A Tyrant, Sort Of

Sable hadn’t expected the war council to end with her receiving a rescue mission, but she supposed she didn’t mind.

Offering to save a group of missing people wasn’t the best from the perspective of earning a tyrannical reputation, but at the same time, Sable thought she had framed herself and her motivations well. So long as she could represent her actions as being personally beneficial, she could get away with most things.

The team was put together in short order. Since Sable herself couldn’t venture down into the dungeon to seek the missing party out, being far too bulky after recent advancements, a group of puny mortals would have to do the job. Aylin would, like usual, be her eyes and ears for the event.

And Granite, too. She let Kirak and the others organize the details to the plan, and gather the proper individuals, while Sable went and grabbed her golem minion. She didn’t trust the others to keep Aylin safe, and being a level two, she was the one who needed protection most. Granite’s presence would assuage those worries.

Plus, another helping hand was always useful. The rock golem was far from as powerful as Skatikk’s highest leveled classed, but at the same time, he wasn’t a pushover. He was level four, but hit well above his weight class. Levels were less of a reliable indicator on monsters like Sable and him than sapient classes.

From what Sable could tell, ten to fifteen seemed to be as strong as the classed here got, just like the monsters. And those were rare. Even a city of thousands only had a smattering to call on. A few more from neighboring cities and villages, but hardly enough to be drowning in them. Sable didn’t have exact numbers; she had hardly quizzed Kirak on them. Though maybe she should. Knowledge was power. She should know what forces she had to muster—or fight, should that day come.

Then again, it truly felt like she didn’t have the time. That she had other things to be worrying over. She’d probably find a moment to dig up these answers, but not right now.

Arranging the traveling situation was a bit odd. Sable had four claws to work with and six passengers. Granite and Aylin, then the divination mage Gritzn, and finally three of Skatikk’s distinguished warriors. Still, with people clinging on the proper way, she more than managed it.

Sable was again worried acting as a giant ferry wouldn’t be great for her reputation, but by the expressions of everyone gathered as she set off, she got the sense they only appreciated the practicality of it, not saw it as silly or beneath her. Maybe she looked the slightest bit odd, but being able to fly enormous distances in moments, carrying essentially however many passengers she wanted was a powerful tactical tool, and that was all anyone cared about.

Under the guidance of Gritzn—a taller, spindlier goblin with rusty red hair—Sable streaked across Bonecracker territory, seeking out the dungeon Quil and her team had gotten lost in. The Labyrinth of Lost Echoes.

Speaking of Gritzn, the ‘divination mage’: her existence confirmed a few worries of Sable’s. Primarily, that rushing for power was necessary. A mage capable of sporadic uses of clairvoyance, in determining things she had no right of knowing, was exactly what Sable had feared for her continued existence. Surely more powerful divination abilities existed, then. This goblin woman wasn’t the strongest out there. There were ones that, perhaps, could identify that a once-extinct race had suddenly renewed itself.

Sable had crazy powers in the form of mind-control and similar, so she wouldn’t say she was surprised at the discovery of such strong abilities. Still, it worried her. Her best defense in her current state was only being known by people who couldn’t harm her. But without a doubt, that wouldn’t last forever—and possibly not even a short while, depending on how clairvoyant abilities worked.

Setting out on a rescue mission with somewhat altruistic motivations pleased her. Saving a group of missing people came with far fewer moral qualms than the methodical domination of civilizations that could barely resist her, as would be happening shortly.

The Red Plains streaked beneath them. When she set the pathetic mortals down on the ground, having arrived, they were shaking and fighting away heaves, a few shades greener than normal. Aylin, smug-looking, watched with crossed arms.

“You get used to it,” she said simply.

Of the newcomers, only Gritzn handled the flight halfway well. She stood there, already recovered, shuffling through pages in a leatherbound notebook, muttering to herself. Her eyes flickered between it and the dungeon entrance. Sable also spared an [Inspect] for the structure.

[Labyrinth of Lost Echoes - Tier 2 - Dungeon Entrance]

Tier two. The dungeon she and Aylin had explored had been tier zero. From what she’d seen, tier zero represented levels zero to five-ish, so it probably increased by five level increments. That would make sense, with most mobs and classed in the Red Plains only reaching as high as around level fifteen—which a tier-two dungeon would host.

