《A Healer's Gift, An Adventurer's Heart》


 Chapter 1 - First Steps

    ¡°Daniel Chai. Miner. I¡¯m here to join the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.¡± Answering the guard¡¯s questions, Daniel looks across the 10 foot wooden wall that seperates the dungeon town Karlak from the wilderness once again before letting his gaze rest upon the guard and his pike once more.


    The guard stares at Daniel, calling up the little status view screen that he can see to confirm the truth of Daniel¡¯s words before he nods, flicking a glance at his partner before he gestures Daniel and his employer in. With a flick of his reins, Atrieus sets the wagon rolling.


    ¡°I turn off here boy. You okay with being paid now?¡± his companion and temporary employer grunts at Daniel. A flicker of irritation crosses Daniel¡¯s face, but he dismisses it. At 21, Daniel was well past the age when the term boy was appropriate, but as Atrieushad watched him grow up working the mines, it wasn¡¯t as if protesting a millionth time would make a difference. ¡°That¡¯s fine. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Damn waste boy. You sure you want to do this?¡± Atrieusgrowls out, digging through and pulling out a small purse that jingles to hand over to Daniel.


    Accepting the coin purse, Daniel just shakes his head in negation, not bothering to answer. This conversation had been played through many times too. Instead, he reaches behind to grab his backpack before hefting his weapon for this trip, a 20 pound sledgehammer. Heavy as it is, Daniel carries it with little effort, muscles from years spent working the mines briefly showing in stark relief.


    After parting with Atrieus,Daniel starts off to the town center and the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. Like most dungeon towns, Karlak had grown out of the need to serve the Adventurer¡¯s who brought in the majority of the town¡¯s income and thus centered itself around the Guild itself. Barely more than a few thousand people, Karlakwas a small town with only a single Beginner¡¯s Dungeon with 10 floors. On the other hand, having been around for over 20 years now, the dungeon was well-mapped and its mix of well-balanced monsters allowed melee fighters in particular to level up with ease.


    As he walks, Daniel draws more than a few glances his way. All new Adventurer¡¯s are potential sources of income and many are making quick assessments of the likelihood of his survival. His impressive musculature is a point in his favour but most quickly downgrade his chances of being a true earner. At 5¡¯8¡± and a human, he has a significant disadvantage in reach and general ability.


    That smells good¡­ Daniel twists his head, searching for the origin as his stomach wakes and reminds him that his last meal was hours ago. Spotting the road side stall, he picks up his pace when the sickening crunch and screams draws his attention.


    Just behind him, a child that had come out from an alleyway had rushed out onto the road, chasing an errant flower he had picked. Unable to stop, the cart¡¯s wheels had first pushed then rolled over the child, doing grevious damage. His caretaker, a bare half-step behind is unable to prevent the sudden dash and is crouched next to the quickly expiring body, her face ravaged with shock and regret.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Daniel¡¯s moving without conscious thought, his worldly goods dropped behind him as he dashes to the small, crushed body. His eyes narrow as he draws upon a portion of his gift and assesses the damage.


    Shattered collarbone, crushed ribcage and heart, severe bleeding in chest cavity and stomach. Hairline cracks in spine, minor concussion and broken arm. The damage jumps out in his vision, cataloguing and understanding both the natural state of her body and the damage done. Information continues to flow, though he dismisses most of it from mind. Slightly lower amount of blood than normal, previous damage to tendon in ankle a week away from healing, improper placement of the hip socket¡­.


    Crouched down now, he places his hands on the boy and activates his gift, a shining blue light covering both the boy and him as his mouth moving with often spoken lines. ¡°I¡¯m a healer. Please let me do what I can.¡±


    From her viewpoint, what he can do is nothing short of miraculous. An experienced Adventurer, the child¡¯s caretaker knows the extent of healing magic and what it can do. Nothing short of a Greater Blessing by a senior priest could have saved her nephew, and yet the stranger, without uttering a single word or calling on a God is healing him before her eyes. Bones knit, lungs inflate, bleeding stops within minutes. As the glow fades, the child¡¯s eyes open and he draws his first true breath in a while to scream and cry before launching himself into his aunt¡¯s arms.


    Clutching her nephew and rocking the child, she looks over to Daniel who¡¯s slumped over, breathing heavily and mouths her gratitude. He just nods weakly, his energy drained from the healing as passerby¡¯s and the cart driver gawk. A good Samaritan carries over Daniel¡¯s dropped items, patting him on his back in congratulations. It breaks the spell, with others crowding around and thanking him and murmuring congratulations to her.


    Eventually the child calmsand the crowd disperses, Daniel¡¯s shortened breathing and spinning head calming down. He stands with a groan and bends to pick up his pack and hammer but is stopped from leaving by a hand on his arm.


    ¡°Thank you again.¡± Her voice is soft, cultured and feminine, a sharp contrast to her bearing and appearance. Short cut blonde hair, an aquiline nose and piercing blue eyes rest upon a face that would always be called striking but not beautiful. She holds herself with a martial air, a hand unconsciously resting on her sword hilt. ¡°My name is Mary Lavie and this is Charles.¡±


    ¡°Daniel Lai.¡± he smiles at the boy, offering a slight hand wave in acknowledgment. ¡°You¡¯ll watch yourself running out on the road next time right?¡±


    The boy nods slightly, his face hidden in Mary¡¯s pants, peeking with his own pair of blue eyes around her pants leg before burying his face in again.


    As Daniel sways slightly, Mary queries, ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Just tired and hungry. I¡¯ll be fine after a meal.¡±


    A smile brightens Mary¡¯s face and she gestures down the road, ¡°My sister runs the Spinning Top, just down this way. She¡¯ll want to thank you too.¡±


    For a moment Daniel considers refusing, but he reconsiders, remembering the weight of his own purse. Even the payment from Atrieus is insufficient to truly fatten his own purse, especially with his expected expenses. Instead, he nods gratefully and Mary smiles at his acceptance.


    ¡°This way.¡±

 Chapter 2 - The Spinning Top

    The Spinning Top is a typical smaller inn from Daniel¡¯s experience. A smaller dining room filled with rustic wooden tables and chairs leads to the bar and kitchen, while the top floor holds the rooms that the inn rents out. Like most inns in a dungeon town, it¡¯s likely the rooms can be rented on both a short and long-term basis muses Daniel. However, most of what he focuses on is the smell from the kitchen as his stomach begins to growl.


    Inside, the sole worker is another tall, striking woman with more curves than her sister. The moment they cross the threshold of the inn, Charles dashes out from the shelter of his aunt¡¯s arms and into his shocked Mum¡¯s.


    ¡°Mary¡­¡± the aghast mother, bent on her knees and surveying the blood and attempting to parse the quick words from her child murmurs.


    ¡°We had an incident Elise,¡± Mary steps forward, explaining the accident in concise sentences. She flicks her hand back to Daniel who has taken to leaning against the bar and staring into the kitchen, his mind blanking out for the moment, ¡°¡­ and so I thought we could feed Daniel and maybe house him for a bit?¡±


    ¡°Jar, one plate with extra bread,¡± Elise calls out before marching over to Daniel and giving him a tight hug. ¡°Thank you, thank you so much.¡±


    In a few minutes, the bustling Elise gets Daniel settled and eating before dragging the bloodied child upstairs for a wash. Mary takes over the counter, watching Daniel eat with a pensive look on her face, glancing between him and his hammer. It doesn¡¯t take long before Daniel is done, leaning back against the chair after mopping the last of the stew.


    That was very good. Looking around, he doesn¡¯t spot Elise to thank. He frowns slightly, impatient to get going but unwilling to leave without thanking her. As he debates what to do, his thoughts are interrupted by Mary.


    ¡°Are you going to join the Guild?¡± She nods to his hammer and purses her lips as his acknowledgment. ¡°And that¡¯s your weapon?¡±


    ¡°Why? Is it a problem?¡± defensive, Daniel places his hand on the hilt of the hammer.


    ¡°It is. It¡¯s too big and too unwieldy for a dungeon,¡± as he opens his mouth to reply, Mary raises her hand and forestalls him, continuing ¡°I¡¯m sure you used it while traveling here. Probably killed a few monsters too. There¡¯s no arguing that it¡¯s a fearsome weapon if you hit.


    ¡°But you have to hit. You need space to swing it and time to recover after you¡¯ve swung. In a dungeon where you might face two or three different monsters at the same time, often faster and smaller than you, it won¡¯t work.¡±


    Daniel grunts, hunching slightly at each of her words. He knows it, it¡¯s not as if he doesn¡¯t but¡­ ¡°It¡¯s what I have.¡±


    His words are not unexpected and as soon as they leave his mouth, Mary turns to the staircase, calling upwards. ¡°Elise, we¡¯re going out. I¡¯ll bring him back later. Jar, put his bags in room 3.¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    She then stalks out of the inn, leaving a confused Daniel to follow in her wake, holding on to his sledgehammer.


    ¡°Ummm¡­ what¡¯s going on?¡± hurrying to catch up with her, he stumbles a little as his energy has yet to recover fully.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to the guild to get you registered. You do have the 20 silver correct?¡± she doesn¡¯t acknowledge his hasty nod, continuing to speak even as she strides along. ¡°Then we¡¯ll get a proper weapon and the training you¡¯ll need.¡±


    ¡°Training!I can¡¯t afford that!¡± Daniel exclaims, catching up with her and trying to slow her down to speak.


    ¡°Who asked you to pay? ¡± Arriving at the doors of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild, she strides in and up to the nearest empty counter. A free attendant rushes over, smiling slightly as he glances at the harried Daniel behind Mary before focusing on her entirely.


    ¡°What can I do for your Mary?¡±


    ¡°He needs to be registered Liev.¡± She gestures behind, indicating Daniel whose staring around confusedly. Liev smiles, pulling some papers aside and a small crystal ball.


    ¡°Not a problem. Just put your hand here, don¡¯t be shy,¡± smiling encouragingly, Liev coaches the information out from Daniel that he needs. ¡°Good, good. A level 7 Miner. Very good. We¡¯ll register you as an Adventurer then.¡±


    At the end of his words, a low azure light glows on the crystal which brings a smile to Liev¡¯s face. ¡°And done. That¡¯ll be 20 silver.¡±


    As Daniel pauses, staring at his newly freed hand, a barked command to come has him hurrying to catch up with the impatient Mary as she strides out of the Guild house. While he rushes after her, he calls up his Status Screen to marvel at his new position.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    <h2>Status Screen </h2>


    Name: Daniel Lai


    Class: Level 1 Adventurer (0%)


    Sub-classes: Level 7 (Miner) (14%)


    Human (Male)


    Statistics


    Life: 164


    Stamina: 164


    Mana: 129


    Critical Hit Chance: 4%


    Attributes


    Strength: 17


    Agility: 12


    Constitution: 23


    Intelligence: 14


    Willpower: 16


    Luck: 13


    Skills


    Unarmed Combat: Level 2 (47/100)


    Clubs : Level 3 (21/100)


    Perception : Level 3 (21/100)


    Mining : Level 7 (78/100)


    Healing : Level 5 (84/100)


    Herb Lore: Level 3 (31/100)


    Cooking: Level 2 (37/100)


    Singing: Level 2 (14/100)


    Skill Proficiencies


    Mapping II


    Spells


    Minor Healing


    Gifts


    Martyr¡¯s Touch - The caster may heal oneself or others by touch and concentration, sacrificing a portion of his life to do so. Cost varies depending on the extent of the injuries healed.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    It¡¯s a surprise then for Daniel when Mary finally comes to a stop and thrusts a shield and mace at him. He reaches out and grabs it automatically and then frowns, dismissing the Status Screen to pay proper attention to what he is given. The mace is a simple construct though instead of metal, it¡¯s top is padded with wood and wrapped cloth. A training weapon, though of better quality than he¡¯s ever wielded. It¡¯s then that he notices where he is, a sparring center where current and future adventurer¡¯s train.


    ¡°Mary¡­¡±


    ¡°Litzburn.¡± She waves to a towering ebony skinned man who strides up to them, smiling widely at Mary and nodding in acknowledgment, ¡°This is Daniel. He¡¯s joining today.¡±


    LItzburn chuckles at Daniel¡¯s hesitant protestations, dropping a surprisingly delicate looking hand on his shoulder and guiding Daniel to the training floor, ¡°Don¡¯t bother kid. She isn¡¯t listening. Now, follow along, you¡¯ll want to know this.¡±

 Chapter 3 - We all start somewhere

    Chapter 3


    Hours late Daniel lies on his back groaning in pain, unwilling to move another inch. He hadn¡¯t felt this tired in years, not since his first year as a miner. For hours he had been put through various exercises, at first starting with basic fitness tests and weight carrying before moving on to intricate forms with both mace and shield. Amazingly, once he had spent the first 15 minutes with both, he was ordered to return the set that he had been working with and provided even heavier equipment.


    Hours of drills then came, at first beginning with simple tasks such as stepping and striking and evolving into more and more complicated sequences as Litzburn realised Daniel wasn¡¯t a complete novice. Every time Daniel flagged, Litzburn was at his side, barking at him to pick it up and move faster, driving the young man on. Still, he can¡¯t complain as he stares at the blue notification window floating in front of his eyes.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Skill Increase


    Clubs: Level 3 (27/100) +3


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    He¡¯s interrupted in his thoughts by a shadow falling over his still form and a booted foot prodding him. He turns his head to meet the gaze of his smiling tormentor, ¡°You did well today. Litzburn tells me you have good stamina for a beginner and some adequate training.¡±


    ¡°Thanks¡­¡± Daniel mutters before pulling himself up from the ground shakily. Normally he¡¯d heal himself slightly with his gift but after this morning¡¯s events, he had nothing left to draw upon.


    ¡°Come on. We¡¯re heading back to the Top. Tomorrow, Litzburn will have you work with some of the other students and I¡¯ll train with you in the evening,¡± Mary is already walking off and the bemused Daniel follows along, accepting that the young lady didn¡¯t seem to have any desire to waste time.


    ¡°Mary, thank you for the training. But, don¡¯t we have to pay or something?¡± he gestures backwards, indicating the training grounds they have just left. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Mary snorts, before she stops, realising of course Daniel wouldn¡¯t know, ¡°I own those training grounds. Well, my sister and I do.¡± she corrects herself, before continuing, ¡°Litzburn is the Master-at-Arms my father hired and he runs it, but we do own it.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± pondering the news for a moment Daniel continues, ¡°Is that where you learnt?¡±


    A nod confirms his guess which makes Daniel fall silent as he regards Mary once again. They reach the Top soon after where Elise seems to have been joined by a pair of waitresses. Spotting her sister, Elise waves them over before directing Daniel to a seat and placing a tankard of beer and food in front of him. Leaving the man to eat, she drags her sister off and begins a furious conversation with her.


    Daniel just stares at the two for a time before his growling stomach reminds him that lunch was hours ago. He digs in, casting occasional glances at the arguing pair but is soon lost in his food. It¡¯s a surprise then when he hears Elise speaking to him.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s been a hectic day Daniel, but you really should have stayed for me to say thank you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mary dragged me off and then¡­¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± she gestures with the dirty washcloth in her hand ¡°She told me. She says she¡¯ll be teaching you for the rest of the week you¡¯re here too. Good.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, about that¡­.¡±


    ¡°Daniel, just accept it. You saved my son¡¯s life. The least we can do is increase your chances of surviving in the dungeon.¡± She suddenly snorts, shaking¡± her head. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you intended to use that hammer in there. You wouldn¡¯t make it past the second floor with that thing.¡±


    ¡°Come on, it¡¯s not that bad!¡± protests Daniel.


