The Tower in the Shadows

It took several minutes for Kimor to recover and explain what had happened.

"As soon as I opened the chest, I heard a soft click. That is when I knew the trap was triggered, and my [Sense of Danger] told me to move. So, I moved."

As she said this, she looked at the platform. Tobar and Nilus were to see if they could get to the crushed chest. Gran had thought it a fool's errand, but Nilus hoped whatever was in the chest had survived. The impacts of the weights had cracked the platform.

Elian recorded everything as Kimor spoke. Gran was leading the questioning, but she was ready to ask her own if he did not cover what she wanted to know.

"None of your trap-finding skills hinted at it?" Gran asked, his voice laced with concern.

"None, this trap is higher than my [Improved Trap Sensing] can detect."

That was a sobering thought for them. [Basic Trap Sensing] was a skill most rogues got. Kimor had done well to get it up the two levels to "Improved", making her an even bigger asset to the group.

Elian wondered what she was thinking and feeling as the other woman's face was passive and her tone was neutral. You could easily be forgiven for not knowing that she had almost died a few minutes ago.

"The Dungeon has increased its threat level again, or do you disagree, Elian?"

She considered Gran's words. It was a fair question. Her response was firm.

"At this moment, no. The traps are a nasty surprise, but the floor environment is not as difficult as above. The monsters are tougher but less flexible with their means of attack."

Gran was unsure but accepted her reasoning.

"Let's get going! We are doubling back as this route is a dead end. Keep sharp. I don't want any more surprises." He called out to his team.

Nilus grumbled about the chest but fell in with the others. Kimor's brush with death had shaken them. The journey back to the cave was uneventful. The banter was not present as the group was more aware now of the type of danger this floor presented.

Kimor began moving down the corridor to the south. She moved slowly but with purpose. Reaching the doorway into the next room, she paused, checking the doorway and ground. Turning back, she nodded, indicating it was safe. Gran and Tobar moved up.

The worm attacked them as soon as they were a few meters in. The two leads contained it as Nilus and Kimor flanked and struck it from behind. It died soon after.

Elian entered the room, adding its details to her map. The board she was holding was getting a bit heavy, as her arm was tiring, but she could go a bit longer before needing to rest.

Gran looked at his team and decided they were okay with continuing. He had Kimora scout ahead.

The next room held no worms but three pit traps and a tripwire. Kimor identified them and revealed their locations. Her team avoided them but had to use some fancy footwork as they entered. Elian noted the locations and how they were positioned to fool anyone who only spotted the first. As she recorded them, the Dungeon was getting more devious, which was a note she added to the map.

The group fell into the established pattern of waiting for Kimor to check the corridor and doorway to the next room. Elian watched as the rogue used her experience and skills to ensure the route was safe. They were standing in the room on the other side of a pit trap. It would take time to get around it, so they waited here rather than crowded together in the corridor.

Kimor looked like she had finished checking the doorway. She put her head through the doorway and was checking the other side when she looked up and tensed. Pulling back quickly, she turned and made several hand gestures. Gran cursed and the group tensed more.

"What is it?" Elian asked.

"She has spotted another trap but is unsure what type it is. She can see part of it, but the rest is hidden. It is located above the doorway."

Kimor was taking her time. She checked the doorway in more detail and prodded further into the room with her blades. Something in the dirt had attracted her attention. Elian watched as the woman slowly worked to reveal what was hidden in the dirt. Whatever she was uncovering was large.

Kimor motioned for them to come up. Gran went forward to speak to her and Elian stayed back but was close enough to hear what was being said.

"What have you found?"

"Some sort of pressure plate trigger mechanism. It's easy to think you can step over it and still trigger the trap because you do not realise how big it is."

"Any idea of what it is?"

"I am going to lean in, direct my lantern up to the ceiling and have a look."

"Are you sure that is wise?"

"I think it will be fine as long as I do not touch the plate."

Gran was not happy but gave her his approval. She turned around and arched her back to allow her to lean backwards into the room. Bracing herself against a wall, she pointed her lantern at the ceiling. She moved her lantern briefly to get a good look at what was up there. Her expression turned to a frown as she righted herself.

"Well?" Gran asked.

"It appears to be a pendulum with a half-moon blade. Anyone standing on the plate releases the arm and the blade swings down. With its size and weight, most would not survive."

Gran looked down at the partially revealed plate.

"Have you figured out how big it is?"

"See, there is the end of the plate. We must step into the room with a long step and at an angle." She indicated the safe areas. "You will need to hug the doorway as you step in."

