E book 8: Chapter 3: Dinner Time

As Lam uttered her request, Victor felt his eyebrows shoot up, and even Dar grew quiet, staring along with his blazing eyes into Lam’s. Was she severe? Victor couldn’t think about the Lam he knew freely giving most of her ranges and energy. He discovered his mind scrambling for explanations. Was all of it about Edeya? Was she going by way of some form of id disaster? He knew Kethelket had saved her from Catalina; had that near-death expertise made her rethink her energy, seeing weak spot the place as soon as she’d seen energy?

Whereas his tongue was tied with too many questions to select from, Dar merely mentioned, “Why?”

Lam smiled, maybe taking the dearth of an prompt refusal as an excellent signal. Victor noticed her thumb shifting, rubbing towards her palm or one thing small she clutched there. She appeared up, her eyes filling with moisture as she gathered her ideas. “Many causes,” she lastly mentioned.

“I’d like to listen to them earlier than contemplating your request.” Dar’s voice was softer than Victor had ever heard; there was no grating of boulders for Lam, however quite the mushy susurration of gravel washed alongside stone by a delicate stream.

“To start with, there’s the apparent,” Lam mentioned, wiping her eyes and smiling. “I like Edeya, and I need to be near her. It may take years for her to method my degree. In the meantime, I’ll discover it arduous to advance, realizing I’d proceed to go away her behind. Valla and Lesh invited me to their dungeon dive; a part of me wished to go, however one other half hated the concept of gaining one other degree whereas I’m already practically forty forward of Edeya.”

“How do you like her? As a mom? An older sibling? In such a job, being extra highly effective is pure, it’s . . .”

“Not like that,” Lam mentioned, smiling and, to Victor’s horror, blushing. What had change into of the stoic champion he’d so idolized? Blushing?

“Ah,” Dar nodded. “What else?”

“I had a base-tier Class till twenty. I’ve solely had a sophisticated Class since. I used to be preoccupied with quick ranges and gaining wealth; I took Courses with these short-sighted objectives in thoughts. I’d like one other probability to make these choices, to earn extra highly effective choices.”

As Dar nodded, she continued, “Greater than something, I crave the expertise of adventuring with associates and studying for the sake of it. I by no means had associates or companions after I was at a low degree. I joined the Legion, and every little thing was aggressive; everybody was scheming. The few associates I made died or moved on, continuously transferred. I didn’t see my first dungeon till I used to be tier-three, and that wasn’t a enjoyable expertise, although I did make a beneficial ally.” She checked out Victor and smiled, “Polo.”

“Ah,” Victor mentioned, nodding as he lastly discovered his voice. “Is that this actually one thing folks do, Dar?”

Dar leaned again on the railing, inflicting the wooden to creak ominously, although he appeared unbothered by the sound. “Only a few, for apparent causes. First, it takes an excellent leap of religion to relinquish many years price of development for the possibility at a second run. Few folks take into account their lot so unhealthy that it’s worthwhile. I had an inheritor to an imperial throne from a world known as Rikahl as a supplicant as a result of he’d didn’t earn the Class all of his forefathers had held. He gave away eighty-nine ranges. I ponder how he did on his second try . . .” Dar rubbed his chin, shrugging. “Effectively, regardless of. The second motive is that just a few Spirit Casters on a handful of worlds know how you can carry out the ritual. Sure, and I suppose there’s a 3rd issue: value.”

Victor sighed, realizing Lam had nothing Ranish Dar wanted. He may solely consider one factor that may pique the Spirit Grasp’s curiosity, and there wasn’t any method he was giving that up, not until it meant saving somebody’s life—the ivid royal jelly. Lam, apparently, didn’t share his pessimism. “I’m not one to be scared away by excessive prices, Ranish.” Victor nearly snorted, listening to Lam use Dar’s first title. Had he heard anybody name him Ranish?

“No. No, Woman Lam, I’d be inclined to imagine that assertion. You’ve fairly a decided look in your eye. Actually, you remind me of my younger protégé right here. It’s no marvel you took to one another when he was naught however a slave.”

Lam checked out Victor, and when their eyes locked, Victor couldn’t assist smiling. He remembered the primary time he noticed her again within the mines, how he’d been completely struck dumb by her magnificence and energy. The reminiscence made him take into account what she was asking of Dar in a unique gentle; she was fearless. When she noticed one thing she wished, she took it. If she couldn’t, she modified her life round that aim till she may. He nodded, deciding to take up her trigger. “You must do it, Dar. Incomes Lam as an ally is price it—she has a backbone of strong metal.”