    ¡°Yes, it is. Daniel, even with the right equipment and training, 1 in 4 Adventurer¡¯s die on their first foray into a Beginner dungeon. Of those that make it past the first zone, only 1 in 10 ever complete the dungeon. Being an Adventurer is dangerous.¡± As she speaks, Elise holds Daniel¡¯s gaze. Though she¡¯s telling the truth, she leaves out that many Adventurer¡¯s never see a reason to complete the Dungeon, happy to ¡®farm¡¯ the early levels of a dungeon in relative safety.


    ¡°That bad?¡¯ Daniel¡¯s eyes widen. He hadn¡¯t realised the numbers were that bad. Obviously, he knew it had been dangerous, but never that dangerous. For a moment, doubt creeps in before he forces his spine to straighten and he pushes it away. No, he needed to become stronger. ¡°Thank you then. For the advice. And thank Mary for the training.¡±


    Satisfied with his words, Elise bestows a smile on Daniel before she hurries off to her patiently waiting patrons.

 B2 Chapter 10 - Questors

    ¡°I¡¯m not complaining about being out of the sewers Asin, but did we have to take quests so far away?¡± Trudging out of the city, Daniel grumbles as he hefts his backpack. They had only been in Silverstone for a few days as it stood and now they had left it again to visit a nearby village to help the farmers fight of attacking vermin while they completed harvesting.


    It was not a glamorous job but it certainly paid well as the farmers needed to attract the Adventurers away from the Dungeons. More importantly, from Asin¡¯s point of view, it got the pair out of Silverstone and away from that traitorous, two-faced Catkin.


    Seeing that his partner has decided to ignore him, Daniel glances over to the side and spots a familiar face from the Guild Hall. Not seeing a guild badge on the group, Daniel diverts himself slightly to say hi.


    ¡°Morning there!¡± Daniel calls out and the group turns to him. The middle-aged, slightly potbellied mace wielder he spotted eyes Daniel for a moment before grinning, waving to Daniel.


    ¡°You¡¯re the youngsters from Karlak,¡± the older gentlemen replies, smiling.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m Daniel.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Lin. This is Ingrid and Jorge,¡± Lin indicates his older companions, a redhead in an old but well-maintained suit of chainmail and a darker skinned, spear wielding companion in turn. ¡°You headed to Ilquin too?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. The quest was good coin,¡± Daniel says.


    ¡°Definitely. It¡¯s why we do it. I¡¯m impressed you managed three days in the sewers though, most groups give up after the first.¡±


    Ingrid shudders at the mention of the sewers and Daniel finds himself rubbing his nose, the smell coming back to him once again.


    ¡°Which Dungeon do you run otherwise?¡± Daniel asks, curiosity filling his voice.


    ¡°None!¡± Jorge answers for the group and seeing Daniel¡¯s surprised look, he continues. ¡°We¡¯re questors.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t run Dungeons anymore Daniel. We focus on quests only,¡± Ingrid quickly explains, her voice surprisingly high pitched for such a rough looking woman. ¡°We gave up on all of that dangerous delving a while ago. That¡¯s what Questors are - Adventurers who only do quests.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Daniel falls silent then frowns. ¡°But we were told there weren¡¯t enough quests being taken up!¡±


    ¡°Not at your level,¡± Lin chuckles. ¡°Just because we¡¯re retired doesn¡¯t mean we want to do fetch quests or the sewer.¡±


    ¡°Is this dangerous then?¡± Daniel frowns, recalling that Asin had appeared at his door this morning with the quest already taken.


    ¡°No, not at all. It¡¯s a longer quest since it takes a few days for the harvest to be brought in but the biggest danger is the Spotted Deer which are running and those are easy enough to scare away. At least for us Adventurers,¡± Lin pronounces and Daniel nods slowly. ¡°Ever met the deer before?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Har, alright then. Come on, I¡¯ll tell you about it and the quest¡­¡±


    ¡°Smell good,¡± Asin says, walking over to peer at the meal the experienced Adventurers are making. Lin laughs, waving her to take a seat as he flips the pan, sending the thin slices of meat into the air before catching them.


    ¡°That¡¯s quite a compliment coming from Asin,¡± Daniel says, shaking his head as he sees how fast the group have set up their sleeping area. Asin and he had just finished setting up their own camp and were in the middle of gathering wood and these three were already cooking.


    ¡°Join us then,¡± Jorge says as he brings back a pot of water which he hangs over the fire. The moment it is hung, he moves to the waiting vegetables which he begins to throw in. ¡°Lin always brings more than enough.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d pack more too if you ever got stuck in a snowstorm on Pare Peak like I did. Ended up chewing on our leather vests just to eat something!¡± Lin replies, a slight smile twisting his face. ¡°Of course, that¡¯s when I learnt that Derin Lizard brains are quite good.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t corrupt the kids Lin,¡± Ingrid says, dropping her bundle of wood. ¡°Right, if you add your pile to ours, we¡¯ll have more than enough for tonight.¡±


    Asin nods with alacrity, leaving Daniel behind as she accedes to the invitation. After a brief questioning, Daniel moves away too to bring along the meat he was to cook and watches as Ingrid slices and spices the meat with deft strokes. Asin prods at the spice, sniffing at the spices with interest as she deposits the wood.


    ¡°Why were you on Pare Peak?¡± Daniel says, once he is situated comfortably and out of the some from the fire.


    ¡°Quest of course. This young nobleman wanted an escort to find the Yeti,¡± Lin rolls his eyes, ¡°Hired two whole parties for three weeks and paid good coin for it. We ended up stuck there for 2 months when we were snowed in. Luckily, the quest was paid by the day. I bought a pair of enchanted swords from that quest.¡± Lin smiles, dark eyes remembering past glories before he sighs, ¡°Those broke half-a-year later fighting a stone golem.¡±


    Putting the cooked meat aside, Lin accepts the newly seasoned slices onto his pan while Ingrid says, ¡°Two swords! I used to have a set of full enchanted plate. Had to sell it to pay for all the healing potions we needed after a bad delve and to heal for Quinn, our Mage. Healers are a damn scam.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me. I ended up being a questor because I needed to sell off all my equipment just to cover the bill to regenerate my foot,¡± Jorge adds, shaking his head. ¡°Though I guess I could thank him too.¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡°Definitely thank him, if that¡¯s why you became a questor,¡± Lin follows up before waving them closer to him. ¡°Right, first batch is ready, get your plates.¡±


    The group stop grousing for a time as they work through the bread and meat that is provided, Lin occasionally returning to the pot to stir and taste the vegetable soup. As everyone begins to finish up, Asin turns to regard the experienced Adventurers before speaking, ¡°Why Questors?¡±


    Lin pauses, spoon halfway to his lips before he lowers it. Jorge sighs, rubbing at his beard when she speaks while Lin answers, ¡°You normally don¡¯t ask that. It¡¯s considered rude.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Asin prods, scratching at her ear as her tail waves lazily.


    ¡°Most other Adventurers consider us failures,¡± Ingrid explains. ¡°In fact, most won¡¯t even speak with us.¡±


    As Asin opens her mouth to ask why again Daniel kicks her in the foot. She glares at him but says nothing, turning back to her soup. Lin watches the unsubtle interaction and his lips twist in amusement before he says, ¡°I was a guild leader once. Just a small one, we only had about 40 members. Then we had a few bad months, a few of our party¡¯s were lost and others were poached. We eventually disbanded and then, well, I hadn¡¯t really been doing that much delving since I became a guild leader and I realised I wasn¡¯t interested anymore. So I just started doing quests.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t get past the eight floor no matter what I tried,¡± Jorge speaks up, looking at his bowl of soup as he adds his own story. ¡°I was always the one making the mistakes, always the one holding the team back. They eventually decided to cut me loose and I couldn¡¯t find another team to join permanently. I worked quests when I didn¡¯t have a group or in-between delves and eventually, well, I just stopped trying.¡±


    Asin and Daniel look to Ingrid whose lips purse before she says, ¡°No.¡± Disappointed, the pair turn back to their meal. Later, when Ingrid has left Jorge murmurs to the pair as they leave, ¡°She lost her party in a bad delve. Never tried again.¡±


    Daniel nods in thanks and invites them over for breakfast the next day in turn. As he walks back, he cannot help but think that being an Adventurer had more paths than the single one that he initially imagined and that for many, those paths ended in heartache.


    True to Lin¡¯s prediction, the next few days passes without incident. Watching from his assigned spot, Daniel wipes rain away from his eyes before scanning the surroundings again before stopping on the farmers as they finish up the latest field. Barely a dozen in number, the workers had cleared three fields just today by themselves even though they have to work in the pouring rain. In fact, the greatest slowdown was in storage as carts struggled along the muddy roads as they attempted to deliver the goods to the various warehouses.


    Once again, Daniel smiles as he watches the farmers work. It always amazed him how so few farmers could produce such a large harvest - though realistically, it was no different than how experienced Miners could churn out significantly more ore than beginners. If not for the need to continually train the next generation of workers, youngsters like him would never be given a significant role in mining operations.


    ¡°Deer,¡± Asin says, her hood pulled tight over her head as rivulets of water drip down around her. As she speaks, she points and Daniel wrenches his gaze away back to work. In the distance, he sees the Spotted Deer run downwind of them, each motion a thing of beauty. They glide across the ground but veer off suddenly as the smell of old and rotten blood carries its way to them. Daniel relaxes and then reaches for his water bottle, feeling the lukewarm water wet his throat.


    ¡°So¡­ this is the last day it seems. We¡¯ll probably even be able to get back before the evening falls if we hurry,¡± Daniel says.


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± Asin purrs.


    ¡°What I¡¯m saying is that we could enjoy a soft bed, warm water and a hot meal if we decide to,¡± Daniel tries again as he pulls his own cloak tighter, feeling the chill from the rain carry to his bones.


    Again, all Asin does is purr.


    ¡°Are we going back tonight?¡± Daniel cries out exasperatedly and Asin lets out a chuckle, looking up to him from where she crouches, her tail waving lazily in amusement.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Daniel nods firmly, stretching. ¡°So you¡¯re good then?¡±


    Asin nods, then shrugs after a moment. ¡°I was foolish. It over now.¡±


    ¡°I still think Tevfik liked you for yourself you know,¡± Daniel adds and at seeing the glare Asin shoots him he shuts up. Soon enough, the work is done and Daniel heads over to wish goodbye to the other Adventuring parties and the farmers before the pair head back to the city. Asin pauses for a moment, staring back to Daniel before she flashes him a grin and takes off, loping forward at speed through the mud, Daniel growling softly as he hurries to keep up with her. Damn cat.


    ¡°Daniel!¡± Niko waves to the youngster as he walks in, cold and grumpy having lost the race back. Asin had out-paced him very quickly and never seemed to look back so all that Daniel could do was follow after her, alternately jogging and running. Having finally made it back to the Inn, Daniel only wants to rest in his room and so ignores the calling Niko, heading upstairs.


    He is pulled short as he ascends halfway up by Niko¡¯s hand on his arm, the older swordsman looking serious. ¡°Daniel, I just need a moment. Please.¡±


    Daniel frowns and then nods, recalling how the other Adventurers had helped them. He owed Niko at least the courtesy of listening to him. In the dining hall, Daniel quickly orders some mulled wine to warm him up before he turns to Niko.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re upset we hid our intentions from you. I just wanted to explain it to you. You see, well, finding an unaffiliated healer is incredible. Even someone who only has Minor Healing can make a difference in a party¡¯s earnings over the long-term and if you ever learned more powerful spells, you could make a major difference on a day-to-day basis. Few parties ever advance beyond Advanced without a healer in the party but even including the priests, there just never are enough,¡± Niko shakes his head. ¡°Finding a healer that¡¯s unaffiliated is a big thing especially for a small guild like ours.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve figured that out,¡± Daniel answers grumpily.


    ¡°I still think you should join a guild, even if it¡¯s not ours. There¡¯s no reason for you to be working a dungeon like Karlak, earning a few silver every run when you could be in a real dungeon. With a guild¡¯s help, they could outfit you with proper equipment and ensure you got the right training.¡±


    ¡°Out of the goodness of their hearts?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. You¡¯re an investment and they¡¯d expect you to use your skills, but it¡¯s nothing more than what you offered to do in the bath house,¡± Niko points out.


    ¡°Oh, you found out about that eh?¡± Daniel grimaces and Niko nods.


    ¡°And I know of what you did for the travelers. You¡¯d just be using your gifts for other Adventurers instead.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d treat me like a healer though.¡±


    ¡°Of course! We¡¯ll protect you and make sure nothing happens to you. The worst thing you can do is have your healer killed!¡± Niko adds, shaking his head.


    ¡°Right, right,¡± Daniel sighs and drinks down his wine, standing up. ¡°Thank you for that Niko. I¡¯ll¡­ think about it.¡±


    Niko nods, disappointed. As he stands, he offers the man a patch from his guild, saying, ¡°If you change your mind, just show this at the reception of our guild hall and state my name. I¡¯ll leave word to keep an eye out for you. And Asin.¡±


    Daniel nods again, putting the patch away in his pouch as he heads up the stairs. A part of him can see the advantages, the way that joining a Guild could make up for his Gift and meet his dreams. However, it meant he would be treated as a precious commodity, a healer that could never be injured. No longer would he be allowed to risk himself in dungeons that might be a little too difficult for him or fighting bosses. Daniel would be a healer, and healers never fought in the front.


    Still, this offer would let him make up for his lost time. Daniel knew he was old for a beginner Adventurer, old to have just started on this journey. While Levels and experience could have stave off the effects of time, time still always won.


    Lying in bed, Daniel stares at the wooden boards that make up the ceiling, thoughts going in circles.

 B2 Chapter 11 - To Return Home

    ¡°Sure?¡± Asin prods Daniel again as the young Adventurers fights to contain his yawns. Up early in the morning to meet the caravan to Karlak, the pair are walking through the city with their gear on their back.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Daniel nods firmly. As tempting as the offer to join a guild was, he could not choose it now. Would not perhaps. He had a quest that needed completing and what he started, he would finish. In truth, a part of Daniel knows he is putting the decision off, procrastinating.


    Asin continues to chew on the improvised bread wrap she has made, content to let Daniel make the choice without interference. She understood she was not truly wanted by the Guild - they would not decline her if she joined with Daniel but she was not their target. If Daniel went, she would be content to join - the more advanced the dungeon, the more coin there was after all. If not, she would get there eventually.


    As they come up to the caravan, Asin prods Daniel to take over the conversation, content to let him do the talking. Being in a new city, she had done more talking than she was used to and while she would never tell Daniel, her throat was rather raw from squeezing out words in Bard. It was so much easier to speak in Catkin and perhaps partly why she had gotten involved with Tevkin so fast. Her tail lashed again as she thought of Catkin and his luxurious fur, the way he used to nibble on her ear¡­


    Daniel quietly moves slightly further away from his growling friend, having gotten used to the occasional switches in her temperament in the last few weeks. Tevkin had hurt her, more than she was willing to let on and once again, Daniel wonders how old his friend really was. Was he perhaps her first real relationship?


