Rune Seeker

“The PIMP is definitely using wild dungeons because it wants us to see things,” Hiral said. “Or to help us, I guess.” He thought back to the Buried City. Without that wild dungeon, they would’ve been stuck on one side of a caved-in tunnel, blocked from returning to Fallen Reach. They’d also learned a lot about Dr. Benza. Among other things.

Of course, the Ur’Thul line of dungeons led to them stopping the urn from unleashing undeath on the world. Well, the undead still became a race recognized by the PIMP… and maybe that was the goal? Did the PIMP want them to stop the urn, or did it want the undead to be another fighting force against the Enemy?

Stopping the Enemy was the PIMP’s primary goal, after all. Them preventing the plague of Ur’Thul from spreading may’ve just been a lucky coincidence. More proof they needed to question the PIMP’s motives and plans for them.

Still, the Rise and Fall of Fallen Reach dungeons had also been very helpful. Both to the PIMP and the party. Hiral couldn’t complain about saving everybody he cared about there, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the PIMP’s help.

Out of all the wild dungeons they’d done, though, three stood out as being different.

“We’ve been in three wild dungeons that took place now,” Hiral said. “Well, two for sure, and I think Banst really was buried down under that lake somewhere.”

“The library was real,” Gran said. “The one I did with the twins. Not just a dungeon.”

“So, four dungeons that took place now,” Hiral amended. “And now this raid zone we’re planning to do.”

“Yeah,” Gran said. “The PIMP has grown leaps and bounds beyond what was expected. Then again, when we were working on it, we expected this war to be over in a few years. At most. What happened with Fallen Reach…” The old woman trailed off, pain clear in her voice.

If she was around when they were doing recordings for the PIMP, that would mean she had to have been alive for the events of Fallen Reach. Hiral and the others had been there, sort of, and it had been hard. Friends they’d made – at least in their memories – died.

If Gran was actually there, though? Just how much harder would it have been? It was the hope of the entire species. To watch half the islands fall? To know hundreds of thousands of people were on them?

Hiral shuddered at just the thought. No wonder she didn’t want to talk much about back then. Hiral had a difficult time even thinking about Sander and Korkin, and they hadn’t exactly been real.

“All that being said, Gran,” Seena said softly. “Do you think this dungeon could be… not real, but, the truth? Is this how the Fallen got started?”

“Girlie, I don’t know what to believe right now,” Gran said. “But.” Her shoulders lifted and fell like she was taking a deep breath – even though undead didn’t breathe. “But, like the boy said – Why would it lie?

“There’s no good reason I can think of. I hate the Fallen for what they did.” She tapped her chest. “No changing how I feel. Too old and stubborn for that. My brain, though.” Her hand moved to tap the side of her head. “It’s wondering awful fierce what the PIMP gets out of us seeing this. Of not hating the Fallen.”

“Could the Fallen really be… good guys?” Yanily asked. “They didn’t seem all bad down here. Did this Zeed guy just write a convenient history?”

“What if, both are true, and both are a lie?” Seeyela offered. “Gran, you said you saw the Fallen doing some of the things we believe they did, right?”

“With my own two eyes,” Gran said. “They killed most of the council. Set about trying to rule, while the Enemy was busy wiping us out. They definitely weren’t good guys.”

“So, we know where the Fallen ended up, including up on Fallen Reach,” Seeyela said. “Maybe just their beginning was the lie. Maybe they didn’t choose to do all those terrible things we heard about for the reasons we were led to believe.

“This Zeed guy made them start, even though – at the beginning – they wanted to close the gate. Since they couldn’t do that, they looked for another alternative.”

“They thought killing the council and taking over would give us a better chance fighting back against the Enemy?” Hiral asked, catching on to where Seeyela was going with this.

“Yup,” she said, pointing at him. “Kind of did the wrong things for the right reasons.”

“Doesn’t make me hate them any less,” Gran said.

“It shouldn’t,” Seeyela said. “They still did what they did, no matter why they did it.”

“Might explain why people like Banst followed them,” Hiral said. “It wasn’t out of a lust for power, but just actual hope the Fallen could get them through the war.”

“Even after all this time, there’s still so much we don’t know,” Seena said. “About the dungeons. The PIMP. Our own history.”

“There is one thing we do know,” Yanily said.

“What’s that?” Seena asked.

“We have loot and achievements waiting for us.” Yanily pointed at the dungeon interface.

Seena opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out.

“He has a point.” Seeyela comforted her sister. “We love to talk about these things, but we’re not going to figure them out. It’s all a guess. We might as well complete this dungeon, check in with Nivian and Wule, then start farming. Even with how long we have, I don’t think we’ll get to A-Rank, but we’ll be really close.”

