Divine Awakening

As Ash continued down the tunnel, Third Eye detected traces of energy flowing along every surface. Was this how the dungeon kept track of everyone? Staying alert, he concentrated on this faint power, tapping into his pitiful Crown energy to help him detect patterns.

Third Eye picked up pools of power on the floor, urging Ash to avoid them. He withdrew Lesser Ripple, and the energy signatures disappeared. Extending Lesser Ripple again, he smiled in satisfaction. Third Eye would have kept him from stepping in the locations regardless, but with his chakra Awakened and Lesser Ripple active, he could actually see why.

Ash knelt and studied the first energy pool in the center of the tunnel floor. His eyes traced the threads that ran like wires across the floor and up the wall. Focusing on the wall, five small holes, invisible to the naked eye, glowed with energy.

Without the enhanced vision Third Eye provided, the trap would be exceedingly difficult to detect. Ash had spent his whole life blindly trusting his chakras, and it was incredibly satisfying to finally understand, at least a little, why.

Nomad, Shamrock, this is Crash, radio… err… chat check, Captain Riegel’s voice said.

Crash, this is Nomad, I read you loud and clear.

Me too, Ash added.

Ash’s very radio-unfriendly response caused a few seconds of silence, but both Nomad and Crash understood.

Roger, Shamrock, Crash said. Between the text in the chat log and the portraits glowing during speech, we don’t need all this handshaking.

Old habits die hard, Shamrock, Nomad said. So have some patience with this old dog.

Roger that, Ash responded with a smile.

Crash continued, Be advised, we have enemy movement heading your way, bearing 180, approximately 20 clicks out. I thought we’d have more time, but our watchful ‘friends’ are all going to come see what you’re doing there.

That complicated things considerably, but in hindsight, it made sense. Every nation with the ability to watch this area of the world did so, and moving secretly was impossible.

I found some traps, Ash said, and since we have company on the way, we should stay closer together.

Agreed, Nomad responded. I’ll send up Blast and Tripwire double time.

It took less than a minute for the two demolition guys to arrive, both sporting flashlights on their helmets.

Ash described the different mechanisms he’d detected as best he could: pressure plates hidden beneath the stone floor and trigger mechanisms embedded in the walls and ceiling.

As Ash spoke, he noticed his map updated, placing a marker at each location he described. Ten traps occupied this section, and he worried he’d need to stay here until they’d disarmed them all. Now, though, he hoped another solution might work, and he willed the trap information from his map to the map of everyone in the party.

"Oh, nice," Tripwire said. "Those markers will save a lot of time."

Blast handed Ash a small pile of stickers, each the size of a thumbnail.

"They glow in UV light," Blast said as he tapped a small flashlight strapped to his vest. "With a little pressure, they’ll attach to most surfaces. Place them a foot from any other traps you find. I got your update to my map, but we don’t know how any of this works. I don’t want someone to die if our maps reset when you get too far away or something. Let’s go old school, in parallel, until we’re sure."

Ash grinned. "You bomb guys are all the same."

Blast almost smiled. "Only the live ones."

"Fair enough," Ash responded. He considered a moment and continued, "I know you won’t like this, but with enemies on the way, I think it’s smarter to leave these traps alone. Help our team pass safely and study these traps to make them easier for you to detect in the future, but let’s leave them to slow anyone who follows us. That’s my suggestion. Talk it over with Nomad and do what you think is best."

With that, Ash stuck the bomb-stickers in the pocket that didn't have the warm gecko scale.

"Where’s your pack?" Tripwire asked.

"I left it up ahead," Ash said immediately, his Throat chakra making the lie sound natural.

Tripwire nodded and studied the first trap as Blast spoke with Nomad in chat.

Ash quickly hopped through the traps. He turned around to find both men grimacing, probably from how fast he’d moved.

With a final wave, Ash continued down the tunnel.

A notification with a new title appeared.

Ping!

You have gained the following Title...

Title: Trapdancer

Quality: Rare

Requirement: Successfully detect, navigate, and evade 10 or more consecutive traps.

Attribute Bonus: +3% Awareness

Effect (Passive): Dud - Every consecutive trap you evade decreases the chance of Underworld traps triggering by 0.5% (Max 33%) for all party members.

Ash dismissed the title, thankful its effects had a positive impact. He’d only taken twenty steps when Brainwave opened a private chat.

What did you do to my hands? Brainwave asked.

That surprised Ash, as it had only taken the Mentalist-Interrogator a few hours to figure out what Ash had done. That made the man very dangerous in Ash’s view. It took excellent senses and a lot of perception to piece together what might have occurred.

Nothing permanent. Just my way of saying hi. And giving you a warning. I’ll fix you the next time we meet.

The passage sloped downward. Fifty feet from the traps, the torches reappeared, and a hundred feet later, the tunnel opened into a larger chamber.

Ash paused at the entrance, his eyes scanning the space. The chamber stretched over a hundred feet, and fifty feet separated the walls. Smooth tiles covered the ceiling, each depicting an Egyptian scene.

