Dungeon Life

Chapter Two-Hundred Twenty-Six

Watching, or rather: listening through Nova is an odd experience. Ive checked in on her a few times while she and the others have been scouting, but her spike in anxiety drew my attention. I cant really blame her for being so nervous. That group was plainly different from the very start.

Im glad the ambush went so well, and I just wish I was better able to communicate with Nova so she could ask what I want to know. Of course, she doesnt talk so good, so Id need to wish for that, too. Ragnar, Yvonne, and Aelara are doing great, though. The two new prisoners dont try to resist as theyre stripped of their gear, and Nova even does her part to help make sure theyre not too cold. Im just glad shes above the surface so I can actually see, no matter how poor her actual eyesight is.

My wyrm scion also rumbles at Ragnar as he ties their hands in a weird way. He gives her a curious look before glancing back at what hes doing, then nods in sudden understanding.

Ahm ropin their fingers. Weave it between, see? He angles Merriks hand for Nova to get a better look, and the pale elf even sighs with a nod.

It wont fully stop me from casting, but it makes it a lot more awkward. By the time I can manage anything, theyll be able to react and discourage me from trying again.

Aye lad, yeve got it. Y two keep behavin, an we may no need em soon.

So who are you? asks Lechula as she sits not far from Nova.

Yvonne and Aelara look up from the map and exchange glances with Ragnar, before my birb resident answers. Enemies of a certain hostile dungeon down here, though not necessarily enemies of you two. It sounded like you were looking for an excuse to get away from something.

Lechulas eyes widen at that, and even the stoic Merrik raises an eyebrow in surprise. Youre from the surface, then.

Ragnar nods with a grin and finishes tying Merriks fingers. Aye, lad. An yer from th dungeon we dinnae like.

Actually were from Silvervein, but the Maw emancipated us so long ago that its just history, corrects Lechula.

The Maw? That sounds like a dungeon that would have something like that Harbinger, and would treat Aranyas people like dirt.

So, you two were looking to get away from this Maw? asks Aelara, stepping forward to let Ragnar take her place at the map.

Yes, states Merrik simply. He even lets the silence continue for a few long seconds, until Lechula nudges his foot with her own. He gives her a flat look, which she meets with an encouraging smile, causing him to sigh and relent.

Fine. If theyre inquisitors, they already know enough that wed be sacrificed anyway. Ive been growing more and more dissatisfied with the Great the Maw and Silvervein for a while now, but Ive kept quiet about it. Lechula and I got injured in training, and the time healing seems to have opened her eyes, too. Ive been looking for a way to get us out since. Lechula wouldnt be able to keep herself hidden for very long.

Hey!

Am I wrong?

Lechula pouts as Aelara chuckles, and the earth mage elf motions for Merrik to continue.

We are on assignment from the Harbinger to help guard and secure the area around the G the Maw. Our friends were setting up camp while we scouted. He pauses and looks a bit uncomfortable. What are you going to do with them?

Nothing, assures Aelara. The caved in section is thick enough they wont be able to hear us, and as long as neither of them has earth or wind affinity, they wont be able to detect us, either.

Merrik relaxes slightly at that. They dont.

Youll really let them go? asks Lechula with a mix of hope and fear, and Aelara nods.

We really will. Were not here to just slaughter. Were going to stop that dungeon, that Maw, with as little pain as possible.

How? asks Merrik, a skeptical eyebrow raised, earning himself a laugh from Yvonne. Looks like she and Ragnar have settled on a route.

With our own dungeon. Several, really. Thedeim is getting to be something of an expert in fighting other dungeons.

Itll need to be. The Harbinger killed two scions before the third was able to fell it, and the Redcap is at least as dangerous, warns Merrik.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

Redcap? Youll need to tell us more about that, but later. Lets get moving. You two have a good path out? asks Aelara, to the nods of Yvonne and Ragnar.

Aye. Well need you t cut through a few tunnels, but itll put a least a mile a passages btween us.

Then we can parallel the graveled path back to the surface. Should take us only a couple days.

The surface? asks Lechula with wide eyes, looking like she was just promised a pony.

The surface, confirms Yvonne. Youll probably need a couple days to adjust to the sun and the sky and maybe the cold. Its winter right now, but spring isnt all that far away anymore.

The prisoners clearly want to know more, but the party wants to get moving. With Novas hearing, I can tell the other two members of the little guard/scouts are on the other side of the cave in, trying to figure out what happened. I wonder if theyll immediately jump to the conclusion their friends were caught in it, or if theyll try not to. Im thinking theyll come to the narrative of them being under the rubble pretty quickly. Their scouts should come running to a disturbance like that quickly, yeah?