“Is that what you’re providing, Woman? An alliance? A favor owed?” One thing about Dar’s tone and the way in which his eyes blazed gave the phrases much more weight than their easy nature warranted. Dar was a person who could be 1000’s of years previous; he had the endurance to make lengthy, lengthy bargains.

Lam appeared to know the burden of his phrases, too. She locked her emerald eyes on Dar’s blazing ones, and her inexperienced irises sparkled with the mirrored gentle. They stared at one another for a number of lengthy seconds, after which she nodded. “If that’s what you’re asking, then that’s what I’ll pay.”

Dar straightened up, and Victor imagined the railing breathed a sigh of aid. Dar gestured for Lam to take a seat down round a small outside firepit one among his servants was stoking. The chairs organized round it had been of assorted sizes. Some had been good for Victor or Dar, however a number of had been excellent for folks of Lam’s stature. As soon as they’d all taken a seat and had been comfortably taking a look at each other over the faintly crackling fireplace, the Grasp Spirit Caster mentioned, “I’d like to clarify just a few issues to you earlier than we proceed this negotiation.”

“I’m all ears, sir,” Lam mentioned, instantly extra deferential.

“Make sure you listen, Victor. This will change into one among your first classes.” Victor was already fairly piqued, however the concept Dar may train him how you can do the, apparently, secret ritual actually received his consideration. He nodded and leaned ahead as Dar continued talking, “Lam, you might want to know that there’s some threat concerned. What you ask for is called a sort of resurrection: we’ll must take your spirit out of your physique, forsaking a tiny shard that I’ll cleave from the entire. As soon as that’s executed, the ritual, which I received’t clarify right now, would require the higher a part of your spirit to go by way of a crucible, testing it and burning away your Vitality to guard it within the course of. Your spirit, newly reforged within the course of, might be reunited with the tiny shard in your physique, bringing you again to life with a stronger spirit and broader karmic ties. You’ll have a brand new probability in any respect the issues for which you yearn.”

Lam’s eyes had been huge, and he or she leaned ahead, hanging on to each phrase of Dar’s. As he completed, she nodded and fervently whispered, “Sure.”

“Nonetheless!” Dar held up a thick, stony finger, wagging it backwards and forwards. “The crucible have to be designed with precision, offering the right resistance to your spirit’s passage. If I miscalculate, or your will is just too weak, you could not make it. It’s possible you’ll fade from this airplane of existence, misplaced to wander the Spirit Airplane till such a time that you simply collect the Vitality to breach the veil and start the journey meant for all once-living spirits.”

“Do you assume you are able to do it?”

“Do you assume something’s down there?” Darren pointed to the opening they’d spied upon rounding the bend. Up to now, they hadn’t encountered something aside from chilly, damp tunnels, stony caves, and plenty and plenty of lichen, moss, and, in all probability, mould. Darren wasn’t nice with figuring out fungi and the like, however it appeared like all kinds of issues had been rising within the grotto.

“I’ve by no means heard of a dungeon with out monsters and traps, so, yeah, be prepared,” Edeya whispered, shifting her grip on her spear. “Make your gentle somewhat brighter.” Since he had no different skills to make use of his Vitality on, he was in control of offering the sunshine. He pushed somewhat extra Vitality into the little, faintly buzzing orb of crimson electrical energy floating above his head, and the sparks intensified, shedding a few of their crimson tint and shedding much more gentle in the dead of night tunnel. The partitions misplaced a few of their gloomy shadows, and the lichen and fungi brightened, displaying a outstanding array of colours.

“Oh, good,” Edeya whispered, “It’s not as crimson whenever you brighten it.”

Darren nodded, feeling happy with his gentle for some silly motive. He chuckled, gripped his workers, and gestured towards the tunnel opening. “Lets?”

“We will!” Edeya grinned, and he noticed her spear blade begin to rime over with a skinny layer of frost. He’d realized she had a water affinity, which allowed her to ship further cold-based harm with every strike. She mentioned she had different, stronger spells however that she’d have to attend to make use of them till her degree elevated and he or she gained extra attribute factors and, consequently, extra Vitality. She stalked towards the opening. His gentle mirrored off the Shimmersteel rings on the again of her vest, and Darren pressed his palm to his personal chest, reminding himself he had armor on. He didn’t know if he was terrified or excited, however his palms felt shaky, and his breaths had been fast and shallow.

“Okay, Darren,” he mouthed, probably not vocalizing, “get it collectively. It’s a beginner dungeon. Edeya’s an excellent fighter. We received this.” Simply then, Edeya stepped by way of the opening and froze. When he caught as much as her, she pointed, and Darren adopted the gesture, taking within the huge cavern. It was huge however had a low ceiling, coated with extra moss or regardless of the inexperienced, orange, yellow, and white fuzzy stuff was. Water dripped from a dozen shallow factors into swimming pools, and about midway throughout the expansive area, Darren noticed some honest-to-God frogmen lazing about, in and round a big pool of water.