    Pushing aside those thoughts, Daniel focuses on the job at hand and greets the caravan master, getting their orders. It would be a long few weeks back to Karlak.


    Later that day, when things have settled and the caravan makes its way out Daniel finally pulls up the information on his Status. It was time to allocate his attribute and skill points. He had avoided the topic for days, not feeling the need to rush as the simple low-level Quests that were offered to them were easily dealt with by their existing skills.


    Now, with nothing more to do but watch the surroundings and his decision to turn down the guild offers, he could focus on levelling up.


    First, it was time to adjust his skills. Of course, he could upgrade his existing skills making each better and more effective but Daniel was more curious about the new skills he had the option to learn.


    Now that he had upgraded his Healing skills and knew the human body better, he had access to two different spells - Cure Serious Wounds or Healer¡¯s Mark. The first was a more powerful version of his current spell, providing almost instantaneous healing but at a higher mana cost. Healer¡¯s Mark however just accelerated the healing process of the target over a period of time, allowing the target¡¯s body to do the majority of the healing. It was significantly more mana efficient than either of his spells and was very popular among Healers because of that. It did have the potential of failure though - if the host body was not strong enough, the spell would fail and could actually drive the target to death.


    In terms of his offensive skills, he could now learn Shield Rush which was actually a progression on the Shield Bash skill he already knew. Instead of a static attack, Shield Rush would allow him to attack using his shield at a distance by charging the monsters, allowing him to layer a stun and knockback attack. While not as versatile as Shield Bash, Shield Rush was extremely powerful against single opponents and the Stun effects normally lasted longer too.


    His archery skills were still not sufficient to give him any Skill options but he did have a number of Club options to choose from. Power Strike continued to be available while two additional options had opened up - Crushing Blow and Perin¡¯s Wrath. Crushing blow was a variation on Power Strike which did less overall damage but which gave additional bonuses against medium to heavily armored opponents. The skill focused on destroying and smashing through armor with over-reaching power and at higher levels was known for ignoring even physical damage resistances. Perin¡¯s Wrath on the other hand provided a knockback effect that if used correctly could even throw a monster into the air for follow-on attacks. A similar skill had been what Niko had used to finish off the Overseer in the dungeon.


    In addition to all these, Daniel had also gained a few additional passive skill options including Sprint, Greater Endurance and exclusive to him, Martyr¡¯s Strength. The last made Daniel pull up the detailed information again to review.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Martyr¡¯s Strength


    A unique skill brought about by the on-going usage of Martyr¡¯s Touch on the individual¡¯s body. Combines unique understanding of the owner¡¯s body with the user¡¯s unique Gift to increase regeneration rates.


    Skill: Passive


    Cost: N/A


    Effect: User has a permanent increase of 10% to Health and Stamina regeneration.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    In the end, Daniel closes the screen again and rubs at his chin. There were so many options to choose from that Daniel sits quietly, attempting to structure his thoughts. If he focused on his most likely opponents in the near future - the Ogres- both Crushing Blow and Shield Rush would benefit him the most. However, the use of Perin¡¯s Blow with his other skills could allow Daniel to inflict significant damage on a single target in a short period of time. In fact, over time, Perin¡¯s Blow probably could become the linchpin of his attacks against a tough opponent.


    However, that would not benefit him in a fight against smaller opponents. If he upgraded his Double Strike ability, he¡¯d be able to attack four times in quick order, making him a much deadlier opponent against multiple individuals. It would have made him significantly stronger against the Imps for starters.


    A Healer¡¯s Mark on the other hand would always be useful especially over the course of a day. It would ensure they could stay in tip-top condition while they fought and when they increased their party, it would be even more important.


    If he wanted to be selfish, he could even take his unique Skill and increase his own health and stamina regeneration. The significant increase in both would make it easier for him in dungeon levels and everyday life though it was probably the least useful in a group.


    It was not a simple choice and one that Daniel had agonized over for hours now. Worst, he knew that these kinds of decisions would come even more often as he developed in strength.


    Later that evening Asin prods Daniel, taking him out of his contemplation as he prods at the fire. ¡°Skills?¡±


    Daniel pauses, staring at the fire before he finally answers her, ¡°I chose to get Perin¡¯s Blow.¡±


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Perin¡¯s Blow


    Named after the God of Storms, Perin, this strike sends concentrates the force of the user¡¯s blow to create a knockback effect against targets.


    Skill: Active


    Cost: 25 Stamina


    Effect: User¡¯s Strike does 15% more damage and knocks back target. Knockback level dependent on user¡¯s strength, Club skill, weight and size of opponent and striking area.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°It¡¯s a knock back effect, kind of like Niko¡¯s,¡± Daniel explains, before continuing, ¡°I think it¡¯d be useful against the Crawlers and Ogres and if I learn to use it right, it should also allow me to control where the monsters move during a fight.¡±


    Asin just nods as Daniel calls up his Status Screen once more, hoping he made the right choice. When he got back, he would ask Khy¡¯ra to teach him Healer¡¯s Mark. If she was still willing to speak with him after he told her of what he did.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Name: Daniel Lai


    Class: Level 6 Adventurer (14%)


    Sub-classes: Level 7 (Miner) (14%)


    Human (Male)


    Statistics


    Life: 229


    Stamina: 229


    Mana: 168


    Attributes


    Strength: 22


    Agility: 20


    Constitution: 28


    Intelligence: 17


    Willpower: 18


    Luck: 13


    Skills


    Unarmed Combat: Level 3 (37/100)


    Clubs : Level 9 (04/100)


    Archery: Level 2 (18/100_


    Shield: Level 7 (84/100)


    Dodge: Level 5 (12/100)


    Combat Sense: Level 5 (98/100)


    Perception : Level 6 (07/100)


    Mining : Level 7 (78/100)


    Healing : Level 8 (89/100)


    Herb Lore: Level 3 (31/100)


    Stealth: Level 2 (14/100)


    Cooking: Level 3 (21/100)


    Singing: Level 2 (14/100)


    Skill Proficiencies


    Double Strike


    Shield Bash


    Perin¡¯s Blow


    Mapping (II)


    Spells


    Minor Healing (I)


    Gifts


    Martyr¡¯s Touch - The caster may heal oneself or others by touch and concentration, sacrificing a portion of his life to do so. Cost varies depending on the extent of the injuries healed


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Pushing aside those thoughts, Daniel stands and moves to the back of the caravan. He had made his decision. Better to keep busy and that meant helping others. Interestingly enough, the hanger-ons from Silverstone seemed both less numerous and better fed so Daniel expects that he will have less to do than before.


    Days pass in quiet contemplation and evening bouts of training. The other Adventuring group that had hired on with this caravan was highly insular, refusing to interact with Daniel and Asin outside of the bare minimum. After over-hearing a particular conversation about the Catkin, both parties were more than happy to ignore each other.


    Instead, in the evenings, Daniel finds himself working with the caravan guards. Once word of his free healing was passed around, even the caravan manager had taken to speaking with Daniel in more friendly terms - if nothing more than to soothe his ulcerous stomach. The caravan guards were more than happy to train with Daniel for his aid, whether it was for magical or non-magical healing.


    A week and a half after they leave Silverstone, the caravan meets its first sign of trouble. The other Adventurers having left to complete another quest, the caravan is sparsely guarded for its size and the pair have been forced to take on evening guard duties as well. As Daniel rolls over to grab his mace after being woken to take his turn, an arrow strikes his bedroll. For a moment, Daniel just squats there, staring at the arrow as he attempts to understand this strange feathered disturbance.


    ¡°Attack!¡± roars one of the guards and the shout makes Daniel move, having him grab up his shield. Crouching low with his shield in front of him, he searches for the attackers and spots a good dozen bearing down on him. Another scream from behind him makes him turn and he spots another dozen bandits, making Daniel¡¯s mouth turn dry. They are out outnumbered two to one!


    Making a snap decision, Daniel rushes the group ahead of him, holding his shield before himself. While he might not have the skill, there was no reason he could not use his shield as a battering ram and so he does, ducking low and scooping his arm as he runs into his opponent. The screaming, dirty bandit flips over Daniel and smashes into the ground and Daniel stands swiftly, engaging his Double Strike to crush the arm and then knee of his next opponent, flashes of electricity lighting up their fight. As the downed bandit begins to roll over, Asin pounces onto him and shoves a blade into his throat. Blade caught, she leaves it in his throat as she draws a throwing knife to provide Daniel further support.


    His second opponent crippled, Daniel spins and steps forward quickly to his next opponent, engaging Perin¡¯s Blow for the first time in combat. He strikes low and to the side, the bandit¡¯s clumsy block smashed aside as the mace catches him on the hip and sending him bowling into the line behind him. The scream and momentary spray of spittle is soon forgotten by Daniel as Asin works her knives and a bolo onto the struggling pile, tangling the group before casting an enchanted oil flask into the mass.


    Daniel can feel the heat behind his back, drying his shirt as he steps forward to deal with another bandit. He catches the first strike high, attempting to strike with his mace and having an arrow slam into his unarmoured torso, spinning him around. He screams, the coarse wood of the arrow shaft digging into his muscles as he stumbles away from his attacker, a second arrow missing by inches.


    Daniel¡¯s attacker follows up, swinging his sword once and then again, both blows caught on Daniel¡¯s shield. Stepping forward, his attacker hooks his foot behind Daniel¡¯s and pulls, dropping the adventurer on his back and elicting an involuntary scream as the arrow in his shoulder shifts. As Daniel recovers from the fall, the bandit thrusts, the blade puncturing Daniel¡¯s chest and grating along his ribs.


    Asin meanwhile has spun around but has had to dodge to the side as the archer fires again and again, forcing her to keep moving away from the fight. She snarls, her thrown weapons unable to reach the coward. Not given a choice, Asin jumps back again as the archer fires and throws her knives, activating her skill Fan of Knives. Her single knive blossoms, mirrored in flight to smash into Daniel¡¯s attacker and forcing the bandit away. Even as she lands, she rolls and comes up, catching and sliding a blade away from her immediately, the blade slicing along her shoulder slightly as it does so.


    Given a moment¡¯s respite, Daniel grabs and pulls the arrow out and then casts a Minor Healing on himself, whimpering in pain as his body forcefully heals the wound close. Able to use his arm again, Daniel looks up in time to catch his opponent¡¯s next blow.


    Lips pulled tight, Daniel smashes forward with his shield, triggering Shield Bash and stunning his opponent. Stepping forward, he brains his assailant before searching for another. Realising that Asin is hard-pressed by two attackers, he rushes over to aid her. The momentary distraction of the short, stout adventurer is enough for Asin to spin away and draw a throwing knife to throw, sending a Piercing Throw deep into the groin of an attacker and dropping him.


    A sudden, short scream that is cut-off abruptly tells the tale of the archer as reinforcements from the other parts of the caravan start adding their weight to the battle. Wagoneers, woken from their sleep grab at crossbows and clubs to aid the guards, one of the shots having caught the other archer. For a moment the bandits pause, wavering. Panting, Daniel catches another bandit in the stomach with Perin¡¯s Blow, picking him up into the air and then triggering his Double Strike as the man is in the air, slamming blows into the body and casting blood into the air.


    The brutal attack is the last straw as the bandits realise that it is not just guards but Adventurers they must fight. Screaming, they flee back into the forest, letting Daniel collapse onto the ground. He groans and focuses on his injuries and tapping into his Gift to close the wound. Memories shift, fading away as he does this but he knows he will be asked to heal others soon. Best to use his Gift on himself than face other questions.


    As always, the aftermath of a battle is a sad affair. The smell of iron and voided bowels fill the camp along with the stifled cries of pain and the slow dragging of bodies as the wagon guards first kill and then dispose of the bandits bodies. No one objected - bandits were the lowest of the low and were killed on sight in Brad and the caravan had lost many. Three waggoneers had been slain in their sleep, another two guards dead before Daniel is able to make his way to them.


    When the healing is done, the caravan master comes over and offers Daniel a drink. Daniel gratefully takes it, coughing slightly as the spirit burns its way down his throat. ¡°Bad luck this trip.¡±


    Daniel can only nod, waving Asin over. She sniffs, taking the bottle while Daniel lets a finger linger on her palm, sending his Gift into her body to check for injuries. Finding nothing more than a few shallow cuts and a pulled lower back muscle, he leaves her alone.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± the caravan master adds, stroking his mustache absently. ¡°It would have been worst without you.¡±


    Asin can only nod again, too tired to suggest a monetary bonus. Perhaps later if the caravan master did not make the offer himself. For now, there were still bodies to put aside and fires to rekindle and a watch to be set.


    Days later, the caravan has pulled to a stop near a river bend, sheltered from the rain by a copse of trees and from attack from one two sides by the river. The group is more relaxed now, the caravan master having found replacements for the guards and having picked up another Adventuring group. That evening, after dinner, Daniel wanders to the water to fill his waterskin and finds Asin sitting by herself.


    ¡°Asin?¡±


    At her name being called, the Catkin scrubs at her face for a moment before she looks at Daniel. Black fur, plastered down by tears track down her face, dark green eyes daring Daniel to mention her weakness. He knows better, instead choosing to sit down next to her in silence companionship.


    As the silence stretches to the breaking point, Asin finally speaks; ¡°Tevfik liked me. Yes?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I think so,¡± Daniel replies and she nods jerkily.


    ¡°Stupid,¡± she mutters, claws coming out to knead her knees. She stares at them for a time, disgusted at her own actions, for reacting so emotionally and blaming him. Yet, she had truly felt betrayed. ¡°I liked him.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°No future,¡± Asin says again, rubbing at her knees. ¡°Stupid.¡±


    ¡°To fall in love?¡±


    ¡°No love. Like,¡± Asin insists, glaring at Daniel who offers a quick nod. ¡°Stupid anyway.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Daniel frowns, on uncertain ground now. After all, they were consenting adults.


    ¡°Because over. Always. I leave. He leave. Stupid,¡± Asin insists, shaking her head. ¡°You, Khy¡¯ra, stupid.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Daniel glares at his friend, waving a finger at her. ¡°Just because you don¡¯t agree doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s stupid. Khy¡¯ra and I are adults. We know what we¡¯re doing.¡±


    ¡°Stupid. Get hurt,¡± Asin states again.


    ¡°Maybe. No, certainly. But in-between, I know a smart, wise, tough and beautiful Elf,¡± Daniel points out, shaking his head. ¡°We know what¡¯s coming, but that doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t enjoy it.¡±


    ¡°Still stupid.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s a good kind of stupid.¡±


    Asin lets out a chuff of frustration and then puts her head on her knees again, her tail uncurling from her back slowly. ¡°Hurts.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Daniel sighs, unsure of what to say. So he says nothing.


    After a time, Asin stands up, moving back to the fire. As she passes, she pauses to say, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    When she is gone, Daniel stares back into the water, thinking of Khy¡¯ra and the talk he must have. Stupid. Yeah, it probably was.

