Dungeon Noble - Squire

Jake stepped out of the darkness into the core of the Dungeon, where the very air was thick with power.

A familiar sight lay before him, illuminated by bright torches that sat at each corner of the small room.

Four empty pedestals stood before him, with the Throne just beyond them, the red metal glinting in the light.

Walking over and sitting on the Throne, Jake felt it shift and mould itself to him, gripping him in its cold embrace.

Congratulations, Jake Khesh, you have bound the Dungeon Fyardi Veranis. Choose from one of the four rewards the Dungeon has selected for you.

The four pedestals began to glow slightly as images formed of grey Wyrd appeared above them.

Jake paid little attention, however, as he felt the air thicken as the true binding began.

In the past, Jake had felt the brush of something distant as the power fed into him from the Dungeon. A touch faint enough that it could be imagined.

This time, he felt it clearly.

It wasn’t that unlike his bond with Moby. A brief connection that linked him to whatever was on the other end.

Jake sent out a tentative greeting and received the impression of a distant wave and a compliment.

Before he could try and puzzle that out, the steadily building power in the room began to rush into Jake in a great torrent that vanished into his soul.

Jake hissed and clutched the Throne as his body funnelled the energy and his mind tried to make sense of what he could feel.

At the same time, he was distantly aware of a binding from his soul that reached out to the Throne, linking them together.

As abruptly as it began, the experience was over, and Jake was left panting on the Throne.

None of the bindings had been particularly easy going, but this had been the worst yet. It was likely due to its tier, though, which did give some unpleasant implications for higher tiers.

Pushing up off of the Throne, Jake walked slowly down to the four pedestals as he shook off the lingering feelings of the process.

As always, there were three pedestals with Boons for him to choose, and the fourth held the option of increasing the number of Manifestations he could use each day.

Moving over to the first pedestal, Jake listened to the whispers that began to speak to him and describe the Boon. This one would give him a bark-like texture to his skin, which would help protect him and last for a long time.

Jake shook his head and immediately moved on, uninterested in such an invasive change.

The second pedestal was more of what Jake was looking for, it gave a Boon that allowed Jake to conjure a bracer that he would wear on his left arm.

The bracer would then expand into a buckler, though each time it opened or closed it would cut into the duration of the Manifestation.

It was tempting, very tempting.

Moving on to the third pedestal, Jake’s eyes lit up as he saw it would provide him with a new weapon.

The Boon took the form of a long spear that Jake could conjure, but it could also leech the health of monsters, provided that they had blood.

Jake’s excitement fell somewhat at that last part, and he wished he could get a true understanding of what it would look like and do.

Instead, he just had the whispers to go from.

Jake considered the two choices for a few long minutes before grimacing and reaching out to take the Boon for the spear.

For all that the shield was good, another option for how to kill monsters was something he wouldn’t pass up.

Aspen had been offering him spear lessons anyway, so he could make sure he picked up the basics in no time.

Consulting his Boons, Jake pulled up the new list.

Plexus Boons

Hidden Fang - (II) - Granted by the Holrswar Murk Dungeon, this Boon allows you to Manifest a dagger with inherent poisonous properties. Using the dagger, summoning it and dismissing it all draw on the power held within it on Manifestation.

Orchard’s Gift - (II) - Granted by the Aptofir Veranis Dungeon, this Boon allows you to Manifest an apple infused with vitality. Ingesting the apple transfers this vitality, healing and sating the hunger of its consumer.

The Mighty Drake - (II) - Granted by the Engans Deja Dungeon, this Boon allows you to Manifest Moby, a mighty drake, to aid you. The Manifestation is consumed in maintaining Moby’s presence, not his actions.

Dauhaust’s Root - (I) - Granted by the Fyardi Veranis Dungeon, this Boon allows you to Manifest a spear which can leech from the blood of the foe. Using the leeching effect, maintaining it, summoning it and dismissing it all draw on the power held within it on Manifestation.

Plexus Development - (II) - This Boon may only be increased in rank by choosing it at additional Dungeons, but it has no cap on its rank level. Increases Manifestations available by one per rank. Granted by the Haugask Deja and Wilfek Murk Dungeons.

