Rogue in the Dungeon (Hiatus)

Dandelion

"P!! Are you still there?"

A melodious voice chimes from down the hallway. It was a voice I recognize - A fellow friend in a similar role as I am. It's not exactly something of my dreams, but when you're stuck on a standby post for 6 weeks long, away from people and society, talking suddenly becomes so much more pleasant.

From the end of a corridor approached what most would call her an angel that descended from Heaven - Melodia Fienharr. She, like myself, is a Rogue whom holds an important role in the dungeon. And I would refer to her as a dandelion instead of an angel.

Where I specialize in Assault Support, Melodia specializes in Medical Support. My role is to stand guard at the entrance to the Hatores Knight, while she walks routinely about the dungeon, healing any wounded explorers about of their injuries. Though she gets the chance to meet more explorers, our roles are equally important.

Without her, a nearby explorer would have died without anyone to aid in healing them. Without me, the fights with the previous guardians and bosses may have proven to be much tougher than they should have been.

Because we were out here in the field for so long, we slowly and gradually become socially awkward - I know. I can feel it in myself. Not just us, but practically everyone in the Panther guild is socially inept in one way or another. My once peppy self is slowly being eroded by the sight of death and hopelessness, and it gradually eats away at my sanity and will to push onward. If not for the mutual support Melodia and I offer to each other, I think we would have gone mad a long time ago.

Though, Melodia doesn't know that I know her full name, and insists that I call her T, even though her name has no T. I don't know why she does this. Maybe she just wishes to preserve her privacy. Maybe she has a specific reason to behave like this, like having someone call her a nickname that starts with the letter T. Maybe she feels much safer that I won't know her actual name, and stalk her or something, seeing that I am a rogue, after all - Not like I could abandon my post for my own selfish reasons like that. Whatever it is, I respect her wishes.

P : "Good to see you again, T."

M : "Hee-hee-hee. I bet you were waiting for me, and slacking off on your job."

A rather silly question. I can't deny it, though - The lack of activity does make me wish that she would have come sooner.

P : "... I can't help it. There's nothing to do around here but wait for more people to show up. At least you get to walk around and exercise your legs."

Melodia grinned wide, and sat down next to me, placing her bag to the wall behind us.

M : "Right then. How many groups have you helped for this week?"

I wasn't quite sure how I felt when I reported the weekly activities to her.

P : "Nobody came. It was a boring week of waiting and all, so I tried luring the «Scarlet Claw» from the room down the corridor to the right, over here to this wide space to kill. I managed to harvest another two «Red Toenail» this week."

It was relieving and painful to say that there were no explorer parties whom have requested my aid for the past week. We made no progress with the dungeon - Nobody had come to challenge the dungeon's current toughest enemy. But, thinking from another angle, it was probably better than having a venturing party wiped out completely. After all, resurrecting the corpses is one thing, but the pain from the blows and wounds still linger with the explorers for a good while before it wears off - Or perhaps it doesn't really wear off.

For all we know... We may have just grown so accustomed to the pain that it's numbed.

It's almost painful to keep venturing forward, but we have to.