 B2 Chapter 12 - Karlak Again

    ¡°Daniel!¡± Khy¡¯ra gasps, smiling up at the adventurer as he steps into her Clinic. Weeks of travel after the attack had been thankfully quite slow and boring. This time around, the trip had passed through numerous villages and a few towns but none with beginner dungeons. The pair had spent their time at these new towns and villages sightseeing for the most part, each stop no longer than a day and often only a few hours. Slightly spooked, the wagons had moved at a quicker pace than normal and so the pair had actually arrived back early in Karlak by a day. Having delivered their goods to an enthused Maximillian, the pair had split up immediately.


    Daniel smiles, stepping forwards and wrapping his arms around Khy¡¯ra, kissing her passionately before pulling away as sudden guilt flashes through him. Seeing the change in experession, Khy¡¯ra stops and pushes at him gently, murmuring, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Daniel frowns, searching for a way to say this before just going with the bald truth. ¡°I slept with someone else.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Khy¡¯ra sighs and steps back, blue eyes raking over the man. They glimmer for a moment as she does so before she speaks. ¡°Was she pretty?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ a bit,¡± Daniel says.


    ¡°A bit,¡± Khy¡¯ra repeats and Daniel nods. ¡°Really? Just a bit?¡±


    ¡°I was drunk!¡± Daniel adds, grimacing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s not an excuse.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not, but I¡¯m not angry about you sleeping with her,¡± Khy¡¯ra says and smiles slightly at Daniel. ¡°We never made any promises to each other after all. And really, I¡¯ve been alive and will be alive for many more years. I¡¯ll have many more lovers than you dear boy, so why would I begrudge you yours?¡±


    Daniel blinks, then nods slightly, exhaling. His reasoning had been along those lines too but¡­ his thoughts fall to disarray as Khy¡¯ra raises a finger.


    ¡°But, I am disappointed about the betrayal,¡± Khy¡¯ra continues, blue eyes flashing again.


    ¡°You just said¡­¡± Daniel stutters, confused.


    ¡°You did not betray me, but yourself,¡± she taps with her finger at his chest, continuing. ¡°You felt it was wrong did you not? So it matters not whether I viewed it wrong, you betrayed yourself. And for that, I am disappointed.¡±


    Daniel opens his mouth and then shuts it, blinking in understanding. She was right - he had struggled with his actions. He had chosen badly and he had felt guilty about it - and even if she herself did not think it was a betrayal, it was one of himself.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°For that dear boy, I must enact suitable punishment,¡± Khy¡¯ra continues, stepping forward and then pushing gently at Daniel, guiding him out of the door. Daniel opens his mouth then shuts it under the firm gaze of the blonde Elf. Door shut on him, Daniel grimaces and stares at the empty Clinic, wondering what to do. After all, he had sent everyone home.


    Inside the room, Khy¡¯ra leans against the door, eyes half-closed. It pained her to make the boy leave, but if she had taken him to bed, he would have learn the wrong lesson. Still, it was a pity, she had missed him.


    ¡°Late!¡± Asin grumbles at Daniel as he hurries up to her at the dungeon entrance. He flashes her an apologetic shrug of his shoulders having spent the night drinking alone. His head pounded and he still wasn¡¯t sure - were they broken up permanently? Or just that night? Should he try to see her again tonight? His rambling thoughts are brought to a stop as Asin asks. ¡°Ready?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Daniel shakes his head, pushing the thoughts aside and he makes a quick check of his weaponry and armor, adjusting his backpack one last time before they enter the dungeon and activate the portal stone.


    ¡°Mine?¡± Daniel asks as they spot their first Ogre. Asin just yawns, hiding her teeth with her furry hand. Not waiting any further, Daniel rushes the Ogre that has started running to him, focusing on the battle.


    He staggers his steps, breaking his timing for a brief moment to throw off the Ogre¡¯s swing, letting the club swing by him as he steps in and engages Perin¡¯s Blow. The thrust from under the monster with his mace pushes the mace into the creature¡¯s body, throwing the creature upwards long enough for Daniel to slam the rim of his shield into it¡¯s airborn body. The Ogre falls backwards, doubled over by repeated strikes to its stomach and diaphragm and Daniel takes the time to line up an overhand strike on its head. He bends with his knees, putting his weight behind each attack before repeating the strike again and again, never letting up even as the Ogre attempts to strike him.


    As Daniel stands over the dispersing body, breathing heavily, Asin calls out a warning and points. In the distance, a trio of Ogres are jogging to the pair to take revenge. Sliding his mace into his belt again, he reaches for his crossbow and loads a bolt quickly, sighting down the weapon before firing. The bolt flies through the sky, slamming into a thigh and Daniel curses as he works the crossbow. He was aiming for the Ogre to the right of this one. Could he not do anything right?


    Asin steps up to buy Daniel time, throwing a pair of blades that blossom into a storm as she activates the skill. The Ogres duck and twist, attempting to dodge the blades. Most of the knives miss except for a pair that embed in the unlucky Ogre. The creature groans, blades and arrow embedded in its body. Loaded, Daniel aims and fires another bolt, this one lodging in the monster¡¯s chest and bringing it to its knees.


    Daniel drops the crossbow by his side, pulling his mace out as he steps forward to tackle the monster on the right while Asin fades to the left, tossing her knives with more care as the monsters near. As a swing comes swinging down overhand, she darts forward and to the side, raking the exposed arm with her blade as she closes in on her opponent, her enchanted aura sending electricity through the contact and forcing the arm to spasm.


    Daniel¡¯s Ogre stops just outside of its range, swinging first one then the other arm as it wields two crude short clubs. Unable to find a good opportunity, Daniel feints to the left and then ducks right, aiming for the last injured opponent. He feels a club glance off his shield, the blow sending tremors through his body as the Ogre instinctively lashes out and then he¡¯s past and rushing the last Ogre.


    He triggers his Double Strike skill the moment he gets into range, taking his opponent¡¯s attack on his shield with a grunt and feeling his arm and shoulder compress, flaring in pain under the heavy strike. Still, he stays focused and lands both blows sending electricity dancing through the monster at the points of impact, dancing to the right immediately as the monster exhales, washing him with its fetid breath. The Ogre finds it difficult to keep up with his smaller and faster opponent, injured as it is and for a moment, Daniel finds himself facing its back. Twisting at his hips, Daniel puts as much strength into the next attack that he can while triggering Perin¡¯s Blow, smashing his mace into the Ogre¡¯s back, targeting its kidney and sending it flying into its brethren.


    The Ogre lets out a breathless scream, bowling over the other monster before breaking apart. As the other Ogre pushes upwards with one hand, Daniel targets its other arm, raining blows on the fragile forearm bones and shattering them to make the monster release its weapon. Devoid of its secondary weapon, Daniel alternates strikes with the monster now, no longer forced back by the attacks.


    Asin meanwhile weaves under each attack thrown at her, slashing and stabbing at the exposed arm till the Ogre is forced to drop its club. She then proceeds to cut and stab the monster, ducking under increasingly desperate attacks, always dodging by the smallest margin that she dares to, relying on speed and skill. Each attack sends light dancing, making the creature flinch again and again. As her opponent finally collapses, she turns to Daniel to find him beating on his opponent. Yet, a night spent drinking and thoughts about Khy¡¯ra make him slow and sloppy.


    An overhand blow that should be easy enough to block comes crashing down onto Daniel¡¯s shield. The block is just a touch too slow, the angle wrong and instead of being caught fully, the club smashes past the shield and skips off, glancing off to land a blow on Daniel¡¯s temple. He staggers and before he can recover, a backhand strike lands knocking him out.


    Asin yelps, charging and throwing a Piercing Shot before the Ogre can land a third blow. The knife drills into the Ogre¡¯s arm, forcing it to drop its weapon even as she charges forward to protect her friend.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    When Daniel awakens, he does so with the taste of a dead rat in his mouth. He coughs, pain shooting through his head as his tender temple rings. He whimpers, curling up slightly as the pain washes over him. Staying silent, he concentrates on his Gift, pulling it from his core to search for the cause of his pain.


    Bruising on his face, a cracked skull and minor swelling were the main culprits. Better - much better than he had expected truth be told. Focusing, he lowers the swelling and stitches the skull back together with his Gift to give him relief from the pain before he begins to cast his Minor Healing spell.


    As he finally opens his eyes fully, he sees Asin squatting a short distance away watching over him. He shudders, remembering the sickening crack of wood on bone, the flash of pain and then, nothing.


    ¡°You saved me,¡± Daniel says, working his mouth. ¡°You used a healing potion too didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Asin nods and then shrugs. Of course, she did, they were partners. That was what they did after all.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Daniel says and stands, his body mostly healed. Fighting distracted on this level was a bad idea. Without a full set of heavier armor, any lucky blow could cause problems. Of course, getting a helmet would probably be a good idea, but Daniel was leery of spending the coin for it when he was going to get a full set of better armor soon.


    ¡°Ready?¡± Asin growls and Daniel pauses, rubbing at the dried blood on his temple.


    ¡°No¡­ not really,¡± Daniel decides suddenly, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, perhaps we can try this on another day?¡±


    Asin nods. She was not sure what it was, but Daniel was obviously not all here today. Grimacing, she turns to pick her way back to the dungeon entrance. Ah well, she¡¯ll head back up to the fifth floor by herself then. No reason to not earn more coin.


    ¡°Daniel!¡± Litzburn calls out in greeting, walking over to greet the young Adventurer as he comes into the training grounds. The large, ebony skinned master-at-arms smiles at his former student, shaking his hand with his own scarred, calloused one. ¡°Are you here to train?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I think so,¡± Daniel says.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a very sure answer,¡± Litzburn chuckles, running a hand over his bald scalp to clear some sweat. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Just, a lot on my mind,¡± Daniel shakes his head, glancing at the training weapons. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll just work the bags for a bit.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re always welcome,¡± Litzburn says, waving goodbye to Daniel as he returns to his other students.


    Later, after Daniel has settled in and Litzburn has watched the young man work the training posts desolutely, he walks over and taps Daniel on his shoulder. So lost in thought is the young Adventurer that he completely misses Litzburn¡¯s approach. ¡°Enough. You¡¯re shaming me and yourself. You won¡¯t learn anything but bad habits doing that.¡±


    Daniel lips twist and he hangs his head, rubbing the back of his neck as he apologises, ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Come. Let¡¯s talk,¡± waving to his sub-instructors to take over, he walks the young Adventuer to a nearby bench. ¡°Problems with Khy¡¯ra?¡±


    ¡°Yes. No. Maybe,¡± Daniel answers immediately and then stops, collecting his thoghts properly. ¡°It¡¯s not just that. It¡¯s¡­ well, can I ask some advice?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Speaking hurriedly, Daniel blurts out the entire story of the guilds, of being asked again and again to join, of the potential benefits offered. He speaks fast, trying to get the story out and along the way he mentions his issues with Khy¡¯ra too, of how he cheated - but it wasn¡¯t really cheating, except it was - and what happened. In the end, he runs down while Litzburn just nods. It is a good thing that Daniel speaks with his head down, for at times, Litburn¡¯s lips twitch and amusement dances in the older man¡¯s eyes. Ah, the tragedies of youth.


    ¡°I would not despair, I do not think that the Elf will cast you aside for such a matter. I believe your current predicament is punishment enough,¡± Litzburn says, lips twitching before he continues. ¡°I believe you will not make the same mistake again, no?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Ummm¡­ no? I won¡¯t make the mistake,¡± Daniel nods firmly. ¡°It was stupid. And¡­ not that good.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­ you bed an Elf young one. And one who I understand is still quite energetic between the sheets. I fear if you compare your future companions to her, you will be inevitably be disappointed,¡± Litzburn replies and then claps him on the back. ¡°At least technically. There is much to be said for passion though.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Right,¡± realising what he is speaking about, Daniel flushes and looks down, suddenly uncomfortable. ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°As for your problem with the guilds, few in this hall would find your circumstance a problem. Guilds rarely chase after melee fighters,¡± Litzburn waves his hand around the training hall where his students work hard to hone their abilities. ¡°Still, that is little comfort for you. For myself, I joined the moment I could - though that was after I completed my own Beginner Dungeon. Mary on the other hand waited for many years before she did, preferring to adventure on her own.¡±


    ¡°Mary has a guild?¡± Daniel perks up, remembering his earliest friend and the owner of the school he sits in.


    ¡°True, but hers would not fit you. She joined the White Scales and they only recruit Expert Adventurers and up,¡± Litzburn answers. ¡°If you decide to join a guild, be sure to understand what they ask for and what is required to leave them. Each guild must register their charter and members with the Adventurers Guild itself, so it¡¯s always best to speak with them direct.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Daniel nods, standing up finally. Well, at least he learnt a little more but mentioning the Guild reminded Daniel that there was another who he could ask for advice. ¡°I think I¡¯m done for the day.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I certainly agree,¡± Litzburn chuckles, clapping the younger Adventurer on the back. ¡°Come back another day. We still need to work on your form.¡±


    ¡°Afternoon Liev,¡± after standing in line, Daniel is finally able to speak with the scruffy, red-headed attendant.


    The middle-aged man looks up, rubbing at an ink splotch on his fingers absently. ¡°Daniel. I see you are back. Did you just return?¡±


    ¡°No, we arrived last night. I was hoping to speak with you?¡± Daniel gestures over to the tables to the side and Liev nods, waving one of the other attendants to take over his spot.


    ¡°What is this about?¡¯ Liev sits, noting the absence of Asin and wondering if there are issues with the pairing. It was after all not uncommon for adventuring parties to break up.


    Once again, Daniel speaks of his invitations to join the guilds, leaving out his issues with Khy¡¯ra. He was still somewhat embarrassed he discussed the matter with Litzburn and was certainly not going to discuss the matter again. After he is done, Liev sits silently, staring at the younger man and then sighs, fingers rubbing together again as he scrubs at the ink spot. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Daniel. I should have informed you about them before you left.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Daniel says immediately.


    ¡°No, I should have warned you. I knew local groups would want to work with you, but I had forgotten your generosity with your healing gifts. It was bound to attract attention on your travels,¡± Liev continues before shaking his head. ¡°I should have warned you.¡±


    ¡°Warned me?¡± eyebrows lowering, Daniel squints at Liev.


    ¡°Yes. The guilds that Adventurers make within Ours, they are both a great help and a great hindrance,¡± Liev says. ¡°We have had to forcefully disband more than one group, relieving the leaders of their membership and reassigning Adventurers. It is a lot of work because some can¡¯t handle the power that such a group can provide. The benefits they speak of is true, but many groups also attempt to control their members quite firmly for these benefits.


    ¡°I would have wanted you to avoid their attention for a while longer, but it is done. For now, I recommend you complete your current quest. Whatever your decision, being both more experienced and with better armour will stand you in better favour.¡±


    ¡°Should I join one then? Litzburn suggested I do.¡±


    ¡°Litzburn did well with his guild before he retired. Others haven¡¯t been as lucky,¡± Liev answers immediately. ¡°If I were you, I would not trust my ability to others, no matter how kind they seemed.¡±


    Lips twisting, Daniel nods. Right. His Gift. He had forgotten again how that could make things more difficult for him. ¡°Thanks Liev.¡±


    ¡°It is a big decision Daniel. Take your time making it,¡± Liev says, smiling and stands. ¡°Now, if that is all¡­?¡±


    Daniel nods absently, letting the man leave as he falls back into thought. Neither of these men had helped him make a decision. Well, except perhaps about Khy¡¯ra.