Sand covered the floor, and every twenty-five feet down the center of the room, a large stone pillar supported the ceiling. Statues of ancient gods or pharaohs or whatever lined the walls, and their eyes appeared to follow him as he stepped into the room.

Third Eye didn’t like this room, but Ash’s Root chakra barely twinged. He kept his muscles relaxed, ready for anything. Over a decade of intense training provided plenty of confidence.

The sand shifted under Ash’s feet, and a faint whispering echoed in the chamber, like sand cascading down a dune. The room felt wrong—there was something here, something watching him. Third Eye pulsed with warning, and even with Lesser Ripple, he couldn’t pinpoint the source of the danger.

Ash took another step, and the ground beneath him suddenly gave way. He reacted instantly, his training taking over. He leaped backward, his feet barely touching the ground before he was airborne.

A deep pit opened, its bottom shrouded in darkness. Ash landed on the edge, his balance perfect, his pulse steady.

This appeared natural, which is why Third Eye couldn't detect it like the earlier traps. Perhaps it was just an unstable part of this complex.

Ash glanced around, his eyes narrowing. Whatever existed in this room remained hidden, waiting for him to make a mistake. He could feel it, a presence lurking just out of sight, and he decided to draw it out, to force it into the open.

The pit created a fifteen-foot circle, and Ash moved along the edge of the left wall, his steps careful and deliberate. The presence in the chamber shifted, sensing his movements, reacting to them. He felt it closing in, circling him like a predator, and Third Eye pulsed in a steady drumbeat of warning.

Then, without sound, it struck.

A blur of shadow and teeth, it separated from the darkness on the ceiling and lunged at Ash, aiming for his throat.

Ash bent sideways, the movement fluid as his Bamboo Step training kept his center of gravity completely balanced.

A rush of air cooled his cheek and neck as the creature passed, its claws raking the space he’d just vacated.

Ash spun, following the creature, his hand reaching to gain some type of purchase, but the creature moved too fast, slipping back into the ceiling's shadows.

This creature displayed more intelligence than the dog-lizard Ash had killed earlier, quickly retreating instead of remaining in a bad position. He needed to change his approach and remove its speed advantage.

Until Ash learned differently, he’d view these dungeon creatures as animals. That meant even if this monster had enough self-awareness to avoid going toe-to-toe with him, it would react on primal instinct if presented with the correct opportunity.

Ash leaped to the nearest central pillar, but purposefully misjudged the jump, allowing his right leg to dangle into the pit. Third Eye urged him to move, and his Root chakra radiated imminent danger. He waited until his Root burned hot before tensing his core, rotating his body, and bringing his right leg out and down in a reverse Bamboo Step called Broken Paw, pinning the creature to the floor with a satisfying thud.

The creature turned, attempting to bite Ash’s side. He tensed his core, snapping upright in a sit-up. The creature snapped at empty air near his back, and its head slid across the sand.

Ash slammed himself backward, trapping more of the creature’s body. He slid his left arm under the head and yanked upward, applying immense pressure.

The creature thrashed, wrapping its barbed tail around Ash’s right leg. He brought his left leg over, squeezing the tail between his legs to keep it from moving. The monster's body ran along his right side, under his back, and ended with the head locked in a punishing hold.

If Ash had held a person like this, their neck would’ve already snapped, but this creature’s body was remarkably flexible, and he focused on cutting off its air supply.

Ash stared at the black teeth inches from his face, and the creature’s info appeared.

Name: Shadow Eel

Type: Shadow

Level: 3

Domain: First

Description: A black, flattened, snake-like creature with a barbed tail and an extended jaw full of teeth. Shadow Eels are territorial and will ambush intruders. In the early Domains, they lack magic, and only their paralyzing poison requires care. Poison is delivered via the barbed tail or razor teeth.

Ash glanced down and made sure the barbed tail remained locked in place between his legs. The Shadow Eel snapped its jaws continuously as it struggled to reach any part of his arm, neck, or face.

Spittle from the eel’s mouth spattered Ash’s face, and his left cheek went numb. The eel’s hot breath covered his face. It smelled like rotten meat soaked in spoiled milk, and he pulled on Solar Plexus energy to stabilize his convulsing stomach and prevent any vomiting.

Ash held this position for a minute, cursing the stupid eel for not dying. Maybe it didn't need to breathe. Then he groaned at his own stupidity.

With a thought, Ash summoned the dagger from his Belt of Swans into his right hand. Careful not to let up on the pressure keeping the eel’s head locked in his left arm, he slid the dagger down. It took another ten seconds of cutting to make it through the tough muscle of the eel’s neck.

Putrid black blood sprayed Ash’s face, getting into his nose and mouth, and soaking his t-shirt.

Ash concentrated on not puking until a surge of energy entered his body from the floor, and for a moment, he grinned in pleasure as he absorbed the experience for killing the Shadow Eel.

The soft glow of a notification appeared, and he opened it, keeping his grip on the limp eel just to be safe.

Ding!

Congratulations Child of Enlightenment! You have reached level 2!