°Today marks when life begins anew for you and Kragle Rock.¡± Her voice sounded all around them. ¡°In a few days, the Omegas will arrive. Tomorrow the reconstruction of the town begins. And today, the first team starts their run.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Sto yelled. He was the sole person to react, but if lack of enthusiasm at her words registered, Tirania didn¡¯t show it.

    ¡°Because of their part in protecting the town, the Team of Heroes will go first.¡±

    ¡°Ganny!¡± Sto yelled, ¡°Tibs is coming in!¡±

    Again, if the lack of reaction bothered her, she didn¡¯t show it.

    The lack of reaction at this news from the nobles surprised Tibs. The last time she¡¯s done something like this, their protest had been vocal. Maybe this time she¡¯d informed them ahead of time in private. Or maybe the nobles learned there was someone they couldn¡¯t bully into agreeing with everything they wanted, and no longer wasted time arguing with the guild leader¡­ or should he think of her as sub-leader if she took someone else¡¯s orders?

    ¡°Once they are inside, the rest can look over the board to learn in what order the teams will go in starting tomorrow. Because all of you have earned the guild¡¯s respect through your actions, there will no longer be a fee attached to going in early. The rotation will be done automatically so that over the course of the coming weeks, each team will go in first.¡±

    Tibs¡¯s silent scoff was voiced by Jackal, Mez and other Runners. The decision had to have more to do with the Runners not giving coins to the guild for the ¡®privilege¡¯ of going in early for months, rather than the respect she claimed they had earned. Had the nobles bothered giving more than a coin or two by the end? Well, it would be two at a minimum, since Don had never managed to pay for the first position on the board.

    ¡°Teams will be required to start on the floor they are ranked at so an efficient flow can be maintained, and each team will be allocated a fixed amount of time to complete it. If they clear it early, they can venture on the next one, but still must exit by the end of their allocated time to avoid having teams cross path.¡±

    Tibs wondered how she was planning on enforcing it. It wasn¡¯t like she could close the door on anyone who stayed beyond when she said. Even with the shield telling them how close they were to when the next team was about to enter, once they started dealing with Sto¡¯s creatures and traps, it was hard to keep track of time.

    ¡°The Omegas will be an exception as the first floor is an especially difficult challenge for those who have never run a dungeon before. Each day, four Upsilon teams, and two Rho teams will do their runs.¡±

    Were any of the teams Upsilon? A few of the Upsilon Runners had survived Sebastian¡¯s raids, but wouldn¡¯t that have helped them graduate, if there had been enough of them to even make a team? None of the rogues or sorcerers were at that rank. Did the leader determine the team¡¯s rank, or was it arbitrarily assigned?

    Two and six teams¡ªif they were all Rho¡ªmeant Tibs¡¯s team would go in every one and three days. For every two teams that were Upsilon, they¡¯d go one day sooner. Jackal was going to be happy about that.

    ¡°You are all worthy representative of the guild!¡± she announced, and Tibs was surprised at the lack of light on the words, considering the lack of respect her decisions had shown for them during Sebastian¡¯s attacks. ¡°I look forward to the day you all become adventurers!¡± She walked down the incline, and the two guards and cleric headed up the steps.

    Irdian left with Tirania as the Clerks motioned and workers brought tables and placed them next to the board. Tibs watched them set up, papers to note what the Runners brought out, what they were allowed to keep, how much they were scammed for when the guild forced them to buy an item they¡¯re earned by surviving their run.

    ¡°What are you still doing there?¡± one of the clerk asked on noticing them. She had the blue eyes of Water. ¡°Go.¡± She motioned to the stairs.

    ¡°Finally!¡± Sto exclaimed. ¡°You are going to have so¡ªWait a minute,¡± he added when Tibs reached the third step. ¡°What is he doing with you?¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t answer. He couldn¡¯t, and he expected that without the ice filling him, he would have laid into the sorcerer for making it impossible for Tibs to talk with Sto.

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    ¡°Ganny, what am I supposed to do?¡± he called. ¡°If Don¡¯s on Tibs¡¯s team, can he use the room I set up?¡±

    The cleric looked them over and gave Don a reproachful look, but nodded and they were allowed inside.

    ¡°I guess that if he¡¯s on his team,¡± she replied, sounding as she was arriving, ¡°Tibs must have told him about what he can do.¡±

    Tibs glared at the ceiling.

    ¡°I think that¡¯s a no,¡± Sto said. ¡°And Tibs would have told me if he was going to tell Don.¡±

    ¡°His presence is going to be a problem, then. How is Tibs going to practice his other elements?¡±

    ¡°Maybe I can rework the third floor to force him apart from the others,¡± Sto mused. ¡°Tibs won¡¯t have to worry, then.¡±

    ¡°And how long until Don questions what¡¯s happening? He is one of the smarter Runners.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s he going to do?¡± Sto asked and continued mockingly. ¡°Tell them I¡¯m targeting him? Tell the guild? They think I¡¯m some kind of animal.¡± He paused. ¡°Maybe I can just kill him.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s going to take some doing,¡± she replied. ¡°Anything that will ensure Don dies will endanger the whole team.¡±

    ¡°Tibs¡¯ll be fine,¡± he replied confidently.

    ¡°And so will Jackal,¡± she agreed. ¡°But what about Mez and Khumdar? And you know how Tibs feels about you killing his friends.¡±

    Sto grumbled something Tibs didn¡¯t make out as Jackal stopped before the doorway and looked in the direction of the first trap room.

    ¡°We can clear this and the second floor if you want,¡± Mez said. ¡°We can probably go through them fast enough it¡¯s not going to affect our time on the third. We¡¯re the only team going in today, so there¡¯s no danger of running into the others.¡±

    Jackal let out a breath and placed a hand on the wall. ¡°We¡¯re heading directly to the third floor.¡±

    ¡°Our esteemed leader chooses to pass on easy loot?¡± Khumdar asked. ¡°Did the abyss suddenly fill itself?¡±

    The fighter rolled his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s you bunch who kept insisting I stop being an idiot. The loot here¡¯s nothing like what we get on the third floor.¡± His voice hardened as the doorway opened. ¡°And nothing here gives me the kind of fights I need right now. The creatures have better be extra tough today, because I need to hit something really hard.¡±

    He stepped through.

    * * * * *

    Tibs sliced the golem person, then rolled back before it brought down the large hammer where he¡¯d stood. He wanted to ask why a hammer but, like the previous times, he had to swallow his question as he sensed the Corruption that was part of his team.

    He stood and shortened the blade to that of a knife before etching.

    Straight lines gathered the essence, Alistair had explained during the last training session. Where the lines intersected, the essence focused. More lines and intersections meant more and faster gathering, but there came a point where they pulled the essence out faster than the Runner could provide it, and control became harder to maintain.

    It was why the ¡®X¡¯ attack only used two lines and one intersection. It couldn¡¯t be done so wrong by someone new to it, that it would be dangerous, but Tibs still remembered how this had brought him to a knee the first times, as he had so little reserve and his ability to pull essence in hadn¡¯t matched that being drained by the attack yet.

    Tibs traced four lines without thinking about it with one intersection, feeding as much water essence as it would take before stabbing the center. The jet of water sent the golem person back into the wall hard enough it broke apart and crumbled, as if, instead of being made of flesh and armor, it was made of stone.

    Lines didn¡¯t have to be straight. Alistair had showed him loops and waves and how they added effects, but Tibs hadn¡¯t had the time to practice those while distracted. With added complexity, even as simple as these were, came added danger if done wrong.

    The clang of metal against stone had Tibs look over his shoulder.

    Jackal rubbed his jaw. ¡°Not bad.¡± He blocked the next punch. ¡°But still not hard enough.¡± His punch caved in the metal helmet. ¡°You have ways to go if you¡¯re serious about putting me down.¡± He slammed a fist down on top of the golem person¡¯s head and it dropped the floor, starting to crumble before it was all there.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you make those tougher and stronger?¡± Ganny asked. ¡°He dealt with the Gnolls easily in the previous fight.¡±

    ¡°I did,¡± Sto replied, sounding baffled. ¡°That last hit was hard enough Jackal should have been sent off his feet. He wasn¡¯t even anchored. Tibs, what is going on with him?¡±

    ¡°He¡ª¡± Tibs clamped his mouth shut, glancing at the sorcerer.

    Don remained at the back with Mez, but with a few gestures, corruption flew from his fingers to the golem person approaching Khumdar from behind, hitting it at the joints. He was precise. Tibs couldn¡¯t deny it. And he didn¡¯t cower. He took part in every fight, but remained silent. No boasting, no demanding they paid attention to him.

    He didn¡¯t argue with Jackal, mock Tibs when he¡¯d missed a trigger and they had to redo a hall to open the passage. Don hadn¡¯t said one word in the time since they¡¯d gathered for Tirania¡¯s announcement.

    It was the oddest thing about his behavior. While fighting Sebastian, Don never shut up. He had opinions, mockery to throw as enemies and allies alike, victories to claim. The man was full of himself, and during those battles, he had no problem letting everyone know.

    Now, it was as if it had leaked out of him and left¡­ Tibs had no idea who Don was without his ego.

    The golem person¡¯s limbs fell off, the sickly purple consuming them and the torso until there wasn¡¯t enough life essence left and the rest crumbled away. If Don had used that against someone, they would have screamed in pain the entire time, but the golem was as silent as the sorcerer.

    ¡°How¡¯s everyone?¡± Jackal asked. Following Khumdar shattering his opponent with a staff strike.

    ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± Mez said.

    Don nodded.

    ¡°I have been better,¡± the cleric said, holding his arm against his chest and supporting himself with his staff. ¡°The dungeon took your challenge, and it seems I am the one suffering for it.¡±

    ¡°Tibs, how about¡ª¡± Jackal closed his mouth.

    Tibs wasn¡¯t the only one who had to watch what he said. His friends had grown comfortable with everything Tibs could do and the Dungeon was one place where they didn¡¯t have to worry about it.

    ¡°Do you have any healing potions?¡± the fighter asked.

    ¡°I have one,¡± Mez replied. ¡°More than one, actually. The dungeon¡¯s focusing on you close combat types, so I haven¡¯t needed them yet.¡± He took his pack off and rummaged through it.

    ¡°Have I really been neglecting the archers and sorcerers?¡± Sto asked.

    ¡°If Mez is pointing it out, I¡¯d say you have,¡± Ganny replied. ¡°Unlike the boasting the other ranged attackers like to do, he knows you listen in.¡±

    ¡°Heal up everyone,¡± Jackal said. ¡°We want to be in top form before we step into that room.¡± He motioned to the crest at the end of the hall. Once Tibs put the pieces in their correct order, it would reveal a lion. So inside the room, they would play a game of Conquest.

    ¡°Anyone noticed how many healing potions we¡¯ve been finding?¡± Mez asked as he handed a bottle of green liquid to the cleric. ¡°Even using them as we need, we¡¯re going to have to start leaving some behind as we get different loot.¡±

    ¡°Nothing gets left behind,¡± Jackal stated. ¡°If we have to, I¡¯ll turn my shirt into a bag for them.¡±

    ¡°You do know we get nothing out of you exposing yourself like that,¡± the archer replied.

    ¡°You¡¯d rather I used my pants?¡± the fighter asked. ¡°I mean, won¡¯t your girl mind?¡±

    ¡°Like she¡¯d care,¡± Mez replied sourly. ¡°I mean, since there¡¯s something attached there, I have no interest. And I know your man wouldn¡¯t let you get close to her even if you had interests in that direction.¡±

    ¡°What about you Tibs?¡± Jackal asked, grinning as he reached for the belt. ¡°You going to get something out of¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen you naked often enough while you slept in our room,¡± Tibs pointed out.

    ¡°Right. It¡¯s what me and Kro do that you get¡ª¡±

    ¡°Bored by,¡± Tibs replied, then ignored the stares in favor of heading for the crest.

    Sliding the tiles into the right position was quick, then the door opened.

    As with the previous times, the five golem persons were already positioned on the board, and different from before. It meant that Jackal or Khumdar would have to come up with a new strategy.

    Jackal stepped behind Tibs and looked in. ¡°Alright. How about you tell us where we need to stand, Don?¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 09

    ¡°What?¡± The sorcerer looked at them as if only now realizing he wasn¡¯t alone. ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡± His protest was cut short by Jackal.

    ¡°You know the game, don¡¯t you? King Killer is what Tibs said you call it.¡±

    Don looked at Tibs, and there was flash of anger¡ªas if he¡¯d shared some secret when mentioning the game¡ªthen it was gone and he looked away.

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t. I¡¯m not in charge.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in charge,¡± Jackal stated. ¡°You¡¯ve pulled your weight in the fights, and now I want you to do the same here.¡± He motioned to the room. ¡°How do we do this?¡±

    Don hesitated, then stepped to the door. ¡°The first thing we need to do is determine which pieces each of us represents.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the lord,¡± Jackal stated.

    ¡°What?¡± Don replied in dismay. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Let me guess,¡± Jackal said derisively. ¡°You¡¯re the lord.¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± the sorcerer replied, sounding like his confidence was returning. ¡°Why would you want to have a king on the board?¡±

    ¡°Because,¡± the fighter said, ¡°without a lord, we lose the game.¡±

    ¡°Only if this is a standard match.¡± Don motioned to the room. ¡°We lose this game if we die. Have you done this before? How the fuck did you survive it?¡±

    ¡°They cheated,¡± Sto said.

    ¡°More like exploited how I think,¡± Ganny said.

    ¡°Same thing.¡±

    Jackal and Khumdar exchanged a look.

    ¡°We got lucky,¡± the fighter admitted.

    ¡°Luck¡¯s not a thing,¡± Tibs and Don said at the same time. Tibs did so reflexively, while Don sounded annoyed at having to point it out. They stared at one another in surprise, then the sorcerer shrunk in slightly.

    ¡°Don.¡± Jackal pointed to the room when the sorcerer remained silent.

    He studied the golem people in the room. ¡°Jackal and Tibs are Infantry. Khumdar, you¡¯re the queen. Mezano, you¡¯re an archer and I¡¯m a sorcerer.¡± A few seconds looking the placement over and he pointed to the position each was to occupy.

    ¡°Now, what?¡± Mez asked once they were all in place, his bow at the ready.

    ¡°We wait for the dungeon to make its move,¡± Don replied.

    ¡°You think I can wait them out and get them to move first?¡± Ganny asked, and Tibs glared at the ceiling.

    ¡°What¡¯s your thoughts on the dungeon, Don?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°How about you try that with the next team?¡± Sto replied.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any.¡±

    Ganny¡¯s archer moved as Sto snorted. ¡°Okay, what did you do to him? He has more idea about what I am and how I think than anyone. More than even that noble sorcerer who claimed to have read an entire library explaining everything there is to know about us.¡±

    ¡°Jackal, one forward.¡±

    ¡°Don, you¡¯re a sorcerer,¡± Mez insisted. ¡°You have to have read something on dungeons. Carina had¡­¡± The silence that fell was complete for a few seconds. ¡°Sorry, Tibs.¡±

    Tibs nodded.

    Don sighed. ¡°According to a treatise I got my hands on, dungeons evolved as a way to keep the flood of monsters that came from the World Rifts under control, back in the Days of the Dawn.¡± Ganny moved one of her infantry forward. ¡°It¡¯s why nearly every dungeon has the same set of base templates. Like those Gnolls. They come from those original dungeons, so they know what they knew. As they grow, they can make more and more powerful types of creatures. Khumdar, a diagonal to your right, three squares.¡±

    ¡°Would the Days of Dawn refer to the time Purity created the world?¡± Khumdar asked once he reached his destination.

    ¡°Purity didn¡¯t create¡ª¡± the sorcerer stared at the cleric. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were a believer of that doctrine.¡±

    ¡°I make no claims to believe,¡± Khumdar replied. ¡°But I have heard of how, before there was more than the elements, Purity formed the world, and how the other elements took advantage to place what they wanted within it; ruining the perfection Purity created. I have encountered other stories in my travels, so understand how each kingdom believes the world came to be in a way that advantages them, but this one has always felt¡­ more credible.¡±

    Don snorted. ¡°The elements came after the world, not before.¡±

    ¡°How can that be known?¡± the cleric asked. ¡°Something must have created the world, and so the elements must have been there before it.¡±

    ¡°No. Obviously, no one knows how the world came to be. We just have stories to support each belief and people arguing over who¡¯s right. But no one has been able to establish that the elements were there before.¡±

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    ¡°By your own words,¡± the cleric said smugly, ¡°the elements might have come before the world. Therefore, Purity might¡ª¡±

    ¡°Fine!¡± Don snapped. ¡°Yes. Maybe that¡¯s what happened. We don¡¯t know, so anything¡¯s possible. You need to believe Purity created everything to keep going? Good for you. It doesn¡¯t help me.¡± He ran a hand over his face.

    ¡°Don?¡± Jackal motioned around them. ¡°What¡¯s the next move?¡±

    Ganny had moved her sorcerer to the center of the floor while Don had been talking. It could move in many directions now, but none that endangered them.

    ¡°Okay. Tibs, you¡¯ll be moving next, but after that, the sorcerer will move in position to threaten Jackal or Mez, so be ready.¡± Once they acknowledged him, Don pointed to the opposing infantry. ¡°Tibs, take it.¡±

    Tibs formed ice swords as he stepped to the fire infantry and is responded with blades of fire. He tested its skill, then went on the offensive, dodging as he swung. Heat made it through his armor as he sliced his opponent¡¯s side, and Tibs gritted his teeth at the pain. He kicked it away, then lunged with a scream. He slammed both swords in its chest, and the fire blades went out a second before it crumbled away.

    Tibs looked at the cut as he straightened. Instead of the gaping hole in his armor it had felt like, the line was thin, and the cut already seared closed.

    ¡°Mez,¡± Jackal called, and by the time Tibs looked up, the archer was landing away from the sorcerer¡¯s beam of light, firing fire arrow after arrow as he rolled to a knee, then stood. Tibs stepped forward to help, but couldn¡¯t move past the edge of the square he stood in.

    The arrows splashed against a faint curved surface of light before the sorcerer.

    ¡°Can you see the shield?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°No.¡± Mez sidestepped another beam. ¡°But I¡¯m getting sense for it from the fire curving around.¡± He snatched an arrow from the quiver at his hip and fired it between two fire ones; the shield also deflected it. ¡°So much for that idea.¡±

    He angled the next arrow lower, and the shield moved to intercept it.

    Tibs pushed through the miasma and reached for the essence that made the shield, but it slipped from his mental grip.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Ganny said. ¡°This is odd.¡±

    Tibs focussed. Precision over brute force. If he couldn¡¯t rip it apart, something else might work.

    ¡°What is?¡± Sto asked as Mez fired another fire arrow. Tibs nudged the shield aside and some of the fire burned the sorcerer.

    ¡°Not odd,¡± she said, annoyed. ¡°Just Tibs finding a way to help.¡± The shield moved back into place.

    ¡°Go Tibs,¡± Sto said.

    ¡°Really?¡± The composition of the essence changed. Forms manifested between lines, and Tibs had a tougher time maintaining his hold.

    ¡°I mean. Bad Tibs, no helping your teammate.¡± Sto didn¡¯t sound convincing.

    When the sorcerer staggered, a wooden shaft piercing its calf, it caught both Tibs and Ganny by surprise. Mez bounced another arrow off the floor and under the shield¡¯s edge, piercing its other calf.

    ¡°Cover your eyes!¡± Mez called, as the sorcerer flailed and fell to the side. Essence accumulated at the tip of the arrow in the archer¡¯s bow.

    The explosion had Tibs blinking spots away, but the pieces falling throughout the room made it worthwhile.

    ¡°Forgot he could do that,¡± Ganny mused.

    ¡°Tibs can manipulate essence away from him,¡± Sto replied.

    ¡°I meant Mez, but yes. I also didn¡¯t take that into account. I thought the interference I placed on this floor would keep him from doing it. I wish he could tell me how it affected him, but with Don here¡­¡±

    Tibs considered what he¡¯d done. The resistance hadn¡¯t felt different from the previous run. It might have required more effort to sense through it when he¡¯d entered, but he had gotten used to it quickly enough he didn¡¯t remember when he¡¯d stopped thinking about it.

    ¡°Jackal, diagonal on your left,¡± Don instructed, ¡°and get ready. That archer might go for you if the dungeon¡¯s confident of its king¡¯s position.¡±

    The archer didn¡¯t attack, and the following moves centered on Don maneuvering Ganny¡¯s archers until the sorcerer was able to destroy one of them, leaving only the other one and the lord.

    Three moves later, Khumdar fought the lord, and the fight ended with the cleric¡¯s staff through its crumbling chest.

    The wall opened to the loot room, and Don strode through, only to stop a few steps in.

    Tibs followed him into the smaller room, and instead of the five pedestals from their previous run, it only contained a chest.

    ¡°Check it for traps,¡± Don instructed.

    ¡°Don,¡± Jackal said as Tibs headed for the chest. ¡°Don¡¯t start giving orders.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m,¡± the sorcerer said, tone harsh as he turned to face the others, then faltered. ¡°We¡­we can¡¯t trust that the chest is safe.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s good advice,¡± Mez said in a gentler tone than Tibs thought Don deserved, ¡°but we know our jobs.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jackal added. ¡°We don¡¯t have to order people about in this team.¡±

    ¡°Unless it is to keep our leader from doing something idiotic,¡± Khumdar said.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need to order me about even then.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Mez said. ¡°We tried suggesting you stop trying to get yourself killed. It only started working when Tibs threatened to kick you in the shin.¡±

    ¡°Higher,¡± Khumdar corrected, ¡°and at that time, stone was not something he could turn them into.¡±

    ¡°The only person who gets away with suggesting you do something,¡± the archer continued, ¡°and you listen, is Kroseph.¡±

    ¡°Whose suggestions come with far more weight than our orders,¡± the cleric added.

    Tibs glanced over his shoulder. Don looked at the others, baffled.

    ¡°How about we get on with this instead of bashing the team leader?¡± Jackal asked in exasperation.

    ¡°I do not believe we have much else to do until Tibs has confirmed the chest is safe to open.¡±

    Jackal gave Don his ¡®can you believe I¡¯m being treated this way?¡¯ look, then scowled. ¡°Fine. Anyone think it¡¯s odd the dungeon¡¯s just giving us a chest again, instead of a choice of item?¡±

    Tibs glanced at the ceiling, then focused on the chest again.

    ¡°Oh, right,¡± Sto said. ¡°You only had one run after you asked me to help arm the Runners. The way I did it at first was to let them take all five, instead of having to choose one, but they found it odd. You often mentioned how doing anything that gets the guild to ask question¡¯s a bad idea, so I went back to the chests. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll go back to the pedestals.¡±

    Tibs¡¯s check didn¡¯t find traps, so he opened the chest and stepped away. ¡°It¡¯s safe.¡±

    Jackal and Khumdar joined Tibs, and the fighter pulled items out. Tibs watched Mez and Don on the other side of the door, speaking in quiet voices. He considered shaping the air to hear what they said, but he¡¯d have to push through the miasma, and Ganny would use that to find out how to change things to make it even harder and in the end, what could the sorcerer say that was going to be of use to Tibs?

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal called in a low of voice and indicated the items laid out before the chest. He mouthed ¡®enchanted?¡¯

    Of course. Mez wasn¡¯t over there having an important conversation with Don. It was just to keep him from noticing this. Tibs sensed the items, then used his foot to push the leather chest armor and shield to one side, and the knife and amulet to the other. He didn¡¯t bother with the three potions. They were always magic.

    Jackal glanced to the archer and sorcerer before slipping the knife into his pouch. Khumdar turned and Tibs helped put the armor in his pack, and attach the shield to it. Then they left the room.

    ¡°Just remember,¡± Mez was saying as they reached them, ¡°that you are a member of the team.¡±

    The sorcerer stepped away, looking angry, but then it cracked with indecision.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 10

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Don muttered under his breath as Tibs look over the shallow cut along his arm. ¡°It¡¯s not like you can do anything about it, so stop trying to be a hero.¡±

    The sorcerer¡¯s dark robes only had the base armor enchantment Sto put on the robes he handed out as loot. It hadn¡¯t proved effective against the golem person using void essence to blink from place to place, dodging attacks, until she were close enough to cut Don. It had put her within reach of the sorcerer, so he¡¯d grabbed hold and pushed corruption in. She blinked away until she was done melting.

    ¡°We look after each other on this team,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°Even if it¡¯s the asshole who¡¯s hurt.¡±

    When Don didn¡¯t snap a protest, Tibs looked up from the arm. The sorcerer was looking away.

    ¡°Tell me you have more bandages,¡± Mez asked Khumdar, who handed him a roll of linen. The archer glanced in Tibs and Don¡¯s direction as he wrapped his hand. ¡°I hate that I forgot to bring some.¡±

    ¡°Traveling as I did,¡± the cleric said, ¡°I have discovered that bandages are something one never has too many of.¡± He handed a roll to Tibs, who used it on the long cut. He made a splint with his essence at the same time to speed up the healing.

    ¡°Are you really a cleric?¡± Don asked.

    ¡°I do not care what you believe,¡± Khumdar replied flatly, then walked away.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t¡ª¡± the sorcerer called, then closed his mouth. ¡°Is he?¡± he asked Tibs.

    ¡°What do you care?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you care that he might be lying to you and your team about what he is?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re all lying about something,¡± Tibs replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± The words lit up, but Tibs already knew Don was a liar, so he didn¡¯t call him out on it.

    ¡°The only thing I care about is that Khumdar has our back; and he does.¡± He secured the bandage and re-rolled the rest of the linen.

    ¡°I¡ª¡± Don closed his mouth and looked away.

    Tibs was mildly curious as to what he¡¯d intended to say, because there had been no light.

    * * * * *

    The last line of the boar¡¯s crest slid into place, completing the design, and the door raised up, revealing the uneven floor of the room.

    Don whispered a curse.

    ¡°Wait here while I make sure the pattern is the same,¡± Tibs instructed before stepping in.

    ¡°Pattern?¡± Don asked.

    ¡°There¡¯s an order to which column causes the others to move,¡± Mez said as the one Tibs stepped on rose and others reacted.

    ¡°I never noticed that,¡± Don replied, sounding awed.

    ¡°Did you even let your rogue try to work it out?¡± Jackal asked derisively.

    ¡°Jackal, that¡¯s not helping,¡± Mez replied.

    ¡°He¡ª¡±

    ¡°I agree with Mez,¡± Khumdar cut Jackal off as Tibs looked the landscape over. He leaped to the next column and he crouch as it went up again, ready to jump off if it didn¡¯t stop when he expected it to.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you walk away from him asking you a question?¡± the fighter demanded.

    It stopped, with barely enough room for Tibs to stand. The other column also looked like what he expected.

    ¡°Yes, so the situation would not become aggravated.¡±

    Tibs climbed down, then, making sure Don was still distracted by the conversation, jumped, then leaped again on an Air disk to reach his target, which moved down as he landed on it.

    ¡°None of us gains anything by fighting and arguing. You know this. I believe your early days here were filled with the results of teams who could not work together during their runs.¡±

    Don¡¯s presence meant he¡¯d have to rethink his usual path, since many of those jumps required a disk to complete.

    ¡°That we agree with the decision or not, Don is part of our team. We must put our conflict aside while inside the dungeon, lest we not survive the run.¡±

    Another leap.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to just let him be intolerant of you,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡± Don started.

    ¡°I have lived with intolerance directed at me my entire life,¡± The cleric cut him off, voice still neutral.

    The columns stopped moving, again matching his expectations.

    ¡°It is a large part of the reason behind becoming who I am. I no longer care how people feel about what I am. I find it easier to ignore them, instead of engaging and wasting time, explaining something they have no interest in understanding.¡±

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    The next column Tibs landed on lowered almost to the floor, and his view of most of the room was hidden by the higher ones, but that too was as he¡¯d anticipated.

    ¡°I¡¯m not intolerant,¡± Don whispered in the silence.

    Tibs jump onto the side of a column and hurried up it so he could see the others move. Everything matched, and those closest to the entrance were at a height he knew his team could handle. Except.

    ¡°Don, how are you at jumping?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me,¡± the sorcerer replied, then added in bright words, ¡°I¡¯m going to be fine.¡±

    Jackal snorted.

    ¡°Don,¡± Mez said softly. ¡°He needs to know so he can point you to columns you¡¯ll be able to reach.¡±

    ¡°I misjudged my capabilities during our first time through this room,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°Recovering from that improper leap proved difficult.¡±

    Don gave the cleric a suspicious look. ¡°I¡¯m not¡­great at jumping.¡±

    Jackal closed his mouth from being glared at by Mez.

    Tibs looked over the options, evaluating what ¡®not great¡¯ might mean, then assigned the columns for his team to get on. Weight wasn¡¯t relevant, so all that mattered was that the correct ones were occupied for the floor to rearrange itself as Tibs needed.

    ¡°How did your team get through this room?¡± Jackal asked when they were roughly halfway through.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move from your platforms,¡± Tibs said, studying the wall of columns still blocking their way. ¡°I need to test the path.¡± He jumped to another column.

    ¡°Setareh rushed it,¡± the sorcerer said. ¡°She ran through, jumping from one column to the other before the center path closed.

    ¡°Setareh did have a love for jumping and running,¡± Khumdar said.

    The landscape shifted and Tibs glanced back to his team. Mez laid down as his column rose, but it stopped before coming close to the ceiling. The others, even Don, didn¡¯t seem worried about how theirs moved.

    ¡°You knew her?¡± Don asked, surprised.

    ¡°She and I shared interests.¡±

    ¡°I had to melt a column that rose in her path the first time,¡± Don said, and Tibs stopped, about to jump, and turned.

    ¡°You melted a column? With corruption?¡± He looked up.

    ¡°Don is powerful,¡± Sto said.

    ¡°It only worked that time. I thought I¡¯d just melt a path through on the next run, but the dungeon made them resistant.¡±

    ¡°I learn fast,¡± Sto said proudly.

    Tibs focused on Don. His essence was dense. It matched Jackal in that way, but that couldn¡¯t be all there was to it. Tibs had used up most of his fire reserve before the Ratling camp¡¯s walls were damaged; and Sto hadn¡¯t woven protection against fire into them the way he had for corruption. Skill had to have played a part.

    Alistair showed Tibs how skill could defeat brute force, and what was an indiscriminate weaving through the walls as protection than a brute force application of essence? Don must have used skill to melt the columns, woven or etched the essence in a way that made it stronger than what Sto had done.

    Only they weren¡¯t supposed to learn about weaves until after Lambda, and Don couldn¡¯t be so far in his studies of etching he could overcome Sto, could he? Wasn¡¯t he forgetting that Sorcerers read books? Each one Tibs had met was a Runner because they¡¯d been caught stealing books. Could Don have read enough to progress beyond what he was taught?

    Tibs would have to think of a way to get the sorcerer to tell him about what he¡¯d read so he could figure out how to apply that to his essence.

    He put that out of his mind. Made it yet another thing on his list, and focused on working out the proper path to open the wall of columns and cross to the other side. There, a push of the lever brought the columns down and turned them off so his team could walk to him, and they could continue on.

    * * * * *

    Tibs glanced at the shield at the top of the intersection. Reaching the dragon crest had taken longer than they¡¯d planned. Since he couldn¡¯t ask, he couldn¡¯t know if the information that had been accumulated by the previous teams had been wrong, or if Ganny had changed the triggers leading to opening the path. Whatever the reason, what had been written down had gotten them lost and cost them time.

    ¡°How long do we have?¡± Jackal asked.

    Tibs shrugged. The line on the shield was low enough they didn¡¯t have much time left, but beyond that, he had no idea.

    ¡°A candle¡¯s worth, at most,¡± Don said, studying the shield.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°Yes. Didn¡¯t you bring one and work out how much of the line one took to burn completely?¡±

    ¡°We worked out that when it¡¯s out, the next team¡¯s coming in,¡± Jackal replied, with a roll of the eyes. ¡°But unlike you, candles aren¡¯t something we waste coins on.¡±

    Don was the one rolling his eyes now. ¡°Being able to know how long you have isn¡¯t a waste.¡± He motioned to the jumbled crest. ¡°Is one candle enough time to solve that lock?¡±

    Jackal narrowed his eyes at the tone, and Don looked away. ¡°Tibs?¡± the fighter asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet.¡± He hadn¡¯t studied the puzzle.

    The idea was to reform the dragon, but it wasn¡¯t like the previous two. He also didn¡¯t know how long a candle took to burn. He knew that all the candles the merchants on the row sold were the same and took the same amount of time to burn; Garran had mentioned it at some point, but Tibs only used them for light if he felt the need to read in his room. The inn had the lanterns. And if he needed to know the time, he had the sun, Clara and Torus in the sky for that.

    A glance at the puzzle told him this wouldn¡¯t be about sliding the tiles. Each tile had a dot at the corners that acted as a pivot point for the four that touched the dot. They resisted, so that they didn¡¯t continue turning if he let go, and when they were aligned with the others, there was subtle click telling him that whatever else was expected, that was their neutral position. From there, he could pick a different dot to turn those tiles around.

    There was essence throughout the crest, but from the way the edges of the tiles passed through each other as he turned them on the pivot, he figured that was it was for, and not part of what he needed to overcome.

    He turned tiles until he had a line, then looked at the time shield. Half of what had been left was gone. ¡°I can¡¯t finish it in time,¡± he admitted. ¡°It¡¯s going to get harder as more pieces are in their right place until I work out the system.¡± He looked at the crest. Nine tiles up and across. ¡°I don¡¯t know how long that¡¯s going to take me to work out.¡±

    ¡°Then we come here first on our next run,¡± Don said.

    ¡°No.¡± Jackal glared at the sorcerer. ¡°We do the other two first, then we come here.¡±

    ¡°Jackal,¡± Mez said. ¡°Don¡¯s making sense. Loot¡¯s not so important¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not about the loot.¡±

    Tibs joined the others in staring at the fighter, who sighed.

    ¡°It¡¯s not just about the loot, but yes, it¡¯s in part that. And no, it¡¯s not me being stupid. One of the reasons for the runs is to get the loot. The coins from the fights, and the caches Tibs finds on the way, are nothing like what the rooms give us, especially now that we can take everything in the chests instead of one item per room. With the new guard leader not liking Tibs, there¡¯s no telling if the merchants will be forced to stop paying for the protection Tibs gives them. And Tibs¡¯s not going to stop helping them, or the Omegas when they get here. That takes coins. Unless one of you knows something I don¡¯t, we aren¡¯t in a hurry to clear the floor. So we take as long as it needs to work out this door after we clear the previous rooms.¡±

    Jackal looked at them, and Don looked back suspiciously, as if he had trouble believing the fighter had thought of that himself.

    ¡°Now we head back. If we¡¯re lucky, the dungeon will throw more golem people or Gnolls in our way. I still want to hit stuff.¡±

    ¡°I can make that happen,¡± Sto said.

    ¡°Is it only I who considers it odd that Jackal had stated he is not in a hurry to reach the boss room?¡± Khumdar asked.

    ¡°Maybe Kroseph replaced our leader with a more sensible one?¡± Mez replied.

    ¡°No,¡± Tibs said, following Jackal. ¡°He just threatened to withhold them time, if one of us tells him Jackal¡¯s been stupid. Not you Don. He doesn¡¯t care what you think.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 11

    Tibs found Cross in the Drunk Worm.

    She sat, laughing with guards, at a table in the center of the tavern. More guards sat throughout the tables. The Worm was a favored drinking place for them. On noticing Tibs approaching the table, the guards left it for others. Those who walked by him mouthed a ¡°Sorry¡±.

    ¡°You¡¯ve become quite the fun killer,¡± she said, grinning. She motioned to the tankards on the table. ¡°Feel free to sample what one of them left behind in their hurry to escape you.¡±

    ¡°They didn¡¯t have to leave.¡± He sipped from the one where he sat. As with the reputable taverns in Kragle Rock, the ale was fine.

    She smirked. ¡°When your boss doesn¡¯t like someone, it¡¯s not a good idea to be seen sitting at the same table.¡±

    He nodded and placed the paper before her. ¡°Have you seen a puzzle like this?¡± He¡¯d drawn the tiles of the dragon crest with the pegs and indicated how they moved.

    She glanced at it, sipping her drink, then put it down, frowning. ¡°The pieces are square?¡± he nodded. ¡°And they pivot around the dot in the corner?¡± she asked in disbelief.

    ¡°There¡¯s essence involved.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯d have to be.¡± She studied the drawings. ¡°Squares can¡¯t spin like that among other squares. The corners get in the way. If it¡¯s magic, it¡¯s not the kind of puzzle I play with.¡±

    ¡°As far as I can tell, essence isn¡¯t how the puzzle is solved. It¡¯s just there to let the pieces move.¡±

    ¡°And how sure of that are you?¡± she sipped her drink, eyes still on the drawings.

    ¡°Another puzzle does something like this. It¡¯s tiles too, but I need to slide an entire row or column. Edges have void essence woven so a tile that crosses it moves to the other side of the puzzle, on that same row or column.¡±

    She studied him. ¡°How do you know it¡¯s void? I thought adventurers can only sense their essence.¡±

    ¡°We can sense other essences with enough training; but I can¡¯t tell it¡¯s void. Void essence is just the only one I know that can do that. That¡¯s the element the Attendants at the transportation platform have. What essence the dungeon is using here doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯s just about letting the pieces move in the way the puzzle needs.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s why you think it¡¯s the same thing here?¡±

    Tibs nodded.

    She tapped the four squares he drew. ¡°Each two-by-two grid moves around this pivot?¡± she tapped a cruder drawing of the nine-by-nine puzzle. ¡°Here you have pivot pegs at the corner of each tile. Can you turn more than one grid at the same time?¡±

    ¡°When one isn¡¯t aligned, the others can¡¯t move.¡±

    ¡°Can you move a larger grid?¡±

    ¡°Only two-by-two.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re certain magic isn¡¯t the solution?¡±

    ¡°The dungeon is consistent in how he tests us. Puzzles that need essence to solve are made of essence. Fights are about testing us physically. When there are traps at the same time, it¡¯s about noticing them and avoiding stepping on them while fighting. The traps I need to disarm have their triggers in the same form as what the solution needs. Locks come in different form, but follow those same rules.¡±

    Tibs turned the paper over and used his charcoal stick to draw a rough square with tiles and a missing one. ¡°The rooms we need to win to unlock the final one have puzzles as locks. The lion room is just tile sliding, where I have to use the missing one to move them and make the crest¡¯s image. The boar¡¯s room has those sliding lines with the essence at the edge, and I have to also remake the crest. So the dragon room will be like that, but I need to turn the tiles around the pegs to remake it.¡±

    ¡°What do you do in the rooms?¡± She asked distractedly, while studying the drawings.

    ¡°The lion room is a game of Conquest. King Killer?¡± he offered at her frown, then continued. ¡°It¡¯s just five pieces against five, but when a piece ¡®takes¡¯ the other, there¡¯s a fight to determine the winner. It¡¯s a test of strategy and of tricking the dungeon sometimes.¡±

    She raised an eyebrow. ¡°You make it sound like it¡¯s intelligent or something.¡±

    ¡°He is,¡± Tibs said, ready to defend Sto, then paused. He couldn¡¯t say too much; Cross didn¡¯t know Sto was a person. ¡°He¡¯s crafty, but how he behaves can be predictable. So Khumdar used expectations of how a game of Conquest play to trick him¡ª¡± he¡¯d almost said her ¡°¡ªand win. That wouldn¡¯t have worked the second time.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°The other room?¡±

    ¡°It tests agility and the ability to see patterns. The room has columns of varying heights. The change of weight on one will make it and others in the room move up or down. We need to cross the room in a way that it opened a passage. Don used corruption to melt the columns in the way the first time his team did the room, but the dungeon adapted and it didn¡¯t work the second.¡± He smiled. ¡°There was an essence maze on the second floor my team kept finding ways around for a lot of runs until the dungeon was able to force me to navigate it.¡±

    ¡°This room?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t know until we can go in.¡±

    ¡°No other team cracked the puzzle?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°Without knowing where the room is, it¡¯s hard to get to it before the other two. The third floor is a maze of shifting walls, and the triggers we step on control what wall moves, but we can¡¯t see all the movements. No one mentioned the dragon crest before, and we were the first team to go in now.¡±

    ¡°And you are certain magic isn¡¯t how this is solved.¡±

    ¡°Essence is only used so the pieces can move,¡± he stated.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°What¡¯s the mechanism like?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen it.¡±

    ¡°Have you worked out something about it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s physical. I mean, it¡¯s not essence that makes the pivot turn, I¡¯d be able to sense that. It¡¯s just where the tiles will overlap when they turn. There¡¯s a latch of some sort that click when a turn aligns the tiles with the others. It doesn¡¯t lock it in place. I can keep turning it, but it¡¯s probably how the others unlock. That¡¯s also physical.¡±

    ¡°Anywhere other than a dungeon, I¡¯d tell you this is impossible. The level of complexity needed to make something like that work is¡­ Well, it¡¯s beyond anything I can think of. Layers upon layers of gears and levers to control those pivots. I can¡¯t even think of how the mechanism will tell it can unlock the door.¡±

    ¡°It unlocks when the crest is formed.¡±

    ¡°But how does the mechanism know?¡± she asked, and Tibs frown.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this just like the puzzle box with the sliding pieces? I slide them until all the notches are lined up, and I remove the cover.¡±

    ¡°But those puzzles only have one way any piece can move.¡± She tapped the paper. ¡°This has any of them move around any of the pivots. Are you certain magic isn¡¯t how this works?¡±

    He shrugged. He couldn¡¯t be certain. He hadn¡¯t sensed essence when the others unlocked, but if it was Ganny watching for when the crest was formed so she could open the door, would he?

    She handed him the paper. ¡°With what you¡¯re giving me, all I can tell you is that you¡¯re going to have to crack it the hard way.¡±

    Tibs put the paper away. He wasn¡¯t surprised by her answer. After all, Sto tested the Runners, not those outside the dungeon.

    * * * * *

    The guards whose path Tibs crossed eyed him suspiciously. It was night, so what reasons could he have to walk along the path leading to the dungeon¡¯s steps? But he remained on the lit path, so they left him be, continuing their patrols among the tents and nearly finished permanent buildings.

    Before the steps, Tibs turned left, off the path and among the empty stalls and patches of ground being cleared for other buildings. The guard he sensed following him remained on his trail until Tibs was well beyond the last stall. They¡¯d post guards at the periphery now, in case Tibs planned on returning undetected.

    Now alone, He backtracked and headed to the cliff face where he knew he was within Sto¡¯s range, and sat, leaning back against the stone.

    ¡°So,¡± Sto said, ¡°Don?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t my idea. Tirania forced him on my team. She threatened to break us up if I said no.¡±

    ¡°Do you want me to arrange it so he doesn¡¯t survive the next run?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s going to think I did it, and she¡¯ll just force someone else on the team. I need her to be happy with me, and at least Don¡¯s not incompetent. Did you know about not having to put a Lord on the board?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not how the game plays,¡± Ganny said. ¡°But he¡¯s right. On your side, you just need to stay alive, so you don¡¯t need it.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean you don¡¯t have to use one either?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but while I can¡¯t force Runners to use one, I want to stick to how the game plays.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t tell other teams,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°I doubt you¡¯ll have to,¡± she said in disgust. ¡°Don probably has already.¡±

    ¡°Did any of the other teams who did the third floor do that?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± she hesitated, ¡°but not many of them beyond you, and Don, made it to that room before you stopped coming.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Tibs thought back to the sorcerer¡¯s behavior. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll tell.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Sto asked. ¡°You haven¡¯t heard him during his runs. ¡®I know everything about this.¡¯ ¡®I know more than you do about that.¡¯ ¡®I know more about how dungeons thinks than dungeons do and I¡¯ll make sure everyone knows about it so they know how much better than them I am.¡¯¡±

    Tibs smiled at the perfect imitation of Don¡¯s voice. ¡°Did he say anything like that during our run?¡±

    ¡°There was that moment after winning the game he was bossing you around. And he did go on about how I think.¡±

    ¡°But other than after the game, did he lord what he knows over us?¡±

    Sto took his time replying. ¡°No. He was surprisingly subdued.¡±

    Tibs nodded. ¡°He¡¯s been like that out here, too.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°Sebastian¡¯s attack hurt everyone. He got his entire team killed in an ambush. He wanted to die there; now he wants us to teach him how to be better.¡±

    ¡°Other than Jackal letting him decide how you¡¯d move in the game, I didn¡¯t see a lot of teaching happening.¡±

    ¡°How do you teach someone to be better?¡± Tibs exclaimed, the ice cracking under the annoyance. ¡°You are or you aren¡¯t. Don only wants this because he¡¯s down. Once he¡¯s over that, he¡¯ll be back to doing whatever he wants to make himself look better and he¡¯s going to be impossible to deal with.¡±

    ¡°I can take care of that,¡± Sto offered.

    Tibs undid the cracks, and the temptation waned. ¡°Tirania¡¯s just going to make my life difficult for it. All she wants is to use me, my team, to make herself look good to the town. Make them forget she abandoned us to Sebastian.¡±

    ¡°If you can get her inside me, I can make her go away, too.¡±

    How could he make that happen? Would Tirania know the dungeon is dangerous to her? Was Sto really able to do something to someone as powerful as she was? Only that wouldn¡¯t solve his problem. Tirania was simply an agent of the guild. That Marger had put her in charge, told her how the guild wanted things to be run. Whoever they replaced her with would be the same.

    Could he get Marger to step inside Sto? Would it work? They had to be stronger than Tirania, if they gave her orders.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you could kill her.¡±

    Sto snorted. ¡°I¡¯ll remind you that what I¡¯m putting you through are tests. If I decide to kill you, it¡­ well¡­ I did kill a lot of Runners before.¡±

    ¡°We weren¡¯t that strong then,¡± Tibs replied, unsure why Sto sounded apologetic.

    ¡°And neither was I.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s stronger than Bardik, and he hurt you badly.¡±

    ¡°He had those bottles of corruption, and I was young. She can¡¯t do that to me.¡±

    Tibs expected she could do much worse. ¡°She¡¯s Beta. That¡¯s a lot stronger than you. They consider you Rho.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because they don¡¯t know anything about me,¡± Sto replied dismissively.

    ¡°No, Sto,¡± Ganny said. ¡°The guild has studied a lot of dungeons. For everything they have wrong, they have a good sense of the kind of power you have with each floor. If they didn¡¯t, they wouldn¡¯t know who to send in, so you didn¡¯t just wipe them out, or have them outright destroy one of us.¡±

    ¡°Come on, Ganny. Beta¡¯s only five stages above Lambda. That¡¯d be like I¡¯m dealing with five or six Jackals. Sure, it¡¯s going to be a fight, but I am going to win.¡±

    Tibs chuckled.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to pretend I didn¡¯t hear that,¡± Sto said.

    ¡°You have it wrong, Sto,¡± Ganny said. ¡°How many Omega Runners does it take to match one Upsilon?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Sto replied dismissively. ¡°But that¡¯s because Upsilons have an element. They get a lot tougher once that¡¯s happens.¡±

    ¡°Then, how many Upsilon to match one Rho?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you do. Compare the second and third floor. What¡¯s different in those fights?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the same, Ganny. They know a lot more by the time they make it to the third floor. It¡¯s why they have such an easy time through the second floor on their last run, and why they fight better on the third and have an easier time with your puzzles. That¡¯s not the same as being more powerful than I am.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that someone who makes it to Beta has learned even more?¡± Ganny said, as Tibs thought back to Alistair¡¯s lesson of precision over brute force. Becoming precise was all about learning ever more things about how to use the essence he had.

    ¡°And don¡¯t forget how easily Bardik killed the creatures on the first floor, even when he didn¡¯t use those bottles.¡±

    ¡°He was Epsilon,¡± Tibs said, unsure if Sto knew. ¡°And he used to be stronger, but the guild made him weaker as part of his punishment.¡±

    ¡°And you made him weaker still,¡± Sto said.

    He had? Draining the essence had made Bardik age, as if without that essence he went back to the age he really had, but Tibs hadn¡¯t realized he¡¯d also taken away some of his power. Thinking back on it, it made sense. His own increase in power, as well as the essence that broke his reserve open, had to have come from somewhere.

    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right, and a Runner at Beta is too strong for me to kill. But there¡¯s still what I did to the room I can use on her.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t even know what happened to it,¡± Ganny said.

    ¡°But I know what I did to make it happen. If I put her in a room and do that again. She¡¯d be gone and Tibs would be fine.¡±

    ¡°Not her,¡± Tibs said. ¡°Marger is just going to replace her.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s Marger?¡± Sto asked.

    ¡°Tirania¡¯s boss. I need to use Tirania to get them here.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Sto asked.

    ¡°Because I¡¯m going to bring the guild down by killing them for what they let happen to Carina.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 12

    ¡°Ah Tibs!¡± Darran¡¯s jovial expression turned serious. ¡°What happened?¡±

    Tibs eyed his cut shirt, and the blood that soaked the sleeve where his attacker had cut his arm. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± It had been the first of his would be assassin attacks, and the only one that reached his flesh. The other cuts on his shirt were sacrifices he had to make in the process of getting close to her to end the attacks, and her. She¡¯d smirked as her life essence had ebbed away, probably thinking that the poison on her knife would finish the job.

    The corruption in it hadn¡¯t affected Tibs, and he¡¯d easily healed the cut with Purity.

    He hadn¡¯t killed her with essence, since he didn¡¯t know if that left traces a skilled adventurer could use to guide them to the culprit. Tibs could sense essence, and his swords left traces of water essence in the cuts, which dissipated after a few seconds, but was that because he was not skilled enough to sense what was left, or there was nothing left?

    He couldn¡¯t take a chance.

    He left her body in the alley where she¡¯d attacked him. With all the thugs and troublemakers acting on Sebastian post death revenge, plenty of bodies had been found by the guards. She¡¯d be one of those. Another skirmish for the glory of being Sebastian¡¯s hand in the destruction of what Tibs loved.

    ¡°You are bleeding,¡± the merchant said, stepping around the counter. ¡°Why weren¡¯t you wearing your armor?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Kragle Rock,¡± Tibs replied as Darran took his arm to examine it. ¡°I don¡¯t need to wear armor in my town.¡±

    He¡¯d also hadn¡¯t wanted Darran to realize it wasn¡¯t the armor he had sold Tibs. Sto had made it identical, but details were important to merchants and thieves, so Darran was skilled at noticing them. The merchant might not think much of it being different, but he might. As friendly as he was, Darran was a merchant; coins drove them. What would the guild give to learn Runners weren¡¯t handing over all enchanted items they found in the dungeon? That the dungeon made some that couldn¡¯t be detected as magical?

    ¡°There is no cut,¡± Darran said, turning his arm over.

    ¡°I had a cleric heal it.¡±

    The merchant eyed him suspiciously. ¡°You paid what clerics charge for this?¡±

    ¡°I know a few.¡± Tibs knew one, but he hadn¡¯t seen Clara in Kragle Rock since the end of Sebastian¡¯s raids. She¡¯d been recalled, and he didn¡¯t know if she¡¯d be allowed back after disobeying the orders not to help the Runners.

    The injury in the alley, with no one watching, had given him the chance to experiment. Instead of applying the weave, if it was even that¡ªhe wouldn¡¯t know how it compared until Alistair taught him how to make one with water¡ªand letting it do its work, he kept it from moving deeper, then broke it apart partway. It resisted him. Once formed, the weave wanted to continue its work. To heal what needed to be healed, to move into him and find other injuries until it was spent.

    Use and dissipate sounded more like an etching than a weave. Was that what Tibs made with Purity, even if Clara likened it to weaving? Something else he wouldn¡¯t know until Alistair taught him.

    Darran eyed the other cuts and the blood on his shirt and pants.

    ¡°It¡¯s hers,¡± Tibs said, and anything not on his sleeve was. He¡¯d tried using water to clean it out, but the stains left behind by the parts that weren¡¯t carried away as he pulled the water through the cloth looked more out of place than the blood on a Runner, especially the one known for having been a thorn in Sebastian¡¯s side.

    ¡°What did you do with her body?¡±

    ¡°I left it there. Irdian isn¡¯t stopping everyone coming in to destroy my town. Guards find their bodies every few days as they kill each other. So long as it¡¯s not one of the townsfolk, or someone who looks to have coins, he isn¡¯t going to care.¡±

    ¡°And are they?¡± Darran asked. ¡°Killing one another, I mean. Or is someone looking out for you?¡±

    Tibs shrugged. He¡¯d asked Jackal if he¡¯d killed some of them, and his friend had been disappointed to admit he hadn¡¯t come across any of them in the middle of destroying something. Mez had caught one as they were about to burn down a building, but he¡¯d handed them to the guards. None of his rogues had admitted to taking care of them, and few had lied to him about it.

    Of the other Runners, Tibs didn¡¯t care. Quigly might, but he wouldn¡¯t go looking for them.

    ¡°Well, since you don¡¯t need me to look after this,¡± Darran said with a smirk. ¡°What can I help you with?¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°That knife.¡± Tibs pointed to the ornate one on display

    Darran smiled. ¡°Finally upgrading your equipment.¡± He took it out of the case. ¡°Come, the sheath is in the back, and you¡¯ll need it. This is something to be treated with care. I¡¯ll show you how the whetstone needs to be handled.¡±

    Tibs followed the merchant into the backroom, then the smaller storeroom. The door and walls were thicker, with the material used muffling sounds that passed through it, making it harder for anyone outside to make out what was discussed. The material didn¡¯t use essence, simply its thickness and what it was made of.

    Darran unceremoniously dropped the knife on the table. ¡°How can I help?¡±

    ¡°Have the guards been harassing you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not their job to harass an honest merchant like me.¡±

    Tibs sat on a crate. ¡°How about the less honest merchants?¡±

    ¡°Then, harassing is too strong a word. One has visited each of us on the row to explain how being forced to pay to be protected is against the guild¡¯s rules. And that we should report such crimes to the guards immediately.¡±

    ¡°And did they?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you¡¯d be walking about if they had.¡±

    ¡°I was sent to a cell,¡± Tibs pointed out.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t due to one of us. The warning came after you were arrested. I expect that was the new head of the guards making a point.¡±

    Tibs nodded. ¡°Do any of them want to end our arrangement?¡±

    ¡°If they don¡¯t, are you in a position to maintain it? You lost a lot of Runners fighting Sebastian.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve kept the patrols going, and we have stopped some who attacked the row and the area. So long as they don¡¯t attack in mass, we can deal with it. Once the new Runners are here, I¡¯ll increase the numbers as much as needed to keep Merchant Row safe if that¡¯s what they want.¡±

    Darran smiled. ¡°You¡¯re letting us decide.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d make a poor merchant.¡±

    Tibs rolled his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m a rogue.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because you are a decent person. To be a good merchant, you need to be willing to seize any opportunity to increase the coins you have, and that means taking advantage of those in less fortunate situations.¡± Darran produced a sheathed knife from within the many folds he wore and offered it to Tibs. ¡°That will be three silver.¡±

    Tibs eyed the knife. ¡°For those, I¡¯ll take that one.¡± He motioned to the knife on the table. ¡°This isn¡¯t worth three coppers.¡±

    ¡°Tibs, you wound me. I only display the best I have, easily worth three times what this one is. I couldn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh, then it¡¯s sharpened?¡± Tibs asked, feigning surprise. ¡°That¡¯s all that¡¯s needed to make that one better than the rest, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Now you¡¯re just being disrespectful,¡± Darran scolded. ¡°Have any of the knives I sold you let you down?¡±

    ¡°None of them will hit what I throw them at.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s more to do with you than them. I will sell this for a silver and six copper. It¡¯s more than fair.¡±

    ¡°I could call the guard and hand you over for thievery. Anything more than ten copper qualifies as that.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve barely looked at it. Admired the work which went into the hilt, the filigree on the guard. That alone is worth the measly three copper above a silver I am asking for.¡±

    With a sigh, Tibs unhooked the pouch from his belt, and Darran smiled as he looked through it. Tibs took a silver coin out. ¡°I don¡¯t have any copper. I¡¯ll give you a silver for it.¡±

    The smile fell. ¡°You, my boy, are a thief,¡± the merchant pronounced.

    ¡°A rogue,¡± Tibs corrected. They exchanged coin for knife, and Tibs pulled it out of the sheath. ¡°The edge needs to be ground and sharpened.¡±

    ¡°What do you expect for a silver?¡± Darran asked with a huff.

    ¡°Something like this.¡± Tibs sheathed it and looped it to his belt. ¡°The agreement?¡±

    ¡°None of my associates have said anything either way. I expect they might not be aware you are still offering it, with Sebastian no longer being a threat.¡±

    ¡°Payment will be due in ten days.¡±

    Darran nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll discuss the situation with them. You will get pushback, now that there is an alternative.¡±

    Tibs shrugged as he stood. ¡°If they trust the guards, they¡¯re welcome to let them do their job.¡±

    ¡°The guards don¡¯t charge anything for the protection they offer.¡±

    ¡°Like you often say.¡± Tibs tapped the cheap knife he bought. ¡°You get what you pay for.¡± And Darran smiled.

    * * * * *

    Tibs stood away from the transportation platform, watching the group appear.

    The first of the arrivals had sent ripples through Kragle Rock and now, Runners and what seemed like every townsfolk left were gathered as another group was led down the steps and started on Dungeon Way.

    ¡°You ever seen anyone looking so pitiful?¡± someone asked, and no one laughed.

    Scared, was what they¡¯d looked like. And young. Tibs wouldn¡¯t be youngest Runner to enter the dungeon, since a few of the arrivals were carried into the oldest¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Maybe the cells they were taken from are in the habit of beating them daily,¡± someone replied in a serious, if disbelieving tone.

    ¡°Those aren¡¯t guards,¡± Quigly stated. ¡°They¡¯re soldiers.¡±

    There had to be three and zero of them being escorted; boys and girls, and half that being carried. Tibs recalled Bardik¡¯s story of babes being thrown into a dungeon to feed it and he reinforced the ice coursing through him. That was the reason the rogue had given Tibs for trying to kill Sto, so the guild wouldn¡¯t do that here.

    Could he talk Sto into making the first floor easier for them? Wouldn¡¯t it be better for the dungeon if they grew up to be stronger before they failed? Tibs didn¡¯t care about the title of being the youngest Runner to survive the dungeon. He¡¯d rather one of them held it, that they all did.

    Tibs didn¡¯t think any of them were Street, even those in nothing more than rags and dirt.

    They had the beaten sense to them the Street instilled in all who lived there, but he saw nothing of the spark of defiance needed to survive it. Even the oldest of the boys and girls he watched walk by had lost all will to fight. Had it beaten out of them, by the way some limped or how an arm was bent improperly.

    What kind of cell did that to someone? And held babes? How could babies deserve to be in a cell? Bardik had told stories of nobles using lower-class women, and what they did if one who had a child as a result, came asking for help. That was all it took for the mother to deserve a stay in a cell with her babe still in her arms.

    Only, where were the mothers? All Tibs saw were children, not one of them older than Jackal had been when Tibs had first met him.

    ¡°Those aren¡¯t criminals,¡± Quigly said, his tone so sad Tibs had to look at him. ¡°They¡¯re war urchins.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 13

    ¡°You have suffered the kind of loss few people can imagine,¡± Irdian told the large crowd of boys and girls.

    Tibs had stood by the platform watching a dozen groups appear and be escorted along Dungeon Way. Not one was older than Jackal when they¡¯d first met. He¡¯d followed along the last group to appear, and now stood at the back, watching and listening. This had to be close to what it had looked like on the day he¡¯d listen to his version of the welcome speech, other than there hadn¡¯t been any buildings or tents here.

    ¡°You have lost not only your homes, but your hearts. You had nothing to do with the conflicts those in power created; even your parents had nothing to do with it. It didn¡¯t keep those in power from pulling them into the fighting, leaving you alone. Leaving you hollow. Leaving you afraid of what is to come.¡±

    The commander¡¯s voice carried all the way to where Tibs stood, the essence bouncing off metal sheets suspended on wooden posts throughout the crowd. Tibs had seen the work that went into setting them up, but hadn¡¯t understood what they were for until moment before Irdian spoke. His voice sounded as if it came from the closest sheet. Clear enough Tibs heard the sorrow in the words.

    He wished he was close enough to see if the words had light on them as they left the man¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°I wish I could tell you that your burden is going to ease. I wish I could tell you that here, you¡¯ll be able to put your worries for your future aside and be children again. I can¡¯t.¡± Whimpers sounded in the silence. ¡°You haven¡¯t been taken from hardship to be delivered into peace and quiet. I¡¯m sorry. This world you find yourself in is one that will take its toll, and possibly your life. I can¡¯t be gentle in telling you about this. Gentleness isn¡¯t something that will serve you going forward, and to have you believe otherwise would do you a disservice. Those of you who survive will be molded into adventurers. Not many of you will survive. I¡¯m sorry. But those of you who do will gain power. You will be able to avenge the needless death of your parents and other loved ones. Become strong enough, and the guild may let you topple the king responsible for the events that led to their deaths.¡±

    Tibs glanced at Jackal, Mez, Khumdar and Don, as well as the other Runner who had gathered to listen. They all showed the anger at the lie the ice kept Tibs from feeling. Tibs didn¡¯t need Light to know this was a lie. The guild didn¡¯t care about kings and nobles stepping on poor folks. If they did, the guild would step in and prevent it from happening. They would have kept Sebastian from causing so much destruction. They wouldn¡¯t have added to that while they kept themselves safe.

    The guild only cared about power when it served its purpose and, looking at the assembled urchins, war was also something that served the guild¡¯s purpose.

    ¡°But you will not simply be thrown into death¡¯s path without preparation. That is not the guild¡¯s way. You will be tested. You will discoverer where the strengths are, and you will be trained in them.¡±

    Runners snorted in disbelief as Irdian motioned. Tibs wondered if this was another lie, or if this group would be better prepared for their first run than his had been.

    ¡°It¡¯s fucking unfair,¡± a Runner muttered and other agreed.

    ¡°You will have accommodations,¡± the commander said once the sweeping motion was done. ¡°Tents to start with. But as your caretakers arrive and their houses are rebuilt, they will take you to them.¡±

    ¡°Caretakers?¡± someone muttered. ¡°Why didn¡¯t we get that? What¡¯s so special about these ones?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t wish misery on others just because we had to suffer,¡± Quigly said. ¡°They have suffered enough.¡±

    ¡°I warn you against getting attached,¡± Irdian continued. ¡°Attachments are not something that will help you anymore. Friends only lead to pain when they die before you. When you have to separate because the mission the guild sends you on is with another team.¡±

    He looked the crowd over. ¡°I have been where you are. What I am warning you about is what I experienced, because no one warned me. Caring leads to pain. Caring leads to death, and only if you are lucky will that death be yours.¡± The pause stretched. ¡°Many times, it is those you care about who die.¡±

    The ice cracked and Tibs swallowed the pain; the anger at that man reminding him of Carina¡¯s death. Had he looked at Tibs as he said that? Was this Irdian¡¯s way of pointing out how Tibs had failed?

    He filled the cracks, hardened the ice. What Irdian tried to do didn¡¯t matter. He wouldn¡¯t shake Tibs¡¯s resolve.

    ¡°Trainers will come and take you to be tested. Do not fight them. Their methods will be harsh, but they serve to ensure some of you can survive what is to come. You are no longer children, you are Runners. One day, some of you will be adventurers. It is a hard path, but a rewarding one. This will sound hollow; it did when I heard these words. Embrace the path, for it will make you strong. It will give you purpose, and it may give you life.¡±

    ¡°What a load of bullshit,¡± another Runner said.

    New cracks appeared in the ice, and instead of anger, hope bubbled through them. Hope that maybe this group would be spared being thrown into the dungeon unprepared, have the tools needed to survive. That this was what the guild intended new Runners to start like, and not how Tirania had forced them to suffer. Was it possible some good could come from what the guild did?

    ¡°I¡¯ve got a silver that says not even half of them come back from their first run,¡± someone offered as Tibs filled those cracks. There was no hope to be had here.

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°I¡¯ve got one that said not a quarter will¡ª¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Jackal stated.

    The guild didn¡¯t offer hope. It offered nothing anyone should want.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t putting coins on who¡¯ll survive or won¡¯t,¡± the fighter continued. ¡°They aren¡¯t here for our amusement.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just¡ª¡±

    ¡°I said no.¡± Jackal glared at her.

    The guild offered only misery wrapped in broken promise.

    ¡°Did he tell the truth?¡± Quigly asked, and Tibs turn to point out it wasn¡¯t something he could know, but the warrior was speaking to a woman whose eyes glowed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she answered nervously. ¡°I¡¯m not good at telling when someone lies, and my trainer¡ª¡± her voice hitched ¡°¡ªhe¡¯s gone. I don¡¯t know if anyone else is going to help me now. We¡¯re just too far for me to tell anything.¡±

    Her trainer was gone. Had it been Harry? Tibs hadn¡¯t known the old guard leader had trained anyone. If he had, he could have gotten her to ask question on his behalf. So long as Tibs worded it in a way she¡¯d believed it would benefit her, Harry wouldn¡¯t have picked up on the fact it would also help Tibs.

    ¡°Jackal¡¯s right,¡± Tibs told the Runners, as older men and women walked through the crowd. ¡°We aren¡¯t here to bet on who will live.¡± They looked enough like the teachers Tibs had dealt with while Omega he was sure whatever hope had bubbled up would have died now. ¡°We¡¯re going to make sure as many of them as possibly do.¡± He motioned as the teachers made small groups of children and led them through the tents. ¡°Do you trust them to have Omega¡¯s best interest in mind?¡± none of the children protested. It reminded Tibs of the time he¡¯d watched a herd master leading his herd through the streets until they¡¯d entered the slaughterhouse.

    ¡°If it serves the guild, sure,¡± a woman said. Fighter, Tibs thought.

    ¡°And what served the guild more? Having as many of them survive to gain the strength to stand up to them?¡± Tibs asked. How many would he need at his back when he took on the guild? How strong would he need them to be? How much of a distraction would he need them to cause so he could make it to the one responsible?

    ¡°We can¡¯t save all of them.¡± Quigly stated, and the ice cracked.

    Tibs glared at the warrior. ¡°We can¡¯t leave them to die!¡±

    ¡°There are thousands here, Tibs. There¡¯s only forty-three of us. We can¡¯t help all of them, let alone equip every team. How are we going to pay for all the armors and weapons, the repairs they¡¯ll need? Even if the merchants continue to take your protection, paying for all that would ruin them.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have to like it,¡± Tibs mumbled, fighting to fill the cracks.

    ¡°I hate it,¡± Quigly replied. ¡°These aren¡¯t my fault, but I¡¯m responsible for war urchins existing. If I¡¯d known that my actions would cause that, I¡¯d¡­¡± He trailed off, watching children being led away.

    ¡°We have to help them,¡± Tibs said, the ice intact again. ¡°We can¡¯t help all of them, but we still have to help. We know not to trust anything the guild offers. I want us to be there when they learn the same. To be there to show them someone cares about them. We¡¯re not going to mock them. We aren¡¯t going to put coins on who lives or dies. We will help them. Even if all it means is helping them carry the dead¡¯s equipment, so they get the coppers the guild owes them.¡±

    ¡°You want us to what?¡± a thin Runner asked in disbelief. ¡°Hang at the bottom of the steps all day long?¡±

    The guy next to him stared. ¡°What would you have done for someone to hug you that first time you came out of the dungeon?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d have stabbed anyone who touched me.¡±

    Tibs looked at them. So many wore hard expressions. Too many of them wanted these urchins to suffer the way they had, and he didn¡¯t know how to convince them that their own suffering didn¡¯t make it right for others to suffer.

    The ice cracked again.

    Abyss, what wouldn¡¯t he have given for someone¡¯s comfort after Mama was taken from him.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± a woman said behind him, and he stiffened, hurrying to fill the cracks. The Runners looked at her in annoyance.

    He turned. ¡°Lady Amelia,¡± he greeted her coolly. She¡¯d done too much for the town, for the townsfolk, for his Runners, to be outright disrespected, but she was still a noble. Eight others stood with her. Two of them Tibs recognizes as her siblings. The others he¡¯d seen about the town and done his best to ignore.

    ¡°If you¡¯ll allow us to help.¡±

    Runners snorted, and one asked derisively, ¡°You¡¯ll give us all the coins we¡¯ll need?¡±

    ¡°We aren¡¯t taking your coins,¡± Tibs stated. He reminded himself she¡¯d done runs. Had lost teammates in them, a brother once, if he remembered. If any noble deserved to be thought of as a Runner, it was her. She was decent to everyone she met, seemed to actually care about the people of Kragle Rock.

    But nobles bought people with their coins, and try as he might, she was a noble.

    ¡°If the clerics don¡¯t return,¡± she offered, ¡°we can see to it those who wait have bandages to tend the wounds of the surviving Runners. Ale to settle their nerves.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take that,¡± someone jeered.

    ¡°Shut up,¡± Jackal ordered.

    ¡°I thought the clerics were back,¡± someone said. ¡°I saw a few earlier. Why wouldn¡¯t they heal the Omegas?¡±

    ¡°Where were they when we were Omegas?¡± another asked.

    ¡°They were healing us when I went in,¡± a young woman said and was glared at by the few remaining older Runners.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the guild intends,¡± Amelia said. ¡°For all the words sounded true to me, there is a tradition of harshness beyond the necessary for the Omegas.¡±

    ¡°Let me guess,¡± someone mocked, ¡°you went around trying to get into all the other dungeons, but they wouldn¡¯t have your soft ass and had to settle for poor little¡ª¡±

    ¡°I did not settle,¡± she replied with the first hint of harshness in her tone. ¡°I have money. I could have paid any of the guild¡¯s fees, no matter how exorbitant they are. I chose to come here. I did not want a dungeon where all I would do was go in until my goals were achieved. I wanted a place where my presence would matter. Where I could help.¡± She paused the length of a few breaths. ¡°I did not know so many of you would have been victims of those who tarnish the title of noble.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve helped¡ª¡± he stopped himself. And filled the forming cracks. Enough? Did he really think there was such a thing as someone helping enough when they asked for nothing in return?

    Hadn¡¯t asked yet, escaped a crack. Nobles always demanded payment, eventually. They were master of the long game.

    The nobles from his Streets were; from other streets, by the way so many hated them. But Mez had told him that in his kingdom, to be noble was a mark of honor and responsibility. Something people sought to achieve, instead of abusing.

    She had helped before. She was offering to help now. Mez showed there were some who wanted the title to mean something better, and Amelia acted in a similar way.

    ¡°I accept your help.¡±

    The grumbling behind him was loud.

    She inclined her head. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°I thought you were better than lick a noble¡¯s cu¡ª¡± They were silenced with the sound of a punch.

    ¡°Do you know anything about the caretakers Irdian mentioned?¡± Tibs asked, ignoring Jackal¡¯s low voice as he explained what he¡¯d do if they insulted Tibs again.

    She shook her head. ¡°There are groups who help those orphaned by wars, but that isn¡¯t the sense I got from how he spoke.¡±

    So maybe it had been a lie. A promise to keep the urchins docile. Tibs had no idea how he could¡­

    Actually, he knew exactly how to find out.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 14

    The essence woven through the thick wooden door didn¡¯t react to the knock from the clerk who had led Tibs to Tirania¡¯s office. He¡¯d intended to show up, knock and get her to explain everything, but Tibs had gotten turned around somewhere and found himself back in the main hall. The clerk had asked him where Tibs was trying to go, and not wanting to waste time, he¡¯d told her and she¡¯d led him to the door.

    Tibs was confident it was the way he¡¯d taken, so, like before, this had to be caused by the enchantments on the building. When he wasn¡¯t busy, he¡¯d have to work out how the clerks avoided getting lost.

    ¡°Enter,¡± Tirania said, her voice clear, as if the door wasn¡¯t there. Tibs didn¡¯t think the weave in the door was what had allowed her voice to pass unimpeded. The clerk opened the door and motioned for Tibs to enter.

    Tirania raised an eyebrow, her expression going from frustrated to curious as she set the quill in the inkpot. It looked out of place in the immaculate office; it was stained and scratched, and the quill¡¯s listed a finger¡¯s width from the top where it was broken.

    ¡°What can I do to help you?¡± she asked, giving the clerk a nod, who closed the door behind him.

    ¡°I want to start by apologizing for my behavior when you told me Don would be on my team.¡± He¡¯d prepared this part on the walk to the guild and had needed to fill the cracks often as the memory of that conversation angered him. But the ice was thick now, and the anger an ember he barely felt. ¡°I¡¯m a Runner, not a child. I shouldn¡¯t have thrown a tantrum.¡±

    She studied him. ¡°And how is he working out?¡±

    He shrugged. This one was easier to say. ¡°It isn¡¯t the disaster I was afraid it would be.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡± She smiled and motioned to a chair. ¡°Now, what is the other reason for your visit?¡±

    He sat. ¡°The Urchins. Irdian mentioned caretakers. What is that about?¡±

    She took the time to set the page she¡¯d been writing on in a drawer before answering. Tibs didn¡¯t have time to make out much, but he thought there had been and M, A and R at the start of the first word. Was she writing to the guild leader?

    ¡°You need to understand,¡± she said, closing the drawer; already she was lying. ¡°We can¡¯t treat those orphans the way you were treated. You were a criminal. Your kingdom was more than happy to foist you onto us in return for better consideration when they need our services.¡±

    So many lies in just those two phrases. The only thing that didn¡¯t glow was the part about the kingdoms getting better considerations.

    ¡°With the orphans, the king didn¡¯t want to just hand them over to us.¡± Another lie. ¡°He demanded concessions from the guilds that in other circumstances, we wouldn¡¯t grant.¡± More lies, but the light varied so much as she spoke he couldn¡¯t tell where the lies were and how much of one they were. ¡°But we need Runners.¡± A truth. ¡°That the Heroes of Kragle Rock are here will draw new Runners, but they will be the more experienced ones.¡± A truth. ¡°Those who want to test themselves against the floors that shaped you.¡± Another truth. ¡°But we need Omegas. While stronger Runners will feed the dungeon more, they will also be more likely to survive. Because of the tribulations Kragle Rock has suffered, we still have to rely on convincing kings to send us those who have nothing to gain remaining in their care, and where even feeding the dungeon is worth their chance at becoming adventurers.¡± Surprisingly, to Tibs, that was another truth.

    ¡°So, there are no caretakers.¡±

    ¡°Oh no, they are coming.¡± A truth. ¡° And we¡¯re making sure housing is being built for them.¡± Not wholly a truth. The way the light dimmed and brightened made Tibs think that the houses being build was true, but that the guilds was making it happen the lie. ¡°It simply takes time. I felt it was best not to have them here until those were finished.¡± Entirely a lie. Tibs didn¡¯t look at the drawer, but was that was the letter was about? She was complaining about her leader making decisions for her? Had those come via Irdian? He was here at Marger¡¯s direct orders. Tibs wished he could get information about her leader, but this was about getting her to trust him more than any information she might let slip.

    ¡°Are they really getting trained before their first run?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t trust us?¡±

    ¡°Did you give me a reason to?¡± he asked, not intending to, but the ice cracked. At least his tone had gained no heat.

    ¡°You don¡¯t¡ª¡± She stopped. That was good; the words already glowed. She sighed and her eyes flicked to the drawer. ¡°Tibs. As I¡¯m sure you have worked out. I have to follow orders too. Some of the orders I have to give come from them.¡±

    ¡°And they ordered you to let us die?¡± he asked, his tone heating. He filled the cracks, worried his anger would ruin everything.

    ¡°Not¡­¡± the brightness dimmed as she considered. ¡°Not exactly. I was tasked with protecting the dungeon. It¡¯s what the guild does.¡± Not a lie. ¡°We exist to guard it and protect the world from them and the creatures they make. That was, and will always be, my first priority.¡± No lies. ¡°Don¡¯t let how young the dungeon is fool you. Even the weakest dungeon can unleash dangerous creatures without warning in times of upheaval.¡± The light did something odd. The glow was as bright as with a small lie, but it wasn¡¯t as¡­ there? Tibs couldn¡¯t think of a word that matched what he sensed.

    Maybe she was exaggerating? Those were sort of lies without being lies, weren¡¯t they? The reasoning still felt right to what he sensed.

    She chuckled. ¡°And don¡¯t think there are many trained adventurers here. The administrative staff usually stops training once they reach Epsilon.¡± Not a lie, but a good number of the clerks were Delta, and a few even Gamma.

    ¡°You could have stopped Sebastian,¡± he stated, and she shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re the strongest one here. Harry told me that,¡± he added to explain how he knew it. ¡°You and him could have stopped him.¡± The ice cracked, and he closed his eyes so he could focus on filling them. Once the anger cooled, he opened them and was surprised that she¡¯d waiting for him to get himself under control.

    ¡°Sebastian Wells, for the criminal that he was, was a man of power and influence within his city and his kingdom. His king paid attention to him. Because of that, my actions here would have been seen as the guild¡¯s actions, not only my own, against a citizen of that king.¡± Not one lie. ¡°You¡¯re right; I am powerful. The guild is powerful. But we aren¡¯t here to hold kings and kingdoms accountable for actions of their people.¡±

    How could that not be a lie? Bardik had said the Guild had stopped the king warring when it was formed. That meant they got involved.

    ¡°We are here for the dungeon and to prepare for¡ª¡± she smiled, but shook her head. ¡°There¡¯ll be time enough for that once you¡¯ve reached Epsilon. Suffice to say that if I, or Harry, or anyone directly affiliated with the guild had taken action against Sebastian Wells, his king could have decided we were targeting not a man, a criminal, but the kingdom he came from.¡± More of that was true than not. More than Tibs expected.

    ¡°I am not proud of my decision,¡± she continued, the words glowing faintly, ¡°but I saw how you organized the Runners, and saw a way to avoid drawing attention to our problem¡­¡± again, she glanced at the drawer. ¡°I saw you hold the man and his minions back and had confidence in you.¡± No lies.

    ¡°You are responsible for some of the destruction,¡± Tibs said, his tone controlled, the ice uncracked. She seemed willing to talk about what had happened, even if not entirely honestly. He might as well see what else he could get from her.

    ¡°That was an unfortunate accident.¡± A lie so bright that if its light had been from a lantern, he would have had to look away. ¡°As I said, the administrative staff isn¡¯t trained for situations like this, and it never occurred to me the man would be brazen enough to target the guild. They had to react quickly and misjudged how to handle Everburn.¡± A middling lie. Tibs expected she hadn¡¯t told them to sacrifice the town, but she hadn¡¯t ordered them to take care not to damage it either.

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    Did he have other questions? Any he could get her to answer without rousing her suspicions? He stood. ¡°Thank you for answering my questions, Tirania.¡±

    ¡°I am here to help, Tibs. You know that.¡±

    He nodded, then added because he needed to be sure she considered him her ally. ¡°As am I.¡± He headed for the door.

    ¡°Tibs?¡±

    He looked over his shoulder, reaching for the handle.

    She smiled at him. ¡°I¡¯m glad you came and talked with me about this. I was afraid the animosity was going to fester.¡±

    The words carried no light.

    * * * * *

    Tibs watched from the rooftop as workers cleared burned houses. He¡¯d wanted quiet. He¡¯d wanted to be away from people in general, as all they could talk about were the Omegas and what they meant for the Runs and the town.

    He¡¯d thought looking over Kragle Rock¡¯s roof line would make him feel better. They had survived Sebastian. For as a pain as Irdian was to Tibs, he had the guards do their job and most of the thugs here to enact Sebastian¡¯s revenge were stopped before they did serious damage. The few they missed, Tibs¡¯s Runners handled. Things were improving. They were bright; good.

    So why didn¡¯t he feel they were?

    He turned away from the the work that would lead to the rebuilding and ran. With so many destroyed houses, navigating the town from the roofs wasn¡¯t as simple as it had been. There were few direct lines from where Tibs was to where he wanted to be. But soon it would be as it was. Almost every hole in the roof line had workers there. An army of them working toward undoing what Sebastian had done. What Tirania, the guild, had allowed to happen.

    He stopped before the noble¡¯s neighborhood, at the line of demolished houses creating a moat between them and the town. What would they do as the town grew? Right now there was nothing but a plain on the other side, but would they stretch this wall they intended to build around as the town reached there? Would they enclose themselves from everyone? Would they turn this enclave of the wealthy into a prison?

    The idea should amuse him.

    He used an air disk to leap over the gap and landed on a noble¡¯s roof.

    He moved with care. Nobles paid adventurers to patrol their streets¡ªand where was Irdian¡¯s protest at that¡ª and they knew to look up every so often.

    It didn¡¯t stop him from reaching a third-floor window unnoticed. Then he was inside, and moving about with even more ease. The servants were on the lower floors. People in the kitchen, he senses, and in a room on the floor below. The only locked door lead to an office.

    He found the locked metal box in a locked drawer in the desk. He looked through the coins in it for copper, and not finding one, settled on taking a silver coin. He placed everything back as it should be and returned to the roof.

    He rolled the coin over his knuckle absently. He¡¯d broken into a noble¡¯s home, taken from them. What he¡¯d taken was insignificant, especially compared to everything nobles had taken from those on his Street, aimed to take here, but he had done it. And it had been easy.

    Too easy?

    Was that why there was no satisfaction in it? Did he need to look for a tougher house to break into? There had to be nobles who used essence as part of their locks. Would defeating one of those make him feel like he had accomplished something?

    Something to think about.

    He looked up, noting where the sun was, and pocketed the coin as he ran. He had to get back to the inn before Jackal worried and came looking.

    * * * * *

    ¡°What did you put there?¡± Tibs had asked Alistair as his teacher made an etching for Tibs to use as a target. It was between two of the lines. It looked like the letter ¡®J¡¯, which Carina had taught him as part of his letters.

    ¡°You can make them out?¡± the man had sounded surprised and Tibs had nodded. It was water, so safe for him to say he sensed it. And he¡¯d surprised his teacher enough by now another wouldn¡¯t be out of the ordinary. Instead of answering, Alistair had instructed Tibs to make the etching they were practicing.

    Now, in the warehouse, alone, Tibs swung two essence lines like Radkliff¡¯s lasso with that letter a filigree holding them apart. As he moved them, they moved around each other, but never touched. Tibs didn¡¯t know what it was for, but if Alistair had used it and not wanted to teach him yet, he wanted to figure it out.

    As far as he could tell, all it did was keep the essence apart.

    Since it looked like a letter, he tried with the others, but he couldn¡¯t get them to hold their forms between the lines and they touched. It was simple to keep anything from happening, but it showed him that while it seemed like all he was doing was writing the ¡®J¡¯ in essence between the lines, recreating what Alistair did was more than that.

    * * * * *

    ¡°I want you to do the etching and¡ª¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Alistair turned and the etching he¡¯d been about to start making for Tibs to target dissipated. ¡°Tibs, this is how¡ª¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve had me do this etching for three days now and only that one. I know how to make it.¡± Tibs had the knife in hand, forming the etching as Alistair opened his mouth for his usual protest. A line in a spiral, to increase the effect of the essence, then four lines through that meeting in a point. He didn¡¯t need to feed it much essence once it formed. The spiral pulled from around without him having to do anything.

    Then the jet of water projected at his teacher.

    Tibs wasn¡¯t worried. This was just a demonstration and Alistair had proved he was far more skilled. A gesture and he had a knife in hand, then an etching so fine Tibs couldn¡¯t make out details at this distance. The effect didn¡¯t manifest as water or ice, just a lattice of essence lines on which the water splashed and sent shards of ice back in Tibs¡¯s direction.

    All he needed was to impose his will on the ice and it was water again, then not there as he absorbed it.

    Despite the demonstration, Alistair wasn¡¯t happy, so Tibs made a concession. ¡°I¡¯ll get back to practicing it after you tell me about that letter you did. You did others too. One was like ¡®J¡¯ the others like ¡®K¡¯. I didn¡¯t make out all of them.¡±

    The man sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the basics, but that will be all. This isn¡¯t a session on the Arcanus. Am I clear?¡±

    * * * * *

    It took multiple session of Tibs insisting on more information for him to get what he thought were the basics. Alistair seemed to consider the revelation the Arcanus was something within Tibs¡¯s future reach enough.

    The Arcanus was what the letters Tibs had learned were based on. The one that looked like ¡®J¡¯ was called Jir and linked to Air. Each of the Arcanus was linked to an element, but letters had been added over the centuries to make all those Tibs had learned. There were sixteen Arcanus, where Tibs had Learned two and nine letters.

    Kha was the Arcanus linked to Water. Ank to fire, Bor to Earth. When Tibs asked for more, Alistair said enough was enough, and training had restarted.

    He pulled Earth essence from his bracer and made a Jir filigree. The lines on each side were sluggish as they moved and stayed apart. Nearly anything he did with earth essence was. Earth was never interested in being fast.

    He¡¯d taken the time to pay attention to what Alistair did when he etched, so that when Tibs did a filigree with Kha, instead of Jir, this time it held and the Earth essence lines slammed together, instead of being held apart. He knew each of the Arcanus did something different, but he hadn¡¯t managed to get Alistair to say. So Tibs was relegated to trying things and hope nothing resulted in an explosion.

    He did a line with water, added the Kha filigree and connected another line water essence, ready for the slamming. Only it didn¡¯t happen. Instead, when he swung the lines, they behaved as if instead of water; they were made of the syrup Mez loved to add to the seared rump of ashgar, Russel made when they could get the meat.

    Making the filigree with Ank instead shattered the lines of water. As it did with any of the essence he tried it with.

    If Ank shoved the lines apart, Kha pulled them together. Would using both mean nothing would happen?

    He decided to test it with air, since it was the least likely to do something destructive if the unexpected happened.

    Making the filigree with both Arcanus was harder than Tibs expected. He needed to shift his focus three ways. The lines, then both Arcanus. And when he finally had it, something happened. The combination expanded around him in what felt like the ripples on a pond, but had no other effect from what he could tell.

    Then he coughed, and his head swam. He staggered and realized he needed to break whatever this was before¡­ something. Thinking was difficult. He needed to¡­ something. Breaking something.

    There was little he saw he could break, but lines were everywhere, and there were ends of them. Ends he could grasp¡ªhis hands touched nothing¡ªnot that way. Think, he had to think it.

    He thought about grasping them as he dropped to his knees. Then what¡­

    End it, break it.

    It was easier to pull them apart than he¡¯d expected, and then he gasped as he breathed air again, rolling onto his back.

    That had been unexpected.

    He checked this ice. It was still intact. Even as thinking had been harder, his will on the ice had remained. That was good. He didn¡¯t want to think what might have happened if he¡¯d lost it in the middle of this.

    His essence had been damaged throughout his body. Small rips. He didn¡¯t know what had caused them. He didn¡¯t know what he¡¯d done. How two Arcanus whose effect should cancel each other had caused¡­ whatever they had caused.

    A weave of purity and the rips were repaired.

    He made another one and studied it. Clara called it a weave, but was it? It felt to him like what fabric looked like, which was how she¡¯d compared it, applying a weave of fabric over an injur. But it couldn¡¯t be the same thing Alistair referred to when he talked about weaving. Not the way he made it sound like it was complicated, and something only more experienced Runners could learn.

    And this compared to what he felt in the walls of the guild only in the loosest terms. Strands of essence packed together even tighter than this was. Were there Arcanus in those? How did they interact to create what they did?

    No, what he did with Purity had more to do with how he used Water, or Air and Earth and the other elements. He applied his will and shaped them. It felt like a weave for purity because that was how he thought of it, but there was no over and under the way fabric was woven.

    It just was.

    He rubbed his temple, unsure if the headache was the result of what had happened to the air, or because Alistair was right and Tibs needed to wait until he knew more.

    He needed to ask Sto if Arcanus was something he used.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 15

    Tibs watched the Omegas work on locks and triggers as he walked among them; feeling like he was failing with them.

    They were bad. Nearly without a fault, each of them would end up in a cell, or dead, if they were to attempt them outside of training. Worse than that, few of them seemed to enjoy handling the lockpicks and small tools. More girls than boys, and with a few exceptions, they were the smaller of the urchins. The broader and taller of them seemed to be the ones enjoying the training.

    Tibs stopped a small girl from throwing the lock in anger. He didn¡¯t comfort her, ask her name, or about how she¡¯d become a war urchin. She wouldn¡¯t survive her first run, even if the others on her team tried to keep her alive; she didn¡¯t want to be here.

    He crouched and did his best to explain how to notice when she placed too much tension on the pry tool; when the pin clicked in place. What locking the pin in place meant. He didn¡¯t ask what she wanted. He didn¡¯t engage in conversation. He instructed her.

    He continued as he felt eyes on him. An instructor, by the concentration of essence. He didn¡¯t care if they objected to him helping. They were forcing boys and girls who had done nothing to deserve it to walk into a dungeon with barely the skills needed to survive.

    Short of them forcefully throwing him out, Tibs would use the little free time he had to increase the odds they would survive.

    Even if he was doomed to fail.

    When the lock clicked open, she sighed dejectedly. No joy at the accomplishment. No looking at Tibs for his opinion on her performance. She closed it up and started picking it again.

    Tibs hadn¡¯t been present when the instructions were given, but each potential rogue only had one lock instead of a box with a variety of them. Of course, his training had consisted of the old trainer pointing them to such boxes and telling them to get to it. Here, the instructors did occasionally assist someone.

    Tibs stood to let her continue the practice, and an instructor nodded to him before continuing on her way. She reached a small boy struggling with a trap¡¯s trigger and crouched, explaining something in whispers.

    Had the only qualification to be determined as a rogue been that they were small? Was the guild hoping Sto would weed out those without the temperament to be rogues? Would they let any train for another class if they demanded it?

    This¡­ did not make sense to him, unless all the urchins were here for was to feed the dungeon.

    Another instructor noticed him and said nothing.

    Tibs stopped by a boy of his height, looking determined, as he used the thin tension bar to feel inside the trigger. It clicked, and a pin snapped out of the side. If this had been part of a trap, it would have activated. The boy looked around, sighing, and handed him the trap on seeing him there.

    Tibs reset it and handed it back. The boy got back to work.

    Maybe this one had a chance.

    * * * * *

    Tibs glanced over his shoulder at the time shield, then what was left of the dragon crest for him to complete.

    ¡°I won¡¯t be done in time,¡± he announced, rotating a series of two-by-two grids to move the last piece of the dragon¡¯s left horn into place. A secondary aspect to the lock that had only become apparent once he started solving it; was identifying what pieces went where within the crest. Was that the end of a claw? The tip of a wing, or, as it had turned out to be, the end of the horn.

    This was like picture puzzles, but he couldn¡¯t simply put the pieces where he thought they went and see. He had to use the spins to move them where he wanted.

    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Don said. ¡°Just why are we¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don,¡± Jackal warned, and the one word was enough to silence the sorcerer.

    Tibs didn¡¯t look away from the crest, maneuvering a piece he thought was the base of the horn, but the step back Don took would also have him looking as if he¡¯d been struck, the sneer shattered into the more common meekness and uncomfortableness. He didn¡¯t often show hints of who he¡¯d been, but stress, pain, and annoyance brought that side of him to the surface.

    And this run had brought plenty of each for all of them.

    Sto had increased how strong the creatures roaming the halls were. Ganny had switched the triggers around so that Tibs had to relearn them, and on top of not all caches containing loot, the loot they found was suspiciously low in potions, so that other than Tibs surreptitiously healing his friends, they had to carry many of the injuries throughout the run.

    Jackal had been particularly affected by the lack of loot. At the fourth empty cache, he¡¯d screamed at Sto, and Don had stared at the fighter, then had looked baffled that he was the only one reacting to the insane behavior.

    Sto hadn¡¯t commented.

    Tibs didn¡¯t know if the dungeon was too busy working on the fourth floor, or if it was Tibs¡¯s inability to speak with him because of Don, but other than to greet them, Sto had been silent. Tibs didn¡¯t even know if the dungeon was watching them.

    ¡°So, are we staying past the limit?¡± Mez asked. He sat on the floor, his injured leg stretched and his eyes closed. Beyond the poor healing Tibs performed, since he couldn¡¯t just make the wound disappear, exhaustion was the main consequence of the reduced potions. Tibs couldn¡¯t take away his friend¡¯s fatigue without letting Purity work into them, and that would heal everything it could.

    The essence refilling potions hadn¡¯t gone down as fast since only Don and Mez made constant use of them. Tibs had too much of a reserve for them to matter, Jackal barely expended any, since he used it internally, and Khumdar was skilled at not wasting his.

    ¡°You think you¡¯ll have it finished close to the end of our run?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°It¡¯d be good to at least see what¡¯s inside so we can prepare.¡±

    Tibs looked at the slightly more than half of the crest he¡¯d assembled and shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know if the method I¡¯m using to move the pieces around will work once I¡¯m down to the lasts. The less space I have, the more complex it¡¯s going to get.¡±

    ¡°Get as much done as you can, so you can figure that out. Then we¡¯ll head back.¡± Jackal looked at the ceiling. ¡°You know, putting doorways near these crests would make it things easier for us.¡±

    ¡°Why do you do that?¡± Don asked, sounding annoyed and worried.

    ¡°Makes me feel better?¡± Jackal replied, and Tibs heard the smirk.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing there!¡± the sorcerer snapped. ¡°All it¡¯s doing it making you look daft to the rest of us.¡±

    ¡°That means stupid, right?¡± again, smirk was audible in the fighter¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s fine.¡± Now it was a shrug.

    ¡°How is that fine?¡± Khumdar asked. ¡°Have you not told Kroseph that you were going to be smarter now that you have promised to be there for him?¡±

    ¡°I promised to try to be smarter about stuff, but he knows that only goes so far.¡±

    ¡°How are you okay with following a leader who acts like that?¡± Don demanded.

    ¡°Why?¡± Jackal asked sickeningly sweet. ¡°You think they should be following you?¡±

    ¡°Well, at least I wouldn¡¯t¡ª¡± the sorcerer¡¯s voice broke. ¡°I mean I wouldn¡¯t¡ª¡± nervousness gave way to meek fear. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°Don,¡± Mez said, his tone understanding. ¡°We¡¯re used to Jackal¡¯s ¡®I¡¯m the biggest idiot on this side of the abyss¡¯ act.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m the biggest idiot on both sides of the abyss,¡± Jackal replied severely. ¡°And it¡¯s not an act.¡±

    Tibs chuckled.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let him get to you,¡± Mez said.

    * * * * *

    The ice cracked and cracked again as Tibs leaned against the house¡¯s wall, fighting the anger as he caught his breath.

    That had been too close. He looked at the long cut starting over his heart and going to his side, growing deeper as it progressed. Abyss, far too close.

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    And the would-be assassin hadn¡¯t come out of nowhere to cause this. Tibs had sensed the faint essence in the alley as he turned into it, but he¡¯d dismissed it as one of the townsfolk relieving himself after too many drinks.

    He hadn¡¯t considered there might be another attempt on his life after that previous one. The guards were stopping any trouble makers that stepped off the platform; his rogues hadn¡¯t mentioned having to stop anyone for days now. The guards were only stopping the sloppy ones, and those left were skilled enough to give his rogue the slip.

    And to nearly kill Tibs.

    Abyss that fight had been too close. Too hard. He had elements. He should have brought her down the instant he¡¯d realized she wasn¡¯t what he¡¯d thought. But she¡¯d pressed him so hard he hadn¡¯t had time to think, only react. Even avoiding the killing strike had been more reflex than actual defense. He¡¯d been slow in blocking it, hadn¡¯t realized what her target had been in the chaos of defending himself, and his knife had only pushed the sword to the side because the motion had already been started.

    He¡¯d been stupid! More than Jackal stupid!

    More cracks spread and he focused on that, ignoring the blood flowing out of the deep cut.

    How could he have grown so confident that he¡¯s let someone like her, someone without an element, nearly kill him? How could he have let Sebastian escape when he¡¯d torched so much, only to let him then kill Carina? Why hadn¡¯t he gone into the camp to end him when he¡¯d arrived?

    He knew why; he was able to admit, once most of the cracks were filled and the anger was back to an ember. How many Runners had died on that first night of the assault? When Sebastian shouldn¡¯t have been ready for a sneak attack. Only, as usual, the man had been ready. How he¡¯d been ready, Tibs hadn¡¯t worked out until after he¡¯d killed him and all his sorcerers. They¡¯d been strong enough to keep him from using essence to save Carina. Keeping the other runners from using their elements would have been simple.

    Once he could think, the pain registered, and he made a weave of Purity to heal the wound. He kicked the body before pulling it deeper into the shadows. He searched it and came away with three silver and seven coppers, the sword and a knife. He pocketed the coins, and the weapons he¡¯d add to the training supplies.

    What he didn¡¯t find was an indication of who had paid her. Sebastian was the one responsible, but he was dead, so someone else was hiring all these killers and trouble makers.

    Jackal didn¡¯t know who. His father had lieutenants and gang bosses who might handle that. But the fighter hadn¡¯t wanted to be involved in his father¡¯s business, so he¡¯d paid as little attention to who and why and how his father hired help.

    Tibs stood and pulled in his sense to a dozen people deep. Having to focus on a smaller area meant he could pay attention to the details. And he paid attention to all of them as he headed to his hidden supplies.

    He would not be taken unawares again.

    * * * * *

    ¡°Darran, my good friend!¡± Jackal exclaimed as he and Tibs stepped into the shop.

    The merchant was on alert. ¡°Greetings.¡± He glanced at Tibs, who shrugged. Jackal had asked him along, and lied when he¡¯d explained he needed him to keep the merchant honest. Tibs hadn¡¯t pressed and followed.

    ¡°I have a question for you.¡±

    Cautiously, the merchant answered, ¡°I shall endeavor to provide you with an answer.¡±

    ¡°Perfect!¡± Jackal rested his elbows on the wooden counter. ¡°Let¡¯s say that I¡¯d gotten my hands on some dungeon made enchanted pieces of armor. What would you say to that?¡±

    ¡°I would say that you have handed it to the guild, as you are required to. Unless you paid what they asked; then I¡¯ll say you were swindled.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d never pay what they want,¡± Jackal stated. ¡°But what if¡­ oh, what if I¡¯d come up with a way to sneak something out of the dungeon without getting caught by the guild?¡±

    Tibs stared at Jackal. He couldn¡¯t seriously plan to tell Darran about his pouch. The merchant wouldn¡¯t be able to stop himself from asking questions.

    Darran¡¯s gaze flicked to Tibs. ¡°I would say that you are playing a dangerous game, if you have indeed attempted it.¡±

    ¡°Succeeded at it.¡± Jackal grinned. ¡°Can you find me a buyer willing to pay good coins? You¡¯d get your cut, obviously.¡±

    Darran considered them. ¡°A buyer, I can find without trouble. The quality of the coins will depend on what you are offering.¡±

    ¡°Like I said, dungeon made enchanted armor. A leather chest piece. Plain looking and enchanted to be tougher and slowly repair itself.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t attract the highest quality, but there is alway someone interested in acquiring dungeon made items, since the guild limits their availability. So long as you can prove it came from the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°My word¡¯s not enough?¡± Jackal asked, offended.

    ¡°I only need your word. Unfortunately, the collectors of such items demand more than the word, twice removed, of a Runner.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to prove it came from there.¡± Jackal looked at Tibs. ¡°Other than asking the guild.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. How did Jackal expect him to help?

    ¡°An expert can be brought in,¡± Darran said.

    ¡°For coins,¡± Jackal added, and the merchant nodded.

    ¡°How can a sorcerer tell if it¡¯s from the dungeon?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°It won¡¯t be a sorcerer,¡± Darran replied. ¡°Jackal can¡¯t afford one of them for what he¡¯s describing. But they are tools that let scholars see the weave of an enchantment, and with enough knowledge of the dungeon, they can match the item to it. Which raises another issue. With the dungeon being so young, I don¡¯t know of anyone outside of the guild who has studied it, and they are as tight-lipped about their findings on dungeons as they are closed fisted about the items they hoard.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re saying there¡¯s no way I can get good coins,¡± Jackal said, tone suspicious.

    ¡°I¡¯m saying there is no way, now, for you to get better than good coins for it. How long can you hold on to it? In a few years, scholars will go in weekly with teams for protection. They¡¯ll study what makes this dungeon itself, rather than some other dungeon. With the knowledge they will accumulate, it will be possible to show this is where your item came from.¡±

    ¡°In a few years,¡± Jackal said, ¡°I¡¯ll be taking stuff out from deeper floors. If I¡¯m even doing runs anymore. I¡¯ll be an adventurer by then.¡±

    ¡°That is certainly the conundrum you are facing. But it will still be worth more than is it now.¡±

    Tibs watched Jackal think, wrestle with his greed. More coins were always better to him, but coins now were also a good thing. ¡°How much would you give me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have to see it to say,¡± Darran answered. None of the joy Tibs expected the merchant felt was visible. ¡°I do promise to give you a fair price for what you show me.¡±

    ¡°A merchant¡¯s promise,¡± Jackal said dubiously.

    ¡°A friend¡¯s promise,¡± Darran countered.

    ¡°A merchant¡¯s promise,¡± Jackal repeated in the same dubious tone.

    ¡°My friend,¡± Tibs said. He might not trust the merchant with everything, but he considered him among the friends he had in Kragle Rock.

    ¡°Tibs¡¯s friend¡¯s promise.¡± Jackal considered it. ¡°I can take that. When do you want me to bring it?¡±

    At least he wasn¡¯t taking it out of the pouch right now.

    ¡°It might be simpler for me to stop by the inn. I expect your man is aware of what you are doing, and can keep it somewhere discreet, where I will be able to look it over.¡±

    Tibs wondered how pleased Kroseph would be. He knew about the pouch and that Jackal was sneaking items out of the dungeon, and he had to know he planned on selling them, but Jackal¡¯s man was nowhere near as greedy as the fighter.

    * * * * *

    The knock pulled Tibs out of his thoughts.

    He¡¯d been lying on his bed, the only one occupied in his team¡¯s room at the moment, waiting for sleep to pull him under. He¡¯d prefer using Purity to do away with the need for sleep, but that required suffusing himself with the element, and for that, he needed to let go of Water, and that meant feeling everything.

    Don stood on the other side of the door once he opened it.

    ¡°I need a bed,¡± the sorcerer said in the stretching silence.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°This is our team¡¯s room, isn¡¯t it?¡± the sorcerer snapped. ¡°I have a right to a bed here.¡±

    Tibs stepped out of the way, and Don didn¡¯t seem to know what to do. He studied Tibs suspiciously, then attempted a smug expression, only for his shoulders to sag, look to the stairs, sigh, then step into the room.

    He mumbled something as Tibs closed the door.

    ¡°I said I¡¯m sorry for snapping,¡± Don snapped, turning to face Tibs, and then seem to realize Tibs hadn¡¯t said anything and looked confused.

    Tibs shrugged. He knew Don¡¯s behavior was offensive, but he didn¡¯t care. ¡°Take any of them except the ones at either ends, and that one.¡± He pointed to the bed next to his as he headed to his.

    Jackal and Mez spent their night with their special someones now, or at least at her house, in Mez¡¯s case. Tibs didn¡¯t know if the archer did anything with his girl. He no longer talked about her or his time there, and she hadn¡¯t stepped outside the noble¡¯s neighborhood since Sebastian¡¯s assault.

    ¡°What happened to your room?¡±

    Don checked the firmness of both mattresses before sitting on what had been Mez¡¯s. ¡°I was kicked out.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you have the coins?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I have coins,¡± he replied angrily. ¡°I¡¯m not like Jackal and always spending my money. The owner of the house wouldn¡¯t let me pay for the floor. Said he¡¯s got better prospects coming. He forced me to take all our possessions out and now I¡¯m¡­ here.¡± He pulled his knees to himself and rested his head on them.

    ¡°You paid for a floor?¡±

    ¡°You think I was going to stay in a place like this any longer than I had to?¡± The look Don gave him was defiant, but didn¡¯t last.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know we could do that.¡±

    ¡°You can do anything your money lets you do,¡± Don snapped angrily.

    ¡°Where¡¯s your stuff?¡±

    ¡°I leased space in a warehouse until I¡­¡± he rubbed at his eyes. ¡°Until I contact the other¡¯s families and find out what they want to happen to their things.¡±

    Tibs nodded. ¡°There¡¯s space in the chest. I¡¯m the only one who uses it now, and I don¡¯t have much more than my armor in it.¡± He stretched out.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me to go fuck myself?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re on the team. This is our room.¡±

    ¡°How are you so fucking calm about this? You wanted nothing to do with me when I¡ªwhen Tirania put me on your team.¡±

    Tibs closed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m calm about this because I don¡¯t think the town will survive if I stop being calm about anything.¡±

    * * * * *

    It happened surrounded by people.

    Tibs had watched a group appear on the platform. They were too old to be runners, dressed too well. Some were dressed the way nobles did, but they, too, were under guard. The guards also looked better than the ones Tibs was used too. Their armors polished even where they were dented, and the overcoats colorful with drawing on them.

    Instead of heading along Dungeon Way, the group was led into the town, and Tibs lost interest in them, turning and heading back to the inn. He had papers to deal with. Kroseph¡¯s father joked Tibs should rent a room and make it his office, for all the time he spent working at the table.

    Tibs had sensed at the crowd surrounding him, all normal people, but he knew better, so remained alert for any who didn¡¯t move through it as they should.

    The problem with a room was the implication he could leave his papers there when he didn¡¯t work. No room in the inn would be as secure as Tibs keeping the satchel on him or in his room in the rooming house. He also didn¡¯t want to work on them alone. Kroseph wouldn¡¯t be able to force him to stop and eat.

    The crowd had become thicker by the time the rowdiness started. Tibs sensed in the direction of the shouts as his fingers slipped into a pocket. He pulled out coppers, then was shoved as everyone stepped away from more shouts¡ªa fight had broken out. He regained his footing and moved with it. He sensed an unoccupied alley, and the crowd was moving in that direction. He¡¯d slip into it once¡ª

    The crowd stopped and Tibs bumped into the person ahead of him. His fingers came out of the pocket holding coins, then they slipped out of them as pain erupted in his back. An arm was around his chest, pulling him out of the crowd toward that alley he¡¯d intended to go to. Another shove at his back, more pain and now, under the arm dragging him, a forearm¡¯s worth of the end of a blood covered sword was visible.

    ¡°Sebastian sends his regard,¡± a man whispered in Tibs¡¯s ear.

    And a beat later, Tibs fell.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 16

    ¡°I had wondered,¡± the woman said, tone stern, ¡°if you would come.¡±

    Tibs gasped and his hand reached for his breast, then stopped so he wouldn¡¯t cut himself on the sword that was¡­

    He wasn¡¯t dead.

    How could he not be dead? The sword had skewered him. Right through his heart. He looked down, and there wasn¡¯t even a rip in his shirt.

    ¡°It did not,¡± she said in a definitive tone. ¡°You would not be here otherwise.¡±

    He looked around, and the space registered clearer than the speaker. Large and gray, the walls covered in sharp angles. He forced his gaze on her and why it was difficult was due to her being the same gray as the walls. Her curves were much sharper than on the women he¡¯d seen before, but there was something familiar about her.

    He glanced at the wall he rested against, and it too looked ready to cut him to ribbons. He¡¯d move away if he could see one place on the floor that looked any safer.

    His gaze snapped to her. ¡°Metal. You¡¯re Metal.¡± He frowned. ¡°How am I here? How can I have an audience? It¡¯s supposed to happen somewhere close to the element and I¡¯m supposed to feel a lot.¡±

    She tapped his chest, cutting the shirt and his flesh in the process. ¡°I cannot think of being closer to the living than against that which keeps them living. Any closer and the living would have ended you far too early for you to be ready.¡±

    It had been so quick he hadn¡¯t realized how he¡¯d felt in the moment, but thinking back, the idea he¡¯d died had shattered the ice and he¡¯d been enraged that he wouldn¡¯t be able to make the guild pay. That Carina would go unavenged.

    Tibs was on his knees, that pain barely noticeable compared to his emotions. When the scream ended, his throat was raw. He reached for Water. He needed the ice to silence the anger, the recriminations, the guild, the pain. He needed to be numb before the pain ripped him apart.

    Where was Water? How could he have lost his element?

    ¡°This is me,¡± she stated. ¡°My brethren hold no dominion here. Now, stop whimpering, Thing of Humans. You are supposed to be special. Show me.¡±

    He glared at her. Whimpering? His life had been ripped to shred, and she accused him of whimpering. He was going to show her pain. He reached for Fire and¡­found nothing. It didn¡¯t matter. The inferno inside him didn¡¯t need Fire to explode.

    He launched himself at her, ignoring the pain slicing his feet.

    ¡°Stop.¡± The order had no emotion behind it, but Tibs found he¡¯d stopped, held in place by points of metal pressing over him, piercing his clothing, but not his flesh. ¡°Is this what you are? A thing driven by its feelings? A thing without control? Do you bend under the lightest weight put on you? Are you nothing without us?¡±

    Tibs tried to glare at her, but she walked out of his view and if he turned his head to follow her, points dug into him. A reminder of the damage they could do to him.

    That he could cause to himself.

    She hadn¡¯t hurt him. She wasn¡¯t who had attacked him. She wasn¡¯t even the reason he was here, if Tibs understood how Audiences worked. The situation had caused it to happen. This pain the metal caused him was of his doing, not hers.

    He slowed his breathing, forced it to slow. He pushed his anger aside. The pain of Carina death, the guilt at not saving her, his desire for revenge. He needed to be here. He needed to be now.

    Anger clawed at him without Water to cool it; made thinking of then and later easier. Why did now matter when all there was in it was pain? The reasons came before, and his actions later. All he could do was endure the now, and focusing on before and after made that easier.

    His anger wanted her to pay for forcing him to think about now. About the pain he was in. It wanted him to lash out against this element and to the abyss with the consequences.

    But, Tibs reminded himself between breath, he wasn¡¯t his anger, as all engulfing as it was. It wasn¡¯t him. He wasn¡¯t the pain he felt, the vengeance he needed.

    He was simply himself.

    He let out another breath as she walked before him again, and he remembered what he had to do, since he was here. He couldn¡¯t see the shadow among the angles and sharp edges of her body, so he looked around as much as the metal points holding him in place let him. Everything was Metal, not only the person walking around him. That was so he had someone to interact with.

    He didn¡¯t see the shadow in the walls or the space between him and them either.

    He studied her again as she walked before him. The edges that made her body glinted as if light shone on them, reminding him of Tirania¡¯s crystal eyes.

    And he knew who Metal reminded him of.

    Anger flared at thought of the guild leader, but he forced it down. The rules she only bent to serve her didn¡¯t matter here. She didn¡¯t. This wasn¡¯t a time for what he¡¯d do to her. How he¡¯d use her to bring her leader to Kragle Rock. That was for after; once he was back.

    Fear replaced anger as he remembered what awaited him outside, and he pushed that down too. Something else for later.

    ¡°Why do you look like her?¡± he asked when she was before him again, and she paused. She could be naked, he realized, or clothed. All the edges that made up the body made it impossible to tell.

    ¡°Like who?¡±

    ¡°Tirania.¡± With her being still, the glints settled, creating areas of shadows among the light that¡ª

    ¡°Who is she?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a bitch,¡± he replied before he could stop himself, and had to fight the anger again. ¡°She¡¯s in charge of the guild here. She¡¯s the reason Sebastian was able to destroy most of the town, twice. She keeps lying about there being reasons for why she does what she does.¡±

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    ¡°But what is she?¡±

    He frowned and points pierced him, the pain an annoyance and the question¡­ Did Metal mean which element? She couldn¡¯t. The elements knew of each other, but they didn¡¯t express interest in who wielded them. Who Tirania was as a person? How she acted?

    ¡°She¡¯s harsh,¡± he tried. ¡°She doesn¡¯t compromise, even when she acts like she will. All she cares about is what she wants.¡±

    Metal nodded. ¡°That is why you see me as this.¡±

    The pain in his temple stopped the head shake. ¡°You made yourself look like her.¡±

    ¡°You make me out of what is here¡ª¡± she motioned around them ¡°¡ªand here.¡± She tapped his forehead and Tibs shoved that pain away with the rest.

    He snorted. ¡°If I made you, you¡¯d be soft shapes.¡± And what he needed would be easy to find, even with her distracting questions.

    ¡°I am not made for softness. And you cannot make us what we are not. That will never be something you can do.¡±

    He focused on the play of lights and shadows. The shadow was what he needed, and they were only on her. Even still, the light glinted, creating shadows. None of the glinting on the walls and floor and the air caused them there.

    Was it hiding among one of them? Was it all of them? Did he have to grab the right one, or would any do? And how could he reach them when he was unable to move?

    No, that was untrue. He could move; if he was willing to endure the pain.

    What he saw, being able to only move his eyes, showed him enough to know that if he pushed against them, the points would cause more than pain. They¡¯d cut his body apart. Just as when he¡¯d tried to get the shadow out of Purity, there would be nothing left of him.

    Except that there had been.

    This wasn¡¯t outside. The world of what was real to him. Here, his body didn¡¯t act the same as there. He reached for his essence and again found nothing.

    No, there was something there. His essence was there, and in it were mixed Earth and Fire, but little of them. How were they there, if all there was here was her? Metal? She¡¯d said none of the others could be here. Was she allowing those three elements in? Was it happening without her knowing about it? If so, was this something he could use to his advantage?

    Maybe if he was more advanced in his studied of etching, he could think of a way.

    He could suffuse himself. Earth made him more resistant to damage and the pain it caused, but could it keep him from being ripped apart? Even entirely stone, Jackal¡¯s body cracked when one of Sto¡¯s creature hit him hard enough.

    Fire then? He could¡ª

    No. Not fire. His emotions were already sufficiently out of control.

    His essence? Did it do anything? It was already coursing throughout his body. It was what changed when he suffused himself.

    He had no other way.

    A slight motion of his arm, and pain lanced through as the points pressed in and others sliced. He forced himself not to think of what his sliced flesh would look like and pushed again, and stopped as the pain increase. As impossible as it should be, this was more painful than pushing through Purity.

    He watched her watching him, no hints of emotions on the angles of her face. He searched the shadows while readying himself.

    How long could he take? Was he bleeding out? out there, where time passed? Jackal had been worried about how long his audience with Earth took. Time had passed when he was with Fire, but had it been the same? Was time always the same when he was with an Element?

    If Sto didn¡¯t understand time, and he existed in the same place as Tibs. What was it to the elements, who existed outside of that place?

    But it meant something to Tibs, and he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling he was running low.

    With a scream, determination and pain, he pushed through the points, reached for a shadow, then was free and tumbling into her, through her, being cut apart until there¡ª

    The shadow melded into him.

    His reserve expanded, making space for Metal among the others.

    ¡°Good,¡± she said in that same neutral tone, and he turned as he fell. Through her, he saw the remnant of a body held in place by thin spikes. He opened his mouth to ask¡ª

    * * * * *

    He screamed as he opened his eyes onto a man¡¯s terrified face. He felt the pressure against his neck and Tibs reacted. Pulled essence to his hand, made a blade and thrust it through the man¡¯s chest. He grabbed the collar and pulled, then saw the metal out of the man¡¯s back as he felt blood pour over him.

    He shoved him aside, glaring, not caring if it was his assassin or some passing townsfolk who thought he could rummage through his pocket or had been attempting to help. Someone had tried to kill him and someone had to pay.

    Everyone had to pay until he had the culprit. If he had to burn the whole of the town to make that happen, so be it. He would show them what came of any who sought to hide his killer.

    Fire coated his hand, and pain bloomed.

    Then it was gone, and he was filling himself with water, forcing it into ice before his anger could find purchase. Then he was on a knee, his anger no longer masking his physical pain. Of course, he was in pain. He¡¯d ripped himself apart to reach her and the shadow.

    He frowned. This wasn¡¯t the pain of his entire body being pierced. The pain was only in one place. His hand came away bloody from his chest.

    The stabbing came to him; the sword appearing under the arm pulling him.

    He dropped to his knees and finally noticed his essence pouring out of him through the wound.

    He suffused himself with Purity, and it stopped. The pain went away. He could breathe without feeling his inside being torn. He stood again. Now, he only had one job to do.

    Someone was going to pay.

    The body was that of a man dressed like any of the townsfolk. Maybe he had been trying to help.

    Something had pressed against Tibs¡¯s neck, and next to where he¡¯d laid was a sword covered in blood. His blood. He touched his neck. The pain was gone. Had his killer been about to cut his head off? Wasn¡¯t that how killers went about proving they had committed the act?

    So his killer was dead.

    The work was done.

    Only there were more out there, here to kill him, to destroy his town. They had to be dealt with, too. It had to be final and decisive. This had to show any who came the folly of going up against him. Against Tibs of Kragle Rock.

    He let go of purity and reached for¡ª

    The pain started even before fire manifested and Tibs shoved it away in favor of water. He filled himself with it, cooled it even as his anger tried to make it steam. Water could kill just as much as fire. It didn¡¯t even have to be hot. Cold. Cold had killed Sebastian, taking pieces of him out slowly, let the man scream in such a delightful way.

    Water wasn¡¯t only about soothing, it could fill a man¡¯s lungs, take away the air. He could cover a town, even a city, with it and no one would ever dare threaten him and his again. He could easily¡ª

    On his knees, panting, the ice finally crackled through an over him.

    Too hard.

    This had been too hard. Fire wanted too much. And part of Tibs was more than willing to feed it. He would be better without Fire. Without a threat to his control. If he could think of a way to reject it, he would.

    He stood.

    But things were as they were, and he wasted time wishing for them to be different. He had survived his assassination and gained an element in the process. That was what mattered.

    He turned to the body. There was nothing special about the man. He might not even be the one who had stabbed him. Tibs had no way to know. Other than the sword where his neck had been to indicate what the man had been in the process of doing, this could be anyone, even someone living in Kragle Rock.

    And if they were? If Tibs had killed one of the townsfolk?

    It was too late to do anything about it.

    He searched the body and came away with nothing. Not even coppers. So probably not one of the townsfolk.

    Sound from the end of the alley drew his attention.

    There had been a commotion, the crowd had reacted, Tibs had¡­been stabbed. Had the man arranged it or simply taken advantage? It was still going on. He could go, stop it. Get answer from those involved.

    He stepped in his blood as he moved and stopped.

    He was covered in blood. That didn¡¯t bother him, but it would draw attention. Lead to questions. Questions that might clue the guild in on Tibs¡¯s multiple element.

    He sensed the new reserve.

    He had to make time to practice suffusing himself with it to gain control, and that would¡­

    Mean letting go of Water.

    He frowned. How much damage could Metal do? He looked at the body as he touched his chest through the hole in his shirt. Too much.

    And that was without considering how quickly Fire would take advantage and roar to the surface.

    He couldn¡¯t chance that.

    He headed deeper into the alley, looking for a way to the roofs.

    What Tibs could do was ask someone how it was he¡¯d had the audience with Metal.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 17

    The lake was barely four and zero paces away from where Kragle Rock currently ended, but the ground was already marked for where more buildings would be added. Cutting that distance in half. Tibs didn¡¯t know what would happen once the town grew to reach the lake. Would baths be set up, the way he¡¯d seen in the cities he¡¯d traveled to in his search for his city? Those also had clothes-washing shop on the shore, and the water had been gray around them.

    He crouched, placed a hand in the cool water, and sensed it; sensed for a difference in it and the water from a well.

    The adventurer Tibs had tried to hire to remove the corruption from the pool at the end of Merchant Row had said that something had to have happened there that connected the pool to the element and made removing it impossible. Other than the unleashing of the concentrated essence that had caused the destruction, the only thing to happen was the audience Tibs had with Corruption there.

    And he had had an audience with Water in this lake.

    He sensed nothing out of the ordinary. There was a lot of water essence, and hardly none of the other elements, but this was a lake, so wasn¡¯t that how it should be? What had Alistair told him that day in the cavern with the distant waterfall? The closer to the element and the easier refiling their reserve became?

    But what did that mean? Tibs felt he already refilled his reserve quickly and easily, considering how much water there was. The same as with Sto¡¯s pool on the second floor.

    He looked over his shoulder and gauge the distance. Alistair had said that close enough to the element they could refill their reserve as fast as they used it. Unfortunately, the town was too close now for him to make an etching and see how much he could pour into it without people noticing the explosion that would cause, and investigate. Even if he waited the few hours until the sun set, someone would hear.

    And this wasn¡¯t why he was here.

    He stepped into the clear water and walked until it was over his head. He continued to walk, keeping himself from floating up, and reached the center of the lake. It wasn¡¯t quite the lowest point. That was a few paces to his left; a hole through which water floated up and in. Water was all around him. He was as close to the element as he knew how to be.

    Now, he needed a strong emotion.

    He couldn¡¯t rely on his fear of dying. He understood now that he couldn¡¯t drown, so there was no way to trick himself. Water didn¡¯t hurt him. Even without creating air to breathe, he didn¡¯t suffocate.

    But there were other emotions than fear of dying.

    Tibs saw how powerful Jackal¡¯s love for Kroseph was in the way the fighter changed his outlook on life for him. He saw Mez¡¯s dedication to his ideals through the pain he endured to maintain them.

    Tibs had neither of those.

    But he had an emotion buried under the ice. All he needed to do was let it shatter, and Tibs would feel more than he¡¯d ever wanted to. More than he thought he could endure.

    At least here, when he exploded, the town would be safe.

    Unless the explosion was such, the lake was sent into the air and fell down on it.

    He stopped channeling water, and the thought made him chuckle.

    How much destruction could the lake cause to Kragle Rock?

    Water could cut mountains, given time; that was how powerful it was. That took ages of it carrying a little stone away as it flowed. Thrown at a mountain, water simply splashed.

    He didn¡¯t remember why he¡¯d asked, but Carina had laughed, and then explained how¡ª

    Tibs screamed as Sebastian¡¯s knife moved across Carina¡¯s throat. Blood gurgled over the blade. Tibs screamed as his essence didn¡¯t find purchase within Carina to save her. He screamed as he pulled his essence out of the water sorcerer, then did the same with the earth, fire, and all the others. He screamed as he shattered piece after piece of Sebastian.

    Tibs screamed, and the water boiled.

    * * * * *

    ¡°That is enough,¡± the woman¡¯s gentle voice said.

    No, it wasn¡¯t. It would never be. Tibs wouldn¡¯t stop until there was nothing left of Sebastian¡¯s legacy or of the guild. He would burn¡ª

    ¡°I said that is enough.¡± The voice was no less gentle for being firmer, but it pushed Tibs¡¯s anger away. It didn¡¯t encase it in ice, as he did, cooling it until he barely felt its ember. She put distance between it and Tibs. He knew it was still rage, but that distance reduced its influence.

    But it didn¡¯t remove it.

    ¡°Why?¡± he demanded. ¡°Why did she have to die?¡± He stood. ¡°Why did you let her die?¡±

    Water smiled sadly. ¡°I do not have influence on your world, Child of Human.¡±

    ¡°Why not? Your essence gets there. So why aren¡¯t you deciding who gets it and what they have to do to use it? Why aren¡¯t you and the others making sure we stop always hurting each other?¡±

    ¡°You know why,¡± she answered gently. ¡°You simply chose not to acknowledge it because you want someone to hurt.¡±

    Tibs closed his mouth on the reply. He wasn¡¯t here to lash out. He was here for answers. He forced himself to ignore the rage.

    ¡°How did I have an audience with Metal?¡±

    ¡°You met the requirements.¡±

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t say I had to have one. You said that after I had Corruption, Light, Purity, and Darkness, I¡¯d have unlocked what happens next. I can turn my reserve into any element I channel now.¡±

    ¡°And you thought it would be the end of it,¡± she stated.

    Tibs sighed. He had, hadn¡¯t he? But¡­ ¡°Will it ever end? Am I going to have to chase after all the elements?¡±

    She considered him, flowing down to a knee, so they were eye-to-eye. ¡°You are not required to do anything. You are on a path¡­¡± she smiled. ¡°You are on a stairwell where each of us can help you move to the next step. But you can stop anytime you desire. You can return to it, or not, as you decide.¡±

    At least the choice was his. ¡°What happens when I reach the top of that stairwell?¡±

    ¡°It ends.¡±

    That sounded ominous.

    ¡°But I don¡¯t have to go that far.¡±

    ¡°This is your path, Child of Human. How far along you go is only for you to decide.¡±

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Do you have any advice for me?¡±

    She smiled. ¡°Choose wisely, but with the power comes danger.¡±

    ¡°I already know to be careful not to let the guild know what I can do,¡± he replied bitterly. He¡¯d hoped for something useful. He noticed her smile had turned sad. Had he misunderstood what she¡¯d meant? Was she warning him that others would be a danger to him? That the power itself could be a danger to him and other? He knew fire was. Did she mean¡­ why was he asking himself those questions?

    ¡°Can you explain what you mean?¡±

    ¡°The warning is the extent of what I can do. The rest of for you to work out.¡±

    Of course it was. ¡°Is there an order in which I should seek the other elements?¡± How many were there? Two and four, maybe? Alistair had said something about the Arcanus and Letters.

    ¡°The order is also for you to decide. Although, because of what you are, some may come to you without having to seek them. But what you are will not protect you, or ensure you reach them. Remain vigilant.¡±

    Tibs touched his chest, only a little to one side, and the sword would have killed him instead of sending him to an audience.

    ¡°Why?¡± he asked before he even realized the question. ¡°Why does the shadow exist? Why could I take it? What is this all about?¡±

    ¡°I do not know,¡± she said, sadly. ¡°The shadow was there when I became aware. Throughout what you refer as the ages, some have noticed it. A few took it. It is the rare one who returned to speak once they had it.¡± She smiled. ¡°Do not be hasty, Child of Human. There is time ahead of you to accomplish what you set for yourself.¡±

    He frowned. ¡°Is this about¡ª¡±

    * * * * *

    Water filled his mouth, and he trashed.

    He was underwater. Where was the surface? He couldn¡¯t drown after having had his audience with Water. He had to¡ª

    He closed his mouth, angry at himself. How could he forget so easily water was not a threat to him? What next? He¡¯d be afraid of a tankard filled with water? Would the next assassin just have to throw water at his face for him to cower in fear?

    The blade sliced across her neck. His essence couldn¡¯t find purchase. Another piece of Sebastian snapped off with a satisfying sound out of the man¡¯s mouth.

    Tibs opened his mouth to¡ª

    He turned himself to ice so hard the water crackled and snapped, pressing against him. Then he sense motion as the block of ice, and him in its center, moved up. He willed it to stop and fought with it. Ice floated on water, so it resisted being submerged.

    He melted it and swam toward the shore, stopping as he sensed people.

    There were a few guards among the people assembled on the town side of the shore. The swords at their hips marked them as such. Three had the concentrated essence of adventurers. The sun was still above the horizon, so he¡¯d be seen if he moved closer. The lake was small enough they¡¯d notice him no matter where he came out.

    Had he attracted their attention? Had Water not taken him to his audience in time to stop the boiling he¡¯d initiated? there was nothing in the essence in the water to tell him what had happened.

    He sat and waited.

    Most left before darkness fell onto the lake, the adventurers the first among them. Duties calling, or was there nothing that could hold their interest long after the lives they lived? A few were still there when Tibs exited, hidden by the lack of the sun, the light from their torched not being adequate to cover the whole shore, and darkness essence.

    * * * * *

    Tibs heard about the lake exploding over food the next morning. The lake hadn¡¯t flown up and onto the town, not even a drizzle had made it to the buildings, but those in the inn spoke of the thunder that had sounded in that direction. Some claiming to have been close enough to see the water erupt.

    Some said Everburn making its way there was the reason. Others said it was a creature that had escaped the dungeon and made its way to the lake. And on the heel of that story, someone claimed to have fought that creature.

    ¡°What do you think caused it?¡± Jackal asked him, the smirk barely hidden.

    ¡°I was¡­¡± Tibs glanced in Don¡¯s direction, who was focused on his meal. He would have been in the room, so might question an assertion Tibs had been sleeping. ¡°On the roofs. I didn¡¯t hear it.¡±

    ¡°No, of course you didn¡¯t.¡± Jackal smirked and went back to eating.

    When he was done, Don left.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Kroseph asked Tibs as he took the sorcerer¡¯s empty plate and tankard.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he replied with a shrug. ¡°I was running the roofs on the other side of the town.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± The server smiled. ¡°Why could I even think you¡¯d know anything about it?¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs was impressed with the house.

    He¡¯d walk by each day to see the progress, and in one and three days, the first was completed, others almost nearly so. It, and the others, was two stories, large enough to accommodate a family of six, possibly seven. It was plain enough no noble would want to live here, but the townsfolk would love one of them. As would the people who¡¯d been brought to look after the urchins.

    Well, most would.

    ¡°Why did you have to use that to paint the awnings?¡± the man standing before the nearly completed house to the left said. ¡°If you aren¡¯t using Darmanian paint, this is going to fade after the first rain.¡±

    The woman who¡¯d entered the building exited, shaking her head. ¡°They won¡¯t listen to me. The wardrobe isn¡¯t even varnished. The mattress is,¡± she shuddered, ¡°feathers. And we¡¯re going to have to bring water ourselves.¡±

    Tibs stared at them. They weren¡¯t dressed like nobles, but acted like them. Why did they care for the color of paint, or how plain the furniture was? They were getting a house to live in while looking after runners.

    Tibs paid for his room, and it was smaller and plainer than that house.

    A snuffle at his calf made him look down. The dog looked at him, head canted to the side. It was much larger than Thump, with bright red fur and brown eyes that glinted with mischievousness.

    He pulled a piece of jerky, then jerked his hand away as Serba tried to grab it.

    ¡°That¡¯s not for you,¡± he told her. ¡°It¡¯s for¡­¡± he motioned to the dog.

    She narrowed her eyes at him. ¡°Ravager,¡± she answered.

    He looked at Ravager in surprise. There was no violence in those eyes. ¡°I think it tricked you. You should call it Trickster.¡±

    ¡°She,¡± Serba corrected, ¡°is going to be the most dangerous of them.¡±

    Tibs crouched. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to her.¡± He broke a piece of the jerky and gave it to the dog. ¡°You¡¯re going to be a fun loving one. Always getting the others in trouble with you, and pulling them out of trouble, too.¡± He leaned in and whispered. ¡°You¡¯re a rogue, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°If you listen to one word he says, Ravager, I will¡ª¡± she closed her mouth. ¡°What am I doing? She doesn¡¯t understand you. She barely understands my signals yet.¡±

    He rubbed between the dog¡¯s ears as he straightened. ¡°I¡¯m surprised the guild spent coins to build something this nice for the Omegas and those caring for them.¡± He nodded to the house.

    Serba watched him before looking at the house. ¡°The guild isn¡¯t paying to have them built.¡±

    ¡°Who is?¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°Whatever family sent their undesirable members here.¡±

    ¡°Why would any family not want some of them?¡±

    She snorted. ¡°You do remember Jackal wants nothing to do with the rest of his family, right?¡±

    ¡°And he left. So did you. Sebastian didn¡¯t send him away.¡± The ice cracked as the name crossed his lips.

    She didn¡¯t answer immediately, watching the couple who were now speaking too softly with one of the workers for Tibs to make out the words, but they weren¡¯t making a good impression.

    ¡°They¡¯re from wealthy families. Minor nobles, merchant family, or would be nobles. They all have two things in common. Lots of money, and a need to appear respectable. They always end up producing the kinds who have no interested in behaving in ¡®proper¡¯ ways. Could be as simple as not wearing the family¡¯s colors, associating with the ¡®wrong¡¯ kinds of people, or they bedded the wrong person and now there¡¯s an heir no one can find out about. It¡¯s hard to make sure those indiscretions don¡¯t come to light. My father had scores of people whose job was to discover things like that about the ¡®respectable¡¯ families back home. With them, he filled his coffers easily.¡±

    She studied the couple, now in a heated discussion together. ¡°She¡¯s the one they had to remove. He¡¯s her lover. Probably from a rival family, so both families might have put money toward sending them away. She¡¯s used to better things than he is. He might get used to living here, but not her.¡± She looked at Tibs. ¡°The guild made it known that for a small fee, they¡¯d allow such people under their care and would ensure no one ever learned of their indiscretions. And that they¡¯d be allowed to buy land and not pay the usual fees for having the houses build.¡±

    ¡°So the guild isn¡¯t doing this.¡± The ice cracked. Why was he even surprised?

    She shrugged. ¡°They made the opportunities available, but no, they aren¡¯t paying for the houses.¡±

    ¡°Then why isn¡¯t the house being built the way they want since they¡¯re paying for it?¡±

    Serba chuckled. ¡°They aren¡¯t who¡¯s paying. Their families are. I doubt they paid for anything more than the minimum. Maybe specifically so that would happen.¡± The woman looked angry now. ¡°Families who are okay with unconventional relatives don¡¯t resort to hiding them as far as they can. And those who do aren¡¯t interested in their happiness. This is all a racket for the guild to make money.¡± She glanced at him. ¡°Are you surprised?¡±

    ¡°I was hoping¡­¡± he filled the cracks. Why had he even bothered?

    ¡°The guild¡¯s about money, Tibs. The adventurers they make? They work for gold. Forget the bards and their songs. For every one adventurer out there risking her life because she thinks it¡¯s the right thing to do, there are scores and scores of them sitting in a tavern while the town burns, waiting for the folks to be desperate enough to pay them to deal with it. You think that¡¯s something they learn anywhere other than in the guild?¡±

    Tibs shook his head.

    Everyday Alistair trained him, Tibs owed the guild three more gold. He was fortunate in that his teacher didn¡¯t believe in useless training, so he only came every few days, leaving Tibs to practice what he¡¯d learned. But Jackal had to see his trainer every day, as did Mez, Don, and most of the Runners, he expected.

    Tibs would owe the least to the guild by the time he was Epsilon, and he still had no idea how he¡¯d ever repay so much gold.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 18

    Tibs crouched at the edge of the roof, looking as a group of urchins were escorted to a more ostentatious house. Two boys and a girl, each holding a child. Six seemed to be the size each couple took in. He didn¡¯t know what rules governed which Runner they got, but he¡¯d yet to see a group with more than half of it children too young to go in the dungeon.

    Well, he thought they were too young, and they hadn¡¯t been at the training. But he¡¯d find out when the first teams of Omegas were sent in if that meant anything.

    The man and woman were dressed to match the house. More like successful merchants than even low nobles, but stood apart. Not every couple who took in Omegas were together. Some had been assigned to each other by the guild. There had been negotiations, Serba had told him that, so most were okay with who they were partnered with, but she hadn¡¯t been interested in looking into who those people were for him.

    ¡°They¡¯re people,¡± she¡¯d told him, rolling her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s all I care to know about them.¡±

    The man welcomed the urchins warmly, while the woman stood away and didn¡¯t react to their presence. The two had argued before the urchins arrived, but Tibs hadn¡¯t cared to bring the words to him to find out what about. The urchins got a roof over their heads, and people who¡¯d be there to comfort them if they returned from their runs. He¡¯d do checks to ensure no one took advantage of them, but otherwise, Tibs felt the situation was acceptable.

    The urchins remained closed in, even as the man laughed at something he said. There was no light on the laughter, so an honest one. Tibs had known not all laughs were real, but he¡¯d been surprised the first time one had come with light.

    He left as the man ushered the Omegas inside. There was another house he wanted to check on. The couple there had smiled as they welcomed the runners, but while Tibs hadn¡¯t heard what they¡¯d said, he¡¯d seen the light as they spoke. They, he suspected, had plans for the runners, and Tibs was going to ensure they didn¡¯t come to fruition.

    * * * * *

    ¡°Hurry,¡± the Runner by the door to the shop¡¯s basement called, ¡°I think I see them.¡±

    Tibs extended his senses feeling for details that would confirm those were the guards on their way to raid Tibs¡¯s equipment stash. He shook his head when Jackal glanced his way. Not them. No swords at their hips, no metal buckles on armor. They still had time.

    Tibs had hurried to gather everyone he could on finding the paper warning him of the raid under his tankard when he¡¯d returned to his table. It had meant Quigly and his team, Jackal and the Runners who¡¯d been in the inn. One and three. Fortunately, they all had an element, and it made moving the crates containing the equipment easier.

    Once everything was moved to a temporary location, Tibs took position on a roof facing the shop and waited.

    The group of guard was eight strong when they arrived. The woman in the lead showed a paper to the shopkeeper, and he stepped out of the way. When they exited a few minutes later, she wasn¡¯t happy. She questioned the merchant before rejoining the others in the distance.

    Tibs waited until they were out of his range before stepping down and checking with the merchant.

    The paper had explained what they were doing; he told Tibs. In this case, searching for illegal weapons and armors. They had to present the paper to the building¡¯s owner before they could act on it, and it needed to be signed by the Magistrate of the Law, who needed to be convinced something illegal had happened.

    In most towns throughout the kingdoms, the position was assigned by the king or one of their stewards, but in dungeon towns, the leader of the guards was automatically that person.

    So, again, the guild could do whatever it wanted.

    * * * * *

    ¡°What do you know about the Magistrate of Law?¡± Tibs asked Jackal as the team ate.

    The fighter snorted. ¡°Nearly impossible to buy, and the one the king employs can¡¯t be bribed.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s your king?¡± Tibs ask for clarification. ¡°Or are they all like that?¡± What he wanted to find out needed the information to apply to whatever kingdom they were in.

    ¡°They¡¯re not,¡± Don said, then looked at his plate.

    Then, the question was how many coins it would take. ¡°Could a king decide to assign one to a dungeon town?¡±

    Don stared at him. ¡°Of course not. The guild is in charge here.¡±

    ¡°But they¡¯re taking advantage of the kingdom¡¯s citizens,¡± Tibs pointed out.

    ¡°They are not,¡± Khumdar said.

    ¡°We¡¯re in the kingdom,¡± Tibs stated.

    ¡°No officially,¡± Don said, then sunk in under Tibs¡¯s, Jackal¡¯s and Mez¡¯s stares. He took a breath and straightened. ¡°Dungeon towns are considered to be part of the Guild¡¯s kingdom, regardless of where they¡¯re located.¡±

    ¡°The guild has a kingdom?¡± Tibs asked in disbelief.

    ¡°Technically¡­¡±

    Tibs glared.

    ¡°Not in the same sense as what the kingdoms are,¡± the sorcerer said. ¡°But because they¡¯re all governed the same way, by a central organization, they are considered a kingdom. In actuality, each is more like the city states that existed before the guild came to be. Where each was able to hold the kings around them at bay through a variety of alliances or access to things that couldn¡¯t be obtained anywhere else. When we came here, we agreed to become a citizen of the guild¡¯s kingdom.¡±

    ¡°I never agreed to something like that,¡± Mez said.

    Don shook his head. ¡°We¡¯re different. We came here as part of a transaction.¡±

    ¡°They can¡¯t sell my citizenship,¡± the archer stated.

    ¡°You weren¡¯t a citizen when it happened,¡± Don replied. ¡°You were a criminal. We all were, and we lost our citizenships when we were thrown into cells.¡± He hesitated. ¡°With a possible exception of Tibs.¡±

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    ¡°I was in a cell.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re Street. They always show up when a town becomes a city, no matter what¡¯s done to keep them from happening. But no one wants them there. So many kingdoms simply don¡¯t acknowledge them, going so far as to not accept the people living there as their citizens and granting them the base rights citizens get.¡±

    ¡°Like making sure the guards keep them safe from abuse by the nobility?¡± Mez asked.

    Don snorted. ¡°Guards need money like everyone else, and when it suits them, nobles have no problem giving it to them.¡± He took a breath to calm himself. ¡°All I¡¯m saying, as it applies here, is that it¡¯s possible Tibs wasn¡¯t even a citizen of his kingdom.¡±

    ¡°And how did being prisoners lead to all of you becoming citizen of the guild without your approval being needed?¡± Khumdar asked.

    ¡°The same way any commodity changes ownership,¡± Don replied. ¡°We were sold.¡±

    ¡°The urchins?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°War makes things¡­ different,¡± the sorcerer said. ¡°The winner makes the laws, and not every kingdom is kind to the loser. Some will punish even those who didn¡¯t take part in the fighting. As bad as them being here is, it could have been worse.¡±

    ¡°Being sold as house servant is common,¡± Khumdar said.

    ¡°And that¡¯s among the least horrible things that could happen,¡± Don said. ¡°Taking advantaging of the losers is a grand tradition in some kingdoms.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re talking about bedding the children of those who fought,¡± Jackal said, disgusted.

    Don¡¯s expression was answer enough.

    ¡°You seem quite knowledgeable in the ways of kingdom, Don,¡± Khumdar said.

    The sorcerer shrugged. ¡°When you¡¯re in a hurry to read through a library¡¯s shelves, you can¡¯t stop to choose what you read.¡±

    ¡°So there¡¯s nothing anyone can do to keep the guild from just taking anything they want from the people in town?¡± Tibs asked. ¡°Then why did the guard bother with the paper?¡±

    Don looked at the others questioningly.

    ¡°Tibs¡¯s stash was raided,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°And before they entered, the lead guard showed a paper to the shopkeeper,¡± Tibs added. ¡°Why? If Irdian can do anything he wants?¡±

    ¡°Because the guild wants people to come here,¡± Don said, shrugging. ¡°They need commerce for the town to prosper. They need Runners who weren¡¯t criminal to pay to test themselves against the dungeon. Not a lot of people want to come to a city where they¡¯ll never know if they¡¯re safe. Following how things are done in the kingdoms is a way to show they¡¯ll be as safe as where they came from.¡±

    ¡°Unless the guild doesn¡¯t feel like doing that,¡± Jackal said.

    Don nodded. ¡°That¡¯s the thing we need to remember. The guild follows those procedures because they want to, not because they have to.¡±

    ¡°Same as any of the kings,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°Not exactly. The kings have rivals who can be convinced to act if the population is in turmoil. If the citizens aren¡¯t happy with who you¡¯re targeting, it¡¯s easier to get them to help you during the war. So there¡¯s only so far a king can go outside the rules before they have to face the consequences.¡±

    ¡°So there¡¯s no one we can go to to force the guild to treat us better?¡±

    Don shook his head. ¡°Even if we were citizens of the kingdom and there was a Magistrate of Law here, you couldn¡¯t get them to protect you from Irdian. The guild is simply too powerful.¡±

    ¡°Why is he even bothering with Tibs?¡± Mez asked. ¡°He¡¯s helping.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m breaking the rules.¡±

    ¡°What Tibs is doing, under the laws,¡± Jackal said, ¡°is a protection racket. It doesn¡¯t matter that the merchant approached him, and that he¡¯s protecting them even if they can¡¯t pay. It doesn¡¯t matter the real reason¡¯s probably because he¡¯s doing a better job than the guards. He¡¯s breaking the law, so he needs to be stopped.¡±

    ¡°But only according to established procedures,¡± Khumdar added, and Don nodded.

    ¡°Until Irdian decides he¡¯s done with Tibs,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Who happens to have Tirania¡¯s blessing,¡± Don added.

    ¡°Okay, but the stash was stuff Tibs uses to help the Runners,¡± Mez said. ¡°How¡¯s that breaking any laws?¡±

    ¡°He has too many,¡± Don said. ¡°Even the most generous kingdom controls how well a citizen can be armed. One or two swords per adult will be acceptable there, but Tibs has enough to equip a small group of mercenaries.¡±

    ¡°Then,¡± Jackal said, ¡°them have to get that paper done, is what gave whoever told us about it time to do it?¡±

    ¡°Possible, without knowing who it was, it¡¯s not possible to be certain.¡± Don looked at Tibs, who shrugged.

    ¡°Then we just have to keep them in shops and we¡¯ll always know ahead of time and we can move them.¡±

    ¡°That is placing an unreasonable amount of trust on this mysterious person,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°How many times can this happen before the guards realize there is someone informing you? How quickly will they ensure it stops?¡±

    ¡°Or use it to catch you in the act,¡± Don added. ¡°Not to mention how disruptive it¡¯s going to be to the merchants. If Tibs alienates them, he¡¯s going to lose the money he needs to help the Omegas.¡±

    ¡°Well, we can¡¯t just leave them where they are,¡± Jackal said. ¡°If you know who gets wind of it, I¡¯m not going to hear the end of that.¡±

    Tibs nodded.

    Kroseph had agreed to store the crates in the inn¡¯s cellar, but if his father found out, it didn¡¯t matter how much they¡¯d done for the town, or that Jackal was Kroseph¡¯s special man. They¡¯d be paying for it.

    A whistle sounded, and the door closed. Tibs stretched his sense, and two blocks away felt the guards approaching. He shrugged when Jackal looked at him. It wasn¡¯t like there was anything he could do. The signal was more for those to hide what they didn¡¯t want the guards to notice than to provide time to run.

    It still caused a commotion as the guards pushed through the runners, who¡¯d decided now was a good time to head out. It got loud until Kroseph pulled them out to make space. He glared down anyone unhappy with his intervention.

    The guard in the lead was the same woman who¡¯d spoken to the shopkeeper. Kroseph spoke with her, then stepped aside, looking in their direction.

    ¡°Should we¡­¡± Jackals started, but Tibs shook his head, watching the four guards approach.

    ¡°Tibs Light Fingers,¡± she said, looking them over before settling her gaze on him. ¡°You are being brought in for interfering with the safety of Kragle Rock. If you resist, I¡¯ve been authorized to restrain you.¡±

    ¡°We have a run tomorrow,¡± Jackal said, raising his tankard. ¡°Come back after that.¡± He took a swallow, eying her.

    ¡°If those are that important to you,¡± she replied, ¡°you should ensure no one on your team breaks the rules.¡±

    ¡°How has Tibs interfered with the safety of the town?¡± Khumdar asked. ¡°As far as I am aware, he saved the town, twice.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s been seen casing houses the new residents have moved in, with plans to break in and cause trouble.¡±

    ¡°You mean those houses where they¡¯re working the Runners under their care to exhaustion?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°There¡¯s been no reports of unacceptable behaviors on the part of the caretakers,¡± she replied flatly.

    ¡°And is that because the guild doesn¡¯t care what they do?¡± Don asked, ¡°or because none of the Omegas know to go to them for protection?¡±

    ¡°Why they aren¡¯t¡ª¡± she stopped as Tibs stood.

    ¡°Tibs, don¡¯t just go with them,¡± Jackal stood.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to cause any problems,¡± Tibs said, locking eyes with the fighter. ¡°Not here, not elsewhere. I¡¯m sorry you¡¯re going to miss the run because of me.¡±

    ¡°The abyss take the run,¡± Jackal growled. ¡°This is just because that boss of yours doesn¡¯t like Tibs.¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°The complaint came from citizens, through the proper procedures.¡± They surrounded Tibs as he headed for the door.

    Tibs would use the time to figure out how he was going to ensure those people didn¡¯t get to take advantage of the runners under their care once he was out of the cell.

    * * * * *

    The cell¡¯s door shut behind Tibs and he looked at the occupants, trying to ignore how the weave pressed against him. There weren¡¯t as many, but they look no friendlier than those from his previous stay.

    Two days, the guard said as he had Tibs hand over his knifes, bracers, and pouch, was the duration of his stay this time. He¡¯d then patted him down to make sure he had nothing hidden. It would be plenty of time to plan.

    A massive man stepped forward, grinning nastily.

    Once Tibs had dealt with this.

    ¡°Well, well, well,¡± the man said. ¡°I didn¡¯t know runts got thrown in with the big boys. I¡¯m going to have some fun with you.¡±

    ¡°Do you see my eyes?¡±

    The man snorted. ¡°Magic don¡¯t work in here.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what it should tell you.¡± Tibs closed the distance before he was done speaking. Then the man was writhing in pain on the floor from half a dozen well-placed strikes.

    ¡°Now,¡± he said, looking at the others in the cell. ¡°I need time to think, so if you¡¯re considering making my time here difficult, try it now.¡±

    * * * * *

    ¡°I hope you learned you lesson,¡± Irdian said, as he opened the cell¡¯s door. If he was disappointed Tibs was unharmed, he didn¡¯t show it. That he was here confirmed that whatever other reasons there were for Tibs¡¯s stay in the cell, Irdian had used it to make a point.

    Tibs headed for the exit to retrieve his possession in silence.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 19

    Tibs sensed the guards posted around the house. Four of them, not quite hidden from view. If their goal was to catch him getting in, they were doing a poor job of it. If getting in was his intent, they were just warning him of what they were paying attention to. It would make it harder, but, just like how he¡¯d picked a location on this roof where they couldn¡¯t see him because he knew they were there. He¡¯d be able to get in when they looked away.

    Not that he needed to be inside the house to teach those two not to take advantage of their charges.

    He used air to pull the conversation through the wall to him, followed their movement through their essence. As faint as it was, it followed the same channel as it did in Tibs, so he could tell when one raised an arm and the swift motion connected with the Omega. He couldn¡¯t stop it, but he could make the following moments bad enough that person would believe luck was a thing, and that it had been stolen from them.

    He used Air, and a basket tripped them. Fire made the pot¡¯s handle so much hotter than they expected. Lighting a candle caused a flame that singed their face. The bucket of water was too hot to wash themselves with, their meal always cold when it should be hot, their ale too hot to be enjoyed.

    Tibs sacrificed his other work and had to apply weaves of purity over himself to deal with the exhaustion. Those weren¡¯t as efficient as suffusing himself, but after six days, neither dared raise a hand against the Omegas under their care anymore.

    There were others who took advantage, and Tibs would deal with them in time, but this couple had been the worse, and when he finally slept, he slept quite well.

    * * * * *

    Tibs studied what the stalls lining the now fully paved path offered, as well as the Omegas passing by. This was the second day the guild let them go in. He¡¯d missed the first one because he¡¯d slept through it.

    What he heard of the results was as he expected. Few of the runners made it out. The one difference he saw on those now waiting their turn was the lack of a confused expression that had been so prevalent in Tibs¡¯s early days running the dungeon. At least they had been told what to expect. They were called, were handed their equipment, and put on a team. They followed instructions, then waited.

    Sto stayed silent, for which Tibs was grateful. He didn¡¯t want to know how poorly they were doing. Seeing the team be sent up without one exiting was enough.

    The expressions he saw on the Omegas were a mix of fear, bravado, determination, and resignation. Bravado and resignation wouldn¡¯t help them survive, and Tibs hoped their failure didn¡¯t drag the rest of the team down with them.

    He spied an Omega at a booth displaying swords and shields, and stepped next to her. He nodded to the man; he assisted at the Sharp Edge shop, on Merchant Row.

    ¡°Can I ask a question? It¡¯s for her,¡± Tibs added at the man¡¯s surprised expression, ¡°but I¡¯d rather no one noticed.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± she asked, confused and looking at him.

    ¡°Might be best if you check the weight of the shield, Miss,¡± the man said, handing her one smaller than the one she¡¯d been looking at.

    ¡°What did they tell you about the rules of the runs?¡± Tibs asked, taking a short sword and studying its edge.

    ¡°Rules?¡± she held the shield with both hands and didn¡¯t seem to know what to do with it. ¡°To help each other survive.¡±

    ¡°Did they say anything about how far you need to go?¡± He sensed the metal of the blade. Like all the shops on the Row, it was good quality, but now that he had Metal, he could tell the differences that would let one keep an edge better than the other, or one that might snap under strain, where a better made one would continue to hold.

    ¡°No.¡± She hesitated, turning the shield in her hand and raising it to look at the bow in and imitation of how Tibs had looked the length of the sword. ¡°They said we need to reach the end to make it to the other floors so we can graduate.¡±

    Tibs changed for a slightly longer one. ¡°You don¡¯t have to finish the floor on your first try. If you don¡¯t think your team can survive the room, you can turn around and try again on your next run.¡±

    She stared at him. ¡°How do you know that?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s one of the first to have gone in,¡± the merchant said. ¡°He¡¯s Tibs Light Fingers.¡±

    Tibs stifled the sigh. There went any chances the new Runners wouldn¡¯t call him that. ¡°They didn¡¯t tell us anything. We had to discover the rules as we went. You don¡¯t graduate by reaching the end of the floor. You graduate by surviving until you are strong enough.¡± He didn¡¯t add what for. He expected the Omegas had worked out adventurers had elements, and that this was how it happened, but he didn¡¯t know how the guild would react if one of them outright told them that.

    Tibs wasn¡¯t worried about what Irdian might do to him, but he didn¡¯t put it past the man to make the Omega pay for the infraction in his stead.

    He looked at her. ¡°What that means is that you need to walk out that door each time. Even if you¡¯re the only one doing it.¡±

    * * * * *

    The man tripped as soon as he took a step, after grabbing his charge and yanking her away from the other Omega she¡¯d been speaking with. He stood and glared at those laughing, blood flowing from his broken nose. He angrily reached for the girl and his foot slipped out from under him, and his face hit the ground again.

    The guard glared at Tibs, who shrugged. How could he be responsible? It wasn¡¯t like he could control what the ground did; his element was Water, everyone knew that. Unless Irdian came in person or put adventurers on Tibs, he would be able to keep this going until all the caretakers learned to handle their charge with care, or the Omegas graduated to Upsilon and either moved to the rooming houses with their team, or became capable of keeping those people in their place on their own.

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    * * * * *

    Tibs looked at the mess he¡¯d made of the crest. If he was right, once he was done with the next sequence, the dragon would be formed and the door unlocked.

    This puzzle had stolen enough of his confidence in his skill at them he wasn¡¯t certain he was right. He glanced that the time shield. If he was wrong, or made a mistake in how he followed the sequence, he wouldn¡¯t have the time to redo it.

    He wasn¡¯t even certain he¡¯d have the time needed to go through the sequence and leave them enough time to tackle the room.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal asked, and he gave the fighter a nod before focusing.

    He turned piece after piece, following the sequence. Cracks formed through the ice as he fought the need to go faster, give his team more time with the room.

    Haste could undo all his work.

    The last piece turned into place and the click came.

    Tibs sagged in relief, and Jackal pulled him away from the rising door.

    Nothing happened, but it had been stupid of him to stay there. This could have been the room where Ganny placed a trap, ready to pounce, as the door opened.

    Instead of a room, they looked at a corridor. Three paces wide at a glance with a line across the floor, three paces in, and another one after than and again. There would be another one after that, but Tibs couldn¡¯t make it out, and the essence that made out the floor was too different for him to be able to work out that kind of detail through the miasma that was everywhere on this level.

    The walls and floor were so white it reminded Tibs of the buildings in MountainSea. There, it had been the sun shining on them that made them brilliant; here, Sto had simply made them that bright of a white.

    ¡°What are they?¡± Jackal asked, standing at the threshold. ¡°That isn¡¯t stone.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Tibs warned as the fighter went to touch it. He pushed the exhaustion away with a quick weave of purity and stepped forward, looking and sensing inside the room.

    Now that he focused on it, Tibs could tell there was little earth essence in the weave that made out the surfaces. In fact, it was so tight that he got little more than an impression of the essences it was made of. There was some of each of his elements, and more.

    Corruption flew past the two of them and hit the wall. Instead of dripping, it moved along in what reminded Tibs of a hand feeling a surface for difference that you reveal a hidden panel.

    ¡°It¡¯s resistant to corruption,¡± Don said.

    ¡°Like the rest of the dungeon,¡± Mez replied.

    ¡°No. This is different. Everywhere else, it¡¯s woven into the stone as an afterthought. The dungeon reacting to an attack, the way an animal reacts after surviving a trap. I can feel around those threads, and if I had to, I¡¯m confident I could undo at least some of them.¡±

    ¡°I told you that¡¯s what he was doing,¡± Sto said triumphantly.

    Don continued to move the essence on the wall. ¡°This is¡­ purposeful. It¡¯s more advanced than anything I¡¯ve read, but with how tightly it seems woven, I¡¯d say this is so no one essence can interact with the wall. And with that in mind, if we wanted to attempt to do something to them, we¡¯d need twenty-four Runners, each with a different element working as one.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Ganny said. ¡°I didn¡¯t think anyone would work out that part.¡±

    ¡°Why twenty-four?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s now many elements there are,¡± Don replied, the sneer slipping into his voice. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know that?¡± Don fell silent, then mumbled, ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°That many?¡± Jackal looked at Khumdar.

    ¡°I am unsure why you would expect me to be able to corroborate Don¡¯s statement.¡±

    ¡°You mean that in all that ¡®traveling¡¯ you¡¯ve done,¡± Jackal said, smirking, ¡°you didn¡¯t learn everything there is to know about the elements?¡±

    Don studied the cleric surreptitiously, or tried to, Tibs expected. Only Jackal and Mez would miss the look.

    ¡°I am amused that you still keep trying to get me to admit to something I made clear I have no interest in discussing. But no, my traveling was geared toward learning what it meant for me to be a cleric of Darkness. Not investigate all there might be to know about the elements. I leave those types of inquiries to those better suited for them.¡± He smiled, leveling his gaze at Don and causing the sorcerer to hurriedly look away.

    ¡°So, we can¡¯t undo the walls,¡± Mez said. ¡°Which means going through whatever the corridor is about.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a room,¡± Tibs said, looking at the corridor.

    ¡°Looks like a corridor to me,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°They other two were rooms. This is going to be a room.¡± He looked at Don.

    The sorcerer startled. ¡°You want¡ª¡± He shook himself and his confidence returned. ¡°I agree with Tibs. The previous two crest revealed rooms, so this will be one too. The dungeon is predictable that way. Each floor has a style and maintains it. This one is the most different, but it still has one. It combines physical trials with mental ones. Each crest has been a type of scattered puzzles, and we had to figure out the rules that moved the pieces to complete them. The¡ª¡±

    ¡°Let me guess,¡± Jackal said derisively. ¡°You¡¯d have worked them out on your own.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Don straightened, while Tibs and Mez glared at the fighter goading their sorcerer. Don looked at them and sunk in slightly. ¡°I mean, I¡¯m pretty sure that given time, I¡¯d have managed it. They¡¯re complex puzzles, but it¡¯s always possible to think your way through those. But it¡¯s clear Tibs is more adept at solving them.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got that¡ª¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Tibs stated. ¡°Don is trying to work with us. Stop prodding him.¡±

    Jackal looked at him in surprise and hurt, while Don¡¯s surprised expression was tinted with suspicion.

    Tibs glance at the time shield. They so didn¡¯t have the time for this.

    ¡°Stay here.¡± He stepped into the corridor, and nothing happened.

    He studied the floor and walls. The weave went three paces under him, then he sensed normal stone. There was no difference in his sense of the weave within the floor and walls that would make him think a trigger was hidden, but this was so different that he wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d know what a trigger would feel like.

    He stepped to the line in the floor and crouched to study it. A groove in the floor, instead of two blocks abutting. There was one where the walls met the floor, but as far as his sense told him, all this was one massive weave.

    It had to be wrong.

    The line on the floor went up the wall and the ceiling, roughly three paces above him. It was easy to miss, and wasn¡¯t there at all to his sense, but he decided that this division had to play a part in how the room worked.

    He stepped over the line.

    Again, nothing happened.

    At the next groove in the floor, he found the corresponding one going up the wall and to the ceiling. It divided each part of the corridor into a three pace by three pace¡­ block.

    ¡°Anything?¡± Don asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± he was tempted to push on the wall to test his idea, but did he have the time to deal with what that might trigger? ¡°I think the walls are a series of blocks. It might be possible to move them.¡±

    ¡°The floor?¡± Jackal asked,

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    ¡°The ceiling?¡± Don asked, and Tibs looked up again. He couldn¡¯t take for granted that holding in place meant they couldn¡¯t move, but he senses normal stone three paces above them.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s like the floor.¡±

    ¡°I can lift you so¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stay there,¡± Tibs told the fighter as he noticed something. He stepped to the left until he nearly touched the wall. ¡°There¡¯s a turn six¡­ blocks ahead.¡±

    ¡°That makes this room larger than the one where we played Conquest,¡± Don said.

    ¡°It was already bigger,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°Those were closer to two paces across. I think this is going to be larger than the shifting floor room.¡±

    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s going to be a maze? The way the entire floor is one?¡± the sorcerer asked.

    Tibs shrugged and stepped over the next line.

    Nothing happened.

    He made it halfway across the block, and then the floor shook to the sound of stone groaning against stone. He turned and watch Jackal and Don step away as the left wall slid across the floor.

    Tibs ran, but the entrance was blocked before he reached it.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 20

    Tibs hurriedly looked around the floor, sensing for the trigger. If he¡¯d missed one, he could have¡ª

    There was nothing there.

    ¡°You cheated,¡± he said, looking up. ¡°I didn¡¯t trigger anything.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I did,¡± Sto replied. ¡°Tibs, we need to talk.¡±

    ¡°Ganny, are you going to let him cheat like that?¡±

    ¡°This is the only way we could think of getting you away from Don, since you won¡¯t let Sto get rid of him.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s on my team, and¡ª¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the problem,¡± Sto interrupted.

    ¡°We need a sorcerer for the runs, and Tirania assigned him to my team.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re okay with that?¡± Sto asked in disbelief.

    Tibs filled the cracks before answering. ¡°It¡¯s what it is.¡±

    ¡°Stop that,¡± Sto snapped. ¡°Just let the abyssed water go and answer me.¡±

    ¡°I have answered you.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Ganny said gently, ¡°this isn¡¯t good for you.¡±

    ¡°The alternative isn¡¯t good for anyone else, and they matter more.¡±

    Sto sighed.

    ¡°You¡¯re not doing anyone any good,¡± Ganny said, ¡°if you can¡¯t feel anything.¡±

    ¡°I can think,¡± he replied. ¡°That¡¯s more important than feeling. And I do feel; just not as strongly. So it¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not,¡± Sto said, exasperated. ¡°Just let go of the water. Channel fire and let it out. It¡¯s safe to do in here.¡±

    Tibs looked at the wall, sensed the weave. Don said it would take every element to have a chance of impacting it. ¡°Is that why you made this room? Because you think I want to let fire loose?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Ganny replied. ¡°I designed this room so the teams facing it have to rely on themselves instead of their elements. It¡¯s when you returned the way you are that Sto realized you¡¯d be able to let it go here.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. I appreciate what you¡¯re doing, but I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°No, Tibs; you¡¯re not,¡± Ganny pleaded. ¡°You feel. That¡¯s what makes you, you.¡±

    ¡°I still feel. The ice just lets me stay in¡ª¡±

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    ¡°You don¡¯t stay in control, Tibs,¡± Sto snarled. ¡°You¡¯re someone who gets angry when I ate someone you hardly knew for no other reason than he was nice. You screamed at me, and you made me break rules I knew better than to break because your pain hurt.¡±

    Tibs swallowed and filled more cracks. ¡°I know what you¡¯re trying to do.¡±

    ¡°Then stop fighting me!¡±

    Tibs chuckled. ¡°When have I ever done that?¡±

    ¡°Tibs, I¡¯m trying to help you.¡±

    ¡°I know, but I don¡¯t need the help. I am grateful for what you want to do, but I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Sto pleaded.

    ¡°We did what we can,¡± Ganny said, defeated. ¡°Tibs, we¡¯ll be here when you come to your senses.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll make you a door that isn¡¯t guarded,¡± Sto said.

    Tibs closed his mouth and stared. ¡°You can do that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Stone Mountain Crevice,¡± Sto said solemnly. ¡°All this is me, so if I can talk with you. I can affect it.¡±

    ¡°I heard your call for help all the way into town. Does it mean you can reach there?¡±

    ¡°No, that was desperation. I yelled as hard as I could and hoped you¡¯d rescue me.¡± The silence stretched. ¡°I wish you¡¯d let me return the favor.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not screaming to be rescued.¡±

    Sto sighed. ¡°You would, if you weren¡¯t so filled with ice.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t what people are meant to be like,¡± Ganny said.

    ¡°How do you know?¡± Tibs asked. ¡°You admitted you know little about people.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯ve seen others who did what you¡¯re doing.¡±

    ¡°You did? Who?¡±

    ¡°Harry,¡± she answered. ¡°He was so filled with light that the first time he stepped where we could see him, he blinded us.¡±

    ¡°The new guard leader,¡± Sto said, ¡°Irdian. He¡¯s the same with metal. He feels like he could cut his way through my stone just by leaning against it. Tibs, I can feel the cold radiating off you from the floor above.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not like them. I¡¯m doing this to protect others.¡±

    ¡°No, you aren¡¯t,¡± Ganny said. ¡°You¡¯re doing it because you think it¡¯s protecting you. I just hope you realize it isn¡¯t, before you turn into an ice version of what those two are and come to us for help.¡±

    ¡°Alright. If this becomes a problem, I¡¯ll come. Just tells me where the door¡ª¡±

    Ganny sighed.

    ¡°I just agreed with you. What¡¯s the problem?¡±

    ¡°It already is a problem, Tibs. You just don¡¯t want to see it.¡±

    She only saw what she wanted to see. Nothing he¡¯d say could change that.

    ¡°How do I explain to the others how I undid the trap?¡±

    ¡°Think of something,¡± Sto snapped.

    ¡°Sto, I¡¯m sorry you aren¡¯t understanding what I¡¯m going through, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°He left,¡± Ganny said.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry he feels hurt, but this is my decision. It¡¯s only affecting me.¡±

    She sighed again. ¡°Just push on the wall to your left.¡±

    Tibs studied the section of the wall. Three paces between the lines, and three high, like the others. It was cool and solid to the touch. Was she trying to trick him into letting go of water to channel earth? Instead, he pulled earth essence from his bracer and wrapped that around his feet, spreading it wide when he couldn¡¯t get it to anchor to the floor. He wrapped his arms in more of it for strength and pushed as hard as he could.

    He nearly fell over as the wall moved back far too easily. The only thing that let him keep his balance was the wide spread of essence keeping him standing. By the time he was steady again, the block was back three paces, and the one before the door slowly moved back, revealing his team. The only one looking concerned was Don.

    ¡°I told you he¡¯d be fine,¡± Jackals said. He halted his step in mid air. ¡°Is it safe?¡±

    He pulled the essence back into the bracer. ¡°The wall sections move along the grooves.¡± He indicated the opening pushing this block had revealed.

    ¡°So, it is safe?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see Tibs touch anything before the wall closed him off,¡± Don pointed out.

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°Maybe the room¡¯s broken.¡± Sto had told him to come up with something. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t risk it happening again. Hopefully, it¡¯ll be fixed on our next run.¡±

    He ignored the disbelieving look Don gave him as he walked by the sorcerer on his way to the exit.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 21

    Tibs sighed on seeing the man on the other side of the door. Unlike the usual guard Irdian had watching Tibs, this one¡¯s armor was fancier. The metal work clean, the fabric draped over it in gold and black. Regalia, Quigly had told him it was called after those better dressed guards had escorted some of the caretakers off the platform. He also had an element, fire, which marked him as an adventurer. Epsilon for certain, maybe Delta.

    ¡°What does he want now?¡± Tibs asked, unimpressed that Irdian now resorted to an adventurer.

    ¡°Guild Leader Tirania requests the presence of Tibs Light Fingers and Don Arabis to a function held at the guildhall on the seventeenth of Mertal, two hours before zenith,¡± he said in a bored tone, then looked down at Tibs. ¡°She will expect you to dress properly.¡±

    ¡°Is there anything else we need to know?¡± Don asked as the man turned away.

    ¡°Be on time.¡±

    Tibs closed the door.

    This was the month of Mertal, and the seventeenth was in three days. The schedule would be up five days after that, so he didn¡¯t have to worry about it interfering.

    He opened the chest and turned his armor over to access the hidden compartment. How many coins would he need? He wasn¡¯t dressing like a noble, no matter what she might want, but even the set of good clothes Carina had made him buy wouldn¡¯t do.

    He put three silver in his coin pouch and hid two and zero more on himself.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Don asked as Tibs reached for the door.

    ¡°I need to buy the right kind of clothes for the event.¡±

    ¡°No. What are you doing, Tibs?¡±

    He looked at the sorcerer, seated on his bed, book on his lap ignored in favor of studying Tibs.

    ¡°I told you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re being summoned like some pet to be put on display,¡± Don replied, his tone growing hot. ¡°And you¡¯re just going to buy clothing for that?¡±

    ¡°I need to play the part if I¡¯m to get the information I¡ª¡±

    ¡°And you okay with that?¡± Don screamed, jumping to his feet; the book clattering on the floor.

    The cracks in the ice refilled as quickly as they appeared without Tibs having to think about it. ¡°It needs to be done.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so fucking calm about it! The Tibs that saved me, the one that had me pulling my hair out, wouldn¡¯t be standing there calmly going through the steps needed for his plan to word. He¡¯d have slammed the door in that adventurer¡¯s face. He¡¯d be screaming and bitching about the kind of person Tirania is, and only then would he get on with his plan.¡±

    ¡°And that Tibs would have destroyed this building in the process of venting his anger. I can¡¯t afford to have him around right now. Once the guild has paid, then I¡¯ll have the luxury of getting angry.¡±

    Don was next to him, grabbing his arm, before Tibs could react. Then the sorcerer looked at the hand holding Tibs, frowning.

    ¡°You¡¯re suffused with water.¡± Anger gave way to curiosity. ¡°How are you able to do that already?¡± He let go of Tibs.

    ¡°How can you tell? You can¡¯t sense water.¡±

    ¡°I can sense essence, just like you can. We all can with enough training. When I grabbed you, there was a lot there. More than anyone I¡¯ve touched. The only time I¡¯ve felt it was when my teacher had me practice suffusing myself.¡± He paused. ¡°You have to stop. The little I¡¯ve read about suffusing says it¡¯s a bad idea to do it for too long.¡±

    ¡°Is that what you¡¯re reading?¡± Tibs nodded to the book on the floor.

    ¡°No.¡± Don picked up the book and looked it over for damage. ¡°It¡¯s a treatise on the role corruption plays in the proper functioning of the world. My teacher¡¯s obsessed with demonstrating that corruption is a good thing, and he¡¯s had me read all sorts of stuff that¡¯s got nothing to do with my training, so I can echo his stupid beliefs.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t believe corruption can be good for the world?¡±

    Don snorted. ¡°I know it is. I just don¡¯t have a need to scream it in the ears of people who aren¡¯t interested in listening.¡± He smiled. ¡°Nice try at sidetracking me. How are you doing it?¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°I just do. I had to learn ways to get around not having much of a reserve when I started. I don¡¯t bother questioning most of what I figure out how to do. I can, that¡¯s what matters.¡±

    Don watched him, placing the book back on the bed. ¡°I guess that makes sense, in a way.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to tell me everything needs to be done in a specific way for it to be ¡®real¡¯?¡±

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    Don sat next to the book and leaned against the wall. He opened his hand and corruption floated above it, a cloud taking the shape of various animals.

    ¡°Why do you think you don¡¯t use water the same way as archers, fighters, or sorcerers who share you element?¡±

    ¡°Because we don¡¯t think the same way,¡± he answered with a shrug.

    Don nodded. ¡°Why does it matter? Water is water, Corruption is corruption. The elements are what they are. So how is it that who you are means it¡¯s going to behave differently?¡± He waved his hand, and the kitten shaped cloud danced around it.

    Tibs looked at his hand, made a cloud of mist, and moved his hand through it. It pushed the cloud out of the way, but it didn¡¯t dance or move. He took hold of it, made ice crystals that reflected light, and moved that about. Colored lights glinted on the walls as a result.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡± Don smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t know. Unlike most of us, me included, you aren¡¯t letting the guild tell you how it works.¡±

    ¡°I listen to my teacher.¡±

    ¡°What did he, or she, tell you about suffusing yourself with your essence?¡±

    ¡°That it¡¯s a tool.¡± Tibs thought back on the conversation. ¡°That just like the other ways I use my essence, I have to be careful, or I¡¯ll end up hurting myself in the process.¡±

    ¡°And are you; careful, I mean?¡±

    Tibs remembered the pain as he absorbed more and more of Bardik¡¯s essence. What he¡¯d thought of as his limitless reserve cracking open and spilling out into him. Of channeling air, thoughtlessly thinking that it couldn¡¯t do much damage, even after seeing Carina use it as a weapon. Throwing himself into the pool of corruption without caring for the consequences because he¡¯d had enough of it getting in the way.

    He shook his head.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I mean. Because you couldn¡¯t learn the way I did, the way the rest of us did, you didn¡¯t learn to blindly follow your training. I¡¯ve stopped, but it¡¯s hard to let go of it. To risk doing something I¡¯ve been warned against.¡± The kitten turned into a cloud again, then became a triangle, a spearhead. It lost the cloudiness the previous forms held and seemed more solid. The surface wasn¡¯t still, but it looked like the dark purple pool now, with small waves moving over it.

    ¡°Corruption isn¡¯t hard.¡± Don¡¯s breathing was slow; his gaze fixed on the spearhead. ¡°By its nature, it oozes around and through. There are few places corruption can¡¯t insert itself, then affect what is there. But being hard, rigid? I¡¯ve been warned over and over that to go against my element¡¯s nature is opening myself up for danger.¡±

    Don made a fist, and something happened to the essence. Its structure changed and, in the process, the spearhead became sharper; the surface no longer rippled. Tibs startled when the sunlight glinted off the edge. Don¡¯s fist trembled, and he was sweating, but he smiled with pride as he flung it at the wall.

    Tibs coated it with ice and the spearhead embedded itself into that. The corruption spread as the spearhead lost its definition and started oozing down along the ice. He moved the ice away from the wall, not fighting the corruption. He then made it a ball of water that floated between them, with the corruption spreading.

    ¡°Maybe you shouldn¡¯t damage the place we live in.¡±

    Don flustered. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°If corruption isn¡¯t supposed to be hard. How did you make it like that?¡±

    ¡°The same way you make water ice. I put my mind to it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have to strain like you did.¡±

    ¡°Because ice is something that comes naturally for water. But in the end, that¡¯s always what it comes down to. We use our mind to shape the essence into what we want. Some ways of thinking about how to do it facilitate the process.¡± Don gestured, and the corruption flew out of the water, leaving it clear and untainted. ¡°But it¡¯s still what we¡¯re doing. Using our mind to control our essence. Anytime a teacher says that something can¡¯t be done, that it¡¯s too dangerous. What they mean is that no one has come up with an easy way to do it.¡±

    ¡°Is that what sorcerers do? Look for easier ways to do what¡¯s hard?¡±

    Don shrugged. ¡°Some do. Most just try something, write about what happened, and move on to trying something else. As a group, we don¡¯t care for the world. Our ideas are more interesting than anything out there.¡±

    ¡°Is that how you feel?¡±

    Don hesitated, the glow in his mouth intensifying, then dimming into nothingness. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Before I got here, I had all these ideas about what it meant to know stuff. I was going to be a scholar. My family had already paid the university. If¡­¡±

    The corruption started dancing around his hand, shaping into a rabbit, and Don watched it in the silence. ¡°Having to survive the dungeon over and over¡­ doesn¡¯t that mean that the only thing that matters is learning to be stronger for the sake of being stronger and nothing else?¡±

    The glow was faint when it appeared at the end. Don wasn¡¯t telling him everything, but then, when did anyone? It was the one thing Tibs had learned, being about to see lies and secrets. Even when there were no bad intentions, no one ever told the complete truth.

    Except, possibly, Harry.

    Don shook himself and absorbed the essence. ¡°You, Tibs, are a master at sidetracking. This was supposed to be about you, not me. Suffusing yourself with water like you do, it¡¯s not healthy.¡±

    Tibs sighed. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°Was Harry fine?¡±

    ¡°He did his job; what he was told to. I don¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°But was he fine, Tibs?¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t understand what the sorcerer wanted.

    ¡°Did you see his expression, when Jackal told him he was a Wells after all? That, like all of them, he¡¯d found himself a master to obey without having to think?¡±

    Harry might have looked less pained if Jackal had punched him.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t the look of someone who was okay, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not like him.¡±

    ¡°Maybe not yet. How long do you think Harry was like that? So filled with light there was no space to feel anything? Especially that one thing you don¡¯t want to feel?¡±

    ¡°A long time.¡± It had to have been. How else had he gone against his family and given himself entirely to another group without realizing they weren¡¯t all that different? ¡°I¡¯m not going to stay like this. Once I¡¯m¡ª¡±

    ¡°Done. So you said.¡± Don leveled his gaze on him. ¡°But do you believe it?¡±

    Tibs swallowed as cracks spread.

    ¡°I¡ª¡± he closed his mouth as the light of the lie shone through his mind. It had to be his imagination. He often thought lies, and this never happened. He filled the cracks.

    ¡°I do.¡±

    Don smirked, but didn¡¯t comment. ¡°Are you really going to spend money to look like her pet?¡±

    ¡°I need her to trust me if I¡¯m going to pull this off.¡±

    ¡°So, you have a plan?¡±

    ¡°The start of one; now that I know¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me.¡±

    Tibs raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help however I can, but don¡¯t tell me what the plan might be. When you have a definite one, and the part I¡¯ll play in it, then you tell me.¡± He stood. ¡°And if you want to look like she can trust you, you¡¯re going to need my help with having something made that won¡¯t have you standing out like¡­¡± he grinned. ¡°Well, like a Runner in that crowd.¡±

    ¡°You know what that event is?¡±

    The sorcerer rolled his eyes. ¡°She trying to impress someone. That all those gathering ever are. And yes, I know what¡¯s expected. I¡¯ve had to stand at the periphery of enough of them to learn that much.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 22

    Tibs exited the shop, annoyed at the clothier.

    She¡¯d been ecstatic about his and Don¡¯s patronage. She promised, and delivered, according to the sorcerer, a reasonable price for the clothes she¡¯d make them, but how she swooned as she measured them, along as the crowd that formed to watch the Heroes of Kragle Rock quickly turned grating to the point he found he was filling cracks in the ice.

    Even Don seemed to grow annoyed at the assembly and the stories of their exploits being told to any within listening range.

    Don kept grumbling well away from the shop, through Market place, and Tibs ignored him in favor of thinking about the upcoming function, and ways he could use it to get information on Marger and how to draw him to the town. Maybe he¡¯d be there, and Tibs would get his opportunity. Don said this was about impressing someone, and who better could she impress than the guild leader? Why else have him and Don¡ª

    He froze as corruption entered his senses. A lot of corruption and far too close¡­ the problem with wanting details over the general sense of where everyone was. One person, Delta, possibly Gamma. They stopped moving, so Tibs changed direction.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Don called.

    He kept booths between him and them, and when he finally saw the person, she wasn¡¯t what he¡¯d expected.

    Her robe was a blue slightly darker than the sky, with a trim the orange of sunset. The belt was the dark purple of corruption and had pouches attached to it. They contained essence, a lot of them. Each he could identify, as well as many he couldn¡¯t. Some were concentrated in the way amulet did, while others had the sense of ¡®normal¡¯ essence contained in objects, but with there being almost only one of it.

    She laughed, and he realized she was speaking with a shopkeeper. He handed her roasted meats on a skewer, and Tibs¡¯s stomach rumbled. When had he eaten last? This morning? He had run roofs after going over too many papers, then, after zenith had gone to his room to change before returning to the papers, and the guard had arrived.

    She ate, said something, and the food seller beamed.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Don whispered, concerned, as she bought a tankard from the woman in the booth next to the food seller.

    Of course, he didn¡¯t notice her.

    Her gaze passed over them as she looked around, eating. They were far enough she, like Don, shouldn¡¯t¡ªher head snapped back in their direction and she smiled, approaching.

    ¡°Are you Don Arabis?¡± she called. ¡°Corruption sorcerer in training?¡± She had an accent the way those who didn¡¯t use essence to be understood had, but it was slight.

    Don frowned, but straightened. ¡°I am. Who are you?¡±

    She bowed. ¡°I am Anuja Kasaju; here on behalf of Tine Lemaire.¡±

    Don stiffened. ¡°What does the head of the Derbinor Academy want with me?¡±

    ¡°Word of the pool that formed in this town reached us, and I was sent to confirm its existence, which I did, and to negotiate its purchase from its owner.¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t react when Don looked at him. No one should know how he¡ª

    ¡°That¡¯s you, Mister Arabis,¡± she said.

    ¡°Me?¡± Don asked in surprise, and Tibs filled the cracks.

    She smiled. ¡°No need for circumspection. The amount of work required to work that out is a testament to your capabilities.¡±

    ¡°But you still found out,¡± he said cautiously.

    She finished her tankard and placed it on the display, where the fabrics left a space. ¡°I inquired with those within the town who know those things. They pointed me to a merchant. While he proved adeptly terse, I was able to¡­ gather enough to conclude he acted as an agent for one of the Runners. That was clever of you. If you¡¯d attempted to take ownership directly, the guild would have taken it from you the moment they realized what it is.¡±

    ¡°And you think this merchant is acting for me?¡±

    ¡°You are the only Runner with corruption as an element. Who else would it be? The guild clearly doesn¡¯t understand; not that they ever do. All they care about are dungeons. They¡¯d never see the long-term potential of that pool.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± He considered. ¡°And what are you offering me for it?¡±

    ¡°To start with; in exchange for ownership of the pool. Once you reach Epsilon, the Academy will pay what you owe to the guild and you will be granted full membership as an apprentice and access to our research.¡±

    Tibs couldn¡¯t tell if she was lying. She wove corruption, light, and darkness among the words. This confirmed she did more than dress and wear things Sorcerer did. As Don listened, the essences sunk into him, dispersing and mixing with his essence, but Tibs couldn¡¯t tell their effect.

    ¡°What else?¡± Don asked.

    Her smile was sweet. ¡°What more could you want?¡±

    ¡°I could use a trainer now who¡ª¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡± Tibs asked, and she startled.

    ¡°Tibs, I don¡¯t think you should be involved in this,¡± Don said, not looking away from her. ¡°This isn¡¯t like negotiating with the merchants.¡±

    ¡°Street Rules,¡± Tibs stated. ¡°No one is that generous for some pool. What¡¯s the catch?¡±

    ¡°That you think of it as just a pool,¡± she said, her words laces with the same element as when she spoke to Don, ¡°shows that you aren¡¯t qualified to be involved in this discussion. You should run along and play with your toys.¡±

    He studied the essence woven through the words, then felt how they moved about within him. The corruption slipped through the channels where the water he suffused himself with flowed, while light and darkness moved to his head. And then he found that her statement made sense. This was beyond anything he knew about. He was just Street. These were matters for folks who knew stuff, and he could play with his puzzles, like she said. It had been a while since he had asked Cross for a new one, and she¡¯d¡ª

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    He absorbed the essences, sorted them into their appropriate reserves.

    ¡°Maybe I don¡¯t understand much,¡± he said, walking the line between what she wanted and leaving Don alone with her. ¡°But I do understand that no one who dresses the way you do plays fair with people like us. We¡¯ve both been at the receiving end of those kinds of deals before.¡±

    Don frowned. ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± He sounded like the words were difficult. ¡°You¡¯re being too generous. You either know something I don¡¯t about the pool,¡± he confidence built, ¡°and yes, I know it¡¯s special. I can feel how deep the essence is. It¡¯s deeper than where my trainer took me for my audience.¡±

    She focused on Don. ¡°You indeed know much. But I don¡¯t think you understand what it means to¡ª¡±

    ¡°The ability to ask for exorbitant amount of money.¡± He raised a finger, then a second. ¡°A place where you can pull on the essence without fear of ever running dry. Access to a dungeon for anyone you need to push through training. It¡¯s too low right now, but in three or four decades, it should have a fifth floor, and that will put it on par with most dungeons. The only way this is better is if the dungeon used corruption in its structure, because that would push those you send in harder.¡± He smiled and raised a fourth finger. ¡°Which you¡¯ll have learned it¡¯s done ever since the attack that nearly destroyed it.¡±

    Don looked at his finger, a frown forming. ¡°Did you orchestrate the attack?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± There was no essence in the word, and no light. She was telling the truth.

    As she knew it, Tibs reminded himself. ¡°Could someone else in your group have planned it?¡± Harry hadn¡¯t found everyone involved in what Bardik had done, and it was possible he had been manipulated into it.

    ¡°If they did, they didn¡¯t have the approval of Academy Head Lemaire.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the pool itself,¡± Don said. ¡°That you¡¯ll pay the guild what I owe is generous enough. Being made an automatic apprentice, and given access to the research, feels like you¡¯re making sure I can¡¯t say no. Tibs¡¯s right. What¡¯s the catch?¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t a catch,¡± she said, her words again laced with the essences. ¡°It is no more than what is expected of any who apprentice to the academy. You will attend to the masters, learn at their feet until you can be trusted with research of your own.¡±

    Tibs wanted to pull the essence out from the words, but even if he had the strength to overcome her will, she¡¯d know. She might not be able to tell it was him, but she¡¯d be suspicious. He didn¡¯t know enough about sorcerers to know what she sensed of the other essences she used, or how tightly wound around them her will might be.

    ¡°What if he doesn¡¯t want that?¡± Tibs asked

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t he want it?¡± she replied. ¡°The academy is prestigious. Our scholars and sorcerers have pushed the boundaries of what is known of corruption and the way the world reacts to it.¡±

    He absorbed the essence. ¡°What if Don wants to explore the world?¡± There had to be something he could say that would help the sorcerer snap out of it. Only earlier he¡¯d talked about no longer being sure just knowing stuff was enough.

    ¡°That¡¯s for adventurers,¡± she scoffed. ¡°Whatever he¡¯d want to know of the world, once he has qualified for his own research, he will pay one of them to investigate it.¡±

    Don watched him instead of her. Tibs was tempted to pull the essence she¡¯d put into the sorcerer, but was she still aware of it? Would she know it wasn¡¯t Don doing it?

    ¡°What if he decides to leave?¡± Tibs asked. He was already indentured to the guild and didn¡¯t like it.

    ¡°Why would he ever want to leave?¡± she asked in bewilderment.

    ¡°To be with his family,¡± he stated.

    ¡°After they left him here to rot?¡±

    Don¡¯s expression hardened.

    ¡°Maybe they couldn¡¯t get the coins,¡± Tibs said. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re trying to get him out, but the guild won¡¯t let them.¡±

    ¡°What class have they given you?¡± she asked, eyes narrowing. ¡°You¡¯re too small for a fighter, and you wouldn¡¯t be asking stupid questions like that if you knew anything about sorcery and the importance of research. You¡¯re either a rogue or an archer,¡± she said dismissively. ¡°Either way, you don¡¯t understand that to those like I and Don, there is only our research. If it doesn¡¯t advance that, what use it to us?¡±

    ¡°So, you don¡¯t care about the rest of us,¡± Tibs said, smiling.

    ¡°How can I care about something so small when I can change the entire world?¡± She turned her gaze to Don, and the sorcerer made his expression attentively neutral just in time. ¡°You understand, don¡¯t you, Don Arabis?¡±

    Don didn¡¯t react as the essence in her words seeped into him, spread about.

    Then something happened. Don¡¯s corruption erupted from deep within, filled the channels, spread out of that and into the rest of his body. Anywhere it encountered essence that wasn¡¯t him, it melted away.

    Don smiled, and the Ice cracked as Tibd remembered wearing a smile very much like that. Only Tibs¡¯s had felt more vile, more self-serving.

    ¡°You make such wonderful points,¡± Don said in a slick tone, and her expression hardened with unhappiness. ¡°How could I ever refuse? With that in mind, surely you have no issue with giving me time to think it over? Give me the impression I reach the conclusion of my own volition?¡±

    ¡°I was hoping to return to the academy with good news,¡± she said tersely.

    ¡°You can stay for a few days,¡± the sorcerer replied, stepping to her. ¡°I know of some exquisite chambers you could stay in.¡±

    She slapped away the hand reaching for her cheek. ¡°I am due back today.¡±

    ¡°How¡­ unfortunate. I¡­¡± He smiled as he looked her up and down. ¡°Kragle Rock has so much to offer you.¡±

    She shook her head, and Don sighed.

    ¡°Then I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t have an answer for your so important superiors. I¡¯m just too busy at the moment to bother thinking it over. And we both know what the answer will be, don¡¯t we? I¡¯m sure you can be patient. Find me at the inn in a few days.¡± He turned. ¡°Come Tibs, we are done here.¡±

    ¡°Which inn?¡± she asked as the sorcerer walked away.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a city, my lovely. There is only one inn. Tibs,¡± he ordered.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back in three days,¡± she said.

    ¡°Four,¡± Don replied in bored tone. ¡°I am being honored by the guild, and it won¡¯t do to cancel that for the likes of you.¡±

    ¡°Four days,¡± she said, her tone dark, ¡°and I¡¯ll expect you to hand over ownership of the pool.¡±

    ¡°Four days,¡± he replied. ¡°And we both know what the answer will be, so there is no point in sounding worried.¡± Don looked at his side. ¡°Tibs!¡± he snapped.

    Tibs joined the sorcerer, filling the cracks in the ice. She was leaving anyway, so there was nothing to be gained by staying.

    Don smiled as he walked, back straight and nodding condescendingly to the townsfolk who stepped out of his way in surprise. He reminded Tibs of a noble. The entire conversation, once Don suffused himself with his element, was that of a noble with more coins than a king and someone who¡¯s belief in their power amused him.

    Gazes followed them as they exited Market Place; more were perplexed than angry.

    Instead of continuing along the road, Don turned between houses and sagged against the wall, panting, as soon as they were out of sight, his essence retreating within him.

    ¡°The bitch tried to manipulate me,¡± he snarled. ¡°You have no idea how close I came to giving her everything she wanted. If you hadn¡¯t distracted her with your questions, I wouldn¡¯t have realized what she was doing, and I fucking should have!¡± he breathed in silence, and was calmer when he continued. ¡°I guess she didn¡¯t think enough of you to use essence to manipulate you.¡± There was a bit of smugness in his tone. The way the old Don would take pride in being targeted because the act proved he was the more important of them.

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°How did you stop her?¡± he asked, because he was certain he shouldn¡¯t know.

    ¡°I suffused myself.¡± He stared at Tibs, eyes growing wide with worry. ¡°That wasn¡¯t me, Tibs, it was my element. I know it made it look like everything I told you about wanting to be better is a lie, but it was just to protect myself.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I never managed it quite this long before. How are you not falling unconscious?¡±

    ¡°Corruption makes you resistant to being manipulated? The way water makes me slippery?¡±

    Don gave him another curious look. ¡°It¡¯s more that once I¡¯m suffused, there¡¯s so much corruption that little else can last. If she¡¯s the second to the Head of the academy, she must have decided not to push, otherwise, she would have been able to force me to agree with her.¡± He snorted. ¡°One time being thought little of works in our favor.¡±

    ¡°And do you own¡ª¡±

    ¡°Look Tibs.¡± Don pushed away from the wall and faced him, ¡°that, back there. It wasn¡¯t me. I mean, it isn¡¯t who I want to be.¡±

    ¡°I¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t understand. Corruption is about things being easy, and back there, I knew it was all going my way. I was owed everything, because it¡¯s easy to just take it. It was comfortable, and I¡¯m sorry for ordering you. I wasn¡¯t thinking. I was just¡­ it was just easy.¡±

    Tibs waited to be sure he was done. ¡°I understand. And I appreciate doing what you have to do to get out of a bad situation. I¡¯ve done that often enough on the street. I do have one question.¡±

    Don shook his head, sagging. ¡°No. I don¡¯t own the pool.¡±

    Tibs smiled, thinking of the possibilities. ¡°Would you like to?¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 23

    ¡°Let me see if I got this right.¡± Don looked from Tibs to the merchant suspiciously. ¡°You, Tibs, found out there was something special about the pool when you tried to hire an adventurer to remove it.¡±

    ¡°One of the adventurers the guild brought in to clean up what was left of Sebastian¡¯s house after we attacked it.¡±

    ¡°They brought in a number of corruption adventurers because what I did to bring it down left so much behind,¡± he said, not sounding entirely certain, but there was no light on the words, so he did believe he¡¯d been responsible. ¡°And you came to this merchant for that.¡±

    ¡°Darran,¡± Darran said, smiling.

    ¡°Right. So you bought the pool for Tibs.¡±

    ¡°After finding out who the official owner of the land the Garden Palace had stood on was since the owner and family died in that incident. It was the guild, by the way.¡±

    Tibs shrugged, while Don stared at the merchant.

    ¡°Why?¡± he asked in an exasperated tone.

    Darran started back, not looking certain. ¡°Because if Tibs had gone to the guild directly, he, rightfully, worried they would have questioned his motives and realized the profits they could make from it.¡±

    ¡°Not that.¡± Don pointed to Tibs. ¡°Why buy it for him and not for yourself?¡±

    ¡°Tibs asked me to buy it for him.¡± The merchant sounded perplexed.

    ¡°He¡¯s a Runner. You¡¯re a merchant. Money drives you, and it isn¡¯t like he¡¯d have any recourses to take it away.¡±

    ¡°Tibs isn¡¯t a Runner,¡± Darran stated. ¡°He¡¯s a customer, and I happen to think of him as a friend.¡±

    ¡°Of Course,¡± Don scoffed, ¡°since he made sure you and the other merchants were protected from that criminal.¡±

    ¡°I considered Tibs a friend well before then. And while money is indeed something I chase; too hard at times. I also value relationships. Any serious merchant will value them.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Don mocked, and motioned to the rest of the row. ¡°Then why the fuck am I not entitled to the same treatment everyone here seems to give Tibs?¡±

    Darran studied the sorcerer before answering. ¡°Because of that word.¡±

    Don looked at the merchant confused, then at Tibs, who shrugged.