“These levels are very long,” Romin agreed.

“And we still need a few more advanced classes,” Hiral pointed out. Only he and Yanily had gotten one so far.

“None of which we’ll get standing around here,” Seeyela said.

“Fine,” Seena said, shooing her sister. “Go get us our loot.”

Seeyela gave her sister a pat on the shoulder, then walked towards the interface. Halfway there, though, she sort of paused, then changed direction to head towards the glass wall separating them from the Black Gate.

“Sis?” Seena asked.

“Do any of you feel that?” Seeyela asked.

“Feel what?” Hiral asked, reaching out with his Rune of Gravity towards the gate. As soon as he did, there was a kind of resonance through the rune – and the Edict – that actually made him take a step back in pain. His grip on the rune faded instantly, like he’d been rebuffed with a slap on the wrist. There was definitely something gravity-related at play there, but he wasn’t powerful enough to tap into it. At least, that was the feeling he got from his brief contact. Along with a clear sense he should not try probing again.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

The Black Gate was alive, and it didn’t appreciate his unwanted touching.

Ugh, maybe I am gropey.

But, it didn’t look like Seeyela was having the same problem. She’d walked right up to the glass wall and put both her hands up. As if in response, the Black Gate’s strobing came faster and faster.

“Uh,” Yanily asked. “Is that gate-thing really there. Should it be doing that?”

“I have no idea,” Gran said. “It should be just a reproduction, created by the PIMP.”

“Whatever it is, it’s doing something,” Romin said. Wallop had shifted half in front of his Bond, ready to shield him if things escalated.

“Seeyela?” Seena asked louder. “Everything okay over there?”

“Fine,” Seeyela said absently. “It’s… showing me… what’s on the other side. It’s… trapped. Hurt. Angry. Wants freedom.”

“It’s trapped?” Hiral asked. “Here? In the dungeon?”

“Here,” Seeyela said. “But not here. Not in the dungeon. Imprisoned. Yes,” Seeyela nodded. “I can do that.”

As she said the words, energy oozed off Seeyela’s white armor, growing around her like a large shadow until it took the form of a sleek spider. It filled the room, its back brushing up against the ceiling, while its legs touched both walls. Multiple eyes glistened with a toxic green, while the brass and glass both began to dissolve.

“The Void-Venom Empress,” Li’l Ur said.

“Is it breaking the dungeon?” Romin asked. “Should we run?”

“Where?” Seena asked.

“We could exit,” Hiral suggested.

“Our loot and achievements!” Yanily said. “We’d lose them.”

“Better than…” Seena started, but then the glass between Seeyela and the gate fell apart, and there was one more flash of black-and-white light.

When Hiral’s vision cleared, he found Seeyela standing alone where she’d been, both the Primal spider and the Black Gate nowhere to be seen.

“Seeyela?” he asked. “You okay?”

The woman blinked a few times like she was coming out of a daze, then a huge smile split her face. “Okay? I’m better than okay. I just got an advanced class option!”

“What? Really?” Seena asked.

“Huh, I guess standing around here will get us an advanced class after all,” Yanily mused.

Hiral had to just pause at all that. So much had happened in the last few minutes – and now this – his mind needed a minute to reset. The dungeon had upended everything they thought they knew about the Fallen, then Gran had in turn upended much of what they knew about dungeons! Not to mention the secrets the woman seemed to carry. Then there was the fact the Black Gate was alive, and could apparently communicate.

Now Seeyela got an advanced class from that conversation?

Maybe… maybe it was time for them to take a break before farming this dungeon. Hiral really felt like he needed to sit down after the whiplash of information.

“Is it a good class?” Seena asked, clearly more excited for her sister than Hiral felt at the moment. Which, really wasn’t fair to her. Realizations aside, Seeyela worked hard, and she deserved the advanced class. If it was any good.

“It’s… hrm,” Seeyela said, eyes glazing over like she was reviewing a status window. “Yeah, this is good. Damn good.”

“You’re going to take it?” Seena asked, then looked over at Hiral. “You won’t be like some people?”

“I took my option!” Hiral said. “… after modifying it a bit.”

“Nothing here I need to modify,” Seeyela said with a chuckle.

“What’s it called?” Yanily asked.

At the question, Seeyela’s face kind of screwed up. “Uh… I sort of don’t want to tell you…”

“Why not?” Seena asked.

Instead of answering, Seeyela lifted her arm up and scratched the back of her head, looking everywhere but at her sister. “I don’t know what it says about me to get a class with a name like this,” she finally said.

“It’s bad?”

“It’s not… flattering.”