    ¡°Daniel,¡± Khy¡¯ra smiles slightly, having spoken only after watching as Daniel finishes wrapping up the cut on the carpenter¡¯s arm. The carpenter bobs a head in thanks to both, heading out of the examination room to drop a coin in the donation jar.


    ¡°Khy¡¯ra,¡± Daniel answers, shifting slightly. Having nothing more to do and tired of thinking, he had come to the Clinic to work.


    ¡°How are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ well,¡± Daniel rubs at his neck, extending a hand tentatively. Khy¡¯ra crosses over, taking it and he smiles slightly, relaxing. ¡°I¡¯m... sorry.¡±


    ¡°As I said, you have nothing to be sorry to me about. Your apology should be to yourself,¡± she says, leaning forwards and kissing him gently. ¡°I just wanted you to think it over.¡±


    Daniel nods, ¡°Yeah. I think I understand what you were saying.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± she smiles slightly, giving him a hug. ¡°I just wanted to say hi. There¡¯s still a lot of work to do. But we can speak, tonight?¡±


    ¡°Tonight,¡± Daniel replies, smiling and returning the hug before reluctantly letting her go.


    ¡°So, you¡¯ve been approached by the guilds then. At least, they don¡¯t know of your Gift,¡± Khy¡¯ra says, looking up at him from his chest as they lie on her bed.


    ¡°Yeah, Liev says it would be worst if they did,¡± Daniel answers. ¡°It¡¯s stupid really, it¡¯s not as if I could use it during combat or something.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­. You are too used to having it Daniel. Having your party, your entire guild constantly in top shape? Not having to spend gold on potions? It would be a great help. Too many groups find themselves forced to either work partly injured or tired or paying for potions. And on longer delves in more advanced dungeons? Your Gift would be a lifesaver,¡± Khy¡¯ra says. ¡°You have a lot of power here, a lot of leeway.¡±


    Daniel slowly nods, absently letting his hand run down her bare back, feeling the smooth skin under his fingers, ¡°So you think I should join a guild?¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­ I think you shouldn¡¯t stop doing that. And that you should remember your earlier lesson.¡±


    Daniel pauses, hand hovering for a moment. Earlier lesson? Oh¡­ as he begins to put it together, he finds his thoughts interrupted by soft lips and he pushes it aside. Some other things take precedence.

 B2 Chapter 13

    ¡°Morning Asin,¡± Daniel greets his friend, up bright and early and waiting at the Dungeon entrance. She nods in greeting, sniffs once and smiles slightly. Ah, he should be better prepared to take things seriously. Oblivious to her thoughts Daniel continues, ¡°I think we should focus on the seventh floor for now. Farm it for as much stone as we can. If we ask Liev for the conversion rate for the two B Grade stones for the smaller stones, I think it¡¯ll be safer for us. We could probably just buy them too from the Guild. What do you think?¡±


    Asin nods, yesterday¡¯s experience a stark reminder that while skill and tactics made a difference, they were both under-equipped and under-leveled. One small mistake could end in tragedy.


    Resolved, the pair head down once more to the seventh floor, intent on just farming the Ogres for their stones. No risky attacks, no pushing things. Slow and steady was what they would do.


    ¡°Yahooo!¡± screaming, the half-naked Adventurer runs ahead of the pair, throwing himself at a pair of Ogres the two had earlier targeted. Running behind him, his friends call out a quick apology as they overtake the two to backup their friend.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Daniel grumbles, lowering his crossbow. Damn it. That was the second time that day that this group had stolen one of their kills.


    Asin chuffs out too in anger, her tail lashing sideways as she watches as the five adventurers split the Ogres. The half-naked warrior with the oversized sword takes on a single Ogre by himself while his friends work on the last, crippling and killing it quickly before returning to help their friend out. They work smoothly together, constantly harrying and attacking the Ogre in such a way that the monster is never able to fully focus on any one of member.


    The half-naked warrior on the other hand is full of vigor with very little skill, quite willing to trade blow for blow with the Ogre. In fact, the Ogre seemed to be worst for wear as the Adventurer just shuddered slightly from each blow, a light red mist beginning to rise from his body as he was injured.


    ¡°Go,¡± Asin says after a moment, shaking her head. They might as well move on, hoping to find another group. As annoying as it was, today had been a decent day. Daniel nods, mentally gauging which direction to go from his minimap that his skill gives him before walking forwards. There were a pair of small caves down this way that often held the floor Champion.


    The pair trek forward in silence, paying attention to both the ground and their surroundings. Asin still has to stop Daniel from walking into a hidden pit, chuffing in humour. At his excuse, she just wrinkles her nose and Daniel edges around the trap, grumbling quietly to himself. Behind him, Asin smirks, though she knows that her friend is unable to smell the open earth beneath the layer of grass that covers the trap. Humans and their pitiful noses.


    As they near the caves, Asin¡¯s ears begin to twitch. She moves forward quickly, overtaking Daniel as she scans the ground ahead of them for further traps now that she knows where to go. Soon enough, they spot the Ogre Champion himself and the chest behind him. Standing over eleven feet tall, the Ogre Champion is clad in leather armour and wears a pair of metal gauntlets that cover its arms as well. As they near, the Champion lets out a roar in challenge, rushing them.


    Daniel raises his crossbow, firing immediately and sinking the bolt into the creature¡¯s torso. The blow does nothing to slow the monster even as Asin runs to the side, charging a knife with Piercing Shot as she does so. Throwing the knife, she immediately follows up with Fan of Knives as she works to give Daniel more time to load and fire once again. The Ogre Champion refuses to be distracted though, catching the first knife on its gauntlet and ignoring the pair of knives that strike it subsequently as it bears down on Daniel.


    When it is within ten feet, it jumps and swings its fist, attempting to crush Daniel. Rather than blocking the monster, Daniel drops and rolls, abandoning his crossbow as he comes to his feet and pulling his shield and mace into position. He immediately starts circling the monster, searching for an opening even as Asin continues to pelt the creature with knives.


    The Champion snarls, ignoring the knives that sprout from its back as it jumps forward again, swinging a wide right fist and then following up almost immediately with a straight left. Daniel ducks the first and then is forced to put both sword and mace together to block the second, stumbling backwards from the sheer strength of the blow. Even as he attempts to regain his footing the Ogre steps forwards and leads again with a left, smashing Daniel¡¯s hasty guard into him and sending him sprawling to the ground.


    As the Ogre steps forward, Asin¡¯s bolo hit, wrapping around the creature¡¯s legs. It jerks the Champion to a halt, forcing it to stumble as small lightning arcs jump. Asin immediately follows up with a Piercing Shot, the thrown knife plunging into the creatures supporting limb and forcing the Ogre to fall.


    Rolling quickly, Daniel just barely manages to avoid being crushed. Rolling to his foot, he sees the elbow the Ogre is using to prop itself up next to him and he stands, triggering Perin¡¯s Blow to smash the limb downwards into the ground. The blow cracks the elbow, forcing it to bend as it meets the ground and Daniel immediately attacks the arm again with another pair of skill aided strikes.


    Arm twitching, the Champion lashes out, catching Daniel in the side and forcing him to roll with the blow. Woozy on his feet, Daniel is forced to cast a Minor Healing on himself as he patches himself up from the multiple heavy blows he has received.


    Rather than allowing the monster the chance to stand, Asin rushes forward while Daniel recovers and ducks in close to the Ogre, plunging knives into the exposed backs of the creature¡¯s thighs, attempting to hamstring the opponent. White sparks fly and the Champion defecates itself as she attacks, forcing Asin to flinch under the sudden noxious and unexpected onslaught. Distracted for a brief moment, she does not notice the twitching leg barrelling into her side before it is too late and she crashes into the ground, arm broken.


    The crippled Champion struggles to its knees, roaring in defiance as Daniel, fully recovered rushes it. He ducks under the right jab that comes at him, jumping into the air and triggering a Shield Bash as he slams his shield right into the bridge of the Ogre¡¯s nose. As the Ogre grips its shattered proboscis, Daniel grips his mace in two hands and brings it crashing into the monster¡¯s temple once and then again to end the fight.


    Limping over, Asin lets out a low yowl of pain to attract Daniel¡¯s attention who moves to set her arm before he heals her. She whimpers, feeling bone grate as he adjusts her injured limb before the cool wash of the spell rolls over her. Still, through the pain she watches the cave entrance and the mana stone in case of thieves in red cloaks. Having done what little he can for the moment, Daniel hurries over to pocket their loot before returning to help the Beastkin again.


    ¡°Enough for today?¡± Daniel asks, his mana all used up.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Asin nods, slowly limping forward. Her arm felt fragile as it always did after a healing and the bruise on her hip was not fully fixed as yet.


    ¡°Here, let me fix that¡­¡± Daniel reaches out to extend his Gift and Asin hisses at him, realising what he is up to. While she doesn¡¯t know what exactly the Gift costs him, she understands that all Gifts had a cost. ¡°Asin¡­¡±


    ¡°Small. I fine,¡± Asin insists, forcing herself to walk with less of a limp.


    ¡°Asin¡­¡± Daniel prods her and she grumbles, looking at him. ¡°We¡¯re partners.¡±


    ¡°Mana. Later,¡± Asin insists and then pauses, adding. ¡°Monster Gift.¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­¡±


    ¡°Monster. Use Gift,¡± Asin tries again.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Daniel sighs, walking a few further steps and then stopping. His crossbow! Hurrying back, he gets it and checks it over for damage as he returns to his friend who is rubbing at her side. While he isn¡¯t happy with her decision, at least she compromised. And he could too.


    As they walk back, they spot the group of Adventurers before, though they are missing one of their number. As they near, they see that the group are tying together rope and are standing around the now-exposed pit trap.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Problem?¡± Daniel asks as he nears them, curious more than anything else.


    ¡°Our friend fell down the pit trap but he¡¯s okay,¡± a hammer wielding adventurer answers for the group, nodding to the pair. ¡°He was hurrying to get to the Champion and well¡­¡±


    Asin ears twitch as she listens to the half-dressed Adventurer shout at the party to hurry up. Obviously, the fall had done little harm to the tough Adventurer. Prodding Daniel, she gestures for them to keep walking and Daniel nods, turning away.


    ¡°Hey, did you two just come from the Champion?¡± a female adventurer asks, her voice high and melodic as she hands her part of the rope over.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Daniel answers.


    ¡°Damn, just the two of you? And you¡¯re barely hurt!¡± admiration fills her voice as she eyes the pair. ¡°You guys must be pretty high level.¡±


    Daniel blinks and shrugs and Asin says nothing, though her tail curls slightly in amusement.


    ¡°Shit. Now we¡¯ve got to tell Omrak that you guys killed the Champion,¡± groans another Adventurer. At this statement, all his friends look crestfallen. While the group contemplate this dire news, the pair head off.


    ¡°We could leave him there¡­¡± Asin overhears one last suggestion as the pair limp off.


    That evening, the pair are seated in the Spinning Top, sharing a meal after a hard-day¡¯s work. It was a good haul for their level and the two were celebrating with a good meal and drink. Having finished their dinner, the two were contemplating the apple pie on offer, wondering if they could fit another piece.


    A noise catches the attention of the pair, seated in the corner as they are. The large, half-dressed man in furs cries out in happiness, striding over and grinning widely, ¡°I have found you!¡±


    Daniel frowns, shifting back in his chair and letting a hand drop to his lap. Asin makes no overt move either though her tail starts waving lazily. While it is was unusual, it was not unheard of for Adventurers to seek retribution for kills stolen. As the Adventurer nears them, Daniel is surprised to see how young he his - barely more than sixteen at a guess, his face unlined and still growing, hair a pale yellow. The Adventurer moves fluidly, though his encounters earlier in the day clearly show on his shirtless and muscular torso. Still, the bruising seem to be doing little to slow down the exhurbutant youngster.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Daniel asks, realising that the Adventurer over-tops him by nearly a foot. And he might not even be done growing yet!


    ¡°I wanted to meet the two mighty Adventurers who beat the Champion by themselves. Such bravery must be toasted! I am Omrak, son of Losin,¡± the youngster speaks, his voice so loud it is almost a shout. He gestures over the nearest waitress. ¡°Come, serve these heroes a drink. I shall take an ale.¡±


    ¡°Noisy!¡± Asin scolds, rubbing at her ears.


    ¡°It is very much so, is it not? This a good tavern!¡± replies Omrak, his volume not changing. ¡°And who are you heroes?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Daniel and this is Asin,¡± Daniel answers, gesturing to his companion before continuing. ¡°And she was speaking of you.¡±


    ¡°AH,¡± pausing Omrak lowers his voice to a stage whisper, ¡°It this better?¡±


    Asin rolls her eyes as the waitress comes over with three mugs, one filled with sabu and the other two ale. Eyeing Asin¡¯s drink, Omrak says, ¡°What is that purple mixture?¡±


    ¡°Sabu. It¡¯s a traditional Beastkin drink,¡± Daniel replies as glances at the mug before he smiles, relaxing slightly. ¡°Thank you for the drink.¡±


    ¡°Not at all. Congratulations on killing the Champion. I see my companions were in error - you heroes are entirely uninjured. You must be truly mighty warriors,¡± Omrak says.


    ¡°Uhh¡­ no. We healed up,¡± Daniel replies while Asin returns to scraping her plate clean.


    ¡°Ah! Yes. Of course, you heroes would be able to afford a great many healing potions. They are extremely expensive here, are they not?¡± Omrak says again, rubbing at his side. ¡°I, myself, have had to purchase a few.¡±


    ¡°We did notice your¡­ particular fighting style,¡± Daniel replies, then seizing on the chance adds. ¡°There was a red mist coming from you while you were fighting?¡±


    ¡°The Battle Rage! It is a Skill for our warriors, but it is not as useful against a single opponent,¡± Omrak clarifies, grinning. ¡°You Southerners do not have its like. It gives one extra strength and deadens the pain of the fight.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty nice,¡± Daniel nods, realising where Omrak must come from. Further to the North, past the Grey Mountains themselves was a deep valley that bisected the land where numerous smaller city states lived. To their North, a small sea separated their lands from Squalak. The mountainous countries that made up that land were well known for calling those who lived further South of them in less harsh and cold climates Southerners.


    ¡°Come, let us toast!¡± Omrak gestures to their drink and Asin sighs, picking up her drink. Daniel does too, ¡°To Great Heroes. May our names be written in the stars!¡±


    Drinking from their cups, they look at Omrak who stands there grinning at them for long moments. As things grow uncomfortable, Daniel coughs and adds, ¡°Would you care to join us?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± grabbing a nearby seat, Omrak sits down. ¡°Come heroes, let us speak of our adventures.¡±


    Asin rolls her eyes again but stops when Omrak drops coin on the table as he waves the waitress over. ¡°I require dinner and more drinks for my friends!¡± Well, perhaps Asin could stay if he was paying. Free drinks were free drinks.


    A week later, the pair walk into Maximillian¡¯s store. It had been a long week, working the seventh level again and again for mana stones but they had finally earned enough to cover the cost of the two B Grade stones they were missing as well as to pay for their living expenses for a few more weeks.