“Dauhaust’s Root,” Jake echoed, feeling the Boon as it settled into him. “Let’s hope it’s as good as it sounds.”

-**-

They regrouped outside of the Dungeon as they waited for Aspen to be revived by the Dungeon.

It was a tense wait, and Jake could see the worried tension in Gargan’s expression as the minutes dragged by.

Eventually, Aspen came slowly out of the Dungeon, his right arm hanging limply at his side as he gave them a wave.

Gargan sighed in relief before frowning and nodding to the arm. “I thought it got you in the chest?”

“It did, but the angle took it up and under, severing something important. The damn tendrils got to work as well. Take a look.” Aspen’s voice was strained and weak in a way that was out of character for the enthusiastic man.

Gargan’s eyes glazed over with Wyrd and he let out a tight hiss of surprise before shaking his head. “I’m sorry I didn’t get there sooner.”

“Not your fault. It was that damn Tendrae. Where did it come from?” Aspen glanced around at them and took in their various states of injury. “Glad to see I was the only casualty as well. I can highly recommend not getting hit by one of those roots. Nasty fuckers.”

Jake followed suit and channelled his Wyrd up into his eyes to get a look at Aspen’s soul.

What should have been a silhouette of Aspen’s body was a patchy mess on the side where he was hit, with much of the shoulder and arm missing all but the slightest link to the rest of the body.

Jake hid his grimace but gave Aspen a sympathetic look, the Awakened had taken a big chunk out of him.

Meanwhile, Gargan was giving Aspen the rundown on what had happened as they slowly made their way over to one of the benches and laid out the loot.

“I don’t want to be forward, but mind if I have these?” Aspen asked, pointing over to the Wyrdfruit they’d gathered.

“Will they help with your recovery?” Alan asked curiously.

“Maybe, but mostly I just like the taste. Especially when I’m not feeling so great.” Aspen gave them a poor attempt at a chuckle and Jake had to hide his wince.

Every death he’d had in the Dungeons was burnt into his memory, but even at its worst, he’d never been quite as bad as this.

Ari had told them that the revival sickness got worse, but it was a sobering thing to see just how much worse.

The upside, however, was that when they apportioned everything out, Jake was left with just over two hundred and fifty Wyrdgeld for his share.

It was the single largest amount he’d ever got as a group, and it meant that the raw numbers involved put the total Wyrdgeld he could earn from a full clear at over a thousand if he could somehow do it alone.

The idea of clearing even one of the floors of the second tier on his own was crazy, but he’d once thought the same about the first tier.

Jake took a breath, reminding himself that whatever the future held, he had to stay with the here and now.

“Congratulations on your first tier two delve as a group,” Felix said, coming over to join them, giving Aspen a pat on the shoulder as he did.

If Jake hadn’t known better, he’d have sworn the old classer looked proud.

“We should talk about our next steps,” Nepthys said abruptly, her expression serious as she turned to Jake. “The Corrupters are still a threat, and the longer we wait, the worse it becomes for all of this country.”

Jake nodded slowly, rubbing at his eyes as he forced his tired mind to work. “You said we need to leave regardless, right, Felix?”

“Correct, now that a higher tier Seeker is here to lead them, we must keep moving. If you think that hunting the Corrupters is the right move, then that is what we should do.”

Jake resisted the urge to scowl at Felix. That had been no help at all. He wasn’t foolish enough to not realise what Felix was doing, though.

When they’d first formed up under Felix’s tutelage, the older classer had taken charge to help guide them. Recently, it felt like he was stepping back more and more, especially now that they had a full group of five once again.

Jake knew it was because of his Class, rather than anything he did, but that only made the pressure to get it right all the worse.

“Alright, then this is the plan,” Jake said, rapping his knuckles on the table in emphasis. “In the morning, we head north to try and track down these Corrupters. What they’re doing is madness and needs to be stopped. Aspen, you rest until tomorrow and take it easy. The rest of you are welcome to join me on running the first tier a few times.”

“I think I need a break first,” Alan said hesitantly, looking relieved when Nepthys nodded.

“An hour?” Jake asked, tapping the table again when they nodded. “Alright then. Let’s get as much as we can and then travel hard tomorrow.”