    ¡°Entitled,¡± Darran said with a sigh. ¡°You stepped into our shops and demand that we treat you ¡®right¡¯. That we give you the best we have to offer.¡±

    ¡°I pay for what I ask for,¡± Don replied, offended.

    ¡°Indeed. That, and your well-known taste for getting back at those you feel have wronged you, is why I expect no one has attempted to swindle you. You may be disagreeable, but you are honest.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not dis¡ª¡± he closed his mouth on the faintly glowing retort. ¡°I just¡ª¡± there was no light this time as he closed his mouth and deflated. ¡°I¡¯m not like¡ª¡± He whispered, ¡°Fuck,¡± as he ran a hand over his face. ¡°Why is it so fucking hard to be treated like a person in this place?¡±

    ¡°Act like one,¡± Tibs said, and Don glared at him. ¡°Instead of a noble.¡± The sorcerer¡¯s expression darkened, but he stayed silent.

    ¡°It can be difficult not to start acting like those you hate,¡± Darran said, and Tibs raised an eyebrow. He hated nobles much more than Don ever would, and he¡¯d never acted like them.

    ¡°What¡­ do you know?¡± Don asked uncertainly.

    ¡°Nothing of you and your history, other than what I saw when you all arrived.¡±

    Suspicions crossed the sorcerer¡¯s face. Then he shrugged. ¡°Okay, fine.¡± He turned his attention to Tibs. ¡°And you want to sell me the pool. Why?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not doing me any good. Corruption isn¡¯t my element. Darran bought it for me because I didn¡¯t want the guild to have it. By selling it to you, I get coins I can use to help the Omega Runners.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything like the money you need to do that.¡±

    ¡°But you can get that from the sorcerer and the people she talks for.¡±

    ¡°So can you.¡±

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°She thinks you own the pool. She¡¯ll wonder why I didn¡¯t stop you. She might question why I bought it to start with. I don¡¯t know how friendly she is with the guild.¡±

    Don snorted. ¡°So, I¡¯m nothing more than your agent, just like him.¡±

    ¡°I just want the coins I need to buy the equipment and make sure we can pay for the repairs. Darran knows how much I need. Anything else you get from her is yours.¡±

    ¡°Minus my commission in assisting you with the contract and negotiations,¡± Darran said. ¡°Unless you can outmaneuver a sorcerer without help?¡±

    Don shook his head. ¡°You can handle those, but she¡¯ll use magic to get you to agree to her terms.¡±

    ¡°I am counting on you to keep her from succeeding,¡± Darran said with a smile.

    The nod from the sorcerer same with an uncertain expression. ¡°And you¡¯ll make sure nothing keeps Tibs from getting his fair cut in the process.¡±

    ¡°I trust you,¡± Tibs said as Darran opened his mouth to lie.

    ¡°Why?¡± Don asked in surprise.

    ¡°You¡¯re my teammate.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s enough?¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°If nothing else, I¡¯ll find out if you¡¯re honest about wanting to be better.¡± Tibs knew Don meant it, but he also knew how easy it was to slip into old habits. All he needed was to look at all he¡¯d done with fire after promising to never channel it.

    Don studied for a long time before nodding. ¡°Alright. You get your coins, I get my money and whatever else I can get out of them. The first thing we have to make sure is that I don¡¯t end up indentured to the academy past my apprentice stage.¡±

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    ¡°You¡¯re letting them own you even for that?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s how things are done,¡± the sorcerer replied. ¡°Even if I¡¯d joined an academy as a scholar, I¡¯d have spent close to a decade being nothing more than a servant to a master of the craft while I learned enough about how to do my own research and associated studies. I don¡¯t know how long it¡¯ll be as a sorcerer, the ones who have noted that in their writings make it sound like it is more about my capability than an established process. However long it takes, it will be shorter than what I¡¯d take repaying the guild. So, yes, I¡¯m okay with it.¡±

    ¡°Good, good.¡± Darran smiled. ¡°Are you willing to open the negotiations demanding the entirety of the abyss?¡±

    Don¡¯s confusion was quickly replaced with determinations. ¡°You know how to handle negotiations. So I have no choice but¡ª¡± he took a breath. ¡°I am trusting you to get me the best that can be gotten out of them.¡±

    The merchant clapped a hand on Don¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I do like this new you. We are going to have fun skimming absolutely everything we can off those academicians.¡±

    ¡°But you aren¡¯t scamming Don on my behalf,¡± Tibs stated, knowing Darran would see this as a challenge to get Tibs everything he could.

    The merchant looked hurt. ¡°Would I ever do such a thing?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tibs and Don said in unison. Him completely serious, while the sorcerer sounded amused.

    ¡°Well,¡± Darran replied, sounding far more offended than Tibs knew him to be. ¡°I have never¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yes, you have.¡± Tibs cut him off, and the merchant chuckled, then grinned.

    * * * * *

    ¡°What¡¯s your plan?¡± Don asked as they walked.

    ¡°Go along with what Tirania wants.¡± Tibs wore a dark blue sleeveless doublet over a pale blue tunic, with leather pants and hard boots in the same dark blue. The one thing he wore that didn¡¯t match were his bracers; the clothier had tried to talk him into leaving them behind. They were under the tunic¡¯s laced sleeve. That had been her compromise to Tibs¡¯ refusal.

    ¡°That could make things worse.¡± Don¡¯s robe was the usual dark purple. It had been the detail he and the clothier had argued about. She wanted him in something not so dark. She¡¯d gotten him to relent slightly so that the robe was trimmed in gold and silver.

    ¡°What do you think it¡¯s about?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Don wasn¡¯t happy to admit that. ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to find you who the invitations were for. She dealt with those personally, so the people I know within the administration couldn¡¯t help me.¡±

    ¡°So everyone will be important? Like other guild leaders? Or the person giving her orders?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll definitely be important. But I don¡¯t see why she¡¯d want us there for a meeting with other guild leaders.¡±

    ¡°What do you know about the enchantments protecting the building?¡± the building was becoming visible at the end of the road.

    Don glanced at Tibs. ¡°Nothing. The guild doesn¡¯t let that kind of information be talked about.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that kind of enchantment hard?¡±

    The sorcerer chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s the kind of thing that kings can¡¯t afford. I expect the guilds makes sure their best sorcerers stay with them just so they can make those.¡±

    Tibs studied as more details of the crate-like building became visible. The roof was lined by a battlement, the windows narrow enough only the thinnest of rogues could slip through them, if they could undo the enchantment that covered them, same as every surface. Again he focused on what he sensed, trying to at least make out which elements were part of the weave, but it was so tight he couldn¡¯t make out the usual difference between them.

    Adventurers in regalia of gold and black, just like the one who had showed up at his room¡¯s door, stood on each side of the entrance. One had metal as her essence, the other¡¯s eyes were a dark red Tibs had never seen before. Both were Epsilon, and they nodded as Tibs and Don entered.

    The attendant inside, his clothing also in gold and black, looked them over. His eyes were the multiple shifting colors of crystal. Tibs didn¡¯t sensed essence being sent at them. This was only a visual evaluation. He nodded and motioned to one of the clerks, also in gold and black, this one with the green eyes of wood, and she led them deeper into the building.

    As with every time he stepped into the guild building, Tibs counted his steps, matching them to the doors they passed. After six, the numbers no longer match his memory, then he realized he¡¯d miscounted, and there was no point in continuing.

    The previous times he attributed that to inattention on his part, but now he figured it was part of the building¡¯s enchantments. It would make it difficult for anyone to case the place and plan a break-in.

    Their escort opened a door to a room¡ªafter Tibs didn¡¯t know how many turns¡ªonto a room that seemed too large to fit into the building. People, dressed fancier than Tibs and Don, looked in their direction, then went back to their conversations.

    In that glance, Tibs recognized the dismissiveness of nobles, the evaluation of merchants, amused looks from those who recognized what Tibs and Don represented, and other expressions he couldn¡¯t decipher.

    There were more people than Tibs expected. And he could count the number of them who had an element, other than the guards that lined the walls, on one hand.

    On the left wall, which Tibs was certain was further away than the last turn in that direction had been, a long table had raised trays filled with plates of food, as well as crystal decanters and goblets filled with colorful liquids. Fancy alcohols, he expected.

    Tirania was in front them, before Tibs could move. ¡°I am so pleased you could make it.¡± She wore a green vest of heavy fabric with crystals randomly sewed into it. None of them had essence. Her pants were black, and the buckle of her belt was an amulet with a reserve so deep Tibs wasn¡¯t sure he could tell a difference between it and his own.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have missed this,¡± Don answered in polite neutrality and Tibs nodded.

    ¡°Come.¡± She led them to the center of the room as essence gathered there. She climbed the three forming crystal steps and stopped in the center of the transparent dais. She cleared her throat, and the room quieted.

    ¡°Thank you for coming,¡± she said. ¡°I know that the events of the previous months have not made the town of Kragle Rock an attractive prospect as a place for you to send those who need training. I know that some of the decisions that had to be taken to ensure the protection of the dungeon did not cast the guild, and me specifically, in the best light. So again. Thank you for accepting my invitation.¡± She let the murmurs quiet on their own.

    ¡°The reason for this gathering is so I can explain why I was able to make the decisions I did. Why I put the guild on the task of keeping the dungeon safe at, what it might have appeared to be, the town¡¯s expense.¡± She placed a hand on Tibs and Don¡¯s shoulders. ¡°This is Tibs Light Fingers, water rogue, and Don Arabis, corruption sorcerer. You may have heard the names already. They are the Heroes of Kragle Rock. Each is responsible not for one act of heroism, but two. Tibs took on attackers intent of destroying the dungeon by himself. He slowed their progress enough the guild was able to stop them altogether before they could succeed. Don chased away the man who tried to take the town. Who was able to infiltrate the guards and use them to sew distrust and discord. Then, together, they protected the town when that same man returned to wipe it from the world.¡±

    The response from the attendees was a mix of scoffs and appreciation.

    ¡°They are the reason I was able to focus on keeping the dungeon safe. They allowed the guild to not fall for the distraction the attacks on the town were meant to be.¡± Her words were so bright Tibs saw it without having to look in her direction. ¡°Yes, the town suffered. We lost runners. We lost people. But I knew I could rely on these two fine examples of what it means to be Runners to act and keep as many as possible safe. They looked after the town so that the guild could look after the dungeon.¡±

    She looked the people over. ¡°These are the kinds of people we train here. Not simply those who run the dungeon and gain strength from it, but who can make hard decisions. The kinds of decisions you will need when your enemies come calling. I do not promise easy training the way other guild leader do, strength with little else. Our dungeon is hungry and it will take its toll. You know what I¡¯ve had to do to bring in new Runners. Because of that, you have questioned why you should send your sons and daughters. Why send retainers to die here?¡±

    She pushed Tibs and Don a step forward. ¡°These are why. A hard dungeon produces more than strong Runners. It molds hard Runners. The types to walk into enemy camp and remove the threat to those they protect. The kinds of Runners who become adventurers capable of doing whatever is needed to keep you safe.¡±

    The silence that followed was long and filled with looks directed at Tibs. This time, they weren¡¯t dismissing him.

    She¡¯d used him. Tibs knew that. She¡¯d used him and Don to excuse her actions and make it seem like they would gain more than they would lose. That if the town was attacked again, they would be safe still.

    She¡¯d used him and Don to get them to feed more people to Sto. And he still stood straighter under those gazes.

    They were seeing someone worthy of their attention. Someone to be watched and treated with care. They weren¡¯t seeing the boy from the Street.

    They were seeing Tibs Light fingers. Some of the ice melted, and he smiled as he saw the concern in their eyes.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 24

    Tibs observed the crowd from next to the food table, sensing the essence among them. Two of the attendees had an element, a woman in a red silken shirt and pants had earth, while a somber man had an element Tibs didn¡¯t know, the tints was almost like metal, but he could tell it wasn¡¯t it, as if it had a sheen to it he couldn¡¯t quite perceive. Both were below Epsilon, in spite of looking at the others as if they were superior to anyone here.

    Everyone at Epsilon or above worked for the guild. The guards against the walls and the servers walking among the attendees with trays. They offered food and drinks for those who were beneath walking to the long table with all the foods. Tibs had eaten some. They were okay. The drinks were too strong for his liking. There didn¡¯t seem to be one tankard anywhere, or ale.

    Tirania had gathered these people because she considered them important and powerful. It was another reminder to Tibs that power didn¡¯t always work the way he thought it did. Too few of them had an element for that to make them powerful, and while he didn¡¯t know how many coins these people had, he¡¯d been in enough noble¡¯s houses to know not all of them had as many coins as they acted like they did. Some of the merchants on the Row had more than a few in the noble¡¯s quarters, even if they still, somehow, had less power.

    When living on his Street, Tibs had thought power meant physical strength. He hadn¡¯t had that, so cunning had been his strength, but it hadn¡¯t given him power. He¡¯d known coins were a form of power because the nobles spent some on guards, the way those with enough slivers paid thugs to enforce their will.

    Once he found out about elements and what essence did, he decided that was power. That it was how the guild could do everything it did. What the guild got away with certainly supported that belief.

    But Sebastian had showed Tibs coins could bring more than physical strength. He had used his to get people to act to his advantage without ever using thugs. Coins could change people¡¯s minds, as if by magic.

    The nobles of Kragle Rock had showed Tibs status was also a power in and of itself. Quite a few got their way purely with that, as they didn¡¯t have the coins they acted like they did.

    All of it was strange, but he had to learn to see it so he could work out how to make use of it.

    Tibs sensed the man with metal as his element approach before he became visible, and he tried to work out what was different in his essence that let Sto know Irdian was suffusing himself. He could sense how dense it was, above Gamma, but there were no details there. The essence was just throughout all his channels. He tried to remember if Don¡¯s essence had felt different once he¡¯d suffused himself, but other than sensing it happen, Tibs had been more interested in the interactions between him and the representative.

    Irdian came to a stop before Tibs and studied him. Tibs returned the look.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think any of this is about you,¡± Irdian stated, then took a goblet of water from the table. There weren¡¯t many of them, no one else seemed interested in drinking water, and like every other goblet, they had a weave through them composed mainly of water essence that kept the liquid cold. ¡°You¡¯re just her pawn.¡±

    ¡°Why does that matter to you?¡±

    ¡°Just reminding you of your place.¡± He sipped his goblet. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to think you¡¯re more powerful than you are and reach so high your fall¡¯s going to pull down your friends with you.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t threaten my friends,¡± Tibs said casually. ¡°Sebastian did.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t make threats,¡± the commander replied just as casually.

    Tibs filled cracks in the ice. ¡°Isn¡¯t it dangerous? Having all those powerful people in here?¡± He might as well see what useful information he could get from the man. ¡°All in this one room in the building? What if one of their enemies finds out and gets an assassin among their retinue?¡± Tibs could tell quite a few of the people in attendance deferred to the same person.

    Irdian raised an eyebrow, watching him, then shrugged. ¡°If they can¡¯t ensure the people with them are loyal, that¡¯s their problem, not mine.¡±

    ¡°What if an assassin sneaks through the building and into this room to make the kill?¡±

    The smile was small. ¡°I¡¯d love to see one of them try.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think they could? Even without an element, r¡ªthieves are resourceful.¡±

    ¡°Your kind isn¡¯t smart enough to get through the defenses.¡±

    ¡°My kind.¡± Tibs emphasized the word. ¡°Isn¡¯t interested in trying. Thieves and assassins would be. Any lock can be cracked; any trigger jammed. All it takes is time and experience. That¡¯s one thing the runs have taught me.¡±

    Irdian rolled his eyes. ¡°The dungeon¡¯s not teaching you anything about the world. All it¡¯s doing is making you stronger so we can send you out against the same kind of creature when they forget their place. If you can¡¯t remember that, if you think you¡¯re different from any of the other Runners and can get away with things you can¡¯t, you¡¯re going to end up crushed.¡±

    ¡°The guild¡¯s teaching me to deal with the world.¡±

    Irdian snorted.

    Tibs faced the man. ¡°For someone working for the guild, you don¡¯t seem to care for it all that much.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a guard. Doesn¡¯t mean I have to make believe what I¡¯m guarding¡¯s any better than they are.¡±

    ¡°Then why are you trying to stop me, if you don¡¯t think the guild does a good job?¡±

    Irdian faced Tibs and locked eyes with him. ¡°Because rules are what keep the world from descending into chaos,¡± he said heatedly. ¡°I¡¯m well aware the guild doesn¡¯t follow its own rules, but there are others in charge of dealing with that. My job covers what¡¯s outside of the building. My jobs is to make sure that doesn¡¯t descend into chaos. Stop breaking the rules, and I¡¯ll stop bothering you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t trust you,¡± Tibs stated.

    Irdian shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s your problem. I¡¯m going to enforce the rules on you like I do anyone else.¡±

    Tibs snorted. ¡°I¡¯m not seeing you enforce them on the nobles.¡±

    Tibs sensed the weave in the goblet react to the added pressure as Irdian tightened his hand on it. It wasn¡¯t adding ice to make it harder, but how the weave changed kept the fragile-looking item from shattering.

    ¡°What you¡¯re seeing is the guild keeping me from enforcing the rules on them. Sometimes, the guild lets people who have no business having it, keep the power others grant them.¡±

    ¡°Commander,¡± Don greeted as he joined them.

    ¡°Sorcerer,¡± Irdian replied cooly, but nowhere near as brusque as when he addressed Tibs. ¡°Enjoying being paraded for her benefit?¡±

    ¡°One¡¯s position comes with requirements. I have no problem accomplishing the one to keep the other.¡±

    Irdian drained his goblet. ¡°You¡¯re going to fit in here perfectly.¡± He put it down hard enough Tibs sensed the weave react, then he walked away.

    ¡°He seems to like you,¡± Tibs commented.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure he likes anyone.¡± Don watched the commander speak with the guards. ¡°But I¡¯m not making his life difficult.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not making his life difficult,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°He¡¯s making mine difficult.¡±

    Don smiled. ¡°Perspective can be interesting like that.¡±

    Tibs watched the crowd. Tirania spoke with a man wearing so many jewels Tibs could buy all the armor and weapons in the kingdom with them; well, the town at least. ¡°Is this about more than what it looks like? Is Tirania really just looking to get more people to do runs?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s looking to get them to invest here, as well as have them convinced others to invest. Help Kragle Rock grow. The town, well a city, is as much what draws people to a dungeon as the dungeon itself. The two usually grow side by side. The dungeon provides more opportunities, so the city grows, and with more people arriving, a proportionally larger number of them will brave the dungeon, helping it grow.¡±

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    He took a goblet without looking and sipped it. ¡°We¡¯ve had setbacks that disrupted the pattern, and she¡¯s looking to set that right.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°She has expectations to meet, I expect. She¡¯s in charge, so she¡¯s held accountable for how things happen.¡±

    ¡°And what happens if she can¡¯t meet those expectations?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± The sorcerer glanced at Tibs before looking at the crowd, sipping his goblet. ¡°Within an academy setting, she¡¯d be brought before a board of inquiry to determine how much of what happened is her fault. Too much and she¡¯d be replaced.¡±

    Tibs watched Tirania; tried to determine if there was any desperation in how she spoke to the woman with strands of silver woven into her black hair. ¡°What¡¯s a board of inquiry?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a group of people who have the authority to decide the fate of those under them.¡±

    Wasn¡¯t Marger the only one above Tirania? ¡°Where do they judge someone?¡±

    Don chuckled. ¡°I have no idea where Tirania would be judged.¡± He thought it over. ¡°But I suspect that they¡¯d need to look over the results of her decisions first, so the final judgment could take place here, since they¡¯d already be here.¡±

    Tibs nodded. So Tirania needed the town to grow, and these people were how she planned on making it happen. If that failed, Marger would notice, wouldn¡¯t he? That would draw him here. Then, what he needed was to get information.

    ¡°I think we should talk with these people,¡± Tibs said, taking a goblet. ¡°See what they¡¯re looking for in a place to send people to.¡± He smiled at Don. ¡°We do want to make Tirania¡¯s work easier, after all.¡± He downed the content and grimaced as it burned his throat. When he was able to breathe again, Don¡¯s suspicious expression was gone, and they stepped into the crowd.

    Time after time, as Tibs was dismissed, talked down to, or simply ignored, he had to fill cracks in the ice. The nobles hadn¡¯t held on to the impression Tibs was important. Most realized how Tirania used him and Don, and from the pieces of conversations he overheard, he had the impression many only humored her.

    Some treated Tibs¡­ better. As the nobles¡¯ perceived place within their hierarchy dropped, the dismissals came with apologies. The talking to didn¡¯t have quite as much of a downward angle to it, and he wasn¡¯t ignored. They were who looked at what Tirania was offering as a way to advance themselves. They weren¡¯t all ignorant of the show she put on, but they seemed tolerant of it.

    Then there were the few merchants among them. They swallowed everything she told them so completely that if Tibs couldn¡¯t sense the absence of essence on Tirania¡¯s bright words, he¡¯d think she was using magic on them. They saw a new market to increase their wealth, and through that, their position within their city. Some saw Kragle Rock as the city of their future, where they could start a mercantile empire from.

    The merchants talked with Tibs, but kept their distance. They weren¡¯t worried about the information they gave him, but that he might pick their pockets. Merchants could spot thieves and rogues at a distance, and few of them trusted either to keep their hands to themselves.

    When, much to Tibs¡¯s surprise, the meal was called; he realized he was ravenous. After that, there was more being ignored, more conversations he listened to, and a few engaged in, and when he noticed some of the attendees leaving, he did the same, but not before Don grabbed him so they could bid their host a good night, as was proper. Then they were escorted to the exit, and Tibs couldn¡¯t wait to reach his bed.

    * * * * *

    He didn¡¯t reach his bed.

    Jackal met them halfway to the rooming house, and Don continued on by himself. The fighter led Tibs to the warehouse and Tibs looked on the empty space, filling the forming cracks over and over as heat tried to bubble out from where it was buried.

    This was only a setback, he reminded himself. Let Irdian think he¡¯d stuck a deadly blow by taking all Tibs had hidden here. Tibs would be in a position to rebuild much sooner than the commander knew.

    Irdian was too set on his work to completely drop his guard, but if he thought Tibs had to start from nothing, his focus would shift to more important things for a time. And if Tibs could avoid attracting the attention back, that time could stretch.

    He¡¯d have to be careful in how he procured the new equipment, find a better place to store it. But he would have coins. He¡¯d be able to exercise some of the power they gave him and make what he needed happen.

    * * * * *

    The sorceress sat opposite Don, with Tibs on his left and Darran on his right, reading the papers. Tibs didn¡¯t understand why there were seven pages, when all this was about was selling the pool, but it was why Darran had dealt with it.

    ¡°This is your work, merchant?¡± She asked, a smile forming. ¡°Surely, this isn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not do things that way,¡± Don said imperiously as she wove essence within the words. ¡°I did say we both knew how this would go. Did you believe I meant I would fold under your promises?¡± The smile he gave her reminded Tibs of his own while channeling corruption, but Don acted that way without suffusing himself.

    Her smile didn¡¯t falter, but the essence pulled back into her. ¡°I suppose it is a sign you belong at the academy that you planned this so well.¡± She took a quill out of a pocket. It had essence woven through it; water, earth, metal, and others Tibs couldn¡¯t identify. He was surprised there was no corruption. She placed the tip over a line. ¡°You understand, I can¡¯t agree with this.¡± She struck out the words, a neat black line in the wake of where the quill passed.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Darran replied joyfully. ¡°I¡¯d never presume a sorcerer of your caliber would simply agree to the first offer given.¡±

    ¡°Or that I wouldn¡¯t seek counsel,¡± Don added, not quite managing to look down on her.

    ¡°I will admit that despite what I saw in our previous interaction, I had hoped there wouldn¡¯t be quite as much of what we look for in a prospect in you.¡±

    Don¡¯s smile turned genuine. ¡°You can ask most who know me in Kragle Rock. I¡¯m not known for pleasing others.¡±

    She scratched out another line, this time writing something over it. ¡°I had hoped this would be quick.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s the fun in that?¡± Darran replied, grinning.

    Tibs groaned as the merchant motioned Kroseph for tankards. He¡¯d expected this to be done already. Just how long were they going to be at this?

    * * * * *

    Darran, Anuja, and Don were at it most of the day.

    As a server brought food, Tibs considered leaving the table, but worry she¡¯d use essence to make things go against what Darran was arranging kept him there. Don would sense if she used corruption, but as a sorcerer, she could pull on other elements, and Don might not be aware she was taking control of the negotiation. Tibs wasn¡¯t sure what he¡¯d do if she tried, but at least he¡¯d have the option to do something.

    So he remained, listening to them argue and write changes to the pages. He expected that eventually, the words wouldn¡¯t be legible anymore, there would be so much ink there. He groaned when the two argued over what a word meant, getting an amused look from Don.

    Tibs knew words changed meanings from one language to the other, but they were using magic to be understood this time; Darran had paid for it because he didn¡¯t want any misunderstanding. How could words not mean the same thing when magic was used?

    They agreed on something Tibs hadn¡¯t kept track of, and more writing on the pages had happened.

    By the time the sorcerers stood with a copy of the page she¡¯s used magic to make and Darran had gone over to ensure no changes had been made that way, the shadows were long. She left, smiling. Don had a similar smile as he read the papers, and Darran pulled another, thinner stack. He wrote in a few places, showed it to Don, who read it, then signed it. Darran added his, then passed that to Tibs.

    The number Darran had written was longer than Tibs had expected, and those weren¡¯t copper. ¡°That¡¯s more than I asked for.¡± A lot more. With this, he knew he could buy arm and armor from the entire kingdom.

    ¡°That¡¯s the beauty of a good deal,¡± Darran replied, then took a bite of the fragrant slab of meat just brought to their table. Kroseph had brought Tibs a simpler dish, even if he hadn¡¯t asked for food. ¡°Everyone comes out of it with more than they wanted.¡±

    Don carefully rolled the papers and put them in a small leather tube, which he strapped to his belt. ¡°I got everything I wanted, and they agreed to pay me during my apprenticeship.¡±

    ¡°But all she gets is the pool,¡± Tibs said. ¡°How is that more than what she wanted?¡±

    Darran smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t let how she acted fool you, Tibs. She came into this expecting to pay much more than what she did.¡±

    ¡°But she was hoping Don wouldn¡¯t get help.¡± Tibs had experience with haggling, but the loser always ended up with less than they wanted. That was why someone haggled. ¡°She could have used essence to get what she wanted from you.¡±

    ¡°She would have been disappointed,¡± Darran said. ¡°I took precautions against that. That is what negotiations are, Tibs. We hope for an easy victory, but plan for an expensive battle.¡±

    ¡°Much like wars,¡± Don said, cutting into his meat.

    ¡°But unlike them, it¡¯s possible to walk away with everyone involved pleased with the result. Don get a more comfortable position, you more money, and she didn¡¯t have to spend as much getting what she wanted.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean we should have asked for more coins, then?¡±

    ¡°You could have done that,¡± Darran replied. ¡°But what would you gain with more coins at the expense of her displeasure?¡±

    Angering a sorcerer was never a good idea. Every story bards sang made that clear. ¡°I still don¡¯t get how everyone can end up with more than they wanted.¡± He ate what was on his plate. The food was blander than what Russel usually prepared, but Tibs didn¡¯t mind.

    ¡°It¡¯s why merchants like Darran are around.¡± Don said. He ate a few bites. ¡°Thank you. When Tibs mentioned you, I didn¡¯t expect such a skilled negotiator.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s quite alright. I don¡¯t make much of that aspect of my trade. And I expect Tibs mentioned me because of our history helping each other, more than a knowledge of what I¡¯m skilled at.¡±

    ¡°If you couldn¡¯t have helped,¡± Tibs said, ¡°you would have told me who could.¡±

    They ate in silence, then Don looked up. ¡°Darran, am I really so disliked by the merchants?¡±

    ¡°You are¡­ abrasive, well, you¡¯ve been so. I watched you interact with the others many times. You might not be wrong that you are entitled to what you asked for, and that you never seek to underpay, but that isn¡¯t what matters.¡±

    Darran sipped his goblet. ¡°It¡¯s the attitude. Tibs is entitled to anything he pays out of my shop, or any other, but he doesn¡¯t enter into the transaction with that belief. He understands it¡¯s an exchange and that, like the negotiations here, it can be done while respecting the other participant. To be clear, I have¡­¡± he smiled, ¡°swindled Tibs, here and there, and in return, he has spun me stories regarding some of the items I bought from him. But when one caught the other, we accepted it as part of how this goes.¡±

    ¡°But I never tried to get more than what I sold was worth,¡± Don said, annoyed. ¡°Or demanded to pay less than an item is worth.¡±

    ¡°How fair the money is doesn¡¯t matter when it¡¯s demanded of the merchant,¡± Darran said.

    ¡°So I should just lie about what I bring? Let them swindle me?¡±

    Darran shrugged. ¡°That depends on the merchant you deal with.¡± He smiled. ¡°But you could start by allowing them to negotiate.¡± He paused, the fork nearly to his mouth. ¡°You might find you enjoy it.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 25

    Tibs sliced up, and the Gnoll fell away. He blocked the other¡¯s attack with his ice shield and skewered it. The heat struck him in the back, unbalancing him, but the ice covering his armor minimized the damage. It wasn¡¯t the first time a Gnoll used fire essence on him, and each time, they were more clever about how they used it. Like now, distracting him with multiple attacks from the front so he¡¯d forget one of them behind had fire.

    If not for the fact Sto created them, Tibs could think they were training and learning new ways to use their essence from watching the Runners fight.

    Tibs quickly etched water essence. Three lines to focus, a spiral to pull from around it, with Arcanus to hold and make the resulting attack harder. It shattered against the fireball the Gnoll threw. Tibs would have needed more time to ensure the etching was tight enough it could resist, but that hadn¡¯t been the goal.

    Tibs leaped through the wall of steam the impact created, adding air for the extra height, then came down on the Gnoll, sword first; impaling it in the creature¡¯s head as it watched him.

    He formed a new sword, turning and readying himself for another attack.

    Jackal slammed his last Gnoll against the wall.

    Khumdar had two in a cloud of shadows, a determined expression on his face. They dropped to a knee, then fells to the side, and after a few more seconds, crumbled and were absorbed into the floor. The cleric dropped to a knee too, using his staff for support and panting heavily. He had spent a lot of his essence defeating them.

    Don was fighting three, sending cloudy jets of essence at them. One jumped out of the way, while another caught a jet in the chest and melted, and the third lost an arm. Tibs opened his mouth to warn the sorcerer of the one behind him, but Don raised a hand, a spearhead forming, and threw it as he turned. It splashed, instead of impaling the Gnoll, but the corruption melted through it.

    Tibs scanned for Mez to see how¡ªHe ran at the archer who leaned against the wall, fumbling for his belt bag. The gash in his side was so deep Tibs saw the essence diminish as the life drained out of the archer.

    He had an essence wrap over it before reaching Mez. Then he pulled the healing potion out of the pouch and helped him drink it.

    ¡°I miss the days I could just call out to you and you¡¯d heal me,¡± Mez whispered, resting his head against the wall. His breathing improved quickly as the wound closed and the potion replenished the life essence.

    It was interesting to Tibs that, unlike the potions that refilled the reserves, the essence from healing potion didn¡¯t change into that of the person drinking it. It remained life essence. He expected it was why it was so effective at healing, but how did the potion know not to change the essence?

    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing we have potions.¡± Tibs glanced at Don, who watched the last of his attacker writhe on the floor with a self-satisfied smirk reminiscent of the old Don.

    ¡°Only when I¡¯m not so out of it to take one,¡± Mez replied. ¡°And we¡¯re going through them quickly. I only have two left. Hopefully, not too many of them will get in a lucky shot in the next fights. And yes, I know luck¡¯s not a thing,¡± the archer added as Tibs opened his mouth. ¡°But it¡¯s better than me admitting I wasn¡¯t paying attention to the Metal user because all it made for the entire fight were swords. Until I had a javelin ripping my side open. I still had an arrow in its eye through that pain, though.¡±

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Don asked.

    Mez showed the empty potion bottle. ¡°Pretty much all healed.¡±

    ¡°Jackal,¡± Don called. ¡°Mez needs a new¡ª¡± he stopped as Jackal narrowed his eyes. ¡°I mean, he could use a replacement for the potion he drank.¡±

    ¡°I still have two,¡± the archer said, ¡°and I doubt I¡¯ll have to use them in the next room, so I¡¯ll be fine facing whatever¡¯s on the other side of the dragon room.¡±

    ¡°The boss room,¡± the fighter said.

    ¡°It might be best to ensure you have more before entering this room.¡± Khumdar drank an essence potion.

    ¡°It¡¯s just pushing walls,¡± Mez said, then looked at Tibs. ¡°Right?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he replied. ¡°A wall moved when I pushed it, but we won¡¯t know if there¡¯s more until we explore it.¡±

    Mez pushed from the wall, and slowed after a couple of steps, pressing his arm against the not entirely healed injury. ¡°Then let¡¯s find out. We¡¯re making good time, but if we stand around talking about what we should do, we won¡¯t reach the boss room.¡±

    The time shield was only half used up, and it was only the shifting floor room they had to cross. He knew the pattern now, so it was as quick as the others could jump and no one falling off. The game of conquest had been quick, too. Don knew the game, and Tibs had a sense Ganny used it more as a puzzle than how the game should be played, using the rules to constrain how they moved to complete it.

    Of course, he couldn¡¯t ask Ganny if she was simply keeping the game simple, or they were all getting that good. No team running the third floor had lost a Runner since the latest schedule had been up.

    Of course, once teams of Omega graduated, the second floor would take its toll on them. Tibs hoped the equipment would be here before that. And that they would accept his help. The urchin trusted even less easily than those who¡¯d come here from the cells.

    He finished the dragon shield marginally faster, he thought, then looked into the room. The hall was five large tiles deep, and knowing it was there, he could just make out the left turn at the end. He sensed the first tile, confirming there still were not triggers on it, then stepped in. The second was the same. He considered his team, waiting on the other side of the threshold.

    Did he want to give Sto a chance to lock him in again? He could ask what their issue was with him filling himself with ice. He missed talking with Sto during the runs, having him comment on how they did.

    ¡°Step in and stay one tile behind me.¡± He didn¡¯t have the time to waste on pointless conversations. ¡°That way, we¡¯ll stay together if walls shift without notice.¡±

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Or we end up crushed together,¡± Jackal said, entering.

    ¡°That won¡¯t happen,¡± Tibs said, and the others looked at each other before joining the fighter. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure there are no triggers, then you can walk around.¡±

    There were none all the way to the turn. Three tiles in it, it turned to the right, then ended four tiles later.

    ¡°Did we take a wrong turn?¡± Jackal asked.

    Tibs retraced his steps, looking for clues on how to proceed. Shifting the walls was part of it, but there were no signs as to which one would move, or what the result would be. That first one had been Sto cutting him off from the others, so Tibs didn¡¯t think he could base anything on that.

    Once he reached the entrance, he decided that, like the shifting floor room, he¡¯d have to work out the pattern through trial and error. He picked the fourth tile. ¡°Get on my tile,¡± he told the others as he studied the right wall. It was uncomfortably smooth to the touch, but not slick. It was as if just by the feel of the surface, he could tell there was something unnatural about the way the essence formed it.

    He pressed, and when it didn¡¯t more, pushed harder. When it began moving, it was with a heavy grinding sound hinting at the weight. He stopped to study the side wall, but it kept grinding on, stopping only once it cleared three paces, forming a tile. So once a wall started moving, there was no stopping it.

    ¡°Stay there.¡±

    A look confirmed the entrance was open. He walked to the left turn, then the right one. Nothing had changed there. He¡¯d expected a cascade of moves, like in the shifting floor room. He returned to the newly exposed tile and studied the wall again. It hadn¡¯t changed. It, like the others, still registered as one large weave of essence three paces beyond the ceiling and below the floor.

    ¡°Are we staying here?¡± Mez asked as Tibs placed his hand on the wall.

    They were still in the hall, so safe. The worse thing that might happen was that the opposite wall would push them in with him. He looked at the wall on each side of him. Or that Sto would cut him off again.

    ¡°Move here.¡±

    Once they were in position, Tibs pushed. Again, he had to apply force, then the wall ground and moved and kept moving as Tibs stepped back, cursing, and making a shield and sword, as he saw the lack of a wall on his right. How hadn¡¯t he sensed the gap there?

    Jackal was stone, and Mez had an arrow notched when Tibs leaned into the vacated space to look into the open one. Beyond the missing wall was a room three tiles deep and wide, but to his sense, it was all the same tight weave of essence that made out the walls.

    Ganny had finally come up with a way to render this ability useless.

    ¡°Loot!¡± Jackal exclaimed and ran into the room before Tibs could stop him. He was on his knees before it, hands almost on the lid, when he finally stopped. ¡°I guess you should look it over, Tibs.¡± He stood and backed from it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you ever get enough of chests?¡± Don asked, annoyed.

    Mez snorted, and Jackal looked offended.

    ¡°How many runs have you done with us?¡± the fighter asked. ¡°And how don¡¯t you yet understand the wonderfulness of loot?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an act, isn¡¯t it?¡± Don asked as Tibs looked the chest over. ¡°Like the idiot, you spend a lot of time convincing everyone you are.¡±

    ¡°I am an idiot,¡± Jackal stated. ¡°When compared to you, Tibs, Mez, Khumdar, Kroseph, Quig, Orita, Filodore, Kain, well, every Runner who does more than run the dungeon, bash the thing in it, and out of it, and swoon over loot. This thinking thing, before I act? I tolerate it because it means I get to keep my man. He got tired of me nearly getting killed in this place once too often.¡±

    ¡°I have no idea what part of that¡¯s true or not,¡± Don said in exasperation, ¡°or how any of you deal with this.¡±

    Tibs ran a hand over the joint where the lid touched the bottom part of the chest.

    ¡°You get used to it,¡± Mez said.

    He hardly had to think about the motion anymore, but he needed to pay attention to what his fingers told him. Sto and Ganny learned from the Runners, just like Tibs did from them, and the traps on the chest were more subtle now.

    ¡°What you must keep in mind,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°is that Jackal will only depreciate himself. Putting himself down is a skill he has mastered, and there is nothing he will not say to maintain that, even now that he has agreed to be smarter about how he acts for the sake of not leaving Kroseph alone. If he is downplaying himself, it is most likely a lie. If he is raising others, that will be truth.¡±

    ¡°I will never get used to all of you,¡± Don grumbled.

    ¡°You will,¡± Mez said, while Jackal mumbled something that didn¡¯t sound flattering.

    Tibs opened the chest and took out a small round shield woven with air essence and handed it to Jackal.

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± The fighter asked. Looking into the chest as Tibs stepped away. He looked up. ¡°Really? You give us amazing stuff in the other two rooms and this in here?¡± he waved the shield at the ceiling. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°And is that an act?¡± the sorcerer asked. ¡°Or does he expect the dungeon understands him?¡±

    ¡°How do you know it doesn¡¯t?¡± Mez asked.

    Don stared at the archer. ¡°Do you expect a dog to understand you?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tibs said, passing Don on his way to the wall. ¡°And the dungeon isn¡¯t a dog. That¡¯s insulting.¡±

    ¡°To whom?¡± Don asked. ¡°The dog?¡±

    Tibs stopped in surprise and turned. Everyone else was also staring at the sorcerer.

    ¡°Did you¡­make a joke?¡± Jackal asked uncertainly. He stepped to Don. ¡°Is that stick pulled out of your ass far enough you can joke about something?¡±

    ¡°I do not have¡ª¡± He tried to shove the fighter away. ¡°I have acted in perfectly reasonable ways with¡ª¡±

    ¡°Acted,¡± Jackal said, leaning in. ¡°Don¡¯t think I can¡¯t see what you¡¯re doing; acting like you belong with¡ª

    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Mez interposed himself between them. ¡°Don¡¯s trying, Jackal. Just like you¡¯re trying to be smarter about what you do. I don¡¯t see you succeeding all the time.¡±

    The fighter took a breath and let it out slowly. ¡°Tibs, any idea how we continue?¡±

    ¡°I have to test each section of the wall until we find the trigger.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s going to be a pattern,¡± Don said.

    ¡°I know, but I haven¡¯t worked it out yet.¡± Tibs headed back to the main corridor and stopped. ¡°We aren¡¯t exiting the way we entered,¡± he called to the others, stepping to the wall now blocking the room¡¯s entrance. He pushed against it as hard as he could, but it didn¡¯t move, which made sense; there was a wall around the entrance.

    He studied the corner, running the point of a knife, trying to get it in for purchase, but even to his sense, there was no gap there.

    ¡°It didn¡¯t trigger with the first push,¡± Don said. ¡°So did it move in response to getting access to the room, or because you pushed it a second time?¡±

    Tibs shrugged.

    ¡°Is it possible other sections have also moved in response?¡± Khumdar asked.

    ¡°Stay here.¡± Tibs went to the end and back. ¡°Nothing changed, but that doesn¡¯t mean it won¡¯t next time.¡±

    ¡°So we stay with you as you test the walls?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°And listen for anything else moving when I push.¡± He sensed around again and confirmed that this way, there was no room. Only the section he pushed wasn¡¯t part of the weave anymore. He pushed this wall, and it didn¡¯t move.

    This was a maze, but one where not only did he have to work out the path, but how to open it. Much like the rest of this floor. Don was right, patterns were maintained on each floor.

    He moved one section to the left of the opening and pushed. It didn¡¯t move. He moved to the next one, and it moved in.

    ¡°Is that an echo?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll check.¡± Jackal returned quickly. ¡°Nothing changed.¡±

    ¡°Then, any move Tibs makes can have repercussion we can¡¯t account for,¡± Don said. He hesitated. ¡°Maybe we should focus on working out how to open the entrance. We don¡¯t want to be stuck in here when time runs out.¡±

    ¡°Nothing will happen,¡± Tibs said, stepping forward. ¡°Other than there¡¯s a chance we¡¯ll run into the next team.¡±

    ¡°How do yo know?¡± Don asked. ¡°It¡¯s not like anyone¡¯s risked it since the time shield appeared.¡±

    ¡°Ready?¡± Tibs asked, and his team moved on his tile. He pushed, the wall moved, and he made out the echo this time.

    ¡°Should I go check?¡± Jackal asked, and Tibs nodded. ¡°We lost the left turn,¡± he said once he was back.

    The first move hadn¡¯t don¡¯t anything they could see either time. He looked back. Except to allow them to step out of the corridor, where they couldn¡¯t see if something shifted. Was that part of the pattern? He¡¯d have to pay attention when he pushed a wall from the main corridor.

    He pushed again, but the wall didn¡¯t move. Even with Jackal¡¯s help, it didn¡¯t budge. He pressed against the wall to his left, and it moved the three paces. He pushed again, and it moved, and another sound came with it.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a wall moving,¡± Mez said, as steps sounded behind them.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 26

    Tibs formed the ice wall as soon as he rounded the corner and saw the archer letting loose an arrow. Jackal ran around it as the arrow hit, grinning, and headed for the team of golem people. Tibs kept the others occupied with hurried jets of water until the fighter was on them. Then he formed a shield and sword and joined in, targeting the sorcerer, whose element Tibs sensed as¡­ sparkles? Like multitude of small embers flying over a fire, but each connected to the other, and moving much faster.

    The faceless sorcerer gestured, etching essence. Tibs couldn¡¯t tell the nature of the etching without knowing what the element was, but lines converged and spiraled; the hallmark of an offensive etching. Tibs thickened the ice on his shield as he raised it and readied himself for the impact. The attack passed through and around the shield, and detonated into Tibs before he got over the surprise.

    He was on his back, his body twitching out of his control, water slipping away. What had happened? How? He thought he¡¯d screamed, but he couldn¡¯t tell if his body reacted to his mind. Whose mind? Where was he? Why was he in so much pain?

    He wanted to pain to end. He hadn¡¯t done anything to deserve being in such pain¡­ had he? How could he? He¡¯d never done anything. He hadn¡¯t been anyone until now.

    Please make it stop!

    There has to be¡ª

    Something. Right there. He didn¡¯t know what it was, or how he grasped it, but he felt it; this gray¡­ness? However he was doing it, he had it. He tugged on it hard and the essence fled around him and into the floor.

    The pain in his chest eased, and he breathed again. He channeled purity, and the enduring pain finally ended. He channeled metal again in case the sorcerer attacked. He didn¡¯t know why it had protected him, but until he was certain that golem person was dealt with, he was sticking with this element.

    ¡°That,¡± he snarled as he got to his feet. ¡°fucking hurt!¡± He pulled the essence out and¡­ realized he didn¡¯t know how to etch with it.

    Fine. He didn¡¯t need anything fancy. He coated his armor with it and headed for the sorcerer. Metal was hard, and it protected him from the golem¡¯s element.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Mez called, sounding surprised. He was looking over his shoulder, staring at him. ¡°Don, keep them busy!¡± Then he was standing before Tibs, whispering, ¡°What¡¯s with your eyes? How did you get metal?¡±

    ¡°I had an audience.¡± Tibs pushed Mez out of his way. Jackal and Khumdar were fighting the rogue and archer. Tibs pulled his attention away as the fighter¡¯s punch connected with the rogue, only for the skin to ripple like water, and Khumdar was too busy deflecting arrows to step close enough to strike back.

    He locked eyes on the sorcerer who was throwing lighting in Don¡¯s direction. The corruption intercepted it and they erupted into a sickly cloud of sparkles.

    Mex caught his arm, forcing him to stop. ¡°You can¡¯t do this now,¡± he said. ¡°How much training do you have?¡±

    Tibs moved his gaze to the archer. ¡°Let go of me, Mez,¡± he replied and a low, menacing tone. ¡°Or I will make you.¡±

    ¡°So, that none.¡± He let go, and Tibs resumed heading for the sorcerer.

    ¡°What is he doing?¡± Don asked as Tibs passed him. Another jet of corruption flew and exploded in sickly sparks as lightning caught it.

    ¡°A Jackal thing,¡± Mez replied angrily. Arrows joined the attack, but lighting flew out of the cloud to break them apart, even those made of fire.

    Tibs ignored the bits of essence that splashed out of the cloud. The corruption and fire that fell on him he absorbed, and the lighting zipped around and into the floor barely tickling him.

    ¡°Tibs!¡± Khumdar yelled, and he ignored him too. His friends could deal with the rest of¡ªhe staggered from the arrow¡¯s impact and glared at the golem archer. He¡¯d deal with that one next.

    The golem sorcerer looked at Tibs now. A gesture and an etching formed. Now that he wasn¡¯t bothering trying to understand it, he saw the lightning come at him. It hit and traveled over him. This one stung but didn¡¯t quite qualify as pain before it sank into the floor. Tibs grinned as he kept walking

    The golem sorcerer sent lightning after lightning at him while still stopping Don and Mez¡¯s attacks. The stinging increase as Tibs got closer, but he didn¡¯t care. Whatever he had to go through, he was going to make that golem pay for that initial pain.

    No emotions showed on that featureless face, but Sto had to be wondering what was going on; if he was even paying attention. The dungeon didn¡¯t seem to be around his team all that much anymore.

    Something else Tibs would address. If Sto liked him like he claimed, why was he spending so much time not watching him defeat his creatures?

    He added earth to the metal as he raised his arm and gritted his teeth in pain as more lightning hit. This close, they definitely hurt, but he¡¯d heal himself afterward. He punched it in the stomach and the golem flew against the wall. With the step he took to go finish it, corruption and fire impacted the golem and it crumbled.

    Tibs ground his teeth. That had been his kill. Something else to address after he took care of the other golem who had hurt him.

    The archer staggered from the corruption, and Khumdar broke it with a hit of his darkness covered staff.

    Another of his kills they¡¯re taken from him. He was going¡ª

    ¡°Stop.¡± Jackal stood before him.

    ¡°They¡ª¡±

    ¡°I said, stop.¡±

    ¡°I will not¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the team leader,¡± Jackal stated, earth essence spreading through his body. ¡°You follow my orders. Don¡¯t make me stop you.¡±

    Tibs glared up at the man. They were supposed to be friends. Why wasn¡¯t he letting him¡ª

    ¡°Now,¡± Jackal growled quietly. ¡°Let go of it.¡±

    ¡°I need to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Not like this,¡± he whispered through clenched teeth. ¡°Not until we¡¯ve had a talk about you keeping this from me. Water. Now.¡±

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    Tibs glared, considered putting his unending reserve of metal to the test against Jackal¡¯s vast one of earth; as well as the years of practice the fighter had at kicking asses. He relaxed. There would be time later. When his friend wasn¡¯t expecting it. Tibs was a rogue, after all. He shouldn¡¯t be looked to fight face to face.

    He let metal go, and heat flared. Carina¡¯s reproachful dying expression. Sebastian¡¯s gloating laugh. Tirania parading him before nobles who drank in her lies. Water filled him, and the pain lessened. The heat tempered, making his loss almost bearable.

    He iced the water. Bearable wasn¡¯t enough. He needed it gone.

    ¡°I¡¯m good.¡±

    Jackal snorted. ¡°I doubt that, but that¡¯s also for another time.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for¡ª¡±

    ¡°Later, Tibs.¡± Jackal turned from him. ¡°What do we have?¡±

    ¡°A pair of boots,¡± Mez said, taking them from Don, who stared at Tibs. ¡°An iron bracer from the fighter.¡±

    ¡°Coins from the rogue,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°eight silver.¡± He nodded to where the archer had been, and only the bow was left.

    Tibs looked at where the sorcerer had crumpled, and a leather tube lay in its place. He checked it for traps, then removed the end-cap. He pulled four pages out with lines and symbols on them; He recognized some as Arcanus. ¡°Don, what are these?¡±

    The sorcerer took the offered pages but continued to stare at Tibs. He shook himself and looked at them, his eyes widening as he flipped through the pages. ¡°Spells,¡± he exclaimed, looking at the others. ¡°These are spells. I¡¯ve read about dungeons including spell pages in their loot, but I never thought I¡¯d¡­¡± His face fell. ¡°I never thought I¡¯d get to see some.¡±

    ¡°So, that¡¯s just for sorcerers?¡± Jackal asked, strapping the bow to Khumdar¡¯s pack.

    Don studied the pages. ¡°No, these seem to only have one element each, so anyone with that element can learn from them, if they know how to read spells. I¡¯d have to do some research to figure out the Arcanus used in them.¡±

    Tibs looked at them, trying to determine which of the letters Don meant.

    ¡°Once we¡¯re out, you can work on that,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Tibs, how do we¡ª¡±

    Don laughed bitterly. ¡°Work on what?¡±

    ¡°Those,¡± the fighter replied.

    ¡°I can¡¯t just research them from memory. There¡¯s essence in them that I have to work out. Any research I¡¯d do needs me to use these spells pages. What, you think that once the guild has them they¡¯ll be nice and let me borrow the pages so I can learn things they don¡¯t think I¡¯m anywhere near ready to learn? Do you know what rank I have to be before they¡¯ll even let me look at spell pages? How much they¡¯re going to charge me for the privilege?¡±

    ¡°Can you get the books you need without the guild?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°Possibly, I have¡­¡± he glanced at Tibs. ¡°Contacts who might be willing to lend me some, but you aren¡¯t listening to me. I can¡¯t do any research without these pages, and these aren¡¯t thing the guild will let us buy back, even if we had a king¡¯s coffer to pay with.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not giving them to the guild.¡±

    ¡°Is that wise?¡± Khumdar asked, adjusting the pack.

    ¡°He¡¯s on the team, right?¡± Jackal nodded to the staring sorcerer. ¡°And those can help him make us stronger.¡±

    ¡°How are you going to get them past the sorcerer looking over our loot?¡± Don asked. ¡°They¡¯re trained in detecting anything with essence. I know a few teams managed to sneak small stuff by them, but this?¡± He shook the pages. ¡°This isn¡¯t small stuff.¡±

    ¡°Seems like you haven¡¯t been keeping up with what¡¯s been happening,¡± Jackal said, examining the bracers. ¡°That¡¯s not the biggest stuff anyone¡¯s gotten past the check table.¡± He added them to Mez¡¯s pack.

    ¡°What? No, I¡¯d have heard if anyone had managed it. There¡¯s no way to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Are you, or are you not part of the team, Don?¡± Jackal demanded.

    The sorcerer stepped back under the intensity. ¡°I¡ªyes, of course. Tirania put me on it.¡±

    ¡°Then you need to start trusting that we know what we¡¯re doing.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯d be fucking easier to do if you weren¡¯t all hiding something,¡± Don snapped, pointing to Tibs. ¡°Like what was that? That arrow should have gone through his shoulder. Instead he gets staggered and his armor¡¯s not even scratched.¡± He pointed to Khumdar. ¡°What¡¯s with your cleric? And where are you getting all that essence for your arrows, Mez?¡±

    ¡°Not going to complain about what I¡¯m hiding?¡± Jackal asked.

    Don rolled his eyes. ¡°I know you¡¯re smarter than you let on.¡±

    ¡°Ice is hard,¡± Tibs said. ¡°It¡¯s harder the more essence I put into it.¡±

    ¡°Ice doesn¡¯t deflect lightning the way it was dancing over you without doing anything,¡± the sorcerer countered harshly.

    ¡°Don,¡± Mez said gently, ¡°you should¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ¡®I should¡¯ me, Mez. I¡¯m fucking trying, okay? But how the fuck am I supposed to be part of the team if I don¡¯t even know the people I¡¯m on the team with?¡±

    ¡°Maybe you should have thought about that,¡± Jackal replied in the same harsh tone, ¡°before you went out of your way to piss off each and everyone of us.¡±

    ¡°Don had never had that effect on me,¡± Khumdar said.

    ¡°Where did the team sticking together go?¡± Jackal said with a sigh.

    ¡°Ah.¡± The cleric turned a severe look on the sorcerer. ¡°Yes, Don, you really should not have exasperated me so much if you wished for me to share my secrets with you.¡± He looked at the fighter. ¡°Better?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Although it would be more believable if you¡¯d shared some of these secrets with the rest of us.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you, too, have exasperated me too much.¡±

    ¡°I know Tibs hasn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°And how certain are you I have not shared some of my secrets with him?¡±

    Jackal closed his mouth, considered it, then nodded. ¡°That¡¯s a good point.¡±

    Don threw his hands up. ¡°Do you ever take anything seriously?¡±

    ¡°Not if I can help it,¡± Jackal replied.

    ¡°One thing,¡± Tibs said. ¡°You take one thing seriously, all the time.¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± Jackal protested, then frowned. ¡°Oh, right.¡± He grinned at the sorcerer. ¡°I take Kro very seriously.¡±

    ¡°How have any of you survived with that kind of attitude?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve survived this long,¡± Mez said, ¡°because we act like this. It took me a while to figure it out, but this place is going to kill me, eventually. If I let that stress me out, it¡¯s just going to speed up the process. Then, once I started looking at the dungeon that way, I realized that stressing out anywhere just speeds up my death. Now, I joke where I can, because the rest of the time I¡¯m too busy surviving.¡±

    ¡°That¡­¡± Don shook his head. ¡°That makes no sense. Surviving requires attention, focus. Even Tibs knows that, considering what he¡¯s doing with his element.¡±

    ¡°And how long can you maintain that, Don?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°How long can you spend thinking only about how you¡¯re going to survive, while you let people around you die?¡±

    ¡°That is unfair,¡± Mez snapped, as Don¡¯s face fell. ¡°Don has his problems, but you are not helping by constantly shoving his mistakes in his face. You don¡¯t hear us always bringing back how you¡¯ve thrown yourself into fights without us and nearly died in them.¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± Khumdar started.

    ¡°Right, bad example.¡± Mez let out a breath. ¡°Look, you keep telling him to trust us so he¡¯ll be part of the team. How about you start trusting him beyond how he can help us, and as an actual person?¡±

    Jackal¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Maybe if¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Don whispered.

    ¡°Don,¡± Mez said. ¡°It isn¡¯t you that¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I was an asshole when we first met. I¡¯m sorry I treated you like trash when you were on my team, Mez. I¡¯m sorry I blame you for so much, Tibs. I know that after everything I¡¯ve done, it doesn¡¯t mean much, but I am sorry. It doesn¡¯t matter if you never see me as anything other than how I acted back then. I do want to change.¡± Don let out  a breath as he looked at them. ¡°I told Tibs I was going to be a scholar before I ended up here. What I didn¡¯t tell him was that my family was¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stop,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to explain why I acted the way I did.¡±

    ¡°And I appreciate that.¡± The fighter motioned around them. ¡°But this isn¡¯t the place, and we don¡¯t have the time. What¡¯s more important? Having this conversation or getting through this room so we can find the actual loot it¡¯s got to be hiding somewhere.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d¡­¡± Don seemed uncertain. ¡°Give up loot so I can explain myself?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Don. I am able to put something before loot.¡±

    ¡°Is he joking?¡±

    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m being funny?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± The sorcerer swallowed. ¡°And that¡¯s kind of disconcerting.¡±

    Jackal grinned. ¡°Good. Tibs?¡±

    ¡°I think we have more to gain by resolving this with Don. The room will be here on our next run.¡±

    ¡°I meant how do we continue, but fine. Mez, your thoughts?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea how we deal with the room.¡±

    ¡°I mean about Don.¡± Jackal sighed.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m for giving him the time to tell us what he needs to say.¡±

    ¡°Khumdar?

    ¡°You know I am always pleased to listen to secrets being exposed.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a secret,¡± Don protested. ¡°I just don¡¯t volunteer the information.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Jackal grumbled, ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m about to say this.¡± He put on a brave face. ¡°Tibs, work on getting us out of here so I can  listen to Don¡¯s life story instead of enjoying well-earned loot.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 27

    Most of the occupied tables had townsfolk sitting at them, with Runners at a few. Like Tibs and his team, they were experienced. The urchins didn¡¯t come to the inn. They stayed with the families that housed them. Tibs didn¡¯t know what the guild would let them do once they had their element and formed teams.

    Kroseph brought food and drinks, paused long enough to exchange a concerned look with Jackal, then moved on to serving other tables. Jackal ate heartedly, while Don barely touched his food. Tibs ate without concern for the tension at the table.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Jackal said, leaning back in his chair, his plate empty. ¡°Whenever you want to start, Don.¡± He drained his tankard and motioned for another.

    Don moved vegetables around before pushing the plate away. ¡°Like I told Tibs, I was going to be a scholar. My family weren¡¯t nobles, but we had wealth enough to mingle with them and not be overtly ostracized. It was a good life. I lacked for nothing, and the inconveniences I had to deal with were minor in comparison. Unlike many in my family¡¯s position, I didn¡¯t have aspiration of being a noble.¡±

    Jackal snorted and Mez glared at him.

    ¡°I was going to be a scholar,¡± Don repeated softy. ¡°My dues to the academy were already paid. All I needed was to be of age. I¡¯d demonstrated my aptitudes, and a few of the lower masters had expressed interest in taking me on as their apprentice. My future was set; my dreams were about to come true.¡± He fell silent and looked at his plate.

    ¡°What went wrong?¡± Khumdar asked.

    ¡°We were merchants. Our trade was mostly textiles, and we had contracts all the way to the neighboring kingdoms. As I said, we had wealth. That¡¯s where it came from. My father had started expanding by investing into clothiers and tailors. The quality he enforced was such that Nobles shopped at those businesses.¡±

    He sighed. ¡°What we didn¡¯t know was that in doing so, my father encroached onto a noble¡¯s business. He had quiet investments in several larger tailor¡¯s shops. My father didn¡¯t deal with any of them, but our new customers used to be theirs.¡±

    Don sipped his ale. ¡°Nobles are not keen on honest competition against a lower statured family. Instead of competing with my father on quality or prices, that noble destroyed him. My father was accused of paying to have other merchant¡¯s shipment destroyed or tampered with. Evidence was brought forth supporting those claims. My father¡¯s counter evidence was ignored by the magistrates.¡±

    His expression darkened, and he took a few breaths to calm himself. ¡°My father¡¯s businesses were taking from him as ¡®punishment¡¯ for his crimes. His¡ªour family¡¯s wealth vanished with them. My father wouldn¡¯t accept it. He was determined to get the magistrates to see he was innocent. He used up the little money we had left, and we were forced to leave the neighborhood I¡¯d spent my life in.¡±

    Again, he fell silent, but started again before he needed to be prodded. ¡°It was hard. The house was so small. We could barely afford anything we had taken for granted, and my father did nothing to help us. He was obsessed, and it destroyed him. The drinking destroyed him. But my mother held on to enough no one had to take up menial work. And in only a few months of moving to that neighborhood, I wouldn¡¯t be a burden on her anymore. I would be of age to start my apprenticeship, and I would become to academy¡¯s responsibility.¡±

    ¡°It did not happen,¡± Khumdar stated in the stretching silence.

    Don shook his head. ¡°The academy has standards, you know. And I no longer met them. Only the best of the best was allowed into those hallowed halls,¡± he said bitterly. ¡°Only those with the right social status, is what they mean, not the abilities. We had paid,¡± he spat. ¡°Masters had looked at me, at the work I had done to demonstrate I met the requirements. They had judged me good enough, some already considered taking me on. But now, how could even they consider letting someone like me in, letting the rabble in. They called my work subpar.¡± He slammed the tankard on the table. ¡°Of course, they never returned what my family had paid. We could have used the money.¡±

    He picked up as Khumdar opened his mouth. ¡°I was angry,¡± he growled. ¡°My family had been good and decent folks, and our ¡®betters¡¯ had ground us down. Well, if that was how things were done, I was going to outdo them at it. Any who threaten me and my family, I ground into the dirt the way we had suffered.¡± He smiled. ¡°Some minor nobles even found themselves under my boot when they thought to prove themselves better than me. I took what I wanted, what we needed. I took the books I wanted to read, the powers I needed to keep my family safe, the respect I deserved.¡±

    He drained his tankard. ¡°Until I was arrested for possession of academy material and sent to a cell. The fine was exorbitantly high, the price for desecrating those oh so precious tomes. They demanded gold my family could never hope to even see anymore. The long stay in my cell did not improve my attitude.¡± He stated. ¡°Then came my chance to be a ¡®worthwhile¡¯ member of society again, when the guild bought me and those in the cell and sent us here. As if,¡± he spat, ¡°I¡¯d been nothing more than¡­¡± he trailed off, looking away.

    ¡°Me,¡± Tibs stated.

    ¡°A thief,¡± Don corrected. ¡°It isn¡¯t an excuse, but I was destined to be a scholar. And because of some noble¡¯s machination, I was nothing more than a thief to any who saw me. Well, it wasn¡¯t because I was in some strange place I was going to let anyone here treat me the way I had been back¡­home. I would be respected, no matter how many heads I needed to ground under my boot. And woe to anyone who thought they might be better than I, for I would prove them wrong no matter the cost.¡± He lowered his gaze. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Tibs.¡±

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    ¡°Did your father commit those crimes?¡± Jackal asked casually.

    ¡°Jackal!¡± Mez snapped.

    ¡°No, Mez,¡± Don cut him off. ¡°It¡¯s a valid question. The truth is that I don¡¯t know. If you¡¯d asked me back then, I would have told you without hesitation that my father would never do such a vile thing. But I¡¯ve seen too much of the world now. Felt justified in doing so many vile things myself. I don¡¯t know anymore. I want to believe my father is innocent. I¡­ asked him, the last time they allowed us to leave, but he was too lost in the drinks to even answer me.¡±

    He sighed. ¡°And it doesn¡¯t matter anymore. I let what happened then turn me into a man no one could stand, not even those who claimed to be my friends. Of everyone who I surrounded myself with, I can count on one hand those who didn¡¯t look at me with hate when they thought I couldn¡¯t see. I don¡¯t want to be that man anymore.¡±

    ¡°You think telling us that makes what you did go away?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°No. I can¡¯t ask you to forgive or forget how I treated you. I¡¯m only providing context leading up to our encounters. Mez, I needed to belittle, because I made you the representation of anyone who caused me pain. I couldn¡¯t see past your need to hold yourself and others to a better code that what¡¯s considered normal. All I saw was pretense demanding we look up to you. You, Jackal, terrified me. It wasn¡¯t that you¡¯d beaten the men I had. I didn¡¯t care about them. It was that with less than a day of knowing Mez, you stepped between me and who I wanted back; someone I claimed as mine. No one had dared doing that since I¡¯d gotten my element.¡±

    Jackal smirked. ¡°You might remember I was kind of full of myself back then.¡±

    ¡°It didn¡¯t matter. You had decided someone I thought dirt deserved to be protected from me. So I hurt you as much as I could. Taught you your place.¡±

    ¡°Never was good at learning that lesson,¡± Jackal replied.

    ¡°That made you scarier, because I believed you¡¯d get back at me. That it was the only thing you could do after what I did to you. I made you and Tibs monsters looking to destroy my life, and then¡­ we had to work together against your father.¡±

    ¡°Would that not have let you see they were not such monsters?¡± Khumdar asked.

    Don snorted. ¡°That required I bother looking. The scholar never assumes, always studies. Turns out I make a lousy scholar.¡±

    ¡°You were angry,¡± Jackal said. ¡°That¡¯s going to mess with your thinking. But why corruption? Why not go for something like fire or metal? Something that tells everyone how dangerous you are?¡±

    ¡°Our instructor told us to think carefully about what element was best suited to us. If we didn¡¯t pick the one that align with us, our progression would be much harder than it needed to be; that¡¯s if we survived the audience.¡± Don looked at them. ¡°Weren¡¯t you told the same thing?¡±

    ¡°After I made that crystal glow,¡± Mez said, ¡°they took me to another archer who told me I could pick an element from the list she gave me. I picked fire out of those eight because it looked more useful than the others, especially since some of them I didn¡¯t get. How is mind an element?¡±

    Don looked at Tibs.

    He shrugged. ¡°Tirania told me to pick one of the four core elements. When I asked about the rest, she said they weren¡¯t as good.¡± He considered how much to add. ¡°I wanted people around me to stop dying, and Water was more suited to that. But I didn¡¯t understand much of what having that element meant.¡±

    ¡°They told me to pick earth,¡± Jackal said, ¡°since I¡¯d already shown my skull was as thick as it.¡±

    The sorcerer looked at Khumdar.

    ¡°I did not go through the same as you. Darkness called to me, and I answered.¡±

    Jackal snorted. ¡°Our cleric loves wrapping himself in mystery. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s answered that question the same way twice.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Don said disdainfully, ¡°Cle¡ª¡± he snapped his mouth shut. When he spoke again, his voice was controlled. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you be interested in answering some questions? I¡¯m curious what it means to be a cleric of an element other than Purity.¡±

    ¡°Not particularly,¡± Khumdar replied, smirking.

    Don opened his mouth, then closed it and he let a breath out. As he opened his mouth again, Jackal pushed papers at him.

    Don took them, looked at the diagrams and then at the fighter. ¡°And now, you expect me not to ask about how it is the sorcerer didn¡¯t realize you were hiding them on you.¡±

    Jackal looked around and Mez nodded.

    Tibs studied Don. He didn¡¯t lie when he said he wanted to be better, but this could cause problem if they weren¡¯t careful. Not only to the team, but to every Runner. If the guild found out there was one item they couldn¡¯t detect as being woven through with essence, they would scrutinize everyone who walked out of Sto.

    He nodded. How could he know how determined the sorcerer was without putting him to the test?

    Khumdar shrugged.

    ¡°The dungeon dropped a pouch, a few runs back,¡± Jackal said, ¡°that can¡¯t be detected and that fit a lot of stuff in it.¡±

    Don narrowed his eyes. ¡°You expect me to believe that you got lucky enough¡ª¡±

    ¡°Luck¡¯s not a thing,¡± Jackal replied, smirking.

    Don took a few breaths and spoke in a calmer tone. ¡°Do you understand how rare such an item is? I¡¯ve never read about something like that as part of dungeon loot.¡±

    ¡°How did you read about the kind of loot dungeons have?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°The guild catalogues everything Runners hand over when they leave and that¡ª¡±

    ¡°Why would a Runner hand over something like this?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°How else are they going to¡­¡± Don trailed off. ¡°You were able to tell what it is.¡± His expression became thoughtful. ¡°How does it work? How did you know?¡±

    ¡°How would I know how something like that works? It¡¯s magic. As for how I knew. After coming across the chests that are larger inside than out, we haven¡¯t been taking anything for granted. I reached in and couldn¡¯t touch the sides. I reached further until I had it to my elbow.¡±

    ¡°And we can¡¯t tell there¡¯s a weave through it,¡± Tibs added, ¡°unless we touch it.¡±

    ¡°What about enchanted things you put in it?¡± Don asked.

    ¡°It vanishes from sight and senses,¡± Jackal stated.

    ¡°Can I touch it?¡±

    ¡°Not without my man¡¯s permission,¡± the fighter replied.

    ¡°What?¡± Don asked, perplexed. ¡°Why would he have a say in¡­¡± his pale skin turned red. ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about.¡±

    Jackal burst out laughing. ¡°I know, but it was too easy. And yes, you can; but not here.¡± He stood. ¡°How about we retire to the team¡¯s room? It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been there.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 28

    ¡°Hold up,¡± Jackal called, as Tibs headed for the room¡¯s door. The fighter took his pouch of containing, as he called it, back from Don.

    The sorcerer had spent the time he held it going from glaring at the pouch, as he pulled one item or another out, to being amazed. His most visible frustration had come as he¡¯d pulled a long sword Jackal had yet to sell, it being easily ten time longer than the pouch was deep. He grumbled about books he¡¯d have to ask for as Tibs and Jackal left the room.

    ¡°So,¡± Jackal said, pulling Tibs in a different direction than the one he¡¯d intended to go in. ¡°Metal?¡±

    Tibs nodded.

    ¡°How did you manage that?¡± Jackal asked, turning them into an alley Tibs recognized as the shortest route to the warehousing neighborhood. ¡°And how come you didn¡¯t tell me?¡±

    ¡°One of the assassins stabbed me with a sword, but missed my heart. Instead of dying, I had an audience. And¡ª¡±

    Jackal spun Tibs. ¡°An assassin? And this is the first time I hear about it?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t die,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°And I dealt with¡ª¡±

    ¡°Because you were lucky.¡±

    ¡°Luck isn¡¯t a thing.¡±

    Jackal glared at him. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you dealt with them. It means I don¡¯t have to hunt them down.¡±

    ¡°I dealt with all of them.¡±

    ¡°All of them?¡± the fighter asked in dismay. ¡°Just how many times did someone try to murder you? And why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°I thought you knew. You told me your father would take his revenge after his death.¡±

    ¡°Yes, the attacks on the town the guards and your Runners have been dealing with. I figured my father didn¡¯t think to tell them about you, since you never told me you were targeted.¡±

    ¡°He told them.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s kind of obvious now,¡± he replied in exasperation. His expression soften and he let go of Tibs. ¡°And you didn¡¯t tell me about metal because you didn¡¯t want me to know about the attack, right?¡±

    Tibs kept pace with the fighter. ¡°I just forgot about it. I¡¯ve been busy. Irdian had his guards looking for where I kept the training supplies until he got them. It took a lot of work to misdirect them for so long. There was also working out how to solve the dragon crest puzzle. Then I had to look over the list of what Darran could get me to replace what Irdian stole. Figuring out how much I¡¯d have to spend, versus the quality and when they¡¯d get here, gave me headaches.¡±

    And had gone through nearly all the coins Tibs had gotten from the sale of the corruption pool. He had overestimated how much he could get by a lot. No getting a kingdom¡¯s worth of arms and armors for him. But he¡¯d have enough to equip the Omega teams with better armor than what the guild provided them, while they looked close enough not to attract attention. Darran had also made arrangements with the owner of the weapons shop for space to store Tibs¡¯s equipment among his wares. It would make it harder for Irdian to notice them.

    ¡°So being busy is also why you didn¡¯t train with it? And the reason you were all murder focused when you channeled it to deal with lightning?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tibs lied. He hadn¡¯t known it would help against the lightning. It had just been the closest element to reach for in his confused state. He was surprised Jackal knew metal helped with lightning. ¡°Metal is stubborn. Not flexible in how she goes about getting what she wants.¡±

    ¡°Metal, inflexible?¡± Jackal chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s funny.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because metal is flexible when it¡¯s made correctly. It takes a lot to break a metal sword or piece of armor.¡±

    ¡°I thought it was just because metal¡¯s hard.¡±

    ¡°Stone¡¯s harder,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°Well, some are. But stone¡¯s not flexible, so it¡¯s easier to make it shatter than metal.¡± He motioned to the warehouse as it became visible. ¡°But for now, you¡¯re going to train with it. I don¡¯t want that stubbornness to be why Don finds out about you.¡±

    ¡°Do you think telling him about the pouch was a mistake?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a risk,¡± the fighter answered, ¡°but I gave him reasons that work if the guild asks him to explain why I have it.¡± He grinned. ¡°Everyone knows I¡¯m so greedy I¡¯d keep something like this.¡±

    ¡°But they are going to know to touch everything to see if someone on the other teams are hiding one, or something else.¡±

    Jackal¡¯s steps faltered. ¡°Oh, abyss. I didn¡¯t think about that part. Why were you okay with me telling him then?¡±

    ¡°He isn¡¯t lying when he says he wants to be part of the team, and when he says he wants to be better. But he invested a lot of time becoming important to the guild. He might be tempted by that. You¡¯re better than I am at figuring people that way.¡±

    Jackal considered it. ¡°I¡¯ll have Mez pay attention. They seem to get along. If Don¡¯s going to drop his guard around anyone, it¡¯s going to be him and he can¡ª¡±

    Tibs stopped the fighter from moving further as he noticed people within his sense. No elements, and the faint essence of townsfolk and without weapons or armor, but inside the unused warehouse. Jackal touched the ground, then frowned.

    ¡°Not guards,¡± Tibs whispered.

    Jackal moved his essence within his body, but his skin kept its tanned hue. He nodded and they continue. The fighter pulled the door and stepped in as if he owned the place, then stopped, staring at the workers who were gathering the broken results of Tibs¡¯s previous training into a large pile in the center.

    ¡°Can I help you?¡± a woman asked in surprise as she dropped larger pieces of a crate on the pile.

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°We heard noises,¡± Tibs replied, ¡°and came to see what was causing it.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s us. You can move on.¡±

    ¡°Why are you clearing that?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°The owner wants to use it,¡± she replied. ¡°So she hired us to make it usable. Of course,¡± she grumbled, ¡°she never mentioned the war zone it was.¡±

    Jackal frowned. ¡°Isn¡¯t this Harmel¡¯s warehouse? He owns a leather shop.¡±

    ¡°No idea about that. We just do the work we get hired for.¡± She nodded to the door. ¡°And you two shouldn¡¯t be in here.¡±

    Tibs exited, and a second later, Jackal was behind him.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a problem,¡± the fighter said.

    ¡°Who¡¯s Harmel?¡± Tibs sensed to make sure no one followed them. ¡°I didn¡¯t know the warehouse was owned.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because it isn¡¯t, not really. Harmel and his leather shop don¡¯t exist.¡±

    ¡°Then, how was that his warehouse?¡±

    Jackal chuckled. ¡°My father would use businesses that don¡¯t really exist to get a footing into neighborhoods that kept him out otherwise.¡±

    ¡°We were using it before your father came to Kragle Rock.¡±

    Jackal didn¡¯t comment, and Tibs glanced at him.

    ¡°I think this might be how he found out I was here. You needed a place to train, and I know who my father used to create those businesses, and the codes to slip in to make sure the agent creating it doesn¡¯t discuss it with anyone. He has more agents doing that than it¡¯s possible to keep count of, so I didn¡¯t worry he¡¯d question a specific agent about a specific business that he really shouldn¡¯t remember not having created.¡± He sighed. ¡°But it¡¯s possible that he did. Sorry.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°Can you have another one made?¡±

    Jackal shook his head. ¡°Right now, my family¡¯s in chaos as my brothers and sisters wanting control are fighting each other and the rest of our relatives. Everyone my father employed is going to know he¡¯s dead, so they aren¡¯t going to listen to orders coming from ¡®him¡¯. Then, whoever ends up in charge is going to need to regain control of those people who think they don¡¯t need to worry about my family anymore. That¡¯s going to come with changing all the systems in place, so I¡¯m not going to know those codes or people handing those types of deals.¡±

    ¡°Will whoever that is stop the attacks on the town?¡±

    ¡°I doubt it,¡± Jackal said after thinking it over. ¡°They aren¡¯t going to know how. Everyone knew how vindictive my father was. It¡¯s kept even the ones who hated him from trying to replace him. But my father would have made sure any deal he made to avenge him was done outside of my family¡¯s influence.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I even wonder if my father¡¯s left the family any coins to keep going, or if he was so self-centered he dropped it all on his revenge.¡±

    ¡°So, this will never end,¡± Tibs stated, annoyed. He had more important things to deal with than a dead man¡¯s revenge.

    ¡°The money will run out at some point.¡±

    ¡°How long will it take?¡±

    ¡°No idea.¡±

    Tibs nodded and wondered how many coins he¡¯d need to get the attacks to stop. That would have been useful to know before selling the pool. He could have made sure Darran got him enough.

    ¡°I preferred you when you got angry,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°That isn¡¯t useful.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯d have told me about the attacks and the audience.¡±

    ¡°I was¡ª¡±

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have mattered,¡± Jackal snapped. ¡°You¡¯d have been pissed, and you would have vented to me, and I would have been able to help with deal with those assassins.¡± He took a breath. ¡°This cold isn¡¯t you, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s what I need right now.¡±

    Jackal rolled his eyes, but didn¡¯t comment. He let out a slow breath. ¡°That audience with metal means you can have more. Which element do you need to get next?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. When I asked Water, she said it could be any one I wanted.¡±

    ¡°And of course you didn¡¯t tell me about that audience either,¡± Jackal said in exasperation. It took him longer to regain control of his temper. ¡°Then, which one are you going after?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. The only way I know how to have an audience is to almost die from the element. How do I die from Mind?¡±

    ¡°Easy. Think too hard.¡±

    ¡°How about void? Crystal and Wood can have weapons made of them, but there are more elements I don¡¯t even know what they are.¡±

    ¡°Don can tell you about them, I expect. So, should I start looking for a crystal dagger I can plant too close to your heart for comfort?¡± he asked, biting off the words.

    ¡°I¡¯d have to explain why I want to know about all those other elements.¡± Tibs ignored the edge to Jackal¡¯s words.

    ¡°Use the same reason you use to annoy everyone else. You¡¯re curious about something you don¡¯t know. I have no idea how you always get them to answer you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a kid. No one gets angry at kids for asking questions.¡±

    Jackal snorted.

    * * * * *

    Tibs looked over the report Darran had sent him regarding the equipment he¡¯d ordered with time frames and explanations for the delays, or how some that might arrive early. To avoid attracting attention, they¡¯d arrive with caravans spread over multiple bazaars.

    This meant that by the time the first shipment arrived, he¡¯d have Upsilon teams among the urchins, and possibly some at Rho, if they learned quickly. He¡¯d have to hope training would be enough to convince some team to join him or they might be beyond his ability to help by the time he had enough equipment.

    * * * * *

    The room was illuminated by a sole lamp when Tibs slipped through the window. The man seated at the table only a silhouette, while the stacks of books were plainly visible. Not that Tibs had any interest in them. Tibs stepped quietly, but Don still looked up from the papers he was writing on.

    ¡°How late is it?¡± he asked. One of the diagram from the dungeon was before him, with yet more pages with writing on them spread around the table. The letters on the open book were too small for Tibs to make them out.

    ¡°Very.¡± The noble¡¯s house had been challenging. A mix of good locks, subtle use of enchantments and attentive guards. He¡¯d made it to the office, and took a silver since he hadn¡¯t found copper by the time the guards had begun noticing something amiss.

    Don snapped the book shut. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I can get out of these. I¡¯m nowhere strong enough to justify asking my teacher how adding all this to an etching makes the resulting complexity useful.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t the books tell you that?¡±

    ¡°Those are what the merchants had on hand they would lend me, but they¡¯re only tangentially related to incorporating the Arcanus into etching. The dungeon¡¯s not powerful enough to draw those who¡¯ll benefit from those books. I contacted Anuja regarding more relevant books, but I can¡¯t know how long it¡¯ll take until she has a reply for me.¡±

    Tibs glanced at the diagram. ¡°That¡¯s Kha, it looks too big to be part of a filigree, that¡¯s Bor. That line of all Fet.¡±

    Don narrowed his eyes at him. ¡°You aren¡¯t even Lambda. How can you recognize any of the Arcanus?¡±

    ¡°They look like letters.¡±

    ¡°But the letters aren¡¯t called Kah, or Bor, or any of that. And what¡¯s a filigree?¡±

    Tibs shrugged and indicated the line of Kha, close together. ¡°When Alistair does etching and puts Arcanus into it, they remind me of the filigree that decorates fine goblets or necklaces. I don¡¯t know what it¡¯s actually called.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a string,¡± Don replied. ¡°Okay, I shouldn¡¯t be surprised you can sense essence work that fine, but that doesn¡¯t explain how you know the names. Did,¡± he hesitated, ¡°Carina teach you?¡±

    ¡°No, Alistair told me some of them.¡±

    ¡°He told you?¡±

    Tibs nodded.

    ¡°My teacher only just started preparing me to graduate to Zeta, and he barely talks about that level of etching, and yours just gave you their names?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the test?¡±

    ¡°What? Test?¡± Don stared at him, confused. ¡°It¡¯s about taking the essence I¡¯ve suffused throughout my body and pushing it into a specific channel. Once I can make that happen, I¡¯ll have graduated to Zeta.¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°Are you about to tell me you can already do that?¡±

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°How do you make it happen?¡± He sensed for Don¡¯s essence.

    As with everyone with an element, it was tinted with that element¡¯s color, and it flowed through him along paths Tibs thought of as channels, but were they the same as what Don meant?

    ¡°It¡¯s about exercising my mind on¡ªwait. Why am I answering you? What is your teacher doing telling you about the Arcanus when you¡¯re just Rho?¡±

    ¡°Answering my questions.¡±

    Don rolled his eyes.

    ¡°We had to do things differently from the start because of my age, so why should I stop now?¡±

    Don watched him. ¡°My teacher told me that I couldn¡¯t work with the Arcanus until my body was stronger. Are you telling me he lied?¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°He works for the guild. But,¡± he added. ¡°Alistair did warn me that there are reasons the guild teaches the way it does. Most of them are about ensuring we survive the process of learning.¡±

    ¡°But that Alistair still teaches them to you.¡± He tapped the diagram.

    ¡°We¡¯re rogues,¡± Tibs answered. ¡°Following rules isn¡¯t really what we do.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 29

    Tibs paused as soon as he was through the broken window and extended his sense until it covered the entire house.

    It was at the edge of the part of Kragle Rock the townsfolk had started referring to as the poor neighborhood, some called it Broken Place. Whatever others called it, Tibs knew the Street when he looked down on it. What he couldn¡¯t understand was how his town had acquired it.

    But that was something to be dealt with later.

    Like so many things he needed to handle.

    While not within the confines of the Street, the house was still neglected. It made for a good location for one of the guards to want to meet in secret, or for them to set a trap for him.

    He only sensed one person, two floors below, on the ground floor, along with three dogs lounging at her feet.

    He relaxed slightly and headed for the partially opened door. He thought he could trust Serba, but she was a Wells. Jackal had made a point of reminding Harry that Wells either led or followed. Tibs wasn¡¯t sure if being the head of her pack of dogs made her a leader. Or whose orders she followed if it didn¡¯t.

    He moved cautiously along the hall to the stairs, alert for anything odd within his sense, or sounds out of place. He knew enough about essence not to believe darkness was the only element that allowed someone to remain undetected. From what he¡¯d seen, every element could do its version of what any other elements did, if the user was strong and knowledgeable enough.

    The guild certainly was both.

    Halfway down the stairs to the ground floor, a dog growled and Serba stood. Next time she asked for a secret meeting, Tibs wasn¡¯t trusting to his skills to remain hidden. He had darkness, so he should use it.

    Serba had a hand on her sword when Tibs stepped into the lamp¡¯s light. It was well made; he sensed reflexively, better made than what the other guards carried. Keeping alert for blades destined for his back had made him notice the differences in the way the essence aligned in the metal that told of its quality. This was so well aligned that Tibs had to pay close attention to sense it wasn¡¯t the work of active essence, but something of how high its quality was.

    ¡°You just can¡¯t help sneaking around, can you?¡± she said, moving her hand off the pommel.

    ¡°I have to be careful when your commander considers me a troublemaker.¡±

    ¡°You saying you aren¡¯t?¡± she said with a snort, sitting. He joined her at the table, and Thump nuzzled his leg as soon as he sat.

    ¡°I¡¯m doing what I have to, so the town¡¯s safe.¡± He broke the jerky into smaller pieces and dropped them on the floor. A second dog, lean and golden furred, joined Thump, while she kept a hand on the third, the large black one he¡¯d seen her with recently. ¡°Why did you want to meet?¡±

    ¡°I thought you¡¯d want to know where your stuff¡¯s kept. The equipment that was confiscated a few weeks ago,¡± she added at his frown.

    Getting that back would be good. It would let him equip the new teams until his first batch arrived. ¡°Where are they?¡±

    ¡°The floor below the cells.¡±

    He frowned. ¡°I didn¡¯t know there was a floor under them.¡±

    ¡°Neither did I until I was part of the team that raided a supply of Rest Weed a few days ago. We had to bring that there directly instead of to the usual processing team. When you reach the bottom of the stairs leading to the cells, it¡¯s that door on the left before the guards.¡±

    ¡°There isn¡¯t a door on the left,¡± Tibs stated. ¡°Just a corridor on the right that leads to the room they keep the equipment they take off us for our stay.¡±

    ¡°No, there¡¯s a door there. The stairs are beyond it. At the bottom there¡¯s a clerk who wrote down everything we brought in. It¡¯s also who has the key that opens the door where everything is kept. I can¡¯t tell you where beyond that your stuff will be, but that¡¯s where everything confiscated ends up.¡±

    Tibs narrowed his sense to her, but she had nothing enchanted. He sensed the dogs, since she might not think he¡¯d considered she¡¯d hide it there. Nothing.

    ¡°Did they give any of you something before you headed there?¡±

    ¡°No, why?¡±

    ¡°Have you noticed how the dimensions inside the guild building always seem to change?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have reasons to go there often.¡± She considered something. ¡°But something did feel odd when I did.¡±

    ¡°Irdian said it¡¯s part of the building¡¯s security.¡±

    ¡°How did you get him to tell you that?¡±

    Tibs stared at her. ¡°I asked.¡±

    ¡°And he just told you?¡± she replied suspiciously.

    ¡°He wanted me to understand how hopeless any thought I might have to break in was. Probably so I didn¡¯t try to get my stuff back. Maybe those enchantments do more than make the dimensions different. Maybe they hide part of the building. There was no door on the left anytime they took me to the cells.¡±

    ¡°But there was one for me.¡± She was thoughtful. ¡°Can they really do that?¡±

    Tibs chuckled. ¡°The dungeon lets us bypass entire floors by walking through a doorway. Someone with light as their element can make shapes and colors out of it, so the guild hiding a door isn¡¯t something I even question.¡± Although he was curious about how they¡¯d hidden the difference in the weave.

    She nodded. ¡°Then it must have been Adjutant Roche who had whatever let us through. He met us at the guild¡¯s entrance and was with us the entire time.¡±

    ¡°Who is he?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s one of the commander¡¯s subordinate if he¡¯s in charge of something like that.¡±

    ¡°Can you get me more information on him? I¡¯ll need it to get whatever it is that lets him make that door visible.¡±

    She considered it, then stood. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can find out.¡±

    * * * * *

    Again.

    He sighed. He was tired of these attempts to kill him. Each one meant he had to waste time dealing with leading the would be assassin somewhere discrete, deal with the attempt and then dispose of the body. None of that took long anymore, but it was still time better spent working toward making his plans happen.

    He walked among the crowd, using the large amount of corruption on them to keep track of the assassin tailing him, until an alley he knew was rarely used, between the tannery and dyeing shop, came into view.

    He picked up speed as soon as he was in it, making it two building in before the assassin stepped into the alley. He turned and pulled darkness from his bracer to wrap around himself before stepping into the nook of a doorway.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    The woman who hurried by him could be a merchant¡¯s wife. She wore a dress that seemed utilitarian, in spite of the frill to the fabric. He sensed knives and poisons among its folds, and it could contain other things he didn¡¯t know could be used to kill.

    That string of metal that he¡¯d ignored would have killed him when that assassin wrapped it around his neck, if metal could hurt him anymore. A garrote, Darran had told him it was when Tibs had showed him the string with the wooden handles at each end.

    He stepped behind her and placed his hand on the back of her neck. He absorbed her life essence before she was done turning, reaching for a knife, and her lifeless body dropped at his feet. He considered searching her. She could be the one with a clue on how to end these attempts, but it would be more time he didn¡¯t have, so he softened the ground until she disappeared under it. He let her fall below the building¡¯s foundation to ensure she wouldn¡¯t be accidentally dug up, then hardened the ground until it was as it had been.

    Then he continued on his way.

    * * * * *

    Tibs watched the team step away from the check table after receiving the meager coppers the guild let them keep for walking out of the dungeon whole, if not uninjured. The one in the lead was their archer; lean and angry looking. The sorcerer was a petite girl who might barely be older than Tibs. The rogue was on par with the archer in age, but she looked happier. The two fighters looked the same, reminding him of Duhur and Duran, the twins Don had kept around in the early days.

    ¡°Hi,¡± he greeted, not moving from the shop he leaned against as they approached. The look the archer gave him was filled with mistrust. ¡°I¡¯m¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know who you are, Light Fingers,¡± he said harshly. ¡°None of them can shut about the heroes in this abyss of a place.¡± He motioned to the building and tents.

    Tibs nodded. ¡°I¡¯d like to make you an offer.¡±

    The archer snorted. ¡°No thanks. I¡¯ve got enough of dealing with the last offer someone from this place made me.¡±

    ¡°Greg,¡± the sorcerer said, sounding older than she looked. ¡°We should at least hear what he had to offer. It¡¯s not like we have to say yes.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re going to believe one word he says?¡± Greg snapped. ¡°I believed them, when they said that if I went with the guards, they¡¯d take me to a better place, where I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about what people thought of who my family had been. Where I¡¯d be free and the people there would see to it I had a roof over my head, food on my plate and skills to learn. Not one of them mentioned that thing.¡± He pointed to the dungeon¡¯s entrance.

    ¡°The guild lies,¡± Tibs agreed.

    ¡°And you work for them, don¡¯t you? Hero of Cracked Rock?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Kragle Rock.¡±

    The archer snorted.

    ¡°I don¡¯t work for them. I¡¯m a Runner like you. I protect the town because the guild won¡¯t. They¡¯re just claiming they do and using what we, Runners do, as their own.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re letting them?¡± the rogue asked.

    ¡°What can I do to stop them?¡± Tibs replied with a shrug.

    ¡°What are you offering?¡± one of the fighters asked.

    ¡°You seriously want to hear his lies?¡± the archer asked, and Tibs waited for them to come to an agreement.

    ¡°I¡¯m with Ashan,¡± the fighter said. ¡°We aren¡¯t risking anything by listening to him. Blue means water, right? It¡¯s not like that can do anything to make us think differently.¡±

    ¡°You think magic¡¯s needed to make you believe lies?¡± the archer asked. ¡°What did they tell you to get you to come here?¡±

    ¡°Nothing,¡± the other fighter said. ¡°They gathered us out of the camp the prisoners were kept in, and escorted us here. It wasn¡¯t until that guy told us all what this place is about that we found out.¡±

    ¡°And no,¡± the twin said as the archer opened his mouth, ¡°we aren¡¯t okay with it, but me and my brother plan on surviving. I figure that if one of them¡¯s willing to help, the least I have to do is listen.¡±

    The other nodded, and the archer threw his hand up. ¡°Fine.¡± He faced Tibs. ¡°What are you offering?¡±

    Tibs was impressed. His team had decided the opposite of what he wanted, and instead of storming away, he went with it. Now to see if he could convince them to accept his offer, because this was one team he had high hopes for.

    * * * * *

    Tibs pushed the wall, and revealed the corridor on the left, which opened to the room with the chest. He checked it for traps, then opened it and left the others to handle its content.

    The exit had closed, like the previous time. On the opposite side, two tiles further in, he put his hands on the wall, but paused. If he was wrong about that part of the pattern, this could lock his friends in.

    He pushed. He wasn¡¯t wrong. He listened, and as he expected, there were no echoes of another wall moving.

    ¡°That was dangerous,¡± Don said, standing in the opening to the chest room.

    ¡°No. I knew nothing would happen.¡± He walked to the end of the hall and pushed the wall facing him instead of taking the left turn. It didn¡¯t move.

    On the previous run, it had moved four tiles until it stopped, and the right wall had moved two, then revealed the switch with a dragon crest over it. It had opened the entrance again. The only difference between then and now was that wall he¡¯d pushed one tile in.

    And that they hadn¡¯t fought the golem people, but this would tell him if that fight was part of the pattern or not. Looking over his shoulder, his team was in the hall.

    ¡°Push that wall until it stops.¡±

    Jackal did so, and with the first grumbling, came an echo Tibs couldn¡¯t locate. It moved again, without one this time.

    ¡°It¡¯s not moving anymore,¡± Jackal called. ¡°You want me to push the one on the left, like last time?¡±

    ¡°That triggered another attack,¡± Mez pointed out as Tibs was about to say yes, since that was part of what he needed to test. Tibs had forgotten about that one.

    ¡°Let me get in place.¡± He could test the wall after the fight.

    Tibs stood in the opening and nodded to Jackal and focused on sensing through the miasma. He knew what to expect, what he needed was to be able to¡ªthere. He looked up and made out the shimmering on the ceiling as a team of golem people dropped through it, turning in his direction.

    With a curse, Tibs stepped back, the fighter and rogue landing closer than he¡¯d expected. Like the previous run, they both had earth as their element. Tibs jumped to the side as the rogue threw the manifested knife. He cursed again as he remembered Don. It meant he couldn¡¯t coat his sword with corruption as a way to get through the protection their element granted them.

    Tibs formed a shield and readied himself as the sorcerer stepped into the hallway his friends were in, only to fly out, Jackal trailing behind it. Fire hit the archer, staggering it back. Then Tibs had to focus on his fight, blocking the fighter¡¯s sword while slashing at the rogue.

    He jumped back, then ducked to let Khumdar swing his darkness covered staff over him, sending the rogue stumbling aside. Out of the corner of his eyes, lightning jumped from the sorcerer¡¯s hand as he blocked the fighter¡¯s attack with his shield, moving away from the cleric taking on the rogue.

    The fighter raised its arm for another attack, and Tibs took advantage of the opening. Stabbing forward and lengthening his sword until it pierced the golem¡¯s chest. Unlike with a real person, all this caused was for it to lose some of the life essence that powered it.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Don called as he pulled his sword out. ¡°Out of the way.¡±

    He threw himself at the rogue focused on Khumdar, and together, they dispatched it quickly. The fighter was already melting under the corruption and, with an angry cry, Jackal broke the sorcerer in two. His armor was scorched and smoking where the lightning hit it. The archer and other fighter were already broken and absorbed by the dungeon.

    ¡°Lightning,¡± Don said, indicating the crumbling sorcerer. ¡°Earth, earth, wood.¡± He pointed to where the archer must have been, by the quiver that remained. ¡°And metal. The same as the two fights on our last run. Is it a coincidence?¡±

    ¡°Can it be, if the dungeon makes everything in here?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°Only the loot in the chests is random,¡± Tibs added. ¡°Everything else happens because the dungeon wants it to.¡± He headed for the end of the hall and pushed the wall. ¡°Anytime something changes, it¡¯s because the dungeon is reacting to us getting too good.¡± Four tiles, and he pushed the wall on the right. ¡°We must not be there yet.¡± Twice and the switch was exposed. He pulled it and heard a wall move.

    ¡°The exit¡¯s open,¡± Mez called.

    ¡°I know.¡± Tibs returned to the corridor leading to the chest room and tried the wall on that left. This time, it didn¡¯t move, confirming his suspicion. ¡°If we open the exit, we are locking the room and can¡¯t continue.¡±

    ¡°It makes sense the dungeon is going to limit our options,¡± Don said.

    ¡°So we have to decide if we leave or continue this early in the room?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°Or do we have to proceed while making sure the lever remained accessible?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Don seemed to have trouble with how much Jackal had said, ¡°don¡¯t think so. It seems overly complicated.¡±

    ¡°We do not know if a passage we have opened can then be closed in opening a further one or if those can then be opened again,¡± Khumdar said.

    ¡°Because of that, I expect there are multiple switches,¡± Don said, ¡°and each one will be a chance for us to pick between leaving and continuing. We¡¯re going to have to test that with the next switch we find.¡±

    Tibs nodded.

    ¡°And since you pulled the switch,¡± Jackal said. ¡°It means this run¡¯s done. At least we got the loot from that chest and a fight out of it.¡±

    ¡°And there are going to be more on the way out,¡± Mez added.

    ¡°The wall couldn¡¯t move until after the chest room was open,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°That¡¯s what you were checking,¡± Don said, thoughtfully. ¡°That means we need to build a map of our progress and what the stages are where each wall can be moved.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m putting you in charge of that,¡± Jackal said, heading for the exit. ¡°Good job dealing with that fighter.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± the sorcerer replied uncertainly. ¡°It was simpler, since its attention was on Tibs initially.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we need to do that all the time,¡± Mez said. ¡°Have Tibs distract them so we can take them from the back.¡±

    ¡°That only works if I tell you an attack is coming,¡± Tibs replied, following Jackal.

    ¡°Keeping that information to yourself is an easy way to end up not having help dealing with it,¡± Don pointed out.

    ¡°Nah,¡± Mez replied. ¡°Jackal¡¯s always going to be there to rescue him.¡±

    ¡°I thought it was Tibs who kept rescuing him,¡± Don said.

    ¡°We give and take,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°It is how healthy relationships a built,¡± Khumdar pointed out.

    ¡°I already have a man!¡± Jackal called. ¡°And Tibs¡¯s basically my brother, so no trying to make him my special guy.¡±//

 Breaking Step, Chapter 30

    Tibs cracked an eye open at Don¡¯s angry grumbling. The sorcerer scratched out something on the paper. He¡¯d been hoping to rest before running the roofs, but Don¡¯s frustration over the diagrams made that difficult.

    ¡°Give it a rest,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll figure them out,¡± the sorcerer snapped.

    ¡°Not if you rip them up in anger.¡±

    Don glared at him.

    ¡°Why are you in such a hurry to understand them?¡±

    The chair scraped as Don turned it to face Tibs. ¡°These are power.¡± He waved the pages at Tibs. ¡°They¡¯re things the guild isn¡¯t going to teach me anytime soon.¡±

    ¡°Then you have time.¡±

    Don stared. ¡°This is knowledge, Tibs. The sooner I figure them out, to sooner I acquire it. That puts me ahead of where the guild wants me.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think any of them were about corruption,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°They aren¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Then how are they going to help you?¡±

    Don looked through the pages. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ complicated. Somewhere in them, I should be able to find something about how I can draw essence from the items around me.¡±

    ¡°Or from amulets with other elements in them?¡±

    ¡°Yes. There are ways, processes through which I¡¯ll be able to tell essences apart.¡±

    Tibs sat up. ¡°How?¡±

    Don chuckled bitterly. ¡°No one¡¯s told me that yet, and the little I¡¯ve read on it hasn¡¯t been helpful. But beyond helping me, these can help the team and the other runners.¡± He pulled a diagram. ¡°This one only uses water, so you could use it right now, if I could figure out how it worked.¡±

    Tibs took it. ¡°I thought only sorcerers could use spells.¡± He felt the essence through the paper as he looked at the diagram. The design was more complex than anything he¡¯d tried, with lines of multiple shapes and Arcanus between them, as well as around. The essence woven through wasn¡¯t water or one he could identify.

    ¡°Spell is just a word,¡± Don said. ¡°Ultimately, they¡¯re nothing more than complex etchings, possibly weaves, but little of what I read links those two. If it only needs one element, anyone who can wrap their mind around the diagram can use it.¡±

    Tibs handed it back. ¡°The essence in the page?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ part of the problem. One of the reason it¡¯s there is to make the paper more resilient, but another is that¡­there¡¯s information in it that a sorcerer can decipher, and that is needed to fully understand the diagram.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t made of water,¡± Tibs pointed out, ¡°so only sorcerers can use them.¡±

    ¡°Only a sorcerer can decipher one,¡± Don corrected, ¡°but¡ª¡± Tibs canted his head and the sorcerer sighed. ¡°Yes, in the end, they are made so only one of us can make use of them. You¡¯d have to learn how to identify other elements to make use of it without help.¡±

    ¡°Alistair says that each class thinks differently. That it¡¯s why I can¡¯t do what a water archer does, or what a water sorcerer can.¡±

    Don placed the papers back on the table. ¡°He¡¯s only partially right, I think. But he has a detail wrong. You don¡¯t think differently from me because I¡¯m a sorcerer and you¡¯re a rogue. You think differently because you are you, and I¡¯m me. Our upbringing plays a part, and yes, you¡¯re more likely to think like another rogue than one of the townsfolk. But that¡¯s because you have to do a lot of the same kind of things, which needs you to think in the same ways.¡±

    ¡°So, how would you help me learn to use one of the spells?¡±

    ¡°The same way you learn from your teacher. You apply yourself to thinking in a new way. We all do it. Some have an easier time of it than others, but by studying and applying ourselves, anyone can change how they think. That¡¯s the primary use of the diagram. Get you to put your mind in a new pattern.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s how I stop my essence from fraying at the edges?¡±

    Don frowned. ¡°Your etchings fray?¡±

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    ¡°No. When I shape my essence to do stuff, like coat the floor with water or¡­¡± he searched for an alternative to his attempt at Carina¡¯s whirlwind. ¡°Make a funnel. The edges aren¡¯t defined, the way Naila uses her water essence.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a sorcerer. We do need to be precise in what we do.¡±

    ¡°I have to be precise too; locks and traps need precision to open.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a different type of precision, or not as important to the overall way you learned to think. I can¡¯t tell you why you think the way you do. Mind isn¡¯t my element, and I doubt even one of them could. But how much fraying do your etchings have?¡±

    ¡°When I do it right, none.¡±

    Don smiled. ¡°So you can think in such a way the fraying goes away if you need it to.¡±

    Tibs leaned against the wall, considering it. Not everything he made with essence frayed to the same level. His air platform barely had any. Was it because he¡¯d started working on it when he didn¡¯t have a lot of essence? And had to focus harder to get it to support his weight?

    ¡°Then why can¡¯t I recreate what another Runner does?¡± Carina had simply pulled and pushed air essence around, manipulating it the way he did water.

    The sorcerer shrugged. ¡°How important is it to you that you succeed? How important to them? How much of how they think do you know and understand? If all you have is what you feel of how their essence moves, you¡¯re missing a lot of information. It¡¯s why etchings exist, and spells. They are a representation of the ways you need to think about the effect you want to happen.¡±

    ¡°But why do they feel different from when I manipulate water?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re pushing your will on it without thinking.¡± Don considered something. ¡°Okay. You¡¯ve made waves of water, right?¡±

    Tibs nodded.

    ¡°How would you turn that into a water jet?¡±

    Tibs formed a ball of water over his palm, shaped it into a rod and willed it across the room.

    ¡°How much effort did that take?¡± Don asked as Tibs pulled the essence back, drying the wall.

    ¡°Not a lot.¡±

    ¡°Now, make that something offensive, made to cause damage.¡±

    ¡°I can turn it into ice.¡±

    ¡°No, use water. See if you can get it to where it feels like it will cause the same level of damage as one of your etchings.¡±

    Tibs made another cylinder, then made it larger. He realized a problem. He needed to keep adding water for the jet to be strong enough to cause damage, and he couldn¡¯t think of a way to do it. No, he could, he just add to will more of it in. Then all he needed to do was project it toward the target and¡ª

    The essence slipped his mental control as he tried to hold the shape in place, add essence to it and prepare it to be launched. Don didn¡¯t react to water splashing on the floor, and Tibs absorbed the essence.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to have to work on that,¡± he said.

    ¡°And in time, you will be able to get the essence to do what you will it,¡± Don said. ¡°But why bother? There¡¯s an etching that lets do that easily, because it gets your mind to think the correct way to make it happen. Especially since you worked out how to etch without having to trace it with a point.¡±

    ¡°You noticed.¡±

    Don shrugged. ¡°Hard to miss a jet of water saving your life when the Runner making it is also busy holding off his attacker. Don¡¯t worry,¡± he added as Tibs continued to look at him. ¡°I don¡¯t think the others realized it. If I hadn¡¯t read about it being possible, I¡¯d have figured I was too distracted fighting to see you trace it.¡±

    ¡°When do you think the guild teaches that?¡±

    ¡°Who knows?¡± The sorcerer snorted. ¡°I won¡¯t be surprised if that¡¯s yet another thing they expect us to work out on our own. It¡¯s not like everyone has the same use for it. As a researcher, I doubt I¡¯ll need to etch without tracing.¡±

    * * * * *

    The two Runners approached warily, accompanied by Janbert. That made seven, and not even one complete team who¡¯d agreed to the training. Jackal and Mez had agreed to help, Don had too, but his instructor had requested his presence, which meant the one sorcerer wouldn¡¯t get to learn about his class. Hopefully, he¡¯d be open to learning to fight. Before the next session, Tibs had to find a sorcerer to take Don¡¯s place when he was busy.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you came,¡± he greeted them. ¡°Before we start, I want to make sure you understand what you¡¯re agreeing to. The price for the training is your help protecting the town once you are strong enough. That¡¯s going to mean patrols and taking on troublemakers.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what the guards are for?¡± a girl asked.

    ¡°They work for the guild,¡± Tibs said. ¡°I¡¯ve learned not to trust them to have the town¡¯s best interest in mind. The guild lies.¡±

    Three of the seven nodded.

    ¡°If you¡¯re okay with the price, we are going to train you so you can survive the dungeon. When I have equipment, you¡¯ll get that for your runs so you don¡¯t have to bother with what the guild hands out.¡±

    ¡°Do try to bring them back,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Those cost a lot of coins.¡±

    ¡°Surviving will ensure that happens,¡± Tibs stated. ¡°And that¡¯s what we¡¯re going to help you do.¡±

    The seven nodded, and they separated them. Khumdar stepping out of the shadows to take the sorcerer in hand.

    * * * * *

    ¡°That¡¯s Roche,¡± Serba said, indicating the man looking over fabrics at the merchant¡¯s booth. ¡°He¡¯s third under Commander Irdian, so he¡¯s careful. I tried to figure out that thing you said he¡¯d have, but I couldn¡¯t manage it.¡±

    Tibs handed the dog nuzzling his leg jerky while looking ahead. He had trouble making out details about the man through the busy bazaar crowd. The first day was always like this, as everyone in town wanted something before the merchants ran out. Brogan Roche¡¯s hair was curly and dark. He was out of uniform, his tunic in gray-green fabric with lighter trim while his pants were gray thick fabric, like the kind the workers wore.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know where he lives,¡± Serba said, ¡°and don¡¯t ask me to find out.¡±

    Tibs nodded and made his way closer.

    ¡°This is good fabric for clothes that will see hard work,¡± the merchant said, unrolling the end of a darker gray fabric for Brogan to rub between his fingers.

    Tibs narrowed his sense to get details of the man. There were hints of breaks in his essence, representation of not perfectly healed injuries, but he was healthy. And he had nothing with a weave on his person.

    He hadn¡¯t expected him to. This was to see who his target was so he could identify him when he worked.

    And with that done, Tibs was off to enjoy the bazaar, too. Hopefully, one of them would sell Sea Drops. If not, there was bound to be a candy merchant who would take the coppers he¡¯d accumulated since stepping into Market Place.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 31

    Tibs turned away from heading to the training room as he saw Brogan Roche step away from speaking with an adventurer. Tibs sensed what the man had on him, and only one item had essence woven through it. It was a disk, small enough to hold in the palm of his hand, but it had too many essences he couldn¡¯t identify to hazard a guess as to how it worked.

    Now that he had a sense of what the item felt like, he studied the clerks and adventurers they passed as he followed Brogan. Many of them had something of a similar shape with a weave, at least one in each group they passed, and only the clerks. The item felt similar to what Brogan had, but with enough differences in the essences he could identify, he wasn¡¯t sure if they served the same function. It might be easier to get one of those, but he couldn¡¯t know if it would let him see the door he was seeking.

    ¡°Are you lost?¡± a clerk asked and Tibs looked up to tell her no, only to realize he had no idea where he was in the building. The hall looked the same as every other one, but he somehow was certain he¡¯d never been in this corridor before.

    ¡°I seem to be.¡±

    Brogan was turning a corner, and Tibs didn¡¯t think he¡¯d learn more from sensing the item.

    ¡°Are you looking for Tirania¡¯s office?¡± the clerk asked.

    ¡°No, why would I be?¡± What could he work out from how he¡¯d seen Brogan behave?

    ¡°Then what are you doing this far in the building?¡± she asked, studying him. ¡°Runners don¡¯t have a reason to be here. And you¡¯d only have one if Tirania called for you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to figure out the dimensions of the building,¡± he replied.

    She chuckled. ¡°Casing the joint?¡±

    ¡°No, just curious.¡± Brogan had done nothing with the item as far as Tibs could tell. He might have activated it beforehand, but Tibs wouldn¡¯t know that unless he could sense it outside the building, where Brogan wouldn¡¯t have a reason to activate it.

    ¡°How about I escort you back to the entrance, then?¡± She motioned for him to walk, and Tibs did so.

    As they stepped into the main hall, Tibs suddenly knew where they were, as if the miasma that Ganny kept on the third floor, but affecting his mind, had been lifted. He even thought he could make it back to where the clerk had found him, but he knew that to be false. If he turned back on his own, within a few paces in the corridor, Tibs would be lost again.

    He headed for the training room and entered the one he¡¯d been summoned to.

    ¡°I was starting to wonder if you¡¯d forgotten,¡± Alistair said.

    ¡°I got lost trying to figure out the size of the building.¡± His teacher raised an eyebrow. ¡°Any time I go to Tirania¡¯s office, or when I¡¯m taken to the cells, it¡¯s never the same number of paces. I¡¯m trying to understand how it¡¯s done.¡±

    Alistair nodded. ¡°And what have you decided?¡±

    ¡°Magic.¡±

    His teacher chuckled. ¡°But what kind?¡±

    ¡°It could be mind,¡± Tibs replied without having to think about it, ¡°or void. The dungeon makes doorways that let us cross to lower floors, so they could be placed within the corridors and activated at random to change how long it takes to reach a place. Mind can change how I think about numbers while I¡¯m counting my steps. The other elements must have their ways of doing the same thing.¡±

    ¡°And you have to remember that strong enchantments combine elements; which increases what¡¯s possible to accomplish.¡± Alistair sat and¡ª

    ¡°What are the elements?¡± Tibs interrupted his teacher¡¯s instructions. ¡°There are two and nine, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve come across more than a dozen of them among the runners, as if that¡¯s all guild wants us to know about.¡±

    ¡°There are twenty-four elements. Twenty-nine is the number of letters for writing.¡±

    ¡°So what are they?¡±

    ¡°Why do you want to know?¡±

    Tibs shrugged as he sat. ¡°It came up in conversation a while ago, and I¡¯ve been busy, so I kept forgetting to ask the few times I¡¯ve had a chance. Since we¡¯re talking about weave and other elements doing the same things, the question occurred to me.¡±

    Alistair considered him. ¡°Telling you about all of them isn¡¯t going to be productive at this stage, since you aren¡¯t likely to encounter them all.¡±

    ¡°The dungeon uses more than just those I know about.¡±

    ¡°And knowing the names of those elements isn¡¯t going to add anything to your runs.¡±

    Tibs raised an eyebrow, but stayed silent. Knowing that metal protected against lightning would have been useful to know beforehand. But only if he¡¯d had the time to ask questions about that element. Which he rarely had these days. So Alistair could be right. Knowing all of them might not be useful right now.

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°I will say,¡± his teacher added, ¡°that teachers will come with their preference over which element we believe are best for those we instruct.¡±

    ¡°But you were assigned to me after I picked water.¡±

    ¡°Out of those elements Tirania suggested. I believe you said she told you those other than the core elements weren¡¯t as useful, when you recounted how you came to choose it. She is biased toward the core elements for reasons of her own. Other instructors will recommend those they prefer, so you always end up with a limited representation in young dungeon since most of the Runners there are trained by the guild. The more outside Runners come to a growing dungeon, the wider the visibility of the other elements become.¡±

    ¡°Which ones do you suggest?¡±

    Alistair smiled. ¡°I do not take part in telling graduating Omegas about the elements that are open to them, therefore I don¡¯t have to consider which ones are best. Now,¡± he added as Tibs started to push for his opinion. ¡°I¡¯ve indulged your curiosity. So you can show me what you¡¯ve practiced using Fel. Make something small.¡±

    Tibs formed an ice dagger; something simple and unornamented. He etched a line of water, adding Fel as he stretched the line and water formed around it. When he stopped etching, the result fell to the floor, and instead of splashing, it oozed flat.

    ¡°Good. Now, how would you use this?¡±

    Tibs studied the unmoving puddle. He willed it into a ball and it resisted it. It wasn¡¯t that it refused to obey him, but the combination of Arcanus made even the essence thick and slow to react. He pressed his finger in, and when he pulled it, the water stuck to it like thick sugar syrup.

    ¡°On the floor, it would slow anyone stepping in it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, how else?¡±

    Tibs willed it into his hand, spread it, gathered it again. He turned his hand upside down and watched it stretch until a blob of it dangled from a thinning strand. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Thick water splashed over his chest, spreading over his arm and clinging there. It wouldn¡¯t move as he tried to pull his arm away, trapped under the ooze.

    ¡°It¡¯s good for subduing an opponent.¡±

    Tibs watched the water spread down his arm. ¡°Isn¡¯t this just slowing them down?¡±

    Alistair chuckled. ¡°I suppose it is.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t going to be useful in the dungeon. Sharp and spiky end fights faster there.¡± And everywhere. If he was a guard and he had to take prisoners, he could see the use of this etching, but when he was in a fight, his goal was to end it in such a way his opponent didn¡¯t come back later to bother him. Sebastian had taught him what happened if he let one get away.

    ¡°You¡¯re limiting your thinking, Tibs. You have to think beyond the dungeon; you will be out in the world soon enough.¡±

    Sooner than Alistair thought, Tibs hoped. Once the guild was gone, he¡¯d be able to see the world if he wanted to. Kragle Rock would be his focus for a while, making sure no one else tried to control it.

    Tibs caught the ball of water Alistair threw at him, only then noticing the water trapping his arm was gone. The water in his hand didn¡¯t shift. It was hard and clear; other than not being cold, this could be ice. It reminded him of the ice chairs Alistair had made for them in his early days. The etching wasn¡¯t as tight as he expected, and a filigree of Fey was between the lines of essence.

    ¡°Ice is easier,¡± Tibs commented.

    ¡°And if the purpose was to have a ball to throw, it¡¯s what I would have made. This is about training adding the Arcanus to your etching to alter what it will do and moving beyond using only two of them. I¡¯ll remind you that you are the one who insisted you were ready to move on to this stage, so you should take it seriously.¡±

    Tibs nodded. ¡°Is that how you made the mist which kept people outside from listening to us?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Tibs turned the ball in his hand, studying the placement of Fey within the filigree. The spacing was important. Just by altering that, the behavior of the etching could be changed. ¡°How does Fey make the water hard, it represent darkness, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°What the Arcanus represent isn¡¯t an indication of its effect within an etching. After all, you aren¡¯t manipulating darkness when you trace it. The Arcanus remains water.¡±

    ¡°Then why say Fey represents darkness? Why not leave it at Fey makes the etching hard.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you why the Arcanus are linked to the elements. Both have been around for as long as they have been studied, I expect. But to say Fey makes an etching hard is limiting what you can do with it. Even on its own, how Fey is arranged will change the result. It¡¯s one of the few Arcanus where the effect of only one is easy to make noticeable.¡±

    Tibs formed a ball in his other hand, then added Fey in the same configuration Alistair had. ¡°If I add more Fey, will it make it harder?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not quite that simple.¡±

    Tibs looked at his teacher over the balls. ¡°It never is.¡±

    Alistair chuckled, then launched into an explanation.

    * * * * *

    Tibs followed Brogan Roche as best as he could throughout the following days. The man¡¯s position within the guards kept him mainly within the guild. When he stepped out, it was to relay Irdian¡¯s orders, step in when someone higher than a guard was needed to settle a dispute, and the people didn¡¯t warrant Irdian getting involved, or lead guards on important missions.

    Tibs learned the man¡¯s duties through the discreet use of his coins, since Brogan hadn¡¯t had to do any of those things. When the man had stepped out of the guild building with Tibs watching, it was to go eat at the Drunk Worm. He went there each day, and Tibs was able to narrow where he kept the item. It was in the pouch at his belt. The pouch with an intricate knot keeping anyone from easily picking it.

    As confident as Tibs was in his ability to pick a pocket, or a coin pouch, Brogan was an adjutant within the guards. The man would be attentive. He might manage to get the pouch off, but it wouldn¡¯t be long before Brogan noticed it was missing.

    What were the procedures if he lost this item? It was magic, so even if it didn¡¯t need to be activated, there would be a process to render it useless once it was known it had been stolen.

    Tibs would have to take it and make use of it immediately, or take it in such a way Brogan couldn¡¯t notice, use it, and return it. But that meant he¡¯d need to arrange it each time until he worked out how it worked and could arrange to retrieve his stuff.

    Although he had an option most thieves didn¡¯t, even those who had access to the best forgers. He had access to a dungeon.

    Another problem his shadowing of the adjutant revealed was that the man didn¡¯t have the item when he arrived at the guild, or when he returned home. He was escorted by one of the guards, who had an item like the clerks, deeper into the building, and the next time Brogan was in the main hall, he had his item. At the end of his day, a guard escorted him to the main hall, and the man left.

    He would have to arrange for Brogan to leave the guild while officially working, then ensure he was sufficiently distracted Tibs would be able to get the item, get it copied, and return it before he could notice it had been missing.

    It was a good thing Tibs had a lot of excellent rogues he could make use of for this.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 32

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t there a time shield in this room?¡± Jackal asked, as he gathered the loot the dissolving bodies had left behind. ¡°It¡¯d be nice to know how long we have left until we need to leave.¡±

    Tibs exited the corridor into the hallway and tested the walls there.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think the dungeon can do that here,¡± Don said. ¡°With how the walls move against each other, they¡¯d either be destroyed, or tell us which walls won¡¯t move no matter what we do.¡±

    They were silent as Tibs went over every section of the walls he hadn¡¯t tested before, leaving him with only one in the main hall. The one that led to the switch to exit.

    ¡°You have to stop taking risks with the others,¡± Don said.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a risk,¡± Tibs replied.

    ¡°What if one of them had moved and closed the corridor we were in?¡±

    ¡°The first push of any walls doesn¡¯t trigger anything,¡± Tibs said. ¡°The dungeon doesn¡¯t want me to see what¡¯ll happen, so he¡¯s forcing me to step in for the second push.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t know it¡¯s always doing to be like that. It makes changes, remember?¡±

    Tibs shrugged as he pushed the wall, and there were no distant groans of stone against stone. He looked at Don. ¡°It hasn¡¯t happened.¡±

    ¡°Yet,¡± the sorcerer stated. ¡°We haven¡¯t gone far enough in this puzzle to be sure of anything we¡¯ve seen. You need to be more careful with the team.¡±

    Tibs shrugged.

    ¡°Of you friends,¡± Don added, and Tibs stared at him. How was that different?

    ¡°The armor looks to be ordinary,¡± Jackal said, joining them. ¡°The sword¡¯s edge shimmered, so it¡¯s probably enchanted. We have coins, and these.¡± He handed Don and Tibs two bottles of the yellow liquid that replenished essence.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± Tibs said as Don stored his in the hard pouch where he kept all the bottles and vials they came across.

    ¡°This is for later,¡± Jackal said. ¡°You know, when we have to use everything we have, and more, to defeat the boss creature?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to run out.¡± Why was Jackal bothering him with that? He knew his reserve was so vast he never needed to drink those.

    ¡°Keep the rest for Don,¡± Mez said. ¡°He can make use of them when he¡¯s training. Draining himself is what¡¯s limiting how much time he puts into that.¡±

    ¡°Mez, I don¡¯t share my problems so you can tell everyone.¡±

    Tibs pushed the wall again.

    ¡°I¡¯m not everyone,¡± Jackal stated. ¡°I¡¯m the team leader.¡±

    ¡°And the stronger you get,¡± Mez added, ¡°the better it is for the team.¡±

    Tibs reached the switch, and tested the other two walls.

    ¡°Keep one,¡± Don said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to learn to depend on them when I¡¯m running out. Part of what I¡¯m training is figuring out how to be more efficient with what I have. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve noticed, but a lot of what we are taught can be accomplished by throwing a lot of essence at it, instead of being precise.¡±

    The one opposite the switch moved, and didn¡¯t have an accompanying groaning.

    ¡°Tibs has mentioned that fact at one point,¡± Khumdar replied.

    ¡°It¡¯s why some of the adventurers forget how difficult what we learn is,¡± Tibs said. ¡°They get used to throwing ever more essence at what they do.¡± He stepped to the wall, and the others hurried to join him. It moved, and another one did so elsewhere in the room.

    ¡°It is often how things go,¡± the cleric said. ¡°The overuse of one thing will often lead to the results that can be achieved by following the correct way.¡±

    ¡°Nothing visible moved,¡± Mez said, returning.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t care what gets broken in the process,¡± Jackal added, as Tibs pushed again. No corresponding groaning, but there was one with the next push.

    ¡°A lot like if you over saturate yourself with essence,¡± Don said. ¡°It could have unintended consequences.¡±

    The wall didn¡¯t go further, and it was the left one that moved. Four times and it revealed an opening on the right. Every other push came with a distant groaning.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Jackal exclaimed at the chest in the middle of the large room, then he walked in to the wall of hard water Tibs blocked the entrance with. Fey was simple to form into a filigree and slip into the etching. ¡°Ow,¡± Jackal stated, looked at Tibs, and then rubbed his nose as if it had hurt.

    ¡°You go in after I¡¯ve checked it for traps.¡±

    Don tapped the water, then peered through it. ¡°How advanced is your training?¡±

    Tibs shrugged. He pulled the filigree out and Don jumped as the water fell to the floor.

    ¡°You did that on purpose,¡± he snapped, looking his robe over for wet spots.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Tibs pulled the drops out of the robe and joined them to the water on the floor as he spread it. ¡°I¡¯m using it to check the floor for traps.¡± He added more water. The room was four  tiles on each side of the entrance and nine deep. ¡°And there are.¡± He felt for where the triggers were. Distance wasn¡¯t always easy to determine through water. Something about how it flows made it imprecise as a measuring tool.

    ¡°You could have warned me,¡± Don said.

    ¡°Afraid of water?¡± Jackal asked.

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want my robe getting wet. This fabric isn¡¯t one what does well with water.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s fine with getting ripped and bloody?¡± the fighter asked.

    Don sighed. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s not rational. But this was expensive. I¡¯d like to try and not have it needlessly damaged.¡±

    ¡°Jackal,¡± Mez said. ¡°Maybe now we could?¡±

    ¡°Tibs, what do you think?¡±

    He shrugged. Whatever they were talking about wasn¡¯t as important as working out if turning the water to ice within the trigger would prevent it from activating, or the opposite.

    ¡°I guess it can wait,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Something else you aren¡¯t telling me?¡± Don asked sharply.

    ¡°Just as there is much you are not telling us, is there not?¡± Khumdar countered.

    ¡°Oh, like you¡¯re so forthcoming with information,¡± the sorcerer replied.

    ¡°We all have secrets,¡± Jackal said with finality. ¡°Believe it or not, we are used to that.¡±

    Tibs smiled. Ganny was clever, but not clever enough. All he needed to do was ice part of the trigger to jam it. ¡°The room¡¯s safe.¡± He absorbed the water. ¡°I¡¯m going to check the chest.¡±

    Halfway to it, the essence above him shifted.

    ¡°Trap!¡± He yelled, forming a sword and shield. He¡¯d worry about what he¡¯d missed after.

    ¡°Someone¡¯s getting overconfident,¡± Ganny cackled as Gnolls dropped through the doorway in the ceiling.

    The ice cracked at her tone and he turned his anger at the closest creature, snarling as he slashed it before it touched the ground. More cracks and he slammed his shield in another Gnoll, the spikes on it bursting through and causing it to stagger away.

    These were tougher than usual.

    More fell around him.

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Ganny mocked. ¡°Where¡¯s the usual Tibs? All cool and collected as he dispatches everything me and Sto send at him?¡±

    He yelled as he cut a Gnoll, and cracks spread. He killed another. And understanding of what she was doing only caused more cracks in the ice.

    ¡°Is this all it¡¯s going to take to bring down the mighty Tibs Light Fingers? Hero of the Dungeon? I really thought you had more essence in you. How about you actually do something, Tibs?¡±

    He elongated the blade, and it cracked as he also tried to fill in the cracks. He cursed. He couldn¡¯t afford to split this attention. He hardened his sword, swept an arc to give himself space to breathe, to think, but more Gnoll dropped to replace those that fell.

    She couldn¡¯t be seriously looking to kill him, could she? They were friends.

    He added metal to his armor.

    Well, he and Sto were friends. She¡¯d never liked what Sto did because of their friendship.

    A club to his shoulder dropped him to a knee and he stretch his shield over his head to blocks the following blows. His essence was intact, so the armor had taken the hit.

    He needed to do something, but from this position, his swings did little more than graze the Gnolls surrounding him.

    Staying on the defensive wasn¡¯t going to work. He envisioned an etching, but the strain of the hits broke his focus. He cursed. He needed something easy to fight back with. Something raw.

    Something to teach Ganny she shouldn¡¯t have messed with him like this.

    He reached for fire.

    The angry roar accompanied the crash through the Gnolls, then someone was beside him, filled with earth, and pushing the attacks away.

    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± Jackal snarled. ¡°What the fuck are you up to?¡± He yelled as he sent Gnolls flying.

    Finally able to breathe, Tibs realized what he¡¯d been about to do. He filled the cracks, iced them even harder and stood. He flung water with Fel throughout it and where it hit the Gnolls; it slowed them, kept them from pulling their limbs up to swing.

    The heat of fire spread as arrows cut down the creatures on the outside. He caught glimpse of someone dark slipping between the Gnolls as if there was more space there than Tibs saw, striking them with his staff, and more screamed as they melted under a purple goo.

    He threw the ice knife at the Gnoll readying itself to strike Khumdar in the back. The pommel hit it, but it was enough of a distraction the cleric became aware and dispatched it.

    The save cost him a serrated bone sword in the side and Tibs locked eyes with that Gnoll as he filled it with water, iced that, and shattered it.

    Then he proceeded on helping his team exterminate all of them.

    * * * * *

    ¡°What was that?¡± Jackal yelled at the ceiling once it was only the five of them alive, if not all standing.

    Khumdar was on his back, catching his breath. Mez and Don were seated against the wall, an empty healing potion next to each.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Tibs said. ¡°I know what she was trying to do. She failed.¡±

    ¡°That makes one of us,¡± Don said. ¡°That was nothing like the previous fights. Is it going back to eating everyone?¡± He sounded scared.

    ¡°No,¡± Tibs stated.

    ¡°Are¡­are there going to be more attacks like that?¡± Don asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Tibs said when Ganny remained silent.

    ¡°Maybe we should call this run done,¡± Mez said. ¡°The dungeon is clearly in¡ª¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Tibs headed for the chest. ¡°I am not letting her get away with this.¡± He coated it with water, pushing it into every gap. He added filigrees of Fey and pulled in all directions.

    The chest resisted.

    ¡°Tibs, stop!¡± Sto yelled, as the chest broke apart and¡ª

    * * * * *

    Tibs groaned.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re alive.¡± Sto said calmly.

    ¡°What happened?¡± He mumbled. He filled the crack in his ice as he pushed to his side, then sitting. Now wasn¡¯t the time to lose control.

    ¡°I think,¡± Don said, ¡°that you might have broken the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°It takes more than that to break me,¡± Sto replied. ¡°But it did hurt.¡±

    He forced an eye open, then the other snapped as he stared at the hole in the wall on the opposite side of the room. It was six of the tiles wide. A bowl that reached three, maybe four of them deep. Part of the floor and the ceiling were gone too.

    ¡°How?¡± He asked.

    ¡°You broke the chest open,¡± Sto replied, ¡°and shattered the weave that formed it.¡±

    ¡°I think,¡± Don said, sounding uncertain, ¡°that you gave us a demonstration of what happens when void essence is exposed to the rest of the world without control.¡±

    Tibs stared at the sorcerer. ¡°That doesn¡¯t happen when the Attendants use void essence.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s controlled use. Void isn¡¯t an essence that¡¯s found¡­¡± He motioned around them. ¡°I don¡¯t know why. I¡¯ve yet to come across a book that touches on that. I did read one containing the summary of an experiment where the sorcerers were going to create a point of void, then simply let go of it.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± Jackal asked when the sorcerer didn¡¯t continue.

    Don shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. The only thing added to the summary is a list of material and their price. Looking at that, I guess it¡¯s what was needed to rebuild that section of the academy. I doubt anyone close enough to witness what happened survived.¡±

    ¡°Then how are we still alive?¡± Mez asked. ¡°That thing just threw us across the room hard enough to knock me out.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Don said, sounding at a loss. ¡°The experiment dealt exclusively with void, while the chest would be a weave of it and other elements. There was no description of what the destruction looked like, so maybe those sorcerers were also thrown away, but since they were in a building instead of a dungeon, the other floors crashing down on them is what killed them. I¡¯m just glad we had potions, because I¡¯m not sure any of us would have gotten up from that anytime soon without healing.¡±

    ¡°You knew this would happen,¡± Tibs stated, standing.

    ¡°How?¡± Don protested. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know it was possible to break one of those.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been experimenting with essence, Tibs,¡± Sto said. ¡°But I¡¯m with Don. I didn¡¯t think you could break one of them open.¡±

    ¡°And you want me to let go of ice?¡± he accused.

    ¡°Sorry?¡± Don looked at the others. ¡°Am I missing something?¡±

    ¡°So much,¡± Jackal replied.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t let go willingly,¡± Sto said, ¡°and somewhere able to take the resulting damage, Tibs. What¡¯s going to happen when you¡¯re pushed too far and you break?¡±

    ¡°I believe this demonstration gave us much to think about,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°As to the¡­ consequences of what you are doing.¡±

    Jackal sighed, looking the room over. ¡°That¡¯s going to be it for the run. Hopefully, the switch still works, otherwise we¡¯re going to find out what the dungeon¡¯s like overnight.¡± He looked around again. ¡°And I hope that¡¯s repaired when the next team¡¯s on this floor tomorrow, because I don¡¯t want the guild to come asking what we did when they report about broken rooms.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not going to be a problem,¡± Sto said with a chuckle. ¡°This is easy to repair.¡±

    Tibs studied the damage that one chest had caused. How difficult would it be to sneak one of them into the guild and cause it to break with Marger standing next to it?

    He turned to exit, and Jackal was studying him intently.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 33

    Tibs watched, stunned, as the rogue slipped past the guard unnoticed, pocketing another copper from the woman speaking with her. He¡¯d picked this rogue because he wasn¡¯t particularly good, and his team wasn¡¯t due for a run until the next schedule, so they wouldn¡¯t be impacted by him spending a few days in a cell for theft, and had passed the test along through multiple intermediary so the rogue¡¯s actions couldn¡¯t be linked to him directly.

    Only it was looking like that wouldn¡¯t happen unless Tibs intervened, and he hadn¡¯t planned for that. He couldn¡¯t draw attention to the rogue¡¯s actions, since that would make him stand out, and using essence within Market Place ran the chance of someone sensing it and tracing it back to him.

    Maybe the good guards only patrolled Market Place during the bazaar. Still, he knew a few good ones were here every so often.

    * * * * *

    This rogue found herself surrounded by Serba¡¯s dogs within a few paces of picking the pocket. Then Serba was there, holding him and dragging him out of Market Place. Tibs followed, waiting for Brogan to show up, but Serba reached a guard station without the adjutant making an appearance.

    So, pick pocketing was below the man¡¯s notice.

    Tibs could resolve that.

    * * * * *

    The commotion disrupted Market Place far more than Tibs expected.

    He¡¯d had to pick a better rogue for this, so she was Rho, and her training had involved stealing from one of the merchants at the edge of Market Place. Tibs had also ensured the guards were tipped off something would happen, to be certain she was caught, but she¡¯s slipped through their attempts at apprehending her, and she was now giving them a chase through the alleys leading away. It was looking like she¡¯d get away too, and Tibs couldn¡¯t have that.

    A small patch of ice, and her foot slipped out from under her. She was quick to get back up, but it had been enough the guards were on her before she could run again.

    Tibs kept following from the roofs, wrapped in darkness to ensure he was unnoticed, waiting for Brogan to arrive and take charge.

    Only, they reached the guardhouse without the adjutant showing up.

    Maybe it was theft all around that Brogan didn¡¯t bother with.

    Arranging something more disruptive would take work. He wouldn¡¯t be able to use one of his Runners, but Tibs was confident he¡¯d be able to figure something out.

    * * * * *

    It was chaos around the burning house.

    The arsonist Tibs had paid hadn¡¯t asked questions. He¡¯d passed himself off as a servant of a lower noble in preparation for the man¡¯s inquiries. The noble had used this method before to force families, who hadn¡¯t been interested in selling their homes in service of the new wall the nobles wanted, to leave Kragle Rock. But the man hadn¡¯t asked about the reasons, or the person behind the request. All he¡¯d wanted to know was if Tibs had the money.

    Tibs had given him that, along with when the fire was to be set, since it had to happen when Brogan was on duty and when the family was out of the house, working at their tavern.

    The arsonist was caught quickly, his escape impeded by the quick response of both the guards who, again, had been warned something would happen, and the townsfolk who rushed to contain the fire through a bucket chain. Tibs was proud of how quickly people acted to help.

    As he followed the guards taking the arsonist away, he sensed Runners rushing to the fire, a few of them with water as their element.

    This time, Brogan met them before they reached a guardhouse, and Tibs dropped down to pick the man¡¯s pocket. But a crowd formed, slowing him, even as he suffused himself with water to slip through it.

    When he reached the front of the crowd, the guards had formed a line between them and Brogan, who was questioning the arsonist. He slipped back out, since he couldn¡¯t get through the guards. Once they were on the move, Tibs would have a chance to act.

    Except that the crowd moved with them, demanding the arsonist be handed over for them to punish directly. It didn¡¯t thin until the guild building came into view, and Tibs had to leave with them.

    He needed to rethink his approach.

    * * * * *

    Tibs found her on the fighter¡¯s training field; watching the Omega and Upsilon fighters train. None of the experience fighters took her on anymore, and one look at her metal covered armor, and the younger ones knew they were outmatched.

    Sensing it, there was more metal in Cross¡¯s armor than he expected. Not only were there the visible metal bars attached to the outside, but there was a thick sheet of it under the leather surface.

    ¡°Light Fingers!¡± she greeted him. ¡°What brings you here?¡± She pulled an item from her pouch. ¡°Got a puzzle you¡¯ll like.¡± It was a cylinder with maze like groves over it and a metal ring at one end. ¡°You need to get the ring off, but it only moves¡ª¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have the time.¡±

    She studied him, then put the puzzle away with a shrug. ¡°Then what can I do for you?¡±

    ¡°I have a proposition for you.¡±

    She looked him up and down. ¡°Cute. I think you should find a girl closer to your age.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t for me.¡±

    She raised an eyebrow. ¡°Someone asked you to proposition me on their behalf?¡± She smirked. ¡°Go tell them I¡¯m not interested in someone who can¡¯t work up the courage of asking me himself.¡±

    Tibs frowned. This was starting to feel like he was talking with Jackal, when his friend purposely took the wrong meanings of what Tibs said.

    ¡°I want to pay you to seduce someone.¡± There shouldn¡¯t be a way to misinterpret that, accidentally or on purpose.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°I don¡¯t do the seducing thing,¡± she replied. ¡°And definitely not for money. I fight them, and if they impress me, then I¡¯ll fu¡ª¡±

    ¡°But you sell your services, right?¡±

    ¡°I sell my services as a guard.¡± She studied him. ¡°But because it¡¯s you, I¡¯m curious. How much do you think it¡¯ll take to get me to bed someone for you?¡±

    With a quick sleight of hand, he flashed her the gold coin and made it vanish again.

    She hurriedly looked around. ¡°Where did you¡ªnever mind. I probably don¡¯t want to know. Why?¡±

    ¡°Does it matter?¡± Tibs asked, mildly surprised.

    She studied him again, much longer. ¡°I suppose not. To be clear, I¡¯m not saying I will do it. But I will look at him. Although, with how much you¡¯re offering, I¡¯m worried about who you want me to seduce.¡±

    * * * * *

    ¡°Him.¡± Tibs pointed to Brogan as he left the guild for the day.

    She glanced at Tibs, then Brogan again. ¡°Okay, who is he? Because he¡¯s good looking, so I can¡¯t figure out why you need me to seduce him.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s an adjutant to the guards,¡± Tibs answered. ¡°And I know I can trust you to stick to the agreement.¡±

    ¡°If this is about getting in into a compromising position so you can exhort something, I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re paying me enough. Those always turn ugly.¡±

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°I just need him distracted for a few hours.¡±

    ¡°Hours?¡± She smirked. ¡°Do you know how this works, Tibs?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°You have fun for that time.¡±

    She snorted. ¡°A man can¡¯t last for hours. Not without using herbs and stuff.¡±

    ¡°Jackal and Kroseph do.¡±

    ¡°Those two have a lot more to enjoy about each other than what I¡¯m going to have with that guy. At least tell me he doesn¡¯t have a special someone.¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t.¡± Tibs had followed the adjutant through his days long enough to confirm that, and other details. ¡°He likes women. He doesn¡¯t seem to care for their looks too much. He¡¯s been with some who are skinny, some thick, tall and short. Each time, they sound like they¡¯re having fun.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve watched him have his fun?¡±

    ¡°I have enough of Jackal and Kroseph telling me of the fun they have. I¡¯m not interested in watching it. I listened from the next room to be sure it was happening.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± She watched Brogan walking with the crowd. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want to go through all this, only to realize all he¡¯s doing is reading to the ladies.¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    She glanced at him. ¡°Okay. Have that gold ready, because I¡¯m going to be back in a few hours to collect¡ª¡±

    Tibs caught her arm. ¡°Not now. Tomorrow. He has his midday meal at the Worm. Have him with you when you ask for a room from the barmaid. You have to get him out of his clothes.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve thought about it all, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°As much as I can plan for.¡± He¡¯d struck up a friendship with the barmaid that worked over midday as part of getting access to the room next to where Brogan took his ladies for their fun. And she¡¯d been amicable to let him have a double of the key in exchange for a few coins when the time came.

    ¡°If the guy doesn¡¯t pay for the room, you are,¡± Cross said.

    * * * * *

    Tibs watched Cross accost Brogan, acting surprised, then pleased as they exchanged words. The adjutant offered her a seat at his table, and quickly, Cross moved to the one next to his; where they spoke and laughed in low voices. When she whispered something in his ear, he smiles and stood. They headed for the bar, where the barmaid greeted them jovially. A few words, and she handed Brogan a key, and the two headed up the stairs.

    The key was on the bar as Tibs reached it, and he palmed it. He¡¯d already paid for the room next to theirs so he could wait.

    He didn¡¯t have to wait long until the soft conversation turned into grunts and moans.

    Tibs stepped into the deserted corridor and unlocked the door. He cracked it open, and the sounds of passion increased in volume. A peek showed him Cross¡¯s exposed chest as she gyrated on Brogan¡¯s hips. She noticed him as he looked away and bent down to kiss the man.

    Tibs stayed low and hurried to the pile of clothing. He took the enchanted item, a medallion, and exited, closing and locking the door silently.

    * * * * *

    Tibs walked along the mountain, away from the buildings and other Runners. He didn¡¯t know how far in this direction Sto¡¯s influence stretched, but he needed to be far enough to ensure no one saw what would happen.

    ¡°Sto,¡± He said when he thought he was far enough.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Sto replied happily. ¡°I¡¯m glad you came by. I need to¡ª¡±

    ¡°I need you to make me a copy of this.¡± He pulled the medallion from his hidden pocket.

    ¡°You need me to make you a copy,¡± Sto repeated slowly.

    ¡°You can do this, right? It can¡¯t be more complicated than the armor you made me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the problem.¡± Sto said. ¡°Do you see how you¡¯re acting? This isn¡¯t the Tibs I know.¡±

    ¡°Sto, I don¡¯t have a lot of time. I need to put this back before Cross is done with him.¡±

    ¡°Tibs, friends don¡¯t just¡ª¡±

    ¡°Can you do it?¡± Tibs demanded.

    ¡°No, he can¡¯t,¡± Ganny replied.

    ¡°Not now, Ganny,¡± Sto said.

    ¡°Come on. Are you really going to let him treat you like that?¡±

    ¡°Ganny, it¡¯s my decision.¡±

    ¡°You know you¡¯re not supposed to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Really, Ganny? Aren¡¯t we past what I¡¯m supposed or not to do? I think that after what we¡¯ve pulled, if those Them of yours were real, they¡¯d have shown up by now.¡±

    Ganny¡¯s grumbling became fainter, and Tibs imagined her sulking away.

    ¡°I will do it, Tibs,¡± Sto said, ¡°because friend help each other.¡±

    ¡°Good, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°But in return, I¡¯d appreciate it if you let the ice go during your next run.¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Tibs, it isn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not putting you or anyone else at risk,¡± Tibs snapped. He figured sounding angry would help make his point. ¡°If that means you aren¡¯t going to help me. Fine, tell me that, because I still need to return this before he notices it¡¯s gone.¡± And then, we are going to have a talk about what friends do for each other.

    ¡°Put it down and step away. I said I¡¯d help you. A dozen paces will be enough.¡± Sto sounded tired. ¡°I wish you realized what you¡¯re doing to yourself. This isn¡¯t you.¡±

    ¡°This is who I have to be to make those who hurt my town pay.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not doing it for the town, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°I am!¡± He filled the cracks.

    ¡°At least be honest about why you¡¯re doing it,¡± Sto said in a flat tone.

    ¡°I¡¯m doing it to protect everyone. Once the guild¡¯s gone, anyone who might think of hurting us is going to know they¡¯re going to fail. That I¡¯m too strong for them. That¡¯s why I¡¯m doing it,¡± Tibs stated.

    Sto sighed. ¡°It¡¯s done. They¡¯re both where you left it.¡±

    Tibs picked them up and sensed for any difference. ¡°What do they do?¡±

    ¡°No idea. I¡¯ve never seen this kind of weave before. I¡¯m going to have to play with it to work out what I can use it for.¡±

    ¡°I guess having something new to use against me is payment enough, then.¡± Tibs headed back.

    ¡°I told you, Tibs. I did this because friends help each other.¡±

    ¡°If that was true, you wouldn¡¯t have asked me to let go of the ice as part of this.¡±

    * * * * *

    The barmaid nodded, confirming Cross and Brogan hadn¡¯t left.

    Tibs paused before the door as the man cursed loudly. ¡°Where the fuck did you learn that?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Cross replied. ¡°You want me to do it again?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can¡ª¡± the rest devolved into a string of curses.

    He unlocked the door and cracked it only enough to see Brogan¡¯s back, on his side, with Cross¡¯s head between his legs. Whatever she was doing had him tensing and cursing even louder. Tibs hurried to slip the medallion back in the inside pocket it¡¯s taken it from and retreated.

    He returned the key to the barmaid, then headed to the inn for food.

    He¡¯d give the guild until tomorrow to discover what he¡¯d done. If it didn¡¯t, then he¡¯d find out what this medallion did.

    * * * * *

    What the medallion did was make the guild building an ordinary one. Each corridor was where it should be, and their length never changed. The building was nine times one-hundred, and one and eight paces wide regardless of which floor he counted them on, and it was four times one-hundred and five and six paces deep.

    That was only true when the medallion was in his hand or in his coin pouch. If he sent it to his secret pouch, then the building no longer made sense. He¡¯d have to ask Sto what about the secret pouch blocked the effect.

    He headed back to the main hall when he noticed the looks the clerks gave him, and then he went down the stairs to the cells.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you spent enough time here already?¡± The guard asked with a chuckle.

    ¡°I need to talk with Jorline,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know which one that is,¡± the other guard said, ¡°but no one¡¯s allowed to talk with those in the cell.¡± She raised her hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but not even the Hero of Kragle Rock gets special treatment on that. The commander made it clear what would happen to anyone who disobeyed.¡±

    Tibs nodded and headed up the stairs, making sure not to linger on the door that was now on the right.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 34

    Tibs looked at the plate Russel handed him as he reached the bar. He then took it, along with the tankard at the cook¡¯s insistence, and made his way to his table. His team was already there and, other than Jackal, were done eating.

    He ignored their eyes on him as he sat and started eating. If he didn¡¯t, Kroseph would nag him when he passed by. The thick slab of meat was drenched in a spicy sauce, with vegetables drizzled with sweet oil.

    ¡°We need to talk,¡± Jackal said as he pushed his empty plate away.

    Tibs nodded, continuing to eat. He was halfway done.

    ¡°I said we need to talk, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°I can eat while you talk.¡± He replied, and went back to eating.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather you focus on us. The food can wait.¡±

    Only, if he waited too long and Kroseph again felt like Tibs wasn¡¯t eating enough, he¡¯d nag and nag about it. The server was getting annoying. By Jackal¡¯s expression, he was going to be just as nagging about whatever he wanted to say. Well, if Kroseph passed by now, he could point at his man as the reason and the server could nag him about how he felt it was important Tibs ate.

    He looked at the fighter.

    ¡°You have to let go of water. It¡¯s starting to cause problems.¡±

    ¡°Did¡­¡± Tibs glanced at Don. ¡°He tell you something?¡± He then realized Sto couldn¡¯t have told Jackal anything, since the fighter couldn¡¯t hear the dungeon.

    ¡°Fine,¡± the sorcerer said. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m the one who brought it up. I thought you¡¯d listen to him more than me.¡±

    ¡°Why would I listen to him? You¡¯re smarter.¡±

    They stared at him.

    ¡°That, right there, is kind of what the problem is, Tibs,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°Not that I¡¯m the smarter one,¡± Don added, ¡°but that you¡¯re so blatant about pointing it out.¡±

    ¡°That statement,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°sounds suspiciously like you are wishing you were not.¡±

    Don rolled his eyes. ¡°It isn¡¯t because I¡¯m the smartest person in this town that I think I¡¯m better than everyone.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you do,¡± Tibs said.

    Don sighed. ¡°This is me trying to be more humble.¡±

    The cleric hid his smile behind his tankard. ¡°You will need to continue practicing.¡±

    ¡°Look, there¡¯s only so much awesome I can hide, okay?¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± Jackal exclaimed. ¡°I¡¯m the awesome one here. You have to settle for being great.¡±

    Don raised an eyebrow. ¡°I don¡¯t settle,¡± he stated. ¡°So that man of yours is going to have to get used to his man not being all that awesome anymore.¡±

    Jackal snorted. ¡°You are going to have to try a lot harder if you want my man to think you¡¯re more awesome than I am.¡±

    ¡°Your man¡¯s going to have to keep imagining you¡¯re so awesome then, because even to prove you wrong, I¡¯m not getting in bed with him.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± the server said, putting tankards down and taking the empties. ¡°I¡¯m starting to like you, and I¡¯d rather not have to punch you.¡± The server looked at Tibs¡¯s half finished plate as he stacked the empty ones, and Tibs readied himself for the tirade.

    ¡°It just means there¡¯s one less person in the lineup,¡± Don replied, taking the server¡¯s attention away from Tibs. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to notice.¡±

    It also caused the others to stare at the sorcerer instead of him.

    ¡°What?¡± Don asked.

    Kroseph patted his shoulder. ¡°I think I like you a little more after this.¡± It took the plates in a hand and tankard in the other and headed for the kitchen.

    Don stared at the retreating back, then at the others at the table. ¡°What did I say?¡±

    ¡°If you do not know,¡± Khumdar replied, ¡°then you can be assured it was the correct thing.¡±

    The sorcerer looked at Tibs.

    He shrugged and went back to eating. He might have escaped the tirade because of Don¡¯s actions, but Kroseph wouldn¡¯t let it go if the plate wasn¡¯t empty soon.

    ¡°We still need to talk,¡± Jackal said.

    Tibs weighed the fighter nagging him against Kroseph¡¯s, and how likely they would turn on each other if Tibs pointed out Jackal was the reason the plate wasn¡¯t empty yet. He sighed, Jackal had to have cleared this with his man. Which meant Kroseph would add that to his nagging.

    Tibs looked at the fighter.

    ¡°You have to¡ª¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Tibs didn¡¯t see how Jackal could even consider that. There was too much work to be done to deal with the chaos it could cause.

    ¡°Tibs, your actions are affecting the town.¡±

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s actions affect the people in Kragle Rock,¡± Tibs replied.

    ¡°But not everyone had a house burned down,¡± Don said, and Tibs wondered how he¡¯d known.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°Or set up Runners for cell time,¡± Jackal added.

    ¡°They¡¯re fine,¡± Tibs said. ¡°They were released before their runs. And there¡¯s plenty of other houses for that family to use.¡± That was if they didn¡¯t want to stay at their tavern, the way Kroseph¡¯s family stayed at the inn.

    ¡°Are you going to buy them a new house?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°What?¡± Why would Tibs have to spend coins on that? Staying in a house couldn¡¯t be that much more expensive than Tibs staying in the housing building. A house had more rooms, so it would be what, three or four silver every month?

    ¡°Unless you buy the house for them,¡± the archer said, ¡°they can¡¯t just move into a vacant one. They have to own the house,¡± he added at Tibs¡¯s frown.

    ¡°No, they don¡¯t,¡± Tibs scoffed. ¡°All these recent people just got the houses that were built.¡±

    ¡°Those were paid for by their families, so even if they don¡¯t directly own them, it¡¯s still theirs while they are looking after the Omega Runners.¡±

    ¡°There are still plenty of people in houses no one owns. Don lived in one before moving to our room.¡±

    ¡°Just one floor,¡± the sorcerer corrected. ¡°And I still had to pay for it, every month.¡±

    ¡°They can do the same,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°I doubt they can afford to pay for the house you had burned,¡± Mez said, ¡°and rental on another place.¡±

    ¡°Why would they have to pay for the house if they can¡¯t live in it anymore?¡±

    Mez shook his head. ¡°You have no idea how housing works, do you?¡±

    ¡°People spend coins to live in a house. When they move, someone else moves in and pays the coins.¡± It was pretty simple, as far as Tibs was concerned.

    ¡°It¡¯s more complicated than that,¡± the archer said.

    ¡°Then they can live at their tavern.¡± Fine, it was more complex. Why was that his problem?

    ¡°And what happens to the money they aren¡¯t making because they can¡¯t have people pay to sleep in them? They aren¡¯t like Kroseph and his family. They didn¡¯t build their tavern, so they¡¯d live in it. The rooms there are so people can pay to have their fun, or because they drank too much to make it home. They need every coin they can get to pay what they owe.¡±

    ¡°They can make it work,¡± Tibs stated. They all were, so why should it be any different for that one family?

    ¡°And your reaction is why you have to stop.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°You can,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Just let go of it.¡±

    Tibs narrowed his eyes at the fighter. ¡°You¡¯ve seen how dangerous that is.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not saying you have to do it now,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°Next time we¡¯re in the dungeon.¡±

    Now Tibs knew Jackal and Sto were in league. The fighter wasn¡¯t smart enough to have come up with that on his own. Which meant Sto had lied about only being able to speak with Tibs. He was going¡ª

    Or maybe not.

    Jackal wasn¡¯t smart, but he had seen Tibs unleash fire inside the dungeon and how Sto had been able to survive it. So it wouldn¡¯t be that hard for him to come up with this.

    Now, how to handle this?

    ¡°I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t risk hurting him like that.¡± They knew how much he cared for Sto.

    Jackal studied him. ¡°Tibs, I¡¯m not asking you. I¡¯m telling you to stop.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you I won¡¯t.¡± You idiot. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous.¡± I have too much to do and I am not bothering with distractions.

    ¡°It cannot be any more dangerous than where we can see your current behavior taking you,¡± the cleric said.

    ¡°Feel like correcting him?¡± Tibs asked Jackal.

    ¡°I already told them what you can do. Not everything,¡± Jackal added at Tibs¡¯s raised eyebrow.

    ¡°But enough,¡± Don said. ¡°I can see what you¡¯re afraid of, but I¡¯m telling you, Tibs. Where you¡¯re heading can be much more destructive. I¡¯ve gotten a book that¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m working toward freeing the town,¡± Tibs cut him off. Like he had any use for something the sorcerer read. By his own admission, most of them were just words people who didn¡¯t care about the world wrote to make themselves feel important. ¡°That isn¡¯t something that happens without some people getting hurt. I¡¯m sorry it¡¯s happening,¡± he added as he saw the frowns forming, ¡°but I¡¯m not stopping just because you don¡¯t like it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s more than us not liking it,¡± Don said. ¡°You are becoming so focused on your end-goal you can¡¯t see how much destruction getting there is going to cause because all you care about right now is winning.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not going to be anymore than what the guild caused,¡± Tibs replied, annoyed any of them thought anything he could do would be worse than letting the guild go on.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Don said in exasperation. ¡°You¡¯re already dismissing¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not going to work,¡± Jackal cut him off, studying Tibs. ¡°He¡¯s too far gone to care about that.¡±

    Tibs watched the fighter back. Jackal wouldn¡¯t say something like that without thinking he had a plan.

    ¡°Here¡¯s what¡¯s going to happen, Tibs,¡± The fighter said calmly. ¡°Unless you promise to let go of water once we¡¯re in the dungeon, We aren¡¯t going to have another run.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t stop the runs,¡± Tibs replied, amused at the stupidity of the fighter¡¯s plan. He¡¯d thought him capable of at least a little better. ¡°The guild won¡¯t let you.¡±

    With his point made, he returned to eating. The food was cool, but that wouldn¡¯t stop Kroseph from nagging.

    ¡°Well, yeah,¡± Jackal agreed with a chuckle, and Tibs paused, dripping meat almost to his mouth. ¡°But if I¡¯m in a cell when the run¡¯s supposed to happen, we can¡¯t go.¡±

    Tibs stared. That was almost decent as far as plans went. Except for the fact that Tibs knew the fighter too well. ¡°Are you going to tell Irdian about the pit? That¡¯s what it¡¯s going to take for them to throw you in a cell, because all the guards know you only fight assholes who deserve it outside the training field. You¡¯re not going to deprive the other fighters who need the pit to endure being here.¡±

    Jackal nods. ¡°I¡¯d never do that to them.¡±

    Tibs smiled and almost moved the meat closer, but the fighter had that glint in his eyes.

    ¡°What I would do, instead, is walk into the Drunk Worm and start a brawl there with one of the many guards who call the place home when they need a break from the chaos us Runners cause. Doesn¡¯t matter if I pick one of the assholes to start it. They¡¯re going to have to come to their defense, just on principle.¡±

    The reasoning wasn¡¯t bad. But again, Jackal wasn¡¯t paying attention to how well Tibs knew him. ¡°You won¡¯t sacrifice the loot you can get in the dungeon over this.¡±

    Jackal leaned forward, eyes locked with Tibs¡¯s. ¡°Try me.¡±

    That was a look Tibs hadn¡¯t seen often. Jackal was attempting his ¡®I¡¯m done messing around and it¡¯s time to punch things until they break¡¯ look. It would work on someone else.

    ¡°You would never sacrifice loot for anything short of Kroseph asking you.¡±

    ¡°Which you seem to forget that is something my man might ask of me if it comes to it. But he didn¡¯t,¡± Jackal added as Tibs looked away to locate the server. ¡°This is something I came up with all on my own.¡±

    ¡°He did,¡± Don said before Tibs could glance in his direction.

    ¡°Then I know you¡¯re lying. There¡¯s nothing you¡¯d put above getting loot if it isn¡¯t your man.¡±

    ¡°You are so wrong, Tibs.¡± Jackal¡¯s smile was as nasty as Tibs had ever seen it. ¡°There is something that comes a very close second to my man, and that isn¡¯t loot.¡± He leaned forward more and lowered his voice. ¡°And that is my brother. For you Tibs, I will sacrifice everything the dungeon offers.¡±

    Tibs swallowed as he filled the spiderweb that formed. ¡°I don¡¯t need help,¡± he finally said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you think you need, Tibs. Until you promise to let go of water once we¡¯re in the dungeon, the day before our run, I¡¯m going to end up in a cell.¡±

    The lack of light on the words made Tibs realize there had been no light on anything Jackal had said. He ground his teeth at his miscalculation. He didn¡¯t care about loot, but he needed the runs to get stronger. He hadn¡¯t expected the fighter to be so abyss stubborn.

    Maybe it was time his team got itself a new leader.

    The crack nearly shattered his control. The knuckles turned white as he filled and iced it until he was back to himself.

    No. What he needed was a way to show Jackal he was fine.

    With a heavy sigh, he slumped forward. ¡°Fine,¡± he said, sounding defeated. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± He couldn¡¯t show the fighter he was fine unless they were in the dungeon.

    ¡°Promise it.¡±

    He sighed again. ¡°I promise.¡± It was a good thing none of his teammates had light as their element, or had thought about bringing a Runner with it. Once they were in the dungeon, Tibs would be able to demonstrate that him in control was better than him out of it.

    And if Jackal didn¡¯t see reasons?

    He filled the cracks as they formed.

    Well, the dungeon was a dangerous place. And even at Lambda, surviving it wasn¡¯t guaranteed.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 35

    ¡°Dhu,¡± Alistair said, ¡°is the Arcanus representing Purity.¡± The shape he formed over his hand didn¡¯t look like purity to Tibs. It was a mix of curves and lines; as if it couldn¡¯t decide which she preferred. Purity would know. Purity wouldn¡¯t settle for doing it partway. She wouldn¡¯t have anything until she¡¯d worked the problem and had a solution.

    Tibs recreated it. Making the Arcanus like this, using his essence, was simple. A shaping of water into the form. It was adding them to the etching, alone or as part of a filigree where the complications came. The placement needed to be exact, for the effect he wanted it to add. The more of the Arcanus, the harder it became. If he used more than one Arcanus, the difficulty increased again. Smaller errors caused ever growing differences to the expected result.

    ¡°When used alone,¡± his teacher continued, ¡°Dhu adds sharpness to an attack.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t that be metal?¡± Tibs asked. ¡°Or crystal?¡± When fragile crystals broke into shards they could slice open skin. ¡°Purity should be¡­¡± he trailed off, realizing he might reveal too much of what he knew of her personality. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Removing impurities, or something.¡± That made no sense. The Arcanus weren¡¯t the element they were associated with. But he was a kid, so Alistair would¡ª

    ¡°You know better than that, Tibs,¡± Alistair said in a reproachful tone. ¡°And I can tell you aren¡¯t paying attention. What¡¯s distracting you?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡± He just wanted thing to be straightforward. None of this confusing Arcanus that were linked to an element that had nothing to do with its effect. Or his supposed friends, intent on getting in his way, instead of supporting him.

    Alistair studied him. ¡°Then, if you don¡¯t mind. Let¡¯s continue with the lesson you insisted on getting. Etch a line. Place Dhu at three, seven, and nine. Once done, send it at the target.¡±

    The etching his teacher did with his knife was complex. So many of the Arcanus Tibs couldn¡¯t follow them as they formed. As if the knife¡¯s point wasn¡¯t actually tracing them, but just laying the lines where they went. Another show of how his teacher knew etching didn¡¯t need a point to be traced. Or was it part of something he would teach later, again believing it was the right way to do it? There was no light on the words when Alistair explained the need for the knife point, so he at least believed it was needed in some fashion.

    On the other side of the training room, water formed into a pedestal, then a torso. That of a woman, as the water flowed and gave her chest curves, then the neck and a distinctive face.

    Tibs raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°I thought you might want to let some of your anger out.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not angry at her.¡± She was only the agent of the guild. Doing what she was ordered to. He formed a knife and showed Alistair it had no jagged edges to it. He quickly formed the etching as instructed, lines and spirals with the filigree, and sent it at Tirania¡¯s representation.

    The water splashed over her face without visible effect. Stepping closer, he saw fine scratches in the hard water. That wasn¡¯t particularly impressive.

    ¡°Not bad for a first try,¡± Alistair said. ¡°But you misplaced Dhu.¡±

    Tibs frowned. He was confident he¡¯d placed them where instructed. ¡°How much more damage would it have done if I had placed it correctly?¡±

    ¡°More than this, but Dhu by itself isn¡¯t the deciding factor.¡± Alistair walked back to where they¡¯d been, and Tibs followed him. ¡°How many lines you add to your etching will act to increase the damage, the spirals and how well they intersect with the lines will pull more essence, which also increases the damage.¡± He faced the water bust. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t worry about that at the moment. This isn¡¯t about causing damage, but having you get a sense for how to properly divide each section of the etching. But¡­¡± Alistair smiled as he quickly traced the same etching Tibs had. Even Dhu were in the positions he¡¯d put them, as far as he could tell.

    But when the water splashed on Tirania¡¯s face, blades of water sprang forth, and when the etching faded back into essence, she was gone.

    ¡°Properly etched, even one as simple as this can yeld deadly results.¡±

    And used up far too much essence, which made it harder to control. Tibs wasn¡¯t looking for something that would obliterate everything it splashed on. He wanted something precise that wouldn¡¯t leave evidence of what he¡¯d done behind.

    Or, if it did, that the evidence wouldn¡¯t lead back to him.

    * * * * *

    ¡°He¡¯s not going to do it,¡± Ganny snapped angrily as Tibs and his team walked up the stairs.

    ¡°He said he wouldn¡¯t,¡± Sto replied resignedly. Good. That meant he wouldn¡¯t do something stupid when his friend insisted Tibs do what they told him.

    ¡°He helped you, Tibs,¡± she snapped. ¡°The least you could do is show some gratitude.¡±

    ¡°Leave it, Ganny.¡±

    She let out a huff, then silence.

    It lasted until they reached the doorway.

    ¡°Here?¡± Don asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°It¡¯s too close to the entrance. We don¡¯t want the guards to see him losing it. Once we¡¯re on the third floor, we¡¯ll have all the privacy we need.¡±

    Don opened the doorway, and once they were before the tiled hallway, Jackal faced Tibs.

    ¡°Alright, Tibs. Time to let go of water.¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Tibs, you promised,¡± Mez stated.

    He snorted. ¡°If you believed me, that¡¯s your problem. We have a run to do.¡± Tibs walked past his team, sending water essence ahead to make sure Ganny hadn¡¯t changed the triggers to the crest rooms.

    ¡°Stay here,¡± Jackal ordered. ¡°Me and Mister Light Fingers are going to have a talk.¡±

    ¡°I question the wisdom of your plan,¡± Khumdar said.

    ¡°Anyone who knows me,¡± the fighter replied, ¡°which includes you, knows wisdom¡¯s never been on of my defining traits.¡± Jackal reached Tibs at the junction, stepping where he had, so he wasn¡¯t changing which corridor would be open. That was good. Tibs had expected Jackal to try that as a way to force him to obey.

    Tibs stepped to the right, following the triggers which opened the way to the lion crest. ¡°You aren¡¯t talking me into letting go of water.¡±

    Jackal¡¯s reply was a noncommital grunt, and Tibs narrowed his sense to push through the miasma and keep track of the fighter. He didn¡¯t know what his plan was, but he¡¯d be ready for it.

    Tibs stepped on the next trigger and tensed as Jackal put a hand on his shoulder.

    ¡°This is far enough.¡±

    Tibs let out a put-upon sigh and turned. ¡°Jackal, as your friend, I¡¯m telling you to stop pushing.¡±

    ¡°Tibs, as your friend, if you weren¡¯t so full of it right now, you¡¯d know I can¡¯t stop pushing.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m warning you, Jackal. You aren¡¯t going to like what I do to make you stop.¡±

    ¡°Jackal,¡± Don called. ¡°Maybe you shouldn¡¯t be doing this on your own?¡±

    ¡°How about we make sure this remains private?¡± the fighter said with a grin.

    A wall of stone slammed down, behind and ahead, forming a large room with only Tibs and Jackal in it.

    Tibs stared at them, then Jackal, trying to understand how he¡¯d done it. No essence had flowed out of the fighter, and they were both standing still, so he couldn¡¯t have stepped on a trigger, not that any of the triggers had caused that result before. Ganny had made this floor so all they did was rearrange the passages.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    He glared at the fighter. ¡°You did plan this with Sto.¡±

    Jackal smirked. ¡°What? I¡¯m always talking to it. Sure, I can¡¯t hear what it says, but I know it hears me. And considering you heard its cry for help all the way into town, I figured it could hear me if I stood by the stairs. Had to make sure no one was around, but not a lot of people get up in the middle of the night to gaze at the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t do this,¡± Tibs told the ceiling. ¡°We¡¯re in the room.¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± Ganny replied, sounding smug, ¡°We can. Did you forget it¡¯s distance, not your presence that limits what Sto can do?¡±

    ¡°Scare to speak for yourself, Sto?¡±

    ¡°That you think that, Tibs,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Shows how bad what you¡¯re doing is for you. I¡¯m asking you, as your friend and brother. Let it go before this turns bad.¡±

    Tibs glared at the fighter. ¡°It¡¯s too late for that.¡± The sword formed in his hand as he swung, the blade elongating in anticipation of Jackal stepping back. Instead, the fighter jumped back, the leap taking him nearly to the wall.

    A stone ending in a point formed in Jackal¡¯s hand, and Tibs made his shield. Instead of throwing it, the fighter moved it before him, essence trailing in its wake. Tibs stared as Jackal etched¡­ and included Arcanus within it. Kha, Fey, Bor, and two others he didn¡¯t know the names of.

    It wasn¡¯t simply that Jackal could etch. He was Lambda, so he would have received the basics by now. It was how precise the etching was, spirals within waving lines, and straight ones, but going up and down, instead of pointing at Tibs.

    Tibs had never thought of Jackal as someone who even knew what precision was.

    ¡°What?¡± the fighter said, sounding offended. ¡°Did you think us Lambda fighters weren¡¯t taught etching? Or that you¡¯re the only one who can talk his instructor into pushing beyond what he¡¯s supposed to teach?¡±

    What did the etching do? It caused the air to shimmer with earth a pace before Jackal, and for close to a pace in thickness, but there had to be more. Alistair hadn¡¯t mentioned waving lines at this point, or that the lines directing the essence didn¡¯t have to point forward. And the filigree? Tibs was still working with single Arcanus. He had no idea how five of them could change what he saw, even if he¡¯d known the base effect.

    ¡°Do you think this is going to protect you?¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s going to give us time to talk,¡± Jackal replied.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can say that¡¯s going to change my mind.¡± He made his etching, not bothering with tracing it. He used the one of his previous day¡¯s training, making sure Dhu was in the correct positions. It probably wouldn¡¯t kill Jackal, but all he was interested in at the moment was to impress on him he was outmatched.

    The water flew at the fighter, hit the shimmering wall and¡­ scattered. As it moved through it, the shimmering points sent the essence in all directions, to be caught in the waves and pushed further away. As hard as Tibs tried to force it to maintain the form of the attack, his will didn¡¯t seem to make it into the etching.

    ¡°You¡¯re hurting the Kragle Rock, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m doing what I have to, so the guild never hurts anyone one here again.¡±

    ¡°They way you¡¯re going, there¡¯s not going to be anything left of the town for the guild to hurt.¡±

    ¡°Anyone strong enough will survive,¡± Tibs stated. ¡°But you aren¡¯t going to be one of them.¡± This time the etching was nine lines intersecting at the point with six spirals around them, and a filigree of Fey, but he didn¡¯t simply count on it pulling essence as it reached the fighter, he added from his reserve.

    The attack impacted the shimmering wall faster and harder, moving deeper before it started scattering, but instead of being sent all around and dispersing, the filigree caused the thick essence to cling within Jackal¡¯s etching. Tibs send another one. If he couldn¡¯t have an attack make it through the wall, he¡¯d overwhelm the fighter¡¯s defense.

    ¡°That¡¯s how you now solve you problems? By killing? What are you going to tell Kro, Tibs? That the dungeon did it?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re always throwing yourself at the creatures in here. It¡¯s not going to be hard to convince him you finally went up against one that was too strong for you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to break his heart, Tibs,¡± Jackal replied sadly.

    ¡°Then don¡¯t force me to do this,¡± Tibs snarled, and filled the cracks. He pointed the way they¡¯d come. ¡°Leave. Take the others with you. I¡¯ll make myself another team. Another family. One that understands me, that supports me.¡±

    ¡°One that¡¯s okay with you becoming worse than my father?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m never going to be like him,¡± he replied with a snort.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal said quietly, ¡°what would Carina think of what you¡¯re doing?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention her!¡± The crack was so sudden he thought his ears rang from the imagined noise. Heat rushed through it and he hurried to fill it before it became too much.

    ¡°Why not? All this is because of her, isn¡¯t it? Because the guild didn¡¯t act to stop my father and he killed her before you.¡±

    ¡°It was their job to make the town safe,¡± Tibs growled, spiderwebs of cracks spreading through the ice even as he added water to it.

    Jackal snorted. ¡°Come on, you know that¡¯s not true. Or that, at least, it never applied to us Runners.¡± He fell quiet and Tibs focused on adding ice between him and the fire lapping at it. ¡°The thing I don¡¯t get,¡± he finally said, puzzled. ¡°Really, the one thing that baffles me in all of this is why you even cared my father took her.¡±

    ¡°Are you fucking kidding me?¡± Ice shattered, water steamed as Tibs forced it in place.

    ¡°No. I mean, it¡¯s not like she was your girl, special or otherwise. She was just the team¡¯s sorcerer. She was good looking, I¡¯ll give you that, so I¡¯m sure you enjoyed that, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Ice melted as heat poured through. ¡°She was my family! I don¡¯t need to have my dick in someone to give a fuck about them!¡±

    ¡°But you wanted to, right?¡± Jackal smirked, and Tibs¡¯s sword and shield started smoking. ¡°Considering how often you made sure to be alone with her. Learning your letters.¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°You kept talking about how you never wanted someone special, but you wanted her, right? You wanted her in your bed, to feel her skin against yours, hear her moans as you pushed your cock¡ª¡±

    Fire swallowed Tibs¡¯s scream as it exploded at the fighter. It hit the etched wall, and scattered, but Tibs kept feeding it his rage, and it rejoiced, consumed all it touched.

    How dare he reduce what he felt for her to nothing more than fucking?

    When Tibs stopped, the haze of heat didn¡¯t immediately dissipate. When it did, Jackal still stood, panting and swearing.

    ¡°Oh, I am so glad that worked,¡± the fighter said.

    ¡°Once,¡± Tibs snarled and sent fire at Jackal again, who only then realized the previous attack had destroyed his etching.

    Jackal threw himself out of the way and tapped the ground on landing, earth essence pouring into it and pillars of stone leaped up to intercept the fire. They didn¡¯t last long. As hungry as Tibs¡¯s fire was, even dungeon reinforced stone was consumed.

    Jackal yelled, but Tibs didn¡¯t listen; his own scream mixed in with the fire¡¯s roar being all that mattered. The fighter moved quickly, either staying ahead of the fire, or threw stones up to block it.

    As Tibs got tired of the chase, he regained enough sense to see the solution.

    If Jackal was going to spend his time running, Tibs was going to take that away from him. He released fire in all directions with a victorious scream. Fed it and fed it some more. Made it more than what¡¯s he¡¯d unleashed in the Ratling camp. Let Jackal try to survive that.

    When he felt like it had been long enough, he fed the fire more. He wasn¡¯t risking Jackal being sneaky and able to take more heat than Tibs expected. He was going to melt that stone body off until all that was left was his essence. Then Tibs was going to rip that apart.

    The fire didn¡¯t stop willingly, but Tibs was its master. Panting, he turned in place, taking in the charred walls and the empty space. He¡¯d won. He thought, snarling. He¡¯d killed Jackal for tarnishing Carina¡¯s memory. He¡¯d killed him for bad-mouthing his family.

    Tibs had killed Jackal.

    He¡¯d¡­

    ¡°Jackal?¡±

    No!

    He looked around, the only sound the crackling of cooling stone. What had he done?

    He snarled, looking at the blackened and melted ceiling. ¡°What did you make me do?¡±

    ¡°Hey, Tibs,¡± someone said, and he whirled in time for the fist to hit him in the face. ¡°That fucking hurt!¡±

    Tibs looked up at the smoking fighter from where he landed. His armor was charred and peeling and his stone face didn¡¯t look right. Part of it was drooping.

    ¡°You¡¯re alive!¡± Tibs stood, unable to believe he¡¯d survived that kind of heat.

    ¡°No thanks to you,¡± Jackal snarled. ¡°I swear to the abyss, Tibs. If that ruined my pouch, I will make you pay.¡±

    ¡°You made me do it!¡± he screamed, heat flaring back. Horrified, Tibs pushed it down, reached for water, pushed it up until it stopped steaming. He needed to¡ª He was on his back again, his concentration shattered.

    ¡°Oh no,¡± Jackal kicked him. ¡°We are so not fucking done.¡±

    Tibs suffused himself with air, and the next kick went through him. Then he had a whirlwind around the fighter as he lifted himself up, trying to do the same with him so he could smash him against the walls until he was nothing more than the rubble Sto¡¯s creatures became when they died.

    He pours more and more essence into the wind. How could Jackal be so heavy? He was nothing more than stone and¡ªthe fighter¡¯s essence went deep into the stone floor.

    ¡°You¡¯re fucking cheating!¡± He let go of air and reached for corruption as the fighter ran.

    ¡°Really? You¡¯re surprised?¡± Jackal exclaimed, causing stones to jump up and intercept the corruption. ¡°Is that all you have? Did Carina really mean so little to you that¡ª¡± Tibs filled the room with darkness. ¡°Ah, fuck!¡±

    ¡°I am going to make you pay for that.¡± Tibs stalked toward Jackal. ¡°She was the most important person to me!¡±

    ¡°Hey, I knew you longer!¡± the fighter had his back against the wall, swinging his hands before him as if Tibs couldn¡¯t sense and avoid the blind punches.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t the same! You¡¯re a brother to me! She was¡ª¡± He swallowed the pain, then the punch had him on his back again.

    ¡°Come on, Tibs,¡± Jackal mocked. ¡°At least try, okay? It¡¯s like you don¡¯t know what I can do. Earth fighter here, inside an earth dungeon.¡±

    Tibs pushed himself to a crouch. ¡°And I¡¯m a fucking earth rogue.¡± He didn¡¯t bother with pillars. He sent essence into the floor, felt Sto resist and snarled. If he hadn¡¯t wanted this to happen, he shouldn¡¯t have gotten involved. With a scream, spires of stone erupted from the floor and wall. Thin and sharp; all focussed on Jackal.

    The fighter didn¡¯t move in time.

    He was skewered from all sides, looking at Tibs with a pained and fearful expression. Tibs just glared as the fighter tried to say something, then stilled, his head flopping down until a spire stopped it. As Tibs watched, satisfaction growing, the stone faded from Jackal¡¯s body, his skin returning to its usual tanned hue.

    Tibs stepped up to him and smirked. ¡°I win.¡±

    He¡¯d won.

    Abyss, he¡¯d done it.

    He dropped to his knees before the corpse of his friend, the last of his family.

    He was alone. Utterly alone, again.

    And he¡¯d been the one to do it this time. Had been happy making it happen.

    He wailed, wishing he could go back. Swallow the words he¡¯d said, take back the actions. He should have listened to Jackal; he was smarter than he let on. If he had, Tibs wouldn¡¯t be here.

    He wouldn¡¯t be so utterly alone.

    Arms closed around him. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Tibs,¡± Jackal whispered. ¡°I¡¯ve got you. It¡¯s going to be okay.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 36

    ¡°What happened?¡± Don¡¯s voice, concerned. ¡°Where did that wall come from?¡±

    Tibs was in Jackal¡¯s arms, eyes closed, exhausted, but unable to fall unconscious.

    ¡°I must have stepped on a trigger,¡± Jackal said. ¡°You know me, the klutz.¡±

    Tibs wanted to tell Jackal to stop talking. He was trying too hard. But he didn¡¯t have the energy. Jackal always tried too hard when he lied. Unless he was serious about it, Tibs realized. Then, he was terrifyingly good at it. So good that in the heat of the fight, Tibs hadn¡¯t paid attention to the light on his words; he¡¯d just wanted to¡­

    It should be funny. It should be scary. But Tibs couldn''t seem to feel all that much right now.

    ¡°How did you bring it down?¡± Don asked, still concerned.

    Jackal shrugged. ¡°I got lucky.¡±

    No such thing.

    It was interesting to Tibs how often people relegated their planning to something that didn¡¯t exist. It should¡­something.

    Only he didn¡¯t feel all that much right now.

    This was different from when he¡¯d been iced. He wasn¡¯t channeling any element, so it was good he couldn¡¯t open his eyes. His emotions were there, raw, scratching at all of him, but he was drained. Drained of physical energy and of essence. He¡¯d been so lost in his rage he hadn¡¯t realized Jackal had gotten him to use up all of his nearly endless reserve.

    It should have been enough to kill Jackal.

    He had tried to kill Jackal.

    If he had only a little energy, he¡¯d use it to throw himself into the abyss for that.

    He wanted to cry; to bawl his eyes out.

    It was probably funny. He¡¯d spent months iced, because he didn¡¯t want to feel anything. Now that he could, he didn¡¯t have the energy to manage it.

    ¡°How are none of you worried about what just happened?¡± Don asked. Annoyed and suspicious this time.

    ¡°It¡¯s the dungeon.¡± Mez¡¯s voice. ¡°It¡¯s not like it¡¯s the first time it changed things.¡±

    ¡°Sometimes, it is best to simply appreciate that events work out in our favor.¡± Khumdar.

    ¡°But if the dungeon changed this.¡± Don said, exasperated; worried. ¡°It might¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don, drop it.¡± Jackal snapped.

    Don¡¯s grumbled reply was indistinct, but Tibs knew it for the sign that the dropping was temporary that it was.

    They walked. Tibs didn¡¯t know how long. It could have been seconds, or hours. It couldn¡¯t be days. Then a cool breeze brushed his face. Light shone through his eyelids.

    Jackal moved suddenly, jerking Tibs to as much awareness as he could manage at the moment. ¡°He¡¯s fine,¡± he snapped.

    ¡°Then why are you carrying him?¡± an older sounding woman asked sternly. Essence moved around him, purity. He should keep it from sensing him, from learning his secrets, but he didn¡¯t have the strength.

    No, purity couldn¡¯t learn his secret.

    Thinking was so difficult.

    ¡°¡­essence exhaustion.¡± Khumdar said, in response to a question Tibs missed. He should pay more attention. There might have been an important detail there.

    They moved again, and the sun heated him, comforted him.

    Tibs wanted neither.

    He didn¡¯t deserve warmth or comfort.

    * * * * *

    The door opened and closed, rousing Tibs. He turned on his side, putting his back to the intruder.

    He wasn¡¯t on his bed.

    He didn¡¯t want a private room in the inn. Where he should be was in a cell, if not dropped into the abyss and forgotten there.

    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry,¡± he replied to the smell of the broth. He curled in on himself tighter to silence his stomach. Going hungry was the least of the punishment he deserved.

    He couldn¡¯t get rid of Jackal¡¯s image, pierced by the stone spires, or the satisfaction in succeeding to finally¡­

    Tears fell.

    He¡¯d nearly killed the last member of his family, and he had rejoiced at his accomplishment. That hurt more than being soaked through with corruption; before he had the element.

    What also hurt was the realization that he didn¡¯t think of the rest of his team as his family. He¡¯d always imagined they were part of it just for being on his team.

    Well, he didn¡¯t think of Don as family, so there was that. But Khumdar and Mez had been with him for long enough. They should be his family, too.

    It hurt to realize that somehow Tibs had kept them from becoming so.

    He wanted the pain to go away. He wanted to fill himself with ice, take the easy route to peace.

    But ice was how he¡¯d reached the point where killing Jackal was not only acceptable, but desirable.

    It was painful to realize he couldn¡¯t trust the elements. He was supposed to have mastered them.

    He deserved the pain.

    The intruder pulled a chair close to the bed. It creaked as he sat in it.

    Go away, Tibs willed. He didn¡¯t obey.

    Why couldn¡¯t he let him wallow in his misery? Tibs had almost killed his man. He should hate him. Not sit there after bringing a bowl of broth.

    Tibs had no idea how it was Jackal wasn¡¯t dead. As far as Tibs knew, he was the only one who couldn¡¯t be hurt by the elements he had. Something about his actual element. Was it something about Jackal suffusing himself with earth? Had that granted him the immunity?

    Kroseph should accuse him, not sit there, waiting to ask how he was doing, trying to get him to eat something. Trying to convince him he shouldn¡¯t be alone, that the others wanted him among them.

    ¡°Go away,¡± He mumbled into the pillow.

    Kroseph didn¡¯t say anything. He also didn¡¯t leave.

    Why wasn¡¯t he abandoning him? Tibs ground his teeth. Didn¡¯t Kroseph understand that he didn¡¯t deserve the company?

    He turned and glared at the server. ¡°Get the fuck out.¡±

    Kroseph smiled and shook his head.

    Tibs sat. ¡°Do you have any fucking idea what I can do to you?¡± he snarled.

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    Tibs extended his sense as he narrowed his eyes. He expected Jackal by the door, ready to burst in and rescue his man, should¡ªthere was no one by the door. Sensing further, the fighter was downstairs, at their table with the rest of the team. How could they leave Kroseph in such danger? Hadn¡¯t Tibs demonstrated just how dangerous he could be? At least they should have Khumdar there, ready to weaken him if he tried anything.

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    As drained as Tibs still was, he wouldn¡¯t be able to resist him.

    Why weren¡¯t any of them there to make sure Tibs didn¡¯t endanger anyone else?

    He made a fist and fire coated it, it¡¯s heat just this side of painful and he had to fight the reflex to push it away from his skin. Fire was the one element that hurt him, and he wasn¡¯t going to make that punishment less.

    ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± Tibs said, shaking his fist threateningly. Did Kroseph know this was all his small reserve let him do? He didn¡¯t have his bracers; Jackal that taken them off when he¡¯d undressed Tibs, before tucking him in bed. He had no idea where they were now. Destroyed, if Jackal was as smart as he hid.

    ¡°Do it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not iced, Kroseph,¡± he snarled. ¡°Do you have any fucking idea how angry I am right now?¡±

    Jackal¡¯s man shook his head.

    ¡°Then¡ª¡±

    ¡°Do it,¡± Kroseph said with a shrug.

    The fire faltered, along with his anger. ¡°How aren¡¯t you scared of me? I nearly killed Jackal. I could kill you by barely thinking about it.¡±

    ¡°Because I know you, Tibs.¡±

    Tibs snorted and fell back on the bed, then turned his back to Kroseph again. The silence stretched. ¡°Why don¡¯t you hate me?¡± he asked when it became too heavy.

    ¡°Because I know you, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡± Tibs wasn¡¯t sure he knew himself anymore. If he¡¯d contemplated killing Jackal, his best friend, the closest thing to a brother, the last of his family. What else might he do?

    ¡°You didn¡¯t kill him.¡±

    Tibs jerked to sitting again. ¡°I tried to! How is that not enough?¡±

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t you.¡±

    ¡°It was!¡± He snapped. ¡°I was there. I wanted him dead. I was so pissed at him for getting in my way that I was going to do anything to remove him.¡± He deflated. ¡°I thought I had.¡± He pulled his knees to his chest. ¡°I was happy I had.¡± He rested his head on his knees and cried again.

    It hurt so much.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t you who tried to kill him, Tibs. It was the elements.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not how it works,¡± Tibs mumbled. ¡°The elements don¡¯t influence us like that.¡±

    Kroseph snorted, and when Tibs glared at him, he hid a smile.

    ¡°What¡¯s funny?¡± Tibs demanded.

    ¡°Just remembering watching you as you learned to channel this element or that one. It¡¯s funny that you¡¯re now saying they don¡¯t influence you.¡±

    ¡°I got that under control.¡±

    ¡°Filling yourself with water like you did, keeping it iced for so long, that influenced you. Don¡¯s read treatises on the effect of suffusing yourself with your element.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. What did he care for what Don had read? He¡¯d been the one doing it. He was the one who had decided, then planned, on killing Jackal. That he¡¯d failed had more to do with how good Jackal was with his element than anything Tibs had failed to do.

    Didn¡¯t they understand Tibs had almost succeeded?

    He tried to swallow the pain.

    ¡°You rest,¡± Kroseph said, patting his shoulder. ¡°You should have some broth before it gets cold.¡± Then he left Tibs alone, finally.

    Tibs curled up and cried while he waited for the abyss to swallow him.

    * * * * *

    ¡°Why?¡± Tibs asked, face buried in the pillow.

    Why was he back again? How many days now had the server ignored Tibs desires to be alone, to suffer his hunger? Wallow in pain. Be punished. He¡¯d lost track, with falling asleep crying, waking up to images of Jackal crumbling to pieces in his arms. To Tibs¡¯s glorious cackles as he burned down Sto. And then feeling just as exhausted as when he¡¯d fallen asleep.

    ¡°Because I don¡¯t want you to be alone right now.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s what I deserve.¡±

    ¡°No one deserves to be alone.¡±

    ¡°Then where¡¯s Jackal?¡± Tibs demanded, glaring at his man. ¡°Why isn¡¯t he here?¡± Why should he be here? Tibs had tried to kill him.

    ¡°Because he¡¯s scared.¡± That made sense. Jackal couldn¡¯t know if Tibs would try to kill him again. ¡°He doesn¡¯t know how to comfort you, and he¡¯s terrified of screwing that up.¡±

    ¡°And you aren¡¯t?¡± Tibs hadn¡¯t meant to throw the derision in there.

    Had he?

    Kroseph smiled. ¡°Unlike my man, I have experience dealing with grief and pain in ways other than punching those responsible, or¡­ well, you prefer not hearing about what we do.¡±

    Tibs rolled his eyes and turned his back to Jackal¡¯s man. ¡°This isn¡¯t working,¡± he said and hoped Kroseph believed him.

    And he asked the abyss that he didn¡¯t.

    * * * * *

    Tibs tried not to sense Kroseph approaching, but his stomach¡¯s growls kept him sensing. With the server, came food. And Tibs was hungry. He was famished.

    It already took all his will not to suffuse himself with Purity and take it away. Since no one was punishing him, Tibs would see to it himself. No matter how hungry he got, he wouldn¡¯t eat.

    His punishment shouldn¡¯t end.

    The door opened and closed. The smell of something fishy and spicy reached him, and he salivated.

    Water filled his mouth, and he drank it before he could stop himself. Water kept doing that, forming anytime he felt parched, and he never stopped himself in time.

    The bowl was on the bedside table. The chair pulled close to the bed, and Kroseph sat.

    And said nothing.

    The silence was worse. Tibs wanted accusations. Demands of explanation. He¡¯d even take accusatory glares. But all he got from Jackal¡¯s man was understanding and patient looks.

    He ground his teeth.

    It was like Kroseph was purposely aggravating him by doing the opposite of what anyone in his position would do. Tibs had tried to kill his man!

    ¡°What do you want?¡± he demanded, glaring. ¡°Just fucking tell me what I have to do for you to fucking go away.¡±

    Kroseph¡¯s smile had none of the condescension it should. ¡°I¡¯m not going away. But I¡¯d like it if you talked to me.¡±

    ¡°I already told you I tried to kill him! What else do you want me to say?¡±

    ¡°How do you feel?¡±

    Tibs stared at him. What kind of stupid question was that?

    ¡°I feel like burning you and this entire place down,¡± he snarled. ¡°How¡¯s that, for how I fell?¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you?¡±

    Was he serious?

    ¡°Because I don¡¯t have any essence,¡± he snapped. He didn¡¯t need the light on the words. He knew he was lying. He had enough to start a small fire, then he could draw on that to make it ever larger. And that was he if didn¡¯t channel fire. His large reserve felt nearly empty, but that still meant there was a lot of essence there for him to use. So it was a good thing Kroseph couldn¡¯t know¡ª

    Jackal¡¯s man reached down and came up with Tibs¡¯s bracers and offered them to him.

    Had they been there the entire time? They couldn¡¯t have. Tibs would have sensed¡­ No. The enchantment on them meant only when he touched them did he sense the weave. He was so used to wearing them, he¡¯d forgotten. Was his armor also there?

    ¡°Are you seriously offering them to me? With the essence in there, I can burn the neighborhood.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not worried.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± Tibs asked, his voice coming out nearly in a whine with how tired of Kroseph¡¯s nonchalance he was. He had nearly killed Jackal. That showed how strong he was. He¡¯d destroyed everything around the transportation platform. How was he not scared of what Tibs could do?

    ¡°I know you, Tibs.¡±

    He rolled his eyes. ¡°If you did, you wouldn¡¯t come back like that every day. You¡¯d kick me out of the inn. Threaten me if I ever showed up again.¡±

    ¡°Threaten you with what?¡±

    Tibs glared at the man for the amusement in his voice. He sighed when the expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°Fine. What do you know about me that makes you feel so safe in offering me those?¡± he asked with derision.

    ¡°You care.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the stupidest thing you¡¯ve ever said,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°And I mean beyond Jackal kind of stupid.¡±

    ¡°Ouch.¡± Kroseph smirked. ¡°My man¡¯s going to be hurt you think I¡¯m better than him at that.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t funny!¡±

    The smile told Tibs what he thought of that statement.

    Tibs let himself fall back on the bed and crossed his arms. ¡°It isn¡¯t,¡± he grumbled.

    ¡°Tibs, everything you¡¯ve done since I¡¯ve met you has been out of a desire to help those around you.¡±

    Tibs snorted.

    ¡°You care, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°I burned down an entire neighborhood,¡± he offered as contradiction.

    ¡°You mean Market Place? You did that to keep Jackal¡¯s father from escaping, while channeling an element you had no control over at the time. By the time you did that, it wasn¡¯t you anymore, Tibs. It was the element. And don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s not how it works,¡± he said as Tibs opened his mouth. ¡°You know quite well that until you figured out how to remain yourself while channeling those elements, it did.¡±

    ¡°I tried to kill Jackal long after I mastered water,¡± he countered.

    ¡°But while iced for so long, you weren¡¯t yourself anymore. You, Tibs, can cause great damage. But you do so while looking to save someone, or protect them.¡± He offered the bracers again. ¡°So take them. I¡¯m not worried.¡±

    Tibs eyed them warily. ¡°I am.¡± He whispered, his voice trembling. ¡°You don¡¯t understand how angry I am. I want to burn the guild down for how they let Sebastian run free in my town. How they let him kill Carina.¡± He closed his eyes, tears falling. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be able to stop myself once I have essence again. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll care who else gets hurt in the process.¡±

    ¡°Tibs, you already have essence.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the same,¡± he snapped. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ not fire right now. And I don¡¯t have enough in my other reserve do to anything fast. With that, I can just unleash everything and not care what happens.¡±

    ¡°If that was something you really had to be afraid of, Jackal wouldn¡¯t have survived his fight with you.¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t win because I didn¡¯t want to kill him! He won because he was so much fucking smarter than I am!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s never tell him you said that, okay?¡±

    Tibs¡¯s anger hitched on the humor of Kroseph¡¯s reaction, and before he could reignite it, he continued.

    ¡°You broke down on realizing what you did, Tibs. If there was any danger you¡¯d let others be hurt while making the guild pay, you¡¯d have made sure Jackal was dead, instead of being devastated by the realization of what you did.¡±

    ¡°What if I can¡¯t resist icing up again?¡± He felt sick thinking about it, but he knew that would go away, under the ice¡¯s influence. ¡°Jackal¡¯s not going to be able to pull that trick on me again.¡±

    When Kroseph didn¡¯t answer, Tibs looked up. He was studying him.

    ¡°You don¡¯t trust me either.¡± Somehow, that made him feel better.

    ¡°Do you know what kind of drunk is the most dangerous?¡±

    ¡°The angry one.¡±

    Kroseph shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s the one who thinks they don¡¯t have a problem. Who thinks getting drunk is just something they do when they feel like it. They¡¯re the ones who¡¯ll drink when it can affect their livelihood. If it¡¯s a guard, people might die. And like how you were, until they are broken by it, then never see the problem they¡¯ve become.¡±

    ¡°And once they¡¯re broken, they know better than to go back?¡± Tibs was surprised at the hope in his question.