“Whatever it is, it won’t change what we think of you,” Seena promised.

“Definitely not,” Hiral agreed. “Right guys?” he looked at Romin, Gran, and Yanily.

“I… hardly know her, really,” Romin said. A snort from Wallop, and he nodded. “Wallop is asking if it will make her any less scary.” Another snort. “Apparently, I wasn’t supposed to say that last part out loud. Could you forget it?”

The Bonder hadn’t even finished talking, and Seena was already rubbing the bridge of her nose.

“Making us wait like this is just building up the expectation,” Yanily said. “I’m sure it can’t be that bad. Just tell us. We won’t hate you or anything.”

Seeyela glared at the Runeoceros – hard enough poor Wallop took a step back – then forcefully exhaled. “Fine, you’re right. The class is called… Malice of Greed.”

Yanily burst out laughing, hard and loud enough half the party jumped. A knee slap, and he bent over, fully engrossed in it.

“Not… the reaction… I expected…” Seeyela said slowly while everybody stared at the spearman. Had he finally lost it?

“It… it… it…” Yanily tried between laughs. “It’s… perfect. That’s so you.”

“Yan!” Seena said, the side of her lip quirking up like she was fighting hard to avoid laughing and at the same time to side with her sister. “Why would you say that?”

Yanily finally stopped giggling and just stared at Seena. “Have you not been paying attention to her lately? If it’s not nailed down, she’s dropping it into her Interspatial Ring. Pretty sure that explains the greed part.”

“We might need this stuff later!” Seeyela instantly defended, not even denying it. “Just look at Wallop! He’s all big and tough because of that.”

The Rune-o – who’d moved to hide behind Romin after the earlier comment – looked at the woman and posed weakly.

“As for the malice part,” Yanily continued like she hadn’t said anything. “Kind of having some anger management issues. And a lot of planned revenge. Mainly on the PIMP.”

“I…!” Seeyela started loudly, then immediately calmed down. “Nope, not even going to argue with that. If the world didn’t need that thing, I’d very much stab it if I found it.”

“See?” Yanily said. “It makes sense.”

“While I… am really not going to get involved in this part of the conversation,” Hiral said – and mentally added for my own safety. “What does the class actually do that got it that name? Is it related to your sponsor? The Void-Venom Empress.”

“Kind of,” Seeyela said. “It’s not from her, like Yan’s, but she’s given her approval. It looks like I got it from some of the stuff I’ve done recently, and then this conversation with the Black Gate. Ah, let me just share the class window with you.

Advanced Class: (Lost) Malice of Greed.

To take back what should be yours, take what isn’t. And woe to any who stand in your way.

Class Abilities

Gain +4 attributes per level, starting in B-Rank.

Class Ability (Active): Insatiable – Open a gate to absorb an attack / ability directed at you or another member of your party.

Note: Energy stored in this way can be held for a duration based on Rank (current duration is four minutes)

Note (2): Multiple, separate attacks / abilities can be stored within the portal space.

Class Ability (Active): Insatiable Vengeance – Open a new gate to release the energy stored within Insatiable.

Note: All energy stored within Insatiable is released when using Insatiable Vengeance, regardless of source.

Class Ability (Active): Insatiable Generosity – Any portal or teleportation abilities can be infused with a fragment of the energy stored within Insatiable, resulting in buffs for allies passing through, or damage to enemies in the vicinity.

Note: Allies passing through portals / teleported will receive bonus damage and resistance based on the energy type used to infuse Insatiable Generosity.

Note (2): Enemies in the vicinity of user or ally entering / exiting a portal or being teleported will suffer typed damage based on energy used to infuse Insatiable Generosity.

Note (3): Buffs and damage are increased when abilities effect or are triggered by Malice of Greed.

Class Ability (Passive): Malevolent Protection – That’s not a venom, THIS is a venom!

Party members gain a 30% chance to resist poison, venom, toxic, or acidic effects completely. When Malevolent Protection triggers, the Malice of Greed gains a 30% bonus to their next poison, venom, toxic, or acidic attack / ability, as well as an additive 30% chance to overcome any innate resistances of the target.

Class Ability (Passive): A Dagger’s Spite – All weapon styles using a dagger see greatly increased damage.

Hiral blinked at the ability names. Those were… something else. A glance up at Seeyela, and she shrugged.

“Told you so,” she said.

“That’s fine,” Seena said. “It’s all fine. We don’t think any different of you.”

“Not in the least,” Yanily added.

“Really?” Seeyela asked, a hint of hope in her voice.

“Like I said, this all fits you perfectly. I’d be more surprised if…” that was the last thing Yanily had a chance to say before a Bamf of purple and red flames landed right on top of him.