Ron had just been given news he didn’t understand. With how dungeons worked, and the message that had appeared when he’d approached, it meant that Cain and Leo were in the same party.

What did that even mean?

Ron continued to stand over the terrified man, unable to fathom what was going on. A sharp pain flashed from his side as a small dart penetrated his skin. It went right through his armour like it wasn’t there.

Looking down at the man again, he saw that he was as confused as he was at where it came from. He glanced across the skyline, spotting a man on the rooftop, hand full of the darts.

Ron cursed. There’s more of ‘em.

He swiftly released his string, firing an arrow into the downed man, but it was reflected when a shield popped up around him. A mage’s barrier of some kind.

He ducked another dart, spinning as he drew his bow into a large arc. Mana coalesced inside him as he activated a skill. The arrow flew out and grew wings, morphing until it looked like a blazing phoenix in the setting sun. The dart thrower scrambled out of the way, but not before his arm was coated in the sticky fire from his Sun Essence.

If one had come, others would follow. So he ran.

He took a route that wouldn’t lead straight to his camp. Sometimes dashing down a street, only to run back along the wall and continue another way. The sun was setting quickly however, so he couldn’t be as thorough as he wanted.

He coughed up a bit of blood suddenly as he ran, stumbling as he grabbed onto a nearby wall. Opening his hand to inspect it, it wasn’t red, but a sickly purple. He lifted his armour to look at the wound he’d pulled the dart from. It was purple, with thick, sickly veins pulsing from it. Pus oozed out.

He grimaced. Poison.

He needed to get back to camp now. Or at least hope the poison wasn’t enough to completely debilitate him.

The trek was a struggle, several times having to stop as the poison damage spread. His Vitality offset the spread a little, but it was quite a severe toxin.

His health was below half, but the camp was finally in sight. Darkness would take the city momentarily, bringing at least a dozen ants over the course of the evening.

His consciousness was almost gone when the camp finally came into view. Two people spotted him stumbling along the street toward them, past a makeshift wall they had created. They quickly opened the gate and rushed out to him.

“Ron!” Maddie exclaimed. “What happened?”

“Poison,” he croaked.

“Go and get the healers!” Maddie commanded, and the young man with her ran off as fast as he could.

Maddie easily pulled him through the gates, setting him down so she could close it.

Cecelia came first, instantly alert when she saw the guard running. She knew Ron had gone missing, and was about to give him an earful, until she saw how bad of a condition he was, rushing to his side as fast as she could.

“What happened to you?” she quickly asked, pulling a crystal from her storage ring. It was the healing crystal she’d received from clearing the Tower. Something she’d easily done once she’d gained a few levels and gotten used to her new sword.

The healing energies started coursing through Ron’s body, giving him some of his colour back, but not changing his wilting demeanour.

“Went to find Leo,” Ron coughed. “Attacked.”

“You fool,” Cecelia said quietly as she stroked his hair absentmindedly. “What did I tell you about going after him? It wasn’t safe.”

“Couldn’t… just leave him. Surprised you could.” His voice was breathy and staccato.

Cecelia bit her lip, her hand stilling as she resisted curling it into a fist. It was unfair. Of course she wanted to go and find Leo. The power he held was something their camp desperately needed. But she had to make the hard choices when everyone else wanted to run off and play rescue.

“You know I didn’t have a choice,” she said harshly. “What happened to you was what I expected would happen to all of us. Then what?” She left the question hanging.

Ron said nothing, barely conscious.

Amy and Ashley had come over, running immediately after being warned.

“It’s a poison of some kind,” Cecelia said quickly. “I’ve used a charge of the healing crystal to keep him alive.”

Amy placed her hands on him. “Good thing you did, that poison is nasty.”

She closed her eyes, hands glowing. “It’s constantly trying to spread but thankfully the healing from the crystal is completely offsetting it.” She gave a quick breath of relief. “He’ll be fine, just has to suffer through it.”

“Do we not have anyone with a poison cleansing skill?” Ashley asked, knowing she for one didn't.

“Maybe one of the new folk, but poison hasn’t really been an issue. Healing cuts and bloodied limbs is more useful.”

“Leo…” Ron tried saying, voice limp.

Ashley got closer, suddenly desperate for information. “Leo what? Did you find him? Is he okay?”

“Dungeon,” Ron managed to cough through a mouthful of purple ooze. Spitting it out as Cecelia wiped his mouth.

“He made it into the dungeon?” Cecelia smiled, but it faded quickly. “What of that man, Cain? Did he do this to you?”

Ron shook his head weakly. “Dungeon. Too.”

Ron tried to say more but he passed out. Even with his health being restored, the poison had taken its toll on his body. Too much to stay conscious.