    Kroseph shook his head. ¡°A lot of them go right back to drinking so they don¡¯t have to deal with the damage they caused. But the certainty never comes back. They always know what they¡¯re doing isn¡¯t fixing the problem. Some will eventually have enough of that and fight their way out. Having friends and family makes that fight easier to win.¡±

    ¡°So I might go back.¡± Tibs slumped. What was the point of trying if he might fail?

    ¡°You might.¡±

    Tibs looked up at the amusement in the tone.

    ¡°But if you do. I know a fighter who¡¯ll be right there, ready to punch you back to your senses.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 37

    The cheers that went up, as Tibs reached the bottom of the stairs, nearly sent him back up, anger flaring. How could they be happy to see him after what he¡¯d put them through? How he¡¯d made them nothing but infantry in his game Conquest against the guild. They¡¯d all become expendable in achieving his goals.

    He put a foot before him, forcefully heading to his table, fist and teeth clenched. Someone slapped his back, and Tibs bristled as she expressed how happy she was he was better. He shouldered a man aside as he placed a hand on Tibs¡¯s shoulder; the smile promising yet another show of support, and¡ª

    Tibs spun to face the tables and yelled, ¡°What the fuck is wrong with all of you?¡±

    That silenced the room. Only for conversations to restart again as he headed for his team¡¯s table; subdued, but still about him.

    What did it take for them to stop? Fire would do it. The thought popped up, and Tibs hesitated before pushing it back down. It would, but as angry as he was, where would he stop? Once there was nothing left of the world?

    Water would cool his anger, make all this bearable. But how would he stop himself from going too far in that direction also? Yes, it made him dangerous to everyone around him, but there had been a comfort in not caring about that. Only, would it still be there? Would he be able to trust that state, knowing what he¡¯d done? Almost did, tried to do? Hoped to succeed in?

    How had Jackal survived?

    ¡°How are you¡ª¡± Don started.

    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Tibs snapped, dropping into his seat.

    ¡°Okay.¡± The sorcerer grinned as he raised his hand in defeat, and Tibs narrowed his eyes. That had been too easy. When had Don started smiling like that, and why were the others smirking?

    Jackal looked fine, smirking as he drank. Now was not the time to ask about it. When they were alone, so the others didn¡¯t learn just how far Tibs had gone.

    ¡°What happened while I was in bed?¡± Getting an update was a safe subject. It would keep them from asking how he felt, and after ten days of wasting his time in bed, there had to be a lot he needed to catch up on. If nothing else, he had to know how much Irdian had¡ª

    The askance looks they exchanged told him it wasn¡¯t good.

    ¡°Out with it,¡± He instructed as a steaming plate of meats and vegetables were placed before him, along with a tankard. ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡± the sweat and spicy smell punched through his anger, and his stomach took charge. He moaned as the spices burned his mouth, with the sweetness accenting their bite. Before he knew it, the plate was empty, and Tibs motioned to Kroseph with it.

    ¡°You should take it easy,¡± Don said as Tibs finished his ale. ¡°You only had broth for a few days, if even that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± He glared at the sorcerer. Suffusing himself with Purity was safe since he couldn¡¯t be tempted to over do it. There was only so much work he could endure.

    * * * * *

    He sighed in relief, pushing the empty third serving, and leaned back in the chair. A full stomach made everything better. Even the never ending talks of him at the other tables. Something about if he was safe to approach, now that he was fed; from the snippets that reached him.

    That would depend entirely on why they approached him. He didn¡¯t have time for sympathy and well-wishing. There was too much to do.

    ¡°Now I want to hear what happened,¡± he told Jackal, then sipped his ale.

    ¡°Without you to keep them on it, not a lot of the rogues kept up with protecting Merchant Row, or going after the troublemakers who slipped by the guards. Because of that, some of the merchant didn¡¯t pay when Darran went collecting on your behalf.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t take things over while I was in bed?¡±

    ¡°Me and Quigly did,¡± the fighter replied, ¡°and we kept the other Runners doing the patrols, but rogues don¡¯t take well to brutes ordering them about, and if someone slips by the guards, it¡¯s not going to be fighters and archers who catch them.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the damages?¡±

    ¡°Darran will have the details,¡± Jackal said. ¡°But there¡¯s been break-ins and breaking of stuff. Just wanton breaking. The big stuff¡¯s stopped. The guards don¡¯t let anyone planning on burning buildings through anymore, and no one died for my father¡¯s revenge. But small, sneaky stuff¡¯s keeps on happening without the rogues to stop them.¡±

    Tibs ground his teeth. Or course, the town¡¯s trouble wouldn¡¯t stop because he was wallowing in misery.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he growled.

    ¡°I¡¯d be more convinced if your teeth parted to say that.¡±

    He glared at the archer, then forced himself to unclench. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he repeated. ¡°I¡¯m just angry I didn¡¯t think about any of that when I went and fell into wallow.¡±

    ¡°You were healing,¡± Don said.

    ¡°I was wall¡ª¡±

    ¡°You were healing.¡± The tone left no room for argument. ¡°You still are. What you did hurt you as much as you hurt others. You need time until you¡¯re whole again. And that starts with accepting you made mistakes, that it¡¯s okay if you make more.¡± Don¡¯s tone soften. ¡°You¡¯re angry. I get that. But you need to find a way to let some of that go. Mostly what you¡¯re directing at yourself.¡±

    ¡°What makes you such an expert? ¡°Tibs snapped. ¡°One of those books you read?¡±

    ¡°Retired asshole here, Tibs,¡± the sorcerer snapped back, then took a breath. ¡°I have a sense of what it¡¯s like to cause damage and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Semi-retired,¡± Jackal interrupted.

    ¡°No, I have put that¡ª¡± Don paused, considered something, then glared at the smirking fighter. ¡°Fine. Semi-retired. Some people are making it hard to put all of my assholeness behind me.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the fun in it being too easy?¡±

    ¡°I¡ª¡± The sorcerer bit back and limited himself to glaring some more at Jackal. He looked at the others. ¡°Just how do you put up with him?¡±

    ¡°That,¡± Khumdar answered, ¡°is a question that all of time shall never be able to answer.¡±

    Despite himself, Tibs smiled.

    * * * * *

    ¡°Look,¡± Tibs told the assembled Runners. ¡°You can¡¯t just walk away from the work you agreed to do.¡±

    ¡°You did,¡± Sarsan replied sharply.

    ¡°I was healing,¡± Tibs said through clenched teeth, yet again.

    ¡°Like there aren¡¯t potions to do that with,¡± she replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t sign up to work for the merchants. I¡¯m a rogue. I run the dungeon, then I have fun. Running after troublemakers isn¡¯t as fun as you first made it sound like.¡±

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    Ice would be so nice right now. It might lead to her encased in the stuff, but at least he wouldn¡¯t have to deal with the headache she was giving him. Somehow, there was only so much purity did when the cause was constant.

    ¡°Just to be clear,¡± he said. ¡°You are done helping.¡± She¡¯d been one of the better urchins he¡¯d helped; among the first to reach Upsilon, and eager for the assistance and equipment when a piece was available for her or someone on her team. ¡°You want to go back to only being a Runner and relying on the guild to make sure you have the training and equipment you need to survive the dungeon.¡±

    She snorted. ¡°I don¡¯t need them anymore than I need you.¡±

    The uncertainly among the other rogues comforted Tibs more than the smirks from the fighters, archers and sorcerers. Maybe they, more than the others, had needed the reminder that his help didn¡¯t come for free, even if the price wasn¡¯t in coins.

    ¡°Alright. Those who aren¡¯t interested in helping keep Merchant Row safe, tell me and I¡¯ll make sure everyone knows not to call on you going forward.¡±

    Sarsan stepped forward with five other rogues. Three of them stepped back when they noticed how few of them had moved. A sorcerer joined her, then, after considering it an archer.

    The loss of the sorcerer might be a problem, The man was Rho, and currently the strongest he had to work with, but he could afford to lose three rogues and an archer. Considering how many teams had graduated to Upsilon while he was in bed, he might be able to replace them quickly.

    * * * * *

    ¡°What¡¯s to say you aren¡¯t going to vanish again?¡± the baker demanded.

    Tibs was surprised at her tone. She was normally a nice, reserved woman, quick with a smile and with the smell of baked bread clinging to her. But she had been the target of more attacks while Tibs was wall¡ªincapacitated, than the other merchants.

    While her hazelnut colored eyes didn¡¯t show it, her essence had a faint green tint that meant she had wood as an element, even if it look no more dense than any of the other townsfolk. He didn¡¯t know if it was why she was such an amazing baker, but Tibs loved stopping by her shop for a treat and he hated that she¡¯s been targeted like that.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to vanish again,¡± Tibs snapped, surprising himself and the merchants assembled. ¡°I¡¯m a Runner.¡± He steadied his tone. ¡°Eventually, the dungeon will eat me. But I¡¯m arranging things so there will be others to continue running things when that happens, so you¡¯re all kept safe.¡±

    The gasps at his statement, and looks of disbelief, reminded him that as townsfolk, they weren¡¯t as aware of death as he was. They believed it happened, but to others, until they were confronted with it directly. He¡¯d had to fight for a survival on a daily basis back on his Street, and now each time he stepped inside Sto.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you were hit harder by this,¡± he told the baker. ¡°I¡¯ll do everything I can to make it up to you.¡± He wanted to replace everything she¡¯d lost, but Darran had stopped him.

    It wasn¡¯t the coins themselves that were the problem. The merchant explained. It was the revelation he had so much. Tibs had made sure to ask for no more than what he needed to run his operation. As far as the other merchants knew, every coins he received from them went back into equipping the Runners that helped him, training more on how to keep the Row safe. If they found out he had more than that, they¡¯d question why they should pay him, his motives in acting as their protectors. They would doubt him.

    And that would lead to them turning against him over time.

    So Tibs wouldn¡¯t simply buy everything she needed for her business to return to where it had been before he wallowed in bed. He wouldn¡¯t even use any of the coins he had left from the sale of the lake for it. The nobles and his nightly training would be where he got the fund to slowly make it up to her.

    He looked at the others. ¡°I will do all I can to make it up for failing all of you.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t like the nobles would notice if a few more silvers went missing each night.

    * * * * *

    ¡°Jackal,¡± Tibs called as he headed for the fighter leaning against the inn¡¯s bar, speaking with one of the servers.

    ¡°What can I do,¡± the fighter asked, turning from her.

    The question stuck in his throat. It wasn¡¯t that someone might overhear. The inn was empty, and with the server heading to the kitchen, it was only the two if them at the bar. This was the best time to ask, short of pulling the fighter in an alley.

    ¡°I¡ª¡± It stuck again and Tibs swallowed. ¡°I¡¯m heading for training, let Kroseph know I might be late to eat.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Jackal replied, as Tibs turned and headed for the door. Had that been suspicion in the fighter¡¯s voice, or had he accepted the reason like he did so many things Tibs told him?

    Why? He cursed himself. Why hadn¡¯t he asked?

    He knew the answer. Fear. Fear that Jackal might not have an answer for him. That the fighter might not know how he¡¯d survived. It seemed farfetched, but what would he do, if he found out it wasn¡¯t the fighter¡¯s planning had saved him, but Tibs miscalculating? That if he¡¯d been simply slightly better, he would have succeeded?

    He preferred being able to believe Jackal had out-smarted him.

    * * * * *

    ¡°Why?¡± Tibs demanded, as the etching fell apart. ¡°Why the fuck doesn¡¯t it just work?¡±

    Alistair watched him, lips curling up.

    Tibs had tried not to let on he wasn¡¯t iced anymore. He¡¯d arrived calm; he¡¯d approached his training systematically. But unlike before, when something went wrong, he hadn¡¯t been able to study what happened, make careful changes, and have it go wrong over and over until he got it right.

    Now, Tibs got frustrated.

    And his teacher was amused by it.

    A wave of the hand launched a torrent of water at Alistair, catching him sufficiently by surprise that he sputtered water when it hit.

    ¡°Feeling better?¡± his dripping teacher asked, still smiling.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tibs reluctantly admitted.

    The water moved out of Alistair and hung between them, out of Tibs¡¯s control.

    ¡°Then, how about you try again? And this time, don¡¯t take for granted the easy progress of working with one Arcanus. This is different.¡±

    ¡°But how?¡± Tibs demanded. ¡°I¡¯ve place both Bor and Dhu within their own etching before. Why would it be different if they¡¯re both there now?¡±

    Alistair gestured, and the water stretched into two thick strands, with Bor and Dhu written between them at fixed intervals.

    ¡°Look at the placement. Study where the Arcanus are located. Take your time. When you feel ready, close your eyes and recreate it. Don¡¯t bother sensing the model, I¡¯ll block you.¡±

    Tibs looked at the model, how Dhu was in one, five, and eight, with Bor at three and seven. He memorized them, then closed his eyes and pulled his sense to only himself. As much as Alistair wanted to, he couldn¡¯t block Tibs¡¯s sense since he wasn¡¯t aware of how strong it was.

    He recreated the model slowly, making it an exact copy. He opened his eyes, and the differences jumped at him. He had been so careful, how had he gotten it wrong ag¡ª

    ¡°Before you explode, Tibs,¡± Alistair said. ¡°What you made is normal.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s wrong,¡± he growled.

    ¡°Yes, but that¡¯s normal.¡± Alistair absorbed the water. ¡°What you did, while iced, wasn¡¯t exactly cheating, not that it would stop us if it was, but it was a crutch. In that state, your mind has a¡­solidity to it that makes this aspect of an etching easier. This isn¡¯t, as you might believe, exclusively about learning where the Arcanus need to be placed. It¡¯s about giving you an instinct for how they will interact within the etching and each other so that when you master them, you won¡¯t have to think about placing them. You¡¯ll know what two placed next to the other, and three, for the next level, causes the etching to do. That is something you never absorbed while iced. You became skilled at it because it let you replicate what I told you without understanding the feeling of the interaction. It was fine while we only worked with one Arcanus in the etching, but even if you were still iced now, it wouldn¡¯t be enough.¡±

    ¡°You know I was iced,¡± Tibs said, and Alistair nodded. ¡°Why did you let me do it? Why didn¡¯t you stop me? You had to know that¡ª¡± I¡¯d become a danger to everyone around me. ¡°That I wasn¡¯t learning correctly.¡± Did you not care? ¡°Were you hoping to get more gold out of it?¡± he demanded angrily.

    Alistair watched him. ¡°Could I have stopped you, Tibs? I know what icing yourself does to how you think. I doubt there¡¯s one person with Water as their element who hasn¡¯t done it at least once. Many of us became monsters because we were iced. Some had to be killed because they couldn¡¯t be made to stop. That¡¯s the thing with being iced. Only you can decide to stop. Once iced, there are no arguments anyone else can make that will convince you to stop. You have no compassion left to call on, even reasoning with you won¡¯t work. Ice makes it so that all you care about is what you want. So until what you want is to stop, there is nothing I or anyone else can do.¡±

    Tibs remained silent.

    Alistair¡¯s description didn¡¯t match what he¡¯d done through. Until the last days, Tibs always had to fight to keep the ice from cracking. Anytime he became angry, the cracks appeared. The angrier he was, the bigger they were. It was how Jackal had shattered the ice, gotten Tibs to be driven by anything but rage until he had nothing left, not even a brother.

    Was it because he had other elements to push against the ice? Was it why Harry had never seen the problem he¡¯d become? He¡¯d only had light to suffuse himself with, and it pushed away any questions about the consequences of his actions?

    ¡°Does it happen with all the elements?¡±

    Alistair hesitated. ¡°Ask a sorcerer, or a scholar,¡± he finally said with a tone that told Tibs it was a subject he didn¡¯t want to talk about. ¡°They¡¯ll be the ones who bother with questions that don¡¯t mean anything to anyone else.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s one of your less subtle way of telling me to stop asking questions.¡± He gave his teacher time to settle himself. ¡°Would you have stopped me, if I¡¯d become a danger?¡±

    ¡°The odds are I wouldn¡¯t have been here. If the other Runners didn¡¯t realize what you were becoming, the guild would have noticed in time, and they would have acted.¡±

    ¡°Could the guild have made me stop being iced?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Alistair replied with an angry snort. He took a breath. ¡°The guild has access to more resources than I know exist. Maybe there¡¯s something in there they can use to force someone back from that extreme. But Tibs, I think you need to ask yourself a better question. Would the guild find you more or less useful when you are at that extreme?¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 38

    It wasn¡¯t the crowd that made Tibs hesitate starting down the paved path toward the mountain; it was that he didn¡¯t know where Sto¡¯s influence extended. It had always been a nebulous line of ¡®somewhere among the shops and buildings in the valley¡¯, but until now, it hadn¡¯t mattered to him. Until now, Tibs could be confident Sto wouldn¡¯t speak to him while he was among other people unless it was important.

    Now? Tibs found he wasn¡¯t confident of much these days.

    Would Sto talk with him? Would he scream? Refuse to even acknowledge Tibs was there? He let out the breath and started down the hill. He deserved whatever Sto gave him. And after that¡­

    Tibs would accept what came afterward.

    Merchants waved and called to him from their booths. They were glad he was okay. They¡¯d held out hope while he was sick. One even cursed the clerics for letting the Hero of Kragle Rock linger in illness for so long.

    He did his best to ignore them. Of course, they¡¯d seen how he was when Jackal carried him out of the dungeon, and the stories had spread, like they always did, when no one corrected them. And even then. Stories sometimes felt like an element of their own, moving about the world out of control of anyone but those who had it as their element.

    Bards were who wielded stories.

    Fortunately, Kragle Rock hadn¡¯t drawn many of them at this point. Tibs had seen one at the inn, dressed in bright colors and a tar at his back, speaking with Russel, and Kroseph, and the other servers. Asking about what happened in the town, Kroseph told Tibs afterward. Gathering pieces they would etch into a story that would become the truth, as far as the rest of the world knew.

    Maybe they¡¯d one day make it into one of the books Don read, and it would officially be what had happened. No matter how distorted the stories became by then.

    He reached the steps without a word from Sto, and turned left, walking through the stalls, then buildings. Until he exited the Gathering Grounds.

    He waited until the sounds were faint, then stepped to the cliff face and sat.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said when the silence stretched. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for how I spoke to you, Sto, Ganny,¡± he added when there were no responses.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t you,¡± Sto said softly.

    ¡°It was,¡± Tibs replied, as Ganny scoffed. ¡°I decided to ice myself. I decided to keep myself iced anytime something cracked it. Maybe it changed how I thought, but it¡¯s still my fault I kept it there, and what I did and said because of it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Sto said.

    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t.¡± Tibs took a breath, reigned in his anger. Too many people were excusing what he did. As if the element had taken him over and acted without his consent. He¡¯d always been himself through it all. Just a version of himself devoid of the things that made him different from the elements.

    ¡°What are you going to do about it?¡± Ganny demanded.

    ¡°Ganny,¡± Sto snapped.

    ¡°She¡¯s right, Sto,¡± Tibs said. ¡°I hurt you.¡±

    Sto snorted. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that hard to fix what you damaged.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about unleashing fire inside you.¡± Tibs had trouble continuing. ¡°I treated you like¡­ a thing. Like you were just there to do what I told you. You should have listened to Ganny and sent me off.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not how friends treat each other,¡± Sto replied.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t deserve your friendship.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not how it works. Unless I got that wrong too. I¡¯m the one who decides who my friends are, and what I¡¯ll do for them.¡±

    ¡°Like plotting against me?¡± Tibs asked with a chuckle. ¡°Did Jackal really come up with the plan?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I could tell him what I wanted to do.¡±

    ¡°We did try,¡± Ganny said. ¡°Sto wrote a long page about how he wanted to lure you into a new section, then split you away and use golems he¡¯d make look like the rest of your team and have them attack you and put it on the ground when he realized Jackal was coming.¡±

    Would that have worked? With realizing he wasn¡¯t as close to the others than he¡¯d thought, he had his doubt. ¡°He didn¡¯t read it, did he?¡±

    ¡°He tried, I think,¡± Ganny said. ¡°He stared at it for a while, frowning. Then he said he didn¡¯t know his letters and told us what he wanted to do.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think it would work,¡± Sto said. ¡°It was so¡­simple. I also didn¡¯t think he could survive what you¡¯d throw at him.¡±

    ¡°Do you¡ª¡± his throat constricted. Did Sto know how Jackal had survived? If he did, did Tibs want to learn it from him? He hadn¡¯t found the courage to ask Jackal yet, and this felt like¡­ cheating.

    It shouldn¡¯t matter to him. He was a rogue. Cheating was what he did.

    ¡°Simple sometimes works best,¡± he finally said. ¡°And Jackal knows how to hurt me.¡± Tibs hadn¡¯t thought his friend could be so cruel.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have thought to say what he did,¡± Sto admitted.

    Tibs nodded.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t wearing your bracers. Did they get damaged?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯m not¡­ I¡¯m scared of what I¡¯ll do with the essence in them. It¡¯s too¡­ easy to use it.¡±

    ¡°What about Water?¡± Ganny asked. ¡°You¡¯re channeling it right now.¡±

    ¡°Not because I want to.¡± If he¡¯d had a way to hide his eyes, or change their color without having to channel an element, he¡¯d have done so. ¡°And I¡¯m terrified of what it¡¯ll make of me if I suffuse myself. But at least it¡¯s not as immediately destructive as fire. And it doesn¡¯t feed on my anger.¡± He rested his head against the rock. ¡°Ganny, what do you need me to do to make this right?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t¡ª¡± Sto started.

    ¡°I¡¯m asking Ganny,¡± Tibs cut him off. ¡°Because I don¡¯t need someone who cares right now. I hurt you, Sto, and I have to make amends. And she¡¯s the best one to come up with a proper punishment.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m the right one for this, Tibs,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯m not a person. Other than making you promise you¡¯ll never do something like that ever again, and that you¡¯ll always treat Sto with respect, I don¡¯t know what I could tell you to do.¡±

    ¡°You could have me be hurt the way I hurt him.¡±

    ¡°I think¡­ I don¡¯t think you need me for that.¡±

    ¡°I should pay,¡± he cursed. ¡°No one¡¯s holding me responsible for what I did. I can¡¯t go to Irdian for arranging the fire or getting Runners caught, because that would get in the way of our runs. Jackal is just happy I¡¯m better, and Kroseph is making sure I don¡¯t wallow. I almost hurt them more than anyone else and they won¡¯t punish me.¡±

    ¡°What do you want them to do?¡± Ganny asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know! I just¡ª¡± He put his head in his hands. ¡°I don¡¯t deserve to simply get away with what I did.¡±

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    ¡°If I think of a way to punish you,¡± Sto said, ¡°I¡¯ll let you know.¡±

    Tibs snorted at the utter lack of conviction it the dungeon¡¯s voice.

    * * * * *

    They were staring at him.

    He felt the eyes on him as he followed the clerk through the guild corridors. They knew. They knew he was plotting against them. They knew he¡¯d iced himself for months. They knew Sebastian had attacked the town because of how Tibs had hurt him, that all the troubles Kragle Rock suffered now were his fault. They also knew he didn¡¯t need the clerk leading him anymore. That he had a medallion that let him navigate the building.

    They all knew and, any moment now, they would fall on him and they would punish him the way he deserved, and Kragle Rock would be who ended up paying for his crimes.

    The knock startled him, and he realized it was the clerk knocking on Tirania¡¯s office door.

    ¡°Come in,¡± she said. The clerk opened the door and motioned inside.

    He steadied himself and entered. He wanted ice for this. How was he supposed to convince her he was still her ally when he wanted to burn the guild down, and her along with it?

    She smiled. ¡°Tibs, I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re feeling better.¡± She motioned to the chair. ¡°You had us worried.¡± No light on the words, but Tibs wondered why she¡¯d been worried.

    Did she know how much he hated the guild and her for representing it? That their previous interactions had been while he was iced? That all this was so he could find a way to get her to bring Marger here so he could kill him and destroy the guild?

    ¡°Thank you,¡± he replied, sitting. She had to know about the ice, at least. She was old, older than he could understand, he expected. Alistair said that everyone who had water as their element iced themselves at some point. She had to have seen the effect.

    ¡°I hope you are feeling better,¡± she said, searching his face, ¡°because you made enough of an impression on Lord Galdain during the gathering, he requested you be present when he returns with his children.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± He asked in disbelief. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°He wants the Hero of Kragle Rock to meet his children.¡±

    ¡°Send Don,¡± Tibs said before he stopped himself, then added as calmly as he could. ¡°He actually knows how to act around nobles.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t about who I, or you, think is the best person for this. Galdain requested you specifically. He made it clear that if you didn¡¯t make it to the gathering he arranged to celebrate his children coming here, they¡¯d leave the next morning and never consider us as a place for them or any other of his family to train.¡± She smiled. ¡°Which is why I am so glad you are well enough to be present.¡±

    Was it too late to go back to wallowing in Kroseph¡¯s bed? Jackal¡¯s man would understand this wasn¡¯t just about being miserable. If she¡¯d asked this after the party, Tibs would never have¡­hesitated. He¡¯d been iced. He would have done anything if it meant reinforcing his position as her ally.

    ¡°What does it mean for me to be at that party?¡±

    ¡°It means his children get to meet you, and if you make a good impression, they will train here.¡± He could do that much. ¡°Then, I expect you¡¯ll take them on a run through the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± He closed his mouth before the rest of his opinion could escape. ¡°We run the third floor. That¡¯s not a place for someone who¡¯s never gone through the dungeon. I don¡¯t care what rank they are.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you and your team won¡¯t mind running the first floor a few times, so they¡¯ll get acclimated.¡±

    ¡°What rank are they?¡± Tibs asked. Did they even have their element if they needed help through the first floor?

    ¡°Upsilon, I think,¡± she replied. ¡°They would have been tested at their city¡¯s training academy, then put through the reinforcing technique they developed there until they could have their audience.¡±

    ¡°They can do that? I thought only surviving dungeons made us strong enough to get an element.¡±

    ¡°Dungeons are the faster way to achieve those results, but as you can imagine, the risks involved are not for everyone.¡±

    Would anyone run the dungeons if the guild didn¡¯t force those like him to do it?

    Tibs nodded and spoke as neutrally as he could. ¡°Don will make a better impression on them.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m certain he can instruct you on how to behave, so you will make a good impression.¡± She smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sure you will get along splendidly with them.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t able to keep his grumbling silent, and she chuckled. At least she didn¡¯t take his less than enthusiastic attitude as a sign he wasn¡¯t her best ally anymore.

    ¡°How is your team handling having Don among them?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°It was rough at first, but it turns out that he can be a decent person.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°Considering your history, I was reluctant to go along when he ask I put him on your team, but I¡¯m glad the two Heroes of Kragle Rock were able to put their differences behind them and work together.¡±

    He stared at her, the sound of his rage drowning the rest of her pleasantries.

    He was going to kill him.

    Don had fucking played him.

    Again.

    * * * * *

    Tibs stormed through the common room, ignoring the greetings from the others in the inn. He¡¯d sensed ahead, so he knew Don was there with his team. He wasn¡¯t letting anyone delay his revelation of what the sorcerer had done.

    He was lucky Tibs didn¡¯t have his bracers; he doubted he¡¯d resist the temptation to use fire.

    ¡°You lied to us!¡± he yelled, slamming a hand on the table.

    Don stared at him in surprise.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal said. ¡°Maybe you should¡ª¡±

    ¡°He fucking lied!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡ª¡± the sorcerer said, and there was no light.

    ¡°You said Tirania put you on our team!¡±

    ¡°She did,¡± Don said. ¡°You were there when¡ª¡±

    ¡°You told her to put you in my team! It was your idea, not hers!¡±

    ¡°Don?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°I¡ª¡± the word glowed. ¡°Look.¡± The glow lessened, and Don looked at the others. Jackal and Khumdar¡¯s expression had turned suspicious, while Mez looked hurt. ¡°You have to understand.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jackal said sharply. ¡°I¡¯m sure you think we do.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why!¡± Don snapped. ¡°What the fuck did you expect me to do? Come to the people I¡¯ve gone out of my way to be an asshole to and just ask to be part of your team? You¡¯d have kicked my ass and laughed the entire time!¡±

    ¡°Don,¡± Mez said, ¡°We wouldn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°Get off it, Mez,¡± the sorcerer cut him off. ¡°After how I treated you? There was no way you would have welcomed me.¡±

    ¡°You lied,¡± Tibs snarled.

    ¡°How is it you missed it?¡± Khumdar asked cautiously.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± he¡¯d wracked his memory trying to remember every conversation. There had often been lights on his words, but that was true of anyone. But he couldn¡¯t remember ever seeing that when Don spoke of being on the team, or joining it. It could be he hadn¡¯t cared enough to remember or pay attention once the initial shock passed, but he should have, iced or not. He should have known all this was just Don manipulating them. ¡°I don¡¯t know what else he lied about.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t lie!¡± the sorcerer yelled, jumping to his feet, the words bright. ¡°Not about anything else!¡±

    Tibs snorted. That glowed too, if not as bright.

    ¡°Really?¡± Don looked them over. ¡°How many runs have we done? How many times did I keep my mouth shut and let him screw up? And this is the little trust you¡¯re showing me?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Mez asked, still sounding confused.

    ¡°I told you why,¡± the sorcerer replied through clenched teeth.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us?¡± Mez snapped. ¡°In all that time, why did you never tell us what you did?¡±

    Don looked at him in disbelief. ¡°And deal with this?¡± he replied in disdain, including the four of them with a wave of the arm. ¡°What? You think I want to be treated like I¡¯m something you need to scrape off from under you boot?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯d have¡ª¡±

    ¡°Fuck this,¡± Don told Tibs over Mez¡¯s protest. ¡°I don¡¯t need this. I don¡¯t need you. I learned what I needed from your lot. Now you can go fuck in the abyss for all I care.¡± He stalked away from the table.

    ¡°Good fucking riddance,¡± Tibs snarled, ignoring how bright the sorcerer¡¯s words had been. ¡°We don¡¯t need him.¡±

    * * * * *

    ¡°No,¡± Irdian said dismissively. ¡°Unless he¡¯s dead, you can¡¯t put some other sorcerer on your team.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not working out,¡± Tibs replied as evenly as he could.

    The commander¡¯s smirk said his tone wasn¡¯t as even as he thought. ¡°That is not my problem, Light Fingers. Take it up with Guild Leader Tirania. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be able to bend the rules for you, again.¡±

    There were so many ways he could kill that man, Tibs thought as he stormed out. Fire was too good. Corruption would be the best one. Tie Irdian under a bucket with a hole in it and let it drip until there was nothing left. That would teach him not to go along with what Tibs wanted.

    He was up the wall of the guild building and onto the roof, surprising a clerk who was enjoying a meal. Then Tibs threw himself off to the closest roof and ran. He pushed himself until his muscles hurt and didn¡¯t use purity. When he couldn¡¯t run, he screamed.

    He bent down, feeling like he was going to be sick from pushing himself so hard.

    As tempting as it was, he wasn¡¯t going to kill Don.

    Maybe if they both went to Tirania, she¡¯d listen.

    Oh, sure. Don was going to love going along with that plan. He was going to screw Tibs over for as long as he could. He was going to make sure they couldn¡¯t go on their runs.

    He screamed again.

    How could he have been so stupid as to ever trust that guy? When had Don ever been about anything other than what Don wanted?

    Fuck, he¡¯d gotten to liking him!

    That had to have been what Don was after. Making Tibs trust him enough he¡¯d volunteer all his secrets. He was asking a lot of questions after the runs. Tibs went over their conversation, trying to remember if he¡¯d said anything that might hint at being more than a normal Runner. He didn¡¯t think he had, but while iced, he hadn¡¯t care all that much about the consequences of what he said. He wasn¡¯t even sure he¡¯d believed that the guild learning about all his elements would have kept him from taking it down during that time.

    He straightened and looked around.

    The pillars of the transportation platform were to his left, the guild at his back, which meant that Market Row was¡­ he did a full turn. The construction over there was the future wall that would cut the nobles from the rest of Kragle Rock, and if that was there, the Row was¡­ How could he not recognize the roofline of his town? Had he not paid attention to the changes while iced? No, of course not. Running the roofs hadn¡¯t mattered to his plans. They were just how he got to the noble¡¯s neighborhood when he felt like breaking into one of them.

    Which, since that was one place he could still find, he might as well indulge in.

    It wasn¡¯t the direct type of suffering he wanted to inflict, but he¡¯d know one of them was down a few coins.

    And there was a baker who needed them, as well as other merchants.

    If Tibs could work out how to make it to the Row from the roofs after this.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 39

    Numbers. Numbers and more numbers.

    Tibs grumbled as he went over the ledger. How had he enjoyed doing this? He looked at the list of repairs the equipment needed. Most had just arrived during the previous bazaar and some had only been through one team¡¯s run, and already he wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d have enough intact equipment to hand over to the Omega and starting Upsilon teams. It was the point of the ledger, after all. To work that out. Would the leathersmiths take extra coins to put his repairs ahead of other customers? Did he have enough coins left? If so, how long would that last him? At least, the Upsilon teams usually returned with a few armor pieces they kept. But there were still more Omega teams that would have to rely on what the guild handed them if Tibs couldn¡¯t provide.

    He should have asked Sto to make him armor instead of spending all his coins like this. Nothing special, just with the self repair enchantment so he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about where his coins went.

    Maybe he should ask during the next run, whenever that happened, since Don wasn¡¯t going to cooperate, he was sure of that.

    Don. He ground his teeth. He was so happy they hadn¡¯t gotten to the point where he got Carina¡¯s robe. That had been the plan, somewhere in the back of his mind, when he wasn¡¯t too iced or angry to plan in that direction. She¡¯d want to help their sorcerer in any way she could, even now that she was gone.

    Fuck, it still hurt.

    He pushed the ledger away before tears fell on it. I¡¯m sorry, he thought again. I¡¯m sorry I wasn¡¯t faster. That I wasn¡¯t strong enough to save you.

    At least he¡¯d avenged her. Not that it had brought her back.

    The satisfaction had been short-lived.

    He wiped his tears.

    He¡¯d make sure that when it came to the others responsible, he would make them suffer for much longer. Those responsible for hers, and Mama¡¯s death.

    He brought the ledger close. But for now, numbers.

    * * * * *

    Jackal dropped into the chair. ¡°The schedule¡¯s up.¡± He was covered with sweat, and by the way his essence bunched up and was cracked in his left leg, he¡¯d done more than his usual morning run, and the fighting hadn¡¯t been on the training ground. Tibs looked around to ensure there were no clerics in the inn and made a purity weave for the fighter¡¯s injuries.

    Jackal¡¯s sigh was barely audible, but he relaxed.

    That was the nice thing about not having Don around. Tibs didn¡¯t have to let his friends suffer if they didn¡¯t want to use one of the potions they¡¯d smuggled out of the dungeon.

    ¡°When are we set for?¡± Mez asked without enthusiasm.

    ¡°Three days, the afternoon run.¡±

    ¡°I believe that puts a conundrum before us,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°if we wish to be allowed in.¡±

    ¡°I can fix the problem,¡± Jackal said, making a fist and cracking the knuckles.

    ¡°I suspect the guards will not approve of whatever you would do that would allow us to let a new sorcerer to be on our team.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s if you win,¡± Mez pointed out. ¡°Don¡¯s strong and smart.¡±

    ¡°The other choice is to convince him to do the run with us,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°No.¡± Tibs didn¡¯t look up from his food.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see other options, Tibs.¡±

    Tibs hesitated. ¡°Then we don¡¯t go.¡± He made the words as steady as he could.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal replied, sounding hurt. ¡°It¡¯s¡­We¡­¡± the silence stretched. ¡°Help me out here?¡±

    Mez sighed. ¡°I¡¯m with Tibs. I don¡¯t want anything to do with Don. He¡¯s going to have to make his team, so I¡¯m good with missing this run so we can get a new sorcerer for the next one.¡±

    ¡°Can he do that?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°Why not?¡± Mez replied. ¡°He¡¯s going to want to do runs too, and you know he¡¯s not going to let what anyone tells him keep him from going.¡± The last words were filled with bitterness.

    ¡°He¡¯s going to screw us over as long as he can,¡± Tibs added.

    ¡°Maybe you should talk with him,¡± Kroseph said, taking the empty plates and tankards.

    ¡°You don¡¯t like him,¡± Tibs accused the server.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t. I think that how he went about doing what he did is reprehensible. But I¡¯ve watched him over these last months he was on your team, and he isn¡¯t the man I¡¯d come to know before that.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I want anything to do with him,¡± Tibs snapped.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal said cautiously, ¡°maybe we should¡­¡±

    ¡°You can survive without loot for a while.¡± Tibs rolled his eyes at the fighter¡¯s horrified gasp. That hadn¡¯t worked in a long time.

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Jackal¡¯s voice cracked as he got to his feet. ¡°I need to have Kro mend my heart back together.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs pushed his plate away. The corruption that entered the inn had killed his appetite. ¡°He¡¯s here.¡±

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°He might not be here for us,¡± Mez said, his back to the approaching sorcerer. ¡°Every Runner comes here.¡±

    The silence that spread in the inn had Tibs look up and every Runner was glaring at Don as he strode to their table, back straight, head held high and disdain all over his face.

    ¡°He found that stick again,¡± Jackal said, ¡°and looks like it still fits up his ass nicely.¡±

    Don stopped at their table, standing next to Mez and the unoccupied chair.

    ¡°Told you,¡± Tibs muttered.

    ¡°The run is tomorrow,¡± Don announced. ¡°And I decided to be magnanimous and not let you suffer the loss of a run. I will be at the bottom of the steps,¡± he said, turning away, ¡°waiting¡ª¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not doing it,¡± Tibs cut him off. He didn¡¯t know that big word, but the tone hadn¡¯t made it a nice one.

    The sorcerer turned back to them slowly. ¡°You are not doing the run?¡± He sounded like he wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d heard correctly.

    ¡°Can¡¯t do it a member short,¡± Tibs stated.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Maybe we shouldn¡¯t be too hasty.¡±

    Tibs looked at his friend. ¡°Unless you found a way to bring in a new sorcerer, we can¡¯t go.¡±

    ¡°I did offer a way,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°You said no.¡±

    ¡°I must admit to surprise,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°that you are willing to lower yourself to being among us. Were you not able to find others and form a team of your own?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t think so fucking highly of yourself, cleric.¡± Don made that last word derisive. ¡°People are lining up to be on my team.¡± The words were bright. ¡°But because I¡¯m already on one.¡± He bit off the words. ¡°I can¡¯t form another. Even my status as a Hero of the Town isn¡¯t enough for the guild leader to bend the rules.¡± He glared at Tibs, and he grinned back. ¡°So, yes. I must lower myself to be with the likes of you if I want to go on a run.¡±

    ¡°And you want to?¡± Mez asked skeptically.

    The sigh was heavy. ¡°I am a Runner. My duty is to run the dungeon. Unlike some, I don¡¯t seek to shirk my responsibilities.¡± No glow, which surprised Tibs.

    ¡°No. You¡¯ll just use us to get your loot,¡± Tibs said angrily.

    ¡°Just so things are perfectly clear,¡± Jackal said, cutting off Don¡¯s reply. ¡°I¡¯m the team leader. If we let you do¡ª¡±

    ¡°Let me?¡± Don smirked.

    ¡°Let you,¡± Jackal replied, saying the words slowly. ¡°You came to us. Tibs said it. We were perfectly happy not doing the run.¡±

    Tibs was happy Don didn¡¯t have light, because Jackal¡¯s words were bright enough to be blinding.

    Don looked at the others at the table. ¡°Very well. To ensure you do not miss your run, I will lower myself to following your leadership. No matter how horrible it will be.¡±

    Tibs raised an eyebrow in surprise at how dim the light on the words was.

    * * * * *

    The guards by the dungeon entrance look at his team askance as the cleric cleared them. Once they were a few paces in, one asked, ¡°What¡¯s up with them?¡± He didn¡¯t make out the other¡¯s reply, and he didn¡¯t care about guards opinion, anyway.

    Jackal opened the doorway and once on the third floor Tibs stopped them before the intersection. ¡°There¡¯s been a change.¡± Ganny had rearranged the tiles. Spreading water over the floor told him the triggers had been moved around and no longer matched the previous color pattern. ¡°I¡¯m going to need time.¡±

    He moved cautiously, feeling Don¡¯s judgmental gaze on him the entire time. At least he kept quiet. ¡°Ganny?¡± he whispered once he made it to the other end of the corridor. She didn¡¯t answer. He¡¯d wanted to know if this was about allowing them to talk, or she¡¯d decided this part of the puzzle had become too easy. Her absence was answer enough.

    Once he worked out the sequence that opened the three corridors and no others, which used to mean they were primed for the further triggers, he told the others where to step to reach him.

    The first loot cache was no longer there. Which meant that even those that had been at the same place on each run couldn¡¯t be depended on anymore. When they reached the section with the added trap triggers and nothing happened, Tibs went back over it. Stepping into that section had used to open the doorway and drop Gnolls on them. If Ganny had removed that, why leave the triggers?

    It could be a decoy, but Tibs didn¡¯t get that sense. He¡¯d expect her to have shuffled them around for that. This felt like an invitation to pay more attention. And it paid off in locating a loot cache. Which triggered the doorway and dropped the Gnolls once opened.

    ¡°Watch for the trap triggers,¡± Tibs instructed his team as they came to his help, and the rest of the fight was in silence, as had been most of the run.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Sto said. ¡°I come back in time to watch this and¡­ what¡¯s going on?¡±

    Tibs glared at Don as he pulled the cache¡¯s content out while Mez and Khumdar collected what the Gnolls left behind. The sorcerer responded with a look of his own; Tibs was too insignificant to bother with. The clothing was in bright colors and trimmed with gold and silver; the buttons looked to be silver, too. And the cut was¡­ Don didn¡¯t mask his eagerness in time.

    ¡°You¡¯re too good for them,¡± Tibs said. On top of being made so a noble would drool over them, they had essence woven through. Light, darkness, and purity were the ones he could identify. He folded them again and put them in Jackal¡¯s pack.

    ¡°Okay, why isn¡¯t he replying to that?¡± Sto asked. ¡°Where¡¯s the banter? Tibs, what is going on?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother lying,¡± Tibs told Don. He couldn¡¯t think of another way to let Sto know who¡¯s fault this was. ¡°We all know just how superior to even nobles you are.¡±

    ¡°I have never made such claims,¡± the sorcerer replied, and the words didn¡¯t glow.

    Tibs snorted. ¡°Like you had to say anything for us to know.¡±

    ¡°I really thought you¡¯d have an easier time dealing with people lying now that you aren¡¯t iced,¡± Sto said. ¡°It¡¯s not like he¡¯s the first one to do it, or the only one. Seems to me people are always lying about one thing or another.¡±

    Tibs ground his teeth. This wasn¡¯t the same. People shouldn¡¯t lie about claiming to be his friend. Or about being forced into the situation. People didn¡¯t lie about big stuff like that.

    The next fight was against golem people, and Tibs wasn¡¯t sure how it had been triggered. They had elements, and once it was over, they were forced to use the few healing potions they¡¯d gotten from the Gnoll fight because Tibs couldn¡¯t help his friends. He had a hard time not glaring at the sorcerer while he checked the area for a cache that wasn¡¯t there.

    He unlocked the boar crest room, then they were looking at the Conquest board, with Ganny¡¯s Lord, archer, sorcerer, and two infantry in place.

    ¡°Where do you want us?¡± Jackal asked Don.

    ¡°Me?¡± The sorcerer raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re the leader. Don¡¯t you make all the decisions?¡± he asked with derision. ¡°How could you ever trust me, after all those runs we did side by side? Aren¡¯t you worried I¡¯ll maneuvered you and your team so you¡¯ll die?¡±

    ¡°This could have been your team,¡± Tibs snapped. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t lied to me!¡±

    ¡°I did not¡ª¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Jackal glared at them both and Tibs nodded once he had his anger under control. Don simply shrugged, like he couldn¡¯t be bothered to keep this going.

    ¡°Good,¡± the fighter said, smiling. ¡°You¡¯re right, I am the leader of this team, which you are still part of, Don. And I¡¯m telling you to take care of this puzzle. As for you causing us to die?¡± Jackal smiled. ¡°Just think of what the other Runners are going to think of the great hero of Kragle Rock if he¡¯s the only one to walk out of the dungeon. Because that¡¯s what¡¯s going to have to happen for the rest of the team not to tell everyone how you purposely got one of us killed.¡±

    Tibs heard Don grind his teeth as Jackal patted him on the shoulder.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Ganny asked.

    ¡°Something about his team,¡± Sto answered. ¡°So Tibs is angry, and Don lying has something to do with it.¡±

    ¡°People are always lying about something,¡± she said. ¡°So why is he angry this time?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. He hasn¡¯t walked away from them to tell me. I thought you might know.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know that much about people, Sto. If Tibs can¡¯t explain it, I¡¯m not sure that I can either.¡±

    ¡°Great. I don¡¯t think he realizes that this isn¡¯t at amusing as he might think it is.¡±

    Tibs glared at the ceiling. Did Sto think this was for his entertainment?

    ¡°If you¡¯re done admiring the ceiling,¡± Don said in a snarky tone. ¡°Take your position.¡± He pointed, and Tibs rolled his eyes. Of course, he¡¯d put him as infantry; the least valuable piece.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 40

    Tibs grumbles his congratulations reluctantly once everyone else, even Mez, congratulated Don on guiding them to victory. Don had, again, controlled the board, even if it looked for a while like Ganny was maneuvering them into a trap. Don had turned it against her, putting her on the defensive for the next five moves, which ended with Don defeating her Lord. Who else but him was good enough to beat the dungeon¡¯s most important piece, after all.

    He ignored the sorcerer¡¯s looks and checked the chest for traps. He opened it and almost closed it on seeing the content. Was Ganny joking? She wasn¡¯t saying anything, but why else would there be a purple sorcerer¡¯s robe in there? It had the usual enchantments to let it absorb more damage, not break as easily, but the weave felt denser. A stronger version?

    ¡°Let me guess,¡± Don said, standing over Tibs and looking in the chest. ¡°I¡¯m too good for this, too.¡±

    Tibs shoved the robe in the sorcerer¡¯s arms before walking away. ¡°I¡¯m going to check the way to the next crest,¡± He told the others. ¡°If you¡¯re going to leave this room, watch where you step. You lock me out and I can¡¯t help whatever trouble you get yourselves into.¡±

    Three paces out of the room and someone followed him. Tibs spun around, ready to tell Jackal he wasn¡¯t in the mood for company; he¡¯d know why he wanted to be alone, but it was Don hurrying after him as he put the robe into his pack.

    ¡°I¡¯m part of this team,¡± Don said. ¡°You aren¡¯t leaving me behind.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need your help,¡± Tib¡¯s growled. ¡°Leave me¡ª¡±

    ¡°You think this is about helping you?¡± The disdain was thick. ¡°This is about helping myself.¡± The words glowed. ¡°I need you to survive if we¡¯re going to get through all the rooms.¡± Those didn¡¯t.

    Tibs didn¡¯t bother wondering why or what-about Don was lying as he glared at him. He didn¡¯t care. The sorcerer was always lying.

    ¡°It may be best if we all remain together,¡± Khumdar said, joining them. ¡°To ensure nothing happens to one of us.¡±

    Tibs rolled his eyes at the look the cleric pointed at him. He wasn¡¯t going to stab Don. Unlike him, Tibs knew what it meant to be part of a team.

    The Gnolls they encountered next had elements, making the fight harder, and, because of Don¡¯s presence, they had to use up more of the precious healing potions. He couldn¡¯t wait for Don to convince Tirania he deserved to lead his own team, so Tibs could find someone he¡¯d trust to replace him with. Someone he could tell about Sto, and his multiple elements, so Tibs could go back to talking with the dungeon during the runs.

    There was that new Upsilon sorcerer Tibs had noticed on the training grounds. Her eyes were a color Tibs had never seen before, gray, but with a sheen to them. He wanted to call the color silver, but as with a lot of words used around the elements, it didn¡¯t feel correct.

    Whatever element she had, she had to be more trustworthy than Don.

    Don didn¡¯t question Tibs¡¯s instructions as they navigated the shifting floor room, but Tibs felt the suspicious looks. The sorcerer also studied the room when Tibs was instructing someone else on the team, probably looking for a better path than Tibs had worked out.

    The chest had a bandoleer Tibs could see attaching knives to. Mez pointed out it could instead hold potion bottles.

    There were no attacks on the way to the dragon crest room, which worried Tibs. If Ganny hadn¡¯t set up attacks getting there, she was planning something else.

    The dragon crest took longer than the others to solve, as usual, because of the complexity of the movements needed to reform it, and Don¡¯s eyes on him didn¡¯t help. He was tempted to let the sorcerer try it and see how easy it was for him, but that would be playing into Don¡¯s game, and it would cost them more time already spent relearning the trigger sequence leading here.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch anything,¡± he told Don as he stepped into the room.

    ¡°When have I ever been the one to touch something and trigger traps?¡± He didn¡¯t look at Jackal, but Tibs knew who the sorcerer implied. It was a weak attempt at making the others think he was the better leader. He was probably holding in anger that Jackal hadn¡¯t gotten himself killed when he¡¯d tried to open what he thought was a cache, and triggered an attack by golem people. Tibs had seen the trap and ignored it, not expecting anyone else, especially Jackal, to notice it.

    Tibs wondered how often Don had hoped Jackal would get himself killed in such a manner back when they believed he was trying to be a better person. They might have made him team leader then, and they would have regretted it. At least now, no matter what happened, there was no way any of them would let him take charge.

    The way to the first chest room, then the second, was the same. They dealt with the ¡®surprise¡¯ golem people attack efficiently. Then Tibs had them past the first switch, then the second, again without any changes to the path. Maybe it had all been ploy from Ganny to make him doubt everything on this floor.

    ¡°Are we really continuing?¡± Don asked.

    ¡°You can leave,¡± Tibs replied, testing the walls, ¡°if you¡¯re scared.¡±

    ¡°I am not scared,¡± the sorcerer replied. ¡°But the time shield was close to a quarter left when we entered. Can we risk the delay?¡±

    ¡°We know the way back,¡± Jackal replied, while Tibs systematically tested each wall, moving them along, his team on the same tile he was. ¡°And we can easily defeat whatever creatures the dungeon puts in our path.¡±

    ¡°Your overconfidence will result in¡ª¡±

    The rest was cut as the wall moved in place and Gnolls dropped on them.

    They won quickly and with a minimum of injuries. Then Tibs opened two chest rooms in a row. After that, there was another attack, which nearly killed Mez. Don stepped between the golem and archer, taking the killing strike in his side.

    Mez¡¯s gratefulness made Tibs sick. It wasn¡¯t like Don had put himself at that much risk. His robe had taken the blunt of the damage because the sorcerer had stolen Tibs¡¯s trick of adding his element to his armor, so the sword had melted as it struck, making it even less deadly.

    And Don had probably planned it to happen, anyway.

    Tibs tested the wall, finding the one that moved, and four sections later it opened a room with a larger chest than the others, a dragon crest over it, and a switch next to that.

    ¡°We made it?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°Yes! We made it!¡± He ran into the room, and Tibs wondered if he should let him open this one and be reminded of why Tibs needed to check them, but the fighter stopped halfway to it and looked at Tibs sheepishly. ¡°Letting my enthusiasm get the better of me again.¡± He grinned. ¡°Been trying to work on that.¡±

    Don snorted.

    Tibs ground his teeth. The sorcerer was getting on his nerves; which had to be why he kept on doing that.

    The chest was trapped. A simple trigger that activated when the lip opened. He neutralized it and revealed the contents.

    One and five healing potions.

    ¡°Do you think this one¡¯s random?¡± Mez asked, ¡°or is this the dungeon subtly warning us about the next room?¡±

    ¡°The boss room.¡± Jackal rubbed his hands together. ¡°Big loot!¡±

    ¡°And a harder fight,¡± Khumdar stated.

    When Don didn¡¯t comment, Tibs glanced in his direction. The expression on the sorcerer¡¯s face was quickly replaced with a glare directed at Tibs. Had that been worry? Probably at how he was going to ensure he survived, even if it ended up costing them their lives.

    Three potions each. Then Tibs checked the switch for traps before pulling it.

    The floor rumbled and shook.

    ¡°That feels close,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°That isn¡¯t a reason to be careless,¡± Jackal said, and the four of them stared at him. ¡°What? I¡¯m never careless.¡±

    Don wasn¡¯t the only one to snort this time.

    They exited the room, and Tibs examined the floor as they traced back their steps. There were no surprise attacks, no blocked passages, and no new ones until they were back near the entrance, with the time shield having about a sixth left.

    Was it slowing? Or did it not take as long as Tibs had felt to reach the crest in the shifting walls room?

    ¡°I do not recall a passage being here,¡± Khumdar commented, and Tibs looked in that direction. They were a good way from the exit, or the three crests. The new opening was two and zero paces ahead of them.

    ¡°One of the many shifts we triggered but weren¡¯t there to see must have caused it,¡± Don replied with an edge to his voice.

    ¡°Should we go in?¡± Mez asked. ¡°The crests are somewhere in that direction, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°This feels too simple,¡± Don stated.

    Tibs stopped himself from commenting. For once, Don was right. Ganny should have put something on the way. There were always attacks when they headed to the exit from the shifting walls room.

    ¡°Maybe the dungeon knows that we¡¯re low on time by now?¡± Mez said.

    ¡°Dungeons aren¡¯t that smart,¡± Don stated.

    ¡°Really?¡± Ganny replied. ¡°And what do all the traps and fights and oh, the three caches you missed, Tibs, say about how smart I am? What about making you work for that Conquest victory, Don? What happened to him since the last run Tibs? Know-it-all used to have a sense of what he was dealing with here.¡±

    How had he missed three caches? Should he go back? If Jackal found out, he¡ª

    ¡°We won¡¯t know if we don¡¯t look.¡± The fighter headed for the new passage, watching where he stepped and sticking to the sequence that shouldn¡¯t trigger anything. Tibs hurried to join him and check for tricks from Ganny.

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.Much faster than Tibs felt they should. They stood before the three crests. They were gray.

    ¡°That means they¡¯re unlocked, right?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°I am not dealing with more corridors after everything we went through to get here.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll deal with what I decide you deal with,¡± Ganny said as Tibs did a visual inspection of each crest. There were no obvious traps, but he coated his hand in water before touching the lion crest.

    ¡°Ice would be more effective,¡± Don said, and Tibs made a fist as he stopped moving. Was he really suggesting he iced himself? Did the sorcerer have a death wish?

    ¡°I believe Don means that as it will be more solid than water, applying pressure on the crest will be easier if you make it ice around your hand,¡± Khumdar said.

    ¡°I know that,¡± Tibs snapped.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I said,¡± Don said in an annoyed tone.

    It was just his hand; and the water around it, not himself. He¡¯d made his sword and shield easily enough, so this would¡­ ice crystals formed in the water and Tibs let go of the essence.

    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± He glared at Don, who raised his hands placatingly, smiling. No, it was a smirk. Don didn¡¯t smile.

    Jackal stepped next to Tibs. ¡°I¡¯ll press it if you¡ª¡±

    ¡°I can do it.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we can have the others step back,¡± Jackal said. ¡°It¡¯s a lot easier to perform without an audience?¡±

    ¡°Do I even want to know how you know that?¡± Mez asked while Tibs looked at the fighter in disbelief. Was he really equating making ice with what he and Kroseph got up to?

    ¡°You should have known me before I ended up here,¡± Jackal said.

    Don snorted. ¡°You were still doing that here. What?¡± the sorcerer asked as he was stared at. ¡°Didn¡¯t any of you hear guys talk about how the great Jackal made them feel in and out of bed? How did your man ever think that was appealing?¡±

    Jackal snorted. ¡°Do you think Kro saved himself for me? Don, how about you don¡¯t put your nose in mine and my man¡¯s business?¡±

    ¡°Might be easier to do,¡± Tibs grumbled, ¡°if both of you stopped mentioning that business all the time.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m loathed to agree with Tibs,¡± Don said. ¡°But you two are very free with your¡­performing.¡±

    ¡°Jealous?¡± Jackal said with a smirk.

    ¡°Of you?¡± Don replied, his tone hardening. ¡°I will have you know that the women I have spent time with have only praises for how I perform for them. I can bring them to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh, shut up!¡± Tibs snapped. Ice over his hand and slamming it on the crest. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear about anyone¡¯s performing.¡±

    The click silenced the replies, then with a loud grinding, the wall parted.

    The room on the other side was larger than any they¡¯d come across; larger than the pool room on the second floor. The walls were decorated with etchings that were too far for Tibs to make out the details.

    ¡°That,¡± Don said, sounding worried, ¡°is a dragon.¡±

    He had to mean the only creature in the room with them, at the other end of it. It didn¡¯t look that imposing, like a sitting scaled dog, but with a longer and narrower muzzle. Then he looked at how large the room was, how far the back of it seemed to be, and he had to reconsider how big it was.

    ¡°Look at the size of that chest between his legs,¡± Jackal said, awed. ¡°Come on!¡± He ran into the room, turning to stone.

    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Don yelled.

    Tibs smirked and followed his leader. If the sorcerer thought now was the time to assert his leadership, he was wrong. The others were right behind him as he reached Jackal, then skidded to a stop as a ball of fire flew in their direction. Tibs made a wall of ice, and it exploded on impact, filling the room with steam.

    Hidden from Don¡¯s sight, Tibs channeled fire and wrenched the essence away from Ganny and absorb the second fireball before its heat even registered.

    ¡°Right,¡± Ganny said, ¡°you¡¯ve been sticking to water for long enough I stopped thinking of what you can do when you channel another element. Still,¡± she continued smugly. ¡°It¡¯s not going to save you.¡±

    Tibs channeled water and absorbed the steam.

    Between them and the dragon were over two and zero creatures. Other than the rats and bunnies from the first floor, every other creature they¡¯d fought was represented.

    With a whoop, Jackal ran at the closest Whipper, catching the whip and yanking hard enough to pull it off its feet. Tibs made a sword and shield and approached the Ratling group. By the time he engaged them, flaming arrows peppered creatures, and he saw Khumdar fighting a golem person before he had to focus on his opponents.

    The Ratlings were better than Tibs remembered, but there weren¡¯t on his level. One sweep of his sword and three were cut in half. His shield caught maces and claws, and he barely felt the impact. When they tried numbers to challenge him, he iced a few and easily dispatched the rest.

    Then his sword shattered on a Gnoll, whose sheen through the fur should have warned him of what element it had, since he¡¯d been too distracted to pay attention. Tibs reacted quickly and was out of range of the Gnoll¡¯s swipe, but the front of his armor was cut, and Tibs felt the tip of the blade move through his chest.

    If he hadn¡¯t had metal as an element, he would have been cut in half without the sword even touching him.

    When the Gnoll attacked again, Tibs sensed the essence around the sword extend forward and he jumped out of the way. He rolled and reformed his sword. He used his own version with this attack, stretch the ice blade until he reached his opponent. Something happened, metal essence moved, and the tip was shredded.

    So the Gnoll was clever with its use of essence. Tibs smiled. He could be too. He rushed, sensing ahead. When the Gnoll used its essence. It was doing the thing it had around its body, but Tibs took control of the essence, pulled and coated his ice sword with it, so that when the tip impacted the Gnoll¡¯s chest, it went through the metal coating it too. His opponent¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, then ice exploded within it.

    Tibs didn¡¯t have time to celebrate the victory. He sensed a golem person nearly on him, and he swung, only to have her jump over him, land and jump againt. Slices after slices cut his armor while he missed her each time. She moved too easily not to be using an element, but he didn¡¯t sense anything. Was it one he couldn¡¯t sense, or was she doing the golem person equivalent of suffusing herself with it? Could Sto get them to¡ª

    Pain shattered his thinking; far too much of it. The sword was in his side. How could he feel pain from it? Metal couldn¡¯t hurt him anymore. With an angry snarl, he filled her with water and turned her into an ice statue.

    The answer was easy. It only looked like metal. If he¡¯d bothered sensing it, he would have known it was something else. He pulled it out and suffused himself with purity. He was still healing as another golem approached.

    He visualized the lines, the spiral and Dhu in the appropriate places, and water impacted the golem, exploding into watery shards that left rubble behind.

    He stood and channeled water again. He dispatched a Whipper, then a Bunnyling; and quiet fell on the room, except for his team¡¯s panting.

    Don was by the door, but there was enough corruption on crumbling bodies Tibs couldn¡¯t accuse the sorcerer of leaving them to die.

    Khumdar, Mez, and Jackal downed potions and their injuries went away.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get the loot,¡± Jackal said, turning to the dragon.

    ¡°Down!¡± Tibs yelled as the light essence formed into a line crossing the room in their direction.

    Darkness washed over them, and when it met the now visible line of light, they struggled against each other as if they were solid. Darkness lost, sliced apart, but it had weakened the light enough Tibs didn¡¯t think it would have done serious damaged if anyone had stood in its way.

    Khumdar was on a knee, pale and panting. He pulled a bottle of blue liquid and drank. His color returned, and he stood, giving Tibs a nod.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Jackal said, ¡°Now we¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Don ordered.

    Jackal stropped his turn and faced the sorcerer. ¡°I¡¯m the team leader, Don.¡±

    ¡°And you intend on leading everyone into that?¡± the sorcerer demanded, pointing.

    They all turned, and more, a lot more creatures shimmered between them and the dragon.

    ¡°We can¡­¡± Jackal lost some of his bravado. ¡°Tibs? Mez, Khumdar?¡± He paused. ¡°Don? Opinions?¡±

    ¡°They have the numbers on us, no contest,¡± Mez said, worried.

    ¡°Do dungeon not always challenge us with what we can overcome?¡± Khumdar asked, equally worried.

    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t always do it the way you expect,¡± Don snapped. ¡°This is clearly meant to look like a battle of strength.¡±

    ¡°Which we can¡¯t win,¡± Mez added.

    ¡°Therefore, it must be something else.¡±

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal asked.

    He looked around for a clue as to what this was about.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± the fighter asked again.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± he snapped, then glared at the sorcerer. Tibs should have been the one to catch on. He knew Ganny. He knew she didn¡¯t go for the obvious. ¡°You¡ª¡± he closed his mouth on the accusation and breathed. ¡°We rushed in without thinking. We got overconfident.¡±

    He looked at the¡­ horde of creatures. ¡°I don¡¯t think we can fight through them. And I think that any movement in that direction will cause an attack.¡±

    Jackal nodded. ¡°So we retreat and come back to fight another day?¡± They nodded. ¡°You win, dungeon,¡± he said as they headed for the corridor. ¡°But we¡¯re coming back, and that chest is mine.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 41

    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Tibs asked Jackal, as he lit a lantern. The light hinted at a large space.

    The fighter shrugged. ¡°As much as I can be without a network in town anymore. My father¡¯s people might have been more trouble than they were worth in the end; but at least I could get them to do stuff for me.¡±

    ¡°I mean having you and Kroseph here.¡± Tibs stepped into the darkness, using the metal he sensed to find the next lantern. ¡°We don¡¯t know how I¡¯m going to be when I channel Metal. At the very least, I¡¯m going to sharp and pointy.¡± He could sense all of them, and have lit them from the entrance, but he needed to do something while he worked up courage to start.

    ¡°I¡¯m not worried,¡± Kroseph said, as Tibs lit another lantern. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to hurt us.¡±

    ¡°And if you try,¡± Jackal said, smirking. ¡°I¡¯ll stop you.¡±

    Was that him admitting he had survived Tibs¡¯s attempt at killing him by careful planning? He should stop worrying himself sick over it and ask. But what if it was just Jackal¡¯s usual, not always justified, bravado?

    It would be simple to replace a reserve in his bracer with metal essence and limit himself to that. It gave him enough to deal with any problem if he couldn¡¯t just pull the essence from around him. And he had so many elements to use, to master the use of. He could focus on them before this one.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Kroseph asked.

    He nodded and moved away from the lantern he¡¯d stood before, unmoving, and continued lighting them until he stood in a space that was now more shadows instead of darkness. He could fill it with light, but he didn¡¯t know how to have that remain without constantly thinking about it. There had to be Arcanus that let that happen, maybe even a simple weave. Making a light that stayed had to be one of the first thing a Runner with light as their element learned.

    Yet one more thing he needed to work on. He stepped into the middle of the room. But for now, it was metal.

    He nodded again, and Jackal stoned up.

    Tibs let out a breath and channeled metal; then waited for something to happen.

    ¡°How do you feel?¡± Kroseph asked in the stretching silence.

    ¡°Fine.¡± Tibs tried to find a difference in how he thought.

    ¡°Nothing¡¯s changed?¡± Jackal asked, his tone suspicious, and on guard.

    Of course, he was wary. Tibs had tried to fool them when he¡¯d channeled Corruption.

    ¡°Nothing that I can feel. Maybe I already think like metal?¡±

    ¡°I doubt it,¡± the fighter replied, not relaxing. ¡°You channeled it in the dungeon, and you were more¡­intense.¡±

    ¡°It was in the middle of a fight,¡± Tibs replied dismissively, ¡°and I didn¡¯t know what I¡¯d done.¡±

    ¡°No, Tibs. It wasn¡¯t the same kind of intensity as when you fight, it was¡ª¡±

    ¡°It was,¡± Tibs snapped, fixing his gaze on Jackal. ¡°I know how I feel better than you, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°There it is.¡±

    Tibs rolled his eyes. Jackal knew nothing. Well, nothing about this.

    He pushed essence over his hand and sensed the cloud; then, he made a blade from it. He ground his teeth as what he produced was similar to his ice sword, in that it was spiked and jagged, but where with ice it looked like they grew out of the weapon, this looked like broken piece put together without reason.

    He didn¡¯t mind the jaggedness; considered it sort of his thing at this point, but this was ugly. This wasn¡¯t a sword, just something broken he¡¯d picked up. He undid it and tried again. This was a new element, and he¡¯d worked out that what he did with one didn¡¯t necessarily produce the same result with another.

    Again, he produced nothing more than broken metal held in place by his will.

    Alright. Since it was his will, he was going to will this thing the way he wanted it. He willed the pieces to move, to align, to give him a sword. Instead, they stretched in all directions, piercing other pieces, breaking them so that he ended up with a larger mess of broken pieces.

    With snarl he sent the pieces flying. Maybe there had been something wrong with the essence. Maybe he¡¯d pulls some of another element without meaning to. Metal wouldn¡¯t look like that by itself.

    The essence pulled before him, and he grasped a smooth hilt as the rest of the sword form and he smil¡ª

    The rest was a mess of broken pieces.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal called.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get this.¡± Jackal stood before Kroseph, with metal shards embedded in the wall around him. But his clothing was undamaged.

    The fighter chuckled nervously. ¡°Maybe you aren¡¯t ready for swords just yet? Why don¡¯t you try something simpler? Like coins? Can you make copper, no, silver coins? How about¡ª¡±

    ¡°I said¡ª¡± Tibs replied through clenched teeth, swinging his hand in the fighter¡¯s direction. ¡°That I¡¯m going to get this.¡±

    The pieces of metal came undone and flew in the fighter¡¯s direction.

    ¡°Abyss,¡± Tibs cursed and Jackal tensed. He hadn¡¯t willed the metal to do that. It had just¡­slipped his control. How dare it do that! He controlled it.

    He formed another ¡®sword¡¯, as Jackal hurriedly checked himself over for damage.

    ¡°You missed?¡±

    Tibs rolled his eyes. He couldn¡¯t have missed, because he wasn¡¯t aiming. If he had aimed, there would have been nothing left of what he hit.

    ¡°I told you,¡± Kroseph said. ¡°He won¡¯t hurt us.¡±

    He glared at the wreck of metal that tried to pass itself off as a sword. ¡°Why won¡¯t you do what I want?¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Kroseph asked.

    ¡°Maybe you should stay behind me, Kro.¡±

    ¡°A sword,¡± Tibs told the approaching server. ¡°What else do you think I¡¯d want out of this?¡± He ground his teeth as this time, the broken pieces slid against each other, instead of assembling into a fucking sword!

    ¡°Why?¡± Kroseph was next to him now.

    ¡°Because it¡¯s what I want!¡±

    ¡°It might be easier to start with a knife.¡±

    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    ¡°I want a sword!¡± he glared at Kroseph, and the pieces slipped out of his control, returning to looking like an even messier thing. With an exasperated scream, he threw the mess at the back of the warehouse and formed another sword. This time, he¡¯d get it to behave.

    ¡°Not one word,¡± he warned the server, as another mess of broken pieces formed.

    ¡°How do you feel about a few dozen of them?¡±

    ¡°So long as they aren¡¯t comments on what I¡¯m doing.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Making a sword. Can¡¯t you see that?¡±

    Kroseph nodded. ¡°Because you want a sword.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and Abyss take this thing. I will get one.¡±

    ¡°Why do you think it looks like that?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m angry.¡± That one was easy. ¡°It¡¯s the same with ice. Alistair says that because deep down, I¡¯m angry; it¡¯s reflected in what I make.¡± Tibs snorted. ¡°Like he has any idea how fucking angry I am. Him and his fucking guild. Any time I channel fire, it¡¯s a struggle not to use it on them. Even if I know it won¡¯t do anything with all the magic protecting the building.¡±

    ¡°Do you think getting more angry is helping you get the sword to look how you want?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡± Tibs snapped. ¡°It¡¯s my essence. It¡¯s going to fucking do what I will it to.¡±

    ¡°Can I make a suggestion?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯ve got this.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you should take a break, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°I said I have this!¡± He had the mess of broken pieces in the server¡¯s face, and Jackal pulled his man away.

    Kroseph hadn¡¯t looked worried.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal warned.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt him,¡± Tibs replied dismissively, focussing on the mess again.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Kroseph said.

    ¡°I really don¡¯t know about this, Kro.¡±

    ¡°I think I understand how he¡¯s thinking.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s turned stubborn,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°No. He¡¯s unbending in his thinking. Which is interesting, if you think about it, since metal is flexible when it¡¯s well forged.¡± Kroseph was next to him again.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate, Tibs. Because I¡¯d like you to let go of the element.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got this,¡± he said through gritted teeth as metal silently slid against metal.

    ¡°Maybe, but I want you to let it go, anyway.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m doing this!¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡±

    Tibs glared at Jackal¡¯s man. ¡°You¡¯re getting close to making me want to hurt you, Kroseph.¡±

    ¡°What is this about, Tibs?¡±

    ¡°Making a fucking sword.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡±

    ¡°Look at this.¡± Tibs snarled as he shook the mess in his hand.

    ¡°But that isn¡¯t why you came here, is it?¡±

    ¡°Who cares about that?¡± He ignored the server¡¯s gaze on him. He was just a distraction from getting metal to obey him. He tried to will the pieces into a line.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d lose focus so easily,¡± Kroseph said.

    ¡°What did you say?¡± Tibs only had one piece left in his hand, the others clattering to the floor. They didn¡¯t matter. He didn¡¯t need a sword to cut this man. All the pieces were sharp enough for that.

    Jackal stepped forward, but Kroseph stopped him with a raised hand.

    ¡°You got distracted from the reason you came here.¡± Kroseph watched him. ¡°And easily, too.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t get distracted,¡± Tibs snarled. ¡°Unless someone causes it. Like you.¡±

    ¡°Really? Then how about you tell me why we came here?¡±

    Tibs raised the broken piece he held. The reasons behind everything he¡¯d done in the last¡­

    He frowned at it. Was it?

    It was what he wanted to deal with right now. But had it been the reason he, Jackal and Kroseph had come here?

    No. They¡¯d come here to find out how Metal would affect him.

    ¡°I get obsessed,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to think about anything other than what I¡¯m dealing with right now. I don¡¯t care about the consequences, of course.¡± He smiled at the realization, then that went away as he noticed the broken piece of metal in his hand and the need to get the sword to do as he willed.

    He let go of Metal, then absorbed the piece in his hand, emptying earth out of his bracers to make space for it. ¡°This is going to be a problem until I get control.¡±

    ¡°Seems you got control easily enough,¡± Jackal said, his skin regaining its tan hue.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t get control of Metal. I just let go of it.¡±

    ¡°It happened faster than with the other elements,¡± Kroseph commented.

    ¡°It was easier to notice I wasn¡¯t thinking the same once you forced me to look at it. I think it¡¯s because I had to do the same thing with the other elements. I¡¯m learning to understand how I¡¯m different when I channel an element if I can get myself to pay attention to that.¡± He smiled. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll get to the point where I can get a new element and not have to destroy a building to gain control.¡±

    ¡°Considering the state you left the previous one,¡± Jackal said, indicating the shards embedded in the wall by the door. ¡°I¡¯d say this is good.¡±

    ¡°But I can¡¯t control myself yet.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to channel Metal again?¡± Kroseph asked.

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°I need to rest.¡±

    ¡°Then you might want to absorb everything you sent flying in the walls.¡±

    Tibs senses the shards in the walls and at his feet. He undid them, making them only essence again. He put the little that fit the reserve in his bracers and let go of the rest. He¡¯d have to channel Metal again to bring this back into his core reserve, and he didn¡¯t feel like risking it.

    ¡°Is it safe for Tibs to train here again?¡± Kroseph asked, as Tibs cracked the door opened and listened.

    ¡°It¡¯s best to avoid using the same place twice. The owner might miss these holes, or not question where they came from, but any more and they¡¯re going to get the guards to watch the building.¡±

    The lack of sounds confirmed what his sense told him. Tibs opened the door a bit more and looked out.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you just know if there¡¯s someone there?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°I have to stop relying on only one sense.¡± He pulled the door fully open. ¡°There¡¯s going to be magic out there that can fool it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like anyone knows you do it.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s still ways.¡± He exited the building. ¡°Khumdar can hide completely from me with darkness now.¡±

    ¡°But he knows about your element,¡± Kroseph said.

    ¡°Any rogue who thinks he can¡¯t be beaten is about to end up dead,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°I¡¯m not dying because of that one.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s Tibs,¡± Jackals said, following him. ¡°Wise beyond his years.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs walked along the guild corridors, acting like he knew where he was going. He did. He was going to the training room, where Alistair would be waiting for him soon. But he was taking the very long way to get there.

    He¡¯d never been in this part of the building. He¡¯d had to take two corridors to their end, turn and then had come across another one going deeper. He had been looking for it, because he could now tell the previous ones didn¡¯t reach the back.

    The clerks he passed seemed too preoccupied with the stacks of papers to notice him, so he made sure not to get in their way. When a door opened, he got a flash of essence from inside, which vanished as soon as the door closed. All he had time to make out was that the essence was woven.

    Was this where the enchanted items Sto put in the loot ended up? What did the guild do with them? What could he do with them, if he could make it in one of those rooms without being noticed?

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t have to act startled as he spun. The clerk was looking at him, water-blue eye severe.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m lost.¡±

    ¡°How did you make it here?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± he trailed off, looking where he¡¯d come from, then the direction he had been heading in. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°And where are you trying to go?¡± There was clear suspicion in the man¡¯s voice.

    ¡°The training rooms.¡± Tibs looked around again. ¡°I made a turn because I thought I¡¯d seen a gem on the floor, but it was just a broken crystal. Then I headed right for the training all, but¡­¡± He looked around again. ¡°This doesn¡¯t look like it.¡±

    ¡°No, it certainly doesn¡¯t.¡± The suspicion didn¡¯t entirely leave the man¡¯s blue eyes, but he turned. ¡°Come, I¡¯ll lead you back.¡±

    They made it to the training room as Alistair arrived. His teacher raised an eyebrow, then shook his head in amusement.

    ¡°Why am I not surprised?¡± The clerk said before leaving.

    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t Dhu do anything with Darkness?¡± Tibs asked once the door was closed and before Alistair started on the lesson.

    ¡°How do you know it doesn¡¯t?¡± With a flick of the wrist, essence assembled in the center of the room. A mix of weaving and etching. Or maybe it was a different type of weave that included etching.

    The more Tibs perceived and thought he understood, the more he found out he didn¡¯t.

    ¡°Khumdar told me.¡± Tibs had tried. He¡¯d tried using the etching he knew with darkness to see what, if anything, would happen, and Dhu hadn¡¯t changed anything, just like Maur didn¡¯t interact with water.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The water took the form of a person. A watery version of Sto¡¯s people golem, only with fewer details, as the water kept moving. ¡°You should have realized by now that if it¡¯s outside our element, I know little of it.¡±

    ¡°Then why doesn¡¯t Maur do anything with water?¡±

    The look on Alistair¡¯s face was shock, then amusement. ¡°You are determined not to do things as they are expected, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    Tibs shrugged.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why. It simply doesn¡¯t act on a water etching.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t ask someone? You can go anywhere you want. You have coins to get whatever you want. Why don¡¯t you ask those who know stuff about everything there is? It¡¯s what I¡¯d do if I had as many coins as you.¡±

    It¡¯s what he would have done with all the coins from the sale of the corruption pool if he hadn¡¯t had so many other things he needed to pay for. Once he was free of the guild, he¡¯d see about getting so many coins he¡¯d never have to wonder about something for long.

    ¡°I never had your curiosity, Tibs. I learned what I needed to accomplish my duties. If I realized I needed more information, I obtained it. But unlike you, I don¡¯t have a need to know everything. Not that I could, even if I did. Everything is much larger than you imagine.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m still going to try.¡±

    ¡°A rogue with the knowledge of a scholar,¡± Alistair mused. ¡°I suspect bards will be singing about you one day.¡± Tibs groaned and his teacher motioned to the form, who took a defensive position. ¡°Now, I want you to use what I had you practice to take your opponent down.¡±

    Tibs made a thin knife out of ice and etched with it as he ran at the water creation.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 42

    Tibs threw on the tunic over his doublet in annoyance. He hated these clothes twice over now. Once, because putting them on meant he¡¯d have to deal with nobles; Galdain¡¯s party this time. And a second time because Don had helped him get them.

    Probably just another step in his plan to make Tibs complacent and trust him until he no longer questioned what the sorcerer said or did. He kicked the chest. Why couldn¡¯t Don have been honest? Tibs liked the man he had pretended to be.

    Which had been the plan; he kicked the chest again.

    He should have known better. Don was nothing more than a self-serving asshole; he¡¯d never change. Which Don had confirmed multiple time now. Anytime he came into the inn, he had nothing but sneers for his team and the other runners there.

    He¡¯d most certainly dropped all pretense of wanting to be better.

    Tibs almost kicked the chest again. Instead, he snatched the overcoat from the back of the chair and put it on. He made a sheet of water, then, instead of willing it still, he etched lines and filigree of Fey. He didn¡¯t connect the lines, so the essence he fed into them didn¡¯t go anywhere, and Fey hardened it until the light, and his image, reflected off it. There were distortions. The straight lines of essence didn¡¯t directly correspond to a smooth surface.

    He looked¡­ He pulled on the sleeves until they covered his bracers. Then he adjusted the doublet.

    He looked like a street urchin hoping he¡¯d fool nobles into thinking he was one of them.

    He wanted to rip the clothes off and put his armor on. He was a Runner, not¡­ whatever his reflection claimed he was trying to be. He sensed for the reserves in his bracers and was comforted. Metal replaced fire to avoid the temptation to burn everyone down. It also let him use it without risking the accompanying change in behavior. He hadn¡¯t worked out what he could etch with it, but it was still useful as made metal for good protection.

    He forced his shoulders to unsag, and his reflection confirmed it didn¡¯t make him look like much more than what he was. Still, he had an act to put on for the benefit of the guild, so he might as well get on with it.

    * * * * *

    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± the voice asked as Tibs crossed the partially constructed wall. It ended on each side of the larger road, and a half a hinge was already in place at chest height. The door, that would close this way in, would be large; as would the other two. He¡¯d surveyed the work in progress, and only the three largest roads into the noble¡¯s neighborhood would allow entry. Each set to have a door that could be closed and bar them from the rest of the town.

    Maybe Kragle Rock could bar the door on their side, and never allow them to bother anyone.

    He faced the voice. An adventurer with fire for her element, and somewhere between Epsilon and Delta, in strength. He¡¯d sensed her, in the shadows cast by the lanterns hung on posts on each side of the entry.

    She stepped into the light, approaching. Her hand was on the pommel of the sword at her hip and her armor was metal, scuffed and dented in place, but there wasn¡¯t as much metal essence as was normal for what it looked like. It felt to him as much of a costume as the clothes he wore, and would explain how she remained light on her feet.

    ¡°I¡¯m expected,¡± he told her.

    She snorted. ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone ever expects a thief to drop by their house.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a rogue,¡± he said, and played the hunch. ¡°So they expect you to be a rogue too?¡±

    She smirked. ¡°Like knows like, I see; and water is your element. I stopped peddling the guild¡¯s crap when I left them. Those titles are only to make you think the guild makes better you than the rest of us. We¡¯re thieves. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that. It¡¯s a¡­¡± she chuckled, ¡°noble profession in and of itself. And yes, they know what they hired. Who better than a thief to catch other thieves.¡±

    ¡°The aren¡¯t paying the guild for your services? I thought all adventurers had to work for them.¡±

    ¡°Only until you pay off what they screwed you over with. How about you head back the way you came and make your way back in where I won¡¯t see you and feel obligated to stop you?¡±

    ¡°So there are ways to pay what you owe?¡± Tibs asked, musing over the implications. ¡°I thought they made it so you never managed it. That they kept us in servitude for always unless you got some other group to pay your debt, like the academies do with the sorcerers and the Attendants with anyone who has Void.¡± He¡¯d considered what might happen if he¡¯d dumped the coins he¡¯d made from the sale on Tirania¡¯s desk, and had expected she¡¯d make up lies to justify how it wouldn¡¯t be enough. This meant that if all he was interested in was his own freedom from the guild, all he had to do was find a way to acquire the needed coins.

    He suspected the guild wouldn¡¯t make that any easier than destroying it.

    ¡°I see you¡¯ve figured things out. You have to get creative, kid, but it can be done.¡±

    ¡°My name¡¯s Tibs,¡± he said reflexively, and recognition sparked in her eyes.

    ¡°Tibs Light-Fingers?¡± she looked him over anew

    ¡°Yeah.¡± He was surprised to note the lack of annoyance in his tone. When had he gotten used to the surname? He¡¯d thought it had been because he was iced that he¡¯d stopped hoping the town would forget about it.

    ¡°Do you know Galdain¡¯s house?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the one with the slanted roof of dark red tiles. Four windows on the top floor, with the largest facing the rising sun, and has a balcony. The walls are so whitewashed they¡¯ll blind anyone walking by and have dark-wood pillars that make it easy to climb.¡± He¡¯d surveyed it after Tirania told him which house the noble had bought. He¡¯d been tempted to weaken the structure with corruption to keep them out, but all they would have done was buy a new house.

    Unlike the townsfolk, nobles had no problem spending coins on houses they wouldn¡¯t use, or, in the case of the family¡¯s home Tibs had burned down, couldn¡¯t use. Now that he understood that buying a house didn¡¯t mean they¡¯d paid all the coins for it they owed, and that they needed to continue paying that even if the house was destroyed, he had Darran looking for ways Tibs could fix that problem without bringing attention to himself.

    ¡°And do you know how to reach it? From the ground, I mean.¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°If I have to, I¡¯ll run the roofs to get there.¡±

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    ¡°That¡¯s a good way to get yourself shot. They have archers watching those.¡±

    Tibs rolled his eyes. ¡°They haven¡¯t noticed me all the previous times I ran those roofs.¡± She studied him in a way that made him think he¡¯d said too much. ¡°Can I go through? I figure they aren¡¯t going to be happy if I get there once the party¡¯s over.¡± It was tempting. Tirania had said Galdain would never return if Tibs wasn¡¯t in attendance. That would be one less noble to bother his town, and he wouldn¡¯t have to act like he enjoyed their company. But Tirania wouldn¡¯t be pleased and that would make getting information out of her even harder.

    If only he had a justified reason not to be there? Where were the would-be assassins when he needed them?

    ¡°I¡¯ll escort you,¡± she said. ¡°Make sure you don¡¯t get lost.¡±

    He considered protesting. He didn¡¯t need a minder keeping him on the path. But while she was there, he could ask questions.

    ¡°Do any of the adventurers protecting the nobles work for the guild? I know I saw some of them acting as guards when Sebastian was causing trouble.¡±

    ¡°I heard about the Siege,¡± she said in a serious tone that made Tibs wonder how much, and from where? Could the bards already be singing about it? ¡°I can¡¯t tell you about everyone the nobles are paying, but I doubt many will. Nobles don¡¯t care for the guild, since it has more power than they do. I don¡¯t know what happened during the Siege that took the choice away from them. Maybe the nobles became desperate, or,¡± she smiled, ¡°those adventurers were being creative in how they got their money. If the guild doesn¡¯t know you were paid, it can¡¯t claim their cut out of it.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t the guild check where every coin comes from?¡±

    ¡°Do they do that with you?¡±

    ¡°No, but I¡¯m a Runner. They know where my coins come from.¡± He pointed over his shoulder at the mountain.

    She chuckled. ¡°What about the coins you get when you¡¯re not pillaging the dungeon?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t get a lot,¡± he said. ¡°Just one to prove I got into the house.¡± And one or two extra to repay the people he hurt. But those didn¡¯t count, did they?

    ¡°That one coin can still be worth a lot,¡± she replied. ¡°One platinum from a noble¡¯s coffer will cover a chunk of what you¡¯ll end up owing.¡±

    ¡°I only take silver. I¡¯d take copper, but nobles don¡¯t seem to keep those.¡± And it would take a lot more than an extra here and there to help the baker.

    ¡°Why just one?¡± she asked in disbelief. ¡°You could take a pouch full and they wouldn¡¯t notice.¡±

    Really?

    No. He reminded himself what he took was only to prove it¡¯d succeeded. And a little extra to help the town. He wasn¡¯t doing that to make his pouch heavy with coins.

    ¡°Do you steal from them?¡± he asked.

    ¡°No, but I work for them. They pay me enough, it¡¯s not worth the risk. Trust me, the guild isn¡¯t going to care if you steal from nobles.¡±

    Maybe not the guild. ¡°Have you met the guard leader?¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve seen him come and go, but I haven¡¯t met him.¡±

    ¡°The commander will care if a noble complains someone steals from them, and he¡¯s going to make my life difficult because of it.¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯ve been caught doing it before?¡± She looked at him askance. ¡°Or because the city¡¯s thieves report to you?¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t report to me,¡± he replied.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I hear.¡±

    He looked at her.

    ¡°Word is,¡± she lowered her voice, ¡°That if you don¡¯t clear your plans with Light-Fingers, he¡¯d going to hand you over to the guards himself.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never done that.¡± He paused. ¡°She wasn¡¯t a Runner. And she was causing trouble. She tried to have me caught for her thefts. It was more payback than anything else by the time I made sure she was caught.¡±

    They stopped, and she motioned to the guarded iron fence a house over. The walls reflected most of the light from glowing stones, while the beams seemed to vanish against the whitewashing.

    ¡°There it is. Story is he might have his children train in this dungeon.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard,¡± Tibs grumbled.

    ¡°I won¡¯t disagree with the sentiment. It doesn¡¯t matter how well they pay. I do my best not to interact with them. Have a good evening. I promise to let you know if I decide to rob someone,¡± she added as she walked away.

    ¡°Don¡¯t rob anyone,¡± he called after her. ¡°You don¡¯t need the training.¡±

    ¡°We always need to keep the fingers busy, Light-Fingers. You know that.¡±

    And now, he¡¯d have to worry about some Epsilon rogue causing trouble.

    Later, he reminded himself. For now, he had a different set of trouble to deal with.

    He had to convince nobles he actually enjoyed their company.

    Where was that abyss cursed assassin? Why hadn¡¯t he hired one in preparation for this?

    Hmm, how did one go about it? How many coins would it take to get Marger killed?

    ¡°Light-Fingers?¡± the guard asked as Tibs reached them.

    ¡°Yes.¡± He forced himself to relax.

    The guard unlocked the gate with a key he produced from a pocket and opened it for him. Tibs eyed the stone wall, barely half again as tall as he was, then the gate. What was the point of locking that when he could jump the wall without effort? There wasn¡¯t even a weave through those stones.

    Nobles.

    The glowing stones were set atop poles by finely decorated metal bands. Those not placed along the winding path were among the landscape, illuminating a flowerbed, or next to a tree with a chair, or an arrangement of stones. Where ever a light was, a path broke from the one leading to the house in its direction. More broke to vanish in the direction of lights Tibs couldn¡¯t see what they lit.

    The well lit property would be the protection against someone who couldn¡¯t reach the house by the roofs, but if the rogue could circumvent that, as well as the light-stones anchored on each side of the doors and windows at this level, then they would be able to find shadows higher since no such light was arranged for the other floors.

    Maybe he should talk with Amelia about arranging this type of challenge for those he sent training through her house. She would probably advise using some other nobles¡¯s home for that. He didn¡¯t know how he¡ª

    ¡°May I have your name?¡± A woman asked, standing in the open doorway. He¡¯d sensed her, with her faint essence, but had the door been opened? He wasn¡¯t certain, too lost in his thoughts.

    ¡°Tibs. Tibs Light-Fingers.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯ll come in, Mister Light-Fingers.¡± She stepped out of the way. ¡°You are expected.¡±

    The table at the side of the door had carved stones on it. Above was a mirror in a gold frame. The carpet that ran the length of the hall had brightly colored shapes through it. There was crowd on the other side of the wall to his left, and voices came from the archway halfway from the end on that side. He couldn¡¯t tell most of the people apart. A few had elements, but not much essence, and he had to focus if he didn¡¯t want to lose them among the rest.

    One stood out. Earth element, Epsilon in strength.

    ¡°You¡¯re here!¡±

    Tibs froze. He¡¯d been so focused on the essence he sensed he hadn¡¯t realized he¡¯d reached the archway. Or that there was one opposite it and a man running at him from there. He had Crystal as his element, Tibs saw from the eyes as he ducked under the arms. Fine clothing, with gems adorning them. The expression had been joyful, so Tibs fought the urge to make a sword as the man¡ªwas he a man if he barely looked older than Jackal?¡ªturned, his expression becoming surprise.

    ¡°You¡¯re fast.¡±

    ¡°Surviving the dungeon ensures that,¡± Tibs replied cautiously. The boy¡ªthere was something boyish about him despite looking older than Tibs¡ªwasn¡¯t armed. Only the knife in his boot, which had a weave through it. Something loose, so not powerful, with mainly metal essence. He sensed into the room on the right, but there was no one else there.

    ¡°I so can¡¯t wait for you to take me in.¡±

    Tibs swallowed his thoughts about that happening, but he couldn¡¯t stop his narrowing eyes. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be so eager to have the dungeon kill you,¡± he said instead of the thing that would make sure he¡¯d get kicked out of the house.

    The boy waved the comment aside. ¡°You¡¯ll be there, so I¡¯m not worried.¡± He straightened, then gave a small bow. ¡°I¡¯m Lamberto of Fiashi.¡± He grinned. ¡°Come on, the others are over there.¡±

    Tibs stepped out of reach when Lamberto tried to grab his arm, and the boy chuckled.

    ¡°Come on.¡± Lamberto motioned as he ran for the left archway.

    Tibs considered ice before following him. Or possibly fire.

    All the nobles in that room made it a harder decision that he expected. He reminded himself of the monster ice turned him into. And that while nobles could burn, for all he cared, there were others in the house. Servants who had no choice in being here, and not because they were looking to leech power from those around them.

    It was a good thing he didn¡¯t have fire in his bracers; he decided. Essence without a worry about his emotions getting carried along with it would be too tempting when one of them looked at him like the urchin he was.

    Releasing a breath, Tibs stepped into the large, crowded room.

    ¡°Everyone!¡± Lamberto proclaimed, and the conversations ceased as eyes turned in their direction. ¡°I would like you to meet the Hero of Kragle Rock. The Savior of the Dungeon. Tibs Light-Fingers!¡±

    He¡¯d made a mistake in taking fire out of his bracers, Tibs decided. He should have burned the building down on sight and dealt with the guilt of the innocent he¡¯d taken in the process.

    That would have been an easier thing to do than dealing with what all those now hungry looks promised.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 43

    ¡°That¡¯s the hero?¡± a young man a few years older than Lamberto sneered as he stepped forward. ¡°He¡¯s so¡­ small.¡± He was more than a head taller than Lamberto, and broader in a way that said fighter to Tibs. His jacket was fine leather, red with gold and black trim, and emeralds adorning it. His element was Water, and like Lamberto, he was barely Upsilon.

    Three others stood behind him in such a way that they could be a Runner team, with the fighter as their leader. The woman wore sorcerer¡¯s golden robes, that matched her eyes, with black trim. The man on her left had Metal as his element, but with so many more spots of darkness than the others in the room, Tibs would trust him even less than them. The one on her right had Light.

    They, and Lamberto, shared dirty blond as the color of their hair.

    ¡°Palden,¡± Lamberto said in a chastising tone. ¡°It isn¡¯t the size of someone that determines their valor.¡±

    Palden gave Lamberto an amused look. ¡°And isn¡¯t that fortunate for you?¡± The three others, who were closer in height to the fighter, shared a chuckle while the adults looked on.

    Great. Tibs was going to be used in nobles validating their egos.

    ¡°I heard you burned down part of the city,¡± the metal user said, his gaze calculating.

    ¡°Look at my eyes,¡± Tibs replied sharply before he thought better of it. He was supposed to be nice to them. Not that nobles would ever make that easy on him.

    The man snorted. ¡°There¡¯s other ways to burn things down,¡± the man said in a tone that implied experience with that.

    ¡°How does a boy like you claim the title of hero?¡± the sorcerer asked in a snide tone. ¡°Let alone of the dungeon?¡± She looked at the light user. ¡°How does one become the hero to a dungeon? Why would anyone want that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s savior, Gabrielle,¡± he replied. ¡°But I wonder the same. Why would anyone save one of those things?¡±

    ¡°So we can train,¡± Lamberto stated. ¡°Do you want to go through life barely improving? That¡¯s what going to happen without a dungeon.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what the guild wants us to think,¡± the man replied. ¡°So they¡¯ll continue to lord them over us. We shouldn¡¯t be paying them for the honor of training here. They should beg us to honor them with our presence. They¡¯re just¡ª¡±

    ¡°Perhaps you should be mindful of what you say about our host, Carlan,¡± a man dressed in gray said, joining them, ¡°when in the presence of their representative.¡± He was the Epsilon earth user Tibs had sensed. He bowed to Tibs. ¡°I am Theodore Galdain. I bid you welcome to my new home; and pray you¡¯ll forgive my children. The need to move has been a strain on them.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it has,¡± Tibs replied as neutrally as he could. There was no light on the man¡¯s words, so the need was real.

    ¡°And why, Father,¡± Palden said, ¡°did the guild send th¡ªhim, instead of someone meaningful?¡±

    ¡°Because he¡¯ll be taking us through the dungeon!¡± Lamberto exclaimed joyfully.

    Palden looked at his father. ¡°Is he serious?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Your brother was quite enamored with the idea after that bard¡¯s songs.¡±

    ¡°You agreed with something the Lamb suggested?¡± The tone made it clear he doubted the wisdom in that. Lamberto bristled at the nickname. And Tibs¡¯s mood darkened at the idea there was a bard out there singing about him.

    ¡°Tibs¡¯s team is among the few original ones still around. And beyond the titles he gained from saving the dungeon and protecting the city, he was the first to unlock the door to the second floor, as well as discover the shortcuts that let the Runners bypass the floors they have already mastered. So yes, I believe Tibs is a good choice.¡±

    Palden muttered as he walked away. ¡°I am doomed to linger in obscurity.¡±

    ¡°Ignore him,¡± Lamberto said. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t know a good thing if someone slipped it into his purse. Our runs are going to be great. I just know it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit,¡± Theodore said, smiling. ¡°And with Tibs to guide you, you¡¯ll all be Epsilon in no time.¡±

    ¡°If he¡¯s so good,¡± Gabrielle mocked, ¡°why is he still here? Shouldn¡¯t he be Epsilon already and out there, making himself the hero of some other cities? Maybe saving other dungeons?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you listen to the bard?¡± Lamberto replied, offended. ¡°Tibs had to work harder than anyone to get where he is. He started without essence.¡±

    ¡°We all do,¡± The metal use said, rolling his eyes. While the numbers of secrets he harbored made Tibs want to say he was a rogue, Lamberto¡¯s use of the expression made that more likely. Although there were five of them so, they could both have the same class.

    ¡°No,¡± Lamberto insisted. ¡°Even once he had his element, he didn¡¯t get any essence. His eyes didn¡¯t change color. He had to survive his runs with nothing but his wits and skills.¡±

    And his teams, Tibs wanted to correct, but Gabrielle was faster.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been lied to, Lamb, again. You should know better than to listen to bards. As soon as we get our element, our eyes change, and you have essence to wield.¡±

    ¡°Tell her,¡± Lamberto ordered Tibs.

    Tibs struggled to stay silent and in place. The outside called to him, the roofs, where he¡¯d be away from all these people and their posturing. Of that boy using him to make himself important. Using Tibs for his entertainment.

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    Gabrielle, Carlan, and their father watched him attentively. The metal user shoved the crowd out of his way. No, not a rogue. Brutish enough to be a fighter.

    ¡°I¡¯m told,¡± Tibs said, barely managing not to grit his teeth, ¡°that I¡¯m the youngest Runner to survive the dungeon and get his element.¡± He was careful in the words he used. He doubted Carlan knew enough yet to tell when someone lied, but he also didn¡¯t want to sound like it was something he claimed for himself. He had to talk with one of the Light Runners and find out when they learned to see lies.

    ¡°Because of that, my eyes didn¡¯t change color when I returned from my audience with Water. I did have essence, but my reserve was so small I could barely do anything with it.¡±

    Lamberto straightened and puffed his chest. As if he¡¯d accomplished some impossible task in getting Tibs to say this much.

    Carlan smirked. ¡°You want a copper for that story?¡± He looked at his father. ¡°Really? You¡¯re saddling us with that because Lamb¡¯s infatuated with a bard¡¯s story? He¡¯s lying to make himself feel important.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t lie,¡± Tibs said through gritted teeth.

    ¡°Let me tell you something you clearly don¡¯t know,¡± Carlan said, stepping closer, shoulders rigid. ¡°My element¡¯s light. You can¡¯t lie to me. Lies shine bright, and right now, your words are blinding me.¡±

    ¡°More like yours are,¡± Tibs replied, and smiled as this noble stiffened. ¡°Our previous guard leader had light as his element. Plenty of people lied to him. I did a time or two. He¡¯s Gamma. Are you even Upsilon?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you¡ª¡± Carlan raised his hand, but his father caught it.

    ¡°I will not have you hit a guest and tarnish my name.¡± He glared at his son. ¡°I taught you better.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Father.¡± Carlan glared at Tibs. If his father noticed the look, he didn¡¯t care. When he released the hand, Carlan turned, and the crowd parted before he had to push them out of his way.

    Theodore faced Tibs after watching his son disappear. ¡°While he brought it on himself, I¡¯d appreciate it if you refrained from baiting my children. They aren¡¯t the hardened Runners that you are, yet. They require a more measured handling.¡±

    ¡°Father,¡± Lamberto whined. ¡°We¡¯re not children anymore. I don¡¯t need Tibs holding my hand.¡±

    Good, Tibs thought, because he might not be able to resist using it to throw that boy to the rats in the boulder room.

    ¡°Tibs will do what is needed to ensure you survive,¡± his father stated. ¡°If that means holding your hand, then you will let him. Is that clear?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Father,¡± Lamberto replied meekly.

    The man looked at the close-by crowd. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get back to enjoying ourselves. Tibs will answer questions while he mingles.

    Gabrielle rolled her eyes and disappeared into the crowd smoothly enough Tibs might think she was a rogue, if not for her robe.

    ¡°Come on,¡± Lamberto said, his father chastising seemingly forgotten. ¡°I want to introduce you to my friends.¡± He reached for Tibs¡¯s arm, but stopped. Then walked to a cluster of young people. Reluctantly, Tibs followed, and the group turned once they notice the young noble.

    Lamberto gave names, but Tibs didn¡¯t hear them. He was busy controlling his anger at the judgmental looks they were giving him. He knew he shouldn¡¯t care. Nobles¡¯ opinions meant nothing to him. But they weren¡¯t much older than he was and looked at him as if he knew nothing of the world.

    ¡°Show us was you can do,¡± Lamberto instructed. ¡°With your element.¡±

    Tibs wavered between snapping at the tone, and figuring out what the boy could mean.

    ¡°Henley doesn¡¯t believe you have an element.¡± Lamberto indicated a man Tibs could only describe as mousy, although the predatory expression was more that of a rat.

    ¡°Look at him,¡± the rat said, his voice high pitch. ¡°Townspeople like him don¡¯t get elements. They don¡¯t have the fortitude for it.¡±

    Says the boy without one himself. Tibs controlled his anger yet again. He wasn¡¯t here to perform feats. He was here to make a good impression on the nobles for Tirania. Which meant keeping Lamberto happy. And that meant¡­

    He gritted his teeth and extended his hand, moving water over it.

    Ratie snorted. ¡°So your hand¡¯s wet.¡± As if that wasn¡¯t a demonstration that Tibs indeed had an element, since the boy was too blind to look at his eyes. Would an ice sword through the chest be enough of a demonstration?

    He turned his hand over and pooled the water in his palm. He shaped it into a ball, then lowered his hand, leaving the ball where it was until it floated over it. He smirked at the gasp of surprise. He moved his hand out from under it and the ball fell. Before it hit the floor, he absorbed it.

    He almost rolled his eyes at the surprised expressions, but those were quickly covered up with angry and suspicious looks. Like he¡¯d conned them and had just now caught on to it.

    ¡°Is that all you can do?¡± a woman asked, and Tibs spun. She was tall and looked down at him with a disinterested expression that belied the question. ¡°I mean, they say you are some hero. Do heroes only play with water?¡±

    Tibs flicked his hand up and iced the water as it flew out of his fingers and caught the jagged knife.

    An eyebrow went lazily up. ¡°How¡­impressive.¡±

    Yes, it seemed it would take something sharp planted in a noble¡¯s body before they understood what he was capable of.

    ¡°Can you make a sculpture?¡± a man asked. ¡°I¡¯d love to see myself made of ice.¡±

    Tibs could turn the man into ice, the way he¡¯d done with Sebastian, piece by piece. Ice cracked with a lot of water turned into that. If he filled the man with that first, would he shatter without Tibs having to do anything?

    ¡°Tibs¡¯s a Runner,¡± Lamberto said, sounding offended. ¡°Not an artist.¡±

    ¡°Why yes. Of course,¡± the noble said, amused. ¡°How silly of me.¡±

    Tibs fought the urge to tell Lamberto to mind his own business. Tibs was more than capable of dealing with that man himself.

    ¡°Theo, can I bother a servant for a large plate? I would like to see a demonstration of this¡­¡± he considered Tibs, ¡°young man¡¯s abilities. He will require a target.¡±

    ¡°That is a splendid idea.¡± Theodore motioned to a servant, and they brought a silver plate close to half Tibs¡¯s height, then two servants held it between them on the other side of the room, facing Tibs.

    ¡°Do you think you can hit that?¡± the man asked with a condescending smile.

    Tibs confirmed no one had air as an element in the room and flung water without looking. He shaped it into a blade as it flew, using air to keep it on target¡ªnow was not the time to let his poor aim ruin this¡ªand iced it just before it pierced the plate, stopping at the guard. The plate¡¯s reverberation sounded in the silenced room.

    The noble looked from the target to Tibs. ¡°Yes, I suppose that was something of an easy target,¡± he said in a dubious tone. ¡°Theo, do we have anything more appropriate for this young man¡¯s clearly superior skills?¡±

    ¡°How about this?¡± someone called out, while Tibs fought not to glare at the man.

    The noble motioned for Tibs to act.

    He let out a breath and looked at the plate held above the crowd. Tirania owed him for putting up with this. He¡¯d get her to remove Don from his team as payment.

    He made a thin knife and etched the ¡®x¡¯ attack. He channeled the smallest amount of essence through it, and the jet of water flung the plate out of the man¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Do that again,¡± Lamberto exclaimed, grinning.

    With a roll of the eyes, Tibs looked around the room as people raised plates and goblets. Three ¡®x¡¯ etching in succession sent the three plates clattering away. One goblet he hit with an etching with Fey in the filigree so that when it hit, the water hardened around it as it sent it flying. Before that hit the wall, he targeting another one with an etched whip, adding Bor to Fey in the filigree. When it hit the goblet. The water stuck and Tibs pulled on the whip, sending it flying back toward him. The water hit his hand and kept going while he held the goblet.

    There was silence, then applause.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 44

    Tibs smirked as another noble lobbed a silver plate in the air. This time, he hit it with a series of ice shards, spinning it and keeping it in the air until he etched a blob of sticking water that stuck it to the wall, then slowly slid down.

    Out of the corner of his eye, Lamberto motioned to him, and, stifling a sigh, Tibs bowed to the ohhs and ahhs of those watching. There was a lot of light on those, but some were honest about being impressed.

    Gabrielle handed him another goblet of dark liquid, she and the young nobles around her, her friends, he guessed, were drinking. He pulled the corruption out, then made a cap of purity over it so that as he drank, it was nothing more than flavored water.

    What she handed him was no different in essence than what she drank, but now was not the time to be drunk. It wouldn¡¯t take much to tell them exactly what he thought of their kind if he wasn¡¯t completely in control of himself.

    He raised the goblet once he¡¯d downed it, and louder applause ensued. It was like they consider his ability to out-drink them more impressive than what he did with essence. He decided against throwing the goblet at the table, and seeing if he could etch water there fast enough to catch it. They didn¡¯t seem to mind when he broke something as part of the tests they put him through, but they¡¯d complain if it happened unprompted.

    ¡°That was amazing,¡± Lamberto said, following Tibs to a table laden with food. Each time he went to one of them, someone there pointed to one of the small portion and expressed amazement at one thing or another. Or they commented about the artisanal skill of the servants in arranging the table in such an appealing manner. The way some went on about how this color went so well with that dish, or the sheen of the plating, sounded to Tibs more like they were trying to impress than convey anything of use.

    Tibs just wished the food was plated as meals, instead of things he needed to pick with his fingers. He was hungry, but no one did more than take the occasional morsel on display. It all tasted good, and Tibs told the servants as much. He simply didn¡¯t feel like he could fill himself without the noble looking at him askance.

    It shouldn¡¯t matter. He didn¡¯t care what nobles thought of him.

    ¡°Tell me¡­¡± the noble looked Tibs over, stopping him from grabbing a second piece of food, ¡°young man. I¡¯ve watched you throw ice around, but can you do something about this?¡± He presented the crystal goblet containing an almost clear liquid. ¡°Our host can¡¯t seem to keep his drinks cold.¡± The goblet was filled with a mix of essence Tibs was familiar with from all the alcohol he¡¯d sensed at the inn and here. This was concentrated enough it had to be a potent drink.

    ¡°Of course he can,¡± Lamberto said enthusiastically. ¡°There¡¯s nothing Tibs can¡¯t do with his element. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    Tibs wished the boy would just stop. He couldn¡¯t work out what his game was, but it had to be more than making himself important by latching onto Tibs. Did he think Tibs held him in higher esteem for spreading his fame?

    The choice taken away from him, Tibs touched the goblet and formed pieces of ice in the liquid until a few were left floating. The man sipped the content, sighed in appreciation, and walked away without so much as a ¡®thank you¡¯.

    Gratitude was beneath such people.

    Tibs looked over the crowd while chewing on a piece of bread crust coated with a thin layer of meaty and spicy paste.

    Nobles pointed at him while talking with those around them. Smiles were exchanged; chuckles, when they no longer looked at him. He could find out what they said. No one here had air as their element, so he couldn¡¯t be noticed, but he didn¡¯t care what they had to say.

    He was surprised at how many of them were armed. Beyond the usual knife everyone carried, many had an extra in their boots or hidden at their back, or in bracers the way he had one in his. A woman even had a metal needle in her hair, masquerading as those that held her braids in place, but were made of wood. A few had swords at their hips that lacked the decorations Tibs saw on those nobles simply looking to impress carried.

    Beyond the weapons themselves, some had their knife¡¯s scabbard filled with a liquid thick with corruption. It reminded him that one of the items on his ever-growing list was finding a way to get his hand on varying poisons so he could learn to recognize them by the composition of their essence. He also wanted to test if removing the corruption was all it took to make them harmless. He suspected not. Even without corruption, alcohol could affect his judgment if he drank too much of it.

    ¡°You,¡± A woman called from within the crowd, and Tibs felt the metal spoon she threw. He turned and with a flick of the finger, water lanced from the floor at the silver spoon before it hit him. He let it float there as the water formed a sphere around it, then plucked it out and placed it on the table.

    Not as much applause this time.

    ¡°Come on,¡± Lamberto whispered.

    Stifling another sigh, Tibs bowed, and the applause increased.

    Nobles and their stupid customs.

    He watched servants enter, carrying trays, as he ate a piece of crustless bread coated with a sweet and sour jam. Maybe now he¡¯d get to have actual¡ª

    No. Only more platters with tiny breads to replace the empty ones.

    A servant caught his attention as he reached for one with thin slices of meat and cheese on it. It wasn¡¯t the darkness in her. She had more than the other servants, but compared to everyone else? And secrets didn¡¯t mean bad intentions. It was how attentive she was to the room, instead of those before the tables. She was discreet, but Tibs knew the work of a rogue; of a thief, in this case. She had no essence, and he didn¡¯t recognize her from any of the Runners.

    Her presence annoyed him. It meant he¡¯d get blamed for whatever she¡¯d do. He¡¯d have to deal with the commander again when the nobles complained. He might spend time in a cell again, and Irdian would make sure it was on the day before his team¡¯s run.

    He needed to increase measures to catch any thief that made it past the guards. Maybe if he explained his rules to them, they wouldn¡¯t make his life too difficult.

    He let her be, returning to eating something from a different plate. A red slice of some vegetable with cheese on it, this time. Maybe she was good enough, her target wouldn¡¯t realize they¡¯d been robbed.

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    ¡°You need to meet Lord Marton,¡± Lamberto said eagerly, and Tibs nodded. Again, the boy paraded him before another noble. Explained who Tibs was, his element, then offered for the man to test him.

    The noble acted impressed. He didn¡¯t voice it, so Tibs couldn¡¯t tell how honest it was, but the man had to have seen Tibs¡¯s previous demonstrations. He expected that as the host¡¯s son, Lamberto was due the same reverence as his father, and the boy seemed intent on taking full advantage of it.

    A noble threw another plate. Tibs caught it, and the woman politely clapped before engaging Lamberto in conversation. Something about his plans for after¡­

    Tibs was far enough not to hear the rest. He was glad to be away from the boy, finally; and the food table still called to him.

    ¡°I must admit this is one of Theodore¡¯s better events,¡± a man with his back to Tibs said once he was next to the table.

    ¡°I agree,¡± the woman with him said, her attention on the food. ¡°I can¡¯t recall the last time I was this entertained.¡±

    ¡°The man has always been clever. For him to turn his problems at home into an opportunity¡­. Well, that¡¯s just like him. Where else could he get such entertainment for nothing more than saying he¡¯d buy a home and have his children live here. He had to do it, regardless.¡±

    So someone was taking advantage of the guild? Good. Even if it was a noble.

    ¡°You can always count on Theodore to pull one over those who think themselves his better,¡± the woman said.

    ¡°As you¡¯d well know,¡± the man replied smugly.

    ¡°Yes. Well, unlike others, I¡¯ve learned my lesson,¡± she replied, unconcerned. ¡°Did you see the boy?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes. Throwing water and ice. So impressive.¡± The man chuckled mockingly.

    ¡°And how he preened afterward,¡± she added. ¡°As if that made him more than some dirt born child.¡±

    Ice covered the piece of bread in his hand.

    What they thought didn¡¯t matter, he told himself, as the ice inside him cracked.

    Realization at what he¡¯d done didn¡¯t hit as hard as he knew it should. Ice did that to him. He thawed it carefully, maintaining control of the rising anger underneath.

    Of course, they laughed at him; they were nobles. What else would they do? He wasn¡¯t here looking for approval from them, or anything. This was a duty forced on him by Tirania. And, as it turned out, one that wasn¡¯t needed. If Tirania had been more clever, she would have known this noble had no choice but to agree to anything she wanted, instead of her bowing to him.

    Then why was he so abyss angry? This was how he expected them to treat him.

    Because, he realized, it had been nice to be seen by people like them. To be acknowledged as something more than dirt. He didn¡¯t want to be seen as anything close to them, but he had seen respect at what he could do.

    Hadn¡¯t he? Light didn¡¯t shine on actions, so he had no way to know how true those looks had been. But he knew. They were nobles. It hadn¡¯t been honest. It probably hadn¡¯t even been respect. He¡¯d seen what he wanted to see, while they mocked him silently. Smirking at every performance he put on for them.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Lamberto said. ¡°Come, you have to speak with Lady Treflein. She¡ª¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tibs snarled. This boy was the reason. ¡°I don¡¯t have to do one cursed thing you say.¡± The boy had heard some abyss cursed bard and decided on Tibs as a way to make himself better.

    ¡°Tibs, I¡¯m sorry, but what¡ª¡±

    ¡°Fucking stop!¡± Antagonizing anyone in the room was a bad idea, but he was done taking this noble¡¯s condescension. ¡°I know what you¡¯re doing, with prancing me around like I¡¯m your pet Runner.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡±

    ¡°Sure you aren¡¯t.¡± He snorted. ¡°I know dogs who are treated better than you¡¯re treating me.¡± Tibs walked away.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Lamberto called, then caught up with him. ¡°What happened? Let me help to¡ª¡±

    ¡°You happened!¡± He rounded on the boy. Everyone was paying attention to them, but Tibs didn¡¯t care. He was only here because Tirania bought the noble¡¯s con. ¡°You and your clinging to me. You¡¯re using me to make yourself more important to them. I¡¯m done. I¡¯m leaving and you can¡¯t¡­.¡±

    The glint of metal pulled his attention. Not because the woman on the other side of the room held it, or that it was a knife, but because before he sensed it, the metal essence hadn¡¯t been there at all. It hadn¡¯t been gathered to make the knife, it had appeared.

    He was already shoving nobles out of his way before he was done processing the information. He ignored their protests, focused on the metal, and he thought he sensed darkness woven through it. The fact he couldn¡¯t be sure of what he was sensing confirmed how the knife had been hidden. A weave of darkness.

    He tackled the man as the knife struck, felt it planted in his stomach, leaving behind corruption as she pulled it out. He absorbed the essence as¡ª

    ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going!¡± the young noble protested. ¡°You made me spill my drink!¡±

    ¡ªhe elbowed Palden to push him out of reach of the would be assassin. He formed a shield and block her next strike aimed for Lamberto¡¯s brother. He kicked her, ignoring the ongoing complaints from the man, forcing her to back away.

    She was the servant he¡¯d noticed earlier.

    He formed his sword, and the crowd awed.

    They were watching? Of course they were. They¡¯d even moved back enough to let the fight happen without putting them at risk. They wanted a show.

    He considered leaving. They knew about the assassin. Let them deal with her.

    They¡¯d complain he hadn¡¯t done his duty and protected them. Tirania would be angry at him. More when he explained she¡¯d been played. She might even question if he was really on her side.

    Those were good reasons not to leave.

    Tibs grinned at her.

    They were not why he stayed.

    His reason was simpler.

    He wanted to hit someone. He had anger to spend, and she was someone who couldn¡¯t bitch afterward at being the target.

    She swung, he blocked. She dodged his swing.

    The knife meant she needed to get close, but she was nimble. He had ice under her feet, and swung as she fell, but she rolled out of the way, then was back on her feet before he could adjust his attack. Then she was under his sword, the knife sliced his doublet open, and he absorbed the corruption the tip left in his flesh.

    She looked perturbed he was still standing, but Tibs was getting pissed.

    He had elements, and she didn¡¯t. She shouldn¡¯t be able to get in cut after cut while he hardly managed to touch her. He should have won already.

    In the back of his mind, Cross laughed.

    When she stepped in the water, her foot stuck. He got in one slice that left a thin red line along her stomach, then she¡¯d rolled back, her foot out of her boot. She attacked again before he had a response ready and he parried, trying to use the spikes on his sword to disarm her, or cut her arm, but the knife darted in and out, as if she could bend around them.

    He stepped back. This had gone on long enough.

    He etched an ¡®x¡¯ attack and only put enough essence in to incapacitate her. The table shattered as she jumped out of its way. He fought through the astonishment and flung an ice shard, but she deflected it with her knife.

    Then, she smirked at him as he stared.

    He blocked her attack with his shield, but even as he grew the spike, she¡¯d jumped over it and him. He turned to follow and close the distance as she stumbled. Even as he swung, he realized there were no reasons for her to have stumbled. Nothing on the floor, no essence in her path.

    It was a ruse.

    He readied himself for whatever she might do, unable to stop his swing, as someone yelled his name.

    He landed on the floor, unable to tell where that attack had come from. Lamberto stood where he¡¯d been, a man, another servant, pulling a knife out of the young noble¡¯s stomach.

    Tibs threw his sword and it impaled itself in the man¡¯s chest. Then he was up, another forming, ready to finish this.

    ¡°It hurts,¡± Lamberto whined, hands over his bloody stomach, as nobles ran for the exit. ¡°It hurts.¡±

    Tibs nearly ran with them; the other assassin was hiding among them and escaping. He needed to get eyes on her because her essence was already lost in the crowd. But Lamberto let out a pained moan as he fell.

    ¡°Why the fuck did you do that?¡± Tibs demanded as he kneeled next to him. He couldn¡¯t do much without someone asking question, but he wasn¡¯t letting him die. Fortunately, Lamberto wasn¡¯t losing a lot of essence, and no one could sense him removing as much of the corruption as he could. What had already seeped into his essence was out of his reach.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t let you be killed.¡± He looked away as Tibs sliced the shirt open. ¡°How bad is it?¡±

    Tibs stared at something glittered in the blood.

    ¡°Is that bad¡± Lamberto asked, staring at his bloody stomach.

    Tibs wiped blood away to reveal crystal filling the wound, keeping Lamberto from bleeding out.

    ¡°How did you do that?¡± Gabrielle asked, as her siblings joined them.

    Tibs smiled at the confused expression Lamberto gave her.

    Maybe there was one person in that bunch that wasn¡¯t doomed to feed Sto after all.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 45

    Tibs ran the roofs.

    He ran hard without a destination. The need to escape the thoughts running through his head pushed him.

    He¡¯d left the party as soon as he¡¯d made sure Lamberto was fine. He told himself he was going after the assassin, was ready to give that as explanation for his hurried departure if one of the noble demanded he stay.

    He just wanted to be away from all of them.

    Away from Lamberto; that idiot for throwing himself between Tibs and the knife meant for him. He¡¯d have been fine! He didn¡¯t need saving! Especially not by some kid who thought Tibs was some grand hero that deserved protecting.

    He ran harder.

    He didn¡¯t care if the nobles complained to Tirania. Tibs had saved one of their lives. How much more goodwill did she expect from him? And it wasn¡¯t even needed.

    He¡¯d made it to his room without letting what Lamberto did crowd his mind, but as soon as he was on his bed. That, and how Tibs had treated him, rushed in and wouldn¡¯t quiet. He¡¯d put on his armor and climbed to the roof and ran.

    ¡°I am not a bigot,¡± he growled into the wind.

    Of course he wasn¡¯t. Tibs had reasons to hate nobles. Good reasons. They were horrible people. They came to his street, his town, and took over everything. They forced people to defer to them for no other reasons than they were owed deferment for being nobles.

    There. That was proof there was no such thing as a good noble.

    Only¡­

    Amelia wasn¡¯t all that bad. Not bad at all, when Tibs allowed himself to be honest. Her friends weren¡¯t horrible either. He didn¡¯t care for her brother; the man was too full of himself. But in the way of people who knew a lot, not in the usual noble¡¯s ¡®give me what I want¡¯ way. And he helped the town as much as Amelia did without asking anything in return.

    A handful of them versus all the other nobles Tibs had encountered didn¡¯t mean he was wrong in thinking they were all bad.

    He stopped running. His breath wouldn¡¯t come to him. How could he be having trouble breathing?

    He wasn¡¯t a bigot, he told himself. He¡¯d been under the heels of too many bigots to ever be one himself. He knew better!

    Bigots were one step below nobles when it came to people Tibs considered bad.

    ¡°I am not a bigot!¡± he yelled to the sky.

    Then why had he been so horrible to Lamberto? What had the young noble done to deserve that? Been born a noble?

    Was his annoying over-eagerness justification for how Tibs thought of him? What he said? Had his enthusiasm at having Tibs meet people Lamberto considered friends made him such a horrible person?

    Had the way the boy looked at Tibs, awe and hope, been the thing that made him irredeemable?

    No. Tibs had looked at him, branded him noble, and that had been the end of it. Exactly how nobles branded Tibs as not worth of their attention without ever learning anything about him.

    What had Tibs branded Don as?

    Asshole, liar, opportunist, manipulator, irredeemable.

    Base on what? Who the sorcerer used to be? On one manipulation Tibs hadn¡¯t been willing to let him explain? The lashing out the man did after the fact?

    And how did Tibs act when he was hurt or angry?

    Maybe if he¡¯d cared while they shared a room, Tibs would have been able to see the lies and manipulations earlier and not find himself in this position. But he¡¯d been iced and hadn¡¯t cared about Don¡¯s motivation beyond how the sorcerer could help him.

    Hadn¡¯t that been Tibs using him without caring for what Don might want?

    Wasn¡¯t that what he was blaming the sorcerer for doing?

    The scream was formed of pained anger.

    He didn¡¯t want to know Don¡¯s reasons. His side of this didn¡¯t matter. He had lied and hurt Tibs. The man was nothing more than an wanna be noble who put himself first no matter who suffered. There was nothing more to be had about that!

    And Tibs was a fucking bigot.

    Why couldn¡¯t light go about blinding him for thinking that? Like it did every other time he told himself such a large lie?

    The answer was self-evident.

    He scanned the dark roofs, wondering where the sorcerer was. He stretched his sense as far as it would go, but other than the pool, he didn¡¯t sense anyone with corruption as their element. But he couldn¡¯t sense the whole town.

    When had that happened?

    He had a passing thought about the pool, and why its owners weren¡¯t here looking for ways to make coins from it, then set that aside for more important matter.

    Like talking with Lamberto; apologizing for how he treated him. But that would have to wait, since security would be higher after the attempted assassination. And Tibs would guide his team through the dungeon. He could talk with him there.

    Which only left him with one thing to do.

    He ran. Only this time, he sensed ahead for someone to run toward, instead of blindly running away.

    * * * * *

    This was not where Tibs expected to find the sorcerer.

    He¡¯d expected to sense Don among one of the better parts of Kragle Rock, not here, in one of the poorer areas. Any poorer and it would be included in Broken Place. He couldn¡¯t be in that building because he was out of coins to pay for something better. The loot from the runs had been good, and if there was one thing Tibs had learned about the sorcerer, it was that while he liked nice things; it wasn¡¯t so much that he¡¯d throw all his coins at them.

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    So why was he in this rooming house for workers, when there were much better options only blocks away? The only thing Don had arranged, from what Tibs sensed, was to have a room to himself, instead of sharing it with a dozen other people.

    The sorcerer sat, a tankard half filled with a drink brimming with corruption. Alcohol, something stronger than ale. Of course, the man would like more refined drinks.

    Tibs looked into the dark room from the window. Not even a candle for him to read by. Clearly Don wanted to be left alone, and Tibs should respect that.

    He tapped the window.

    With darkness as his element, Tibs had no problem seeing Don turn, look at him, outlined in Clara¡¯s almost fully opened eye¡¯s light, and frown. He took the lack of protest as acknowledgment, along with the unlocked window, and entered, sitting on the windowsill.

    ¡°Like my day couldn¡¯t get any worse,¡± Don muttered, draining half of the tankard¡¯s content before putting it down. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°How much have you had to drink?¡± There was an empty bottle next to the tankard. Don didn¡¯t sound drunk, but this wasn¡¯t a conversation to be had if the man wasn¡¯t at least close to sober.

    Don threw the tankard at Tibs, who caught it with water, along with the splashed content. He deposited it before the sorcerer, leaving it filled with water, and absorbed the rest, leaving the corruption to dissipate.

    ¡°Do you have any idea how hard it is to get drunk with corruption as your element?¡± Don demanded. ¡°No. Of course you don¡¯t. You don¡¯t know anything. You just like to think you do. Too fucking good for anyone.¡±

    Tibs forced himself to remain seated. He wouldn¡¯t give into his anger and¡ª

    ¡°Fuck off, Tibs,¡± The sorcerer snapped. ¡°I¡¯m not dealing with your condescension tonight.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± he asked in as calm a tone as he could.

    ¡°Like you fucking care?¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡± Tibs was halfway out before realizing he¡¯d moved.

    ¡°Go on, get out of here,¡± Don said at Tibs¡¯s back. ¡°You don¡¯t want me here anymore than anyone else.¡±

    Tibs sat down, silent. Anymore than anyone else? The sarcastic thought wanted to be voiced. Didn¡¯t Don proclaim how much he was liked? How people clamored to be on his team; if only Tirania would let him have one of his own. Didn¡¯t he deserve a little sarcasm at the condescension he¡¯d thrown Tibs¡¯s way?

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Oh, fuck off. You think I need your pity? You think that if you¡¯re nice enough to me, I¡¯ll swallow the bullshit and return to your team so you can treat me like some Street-rated replacement for that¡ª¡± He snapped his mouth shut, and Tibs swallowed his pain at her memory. He didn¡¯t have time for it now.

    Don looked away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. That¡¯s not fair to her.¡± He took a swallow, made a face, then took another.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t¡ª¡± he stopped at the sorcerer¡¯s glare.

    ¡°Why are you even here?¡±

    ¡°To say I¡¯m sorry for how I treated you.¡±

    ¡°I get graced by Tibs¡¯s apology,¡± he replied sarcastically. ¡°Hurray for me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, will you¡ª¡± Tibs closed his mouth and swallowed the anger. ¡°I treated you badly,¡± he said through greeted teeth. ¡°Unjustly so.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s such a revelation to you?¡±

    Tibs looked away and whispered, ¡°yes.¡± He felt the stare and forced himself to look.

    ¡°You expect me to believe that you didn¡¯t know you were an asshole to me?¡±

    ¡°Do you realize it when you¡¯re being an asshole?¡± Tibs asked defensively.

    ¡°Oh, yeah.¡± Don smirked. ¡°Unlike Jackie-boy, I don¡¯t come by pissing people off by accident.¡±

    Tibs almost asked why he did it, but he vaguely remembered a conversation about the subject while he was iced. He¡¯d barely paid attention. His curiosity had been sated, and that was more important than the answer Don had given.

    ¡°I thought I was better than that,¡± Tibs said. Don snorted, and Tibs had to swallow his anger again.

    ¡°Why are you here, Tibs?¡± Don asked, sounding tired, when the silence stretched.

    ¡°To say I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Fine, you said it. You can leave.¡±

    Don was right. He could go. He didn¡¯t have to force more on the man, who clearly didn¡¯t want him there. He could leave things as they were. It would be easy.

    ¡°Why did you lie?¡± he asked. ¡°Why have Tirania say it was her idea?¡±

    ¡°Like you¡¯re going to believe me.¡±

    ¡°I will.¡±

    Don rolled his eyes and drank. ¡°I was scared,¡± he finally said, and the words were dark.

    ¡°Of what?¡±

    Don glared at him. ¡°Of you. Of you saying no,¡± he added before Tibs could get over the surprise. ¡°Of not having anyone around me who¡¯d have the guts to call me on my bullshit. Jackie might be some clueless, muscle bound idiot, but he¡¯s good for not letting jackasses like me get away with it.¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t like the competition,¡± Tibs said before he could stop himself.

    Don snorted. ¡°Like he can compete with me.¡± He studied Tibs. ¡°You¡¯re not calling me a liar.¡±

    Tibs shrugged.

    ¡°Why do you believe me?¡± the sorcerer asked suspiciously.

    Tibs shrugged again. He couldn¡¯t explain it without bringing light into it, and he wasn¡¯t ready for that.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Don asked in the, again, stretching silence. ¡°To make you seek me out? I know you well enough to know this isn¡¯t something you just do. You thought about it and decided to ask if I¡¯d lied.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a bigot.¡±

    Don narrowed his eyes, but didn¡¯t comment.

    Tibs sighed. ¡°I had to go to a noble¡¯s party.¡±

    ¡°Galdain¡¯s. I heard.¡± Don was annoyed, but didn¡¯t comment.

    ¡°Lamberto, that¡¯s one of his sons who¡¯ll run the dungeon, was all over me with how glad he was to meet me. He dragged me around and introduced me to everyone.¡±

    ¡°You let a noble drag you around?¡± Don asked, amused.

    ¡°Tirania told me to make a good impression, and I need her to think I¡¯m on her side. So blasting the annoyance through a wall wasn¡¯t an option.¡± He paused. ¡°And he wouldn¡¯t have deserved it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re saying that of a noble,¡± Don said, sounding surprised. ¡°He must be quite the man.¡±

    ¡°Boy. He¡¯s younger than Jackal and you. I unleashed my anger on him when it turned out everyone else at the party thought of me as nothing more than a trick to be watched and snickered at. It wasn¡¯t his fault the others were horrible people, but I still made it his fault, when all he¡¯d done was the best he could to make this a good experience for me. He even told his older brothers and sister to leave me alone.¡± He paused again. ¡°And after I screamed at him, treated like some noble who only acted like I mattered because he¡¯d gain something from it. He took a knife for me.¡±

    Don raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°There was this assassin after his brother. I got in her way, but she had a partner who tried to stab me while she had me distracted. Lamberto shoved me and took it in my place. He might have died before anyone could do anything, but he filled the wound with crystal and kept it from bleeding out.¡± Tibs chuckled. ¡°He has no idea how he did it.¡±

    ¡°Fear and a desire to survive can get you to do a lot you didn¡¯t know you could. You should know how that goes.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t sound surprised there was an attack.¡±

    Don shrugged. ¡°Back home, if there isn¡¯t at least one attempt at killing an attendee, it¡¯s not considered a successful party.¡±

    ¡°And you wanted to be like them?¡± Tibs asked in disbelief.

    ¡°Money, power, and getting anything they want. Yeah, I wanted that. Especially after they took what my family had away from us.¡± The silence fell again. Don drained the tankard and presented it to Tibs, who refilled it. ¡°Why were you so angry when you found out joining your team was my idea?¡±

    Tibs made himself a tankard out of ice to have something to do while he considered his answer. He hadn¡¯t thought when he¡¯d found out. He¡¯d just reacted. He¡¯d lashed out like he did when¡ª

    ¡°Because it was easier to be angry at you than feel the pain that this guy I¡¯d started liking, was using me for some selfish plan. You aren¡¯t that horrible of a person when you let yourself be, and it hurt to think that had been an act.¡±

    ¡°It was an act, of a sort,¡± Don said. ¡°And I did have a selfish plan.¡±

    ¡°Trying to be better isn¡¯t selfish.¡±

    The sorcerer nodded. ¡°But is that what it is, if I have to deceive you to get it?¡±

    ¡°You were afraid. I get how that is.¡±

    ¡°And you were hurt,¡± Don replied. ¡°I get that too.¡± Again, they were silent. ¡°What happens now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like you to come back to the team.¡±

    ¡°The others might not go along with that.¡±

    ¡°Jackal will. He¡¯s angry at you because I was angry. Khumdar doesn¡¯t care, beyond the team being whole for the runs.¡±

    ¡°But Mez¡­¡±

    ¡°I can explain my side of it to him,¡± Tibs said, hesitating. ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°I need to apologize to him. He was the only one who tried to help me as soon as I joined your team. And with how I treated him when I forced him on my team¡­that puts him on the level of heroes of songs.¡±

    ¡°I think he¡¯ll understand once he knows why.¡±

    ¡°If he believes me.¡±

    ¡°I can¡ª¡± Tibs stopped himself. Sure, he could tell Mez that Don wasn¡¯t lying, and Mez would believe him. But would the sorcerer question how easy it was?

    Tibs could explain everything to Don; that would make things simpler. The man was honest about all of it, after all. Tibs could even ask if he had plans on betraying him and the team, and he¡¯d know if that answer was true. But Light didn¡¯t know the future, only how people felt about what they said. It would only be a lie if Don planned on betraying them.

    But circumstances changed, and the sorcerer could be tempted. Tibs couldn¡¯t know what he¡¯d do then.

    And that was too much of a risk right now.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 46

    ¡°So¡­¡± Jackal nodded toward the sorcerer at the counter, speaking with Mez, as Tibs sat at their table. ¡°You don¡¯t hate his guts anymore?¡±

    ¡°We talked.¡± Immediately, that sounded inadequate. ¡°I listened. He didn¡¯t lie when he said he was scared we wouldn¡¯t let him on the team.¡±

    ¡°He was correct,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°Without Tirania forcing the issue, you would not have allowed him to join.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± Tibs watched the exchange between the archer and sorcerer turn heated, and people step away from them. It was mainly Mez talking and gesturing, and Don looking penitent. ¡°I couldn¡¯t see past how he¡¯d been.¡± He shrugged. ¡°But I believe him when he says he wants to be better.¡±

    ¡°Believe?¡± the cleric asked. ¡°Or know?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s being truthful when he says he wants to change,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°That¡¯s what light sees. I can¡¯t know if he¡¯ll stick to it.¡±

    ¡°You have to get Void for that,¡± Jackal said between bites.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not.¡± Tibs shuddered. ¡°They all seem to turn strange.¡±

    Kroseph placed a plate of spicy smelling meats and vegetables before Tibs. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you.¡± He squeezed his shoulder, putting the tankard next to the plate.

    Tibs didn¡¯t feel like he¡¯d done anything worth being proud about. It had taken being confronted by his own hypocrisy before he¡¯d done the right thing.

    The server nodded to Don in greetings as they crossed path, then he and the archer sat at the table.

    ¡°You two going to be okay?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± Mez started eating, then paused. ¡°But you don¡¯t have to worry about me shooting him in the back anymore.¡±

    ¡°He made it clear he¡¯d look me in the eye before planting an arrow into me,¡± Don added.

    ¡°It¡¯s always good to know it¡¯s coming,¡± Jackal said. ¡°That way, you can think about what you did to deserve it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for the advice,¡± the sorcerer said, sarcasm slipping into the tone. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to face you next time you deserve being punched.¡±

    Mez rolled his eyes. ¡°Shoot him with corruption. You¡¯ll just break your hand if you punch him.¡±

    ¡°And I do not believe that is an action warranting the use of a healing potion.¡± Khumdar added.

    ¡°We know clerics, don¡¯t we?¡± Don asked.

    The cleric smiled. ¡°But how may of them like you?¡±

    Don opened his mouth, closed it, then narrowed his eyes at Tibs. ¡°You know. I¡¯m starting to regret this ¡®being better¡¯ thing.¡± The words glowed. ¡°It was a lot easier to get stuff when I just went around scaring people into giving it to me.¡±

    ¡°Poor little sorcerer,¡± Mez said. ¡°However, shall you survive it?¡±

    ¡°You are so lucky I promised to be nicer to you, Mezano,¡± Don said, trying to sound threatening.

    The archer beamed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take full advantage of that.¡±

    ¡°Jackal, can I get your permission to punch the archer?¡±

    ¡°Not unless he does something to deserve it,¡± the fighter answered, barely pausing in eating.

    ¡°He¡¯s¡ª¡± Don sighed. ¡°You know, you guys are supposed to be the nice ones.¡±

    ¡°But this is us being nice,¡± Jackal replied in an offended tone. ¡°We let you back on the team, didn¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°Just so I could suffer,¡± Don muttered.

    ¡°You simply aren¡¯t seeing the way they torture each other,¡± Kroseph said as he placed food and drink before the sorcerer. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, once the novelty passes, you¡¯ll see they aren¡¯t treating you any different than they treat each other.¡± He paused. ¡°Other than Tibs. He has this way of never ending up on the receiving end of the other¡¯s barbs.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a rogue,¡± Tibs replied casually. ¡°We¡¯re good at avoiding blame.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs walked among the booths filling the field in front of the cliff wall. It seemed that each time he was here, there were more of them, as well as buildings. If this kept up, there would be no telling Kragle Rock from the dungeon¡¯s waiting area. It was probably what had happened with the purity dungeon.

    Merchants hawked their wares to the Runners waiting for their turn in the dungeon, or others looking at what was available, and how it could help them survive.

    Tibs¡¯s immediate reaction was annoyance at the merchant taking advantage of newer Runners with barely any coins to spend. But as he looked at them, dressed in worn, but better clothing and armor than he remembered getting from Sto even after a month of running him, he realized that he might be wrong about how few coins they had, or how inexperienced the surviving Runners were.

    Had Sto become more generous on the first floor? Had Tibs been too focused on everything else he needed to do to notice the faster improvement? Everyone assembled had an element, which spoke to experience.

    He found the team he was assigned to easily enough. Palden argued with one of the guards at the bottom of the steps. They were better equipped than the other teams. Palden and Silus, the metal user, were garbed in chain mail. Palden had a mace hooked to his belt and a shield on his back, while his brother had a sword on each hip. The archer, Carlan, wore heavy leather armor and held an intricately carved bow. Lamberto¡¯s armor was lighter, more thick fabrics with leather sewed where he needed more protection, and he had a handful of knifes at his belt. Gabrielle had on the usual sorcerer¡¯s robe, although hers was decorated with symbols in black threads throughout the light blue material.

    It all looked like it had been purchased just before they stepped onto the field and had light weaves of varying elements that Tibs figured added protection and efficacy as the items demanded.

    ¡°Tibs!¡± Lamberto yelled, waving enthusiastically. ¡°We¡¯re here!¡±

    He pushed the annoyance down. It was like the boy didn¡¯t understand the danger they were preparing for. Did he think this was a visit to¡­MountainSea? He couldn¡¯t think of anything even close to a dungeon that wouldn¡¯t feel life threatening.

    ¡°You,¡± Palden demanded. ¡°Tell him to let us through.¡±

    ¡°Is it your turn?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°We¡¯re early,¡± Silus answered.

    ¡°The other team isn¡¯t out,¡± the guard said.

    ¡°Then we¡¯re waiting,¡± Tibs said.

    The guard looked them over. ¡°It¡¯s only five to a team.¡±

    Tibs took the paper the clerk had delivered to his room this morning, along with letting him know today was when Lamberto¡¯s team went in, and handed it over. ¡°They¡¯re getting¡­preferential treatment.¡± He couldn¡¯t tell if he¡¯d kept the disgust out of his voice. ¡°As per Tirania¡¯s instructions.¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯re going in now,¡± Palden stated.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°No.¡± Tibs faced the team leader. ¡°Only one team on a floor at a time. The schedule told you when your time was. If the team isn¡¯t out by then, it¡¯s fine to go in since they¡¯ll be considered to have fed the dungeon. How often does that happen on the first floor?¡± he asked without turning.

    ¡°It hasn¡¯t happened since I¡¯ve joined.¡± The guard handed the paper back to Tibs.

    ¡°Then we wait until they exit.¡± He led them away. ¡°How much training do you have with your weapons?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be happy to give you a demonstration,¡± Silus said, smiling menacingly as he ran a hand over the pommel of a sword. Tibs couldn¡¯t tell if the eagerness was because he felt Tibs needed to put in his place, or the noble just liked fighting too much.

    ¡°Fighting isn¡¯t allowed outside of the training fields.¡±

    The fighter snorted.

    ¡°We¡¯ve all had as much training as we could get before coming,¡± Gabrielle said.

    ¡°How good are you with those?¡± He asked Lamberto, indicating the knives at his belt.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡±

    ¡°You should get a sword,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°I can introduce you to a merchant that won¡¯t scam you.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m the team¡¯s rogue,¡± Lamberto protested. ¡°Rogues use knives.¡±

    ¡°Rogues use whatever gives them the best chance to win.¡± He formed his sword, and only Lamberto didn¡¯t step back. Instead, the noble rogue looked at the jagged blade with awe. Tibs was starting to think anything he¡¯d do would cause that reaction. ¡°We don¡¯t follow the rules.¡±

    ¡°Light-Fingers,¡± the guard called. ¡°You¡¯re up.¡±

    The team walking down the stairs had ripped and bloody armor and clothes, but they were grinning, and there were five of them.

    Palden hurried up the steps, and the others kept up with him. Tibs trailed behind.

    The guard at the door stopped him, and Tibs handed the paper.

    ¡°Should we start expecting this with all the noble teams?¡± she asked, handing it back after reading it.

    ¡°I hope not,¡± Tibs muttered. She smiled, and he added. ¡°You need to check with Irdian or Tirania. She only told me about this one run. I don¡¯t plan on doing this again.¡±

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Sto asked once he was on the other side of the door. ¡°What are you doing here? There¡¯s already five of them. And you¡¯re much stronger than they are.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just escorting them,¡± he whispered, even if the others were already at the trigger room¡¯s entrance. ¡°They¡¯ll do all the work.¡±

    ¡°So, you aren¡¯t here to make sure they survive?¡±

    Tibs snorted. It was what Tirania had implied when she said she wanted them to have a good impression of the dungeon, but he had no intention of doing more than offering advice. She knew now Galdain had no choice in moving here; he¡¯d told her. He might even have managed not to sound mocking in the process. So whatever need to impress the noble she still felt was on her.

    ¡°About time you arrived,¡± Palden said. He motioned to the room. ¡°Lead the way.¡±

    Tibs got an impression of straight walls with decorations before the fighter was in his face. ¡°Listen here, street-trash. I¡¯m the leader of this team, and you¡¯re going to do what I tell you.¡±

    ¡°Palden,¡± Lamberto said, trying to interpose himself. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. Tibs¡¯s nice enough to¡ª¡±

    The fighter shoved him away. ¡°Don¡¯t get involved, Lamb. You¡¯ll just get hurt.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Lamberto,¡± Tibs said, smiling. Gabrielle helped her brother to his feet. ¡°I can handle him.¡±

    The fighter snorted.

    ¡°Just say the word, Palden,¡± Silus said, hands gripping the pommel of his still sheathed swords. ¡°We¡¯re in the dungeon now, kid. We can do anything we want to you.¡±

    ¡°You are,¡± Tibs replied, the smile slowly forming, ¡°in my dungeon. So think about what you¡¯re planning to do carefully. Whatever training you received? I got mine surviving three floors in here. None of your trainers were as merciless as this dungeon. I¡¯ve lost countless friends to him. And the only reason I didn¡¯t join them is that I got better.¡±

    ¡°You think I¡¯m impressed that someone like you was lucky and cheated his way through all this?¡± Silus sneered.

    ¡°Luck¡¯s not a thing.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Sto grumbled. ¡°I don¡¯t like him.¡±

    ¡°And I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re impressed or not,¡± Tibs continued. ¡°Surviving in here didn¡¯t teach me to go easy on those who attack me.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t kill us,¡± Palden stated.

    ¡°If you mean I¡¯m not strong enough to do it, you¡¯re wrong. If you mean I¡¯m not allowed¡­¡± he locked eyes with the leader. ¡°Like your brother pointed out. We¡¯re in the dungeon. If I¡¯m the only one who walks out, who¡¯s going to question how you died?¡±

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Lamberto asked, worried.

    He let out a breath and pushed his mounting anger down. ¡°That isn¡¯t my plan, Lamberto. I¡¯m just going to injure them, and then they¡¯ll have to worry about surviving the run in that state.¡± He shifted his attention to Silus. ¡°If you want that, Palden? Tell your brother to attack me. Otherwise, you¡¯re wasting time.¡± He motioned to the time shield atop the wall. ¡°That¡¯s how long until the next team comes in. The more time you spend trying to convince me I have to obey you, the less you have to reach the boss room. Which one is more important to you?¡±

    The sound of Silus pulling his sword out was the only one accompanying the glare Tibs could feel from their leader.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Palden said when the swords were half unsheathed.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Lamberto called out.

    ¡°What do you want, Lamb?¡± Palden snapped, turning away from putting a foot inside the trap room to face him.

    ¡°You really want to walk through that without knowing it¡¯s safe?¡± Gabrielle said while Lamberto was fighting against withering under the glare.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing there!¡±

    ¡°And what did Father say about dungeons?¡± Carlan asked in a calm tone.

    Palden ground his teeth. ¡°Nothing¡¯s ever easy.¡± He moved away from the room¡¯s entrance. ¡°Fine. Lamb, make yourself useful.¡±

    Lamberto stepped to the edge, and Tibs joined him.

    The room had indeed changed. There were no traces of the cavern from his runs. It was a six-sided room, with irregular tiles over the floor. The walls were covered with colored hexagonal tiles, with the stone spear holes hidden in the shadowed gaps between them. It seemed Sto had removed those from the floor.

    The cache stood out to him, but he studied the colors, finding the patterns in them and matching them to the tiles on the floor. Sensing those which had triggers, real and decoys, showed him the code hidden within how the wall was tiled.

    It was relatively simple to decode, he thought, so long as Lamberto thought to study them, then noticed the details on the floor tiles.

    ¡°Do you¡ª¡± The boy swallowed, and when he tried again, there was more confidence in his voice and body language. ¡°Do you have any advice?¡±

    Tibs looked over his shoulder to confirm the others had moved far enough away and were busy talking among themselves.

    ¡°Before that. I¡¯m sorry about how I treated you during the party. You were nice to me, and all I did was be rude to you.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t excuse bad behavior, Lamberto. Not from anyone.¡± He fought the urge to glare at Palden¡¯s back. ¡°Especially not from yourself once you realize what you¡¯ve done. As for the room. How much practice do you have with locks, traps, and triggers?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve mainly read about them.¡±

    Tibs stared at him. ¡°You¡¯ve¡­read about them?¡±

    Lamberto nodded. ¡°Father also paid one of the city¡¯s best thieves to teach me, but he wouldn¡¯t let him teach me lock picking.¡± He sounded disappointed.

    But Tibs was still stuck on the previous thing. ¡°You read about traps.¡± The chuckle escaped, and with it some pain, but her memory had lost some of the bite. She¡¯d been right, again. There were books out there about rogue stuff. Why he¡¯d doubted her, or was surprised now, was beyond him. Carina had pretty much always been right.

    ¡°What?¡± Lamberto looked at him strangely.

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°Just remembering an argument I had with a friend about books and things thieves would share.¡± He smiled as he remembered her laughter. ¡°What did your teacher say about traps?¡±

    ¡°That if I¡¯m not careful, I can trigger it instead of disarming it.¡±

    Tibs nodded and looked the room over again, considering what to say. ¡°The first thing about the dungeon is that there¡¯s always a way through the rooms. No two rooms will have the exact same way, but it¡¯s there. And it¡¯s a way that allows everyone on your team to cross it. If a room looks impossible to beat, it¡¯s because you haven¡¯t looked at it the correct way yet. You need to make them understand that, Lamberto. That the dungeon isn¡¯t something you rush blindly through. That he¡¯s clever, and he will outsmart you. You just need to learn from that and get better.¡± He took a breath. ¡°And your team has to learn to respect you. You are as important as each of them. More so, as far as I¡¯m concerned.¡± He smiled. ¡°But what else would rogue say, right?¡±

    He looked over his shoulder, and Palden was glaring at them. He lowered his voice more. ¡°I know they¡¯re you family, but if they can¡¯t respect what your role on the team is, you need to find another one. Otherwise, they¡¯ll get you killed.¡±

    ¡°They aren¡¯t that bad,¡± Lamberto said, taking a leather roll from his belt and unrolling it. ¡°It¡¯s just that having to come here was upsetting to everyone. Father wouldn¡¯t let Palden stay behind and he lost all the friends he had. He was nicer before.¡± He stretched on the floor, with his arms only in enough to work the first tile. ¡°You¡¯ll see once you know them better.¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t expect he¡¯d ever see that side of them. Nobles would never be nice to someone like him. All the lot of them saw was the Street and¡ª

    He forced the thought to stop. They weren¡¯t all like that. Amelia treated him with respect. Her friends did too, if begrudgingly. Lamberto treated him like¡­ certainly not like Tibs was street-trash. He had to remember not all nobles were the same.

    It would be a lot easier to do if most of them weren¡¯t so nasty.

    But that didn¡¯t mean he could excuse his own bad behavior.

    ¡°Another thing. You don¡¯t have to finish the floor. If you don¡¯t think you can survive a room, you need to get them to turn around so you can all live to try it on your next run.¡±

    Lamberto made a noncommital sound as he used a pick and lever along the tile¡¯s gap.

    Tibs sensed the pick touch the mechanism and forced himself not to react to the click that caused as the trap triggered. Or at Palden¡¯s suddenly being there, pulling his brother away as the stone spear crossed the space over the tile well above where Lamberto had been stretched. Chest height, if he¡¯d been standing.

    ¡°You okay, Lamb?¡± And that was concern in Palden¡¯s voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± his brother complained, shaking his foot out of the grip.

    Silus stepped before Tibs. ¡°Let¡¯s make one thing perfectly clear. If you let Lamb be hurt in any way, there isn¡¯t going to be enough left behind, once I¡¯m done with you, for the dungeon to eat.¡±

    Tibs¡¯s only response was to raise an eyebrow at the bravado, but¡­ there was no light on the words. The noble fully intended to go through with it to ensure his brother¡¯s survival.

    Maybe¡­Just maybe there was hope for the entire team after all.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 47

    ¡°It¡¯s done!¡± a man proclaimed from the inn¡¯s door. The room fell silent as everyone looked in the warrior¡¯s direction. ¡°The third floor¡¯s cleared!¡± Quigly raised a fist. ¡°Soon, it¡¯s on to the fourth!¡±

    Cheers erupted, most of his friends joining in, except for Jackal, who looked at Tibs and lowered his voice. ¡°Any idea when that¡¯ll be?¡±

    He shook his head. Not being able to speak with Sto during the runs had meant that when he wondered about it, he couldn¡¯t ask. It hadn¡¯t come up often since until they¡¯d reached the boss room. Tibs had been more focused on working the puzzles on that floor than wondering what came next.

    And in the few times he¡¯d forced himself away from everything he needed to do in Kragle Rock to sit by the cliff side and talk with Sto, it hadn¡¯t occurred to talk about the future runs.

    Don glanced at them, but Quigly was at their table, his team behind him.

    ¡°Take that, best team.¡± The warrior smirked. ¡°We cleared it first.¡±

    ¡°You know it¡¯s not a competition, right?¡± Mez said.

    ¡°Of course it is,¡± Jackal replied, as Quigly¡¯s team rolled their eyes nearly as one. ¡°And congratulation. Was the loot worth the fight?¡±

    ¡°Not that we got to keep any of it,¡± the warrior said, looking around furtively, ¡°as you know. But it was a full set of plate armor with some enchantment on it. Too fancy for my taste, anyway. But I¡¯m sure a fighter like you, you know, so interested in looking good for his man, could make use of it; if he beat the room, or is willing to buy it back from the guild.¡±

    Jackal snorted.

    ¡°Only if it¡¯s the same item for the next team,¡± Don said, then looked at their sorcerer. ¡°I¡¯m curious. How did you know it was enchanted?¡±

    ¡°I could feel the weave when I picked up the helmet,¡± Quigly said, which earned him a surprise look from Don.

    ¡°And I could sense it without having to touch it,¡± the warrior¡¯s sorcerer said smugly. ¡°I am, after all, nearly Kappa.¡±

    Tibs looked at Don.

    ¡°For us to graduate to Kappa, we need to be able to tell apart the essences that make out a weave. Congratulation,¡± he told the sorcerer, which earned him a surprised look.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t tell him that,¡± the man replied, his admonition marred by his confusion at Don¡¯s behavior.

    ¡°You¡¯re free enough with what you can do,¡± Don replied. ¡°It¡¯s not like they¡¯ll do anything with the information. Only sorcerers can think if the ways needed to tell essences apart.¡±

    ¡°And tell me, Arabis,¡± the man said with hint of defiance in his tone. ¡°How are you coming along in your studies toward ranking up?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m getting there,¡± Don replied casually, again surprising the sorcerer.

    ¡°Then,¡± he said, his tone confident. ¡°I will look forward to observing you taking the test. As I¡¯ll get ready to take the one for Epsilon.¡± The earth sorcerer turned and walked away.

    ¡°Kind of full of himself, that one,¡± Jackal commented.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s a sorcerer thing,¡± Quigly replied. ¡°Them an knowing so much.¡±

    ¡°I can tell you that knowing more than the rest of you has nothing to do with someone¡¯s ego,¡± Don said. ¡°I know idiots with larger egos than that one. Although he barely knows more than they do.¡±

    ¡°Yep,¡± Jackal said with a smirk. ¡°Sorcerers and their ego. Do have to love them. How hard was the room? We stepped in on our last run. The first fight was tough, so we didn¡¯t risk the second.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s hard. If you aren¡¯t already doing it, hoard the healing potions the dungeon gives, because you¡¯re going to need them. I¡¯m not going to say much more than that, because this is one time I don¡¯t want that ¡®don¡¯t talk about it¡¯ rule, causing us to miss a run. It was our fourth time in, and for a moment, I didn¡¯t think we were going to survive the boss after the fights to reach it. I know how you feel about it, Tibs, but we got lucky.¡±

    ¡°You fought everything in the room?¡± Don asked pensively.

    ¡°No choice. If you think the previous boss rooms put your fighting to the test, this one makes the first time in those room fell like celebrating a hero¡¯s return.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the warning,¡± Jackal said, ¡°as unhelpful as it is.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, stock up on all the potions. You¡¯re going to need them.¡± The warrior left to rejoin his team at the table they¡¯d taken.

    ¡°Are you sure there¡¯s a way around the fights?¡± Jackal asked once Quigly was away.

    ¡°Maybe not all of them,¡± Don replied. ¡°We¡¯ll almost certainly have to fight the boss.¡±

    ¡°But the floor¡¯s about being clever,¡± Tibs added, ¡°on top of being good at fighting.¡±

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°So they cleared the room the hard way?¡± Mez asked, and Tibs nodded.

    ¡°Which means,¡± Jackal smiled, ¡°that sorcerer of theirs and his rogue aren¡¯t as smart as they think they are.¡±

    ¡°Like there was any doubt of that,¡± Don replied, rolling his eyes.

    * * * * *

    ¡°Not so clever, are you?¡± Irdian said, as a guard held Tibs before the commander. ¡°This could make your team miss another run.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t keep me in a cell for nine days.¡± Tibs had waited until the schedule was up, and now that his team no longer went first with each schedule, they¡¯d ended up last on this one.

    ¡°I can keep you for as long as I think your crime deserves,¡± Irdian replied flatly.

    ¡°It was just a pocket. And a noble¡¯s pocket at that,¡± he grumbled. ¡°And didn¡¯t even get a silver from it.¡± He gave the guard an angry side-eye while she kept looking ahead.

    It had taken more work than it should have to get caught. He¡¯d picked three pockets in sight of guards before one of them noticed. Then, because Tibs didn¡¯t want to make it obvious he wanted to be caught, he¡¯d ran. Only to realize he¡¯d lost the guard in the crowd and they hadn¡¯t seen enough of him to take up the chase when he walked back toward them.

    He knew these guards weren¡¯t idiots. They were part of those who had survived both Sebastian¡¯s attacks on the town and his infiltration of the guards. But if not for Serba¡¯s dog, his attempts to be captured would have failed.

    The guard at his side had spotted him and given chase. She¡¯d been better at keeping up, but Tibs had reached the point of risking looking eager to be caught when he¡¯d been tackled to the ground by a large black and white dog, who then proceeded to sniff his pockets. Serba had rolled her eyes as Tibs gave the dog jerky, and she nearly let him go when he shook his head moments before the guard caught up with them.

    Then the guards had brought Tibs to the closest guardhouse, where he¡¯d been searched and freed of his tools. He¡¯d replaced his usual bracers with normal ones because he didn¡¯t want to risk one of the guards had an element and sensed they were enchanted when they touched them, and also so they¡¯d have something to find when he was caught. He¡¯d also poorly hidden a few more picks on his person. Which weren¡¯t all found.

    There was only one item he didn¡¯t want them to find, so he was disappointed others were missed in their scrutiny. He¡¯d considered offering to train them, but figure Irdian wouldn¡¯t care for the suggestion, and that the other Rogues would see it as helping the enemy, instead of making everyone protecting Kragle Rock better.

    Once freed of the tools of his trade they found, Tibs¡¯s guard was instructed to take him to Irdian, instead of to the cells.

    ¡°Are you under the impression nobles don¡¯t care when some thief picks their pockets?¡± the commander asked in a bored tone.

    Tibs wanted to remind the man he was a rogue, but it was a waste of time. ¡°They¡¯d have to know it happened to care. He didn¡¯t even turn to look when she caught me.¡± He gave a sharp nod to his captor.

    Did she look sorry?

    ¡°And do you think running from your capture will go unpunished?¡±

    ¡°By adding seven days to the two picking a pocket gets us?¡± Tibs asked, not having to act dismayed.

    Unlike Harry, Irdian wasn¡¯t all about the rules, but he was filled with so much metal he was unbending about how things were done. He¡¯d add as many days to Tibs¡¯s sentence as he could justify, but not one day more. ¡°Maybe you need to train your guards some more if you don¡¯t want us to slip by them so easily.¡±

    ¡°Insulting my people will not help your case.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not insulting, I¡¯m pointing out flaws in how they¡¯re trained.¡±

    ¡°Take him away,¡± the commander told the woman who had a hand on Tibs¡¯s shoulder. She hadn¡¯t gripped him at any point, only kept a hand there as if that was enough to keep him from running off. ¡°Four days in the cell. Next time, don¡¯t bother me with him. We have a system in place for handling criminals. He¡¯s to go through it the same as other of his ilk.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± she replied stiffly, then led Tibs out. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she said after a few steps. ¡°I thought he¡¯d be lenient after what you did for us.¡±

    That didn¡¯t make Tibs feel better about what he planned on doing and how it would impact her. The insults he could justify, because while she¡¯d clearly felt bad about what he¡¯d said. They would only lead to her training harder, hopefully. That she was one of his supporter among the guards didn¡¯t change that.

    What was coming? That could hurt her career. He was trying to think of ways he would make it up to her when they started down the stairs leading to the cells. With the medallion around his neck¡ªit had been easy to move it around as he was searched so they wouldn¡¯t find it, and then put it on while they were busy looking over what they¡¯d taken off him¡ªthe door on the left was clearly visible again. No visible lock, or one that he could sense, and the hinges were on the other side. Hopefully, whatever kept the door closed would give way because he wore the medallion.

    He breathed out a whispered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Then shoved her to the right and elbowed the door, which opened, and he ran down the stairs.

    Her yell of, ¡°Stop!¡± sounded behind him.

    At the bottom, the man, more a clerk than a guard, looked up from the papers on the desk. His eyes shimmered in the light; crystal. Tibs felt essence move, and he slammed his will into that, undoing whatever the man was attempting. He hopped over the man and desk, and ran down the short hall to the door at the end. He passed a room with a table and two unoccupied chairs. Dices on it, as well as the remnant of a meal.

    The door had a lock, but no weave through it. He considered icing it so it would shatter on impact, but this wasn¡¯t about pissing off the guards anymore than he already had. He made a wall of ice behind him, and picks then set to work on the lock.

    It opened as the ice cracked under an impact of crystal. Tibs ran into the new room and stopped nearly immediately.

    He¡¯d expected another hall, with doors where the confiscated items would be held. Serba had only told him she¡¯d delivered it to a large room. Not that it was the only room there.

    Shelves were before him, and seemed to be set in twos on his left and right, going further than he could see in the low light in all directions, further than he could sense. He stepped between the two facing him. Crates with numbers painted on them lined the shelves. In a few, he sensed weaves.

    From what Serba told him, he¡¯d expect to only have to search a few rooms before finding the crates containing his stuff. Even if it had all been in one room, he¡¯d figured he wouldn¡¯t have to look through more than a handful of them before knowing the ones that were his.

    This was larger than any merchant¡¯s warehouse could be, and there were far more items than Tibs thought a town like Kragle Rock could have confiscated.

    Crystal wrapped around his feet and arms, locking him in place. He was grabbed, then dragged, but he barely noticed. The crystal shattered into nothingness when he landed on the floor of a cell, and he didn¡¯t pay attention to the other occupants, giving him space as he stood and sat on a bench.

    That had been nothing like he¡¯d expected.

    Was it even possible to find the armors, weapons, and tools the guards had taken from him among all those there? He¡¯d have to find out what the numbers and letters on the crates meant. There had been an order to the few he saw, so it had to have meaning. Serba might be able to help with that.

    He leaned back against the stone wall.

    He wasn¡¯t giving up on getting his stuff back. Not yet, at least. But it looked like he might have to consider it soon if what was painted on the crates didn¡¯t help.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 48

    ¡°Mez,¡± Don said, ¡°Three and to the left. Prepare to defend yourself.¡±

    The archer moved and found himself lined with the opposing sorcerer, who acted immediately. The ball of earth formed and flew. Mez crouched as he tapped one end of his bow on the ground. A wall of flame shot up, consuming the ball.

    Tibs felt its heat all the way to the other side of the board.

    ¡°That¡¯s new,¡± Jackal commented.

    ¡°There¡¯s only so much I can do shooting arrows,¡± Mez replied, dusting himself off as he stood. ¡°My instructor made it clear he wasn¡¯t letting me take my test until I showed I could do more than shoot trick arrows.¡±

    ¡°They do get annoying, don¡¯t they?¡± Don said, ¡°with their constant push for us to be better. Tibs one forward. You should be safe, but watch for how the dungeon moves its archer. It could set up two against you if we¡¯re not careful.¡±

    ¡°Ah!¡± Ganny exclaimed. ¡°Like I¡¯m falling for that again.¡± Her archer moved to a position that Tibs thought might be setting it up to go against Jackal, their Lord for the game.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± the fighter said. ¡°It¡¯s almost like they want us to survive our runs. How inhumane of them.¡±

    ¡°Especially since you all agree the guild has no interest in seeing to it you survive,¡± Khumdar added.

    ¡°Individuals aren¡¯t the guild,¡± Don replied. ¡°Khumdar, left diagonal, three squares.¡±

    ¡°Are you certain?¡± the cleric asked, looking the board over. ¡°Is not Jackal more¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the strategist,¡± the sorcerer snapped. ¡°Jackal can take care of himself.¡±

    The fighter shrugged when Khumdar checked with him.

    Tibs tried to work out the consequences of the move, but he didn¡¯t understand the game well enough. What he knew was that while Don didn¡¯t understand Ganny was intelligent, he was aware there was a cunning involved in everything the dungeon did. And that the dungeon understood something of the people doing the runs. A lot of what he¡¯d done throughout this game was attempt to trick Ganny into making a mistake. Tibs simply had no idea if it was working.

    ¡°I think someone¡¯s in for a surprise,¡± Ganny gloated as one of her sorcerers lined up with Jackal. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Tibs.¡± She didn¡¯t sound it as the ball of fire hit the fighter and stuck to him until it went out.

    Jackal dusted himself off. ¡°I¡¯m quite fine with just improving on what I can already do.¡± His armor lost the gray hue that had matched Jackal skin.

    ¡°I am getting tired of how you¡¯re alway getting stronger,¡± Ganny grumbled, and Tibs smiled.

    ¡°Mezano, if you¡¯ll do the honor?¡± Don instructed.

    The archer moved diagonally one square, lining him up with Ganny¡¯s lord and pulled on the bow while her fighter raised its shield.

    ¡°How?¡± Ganny exclaimed as the arrow became so bright Tibs had to look away. The explosion sent pieces across the room.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that worked,¡± Mez said, awed.

    ¡°The archer can¡¯t move like that!¡± Ganny yelled as her other pieces crumbled away.

    ¡°How was Mez able to do that?¡± Tibs asked. ¡°He¡¯s the archer.¡±

    ¡°According to whom?¡± Don asked. ¡°I never stated which role he had.¡±

    ¡°Each motion you had him do was that of the archer,¡± Khumdar stated.

    ¡°Were they?¡± the sorcerer smiled.

    ¡°You had him move and turn,¡± Jackal said. ¡°It was two or three ahead, then to the left or right for the rest of the move.¡±

    Don beamed. ¡°Did any of you pay attention to how many squares Mezano moved? I never told him that.¡±

    Tibs thought back on the game. Like Jackal said. Don had instructed the archer on how many forward and then a direction. He¡¯d been too focused on looking ahead and listening to Ganny for an idea of what was to come to pay attention to the rest of the move. It seemed Ganny had been in a similar situation.

    ¡°But he¡¯s an archer.¡± Jackal motioned to Mez.

    ¡°Which I counted on the dungeon also assuming since it¡¯s the only role I¡¯ve used him in before. After the board allowed that first move without me having to state by how many he had to finish it, I figured it was an autonomous system independent of the one that decides how to move the pieces. Then it was just about making sure that part was focused on defending it pieces so it wouldn¡¯t notice Mez wasn¡¯t moving as an archer did, but as the Lady could.¡±

    ¡°You two worked this out ahead of time,¡± Jackal said, not entirely pleased, as Ganny growled.

    ¡°I hate you, Don. I truly do. One of these days, I will get the upper hand.¡±

    Mez crossed the board and tapped the shield over the chest. ¡°Tibs,¡± he called as the distant rumble vibrated the floor.

    Tibs checked the chest, then opened it. Three healing potions, two of essence, a sword and shield. Don got the essence potions, Jackal, Khumdar, and Tibs, one healing each. Mez still had those he¡¯d entered the dungeon with.

    * * * * *

    ¡°I swear,¡± Don grumbled, scrambling up the side of the pillar. ¡°You are trying to kill me.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that hard of a jump,¡± Tibs replied, distracted by studying the landscape of shifting floor room. Nothing moved, so that while it looked like the sorcerer¡¯s feet that brushed the other platform, he had grabbed onto the side before sliding too far.

    ¡°Not hard for you.¡± Don panted, rolling on his back once he pulled himself onto the top. ¡°You will throw yourself off a chasm for fun. I am a sorcerer. My idea of exercise consists of lifting heavy books.¡±

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Clearly, he¡¯d over estimated Don¡¯s ability this time. He couldn¡¯t remember how he¡¯d judge them while iced, but that last run, while pissed at the sorcerer, he¡¯d definitely made sure he had all the short ones, so he wouldn¡¯t have an excuse to cause one of them to die.

    ¡°As a Dungeon Runner,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°it may be to your benefit to expand to something more physical.¡±

    ¡°Clearly, you haven¡¯t seen the books I¡¯ve been reading.¡±

    ¡°Khumdar¡¯s right,¡± Jackal said. ¡°You might be a scholar one day, but you need to survive the dungeon first.¡±

    ¡°I have survived.¡±

    ¡°You almost fell,¡± Mez pointed out.

    ¡°The fall wouldn¡¯t have killed me,¡± Don replied disparagingly.

    ¡°It could have killed one of us,¡± the archer replied.

    ¡°What do you want me to say, Mez? I¡¯m sorry, okay? I¡¯m doing the best I can, but this isn¡¯t my kind of room.¡±

    ¡°I want you to say you¡¯re going to accept Jackal¡¯s offer to train you.¡±

    ¡°You do want me killed!¡± Don replied, horrified.

    ¡°I¡¯m not that hard of trainer,¡± Jackal said, smirking.

    ¡°You are stone through and through. It doesn¡¯t get any harder.¡±

    ¡°Think of what it¡¯ll do to have some of that rubbing off on you.¡±

    ¡°Kroseph won¡¯t be happy,¡± Tibs said, deciding on a longer, but more suited path.

    ¡°Not that kind of rubbing,¡± Jackal protested.

    ¡°It better not be,¡± Don said, pushing himself to his feet. ¡°Otherwise I¡¯ll corrupt something off you and Kroseph can come complaining to me all he wants.¡±

    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t complain to you,¡± Mez said. ¡°He¡¯d chastise Jackal for doing something stupid yet again. Then he¡¯d get him to use his loot money and pay a cleric to grow it back so he could force him to go without until he begs for it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s scary how well you know my man,¡± Jackal said, grinning, ¡°considering not one of you shares a bed with him.¡±

    ¡°It is possible that it has everything to do with how you are both far too willing to share the things you partake of in said bed,¡± Khumdar said in a neutral tone that sounded forced. ¡°Even those of us doing all they can not to play attention end up learning things we would rather not.¡±

    ¡°I thought you loved learning secrets,¡± Don said.

    ¡°Nothing these two do is secret,¡± the cleric grumbled.

    * * * * *

    ¡°You know,¡± Jackal said, as he and Tibs pushed the wall and revealed the passage. ¡°This is almost too¡ª¡±

    Don had the fighter against the wall, hand on his mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t even think of finishing that.¡±

    Jackal moved the hand. ¡°I was just pointing out that¡ª¡±

    Tibs kicked him in the shin.

    ¡°You know I don¡¯t feel those anymore, right?¡±

    ¡°Just stop talking,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°The dungeon listens,¡± Don said. ¡°And it might consider anything you say is a challenge.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡± Jackal threw his hands up. ¡°I won¡¯t say anything.¡± He grinned. ¡°It probably knows how I feel already, anyway.¡±

    Since neither Ganny nor Sto commented, they had to be busy elsewhere.

    * * * * *

    ¡°How are we doing this?¡± Jackal asked from the open door to the boss room.

    As with the last time, the dragon was at the far back. But this time, the row of monster already stood between the closest set of columns. They stood still as statues, and even to Tibs¡¯s sense, they were the only ones there. Not that he sensed much through the ever present miasma. Still, there would be many more. Quigly had confirmed that.

    ¡°We might have to sacrifice fighting the boss to work out how to avoid triggering the other attacks,¡± Don said.

    ¡°Quigly beat the room,¡± Jackal replied.

    ¡°And nearly lost some of his team,¡± Mez pointed out. ¡°None of us are the strategist Quigly is.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m stronger than he is,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°This is not a room meant for pure strength and toughness,¡± Don stated. ¡°Being smart is how we beat it.¡±

    ¡°Fine. Can we beat those and then be smart?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Don asked.

    ¡°I want to check the floor to make sure there aren¡¯t any triggers that will activate the next set of creature between us and those.¡±

    ¡°There won¡¯t be any,¡± Jackal grumbled, but leaned against the wall.

    Tibs was as meticulous as he could while remaining aware of how much time they had. They¡¯d made good time through the other rooms now that they were familiar with all of them, but he couldn¡¯t waste it here. Especially without knowing how long it would take to work out how to undo each of the following triggers.

    ¡°The floor¡¯s clear,¡± he said, returning.

    ¡°I don¡¯t sense anything in the air set to react to us,¡± Don said, and Tibs raised an eyebrow. ¡°I described what this floor feels like to my teacher, and he gave me exercises to pierce through this kind of fog.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t say anything about that before,¡± Mez said.

    Don shrugged. ¡°We knew the way and the traps. Nothing I picked up contradicted that.¡±

    ¡°Good to know,¡± Jackal said, walking toward the creatures. ¡°Now, we fight.¡±

    Tibs joined the fighter. ¡°You¡¯re not rushing ahead after the fight.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to need to heal a bit before that.¡±

    ¡°Not even then,¡± Tibs warned. ¡°You let me and Don do what we can first. Then we think about fighting.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the one in charge, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°You want me to repeat that to Kroseph?¡±

    Jackal grinned. ¡°Actually, I¡¯d like that. He feels the need to show me how I¡¯m actually wrong, and the way he pushes¡ª¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to know.¡±

    ¡°Stop,¡± Don ordered, and they both stood still. ¡°There¡¯s a difference in the fog ahead of you,¡± the sorcerer said. ¡°It is probably the trigger that activates them.¡±

    Tibs tried to sense the difference Don was noticing, but it was just an undefined miasma to him.

    ¡°Then you and Mez get ready,¡± the fighter instructed, as Khumdar stood at their side. ¡°Once the fight¡¯s done, sense ahead for the next one.¡± He stepped forward, and the creatures came alive.

    Tibs ran at the Ratlings, ice sword and shield forming. He cut one, then another. Blocked the Bunnyling that joined the attack, grabbed it, and pulled it in the way of the spear that formed where Tibs had been. He smirked at the metal sorcerer, then etched a quick sticky attack to keep it from etching anything else.

    Sto¡¯s creatures all seemed to need to perform the etching the way Alistair taught him.

    He jumped out of the way of the wave of metal essence, and the Gnoll which had been sneaking closer was cut apart.

    Of course, he couldn¡¯t ignore what raw essence could do.

    He blasted the sorcerer with a wave of water strong enough it shattered when they hit a column.

    His smirk was broken by pain in his side. He turned and hit the rogue with a stone fist, breaking its face. How had it sneaked this close without Tibs noticing or sensing the sword? How had the abyss blasted thing hurt him? Metal couldn¡¯t¡ª

    Bone. The fucking thing was made of bone. He pulled it out and filled himself with purity. He¡¯d drink a potion to explain it once the fight was over. He threw the sword at a rushing Gnoll and missed. He slammed his spiked shield into it, growing the ice until they came out its back. He kicked it off and search around for another creature to kill.

    They were crumbling away, leaving behind silver pieces and knifes and jewelry. Those were new.

    Mez drank a potion, reminding Tibs to do the same before Don questioned the lack of an injury to match the damaged armor.

    ¡°Don, Tibs,¡± Jackal called. ¡°Do your thing while the rest of us collect the fallen loot.¡± He looked up. ¡°I knew there was a reason I liked you¡± The lack of response surprised Tibs. He¡¯d expected Sto to be interested in these fights.

    Tibs stayed a pace behind Don as the sorcerer took careful steps until Khumdar called out to them.

    The cleric indicated a column. ¡°There is something purposely hidden there.¡±

    It was decorated with symbols that went all the way onto the floor, forming a circle around it roughly two paces across. He crouched on the outside, trying to work out the symbols.

    ¡°Are these Arcanus?¡± he asked Don. ¡°I haven¡¯t learned all of them yet.¡±

    The sorcerer shook his head. ¡°They aren¡¯t anything I¡¯ve read about.¡± He caught Tibs¡¯s hand. ¡°Don¡¯t. There¡¯s something about the essence within the circle.¡±

    Tibs sensed around the column, but didn¡¯t learn anything. The miasma wasn¡¯t an even spread of all essence, but unlike Don, he wasn¡¯t making out any pattern to the differences, so he had no way to know if this was a new kind of trigger or just more of the same mess.

    He placed a hand on the floor outside the circle. ¡°This is going to take time,¡± he said, the water spreading through the carved symbols. ¡°There doesn¡¯t seem to be any cracks that would be a physical trigger, so this might be¡ª¡±

    Essence flared through the water where some of the symbols were located.

    ¡°I triggered something!¡± He yelled as the air shimmered on the other side of the two columns and creatures appeared.

    They were new.

    Tibs noticed scaly skin and elongated muzzles; then he was too busy fighting.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 49

    Tibs¡¯s sword slid over the scaled skin without leaving a mark in spite of him adding metal to make the edge sharper this time. When he stabbed one, the sword went in fine, but they were adept at avoiding that.

    ¡°They¡¯re resistant to fire!¡± Mez yelled after letting loose arrows.

    ¡°Of course they are!¡± Don snapped. ¡°They¡¯re based on dragons.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need a lesson, Don!¡± the archer replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡± a creature¡¯s scream devolved into a gurgle. ¡°I was only¡ª¡± Another flew past Tibs, propelled by the corruption also eating it. ¡°Why does it feel like the dungeon has it in for me today?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know, Don,¡± Ganny chuckled as Tibs stuck a creature¡¯s leg in place to keep them from reaching the sorcerer. ¡°Why would I ever be annoyed at you after what you pulled during the game of Conquest?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to target one of them,¡± Sto said. ¡°That¡¯s borderline cheating.¡±

    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t,¡± she replied. ¡°It¡¯s just randomness that made these Dragoling especially sensitive to Corruption.¡±

    ¡°That sound a lot like one of my reasons, which you¡¯d then claim they¡¯d see through. You know, when you wouldn¡¯t let me do these kinds of things?¡±

    Tibs slammed his shield into a Dragoling and more of the spikes shattered, but those that pierced its hide, he expanded until they exploded out of it.

    ¡°You were helping Tibs,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±

    He etched another sticky water at a Dragoling¡¯s feet, only for that to turn to steam as it stepped in it.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s okay to¡­ adjust things if it¡¯s going to kill them, but not to help?¡± Sto sounded too calm for how annoyed Tibs knew he had to be. He dodged under claws and jumped out of the way of a tail, trying to trip him. ¡°Was Tibs right? Am I here to just kill them?¡±

    ¡°No, of course not. But like you keep telling me. Who¡¯s going to tell? Tibs?¡±

    Tibs ground his teeth at the pain from the claws cutting through his armor into his arm. He had to focus. Surviving this fight was more important than whatever they talked about.

    He blasted the Dragoling with an etching of water, spirals until the connected lines and a lot of essence pushed in. It landed on its back, far too close for how much essence Tibs put in, steam rising as it got to its feet. Tibs added making his water attacks resistant to fire to the unending list of things he needed to figure out.

    He blocked claws with his shield, stepped out of the way of a kick. His sword skidded over a leg as he sliced at it. The ice continued to melt, revealing the added metal. With a snarl, Tibs stabbed it in the chest, yanking up even as the sword melted.

    ¡°Something¡¯s happing!¡± Mez yelled, as Tibs reformed his sword, and staggered under a punch as a gathering of fire essence behind the attack force caught his attention.

    ¡°Details!¡± Don yelled.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know! Just a lot of fire building and that can¡¯t be good!¡±

    Tibs threw himself away and formed a wall of ice between him and his attackers. There were etchings within the essence. More than any of Sto¡¯s creatures had managed before. Was he making them better to force them to¡ªit wasn¡¯t one etching.

    ¡°Whatever it is! You need to stop it!¡± Don yelled.

    No, it was one, but it split at the source. Three of the creatures were making it.

    Etching could be done in collaboration?

    Ice exploded as a Dragoling slammed through. Tibs didn¡¯t have time for this.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can!¡±

    He opened the ground under the creature, but it stopped its fall by catching the edges. That¡¯d be enough. He closed the ground on it. The others seemed to be held back by the ice.

    ¡°You¡¯re the only one with fire as his element, Mez. Divert it if you can¡¯t stop it. Over or around us. It doesn¡¯t matter, but I don¡¯t think we can survive whatever they¡¯re etching.¡±

    Tibs saw Mez look in his direction out of the corner of his eye; the fear. Jackal and Khumdar had regrouped with them, keeping the Dragoling from approaching. Tibs nodded, and the fear lessened.

    Diverting he could do, and Don would think Mez was doing it. All he needed to do was time this properly and¡ª

    The etching bloomed.

    With a curse echoed loudly by Mez, Tibs channeled fire and shoved his will against the rolling essence moving through the Dragoling and toward him, and behind him, his team. He shoved harder without effect. Mez formed a barrier, but his fire essence was crude, relying on how strong the archer was to hold the attack back. Unfortunately, the etching was designed to go through pure power; he could sense that much. And there had to be something making it resistant to being wrenched away.

    Or maybe the Dragoling sorcerers were simply that more willful than he was.

    Tibs ground his teeth. ¡°No.¡± He wasn¡¯t letting his team be beaten by a bunch of upright lizards just because they were able to etch together. If he couldn¡¯t push it back, then he¡¯d do something else.

    He formed his etching among theirs. Lines and waves; he couldn¡¯t think of how to add a spiral to lines that didn¡¯t connect into a point, but it didn¡¯t matter. He had ample essence for this, and he might have time to add it afterward. He added a filigree of Kha and Fey; he needed this sticky but solid. Were those the right Arcanus?

    He cursed. He didn¡¯t have time for indecision. He needed to act! He fed his etching essence and pulled as hard as he could. It moved with more ease than he¡¯d expected.

    Their etching hadn¡¯t been made to prevent him from using his will against it, only to keep it from being pushed back. It had no defenses against being pulled.

    His smile went away as he noticed his etching changing, being deformed by what happened to the Dragoling¡¯s as he pulled. His lines were bending inwards, parts snapping off under the strain. Others touching and forming a point.

    One pointed at him.

    Before he could think of an option, it was rushing at him.

    The fire engulfed him. It¡¯s roar and his pain burying Sto, Ganny, and his friends¡¯ screams.

    Fire fucking hurt!

    He pushed against it, and the pain eased enough he felt the essence flow around him and toward his friends.

    Fuck that!

    He pulled again; harder. Fuck the pain. Better he suffer than they die.

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    He screamed as he pulled harder still. He has space for it.

    He thought he had space.

    His immense reserve filled with a fraction of the essence he was pulling in. He suffused himself in fire and took in slightly more. He couldn¡¯t let any pass. Mez wouldn¡¯t be able to deal with this. He pulled and forced more into his reserve. When cracks formed, he willed them intact. He didn¡¯t know if he¡¯d survive his reserve breaking this time, but he still had to force more in.

    Denser. He pushed and packed it ever denser. Some escaped his reserve. Not through cracks but through his channels, rolling out the way fire could roll across a floor. It couldn¡¯t be good, but he couldn¡¯t stop.

    When it seemed like his channels were filled, how he perceived his surroundings shifted. He couldn¡¯t tell what any of it meant, but he saw the world around him in a way he never had before.

    Then it turned dark.

    He felt his panting. Sensed the fire was no longer around him. His hands and knees pressed against something that had to be the floor, but he couldn¡¯t feel the cool stone.

    The only thing he felt was fire eating him from the inside. He might have screamed as let the excess essence explode out of him as a formless mass. He couldn¡¯t tell through the all-encompassing pain.

    He felt the panting again.

    Unlike the last time, he wasn¡¯t cold. He also wasn¡¯t dying. His reserve was still full of denser essence. He was no longer suffused with fire. That was what he¡¯d release, along with what had filled his channels.

    Those had changed.

    Great. More he¡¯d have to deal with that he wouldn¡¯t be able to ask about because no one at his rank should be able to do so much yet. He was getting tired of that.

    He sensed earth approaching, darkness and fire. Had a vague sense of that fire diverting the wave of essence he¡¯d released. Jackal, Khumdar, and Mez. He couldn¡¯t hear them. Jackal, at least, should be calling for him.

    He might not be dying, but fire had injured him a lot.

    He channeled purity and suffused himself with it. When essence started moving through his channels, he pushed it back into his reserve. Now was not the time to deal with that.

    ¡°¡ªyou¡¯re okay?¡± Jackal sounded scared.

    ¡°I am.¡± Tibs¡¯s voice sounded raw. He¡¯d swallowed fire and his throat wasn¡¯t healed yet. No part of him was fully healed. He moved his hand and felt his skin crack. He snapped his eyes open.

    No, it was his glove, darkened and cracked. He still wore gloves. They were nearly gone, but enough was left he sensed the weave working to repair them. Enough of his armor had survived, those weaves were working too. Could he feed it the essence it needed and speed up the work? What essence would they need? Whatever made up leather or something else?

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal asked, worried, and winced when he looked up at him.

    ¡°I¡¯m healing.¡±

    ¡°Your face looks like that burned dessert Russel made a while back,¡± Mez said. ¡°The one where we had to break and scrub the outer layer to get at the custard.¡±

    Tibs rubbed his face and came away with flecks of burned skin.

    ¡°That¡¯s not improving things,¡± Jackal stated.

    Tibs grinned. ¡°But I¡¯m getting there.¡± He offered his hand to the fighter, who pulled him to his feet.

    His armor felt tight. Like he¡¯d worn extra clothes before putting it on. He wasn¡¯t looking forward to taking it off. Which he¡¯d have to do before they left. He wasn¡¯t sure how he¡¯d explain exiting with his armor so damaged he could see his brown skin in places.

    ¡°How?¡± Don asked. He hadn¡¯t moved, and was staring at Tibs. ¡°No one can survive that kind of fire.¡±

    ¡°I¡ª¡± Mez started.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡ª¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°Your eyes!¡± The sorcerer exclaimed in fear.

    Right. Purity meant that no-longer-color color. He couldn¡¯t let it go since he was still healing, and even if he could, the damage was done.

    ¡°I can explain, Don.¡±

    ¡°You can explain?¡± He laughed in a way that didn¡¯t sound entirely right. ¡°Explain?¡± It died, and he glared at Tibs. ¡°What the fuck is there to explain? What are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m me. I¡¯m Tibs, from the street.¡±

    ¡°No one does this.¡± Don motioned up and down Tibs. ¡°Survive being burned to ash. Have the color take on that of purity when it was water before. Are you something the dungeon made? Some creature it sent to spy on us?¡±

    ¡°Can I do that?¡± Sto asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Tibs replied.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you know what I can¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not some creature,¡± he said, cutting off Sto. ¡°This is something I¡¯ve¡­¡± He trailed off. ¡°After my audience¡­¡± He trailed off again. How was he supposed to explain this?

    ¡°Wait. After your audience?¡± Don asked, frowning. ¡°You¡¯ve been able to do this since by then?¡±

    ¡°Not all of it,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°I had to¡ª¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how you were so fucking better than me? You fucking cheated?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t cheat!¡± Tibs snapped. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault you didn¡¯t know to take the¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you fucking put that on me! I did everything the way it¡¯s done. I am this strong because I fucking worked at it as hard as I can. I¡¯m not some street born rogue cheating his way into power.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t cheat,¡± Tibs growled. The sorcerer was lucky he had to hold on to purity, because the temptation to force him to cool down by blasting him with water was high.

    ¡°Oh, no. Because the great and mighty Tibs Light-Fingers always does things the right way. He never sneaks around doing stuff behind other¡¯s back. Stealing their success for his own.¡±

    ¡°Don,¡± Mez said, ¡°that¡¯s not fair. He¡ª¡±

    ¡°You knew about this?¡±

    Mez looked at Tibs, then away. ¡°Yeah,¡± he finally admitted.

    ¡°You all knew?¡±

    ¡°Don,¡± Jackal said, his tone firm. ¡°Now isn¡¯t the time. I know this is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh, you know, do you? You know so well how it¡¯s like to be thought so little by your team they keep secrets from you?¡± He leveled his gaze on Tibs again. ¡°I guess your ¡®no more secret¡¯ talk only applied to me.¡±

    ¡°What did you expect me to do?¡± Tibs snapped.

    ¡°How about being honest, for once in your life?¡±

    ¡°And have you run to the guild? Use this to make yourself look better in their eyes?¡±

    Don stared at Tibs. ¡°That¡¯s what you think of me?¡± The disbelief was loud. ¡°After everything, that¡¯s all I am?¡±

    ¡°What do you fucking expect me to think, Don? After all the ways you went about hurting me and my team?¡±

    ¡°That was before!¡±

    ¡°Before you abandoned me to Sebastian¡¯s men, you mean? Before you lied your way onto my team? Before what, Don? What the fuck did I have to go by that would prove you weren¡¯t going to put your need to be better than everyone above our survival?¡±

    ¡°You said you knew he told the truth,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°That he believed what he said,¡± Tibs countered. ¡°I can¡¯t know if he¡¯s going to change his mind.¡±

    ¡°Knew I told the truth?¡± Don looked perplexed, then stunned. He threw his arms up. ¡°Of course. Why would Tibs Light-Fingers stop at three elements? Light, right? What else can you do? What other element did you somehow steal?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± Jackal snapped. ¡°We have a room to clear.¡±

    Don snorted. ¡°Of course that what you care about. Fuck, no wonder you¡¯ve been sticking so close to him. Your man has to be wondering what you get up to with him. He¡¯s how you get all that loot.¡±

    ¡°Leave Kro out of this Don,¡± Jackal warned.

    ¡°What? Scared he¡¯s going to find out you¡¯re with another man and rib your¡ª¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Don!¡± Mez snapped.

    That seemed to shock the sorcerer. ¡°Yeah. I guess it is.¡± He glared at them, turned, and walked away.

    ¡°Don,¡± Jackal called.

    ¡°Have fucking fun clearing the room,¡± the sorcerer replied.

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s it for this run,¡± Mez said.

    Jackal sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s collect what dropped.¡± He looked at the dragon, impassively watching them. ¡°It¡¯s not like we were going to make it on this run, anyway. Thanks for saving our lives, Tibs.¡±

    Tibs nodded and started collecting the silver coins. His armor was stiff and uncomfortable, but it was Don¡¯s reaction that discomforted him the most. Once they were out and he had to have a talk with the man before he told Tirania everything.

    ¡°Are you okay, Tibs?¡± Sto asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m healing.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. You did something to yourself when you absorbed all that essence.¡±

    Tibs did what he¡¯d avoided doing and sensed within. His channels were more there; better defined. Or maybe he was just more aware of them now that he¡¯d felt so much essence flow through them. Then there was the essence in his reserve¡­

    ¡°You must have seen other Runners with channels like this.¡±

    ¡°A few, but they became like that over time. Yours were barely there before the fight. A change that drastic can¡¯t be without consequences, right, Ganny?¡±

    ¡°It would damage you,¡± she replied.

    ¡°It hurt,¡± Tibs said. ¡°But it was that or the fire ate me and my team. Ganny, is there something I can do to have fire not hurt me anymore? None of the other element I have hurt me like that.¡±

    ¡°How elements work for people isn¡¯t something I was taught. Maybe you should ask Fire.¡±

    It would be simple enough to arrange. Fire hurt him unless he actively controlled it away from him. So, like his second audience with Water, all he had to do was let the element bring him close to death.

    And then what? Create yet another place around Kragle Rock with a connection to an element? How many of those before someone wondered how they were appearing? Were there books explaining how they were made? If they looked at them close enough, could they tell who had made them?

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Sto asked.

    ¡°It can wait.¡± He already had so much to do, anyway.

    They headed out once the coins were collected, and his armor packed in Jackal¡¯s bottomless pouch. He put on one of the normal leather armor from the loot, and was fully healed by the time they reach the exit.

    He was surprised Don wasn¡¯t there, fuming at having to wait for the rest of the them before he¡¯d be allowed down the stairs. Maybe Don¡¯s reputation for vindictiveness cowed even guards and clerics. He sensed the sorcerer at the edge of his range, having nearly reach the town. He¡¯d catch up to him in their room.

    They handed over the magical items, less the handful of amulets Jackal kept, and the enchanted picks Tibs planned on selling to Darran. Then they heading into town.

    Don wasn¡¯t in the room. Nor were there indications he¡¯d been there. Tibs couldn¡¯t sense him, but the worker¡¯s rooming house was outside his range. He laid his armor on an unused bed, so it could repair itself properly. It could probably manage it in the cramped chest, but it had never been so damages, and he didn¡¯t feel like risking it.

    He put on a comfortable set of clothes and climbed onto the roof. It was time to go have a talk with Don.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 50

    ¡°Has anyone seen Don?¡± Tibs asked as he sat at the table. The sorcerer¡¯s seat was unoccupied.

    The other shook their heads.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell where he is?¡± Jackal asked between bites.

    Tibs was the one shaking his head this time. ¡°He wasn¡¯t at the house he stayed in last time.¡± The owner had confirmed what Tibs¡¯s sense told him.

    ¡°He would know you already found him there,¡± Khumdar said.

    He¡¯d then ran the roofs for a while, but the only source of corruption he¡¯d come across was the pool. He¡¯d even gone there to check, in case Don was using it to mask his presence. Then he¡¯d gone to the other places he¡¯d expect the sorcerer to be in, since he couldn¡¯t sense the whole of the town, and hadn¡¯t found him by the time he decided sleep was the better option.

    ¡°Has Don been in since last night?¡± Tibs asked the server as she placed the plate and tankard before him.

    ¡°The last time, he was eating with you,¡± she said.

    That had been before the run.

    ¡°He¡¯ll turn up,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°Not if he¡¯s at the guild,¡± Jackal pointed out.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the guards be here by now?¡± the archer asked.

    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s letting Tibs stew and worry,¡± the fighter replied. ¡°You know how Don is.¡±

    The guild building was one place he couldn¡¯t sense from the outside, and not well inside because of all the weaves that made it out. Don might be hiding there, but that would mean he at least suspected Tibs could sense people and track them that way. The sorcerer was smart, but had Tibs done anything that could lead him to think that?

    * * * * *

    As far as Tibs could determine, Don was not within the guild building. His excuse to go had been a training session with Alistair, but his way of determining it had been to ask around if anyone had seen Don. As with the server, anyone who had, had seen him before their run.

    ¡°Can multiple people work on the same etching?¡± Tibs asked while he practiced forming Jir.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Alistair replied. ¡°Anyone who has learned a specific etching can then make it.¡±

    ¡°No, I mean on the same etching, at the same time.¡±

    ¡°You mean rituals?¡±

    Tibs shrugged. It wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d asked the Dragoling what it was called.

    ¡°That¡¯s more the area of weaving,¡± his teacher said, ¡°because etching requires sustained focus to determine its effect, and that¡¯s difficult to achieve with multiple people involved.¡±

    Unless they were created by the same dungeon and might have the same way of thinking.

    ¡°Now,¡± his teacher said, ¡°use that focus on your practice instead of asking questions.¡±

    * * * * *

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Lamberto asked.

