Chapter 33

Chapter 33

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The Fourth Floor, The Dungeon, Medea Island

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Lukar was paranoid. The shadows in these pipes moved like liquid, twisting and striking from angles unseen. The harsh torchlight didn't help as much as you would think, only casting darker shadows. The mages of their parties, Itan and Palisa, summoned a few sprites each to light their way and banish any shadows near their group. The sprites' even light was far more effective at keeping those shadow monsters away. The way they were spread out around the group to overlap their lights kept the shadows at a distance.

Of course, providing three sprites with mana was more than a bit draining, even for Platinums such as themselves. Their magic would be weaker, and spells would take longer to cast. Lukar judged the price worth it.

They were scarcely three turns away from the shadow's ambush when they reached an intersection. None of the seven pipelines leading from this circular room were the same size or shape. Squares and stars, horizontal rectangles or squares turned up on their corners. The other circular pipe was too small for them to do more than crawl through it.

And universally, all the pipes were smaller than the one they had just left.

"Well. I don't think crawling through those is a good idea, " Lukar started, pointing at the small pipes. "It would leave us too vulnerable. Same with the medium-sized ones. That leaves us these three." He waved a hand at the only three tunnels big enough for them to pass through hunched over. "Mobility would be reduced and restricted to single-file, but it will give us a better chance." There was murmured agreement with a nod from Dulie.

Quietly, they passed one by one into the pipe. After a few dozen yards, they emerged into a round room not entirely unlike the previous. There were only two exits here, not including the one they'd just left. Before they could choose which to enter, noises echoed through all three pipes. Squeaking roars and scrabbling claws.

They formed up, weapons were drawn and spells primed. With eleven guilders in the room, three stood facing each pipe, the mages in the middle to respond as needed. As the noises grew louder and more distinct, they paled en-masse. This wasn't just a few monsters attacking at once. These were swarm types. Lukar counted himself lucky they hadn't encountered the bug swarms of the third. Killing swarm-type monsters was a nightmare, especially when they were small enough that swords were practically useless.

"SWARM! Mages at the ready!" Dulie shouted. "Focus North and East. West, hold out as best you can! If you're being overwhelmed, get out. No one dies today!" The melee fighters shifted slightly, letting the mages get a clear shot down the center of the pipes. The fighters at the third closed ranks, which included Lukar. He glared down the shadowed pipe.

The noise continued to build until he finally caught his first glance of the monsters. The gleaming eyes of dozens of monsters stared back. They rushed closer, more and more monsters bursting from behind them.

As they approached, Lukar got a better look. What he saw disgusted him and terrified him. Rats. Giant Rats. Horrible, mutated rats with arms like humans, fur-like quills, and claws tipped with gleaming substances. The room was suddenly illuminated by the two mages casting their most potent spells. Lukar could imagine flames pouring like a river from one, incinerating everything in its path. The other he knew would have released a stream of lightning, a more sustained and draining spell than a single devastating bolt, but better to combat monsters like these.

There was no more time to think. The rats were upon them.

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The Dungeon, Medea Island

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Three separate Ratten Clans all descended on the hapless guilders at once. The ' Brawler ' clan came from what that woman had declared north (actually south). These had focused on increasing their strength and bulk. While less numerous than other clans, they were still powerful, in general half-again-to-double the size of most other clans' most massive members. These ratten were tough, preferring to break bones and crush their enemies with superior strength than through the traditional 'death-by-many-cuts' tactics of normal rats. The fire mage was an excellent choice for these, as they weren't particularly fireproof.

With that, I left Mushu to get acquainted with his body. The first, second, and third floors are fine. The fourth had performed well, despite the raid escaping with their lives. Every rat that participated in the fight got a bit of a boost from me as an incentive. The other floors were fine as they were. Untested, but as ready as they could be.

Next on the list is the eighth floor.

The hollowing of the cavern is coming along nicely, but it will probably take another week to excavate the area I want to use completely. I'm also thinking of having my floors more adjacent than directly below. I don't want to dig too deep and suddenly be in the mantle. That wouldn't be good. Also need to avoid the volcano's magma chamber; I don't know how big it is.

The first mountain is looking good, though. I'm still thinking about monsters, but it's still a ways off before I need them. A floor-wide enchantment to simulate storms and other weather wouldn't be amiss. I could pull off some Saruman-level shenanigans.

As I dug deeper into the crust of this planet, the humans above were celebrating. It's not every day that someone reaches a new floor in my dungeon.

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The Beach, Medea Island

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Haythem lay back against the small hill, where the sand gave way to grass. Down by the water, dozens of golds celebrated the two platinum parties that had finally pushed through the third. He spotted both Bertram and Flasa down there, mingling with the crowd. He did not doubt in his mind they were wringing every tidbit of information they could get out of the increasingly drunk crowd.

Haythem sipped at the Ale and smacked his lips in satisfaction. It wasn't the best he'd tasted, but this imported beer was better than the locals' brew. In time, that might change. They were too new to the industry, but time and experience would do wonders.

His eyes drifted from the party to the glowing cave in the cliffside. He thought over what the guild had announced and their publicly released information.

A claustrophobe's nightmare of a pipe network filled with living shadows. Giant, mutated rats. Their fur replaced with a hedgehog's quills or alight with the power of lightning. Not just one or two, either. Hundreds, potentially thousands. Haythem just knew the fourth floor was going to be a pain. After a time of enjoying his ale and the cool ocean air, his party members joined him.

"No one knows what's changed yet. We'll probably have to wait till tomorrow for news." Bertram started. Flasa hummed in agreement. The dungeon has previously shown a pattern of lowering the difficulty of 'beaten' floors. Haythem had hoped it might have adjusted just after the guardian was beaten, but it probably needed the whole night to make the changes.

"The Platinums let any details about the Guardian slip?" He asked the rogue. She frowned and shook her head.

"No. They're being remarkably tight-lipped," She revealed. "The Guild's also been quiet on the matter. They must want someone to fight it again, to see what's changed since the old guardian was killed."

"Sensible, if irritating," Haythem said in response.

They continued drinking into the night. They were in line to enter tomorrow, in the afternoon. Any information they could learn would be another advantage in their quest for strength.

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