After a beat of silence, Ashley couldn’t stand it and started trying to shake Ron awake.

“Stop!” Cecelia warned, wrenching her hands from him.

“What did he mean?! I need more information!” Ashley pleaded, tears in her eyes.

Cecelia herself wasn’t sure, but shaking Ron was no way to get them. There was no way they were both in the dungeon… unless…

“He baited him.” She smiled. “For us.”

“Baited? What did you realise?” Ashley asked, voice desperate.

She had quickly connected all the dots from all the interactions with Cain.

“Cain had said: Reward,” Cecelia began explaining. “The reason he didn’t want us to go into the dungeon was due to some kind of reward. If he was worried that Leo would take it first, then he would have no choice but to go into the dungeon too, effectively buying us a lot of time.”

“What does this mean for Leo?” Ashley pleaded. “Is he okay?”

“You know him better than I do—possibly ever will. What do you think?” Cecelia smiled.

After the conversation, filled with speculation and hope, a squad of several ants appeared at the walls. They were easily dispatched by a ready squad of fighters. No losses, as per usual.

Cecelia was assisting in the cleanup, storing ants to bring into the camp when a white shield encapsulated her. A wave of force hit her a second later, blasting her backwards.

She tucked into the roll, getting to her feet and trying to peer through the darkness.

“We’re under attack!” Ashley shouted from the wall. Cecelia glanced at her and followed where she was pointing.

Shadows started appearing on the rooftops. Lining themselves along them until there were at least fifteen.

“Enemy attack!” Cecelia bellowed, alerting all that lay within the camp. She informed people that when she used this kind of alert that it was people. Not ants.

“Runebox!” she called, drawing her sword.

She purposefully kept it vague, not wanting to draw the enemy in. She needed to buy time.

“What brings you here?” she called into the darkness. “Who is in charge?”

Someone stepped forward, the moon illuminating him as he made himself known.

A man in mage robes—not the starting kind—stood tall at the front. His eyes were fierce as his lips crawled up into a smile.

“We have come to repay the kindness your man has given us. We’ve tracked down an archer who attacked one of our men. Shot an arrow through his head and threatened another. He is here, isn’t he?”

Fuck. Ron you fool.

“I do believe you attacked us first. Surely the debt has already been repaid. Since you killed the man we left with you,” Cecelia said, lying through her teeth.

“If we are comparing debts including that man, then I’m afraid you have some major payments left to make. And we’d like to collect.”

“Then perhaps we can discuss this in a more peaceful setting?” Cecelia asked.

“Not until we at least kill that archer of yours. After that, then we can consider your unconditional surrender,” the mage said, voice kind despite his violent intent.

Maddie appeared before Cecelia, like emerging from a pond, water glistening in the air. “It’s ready,” she whispered, quickly disappearing again.

Cecelia nodded, stepping back until she was past the line she needed to cross.

“Running?” The mage asked, hand raised. “I thought you wanted to talk?”

A large barrier of purple energy appeared behind Cecelia, cutting off her retreat. It was too late.

She grinned.

“I’m afraid you’ll have to wait a little longer.”

The Runebox shield came up over the course of a few seconds, completely shutting off the outside and keeping Cecelia inside. The mage’s barrier that had been erected behind Cecelia faded as he lost connection to it.

“Attack the barrier! Break it down!” the mage called, suddenly less confident.

Attacks bombarded the barrier as Cecelia walked away, she needed to gather everyone up and formulate a plan.

But at least for now they were safe.

~

The moment the doors of the keep opened, Leo and Cain had shared a look. It wasn’t a; “Let’s work together and beat anything that comes against us!” it was more like; “I don’t trust you and now we’re at the next precipice. Do something. I dare you.”

The tension was palpable, but it didn’t last as they both couldn’t resist looking inside.

A giant hallway was laid out before them. Decadent marble walls and similar flooring filled the interior. Torches and braziers were laid out in sequence, completely illuminating the inside.

A growl sounded out, then a second one. Leo would have guessed it was Cain doing it until he spotted two giant hounds lying on the floor just through the opening.

Glowing red eyes with bones that were visible through skin. The skin that wasn’t burned off was red hot as flames began coating it. They were easily around 8 feet tall, towering above both intruders when fully upright.

Cinder Hound - Level 53
Cinder Hound - Level 53

Not insurmountable whatsoever. In fact, the worm gave off a more intense feeling if Leo was comparing.

A wave of pressure hit both Leo and Cain, and Leo realised what it was a moment later.

Aura.

The first time an enemy had used some kind of aura skill in order to weaken a foe. It made Leo want to bow his head and submit for a brief moment. Before Leo could flare his aura in return, Cain had used his.