    ¡°What?¡± Tibs asked back, looking at the noble rogue and the lock he held. Lamberto had found him at the inn and asked if Tibs had the time to help him train. More because Lamberto had asked, instead of demanded, than because he felt he needed the distraction, Tibs had agreed.

    ¡°Are you sure this is the tension bar I should use?¡± he took a thin one from his roll of tools. ¡°It seems flimsy.¡±

    Why had he told him to use that one? Had said that? ¡°Which one do you think you should use?¡± He might as well turn this into a different lesson then.

    ¡°You¡¯re distracted.¡± Lamberto ran a finger over the set of tension bars, from the thinnest to the thickest, discreetly watching Tibs, who didn¡¯t react. Then he took one, compared it to the lock¡¯s opening, then another.

    ¡°Trouble with a teammate,¡± Tibs finally admitted, as Lamberto inserted it and then selected a pick.

    ¡°Those happen,¡± the noble said, moving the pick and testing the tumblers. ¡°My brothers are always bickering about the team. If Father let them, they¡¯d each go off and form their own.¡±

    ¡°Why won¡¯t he?¡± Tibs was surprised. Silus had seemed to defer to Palden for every decision during their run.

    ¡°Punishment, I think.¡± Lamberto loosened the tension too much and the tumblers unset. ¡°Their rivalry played a part in why we had to move here. So he¡¯s forcing them to work together.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s going to get you killed.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± he replied with confidence, then was quiet as he went back to testing the tumblers. ¡°They¡¯ve realized that if we don¡¯t all work together, we aren¡¯t going to make it through, so they set that aside for the runs.¡± He smirked, but it might be because the lock clicked open. ¡°Then they pick those right up once we¡¯re done.¡± He pulled the shackle, turned it and locked it again. ¡°I¡¯m sure your teammate will set the problem aside for your next run.¡±

    Tibs wished he believed that, but after four days of the occasional search amidst everything else keeping him busy and no success in locating the sorcerer. He was worried about what he might be planning.

    * * * * *

    Tibs sensed the Gamma level adventurer with earth as their element approach the inn and he considered running. That there was only one was to his advantage, but Gamma meant¡­ he didn¡¯t know what it meant, other than the guild thought it was all that they needed to bring him in. Was that because Don hadn¡¯t worked out enough to provide an accurate description of Tibs¡¯s abilities, or because there was so much more Tibs didn¡¯t know about higher ranking adventurer?

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    The latter, he decided. Don wouldn¡¯t underestimate him at this point.

    So he stayed in his seat, but put most of the paper in his satchel. No point in looking like he was ready to go, but he didn¡¯t want to delay this anymore than he had to. He only had the week¡¯s account when the adventurer stopped by the table and waited.

    What he saw of him out of the corner of his eye didn¡¯t fit an adventurer, so he looked up at the fidgeting clerk. He was well dressed, and had the medallion around his neck that Tibs had worked out only the higher ranked clerks had.

    ¡°Mister Light-Fingers?¡± he almost stammered. Had he meant for it to be a question. He continued, in a trembling voice. ¡°I have been tasked with escorting you to guild leader Tirania¡¯s office.¡± Was he scared? ¡°It¡¯s such an honor.¡±

    Tibs stared, and the man fidgeted more. This was not the behavior he expected of someone tasked with bringing him in. But he¡¯d also expected Irdian to be who Tibs would be taken to. With Tirania, he might be able to minimize the damage Don had caused him. Maybe even turn it to his advantage by offering his serviced to her? No, that wouldn¡¯t work. He wasn¡¯t some adventurer in the wild; the guild owned him.

    He put the last papers in the satchel and stood. He handed it to Kroseph as they walked by it. ¡°See to it Darran gets it.¡± He continued before the server got over his surprise. He¡¯d written a note informing the merchant to take over as best as he could if he didn¡¯t hear from Tibs in a few days. However this turned out, Tibs didn¡¯t see getting out of this without some time in the cells.

    ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± The clerk asked uncertainly. Tirania had picked an odd one to bring Tibs in. Was this to set him at ease? Make him think there was a chance he could run. ¡°Did you really go into the dungeon alone to take on that renegade?¡± There was an odd eagerness in the tone. ¡°I know you protected Kragle Rock, I was here for the last attacks, but I¡¯d never think a Runner would go and defend a dungeon. Not after the way it¡¯s used to make your life miserable.¡±

    What was the man after? Tibs admitting about considering Sto a friend? That Sto was a person, after a fashion, instead of just some creature? He couldn¡¯t refuse to answer, so he settled on a mix of it and lies.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t go in to save the dungeon. I wanted to keep Bardik from doing something he¡¯d get punished for. We were friends. Or I thought we were.¡±

    ¡°Did you know he was planning on destroying it?¡±

    This couldn¡¯t be about making him an accomplice, could it? They had Bardik already. ¡°No. I figured he was up to something, but us rogues always are.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you are.¡± The man laughed and seemed finally at ease. ¡°Like you and the ¡®racket¡¯ of yours.¡± Tibs heard the sarcasm in the word. ¡°If the commander didn¡¯t have a sword planted so firmly up his ass, he¡¯d see that you¡¯re just doing the same as his guards, only going about it in way that those who don¡¯t trust him can accept.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think Irdian would see anything with that up there.¡±

    The man looked at him in surprise, then burst out laughing. ¡°No, I guess he¡¯d be busy dealing with the pain. Although with Metal as his element, he might not have to feel it. I can minimize the damage earth attacks cause me,¡± he added at Tibs¡¯s raised eyebrow. ¡°And he¡¯s much stronger than I am.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t like him much?¡± he risked. This had to be about getting Tibs to be at ease, so he would say something incriminating.

    The man sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t like his type. More interested in the rules than in doing good for the people living under them.¡±

    ¡°That seems like an odd attitude,¡± Tibs said, ¡°considering you work for the guild.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± there was an eagerness in the question that felt authentic, and put Tibs on guard. Was that it? Get him to admit he hated the guild? Don could have told them that, couldn¡¯t he?

    ¡°The guild left us to fend for ourselves when Sebastian attacked.¡±

    ¡°Oh no, they didn¡¯t. From what I was told, because the siege took place when the dungeon had closed its door, we didn¡¯t have a lot of people here, and they were busy defending guild properties from his attacks. It¡¯s why Tirania tasked you and Don with banding the runners to defend the city, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    There was no light on any of the words. This man believed everything he¡¯d been told about how things had supposedly gone down. Was he really what he seemed like? Some person overly eager to meet Tibs? To meet the hero of Kragle Rock? There was something of Lamberto, the first time they met, in the man¡¯s smile and tone.

    He nodded. All he¡¯d do in trying to convince this man he¡¯d been lied to, about the events, was be to make himself sound desperate to turn him against the guild. He¡¯d seen how those inside it were. Even Alistair, with all his good intentions, went along with how the guild worked. Tibs saw no results of his claims of trying to change things from the inside.

    His guard kept talking, an eager recounting of Tibs¡¯s exploits, wrapped within an altered version of what had taken place. The guild didn¡¯t outright claim he and Don had acted purely under its instructions, but there was a strong hinting that Tirania had been the guiding hand behind every element of defense that had taken place.

    In the distance, he sensed someone with corruption ¡®appear¡¯ within his sense as they exited the guild. It would be Don, the power level matched, and the only others Tibs could think would be here were the corruption sorcerers, but they would be by the pool and much stronger than the one now walking away.

    So, Don hadn¡¯t wanted to be there to witness Tibs being brought in? It made sense; the sorcerer wasn¡¯t brave, and he couldn¡¯t know what Tibs might be capable in the seconds they were together and people still underestimated him.

    The thing was, Tibs realized, he didn¡¯t want to hurt Don. There was anger, but mainly disappointment. He¡¯d wanted to talk things out this time. He¡¯d tried, but it was the sorcerer who had managed to stay hidden¡ªprobably in the guild¡ªand had caused things to escalate. The man vanished from his sense as he walked out of Tibs¡¯s range amidst one of the small merchant plazas that were becoming numerous.

    Still, Tibs would do what he had to do to turn the situation to his advantage, even if it meant making Don seem like someone whose mind had been eaten by the dungeon. How far he could push the idea Don had lied to them would depend on if the guild had a way to know if Tibs had more than one element. He couldn¡¯t see how they would. As far as the guild was concerned, it was impossible to gain more than one element.

    Or so everyone had told him. Most of whom were people within the guild, or who got their information from someone inside the guild.

    Maybe going in was not a good idea.

    He considered running as the building came into view, but there were now a lot more people with elements in the street, on its side and among the alleys. Some were Runners, but there were a lot of people with much stronger elements among them. And were those watching him and his escort? Were they there because this was Tibs¡¯s last chance to run?

    They¡¯d stop him if he tried. And he would have branded himself as guilty of whatever Don had told them.

    Since Tirania was who Tibs was going to see, and he¡¯d showed himself to be her ally. Running wasn¡¯t needed.

    Right?

    They entered the guild building without fanfare. Without much of anything. Greetings were exchanged, some waved and a few pointed, but it was all much like anytime Tibs had walked in. Everyone withing the guild seemed to know each other.

    No one followed or took position around them as they proceeded through the corridors until they reach a door Tibs could tell was Tirania¡¯s, since he was no longer affected by the weaves of confusion that were in the walls.

    His escort knocked and gave him a smile. Was that supposed to be encouraging?

    ¡°Come in.¡±

    His escort opened the door and motioned for him to enter.

    She looked up from the paper she read, her expression weary. The stack of them on her desk was thick. ¡°Sit,¡± she ordered, then went back to reading. Could those all be because of what Don had told her?

    Had he been here all this time, not hiding, as Tibs thought, but telling his story? Whatever that was?

 Breaking Step, Chapter 51

    Tibs sat still as Tirania read.

    For the first time, she didn¡¯t look calm. As she read, the weariness was at times replaced with angry glares at the papers, shakes of the head, and muttered curses.

    What had Don said to make her react this way? He¡¯d expected mostly disappointment. He had claimed to be her ally afterward, so she¡¯d have expected him to come to her with what he could do. Anger? There might be some, at him being able to do something the guild thought impossible. Maybe something she¡¯d want to be able to have for herself. But not so much as to make her throw the papers she held on the stack hard enough to topple it and have them slide off the desk.

    ¡°This is just too much to deal with,¡± she muttered. Definitely angry.

    He fought the urge to swallow as she turn that look on him. He reminded himself that he had something she¡¯d wanted. He could bargain if he couldn¡¯t undo what Don had said. And he had light, so she wouldn¡¯t be able to trick him into admitting things Don might not have been sure about.

    ¡°What?¡± He asked, realizing he¡¯d missed the words in his eagerness to notice any light on them.

    She shook her head and chuckled. When had the anger left her face? ¡°It¡¯s not that important.¡± She looked at the spilled papers; in annoyance this time. Had she emphasized ¡®that¡¯? ¡°Just something I need to deal with.¡±

    Had she emphasized ¡®I¡¯? Or had he imagined it?

    He nodded and did his best to seem calm. Having her look at him in silence didn¡¯t make it easy. If she was trying to unnerve him, he hoped he wasn¡¯t letting on how well it was working.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask why you¡¯re here?¡± The amusement looked genuine, but then again, she was letting him stew. She probably hoped he¡¯d break just from nerves.

    ¡°I figure you¡¯ll tell me,¡± he replied, and thought he¡¯d sounded disinterested.

    ¡°And just when I count on your unending curiosity to get things going.¡± She chuckled and leaned back in her chair. ¡°The dungeon closed its door.¡±

    His mouth was open, the protest already formed when what she said registered. He managed to close it before revealing he had no idea what this was about anymore. Was it a trap? Trying to have him admit to speaking with Sto? But Don had no way to even guess at that. And there was no light on the words.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know,¡± he finally admitted.

    ¡°It only happened a short time ago. Word will spread quickly enough. I wanted to be sure you and Don knew early so you could beat the crowds looking to leave.¡± She placed a bracelet on the desk. ¡°Don was already here, training, and I¡¯m glad you were brought quickly.¡±

    Training? No light on the words, so she wasn¡¯t lying. Maybe he¡¯d done that after spilling everything to her as an excuse to remain within the protection of the guild¡¯s enchantments.

    ¡°Like last time, it won¡¯t turn black. Red will tell you the dungeon¡¯s door has opened. Of course, your team won¡¯t be able to go in until you¡¯re back.¡±

    Was it so he¡¯d think he had a chance to run? If he was willing to sacrifice his team. Only none of the words had light on them. Everything she said was true.

    Or, since Don would have told her he had light as an element. She had something that let her lie without him being able to tell.

    ¡°Well?¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± he whispered. ¡°I¡¯m just surprised.¡±

    What if¡­ What if Don hadn¡¯t told her anything? What if Tibs had, again, jumped to the conclusion Don would think of himself first just because¡­ He could say it was what the sorcerer would have done before, and it would be true. But since joining his team, what had Don done that gave him reasons to think that what¡¯s he¡¯d do? The sneering and insulting he¡¯d slung at Tibs and his team while angry? Tibs had returned just as vicious.

    He shook himself and took the bracelet, but before he stood, he needed to know something. ¡°What are those about?¡± he nodded to the papers. ¡°You didn¡¯t look happy to read them.¡±

    ¡°Guild business,¡± she replied with a tired sigh. ¡°Things I¡¯m trying very hard not to have cause problems.¡± No light, but also not something that told him anything.

    ¡°I thought it was about me,¡± he risked, and she chuckled.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Tibs, but as impressive as your are. You don¡¯t warrant so much paperwork. But there is a report in there about you breaking into the Repository.¡± Her expression turned serious. ¡°What were you thinking?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°Irdian confiscated my stuff. I wanted to see if I could get it back.¡±

    She stared at him, then looked through the papers still on the desk, taking one and reading it. ¡°How were you going to take six crates out by yourself?¡±

    ¡°That was just to find out where my stuff was.¡± Six crates? Had he had that much stuff there? It had been spread about, armors, weapons, and tools on any surfaces, divided by what could be used and what needed to be repaired.

    She put the page on the desk with a nod.

    ¡°You¡¯re not telling me to stay out of there?¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m impressed you made your way in. If you can also figure out how to take even one item out of the repository, it¡¯s going to speak to a flaw in our security so large it would bring experts from Citadel itself. That would warrant a stack of papers about you.¡±

    ¡°I guess Marger would have to come too.¡± Could he use that to get him here? Maybe he¡¯d want to speak with Tibs directly.

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have to come to that.¡± She glanced at the papers and worry crossed her face. ¡°He has enough to do without needing to come here.¡±

    He was tempted to ask what worried her about the papers. Maybe he could offer to help her resolve them, ingratiate himself in deeper? Use that to make sure Marger came.

    Only he was just Water Runner, weaker than everyone else she had access to.

    He stood, turning the bracelet in his fingers. ¡°Is Don going anywhere?¡± He had to catch him before he left. This felt like he needed to apologize to the sorcerer again, and he wasn¡¯t delaying it this time.

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    ¡°He didn¡¯t say.¡±

    Then he needed to hurry. ¡°Thank you.¡± He left and hurried out of the guild, placing the bracelet in his regular pouch. He sensed as far as he could, but no corruption sorcerer. There was the pool, but that was in the opposite direction than he¡¯d sensed Don walking when he left the guild.

    He hurried in that direction. He just needed to sense him. Then he¡¯d be able to run. Why was his town so abyss large now?

    There, just at the edge. He turned and ran. Wasn¡¯t there an artisan market around there? That would mean a tavern where they could sit and talk. At least, now that he sensed him, nothing would keep Tibs from making his apology.

    ¡°And where are you heading to in such a hurry?¡±

    Tibs ducked under the hand that reached for him and turned, forming a sword. He didn¡¯t have time for this.

    The other man also stopped. ¡°You don¡¯t want to do that.¡±

    He had no elements, and only his black boots had a weave through them, something dense, but it would be for stealth and speed, right? And a small item in his coin pouch. That weave was much thinner, but Tibs didn¡¯t take it for granted. Weaker didn¡¯t mean less dangerous. He had knives hidden, along with the one at his belt.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± He had something more important to take care of.

    ¡°Don¡¯t run,¡± The man said as Tibs tensed to do that. ¡°You do, and I¡¯m not chasing you. Instead, I¡¯m going to the guild and telling them everything you can do.¡±

    Tibs froze. Maybe he didn¡¯t have a choice but to deal with him. His running had taken them to the alleys, and there was no one close by. He formed a shield. With this many knifes, the man had to be good with them. Metal might not be able to hurt Tibs, but after the bone sword, he wasn¡¯t taking for granted someone threatening him might not have something unusual enough, he couldn¡¯t sense it.

    ¡°Before you decide that killing me and burning my body is your only recourse, I wrote everything I know down and left the letter in the hands of someone I trust. If I don¡¯t take it back from him, he will deliver it to the guild leader.¡±

    No lights on the words, so that part was true.

    ¡°And before you deny everything,¡± he continued as Tibs was about to protest he was just a water rogue, ¡°the last time we interacted, I was on a roof shooting arrows at you while you flew. You gestured in my direction, and a gale sent me tumbling down. I broke my arm, leg, and my favorite bow. That was someone using air essence, but your eyes are blue, which is water. If you were a sorcerer, you could justify using two elements, but you¡¯re a rogue. So that¡¯s something the guild will like to know.¡± No light.

    Being shot at while flying. He¡¯d only flown while chasing Sebastian after the Siege. That time wasn¡¯t clear, since he¡¯d been so busy having fun, but he remembered arrows, being annoyed they were interrupting his game. There had been an archer dressed in black and Tibs had sent wind at him.

    ¡°What do you want?¡± So he¡¯d deal with this, then reach Don. The sorcerer hadn¡¯t moved.

    ¡°Your help.¡±

    Tibs narrowed his eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t come asking for help by threatening blackmail.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d be surprised how often that¡¯s the only way to get someone harboring secrets to help.¡±

    ¡°Everyone has secrets.¡±

    ¡°True, but few people have the kinds of secrets you do.¡±

    This wasn¡¯t going to be dealt with quick. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll meet you are the Broken Tankard after I¡¯ve¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid this isn¡¯t waiting, Tibs. You leave and the guild finds out enough about you, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll then start looking for more.¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t making me want to help you.¡±

    The man smirked. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you want to help me. I just need you to understand that I respect the threat you represent enough to have taken precautions. I know enough about you to know better than threaten your friends, so whatever happens here, it stays between us.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Not that I¡¯d think to hurt Jackal. There¡¯s still too much riding on that kid.¡±

    Tibs couldn¡¯t think of a way to not have to do this, so his best option was to hurry it along. ¡°Fine. I¡¯m listening.¡± He absorbed the sword and shield.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere more conductive to a conversation.¡±

    Tibs followed the man out of the alley and onto streets in one of the poorer areas by how the buildings weren¡¯t well maintained. All that was left of the sign over the door they entered were a few chain links.

    Inside, it was dark, with smells of ale and variety of smokes wafting in the air. The woman behind the counter eyed them suspiciously until the man handed her a copper for two tankards. Then they headed for a table in the corner.

    The man sat facing the door, and Tibs sat next to him. He wasn¡¯t putting his back to the people in the room, even if he could sense them. It would invite trouble.

    ¡°I used to have a good thing,¡± The man said, sipping at the tankard. ¡°Before you ask, I didn¡¯t work for Sebastian. He was my job. Keeping an eye on him, reporting what he did to my employer.¡±

    It had the air of familiarity, but Tibs couldn¡¯t place where he might have heard it. One sip of the ale and he put the tankard down. He didn¡¯t sense corruption in it, but he closed his eyes and suffused himself with purity for a second, just in case the atrocious taste hid poison.

    ¡°I¡¯m not what you¡¯d call a follower of the law. My employer¡¯s power, on top of Sebastian¡¯s, gave me the freedom to do as I wanted, within the confines of the job. And before you ask. I¡¯m not as bad as some Sebastian employed. My employer understood that I¡¯d have to break his laws as part of the job, but there were things he wouldn¡¯t abide. I couldn¡¯t kill wantonly, for example.¡±

    His laws. In Sebastian¡¯s employ, but to spy on him. His favorite bow.

    ¡°You¡¯re who warned Jackal Sebastian was planning something. You were among Harry¡¯s guards. You shot that Runner who tried to force the attendant to take him away.¡±

    The man nodded.

    ¡°You work for a king. What do you need my help for?¡±

    ¡°Jackal told you?¡± He seemed amused. ¡°The thing about working for kings is that they look at someone like me as a long-term agent. With this job over, since Sebastian¡¯s dead. He¡¯s going to find me someone else to spy on. Probably whoever is poised to take over for Sebastian.¡±

    ¡°So? It¡¯s what you do.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s what I did,¡± he corrected, looking in his tankard, then putting it down. ¡°I worked for Sebastian for a long time, and it didn¡¯t take him long to figure out the king had put me there. So he made it a game of seeing how far he could push me. What he could get me to do against the king and the city as part of maintaining my cover.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it make the whole thing worthless if Sebastian knew the truth?¡±

    The man smiled. ¡°Here¡¯s the thing about people like Sebastian. Even when they know the truth, their ego is such you can keep playing them. And I did. Sebastian played me. I played him. The king was probably playing us both. I was getting paid handsomely, and that was all that mattered to me, then.¡±

    ¡°But not anymore.¡±

    The man nodded.

    ¡°So, go.¡±

    He chuckled. ¡°I guess it looks that easy to someone like you.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°Take what¡¯s important and leave.¡±

    ¡°At least you understand that part. That¡¯s good.¡± The man¡¯s smile changed, and Tibs suspected he wasn¡¯t understanding him at all. ¡°The important part for me is how I¡¯ve been able to live. Sebastian and the king both paid me well. That¡¯s gone now, and if I go to the king for what I earned¡­¡±

    ¡°You want coins,¡± Tibs said, understanding what this was heading for and not liking it.

    ¡°I want coins,¡± the man confirmed.

    Tibs stood. ¡°Get someone else.¡± Don hadn¡¯t moved.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± the man warned.

    He put his hands on the table and leaned forward. ¡°I¡¯m not some thief you get to steal from a king, or anyone else. Anyone can do that for you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not stealing from the king,¡± the man said. ¡°I¡¯m not suicidal. And this is going to help you, too.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need coins.¡± Like everyone, he could use more of them. Considering everything he had going on, a lot more. But he wasn¡¯t agreeing to anything this man was offering.

    ¡°But you need those attacks on you and your city to end, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Tibs narrowed his eyes. What was he playing at?

    ¡°I want the coins Sebastian is using to pay those people that keep causing you problems.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s been a lot of people,¡± Tibs said. ¡°That¡¯s going to be a lot of jobs.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be one job.¡±

    Nothing the man said had been a lie. But it wasn¡¯t like the attacks were that much of a problem anymore. The closest one of the would be assassins had come to killing him had resulted in him gaining Metal as an element. It had made the following attempts more of a bother than anything else.

    And for all his complaining about Irdian, he had the guards on top of nearly all attempts to cause trouble in his town. What they missed, his rogues caught.

    In the distance, he sensed Don move away.

    There was the problem of this man telling the guild. Could he convince Tirania it wasn¡¯t true if it came from a stranger she didn¡¯t know?

    Did she know him? The man worked for a king, had been in the town among the guards to undermine them. Kings feared the guild. Would he have risked Tirania¡¯s anger if she found out one of his people was causing trouble?

    She probably wouldn¡¯t have cared, but would the king know that?

    Don wasn¡¯t heading for the transportation platform, so he had time.

    He sat. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 52

    Cold hit Tibs as the world materialized around him. The wind pushed it in through the jacket he wore over his armor, and the still unrepaired gaps in it. He imagined this was what it felt like to have ice unexpectantly appear in your trousers. At least, Jackal¡¯s reaction when Tibs had made that happened matched how this felt.

    The fighter might have become immune to Tibs kicking his shin, but he still felt cold. Of course, he hadn¡¯t considered how direct Jackal was in dealing with problem, so his solution to removing the ice had been to pull his trousers off. Tibs had seen his friend without them often enough while they shared a room to be unbothered, but the rest of the inn hadn¡¯t.

    The ensuing commotion had been amusing to Jackal, but Kroseph hadn¡¯t been pleased with Tibs for causing it.

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s raining,¡± the archer grumbled, looking beyond the column. Unlike the platform in Kragle Rock, Mountain Sea, Kadalisayan, as well as the other cities he¡¯d traveled to in his search for where he¡¯d been taken from, this platform had a roof connecting the pillars keeping the rain from falling onto it. ¡°Come on, we need to get you an overcoat before this kills you. Considering the holes in that armor, that jacket isn¡¯t going to help.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Tibs replied sharply. He couldn¡¯t control the cold itself; it wasn¡¯t something linked to water, even if he could create it when he made ice. But he could use air to keep the wind from reaching him and making it worse. The cold that still made it through he dealt with by creating a layer of water between him and his armor and warming it with fire.

    ¡°You only think that,¡± the man said, heading for the opening. ¡°The wind¡¯s going to force that rain in those holes and you¡¯re going to get cold sick.¡±

    ¡°Water is my element,¡± he snapped, following him.

    The wind shoved them back as soon as they stepped into the rain and the archer cursed. ¡°Well, I need something to keep the wind and water out.¡±

    Tibs could keep the man dry, and since he knew about air, even keep the wind from bothering him. But he didn¡¯t offer. Tibs was in no mood to make the man¡¯s life easier after how hard he¡¯d made it for Tibs.

    No, he couldn¡¯t bring his team, or even only Jackal. No, they couldn¡¯t delay so he could have a talk with Don. No, he couldn¡¯t tell anyone where they were going and why. It had almost been no to Tibs getting his armor, but he¡¯d made it clear he wasn¡¯t breaking into any building without his equipment.

    The archer had choice words when he saw the state of Tibs¡¯s armor. Four days hadn¡¯t been long enough to repair even half the damage it had suffered, but Tibs felt better in it than even the armor he¡¯d worn out of the dungeon. If nothing else, the hidden places that were repaired enough he could put fingers in, still had their contents. However the extra space worked, it had protected them.

    In the process of equipping himself, he¡¯d distracted the archer enough to write a quick note for Jackal, then pass it to the rogue he¡¯d signaled on the way in, as they exited. It only had that he was leaving and with whom, since he knew nothing more, so the fighter wouldn¡¯t worry about Tibs vanishing.

    So, as far as Tibs was concerned, the archer could freeze the entire time they were here. So long as he told him which building, and where in it was the safe with the coins, the archer could catch the cold sickness and die of it.

    Maybe once he was no longer angry at the man, he¡¯d feel different.

    The archer pulled Tibs into the first building, which sold ponchos similar to the ones they¡¯d bought to go up the mountain in Mountain Sea, but instead of being thick wool, it was thinner and coated in beeswax. He put on the one the archer bought for him, and once outside, he barely had to use essence to keep the wind and water from bothering him. The archer still had to use a hand to keep the rain out of his eyes, but they moved faster.

    The area had the feel of Market Place, except that instead of only booths, permanent buildings also littered the area. They looked hastily put up, but still had a sense of permanence to them.

    Once they left the immediate area of the platform, the buildings were made of stone, but unlike Mountain Sea¡¯s large white stones, or the gray ones of Kadalisayan, these came in varied colors and were roughly shaped, creating patterns, as well as ample purchase for any enterprising rogue.

    The wide road had wagons and carts moving along it, much like Dungeon Way did, in Kragle Rock, but this wasn¡¯t the largest of the roads. To the left had been one twice the width, and seemed to be the main road to the platform. Horses, cows and other animals Tibs didn¡¯t know pulled carts. Even Mountain Sea hadn¡¯t had so many of them; their backs covered with cloths on which the water beaded the way it did on his poncho.

    He easily located the city guards. Their armor visible where their poncho ended and created distinctive shapes. The ponchos also bore their armor¡¯s colors. Deep blue and yellow stripes. Some marched among the crowd, but most were in doorways or awnings to keep the rain off, and only a few seemed to pay attention to the people. It reminded him a lot of other guards from the cities he¡¯d visited, and he wondered if a city needed someone like Irdian or to follow purity for the guard to take their work seriously.

    The tavern they entered was warm, nearly stifling so, when compared to outside. The room was large, with half the tables occupied. Ponchos and overcoats were draped over any unused chairs as well as pegs along the wall. A fire roared in the fireplace and the tables closer to it had more people around them.

    The woman behind the bar raised hand in their direction, then closed her mouth on noticing Tibs. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you¡¯re still around, Archer,¡± she finally said. The name glowed faintly.

    ¡°That¡¯s really the name you¡¯re using?¡± Tibs asked. Then realized he understood her, which meant she spoke Pursatian. Had anyone else? He hadn¡¯t been paying attention. Were they in his kingdom?

    ¡°It¡¯s my name.¡± More glowing words.

    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t. She was going to call you by your real name until she saw me.¡±

    She looked at him in surprise, but it wasn¡¯t that much of a reach. Tibs didn¡¯t think they were special to each other, but they were friends. It had been in how her expression brightened when she saw¡­ Archer.

    ¡°Why did you think I might not be around anymore?¡± he asked her.

    ¡°Word is you never reported in when your last job ended. That usually only means one thing.¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°It put me in a situation that¡¯s taking time to handle. I¡¯m almost done. I¡¯ll report after that.¡±

    It was fortunate that only Tibs saw the light on those words.

    ¡°Who¡¯s your friend?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not his friend,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°I¡¯m how he¡¯s handling his problem. I¡¯m Tibs.¡±

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    She looked at him. ¡°I¡¯m Sania.¡± She filled two tankards from a barrel and placed them on the counter. ¡°To help with the cold,¡± she told Tibs before looking at the archer. ¡°Isn¡¯t he young for your kind of thing?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a Runner,¡± Tibs said. The drink had little what Tibs had gotten to recognize in alcoholic drinks, and what it had was thin, so he took a long swallow, only to choke on how spicy it was.

    ¡°Not used to Jungen Beer?¡± she asked, chuckling.

    Archer snorted, sipping his. ¡°They don¡¯t need it where he¡¯s from. The weather¡¯s actually nice there.¡±

    Tibs felt his face heat up from the spices and possibly other stuff, then that spread down his body and he could see how it would feel good to someone who felt the cold from outside. He didn¡¯t take another sip. Ale was to quench his thirst, not¡­what this one did.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to want your room?¡±

    ¡°I thought you expected me to be dead,¡± he replied with a smile.

    She shrugged. ¡°Business has been slow. Haven¡¯t needed all the rooms yet.¡±

    Maybe they were special to each other, Tibs decided.

    She fetched a key and handed it over. It had no essence in it, a long shaft and teeth. He didn¡¯t see how many in the exchange.

    The room was on the fourth floor. Tibs sensed and listened as Archer unlocked it. No unexpected sounds, essence, or motion within the lock, but that didn¡¯t mean it would be simple to pick.

    The room was not what Tibs expected. It was larger than Kroseph¡¯s, and like his, had a single bed wide enough for two, if they were special or planned on enjoying each other. There was a red and black carpet on the floor next to it, a chest at its foot, and a shuttered window at its side. Next to that a small table with a washbasin and pitcher, and on the opposing wall an unlit fireplace and a desk with locked drawers by the door.

    Everything had a layer of dust that spoke of months without being occupied.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have given her your real name,¡± Archer said.

    ¡°You don¡¯t trust her?¡± he motioned to the room. ¡°Seems like you should, if you live here.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t live here. This is just for when I work here.¡±

    It explained the dust, but Tibs had been sure the way they talked and looked at each other meant¡­ it was none of his business.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a house? I¡¯d think a king would pay well enough to get one.¡±

    ¡°If I had one, it wouldn¡¯t be anywhere near where I expect to work.¡± A small smile formed. ¡°Might get one of those after this. Far from here.¡±

    ¡°Why are we in here?¡±

    Archer moved to the fireplace, which already had wood in it, and logs beside. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to rest before the work starts? Get dry?¡± A striker caused the sparks to catch on the shaving.

    ¡°I am dry. I want this done with so I can go home.¡±

    ¡°You rush into this, and going back might not happen.¡±

    Tibs showed the bracelet around his wrist. He¡¯d had to put it on for the Attendant to agree to take them. ¡°When this turns red, I¡¯m leaving. If the job¡¯s not done, I¡¯ll deal with the consequences, and you¡¯ll have missed your chance at all those coins you¡¯re after.¡±

    Archer looked over his shoulder, his hand before the growing fire. ¡°How long until that happens?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Tibs snapped. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t let me talk to anyone so I could find out.¡± Not that anyone would have known, but it would have made passing along a message a lot easier than counting on coming across a rogue that would notice his signal.

    ¡°How long did it take last time?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s never the same.¡±

    ¡°They have to have told you something,¡± he insisted.

    ¡°Could be as long as months, as short as weeks.¡±

    ¡°Weeks, more than one?¡±

    Tibs glared at him. ¡°I. Don¡¯t. Know.¡±

    The man nodded and stood, the fire firmly caught. ¡°Two weeks is ample time.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather it take less,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to take as long as it needs. I don¡¯t want this to fail because you are in a rush. Get used to it.¡±

    ¡°I never go faster than I have to, but I don¡¯t sit around doing nothing when I can be working out how to get the job done. If you want to rest, tell me where that building is so I can see how I¡¯ll break into it.¡±

    With a sigh, Archer stopped in the process of taking off his poncho. ¡°Come on. I¡¯ll show you.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs was impressed.

    ¡°That looks like a battlement.¡± Quigly had talked about them when recounting some of how he¡¯d ended in the catacombs before being sent to the dungeon. Tall stone walls with Parapets and guards walking them at all times. Tibs seen those on city walls in his travels, and could imagine a castle having them, but this building was in the city itself.

    The wind had died as they walked, which made the rain less of a problem. The walk had felt like they¡¯d crossed Kragle Rock five times, the large town, not when it was only tents and a few building. He knew cities were big, but he wasn¡¯t sure he understood how big some could be. Mountain Sea hadn¡¯t felt this big.

    The buildings had changed as they crossed neighborhoods. The quality of the work went up and down, the styles shifted. The quality had gone up steadily over the last blocks, as had the attentiveness of the guards Tibs noticed, and how many people were hiding in the shadows.

    He occasionally sensed an element. And adventurer, by the concentration. This city didn¡¯t have a dungeon, so they¡¯d be here as part of work for the guild. Or for themselves. Maybe visiting, or earning coins without the guild finding out.

    So long as they weren¡¯t here protecting what Tibs was after, he didn¡¯t have to worry about them.

    The building was six stories, and all stone. It was two floors taller than the surrounding buildings, with the same kind stone work. He¡¯d be able to climb it, but the constant guards made doing so undetected difficult. He didn¡¯t have Khumdar¡¯s ease at using Darkness to hide. Jumping to the roof meant crossing the large plaza surrounding it. A strong deterrent against most, but Tibs could do the jump easily, even if that would require a running start, and avoiding the guards that were patrolling up there.

    Then, there were the enchantments.

    He had no idea what the weaves did, only that there were a lot of them; or a complex one over the entire building, stronger over the first three floors. It wasn¡¯t to the level of what protected the guild building, but the only place he¡¯d encountered something similar was Sebastian¡¯s house in Kragle Rock. He¡¯d been able to bring that down, so he could do that here, but if he brought the whole thing crashing down, he wouldn¡¯t be able to get the coins, and he didn¡¯t know if losing the building would be enough to stop the attempts against his town.

    ¡°What is this place?¡± he asked, unable to hide his awe.

    ¡°It¡¯s called the Brokerage.¡±

    ¡°What do they break?¡±

    Archer chuckled. ¡°Broker. For the right amount of money, they make things happen. If you need someone killed, and don¡¯t have an assassin handy. You pay them and they¡¯ll find one. They¡¯ll also make sure the work gets done, if you pay well enough. How much you give them determines the quality of the work. You want something stolen, information gathered, or disseminated. They are who you pay. Whatever you need done, they can do it for you.¡±

    Tibs watched the guards patrolling the street. ¡°Why are city guards protecting them if they help crime happen? Are they corrupt?¡±

    ¡°Not all of them,¡± Archer said. ¡°Officially, the Brokerage exists to help merchants establish contracts with providers or buyers. They help the common folk find workers to repair their homes. Nobles will use them to locate something they want and get it for them.¡±

    ¡°Steal.¡±

    ¡°Not always. It could simply be buying it. But because they offer their service to everyone, it means a lot of those are the legal kind, and that offers them the luxury of helping criminals.¡±

    ¡°They have so many coins,¡± Tibs said, ¡°that everyone is afraid of what they¡¯ll do with them if they¡¯re angered.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re more afraid of what will happen if they suddenly cease to be. Sebastian¡¯s death is still causing chaos. No one wants to add to that.¡±

    ¡°Is this Jackal¡¯s city?¡±

    Archer didn¡¯t answer.

    ¡°You know I can just ask someone what city this is, right?¡± He¡¯d listened and had heard enough Pursatian to be confident it was a common language here. ¡°Then I can ask Jackal if that¡¯s the city he¡¯s from.¡±

    ¡°And what is it going to matter?¡±

    Tibs considered it. Other than telling Jackal he¡¯d been in his city, what was there to gain? That maybe they were from the same kingdom, even if Jackal said they spoke Filenian where he was from? Tibs didn¡¯t know what that sounded like, so it could be one of the other languages he¡¯d heard here.

    ¡°I¡¯d just like to know,¡± he admitted.

    ¡°Shelbridge,¡± Archer answered with a sigh. ¡°And no, this isn¡¯t Jackal¡¯s city.¡±

    ¡°How is Sebastian¡¯s death felt here, if it isn¡¯t his city?¡±

    ¡°Did Jackal tell you his father only controlled one city?¡±

    Tibs nodded, and worried Jackal had lied to him. He didn¡¯t have light when they¡¯d talked about it.

    ¡°I¡¯m not surprised. That boy worked too hard at not knowing anything about what his father did. Even if Sebastian¡¯s operations were limited to that city, his death would be felt elsewhere because that city is important to other places. No city exists alone. But Sebastian¡¯s criminal reach was so wide, he had an effect on your town long before he set foot there.¡±

    ¡°Because Harry and Jackal were there,¡± Tibs stated.

    ¡°No. Because there is something there he wanted. That the thing in question happened to be his son just made him put more people on it. The thing to keep in mind, is that if there was something Sebastian wanted, he reached for it. And Sebastian wanted a great many things.¡±

    ¡°Can we go inside the building?¡±

    ¡°Not without a good reason.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think wanting to know where they keep your coins is good enough?¡±

    Archer smiled. ¡°I might, but they certainly won¡¯t.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 53

    His control slipped, and the wind nearly threw Tibs off the roof. With a curse, he leaned against the chimney to block it as he regained control through air essence, then it stopped buffeting him about. Having to hold at bay such strong wind as he ran was a strain on his focus. Had he ever had to actively hold on to essence for so long before?

    Thunder sounded in the distance, followed by, seconds later, the flash of lightning. He raised his head to the sky and the chilly rain ran down his face and under his armor, cooling him until it got uncomfortable. He iced it over his skin, forming the essence so it wasn¡¯t cold, and pushed himself from the chimney. This wasn¡¯t about enjoying these new roofs. It was about reaching the Brokerage and figuring out how to get in. Once that was done, he could rest.

    He stopped before the building was visible through the rain, as it entered his sense, and he felt something, no, someone, on the roof of a building lining the open plaza around the Brokerage.

    The person had no element, which was why their faint life essence only registered now; there wasn¡¯t enough of it for him to tell them apart from background essences at the edges of his sensing range. The only reason he could tell that it was a person, instead of a weave or the essence that made out everything around them, was that life essence had something of a glow to it, to his sense, which nothing else had. He didn¡¯t know why.

    He went around them, to approach from a different direction, and sensed someone else on that roof on the outside of the plaza. He kept going and there was someone on the next roof, and the one after that.

    Guards, he decided, once he was back where he¡¯d started. Each roof had one or more of person there. They were close enough that even with the rain, they could make each other out. On a clear night, they would see each other¡¯s lanterns and the outlines of those on the roofs next to them. He could feel their fire, protected from the wind. It was strong, so a large wick and plenty of oil.

    He approached until he was a roof away. This one had three guards huddled under a makeshift awning against the chimney. The one on its left had one standing under a more permanent shelter that consisted if a roof and a wooden wall that the guard moved to block the worst of the wind, leaving the lantern untended on the small table.

    In this weather, even with their attention focussed, all he needed to slip by was to create a gust of wind strong enough to threaten snuffing out the lantern before running along the side of the roof.

    He made a disk of water, intent on using them to cross to the Brokerage, and rain clattered surprisingly loud on it to his ear; and that of the guards as voices were raised and two of them forgot about the lantern to come to the side. Tibs let the disk go as he dropped to his stomach and pressed against the parapet.

    ¡°What was that?¡± one asked, the rain making her sound further away than she was.

    ¡°It sounded like rain on the roof of the tinsmith,¡± the other replied. He sounded quizzical, more than worried.

    ¡°This high? There¡¯s no tin anywhere close, and where did it go?¡±

    ¡°Well, whatever it was, it¡¯s gone.¡±

    Tibs made a bubble of still air around him for the way it kept sound from moving past it and immediately let it go as the rain beaded and ran down the dome. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t attract attention. Unfortunately, to workout how to make the water disk silent, he needed the rain to fall through, which might get the guards investigating.

    He added that to his never ending list of tasks as he crouched. This was the closest he¡¯d make it; so he¡¯d make the best of the situation.

    He focused on the Brokerage¡¯s roof and top floor, bringing in his sense to increase the details of what he sensed. Immediately, something felt odd about the weave within those walls and the roof itself. The best term he could fit to how it felt was worn. The way a fabric that saw uses every day became thin in spots until the strands broke.

    Did weaves thin with time? Was that what happened here? Or was it the result of poor work? He didn¡¯t know enough about weaves to tell, and he had no one to ask¡­

    And whose fault was it? Who had alienated Don, again?

    He¡¯d been trying to go talk to him, Tibs reminded himself, but that didn¡¯t help him now. The one thing he could hope was that since Don hadn¡¯t told on him to Tirania, he might not do it by the time he returned to Kragle Rock. Not that the delay would make Don more amicable to a conversation.

    He focused on the floor below, and it had the same wear, the one below that wasn¡¯t as¡­deep. The one below that one had no wear to its weave. Was something leeching the weave downward? Was that a thing?

    He rubbed his temple and added finding that out to the list.

    Why ever it happened, It meant that all he¡¯d have to worry about, when he reached the roof, were the¡­

    Where were the guards?

    He¡¯d been so focused on the weaves he hadn¡¯t noticed there was no life essence on the roof. That confirmed it was where he¡¯d get onto the building. Now to work out how to get in.

    He couldn¡¯t see the window, but knew it was there by how the water hit and dripped along it. It had a different feel than what hit the stone wall or the wooden beams. He knew there was a lantern of sort inside the room even if he didn¡¯t see its light through the rain; he sensed the fire essence in it. The impression of the shapes in the room from how the essence stopped on the things in it, made him think it was a bedroom.

    Using his sense of the rain, he made out the windowsill. It was large enough he would be able to hold on to the one above and rest his toes on the one below.

    If he could touch them without the weave reacting.

    He expected the weave in the roof wouldn¡¯t react to being walked on. Unless the lack of guards was how it always was, instead of them not bothering because of the weather. But would the windowsill be the same? Why would it? It wasn¡¯t like guards had a reason to hang from them.

    How could he go about checking if that weave would trigger, without it sounding the alarm? What could he do to a weave to keep it from reacting to his presence?

    Why did everything seem to always come down to questions he couldn¡¯t get the answer to? Couldn¡¯t he get something easy to figure out once in a while?

    And no, it wasn¡¯t like even if he was on good term with Don, he¡¯d be of help here.

    What he needed was information. Since he only knew one person here, and it was his fault Tibs had to deal with this forming headache, he might as well start providing answers.

    * * * * *

    The archer stared at Tibs. ¡°What do you take me for? A scholar? You¡¯re the one with the magic. You should know all that stuff.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not even officially Lambda. I shouldn¡¯t know anything about weaves, and I haven¡¯t been able to ask my teacher a lot, because that would make him suspicious. And the one person I might have been able to convince to answer these kinds of question, you were adamant we didn¡¯t have the time for me to talk with him. You¡¯re the one who wants this done. How come you don¡¯t know anything about what¡¯s needed to get in that building?¡±

    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    ¡°I know plenty, just not about that. What I know about magic is to not mess with it, or people who have it.¡±

    ¡°Unless you can force one of them to do your bidding.¡±

    The man sighed. ¡°This is going to help you as much as me; tell me you see that? Tell me you aren¡¯t going to change your mind in the middle of this and hand me over to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Who would I hand you over to?¡± Tibs asked in annoyance, then wondered if people were after the archer. ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to hand you over to anyone,¡± he said at the suspicious look the man gave him. ¡°It would get that letter handed to the guild. And I do want the troubles from my town to stop. I just don¡¯t like the way you went about forcing me.¡±

    The man shrugged and stretched on the bed.

    Tibs leaned against the wall. ¡°What¡¯s needed to get into the Brokerage? The normal way, I mean. How do people who need to go in do it?¡±

    ¡°They have made an appointment with someone there.¡±

    ¡°Can you make one? I could go in as your apprentice.¡±

    Archer shook his head. ¡°When you make the appointment, you need a referral letter, the plan outlining what you¡¯ll need from then, and show that you have the funds to pay them with.¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be that hard to convince them you have all of that.¡±

    The man chuckled. ¡°Clearly, you have no idea how business is run or how hard it would be to make happen. And even if I could, you couldn¡¯t come. Your eyes give away you have magic, and putting lenses on them to hide their color would draw even more attention.¡±

    ¡°I can¡ª¡± he stopped. If Archer didn¡¯t know he could let go of the element and have normal eyes, he wasn¡¯t revealing it. Since the archer wouldn¡¯t help, Tibs left the room and took seat at the bar, placing a copper on the counter.

    Sania replaced it with a tankard. ¡°You look like you have a lot on your mind.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have enough.¡± He took a careful sip and was pleased it wasn¡¯t as spicy. ¡°I don¡¯t know enough to do what Archer needs me to.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like him. He has contact all over the place.¡±

    ¡°Not for this,¡± Tibs said, annoyed. ¡°Do you know a sorcerer who¡¯d be willing to answer questions?¡±

    ¡°I tend a tavern,¡± she replied with a chuckle. ¡°Unlike how the bards like to sing, those are not the types of people who congregate here. Why don¡¯t you just walk up to one? With your eyes, I¡¯m sure they¡¯d be willing to help you.¡±

    ¡°My experience is that if someone has knowledge, they aren¡¯t interested in sharing it unless they¡¯ll gain something in the process. Their preferred thing to gain are coins, and I don¡¯t have enough of those here.¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t Archer get you into the library?¡±

    ¡°He said he knows nothing about magic.¡±

    ¡°The city library,¡± she said, and Tibs stared. ¡°It¡¯s where the scholars store their work.¡±

    ¡°I thought those went in universities.¡±

    ¡°They work there, but the library is where the books are kept.¡±

    ¡°And they let anyone in?¡± he asked, suspicious.

    She chuckled. ¡°Of course not. Only scholars, researchers, and sorcerers can go in.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t exactly look like one of those.¡±

    ¡°Looks are easy to change,¡± she replied casually.

    ¡°But I don¡¯t know enough to pass myself off as¡­¡±

    Okay, he couldn¡¯t claim to be someone who belonged in such a place, but he was short, and strangers still confused him for nothing more than a kid when he was out of his armor. Kids caused mischief, and if one of them was wealthy enough, that mischief could be forgiven in exchange for coins.

    He finished the ale in a long swallow and coughed. Not as spicy didn¡¯t mean it went down any easier if he drank it too fast. Then he left the tavern to find a marketplace. He needed to get himself properly dressed, and that meant he needed to get coins.

    * * * * *

    The enormous hall echoed with each of his steps. Tibs did his best not the let the stiff clothes bother him as he followed the wealthy man and woman through it. He¡¯d slipped behind them as they¡¯d approached, close enough to be mistaken for their son, but far enough they wouldn¡¯t notice unless someone pointed him out. The guards by the entrance lazily looked them, and him, over as they passed and didn¡¯t react. He¡¯d had to remind himself he wasn¡¯t channeling an element, so his eyes were their normal brown and uninteresting.

    Now that he was inside, he needed to find the information he was after. And find it in a language he could read. Carina had taught him the letters from her kingdom, not his. The letters were the same, but arranged so the words were different.

    He was still pondering how much of a problem it might be as they crossed an archway, and he came to a stop as he saw the bookshelf.

    The tall bookshelf. Then the one next to it, and another, and still more. The room was long, with shelves after shelves tall enough ladders were attached to them in case someone wanted a book that was too high to reach. And where there were balconies above those with yet more shelves filled with books. Six balconies, each so long he couldn¡¯t see their end.

    Tibs swallowed at the wealth represented in so many books.

    The couple he¡¯d followed in was nowhere to be seen, and he fought the urge to run and hide. He belonged in this place, or at least came in with people who did. His parents, who had wandered off without noticing that their son had left them, attracted to all the books. He was dressed the part of a lower noble¡¯s son, so now he needed to act the part.

    He stepped to a bookcase and looked at the spines. They were thick, with the names in gold letters. The book merchants in Kragle Rock used the thickness to determine a book¡¯s value first, Tibs had noticed, then how decorated it was.

    If he could leave with only one of them, and have Darran sell it for him, he¡¯d have enough gold he¡¯d be able to pay what he owed to the guild when he reached Epsilon.

    Not that he planned on there being a guild left by then.

    And he wasn¡¯t here to fill his pouch, but his mind.

    He reached for a thick one, and a woman spoke. He didn¡¯t understand the words, but the tone held warning; and he sensed her behind him. He¡¯d been so awed by the sights, he¡¯d ignored his sense.

    Again, he fought the urge to run.

    He was a noble¡¯s son, used to getting his way. He turned and readied himself to tell her off for keeping him from doing whatever he wanted. The severe gaze of her hazel eyes kept the words from forming. Her hair was lighter, short and streaked with gray. Wrinkles lined her face.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he whispered, swallowing the lump in his throat, then realized he wasn¡¯t looking at Mama, and that his reaction had given him away.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be touching the books,¡± she said in an accented Pursatian. ¡°I am Oshara, and who might you be, child?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± what was he supposed to call himself? ¡°Tiber.¡±

    Her smile kept him from adding anything. There was no maliciousness in it, but it became rigid, the way those who didn¡¯t believe what they¡¯d heard kept themselves from reacting. She¡¯d call the guards and have him sent to a cell. Well, probably not. He was a child, and she seemed kind. But her next act would be to send him out and make sure he couldn¡¯t return.

    ¡°And what drew you here, Tiber?¡± she asked, amused. ¡°You seem rather young to be an apprentice, and I expect that if you were here with your parents, they wouldn¡¯t have let you wander and touch precious tomes without the proper preparations.¡± She took her hand from behind her back. It was covered by a thin white glove that had a delicate weave through it. Sensing around, anyone handling a book wore gloves with a similar weave.

    He hurried to put his hands in his pockets.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid it is too late for that, Tiber. You have already given yourself away.¡±

    ¡°What are you going to do to me?¡± he asked, more ashamed at having been caught so easily than afraid of her answer.

    ¡°That will depend on why you sneaked in. Are you here to steal a book?¡±

    He shook his head.

    ¡°Then why are you here?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m curious.¡±

    ¡°And regarding what?¡±

    ¡°So many things?¡± he replied, unable to keep the exasperation from his voice.

    Her chuckle was unexpected. ¡°Curiosity is a good thing for a future scholar to have.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡± Right, his eyes were brown.

    ¡°No, of course you aren¡¯t, yet. But that you went to such length to gain entry tells me you have the determination, along with the curiosity, required. I am certain that when you are of age, you will be able to convince a university to take you in.¡±

    He didn¡¯t think it likely once he¡¯d taken down the guild and avenged Mama. ¡°I guess I should go.¡±

    ¡°Is there something specific I can assuage your curiosity about?¡± she asked before he turned away. ¡°Or did you simply wish to see our vast collection?¡±

    Tibs eyed her suspiciously. There was no light on her words, but¡­ ¡°Why aren¡¯t you angry I broke the rules?¡±

    ¡°Tell me, have you ever been told that is it dangerous to want to know things?¡±

    He shook his head. For as often as Alistair had been exasperated at his questions, he¡¯d never told him to stop, or that he should stop. It was always because ¡®now isn¡¯t the time¡¯.

    ¡°Well, I happen to believe that curiosity, with the right application of determination, should always be rewarded. So, tell me. What is the one thing you wish to learn about now that you are here?¡±

    ¡°Magic.¡± He already had something of a story to explain it.

    She raised an eyebrow. ¡°Maybe I am wrong and sorcery is in your future.¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t go into a dungeon, but I like the stories bards sing with magic in them. Magical items, magic on buildings the hero has to defeat. I heard one about this hero who got into a building because the magic was¡­¡± what word would a bard might have used. ¡°Old. Is that a thing? Can enchantment grow old?¡±

    She smiled and motioned him to a table. ¡°That is a very interesting question. The answer depends on many factors. For example, how skilled were the sorcerers who laid the weave? How many times did it have to fight back assaults?¡±

    Tibs sat and pulled purity out of his bracer. As much as he needed the information, he could already feel the headache getting it would give him.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 54

    ¡°As with everything,¡± the scholar said, ¡°enchantments do fade over time.¡±

    ¡°Everything fades?¡± Tibs asked before he could stop himself? ¡°What about mountains? Haven¡¯t they always been there? The sky? Claria, Torus?¡±

    ¡°Everything,¡± she stated. ¡°Some will simply take longer, or require violent actions from the elements before it is their time. Consider the main element that makes the item in question when thinking of how long it will take. Mountains, for example, are made of stone, which is the element of Earth. Earth is slow to react to anything, which makes it resistant to change. So the effort on the part of the elements to bring them down will be much greater than, say, a tree, which is composed of the Wood element. Size also comes into play, since the more of an element something has, the more effort is required to affect it. A larger tree will resist its end longer than a smaller one.¡±

    ¡°But metal¡¯s hard too, and that¡¯s always breaking.¡±

    ¡°But under violence,¡± she replied. ¡°When left to itself, it too will last a long time. Most metal items end up breaking because people are involved.¡± She considered something. ¡°But keep in mind that Metal isn¡¯t a core element, and is in opposition to Air. As such, when the element of Air is used against Metal, it deteriorates faster. Have you seen how metal items will have a reddish dust or flakes on them?¡±

    ¡°Rust.¡±

    She gave him an indulgent smile. ¡°Yes, they call it that.¡± The implication she included him in that ¡®they¡¯ was strong. ¡°What it actually is, is another element. When a core element interacts with any of the others, weakening it, a new element is created.¡± She said a word he didn¡¯t quite understand; it, along with most of those before that, had a faint glow to them. Not an outright lie, he¡¯d learned over time, but a lack of certainty in what she said.

    ¡°Po-tin-cia?¡± he tried.

    ¡°Close enough.¡± She smiled. ¡°It¡¯s an old Arcanus word. It is the name of the element of change. It is the one that is always created when a core element weakens another.¡± That had the same faint glow, so it was what she wasn¡¯t certain about, despite her seeming confidence.

    ¡°And that Po-tin-cia element is always there when a core element acts on one of those that isn¡¯t core?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± The light was brighter, so she knew it wasn¡¯t always the case. He tried to think of a way to prod the truth out of her, but he couldn¡¯t think of how a bard might sing about something like that.

    And his curiosity was leading away from what he was important. ¡°So, because enchantments have many essences in them, they also get weaker? Does it only happen if there are both core and the others? What if the enchantment only has core elements?¡±

    Her chuckle sounded strained. ¡°Yes. Interaction between element causes enchantment to weaken, but the skill of the sorcerer who created it has an effect on how¡­ sturdy, the enchantment will be.¡±

    He ignored the faint glow. Her uncertainty didn¡¯t mean what she said wasn¡¯t right. And she sat here, answering his questions, while anyone else he might ask could simply kick him out. ¡°How about essences outside the enchantment? Can they cause it to get weaker too? And you said the Potincia element comes when core and other essences act on each other. Wouldn¡¯t that get in the way of the enchantment working?¡±

    Her smile was bright, and that stuck to the words as she spoke. ¡°Exactly. You are quite bright. I can see you have a strong career within the scholarly academies ahead of you. Potentia is part of what breaks enchantment down over time. And it¡¯s why skill is important when crafting them. The sorcerer has to account for that if they don¡¯t want their work to fail prematurely.¡±

    Tibs rubbed his temple. He didn¡¯t get most of what she said, but why would she bother lying to him? She couldn¡¯t know why he was asking. Was she trying to make him feel smarter so he would¡­ what, join a university? He was too young, and she had to be smart enough to know that her lies would unravel when he brought up her stories as part of what made him want to join.

    ¡°And it¡¯s always like that?¡± he asked, hoping to sound like he didn¡¯t understand, and that forcing her to clarify would reveal something that was true, or why she was lying. ¡°Potincia¡ªPotentia, is created within the enchantment. That, along with the degradation caused by the core elements, weakens it until it fails?¡±

    ¡°Not everyone agrees it¡¯s what happens,¡± she said dismissively. ¡°Some¡ª¡±

    ¡°Wait. What do you mean, not everyone agrees?¡± There had been no light on the words. ¡°I thought universities were about finding out how things worked. That the books told us how that was.¡±

    ¡°Universities are where we investigate how the world works. And then, the scholars write their books to document how their research demonstrates that their beliefs are the correct ones.¡±

    ¡°Then you keep the books of those who are right.¡± He thought that made sense, but her offended expression said he was wrong.

    ¡°How would I know who is right? How would anyone?¡±

    ¡°Whoever the magic says is right?¡±

    ¡°Magic can¡¯t tell you what is right and what is wrong,¡± she stated.

    ¡°Light can,¡± he replied, immediately realizing he was wrong.

    ¡°No. Light can be used to tell you if someone believes they are telling the truth or not. But that isn¡¯t the same as them being wrong. Magic is a tool. And like all tools, it can be used for many purposes. Even some that oppose each other.¡±

    ¡°Then, why would anyone read books if they can¡¯t know if what¡¯s in it is true?¡± He thought of Carina, and how she relied on books for everything she knew. How she¡¯s so wanted him to read because she thought it would help him. Had she been wrong?

    ¡°If you mean the common folk.¡± She gave a dismissive shrug. ¡°I expect those who can read do so to make themselves feel superior to those who can¡¯t. If you mean scholars? Then, in reading someone else¡¯s work, I can glimpse something that will help propel my research further.¡±

    Tibs fought against his disappointment. None of them help then. ¡°What you¡¯re saying is that what you told me about how enchantments weaken over time might not be how it happens.¡±

    She opened and closed her mouth on the glow. Her stance shifted as she studied him. Was that suspicion in her eyes? Had he given himself away? When she spoke, it was in the careful tone that people who wanted what they said to sound true as they lied did; only there was no light on the words.

    ¡°We know some things.¡± She paused and let out a breath. ¡°Good scholars don¡¯t say things like ¡®we know for certain¡¯. But some things have been demonstrated with one experiment after another to alway happen, so those are things we can be confident are true.¡±

    Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°But not certain?¡±

    Nervousness, that was what he was seeing as she shook her head. As if she¡¯d realized he¡¯d caught her in the lie.

    ¡°One such thing is that elements interact. They work together to form effect. The right combination of them can be used to make just about anything happen. They also interact without sorcerers being involved. That rust on metal, for example.¡±

    ¡°Potentia and when the core elements weaken¡ª¡± He stopped as she stiffened.

    ¡°Maybe,¡± she finally said, uncertainly. She let out a chuckle and relaxed. ¡°It¡¯s what I believe happens, and many of my experiment have shown that when a core element interacts with another one, a change happens. That means another element must come of it. Other experiments support my belief.¡± She hesitated. ¡°But they don¡¯t support that Potentia is the cause. The element is real,¡± she assured him, and there was no light on the words, ¡°but exceedingly rare. Adventurers who have spoken about the element with scholars all spoke of it in different ways, as if it was different for each of them, but the one thing they seemed to agree on is that what they do stands at the cusp of change. It is why I¡ª¡± she closed her mouth on the light, took a breath, and continued without it. ¡°I believe it is what is present when elements interact.¡±

    Tibs was careful. He had the sense the effort of honesty had been hard for her and he didn¡¯t want to undermine that. ¡°But it could be something else.¡±

    Her nod seemed to carry acceptance. ¡°It could. Academia isn¡¯t about proving that I am right. It is about demonstrating why my beliefs are better supported than others.¡± She chuckled sadly. ¡°We, I, tend to forget that sometimes.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just asked about a story.¡±

    This time, her chuckle was filled with amusement. ¡°That is the danger of speaking with a scholar. We so love to explain what we¡¯re about.¡± She let out a slow breath. ¡°But to return to the story, without all the minutiae. Yes, enchantments grow old and weaken. In such state, they are more susceptible to malicious alteration, or simply not doing what they are supposed to. It¡¯s why anyone who relies on magic for their security has the enchantments rejuvenated regularly, and why old places, lost places, will have not only weaker enchantment, but unpredictable ones. Even if they were made by an Alpha sorcerer, time will take its toll on them.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s how the adventurer in the story got into the old building. She altered the enchantment.¡±

    She laughed lightly. ¡°It¡¯s a bard¡¯s story. She got in because the story needed her to get in. But yes, out there, where adventurers might encounter a tower from back when sorcerers worked alone, or some forgotten warlord¡¯s vault. They could take advantage of an enchantment¡¯s weakened state to pry and tease it apart until they could get in.¡±

    ¡°Woudn¡¯t they have to have the same element? In the stories, if they don¡¯t have the right element, they can¡¯t really do much to defend themselves.¡±

    ¡°Again, stories don¡¯t care about what is real. And we are straying from what I know confidently.¡± She thought about it. ¡°The right element might simplify it. Some element lend themselves more to that kind of work than others, but when it comes to magic, what I have read all seems to agree that skill with the element and how much of it they have access to is the determining factor in succeeding in whatever task was set before them.¡±

    Tibs wanted to ask which element she through would be best to tease the enchantment apart, but even if she knew the answer, it would be too telling of what he was after.

    ¡°Does this answer all your questions?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he said, unable to keep from sounding indignant. He rubbed his temple again. ¡°But I think it¡¯s all I can stand right now.¡±

    ¡°Cherish it, it¡¯s a good pain.¡±

    ¡°Pain¡¯s never good,¡± he countered.

    ¡°It¡¯s the pain of your mind stretching,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°That is a good thing.¡±

    He stared at her. Hadn¡¯t someone else told him that before?

    He stood. ¡°I should go.¡±

    She stood with him. ¡°Do you need assistance finding your parents? I¡¯m surprised they haven¡¯t come looking yet.¡±

    Right. She¡¯d assumed he¡¯d gotten separated from his family. ¡°They¡¯re probably still reading. I¡¯ll find them. Thank you.¡±

    He made a circuit of the shelves, keeping his sense on her until she walked to the third balcony and paused before a shelf. Then he headed outside and let the rain cool his headache.

    He wished Purity helped with this type of pain, but he figured it was just like that element to want him to work through it to improve.

    * * * * *

    Tibs hung from the top of the window frame, the rain pelting against him hard enough it could be fists. It was a good thing water didn¡¯t hurt him anymore, or all of them might have resulted in his death.

    He studied the strands of the weave before him, as he¡¯d done the three previous nights. This time, he thought he¡¯d worked out enough of those he could identify to attempt something. Distance shouldn¡¯t matter, so long as he sensed the weave, so he could do this from the roof, but the feeling that the closer he was, the better sense of it he would have wouldn¡¯t leave him.

    From this close, he knew it wasn¡¯t true.

    He wished he could simply throw corruption and watch the weave dissolve. It would be easy since he couldn¡¯t sense anything that might protect against that. But that would result in the chaos of a destroyed enchantment and attract attention. What he needed was to part the strand around the window without breaking them.

    He¡¯s spent the previous nights studying how the strands flowed. How they connected to those around them, and where they had come ¡®detached¡¯. Tonight was his first attempt at widening the space between two of them.

    He studied the Arcanus that made out the filigrees that connected the strands. Finding one with only those he already knew was easier than he expected. Jir, Ank, Bor, and Kha seemed to be unexpectedly common. Maybe because they represented Air, Fire, Earth, and Water, which seemed to be considered the more important ones of the core elements. Fey, Maur, Dhu, and Lyl then seemed to be used and after that, Ike was the only other one he knew, since that was Metal and there were few of them.

    Researching the others was somewhere on his list of things to do.

    He teased the two he selected further from where they¡¯d detached and studied how the still connected Arcanus reacted. They stretched and stretched again before they deformed and he stopped. He figured that if they changed too much, they would break. It might not be a problem, considering the strands were already separated where he ¡®held¡¯ them, but he also had no idea if there was a point where too many breaks would cause a reaction.

    To alleviate the strain, he added more of the Arcanus within the filigree, stacking them ¡®atop¡¯ each other until they covered the gap. Then he waited.

    When nothing happened, he pulled again until those Arcanus started deforming and added more. With the next pull, he had the added complication of not tangling the strands with others. By the fifth addition of Arcanus, his problem became fighting impatience. It was clear no one was noticing what he did, so he could hurry this along.

    But even bards¡¯ stories made clear what happened when a rogue thought he could rush thing along. They took for granted everything would be as before, and they ended up captured. In the stories, it led to more adventures, a daring escape. For him, it would lead to a stay in the cells, maybe. Archer made it sound like the people in the Brokerage might not bother getting the city guards involved.

    Ever so slowly, those two strands were far enough Tibs could fit through. So his new problem was; how did he keep them that way?

    It had been something he¡¯d thought over while studying the weave. He couldn¡¯t risk attaching them to other strands without understanding how they might react. He needed to place the strand against something that would hold it for him. Water, Air and Fire wouldn¡¯t work. None of them did solid easily; even adding Fey to them until they were hard would require him to remain focused. Doing that would make it more of an etching than a weave.

    Except even this was nothing like a weave, since he didn¡¯t know how to make those yet.

    It meant Earth or Metal. There was hardly any metal within the wall, but plenty of earth as part of the stonework. He moved a strand of his earth essence within that of the stone, moving it under and over, around and back, weaving it until what he had felt more solid and didn¡¯t immediately fray when he stopped focusing on it. He formed a ¡®hook¡¯ out of the essence and rested one of the strand from the enchantment on it. He did the same on the other side of the window.

    He¡¯d done it. He¡¯d made a gap he could pass through; well between those two strands. There were several of them left within the window¡¯s enchantment.

    He pulled himself to the roof, still without guards, and lay on his back. His arms didn¡¯t hurt; Earth ensured holding on was effortless. But his head pounded from focusing so hard and long, as well as what this taught him.

    Weaves could be altered.

    If they were able to sense the strands and knew the Arcanus that made out the filigrees, someone could move an enchantment out of their way.

    Maybe.

    For this to work as he needed it, the two strands and hooks had to remain there not only while he moved the others, but also while he was in the building getting Archer¡¯s coins from some safe he knew nothing about.

    His headache would not go away so long as he remained in this city; he was certain of that. But for tonight, the work was done.

    He¡¯d check the state of the hooks and strands tomorrow, and move on from there until he was able to go in.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 55

    Tibs stood at the window, looking out and annoyed at the clear sky. Of course, today would be when the bad weather cleared.

    Over the last week of incessant bad weather, Tibs had returned to the Brokerage. On the first night, he¡¯d found that his hooks had barely deteriorated, and the two strands were still in place on them. So, he¡¯d set about, each following night, enduring the mind numbing pelting rain as he carefully moved more and more strands to different hooks. He¡¯d considered putting them all on the same one, but he didn¡¯t know how much ¡®interaction¡¯ they could endure before triggering. Two nights before, he¡¯d found he¡¯d moved aside the last of the strands he could Identify.

    Which left far too many he couldn¡¯t. How would those respond to being pulled apart? He could sense the Arcanus, but not all of them acted the same way depending on the essence they were used with. And while he¡¯d managed to deal with the Arcanus he hadn¡¯t known on the strands he could identify, by simply copying them when he needed to extend how they stretched. The combination of an Arcanus he didn¡¯t know on a strand he couldn¡¯t identify the element of seemed too risky to attempt.

    So he¡¯d called it a night, then had returned to the Library the next day, spending coins on another set of good clothing, and including gloves like the one Oshara had worn. He couldn¡¯t copy the weave through them, but counted on being able to keep away from anyone with an element. There, he¡¯d struck up a conversation with another scholar closer to his age, claiming to be new, and through him, was able to speak with enough of them his questions were spread and didn¡¯t raise suspicion.

    What he¡¯d left with was some confidence that a weave could be ¡®deformed¡¯ to a point, without it ¡®breaking¡¯. That would trigger some effect, it could be the intended one or not. But if they could be deformed, they could be moved. All he¡¯d needed was a way to do that. He¡¯d had to come up with that on his own, as he suspected that question would get him noticed as not a scholar in training.

    He had water, and he knew the correct filigree of Fey hardened it. He spent the hours before the early night the heavy rain brought experimenting until he had strands hard enough other strands didn¡¯t ¡®move through¡¯ it, but still flexible enough to wrap around strands and ¡®tie¡¯ them into loose bundles.

    Then he¡¯d carefully done that with the strands left, parting them like a curtain. Even with making it as wide as he was comfortable, the opening was still tight. He rested on the roof for an hour to confirm the alterations hadn¡¯t been detected, and then he sensed the light increasing ever so slightly, letting him know that even if he couldn¡¯t see it, dawn was approaching. Since this wasn¡¯t something he wanted to do at anything but his peak, he headed to Archer¡¯s room to sleep, then, as soon as it was sufficiently dark, he¡¯d get in, finish the job and go home to his friend, and clear the air with Don.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s tonight?¡± Archer asked, not sounding particularly eager to have his coins.

    ¡°No.¡± So, of course, today had to be the one the rain stopped. If he believed in luck, he¡¯d be cursing it. From what he remembered Carina explaining, a long time ago, it felt to him, the weather was caused by all the elements far above them interacting. When they were distributed evenly, they had clear sky. A little too much water and there were clouds; air brought winds. Too much, and the weather turned bad until the excess was spent. The balance was never perfect, she¡¯d told him, but usually only off enough to add the pleasantness of a breeze to the day, or the shade of passing clouds.

    The skies of Shellbridge seemed to never be in balance, except when he needed them to be so.

    Torus was to his left, its horns seeming thicker than they did in Kragle Rock. That seemed to be the case in a lot of the cities he¡¯d visited. The one time it wasn¡¯t was when he stayed within the same kingdom. Otherwise, they might be thinner or thicker. He didn¡¯t understand how that could be, but that was one question he wasn¡¯t in a hurry to get the answer to.

    He already had too many of them unanswered.

    Claria was nearly full, her eye on Torus¡¯s horns.

    Below, people were out in droves, as if the clear weather was cause for celebration. Which it might, since it was the first day of it since Tibs had been here.

    ¡°You said you¡¯d start once you got up.¡± There was no accusation in Archer¡¯s voice, and no light on the words. Tibs didn¡¯t remember speaking with him before falling asleep.

    ¡°I need the rain to hide me from the guards.¡± He leaned back against the window frame.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you use magic to hide from them?¡±

    He shook his head. He didn¡¯t have the training to make anything reliable from darkness. The moment he lost his focus, the essence dissipated. ¡°I¡¯m going to have too much to do to depend on essence. There might be more I have to do on the weave, and there¡¯s one position with a direct line to that window. The others only have to look to the side slightly and they¡¯ll make me out against the pale stone.¡±

    ¡°I can distract them.¡±

    ¡°The goal is to not attract attention. I get in, get the coins, get out, and they don¡¯t know anything happened. By the time they find out, I want to have been back in Kragle Rock for days.¡± He pushed from the wall.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°Out. Since I can¡¯t work, I¡¯m going to enjoy the city.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get in trouble.¡±

    He wouldn¡¯t get in trouble. If trouble got in his way? Well, he¡¯d deal with it. A quick bowl of the tavern¡¯s stew along with a tankard of their ale, which no longer felt quite as spiced, and he was outside, letting the crowd jostle him.

    Once he had enough of being bounced about, and his coin pouch felt heavy, he suffused himself with water and slipped between the people until he reached an alley. After a few houses, it opened onto a courtyard where a group gathered around a brazier. They were too jovial, and the building too nice for them to be Street. He greeted them with a nod and continued to another alley. The next street was smaller and not as busy.

    Without the heat of the crowd, the chilly wind slipped into the holes in his armor until he stilled the air around him.

    Cold was strange. It was around so much, he¡¯d expected it to be an element. One that worked with some of the others, the way the Arcanus did. Other than fire, the four core elements could be cold. Purity, Light, Darkness, and Corruption didn¡¯t feel like anything, neither hot nor cold. As best as he could tell, it was in how he set the essences that created the cold, since it wasn¡¯t because he stilled water into ice that it was cold.

    With air, it was in how it moved, so stilling it kept the cold from happening. It wasn¡¯t simply motion that caused it, though. He had to will it into a specific pattern, otherwise it was simply the air moving and was no warmer or colder than what was around.

    Earth was harder to explain, even to himself, but not complicated to make happen. It had something to do with its heaviness¡ª the best word he could think of. How if he let some of it ¡®sink¡¯ lower in a specific way, cold happened.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    The one element he hadn¡¯t worked out how to do it with was fire. It seemed like all it could do was make heat and use it to consume what was around. But, since the other three could, Tibs was confident it was only a question of finding the right way, and then he¡¯d have cold fire.

    * * * * *

    He shielded his eyes against the sun on exiting the tavern, then adjusted the essence so it wouldn¡¯t bother him. He¡¯d forgotten how bright it was in the constant gloom of the rain. The wind had died down, but it was still cool and he took a moment to soak in the heat from the sun.

    Heat, he didn¡¯t bother trying to work out how it happened. He had a far too easy source of it already. He didn¡¯t need others.

    His wandering led him to a courtyard with tables before a building and people eating at them. He had a meal and an ale. It was more expensive than the tavern, but also better. Slices of vegetables and meats layered over each other with a spiced sauce. Even the Ale, which he¡¯d asked not to be spiced, was. It seemed they didn¡¯t know how to make anything that didn¡¯t have spices in them

    Even the local candies were spiced, the strongest one feeling like it was fire on his tongue. That one was, appropriately, called Red Fire. The shops clerk had been amused at Tibs¡¯s reaction.

    What he found interesting in all those spiced things, especially those that burned, was that they had no more fire essence in them than others that didn¡¯t burn. He didn¡¯t know how the effect was created, and he didn¡¯t care. He was discovering he enjoyed it.

    * * * * *

    Archer dropped in the chair opposite Tibs in enough of a dark mood he was surprised he couldn¡¯t see darkness essence clinging to him. ¡°How long until you have to go back?¡± He motioned to Sania, and she nodded.

    A glance at his bracelet and he shrugged. ¡°Once it turns red, I have two days.¡±

    Archer cursed. ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to find anyone willing to make it rain.¡±

    ¡°They can do that?¡± what kind of reserve did it take to reach so far up and affect the essences there? He couldn¡¯t sense that far, and Tibs expected few people could sense further than he did.

    ¡°Magic can do anything,¡± Archer said as a server placed a plate and tankard before him. ¡°But in this place, no one wants to stop the little sun they get by making rain.¡±

    She motioned to Tibs¡¯s nearly empty bowl of stew and he shook his head. He was taking his time before heading out for another exploration of the city.

    ¡°Give them more coins.¡± He took another forkful and savored the taste.

    ¡°The point of this excursion is for me to have money left when we leave.¡± He sipped his tankard. ¡°I¡¯d have to promise more than I¡¯m going to get.¡± He motioned to Tibs¡¯s covered arm. ¡°If that turns red, and it¡¯s not raining yet, you¡¯re going in anyway. I¡¯ve scouted the area and I¡¯ll be able to distract the guards. I figure that ultimately it doesn¡¯t matter if they see you leave, you¡¯ll be able to lose them in the city.¡±

    It was good to know he¡¯d be left to his own devices when it came down to it. ¡°How am I carrying all those coins? The way you talk about it, I¡¯m going to be carrying bags of them. That¡¯s not going to make leaving easy.¡± He wasn¡¯t telling the man about the hiding places in his armor. Not that he thought they could handle all those coins. Sto had warned him he couldn¡¯t hide as much in them as Jackal could in his bottomless pouch.

    ¡°I¡¯ll have something for you before you have to do it.¡±

    Which meant he already had it, since neither knew when it would be time. Tibs decided not to bother searching the room. The man was clever enough to know it would be the first place Tibs searched, and he was more familiar with the city. For all Tibs knew, Archer had asked Sania to hold on to it until he needed it.

    ¡°It would be easier if I had it now.¡± Still, there was no harm in trying. ¡°That way, I won¡¯t have to wait for you to get it to start.¡±

    Archer eyes him. ¡°And have you fill it with so much other stuff between now and then my coins won¡¯t fit?¡±

    Interesting. It would be something like Jackal¡¯s pouch and the hiding place in his armor. But also limited. Possibly more than his, but for all Tibs knew, Archer thought he¡¯d go around emptying houses of their entire contents if he had it.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going around stealing.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen some of the places you¡¯ve been eating at Tibs. Runners don¡¯t have that much silver to them.¡±

    Someone hadn¡¯t looked at what the Runners in Kragle Rock were managing, Tibs thought. Since, at this point, any team that made it past the second floor had worked out ways to keep more than the guild wanted them to from the runs.

    ¡°That¡¯s not the same thing. It¡¯s just a pocket here and there.¡±

    ¡°Only a thief makes that kind of distinction between what they steal.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a rogue.¡±

    Archer snorted before taking a few mouthfuls. ¡°Here, you¡¯re a thief. No one cares you¡¯re with the guild. Telling them you are isn¡¯t going to keep you out of a cell if you¡¯re caught. No dungeon here to give the guild power, and no king they can scare into making sure everyone defers to them.¡±

    ¡°I thought everywhere had kings.¡±

    ¡°Every kingdom has a king,¡± Archer said. ¡°But the further a city is from the one where they live, the less influence they have. There are some exceptions, like here, but they¡¯ll only focus on enforcing what matters to them. Not the guild. And something else you should know about this city. Cells tend to be empty, but not for a lack of criminals being caught.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not getting caught.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d be a lot happier if you stopped entirely until we¡¯re done.¡±

    ¡°I have to keep training.¡± Tibs grinned. ¡°You don¡¯t want my fingers going stiff, do you?¡±

    The man sighed, then went on eating.

    * * * * *

    The thunder woke Tibs with enough force he thought the building shook from it.

    He was at the window looking out into the night when, by the sense of the patrons in the main room, it has to be afternoon. There were always more people once the sun set.

    How could it be so dark? Thunder sounded again, then lightning outlined roofs and buildings.

    ¡°I guess today¡¯s the day.¡± Archer rubbed his hands before pulling a bag from a chest and throwing it at Tibs.

    Really, he¡¯d kept that in a chest in the room they shared? Tibs sensed the weave as soon as it was out of the chest. Then again, Tibs hadn¡¯t searched the room. So maybe it wasn¡¯t that Archer wasn¡¯t clever.

    There was a lot of darkness essence in the bag¡¯s weave, along with many other, but it wasn¡¯t as dense as what Sto had put in Jackal¡¯s pouch.

    ¡°A bag of holding,¡± Archer said. ¡°It¡¯s also enchanted to make it harder to detect. And there¡¯s one so you don¡¯t feel the weight of what you put in it.¡±

    The bag was an actual bag, looking to be twine made fabric. Like all bags, it didn¡¯t have a way to hook to his belt. ¡°If I need to hold it once the coins are in, it¡¯s going to make things harder.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the best I could get,¡± he replied with a shrug. ¡°Anything convenient has already been claimed by people with more money than me. She lent that to me because I know her. And she knows I¡¯m fine using her practice bag.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re sure it¡¯s going to work?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve used it before. The enchantments are fine, it¡¯s just that she never bothered making it convenient to use.¡±

    ¡°How many coins will it hold?¡± Tibs hooked an end under his belt and tied it around. Doing that to leave would depend on how the outside bulged from the coins.

    ¡°More than they¡¯ll have.¡± Tibs stood and moved, adjusting the bag along the belt to minimize how it bounced. ¡°What?¡± he asked, feeling the man¡¯s eyes on him the entire time.

    ¡°I¡¯ve just handed you something that can hold more than you can find in that building, and you just tied it to your belt without checking how that was possible.¡±

    ¡°Magic. The inside is larger than the outside. That¡¯s how the chest in the dungeons work. Something like that¡ª¡± he motioned to the small chest Archer took the bag from, ¡°¡ªcan hold a full set of armor. It isn¡¯t as amazing as you think it is.¡±

    ¡°Just to a Runner,¡± Archer muttered. ¡°I nearly fell into it when she told me what it did. I had my arm in to my shoulder trying to feel the bottom and almost lost my balance.¡±

    He untied the bag. ¡°I wonder what it¡¯s like to be inside one of them.¡±

    ¡°She advised against it, adamantly. When I asked why, she said I wouldn¡¯t be able to stand finding out.¡±

    Tibs opened the bag. ¡°I¡¯m not like¡ª¡±

    Archer took it out of his hands. ¡°She knows the life I live. The things I¡¯d seen and done. If she says I can¡¯t stand knowing those details, I believe her. So should you.¡± He handed it back.

    He tied back in place. He¡¯d ask Don, if the sorcerer was willing to speak to him by then. If not, he¡¯d have to remember to ask Ganny during the next run.

    He chuckled. Unless Don decided to be more of an asshole about the whole thing than Tibs thought he could be, no matter what happened, he¡¯d be able to talk with Sto and Ganny during the runs again.

    ¡°What¡¯s that about?¡± Archer asked suspiciously.

    ¡°Just something for when I¡¯m back home.¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t keeping the bag. I need to return it to her.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡±

    The suspicion intensified.

    ¡°I don¡¯t steal from my home.¡±

    The look turned to disbelief. ¡°You mean you aren¡¯t the one always getting into nobles¡¯ houses and taking their things?¡±

    The noble¡¯s quarter was barely part of his home, as far as Tibs was concerned. ¡°I don¡¯t take their stuff. I just go in for the training.¡± Since the guards hadn¡¯t dragged him to the cells for it, either the nobles didn¡¯t realize they were missing a few coins, exaggerated what was taken or, and this one was more worrisome, planned on dealing with the issue themselves.

    Another thing to add to his list, once he was back home.

    Archer¡¯s expression made it clear he didn¡¯t believe him, which was fine. Tibs didn¡¯t care what the man thought of him. Once the job was done, he wasn¡¯t planning on seeing him ever again.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 56

    Tibs froze as lightning illuminated the city. It only lasted a second, but he hoped it would leave spots for anyone who didn¡¯t have light as an element. He still couldn¡¯t take a chance an attentive guard might notice his darker form against the pale wall through that and the downpour. If not of how many roofs he¡¯d had to run to reach The Brokerage, he¡¯d have dressed in something lighter, but the city guards were more attentive to the roofs here, and many building had them posted there to watch over them.

    Thunder sounded, deafening him, and he got back to work.

    The window had more than the usual latch those this high up settled for. It had a lock, with false gates and tolerance so tight any thief attempting to pick it while hanging from the overhang would fail. The only way it could be more secure was to make it so the key needed to be enchanted, like those at his rooming house. But that would add to the enchantment that should already be protecting the whole building.

    For Tibs, it was simply a question of willing the ice he had within the lock to push the tumblers appropriately, then turn, and the window pushed in quietly. It didn¡¯t disturb the strands of the weave still in place, since it was part of what they protected. The opening in that, from those pulled aside, was half as wide as the window.

    Another flash of lightning froze him as in the process of pulling himself up. He suffused himself with earth, so he¡¯d keep his body rigid when needed, twisted at the angle needed to pass through the gap in the weave. Once he was as far in as his hold allowed, he reached in, placed a hand on the stone wall, wrapped that in stone and moved fully inside. With a shove, undoing what held his hand and suffusing himself with air, he landed silently in the center of the room.

    Well, it should be silent. Thunder sounded as he landed and his ears rang from it.

    He gave himself six and zero heartbeats to ensure that, in spite of his caution, and the added cover of the thunder, no one had noticed his entrance. He closed the window and absorbed the water it had let in¡ªhe¡¯d already, reflexively, kept himself from getting wet. Then set about the job.

    Tibs had two jobs, one for Archer, the only one he needed to do, as far as the man was concerned, and the one for himself. The one that ensured Kragle Rock would no longer be bothered, even if the archer said the lack of coins would be enough.

    The contracts documenting what Sebastian wanted done, as well as who the Brokerage had hired to make it happen, had been mentioned in passing, as part of Archer explaining how the organization worked. Tibs had to insist on answers to his questions to get the details.

    Those papers were required for the work to be done. Most organizations used contracts. If one went missing, they no longer had a way to prove the work needed to happen. Archer knew where they were, and that Sebastian¡¯s contract as well as the ones for those hired would be kept together as part of how they were handled. But he told Tibs where only after he got him to promise the coins would come first, and that they wouldn¡¯t be jeopardized in attempting to get to the contracts.

    Tibs had agreed, and found out the coins were kept under the building, while the contract stored two floors below him. The Brokerage had so many coins, Archer said, that they couldn¡¯t trust to the wooden floors to hold them. Tibs was dubious about it. Coins weighed little. He could hold a handful for hours without feeling it. Even a bag of them was hardly noticeable. Because he¡¯d promised to get the coins first, it meant getting the contract on the way out.

    He took off the dark clothing to reveal the set of better appointed ones he wore over his armor. Archer had wanted him to go in without it, since it made the clerk¡¯s clothing hang not quite right, but Tibs wasn¡¯t heading into the potential danger the job represented without protection he was comfortable wearing. He took a stack of papers out of its hiding place. Another spending he¡¯d had to do, since clerks had papers. He¡¯d written accounts from the previous weeks since those were the kind of thing the papers Tibs had seen within the guild building had.

    An ear to the door to confirm the people he sensed walking by. No one in the building had an element.

    He let go of his, as the corridor emptied, opened the door, and walked out.

    The Brokerage was filled with what Archer called bureaucrats. Clerks with illusions of grandeurs. Which was why Tibs had spent more on the clothing that he¡¯d liked. They handled more money, so imagined they had more power.

    He didn¡¯t acknowledge the people he passed, and they didn¡¯t him. He wore the same preoccupied expression they did. Even this late, there were a lot of them in the building.

    The Brokerage never slept, Archer said. Tibs had taken that to mean they were always on their guard, but he¡¯d quickly realized, as he cased the building, that it was literal. Day and night, bureaucrats came and went; people dressed richly enough, or too suspicious looking, entered and left.

    He walked by guards. Some stood at attention by a door, not the one holding his contracts, he was relieved to see. He sensed people inside, metal boxes with weaves thought them, but didn¡¯t have the time to get details. Other guards walked around, although they seemed to be going places, rather than patrolling. Tibs avoided anyone who looked like they belonged on a harsher version of his Street, as did any of the clerks.

    The ground floor was the same set of corridors and rooms, only differed in that it had a door at one end of the central hall, with an entryway where customer sat, and a less impressive door at the other. That one opened onto an alley, by the sense of the other side.

    The other difference was that behind one door in the central halls, a guarded door closer to the front than back, were stairs going down. The only set of them. It also had a lock on top of being guarded. The guard had the key, and Tibs watched as a man offered a paper for the guard to read before he unlocked the door and let them in. He couldn¡¯t know what the paper said, so that was not how he¡¯d get down.

    As with the other corridors, it was well lit, and the oil lamps were protected from tempering by a glass chimney. It wouldn¡¯t prevent him from dousing them and plunging the hall into darkness, but all it would do was raise the alert.

    Unless he could provide a justification for it. Such as an exceedingly powerful gust of wind. He was in a straight hall with a door at each end, after all. And there was a storm raging outside. The wind hadn¡¯t bothered him since he had air, but it had been strong.

    Not strong enough to extinguish lamps, but Tibs could make what moved through the hall strong enough it could be believed it had.

    All he needed was for both doors to open at the same, and the right time, and he would have his justification. The back door had a metal bolt, currently latched, but that wouldn¡¯t slow him, and since no one was paying it attention as they walked by, they might not even know if it was or wasn¡¯t latched after the fact.

    To avoid drawing attention while he waited for someone to need to go down, he walked along the other corridors on the floor. He sensed everyone moving, and it was simple to be heading toward the door each time someone slowed as they reached it. Too many people did so. Enough Tibs was sure someone would notice how often he came by. Each time he tensed, ready to open the outside door''s bolt, shove the doors open and bowl over everyone with storm wind.

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    Once he¡¯d nearly done it, but the man had stopped as he looked through the papers he held, then turned around.

    When the woman approached, he was already in the hall, from the circuit he walked, so he saw her holding the paper as she slowed and offered it to the guard, who looked it over and handed it back. As the key went in the lock, Tibs forced the bolt to unlatch and grabbed hold of both doors. The key turned and the lock click.

    Darkness fell into the hall at all flames extinguished. The doors slammed open, and the wind was strong enough it could have propelled Tibs to the door, where he shoved the woman out of the way and pulled the door open. Her complaints were taken away by the storm.

    He sent a torrent of wind ahead of him and snuffed the lanterns that lined the stairs. He stumbled the last steps and held onto the wall as he stepped into the room¡¯s light. A woman was struggling to catch papers the wind had sent flying and Tibs kept her distracted as he straightened himself and his clothing while continuing. He ignored her question; he didn¡¯t understand the language, but she had sounded curious, not alarmed.

    The hall was well lit again, but no doors guarded. The guards were inside the rooms, by the armor some of the people in them wore. The room he wanted, the one Archer had told him, held all the coins Sebastian had given the Brokerage to accomplish his revenge contract, had two guards, and three clerks.

    That would be a problem. One he needed to resolve before he reached the door. He didn¡¯t think he could wander without being questioned. He needed to deal with them without alerting those in the other rooms. He could make out faint conversations from the doors, so if dealing with the guards got too loud, he¡¯d be in trouble.

    He could suffocate them, but he had no way to know how long it would take. He¡¯d unsettled one of Sebastian¡¯s thug that way, but it hadn¡¯t taken him down quickly. What he couldn¡¯t do was only focus on them. He needed to ensure they had no way to find air, so he removed it from the entire room.

    The door was bolted from the inside, but that didn¡¯t stop him. He undid it before pulling the door and pushed back the surprised guard that was reaching for it. He closed the door and put metal spikes into it and the frame to ensure no one could get in.

    She steadied herself and unsheathed her sword. He sent a ball of air as she locked eyes with him and she flew back. He cursed as she drew a quick breath before landing, then she got up.

    The three clerks were by their desks, gasping for air. The other guard was already still. His life essence was fine, but Tibs had no idea how long that would last without breath. The longer she lasted, the least likely it was anyone would live, he expected.

    So he needed to end this fast.

    He blocked her attack, with his earth covered bracer, to protect it, then strengthened his punch with the same element. She landed with a gasp, then choked, before regaining control and getting to her feet, her expression more determined. Tibs told her to stay down, only for his words not to go anywhere.

    So it wasn¡¯t just that he could use air to bring words to him, they needed air to be.

    The sword strike hit him in the chest, and he looked at her, annoyed at his distraction and yet more holes in his still repairing armor. He punched her in the face and she staggered back. She attempted another swing, her expression fearful, but she staggered again and dropped to a knee. She forced herself to stand, the determination back, stronger. Tibs shook his head. Pointed to the floor.

    She came at him, sword high, steps unsure. Tibs stepped out of the way of the swing with ease and the motion took her off her feet. Her sword silently slid away as she landed. Then she gasped, the fear back, as she watched him approach.

    It wasn¡¯t only words that needed air to be. Any sounds seemed too. Was this what Alistair had done when he¡¯d given them privacy? Somehow used water to divide the air on one side from the other, preventing sounds from passing?

    He watched her growing still, and sensed for the others, cursing as he noticed the guard¡¯s life essence had thinned to almost nothing. He brought back air, and his gasp was loud. As was that of his opponent.

    ¡°No.¡± He kicked her across the face and she was still.

    The safe was a metal box, taller than he was, woven through with essence. Most of it metal, earth, and purity. Some air, light and darkness, along with others he couldn¡¯t identify. No threads reached out, so the weave would be to reinforce it. If it sounded an alarm, it would come from it, instead of being a trigger for something elsewhere.

    Knowing what he now knew about air and sounds, he removed it from around the safe, then proceeded to undo the weave.

    It resisted. Those he didn¡¯t know acted in concert to strengthen the whole against his will. So Tibs changed tactic. He poured corruption through the weave. Purity fought it, but Tibs had an unending reserve while it only had what was within the weave. It was overwhelmed, and the rest melted away with it.

    Then the safe sagged and Tibs hurried to pull the essence out. He needed the contents intact.

    He undid the door and looked in, awed at the content.

    Stacks and stacks of coins, wrapped in leather. Copper, silver, electrum, gold and something silver like, but with blue in it. On a shelf were bars of the same metals. On another, stacks of papers.

    He shoved the coins into Archer¡¯s bags, swallowing his giddiness. This had to be the most coins any rogue had ever held. Before putting the bars in, he sent one of each to his hiding place. It was the same metals as the coins, so had to be valuable. When that was all in, and the bag hardly bulged, he considered the papers. They weren¡¯t the contracts, unless the man had been wrong, and there were too many stacks of them, bound in leather, for that. He couldn¡¯t take the time to figure out what they were, so they all when into the bag. Once he was away, and before he reached the tavern, he¡¯d looked them over.

    He sensed no one in the corridor, and his ears confirmed it. A glance added to that, so he exited. The woman at the desk had collected the papers and was assembling them into orderly piles. She barely glanced at him as he headed for the stairs. The lamps were lit again, and the door¡¯s handle unlocked the door as he turned it. He didn¡¯t have the time to wonder about the mechanism as he readied himself for the guard.

    Who didn¡¯t look at him as Tibs headed for the stairs leading to the upper floors. The hall was lit again, but people were still picking up papers and other item that had been sent flying.

    He couldn¡¯t take the time to go in and take the contracts anymore, but he also wasn¡¯t leaving them in the Brokerage¡¯s possession. Some of the other rooms under the building had had even larger safes. There would be enough coins in those for them to keep paying to have Kragle Rock attacked, no matter what Archer believed.

    So he needed to destroy them.

    Sensing the room Archer had told him about, it had many safes with weaves similar to the one he¡¯d undone. What Archer hadn¡¯t told him was which safe it would be.

    The solution to that was simple. He¡¯d destroy the content of all the safes. He figured fire deserved a feast.

    He poured it into each of them as he walked up the steps, having to keep adding to it. Since the moment stopped, the weave acted to douse fire. Again, it was fine, as he had far more essence than it. A bell sounded. Rung by someone in the room, since the weaves didn¡¯t connect to anything. While fire was contained inside the safes, eagerly devouring their content, the heat it generated filled the metal walls and leaked outside.

    When he reached the floor, people were screaming, running away. Tibs felt the heat pouring out of the room from the stairs. A man stopped, pointed at Tibs, and yelled something.

    Maybe his eyes had given him away.

    That was fine. Fire was useful here, too. He waved his hands and fire licked around them. People yelled again, moving away from him. When someone didn¡¯t, he flung fire at them as he kept running up the stairs. He kept the fire from harming them, but everyone knew how hungry it was, and that fear was enough to scatter everyone he encountered.

    Guards were running after him by the time he reached the floor, and three happened to be before him. Tibs let go of fire and channeled metal, suffusing himself and pushing the essence through his armor and clothing. Hopefully, that would work to keep them intact.

    The swords glanced off him as he shouldered them out of his way. Then he was through the door and running for the window.

    It and the surrounding wall exploded under the blast of air and he didn¡¯t slow as he threw himself out, pushing away from the building and using air and water to form a channel below him to slide along onto the roof of the facing building.

    Lightning flashed, and the explosion of a spire a few buildings away was covered by the thunder that made Tibs¡¯s ears ring.

    He laughed as he landed on the roof and rolled to his feet. He¡¯d done it. Had gotten the coins, destroyed the contracts and only had two holes in his armor out of it.

    He straightened at the sound of swords being pulled out of their scabbards.

    Right, the roofs had guards.

    He turned to the sound of another sword being drawn, and another.

    Instead of the one or two guards he¡¯d expected, Seven stood in the lantern¡¯s faint light, moving into the darkness to surround him. They all look angry.

    Well, he had just broken out of a building they were supposed to be protecting, so they had reasons to be angry at him.

    He grinned. ¡°Metal swords, and me without a weapon. This should be¡ª¡±

    The air crackled around him as two guards ran in his direction. He frowned at his hand as bursts of lightning jumped between in fingers and to the raindrops.

    Metal didn¡¯t make lightning¡­ did it?

    Tibs exploded with light, and the thunder was so loud it left utter silence in its wake.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 57

    Motes of lights filled Tibs¡¯s sight as his heart slowed; no, small lightnings. He blinked to clear them, trying to understand what happened.

    ¡°You are here!¡± The words exploded like thunder within the lightning, the first on his left, the next on his right, and the last above him. ¡°I am glad! I didn¡¯t think you would! Few find me.¡± The volume lowered with each word until they no longer hurt, but they still had the thunder¡¯s strength, and moved around with each one. It was as if a crowd with the same voice hid within the lightning and a random person spoke each word. Or, Tibs realized¡­

    ¡°You¡¯re an element.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± This time, the word boomed so loudly Tibs was shoved back.

    He kept blinking, knowing he wouldn¡¯t help. These weren¡¯t the spots looking at the sun and then away caused. They were the element.

    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ Lightning?¡±

    ¡°Of course. You came to me, did you not, Child of Human?¡±

    ¡°Not¡ª¡± he rubbed his temple. Could he offend an element?

    Laughter boomed all around him. ¡°It has been a time since one came to me unplanned.¡±

    He remembered Mama¡¯s warning, given to him as the sky turned gray, the winds picked up and they hurried to their shelter. Never stay out in the storm. Seek a low building. Hide under, lest it take you away from me.

    His heart tightened. Why did she have to be taken from him so early? He wasn¡¯t ready for the world. What other lessons could she have given him?

    ¡°It will pass,¡± the voice said with a gentleness that carried as the words danced around. ¡°Nothing lasts.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t help,¡± Tibs replied bitterly. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°To move, to dance, to flit and be.¡±

    Tibs took a breath, and ignored he wasn¡¯t breathing. There was no air here. Only Lightning. ¡°That sound like what Air does. I thought you were all different.¡±

    ¡°Air is everywhere; ever changing, ever moving, never fixed.¡± The pause was filled with a crackling Tibs could imagine was laughter. ¡°I am here, and here, and here. I stay, I go.¡±

    The words jumped around, And Tibs gave up understanding what he meant. The elements weren¡¯t people, so he couldn¡¯t expect them to act or think like he did.

    So. This was an audience. How had he gotten here? That didn¡¯t matter at the moment. The goal of his audiences was to get the shadow of the element. It would be within Lightning, which was all around him.

    ¡°It is here!¡± the words had such joy in them, as they bounced, Tibs smiled.

    He looked around, and it didn¡¯t help. All he saw were the sparkles of lightning. He reached for some of the¡­ darkness was the wrong word in this ever lit place. The lesser brightness that followed the flashes; one of them might be the shadow.

    His hand closed over nothing.

    Lightning didn¡¯t laugh. Tibs wasn¡¯t even sure he watched. There was something to the stretching silence that made him think the element was no longer aware he was there. But that couldn¡¯t be right. Tibs was inside. Lightning had to know about it. So this was¡­ him being ignored? That didn¡¯t feel right. The element was distracted? What could distract him from what was within him?

    Lightning chuckled, the sound dancing around and causing bursts of light and following lesser light.

    Tibs tried to follow them, but they were too quick. One close, the other far. Ahead or back, up or down, left or right. There had to be something¡­ a pattern that would let him work out where the voice would be. Where Lightning would be.

    For that, Tibs needed to get him talking.

    The only question that came to him was the one he didn¡¯t think he had time for.

    ¡°How did I get here?¡±

    ¡°The way all come to me.¡± Up, left, right, up, down, behind. But not exactly. This wasn¡¯t a puzzle, with only a few set moves. He had all around Tibs to move in.

    ¡°But I wasn¡¯t having strong emotions. I was amused by the guard surrounding me. I was curious how their metal weapons would work while I was suffused. Then I was puzzled by the lighting on my fingers and there¡ª¡± light, so much light he couldn¡¯t breathe, so much the pain only registered with the thought this might¡ª

    He swallowed.

    There had been too much for him to register the terror he felt.

    ¡°You feel strongly, Child of human. I was there, and you came.¡± How was he supposed to work out some pattern when the words were never exactly in the same location?

    ¡°Okay, how were you there? There is lightning in the clouds, but it wasn¡¯t hitting. It was dancing over my hand. Does metal make lightning?¡±

    Laughter, sliding around this time in a way he thought he could follow, only for it to jump when he set his gaze on where he would have been next.

    This wasn¡¯t working.

    ¡°Metal and I have a kinship. The way Air and Earth dislike each other.¡±

    Tibs stilled himself. He needed a different tactic.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense. Not liking someone isn¡¯t the same as having a kinship.¡±

    ¡°It is not? Metal and I are touched; as Air and Earth are. Connections are the same in that they are. The flavor of them does not make them false.¡±

    Trying to understand Lighting was more of a distraction from what he needed to do than letting him learn anything useful.

    ¡°Then, that connection lets Metal make lighting?¡±

    Laughter again. ¡°Metal can not make me anymore than I make Earth, Corruption, Light.¡±

    ¡°But there¡¯s light.¡± Tibs motioned around him.

    ¡°No. There is only me.¡±

    Tibs sensed, and Lighting was right. There was no light essence anywhere here. So how was it so bright? Was what Lighting created another kind of light? The way cold came about differently depending on the element?

    ¡°Can something act like an element, but not be that element?¡±

    ¡°Everything is either us or from us. We make it, or it echoes from what we make.¡± Tibs reached for a flash, knowing he was wasting the time, but at a loss for what else to do. ¡°The kinship we share makes the rest.¡±

    Tibs stopped in the process of reaching for another one. What was he doing? All he¡¯d do was make himself out of breath with all this moving around.

    He groaned.

    He¡¯d done it again.

    He was treating this place the same as the world he came from. Acted like he had a body, when all he was was essence.

    ¡°You do like remaining locked in the way you think,¡± Lightning mused. ¡°You are, then are not. And yet, you act as you will always be.¡± He meant all of them, people, Tibs realized.

    Tibs pushed himself away from himself. Attentive to any attempt by Lighting to move away.

    He didn¡¯t.

    ¡°There is no away,¡± Lighting said, the words moving within Tibs. Too fast to get a sense of the accompanying flash, but the further he spread, the more the voice remained within ¡®him¡¯.

    He made out nuances. Not every flash was there, then completely gone. Some slid from one location to the other instead. It happened so fast that even when it was within him, all he perceived was the faint trail the slide left behind.

    Lightning didn¡¯t so much flash and gather more of himself for a word, then was elsewhere. As if he caught his breath before each word and place. It only paused for it, then moved again. Could he stop at all? If Tibs forced him to pounder something, would he stay still long enough for him to make out the shadow?

    ¡°Can you stop moving?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°Can a human stop breathing? Can you stop eating? Can you stop being?¡±

    ¡°For a little while. Well, I don¡¯t know about being. I think that happens when we die.¡±

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    ¡°So can I.¡±

    ¡°And the words are how long you can stop, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°It is.¡±

    ¡°So, this isn¡¯t you testing me to be sure I deserve the shadow. This is just you¡­being?¡±

    ¡°You deserve what comes by achieving it. We do not test; the way the word exists in your mind. We do not seek for you to fail or succeed. We seek for you to understand.¡±

    ¡°Understand you?¡±

    ¡°Me, us, you, all.¡±

    The impression he got from Lightning was very much like what had moved over his hand. Strands in all directions from a trunk that jumped from place to place. Within that trunk, the intensity varied, causing the impression of shadows among it.

    Except that one of them moved along a trunk, instead of changing intensity. It was carried along as Lightning moved. Tibs formed his essence around that region, making himself dense as he moved along with it until it melded within him.

    His core reserve grew, although he could no longer tell by how much. A new reserve formed between air and purity, crackling with lighting.

    ¡°So that¡¯s all there is?¡± Tibs asked. ¡°Me, understanding what you are so I can get the shadow?¡±

    ¡°Nothing is all there is. Everything is. It all moves, even once it stops.¡±

    ¡°That¡ª¡± What else did he expect? Lightning was an element. He couldn¡¯t hope to understand everything about it. ¡°I guess that¡¯s it then. I can go back.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs staggered, nearly slipped on the wet roof.

    His legs shook with the need to move, to run. He giggled, lifting his face to the falling rain. There was so much to do; that he could do. Where to start?

    Here? No, there? No, of course not. Why bother with starting here or there? He should start both and all the others. Oh, he could do so much now. And he would never stop. Do, do, do, do, and do some more.

    A woman groaned.

    His gaze flitted around, from one thing to the next. A person, a lantern, a sword, something burned, a shield, another person, shard of glass, shards of pottery. Too much for him to understand what it meant.

    Not that any of that mattered. He had too much to do. He needed to more and¡ª

    Stop!

    The mental command he gave himself triggered such horror, it nearly sent him running. He couldn¡¯t stop. To stop was to end. He had to move, always move. And do! How could he think of stopping?

    Tibs kept himself in place; focused on the sound of the rain hitting the roof to fight the ever-growing terror.

    He wasn¡¯t the element.

    And he realized he was suffused with Lightning. How? It had been metal before. Not important right now. Since that was the problem, the solution was simply to let go.

    He dropped to his knees, panting. He felt like he¡¯d run the city¡¯s roof from one end to the other, even if he was still exactly where he¡¯d been struck. The roof was charred around him in a pattern that match that of lighting, even seeming to shift as water flowed over it.

    Seven bodies sprawled around him; singed and burned. Three were dead, their essence gone. The others were hurt, but their essence fully there and not leaking away. Not dying and no injuries that would cause them to die. But there was something to their essence.

    Anytime someone¡¯s essence wasn¡¯t the usual thin sense of them, it indicated they were injured. It broke with the bone, leaked out when the injury bled, even inside them. Poisons corrupted it.

    This was none of those. He¡¯d never encountered this before. He applied purity, only to have it come undone when it touched the changed essence, as if a jagged knife shook quickly tearing a thin fabric as it touched the teeth. Or like dancing lighting, within the essence.

    The charred marks spread from where he¡¯d stood to each of the broken items, and person. However it had happened, lightning had struck him and spread through the roof and to the people. It had hurt him, caused pain. It could cause damage. He looked at one of the body without essence. Lightning could kill.

    Mama had been right to warn him to hide from storms.

    Light flashed, and thunder almost covered to the sound of crashing stone. It came from the side, so it wasn¡¯t the Brokerage that had been hit.

    He smoothed the jittering within the four¡¯s essence as best as he could. This was all he could do, short of waking them, and he wasn¡¯t risking that. Their sense of duty might be greater than any gratitude they felt, if they even believed Tibs had healed them.

    He ran, the rain quickly stealing the roof from his view, and his sense, unless he focused there. He sensed the destroyed building jumped over it, making disks out of the rain as stepping stones. Exhaustion caught up to him faster than he expected, or far longer after it should, considering how he¡¯d felt on letting go of lighting.

    He slipped into an unoccupied room, dried himself, and sat at the desk. He considered suffusing himself with purity, but the act of being still, of not doing much, after the need to move that came with Lightning felt nice.

    He untied the bag from his belt, surprised at how it still looked and felt mostly empty. The slight bulge could be from it being folded in on itself. He reached in, then deeper, groping around. His shoulder was in the bag¡¯s mouth and still, he felt nothing. If not for Archer¡¯s warning, he might have put his head in so see where it all was.

    He didn¡¯t have that problem with his hiding place. Or Jackal with his pouch. All they had to do was reach in and what he wanted was there.

    Except. This time, he¡¯d reached in wanting nothing. He¡¯d expected to feel the coins and papers and pull that out. He envisioned a stack of the papers. There had been writing. They were bound by a leather strap.

    He reached in and his fingers touched paper.

    He unclasped the leather and spread the papers on the desk. They were fine, although the bag, along with his clothing and armor, was singed. The papers were the same size. Two of his hands side by side high, and three of them wide. The words were in letters he recognized, but arranged into words that meant nothing to him. Three lines of them in the center of the paper. The edge of the paper had decorative loops, knots, and flowing lines. At the top, two words with the sense of being a name in the way the first letter of each was taller.

    Carina hadn¡¯t been able to explain why the first letter of people¡¯s name was written taller. One of those ¡®it¡¯s just how it¡¯s done,¡¯ she¡¯d said.

    There were too many of them for Tibs¡¯s liking.

    At the bottom of the paper, four lines of smaller text, almost too small to make the words out.

    The page below it had the same words in the same places, even the decorations around the page were the same. The one below that also the same. As far as he could tell, they all were; the two and seven pages in the stack. How and why this had been done baffled him. There was no weave in the paper, although he didn¡¯t know if magic would leave something behind to indicate it had been used to make identical copies. What did anyone need so many of the same papers for?

    He pulled every stack from the bag and lined them on the desk.

    Two and two of them. Some weren¡¯t as thick, some thicker.

    The name at the top was the same on each stack. As were the words from the small text at the bottom, and the top two lines in the center. The third varied between bundles, but was always the same within it. He had five variations of that line, and no idea what that could mean.

    These weren¡¯t contracts. Darran had written one for him and the merchants, as well as the one between Don and the Corruption sorcerers. Contracts were lines after lines after lines of words explaining every detail until Tibs had wanted to gauge his eyes out.

    So what were they? They had been in a safe with coins and metal bars of the same material. All valuable things, so these had to be too. The only person he had here who might know was Archer, but did Tibs trust him to tell the truth about it?

    He didn¡¯t trust the man at all.

    He placed one of each variation back in the bag, then added the thinnest and thickest one. He figured it would seem odd that there had been one of each, exactly. The others he put in his hiding place, starting with the thicker and continuing, figuring he¡¯d put what didn¡¯t fit back in the bag.

    Only they all fit.

    Sto had warned him it couldn¡¯t hold as much as Jackal¡¯s pouch, and only smaller things. He added a bar of each of the metals, and they fit too. Maybe he should test just how much it could hold once he was back in Kragle Rock. And After he showed them to Darran. Whatever Archer said, the merchant would tell him the truth. He couldn¡¯t even ask how Tibs had acquired them. Not that he¡¯d care about them being stolen.

    * * * * *

    Water trailed on the floor of the tavern as Tibs hurried to the stairs. Once in the room and the door closed, he dried himself and dropped the bag before the archer.

    ¡°What¡­¡± the man looked him over. ¡°Happened?¡±

    Tibs looked down at himself. Right, everything was singed. ¡°Things didn¡¯t go according to plan, but I¡¯m okay.¡± He dropped onto his pallet. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that,¡± he said as Archer grabbed the singed bag by the bottom. ¡°There are a lot of coins in there.¡±

    He weighed the bag in his hand. ¡°How much?¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°The room you sent me to had a safe taller than I am, and wider. I emptied it in there.¡±

    Archer opened it and put his arm in to his elbow and came out with a handful of coins. He dropped them in with a whistle and pulled one of the bars out. ¡°How many of these?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t count them. What are they?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re a way to carry more money than their equivalent weight in them. Did you take some?¡± he asked, glancing at Tibs as he put the bar back in.

    ¡°The deal was you get the coins. I get to not have to deal with the assassins anymore.¡± It wasn¡¯t like Archer would know about the bars he kept.

    The man nodded and pulled out a stack of papers.

    Tibs kept from reacting at the ease he did it with. He couldn¡¯t have known they were in there, and it had taken Tibs work to get one. The surprise on the man¡¯s face confirmed that.

    ¡°What are they?¡±

    Archer¡¯s gaze flicked to Tibs, then back to the stack. ¡°Didn¡¯t you check them?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know those words.¡±

    The man nodded. ¡°They¡¯re just accounts of what they¡¯ve accumulated.¡± Tibs didn¡¯t need the glow to tell him that was a lie. Ledgers didn¡¯t look like that.

    ¡°Did you deal with the contracts, or just took the coins?¡±

    ¡°I burned them.¡±

    ¡°How did you know which ones to burn if you couldn¡¯t read them?¡±

    ¡°I burned everything in the safes that were in that room.¡±

    Archer stared at him. ¡°All of them? Is the building even still standing?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s stone,¡± Tibs replied flatly. ¡°And there¡¯s a lot of fire essence in the weave protecting it. I don¡¯t think it can burn. I just burned what was in the safes. The metal got hot, but nothing outside of them caught fire.¡± He stretched. ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep.¡±

    The sound of coins knocking against each other accompanied his descent into darkness.

    * * * * *

    ¡°Did you hear?¡± Sania asked, placing the bowl of stew and tankard before Tibs and Archer. ¡°Someone tried to rob the Brokerage.¡±

    Tibs had wanted to leave as soon as he woke, but Archer told him the person with the letter was on their way, so he had to remain.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t there always one?¡± Archer replied before digging into his food.

    ¡°But this one nearly got away. They say he made it to the roof before the guards caught up and killed him.¡±

    ¡°Good for them,¡± he said dismissively, and Sania returned to the bar.

    Tibs considered the lighting strike, the burns left behind, and the state of the surviving guards. ¡°I guess it makes sense they think I¡¯m dead.¡±

    Archer looked up from his bowl, but Tibs didn¡¯t elaborate. The archer didn¡¯t need to know about his audience. He just hoped the roof wouldn¡¯t be visited by someone with lightning as their element and senses the closeness of the element there. At least it wasn¡¯t yet another place like that in Kragle Rock.

    ¡°They¡¯re saying that so no one will think they were robbed. They can¡¯t have anyone thinking it¡¯s possible to steal from them.¡±

    Tibs chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s why they¡¯re saying that.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± this time, the tone said Archer wouldn¡¯t take a non-answer.

    Hopefully, he wouldn¡¯t work out more than what Tibs said. ¡°I was hit by lighting¡ª¡±

    ¡°You what?¡± he snapped his mouth shut as others glanced in their direction.

    ¡°The guards were still unconscious when I left.¡±

    Archer leaned in and lowered his voice. ¡°How did you survive?¡±

    ¡°Magic.¡±

    The archer opened his mouth, only to close it and look at Tibs with a lot of respect and a little bit of fear. He stayed quiet as he ate.

    The letter was placed on the table by a man with a tube slung across his back. Archer handed him a token, and he left. The man pushed it to Tibs, who opened it and couldn¡¯t read the words.

    ¡°Is this the only letter like this?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡± No light.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have another one hidden somewhere that says the same thing in different ways?¡±

    ¡°No, Tibs. I don¡¯t. I said this was it. I¡¯m a man of my words.¡±

    No light on any of them. He had to be content with that, since he couldn¡¯t know if the archer would change his mind one day. He stood. ¡°Then, we¡¯re done.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± the man called as Tibs walked away.

    He looked over his shoulder.

    Archer hesitated, then shook his head.

    Tibs left the tavern and went home.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 58

    Tibs found himself engulfed in the fighter¡¯s hug nearly as soon as he stepped into the inn. He suffused himself with earth reflexively to survive the crushing force.

    ¡°Where were you?¡± Jackal demanded as he released Tibs. ¡°Your message just said you were going off with that archer!¡±

    ¡°He was watching. I couldn¡¯t sneak much on the page.¡±

    ¡°Where did he take you?¡± Jackal looked Tibs over, frowning. ¡°What happened to you?¡±

    ¡°The city is called Shellbridge.¡± He headed for their table to give Jackal time to comment on it, and so the rest of the conversation would be more private.

    ¡°Welcome back,¡± Kroseph said, placing a tankard before him. ¡°I¡¯m glad you returned whole, if slightly singed.¡±

    ¡°The armor will repair itself,¡± Tibs commented.

    ¡°He¡¯s more worried about if you were in it when the singing happened,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°I thought you knew better than to step into fire.¡±

    Kroseph patted the fighter¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Yes, of course; I¡¯m the one concerned.¡± He chuckled and headed to the bar.

    ¡°Why did you go with him to this Shellbridge place?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know it?¡±

    ¡°Should I?¡±

    ¡°Archer said your father had businesses there.¡±

    Jackal opened and closed his mouth. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that. Where is it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. A lot of people spoke Pursatian, so it might be in the kingdom I¡¯m from, but there were also a lot of other languages.¡±

    ¡°Okay, so why did you go?¡±

    ¡°He threatened to tell the guild I have more than one element. When I chased Sebastian as he fled, Archer tried to stop me. I was channeling air, and it was before I controlled myself. I knocked him off a roof with wind. He made it close enough in time to see me burn the area around the platform.¡±

    ¡°I am going to kill him.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± Tibs said, taking the bowl from Kroseph. He wasn¡¯t hungry, but this was home food. He wasn¡¯t passing it up after all that time eating the spicy kind.

    ¡°You killed him?¡±

    Tibs shook his head, enjoying the mix of flavors.

    ¡°Then he can come back¡­. He will come back, and demand more. His kind always does.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°If he does, I¡¯ll deal with him. But I don¡¯t think he will.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Jackal asked when Tibs ate instead of adding to that comment.

    ¡°He wanted out. Out from your king¡¯s employ, and he needed coins for that. He had me rob a place called the Brokerage.¡± He watched Jackal for a reaction.

    ¡°I sort of remember my father using that name a few times,¡± he said, frowning. ¡°But I never learned what it was.¡± He grinned. ¡°Never tried to.¡±

    Tibs nodded. ¡°It¡¯s the people Sebastian gave all his coins to so they could pay assassins to come after me, and to cause Kragle Rock problems.¡± He returned the grin. ¡°They don¡¯t have any of those coins anymore.¡±

    Jackal whistled. ¡°With all those coins, you¡¯re never going to have to worry about the guild owning you.¡±

    ¡°They went to Archer,¡± Tibs said. ¡°Well, most of them. I kept a few bars, and he said they are worth plenty, but he has a whole lot more of them, along with the coins.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Jackal asked, stunned. ¡°You did the work. It¡¯s not like he¡¯d know how much there was¡­right?¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°We agreed he got the coins, and I got to end the problem for my town.¡±

    ¡°Tibs, you¡¯re a rogue. Rogues lie, along with stealing.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to risk him figuring out I¡¯d cheated him and going to the guild.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not that clever,¡± Jackal stated.

    Tibs shrugged again. Archer was much more clever than his friend gave him credit for, Tibs was sure of that. And there were the stacks of papers. They¡¯d been kept with the coins and bars, so they had to be worth something. If Jackal knew his letters, he might know about them. As it was, once he had his talk with Don, he¡¯d go see Darran. The merchant would definitely know what they were.

    ¡°Taking the coins won¡¯t be enough,¡± Jackal said. ¡°My father doesn¡¯t leave a lot to chance. There will be¡ª¡±

    ¡°I burned the contracts.¡±

    Jackal stared, then looked at Tibs¡¯s armor.

    ¡°That¡¯s not how this happened.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to tell me how, then. And okay, if there are no contracts left, it¡¯s going to be hard for anyone to enforce it.¡±

    ¡°You know about contracts?¡±

    Jackal smirked. ¡°I never looked at one, but my father was always talking about them, and how he needed his scribes to do it right, so they said what he wanted, instead of what the other people would read. Letters are way too complicated for me.¡±

    ¡°Can anyone in you family have a copy of them?¡±

    ¡°Why would there be two copies of a contract?¡± Jackal asked, as if writing the same thing twice was offensive.

    ¡°It¡¯s what Darran did with the contract between the sorcerers and Don for the corruption pool. So that they couldn¡¯t make changes to it. The sorcerer acted like that was normal.¡± He¡¯d done the same with the contract between Tibs and Don for how the coins would be distributed for the same reason. Even if Tibs assured him, there was no need. He trusted Don, but Darran hadn¡¯t budged, and Don hadn¡¯t been bothered either.

    He¡¯d trusted Don to keep his word on that, yet distrusted him at the first falsehood. Then thought he¡¯d go to the guild because Tibs had kept things from him. Well, a lot of things.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal asked, and Tibs realized he¡¯d said some things he hadn¡¯t caught.

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°I was saying that even if there¡¯s another one of that contract, I don¡¯t think anyone other than the scribe who inked it will know. And they¡¯re probably long gone at this point, either scared by the infighting for who will become the new family head, or they were clever enough to write themselves a few writs of payment and will retire off that.¡±

    ¡°So your family isn¡¯t going to continue Sebastian¡¯s revenge?¡±

    Jackal let out a bark of laughter. ¡°They¡¯ll never think to avenge him. If one of them worked out you did it, they¡¯ll be showing up to thank you. My father held his position through fear, intimidation, and removing those who got close before they could threaten his position.¡±

    ¡°Your father has people in his family killed?¡± Tibs asked, horrified.

    ¡°Or killed them himself.¡± Jackal shrugged. ¡°He never saw our family as more than a means to maintain his status. Like I told you; Wells either lead or follow. He was never going to follow, so if someone thought they could replace him, they weren¡¯t family. Just some obstacle that had to be removed. Anyone left who, somehow, still has an inkling of leadership is fighting with the others like him for who¡¯ll take over. Considering my father, and what you did. The winner isn¡¯t going to have much to work with once the chaos settles. They aren¡¯t going to be a problem. That archer, on the other hand¡­¡±

    ¡°I told you. He just wanted out. His wasn¡¯t lying.¡±

    ¡°But he might change his mind. Do you know how long until the dungeon opens? I can get a bracelet and we can go to that city and make sure he isn¡¯t going to be a problem.¡±

    ¡°I came here from the platform.¡±

    ¡°You can go and find out.¡±

    ¡°Getting ready for the new floor keeps Sto busy; he won¡¯t be listening to the outside. And there are things I have to do.¡±

    ¡°More important things than making sure someone who knows those kinds of secrets can¡¯t come back to make your life difficult?¡±

    Tibs considered the question, and even if he hadn¡¯t trusted Archer to mean it, the answer was the same. ¡°Yes.¡±

    * * * * *

    He hesitated before the door.

    Excuses for things to do that were more important, or seemed more important, than this has come to him almost as soon as he¡¯d left the inn, and Jackal. There were the stacks of papers; Those had to be more important than this. And Jackal could be right, maybe Archer would become a problem; they should take care of him now, before he could setup something like the letter again to protect himself.

    And more to tempt him away from this course.

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    But he wanted; he needed to do this.

    He knocked.

    The house was in a better neighborhood than what Tibs had expected. It certainly wasn¡¯t the worker¡¯s boarding house he¡¯d found Don in last time.

    The door opened, and the sorcerer looked at him, first in surprise, then annoyance. ¡°Looks who¡¯s back to darken my doorstep.¡± He looked well, which somehow surprised Tibs. He was clean, as were his clothes, although he needed a shave. Tibs had never seen Don with facial hair before. The room was small, but respectable. The kind of place he¡¯d expected someone like the sorcerer would pick when he had a choice.

    Don sighed and stepped out of the way. ¡°So good of you to end your time away and come see me.¡± The tone dripped with sarcasm, and Tibs¡¯s mood darkened.

    ¡°I was planning on coming sooner,¡± he said, fighting to keep his voice neutral as he entered.

    ¡°Oh, of course. But whatever took you away must have been so much more pressing.¡±

    ¡°I was blackmailed into it.¡±

    Don paused in closing the door, eyed Tibs, then finished. ¡°Jackal didn¡¯t tell me that.¡±

    ¡°You talked with Jackal?¡± Tibs asked, surprised.

    ¡°What do you think, Tibs?¡± Don replied, his tone darkening. He took a breath. ¡°When you didn¡¯t seek me out, I figured it was on me to be the adult and find you so we could talk things over.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Tibs sat on the chair away from the desk, feeling¡­small. At no point had it occurred to him Don might want to resolve things. Just like he¡¯d decided the sorcerer was bad because he¡¯d lied about how he joined his team. Then lashed out when Don accused him of keeping secrets. Tibs had come here expecting to have to convince him talking was the better thing to do.

    ¡°How did they blackmail you?¡± Don asked, taking the seat by the desk. His voice only held curiosity.

    ¡°They know I have more than one element and threatened to tell the guild if I didn¡¯t go with them.¡±

    ¡°How did they know?¡± he asked, suspicious.

    Tibs sighed. ¡°When this started. If I channeled one of the elements, it changed how I thought. I became more like them. Because of that, I was careless. They were protecting Sebastian as he fled to the platform. He saw me use air and fire, and he knew I was supposed to be a water rogue.¡±

    ¡°You could have said you had items,¡± Don said, and Tibs was surprised again. Somehow, he¡¯d expected Don to be offended someone had found out his secret before him.

    ¡°I¡¯m just Rho, as far as the guild is concerned. I wasn¡¯t that when it happened. How would I explain them? Or how I was able to hide them from the guild? Anything he told them would have caused them to look too closely at me. And what he wanted me to do was going to help the town. So it was easier to go with him.¡±

    ¡°All Jackal told me was that you¡¯d left.¡±

    Tibs frowned. ¡°I told him with who, I thought he¡¯d be able to work out there was a good reason.¡±

    ¡°The conversation didn¡¯t go particularly well,¡± Don said.

    Tibs nodded, easily imagining Jackal angry at Don on his behalf. ¡°I¡¯d have expected him to tell Mez.¡±

    Don sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve been avoiding him.¡±

    ¡°Why? I¡¯m pretty sure that even if I was angry, he¡¯d still want to be your friend.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and after the way I treated him, I don¡¯t deserve his friendship. That and I knew he¡¯d convince me to go to you and apologize so we could be a team again. I didn¡¯t do anything wrong,¡± he added forcefully, ¡°so what should I¡ª¡± he closed his mouth and breathed.

    Tibs nodded and looked at the books stacked on the desk while he swallowed his discomfort. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell Tirania.¡±

    ¡°Did you really think I¡¯d betray you like that?¡± the anger was creeping back into his voice.

    Tibs looked at the floor. ¡°When I¡¯m angry, I lash out.¡±

    ¡°And you thought it¡¯s what I¡¯d do, too.¡±

    ¡°Don¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I gave you a whole lot more to change how you thought of me,¡± the sorcerer said over Tibs¡¯s attempt at an explanation, sounding resigned. ¡°When we first met, I treated you like nothing. I lashed out at you and your team for protecting Mez. I lost track of the numbers of times I went out of my way to make your life more difficult, even after you sought me out and screamed at Harry to defend me.¡± He chucked, but it died quickly. ¡°After I left you to be killed by Sebastian¡¯s men. I was an idiot to think all that would be erased by just a few runs of me just being there and doing my part.¡±

    He took a wooden cup from a drawer and offered it to Tibs, who filled it with water.

    ¡°I almost told her.¡± He drank.

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you?¡±

    The chuckle was bitter. ¡°Because, it turns out, I¡¯m not so important that she will drop whatever she¡¯s dealing with to speak with me. She was dealing with some stuff from above her, is what I found out afterward. Still is I think. But while I sat there, waiting for her to make time for me, I had nothing to do but think, and all these things I mentioned came back to me. And I realized that maybe you weren¡¯t entirely wrong not to share everything with me.¡± Another bitter chuckle. ¡°So we got lucky. I know it¡¯s not a thing,¡± he said dismissively. ¡°But I also understand how it is that anyone who doesn¡¯t understand how the elements work believe it is. If she hadn¡¯t been busy that day, I¡¯d have gone back to being that petty asshole, more interesting in his hurt feelings than someone¡¯s reasonable justifications for holding things back.¡±

    ¡°Where were you hiding? I tried to find you a few times. Tirania mentioned you were in the guild. Did you spend all your time there?¡±

    Don frowned. ¡°No. I went there to train, but I wasn¡¯t hiding.¡±

    ¡°Then how come I couldn¡¯t find you?¡±

    ¡°Kragle Rock¡¯s a large place, Tibs. I don¡¯t know. I mean, I spent time walking around. Tried to commune with Corruption at the pool, mostly did what I could to avoid feeling like the ass I figured you thought I was.¡±

    ¡°So, I just didn¡¯t try hard enough.¡± It hurt to think he hadn¡¯t wanted to fix this that badly. He thought he was better than that.

    ¡°Or it just didn¡¯t line up. As I said, I get why people believe luck is an element.¡±

    Tibs nodded, and the silence stretched. He wished Don would make demands. Tibs was ready for a confrontation or an argument. He didn¡¯t know how to just¡­ tell him.

    ¡°What do you want to know?¡± he finally said, as a compromise.

    Don laughed. ¡°What don¡¯t I want to know, Tibs? Do you understand how impossible what you did is? What I think I¡¯ve worked out you can do?¡± He motioned to the stack of books. ¡°I tried to find books about anything coming close, but anything the merchants here could offer was about sorcerers and how to go about pulling essence from objects. I haven¡¯t read anything among all the books I did that do more than that. I want to know how it happened? Why you? What else you can do?¡± As Don became agitated. Tibs imagined Lightning coursing through his body.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know a lot of the answers. I don¡¯t know why me. When I had my audience, there was a shadow within Water, and I reached for that, instead of taking her as my element. I talked with people about some of how their Audience went, and only one mentioned that shadow, but they didn¡¯t take it.¡±

    Don closed his eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t see that. Do you know what the two of you have in common? Do they also have water?¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°So, that shadow gave you all these elements?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯ve had to get audiences for each of them.¡±

    Don¡¯s eyes snapped open. ¡°You can¡¯t have more than one audience. Certainly not with the other elements.¡±

    Tibs grinned. ¡°Who told you that?¡±

    ¡°My¡­. Right, I shouldn¡¯t trust what the guild tells me. But everything I¡¯ve read says it¡¯s impossible.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. He figured now was not the time to point out books weren¡¯t about truths, but what people believed in.

    Don studied him. ¡°Corruption is one of those elements you have, isn¡¯t it?¡± Tibs nodded. ¡°It explains why you didn¡¯t react immediately when I used it on you. You have no idea how much it bothered me that you could resist the pain even that short time. It didn¡¯t actually hurt you, did it? When I concentrate, I can keep corruption from being painful even if I¡¯m subjected to a lot of it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ I don¡¯t have to think about it.¡±

    Don raised an eyebrow. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s¡­ Sebastian¡¯s house. That was you and not me, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Tibs nodded. ¡°I couldn¡¯t work out how I¡¯d done it. The best I managed was that I¡¯d caused a cascade effect within the weave when I pushed corruption in, but that was because I thought it had to have been me. How did you do it? The amount of essence needed to bring a weave of that magnitude down is¡­¡± He shrugged.

    ¡°I have a lot of essence.¡±

    ¡°Yes, our reserve holds more as we become stronger, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, each time I get a new element, my reserve increases by the size of that reserve.¡±

    ¡°So, you have a full reserve for each of your element. That¡¯s what I was¡­ it isn¡¯t what you mean?¡±

    ¡°My reserve for each element is really small. I can barely do anything with what¡¯s in it. But I have another one, a really big one I can change.¡±

    ¡°And that big reserve is the size of all your elements¡¯ reserve, as if they were side by side, and they were like mine. But if it¡¯s all water, how did you take down the weave on Sebastian¡¯s house? And why the small reserves, then?¡±

    Tibs let go of water, and Don stared. ¡°It isn¡¯t water. Sto called is Life, and if I reach for a small reserve, it all becomes that element.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s Sto? No, let¡¯s get back to that later. What are you talking about? Life as an element? That isn¡¯t a thing.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°Everyone has it. In the townsfolk, it¡¯s so thin that if they¡¯re in a crowd, I can¡¯t tell them apart. If there¡¯s a Runner in them. They¡¯re all I can make out.¡±

    ¡°And we have it too?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s different in Runners. It¡¯s¡­ colored by your element. It¡¯s the best word I can come up with for how it feels.¡±

    Don nodded. ¡°Words never seem to be adequate when talking about essence or the elements, do they?¡±

    ¡°Yours is tinted purple, like your eyes. I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s really how it is, or if because I¡¯ve seen your eyes, it¡¯s how I ¡®see¡¯ the sense of it, but Jackal¡¯s red-brown, Mez is red-orange, Khumdar is black. Someone with metal is that gray of their eyes too.¡±

    ¡°So a Runner¡¯s essence is composed of our element and that¡­ I¡¯m getting it wrong again.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a mix of the two. I can sense your essence through your body, but it¡¯s different. Yes, I can sense you pulling it out of your reserve now,¡± he said as Don¡¯s essence poured into the channels. ¡°I can tell you¡¯re filling your channels. What does it do?¡±

    ¡°Nothing yet. This is an exercise to strengthen them. I¡¯ve read the theory, but my teacher won¡¯t confirm any of it. Something about not letting what I know prejudice what I can do.¡±

    ¡°You can do anything.¡±

    ¡°No, our element limits what we can do.¡±

    ¡°No. It¡¯ll change how it¡¯s done, but if someone does something with theirs, you can do the equivalent with your element.¡±

    ¡°How do you know? Is that something with having all the elements?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s something I noticed, and my teacher sort of confirmed it. He made it so no one could listen in on our talk using water at one point. Only shouldn¡¯t that be something from air? It¡¯s what happens with a weave, how the Arcanus in the filigree change what it does.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but filling my channel isn¡¯t the same thing. That only creates specific, documented effects. I¡¯ve read books about that.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about how the channels work,¡± Tibs admitted, ¡°but what if they¡¯re wrong about how it works?¡±

    ¡°When they think they¡¯re wrong, they note it within the text. Often with thoughts about the kinds of experiment they¡¯ll attempt to pursue the question further.¡±

    ¡°What if they don¡¯t know they¡¯re wrong?¡±

    Don shook his head. ¡°When they write the conclusion, they¡¯s spent decades on the subject, some a lifetime. They know they are right by then.¡±

    ¡°Good scholars never say they know something for certain,¡± Tibs said, ¡°only that they¡¯re confident about what they¡¯ve worked out.¡±

    Don stared, mouth working, but no words coming out.

    ¡°Think about it this way. Does your teacher know that an amulet works like a reserve?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Don replied, regaining confidence. ¡°It¡¯s the primary way to increase how much essence I have. It¡¯s how sorcerer store a lot of the other essence they need for their castings.¡±

    Tibs was momentarily put off, but it made sense sorcerers would know that one. After all, the corruption sorcerer they¡¯d dealt with had many amulets and other kinds of reserve on her.

    ¡°Okay, then, how about refilling it? How does he go about it?¡±

    ¡°The same way we all do,¡± Don said, searching Tibs¡¯s face. ¡°He stores it so it can absorb from what¡¯s around us.¡±

    ¡°Have you tried pushing your essence into it?¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t how it works, Tibs,¡± Don said, slightly annoyed.

    ¡°According to who?¡±

    ¡°Everyone.¡± Exasperation was slipping in.

    ¡°Not according to me.¡±

    ¡°Tibs, just because¡­¡± the sorcerer frowned. He shook his head and opened his mouth, closed it. In a huff, he stood and went to a chest. He rummaged through it, pulled an amulet and faced Tibs, his expression defiant, then surprised, then angry.

    ¡°Why would he hold that back from me?¡± He snapped, then swore colorfully. ¡°Do you have any idea how many of them I had to buy, so I¡¯d have a full one while the other recharged? How many times did I almost die in the dungeon because I¡¯d exhausted the one amulet I had that had enough in it to do anything with? There¡¯s two dozen in there that aren¡¯t of use at the moment!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s keeping that from you,¡± Tibs said as Don threw the amulet in and picked another one. ¡°When I showed it to my teacher, he was surprised. He never thought about it because he isn¡¯t a sorcerer. But he¡¯s known sorcerers. Why didn¡¯t any of them tell him if they knew?¡±

    ¡°Because rogues can¡¯t use essence the way sorcerers do.¡±

    ¡°But you talk with your team about stuff you can do. How come he never saw the team¡¯s sorcerer do what you¡¯re doing? It¡¯s kind of obvious you¡¯re doing something, even if I wouldn¡¯t know what.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re saying that even sorcerers don¡¯t know that we can push our essence into an amulet to charge it?¡±

    ¡°Why would your teacher keep something this important from you, if he knew about it?¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 59

    ¡°Sit down,¡± Don instructed, indicating the chair Tibs had sat on the last time they¡¯d spoken.

    The conversation had gone on long in the night and consisted mostly of Tibs not knowing answers to the sorcerer¡¯s questions. He could tell and show what he could do, but when asked about how he did most of them, or why he couldn¡¯t do certain things, Tibs only shrugged. Then Don had asked about the elements themselves, and how it was they could change how Tibs thought, and that Tibs hadn¡¯t had answers for. Almost as soon as he¡¯d said that, Don had brought it to an end by saying there were things he needed to read up on.

    That had been four days ago. Long enough for him to go to Darran¡¯s shop and find out the merchant had left Kragle Rock for a few days.

    Long enough for Jackal to comment on how, if Don was part of the team again, he should be eating at their table. Tibs only had a suspicion for why the sorcerer wasn¡¯t with them. He didn¡¯t think there were books in Kragle Rock that covered whatever it was Don thought he needed to read about at this point.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we should do this here,¡± Tibs said.

    Then Don has showed up at the inn and told Tibs he was ready to help him with his control problem. He¡¯d been eager to find out what the sorcerer had learned, but knowing how his training in that usually went, the room Don stayed in was not where Tibs had expected to be led to.

    ¡°Just sit down, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°I told you how destructive I get when I¡¯m channeling a new element, and lightning can destroy buildings.¡±

    ¡°Which is why you aren¡¯t channeling it today.¡±

    ¡°I thought this was going to be training.¡±

    Don looked at him. ¡°You¡¯ve been thinking about this wrong.¡± He pointed to the chair. ¡°From the start.¡±

    Tibs narrowed his eyes, but sat. ¡°Don, I think I¡¯ve been dealing with this long enough to know more about it than you do.¡±

    The sorcerer smirked. ¡°You know more about throwing yourself out of windows; doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s the best way to reach the ground.¡±

    ¡°I wish I hadn¡¯t told you about that if all you were going to do with it was mock me.¡±

    Don chuckled. ¡°Sorry. It¡¯s just amusing to me how you seem to cause the problem first, and then deal with finding a way to handle it.¡±

    ¡°And how should I go about dealing with something I had no idea would happen?¡± he asked in exasperation.

    ¡°But now, you do know what will happen.¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± Tibs snapped. ¡°When I channel Lightning, I¡¯m going to need to move, go places, do everything. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m going to do with my essence, but I know I¡¯m going to end up destroying something.¡± He motioned to the bedroom around them. ¡°I turned the inside of a warehouse into kindling because I thought Air would be an element that wasn¡¯t destructive. What?¡± he demanded at Don¡¯s smile.

    ¡°You laid out everything you need to deal with, yet, you¡¯re still waiting until after the problem starts to deal with it. And why a warehouse? Seems like the dungeon is a better place to practice it that way.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­explain that during the next run. It¡¯s going to be easier there.¡± Among all the questions, Don hadn¡¯t brought up his mention of Sto, so Tibs wasn¡¯t sure it was something he could explain without having Sto there to help. ¡°But even if I wanted to do it there, it¡¯s not like I can go in anytime I want. The runs are once a week now. They weren¡¯t as often before.¡±

    Except that Sto had offered to let Tibs in when he wanted, make a door just for him. Why hadn¡¯t he¡ª

    ¡°And that shows you aren¡¯t going at it the right way.¡±

    Tibs took slow and long breaths before speaking. ¡°Fine. How should I have gone about it, then?¡±

    Don grinned. ¡°You really want to insult me right now, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°You are kind of rubbing your ¡®I know so much more than you do¡¯ in my face; so yes, insulting you is tempting.¡±

    ¡°Sorry.¡± The grin didn¡¯t vanish. ¡°But I do know more than you.¡±

    ¡°Don,¡± Tibs warned.

    ¡°Why are you waiting until after you¡¯re out of control to gain it?¡±

    ¡°How else am I going to do it?¡±

    ¡°The same way you didn¡¯t insult me. The same way you¡¯re not at the guild right now, trying to burn it to the ground.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t do that. There¡¯s too much magic protecting it.¡±

    ¡°But you want to.¡±

    ¡°But I can¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°You could try, then deal with the consequences.¡±

    ¡°Don,¡± Tibs growled. ¡°I know you¡¯re trying to get me to understand something about how that relates to my training, but I don¡¯t get it.¡±

    The sorcerer considered something, then nodded. ¡°You¡¯re exercising control before the fact.¡±

    ¡°Because I know that trying it isn¡¯t going to do anything. Channeling a new element is the only way to figure out how it¡¯s going to affect me, so what I have to do to control it.¡±

    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Don, I¡¯ve tried¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all emotions, Tibs,¡± Don cut him off. ¡°It¡¯s what the elements do to you. They increase one of them beyond what you¡¯re used to.¡±

    ¡°Which is why I need to channel him,¡± Tibs said slowly, struggling with thinking that Don was being slow on purpose. ¡°I need to experience it and figure out how to handle it. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve experienced anything like that before.¡±

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen you angry, Tibs. You don¡¯t need an element to experience being out of control.¡±

    ¡°And do you have any idea how hard that is to control?¡±

    ¡°In fact, I do,¡± Don said flatly, and Tibs looked away. ¡°But what¡¯s important here is that you don¡¯t fly off in a rage at the slightest insult. You know how to control it before it happens.¡±

    ¡°No always,¡± Tibs whispered.

    ¡°True, but most of the time, you do. You were able to stand by Tirania as she spewed her lies about how great the guild is. I expected you to plant a knife in her heart. I certainly considered melting her on the spot.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but I had to work at it. It¡¯s what I¡¯m telling you about controlling Lightning and Metal. Until I¡ª¡±

    ¡°You can work on that first.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± Tibs asked in exasperation. ¡°How do I learn to control something I¡¯m not experiencing?¡±

    Don leaned back in his chair. ¡°There¡¯s this set of belief, out of the Kingdom of Terrobor, that we have grown apart from the elements. They mean we as everyone. They believe that even people who don¡¯t have an element are connected to them. That it¡¯s where our emotions come from. We lose control when one of them grows too strong in our lives. It was a passage in this research document I read on the validity of the elements as representation of events in the world.¡± He waved that aside. ¡°It was when I was trying to decide what I¡¯d focus on as a scholar. I read just about everything I could get my hands on back then. I went back to read more about their beliefs.¡±

    ¡°I can help you with that,¡± Tibs said. ¡°The elements told me they don¡¯t influence people like that.¡±

    ¡°Except you. But that they do or not doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    ¡°I think it does,¡± Tibs said.

    Don shook his head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t, because it¡¯s in the belief that they do that those people worked out exercises to better control how they act and who they are.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like¡­something a bard would sing about.¡±

    Don snorted. ¡°Not worth their time. There are no big adventures caused by someone controlling their emotions. Although you might change that.¡±

    Tibs rolled his eyes. ¡°I¡¯d rather not have them sing about me. It¡¯s bad enough I heard one practice something about the Siege at the inn a while back. I¡¯m a rogue. Being sung about isn¡¯t a good thing for me.¡± He thought over the implication of what Don said. ¡°So, those exercises will make it easier for me to gain control when the element overwhelms me?¡±

    ¡°No. The method, which they call Oneness, is about learning to identify the moment you go from one emotion to the other. It¡¯s about deciding if that is what you want to feel, instead of it happening without your input.¡±

    ¡°They think I can decide to be sad?¡± Tibs asked in disbelief. ¡°Happy? Angry?¡±

    ¡°You already do, to a lesser degree than they believe you can.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not how it works. Emotions happen, and I learn to cope with them.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve learned to see your anger approaching and take steps to keep it from taking over.¡±

    ¡°Because I don¡¯t have a choice!¡± He was up, the chair rattling back. ¡°I¡¯m the one who destroyed what¡¯s Market Place now. I got so angry Sebastian was getting away; I didn¡¯t care what burned, so long as I took him at the same time.¡± He sagged. ¡°Only he escaped, and I killed a lot of people for nothing.¡±

    ¡°I heard he did that. Used a magical item to cover his escape.¡±

    Tibs shook his head, righting the chair. ¡°Jackal spread the story so no one would wonder how it happened.¡±

    ¡°But that was before you learned to control Fire, so it was its anger that made you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Fire doesn¡¯t make me angry. He makes what I¡¯m feeling when I channel him more so. I was already filled with rage then. I knew channeling Fire would just make things worse, but I didn¡¯t care.¡±

    The silence stretched.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Don finally said, and Tibs nodded. ¡°But it does show you can make a choice. You learned it as a consequence of what you did, but you did learn. The belief of Oneness says that if we learn to recognize those moments with all of our emotions, we can learn to make that choice each time.¡±

    ¡°Don,¡± Tibs said with a sigh. ¡°It isn¡¯t because some people wrote something in a book that it means it¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°Maybe, but what do you have to lose by trying it?¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs walked through Market Place, fuming.

    Breathe.

    He¡¯d spent one fucking hour just breathing, because those Oneness people had written that by listening to his breathing, he¡¯d learn to recognize his emotions and control them. Well, he was annoyed at them. He recognized it, and he fucking wanted to feel it.

    Breathe.

    What did he have to lose, indeed? Time was what he was losing. And he already had so little of it. He should be at the inn, going over the accounts, but those people said he had to be among people, learn to listen to his breath through distractions.

    He stopped at the candy shop and bought a handful. The goal was to enjoy them and relax, but he ended up crushing them between his teeth instead, and swallowing them. Whatever enjoyment the spicy sweetness might have given him was short-lived.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what I can¡¯t do!¡± The impact of a punch followed the scream and Quigly staggered back out of the tavern.

    Tibs took a step to help his friend, only to stop as Cross exited it, looking pissed.

    ¡°I think I have a say in the matter,¡± the warrior said, rubbing his jaw.

    Tibs turned around. He knew better than to get in the middle of that.

    ¡°The only thing you get to say is how the fuck it happened,¡± Cross replied. ¡°I¡¯ve taken precautions!¡±

    * * * * *

    Darran looked through the pages carefully, raising one to the window for the light to hit the back and searched for something. ¡°How many did you say you have?¡±

    ¡°One and five stacks,¡± Tibs replied, ¡°but they aren¡¯t all the same. What are they?¡±

    Tibs had found out the merchant was back when Darran stopped by the inn to check in on how Tibs¡¯s time away had gone. Tibs had led the merchant to his shop so they could have that discussion, which lead to him handing Darran a stack of the papers.

    The merchant studied the page again before putting back on top of the stack. ¡°These are Promises.¡±

    ¡°What do they promise?¡±

    ¡°This one¡ª¡± he tapped the stack ¡°¡ªpromises that whoever brings it to the coffers of the Kingdom of Arliase will be given the equivalent of ten bars of platinum.¡±

    Tibs nodded, then hesitated. While he¡¯d never seen one, he knew platinum was one of the coins worth more than gold, and Archer had said a bar was worth more than the same weight in on those coins. ¡°How much is a bar of platinum worth?¡±

    Darran laughed. ¡°Do you remember how afraid you were that the guild would own you forever because they charge you three gold each time you train with your teacher?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t afraid. I was angry.¡±

    The merchant waved the comment aside. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that anymore. This Promise, by itself, assures you that the moment you reach Epsilon, you will be free.¡±

    Tibs stared in surprise, then reminded himself he wasn¡¯t waiting that long.

    ¡°I¡¯d think you¡¯d be happier about this,¡± Darran said.

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s too much for me to understand.¡±

    Darran studied him, then shrugged. ¡°I guess it can be.¡± He pushed the stack to Tibs. ¡°Keep them safe. They can be used any whoever holds them. It¡¯s why I expect they were well guarded.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re in the safest place in town,¡± Tibs said, setting the top page aside before tying the leather strap over the bundle.

    ¡°And that is?¡±

    Tibs chuckled as he put the stack in his satchel, sending it to the hidden pouch in his armor as soon as it was out of sight. He handed the one left to Darran. ¡°You can have that one.¡±

    The merchant took a hurried step back, hands raised. ¡°I couldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Tibs asked, suspicious.

    ¡°I¡¯m a simple merchant,¡± he said, the words glowing. ¡°I couldn¡¯t take this from you.¡± Those didn¡¯t glow. That was odd.

    ¡°You could if you wanted to,¡± Tibs said. Was that it? Darran was honest in not wanting to steal from him? They did it all the time; it was a game between them. But was this too valuable to be part of that? ¡°You¡¯ve helped me with my numbers, in getting the merchant to work with me to protect them. You¡¯ve looked after me and my team. You deserve it.¡± He studied the merchant and decided to poke at him slightly. ¡°Or is the problem that I¡¯m handing it to you and not that you are stealing it from wherever I¡¯ve hidden the others?¡±

    Darran¡¯s smile was small and quickly hidden. ¡°If you insist.¡± With a quick motion, it was out of Tibs¡¯s fingers and vanished among the many layers the merchant wore.

    ¡°If I want to use one of them, can you handle it? Or will I have to go to that kingdom?¡±

    ¡°If what you need done needs that much money, it¡¯s best to just give them one of the Promises, one for fewer than ten bars. And make sure they don¡¯t know you have more.¡±

    ¡°What if I need to pay many people with one?¡±

    ¡°Are you planning on taking over a kingdom?¡± Darran asked in surprise.

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to understand what I can do with them.¡±

    ¡°Anything!¡± Darran exclaimed with a laugh. ¡°With a few of these, there is nothing you cannot do.¡±

    Tibs stifled the sigh and wished that was true.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 60

    ¡°Gur, used on its own,¡± Alistair said, the Arcanus forming over his hand, ¡°adds etherealness to your¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ethera¡­?¡± Tibs couldn¡¯t work how to say the rest.

    ¡°Etherealness.¡± Alistair enunciated slowly. ¡°It¡¯s¡­. The ethereal is the¡­.¡± He motioned with a hand. ¡°Space in which essence is. It¡¯s what is between essence.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that air?¡±

    His teacher shook his head. ¡°First, remember, I¡¯m a rogue and not a scholar. This is what I remember being told, but it might be wrong. I expect I had that same confused expression. Air is an element. It, like the others, exists outside of what is real, but they are connected to the real, somehow. That somehow is the Ethereal. It is also around us, but we can¡¯t sense it. What I remember is that scholars think that¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m getting a headache.¡± Tibs rubbed his temple. ¡°I¡¯ll ask a scholar if I ever want to know about that.¡±

    ¡°When,¡± Alistair said, then chuckled as Tibs frowned at him. ¡°When you want to know more. Your curiosity is never ending. It¡¯s just a question of time until you decide this is something you want to know more about.¡±

    ¡°Not if my mind breaks.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m confident it¡¯s strong enough to take in everything you feed it.¡±

    ¡°This headache says that no, it isn¡¯t.¡± He closed his eyes and let out a breath. ¡°What does this etherealness do to water?¡±

    ¡°Have you seen mist, or fog?¡±

    Tibs rolled his eyes. It wasn¡¯t as common here as it had been on his Street, but he was running the roofs when the sky brightened. ¡°Some mornings, when there¡¯s a lot of water essence in the air, it does¡­something, and there¡¯s fog¡±

    ¡°Something?¡±

    Tibs thought back, trying to remember what the essence had felt like. There hadn¡¯t been any Arcanus that he remembered, but the last time he¡¯d paid attention was before he knew about them. He shaped the essence into what he remembers. Clumps of it, close together, suspended in the air. It didn¡¯t feel right, but mist still formed between him and Alistair.

    ¡°Sort of like this.¡±

    His teacher moved a hand through the mist, and wisp followed the currents of air. ¡°This is like etherealness.¡±

    ¡°Then why do I need to use Gur to make this?¡±

    Alistair pulled the essence out of his control, and the mist became a ball of water, which he handed to Tibs. As he absorbed it, his teacher took a knife and etched between them. It was so fast Tibs couldn¡¯t follow. There was a filigree between the threads, and then water stood between them.

    It was solid to the touch, not cold. ¡°This doesn¡¯t feel like how you described etherealness.¡± The filigree had Dur in it, along with other Arcanus.

    Alistair grabbed Tibs¡¯s wrist through the water before he could react.

    The essence hadn¡¯t parted around the hand. If Tibs had made the wall, the essence would have to have parted as his hand pushed through. he could have made it look like the water wasn¡¯t moving, but the essence would have. Here, the strands of essence, with their filigree, passed through Alistair¡¯s arm. When he pulled, Tibs¡¯s hand stopped at the water.

    ¡°Gur is used to set conditions for when, or what it will react to,¡± his teacher said. ¡°By itself, they have to be simple. To do what I¡¯m doing, I added other Arcanus to define myself, and this is an etching, so I need to will it to remain. The more Arcanus are used, the more conditions can be added.¡±

    ¡°Like making an enchantment ignore someone with the right key.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Most broad enchantments are created with such a key in mind, since it¡¯s often useful to have someone able to come and go without being affected.

    ¡°Like how I get lost in the building,¡± Tibs said. ¡°The clerks don¡¯t seem to get lost, so they have the ¡®key¡¯?¡±

    ¡°They would. I¡¯m not involved in running the guild, so I don¡¯t know how they are assigned.¡±

    ¡°Do you have one?¡±

    Alistair took a medallion out of a pouch Tibs had thought was ordinary. It looked like the one he¡¯d stolen, but the weave wasn¡¯t the same. Closer to that of the clerks.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t it be secret? What if I steal it from you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to see you do that.¡± The medallion was back in the pouch, where Tibs couldn¡¯t sense it anymore. What else was in there? ¡°But, with it, you¡¯d be able to walk around without getting lost.¡±

    ¡°And I could cause trouble.¡±

    Alistair nodded. ¡°And then you¡¯d get caught and put in a cell. My understanding is that the current leader of the guard doesn¡¯t have the affection for you Harry did, so it wouldn¡¯t take much for him to decide it was severe enough to merit a brand.¡± He tapped his left wrist.

    ¡°So¡­ I should make sure I don¡¯t get caught.¡±

    His teacher laughed. ¡°Tibs, you¡¯d get caught before you started. The guild keeps an eye on anyone they think will cause trouble. The instant they seem ready to act, they are stopped. And I¡¯d be quick to realize my key was gone, so they would be looking for someone moving about as they shouldn¡¯t.¡±

    Tibs nodded. The fact he had a double of the medallion had to be why no one raised an alarm when they saw him wander the halls. But it meant he should stop before they grew suspicious. It also meant he wouldn¡¯t get a trial run. Once he got Marger here, he¡¯d have to act.

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    The wall of water dissipated. ¡°Now, let¡¯s forget about robbing the guild and focus on mastering Gur.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs walked through the crowd, listening to his breath, paying attention to how he felt.

    Stupid; that was how he felt.

    It was one thing to sit on a roof and do this; not easy, since his mind kept wandering away from listening, but he didn¡¯t feel¡­ like he did now. Unfortunately, Don had instructed him to do it among people, since that was how the books had said to do it, and that just made him feel¡­stupid.

    He didn¡¯t have the time to pay attention to how he felt when he was out and about. It distracted him when he reached into a heavy-looking pocket. The fabric was threadbare, which meant they didn¡¯t have as much coins as they wanted people to think. Guilt was what he¡¯d felt then, and hesitated. It was enough to be noticed. Then he was running, not bothering with paying attention to his breathing until he was on a roof, panting.

    Or, he¡¯d have a copper in his fingers and realized he¡¯d stopped listening to his breathing.

    This was so much bother. He was supposed to be enjoying himself. This was the first day of the bazaar. There were candies to be tasted. Maybe someone would have a puzzle box they¡¯d let him try.

    But he wasn¡¯t feeling joy, or excitement, or eagerness.

    He was feeling stupid.

    It was so much simpler to just do.

    He hated how Don was training him. His hand came away from his pocket, empty. Well, there was one thing he¡¯d done without thinking. He¡¯d eaten all the candies he¡¯d bought.

    He rolled the copper along his fingers of the other hand. That was another. He didn¡¯t remember reaching into that pocket. But it meant he could buy more.

    * * * * *

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Tibs.¡± Don¡¯s tone was the same as Alistair when he put on an air of being patient with Tibs¡¯s stubbornness.

    ¡°I said no. It¡¯s not doing anything.¡±

    The sigh was cut short, as if the sorcerer hadn¡¯t meant to show his annoyance, and Tibs considered it a victory.

    ¡°It¡¯s only been two weeks, Tibs. You can¡¯t expect results after only that short of a time.¡±

    ¡°I learned to etch in a few days!¡± A quick, needless motion had a sheet of water dropping on Don, then slowly draping down the way he¡¯d watched one of the artisan mold a sheet of candy over a bowl to make a copy of it that held more candies.

    ¡°Really?¡± the voice was muffled by the waters covering his face. ¡°Isn¡¯t this childish? Even for you?¡±

    Tibs glared at him. ¡°You want me to show you what else I learned in days? And leave you encased in this until the dungeon opens again?¡±

    ¡°I want you to be a Runner and not a child.¡±

    He startled at the intonation of the word. It was the way Mez said it when he used child to describe someone acting in a way unbecoming of the kind of noble he aimed to be.

    ¡°I am not a child,¡± Tibs said through clenched teeth.

    Don looked at him, his face distorted by the stretching sheet of water.

    With an angry wave, Tibs undid the etching. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me how I feel.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have to; it¡¯s quite apparent.¡± He motioned to the floor of his room. ¡°How about we sit and breathe?¡±

    He had a lot of nasty replies ready to throw in the sorcerer¡¯s face. But this was anger out of frustration, and that wasn¡¯t Don¡¯s fault. He took a breath and let it out as he sat. He inhaled slowly as he crossed his legs.

    Don was helping him. He didn¡¯t have to; he did it because he wanted to. The least Tibs owed him in return was to give this his best effort, as he did with everything.

    * * * * *

    The string of curses that left Don¡¯t mouth, as he walked in circle holding the arm Jackal had tapped, surprised Tibs. He hadn¡¯t known the sorcerer knew that depth of foul language.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to hit me so hard.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± the fighter replied.

    ¡°You nearly dislocated my shoulder!¡±

    ¡°I could have ripped it off.¡±

    ¡°And what would that have accomplished?¡± Don glared at Tibs. ¡°This is for having you sit on the floor for hours, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Tibs has nothing to do with this, Don,¡± Jackal said. ¡°You¡¯re too comfortable standing at the back, lobbing essence.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a sorcerer. It¡¯s what I do.¡±

    ¡°That and cower.¡±

    ¡°Jackal,¡± Mez snapped as Don paled.

    The fighter looked at them, confused. ¡°What? When that Ratling made it to him in that last run, what did Don do?¡±

    ¡°I was nearly out of essence, and I didn¡¯t have the time to drink a potion. Getting stabbed hurts!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the dungeon trying to kill you,¡± Jackal replied in a steady tone. ¡°I¡¯d hope getting stabbed hurts, otherwise you might start looking forward to it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the fighter. You¡¯re supposed to make sure they don¡¯t reach me!¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t do that. Which is why you need to get used to staying focused even if, no, especially if you¡¯re in pain.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re going to break all my limbs until I learn?¡±

    ¡°Tibs will heal you,¡± Jackal replied dismissively. He looked at Tibs. ¡°You have told him you can do that, right? I¡¯m not revealing something you¡¯re keeping secret from him, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Tibs told me,¡± Don lowered his arm.

    ¡°Good, then we go again.¡±

    ¡°Why in the abyss are doing this to me now? You were supposed to start this months ago.¡±

    ¡°You mean while you and Tibs weren¡¯t talking? I don¡¯t think you would have taken it this well then.¡± Jackal swiped at the sorcerer, who stepped out of the way.

    ¡°I talked with you. I came and asked where Tibs was. You weren¡¯t exactly friendly in telling me.¡±

    Another swipe. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Tibs wasn¡¯t angry at you anymore. That wasn¡¯t in the message he sent me, so I had to be an ass to you. I thought you and Mez had patched thing, though.¡±

    ¡°I was¡ª¡± He stepped out of the way of the slow punch. ¡°I needed¡ª¡± Another slow swipe. ¡°You¡¯d just have used that as an excuse to punch me,¡± he finally said, barely dodging the punch.

    ¡°Then¡ª¡± another punch Don evaded ¡°¡ªI figured you needed time training Tibs.¡± A series of punch Don couldn¡¯t all dodge, and he raised an arm to block.

    Don cursed violently, holding his arm and walking in a circle.

    Jackal looked at Tibs, who shook his head. He¡¯d gone to the cliff face and called to Sto, but the dungeon hadn¡¯t answered.

    ¡°It¡¯s been over a month,¡± Jackal said. ¡°I figure in a few days, weeks at most, we are going back in and I want you to be ready.¡±

    ¡°Maiming me isn¡¯t getting me ready for a run,¡± Don grumbled.

    ¡°It¡¯s getting you ready to survive. Tibs doesn¡¯t like it when people on our team die.¡±

    ¡°The way you¡¯re hurting me, I¡¯m going to want to die before the day¡¯s over.¡±

    Jackal grinned. ¡°You¡¯re going to want to get over that. If you die, Tibs is going to kick you. I punch in the face; he aims lower.¡±

    ¡°And you can¡¯t turn to stone,¡± Tibs added. ¡°Unlike him.¡±

    Don looked from the fighter to the rogue. ¡°I have no idea if you two are serious.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t die, and you won¡¯t have to find out,¡± Tibs said, popping one of the sour candy in his mouth.

    ¡°I can easily not die if I¡¯m not writhing in pain,¡± Don stated.

    ¡°That¡¯s the problem,¡± Jackal said. ¡°You have to not die even if you¡¯re in pain. You have to stop depending on us to keep you safe.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the fighter!¡± Don snapped. ¡°That¡¯s your role!¡±

    ¡°And I do my best. But there are fights where we all take hits. And right now, you¡¯re so scared of being hurt it¡¯s making you stop fighting. So I¡¯m going to get you used to pain so that when you go back in, a sword poking out of your side is going to feel like your girl scratching you where you like it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m concerned you think I¡¯d ever equate getting stabbed to something pleasurable.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all relative, Don. The more pain I inflict on you today, the less that sword is going to feel like pain tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°This is more about you getting back at me for what I did to your hand the first time we crossed path.¡±

    The smile Jackal gave the sorcerer was feral. ¡°Now, why does it have to be one or the other?¡±

    Don glanced at Tibs. ¡°Tell me you can revive the dead.¡±

    ¡°No, but I won¡¯t have to.¡±

    ¡°How can you be certain?¡±

    ¡°Jackal knows what I¡¯ll do to him if he kills you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still going to be dead,¡± Don pointed out.

    ¡°He needs that part of his body more than he might want you dead.¡±

    Don shook his head. ¡°I swear. You two are the strangest pair I¡¯ve ever encountered.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s the little brother I never got the chance to have torture me,¡± Jackal said, then advanced on the sorcerer.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 61

    The crowd gathered into the vacated space created by the removal of the stalls was mostly Runners. The only ones Tibs saw who weren¡¯t, were the townsfolk who¡¯d paused in their shopping at the further stalls and permanent shops to watch. Among the nobles, who were on one side of the field, Lamberto waved at him, tried to break away, only for Palden to grab his arm. The exchange was heated, but the younger noble didn¡¯t act as cowed as Tibs had seen during the run. Lamberto shrugged, gave Tibs another wave and stayed with his siblings.

    The Runners broke into their teams as more of them arrived until they were all there.

    It felt strange for there not to be the crowd of Omegas of the previous times. Was the guild really satisfied with only these few teams to do the runs now that the fourth floor could be reached?

    The woman who took position a few steps higher was a clerk of some sort, with Water as her element. Certainly not a guard. She dressed well, and Tibs sensed the medallion around her neck; it had the same feel as the one he¡¯d copied from Brogan. She was one of the more important clerks.

    ¡°Welcome back,¡± she announced, smiling. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see we didn¡¯t lose anyone this time around.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Quigly muttered, stepping next to Tibs and his team. ¡°What happened? No one new to impress, so the higher ups figured we didn¡¯t merit more than a clerk?¡±

    ¡°As you can tell,¡± she continued cheerfully, ¡°the dungeon has reopened its door. This means the fourth floor is now accessible to anyone strong enough to clear the third.¡±

    ¡°Been there,¡± Manas, Quigly¡¯s rogue, said. ¡°Done that. Didn¡¯t even get scars to prove it.¡±

    There was pride in how the clerk stood and spoke. Whatever the Runners might think of her being the one to explain how things would proceed going forward, she felt it was something she¡¯d earned.

    ¡°Now that the dungeon is Lambda, there will be changes.¡±

    ¡°No, really?¡± Don drolled. ¡°However will we deal with it?¡±

    ¡°The first one is that clerics will be joining any team Rho or higher. Those teams will be allowed to switch out one of the two runners occupying the same role, but will not be required to do so. Do remember that the dungeon is also getting stronger, and that it could stop giving healing potions as rewards at anytime. A healer on your team can make all the difference, even if they won¡¯t be fighting.¡±

    Tibs shrugged at Jackal¡¯s questioning look, as mutters spread among the Runners. Sto hadn¡¯t responded when he walked by the cliff the previous evening, and he wasn¡¯t commenting on the announcements, so he was busy elsewhere.

    The two archers on Quigly¡¯s team studied each other before looking at their team leader.

    ¡°No,¡± the warrior said. ¡°I¡¯m not saddling us with someone who can¡¯t fight.¡±

    ¡°If you chose not to take one now,¡± she said, once the muttering died out, ¡°you will have to take one when one of those two Runner die.¡±

    More muttering.

    ¡°Not if,¡± Mez pointed out.

    ¡°The dungeon will be eating a lot of us on the fourth floor,¡± Don replied with confidence.

    ¡°Makes you wonder why the guild isn¡¯t bringing anyone new,¡± Jackal said, looking at the sorcerer. ¡°All the cells are empty? The kings have had enough of not having anyone to release when they felt the city needed to see they were benevolent?¡±

    Quigly snorted.

    ¡°I never read about guild procedures,¡± Don replied. ¡°It wasn¡¯t something I considered I¡¯d have to deal with before, and once I was here, I didn¡¯t want to know the details of what waited for me.¡±

    ¡°The second change.¡± She raised her voice over the still not dead muttering. ¡°Is that you now have to decide which floor you will run before your name can be added to the board. You are only allowed to run that floor, unless you clear it. Then, you are allowed to continue on to the next one. You also can only request a floor you are able to access directly through the doorway.¡±

    This time the rising conversations that forced her to pause was more questions than outrage.

    ¡°Is there anyone left who¡¯s Omega?¡± Quigly asked Tibs, who shook his head.

    There were three Upsilon Teams, seven who had enough members at Lambda they might qualify as such, but the bulk of the Runners were Rho. Tibs didn¡¯t know if the final classifications would be based on the lowest floor any team could access. If so, there were no Lambda teams yet.

    ¡°Who¡¯s going to run the first floor, then?¡± Manas asked.

    ¡°It may be possible the guild counts on some of the Upsilon teams to lack the confidence needed to brave the second floor,¡± Don replied.

    ¡°Any team that doesn¡¯t inform us of which floor they intend to run by the end of the day before the board goes up will automatically be assigned to the lowest floor they have reached. How much time each floor gets will be adjusted based on the previous runs.¡±

    The protests were loud this time.

    ¡°If they give us less than half the day to clear the third floor,¡± Jackal told Don, ¡°you need to have a talk with the guild leader.¡±

    ¡°Why me? She likes Tibs better.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re less likely to kick her in the shin,¡± the fighter replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to kick her,¡± Tibs said. ¡°I need her to think I like her.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why Don needs to be the one talking to her,¡± Mez said. ¡°So she won¡¯t anger you so much you¡¯ll lose control.¡±

    ¡°Now,¡± she said once the protests were down to mutterings again. ¡°I expect you¡¯re wondering why there are so few of you here for this announcement.¡±

    ¡°I was wondering that before you even opened you mouth, bitch,¡± Markel said. He was Quigly¡¯s latests sorcerer. The previous one had been kicked off the team after arguing leadership roles. Tibs had asked the warrior how he¡¯d managed it, since the rule was that only dead team members could be replaced, and Quigly had smiled and said that not making himself the enemy of the person who enforced the rules had been his first step.

    ¡°Going forward,¡± she continued, ¡°the guild will accept anyone interested in running the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°Anyone who can pay, you mean,¡± Don muttered.

    ¡°At this moment, representatives are in the cities, explaining the procedures for those who seek to improve themselves and their lives.¡±

    ¡°A silver not one of them¡¯s going to talk about how easily the dungeon¡¯s going to eat anyone new to it,¡± Quigly said.

    ¡°That¡¯s sucker¡¯s bet,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°Why do you think they kept going to the cells for Runners? No one in their right mind wants to run a dungeon.¡±

    ¡°We expect you to be considerate of those new Runners. They will be your compatriots; until you reach Epsilon.¡±

    ¡°You are going to be so busy helping them, Tibs,¡± Manas said, grinning.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s good you¡¯ll be helping,¡± he replied.

    ¡°These civilian Runner teams will come below you in priority,¡± she said, as Manas was quietly ribbed by his team. ¡°You can change which floor you intend to run at anytime before you do your run, but that will put you at the end of the list of guild Runners for that floor.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯d want to do anything but the lowest floor they can?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°That¡¯s where the best loot¡¯s going to be.¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± Don mused, ¡°depending on how the scheduling is arranged, I can think of times where it might be to a team¡¯s advantage to hop floors.¡±

    ¡°Care to explain?¡± Jackals asked.

    ¡°Only after I see how the schedule is structured. They might have seen them coming and arranged things to keep us from doing it.¡± Don considered something. ¡°And it might not be worthwhile until we have unlocked the fourth floor.¡±

    ¡°That will be all,¡± she announced. ¡°If you want to do a floor other than your lowest, see the loot collection table. The schedule will be up tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Wait, why isn¡¯t she announcing that the Team of Heroes is going first?¡± Jackal asked, disappointed.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t make a difference,¡± Quigly said. ¡°My team¡¯s going to be the first one to set foot on the fourth floor.¡±

    ¡°Not if we go in before you.¡± Jackal grinned.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way you clear the third floor the first time you go back in.¡±

    ¡°I have a gold that says we will.¡±

    ¡°Jackal,¡± Tibs warned.

    ¡°It¡¯s my gold, Tibs. I can double it any way I want.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m with Tibs,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°You should listen to your team, Jackal,¡± Quigly said. ¡°I¡¯d hate to take that kind of money from you.¡±

    The fighter snorted, ¡°No, you wouldn¡¯t. And don¡¯t worry about feeling bad. It¡¯s not going to happen.¡±

    The warrior shrugged. ¡°Alright, whoever gets on the fourth floor first gets a gold from the other team¡¯s leader.¡±

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    ¡°I am so glad you changed the win conditions,¡± Jackal said, grinning. ¡°Because now, there¡¯s no way I¡¯m losing.¡±

    Quigly laughed. ¡°We cleared the floor already. It¡¯s just more of the same for us.¡±

    ¡°Then, may the better team win.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs¡¯s name was the first for those doing the third floor.

    ¡°You got your wish,¡± Mez said, ¡°even if she didn¡¯t announce it to everyone yesterday. She probably wanted to avoid the nobles rebelling.¡±

    ¡°Tirania told them she didn¡¯t care how they felt when that noble tried to argue they should go in before us,¡± Tibs said. ¡°And that was with me agreeing with them. I don¡¯t think any of them ever bothered after that.¡± He faced his team. ¡°We have three days to train.¡±

    Five teams were going in on that day, three for the second floor, and two for the third. No one had opted to redo the first. The name for the second floor only went on for four days, while those for the third stretched to the middle of the following week.

    ¡°You think our next run comes after the last team to do the third floor?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°The civilian teams will go there,¡± Don replied. ¡°I think they¡¯ll put us after them, if there aren¡¯t enough to complete the week.¡±

    ¡°There won¡¯t be,¡± Mez said. ¡°Anyone Upsilon or above is part of the guild.¡±

    ¡°Kings¡¯ knights aren¡¯t,¡± Quigly said, joining them at the board. ¡°Achieving knighthood is arduous enough. Some have been known to unlock the potential to have an element. The guild used to try to take them from the kings, claiming ownership of anyone with an element, but they found that while officially the guild is its own kingdom, they still rely on the others to have access to what their cities need. All they did was withhold access to the places an audience could be obtained, but the kings found places the guild didn¡¯t control.¡±

    The silence stretched as Tibs, his friend, and Quigly¡¯s team stared at him.

    ¡°What?¡± the warrior asked with chuckle. ¡°I was planning on dethroning a king. I did my research. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t have any knights with an element. It would have been a quick war if he had.¡±

    ¡°But they still need to go through the first and second floor,¡± Mez said. ¡°Even if they are Rho, she said a team can only request a floor they can reach through the doorway.¡±

    ¡°While some will have to be Upsilon,¡± Don said, ¡°since without a dungeon it¡¯s extremely difficult to grow in power, an element allows someone to have more time, and makes them harder to kill. I expect that any of them who want to start on a lower floor will be provided a guide to take them there and show them how to open it themselves.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s cheating,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°It¡¯s only cheating,¡± Don replied, ¡°if it isn¡¯t the guild doing it. Or they hadn¡¯t been paid enough to ignore it,¡± he added mockingly.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Tibs said. ¡°We go in first, and there¡¯s only eight places for those knight¡¯s teams. Then it¡¯s the next week and a new schedule.¡±

    * * * * *

    Kragle Rock felt like the bazaar had just set up.

    The booths were packed tighter around the transportation platform, and the merchants yelling over each other for the attention of anyone stepping down from it. Even Darran had set up one, somehow managing a place only a few booths away from the steps. He was already showing swords and armors to a group with thin Upsilon essence. Fire, Metal, the golden color of void, the shifting colors of Crystal, and the sparking of Lightning.

    A lot of groups were composed of five people, and most of them didn¡¯t have an element, or any denser essence than the townsfolk, and few of them were dressed richly enough to have been able to afford whatever the guild asked. Or was the guild not charging as much for anyone without essence, as a way to feed Sto?

    ¡°What do you know about the dungeon?¡± Tibs asked a boy, man? He looked to be slightly older than Jackal, but had youth in his expression, as if this was more than he had ever seen. He was dressed better than the townsfolk, a merchant¡¯s son, maybe?

    ¡°It¡¯s a place to get power and riches,¡± the boy replied with wonder, then stared at Tibs, his eyes growing wider. ¡°You¡¯re one of them! You¡¯re a Runner!¡±

    Right, his eyes. People in Kragle Rock no longer noticed them, seeing how they all knew who the Runners were.

    ¡°You know the dungeon¡¯s dangerous, right?¡±

    ¡°So?¡± the boy said dismissively. ¡°Anything worth getting comes with a little danger.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a little danger.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re younger than me, and you made it. Hey, Karel! Wait up.¡± He ran off to join a group of girls and another boy his age.

    He tried again and received a similar reaction.

    As far as he could tell, they had heard about what the dungeon did, but either the stories had been told in a way to make Sto seem less dangerous than he was, or too many bards sing stories of great adventures and wealth to be gotten in dungeons.

    Tibs certainly had heard too many of those from the bards that visited the inn. And no heroes of their stories failed.

    How was he going to keep them from just being eaten? Could Darran get him enough using the Promises to help all of them? Few looked to have equipment for the runs. Were they going to rely on the crap the guild provided? Should he even try to help them survive the floor? Could he convince them they needed help?

    ¡°You look¡ª¡±

    Tibs jumped and turned

    ¡°¡ªabout to jump off the abyss,¡± Cross finished, raising an eyebrow. ¡°The day I can sneak up on a rogue is a day he¡¯s in trouble.¡± She considered something. ¡°What have you done now?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. And I¡¯m offended you think I did anything.¡±

    ¡°You did do something. You¡¯re Tibs Light-Fingers. The bards are going to sing of how you were always up to something that baffled the guards.¡±

    ¡°Bards better never sing about me,¡± he replied darkly.

    She shrugged. ¡°You never know. You might end up as some famous adventurer once you leave here. I¡¯ll be able to tell all my friends how I knew the great Light-Fingers when he was just a little boy, no more than this tall.¡± She placed a hand on his head.

    He batted it away. ¡°I¡¯m always going to be this tall. The denser our essence is, the less we grow.¡± And with how dense his essence was, Tibs figured that if the guild assigned rank by that, he¡¯d already be in the wilds with them forcing him to fight one thing or another.

    ¡°What¡¯s got you contemplating finding out how long it takes to reach the bottom of the abyss?¡±

    Tibs motioned around them. ¡°They¡¯re all going to die. And I can¡¯t do anything about it.¡±

    ¡°Not all of them.¡±

    He glared at her. ¡°And that¡¯s supposed to make it better? Some will live to be powerful and used by the guild. The rest, a lot more of them, are going to be food for the dungeon.¡±

    They attracted stares, but no one acted like he¡¯d just said they were going to die.

    Cross put her fingers to her mouth and let out a shrill whistle. ¡°I need a team who¡¯s here for the dungeon to talk with.¡±

    There were a lot of confused expression, but a group of five tentatively approached. Three girls and two guys, Jackal¡¯s age or slightly younger. The girl in the lead said something Tibs didn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Rala. I¡¯m wondering, why are you here?¡±

    Rala replied, losing the hesitation as she spoke and growing enthusiastic. Here and there, words had light to them, but nothing so bright Tibs felt they were outright lies.

    Cross nodded. ¡°And did they tell you about the danger?¡±

    The reply had a clear, dismissive tone.

    ¡°And you don¡¯t think that maybe they made it sound easier than it¡¯s going to be?¡±

    The reply was sharp this time, offended. The girl pointed at Tibs, added something in a tone that carried insult. She turned and walked off, her team glaring at Cross before joining her.

    ¡°There you go,¡± Cross said.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t understand what she said.¡±

    Cross started to protest, but closed her mouth. ¡°Right, we both have the language enchantment. She heard about the dungeon being open to everyone and formed a team and convinced the people who recruited them that they were right to be Runners. She was warned of the danger, but she doesn¡¯t care.¡±

    ¡°Too many stories of how easy it is to beat the dungeon,¡± Tibs grumbled.

    ¡°No, too much need to escape what her situation was, I expect.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s going to die! They all are. Fine, not all of them. But why are so many coming here? This can¡¯t be the best there is for them.¡±

    She studied him. ¡°Tibs. Just how many do you think these people represent of those who tried to come?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, a lot. Look around.¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°Tibs, I can make out six different languages from here. These people, these would be Runners. They¡¯re from all over the world, from a lot of different kingdoms. This might look like a lot of people to you, but it¡¯s a tiny fraction of those who wanted to come, of those who didn¡¯t care about any of this. I doubt the cities they came from even notice they are gone.¡± She paused. ¡°You know what fractions are, right?¡±

    ¡°I do accounts,¡± he replied sharply and left it at that, trying to understand how any places could have so many people them leaving wouldn¡¯t be noticed. None of the cities he¡¯d traveled to had felt that way. Yes, some part of them had more people, but they couldn¡¯t all have been so packed. Jackal spoke of the people working for his father leaving and not being noticed, but it was also clear Sebastian hadn¡¯t been a man who noticed people unless they mattered to him.

    ¡°You need to understand that desperation doesn¡¯t look the same for everyone, Tibs,¡± Cross said. ¡°For some, it¡¯s screams and clawing at everything until they get what they need. Others dress and act like everything is good, while world crumbles inside them. I¡¯m not saying everyone who came here is desperate. I expect most just believed bards¡¯ songs or whatever the recruiters told them. But for some, this, no matter how dangerous it is, is better than what they had before. I¡¯d think you¡¯d know that.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t given a choice, Cross.¡±

    ¡°If you were, if you¡¯d been told there was a chance things could be better than what was on your street. What would you have done?¡±

    Tibs swallowed. He wanted to deny he¡¯d ever consider this to escape his street, but he didn¡¯t need Light to know that was a lie.

    ¡°How do I tell those who are here chasing riches and power and those for whom this is better than where they came from?¡± If he could only help a few of them, he would make the help count for something.

    Her laugh was bitter. ¡°Magic? I don¡¯t know Tibs. Some, you¡¯ll see it on their face. Others won¡¯t admit to it even with a knife cutting their throat. People are strange that way. They¡¯ll claim one thing, act in a different one.¡± Her hand moved to her stomach with a suddenness that made Tibs think she hadn¡¯t meant to put it there. ¡°Anyway, I have to go back to making sure no one tries anything.¡± She stepped away and looked over her shoulder. ¡°That means you too, Tibs. I better not catch you trying anything.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he replied. ¡°You won¡¯t catch me.¡±

    * * * * *

    ¡°A glass high!¡± someone called, and Tibs glanced in the direction of the standing man in time for them to burst out laughing, looking at the tankard in his hand.

    Tibs¡¯s first thought was that he and the four others dressed similarly at the table were nobles. The clothing certainly was fine enough to mark them as minor ones, but there was a casualness about them sitting here, in the inn, surrounded by common folks, nobles never adopted. Even the nice ones, like Amelia, had an air of superiority about her. And one of the woman at the table whispered something to the server placing the plates, that had him blushing, but smiling.

    The five of them had metal as their elements. By the concentration, they were at the edge of Rho, but on which side, Tibs wasn¡¯t sure.

    The standing man turned toward Tibs¡¯s table. ¡°A tankard high for the Hero of Kragle Rock!¡±

    Tibs looked for Don, only to realize he¡¯d left during the distraction. Everyone in the inn was looking at Tibs.

    ¡°Age matters not to those of strong heart. Size means nothing to those of determination. A Knight is in the doing, and not the claiming.¡± He downed his tankard and let out a satisfied sigh. ¡°May the Light-Fingers keep his city safe until the abyss claims the Lands.¡±

    Tankards and cheers went up, while Tibs tried to shrink in his seat until he disappeared. The rest of his teammates joining in with the knight did not help.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a load of crap,¡± Quigly said, dropping into Don¡¯s chair as the cheers quieted.

    ¡°You don¡¯t think he means the compliment for Tibs?¡± Jackal asked, motioning to Kroseph for a refill.

    The warrior snorted. ¡°Do you know where knights come from?¡±

    ¡°The armies, I¡¯m guessing,¡± Jackal said.

    Another snort. ¡°They come from nobles¡¯ asses. And trust me, being put through the trials to get an element doesn¡¯t improve their attitude about being so much better than everyone else.¡±

    ¡°I thought you hadn¡¯t met any,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°Oh, I met plenty of knights on the battlefield. I had to cut down most of their men so I could go and teach them a lesson about leading from the rear.¡±

    Mez looked at the five at the table.

    Tibs stifled a chuckle as the server was now on the woman¡¯s lap and she fed him grapes.

    ¡°They don¡¯t seem to be like that,¡± the archer said.

    ¡°They¡¯re just putting on air so¡ª¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Mez tone had finality to it that made Quigly raise an eyebrow. ¡°I won¡¯t dispute that you met horrible example of what a knight should be. Just like we¡¯ve all met horrible nobles. But I won¡¯t accept that those represent all of them. There are those for whom being a noble means accomplishing good things, helping and protecting, not lording. It has to be the same for knights.¡±

    The warrior shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s because you never¡ª¡±

    ¡°Let it rest,¡± Kroseph said, putting the tankard before his man. ¡°I¡¯m not saying you¡¯re wrong, but I¡¯ve been around enough people to start by getting to know them before judging them.¡±

    ¡°Not that you don¡¯t fall victim to judgementality,¡± Jackal said with a smirk.

    ¡°You deserved it,¡± the server replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you,¡± Quigly said. ¡°Most of them are going to be no better than nobles.¡±

    ¡°Most,¡± Mez said, standing, ¡°but not all.¡± He headed for the knight¡¯s table.

    ¡°Some nobles are nice,¡± Tibs said, ignoring the stare from Jackal and focusing on his breathing. It didn¡¯t feel good saying it, but it was the truth. Some nobles weren¡¯t as bad as the others, and some of them were actually nice.

    If there was one thing talking with Don had showed Tibs, was that he needed to stop assuming everyone in a group was the same.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 62

    Sto had changed the designs on the steps again. He¡¯d added creatures from the third floor on the higher steps. The last one having a particularly graphic depiction of three Gnolls ripping a Runner apart. Sto hadn¡¯t greeted him by the time they reached the entrance.

    The cleric by the door looked them over and nodded, while the guards barely glanced in their direction as they stepped inside. Still no greeting.

    Tibs hurried to the doorway.

    ¡°We have half the day,¡± Don called. ¡°There¡¯s no need to hurry.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re on the wrong team,¡± Jackal replied with a laugh, keeping up with Tibs, ¡°If you think loot should be delayed.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m more concerned with you making mistakes,¡± the sorcerer said.

    ¡°You can stop being concerned about that,¡± Mez said, ¡°and be certain it¡¯s going to happen, no matter how slow our leader¡ª¡±

    Tibs lost the rest as he crossed the doorway to the third floor and hurried to the center of the hall, avoiding the triggers. ¡°Come on,¡± he called to his team as they stepped through the doorway. He could feel the strain from his grin; it was so wide.

    ¡°What¡¯s with him today?¡± the sorcerer asked. ¡°I get he likes the runs, but this morning it¡¯s like there¡¯s a gift waiting for him at end.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s loot,¡± Jackal replied in a tone that said he didn¡¯t understand how Don still wasn¡¯t getting that.

    ¡°Sto,¡± Tibs called. ¡°You here?¡±

    ¡°Is this wise?¡± Khumdar asked as the others stopped walking to stare at Tibs. Don¡¯s expression was thoughtful and slightly perplexed.

    ¡°You said that name,¡± the sorcerer said, ¡°when we started talking about everything you can do.¡±

    ¡°And I said I¡¯d explain some of it here,¡± Tibs replied, eyes on the ceiling. ¡°Sto?¡± Silence. ¡°Ganny?¡± He looked down. Maybe they were still busy getting the fourth floor ready for them? He looked up again. Or maybe they were enjoying the new runners going through the first floor. Sto had always liked watching how people who had no idea what to expect failed his traps.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Don asked, his tone uncertain. ¡°Who are you calling out to?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain when one of them answers.¡±

    The sorcerer looked at the others. ¡°Any of you know what¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Mez answered cautiously. ¡°But I don¡¯t think we can explain it. It¡¯s not exactly¡­.¡±

    ¡°Believable,¡± Khumdar finished.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Sto asked, sounding like he was moving closer. ¡°Did you say something?¡±

    ¡°Sto! You¡¯re back.¡±

    ¡°Yes. With Don on your team, I figured it was best I be elsewhere and avoid the temptation to comment and have you reply.¡±

    Tibs ignored the look Don gave him. ¡°He found out I have multiple elements. Then we talked, and I told him everything. Only some things I couldn¡¯t explain without you there to help.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Don said cautiously. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He looked at the others who, other than Jackal, shared a concerned expression. The fighter looked impatient.

    ¡°Don,¡± Tibs said, smiling. ¡°I¡¯d like you to meet Sto.¡± He motioned around them. ¡°The dungeon.¡±

    ¡°Is he serious?¡± Don asked Mez. ¡°He named the dungeon?¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t name it,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°You realize he can¡¯t hear me, Tibs?¡±

    ¡°I thought you could do like you did with Jackal. Bring a Big Brute here to interact with him.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have them roaming about on this floor.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a Big Brute?¡± Don asked.

    ¡°The big golems in the boss room on the second floor,¡± Mez answered, ¡°and in the final boss room.¡±

    ¡°Tibs named those too?¡±

    ¡°Sto did,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°There has to be something you can do to convince him. Bring one of the Gnolls, or the people golems.¡±

    ¡°The Gnolls aren¡¯t things I can¡ª¡±

    ¡°Dungeons don¡¯t talk, Tibs,¡± Don stated.

    Tibs faced the sorcerer. ¡°According to who?¡±

    ¡°Everyone,¡± Don replied, hints of exasperation slipping in.

    ¡°Not me.¡±

    ¡°Everyone else.¡± Don ran a hand over his face. ¡°Is this because of all his elements?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tibs replied.

    ¡°I wish you¡¯d told me it¡¯s affecting your mind.¡± Don looked at the others. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t a cleric see to him? One who can heal,¡± he added. ¡°How come the one at the door didn¡¯t notice anything? She seemed old enough to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Only initiates have door duty,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°I do not expect working with the mind is something they have learned yet, if it is something anyone outside those with mind as their elements can do.¡±

    ¡°Then we should get one to see Tibs,¡± Don said. ¡°Because this can¡¯t be good.¡±

    ¡°I might¡­have something,¡± Sto said. ¡°But are you sure this is something you want him to know?¡±

    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m done keeping secrets.¡±

    ¡°Then make sure he wants to know while I check on something with Ganny. Ganny!¡± he called, his voice fading.

    ¡°Sto can prove he¡¯s a person,¡± Tibs stated, ¡°If you want it proved.¡±

    ¡°Tibs, this is a dungeon,¡± Don said, the exasperation clear now. He looked at the others. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you done anything about this delusion of his?¡±

    ¡°Just say you want the proof so we can go on with getting the loot,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Unless you forgot, we have a floor to clear and a new one to look at.¡±

    Don studied Tibs. ¡°Alright, give me your word that once whatever you think the dungeon is going to do doesn¡¯t happen, you will come with me to someone who can help you.¡±

    ¡°After the run,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°Take Don to the first cache,¡± Sto said. ¡°You¡¯re going to need what¡¯s in it. Ganny agreed this is worth bending the rules for.¡±

    ¡°Okay. It¡¯s going to be at the cache after the first fight,¡± he told Don, sensing for the changes to the triggers Ganny had made.

    ¡°Of course it will,¡± Don said, sounding amused.

    * * * * *

    ¡°Cover your eyes!¡± Tibs yelled, waited a second, then released the compressed light essence. He followed it with rushing the Gnolls before him. He sliced the first one, flung a ball of corruption at the next, leaped over another and stabbed it in the back as he landed, then grinned at the one before him, which stepped back in surprise, and he iced it.

    His grin broadened as he made the metal hammer, then swung it as hard as his earth filled arms let him and it exploded into shards. He turned to look at the rest of his team as the hammer dissolved back into essence.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to have to rethink every fight,¡± Ganny said. ¡°If Tibs¡¯s not going to hide everything he can do.¡±

    ¡°Or we can remind him that if he makes it too easy on himself, I¡¯m going to have to make it harder on everyone,¡± Sto replied. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use lightning?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t practiced it yet. Don won¡¯t let me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re letting Don control your training?¡± Sto asked, surprised.

    ¡°He read about it, and he thinks his method will work better. I owe it to him to at least try.¡±

    ¡°He read about how to train someone with more than one element?¡± Sto asked in disbelief. ¡°I thought you were the only one.¡±

    ¡°I told him what I went through to learn to control a new element, then he went to do some reading and came back with this Oneness thing. I don¡¯t know that it¡¯s working, but I said I¡¯d stick with it.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Don said, challenge in his tone, as he absorbed the corruption left over from the fight and pushed it into one of the many amulets in his robe¡¯s pockets. ¡°The fight¡¯s over.¡±

    ¡°Better get on with proving to him you¡¯re a person.¡± Tibs located the cache, checked it for traps, then grinned as he disarmed it. ¡°Did you think I¡¯d rush in because of this?¡±

    ¡°This was setup before Sto made changes,¡± Ganny replied, sounding insulted.

    He checked inside for more traps, then took the content out, looking the lasso over.

    ¡°Is that supposed to prove the dungeon can think?¡± Don asked, smirking.

    ¡°Even you know a dungeon thinks,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°You know what I mean,¡± Don replied dismissively.

    ¡°Sto, I¡¯m with Don.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t a lasso,¡± the dungeon said. ¡°It¡¯s his lasso.¡±

    Tibs frowned, tuning it over in his hand. How did Sto expect him to know whose lasso this was? It wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d ever known anyone who¡­ ¡°Oh. But how do you have it?¡±

    Tibs swallowed as Sto told him.

    Tibs offered it to Don. ¡°In your first run after the Siege, when you made it to the Ratling camp. You sent everyone on your team to search the tents for chests. When you were alone, you held Radcliff¡¯s lasso to your chest, and you cried. When you were done, you put it in a tent, then walked away to meet with your team.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± Don asked, tone hard. ¡°How do you know?¡±

    ¡°Sto¡¯s the dungeon, so he can watch anything that happens, and he enjoys watching how we¡¯ll deal with the traps and creatures. Usually he moves on after a fight since watching us talk can be boring, but you¡¯d never sent your team away like that, even in that room you usually went ahead so you¡¯d be the one to find the chests and then tell your rogue to check for traps. He was curious as to what you were doing.¡±

    ¡°Cliff was such a pain in my ass,¡± Don said with a laugh, eyes growing moist. ¡°I don¡¯t think he ever took me seriously when I ordered him about. He¡¯d do what I said, but I could see him rolling his eyes. He called me out on the stupid stuff I got hung up on. You have no idea how often I wanted to strangle him. I even threatened to melt him once. And you know what he did? He laughed, shook his head, and promised he¡¯d be a good little rogue. He never changed how he acted and¡­¡± he swallowed. ¡°He might have been the bravest person I have ever known. After all the screaming I¡¯d do at him, because he did something that worked better than what I had ordered him to do, once we were at the inn, he¡¯d buy me a tankard. No matter how hard I pushed, unlike the others, he stayed by me. Fuck, I know of two times when he talked the others in to staying on the team. Then, he went and died because I told him to come with us.¡±

    Don clutched the lasso, wiping at his eyes. ¡°I hadn¡¯t realized how much of a friend he¡¯d become until you were screaming at him not to die.¡±

    ¡°I tried to save him,¡± Tibs whispered, a lump in his throat. ¡°I used as much purity as I could, but I didn¡¯t know what to do with it then, and his essence just faded away.¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t let anyone see me cry, and all while we were taking down that house, I had something else to focus on, then it was focussing on helping the people of Kragle Rock. Be the Voice of the Guild.¡± He spat. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t been so full of myself, I¡¯d have told Tirania to go fuck herself, but it kept me busy, kept me from having to think about what I¡¯d lost. Once the fighting was done, it was the first time I wanted to be alone, and they didn¡¯t know how I normally did things, so they didn¡¯t question me when I sent them away to look for chests. I finally said goodbye.¡± He dried his eyes and took a shuddering breath.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to go through that alone, you know?¡± Tibs said.

