Legend of the Spellthief

Footsteps echoed through icy corridors as Logan and Koma slowly proceeded onwards. Picking a hallway wasn’t a time-consuming task, Logan pointed out the deadends and Koma chose a free hallway at random. There was no easy way to check which hallway would reunite them with their team, so their best bet was to not waste time ruminating about their decision.

The only thing that accompanied their footsteps was the low voice of Koma as she explained more themes of dungeons.

“A dungeon can have several shifts, that cascading wall situation would be counted as one even though it occurred over several areas.”

“How can we tell them apart from monster spells and abilities?” Logan asked as he checked his mini-map for hostiles.

“Monsters typically yell or make some grand gesture. None of the icebolds in that chamber looked to be different from the others, so I am sure they didn’t do it. Unless there was an invisible or hidden foe”, Koma responded as she glanced at Logan, as if to say “you notice anything like that?”

“I couldn’t scan anything else, but if they were invisible, my abilities have difficulty finding those.”

“So, best guess is a shift. If there’s one, there’s generally another waiting ahead. I’ve yet to see a dungeon only have one shift, between two and six is common from my experience.”

“How long have you been dungeon diving?”

“Since I hit rank 9. I should be rank 21 by now, my last assessment put me at 20 but I’ve done a lot since then”, Koma replied almost proudly.

“What was that skill you used on the bridge? It particularly high-rank?”

“Return Scythe? I guess. I learnt it at rank 11. Helps deal with dungeons, they love to be full of monsters in compacted groups”, Koma responded with a shrug.

“I thought you were mainly a bow user.”

“I am, but situations change, and so must I”, Koma continued before stopping, placing a hand on her bow, “speaking of which, shoot a Flame down this corridor, as far as it can go”, she continued as she drew her bow and nocked an arrow.

“I can’t scan any monsters, but sure, say when”, Logan responded as he looked at his map and only saw two green dots.

“I’ll tell you after”, Koma mentioned as she aimed down the azure corridor, “now.”

Raising an arm and aiming it down the corridor, Logan chanted, “Flame Shot.”

A small fireball formed in the Spellthief’s palm before being hurled into the corridor. Reflecting dazzling red and oranges across the icy confines, the fire hit an invisible barrier in the air, around fifty feet away. Exploding and cascading to the floor, the flames left a black singe mark across the invisible object, its body shifting and slithering around as it aimed its invisible head towards what shot it.

“Tracking Shot”, Koma chanted, her arrow glowing green before she let it loose.

The arrow whistled through the air, resonating a radar-like ping every so often as it veered towards the invisible target. The invisible creature, alongside its singe mark, slithered to the side to dodge, but the arrow followed it and dug deep into a tough hide.

“Blood Spray”, Koma chanted again as she threw an open palm at the accurate arrow.

As if forced out of the target, blood spewed outwards in a thin mist, coating the walls, floor, as well as several other invisible foes. Their designs were snakelike, cluing Logan into them being frost snakes.

“Make a line, wall to wall”, Koma ordered as she began firing arrow after arrow down the hallway.

Waving his arm across the floor in front of them, Logan chanted, “Flame Wall”, causing a torrent of fire to form a disastrous wall between them and their foes.

Arrows sang down the hallway, becoming enflamed by the fiery wall of protection ahead of them. “Another if you got it prepared, Logan!” Koma asked loudly.

Logan concurred as he waved his arm again to create a second wall, and again for a third as he was granted a free cast from the staff in his other hand.

One of the monsters dashed through the triple waves of flames, its body writhing out of control as it bashed into the icy floor, cracking it slightly.

Another, and another, the creatures fell to the fires and arrows as they approached the duo. Either bolstered by their outnumbering the humanoids or dumb hubris, the creatures kept coming.

Before letting fly even more fire, Logan’s mini-map went wild with phasing dots from behind him and Koma. Spinning around and kicking off the floor, Logan conjured up four more walls, “Flame Wall, Flame Wall, Flame Wall, Flame Wall”, he chanted succinctly, his arm making a dusting motion over the floor.

“More?!” Koma yelled as she spun down to a kneeling position to fire at their rear.

“At least seven!” Logan responded as he thanked his choice of MP Thievery and having used it in the last chamber.

“Restock”, Koma spoke into her gauntlet, causing it to let off a cloud of golden dust that shot into her lower-back quiver, spawning more arrows. “How we looking spell-wise, Logan?!”

“I can do more Walls.”

“Do it! Evenly!”

Logan spun his staff into his underarm as he waved behind, and ahead, spinning around a few times to add eight more walls, four on both flanks. It only cost him 6 MP, as after each third, he got a free cast from his staff. It was a good call as the initial walls began to fade away.

Darting behind her, an invisible, yet fiery, frost snake danced in the air and lunged into Koma’s shoulder. Large fangs of ice pierced her flesh and bloodied her armour. Drawing up a dagger from her boot she spun it in her hand and jabbed it into the head of the snake, its body wiggling in pain before it got smashed into the floor by an angered Rogue.