    ¡°At last! I thought you two would never be done,¡± Maximillian grumbles, taking the pouch and staring at the stones within. He checks them over carefully, nodding in satisfaction. Finally! Those stones would be more than enough to power the furnace while he was working on his Masterwork. ¡°Are you getting my venom sacs then?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Daniel answers, smiling slightly. ¡°We¡¯re going out in two days.¡±


    ¡°Two days!¡± Maximillian says, his voice rising. ¡°Why are you taking so long!?!¡±


    ¡°We need maps, equipment, provisions,¡± Daniel says. ¡°We also have our lives to live you know. We¡¯ve been down in the Dungeon every day since we got back from your trip.¡±


    ¡°Still¡­¡±


    ¡°Two days. If we are lucky, we¡¯ll get the sacs easily and be back in a few days. Then it¡¯ll finally be done,¡± Daniel says and then continues after a pause. ¡°Can I see the pieces?¡±


    Maximillian pauses and then sighs, waving Daniel over. Ever since Daniel had arrived back, he had been taking measurements and building out the pieces of armor for Daniel, laying each completed piece at the back. While the pieces were mostly finished, final adjustments would need to be made when Daniel put the pieces on to ensure the armor fit comfortably and allowed full range of motion. As Daniel¡¯s eyes fall on the helmet, he reaches out to gently stroke it before glancing at Max.


    ¡°Could I maybe put a deposit on this? I don¡¯t really have a helmet¡­¡± Daniel asks tentatively. It was outside of their contract after all. Maximillian frowns and then looks at the youngster once more before he shakes his head.


    ¡°No,¡± seeing Daniel¡¯s crestfallen face, he holds it up to him. ¡°You can keep it. I trust you. Now, put it on and let me adjust it.¡±


    Grinning, Daniel takes the proffered arming cap from Maximillian first and the slides on the helmet. The conical helmet covers most of Daniel¡¯s face, leaving only his eyes and his mouth exposed, the lower cheek guards flaring downwards a distance. Asin nods approvingly, lips twitching slightly as Daniel shifts around uncomfortably as Maximillian checks the chin straps and the fit. If Daniel was going to wear a helmet and cut down on his senses, he might as well go all the way.


    Pulling the helmet off Daniel¡¯s face, Maximillian sets to fixing it immediately. Daniel walks over to his friend, murmuring, ¡°You?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Asin shakes her head and then taps her ears. ¡°No hear. No smell. No see. Bad. Very bad.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± Daniel grunts and then shrugs after a moment. It was her choice, though as fighting got fiercer, her ability to dodge all blows would become more and more difficult.


    Seeing and smelling his concern, Asin chuckles and taps her temple again, ¡°Enchantment. Protection. Buy soon. Daniel pay me.¡±


    Daniel frowns for a moment, piecing together finally that she would buy a protection enchantment instead from the money he owed her. Feeling somewhat more comforted, he absently pats at his wallet. Giving away three quarters of their earnings constantly and having to earn the mana stones meant that he was living lean these days. Still, a custom suit of armour would be worth, he could feel it in his bones. As Maximillian calls him over, Daniel hurries over as Asin, bored, bids them farewell. They had set their meeting time in two days and she had much to do in-between.


    ¡°So soon,¡± Khy¡¯ra says dejectedly, slowly rotating her spoon around the bowl of soup in front of her. Seated in the Spinning Top that evening, the Elf digests the information that Daniel is about to leave again.


    ¡°It¡¯ll only be a short while this time!¡± Daniel answers her hurriedly, squeezing her hand. ¡°And I¡¯ve got tomorrow off if you can get it¡­¡±


    Khy¡¯ra flashes Daniel a small smile, unwilling to explain that it was his leaving Karlak soon that brought down the Elf. She understood - with his new armour, it would only be a few months after that before Daniel was done with the Dungeon and thus this town. ¡°Tomorrow¡­ I have meetings in the morning, but I can take the rest of the day off.¡± She says firmly. If she was to lose him, she might as well enjoy it while she could. It was after all her way.


    ¡°That¡¯s great! I have to do some shopping anyway for the trip,¡± Daniel says, reaching out to squeeze her hand and smiling. ¡°I also have something I want to show you in my room.¡± Khy¡¯ra laughs and realising what he said, Daniel begins to blush. ¡°No, it¡¯s a helmet!¡±


    This just makes Khy¡¯ra giggle more and Daniel just gives up, hanging his head. Elise, drawn over by their discussion raises an eyebrow.


    ¡°Daniel has a helmet he wants to show me. In his room,¡± giggles Khy¡¯ra.


    Elise, obviously not finding the joke as funny as the Elf, sniffs and walks away. This does little to ease Khy¡¯ra¡¯s giggles, though she does reach out to grab Daniel¡¯s hand again and give it a squeeze. Tomorrow would do and as many tomorrows as she could get.

 B2 Chapter 14

    The Pearly Forest were south west of Karlak and technically were part of Brad. However, the presence of the Querk Spiders and other monsters made the ownership of the forest more technical than fact. Spread over hundreds of kilometers, it included lands in both Brad and the Borderlands where the Orc tribes roamed, unchecked.


    Still, as dangerous as living next to the forest was, the easy supply of lumber and monster parts for alchemical solutions drove small frontier villages and the farms required for sustenance. Eventually, the forest would be clear-cut to such a point that a new fort and village would spring up and the old one would become just another border village.


    It was to one such village that Asin and Daniel had visited before they journeyed into the forest itself. Rather than trek through the wilderness on a wild search for the Querk Spiders and the venom sacs they required, the pair had decided to pay for the information from local hunters. Querk Spiders were dangerous and while their venom sacs were prized, there were significantly easier game to be hunted. As such, it was easier for these hunters to avoid known lairs which gave Adventurers like Asin and Daniel a chance to purchase the map they were even now perusing.


    Head bent over the document, Asin and Daniel murmur softly as they follow the scratched together map. Unfortunately, none of the Hunters they had spoken to had a mapping proficiency and the document they held could only be barely considered map through a very broad definition of the term. Twice already the pair had gotten lost in the forest in their search for the first lair, though at least Daniel¡¯s own skill was allowing him to quickly develop an understanding of the layout of their surroundings in his mind. In time, they would certainly be able to navigate the forest significantly easier.


    Ears twitching, Asin steps away from Daniel swiftly even as she draws her knife. Turning slowly, her gaze locks to their left and Daniel quickly follows suit after stuffing the map away. Even as he reaches for his mace, a small grey creature bounds forwards on three legs in an attack only to be caught in mid-air by Asin¡¯s blade. It drops bonelessly, but behind it come even more monsters.


    ¡°Grey Mus,¡± Daniel mutters unconsciously as he squats to get a better angle to hit the small, fast moving rodent like creatures. As their name implied, the rodents were grey in colour, each about a hand-span in size with a pair of extremely sharp front teeth. While not dangerous individually, the Grey Mus were aggressive pests that reproduced quickly and were willing to swarm larger prey. Still, attacking two full grown humanoids was unusual.


    As Daniel swings at the first Mus that nears him, he is distracted by the loud cracking of a branch further behind the tide of creatures. The targeted Mus does not even stop, fleeing past Daniel as their natural predator in the forest comes barrelling after them.


    The Tento Gulo darts outwards, its long brown body hugging the ground as vinelike tentacles topped with stingers lash out, one after the other to carry the unlucky Mus to its maw. Asin, having sent a last dagger into a Mus watches as the unlucky rodent is speared as well and brought to the Gulo¡¯s mouth, her blade still lodged in its body.


    The Gulo pauses its pursuit, staring at the two Adventurers, tentacles whipping around itself. Daniel stays crouched down, watching the monster as Asin readies a pair of throwing knives. For a few tense moments, both parties stare at one another before the Gulo slowly backs away, drawing its captured prey to its mouth as it did so.


    It is only when the creature is finally gone do both Adventurers relax, chuckling at each other. There was little be gained from fighting the monster - after all, they were not here to gather Gulo parts. Better to keep on task.


    As they finally near the location of the first Querk Spider, Asin prods Daniel to take the lead. Now that they are close, her better awareness and perception of the surroundings were important, especially as Querk Spiders were well known for ambushing their prey.


    Asin leads Daniel in a circuitous route, skimming around uneven earth and stepping on branches when she is able. Daniel follows her movements precisely, keeping an eye out for additional dangers. It is only after 10 minutes of such walking does Asin come to a stop, pointing down to a particular, non-descript spot. This, then, would be the new lair of the Querk Spider.


    The Querk Spider lived in burrows in the ground with small doors. Unfortunately, due to their size and deadliness, the Spiders would often move these burrows to new locations as it attempted to ¡®trick¡¯ new prey. They were known to even create false burrows, slowly guiding prey to its real location where it waited, ready to pounce from underneath the ground to bite and inject its venom into its prey. As a precaution, both Adventurers had vials of anti-venom purchased in Karlak from the apothecary but neither looked forward to using it.


    As planned, Daniel slowly edges around the corner of the burrow before setting himself. At his signal, Asin walks forward slowly, her tail curled up underneath her body as she readies herself to jump away. When the Spider attacks, it is so fast that Daniel barely sees it move, the trapdoor pushed upwards as the arachnid rears on its legs to sink its fangs into Asin.


    Asin jumps back, the yellow-brown hairy stocky arachnid landing where she was. In size, it is only half hers, barely 3 feet long from abdomen to thorax but its strong jaws glisten. Surprise attack failed, the Spider begins to scurry backwards into the safety of its burrow.


    Daniel is moving however, jumping forwards from its side and lashing out at its abdomen with Perin¡¯s Blow. The monster is too fast though and instead of smashing the creature into the air, he smashes a leg. This barely slows the Spider down and before the Adventurers are able to attack again, it has pulled its trapdoor covering over its burrow. As Daniel reaches over to pull against it, Asin barks out a ¡°No¡±.


    ¡°Ba¡¯al¡¯s Vomit,¡± Daniel curses, stepping back and away from the trapdoor. They have no way of knowing if the monster will attack again and the trapdoors were reinforced with the creature¡¯s silk. It would be pointless to attempt to shatter it without enchanted weapons. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Asin. I should have been there faster.¡±


    Asin nods jerkily, getting her own breathing under control. The Spider was fast! Leading Daniel, the pair move away a distance from the lair. It was unlikely the Spider would come out again today.


    Hours later, Daniel huffs as another Spider slides away safe beneath its trapdoor. He walks away disconsolately while Asin picks herself off the forest floor, wiping away mud and leaves from her toned buttocks.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t working,¡± Daniel says and Asin can only give a short nod. In a day and a half they had only found three such Spiders and had failed to kill two of the three. Of the third, Daniel¡¯s attacks had been so strong that he had accidentally crushed the venom sac.


    Disconsolately, the pair stare at where the Spider continues to hide away. ¡°Let¡¯s take a break for now.¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Asin can only nod and lets Daniel lead them away a short distance to a nearby stream where they set-up for lunch. The pair are quiet as they consider their plans, attempting to see what they can do to change their tactics. At this rate, it would take weeks before they could gather those three venom sacs.


    A day later, the pair crouch down in front of a new Spider¡¯s lair. Daniel moves to the side once more, crouching down while Asin gently prods their bait. It had taken them the better part of yesterday and this morning to find their bait, though they had been lucky enough to capture three of the split-horned rabbits at once. Now, one of the rabbits had a rope tied around its body and Asin is prodding it, forcing it to head towards the Spider¡¯s trapdoor.


    There is no warning as the trapdoor is pushed aside and the Spider lunges, fangs spearing the unlucky rabbit. Poison is pumped into the grey, squirming creature and the rabbit¡¯s struggles slow-down. As the Spider begins to skitter backwards into its burrow, Asin is hauling on the rope that has been looped around a nearby tree, taking up the slack. The Spider jerks to a half, half-in the hole as Asin strains against the monster.


    Before the Spider can release the rabbit and escape their trap, Daniel has rushed forwards. Rather than targeting the Spider this time though, he aims his attack at the trapdoor the Spider still holds with two of its legs. Triggering Perin¡¯s Blow, he smashes the trapdoor in the side, ripping it free from the Spider¡¯s grip and sending it flying into the distance. Without its trapdoor, the Spider spins to attack Daniel, the rabbit dropped and forgotten.


    Daniel catches the attack high on his shield, sinking low and letting his knees absorb the shock before he triggers a Shield Bash, slamming the Spider into the air. As it lands, he takes a careful step to the side and crushes a leg, his mace cracking the spindly, hairy appendage.


    Asin is scrambling forwards as well, ducking low so that she can slice at both legs on her side with her knives. She scores cuts against both, damaging the legs but as the creature spins again, she finds herself quickly coated with spider silk that the Querk Spider uses to defend itself, spewing it forth from its spinnerets. The silk is sticky and tough, restricting her movements and she grunts in pain as she attempts to escape.


    Seeing his companion in danger, Daniel lays into the Spider, forcing the monster to pay attention to him as he works on the creature¡¯s legs. Staying close, he pushes against the creature and bashes its jaw when it attempts to push the young Adventurer aside, forcing the monster to give him its legs. Another leg is crippled and then a third soon after, the monster unable to move as fast anymore. As it scrambles aside, attempting to escape now, Daniel darts around to mash the monster¡¯s other legs, leaving the creature chittering in anger.


    Smiling grimly, Daniel ducks back to look over to his friend. At first, he coughs and then he finally has to giggle a little. To escape, Asin has had to cut off the affected fur, chopping around the silk where it has entangled itself on her body and around her clothing. The random patches of uneven fur and gaping holes around her cloak and shirt makes Daniel grin, an action that makes Asin hiss at him.


    Snarling, she stalks right past him, careful to avoid the remaining silk to attack the monster. Drawn back to the task at hand, Daniel works on crushing the abdomen to put an end to the monster, careful to avoid the head where the glands lie.


    Crippled, the monster is no longer a threat and quickly dies. Asin proceeds immediately to carefully cutting up the monster, working to extract the glands without damaging it. She chuffs in anger, shaking the cuts from it and staring at the gland she accidentally nicked, tossing it aside before attempting to extract the second. This is more successful and Asin purrs happily, her tail waving absently behind.


    Grinning, Daniel holds out the enchanted storage pouch for Asin who carefully stores the gland in it. Even enchanted, the gland would only be good for seven days, but without it, the entire venom would degrade within a day. Still, Daniel cannot help but grin, spotting the bare spot on her tail where Asin had to rip the silk off.


    ¡°That¡¯s one,¡± Daniel says and Asin nods. She would need to be more careful on the next Spider. It wasn¡¯t as if she carried that many sets of clothing.


    ¡°Are you done laughing?¡± Daniel grimaces, tugging at the silk that binds him down. Two Spiders, one sac and a day later, Daniel is caught in spider silk. His shield is stuck to his body, his legs webbed together and he¡¯s lying on the ground, able to roll only a short distance back and forth.


    ¡°That¡¯ll be a silver for each,¡± the shopkeeper smiles, pointing to the set of dissolution potions on the counter.