    Don¡¯s laugh broke. ¡°You have no idea how terrified I was that I¡¯d look weak in front of everyone.¡±

    ¡°Mourning isn¡¯t being weak,¡± Jackal said. ¡°It¡¯s normal.¡±

    ¡°Caring made me weak, as far as I was concerned. Leaders don¡¯t care,¡± Don spat. ¡°They send friends and family to their death and never shed a tear.¡±

    ¡°Someone¡¯s been listening to the bards too much,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have to. I watched nobles and created this image of how leaders had to be. Then I promised myself that¡¯s who I¡¯d be. That I¡¯d never be weak again.¡±

    The silence stretched.

    ¡°If any of you are waiting for me to make a joke about this,¡± Jackal said, ¡°we¡¯re going to end up missing the run entirely.¡±

    Don rolled his eyes. ¡°So, the dungeon is named Sto.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you,¡± Sto said.

    ¡°He¡¯s happy to meet you,¡± Tibs said.

    Don snorted. ¡°He has seen me act, right? How happy can he be to meet me?¡±

    ¡°I was also happy to meet jackal,¡± Sto replied dismissively, ¡°even if he¡¯s alway winning the fights. So, you know, take that for what it¡¯s worth.¡±

    Tibs chuckled. ¡°He¡¯s always happy to meet people.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s Ganny?¡± Don asked.

    ¡°She¡¯s his helper and adviser. She tries to keep him from breaking the rules.¡±

    He frowned. ¡°The dungeon has a woman helping him?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not a person like you and me. Her voice sounds like a girl, Sto sounds like a guy, so that¡¯s how I think of them, but they don¡¯t care when someone referred to him as ¡®it¡¯.¡±

    ¡°And the dungeon needs to follow rules?¡± Don asked. ¡°Wait, who came up with them? How are they enforced?¡±

    ¡°No, no, no!¡± Jackal said. ¡°We¡¯re in the middle of a run. It was bad enough when it was just Tibs going off asking questions instead of moving us toward the next cache. But now you two are just going to go on and on with questions. We have a floor to clear, so deal with everything you want to know once we¡¯ve looked at the fourth floor.¡±

    ¡°Someone¡¯s sure of himself,¡± Ganny said with a chuckle.

    ¡°He has a bet with Quigly that we¡¯ll reach the fourth floor first,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°So,¡± Don said as he walked next to Tibs. ¡°You can talk to the dungeon and they answer you. Can you get them to tell you how to beat the boss room?¡±

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s one of those rules Ganny keeps Sto from breaking.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I never tell you how to beat a room. Where¡¯s the fun in that?¡± Sto protested.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Ganny said, ¡°and how many times did Tibs almost get you to reveal something?¡±

    ¡°Almost doesn¡¯t count,¡± he replied petulantly.

    ¡°It does if I was the reason it didn¡¯t happen,¡± she said triumphantly.

    Tibs smiled.

    He¡¯d missed the banter.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 63

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Don said, ¡°three squares diagonally on your right.¡±

    ¡°I think he¡¯s got you,¡± Sto said.

    Tibs looked at everyone¡¯s positions, but didn¡¯t see how it was. He certainly didn¡¯t have a line on the Lord.

    Ganny¡¯s sorcerer moved, ending before the Lord. Only there was no one on that line either.

    ¡°Khumdar, forward by two. Feel free to blast the sorcerer out of the way so you can threaten the dungeon¡¯s Lord.¡±

    The cleric spun his staff as he moved, darkness trailing the tips, as the sorcerer etched a crystal barrier between them.

    ¡°Go ahead, Cleric,¡± Ganny taunted. ¡°See what I¡¯ve learned of what you¡¯re capable.¡±

    Khumdar turned, letting his staff slip until he held it at the three-quarter point instead of the center, and as the tip of the long side scraped over the floor, something happened that had Tibs staring.

    With each spin and scraping, the burst of darkness that flew at the sorcerer contained clumps of earth essence. The crystal shield deflected the darkness, but the earth stuck within the etching, deforming it, pulling it down until it shattered and a series of burst tore the sorcerer apart.

    ¡°You are now in danger of losing your Lord,¡± Don announced.

    ¡°How did he get earth mixed in?¡± Ganny demanded. ¡°Even the sorcerers can¡¯t do stuff like that yet.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s new,¡± Jackal stated, while Tibs tried to figure out what had happened.

    He¡¯d been so surprised he hadn¡¯t thought to sense details, but he was confident that if there had been an etching or filigree, he¡¯d have sensed them. ¡°How could you do that?¡± he finally asked. ¡°I¡¯m with Ganny. I thought only sorcerers could pull essence out of stuff.¡±

    ¡°And they can¡¯t do that yet,¡± she repeated.

    Don had the smile of when he knew something no one else did.

    ¡°I shall start by establishing that is it the guild who claims only sorcerer can do so,¡± The cleric said.

    ¡°In their defense,¡± Don interrupted. ¡°I¡¯ve yet to come across a book contradicting them, the mindset required¡ª¡±

    ¡°Then,¡± Khumdar continued, sounding slightly annoyed, ¡°I shall continue pointing out I am a Cleric of Darkness. As such, I have access to a wealth of secrets that even the guild wishes it knew. And I shall end with¡ª¡±

    ¡°You are so full of it,¡± Jackal said, grinning. ¡°Do you think I haven¡¯t noticed you hanging around the fighter¡¯s field? Or speaking with some of us there?¡± He looked at Don. ¡°How did you know he¡¯d pull that off?¡±

    ¡°I fail to understand your surprise,¡± the cleric said, smiling back. ¡°I was, after all, simply following your example.¡±

    Tibs stared at the fighter. ¡°You¡¯ve been¡­ asking questions?¡±

    ¡°What can I say, Tibs,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°You¡¯re a bad influence on me.¡±

    ¡°Wait, so that¡¯s where you keep vanishing to?¡± Mez asked. ¡°Going around prying secrets out of other Runners?¡±

    The cleric smirked. ¡°I am not required to answer you.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean anyone can use the essence from more than one element?¡± the archer asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Don said. ¡°As I was going to say, the mindset to allow that is difficult to reach even for us, and we start with a more open way of thinking about the world than anyone else. But we need to take that up later, since I¡¯d like to know if the dungeon has a way out of my trap, or it wants to abdicate.¡±

    Tibs looked at Ganny¡¯s Lord. It hadn¡¯t moved, neither had her remaining archer and infantry. Tibs didn¡¯t understand the problem until he looked beyond her pieces and where Don had positioned his team. If the infantry moved to position itself between the Lord and Khumdar, it opened the Lord to Jackal, who, for this game, was the Lady. If the archer moved in any way, Tibs would be able to take on the Lord, since he was a sorcerer this time.

    He didn¡¯t know enough to claim there was nothing Ganny could do to change the situation, but it didn¡¯t look good for her.

    The huff she let out agreed with him. Then the Lord crumbled. ¡°I so hate you right now.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s another win for us,¡± Don stated, a broad smile on his face.

    ¡°You always say you like a good challenge,¡± Sto said.

    ¡°He¡¯s not a challenge,¡± she replied. ¡°He and Quigly keep defeating me. They aren¡¯t any fun.¡±

    ¡°Quigly¡¯s good at this?¡± Tibs asked, heading to the chest. He¡¯d expected the warrior to let his sorcerer made the decisions in this room.

    ¡°He did go to war with a king,¡± Jackal replied, while Ganny grumbled something incomprehensible that hadn¡¯t sounded like a compliment.

    ¡°Which he lost,¡± Don said.

    ¡°Yeah, but you don¡¯t piss off one of them to the point they¡¯ll throw you in a catacomb instead of executing you for everyone to see, just by losing. He had to make that king fight for it hard, and that takes a lot of strategy.¡±

    ¡°You and him should have a game,¡± Mez suggested to Don, while Tibs inspected the chest for triggers.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea,¡± the sorcerer replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t make the best of impression on him.¡±

    ¡°Like that matters,¡± Jackal said dismissively. ¡°You made the worst impression on us, and look where you are. I¡¯m sure that beating you will make him feel better.¡±

    Don snorted. ¡°Like that¡¯s ever going to happen.¡± He paused. ¡°You aren¡¯t suggesting I let him win, are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not suggesting anything,¡± Jackal said with a chuckle, stepping next to Tibs as he opened the chest. ¡°Are we going down another one of Don¡¯s memory here too? I¡¯m hoping for something better than that¡­¡± he trailed off.

    Tibs pulled a sword out. ¡°Maybe we are. Considering how many people have wanted to plant one of these into him.¡±

    Jackal leaned over Tibs and looked in. ¡°I doubt that would come with armor, if that was the case. No one¡¯s owned something that good until recently. Unless the dungeon thinks Don needs protection, in case we¡¯re going to use the sword to stab him.¡±

    ¡°Like you¡¯d wait for me to give you the tools, if you felt like stabbing him.¡± Sto commented.

    Tibs took the metal chest plate out. ¡°He¡¯d need something, otherwise he¡¯s punching, not stabbing Don.¡±

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    ¡°Before the conversation progresses any further,¡± Don said. ¡°Can you confirm this is theoretical? I thought the training was giving you enough of an outlet for causing me pain.¡±

    Tibs grinned. ¡°Jackal can turn any time into a training session.¡±

    * * * * *

    ¡°I want you to channel Lightning,¡± Don instructed.

    Tibs froze. ¡°What?¡± He looked back where they¡¯d come from, in case they¡¯d missed one of the creatures, but there was no trace of the fight against the Gnolls and people golems there.

    ¡°You heard me.¡±

    ¡°Don, there¡¯s nowhere for you to hide. Lightning travels far. This isn¡¯t the right place.¡±

    The sorcerer smiled. ¡°This is the perfect place. You can¡¯t destroy anything.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell him what you did to the Ratling camp, did you?¡± Sto asked. ¡°Or when Jackal pushed you to the point where you melted your ice?¡±

    ¡°You know what I did before,¡± Tibs said, swallowing the pain of nearly killing Jackal.

    ¡°But the dungeon can remake everything here. Unlike, say, a warehouse. That takes a lot more work.¡±

    ¡°Like you have any idea how much work it takes me to fix the damage,¡± Sto grumbled. ¡°And it hurts.

    ¡°It hurts Sto,¡± Tibs stated.

    ¡°Then don¡¯t hurt him. Also, don¡¯t hurt us.¡±

    Khumdar and Mez had taken a step back at Don¡¯s announcement. Jackal hadn¡¯t moved. He hadn¡¯t even stoned up.

    ¡°I trust Don,¡± the fighter said. ¡°Hey,¡± he added at the stares. ¡°It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve said it. I let him order us about in the Conquest room, don¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°Because he¡¯s the best chance we¡¯ll win, and get the loot,¡± Mez replied. ¡°This is about training Tibs, and we know how that goes better than he does.¡±

    Jackal shrugged. ¡°Tibs¡¯s not going to hurt us.¡±

    ¡°Hurt you,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°We have yet to truly put to the test how much Tibs can resist the elements when it comes to our safety.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what you can¡¯t seem to grasp,¡± Don said. ¡°Tibs never ¡®resisted the elements¡¯. What he does is reach an understanding of what they are, and that he isn¡¯t them. It¡¯s been confrontational because Tibs didn¡¯t have a way to keep from being overwhelmed.¡±

    ¡°And that Oneness thing is how he¡¯s going to keep it from happening?¡± Mez asked, dubious.

    ¡°Khumdar, care to step in and help?¡± Don asked.

    ¡°How would I¡ª¡±

    The sorcerer glared.

    The cleric sighed. ¡°Very well. Oneness is a way of living based around the idea that the elements flow through people, and that they affect their emotions. Within certain circles of the belief, they claim the elements are our emotions, but that is a minority. But the elements are not our emotions. They are beings, they think, they feel, they have their own desires. And that is why I do not believe this will help Tibs gain control.¡±

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you ever suggested he try something like that?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°Have I not just said I do not believe this will help? Also, while I am aware of the existence of the philosophy and its underpinning from discussing with believers. That does not mean I have learned how it is taught.¡± He narrowed his eyes at Don. ¡°And I will ask how it is you believed I would be aware of its existence.¡±

    ¡°That I¡¯d know, you mean,¡± the sorcerer replied with a smirk. ¡°You mentioned seeing the Austratium during your travels.¡±

    ¡°I have,¡± the cleric replied cautiously, but also sounding like he didn¡¯t see how it meant anything.

    ¡°The Austratium is located in Arkidian.¡±

    ¡°I believe you are correct.¡± His tone didn¡¯t lose its caution.

    ¡°Arkidian adopted Oneness as their dominant philosophy a little over three centuries ago. Became rather militant about it a hundred and sixteen years back. It would be impossible for you to have traveled through that kingdom and not learn about it. I¡¯m surprised you managed not to get dragged into being taught. If you really don¡¯t know anything about how to learn it.¡±

    ¡°How would you know of the kingdom¡¯s beliefs?¡± The cleric asked in one of the rare moment of being dumbfounded Tibs had witnessed.

    ¡°I read about it,¡± Don replied.

    ¡°You¡­read about it?¡±

    ¡°It was from a scholar who was researching if it was possible to teach someone the sorcerer¡¯s way of thinking. She wasn¡¯t impressed with it, but I found more of her works when looking for how to help Tibs.¡±

    ¡°He isn¡¯t lying,¡± Tibs said at the questioning look Khumdar gave him. There had been no light on any of the words. Just Don¡¯s usual sense of superiority when he spoke of things he knew so much about.

    ¡°Then I would like to know why you felt the need to read about something I mentioned in passing,¡± Khumdar said, tone darkening.

    The sorcerer looked at him in surprise. ¡°I read that years ago. Back when I was going to be a scholar. Back then I was always in the library, reading anything they¡¯d let me take off the shelf.¡± He sighed. ¡°When my family could afford the entry fee.¡±

    ¡°Am I to believe that¡ª¡±

    ¡°How about you two talk this over later?¡± Jackal said. ¡°We have a run to finish, and while I¡¯m willing to spend that precious time with Tibs training, this discussion isn¡¯t helping that happen. Your unhappiness at Don borrowing your thing and unearthing some of your secrets is for later.¡±

    Don snorted. ¡°I have better things do to with my time.¡±

    ¡°Jackal,¡± Tibs said. ¡°It¡¯s not safe to do that here.¡±

    ¡°Like anything is,¡± the fighter replied. ¡°But Don¡¯s right, here is safer than anywhere in Kragle Rock.¡±

    ¡°But I can hurt you,¡± Tibs insisted.

    ¡°Think of it as an incentive to be careful, then.¡±

    Tibs looked at the others. Even with the distance they¡¯d put, he¡¯d expected protests out of Mez at least.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, Tibs,¡± Don reassured him.

    He doubted it, but that was his fear talking. He took a slow breath. It had some basis from his past experiences; he couldn¡¯t deny that. Another one. But his fears were usually disproportionate to what ended up happening.

    He let go of Water, and it took him many breaths to be able to channel Lightning.

    There was so much to do! The shifting wall room, the boss room. Finding how to get through it. He had to bring Marger to the town so he could kill him and have that bring the guild down around his body. All the runners that needed his help so they wouldn¡¯t die the way the guild wanted them¡ª

    He breathed.

    He was being impatient.

    There was too much to do to waste time. He couldn¡¯t stay here, still. He needed to move, make it all happen. Talk to Darran, give him the Promises to get the armor, the weapons, trainers, good trainers who¡¯d¡ª

    He breathed.

    There was time.

    No, there wasn¡¯t. He was¡ª

    Tibs.

    He breathed.

    Lightning was who needed everything to happen at once.

    Tibs knew things took time.

    He breathed.

    Tibs opened his eyes. Don had been right. He was going to be so fucking unbearable about it.

    He had to tell him, no, keep it secret, explode so Don would think it hadn¡¯t worked. Thank him for giving him a way to control, to help, to¡ª

    He breathed.

    He didn¡¯t have to do any of those things right now.

    He breathed and felt the desires flit through him, the needs to be and do. He focused on one. He wanted to find out if Clara was here, now that the Clerics were back. Would she find a good team? Maybe Quigly would take her on his, when he lost one of his archers. Maybe she wasn¡¯t back, still punished for going against her orders and helping his town against Sebastian.

    He let the thought go.

    Yeah, Don was never going to let him forget that this Oneness thing was his idea.

    He turned to face his friends and smiled as they had all, even Jackal, stepped back. Then frowned at the spiderweb of black lines emanating from where Tibs stood. As he watched, lightning coursed from the wall to his body.

    ¡°Sorry about that.¡± He absorbed the essence.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Jackal asked.

    A bolt escaped his attention as his mind reeled with answers to the question. Was he okay? Of course he was. No, he wasn¡¯t. He still missed Mama and Carina, and¡ª

    He breathed.

    All those things were for later. For when he made time for them. Now, he was keeping Lightning from hurting his friends. Keeping his thoughts from flying all over the place and sending bolts chasing after them.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t as easy as you said, Don.¡±

    ¡°I never¡ª¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s easier than not understanding what¡¯s happening. Maybe it¡¯s because lightning is everything and everywhere at¡ªno, that¡¯s not right. It isn¡¯t that. It wants to be that. And I¡¯m doing it again. Letting it carry me away. But I see it happening. When fire consumed me, I could only see him, not what I should do, or that there was even a me in there. It¡¯s the same with learning the other elements. I want to move. To be there, and here, and there and over there, right now. But I also know that it¡¯s not me who wants that. It¡¯s Lightning. It¡¯s really weird, and it¡¯s distracting. I don¡¯t know how much help I¡¯ll be while I¡¯m channeling him. I mean, this helps, but it takes a lot of my attention on thinking and I¡¯m thinking about a lot of things right now.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Don said. ¡°This isn¡¯t about doing the run while channeling the element. You can let go of it now.¡±

    ¡°But this is good. I can think about so many things. I could work on all the triggers while solving the puzzles if I spent more time like this, learning to¡ªno, I wouldn¡¯t. This is Lightning, not me. But I can tell. That means it¡¯s time to let go.¡±

    He did and felt like he was wrapped in water filled with Gur. Everything was so slow. What had he been thinking; there was so much he could do if¡ª

    Only it wasn¡¯t true. While he thought faster, it had been a jumble of them. None of them had turned into something he did.

    ¡°You were right,¡± he told Don. ¡°This Oneness thing is making it easier.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡± The sorcerer¡¯s smile broadened. ¡°How about we continue with the run?¡±

    Tibs narrowed his eyes. ¡°You want to brag, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°You have no idea how badly I want to brag,¡± Don admitted, grinning.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Because it wouldn¡¯t be right to brag about being right.¡±

    ¡°You have met Jackal, right?¡± Tibs asked, the suspiciousness thick in his voice.

    ¡°I was right!¡± Don burst out and did a little dance. ¡°You doubted me, and I was right!¡±

    ¡°He is going to be so unbearable now,¡± Jackal said.

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°No more than you when you think you¡¯re right.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m right.¡± The fighter straightened. ¡°I know I¡¯m right.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 64

    The doors swung in hard enough under Jackal¡¯s push they hit the walls with an echoing ¡®boom¡¯.

    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± he announced as he stepped into the boss room, dusting his hands off.

    ¡°He knows I¡¯ve been following your progress, right?¡± Sto asked, and Tibs simply shrugged. The dungeon should be used to the fighter¡¯s antics by now.

    ¡°We do this the same as last time?¡± Jackal asked, turning to them. ¡°Fight this first group, then you and Don work out how to not trigger the next attacks?¡±

    ¡°And if we can¡¯t,¡± Tibs replied, ¡°we blast those, too. We know what to expect, and I don¡¯t have to hold back this time.¡±

    ¡°This raises a question for me,¡± Don said. ¡°Why have you been holding back in the previous fights? You said that your life essence flows through the creatures the dungeon makes. Why not just drain them? It would have made all these fights easier.¡±

    ¡°Boring, you mean,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Me and Sto have an arrangement,¡± Tibs said. ¡°I don¡¯t use my element to win fights, and he doesn¡¯t make things so hard no other team can survive.¡±

    ¡°They can do that?¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s the dungeon. He can do anything he wants here.¡±

    ¡°What about those rules you said he needs to follow? What I got from how you talked about them, and the run, is that they¡¯re there in part to keep them from killing everyone outright, since they exist to force us to grow stronger.¡±

    ¡°But if he uses us as the criteria to set how strong a team is, he¡¯s going to be justified in making it ever harder until we¡¯re the only ones able to survive.¡±

    ¡°Alright, then how do they account for all your elements? That makes you the equivalent of multiple people on a team, if not multiple teams.¡±

    Tibs looked up.

    ¡°We¡¯re still figuring that one out,¡± Ganny replied. ¡°This is the first time you¡¯ve used multiple elements consistently on a run.¡±

    ¡°But,¡± Sto added, ¡°it isn¡¯t like you¡¯re good with any other than water. You¡¯re basically Upsilon with all of them, except¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d say Rho,¡± Ganny interrupted. ¡°Just from the raw volume of essence he can use.¡±

    ¡°But they¡¯re going to be on the fourth floor soon, and that¡¯s going to balance things.¡±

    ¡°But,¡± Ganny said, ¡°if you overdo it on this floor, we are going to have to make changes.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re working on it,¡± he told Don. ¡°But I¡¯m not good enough with most of my elements to have much of an effect, and they don¡¯t think it will have any once we¡¯re on the fourth floor.¡±

    Don nodded. ¡°Meaning that if we linger on this floor as you get more skilled, we¡¯re going to be causing everyone else problems.¡±

    ¡°Two things,¡± Jackal stated. ¡°I say, let it bring on the harder fights, so long as the loot increases to match. And who is even thinking of us staying on this floor after we clear this room? I want the good loot, and that¡¯s going to be on the next floor, so how about we set on clearing this room so we can go and see it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s three things,¡± Mez said.

    Jackal counted on his fingers. ¡°Two. Clearing the room isn¡¯t a thing. It¡¯s what¡¯s happening now.¡± He stepped over the activation threshold, and the mass of creatures rushed them.

    * * * * *

    Tibs skewered a golem person, a fighter wielding water, and looked around. The last of the attackers crumbled to rubble, and anywhere one had fallen and they¡¯d moved away as they fought. All that was left were a few silvers, or small jewelry.

    ¡°I want another one like this!¡± Jackal yelled at the ceiling, grinning. He and Tibs were the only ones without serious injuries, and Tibs had had to suffuse himself with purity to heal during the fight. Don was pale, hands on knees and panting. Khumdar limped, and Mez¡¯s arm hung at his side. Tibs had no idea how he¡¯d stayed in the fight if he hadn¡¯t been able to shoot arrows.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get closer to them,¡± Tibs ordered Jackal as he headed for the archer. ¡°You do, and you¡¯re fighting them alone.¡±

    Jackal¡¯s hands were up defensively. ¡°I wasn¡¯t¡ª¡± He looked at where he stood, then took a step toward Tibs. ¡°I¡¯m the new, smarter Jackal, remember?¡±

    ¡°That was a low bar to clear,¡± Don said. ¡°And clearing it doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re that much smarter.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s smart enough to stay on Kroseph¡¯s good side,¡± Mez said. Then sighed as Tibs wrapped a purity weave around his arm.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a given, seeing how they¡¯re special to one another?¡±

    Tibs snorted. ¡°You weren¡¯t there to hear Jackal explain his mistake to his man, and make things worse each time. You¡¯d think he would have learned to shut up after the first time.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Jackal said, sounding bored. ¡°Just nod and accept my punishment.¡± The grin that formed was filled with mischief.

    ¡°Don¡¯t start talking now,¡± Tibs warned. ¡°We don¡¯t want to know.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you don¡¯t, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Khumdar stated. ¡°Tibs is correct. However your man goes about keeping you in line is for you and him to experience and then keep to yourself. I do not believe any of us has done anything to warrant the torture of you describing it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just jealous of the love my man shows me,¡± Jackal replied dismissively.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it fun how our leader¡¯s always talking like we don¡¯t have someone of our own?¡± Mez asked, slowly testing his arm¡¯s range.

    ¡°I¡­¡± Don trailed off.

    ¡°Really?¡± The archer asked in surprise. ¡°I thought that this new you had an easier time keeping people on your good side. It should make it easier to find someone special.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you consider what you have special,¡± the sorcerer replied, eyes focused on his hands as they pulled and put back amulets in the pockets. ¡°You didn¡¯t sound like you felt your arrangement was¡­favorable the last time you mentioned it.¡± He looked up as Tibs stepped to him.

    Tibs hadn¡¯t seen anyone close enough to Don to hit him, but the essence in his chest was broken the way someone being punched hard caused. On top of that, his reserve was drained. The sorcerer closed a hand around an amulet and pulled the essence within him as Tibs placed a purity weave on the wound. The sorcerer regained colors and straightened.

    ¡°I accepted my position at her side,¡± Mez said, tone firm, instead of resigned as Tibs expected. He hadn¡¯t brought that girl up in a while, and the archer hadn¡¯t mentioned her. ¡°In time, I will see the light through this storm.¡±

    ¡°That is quite¡­honorable of you,¡± Khumdar said.

    Don pulled another amulet from a pocket and absorbed the essence. Tibs took it from him before he put it back and pushed essence in.

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    ¡°I wish to be a man,¡± Mez said, then the expected sigh sounded. ¡°But there are times she makes me wish I could stay a child.¡±

    Raising an eyebrow, Don took hold of one end as Tibs offered it to him, and pulled on the essence within the amulet as Tibs kept pushing more in.

    ¡°Not the kind of noble you said lived in your kingdom?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°She is¡­ She tries.¡±

    Tibs saw the light on the word from the corner of his eye, but stayed silent. Don stopped pulling once his reserve was full and Tibs stopped when the amulet was filled.

    ¡°I had¡­¡± Mez continued, then sighed again. ¡°A Tibs¡¯s problem, but in the opposite direction. Where all he saw were bad nobles, and couldn¡¯t imagine any could be good. I was raised with the ideal of the good a noble does. Encountering the ones here dampened my illusions, but I still believed my kingdom was different. It is not as¡­different as I would like to believe.¡±

    ¡°That sucks,¡± Jackal said as Tibs moved on to the cleric.

    They were silent as Tibs healed Khumdar, then moved on to the next problem.

    The pattern around the column was the trigger that made the next group of creatures appear. He¡¯d triggered it just by interacting with it the last time, and he couldn¡¯t know what in that interaction had activated it, unless he interacted with it again; he¡¯d like to avoid that fight. The one detail he remembered as it had triggered was that it had sent out signals through the room.

    His problem was working out where those signals had gone to without triggering this one.

    ¡°Khumdar, are there other secrets in the room?¡±

    ¡°Many.¡±

    ¡°How are they connected?¡± He looked at the cleric when he didn¡¯t answer.

    He had a perplexed expression. ¡°I am uncertain what you mean.¡±

    Tibs motioned to the floor around the column. ¡°You sensed the trigger. It reached out to others and I need to know where they are.¡±

    ¡°I believe you misunderstand what I sense. There are secrets throughout this dungeon. Some it is hiding actively, while others are hidden through circumstances. Some have the feel to them of a secret wishing to be discovered, while others desire to remain hidden. I can easily indicate eight of that kind in this room, but I do not sense any connection between them, or that they will trigger anything. All I know is that they are secrets that do not wish to be noticed.¡±

    Tibs nodded. ¡°It¡¯s that mindset thing. You aren¡¯t a rogue, so you don¡¯t think about secret the way I do.¡± He scanned the room. He had the sense of the kinds of secret this trigger was, but he didn¡¯t have the experience using Darkness that let Khumdar sense more about them. Or maybe it was that as a cleric, his awareness of the element was different.

    What Tibs had, were options. He let go of water and channeled darkness.

    The darkness that marked the trigger sharpened. It didn¡¯t follow any of the essence that flowed through the pattern, only marked it as a secret. He sensed more such pools of darkness throughout the room. The floor, the ceiling, the walls; even the unmoving dragons at the end of the room was shrouded in shadow.

    But that didn¡¯t tell him enough.

    He took a breath and suffused himself with darkness, then looked around again.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal called, surprised. When Tibs glanced at his friend, the fighter¡¯s gaze was searching, passing over Tibs as if he didn¡¯t see him.

    ¡°Is that how you vanish?¡± Don asked the cleric.

    ¡°I suppose there is no point in keeping this hidden. Tibs had filled himself with darkness. He had made himself a secret you cannot easily perceive.¡±

    ¡°But you can?¡± the sorcerer asked, sounding dubious.

    ¡°I have more experience. And he is not seeking to hide; this is nothing more than what happens when engulfed by the element.¡±

    Tibs looked at his hands. They looked normal. With a shrug, he returned to what he¡¯d been doing. Each shadow was clear, even those where the light didn¡¯t reach, and looking at them, Tibs had a certainty they were connected. It was how Ganny did things. So why wasn¡¯t he seeing that connection?

    ¡°What are you seeking?¡± Khumdar whispered.

    Tibs looked in his direction, but the cleric wasn¡¯t there. He focussed and had the impression of a secret, crouched next to him, but it was faint enough it might be his imagination.

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to sense how the secrets connect to each other. I thought that by suffusing myself, I¡¯d sense more, and I do, but it¡¯s either not enough or just not something darkness does.¡±

    ¡°Darkness does what we will it to do,¡± the cleric said. ¡°Some will be because you think of it in the proper way. Other will be using etching and weaving. And yet more will be about how much essence you pour into what you want.¡± The pause had a sense of thinking to it. ¡°Can you suffuse yourself with more darkness than you currently do?¡±

    Tibs considered it, then tried, but nothing changed in what was within him. ¡°No. It just pours through me until I¡¯m¡­ filled, is the best word I have for it. Isn¡¯t it like that for you?¡±

    ¡°It is, but you are different. I do not desire to assume you are limited in the same way I am.¡±

    Tibs nodded. ¡°What would happen if I filled my channels with Darkness?¡±

    ¡°I do not¡ª¡±

    ¡°I can sense them in you,¡± he said, cutting off the protest.

    ¡°Now?¡±

    ¡°For a while. I don¡¯t know when I started realizing they were there, but it was before Don and Jackal got theirs.¡± He looked where he thought the secret that was Khumdar was, then realized he couldn¡¯t sense his element this way, so he thought back. ¡°Yours are¡­¡± he sighed. ¡°Denser isn¡¯t the right word, but I can tell you had them longer than they have, unless it¡¯s something that happens if you train them more.¡±

    ¡°Does Mez have them?¡±

    Tibs focused on the archer. ¡°Not really. I can sort of sense there¡¯s something there, but it¡¯s nothing like what we have.¡±

    ¡°So you have them too,¡± the cleric stated.

    ¡°When I absorbed all that fire, I couldn¡¯t put all of it in my reserve, even by pushing it as tight as I could. So I did what I did the last time I had too much essence and pushed it into the rest of my body. The first time I discovered suffusing that way. But instead of making me more suffused, it went into those channels, filling them ever denser. Then, when I let go of all that essence, they were still there. Don said they¡¯re used to create specific effect, but he didn¡¯t tell me what or why. I didn¡¯t think to ask. He was already giving me Oneness to work on and that¡¯s been too much.¡±

    ¡°Where do the channels go?¡±

    ¡°Everywhere?¡± Tibs said, unsure, as he focused on himself.

    Khumdar chuckled. ¡°If it is such for you, I suspect I will not be able to help.¡±

    Tibs separated the sense of the channels from the rest. They weren¡¯t as clear as they were in the others because he was suffused. ¡°It starts at my head,¡± He said, once he had a sense of them. ¡°It goes down to my chest, there it splits to my arms, legs and crotch. There¡¯s sort of¡­ knot in my chest, my head, my crotch, my hands and feet.¡±

    ¡°Only one in your head?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­no.¡± He focused harder. ¡°It¡¯s like four smaller ones. Close together, kind of in the middle of my head.¡±

    ¡°Is one closer to your forehead?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°That is¡­ I call it the node of sight,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°Don will have the term the guild and scholar use of them. Guiding more essence to it allows me to gain more understanding of the secrets surrounding me. It is how I see you now.¡±

    He tried harder to sense the cleric, but he couldn¡¯t manage it. ¡°Then,¡± he said, relenting on that. ¡°All I have to do is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stop.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°This is not something simple, or without risk. There is a danger to knowing more about secrets. To letting darkness in so deep within your mind.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be¡ª¡±

    ¡°It did something to me,¡± Khumdar whispered, even if Tibs was sure no one heard them, both cloaked in darkness as they were. ¡°In that first attempt. Even after this time, I do not understand what. But Tibs, I advise against doing this without proper training.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take it slow.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Khumdar warned.

    ¡°I need to find out how the triggers are connected, and this is the only way I have that doesn¡¯t mean I activate it, then hope I get something before we need to fight more creatures. The point of me doing this is so we don¡¯t fight them.¡±

    The cleric sighed. ¡°Very well. Then you must use no more than the smallest amount possible. It is easy to have too much going in and then¡­¡±

    Tibs nodded. He pulled darkness from his reserve, keeping it within his body, then thinned it until there was less there than faintest threat of a weave he¡¯d sensed. He touched it to the channel under his head and gasped as it was nearly ripped from his control and pulled into it. It took nearly more than he could manage to wrench it out. Then he was panting.

    ¡°Are you well?¡± Khumdar asked.

    ¡°It was like the channel was famished for it. It wanted more of it. It fought me when I tried to pull it out.¡±

    ¡°That is why you require training. We can return when¡ª¡±

    ¡°No. It just took me by surprise, that¡¯s all.¡± He pulled essence out of his reserve again. ¡°I know what to expect this time.¡± He thinned it, tightened his hold on it, and resisted when the channel pulled. He realized it was pulling in both directions. ¡°What happens if I just let the essence filled my channels?¡±

    ¡°At this time,¡± Khumdar replied, tone severe, ¡°I do not believe it would be pleasant, or that you could survive it. If you cannot maintain control and guide it where it must go, stop. Accept that this is something that will require patience.¡±

    ¡°I have it under control,¡± Tibs replied, forcing the essence along the channel and to his head. When the channel split, his control nearly slipped, the strand splitting and starting along each path. He pulled back, then forced it into the right one. Then had to fight against the pull into the node.

    The difference was immediate. The secrets around the rooms almost had a shape to them.

    ¡°If I use more, will it let me see more of¡­whatever it is I¡¯m almost seeing?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Khumdar said after a stretched silence. ¡°Be cautious. It is easy to let in too much. This is not where you wish to make that mistake.¡±

    Tibs let a little more of the strand into the node and the forms became more defined. One caught his attention, and he realized it was within Mez. A secret that, as he let a little more of the strand in, took a shape. Two people holding hands. Wanting to see more, he let again a little more in, and then more. Mez was quickly identifiable, and Tibs could make out enough to see happiness there. The person holding his hand took more, then he looked away, hurrying to pull the thread out as he started to recognize her. Shame crawled up at having pried into his friend¡¯s secrets in such a way.

    His hold on the thread slipped a little in surprise at what he saw in the room, intensifying the lines that criss-crossed it. Showing him how the secrets were connected.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 65

    ¡°Can you recreate this with your essence?¡± Tibs asked Don as he recreated the pattern he sensed, using light, over the floor.

    The sorcerer studied it, then the floor, tracing the one of the lines that Tibs hadn¡¯t noticed matched the pattern he¡¯d sensed. ¡°You want me to make it within the mess of essence in the floor?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but when I tell you. This is a twin trigger. I¡¯ll do the same around the other column.¡±

    ¡°Both need to be done with the same element?¡±

    Tibs nodded. ¡°It¡¯s in part why it triggered last time. I only used essence on this side of the trigger.¡±

    ¡°What are the odds a team is going to have two Runners with the same element?¡± Mez asked as Don stood and moved between the two columns. ¡°This feels like something the dungeon set up to make sure we have to fight all the creatures.¡±

    Tibs looked up, but Ganny didn¡¯t comment.

    ¡°It can be done.¡± Don sent essence to the other column, and recreated the pattern. ¡°This is a test of strength and finesse.¡± The patterns became fuzzy. ¡°And focus. It definitely requires that at this point. I¡¯ve never had to stretch my attention this far before and maintain it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why we¡¯re cheating,¡± Tibs said, grinning.

    ¡°Why am I not surprised,¡± Ganny commented.

    ¡°How are you going to get the timing right?¡± Jackal asked, crouched next to the column, hand on the design.

    ¡°We prepare the pattern over where it goes,¡± Don said.

    ¡°Then, when I give the signal,¡± Tibs continued, ¡°we lower it into the lock.¡±

    Jackal frowned. ¡°How can you tell where the lock is? I can barely tell where my essence is in this mess.¡±

    ¡°You have to find the matching line,¡± Don said, back to the column and tracing the one that followed corruption.

    ¡°Like that¡¯s any easier,¡± the fighter said.

    ¡°The dungeon is trying to kill you,¡± the sorcerer replied. ¡°So you shouldn¡¯t expect them to make it easy on you.¡± He paused. ¡°Although this doesn¡¯t seem all that difficult.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any idea what it took for me to work this out?¡± Tibs asked, outraged.

    ¡°No, since the two of you were shrouded in darkness.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s remember,¡± Mez said, ¡°just how much smarter than the rest of us you are.¡±

    ¡°Even without Tibs explaining this, for me to work out how I¡¯d have figured it out,¡± Don replied. ¡°Anyone who paid attention would eventually realize the pattern of their essence has a matching line etched into the floor. And once you can sense it, there is a faint trace of the essence stretching to the other column where they¡¯d notice the same. How likely is it that once they tell their team¡¯s rogue they¡¯ll realized they are in step, Tibs?¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t answer immediately, searching for that trace essence Don mentioned, then was annoyed at not having noticed it before. ¡°Two identical locks with a connection. They¡¯d work it out as soon as they¡¯re told.¡±

    ¡°Hence,¡± Don said, ¡°this is somewhat easy for the third floor.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll always take easy,¡± Mez said, sounding dubious.

    ¡°Unless it¡¯s a fight,¡± Jackals said. ¡°Those we should earn.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take an easy fight too,¡± the archer replied.

    ¡°Wimp,¡± the fighter said, grinning.

    ¡°We¡¯re not all as thick headed as you,¡± Mez said, mockingly.

    ¡°Do you think I missed something in how it works?¡± Tibs asked Don, sensing for anything new.

    ¡°I trust what you worked out. But we should stay alert. The dungeon¡¯s too smart not to have something ready.¡±

    Ganny¡¯s chuckle confirmed what Don said.

    ¡°Then we go slow.¡± Tibs stepped to the other column. ¡°I¡¯m making the pattern.¡± He formed it over the matching line in the floor, and essence under it. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡±

    ¡°Make sure it¡¯s correct,¡± Don instructed, and Tibs breathed the annoyance away. This was Don making sure.

    ¡°It matches,¡± Tibs replied after checking.

    ¡°Mine too. On your mark, Tibs, we lower it.¡±

    ¡°On the count of zero, it needs to be in the weave. I¡¯ll start at four.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±

    ¡°Four,¡± a beat, ¡°three,¡± a beat, ¡°two,¡± a beat, ¡°one.¡± He moved it down as he said, ¡°Zero.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s in,¡± Don replied, then hurried to add, as Tibs sensed it. ¡°Something¡¯s happening.¡±

    ¡°You were right.¡± The essences moved around the pattern, and Tibs couldn¡¯t tell what they were doing. But he knew letting go, or pulling the pattern out, would activate the trigger.

    ¡°When I tell you,¡± Don called, ¡°Turn the pattern left-ward a quarter turn. It needs to be fast.¡±

    Tibs searched for what he¡¯d sensed and noticed the corruption¡¯s alignment was shifting within itself¡ª

    ¡°Now.¡±

    Tibs turned as the corruption moved, stopping as Don called.

    ¡°Stop.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not done,¡± Tibs said. The essence was still shifting, but now he could sense what it meant. ¡°We need to¡­¡± How was he supposed to describe that motion?

    ¡°Rotate the pattern on an axis aligned with the floor and aimed toward the column,¡± Don said.

    Tibs had no idea what that meant, other than Don had also worked it out. Only. ¡°The pattern¡¯s going to change as it moves.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see¡­oh. Clever dungeon, very clever. Alone, I¡¯d been too focused on getting ready for the rotation to notice how the rest of the essences has moved. Oh, and I apologize for not using names. There¡¯s something about saying it that makes¡­¡±

    ¡°Makes it too¡ª¡±

    ¡°Now,¡± Tibs called, cutting of the archer, as the essence¡­.solidified in place. He rotated it, shifting the corruption to match the moving essence and once the top was in the center of the column, all the essence dissipated as if a caught in a breeze.

    He kept hold of the essence, waiting for something to happen.

    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s done?¡± Don asked.

    Tibs carefully split his attention to confirm there were no essences remaining around the column, then let go of the corruption and sat down, panting

    ¡°So it¡¯s done?¡± Jackal asked eagerly.

    ¡°This one,¡± Tibs replied, standing. ¡°Two more sets of columns means two more triggers like this.¡±

    ¡°And yes,¡± Don told Mez. ¡°Using names makes it too much of a person and I can¡¯t resolve that with what I¡¯ve been told of dungeons.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Sto replied, ¡°Until Tibs, my opinion of Runners wasn¡¯t particularly high.¡±

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    ¡°If the other triggers activates, we¡¯ll have to fight just as many creatures?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°There¡¯s no way to know without triggering them,¡± Don answered.

    ¡°Which we aren¡¯t,¡± Tibs told Jackal, his tone firm.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m good with you cheating our way to the dragon.¡±

    ¡°You guys remember Quigly¡¯s team beat the boss the hard way, right?¡± Mez asked, sounding awed.

    ¡°We could do it,¡± Jackal replied dismissively.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°Maybe one of you should do this one with Tibs,¡± Don said. ¡°So you can practice.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather keep my energy for fighting the dragon,¡± Jackal replied.

    ¡°And I¡¯d rather do them with you,¡± Tibs said. ¡°You know what to expect, so it¡¯s going to be easier to deal with the way they¡¯re going to be different.¡±

    ¡°Then on the next run, one of you is disarming them with Tibs,¡± Don instructed.

    Jackal snorted. ¡°On the next run, we¡¯ll be on the fourth floor.¡±

    The next trigger had two extra steps after aligning the pattern with the column, and the one after that moved much faster, and they nearly triggered it. Tibs was panting when he let the essence go, and suffused himself with purity as he straightened.

    The dragon was no more than the equivalent of three sets of column away now, and it was big.

    ¡°Is that what dragons really look like?¡± Mez asked.

    It was a lizard lying on the floor, with its back reaching nearly halfway to the ceiling. Its scaled skin was green, with a golden sheen to them. Its head, at the end of a serpentine neck, rested on thin forelegs that ended in claws long enough to cut through half a column. Its rear legs were thickly muscled and reminded Tibs of those on the rabbits.

    ¡°It¡¯s missing the wings the one on the crest has,¡± Jackal pointed out.

    ¡°The few times I¡¯ve come across descriptions of them,¡± Don said, ¡°they didn¡¯t entirely match. The lizard like body with scales that have a golden sheen matches this one, as do the long claws. They all agreed dragon breathe fire, so this one probably does too. Actually, it¡¯s surprising there are so many similarities, since dragons, like all monsters in the wild, started as dungeon made creatures. Each one should have made something completely different.¡±

    ¡°Dungeons can talk to each other,¡± Tibs said, admiring the dragon.

    ¡°I can?¡± Sto asked in surprise. ¡°Ganny?¡± his tone turned suspicious.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then it¡¯s not as surprising.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know where Tibs got that from,¡± She replied.

    ¡°The purity dungeon,¡± Tibs said. ¡°Val and Kraven talked about her having a conversation with another dungeon, before they went wild.¡± He felt Don¡¯s eyes on him.

    ¡°Val¡¯s old,¡± Ganny mused. ¡°Did they say anything about the relationship between Val and the other dungeon?¡±

    Tibs pieced together what he remembered of the conversation. ¡°Not that I remember, but I did get the impression there were familiar? Like with a family.¡±

    ¡°That would be it,¡± Ganny said. ¡°Really old dungeon can send a spark of themselves into the world, and if it lands in a place that allows it, it becomes a core. When the dungeon is strong enough, they can speak through that link.¡±

    ¡°Is that how I came about? Is there a dungeon out there I¡¯ll be able to talk with at some point?¡±

    ¡°No, Sto,¡± she said, amused. ¡°You¡¯re one of the special dungeon who came to be all by themselves.¡±

    ¡°Are those rare?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°Quite,¡± Ganny replied, ¡°So, yes, Sto. You¡¯re going to have to rely on me for information about the others.¡±

    ¡°Dungeons can only talk with their child,¡± he told Don.

    ¡°Dungeons have children?¡± Don asked, incredulous.

    ¡°Except for Sto, he didn¡¯t need anyone.¡±

    ¡°Oh, now he¡¯s going to be insufferable about that,¡± Ganny said. ¡°Won¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will always need you,¡± Sto replied.

    ¡°Until I point out you are breaking rules.¡±

    ¡°Bending.¡±

    ¡°Breaking,¡± she stated.

    ¡°I¡¯m learning to be gentle about it,¡± he offered.

    ¡°You do realize that it doesn¡¯t matter how gently you don¡¯t listen to me. Once the rule breaks, it remains broken.¡±

    ¡°Unless you don¡¯t want us to get on with this fight,¡± Tibs said, and ignored the horrified look from Jackal. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to continue this elsewhere.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll pick this up later,¡± Ganny said, glee slipping into her voice. ¡°I really want to watch this.¡±

    That, and the shadows clinging to the dragon, confirmed something for Tibs. ¡°We need to be careful. Ganny has tricks setup for this fight.¡±

    ¡°Then we hit it hard and fast.¡± Jackal ran at the dragon.

    With sigh, Tibs hurried after the fighter.

    ¡°One day,¡± Mez said, letting loose arrows, ¡°He¡¯s going to get himself killed with that attitude.¡± The fire spread over the dragon, who didn¡¯t seem to notice.

    ¡°We tell Kroseph how he rushed a dragon,¡± Don replied, balls of corruption splashing onto the dragon¡¯s scales. ¡°And it might be today.¡± Instead of seeping into the scales, the shimmering pushed the corruption away. ¡°The shimmer¡¯s a protection. It might be against more than just corruption and fire.¡±

    ¡°Good thing there¡¯s three of us who don¡¯t require essence to cause damage,¡± Jackal said, halfway to the dragon as it raised its head and blew essence at them. The essence ignited before Tibs grabbed hold of it and engulfed Jackal. Tibs pulled it away, absorbing enough to refill his reserve and sending the rest at the wall.

    ¡°Did you think that was going to hurt me?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°Tibs burned me with fire hotter than that.¡± Jackal turned to his team, motioning to his intact clothing. ¡°How great is that? I learned how to give my clothing the¡ª¡±

    The large paw hit the fighter leisurely and Jackal hit the center of the burn the fireball had left on the wall. The dragon chuckled as it stood on its four legs and stretched in the way Tibs had seen cats do.

    ¡°Ow.¡± Jackal got to his feet, and the dragon motioned him close with a clawed finger. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re controlling that thing.¡± He rubbed his hands together. ¡°This is going to be so fun!¡± He ran at it again.

    ¡°Controlling?¡± Don asked.

    ¡°Sto can enter his creatures,¡± Tibs replied, throwing himself out of the way of the paw that came down. ¡°He¡¯s hoping to kill Jackal that way.¡±

    ¡°Does it mean we should let the two of them go at it without interference?¡± the sorcerer asked.

    Tibs sliced at the leg. ¡°No.¡± The cut was thinner than he¡¯d expected. The shimmering had negated a lot of the damage caused by the essence in his ice and metal sword.

    With Jackal running under the dragon, Tibs realized the legs were shorter than he¡¯d thought. It roared as Jackal punched its underbelly, then stepped aside and around, revealing a tail that swept across the floor.

    Tibs jumped back, and Khumdar scored a hit with his staff as he stepped back that earned him a hiss.

    Jackal stayed under it as the dragon moved, punching the underbelly, then kicked a leg that tried to crush him.

    When the dragon connected, the swipe sent Jackal at the wall again, but Tibs caught him in a mass of thick water that plopped him on the floor.

    ¡°How about we fight together this time?¡± Tibs glared at him.

    ¡°That works for¡ª¡±

    The roar made the walls shake, and this time, essence responded in them.

    ¡°Something¡¯s happening,¡± he called out. Doorways opened on each side of the room, disgorging creatures of all kinds.

    He used water and air to deflect them, but there were so many, all running in their direction from both sides, it was impossible to keep them all away. Then Tibs was on the floor from an impact, his head ringing, his concentration broken, and his arm limp.

    He bashed those within reach with his ice shield as he got to his feet, wrapping his arm in an essence splint. Purity was out of the question at the moment, with so many creatures passing him, trying to hit him. An etched wave of water with Dhu pushed some aside, leaving them pierced with water spikes, but more crashed over and around them,

    ¡°We need to get out of this!¡± Jackal called.

    Tibs used the dragon as reference and moved away, blasting and bashing any creatures he encountered.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re smart enough to know when you¡¯re not going to win!¡± Mez yelled, fire arrows removing creatures from their path.

    ¡°When I end up in this shape,¡± the fighter replied. ¡°I know I¡¯m not winning.¡± His stone body was cracked everywhere, and Tibs senses how the only thing holding the fighter¡¯s essence together was strands of stone. Jackal¡¯s face had a crack through it from above one ear to under the other and the halves weren¡¯t correctly aligned.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t they following you?¡± Mez asked as Tibs rushed to help Jackal, suffusing himself with purity to deal with his injuries.

    ¡°I am content with the fact they are not, and will not question the reason,¡± Khumdar said. His robe was cut and bloody and the essence through the cleric¡¯s let arm was shattered, but it held strong.

    He formed a weave of purity large enough to wrap Jackal in it. Once it moved through the fighter, Tibs turned to Khumdar, wrapping his arm in a weave of its own, then noticed Mez and Don were injured too.

    ¡°How did you get hurt?¡± he asked, placing weaves of purity on the archer¡¯s injuries.

    ¡°They had archers.¡±

    ¡°And sorcerers,¡± Don added. ¡°Their aim wasn¡¯t good, but the number of them made it impossible to avoid everything.¡± He sighed in relief as Tibs applied a weave to his torn side.

    ¡°So there was someone to deal with everyone in that horde.¡± Jackal worked his arm and jaw, watching the creatures standing between them and the dragon.

    ¡°It makes sense,¡± Don said. ¡°Every fight we¡¯ve had had a mix of all classes, or their creature equivalent. The dungeon has to, since we¡¯re just as dangerous to it as the three of you.¡±

    ¡°Are we attacking again?¡± Tibs asked, after making sure everyone was healed.

    ¡°No,¡± Jackal replied after a long silence. ¡°Don¡¯t be so surprised. They nearly broke me in half, and I don¡¯t have enough essence left to hold myself together a second time. Mez, Don, Khumdar, how are you reserve?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± Mez replied. ¡°I refilled my bow from that fireball Tibs diverted.¡±

    ¡°I lost a lot of my amulets when they did this to me.¡± He indicated his healed side. ¡°I was forced away, and the dungeon absorbed them. Without them, I don¡¯t know how much use I¡¯ll be against the dragon in our next run. I can¡¯t afford to get more, and even with Tibs refilling those I have left before the fight, I doubt I¡¯ll have enough.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t have to worry about running out of essence during the next run,¡± Tibs said. ¡°Carina¡¯s robe holds a lot of it.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure, Tibs?¡± Jackal asked, while Don looked puzzled by the statement.

    ¡°It¡¯s not helping anyone at the bottom of the chest. And she¡¯d want our sorcerer to use it.¡± He paused for a few breaths, paying attention to the emotions her memory brought up. Pain and regret weren¡¯t as strong as he¡¯d expected.

    ¡°How do you feel about grayish-blue?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s not my preferred color, but if it does what Tibs implies, I¡¯ll just get it dyed.¡±

    ¡°That might be tough to do,¡± Jackal said. ¡°It repairs itself. It might include things like dyes.¡±

    ¡°Sto?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°The enchantment in it causes it to return to the condition it was when I made it. But if you¡¯re sure about letting him have it, changing the color is easy for me to do.¡±

    ¡°Dyeing won¡¯t work, but Sto can change the color for you.¡±

    ¡°Just like that?¡± Don asked, surprised.

    Tibs grinned. ¡°He likes me.¡±

    ¡°Then why do they seem so determined to kill you along with us? You got hurt in that rush, too.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a Runner. I¡¯m not going to get stronger if he doesn¡¯t push me as hard as you. If that means I die because I¡¯m not strong enough?¡± He shrugged. ¡°I am a Runner.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not going to die,¡± Jackal said. ¡°He can¡¯t. He¡¯s the one who came up with the no dying rule.¡± He turned to the dragon. ¡°Enjoy this victory. Next time, you are getting broken.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 66

    ¡°Sto can change the color,¡± Tibs reminded Don as he frowned at the blue-gray robe.

    ¡°It isn¡¯t bad,¡± the sorcerer replied.

    ¡°You mean corruption sorcerers aren¡¯t required to dress in that sick making color?¡± Jackal asked from the bed he stretched on.

    ¡°It¡¯s traditional to wear our element¡¯s color,¡± Don said, opening the robe, ¡°but not required. Especially not for it to be the only color worn.¡±

    ¡°So, you wearing just that was¡­¡± the fighter trailed off, grinning.

    Don fixed his gaze on him. ¡°A warning to others of how dangerous I am.¡±

    Jackal lasted a few seconds before he had to look away, his skin slightly green. Tibs forgot Don¡¯s eyes had that effect on others, now that they no longer did that to him.

    ¡°And it is no longer something you wish to advertise?¡± Khumdar asked, resting against the table.

    ¡°I¡¯ve¡­¡± Don studied the robe, then looked at them. ¡°I¡¯ve realized it doesn¡¯t matter if anyone else knows how powerful I am. It doesn¡¯t matter what they think of me.¡±

    ¡°So glad we could help,¡± Jackal said, putting his hands behind his head.

    Don snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t flatter yourself. My teacher was on my back about my attitude long before you.¡±

    ¡°Really? So we had nothing to do with you becoming a better person?¡± Jackal smirked.

    ¡°Jackal,¡± Mez warned.

    ¡°I mean,¡± the fighter continued, ¡°wasn¡¯t there this thing about you tricking Tibs into accepting you into our team because you¡ª¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to make me say it, aren¡¯t you?¡± Don sighed as Jackal grinned. ¡°Fine. Watching Tibs going on like he¡¯s just another one of the people living in Kragle Rock after he was called the Savior of the Dungeon and Hero did have something to do with me realizing I didn¡¯t have to shove what I¡¯d done or could do in people¡¯s faces to be respected.¡± He grinned. ¡°Happy Jackal?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± The fighter smiled. ¡°Did you think I was trying to get you to say I played a part?¡± He snorted. ¡°I¡¯m the first one out there showing just how good I am. What do you think all those fights I get into are about?¡± he looked around when no one replied. ¡°No smart comments?¡±

    ¡°We all know that¡¯s why you do it,¡± Mez said.

    Jackal looked disappointed.

    ¡°And yet.¡± Khumdar smiled. ¡°You have yet to take on Cross a second time.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not that stupid,¡± the fighter replied.

    Don sighed. ¡°I so wish I could argue that point.¡±

    ¡°Just wait,¡± Tibs said, closing the chest. ¡°He¡¯s not that stupid, but he¡¯ll do something stupid at some point.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs sniffed, surprised at how normal the air smelled.

    ¡°Did you think we enjoyed the smell anymore than you?¡± Don asked as they approached the pool of corruption.

    ¡°How are they doing it?¡± Tibs asked.

    The work of the last weeks had resulted in a mesh of scaffolding creating a sort of dome over the pool. The beams seemed too thin to support the wooden steps going up along the front, let alone the small circular wooden building atop it, but they all had essence woven through them.

    ¡°Essence work,¡± Don said with a shrug. ¡°Obviously.¡±

    A woman in gray work clothes with purple trim matching her eyes stepped before them. ¡°Acolyte Arabis, how can I assist you?¡± The looked she gave his attire was filled with judgment.

    ¡°It was a dungeon find,¡± Don replied casually. ¡°I¡¯m still deciding how I¡¯ll accent it.¡±

    ¡°I thought you couldn¡¯t be an acolyte until you reached Epsilon,¡± Tibs said as she nodded, none of the judgment leaving her expression.

    ¡°The title is ceremonial,¡± she said. ¡°An acknowledgment of his contribution to the academy. Once he is free of the guild, it will become a mark of his position within our organization.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here to use the recharging chamber, if it¡¯s available,¡± Don said.

    ¡°It is. Few are willing to travel here yet just to make use of the chamber.¡± She stepped out of the way, but placed a hand before Tibs as he followed Don to the steps. ¡°And who might you be?¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± he answered, wondering if she really didn¡¯t know who he was, or this was something she had to do.

    ¡°He¡¯s a friend,¡± Don said.

    ¡°His element is water,¡± she stated. ¡°This isn¡¯t for him.¡±

    ¡°Tibs¡¯s curiosity is never ending,¡± Don replied, his tone a mix of amusement and exasperation. ¡°He wants me to explain how recharging works here, since he doesn¡¯t have access to a connection to his element. I figured that since I¡¯ll be sitting not doing much more than waiting, it¡¯s going to help pass the time.¡±

    She looked at him. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything remaining after he¡¯s gotten sick.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll clean it up,¡± Don assured her.

    The steps trembled as they went up, and the weave in the structure moved, almost as if it was reacting to them, although Tibs wasn¡¯t sure how.

    ¡°How solid is the weave?¡± He asked. It didn¡¯t have the usual density of the stronger enchantments.

    ¡°It won¡¯t fail,¡± Don replied. ¡°Strength isn¡¯t alway accomplished by putting more essence into a weave.¡±

    ¡°Sometimes how it¡¯s woven that matters.¡±

    The door opened with a push from Don, and the circular room only had a table, chairs, and a small chest next to them. A look inside showed a variety of writing implements.

    ¡°I thought people are going to come here to recharge their reserves?¡±

    ¡°The workers already do,¡± Don said, moving the table to the wall.

    ¡°Then why the papers and inks?¡± Tibs put a chair next to it and went for another one.

    ¡°Because not everyone feels the need to accelerate the natural recharging process. So reading or making notes on what they are researching is a way to pass the time. Once the structure is finished, there will be research areas, a library, living quarters for those here long term, I expect.¡±

    ¡°How long with that take?¡±

    Don chuckled, putting the chest on a chair. ¡°Decades, possibly centuries. It might never be finished the way you think about it. Having a city surrounding it will limit the space it can take, but sorcerers are creative in how they build. And while corruption leads many to think we only care for the easy way to accomplish things, we aren¡¯t afraid of hard work if it will get us what we want.¡±

    Tibs remembered how easy everything had seemed while he¡¯d channeled corruption. There had been this undercurrent of not wanting to put anymore effort in how he destroyed Sebastian¡¯s house than he had to. It falling on top of Tibs had only been an annoyance at having to melt more of it than he¡¯d planned to.

    ¡°You say having a city around it like that isn¡¯t how it always is. The library in Shelbridge was in the middle of it.¡±

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    Don studied the center of the floor. ¡°A lot of the academies are in cities, but this is the first one where corruption manifested itself within it. The others are in the wilderness. Only three of them are under a day¡¯s ride from a city. Each academy had a town grow to support them, but it¡¯s only the brave folks who settle there if they don¡¯t have a familial connection with one of the sorcerers.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± There was nothing unusual about the floor, as far as Tibs could sense. Nothing even a weave to protect it against corruption. This far from the pool, there was no danger of something falling in and splashing the liquified essence so high.

    ¡°I¡¯m considering how to structure the etching.¡±

    ¡°Is it going to help recharge the robe?¡±

    Don chuckled. ¡°With what you showed me, all I need for that is to stand at the edge of the pool. This is so I¡¯ll be able to fill the robe¡¯s reserves with corruption. They¡¯re filled with air essence right now.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± Carina had been overjoyed at all the reserves the robe contained; Two and four. Once for each element. Since air was all she could use then, she¡¯d have filled them all with that. ¡°How can an etching remove the air essence? You can¡¯t affect air with corruption.¡±

    ¡°Actually, once I have the training, I¡¯ll be able to manipulate air essence. Right now, I only know it contains air because that was her element, and you didn¡¯t contradict me. But an etching can be made to affect the other elements. It¡¯s what adding Arcanus is about. Change what the element the etching is made of can do.¡± He closed his eyes, and essence flowed to the floor. ¡°This is one was created a long time ago to drain amulets, so they can be refilled. There are a lot of variations since not every corruption sorcerer had learned it when they needed to drain their first amulet, but this is the least complicated one.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t they just get amulets that take corruption?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d think so, but rarely.¡±

    ¡°Is it because people don¡¯t like corruption?¡±

    The essence stopped moving and Don looked at Tibs.¡± What?¡±

    ¡°Is it because people don¡¯t like corruption that there aren¡¯t a lot of corruption amulet? There has to be a corruption dungeon that can make them.¡±

    Don chuckled. ¡°Dungeons that fixate on one element are rare. The Purity one is the only one I¡¯ve read about.¡±

    ¡°Sto¡¯s stone,¡± Tibs said. ¡°It¡¯s why he picked that name; it¡¯s what he is. Stone Mountain Crevasse,¡± he said at Don¡¯s quizzical expression.

    ¡°They are named after where they are, what they are made of and¡­ is there a crevasse?¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that is.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know what a crevasse is? Didn¡¯t you question why it¡¯s in their name?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a name. Why would I question it?¡±

    ¡°Good point.¡± The essence flowed again. ¡°A crevasse is a break in the ground. And I guess that there probably is one somewhere in the mountain range. It¡¯s funny they picked that as their name. I thought it was just Sto. Like you said, I didn¡¯t question it. But they aren¡¯t fixated on earth as their elements. The people golems and the Gnolls are made flesh, like us.¡±

    ¡°The Ratlings and Bunnylings are made of stone.¡±

    ¡°Maybe they didn¡¯t know how to use the other elements that way until the third floor. There is a thesis that postulates that dungeons can only use the element that is most prevalent where they form. And as they grow in power, they gain access to more, and incorporate that into¡ª¡± he chuckles. ¡°But to answer your actual question. The reason there aren¡¯t a lot of amulets that start with containing corruption is because corruption is only one of twenty-four elements with a disproportionately smaller number of users. All amulets are repurposed at one time or another, and most get essence that isn¡¯t corruption. Draining one completely, then putting a little corruption in it will start the process, since they then refill naturally.¡±

    ¡°Why not just get a Runner with air to drain those in the robe? It would be faster.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about what they¡¯d think?¡±

    ¡°Sto¡¯s made a lot of items with reserves in them. Bow¡¯s like Mez¡¯s, swords and armors. Even robes. They¡¯d just think we got a more powerful one.¡±

    Don smiled. ¡°And how do you explain they can¡¯t sense the reserves I want them to drain?¡±

    Tibs opened his mouth and closed it. He hadn¡¯t heard of anyone else having something like that. Not that they¡¯d talk about it if they did. But considering Sto had said it took a lot of essence to make, he probably hadn¡¯t made others.

    ¡°Remember, I can¡¯t sense the reserves. I¡¯m hoping it¡¯s something the dungeon can change if, once I¡¯ve filled them with corruption, I still can¡¯t sense them. I have to be able to tell how much is left if I¡¯m going to make effective use of it.

    ¡°I could have drained them for you.¡±

    ¡°But this is going to let you practice etching.¡±

    Tibs narrowed his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re doing all the work.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m laying down the pattern. I always do this before a new etching. So I can make sure it¡¯s the way I need it to be.¡±

    ¡°You can do that?¡± As far as Tibs sensed, Don was making an etching. The Arcanus wasn¡¯t there yet, but it was no different from any of his etching that didn¡¯t use Arcanus.

    Don started at him, ¡°How do you make a new etching?¡±

    ¡°I¡­etch it?¡±

    ¡°And if you make a mistake?¡±

    ¡°I start small,¡± Tibs said sheepishly, and Don snorted. ¡°I clean up the mess.¡±

    ¡°Your teacher never showed you how to lay down a pattern?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something he does,¡± Tibs said after thinking back. ¡°He makes motions, and the etching happens.¡±

    ¡°Maybe he didn¡¯t have to make something new with you.¡±

    ¡°He made a solid water bust of Tirania as a practice target. I don¡¯t think he had much use for that before me.¡±

    Don let out a slow whistle. ¡°He must be good. My teacher still lays down a pattern anytime he has to make even a simply alteration to an etching.¡± He looked at the pattern before him then sat. ¡°Sit, we¡¯re ready to get you started.¡±

    Tibs grumbled as he sat. ¡°You could have warned me this was why you wanted me to come, instead of saying you wanted company.¡± He rubbed his temple preemptively.

    ¡°And have you running in the opposite direction?¡± Don replied with a smirk. ¡°I know you too well, Tibs.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs wished the headache faded in time with the essence draining out of the robe. There might be an end to it, then.

    ¡°Is it working?¡± Don asked.

    ¡°You said I didn¡¯t make mistakes.¡± He couldn¡¯t sense the reserves, but air dripped into the etching and dispersed out of the outside edge.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t. But this is a dungeon made item. One that¡¯s more complex than the usual amulet one would make. I have no way to know if one of those weaves interferes.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s working. But I can¡¯t tell how fast.¡±

    Don nodded and stood, stretching. ¡°Since no one¡¯s lining up to use this chamber, it¡¯s going to hours before anyone checks in on us, if they even bother.¡±

    ¡°Don,¡± Tibs hesitated. This had bothered him since they¡¯d left the dungeon. ¡°How do you think Khumdar did what he did? Darkness shouldn¡¯t have been able to pull earth along like that. It doesn¡¯t matter how many earth fighters he talked with.¡±

    ¡°I have no idea.¡± He walked around the chamber. ¡°I never read anything about someone other than a sorcerer being able to pull essence out of items. I certainly haven¡¯t read anything about purity clerics doing it, not that there are many books about what they do.¡± He stopped. ¡°If he isn¡¯t a sorcerer.¡± He raised a hand. ¡°I¡¯m not saying I don¡¯t believe him, but¡­ with you, I can just go, you¡¯re impossible, and I will deal with that. Him. Being a cleric of Darkness raises so many questions about just what else has been kept out of the libraries. And why it¡¯s been done. How powerful is he? It¡¯s one way I can think he¡¯d be able to do something that shouldn¡¯t be possible now.¡±

    ¡°Lambda,¡± Tibs said. ¡°Somewhere in the middle of how it feels when I compare it to someone who as just graduated by how the guild does it, and one that¡¯s just become Kappa. You and Jackal are a little denser than him, Mez less.¡±

    ¡°You?¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t think it matters how dense mine is, since I barely know how to do anything with it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s nowhere near strong enough to do it through sheer will.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve pulled at other essences before,¡± Tibs said, already knowing that hadn¡¯t been the same thing. ¡°And my teacher said it¡¯s something anyone can do. It¡¯s how we can disrupt someone else¡¯s attack.¡±

    ¡°Yes, will can be applied and indiscriminately affect essence, but that isn¡¯t what he did. Do you know what Arcanus he used?¡±

    ¡°I was surprised when he did it during the game of Conquest. The other times too busy fighting.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask him?¡±

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°For him, darkness means accumulating secrets, so I let him have them.¡±

    ¡°Considering he claims not to have received training¡ª¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t lie about that. I¡¯d have seen the light on the words.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t rely too much on that. With Darkness as an element, if there¡¯s anyone who can find a way to lie and not have Light react to it, it¡¯s going to be one of them. Him, since being a cleric seems to add more to what he¡¯s capable. Add to that he goes around finding out things, and he could have gained knowledge about etching and the Arcanus.¡± He stopped moving. ¡°Actually, we shouldn¡¯t assume his effective training is any lower than ours. He isn¡¯t categorized by the guild or anyone else, as far as I know.¡±

    ¡°So he could be learning things above Lambda?¡±

    ¡°Or above Kappa, or Epsilon. The teachers are all at least Delta, after all.¡±

    ¡°Not all of them.¡±

    ¡°The guild says they are.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°The density of their essence says otherwise. Do you think the guild is lying?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t asked anyone directly. So long as the person saying it believe it¡¯s true, that¡¯s what light sees. We¡¯ve only had clerks tell us about the teachers.¡±

    ¡°And the teachers themselves.¡±

    ¡°Who were told their rank by the guild.¡±

    Don nodded. ¡°And the guild might not be lying either. The way the tests are build they don¡¯t test how much essence you have directly, but what you can do with it. You need to accomplish a specific goal that is difficult, but other than the one where suffusing ourself is how we pass it, the others don¡¯t care how you succeed. Just like strength can compensate for knowledge, knowledge can compensate for strength.¡± He smiled. ¡°I think Khumdar¡¯s attack was an etching.¡±

    ¡°But could anyone here teach him how? It isn¡¯t like he has access to books.¡±

    ¡°I suspect he wouldn¡¯t bother asking. He¡¯d just uncover the secrets.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s enough? It wasn¡¯t that easy for me to learn how to etch.¡±

    ¡°Who knows. Clerics like him aren¡¯t supposed to exist. The ones from Purity go on and on about how that¡¯s the only element that produces them. That corruption is the enemy of everything. Khumdar would prove they are wrong. And if I¡¯m going to be generous, they exterminate any who claim to be clerics of other elements because they don¡¯t know any better. The end result is that there is no way to know what a cleric can or can¡¯t do. It¡¯s possible that cleric can somehow put together how Arcanus works within an etching without needing to be shown. The only way I¡¯d have to know is to ask him, and I¡¯m not sure I¡¯d trust the answers he¡¯d give me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask him when I¡¯m around.¡±

    Don chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t plan on asking. Unlike you, I don¡¯t go looking to get headaches.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t go looking for them,¡± Tibs complained. ¡°They just always find me.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Don chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s so easy for you to keep your mouth shut and not ask questions.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 67

    Tibs stood in the alley¡¯s shadows, watching the crowd pass; watching the shadows each person contained. They were strangers, so he figured this was a safe way to practice. However many details he¡¯d see, they wouldn¡¯t matter to him.

    He channeled darkness, then pulled the thinnest strand of it out of his reserve. He kept it from flowing out into the channel, guiding it to his node of sight. The pull was stronger; like the node was parched for the essence. As soon as he let some in. The shadows gained sharpness, definition.

    Most were in the form of people. Some might be items. Others were more difficult to understand, even as they seemed sharper. He focused on one such shadow, and fed the node mode essence. He thought they were parts of heads, faces looking at one another. The mouths moved, so they might be talking, but there was¡­something passing between them.

    Were they words? He fed more essence and paid more attention. The faces were that of a man and woman, her with sharp features, him with softer ones. But Tibs didn¡¯t care about that, he wanted to workout what was passing between them and although he could tell the added essence had sharpened it, he still couldn¡¯t understand it.

    He hesitated to add more essence; Khumdar¡¯s warning and what he¡¯d almost seen of Mez¡¯s secret reminding him there was danger in what he was doing. But he was careful, and it didn¡¯t matter what he saw. These were strangers. And only a little more wouldn¡¯t hurt.

    Only a little more didn¡¯t go as Tibs planned. The extra was pulled to a different node, and that one was hungrier for essence, more savage as Tibs fought to keep even more from going into it.

    Desperate, he went to stop channeling, but fear gripped him. If he let go of it, he wouldn¡¯t know who was after him. He wouldn¡¯t catch them in time, and they would take everything away from him.

    He couldn¡¯t let that happen. They might get to his friend, he might lose them too, be alone again.

    With a reflexive breath, he noticed how strong and unwarranted the fears were. His friends could defend themselves, and he had dealt with Sebastian¡¯s plan to take everything from him.

    Forcing his reserve back to his element left him panting, and immediately, he caught some of the passerby glancing at him out of the corner of his eye. Noticed the suspicious expression, the speculation. Them making plans.

    He looked up at them, pulling essence from his reserve to make an ice knife, and the expressions shifted to curious disinterest; or weren¡¯t looking at him. Had he imagined the looks? He shook his head, trying to clear the lingering¡­something that clung to it.

    No, not his head. That other node. Darkness clung to it still, even without any left in his channels. Try as he might, he couldn¡¯t pull it out.

    He rushed deeper into the alleys, trying to escape the townsfolk¡¯s plans for him. He needed a safe place to hide. He had to find a box to crawl into until they all forgot he existed.

    * * * * *

    The sense of the air changed well before Tibs saw the lake; even before he stepped past the last building that was part of Kragle Rock proper.

    He glanced left and right, certain someone was watching him.

    Exhaustion had forced him to stop before he found a place to hide¡ªa hole reminding him of the one he and Mama had lived in¡ªand he¡¯d gained enough control over the unfounded fears to know he needed help. And he could only think of one place he could have enough peace to sooth away the fears.

    So he¡¯d headed there, fighting to ignore the sense he was followed.

    The buildings thinned until he walked on grass instead of packed earth, and looking on each side, the buildings were all a good five and zero paces away, following the contour of the lake; as if the builders understood that there was something that couldn¡¯t be disturbed about the area, or someone was making sure the lake was protected. The guild? Sorcerers who also had plans to buy it and build an academy over it?

    He should ask Darran if anyone owned it already. He wouldn¡¯t lie, he told himself, to fight the certainty the merchant would plot against him.

    As with many things relating to the elements; Tibs couldn¡¯t find the word that defined what the change felt like as he approached the people by the shore¡ªwhere they watching him? Plotting against him?. The closest one he had was: wet.

    The air wasn¡¯t wet; there was no more water essence in it here than in the part of the town he¡¯d walked out of. But this¡­wetness he sensed as he approached seemed to fill more of what he sensed the closer he was.

    Only a few of the people standing or sitting on the shore were Runners, or nobles with elements, or knights with the same¡ªhe still wasn¡¯t sure how to think of them¡ªbut they knew what to think of him. He was a threat to them; he could see that in their eyes¡ªno, he didn¡¯t, it was the fear speaking.

    Fewer had water as their elements, but unlike the others who seemed to be there enjoy the calm¡ªand plot against him¡ªthey were taking advantage of the closeness to the element that the wetness represented. The Runners and nobles sat, looking like they were deep in thoughts, pulling essence to them. One of the nobles sat in the water, with their robes billowing on the surface.

    The group of knights was on one knee by the water, head bowed. There was something reverential in the position Tibs thought would amuse Water.

    The one thing they all shared was that they looked at peace. They were at ease¡ªa lie! they only acted that way so Tibs would let his guard down¡ªWater soothing away their worries for a short time.

    A look back confirmed the buildings arched around the lake¡ªwas that motion in the shadows? Assassins waiting for him to look away before striking?

    He¡¯d thought that what had kept merchants from taking up the shops around the corruption pool had been the smell, but maybe there was something about the closeness of the element that pushed townsfolk to not establish themselves there.

    He sat on the sandy shore next to a water knight, who nodded in acknowledgment before closing her eyes again, and let Water quiet his fears¡ªhe couldn¡¯t trust Water. She had her own plans for him. She¡¯s manipulated everything to get him¡ª

    He could do with peace, Tibs forcefully told himself.

    He focused on matters that were real. The increase in out-of-town runners that brought an increase in trouble makers with them. They targeted any establishment that had things they could pocket, or coins to steal. Because of that, Irdian had increased the number of guards patrolling the streets. He was targeting Tibs, the fear whispered, and Tibs did his best to tell himself it was wrong. Merchant Row wasn¡¯t targeted anymore than elsewhere. Only there did seem to be a larger number of Irdian¡¯s guards among his streets, when he compared them to the rest of Kragle Rock.

    He breathed and tried to let the intruding fears flow away, let Water wash them out of him.

    Of course, the increase in Irdian¡¯s guards had led some of the merchants wanting to renegotiate the contract¡ªhadn¡¯t that been the Commander¡¯s plan all along? If Tibs didn¡¯t have to do as much of the work to keep them safe, why should they pay him as they did? Let them go, the fear whispered. They are only weighing you down. They will work with Irdian to destroy you. Let them be reminded what trusting the guild¡¯s guards led to.

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    He breathed and attempted to let Water douse his mounting anger.

    The fear fought Water¡¯s soothing, kept intruding. Even Oneness seemed to be helpless against it. And he spent the time having to remind himself that it was all in his head. And he could sense the darkness clinging to the node as proof.

    * * * * *

    Tibs stared at the sword through his chest that pinned him to the wall, then the self-satisfied smirk on the woman¡¯s face who held it.

    He¡¯d gotten some handle over the fear of the previous days and with multiple visits to the lake. And while he had brought in his sense because of how many people there were in the street and so many pushed and pulled their essence about, practicing the basics of what they could now do. He had also done it to fight the urge to push it further. To make sure he would sense anyone attempting to kill him.

    He hadn¡¯t pulled it in so much he no longer sensed anyone, and he had sensed her running. Only he had ignored the fear¡¯s clamoring she was after him. She was someone¡¯s guard in a hurry to do their biddings, he¡¯d decided by the sword at her hip. Even as she headed in his direction, he forcefully ignored the mounting fear. While there was less of it, essence still clung to the node. Then she had him in the alley, the sword through his heart, and he was pinned against wall. If metal could still hurt him, he would be dead.

    ¡°What is your problem?¡± he demanded, annoyed at her for stabbing him and himself for ignoring the fear. He formed a bubble around them to keep sounds from leaving.

    Brown hair shorn short, amber eyes. Worker¡¯s clothes. Nothing about her was familiar. She frowned at him, looked at the sword and tried to twist it, but the wall held it as much as it held Tibs. If he let go of the annoyance, was able to silence the fear, her confusion could be amusing.

    ¡°I will get the bounty,¡± she replied. The accent was familiar, but Tibs couldn¡¯t place it.

    ¡°What bounty. And will you stop shaking the sword? You¡¯re just making the rip in my shirt larger. Do you have any idea how much time mending this is going to cost me? Like I¡¯m not busy enough already.¡± He glanced at the wall, trying to see if the vest was also cut, then realized the absurdity of the motion.

    Maybe Don was right, and he should pay a seamstress to do the work. Maybe buy more shirts and vests, so he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about how long it might take to get it back. He had the coins after all. He should spread them around.

    ¡°Someone is desperate for you to be dead.¡± Her accent thickened as she snarled. ¡°I will get the fortune.¡± She pulled a knife, but Tibs caught her hand before she added a hole to his clothing.

    ¡°What fortune?¡± Great. Who else could want him dead? He hadn¡¯t tried to piss off anyone. Hadn¡¯t he? The fear said. How many nobles hated him because he broke into their houses? Weren¡¯t the known to go to extreme to avenge any perceived slight?

    ¡°The one held for your head.¡± She pulled, but he had earth locking his grip in place. ¡°Why are you not dead?¡± she yelled. ¡°Months watching and planning. Watching others fail. Wait until you grow lax. I am too fast. You don¡¯t defend.¡± She glared at him. ¡°Die!¡±

    He stared back at her and ignored the fear clamoring it had been right. His head had been the proof needed to be paid by the Brokerage. If she¡¯d been here for months, that meant well before he¡¯d destroyed the contracts. Archer had said there would be chaos, and Tibs had figured anyone hunting him for the fortune would find out about it and leave him be. After all, there had been no attempts since he¡¯d returned.

    He looked at the sword in his chest. He¡¯d assumed this trouble was finally over. The fear laughed at him.

    Tibs shoved her away, and she nearly fell. He pulled the sword out. ¡°I¡¯m a Runner. The dungeon is always trying to kill me. This isn¡¯t going to do it.¡± This isn¡¯t some grand plan, he told his fear. It¡¯s one assassin who hadn¡¯t gotten the message yet.

    He considered the sword the fear wanted him to plant into her hear. Only that wouldn¡¯t spread the message he wanted. Dissolving it would impress on her the futility of what she tried to do, but that would send a different message. There were already enough stories around him the bards to made use of.

    He planted it into the ground. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± he told her as she stepped forward, knife pointed at him. ¡°I¡¯m just annoyed right now and I don¡¯t want you dead. Don¡¯t get me angry.¡±

    ¡°I get you dead.¡± She took another step, and the next was stopped by the ice encasing her foot, then both of them.

    ¡°They won¡¯t be able to pay you,¡± he stated, watching her struggle to free herself. She screamed and pulled until she was left panting. ¡°Did you get the bounty from the Brokerage?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± she said, the word glowing as bright as the anger in her eyes.

    ¡°They were attacked.¡± He stepped closer and caught the hand, taking the knife out of it and dropping it to the ground. ¡°What I heard is that the thief managed to burn the contracts before they killed him. There are also rumors all those coins they were supposed to use to pay you have been stolen.¡±

    ¡°Lies! You try to save your skin.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s all I care about, there¡¯s a sword here I can shove through your chest, and we can find out if you¡¯ll survive that as easily as I did.¡± He sighed. ¡°Look. I¡¯m already busy enough. The ice is going to take a while to melt. When you¡¯re free, go to the Brokerage and find out what¡¯s happened to the contract.¡± He turned and walked away. ¡°Or don¡¯t, but if you¡¯re planning on trying this again, remember what happened here, and that I¡¯m not going to be in this good of a mood if you get the drop on me a second time.¡±

    This is done, he told the fear, and with what he felt was reluctance, it retreated and it seemed to him there was less essence clinging to the node.

    * * * * *

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    Tibs had an ice knife in hand¡ªand the fear made an attempt at returning¡ªbefore he was done looking up from the vest he was mending. The shirt had been quicker, but his vest was leather.

    Clara smiled as she motioned to the knife and vest. ¡°Had a rough day?¡±

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± he asked, letting the knife dissipate as the fear did the same. ¡°I mean,¡± he took a breath and calmed himself. ¡°You weren¡¯t among the cleric when they arrived, so I thought they weren¡¯t going to let you come back as punishment for not hiding when you were told to and helping us against Sebastian.¡±

    She sat. ¡°It was finally agreed that I did what Purity demanded of me and nothing more by those who judged my actions. It was not a fast decision, which is why I have not been here sooner.¡±

    ¡°Do you have a team?¡± Tibs ask as Kroseph placed a tankard before her.

    ¡°Welcome back Clara. This is a thank you from everyone you saved,¡± the server said. ¡°If you¡¯re hungry, I can bring you food.¡±

    Her pale skin turned pink. ¡°I could eat.¡± She stared at the tankard, then sipped it. ¡°I have a team. We have our run in three days.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be with them, then? Figuring out how the team dynamics?¡±

    ¡°They have already said what is expected of me, how they will keep me safe.¡± She hesitated. ¡°I don¡¯t want to wait for one of them to be hurt or near death before helping. I have seen so much death already. I want¡­¡± She slid the tankard back and forth. ¡°Could you introduce me to your¡­cleric?¡±

    ¡°You want to speak with Khumdar?¡± he asked cautiously. Clara had the least shadows within her of anyone he¡¯d seen, but he was wary of anyone from Purity asking to speak with someone they loudly claimed was a charlatan and needed to be put to death.

    She shook her head. ¡°I want him to train me in the use of the staff.¡±

    ¡°You want to fight?¡± This time it was surprised that flavored the question. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that go against what you¡¯re supposed to do?¡±

    She looked into the tankard. ¡°Purity demands I work hard to save others. Devote myself to it. But the Siege, then Sebastian¡¯s Assault, showed me that preventing other from being hurt can be more effective than healing the injuries they might gain when it comes to keeping them alive.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t that get you in trouble with your superiors?¡±

    The smile was small. ¡°I have elected to become a Runner. I am no longer under the supervision of those who prefer comfortable preaching. I am under Purity¡¯s direct command. Purity does not care how I apply myself to the work, so long as I am diligent in it.¡±

    Tibs considered her words, the lack of light on them, while Kroseph placed two plates on the table. ¡°I can¡¯t promise Khumdar will want to help you. But I¡¯ll explain what you want and vouch for you.¡±

    * * * * *

    ¡°How is she?¡± Tibs asked as they reached the top of the steps.

    ¡°She is obstinate,¡± Khumdar replied darkly. ¡°Nothing I do will causes her to change her mind. Regardless of how often I strike her down to show how ill-suited to fighting one of her ilk is, she stands and readies for me. I utterly despise her,¡± he snarled.

    ¡°Good to know someone can get under your skin,¡± Jackal said, then, ¡°We¡¯re good,¡± to the cleric by the door before she stepped forward to look them over. They were inside before the guards reacted.

    ¡°She was that cleric who helped us with Sebastian¡¯s assault, wasn¡¯t she?¡± Don asked. ¡°Even for a cleric, she was odd.¡±

    ¡°And have you had the honor of interacting with many of them?¡± Khumdar asked defiantly.

    ¡°My family used to have money,¡± the sorcerer replied, barely on this side of snapping at the cleric. ¡°So many is too strong of a word, but I have met some when me or one of my relatives needed their help.¡±

    ¡°All clerics are strange,¡± Jackal stated, placing a hand on the doorway.

    Tibs looked at Khumdar as he sensed the fighter unlocking it.

    ¡°He is not incorrect. The closeness one of us will share with our element affects us more than others. We all develop¡­oddities.¡± The doorway opened, and they stepped through.

    ¡°Alright, Dungeon. This is it. We¡¯re beating your boss room.¡± He motioned ahead. ¡°Tibs, how about you make sure it¡¯s playing fair and there¡¯s still a way to reach the rooms?¡±

    ¡°Oh, like I¡¯m the cheater here,¡± Ganny replied. ¡°You¡¯re the one always pulling one trick or another. You might as well be a rogue for the ways you¡¯re always cheating.¡±

    ¡°You got Ganny angry,¡± Tibs said, stepping to the edge of the hallway.

    ¡°Good.¡± Jackal rubbed his hands together. ¡°I love going up against someone angry.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 68

    ¡°Who needs to recharge?¡± Jackal asked as Tibs healed him.

    The first fight of the boss room had taken a toll again, but mostly on Jackal. The creatures had focussed their attention on him to the almost complete exclusion of the others. Those who hadn¡¯t had done so to keep anyone from coming to the fighter¡¯s help.

    Mez and Don had been the most successful ones, but the attacks had also bled off onto Jackal, so that what Tibs was healing was almost equally caused by his friends.

    ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± Mez replied.

    ¡°I will last this coming battle,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°and so long as we take the time for Tibs to assist in recharging me afterward, I will continue to be fine.¡±

    ¡°You need to carry amulets,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Should you know follow that same advice?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a fighter. I don¡¯t have time for that sorcerer stuff.¡±

    ¡°And I am a cleric. Darkness will provide me with what I need.¡±

    ¡°Then why are you letting Tibs help you?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°Because as someone who has spoken with Darkness, he too follows its will.¡±

    ¡°Someone¡¯s become good at justifying,¡± Jackal said, carefully moving his newly healed arm.

    ¡°I have not become anything,¡± Khumdar replied smugly, and Tibs chuckled at the admission.

    ¡°Don?¡± Jackal called. ¡°Don!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± The sorcerer looked away from the dragon, which had taken so much of his attention he hadn¡¯t participated in ribbing Khumdar.

    ¡°I asked, how¡¯s your reserve?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m fine,¡± he replied distractedly, looking at the dragon again.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Tibs help you in this run.¡± Jackal sighed. ¡°Don, any chance you can stop your mind from wandering?¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t wandering,¡± the sorcerer replied. ¡°The path it¡¯s on is well marked.¡±

    ¡°Then how about you take the path that takes you back to us?¡± Jackal asked.

    The glance Don gave him was filled with annoyance, which vanished as he looked at the others watching him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. What are we discussing?¡±

    ¡°Tibs hasn¡¯t helped you recharge,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Of course not. The reserves in the robe can easily last me through this floor a dozen time over.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t give Ganny a challenge,¡± Tibs warned.

    She snorted. ¡°I don¡¯t care about Don. It¡¯s Jackal who is getting all of my attention this time.¡±

    ¡°I think we¡¯ve noticed,¡± Tibs replied darkly.

    Jackal chuckled. ¡°Don is safe, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°Angering the dungeon might be among the least wise things you have done,¡± Khumdar stated.

    ¡°I¡¯m not angry at him,¡± Sto replied. ¡°Ganny is. Is Don sure he doesn¡¯t want me to change the color of his robe? He just has to put it in the cache by the entrance.¡±

    ¡°Sto wanted to make sure you¡¯re okay with the robe as it is.¡±

    Don chuckled. ¡°As I said when he changed it so I could sense the essence it contained. I am fine with it. It¡¯s going to be simple to have a seamster add highlights when I decide on them. I checked and the robe¡¯s healing enchantment won¡¯t undo that.¡±

    Tibs focused on Jackal again to confirm he was fully healed. ¡°You keep getting Ganny angry, and this is just going to get worse.¡±

    The fighter grinned. ¡°I know!¡±

    ¡°So,¡± Mez said. ¡°This is something to add to the list of things we can threaten to tell Kroseph when you annoy us?¡±

    ¡°How is there anything left on that list?¡± Don asked. ¡°Doesn¡¯t he annoy you daily and you¡¯ve had to tell it all to his man?¡±

    ¡°It seems,¡± the cleric replied, sounding perplexed, ¡°that we have grown accustomed to Jackal¡¯s¡­ eccentric ways.¡±

    ¡°How can anyone get used to that?¡± the sorcerer demanded.

    ¡°Give it time,¡± Jackal said, amused, ¡°and you¡¯re going to love me just as much as they do.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t love you,¡± Mez said. ¡°We tolerate you.¡±

    Don looked at Tibs. ¡°How about we disarm the next traps? Instead of getting drawn into what I¡¯m sure will be a deep and philosophical discussion.¡±

    ¡°But you love me, right Tibs?¡± Jackal asked, as he followed Don to the columns.

    ¡°Ask me again if you survive the room. Didn¡¯t you want one of them to work with me this time?¡±

    Don shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t afford a mistake and the cost of another fight before the dragon.¡±

    ¡°We have time for another fight,¡± Jackal said. ¡°If it comes to that.¡±

    ¡°What are you planning?¡± Tibs asked.

    Don shook his head, pointing up.

    Tibs took position, and in unison they disarm the trigger. Ganny had added an extra step to the second one, which made them more alert on the last one, so that while how the speed at which the lock moved changed proved challenging, it didn¡¯t cause them to trigger it.

    ¡°You run off to punch it,¡± Tibs warned Jackal, ¡°and I¡¯m letting you hit the wall each time it knocks you into it.¡±

    ¡°I would never think to abandon my team just to get a few hits in on my own,¡± Jackal said with pride, the words glowing. Tibs glared. ¡°Well, not a second time.¡±

    Only a second time in this room, Tibs felt like pointing out.

    ¡°We must¡ª¡± Don started in the silence, then closed his mouth and shook his head. He looked at Jackal for instructions.

    ¡°Tibs, Khumdar and me rush it,¡± the fighter said. ¡°You and Mez hit it with everything you have. See if you can come up with something that gets through its protection. When the wave starts, thin it as much as possible before it reaches us.¡±

    Don looked like he wanted to say something, but finally nodded and they faced the dragon.

    ¡°Now!¡± Jackal ordered.

    Tibs ran, etching a spear of Duh filed water. It exploded into shards over the scales, but only left scratches on them. He had his ice sword and shield formed by the time he had to jump over the large paw swipe. The slash at it hardly left a mark, so a filigree of Fey didn¡¯t help.

    Again, the dragon focused on Jackal, mixing swipes with attempt at smashing him under a paw. Tibs iced a front leg, but that shattered as the dragon moved to follow the fighter. He ran under the dragon, adding as much metal essence with filigree of Dhu into the blade. If swings weren¡¯t effective, it was time to see what earth backed stabbing did to¡ª

    ¡°Retreat!¡± Don ordered, and Tibs changed direction. Two steps later, the dragon roared, and the essence in the walls shifted. He, Jackal and Khumdar were by the Sorcerer as the lines of creature ran to where they had been fighting the dragon, passing each other and vanishing into the opposite doorway.

    ¡°What was¡ª¡± Jackal started as the doorways disappeared.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Attack!¡± Don ordered.

    Tibs spared the sorcerer a look before running at the dragon, dodging the paw that he ineffectually swung at reflexively, then was under the belly and stabbed. The sword didn¡¯t go in as deep as it should have, most of the essence dispersed by the golden shimmering, but it was more damage than what Tibs had done before, even if the dragon didn¡¯t react to it. He made another sword and slammed it back in, and made another¡ª

    ¡°Retreat!¡±

    This time, they were by the sorcerer before the doorway finished forming and the roar resounding off the walls.

    ¡°What is going on?¡± Jackal asked, as the creatures again ran out to where they had been fighting, not even looking at where they now stood. Not even those with spears looked away.

    ¡°A form of automated response,¡± Don replied. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the trigger is yet, probably the damage we¡¯re inflicting, but its eyes will glow red and it roars regardless of what else it¡¯s doing. The two serve to trigger the doorway, I think. But they happened each time.¡±

    ¡°But why aren¡¯t they coming to fight us?¡± Jackal asked as the creatures entered the doorways.

    ¡°Be ready to attack,¡± Don said, instead of answering. He ignored the fighter¡¯s glare. ¡°Now!¡± he ordered once the last creature vanished.

    Tibs ran at the dragon again, putting aside the whys, and focusing on killing it. He stabbed it with a fourth sword, then the dragon shifted position faster than Tibs expected and a rear paw came down on him. He formed a metal spike around himself, then he was sent sliding as the dragon ripped it out of the ground and shook the paw. Fortunately, it was toward Mez so that¡ª

    ¡°Retreat!¡±

    ¡ªhe was ready for the run.

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t it blowing fire?¡± Mez asked, watching the creature run.

    ¡°Could be something it only does if we keep our distance,¡± Don said.

    ¡°Or it knows it¡¯s a waste of time,¡± Jackal offered.

    Don ordered the attack, and they returned to the fight.

    Tibs added the etching that spread ice to his sword, and it took him three stabs, each time adding essence to it, before enough survived the shimmering it ate away at the dragon¡¯s life essence. It also took enough from Tibs he could now sense the dip in his unending reserve.

    As he let go of the seventh sword, the scales glowed red, and the essence within the dragon changed.

    ¡°Retreat!¡± he yelled, running out from under it, just before Don yelled the same. ¡°This is going to be different!¡± The flash of light as he reached Don had them rubbing their eyes.

    He turned and watched in awe as the glowing dragon expanded, broke into eight balls of essence and reformed into eight smaller dragons, each without injuries.

    ¡°That¡¯s not fair,¡± Jackal yelled as the dragons shook themselves. ¡°All that damage we inflicted is¡ª¡±

    With a unified roar, the dragons rushed them.

    Tibs sent an etched ice spear as he moved away from his team, and the dragon he¡¯d targeted launched itself in the air, spreading its wings. Others were also taking off in response to being attacked.

    It flew around a column and came out the other side maw opened and essence pooling there. Tibs exerted his will over the essence and accomplished nothing as it ignited and the fireball came at him.

    He threw himself aside, and the fireball splashed on the floor as if it was water. He cursed as some fell on him and burned.

    Light shot out of a dragon¡¯s mouth as Tibs doused the fire sticking to him with far more water than it should have needed. His thoughts of coming to Mez¡¯s help were interrupted as the fire-breathing dragon dove at him. He dodged it, then slammed it down with a column of air as it started to go up. He grew stone around its legs to hold it in place and formed an ice sword, then had to jump aside as it spat a ball of fire at him. He had to jump again, its long neck letting it keep targeting him as he moved about, approaching.

    When he was in reach, he swung as hard had he could, adding earth to his arm, then nearly fell as it cut through the neck with far more ease than Tibs expected. The head rolled away as he regained his footing, then it and the body crumbled into rubble.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Don called. ¡°I need help.¡±

    He ran to the sorcerer, doing a count. Six dragons remained, each airborne. One spewed corruption at Khumdar, who made a wall of darkness that survived long enough for him to no longer be in the way when it failed. He sensed Don try to wrench the corruption away, but with the same result Tibs had achieved with the fire.

    The sorcerer pointed to a dragon flying above all the others as it opened its maw and blasted one of its compatriot with purity, healing it.

    ¡°We have to kill that one,¡± Don said. ¡°They¡¯re vulnerable to their opposed element, but that one¡ª¡± he pointed to the dragon attacking Khumdar with corruption ¡°¡ªwill break-off to intercept my attacks each time.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re immune to their own element?¡±

    ¡°Just about. If we attack from multiple directions, one of us will get a hit through.¡±

    Tibs hurried through the room, Blasting the dragon breathing earth on Jackal apart with a whirlwind. When he turned, the corruption dragon was nimbly catching each blast Don sent at the purity one.

    Tibs blasted it with raw corruption essence, counting on strength to make up for the lack of form to it. The impact sent it against the wall, and Tibs kept it going until it had melted to nothing.

    Then he switched to purity and needed a few tries to hit the corruption dragon as it darted around, then its rubble fell to the floor.

    The ground shook and Tibs turned in time to watch slabs of stone fly at the dragon diving at Jackal, on his knees, hand on the floor. Below that, light and darkness flashed, then darkness swallowed it. The dragon crashing next to the fighter was the last sound in the room.

    Jackal downed a healing potion before Tibs reached him. ¡°Is everyone alive?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Only those on our team,¡± Mez replied.

    ¡°Good enough for me.¡± The fighter let himself fall to his side. ¡°I¡¯m taking a nap.¡± A click and a rumble felt through the ground had him on his feet.

    The back wall split open, revealing a chest, and behind it, the top of a stairwell.

    ¡°Right,¡± Jackal said, tiredly. ¡°We won.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take the fact he isn¡¯t jumping with joy as a victory,¡± Ganny said.

    Jackal looked around. ¡°Tibs, check the chest; the rest of us gather the coins or whatever the dragons left behind. Then we¡¯re going down. I want to see that fourth floor before heading out.¡±

    ¡°Are you okay¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± the fighter said, the words glowing. ¡°Really, I am,¡± he added, the words still glowing. ¡°I¡¯m just in a hurry to rub in Quig¡¯s face that we reached the fourth floor before him.¡±

    ¡°And collect that gold?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that too.¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t press. Whatever was bothering Jackal wasn¡¯t physical. The potion had put his essence back in its place.

    The chest wasn¡¯t trapped. It had a bow like Mez¡¯s but containing metal essence. A sword contained so much of the same Tibs was reluctant to touch it, but it did nothing when he pulled it out. The green sorcerer¡¯s robe was next, then¡ª

    ¡°Don,¡± he called on seeing the book that had been under it. It too had essence woven through it, and that, he wasn¡¯t touching.

    The sorcerer took it out without hesitation, then flipped pages. ¡°It¡¯s blank.¡±

    ¡°Why would Sto put a blank book woven with essence as loot?¡±

    ¡°More importantly,¡± Don mused. ¡°Why such a book in a boss chest? Can you ask them what it is? Or is this something they can¡¯t talk about?¡±

    ¡°The enchantment lets it record knowledge,¡± Sto said.

    ¡°Sto,¡± Ganny complained.

    ¡°What? They have it. What¡¯s the harm in me telling them.¡±

    ¡°Telling Tibs, you mean?¡± she countered. ¡°Part of this is to get them to work some of the reasons you include items, not to give all the answers.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t given them all the answers,¡± Sto replied, miffed. ¡°They don¡¯t know it just needs to be focused on with the information they want recorded for it to work.¡±

    Ganny sighed.

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t supposed to tell us,¡± Tibs said, amused. ¡°But he let it slip that it¡¯ll record knowledge you focus on it.¡±

    ¡°How much can it hold?¡± Don asked, flipping through the pages.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Sto said, sounding defeated. ¡°Mind essence is more complicated than the others to work with.¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t know,¡± Tibs said. ¡°Is that important?¡±

    Don stared at Tibs. ¡°Do you know what the most arduous thing a sorcerer, or any scholar, has to do?¡±

    ¡°Read,¡± Tibs replied flatly.

    ¡°The opposite. Write. Taking the ideas we have, having to translate them into something words can express, it¡¯s like¡­ like trying to explain the Elements, but I have to do that with every word, not just a few. Academies had archives filled with books no one understands because the sorcerers couldn¡¯t be bothered to properly document what their research entailed. With something like this, all I¡¯ll have to do is pause long enough to focus my thought on it, and I can get back to my work.¡±

    ¡°So, this is important to you?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°Of course, but¡ªwhat are you doing?¡± Don asked as the fighter snatched the book out of his hands.

    He slipped it into the much smaller pouch. ¡°Making sure the guild doesn¡¯t screw you over for this.¡± Tibs looked away. The weave that was part of the pouch did something as it let the larger book in that gave him a headache if he paid too much attention.

    Don rubbed his temple. ¡°That will never look right.¡±

    Tibs confirm there was no hidden compartment at the bottom of the chest, then headed for the stairs and froze in place on reaching the bottom and seeing the vista.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Jackal whispered.

    ¡°That¡­ is an understatement,¡± Don said, awed.

    Tibs didn¡¯t understand what he saw. Where he¡¯d expected a room or a hall, it was open. Open as in, he was looking outside at a city¡¯s rooftops with light coming from a pale sun that was most of the way through the afternoon.

    Then how far the roofs were registered, as well as the stairs going down the side of the opening in the cliff.

    ¡°How is a city down here?¡± Mez asked. He looked at Tibs, who only had one reaction.

    ¡°Sto?¡±

    ¡°Remember when I said we found something while working on the fourth floor? It was when I made all the items for your team.¡± Tibs nodded. ¡°This is it. I made the stairs first, and as I pushed them down, suddenly I became aware of all this. I don¡¯t know how to explain it. Think of it as discovering you have a third arm attached to your back, but it¡¯s not new. As soon as you realized it¡¯s there, you also realize you know all the things you can do with it as if you had always known. I know nearly everything about this city and I didn¡¯t have to use any essence for that. I mean, it has essence for me to use.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t make this?¡± Tibs had trouble understanding how that could be.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then who did?¡±

    ¡°No idea. There are no ways in or out, except the stairs I made.¡±

    ¡°Ganny doesn¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°Sorry Tibs,¡± she said. ¡°No one ever said anything about this.¡±

    ¡°How are we supposed to clear this floor?¡± he asked. How could they go through every building in half a day? Even a full day couldn¡¯t be enough.

    ¡°Here,¡± Sto said, ¡°clearing the floor isn¡¯t so much doing each room, but finding the boss room. Ganny has clues all over the place to help, but even without them, you¡¯ll eventually find it since you don¡¯t have to go over the rooms you already checked on your next run. And this is where things get interesting. Did you notice how I said I know nearly everything about this floor? There are rooms here I have no idea what they are.¡±

    ¡°How can you not know what they are? This is all you, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Again, I can¡¯t explain it. They¡¯re there, and I can sort of make use of them, but the one where I tried to do something special sort of¡­ went away? I mean, the structure is still there, but inside it is¡­ strange.¡±

    Tibs looked at his friends, watching him expectantly. Behind them was the alcove, where the doorway waited to be activated. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what he said once we¡¯re at the inn.¡± He rubbed his temple. ¡°I need a drink.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 69

    ¡°Quigly!¡± Jackal announced on entering the inn and silencing it. Tibs had confirmed the warrior was there beforehand. ¡°You are going to be amazed by the fourth floor!¡±

    The chair scraped loudly as Quigly stood and said in disbelief. ¡°You didn¡¯t. No. You¡¯re making this up.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± Jackal said, sounding hurt. ¡°Make up something like that? I would never.¡±

    ¡°You would,¡± Mez replied, without the usual amusement. ¡°But this time he isn¡¯t. It¡¯s¡­¡± he trailed off.

    ¡°Impressive,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°does not do the sight justice.¡± He headed for their table. Tibs hurried after him, wanting to be out of the knights¡¯ sight. The pride in their eyes as they raised their tankard to him was¡­disconcerting.

    ¡°So pay up,¡± Jackal said. ¡°If I remember correctly, it was one gold coin, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    Quigly snorted. ¡°Not without proof. Tell me what¡¯s there.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t talk about the floors outside the dungeon. You know that.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll get your proof at your next run,¡± Don said. ¡°The guards will let you know the fourth floor has been breached. You can resolve your bet then.¡±

    Jackal was the last to sit down, still straight from his strutting to their table.

    Quigly¡¯s glare at the fighter was dark the entire time, but finally he sat and huddled in quiet conversation with his team.

    Tibs was considering what he¡¯d need to do with air to hear them without also bringing all the other voices within the inn to him when Kroseph placed tankards on the table.

    ¡°Did you really clear the boss room?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Jackal said, beaming. ¡°Don worked out the last of the puzzles to making it easier, then it was just about pounding the creature into rubble.¡±

    Kroseph kissed the top of Jackal¡¯s head. ¡°I knew you¡¯d manage it.¡± When he returned with their meal, he pulled a chair and they quietly recounted the run. By the time they were done, Kroseph was called back to work.

    Tibs told the others what Sto and Ganny told him.

    ¡°Do you believe them?¡± Don asked.

    ¡°They don¡¯t lie,¡± he replied. ¡°If they don¡¯t want me to know something, they say that.¡±

    ¡°But they¡¯re a dungeon. Shouldn¡¯t they try to trick you? Maybe they aren¡¯t there to kill us, but just telling you things as they are sounds like it¡¯s too easy.¡±

    ¡°The dungeon likes Tibs too much,¡± Jackal said, while Tibs considered what Don said. There was never light on any of Sto or Ganny¡¯s words, but was that because they didn¡¯t lie? Or because, as a dungeon with all the elements, they could keep them from glowing? In the end, because there was no way he could think of finding out, he decided that as his friends, Sto and Ganny wouldn¡¯t lie to him.

    ¡°We have all benefited from the dungeon¡¯s affection for Tibs,¡± Khumdar said, after something from Mez, about Jackal, from the fighter¡¯s smirk, that Tibs missed. ¡°That it be our intent or not.¡±

    ¡°What do you think it is?¡± Tibs asked after forming a bubble around them to keep their words from reaching others.

    ¡°A city,¡± Don replied confidently,

    ¡°Inside a mountain?¡± Tibs asked in disbelief.

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    Tibs stared at the sorcerer, trying to come up with a way to explain just how impossible it seemed to him.

    ¡°The dungeon said there were no ways in or out,¡± Mez said, ¡°until me made the stairwell.¡±

    ¡°But it was there before they did anything,¡± Don countered. ¡°They don¡¯t know how long it¡¯s been there. Passageways could have collapsed and been sealed over time until it was impossible to tell them apart from the rest of the stone.¡±

    ¡°That can happen?¡± Tibs asked in surprise. Trust Don to come up with an answer he couldn¡¯t understand anymore than the previous problem.

    Don tapped a knuckle on the table. ¡°While this is solid and fixed to you and me, the essence it¡¯s made of isn¡¯t. We all know essence can be made to flow, but it also does it without help.¡±

    ¡°Like water,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°And air, fire,¡± Don replied, ¡°and every other element.¡±

    Jackal pressed a hand on the wooden table. ¡°This doesn¡¯t feel like it¡¯s flowing.¡±

    ¡°Because it isn¡¯t happening at a speed we can understand. You, more than anyone else, should understand that. Earth is slow, but it can still crack mountains and continents.¡±

    Tibs almost asked what that last word was, but decided he wanted this resolved before he tackled something he was sure would result in a bigger headache.

    ¡°But there was no one in the world before the dungeons, wasn¡¯t there?¡± Mez asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t they how everyone was created?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s highly debated,¡± Don said. ¡°There are books that claim that, and bring forth evidence to support the claim, while others claim that we, as in people, made the first dungeon, and that it then went wild and caused the others to happen. And they provided evidence to support that theory.¡±

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°Purity clerics,¡± Khumdar said, his tone almost forcefully dispassionate, ¡°will tell that Purity created everything. That it made us so we would stand between it and the other elements, which exist only to corrupt and destroy its creation.¡±

    ¡°Clerics claim a lot of things,¡± Don replied dismissively, ¡°and don¡¯t offer evidence to support their claim. There¡¯s a reason there are no cleric academies. I expect that even if they allowed other academies access to all books they claim to have written, proving all they say. Not one of them would be accepted as being anything more than unsubstantiated imagination.¡±

    Tibs caught the twitch from Khumdar at the mention of cleric academy, but the cleric immediately made his face impartial again.

    ¡°Hasn¡¯t someone with void written anything?¡± Mez asked. ¡°Carina said at one point how their element lets them know things out of order.¡±

    They fell silent, and Tibs listened to his breathing. There was regret she wasn¡¯t with them, and some pain that he was the reason Sebastian had targeted her, but it was manageable.

    ¡°There have been experiments,¡± Don said, once Tibs drank. ¡°I read mention of them, but not the details of the result. When we¡¯re allowed to travel again, I¡¯ll see about locating the books mentioned.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s going to be awhile,¡± Jackal said with a chuckle. ¡°We need to clear the fourth floor first.¡±

    Don nodded. ¡°One thing I have read about regarding void and your question, Mez, is that one problem the users encounter is that they don¡¯t gain a frame of reference for what time they know. The note didn¡¯t mention any times when the reference came with the knowing.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see how that means anything,¡± the archer said.

    ¡°Alright. Keep in mind that this is a supposition on my part built from what I read. Imagine that a void sorcerer uses their essence to see another time and they see buildings around them, a road and people walking it. How do they tell what time they are seeing? Or that they aren¡¯t now, but far away? Or maybe they are in a later time.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s essence,¡± Tibs said. ¡°It can be woven and etched to do what they want.¡±

    ¡°But they need to know what it is they want, and come up with a way to make it happen. Maybe there are books documenting that happening; I¡¯ll have to look for those too. But the mentions I have come across in my reading indicate that void isn¡¯t as simple to control through weaving or etching as the other elements.¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because those who have void go strange,¡± Mez offered.

    ¡°Possibly, or it¡¯s the attempts that have made them so. Nothing I read speaks to that.¡±

    ¡°What about that thing about the dungeon saying there are rooms it doesn¡¯t understand?¡± Jackal asked.

    Don shrugged. ¡°I have no idea. What I read is based on dungeons being, at best, animals. Nothing I¡¯ve come across suggests they are capable of more than animalistic cunning. Even things like rooms and camps are explained as something it could sense around it, although exactly how dungeons can do that none of them seem to agree on.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s how far they can influence,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°Yes, you and I know that because they told you. But they aren¡¯t changing more than the stairs. If they are simply an animal, why stop there, unless that is the limit of what they are capable of doing. The scholars studying them are missing information that is vital to their understanding, and filling that with theories and supposition they try to support through evidence.¡±

    ¡°Well, you have the information,¡± Jackal said. ¡°How do you explain it?¡±

    Don laughed. ¡°I don¡¯t. I thought that the tunnels and halls were part of the dungeon¡¯s body, so they should¡­¡± he tapped a finger on the table as the silence stretched, then nodded. ¡°Actually, that might still be true. It¡¯s not like I know everything that goes on inside my body.¡±

    ¡°Tibs knows,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Your essence lets you see in our bodies,¡± the fighter insisted.

    ¡°That isn¡¯t what it does,¡± Tibs replied, annoyed. ¡°I sense it inside you. It reacts to what happens to you, and that way I know if you¡¯re injured. But it doesn¡¯t let me know what happens to the food we eat, or why it comes out looking like it does at the other end.¡± He raised a hand to stop Don. ¡°I don¡¯t want to know.¡±

    The sorcerer chuckled. ¡°No, I suppose you don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Any idea on how we¡¯ll find the boss room?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°Going house to house,¡± Mez replied unhappily. ¡°The dungeon said there were going to be clues. So until Don or Tibs figure those out, we don¡¯t have a choice.¡± He looked at the others. ¡°Do we?¡±

    ¡°Will each house be like a dungeon room?¡± Jackal asked, his eagerness showing. ¡°With something to fight and loot as reward?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­doubtful that every room will be like that,¡± Don said. ¡°Everything a dungeon makes is an expenditure of the essence it has accumulated. That is still true here. Now, the dungeon didn¡¯t have to make this floor, but anything they change is something they have to make. What I saw of the city scape makes it vast. Too vast for a dungeon to have enough essence to redo entirely. Yes, I am making a supposition with less than ideal information since I don¡¯t know exactly how much changes cost the dungeon, but going by the first three floors, I think my supposition is sound. Tibs said the floor come with its own way of generating essence, somehow, so that means we can expect more rooms than what would be normal for a fourth floor, but that can¡¯t be enough for the whole city. Especially since they need to keep some for the next floor, and they are going to have to put a lot of essence into making something that comes close to surpassing this one. On average, floors about double in size and difficulty with each time.¡±

    ¡°The third floor is a lot larger than that compared to the second one,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°Only in actual area. If you look at the challenges it poses, I¡¯d say it¡¯s closes to one time and a half as difficult. There are four actual rooms, three puzzles and the boss room. Then there are what, a dozen fights throughout the halls?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s more than twice the number of fights on the second floor,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°But how do they compare?¡± Don asked. ¡°We had hordes of creatures to defeat there. Here, they are teams of five people golems, one of two with added Gnolls. I¡¯ll average it to twelve fights per run, that isn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± Jackal said, stunning the sorcerer silent. Even Tibs stared at the fighter. That was quite a statement for him to make, all things considered. ¡°Yes, the groups we¡¯ve had to fight are usually smaller, but they all come with essence users, and the use of team tactics. Numbers don¡¯t represent how easy or hard a fight is going to be. Cross is one person without an element, and she¡¯ll kick your ass if you try to take her on.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not fighting her,¡± Tibs protested when Jackal looked at him.

    ¡°I am nowhere near that stupid,¡± Mez said under the look.

    ¡°I have no interest in attempting to demonstrate superiority over her,¡± Khumdar said.

    Don was silent when Jackal looked at him, thoughtful.

    ¡°You make a valid point,¡± Don finally said with reluctance. ¡°The books I read must have only focused on using the geography of a dungeon floor to calculate its rating.¡± He smiled. ¡°But if you thought this up. Better people than you must have done so before, and I simply haven¡¯t come across those books.¡±

    Jackal grinned. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Don looked at the others. ¡°Didn¡¯t I just insult him?¡±

    ¡°There are times when our dear team leader takes incalculable delight in being insulted.¡±

    ¡°True,¡± Jackal said, ¡°but this isn¡¯t one of them.¡±

    Khumdar shrugged. ¡°If that is the case, I am as perplexed as Don.¡±

    ¡°What are you thanking me for, then?¡± Don asked cautiously.

    ¡°You said smarter people than me will have thought about that.¡±

    Don¡¯s nod was hesitating.

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t think about it.¡± Jackal grinned. ¡°And I never read one book in my life.¡±

    Tibs snorted his ale, then glared at the fighter.

    Don stared, mouth agape.

    Mez patted the sorcerer¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t let it get to you. It helps to remember Jackal isn¡¯t the idiot he wants you to think he is.¡±

    ¡°I should be offended at that,¡± Jackal said, raising his tankard to his lips. ¡°But I feel too abyss good right now to let that insult bother me.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 70

    Quigly dropped into the chair. ¡°You weren¡¯t kidding,¡± he told Jackal, who grinned.

    ¡°Am I ever?¡± Tibs¡¯s friend frowned. ¡°What am I not kidding about this time?¡± It was only them at the table. Mez was off with his girl, something about making her parents happy. Don had been asked to join other corruption sorcerers for something. Probably reading and talking about stuff that gave people headaches. Khumdar was¡­ well, Tibs had no idea, and had stopped worrying about it some time ago. The cleric had his own things.

    ¡°The fourth floor,¡± Quigly said. ¡°What is that thing?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t talk about it,¡± Jackal said. ¡°You know the¡ª¡±

    ¡°Get off it,¡± the warrior said, lowering his voice. ¡°You¡¯re the first one to break the rules when it suits you.¡±

    Jackal looked at Tibs, who used the excuse of looking around to confirm no one was close-by to channel air and make a bubble to keep sounds from leaving the table. The inn was already quiet, so nothing changed in what reached them. Then he nodded to his friend.

    ¡°Did the guard tell you the fourth floor had been reached?¡± Jackal asked, extending an open palm to the warrior.

    With a sigh, Quigly put a gold coin in it. ¡°What did it look like?¡±

    ¡°A city,¡± Jackal answered casually.

    The warrior stared, and finally whispered, ¡°How is that possible? Dungeons are just passages and rooms with traps and monsters there to kill us.¡± He moved to raise his tankard, but Tibs stopped him.

    ¡°Once we¡¯re done,¡± he said.

    ¡°How do we know what dungeons are about?¡± Jackal said, smirking.

    ¡°It¡¯s what bards sing about them being,¡± Quigly stated.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t believe them,¡± Tibs grumbled. He¡¯d caught one practicing, and it had sounded a lot like the song was about the Siege, except for the fact the guild had been part of defending the town. Paying attention to others, Tibs had noticed how nearly all the songs were about adventurers and the guild coming to the defense of people. He¡¯d wanted to ask if they had song about Adventurers who got branded. Those who left the guild, but he¡¯d been worried about what they¡¯d think. What they might report to the guild.

    Who better to spy for them than the bards?

    ¡°You¡¯re smart, Tibs. What do you think it¡¯s about?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± He replied defensively. Then shushed them as Kroseph brought them tankards. Quigly had to suspect he knew everything they did, being Jackal¡¯s man, but Tibs didn¡¯t want to risk revealing it now. He finished his tankard as the server placed the replacement on the table.

    ¡°You okay?¡± Quigly asked, then looked at Jackal. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever let him rest?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not the one pulling him to bed all the time,¡± the fighter protested. ¡°He¡¯s the insatiable one.¡± He looked at his man with concern. ¡°When he¡¯s feeling better.¡±

    Kroseph kissed the top of Jackal¡¯s head. ¡°It¡¯ll pass. The last caravan must have brought more than their wares. Something¡¯s been going around.¡±

    ¡°The caravan was here weeks ago,¡± Quigly said.

    Kroseph shrugged. ¡°Only way a sickness could get here. The platform has magic to prevent those coming through from spreading them.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°They don¡¯t talk about it. I know because dad asked when he was considering opening the inn here.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m feeling fine,¡± Quigly said.

    His essence felt fine too, just like Jackal¡¯s, and Kroseph¡¯s, and anyone Tibs sensed. But just like all of them, the warrior¡¯s temper had been easier to trigger.

    ¡°You¡¯re a Runner,¡± the server pointed out. ¡°You¡¯re made of tougher stuff than the rest of us.¡±

    ¡°Metal,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Do you want food? The offerings aren¡¯t as good as usual. Milly¡¯s a decent cook, but she isn¡¯t at her best either.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s Russel?¡± the warrior asked.

    ¡°In bed. This hit him hard this morning.¡±

    ¡°Did you ask Clara to look at him?¡± Tibs asked. Maybe he could see what she thought of this. He wouldn¡¯t have to reveal anything of what he could to express concern.

    ¡°She¡¯s a cleric,¡± Kroseph replied harshly, ¡°I don¡¯t have¡ª¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a Runner,¡± Tibs corrected, surprised at his friend¡¯s reaction. ¡°And she¡¯s a good person. Ask her next time she¡¯s here.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± Kroseph replied, frowning. Then he returned to the counters.

    ¡°I mean it,¡± Quigly said once the server was out of earshot. ¡°Let him rest.¡±

    ¡°I am.¡± The fighter looked at his man. ¡°I had someone look him over without his knowledge. They didn¡¯t find anything, so Kro¡¯s right. Whatever this is, it¡¯ll pass.¡±

    Even if he couldn¡¯t find anything wrong, Tibs had put a purity weave on Kroseph, but it had done nothing. There had been nothing there for it to go to a repair. He wished it was as simple as filling someone with purity to cure them of all that was wrong, but that wasn¡¯t the type of curing that helped. He expected it would have the same effect on the living as it had on Carina¡¯s body when the clerics there had used purity to make it go away.

    So all he could do was the same as everyone else. Wait for it to pass.

    ¡°What are you thoughts on the fourth floor?¡± Quigly asked Tibs.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°Why would I know anything?¡± he replied defensively.

    ¡°Because you have this annoying habit of asking question and people actually answer you. You have to have asked someone about it.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t talk¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t try that. You¡¯re a rogue. You didn¡¯t want me to call over a server for my drink and you did something that makes sounds softer around us. Which proves my point because I can¡¯t think of how you¡¯d do that with water. So you asked someone to teach you more advanced stuff than we¡¯re being taught.¡±

    Tibs sighed. He had no idea why he¡¯d protested. ¡°The world¡¯s old, right?¡± even he¡¯d known that before Don brought it up. ¡°And dungeons haven¡¯t been there all the time. I mean, this one was¡­born, I guess, not long before the guild brought us here. It¡¯s why they brought us. So it would be fed and grow faster.¡±

    They nodded.

    ¡°The guild doesn¡¯t know everything about how dungeons do what they do.¡±

    ¡°They say they do,¡± Quigly said, and Tibs rolled his eyes.

    ¡°So, maybe there was a city there, and the dungeon just found it. Maybe the city¡¯s why there is a dungeon here.¡± He added a shrug for good measure.

    ¡°But there can¡¯t be a city under a mountain,¡± Jackal said, laying on the disbelief thickly enough Tibs glared at him. ¡°How would anyone live without the sun?¡± he continued.

    ¡°Dwarves,¡± Quigly whispered in a tone of realization, and Tibs forgot about his planned words for the fighter. He¡¯d heard that word before, but he didn¡¯t remember where.

    ¡°Those aren¡¯t real,¡± Jackal scoffed, and Tibs was surprised he knew what they were. ¡°Bards made them up so boring stories would be more interesting.¡±

    Tibs hadn¡¯t heard bards sing about them. Or rather, he didn¡¯t remember it. Maybe that was where he¡¯d heard the name. There had been the occasional bard in a tavern on his street.

    ¡°How do you know?¡± the warrior asked.

    ¡°Have you ever seen one?¡± Jackal countered.

    ¡°What are they?¡± Tibs asked, somehow being sure they weren¡¯t tall¡­ no taller than he was.

    ¡°They aren¡¯t real,¡± Jackal stated.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Tibs snapped. ¡°What do the bards sing they are?¡±

    ¡°Short,¡± Quigly said. ¡°No taller than you. Stocky. The story I remember said it was because the weight of the mountains rested on them. They lived in cities of stones, never seeing the sun.¡±

    ¡°Then how would any bard know about them?¡± Jackal asked derisively.

    ¡°Tibs said it. The world¡¯s old. Maybe an adventurer went in a dungeon that was deep enough, like this one, and there was a city there, too. Maybe there was something there telling them about dwarves.¡±

    Jackal rolled his eyes, bringing his tankard to his lips. ¡°Next thing you¡¯re going to say is that Elves are real.¡±

    ¡°They are,¡± the warrior replied with a certainty that made Jackal pause and Tibs stare. There was no light on the words.

    ¡°What are Elves?¡± Tibs asked cautiously.

    ¡°Wee little things with pointed ears,¡± Jackal said mockingly.

    ¡°They aren¡¯t little,¡± Quigly said quietly.

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen one?¡± Tibs asked, ignoring Jackal¡¯s scoffs. At least Quigly believed what he said.

    ¡°I¡­¡± he swallowed. ¡°I think so.¡±

    ¡°So you don¡¯t know,¡± Jackal said triumphantly.

    ¡°Can you tell me?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°It was in my third year in the army,¡± the warrior said, even as he shook his head. ¡°The kingdom abuts this forest, sunward. It¡¯s the entirety of the border there, because the king¡¯s never been able to expand into it. We call it the Damned¡¯s Forest. Anyone sent into it is damned to never return.¡± He took a long drink. ¡°My regiment was charged with protecting the woodcutters the king sent in another attempt to expand his lands. They only fell one tree.¡±

    He fell silent, looking into his tankard. ¡°You have to understand. Those aren¡¯t trees like you ones you¡¯ve seen. Those trees touch the sky. Their trunks are to large a hundred men can¡¯t encircle one of them. It took four days to bring down that one tree. Six men died in that fall because they couldn¡¯t run far enough. My ears rang for hours afterward. When it stopped, there was only silence.¡±

    He rubbed his face. ¡°It wasn¡¯t the silence of a forest, with the rustling of leaves, singing of bird, scurrying of animals. The silence was complete. Like that in a cavern after the entrance caves-in behind you. All there is is you and the beating of your heart; and the knowledge death waits for you.¡±

    He fell silent again, his gaze distant. ¡°They spent what was left of the day setting up to start on the second tree. Then never got started.¡± The silence stretched. ¡°Half the woodworkers never woke in the morning. Some had their throats cut, some had vines around their necks.¡± He shuddered. ¡°One had leaves in her mouth, and I swear they were still growing out of it as I watched. But that wasn¡¯t the really scary things about it. What was terrifying was that it happened under the watchful eyes of the sentries. Not one of them had been killed. No one had seen or heard anything happening. Whoever¡­whatever had done this had gotten into the camp, killed nearly a hundred men and women and not been noticed.¡±

    He drained his tankard. ¡°The woodcutters wanted out. I didn¡¯t blame them. But the captain in charge was this hard ass woman scared of nothing other than the king. She had them back to work, and us forcing them there. She was going to make sure work happened until there were no trees visible from a league away. If it meant the death of more of us. She didn¡¯t care. We had to help with the work to make up for the dead. Not one of us was willing to go against her orders. Not then.¡±

    He stared into his tankard again. ¡°The first to put a saw to the trunk simply fell, the second to fall didn¡¯t even get to raise it. We scrambled to find the attackers, but there was no one. It was only us and the trees. As we searched, more of us fell. Then, finally, I thought, someone saw something, pointed as a sentry was pulled back into the undergrowth. I ran in that direction with all the fury terror granted me. Someone to make pay, to make scream.

    ¡°The only ones to scream was us.¡±

    Tibs had never seen Quigly this afraid. And there was not even a hint of light on any of the words.

    ¡°My sword cut every shadow I saw. Any leaf that fluttered tasted my blade. I cut a path to nowhere in my search for our enemy. I wanted to find whatever they might be. And regretted it the moment I did.¡± The tankard shook in his hand. ¡°I was on my back. Whatever my sword had hit, had struck back and sent me to the ground paces away. I groped for my sword as he, it, approached. I can¡¯t tell you about the ears, but it wasn¡¯t small. Taller than I am, lanky like a branch. Skin like the bark of the trees. Eyes¡­ green like that shouldn¡¯t be possible. It pointed a spear at me, hate in those eyes so deep I soiled myself.¡±

    His chuckle was almost a sob. ¡°I ran. There was finally something scarier than the captain. I screamed, and I ran. Let them call me a deserter. Let them send me to the stockade. That was preferable to whatever death waited for me in that damned forest. I have no idea how I made it out. Why I wasn¡¯t pinned by that spear the instant I moved. I was just happy I did. I don¡¯t know who else, if anyone else, made it out. I told them everything when I reach the garrison. Warned them that only death waited there. There had been nearly four hundred trained soldiers escorting half that in woodcutters, and I was the only one to make it back.¡±

    When Quigly looked at him, Tibs saw the fear in his eyes.

    ¡°There was nothing left behind I found out later, not even that felled tree as proof we¡¯d ever made it to the forest. Those the king sent to retrieve the tools, armors, and weapons found nothing. If not for the trampled grass leading to the edge of the forest, I¡¯d have been accused of never even going to the forest.¡±

    ¡°It had essence,¡± Tibs whispered.

    Quick shuddered, then nodded. ¡°I didn¡¯t make that connection until years later. But that wasn¡¯t an adventurer. That wasn¡¯t anything like us. Maybe it wasn¡¯t an Elf, the way the bards sing about them,¡± he told Jackal, who looked pale. ¡°But it was nothing I¡¯d ever encountered before, or since.¡±

    ¡°Did you ever go back?¡± Jackal asked, hand trembling as he picked up his tankard.

    ¡°Are you fucking insane?¡± Quigly snapped, then looked around, but no one reacted to his outburst. He still lowered his voice. ¡°I never stepped within three leagues of that cursed place. I went to the stockades more than I can count for refusing to be on patrols going near it. I will walk into the dungeon naked before I even contemplate laying eyes on the forest again.¡±

    ¡°But that might not have been an Elf,¡± Jackal said, his confidence returning in the stretching silence.

    ¡°In a forest, protecting the trees from invaders, and using the forest as its weapon.¡± Quigly leveled his gaze at the fighter. ¡°Maybe they weren¡¯t short, but they sure fucking meet everything else the bards sing about them.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but you still can¡¯t know for sure that it was an Elf.¡±

    ¡°How about you go there and find out for yourself?¡±

    ¡°I¡­I think I¡¯m going to stick to running the dungeon,¡± Jackal replied, sounding less sure. ¡°It sounds safer.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 71

    There was something on the wind.

    Tibs had heard the expression before; it came up in stories bards sang. And he¡¯d heard townsfolk use it when looking at darkening clouds. In both cases, it meant something was going to change.

    Tibs felt something on the wind, but he couldn¡¯t figure out what it was. The sky was mostly clear, as it had been for days now. The clouds he saw were thin. Standing on the highest roofs, there was nothing in the distance that might indicate something approaching. He worried it was the fear returning, but the node had been free of essence for days now.

    Still, the sense that something had changed wouldn¡¯t leave him.

    When he asked the others, no one sensed anything different. Not even Khumdar, who tended to be more aware of unexpected changes.

    He put it out of his mind as best as he could and continued with this work. Maybe even if the essence was gone from the node, his imagination was still feeding the fear that it had created.

    He¡¯d told himself that often, over the previous days. When his attention was pulled from the ledgers by that feeling and the numbers stopped adding up. When motion out the corner of his eye caused his fingers to snag on the trim of a pocket. But that has turned out to be only a woman having a coughing fit and people stepping around her.

    The trap snapped on his finger and he let out curses as his students snickered. ¡°And that¡¯s why,¡± he told him, reining in his anger, ¡°you have to stay focussed on what you are doing. A practice trap only snaps and causes pain. The ones the dungeon makes can cost your life, or that of your teammates.¡±

    That stopped the snickers.

    ¡°Alright, you¡¯ve seen me do this incorrectly. Now try to do better.¡± He passed the trap he¡¯d used to the Omega rogue before him and stood. They were surprisingly eager. As if being here of their own volition meant going into the dungeon was a good thing for them, even after a few runs and losing teammates.

    ¡°You¡¯re good with them,¡± Lamberto said.

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t want them to die.¡±

    ¡°My father would be all stern and promise punishment if we didn¡¯t do well enough.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have to promise that. They¡¯ve seen what the dungeon does.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know how to help them.¡±

    Tibs looked at the young noble. ¡°Then why did you offer to help?¡±

    ¡°I had to bribe you somehow.¡±

    Tibs narrowed his eyes. That was typical noble behavior. And that wasn¡¯t like Lamberto. ¡°Bribe me to do what?¡±

    Lamberto had trouble keeping from smiling. ¡°To tell me about the fourth floor. You and the other team, the one with that man calling himself a warrior instead of a fighter¡ª¡±

    ¡°Quigly.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Only your two teams have seen the fourth floor, but all everyone is saying is that you acted like it was amazing when speaking about it. What is it?¡±

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°We can¡¯t talk about it outside the dungeon. Guild rules.¡±

    ¡°But we¡¯re rogues. We don¡¯t care about the rules.¡±

    ¡°We care about rules a lot,¡± Tibs countered. ¡°You have to know what the rules are before you can go about breaking them.¡±

    ¡°Then break this one,¡± Lamberto pleaded and looked so much younger, Tibs tried not to laugh.

    He shook his head. ¡°Even if I tried to explain it, Lamberto, I couldn¡¯t do it justice. It is amazing, but you need to experience it yourself.¡±

    ¡°But we can¡¯t even finish the second floor yet,¡± the noble whined.

    ¡°Then think of it as incentive to keep your team, your family, alive until you reach it, so they can be as amazed at it as you will be.¡±

    * * * * *

    ¡°What do channels do?¡± Tibs asked, quickly forming the etching; adding Xy, Bor, and Sah in the positions Alistair instructed.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get distracted, Tibs,¡± his teacher said and Tibs snorted, earning himself a glare.

    This first training session in a while was the first time he wasn¡¯t distracted. Whatever was causing the sense of something had finally left him now that he had something difficult to focus on.

    ¡°I¡¯m not distracted.¡± He finished with the burst of essence into the water ¡®ball¡¯, and it exploded a sheet of essence in all directions, coating him ans his teacher, but dissipating against the floor, walls, and ceiling. ¡°So, what does this¡­¡±

    Alistair shimmered. Tibs looked at his hand; it was normal.

    Alistair walked around the room, the shimmering trailing behind.

    ¡°Bor is why I¡¯m not doing that,¡± Tibs said, going over what Alistair had taught him. ¡°The way you had me add it to the etching with Xy and Sah, causes it to ignore me.¡±

    ¡°The origin point,¡± Alistair corrected with an annoyed sigh. His teacher was more insistent on that term than he¡¯d been on any other, and Tibs didn¡¯t understand why. Whoever made the etching was where it originated from, so what did it¡­

    ¡°The origin point.¡± It was easier to simply go along with his teacher today. His mood was darker than usual. Tibs had asked what was wrong, but Alistair had waved the question aside and proceeded with the lesson. ¡°Sah is a new one you said is usually about seeing things. I figure it¡¯s the reason you¡¯re sparkling. Xy¡­I don¡¯t know what it does here. You described it as influencing the effect of being, but I don¡¯t understand what that means in this configuration.¡±

    ¡°Abyss, Tibs, can¡¯t you think?¡±

    Tibs raised an eyebrow. He couldn¡¯t recall his teacher ever having an outburst.

    ¡°I apologize.¡± Alistair rubbed his temple.

    ¡°Kroseph is always telling me that talking about what bothers me makes it better.¡±

    ¡°And does it?¡±

    Tibs thought back to the times Jackal¡¯s man had forced him to sit down and talk. ¡°Too often,¡± he admitted.

    Alistair chuckled. ¡°In this case, it wouldn¡¯t. The situation has been resolved for sometime. I thought I had settled how I felt about it, but today it¡¯s been on my mind and¡­¡± He let out a breath. ¡°You asked about channels.¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t question the good fortune in Alistair changing his mind about answering his question. ¡°Khumdar is training in them and he tried to explain what they do, but I don¡¯t get it. How is putting essence in the channels different from suffusing myself?¡±

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    ¡°Which one is he? Never mind.¡± Alistair rubbed his temple. ¡°Suffusing is about taking on the general attribute of Water. Flowing easily, being difficult to grasp. The channels will allow you to hold more essence and focus the effects. You are already working toward that with the exercises to concentrate your essence within your reserve.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s more than just holding more essence, isn¡¯t it? The way he spoke about it, when he sent essence in the channels it pulled on it, then when he lost control it filled a node and he saw¡­¡± He shuddered at the memory.

    Alistair grabbed his shoulder. ¡°Tell me you have not tried that.¡± He searched Tibs¡¯s face. ¡°You are nowhere near ready. I¡¯m surprised that teammate of yours kept his sanity. The node of sight is the last one you¡¯ll be trained with because it is the most dangerous. Sight is linked to thoughts, and without proper control, the mind can easily come unraveled.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± Was that what the other node was? The node of thought? If it was, then why hadn¡¯t Alistair referred to it directly? ¡°The way he spoke about it didn¡¯t sound like it was a good thing.¡±

    Alistair let him go. ¡°Power doesn¡¯t always feel good.¡± He looked away and muttered. ¡°And that a good thing.¡± He settled himself. ¡°Tibs. That is one of the many reasons the guild enforces how things are done. Your friend took an incalculable risk attempting this before being the proper rank.¡±

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°No Runner here has reached Epsilon, Tibs. I would have heard.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s when the guild trains us on the channels and the nodes?¡±

    ¡°Your training will start before that, but it is when you will be trained with the node of sight. Once you pass that, you will be ready for the world.¡± He chuckled bitterly. ¡°Or as ready as any of us is when the guild sends us out in it.¡± He looked at Tibs. ¡°Did you think the guild would grant you your freedom without making sure you are ready?¡±

    Tibs snorted. ¡°I won¡¯t be free. Not until the guild gets all its precious coins.¡±

    ¡°I so wish you¡¯d stop thinking of that as a bad thing, Tibs. The guild is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Why is using the nodes not the same thing as just filling the channels, if all it does it get the essence there?¡± Tibs had no interest in listening to his teacher¡¯s justifications.

    ¡°There is no ¡®just anything¡¯ when dealing with essence. I¡¯d think you¡¯d understand that by now,¡± Alistair said in exasperation. ¡°Channels hold and move essence. That¡¯s why they are called channels. The nodes have a deeper effect. They change how you interact with the world. That is not a simple thing.¡±

    ¡°Everything I do changes how I interact with what¡¯s around me.¡± He couldn¡¯t believe the man didn¡¯t get that simple fact about living. He looked for something to throw as a demonstration, but the training rooms were kept spartan.

    ¡°You think too small, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one alway telling me to stop asking questions.¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t what I¡ª¡± Alistair stopped, his voice rising into a shout. Frowning, he looked around. With gestures he formed a complex etching of delicate lines, waves, spirals, all connected with filigree of Arcanus. There was more there than Tibs could follow, but it was beautiful. When he was done, the etching stood between them, some parts still and others moving. Alistair studying all of it.

    ¡°How angry are you?¡± his teacher asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not¡ª¡± Tibs closed his mouth on the rest of his snapping reply. Why was he angry? ¡°Is someone doing this to us? I thought the guild was protected against attacks.¡±

    ¡°There is no such thing as complete protection,¡± Alistair replied, studying the etching. ¡°It¡¯s why there is always someone paying attention.¡± With a finger, he moved a spinning section, and it did something to the spirals now surrounding it. ¡°And if this had been done to us before we entered, it might have slipped past that protection.¡±

    ¡°So, there is someone targeting us? Why?¡±

    With a huff, Alistair passed a hand across the etching, undoing it. ¡°No. There is nothing disrupting the flow of essence around or within us.¡± He took breaths. ¡°It seems this is simply us being tired.¡±

    ¡°You can make an etching to see how essence moves?¡± He tried to recall the etching; it might let him learn more about the guild¡¯s protection. But it had been too complex.

    ¡°Tibs, how many times must I repeat this? Essence is used to do anything you want. All you need is the skill and the will.¡± He rubbed his face. ¡°It might be best if we consider this done. Keeping from snapping at you is growing more difficult.¡±

    Tibs snorted. ¡°Right, make this easy gold for you.¡± He startled at what he¡¯d said. ¡°Sorry,¡± he told his teacher before the darkening expression could be voiced. ¡°I know that isn¡¯t your fault.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll both rest. I¡¯ll be back in a few days.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Tibs said, stopping halfway to the door. ¡°What¡¯s the point of the shimmering if it¡¯s going to coat everyone around me? I won¡¯t be able to follow anyone if everyone shimmers.¡±

    ¡°You use Bor, Tibs,¡± Alistair said with thick exasperation. ¡°And I¡¯ll explain how next time.¡±

    ¡°But, I want¡ª¡±

    ¡°Next time!¡±

    Tibs¡¯s mounting anger at being denied the answer sent him out of the training room.

    What was going on? He¡¯d been denied answers often enough and he never go angry about it. It was always a possibility, even when people wanted to answer him.

    A shout caused him to slow as he looked over his shoulder. Two clerks glared at one another. Further down the hall, guards pulled adventurers apart. One had a split lip and was yelling something that sounded insulting.

    Whatever was going on, he and Alistair weren¡¯t the only ones on edge today.

    * * * * *

    Jackal jumped to his feet to the sound of the dishes Kroseph had been carrying hitting the floor. Then he was next to him, supporting the staggering man. Tibs stood to help, but the server waved him down.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay. Just tired, I guess.¡±

    ¡°How about the two of you take it easy with the bed fun, then?¡± Kroseph¡¯s father muttered, picking up the broken plates.

    The dark tone, as well as Jackal¡¯s lack of protest to slowing anything the two of them did in bed, told Tibs that whatever was affecting the town, Runners might not be resistant to it either.

    With Russel mopping the mess, Kroseph¡¯s father pointed the two of them to the table and Jackal led his man to Don¡¯s unoccupied seat.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with me,¡± Kroseph protested defensively, while Tibs sensed his essence. He nodded; there was nothing off with it.

    ¡°Maybe your father¡¯s right,¡± Mez said. ¡°You two need to take it easy in bed.¡±

    Jackal snorted. ¡°If it¡¯s in bed, I don¡¯t want it easy. I want it exhausting.¡±

    ¡°Not that we limit that to the bed,¡± Kroseph added.

    ¡°Not that we do,¡± Jackal agreed with pride.

    ¡°And we all hope for a substantial lack of details,¡± Khumdar stated.

    ¡°I thought you were all about finding secrets?¡± Jackal asked, smirking.

    ¡°Secrets, yes.¡± The cleric leveled his gaze at the fighter. ¡°Of which, what you and your man get up to when alone, there should be so much more of.¡±

    ¡°You say too much about it for it to be a secret,¡± Tibs translated at his friend¡¯s frown.

    ¡°I¡¯m just making sure you understand what you¡¯re missing out on with this unreasonable idea of not getting with anyone.¡±

    ¡°You can stop,¡± Tibs said, tone harsher than he¡¯d intended. ¡°I know what I¡¯m missing out on, and I don¡¯t mind missing it.¡± Jackal smirk told him that, intended or not, the harshness had no effect. He simply saw the statement as another challenge to overcome.

    * * * * *

    Tibs stepped back as he sensed the motion. Then the warrior backpedaled out of the tavern and across the road into the display of robes.

    ¡°I told you,¡± Cross snarled, stepping out. ¡°To never touch me again.¡± She shook her hand, knuckles bloody, as if punching Quigly had hurt. Which it might have. The warrior¡¯s metal essence was at the surface of his skin, which would have made it harder. Tibs had noticed how a lot of fighters with earth, metal and other hard elements gained the reflex of making their skin harder with it the instant they expected trouble.

    Quigly looked at Tibs, wiping his bloody lip. ¡°Will you tell¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not getting involved.¡± He turned and headed away. ¡°You and your woman can fix whatever this is yourselves.¡±

    ¡°I am not his woman!¡±

    Tibs expected she¡¯d have to hit Quigly much harder if she wanted him to ever accept that.

    * * * * *

    Tibs sat on the roof, legs crossed, back against the chimney, letting the cool drizzle fall on him. It was dark, and Kragle Rock was finally quiet.

    Tempers were frayed everywhere these last days; which could explain why everyone was exhausted. Or maybe they were easy to anger because they were so tired.

    He focused on his breathing. He let the worries about the town, the guild, the coming run, the fourth floor, pass and simply floa¡ª

    Why were so many people tired and angry? It couldn¡¯t just be that there were so many more people in the town. It wasn¡¯t the first time it felt crowded. Soon there would be more buildings, or the visitors would get bored and go home.

    He breathed and let¡ª

    How was he going to get Marger here? He needed the guild leader here if he was going to destroy him and the guild. And how was he going to lure him out of the building? Maybe if he arranged to know when Marger would be here, he could act before he reached it. Then it would be done. No more guild. Kragle Rock and so many other places would be free of its oppression.

    He sighed.

    He breathed again.

    This Oneness thing wasn¡¯t always easy, but tonight it felt like everything was pushing against it. Don had warned him. Oneness wasn¡¯t a onetime solution. It was something the practitioners worked on for their entire lives.

    Tibs didn¡¯t plan on doing this for that long.

    But for now, he breathed and let the stress¡ª

    Why did Kroseph insist on acting like he was fine all the time? Yes, Tibs couldn¡¯t sense anything wrong with him. Maybe his essence was slightly thinner, but it was more likely it was his imagination, giving the server a reason for his tiredness and irritability. It was so thin already, Tibs couldn¡¯t really tell if it was different.

    With a groan, Tibs gave up and stood.

    Oneness wasn¡¯t happening tonight.

    He will the drizzle away from him, then dried his clothing before running. There had to be a noble¡¯s house with good enough locks they would distract him from everything happening around him.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 72

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Ganny whispered hurriedly as he and his team walked among stalls on their way to the stairs. He froze at the furtiveness in the tone. ¡°You can¡¯t talk to Sto. There¡¯s¡­. We¡¯re not¡­. Just don¡¯t talk to us.¡±

    ¡°Ganny?¡± he whispered back, to avoid drawing attention. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Is everything okay?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± When she didn¡¯t answer him, he motioned for his team to follow and they went back the way they¡¯d come until he was sure they were out of Sto¡¯s range. That put him much closer to the town than he¡¯d expected.

    ¡°We are doing the run, right?¡± Jackal asked as Tibs stepped off the path and out of the way of people. ¡°I¡¯m not letting Quigly be the first to explore the floor.¡±

    The warrior and his team were scheduled for the next morning.

    ¡°Ganny warned me not to speak to Sto,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°Why would they do that?¡± Don asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but she sounded¡­¡± We¡¯re not¡­. There¡¯s¡­. ¡°Scared.¡± How did she expect him to help if he couldn¡¯t ask them what the problem was?

    ¡°We can¡¯t talk to him,¡± he finally said, deciding the best he could do was trust one of them would tell him when they could. ¡°We can¡¯t talk about him like we know he¡¯s a person either.¡± There¡¯s¡­. ¡°Whatever¡¯s going on, I got the impression that showing we know that will make things worse.¡±

    ¡°How can talking like that inside the dungeon cause problem?¡± Mez asked. ¡°It¡¯s not like there¡¯s anyone to overhear us, is there?¡± He looked at Don.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the sorcerer answered, thinking. ¡°The guild could have something that lets them do that, like whatever it is they used to know when one of us makes it to a new floor.¡±

    ¡°I believe our team leader¡¯s face was more than ample evidence for the guard to report it,¡± Khumdar said.

    ¡°But if they had,¡± Don continued. ¡°They would have heard us talk about them before, and I don¡¯t think they would simply ignore Tibs having one-sided conversations. As for anything else that might cause that to be a problem¡­. At this point, Tibs is the only expert I can refer to.¡±

    ¡°Until one of them tells me more, it¡¯s all I have,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Jackal headed for the cliff wall. ¡°Then it¡¯s the run as usual, just without you talking. Come on,¡± he called to them. ¡°I know I saw Quig there, probably waiting for us to be declared late so he can go in today.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs fought the urge to look up as they walked toward the doorways. He wanted to give Sto a sign he was listening, ready to help.

    ¡°Stop!¡± he called as soon as the section of the wall Jackal had opened shimmered. Then he had to work out why, as the fighter looked at him questioningly.

    ¡°There¡¯s something different about the doorway.¡± But what?

    ¡°I did it the same as before,¡± Jackal said, then. ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°You need to see this, Tibs,¡± Don sounded puzzled.

    Instead of the alcove¡¯s walls and the bottom of the stairs that Tibs should see, he looked into darkness.

    ¡°You must have done something wrong,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°If Jackal had,¡± Khumdar replied, ¡°nothing would have happened.¡± He sent strands of essence at the doorway, but stopped before they touched it. ¡°We would be observing stone.¡±

    ¡°It changed things?¡± Jackal asked, surprised.

    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a dungeon,¡± Don cut Tibs off. ¡°Of course it changed something. It exists to trick us into dying.¡± He fixed his gaze on Tibs, who nodded. He¡¯d told them to be careful, and he was the one who¡¯d almost said too much. ¡°Mez, Khumdar, test the other doorways.¡±

    ¡°Can you sense what it is?¡± Jackal asked.

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°Doorways don¡¯t let essence through. I mean, if I send some, I can¡¯t sense it once it¡¯s on the other side.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the distance,¡± Don said. ¡°While it¡¯s only a step for us to cross it, it¡¯s still somewhere deep below us, far beyond our ability to maintain our hold over it.¡±

    ¡°Wherever the other sides are,¡± Mez said, ¡°it¡¯s not here either.¡± The archer was shielding his eyes from the light shining through the doorway.

    ¡°The doorway to the third floor leads to mist so thick it cannot be seen through.¡±

    ¡°The dungeon added complexity again,¡± Don said, while Tibs studied the doorway itself. ¡°Anyone who¡¯s been taking things for granted will have suffered for it.¡±

    ¡°How many teams do you think fell for it?¡± Tibs asked, tracing the channels of essence used to unlock it. He hadn¡¯t heard anything about whole teams not returning, but he¡¯d been busy, and there were too many deaths among the low ranked teams for him to inquire about them. He had enough of the rogues he trained talking of the members they¡¯d lost, of the difficulties in filling the positions since most had come with friends and had to pick strangers if they wanted to continue. More than a few Runners had left after the first death, but there always seemed to be more to take their place.

    ¡°I doubt any team going to the second floor did,¡± Don said. ¡°That¡¯s just too different.¡± He peered through the doorway to the third floor. ¡°This¡­the team might think the dungeon added a fog of war to complicate the maze. We¡¯ll have to ask around to know which team didn¡¯t return.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s two we could lose,¡± Jackal said, looking toward the exit. They were the first team in to give them the most time on the fourth floor. Tibs didn¡¯t know when the team for the third would be up, but probably not before the guards could tell they¡¯d stepped through.

    The channels were the same. All that was needed was for one to have the corresponding essence travel from one end to the other.

    ¡°Not counting those we already lost,¡± Mez said. ¡°Three teams didn¡¯t make it back in the last four days.¡±

    ¡°Did the other teams mention the doorway changed?¡± Don asked.

    Tibs frowned and pushed his attention¡­deeper wasn¡¯t the right word, but there was something under the channels.

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    ¡°No, but with everyone knowing we¡¯re on the fourth floor, they only tell me about the third, if I ask.¡±

    Whatever it was, there was more of it. No, not quite. It was because each channels were thinner. They blended into each other.

    ¡°How about you, Khumdar?¡± Don asked. ¡°Heard anything?¡±

    ¡°I have no interest in who lives or dies as a result of the runs,¡± the cleric answered. ¡°Therefore, I have not inquired.¡±

    ¡°Not enough secrets in that,¡± Jackal stated.

    Don was right, this was added complexity. Both in making out the new channels¡­layer, and in how tortuous the channel¡¯s paths were. He located the one for water and moved the essence through it. When nothing happened, he had to go over to sense where the essence was out of the channel. It was so faint it was difficult to make it out.

    On the fourth try, the doorway shimmered, and the stairs replaced the darkness, along with the distant roofs.

    ¡°Is it safe?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°Or did it pull another trick? You know how crafty dungeons are. They¡¯re like animals that sneak around and¡ª¡± Tibs glared him silent.

    He lobbed a knife through. It clattered to the ground with the usual distorted sound.

    ¡°Looks safe enough.¡± Jackal stepped through before Tibs could stop him.

    ¡°One more thing we can threaten him with,¡± Mez said, following through.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather he think.¡± Tibs crossed the threshold. The tingling felt the same, as did the shifting of the essence, as if they were pushing against each other, without being able to touch.

    He tried to discern the Arcanus that had to be the cause, but then he was through and looking at a city illuminated only by lights lining the streets and some windows. Other than the lack of stars, as well as Claria and Torus, he could be looking down at any city set in a valley. He wondered why the light that had been above the city wasn¡¯t there today.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Jackal rubbed his hands, starting down the steps. ¡°Onto the gaining of loot.¡±

    ¡°Abyss, stop!¡± Tibs yelled. ¡°I have to check for traps.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a city,¡± the fighter replied, continuing down. ¡°It¡¯s not like there¡¯s going to be traps in the streets.¡± He made it down with nothing happening.

    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s right and¡ª¡±

    ¡°How about we don¡¯t give the dungeon ideas?¡± Tibs said, cutting Mez off. He stomped down the steps and glared at the grinning fighter. ¡°I¡¯m not saving you when you walk into a trap.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m letting you go into the buildings first.¡±

    ¡°How are we doing this?¡± Mez asked on reaching them. ¡°Do we split up and¡ª¡±

    ¡°We are not splitting up,¡± Don stated. ¡°This isn¡¯t a city. It¡¯s a dungeon floor.¡±

    ¡°We split up in the Ratling¡¯s camp,¡± Mez replied.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t that. We know the dungeon can make golem people who wield essence, then there are Gnolls, who can also have essence. Then there are the golems that¡ª¡±

    ¡°Those are easy,¡± Jackal said dismissively. ¡°They were on the second floor.¡±

    ¡°And part of the mass of creatures in the dragon room,¡± Don said. ¡°But they were also constrained by the size of the rooms. There is only so large they can get before their size hinders them. Here, that can mean they will be giants. We can¡¯t take anything for granted.¡±

    ¡°Including that the streets are safe,¡± Jackal said. ¡°I get it.¡±

    ¡°That is highly doubtful,¡± Khumdar replied.

    ¡°Then here¡¯s a question for you, Don,¡± Mez said, ¡°and Tibs. Which building is a dungeon room, or will it change with each run?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re here all day,¡± Jackal said. ¡°So, is anyone going to care if we stay overnight and leave when the door opens in the morning?¡±

    ¡°Dungeons use the night to¡­¡± Don trailed off, eyes growing distant.

    ¡°To what?¡±

    The sorcerer shook himself. ¡°There have been experiments done to discover what happens at night. All we have, as far as I¡¯ve read, are theories for why the dungeons close their door. The most popular one is that night is when dungeons make the larger, more significant changes to the layout of a floor. In those experiments, people are sent in to spend the night so they can report what happens. No such group ever returned.¡±

    ¡°Where they sent in naked?¡± Mez asked. ¡°We were threatened with that often in those first months.¡±

    ¡°No, these were fully equipped expeditions.¡±

    ¡°Can we stop it with the talking?¡± Jackal whined. ¡°We have loot to go look for.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not stopping you,¡± Mez replied.

    ¡°Have you seen the glare Tibs is giving me? If I walk off without his approval, he¡¯s going to do something nasty to me.¡±

    ¡°He does know what to remove to make your life truly miserable,¡± Khumdar said, and Jackal¡¯s hand went to his pouch.

    ¡°Not what he¡¯s talking about,¡± Tibs said, grinning.

    ¡°See. I can¡¯t move until he¡¯s okay with it, and we all know that he¡¯d rather fill his curiosity than his pockets. So, how about we stop waiting for the dungeon to send something after us here and go get to the looting?¡±

    ¡°And do you even have a plan on how to proceed?¡± Mez asked, dubious.

    ¡°I do. We do it the way my father had his thugs deal with finding someone hiding too well. We go building by building, break the doors in. When we¡¯re sure there¡¯s nothing left we want, we move on to the next one. On the next run, we¡¯ll find out if they have changed and deal with it then. Don will keep track of the rooms and we keep going, taking the loot from those that have it and passing by those with nothing of worth until we reach the boss room.¡±

    Don looked down the wide road. ¡°Do we want to take a chance the dungeon¡¯s respecting the importance of building in a city and start with the city hall?¡± He considered something. ¡°I didn¡¯t make out a castle, but if we find there¡¯s some sort of ruler, their house could be where it will be, or wherever they rule from. If not, then after the city hall, I¡¯d expect barracks, since the guards are responsible for enforcing the ruler¡¯s will. Then, offices of law and money could be possibilities.¡±

    ¡°Would it know how cities work?¡± Mez asked Tibs, who shrugged.

    ¡°We start here.¡± Jackal motioned to the houses along the street. ¡°We go as far as we can today. On the next run, we check them enough to know if they¡¯re the same or if this is something we need to go through each time until you and Tibs have enough clues to tell where the boss room is.¡±

    ¡°How do we know when we need to leave?¡± Mez asked. ¡°I¡¯m not seeing time shields anywhere.¡±

    ¡°I believe,¡± Khumdar said, pointing to their right. ¡°That will be our indicator of time passing.¡±

    Light poured over the distant roofs as Tibs made out the top of a bright circle.

    ¡°The sun was well past the roofs when we entered,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°I cannot account for how a dungeon maintains time, so it is possible we will be required to adjust, but I believe that will be the most reliable method to know how long we have been in.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Jackal replied with a shrug. ¡°Tibs?¡± He motioned the first house.

    The door was made of polished stone bars stacked and held in place with two metal strips. The lock had no essence through it, but still gave Tibs trouble. Its mechanism of gears and levers were like nothing he¡¯d encountered. But it had a keyhole, so there would be tumblers, and there were only limited placed they could be within this. Once he worked them out, what the other parts were fell into place, and using ice to move them in position was simple.

    The room was small, but luxurious. The chairs before the fireplace were metal, with plush gray velvet covering. The table only sat two, but the stone was carved intricately and inlaid with metal. There were not traps on the floor, or the other door, which had no lock and, like the outside, one was lighter than its stone composition implied. How it could be Tibs wasn¡¯t sure, because while there seemed to be less earth essence in the door¡¯s stone than the walls, there was no more air or other essence.

    It opened onto a small room with a bed and wardrobe both carved of stone, but the bedding was plush enough his hand sank to his elbow. There was no weave through any of it, but Tibs still worried he¡¯d vanish if he laid down on it.

    ¡°It¡¯s safe,¡± Tibs called, after opening the empty wardrobe. ¡°There¡¯s nothing here.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say nothing.¡± Don was studying the table as Tibs exited the bedroom. ¡°This is exquisite work. I wonder if they made it, or if it was already here when they found the city.¡± The sorcerer¡¯s mouth snapped shut, and he looked at Tibs worriedly.

    He shrugged. Unless Sto screamed in terror, or something happened when one of them slipped, he couldn¡¯t know how much of a problem this was.

    ¡°Considering how long you took to open the lock,¡± Jackal said, hand searching up the chimney, ¡°I¡¯d expect loot.¡±

    ¡°The dungeon¡¯s tricky. You know that,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°Not that tricky.¡± The fighter looked at his clean hand once he pulled it out.

    ¡°If Tibs hadn¡¯t yelled for you to stop, you¡¯d have walked into that darkened doorway.¡±

    Jackal shrugged and exited.

    The house facing it was the same. A stone door with metal strips. A complicated lock, which Tibs opened quickly, now that he understood how it worked, and an ordinary set of rooms, just as luxurious. The next four were much the same.

    The fifth door was already opened and sounds came from inside. What Tibs sensed made the creature on the smaller side, and on all fours, but it was a dungeon creature. Their essence told him that much. Jackal motioned for him to pull the door the rest of the way, and he ran in with a grin as soon as there was enough space.

    Stone broke, Jackal let out a terrified yell, then the creature ran out of the house too fast for Tibs to make out more than it ran on all four. Inside, Jackal was seated against the far wall, stoned up and looking scared. Tibs looked back to where the creature had vanished between two houses and wondered what it might have been to scare the fighter this badly.

    ¡°A dog,¡± Jackal whispered, voice shaking. ¡°That was a fucking dog.¡± He swallowed, looked up, and yelled. ¡°Did my sister fucking put you up to this?¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 73

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t funny,¡± Jackal grumbled in response to the chuckling as they walked to the next house.

    ¡°It sort of was,¡± Don said, between chuckles. ¡°You, made to quiver by a dog; not a big one at that.¡±

    The fighter rounded on the sorcerer. ¡°You have no idea what those things are capable of. I don¡¯t care how small it was. They¡¯re a danger to anything decent.¡±

    ¡°You should be fine, then,¡± Mez said, as Don stepped back, hands raised, but grinning.

    ¡°These things aren¡¯t normal.¡± Jackal looked up. ¡°One of you made them! Come on, fess-up! Nothing that evil comes about naturally!¡±

    ¡°You have experienced little of the world,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°If you had found yourself facing a badger, you would not think so.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what those are, but they¡¯re probably dungeon creations, too.¡± Jackal shuddered, and Tibs fought against smiling.

    The lock on this door was like the previous ones, and Tibs realized those had only seemed complex because they were different from the ones he had encountered before. Now, he could envision the type of tools a thief would need to get through them.

    ¡°I¡¯ll stand guard,¡± Jackal said. ¡°In case one of those things comes back.¡±

    ¡°You know,¡± Don said. ¡°It¡¯s unlikely there will be another one inside.¡±

    There was nothing there with essence, but Tibs kept that to himself.

    ¡°Then you¡¯ll be fine, right?¡± the fighter replied.

    Inside was much like the others. A living room with stone and metal furniture, and an area to prepare food. This room was smaller, making space for a third one. It reminded Tibs of Zacharia¡¯s art room. Bowls contained dried colors, brushes lay scattered on the bench and metal frames rested against the wall.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to take until the abyss gets here to go through every building,¡± Mez said, poking into the room. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell where the important stuff is, Tibs?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± He picked up a frame and wondered what it might have been used for and reflexively extended his sense. ¡°There isn¡¯t anything that¡ªThere is something,¡± he said in surprised as a difference registered at the edge. He couldn¡¯t make out what it was, other than it wasn¡¯t like anything else he sensed.

    ¡°Loot?¡± Jackal asked, looking into the art room

    ¡°What happened to standing guard?¡± Don asked.

    ¡°Got bored.¡±

    Tibs walked out of the room. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Don was looking over a translucent container. ¡°The essence doesn¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t have words to describe it. Flow is the best I can think of.¡±

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t just go there,¡± Don said as Jackal opened his mouth, expression eager. ¡°One of these houses might have something important. A clue to where the boss room is.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll come back after checking what Tibs is sensing.¡± Jackal exited and with a shrug, Tibs followed.

    He sensed the houses they passed, and they registered much like the others. Some were larger, some smaller. Some had shelves and counters near the entrance that reminded Tibs of the shops in Kragle Rock. He also sensed four-legged creatures moving about between houses, but unlike on the previous floors, they didn¡¯t seem to react to their presence. As if they were just dogs like those in his town.

    What he sensed didn¡¯t become easier to explain as it got closer. It was a structure in the center of a large plaza, one story in height and made of a black¡­something. It had to rough look of stone, but he couldn¡¯t sense the essence that made it. What he sensed didn¡¯t¡­. Flow was still the only word that came to him, even if it wasn¡¯t the right one. The essence didn¡¯t flow right to his sense.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t touch it,¡± Don said, as Mez reached for the wall. ¡°This doesn¡¯t¡­¡± he trailed off.

    ¡°You can sense it too?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°No.¡± Don looked at Tibs, surprised. ¡°I can¡¯t sense anything, and that¡¯s what bothers me. You can sense something?¡±

    ¡°Something¡­yes.¡± Tibs shrugged.

    ¡°It just means there isn¡¯t any corruption,¡± Jackal said, putting a hand on the wall next to Mez¡¯s. He frowned. ¡°Or stone.¡±

    ¡°Or fire,¡± the archer said. ¡°It¡¯s cool to the touch.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the problem,¡± Don said, before Tibs pointed out that he could sense the elements, just behind this¡­weave? No, that wasn¡¯t the right word, again. ¡°We should all be able to sense our element within it. They are present everywhere.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t sense fire in those houses,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s because you weren¡¯t paying attention.¡± Don glared at the wall. ¡°There might not be a lot in objects that aren¡¯t burning, but it¡¯s stills there. You just have to focus. Whatever this is, it¡¯s like some¡­ opposite of elements.¡±

    ¡°Is that a thing?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°Not that I¡¯ve read. It reminds me of containers made to hold a concentrated essence, only this seems to hold everything back, which shouldn¡¯t be possible. Nearly every elements go into making the containers since that¡¯s basically what you need to ensure one element will be contained.¡±

    Tibs walked around the structure, which was only slightly larger than one of the houses, but more round. He narrowed his sense, trying to find a difference in the essences. What he found, he saw, instead of sensing, and he didn¡¯t think it was a good thing.

    ¡°There¡¯s a door,¡± he called. ¡°It doesn¡¯t have a lock.¡±

    ¡°Is it trapped?¡± Don asked, the first to reach him. ¡°How about triggers?¡±

    ¡°There aren¡¯t any essence triggers outside,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°And I can¡¯t tell anything about what the essence in the wall can do.¡±

    ¡°What is it doing?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Tibs snapped, then took a breath. His annoyance was at the situation, not Don. ¡°The¡­flow isn¡¯t¡­right.¡± He shrugged again. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why none of you can sense your element?¡±

    ¡°Or you are simply stronger than we are in this area and it lets you sense deeper.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t sense anything inside the building,¡± Tibs pointed out. It wasn¡¯t that it was empty; his sense stopped within that odd flow.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean.¡± Don studied the door while the others arrived. ¡°Essence can be layered within the same space and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stop. I¡¯m not dealing with that kind of headaches while on a run.¡±

    Don nodded as Jackal stepped between them, and before Tibs could stop him, pushed the door in.

    ¡°What?¡± the fighter asked in response to the glare.

    ¡°You do that again, and I¡¯m telling Kroseph.¡±

    ¡°You said there aren¡¯t any traps.¡±

    ¡°I said I can¡¯t sense triggers outside. There¡¯s no telling what the essence does.¡±

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t explode,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°Or melt our esteemed leader¡¯s hand off,¡± Khumdar offered. He smiled. ¡°Maybe it summons dogs?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t even joke about that.¡± Jackal looked around.

    Tibs ignored the lack of anything happening with the building and extended his sense until it was beyond the plaza. He sensed the creatures whose essence was like dogs moving about, and he considered keeping what he could tell to himself, but Jackal¡¯s worry was increasing.

    ¡°They aren¡¯t coming here. They¡¯re just wandering between the houses.¡± He made a ball of light and pushed it into the building¡¯s darkness. As soon as it crossed the threshold, the essence grew until Tibs lost hold of it and the others backed away with surprised cries.

    ¡°What was that for?¡± Jackal asked, rubbing at his eyes.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me.¡± Tibs tried to understand what had happened. ¡°Cover your eyes.¡± He made another ball of light.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s¡­¡± Don cursed as Tibs sent it in.

    It started before it was fully in. The part of the packed essence that crossed the threshold immediately grew, and try as he might, quickly there was too much of it for him to keep hold of. As far as he could sense, the essence within the wall hadn¡¯t reacted. Even the light within it was still as it had been.

    A hand pulled him back. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea,¡± Jackal said.

    Tibs¡¯s foot had been raised to cross the threshold.

    ¡°It would be interesting to find out if it reacts to something containing essence,¡± Don said in a musing tone, ¡°or only exposed essence.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome to go in and find out,¡± Jackal replied harshly.

    ¡°You can¡¯t send a teammate to his death,¡± Mez said, pulling an arrow from his quiver.

    ¡°That is definitely a bad idea,¡± Don said. fire dances over it as the archer wove essence into arrow.

    Mez grinned, putting the now ordinary looking arrow to the bowstring. ¡°I can¡¯t let Tibs have all the fun.¡± Don and Jackal moved away as he let it loose.

    It happened nearly too fast for Tibs to sense, but the arrow ceased to be as the weave within it expanded, consuming it, then the heat rushed out of the door and surrounded Tibs and he couldn¡¯t breathe. In that moment, he was back in the inferno, fire consuming him. Then he was cold, staggering away.

    ¡°Why did you stay there?¡± Jackal demanded, catching him.

    ¡°I forgot how hot fire gets,¡± Tibs replied, catching his breath.

    ¡°This hurt you?¡± Don asked, surprised.

    ¡°It¡¯s fire,¡± Jackal snapped.

    ¡°But Tibs told me his elements can¡¯t hurt him. He didn¡¯t flinch at the light. Why would this hurt him?¡±

    ¡°Well, fire does.¡± Jackal glared at the archer. ¡°That was stupid, Mez. Whatever¡¯s inside is probably destroyed now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± Tibs protested and stepped to the doorway. ¡°Nothing¡¯s changed in what I sense.¡± He took a step back and pulled light essence to his hand.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal warned.

    ¡°I¡¯m not throwing it in.¡± What he needed was something that should behave in a specific way without needing him to maintain control. He formed the weave, kept it purposely thin, barely more than a strand, wrapped it in a filigree and gently pushed it at the opening.

    The light that bloomed inside had the others cursing and looking away.

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t it doing anything?¡± Don asked, at his side, while the others were still turned away.

    ¡°It is. The strand shouldn¡¯t be any more visible than it is next to my hand.¡±

    The building was a single room with a central column of what looked like the same dark material as the wall. Benches surrounded it, and at what could be the four corners, gray columns were topped with a large, clear crystal each.

    ¡°How much more essence is it producing?¡±

    Tibs stared at the sorcerer. ¡°How would I know?¡±

    ¡°The increase might be proportional to the concentration of the essence sent it.¡± Don pulled an amulet from a pocket, but Jackal caught his hand.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t throwing that inside.¡±

    ¡°We should be safe,¡± Don said. ¡°The building contained the other outbursts. So long as we¡¯re out of the way from the opening, it¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°Should?¡± Mez asked.

    The sorcerer shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t be certain without testing it. But I¡¯m confident that whatever else this is for, it isn¡¯t to damage the surrounding area.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t be sure of that,¡± the archer said. ¡°For all we know, the dungeon rebuilt all this from something that building destroyed.¡±

    ¡°I doubt the essence in this amulet would be enough to cause that level of destruction.¡± Don looked at Tibs.

    He was curious about what might happen, and he agreed with Don. The walls would contain whatever happened, but the worry on Jackal¡¯s face was loud.

    ¡°We should continue with the run. Once we know how the floor works, we can come back and see what happens.¡±

    ¡°Can you sense other buildings like this one?¡± the sorcerer asked.

    Tibs extended his sense as far as he could. ¡°Not like this one. There are some that feel¡­different, not like the houses, I mean.¡±

    ¡°Are those the dungeon rooms?¡±

    Tibs tried to identify something that felt like the previous floors. ¡°I¡¯m too far to get details. The closest is in that direction.¡± He pointed toward the glowing orb that was a full hand span over the buildings. ¡°But it¡¯s aways,¡± he told Jackal.

    ¡°If you can tell what is and isn¡¯t a dungeon room,¡± the fighter mused. ¡°That would speed things up.¡±

    ¡°Might that not result in walking by potential loot?¡± Khumdar said. ¡°I am certain the dungeon is sufficiently clever to add cache to structure that were already here without attracting attention. As it did for the Ratling camp and Bunnyling burrow.¡±

    ¡°You really want to make me sick, don¡¯t you?¡± Jackal complained. ¡°It¡¯s check everything in case there¡¯s loot, and miss out on whatever is in those special places, or do a lot of those and miss out on loot.¡±

    The cleric shrugged.

    Jackal sighed. ¡°We go check that one. If we get something good out of it, we do these this run, and on the next one we check the houses on the way to them.¡±

    Tibs led the way, uncomfortable at the silence. Sto should have commented on what had happened; what they¡¯d said. He would have, before. Tibs couldn¡¯t believe he wouldn¡¯t watch their first run on this floor if he could help it. What could be going on that would take precedence over that?

    ¡°A door¡ª¡±

    The doorway disgorged the thugs.

    ¡°¡ªway!¡±

    They looked like they¡¯d come from Tibs¡¯s street, muscular, wearing rags, but looking like they had been pressed down and their skin was pale, almost white. For weapons, they held planks.

    The first swing he blocked with his bracer sent him off his feet.

    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate them!¡± Jackal yelled as Tibs landed. They might look like thugs from his street, but they hit like adventurers. ¡°We¡¯re in a dungeon, not the alleys of MountainSea.¡±

    Tibs had to ask what Jackal had been up to the last time he¡¯d gone there.

    He formed a sword of ice and metal, then added a filigree of Bor to the edge. When he struck the thug, the edge bend under the impact until the ice shattered.

    The thug smirked at him.

    Barely a thought and the ¡®x¡¯ etching sent the thug flying off.

    He caught the next swing with his shield. A woman who, if he imagined her extended to a proper person¡¯s height, would look underfed. She hit hard enough he thought of Cross punching Quigly across a street. He added Kha to the etched ball of fire and exploded it in its face, then cursed as the more intense than expected fire burned him too, before he absorbed the essence.

    Now was not the time to experiment.

    He stepped out of the way of the returning thug, planting a fully metal sword in it, and ending up with a rusted knife in his side. A kick and hard swing lobbed the head off and Tibs hurried to put a weave of purity over the heavily bleeding wound, absorbing the corruption it had contained.

    His distracted parry sent him staggering, and planting the sword through the woman¡¯s chest did no good. Neither did the kick in the nethers. The punch it landed on him caused him to let go of his sword.

    ¡°Fine,¡± he growled in pain as he regained his footing. If it didn¡¯t have a heart to stab, how about everything else? He reformed the essence in the sword, made it an etching, and it exploded; the shards taking pieces of it along.

    As the pieces fells Tibs saw that for as real as they looked, as much the essence within them flowed like his, they were still golem people. They were flesh-like, but there was no blood or the insides of people and even the pieces that fell at Tibs¡¯s feet crumbled away. Unlike what happened when a runner died near one still living.

    The others were done, so Tibs suffused himself with purity, then healed them.

    ¡°The dungeon is clearly going with the theme of a city,¡± Don said, while Tibs healed the gash in his forearm. ¡°But not respecting how weak back alley thugs should be.¡±

    ¡°The quality of your back alleys leave something to be desired, then,¡± Jackal said, emptying the pouch one of the thugs had left behind.

    ¡°You were on your ass with that first punch,¡± the sorcerer said. ¡°You weren¡¯t expecting them to be as tough as you are.¡±

    Jackal grinned. ¡°But I never expect anyone to be as tough as I am. The first hit often lands me on my ass.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re saying I¡¯ve become overconfident,¡± Don said, carefully moving the healed arm.

    ¡°I said no such thing.¡±

    Don sighed.

    ¡°You and him have that in common,¡± Tibs said. ¡°Only he takes pride in it.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying I should take pride in it? Or stop being overconfident?¡±

    Tibs smiled. ¡°Which one keeps you alive?¡±

    The sorcerer sighed again. ¡°I¡¯ll work on that.¡±

    ¡°These are also a more successful breed of thugs.¡± Jackal handed a dozen silver coins to Tibs. ¡°Where I¡¯m from, a group like this would barely have that in coppers.¡±

    ¡°In my Street,¡± Tibs said. ¡°They¡¯d be broken coppers, and if one of them had two, he¡¯d be rich.¡±

    ¡°I really want to see that street one day,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Nothing worth seeing.¡± Tibs put the coins away and moved on.

    ¡°We stay on guard this time,¡± Jackal said, just as Tibs sensed the form running in their direction. He moved, forming a shield as the large dog jumped out of the alley.

    Jackal let out a curse as the impact pushed Tibs back.

    ¡°Stay!¡± Tibs yelled, trying how Serba went about ordering dogs.

    It lunged at him, foaming jaws snapping. His sword left shallow cuts into its hide, removing any doubt this was anything other than a dungeon creature. His thought of bringing jerky on the next run might not help as much as he hoped.

    The stone fist smashed in its back, and the snapping in reply had Jackal backpedaling.

    The distraction let Tibs plant his sword in its side. Then spikes of ice erupted. Its dying whine sounded too much like Thump¡¯s, when it wanted an extra piece of jerky.

    Jackal shuddered. ¡°It hates me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep you safe,¡± Tibs told him.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you had to fight it,¡± Mez said. ¡°Dogs usually like you.¡±

    ¡°No jerky.¡±

    The archer stared at Tibs. ¡°Since when do you not carry jerky?¡±

    ¡°We were going to be in here all day. I didn¡¯t know S¡ªthere¡¯d be dogs here.¡±

    ¡°You could have offered it some of the food Russel gave us for the run,¡± The archer said.

    ¡°Dogs don¡¯t like the spicy stuff,¡± Tibs replied.

    ¡°Dogs in a dungeon,¡± Jackal grumbled, looking around. ¡°I hate my life.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 74

    ¡°Definitely a dungeon room,¡± Don said as they stood before the large building. ¡°Corruption is woven through the walls, like those on the upper floors.¡±

    It was twice as large as Tibs¡¯s rooming house, but only two stories tall. The double doors in the center of the long side looked like wood, but were made of the same essences as the walls, which looked like uneven slabs of stones stacked atop each other. The placement looked precarious, but they were actually one structure. Windows lined each floor, with ten and two steps between them. The essence flowing through them was sufficiently different Tibs figured he could see through them if he went to one.

    That, or they were trapped.

    ¡°That is one big room.¡± Jackal rubbed his hands. ¡°There¡¯s going to be lots of loot.¡±

    ¡°Why does it look like a building?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°Because they¡¯re all buildings?¡± Jackal replied.

    ¡°I saw that,¡± Mez said, annoyed. ¡°But the others are there because it¡ª¡±

    ¡°Dungeons,¡± Khumdar interrupted the archer, ¡°will sometimes establish a theme.¡±

    ¡°More than sometimes,¡± Don said, continuing to study the walls.

    ¡°They will then follow said theme regardless of how unnatural it might be to the rest of the floor. You need remember that dungeons are no more than animals. They do not understand that some things will not feel appropriate to the people exploring them.¡±

    ¡°Like a city under the ground,¡± Tibs added.

    ¡°Right.¡± Mez mouthed a silent, ¡®sorry¡¯.

    ¡°To the loot,¡± Jackal ordered, and Tibs ran for the door.

    He glared at the fighter. ¡°I¡¯m checking for traps first.¡±

    ¡°This is clearly some sort of public building,¡± the fighter replied. ¡°Those don¡¯t have locked doors.¡±

    ¡°And how would it be a dungeon know such a thing?¡± Khumdar asked.

    ¡°Because Runners can¡¯t stop talking and it¡¯ll¡­. Right.¡± Jackal¡¯s expression became sly. ¡°Right. It¡¯s not like it understands people. Right?¡±

    Tibs sighed and turned to the door. Why couldn¡¯t Jackal use the same slyness that had fooled Tibs all the time? Instead of playing at being such an idiot when he didn¡¯t have to?

    The double door had no visible lock; only a large handle on each one. There was no difference in the weave, but he still studied it. Done, he stepped back, perplexed. Jackal was right that Sto would have heard Runners talking. So he¡¯d know enough about public buildings to set something in them to trick them.

    Ganny certainly would jump at the opportunity.

    ¡°No traps?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°No traps on the door,¡± he replied.

    Jackal grabbed the handles and pulled. The doors protested loudly as they moved apart. Tibs stopped as he stepped in, plans to look for traps superseded by the scene.

    There were a lot of people in the room, which seemed to take up half the length of the building, with the doors also in its center. Tibs could tell it wasn¡¯t so deep as to reach the rear, but he couldn¡¯t tell by how much. A counter ran the length, at what Tibs thought was ten paces before the back wall. It was divided by wooden planks on top with a line of people standing before each formed section, and a person on the other side, facing them.

    Unlike the people golem they had fought, these looked like townsfolk, representing most categories of people in Kragle Rock, although nobles would never stand in such a way, behind and before common folks. The person at the counter gestured to the one on the other side. They exchanged something, stepped aside as the next person stepped forward. The one who was done moved to the back of the line, while the one now at the counter gestured to the one on the other side.

    Talking. They were talking. Or mimicking it, since Sto still couldn¡¯t get the golem people to speak. The large room was quiet, except for the sound of footsteps and rustling of cloth. It all seemed so normal it made Tibs uncomfortable.

    What was the point of this room?

    ¡°What is this?¡± Jackal asked, his voice hushed and awed, standing next to Tibs.

    ¡°It looks like some sort of permit office,¡± Mez answered, then elaborated as Tibs and the fighter stared at him. ¡°My father¡¯s second cousin runs a tailor¡¯s shop. I was sent to help him during a trade festival. We spent hours in a place like this the day before so he could get the permit for his festival booth.¡±

    ¡°It feels highly unusual for a dungeon to make such a place,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°considering dungeons cannot know of them.¡±

    Jackal smirked at the cleric¡¯s slip, and Tibs elbowed him before he could say anything.

    ¡°You better hope this isn¡¯t about standing in line until we reach the teller,¡± Don said. ¡°We¡¯ll die of boredom before that happens. My family was mercantile before that was taken from them, remember?¡± He said at the looks directed at him. ¡°I might not have been expected to help run in, but I have had to stand in a line with my father or a brother far too often to ever want to do it again, even as part of a dungeon puzzle.¡±

    ¡°There are other doors.¡± Tibs pointed to the ones on each side of the far walls, then jumped to make out the top of the door he sensed in the back wall, and pointed to it. ¡°Maybe we need to reach one of them without disturbing the lines?¡± He didn¡¯t think that was it. While the lines were long enough to reach the blue carpet that went the length, in the center, there was still ample room to walk. Unless the door they needed was at the back. That one Tibs couldn¡¯t tell how to reach it without disturbing someone, since they¡¯d have to go over the counter.

    He stepped forward, but Mez caught his arm.

    ¡°Wait.¡± He searched the crowd. ¡°If this is like the office I went to, there should be agents of order. They¡¯re like guards, but work for the institutions. They make sure everything proceeds in an orderly fashion. That one.¡± He pointed to a woman in a gray robe with a golden collar. It was the same as what he could see from the persons on the other side of the counter. The tellers, as Don called them. ¡°There, and there.¡± A man and another woman in the same robes. Tibs thought they were in line too, then realized they stood next to them.

    ¡°Those don¡¯t look like guards,¡± Jackal said. ¡°They look like the clerks.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s what they are, back home. But this is a dungeon. If, like Tibs thinks, the point is to make it to a door, they are what¡¯s going to get in our way.¡±

    ¡°Those in line can also cause trouble,¡± Don said. ¡°If they think we¡¯re trying to cut ahead of them. I¡¯ve seen it happen. Too many people, not enough time or patience. It didn¡¯t make me want to return the next time I was tasked with keeping one of my siblings company.¡±

    ¡°Then this is a maze.¡± Now that he knew what to look for, Tibs found two more agents among the lines as he considered how close to the center of the carpet they¡¯d need to remain, to avoid bumping into the back of the lines. The agents moved, and he noticed another one. Seven of them moved through the lines without a pattern Tibs could discern. It would take longer to see that.

    ¡°What happens if we step close to a line?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°I get to kick those agents¡¯ asses?¡±

    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ¡°Doing that could start a riot,¡± Don replied.

    ¡°Tibs, how do you expect a dungeon might force us to join the lines?¡± Khumdar asked.

    ¡°There are a lot of essences that can do it,¡± he replied, sensing for anything out of place among the extensive weaves that made the structure.

    ¡°We should be able to fight off most of those types of compulsions,¡± Don said. ¡°Mind essence needs to make its way into you before it can force anything. Anyone with enough essence and will can push it back.¡±

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem made to kill us,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°That¡¯s because you never had to stand in a lineup like this,¡± Mez replied. ¡°I was ready to kill for a chance to leave before the hour was up.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you leave?¡± Don asked. ¡°You couldn¡¯t have been that old.¡±

    ¡°Did you leave?¡± the archer countered. ¡°I was given a responsibility, and I wanted to prove I wasn¡¯t a child.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s something to be said about being a kid,¡± Jackal said, cutting off Don¡¯s response to Mez. ¡°Tibs, how do we do this?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t make out triggers from the rest of the weaves. It all seems to just be what¡¯s making the building. I think this is about avoiding the agents and, if Don¡¯s right, not disturbing the lines. If we stay in the center of the carpet, we can make it to that door without getting close to the lines and there¡¯s only two agents on that side right now.¡±

    ¡°The agents are going to easily see us,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with them,¡± Jackal replied.

    ¡°I¡¯ll check the floor for triggers. Don keep watch on the agents. There¡¯s probably a pattern to how they move. That might be part of how this works.¡± He looked at Khumdar. ¡°Anything?¡±

    Essence flowed away from the cleric. ¡°Theres is¡­¡± the cloud spreading through the room had an odd structure to Tibs¡¯s sense. It wasn¡¯t exactly a weave, but also not an etching. There was something¡­ musical to what he sensed, not that the word actually matched what it was, as usual.

    ¡°I am unsure how to describe this secret. That we are being watched is a poor approximation of it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the dungeon,¡± Jackal said. ¡°It¡¯s always watching us.¡±

    ¡°Not always.¡± Tibs crouched as studied the floor between them and the carpet. Tiles, six of them made the width of both doors. The colors weren¡¯t uniform. Grays and peach and oranges and brown. There was something natural about how the colors were splotched. Like the cliff face, if it was polished flat.

    ¡°This is not that,¡± the cleric said, sounding distracted. ¡°I have felt the secret that is the dungeon observing us, and it is¡­less secret.¡± Khumdar rubbed his temple. ¡°I dislike having to express what I sense. It is so¡­clumsy.¡±

    ¡°Tell me about it,¡± Don said, and grumbles of agreement came from the others.

    ¡°Can you tell if the secret is linked to how we pass the test?¡± the thought of filling his node with darkness came, and was immediately chased away by memories of the days following his last attempt. He focused on the tiles while Khumdar thought. There had no play, no gap and he sensed only the same weave under as through them, as through everything.

    ¡°I do not believe so,¡± the cleric said when Tibs was halfway to the carpet. ¡°There is a sense of distance. Of not being involved.¡± He grumbled something under his breath.

    ¡°Line up behind me.¡±

    He led them to the center of the carpet, then turned toward the door, studying the carpet for any indication of a trigger. The edges were more red than blue, not quite purple. He could make out the weave of the fabric, but there was no pattern beyond that. He stepped carefully, waiting for the trap he was certain Ganny had laid somewhere along the way for them.

    Mez cursed, then Don and Jackal. By the time Tibs stood and spun, they were fighting two of the agents. Two Tibs hadn¡¯t noticed, so focused he¡¯d been on the floor. He made a sword as Jackal shoved an agent away, and into one of the lines. The people there turned, their expressions angry as they surged forward.

    ¡°How do we turn off this trap?¡± Mez demanded. Swinging his unstrung bow like a staff.

    ¡°We don¡¯t,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°We fight them off.¡± He broke the arm of the closest golem person, then kicked them. They staggered into another line.

    ¡°Then stop angering more of the customers!¡± Don yelled. ¡°We have enough of them to deal with already!¡± A motion, and he grabbed the line of corruption, swinging it and hitting the approaching people.

    Tibs cut the hand off the one grabbing for Jackal, then the leg out from under someone on the other side. Heat erupted next to Tibs, then Mez backed into him, nearly sending them both down as he hit a customer with his flaming bow.

    ¡°We need more space!¡± the archer yelled.

    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Don yelled back, panic in his tone. ¡°Stepping off the carpet is¡ª¡±

    Tibs turned in horror as he realized that in his focus on fighting, he¡¯d stopped paying attention to the surrounding essence. Don was nearly entirely encased in the weave, his voice cut off as it covered his face. Then he was wrapped in it completely and the customers settled down, returning to their lines. Don¡¯s terrified expression turn calm under the weave as he moved to the back of the closest line.

    ¡°Oh no, you don¡¯t!¡± Jackal caught Tibs as he rushed to help his friend. ¡°We stay on the carpet. Mez, back away from the edge.¡±

    Tibs tried to slip out, but Jackal held him too tight. ¡°Let go. I have to help him.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you see! It wrapped over him. I have to get it off him.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°Essence,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°We do well to remember Tibs senses far more than we.¡±

    ¡°Help him from here,¡± Jackal ordered. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be next to him. What is the essence doing to him?¡±

    Tibs breathed his fear away. He couldn¡¯t help if he couldn¡¯t think. The weave surrounded Don, clung to him, but that was all. His essence was fine. Then why wasn¡¯t Don fighting this? Corruption could melt anything if enough was used, and Don could suffuse himself in it. He should be able to get out.

    ¡°He¡¯s alive. I can¡¯t sense what it¡¯s doing, but it has to affect his mind.¡±

    ¡°His expression did turn unnaturally calm,¡± Khumdar said.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the trigger?¡± Mez asked, looking at the edge of the carpet. ¡°Tibs, how to I get to him without triggering it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± He sensed the floor again, but there was no difference between the carpet and the tiles. It was all the same weave, or so close he couldn¡¯t tell them apart. He¡¯d been sure he would sense a trigger among them. It would have to stand apart to react to them.

    ¡°Do¡­¡± Jackal sounded scared. ¡°Do you think any of them are other Runners?¡±

    Tibs focused on them individually, as the cleric said. ¡°We are the first to step onto this floor. If anyone here shares similarity with someone we have known, they are no more than a golem made of flesh and given their form.¡±

    Tibs shuddered at the memory of Pyan as a golem person.

    ¡°Right.¡± Jackal sounded better. ¡°So, how do we get him back to the carpet? Tibs, air? Can you grab¡ª¡±

    ¡°I would advise against doing anything to disturb the line,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°Don warned us they would retaliate, and you demonstrated it. He is now part of one, and I believe that whatever enchantment has him will force him to retaliate if he is disturbed.¡±

    ¡°So, does it let him go once he reached the front of the line?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°Is the trap to kill him with boredom and if he makes it there, he walks away?¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t walk away,¡± Mez said. ¡°They go to the back of a line.¡±

    ¡°Why are they here?¡± Tibs asked. This felt like something Ganny made more than Sto, and she¡¯d put how the trap worked inside what this was.

    ¡°To stand in line,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°I mean in a real one. Mez. What happens in a place like this?¡±

    ¡°You get a permit. The people explain what¡ª¡±

    ¡°What does that mean? You said you needed it for a booth. Why? The merchants here don¡¯t need that for theirs, do they?¡± he looked at them, but they shrugged.

    ¡°Getting the permit means he showed he could do something with the booth. I think it was about how much he¡¯d be able to sell. He handed papers over, they looked at it. Then he paid and got a¡ª¡±

    ¡°How much?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°How many coins did he have to pay?¡± Pay what was owed and free Don?

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Mez looked around. ¡°Would it matter? How would the dungeon know how much my father¡¯s cousin paid?¡±

    Tibs cursed. He was right, and even if he knew the amount, he¡¯d have to reach the counter. He could make it without touching the floor, but he couldn¡¯t see how he¡¯d land and not disturb someone.

    The solution to a traps was always something everyone in the party could manage. So it wasn¡¯t at the counter.

    ¡°Can a customer go at the back?¡± That was the only place they could reach.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I only went that one time.¡±

    ¡°What if something goes wrong with the teller? If you think the teller is swindling you?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Tibs. Nothing went wrong the one time I went. Don¡¯s the one you¡¯d want to ask. Even if it never happened to him, I¡¯m sure he read something about it.¡±

    Tibs looked at Khumdar.

    ¡°I am afraid that in this, I have no help to offer. I was never trusted by my family to assist in matters that would necessitate visiting such a place. Once I left. Once I became what I am. I had no reasons for such visits.¡±

    ¡°If you think the person handling the papers is screwing you,¡± Jackal said, ¡°you talk to their boss.¡±

    ¡°Let me guess,¡± Mez said. ¡°You¡¯ve been hiding that this is also something you have experience with.¡±

    Jackal scoffed. ¡°I¡¯ve never stepped within blocks of a place like thing. But you forget what my family did. Keeping the number of organizations we did under control creates a lot of unhappiness. Anytime something happened. They arguments went up the chain of command. A few times it reached my father. It never went well for anyone who couldn¡¯t fix their problems before that.¡±

    ¡°Where do we find that person?¡± Tibs asked.

    Jackal shrugged, ¡°where ever those in charge of a place like this are? Their homes if they¡¯re powerful enough.¡±

    Tibs shook his head. The solution wouldn¡¯t be outside the room. He looked at the door they¡¯d been heading for. In the guild, those who ran things, like Tirania and the people she ordered about directly, had offices in the back. Out of the way. Where the enchantments kept anyone other than those properly appointed from reaching.

    He looked at the counter, sensed the door beyond it. It was no different from the ones at the end of the carpets, but something told him it would be the direct one to the solution. Only to reach it meant stepping off the carpet, and he was the only one who could do it. So it had to be the door before them.

    There was more than one way of reaching Tirania¡¯s office. It wasn¡¯t only the enchantments that made the halls go around all over the place. Even protected from it, they still did, just in a more orderly manner.

    He headed for the door.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal called. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to demand to speak to their boss.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 75

    The door proved to be a challenge.

    The lock was like those on the houses, but with more tumblers with a weave through them, forcing him to manipulate that, along with physically moving them. Because he used his ice, and the weave reacted to that element, it was easier than it would be for another rogue. Unless they too had worked out how to use their essence to manipulate the tumblers, they would have to pick them normally, while also getting the weave to move. He expected it would be delicate, frustrating work.

    Unless they went in the opposite direction. Delicate could often be beaten through brute force. Nothing he sensed of the weave led him to think Ganny had considered that when she made the lock, so at least one rogue would be able to simply blast their way through.

    The elemental tumbler moved into place, and the door unlocked.

    The corridor was larger than those in the Guild. There, three people could comfortably walk side by side. Here, his whole team would manage it. It went left and right, with doors facing each other. On the right side, it ended after a set of two doors, while on the left, after five set, the hall turned left.

    ¡°Which room is it?¡± Jackal asked.

    Tibs sensed, but the walls of the rooms were woven in such a way he could only get a vague impression of what was inside. A few golem people in each.