Gran and Tobar followed her in and began to secure the room. This is when they were attacked. The first worm attacked Gran from the dirt floor. He blocked the initial attack with his shield and began countering. Tobar turned to help and did not see the second.

It erupted from the dirt like the first. It came from behind Tobar and he did not have time to react. It bit into the back of a leg, ripping through armour and man alike. Tobar screamed in pain and collapsed forward.

The rest of the team reacted quickly. Nilus began firing arrows as fast as he could from the doorway and Kimor went in to help. Hena and Mags were getting past the pressure plate to help where needed.

Gran held his opposition while Kimor and Nilus distracted the one attacking Tobar. This allowed the big man to roll onto his back under his shield to give himself some protection.

Three arrows stuck out of the worm as Kimor went in with her blades. Nilus had distracted it enough to allow her to get close. She blurred as she attacked, triggering at least one skill. Elian could see the strain this was putting on her.

Multiple wounds appeared in the worm's body and yellow blood flowed freely as it collapsed back onto the floor. Gran, in turn, was overcoming his opponent and it quickly fell to a series of well-placed strikes.

Mags moved to Tobar as soon as the second fell to Gran. She rolled him onto his side to see the wound. Blood was flowing freely and the ground was wet from it. She hissed and went straight for her magic, not her supplies. Elian looked at the wound and understood how serious it was. The soft white light of her magic illuminated her hands and Mags placed them on the wound. The injury started healing.

"Keep alert. There might be more." Gran instructed.

The flash of the reward that appeared told her otherwise, but Elian knew this was the time any group was at its weakest. This was why Gran was so on edge.

"What is Tobar's condition?" He asked Mags.

"The bite missed the artery but sliced him up badly. My magic will have him back on his feet in a few minutes."

Tobar was still in pain and his face was pale, but he was making no sound in protest. Elian was in the room, now recording its features.

"Kimor, finish revealing the plate, and when you are ready, trigger it. Let's see what we are dealing with." The quiet woman nodded and got to work. It took several minutes, but the extent of the pressure plate was concerning.

The plate was as wide as the doorway and as long—it was a square. It was easy to think you could step over it, but it was larger and trying to step over it was part of the trap.

Satisfied that she had revealed the plate, she looked to Gran, who nodded his approval. The rest of the group stood away, looking on with interest. She reached out and struck the plate.

The whoosh of the arm falling from the ceiling was still a surprise. The half-moon blade swung back and forth. The blade was at roughly waist height and if it hits you, the blow would be fatal to most.

"That will kill any it strikes." Gran watched the blade swing and slow. The rest of the group silently agreed with him. Elian recorded everything she was witnessing. For example, the dead drop trap they had encountered had massively improved the Dungeon's ability to increase its lethality.

"Mags, how is Tobar?" Gran asked.

"He is healed." Mags told him.

"We are continuing then."

The group gathered themselves to continue into the Dungeon. Elian wondered about Kimor's condition. She had been using her abilities extensively on this floor. Elian had not seen any signs of fatigue but knew the woman would be feeling some, at least. Elian trusted Gran to know his team's limits and did not mention her concerns.

"Kimor, take the lead."

The rogue only indicated she was instructed to move into the next corridor. Elian noted Gran's lingering stare. She suspected he was thinking the same thing as she was.

They walked through an L-shaped corridor into a new room, which was different from many of the rooms in the Dungeon. The Dungeon favoured square or rectangular rooms. The third floor had different-shaped rooms, but this floor was like most of the rest of the Dungeon. Discovering this round one was a bit of a surprise.

The circular room was, in fact, not a room as such but a large pit with a raised walkway. The walkway was wide enough for most to cross around the pit in a single file. The route was also paved stone, not the dirt of the rest of the floor. The pit itself was filled with the served arrowheads found in the pit traps across this floor.

"Trap?" Gran spoke to Kimor.

"Trap." She agreed.

"What do you think?"

She fell silent as she looked over the room. Their lanterns illuminated most of the area.

"The paving is the give way. I suspect it will be like the pitfall traps, areas of this stone that break when you step on it, causing you to fall into the pit. Due to the other more advanced traps, many would expect something more complicated."

This was the longest she had ever heard Kimor speak, and Elian agreed with her assessment. Apparently, so did Gran as he stood next to her, looking over the room. Kimor went to the right and began striking the paved sections with the pommel of her blade as she inched forward in a crouch position.

No one was surprised when a section gave way under her rough actions. She cleared it away to show the slopped section underneath. Anyone standing on it would see their foot pass through and find no means of steadying themselves as the slope guided them to overbalance and fall into the pit. Simple but effective.

