Rune Seeker

Hiral looked from Nivian to the hooded woman and back again.

“She’ll what?” Seena asked.

“And who says I will?” Gran asked at the same time.

“I do,” Nivian said, before looking at Seena. “You don’t have a healer.”

“Gran’s class is a kind of healer,” Wule quickly explained. “Do you really not have one? Didn’t you complete the wild dungeon?”

“No, we didn’t bring a healer with us,” Seena said. “We couldn’t find one who was willing to come. Left can sort of heal now, I guess. There’s… wow. You have a lot to tell us, and we have a lot to tell you too. About this dungeon, yeah, we cleared it.”

“Banst was a tough fight though,” Seeyela said.

“Banst?” Wule asked. “What is that?”

“Infested. The last Boss of the dungeon,” Yanily said. “She even had her own Boss music. Did you get a concussion too?”

Wule shared another look with Nivian. “We didn’t fight an Infested. Our Boss was a… wall.”

“A wall?” Yanily asked. “You fought a wall?”

“Smash wall,” Bash said.

Yanily leaned over towards Seeyela and put a hand beside his mouth. “Is that a metaphor for something?”

“How would I know?” Seeyela asked back flatly.

“It’s not a metaphor,” Wule said. “The Boss was basically a trapped room. Once we set it off, the walls started closing on us while golems came to attack. It was a pain, especially since only one wall had the mechanism behind it we needed to destroy.”

“You obviously managed to do it,” Hiral said.

“And I bet you got a great achievement,” Yanily said.

“Breaking the Fourth Wall,” Wule said. “Good rewards all around for it, actually.”

“Back on topic, though,” Seena said. “You didn’t do the Lost Refuge of the Lost dungeon?”

“What kind of name is that?” Wule asked before shaking his head. “Never mind. No, our dungeon was the Lost Library of Troubling Stories.”

“That name isn’t any better at all,” Yanily pointed out.

“Can’t argue with you there,” Wule admitted.

“A library?” Hiral asked. “In a lost dungeon? What was the point of it?”

“A book,” Gran said. “All that work, for a book.” The red hood shook in disbelief.

“Gran, are you ever going to take that off?” Wule asked.

“No,” Gran said, then turned to Nivian. “Why would I join them?”

“Oh, right, that’s what we were talking about,” Yanily said, nodding sagely.

“It is,” Gran said, red-and-blue eyes – really different from any other undead Hiral had seen – locked on the spearman. “So, why?”

“Because it will give you the privilege to serve the Mistress,” Li’l Ur said from Seena’s shoulder, hands on his hip, and head held high. “What greater purpose could there be?”

“And who is this…?” Gran started until she seemed to spot Li’l Ur. Then she took a gliding step forward, one of her hands lifting as if she would reach out. “Lord Thul? Is that… you?”

“Ah, you recognize me?” Li’l Ur said, puffing his chest out. “As any good undead should. Yes, it is I, Ur’Thul the Undying. Creator of the undead. Ruler of… kingdoms that no longer exist. Ahem. Legendary – but currently reformed – evil.”

“Currently?” Seena asked, looking sideways at the lich.

“Forever is a long time,” Li’l Ur countered. “When you decide on your path to world domination, I shall be at your side. On your shoulder.”

“World domination is still on hold,” Seena said.

“Bet that needs whips,” Right whispered to Hiral.

“Stop,” Hiral growled at his double, checking to make sure Seena hadn’t heard.

“Lord Thul, you truly survived?” Gran asked, gliding close enough Seena looked a little uncomfortable.

“In the service of the Mistress,” Li’l Ur said, gesturing to Seena. “Tell me, Gran, how does it feel to meet your creator? Your god?”

The hooded head tilted slightly to the side. “You used to be taller.”

Li’l Ur winced like he’d been struck by an arrow, wobbling before leaning against Seena’s head. “Vampires. Always so opinionated. I never should’ve given you free thought.”

“Hah, I remember you said nearly the same thing when you woke us up the first time,” Gran said, letting out a cackling laugh. “Or, your exact words were, ‘You want to decorate your coffin with a WHAT?! I gift you free will and this is what you do with it?’. Oh, good times…”

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Li’l Ur’s blue eyes narrowed – still a mystery how he did that without eyelids, or any flesh – and he stared at Gran. “Who are you? Really? To know that?”

The woman in the red cloak let out another cackling laugh. “A woman has to have her secrets. But, you are the real thing. Even if you are changed a bit. For the better?”

“For the better,” Seena affirmed, voice strong and even. “Li’l Ur is a valued member of the party, and a good friend. If you join us, I hope there won’t be any problems.”

“With…” Gran started, then looked at the lich, raspy voice turning serious. “With Li’l Ur? Never. I owe him too much. We all do.”

“Didn’t he make you undead?” Yanily said.

“He gave me a new life when my old one ended,” Gran said. “Now, aside from Li’l Ur, what else do we have here? Oh my, oh my,” she exclaimed as she floated over to inspect Seeyela. A pat on Bash’s head while she was there – the little Troblin looking up and smiling his lipless smile – and the woman hovered a circle around Seena’s sister.

“Can I help you?” Seeyela asked.

“You have Little Shadow’s Cloak,” Gran said. “Impressive. It must respect you if it hasn’t consumed you.”

“Con-con-consumed?” Seeyela coughed. “That was possible?”