    ¡°It is my experience,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°that people in authority reside higher within their organization.¡±

    ¡°We should still check all the rooms,¡± the fighter said. ¡°Just in case.¡±

    ¡°Just in case there¡¯s loot, you mean?¡± Mez replied.

    ¡°In case the dungeon is tricking us,¡± Jackal countered, sounding too innocent.

    ¡°He¡¯s the leader,¡± Tibs said to the look the others gave him.

    ¡°But this is about loot,¡± Mez said. ¡°We can¡¯t trust his judgment.¡±

    Tibs sighed and went to the window at the end of the hall. He¡¯d been right, he could see through, but he couldn¡¯t tell where the orb was, and he wasn¡¯t getting close enough he¡¯d risk touching the ¡®glass¡¯. How much of ¡®all day¡¯ did they have left?

    ¡°I think we should go for the boss,¡± he said, facing his team. ¡°Getting Don out of the trap is more important. On the next run we can¡ª¡±

    A door opened between them and a woman carrying papers stepped out. She paused, looking left and right, as if she was taking them in. Then, with a sudden silent scream, she ran at his team, papers fading into essence as they flew out of her hand.

    Jackal¡¯s skin turned stone gray as he stepped forward and punched her. She flew back to Tibs¡¯s side and stopped against the wall, where she crumbled away, leaving a silver coin and a piece of paper behind.

    ¡°This is going to be easy,¡± the fighter said, sounding disappointed.

    ¡°This is a dungeon,¡± Khumdar said, as Tibs bent to pick up the loot. ¡°I would be wary of making assumptions.¡±

    The coin was a coin; the sun on a side, Claria and Torus on the other. He¡¯d seen coins stamped like this in loot and people¡¯s pockets before. The paper was¡­ he turned it over, blank.

    ¡°A prop in the play that is the theme of this building?¡± Khumdar asked.

    ¡°Those she was holding disappeared,¡± Mez said. ¡°This dropped after she was dead.¡±

    ¡°It,¡± Tibs corrected. ¡°But you¡¯re right. Ga¡ªthe dungeon doesn¡¯t have things dropping that don¡¯t matter.¡±

    Jackal took the paper. ¡°It leaves loot.¡± He looked at it this way and that. ¡°Maybe this is a note of promise.¡±

    ¡°A what?¡± Mez asked, while Tibs stared at his friend.

    ¡°It¡¯s a paper that says you get coins when you give it to the right person,¡± Tibs answered. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you knew about those.¡±

    Jackal shrugged. ¡°My dad dealt with those.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t there be something written on it, then?¡± Mez said, taking it from Jackal.

    ¡°It could be some sort of magical paper,¡± Jackal said. ¡°With how many coins we get appearing once we leave.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Mez handed it back with a shrug.

    ¡°There¡¯s no essence in it,¡± Tibs said. ¡°I mean no more than what make it. It¡¯s just dungeon made paper.¡±

    ¡°You sure?¡± Jackal turned it over again. ¡°Why would it bother with that? It¡¯s not like the meat and herbs of the first two floors. No one needs paper.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. It was the only answer he could give until he was able to ask Ganny or Sto about it.

    ¡°People need papers,¡± Mez said. ¡°It would be extra money from the runs, since the guild isn¡¯t going to care about ordinary paper.¡±

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    Jackal put the paper in his pouch. ¡°We¡¯ll see how many coins Darran will give us for it. How do we make it to the next floor? Since Khumdar says it¡¯s where we¡¯ll find the boss.¡±

    Tibs sensed ahead. He couldn¡¯t make out anything behind the doors that felt like stairs, but there was one, nearly to the other side of the building, that had no door.

    ¡°Around the turn, I think, then at the end of that corridor.¡±

    They reached the turn when a door opened behind them. Before they reacted, a golem person was on them. Khumdar struck it while Jackal stepped to the front and Mez stepped back, arrow in his bow. The golem barely reacted to the blows.

    ¡°Something¡ª¡± Tibs yelled as he sensed air essence gather at the golem¡¯s hands, then it shoved it forward before Tibs could disrupt it and they flew back. He etched a water wall behind them with filigree of Kha, and instead of hitting stone, they were caught in sticky water that slowly lowered them to the ground.

    Tibs dropped as he absorbed the essence holding him. He ran as soon as his feet hit the floor, forming a jagged ice and metal sword and shield. He etched air over his shield, lines moving away, filigree of Dhu in a spiral through it, and when he caught the next blast of air, the etching ripped it apart, and yet still slowed Tibs.

    The sword bit deep into the golem, then was wrenched out of his hand as it jumped back. He made another as fire arrows flew over his head, only to be flung aside by the torrent of air that followed the golem¡¯s wave of a hand.

    Darkness hit it, and it staggered. Jackal was on it, but his strikes blocked and diverted by air. The golem stuck him and Tibs dropped as Jackal flew over him and sent a sheet of water over the floor. The water rose over the golem¡¯s boots as he deflected arrows and Khumdar¡¯s blasts. Tibs turned the water to ice as he got to a knee, then exploded it.

    The golem didn¡¯t react to how painful losing both legs would be to anyone else, but the air essence it used as its defense shattered as it focused on trying to remain standing. It shattered under the volley of arrow that hit it in the chest before it reached the ground.

    ¡°Everyone okay?¡± Tibs called.

    ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± Jackal got to his feet and stepped away from the floor to ceiling crack the impact had left in the wall.

    ¡°Thanks for the save,¡± Mez said, walking by Tibs.

    ¡°Did how difficult this proved to be meet the requirements to fill your thirst for battle?¡± Khumdar asked.

    ¡°Wish I¡¯d gotten to do more.¡± Jackal grinned. ¡°But yeah.¡±

    ¡°Another blank page.¡± Mez handed it and the silver coin to Tibs.

    ¡°Maybe we can fight enough of the golems, Darran will give us gold for the papers,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°You are simply reaching for an excuse to fight more of these golems,¡± Khumdar said.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m looking for a way to get more coins,¡± the fighter replied.

    ¡°Then make sure to have Tibs ask the merchant,¡± Mez said, starting down the hall. ¡°He always gives him more for what is handed in.¡±

    They proceeded cautiously, but made it to the empty doorway without doors opening, only to find an empty room.

    Tibs sighed as the others looked at him. ¡°It¡¯s a decoy.¡± He should have thought of that. Ganny knew how he could sense, had probably realized that the haze she¡¯d created on the third floor wasn¡¯t all that effective anymore. Or maybe the city was too vast for her to be able to make is as concentrated. He¡¯d ask; if he could.

    ¡°Maybe they¡¯re outside?¡± Jackal offered.

    ¡°Is that a thing where you¡¯re from?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°I saw something like that in MountainSea. They went up to a terrace and continued to another floor of the building.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that feel too simple?¡± Mez pointed out.

    ¡°It¡¯s in a room,¡± Tibs said with another sigh. He focused on the one facing the decoy. But whatever Ganny had used to create the fog on the previous floor, she¡¯d concentrated it here. No matter how narrow he made his sense, he hardly got anything from it. ¡°All I can tell is that there are two golem people in the room. If there¡¯s anything else, it¡¯s masked, somehow.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange that the dungeon can hide something like stairs from Tibs, but not the golem?¡±

    ¡°A golem¡¯s complexity in the essence that composes them may make them harder to camouflage,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°Stairs are nothing more than the same as the walls, arranged in a different shape. I expect it would take little to have one bleed into the other.¡±

    ¡°Or it wants us to know how much fun we can expect to have,¡± Jackal said, stepping to the door. ¡°We hit them hard and if there¡¯s no stairs, we get the loot and go to the next one

    ¡°I wish you weren¡¯t so eager to get into more fights.¡± Mez pulled the string of his bow and an arrow formed.

    ¡°What can I say. I love myself a good time.¡± He kicked the door in.

    * * * * *

    ¡°So,¡± the archer said, standing over Jackal as Tibs applied a weave of purity over the break in the stone arm. ¡°How much of a good time was it this time?¡±

    The first two rooms had been simple. Jackal rushed in, Tibs on his heel, then moved out of the doorway so Mez and Khumdar could get in attacks while they closed the distance.

    In the first room the two golem people hadn¡¯t had time to stand before the arrows and dark blasts shattered them, leaving a paper and silver each to fall on the desk they had sat behind.

    In the second, the desks had been on each side of the room, instead of before the door, so Jackal and Tibs did the dispatching. Again, one strike from each and the golem person died, as if they were less than normal people.

    The third room had a lone occupant behind a more impressive desk. it used crystal essence to fracture the fire arrows and dark blast, redirecting some of them at Tibs and Jackal. The darkness that hit Tibs did nothing, but the fire hurt even as he wrenched control away and absorbed it. Jackal had trouble keeping standing from the darkness draining him, but he forced himself to the golem, and one punch shattered it. Jackal drank a potion of the yellow liquid while Tibs opened the trapped cache masquerading as a cabinet and looked fully awake again.

    It was the fourth room that caused them trouble as those in it exited just as they stepped up to it. Jackal took the brunt of all the attacks, which left him on the ground, with only his will and earth essence keeping him together, while Tibs, Mez, and Khumdar struggled to take down the coordinated attacks.

    ¡°I¡¯ve had worse days,¡± Jackal said through greeted teeth. ¡°Back in the pits.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s fine,¡± Tibs commented darkly. He was now. Jackal had a wrap of Tibs¡¯s element holding everything in place while purity did its work. He wanted to blame Jackal for this, but it was all of them who had been careless. They¡¯d been too sure of what they¡¯d encountered. They¡¯d been ready for hard fights, but not attackers on their levels.

    If it had been anyone other than Jackal in front, Tibs didn¡¯t know if they would have survived.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Jackal said, sounding better. ¡°I¡¯m not dying, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°You could have.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll be more careful.¡±

    ¡°Not having Don is costing us,¡± Mez said, and Jackal nodded.

    ¡°Then I am please to inform you that the search is over,¡± Khumdar said from inside the room. ¡°Although I believe having found the stairs will not be as helpful reaching the other floor as you may expect.¡±

    Tibs focused on making sure Jackal was healing properly to keep from rushing in and seeing what Khumdar meant. He breathed, acknowledged his curiosity, then concentrated on the more important task. Once Jackal was able to move, they entered the room.

    Unlike the others, with their desks and the one cabinet, this one has stairs to the next floor and a table beside them with two trays. One of which was piled high with papers. Tibs joined Mez and Khumdar before the stairs and found out why they weren¡¯t going up.

    An unseen wall kept him from setting foot on them

 Breaking Step, Chapter 76

    Tibs turned and studied the room.

    Visually, all it contained were the stairs, the table, and the two trays; with one containing papers.

    Through his sense, there was the wall preventing them from stepping onto the stairs. There was the essence that made up the structure and furniture, but that couldn¡¯t be all there was. He hadn¡¯t been able to sense the trap that had snared Don until after it triggered, and he only sense what it did, not the trigger itself.

    Sto and Ganny were getting clever with how they hid their work, and he wanted to ask how they did it. What they did. He probably wouldn¡¯t get answers. Ganny would see to it Sto let nothing slip, since this was about Tibs overcoming an obstacle.

    But whenever Sto was done dealing with his problem, Tibs was asking. Ganny would do her thing and Tibs would do his. Asking questions was one way he went about overcoming stuff. And if he could trick Sto into revealing something?

    Well, he was a rogue.

    But now, he needed to work this puzzle the way Ganny intended it.

    He couldn¡¯t undo the unseen wall. Even if he was able to, he expected Ganny had set up something in response to show it was the wrong way.

    What did he have to work with that could be the puzzle? The table couldn¡¯t be moved, it was part of the structure more than a component. On it were two trays. One had papers¡ªhe grabbed one, but couldn¡¯t take it off the pile. The stack was a whole. He also couldn¡¯t move the trays from the table.

    He couldn¡¯t sense a connection between them, but that meant little.

    ¡°Why two trays?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°Too much paper for just one,¡± Jackal replied dismissively.

    That felt wrong, but was that because he couldn¡¯t imagine clerks wasting space with two, when a taller one would suffice, or because he knew this was a dungeon created puzzle and Ganny wouldn¡¯t leave useless items? Unless they were decoys. He reminded himself of the empty room he¡¯d fallen for simply because there had been no doors.

    Then, he needed to remind himself that he didn¡¯t know how places like this worked. Had there been such trays in the offices within the guild? He didn¡¯t remember them from glancing at in, but Tirania did, and both had been filled each time he¡¯d been there.

    Would Runners have talked about that? Did she do it the way everyone else did, or did she not care about taking up more space on her desk? Nobles would know how things like this actually worked. Most Runners came from cells, so would only have being called in to speak with Tirania as a model. The nobles might, or might not, talk about how things worked, but Runner certainly would.

    What did that leave him with? Blank papers in a stack. He took one of those that had been left behind after fighting a golem person and dropped it on the pile.

    He waited for something to happen, then tested if he could remove it and it came away, while none within the stack could be taken still. He dropped it in the empty tray, and the flash of essence was immediate and fast enough he couldn¡¯t make out details. Grabbing the page showed it was now part of the tray.

    When he looked at others, Jackal was offering the two pages he¡¯d collected. ¡°I get to kill more of them, don¡¯t I?¡±

    Tibs took them and considered his next action.

    ¡°If you are not careful,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°it is you who might end up dead.¡±

    Jackal snorted. ¡°I¡¯m only surprised once.¡±

    ¡°Until the next time you do not know to expect the attack that takes you down.¡± The cleric shook his head. ¡°You rely on your inherent stubbornness to allow you to survive attacks that would kill anyone else.¡±

    ¡°And my toughness.¡±

    ¡°I question that it plays any part. You are simply too stubborn to understand you have been defeated.¡±

    ¡°How many pages do we need?¡± Mez asked. ¡°If we have to kill everyone here, we won¡¯t have time to explore the rest of the city once we¡¯re done.¡±

    ¡°Then we get great loot out of this,¡± Jackal said, his grin widening.

    Could the tray really be about simply collecting the papers from the dead golem people? Loot came from killing a room¡¯s creature, and the creatures themselves. The room was the building, which made where they stood what? A corner of the room? Was it really about killing all the creatures? If so, why bother with a seeming puzzle? And how about the second floor? Since that was also part of the room, wouldn¡¯t they have to kill every creature there too for it to count?

    ¡°Let¡¯s just kill them and add the pages as we go,¡± Jackal said. ¡°If the wall goes away before we¡¯ve killed everything, we¡¯ll know we can stop there, right Tibs?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t have a better idea.¡±

    ¡°Is there not a danger the room will reset when we exit it?¡± Khumdar asked.

    ¡°The building¡¯s the room,¡± Jackal said. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°I wish you hadn¡¯t said that,¡± Mez grumbled, while Tibs considered what Jackal said. The only thing that stopped Sto from making changes to a room was how everything in it was usually interconnected. Because he couldn¡¯t change anything close to Runners, what was in the room couldn¡¯t be changed as well.

    It was the ¡®usually¡¯, that bothered Tibs. In a room as large as this building, there might be sections that weren¡¯t connected to the others. Then, what kept Sto from having changes happen there? Were there concepts within offices that might impact what Sto would do? How hard would he want to respect the idea of such a building?

    Tibs made a stone as they exited the room and placed it down to keep the door from closing. From what he¡¯d noticed, work only seemed to happen when the doors were closed. Anytime one had been opened, it stopped until what had opened it was handled.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to keep the dungeon from resetting it,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°It can¡¯t hurt,¡± Tibs replied.

    They dealt with the next two rooms simply. Jackal opened the door and Mez exploded arrows inside. Then, Tibs and the fighter ran in to deal with what was left. Khumdar and Mez added supporting shots from the door.

    The room resulted in three pages, one from each golem person, as well as a chain-mail shirt woven through with air essence, which Tibs figured accounted for how light it was.

    The door to the stair room remained opened each time they returned to add the papers, and the inside was unchanged. Each page added to the tray flashed with essence, but nothing else. He left the nagging that it was too simple in the room as he left. Maybe Ganny had been busy with other parts of the floor and she¡¯d add to this one later.

    The next room made Tibs hesitate as he sensed nothing in it. He set to open it, instead of Jackal, and readied himself for something¡­ only to find an empty room.

    The one after that had ice exploding out of it as soon as the door was cracked opened, and while Jackal only got an arm encased, and didn¡¯t seem to be bothered by it, already being stoned up, Mez caught the brunt of it, and even suffusing himself with fire did not let him escape the attack uninjured.

    Tibs cursed himself for falling victim to what had caused too many thieves to lose a hand while healing the archer. He¡¯d gotten complacent. He¡¯d sensed two golem persons inside and nothing else and hadn¡¯t even thought about how, if Sto could hide essence from him, he could alter what Tibs sensed.

    The only reason Mez hadn¡¯t died was that fire was his element, that he¡¯d reacted quickly, and that Tibs had so much essence to devote to healing him. He doubted even all the healing potions they¡¯d accumulated over the previous runs would have been enough.

    Once done, Tibs channeled water and refilled his reserve from the essence was contained in the room. Otherwise, it was empty. It had been nothing more than a trap.

    From then on, no one stood before the door, and Tibs was the one to open them. Three rooms later, and three pages added to the tray, metal spikes coated in corruption flew out almost as soon as Tibs touched the door. He tried to push it out of the way so they could go in, but it was so thick it had nowhere to go. He couldn¡¯t absorb it without overflowing his reserve. He¡¯d considered continuing on, but Sto had made sure he could sense the weave in the middle of the room. Corruption and others. His curiosity got the better of him, and after suffusing himself with corruption and weaving that through his armor to protect it, he stepped inside. He avoided the metal spikes that left little room to maneuver and returned with a bow made of a deep purple wood that reflected a sickly tint.

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    The next room had three golems people, who attacked as soon as Tibs opened the door.

    Before he could react, he felt the knife in his side from the one who appeared next to him. She was gone before his sword was in motion, and only the essence concentrating on his other side let him raise his shield in time to intercept the next strike.

    Then she was before Jackal, and gone again, the fighter off balance as his punch carried him forward. She was behind him; the knife shattering as she slammed it in his back. Tibs leaped over the fighter, managing a cut before she vanished.

    He swung where he sensed the essence concentrating, but she was already stepping aside and vanishing. He stepped away from where she reappeared and she vanished. He stepped back further, and now it was only the two of them. Mez, Khumdar and Jackal were fighting the room¡¯s other occupants.

    He thought he saw frustration on her face at the distance still separating them, and he was etching as soon as he sensed her about to cross the distance. The metal needles that floated around him were thin enough to be nearly impossible to see. She appeared before him, arm in the air, a new knife in hand, but remained still as the needles within her ripped the essence apart. The paper appeared as she crumbled away, and Tibs caught it as it flitted down. By the time he reached the door, the others had dealt with the two golem people there.

    The added pages didn¡¯t remove the unseen wall.

    The room facing the one with the void using golem person had five people in it, but they proved no stronger than normal folks, even if their essence was as dense as that of runners. The room itself gave Tibs pause. Instead of an office, it was arranged like a noble¡¯s lounge. Seats and loungers for people to relax in, low tables next to them with platters containing pastries.

    ¡°There¡ª¡±

    Jackal snatched one and popped it in his mouth.

    ¡°¡ªessence in that!¡± Tibs finished.

    ¡°Good essence,¡± Jackal moaned in delight.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know what it¡¯ll do to you,¡± Tibs protested.

    The fighter patted his stomach. ¡°Make it so I¡¯m not hungry.¡±

    ¡°Russel made us food.¡± Tibs glared at the fighter.

    ¡°But these are sweets,¡± Jackal protested.

    ¡°Our leader does not appear to be dying,¡± Khumdar said.

    ¡°Because I¡¯m not done with him,¡± Tibs snapped.

    ¡°Tell Kroseph and save yourself the trouble,¡± Mez said, stepping around the chairs and studying the foods, but keeping his hand away.

    Tibs breathed his temper down. He had more important things to do. The fighter¡¯s essence didn¡¯t have a reaction to what was spreading through him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that again,¡± Tibs threatened his friend, snatching the papers from him, then hurried to the stair room, focusing on his breathing the entire way. He dropped the pages in the tray and turned to leave as the pulse spread out.

    As it washed over the unseen wall, its weave came undone. Tibs approached it cautiously, sensing Jackal and the others enter the room. His hand encountered no resistance.

    ¡°I guess we don¡¯t have to fight everything,¡± Jackal said, walking past Tibs.

    His annoyance at how wrong this puzzle felt had him glaring at the trays instead of at the fighter¡¯s back for not giving him time to make sure the rest of the stairs were safe.

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s about showing we¡¯re strong enough?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°We¡¯re alive,¡± Tibs snapped as he heard fighting coming from the stairs, and he ran.

    Jackal glowed faintly as he grabbed one of the larger golem person and threw him down the hall. Even as strong as Jackal was when stoned up, the golem landed much further than Tibs thought it should have.

    Mez fired arrows at two golem persons further along the hall, while one had spikes of darkness flying at the fighter. Tibs fought to wrench control of them, but etching came apart as it encountered the glow surrounding Jackal.

    The fight was over quickly, Jackal crushing the golem people he reached, while Mez and Khumdar dealt with those who were further. Tibs was too stunned to act, and he cursed himself for it.

    ¡°How did you do that?¡± he asked, while Jackal picked up the coins left behind at his feet. The glow hadn¡¯t been light essence.

    ¡°No idea. They attacked as soon as I got here, and I started glowing. It¡¯s making me stronger, tougher, and it makes etchings weaker too.¡±

    ¡°The pastry?¡± Khumdar offered.

    ¡°The dungeon doesn¡¯t usually help us.¡±

    ¡°The potions have been noticeably absent on this floor,¡± the cleric said. ¡°These may be its attempt at those while remaining within the theme?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it gets where lounges go then,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°It is nothing more than a dungeon. To expect it to get so much correctly is clearly demanding too much of it.¡±

    This corridor went to the left, right, and ahead. Like under them, doors lined the walls.

    ¡°Do we check each room?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°The boss room is the last one on the floor,¡± Jackal replied, looking his glowing self over.

    ¡°The last room we check? Or the one further from the entrance?¡±

    Jackal glanced at Tibs.

    ¡°How would I know?¡± he replied, annoyed. ¡°You¡¯re the one with so much confidence you don¡¯t bother letting me do what I¡¯m supposed to do.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Tibs.¡± Jackal spread his arms, grinning. ¡°But look, it was a good thing I ate it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the point!¡± Tibs breathed. ¡°You didn¡¯t know it was going to be. You just acted; did another Jackal thing. It could have been poisoned.¡±

    ¡°And you would have healed me.¡±

    Tibs breathed and glared. ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°With purity, or you¡¯d removed the corruption. Or done something¡ª¡±

    ¡°Taking away corruption doesn¡¯t heal anything,¡± Tibs said. ¡°And how am I supposed to know how to fix that? We¡¯ve never been poisoned. There has to be ways to do it without corruption too, because I can take that out of alcohol and still get drunk. And this is a dungeon, so how about you stop thinking I can fix everything? You promised Kroseph you¡¯re stop being stupid!¡±

    Jackal looked at his feet. ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t think¡ªokay, that¡¯s too normal for me to use it.¡±

    ¡°You told Kroseph you were going to stop doing Jackal things.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he can¡ª¡± Mez closed his mouth at Tibs¡¯s glare.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to be more careful.¡±

    Tibs returned the glare on the fighter.

    ¡°I¡­ promise?¡± Jackal added.

    Tibs breathed, and he wondered if he shouldn¡¯t just abandon Oneness completely for all the good it seemed to be doing. Still, what else could he ask from his friend? Short of giving up the runs, Jackal would always be in situations that could kill him. And Tibs wasn¡¯t immune to being overconfident. It had almost killed Mez this time.

    He pushed his sense until he filled the building. ¡°I don¡¯t sense creatures in the halls, or behind the doors, but it doesn¡¯t mean anything anymore. Let¡¯s walk the floor onces, in case the room we want has a crest on it. Then, we go room by room again and we find the boss before the end of the day.¡±

    Jackal went to the right. Six doors later, they were at an intersection. Ahead, it continued for three doors and ended at a window. On the left and right, too many doors before another intersection. Tibs headed to the window. Roofs as far as he could see, with a some hight than the others. It was brighter out, but he couldn¡¯t see the orb from this angle.

    ¡°Looks like late morning,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s past midday?¡± Mez said. ¡°Considering when the ¡®sun¡¯ here came up compared to where it was when we entered.¡±

    ¡°Should we not also be mindful of the fact the dungeon controls everything? It may not have the globe move at an even pace. This may be an attempt at keeping us beyond when the door has closed.¡±

    ¡°You really think spending the night here is bad?¡± the archer asked.

    ¡°Unless Tibs asks¡ª¡± Jackal closed his mouth. ¡°No way to know unless we stay, and I¡¯m not doing that.¡± He grinned. ¡°My man is waiting for me to tell him all my adventure and make sure I know how much he appreciates that I returned to him.¡±

    ¡°Even with how he sick he¡¯s been?¡± Mez said.

    Jackal narrowed his eyes. ¡°Do you think the only way he shows his appreciation is by¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°Yes, please spare us those details.¡± Mez grinned.

    Jackal rolled his eyes and stepped away from the window. ¡°I can¡¯t believe how dirty your minds all are.¡±

    They went left, then right at the next intersection, and a group of four turned into the corridor from the other end.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got this,¡± Jackal said, rubbing his hands together, then yelped two steps later as his feet flew out from under him and he landed on the ice.

    Tibs glared down at him. ¡°What did you promise?¡±

    ¡°That I wouldn¡¯t eat pastries from the dungeon anymore?¡±

    Tibs narrowed his eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got this.¡± Jackal pointed a glowing hand to his other glowing hand.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Mez said, as he shot an arrow. ¡°They¡¯re coming.¡±

    ¡°Think,¡± he told Jackal, absorbing the ice and forming a sword and shield. Jackal stood as a golem person, etched something Tibs barely sensed, reached them. The fighter stepped in the way of the attack, only for his glow to vanish before it impacted and sent him flying.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± He wheezed from where he crashed.

    Tibs etched the cloud of needles from before, this time adding Eif. Instead of sending them at the approaching golems, the way he expected since Eif imparted motion according to what he¡¯d been told, the needles exploded in all directions.

    He absorbed those heading for him and his team and reminded himself he wasn¡¯t supposed to experiment with Arcanus during a run, especially not with one he¡¯d learned about from other Runners instead of his teacher.

    It did, at least, ripe apart the foremost golem person.

    Khumdar stepped to his side, sending dark blasts, and striking with his staff when the golems were close enough.

    Tibs darted blows against the golem, who also held a sword and shield, leaving shallow cuts. Its attacks were slower, but when they connected, Tibs felt them in spite of his armor, as well as the earth and metal coating him.

    ¡°Tibs, Down,¡± Mez called.

    The heat that came as he hit the floor warmed his back. He looked up as the fire died off and the golem finished crumbling. The other two were also nothing but rubble.

    He headed for Jackal, sitting against the wall, arms over his chest. Bones were broken, by the sense of the essence, and it did something else, but it wasn¡¯t fading, so Jackal wasn¡¯t dying.

    ¡°I thought¡ª¡±

    Tibs raised an eyebrow as he wove purity.

    Jackal sighed. ¡°I hoped it would last longer.¡± Tibs applied the weave, and the fighter¡¯s breathing eased. ¡°What essence was that?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± All he could tell was that he had never encountered it before.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Khumdar called. ¡°Once you are done with our leader, I believe I have located the room we are looking for.¡± The cleric stood on the other side of the intersection, studying something by a door.

    He helped Jackal to his feet, then went to Khumdar.

    The door was in the center of the wall, the only one there. It faced a door, which had one on each side, as evenly spaced as all the others. The cleric studied the plaque of polished brass. Letters were etched on it, and while he recognized them individually, the words made no sense to him.

    ¡°Is that a language?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°Cifanian,¡± Khumdar said.

    ¡°What does it say?¡±

    ¡°This is the office of the Official Paper Pusher. I believe this is the boss room.¡±

    Jackal snorted. ¡°How tough¡ª¡±

    Tibs slammed his elbow in his friend¡¯s side. It hurt, but it stopped the fighter from speaking. They might not be able to speak with Sto, but he had no doubt he was listening. Tibs wasn¡¯t letting Jackal goad him into making the fight tougher than it already was.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 77

    Tibs glared at the door.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°There¡¯s no lock.¡±

    ¡°The other doors didn¡¯t have locks,¡± Mez pointed out.

    ¡°Those weren¡¯t boss rooms,¡± Tibs grumbled. ¡°Boss rooms have locks.¡±

    ¡°You may be ignoring the fact this is not the dungeon,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°but simply one room within it. Its rules may not be identical.¡±

    ¡°The crest rooms had locks,¡± Tibs snapped, then forced himself to breathe. Khumdar was right. Rules within rooms were specific to the room.

    That didn¡¯t make him feel better. There were too many hidden triggers in this room. This could be the same, and his team would pay for his inability to sense it.

    Jackal grabbed the handle. ¡°Why don¡¯t I open it? The rest of you move to the side. I can take whatever happens.¡±

    ¡°I can too.¡± Tibs suffused himself with earth, turning his skin the same gray as the fighter.

    ¡°That¡¯s cute.¡± Jackal patted Tibs on the shoulder. ¡°But I¡¯ve been working with earth since the start. I know things to keep me in one piece you don¡¯t. As I¡¯ve showed before.¡±

    Tibs fixed the fighter with a glare. ¡°You¡¯re teaching me after the run.¡± He moved back.

    Jackal looked to ensure they were all out of the way, then pulled. He stood there, watching in shock.

    Tibs stepped next to him and looked into a room filled with papers.

    The piles on the left and right nearly reached the ceiling. A few pace beyond them, stacks of papers, looking about to fall over, formed a wall blocking their way. There might be a right turn, but Tibs wouldn¡¯t be sure until he stood there.

    ¡°Do you think there¡¯s only paper in there?¡± Mez asked, and Tibs could only shrug. His sense wasn¡¯t giving him anything of use.

    ¡°The plaque said Paper Pusher,¡± Jackal said. ¡°I guess it¡¯s been pushing a lot of them.¡±

    ¡°Make space,¡± The archer said.

    ¡°That won¡¯t¡ª¡±

    But the arrow was already formed and released. The etching had a filigree of Jir, Ank, and Dhu. Jir and Ank added to the spiral in the etching, causing the arrow to explode into a larger ball of fire than the essence that made it should allow. Dhu did something to it Tibs didn¡¯t quite get. Its core attribute was to sharpen, but fire wasn¡¯t something that took to sharpening, but it was interacting with the other Arcanus, and did¡­something.

    The fire died out faster than it should, unable to consume anything.

    ¡°Does the dungeon ever make things easy?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°Paper should burn,¡± Mez grumbled.

    It only looked like paper. The weave that made the pages was the same as what made the rest of the building.

    ¡°And I should have all the loot in the dungeon. Got to learn to deal with disappointment. I do it by hitting things.¡± Jackal looked at Tibs. ¡°Is it safe to go in?¡±

    Tibs rolled his eyes. ¡°No.¡±

    The fighter grinned. ¡°Should we go in anyway?¡±

    ¡°We aren¡¯t going to defeat the boss from out here.¡± Tibs stepped in and waited. Jackal joined him, then Mez and Khumdar.

    When nothing happened, Tibs focused on the papers, sensing for anything he might have missed. He pushed against the pile, and as expected, it didn¡¯t move.

    ¡°It¡¯s a prop?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t everything in the dungeon that?¡± Jackal replied.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean,¡± the archer snapped. ¡°Everywhere else, stuff acts like what it looks.¡± He pushed against the unmoving pile. ¡°This feels like the dungeon just wants us to think the room is about paper.¡±

    ¡°The dungeon may have stretched its capability on this floor,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°and must resort to such tricks to maintain it.¡±

    The path turn right at the wall of papers, then, afterward, left.

    ¡°A maze?¡± Jackal asked.

    Tibs sensed around. ¡°There¡¯s only one way. Which only makes sense if it¡¯s to have more traps before we reach the end, but I can¡¯t sense anything out of the ordinary.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s really bothering you, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    Tibs glared at the fighter. ¡°I¡¯m the rogue. It¡¯s my job to find them.¡±

    He breathed. This was him having grown used to easily sensing the traps and the triggers. This was Sto and Ganny forcing him to go back to the basics. It was them, forcing him to grow by reminding him he couldn¡¯t always get the easy way.

    He crouched and placed a hand on the floor. Sometimes, he had to be the one to work at locating the triggers. He spread water ahead of him, finding cracks. Most were just that, but three between them and the next turn had something there. Some mechanism that might, or might not be a trigger.

    He might have to do things the harder way. He iced the water over the floor. But he was still a rogue. He made it so it wasn¡¯t slippery. He¡¯d cheat where he could.

    The walls were more complicated; the pages created many places for something to come out, and he couldn¡¯t rely on them seeming solid.

    ¡°Stay here.¡±

    He cautiously crossed the distance, more ready to react than sensing for a trigger. He was mildly disappointed when he reached the turn and nothing happened, but reminded himself it wasn¡¯t over.

    ¡°Join me.¡±

    He did the same to the next turn, and again after that. On the fifth one, he wondered if this wasn¡¯t so he¡¯d be driven mad expecting something that wouldn¡¯t happen, and as if Sto knew what he was thinking, the sound had him encase himself in ice. A page slipped out of the wall and cut through the ice at the height of his ankle, but missing it. If he¡¯d thrown himself down, expecting something aimed at his chest, that would have caused a lot of damage.

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    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal called.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay. Stay there.¡±

    He took a step back and iced the walls. He hadn¡¯t seen where it had come from, but it moved from his left to his right. He stepped where he had, sensing for the trigger, since the floor was iced. The page cut through the ice and passed at neck height right behind him. He needed something harder.

    He coated it in metal and did it again. He felt the pressure where the page tried to cut through. Belt height. Right where he stood. He turned, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s¡ª¡± the page cut through the metal and sliced Tibs¡¯ hip deep enough he was on the ground before he had suffused himself with purity.

    ¡°Stay there!¡± he yelled, his voice strained. Then the wound healed, and he caught his breath.

    ¡°You okay?¡± Jackal asked as Tibs got to his feet.

    ¡°No. I¡¯m annoyed.¡± He breathed. Paper shouldn¡¯t be able to cut metal. But it hadn¡¯t been as easy as when it cut through his ice. He coated the rest of the corridor¡¯s walls and ceiling in metal, then ran to the other turn. Three pages pushed against the metal, bursting through only well after he¡¯d passed.

    He smirked as he turned to face the way he¡¯d come, then chastised himself for assuming he was safe. Nothing had happened at the turns at this point, but thinking that was the norm would kill someone.

    He reformed the metal on the walls. ¡°One of you run and don¡¯t stop until you reach me.¡±

    Khumdar was the first, and four pages burst through the metal behind him. Tibs added more metal for Mez¡¯s run. They took longer to burst through, but the pressure increased until they did. Tibs had the sense they had no limit to how hard they pushed, just that they did so at a steady rate.

    The papers pushed through only once Jackal had reached him, giving Tibs a sense of how much metal was needed to ensure his whole team crossed. So long as he took for granted nothing changed in the other corridors.

    That was how people died.

    So he continued to take his time.

    When the path finally opened to the large room, Tibs had to suffuse himself with purity to chase the tiredness of being on guard so much had caused. But it had been warranted. Two more traps had nearly caught him.

    He looked at yet more papers, this time in piles of various heights scattered randomly about. The room might be large enough to cover half the building.

    Tibs had reached the point of hating paper well before Sto had started using them as weapons. They were enough of a headache when they were confined to his ledger.

    ¡°Relax Tibs,¡± Jackal said. ¡°We¡¯ve got this.¡± Tibs glared at the fighter for the eager smile that accompanied his words.

    ¡°Whatever this is going to be.¡± Mez formed an arrow in his bow.

    Khumdar stepped to the side, remaining against the wall. ¡°Which, unless I am mistaken, will stand between us and that.¡±

    Tibs joined him, and from that angle saw the table like the one that had been at the stairs, but having only one tray on it.

    ¡°Do we have any pages left from the clerks we killed?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°They all went to unlock the stairs,¡± Tibs answered.

    ¡°No clerk on this floor dropped any,¡± Khumdar said.

    ¡°So it¡¯s going to be hidden in those piles?¡± Jackal sounded worried.

    ¡°Unless they¡¯re props too,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°They aren¡¯t.¡± Tibs sent a wave of air at the closest pile to demonstrate, and the pages went flying.

    ¡°Tell me any paper will do,¡± Jackal said, his worry deepening. ¡°That we don¡¯t have to find one specific page among all that.¡±

    ¡°We can try it and find out.¡± Tibs took step and crouch to pick up a page that had landed close to them.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal warned, as he sensed one pile shudder.

    He jumped aside as it picked up speed toward where he¡¯d been. Fire arrows exploded against it, but only a few of the pages scattered and burned.

    The pile exploded against the wall, but they¡¯d all moved out of the way. Tibs thought he caught a form among the flying papers, large, like a person, but too much of them, was what he got. Then there were so many papers in the air he couldn¡¯t see anything.

    ¡°This is like a snowstorm,¡± Tibs grumbled, forming his sword and shield, trying to find what he¡¯d seen again. Even his sense was useless. The papers acted like the fog had on the third floor.

    ¡°Not being able to see is going to make¡ª¡± Mez let out a pain expletive.

    ¡°What¡ª¡± Jackal cursed.

    Tibs cursed as he opened his mouth from the pain of the cut. He swung and only cut paper.

    ¡°Mez, are you¡ª¡± He cursed again as pain lance up his back. Then his other arm as he swung, then cheek, and he raised his shield. It took no impact, but something cut his thigh.

    ¡°It¡¯s the papers,¡± Khumdar announced, ¡°acting as thrown blades.¡±

    Just like in the corridors, only here they came from all around. Tibs exploded a ball of air, which scattered most of the papers away, giving them visibility back as those left flew at them.

    He made his shield larger and caught those aimed at him.

    ¡°Incoming!¡± Jackal yelled.

    In the distance, another piled moved in their direction.

    ¡°Move away from the wall!¡± Mez yelled, and they hurried into the room.

    Jackal stepped in its path and slammed his foot down, then did it again. ¡°Abyss, this isn¡¯t stone!¡± he hunkered down, shoulder forward to take the impact. The pile exploded against him, and for a second, they couldn¡¯t see anything again.

    Tibs scattered the pages with air but, when he could see again, Jackal was covered in them. He ripped a handful off his friend, while fending off more that came at them like flying blades, but too many made it through and added to those already stuck to him.

    ¡°Tibs!¡± the fighter called, struggling to face him. ¡°I¡¯m not in¡ª¡± Paper covered his mouth, then his face. He took a hesitating step in his direction. Tibs blasted him with air, but the pages only fluttered in the wind. He pulled fire and¡ª

    What if he¡ª

    Then, pages were on him, not as if thrown, but as if wielded. ¡°Mez! Burn the pages off Jackal!¡± He swung, but without someone to hit as a way of making them stop, he was reduced to targeting them individually.

    The grunt warned him of the attacks the pages were distracting him from. He threw himself aside. ¡°Mez!¡± He rolled to his feet and faced the paper covered Jackal. All he could see of his friend were his eyes, and he was scared. Papers kept adding to his face, giving it a¡­was that a muzzle?

    Hadn¡¯t Jackal said he¡¯d taken his name from some animal? Or had that been someone else trying to mock him? He caught the punch on his shield and it chattered under the impact.

    ¡°Mez!¡± Only the archer was busy with the papers darting around and at him.

    Tibs swallowed as he called fire to his hand. ¡°Jackal, I¡ª¡±

    Scream echoed through the inferno he unleased on Market place. Jackal yelled for him to stop as Tibs sent ever more fire at him, determined to kill him. Sto pleaded for him to stop as Tibs summoned enough fire even the mountain was getting consumed.

    How many ways had fire destroyed everything he cared about in his nightmare? How many times had Jackal been his target, fire hungry for his death?

    What if he lost control?

    The staff deflected the punch, then struck the fighter on the left.

    ¡°Tibs, whatever is troubling you, I implore you to overcome it before you friend is forced to hurt one of us. I will not be able to hold him back, let along subdue him.¡±

    Tibs opened his mouth to tell the cleric all the reasons he couldn¡¯t risk it.

    He closed it and breathed the fear down. And without it clouding his thinking, he saw he didn¡¯t have to confront fire today.

    Hopefully, this would work.

    He channeled darkness and released that on the fighter. Khumdar was caught in the blast, but Tibs counted on him being able to deal with the effect. Jackal staggered, but continued standing. His essence didn¡¯t fade much under the onslaught.

    He etched darkness while still pouring the essence at the fighter. Papers fluttered as if it was air, but remained stuck there.

    A page came at him, its edge looking sharper than others, and Tibs readied himself for the pain. He couldn¡¯t split his attention further. A jet of darkness sent it flying, then Khumdar was next to him, staff spinning.

    Kha, to make sure the darkness stuck; Fey so it would keep the papers from moving his friend elsewhere. There should be more. He needed it to be stronger.

    Jackal pushed through the darkness.

    It would have to do.

    The etching wrapped around the fighter like a blanket, and immediately, he tried to step back. Pages fell off as they weakened faster than the fighter, and Tibs blasted each with fire as soon as they were away from Jackal. There were too many pages still on the fighter when he dropped to a knee, his essence thinner than Tibs thought it should be. Jackal had a lot of it. More than any Runner short of Don. He shouldn¡¯t be this weak already.

    He shifted his attention to his essence and immediately understood the papers were making this worse. They clung to Jackal by pulling his essence into them to fight off the darkness.

    Tibs ran into the darkness and pulled the papers off.

    ¡°Fire would be faster,¡± Jackal panted once his mouth was free.

    ¡°I¡¯m not burning you again.¡± He glared, still pulling off papers. Then Mez and Khumdar were helping.

    The archer had so many cuts his dark tanned skin was red. Khumdar was in better condition, having less exposed skin, but he had a long gash on the side of his face.

    Finally, Jackal was free. ¡°I¡¯m going to need a minute,¡± he wheezed. His essence was thin, but no longer thinning.

    ¡°I do not believe you will be accorded that chance,¡± Khumdar said, taking out a potion as he straightened.

    Another pile of papers shuddered.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 78

    Jackal stood with a curse, taking out a potion, but dropping it as they needed to jump out of the way of the rushing pile of papers. Remembering something Carina said once, Tibs sent a wall of water at the exploding papers and they dropped to the floor, weighed down.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got Jackal,¡± Mez said, standing over the fighter and firing arrows at another pile that was now shuddering.

    Tibs fired a jet of water at the pile, but it only resulted in some of the papers being flung off, enough that Tibs saw a head, behind the pile? As part of the pile? It was as pale as the papers, eyes black like the ink, and then Tibs had to get out of the way.

    Papers exploded around them and before Tibs could shoot water, he heard Khumdar¡¯s muffled cry. Tibs dropped a lake¡¯s worth of water in that area and cursed when that didn¡¯t cause all the papers to fall to the floor. At least Khumdar wasn¡¯t coated in them anymore.

    Just soaked and sputtering.

    Tibs defended the cleric, cutting the papers and taking the water off him to shoot others, drying him in the process.

    ¡°Some warning,¡± Khumdar said, distracting Tibs as he thought he saw something on a paper, ¡°would be appreciated, the next time you attempt to drown me.¡±

    Tibs looked to where he thought the paper had fallen. But there were so many of them, or had it been one of those that had flown off? And what had it been? Letters? Words? Where every other paper was blank?

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal called, unsteadily picking a paper off the floor, while Mez fired at any papers getting too close. ¡°Is this important?¡± He held up a drenched paper with lines on it.

    Tibs ran. ¡°Keep the piles busy!¡± He wished he had a potion to give Jackal so his essence would regain strength faster. They¡¯d all grown too used to him being able to do so much.

    He snatched the paper out of the fighter¡¯s hands and ran toward the other side of the room. To the table and the tray.

    The lines meant nothing to him. They didn¡¯t even look like words. Maybe some other language that didn¡¯t use the Arcanus, or just an imitation of writing. That they meant something or not didn¡¯t matter. They were an oddity, and anything in the dungeon that stood out did so for a reason.

    So long as the others had the attention of¡ª

    A pile changed direction so suddenly Tibs didn¡¯t have time to do more than throw himself aside, so only the papers at the edge caught him. And shredded his armor and arm nearly to the bone.

    He suffused himself with purity and hoped the strands of leather holding the parts of his armor together would be enough for it to repair itself before the next run.

    He rolled to his feet, sword in one hand, and his shield dangling from the still healing arm. Instead of continuing in a straight line, like the previous ones, the pile shifted direction again. Tibs fired an etching of water that exploded with ice shards as he backed away, but all the ice did was push papers aside.

    This time, he could tell the face was within the pile. Carrying it? No pushing it. That was the Paper Pusher from the plaque. It smiled at him, teeth as thin as the edge of papers, and as sharp looking, surrounded by ink black lips. Then pages flew in his direction, too fast and numerous to hope to stop them individually, so he made a wall of water, then had trouble believing they were slicing their way through that with ease, so he iced it.

    That stopped those caught in the wall, but more were impacting it, chipping at it, no outright gouging at the ice. He tried to add essence, but the wall had taken all the essence in his bracer. With a glance at his not fully healed arm, he switched to channeling water and poured essence into the wall.

    He cursed on locating the table.

    The Paper Pusher had maneuvered him to the side and placed itself between Tibs and the table. He stepped to the side, and it moved with him, the pile it was under seeming to never run out of paper.

    It was taking so much to keep them from making it through his ice wall Tibs could sense his vast reserve dropping. He could keep this going for a long time regardless, but this wasn¡¯t getting him to the table.

    He needed to change things, but there wasn¡¯t enough essence in his bracers for any of the element there to help, and if he stopped channeling water, the only element that ensured he wouldn¡¯t die in the resulting onslaught was earth, and as the attack on Jackal had showed, that wouldn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t be beaten.

    The assault stopped just before heat so strong Tibs felt it through the ice exploded.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got it!¡± Mez yelled. ¡°Go Finish this!¡±

    Tibs saw papers with lines being consumed by fire as he ran by. Was that the trick? They needed to attack the Paper Pusher itself to get the lined papers? Something to test on the next run.

    He slammed the paper on the tray, and with a shimmer, it melted into it.

    Sighing with relief, Tibs turned and leaned back against the table.

    The piles of papers throughout the room shuddered.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal called as papers flew off the piles. ¡°Is that what¡¯s supposed to happen?¡±

    He almost said yes, but instead of scattering away, they flew to the center of the room, gathering together, taking a form. Tibs looked at the tray. The page had shimmered into it. He¡¯d solve the puzzle.

    ¡°Maybe that wasn¡¯t the solution!¡± Mez yelled, firing arrows at the growing form to little effect. Papers burned off, but were replaced by more flying at it. The body grew to twice the size of a pile. Formed like a person too fat to be able to move.

    Tibs joined the fight, water dislodging papers, only to have more replace that. If putting the oddity in the tray wasn¡¯t it, then what? He dodged a page, slicing it, and frowned at the falling pieces. Lines again.

    He cursed as one embedded itself into his already injured arm and focused on keeping them off him while puzzling out why there were now so many pages with lines on them.

    No, he knew why. He¡¯d been right; each strike on the Paper Pusher resulted in inked papers flying off. What he realized was nagging at him was that not all lined papers were the same.

    ¡°Someone tell me how many different papers there are!¡± he yelled, too busy defending himself to take the time. He needed both arms working.

    ¡°Busy here!¡± Jackal yelled back.

    ¡°I think I have two,¡± Mez replied. ¡°But the pages are half burned.¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    Tibs cut papers, trying to also see something of the papers littering the ground, but they overlapped, folded, or ripped. When too many came at him, he shrouded himself in darkness, and most fluttered to the ground, letting him dodge and cut the rest.

    ¡°Five,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°Say something different.¡±

    ¡°Do they tell you how to kill this thing?¡± Jackal yelled.

    ¡°I do not know what they say. They are¡ª¡±

    Tibs glanced, jumping out of the way of an attack. Khumdar was busy striking at the attacking papers. Maybe the Paper Pusher didn¡¯t want them to have the time to talk about the papers. Did that mean Jackal¡¯s question was important? Did the papers say how to kill it?

    Tibs threw himself down to avoid a line of flying papers, and gathers a handful of those lying around and sending them to his pouch. Abyss, he needed both hands. There had been blank papers in that. And he had no idea how many said the same thing.

    ¡°If they¡¯re different,¡± Mez said, striking papers with his bow, then firing arrows. ¡°It can¡¯t be about how to defeat it.¡±

    ¡°We just put them in order,¡± Jackal said, exploding the larger Paper Pusher¡¯s knee out and sending it topping, only for it to reform standing.

    ¡°We can¡¯t read them, Jackal,¡± the archer snapped. ¡°You need to know what it says to know what order they go in.¡±

    ¡°Mayhap, each page is something that affects the creature, as the page Tibs placed in the tray caused this to happen.¡±

    Tibs gathered more, not caring what was on them. Each time he threw himself down, reforming his sword as he stood, in time to cut more papers, trying to take advantage of him being unarmed.

    ¡°Keep it busy!¡± He didn¡¯t know if he had enough, or of each, but they couldn¡¯t keep going. They¡¯re run out of essence, or they¡¯d get tired.

    ¡°Don¡¯t use whatever one makes it stronger!¡± Jackal yelled.

    Tibs suffused himself with purity as he dumped the pages on the table and quickly put those alike together; counting on his friends to keep the papers from striking him.

    He had six different phrases and a lot of blanks. There was nothing in the flow of the ink that let him guess what they might do, so he grabbed one.

    ¡°I¡¯m using one!¡±

    It shimmered away as the other had done, and the Paper Pusher roared as papers sloshed off it, reducing it to the size of a person.

    ¡°That¡¯s the one!¡± Jackal rushed to punch it. ¡°Do it again.¡± He went flying from the Paper Pusher¡¯s strike.

    Tibs grabbed another of that paper and slammed it in the tray. Only this time, nothing happened.

    ¡°It¡¯s not working!¡± Why wasn¡¯t it? ¡°I¡¯m trying another one! Be ready!¡±

    ¡°For what?¡± Mez asked as Tibs placed one for the next group in the tray and it vanished with a shimmer.

    ¡°That¡¯s the wrong one!¡± the archer yelled, and Tibs spun.

    The papers on the Paper Pusher¡¯s body now glinted in the light the way the edge of a well-honed blade did. With curse, Tibs grabbed a page from the next group and slammed it in the tray, turning instead of watching it vanish, dreading watching his friends get sliced¡ª

    The pages fluttered to the ground. Only a few of them having cut any of this team.

    This time, it was the creature that rushed Jackal.

    Tibs grabbed one from the first group and slammed it in the tray. Nothing happened. So no giving the fighter a size advantage. But why? What was he missing?

    ¡°Hurry up, Tibs!¡± Mez yelled as fire bloomed at his back.

    ¡°Change that one,¡± Jackal said, groaning. ¡°That one hurts.¡±

    ¡°Use a potion,¡± Mez yelled.

    ¡°I might be too broken for one of those.¡±

    Tibs forced himself to stay. He¡¯d heal Jackal once this was over, but he had to end it and that wasn¡¯t happening if he kept running to his friends to help.

    If using the same page twice did nothing, did it mean they needed to fight all the versions the papers created? That couldn¡¯t be. If that was the case, changing paper wouldn¡¯t have undone the larger one, since they hadn¡¯t defeated it by then. Then why had it worked? Why let them undo some changes.

    ¡°Tibs!¡± Jackal yelled.

    ¡°Working on it!¡±

    ¡°Work faster! Whatever we¡¯re getting it to lose doesn¡¯t seem to hurt it.¡±

    ¡°Of course not!¡± he snapped before thinking about what he said. ¡°That¡¯s just to get us the papers.¡±

    ¡°Then hurry to figure them out, because this is hurting a lot.¡± Then, Jackal added. ¡°Please.¡±

    Tibs grabbed the next one and slammed it in the tray, noticing something as it shimmered away. He turned to see the effect and cursed as two more Paper Pushers were forming out the of the paper lying about.

    He grabbed a paper from a group, with his previously injured arm without thinking about it, and realized it was the paper making paper slosh off it as it vanished. He was already reaching for another one. When it registered it had shimmered away.

    Looking over his shoulder, the two that had been forming fell to the floor like loose paper.

    ¡°I think I have it.¡± He looked at the papers. It had escaped him before that the phrases reach both edges and then the lines¡ª

    He was in the air, unable to think. Someone called his name, then he was rolling on the floor until he was against the wall. That had hurt, but his head was already clearing. The pain diminishing.

    ¡°Tibs!¡± Jackal called, fear filling his voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay! I was already suffused with purity.¡± And while it had probably saved his life, it might be best not to just count on his friends to protect him. He wasn¡¯t fully healed, but he was healed enough. He suffused himself with darkness and returned to the table.

    He took one page from each group and arranged them so that where the ink ran to the edge of one side of the paper lined up with the next page, forming an order to how they went. Then a problem became obvious. It didn¡¯t give him a start or an end. He could move the last page first and the ink flowed into the next page properly.

    So how did he decide which one came first?

    Wouldn¡¯t the one that made the paper slosh off be last? That made it weaker, at which point they could beat it. Which meant this would be the order.

    ¡°I¡¯m trying something! It¡¯s going to get hard before it gets easy! I¡¯m going as fast as I can!¡±

    He put the first paper, the one that added two Paper Pushers, in the tray. As soon as it shimmered away, he put the next one in, the one turning the papers to metal, and nothing happened.

    How could that be? He¡¯d been certain he¡¯d been right. The ink flowed from one paper to the next. If he jumped to the other one, he didn¡¯t know what it did, it wouldn¡¯t align, so it couldn¡¯t¡ª

    The paper shimmered and vanished.

    ¡°That¡¯s not better!¡± Jackal yelled as Tibs slammed the next paper in, suffused himself with metal, and grabbed hold of the papers.

    They fought against his will and Tibs thought they might be pulling him back, instead of him pulling them away from his friends. Even if he wasn¡¯t paying attention, Sto had solid control over everything in the dungeon. But at least now the papers moved slow enough his team could get out of the way.

    Then Tibs nearly fell onto the table as the metal he held on was no longer there. He added the page to the tray and looked over his shoulder as the Paper Pusher grew. The paper in the tray shimmered away and Tibs added the next one, trying to block the sounds of Jackal taking the brunt of the hits. Mez couldn¡¯t help anymore. He was out of essence. His reserve was so low Tibs barely sense it and the bow utterly drained. Khumdar sent lances of darkness, but they had no noticeable effect.

    The page shimmered and Jackal¡¯s cry made him look over his shoulder again, and stare as the fighter was getting bounced about by a Paper Pusher moving so fast to be hard to see. Tibs remembered to put the last paper in the tray before running to help his friends.

    He wrapped a weave of purity on Mez as he landed at his feet, his attempt at rescuing Jackal ineffectual. Khumdar was the next he encountered, the Paper Pusher having blurred before him and caused the cleric to fall in place, legs shattered. With him healing, Tibs ran for Jackal, sending the weave ahead of him as the fighter struggled to stand, and failed. The weave reached the fighter and Tibs felt relief, which shattered, the Paper Pusher becoming visible as he impacted with the fighter and Jackal was sent sliding to the other side of the room.

    Tibs ran. Jackal was alive, but the weave couldn¡¯t fix the damage fast enough. He¡¯d need a lot more, and if the Paper Pusher hit him again¡­ Tibs didn¡¯t want to think about that.

    Tibs slid to the fighter and had essence in him. His to hold him together, purity to add to the weave.

    ¡°Fire,¡± Jackal said, then coughed blood. ¡°Paper burns.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Tibs made more weaves and didn¡¯t look behind him. He had to focus on¡ª

    ¡°You have to burn it.¡±

    ¡°If I do that, I¡¯m going to burn you too, and you¡¯re not in a state to protect yourself. Mez and Khumdar can¡¯t even try.¡±

    ¡°Then you don¡¯t let it,¡± the fighter replied weakly.

    ¡°You don¡¯t get it. Fire¡¯s hungry. It eats everything. I can¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not fire, Tibs. It¡¯s your fire.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too much. It makes everything I feel¡ªand then I can¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°Then feel that you want to save us, Tibs. Because otherwise, the dungeon takes more of your friends.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not my friend, stupid. You¡¯re my brother.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯d like it if you kept my family from dying.¡± The fighter slumped.

    ¡°Jack¡ª¡± he was alive. Tibs reminded himself of that. He was alive and his essence was getting stronger. His friends were healing, too. But it meant nothing if the Paper Pusher¡ªif Sto killed them.

    Tibs stood and turned to face the creature rushing toward him.

    He was pissed.

    He was angry at Sto for not being here. For not being present when what he created forced him to do the one thing Tibs had promised himself to never do again. For doing something he craved to do almost every time things got in his way.

    ¡°If you aren¡¯t going to watch this,¡± he whispered hotly, ¡°then you better fucking feel it.¡±

    Tibs channeled fire, then him, and the world burned.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 79

    Cold.

    He was so cold.

    Fire had consumed all the heat within him, and left Tibs shivering on his knees. He remembered this feeling well, from that first time. At least, this time, pain wasn¡¯t snapping at the heel of the gently retreating cold.

    There was nothing to accompany the slowing shivers.

    As with that time, Tibs was certain voices had accompanied the roaring of fire. Only now he was terrified they might have been screaming, calling for him to stop. Calling to him in pain, and that when the voices had stopped, it was because his friends had also ended.

    Somewhere along that, he¡¯d pulled his sense in, and now he couldn¡¯t bring himself to extend it. To find out he was the only person in the room. That his team had paid the price for what he¡¯s done.

    ¡°Tibs?¡±

    He stared at the hand on his shoulder, blistered, but whole. The burned armor on the arms and Jackal, his face also blistered, looking at him in concern.

    ¡°You survived.¡± His voice sounded as hollow as he felt. ¡°You were strong enough.¡± One of them. He should be happy Jackal had survived, but he had been the strongest. And Tibs had still hurt him: what had he left of Mez and Khumdar, if anyt¡ª

    Jackal snort broke the thought. ¡°I was in no shape to do anything. You¡¯re the one who kept the fire from burning us.¡± The fighter looked at his blistered hands, the mostly burned armor. ¡°But it did get really hot.¡±

    He¡¯d tried to keep fire focused on the creature, on Sto, on what made him angry, and away from his team. But fire consumed without care, and Tibs eventually lost himself in the rage he fed it. Somewhere, along with pulling his sense in, he¡¯d forgotten about his friends.

    ¡°Tibs.¡± The hand shook him.

    Jackal raised Tibs¡¯s head so he would look into those earth brown eyes, then turned it to show him Mez and Khumdar, smoking, but looking less burned than the fighter.

    He grabbed onto Jackal, held tight. ¡°I thought Fire had eaten you with everything else,¡± he said between sobs in the soot covered armor.

    ¡°It got close,¡± Mez said. ¡°But I think that even if I hadn¡¯t kept most of it from me and Khumdar, we wouldn¡¯t have looked worse than he does right now.¡±

    ¡°In your dreams,¡± the fighter replied. ¡°You¡¯ll never look this good even after Tibs fixes you up.¡±

    ¡°I tried so hard to keep you safe.¡±

    ¡°You succeeded,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°It is not how inherently strong each of us is that accounts for our survival, Tibs. You did this to a dungeon room. If your will hadn¡¯t been on protecting us as well, there would be nothing left of us.¡±

    Tibs shook his head vehemently. He didn¡¯t deserve praise. He has stopped thinking about them. He had let them¡ª

    His head was pulled away from Jackal¡¯s chest non-to-gently. ¡°You controlled it,¡± the cleric said, tone harsh. ¡°Do not let your fear of what might have happened cloud your mind to what you did.¡± He moved aside as he spoke. ¡°You are the one who protected us. No matter how deep your fear of fire is, you maintained control.¡±

    There was nothing left in the room. There was barely a room to speak of. The walls were bowed out, black and cracked in place, revealing the deeper parts of the walls, the part that weren¡¯t stone, that might be what Sto was made of. The destruction of the floor ended a few paces away from him and his friend. An uneven line marking where each had been. It wasn¡¯t clear, fire had bit further in places; close enough to blacken the floor fingers away from where Mez had been. But it hadn¡¯t reached him.

    Of the creature, the table, the papers¡­ there was no trace. Not even ash. Had Sto absorbed them already? Or had fire simply not left anything behind to be absorbed?

    ¡°Did we win?¡± he asked, dismay at the disappointment tinting his voice. The point of the room had been to work out the puzzle, but there was nothing left.

    ¡°You defeated the boss,¡± Jackal said. ¡°That¡¯s a win in my book.¡± He looked around. ¡°But I think you destroyed the loot chest, too.¡±

    Tibs looked down. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°You kept us from dying.¡± Jackal squeezed his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll take that over loot.¡±

    Tibs nodded, trying to feel good about what he¡¯d done. He had kept his team alive. The five of them were¡ª

    ¡°Don! Did we free him?¡± He was on his feet while the others exchanged worried looks, then had to keep from moving, as his equilibrium wasn¡¯t as fast as he was yet. Then they were all moving.

    Jackal cursed and shivered as they stepped outside, confirming that how cold the corridor was wasn¡¯t in Tibs¡¯s imagination. Sensing back into the room, it still had a lot of fire essence, so he absorbed that, and, as much as it was, it barely added anything to his nearly empty reserve.

    He couldn¡¯t avoid sensing his friends in the process, and like they¡¯d all said, they were in good shape. The purity weaves he¡¯d applied on each had continued their work, and only with Jackal did Tibs suspect it hadn¡¯t been enough to do much for his burns on top of healing the extensive damage it had been working on. He used some of the essence he¡¯d gained to apply more weaves on each of them, but kept them small, preferring to be ready to defend them.

    The hallway was devoid of anyone in a way that felt odd.

    No doors opened in an ambush masquerading as people not expecting intruders. Tibs couldn¡¯t even sense people golems in the rooms. Carefully opening a door revealed a completely empty room. Not even the desks where the golem people had pretended to work at were there.

    By the time they reached the bottom of the stairs, where the table and trays were absent, even Jackal was on edge.

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Where are all the creatures?¡± he grumbled as they exited the room.

    Running echoing along the walls had Mez bow raised, an arrow flickered, then its essence fell apart, and the archer hurried to pull one from his quiver.

    Tibs started to push fire essence into the bow, only for the runner to reach the edge of his tighter sense. Then Tibs was running.

    ¡°Tibs!¡± Jackal called, then they too ran.

    Tibs grabbed onto the sorcerer as Don rounded the corner. ¡°You¡¯re okay!¡±

    Corruption bloomed around them, and was immediately absorbed by Don. ¡°Err, yes.¡± Don sounded unsure, and when Tibs let go, he looked uncomfortable.

    ¡°How did you get free?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± Don looked them over. ¡°The building groaned, then everyone and everything just broke down and I was free. Something tells me Tibs did it.¡±

    ¡°I might have broken something,¡± Tibs admitted.

    Don chuckled. ¡°I¡¯d say that¡¯s impossible, but it isn¡¯t the first such thing you¡¯ve done.¡± His expression sobered. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you healed them?¡±

    ¡°I added a weave, but I wanted to keep most of the essence I have left in case we were attacked. We¡¯re all drained.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll heal,¡± Jackal said, urging them along. ¡°But how about we get out of here? Without those tellers jumping out of the rooms trying to kill us, this place feels creepy.¡±

    ¡°Any idea how Tibs breaking one room caused this to the rest of the building?¡± Mez asked Don, and the sorcerer shook his head.

    Outside, the others shielded their eyes. ¡°How is it so strong?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°Essence,¡± Tibs and Don replied in unison.

    ¡°But it isn¡¯t that strong,¡± the sorcerer continued. ¡°It¡¯s simply the difference going from inside to outside. Same as when you leave the inn with the high sun.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re still inside,¡± the fighter pointed out.

    ¡°What¡¯s our next destination?¡± Don asked Tibs, ignoring the comment.

    ¡°Somewhere to rest and eat,¡± Jackal replied.

    ¡°Is such a place possible within a dungeon?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve passed plazas on the way here with nothing in them,¡± Don said. ¡°Some even had tables and chairs.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll need to stay on guard for those dogs.¡± Jackal shuddered. ¡°But lead us to the closest.¡±

    * * * * *

    Jackal dropped on the bench and took packages from his pouch, handing them out and immediately started on his.

    ¡°You ate that pastry,¡± Mez said. ¡°How are you hungry already?¡±

    Jackal snorted. ¡°That was a while back,¡± he said between bites of bread and vegetables. ¡°Then there was that fighting. How are you not hungry?¡±

    ¡°I am. I just don¡¯t feel the need to be done before I even started.¡±

    ¡°I want to be done before we have to fight,¡± the fighter said.

    ¡°I¡¯m just glad Russel had an alternative to Khumdar¡¯s proposal,¡± Don said, ¡°as to the kind of food we should pack.¡±

    ¡°Travel bread is a perfectly valid food when one travels extensively,¡± the cleric replied, sounding slightly miffed to Tibs.

    ¡°I nearly broke the side of the table I knocked it against,¡± Jackal said. ¡°That¡¯s no longer bread.¡±

    ¡°It is made to survive journeys, not appeal to your sense of what bread is. It, in an oiled pack, along with access to water, will ensure you survive to reach the next city.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll probably want to die before that,¡± Jackal commented before returning to devouring the food.

    ¡°Look, I appreciate the work that goes into making food that needs to survive for the weeks between towns,¡± Don said, ¡°and that taste had to be sacrificed for it. But this is just one day. So I wasn¡¯t sacrificing it if I had to.¡±

    ¡°And how would you be aware of what is needed to prepare such foods?¡± Khumdar asked.

    The sorcerer shrugged. ¡°Read a book on it when I was reading everything I could get my hands on.¡±

    ¡°You think the dungeon is going to put bags that keep food good in the loot?¡± Jackal ask so casually, Tibs glared at him. ¡°What?¡± He raised a soggy piece of bread. ¡°This is vegetable water. I don¡¯t mind my bread soaked in meat juices, but vegetable water is for the soup other people eat.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no way to know how a dungeon makes the loot we find,¡± Don said while Tibs still glared. ¡°Let alone how it decides it.¡±

    Tibs kicked Jackal in the shin as he opened his mouth.

    ¡°Right.¡±

    ¡°Such an item can be purchased,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°But only the wealthiest of travelers benefits from them.¡±

    ¡°Did you eat a lot of those while you traveled?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°I¡­¡± the cleric considered something. ¡°I had to. I endeavored to travel with caravans when possible. As part of the payment for guarding it, is our feeding. But circumstances made such impossible on many an occasion. There were more than one journey, early in my travels, when surviving required digging out and eating worms. Discovering travel bread meant never again did I have to experience the¡­delicacy that is worm.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d have eaten that,¡± Tibs said, ¡°on my street. Worm sounds better than some things I had to eat.¡±

    ¡°Then, it¡¯s a good thing we¡¯ll never have to eat stuff like that.¡± Jackal reached for a non-existent tankard and raised it.

    ¡°You think there¡¯s a water fountain somewhere?¡± Mez asked. ¡°Back home, I could find one every few blocks.¡±

    ¡°Again you forget,¡± Khumdar said, before Tibs could point out he could make water for them. Even tankards to drink out of, ¡°that this is not a city. It is but a simulacrum of one created by a dungeon. How would a dungeon know to provide water for the creatures it made to exist with in it? They do not need it, as they are not alive.¡± He chewed. ¡°They are no more than the buildings surrounding us, save that they can move.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Jackal said, wiping wetness off the oiled cloth with a finger. ¡°I still say it¡¯s inconsiderate of it not to think of us.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Don said, cutting Mez¡¯s response to the fighter. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you want to talk about this here, since we aren¡¯t alone, but I have questions about something you said before.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t have secrets from anyone here.¡± He ignored Khumdar¡¯s raised eyebrow. He wasn¡¯t keeping secrets from his friends. If he, like any of them, wanted to know something, they just had to ask.

    Don also raised one, but his eyes flicked up.

    Tibs shrugged again. There was nothing he said he wanted kept from Sto.

    ¡°You said that fire hurts you unless you use your essence to protect yourself. How can it be if none of the other elements you have hurt you? You said you had a sword planted through your chest and other than the holes in your armor, there weren¡¯t any marks.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. The only clue I have is that Fire told me I broke a rule when I had an audience, and that there would be consequences.¡±

    ¡°How could you break a rule?¡± Don asked. ¡°I¡¯ve never read anything about rules governing how an audience is obtained. It¡¯s just conventions established by the guild.¡±

    ¡°Like books can be trusted,¡± Jackal said, taking out another package of food.

    ¡°I had it inside the dungeon,¡± Tibs replied, cutting off Don¡¯s angry reply. ¡°He made it happen.¡±

    Don¡¯s head snapped to Tibs, surprised, then his brown furrowed. ¡°How does that break any rules? But then again, it¡¯s not like anyone researched this since audiences are always performed at locations the guild has established.¡±

    ¡°Except for Purity,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°They have a dungeon where all chosen to serve undergo their trials. Succeeding results in achieving an audience.¡±

    ¡°But those are clerics. Just based on what you told me about how you went about getting yours. It shows they don¡¯t do it the same as the rest of us.¡±

    ¡°Not everyone with purity as their element is a cleric. Fighters and archers will be among them also.¡±

    ¡°Rogues too,¡± Tibs said. ¡°They just don¡¯t talk about it.¡±

    ¡°Except with you,¡± Don replied, ¡°it seems.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m a rogue. I think they expected me to have figured it out by then.¡±

    ¡°So, your audience with Fire was in a dungeon,¡± Don mused. ¡°Did Purity warn you that you¡¯d broken a rule?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± He tried to remember the details, but that audience had been a while ago. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    ¡°Then, does an attack from a¡­¡± The sorcerer trailed off. ¡°Right. Purity is about healing, not hurting.¡±

    Tibs stayed silent. Don hadn¡¯t been at Carina¡¯s funeral. He hadn¡¯t seen the clerics use their essence to reduce her body to nothing but the elements. Purity was like every other element. It could do anything; if someone knew how to etch or weave it.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to try some things after the run, if you don¡¯t mind, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°Do they involve using fire on me?¡±

    Don open, then closed his mouth.

    ¡°I have enough fire on my own. I¡¯m not interested in adding to it.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious as to what your limits are?¡± Don asked.

    Tibs stared at him. ¡°I broke part of the dungeon. I don¡¯t want to find out that¡¯s not the most dangerous thing I can do.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 80

    ¡°Get it off!¡± Jackal yelled, his stone arm in the large dog¡¯s mouth. ¡°Get it off me!¡±

    ¡°You know,¡± Mez said, essence forming into an arrow as he pulled the string of his bow, ¡°you are strong enough to punch it off you.¡± He loosed the fire arrow, and it exploded in the dog¡¯s side, sending it tumbling off the fighter.

    Jackal scrambled away as he got to his feet.

    Tibs stepped between the growling dog and Jackal. ¡°Bad dog! No treat for you!¡±

    Its head snapped up, and the growling hitched. Tibs thought he saw confusion in its eyes, then it lunged and Tibs swung, stepping aside. He¡¯d added filigrees of Duh to the metal edge of his ice sword, and the added sharpness caused it to cut half its muzzle and head off with hardly any resistance. It turned to face him on landing.

    A real dog would have died, one of the first dogs they¡¯d encountered on the floor would have too, but this loss only diminished its essence slightly. Even its growl wasn¡¯t affected. It ran at him, and Tibs smashed his shield into the remains of its head, staggering it, then pinned it to the ground with his sword. It still didn¡¯t die, but while it struggled to get itself free, Tibs formed another sword and cut it apart until it crumble away.

    ¡°They¡¯re tougher,¡± he commented, absorbing both swords.

    ¡°And bigger,¡± Don said.

    ¡°And sneakier,¡± Jackal snarled.

    Within blocks of leaving the plaza where they¡¯d eaten, one had jumped out of an alley at the fighter. Then, one had burst out of a door to reach him, and this one had jumped on him from a roof.

    ¡°Is it me,¡± Mez said, ¡°or has the dungeon picked up on Jackal¡¯s love for those animals?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like them!¡± Jackal looked at the rip in his arm and armor, both of which were stone. ¡°This is going to take weeks to have repaired.¡±

    ¡°Buy a new one,¡± Don said, while Tibs formed a purity weave to deal with the injury.

    ¡°But I like this one,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°It¡¯s the one I¡¯ve worn since Tibs burned the last one off me.¡±

    And now, he was responsible for Jackal losing another armor. Even if his was in worse condition, at least Tibs¡¯s armor would repair itself over time.

    ¡°Have you considered that this may be the dungeon¡¯s attempt as instructing you to your unwise habit of throwing yourself at your opposition?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re throwing themselves at me!¡± Jackal sighed in relief after Tibs applied the weave. ¡°Where¡¯s the next building?¡±

    ¡°Over there.¡± He motioned toward the¡­oddity in his sense, and they were on the move again.

    He didn¡¯t know what it was, since it registered as a hole in the essence, but it was the closest thing that wasn¡¯t like the rest of the buildings on this floor.

    They checked houses, most of which had nothing of interest, other than the occasional essence laden food on plates like offering for them, which Tibs and Don didn¡¯t allow Jackal to touch.

    At one, a ¡®family¡¯ attacked them, which included a child that took advantage of Tibs¡¯s surprise at its presence, and how odd a child looked when gray and squished down like all the people that were part of the city, to grow its fingers into claws and scored one gash in his side, and then Tibs dispatched it, cursing himself for never realizing that Sto wasn¡¯t limited to making adult golem people.

    More dogs attacked, and Tibs figured there was something random about their placement, while the golem people were limited by the roles they played. Guards patrolled, so could be avoided. Thugs stuck to the alleys, so they could stay away from those, and families only came from houses.

    The shops yielded loot, and the occasional shopkeeper and customer to protect them.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Jackal exclaimed after one such fight, as he shoved amulets, jeweled daggers and necklaces into his pouch, leaving the pieces of armor for the others to put in their packs.

    ¡°You¡¯re really going to put all that in there, aren¡¯t you?¡± Don said, motioning to the other displays.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want the loot?¡± Jackal replied, adding bracelets to it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to keep your pouch?¡± the sorcerer replied.

    ¡°They can¡¯t know it¡¯s magical.¡±

    ¡°But they know you¡¯re greedy.¡±

    ¡°Which is why you guys are carrying the armor. They know we¡¯re going to sell that.¡±

    ¡°You mean this?¡± Mez showed a leather armband with an intricate design. ¡°Tibs, how much do you think Darran will give for this?¡±

    ¡°A few silver. Two and zero at most. One of the artisans might give more because it looks good.¡±

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    ¡°And that necklace Jackal is shoving in his pouch?¡±

    Tibs snorted without bothering to look. ¡°Hundreds of silvers. He knows a lot of people who like jewels.¡±

    ¡°Darran isn¡¯t going to tell anyone what he buys from us,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°But won¡¯t the guard think it¡¯s strange,¡± Don said, ¡°that Quigly leaves his run with enough jewelry to please a king, and all we found are common armor? Won¡¯t they question how the great Jackal couldn¡¯t manage to find the good loot? Or maybe they¡¯ll start wondering if it isn¡¯t more that you found a way to hide loot from them?¡±

    ¡°They can¡¯ t tell the pouch is magical,¡± Jackal repeated in a tone of ¡®why aren¡¯t you getting that?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Until they reach in it to check what¡¯s there.¡±

    The fighter stared at the sorcerer, his jaw working silently. But fear was building in his eyes.

    ¡°That¡¯s why we have to carry most of it,¡± Don said.

    ¡°But you know they¡¯re going to take it,¡± Jackal protested. ¡°It¡¯s not just magical things they keep. It¡¯s anything they can make good coins with, and that is the best coins. They¡¯re my coins!¡± He clutched the necklace to his chest.

    ¡°Only if they don¡¯t realize you¡¯re cheating them. You have to know they need to think they¡¯re scamming you if you want your scam to work.¡±

    Jackal looked at Tibs for support, but he shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t help that he¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Jackal grumbled and put the necklace in the pouch. ¡°You can have the rest.¡± Then he lunged for a large red jewel in a gold broche. ¡°But I¡¯ll take that.¡±

    * * * * *

    The nothing in the essence was a building in the center of a large plaza, much like the first one. But only in looks. Unlike the other, where he could sense something blocking his sense. Here, the more or less circular building simply wasn¡¯t there according to his sense.

    ¡°Are any of you creeped out by this?¡± Tibs asked, approaching it. There couldn¡¯t be something that wasn¡¯t made of essence. Essence was everything.

    Jackal reached for the stone wall, but his hand stopped before touching it. ¡°Don, tell me this is some sort of enchantment.¡±

    The sorcerer hesitated. ¡°I¡¯ve never read anything like this. Even that stone your father brought to the city felt like something. I mean, it pushed our essence away from it, so it generated an essence that did that. This¡­? The essence that crosses the wall just ends.¡± He shuddered.

    ¡°So the wall keeps you from sensing inside the building?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°No. It¡¯s not coming back.¡±

    ¡°If you can¡¯t sense it, you can¡¯t call it back,¡± Jackal said with an edge to his voice.

    ¡°But I can etch instruction into it to return,¡± Don snapped.

    ¡°You¡¯ll show me how to do that,¡± Tibs said, interrupting Jackal¡¯s reply.

    Don took a breath. ¡°What do you sense Tibs?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. There¡¯s a hole in the essence where the building is.¡± The wall felt like the stone it looked like. It was the gray of stone, cool to the touch. But there was no essence there to explain how it could exist.

    Was this the room Sto had talked about? He¡¯d said the building was still there, but the inside was gone. Is that what it would be like to his sense?

    Only, hadn¡¯t Ganny said Sto had moved the room out of the way until they figured out what had happened? And Sto wouldn¡¯t leave something he didn¡¯t understand that could hurt Runners. He had to understand it to make it something that forced Runners to get stronger.

    ¡°There¡¯s a door,¡± Mez called from where his walk around the building took him.

    ¡°Open it,¡± Jackal said, reaching him, Tibs on his heel and Don and Khumdar arriving last.

    ¡°I¡¯m not touching that,¡± the archer replied, before Tibs could veto the idea. ¡°You want to see in, you open it.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Tibs stepped before Jackal. ¡°I¡¯m opening it.¡±

    The door looked like any of the stone doors he¡¯d seen on the other buildings native to the floor. Stone bars held in place with metal strips. He could even scratch the stone and metal with the point of a knife. The only thing of note was the handle; there to let someone pull the door shut. There might be some trap on it, but he couldn¡¯t sense it, or anything.

    The door resisted his initial push, and only opened a crack when he pushed harder. He stepped away, waiting for something to happen. When nothing did, he moved close and went to push it some more, only to pull his hand back as soon as it crossed the threshold.

    He looked at it and confirmed it was fine, then tried to understand what had happened. His hand had still been there. He¡¯d sensed it and the essence in it. But the essence in his glove had vanished. It hadn¡¯t been the push back from the green stone that prevented him from pushing his essence out of his himself. This made anything past the surface of his skin simply no longer there. He put his hand in and moved it. It behaved as it should, but the lack of surface essence was disconcerting.

    He pushed it further in, then out again as he lost the sense of some of the reserves in his bracer. The reserve registered again, but not the essence it had contained. Air and Earth were drained. He hurried to refill air and breathed easier when it did. Whatever this was hadn¡¯t broken them.

    ¡°This empties amulets,¡± Tibs said, considering how to go about pushing the door open further.

    ¡°How quickly?¡± Don asked.

    ¡°As fast as it took for me to pull my hand out,¡± he replied.

    Mez stepped back. ¡°So that thing destroys the essence of anything in it?¡±

    ¡°Does anyone have an item they¡¯re willing to hand over for a test?¡± Don asked.

    ¡°No.¡± Mez pulled his bow to his chest.

    ¡°Not that,¡± the sorcerer said as Tibs formed his sword. ¡°Something small that you won¡¯t miss.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s magic, we¡¯re going to miss it,¡± Jackal said.

    Tibs moved the sword toward the door, but anything that crossed the threshold vanished and didn¡¯t reform when he pulled it out. The essence just stopped, as if cut by a knife.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to have to reach in to opening further,¡± Don said. ¡°Mez?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not doing it.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you armor was enchanted.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t,¡± the archer replied.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll hold your bow while you¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not getting close to that!¡±

    Jackal reached past Tibs and gave the door a shove that opened it. ¡°There¡¯s a chest!¡±

    Then, Tibs¡¯s understanding that the weave of his glove was fine, even if it had been inside the building, was disrupted by the fighter stepping inside.

    ¡°Get out of there!¡±

    ¡°This is weird,¡± Jackal said, looking at his hand that had turned back to its usual tanned hue. ¡°I¡¯m still suffused with earth, but it¡¯s not doing its usual thing.¡±

    ¡°Jackal, get out of there,¡± Tibs ordered.

    ¡°It¡¯s not doing anything else,¡± the fighter replied, looking around.

    Breathing in anger down, since screaming wouldn¡¯t do any good, Tibs leaned forward to do the same.

    Unlike the other building, this one only had the chest, set partially behind the¡­ stack of disks in the center. Five of them with the bottom one slightly smaller than the one atop it. Then the other three tapered in until the top disk was the size and thickness of the fighter¡¯s stone-filled head.

    The chest was positioned in such a way that it could only be accessed by¡ª

    ¡°It¡¯s a¡ª¡±

    Jackal was already next to the chest, brushing the largest disk.

    Before Tibs let out the sigh, the disks spun once, then the nothingness from inside the room was all around them, stretching he had no idea how far since the abyss-cursed thing removed all essence.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 81

    ¡°Jackal!¡± Tibs snapped as the ground shook and the disks began to turn at different rates.

    The fighter ran out of the building. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t think it¡ª¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not new,¡± Mez said, tuning to face the walls growing from the ground to surround the plaza. He cursed when pulling on the bow¡¯s string did nothing. ¡°I have a score of arrows,¡± He warned, taking one from the quiver at his hip, ¡°and I don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to regenerate without essence to feed it. Once I¡¯m out, I¡¯ll be useless.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m already useless,¡± Don said.

    Tibs peering into the room to look at the rings¡¯ motion and immediately saw he¡¯d been wrong; most turned, but the bottom two didn¡¯t. It had to mean something.

    ¡°Do I look like I have a staff!¡± Don yelled, pulling Tibs attention to his team.

    ¡°I meant¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a sorcerer!¡± Don yelled at Jackal. ¡°I¡¯m not a fighter, throwing myself into a fight to die!¡±

    ¡°Don,¡± Mez started.

    ¡°It¡¯s your job to protect me!¡± the sorcerer looked around, terrified, and Tibs went to him.

    ¡°The wall has holes!¡± Mez yelled, and Don ran for the closest one.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t leaving me behind!¡±

    ¡°People are coming through!¡± Jackal yelled as Don fell, trying to stop and turn.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t going to leave you,¡± Tibs told him, uselessly trying to sense the golem people. ¡°Breathe, Don. Breathe yourself now. You¡¯re on my team, and dying¡¯s not allowed, remember?¡±

    ¡°How is the dungeon making them work if there isn¡¯t any essence in here?¡± Mez asked, joining Tibs and Don.

    The sorcerer¡¯s breathing was ragged, but as he looked around at the stout gray skinned golem people, the fear left his eyes, replace by calculation.

    ¡°The same way we aren¡¯t dead,¡± he said, his breathing steadying. ¡°Tibs says they¡¯re filled with the same essence everyone has, so just likes it¡¯s protecting us, it¡¯s protecting them.¡±

    Tibs helped him stand.

    ¡°Would that not mean they are as limited as we, if that is the case?¡± Khumdar asked.

    ¡°Except they¡¯re golems,¡± Mez replied as the creatures stepped away from the wall and the holes that had let them in closed. ¡°Stone¡¯s a lot tougher than most of us.¡±

    ¡°People Golem,¡± Tibs said, wishing he didn¡¯t need essence to be able to sense through it. If Sto could change the wall, it had to mean there was essence there.

    ¡°But the ones made like these,¡± Don said, straightening his robes, ¡°are tougher than the ones that look like us. Like they¡¯re made of a mix of flesh and stone. And there are twelve of them.¡±

    Tibs pulled his attention away from the wall.

    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with half of them,¡± Jackal said. ¡°You four deal with the rest.¡±

    The people golems were the problem to face. Then, the rings, since they had to be the puzzle, and once that was solved, the walls would go down.

    ¡°May I remind our leader he is not currently made of stone?¡±

    They looked like the guards they¡¯d encountered patrolling the streets.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have that for any of the pit fights before I came here.¡±

    Muscular and wearing armor. Two were slightly taller, maybe matching Tibs, and they wore metal armor where the others looked to be armored in something made of scales, like the dragons, except they didn¡¯t glow. If that was because they weren¡¯t enchanted or the lack of essence kept the glow from being visible¡­Tibs would find out when they fought.

    ¡°But were they armed and armored in those pits?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°So they aren¡¯t fighting fair. Like that¡¯s any different from the fights I¡¯ve been in. Don, stay by Mez. If you can think of a way to help, do so, but don¡¯t get yourself killed, or Tibs is going to have to yell at you.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that go for you too?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Jackal replied.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to help him,¡± Mez said. ¡°Are you going to be okay, Khumdar?¡±

    ¡°Fortunately, I have had to teach that cleric how to fight staff to staff. It has improved my own abilities.¡±

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m fi¡ª¡± The knife didn¡¯t materialize out of wherever they went when Tibs sent one away. Sto had said it was in his armor, but there were no hidden sheaths for them. Tibs figured it was the same kind of weave that let Jackal¡¯s and his coins pouch take more than they look like they should, only¡­somewhere he didn¡¯t know.

    He reached into his coin pouch, but only felt coins and papers. Why hadn¡¯t he thought to keep at least one knife there for when¡ªHe pawed at his bracer and felt the end of the pommel in the hidden sheath. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡±

    Not great. The knife looked so small. But at least it was a weapon. Tibs looked at Don. ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay.¡±

    The sorcerer¡¯s responding nod was sharp, and Tibs figured the stoic expression was to hide the fear.

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    Tibs stepped away and set his sight on the smallest of the golem people. Maybe he was a rogue too, with the short sword and a set of armor that seemed to be more leather than scales. They could win, he reminded himself. Sto didn¡¯t set the traps to outright kill, but to teach.

    And this was about teaching them how to fight without essence.

    When he couldn¡¯t breathe the fear away, he swallowed it. He¡¯d do this.

    The ¡®rogue¡¯ picked up speed, pulling away from the others, and Tibs walked in its direction. At the last moment, he reversed his grip on the knife and used it to block the sword, then shouldered his opponent hard, staggering it away.

    Good, just like the other guards. Even if they looked like they were part stone, they were still more like actual people. Sto was sticking to what he had established instead of adding challenges. He dodged the swing, only to stagger back from the punch it distracted him from. He moved his jaw through the pain.

    So they had numbers and skill. Sto knew there wouldn¡¯t be essence here, and he¡¯d made the golem people so they wouldn¡¯t depend on that.

    Tibs stepped as his opponent moved, maintaining the distance, evaluating it the way Quigly had taught him, looking for the patterns in its motion he could take advantage of. He had grown lax, depending on his sword¡¯s changing length to surprise his opponents.

    As they move, he caught sight of Jackal, surrounded, hitting as much as he was hit. Mez stood, arrow notched and waiting, with Don behind him, the fear visible now that he wasn¡¯t the focus of attention.

    Khumdar was¡­he¡¯d be who was fighting behind Tibs.

    He rushed the golem person as they started the swing, sidestepped the already in motion sword and cut through its armor into its ¡®flesh¡¯, leaving a deep gash, then his grin, and motion were ended by the sword coming down through his chest.

    Tibs stared at the pommel, trying to understand why he was still alive, or at least why he wasn¡¯t screaming in pain. The golem person stepped back, pulling the sword out. Why wasn¡¯t it covered with blood?

    The question was chased away by the sword coming back down, and Tibs jumped out of the way. Why ever he wasn¡¯t dead meant he had to stay in the fight. He could look for answers once they¡¯d won.

    He dodged the next attacks, then darted in and scored another gash, this time getting out of the way from the following attack.

    They circled each other.

    This couldn¡¯t be something Sto had done. They¡¯d had that talk a while back, and he wouldn¡¯t treat Tibs any differently than the other Runners. Then why was it?

    Why wasn¡¯t the sword¡ª

    He hesitated, was that¡ª

    The golem person was on him, the sword heading for¡ªthe metal sword¡ªhis chest again. It went in and through. Like before, like anytime metal was used in an attempt to hurt him, he didn¡¯t feel anything. His armor resisted slightly as it exited, finding a part of leather that wasn¡¯t already damaged.

    It wasn¡¯t because he couldn¡¯t use his essence that he no longer had his elements.

    Metal couldn¡¯t hurt him. Even here, where essence didn¡¯t exist.

    He grabbed the rogue¡¯s hand as he pulled the sword out and slammed the knife into the wrist. With a hard push, he severed the hand-off, then dodged the punch, and he pulled the sword out.

    He put all his strength behind the slice, and the golem¡¯s head flew off its body as the sword¡¯s weight carried Tibs into a near fall.

    He¡¯d forgotten swords had weight to them. No matter how much metal he added to his ice sword, it weight nothing. Even when he picked up a metal one, he made them weight nothing. But without essence, it was all there.

    Although¡­ Tibs swung it, once he regained his footing, and with expecting the weight, it the motion was even, if not entirely expertly done. Somehow, he remembered the short sword he¡¯d trained with before making his ice one being heavier.

    Well, since he was armed, Tibs needed to go help his team. Jackal was down to three golem people and grinned like a madman. Mez and Don had moved as the fighting shifted, but were still without direct opponents, which left Khumdar.

    Tibs ran at the cleric, who kept the four golem people from crowding him through spinning his staff far more expertly than someone who¡¯d just ¡®gotten better because he had to teach Clara¡¯. Him and his secrets, again.

    Tibs shouldered two out of the way, then felt the sword¡¯s pressure through his armor.

    ¡°Should you not¡ª¡° Khumdar dodged a swing and replied with the butt of his staff into the golem person¡¯s chest, but metal armor meant it only staggered slightly. ¡°¡ªbe more cautious?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Tibs cut a sword arm as the sword in his back pushed through his chest and the already present gash in the armor there. ¡°They can¡¯t¡ª¡±

    The punch sent him skidding on the floor, his armor ripped from center to side. The pain in his face went away, and he realized he was suffused with Purity.

    ¡°We can suffuse ourselves!¡± he exclaimed, then scrambled away from the fighter in the metal armor approaching. Where had his sword gone?

    ¡°I am well aware of that fact,¡± Khumdar said, shattering a golem person¡¯s arm with a staff strike, then another so hard that when it hit the floor, it crumbled away.

    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t know that.¡± Tibs formed his shield to block the incoming fist, then cursed as the impact on his arm broke it and sent him sliding on the floor again. It was healed as he got to his feet. He dodged another punch, then slammed a palm against the metal arm to divert it, and was surprised the metal was warm against his skin. Then the essence there¡ª

    His head still spun as the slide came to a stop. He groaned, pushing himself to all fours. How had he sensed the essence in the armor? His head cleared, and he looked at his hand. The ripped apart glove. He¡¯d made skin contact with it.

    ¡°Tibs!¡± Khumdar yelled, and he barely rolled out of the way of the kick.

    He reached for the golem person¡¯s face. He could¡ªno, he couldn¡¯t. He dodged the punch. He couldn¡¯t simply drain the essence out. He¡¯d agreed to that. He reached for the golem¡¯s face again.

    So he¡¯d put essence in.

    He grabbed onto it and sent fire into the golem. The punch lifted him and broke the contact, but as he raised his head and pushed himself off the floor, the golem person was staggering, smoking, as parts blackened.

    Beyond them, Mez was fighting a golem person, hitting them with his bow to little effect.

    ¡°Don!¡± Tibs yelled at the sorcerer, who had backed away from the fighting until he was against the wall. ¡°It¡¯s like with the green stone! Touch means you can affect it!¡±

    Don looked at him uncomprehendingly and Tibs stepped around the crumbling golem person as Khumdar let out a pained groan.

    ¡°Help Mez!¡± he yelled, cursing internally for forgetting the cleric was already in trouble.

    Tibs hoped this worked. He suffused himself with earth and he collided with Khumdar. The golem person¡¯s hit sent Tibs to the ground hard enough his breath left him, but nothing had broken, and Khumdar was getting to his feet.

    In the distance, Don let out a scream that sounded more terrified than aimed at inspiring terror.

    Tibs hoped that wasn¡¯t him running away. He wanted Don to be better than that.

    His head rang from the following punch, and his head left a crack in the ground from the impact there.

    There was motion around him. Black, the clacking of something on something else. Sounds that were different.

    ¡°¡­need help.¡±

    He knew that voice.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Khumdar said, that was who owned the voice. ¡°I will need assistance if we are to be victorious.¡± There was strain in it, and he hoped that the Tibs in question would come to help Khumdar. He liked the cleric, even with all his secrets.

    ¡°Tibs.¡± The strain was greater.

    Didn¡¯t he know that Tibs, too?

    Of course he did. He was Tibs.

    He suffused himself with purity, and his mind cleared. Earth again, and kicked the legs out from under of the golem person Khumdar was keeping from striking Tibs. Khumdar helped it down with a strike in the back, then Tibs kicked its head with enough strength it ripped off and the body crumbled away.

    ¡°It appears that you must still be cautious while fighting.¡± The cleric offered his hand, then pulled Tibs to his feet.

    Tibs picked up the sword. ¡°I think this is the dungeon showing we¡¯ve gotten used to relying on our essence.¡±

    ¡°I had gathered as much.¡±

    Tibs looked around and stared at Don on the back of a golem, clinging as it pummeled him with blows until it melted, then crumbled away, leaving Don curled in on himself on the floor. He took a step toward the sorcerer as Jackal punched the last of the golem person he¡¯d been fighting. He turned, waved at Tibs, then toppled over.

    ¡°Jackal!¡± Tibs ran for his friend.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 82

    Tibs dropped to his knees next to the unmoving Jackal. His chest rose and fell, so there was time. He pulled purity for a weave, only for it to cease to be as it left his bracer. With a screamed curse, he put a hand on his friend and pushed purity in, in order to form the weave inside him, but immediately pulled his hand away as the armor faded.

    He cursed again, memories of Carina¡¯s body fading to nothing under the push of purity from the clerics. At least, he hadn¡¯t touched skin.

    Touching exposed skin made him sense the fading essence. ¡°We need to get Jackal out of here!¡± Okay. He could do this. He let go of purity and his reserve returned to the ¡®white¡¯ of his element.

    A splint wouldn¡¯t help, since all it did was keep the broken essence in place so it could ¡®replenish¡¯ itself and, in the process, heal what was damaged. What he had to do was the replenishing, and not break anything more in the process.

    The first push, as gentle as it was, shoved Jackal¡¯s essence out of its channel, the red-brown fading faster without its¡­protection? Stopping kept more essence from escaping, but now he could see he¡¯d also broken the essence there. A splint fixed that. A series of splints fixed the multiple breaks throughout Jackal¡¯s body, but they faded the instant he stopped supplying the essence. Which meant that if he removed his hand, they would come undone.

    He had the essence in his bracer, so he could channel another one, but in this place, he couldn¡¯t will it across the distance to maintain the splints. Which was how he¡¯d grown used to doing it, the few times he had to rely on them. Weaves of purity were much more efficient.

    What he needed was for the essence to move into the channels ¡®by itself¡¯.

    He smiled as he remembered explaining to Carina how he went about speeding up his reserve, back in his early days. How he imagined the essence resting on a table and tipping it so it would slide into his reserve along the incline.

    Essence flowed into Jackal and over the channels, but some made it in without disturbing Jackal¡¯s. It wasn¡¯t much, but he thought it was more than what was leaking out. Would Jackal wake up once there was enough essence there? Or would the injuries have to be healed before it could happen? And how long could Tibs keep this up before what was left of his reserve was gone?

    ¡°Where¡¯s my exit?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re working on it!¡± Mez snapped, from away. ¡°Khumdar! Can¡¯t you sense where the openings are hiding?¡±

    ¡°My ability to sense secrets is dependent on essence being allowed to flow. As this is not happening here, I will be of no more help in locating them than looking at the wall will¡ª¡±

    The ground shook, then the grinding of stone. Tibs looked up, ready to curse whatever else Sto was sending their way, to see the walls lowering as essence flooded back.

    ¡°The walls are coming down!¡± Mez yelled, pointing out the obvious.

    Tibs Hesitated. Now that he had essence, was it better to take Jackal out for the cleric to heal him? Or should he keep adding his essence to help him regain his strength, even if Tibs was running low on it himself, whatever that might mean, considering how vast his reserve was.

    There were risks with anything he tried, but he figured it was to his advantage to stay in the dungeon, with its higher concentration of essence.

    He mentally changed where he supplied the splints with essence from his reserve to the one in his bracer. Then he stopped ¡®pouring¡¯ it into Jackal and sensed for the effect. As far as he could tell, the leaking hadn¡¯t accelerated and with what he¡¯d added, he had more time. He simply didn¡¯t know how much that was.

    He started on a large purity weave, then stopped. Those went everywhere, but he had no control over how well any specific injuries got fixed. As far as he could tell, it worked harder at the surface, then got weaker the deeper in, as it had already spent itself on previous injuries. That was usually fine, since when Jackal got broken to the point Tibs needed to do this, it was about piecing him together, and that was usually closer to the surface.

    Which made no sense, the bones were in the middle of his arms and legs and¡ª

    He breathed the panic down.

    Essence didn¡¯t work the way the world did; or how Tibs often felt it should. Deeper here didn¡¯t mean deeper in the body¡­ not exactly. Just like when Don talked about Tibs sensing deeper within the wall¡¯s essence.

    He made a smaller weave and sent that to the largest ¡®break¡¯ in the Jackal¡¯s essence.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we get him outside?¡± Mez whispered. Much closer now.

    ¡°It is unwise to move someone as injured as he is,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°The attempt might aggravate the damage to the point where¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m healing him,¡± Tibs said, fighting the panic again as he added more small weaves, which seemed to have no effect on the overall loss of essence.

    ¡°What¡ª¡± Don cursed, and Tibs looked up, eyes going wide at the blood, cuts and breaks he sensed in the sorcerer¡¯s essence. He wasn¡¯t losing any, but it looked bad enough it explained why Mez was supporting most of his weight.

    ¡°You should see the other guy,¡± the archer said, grinning. ¡°This idiot here just threw himself at it and clung on like it was his favorite girl comforting him.¡±

    ¡°You were going¡ª¡± Don¡¯s voice broke, and Tibs didn¡¯t think it was because of the pain. ¡°And Tibs was right. Once I touched it, I was able to push corruption in and¡ª¡± now that was because of the pain. Don forced a smile. ¡°I hung on.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll heal¡ª¡± Tibs looked at Jackal. Did he have enough to share? ¡°I don¡¯t know¡ª¡± His throat squeezed shut as his eyes burned.

    ¡°Put me down,¡± Don said.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°I need to help him, and I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to be fast and¡ª¡° Don yelled, then glared at the archer. Tibs nearly laughed at the ¡®you told me to do this¡¯ look Mez returned to the sorcerer, but it turned into a sob.

    ¡°Abyss, I never want to be in this much pain ever again.¡± Don took a few breaths. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡ª¡± Tibs wiped at his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to heal. I¡¯m putting weaves on the biggest breaks, but I can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s helping. He¡¯s losing essence from everywhere.¡±

    ¡°Each break is causing essence to leak out, correct?¡± Don¡¯s instructor tone wasn¡¯t as effective, interrupted by winces and groans as he moved in small ways.

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    Tibs nodded, adding another weave.

    ¡°And the bigger the leak, the more ¡®deadly¡¯ the injury?¡±

    ¡°Ye¡ª¡± Tibs froze as he realized he didn¡¯t know. He always went for the biggest first, but he usually had a weave over all of them well before there were risks. He looked at Jackal, sensing if the essence was vanishing in a way that corresponded to the size of the break, but there were so many of them and they were all blending together and he didn¡¯t know¡ª

    ¡°Breathe Tibs.¡± The harshness of the tone was followed by a pained gasp. ¡°Slow down. You can¡¯t help Jackal if you spiral into panic.¡± Don caught his breath. ¡°How long do you have until you can''t fix him at all?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Tibs barely kept from screaming. He forced shuddering breaths. ¡°I don¡¯t know when there isn¡¯t enough left to help. With Radkliff, it was too quick, and I didn¡¯t know how to do it. Sebastian put those green stones on Carina, so I couldn¡¯t help her.¡±

    ¡°Breathe, Tibs. What happens right now if you stop what you¡¯re doing. Can you tell me that?¡±

    He sensed the essence¡¯s concentration. Was it higher than when he¡¯d started? Was the loss slower? Why couldn¡¯t he¡ªhe breathed. It was higher than when he¡¯d first arrived at Jackal¡¯s side. What he¡¯d added had done that. The loss? He couldn¡¯t be certain, but¡­ ¡°he¡¯ll be okay for a little bit if I stop now. It¡¯s going to take some time before he loses the essence I was able to give him.¡±

    ¡°Then, if that happens, you can simply give him more and¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m low on my essence.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re what?¡± The disbelief might have been funny if not for Jackal dying, and Don¡¯s pain cutting it off.

    ¡°I have limits.¡± Tibs bit off the words; angry Don thought he could just¡ªhe breathed.

    The sorcerer caught his breath. ¡°How close to reaching it are you?¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°I never paid attention.¡±

    Whatever Don was about to say got bit back, then the sorcerer was panting again. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s for later.¡±

    Tibs sighed.

    ¡°You can¡¯t just go on not knowing what¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, I have to know it all,¡± Tibs snapped. ¡°I have to get better at everything. I get it! Is the abyss-filled list ever going to get smaller? Or are you going to add to it all the time?¡±

    Don chuckled, then winced. ¡°But the important thing is you have time. So, you need to use it strategically. It isn¡¯t always the biggest injuries that are the most life threatening. The body is complex. Sometime it¡¯s something small, where it can¡¯t be seen, that ends up causing the most damage.¡±

    ¡°How do you know so abyss much?¡± Tibs demanded in exasperation.

    ¡°I read a lot,¡± Don replied flatly. ¡°Your advantage is that you can sense the flow of our essence. What you need to do is not just sense what¡¯s flowing away, but if there¡¯s any of it that¡¯s where it shouldn¡¯t be.¡± Don hesitated. ¡°That needs to be dealt with, too.¡±

    ¡°When the guy who knows more than anyone else hesitates,¡± Mez said. ¡°I think it¡¯s time to proceed with a lot of caution.¡±

    ¡°Life essence isn¡¯t something that¡¯s known about,¡± Don replied tersely, then took a breath. ¡°I mean, scholars have written about something that might be it, they call it the ¡®life force¡¯ it¡¯s how they explain why the dungeons can affect us directly, or how being close to someone who died keeps them from absorbing the bodies. But nothing I¡¯ve read has certainty about it. It¡¯s all theories because there are no ways to know for certain. What I¡¯m doing is drawing similarity between how physicians go about deciding what needs to be operated on first and hoping there is a correlation.¡±

    ¡°Something else you read?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°This is from speaking to some. The university back home also teaches physiology.¡±

    ¡°How do I know if some of the life essence doesn¡¯t belong?¡± Tibs asked. Finding a few areas that had it.

    ¡°Based on what you told me of how it registers to you, the first thing to look for is lack of flow. That was because it¡¯s always flowing, right? Not you just forgetting to mention it?¡±

    Tibs nodded, ignoring the accusatory tone. ¡°What else?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Physicians will bleed out those places where blood is pooling, but this is life essence. I don¡¯t know if removing it won¡¯t to more damage. Can you get it to flow?¡±

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not in a channel.¡±

    ¡°Can you put it back into a channel?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. When I tried adding my essence to his, I did more damage. I think that unless it goes in by itself, forcing it in doesn¡¯t help.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s not contributing anything. Can you remove some and see how it affects the overall loss?¡±

    Tibs found one by Jackal¡¯s heart. Carefully, he drew it away, avoiding the channels and anywhere that was already leaking out. This was like how they unlocked the doorway to access the floors, only the opposite. He had to make sure to keep the essence out of the channels.

    ¡°When we leave,¡± Tibs said, teeth clenched in concentration, ¡°you¡¯re reading about purity and how to use the Arcanus with it. Then you are teaching me.¡± With that essence removed, he paid attention for any changes to the rest.

    ¡°I doubt those are going to be easy books to get. Purity clerics are highly secretive. Khumdar would have an easier time finding those.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask that cleric you¡¯re training?¡± Mez asked Khumdar. ¡°She¡¯s a cleric who wants to fight. She might be open to sharing secrets.¡±

    ¡°I do not allow speaking while I train her. To allow her free rein of her mouth means I must listen to her sharing her beliefs. I do not wish for that to stray into her opinion of what I am and what should be done about those like me.¡±

    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t care.¡± Tibs found another one, slightly larger, and since he sensed no changes, he drew it out. ¡°She isn¡¯t like the others.¡±

    ¡°Purity clerics are not known for the changes in their stances. Their beliefs are taught to all children. It is the earliest stories any of them will remember their parents recounting; that they be of a cleric family or not. I know better than to waste time hoping she will be unlike the others I have encountered.¡±

    ¡°Then Tibs can ask her,¡± Mez said. ¡°You two have talked before, right?¡±

    He removed another pool of essence. ¡°How do I explain why I want to learn those things? Just saying I¡¯m curious how it works isn¡¯t going to be enough this time.¡± Still no changes from removing this one.

    ¡°You can explain what you¡ª¡±

    ¡°I would advise against that,¡± Khumdar interrupted the archer. ¡°I will not claim that she will be as prejudiced about what you are as she is about me¡ª¡±

    ¡°As you think she is,¡± Mez corrected.

    ¡°But as an organization, purity clerics are no better than the guild. What you tell, she will tell them. That they tell the guild or not will depend on if they want to take you for their own so they can¡­improve you, or decide you should be the guild¡¯s burden.¡±

    ¡°I think I got them all,¡± Tibs told Don. ¡°It¡¯s not changing anything.¡±

    ¡°You make it sound like they¡¯ll¡­¡± Mez hesitated. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Try to fix him.¡±

    ¡°Then go back to healing the leaking,¡± Don replied. ¡°At worse, this was for nothing, but at least, it¡¯s no longer a worry.¡±

    ¡°That is exactly what I expect the will they do,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°Purity is obsessed with¡ª¡±

    ¡°The people who have purity,¡± Tibs corrected, forming a weave and applying it to the largest leak. ¡°Purity doesn¡¯t care who¡¯s different.¡±

    ¡°I¡ª¡± Khumdar was silent, and Tibs applied more weaves, wishing their effect were more pronounced, and reminding himself this wasn¡¯t a quick fix. ¡°You are correct. I apologize. I, too, can fall within the belief that the element is the same as the people wielding its essence. Purity clerics only care about fixing all that is different from them. If it was within their power, they would go to war against more than those like me. They would seek to wipe all who do not believe as they do from the world. Leaving behind only them.¡±

    ¡°If even that,¡± Mez said. ¡°Wars are costly to all sides.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t your people value life over power?¡± Don asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d have tales of war.¡±

    ¡°We have those tales, so we¡¯ll know wars should never be something we want.¡±

    Tibs formed another weave, then was at a loss as to where to put it. Jackal might be more purity than earth at the moment. And he was no longer losing essence, but he didn¡¯t seem to be gaining any either.

    ¡°His breathing¡¯s even,¡± Don said, and Tibs focused on the sorcerer, not understanding. ¡°Jackal¡¯s breathing better. Deeper. It¡¯s a good sign.¡±

    Tibs sensed Jackal. ¡°I think I put weaves on all the injuries.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your reserve like?¡±

    Tibs snorted. ¡°I have some, but I can¡¯t tell you how little there is. I do have enough to heal you.¡±

    Don waved the suggestion aside, which surprised Tibs. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t being able to absorb life essence make it easier to refill your reserve?¡± Don asked. ¡°It¡¯s everywhere.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s in everyone,¡± Tibs corrected.

    ¡°Then the other essence? You can channel whatever the best is.¡±

    ¡°And the dungeon figured that out a long time ago. He uses a lot of¡­ ¡®will¡¯ when he unleashes essence attacks, and he¡¯s done something to the essence in the walls that makes it difficult to pull from them. I also have to focus on pulling the essence in, and the dungeon has been keeping us busy.¡±

    ¡°With what?¡± Jackal croaked.

    ¡°You¡¯re alive!¡± Tibs exclaimed. Of course, he was alive. He¡¯d sensed it the whole time.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to argue that,¡± the fighter said, then sighed. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I went through all that, and there was nothing in the chest.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 83

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± Mez asked Jackal as the fighter stood and stretched, wincing in the process.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Jackal replied, in that tone he used when being asked a question was what annoyed him, instead of having to give the answer. ¡°Tibs healed me.¡±

    The archer looked at him.

    ¡°His body is healing,¡± Tibs corrected.

    ¡°There isn¡¯t much that can be done about his mind,¡± Don added. He was slower in standing, even if there had been less damage. The only time the sorcerer had been more injured, as far as Tibs knew, was when he¡¯d been tortured. And this time, he hadn¡¯t complained, or even demanded Tibs healed him as soon as Jackal was able to talk.

    ¡°Ah, Ah,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Okay, but how wise is to continue with Tibs nearly out of essence, and all our items drained?¡± Mez asked. He looked up. The ¡®sun¡¯ was a hand span past the zenith. ¡°Actually, considering this doesn¡¯t match outside, shouldn¡¯t we turn around? It¡¯s what, the middle of the afternoon now? It¡¯s going to take us a while to make it back to the floor¡¯s entrance.¡±

    Jackal looked up, then at Tibs. ¡°How sure are you that moves at the same speed as outside?¡±

    Tibs shrugged. It wasn¡¯t like he could ask Sto, but he had no reasons to trick them that way. Jackal wasn¡¯t happy, but it was the best Tibs could offer until he knew the reasons behind Sto¡¯s silence.

    ¡°Alright. But we¡¯re going by a different route. And we¡¯re checking all the buildings for loot.¡±

    ¡°And for guard dogs?¡± Don mock whispered. He grinned at Jackal¡¯s shudder.

    ¡°You are not funny.¡±

    ¡°He kind of is.¡± Mez grinned at the glare leveled on him.

    * * * * *

    ¡°I.¡± Jackal kicked the dog, sending it back through the door. ¡°Am.¡± His punch crushed the back of the dog biting his other leg. ¡°Not.¡± He grabbed the one that had jumped on his back. ¡°Afraid!¡± And threw it at the wall, where it left a crack, and crumbled away as it slid to the ground.

    The fighter looked around, eyes wide and panting.

    ¡°I¡¯m convinced,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°You could have helped!¡±

    ¡°You seemed to be enjoying yourself,¡± Don replied.

    ¡°My bow¡¯s still pretty much drained,¡± Mez said. ¡°I figure it¡¯s best I keep it for real danger.¡±

    Jackal looked at Tibs.

    ¡°You barged in without letting me check for traps. You deserved what happened.¡± The dogs had been lying in wait inside to throw themselves at whoever opened the door, and Jackal hadn¡¯t even waited for Tibs to tell him what he¡¯d sensed.

    ¡°There haven¡¯t been any traps in any of the other buildings!¡± Jackal replied, exasperated.

    ¡°Until now,¡± Khumdar said, and didn¡¯t react to the fighter¡¯s glare.

    ¡°And, hopefully,¡± Don said. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve beaten them without help, you won¡¯t be as scared of them.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not scared of them! They¡¯re dungeon creatures.¡±

    Mez and Don exchanged a look, then grinned.

    Tibs left the others to their ribbing and entered the building. Another home. On the left was a fire pit with stone chairs and a low table on one side of it. On the table was a plate with two pastries and one cookie. They were filled with essence; the pastries felt the same, while the cookie had a different mix. I took the wrapped pastries he¡¯d taken from other houses and set them next to these. Unwrapping them, they were different kinds. Both in how they looked and how the essence in them felt.

    There was a way of working out what they did. There would be a pattern to how they were made that told them that. Possibly the nuts and fruits would match the boosts they gave, but for now, the only way he had to test them was to let Jackal eat one and watch the result. His friend was not in a state to deal with Tibs being wrong at the moment.

    He wrapped them up. The guild would take them, he expected, but hopefully they¡¯d let them know what they did before the next run.

    A door opened to a sleeping room, the other was like Zacharia¡¯s art room. He didn¡¯t know if the people who had lived here had all done art, but such rooms were common. Some, like this one, had easels, brushes and bowls with dried colors. Others had chisels and stones, partially cut and not. What none of them had had was a wardrobe with intricate patterns woven on it. So it would be a chest.

    It was stone, like everything else, and the essence through it was what he¡¯d expect. It didn¡¯t feel like the chest did. He opened it and the only thing there was a sword resting against the back. Possibly this had been left by the occupant, who had been a fighter?

    The weave could account for it not rusting away. It was half Tibs¡¯s height; the blade was thick and metal was the main part of the weave.

    ¡°Magic,¡± he told Jackal on exiting the building, and they tied it to Mez¡¯s pack.

    ¡°You can check the next building,¡± the fighter said.

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    * * * * *

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Don said, pointing to a large building visible above the roofs. ¡°What can you tell from it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like the rest. The essence I mean.¡± It was four stories tall, the tallest building they¡¯d come across at this point. Some, deeper in the city, were taller, since they could see them over the roofs from where they stood, but the permit building had been the tallest one before this.

    ¡°We¡¯re checking it out,¡± Don said, heading in that direction.

    ¡°I¡¯m the one who says that,¡± Jackal called after the sorcerer.

    ¡°No,¡± Mez said, following Don. ¡°You say ¡®Get me all the loot!¡±¡±

    The road bifurcated in front of the building, and ached so that Tibs expected they reconnected on the other side. It was about half the width of the permit building but deeper than wide, and the walls had column supporting outcroppings from the other floors.

    ¡°Tibs has stated it is made the same as the other buildings,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°Does that not mean it cannot be a dungeon room?¡±

    ¡°Even if it is,¡± Mez said. ¡°We don¡¯t have the time to deal with it.¡± He motioned to the sun, which was approaching the midpoint between zenith and the ¡®horizon¡¯.

    ¡°What¡¯s got you so excited?¡± Jackal asked Don, who was walking around it, gazing in a mix of awe and disbelief.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen it before.¡± The sorcerer grinned.

    ¡°How?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°A book,¡± Tibs replied.

    ¡°No. The part of the library that holds the ancient texts looks exactly like this.¡±

    ¡°How is that possible?¡± Mez asked, looking first at Tibs, then Khumdar.

    ¡°I do not know,¡± the cleric said. ¡°This is Don¡¯s expertise, not mine.¡±

    ¡°I have no idea how it¡¯s possible,¡± the sorcerer said excitedly. ¡°How do dungeons know what they know? However they do, that is the Repository.¡±

    ¡°Maybe the dungeon knows what the people it ate know,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Has there been anyone from your city among the new runners?¡±

    Don laughed. ¡°How would I know?¡± He faced them. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. I wasn¡¯t allowed in the Repository, and it was filled with books. And it¡¯s right here.¡± He grinned. ¡°Imagine what we can find it in.¡±

    ¡°Traps,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°Dungeon creatures,¡± Mez added.

    ¡°Books,¡± Jackal said with a shudder.

    They all looked at him.

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Jackal began, and Don rushed for the door. ¡°Don, stop!¡±

    ¡°But!¡± He motioned excitedly to the large double doors.

    ¡°Let me finish. We don¡¯t have a lot of time left. We don¡¯t have a lot of essence left. Those aren¡¯t good things to have when planning on exploring something that large. How are we dealing with whatever creatures the dungeon put there? The traps? This is the kind of thing we want to be rested for, and start on early.¡±

    ¡°I just want to take a peek,¡± Don sounded almost like he was pleading.

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be here for our next run,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°And with full reserves,¡± Mez said, ¡°we¡¯ll be able to deal with anything there.¡±

    Don looked at the door, then straightened. ¡°We come here directly.¡±

    Jackal nodded. ¡°We deal with this, then go back to looking for the boss room.¡±

    ¡°It could be in here,¡± Mez said.

    Jackal scoffed. ¡°Don says it¡¯s filled with books. There¡¯s no way the floor boss is going to be among that.¡±

    ¡°The sole aspect which supports your statement,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°is that the building is somewhat close to the entrance.¡±

    ¡°Which would make for a perfect place for the boss,¡± Don said. ¡°Every Runner is going to dismiss it because we all know the boss room would never be so close to the entrance.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll find out during the next run,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Right now, I want to leave because I¡¯m getting hungry and Tibs won¡¯t let me have any of the pastries I know he¡¯s hoarding.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m keeping them so the guild will take them,¡± Tibs replied.

    ¡°Just one,¡± Jackal pleaded. ¡°I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t do anything bad.¡±

    Tibs rolled his eyes. ¡°Then we should ignore all the buildings on the way, so you get to eat sooner.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not that hungry,¡± the fighter replied.

    * * * * *

    Tibs slashed angrily at the gray-skinned person golem as he backed up the steps. It took the blow on its shield, and Tibs nearly tripped, the heel of his boot catching on the next step, and the sword pierce his side. How could he have been so careless after the constant chastising of Jackal not being careful?

    He slashed, but the golem¡¯s colorful clothing caught his blade and instead of cutting through, he unbalanced it.

    The stairs were only paces away, then it would be a quick trek to the inn and Russel¡¯s excellent cooking. The day had made him hungry too, and he¡¯d figured they were done. This close, what could Sto throw at them?

    Golem people, that was what. They¡¯d scattered as soon as Tibs yelled about the doorway forming, but the golems were already falling. And Jackal, being Jackal, had thrown himself at them without consideration for how low his reserve was. His skin hadn¡¯t turned quite as gray as usual and hadn¡¯t stopped the sword as it usually did.

    They had extricated him, but Don and Mez were carrying him up the steps while Tibs and Khumdar dealt with the remaining golem people while trying to keep up with the others. Jackal wasn¡¯t dying, but he had to be in pain and Tibs was too busy to help.

    Tibs parried, then ducked under the staff coming at him from behind. Khumdar¡¯s staff impacted the golem person¡¯s shield and spilled darkness over and onto the arm. It didn¡¯t react, but Tibs sense the darkness weakening the essence it came in contact with.

    The shield caught his sword, but it cut through it and the arm. Then Tibs angled himself to deal with another of the golem people, trusting Khumdar with this one.

    ¡°We¡¯re at the doorway!¡± Don yelled.

    Tibs glanced up to judge the distance and cursed as the impact against his poorly angled shield staggered him.

    ¡°We will need to run,¡± Khumdar said.

    ¡°We turn our back to them and they¡¯ll cut them,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°Do you have enough essence to keep their swords from opening yours?¡± He tried to think of someway to get distance. He¡¯d iced the steps already, only for the golems not to slide down. They were too heavy for how much air he could send at them right now. Same with the earth or fire.

    ¡°I am disappointed to state that darkness does not make for an effective shield against weapons such as swords.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Mez yelled. ¡°Protect Khumdar!¡±

    At the top of the steps, he sensed the fire essence form into an arrow. Did Mez have enough left? ¡°Behind me,¡± he told the cleric, and Khumdar moved.

    Tibs slashed to keep the two front golems away, but they took the hits, one moving up to occupy the space Khumdar had vacated, making room for a third golem to step forward and¡ª

    The fire exploded against the new golem, stronger than Tibs expected, and his essence wall only deflected part of the heat. He ignored the pain it caused before he absorbed it in favor of turning and running after Khumdar. He felt a sword add another cut in his armor. Then they were up, and following Mez through the doorway.

    ¡°We need to better manage our essence,¡± Jackal said, seated against the opposing wall once Tibs had disrupted the trigger and the doorway became stone again.

    ¡°What you need,¡± Don snapped, ¡°is to stop throwing yourself into fights.¡±

    ¡°Or going into room before I check them for traps,¡± Tibs added, hands on knees, suffusing himself with purity, but not getting the usual quick restoration.

    ¡°As we are close to the dungeon¡¯s exit, and the cleric stationed there,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°it might be wise to head that way and avail ourselves of the service. We can discuss all the things we should have done with a tankard in a hand, and a meal before us.¡±

    ¡°Best idea,¡± Jackal replied, pushing himself to his feet, then starting to topple forward, only to be caught by Mez, who barely looked able to stand himself. ¡°I might need help to make it to the exit.¡±

    ¡°I think he might have left some of his mind behind,¡± Don mused, getting under Jackal¡¯s other arm.

    ¡°That is what our leader wishes you to believe,¡± The cleric said. ¡°Jackal still has all the mind he began this run with.¡±

    ¡°Stop revealing my secrets,¡± the fighter grumbled.

    Don sighed. ¡°That¡¯s what I was afraid of.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 84

    Tibs let his thoughts float on the water essence around him. There was so much of it around the lake, he hardly had to pull the essence to him for his reserve to absorb it.

    The novelty of how calm the lake was had worn away, so it was mostly people with water as their element who sat around, or in, it. Many of them were Runners, all well below Epsilon, while a few were adventurer above that.

    A group of six sorcerers stood by the water, but well away from anyone. One was around Gamma, while the others Delta; their attention definitely on the lake. A scattering of adventurers sat among the runners. Other than the ruggedness of their equipment, and Tibs sensing how much more essence they had, they could pass for other Runners, reading, or talking, while water essence gently refilled their reserves. Only three Runners were, like him, actively pulling essence in, and in them; Tibs could sense their reserves filling.

    He¡¯d asked Darran about buying the lake, like he had the land where the corruption pool was, but unlike it, the guild wasn¡¯t looking to discharge itself of the land the pool rested on. It could still be purchased, the merchant had told him, but the amount of money needed to convince the guild would be so high that even a merchant like him would have trouble explaining where it had come from.

    Darran hadn¡¯t said more, but Tibs had understood the message. The guild would ask questions, and it had adventurers who could force Darran to speak the truth. And in the end, what would Tibs gain from owning the lake? Coins for selling it to water sorcerers? He¡¯d need a lot of them to help the Kragle Rock survive the destruction of the guild.

    Tibs had made the mistake of asking Darran how towns that didn¡¯t have a guild worked, and the merchant had talked him through pages and pages of numbers explaining how the coins were distributed. He¡¯d then casually mentioned that if someone like Tibs was cautious about how he used the Promises he had, such a person could manage to set up the infrastructure that would be needed if a town wanted to¡­ he¡¯d smiled in that way that made it clear he knew something others didn¡¯t¡­ to force the guild to leave them alone.

    And Tibs figured the town would own the lake once the guild was gone. And if the governing body¡ªanother thing Darran had explained a city without a guild needed¡ªwanted to, they could sell it and get the coins directly.

    Tibs had no idea how he¡¯d go about finding people to run things in Kragle Rock, but he was starting with Kroseph. The server knew business and what Runners needed and¡ª

    The sorcerers were no longer focusing on the lake, sending essence in it and pulling it out. There was no one with air around, so Tibs used it to carry their words to him.

    ¡°¡­happened before?¡± one of the Delta sorcerer asked. They had an etching before them too complex for Tibs to understand.

    ¡°Three nexus this close together?¡± the one next to her replied. ¡°Not in this configuration.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if the Berkion site qualifies,¡± the one facing them said.

    ¡°I was thinking about Jusciten,¡± he said, ¡°but Berkion is¡­¡± Tibs¡¯s focus wavered as he felt eyes on him and what they said was lost to the distance. The sorcerer motioned to the lake and the town.

    Tibs stood as he looked around, but no one seemed to be watching him. He headed for the sorcerers.

    ¡°¡­wish I¡¯d heard about that floor,¡± the Gamma sorcerer said, ¡°before they started sending those Crawlers in.¡±

    ¡°Like we could have done anything about it,¡± the other woman said. ¡°You do remember how hard it was to get permission to leave the academy to study this lake.¡±

    ¡°Still, to have seen that city before the Crawlers broke everything,¡± the Gamma sorcerer said wistfully.

    ¡°The dungeon rebuilds anything we break,¡± Tibs said, and they stared at him as if they didn¡¯t understand what he¡¯d said. Maybe they didn¡¯t? Did the magic of the platform make it so anyone who received it understood anyone else who had it or was it¡ª

    ¡°And why would that matter?¡± the Gamma sorcerer asked. The tone wasn¡¯t quite as dismissive as Tibs had received, but it was clear he thought little of his opinion.

    ¡°If you ask the guild, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll let you go in tomorrow. Whatever Quigly¡¯s team breaks, it¡¯ll be fine by tomorrow morning. They probably won¡¯t charge you too much to be added to the schedule since there¡¯s no one doing that floor for the rest of the week.¡±

    ¡°Do a crawl?¡± one of the woman said disdainfully? ¡°We¡¯re no crawlers anymore. We¡¯re scholars.¡±

    ¡°Then you won¡¯t get to know anything about it,¡± Tibs said.

    She snorted. ¡°We¡¯ll ask those who survive it.¡±

    Tibs smiled. He¡¯d make sure to let Quigly know about these sorcerers so he could ask for a lot of coins to give them the information. ¡°What¡¯s so special about the lake?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± The Gamma sorcerer replied, cutting off the sorcerer who was about to answer Tibs.

    ¡°You were studying it kind of hard, for it to not be special. The only other place where sorcerers looked at it like you were is the corruption pool. Is that where you were pointing to?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± the Gamma sorcerer said as that same sorcerer opened his mouth.

    ¡°What¡¯s he going to do? He¡¯s a Crawler. I doubt he even understands the significance of this lake, let along that this city somehow has three of them.¡±

    Three?

    The sorcerer ignored his superior¡¯s glare. ¡°Nexus, like this lake, that pool, and the area by the training grounds, should take centuries of something concentrating the essence until there is so much of it a connection to the element form.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t they happen if something big happens?¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Then the sorcerer gave Tibs an odd look.

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    ¡°There was a corruption adventurer in not long after the pool formed, and I asked him if he was going to remove it. He told me he couldn¡¯t because something had happened to make the pool close to the corruption element.¡±

    The sorcerer gave the Gamma one an uncomfortable smile.

    ¡°You might as well continue.¡±

    ¡°The mystery is how there could be three events that would create such a connection to three of the elements.¡±

    Water, corruption and¡­. Right, Earth. Tibs had had his audience behind the archery field. Did that mean there was such a place inside Sto? One for fire? Would a fire sorcerer try to buy the dungeon away from the guild if that was the case? What about where he¡¯d had his audience with Light? Or the alley for Metal? How many until Kragl Rock receive so much attention the Guild couldn¡¯t ignore it anymore?

    He walked away, his mind spinning. He had to hurry to find a way to bring Marger here.

    * * * * *

    Tibs slowed his pace as he felt watched again. He extended his sense, but no one within the Market Place crowd stood out. He reached for the jerky in his pocket. No one with an element was directing their essence at him, which was usually what triggered his sense. Some of the guard were keeping their eyes on him, since they knew he was a rogue, and Irdian probably had orders to catch Tibs in the act so he¡¯d have an excuse to send him to the cells again, but this wasn¡¯t what triggered his sense.

    ¡°Hey Serba.¡± He dropped his hand, and the dog that had sidled next to him snatch the jerky out of it. The dog was massive and with black fur. ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡±

    ¡°Timber,¡± she replied, falling into step on his other side. ¡°Who is going to get a talking to. It¡¯s your essence, isn¡¯t it? You¡¯re doing something that makes dogs like you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just being nice to them.¡± He rubbed the dog¡¯s head. ¡°The dungeon has dogs now.¡±

    ¡°And do you have them eating out of your hands too?¡± she asked in derision.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have any jerky.¡± He glanced at her. ¡°Does Irdian have sorcerers keeping watch on me?¡±

    She snorted. ¡°You aren¡¯t so important the commander will devote those kinds of resources. You and your rackets are only one of the many things he needs to deal with. And right now, the nobles that are trying to cut themselves off from the city are taking most of his attention. What made you think he¡¯d done that?¡±

    ¡°Just a sense of things.¡± He studied her face while focusing his sense on her. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she replied, tone sharp. Her essence felt as full as someone without an element did, so she might not have caught what was going around.

    ¡°Do you know what¡¯s making people sick?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± She hesitated. ¡°Neither do the clerics.¡±

    He raised an eyebrow to prompt her.

    She sighed. ¡°Yesterday, the men stationed at the edge of the city on Dungeon Way just dropped where they stood. We have guards suffering from the Weakness, like everywhere else in the city, but they said they¡¯d felt fine, then all of a sudden, exhaustion hit. The Commander had clerics look them over, and all they said was that he had to stop overworking them. But Irdian doesn¡¯t do that. The schedule has us on light patrols unless there¡¯s something going on, and they include times for us to rest.¡±

    ¡°But do they rest?¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s not my problem, or the Commander¡¯s. I¡¯m dealing with it by avoiding anyone who isn¡¯t a Runner as much as I can.¡± She slapped her thigh three times and Timber moved next to her. ¡°I have to get back on my patrol. I just need to know one thing. How is Jackie dealing with the dogs in the dungeon?¡±

    Tibs grinned. ¡°By hitting them as hard as he can. But don¡¯t worry, they still like him.¡±

    She smiled. ¡°I¡¯m starting to like this dungeon.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs turned into the alley, passing through the shadows cast by the setting sun. They were still watching him. The sense had come back not long after Serba had left, and he¡¯d spend the afternoon trying to locate them. Now, he was left with one conclusion. They had an element. And there was only one element that has a chance to hide itself from his sense.

    The only ones Tibs could think of with the coins needed to hire an adventurer were the nobles. But while some of them didn¡¯t like him, and a few probably suspected he broke into their houses, he only took a silver, so they had no reason to take drastic actions. There had been the Brokerage, but there hadn¡¯t been any assassins since the woman, so he figured word they no longer had the contract for his death had gotten around. This could be someone who hadn¡¯t gotten the message, but it felt¡­wrong.

    If they had darkness, why stretch this? They could have attempted to kill him that first time he¡¯d sensed this.

    He stepped onto an unusually empty street. The cleric and guards at the door of a house would be the reason people avoided this area right now. The guard nailed a white plaque to the door. Three others had such a plaque on their doors on that side of the street, four on this side. Far too many doors throughout Kragle Rock had them, marking the houses as having someone afflicted by the Weakness living there, and that others were to stay away.

    Don had explained what contagion was. How sickness could jump from one person to the other. How it happened he didn¡¯t have a definite answer. All he¡¯d read, and all the physicians he¡¯d talked with had, were theories. Idea of how it might happen. If the clerics knew, well, they never spoke of anything they knew. It was as if they were afraid that if other knew what they did, they would no longer be needed.

    Not that needing them seemed to help anyone at the moment.

    Someone called to the passerby at the intersection further along. That road was as busy as others, and the man proclaimed his potions as being able to protect from the Weakness. They weren¡¯t allowed to stand in the street and sell, but they seemed to matter to Irdian even less than Tibs did at the moment, so alchemists filled stalls in Market Place and before the dungeon and the streets. Each claiming to have a remedy for it and all other ailments.

    Of all of them, Tibs had only sensed two who, like the blacksmith and baker, had a faint element in their essence that didn¡¯t show up in their eyes.

    Alchemy was a real thing, Don had confirmed when the first one had appeared and Tibs asked how what they sold could work if they couldn¡¯t weave or etch. Alchemy was a process of pulling essence out of objects much like sorcerers did, but by using natural processes, such as soaking and filtering, boiling and overheating.

    Tibs asked how such thing was possible, and Don had pointed to something as simple as coating a blade with rotten meat to impart it with some corruption so the rot would spread to the victim. Alchemist simply used more refined method.

    Alchemy, he¡¯d told him, was the domain of those who aspired to an element, but couldn¡¯t work up the courage to go through the steps to gain one. Don hadn¡¯t spoken with the mocking Tibs expected, as if he thought it was a valid route to take. Unlike adventurers, who seemed to mock anyone who lacked the fortitude to even try.

    But, as real as it was, because the potions alchemist created didn¡¯t have the immediate result of those made through essence weaving, it led to charlatans, claiming to be such, and as far as Tibs was concerned, those were who filled the market and streets; taking coins from the desperate, while offering only false hope in return.

    He¡¯d set his rogues to watch those who only came for the day, sold lies, and then left. Those would return home only to discover that the coins they had made had stayed in Kragle Rock, where they belonged.

    Tibs shook himself and stepped between two houses as the cleric and guards moved on to the next one to be marked. He had something to deal with, and with them moving away, this would work as a place to have the confrontation.

    He slipped into a dark corner, resisting the urge to use darkness. Since they were using the essence, they would be able to sense someone else using it, and he didn¡¯t want to give away that advantage yet.

    He waited and listened, and listened more. Darkness couldn¡¯t make someone disappear completely, at least not unless they were much stronger, according to Khumdar. It made someone not want to notice the person wrapped in it, but since he knew they were coming, he should be able to make something out of them, enough to plant a sword through and finish this.

    But no one came. No muffled steps. No barely noticeable shadow creeping along.

    But he still felt watched.

    Which meant they were that powerful, and Tibs only had one way to know where they were. He breathed his nervousness away. He¡¯d only use a little essence, and he would be extremely careful with it.

    He channeled darkness and pull the thinnest strand of it out of his reserve, then kept a tight hold on it as he let it travel through his channels to his node of sight.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 85

    Tibs¡¯s stifled scream had him sitting up and looking around the room, searching for the¡­thing that had nearly reached him, already knowing it was not real; hadn¡¯t been real when he¡¯d first seen it a few days before, had ran from it and the terror it inspired.

    He had been certain he¡¯d been careful, let only the smallest strand reached the node of sight, and at first, thing were as he¡¯d expected. Secrets had become more visible, unimpeded by walls and buildings. They had gained definition. The shape of a person, surreptitiously taking coins from a box, someone in bed with someone else, moving in ways Tibs had wished he could stop seeing. At least there had been no details to the shapes. The something else had pulled his attention from all the other secrets by how much larger it was.

    Tibs had carefully made his way to the mouth of the alley. A secret this large might be dangerous, and it had been right there, still indistinct among the townsfolk. A cloud of it had been spreading ever everyone there, clinging to them as they exited it. He had thought he could make out something within the secret, so, to pierce it, he had allowed only a sliver more into the node.

    He¡¯d screamed at the sight, had turned and run. He had cursed himself for not listening to Khumdar¡¯s warning as those lifeless eyes stayed with him even as he had run and fought to pull the darkness out, hoping to forget them and the rest of the thing darkness had created. It¡¯s multiple appendage piercing through the people around it. It¡¯s maw with too many, too long teeth.

    Then had the sense of it hounding his steps, as he had run for the safety of his room. A sense of hunting him that had remained even after he¡¯d finally freed the node of all darkness, suffused himself with purity, slammed the door to his room shut.

    A sense of being prey that woke him multiple times a night since.

    * * * * *

    Tibs nearly barged into Kroseph¡¯s room, barely regaining enough control to knock first.

    That the server hadn¡¯t been in the inn when Tibs entered wasn¡¯t unexpected. With the sickness going around, there weren¡¯t as many customers, so not all the servers were needed. Even Jackal¡¯s absence could be explained. He was having them time with Kroseph, or he was out to the pit, or to train the Omega Runners, or at the merchants or¡­ there could be so many reasons, but none of them would have explained the look of fear Russel had given him, before his eyes flicked to the door leading to the stairs.

    ¡°It¡¯s Tibs.¡± He extended his sense until he made out Jackal and Clara and someone he could barely sense, who had to be Kroseph, lying on the bed.

    He¡¯d kept his sense tight to him since his last botched attempt at using darkness with his node of sight, because this time, it had also left him with this certainty that the delusion was lurking in all the places he couldn¡¯t see.

    He was in before either said anything.

    Jackal was seated on the far side of the bed, holding Kroseph¡¯s too pale hand, while Clara sat on the other side, tiredly glaring at the unmoving Kroseph.

    ¡°How is he?¡± Tibs whispered, hoping she¡¯d know more than what his sense told him.

    ¡°He¡¯s not dead,¡± she replied angrily.

    Tibs stared at her in surprise. ¡°Isn¡¯t that good?¡±

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s good. It just makes no sense!¡± She ran a hand over her face, grumbling. ¡°Nothing about this makes any sense.¡±

    ¡°How doesn¡¯t it make sense?¡± Tibs looked at Jackal, but he was looking at his man, seemingly unaware of them.

    She motioned to Kroseph. ¡°His father asked for a cleric when he fainted during the night.¡±

    Tibs¡¯s chest tightened at his remembered nightmare and how his friends were falling in the wake of the thing hunting him. It took an effort to convince himself he hadn¡¯t done this to Kroseph.

    ¡°¡­they didn¡¯t.¡± Her expression soured. ¡°There¡¯s so many suffering that only those with money warrant it. When I heard about it, I rushed here, and¡­¡± She sighed. ¡°He was stronger when I arrived, but nothing I did helped. He faded away until¡­¡± she motioned to the unconscious man on the bed. ¡°They don¡¯t usually last this long.¡±

    Tibs hesitated. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean he¡¯s going to be okay, then?¡±

    ¡°But he¡¯s not getting any stronger,¡± she replied, slumping in the chair. ¡°I can¡¯t find anything wrong with him. Clearly there is, but none of the etching and weaves I¡¯ve learned are telling me anything. Even the best clerics we have aren¡¯t finding anything. No one here has ever seen, or even heard, of something like this,¡± she said in exasperation. ¡°Even the best of us encounters a sickness that¡¯s too strong for them, and the sick will die, but they will find out what the sickness is in the process.¡± She motioned to Kroseph again. ¡°There¡¯s nothing left there.¡±

    Not yet, Tibs wanted to tell her. He still sensed some life in Kroseph, even if it was so very faint.

    ¡°And yet,¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s holding on. If I could work out how, it would give me an idea of what¡¯s happening to him. I could use that to help others. But the fact he isn¡¯t dead yet is just like this sickness. There¡¯s nothing to explain it.¡±

    Tibs studied Kroseph¡¯s essence. It moved, if barely so.

    In people who weren¡¯t sick, even those without an element, the essence moved through them along what Tibs now recognized were their channels. When someone fell sick or got hurt, the flow was affected. Injuries were easy for him to identify because he could see the problem, along with sensing how the flow responded to it. Sickness affected it in less clear ways, but even if it obstructed the flow, it only did so where the problem was.

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    The Weakness caused the essence to simply fade as it slowed until there was nothing there and they died. So Clara was right. How was it that Kroseph¡¯s essence still flowed? As faint as it was, it should be still. He needed to try something.

    ¡°Is there anything you can do for him?¡± Tibs asked in as conciliatory a tone as he could.

    She shook her head. ¡°Until I figure out what is¡ª¡±

    He squeezed her shoulder. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go sleep. I¡¯m sure Jackal is grateful for what you did, but you have a team to think about.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t leave,¡± she protested. ¡°If there¡¯s¡ª¡±

    ¡°If anything changes, I¡¯ll send someone to get you, I promise.¡±

    Her determination faltered, then she deflated. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t help,¡± she told Jackal as she stood, but the fighter didn¡¯t acknowledge her.

    Tibs extended his sense to follow her until she left the inn, then hurried to pull it back in and reminding himself there was nothing in the shadows. It was only his imagination and the lingering effect of darkness on the node.

    He took Clara¡¯s seat and focused on Kroseph. ¡°Okay, what is going on with you?¡±

    In anyone, even those who were sick, there was a cycle to how the essence flowed in them. It was faster in Runners; and the stronger they were, the faster it flowed. He hadn¡¯t bothered investigating that once he¡¯d noticed it, since the list of what he needed to do was already too long. In contrast, Kroseph¡¯s flow only went in one direction, drifting out of him as it moved.

    So where did it originate?

    He realized he didn¡¯t know the answer for any of them. Tibs absorbed it, but did others do the same? If so, how did townsfolk do it? Only runners were supposed to be able to interact with essence.

    He pushed the question away. How townsfolk did it didn¡¯t matter. What did, was how could Kroseph be doing it now.

    The essence was too faint for Tibs to make out detail unless he narrowed his focus, and then he had to move back along the barely noticeable flow. A sob from Jackal, and in looking up to see if his friend was okay, Tibs lost the sense of the flow. When his mind wandered, and he questioned his ability to do this, the flow was gone. Fighting the fear that his nightmare was making its way through the wall, and he had to start over again.

    Each time, he had to first, breath the distraction away, then his frustration, and then start on the work again.

    He lost track of how many times he¡¯d restarted, when he followed the flow back within the hand Jackal held. He confirmed Jackal wasn¡¯t, somehow, pushing essence into his man, then was perplexed as to how it could come from there.

    ¡°Jackal,¡± he whispered. ¡°I need you to let go of his hand.¡±

    The fighter shook his head.

    Tibs tried to pry the fingers open, but the hand turned to stone.

    ¡°Jackal, I need to see his hand. I need to see where the essence is coming from.¡±

    Another vehement shake of the head.

    Tibs gently took the hand on his side and offered it to Jackal. ¡°Take this one.¡±

    His friend looked it at for so long Tibs wasn¡¯t sure he saw it. Then, slowly, he took it in one hand, then the other, and pressed his lips to the fingers.

    Tibs stared at the ring on Kroseph¡¯s index. It was so plain he¡¯d forgotten about it. The ring Jackal had given his man when he¡¯d promised to be careful from that point on. Promised they¡¯d have a life together. The ring Sto had given Jackal, for Kroseph, because he considered the server important not only to Jackal, but all Runners.

    The ring Sto enchanted so Kroseph would have a life as long as Jackal¡¯s.

    It was where the flow began, faint, but noticeably stronger, slowly fading as it moved. Tibs touched to get a sense of the weave, but it didn¡¯t work. Sto had enchanted it and all the items he¡¯d given them that day, so no one but the wearer could sense the weaves. He hadn¡¯t wanted them to be accidentally discovered.

    All Tibs could do was sense the effects of the ring. How it pulled the essences from outside it, and push a little life essence into him. Was there so little because life essence was barely in the air around them? Or was it just how much the weave was made to send out?

    Tibs took Kroseph¡¯s hand and, after hesitating, willed essence next to it and tilted the ¡®table¡¯ he envisioned it on. As it ¡®fell¡¯ through the server¡¯s hand, it added some to what the ring provided. It joined the flow, making it slightly more noticeable. He caught what fell through, and instead of absorbing it, made it a cloud around the hand, and the flow ¡®caught¡¯ more, strengthening it again.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Kroseph said sleepily, when the flow felt close to what the townsfolk had, ¡°why aren¡¯t you in bed with¡ª¡± the kiss cut him off, and Tibs looked away. ¡°Not that I¡¯m complaining, but you aren¡¯t usually¡ªJackal, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Tears fell as Jackal pulled Kroseph to him. The server noticed Tibs and looked further puzzled.

    He put a hand between them. ¡°Jackal, let go and tell me what¡¯s going on.¡±

    ¡°You have the Weakness,¡± Tibs said.

    Kroseph frowned and stopped pushing. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I mean, I¡¯m tired, but as soon as this oaf gets in bed, I¡¯ll sleep some more.¡±

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°You feel that way because I added life essence to what the ring is giving you, but whatever is causing it is still there. And no one knows what that is.¡±

    Kroseph tapped Jackal¡¯s back, then slapped it forcefully. ¡°Let go. I¡¯m not dying. Tibs said so.¡±

    Reluctantly, Jackal released him and Kroseph moved until he was seated, his back against the headboard. ¡°Okay. What can we do?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re staying in bed,¡± Jackal ordered.

    His man glared at him. ¡°I¡¯m not you. I don¡¯t go running off to help when I¡¯m hurt because I think I¡¯m too tough to get even more injured. Yes, I¡¯m staying in here until we figure out what¡¯s going on.¡± He looked at Tibs. ¡°Or at least until I know what I need to do to remain healthy.¡±

    Tibs sensed Kroseph; the essence was already growing fainter. He could add to it again, but it meant he¡¯d have to stay close by all the time. He¡¯d do it, but it wasn¡¯t practical. He had a lot of other things to do.

    What did he need to know right now so he could plan?

    Why the ring only pushed a little essence into Kroseph. It had added enough to balance the loss before, so why wasn¡¯t it doing it anymore?

    What he needed was someone who knew more than he did.

    Where was Don?

    He expanded his sense and pulled it back in as his imagination screamed the thing was there. He breathed the fear down. There was nothing in the shadows. He could see in them without help since he had Darkness. It was just his nightmare.

    He expanded his sense, then was up.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± he ordered Kroseph, then ran to get the sorcerer, pulling him away from his meal. Once they were on the stairs, he explained what had happened.

    ¡°How do I work out why the ring isn¡¯t keeping the essence at the level it is?¡± he asked, closing the bedroom door behind them.

    Don looked at Kroseph. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°Tired. Like when I work through an entire day and night without stopping.¡±

    Don nodded. ¡°It can¡¯t be what you thought. If it was because there¡¯s too little essence for the ring to draw in, Kroseph wouldn¡¯t have survived. This is some other mechanism.¡± He searched the pockets of his robes, then pulled an amulet. The corruption drained out, and he handed it to Tibs. ¡°Fill this with your essence.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this going to be just like it drawing it from the air?¡± he asked as he pushed essence into it.

    ¡°Enchanted items can function better with access to a concentrated form of the needed essence. It¡¯s why most of them used by non-sorcerers have their own reserves that will refill over time. If they don¡¯t have that, they either can only be powered by one element, and then only the appropriate adventurer can use it, or only sorcerers can power them.¡±

    Even before Tibs placed the amulet in Kroseph¡¯s hand, the ring pulled on the essence it contained. Now, more flowed out of it into the server, and as Kroseph closed his hand on the amulet, he already looked more awake.

    Don smiled. ¡°I think we know how to proceed.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 86

    Tibs watched Kroseph and his father speak by the bar. The server had been ready to get back to work as soon as he¡¯d been strong enough to move about, but his father wasn¡¯t risking him having a relapse.

    ¡°Do you think the dungeon can make more rings like it?¡± Don asked. ¡°Everyone in Kragle Rock would benefit from one.¡±

    ¡°The way Tibs explained it,¡± Mez said, when Tibs didn¡¯t answer, ¡°is that it was hard for the dungeon to make it.¡±

    ¡°And I don¡¯t want a city filled with people not growing old,¡± Jackal added distractedly.

    Tibs pulled his attention away from what was turning into a heated argument between the two. ¡°And we¡¯d need to give everyone an amulet, which I¡¯d have to refill.¡± Don nodded thoughtfully. ¡°There¡¯s one thing I don¡¯t understand. How come the ring didn¡¯t drain itself fighting what¡¯s afflicting him? It increased how much essence it gives him once it pulled from the amulet. Why did it slow down as he got weaker?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s what it did,¡± the sorcerer said, turning pensive. ¡°A weave this complex needs to be able to adjust to changing situations. The one most likely to have an impact will be the availability of essence. So it¡¯s reasonable it has a way to give out less if its internal reserve runs low. Under normal circumstances, I doubt it could be noticed. He might age slightly faster until it replenishes itself. But the Weakness put more of a demand; until it reached a point where all it could give out was what it pulled in. Which was only enough to keep him from dying.¡±

    ¡°So if he doesn¡¯t get a new amulet in time, he¡¯d going to go back to nearly being dead?¡± Jackal asked worriedly.

    ¡°We won¡¯t let that happen,¡± Tibs replied as the server headed in their direction.

    ¡°Can you sense how long the amulet will last?¡± Khumdar asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s too early. I can sense it pulls more when Kroseph exerts himself, but I can¡¯t tell how much.¡±

    Mez winced. ¡°That¡¯s going to hurt Jackal.¡±

    The fighter looked at him uncomprehendingly.

    ¡°You can¡¯t cause him to exert himself,¡± the archer said. ¡°That means no bed fun.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± Jackal stood and took Kroseph¡¯s arm, only for his man to pull it out.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sick.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you are,¡± Don replied, and Kroseph glared at him, dropping on the free seat.

    ¡°I¡¯m not bedridden.¡± He looked at Jackal, sliding another chair to the table. ¡°And you know better than to treat me as if I was. What¡¯s the plan?¡± he asked Don.

    ¡°I think the plan is to find a way to have the dungeon make a ring to handle this one specific issue. It wouldn¡¯t be as demanding on it, and should allow for it to have a larger internal reserve, as well as a more efficient process of refilling itself.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean it¡¯s going to drain people?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°That¡¯s just moving the problem around, not fixing it.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t answer that,¡± the sorcerer said. ¡°There¡¯s a little of all the essences in the air, enough it was able to keep you alive.¡±

    ¡°Barely,¡± Jackal grumbled, taking his man¡¯s hand in his.

    ¡°But Tibs can change one essence into another. It¡¯s possible the dungeon can do the same, and it might have a way to make a weave that does it.¡±

    ¡°Or not,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°It seems that only in figuring out the source of the illness will this be resolved,¡± Khumdar said.

    ¡°And do you have any idea on what that is?¡± Mez asked. ¡°Oh hoarder of secrets.¡±

    That the cleric didn¡¯t immediately answer caused Tibs to stop sensing Kroseph and watch him.

    ¡°I do not know¡­ I cannot know if this might be related or not,¡± Khumdar said cautiously. ¡°But there is something hiding¡­. I do not know the kind of secret it might be. Be it person or condition, but I became aware of it shortly before it was noted people fell ill.¡±

    ¡°Do you know where it is?¡± Don asked.

    The cleric shook his head. ¡°It comes and goes; or that is how it seems. At times, no matter how hard I search for it, I cannot sense that secret anywhere. Then, it will be so clear I will be incapable of not being aware of it, and yet still unable to locate it.¡± He closed his eyes. ¡°I cannot sense it at this time.¡±

    ¡°You said shortly before this started. Any idea how early?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately no. I am also unaware of how it came to arrive. Secrets are not as the sun shining its light down on us. They do not blind with their arrival.¡±

    Don became thoughtful. ¡°Tibs, how was the people¡¯s essence before the sickness was made official?¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t pay attention to that. To many people around, and it¡¯s already so faint I can¡¯t tell them apart in a crowd.¡±

    ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Kroseph asked.

    Don tapped a finger on the table. ¡°It¡¯s the rare sickness that strikes hard. Most of the ones I read about build over time. It can be days, if not weeks, before an afflicted person shows signs. It¡¯s what makes the contagious kinds so dangerous. By the time the first person falls from it, entire neighborhoods are afflicted.¡±

    ¡°Are you thinking it¡¯s what happened here?¡±

    ¡°The guards noted a rise in fighting in the days before the first case was recognized. There were also more people saying how tired they were. Considering how Tibs senses the sickness acting, it seems the two can be connected.¡±

    ¡°I get the people being tired one,¡± Jackal said. ¡°But fights are always going on.¡±

    ¡°Not like this. The guards know the most likely spots fights will start because they track them. They don¡¯t know about the pit, you don¡¯t have to worry about that. What¡¯s changed was how spread the fighting became. Over ten days before that first case, fights started in parts of the city that had never seen them, and over things that were mostly meaningless. Enough, most didn¡¯t understand why they got angry over them. When asked to describe the reason, all they could say was that they just ¡®lost it¡¯.¡±

    ¡°People lose their tempers all the time,¡± Mez said

    ¡°Yes, and it is prevalent enough that many scholars studied what cause it to happen. What kind of person is more likely to lose their temper, what types of situation are more likely to make someone who isn¡¯t prone to anger get angry. There are a lot of them,¡± Don said, shaking his head. ¡°And over the books I¡¯ve read, some contradict each other. But one that comes up nearly in all of them is how being tired, how a loss in vitality, leads to an increase in loss of temper. Which is what the sickness seems to be causing.¡±

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    He rubbed his temple. ¡°Next time we¡¯re allowed to travel, I¡¯ll look for books that are more detailed on the subject. Those were just generalized compendium I looked at as part of figuring out what interested me.¡±

    ¡°You read the strangest things,¡± Mez said.

    Jackal snorted. ¡°It¡¯s just strange that he reads. And guards¡¯ reports? If you are so bored, I¡¯m sure Khumdar will be happy to include you in his staff training.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± The cleric stated.

    Don shook his head. ¡°Your attempt at getting me to endure pain has shown that putting myself in such situation is not something I care to do.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t always have a choice,¡± Jackal pointed out.

    The sorcerer¡¯s nod was confident. ¡°And just like I did then, I will deal with those situations. But I feel my time is better spent learning, instead of suffering. I can learn how to use my essence more efficiently, both as attacks and defense, and support.¡±

    ¡°And that what the team is for,¡± Tibs said. ¡°To support each other.¡±

    ¡°Never thought of corruption as something that would support a fighter,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°That¡¯s because you have Tibs,¡± Don replied. ¡°Other teams have had to rely on the potions or simply learning how to splint an injury, or what to use to keep infection from spreading. Before the clerics arrived, I drained infections out of more than one Runner and townsfolk.¡±

    Tibs stared at him.

    ¡°You went about helping people?¡± Jackal asked in disbelief.

    ¡°Those who didn¡¯t piss me off, yes.¡±

    ¡°There were some of those?¡±

    The sorcerer chuckled. ¡°There were a lot of people here, even back then. And while it might seem unimaginable to you, considering how easily you irritated me, yes, some did receive my goodwill.¡±

    ¡°How come I never heard about that?¡± Tibs asked.

    Don deflated. ¡°Because I was enough of an idiot to believe word of my good actions would undercut the value of being feared. If I couldn¡¯t act without being noticed, I swore them to secrecy.¡±

    ¡°Don Arabis could be a nice guy even back then,¡± Jackal mused, tankard to his lips. ¡°I¡¯d have never guessed it.¡±

    ¡°Good. I¡¯d have felt the need to hurt you otherwise.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d have tried to¡ª¡±

    ¡°As amusing as listening to you two try to out badass each other,¡± Kroseph said.

    ¡°That isn¡¯t what this is about,¡± Jackal protested.

    His man patted his hand. ¡°I¡¯m sure it isn¡¯t. But how about we return to the sickness? Did any of this talk lead to an actual solution?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, no,¡± Don answered. ¡°Khumdar is right that this will only be resolved by finding the source. But if the dungeon will make the rings, it will keep the damage under control until the solution is found.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯ll ask?¡± Kroseph asked Tibs.

    ¡°If Sto will talk to me. I¡¯ve gone to the field each day, and neither of them said anything.¡±

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t they talk to you, or want you to talk to them?¡± Don asked, and Tibs shrugged.

    ¡°Is it in danger?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°He¡¯d call out for help if he was,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°He did before.¡±

    Don tapped a finger. ¡°Can you tell when the dungeon listens to us?¡±

    ¡°Only if one of them speaks first. Why?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking that the instructions for you not to talk to it doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t talk among ourselves. If it happened to overhear us talking about the problem in Kragle Rock, it would let it decide if it wants to help.¡±

    ¡°He will,¡± Tibs stated. ¡°Sto understands how important the town is to the Runners. It¡¯s why he helped with the food when Sebastian had the supplies coming in ruined, and why he provided us with weapons to fight.¡±

    ¡°Then we spend tomorrow¡¯s run talking about the sickness,¡± Jackal said. ¡°And how the rings are the solution.¡±

    ¡°Hopefully in a more discreet way,¡± Don said, chuckling, ¡°but ultimately, yes.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs kept going over the numbers in the ledger when Clara sat opposite him. He added them while she silently stared. He checked they weren¡¯t so far off what they should be that he needed to bring it up with the merchants; and still she stared. Even as he turned to page to write more of them, it was all she did.

    He put the quill in the pot, closed the book, and looked at her. Now he saw there was anger in her stare.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    She narrowed her eyes. ¡°What happened?¡±

    He glanced at the ledger, knowing it wasn¡¯t what this was about. ¡°About what?¡±

    She motioned to Kroseph, serving a table.

    ¡°He got better.¡± After a full day without showing weakness, this morning his father had allowed him to work again.

    ¡°How?¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. He woke up and felt better. We¡¯re keeping an eye on him in case he falls sick again.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re hiding something.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a rogue. It¡¯s kind of what we do.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a rogue thing,¡± she spat.

    ¡°Clara. I don¡¯t know what you mean. Kroseph can¡¯t be the only one who gets better.¡±

    ¡°He was so weak I didn¡¯t understand how it was he wasn¡¯t dead. And he just woke up feeling better?¡± She waved his protest aside. ¡°But that¡¯s not just what I¡¯m here about.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­. Then I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re here about.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have a cleric.¡±

    ¡°Khumdar is¡ª¡±

    ¡°He can¡¯t heal.¡±

    Oh. This could be a problem.

    ¡°Without a healer, how is it that your team hardly ever needs healing going into and out of the dungeon? There¡¯s a reason there¡¯s still a cleric at the door, even with each team having their own. I¡¯m drained well before we get to the boss room. I¡¯ve lost teammates because I didn¡¯t have the reserve to heal them. When¡¯s the last time you lost someone?¡±

    Carina¡¯s body flashed in his mind.

    ¡°We¡¯re always careful. We make sure we have potions¡ª¡±

    ¡°You mean above all those the Guild took from you?¡± She smiled at his surprise. ¡°The nice thing about the guild is that it¡¯s willing to share information with clerics about healing related things. Like how many potions the teams bring out. For your team to have as many as they took, and still drink enough to deal with everything the dungeon throws at us, you either have a way to manipulate what it gives, or something else.¡± She locked eyes with him.

    ¡°We¡¯ve had to carry Jackal out a few times,¡± he said. ¡°Just on our last run, he was so hurt I didn¡¯t think the cleric would be able to fix him.¡±

    She leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°Did you know Quigly lost people on the fourth floor on both of his team¡¯s run?¡±

    Tibs shook his head. The warrior didn¡¯t talk about the people he lost. He was more pragmatic about it. And Tibs wasn¡¯t keeping track of the Runners who died past Upsilon. It was already depressing enough how many he lost in spite of the help he provided.

    ¡°So explain how it is that your team went in twice and didn¡¯t lose anyone. You spent the entire day there both times. I know you and Jackal well enough to know you didn¡¯t find a comfortable bench to sit on and talk the day away.¡±

    He doubted using the pastries would work as an explanation, since Quigly¡¯s team would have encountered them too.

    ¡°Explain to me how it is Jackal¡¯s man is the only one who seems to have gotten over the Weakness? And why you¡¯re hiding how it happened when he could help the others.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hide it,¡± he snapped, and her expression turned to surprise. ¡°I don¡¯t¡ª¡± he closed his mouth on the admission. ¡°If I¡ª¡± he couldn¡¯t say that either. He breathed his emotions steadier. ¡°If I had a way to help everyone, I would.¡±

    ¡°You did cure him,¡± she said, surprise and excitement filling her eyes.

    He shook his head. What he was coming up with had risks, but it was the only thing he could think of to keep her from pressing further.

    ¡°We found an item in the dungeon that¡¯s letting him move about.¡±

    ¡°An item?¡± she said suspiciously. ¡°That the guild somehow didn¡¯t take from you? Because I expect something like that would cost more than all the silvers you¡¯ve accumulated to buy back.¡±

    ¡°It didn¡¯t cure him. If he takes it off, he¡¯ll fall sick again.¡±

    ¡°Okay, but that doesn¡¯t explain how you kept it from the guild.¡±

    This was what they got for each team keeping how they went about it to themselves. Tibs didn¡¯t know how Quigly¡¯s team, or Saraf¡¯s or Drafiss¡¯s managed it. He just knew that each of them had sold enchanted items to the merchants the guild would have taken and made impossible to buy back.

    ¡°We found something that lets us sneak small items out without the guild knowing. We¡¯re not the only ones who found a way,¡± he added. ¡°We just don¡¯t talk about it, so the guild can¡¯t stop us.¡±

    After helping against Sebastian, he knew she had no more love for the guild than he did, but he wasn¡¯t willing to say more.

    She leaned forward and lowered her voice. ¡°But if the guild had it, they could figure out how it works and help everyone.¡±

    Tibs snorted. ¡°It¡¯s the guild. They¡¯d take it and charge so many coins only nobles would benefit.¡± Even after a week of them having the pastries, they hadn¡¯t said anything of what they did. He¡¯d asked Alistair about it during his training after the run, saying it was what was distracting him, instead of admitting to the nightmare still pressing on his mind. And he hadn¡¯t had an answer during the previous day¡¯s training.

    She nodded reluctantly. ¡°How about if one of our sorcerers studied it?¡±

    He considered it. ¡°Does Purity have any that you are certain would use what they learned from it to help the town?¡± even if she did, he could say he needed time to talk it over with the team and see what to do about making sure Kroseph was safe without it.

    But after a few attempts at speaking, she shook her head. Even she knew that Purity also fell victim to those in power not being willing to share what they gained.

    ¡°Then I¡¯m not risking Kroseph¡¯s life on this. I¡¯m sorry Clara. But we found it in the dungeon, so we might find another one, and you can have it and see if someone can make more. I¡¯ll give you any we find. You, I trust to give them to those who need them the most.¡±

    And hopefully, soon there would be so many of them then deciding who should have one wouldn¡¯t be a problem anymore.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 87

    ¡°Am I the only one,¡± Mez said, looking around at the nearly empty merchant stalls on their way to the steps, ¡°who feels like these are the last days of an empire?¡±

    With the Weakness rampant, the whole of Kragle Rock felt empty. Even the Runners, who seemed more resistant to it, only left their rooms for the bare minimum. The quiet of the streets had made Tibs uncomfortable.

    The quiet of a lack of life.

    ¡°Empires do not fall this quietly,¡± Khumdar whispered.

    ¡°Empires don¡¯t fall,¡± Jackal said, tone forcefully jovial. ¡°It¡¯s what makes them empires.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± Don said, nodding to a merchant standing by her booth. ¡°But there¡¯s something too¡­unnatural here for it to feel like one of them ending.

    ¡°We are going to fix this,¡± Tibs stated.

    They knew how, they just had to hope Sto was going to be listening.

    The cleric nodded with only glancing at them. Then they were in and through the doorway to the fourth floor.

    ¡°The library,¡± Don said, heading for the stairs.

    ¡°The houses first,¡± Jackal replied.

    ¡°The library is more important,¡± Don stated, turning to face the fighter. ¡°We can go over the houses after.¡±

    Jackal looked at Tibs, who shrugged. This was how they¡¯d agreed to start, but Sto still had said nothing. He just hope his friend remember the advice he¡¯d given him.

    ¡°Okay, listen up everyone,¡± the fighter said in a so serious tone even Don closed his mouth. Tibs did his best not to roll his eyes. He¡¯d hopes for something more subtle, but this was Jackal, and the situation wasn¡¯t all that dire.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re all affected by what¡¯s happening. I nearly lost Kroseph, so I¡¯m right there with you and wanting to go back to look after your loved ones.¡±

    Mez exchanged a look with Don, while Khumdar¡¯s lips quivered in restraining the smile.

    ¡°But we are Runners first and foremost. It¡¯s our duty to explore this floor and bring back loot. They understand that, and all they want from us is to come back to them.¡± He smiled and straightened in pride.

    ¡°And,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°With a potential cure provided by the dungeon to the weakness spreading over Kragle Rock, such as the ring, which was vital in saving Kroseph.¡±

    Jackal stared at the cleric in surprise. ¡°Right.¡± He shook himself. ¡°We have to hope there¡¯ll be more rings like the one that saved my man.¡±

    ¡°Nice¡­speech?¡± Mez said, sounding unsure.

    ¡°Then, the library makes the most sense,¡± the sorcerer said.

    ¡°Don,¡± Jackal replied in exasperation. ¡°I just explained how finding the most loot is what we need to do.¡±

    ¡°No, you told us how curing what afflicts our friends is important. That might be in the library. It holds knowledge, Jackal,¡± Don said, cutting off the protest. ¡°It might hold records of this sickness. Just because I haven¡¯t found anything about it in everything I read doesn¡¯t mean it never happened. A library in a dungeon could hold tomes no one has ever seen before.¡±

    ¡°And may never see at all,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°One needs remember that not everything in the dungeon is real. As with many things here, the books may be no more than props.¡±

    ¡°But we won¡¯t know that unless we go and look at them.¡±

    ¡°You just want to read,¡± Jackal said with disdain.

    ¡°Tibs, help me out here.¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t check all the houses between here and the library,¡± Tibs said. ¡°It won¡¯t take so long to look those over on the way.¡±

    Don¡¯s lips tightened, but he nodded.

    With a satisfied clap of the hands, Jackal walked by him and down the stairs.

    Tibs fell in step with Khumdar. ¡°How did you know what Jackal was supposed to say?¡±

    The cleric shrugged. ¡°Our team leader is not the most complex person, and like him, the secrets he holds are simpler to decipher. It took little on my part to make out the shape of it, and once it was obvious he had forgotten, to say what was needed for him to continue.¡±

    ¡°By filling the node of sight with your essence,¡± Tibs said, and had to work at keeping his voice from trembling as the creature from his nightmare resurfaced.

    Khumdar glanced at him. ¡°Have you done it again?¡± Tibs didn¡¯t think the hint of accusation was his imagination.

    ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t¡­¡± he looked away.

    ¡°Tibs, I have warned you that you are not ready,¡± the cleric said, with a sigh of annoyance. ¡°All these elements you are tied to do not grant you the connection I share with Darkness. Which did not protect me when I began this.¡±

    ¡°I know, I just¡­¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Someone was following me, I think. They were using essence to hide, and they were stronger than I am, so I thought that if I used only a little darkness in the node, it would let me figure out where they were so I could get them to stop. I was careful,¡± Tibs protested before the cleric could voice the accusation. ¡°I thought I was,¡± he amended.

    ¡°And?¡±

    He shuddered. The nightmares had finally stopped waking up each night. Would bringing them up give them strength again? He breathed his fear aside. ¡°It must have touched the other node you said, the one that affects my mind, because instead of seeing anyone following me, it was this thing and then I ran and I felt it after me and¡­ I don¡¯t know. Darkness was everywhere. And all the shadows reached for me, wanted to pull me apart and it was still there. I don¡¯t even know how I made it to the room, but I was finally able to breathe, to remember I controlled the essence and make that nightmare end.¡±

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°That one?¡±

    Tibs chuckles dryly. ¡°It¡¯s been haunting me each night.¡±

    Khumdar nodded. ¡°When was this?¡±

    ¡°After the last run, on the way back from the lake. Have you ever felt something like that?¡±

    The cleric was pensive. ¡°My relationship to secrets is not as it is for you. But what you describe sounds like something I have experienced. When darkness enters the node of the mind, it¡­ I do not know if it grants access, or fabricates it, but there is a¡­realm, for lack of a better word, of secrets. And seeing it for the first time can be unsettling.¡±

    Tibs shuddered. ¡°That¡¯s not the right word.¡±

    ¡°I expect that for you, it is not.¡±

    ¡°Then what was that thing hunting me?¡±

    ¡°A secret you fear, I expect. You need understand, Tibs. In that¡­place where only secrets can be, they are given¡­¡± Khumdar cursed. ¡°I cannot properly express it. It is not life, but it can seem as such. But you are who motivates them. From how you speak of them, I must suspect that you do not hold secrets as I do. That a part of you fears them. Not one specifically, but their existence. That you do not care for secrets to exist.¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t know how to take it. He was a rogue, and he had many secrets. He wasn¡¯t afraid of them, or even worried about them.

    But if Bardik hadn¡¯t kept secret what he had been using Tibs to do, could things have been different? Could he have convinced the adventurer not to go through with it? Saved him from where ever he had been sent? If the guild wasn¡¯t so secretive, would he be plotting to take it down? Maybe a group would have come forth to help them be better before things became so wrong.

    Tibs wasn¡¯t sure he didn¡¯t like secrets, or was afraid of them. But there was no denying that they were responsible for many of the problems he had.

    ¡°Are you two done plotting?¡± Jackal called from the bottom of the stairs. Tibs hadn¡¯t realized they¡¯d slowed.

    ¡°Indeed, we are,¡± Khumdar replied.

    ¡°The guild?¡± The fighter asked when they reached the others, studying Tibs.

    Tibs rolled his eyes. ¡°No, just secrets and the realm they live in.¡±

    ¡°Don, Tibs,¡± Mez called. ¡°Either of you know why the ¡®sun¡¯ seems to be just over the horizon this time, instead of already in the sky?¡±

    ¡°Maybe the dungeon changed it to match when we enter,¡± the sorcerer replied, glancing at Tibs, who shrugged. Without Sto explaining it, he had no better answers.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Jackal said. He motioned to the first house. ¡°How about you get us inside before Don kicks in the door?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t kick in doors,¡± the sorcerer protested. ¡°I melt them.¡±

    ¡°Then hurry to open it,¡± Jackal said. ¡°When he melts something, it stinks.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs cut the guard¡¯s hand off, then stabbed her through the chest. The punch staggering him back and leaving his sword in it served as another reminder they weren¡¯t like people. His shield took the other punch, and Tibs slid back while he formed the etching and sent it at his sword, exploding it. Shards of ice and metal, as well as pieced of the golem, hit the other guards rushing for him.

    Sto had changed something in how the golem people acted. They weren¡¯t following the roles they looked like. Instead of coming at them in orderly fashion, the guard had fallen on them in larger numbers, more like the gangs from his Street and others he¡¯d visited in his search. They¡¯d split his team apart, then tried to overwhelm each of them.

    Tibs switch to corruption and formed the essence into a sword. Even golem stone like flesh was susceptible to it. All flesh seemed to be weak against it. It was how Don had become so feared, even with as little essence as they all had had back then. A touch, and he could bring down the strongest fighter.

    The dark purple form he had looked like a sword, but as soon as he started his swing, it stretched as if it was made of water essence with a filigree of Bor. More syrup than solid. When the ¡®sword¡¯ hit the guard, it bent, sticking to it and wrapping itself along its back and other side.

    Not what he¡¯d aimed for, but it could use it. He made the corruption spread over the golem, weakening the armor, finding cracks through which it touched ¡®flesh¡¯. He made a rope of corruption and flung it at another guard, but it and those in the path dropped to the ground.

    They also adapted faster.

    One threw knives at him, and Tibs willed them away and into the other guards. The metal of their blades had no weave, so they wouldn¡¯t have hurt him, but his armor wasn¡¯t entirely repaired from the damage it had received on his last run, so he wanted to keep it as whole as he could.

    This was another change Tibs didn¡¯t understand. There were no sorcerers among them, or even one enchanted item. Did Sto consider the increase numbers to be enough to match what one sorcerer did? Was he low on essence and couldn¡¯t¡­how did dungeon made sorcerer get their essence?

    Tibs wove light into a bar, then added Fey to make it hard, and Ike so it would hit harder.

    The explosion sent him through a house¡¯s door.

    He pushed himself to his feet with a sigh. Why did he always do this? A fight wasn¡¯t the time to try something new.

    He stepped outside the house, forming a sword and shield.

    He did it because fights were when he thought about it.

    Where he¡¯d stood, the ground was caved in. Only two of the guards were left, using the walls they¡¯d impacted to help them stand. Other walls were cracked where guards had hit them, but there was nothing left of them.

    He cut the heads off before they were ready to get back into the fight, then turned, ready to strike the new arrival. But it was Jackal, skidding to a stop and looking at the damage.

    ¡°I thought that flash of light was you calling for help.¡±

    ¡°Is everything okay?¡± Don asked, running around a house.

    ¡°Is there a way to get the Arcanus to act on the essence after I put the filigree in?¡± Tibs asked as he entered the house and looked around. The usual living area had a chest instead of a low table.

    ¡°What?¡± Don asked, confused.

    ¡°I like the explosion I caused.¡± He knelt before the chest. ¡°But it would work better if happened once I was away.¡± He ran a hand along the cover¡¯s seam.

    ¡°Yes, hasn¡¯t your teacher showed you how¡­ never mind. They don¡¯t start teaching that until Lambda. Even after I told my teacher what I¡¯d read about them, he said it wasn¡¯t time yet.¡±

    ¡°See, that¡¯s what happens when you read so much,¡± Jackal said, triumphantly. ¡°You get mixed up in what you¡¯re supposed to know, and soon enough you¡¯re acting like you know more than your instructor and get in trouble for¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a sorcerer, Jackal. No teacher of mine will ever complain that I know more than I should.¡±

    Tibs located the trigger.

    ¡°No,¡± Mez said, joining them. ¡°They¡¯re just going to charge you as if they had taught you and call it an early end to the day¡¯s training.¡±

    ¡°Can your injury wait?¡± Tibs asked, sensing the break in Mez¡¯s leg while he worked the trap¡¯s pin out.

    ¡°It can. How is your reserve? Did you have enough time to refill it completely?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± The pin came out. ¡°I have about half, but it¡¯s going to be fine for the run. So long as I don¡¯t do anything like during the last one.¡± He pried the cover up enough to slip his hand in and took the vial before it could fall. With the pin gone, that was the only way the poison would have released. He handed it to Don, who studied it.

    A chain mail shirt, with water and fire essence woven through. He focused and made out the Arcanus, but he didn¡¯t know how they interacted. The weaves and filigree were loose enough he didn¡¯t think it would be something big.

    ¡°Did your fight seem¡­easy?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°You ended up with a broken leg,¡± Don replied. ¡°I¡¯m going to have bruises the size of Russell¡¯s ego, and Tibs looks like he was thrown through that door.¡±

    ¡°My explosion did that.¡± Tibs focussed on Don¡¯s injuries. The damage wasn¡¯t severe enough to affect the flow of his essence. It only had the ¡­ fuzziness all bruises gave to the essence. Someone had to think of better words for the stuff around essence.

    ¡°So that¡¯s why you want to delay the results. What elements did you use?¡±

    ¡°The bar was light. I made the filigree with Fey and Ike.¡±

    ¡°Why those?¡±

    ¡°My reserve of light was full, Fey to make it hard, and Ike so it would move faster.¡±

    ¡°And how did you arrange them?¡±

    Tibs stared at the sorcerer.

    ¡°Tibs, you need to¡ªyou know what, forget it. Just tell me why you keep doing this. You should be testing new etchings under supervision and in a room build to withstand the results.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have time to sit around thinking of ways to use essence,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°The idea just occurred to me, so I tried it.¡±

    ¡°You have to make the time, Tibs,¡± Don replied with a sigh. ¡°One day, something like this could end up hurting the rest of us. It¡¯s why I want to test what you¡¯re capable of. If you know how far you can push yourself, you¡¯ll also know how much to restrain what you do.¡±

    Instead of answering, Tibs made a weave of purity and applied to Mez¡¯s legs. It seeped in, pushing the essence into place, and the archer sighed in relief as the bone followed suit.

    ¡°We good to go?¡± Jackal asked as Khumdar stepped into the house. His robe was cut and ripped, but the cleric¡¯s essence was fine.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Don said, eyes locked on Tibs. ¡°I need to see the library.¡±

    Tibs stood, stepped outside, and a fog descended over his sense.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 88

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jackal asked, turning to stone as Tibs froze.

    Tibs sensed the fog, tried to push further than it reduced it, but this was different from the one Ganny had filled the third floor with.

    ¡°The fog is back,¡± he whispered. Trying to understand what it meant.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Don asked.

    Tibs stared at the sorcerer. ¡°Can¡¯t you sense it? You could before.¡±

    Don closed his eyes, and soon after shook his head.

    Was that what was different about it? This targeted his sense specifically?

    ¡°What does it mean for the run?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°I think the real question is, why did it return now?¡± Don said.

    ¡°And how we need to deal with it for the run,¡± Jackal snapped. ¡°If Tibs can¡¯t sense anything, we have to change our strategies.¡±

    ¡°I still can.¡± He tried to get a sense of how far he could reach. ¡°Two blocks for sure. Maybe three. It¡¯s not as uniform as it was on the third floor.¡±

    ¡°Is that why none of the golem people have magic?¡± Mez asked. ¡°The dungeon was keeping it for this?¡±

    ¡°Possibly,¡± Don answered, rubbing his temple. ¡°There are too many unknowns.¡±

    ¡°We can keep going,¡± Tibs said. ¡°The doorways have always opened close enough I¡¯ll still be able to sense them, and two blocks is enough to prepare for approaching guards.¡±

    ¡°How about the dogs?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°Can you still sense them?¡±

    ¡°There aren¡¯t any now, but I should be able to. They¡¯re strong enough their essence is dense.¡±

    ¡°Just stay on guard for them while we continue.¡±

    * * * * *

    The library was large enough Tibs couldn¡¯t sense it completely. They walked along the sandy colored stones of its wall for two blocks of houses before reaching the doors, and it continued as far past it. Columns of darker stones had gone up between the windows, as well as on each side of the double doors, up the three stories and seemed to support the roof.

    ¡°Is it safe to go in?¡± Don asked, grinning the way Jackal did when loot was in sight.

    There were no essence triggers, and looking over the lock, hinges and frame did not reveal traps. It didn¡¯t reassure him. With the fog targeting him specifically, he couldn¡¯t know what else it kept him from sensing.

    He had sensed the triggers within the house, as well as the golem people that had waited in ambush, but was that because his sense wasn¡¯t affected that way? Or was it Ganny trying to trick him?

    He grabbed the door¡¯s handle before Don could, glaring at the sorcerer. When he tested with a pull, the door creaked open, and dry, dusty air pushed out.

    It was enough unlike any of the other buildings that he looked at Don, who sniffed, smiled, then squeezed into the gap, vanishing inside as Jackal ordered him to stay.

    Tibs didn¡¯t rush in after the sorcerer. Don knew better, and if a trap caught him, he could wait until Tibs made sure there weren¡¯t others as he made his way to him.

    The entryway was the size of the inn. The floor was in the same sandy stone as the outside, but polished until the light stones on the columns supporting the ceiling reflected on it. The walls were close enough to white Tibs could imagine purity having been applied to the sandy color until it became this. Faded paintings of people lined the two walls demarcating the entryway.

    Unlike the golem people they had fought, what Tibs made out of them was lanky and thin. Pale colors for the skin and hair. The frame had been painted in gold, which was pealing.

    He wondered who they were.

    They¡¯d all decided the short gray skinned golem people had been who lived in the city. But there had been the question of why the houses seemed made for regular people. Were they Sto¡¯s creation? What about these lanky people in the paintings; had lived here too? Instead? If so, then why was the furniture been down to the size of the golem people?

    Don¡¯s yell of joy pulled him out of the puzzle.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t any of the traps I walked in make me that happy?¡± Jackal grumbled.

    ¡°Maybe the trap buried him in books?¡± Mez offered as Tibs followed the footsteps in the dust, clearing it to make sure there weren¡¯t traps the sorcerer had stepped over.

    There weren¡¯t any by the time Tibs made it to the opposite archway. He looked over his shoulder at the entryway. More portraits between the windows, each someone lanky. There was a lot of floor that could hide triggers under the dust, but other than stepping off this path to study the paintings, there was no reason to have traps there.

    Whenever Sto spoke to him again, Tibs was going to let him know how little he enjoyed having him play with his nerves like this.

    ¡°He isn¡¯t buried,¡± Jackal grumbled, and Tibs looked into large room.

    Don sat on a table, an open tome on his lap and more stacked next to him. Three such tables, devoid of sorcerer and books, were next to it, with enough space for chairs and someone to walk between them. Then, bookshelves filled with books, and he sensed more behind them, and going as far as his sense reached ahead of him, as well as on the balconies above them. Above the sorcerer, a glowing orb provided light for him to read by.

    He looked up, grinning. ¡°How many can you fit in your pouch?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Jackal replied cautiously.

    Don motioned around them. ¡°I need to bring them back to study.¡±

    ¡°What do they say?¡± Tibs asked, stepping into the sorcerer¡¯s steps, then pausing as an orb appeared over his head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Don replied, while Tibs studied the weave of the orb. ¡°It uses the Arcanus, but arranged in a way I¡¯ve never seen before, and there are a two characters I also don¡¯t know.¡±

    It was light essence. Nearly exclusively so. With just a hint of air; maybe to keep it afloat. The filigrees were simpler than he expected, and he memorized them as best as he could. This might be something he could only do in the privacy of his room, but not having to bother with candles, or willing the essence to remain, would make working there easier.

    ¡°If they even say anything,¡± Mez said, and Tibs realized he¡¯d missed most of what Don had said. ¡°They might just be things the dungeon made to mess with you; sorcerers, I mean.¡±

    Don raised the tome, looking at Tibs.

    ¡°They aren¡¯t woven with essence, but that doesn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t make them. The normal armor and clothing don¡¯t have essence in them, and we know he made those. The only things he weaves essence in are those he doesn¡¯t want destroyed.¡±

    ¡°Other than by you,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t want me to destroy them either,¡± Tibs replied.

    Don pushed himself off the table and offered the tome to Jackal, who stepped back, hands raised. ¡°Put that in your pouch,¡± the sorcerer said. ¡°We¡¯re starting with those two bookcases.¡± He motioned to the one on their left and right. ¡°If they¡¯re arranged the same way as back home, those are core primers regarding the subjects contained in the rest of the library, and they will have the ordering scale that makes finding them easier.¡±

    ¡°You have a backpack,¡± the fighter stated.

    ¡°I can¡¯t fit all those books in it,¡± Don replied dismissively. ¡°Your pouch can hold everything in here, so¡ª¡±

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    ¡°No, it can¡¯t,¡± Jackal said, glaring at Tibs. ¡°Some people argued for it to have a limit. Supposedly so I wouldn¡¯t leave the dungeon with everything not attached to the floors.¡±

    ¡°And wall,¡± Mez added, earning himself the fighter¡¯s glaring.

    ¡°And ceiling,¡± Tibs said, distracted by something he couldn¡¯t quite make out within his sense. It was like the fog had shifted. He suffused himself with darkness, and his vision filled with secrets. Fear made him swallow. Was he back in that realm of secrets Khumdar had told him about? Then he realized they had no shape. They were just clouds enveloping the books. All of them. If what he sensed was a secret, then he was lost among all those.

    Suffusing himself with light didn¡¯t help. There were no lies in here. Did that mean the books were real?

    ¡°Guys,¡± Mez said, but Don and Jackal kept arguing about the value of the books here. ¡°Guy! Be quiet!¡± Tibs looked at the archer, losing track of his own search. ¡°I think I hear something,¡± he said in the following silence.

    Without the voices, and Tibs not so focused on his sense, he heard it too. The slow shuffling of approaching steps. He sensed in that direction, but the fog was¡­

    ¡°Guards?¡± Jackal whispered, moving next to Tibs, his skin gray.

    ¡°Those don¡¯t sound like boots,¡± Mez whispered behind Tibs.

    ¡°Does a library have guards?¡± Tibs asked Don, on his other side.

    ¡°Some of them might come in to read,¡± the sorcerer whispered his answer, ¡°but books aren¡¯t something thieves usually go after. You think this is the dungeon respecting the theme? Like it did with the permit building?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say this wasn¡¯t a dungeon made building?¡± Mez asked, and Tibs nodded.

    ¡°That is not to say a dungeon is incapable of making use of an already existing structure,¡± Khumdar whispered, staff in hand. ¡°After all, there is essence here, as within any ordinary or dungeon made place.¡±

    ¡°Then these are just going to be scholars?¡± Jackal asked, disappointed.

    ¡°Golem people,¡± Tibs said, ¡°made to look like scholars.¡± But that sounded wrong to his ears.

    ¡°There,¡± Mez whispered, pointing in the darkened distance. Tibs realized only the five of them had orbs of light over them. The forms he could just make out, stout and wide, were bathed in darkness.

    ¡°How dangerous can scholars be?¡± Jackal asked.

    And why bother hiding them from his sense?

    ¡°I mean, unless they throw books,¡± the fighter added in the silence. ¡°Then, this will be a dungeon worthy of the abyss.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s worse than that,¡± Don said.

    Tibs ignored the certainty in his voice. Whatever etching it was they used did something to the fog around them. Made it less¡­ something. He didn¡¯t have time to come up with a word, but it was clear they were doing it and¡ª

    ¡°Abyss.¡± His sense shattered at the realization.

    ¡°They¡¯re sorcerers, aren¡¯t they?¡± Don asked.

    ¡°I¡­I think so. The etching hiding them used multiple essence.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Jackal said, all dismissiveness in his voice gone. ¡°How many?¡±

    ¡°Too many,¡± Mez replied.

    By the sounds, there could be more than a dozen of them.

    ¡°How strong are they?¡± Don asked.

    ¡°I can¡¯t sense them,¡± Tibs replied, ¡°but it wouldn¡¯t matter. Golem people aren¡¯t like us. I can just tell the kind of essence they use.¡±

    ¡°So they could just be Upsilon?¡± Jackal asked hopefully

    ¡°Not on the fourth floor of a dungeon,¡± Don replied as one of the forms became visible at the edge of their light, but on the balcony instead of the among those still approaching around the tables.

    What Tibs made out was the gray skin and compressed form, but the hair was thin and white and the skin wrinkled. Old, the combinations said to him. Another appeared next to it as they both reached the rail, and this one had a beard so long that as it leaned forward to look at them, it fell over and hung below their floors. Another stepped next to them, as Tibs caught motion on the other balcony, where five stepped into the edge of their lights.

    And now he could make out enough details from those among the tables to count heads. They¡¯d been right, a dozen. Which meant there were one and nine sorcerers around them.

    ¡°I really hope they¡¯re Upsilon,¡± Mez whispered.

    ¡°We need to leave,¡± Don said, ¡°before they can focus on anything.¡± He sent corruption at those among the table.

    Tibs channeled lightning. He knew from experience how hard it made thinking, even when it barely caused damage. He sent it at those on the left balcony, leaving it to jump between the golems as he sensed fire essence being etched. He channeled that and pulled on the etching hard, undoing it and adding that essence to his reserve.

    ¡°Don¡¯t use the books!¡± Don yelled. ¡°They¡¯re priceless!¡±

    Jackal was throwing those on the table, each hit sending one golem onto its back, but not keeping them there.

    ¡°The dungeon is going to remake them overnight,¡± the fighter replied, throwing the last one. ¡°Tibs, can you absorb all their etchings?¡± he motioned for them to step back toward the archway.

    Tibs willed the etching he sensed forming apart, but the golems were too strong for that. One dropped as a fire arrow exploded in their chest. The next one was doused by water before it reached another.

    ¡°I have to be channeling that element, otherwise I have nowhere to pull the essence into.¡± He channeled lighting and pulled that essence into him before the bolt reached his friends, but with it focused on that, metal and water in the form of spikes and ice were on their way. Darkness intercepted them, but they had enough as they hit that Don staggered and Mez cursed.

    ¡°Might I recommend we make haste?¡± the cleric said through pain clenched teeth.

    ¡°If we turn our back to them,¡± Jackal replied, ¡°they are going to cut us down. Tibs?¡±

    He had a moment of annoyance that Jackal looked to him, again, for a solution. He made a wall of ice that broke, intercepting the stone, and dissolved more metal spikes with corruption. He could hold them back while his team escaped and then he would¡­

    What he needed was a way to block the sorcerers that didn¡¯t leave him behind. He used air to send bookshelves flying at the sorcerers, but only the books caught in the air, and he had no control over how they flew and most hit columns instead of the sorcerers and¡ª

    ¡°Jackal! Break that column!¡± He had no idea if it was going to work. ¡°Everyone else, cover us!¡± He ran to the on one under the opposite balcony, suffusing himself with earth and making himself as hard and strong as he could. He punched the column and sent chunks flying.

    ¡°Jackal!¡± he called when he didn¡¯t hear corresponding hit from the fighter¡¯s side. A glance over his shoulder showed him the fighter with both hands against the stone column, pushing essence into it.

    Tibs cursed. Of course, he didn¡¯t have to hit it. There was more to earth than making himself harder and stronger. He pushed essence into the existing cracks within the column and used that to push it apart.

    The snap of breaking stone came from Jackal¡¯s side first, then the ground shook and stone rained down as his finally broke, exploding, instead of just breaking. Then he ran for his friends, already making their way to the archway, keeping the stone from falling on them.

    They made it out just ahead of the cloud of stone dust and continued running until they were on the other side of the road. He turned, panting, essence ready, lightning cracking between his fingers for any sorcerers who made it out. Then his attention was pulled up in awe and horror as the entire building collapsed in on itself.

    ¡°This wouldn¡¯t have happened if you¡¯d just taken the books!¡±

    ¡°Of course it would have,¡± Jackal replied dismissively. ¡°They didn¡¯t hear us argue. They were some trap you probably triggered by running in without having Tibs make sure it was clear. At least I kept you from pulling us any deeper.¡±

    ¡°Like any of it was about keeping us safe,¡± Don snapped, ¡°You¡¯re just an ignorant fighter, scared of anything that might show him better ways of thinking.¡±

    Jackal snorted. ¡°You say that like there¡¯s something wrong with how I think.¡±

    ¡°Will you two stop!¡± Mez yelled, then groaned, and Tibs pulled his attention away from the ruins and how breaking two columns might have caused it.

    He cursed and ran for the archer. ¡°Keep watch in case they weren¡¯t destroyed.¡± He crouched next to Mez and formed a weave of purity. ¡°Sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have let the building falling keep me from checking on you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not dying, Tibs. It¡¯s fine.¡±

    Mez had some deep cuts, but while many channels were ruptured, they weren¡¯t leaking a lot of essence. He sense for Don and Khumdar while he applied the weave and while neither of them showed it, their injuries were as severe as the archer¡¯s.

    After applying weaves to them also, he joined Jackal in watching the ruins for a potential attack.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t my fault,¡± Jackal stated after a long silence.

    ¡°You could stop playing at hating books so hard.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not playing. Books are bad.¡±

    Tibs rolled his eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t like books. It doesn¡¯t make them bad.¡±

    ¡°I remember this friend of mine,¡± Jackal said wistfully, ¡°who, not long ago, would run away at the mere mention of learning his letters. I wonder whatever happened to him?¡±

    ¡°He got over his fear,¡± Tibs answered. ¡°Because it was what he had to do to help as many people as he could. So he could help his team.¡±

    ¡°You¡ª¡±

    Tibs faced his friend. ¡°You don¡¯t have to learn your letters, Jackal. But you have to stop getting in the way of Don when he wants books.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re probably not even real books.¡±

    ¡°Maybe. But that¡¯s not what matters. Don likes books. If he¡¯d gotten one of them out, he wouldn¡¯t be angry right now.¡±

    Jackal stared at the remnant of the library, then turned with a huff and headed for the sorcerer. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being an ignorant fighter scared of books. If you want, I¡¯ll go in there and get you one.¡±

    Don looked around the fighter, and Tibs shrugged. He hadn¡¯t expected Jackal to do that. He¡¯d just hope he wouldn¡¯t cause problems next time.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± the sorcerer replied. ¡°Like Mez said. They¡¯ll be back on our next run.¡± He poked the fighter in the chest. ¡°But I am filling your pouch with them.¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t catch Jackal¡¯s grumbled reply.

    ¡°How come the whole building fell?¡± Tibs asked Don.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Poor structure,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°The columns didn¡¯t just support that balcony, but the one above it and so on. When we broke them, the other columns had to hold more of the weight and they failed.¡±

    The smile grew on his face as they all stared at him in silence.

    ¡°What? You think this is the first building I made come crashing down on my head? How about we take a rest? Even if they survived, they probably can¡¯t leave the room.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s not a dungeon made building,¡± Mez said. Pulling an ale skin from his pack.

    ¡°It¡¯s didn¡¯t stop the dungeon from using it as one,¡± Don said, unwrapping the wheel of cheese. ¡°It also makes more sense that creatures staying within a room is a result of the dungeon wanting us to know what to expect, instead of something that¡¯s intrinsic to the room.¡±

    ¡°But on the previous floors,¡± Jackal said, taking the loaf of bread from his pouch, ¡°we had to make it through each room to continue. Here, we¡¯re wandering about until we find the right building.¡±

    Tibs made a plater and tankards out of ice. And Khumdar placed the chunk of cured meats on it. Tibs added the dried fruits, and they stacked slices of cheese, meats, and fruits on bread.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re wrong about wandering about,¡± Don said after swallowing. ¡°The dungeon always arranges thing so that being smart helps. I think that if we decide to go over the permit building again, and any other the dungeon added, we¡¯ll find clues as to where the boss room will be located.¡±

    Jackal smiled. ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is that we really should go to the permit building again and collect all that loot?¡±

    Don stared at the fighter, had a shudder, and nodded. Then he muttered. ¡°I¡¯m staying in the middle of that carpet.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 89

    Tibs slashed up, and the guard deflected the blow with its shield, losing part of it to the sharpness the filigree of Dhu added to the metal edge gave it. He jumped back instead of blocking the returned swing, having experienced how much strength they had even when they weren¡¯t overhead strikes. As soon as the guard¡¯s sword smashed in to the ground, Tibs ducked, sensing Khumdar¡¯s swinging in his direction. The impact staggered the gray-skinned golem person more than any of Tibs¡¯s strikes did; more than he thought the cleric¡¯s strength allowed.

    He¡¯d ask how that was later.

    Khumdar caught the other guard¡¯s sword on his staff, deflected it and slammed the end into its face, cracking it and leaving wisps of darkness behind. Tibs spun on a leg before standing and swung at the guard trying to take advantage of the cleric¡¯s turned back. It wasn¡¯t as armored, going to speed over strength, and the tip of Tibs¡¯s sword left water in the cuts.