She stepped over the false section and continued, but by the time she reached the other doorway, she had found another false section. The rest of the group followed. Tobar was finding it the worst, as his size forced him to hug the wall with his back because the path was too narrow for him to walk normally.

They got through and continued.

The next room contained another worm that quickly fell to Gran and Tobar. The armour on the back of his leg was shredded, and Elian could see the pink skin below where Mags's healing magic had restored it.

This room had another difference: a chest sitting on a stone pedestal. Everyone present knew this screamed. Trap!

"Well, what do you think this one will be? Any bets?" Nilus quipped.

The group's usual banter was more subdued on this floor, as it had proven to be more taxing on their nerves. The worms were dangerous but far tougher. It was the new traps that were putting the group on edge.

"I do not think anyone is going to take you up on that one." Hena mildly admonished him.

"Kimor, this is your area. Everyone else, stand back." Gran instructed. The group lined up against the opposite wall. Elian added notes via crystal or writing them down on the vellum attached to the board.

Kimor spent the next few tense minutes investigating the pedestal and chest. She did not rush, taking her time with everything that she spotted. Elian respected the other woman's diligence in all aspects of her class.

"It's definitely trapped. I think it's another pressure plate." Kimor said, standing up from being hunched over the chest.

"Can you get around it?" Gran asked.

"No. This is beyond me." Kimor had no ego or pride if she could not do something she told you.

"Understood. We continue after a break. Rest up. We are getting close to the floor boss's normal location." Gran spoke to everyone.

The group remained on the other side of the room and Nilus looked longingly at the chest. They drank from canteens or waterskins while eating trail mix. The conversations were light and they avoided their concerns. Gran came over to Elian and started a quiet conversation with her.

"Still rating the floor, the same."

"Yes, the traps are nasty, but overall, the floor matches the above floor."

"So low copper tier." He said, scratching his chin as he thought about it.

"I cannot make a final decision until we see the boss."

He nods at this. She could tell that he believed the floor should be raised.

"What do you think it should be?" She asked him.

"Copper tier. So far, it might be higher by the end."

She thought it was a fair argument, but it was not there with the floor at the moment. Gran turned, looking over his team. He knew they would need a bit more time to rest, especially Kimor.

He walked amongst them, talking and gauging their level of fatigue. Elian made her own from her observations. Tobar and Gran were still relatively okay. Kimor was getting tired as she had been using her skills the most. Nilus and Mags were still good. This left Hena, who had not done anything yet. Elian had gathered this was at Gran's instruction as they planned to use her against whatever the boss was.

Judging from the worms, it would be a much bigger version of one of them. These new monsters were tougher but slower than the spiders. They only attacked from the ground, making them easier to guard against. An adventurer was in trouble if they latched on; those teeth could shred through most types of leather armour, maybe even metal.

Elian ate and drank herself, knowing there might not be another opportunity on this floor.

Gran waited a bit longer and then got the group moving again.

The following two rooms were cleared as they encountered three worms and Gods be praised; there were no more traps.

"Kimor, what do you see?"

"I can see into the next room. It looks about the size of this one."

"But?" Gran knew from her body language there was one.

"There is an alcove in the room." This meant another trap.

"Kimor, check the doorway then Tobar and I will advance."

Elian was still adding to her notes. The last two fights had gone easier, but both men's shields were showing significant damage from the teeth of the worms they had fought.

"Clear." Came from Kimor.

The two men entered, and the ground erupted as two worms attacked them. Nilus quickly followed them into the room, stepping to the side to get a shot, while Kimor went in the other direction. Mags and Hena were with Elian in the doorway.

The two men's shields blocked the worms, breaking their momentum. Nilus released an arrow, hitting the worm attacking Tobar. The fight was moving, forcing Nilus to move again to get another shot. He drew his bo…

The third worm exploded from the dirt and bit into his leg. He was screaming in pain as he collapsed due to his leg giving out.

"Nilus!" Hena cried out and went to help her teammate.

The others were engaged and could not help. Pointing her wand, she released a spell. Firebolt hit the worm on its side. The spell burned into the monster's body, but the damage was not significant.

It did have the effect of getting it to let go of his leg as it turned to face her. Kimor broke from Gran's opponent to help. She passed Hena, attacking the worm with her blades.

Her arms blurred as she triggered a skill. The blades were designed to punch through armour and the monster's hide was no defence. Yellow blood flowed from the new holes in its body. It tried to pull back, but she stayed with it, stabbing it more as they moved.