Another such snake aimed for Logan in front of him, but he was able to duck, step forward, and grapple its invisible flaming neck, “Flame Grasp”, he chanted, the body getting engulfed even harsher as the Spellthief tossed the corpse to the floor.

“This won’t end. Logan, spy a space back where we came and teleport us away”, Koma ordered.

Logan side-stepped and placed a hand on her shoulder, eyeing a gap in his flames far into the distance and mentally commanded a ring. Their bodies warped into their centres as they appeared with similar wind blasts several hundred feet away, but Logan did it again, seeing the edge of the corridor that led back to the large chamber.

“Hate to say it, but fill that gap with the rest of your spells when I say to”, Koma said with an annoyed tone.

“What if more come from the other corridors?” Logan asked as he clicked his fingers to scan the area.

“They shouldn’t. This feels like a coordinated ambush to pick off the shift group at the lead. It’s common, just be ready”, Koma informed as she continued to shoot into the corridor they exited.

“Alright, say when. Force!” Logan responded as he began pelting the corridor with grey energy orbs.

Seconds passed as Logan could hear a rush of wind from ahead, the frost snakes cutting through the air as they charged their foes.

“Now!” Koma ordered as she jumped back.

“Flame Wall!” Logan chanted, twelve times in total, creating a massive coalescing firefall that filled the room with heat and crackling noise. Logan followed Koma in a jump backwards.

The combined damage of so many spells caused most corpses to get immediately incinerated on entry, only a few were able to land their sizzling bodies on the side that Logan and Koma found themselves on.

Training a triple-nock at the corridor, Koma prepared for when it ended. Logan similarly had his hand raised at the dissipating flames to follow it up if necessary.

It was silent, if not for the breaths of the two, and the sound of seared meat.

No one wanted to break the silence, but they couldn’t do nothing forever.

“Logan, scan the hallway.”

Logan snapped his fingers, but found no enemies in the corridor, though if they were invisible it’d be difficult regardless.

“Nothing.”

“Alright”, Koma started as she took off two arrows from her bow, “Screaming Arrow”, she chanted, her final arrow shining silver.

Firing the arrow down the corridor had it let out an ear-piercing screech, hitting the floor at the far back had the arrow crack and split into pieces as it let out a final death screech.

“Again”, Koma instructed.

Logan clicked his fingers again, and again got the same result.

“Nothing.”

Koma let out a long sigh of relief as she began to stand.

“Wait”, Logan said as he noticed no experience numbers appearing.

“What?”

“Something is wrong, I-” he began, but was halted when the numbers finally started to appear.

“Level up! Gain: 8 HP, +1 Str, +2 Agi, +1 Con, +2 Int, +1 Wis, +1 Cha. You have 1 attribute point to spend.”

“No, it’s fine now. I think some of them were still in their dying states, or maybe some fled”, Logan explained as he tried to not get shocked by his level-up window.

“Alright”, Koma responded as she stood, flexing her arms, “rank 21 may be surpassed with that.”

“Huh?” Logan turned as he looked at his ally, the party window indeed updating to show her upgrade.

“Koma: Rogue 22, 268/296 HP, 0/0 MP.”

“There were 46 of the bastards, no wonder she levelled up with me”, Logan thought to himself.

“I gotta say, damn. That was an insane volume of flames you summoned up. You all used up now?” Koma continued as she gave a fist bump into Logan’s arm.

Logan let out a puff of air as if he was imitating the last gasp of a kettle. The pair laughed.

“What was that you were talking about, hitting the main shift group?” Logan asked.

“The lead. I’ve only been in one of those shift groups. Since we’re on the highest floor of this dungeon I can say we’re probably at the hardest area, Marcus at the easiest. That number of invisible frost snakes leads me to this conclusion”, Koma informed as she picked up a seared corpse.

“Cassius should have gone to the top in that case”, Logan replied with an annoyed tone.

“Not necessarily. The lowest floor could have easily been the hardest too, but, the lowest floor has the exit. So if it was the hardest, and Marcus was there, he could flee. We were at the top to grant us fewer flanks. The middle could get attacked from below and above, at the top, we just have to worry about what is here.”

“Theoretically. But we just killed 46 frost snakes. If I wasn’t a slotter, another mage would have been demolished.”

“Yes, but if another level failed, we’d have an easier time defending this position, than the middle defending on two fronts.”

“So, we’re here so that we can stay put and wait for rescue?”

“If needed. We’d get no lick of sleep if we were in the middle. Cassius took on the protector and rescuer role in this situation. Marcus can flee, we can hold out.”

“You say that as if he predicted a shift”, Logan said a bit confused.

“As I said earlier, shifts aren’t uncommon. Just looking at the chamber on its own, he could easily jump up or down to aid either floor during a normal confrontation if there wasn’t one. But more to the fact that you mentioned he’d be best up here, that isn’t a certainty”, Koma continued, her tone showing that she wanted Logan to understand her meaning quickly.

