Dungeon Runner (Book 1 and 2)

Stepping Up, Chapter 105

"Over there!" someone yelled.

Tibs looked up from the woman he dispatched in time to see green and black vanish around the corner.

"After them," he yelled, and ran.

"But my guy's not dead," one of the fighters with him replied.

"Who cares," said another, falling into steps with Tibs.

He'd wanted to have his team at his back as they went after the people Sebastian sent in the town, to sewing destruction and chaos, but Quigly had pointed out that, as some of the few original Runners left, along with the notoriety Jackal, he, and his team had, it was more efficient to have each lead a different group. It was the same with any Runner that had even a little renown. The one person who avoided this was Khumdar, who disappeared as assignments were given.

The two fighters with Tibs were Upsilon and had Metal as their element, but they had little training. He did his best to remember he'd been where they were once. Not even a year ago, or was it slightly over that now? So much had happened he had trouble keeping track. On top of that, by the time he'd had to take on his first real fight outside the dungeon, he'd had already gone through a lot of hardening within it. One of the fighter, Ernest, had arrived days before the Attendants vanished.

They ran through empty streets, barely keeping the group in sight. The houses became more luxurious as they proceeded, and in the distance he made out the noble's neighborhood. He wondered if that was their destination and why.

Jackal had told him Sebastian wouldn't rest after his defeat, and that he'd seek to hurt Tibs personally, so they agreed the town was the target, but even Sebastian had to know how much Tibs hated nobles. He couldn't think he had anything to gain by attacking that part of the town.

Tibs stopped as the group ahead flew back. He raised his arms, channeled Earth, and blocked his companions path with them. The only way that had happened was through the use of essence, and Tibs didn't want to seem like another group of attackers to the adventurers the nobles had bought.

The thugs in green and black were getting to their feet by the time Tibs was close enough to see the lone adventurer standing in the middle of the road in the intersection where the nobles neighborhood started.

She had golden eyes, and her chain-mail armor glowed from all the essence woven through it. The sword was still sheathed, but she looked ready to draw it as she noticed them.

"This area is off limits," she announced. "If you try to get any closer, I'll take you down."

"We're on the same side," Ernest called back. "We're here to help you deal with them."

She focused on them and Tibs formed his sword and shield as he sensed essence shift between them. He had no way of knowing what an adventurer working for the nobles would do, but forming essence couldn't be—it dissipated.

"Good, you deal with them in that case." She relaxed.

"Isn't she going to help us?" Ernest asked. "We were going to help her."

"You have a lot to learn about adventurers," the other fighter said.

Especially those who took nobles' coins, Tibs thought darkly.

"That's okay," the fighter said. "We don't need her."

The group between Tibs and the adventurer was composed of three women and two men in light green and black leathers and armed with swords. They turned their back on the adventurer and smirked as they look Tibs and his group over.

That was fine by Tibs. He liked being underestimated.

He ran before they made their moves. He had the overall advantage, having essence when they didn't, but they would be more experienced in combat. He made a patch of ice and slid to the center of the group. He got in a few minor slices before they got over the surprise. Then he was fighting two, while his companions kept the other three busy.