It was unfortunate Sable couldn’t go in herself. Not only would it be quicker and safer, but she wanted to explore it herself. But lacking a half-dragon form, she needed to let the others handle it.

***

To be honest, Aylin had initially been intimidated by the three men and women Skatikk had sent along for this mission. Tall, chiseled, scarred, and serious-faced, they were many times more intimidating than the toughest-looking veterans in her own clan. Warriors in the true way—the kinds of physiques and demeanors Aylin had always imagined high-level classed would have. Some of the confidence she’d been cultivating had withered in front of them, to her embarrassment.

But seeing them almost lose their stomachs during the flight?

That reminded her they were just people. Her nervousness had vanished with amusing speed. And the event had vastly justified her own gripes with the transport method. She’d mostly gotten over it by now, but the first few times Lady Sable had carried her along had been brutal. Though to their credit, her own difficulties had been before Lady Sable’s speed had doubled or tripled.

Speaking of that, it still shocked her how much Lady Sable had grown in only days. What was she, five or six times larger, now? By measurements, not even bulk. Six times taller and longer from where she’d started, which meant many times that in sheer volume. She was coming into an actual dragon’s body, not the fledgling whelp she’d been. And even that ‘fledgling whelp’ had been hilariously terrifying.

In some ways, Aylin had adjusted to Lady Sable, but at odd moments, like now, she remembered just how insane her circumstances were. How insane her mistress’s existence was. And what the future held, assuming Lady Sable—and likely Aylin along with her—weren’t dispatched prematurely. World domination, or something of the sorts. Craziness.

“Yes,” Gritzn suddenly announced, her studying of her notebook coming to an end. “I can tell already. Quil isn’t in the dungeon.”

That made everyone pause and look over.

“But,” Gritzn said, “without something of hers to go by—blood would work, even—I can’t discern where she’s headed, or been taken. We’ll need to go in regardless and find something.”

“Tracking down signs of a fight in a dungeon,” Banr grunted. “That won’t be a problem.”

“You’ll have me to lead you through,” Gritzn said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “The hard part’s going to be dealing with the monsters. Namely, on a time limit. Whatever happened to Quil and her team, I don’t think they’ll want us dragging our feet.”

Banr made a noise of acknowledgment. He eyed the dungeon entrance with some apprehension. Aylin knew why. Tier two dungeons were some of the most dangerous places in the Red Plains.

[I can give strength and speed enhancements to all of you,] Sable said. [It should help.]

Aylin relayed the words. She did so in such an automatic manner that she was somewhat concerned she’d mimic Lady Sable’s words in a situation where she wasn’t supposed to, some day. She definitely had to be careful of getting too used to letting the words filter straight through.

Banr and the others considered Sable’s offer, seeming appreciative. “Any help is help,” Banr agreed. A moment later, as if realizing something, he paused and inclined his head. “And we thank the Great Tyrant for her aid.”

Sable sniffed, and Aylin had to fight back some amusement at the exchange.

In short order, her mistress had layered the empowering effects into everyone gathered. Sable said that she could feel magical effects, but Aylin couldn’t herself; she didn’t feel a whisper of power. Mages had rarer skillsets that more mundane classes simply didn’t, such as sensing magical energy. Which wasn’t to say they were more powerful than other classed, simply different.

With that done, there was no reason to wait.

[Keep me informed,] Sable instructed her. [And don’t get killed.]

Aylin nearly rolled her eyes. Her mistress was saying that with almost patronizing frequency. She supposed to a dragon, any of her minions looked annoyingly fragile.

[Don’t plan on it,] Aylin said. [And it’s not like I’ll be able to help with the fighting. So yeah. Full time eyes and ears, this mission.] She couldn’t fully keep the sourness out of the reply. She wished she could have more meaningful impact on Lady Sable’s goals.

“We all ready?” Banr asked.

Nobody disagreed, so after checking their supplies and resolve one more time, they ventured down. Granite ambled by to the right of Aylin, hammer held to his side, seeming supremely bored.

A tier two dungeon. She wondered what it would be like.