“Alright, you made your case. You lot have attacked more dungeons than I have, so I guess you’re better informed.”

“All plans have pros and cons. It’s better to not spread blame ahead of time”, Koma spoke as she looked over her gauntlet.

“That a trinket?”

“Yeah, carries my arrows. Just checking how many I got left. 870.”

Logan gave a whistle reply. “So, we hunkering down?” Logan asked as he looked around at the several corridors.

“After that bout? Yes. If we’re to face those numbers again, we need your spells.”

“Damnit, I still have 16 MP left”, Logan thought to himself. “I have a few left over from that fight”, he informed.

“Either way, my skills can’t be used for a while. We’d have a better time if we regroup, and that means waiting for Cassius to get up here.”

“How long will that take though? This place feels huge.”

“A day, maybe two. But we need to take this slow. Rushing in leads to death, and that one corridor is enough to show me we aren’t in an easy position.”

“I can understand that, but sitting still doesn’t exactly put me at ease either.”

“Then don’t sit still, help me trap up this area”, Koma replied as she pulled at her backpack.

Logan let out a sigh, “Fine.”

Pulling out thin steel wire, chimes, and pitons, Koma went to the six corridors that carried on past Logan’s Echo Radar. Making a double-cross design, she and Logan covered the maws that led away from them. If a large enough creature moved through the corridors, or one that lacked the fine sight to notice the wires, they’d alert the pair.

“How’d you know there were enemies in that corridor by the way?” Logan asked as they set the alarms up.

“The floor had large lines as if a body dragged over it and moved the dust. The frost snakes’ flight moved it. Aside from that, the reflections had some dark patches across our forms, they were minute but I could barely see them.”

A window appeared as Koma explained her process, “Tracking mastery obtained. Tracking progressed to tier 2”

“You face many invisible foes then? That seems like specialised knowledge.”

“Dungeons typically have at least one race that can be invisible, one dungeon I went to was full of them.”

“What about those yetis at the entrance? There was no intel on those. How’d you explain those? A shift?”

“Hard to say, if it was a shift it would have occurred with the first group. This place has had a few failed attempts, so anyone that did come back would have reported it.”

“A PC shift then?” Logan thought to himself.

“What I will say on the matter, when we get back I am going to throw so much intel at the G-Hall that they’ll need overtime to process it”, Koma said with a tinge of anger in her voice.

“It was kind of lacking. The map isn’t too helpful as this place has seemingly changed. The frost snakes’ biography also doesn’t note their invisibility”, Logan replied as he remembered the intel he had bought.

“This place is tackled every ten years, intel has only really come to be a larger part of adventuring in the past six or so. You should see some of the maps that were done a dozen years back and more.”

“You know quite a bit about dungeons and their history”, Logan said with a grin.

“Cassius has us read over five or so books on the matter before we’re allowed to join a dungeon quest. Another four for raids.”

“Overpreperation ay?”

“It’s saved our lives, and, good small talk for newcomers”, Koma responded with a replied grin.

“These traps your prep for being split up like this?” Logan asked.

“Yeah, it is most likely why Cassius sent me with you. He can handle anything this place throws at him, and as I said before, Marcus is at the exit.”

“Patavava going to be fine?”

“Sure is. We don’t have many magi, probably four out of the sixty-eight… six”, Koma responded with a sombre tone.

“Sorry.”

“Look”, Koma replied as she turned to Logan, “you’re a good mage. I don’t blame you for what happened. I don’t think Cassius does either. But your face is that of the one who last saw our fellows. It’s just a bad memory now.”

“Thanks. Though I am sure Cassius has a worse opinion than you say.”

“It’ll be better when we’re done here and we avenge our family.”

“My invitation to the guild is probably off the table at that point.”

“Not for certain, as I say, we only have the four magi. You’re useful for particular raids.”

“Not normal quests and dungeons?” Logan asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Nah. A few ranks and quests done, you can replace a mage with spell rings. Cassius has enough on his own that he only ever uses mages for a Flame into his sword.”

“That would explain why they sold out during the goblin invasion”, Logan remembered.

“Yeah, we bought up a few at the guild too. No need to hire a mage for what little spells they have at that point when a couple of rings do it for you.”

“Strange, I was invited to a party for my Lightning spells, when one of them had rings for that spell”, Logan reminisced.

“Probably as backup, not everyone focuses on spell rings.”

“It was only a couple, so probably.”

“You’re a more aggressive mage anyways, a lot are sedentary at the back.”

“I’ve heard that quite a few times”, Logan replied. “Even Marcus was weak when I met him, but he has a lot more confidence nowadays”, he thought to himself.

Swiping her hands together to remove the dust and icy coating on them, Koma let out a sigh, “That should be all the traps done. How are you for heat gravel?”

“I bought up enough for six days”, Logan replied, picking out one of the small black rocks he had eaten on entering that kept him warm in this frozen climate.

“Prepared for sure. Let’s hope Marcus is the same”

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