Nilus dragged himself along the ground away from the fight as Mags went to help him. Gran and Tobar were pushing the worms they were fighting back. Kimor killed hers with a few more strikes.

Mags began working on Nilus's leg, trying to stop the bleeding. She paused, reached out and laid her hands on the injured leg. Her hands began glowing as she used her magic.

The other two worms did not last much longer. The three fighters still standing were breathing hard and looking for more danger. The flash of the reward's appearance indicated the fight was over, but Gran was taking no chances.

"How is he, Mags?" Gran asked.

"The worm tore right through his armour. My magic will heal him, but we must wait for it to take full effect."

"We are going to be here for a few minutes. Secure the room, Tobar. Kimor, check that alcove. Hena cover, Mags and Nilus.”

The group responded to Gran's instructions. Elian waited in the doorway, recording the room. She knew to stay out of the way until it was clear. Kimor was inspecting the alcove. The moss was growing around the outside of the alcove. Kimor's lantern illuminated the alcove as she approached. Elian could make out a pouch sitting on a short, thin pedestal.

"The room is clear." Rumbled Tobar.

Elian moved in and around Mags, who was treating Nilus. The archer was white-faced from pain and blood loss, groaning in pain. His leg armour was light leather and ripped to the point of not even covering the leg below. Mags's hands were covered in his blood as she gripped his thigh and focused her magic on healing it.

Kimor was now running her hands along the outer edge of the alcove. She and Gran were watching the rogue, the last source of danger in the room.

Kimor stood back from the alcove and let out a grunt.

"What's wrong?" Gran asked.

"It's trapped. Pressure plate, but to what result, I do not know." She answered.

"Are you going to try to disarm it?"

Kimor turned and looked at Gran. She shook her head, telling him that was not going to happen.

"We are leaving it then."

Tobar collected the reward, and Gran went around speaking to the group quietly. He was allowing another rest period as they knew the boss was a room or two away. He needed them as rested as possible. This floor had pushed them more than he was happy with. Elian was concerned about raising the rating to full copper as her best team was finding things difficult to the point that they were not attempting them. Was this Dungeon becoming too dangerous too fast?

Elian looked at the map she had created and the notes she was adding. She reasoned that the floor boss would be next from the blank space between their position to the door on the north side of the stairwell.

"The floor boss will be next." Gran said, causing her to look up.

"It seems so."

Gran seemed like he wanted to say something but was hesitant.

"Go on, say it." She prompted. He looked at her for a few heartbeats and then spoke.

"Are you increasing this Dungeon to copper?"

"Because of the traps, yes."

He thinks about this, and she can see he agrees with her decision. At this point, it would be negligent of her not to do so. A Dungeons rating reflects the hardest floor to cross and this floor presented challenges that a copper-tier adventurer was not able to overcome.

"I am concerned about the floor boss." He lowered his voice so that only she could hear him.

"Why?" She asked in a similar volume.

"We underestimated the Dungeon. We were ready for a floor like the one above, but this one strained us more than we expected. We have all used our skills more than I am comfortable with. Everyone except Hena is more tired than they are letting on. Tobar and my shield have extensive damage, not counting the armour sections some have lost. We might not be able to beat the floor boss."

She looked him and his team over. On the surface, they seemed ready even with Nilus still being healed, but she knew them enough now to see the signs of strain.

"Do you propose ending the exploration and returning at another time?"

Gran was a good team captain. He reached the copper tier by being smart and building a competent team. Many in the Guild thought he would reach silver and go no higher. It was a sad fact that those who did were not exactly what you would call sane; how could you be as you had to throw yourself into more and more dangerous situations to advance?

Looking at him, she saw in his eyes that look—the look that all true adventurers had—the hunger for fame and glory tempered by the knowledge of what was needed to get it.

They would continue. His answer confirmed it.

"No. We will finish it." He turned back to his team.

"Listen up!" This drew their attention. "The boss is next. I know we are all tired and worn down. But this is the end of the floor. I do not know what lies in there waiting for us." He points to the doorway that leads to the next room. "I do know that we are good enough to beat it!"

His words stiffen the backs of his group. Nilus is now back on his feet and the others look ready. Battered and bloody but ready.

"The odds tell us we will be facing an even bigger worm. Tobar and I lead. Nilus and Kimor flank attack. Hena hit it with all your magic as soon as we knew what we were up against. Mags, do not hold back with your spells and potions."

The group nodded as he gave them instructions on what part they would play in the upcoming fight.

"Support each other and we will win. To Victory!" He yelled and the end.

"To Victory!" They yelled back.

Elian hoped they would find it.