The alpha predator had arrived. The aura he was giving off quickly suppressed that of the hounds, making them wary while pressing down on Leo, trying to claim dominance.

Leo felt his own aura beg to be unleashed. His bloodline. The storm. It couldn’t accept something greater than it. A storm does not bow to a dragon, nevermind a meagre beast.

He let it fly. Unable to resist. It clamped down on Cain’s and completely obliterated that of the hounds.

That seemed to do the trick as all three growled at him. The two hounds sounded panicked and subsequently charged in as they could no longer win the aura test.

Leo switched his aura from suppressing Cain’s to resolving him, for as much as he hated him, hindering him in this fight wasn’t wise.

“Right,” Cain said, eyes forward.

Leo thought he would continue, but he wasn’t starting a sentence, he was declaring his target.

“I’ll help you when I’m done,” Leo said casually.

They shared a glance and met their respective foes.

Leo didn’t hesitate to activate his buffs. Lightning coursed through him as he felt his stance and Drive activate. He eclipsed Cain’s speed for a moment, tearing past him as he pounced.

He tried using Wyrmstep, and while activating it, Ellie emerged. She surged forward until she was hitting at the same time.

The hound was quick on its feet for its size however, dodging backwards as Leo’s Wyrmstep tried to impact. Ellie went wide too, but he just signalled her to try and flank. She beat her wings and glided past in a breath of motion.

He was fully charged for combat and this foe was a much better fit for him than the worm. Speed was key here, and Leo was king.

Volt Crash slammed into its body, sending a shock of lightning that jumped to the other beast. It staggered for a moment as the electricity locked its body up. Leo and Ellie took this moment to launch a Spiral Break and Elemental Breath—wind element.

Both attacks tore into the beast, Leo’s fist tearing a deep hole that he quickly was forced to withdraw from. The blood of the hound began eating through his fist, Stoneskin barely making a dent as he grimaced.

The burn was intense, so much so he was forced to summon a Frost Lance, holding it in his hand to help the burn. The lance melted before he could even throw it.

“Fucking lava blood? Seriously?” Leo complained.

Thankfully, his body was strong enough to not just be completely obliterated by lava. But it did almost strip his fist to the bone, dripping with blood that immediately evaporated. His glove was gone, but a small part remained on his wrist. He hoped it was enough to repair it.

The hound took this moment to snap out, forcing Leo to Spark Dash backwards. The hound chased him while Ellie tried to keep up and bite out at it.

Leo ran all the way to the doors before turning and raising a sudden set of three walls. The hound ran straight into them, crashing through with the power of its charge.

His foot swept up into its chin as the first hit of Echoing Talon struck out. He followed it up with a Spark Dash with a Cloak of Wind manifesting around him. He spun, slamming another kick into it.

Its head rocketed into one of the obsidian doors, cracking against it, but not even making a scratch. The third and final kick begged to be unleashed. Leo used Wyrmstep once again, pulling himself through the air as if being fired from a cannon.

Both feet crunched into its head as it was forced back into the door. He sprung back and Ellie dove in, brought with the power of his skill. Her claws started ripping into its face as it reeled, howling in agony.

Red hot blood began spilling and Leo called her off, not wanting to risk her being melted. He coalesced another Frost Lance, firing it into its eye socket.

It cried out in pain, thrashing as the Lance began instantly melting. He snapped his fingers before it could fully dissipate. Shards of ice burst out, wiping the last of its health out as it’s brain was torn to ribbons.

A notification sounded out. Leo frowned, as it wasn’t the first.

You have slain: Cinder Hound - Level 53

Experience increased for defeating a higher-level enemy

+104 Store Credits

You have slain: Cinder Hound - Level 53

Experience increased for defeating a higher-level enemy

+1060 Store Credits

Your Elemental Adept Class has reached Level 46

Stat points distributed

+3 Free Points

Anchored Progression:+1 All stats, +2 Free Points

Ellie has reached Level 43

Stat points distributed

+3 Free Points

Ellie’s gains from race:

+5 Free Points

Cain had taken out his hound first. Not by much based on the notifications, but enough to know he’d lost.

Leo looked down at his fist, still barely holding itself together, pain lancing through it whenever he moved. He quickly put 20 free points into Vitality. He’d saved 20 points after putting some in Agility and Strength.

“Took your time,” Cain said as Leo approached.

“Yeah, yeah,” Leo said, waiting for the next taunt.

It never came. Cain simply walked further into the bastion.

I’d have definitely rubbed it in my face a bit harder. Maybe I’m the asshole here.

Leo shook his head. “Nah. Still him.” Ellie nodded from beside him. It made him smile.

His smile quickly dropped when he identified the man as he walked away, making Leo wonder if bringing him in here was the right move after all.

Human - Level 51

I hope this is worth it.