    The golem didn¡¯t seem aware of either the damage or water; another reminder that as much as they looked like a form of people, they weren¡¯t. When enough criss-crossed its chest, Tibs sent the etching he¡¯d held at the ready, and once it hit, the water turned to ice, spreading. It continued attacking, also seemingly unaware of that, and Tibs kept blocking and striking, adding more cuts and more water that immediately iced.

    When it reached a shoulder, the arm no longer moved properly. But the golem attacked as if it was fine. The elbow, wrist, and hand moving, but unable to come close to Tibs.

    Another cut and ice spread to a leg and the golem¡¯s attempt to step forward resulted in a limp that let Tibs inflict a long cut on the other leg, then turning to help Khumdar, confident this golem wouldn¡¯t be a problem.

    The cleric had kept the two guards from landing blows and had managed a few of his own by the added darkness on them, but more were joining.

    Tibs suffused himself with earth and barreled through the newcomers, and the pain in his side as the toothed lined sword bit into it was yet another reminder that Sto kept in mind the elements Tibs was immune to. He blocked the next strike and left shallow cuts on their armor. The spreading ice broke as they moved, showing it couldn¡¯t reach their body, but it impeded them sufficiently he was able to dispatch them.

    He turned to help Khumdar in time to see the cleric smile and do a pulling motion that felt theatrical, but resulted into shadowed versions of the two people golems leaving the bodies, then them crumbling as he absorbed the darkness.

    ¡°You¡¯re teaching me that one,¡± Tibs said, and Khumdar responded with one of his amused, enigmatic smiles.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Jackal said, resting against a wall. ¡°Other than taking too long, this was fun.¡±

    ¡°The dungeon¡¯s found ways of making the golem people more resistant to fire,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°And Corruption,¡± Don added, wincing as he stretched.

    ¡°He¡¯s forcing us to think of new ways to fight,¡± Tibs said, heading for the sorcerer. He was cut and had one break in his side. ¡°I thought you were going to keep back.¡± He applied a weave, keeping his sense on the approaching form. It was moving slowly, so he had time.

    The sorcerer sighed in relief. ¡°The dungeon is adapting to that, too. One of them threw a mace at me.¡±

    Tibs raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°It was made of something that resisted my corruption enough to do this.¡±

    Jackal made a fist, grinning. ¡°This always works for me.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not all too thick headed for our own good,¡± Don replied with some bitterness.

    ¡°He¡¯s thick everywhere,¡± Mez said. ¡°That¡¯s why nothing the dungeon throws at him works.¡±

    ¡°I am just that awesome.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the word I¡¯d use,¡± Don muttered.

    ¡°Which is why I¡¯m the one using it. There¡¯s nothing the dungeon can do that will¡ª¡±

    The growl reverberated around them, and Tibs smiled, wondering if Sto knew Jackal well enough to have expected the statement and timed the response.

    ¡°You do love getting the dungeon to prove you wrong, don¡¯t you?¡± Don asked, chuckling while Jackal looked around fearfully. The sound seemed to come from all around them.

    ¡°It¡¯s there.¡± Tibs stepped toward the dark alley between two houses.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal warned. ¡°If that¡¯s where it is, how about we head in the other direction?¡±

    He stood a dozen paces from the mouth of the alley and crouched, extending a hand. The head became visible, slightly higher than Tibs¡¯s at the moment.

    ¡°Abyss!¡± Jackal exclaimed. ¡°Tibs, move aways!¡±

    The dog¡¯s growl intensified, its head locking onto the fighter as it stepped fully into the light And Jackal yelped, stepping back.

    It was big, Tibs had to admit. If he stood, its shoulders would reach his stomach, and it had to mass as much as he did, at least. It was beautiful, with its black fur shimmering copper. He wondered if he could bring it out for Serba.

    ¡°Here, boy,¡± Tibs said, reaching into his pouch. The dog¡¯s attention snapped back to him and it bared teeth. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± He pulled the jerky out.

    The growl broke with a whine as it tilted its head.

    ¡°Tibs¡­¡± Jackal warned.

    ¡°I guess he doesn¡¯t feed you much, do he? Here, take it.¡±

    It sniffed the air, then took a tentative step forward.

    ¡°Is it listening to him?¡± Mez asked in dismay.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Tibs said. ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt you.¡±

    It took another slow step.

    ¡°Tibs, you won¡¯t be able to¡ª¡±

    Stolen novel; please report.

    It stopped and growled at the fighter.

    ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯m staying out of it!¡±

    ¡°So,¡± Don mused. ¡°All dogs hate Jackal and love Tibs?¡±

    It sniffed again and took another hesitating step.

    ¡°This is such a bad idea,¡± Jackal whispered.

    With the next step, its nose touched the chunk of jerky, and it sneezed, then looked at him with¡­worry? Tibs didn¡¯t move, and it leaned forward, closing its teeth on it. When it pulled, Tibs kept hold of it. A whine escaped as he looked at him.

    ¡°Stay,¡± Tibs said, trying to match Serba¡¯s less angry way of ordering her dogs.

    He let go, and the dog continued watching him. It tightened its jaw, and the jerky shattered. He reached for it as it chewed. ¡°You¡¯re a good dog too, aren¡¯t you?¡± his hand pressed against the side of its head.

    ¡°What is he doing?¡± demanded a deep voice, resounding from all around him.

    Tibs tensed in surprise, and the dog whined.

    ¡°I think that¡¯s called petting,¡± Sto answered uncertainly.

    ¡°I know what it¡¯s called,¡± the voice replied angrily. ¡°How isn¡¯t it tearing him apart? Is this another one of the ways you¡¯re being soft on these people?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not being soft on anyone,¡± Sto replied defensively. ¡°I don¡¯t know why he can do that. It¡¯s not like I can ask him, is it?¡±

    Tibs forced his hand to relax and rubbed the dog¡¯s neck as it licked the pieces off the ground.

    ¡°Sto,¡± Ganny said, voice far more deferential than Tibs had ever heard her. ¡°Where did you take the template for the dogs? They aren¡¯t something that died within your range.¡±

    ¡°From that human who patrols with a bunch of them. She spent enough time in the field before the door that I was able to get a sense of how one of them was made. It took a while to make a copy that was able to breathe. I didn¡¯t just want those to be animated, the way the BBs are. I wanted them¡ª¡±

    ¡°Get on with it,¡± the voice demanded.

    ¡°Well, when that one worked the way I wanted it to, I made more, playing around with how they look the way I do the golem people, then I set them to roam this floor.¡±

    How was there another voice? It had to be why Sto and Ganny didn¡¯t want him to talk to them. Which meant this new¡­person? didn¡¯t know about what he could do. What worried Tibs was how angry at Sto they seemed to be. He wanted to tell them Sto wasn¡¯t soft on anyone. He¡¯d eaten a lot of them.

    But now he was certain Sto was here. He took another piece of jerky and offered it to the dog when it had licked the ground clear of them. Okay, hopefully this was going to work. ¡°Do you guys think there¡¯s going to be something to help with the sickness?¡± he asked, rubbing the dog¡¯s head as it ate.

    ¡°Does it even know what going on?¡± Jackal asked, and Tibs winced at the directness.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the town?¡± Sto asked.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t concern you,¡± the voice replied sharply.

    ¡°That¡¯s where the Runners come from,¡± Sto said. ¡°If they¡¯re sick, I need to take that into account and¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡± The reply was more snarl they word.

    Tibs had to forcefully ignore what his friends were saying in favor of Sto¡¯s conversation.

    ¡°I¡¯m not here just to kill them,¡± Sto snapped. ¡°Ganny made that clear after some of them almost killed me and I was lashing out at the rest.¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t allowed to make a floor any harder than the appropriate Runners for it can handle. If they brave it while not at their best, that isn¡¯t your responsibility.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve gone there,¡± Sto insisted. ¡°How are they? Are they too weak for my floors?¡±

    The voice had gone into Kragle Rock? Who were they? Wasn¡¯t Tibs the only person who could hear a dungeon? Or at least, as far as Ganny knew. As well as Val and Craren.

    ¡°Your floors are perfectly adequate,¡± the voice replied dismissively.

    ¡°Ganny, how long has this going on?¡± Sto asked.

    ¡°Weeks,¡± the voice replied, annoyed.

    ¡°Is that a lot?¡± Sto asked.

    ¡°Time is something Sto has trouble with,¡± Ganny said, as a huff sounded. ¡°It¡¯s very much a them thing, and it¡¯s never all that important to him.¡±

    What? What did Ganny mean? Why emphasize it? She¡¯d never really put the Runners as the outsiders the tone implied. In fact, the only time Tibs hard heard her use it was¡­

    The voice was them? The Them Ganny kept using to keep Sto from breaking the rules? The Them Sto kept scoffing at, and that Tibs thought even Ganny had been doubting they were real the last time she¡¯d brought them up.

    The Them was here, and by the tone¡ª

    ¡°..Do not push me, Stone Mountain Crevice. My patience is more certainly finite.¡±

    ¡ªand comments, they were judging Sto.

    Where they the secret he and Khumdar has sensed about the town.

    The dog whined.

    Tibs reached into his pouch, but it was empty. ¡°Sorry, boy. I don¡¯t have anymore.¡± It canted its head as Tibs stood. ¡°This is where we go back to you being a dungeon creature, I guess.¡± He took careful steps back, not taking his eyes off it. It remained relaxed, but he wasn¡¯t sure if that meant anything. He¡¯d seen how Serba¡¯s dogs tensed when they were about to attack a criminal she set them on, but this was a dungeon creature.

    ¡°What is it waiting for?¡± the Them demanded.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Sto answered, perplexed.

    ¡°Tell it to attack.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Sto snapped.

    ¡°It is part of you,¡± the Them replied. ¡°Everything here does what you want them to!¡±

    ¡°They would,¡± Sto replied angrily. ¡°If someone hadn¡¯t forced me to cut all ties to the creatures I made, after he caught me in the third-floor boss kicking Runners around! Now, the creatures are independent. You want me to be able to control some of them? I¡¯m going to have to remake them just like I had to remake the golem people for this team¡¯s run so I¡¯d have enough essence to make that fog you ordered me to put on that one so he¡¯d be blinded.¡±

    Thank you, Sto, for the explanation.

    ¡°Are you going to change the rules on me because you aren¡¯t happy with what they cause?¡± Sto demanded. ¡°Is that what rules are? There only to keep me from doing thing you don¡¯t want?¡±

    ¡°So,¡± Tibs asked the dog. ¡°What¡¯s it going to be? If you don¡¯t attack, I¡¯ll bring you more jerky on my next run.¡±

    ¡°Is he¡­¡± The Them seemed at a loss. ¡°Offering a bribe?¡±

    ¡°Can it remember him?¡± Ganny asked.

    ¡°Does it understand him?¡± The Them demanded, getting angry.

    ¡°How should I know?¡± Sto replied, exasperated. ¡°You watched what happened just like I did, so you tell me. I didn¡¯t give it the ability to understand the word they use, but there¡¯s clearly something I don¡¯t understand about the animal I made it from. And Ganny, I also don¡¯t know that. It¡¯s not like the Ratlings and Bunnylings. Those I made with specific instruction on how to imitate how people work. The dogs I only adjusted enough they could work inside me. I mean, unless one of the Runners kills it, I don¡¯t have a reason to remake it, so¡­ maybe? They are definitely more clever than I thought.¡±

    The dog slowly turned its head and growled.

    ¡°Hey, I stayed right here,¡± Jackal protested.

    It snorted, turned, and ran off.

    ¡°Okay,¡± he demanded, ¡°What in the Abyss was that?¡±

    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re about to get your answers,¡± Sto said.

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s a dog. I figured I had nothing to lose by being nice.¡± He wasn¡¯t telling the Them anything if he could help it.

    ¡°You could have lost a hand,¡± Don said, ¡°at the very least. That was¡­risky.¡±

    Tibs shrugged again. ¡°I was ready to suffuse myself with earth if I had to.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not scared of them the way Jackal is,¡± Mez said. ¡°But I think that was almost Jackal-stupid level.¡±

    ¡°Way more stupid than that,¡± the fighter protested. ¡°I know better than to go toward one of those things.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure there wasn¡¯t more going on?¡± Don asked. ¡°For a time, it looked like you weren¡¯t even aware we were talking.¡±

    Tibs smiled. ¡°You could say I was listening to the dog.¡±

    ¡°I knew it!¡± Jackal exclaimed. ¡°It¡¯s all those essences you have. They let you do stuff to them, like making them like you.¡± He turned and headed in the opposite direction the dog had run off into.

    ¡°I don¡¯t make them do anything,¡± he called after the fighter, then followed him at a leisurely pace, the sorcerer at his side. ¡°What were you talking about?¡±

    ¡°The sickness. Your question about if we¡¯d find anything that could help made me theorize about what such a thing would have to do.¡±

    ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Well, this is just a theory. I can¡¯t know if it would work, since all I have to work from is what I can see of the sickness¡¯ effects and even the clerics don¡¯t know the cause. It would have to be something that either prevents the drain of life, or somehow replenishes it. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re aware of it, but Jackal¡¯s man has something that¡¯s been keeping the sickness at bay. An heirloom,¡± Don added when Tibs¡¯s eyes widened in fear. ¡°I know about it, because I helped adjust it to do more than simply slow the sickness. The ring lacks a way to efficiently pull the essence from around it to balance what he loses to the sickness. So whatever we find would have to be something that came with its own reserve, as well as a faster recharge, or, and here I¡¯m not even sure if this is possible, but a way to convert the essences around us to the ones appropriate to helping the people.

    Don fell into silent thoughts. ¡°We¡¯d have to be extremely lucky to find such an item,¡± he finally said with a defeated sigh. ¡°And as you are fond of reminding us, Tibs. Luck isn¡¯t a thing.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 90

    Tibs bypassed the guard¡¯s shield, planted the sword in its chest, and pulled up, cutting it and making it lose the last of the essence animating it. It crumbled as it fell back, then all that was left behind were a handful of silver coins.

    ¡°Is it just me?¡± Mez asked, flaming arrow in his bow, searching for more targets. ¡°Or have the numbers of guards we keep running into increased?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s making up for not using magic,¡± Tibs said, picking up the coins.

    ¡°Or,¡± Don said. ¡°The city¡¯s authorities have realized criminals are roaming the streets, and are looking to stamp that down.¡± He looked up from the cut in his arm at the staring archer. ¡°It¡¯s just a thought.¡±

    ¡°And we¡¯re the criminals in those thoughts?¡± Mez asked unhappily.

    ¡°What would you call a gang going around, breaking into every house and stealing anything of value?¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s paying the protection money?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s not how that works,¡± Mez replied.

    The fighter stared at him. ¡°How else do they keep the city from devolving into chaos?¡±

    ¡°Laws,¡± Mez replied, raising a finger and sounding like he didn¡¯t understand why he had to explain it. ¡°Order, enforcement, and the sentencing of those to don¡¯t obey them.¡±

    ¡°So, Tyranny,¡± Jackal said flatly.

    ¡°No. A fair system with fair laws and corresponding punishment to motivate people not to engage in criminal activities.¡±

    Jackal snorted.

    ¡°Tibs, where do you stand on city order versus chaos?¡± Don asked.

    He shrugged. ¡°My street was chaos run by criminals. I never went outside of it to know what the rest of the city was like.¡±

    ¡°Forget other cities,¡± Mez said in exasperation. ¡°Look at Kragle Rock. The laws are¡ª¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re slaves to the guild,¡± Jackal cut him off. ¡°Sent in the dungeon to either die or become stronger, so they can use us against whatever gets in their way. I think you¡¯re proving my point.¡±

    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s fair,¡± the archer admitted. ¡°But for the folks living there, they don¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°The guards don¡¯t bother stopping thieves from breaking into their houses,¡± Jackal stated.

    ¡°But that¡¯s just so they can train,¡± Mez said. ¡°They don¡¯t take anything.¡±

    ¡°Because I don¡¯t let them,¡± Tibs said. ¡°And Irdian wants the guards to catch us. We¡¯re just better than they are.¡±

    ¡°Which proves my point even more.¡± Jackal beamed. ¡°And remember, the nobles have their own guards against the city¡¯s orders. That doesn¡¯t speak to a¡ª¡±

    ¡°Fine!¡± Mez snapped. ¡°You made your point. There¡¯s nothing that can be done. The world¡¯s a breath away from falling into never ending chaos.¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t what Jackal is saying,¡± Don said in a conciliatory tone.

    ¡°It kind of is,¡± the fighter objected.

    ¡°The world isn¡¯t about to fall into chaos,¡± Don insisted, glaring at the fighter. ¡°But that isn¡¯t because criminals get stamped out. Criminals exist within an ecosystem alongside the rest of society. By their nature, the strongest ones get challenged and either defeat¡ª¡±

    ¡°Kill,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Those weaker, or are replaced, increasing the chaos and leading to more people challenging them, keeping that chaos mostly contained. Even when they are able to keep everyone in their place, it¡¯s still a disorganized system, which can easily fall right back into a contained chaos. It leads to a system that isn¡¯t particularly effective as disrupting the rest of a city. Jackals family, who has f¡ª¡±

    ¡°Had,¡± Jackal interrupted him.

    ¡°Had a firm hold over the criminal element, let them be more efficient in affecting the city, but even they were careful not to upset the balance so much that¡ª¡±

    ¡°Fine!¡± Mez snapped and walked a few paces off.

    ¡°Don,¡± Jackal asked in the stretching silence, ¡°where does a city like this keep its coffers?¡±

    ¡°The banks,¡± the sorcerer replied dismissively.

    ¡°No, the city¡¯s coffers.¡±

    Don pulled his attention from the sulking archer. ¡°The banks should hold some of the city¡¯s money. The rest?¡± he considered. ¡°Probably spread throughout the offices, with most at the city hall, I guess.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we try to find to boss room instead?¡± Tibs asked. ¡°There¡¯s going to be more loot there.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but you and Don had been going on about how the dungeon is treating this floor like it¡¯s a real city. I figure that it¡¯s going to put the boss in the most important building, and what¡¯s more important to a city than its coffers?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­not an unreasonable assumption,¡± Don said, sounding surprised.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to ignore the disbelief and say thanks,¡± Jackal replied, grinning. ¡°So, where is it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the sorcerer replied.

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me,¡± Tibs said, as Jackal looked at him. ¡°Unless it¡¯s a hall in a city, I don¡¯t know what a city hall is.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be at the end of the main road?¡± Mez said from where he stood, sounding annoyed at contributing to the conversation.

    ¡°That¡¯s only true when a city¡¯s young,¡± Don replied. ¡°Like how before Market Place became thing, we could go from the guild building to the dungeon on one road. But Market place broke that. And that becomes more pronounced as a city grows. Which road is the main one will change as more important buildings are established.¡±

    ¡°You read too much,¡± Mez grumbled.

    ¡°And that¡¯s even more true when you remember this is a city created by a dungeon. It might know city hall is a thing from listening to Runners, but I doubt where that building is in a city would come up in those conversations.¡±

    ¡°What you¡¯re saying,¡± Jackal said dejectedly. ¡°Is that we¡¯re stuck continuing to wander around just hoping we¡¯ll find it?¡±

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°Hoping we will recognize the building as such,¡± Don corrected. ¡°It could be a copy of the permit office, or something else. Each city has its own design for any of its building, this won¡¯t be any different.¡±

    ¡°What about the clues the dungeon would leave?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°That only leads to the city hall, if that¡¯s the boss room.¡±

    ¡°If they¡¯re all different, how did you know it was the permit building?¡±

    Don shrugged. ¡°The architecture matched drawing of multiple such building I came across when I read a treatise on city architecture. There¡¯s a level of efficiency where similar building methods have to be used, so it leads to similar looking buildings.¡±

    ¡°So the city hall will be just like every other one,¡± Jackal said, grinning.

    ¡°Maybe not,¡± Don replied. ¡°And even if it does. That doesn¡¯t help work out where it is. So we¡¯ll still have to wander.¡±

    ¡°What do you believe such a structure might be used to hide?¡± Khumdar asked.

    ¡°Hide?¡± the sorcerer frowned. ¡°City halls aren¡¯t really about hiding things. It¡¯s where those wishing to do business in and with the city go to get those rights. Land leases and purchases. They might deal with some of the building rights, but most of those are handled by permit offices.¡±

    ¡°So back-room deals will be hidden there,¡± Jackal said. ¡°You know, bribing an official to get a piece of land that was slotted for a competitor. My dad did plenty of business directly with the city, and the people handling his money knew where it came from. Also heard about a city,¡± he said, as if he¡¯d had a revelation, ¡°that outlawed sorcerers, but remained the place to go for anything magical.¡±

    ¡°Sebastian must have liked it there,¡± Tibs said

    ¡°I think he¡¯s who I heard about it from.¡± Jackal considered something. ¡°Since you said we can only find it by coming across it, how about we get moving?¡±

    ¡°I may¡­¡± Khumdar¡¯s eyes were closed. ¡°Have an idea where to start.¡±

    ¡°I thought there were too many secrets here for you to use them,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°That is indeed the case,¡± the cleric replied, looking to his left. ¡°But with enough focus, or with secrets that big, it is possible to sense their¡­flavors. Or, if I have an idea of the secret I am searching for, I can seek to pierce the others in its favor. What you spoke of was irritably vague, but in attempting to discern them, I¡­smelled, something reminiscent of not belonging. And with a flavor of those hiding that they are breaking the rules.¡±

    ¡°I think he¡¯s smelling you¡ª¡± Ganny whispered.

    ¡°How can he sense anything?¡± the Them demanded. ¡°Didn¡¯t you cloak this floor as I told you to?¡±

    Tibs missed what Jackal said, trying not to react at how loud they sounded, but the fighter was rubbing his hands eagerly and they were moving.

    ¡°You told me to arrange it so he couldn¡¯t sense everything,¡± Sto replied sharply. ¡°And I told you how much it took to get that arrangement, you forced me to use, to work. If it isn¡¯t keeping the rest of his team from sensing through that, it¡¯s on you. And before you bring it up. No, I couldn¡¯t do the whole floor. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s enough essence anywhere for something this complex on that scale. It¡¯s just around him, but large enough he can¡¯t push through.¡±

    Was Sto telling him that if he focused hard enough, Tibs could sense beyond his reduced range?

    * * * * *

    The building was well away from the main road, but it was at the end of a road which was large enough it might have been important at one time. And the road ended at its doors instead of early enough to have a yard. Even the permit office had a distance between the road bifurcating around it and the doors.

    The building was larger than the library, which made it the largest he¡¯d seen yet. It had two floors and stretched far enough it took time to reach the double doors, and Tibs couldn¡¯t make out where the rest ended. The walls were made of stones in a variety of colors, arranged in what felt like random. The windows that lined the outside were narrow, close together, and had light shining though with an occasional shadow blocking it.

    ¡°I told you settling here was a bad idea,¡± Ganny said.

    ¡°You said to pick a place that wasn¡¯t obvious,¡± Sto replied. ¡°What¡¯s less obvious than some building in a shadowed corner of the city? They¡¯d never have come here if Khumdar hadn¡¯t smelled some secret. The king¡¯s residence is where all the good stuff is hidden.¡±

    Tibs looked up in surprise and almost asked if Sto had said day to help him.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Sto whispered. ¡°That¡¯s for you. They¡¯re gone to check on something, but don¡¯t talk. I have no idea when they¡¯ll be back, or how far they can hear. We don¡¯t want to be deep in conversation when if they manifest back here.¡±

    ¡°You really should get your team to go there instead,¡± Ganny whispered. ¡°We set what you¡¯ll¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sensing them,¡± Sto hissed, and they fell silent.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal called again, and he shifted his focus so he wouldn¡¯t give away to the Them he hadn¡¯t been paying attention to his team. ¡°Care to make sure the doors won¡¯t kill us?¡±

    Tibs look at the building as he approached the door, trying to come up with a way to convince Jackal to go elsewhere, but he couldn¡¯t think of one other than telling him Sto had directed them to a better place.

    Unless¡­

    He breathed his worry aside and readied himself. He could accomplish two things here. Test how hard it was to push his sense through the fog and then have them go elsewhere. He pushed his sense, but before it went far, he staggered back, trying to make sense of what¡ª

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jackal asked, catching him. ¡°Is the door¡¯s trap that hard?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no trap,¡± Tibs whispered. ¡°It¡¯s¡­something else.¡± He struggled to find the right word. ¡°There¡¯s a hole under the building.¡± That wasn¡¯t even close!

    ¡°Should I bother asking how it is he knows about that?¡± the Them asked, and Tibs barely heard Don¡¯s question.

    ¡°You don¡¯t mean something we can use to get in, do you?¡±

    ¡°How should I know?¡± Sto replied. ¡°You saw just how many elements he has, same as we do. You can¡¯t expect me to know everything he does.¡±

    ¡°Let me think,¡± Tibs said, raising a hand to silence the other¡¯s question. He needed to hear what they were talking about.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you never head of someone like him,¡± Ganny said. ¡°Those like you travel to many dungeons. One of them has to have reported back something like this.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± The Them didn¡¯t sound happy. ¡°There has been no mention of someone like him, and I didn¡¯t come across one of them in all the dungeons I had to discipline. If I had, I¡¯d know how to crush him.¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t what¡ª¡±

    ¡°That is an aberration, Stone Mountain Crevice. It doesn¡¯t represent the runners. You should have destroyed it the instant you understood how dangerous it was.¡±

    ¡°He isn¡¯t dangerous,¡± Sto protested. ¡°He¡¯s just another runner.¡±

    ¡°A Runner who can pull the essence out of your creations and make his way through you without effort. Do you want to give him the time to work out how to manage that and then drain you completely?¡±

    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t do that.¡±

    ¡°And what do you think he¡¯s thinking about right now? Can¡¯t you send something to stop him? He¡¯s too clever. If you give him time, he¡¯ll¡ª¡±

    ¡°We should go elsewhere,¡± Tibs said over the rest of the Them¡¯s comment, because to stay silent was inviting trouble.

    ¡°But there¡¯s loot here, right?¡± Jackal asked. He looked at Don. ¡°It is the city hall, right?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It could be.¡±

    ¡°And you said the door isn¡¯t trapped,¡± the fighter said, his expression hopeful.

    ¡°But there¡¯s the¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s under the building, right?¡±

    Tibs tried to think of anything that wouldn¡¯t destroy the hope while getting them away, but the only thing he had would tell the Them he could hear them, maybe even that Sto had talked to him. ¡°We need to stay away from that thing,¡± he finally said.

    ¡°No going down,¡± Jackal promised.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be where they keep their money?¡± Mez asked. ¡°The vaults are always under the buildings in the bard¡¯s songs.¡±

    Jackal turned to Khumdar. ¡°Is the secret under the building?¡±

    ¡°I¡­do not know. Unlike other secrets, this one has become diffused as we approached, rather than gaining definition.¡±

    ¡°Is it better hidden?¡± Tibs asked, wondering if it was something the Them was hiding.

    The cleric closed his eyes. ¡°I do not know. I have never encountered such a secret before. Therefore, I am unable to explain why or how it is countering me.¡± He looked at Don.

    ¡°I¡¯d help if I could, but what you can do wasn¡¯t part of any of the books I¡¯ve read.¡±

    ¡°I can say that the secret is indeed here, somewhere within this building, but that is all I am capable of stating.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we shouldn¡¯t risk it,¡± Tibs said. ¡°There¡¯s going to be more loot elsewhere.¡±

    ¡°Are you not curious as to what is hidden here?¡± The cleric asked in dismay.

    Tibs hesitated. The Them had been in the city. Was that what Tibs had felt watching him? They seemed to know some things about how he thought. Did they know how curious he usually was?

    ¡°What if the secret is where that¡­thing is? What if it isn¡¯t loot? Maybe what you¡¯re sensing is that hole?¡± He shuddered at the idea of getting closer to it. ¡°And we¡¯re so far from everything, there can¡¯t be good loot here.¡±

    Jackal placed a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Tibs, if Khumdar¡¯s secret is close to that, or even if that¡¯s where the loot is. We¡¯ll turn around and leave. But we¡¯re right here, and you¡¯re the one who said how crafty the dungeon is. This place has to have great loot, especially because it¡¯s far from everything else.¡± He grinned. ¡°You¡¯ll see. We¡¯re going to find something great.¡±

    ¡°I thought he was the stupid one in this group,¡± the Them said.

    ¡°This is about loot,¡± Ganny replied. ¡°He gets kind of stubborn when loot is involved.¡±

    ¡°Then you better be as well hidden as you think you are, Stone Mountain Crevice, because anytime one of their kind has found a dungeon¡¯s core, they have destroyed it.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 91

    The doors had locks, but they weren¡¯t engaged.

    Tibs focussed on sensing the door harder, trying to find a trap, but there were no weaves through the stone.

    ¡°Is this place like the permit office?¡± Tibs asked. ¡°Where anyone can come and go?¡±

    ¡°Not just anyone will be allowed in, I expect,¡± Don replied, ¡°but yes, merchants and the nobility would simply go in.¡±

    ¡°Why have a lock, then?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°Because the city hall wouldn¡¯t be accessible all day long,¡± the sorcerer answered.

    So it made sense for the door to be unlocked. It didn¡¯t reassure Tibs. Ganny was going to use that against them at some point. He pulled on one door, and it slowly opened.

    The floor to the large lobby had a layer of dust that Tibs would guess at a few months old in a normal building. Instead of one long counter, divided for each teller, one and three desks were set through the room with seats on each side. Opposite them, a large stairwell led to the balcony supported by four gray stone Columns decorated with inlaid metal, which went around the¡ª

    ¡°Where is everyone?¡± Mez asked.

    Tibs looked at the floor again, and the lack of tracks in the dust registered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Don replied. ¡°I doubt it would be as busy as the permit office, but there should be city servants waiting for people.¡±

    ¡°Maybe no one talked about how the city hall works?¡± the archer offered, and the sorcerer shrugged.

    ¡°At least,¡± Jackal said, ¡°there¡¯s no danger of you getting in line with the others.¡±

    ¡°Which means, there will be another kind of danger,¡± Don replied.

    Tibs used air to remove the dust from the floor before them, and exposed six-sided tiles of the same deep brown color the size of his palm. The walls were lined with stone benches and pots between them, with a dark-colored leaf plant in them. That had to be something Sto had created, since Tibs couldn¡¯t guess how a plant would survive without care for however long the building had been here.

    That and the dust.

    He sensed the floor, and again there were no weaves. Or at least, none he could sense. He couldn¡¯t forget this fog might block his sense in ways he didn¡¯t understand yet. He sent water over the floor, sensing for cracks and gaps through it. He sensed none, but he also couldn¡¯t entirely rely on this either. Even on the third floor, Ganny had become adept at masking the physical triggers. Still, he had one way to neutralize those she couldn¡¯t do anything about.

    He ices the water.

    ¡°I don¡¯t sense essence triggers, but stay on your guard. The fog is messing with that. The only thing dungeon made are the plants and the dust.¡±

    ¡°Are the plants creatures?¡± Don asked.

    Tibs considered that. They had to be, since Sto had made them, but¡­ ¡°They don¡¯t have anymore essence than real plants. I think they¡¯re just decorations.¡± For now.

    ¡°If the building¡¯s empty,¡± Jackal said, ¡°maybe I was wrong about there being loot here.¡±

    ¡°I saw movement at the windows on the other floor,¡± Mez said before Tibs could go along with Jackal¡¯s idea.

    The fighter smiled. ¡°Well then. We know where to start.¡±

    ¡°It would be wise,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°to remember that regardless of what you expect, it is possible the golems Mez noticed are nothing more than props in how the dungeon believes this building functions.¡±

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°And it¡¯s possible those shadows against the windows on this floor,¡± Don added, ¡°were golems standing still and waiting for someone to enter.¡±

    ¡°Can you sense any, Tibs?¡± Jackal asked.

    Tibs breathed his fear down. It wasn¡¯t because he usually pushed his sense in every direction when he extended it, that he had to do that now. He often focused it on something. Only those tended to be close by items. Extending his sense in only one direction wasn¡¯t the same.

    To be safe, he began with the floor above them. Pushing his sense up, instead of around. That was working, and with his worry easing, he could focus on studying the fog for an indication of the golem Mez had noticed.

    There! A ripple in the fog. This wasn¡¯t like the sorcerers in the library. They¡¯d used an etching to hide. This was the fog interacting with¡­ the form was like a person, like a person from outside, not the ones Sto had made as living in the city.

    Now that he knew what to sense for, he could make out more of them. A lot more. Some were seated, some stood, but didn¡¯t move, while others walked back and forth along the wall before the window. It was a short walk that had the feel of only being there to attract attention from outside.

    ¡°There¡¯s definitely golem people upstairs,¡± he said, lowering his sense to this floor. There were there, there were also many of them, and there was something else; below¡ª

    ¡°Tibs!¡± Jackal held him, sounding near panic. ¡°Tibs, come on, talk to me!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± he replied, but his voice sounded¡­off. Why was Jackal holding him? And why did his head feel like lightning had exploded in it?

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Don asked, sounding concerned. ¡°He¡¯s been calling your name for a while.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ was sensing the floor, then¡­¡± he tried to piece together the fragments, then shuddered. ¡°My sense brushed the thing under us.¡±

    ¡°You screamed in pain,¡± Jackal said. ¡°I caught you before you hit the floor, but you weren¡¯t answering me.¡±

    At least he¡¯d reflexively pulled his sense in. ¡°I don¡¯t think I should use my sense this close to it. I don¡¯t want to accidentally sense more of it.¡±

    ¡°At least that mistake of yours is good for something,¡± the Them said.

    ¡°If you¡¯d tell me how to undo it, I would,¡± Sto replied.

    ¡°And I have told you. I don¡¯t know what it is. Everything here is older than what I know. I don¡¯t understand how you don¡¯t know how you caused it.¡±

    ¡°Sto doesn¡¯t always pay attention to what he does when he¡¯s just playing around with essences to see what will happen,¡± Ganny said in a chastising tone.

    ¡°You weren¡¯t paying anymore attention to it,¡± Sto protested.

    ¡°That isn¡¯t why I¡¯m here,¡± she replied in a stiff tone. ¡°I warned you about the dangers of using void without care, but you didn¡¯t listen to me.¡±

    ¡°I did listen. That¡¯s why I did it in that room.¡±

    ¡°Doing it in a room you have no idea what it does isn¡¯t being careful! It¡¯s the opposite! I¡¯m with Them on this one.¡±

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal asked, sounding worried again.

    ¡°Sorry.¡± He rubbed his temple and tried to tune out the argument. He couldn¡¯t tell if Ganny was really angry or if she and Sto were acting for some reason. ¡°Don is right. There are people golems on this floor.¡±

    ¡°This is a big building,¡± Jackal said, eyeing the stairs. ¡°Maybe we should just do the second floor. That¡¯s where the boss will be, and with the boss is the best loot.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t be certain of that,¡± Don said.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal said, grinning. ¡°How about you tell Don where the boss is?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± He ignored the look of betrayal. ¡°I didn¡¯t sense anything that could be the boss creature, and I¡¯m not extending my sense again to look for it. I¡¯m not risking¡­¡± he shuddered.

    ¡°I understand. But they have always been at the end of¡ª¡±

    ¡°The dungeon gets craftier with each run, Jackal,¡± Don said, exasperated. ¡°How many buildings have we gone through that didn¡¯t have a boss?¡±

    ¡°The houses don¡¯t count,¡± the fighter replied. ¡°The permit building did.¡±

    ¡°The library probably has one too,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know that,¡± Don replied. ¡°Everything the dungeon does is a test. If I were the dungeon, after sending us to the end of each floor to find the boss, I¡¯d put it right by the entrance and laugh at all the runners passing it by just because they expect it to be on the other side of the city.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s actually not a bad idea,¡± Ganny said.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t laugh,¡± Sto replied solemnly.

    Tibs rubbed his temple and wished they wouldn¡¯t comment.

    ¡°Searching the entire building just because the boss might be on this floor is going to take too long.¡±

    ¡°Starting with the upper floor, just because you think that¡¯s where the boss will be, is going to take just as long. And what is the hurry? We can afford to be systematic, since it¡¯s all going to still be here on the next run. And considering there¡¯s only four teams doing this floor, I¡¯m sure we can convince someone to put us back on the schedule early.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s the fourth?¡± Mez asked before Tibs could point out that getting on the schedule again would take coins. ¡°I only heard about Miranda¡¯s team clearing the third floor.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Some team of knights.¡±

    ¡°Mayhap we should retrain the focus on what is important, instead of discussing who else runs this floor?¡± Khumdar says. ¡°If we do not have a method by which to determine what is the best way, does it matter which one we pick?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it does,¡± Don replied, pointing to the door to their left. ¡°That¡¯s the closest door, which means the closest one to potential loot,¡± he added, and Jackal shut his mouth.

    ¡°You¡¯re just playing on my love of loot,¡± the fighter grumbled.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Don replied, then his confidence faltered. ¡°Is it working?¡±

    Jackal let out a defeated sigh and headed for the door.

    ¡°That¡¯s a yes,¡± Tibs said, grinning as he followed the fighter.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 92

    The hall stretched far ahead of them with lots of doors in it facing each other. Unlike in the lobby, the floor was made of wood slats arranged at an angle to the direction of the hall. The silence made Tibs want to sense around to confirm where the people golems were, but the memory of his sense brushing against what was under them kept that in check.

    Each door had a polished metal plaque next to it with words had been stamped into them. The letters were Arcanus, but Tibs couldn¡¯t tell what it said. Don shook his head when he glanced at him. Did it mean that they were part of the original building, unlike the plaque to the boss room in the permit office? Of were these rooms not important enough overall to bother having the letters say actual words?

    He moved the dust in the process of checking the floor to the closest door on his right, and approached it. The lock was simple, more so than the ones protecting the houses. Unlocking it only took seconds; and wouldn¡¯t take much longer with only lockpicks. There was a sense to them of only serving as an indicator people shouldn¡¯t enter, instead of actively preventing anyone from doing so.

    The room was quite small. A desk of polished stone, a chair behind, two before, a cabinet behind that, and barely enough room to move around them. If they were slightly larger¡ª if they were made for normal sized people¡ªTibs wasn¡¯t sure how anyone would move through the room. Next to the cabinet, a thin but tall window let him look out onto the road that lined the building. The stone floor had no dust and had lost its polish on a path around the desk and to the back.

    ¡°Is that what to take,¡± Jackal asked, ¡°or what to avoid?¡±

    ¡°It just shows where people have stepped on repeatedly,¡± Don said. ¡°Like how the floor at the inn is scoffed around tables and to the kitchen.¡±

    Tibs studied the floor. Without tiles, there were no simple ways to tell where triggers might be. He extended a narrow portion of his sense before him and there were no essence triggers. He iced the floor.

    ¡°Stay outside. I can only sense a two paces ahead with what¡¯s under us.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like we can fit in there,¡± Mez commented.

    ¡°Is that thing directly under us?¡± Don asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, and I¡¯m not risking sensing to find out.¡±

    He took his time, conscious that the smallness of the room could be a way to make him be careless, but in no time he was behind the desk and there had been no triggers. A stack of papers were on the left of the chair, bound between leather. Next to it was a¡­ tube with a tapered end that reminded him of the nib of a quill, but there was no ink pot, so it might be some other tool.

    The three drawers were locked, but like the door, easy to open. The top one had papers in neat stacks, with an open wooden box on top containing more of those tubes. The second one was empty, and the third had a pouch.

    Tibs barely pulled his hand away, on the way to grabbing it, before the thin blade slammed into the front of the drawer.

    Sto chuckled.

    Hadn¡¯t he just reminded himself not to get careless as he crossed the room? He checked for a second trap before taking the pouch. It contained seven unstamped silver coins and a small brass key with an odd arrangement of teeth. He put the coins back into the pouch and lobbed it at Don, but Jackal caught it, quickly pulling one, grinning as he looked it over.

    ¡°Does it mean anything?¡± Tibs asked as he surveyed the cabinet. He inserted the key in the lock and it clicked when he turned it. With the recent reminder, Tibs took his time looking for traps.

    ¡°They could be part of the theme,¡± Don offered.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t every other coin we¡¯ve found be like those, then?¡± Mez asked.

    Tibs opened the cabinet and looked at three elegantly worked crystal bottles. One contained a green liquid, one yellow and the other blue. Tibs didn¡¯t recognize the way the essences mixed in them, but the colors were indicative of what he could expect.

    Why had Sto gone back to those instead of continuing with the pastries?

    ¡°They hold a secret,¡± Khumdar said as Tibs searched for another trap. He found it, but it was deactivated.

    Sensing, he traced the mechanism to the lock. He filled it with water to understand how it worked.

    ¡°Do you have a sense of what it is?¡± Don asked.

    That explained why the teeth were so odd. There was a lever the key moved as it was put in which slipped a panel out of the way, allowing the last three teeth through, and those disarmed the trap. Even knowing those were there, Tibs couldn¡¯t think how he¡¯d get to them with regular lock picks. Especially getting the entire lock to turn as one.

    ¡°It does not extend beyond this building. More than that, I cannot tell.¡±

    ¡°Are you sensing as far as you can?¡± Tibs asked. Opening the door with the trap active would have shattered the bottles. Was that ¡®part of the theme¡¯ or because the bottles were important to solving this building?

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Carefully, he took the bottles one at a time and placed them on the desk. ¡°Can¡¯t you sense what¡¯s under us, then?¡±

    ¡°I cannot.¡±

    Did this mean Sto was lying when he said it was an accident, and this was targeting him specifically? No, Sto had mentioned the accident a long time ago, and the Them has sounded surprised it had affected him. If no one had expected it, then it had to be the result of having all his elements. Something about that let him sense it.

    ¡°Are we storing those?¡± Don asked.

    ¡°Take the essence one,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°Mez, Khumdar, which one of you wants the healing? The other can take the stamina one.¡±

    A quick consultation and the cleric took the healing one.

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    The room opposite was a mirror of the previous one, minus the pouch and cabinet. Instead, the corner held a small safe, its door open. The papers in it were written using the Arcanus, and the placement of the ¡®words¡¯, how they mostly looked the same from page to page along to the embellishment, reminded him of the Promises he stole from the Brokerage.

    He stored them in his pouch. Maybe Darran would know the language and tell him if they were worth something.

    Jackal looked down the corridor. ¡°If all the rooms are like this, it¡¯s going to take a long time.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just annoyed there¡¯s no one to fight,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Ganny said, ¡°are they in for a surprise.¡±

    Jackal stared at the archer. ¡°Well, yeah.¡±

    ¡°Tibs did sense people on this floor,¡± Khumdar said.

    ¡°And if we have to fight through each of the room,¡± Don said, ¡°this is going to take even longer to find the boss room.¡±

    ¡°Which is on the floor above us,¡± Jackal pointed out.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know that for sure,¡± the sorcerer replied as Tibs headed for the next door.

    A gong sounded as he sent water into the lock, and before he wondered if he¡¯d triggered it, doors opened and disgorged golem people who headed in their direction with the dispassion he¡¯d seen on clerks after a long day. They were so many it would be impossible not to¡ª

    ¡°Do not let them touch you,¡± Khumdar yelled as Jackal punched one.

    The change was immediate. The dispassion was replaced with rage. Some pulled swords, others knifes, more simply snarled and made claws of their fingers.

    ¡°Someone keep an eye on Don,¡± Jackal said as the mass rushed them.

    Tibs used his shield to block attack after attack, but was still pushed until he lost sight of the others.

    A sword tip pieced out from Tibs¡¯s chest, then was hurriedly yanked out.

    ¡°Meant to keep that one focused on me,¡± Mez said, his bow passing over Tibs¡¯s head to hit the golem before him. ¡°This is too close quarters.¡±

    Tibs suffused himself with earth and shouldered his way through those before him, then turned and readied himself for their attacks. Instead, they remained focused on the archer, and there were more at Tibs¡¯s back.

    With a curse, he placed the etching within his forming sword and didn¡¯t bother with precision. The golem clerks wore normal looking clothing, so it easily cut through and the line left behind on the gray stone-like flesh iced, spreading quickly.

    He swung as wildly as the clerks tried to claw at him. Any cut slowed them as ice spread, but they stepped on each other raging to reach him. He blocked a knife, slapped a sword aside with his. He willed etchings and sent them at others, and still more came.

    Fine.

    An etching of light, only a little of it, with a filigree Ike and Fey to¡ª

    The collision against the wall made his head ring, but the golems weren¡¯t there anymore. He shook his head and regretted it. He suffused himself with purity and it cleared. He had to remember there was no delay with that etching. He wanted to make it well away from him next time.

    ¡°Save the potions and pastries,¡± he told the others. ¡°I can heal everyone.¡± He stared at the one golem still standing, unmoving under the sheen of ice.

    ¡°I managed to only get small cuts,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°I could use your help,¡± Don said in pained tone. Tibs pulled his attention from the frozen golem. The sorcerer had a hand over his stomach and the fabric was damp. ¡°I hate being this close to the fighting.¡±

    Tibs had a weave of purity on the wound, while the others confirmed they only had minor injuries.

    ¡°How come that one¡¯s still standing?¡± Jackal asked.

    Tibs looked over his shoulder as he sensed purity spread through the wound. ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to make the etching destructive. I figured the fighting would break them.

    ¡°So, I just punch it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how you started this,¡± Don said bitterly. ¡°You might as well end it the same way.¡± He looked at Tibs. ¡°That was a new etching, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Don asked as the golem shattered under the punch. ¡°The ice, not the explosion.¡±

    ¡°A variation on something I¡¯ve done before.¡±

    ¡°A fight isn¡¯t the place to try something new,¡± Don said with a tired sigh. ¡°I told you before.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°And yet, here it is again.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s when I think about it.¡± He moved on to heal Mez.

    ¡°Then you keep them in mind for when you train after the run.¡±

    Tibs snorted. ¡°What training? I can¡¯t do this with Alistair, and the rest of the time, I¡¯m busy with everything else.¡± The archer¡¯s injuries healed faster.

    ¡°The Oneness exercises?¡±

    ¡°I breathe,¡± Tibs replied noncommittally. When he thought about it. And he probably had done it enough since most of the time it helped.

    ¡°These coins are stamped,¡± Jackal said, picking up those left behind from the fighting.

    ¡°Which means the one Tibs found are part of something else in the building.¡± He looked at Tibs. ¡°You can¡¯t simply breathe and consider it enough.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s letting me control my emotions.¡±

    ¡°How about the big ones? The ones where you go out of control?¡± the sorcerer asked. ¡°Like when you get a new element? This isn¡¯t about dealing with all this.¡± He motioned around them. ¡°It¡¯s about learning to maintain control under extraordinary circumstances.¡±

    ¡°Are the coins to unlock the boss room?¡± Jackal asked, placing himself between the two of them.

    The sorcerer glared at the fighter. ¡°Maybe.¡±

    ¡°They might make the boss easier,¡± Tibs said, happy for the reprieve and thinking of the cabinet key. Finding the exact way to open a lock might be what that had been hinting at.

    ¡°We won¡¯t know until we reach that door and work out the puzzle,¡± Don said.

    ¡°What was this attack about?¡± Mez asked. ¡°That gong, was that us triggering something?¡±

    ¡°All the doors have opened,¡± Khumdar said, returning from the intersection. ¡°There are too many for all of them to have been part of this attack.¡±

    ¡°Maybe this was a timed event,¡± Don said.

    ¡°I agree.¡± The cleric glared at Jackal. ¡°And as I attempted to warn you, the trigger was touching them, as it was in the permit office.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like we could have not touched them,¡± Jackal protested. ¡°There were just too many of them.¡±

    ¡°So what decides when the gong sounds?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°The arenas use something like that to mark the start and end of fights,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°It¡¯s early for the end of a day,¡± Mez pointed out.

    ¡°You are forgetting that the orb representing the sun was set earlier on our first time here,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°The dungeon might have yet to adjust this building to reflect the adjustment.¡±

    ¡°But how would the dungeon know businesses work based on when the sun¡¯s up?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°It¡¯s not like there anything in here that would tell it that.¡±

    ¡°But you Runners do love to talk,¡± Sto replied.

    ¡°Why are you responding?¡± the Them demanded.

    ¡°Because I¡¯m bored. Normally, I¡¯d be working on something during these boring parts, but you are forcing me to stay at your side when you¡¯re in here. The way this is going, because of you, I won¡¯t have a fifth by the time they are ready for it.¡±

    ¡°You are staying here because I do not trust you not to cause another room like the one here. Left on your own you¡¯ll simply go back to throwing essence together without care for the result.¡±

    ¡°It was one room,¡± Sto protested. ¡°And only one time.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand how you became so wild in how you handle the essences you have.¡±

    Ganny chuckled and whispered. ¡°Oh, I have a good idea where he got that from.¡±

    ¡°And you,¡± the Them snapped. ¡°You are supposed to ensure things are done the way they have been established. How could you lose control of him like this?¡±

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t talk to Ganny like that,¡± Sto objected angrily. ¡°You have no idea how hard I made things for her. You have no idea what I¡¯d have done if she hadn¡¯t been here to stop me.¡±

    Tibs rubbed his temple in response Don¡¯s raised eyebrow and hoped he¡¯d get the significance.

    ¡°I have seen the mess of the rules you¡¯ve made under your assistant¡¯s tutelage. I can well imaging what you¡¯d be without. You are this close to me deciding you are wild and ending you.¡±

    ¡°And we¡¯re grateful for the opportunity to show that we can work within the rules,¡± Ganny said in a placating tone. ¡°But aren¡¯t we here to observe this run? Arguing like this made you miss that the fighter and cleric when through a few of the rooms.¡±

    Jackal exited a further room, rubbing his wrist.

    ¡°The drawer was trapped, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Tibs asked, as Khumdar exited another one.

    ¡°It broke on my wrist, but it still stings. There were three of those faceless coins.¡±

    ¡°One in the room I searched.¡± The cleric handed an essence potion to Don.

    ¡°Did it have a trap?¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡± Khumdar smiled. ¡°But it was secreted away, therefor plain for me to sense.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m first in the other rooms,¡± Tibs said. ¡°Just to make sure no one gets hurt.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 93

    The second office had shelves against the back wall with a lock box on the lower one. An easily defeated lock and Tibs had another healing potion in a crystal bottle, while the desk provided one unmarked coin.

    The next four rooms were unremarkable and only had a single coin each.

    The gong sounded as he exited the room.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let them touch you!¡± Jackal called as golem clerks returned from where they had gone to. Don¡¯s reply was cut short by the need to dance around them.

    Tibs suffused himself with water while Khumdar did something with his essence that made him darker, and at times Tibs thought he saw through parts of the cleric. He was certain that he also saw an arm pass through him, while the golem clerks who got too close to Tibs simply slide aside.

    Once they were all back within their offices and the doors closed, Jackal, Mez, and Don leaned against the wall, panting. Khumdar stumbled and slid down against the nearest one. As the darkness left him, his skin was pale.

    Tibs was at his side.

    ¡°I will be fine,¡± The cleric said, his voice strained. His essence was thin. As if most of it had leaked away. ¡°I simply did not expect this to be quite so exhausting.¡±

    ¡°What did you do?¡± Tibs gently let his essence flow into Khumdar and decided not to mention that what the cleric had done hadn¡¯t been tiring, it had nearly killed him.

    ¡°I pushed myself further than was wise.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean.¡± Tibs tried to keep his tone neutral. ¡°I saw an arm pass through you.¡±

    ¡°Merely the edge of me.¡± Some of the color was returning to him. ¡°Altering more than that was not possible, and simply this has left me in the state you see me in.¡±

    ¡°But what did you do?¡±

    Khumdar smiled and patted Tibs¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I feel it is wiser I not explain. Should I do so, you will then attempt to recreate it without care for the consequences to yourself.¡±

    ¡°I saw you do it,¡± Tibs insisted.

    The cleric¡¯s smile broadened. ¡°But you do not know what the it is.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out, so it¡¯s safer if you tell me how I should do it.¡±

    Khumdar laughed. ¡°No, it is not.¡±

    Tibs considered stopping the flow of his essence.

    ¡°A threat will not make me more inclined to tell you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to do it,¡± Tibs muttered. ¡°I¡¯m not going to let you die doing this. How is your reserve?¡± Tibs could sense there was a lot there, but he didn¡¯t know how that compared with it being full. There was too much variation between his friends for him to keep track.

    ¡°Higher than I expected. Considering how exhausted it left me.¡±

    ¡°What you did used up your life essence. That¡¯s what you feel lacking.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± He closed his eyes. ¡°As I have no way to judge how much of that essence I have, there is a danger I will kill myself if I attempt this too long.¡±

    Tibs nodded, then added. ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°I thank you for the warning.¡±

    ¡°If you tell me how to do it, I can work out how much it uses. I can sense my reserve and I have a lot of it, so I wouldn¡¯t be in danger.¡±

    Khumdar smiled. ¡°You are certainly right. But I will still not risk your life on you miscalculating what cost the experiments would demand. Too many depend on you.¡±

    ¡°You two okay?¡± Jackal asked, still sounding winded.

    ¡°We are,¡± The cleric replied, pushing himself to his feet.

    ¡°Anyone needs a purity weave to catch their breath?¡± Tibs offered.

    The others shook their head.

    ¡°With the golem people in there,¡± Jackal said. ¡°How do we handle the other rooms?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a danger the golems will attack as soon as the door is opened,¡± Don warned.

    ¡°Or they¡¯ll follow the same trigger as when they walk in the hall,¡± Mez said. ¡°We won¡¯t know until we open a door.¡±

    ¡°Did anyone time how long it was before the second gong?¡± Don asked.

    ¡°I thought you¡¯d do it,¡± Jackal replied.

    ¡°I can¡¯t keep time in my head.¡±

    ¡°The time it took for the six rooms,¡± Tibs said. Trying to get a sense of how long that had been.

    ¡°Is it important?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°If it¡¯s consistent,¡± Don said. ¡°It will tell us how long we have to go through rooms without interference.¡±

    ¡°Hey Dungeon,¡± Jackal called to the ceiling. ¡°How about you put those time shields down here, like you have on the third floor? Stop making our lives to abyss hard.¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t know I can hear them,¡± Sto said defensively. ¡°Plenty of Runners do the same.¡±

    ¡°I am well aware of human¡¯s need to believe they can exert their will on things they have no control over. You are not the first I have had to bring back into line.¡±

    ¡°If there are so many of us,¡± Sto grumbled, ¡°maybe it¡¯s because the rules are stupid.¡±

    ¡°Rules are there to protect you from yourself,¡± the Them stated.

    ¡°Sure,¡± Sto replied derisively.

    Tibs let the water move through the lock, hoping for more from them. When the silence stretched, he focused on what he sensed there. ¡°It isn¡¯t locked.¡±

    ¡°Are the others?¡± Don asked, and Tibs tested the next six, shaking his head when he returned. ¡°Then, this aspect might be like with the guild. They only lock the doors when there¡¯s no one in them.¡±

    ¡°Do they leave the doors wide open when those places don¡¯t have people in them?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°No¡­¡± The sorcerer hesitated. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s an aspect the dungeon doesn¡¯t know about. After all, I doubt anyone¡¯s been talking in details about how the guild work during their runs.¡±

    ¡°These locks aren¡¯t going to stop anyone,¡± Tibs said. ¡°Those in the guild are a lot tougher.¡± He looked at the others. ¡°Do I open the door?¡±

    ¡°We aren¡¯t getting the loot otherwise,¡± Jackal said, grinning. A flaming arrow formed in Mez¡¯s bow.

    Tibs crouched, unlatched it, and pushed.

    Inside, three golem people sat at the desk, unmoving.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t they doing anything?¡± Mez whispered.

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°They¡¯re props,¡± Don replied at his usual volume. ¡°They¡¯ll probably move only if they¡¯re triggered.¡±

    Tibs carefully sensed the floor a head of him. ¡°I don¡¯t sense a trigger at the doorway.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± Mez pulled on the bowstring and the arrow flared.

    Tibs stepped in and waited.

    ¡°Should I shoot them?¡± Mez asked when they didn¡¯t react.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that trigger them?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°What would a thief do in a situation like this, Tibs?¡± Don asked.

    ¡°Get out. The one behind the desk is looking at me. A real person would be screaming for the guards.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s possible they are on the same trigger as when they exited the rooms,¡± Don mused. ¡°Can you get the pouch without touching them?¡±

    Tibs studied the space around the desk and judged what he¡¯d have to work with behind the chair. Even if there was a safe, he could work around that. ¡°So long as they don¡¯t move, it¡¯ll be easy.¡±

    ¡°How about the cache?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°If there¡¯s one here, it¡¯ll be the safe, and that¡¯s against the wall, so yes, I¡¯ll be able to get in that too.¡±

    Jackal gave a nod, but Tibs realized he had a potential problem. Normally he¡¯d go against the wall to keep his distance, but that would take him off the scoffed path on the floor. Would that trigger them?

    ¡°I¡¯m going to test something. Mez be ready.¡± He stepped onto the polished floor.

    ¡°Was something supposed to happen?¡± The archer asked.

    ¡°Looks like the path is just for the looks of things,¡± Tibs said, remaining against the wall as he moved. There was a safe, and he started with it. Unlocked and untrapped, it revealed papers, one of the quill-like cylinders, and a stack of copper coins. He had closed the door when he frowned. Was he really dismissing them just because they were copper? In his pouch they went.

    He stepped over it and reached for the top drawer. He paused as he noticed the pouch at the golem clerk¡¯s belt. It was the same as the ones he¡¯d found in the drawers before. He couldn¡¯t remember if any of those walking the hall had had them.

    All three drawers opened easily. None of them contained a pouch.

    ¡°We have a complication,¡± he called, watching the golem for a reaction. ¡°The pouch is on his belt.¡±

    ¡°Can you get it without touching them?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s on its belt,¡± Tibs repeated.

    ¡°Does it look to have coins?¡± Don asked. ¡°Some have been empty,¡± he added in a defensive tone.

    He hadn¡¯t paid attention to how they¡¯d rested in the drawers, but the leather was supple. This one hung low, and the bottom pulled on the knot.

    ¡°It does.¡±

    ¡°I can put an arrow into it,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°Golem people crumble when they die,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°Won¡¯t it only leave normal coins then?¡± There was a pause. ¡°We need the blank ones for the boss room, don¡¯t we?¡± he added defensively.

    ¡°I worry when you make sense,¡± Don said.

    ¡°Try it, Tibs,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°On it.¡±

    The top of the pouch went under the belt before the strings keeping the opening closed were looped and tied around it. Pulling on it would alert the golem. Unlike the pouches most of the townsfolk had, this one was made of one piece, so no seams to cut. How tough was the leather? It seemed normal enough to his sense.

    ¡°Mez, Don, Khumdar. Be ready for them to move.¡± He made a metal knife with as thin an edge as he could, adding a filigree of Duh. He thought Fey might help too, but Don¡¯s warning came to him.

    He wouldn¡¯t be able to slip the knife between the pouch and the golem as it was, so, in a quick motion, he grabbed it and cut it off.

    Bouncing aside to avoid the chair screeching back landed Tibs on his side. It was pulling a sword from a too small scabbard on its other side as its head and shoulder were engulfed in a fiery explosion. More chairs screeched, then the smell of corruption filled the room.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal called in the following silence. ¡°What happened?¡±

    Tibs raised his hand, so the pouch was visible above the desk. ¡°The pouch only crumbles with them if it¡¯s still on them. I cut it off before Mez destroyed it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure the point of the room is to test your skill at getting them without being noticed at all,¡± Don said.

    ¡°Rogues,¡± Tibs replied, standing, ¡°cheat.¡± The pouch contained three coins.

    ¡°This does simplify things,¡± Mez said. ¡°He gets in the other rooms, pulls the pouches off, and we kill them before they can do anything about it.¡±

    ¡°You kill them,¡± Jackal said, disappointed.

    The archer patted the fighter¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sure the dungeon will give you something to fight soon enough.¡±

    ¡°They might not all react this way,¡± Don warned.

    ¡°Only on the next run,¡± Tibs said, exiting the room.

    ¡°How does he know that?¡± the Them demanded as Don stared at him.

    ¡°The dungeon only makes changes after we find ways around his tests,¡± Tibs explained. Hopefully, it would keep Sto from having to come up with a reason.

    ¡°Quigly¡¯s ream could have gone through this building before us.¡±

    ¡°Arbiele¡¯s his rogue. She¡¯s good, but she¡¯s direct. If she did this. She found a way to get the pouches off without being noticed. And she¡¯ll have figured it out.¡± Tibs grinned. ¡°I¡¯m not that patient. Also, if she¡¯d done like I did, the dungeon would already have changed how the rooms work.¡±

    Don studied him. ¡°Don¡¯t take for granted things can¡¯t change on you.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Tibs replied. He didn¡¯t have to, the Them had confirmed he was right already.

    The next two rooms got them three coins this way, and the second had a cabinet, which Tibs opened after the golems were dealt with, earning them one of each potion in the crystal bottles. In the next one, Tibs stared at the clearly empty pouch on the belt and decided to test something.

    The sheath attached to the belt on the other was sized for a knife. Even the handle looked to be one. If he was wrong, Jackal was going to laugh at him even with the essence woven through it. Like all good sheaths, it had slits for the belt to pass through and hold it. Or, since everything about the golem was dungeon made, it might be part of the belt, so they wouldn¡¯t be able to sell it.

    But he first needed to get it.

    ¡°Ready?¡± he called.

    ¡°Been for a time,¡± Mez replied.

    As soon as the knife was under the belt, the golem stood, pulling him up. He grabbed the sheath as fire exploded behind, its heat uncomfortable. Then the golem¡¯s punch had Tibs¡¯s head ringing as he staggered and fell. Before it could attack again, it exploded.

    ¡°Tibs? What happened?¡± Jackal called.

    He raised his hand to show the scabbard and belt, then noticed the pouch still attached to it. He grinned.

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t look like a pouch,¡± the fighter said.

    Tibs suffused himself with Purity, then stood. He grabbed the pommel as he approached and pulled. It shifted in his hand and he almost dropped it as became thicker and he eventually held a sword.

    The others stared at it with a lack of comprehension that amused Tibs.

    ¡°Extra loot,¡± he said, grinning.

    ¡°That¡¯s not something they are supposed to get,¡± the Them said angrily.

    ¡°Rogue¡¯s cheat,¡± Ganny said.

    ¡°And Ti¡ªthis one is cleverer than most,¡± Sto added.

    ¡°We¡¯ll think of something and add that to the changes for tonight,¡± Ganny said.

    ¡°We could attach the pouch to another place,¡± Sto mused. ¡°Force them to choose between getting the swords and not having enough coins to unlock the boss room, or sacrifice the loot for a larger price.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve all worn something like that,¡± Mez said as Tibs silently thanked Sto for the information.

    ¡°At one per room, it¡¯s a lot of them,¡± Tibs said.

    Mez nodded. ¡°And knowing what you¡¯re doing, I can make sure I don¡¯t miss next time.¡±

    Jackal rubbed his hands together. ¡°Let¡¯s get us all the loot!¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs stared into the darkened space behind the door.

    Instead of an office, this door had stairs going down.

    They were somewhere behind the stairwell in the lobby, Tibs thought. He¡¯d lost track of how many swords they¡¯d collected on the way, and had managed to avoid the exodus that had followed the gong.

    This door had been the one door not to open. It had been the one door to have a lock worthy of the name. Now he regretted cracking it.

    He had a sense of what was down there.

    ¡°Do we wait until they come back?¡± Jackal asked.

    He really, really didn¡¯t want to go down there.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°The rooms, if you get in them now you¡ª¡±

    ¡°I need to check something.¡±

    He cursed his curiosity the entire way down the stairs. He shuddered at the simple idea he might sense it, even with his sense so tight against him it might as well no longer exist.

    ¡°You gave them a way down?¡± the Them demanded.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t give them anything,¡± Sto snapped. ¡°The building¡¯s away from everything. The door was as locked as I could make it without it screaming for one of them to unlock it. How was I to know he¡¯d find it? You think I want him down here with us?¡±

    ¡°I think him being down here might work out for the best,¡± the Them said, as Tibs tentatively stepped along the hall.

    ¡°Why?¡± Sto demanded suspiciously.

    ¡°It would remove him before he can cause you actual problems.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not part of the tests,¡± Sto exclaimed. ¡°If that thing kills him, it¡¯s not worth anything. It¡¯s not like I bested him.¡±

    ¡°Like you could,¡± the Them sneered.

    ¡°I can! He isn¡¯t¡ª¡± Sto shut up.

    The walls were unfinished stone. Whatever the plan had been for this hall, they hadn¡¯t gotten to finish it, and because Sto hadn¡¯t planned on anyone coming here, he hadn¡¯t done anything about it.

    He really should turn around and leave.

    The door frame became visible on the right wall in the distance, and Tibs told himself that was far enough. He¡¯d seen it. He didn¡¯t have to get any closer.

    Only his feet weren¡¯t obeying.

    Unlike the walls, the door frame was finished with intricate designs. He made out Arcanus among what might be nothing more than decoration. It might have a weave and he nearly extended his sense, then pulled it in even tighter.

    He could now sense the wrongness emanating from behind the wall there.

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be down here,¡± Don whispered and Tibs startled. He turned to glare at the sorcerer and found the entire team with him. Jackal held a crystal and Tibs realized it had to let out light for them to see.

    They all looked worried and actively avoided looking at the door.

    ¡°Can you sense it?¡± Tibs whispered.

    Jackal¡¯s shrug didn¡¯t look convincing.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m sensing anything,¡± Don answered, the concern audible in the low voice. ¡°But there is something very wrong here.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we see what¡¯s there?¡± Tibs asked, knowing it was the worst idea he¡¯d ever had, but¡­

    ¡°Ganny, what happens if they open the door?¡± Sto asked, more curious than concerned.

    ¡°They die,¡± the Them answered with satisfaction.

    ¡°Yes, I know that,¡± Sto replied harshly. ¡°But I¡¯m just down the hall from them. What happens to me, if they open the door.¡±

    The Them¡¯s silence was ominous.

    Tibs looked at the door and swallowed. There had been no doubt in the Them¡¯s voice about what would happen.

    ¡°I think Don¡¯s right,¡± he whispered, forcing his feet to back away. ¡°We really shouldn¡¯t be down here.¡± His feet finally obeying him, it took all his willpower to not simply run and leave everyone behind.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 94

    Tibs¡¯s strength lasted until he made it up the stairs. Then his legs gave out, and he slumped against the wall.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Jackal asked.

    He shook his head, hugging himself. He tried not to think about it. He wanted to forget about that wrongness. How could anything be that wrong? It was beyond something that had been done incorrectly. This was a wrongness that registered almost at the level of the elements.

    A gong sounded.

    ¡°Tibs. Get up,¡± Jackal ordered.

    Whatever was in that room shouldn¡¯t exist in the world.

    He was yanked to his feet. ¡°Tibs, snap out of it. We have incoming.¡±

    Jackal was worried, and with reason. That thing would end them all if¡ªhis head rang from hitting the wall and before he could wonder why, a crowd filled the hall. One brushed against him and then they roared and Tibs was defending himself, understanding the clerks had returned.

    He blocked with his shield, then stumbled against the wall from the punch. He slashed with his sword and missed.

    What was the point?

    Three came at him and Tibs had no idea how to¡ªJackal barreled through them.

    ¡°Get your head in the now, Tibs!¡±

    ¡°Sorry.¡± They were fighting. He had to help. Pull his weight. What was the best way to help his team now? Other than Jackal, he couldn¡¯t see them.

    Had it gotten them?

    Jackal punched the closest one, staggering it into others and faced Tibs. ¡°You need to fight, Tibs. We¡¯re going to die if you don¡¯t.¡± A sword came down and sliced through the fighter¡¯s side.

    ¡°Jackal!¡± Tibs¡¯s etching formed ice on the golems it touched, slowing them. A flaming arrow shattered many and corruption melted more. Tibs stepped between the golems and Jackal, his cuts leaving ice spreading in the wounds.

    He blocked another sword, then a punch in the shoulder left the arm dangling, his sword remaining in his unfeeling hand purely through holding onto its essence.

    ¡°Leave him alone!¡± Jackal broke the golem¡¯s head, then had his back to Tibs. ¡°You good?¡±

    ¡°No. But this is more important than how I feel right now. Don is so going to hate me for this.¡± He added air to his sword. Ike would be needed in the filigree. Gur because otherwise it would still be too heavy, probably. Then fey to counteract Gur¡¯s etherealness, and he really hoped this didn¡¯t blow up.

    His sword launched forward, pulling him off balance until he disconnected it from his hand. He regained his footing in time to catch a blow with his shield and shoved the golem clerk away. He couldn¡¯t do more. Most of his attention was on keeping control of his sword. Ike had given it the motion it needed to fly, along with air, but he didn¡¯t know of an Arcanus that let him control how it flew, so he needed to will it, and changing the direction it went in felt like fighting someone else¡¯s arm.

    It certainly did damage. From what Tibs saw, the blade cut through the bodies with ease, leaving pieces falling as it¡ª

    ¡°Mez, down!¡±

    The archer dropped, and the sword flew over his head.

    ¡°Tibs!¡± Don yelled. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I have it under control.¡± Well, mostly. It was turning around. ¡°Just make sure you aren¡¯t in the way.¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t ¡®having it under control¡¯,¡± the sorcerer countered.

    A staff caught a blow meant for Don¡¯s head. ¡°It would be wiser to focus on surviving so you can then chastize Tibs on how he is removing many of the golems.¡±

    He had it now. Well, mostly. He needed to help it along where it wanted to go and use that to get to in the direction he needed it. It meant long loops, but also a sliced parts in the process.

    He smiled as, finally; it was returning to him.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal asked, sounding worried. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Getting my sword back.¡± There were only a few golems left.

    ¡°That thing cut through golem flesh. It¡¯s going to slice you up.¡±

    ¡°Not if I catch it.¡± He could feel the way it wanted to turn. All he had to do was push there, and it would land hilt first in his hand.

    His hand didn¡¯t rise. Actually, he couldn¡¯t feel his arm.

    A blast of darkness and corruption sent the sword into the wall, its edge passing close enough to Tibs¡¯s face he made out how sharp it was.

    ¡°That was¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stupid, I know,¡± he finished for Don. ¡°I should just have let the essence go instead of trying to catch it.¡± He suffused himself with purity.

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°What you should have done is¡ª¡±

    ¡°How about you let it go, Don?¡± Jackal said. ¡°That trick made winning a lot easier.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t usually like easy fights,¡± the sorcerer countered.

    ¡°I also don¡¯t usually feel like¡­¡± he motioned toward the still open door and the stairs. ¡°Let¡¯s just collect the coins they dropped and go into the rooms they would have¡­¡± he looked up. ¡°None of them made it to their room!¡±

    Other than the door leading down, they were all closed.

    ¡°Their break is over,¡± Don said. ¡°So I expect the dungeon put them back in, that we kill them or not. No making this easy on us. All these are simply tests for us to pass. Remember that.¡±

    Jackal smiled. ¡°And a chance to get more of those sheathed sword to sell.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs opened the door and started. After so many small offices, looking at this vast open space after the short corridor simply didn¡¯t feel real. And it was high enough for a balcony held up by four gray columns inlaid with metal. The large stairwell going up them was to his left, blocking his view of that side of the room; desks with chairs were spread throughout.

    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re back in the lobby,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°Good,¡± Tibs said, what the space was finally registered. The lobby was safe. Or as safe as any place within Sto. ¡°I need to rest.¡±

    ¡°Just do the purity thing,¡± Jackal said, turning back to the door.

    ¡°I¡¯m taking a break,¡± Tibs stated, dropping on the closest bench and resting his head against the cool stone wall. ¡°How long have we been at this?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t see the sky,¡± Jackal replied, sitting next to him. ¡°So I have no idea.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go check,¡± Mez said and headed to the double doors.

    Tibs took the package of dried fruits out, and before he could eat some, Jackal offered him bread.

    ¡°The ¡®sun¡¯s¡¯ a hand¡¯s span past the zenith!¡± the archer yelled from the doors.

    Khumdar offered Tibs a slice from the cheese. ¡°Unless we move on to another building now, this will be the only one we explore, if even that. We have only done half of this floor, and we can expect as many rooms and fights on the upper floor.¡±

    ¡°We could spend the night,¡± Jackal offered, taking the slice from the cleric.

    ¡°Oh yes,¡± the Them said gleefully. ¡°Please do.¡±

    ¡°They won¡¯t,¡± Sto replied as the fighter added meats from Don. ¡°They aren¡¯t the first team to talk about it, but they¡¯ve been warned. When they started coming in, they talked about how they were going to be left in past the closing door if they didn¡¯t do what they were told. A few were thrown in, too. They also threw in bodies. I didn¡¯t really like those since there was nothing to them but absorbing them. They¡¯ll leave before what they call the sun gets close to where it disappears.¡±

    ¡°This team seems like it could be made to not check where it is.¡±

    ¡°Are you telling me to cheat so they¡¯ll stay too late?¡± Sto asked, tone suspicious.

    ¡°No. That isn¡¯t allowed. But that one is greedy, and they don¡¯t look outside when they are searching for that ¡®loot¡¯ he loves. With the right distraction, they might forget to pay attention.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re not saying I need to cheat,¡± Sto stated flatly.

    ¡°No, you cannot cheat.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯d like it if they were distracted¡­¡± Sto mused. ¡°I¡¯m allowed to adjust the loot distribution for the rest of the building?¡±

    ¡°That is within the rules.¡±

    ¡°Sto,¡± Ganny warned. ¡°Whatever you¡¯re planning, don¡¯t do it. They aren¡¯t here to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Think of it as a test,¡± the Them said. ¡°What can you accomplish within the constraints of the rules?¡±

    ¡°They aren¡¯t allowed to be in here when the doors are closed,¡± she stated.

    ¡°That is not a rule we have implemented,¡± the Them replied smugly.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Ganny,¡± Sto said. ¡°You know me. I like tests.¡±

    Tibs paused his chewing, trying to work out what Sto was on about. Anytime they found a way around his tests, he complained about having to change them. He suspected it was why Ganny had handled them after a while. Of the two, she was the one who enjoyed them.

    ¡°I can¡¯t use coins,¡± Sto said. ¡°I¡¯d need to use gold to catch their interest, and as best as I¡¯ve worked on from their conversation, those shouldn¡¯t appear until my fifth floor¡¯s been around for some time.¡±

    ¡°That is correct. It¡¯s the rare dungeon who had a windfall like this city to build up their reserves.¡±

    ¡°Sto,¡± Ganny warned again, in exasperation this time.

    ¡°Okay, then I use rings. I¡¯ve been dropping those here and there, and them being gold will appeal to the fighter¡¯s greed¡­ No, gold¡¯s still going to get expensive¡­ Ganny, what¡¯s the name of that mix you talked about, the one that looks a lot like gold.¡±

    ¡°Brass?¡± she replied uncertainly.

    ¡°Yes! They aren¡¯t smart enough to tell it isn¡¯t gold, so that¡¯s¡­. No, that won¡¯t work, that rogue of theirs, the way he senses things, he might¡­. Okay, what if we distract him with some weave? Ganny, is the one you started working on earlier usable? He won¡¯t know it¡¯s just a minor thing, so he¡¯ll also think it¡¯s valuable if the fighter asks.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Ganny asked. ¡°That¡¯s isn¡¯t¡­¡± she fell silent. ¡°Are you talking about that weave?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that one. We¡¯ve been playing with making useless weave look like complex ones without making them do anything more. What was that weave doing? Make them feel happier or something simple like that?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± she answered with more confidence.

    ¡°So they¡¯ll think they are valuable, and secret them away. They¡¯re all doing that now because the guild that sends them in is always taking items with weaves from them once they leave. I really don¡¯t get why. I mean, I understand they¡¯re valuable, but the way they talk about it, it sounds like it doesn¡¯t need for¡ª¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Ganny cut off Sto¡¯s wondering and Tibs forced himself to continue eating. Was Sto doing what Tibs thought he was; and telling the Them he was going to do it? ¡°If the goal is to distract them, I don¡¯t think adding a ring like that here and there will do much to distract them. You¡¯re alway putting a variety of items in the loot, they¡¯ll just think it¡¯s something they hadn¡¯t gotten before.¡±

    ¡°Right. I hadn¡¯t thought about it that way. I mean, I could just put a lot of them, but that¡¯ll make them suspicious, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Even the fighter¡¯s clever enough to worry what it means. But if we do it in a way where they start expecting the quantity to be ever larger, then I can see him demanding they stay even if they realize the door¡¯s closing.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to just give them the rings?¡± the Them asked.

    ¡°The rules say I can¡¯t change the building, so it¡¯s that or we let them leave and they might not come back here and we have the same problem next time. And I¡¯ll be absorbing them again when they die, so I¡¯m not actually using up any essence.¡± Sto paused. ¡°But they make a good point. If we put them in every room, they¡¯ll work it out and just go to the last room where there will be the most of them, then they¡¯ll leave.¡±

    She chuckled. ¡°That one¡¯s easy to solve. We don¡¯t put them in every room. We skip some.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll work it out, Ganny. It¡¯s going to take them six rooms at most to figure the pattern and we¡¯re back to the same problem.

    ¡°Set them to be random,¡± the Them offered.

    ¡°We can¡¯t do that,¡± Ganny stated. ¡°Sto is a dungeon. The sorcerer said it. There are always patterns, and once they notice it, they¡¯ll think it¡¯s a test. Him and the Rogue will be busy working out what that is, the fighter is just going to see loot and the other two just go along with the others. So, set the next room to have a ring. Then jump one room and put two rings there. After that you jump two rooms, and four rings, then three and¡ª¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s too simple again, Ganny. They¡¯ll know it¡¯s the fourth next door after that by then.¡±

    ¡°Not fourth, fifth.¡±

    ¡°Why the fifth?¡± Sto asked, while Tibs worked the puzzle.

    The Them chuckled.

    ¡°After that one, it¡¯s the eighth door.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± Sto said and Tibs hid his smiled by shoving food in his mouth.

    He got it.

    ¡°Trust me,¡± Ganny said. ¡°Even they won¡¯t get it either.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 95

    Tibs returned to the hall and unlocked the next door to look at yet another small office. This one with only a woman golem clerk seated behind the desk and no apparent cache. It didn¡¯t even have a safe, he noticed, once he¡¯d made his way around the desk. He almost continued around her for the side with the pouch, but realize this would break the pattern of how he¡¯d done things since realizing the sheath was enchanted. It and the coin pouch were attached to the belt, so he¡¯d gone for that instead.

    He made a knife, all metal essence, and readied himself. The golems were quick to react, but once he had hold of the belt he could hang on as it was hit and slice it off. A glance over the desk showed Mez, flaming arrow ready.

    He quickly took hold of the belt, only for it to be yanked out of his fingers as the golem jumped to its feet, then it staggered back as heat bloomed. Tibs jumped as it fell against the wall and sliced the belt off as a second arrow destroyed its torso. Then he rolled away and was sprawled in the corner, watching it crumble, sword in hand.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal called, and he raised his hand to show the belt. ¡°That¡¯s good. Are you okay?¡±

    He stood. ¡°The sword was in its hand. It¡¯s gone now.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it the sheath that¡¯s enchanted?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°The sword had a weave on it too,¡± Tibs said. The pouch contained a blank silver coin and a ring.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Don said. ¡°Making the two one item should mean it¡¯s less costly to make from what I read, but that was only about sorcerer¡¯s work.¡±

    Sto was right, the difference between this and gold was minor, and he¡¯d held gold coins. The only gold Sto had made was part of decorating items.

    The weave was too dense for Tibs to think it was a useless enchantment, even without a sense of what Ganny was aiming for, but if it was possible to add uselessness to a weave, then he certainly would be fooled by this.

    ¡°That¡¯s new,¡± Jackal said, at his side.

    Tibs grinned. ¡°It¡¯s gold.¡±

    Jackal took it and turned it over. ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Or course.¡± Why wasn¡¯t he impressed. ¡°And there¡¯s a weave on it. Darran¡¯s going to give us a lot of coins for it.¡±

    His friend studied the ring closer. ¡°What does the weave do? Because I don¡¯t think it¡¯s¡ª¡±

    ¡°Trust me,¡± Tibs said, fighting to sound casual and staring at the fighter. ¡°I know what Darran is looking for. That¡¯s going to help make sure the guild doesn¡¯t own us once we reach Epsilon.¡±

    Jackal searched his face.

    Just how well did the Them know people? They¡¯d travel, and had been in the town, but they were dismissive. Could they read Jackal uncertainty? He¡¯d never asked Sto how he saw them. Was it the same way Tibs saw the world, or was it more like how he sensed thing? Forms without the details that let him know how someone felt?

    The fighter shrugged and handed it back. ¡°Okay. You¡¯re the one who knows that stuff. So long as it¡¯s good loot, I¡¯m happy.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± Mez asked. ¡°I saw the belt on its hip as I loosed the arrow.¡±

    ¡°I think the golems are more alert in this part. Or it was just this one. I wasn¡¯t ready for how fast it reacted.¡± He looked at Don. ¡°Do the people in offices get more important as you go further in?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Tirania has her office in the back, but most of the others seem to be for regular clerks. But that¡¯s the guild, and this isn¡¯t a real city office. There¡¯s no telling how the dungeon set it up.¡±

    The next office was unoccupied. Books were lined up in the bookshelf. ¡°I¡¯ll check them for traps,¡± Tibs said before Don commented. There had been three ¡®real¡¯ books among all the previous bookshelf, each trapped with a vial containing a lot of fire and air essence set to break if not disarmed. Fire loved paper, Tibs knew.

    The books weren¡¯t trapped, and when Tibs tried to open one, he couldn¡¯t; props again. The second drawer contained the pouch, but it only had two rings. The others had papers and more of those quill-like cylinders.

    Jackal overplayed being excited at the rings, but the Them didn¡¯t comment, so maybe they couldn¡¯t tell.

    The next office had two golem people. Only the one behind the desk, the clerk, was armed and had a pouch, but they both reacted when Tibs grabbed the belt, holding on when the clerk jumped to its feet and he had it cut before it reached for the sword. It crumbled, covered with fire, while the other one was partially melted with corruption by the time it crumbled away.

    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    This pouch had four rings and Jackal¡¯s grin was so broad and stiff Tibs figure his mouth had to hurt.

    The next office had no clerk, and the pouch only had two blank silver coins. Tibs acted disappointed and hoped Jackal was paying attention.

    ¡°This won¡¯t work once they reach the next floor,¡± the Them said as Tibs unlocked the next office. ¡°You can¡¯t know which direction they¡¯ll take.¡±

    The office had one clerk.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what direction they go in,¡± Sto replied. ¡°The pouches are caches, so I can adjust them so it will follow Ganny¡¯s pattern.¡±

    ¡°Which means,¡± Ganny continued, ¡°that since they check one room, then the one facing it, even if they go left, which is the shortest way to the boss room, they won¡¯t reach it before the door closes, and well before that, the fighter¡¯s going to push them for more offices so he can get more of the rings.¡±

    They¡¯d go right, Tibs decided, grabbing the belt and cutting it. Let the Them think they couldn¡¯t win. He raised his hand to show the belt to the others as the golem crumbled away under the fire. Then, it was just a question of decided how long it should take before Tibs had worked out the pattern.

    And then, things would go quickly.

    ¡°Eight rings!¡± Jackal exclaimed. ¡°We¡¯re going to be rich!¡±

    He so had to teach his friend how to act.

    The eighth office had two clerks and a pouch heavy with one and six rings. Jackal only grinned, seemingly unsure of how he was expected to act.

    As he expected, the next room¡¯s pouch only contained coins, three of them.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Don said as Tibs stepped to the next door. He looked along the hall. ¡°I want to test something.¡±

    Tibs stopped the sorcerer. ¡°What do you want to test?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain afterward. I need you to make sure the floor¡¯s safe until we reach the door I need.¡±

    By now, Tibs was confident the hall was devoid of traps, other than the gong, but he still checked. Ganny depended on them making assumption to get them.

    ¡°It¡¯s this one,¡± Don said, one door short of the one Tibs knew contained the rings.

    Tibs wondered if he should correct him. Was this too soon for him to have worked it out? If Don had it wrong, then Tibs couldn¡¯t have it right yet. He unlocked the door to the small office, which had three golem people in it.

    ¡°Just get the pouch,¡± Don said.

    ¡°The sheath¡¯ll bring us good coins,¡± Jackal objected.

    ¡°We have enough of those,¡± the sorcerer countered dismissively. ¡°And Tibs said those rings are worth enough to buy our freedom. So they have to be the priority.¡±

    ¡°It seems the fighter¡¯s not the most greedy one of them,¡± the Them said with mirth.

    Jackal looked at Tibs, and he wasn¡¯t sure how to instruct him to react. Don was going to be annoyed at being wrong, and it would be Tibs who made that obvious. The sorcerer hadn¡¯t blown up at something like that since joining the team, but¡­

    No, he was missing something. Don didn¡¯t need the coins. He already had an agreement for his freedom from the guild.

    ¡°We can go back to the offices we passed if we have to,¡± he said before making his way to the back. He added a filigree of Duh to the point of the knife, and he hardly had to touch the pouch to open it and catch the two coins that fell out.

    ¡°That¡¯s all that was in it.¡± He showed Don once he was back.

    Don nodded with what looked like satisfaction, stepped past the one containing the rings, and pointed to the door. Yeah, he had the wrong pattern.

    ¡°Don,¡± Jackal said cautiously. ¡°There weren¡¯t any rings here. It might be best to go back and do those we passed by.¡±

    ¡°Checking all of them is going to keep us here well past the door closing, and there¡¯s no telling if the pattern is going to be changed for our next run.¡±

    And glance at him, and Tibs could only shrug. His biggest concern was Don¡¯s disappointment.

    ¡°What if it doesn¡¯t have any rings?¡± Jackal asked, his tone even more cautious.

    ¡°I need you to trust me,¡± Don replied in a surprisingly understanding tone. ¡°Just because you aren¡¯t seeing the results you want to see, it doesn¡¯t mean this experiment isn¡¯t giving me results I can use.¡±

    Jackal looked at the others.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me,¡± Mez said. ¡°I¡¯m only smarter than you in this group.¡±

    As usual, Khumdar remained silent.

    ¡°Don¡¯s smarter than me,¡± Tibs said, stepping to the door. He¡¯d explain it, and how it was he knew the pattern once they were outside, and if he could make sure the Them wasn¡¯t watching. Hopefully, Don would be bearable until then.

    The office only had the golem clerk behind the desk and a cabinet behind it.

    ¡°Get the sheath too,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°That isn¡¯t needed,¡± Don replied.

    ¡°Don, I want something out of this in case you¡¯re wrong. Again.¡±

    ¡°Then the cabinet¡¯s better,¡± Tibs said, surprised Don didn¡¯t protest. ¡°It has potions we can use in the boss fight, and it means we don¡¯t need to fight the clerk.¡±

    ¡°Which you don¡¯t take part in,¡± Mez said as Jackal opened his mouth to protest.

    ¡°Fine. The cabinet, then the pouch.¡±

    Even looking at the pouch, Tibs could tell it had no coins. He still cut it open, catching the key that fell out and used it to unlock the cabinet. He took the three potions and exited.

    Instead of being annoyed, or even disappointed at the news there were no rings, Don stepped back one door and motioned to it.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you pick that one first, then?¡± Jackal asked with enough annoyance to make up for what the sorcerer wasn¡¯t showing.

    ¡°I wanted to make sure I was right.¡±

    ¡°You weren¡¯t! There weren¡¯t any rings in that one or that one. We might as well go back in case one of them will have them.¡±

    ¡°Trust me,¡± the sorcerer said.

    Jackal threw his hands up. ¡°Why am I even surprised? It¡¯s not like you¡¯ve ever given a fuck what I think.¡±

    Tibs studied Don, who looked back at him. He was hiding his concern well. He was worried Tibs would side with Jackal, as he usually did. But Tibs knew he was right about the office. He just didn¡¯t understand why the subterfuge.

    This room was empty, and the pouch was in the seconds drawer, definitely filled. He undid the trap and retrieved it.

    He lobbed it at a triumphant Don.

    ¡°Why did you waste time with the other two?¡± Jackal demanded in exasperation.

    ¡°Because without testing it, all I¡¯d known was that there were rings in this office. And that could have been at random. Which would mean there might have been others before, and I wouldn¡¯t actually have known where the office with them was. Now, if that one has rings. I know where they all are.¡±

    ¡°You said they wouldn¡¯t be able to figure it out,¡± the Them said angrily.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d work it out,¡± Ganny replied, mystified.

    Tibs was happy and proud that Don had worked it out ahead of him figuring he could justify having the answer. He was happier when Don led them to the two and first room, which had a pouch nearly bursting with rings.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 96

    Following Don, and the pattern of where the rings were, quickly took them to the second floor, and, because of how far apart they now were, they would have passed this door if not for Tibs staying close to the wall, in preparation for whenever the gong would sound the next exodus, and sensed the weave in it.

    He paused in surprise, then looked at the door. It was like the others. Even the lock looked as simple, but the weave flowed around and through it.

    ¡°Tibs? What is it?¡± Jackal asked.

    He did the numbers as he looked back to the room with the rings, counting where the next one should be, one and seven further. Which meant¡­

    ¡°This is the boss room.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± The Them snapped.

    ¡°They can count,¡± Ganny said, sounding annoyed; and slightly mirthful too?

    ¡°And this rogue can sense the door isn¡¯t like the others,¡± Sto added in a suspiciously neutral tone. Had he done this to ensure Tibs would notice it?

    ¡°How could you overlook something so simple?¡± the Them demanded.

    ¡°Oh? Like you realized it was mistake?¡± Sto replied, annoyed.

    ¡°And will unlocking this door just let them in to fight your creation?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Sto said, and Tibs heard the smile. ¡°He can tell there¡¯s something there, but not what it does.¡±

    Sto was right. There was another weave behind the door, but he had no idea what it did yet. First, he needed to get through this lock.

    The weave there had strands going through and around the tumblers. He considered using water, as he¡¯d done with the other locks, but was the weave there to interact with that? There was earth, metal, air, some water and plenty of the other elements he couldn¡¯t sense. So maybe Ganny had built this specifically to force rogues who¡¯d grown to dependent on their essence to go back to basics.

    ¡°Lockpicks?¡± Jackal asked as Tibs formed them with ice.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to risk the weave in the lock deactivating the puzzle if I use essence directly to open it. If we come back, I¡¯ll try it with essence, then.¡±

    The Them snorted.

    The weave moved as he adjusted the tumblers, but not in a way that told him what it did. Some of the threads were aligning, but other already had been before he started. With the last tumbler in place, he turned the tension bar, and the attached strand pulled onto the rest of the weave and¡ª

    His breath caught in his throat as he was yanked away hard. The door was no longer like the others. It was silver, looking more like metal than stone or wood; with rows of circles in it.

    ¡°Eighty-one slots,¡± Don said as Tibs caught his breath. ¡°That¡¯s the puzzle.¡±

    Nine rows of nine circles made¡­eight and one.

    Don fit one of the coins he collected in a hole. ¡°That¡¯s what the coins are for.¡± He considered something. ¡°But it can¡¯t be just about filling each of them. That seems too simple.¡±

    ¡°Do we even have enough?¡± Jackal asked.

    Tibs took those he had and made stacks of nine. He had three, and four coins left. The others added theirs, bringing the total to seven stacks and six.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get them,¡± Jackal said, rubbing his hands as he turned to the door on the other wall.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be faster if I get them,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°You¡¯ve had your fun,¡± the fighter replied. ¡°Now it¡¯s my turn.¡± He kicked in the door.

    ¡°What¡¯s your sense of the puzzle?¡± Don asked, and Tibs put the fighting out of his mind.

    ¡°There¡¯s essence in each hole, and lines connecting all of them.¡± He put a coin in and sensed for a change. ¡°There¡¯s essence in the coins, but I can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s supposed to interact with what¡¯s already there. You¡¯re right. I don¡¯t think just putting them in will be enough.¡±

    ¡°Told you,¡± Sto said with pride.

    Jackal added two coins to the stacks and moved on to the next door.

    ¡°We could speed this up by each taking a door,¡± Mez said. ¡°We know what the golems in them do, so none of us would be in danger.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not going to help us get through this puzzle any faster,¡± Don replied, ¡°so Jackal might as well break golems. He¡¯s entitled to it, after standing by while you shoot all of them.¡±

    ¡°None here,¡± Jackal said as he exited the office and kicked in the door facing it.

    Mez sat and took an ale skin from his pack. ¡°If you¡¯ll make tankards, Tibs, we might as well relax until he¡¯s done, then.¡±

    Tibs made them one each, while continuing to study the puzzle. When Jackal added the next two coins, he left the food from his pack behind, and Don forced Tibs to sit and eat something.

    * * * * *

    Tibs had a coin left over when he placed the last one in the door. He pocketed it. Maybe it was worth something, even without the usual marking.

    Eight and one coins in the same number of holes, and nothing.

    Well, not nothing. The weave in the door had reacted, and the door had glowed before fading back to normal and nothing that changed. Taking out a coin and putting it back produced the same result.

    ¡°I think.¡± Don hesitated. ¡°This is to let us know the weave checks what we do, and it isn¡¯t right.¡±

    ¡°Then what do we do?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°We work out the specificity of the puzzle,¡± the sorcerer replied. ¡°What did the weave do when you took the coin out and put it back?¡±

    ¡°It shifted, then went back to its previous state, I think.¡±

    ¡°You think?¡±

    ¡°The weave is complex. It isn¡¯t so dense the way some of the others are when¡­¡± when Ganny didn¡¯t want him to be able to use what he sensed. Did it mean the weave wasn¡¯t important to the puzzle, or sensing it was part of the puzzle? ¡°What do you sense?¡± he asked Don.

    The sorcerer closed his eyes. ¡°I can tell there¡¯s a weave, but I don¡¯t have your precision. There are a lot of threads, but that¡¯s about it.¡±

    Tibs looked at Khumdar, who frowned. ¡°There are secrets within the door, many secrets.¡± He paused and his channels filled with essence, moving to the node of sight.

    ¡°Not this time, Cleric,¡± Ganny said with glee.

    ¡°There are too many of them, and of so many types I cannot say what is of use. This is purposeful. I am afraid you will need to accomplish this without my assistance.¡±

    Tibs nodded. Ganny had been too pleased with herself.

    ¡°I told you I made it too hard for them,¡± Sto said.

    Don took a coin from the door and turned it in his fingers. ¡°You said there is essence in the coins. Does it lock with the door¡¯s weave?¡±

    Tibs rotated a coin in its hole. ¡°The essence turns with the coin.¡±

    Don tapped a finger on the coins. ¡°We¡¯re missing something. The dungeon can¡¯t expect us to try all the permutations. We¡¯d be at it all week.¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t what I did,¡± Sto said.

    ¡°I know very well it isn¡¯t,¡± the Them replied, annoyed. ¡°I can sense what you did as well as you. Although it would have been a way to ensure they stay past your door closing.¡±

    ¡°How many are there?¡± Tibs asked, wishing the Them had slipped and given him a clue.

    Don chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but the number would be so big I doubt it can be contained in all the books in a library.¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    ¡°It¡¯d take us more than a week to try that many of them,¡± Jackal said. ¡°This is a lock, so it¡¯s just about making the essence line up, right? You can sense that Tibs.¡±

    ¡°Only if I can tell them apart,¡± Tibs replied.

    ¡°Jackal might still be onto something,¡± Don said, and Tibs stared at the lack of surprise in the tone. ¡°See if you can turn it so that as many of them line up.¡±

    The coin turned, and some of the threads in it lined up. He moved it to another position and different threads could be made to line up. He tried three more spots before shaking his head.

    ¡°So, we can¡¯t win this?¡± Jackal asked. ¡°Should I try punching through it?¡±

    ¡°The dungeon wouldn¡¯t let that be a possibility,¡± Don said.

    ¡°And he makes all the puzzles so we can work them out,¡± Tibs added. ¡°If this looks like it can¡¯t be done, it means we missed something.¡±

    ¡°I told you,¡± Sto said. ¡°I know how Runners think. They only had one thing on their mind and miss the rest.¡±

    Tibs kept staring at the door to keep from reacting. That had been for him. Sto wanted him to get into the room. Normally he wouldn¡¯t help, which meant the reward would be more rings. They already a lot, but it wasn¡¯t enough to help everyone.

    Sto had confirmed he¡¯d missed something, and that it was because he¡¯d only had one thing on his mind. What was on his mind? Helping the town. Which meant getting the rings. Which had caused him to basically ignore everything else in the offices. If not for making sure the Them didn¡¯t realize Tibs was speeding through the offices to get to those with the rings, he wouldn¡¯t have bothered taking anything else.

    What had he taken?

    He took the two pages that reminded him of the Promises. The cylinder, the sheath without the sword in it, and the extra coin. He wanted to put it away since he knew what it was for, but was that him being too focused on one thing?

    He made a table of ice and laid the items on it.

    ¡°What are these?¡± Don tapped the paper.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, it was in one of the safes. I want Darran to look at them because to me, the way the letters and decorations are arranged reminds me of how Promises look.¡±

    ¡°Stole many Promises, have you?¡± Don asked with a chuckle. Tibs realized that while he¡¯d told him about taking down the Brokerage for Archer, and so they wouldn¡¯t be able to pay the assassins anymore. He¡¯d forgotten to mention what he¡¯d taken for himself in the process.

    The sorcerer took the cylinder and studied it. ¡°What do you think this is? I noticed them on the desks.¡±

    ¡°They were in the safes too. Darran might know what it is.¡±

    Don nodded and placed it back. ¡°Why are you taking them out?¡±

    ¡°Because we¡¯re missing something.¡± Tibs looked at the items, sensed them. The answer was there. ¡°The answer to the puzzle is in this room.¡± He motioned to everything around them. ¡°So I¡¯m trying to figure out what item we found that has it.¡±

    Jackal place three crystal bottles on the table. ¡°Those come for the offices.¡±

    ¡°But we know what they¡¯re for,¡± Don said.

    Jackal shrugged. ¡°And the dungeon knows we know that. I¡¯m not that smart. I¡¯m just adding them because Tibs said he¡¯s looking at all the items we found in there.¡±

    ¡°And doesn¡¯t this look like some sort of quill?¡± Mez asked, pickup up the cylinder. ¡°Look at the tip. That¡¯s definitely something I could write with.¡±

    ¡°But there¡¯s nothing to write with, or on,¡± Don said.

    ¡°There¡¯s that.¡± Jackal tapped the paper.

    ¡°And how does that have something to do with the door?¡± the sorcerer asked. ¡°I think you¡¯re trying too hard. You¡¯re saying anything that comes to you and hoping it¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°What else are the rest of us going to do?¡± the fighter replied with a smile. ¡°You two are the smart ones here. I have so little ideas, I just say them when I do.¡±

    Tibs took the cylinder and looked it over. Mez was right. The tip was a lot like that of a quill. He sort of remembered thinking that when he picked up the first one. And he knew better than to dismiss what Jackal said out of hand. He¡¯d known he was smarter than he let on well before he promised Kroseph he¡¯d do better.

    And Don was wrong about one thing. Tibs was the one with a habit of trying too hard. Of getting lost in how deep the problem was, even when it had a simple solution.

    Not that this looked to have a simple solution. If this was a quill of some sort, where was the ink? And Tibs agreed with Don that the paper was probably not what needed to be written on. Which left them without ink or anything to write on.

    He picked up the coin, a thought coming to him. ¡°Can coins be blank?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Don replied.

    ¡°Sure, before they¡¯re stamped.¡±

    ¡°Those aren¡¯t coins,¡± the sorcerer said. ¡°They¡¯re blanks, like these.¡± He motioned to the door. ¡°They have to be stamped to be called coins. Hence, coins can¡¯t be blank.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d have fun convincing my cousins of that,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Considering it was their jobs to get them before they reached the treasury. My father liked having his own supply of coins to stamp as he needed.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be easier for your cousins to steal them after they¡¯ve been stamped?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°The Treasurer would know they¡¯ve been taken,¡± Don said. ¡°Each treasury has a code they used to mark the coins as authentic. I don¡¯t know what it is, since it is a secret they guard with more ardor than the coins themselves. But until they get distributed, they know exactly where each coin is.¡±

    ¡°And that secrecy means no one knows what the code is for coins from other kingdoms,¡± Jackal added.

    Tibs turned the coin in his fingers. ¡°So they stamp a coin to make it real?¡±

    ¡°More to show where it¡¯s from,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Some kingdoms refuse to recognize a rival¡¯s coins are valid, but more will say it¡¯s worth less. It¡¯s how kings show they aren¡¯t happy with the others. But since it didn¡¯t cost my father anything but buying a stamp from each country, even a reduced value meant more coins for him to spend.¡±

    ¡°So the stamp tells you where the coin is from,¡± Tibs mused.

    ¡°Where it claims to be from,¡± Jackal said, ¡°but yeah, basically.¡±

    Which didn¡¯t help him. He had no way to stamp the coins.

    But was that right?

    He was confident that the fact the coins weren¡¯t ¡®real¡¯ yet was part of it, but was he supposed to make them real? Or to reveal the truth of them being real?

    He suffused himself with light and shone it on the door.

    Sto chuckled as the light was absorbed by darkness in the door, making it grow thicker, instead of piercing it. ¡°You aren¡¯t cutting through this one, buddy.¡±

    With a huff, Tibs let go of the element and turned to his friends, who were rubbing at their tearing eyes.

    ¡°How about some warning next time?¡± Jackal blinked a few times.

    ¡°Sorry. I thought I could have light show me the truth about the coins, but the dungeon¡¯s wise to that. The darkness in the weave absorbed it.¡±

    ¡°Mayhap,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°if light and darkness were to assault the weave, it could be defeated.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes,¡± Sto said eagerly, ¡°Do it, I want to see what will happen.¡±

    Tibs studied the weave, sensed it for a while in case the Them could tell when he did that, then shook his head. ¡°If I knew light based etchings it might work, but all I can do is throw it at something. With that, it comes down to who has the largest reserve. I have a lot, but I figure a dungeon will have a lot more than me.¡±

    He went back to what was on the table. He had a paper, which might be a Promise. A cylinder, which might be a quill, a sheath pretending to be for a knife. A coin, that wouldn¡¯t be one until it was stamped and three bottles, one that healed, one that replenished the essence and one that replenished the stamina.

    Only, was that all they were? He sensed the health potion, and it seemed like the others he¡¯d sensed before. ¡°Does anyone have a healing potion from a previous run?¡± he hadn¡¯t taken any since with his reserve and access to purity, he didn¡¯t need them.

    Mez placed a stamina potion on the table. ¡°I didn¡¯t bother bringing the healing ones since you¡¯re here.¡±

    He took it and the crystal bottle containing its equivalent. They registered mostly as the same, but the difference were so small they wouldn¡¯t matter. He handed it back to the archer, only to still hold on to it as he tried to take it.

    He was getting something wrong again.

    Everything outside had differences. Carina had explained about chaos and how a change far away could affect something next to Tibs. That because of that, even master crafters couldn¡¯t replicate every detail of something they made.

    But Sto wasn¡¯t a crafter, master or otherwise. He was dungeon. He didn¡¯t have to remake things each time he needed it. He had what he called models and all he had to do was put the essences into them and he had the real thing.

    When it came to their essence, the same items had exactly the same essences.

    Unless Sto made it so they didn¡¯t.

    ¡°He¡¯s got something,¡± Don said.

    ¡°That¡¯s my line,¡± Jackal complained.

    ¡°You need to be faster, then.¡±

    Tibs removed the stopper and poured a drop out, catching it with water. If Sto had added something, then what he needed to do was take it out of the rest of the essences. With the other potions to compare with, he could identify those differences¡­ but how did he go about taking them out?

    The first step was easy. Pull away the essences he had. That left him with¡­

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Jackal asked quietly. ¡°How long should we let you stare at the water before asking if you¡¯re doing anything?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to figure out how to pull the¡­whatever it is, out of the rest. I think that¡¯s the ink. I can tell it¡¯s there, but it¡¯s not made of my elements. I know how to force those I don¡¯t have away or toward me, but it¡¯s not gentle, and the sense I get of this is that it¡¯s fragile.¡±

    ¡°What is your theory?¡± Don asked. ¡°Your idea,¡± he added.

    ¡°We only have one thing that really needs to be written on. The coins in the door. We have something that might be a quill, and maybe the ink goes into the cylinder, so I¡¯m trying to get that out of the rest of the essences in the potion, put it in there and use that on the coins.¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t do that,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I¡¯m trying to work out how¡ª¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t what he means,¡± Don said. ¡°The dungeon doesn¡¯t make puzzles for you to best, Tibs. It makes puzzles for any of us to crack if we apply ourselves to it. Whatever the solution is, Mez should be able to use it.¡±

    ¡°And because I¡¯m not as smart as either of you,¡± the archer said. ¡°I¡¯d just take the quill.¡± He did. ¡°And dip that into the provided inkpot.¡± He put it in the open stamina potion until the end touched the liquid, and the change was immediate. The yellow liquid turned gray as that extra essence moved into the quill.

    ¡°I really didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be the one solving it,¡± Ganny said.

    ¡°Runners are full of surprises,¡± Sto replied with a hint of pride.

    ¡°I think it worked,¡± Jackal said, and Tibs was too annoyed at himself for having overcomplicated things to glare at the fighter.

    ¡°You¡¯re the one holding the quill,¡± he told Mez when the archer offered it to Tibs.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what comes next.¡±

    Tibs smiled. ¡°What do you do after dipping your quill in the ink?¡±

    ¡°I write?¡±

    Tibs motioned to the door. ¡°Then write.¡±

    ¡°What if it doesn¡¯t do anything?¡±

    ¡°Then we know this isn¡¯t the solution.¡± But Ganny had told him it was.

    Mez stepped to the door, thought, then applied the quill to a coin. He gasped and stepped away. ¡°I didn¡¯t do that.¡±

    The coin now showed an anchor with a setting sun behind it.

    Mez put the quill in Tibs¡¯s hand. ¡°I was just going to write a letter, but as soon as I touched it, that flowed out. You do the rest, so I don¡¯t break anything.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t break it,¡± Don said. ¡°Clearly, this is like a combination lock. The right items need to be in the right position for the lock to disengage. The ¡®ink¡¯ needs to be in the ¡®quill¡¯ and that unlocks the stamps.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to stick to my fire essence,¡± Mez replied.

    Tibs shrugged and touched another coin. Ink flowed out of the quill and shaped into the form of a bird he didn¡¯t recognize, but he¡¯d seen coins with it before, same as with the anchor and sun. The next one had a flower, then a shield with three swords, then the anchor again. Don had to do the top rows, but then they had eight and one stamped coins. They all had multiples, except for one.

    Don looked at it. ¡°That¡¯s strange. I thought I know all the kingdom¡¯s stamps.¡±

    ¡°I know it,¡± Tibs said, caressing the coins with a mountain on it, and a crack near its base. ¡°It¡¯s our coin.¡± He could even make out the path leading to the dungeon¡¯s entrance.

    ¡°The dungeon¡¯s stamp,¡± Jackal whispered.

    ¡°I knew you¡¯d work that out,¡± Sto said.

    ¡°If that¡¯s us,¡± Mez said, a smile forming as he looked over the door. ¡°I know what the solution is.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 97

    Mez took the coins out, except for theirs, which was in the center of the grid, then put them back in, starting by surrounding it with those stamped with a flower and two swords crossed over them. The eight immediately around it ¡®snapped¡¯ in alignment with the essence threads around the hole when he turned them so they were straight in their place.

    ¡°How do you know where they go?¡± Tibs asked, taking the rest and making stacks based on how they were stamped.

    ¡°I¡¯ve had to study the world¡¯s geography,¡± the archer replied. ¡°These are Olvilon¡¯s coins.¡± He placed the five left in his hand, but only one snapped when he turned it. He moved from one hole to the other around those already in place until each snapped. ¡°It¡¯s the kingdom in which Kragle Rock is located.¡±

    ¡°Why do you have to know that?¡±

    ¡°A proper noble must know all his neighbors,¡± Mez recited with derision in a high pitch voice Tibs wasn¡¯t sure who it was meant to be. ¡°Not that she knows what it means to be a noble,¡± he added, and Tibs figured he was talking about his girl. ¡°This is the first time any of it¡¯s been of use. Hand me those for Mirania.¡±

    Tibs looked at the stamps. ¡°I don¡¯t know which one it is.¡±

    ¡°Those with the hammer over a shield. They¡¯re Olvilon¡¯s neighbor sunrise ward.¡±

    ¡°If Kragle Rock is in Olvilon, why does it have a different stamp?¡±

    ¡°The dungeon¡¯s ego?¡± the archer said, as he placed the coins, moving those that didn¡¯t snap.

    ¡°While that is possible,¡± Don said, ¡°it still plays into the fact that because it¡¯s a dungeon city, Kragle Rock is actually part of the kingdom of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡±

    ¡°A guild can¡¯t be a kingdom,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°When that guild controls a force able to topple any king it wants,¡± the sorcerer said, ¡°it can be whatever it wants. It also simplifies how the other kingdoms deal with it, since it means there will be something resembling a unified mindset across all dungeon cities, instead of each local guild running things as they want.¡±

    ¡°Ah yes,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°The kingdoms¡¯ so well vaunted internal unity. If each guild is as such, then none should be surprised when they encounter their next posting and find that things there are done in a completely different manner as to what you have learned here.¡±

    ¡°Spent time among a lot of guilds?¡± Jackal asked so innocently the cleric chuckled.

    ¡°No. But I have traveled through many kingdoms, and the unity is only as strong as the king¡¯s will to enforce it.¡±

    ¡°Which leads to tyranny,¡± Mez said, taking the stack with the badger and putting this to the right of Olvilon and Mirania¡¯s coins.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± the cleric said.

    ¡°I defer to your experience,¡± Don said. ¡°Research tends to be narrowminded, so the conclusions when studying people tend to be just as narrowly focused.¡±

    Coins with the anchor and setting sun went above and to the left of Olvilon¡¯s, then a forest with an anvil before it made a line along the left coins. Beyond that were individually stamped coins, with a series of coins with waves and what Mez told him was a ship¡¯s helm.

    When the last coin snapped into place, the door silently opened, revealing a large room with a white so bright it took him a moment to realize there was something wrong. Tibs leaned in to look left and right. The walls were far enough he should see the inside of at least seven offices on each side. He looked into the office next door, and it was still there, with the broken desk and shelves that resulted from Jackal¡¯s fight.

    ¡°How is the room larger than what space there is?¡± he asked Don.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not sure. Can you sense anything of the space?¡±

    Tibs vehemently shook his head. He wasn¡¯t even risking the chance he¡¯d brush against what was under the building.

    The sorcerer looked into the room, eyes narrowed against the glare. ¡°The property of void as an element would allow for something like this, but I haven¡¯t read anything about it being done.¡±

    Jackal cracked his fingers, grinning. ¡°That¡¯s a boss if I ever saw one.¡±

    Tibs looked into the room again, trying to understand what his friend was¡­ How had he missed the creature that stood at what might be the back? He couldn¡¯t tell how deep the room was.

    ¡°How about we figure out if the dungeon has given us an easier way,¡± Don said, ¡°before you run in to start the fight?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t only how large it was, its blackness marred the empty whiteness surrounding it. Only on focusing could Tibs tell it wasn¡¯t actually all black. Its head was covered with eyes. And its body was made of patches of dark colors in various simple shapes, connected with so many strands of black he could barely make out the gray underneath.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see how there¡¯s going to be a puzzle,¡± Mez said. ¡°The room¡¯s basically empty.¡±

    ¡°Tibs, Khumdar?¡± The fighter asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not trying it from this far,¡± Tibs replied.

    ¡°There are no secrets in this room that are different from any of the others filling this building.¡±

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    Jackal rubbed his hands. ¡°Straight up fight it is.¡±

    Don blocked his way. ¡°This is a dungeon. There¡¯s always more to a room than just fighting. Give us time. It¡¯s still going to be there if we can¡¯t think of anything.¡±

    Jackal raised his hands and stepped back. ¡°You think this is the floor boss?¡±

    ¡°You wish,¡± Sto replied.

    ¡°I doubt it,¡± Don said. ¡°We haven¡¯t even explored half the city. My guess is that it¡¯s going to be in a place that is entirely obvious, but only after we¡¯ve worked out the clues leading to it. It won¡¯t be at the ¡®end¡¯ of the floor, since this floor doesn¡¯t have an ¡®end¡¯ in the traditional sense of the word.¡±

    ¡°He almost got it,¡± Ganny said. ¡°You have to be impressed.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± The Them replied flatly. ¡°I am wondering if you aren¡¯t underestimating them. They made their way to this room much too fast, and you said they wouldn¡¯t work out the puzzle before the door closed.¡±

    ¡°How was I supposed to know one of them would know about that geography thing?¡± Sto replied. ¡°They never talked about it before, and I didn¡¯t know it was a thing until you showed up and told me about all the people out there and how they gather together. Even their rogue didn¡¯t know what the design on the coins was for.¡±

    ¡°It would have been harder still if you hadn¡¯t set the coins to adjust themselves when they were nearly aligned.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll grant you that,¡± Sto admitted. ¡°I¡¯ll come up with something to replace that before I get to updating this room tonight.¡±

    ¡°Just remove it and be done with it.¡±

    ¡°I do that and there¡¯s no way any of them can solve it,¡± Sto replied. ¡°Isn¡¯t it in the rules that every puzzle has to have a solution every member of a team can eventually work out?¡±

    ¡°Just let them try every possibility,¡± the Them said.

    ¡°The sorcerer said there are so many of them it can¡¯t be done!¡±

    ¡°How about we include braided essences, as the way for them to tell how the coins are supposed to be aligned?¡± Ganny offered in a conciliatory tone. ¡°We can put one for each element, like with the doorways, and it will force them to pay more attention since it¡¯s going to be the structure of the braid and not just where is passes from the coin to the door that will be the indication it¡¯s in the correct slot.¡±

    Tibs took a breath in the stretching silence and stepped into the room.

    ¡°Well?¡± Sto demanded.

    ¡°Fine,¡± the Them said with enough reluctance Tibs wondered if their dislike was aimed at more than just him. For someone who was supposed to be there to make sure Sto followed the rules, they didn¡¯t seem to like having to follow them too.

    He sensed the floor and space a pace before him, stopping when he was a third of the way in. ¡°It¡¯s clear to here,¡± he told the others, and they joined him. The boss creature didn¡¯t react to their presence.

    ¡°Is the trigger a threshold or under the floor and we have to step over it?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°For a boss,¡± Don said, ¡°I expect a threshold. Close enough, we can prepare, but not so much we¡¯ll be able to see every detail.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the point in not just going at it?¡± Jackal asked impatiently.

    ¡°There¡¯s always a point in preparing,¡± the sorcerer replied.

    ¡°It¡¯s to not die,¡± Tibs stated as Jackal opened his mouth.

    He closed it and sighed.

    ¡°You just fought a bunch of golems,¡± Mez said. ¡°How can you still be in a hurry to fight¡ª¡± he stopped as everyone stared at him. ¡°Never mind. Boss creature. Jackal fighting the dungeon. I could I ever think he¡¯d get enough of that.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re doing it smartly,¡± Tibs stated. ¡°You promised Kroseph.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still standing here, aren¡¯t I?¡± Jackal replied, a smile forming. ¡°While you¡¯re supposed to move ahead to make sure it¡¯s safe.¡± He made a shooing motion.

    Tibs considered the floor. The smart thing would be to extend his sense as far as the miasma let him. He could shape it, and that would¡ª

    He thought his shudder was visible to the others.

    Okay. He couldn¡¯t let that paralyze him. He pushed his sense one and three paces ahead, willing it to not go below this floor, and did not sense anything, before fear stopped him. No threshold and no triggers in the floor yet.

    While they were tricky, Sto and Ganny were also predictable. When a boss room had traps, they were part of the entire floor and became something to deal with as part of fighting it.

    ¡°Stay with me,¡± he instructed. ¡°Don¡¯s right. It¡¯s going to be a threshold and we should be together when we cross it.¡±

    ¡°In case crossing it causes walls to come down and divide us, preventing us from helping whoever takes on the boss directly,¡± Don said.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Ganny exclaimed while Tibs glared at the sorcerer. ¡°Why didn¡¯t we think of that before?¡±

    Didn¡¯t Don know better than to give them ideas?

    They were halfway to the boss when the door banged closed.

    ¡°Should we have put a block in the doorway?¡± Mez asked, looking over his shoulder.

    ¡°I doubt that would have helped,¡± Jackal replied, and Tibs grabbed his arm to keep him from rushing off. ¡°We crossed the threshold, haven¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°It has yet to move,¡± Khumdar said.

    ¡°Was that always dripping from its fingers?¡± Don asked.

    Tibs hadn¡¯t noticed the black liquid forming a pool on each side of it.

    ¡°Are you sure those things are fingers?¡± Mez asked. ¡°They look more like claws to me.¡±

    ¡°No, the nibs of a quill,¡± the sorcerer mused. ¡°Which makes that ink.¡±

    ¡°That is doubtful,¡± Khumdar said. ¡°It will be something it uses against us.¡±

    ¡°Ink,¡± Don whispered, sounding like he was searching. He looked up. ¡°A Miasma of ink.¡±

    ¡°A what of ink?¡± Jackal asked while Tibs stared.

    ¡°It¡¯s what my father called it one time after returning from an arduous day of dealing with the city government. ¡®They had me fill out so many forms, they might as well be drowning me in a miasma if ink¡¯.¡±

    Tibs studied how they dripped. ¡°Those are more ribbons, then actual drips.¡±

    ¡°The inky ribbons of bureaucracy,¡± Mez said. ¡°I heard one of the nobles saying that, something about never being smothered by them again now that they were in a city free of kings. Maybe that¡¯s the theme?¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Jackal said. ¡°So don¡¯t let them touch me. Anymore theorizing you want to do before Tibs lets me go?¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°Of course I know the word. Carina was using it well before I heard you overuse it, Don.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t over¡ªTheories are what scholars use,¡± he protested.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t one yet,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°But get on about it before it reaches us.¡±

    Tibs looked at the creature, and Jackal was right. It took a lumbering step in their direction.

    ¡°Bureaucracy is slow,¡± the sorcerer said. ¡°It wraps itself in paper and ink. I don¡¯t see papers, but the ribbons going from patch to patch look like the same thing dripping from its fingers. That could be its armor.¡±

    ¡°Do you think those patches are badges of office?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°That, or seals,¡± Don said after considering it. ¡°They might cause a fighter who touches it to be locked in place. Those are applied once everything is done, approved, and can¡¯t be changed.¡±

    ¡°How about I stick to hitting its head?¡± Jackal asked impatiently.

    ¡°It¡¯s pretty high,¡± Tibs said. It had to be at least twice his friend¡¯s height.

    ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem.¡±

    ¡°Good luck having it not notice your attack,¡± Don said. ¡°All those eyes are there so it can¡¯t miss any details, but I don¡¯t see how that will protect it, so¡ª¡±

    Jackal was out of Tibs¡¯s grip and running, his skin turning stone gray.

    Tibs sighed.

    ¡°On the bright side,¡± Mez said, ¡°we know he¡¯s going to survive whatever it throws at him.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯d better,¡± Tibs said as Jackal launched himself in the air, going much higher than Tibs had ever seen him. Well above the boss creature, fist high and ready to strike once he fell onto its head.

    Only, Tibs realized, Jackal no longer seemed to fall.

    ¡°Guys?¡± The fighter called, worried. No, he still fell, but extremely slowly.

    Don sighed. ¡°Right. Bureaucracy isn¡¯t just slow. It slows everything around it.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 98

    An inky filament sprung up from a pool that had slid away from the boss creature. Its tip spread to intercept Mez¡¯s fire arrow; it exploded, burning some of the ink. With a curse, the archer let loose a volley of fire arrows, and many made it past the strands trying to stop them, but then behaved in a way that confused Tibs.

    Some came to an almost stop, while others flared so bright, he felt the heat from the distance, and then were gone. Those still there seemed caught in whatever held Jackal and kept him from moving at a normal speed, but it wasn¡¯t only the arrow that was slowed, the fire danced slowly. As if, somehow, Don had been right and that whatever that bureaucracy thing the creature was made of had to power to also affect how Fire itself would behave.

    Tibs risked extending his sense. The desire to know what could do that overpowering the fear the risk of touching that thing under the building caused him.

    It was, unsurprisingly, essence, but where he¡¯d expected a weave of all of them so it could interact with anything sent against it, all Tibs sensed was a bubble of a raw essence he¡¯d never encountered before.

    ¡°Whatever it is, it¡¯s ten paces around the boss,¡± he told the others.

    The back of its hand was finally connecting with Jackal and didn¡¯t seem to have an effect, until Tibs saw the fighter¡¯s back crawl into an arch from what had seemed like nothing more than a touch.

    Tibs made a knife, added a filigree so tight with Ike it flung itself out of his hand before he was done and shattered against the ceiling. Ignoring Don¡¯s stare, he made another one, aligning the knife in the direction he needed it to go and staggering Ike on it so it was tighter at the back and¡ª

    It didn¡¯t quite stop as it hit the bubble, or even slow as much, Ike imparting so much motion it almost counteracts the essence there, but whatever it was didn¡¯t just slow thing. Tibs could barely keep the knife and filigree from shattering as Ike seemed to both increase in intensity and not do anything and want to go and all directions at the same time.

    When the essence of the knife broke into nothing, Tibs staggered back as if it had been a punch.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Don asked.

    ¡°Everything,¡± he answered, shaking off the phantom pain. ¡°But that¡¯s not the right word. I don¡¯t know. What can do that?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the sorcerer replied. ¡°The weave would have to¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an element,¡± Tibs said. ¡° Raw essence.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. No element does everything.¡±

    Tibs glared at the sorcerer. Like he didn¡¯t already know this couldn¡¯t be. ¡°That isn¡¯t helping.¡±

    ¡°You two planning on doing something?¡± Jackal asked, now halfway to the edge of the bubble. The words were slurred, as if his mouth couldn¡¯t form them correctly. Or couldn¡¯t move at the right speed.

    ¡°Not getting caught the way you did,¡± Don replied.

    But the question meant he could think normally, so this only affected the outside of Jackal, the way whatever had held Don in the permit office had. Had that been the same¡ªno, that had been a weave, this was pure essence.

    An arrow, somehow, made it through the bubble, but a seal, an almost circle in dark yellow, moved on the body and once the arrow exploded against it, there wasn¡¯t even ash there.

    ¡°Ranged attack do not appear to have an effect of significance,¡± Khumdar said, glancing at Tibs, who shook his head. There had been no change in the creature¡¯s essence. The weaves on those seals were too tightly woven for him to tell anything about what they might do, other than the obvious.

    ¡°How about your thing, Tibs?¡± the fighter asked, his body bent as if the impact, that sent him crawling away, had been hard.

    ¡°Let¡¯s keep burning everything down as a last resort,¡± Don replied. ¡°If it isn¡¯t enough to destroy it, and probably you, doing that will leave him defenseless.¡±

    But that wasn¡¯t what Jackal was asking.

    Tibs could end this. The creature had a lot of essence, but he could pull all of it out and save Jackal. It would hurt and probably change yet more things inside him, but he was sure he could. But what would the Them do about it? And Sto? They had an agreement, and breaking it here would have repercussions for all the Runners.

    Jackal exited the bubble and immediately hit the far wall, causing a crack from floor to ceiling. ¡°Finally.¡± He pushed himself to his feet with a groan and Tibs sent a weave of purity to fix the broken bones. ¡°Being stuck in there hurt almost as much as hitting the wall.¡±

    ¡°It didn¡¯t look like that hard of a hit,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°It still packed a lot of strength in it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s why he flew so fast once he was out of the area of essence,¡± Don said.

    ¡°Okay, how are we doing this, Then?¡± Mez asked. ¡°The one advantage we seem to have is that it¡¯s also stuck inside that thing, so we have time to¡ªWatch out!¡±

    The tendrils were wrapping around Jackal before Tibs took the first step. He¡¯d been so focused on dealing with the boss, he¡¯d stopped paying attention to the pools at the edge of the bubble. The fighter grabbed for the strands as they lifted him, but his essence was sucked out as his hands closed on them.

    Tibs made his sword with a metal edge and a filigree of Dhu to ensure he¡¯d free Jackal. Even with it, cutting through the strands felt like they were made of some harder element, instead of the ink they looked like. When his sword passed through, Jackal fell to the ground, panting, and the pieces of the strands that fell with him vanished.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let those things touch you,¡± Jackal said, and downed the content of a crystal bottle before Tibs could tell him they weren¡¯t really¡ªThe fighter¡¯s essence filled with the yellow one from the bottle, then shifted to become like his, and Jackal breathed easier. ¡°Those things made me weaker.¡±

    ¡°It has been said that bureaucracy will drain the life out of anyone unfortunate enough to fall within its grasp.¡± Khumdar said. He smiled at the sorcerer¡¯s surprised expression. ¡°I too have heard stories.¡±

    Jackal stood. ¡°Okay. With that ink able to fight us, we can¡¯t wait. I¡¯m going back in to keep it busy. You guys figure out how to win.¡±

    ¡°Jackal!¡± Don called in exasperation, but the fighter was already within the bubble, barely moving.

    ¡°I have this!¡± Jackal slurred.

    ¡°I doubt that,¡± Don muttered.

    Tibs jumped to the side, slashing at the strand lunging in their direction, and before his shield was formed to take the hit from another one, Khumdar¡¯s staff cut through it.

    ¡°Darkness works against them?¡± Tibs asked in surprise.

    ¡°It is more the edge I have shaped my essence in to.¡± The cleric showed him the end, with the darkness formed into an elongated ax head.

    The ground exploded by the bubble, and the strands connected to that pool came undone.

    ¡°Those pools are susceptible to fire!¡± Mez exclaimed, another arrow already formed in his bow.

    ¡°I suspect that will not be enough to end this threat,¡± Khumdar said, motioning to the now black floor slowly spreading toward the edge of the bubble.

    ¡°Don. What do you use to clean spilled ink on your papers?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t,¡± the sorcerer replied, joining him and the cleric. ¡°And you well know that. I¡¯ve seen the spills in your ledger.¡±

    ¡°Essences should work, right?¡± Mez said.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    ¡°Yes, but a scribe who has an element can demand so much money only nobles and kings will bother. The rest of us either start again on a new page or glue a clean portion to the one we¡¯re working on.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who knows about everything,¡± Tibs said, unsuccessfully trying to breathe his fear for Jackal away. ¡°How do we fight this?¡± He had almost reached the creature, and Tibs actively didn¡¯t think about how it was the ink was leaving his friend alone. He was already scared enough.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°You read books!¡±

    ¡°Not about city government,¡± Don replied calmly. ¡°What I know comes from my father¡¯s stories and the rare comment a scholar annotated a passage with. Those of us more interested in recording our research will not be those sent to handle whatever business the academy will have with the city.¡±

    Jackal¡¯s fist hit the creature¡¯s crotch.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to help.¡± Tibs stepped away from them, but Don caught his arm.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to help by going in there. We need to help him from out here.¡±

    ¡°And we¡¯re going to have to help ourselves first.¡± Mez fired arrows at the ink that sent tendrils in their direction.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let them touch you,¡± Tibs reminded them as he stepped forward, cutting tendrils. This time, the pools parted before the arrow hit. A mass of black launched at Tibs and he had his shield made before it hit, but it oozed over and around. Shaking it did nothing, and before he threw it away, a tendril touched his arm and Tibs¡¯s breath caught as essence left him and a lack of sensation spread along his limb.

    The explosion sent Tibs flying and when he looked up from where he¡¯d landed, fire was coursing back to the ink on the floor, consuming it in a nearly comical puff of nothing.

    ¡°They can¡¯t dodge when they¡¯re focused on one of us,¡± Mez called.

    Tibs¡¯s essence quickly spread back through his arm, and sensation returned. ¡°If one of them touches you,¡± he said, standing, ¡°the yellow potions in the crystal bottles helps undo that. Don¡¯t ask me why,¡± He told the sorcerer. ¡°They just do.¡± He stepped toward the ink. ¡°Mez, how quickly can you burn them while they¡¯re focused on me?¡±

    Inside the bubble, Jackal had both arms up, and seemed to be sliding away from the punch they¡¯d blocked. Tibs had no idea how long his friend could do this.

    ¡°We can¡¯t help him if we¡¯re all busy fighting. Don, Khumdar, think of something! I have the reserve to survive hits, so I¡¯ll draw their focus while Mez fires.¡±

    The mass that launched itself at him moved out of the way from the arrow, and Tibs had his shield up to catch the attack. When it flowed over the side, Tibs thickened the ice, giving them more distance to ooze over, and then the explosion had him sliding away, prepared of it this time.

    Before he had his shield up again, his leg gave out, all sensation gone, and he fell.

    ¡°Tibs! Corruption!¡± Don yelled.

    He suffused himself with the element and, before the strands let go of his leg, they were consumed by it. Getting to his feet, his essence spreading back to his leg, Tibs watched Don use whips of corruptions against any that came close to him and the cleric.

    ¡°How can that work?¡± Mez demanded. ¡°Corruption is integral to bureaucracy. Everyone knows that!¡±

    ¡°It would seem the dungeon does not,¡± Khumdar replied, spinning his staff into a shield that knocked tendrils aside. ¡°Nor does it seem inclined to listen to your intention of making yourself the target the ink should focus on.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s more that we¡¯ve gotten used to how much corruption is in any system,¡± Don replied. ¡°They would all run smoothly without it there.¡±

    ¡°How does that help me?¡± Jackal yelled. ¡°Tibs, am I even hurting this thing?¡±

    ¡°Busy here!¡± Tibs replied, cutting strands. ¡°Just don¡¯t die!¡±

    ¡°That one¡¯s easy,¡± the fighter replied. ¡°That thing¡¯s a horrible fighter. I just wish that ink stuff wouldn¡¯t be what¡¯s taking the hits.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t hit the seals?¡± Don demanded.

    Tibs strode toward a pool of ink, and it moved away, then split apart when he tried to put his foot in it.

    ¡°Tried to,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°They move out of the way a lot faster than I can punch in this stuff.¡±

    ¡°Do the seal move on their own, or are they pulled along by the ink?¡±

    ¡°How do you expect me to know that?¡± Jackal yelled.

    ¡°Just pay attention when you punch instead of doing it blindly!¡±

    ¡°Tibs!¡± Mez called, fear in his voice. The archer was firing arrow after arrow at the mass of tendrils heading for him, but they dodged easily. Tibs ran, sending a wave of raw corruption ahead of him, and most of the tendrils were gone before he reached his friend. Then he etched quick attacks of corruption. Sensing the archer told him he¡¯d gotten there before any had touched him.

    ¡°Mez, get over here,¡± Don called.

    ¡°Busy!¡± the arrows flew over Tibs¡¯s head, and he blasted the tendrils as they dodged that.

    ¡°We aren¡¯t winning doing this! And Jackal doesn¡¯t seem to be managing anything, so I want to try something.¡±

    Tibs nearly missed blocking the tendril in surprise, then, as they were eaten by corruption, he found he didn¡¯t even want to keep the words to himself.

    ¡°Don,¡± he said, the tone of warning clear, ¡°what are the rules about trying something new in the middle of a fight?¡±

    ¡°Go to the abyss, Tibs,¡± the sorcerer replied. ¡°The day you go one run without unexpectedly blowing yourself up is the day you can comment on me borrowing how you do things.¡±

    ¡°I will assist,¡± Khumdar said, at his side. ¡°You go. I will make myself a target, as your element is more effective than mine at destroying them. I would appreciate it if you did not allow me to die.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a rule,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°Jackal!¡± Don called as Mez formed an arrow next to him. ¡°Don¡¯t make any sudden movements!¡±

    ¡°Is that a joke?¡± the fighter replied.

    Tibs form tendrils of his own, keeping them formed by will since he still hadn¡¯t learned how any of the Arcanus worked with that element. And he had Don, right there, so what had been his excuse to¡ª

    He breathed.

    He sent tendril against tendril when some spread to move around the cleric¡¯s spinning staff and the darkness leaking from it. He forced himself to ignore the corruption Don was mixing in with the arrow¡¯s fire. He had to focus.

    ¡°What good is this going to do?¡± the archer asked, as Tibs used his tendril to ensnare one of ink. ¡°It¡¯s going to get caught in the field like the others and then¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m counting,¡± Don replied, ¡°on the fact that as hateful as corruption in city government is, one of the nobles has mentioned something else about it, and that the dungeon has incorporated that into how this room works.¡±

    ¡°Which is?¡±

    Tibs heard the smile in Don¡¯s voice. ¡°Nothing cuts through bureaucracy like a judicious application of corruption greasing its wheels.¡±

    Tibs hurried to Khumdar¡¯s other side, making an etching of corruption to catch the mass heading there. He added Fey and Dhu and¡­ left it at that. Now was not the time to have this explode.

    No matter what else was needed. He was sitting down with Don after this and going over what Arcanus worked well with Corruption. And whatever other element the sorcerer knew about.

    He sensed Mez release the corrupted arrow, and it sliced through the bubble without slowing. The essence in it did affect its edges, but before Tibs could get a sense of how, it exploded against the boss, and a spiderweb of purple fire spread over the black ink.

    Tibs unleashed his etching and the lattice of corruption that formed held the tendrils in place instead of causing them to be consumed. Not exactly what he¡¯d been aiming for, but¡ªthe lattice spread along to reach the ink on the floor¡ªhe¡¯d take it.

    ¡°Do that again!¡± Jackal called, And Tibs looked at the fighter, wondering how what he¡¯d done had helped him. The fire was gone, but he could see damage along the creature¡¯s side.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Khumdar said, pulling him back to what mattered. The other pools moving around to avoid the lattice. Again, they couldn¡¯t just fight this. Until the boss creature was destroyed, it would continue to send that ink out at them and leave Jackal to fend for himself. The fire was a step toward winning, but Don needed time to fill it with corruption and in that meant the boss¡ª

    Oh abyss.

    He knew how to end this within the rule.

    ¡°Get behind me,¡± he told Khumdar, pulling his corruption into a tight lance. This would work better with an etching, but again, he hadn¡¯t bothered training. At least this had no chance to blow up because of misplaced Arcanus. This was pure corruption guided by his will.

    ¡°Tibs!¡± Jackal called. ¡°What are you¡ª¡± He couldn¡¯t warn his friend, but the lance would be tight enough to miss him.

    As if it could sense what he was about to do, the ink gathered between him and the boss creature. Tibs smiled. Too bad. He already knew how that reacted to corruption. And it was packed enough in the lance to punch through whatever wall they formed.

    He sent the lance forward and grinned as the ink burned away. There was nothing it could do to save its¡ª

    The lance hit the bubble, and the corruption was wrenched away from his control. It was set free, set wild, and it rejoiced in all that was around for it to find, to bring down, to debase.

    ¡°Don!¡± He called as he realized how utterly stupid he¡¯d been to send corruption against an element he didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°You can¡¯t do that!¡± Sto yelled, giving Tibs the only sign this might not be entirely his fault. He caught sight of the boss creature¡¯s fist hitting Jackal as he turned to grab Khumdar.

    ¡°Of course I can,¡± the Them replied smugly.

    ¡°There are rules!¡±

    Tibs had to hope his warning would let Don sense what was happening, because if the Them was responsible for this, he had no idea how much damage this would cause.

    ¡°Which you seem to only care about when it suits you,¡± the Them replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m the dungeon! You¡¯re supposed to enforce those rules, not break them!¡±

    ¡°I am here to bring you in line,¡± they replied, the anger so hot Tibs thought he felt it. ¡°And I will do so however I please.¡±

    ¡°Jackal!¡± Don yelled. ¡°I apologize in advance. This is going to hurt.¡±

    Tibs sensed the corruption spreading. It wasn¡¯t hungry the way fire was, but corruption relished its freedom. He wondered if the Them understood it wouldn¡¯t stop at the walls unless someone could bring it under control.

    ¡°Don, what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Minimizing the damage,¡± the sorcerer replied, then whispered. ¡°I hope.¡± Louder again. ¡°And Tibs, you and I will have words after this. I am done letting you make these kinds of mistakes.¡±

    He¡¯d explain what happened once they were well away from the Them, but in the meantime he focused on a bubble of his own, one around him and Khumdar. A bubble made of his will and to keep this wild corruption from reaching them.

    And it didn¡¯t.

    But not because of anything Tibs did.

    He sensed Don impose his will on the corruption gone wild, and he was amazed at just how strong the sorcerer was. He didn¡¯t have control over all of it; there was too much. But most of it was now tightening instead of ever widening. The only problem was that Don didn¡¯t have Tibs¡¯s reserve or whatever all his elements let him do when that overflowed. If he tried to absorb it, it would¡­Tibs had no idea what happened to someone when they absorbed too much essence.

    Don would know. It would have been in a book he¡¯d read, and¡­

    It might be why the essence wasn¡¯t heading for the sorcerer, it was turning toward the boss creature, with Jackal still close, but crawling away from the impact of the punch he had received at some point. The essence entered the already mess of a bubble, and whatever had affected Tibs¡¯s lance had been spent.

    Then it was over. The creature was no more, neither was the wall behind it, and Jackal was flying at full speed into the wall, sickly purple smoke wafting off him.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 99

    Tibs reached out and pulled the corruption out of Jackal even before dropping next to him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he repeated. While the sickly purple that spread over the fighter¡¯s left side was vanishing, some had already seeped into his essence and was out of Tibs¡¯s reach.

    ¡°What about?¡± Jackal asked, his voice weak.

    ¡°This.¡± Tibs motioned around them. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t lost control of the essence, Don wouldn¡¯t have had to do what he did and distract you and you wouldn¡¯t have gotten hit, and¡ª¡±

    Jackal laughed, then groaned, nearly doubling over.

    ¡°It¡¯s not funny.¡± Tibs helped him lie back down and applied weaves of purity.

    ¡°Kinda is.¡± Jackal panted. ¡°The way you think I didn¡¯t mean to get hit.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t get hit. You¡¯re too good of a fighter.¡±

    ¡°I get hit plenty.¡± His friend already sounded stronger as purity spread from injury to injury. ¡°I couldn¡¯t think of a faster way to get away from the boss so Don could do what he was planning.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s still my fault. I tried something and¡ª¡± he closed his mouth. ¡°This wouldn¡¯t have happened, and¡ª¡±

    ¡°You won us the fight,¡± Jackal stated.

    ¡°Don did. He was able to get control of the essence. Without that¡ª¡± he swallowed ¡°¡ªeveryone would have died.¡±

    ¡°I was able to control it,¡± the sorcerer said, ¡°but I¡¯d couldn¡¯t throw that much corruption around. Any less, and it would have survived to continue fighting. So you were vital to winning.¡± He studied the fighter. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to be sick for a while, aren¡¯t I?¡± Jackal asked, pushing himself sitting.

    ¡°Sorry. Once corruption mixes in with your life essence, I don¡¯t know how to¡ª¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll live,¡± Jackal said. ¡°That¡¯s the important part. And we¡¯re getting a lot of loot out of it.¡± He motioned to the chest that hadn¡¯t been at the back of the room before the fight.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get it,¡± Mez said. ¡°Unless you feel you have to be the one pulling it out of the chest?¡±

    ¡°I think I can let you have that privilege, this one time.¡±

    Mez smirked as he headed for it.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t how this was supposed to go,¡± the Them grumbled.

    ¡°Don¡¯t come complaining to us after you cheated and they beat you,¡± Sto replied angrily.

    Tibs couldn¡¯t make out what the Them grumbled in reply, their voice growing softer as if they were moving away.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is with the dungeon,¡± Mez said, returning with a bulging bag in one hand and a ring in the other. ¡°But the bag¡¯s filled with yet more ring.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s making us rich,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°Those gold rings are worth a lot, right Tibs?¡±

    The archer frowned as he looked the ring over. ¡°Those aren¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°Trust us,¡± Jackal insisted. ¡°We know our metals.¡±

    The archer looked up from the ring and exchange a look with Don and Khumdar, then shrugged. He handed the bag to the fighter, who put it in his pouch. ¡°So, now what? We have time before we need to head out. Are we continuing to search for the floor¡¯s boss?¡±

    ¡°I hate to say this.¡± Jackal got to his feet and Tibs readied himself to steady him. ¡°But we¡¯re ending this run early. Without me in top form, you guys don¡¯t stand a chance.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Don replied, looking the fighter over. ¡°We don¡¯t need you at your best to distract everything we come across so we can take them down.¡±

    ¡°I take down more of them than you have,¡± Jackal countered.

    ¡°Than I have, certainly. But than we have?¡± the sorcerer studied him, a smile forming. ¡°Accept it. You¡¯re nothing more than the distraction in this team.¡±

    Jackal grinned. ¡°I know I¡¯m distracting you, but how about your stop eyeing me like that?¡± he paused as Don blushed. ¡°My man doesn¡¯t share.¡±

    * * * * *

    The trek to the floor¡¯s exit was arduous. City guards and dogs descended on them in droves. Even ¡®citizens¡¯ burst out of their houses to assault them. True to Don¡¯s prediction, Jackal threw himself at all of them, including the dogs. And true to Jackal¡¯s words, even without being at his best, he took down more of them than the team did, but at a cost, and he refused to let Tibs heal him, claiming he needed all his reserve in case the dungeon dropped the sky on them.

    Considering that each time another group of dungeon creatures attacked, Sto went on a tirade about the Them and how they had no right to take control like they did, Tibs thought that danger was real. It also made him wonder what and how strong the Them was. He hadn¡¯t known something could take away control from Sto. Even Ganny could only make changes if he let her.

    They remained on their guard even once they passed through the doorway. Sto had never put creatures or traps between it and the outside, but the way things had gone, they all understood things weren¡¯t normal.

    There were no attacks, and the cleric healed Jackal as best she could, commenting on the corruption and eyeing Don as if he was the one to have done it.

    Tibs shook his head each time Jackal opened his mouth. Even without trying, he could sense a secret trailing them, and now, he recognized it as what he¡¯d felt through the town. Khumdar nodded, confirming he sensed it, too.

    Even in the inn, he felt it.

    Kroseph was at Jackal¡¯s side before they reached their table. ¡°You look like you took on all of Serba¡¯s dogs.¡±

    ¡°He did,¡± Tibs said, looking around. Everyone looked exhausted, and he wished he could just hand out the rings, but the Them was still there by the door, some of that secret stretching throughout the room. ¡°How¡¯s Russel?¡± He could at least help one person right now. If he could pull this off.

    ¡°Still under the weather. Silvie is in the kitchen today. I¡¯ll get your ales.¡±

    ¡°You think he¡¯d like me to visit?¡± Tibs asked before Kroseph stepped away. He wrapped the hand he dropped on Jackal¡¯s leg in darkness and wished he knew how to etch or weave with it. He¡¯d have to rely on the Them having too much to pay attention to, to notice this.

    ¡°Sure?¡± the server looked between the two as Jackal placed a ring there without giving outward signs of the motion. Nothing about the secret changes, so it didn¡¯t know?

    He sent the ring into the hidden space in his armor, hoping its enchantment worked on the Them as he stood, and again no changes he could sense. It followed him as he went up the stairs and knocked on a door. He entered without waiting, and Russel raised an eyebrow. He was reclining on one side of the large bed, pillows stacked under his back, looking pale.

    ¡°You look like you had a rough run,¡± Kroseph¡¯s brother said.

    ¡°No more than the others,¡± he replied, shrugging. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±

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    ¡°Tired and hoping it¡¯s going to run its course quickly,¡± Russel answered. ¡°The kitchen needs me.¡±

    Tibs nodded, and pulled a chair as the Them hovered in the room¡¯s corner as if it was looking over the carved stones on the dresser.

    ¡°It¡¯s just my luck to get the abyss cursed thing twice.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not a thing,¡± Tibs replied before realizing it, his attention divided. How long would the Them stay here? He couldn¡¯t keep the ring hidden once he handed it to Russel.

    The man laughed, then coughed and Tibs held him, sensing for anything he could do. He didn¡¯t seem to be losing essence at the moment, but it was dangerously thin. He helped him drink from the cup by the bed, then settled him against the pillows.

    ¡°Maybe it isn¡¯t for you adventurer types. For the rest of us, we kind of rely on the thing.¡±

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡± How boring would the conversation need to be for the Them to go check in on something else? He wished he could tell Sto to cause something that would call it back. ¡°I¡¯ve seen how you work. You prepare everything you¡¯ll need ahead of time. You make sure anyone assigned to work with you knows the plan and their duties. You do everything so your day will be smooth.¡±

    Russel smiled. ¡°Then things happen.¡±

    ¡°Stuff happens,¡± Tibs said with a shrug. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean there¡¯s an element making it happen.¡± Even if this time there was the essence of one involved. Go away, he mentally ordered the Them. He could explain giving the ring as something to make Russel feel better, but would it start acting immediately? He¡¯d only implied that the ring would help from how Sto spoke and because he knew his friend wanted to help their town. But he had no idea how it would help and if the Them would be able to tell.

    ¡°Sometimes it feels like they hate us,¡± Russel said dejectedly.

    ¡°They don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°You sure about that?¡± now there was a hint of anger. ¡°Look at what happened to this city and tell me it doesn¡¯t seem like they weren¡¯t involved. We even ended up with that pool by Merchant Row.¡±

    ¡°It was people doing those,¡± Tibs said. ¡°Not the elements. They don¡¯t care about us one way or another. What happened To Kragle Rock was because of Sebastien wanting power. The pool happened because Bardik used me to have concentrated corruption essence smuggled here, and something happened where they were stored. Stuff happened because the guild doesn¡¯t care about the people here, what happens to us beyond sending us in to feed the dungeon and taking coins from those who live here. It¡¯s all people doing that. Not the elements.¡±

    As he finished speaking, the secret moved away, through the wall, outside of the building.

    ¡°You think it¡¯s over?¡± Russel asked, as Tibs tracked the Them. How far could they ¡®hear¡¯ what he said? ¡®See¡¯ what he did? ¡°other than this sickness, I mean. That man¡¯s dead, and Kro tells me there¡¯s no one in that family looking to avenge him.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± They were two blocks away and none of the tendrils of secrets emanating from it were directed at the inn. ¡°The world¡¯s a lot bigger than I thought, and there¡¯s always people who want power.¡± He put the ring on the man¡¯s finger, earning himself a frown. ¡°And so long as the guild doesn¡¯t care about us, so long as they¡¯re allowed to continue not caring what¡¯s done to the people in Kragle Rock, someone is going to try, and we¡¯re going to get hurt in the process.¡± He smiled. ¡°Unless we¡¯re ready to deal with them ourselves.¡±

    ¡°Which is something you¡¯re working on.¡±

    Tibs shrugged.

    ¡°What is this?¡± Russel spun the ring, and it was no longer as loose as when Tibs had slipped it on.

    Tibs smiled. ¡°I think the sickness is about to run its course.¡±

    The cook stared at him, then started pulling the ring off. ¡°You need to give this to someone who matters. Someone important.¡±

    Tibs stopped him. ¡°You matter, Russel. You make our food. That¡¯s kind of as important since it helps us do our runs. And we have more. We just have to be careful distributing them.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t take this wrong, Tibs, but how? How are you doing this? You¡¯re just a kid and you save the town twice.¡±

    ¡°We all did that.¡±

    Russel snorted. ¡°If you and Jackal hadn¡¯t been there, the town would have fallen when that man arrived.¡±

    ¡°Jackal held it,¡± Tibs said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t here when Sebastian started the Siege.¡±

    ¡°Barely. I know he¡¯s Kro¡¯s man, so I shouldn¡¯t say anything bad about him, but Jackal didn¡¯t make any friends with how he went about keeping that man from taking over.¡±

    ¡°He was fighting for the town. He didn¡¯t have time to let people argue with him over how to do it.¡±

    ¡°And somehow, once you got here, everything started running a lot smoother.¡±

    ¡°I just helped,¡± Tibs mumbled, and Russel laughed, then he coughed, but not as badly. Tibs couldn¡¯t tell if it was the ring. It was pulling essence in, but if it was pushing some into the man, it was too faint for him to sense it.

    ¡°Oh yes, you were just hanging there, in the back, waiting to be told what to do to be helpful.¡± He fell quiet, turning the ring on his finger. ¡°And now, you bring us a cure.¡± He wiped at his eyes. ¡°Do you understand just how¡­¡± he couldn¡¯t seem to find words.

    ¡°Kragle Rock is my town,¡± Tibs said. ¡°I¡¯m not going to let anything happen to it, or the people who live here.¡±

    ¡°But how?¡± Russel demanded, sounding almost angry. ¡°You¡¯re just a kid, Tibs. How can you do all this? What are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± Tibs tried to answer as Kroseph¡¯s brother¡¯s expression turned fearful, as if he was scared he¡¯d offended some powerful creature and it would lash out. He wanted to tell him something that would explain how it was he did more than most. He wanted to tell him Sto was the dungeon, and that Sto was their friend, all of Kragle Rock. People deserved to know they weren¡¯t alone in this. But he couldn¡¯t say so much and endanger his friend.

    ¡°I have allies,¡± he finally said. ¡°Kraggle Rock has allies. They can¡¯t always help, but they always want to.¡±

    ¡°And those allies¡­¡± he turned the ring again. ¡°They made this?¡±

    Tibs nodded.

    ¡°Enough for everyone?¡±

    ¡°Hopefully.¡±

    ¡°I thought¡ª¡± he wipes at his eyes again. ¡°I thought I was going to die too, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean ¡®too¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear? The sickness took Miss Nourtamont this morning.¡±

    * * * * *

    ¡°We need to get the rings out now,¡± Tibs whispered, sitting at the table.

    ¡°Then those are the rings?¡± Don asked.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know?¡±

    ¡°With how they were all we were getting, I suspected.¡±

    ¡°I had no clue,¡± Mez said.

    ¡°We need to let Quigly know,¡± Tibs added, ¡°and any Runner Teams that make it to the fourth floor. We¡¯re going to need all the rings if we¡¯re going to protect the people here.¡±

    ¡°What about that thing here for the dungeon?¡±

    ¡°Sto¡¯s going to have to deal with that. And I think it¡¯s mostly a dungeon thing, anyway. It took control of things while we were fighting the boss. It¡¯s why the corruption did what it did, not me.¡±

    ¡°You still should¡ª¡±

    ¡°And if you hadn¡¯t tried something,¡± Tibs cut him off, ¡°we¡¯d all be dead. The Them was cheating, trying to kill us.¡±

    It silenced the sorcerer and the others.

    ¡°I¡¯ll talk with Quig,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Should I tell him about how dangerous the dungeon is going to be?¡±

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t like me, because of my elements. I don¡¯t think it is going to do anything to anyone else.¡±

    ¡°Which means our next run is going to be challenging,¡± Mez said, annoyed.

    ¡°Challenging is how we like things.¡± Jackal looked around the table. ¡°Right?¡±

    ¡°We had to help you walk,¡± Mez replied.

    The fighter shrugged. ¡°It won¡¯t catch me by surprise again. And how about I give you a challenge of my own?¡± he asked, cutting off Don¡¯s response. ¡°What is up with Quigly and his woman?¡±

    ¡°What woman?¡± Tibs asked. He didn¡¯t know the warrior as well as Jackal, but he was sure he¡¯d have heard if he¡¯d found himself someone special.

    ¡°Cross,¡± Jackal replied.

    ¡°She¡¯s not his woman,¡± Tibs scoffed. He knew her well enough. ¡°She doesn¡¯t have a man.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s the problem.¡± Jackal grinned. ¡°Quid¡¯s adamant she¡¯s his.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing he hasn¡¯t told her that,¡± Mez said. ¡°She doesn¡¯t strike me as someone who lets anyone tell her whose she is.¡±

    ¡°She punched him through a stand in Market Place,¡± Tibs said. ¡°Maybe that was why?¡±

    ¡°As interesting as that is,¡± Don said. ¡°The rings? You say it¡¯s important we distribute them? Why is it more important now than it was this morning?¡±

    ¡°Someone died from it,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Russel told me. He was afraid he¡¯d be next.¡±

    ¡°How are we doing this?¡± Mez asked. ¡°The five of us can¡¯t manage it.¡±

    ¡°I can have the rogues go around.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t just have them dropped into pockets,¡± Don replied. ¡°Unless the dungeon made them more powerful than Kroseph¡¯s ring, people need to wear them.¡±

    ¡°We go to the merchants,¡± Jackal said. ¡°Tibs can talk with Darran. I know a few of them too. No one¡¯s going to question people going to see them.¡±

    ¡°And what are the chances they¡¯ll sell the rings instead of giving them away?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°High,¡± Tibs grumbled.

    ¡°Especially if there isn¡¯t enough for everyone,¡± Don said. ¡°The temptation to sell them to whomever can pay the most will be high. The rogues might be a better idea.¡±

    ¡°And can we trust them?¡± Mez asked.

    ¡°I know who I can trust,¡± Tibs replied, not liking the way the archer was looking at him.

    ¡°That isn¡¯t going to be a lot of people helping.¡±

    Tibs glared at Mez, and the archer looked back with a steady gaze.

    ¡°You want to involve Amelia.¡± Tibs had trouble not spitting the name, and he hated himself for it.

    ¡°She¡¯s proved she can be trusted, Tibs.¡±

    And she had. Only it didn¡¯t seem to be enough. Despite all the good she did for his down, she was a noble, and that one act undid everything when he let it.

    ¡°She and her allies among the nobles already go around helping folks,¡± Don said in the stretching silence of them waiting for Tibs to say something. ¡°I¡¯ve interacted with them.¡±

    ¡°And that raises the point of what are we doing about the nobles?¡± Jackal asked.

    He felt their eyes on him even more acutely.

    Let them find their own solution, he wanted to spit. Let them build their wall and keep any of the town from going in. Let them stew in the sickness.

    ¡°They can have one of their team get the rings,¡± Tibs said.

    ¡°They don¡¯t have one doing the fourth floor yet,¡± Mez replied.

    ¡°What about that woman¡¯s team?¡± Don searched for something, then seemed surprised. ¡°I never heard her name. Silver hair, always wears a gold pin encrusted with gems.¡±

    ¡°Lady Mirabel,¡± Mez said. ¡°She lost her archer in the process of clearing the third floor. She¡¯s looking for a replacement and will be redoing it to make sure they work well with the rest of her team.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Tibs said, knowing he was being unreasonable. ¡°Then she can get them the rings once she makes it to the fourth floor.¡± He crossed his arms over his chest and ignored the looks of disapproval.

    Until Jackal joined them.

    He sighed. ¡°We take care of the townsfolk first. The nobles get the leftovers, for once.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 100

    Tibs did his best to ignore the Them following as he followed the guard.

    He didn¡¯t know why he¡¯d been summoned. He¡¯d just finished tabulating the rings in his ledger and working out how they would be distributed when he sensed the woman with too much essence to be a Runner step up to his table. That meant she came at the guild¡¯s request, and not Irdian. She¡¯d asked that he come with her, and he had no way to refuse. The Them had followed him out of the inn, its tendrils of secrets spreading about the crowd. It was like it was instilling secrets into everything around it.

    A few blocks from the guild, Don, accompanied by a guard of his own, joined them. He gave a shrug at Tibs¡¯s raised eyebrow. The most either was willing to do with others around. Tibs¡¯s main concern was if this would get in the way of his and Don¡¯s planned training.

    The Them didn¡¯t follow into the guild, and Tibs realized that the sense of secret that had been in the town, which he now understood was the Them, had never come inside before either. Did they not feel anything important happened here, or were the protections on the building keeping it out? How could he find out which one it was? And if was the latter, would Sto be able to make use of them? Or rather, how would Tibs find out what those weaves were so Sto could use them?

    Instead of the back of the building, the guards took them to one of the large room past the training ones. Clerks sometimes gathered there to discuss things that affected many of them. Tibs had stayed by an open door once, while they¡¯d talked, until he understood they were discussing how they should change the recording of how much papers they used in the course of a day.

    He had enough to do with his own ledger. He had no interested in listening in on how others did theirs. So he hadn¡¯t bothered with them after that.

    Like the one time he looked in, the room had a long table in its center, with pages and pages stacked on them. In the far corner, a desk had yet more stacks of them.

    A man dressed in what could almost be a guard¡¯s armor, but just by the design, instead of the material used, looked at a page from the table, then searched for a pile and added it to that. He noticed them in the process, paused, then dismissed them to get back to his work. His expression had the severity Don and Alistair got when they were looking for a way to make Tibs understand they didn¡¯t approve of what he did. Although he didn¡¯t get the sense from this man that he¡¯d accept the types of excuses Tibs might give.

    There was something unforgiving in those eyes.

    ¡°There they are,¡± Tirania said, her dour expression turning proud on seeing them.

    ¡°There who are?¡± the man asked, not looking up from the new page he was reading. The exasperation had an undercurrent of anger.

    ¡°The Heroes of Kragle Rock,¡± she said, beaming.

    The man looked at them again, in surprised this time. He straightened, his expression becoming a lesser version of the severe one he¡¯d worn while working. ¡°So, these are you who you had leading the fight against the Wells criminal?¡± he asked, unimpressed.

    The anger at her taking the credit was so unexpected. Tibs needed many breaths before it would settle and he trusted himself to look in her direction. Of course she had. Why was he surprised? It was what she did. Turn the things she let happen into her triumph when they ended up being resolved.

    ¡°And how many Runners did letting them handle the situation cost you?¡± the man asked casually. Tibs was surprised again, but this time it was because never before had anyone from the guild asked that. Tibs didn¡¯t have the number, but he could give one that would be high, while still not high enough. He was certain of it.

    ¡°Only those who were too weak to survive,¡± she replied in the same casualness, although from her, with what Tibs knew of the woman, it came across as dismissiveness. ¡°They would have perished throughout the runs if the dungeon wasn¡¯t progressing at the time.¡±

    ¡°And it would have been fed.¡± The words were sharp, and he glared at her. Tibs¡¯s hopes someone cared about them were doused faster than fire encased in ice. Of course, the man didn¡¯t care about the Runners as people. Just as food for the dungeon. He was from the guild after all.

    The man motioned to the papers on the table. ¡°Do you have any idea how behind you letting so many of them die outside the dungeon put us? What I¡¯ve had to do so your utter lack of judgment wouldn¡¯t cause my schedules to be completely disrupted?¡±

    ¡°I have explained my¡ª¡±

    ¡°This?¡± he grabbed a page, toppling the stack next to it in the motion. ¡°You call this an explanation?¡± he looked at it, search. ¡°There. ¡®Due to the unexpected nature of the criminal¡¯s arrival, and his ability to hide his intentions, I¡ª¡¯ Hide his intentions? Unexpected arrival? Tir, the man was in your district for months before he did anything! He bought a house! How did you not look into that after your chief guard at the time, his brother, told you the man needed to be kept under supervision?¡± he was nearly yelling now, and Tirania looked taken about.

    ¡°I never saw a¡ª¡± the words and the glow on them were cut.

    ¡°Really? Because Irdian found a stack of copies of the reports Harry wrote, all addressed to you directly! Are you telling me that on top of being negligent about a known criminal establishing himself within your district, you are so lax, your subordinates think they can decide for you which reports you get to see?¡±

    ¡°No, of course¡ª¡± she stammered, and closed her mouth at the slamming of the paper on the table, causing more stacks to fall over, some spilling off the side.

    ¡°What you should have done,¡± he said through gritted teeth, ¡°was have Harry take all his guards, the non-adventurer guards he had specifically for situations like this, and had them fall on the man like it was the Day of Urthur, and Kermial had showed up to teach that king a lesson!¡± He looked at the mess on the table, and set about putting papers back in order. ¡°At least then, I wouldn¡¯t have cared if they died.¡±

    Tibs stared, realization setting in. This was Marger. This was the man behind all the problems his town had. And by how dismissive he was about Harry¡¯s guards dying, it didn¡¯t sound like he had much more care for the people of Kragle Rock than Tirania herself had.

    He breathed to keep from acting. From acting rashly. He forced himself to consider the man. The green of his eyes meant wood. Which surprised Tibs until he sensed the reserve. It was denser than any he¡¯d sensed before. Alistair had told him there were no Alpha adventurers, but without that information, Tibs would have thought the man was at that level.

    That, combined with the fact that with the right knowledge any element could do a version of what other elements did, meant Tibs needed something that acted fast and he would have to pour all the essence he had¡ªall the will he could¡ªinto that, because for the man to have grown powerful enough to lead the guild, he had to have a lot of willpower.

    How full was his reserve? Somewhere near half, but his was vast, so that would be more than Marger¡¯s, right? Wood was susceptible to fire, so he could channel that, unleash it all and¡­ The man¡¯s clothing was enchanted.

    That wasn¡¯t surprising. Everyone within the guild wore some thing with a weave. Like Tirania, most of what the man wore was enchanted, and like with her, Tibs had no idea what any of it did. There could easily be something that would counteract fire.

    Corruption, then. It ate through even the densest weaves. If Tibs put everything he had in it, the man would be a puddle before anyone could react. Tirania too.

    As well as the guards. Maybe Don. He¡¯d been amazed at how much will the sorcerer had, but without warning? Would he be able to do anything as the corruption spread? How about the clerks and the Runners in the building? Once unleashed, how likely was it Tibs would be able to control all of it? He¡¯d be focused on making sure Marger died, so whatever escaped would be free to do as it willed.

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    He breathed.

    This was still acting rashly. It was still lashing out without much thoughts. And others paid for it when he did that.

    He never wanted to be that petty child again. He would take down the entire building and everyone working for the guild, if he had to. They had all played their part in letting Kragle Rock suffer. If he had to do that, he¡¯d see to it none of the innocent were here.

    But he didn¡¯t have to do that.

    He could bring this building down, the entire guild, simply by killing this man. All he needed to do was plan, be careful, and not get caught. If no one knew he had been the one doing it, there could be no reprisals directed against him or his town. After all, a man as powerful as the leader of the guild had to have enemies with their reasons to want him dead.

    ¡°Well?¡± Marger demanded, the tone and glare directed at them making Tibs realize he¡¯d missed a question.

    ¡°The guild leader,¡± Don said smoothly, ¡°laid out her instructions for what we were to do clearly.¡± The man snorted, but Don continued unperturbed. ¡°And we were able to handle both incursions, while she could ensure the dungeon was protected.¡±

    Marger studied the sorcerer. ¡°You¡¯re the kid who brought down the criminal¡¯s house? You¡¯re the reason we were able to get our hands on those stones.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    ¡°Gotta say that¡¯s impressive,¡± the man said in a pensive tone, which shifted to harsh as he looked at Tirania. ¡°From the reports I received, the enchantments on that house were significant.¡±

    ¡°They were, sir. But corruption is particularly well suited to eroding essence weaves. It¡¯s why Tibs came up with the plan. The sorcerers who put them in place were sloppy, and once the weave started collapsing, the corruption I had sent against it spread to the building, and nothing could stop it coming down.¡±

    Marger shifted his green eyes to Tibs. ¡°You¡¯re a rogue, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Remembering who he was speaking to, he added. ¡°Sir.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, one of you would come up with something like that.¡± He grabbed a page and looked at Tirania. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t excuse what was wasted because you had kids dealing with the situation. Then, there¡¯s that pool of corruption those sorcerers are building over. How is it they bought it from some random merchant?¡±

    ¡°With everything else going on,¡± Tirania replied, her tone confident again, ¡°dealing with the fallout of the attack on the dungeon, it wasn¡¯t at the top of the priority¡ª¡±

    ¡°Then how is it you let that merchant keep the abyss thing when you were done dealing with those priorities?¡± he yelled. ¡°Places like that are too valuable to let slip through your fingers!¡±

    No, of course, how could Tirania let someone other than the guild get all the coins from selling the pool. Tibs was glad everyone¡¯s attention was on Marger and Tirania, because he couldn¡¯t stop the eye roll.

    And unlike him, they would have kept the coins for themselves, instead of using them to help the town and the Omega Runners. Tibs had surprisingly few of those coins left. He¡¯d expected to be able to fix all the problems with how many he¡¯d had. But doing things discretely came with added cost and those had made his coins vanish as if they¡¯d been dropped in the pool of corruption.

    ¡°Then, there¡¯s the lake.¡± The man with a sigh.

    ¡°There is nothing I could have¡ª¡± She stopped at his glare.

    ¡°Have you at least investigate how it is this city has four such places ready for an audience?¡±

    Don glanced at Tibs, who shrugged. If they were referring to places where the connection to the elements were closer, Tibs hadn¡¯t known there were four of them. There was the Pool, the lake, the area behind the archery field. Those were the only places he¡¯d had an audience, so¡ª

    That alley where he¡¯d been stabbed.

    That first time he¡¯d been stabbed in an alley with a metal sword. He¡¯d had an audience because of that. But there had also been his audience with Light, so shouldn¡¯t Marger have said five?

    Only, that one had been on the roofs, so maybe they weren¡¯t looking there? Maybe, however they went about detecting places like that needed them to be close? Tibs certainly couldn¡¯t sense them at a distance.

    ¡°How would I know?¡± she demanded, annoyed. And Tibs realized he¡¯d missed more of the conversation.

    ¡°If I may?¡± Don asked, and the guild leader raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m to be a scholar, not an adventurer. So I¡¯ve done a lot of ready about everything that has to do with the elements.¡± The man motioned for him to continue. ¡°While I haven¡¯t read everything there is, I¡¯ve yet to come across any research that support theories claiming the creation of thin places can be influenced by us, people. The evidence we have shows they are usually linked to places where the element is present in abundance, but beyond that, the whim of those elements seems to be what governs where they appear. No matter how much we might wish it was ours.¡±

    ¡°And in all this reading you somehow remember doing,¡± the man said with some derision. ¡°Has there been anything about so many of them in one location?¡±

    ¡°No, sir. But again, there are far more books I haven¡¯t read than those I have.¡±

    Marger chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re going to lose this one the instant he passes his test for Epsilon. Mark my words, the universities will fight to get a mind like his. Which is too bad.¡± He locked eyes with her gain. ¡°Because we could use smart people managing guild houses.¡± He raised a finger to silence them without looking away. ¡°Don¡¯t defend her.¡±

    Don closed his mouth.

    ¡°You have cost us people, Tirania. Runners, that should have died in the dungeon, died in the streets. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s ever been someone before you that has cost us so much, with your habit of putting children in charge of thing people with the right training should have handled. People you had under your command, Tir. The guild has had bad managers before, but I can¡¯t think of one who matched your level of incompetence. You even lost us one of our best guardsman. Or are you going to claim Harry Wells is off on some mission I haven¡¯t been told about?¡±

    Her shake of the head was small, and Tibs thought it was more out of fear than her telling him no.

    This man really had all the power.

    ¡°What about you?¡± the guild leader asked Tibs. ¡°Do you know where he vanished to? The reports I was sent say you two had some sort of arrangement.¡±

    ¡°No, sir. I found out he was gone the first time I was taken to his office, and Irdian was there instead of Harry.¡±

    ¡°Irdian?¡± The man laughed. ¡°Oh, you using his name like that must piss him off to no end, considering the length he went to, to shut you down. Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t care about this racket of yours, so long as you make sure it keeps not interfering with guild business.¡±

    ¡°Tibs only has the best interest of the guild in mind,¡± Don said, while Tibs focused on breathing.

    The man smiled. ¡°Irdian doesn¡¯t think that. But then again, he dislikes rogues more than Harry ever did. Comes with the job, I guess.¡± He focused on the papers, restacking them. ¡°Unless you have more tricks for them to perform, hoping to impress me, Tir. You can dismiss them.¡±

    The glare she gave her leader was hateful. The dismissive wave sharp, and the guards escorted Tibs and Don out of the room, then out of the building.

    Tibs didn¡¯t sense the Them as they walked out. He sensed as far as he could but that secret was not there. It didn¡¯t matter. Even if they heard what he and Don talked about, it had nothing to do with Sto.

    ¡°That was interesting,¡± Don said. ¡°I don¡¯t think Tirania is going to be in charge for long.¡±

    Tibs nodded.

    It wasn¡¯t like whoever replaced her would do better by his town. Marger¡¯s comments made it clear he care nothing for Tibs¡¯s town and the people who lived here, other than how they advanced his goals.

    ¡°How long until that happens?¡± How long until Marger left and Tibs lost his chance to fix things?

    ¡°That will depend on how much evidence he needs to go through before a decision can be rendered. He¡¯s clearly made up his mind, but replacing someone assigned to manage a guild house can¡¯t be done just on one man¡¯s opinion.¡±

    ¡°So, days? Weeks? Is he going to stay here while doing that?¡± In the night, while he slept. Getting through whatever enchantment protected his house would take work, but was doable, and under that protection, he wouldn¡¯t wear many of his woven items.

    ¡°I doubt it.¡± Don thought. ¡°I don¡¯t see a man like him staying in a place like this. It isn¡¯t like he¡¯ll have to wait in line to step on the platform. He¡¯ll sleep in his home and come back each morning.¡±

    No killing him in his sleep. And the only place Tibs knew where to find Marger would be within the guild building. With enough time, he could learn the places he liked going to when he wasn¡¯t working and have better a place to remove him.

    Probably a back alley. There had to be a reason so many attempts on Tibs¡¯s life had taken place among them.

    Unfortunately, without knowing how long Marger would be in Kragle Rock, he couldn¡¯t risk it. It would have to be inside the guild building. Probably within that same room.

    The method had to be precise. Tibs only wanted that man to die, so he needed to come up with a way to concentrate all the essences he¡¯d need into one focused attack.

    A killer¡¯s knife, Tibs thought, smiling. With an edge of corruption to cut through the weaves protecting Marger and¡­something else. For once it was inside to help in case the man could do something about it with his element. He¡¯d also need a way to get in unnoticed, and then¡ª

    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Don asked, tone casual.

    And he couldn¡¯t go to Don for assistance. His friend couldn¡¯t even know that Tibs was planning. He was the only person in Kragle Rock with corruption as his element, so they were going to question him. Tibs didn¡¯t think anything less than Light was going to be used during that, so Don wouldn¡¯t be able to lie.

    None of his friends could know for the same reason.

    Tibs didn¡¯t plan on getting caught, and he even had thoughts on how he might be able to defeat light when it was used on him, but he was okay with his involvement being discovered, so long as none of his friends were caught in that.

    Except one.

    As much as he didn¡¯t want to involve him, he needed Khumdar¡¯s help in using darkness to combat light, the way the door had done. He¡¯d have to be careful not to reveal anything, but the cleric would respect his secrets.

    And if it came down to it, Khumdar had no attachment to Kragle Rock, and the guild didn¡¯t own him. He could easily vanish and never return.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Don asked with insistence.

    ¡°Sorry, just thinking.¡±

    ¡°And about what?¡± Don¡¯s tone turned suspicious.

    ¡°Nothing important.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 101

    Finding Khumdar took work, but wasn¡¯t particularly difficult.

    The cleric wasn¡¯t hiding from him specifically, or at least Tibs didn¡¯t think so, but unless he was interacting with someone, he always wrapped himself in darkness, making himself a secret from those around him.

    And as Khumdar has said during their run, secrets stood out to those with darkness as their element and he could use that against the cleric. So he suffused himself with the element and cast his sense about, using what he knew of the man to identify the ¡®flavor¡¯ of his secret. It took time, since as wide as his range was now, it only covered half the town, but eventually, he found him.

    Which was good. Tibs dreaded having to use the node of sight again.

    ¡°I need your help,¡± he said, stepping out of the alley as the people the cleric had been talking with moved away. One had Wood as their element, the green tinting their essence, and was somewhere between Epsilon and Gamma. But they weren¡¯t dressed as most adventurers were.

    ¡°And what may I help you with?¡± Khumdar asks. If Tibs¡¯s sudden arrival surprised him, he didn¡¯t show it. As he rarely showed anything.

    ¡°I need to know how you make people not notice you.¡± Tibs fell in step with the cleric as he joined the crowd. ¡°I can¡¯t suffuse myself with darkness for this.¡±

    He¡¯d realized that to ensure the kill was final, he¡¯d have to suffuse himself with whichever element he¡¯d used to do it. He expected it would be corruption because of the many enchantments Marger wore, but there might be a better alternative. What Tibs was certain of was that it wouldn¡¯t be darkness, and since he would need it to hide, he¡¯d have to rely on the reserve within his bracer, and, even if he filled all of them with that element, he still wouldn¡¯t be able to replicate the effect of when he was suffused with it.

    ¡°And will you tell me what this ¡®this¡¯ is?¡±

    ¡°Only if you make it a condition to helping me.¡±

    Khumdar nodded. ¡°You must start by remembering I do not have your training. My¡­interaction with my essence comes vastly with how I am connected to my element. It seems to give me an understanding of a sort without having to experience the training you do.¡±

    Tibs nodded. ¡°I you let me sense what you do, I can probably work it out.¡±

    The cleric gave him one of his rare smile. ¡°I believe you are correct.¡± Essence spread out from him, surrounding both of them and then¡­ ¡°As you can sense, I am hardly doing more than wrapping us with my element.¡±

    Except that wasn¡¯t true. The essence sheathing them wasn¡¯t raw and unformed. What Tibs sensed wasn¡¯t the filigrees Alistair had taught him, or even the Arcanus, although he could almost feel the shape of the letters through the sheath. It was like¡ª

    Someone bumped into him and Khumdar caught him before he fell. All around them, the crowd was growing ever tighter.

    ¡°As you can see, this comes with a drawback. With us being hidden from them, they do not know to make space for yet another person among them. It is why I prefer moving along less traveled routes this way.¡± He angled them outside of the crowd, and they had to dance around the people.

    ¡°Does this happen when you suffuse yourself?¡±

    The cleric stared at him.

    ¡°When I do it, it¡¯s like people know I¡¯m there, without knowing I¡¯m there. When I do it with water, they don¡¯t move out of the way, they just glide against me without quite noticing it. With Darkness, people stay just far away so they won¡¯t touch me.¡±

    ¡°That is¡­interesting.¡± Khumdar thought. ¡°When I suffuse myself, it is as if I become closer to the shadows. They cling to me, make me harder to be seen and easier to¡­¡± The smile was mischievous this time. ¡°Mayhap, this should remain one of my secrets. But it does not afford me a way to move among a crowd unnoticed.¡±

    ¡°Do you think everyone who had the element gets something different when they suffuse themselves?¡±

    ¡°I¡­do not know. We are, neither of us, as the others are, therefore it may be unwise to think of what we do as anything like them. After all, all fighters with earth as their element seem to have the body of stone our leader does. It maybe more our difference in how we are connected to our elements, than we as being different people, that is responsible.¡±

    Tibs focused on the essence surrounding him. ¡°Are you thinking about the Arcanus you have in the¡­¡± he tried to find a word to describe what it felt like. It was closer to a weave than an etching, in the way it just seemed to be there, but it lacked the structure of the lines that connected the Arcanus. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to call this,¡± he finally admitted.

    ¡°I am not willing my essence in the way you do. I am familiar with the Arcanus, as is any who has learned to read and write, and, through speaking with others, I understand some of what they do as part of being used within the weaving and etching most adventurers do, but I do not know if that knowledge influence what I am capable of accomplishing, as I do not have another like me to compare to, or ask questions of.¡±

    The words were odd, as Khumdar said them. There was no light on them, nor darkness, but Tibs still got the sense there was something there. Maybe Khumdar didn¡¯t want him to know he was lying, and because he knew how light worked, and how Tibs sensed darkness, his essence was doing¡­something in an attempt to keep him from finding out? Maybe he didn¡¯t even realize he was doing it.

    Tibs didn¡¯t mention it. Khumdar was allowed his secrets.

    ¡°Can you focus on¡ª¡± he gestured around them. ¡°¡ªit?¡±

    ¡°I am unsure what you are asking.¡±

    ¡°Can you concentrate on making what your essence is doing¡­more?¡± Tibs waited for something to change. ¡°Well?¡±

    ¡°I am concentrating as hard as I am capable of on making myself more unnoticeable.¡±

    ¡°Then it doesn¡¯t work like that. Stop hiding, then do it again.¡±

    The sheath disappeared within the cleric, who looked at Tibs. He nodded, and it reformed. Before Tibs could focus, it was already all there. The sense of the Arcanus floating within the rest of the essence.

    ¡°I need you to do it slower this time. Take it step by step.¡±

    ¡°I do not have steps to take, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°Really? I need to think about each line; how they connect, where they spirals out, how the filigree will be, where the Arcanus go within that, before I can get an etching to work. Some I¡¯ve done often enough, I don¡¯t really have to think about it anymore, but it still happens. Like once you¡¯ve learned your letters and you are writing for a while, you don¡¯t have to think about how the letters go in the words you need to write. You just write. Is that what is happening with this?¡±

    ¡°I do not believe so. I never had to think beyond my need to hide.¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s how all clerics work,¡± Tibs mused. It would explain Clara¡¯s difficulty in explaining how she healed. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why purity cleric start healing so quickly. It¡¯s why they become clerics. It¡¯s what they want to do, so they just can. And as they get stronger, they have larger reserves so they can do bigger healings. I just played curious,¡± he added at the raised eyebrow. ¡°Everyone knows I always have questions, so they never ask why I¡¯m asking about something.¡±

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    Tibs breathed his frustration away. This wasn¡¯t helping him. The essence was like nothing he¡¯d learned how to make. It was like the raw essence took the needed form by itself.

    ¡°So anytime you want your essence to do something, you just have to want it and happens?¡±

    ¡°No. If what I desire isn¡¯t within the realm of Darkness, I am required to think about what it is that I wish to accomplish.¡±

    ¡°So you had to think about how to form the ax head for your staff.¡±

    ¡°No. I need approach what I seek to do in how it relates to my element. Darkness is of etherealness, not solidity. But then so is fire, of a sort, and it can serve as a weapon. How could Darkness be like Fire, so that I could make use of it in combat?¡±

    ¡°The darkness that trailed your staff,¡± Tibs said, remembering one of the earlier times Khumdar had done more than just fight with it.

    ¡°It did not burn, the way fire does, but I could unleash it, so that it could weaken those it touched. Then I needed consider how could Darkness be more like Metal, which is unbending, with a sharpness like that of good wit. The form you saw it take was of the element¡¯s own design, not my will.¡±

    ¡°And you never have to think about which of the Arcanus you want there,¡± Tibs said. ¡°They just are.¡±

    ¡°That is correct.¡±

    He sensed the shapes within the sheath. ¡°But I can sense them there. Not clear, but like looking at writing through a dirty window.¡± Tibs made a cloud of darkness essence and tried to cause one of the Arcanus to form in it the way he sensed it within the sheath.

    ¡°Mayhap that is because I do not properly understand them,¡± Khumdar mused. ¡°It might be that I too have a reason to seek knowledge of what each means, and that in doing so, my array of capability will increase beyond simply having more essence to use.¡±

    ¡°You should find other clerics to ask,¡± Tibs said, focusing on making Ank form.

    ¡°If only that I could.¡±

    The light was faint, but surprised Tibs enough, he stared at the cleric, and the cloud dissipated. Khumdar was lost in thoughts, and Tibs went back to trying to get Ank to form.

    Khumdar had always said to be the only one he knew like himself. There had been no light on the words when it came up the last time, but now he¡¯d lied about not being able to ask other clerics. How Khumdar could be truthful about one and caught in a lie about the other was easy. He didn¡¯t know any other clerics of Darkness. So there was no one else like him.

    But he knew other clerics. And Tibs was certain Khumdar didn¡¯t mean those of purity.

    He breathed the questions away. As interesting as it might be to know more about that part of those who had an element, Khumdar had lied because he didn¡¯t want Tibs to know. Or maybe he wanted? Wouldn¡¯t the darkness have tried to hide it otherwise? Maybe he didn¡¯t know he wanted Tibs to know?

    He stopped. There lay headaches, and Tibs would have enough already with trying to get darkness essence to do what he needed it to.

    * * * * *

    Tibs leaned against the wall. Even though it shouldn¡¯t, since he had the element, the sunlight hurt his eyes. The sounds of the people haggling hammered at his head hard enough he wanted to scream, and he was hungry. Morning meal had been quick, so he could get back to training, and clearly not enough. He suffused himself with purity, and it all went away, with only hunger returning once he released it.

    ¡°Would it not be more effective if you remained suffused?¡± Khumdar asked.

    ¡°You can tell I used purity?¡±

    ¡°I have seen its effects on you often enough to recognize them.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t depend on purity. I¡¯ll need to be suffused with another element.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    Tibs looked up, locating the sun well past zenith. No wonder he was hungry. ¡°If you want¡­¡± he did owe him that much after all the help he was giving him.

    ¡°You respect my secrets. I shall respect your desire to maintain yours.¡±

    ¡°I need food.¡± He located a sign with the top of a tankard over the heads and headed for it. They found a table with empty tankards on it and claimed it. A harried server took them, then returned with filled ones and Tibs asked for whatever the cook had ready.

    He cleared his mind once the man had left and set about making the lines of darkness around his hands. Each returning to itself and connected to those next to them with a filigree of Ssy, Par, and Ike. Why Ike worked there without tearing the etching apart, Tibs had given up understanding. Alistair had told him that the Arcanus¡¯s effects were influenced by those next to them, but this was the first time Ike didn¡¯t not outright send an etching moving.

    ¡°You have succeeded.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the same.¡±

    Khumdar placed his hand, wrapped in its own sheath, next to his. ¡°I do not notice a difference.¡±

    Tibs chuckles. ¡°Mine is built of essence lines and filigree. Yours is just¡­there.¡±

    ¡°Then, how do you expect they will differ?¡±

    ¡°I have to keep thinking about it. And feeding it essence. It¡¯s an etching, so it¡¯s ¡®doing¡¯ something and not just being there like yours, and that means the essence is going¡­somewhere.¡± He connected the flow to the reserve in his bracer. ¡°It isn¡¯t a lot, like this, but I¡¯ll have to see if one reserve is enough to maintain it around all of me for the time I¡¯ll need it.¡±

    The server placed the plates down, a thick stew over a dark slice of bread, and Tibs asked for a second from the server before starting on this one.

    * * * * *

    People glanced in this direction.

    It was the first thing Tibs realized once he stepped among them, sheathed in darkness. Then they¡¯d look around, searching for whatever it was that had caught their attention before going back to what they were doing. A few walked where Tibs had stood, as if they understood there had been something there, but didn¡¯t realize he¡¯d moved. They looked the spot over, glanced around, and went on with their task.

    It seemed that the more someone tried to ¡®see¡¯ him, the less they did. Those who reacted to his presence had caught sight of something out of the corner of their eye, and once they looked, they couldn¡¯t see him.

    In the time it took him to walk to the guild building, the reserve in his bracer lowered slightly, but not enough for him to workout how long it would last.

    He stepped at the back of a group of clerks returning to the guild, hoping that if the guards notices something, they¡¯d dismiss him as just another clerk. But fifty paces from the building, the weave within the doorway did something it had never down before.

    It stretched toward the group. Toward him.

    He stopped and stepped back, counting each step. With each one, it receded. Sixty paces was as close as he could get before he triggered the enchantment.

    Or did it? He hadn¡¯t been to the guild since starting work on his sheath, and with that training came a shift in who he was, how he thought.

    In his intent?

    Mind was part of the weave protecting the guild. Every element was.

    He stepped into an alley, let go of the sheath, and stepped out, heading for the building.

    The enchantment didn¡¯t react to his approach, but the guards took him in and nodded. Tibs wasn¡¯t an anonymous clerk, or just one of the other Runners. When he came and went from the guild, they noticed the Hero of Kragle Rock.

    What he would need was a way in without being noticed.

    And to be able to use his sheath once he was inside. At least that one he could test. He walked to the back, because the front of the building always had people. He let the magic confuse him, and once he found himself alone in a corridor, formed the sheath, ready to let go the moment he sensed a reaction.

    But there were none. Not even an alarm.

    Once someone made it inside, the magic seemed to ignore them. It was a flaw, in his opinion, and it could be why people like Tirania and Marger had so many enchanted items on them. They understood they couldn¡¯t depend on the building¡¯s enchantment for their safety.

    Now, did anyone walking this part of the building have magic that would let them pierce his sheath? Only one way to find out. He took the medallion from the pouch and oriented himself to the building¡¯s entrance. Knowing that, he took the long way there.

    Many of the clerks glanced in his direction, then went back to where they were needed. Even the one with darkness as her element did nothing more than an extra look around before continuing on her way.

    There might be one who¡¯d try something Tibs would have to actively defend against, but anything a rogue attempted came with risks.

    He headed for the exit, pleased with his test, only to freezing in place as he realized a final problem. If he couldn¡¯t enter sheathed, could he exit this way? Would the enchantment reach within the building? More importantly, would someone notice what it did? Had he been within sixty paces when he¡¯d sheathed himself? He didn¡¯t know; the magic made it he had no idea where he was, and once it took the medallion, he hadn¡¯t paid attention.

    Could he afford to test this?

    He definitely couldn¡¯t afford to be discovered.

    How ever he made it in, he would stay as far from the entrance as he could. Fortunately, there were plenty of training rooms well past that distance he¡¯d be able to slip in to sheath himself. Which was how he let his sheath go without being noticed before exiting the building.

    He had a way to make it to Marger once he was inside.

    Now, he needed to figure out a way to kill the man, as well as get in and out unnoticed.

    How much of a disguise would he need not to be recognized? At the library, all he¡¯d had to do was make himself look like someone who had the needed coins to belong there. Here, he could make himself look like a clerk, but there was still a chance a guard would recognize him.

    Recognize the Hero of Kragle Rock.

    So, he had to work on that one. He had time, since he still didn¡¯t have a way he was confident could kill the man, and because of all those enchantments, Corruption would be needed.

    Which meant that, like it or not, he needed Don¡¯s help.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 102

    Finding Don took longer than Tibs expected.

    The sorcerer hadn¡¯t been in their room, the inn, or training at the guild, so he¡¯d cast his sense over his town and started walking. Don was the only person with corruption, other than the sorcerers working on the building over the pool, so Tibs shouldn¡¯t have had the difficult time of it that he did.

    Again, he was reminded that, for as much as his sense had expanded, Kragle Rock had grown faster. From one side of it, He could just about sense the center, which was no longer the transportation platform. The town was growing unevenly, stretching more toward the midday sun than the other directions. He sensed some with corruption, but they were too powerful to be his friend. Sorcerers taking breaks from the construction work, he decided.

    Where he finally found Don, and Tibs cursed himself for dismissing the place out of hand, was the corruption pool. He knew how the concentration of the element muddled his sense. So he shouldn¡¯t have assumed Don wouldn¡¯t be there. Even the old Don was known to help out when it served him. And having the academy, where he would do his research once he was free of the guild, finish what they were building here, would certainly serve him.

    Tibs figured the old Don would have done only as much as needed to show he was helping, while his friend was dressed in rough worker¡¯s clothing and sweating while he hammered planks in place with other, much stronger, sorcerer.

    The sight amused him a little. The element liked things to be easy. When he¡¯d channeled Corruption that first time, whatever seemed the easiest was what he¡¯d done, careless of the consequences. Even his first encounter with one of their sorcerer, as she tried to swindle Don out of a pool he didn¡¯t own, had supported the impression bards sang when it came to them.

    Never trust someone with corruption as their elements. They will trick you into doing all the work and giving them all the rewards. Take care if any of them are on your team, but take especial care of the Sorcerer who wields corruption, who is only less trustworthy than the rogue.

    Yet another reminder, as if he needed them anymore, that bards didn¡¯t sing about how things were. They twisted events to make ¡®good¡¯ stories. And twisted how people thought of those in the songs in the process.

    Tibs hesitated in calling out to his friend. Searching for him after leaving the guild had moved the sun until there was only slightly more than a full hand-span until it touched the horizon. He was hungry, and Don was working, and wouldn¡¯t it be safer if he went to another corruption sorcerer for help? One who didn¡¯t know so much about him. Who would have an easier time believing the tale Tibs would tell them?

    But would they be able to help him if they knew so little about what he could do? Would his questions lead to questions of their own as to why he was so curious about an element he couldn¡¯t use? Or could he pass himself off as a Runner with corruption and hope they wouldn¡¯t know Don was the only one? He could claim to be from outside and¡ª

    ¡°Tibs!¡± Don called, waving. He spoke to another of the sorcerers before placing the hammer in a bucket and stepping around stacks of planks that seemed precariously balance to Tibs. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± He wiped his brow.

    ¡°Looking for you, but if you¡¯re busy with something you need to do to be part of the academy, I can¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not forced to do this,¡± Don said, chuckling. ¡°I was tired of not getting anywhere with that book I got from the dungeon, so I came to help to have something else to think about.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think sorcerers who work at an academy would be hammering planks in place,¡± Tibs said.

    Don looked around and lowered his voice. ¡°You can sense they are all sorcerers?¡±

    Tibs shook his head. ¡°The pool makes it difficult, but there is a sense of a lot of the element above it. And I don¡¯t think workers would walk around so at ease over the pool.¡±

    Don looked back. ¡°I hadn¡¯t considered that. But the reason they¡¯re doing the work, beyond being a change of pace from so much research, and something the acolytes in training can do to learn that even the academy isn¡¯t only about sitting down, reading and writing, is that the weave needs to be done as the construction happen. It¡¯s well beyond me, but each plank has a weave that ¡®locks¡¯ in place with those around it. It makes the building more secure, and serves as a base upon which further enchantments will be added to keep experiments from escaping the walls.¡± He looked at Tibs, smiling. ¡°But as curious as you are, I doubt you came here to learn about what goes into building a sorcerer¡¯s academy.¡±

    There was no avoiding it anymore. ¡°You said you wanted to train me and¡ª¡±

    ¡°I believe your words were. ¡®I need to deal with something.¡¯¡± The tone was severe.

    ¡°I¡¯ve dealt with it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear it,¡± Don said, far too casually.

    ¡°I¡¯d like not to almost kill everyone the next time I have to use a lot of essence.¡±

    Don watched him. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯d all appreciate that.¡± He looked toward the sun. ¡°Let me wash and change, then we can eat, talk about how I expect you to work, and then we can settle down and do exercises to help you gain control.¡±

    Tibs bit back telling his friend that wasn¡¯t what he wanted to work on. He¡¯d have to come at this far more indirectly than he preferred.

    ¡°Alright,¡± he replied, hoping he didn¡¯t sound as disappointed to Don as he thought.

    * * * * *

    ¡°And I expect you to respect the schedule I set,¡± Don said as Tibs finished his meal. Mez had joined them, ate and left. Jackal was still in bed, getting over the corruption in his essence. They might have to pass on their next run at the rate the fighter was healing. ¡°Not just for showing up to the training, but in doing your exercises.¡± He looked up at the approaching warrior.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Quigly greeted them. ¡°Don.¡± He looked around the room before sitting. The inn was mostly filled with Runners. The tables occupied by others were townsfolk or visitors. While Kroseph¡¯s father had a policy that everyone was welcome, the Runners had made sure the guards felt they were the exception. He placed a pouch on the table that looked like a worn version of Jackals. If he focussed, Tibs could make out a weave throughout the leather. He wanted to ask where Quigly had gotten it. Considering how much essence Sto had said it took to make Jackal¡¯s pouch, he didn¡¯t think it came from there. Sto also didn¡¯t make items that look old unless told to.

    The warrior reached into it slightly further than the size implied and pulled out a ring. Was it because that was only as deep as this pouch was, or because he wanted to avoid attracting attention? Not every team had something like that, and even Jackal was careful when using his in public.

    ¡°Should I bother asking how it is the dungeon is making those?¡± Quigly asked, tapping the ring on the table. He turned the pouch toward Tibs. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t told me what they do, I¡¯d never have bothered with them.¡±

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    Tibs shrugged, opening the pouch and looking in. Where he¡¯d expected darkness, as with Jackal¡¯s and the bag Archer had provided him, the inside was more like the chest in the dungeon. Clearly larger than the outside, but the space was finite, even if he couldn¡¯t tell how large it was. And it was filled with plain looking brass rings.

    ¡°How did the dungeon know to start providing us with food?¡± Don offered. ¡°Or weapons for Sebastian¡¯s assault? It must have a way to know what its town needs to survive. And if you think about it, providing items we need also serves as incentive to get Runners to go in, so it also benefits.¡±

    ¡°Sure. That makes sense.¡± Quigly only glanced at the sorcerer before fixing his gaze back on Tibs.

    ¡°When do you need it back?¡± he asked, tying it to his belt.

    ¡°Now,¡± the warrior said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to put the rings in.¡± Even if he¡¯d been wearing his armor, he wouldn¡¯t have revealed its hidden space. Not that he was sure it could hold this much. It had held the promises, but those were papers.

    ¡°Fine, tomorrow then. I kept a few for my team to give to the people who matter to us.¡±

    Tibs nodded. He¡¯d resigned himself to the Runners thinking about them before the town, but they would have enough anyway in time.

    ¡°Won¡¯t Cross shove that down¡­¡± Don hesitate, then smiled, ¡°your throat when you give that to her?¡±

    ¡°She can do whatever the fuck she wants to me, after she puts it on. There¡¯s too much riding on it.¡±

    ¡°I really thought she¡¯d made it clear she didn¡¯t care about your heart,¡± Don said dismissively.