    ¡°A silver!¡± Daniel chokes. ¡°They only cost 20 coppers in Karlak!¡±


    ¡°True, true.¡±


    ¡°So, 20 silvers right?¡±


    ¡°In Karlak. It¡¯s a silver each here,¡± the shopkeeper smiles again. ¡°You taking them or not?¡±


    ¡°Aaarrggghh!¡± fishing the six silvers out, Daniel snatches up the potions after paying. They had used the two potions they had bought already and they were already wasting half-a-day traveling back just to get these potions. They couldn¡¯t afford to waste more time.


    ¡°¡­ face!¡± clawing at his face, Daniel coughs and rolls on the ground as the Spider, having spun aside and sprayed Daniel when he first attacked scrambles away for the nearest tree, dragging the young Adventurer along the ground. He scrambles for his pouch as he bumps over a root, struggling for breath through the corner of his mouth. Hand closing on the potion, he gets ready to pour it over the spider silk.


    As the Spider reaches the nearest tree, a blurring blue wreathed dagger pierces its body. Too aerodynamic to pin the creature, it still makes the Spider jerk in its forward momentum long enough for Daniel to pour the potion over the silk. It immediately begins to dissolve as Daniel struggles with the web and breathing.


    Asin does not stop, tossing knife after knife at the Spider. Angered, the Spider spins around and the chelicerae enclose on either side of his leg. Only one fang actually pierces through, sliding past the armour and injecting poison into his body. Even as Asin sinks another knife into its body and Daniel smashes against it, it does not let go, pumping more and more venom into Daniel. As it dies, Daniel is finally able to tear the last of the silk from his face and use both hands to pull its jaws apart.


    Asin scrambles over, handing him a potion to combat the paralysis that rushes through Daniel¡¯s body. Shivering, Daniel curls up on his side and vomits half the contents of his stomach up. Once Asin has checked with Daniel that he will be fine, she drags the body away, working on the Spider to locate its sac. She grimaces, finding one crushed and the other only half-full. Putting it aside, she mentally does the math. Today was the fourth day since they first managed to get their first sac. Another day and it would rot, so they either had to get one today or risk not having enough. Grimacing, she watches Daniel for a moment who continues to shiver before she hurries over to check on their bait. Only one last rabbit left before they had to find more live bait.


    This was going to be tough.


    ¡°Last chance,¡± Asin points, holding up both the map and the rabbit. Having gone through the vast majority of the easy to get to lairs, the pair would either have to revisit old lairs or journey deeper. Daniel grimaces, nodding, running a hand through his hair and finding it catching a bit. He grimaces, pulling out his boot knife to cut the glob of silk out, tossing it aside after yanking even more skin off.


    ¡°Then we better get this right,¡± Daniel growls, rolling his wrist and mace. Days of tramping through the forest, hunting down Spiders that might or might still be in the locations marked on the map, trapping and dragging live animals and then brief minutes of scrambling, fighting and sometimes, winning has made the Adventurer short-tempered. So much work for so little gain. No wonder most Adventurers charged such a high rate for these sacs - it wasn¡¯t difficult so much as annoying.


    Flank, rabbit, charge and smash. Everything this time works smoothly, the Spider caught out and its trapdoor sent spinning away. Asin ducks in close this time and works on the back leg, one after the other while Daniel works on distracting the Spider. He mostly blocks, attacking only once in a while when he has a clear shot, too wary to lash out aggressively.


    The monster crippled, Daniel grins and stretches when Asin hisses. He spins around, his eyes widening as he spots the pack of wolves behind him. They let out a little growl and Daniel slowly edges around the monster towards Asin who has a pair of daggers held out. The wolves snarl again, slowly pacing forwards as they drive the pair away from the Spider. Neither Adventurer wants to start this fight though - they are outnumbered and tired.


    Once they are a distance away, the two look at each other as they slide their backpacks on and begin jogging away. Silence lingers for a time as they put distance between them and the pack before a curse fly¡¯s out finally.


    ¡°Ba¡¯al¡¯s vomit!¡±

 B2 Chapter 15

    Two and a half week later, a pair of tired, dirty Adventurers walk into the city of Karlak. The pair of guards blink, recognising Daniel as he half-heartedly waves in greeting before paying the entrance fee. The two Adventurers trudge in, even Asin¡¯s tail hanging low and waving disconsolately as they walk, ears pressed to the ground.


    The only time the pair perk up is as they pass by a roadside food vendor, the smell of slowly rotating meat sparking a glimmer of interest. Daniel moves over, purchasing a half-dozen sticks from the lady and paying for it, handing the pieces over to Asin who scars her food down without a word.


    At Maximillian¡¯s shop, the armourer is stalking back and forth shouting at his apprentices. When he sees the pair, he opens his mouth to berate the pair for being so late and then stops, his eyes sweeping over their tired, drawn forms. Asin holds up the bag without a word which Maximillian grabs, hissing ¡°One Day¡± before stalking away.


    Daniel nods too, waiting for Max to check the contents before he walks off, too tired to explain. The last few weeks had been a hell of bad luck, bad planning and more bad luck. Having lost the Spider to the wolves, the pair had to discard the first sac. For the next few days, they had struggled to find more Querk Spider lairs. When they had finally collected all three sacs and were hurrying back, Daniel had slipped while crossing a log bridge into the water, spilling both himself and the pouch. By the time they had finally managed to fish the pouch out of the water, all three sacs had been compromised, forcing the pair to begin collecting again.


    It was no surprise that a number of words had been said, none of which were friendly or nice after the incident. The rest of the quest had been completed in a tense, mostly silent atmosphere. If it had not been for Asin¡¯s insistence on carrying the pouch, she would have left immediately upon entering the city. As it was, the pair had agreed to ignore one another¡¯s existence for the next three days.


    Daniel stumbles into the Spinning Top, waving to Elise. She comes over, grimacing and murmurs to him. He stares at her blankly for a time before he slowly exits, heading to the next inn down the road. His room had been given up for the week and because of that, Elisehad actually rented it out. She was now filled up and unable to accomadate him.


    Groaning, he flops in his room, staring at the peeling paint and the water-stained ceiling. He exhales, breath flowing out with a huff and then he shuts his eyes, exhaustion finally claiming him. As he falls asleep, a last thought crosses his mind.


    ¡°I need a bath.¡±


    Morning comes too early, early morning light coming through the cracked shutters and waking Daniel. He groans, rolling on his side and slowly stands, making his way downstairs for breakfast. Breakfast is surprisingly decent, the porridge filling and warm and the sides of bacon and mushroom heaven sent. Resolved to start becoming human again, Daniel heads upstairs to get his towel and a change of clothing from his bag. Today would be an errand day, one filled with taking care of the many small tasks that need completing after a couple of weeks in the wood. He had socks to darn, clothing and his body to wash, weapons to properly care for and more. Tonight¡­ tonight he would see Khy¡¯ra he promises himself.


    A couple of days later, the pair meet up at Maximillian¡¯s shop. Asin stands at the corner, offering her friend a slight smile with a cocked head. Words were said and tensions had grown, but he was her friend. Was he hers still? The return smile from Daniel and the cup of offered tea answers her questions and her tail relaxes, turning back to swinging idly.


    Daniel does not notice, his attention caught by the ¡®Closed¡¯ sign. As they rap on the door, there is silence for minutes. A second knock has a harried apprentince open the door, glare at the pair and whisper at them, ¡°Not now!¡±


    Before Daniel can say another word, the door is closed and a bar dropped, shutting the pair out. Daniel grimaces, staring at Asin who stares back before she shrugs. Well¡­ not now then.


    ¡°This is¡­ nice,¡± Daniel says as he bends down, picking up the mana stone from the Ogre. Asin nods firmly, stretching herself out as they stare around the grassy plains of the seventh floor. It was nice to be back on the seventh floor.


    Questing had been necessary, even important. They had learnt more of the world, fought in a new dungeon, met new Adventurers and would eventually get Daniel his first full set of custom armor. It had been important, but the Dungeon was so much less frustrating. Even the sixth floor and the caverns seemed nostalgic now, difficult but at least they were always progressing. Questing was important, but for now, for now Daniel was happy to be a real Adventurer, delving into dungeons and facing the monsters that Ba¡¯al would release on the world if it could.


    ¡°Next?¡± Daniel points with his mace before letting it rest on his shoulder, eyes crinkling in humor as Asin finishes stretching and nods. She absently scratches at a bare spot, fur ripped off from the fight. Catching his gaze, she sends him a mild glare before giving up and sticking out her tongue at him before she scampers ahead. Even the loss of her fur would not make her sad today - they were back, doing what they should be doing.


    It is three days later when the pair finally find the door to Maximillian¡¯s workshop open. Inside, only a single tired apprentice sits at the counter, barely able to keep his head from drooping. Spotting the pair, he gestures them deeper into the shop to the actual smithy portion without getting up from his seat. It was painful being at the bottom of the ladder the apprentince thought to himself as he forced a smile on his face for the next customer.


    Behind, Daniel is practically bouncing forwards. He stops when he spots Max who is holding a breastplate to his chest, stroking it gently and buffing the silver inlaid runes. Even to their untrained eyes, the pair can see the difference and care in craftsmanship between the work before them and their own gear. After a time in which Max continues to be oblivious to the pair, Daniel clears his throat.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you boy!¡± Max says as he looks up, eyes deep set and red rimmed. He sets the breastplate down reverently, waving Daniel to the side. ¡°Right, let¡¯s get you fitted.¡±


    A few minutes later, Daniel is fully outfitted in his armour and forced to do a series of calisthenics. Max asks questions, checking on fit though occasionally Daniel has to clear his throat to bring the armourer¡¯s attention back to him. After having dressed and undressed a number of times, Max is finally happy with the fit, having adjusted the gorget to his liking. ¡°Good¡­ good. That¡¯s it.¡±


    Daniel nods slowly, rotating his hips and torso and then gently bouncing up and down. He grins, the armor barely making any noise, so well was it fitted. He nods firmly to Max, offering his hand. ¡°Thank you!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± Max shakes his hand and then glances to the side where the enchanted bracers lie. ¡°You know, I could buy those off you and resell them for you. I won¡¯t even take a commission.¡±


    Daniel opens his mouth and then shuts it, staring at his first magical item ever. He reaches out, letting armored fingers glide across it before he slowly nods. That was the life of an Adventurer wasn¡¯t it? Taking what was useful, discarding what was not. He wanted, no, he needed to progress.


    Max calls out without hesitation to his apprentince, making the youngster take the bracers away for cleaning. Obviously, a little work needed to be done before he would dare show that work in his store!


    Turning to Asin, he grins at her. ¡°I have a little something for you too.¡± Reaching behind, he pulls out a small, thin metal gorget with a separate plate piece that hangs down the front which he hands to her. It is not wide at all and curves slightly down in the front and back to allow greater movement. As Asin takes it, her eyes widen at how light the piece is. Seeing her reaction, Max smirks. ¡°I had some extra steel.¡±


    Asin takes the piece, quickly buckling it on and adjusting the leather straps to ensure it sits properly. Max looks it over and nods after a moment, more than pleased with the fit. As Asin fingers the collar, wondering at the cost of getting such a piece enchanted by Tharuk, she can only add. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± He smiles again, his hand unconsciously resting on the breastplate next to him. ¡°Now, get out!¡±


    The pair quickly exit, understanding how mercurial Max could get especially after spending the last few days with little rest. A shared glance is all the pair need before they begin to trot quickly to the Dungeon. Time to try out their new toys!


    ¡°Let¡¯s go big boy!¡± grinning, Daniel hefts his shield and mace as he runs forward. They had been extremely lucky, having literally stumbled upon the Ogre Champion a bare two hours after making their way down to the seventh level. Chest and Champion in their sight, the pair immediately charge the creature before them.


    Daniel skids to a stop just outside of the Ogre Champion¡¯s range, dodging the blow that swings down in front of him and digs a divot into the ground. Behind, Asin throws a series of knives that multiply, cutting into the Champion and distracting it. Daniel darts in immediately to the left, swinging his mace into the creature¡¯s side and feeling a bone crack as Perin¡¯s Blow catches it. However, even as the monster is lifted off the ground, it backhands Daniel, the club smashing into the Adventurer¡¯s side.


    The club cracks into his body hard, throwing him off his feet and forcing Daniel to recover. He grins, elation running through him as he realises that he is barely hurt - that blow itself should have seriously bruised, if not broken his ribs. More confident than ever now, Daniel darts back in as Asin throws another knife filled with blue energy, the Piercing Shot drilling into the Ogre¡¯s eye.


    As the creature rears back in pain, clutching at its ruined orb Daniel crashes into the monster with his shield, triggering a Shield Bash with another blow that he drives into its short ribs. The monster leans over, allowing Daniel to lash out with a pair of Skill enhanced blows even as Asin closes and hamstrings the Champion. Crashing to the ground, crippled and in pain, the monster is quickly dispatched.


    Asin and Daniel stare at the blue lights as they slowly dissipate, shaking their heads in amusement. It seemed strange that such a simple change would make such a difference, but with less concern about getting hurt, Daniel found himself being more aggressive. This took the pressure off Asin who was then able to focus on dealing damage and distracting the Champion. It was a knock-on effect that made it possible for what was a difficult fight before to become so much simpler.


    On retrieving her knives, Asin moves to retrieve their mana stones before getting a confirming nod from Daniel. Time to head for the eight floor then.


    Three hours later, Daniel pants as he stands above the pair of fallen Ogre corpses. The eight floor had much the same geography as the seventh - wide open lands with glowing blue cavern walls. However, the Ogres came in pairs at least and sometimes as many as four at a time. Fights were more difficult as the Ogres often grouped up, attacking Daniel in a desperate attempt to overwhelm him. Often, Daniel would be forced to stay on the defense, pulling the monsters with him while Asin finished one, relieving the pressure sufficiently for Daniel to fight back.


    Rotating his shoulder, he forces his breathing to slow down, trying to calm down his heart. This last group had managed to take his feet off him and he had spent a good few minutes curled up, being beaten on by the enormous monsters. His new armour and careful positioning had allowed him to survive, though he ached all across his body. Rubbing at the bruise on his face, he focuses on casting a Minor Heal, his body stitching itself together as Asin finishes collecting the stones. Healed, he finally pays attention to his new notification.


    Level Up!


    Adventurer Level 7


    You have gained 5 attribute points


    Finally! He had managed to get past the level he has almost achieved and was finally climbing. He might not reach Level 10 before the end of the Dungeon, but at the least he was on the way. There was a lot of work left and he certainly felt that they needed to spend more time working this level, but soon, soon, they¡¯d be done!