Its about another hour of marching before they break for camp, electing to make a hidden cold camp, though cold is relative with Nova to provide heat and light. As everyone settles in for the stew to cook, Merrik breaks his silence.

Youre not dwellers. You work like youve all been together a long time, and I doubt your dungeon has three enclaves.

Yvonne smirks and nods. Were not dwellers, no. What can you tell us about that Redcap?

Merrik keeps a blank face, but Lechulas shows several emotions before her friend starts speaking. Hes a metal affinity fey scion. Fighting him would be like fighting an army of blades, except an army takes up a lot more room. He likes to make gruesome headwear from his victims. Traitors to the Maw get sentenced to be hatted.

Lechula looks a bit green as she nods, the party all wearing deep frowns.Yvonne speaks up first.

What other scions does the Maw have?

The Harbinger, answers Lechula. Did it really kill two scions before it could be stopped? Everyone says it was on the brink of total victory before a lucky surprise attack knocked it off balance enough for it to get overwhelmed.

Nova rumbles with her weird smile. Does having a triple mandible mouth let her smile three times at once? The frowns of concern from the others flip to grins as Aelara corrects the record.

The two scions the Harbinger killed were not frontline fighters. Rocky is, and he obliterated the Harbinger after it hurt his friends.

A Conduit, then. The Redcap is probably one as well. The Maw has consumed other, weaker dungeons, though it hasnt had the chance since the Harbinger came. Can your Rocky withstand the Harbinger and another Conduit? asks Merrik, though he looks confused when the grins dont vanish.

Rockys not the Conduit, Fluffles is. In a straight fight, I cant imagine hardly anything standing up to them working together.

Merriks eyebrows rise in surprise. A fourth scion? From the same dungeon? He grumbles to himself and his fingers twitch, causing the party to tense. Thankfully, it seems like hes just running some numbers, not trying to cast anything. His thoughtful frown turns into a more ordinary unhappy frown as he finishes his theorycrafting. Even with a dungeon strong enough to field four scions, distance will make it difficult to strike. If it takes days for your dungeon to react, the Maw will still have the advantage.

It might take days for him to send more denizens, but it wont take him long to react at all. Besides, your numbers are off, corrects Yvonne, glancing at Nova significantly.

Merrik looks doubtful, but Lechula just comes out and says it. Thats not your familiar, then?

Yvonne laughs and shakes her head. Ive never been especially good with animals nor denizens. Nova there is Thedeims newest scion.

Five? responds Merrik, his fingers twitching again. Yvonne doesnt let him run those numbers for long.

Thats not even half of his scions.

The two prisoners just stare, with Lechulas mouth hanging open in shock, while Merrik tries to come to grips with that statement. Then why not just roll in and subsume the Maw?

We said were not here just to slaughter. We need to stop the Maw, but we dont want to just kill everything. We also want to save the kobolds. With a technically-independent town nearby, well want to minimize collateral damage, too. Right now, were trying to get as much information as possible, while giving as little to this Maw as we can, explains Aelara, causing Merriks frown to deepen.

Thats going to be difficult. While Im pretty sure Lechula and I arent the only ones with doubts, theres a lot of people who actively worship and revere the Maw, and a lot more people who go through the motions just to live. If it comes to fighting, I think most people will side with the Maw, if only because their friends will.

Aelara sighs as the other two of the party grimace. Thats what were afraid of. But that kind of situation cant be allowed to continue just because itll be too big of a mess to fix. And the Maw and its Harbinger are too big of threats to ignore.

Most everyone slumps a bit at the unfortunate reality before us, but one looks filled with determination.

I want to help, states Lechula, earning looks of confusion and shock from the others. I dont know how, but I want to help. The people dont know whats going on, the kobolds are slaves and sacrifices we just need to open everyones eyes, like mine were.

Hmm a propaganda campaign? Difficult to do in a war, but maybe in a siege? Ugh, I really hope it doesnt come down to a siege. I start tinkering with a few vague ideas as Yvonne smiles and rests a hand on Lechulas shoulder.

Then please tell us everything you can. The more we know, the more we can do to keep the town out of it. Take some time to try to organize your thoughts, too. We have a few days to get to the surface, and then a few days more to get to Thedeim.

Merrik sighs and speaks up. I want to help, too. I think were going to need a lot of information to be able to give you the info you need, though. It sounds like the surface works a lot different than the Maw does.

Yvonne chuckles. It does, and Thedeim works a lot different than the surface in general, too.

THIS CHAPTER UPLOAD FIRST AT NOVELBIN.COM