Dungeon Runner (Book 1 and 2)

Stepping Up, Chapter 79

The stairs leading up to the door had changed. Tibs had noticed they weren't flat stones in the ground, as he walked by to check in on Sto previously, and more like steps, with gold edge and black spots. He'd stayed far enough he hadn't realized the spots were designed to be rats and bunnies, made to seem like they were running up the stairs.

The two guards by the door ignore them. Like all of Harry's guards in the town, they wore simple leathers, with a badge emblazoned on the breast. The white shield with the crossed sword wasn't painted on anymore, but silver, delicately engraved with black filigree Tibs couldn't identify. There was essence woven through it, but he couldn't tell which, or what the effect might be.

The cleric was who stood in front of the door; an older man with a hard expression. He looked them over, placed a hand on Mez's shoulder without asking, then stepped away.

Tibs went over how the essence had moved and shaped itself within the archer. He'd decided purity was the next element he'd work on, now that Water's influence was mostly unnoticeable. He wanted to properly heal his friends and felt the hard-work mindset of the element would be the least destructive.

"Was it my imagination," Khumdar said, once out of earshot from the entrance, "or were the guards wary of us?"

"I don't think they know what to make of the job they have to do," Carina answered. "You've seen them in town, edging away anytime they realize there's a Runner nearby. I don't think any training they got in whatever kingdom they came from covers how to keep adventurers in the making under control."

"You'd think the guild would take care of that," Mez said.

"You'd think," Jackal replied. "But we had the adventurer rejects first, then drafted thugs, and now, men and women utterly out of their depth. It's almost like they have no idea how to handle a new dungeon or the Runners they send in it."

"Why don't they just get guards from other dungeons to come help or train these?" Tibs asked. "They'd know how to do it." He studied the walls, looking for noticeable differences, but they were much like the last time.

"Maybe not," Carina said. "It's been a long time since there was a new dungeon. I think nearly a century. The city that grew up around the last one would have proper militia now, and the Runners all pay to go through it. And I doubt they had as many recruits pulled from cells as we did. This dungeon had a tumultuous start. I won't be surprised if books are written about it."

"Is that good?" Sto asked, and Tibs relayed the question.

Carina shrugged. "It'll probably affect the next dungeon, especially if there are still people left of that group who tried to kill you. But just to make sure it's better guarded, I think. Until the guild understands that you're a person, I doubt they'll be able to properly prepare for what a dungeon will do. What works for an animal won't work on someone who can reason."

"Ganny doesn't like the idea they might learn I can think," Sto said.

"She's right." Tibs shook his head at Carina's quizzical expression. "What happened to clerics being part of the teams once Sto was Rho? I haven't seen any team with them on it."

"Maybe they meant Lambda?" Mez said.

"Who knows?" Jackal replied, walking past the hidden doorway.

"Jackal," Carina called. "The door's here."

"I want to go through the first floor again. You know, to see what changed."

"The loot isn't going to be worth the trouble," Carina said.

Tibs looked up.

"I can't force you to use the doorway," Sto replied. "But I didn't make any changes to this floor that will mean anything to your team. This is just for Omegas. Omegas who aren't supposed to be trained, or have good equipment," he added in a miffed tone.