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Name: Daniel Lai


    Class: Level 7 Adventurer (0%)


    Sub-classes: Level 7 (Miner) (14%)


    Human (Male)


    Statistics


    Life: 243


    Stamina: 243


    Mana: 177


    Attributes


    Strength: 22


    Agility: 20


    Constitution: 28


    Intelligence: 17


    Willpower: 18


    Luck: 13


    Skills


    Unarmed Combat: Level 3 (38/100)


    Clubs: Level 9 (74/100)


    Archery: Level 2 (48/100_


    Shield: Level 8 (24/100)


    Dodge: Level 6 (09/100)


    Combat Sense: Level 6 (17/100)


    Perception: Level 6 (27/100)


    Mining: Level 7 (78/100)


    Healing: Level 8 (98/100)


    Herb Lore: Level 3 (31/100)


    Stealth: Level 2 (14/100)


    Cooking: Level 3 (29/100)


    Singing: Level 2 (14/100)


    Skill Proficiencies


    Double Strike


    Shield Bash


    Perin¡¯s Blow


    Mapping (II)


    Spells


    Minor Healing (I)


    Gifts


    Martyr¡¯s Touch - The caster may heal oneself or others by touch and concentration, sacrificing a portion of his life to do so. Cost varies depending on the extent of the injuries healed.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>

 B2 Chapter 16 - the End

    Learning magic was strange, especially when one¡¯s previous experience with magic was through learning a spell through a Level Up mused Daniel. Seated this evening at Khy¡¯ra¡¯s dining table, he watches as she weaves the spell slowly again, eyes squinted to catch each change in formula, in spell. As she finishes the spell, she lets the magic disperse and slumps backwards, rubbing at her temples.


    There were three portions to learning any magical spell. Firstly, came the knowledge of the subject matter - a requirement to understand how the magic interacted with the substance or individual it affected. It was why more Advanced Spells were locked till one gained a greater level of skill. Second came the spell formula which was a combination of alchemical formula, a way of thinking and a method of mana weaving all combined together. Lastly came personal flair - the way a student learnt to apply the first and second portions of knowledge in their own understanding of mana. Of course, as every teacher had their own flair, the process of studying a spell required a student not only learn the spell but learn how their master cast it and strip the portions that did not work with their particular understanding and ability with mana.


    It was why it was often said that magic users spent as many years searching for a teacher as they did learning magic itself and why teachers were particularly picky about students. A bad match between teacher and student could result in months if not years of wasted effort.


    Unfortunately, Daniel neither had the time nor money to find a suitable instructor. He only had one particularly generous, beautiful elf who was willing to spend date night at home, casting and casting a spell again so that he could attempt to learn it. Focusing, he tried again, slowly pushing the mana out as he recalled the arcane formula.


    ¡°Yes¡­ no, too much Landa, just a little¡­¡± Khy¡¯ra whispers encouragement along as they work together.


    An hour later, Daniel is done as his mana is drained. Khy¡¯ra smiles, pushing him back and plopping on his lap. ¡°Good! Very good.¡±


    ¡°Ughh¡­ I barely got past the first sequence,¡± Daniel mutters as he wraps his arms around her body, squeezing it gently and nuzzling her neck.


    ¡°It was our first lesson,¡± the Elf points out and then leans down, letting his breath tickle her ear. ¡°You¡¯ll do better the next time. Just keep practising.¡±


    Daniel nods, already distracted by the squishy, pleasant presence on his lap. He takes her ear into his mouth, nibbling on the lobe as Khy¡¯ra catches her breath, squirming slightly. There were certain advantages to these kind of lessons for sure.


    ¡°Asin,¡± Khy¡¯ra calls out in horror, rushing forward to grab the young Catkin¡¯s arms. ¡°What happened?¡±


    Asin begins to growl and purr, answering Khy¡¯ra in Catkin while Daniel stands stupefied, wondering what the fuss is about. As Khy¡¯ra strokes one of Asin¡¯s arms and the patch of bare fur, realisation slowly arrives. The pair continue to converse in Catkin, growling and purring at each other as they start walking off, leaving Daniel to follow after. His attempts at learning Catkin had been abject failures, his ear unable to locate the differences in word well enough for him to even begin learning thus far.


    Resolving to follow along without complaining, Daniel perks up slightly half-way through their walk, the group having left the city a while ago. Khy¡¯ra¡¯s not-so-covert glance and quick grin is enough to let him know that he is the object of conversation, though neither lady seem inclined to enlighten him further.


    ¡°Tharuk!¡± Khy¡¯ra calls out to her friend, waiting for the Dwarf to exit his workshop before waving as they finally arrive at the lonesome building that makes up the Dwarf¡¯s workshop and home. ¡°I brought visitors.¡±


    Tharuk laughs out loud and waves to the Elf, nodding in greeting to both Asin and Daniel. Asin bows slightly while Daniel waves, both sniffing the air as they smell the air.


    ¡°Aye, lass. I remember, lunch is nearly ready,¡± Tharuk replies and waves them in, returning back to his kitchen while the group settles in. Asin¡¯s nose twitches, mentally cataloging the spices that are being used - Bloor spice, cinnamon, Hunik salt, duck fat.


    Seated together, Daniel whispers to Khy¡¯ra, ¡°What were you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Girl stuff,¡± Khy¡¯ra says and refuses to say more, no matter how hard Daniel presses.


    ¡°Right, lunch! Grab your plates you lazy lot!¡± Tharuk cries out from the kitchen, drawing the attention of the group. Lunch is pleasant, tasty and extremely filling. It is only as they near the end does Tharuk bring conversation back to the reason they came. ¡°So, I hear one of you has a commission for me?¡±


    Asin nods, holding up the steel gorget for Tharuk. ¡°Shield¡±


    Tharuk raises an eyebrow, picking up the gorget and looking it over. He humms and haws as he tests the piece, squinting and brushing fingers across it before slowly nodding. ¡°Good work. Master-level crafting and materials. I can work with this for sure. A Shield Enchantment is costly though, more than most.¡±


    Asin nods. ¡°Have coin.¡±


    Tharuk raises a slight eyebrow before he gently places the gorget down and begins to stroke his beard, staring at Asin, ¡°Well, since you¡¯re a friend of Khy¡¯ra, I can do it for 15 Gold.¡±


    Daniel coughs, his eyes wide and Khy¡¯ra sighs, grabbing his hand and standing up. ¡°We¡¯ll just leave you two then.¡±


    Asin just nods, continuing to stare at Tharuk as she hisses, ¡°4¡±


    ¡°4! I¡¯d have to sell my house at 4! 11,¡± Tharuk says and then in the silence as Asin stares at him, gestures to the side. ¡°Pie?¡±


    As Daniel is dragged out by Khy¡¯ra, he plaintively cries, ¡°I wanted some pie too.¡±


    ¡°The Dungeon is closed!¡± a voice shouts into the Top where Daniel has finally managed to get a room again. Seated in the dining room with Asin and Khy¡¯ra for dinner, the shout catches everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible!¡±


    ¡°What did he say?¡±


    ¡°QUIET,¡± shouts Elise as she strides over to the street youth who has brought the news. She prods him in the chest, getting him to repeat his message. When he is done, he is already running to the next inn after getting a tip from Elise. She turns to everyone who is waiting. ¡°The Dungeon doors are closed. Adventurers can exit but no one can enter. There is a lot of noise coming from the Dungeon too, grinding and screeching.¡±Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    A hush falls over the inn, many Adventurers looking at one another in search for an answer. Eventually, all eyes fall on Khy¡¯ra, waiting for the wise and long-lived Elf to speak. She smiles at everyone, waving slightly before she speaks, her mild voice carrying. ¡°It¡¯s changing its configuration. It happens sometimes with other Dungeons. It¡¯ll re-open.¡±


    The Adventurers, guards and other patrons relax slightly. It is Ken who calls back with a question, ¡°How long?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s variable. Maybe a day, maybe a week, maybe a few months,¡± Khy¡¯ra shrugs before adding. ¡°It depends on how much is changing.¡±


    This statement makes a few Adventurers shift uncomfortably. Many made their daily living working the second sector of the floor, breaking down crawler walls and collecting crawler sacs for a living. It was good money that held little risk for these experienced Adventurers and a change in the Dungeon could mean a loss of their livelihood.


    Daniel and Asin both exchange worried glances. Their journey¡¯s and the needs of the Quest had driven them to rely on their savings more than they had liked. It was only in the last few weeks that they had begun to replace their spent coin. A long break could be difficult for both of them. Without a word, they both stand and head for the door, Daniel snatching a quick kiss with Khy¡¯ra first as she gets crowded by other Adventurers.


    Best see what Quests were available before they were all snatched up.


    ¡°Omrak?¡± Daniel frowns, walking over to the big warrior who is standing disconsolately by the Quest board in the Adventurers Guild. A week after the closing of the Dungeon, the board was now bare as Adventurers scrambled to get what little jobs there were to fill their coin purse. Sadly, few Adventurers had much in savings - their lifestyles rarely predicated long-term plans.


    At his name, the young Adventurers turns, flashing a strained smile at Daniel and Asin, ¡°Morning heroes!¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s your party?¡± Daniel asks as he looks around and Omrak¡¯s face falls again.


    ¡°Gone,¡± he mutters and then straightens his broad shoulders. ¡°They have left for Peel.¡±


    ¡°Split?¡± Asin clarifies and Omrak nods slightly, his face tired.


    At Daniel¡¯s frown, Omrak adds, ¡°My party, they felt I was fighting too recklessly. Using too much health potions.¡±


    A memory of a laughing warrior, standing and trading blows with Ogres flash through both Adventurers minds. ¡°Why don¡¯t you wear armour?¡±


    ¡°I have no coin,¡± Omrak grimaces, his gaze lingering longingly on Daniel¡¯s leather armour that he wears today. ¡°It is impossible. I fight as hard as I can, and no matter what level I go to, I can never earn enough!¡±


    Daniel opens his mouth and then shuts it, unsure of what to say. Asin offers a slight, toothy smile before she waves goodbye. As there are no jobs again this morning, she has other duties to attend to. Daniel nods goodbye to his friend as Omrak continues to stare at the board. ¡°Well, I guess I should get to work.¡±


    ¡°Work?¡± Omrak says.


    ¡°I¡¯m at the Clinic for now,¡± Daniel replies and then eyeing Omrak he adds. ¡°You know, I heard that Levi near the docks is always working for strong dock workers to help unload the barges.¡±


    ¡°Thank you! I will speak with this Levi,¡± without waiting further Omrak dashes out, a wide grin on his face. Daniel just looks at the disappearing body, somewhat bemused. Well, he had best get to work too.


    Deep in the night, the distant cry of a newborn baby and the creaking of old wood the only noise breaking the silence. Seated in Khy¡¯ra¡¯s kitchen table, Daniel nurses a cup of tea in the dark, staring into the darkness. Sleep has eluded him again tonight, his thoughts unwilling to still even as he lay in bed with his girlfriend.


    He had been putting off the decisions for weeks now, the pressing question of whether to join a guild. At first, he had delayed it till he had completed his quest. Then, he had delayed it to ¡®test¡¯ his new armour. Then, he had made excuses that he was learning a new spell for free with Khy¡¯ra. During the day, when he worked at the Clinic, these excuses made perfect sense. However, late at night, with no Dungeon in the city nor work to keep his mind busy, his excuses felt like what they were, excuses.


    He was delaying making a decision, procrastinating because he did not want to make one. He knew, truly knew, that he had no desire to be a Questor, solely living on the returns of Quests like others. Nor did he wish to be a Lifer, working a section of Dungeon over and over again like a, like a, farmer. Both those decisions were easy.


    Joining a guild though, becoming part of something larger, that was more difficult. He could not casually dismiss that opportunity. Guilds would allow him to grow, to become stronger faster. He would not need to rely on his girlfriend, would not have to scrabml and scrabble for coin to develop his arms and armour. He would have more part members, more training, more opportunities.


    And yet¡­ and yet.


    ¡°Daniel?¡± Khy¡¯ra walks into the room, pulling her robe close as she turns to his moonlight silhouetted form. Seeing her, an involuntary smile crosses Daniel¡¯s face, his face lightening up. He holds a hand out and she takes it, sliding onto his legs with ease as he hugs her to him. She bends down, trading a kiss before she murmurs, ¡°Problems?¡±


    ¡°Just¡­ thinking,¡± Daniel answers and hugs her again, resting his head on her shoulder. Khy¡¯ra nods slightly, staying quiet till Daniel breaks the silence himself. ¡°I was thinking about the guilds again.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± her reply is soft as Khy¡¯ra struggles to keep her tone neutral. She knew this day had to come, but still¡­


    ¡°I just, it makes sense you know?¡± he says plaintively. ¡°There¡¯s so much to gain from it. I mean, I could learn a bit more if I did it myself maybe, but¡­ it makes sense!¡±


    ¡°Mmmhmmm,¡± Khy¡¯ra replies, biting her lip in the dark to not add anything.


    ¡°I just¡­¡± he hugs her again, staring into the dark. ¡°I wanted to be an Adventurer ever sine I was a kid you know. I heard all the stories, remembered all the names. Going into the deepest Dungeons, fighting the hardest monsters, being the best and keeping everyone safe! It was what heroes did.


    ¡°And I can do that. I have to do that with a guild. No hero ever grows without a guild, a party. But¡­¡± Daniel shakes his head, whispering the last. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go.¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re scared?¡± Khy¡¯ra turns, meeting Daniel¡¯s eyes at last. ¡°Or because you¡¯re comfortable?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ happy,¡± Daniel answers her after some thought, his lips twisting crookedly. ¡°I¡¯m happy, learning with you and Asin. Fighting my way through slowly. I hate Questing but even then, when we are done, it¡¯s so satisfying.¡±


    ¡°Then that¡¯s your answer,¡± Khy¡¯ra says.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Daniel. A word of advice from an old¡­ Adventurer,¡± Khy¡¯ra says, smiling slightly. ¡°When you look back at your life, it¡¯s not the stories that you remember. Or the dungeons you visit or the monsters you vanquish. It¡¯s your friends and your struggles. You have time. Time to join a guild. Time to get better. I know it doesn¡¯t seem like that, but you do have time. Enjoy it when you can.¡±


    Slowly nodding, Daniel leans against her. A small part of him still wonders if this is the right choice, but¡­ he was happy. Was that not what everyone truly wanted? Even if he had to leave, perhaps he could be happy here for a little longer.


    Bursting through his clinic door, the messenger pant as he catches his breath before he announces his news, ¡°It¡¯s open!¡±


    Daniel opens his mouth and then shuts it, his eyes lighting up with excitement. He glances at his latest patient and then casts Minor Healing, the open cut on her hand stitching close as Daniel grins, grabbing his cloak from the coat hanger. As he runs out, he looks to the receptionist who laughs, waving Daniel away. She understands she can¡¯t stop him.


    As he runs along, Daniel finds himself joining a stream of other interested parties. He notices other Adventurers of course on-sight, but there are numerous other citizens who hurry along. Nearly three weeks of having the town¡¯s biggest income earner being shut down has hurt the livelihood of many and so, the interest is not unexpected.


    As Daniel finally reaches the town square, he finds it already crowded. He growls slightly, unable to press forward or see anything. After a while, hushing noises are made and the crowd slowly falls silent as the Guard Captain stands, shouting.


    ¡°The Dungeon is open. No one has been allowed in as yet. All Adventuring parties are to visit the Adventurers Guild to receive their entry number. Entry will be gated from tomorrow onwards. Now go home!¡±


    As the word gets passed down, other guards start taking up the call, directing the crowd out of the town square. Questions are rebuffed and slowly, Daniel manages to make his way to the Guild Hall. As he nears, he spots a familiar figure crouched on top of a statue, licking the fur on her hand.


    ¡°Asin!¡±


    The Catkin stares and then waves, dropping down to meet him. Her grin widens as she meets Daniel¡¯s own excited gaze. The Dungeon was open!