“Of course it was. This cloak is very picky about who wears it. A bit of a fashionista, like its namesake,” Gran said with a nod of her hood.

“You know who or what this Little Shadow was?” Seeyela asked. “Another vampire like you?”

“Oh no,” Gran said. “Little Shadow is a myth. A story. A great one, yes, but still a story. And while she wasn’t a vampire, we did have something in common – blood. Maybe you and I will be kindred spirits?”

“Are you talking to me or the cloak?” Seeyela asked flatly.

Gran just cackled again and glided over to Yanily, hooded gaze immediately going to the spear in his hand. “How do you have that?” she asked, voice low.

“Have… what?” the spearman asked. “My spear? Dungeon reward.”

“There’s no way that… could…” she trailed off, moving closer. “It’s not. A replica?”

“No,” Yanily said, then seemed to catch on. “Oh, you thought this was the Spear of Clouds? No, this is my Splinter of the Storm. When we saved Fallen Reach, I got a small piece of the spear to grow into my own weapon. See? Here.” Yanily leaned the spear closer so Gran could spot the small, sparking shard of crystal within the spearhead.

“Saved Fallen Reach you say?” Gran said, nodding as she looked at the weapon. “The boys mentioned something about it being in trouble. You lot saved it then?”

“You bet we did,” Yanily said.

“I look forward to hearing about it,” Gran said, then immediately glided over to hover in front of Hiral.

Even this close, he still couldn’t see into the depths of her hood – apart from her eyes and the lines on her cheeks. Has to be magic in that cloak.

“And who have we here?” she asked him, then did a double take looking at his coat. Left and right, her head swiveled to his doubles, before settling on Hiral once more. “Is this a replica as well?” She reached out and gently ran a finger down Hiral’s sleeve. “No. It feels like the true Coat of Ur’Thul.”

“Coat of Amin Thett,” Hiral corrected, and was it his imagination, or did Gran’s eyes go to the ring over his shoulder before settling back to meet his gaze.

“You must’ve done something impressive to earn this,” she said, then turned back towards Seena. Or, more accurately, Li’l Ur. “You’re okay with him having your outfit?”

“My soon-to-be apprentice makes good use of it,” Li’l Ur said.

“Hopefully not so soon,” Hiral said. “Unless you’ve changed your criteria?”

“No, you still need to die,” Li’l Ur said, but quickly looked at Seena. “However, since that would upset the Mistress, I am willing to wait a little longer.”

“He’s a very generous, legendary – yet temporarily reformed – evil, isn’t he?” Gran cackled at Hiral. “Oh, and runes?” Gran asked. “A Builder then? I’m surprised.”

“You know about Builders?” Hiral asked, latching on to that.

“Of course I do,” Gran said, holding out her delicate hand. Beneath the lacy cuffs and matching gloves, that hand was definitely human. “Now, then, what about the last one?” With the question, she floated over to where Drahn spoke with Igwanda. Looking him up and done a single time, she patted him on the shoulders. “Don’t worry, you’ll get there. Someday.” Then she floated back over to join the party.

“What…?” Drahn asked. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’ll join your party,” Gran said to Seena. “Send me an invite.”

“Just like that?” Seena asked. She looked at Nivian. “You really think this is a good idea?”

“Yes,” Nivian said evenly.

“Gran’s not getting much action in our party,” Wule said. “She’s been sort of acting as a damage dealer and back up healer, but she’s capable of a lot more. She’s good though.” Wule stepped closer so just the party – and Gran and Bash – could hear him. “We also trust her. And Bash, but you would not want him trying to heal you.”

“Smash?” Bash said.

“Exactly.”

“Okay, what about the cooldown on joining a party?” Seena asked.

“You haven’t had anybody leave your party?” Wule asked.

“Other than you two? No.”

“When you leave, a notification window comes up,” Wule explained. “Says you can lower the cooldown by paying a solar energy and experience cost.”

“How much?” Seena asked, and Hiral listened in closely. This was new information.

“Start of your current level,” Gran said. “Already paid. Invite me.”

Seena gave one more look to Nivian and Wule, and the twins nodded. Then she looked at Hiral, Yanily, and Seeyela. “Any objections?”

“It’d be nice to have a healer,” Hiral said. “Other than Left, who can still pitch in to help.”

“It would,” Seeyela agreed. “Sure, why not?”

“Yan?” Seena asked.

“I’m fine with it,” the spearman said.

“You’ll have to tell us what your abilities are,” Seena said. “No secrets there.”

“Not an issue,” Gran said.

“What about the hood?” Hiral asked.

“Not a chance,” Gran said, cackling.

“She won’t show anybody,” Wule said. “It hasn’t been a problem.”

“Well, okay then,” Seena said. “Let’s give this a go on a trial basis.”

A second later, Gran’s name popped up in the Party Interface, and the group had a new healer.

Part of Hiral was excited to have a full party again, but by the look on everybody’s faces, they all knew what it really meant. While they’d been reunited with their lost friends, they weren’t a party anymore. Nivian and Wule had started their own, which meant they might go their separate ways again.

“Great,” Wule said with a clap of his hands. “With that done, let’s hear all about what happened with Fallen Reach. I bet it’s a story.”

“It is,” Seena said. “And somebody mentioned there’d be stew?”

Nivian nodded.

“Lead the way,” she said, walking up to the tank and giving him the shoulder tap.

Then, for the first time since they’d left the dungeon, Nivian smiled.