“Frogmen?” he whispered an inch from Edeya’s ear. She flinched and brushed at her ear, and he may see she wished to scold him, however she regained her composure and nodded.

“By no means seen ‘em earlier than, however they give the impression of being amphibian. See the golf equipment?”

Darren nodded, eyeing the massive, polished, yellowed bones a few of them clutched. He scanned the cavern, attempting to get a rely, and got here up with 5. He whispered as a lot, “I see 5.”

Edeya nodded. “Similar.”

“Is there an opportunity they’re pleasant?”

Edeya slapped a hand over her mouth, stifling a snort of laughter. “Pleasant frog folks? In a dungeon?”

“I assume that was dumb,” Darren sighed. “What’s the plan?”

“Let’s channel our interior Victor,” Edeya mentioned, grinning wickedly.

“Uh,” Darren pictured Victor smashing his tanks, charging headlong into ordnance that will’ve turned a median particular person to stick. “There are 5!”

“I’m degree seven! C’mon, Dare! Get my again!” Earlier than he may object additional, she turned and charged, spear gripped tightly in each palms. Darren stood dumbfounded for a second, watching as she fluttered her blue, dazzling wings like a dragonfly, turning a hop right into a twenty-foot leap, clearing one of many swimming pools of water. She got here down, stabbing her spear into one of many lounging frogmen.

Darren’s eyes widened as he noticed the freezing Vitality saved in her spear rush out into the little humanoid’s flesh, freezing a good portion of its torso. It croaked and thrashed weakly, after which the opposite frogmen jumped into motion, clamoring in a cacophony of alarm. Their croaks echoed in a dozen totally different tones all through the cavern.

“Shit!” Darren mentioned, realizing he was nonetheless standing there. He lifted his quarterstaff over his head and charged, skirting the pool of water Edeya had flown over, aiming for her proper flank. In the meantime, she started to sprint and fly about, dodging the frogmen’s retaliation and delivering punishing blows together with her spear. It was clear to Darren, for the primary time, that she actually did know a factor or two about combating. The frogmen could be a mottled inexperienced with yellow spots, however their blood splashed brilliant crimson as Edeya laid about together with her depraved, ivory, enchanted spear.

Darren arrived in time to crack his workers right into a frogman’s cranium, stunning himself with the decisive blow. Victor had promised the workers was enchanted to extend its bludgeoning harm, and Darren was inclined to imagine him after listening to the crunch of bone. Contemplating how Edeya was thrashing the frogmen, Darren realized there needed to be greater than the 5 they’d counted. It was hectic within the melee, however he swore he counted greater than 5 nonetheless up and about, warbling, croaking, and flailing about with their primitive weapons. Darren used his quarterstaff’s attain and his superior peak to maintain them at bay, delivering jabs and overhead chops every time attainable.

“Good job, Dare! Maintain ‘em busy!” Edeya shouted, and a twig of one thing sizzling hit him on the again of the neck. He spun to see she’d impaled a frogman holding a sharpened bone that may have managed to stab him within the ass if not for her intervention. “Don’t stare on the useless ones! Look behind you!” Darren whirled, swinging his workers in a large arc out of reflex. The size of heavy, polished wooden cracked one other frogman within the aspect of the pinnacle and carried by way of to drive again one other two.

Simply as he started to worry they’d be overwhelmed, the handful of frogmen left standing started to attempt to flee, and Edeya pursued them, stabbing them of their backs. She was relentless and quick, utilizing her wings in bursts, streaking ahead on showers of blue Vitality motes to drive her spear dwelling time and again. Darren knew he couldn’t sustain, so he watched her flitting across the cavern, ending them one after the other.

He was leaning on his workers, amused by the present and happy with their victory, when he heard a moist thwap, thwap, and turned to see an unlimited toad, in all probability 200 kilos of warty green-brown flesh, crawling out of the pool behind him. It opened its huge mouth, bulged out its enormous, beady yellow eyes, and croaked a problem.

“Ah, shit,” Darren mentioned, lifting his workers, holding it sideways earlier than himself as Lesh had instructed him to do when he wanted to defend. “Edeya!” he known as. Then the frog flicked out its massive pink tongue. It was quicker than Darren’s eye may comply with because it streaked out and slapped towards his armored chest. “Hah!” he chortled when it didn’t even damage. Then, because it started to tug him ahead, he realized it wasn’t attempting to harm him. It was attempting to eat him.