Dungeon Runner (Book 1 and 2)

Stepping Up, Chapter 45

Tibs wanted to run into the room and help his team.

His stomach twisted itself into a knot and he groaned. He couldn't wait for this to be done so he could eat.

"You okay?" Jackal asked, suddenly in front of him.

"No." He couldn't shake the feeling he sounded petulant, and the fighter's smile said he hadn't imagined it. "Do you need me to get the loot?" He looked around Jackal and noticed the trap doors to the warren were broken off.

"We managed, although Mez's armor will need to have the scratches worked out of the leather if he wants it to look like he only parades in it."

"I don't care about how used my armor looks," the archer replied. "I'm a Runner, not someone pretending. But next time, Tibs, you go in there. Those tunnels are way too narrow."

"I will. I guess that is the privilege of being small." He took Jackal's hand, and the fighter hoisted him to his feet.

It was strange crossing the room, seeing the result of the fight, and knowing he hadn't taken part. He felt like he was a burden. It didn't matter how hungry he was, he should be helping. He'd fought when hungry before.

He'd lost most fights then, and in the dungeon, if he lost, he could die.

It didn't help. He didn't want to stand on the sidelines.

"The opening is here," Khumdar said, indicating the hallway wall, halfway in the middle of what had been the essence maze the last time. The pedestal with the trigger to shut it off was still at the end. "I am afraid Tibs may need to unlock it. I cannot make out the essences involved."

"Earth, fire, air, and water," Tibs replied reflexively, their colors clear to his mind even if his stomach took most of his attention. He couldn't wait for this to be done with.

"Can't the dungeon just open it for him?" Jackal asked.

"Sorry," Sto replied. "But even I have limits on how easy I'll make something. I made it as simple as I could to take into account your condition, Tibs." He lowered his voice, "you really don't look great."

"It's okay. I'm not so out of it that I can't deal with moving essence around."

"I can sense the air," Carina said. "That's interesting. It's woven into a hollow strand. Are the others the same thing?"

"Yeah," Tibs said, as Jackal placed a hand on the wall.

"Okay," the fighter said. "I guess we have to fill the tube with our essences?"

"Is that safe?" Mez asked. "You guys remember what tends to happen when Tibs doesn't get a trigger right."

"This isn't Sto testing us," Tibs said, "and I have all those essences, so I can handle them myself."

"No," Carina said. "We each handle ours. Mez, you have to get used to doing this."

"It's not like I'm ever going to break into a fucking house," the archer grumbled, stepping closer to the wall.

Tibs moved water within the hollow and watched as the others were also filled. Air moved from one end to the other, never spilling out. Fire was just there, contained within the tube, while earth... Jackal had trouble keeping the essence limited to inside. He grumbled choice words as he focused, and when the door began lowering, he stepped back in surprise.

Tibs was surprised, too. He'd expected the unlock trigger needed the essence to be cleanly within the tube.

"Didn't this thing go up last time?" Mez asked.

Tibs didn't answer, staring up at the light spilling out of the ever-widening gap. It was so bright,

A hand was over his eyes. "Don't look into it," Carina ordered.