    Quigly leaned toward the sorcerer. ¡°How about you keep that corrupt nose of yours out of stuff that isn¡¯t any of your business? And if you can¡¯t, do like that cleric of yours. Keep what you think of it to yourself.¡±

    ¡°Noted,¡± Don replied, grinning over the lip of his tankard. ¡°I won¡¯t comment on your impressive attempts at getting that woman to kill you anymore.¡±

    The warrior pushed away from the table, grumbling insults about the sorcerer.

    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Tibs said, as Don opened his mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t want to know about them. I don¡¯t want to know about Mez and his girls. Or anyone you know that¡¯s involved with someone else.¡±

    ¡°You really don¡¯t like knowing about couples, do you, Tibs?¡± Don wiped the remaining sauce off his plate with a chunk of bread.

    ¡°I can¡¯t not know about Jackal and Kroseph,¡± Tibs replied darkly, earning himself a chuckle in response. ¡°That¡¯s more than I ever wanted to know about what anyone did with their special someone.¡±

    ¡°You only say that,¡± Kroseph said, taking his empty plate, ¡°because you haven¡¯t found yourself someone.¡±

    Tibs snorted.

    ¡°How about you Don? Chasing anyone?¡±

    The sorcerer smirked. ¡°I¡¯m not the chaser. I¡¯m one of the Heroes of Kragle Rock. And unlike Tibs, I don¡¯t ignore those chasing me. In fact, there is lady from the Rose Bloosom¡¯s quarters who has been quite dedicated in her attempts to get me to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Can you just not.¡± Tibs glared at his grinning teammate. ¡°Since you aren¡¯t talking about how I need to do it anymore, maybe we can move on to the actual training?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re training?¡± Kroseph asked in surprise.

    ¡°I do train,¡± Tibs replied, eyes narrowing at the server.

    ¡°When your teacher calls for you,¡± Kroseph replied. ¡°Or, when something happens you hold yourself responsible for.¡±

    Tibs pointed up before even thinking about it.

    ¡°He isn¡¯t that badly hurt,¡± he replied with a roll of the eyes. ¡°He¡¯s just enjoying having me tending to him. I won¡¯t be surprised when he jumps up all better the day of your run.¡±

    ¡°Like you need an excuse to ¡®tend to him¡¯,¡± Don said, grinning, while Tibs shook his head. Unless something happened, Jackal wouldn¡¯t be out of bed by then.

    ¡°What can I say? I¡¯m a caring guy. I am happy to tend to whatever needs my man has.¡± Kroseph grew serious. ¡°But the way he explained it to me, you didn¡¯t do it. And he doesn¡¯t hold you responsible, Don. It was that other person who¡¯ll want to watch itself the next time Jackal finds them.¡±

    ¡°Kro!¡± his father called from behind the bar. ¡°Are you working for the inn, or did you join the guild when I wasn¡¯t looking?¡±

    ¡°Work calls.¡± The server left.

    ¡°Don¡¯t start with the ¡®everyone needs a special someone¡¯ stuff,¡± Tibs warned the sorcerer. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t have to be special,¡± The sorcerer replied, grinning at the glare Tibs gave him.

    ¡°Are we training or not?¡± Tibs raised a warning finger as he saw the mirth in Don¡¯s eyes.

    With a chuckle, the sorcerer stood. ¡°Come on. We¡¯ll need somewhere without people around for this.¡±

    * * * * *

    The wooded plaza was all that was left of the wood that had supplied the early material for the building of Kragle Rock. Someone had come and made trees grow, and they¡¯d remained. It was no more than four blocks in size, but once inside, there was an air of mystery many spoke about. A sense it was larger, that there were hidden things here.

    It wasn¡¯t until now, the first time he stepped in, that Tibs remembered his audience with Darkness. Was it because of the element that the guild wasn¡¯t aware of it? Or was it that they hadn¡¯t made the connection yet?

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be disturbed here,¡± Don said. ¡°And we aren¡¯t going to start with so much essence you can lose control. These are basic exercises to sharpen your will, and make it hard for someone to take control away from¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don, how would you go about making corruption hard?¡± he asked as neutrally as he could.

    The sorcerer sighed. ¡°Tibs, now isn¡¯t the time. This is about practicing your control. Please set aside your unending curiosity for when we aren¡¯t working on something else.¡±

    ¡°I will, but I¡¯m just curious. I noticed that no matter how I will it. Corruption never seems to do that. How am I going to use it as a weapon if¡ª¡± Tibs stopped as Don stiffened.

    He turned and leveled a hot glare. ¡°How about I make you a deal, Tibs? How about, instead of trying to manipulate me, you tell me exactly what you¡¯re after, and let me decide if I want to help with that?¡±

    Tibs looked away. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°At least you are remorseful about it.¡± Don ran a hand over his face. ¡°So. What is this about?¡±

    ¡°I need a weapon.¡±

    ¡°You have plenty of weapons, Tibs. Of everyone I know, you are possibly the one with the most possibility when it comes to making weapons.¡±

    Tibs hesitated. ¡°It has to be corruption.¡±

    Don tapped his chin. ¡°Corruption isn¡¯t something that lends itself to a useful weapon in the dungeon, considering how it protects itself from that element. If your goal was to make those fights easier, you¡¯re better looking to improve something else. Which means¡­ How serious is this, Tibs?¡±

    Tibs swallowed. ¡°Enough, I didn¡¯t want to involve anyone else.¡±

    ¡°And you were hoping to trick me so I wouldn¡¯t know what you¡¯re planning.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to get in trouble if someone asks what you knew about what I¡¯m planning and they used light.¡±

    Don sighed. ¡°If I insist, will you tell me?¡±

    Tibs shook his head. As much as he could see Don making this easier, he wouldn¡¯t risk him. Or the others.

    ¡°What if I make my help conditional on knowing?¡±

    Again, he shook his head.

    ¡°Abyss, Tibs. Whatever you are planning, if you need a weapon made of corruption, it isn¡¯t something you should undertake alone.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t risk anyone else. You all have someones, and I won¡¯t be the reason they lose any of you.¡±

    Don stared at him. ¡°Is that why you don¡¯t want someone? Because you were always planning this?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a Runner. Sto¡¯s going to beat me one day. I don¡¯t want to hurt someone the way losing¡­Carina hurt me.¡±

    ¡°Tibs. That¡¯s only until Epsilon.¡±

    ¡°Then the guild is going to send me against something else.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why you should¡ª¡±

    ¡°No.¡± He didn¡¯t have to work at making his expression hard. ¡°I don¡¯t want this. You want it, Jackal has it, Mez is stuck with it. Even Khumdar had someone like that. I don¡¯t want it. I don¡¯t know why, okay? I just don¡¯t. I see Jackal and Kroseph, I listen to Mez talk about his girl, and I don¡¯t want any of it. I know you all think I just have to find the right person, but I don¡¯t want to find anyone.¡±

    ¡°Because you don¡¯t want to hurt them when you die.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± He shook his head. ¡°No. I don¡¯t know, okay? All I know is that when I try to think about someone I¡¯d look at the way Mez looks at Tandy when he thinks no one¡¯s watching, or Jackal at Kroseph all the abyss time, I don¡¯t see anyone. I don¡¯t feel anything. And I am tired of always being told I have to look for that person.¡± Tibs stopped, panting.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Tibs. I didn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    He raised a hand and Don fell silent. ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter, it¡¯s a me thing. What matters right now is if you¡¯ll help me even without knowing what I¡¯m planning. You don¡¯t have to. I understand if¡ª¡±

    ¡°I will, but under one condition.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not telling¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know, Tibs. It¡¯s not that. My condition is that this is the last time. It¡¯s the last time you skirt your training. I will spend tonight, however long it takes, to help you etch this weapon you need. But come tomorrow, come any day after tonight. You are going to follow the schedule I have set. I don¡¯t care what else happens. I don¡¯t care what the dungeon does, or how Commander Irdian complicates your life. Those things will get shuffled around the training. Is that clear?¡±

    Tibs nodded.

    ¡°Tibs, this is me, as a friend, warning you. Don¡¯t abuse my generosity.¡±

    ¡°I promise, Don. I will train. I will follow what you tell me to do. I need to do this, but I also don¡¯t want to be a threat to the team, either.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Don let out a breath and looked around. ¡°For what you need, we can¡¯t do that here. Come on. I know a place that should keep the surroundings safe from what we¡¯ll be doing.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 103

    The nearly black knife floated between Tibs¡¯s hands.

    He didn¡¯t need them there, like they nestled the etching, but he found it comfortable to have a visual limitation to how the essence moved.

    * * * * *

    ¡°Corruption doesn¡¯t flow,¡± Don explained once they were seated inside the room above the corruption pool, ¡°the way Water does.¡±

    Tibs had been concerned his friend would get in trouble for using it without asking permission this time, but so long as no one needed it, he¡¯d explained, no one cared. He¡¯d looked at Tibs and added, ¡®so long as it¡¯s still there by the time we leave.¡¯

    He raised a hand as Tibs started to correct him that water essence didn¡¯t flow. ¡°I know it isn¡¯t the right word. Believe me, any scholar who researched essence knows it¡¯s never the right word. Half the books I read spend more time arguing over which of the words should be used instead of explaining the research. For the purpose of this session, Water flows, and Corruption oozes.¡±

    Tibs nodded, and Don continued.

    ¡°Unlike Water, Corruption doesn¡¯t have a condition in which it can be solid. It goes from oozing to drifting to floating. Simply put, you can make Corruption less solid with will, but not more. For that, you need an assembly starting with Ike, which¡ª¡±

    ¡°Wait, won¡¯t Ike make the etching fly apart? The Arcanus is about movement. It¡¯s what happened when the lance I¡¯d made just flew out of my control.¡±

    ¡°Has your teacher explained how not every Arcanus interacts with the elements the same way?¡±

    ¡°It has come up,¡± Tibs said, remembering the headache that had caused. Not only did the Arcanus not always act the same from one element to the other, but the same Arcanus could have a variety of behavior depending on what the other Arcanus were used in the filigree.

    ¡°In the case, Ike does add motion to the essence.¡± Don formed a box of corruption, which drooped as soon as it existed. Tibs sensed the sorcerer add a filigree of Ike spaced well apart and the drooping stopped. ¡°As you can sense, the essence is moving, and that motion is letting the form I will it in remain.¡±

    He was right. There was a vibration in the essence now, but instead of making the box fly out of Don¡¯s control, it went in all directions at the same time, and caused it to be solid.

    ¡°What Ike is doing is getting stronger,¡± Tibs said, sensing the vibrations increase.

    ¡°Indeed. It¡¯s why Ike can¡¯t be used on its own.¡± The box exploded in a formless cloud of essence that Don absorbed. ¡°The Arcanus builds constantly, adding more and more stress on the essence lattice. You can compensate by adding more lattices, but that¡¯s a losing battle. Ike will always overcome them; it¡¯s simply a question of time. You need to use other Arcanus to¡­buffer its effect. Which one and how you place them will depend on the specifics you are looking for.¡±

    He¡¯d looked at Tibs expectantly, and he¡¯d had no choice but to describe what he needed, since learning about all the way to make corruption essence work would take more than the rest of this day.

    He needed it as hard as metal, he¡¯d explained, aiming to keep the description vague. The etching then needed to be able to have other essence wrapped around it without them interacting, because they¡¯d have their own filigree.

    And Don set forth with explaining what Tibs needed to do. Kha was needed on each side of Ike because it could ¡®absorb¡¯ some of the motion it created. How close would depend on the exact ¡®solidity¡¯ Tibs was aiming to create, Sah, was then needed on the flow side only¡ªTibs had to ask for an explanation of ¡®flow side¡¯, and Don demonstrated by pushing the essence from himself into and etching with a filigree, the direction the essence moved was the ¡®flow side¡¯¡ªand it would serve to balance the constant growth in the movement since over time, Ike could overwhelm Kha just like it did the etching¡¯s lattice. Ool was then needed on either side, as well as any crossing of filigree, so he had control over what went where. Again, Tibs would have to experiment with positioning.

    Don smiled. ¡°But starting here, and going only with incremental changes, will keep you from causing this to explode.¡± The smile had vanished. ¡°Well, it should. Please don¡¯t prove me wrong.¡±

    Then he had started on the other filigree Tibs would need, to account for him adding essences and changing their effect.

    Whenever Tibs asked for clarification, Don answered. When Tibs asked about something relating to the elements, or the essence, or the Arcanus that didn¡¯t impact what he was teaching, he shut down the inquiry.

    Then Don had gone off on a tangent about how even something as mindset when a filigree was built affected how a it behaved, and how some scholar theorized it was why the classes had been created to capitalize on and focus the similar mindsets. Which led to the creation of the fighters, sorcerers, rogue and archers. Since, even back then, Purity was a group of its own, Clerics were never studied, but observations have supported those theories.

    Tibs had started to tell him about how clerics might work with their essence, because of their connection to their element, but the sorcerer had stopped him, been annoyed at himself for going off topic, and set back to teaching Tibs.

    * * * * *

    The corruption center of his building etching was unchanging, Rys letting there be much more than he could normally push together through willing it. So he set about adding the next layer. Darkness, to decrease the chance his weapon would be detected. Since Tibs didn¡¯t have the time to practice etching it until it he could make it with barely any thoughts, he¡¯d have to make it ahead of time; and walk about the guild with it. Then metal essence with a filigree to strengthen it for thrusting and one to sharpen the edges until it might be able to slice through weaves, if that was a thing. Then a final edge of corruption to ensure it would cut through whatever protection Marger had.

    That gave him a blade. Now he had to work on the pommel, if he wanted to be able to wield it with more than his will.

    * * * * *

    Tibs woke and immediately set about forming his knife, and he needed too many tries. He sat at the table and set about practicing.

    * * * * *

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°In a hurry?¡± Kroseph asked, placing a new tankard and taking the empty one. Tibs¡¯s plate was almost empty.

    ¡°Lots to do.¡± He was down to six tries before the etching was proper. Still too many. He wanted to get it right on the first try, since that would let him etch it as close to the last moment as needed. But he expected that wasn¡¯t possible in the time he had left. He wanted to make it before reaching the guild, so there would be as few distractions as possible once it was made.

    ¡°Does one of those things include visiting Jackal?¡± the reproach in the server¡¯s eyes kept Tibs from protesting he was too busy. He nodded and hurried to finish his plate before racing to the stairs.

    He knocked on the door, then cracked it open. Kroseph should still be working, but Tibs had lost sight of him, so he wanted to be sure they weren¡¯t setting him up to see something he had no interest in. Even waiting to be invited in wasn¡¯t a guarantee he wouldn¡¯t get an eyeful. And Jackal on his own didn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t find a way to tease Tibs.

    The room was quiet, and Jackal was reclined on the bed, his lower half covered with a sheet and hand on top of that.

    The fighter gave him a weak smile as Tibs stepped in. ¡°Come to see your dying leader?¡± He forced a cough. ¡°I thought you¡¯d already moved on.¡±

    ¡°Been busy,¡± Tibs mumbles, pulling a chair next to the bed. He knew Jackal was jesting, but Tibs had forgotten about him being sick in the middle of getting ready. ¡°And you aren¡¯t dying.¡±

    Jackal forced another cough. ¡°How can you say that? I¡¯ve been wasting away in this bed. Soon there¡¯ll be nothing left of me.¡±

    ¡°I can sense what¡¯s left of the corruption in your essence,¡± Tibs said, rolling his eyes. ¡°You could get out of the bed if you really¡ª¡±

    Jackal had his hand on Tibs¡¯s mouth, looking at the door fearfully. ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± he whispered. ¡°Kro might hear you. And then, he¡¯ll stop looking after me.¡±

    Tibs leveled a look on the fighter as he moved the hand away. ¡°Your man is never going to stop looking after you, even when you¡¯re healthy. And if you start telling me the special stuff he does to you when you¡¯re sick,¡± Tibs added as Jackal opened his mouth. ¡°I am going to fill you with so much corruption it¡¯s going to shrivel down to nothing.¡±

    ¡°I doubt there¡¯s enough corruption to make that happen,¡± the fighter replied with a smirk.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen it, remember? I know exactly how much it¡¯ll take. If you didn¡¯t want me to know that, you shouldn¡¯t have arranged for me to walk into your fun like you did.¡±

    ¡°You make it sound like I knew when you¡¯d return to our room,¡± Jackal said, grinning.

    ¡°Oh, you have your ways of knowing.¡±

    Jackal let himself fall back on the bed. ¡°What¡¯s keeping you busy?¡±

    Tibs shrugged, and the fighter frowned

    ¡°If I threaten to tie you to that chair so you have to watch me a Kro have fun, will you tell me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather you didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°That is why threats work.¡±

    Tibs glared at Jackal, and the smile went away. He had simply forgotten, but Jackal knew him too well. He¡¯d work through any excuse Tibs gave him and come to something close to the truth. And that was too dangerous for his friend.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to tell me, Tibs. It means you probably shouldn¡¯t be doing it.¡±

    ¡°It has to be done.¡±

    Jackal sighed. ¡°I hate it when you say that. Because coming from you, it¡¯s probably true. Tell me you¡¯re going to be careful.¡±

    ¡°As much as I can. I¡¯m working on making sure it goes right.¡±

    ¡°Good, because we¡¯ve already missed one run. I will be better before the next one, and I will need my rogue if we¡¯re going to clear the fourth floor.

    Tibs nodded. He didn¡¯t know what would happen to the runs with the guild destroyed, but he was sure he¡¯d manage to get them in the dungeon no matter what.

    ¡°Then I should let you go. Any longer and Kro¡¯s going to wonder if I¡¯m up to no good.¡±

    ¡°When are you ever not?¡±

    Jackal stared at him. ¡°Are you saying he already knows?¡± Tibs shrugged and his friend¡¯s expression turned suspicious. ¡°Okay, exactly what is my man up to?¡±

    Tibs snorted. ¡°How about enjoying not having you running around the town? Getting in fights, staying out until the late hours. Drinking with unmentionable people?¡±

    ¡°Hey, I mention them if I¡¯m asked.¡± Jackal¡¯s smile vanished. ¡°Tibs, be careful.¡±

    ¡°I am.¡± He stood and left.

    * * * * *

    The problem wasn¡¯t maintaining the darkness sheath and his corruption knife at the same time. The problem came from the one detail he¡¯d forgotten in his hurry to train both.

    People didn¡¯t see him.

    Yes, they¡¯d notice something if they caught sight of him out of the corner of their eye, but those weren¡¯t the problem. It was the townsfolk looking ahead of them as they walked. Looking directly at Tibs, if they happened to heading for each other.

    With him focused on maintaining the two etchings, more than once he¡¯d nearly bumped into someone, and the jerk to avoid the collision cause his focus to break. Then his sudden ¡®appearance¡¯ caused enough of a ruckus he¡¯d decided the sheath came first. He couldn¡¯t afford for word of him appearing out of nowhere to reach the guild.

    Now, after a few days of splitting his attention three ways, the sheath first, remaining aware of the people around him second, and then the knife, he was able to walk around and keep track of everyone around him. The split meant he couldn¡¯t keep some of the essences from leaking away, but it wasn¡¯t enough to keep him from going through with this.

    If he could find a way to get in.

    He¡¯d approached the guild sheathed to get a sense of the weave¡¯s reaction, looking to work out a way to defeat it, but it was beyond his ability.

    And he needed a way in soon.

    From listening to the clerks, Marger was close to being done. It was all they could talk about. Guessing on what he would do, who would replace Tirania. Would the Runners be sent to other dungeons while he restarted everything here from scratch?

    None of them had given time frames, but the sense of ¡®any day now¡¯ was there.

    Breathing the urgency away so he remained careful became harder with each failure at thinking of a way in. He didn¡¯t want to succeed, just to end up dead. He wasn¡¯t abandoning his team like that.

    He stepped out of the crowd to alleviate some of the mental strain and leaned against the wall. He maintained his sheath and knife, although it was in a sheath at his belt. The one that had contained the sword that had crumbled away with the golem holding it. Without having to remain aware of the crowd, the two etchings hardly taxed him.

    Not having to focus so much also let him notice the dog sniffing the ground between where he¡¯d been in the crowd and the wall. It was one of Serba¡¯s larger dogs. It sniffed at his feet, then searched away, letting out a whine. It sniffed back and forth before him, stopped again, looked at him, then away, before sniffing the ground some more.

    Tibs looked around. This wasn¡¯t one of her dog that sometimes wandered away from her. She¡¯d set him on this search, so she would be¡­ he found her on the other side of the crowd, someone¡¯s essence at the mouth of an alley with dogs at her feet first, then he saw her there in gaps between people.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± he told the dog, then entered an alley to go around.

    The sniffing followed him, the dog¡¯s nose to the ground, a few steps behind him. When he reached where she¡¯d stood, She wasn¡¯t there. He found her by the crowd parting to let her and her dogs return from the other side of the road.

    He stepped deeper into the alley, the dog following him, and dropped the sheath. The dog let out a startled whine, looked at him and let out a bark, sitting. He released the knife, then Serba was in the mouth of the alley, glaring at him.

    ¡°About time,¡± she said. ¡°Just where have you been hiding? Any longer and I wouldn¡¯t have been able to warn you in time.¡±

    ¡°In time for what?¡±

    ¡°For you to move your stuff before the commander raids it.¡±

    ¡°How did Irdian find out this time?¡± Tibs asked in exasperation. He so didn¡¯t have the time to deal with this.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but he¡¯s been gathering people all morning.¡±

    He rubbed a temple. Who did he have available he could send? He had no idea. Keeping track of his rogue was another thing he¡¯d let go to train. It was probably how Irdian had learned about it. Someone had taken Tibs¡¯s lack of oversight as their cue to push their plot forward and¡­

    He sighed. What was the point? So he¡¯d lose the equipment for a few days. Once the guild was no more, he¡¯d get it back from the rubble.

    Of course, that was if he could find a way in without being noticed. Which was looking less and less likely with Marger¡¯s departure growing ever closer. He straightened, staring at Serba, who took a step back, hand up placatingly.

    ¡°When is the raid happening?¡± he asked as she kept retreating. Why did he keep thinking he needed to get in on his own?

    She hesitated. ¡°At this point? Just about now.¡± She turned and ran as if her life depended on it, her dogs trailing behind.

    Tibs ran, because the future of his town depended on it.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 104

    The crate jostled again, and something slid along his leg until its pointed end pressed far too close to Tibs¡¯s sensitive parts for his liking, but he had to keep his hands against the side to keep from being thrown about the, he hoped, sheathed weapons.

    Actually, he should have unsheathed them before getting into the crate. Then, all he¡¯d have to worry about was sliced up clothing, and not bruised and painful body parts. He couldn¡¯t suffuse himself with purity since he was concern letting go of darkness would have the guards carrying the crate notice something was amiss.

    Unfortunately, he¡¯d reached the hideout ahead of the guard with only enough time to use metal to pull the nails out of a crate¡¯s cover large enough he¡¯d fit, and then bring it back down, pulling the nails in place until it was secured. He hadn¡¯t had time to shift about to make himself comfortable, that the door slammed against the wall.

    ¡°Take everything,¡± A woman ordered. ¡°Brom, go get me more people. Our informant didn¡¯t say anything about there being so many crates.¡±

    Tibs now had confirmation one of his rogues had squealed. He¡¯d figure out how to deal with them once the chaos around Marger¡¯s death had quieted.

    The crate he was in had been close to the door, so in no time, it was picked up, to complaints of how heavy it was, and he was being shaken about with that something now pressing where he didn¡¯t want it hard enough he had to let go of the side to grab it, only for the crate to shift with yet more cursing form the guard.

    ¡°Abyss,¡± one of them complained. ¡°What is in this thing, a body?¡± Tibs held back the pain of something heavy hitting his chest as the crate righted.

    ¡°It¡¯s just going to be badly stored equipment,¡± the other replied. ¡°Way I heard it, that¡¯s a weapon¡¯s stash for a bunch of troublemakers. So it¡¯s not like they¡¯re going to have any idea how to properly store weapons and armors.¡±

    It was lack of time, Tibs mentally complained as he grabbed the sides again. Not lack of knowledge. Training all the Omegas, making sure the equipment was repaired and maintained, and keeping the tally of what was loaned out and missing didn¡¯t leave much time to keep everything in order.

    He sensed the guild building¡¯s weave and breathed his worry down. He was only suffused with darkness, something he¡¯d done before without it reacting to. He would be fine. It wasn¡¯t like it could tell he was doing it while being hidden inside a crate with intentions of committing violence on someone inside.

    Right?

    Even Mind wasn¡¯t that powerful of an element.

    Right?

    They crossed the threshold to a lack of alarms, and Tibs breathed again.

    The guards¡¯ steps echoed, which they wouldn¡¯t do in the main hallway. Carefully extending his sense, the walls were closer, and he realized they had entered through a different entrance. One he hadn¡¯t known about. He¡¯d been certain he had explored the entirety of the building.

    The stairs arrived quicker than he¡¯d expected and he was shaken about as the guards complained and adjusted how they held onto the crate. Then more adjusting as they reached the bottom and the sound of their steps changed again. Walking on packed dirt instead of wooden floors.

    Tibs had explored all the above ground guild building. But with only one entrance to the basement, he had never had the chance to explore that part. He¡¯d thought all there was were the cells and where the confiscated goods were stored, but there seemed to be more.

    They stopped and answered questions from a bored sounding woman. Letters and numbers, the case file, he realized. The clerk stepped to the crate and Tibs readied himself as fire essence pooled to her hand, but before he worked out what had given him away, she ran the hand over the side of the crate, and in the essence left behind with the smell of burned wood, he made out the letters and numbers the guard had recited. She did the same with the top of the crate.

    ¡°Row nine,¡± she said, then they were moving again.

    A door opened, then closed behind them, and the sounds of the steps changed, as if they¡¯d stepped into a large room. They walked further than Tibs expected. He remembered the room being large, from his one time making it in, but so large they would walk this long?

    They dropped the crate and something stabbed Tibs in the side. The guards complained the entire time they walked away, and Tibs followed them with his sense when he couldn¡¯t hear them anymore, sensing another pair of guards carrying a crate crossing their path. Their crate was dropped next to Tibs¡¯s, and as they went away, he sensed another pair coming.

    He cursed. Would he ever get his chance to leave his hiding place and proceed with his plan? That crate went before the one to his left, and more guards brought crates. The second pair hefting theirs on top of Tibs¡¯s.

    He glared at their retreating backs. Wasn¡¯t his job hard enough already? They had to add to it? He sensed the content of the crate. Armors, a mix of leather with metal gloves, and a few shields.

    It would have to be enough, because anything else he could think of to move it away would draw attention. He took hold of anything metal in the crate with his essence and pushed it until it pressed against the side. He had to apply more essence, and then the crate slid with a racket to wake the town and he stopped.

    He held his breath as he sensed the guards. They were still heading away, and the next pair had yet to arrive. Maybe they were deaf.

    Or maybe his nerve had made the sound much louder.

    He started pushing again, then realized he was being an idiot. He didn¡¯t have to rely on the guards not hearing what he did when he had essence. He made a bubble of air around the crates and stilled its edge, keeping sound from crossing it. Then he pushed the crate off, and since he didn¡¯t sense guard approaching, he pushed the cover off, exited the crate and put everything back into place.

    The crates were in a space between shelves, with enough for dozens, he expected, depending how high they would be stacked. Crates further down were stacked six high. What would they do with what they contained? Would they not bother? Was Irdian just making sure they were out of the ¡®wrong hands¡¯ as he had heard the commander state it?

    It didn¡¯t matter. Soon there wouldn¡¯t be a guild anymore, and Tibs would have the time to figure out how to handle everything contained here.

    He let go of darkness and formed the sheath around him, then headed for the door.

    The closed door.

    How much protection did his sheath provide if he interacted with objects others could see? He hadn¡¯t thought to test that. On the other side, voices spoke. A pair of them and the clerk. The conversation was more animated, and Tibs made out the fire essence dissipating from the top of the crate on the floor between the guards.

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    Great. They¡¯d decided to talk instead of doing their job.

    At least it meant they¡¯d open the door, but how long until that happened? Could he do something to hurry them along? He looked at the shelves and the items they contained. Many of them were metal so he could make them fall, and the sound should be loud enough to make it through the door. Maybe he could topple a shelf in its entirely. They were held with metal nails.

    The guards lifted the crate, and Tibs pressed himself against the wall. He wouldn¡¯t have much space between them stepping through and the door closing.

    It opened, and the pair walked in, the crate between them. As the rear on passed the door, he hooked a foot against the bottom and Tibs was on the other side before he gave it a swing to close.

    The clerk was peering into her ledger, and Tibs didn¡¯t move. She could notice him out of the corner of her eye, but it wasn¡¯t certain. There was the hall, then the door, behind which would be the clerk handling the cells and the stairs going to the main floor. Tibs didn¡¯t see another way into the room, but he figured this was the building¡¯s magic affecting him, and something to look into later.

    He took a step toward the hall, and when she didn¡¯t react, another, and again until he was out of sight. At the door, he sensed the other side, but before he worried about the clerk there noticing the door opening, he didn¡¯t sense one there. Extending his sense, there was someone walking towards the cells.

    He took advantage and was in the room, then up the stairs and confronted the problem again. Only this time, there were people on the other side. Not many, but all it took was one noticing something and investigating and¡­ they all had more experience with their element than Tibs, so he had no idea what they could do.

    Which was more dangerous? The chance the door opening would be noticed, or the passage of time while he waited for someone to open the door so he could step out without attracting attention?

    Marger often worked late, but not always. He also sometimes left early. The man didn¡¯t seem to have a schedule he needed to adhere to, which made sense. Who would dare tell their leader what he could and couldn¡¯t do?

    Time was not on Tibs¡¯s side, so he waited only as long as the flow of people created a gap, then hurried to open the door, step through, and close it.

    He froze as a clerk paused to look over her shoulder. ¡°You notice that?¡± she asked, an adventurer heading in the same direction.

    ¡°What am I looking for?¡± he asked, scanning where she was looking. His element was metal, and he was close to Delta, but he wasn¡¯t using it.

    ¡°I could have sworn I heard a door close.¡±

    He rolled his eyes. ¡°In this place, there¡¯s always a door closing.¡±

    ¡°But I heard it close,¡± she said, peering where Tibs stood.

    ¡°Maybe they¡¯re overworking you,¡± he replied, his tone concerned. ¡°There isn¡¯t a door there.¡±

    There wasn¡¯t?

    Of course there wasn¡¯t. Only people with the medallion could see the door, and neither of them had it.

    The adventurer went back on his way, and with another look at the wall, she continued on as well.

    He allowed himself two breaths, then started walking too, forming his knife and placing it within the sheath at his belt. He reached the meeting room with only distracted glances in his direction, and entered it to find the table bare, the papers in small crates along the walls.

    Was he too late?

    Breathing became difficult. He couldn¡¯t have missed his chance. He¡¯d¡ª

    He relaxed with the next full breath. Panicking now wouldn¡¯t help. He extended his sense. He wouldn¡¯t be able to tell where Marger was this way, the enchantments baffled even that, but¡ªhe smiled as he sensed the concentrated wood essence¡ªhe could confirm he was in the building.

    He took the medallion in hand, and the jumble became orderly. Marger was at the back of the building. With him was someone with crystal at Beta, as well as someone else with Wood and one with Fire, both at Gamma.

    He kept his pace steady as he navigated the halls to this new room. Rushing would cause him to make mistakes. He needed to be meticulous, careful and¡ªhe stared at the closed door keeping him from entering the room where Marger, Tirania and two others were¡ªpatient.

    A door.

    He cursed, looking along the hall for anyone approaching. For anyone who might be heading into this room. His plan was being thwarted by a door.

    It was possible his sheath would keep them from noticing the door opening. And, if not for the reminder that the door to the cells had its own magical protection, he would have entered, believing he¡¯d tested it there. Now, it wasn¡¯t a risk he could take. He needed every element of surprise, considering how powerful the people in the room were.

    He leaned against the wall and glared at the door, trying to make it understand how annoyed he was at its existence. The only positive thing was that Marger couldn¡¯t leave without Tibs knowing it.

    Unless they had someone with void appear in the room to take him away. Could Attendants do that? Didn¡¯t they need the platform? He had talked with some of them during the Siege, but he couldn¡¯t remember the details.

    If that happened, Tibs would sense them, and he¡¯d know to act before it was too late.

    So he waited.

    Marger was probably berating Tirania. One of the others was probably her replacement, and they¡¯d explain how they would be so much more efficient in bringing the townsfolk under their heels. No letting them do however they pleased. They would have no more freedom than the Runners and would be sent in the dungeon if they became unruly.

    Fire liked wood, consumed it easily. The door would be gone before anyone noticed him bursting through, and they¡¯d be ready for someone with fire as their element, not Tibs.

    He looked left and right. Where was everyone? He could sense them going about their business in the other halls. Why weren¡¯t they in this one?

    He paced and waited.

    There was nothing else to do. He wasn¡¯t letting this chance pass. If he had to act as Marger left the room, so be it. He¡¯d have the knife in the man¡¯s back and he¡¯d be escaping while the corruption spread. There was enough in it to get through whatever protection the man had.

    He froze as someone turned into the corridor, papers and hand and¡­entered the office five doors early.

    How dare they? Tibs was tempted to go there and explain how he needed them in this office, that they had to be the one opening the door so¡ª

    He breathed.

    He couldn¡¯t let his impatience make him rash. He couldn¡¯t let his anger act before things were ready. And he couldn¡¯t do something stupid that would have him found out early.

    And really, there would be another clerk along eventually, and they couldn¡¯t all be destined to other offices, could they?

    * * * * *

    And they weren¡¯t. There were only four of them.

    But it was enough that by the time the fifth one turned into the corridor, Tibs didn¡¯t have much energy left to care. With each previous ones, his trepidation at finally being able to act stole some of it. When the woman had walked by him and past this door, Tibs had nearly yelled at her.

    Tibs watched the clerk, bored. Just like the others, he would take a door before this one and¡ªhe didn¡¯t. Then he¡¯d pass this one by and¡ªthe man knocked on the door facing Tibs.

    Tibs nearly didn¡¯t act, not quite believing it was finally happening. Then he suffused himself with purity, and switched to corruption as the door opened and he entered with the clerk, stepping aside and taking in the room.

    Marger was standing by a table with only a few stacks of papers, speaking in a tone of giving orders. Tibs didn¡¯t bother with what they said. Tirania was facing him and to the left, the woman with Wood next to her and the one with Fire on her other side.

    Guarding her? Tibs wondered before focusing on Marger, as he took the papers the clerk handed him.

    He let out the breath and acted as Marger raised his gaze back to Tirania.

    ¡°And you,¡± Marger said as Tibs rushed through the space separating them, knife in hand, ¡°managed to¡ª¡± his head snapped in Tibs¡¯s direction, and a weave from the broche at his breast extended.

    Too late, Tibs taught maliciously, aiming for a spot on the man¡¯s stomach it wouldn¡¯t reach in time. You are not escaping my¡ª

    ¡°Tibs!¡± Sto¡¯s pained yell nearly brought Tibs down and caused his aim to falter. The weave intercepted it and he pushed all the corruption he could into the edge to fight it. He couldn¡¯t think of his friend now. He needed to finish this and the knife was into his¡ª

    ¡°Help!¡± The intensity brought him down to a knee, and he nearly lost hold of the knife as the weave tried to break it apart. Sto¡¯s voice broke in a way even the pain Bardik had inflicted on the dungeon hadn¡¯t managed.

    Marger staggered into Tibs and he had to put aside his friend¡¯s pain for now. The knife was in the man¡¯s stomach. The corruption spread through him. All Tibs had to do was ensure enough of it reached the man¡¯s essence, and there would be nothing anyone could do.

    ¡°Please, Tibs!¡± Sto¡¯s voice stretched as if it was spread over all the distance between them, and Tibs cursed the timing. There was only one thing that could do this to his friend and¡ª

    He ran for the door, ignoring Tirania¡¯s yells for an explanation. The knife was still in Marger, and by the time it would be removed, the corruption would reach the man¡¯s essence. He had to hope enough would seep in to get the job done because he wasn¡¯t losing a friend to the satisfaction of ensuring the guild fell apart.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 105

    Tibs slipped past the stunned clerk¡¯s fumbled attempt to catch him, then suffused himself with darkness, adding that to his sheath, and speed for the exit. He needed to be out before they thought to sound the alarm. He didn¡¯t know what measures they had in place, but he expected remaining hidden wouldn¡¯t be possible.

    ¡°Stop him!¡± a man yelled in the distance behind him, not long after Tibs had turned a corner. The man¡¯s feet were wrapped in earth essence; a way to avoid slipping as he made the turn like Tibs had done.

    The clerks in the corridor looked in the man¡¯s direction, then searched around.

    ¡°Stop who?¡± someone asked.

    ¡°Just block the corridor!¡±

    Ahead, essence formed into an etching that stretched from one side to the other.

    Tibs smiled. The essence was metal. The adventurer was well into Delta, but his expression was more bored and curious than attentive. His smile faltered once he realized he didn¡¯t have metal within his bracer¡¯s reserve. He¡¯d have to hope his sheath would be enough to hide him while he did this. He channeled metal and slipped it within the etching. Then grabbed the other man¡¯s essence with both it and his will and pulled.

    The adventurer staggered, hand to his head, as Tibs ran past. He¡¯d just gotten a reminder that strength didn¡¯t matter if he didn¡¯t apply himself to what he was doing.

    ¡°There¡¯s something there!¡± someone yelled, and Tibs ducked a badly aimed lance of an element he didn¡¯t know. He suffused himself with darkness again. He grinned at the sounds of confusions which followed. Then he was in the air, his concentration broken, along with the shoulder that had received the blow.

    He pushed through the pain. His landing first. He couldn¡¯t be slowed. Ice on the floor from where he¡¯d land to the intersection; the essence tight in that way that made it even more slippery.

    He landed badly, and the added pain broke his concentration, but the ice was already in place. He breathe the pain away as he slid and as soon as he could manage one thought he suffused himself with Purity.

    ¡°I think he¡¯s there! On the ice!¡±

    He glimpsed golden eyes behind him as he got to his feet and ran, spreading the ice until it covered the floor, and using essence to give himself traction.

    With the intersection approaching, he attempted to orient himself to the exit, and in the unexpected confusion, he realized he¡¯d dropped the medallion. He couldn¡¯t tell where it was now, but he was confident it had been to the left when he¡¯d headed down this corridor, so that was how he turned. This corridor was long, hopefully, long enough to reach the training area where the building¡¯s magic didn¡¯t make the layout a maze.

    He shouldered clerks out of his way as more orders to stop him came from the intersection. He was more interested in breaking their concentration than remaining fully hidden.

    Unknown essence formed before him, but with just enough familiarity Tibs threw himself to the side, laying down ice again before the void adventurer appeared. But she was already turned, and her fist connected with Tibs, causing him to lose his breath as he slid again.

    How was a question for later. No, actually, he already knew the answer to that one. Void adventurers could see things out of sequences.

    He was on his feet and running again, and now people were getting out of his way. The sheath was coming undone. He didn¡¯t sense someone¡¯s will on it, so he simply had too much to focus on.

    That one mattered most, so he remade the¡ª Essence formed ahead of him again.

    Not this time. Tibs made a block of ice where it was; then it shattered in time with a pained cry behind him. He still sensed the adventurer, so that hadn¡¯t killed her, but she was lying on the ground.

    More people ahead, Runners among clerks, adventurers, guards and instructors, so he had to be getting closer to¡ªand he knew where the exit was.

    ¡°Stop!¡± someone ordered him. ¡°Tibs Light-Fingers, you are ordered to stop!¡±

    Right, he¡¯d been interrupted from remaking the sheath.

    Essence formed ahead of him. A lot of it, from a lot of people.

    This was going to be¡ª

    Runners threw etchings at the guards.

    ¡ªeasier than Tibs expected?

    He ripped apart a stronger etching, while the adventurer was distracted batting attacks aside.

    They would get into so much troubles over helping him, Tibs wished they hadn¡¯t. But he also couldn¡¯t deny that without their help, escaping might have been impossible. He¡¯d find a way to make it up to them once the chaos died down.

    An adventurer threw himself at Tibs, moving faster than Tibs thought should be possible. He jumped out of the way, then had an air disk to bounce off as the man turned with a suddenness that should have wrenched bones apart. His silver eyes tickled at Tibs¡¯s memory, but he had more important things to deal with. Another air disk and a jump higher put him out of the man¡¯s reach.

    Tibs saw daylight as he landed.

    ¡°Close the doors!¡±

    Not if I can help it. He iced the floor under the guards grabbing for the handles. They fell, but the doors still moved to close. He added ice, made a wall of it to stop them, and the ice immediately cracked under the strain, and he sensed a weave unraveling it.

    Adding ice didn¡¯t help. He didn¡¯t think earth would fare any better. He needed something hard but which could take the strain without needing anything added, because he couldn¡¯t even think of what Arcanus could be used at this point.

    The ice shattered, sending spikes in all directions, and he knew what to use.

    He formed metal spikes in the path and sent them in the stone floor with all his will.

    ¡°Who¡¯s helping him!¡± someone yelled.

    The metal spikes strained, but bent slowly, instead of shattering. He was going to¡ª

    Essence gathered between the door. Ice so clear, the sense of what was being done was his only indication.

    He didn¡¯t bother attempting to rip it apart. Someone that skilled wouldn¡¯t let themselves be distracted. Instead, he suffused himself with corruption, and threw that at the ice and the doors.

    The etching fought the corruption. His attack wasn¡¯t strong enough to remove all the ice by the time Tibs jumped through it, but instead of stopping him it shattered into sharp blades; cutting his clothes to ribbon. Without water as his element, he wouldn¡¯t have survived to land and keep on running.

    He was outside, and they were pursuing him.

    Calls for more guards would come soon.

    He turned into the first alley and suffused himself with darkness. This would make it harder for them to know where he was, and the alleys were as confusing as the magic protecting the interior of the guild building. They¡¯d spend the day trying to find him among them.

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    And failing.

    He used air disks to make it to the roofs.

    Because he wouldn¡¯t be in the alleys.

    That took care of the normal guards. Unfortunately, adventurers had elements, and, while he hadn¡¯t sensed one, someone might have darkness, and an element had an ease at locating the same element, even darkness.

    That was a problem he had no matter what element he channels.

    So he let go of all of them.

    As far as he knew, he was the only person able to sense life essence. If someone caught a glimpse of him, he¡¯d just be another of the townsfolk without an element.

    Once he got a change of clothing.

    Which he¡¯d have to get on the way, because Sto needed his help. There had been no more cries for help, but Tibs refused to entertain that he might be too late. Sto was a dungeon, and the Them might be able to take control away from him, but he couldn¡¯t be so powerful as to kill his friend outright.

    * * * * *

    Tibs cursed as he jumped down to grab a drying shirt. Then he was back on the roofs. He wouldn¡¯t be able to do this alone, and he couldn¡¯t go to any of his friends for help. He couldn¡¯t go to anyone, because who else but a Runner could deal with the danger Sto had created? Especially on the fourth floor, where on top of the golems the Them would set against Tibs, there were¡­

    He cast his sense about. There was one person he could ask and hope she agree.

    He didn¡¯t bother sensing for Serba; she was only one more barely noticeable wisp of essence among a town full of them. Her dogs, on the other hand. While their essence was as thin, the shape of it was different enough, he¡¯d gotten used to noticing it.

    Now, he just had to run until one of them was within his sense and head in that direction.

    * * * * *

    Tibs had picked an escort.

    He¡¯d been both surprised, and not, when the first rogue ran on another roof parallel with his. Of course, it would be rogues who¡¯d think to check up here. And it would be Runners, since they knew of his predilection for them. Then there had been a second and a third. Then it was all six of them running toward a far plaza where Tibs sensed a large number of dogs.

    Now, he was down to three as the roofs gave ways to the plaza. Two of them had dropped down, leading guards away. He motioned ahead and to the left, and another rogue dropped from her roof.

    Along with the dogs and people, Tibs sense metal. A lot of it. Armors and weapons, worn, not on display. Of course, she¡¯d be with other guards. That was her job.

    He motioned the other rogue to the right and he, too, vanished down.

    He motioned the last rogue to keep his distance before dropping to the ground and approaching the plaza in the shadows.

    The sounds were joyful, someone grilled food. Someone else sang off key with too much gusto. The guards he saw were as relaxed as everyone else gathered. A celebration. Those had popped up unannounced in the last days, as it became clear the sickness had broken.

    He could sense they all wore Sto¡¯s ring.

    He hesitated, then reminded himself he didn¡¯t look like someone who¡¯d escaped from the guild. He wished his hair was longer, so he could tie it back and look even more different, but it would have to be enough because there was a dog playing with a child.

    And where there was one, there would be others and Serba would be close by.

    He stepped into the crowd and tried to look like he was one of them, out to enjoy himself. Once he¡¯d saved Sto and the guild was dead, he¡¯d join them for real. For all he knew, a power hungry adventurer would see the death of their leader as the time to take over. He¡¯d have to make sure that any who tried didn¡¯t succeed until the rest learned to leave it be.

    He found a pack of dogs dancing at the feet of more children, who held pieces of meat in the air, but no Serba. No, she wouldn¡¯t be among the people. Her job was to protect them, but she didn¡¯t like people enough to be among them. He located the nearest alley and made her out in the shadows.

    ¡°Serba,¡± he called as he approached. ¡°I need your help.¡±

    No one even looked in his direction but her.

    She stared at him in disbelief. ¡°What do you need my help for? You have Jackie for that.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one I need.¡± He raised hand. ¡°And I don¡¯t have the time to argue. Someone¡¯s life is in danger.¡±

    Hesitation flashed in her eyes. ¡°Then you should¡ª¡±

    ¡°You,¡± he snapped and breathed. ¡°You¡¯re the only one who can help, Serba. If you don¡¯t, one of my friends is going to die.¡±

    She gave him a sharp nod, then let out a series of whistles.

    ¡°Guards and adventurers are probably going to get in our way.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± A dog nuzzled Tibs¡¯s leg and looked at him plaintively.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± he told it, ¡°no jerky right now.¡± To Serba. ¡°I pissed off the guild. Is that a problem?¡±

    She laughed. ¡°Just tell me what to do. Jackie follows your lead, so I will, too.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s the team leader,¡± he replied, running off.

    ¡°Keep telling yourself that,¡± she said, she and her dogs keeping up with him.

    * * * * *

    Another pair of guards fell under the dogs, and they kept going. The first time she send her dogs against guards, Tibs had been worried, but she reassured him they weren¡¯t trained to kill.

    Then Tibs sense what he knew would eventually happen. Someone with metal as their element, with their essence denser than Don, if only barely so. Which meant this was an adventurer.

    ¡°That direction,¡± Tibs instructed. It would take Serba away from the confrontation while keeping her heading toward Sto. ¡°I¡¯ll catch up.¡±

    She took the turn without question, and not long after that, the adventurer appeared.

    The air disk Tibs etched sent him in the air, shield and sword of ice forming as he fell toward the man. His falling attack was expertly deflected, and Tibs was sent to crash uncontrollably to the ground.

    Except he kept control. As soon as he touched the earth, it moved to turn him, and once his feet were under him, he propelled himself at the adventurer.

    An air disk had Tibs in the air, his ice shield and sword at the ready. The adventurer watched with none of the surprise Tibs¡¯s use of other elements had caused today. This one might not know who he was, or what he shouldn¡¯t be able to do.

    The man blocked and struck back. Tibs used essence to assist his parry, then he planted a punch backed by earth and the man staggered. Mez often said he relied too much on essence to help his fighting, but Tibs felt the same as Jackal. Winning was more important than doing it the ¡®right way¡¯.

    He nudged the swing to ensure he ducked under, then another nudge so the man couldn¡¯t properly parry his attack and the blunted tip of Tibs¡¯s sword hit the man in the face, breaking his nose and making him reel back.

    ¡°Not looking to kill you,¡± Tibs said as the man looked at the blood on his hand. ¡°Just walk away.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t let murderers live.¡±

    Tibs smiled. He¡¯d done it. The guild was done for.

    The adventurer came at Tibs fast, doing something with this essence Tibs didn¡¯t understand as he struggled to keep the far too fast attacks from cutting him. He could sense the edge of the sword was sharp enough it would cut any normal material. It wouldn¡¯t hurt him, but that was something he didn¡¯t want to reveal.

    Tibs didn¡¯t know how metal could make someone faster, but he knew the solution. He disrupted the essence, and the man stumbled. His skin turned to metal as Tibs brought the pommel down on him, so he added earth to the strength of blow and the man dropped.

    He didn¡¯t move, but he wasn¡¯t losing essence. Tibs ran to rejoin Serba, who had made good time.

    ¡°You¡¯re not just a Runner, are you?¡± she asked as he fell into step.

    ¡°I am.¡±

    ¡°Then where did you get whatever let you jump like that?¡±

    ¡°The dungeon.¡±

    ¡°The guild takes everything that comes out of there. So you¡ª¡±

    ¡°They only take what they know we find. We¡¯ve found ways to sneak things past them.¡±

    ¡°Irdian is going to have a fit if he finds out.¡±

    ¡°You going to tell him?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not who I work for,¡± she replied. But before Tibs could ask what she meant, he saw the alley opening up and marking the end of the town proper. If the guard knew he was heading for the dungeon, they would¡ª

    They ran out with no one there.

    Why were there no guards? If someone had murdered his leader, Tibs would make sure all the way outs were guarded.

    ¡°Tibs, please tell me your friend just got into the worse fight in their lives among the stalls.¡±

    ¡°Inside,¡± Tibs replied.

    No, of course, they wouldn¡¯t bother watching this side of the town. There were no way out here. Only the dungeon. They¡¯d be guarding the transportation platform as well as the roads and alleys opening up onto the wilderness.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a Runner.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. This doesn¡¯t need a Runner.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a dungeon, Tibs. Only Runners go in there.¡±

    ¡°No. Anyone who goes in is called a Runner. But this isn¡¯t a run; it¡¯s a rescue.¡±

    The guards watched them pass, perplexed instead of worried. One called after Serba, but she didn¡¯t reply.

    ¡°You can¡¯t go up there!¡± one of the guard at the bottom of the stairs called as they ran, instead of trying to stop them.

    At the top, the cleric stepped forward, while the two guards looked on, bored.

    This might be out of order, since there would already be a team on each of the active floors, and it was only the two of them, not counting the dogs. But the cleric looked determined to do his duty and not let them pass until he had assured himself they were whole. Tibs didn¡¯t know this one, even by sight, and he was well past Epsilon, not that he was the first one strong enough Tibs didn¡¯t understand why they were on door duty.

    Tibs hoped this work, because them being slowed could give the guards time to wonder why the dogs and the lack of a full team. He channeled Purity and locked eyes with the cleric. The man stepped back in surprise and Tibs felt his eyes on him as they ran past and into the dungeon.

    He breathed easier when the guards didn¡¯t follow.

    When Tibs stopped by the doorway, Serba put a hand on the wall, panting hard. ¡°How are you not out of breath?¡±

    ¡°Essence.¡± He replied, making a purity weave and applying it to her before opening the doorway. ¡°I¡¯ll explain later.¡± He motioned to the doorway. ¡°We have someone to save first.¡± The light was tinted the orange of a later afternoon than it was outside.

    She looked at it, then at him, fearfully. ¡°Tibs, I know I said all you had to do was tell me what to do¡­ but that¡¯s¡­¡±

    He placed a hand on her arm, and she jerked. ¡°Serba. I can¡¯t save him without your help. Please help me save him?¡±

    She stared at him, then sighed and grumbled, ¡°What is it about you that makes us do stupid stuff like this?¡± She stepped through the doorway.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 106

    Serba came to a stop at the top of the stairs. ¡°How¡­¡± she couldn¡¯t seem to continue, and awe showed on her face. Tibs fought the urge to push her on. ¡°How is this possible?¡±

    ¡°The dungeon can change things inside himself.¡± He wanted to explain about Sto discovering the city, but the Them could be listening.

    ¡°But¡­¡± she looked at him. ¡°None of the stories talk about¡­¡± she motioned to the expanse before them.

    ¡°We can¡¯t talk about the runs.¡±

    She scoffed. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve heard Runners talk about the city plenty of times. But they never said anything about this being a king¡¯s city. I figured it was like Kragle Rock.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s bigger than that.¡±

    ¡°I can see that.¡±

    ¡°Are you okay to go on?¡± he asked cautiously. ¡°We have to hurry.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± she replied in surprise. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you order me to get over myself and move?¡±

    Tibs shrugged, running down the stairs. ¡°Being yelled at never helps.¡±

    She kept up with him. ¡°You have met my brother, right?¡± Her dogs spread around them.

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t screw up that often anymore.¡±

    She snorted.

    Guards massed at the bottom of the steps, half a dozen of the stout gray skinned golems, each one with an element.

    ¡°Don¡¯t step on the ice,¡± he said, stepping on it as it formed in a narrow band all the way to the bottom. He used air to add to the speed he gained to make sure he¡¯d be there first.

    Fire, Metal, Earth, Light, Corruption, and one he didn¡¯t know.

    Unlike with people, the essence in golem people didn¡¯t gain a tint that let Tibs know what element they had, even if he couldn¡¯t sense it. The essence that gave them life and the essence that let them do magic remained separated.

    He suffused himself with earth, turning his body to stone. He formed an armor of ice over that, then added metal. It was the best he could think of against the elements he faced.

    He ignored the ball of fire for the diversion it was. His armor could take it, and he was more interested in what that unknown element was being etched into in his path, steps before the end of the stairs. He made out the shimmering of light on what formed and now knew what he faced.

    Crystal was more versatile than he¡¯d expected. All he¡¯d thought it useful for was to play with light, and make fragile knives. But that was before he remembered that essence wasn¡¯t crystal. It was what the Runner wielding it made it to be. It could be made as strong as metal, as slick as ice, or as hard as earth. He¡¯d watched Crystal Runners train, a fighter using it to deflect arrows, light attacks, and even fire.

    This would be sharp. He could make out the points, and the net stretched past the stairs, beyond what they¡¯d normally do. The golem people couldn¡¯t plan for a specific Runner, so they shouldn¡¯t know how much he could do, unless they were being directed.

    And since he knew Sto was in trouble, this had to be the Them¡¯s doing.

    But that was okay. All they had to go on was what they¡¯s seen Tibs do.

    It was a good thing Don wasn¡¯t here, because Tibs was going to have to try a lot of things if he wanted to be sure to surprise his enemy.

    He just hoped none of them exploded¡­unless that was what he needed it to do.

    He etched air ahead of him and connected the lines with filigree of Dhu at the point for sharpness. Over that he put corruption, with a filigree of Ike, to make it solid. He didn¡¯t bother with Kha, since there wouldn¡¯t be enough time for Ike to rip the etching apart, then connected that filigree to the one of Dhu with Ool so he could¡ªthe corruption leeched into the air essence, eating at that etching and¡ª

    He was out of time.

    His etching folded under the impact, and corruption weakened the net, but Tibs still ended up cut to the point he could hardly think. Enough, he couldn¡¯t stop his reflexive switching to purity to heal, and the golem¡¯s stone fist shattered his ice and metal armor and broke a lot of things in Tibs¡¯s chest as he flew into a building¡¯s wall.

    The injuries healed before he hit, then those healed before he fell to the ground and got back to his feet. But the memory of the pain fogged his mind, and he wondered what was taking Jackal so long to take advantage of the distraction he¡¯d provided.

    Only Jackal wasn¡¯t there. He needed to deal with the golems himself. And as much sense as it made to keep purity when he was a distraction. This required being able to act without them having the time to react.

    He suffused himself with Darkness and etched his sheath, then ran at the guards.

    They tracked him, partially stepping out of the way of his attacks, and sending etchings in the area where he¡¯d be, which he easily avoided.

    This wasn¡¯t how they should react. Sto made them to be the way he understood people. Even this not-regular golem people had always acted on what they saw and heard, or the essence they could sense. This was them knowing where he was.

    No, that didn¡¯t seem right. Like Sto, the Them could ¡®see¡¯ Tibs¡¯s essence, so knew where he was, even with the sheath. So if they were controlling the golems, they¡¯d know where he was and would aim better. This was as if they were telling the golems where he¡¯d be, but couldn¡¯t control how they¡¯d act on the information.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    That¡­sloppiness let him cut the light guard after blocking its attack, then plant his ice sword in the crystal guard, letting it explode ice inside as he formed a new one in time to parry the light sword, which cut it in half as it was deflected off target.

    Dealing with it directly wasn¡¯t working. They were made to fight like this. He needed something that plays off the Them¡¯s need to tell them what to do.

    He suffused himself with light and let it explode around him. Then made a rough person form out of darkness, away from the guard. A shake of the head, and it responded by turning to follow the escaping felon, only to jerkily stop and turn back toward him in time for Tibs to plant his new sword into it. He raised the sword with earth strength, cutting it from midsection to shoulder, and kicked the already crumbling body away. Two down and¡ª

    Fire erupted around him, and he couldn¡¯t keep from crying out at the pain.

    ¡°Finally!¡± the Them snarled. ¡°Something you¡¯re feeble against.¡±

    He threw himself out of the conflagration, absorbing some of the fire to replenish his reserve and switched to¡ª

    Raw corruption hit and staggered him. But this didn¡¯t cause pain. He made a sword to parry the metal guard¡¯s attack as he suffused himself with purity. The metal had already been eaten before it connected with Tibs¡¯s ice one and shattered. Another way Sto had made them like people was that they weren¡¯t immune to their teammate¡¯s attacks. He took hold of the corruption and engulfed the metal guard in it. It kept trying to hit him until there wasn¡¯t enough of it left to move.

    Tibs jumped, using air for added height, as he felt the fire etching form, then a torrent of wind sent him out of control. He suffused himself with earth before hitting the ground. Had he missed one?

    Spreading sense revealed the approaching golem.

    He stayed on the ground, channeling earth, as the earth guard slammed its foot on his back. There was no point in trying anything else with the fire guard there to hurt him. He sent his essence into the ground and ripped control of it away from the Them with more ease than he expected he¡¯d manage with Sto. They fought him for it, but it was already too late. The ground under the guard opened up and closed once it had swallowed it.

    He sent more essence to do the same to the corruption and earth guards. The corruption one sent himself up on a jet of essence while the other ignored it. Tibs opened the ground under it, and only then realized it had an etching stretching as the ground moved, keeping it from falling in.

    Tibs stared, impressed at the cleverness. It had to be something Ganny had come up with. This was her kind of clever.

    The guard¡¯s foot continued slamming on Tibs¡¯s back, to no effect. He had too much essence for the guard to hurt him. He pushed himself up, and it switched to punching him. The earth guards Sto made were a lot like earth Runners. Direct, without bothering adding sneakiness to their attacks, the way Jackal did.

    When Tibs punched the guard, he didn¡¯t bother with just earth. Like him, a punch wouldn¡¯t do much damage, but the added corruption he wrapped his fist in seep in, with etching of Ool, since he¡¯d already seen how it made that element spread, speed things up enough he turned his back to it and face the corruption guard.

    An etching of air formed, and Tibs looked in that direction. ¡°Not this time.¡± He wrapped earth essence around the buildings on each side of the golem and slammed them together.

    When he looked at the corruption golem again, the etching it had been forming shifted, became far more complexed and large than anything Tibs had seen before.

    ¡°I am done with this,¡± the Them snarled. ¡°Lets see how you deal with this.¡±

    Tibs smiled. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re going to be this nice about it. I¡¯ve been looking for a reason to try this one.¡± He channeled purity and threw it raw at the guard.

    The purity didn¡¯t ¡®hit¡¯ the etching or the golem. As far as Tibs sensed, it went right through them, but it also took some of what made them away at the same time. Just like Carina¡¯s body had faded away under what the purity clerics had sent at her, the golem became translucent, then transparent, then it and the etching were no longer there anymore.

    He looked up, absorbing the essence back into himself, and was mildly surprised there was nothing else there. Where had what made the golem gone to? ¡°Nothing to say? Sto and Ganny usually comment after I pull off something like this.¡±

    ¡°What are you?¡± a woman asked, and Tibs spun. He¡¯d forgotten about Serba. She watched him and the battlefield with a mix of awe and fear. The dogs were seated around her, so Tibs knew sees been standing there for a while.

    ¡°I¡¯m a runner.¡±

    ¡°You took on¡­¡± she motioned around Tibs.

    ¡°What you are,¡± the Them said darkly, ¡°is an abomination.¡±

    ¡°I can do more than most,¡± Tibs answered her. ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m anything other than a Runner.¡± He looked up as she stared in disbelief. ¡°As for you. What have you done to Sto?¡±

    ¡°The dungeon broke the rules.¡±

    ¡°You mean the way you are right now?¡± Tibs replied.

    ¡°And now I understand why,¡± the Them continued as if he hadn¡¯t spoken. ¡°You made them do it.¡±

    ¡°Sto helps because he cares,¡± Tibs snapped. ¡°The town was sick and he could help, so he did.¡±

    ¡°Dungeons don¡¯t care,¡± they replied. ¡°They exist to perform a function and nothing more.¡±

    ¡°Make us better. I know, we¡ª¡±

    ¡°Keep you in check! You and your kind are a bane on the world. You will destroy everything unless your numbers are controlled. That is what dungeons are for.¡±

    ¡°I think something¡¯s gone wrong then. We get stronger when we survive. We get loot from the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°You need the enticement,¡± they replied dismissively. ¡°The living are all the same kind of cowards. You grow until you choke the essence out of everything without doing more than the bare minimum. Only when your greed is fed, do you take risks. So a few of you survive and get stronger. It¡¯ll be too little when the day comes.¡±

    ¡°The day comes for what?¡± Tibs asked cautiously.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You won¡¯t live to find out. I¡¯ll see to that myself.¡±

    ¡°Then what¡¯s the problem with telling me, anyway?¡±

    The Them didn¡¯t reply. Tibs cursed. They¡¯d left to do something, and he doubted he was going to enjoy it.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Serba asked, tone fearful.

    ¡°It¡¯s the Them,¡± he replied, waving to the ceiling. ¡°They¡¯re planning something.¡±

    ¡°Them?¡± she looked up, then at him, uncertainly. ¡°Is that who you were talking with?¡±

    Tobs nodded. ¡°They¡¯ve done something to Sto and taken control.¡±

    ¡°Who is Sto?¡± she looked like she was debating running up the stairs.

    He motioned around them. ¡°He¡¯s the dungeon. He¡¯s who we need to save from the Them.¡±

    ¡°The dungeon?¡± Her voice shook. ¡°You think the dungeon needs to be saved from them?¡±

    He stepped toward her, and she stepped back. The dogs growled at him in response, then, as if realizing who he was, stopped and looked at her plaintively.

    He took a step back and spoke cautiously. ¡°I know it sounds like I¡¯ve fallen into the abyss and left something down there. But dungeons are people, in a way. But no one knows it.¡±

    ¡°Except you.¡± She didn¡¯t sound convinced.

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain everything. I promise, Serba. But we have to save him first.¡± He motioned to her finger. ¡°He made the rings that stopped the sickness. It isn¡¯t the first time he helped us, and now it¡¯s our time to help him.¡±

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t the entire guild here helping you?¡±

    Tibs snorted. ¡°Because all the guild would do, if they knew, is find ways to take advantage of him more than they already do.¡±

    ¡°What about the other Runners? Your team?¡± she narrowed her eyes. ¡°Does Jackal know about¡­¡± she motioned around them.

    ¡°Of course he does,¡± Tibs replied, not meaning for the exasperation to come through. ¡°He¡¯s my team leader. But I¡­ I didn¡¯t have time to get anyone else,¡± he lied. ¡°You¡¯re the one person I need helping me.¡±

    She smiled as she straightened, and Tibs realized she thought he¡¯d considered her more important to this than Jackal. She wasn¡¯t wrong. This was one time when she was better, but he didn¡¯t point that out. He didn¡¯t understand why they didn¡¯t get along, but he¡¯d make use of it.

    This one time.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 107

    Three blocks later, there was another attack. Four guards this time, and Tibs dealt with them easily. They ignored Serba and her dogs even if she stayed at the edge of the fight, looking unsure what she should do. Did the Them not consider her a threat? Did they even ¡®see¡¯ regular people? It could be their essence was too thin for them to notice.

    Unlike the previous time, where she only noticed the coins the golems had left behind after crumbling away as they were leaving the fight, now she gathered them as soon as the fighting was done.

    Then it was five blocks until Tibs stopped, sensing them approach from the alleys. There were a lot of them, and he hoped he was right about this.

    ¡°This is up to you,¡± he told Serba as the first dog stepped out from between two houses. It was more massive than crusher, with a mottled gray and brown coat.

    ¡°What do you mean, up to me?¡± she demanded as another followed it. ¡°Just one of those things is going to rip my dogs apart.¡± This one was smaller, with pure white, curly fur. Then there was a third and more behind them and becoming visible from the other alleys. Blocking all escapes.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to fight them. I want your to order them to stop. Maybe get them to fight for you.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t do that! Tibs, do you have any idea how long it takes to train a dog? And I doubt those things are¡ª¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re your dogs, Serba.¡± He formed an armor of ice. He¡¯d heard how they¡¯d bitten through Lawrence¡¯s arm, and he¡¯d seen them snap wood posts without effort.

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯d know if I¡¯d trained something like¡ª¡±

    ¡°Serba, you need to trust me.¡± He suffused himself with earth for the added strength and protection. ¡°I¡¯ll explain once we¡¯re no longer in danger from them.¡±

    ¡°Tibs, I can¡¯t just¡ª¡±

    ¡°Now, Serba!¡± He stepped before the massive dog as it jumped and punched it.

    ¡°By the abyss,¡± she muttered as the dog that followed it closed its teeth on Tibs¡¯s arm, cracking the ice armor. ¡°No wonder you hang out with my brother. You¡¯re just as crazy.¡±

    He shook his arm, and when the dog flew into others, it was because the ice had broken away. He filled the gaps and took a breath to both tell Serba to stop wasting time and ready himself for the mass approaching.

    She let out a shrill whistle that went up and down in burst.

    The dogs stopped advancing, head snapping up and ears forward.

    ¡°How?¡± she asked, confused.

    ¡°No!¡± The Them snapped. ¡°Attack!¡±

    Dogs shook themselves and resumed growling.

    ¡°Tell them to stop,¡± Tibs told her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if¡ª¡±

    ¡°Serba, please just do it,¡± he said, trying to swallow the worry. ¡°The Them is trying to force them to attack and coming here or dealing with your dogs was never part of my plans for today, so I don¡¯t have jerky on me.¡±

    ¡°You can bribe them with jerky too?¡± she asked, offended.

    Three dogs ran at them.

    ¡°Sit!¡± she snapped, then looked at Tibs. ¡°What is it¡ªI said, sit!¡± she yelled as one took another step after looking at the two who had stopped, seeming confused.

    It, and every other dog in the street, sat.

    ¡°No!¡± the Them yelled in exasperation. ¡°I told you to attack them.¡±

    Tibs readied for the dogs to break from Serba¡¯s order, but they had their gaze locked on her as she looked around at them.

    ¡°How is this possible?¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t take his eyes off the dogs as he spoke, waiting for the Them to force one to obey. ¡°Sto needs to start with something he¡¯s encountered. It was rats and bunnies on the first floor because they were things that had wandered inside when he was getting the floor ready. I think that was before the guild found him. Once he has one, he can try things with it; it¡¯s how he made the Ratlings and Bunnylings.¡±

    The Them had yet to give an order Tibs could hear, or simply control one of them. Maybe they couldn¡¯t do that? He allowed himself to relax slightly.

    ¡°As he grew, his influence stretched out. It lets him make larger floor, but it also reaches more than halfway toward the town. Well, more than that really, since Kragle Rock¡¯s grown so much.¡± He shook his head. That wasn¡¯t import¡ª

    ¡°Are you telling me the dungeon can have monsters just appear among the people there?¡±

    Maybe it was to her.

    ¡°No. Living things keep him from controlling what¡¯s around them. And he wouldn¡¯t do that. Unlike what someone thinks¡ª¡± he glared at the ceiling ¡°¡ªSto is a good dungeon. He only makes creatures within his walls, to test us, the Runners. But he can listen in and watch, the way dungeons do it, anywhere his influence reaches. He likes watching people when he isn¡¯t busy. When he sensed your dogs, he made a copy of one, then played with how it looked until.¡± He motioned to the variety of dogs sitting around them. All watching her.

    That the Them didn¡¯t respond couldn¡¯t bode well.

    She continued to look around; the implications seeming to take time to sink in. ¡°So they¡¯re all my dogs,¡± she whispered. Then looked at him, awe replaced with annoyance. ¡°That¡¯s why you can also bribe¡ª¡±

    ¡°Only when I have jerky.¡±

    That did not appease her. She whistled a different sequence and, as one, the dogs laid down.

    The Them didn¡¯t say anything.

    Tibs wasn¡¯t sure they were even here anymore. Hopefully she¡¯d be able to use them in the coming fights, because Tibs didn¡¯t think the Them going elsewhere meant they were done trying to kill the two of them.

    ¡°Can you get them to follow us?¡±

    She whistled, and they stood. A different sequence, and they approached.

    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    Tibs stayed on his guards, but they ignored him, or her. The only animals behaving the way Tibs expected were the dogs that had come in with them, moving among the new arrivals and sniffing them as the dog golems took position.

    Serba took a step forward, and the mass of dogs moved with her. She grinned. ¡°You have no idea what I¡¯d give to keep them.¡±

    ¡°When this is over, Sto might be able to make you some that¡¯ll be able to leave with us.¡±

    * * * * *

    Serba knelt where the dog had crumbled away, leaving a silver coin behind.

    It was the first casualty of a fight. It had taken four until the guard they encountered had one sneaky enough to surprise them by splitting this dog into two using void. Tibs only knew the element it had by what it had done, forming a doorway in the middle of the dog and closing it.

    The other dogs had torn it apart before Tibs had gotten over the surprise.

    ¡°What happens to them?¡± she asked, standing.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He thought back to what Sto had told the Them. ¡°They¡¯re made of essence, so Sto can remake them. He has templates, but I don¡¯t know if it means they¡¯ll be like this one, or just look like it.¡± He looked at her dogs. They stayed closer to her than the dungeon made ones. ¡°Something like that¡¯s going to happen to those who die here. Sto absorbs everything that¡¯s left behind and makes use of it. It¡¯s how he grows. Is it going to be a problem? Them dying?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to break down,¡± she stated. ¡°It¡¯s why I train them. To do the brunt of the fighting.¡± He started walking. ¡°How much further?¡±

    Tibs looked at the coin she left behind, then joined her. ¡°A lot. Sto¡¯s in the City Hall, and that¡¯s almost on the other side of the city, but it¡¯s closer than the king¡¯s house, I think. We haven¡¯t found that yet.¡±

    ¡°So, you know where you have to go, and it¡¯s just about surviving the monsters while you get there?¡±

    ¡°We have to figure out where to go. And there are puzzles and traps. A lot of buildings have them. I think those are the important ones. The ones where Ganny put the clues that will lead the teams to the king¡¯s house. She likes working with puzzles.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s this Ganny?¡±

    ¡°She helps Sto. Guides him, tries to keep him from breaking the rules.¡±

    ¡°So, there¡¯s a woman keeping the place in order?¡± she asked, smirking.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s a woman. I don¡¯t know what she is. She isn¡¯t a person the way we are, just like Sto is a person in a different way than us. But she sounds like a girl to me, and Sto sounds like a guy. They don¡¯t care if you call them it.¡±

    ¡°And the dungeon¡¯s a boy.¡± Her tone sounded like learning that made something fall into place.

    ¡°Sto isn¡¯t like anything we understand,¡± Tibs said. ¡°He¡¯s all of this. When we break a wall, he feels it.¡±

    ¡°So, someone could come in and kill¡ª¡±

    Tibs raised a hand as he sensed something at the limit of his range. He focused through the miasma to work out why they didn¡¯t feel like golems. Then he ran as he made out the tint to their essence.

    ¡°Runners!¡± he yelled as a reply to Serba¡¯s call. Four of them, one of which was losing essence fast. He reached in this pouch and cursed. He¡¯d left the potions with his armor, since there weren¡¯t scheduled for a run today.

    ¡°It¡¯s Tibs!¡± he yelled when he thought he was close enough to be heard. He still had to stop to keep from colliding with the etching that formed ine a wall of swords.

    ¡°What are you doing in here?¡± Quigly demanded, glaring. ¡°It¡¯s our run.¡±

    ¡°She needs help,¡± he replied, reaching into his pouch. ¡°How come she didn¡¯t drink a potion?¡±

    ¡°Took all we had for the four of us to get out of that palace alive,¡± the archer said. ¡°Then the abyss cursed place went wild.¡±

    If they didn¡¯t have one, how was he going to pull this off? Or did it matter anymore if they knew he had more than one element? His fingers closed on something that wasn¡¯t a coin and he pulled it out. ¡°This will help.¡± He showed the small crystal and worked at not showing his puzzlement. He had no memory of putting that in there, and it had been a long time since his fingers had found pockets without him noticing.

    Or maybe it was just that he¡¯d stop noticing if the coins in his pouch at the ends of a day matched didn¡¯t what they should be? It wasn¡¯t like he looked in it all that often.

    ¡°It¡¯s like the dungeon¡¯s gone feral again,¡± Quigly said; the wall disappeared into essence.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡± He put the crystal in Jen¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s being attacked.¡± He made a splint over her body to keep her essence from leaking, then made a weave of purity.

    ¡°Not again,¡± the sorcerer said, her word barely audible through her exhaustion, as the mass of essence rounded a corner.

    ¡°They¡¯re with me,¡± Tibs said as they got ready for a fight. ¡°Well, with her, but she¡¯s with me.¡±

    A whistle from Serba and the dogs came to a stop.

    ¡°Serb?¡± the archer called.

    ¡°Damon,¡± she replied, returning the greeting in a flatter tone than his had been.

    ¡°What is she doing in here?¡± Quigly demanded. ¡°Tibs. What the fuck is going on?¡± He motioned to the army of dogs sitting at her feet.

    ¡°It¡¯s complicated.¡±

    ¡°No shit. Whenever isn¡¯t it when you¡¯re involved?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°I so don¡¯t want to know.¡± The warrior ran a hand over his face. ¡°I have enough problems of my own.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain everything after I¡¯ve saved the dungeon.¡±

    Quigly gave Tibs an indignant look. ¡°I¡¯ll help.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll help.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Quigly stated. ¡°Jen¡¯s tapped out, and unless you lied to me, you barely have anything left.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± the rogue said, handing the crystal back to Tibs. ¡°That thing¡¯s magic is strong enough, I can still feel it working.¡±

    ¡°Then you can escort Mort and¡ª¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re all leaving,¡± Tibs said. They were all injured, and without healing potions they wouldn¡¯t¡ª ¡°hold this and pass to the others,¡± he told the archer.

    ¡°Tibs, you can¡¯t do this alone,¡± Quigly said.

    As soon as Mort took it, Tibs applied a weave of purity. Hopefully, there would be enough left to help through the other fights.

    ¡°I saved him once without help,¡± he replied. ¡°And I have it now.¡±

    ¡°Abyss, what is this thing?¡± the archer asked, peering at the crystal.

    ¡°Just something I found.¡±

    The sorcerer snatched out of Mort¡¯s hand. ¡°I don¡¯t feel any¡ª¡± Her eyes went wide as Tibs applied the weave to her.

    ¡°Does she even have an element?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± He motioned for her to hand it back, and when she hesitated, he took it and offered it to Quigly.

    ¡°Then how much help can she be?¡± he winced, reaching for it, and looked over his shoulder. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to¡ª¡±

    ¡°My feelings are fine,¡± Serba replied. ¡°But I¡¯ll be happy to demonstrate what I¡¯m capable of, if you really need me to, metal man.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Quigly¡¯s eyes widened as Tibs applied the weave. He shook himself. ¡°But you can use more help, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± This wasn¡¯t about the help he might or might not need.

    ¡°Tibs, you need to¡ª¡±

    ¡°You have to go back to Cross!¡±

    The warrior stared at him in disbelief. ¡°Are you fucking kidding me? That woman wants to rip my b¡ª¡± He glanced at Serba.

    ¡°Balls is the word you¡¯re looking for,¡± she said. ¡°And my understanding is that you deserve it.¡±

    ¡°Of course she told you,¡± Quigly grumbled.

    ¡°She¡¯s going to be pissed at me if it¡¯s my fault you die and she doesn¡¯t get to punish you so you can make up with her. I¡¯ve seen her angry and I don¡¯t want her angry at me.¡±

    ¡°She isn¡¯t going¡ª¡±

    ¡°You two are going to scream at one another, then you¡¯re going to talk about it, then you¡¯re going to make up and have you time with her. Trust me, I¡¯ve seen Jackal and Kroseph go through that often enough.¡±

    Quickly shook his head in amusement, then sobered. ¡°Tibs, I¡¯m not going to tell Jackal I left you in here to die.¡±

    ¡°Then don¡¯t tell him you saw me.¡±

    ¡°Tibs, why are you looking to die?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not. But¡ª¡±

    ¡°He can take care of himself,¡± Serba said, annoyed. ¡°He took on half a dozen guards at one point. Did that magic stuff you all do and won.¡± She motioned to the dogs. ¡°And now he has our help.¡±

    ¡°Take your team out,¡± Tibs told the warrior. ¡°It¡¯s not going to get any easier getting to the stairs.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Quigly said in exasperation.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to be fine. I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± Mostly. This was no different from a run. There was always stuff to work out on the way to the boss room.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t walk out of this dungeon, Tibs. I¡¯m¡ª¡±

    ¡°Jackal¡¯s going to beat you to it,¡± Tibs said.

    The warrior let out a slow breath. ¡°Alright. You heard him. We¡¯re heading out. Stay on your guard.¡± He gave Tibs a glare, then walked away.

    ¡°You and Damon?¡± Tibs asked once they were out of sight.

    ¡°He¡¯s just guy I know.¡±

    ¡°No wonder the dungeon takes it easy on your kind,¡± the Them said in disgust as Tibs was about to ask her how many guys she let get away with calling her ¡®Serb¡¯.

    ¡°Sto doesn¡¯t take it easy on us,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°We¡¯ve all lost too many friends in here.¡±

    ¡°And you are going to lose more,¡± they taunted. ¡°Once you are dead, I will ensure the things that exist outside this pitiful dungeons suffer despite the protection they received.¡±

    ¡°How about you come here and stop me right now, then?¡± Tibs called back. ¡°Come on, I¡¯m right here. Not brave enough to take on someone as Street as me?¡±

    The only answer was a retreating chuckle.

    Tibs resumed walking.

    ¡°Is goading whatever you¡¯re talking to a good idea?¡± She asked, stepping next to him and the dogs surrounding them.

    ¡°People say things they don¡¯t mean to when they get angry.¡±

    ¡°Only that¡¯s not people, right?¡±

    ¡°They still make mistakes.¡±

    ¡°What mistakes has it made at this point?¡±

    Tibs smiled at her. ¡°It¡¯s ignoring you.¡±

 Breaking Step, Chapter 108

    Serba had built an army of dogs as they entered the road leading to the city hall.

    Tibs figured they still attacked because the Them couldn¡¯t stop them from roaming like they hadn¡¯t been able to fully control how they fought. Sto had set up this floor to resemble how he thought a city worked, with guards, and gangs, and occasional citizens. So he¡¯d set dogs to wander around, alone or in pack. Sto had probably gotten the idea from runners talking about the other dogs in Kragle Rock.

    The effect of the army was that Tibs hardly had to fight in the last battles. Serba sent the dogs to swarm the attackers nearly as soon as they stepped out of alleys.

    And now, as the city hall became visible in the distance, the attacks stopped.

    The Them knew this was where he was heading and had control over the guards. So why hadn¡¯t it set this road as a gauntlet? As much as he wanted to think this was Sto helping him, it didn¡¯t feel right.

    He slowed.

    This had the feel of a dungeon room. One bare of anything other than the boss loot at the other end, inviting the greedy to rush to open it.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Serba asked.

    ¡°This is a trap.¡±

    What did the Them have to work with? If they could alter the buildings or the ground, they¡¯d have tried to open it up, or crush him with them. They hadn¡¯t used doorways to drop golems on him, but was that because they couldn¡¯t, or because they were holding back until the right moment?

    ¡°Should we go around?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s only one entrance. Even if we take the alleys to reach the road that goes along the building, the Them can still do something.¡±

    She whistled and, before Tibs could stop her, half a dozen dogs ran ahead.

    They vanished outside his shortened range without anything happening. Was it because, as dungeon made creatures, they didn¡¯t trigger the traps the Them set? Or did they have to decide when the traps were sprung?

    He carefully made in it one block, sensing for¡­anything. Then another, and a third.

    He made out motion in the distance, well beyond his sense, just before a howl sounded.

    ¡°They¡¯re coming back,¡± Serba said, smiling.

    ¡°All of them?¡±

    ¡°Dogs aren¡¯t smart enough to tell if one of them¡¯s gone and warn me. I¡¯ve trained them to howl on the way back so I know it¡¯s them.¡±

    ¡°The Them could have retaken control. Or replace them with its dogs. I can¡¯t sense them yet. Not that I¡¯d be able to know that way. Dungeon creatures all feel the same to me.¡±

    ¡°Can you sense me like that? How about anyone else?¡±

    ¡°Everyone has life essence in them,¡± he answered, trying to push his sense and get earlier warning of¡­anything. ¡°You and townsfolk are hard to tell apart in groups because it¡¯s thin and doesn¡¯t have an element to tint it so I can identify people.¡±

    She let out a series of shrill whistles not long after they¡¯d entered Tibs¡¯s sense and they came to a stop. ¡°I think they¡¯re still my dogs.¡±

    Or the Them was cunning. Either way, he had to go on. He stayed on guards as they reached them.

    The dogs were oddly still, the way dungeon creatures didn¡¯t ¡®fidget¡¯ when they waited. They were like statues until they acted. Serba¡¯s dogs, the ones that had entered with them, raced ahead and sniffed the dungeon dogs, while the others walked in step with her, waiting for instructions.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± The whisper stopped him.

    ¡°Ganny?¡± he whispered back, and Serba eyed him.

    ¡°Tibs, you need to be careful. They¡¯re waiting for you.¡±

    ¡°How¡¯s Sto?¡±

    ¡°Holding on. They cracked Sto¡¯s core, but nothing more. I think they want us to watch you die.¡±

    ¡°What can you tell me about them?¡±

    ¡°They aren¡¯t like you, or Sto. Or even me. They¡¯re¡­I don¡¯t know what they are. All I¡¯ve been told about them and those like them is that they are sent to bring dungeons back in line. Or end them if they¡¯ve gone too far.¡±

    ¡°I thought it¡¯s what the guild sent adventurers to do.¡±

    ¡°That only happens if the guild realizes it first. I think it¡¯s dangerous for adventurers to do it too often. They might realize dungeons aren¡¯t what they think.¡±

    Tibs didn¡¯t see that happening, with how set in their way the guild was.

    ¡°They aren¡¯t like Sto¡¯s creatures. They aren¡¯t essence made to be in the world. They¡¯re¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± she said in exasperation. ¡°I¡¯m not like you or Sto. I don¡¯t sense the elements. I just see what they do, how they act. I think they can be both.¡±

    ¡°I can affect essence and what¡¯s solid,¡± Tibs said. ¡°So I can end them.¡±

    ¡°I hope so. I don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to be satisfied with just ending Sto. They want Sto to suffer for protecting the town from them.¡±

    ¡°How has Sto been protecting the town?¡± As far as Tibs knew, Sto sill couldn¡¯t affect that far.

    ¡°The rings.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s just to help with the sickness.¡±

    ¡°Tibs. They are the sickness. I thought you knew. I thought it was why you asked Sto to make the rings.¡±

    ¡°They can¡¯t¡ªThat isn¡¯t¡­¡±

    The secret Tibs now knew was the Them following him, and its tendrils stretching to the people around. He¡¯d thought it was just it spreading secrets, the way people who know them did. Could he have sensed them¡­

    ¡°Why?¡± he demanded. The sickness had started well before Tibs had angered the Them. Why would they do something like that?

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    ¡°I think it¡¯s how they survive,¡± she answered. ¡°Sto does it through the essence he accumulates from the Runners who die and what he finds already there. They do it by¡­taking essence from what¡¯s around them. I¡¯m not sure. All I can say is that each time they return from being outside, there is noticeably more of them.¡±

    He¡¯d missed it.

    His anger fought his attempt to breathe it down.

    How could he have missed that?

    ¡°They aren¡¯t going to win,¡± he said through gritted teeth, and Serba took a step back. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he told her.

    ¡°You don¡¯t sound it.¡± She made hand motions, and dogs positioned themselves before her.

    He breathed. ¡°I just find out the Them is what¡¯s been making people sick, and I never realized it.¡±

    ¡°Were you supposed to?¡± She raised her hands at the glare he gave her; then breathed.

    She was right. He hadn¡¯t known that secret was the Them until recently, and he hadn¡¯t noticed if that secret had been where the worse of the sickness had happened when he sensed it in town. He had acted to help Kragle Rock as soon as he understood how to help with the problem. And that was all he could have done.

    Tibs headed for the building. Now he knew how to stop the sickness permanently.

    ¡°Stay out of reach,¡± he told Serba as she fell into step with him. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much the ring is going to protect you from a direct attack.¡±

    ¡°How are they making the city sick?¡±

    ¡°They drain life essence from people.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°Just the townsfolk.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Everyone¡¯s been on edge. Don said that being tired does that to people, and it¡¯s one way not having enough life essence feels. Runners have more. That¡¯s probably why I didn¡¯t fall sick, but we have been irritable.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not staying out of the fight,¡± she said. ¡°I have my dogs,¡± she added before he could protest. ¡°That¡¯s why I have them. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t get anywhere close to the fighting itself.¡±

    He nodded and continued on.

    He sensed something as he made out the details on the city hall¡¯s doors. He was surprised it didn¡¯t register as a secret until he realized that they had no reason to hide in here. The Them was at the bottom of the steps leading to the door, and as Ganny said, there was something different about them.

    What he sensed came across to him as a representation of attempting to explain the elements and essence to someone who didn¡¯t have them. There was never an exact word for any of it, so he settled for approximations that barely carried the meanings he needed them to.

    That approximation was what they felt like.

    They had essence. He could sense that much, but it was put together in a way that¡­he couldn¡¯t even think of a word close to it. Not right was the best he could manage. There were threads and the lines and the Arcanus that made up creatures of the elements, but the way they were¡­woven wasn¡¯t the right word, nor was etched. It was almost like the Arcanus themselves were what the threads were made of, but even that was just an approximation of what he sensed.

    ¡°I sense you there,¡± he called.

    Something¡­happened. The¡­whatever made the Them shifted in a way Tibs, again, didn¡¯t quite understand.

    Serba gasped, stepping back, and her dogs reacted by growling. ¡°What is that?¡± she asked, voice trembling.

    Tibs looked back and realized that he could see them now, along with sensing.

    Not that what he saw helped figure out what they were. Sheets hung between buildings caught in the breeze was the best he could come up with. Many of them, floating around something he couldn¡¯t quite make out, but had a sense of familiarity to it.

    ¡°You are an abomination,¡± the Them stated.

    Serba put her hands to her ears and the dogs that had entered with them whined, shaking their heads. ¡°What was that?¡±

    ¡°Them talking.¡±

    ¡°That isn¡¯t talk,¡± she said in dismay. ¡°That was¡­that was horrible.¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t made to understand this,¡± the Them said, hate dripping from the words. ¡°You should never have been allowed to escape and spread.¡±

    ¡°Escape what?¡± Tibs asked, then curse his curiosity.

    But the question seemed to give them pause. ¡°The dungeon that made you, of course. Did you think you just came to be in the world?¡± Its tone was mocking. ¡°That you are special? Everything that is came from a dungeon, and should be returned there.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s true,¡± he replied. Purity clerics believed Purity had made the world and people. Don had said that there were scholars trying to prove countless stories about how the world came to be, how people came to exist, and none of what he¡¯d read got close to proof.

    ¡°What do you know of true?¡± it said with derision. ¡°You are an aberration of things that escaped and were deemed too insignificant to be bothered with. You think yourself more than what you are, and I will not wait for the decision to be made by others. I will show you the nothing that you are.¡±

    It¡­ move wasn¡¯t the right word, and in the time Tibs struggled with finding it, the Them was before him. Then he was in the air, suffusing himself with Earth and coating himself with ice and metal for armor. He crashed through walls and bounced off the ground before coming to a stop.

    He breathed the pain down enough he could suffuse himself with purity and decided he needed to avoid being hit like that again.

    ¡°How are you not dead?¡± it demanded, and Tibs threw himself aside as a mass of those sheets hit where he¡¯d been. The¡­arm? Within them, cracked the ground. It couldn¡¯t be an arm. It was too thin, and the Them had too many of them. Even seemed to stand on them when they didn¡¯t move.

    Tibs jumped out of the way of another strike, and the cracks in the ground spread to the building. He couldn¡¯t let the Them get close.

    He etched his fire whip and flung it. It passed through the sheets without noticeable effects, then wrapped around the¡­ limb? Appendage? Whatever it was, they floated around. He had to stop wasting time looking for¡ª

    Tibs was in air again. The Them had yanked effortlessly and now he was heading for them. He suffused himself with air, and that thin and dark thing, with a pointed end that made Tibs shudder in unnamed fear, went through him and planted in the ground.

    Then he was out it¡¯s¡­back? He couldn¡¯t tell if there was a side to the them. He suffused with earth and bounced on the ground, turning to land on his feet.

    No close range, and no using etching he kept hold of. That didn¡¯t leave him with a lot. Short of¡ªit was a good thing Don wasn¡¯t here¡ªtrying new things.

    He started with what he had, making knives out of ice and metal and throwing them, using air to get them to hit properly.

    The them didn¡¯t get out of the way, or bother deflecting them. It did something like what made it visible, but not, and the knives passed through. It hadn¡¯t suffused itself, or moved those parts that seemed hard out of the way. Other than that¡­shift in the way its essence was arranged, nothing had changed.

    He kept flinging knives, but focused on what he sensed. It was all still there, same as before, but the sense of how real it was had changed. That was what was different.

    How, by the abyss, did that happen?

    And it happened again while a knife was within the Them, then it was flying at Tibs.

    Reflexively, he absorbed the essence, putting as much of his will as he could spare to fight the Them¡¯s control. Only there was none. Did that mean they couldn¡¯t control essence the way Runners did? Or that it hadn¡¯t bothered, or¡­he didn¡¯t even know enough to know what else might be in play.

    Did it even have a reserve?

    He wanted to say yes, of course it did. Anything that had essence needed to have a reserve, but¡­

    Tibs was getting to hate approximations.

    Tibs altered the next knife he threw; added an edge of corruption. When it passed through the Them, it hissed and the¡­shifting happened differently. Wrong, Tibs wanted to say, knowing that wasn¡¯t right either.

    He threw more, and this time, the Them moved out of the way, until it shifted again and didn¡¯t move. The knife went through it without a reaction.

    So it could adapt to his attacks. But it hadn¡¯t been instant. What were the limits?

    He etched a knife made entirely with corruption and enough of the filigree to keep it solid. It moved and¡­caught the knife. This time the word felt right, even if all that seemed to be holding it were the sheets. He still felt the his essence in the knife, so focus to change the filigree and cause it to¡ª

    It was gone.

    He saw the knife. Even sensed the essence that made it, but it was no longer his essence. It had been severed without even having a chance to fight for it.

    The Them¡­looked at him. It was the only way he could describe the malevolence he felts aimed in his direction. Then the knife was approaching much too fast.

    He focused on it; it was still just essence. So he could¡ª

    There was something wrong with the etching. The Them had done something and¡ªthe thoughts were hit out of his mind from the impact in his shoulder that carried him to the wall and slammed him there hard enough stars flew before his eyes.

    And it hurt. Abyss that hurt. It was like when he¡¯d walked into the room of fire, or when he threw himself into the pool of corruption, but even that wasn¡¯t enough to describe just how much pain this¡­not-etching caused.

    He had Corruption. It wasn¡¯t supposed to hurt him anymore.

    He thought clearly enough to suffuse himself with purity as the Them approached, but it barely pushed the pain away. He grabbed at the pommel and tried to pull it out.

    ¡°You are nothing,¡± the Them said. ¡°The mark you bear means nothing,¡± it snarled. ¡°I will remove you from¡ª¡±

    The rest was buried, along with it, under the dogs.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 109

    With the Them busy fighting the dogs, Tibs managed to focus on the etching within the knife corruption to pull it apart. The Arcanus was¡­odd. Instead of being within a filigree around the threads of essence, they were¡­forced in? Not the right term again, but it¡ªthe etching came undone, and he slumped to the ground, purity finally able to take the pain away.

    He absorbed the essence as he stood, and it was the way it always was. It had to be how the Arcanus had been forced into the thread and into each other that had caused the corruption to hurt him. Yet another thing to figure out when he had time.

    With a scream that hurt Tibs¡¯s ears, the dogs flew aways from the Them. Some stood once they landed, with varying degree of steadiness, some crumbled away, and others remained, unmoving.

    Tibs recognized Thumper among those.

    ¡°I will¡ª¡± The Them¡¯s threat was buried under Tibs¡¯s scream and torrent of fire. They staggered back and Tibs noted, through his anger, that they could be overwhelmed.

    They found their footing¡ªnot the right word again¡ªand took hold of the essence Tibs was throwing.

    Time to change things.

    Tibs kept sending fire as he switched to channeling water, the flow of essence pouring out of him changing as its source did, and¡ª

    Tibs fought to remain conscious, the pain nearly too much. Around him, buildings were destroyed, and the ground was cracked in its center. He was on the ground in a partially destroyed building. He vaguely remembered being thrown back, hitting something hard as heat nearly more intense than any he¡¯d experienced before slammed into him.

    How he¡¯d survived that¡­explosion, that word felt right for once, was explained by the earth that suffused him.

    He had no memory of switching element.

    He switched to purity while trying to work out what the Them had done to cause this.

    Only, he realized, as his head cleared, they weren¡¯t who had caused the explosion. He had.

    Something had happened as the fire essence had changed to water.

    It had been too fast to make out details, but even now, he sensed essence that he couldn¡¯t identify dissipating. Essences that hadn¡¯t been there before the explosion.

    He was up and running out. What had he done to Serba? If he¡¯d been thrown like that, she wouldn¡¯t have¡ª

    She groaned, pushing herself to her feet, her dogs helping. She was at the edge of the destruction and he thought she¡¯d been away from the fighting when the explosion had happened. Her essence wasn¡¯t leaking out, and where it wasn¡¯t as usual, she only had bruises.

    He made a weave of purity to¡ª

    The roar shook his bones more than his ears, and he suffused himself with earth as he turned in time to face the Them barreling into him.

    The impact was nothing like Jackal shoulder checking him, or even grabbing Tibs as he ran. The Them¡­flowed¡ªwhy couldn¡¯t there be a right word for any of this?¡ªaround him, feeling like cushions that caught and lifted him, then hardened and they were both rushing at a wall.

    He cursed as he sensed the thickness and suffused himself with air.

    The Them did..something¡ªhe was giving up on words¡ªto try to hold on to Tibs. The sheets and whatever was inside them moved, as well as how the Arcanus within it were arranged. Then it was moving up while Tibs continued on and through a wall, a luxurious lounge, a dining area, then was out the back.

    He looked up at it. Why hadn¡¯t it gone through with him? It was essence that it could change. That should have made it easy.

    He righted himself and flew to the roof. The Them floated high above him, watching.

    It could rip his attacks out of his control with ease and change them so they hurt him. He doubt corruption was the only one it could do that with, since it had been in the process of taking control of his fire. He could stagger it, at a high cost to his reserve, which meant he couldn¡¯t depend on that.

    But they hadn¡¯t been willing to hit the wall.

    Was the dungeon made stone the reason? No, it couldn¡¯t be. That building wasn¡¯t one Sto had made.

    He rubbed his temple. He was supposed to get answers when he asked questions. Not more questions he couldn¡¯t do anything with.

    What he needed was a way to even out the fight. Even with all his essence, Tibs was barely more than an Omega Runner compared to the Them, so that only left him with his fighting skill. But it could easily deal with that just by using its¡­

    What if it didn¡¯t have essence?

    What if essence couldn¡¯t exist anymore? Wouldn¡¯t that mean it couldn¡¯t be?

    Where was it? He jumped high, looking beyond what he could sense. He didn¡¯t know where it was from the city hall, but¡ªthere was the library, and they had. That plaza, there.

    He let go of air and fell as the Them flew at him. A cushion of air took care of his landing, then he ran.

    He saw Serba move to join up and realized the danger. He didn¡¯t know how well the Them understood people, but unlike Sto, they had been in Kragle Rock; had seen them outside of trying to survive.

    ¡°Stay here!¡± he yelled at her. If they realized they could use her to control the battle, Tibs would be in trouble.

    ¡°But¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stay here! I don¡¯t need you slowing me down!¡±

    Her expression darkened, and he used air to leave her behind. He breathed easier when the Them remained on his tail. Now all he needed to do was survive until¡ª

    Doors exploded out of their frames as stout, gray-skinned golem people burst through them. Essence came at him before he could take them all in.

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    He pulled on what he could and replenished his bracers with that. After fighting with the Them for control of his essence, taking it from the golems was easy.

    Remaining alert for the Them interfering directly in the fight, he went the easy route. He etched threads of corruption before him, wrapped them in a filigree of Ike and Dhu. Ike to make them solid, Dhu to add sharpness. Then Ool, so it would spread. Again, he wished he knew more of what the Arcanus did because he had the sense this was a case of more being better.

    He pushed it forward, and as the etching made contact with the golem people, it cut into them, the dark purple spreading. They didn¡¯t stop, or slow¡ªgolem people didn¡¯t feel pain¡ªbut they were crumbling before Tibs reached them. Cutting those who resisted that attack with his sword.

    Then it was him and the alley again, and the Them above. He looked to confirm they were still there, as they remained well above where his sense reached through the miasma. He was tempted to ask Ganny to unmake it, but the Them would hear, and if they could control that too, he expected they¡¯s make it so thick he¡¯d be blind.

    He sensed the accumulation within the walls ahead of him, and suffused himself with earth. The explosion as he ran between them sent shards of stone so sharp it cut even his stone body.

    He stumbled at the pain and quickly suffused himself with purity. He wished he¡¯d had time to sense what it¡ª

    He hit the ground from the impact on his back, and the Them was pushing its essences against Tibs¡¯s, trying to force it between the dense strand if his life essence.

    Tibs made an explosion of raw purity that sent them off him, and he was running again. The walls caught in the blast were translucent, the way a letter scratched off a page remained partially visible until the correct one was written over it.

    At least, that had sent them off, but at a cost. His immense reserve was nearing being halved. How much had he had before the fighting started? He hadn¡¯t been full, but he had had a lot more. So he could do this? Three more times? Hopefully, he wouldn¡¯t have to do it again at all.

    A glance over his shoulder as he made out the Them at the edge of his sense, then push harder. Only then sensing the essence ahead of him.

    He cursed as he suffused himself with air. Why else would they have entered his sense but to distract him? The explosion happened again, and, while they left no cuts behind, they hurt. He paid attention this time, sensing the wrongness of the mashed Arcanus. Not that he made anything out from that.

    How much further?

    He launched himself up, glimpsed the plaza, then was rushing down, the Them smashing into him. Their essence again pushing against Tibs¡¯s life essence. Only this time, air seemed to make what they did easier.

    He switched to earth and dropped out of their grasp.

    He hit the ground, bounced, crashed against a building, and was running again. The plaza was further than he¡¯d like, but he¡¯d made progress.

    So the Them could affect him no matter which element he channeled. But they couldn¡¯t adapt quickly. He had the advantage since switching element was simply a question of willing it for him. So long as they couldn¡¯t prepare for more than one element.

    What kind of range did they have? Sto could sense anywhere within himself, but had to ¡®be¡¯ in a location, to watch what happened there. He was also not blocked by the mess Ganny had made of the air. But that made sense since he was the dungeon. The Them couldn¡¯t be the same, could it?

    He decided they couldn¡¯t. Otherwise, they¡¯d do more than detonating buildings¡ªbuildings Sto hadn¡¯t made¡ªand send golems. They¡¯d used the ground against him, the air too possibly.

    The etching ahead of him was complex. He could tell that as soon as it was within his range. With the Them behind Tibs, it meant they could make those etching¡­too far to be comfortable thinking about.

    Options?

    With as little as he knew?

    The only one he could think of was to suffuse himself with purity and hope that was enough, but was it what it counted on?

    Not that he had a choice. He suffused himself. Added a layer of ice, earth, metal, then coated that with corruption, darkness, fire and light because they were in his bracers and he figured throwing everything at the problem had to help more than hinder.

    The walls didn¡¯t explode as Tibs reached them, but stretched in a way that hurt his mind. It was as if they didn¡¯t exist the way everything else did, where the rest did. They weren¡¯t walls on each side of the alley, but within it, and Tibs couldn¡¯t avoid it.

    What made the walls he pushed through as he continued running were those mashed up Arcanus. And it all clung to him, pulled at him, at his essence, pushed against him all at the same time.

    And it hurt.

    It hurt the way trying to wrap his mind around essence being and not being at the same time had hurt. It hurt the way trying to come up with the right word to describe the elements hurt. But those were hurt that passed, or that he could stop thinking about. This was a hurt that would never end. It would tear him apart until there was nothing left of¡ª

    He nearly fell in a stumble once it was gone and he took in a deep, painful breath, as he remembered breathing was something he could do.

    He never wanted to experience that again.

    Nearly all the essence he¡¯d coated himself in was gone, ripped away or absorbed by that¡­wrongness. His bracers barely had half their reserves left. Had he lost focus while enduring whatever that had been? Or had the etching been made to rip at them? Were they why he¡¯d survived to make it to the other side? He should refill his bracers, but that meant channeling each of the elements and if the Them could use that to plan his attack¡­

    He¡¯d rather avoid enduring that again than surviving it. So he focussed on pushing his sense ahead of him and changing direction anytime an etching formed. Hopefully, the Them had limits on how long he could do that, the way Runners did. It was hard to get all the essence back from an etching.

    He sensed the scream when he shouldered his way through a door instead of continuing into the etching that formed too close for his comfort. Then he suffused himself with air to make it through the back, and he kept going in that direction until the next etching, and again it screamed as he turned back in the direction of the plaza.

    The lack of another attempt worried him, and he cursed as, ahead, the alley was made of one large building on each side. No windows, and the one door was far into it. He launched himself into the air instead of risking the perfect place for a trap.

    Then it was on him. It¡¯s essence grabbing and forcing itself into him.

    He switched to earth and fell to its frustrated scream.

    He crashed through the roof of a building, bringing it down on himself, and barely escaped it in time to avoid the etching they dropped on the entire thing.

    Like Runners, they also needed time to etch.

    He entered the plaza and rushed the central building. Had they been watching when his team deal with this puzzle? Had Quigly found it, and had they watched that? Did they know what this trap was and weren¡¯t worried about it?

    He¡¯d find out soon enough, one way or another.

    The door opened when he collided against it, and he ignored how the inside didn¡¯t exist to his sense.

    ¡°You cannot hide!¡±

    He slowed, rounding the stack of stone disks in the center of the room. He hadn¡¯t considered they through he was trying to avoid fighting it. It did think all people were cowards.

    ¡°All you do is ensure I will make ripping you apart painful.¡±

    The chest was ornate. Black wood with a finish that made the pale grain shimmer. The metal had been worked, etched and bent, and was incrusted with precious stones and gems. It looked like a treasure chest from a bard¡¯s song.

    It screamed ¡®trap¡¯ to Tibs, and he understood how Jackal hadn¡¯t been able to resist it. He yanked the cover up and turned to run out, then stopped. Where was the wave that had removed all essence?

    He had done what Jackal had. The fighter had rushed in, grabbed the cover and¡ªset one of the stone disk moving.

    How? What had Jackal done?

    He¡¯d rushed in, went around to disk to reach the chest¡­and bumped them. Tibs slammed his shoulder against the two at that height, and before he needed to move to kicking the lower ones, they ground into motion and he felt the pressure against his essence.

    He ran out with the wave, grinning as it hit the Them and the essence was flung off and out in time with the walls rising up to imprison him alone for the duration.

    Only they were still there. Or part of them were. What the sheets had obscured.

    Tibs stepped back as his nightmare stood before him. Many thin legs and arms all black and malicious. Those orbs peering at him with undisguised hatred.

    He hadn¡¯t seen a fabrication of his mind when he¡¯d added Darkness to his node of Sight. He¡¯d seen what it truly was. And the sight that haunted his dream since now stood before him.

    And to make the situation worse, Serba and her dogs were watching the walls come to a stop at full height, locking her in with Tibs and a pissed off Them.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 110

    Tibs looked over his shoulder as steps sounded.

    ¡°Abyss.¡± He¡¯d forgotten about that part of the trap.

    A dozen guards advanced, the opening in the wall closing behind them.

    Like things weren¡¯t already bad enough.

    He focussed his attention to the Them in time to throw himself out of the way with a surprised yelp. They landed where he¡¯d been, spiked limbs planted in the stone ground.

    They were supposed to be weak without their essence!

    He rolled to a crouch, willing his ice sword to form and added metal to it, only for the essences to unravel as they left his bracers.

    He sighed and willed his knife out from its hiding place and into his¡ªit didn¡¯t appear. Of course it didn¡¯t. He wasn¡¯t wearing his armor, which meant he couldn¡¯t access the hidden place in it. Which meant that not only couldn¡¯t he use his elements, he didn¡¯t have a weapon.

    Not how he¡¯d wanted to do this.

    The Them towered as they turned to face him. ¡°You are nothing,¡± it screeched, its voice hollow, as if it needed essence to carry. The question of why he could understand them without essence was replaced with running as it leaped high and landed where he¡¯d been. Again, pointed limbs piercing the ground.

    The angry scream made him stumble, bringing back visions of his nightmare. There had been no sounds when he¡¯d used darkness on his node of sight, but his nightmares had provided them, each one more horrible than the previous. Somehow, none matched what the Them let out.

    As it threw itself at him again, and he moved faster than it traveled, Tibs wonder why it was using such an inept tactic. It had to realize that as deadly as those limbs were, that only mattered if it could adapt to what Tibs did.

    Which it would have, if it had essence.

    Was that it? It didn¡¯t know how to fight without essence?

    Tibs continued moving, circling the Them, waiting for them to act. When it didn¡¯t, he stopped, and was moving as soon as it was in the air. It landed closer this time, enough that as it lashed out at him, the tip of a limb slashed through his clothes and his flesh. The contact was fleeting, but he still lost life essence to it, absorbed by the limb while it touched him.

    Not how he¡¯d wanted it, but the reminder that touch let essence flow was useful; if he could manage it without getting skewered.

    He rushed it as it turned to face him and it hesitated, letting Tibs slip close enough to grab a limb that supported it and pull at its life essence.

    The surprise at his reserve being instantly full was replaced by pain from the impact. It was so intense he reflexively suffused himself with purity, and only once he could think did he realize he was headed for a wall far too fast. He barely suffused himself with earth in time to hit it, then crashed to the ground.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Serba was crouched next to him, the dogs forming a perimeter around them. ¡°What happened to that thing?¡±

    ¡°It lost its essence.¡± He sat, then motioned around them. ¡°Essence doesn¡¯t work in here.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s defenseless?¡±

    Tibs snorted, getting to his feet. ¡°No. It¡¯s still strong and tough.¡±

    ¡°Then what¡¯s the plan?¡±

    The guards were close enough that they¡¯d attack him if he rushed the Them where it stood, ignoring the advance. But would they attack only him? They were spreading out, weapons drawn, some still facing the Them.

    ¡°I need to get myself a weapon.¡± One of the swords would¡ª

    ¡°You started without being armed?¡± she exclaimed.

    ¡°I was interrupted in the middle of something,¡± he snapped. ¡°And I normally make them with essence so¡ª¡± He pulled the sword out of Serba¡¯s sheath.

    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s mine.¡±

    ¡°Stay out of the fight.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t fucking tell me to stay here and watch you get killed.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to die.¡±

    ¡°That thing has those people to help it now!¡±

    ¡°They aren¡¯t people,¡± Tibs replied, watching them. Now more confident that half of them were readying themselves to attack the Them.

    ¡°They look like people, okay? I¡¯m not one of you Runners, who knows all the stuff about this place.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s why you have to stay out of the fight. They¡¯re creatures. Even without essence, they¡¯re stronger than you are.¡± He grinned. ¡°And don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m the one who set the no dying rule. I won¡¯t be the one breaking it.¡±

    He ran for the guards, ignoring her exasperated cries.

    Time to confirm theories.

    He slipped under the guard¡¯s swing and slashed. The sword barely scratched it. He threw himself between another guard¡¯s legs and came to a stop too fast when the ice didn¡¯t materialize under him. The sword cut him before he rolled out of the way and heat spread from the wound. Something other than fire. He suffused himself with purity as he got to his feet, but it didn¡¯t remove it, only slowed its progress. He applied a weave. He¡¯d deal with that later since it wasn¡¯t actively hurting him.

    He suffused himself with earth and kicked the guard between the legs. There was nothing there to cause more pain, but the strength behind the blow sent it into the others.

    The Them watched him, still ignoring those at its back. Like it waited for the guards to weaken him. Did it not realize Sto had set the guard to attack anything he hadn¡¯t put within these walls?

    It would be best if Tibs didn¡¯t give them time to realize that before it was too late. He ducked under a guard¡¯s swing, then rushed to the left, and the Them skittered to match. He changed direction, as if reacting to what it did, and fought the guards again.

    Tibs had the feeling they were smirking in satisfaction.

    Which vanished as it screamed from the sword planted in its torso. The guard flew from the Them¡¯s strike, but another took its place, ducking and giving another the opportunity to strike. When the Them turned to focus on them, Tibs ran.

    He suffused himself with corruption just before grabbing the leg, then pushed essence in as hard as he could. He held on as it screamed and shook the leg, and when it bashed him against the guards until the pain made him lose his grip.

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    He suffused himself with purity, surprised to note that other heat essence was gone, then he blocked a guard¡¯s strike, disarming it, taking the sword in his other hand and planting them both into it and shoving them aside so he could run out of the group and away from the Them as they stabbed at dodging guards.

    He needed to take in what he had left before he found out if what he¡¯d done worked. His reserve was well below half, and hopefully that much corruption was enough to end the Them; if what he¡¯d planned was possible. He let out a breath, suffused himself with earth essence, and ran through the guards while they were mostly focused on the Them. He used one of them as a step to launch himself up, letting go of the swords and channeling life essence.

    The them reacted faster than Tibs expected and the pain was intense as the limb skewered him.

    ¡°You are mine!¡± they screeched gleefully, and slammed the limb down into the ground, pushing Tibs higher on it.

    He ignored the pain and fought the desire to suffuse himself with purity. Not how he¡¯d planned for it, but it was physical contact. He could sense the corruption tainting the Them¡¯s essence. The way his had been when Bardik had doused him with it.

    It pulled at his essence, but Tibs didn¡¯t allow it. He wrapped his will around their essence, glared at the Them, and pulled back.

    ¡°Leave him alone!¡± Serba yelled, and dogs jumped on the Them as Tibs senses how the corruption was being left behind. He ignored her; focussed on fighting the Them¡¯s will as they attempted to stop it, but just like they didn¡¯t know how to fight, they didn¡¯t seem to know how to defend themselves against being drained.

    There should be a point where there would be too much corruption left behind for it to be able to fight. And then it would.

    The impact nearly broke his focus, and Serba¡¯s pained scream from it didn¡¯t help.

    ¡°Yours,¡± The Them hissed. ¡°It is yours.¡± It was realizing what Tibs was doing. It shook the limb violently, but he was too far along it to be easily dislodged, and he was grabbing on, too. Then it was bashing him against the guards again, and he ignored the pain. He didn¡¯t have to drain it completely, just enough for there to be more corruption than anything else, and he had space left in his reserve. He wasn¡¯t letting go until¡ª

    Stars filled his sight, then he bounced on the ground without sense of the Them. He forced his eyes open and watched the Them stumble away, their body a dark purple. It was done. It was just a question of time.

    And Tibs not dying at the approaching guard¡¯s swords.

    He suffused himself with purity and stood. He could do that. There were only three guards left from fighting the Them. He¡¯d defeat the guards while it died. It couldn¡¯t pull in life essence since it was away from the remaining guards, and they wouldn¡¯t be there for long.

    He suffused himself with earth and blocked the strike. He punched its head off and grabbed the sword before it crumbled away, parrying the other¡¯s attack and kicked it away so he could¡ª

    Serba¡¯s scream froze him. The sword burned as he went in¡ªfire¡ªand he cut the head off, turning. The Them stood over her, looking at him smirk¡ª

    The punch staggered him, and he glared at the guard. He didn¡¯t have time for this. With a scream, he kicked them and they flew, exploding into rubble when they hit the wall.

    He suffused himself with Purity as he ran.

    ¡°You will not save it,¡± the Them said with delight. It had two talons into Serba¡¯s chest.

    How had he been such an idiot as to forget there was one place the Them could get life essence? He looked at the dead dogs. More than one. Those still alive kept away. ¡°I promised to take all that is yours, and I will start with it. Then you will watch as I end this dungeon, and all the things you¡ª¡±

    Tibs threw himself at it, suffused with earth, as it gleefully threatened the things he cared about again. Fire fueled his anger. Anger at them for the pain they caused. At Tibs, for the part he¡¯d played in bringing them here. He¡¯d pushed and cajoled Sto into breaking rules. He¡¯d been the one to explain how Sto could help the town. He had brought Serba into the dungeon.

    He sliced with the guard¡¯s sword, its dungeon made metal with earth strength behind it, cutting off one of the Them¡¯s libs as it tried to strike him. Tibs cut another, and it staggered away; away from Serba. Tibs attacked relentlessly, ignoring the hit the Them scored, other than to prevent them from pulling at his essence.

    ¡°Sto is my friend,¡± Tibs snarled. He cut it some more, the corruption filled body offering less resistance than it had before. ¡°Serba is my friend!¡± More libs fell off, and its retreat became a fearful crawl. ¡°Kragle Rock is my town!¡± Piece of its torso fell away under the strikes now. ¡°No one threatens them. Do you hear me?¡± he glared down into the terror fill orbs that looked up at him, unable to escape anymore. ¡°No one!¡±

    He sliced between them, separating them from each other, and, panting from rage and exhaustion, Tibs stepped back, watching for what the Them would do.

    What they did was lie there, unmoving, until he was a dozen steps away. Then they melted into the ground, absorbed by the dungeon the way Sto ate everything that died within his walls.

    He dropped the sword as he ran to Serba¡¯s side. He pulled the part of the Them¡¯s leg that was still in her stomach and threw it away. Blood flood freely and he tried to make a weave.

    ¡°Ganny! Drop the wall!¡± He had to get her out of the trap. He needed essence if he was going to save her. He¡¯d never taken the time to work out how to make a weave inside a person. Why hadn¡¯t he learned how to do that? ¡°Ganny!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re alive,¡± Serba said, smiling.

    ¡°You too.¡± He took her hand and touched the ring. It was working, adding life to hers, but not fast enough to balance what she was losing to the injuries. Not only the blood she was losing. He sensed fragments of the Them inside her leeching at her essence. Continuing to do what the Them did even if they were dead.

    ¡°Gan¡ª¡±

    The rumble of the wall coming down stopped his call. He picked Serba up, forcing himself to ignore her pain. She barely weighed anything with him suffused with earth. The remaining dogs followed at a distance, as if afraid of what he or Serba would do because they hadn¡¯t been able to keep her safe.

    As soon as he could sense what was around him, he made a weave of purity and applied it to her injuries. Serba looked in wonder as the wounds closed.

    ¡°You¡¯re a cleric too?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a rogue.¡± It wasn¡¯t enough. She no longer lost life essence to the wounds, but those fragments were still¡­were they growing?

    He laid her down, and the dogs whined. He senses the seven of them. They were normal dogs. The dungeon made one hadn¡¯t known to be afraid of the Them.

    ¡°Get here, you bunch of wonderful cowards,¡± she weakly called to them, and laid around her, heads on her body.

    Tibs made a knife with metal.

    ¡°What is that for?¡± she asked without trace of fear in her voice.

    ¡°There¡¯s pieces of the Them in you. I have to take them out before they kill you.¡± Or regrow the abyss thing.

    She chuckled. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just magic them away?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t¡ª¡± could he?

    Fire would burn them, purity would erase them. Lightning would blast them away.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to do that without killing you at the same time.¡± He raised the blade. ¡°This is the kind of magic I know how to use. The edge is sharp and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Do it.¡±

    He stared at her in surprise.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re not going to do anything more than you have to. You¡¯re not doing this to hurt me.¡±

    ¡°You know it¡¯s not why I¡¯m doing it?¡± He knew it, but from what Jackal said about her. She didn¡¯t trust anyone.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t¡­¡± she searched his face. ¡°I haven¡¯t trusted my leaders ever. From my father to those I had to work for under him. Even my uncle, or Irdian. They¡¯ve always had their own agenda, and I was just a tool for them to make it happen. I only ever trusted my dogs. I trust you, Tibs. I get it now; why Jackal was willing to lead the team you¡¯re in. You got him to do the one thing he swore no one would ever get him to do. And you got me to trust you. You¡¯re something special.¡±

    If that meant he she¡¯d let him save her life, he wasn¡¯t arguing the point. ¡°This is going to hurt.¡±

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Ganny said as he touched the tip of the blade to the just healed injury.

    He raised it. She sounded scared. ¡°Ganny?¡±

    ¡°Tibs. Sto needs help.¡±

    ¡°Can it¡ª¡± he swallowed, sensing the pieces of the Them inside Serba. ¡°Can it wait?¡± her essence still seemed to be thinning.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Quiet despair. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Serba asked.

    ¡°Sto, the dungeon. They hurt him before coming after me, and Ganny doesn¡¯t know how to save him. But if I go, you¡¯ll¡ª¡±

    ¡°Can you save him?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Abyss, he hoped so.

    ¡°Then go. He¡¯s more important. I¡¯m just a¡ª¡±

    ¡°No. You¡¯re not just anything. You¡¯re my friend.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s your friend too, isn¡¯t he? It¡¯s better if he lives.¡±

    Tibs glared at her. He wasn¡¯t letting her die to go save Sto. He wasn¡¯t letting anyone die.

    He breathed.

    What was the problem here?

    She was losing essence to the fragments, and he didn¡¯t have time to take them out. The ring was made to fight an outside drain, not one from inside her. Which meant it couldn¡¯t provide it fast enough, and it couldn¡¯t refill itself.

    That one was simple to fix. He refilled that reserve.

    But her essence was still thinner than it should and not getting better.

    Didn¡¯t that mean her reserve was low? Wasn¡¯t it how it was with people without essence? Their body was the reserve? So all he needed to do was refill that. Only he knew how difficult it was. How easy it was to cause damage instead.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how this is going to feel,¡± he told her, breathing his fear for Sto aside. He couldn¡¯t rush this.

    He made a splint of his essence around her as a container, then he let gossamer threads fall over Serba and through her, for the splint to gather and bath her in. He didn¡¯t push anything; it let her float in it.

    He sensed his essence drift into her, into her essence, becoming hers until it was its usual faintness. He wanted to do more, to leave the splint in place, but he needed to be close by to maintain it.

    This had to be enough.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± he said, absorbing the splint. ¡°I¡¯ll be back as fast as I can.¡±

    Then he ran.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 111

    Tibs hurried down the stairs, pulling his sense tightly against him to keep from sensing what was ahead. He still shivered as he ran past the door to the room that¡­. He still didn¡¯t know what had happened to it, and unless things had changed, neither did Sto.

    ¡°This way,¡± Ganny called, ahead of him, but Tibs had to stop before running into the wall.

    He placed a hand against the stone. ¡°Ganny?¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± she said, then was silent. Tibs stepped back at the rumbling that preceded the wall opening. ¡°I forget you can¡¯t just move about.¡±

    He slipped in as soon as the gap was wide enough and came to a stop.

    The room wasn¡¯t what he¡¯d expected, he realized, as he looked at the uneven walls broken by someone¡¯s¡ªthe Them¡ªtalons raking through them, shattering the crystalline¡­roots? that ran over them and to an uneven hole in the back wall. He forced the questions and attention away from the damage and looked for Sto among the stone and crystal rubble.

    He cursed. Of course, he couldn¡¯t find him. Sto wasn¡¯t a person the way Tibs was. There wouldn¡¯t be an injured body for him to recognize.

    ¡°Ganny? Where is he?¡± He looked for something out of place, extending his sense. He couldn¡¯t sense a person, but he should be able to feel someone different from everything else. Only the miasma was so dense here all Tibs got from the attempt was a headache.

    ¡°Here,¡± she whispered, ahead and to his left as he gave up on sensing. ¡°Under here,¡± she said, when Tibs stood before a pile of rubble.

    He carefully moved the stone and crystal chunks out until he crouched next to¡­another crystal. Or at least it was the best approximation his mind came up with.

    Sto was the size of Tibs¡¯s palms side by side, ovoid, but with the cracked surface faceted; like precious gems, so the light broke apart as it shone through it. He was translucent, like milk mixed with water, and streaked with colors that pulsed faintly.

    Elements, he realized. Sto was a gem, with all the elements coursing through him.

    What had Bardik said? The core of a dungeon was what he had to destroy so the dungeon would die. Sto was that core. And Tibs was watching him die. Those cracks had to result from what the Them had done to him.

    ¡°What do I do?¡± he asked, his voice catching in his throat.

    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± Ganny sounded about to cry. ¡°Tibs, I don¡¯t know what to do to help him. This isn¡¯t something I¡¯ve ever been told could happen.¡±

    ¡°What did you do when Bardik hurt him?¡±

    She didn¡¯t answer.

    ¡°Ganny, I need something if¡ª¡±

    ¡°Nothing! I didn¡¯t know what to do then, either. What that person did with throwing the corruption around hurt Sto in a different way. It all hurt and was being consumed. Sto¡¯s the entire dungeon, Tibs. Hurting any of that hurts Sto. But the Them¡­.Then went for the core of who Sto is. They ripped the connections out before¡­¡±

    That jagged hole all the roots went to. It was what they¡¯d ripped Sto out of. Out of where he belonged.

    As carefully as he could, Tibs picked up his friend, surprised at how light he was. He was no heavier than the gem Tibs had compared him to. There should be more weight to who he was. Sto was more than what he held; he was the dungeon.

    With him in the palm of his hands, Tibs sensed the elements that made Sto¡¯s core. They didn¡¯t mix the way liquids dumped in a barrel did. They moved within him, around something he couldn¡¯t quite make out, a with a shell of life essence. The essences slowly leaked through the cracks.

    ¡°Tibs?¡± Sto said, sounding so far away it scared Tibs.

    ¡°I¡¯m here. Everything¡¯s going to be okay. I¡¯m taking you back where you should be.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re wrong, you know.¡±

    ¡°About what?¡± So long as Sto talked, he was there and Tibs could help.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it for you.¡±

    ¡°Did what?¡± He studied the hole. ¡°Ganny, how do I¡­¡± He moved Sto within it. He forced himself to sense through the pain for a hint as to how Sto fit.

    ¡°Help Kragle Rock. Help your town¡­my town.¡±

    ¡°The¡­¡± She trailed off. ¡°Cradle¡¯s gone,¡± she whispered. ¡°They destroyed it, and Sto isn¡¯t strong enough to remake it.¡±

    ¡°Can you?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°You told me they needed help,¡± Sto said, seemingly unaware of the other conversation. ¡°So, I guess it is your fault, in a way.¡± He chuckled, then fell silent.

    ¡°I can¡¯t make anything, Tibs. I¡¯m not Sto.¡±

    ¡°Sto, Keep talking.¡± He¡¯d asked about the third floor, since Sto said she¡¯d made it, once his friend was safe. ¡°Ganny. What doe the cradle do?¡±

    ¡°You told me.¡± Sto sounded as if he¡¯d startled awake. ¡°But I did it because someone told me they needed help. Not because it was you.¡± He fells silent again, but spoke before Tibs prompted him. ¡°You told me how I could help. The others¡­They talked about the problems, but I didn¡¯t understand what it meant for the people who helped my Runners until you explained it to me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Sto,¡± she said, sounding exasperated. ¡°It¡¯s the dungeon. It¡¯s where Sto is. It¡¯s how it all works!¡± She let out a cry of anguish.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about rules that say I have to let my people suffer,¡± Sto said sharply. ¡°Runners come inside me to test themselves. Those outside shouldn¡¯t be tested like that. I¡¯ll break all the rules so I can help them. Do you hear me?¡± Tibs thought Sto tried to yell. ¡°Come back here and I¡¯ll show you what I can do to someone who threatens my town!¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s how he controls things? That¡¯s why the Them destroyed it? So he couldn¡¯t stop them from taking control?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s more than that. It¡¯s¡­Tibs, I don¡¯t know how to explain it! All of it. The dungeon. It¡¯s Sto the way your body is you. Sto¡¯s core is you the way¡­¡± She screamed.

    ¡°The way I¡¯m me. The things that make me think me.¡± He didn¡¯t think about it much. Carina had told him there were people researching what made them different from animals, but it was something Tibs hadn¡¯t cared about. He was. What else was there to it?

    ¡°My body protects me.¡± He chuckled. ¡°It cradles me.¡±

    Could he cradle Sto? The outer shell was mostly life essence. If he wrapped Sto in it, it would help, wouldn¡¯t it?

    He held Sto against his chest and poured life essence over him. Tibs was ready to give Sto everything if it meant he¡ª

    Sto screamed in pain. And Tibs stopped.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± Ganny demanded, as Sto¡¯s whimpering calmed.

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to save him.¡± Were the cracks larger?

    ¡°That was too much.¡±

    ¡°Then what¡¯s the right amount?¡± Tibs demanded, then breathed. She was just scared for Sto, as he was.

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°That hurt,¡± Sto sobbed.

    ¡°Ganny,¡± Tibs said when she didn¡¯t speak more, breathing his anger down. ¡°I know you don¡¯t know much about this, but I need you to do your best. You know Sto. You know more about all this than I do.¡±

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    ¡°Why am I being hurt for helping my friends?¡±

    ¡°Less,¡± she stated.

    ¡°How much less?¡±

    ¡°A lot, Tibs. I don¡¯t think you can do this. That element is so dense in you.¡±

    ¡°I can control how much essence I use.¡± He extended the thinnest strand of life essence he could. No more than a gossamer of it, and touched it to the outside of Sto. When Sto didn¡¯t react, other than the quiet sobbing that had accompanied his previous question, Tibs moved the strand to one of the cracks and filled it.

    Sto whimpered.

    ¡°It¡¯s not going to work,¡± Ganny whispered as Tibs pulled the essence back.

    ¡°I¡¯m not letting him die,¡± he replied through clenched teeth, wrapping Sto in that gossamer of essence. At least, that kept Sto¡¯s essences from leaking out.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll be able to do this until Sto has healed.¡±

    Tibs snorted. ¡°I don¡¯t have to stop. I have so much essence I can do this until I die.¡±

    ¡°When is that going to be? Don¡¯t you have to eat?¡±

    ¡°Purity will take care of that.¡±

    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t think that¡¯s how it works. But won¡¯t you have to stop what you¡¯re doing to suffuse yourself?¡±

    ¡°What do you want from me, Ganny?¡± he yelled. ¡°I¡¯m doing the best I can. I don¡¯t know everything. I¡¯ll use my bracers when I have to switch.¡± He could do that without much of an interruption.

    It¡¯d be fine.

    It had to be.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s going to be enough, Tibs. I think¡­what you¡¯re doing is helping, but Tibs¡­. I don¡¯t think you understand how long this is going to take. Sto doesn¡¯t¡­live the way people do. Time is¡ª¡±

    Tibs chuckled. ¡°I know. Sto doesn¡¯t get the concept.¡±

    ¡°It goes deeper than that. Dungeons exist for periods of time even I can¡¯t imagine. If they lived with time, the way people did, they would go mad. There¡¯s just too much of it.¡±

    ¡°What do you want me to do, Ganny?¡± he asked softly, scared of her answer.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. This, but so you aren¡¯t going to die doing it.¡±

    This.

    He chuckled at the absurdity of what she wanted.

    He was weaving strands of life essence so thin he couldn¡¯t perceive them within the dense miasma of the room. He doubted he¡¯d be able to sense much more of them outside of it, or even out of the dungeon. A moment of distraction within a crowd and he¡¯d lose track of it among that of the people around¡ª

    His head snapped up, looking at where Ganny¡¯s voice came from as the realization hit.

    ¡°What?¡± she asked, alarmed.

    ¡°Can I take him out of this room, Ganny?¡± What he had wrapped around Sto was no more than what flowed through the townsfolk. ¡°I think I know how to save him.¡± But it wasn¡¯t only people who had such thin essence.

    Her answer was filled with hesitation. ¡°Yes.¡±

    Tibs ran

    * * * * *

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Ganny called again. ¡°What are you going to do?¡±

    And again he ignored her, clutching Sto against his chest and trying not to jostle him. He saw Serba in the distance, still lying on the ground, her dogs around her.

    One raised its head, then was on its feet before her. The others joined it.

    That could be a problem. He was without jerky.

    Serba turned her head, then let out whistle that caused the dogs to sit, but they kept watching him as he reached her.

    ¡°Did you save him?¡± She asked tiredly.

    ¡°It¡¯s still in progress.¡± Her essence was faint, and now he was sure the pieces of the Them in here were larger, but he couldn¡¯t sense it diminishing, so he had time. ¡°I need one of your dogs.¡±

    How was he going to do this?

    ¡°Why?¡± she demanded, and the dogs growled in response to the tone of her voice.

    ¡°Good,¡± Ganny said in exasperation. ¡°How about you explain your plan to her, since you aren¡¯t explaining it to me?¡±

    ¡°The Them broke Sto¡¯s body. Don¡¯t think too much about it,¡± he added as her eyes dropped to what had to look like the largest gem she¡¯d ever seen. ¡°The words are never right when talking about this stuff. It¡¯s like the elements never meant for us to talk about it,¡± he said, annoyed. ¡°So we have to use the best ones we can think of. But this is his body, just like the dungeon is his body too, just differently. Don¡¯t think about it,¡± he said as she opened her mouth. ¡°Because it¡¯s broken, the essences that make him are leaking out. I tried to help him, but I have too much life essence and it¡¯s like¡­¡± he cursed. Words. Why weren¡¯t there any easy words to explain this with?

    ¡°Like when you move your hand too close to the fire,¡± Serba said. ¡°The comforting heat becomes too much, and it burns you.¡±

    ¡°Yes! So Sto needs something so soft, I can¡¯t do it for the kind of time he needs to heal. But people, and dogs, barely have any. And that¡¯s exactly what Sto needs right now.¡± He made a knife with metal and looked the dogs over. Was a larger one better or¡ª

    ¡°No.¡± Serba grabbed his wrist. ¡°You aren¡¯t hurting one of my dogs.¡±

    ¡°I have to. Sto¡¯s going to die otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Then use me.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± He replied, disgusted at the idea. ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡±

    ¡°Last I checked, I¡¯m people. You said I¡¯m like my dogs that way.¡± She smirked as if the comparison was a badge of honor.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to have to put him inside.¡± He moved his arm, so she had better view. Maybe she hadn¡¯t realized how much of Sto there was. ¡°It¡¯s going to hurt. It might¡ª¡± he looked around ¡°Ganny? What would it do to her?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Tibs,¡± she said eventually. ¡°If this had ever been done, I¡¯ve never heard about it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not taking the chance.¡± He pulled his arm out of her grip, but she grabbed it again.

    ¡°I want to help you save him,¡± she told him, tone firm. ¡°But I¡¯m not letting you do that at the expense of one of my dogs. They¡¯ve done nothing to deserve that.¡±

    ¡°And you have?¡±

    She laughed, then coughed. ¡°Tibs. I¡¯m Wells. Do you have any idea what¡¯s the best thing I¡¯ve ever done with my life? Other than look after my dogs?¡±

    He hesitated, then shook his head.

    ¡°Decide you were a leader worth following. That¡¯s it, Tibs. My life is a waste of me hurting people because it¡¯s what I was told to do by someone I followed. I wasn¡¯t even trying to find something better, like Jackie did, until you bribed your way into my dogs. They were all that mattered. The rest of the world I¡¯d have watched burn.¡±

    ¡°You might not survive, Serba. I mean. Sto¡¯s all this. And I don¡¯t know what that¡¯s going to do to the you that¡¯s you. Your dogs, they¡ª¡±

    ¡°Matter fucking lot more than I do, Tibs.¡± She tightened her grip on his wrist. ¡°The me you talk about? That you say might stop being me? Well, that isn¡¯t someone the city¡¯s going to miss.¡± She motioned around. ¡°This? Without this dungeon, Kragle Rock dies. A dungeon city needs a dungeon, Tibs. It doesn¡¯t need a Wells.¡±

    ¡°I¡ª¡± he swallowed as she moved his hand.

    When the point was over her heart, she looked at him. ¡°I¡¯m asking you to let me do one thing that will matter to more than me or my dogs, Tibs. I¡¯ve never wanted to be a good person until now. This is the only chance I get.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± He wiped at his eyes. ¡°But I have to do some things first. Those pieces of the Them are leeching your essence away. I have to take them out.¡± He considered Sto. The gossamer essence he maintained around him, and how much attention he needed to make sure it didn¡¯t change. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to do anything for the pain.¡±

    She chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Pain is something I¡¯m used to.¡±

    All he saw on her face was determination. ¡°I need you to hold him. I¡¯m going to need both my hands.¡± He offered her Sto.

    She hesitated, then gingerly took him. ¡°It¡¯s warm,¡± she said, surprised.

    Tibs nodded, breathed his nervousness away, then proceeded to cut into her stomach.

    The loudest sounds she made were groans as he worked. The dog she clung to was louder in its complaint than she was. He went slowly. Faster would only create problems, even if he could sense where the delicate areas inside her were. When he found a fragment of the Them, he extracted it and flung it as far as he could. Hopefully Sto absorbed them and it would help him heal. If not, Tibs would make sure they were destroyed.

    He worked long enough that the dogs replaced each other when one pulled out of Serba¡¯s crushing hug. Her clothing clung to her with sweat once he threw the last piece away.

    He looked at the gaping wound he¡¯d made, and the blood covering Serba¡¯s stomach. He was exhausted, but he wasn¡¯t done. He still had to¡­ ¡°Ganny, how do I¡­¡±

    ¡°I have no idea,¡± she replied with a nervous laugh.

    No, she wouldn¡¯t.

    ¡°What do you need?¡± Serba whispered. She was pale.

    ¡°That¡¯s the problem. We don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°You said his body¡¯s broken. Well, since you opened up mine, you might as well put him in and see what happens.¡± She offered him Sto.

    ¡°Serba, are you¡ª¡±

    ¡°You think I¡¯m going to survive this?¡± Anger gave her voice strength.

    ¡°I can heal you.¡±

    ¡°Then heal him, Tibs. He¡¯s why you did it. Not to save me. I¡¯m not¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say you aren¡¯t worth saving,¡± Tibs snapped, tears falling.

    ¡°I¡¯m a Wells, Tibs. We aren¡¯t good people.¡±

    ¡°Jackal¡ª¡±

    She snorted. ¡°He¡¯s got you and that man of his.¡±

    ¡°You have me too. And you can¡ª¡±

    With a scream that sounded furious to Tibs, she let go of her dog, took Sto in both hands, and before Tibs could stop her, shoved him into her opened stomach. ¡°There,¡± she said, falling back. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it anymore.¡± She panted, chuckled, then arched her back and screamed again, her voice filled with pain this time.

    ¡°Ganny!¡± he tried to hold her down as she trashed, and through the contact, sensed essence spreading out of Sto and into her. All the colors.

    ¡°Heal her!¡± Ganny yelled. ¡°Before the core is pushed out.¡±

    Tibs wove purity and applied it to the wound, moving a hand over it to keep Sto from coming out. Serba didn¡¯t make it easy on him, as if she suddenly had more strength and was trying to escape him.

    The dogs whined. One licked her face.

    A spasm sent her knee in his face and he ignored his bleeding nose as he hurried back to hold Sto in, but there was no trace of the injury under the blood.

    As he healed himself, Serba stilled. She breathed, and essence moved within her, so she was still alive.

    ¡°Did it work?¡±

    ¡°It did¡­¡± Tibs sensed it as Ganny finished. ¡°Something.¡±

    He was up and away from Serba as essence in the ground rushed toward her. He called the dogs to him, but they clung to her unmoving body. He felt bad for not being as brave as they were, but unlike them, he knew something was about to happen, even if he had no idea what it was.

    The essence flooded into Serba. More than a person should be able to stand. More than Tibs expected he could survive. It was so dense, the only word that came close to fitting was ¡®solid¡¯. It moved within her and around Sto. When they stilled, none of the colors tainted her now much denser life essence, the way corruption had done with him. They wove around all the channels, filling any space that wasn¡¯t occupied by the life essence.

    ¡°Tibs!¡± Jackal called, and he spun to watch his friend running, panting hard. ¡°Abyss, there you are! You have to hide. They¡¯re coming for you!¡± he stopped and put his hands on his knees.

    Before Tibs could ask what Jackal was talking about, Serba sat up with a gasp, and Jackal startled.

    ¡°Serba?¡± he demanded, taking a step back on noticing the dogs.

    ¡°Sto?¡± Tibs asked.

    She looked at him with eyes filled with a myriad of colors, then at Jackal.

    ¡°Yes,¡± she said, then seemed surprised by the word.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 112

    Jackal stepped back with a surprised curse when the dogs growled at him. Serba let out a series of whistles, and the dogs¡¯ ears straightened, a few ending their growling.

    ¡°I said settle down!¡± she snapped, and they all had their rump on the ground, three still glaring at the fighter while the other four looked at Serba. Tibs laughed at the disbelieving expression on their face, which mirrored Jackal¡¯s.

    ¡°Serba?¡± The fighter asked cautiously. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she replied dismissively. ¡°It¡¯s too tight, and too hot and too¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°How do you deal with all this?¡±

    ¡°Sto?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°Of course,¡± she replied. ¡°Who else would I be?¡±

    ¡°Serba, what happened to you?¡± Jackal motioned to her cut and bloody armor.

    She looked down and tentatively touched the healed injury, almost fearfully. ¡°They hurt me,¡± she said, her voice growing distant. ¡°I tried to fight them, but I couldn¡¯t bring anything to protect me. It hurt.¡± She looked at Tibs. ¡°It hurt so much. More than what Bardik did. It hurt me¡­¡± She searched for words, then tapped her chest. ¡°Here. I didn¡¯t know if you¡¯d heard me. They broke me. I was losing¡ª¡±

    ¡°What are you¡ª¡±

    She spoke over Jackal as if she didn¡¯t hear him. ¡°Then we were here, running and fighting.¡± Her expression darkened. ¡°You had the gall to tell me to stay out of the fight, and I thought you were just going to let that thing kill you.¡± She chuckled. ¡°But it was just you being clever, as usual. I¡¯d have never thought to lure them where there was no essence. I ran after you because I wasn¡¯t going to let my first worthy leader just go to his death. I didn¡¯t know what to do when the wall came up, then that thing stabbed you, so I sent my dogs to help, but all it did was make it notice me and¡­¡±

    She touched her stomach again, thoughtfully this time. ¡°You were helping, then you had to go. Then you were holding me and I knew I¡¯d be okay. I hurt, then you were being stupid and telling me my dogs were worth less than I was, so I took matter in my hands and did I didn¡¯t let my one chance to do something good pass. What did it matter if I wasn¡¯t going to be me after. It¡¯s not like I¡­¡± she looked at Tibs and Jackal. ¡°Wait. How am I still me?¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re Sto,¡± Tibs said, trying to breathe his worry down.

    ¡°Of course.¡± She grinned. ¡°Stone Mountain Crevice. That¡¯s me.¡±

    ¡°So¡­¡± Jackal eyed the dogs. ¡°You aren¡¯t Serba?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be an idiot, Jackie. Of course I¡¯m your sister.¡± She paused. ¡°Okay, that is odd.¡±

    ¡°Both Sto and Serba are in you?¡± Tibs tried.

    ¡°Which one is in control?¡± Jackal asked, hope and fear in his voice.

    ¡°That¡¯s not how this works.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°Why did I do that? How come I don¡¯t have to think about everything I do? Why does it just happen? Ganny? How does any of this work?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea,¡± she replied with a laugh.

    Serba looked up, then around. ¡°Where are you?¡±

    ¡°Right here,¡± Ganny replied, her voice cracking with worry. ¡°Can¡¯t you see me?¡±

    Serba rubbed her face, and the elements shifted inside her. Tibs tried to make sense of how they moved as she stared at her hand in surprise, turning it over. He¡¯d thought some would move where he figured the node of sight was, but none concentrated in that area. She looked around again, then stopped on her left. ¡°There you are,¡± she said, relieved. ¡°This is going to take some getting used to.¡±

    ¡°Okay, what in the abyss is going on?¡± Jackal asked.

    ¡°I told you,¡± Serba said, sounding annoyed. ¡°I was¡ª¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal cut her off. ¡°Tibs, you tell me what¡¯s going on with my¡­sister. And keep it short, you don¡¯t have that much time. They were gathering when I made it inside the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°The Them attacked Sto because he help against Sebastian, and against the sickness, which turned out to be the Them causing it. Dungeons aren¡¯t supposed to help. There¡¯s some people who¡ª¡±

    ¡°Simple, Tibs. No time.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°He called out for help, and I came. Because of the dogs on this floor, I convinced Serba to help by implying she was more important than you are. Sorry.¡±

    The two of them rolled their eyes in an almost identical manner. Then she was surprised by the action again.

    ¡°We got in and fought the golem guards. She took control of the dogs because Sto make them¡ªright, no time. You¡¯ll have to explain why that is. We made it to the city hall, but the Them was waiting. I tricked them into the trap that takes away essence, then I fought them, using the guards since they were attaching them too. But before I won, they realized Serba was there and attacked her to hurt me. I killed them, tried to heal her, but Sto was dying. She told me to go help him. I tried, but I have too much essence. I thought one of the dogs would work to hold Sto while he healed.¡±

    Serba snorted, then froze in surprise again.

    ¡°But she wouldn¡¯t let me. She told me a lot of bull about not being important, and that she only had this chance to be good. I wasn¡¯t going to let her do¡ª¡±

    ¡°I shoved me into me,¡± Serba said, then frowned. ¡°Did that sound odd to any of you?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Jackal and Ganny said.

    ¡°And here we are,¡± Serba continued, grinning. ¡°Whatever I am.¡± She looked at Ganny.

    ¡°You¡¯re alive,¡± Tibs said. ¡°That¡¯s the important thing. What about the part of you that¡¯s¡­you.¡±

    She closed her eyes. ¡°That¡¯s still broken, but nothing¡¯s escaping past¡­¡± she motioned to herself.

    ¡°Your body,¡± Tibs offered.

    She nodded. ¡°And you really don¡¯t have to do anything to make the sounds come out? I had all the parts in the golems there, but I could never get them to do anything. How do you not have to control any of this?¡±

    ¡°Sto,¡± Ganny asked. ¡°How about the rest of you? Are you¡­is it still¡­¡±

    Something rumbled in the distance. When it stopped, Serba was panting. ¡°It¡¯s hard, but it¡¯s still there.¡±

    ¡°Maybe once you have rested?¡± Ganny offered.

    ¡°Okay. This is weird and all,¡± Jackal said. ¡°But Tibs has to hide. The entire guild is on its way to wring his neck.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Serba said, getting to her feet. Then she looked at her stance in surprise. Tibs saw the effort it took for her not to comment on it. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°They claim he tried to kill some important guy. The one checking on the guild leader. To see if she was doing her job or something like that.¡±

    ¡°Tried to kill him?¡± Tibs asked, worried.

    ¡°I know. I have no idea where they got the idea, but then this old cleric, who looked like he¡¯d just been visited by his element, said you¡¯d gone into the dungeon and I took off while the commander was putting his people together. When I shoved my way past the guards at the door, I could see the mass of them leaving the city. Hopefully, they don¡¯t know you the way I do and they¡¯ll go through the other floors before making it¡ª¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re on this floor,¡± Serba said, alarmed. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can stop them. It¡¯s hard to feel right now.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± He¡¯d failed. There hadn¡¯t been enough corruption to finish the job. ¡°You and Jackal hide. I did this, so I¡¯ll deal with them.¡±

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    Jackal stared at him. ¡°That¡¯s what you were working on? Abyss, why didn¡¯t tell me? Let me help?¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯d want to help. This isn¡¯t like kicking in a door. I thought¡­¡± He breathed the worries down. ¡°You aren¡¯t paying for me failing. Sto, you can hide him, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take him to the cradle,¡± Serba said. ¡°Once it¡¯s sealed, no one will find him.¡±

    ¡°Then you two go and I¡¯ll¡ª¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Jackal crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°I am not letting you face them alone. We¡¯re a team, Tibs. We work¡ª¡±

    ¡°You have Kroseph.¡±

    ¡°You think that you getting killed isn¡¯t going to hurt him?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not his man. You made him a promise.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re my¡ª¡±

    Serba¡¯s shrill whistle silence him. He glared at his sister as she whistled again, and the dogs took position around Jackal.

    ¡°Tibs gave an order, Jackie.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t call me that,¡± Jackal replied. ¡°You know I hate it.¡± She grinned, and Jackal turned to stone. ¡°You really think you can force me to abandon Tibs?¡±

    More whistles. When she took a step back, the dogs took one to follow, the four that found themselves behind the fighter closer to him by that step.

    ¡°I¡¯m made of stone,¡± he said. ¡°Your dogs can¡¯t do anything to me.¡±

    Another step back and a whistle. Jackal looked over his shoulder, worried, as the dogs approached. ¡°Tibs. Tell my¡­sister to stop this.¡±

    ¡°You go do what you have to,¡± Serba said. ¡°I¡¯ll keep Jackal safe for you.¡±

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal snapped. ¡°Don¡¯t you even think of leaving me here with those.¡± He motioned to the dogs.

    A different whistle, and a dog lunged to snap at Jackal¡¯s heels. The fighter jumped away, and toward where Serba was backing. He glared at her as she took another step.

    Tibs took off toward the stairs and ignored Jackal¡¯s angry calls and threats.

    This was so him and Sto would be safe. Or was it Serba now? It was going to be confusing for a while, but they¡¯d figure it out. Once he had handled Irdian and those he¡¯d brought, Tibs would help.

    Tibs nearly ran at the group of adventurers, confusing them for some of the golem people Sto had made and that the Them had let loose. It was only when they entered his sense he realized the mistake, and by then, they had noticed him. The archer¡¯s arrow exploded behind Tibs as he ran into an adjacent alley. Instead of fire blooming, a weave extended in all directions, snagging his leg, and caused him to fall.

    A net, he realized as his initial attempt to keep it off cause the weave to move higher on his leg. He doused it in corruption and absorbed it back as he ran off again. No point in leaving evidence of how he¡¯d broken free. He jumped to the roofs and lined himself with the stairs. Let them search the alleys and wonder where¡ª

    Adventurers leaped on and over the roofs, chasing him. One stayed in the air, catching up to him.

    Tibs ground his teeth. That was his trick.

    He almost suffused himself with Air to show what he could do with it, but realized the world of trouble that would get him into. Them realizing he had more than one element would just make them work harder to catch him. And Tibs had no plan on getting caught.

    Which meant he needed to escape these adventurers while only openly using water.

    He smiled.

    This should be interesting. Time to see what they¡¯d forgotten about being a Runner.

    He jumped chimneys, leaped over gaps between buildings¡ªand saw the people in the alleys keeping up with him. Fire exploded between buildings as he readied to leap, and he coated himself with ice before passing through. There was nothing left of it by the time he landed on the other roof, not even water to wet him, and he had to suffuse himself with purity to chase the pain the fire caused him away.

    They definitely had strength. The best thing he could do was make sure not to confront them direct¡ª

    The roof exploded out from under him, throwing him in the air. He fought the urge to channel air, sending water ahead of his fall instead, icing the channel to slide along and directing it so¡ª

    It shattered as he landed into it and he continued to fall. The theft of his element had been so abrupt he hadn¡¯t immediately understood what had happened, but when he sent water ahead of him again, he was ready for the adventurer, pushing back against the Arcanus they were trying to force within his essence.

    He fell into the water channel, but it hadn¡¯t iced as he had willed it, so he passed through, with the street approaching too fast for anything fancy. Water and immediately after that Air, arranged to create cold, and Tibs crashed into the mound of snow, then was running again, his steps uncertain until purity cleared his head.

    He made a turn, then darkness fell over him. By the time he wondered how it was he couldn¡¯t see through it, he¡¯d dropped to his knees in exhaustion. He tried to think. There had to be an element he could use, but his mind was muddled, as if he¡¯d been training hard for the entire day, and then looked at his ledger. He should know how it all worked, but he just couldn¡¯t get his mind to piece things together.

    He fell to his side.

    What he needed was sleep. Rebuild his strength and he¡¯d be able to keep going after that.

    ¡°I have him subdued,¡± a woman called. Her voice pierced through the fog in Tibs¡¯s mind with a warning of danger and the need to be refreshed now.

    He suffused himself with purity as the darkness went away, and he planted ice swords into the person standing over him; then he was running again.

    ¡°Catch him!¡± a man yelled, and Tibs sensed the etching form where he¡¯d come from. He couldn¡¯t tell the element, but he threw himself aside as soon as it was released. He was back to his feet as they cursed. He turned into an alley as more etchings were thrown at him. Elements he knew and others he didn¡¯t. Assembly of lines and Arcanus so complex even those made of element he could sense were beyond his comprehension.

    He dodged them, threw water where he thought it would help, hardened himself when all he could think of doing was surviving the impact. Which he did.

    He thought that as hard as they were trying; they weren¡¯t aiming to kill him.

    He suffused himself with earth as the bundle of unknown essence registered through all the other etchings too late for him to do anything else. It struck him in the back and clung to him. He tried to will it away, but the adventurer was stronger than he was. Still, it was a solid etching, so he could¡ª

    Instead of pulling it off, reaching over his shoulder and grabbing it stretched the etching like it was made of the taffy he¡¯d watched a candy crafter make at a caravan booth many visits before. But unlike that, this was also sticking, coating his hand, instead of being flung away when he tried to get rid of it. And now what was on his back was oozing down.

    Blasting it with water didn¡¯t help, the water just¡­Tibs had no idea what had happened to it as it made contact, but the oozing etching remained. He put corruption between the etching and his clothing, and instead of eating away at it, the corruption flared out of his control, eating at his clothing.

    Using metal to cut it off sent that essence expanding in all directions. What was this element?

    And it was getting heavier as it coated his legs. As if he had to force his way through the air. Air sent some of it flying off, making people around him exclaim in surprise, and making him realize they were catching up to him.

    Then his foot caught on something, and instead of quickly adjusting and keeping his balance, Tibs¡¯s legs dragged, slowed by the etching, and he fell forward. The etching also kept him from putting his arms before him to cushion the impact, but the ground was earth, so it didn¡¯t hurt. As he pushed himself to his knees, the etching pulled him down, sticking to the ground.

    ¡°Got to admire his determination,¡± a man said to Tibs¡¯s side.

    ¡°I admire nothing from a would be assassin who uses what we taught him against us,¡± a woman spat.

    He saw the kick out of the corner of his eyes. Leather boots instead of metal. Before he thought better, he suffused himself with earth, and immediately let go after she hit and cursed, bouncing on a foot to others¡¯ laughter.

    Had his skin changed color? Had they noticed? He couldn¡¯t use earth again, not with¡ª

    He looked at the ground, the packed earth that made it. He knew how to escape.

    He softened it until his weight pulled him through it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± another woman said, when Tibs was almost all the way in, his face raised with his mouth in the ground. He stopped falling. ¡°I have no idea how you¡¯re doing that, but earth is mine.¡± He pushed his will against the essence that was holding the ground solid. ¡°At least, now we know you¡¯re not going anything.¡±

    All Tibs saw were booted feet move around him. There had to be something he could do to escape.

    ¡°Are you taking that off?¡± an older sounding man asked.

    ¡°After he shrugged off Kirian¡¯s drain and stabbed her?¡± a younger one replied. ¡°That¡¯s staying on him until the Commander¡¯s here to take him.¡±

    ¡°I say we save everyone the trouble and kill him,¡± someone spat.

    ¡°That isn¡¯t how we do thing,¡± a woman replied.

    ¡°He fucking tried to kill Marger!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t thought about doing it a time or two,¡± someone else replied. ¡°He¡¯s grown so full of himself it¡¯s like last decade he wasn¡¯t graduating to Epsilon with us.¡±

    ¡°He has earned the position,¡± the older man said.

    ¡°Would it kill him to remember where he came from?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d say that it almost did,¡± Irdian said. ¡°And you can think of doing whatever you want to whomever you want, Seros. It¡¯s once you act on it that you become my responsibility.¡±

    Scoffed metal boots stopped before Tibs and the man crouched. ¡°I knew you were trouble, Light-Fingers. You and your machinations and your rackets so you¡¯d run this city. You think you¡¯re the first we¡¯ve taken from the cells to waste the opportunity we gave them trying to carve themselves a little kingdom for them to rule as they see fit?¡±

    Tibs mouth was under the street, so all he could do was glare at those boots. He wasn¡¯t the one ¡®ruling as they saw fit¡¯.

    ¡°I will give you this much. I¡¯ve never heard of one of you so brazen as to try to kill a supervisor before. I guess you can take comfort in that, I suppose. While you rot within Despair.¡± Metal essence wrapped around Tibs. ¡°I have him.¡±

    Tibs fought against the metal as soon as the earth loosened, physically and with his will, but nothing happened.

    He lifted and was positioned until he and Irdian were eyes to eyes. ¡°Anything to say? To justify what you did?¡±

    ¡°I did what your guild force me to,¡± Tibs said through gritted teeth.

    ¡°I¡¯m curious what you¡¯ll tell the magistrates to support that,¡± the man said in a flat tone. ¡°If you¡¯re even given the chance.¡±

    Tibs glared, but stayed silent. His attention was on the essence holding him. The instant Irdian was distracted, Tibs would break his hold over it and run.

    ¡°What about the Runner the door guards mentioned?¡± Irdian asked.

    ¡°He must have gotten lost among the buildings,¡± someone replied. ¡°If his plan was to help his friend, it failed.¡±

    Tibs cursed. Of course, the guards would have recognized Jackal, and everyone knew they were on the same team.

    ¡°Zuk, you and Ambry stay at the stairs until the dungeon¡¯s about to close its door. If he survives that long, he¡¯d going to try to escape and he will save us the trouble of rounding him up with the rest of Light-Finger¡¯s teams. Or did you think I was going to give them a chance to destroy whatever evidence of your plan you left behind?¡±

    And because none of them had broken the Commander¡¯s precious rules, Tibs knew he¡¯d let them go.

    ¡°What if he doesn¡¯t show up?¡± a woman asked.

    ¡°Then he¡¯s already dead, or will be well before the dungeon opens its door again,¡± Irdian replied.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 113

    Having the trapped plaza to compare it to, Tibs found the cell wasn¡¯t particularly effective at keeping him from using his essence. The weave through the bars, floor, ceiling, and wall only acted to push on the essence. It resulted in etching being harder to hold in place while creating them, due to the added pressure, but raw essence was only a question of having more will than the weave could handle. Unfortunately, the weave became stronger the closer to the edge of the cell Tibs pushed the essence.

    Effectively, he could use essence within the cell, but not send anything through the bars at the four guards standing against the wall, watching him. Each had water as their element, by the color of their eyes, which was all Tibs had to go by; his sense couldn¡¯t cross the bars.

    All the weave affected, as far as Tibs had worked out over the two days he¡¯d been here¡ªgoing by how often he was fed and the guards changed¡ªwas ¡®unformed¡¯ essence. Once he made the essence into a tool, such as a lockpick made of ice, the weave ceased to affect it. But if he even took a step toward the door, all four guards took one too, and Tibs was confident that the weave only acted in one direction.

    He scratched at his neck again. The shirt and pants he¡¯d been given to wear when they took his clothing were roughly woven and irritating. He¡¯d seen other prisoners in the cells wearing them during his multiple previous stays, but he hadn¡¯t been considered enough of a threat to be forced into them until now, he figured.

    The guards had let him study the door¡¯s lock, so long as he didn¡¯t have a tool with him. A visual inspection told him little, and he couldn¡¯t sense anything of it. Still, so long as there were no extra weaves, Tibs expected he¡¯d be able to open it, given enough time.

    Which wouldn¡¯t happen with the guards¡¯ unwavering attention on him. So he¡¯d remained seated, eyes closed, pulling at the essence that naturally floated within the cell to add to his immense reserve, which had been left lower than he¡¯d expected; not even half full. He¡¯d used a lot against the Them, but he has also absorbed most of their essence at the end. He couldn¡¯t remember where all the essence had gone in the hectic events that followed his victory.

    Pulling the essences in revealed something else about how the weave worked, and why once they were formed, tools weren¡¯t affected. It didn¡¯t affect the essence themselves, but how his will interacted with them. It was why essences could flow on their own, but the moment he actively pulled on one to add to his reserve, the weave added the complication of pushing it in every direction.

    If, instead, he used his old trick of ¡®tilting the table¡¯, and let the essence flow toward him, it slowly came without obstruction. One method meant he had to maintain a constant effort of will, while the other was extremely slow.

    He endured the mounting headache, alleviated by the occasional suffusing with purity. The resulting increase was still barely noticeable by the time the unseen door leading to the cells holding the rest of the prisoners, the ¡®safe¡¯ ones, opened and closed. He didn¡¯t think it was time for food, so maybe now was when they were going to take him to his punishment.

    He channeled water again and opened his eyes when the steps paused before his cell, but the door didn¡¯t open. Alistair looked at him without expression.

    ¡°Who paid you to assassinate Supervisor Marger?¡±

    ¡°No one.¡± Had he been so focused he hadn¡¯t paid attention when others used the title before? Or had everyone simply referred to him by his name, leaving Tibs to make the wrong assumptions?

    ¡°Tibs.¡± Annoyance slipped through. ¡°We found so many Promises hidden in your armor an army could have been hired. Who gave that to you? Who gave you that armor?¡±

    ¡°I stole the Promises.¡± It had been too much to hope the weaves would keep his hiding place secure.

    ¡°No one here has that kind of money for you to steal,¡± Alistair replied in a tone that was close to his ¡®try again¡¯ one he¡¯d used anytime Tibs hadn¡¯t been entirely honest in how little he¡¯d practiced between training sessions.

    Tibs smiled. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve been here all the time.¡±

    His old teacher studied him. He seemed about to say something, sighed and tried again. In the end, all he said was, ¡°Why¡±

    ¡°Because your way doesn¡¯t work,¡± Tibs snapped.

    Alistair looked confused. ¡°My way?¡±

    Tibs was on his feet. ¡°You didn¡¯t change anything. You¡¯re just like the rest of your guild. All you care about is what you can take from the people around you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true,¡± the man said, surprised. ¡°Tibs, I tried to help you. Tried to make sure you would¡ª¡±

    ¡°Be good enough your guild would be able to use me?¡± He was at the bars, glaring. ¡°That they¡¯d be able to make me into something to use to keep towns like Kragle Rock under their control? That I¡¯d stand there while it burns because I¡¯m told it¡¯s just more training for the Runners living there?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Where were you?¡± Tibs yelled, fighting tears. ¡°Where were you when your guild decided the townsfolk weren¡¯t worth protecting?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know, Tibs,¡± Alistair said, voice soft. ¡°I was¡ª¡±

    ¡°Off doing whatever your guild to you to do,¡± Tibs snapped. ¡°Off doing something that¡¯ll make it easier for them to do this elsewhere.¡± He breathed a fraction of his anger down. ¡°Did you even look at the people here, Alistair? When you came and went for my training, did you ever look and see the wrongs your guild was doing to them? Well, I did,¡± Tibs growled, the anger back in its entirety. ¡°And I did something about it.¡±

    ¡°You failed, Tibs,¡± Alistair replied sadly.

    Tibs turned his deflation into a shrug. ¡°So I failed.¡± He forced the glare to be hard. ¡°At least I tried.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any idea what they¡¯ll do to you?¡±

    Tibs tapped his left wrist.

    Alistair¡¯s hand went to his own; then he forced it away. ¡°That¡¯s the least of what will happen. Tibs, you tried to kill a high-ranking guild representative. The only reason they won¡¯t outright execute you is that they can do so much worse to you.¡±

    Tibs shrugged. Whatever they did to him, he¡¯d find a way to beat it and he¡¯d know to spend his time finding the right person to target.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to end up in Despair, Tibs.¡±

    He looked up at Alistair in surprise.

    ¡°Yes, what you did is that serious.¡±

    The way Alistair said the word made Tibs realize that when Irdian had told him the same, he wasn¡¯t saying Tibs would be in a state of despair. It was a place. He smiled. Places could be broken out of, no matter how hard the guards tried to keep him in.

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    Alistair sighed. ¡°Tibs, I had such high¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t,¡± Tibs said with a snort. ¡°You didn¡¯t hope anything for me. I was just someone they forced you to teach. If you hoped for anything, it was that I¡¯d be a good tool for your guild.¡±

    Alistair slumped. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you saw what I did that way. I wish¡­¡± He trailed off, then with a shrug, he turned and left.

    * * * * *

    It was another day when the door opened and closed at a time that wasn¡¯t for food or the changing of his guards. And this time, there were more people, although only one walked all the way to his cell door. He channeled water and opened his eyes.

    Irdian watched him impartially.

    Tibs kept from asking after Jackal. He was sure that if he¡¯d been caught, he would be in one of the cells here, not the ones for the safe prisoners. Maybe Sto hadn¡¯t let him out yet, or Irdian had him elsewhere, knowing Tibs would worry.

    ¡°This is your last chance to convince us to lessen your sentence, Tibs,¡± the commander said in a flat tone. ¡°Who paid you?¡±

    ¡°No one. I saw the problem. I set out to fix it.¡± When Irdian roll his eyes, Tibs added. ¡°I stole those promises the last time you let us leave the town.¡± That didn¡¯t convince him.

    The commander used a key that had to be woven through with essence to unlock the door, then opened it. Tibs walked out of the cell before being prompted to and sensed the eight guards before he saw them. Water, earth air, darkness, light, corruption, purity, and fire. The same as what Sebastian had used to keep Tibs from rescuing Carina.

    He fought the fear that they would prevent him from rescuing another of his friends. They were here to keep Tibs from rescuing himself. Irdian wasn¡¯t underestimating what Tibs could do with the one element he believed him to have.

    The prisoners in the other part of the cells were silent as Irdian escorted Tibs out, four guards before him and four after. Once up the stairs, and into the back of the guild building, they walked for longer and made more turns than Tibs thought should be possible, until he remembered he didn¡¯t have the medallion that made that part of the building make sense.

    The room they entered was large. Larger than Tibs thought it should be, based on where the doors they had walked by were. Was the enchantment making him think the room was larger, or changing his memory of the corridor?

    It had a chair in the center that looked to be made of thick wood, but there was so much essence woven through it Tibs couldn¡¯t be sure there was normal wood in there. Metal bars were added to the legs and back, but they felt like entirely made of woven essence too, as did the leather straps on the armrests and dangling from the headrest.

    He saw the table on the side with crystals, but before he could look at it, someone pushed him toward the chair and he was fighting against the urge to balk.

    He wasn¡¯t giving them the satisfaction of knowing how scared he was. This was where they were going to do to him what they¡¯d done to Bardik. The darkness rogue had been taken from Gamma, down to Epsilon. What would Tibs end up at? Omega?

    To fight the panic as he was strapped to the chair, Tibs looked at the table he¡¯d glimpsed. It was the length of the wall, with an enchanted device on it. He couldn¡¯t work out what it was by the shape. A wooden base, with stone slabs stacked on a quarter side of it. Metal strips and plates were embedded in them, and two thirds of the rest of the device were rows and columns of crystals. One and eight columns, and he couldn¡¯t see how many rows from his position. Then his head was pushed back and secured and he could only look ahead.

    All this took place in silence.

    Tibs had expected gloating.

    ¡°He¡¯s secured,¡± one of the guards said as they stepped away. Tibs tested the restraints, and he couldn¡¯t move.

    Irdian opened the door. ¡°You can come in.¡±

    Tirania, Alistair, and Marger walked in. His target didn¡¯t look well. Even after a days of rest and healing, he still had a lot of corruption coursing through his system. Tibs couldn¡¯t muster the energy to smirk at the worried expression the man quickly masked with anger. This wasn¡¯t what he¡¯d been after. This, the man would heal from.

    Not that it mattered. Tibs hadn¡¯t targeted the right person. He should have told Don his plan. The sorcerer would have told him who he should have targeted.

    ¡°Do it,¡± Marger said.

    Pain hit Tibs hard, and he gritted his teeth, glaring at them. He wasn¡¯t giving them the satisfaction. He¡¯d burned, suffocated in water and under the earth. He¡¯d fallen off the side of a mountain, willingly thrown himself into corruption and was struck by lightning.

    He¡¯d suffered enough pain throughout his life. This wouldn¡¯t break him.

    The pain changed.

    It was no longer something being inflicted on him. It was now the pain of something being ripped out; of his essence being taken from him. The reverse of what he¡¯d done to Bardik had felt like. Was this what the rogue had suffered through? Would Tibs get white hair too? Would he end up old? Would he die before¡ª

    His scream wrenched thoughts away from him.

    * * * * *

    Light pierced him, and Tibs tried to greet the element, but his voice no longer worked.

    ¡°His eyes are still blue,¡± Someone said.

    Darkness returned, but not unconsciousness.

    ¡°Of course they¡¯re still blue,¡± Alistair replied. ¡°You can¡¯t take his element away.¡±

    ¡°Is he totally drained?¡± someone else asked. There was a weakness to the voice Tibs had heard in those who were sick. ¡°Some idiot forgot to make sure the crystals were empty.¡±

    ¡°No, sir. Other than the primers, all the other crystals came from stock that has been confirmed to be drained.¡±

    The man snorted, then had to catch his breath. ¡°Explain that then.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t, sir.¡± The response was filled with uncertainty. ¡°Someone at Rho shouldn¡¯t have filled more than four crystals.¡±

    ¡°He was Rho, wasn¡¯t he, Alistair?¡±

    ¡°That was the last test he passed¡­¡± his old teacher trailed off.

    ¡°But?¡± Marger demanded.

    ¡°Tibs is resourceful,¡± Alistair answered. ¡°Because of his¡­condition when he gained his element, Tibs has grown adept at pulling essence from around him. This room isn¡¯t shielded, so he might have done so reflexively while the enchantments worked.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you have known he did that? You have the same element.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t paying attention to the essence around us.¡±

    Marger snorted, and this time the pause was shorter. ¡°It¡¯s more likely that someone isn¡¯t doing their job, and these weren¡¯t empty.¡± Someone grabbed Tibs¡¯s left wrist. ¡°But the brand¡¯s there. So he¡¯s drained. Get the wagon ready. I want him out of here and on his way to the Citadel immediately.¡±

    ¡°The Citadel?¡± Alistair asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s going to Despair,¡± Irdian stated.

    ¡°You want to argue with orders that come down from on high,¡± Marger said, then paused to catch his breath. ¡°You go talk to the man directly. I sent in my report and those are the orders that came back. Him and all his possession are being shipped to the Citadel by wagon.¡±

    ¡°The contents¡ª¡± Irdian started.

    ¡°They¡¯re going into the coffers, don¡¯t worry about that. But the armor¡¯s going with him. He¡¯s probably going to have someone look at it. It¡¯s unique enough they might be able to work out who gave it to him, since neither of you was able to make him tell you.¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯d been allowed to bring in a Light Speaker¡ª¡±

    ¡°Commander,¡± Marger said with a sigh. ¡°To wait for one of them to be free would have meant time for whoever funded this would be murderer to mount a rescue. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m sure that there will be a number of them at the Citadel, and that they will be happy to tell you what they learned once they¡¯ve forced him to reveal everything.¡±

    ¡°Why by wagon?¡± Alistair asked. ¡°The platform is more expedient.¡±

    Marger sighed. ¡°I¡¯m just following orders. Unlike you, I don¡¯t question them. Pack him up.¡±

    * * * * *

    Tibs came awake when he hit the stone floor. He vaguely remembered being dragged through the building and dropped into a room he couldn¡¯t sense out of. He¡¯d dragged himself to a bench, and amidst the realization that if he couldn¡¯t sense outside, it meant he could still sense around him; he fell asleep.

    He didn¡¯t react as hands grabbed his arms and dragged him. His nearly unending reserve was still there, but there was nothing left in it, or so it seemed, but the small reserves at its surface were full of their respective essences. He reached out to pull water essence in and found he couldn¡¯t. About to panic, he realized the two carrying him had water as their element. Around them were eight more. One with each of the core elements.

    This wasn¡¯t something else that had been taken from him. They were actively blocking him.

    Where did he stand then?

    He turned his sense inward, and the difference was immediately noticeable. He barely sensed his channels. This was hardly more than what the townsfolk had. If not for the blue tint to them, he wouldn¡¯t be able to tell his apart from theirs.

    Upsilon. He¡¯d been sent back to the beginning.

    Except he still knew everything he¡¯d learned. He knew how to go about becoming stronger. And even with so little essence, he should be able to use his etchings.

    He was thrown and landed hard on a wooden floor. A door closed, and a key turned. The walls, ceiling, and floors were woven with essence. This didn¡¯t push against him, but he couldn¡¯t sense pasted them.

    ¡°He¡¯s in,¡± someone yelled, and Tibs was thrown about as the room he was in moved to the sounds of horseshoes on stone.

    He rolled onto his back and opened his eyes.

    The wagon was much smaller than his cell; wooden walls with barred openings hardly larger than his head. A bench on one side with a bucket under it. The door had no lock, but its weave was distinct from the rest of the wagon.

    He sat on the bench and channeled Air. He tested pulling on the essence, and when there was no resistance, he started refilling his reserve. Even if he couldn¡¯t sense his reserve fill, as drained as it was, he would have plenty to take on however many guards were with the wagon by the time they stopped and opened the door to bring him food.

    Then he¡¯d be free and working on bringing the guild down once and for all.

 Breaking Step, Chapter 114

    Tibs hit the wall, and the pain that erupted from his shoulder broke his concentration. He stopped pulling in air, channeling earth as he stood so he could¡ª

    Tibs was sent off his feet again by the wagon tipping back on its wheels and he suffused himself with earth before he hit another wall and¡ª

    Pain exploded from the impact, and his vision blurred.

    His essence was still within his reserve.

    He stayed on the floor, channeling purity and attempting to suffuse himself, but he couldn¡¯t get it to move past his reserve¡¯s wall. His reserve wasn¡¯t full, it wasn¡¯t even half-full, but that shouldn¡¯t matter. The walls weren¡¯t really walls, just how his mind thought of how the essence remained there, instead of escaping as soon as he pulled it in. All he had to do was will it outside of it and¡ª

    Nothing happened.

    The sounds outside resolved themselves into fighting as he applied a weave of purity to his head and shoulder. Then he could think clearly enough to be surprised it had worked. The fighting was over quickly, the wagon¡¯s guards easily dealing with the bandits. He was surprised there were some this close to the town. They hadn¡¯t been traveling for that long.

    When the door darkened, Tibs channeled water and made a sword of ice, its edges jagged. Attempting to add metal to it only resulted in a thin strand of it from the small reserve, which he moves to the edge. His will was all he needed to make his weapon harder. The darkening took on a purple coloring, and Tibs realized it was corruption eating away at the door.

    How had bandits gotten their hands on vials of corrupt¡ª

    ¡°Almost there.¡±

    As muffled as the voice was, Tibs thought he knew it.

    ¡°The guards are unconscious,¡± an older man said. Again, it was familiar, even if it sounded as if there was a wall of stone separating them, instead of wood.

    ¡°Come on,¡± a third man said, sounding exasperated. ¡°Why is this taking so abyss long? I thought you were good at this.¡±

    ¡°How about I stop,¡± the first speaker replied, ¡°and you take over? Let¡¯s see just how quickly you get through the enchantments.¡±

    It was the tone and the banter that placed who they were, and Tibs was still staring in surprise when the door melted away to reveal a grinning Don.

    Jackal looked in. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there. We need to go.¡±

    Tibs launched himself at the fighter, hugging him fiercely. ¡°You¡¯re okay!¡±

    ¡°Of course I am. How could I mount this rescue otherwise?¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Don drolled. ¡°Because you¡¯ve been doing this alone.¡±

    ¡°I thought Irdian would throw you in a cell when you left Sto.¡±

    ¡°Why would he?¡± Jackal asked, grinning. ¡°I was nowhere near the dungeon during all that time.¡±

    ¡°The Commander questioned each of us,¡± Khumdar said, ¡°but, as we knew nothing of what you had done, he had to let us go.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t he use someone with light?¡± Tibs asked Jackal, who shrugged.

    ¡°It was just him and me, along with the guard who escorted me there when they pulled me out of Kro¡¯s bed.¡± He grinned. ¡°I don¡¯t think they expected to catch us having as much fun as we were having.¡±

    ¡°So you lied?¡±

    His friend rolled his eyes. ¡°Of course I lied, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°And he believed you?¡±

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°The guards at the door recognized you.¡±

    ¡°They had to have been mistaken. If I¡¯d been in the dungeon and didn¡¯t make it out before the door closed, I¡¯d be dead. Everyone knows that.¡±

    ¡°Mayhap it is best this conversation be had once we are away,¡± Khumdar said, cutting off Tibs¡¯s questions and reminding him of the situation. ¡°I do not know how long the guards will remain unconscious. They are adventurers and may be able to¡ª¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re Epsilon,¡± Tibs said, surprised that there were only two of them, as well as the fact he could sense to the front of the wagon, and around them. His sense didn¡¯t seem affected by what had been done to him. ¡°Not much past their test.¡±

    ¡°Then, while they should remain unconscious for some time, I none the less advise that we leave.¡± The cleric pointed sunrise-ward ¡°if we hurry we can reach the forest before they awaken.¡±

    ¡°Stop.¡± Tibs yanked his arm out of Jackal¡¯s grip as the fighter pulled on him. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Breaking you out.¡± Jackal grinned. ¡°What does this look like?¡±

    ¡°It looks like the three of you are throwing your future away,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°Where¡¯s Mez?¡±

    They exchanged a look.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t tell him,¡± Jackal said.

    ¡°After we were questioned,¡± Don continued, ¡°Mez laid into me, demanding to know if I knew what you were planning, and how I could let you go through with something so childish. Unlike the Commander, he didn¡¯t believe me when I said I had no idea this was going to happen.¡±

    Jackal shrugged. ¡°I just figured that since he had that girl trying so hard to be special to him, I wasn¡¯t going to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± Tibs didn¡¯t need to hear more. ¡°Who knows you¡¯re here?¡±

    ¡°Well, Kro,¡± Jackal said in an ¡®I¡¯m not an idiot,¡¯ tone.

    Don and Khumdar shook their heads when Tibs looked at them.

    ¡°Good. Then, so long as you can get back into town without being seen, now one will know you were involved in this.¡±

    ¡°Not happening,¡± Jackal stated. ¡°If you think I¡¯m leaving you alone after what you had the dungeon do, you can forget it. Out there isn¡¯t like¡ª¡±

    ¡°You are going back to Kroseph,¡± Tibs told his friend.

    Jackal rolled his eyes. ¡°Not happening.¡±

    ¡°I am not going to be responsible for your man losing you.¡±

    ¡°Come on, Tibs. This isn¡¯t that¡ª¡±

    ¡°You promised him you¡¯d stop doing stupid stuff.¡±

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    ¡°Rescuing you isn¡¯t stupid, Tibs. You¡¯re my brother. Did you think I was going to leave them to do whatever they¡¯re planning on doing to with at that citadel thing?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve rescued me,¡± Tibs stated. ¡°Now you can go back. You coming along is stupid.¡±

    ¡°How can you say that!¡±

    ¡°Because I have this!¡± Tibs pulled the sleeve up his left wrist and showed the utterly black band on against his light brown skin.

    ¡°Just keep it covered, then.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not how it works; they can follow it. Bardik told me it leaves something wherever it goes. If you stay with me, they¡¯ll find out and Kroseph is going to lose you. That isn¡¯t happening!¡± he yelled as Jackal opened his mouth.

    Khumdar studied him. ¡°Is this truly what you want?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s what¡¯s best.¡±

    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t,¡± Jackal said. ¡°I don¡¯t abandon¡ª¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to pick Kroseph over me,¡± Tibs told him.

    ¡°Tibs¡­¡± Jackal¡¯s voice cracked.

    Tibs breathed his frustration down. ¡°He¡¯s your man,¡± he said, as gently as he could. ¡°I¡¯m just your brother.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not just¡ª¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s more important than I am.¡±

    Jackal tried to speak, then turned to the sorcerer. ¡°Don, how about you help me here?¡±

    Tibs looked at the sorcerer. ¡°Are you going to sacrifice the academy for me?¡±

    ¡°Don, this is Tibs. You can¡¯t seriously¡ª¡±

    ¡°Look, Jackal,¡± Don cut him off, tone sharp. ¡°Unlike you, I¡¯m not an adventurer. I went along with this because I knew you were going to be stupid and get caught if you tried it alone. But I can¡¯t run from the guild. They aren¡¯t going to let this go. They are never going to stop chasing Tibs and anyone who helped him escape. We¡¯d have to live in the wild and¡ª¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a Runner,¡± Jackal said. ¡°How are you scared of any of that?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be a Runner,¡± Don snapped. ¡°If I¡¯d been given a choice, I¡¯d have done whatever I could to go back to being a scholar once I was finally out of that cell. My future is in books, trying to figure out why things work the way they do.¡± He caught his breath. ¡°If Tibs had asked us to go with him, I¡­I don¡¯t know what I would have said, but he doesn¡¯t want us to. So, I¡¯m going back and I¡¯ll do everything I can for whoever who takes over from Tirania to never notice me. As soon as I¡¯m Epsilon, I will never leave the academy.¡±

    ¡°And you are going to spend yours with Kroseph,¡± Tibs said.

    Jackal searched Tibs¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t do this to me, Tibs.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m doing it for you.¡±

    Jackal looked at the cleric. ¡°You aren¡¯t bound to the guild. You can go with him and make sure he¡¯s safe.¡±

    ¡°I cannot.¡±

    Jackal glared at him.

    ¡°While you are correct in that I am not bound to the guild, I am bound to others. You may have forgotten, but I too am not here of my own volition. I have a task to accomplish before I will be allowed to leave.¡±

    Jackal took a breath. ¡°Tibs, you can¡¯t do this alone.¡±

    Tibs squeezed his friend¡¯s arm. ¡°I¡¯ll be okay. I¡¯m a rogue, well I guess it¡¯s thief now, but I¡¯m still the best at not getting caught, and I have tricks they don¡¯t know about.¡±

    ¡°Do you?¡± Don asked. ¡°I thought the process that puts the band on you stripped away your strength.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Upsilon. But I still know everything I learned. All I need to do is train and get stronger. The world¡¯s big, so there¡¯s going to be a lot of big and dangerous animals in it for me to fight and get stronger.¡±

    ¡°But only if they don¡¯t catch you,¡± the sorcerer said.

    Tibs smiled. ¡°I have a couple if things I¡¯m going to try that should help with that.¡± He shook his head when Don opened his mouth. He wasn¡¯t saying what they were.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Jackal pleaded. ¡°Don¡¯t do this.¡±

    Tibs hugged him. ¡°It¡¯s how it has to be. You have to be here for your man. Tell him I¡¯ll be okay.¡±

    Jackal hugged him tightly. When Tibs pushed him toward the town, Jackal took a step back, eyes wet, before turning, squaring his shoulders and walking away.

    ¡°Tibs,¡± Don said, then hesitated.

    ¡°I did this,¡± Tibs replied. ¡°I¡¯m the only one who needs to deal with the consequences.¡±

    ¡°You should have told me what you were planning.¡±

    ¡°I know. You¡¯d have told me Marger wasn¡¯t the right person to bring down the guild.¡±

    Don¡¯s laugh was bitter. ¡°I¡¯d have told you that isn¡¯t how the guild works.¡± He sighed. ¡°Look. Before you try something this stupid again, read up on the guild. Its history, how it¡¯s run. Then you¡¯ll understand just how impossible what you want is.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re saying I should just let them abuse people like the folks in Kragle Rock? Those like us who just made the mistake of trying to survive, no matter how we had to do it? Of those like you, who the world tried to crush?¡±

    ¡°Tibs, I know you want to help, but it¡¯s impossible.¡±

    He smiled. ¡°When we got here, they said our job was to die. Only we didn¡¯t. They said it¡¯s impossible to have more than one element. That the dungeon¡¯s nothing more than a crafty animal. The guild knows so much stuff that isn¡¯t true that I¡¯m not going to let the fact they think they¡¯re too big to be taken down stop me. Sebastian thought he was unbeatable, too.¡±

    ¡°Be careful.¡± Don walked away without looking back.

    Khumdar studied him. ¡°I wish I could say that I will see you again one day, Tibs. But I suspect this is the last time.¡±

    ¡°You think I¡¯m going to die.¡±

    The cleric looked at the wagon, then ahead on the road. ¡°I¡­¡± he shook his head, as if to clear it.

    ¡°What are you doing in Kragle Rock?¡± Tibs asked.

    ¡°I am no longer certain.¡± The man forced a smile that didn¡¯t last. ¡°But I am none the less bound to finish it, if I wish to go on with my life.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to keep going. We can all change things.¡±

    ¡°I believe you know that is not always possible,¡± Khumdar said, tone sad. ¡°If you didn¡¯t, you would change this course. You know there are few options as to where it leads.¡± He pointed sunrise-ward again. ¡°Follow the morning sun for three days and you will find yourself upon a camp. They are bandits, but they are not bad people. Tell them you need shelter from the forces of order and they will help you as best they can.¡±

    He took a step to turn and stopped. The cleric looked at the wagon again, then the road. ¡°I believe there is something you must know, Tibs, although I do not know its meaning. This wagon was wrapped within a secret that unraveled when I incapacitated the drivers. They are not the cause, but they were its instrument, I believe. Be wary, whatever else you are.¡±

    He walked off, leaving Tibs alone with the wagon, two unconscious guards, the horses and the content of the bench, that turned out to be a chest. A chest containing his armor.

    Dealing with the guards posed him a quandary. The expedient thing for him to do was drain them and use their essence to strengthen himself the way he¡¯d done accidentally with Bardik. He couldn¡¯t tell if they had enough essence to get his reserve to crack, now that it was so much deeper than with Bardik, but¡­

    Even if it could help. They didn¡¯t deserve that. Maybe if they¡¯d been stronger, Tibs could have convinced himself they were complicit in many of the horrible things the guild did, but how much could they have seen, as newly past their Epsilon test as they were by the feel of their essence.

    He used darkness to ensure they¡¯d remain unconscious while he put his armor and bracers on. The reserves in them had been drained, so he refilled them. All the hidden places on his armor were empty. It had been too much to hope they¡¯d missed some coins. But it was in better shape than when he¡¯d last taken it off, so the enchantments were still working.

    Feeling like a proper Runner, he looked at the wagon. He needed to do something about it. Something that would remove any doubt he¡¯d gotten himself out of it without help.

    First the horses. Tibs didn¡¯t want them injured in this. He weakened the metal rings attaching the harness to the wagon, then coated his arms with earth for extra strength and pulled on the leather until they broke and freed the horses.

    Who remained where they were.

    Didn¡¯t they realize they were free? Or were they so used to being the guild¡¯s tools they didn¡¯t understand there was an alternative?

    He exploded a small fire, and they fled in fear.

    He stepped back inside the wagon, absorbing the corruption that had been left behind. The weave was still there, so this would take all he had, just as if he¡¯d done it without help.

    He filled the wagon with water, then added more, and more, and more. The walls held, so he made an etching. Something simple, lines of essence crossing over and over again, with a filigree of Ike, spaced with Ool just far enough apart it gave him time to finish before¡ª

    ¡°Ouch.¡± Reflexively, Tibs tried to suffuse himself with purity as he rolled and pushed himself to all fours. He glared at the tree that had ended his flight and caused him pain. He made purity weaves and applied them to all the places that hurt, then he looked at what was left of the wagon.

    The only piece he recognized was the seat, many paces ahead of where it had been. The top ripped off, so its content would have spilled. It provided an explanation as to how Tibs would have known about his armor.

    The guards, on the side of the road, were a problem again. Unless they were cowards and had jumped, they couldn¡¯t have landed there. He looked at where the seat was. They¡¯d need to be in that area, but he couldn¡¯t simply carry them there. The explosion would have done that.

    He hoped this wouldn¡¯t hurt them too much.

    He made the etching out of air, under them, and directed toward the wagon¡¯s seat, then let it explode. He winced as they both landed badly, then checked they had survived. Broken bones, but no leaking essence.

    Would the guild believe Tibs had let them live?

    They¡¯d have to, because he wasn¡¯t killing them.

    He studied them. Would they believe this wasn¡¯t a ruse to hide they had helped him escape?

    Again, they¡¯d have to believe what they wanted. Hopefully, his friend had been smart enough not to reveal who they were. He should have asked how they had subdued them. But it was too late now.

    Tibs looked sunrise-ward and considered Khumdar¡¯s words. There was help in that direction, but all he¡¯d bring to them as thanks would be the guild¡¯s wrath. He turned sunset-ward and started walking, weaving darkness over and within the brand.

    Until he was certain this worked, the best he could do was avoid everyone.

    And thus ends Breaking Step, as well as Arc 1 in the Dungeon Runner series, Tibs of Kragle Rock.

    Tibs¡¯s story will continue in Stepping Wild, the first book in the second arc of the series, Tibs of the Wilds.

 Breaking Step, Afterword

    Thank you for reading this story. I always enjoy writing Tibs¡¯s stories, but it¡¯s especially rewarding to know it is enjoyed by others too.

    I expect some people will not care for how it ended. I¡¯m sorry to say this was always the planned ending for this Arc. I¡¯m a firm believer in people having to earn their victories, and that those victories come at a cost.

    As indicated, this isn¡¯t the end of Tibs¡¯s story, far from it. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s been mentioned before, but the plan (if I can pull it off) is for this series to be 10 books. Three trilogies, and the final book.

    As you are reading this, I¡¯ve started working on book 4, which has the working title of ¡®Stepping Wild¡¯ which is book one in the second arc of the series, with the current working title of ¡°Tibs of the Wilds.¡±

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    This arc will, among other things, have Tibs traveling the world and learning more about it and find out yet more things the guild never taught him about. There will be meetings with old friends, and making new ones. There will be realizations and the resolution of something Tibs set for himself early in his life.

    If you don''t want to wait for Tib''s next story, you can head over to Ream Story https://reamstories.com/fantsylvain</a> where chapters of the first draft are already being posted.

    Royal Road, and other free sites, will be updated as to how the writing is going every 20 chapters or so, and when I get to writing the second draft, you will get those.

    Again, thank you for reading and your support, regardless of the site you give it on.

 Stepping Wild/Dungeon Runner Update 01

    Okay, I didn¡¯t expect this update to come with Chapter 40 being written. I must have miscalculated something because I was certain Breaking Step would end before I reached chapter 20.

    But, here I am. Wrote Chapter 40 of Stepping Wild this morning. I have no idea how long this book will be, but the sense I have is that I am still relatively early in it.

    For anyone interested in reading the first draft, you can support me here: https://reamstories.com/fantsylvain</a>

    To address some concerns I expect people might have. There is a time jump between Breaking Step and Stepping Wild. It is about 2 decades. That is not insignificant, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s all that long in the scheme of things for the story. There are two reasons for it.

    The primary one is that I didn¡¯t want to continue telling stories with Tibs as basically a kid. He barely reached puberty by the end of Breaking Step. Because he has essence, and how it¡¯s been established people with it age slower, even setting Tibs at nineteen physically meant decades had to pass.

    The second reason is that¡­.really nothing significant happens to Tibs during that time. I mean, yes, if I were to force myself, I could come up with adventures for him. Maybe how he evades the adventures chasing him. But I feel that it would ultimately just be a variation on something he¡¯s already gone through in the first trilogy. If I do have ideas for a story during that time, I might write it as a short story and put it up here as a bonus.

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Stepping Up Update

    This one isn¡¯t the positive update I¡¯d hoped for.

    My plan had been to use the money from the sales of Bottom Rung to pay my editor for the work on Stepping Up, and arrange to publish it on the first of March 2025.

    I don¡¯t think that is going to happen. While I didn¡¯t expect the sales to be astronomical, since I¡¯m not a great writer, based on the number of people who clamored for me to publish the book so they could buy it, I was expecting something better than what I¡¯m getting. With how things are progressing, I am not in a position to give a timeline for when Stepping Up will be published, but I will keep you up to date on it.

    Bottom Rung Audio Update.

    The Bottom Rung Ebook is on KU: https://amzn.to/3ShmXzW</a>

    This one has fallen through completely. Since I can¡¯t afford a Narrator at this time, my plan had been to avail myself of Google¡¯s AI narrator to have something for people to listen to, but Google requires the book to be available for sale on their platform before they will allow me to set it up for the AI narrator. Since Bottom Rung is on KU, that can¡¯t happen.

    I will update you when this change.

    And that¡¯s it for updates.

    If you want to watch me write, it¡¯s on Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/thetigerwrites</a>

 Stepping Wild Update 02

    Stepping Wild Update 2

    And I¡¯ve reached chapter 60.

    For anyone interested in reading the first draft, you can support me here: https://reamstories.com/fantsylvain</a>;

    If I have to hazard a guess, I¡¯d say this is about one third done.

    Not sure what to say about Tibs¡¯s adventures without spoiling anything. Because of how Tibs is moving from place to place, and have adventures in each of them that are somewhat independent of one another while moving him toward the end goal, this book will have a more ¡°episodic¡± feel to it than the first three. That might even stretch through this trilogy, since all of it involves traveling from place to place.

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    I think that¡¯s about it. Even though the story isn¡¯t always cooperating, the writing is going well.

    As for the rest, the Bottom Rung Ebook is on KU: https://amzn.to/3ShmXzW</a> and you can watch me write on Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/thetigerwrites</a> and Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@TheTigerWrites</a>

    See you all in 20 chapters

 Stepping Wild Update 03

    Hit chapter 80, and the end of this ¡®book¡¯ is coming faster than expected. so, soon to start here.

    For anyone interested in reading the first draft, you can support me here: https://reamstories.com/fantsylvain</a>

    I put book in quotes, because, due to the nature of Tibs traveling a lot in this trilogy, there is a solid episodic sense to this part of the story, and as I¡¯m reaching the ¡®end¡¯ of the book. I¡¯m realizing there isn¡¯t much of an over arching plot to the book at this point. Tibs certainly has a goal, but that¡¯s more the arc of the trilogy. I will have to figure out something as I write draft two.

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    It¡¯s also coming sooner than expected, because I removed and entire section of the story because, as I looked at what it called for, it was nearly identical to what Tibs dealt with earlier in the book. I¡¯m still holding out up I will find a way to either make it it¡¯s own thing, or make alteration to the first event, so I can put it back, but if I don¡¯t, it¡¯s no big deal.

    So, I don¡¯t expect this story to take too long anymore (I¡¯ll be surprised if I hit chapter 90 at this point).

    As for the rest, the Bottom Rung Ebook is on KU: https://amzn.to/3ShmXzW</a> and you can watch me write on Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/thetigerwrites</a> and Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@TheTigerWrites</a>

 Stepping Wild, Update 4 (final update, probably)

    Draft 1 of Stepping Wild is done. Anyone interested in reading that can find it here https://reamstories.com/fantsylvain</a>

    I¡¯m working on Draft 2 at the moment, and that means I have a date for when it will post here. That date is March 3rd. For those impatient to read them, the chapters are already being posted on Ream Story.

    My current plan is to post the three books in this arc under the same ¡®book¡¯, as I did for the previous three books. If I can push back against it, I might change that.

    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    That is about it. As always, if you have questions, please ask them.

    And for the rest, the Bottom Rung Ebook is on KU: https://amzn.to/3ShmXzW</a> and you can watch me write on Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/thetigerwrites</a> and Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@TheTigerWrites</a>

 Stepping Wild is now up

    the next book in Tibs''s story, Stepping Wild, is now up https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/107691</a>

    right, I need to meet the minimum character count.

    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    This book is the start of the second arc in Tibs story, it will be three arc, plus a conclusion. each arc is three books. the conclusion, one book

    this arc is currently called Tibs of the Wild, the next arc will be Tibs of the Dungeons. the last book has a title I''m confident of, but I''m keeping it to myself.

    I hope you enjoy. but if it turns out the new arc isn''t for you, thank you for reading this far.