Chapter 59 - Unseen Peril

Eric turned to Alice, his voice instinctively dropping to a whisper. “Is that true?”

“Is what true?”

“What the kids were saying… about the… well, I know the pod around here is pretty crazy, but, I mean, can anyone jump in a pod and grab at least a basic class in Freetown?"

She solemnly shook her head. "Those boys were just cheering themselves up. Granted, I haven't been back in almost two months, but when I left… it was only a 10% rate."

Eric blinked. "A 10% class rate?"

She solemnly shook her head. "A 10% survival rate. Same as everywhere else, except with the psychotic pod above, which hardly lets anyone live at all. But even in the stablest of pods, if your psyche can't integrate with any sort of Class or Profession, you're just as dead to the System as you are here."

Eric winced. “And here I was, thinking that it was 10% for Classers and 10% for Professionals. But it's just 10% for both? That’s pretty fucking grim.”

She smiled sadly. “It is. Now you see why our former freedom-loving government was happy to throw all of us with checkered pasts into the fire, planning on oath-bonding all of us to be their loyal little soldier-slaves if we actually survived. The fact that even four members of our original crew actually did survive...”

“Is a fuckin’ miracle,” said Louie. “And I’ll never forgive those corrupt assholes for what happened to Jenny and Richie, I’ll tell you that right now.”

“Yeah, a couple former agents better be looking over their shoulders for a long time to come,” said the normally affable Drake with the cold hard gaze of a professional killer, so at odds with his normally affable persona.

He then shook his sighed, rolling his shoulders, bardiche held comfortably in hand. “As far as those kids go, if any of them are actually ballsy enough, or maybe stupid is the word, to risk Freetown’s pod, could be there’s better odds now,” he offered. "I mean… it's been over three months. Maybe there are blood tests or something you can take that let you know if your chances of survival are good or not?”

Eric frowned thoughtfully. “You know, something like that could be a lifesaver, Drake. If they could figure it out, we'd have far fewer deaths and far more people willing to take the plunge and become heroes. Because god knows we need them."

“Ain’t that the truth,” Drake nodded in agreement, and Eric couldn't help thinking that he and Louie really did look like heroes in their dark green scale armor now blending so well in the darkness, the hafts of their wicked bardiches casually resting on their shoulders. Morlekai and Alice looked more like a pair of badass anti-heroes, both with 1796 light cavalry sabers at their hips that Eric knew had been gifted with wicked cutting edges, much like his own.

Because once Eric made it clear that keeping the edge honed on his 1821 light cavalry trooper’s saber wouldn’t be an issue, he had been awed with just how fine an edge John could give his blade, even if the smith had once more refused any sort of payment, warning that it would only keep for a handful or so of cuts.

Only then had Eric thought it worth the cost and effort of binding his second saber to his soul.

He couldn’t help smiling in the dark that was no hindrance to him at all, the world transforming at once to a thousand shades and hues of cool stone blue and life-infused orange and red.

He fondly patted the hilt of the bade he wore at his hip as his pulse began to quicken the moment they took their first steps along a quest chain that would hopefully net them a magnificent fortune in gold.

His interface map was already pinging with the faint sense of their destination, less than an hour’s fast walk up the now vast central passage before dipping off into a side tunnel.

“Um, Morlekai? Me and Drake still can’t see for shit,” Louie whispered in the darkness.

“Yeah, boss. I’m not sure if this… experiment is working out,” Drake muttered.

Alice snorted. “Here you both are, already level 11 and utterly specialized with your toys, and you two haven’t even tried to develop any abilities that might make you expert dungeon delvers. Just think, a few hours navigating in pitch darkness might be just what you need.”

Eric smiled at Louie’s snort.

“I don’t think that’s how them class abilities work, babe.”

Alice huffed. "How the fuck would you even know, lover? Have you tried? Just think of it! What better perk for a coven of cat-burglars than if we can all see in the dark, not just me and Morlekai! I mean, look at Alex. He's doing just fine. Aren't you, Alex?"

“How the fuck am I supposed to look at Alex if I can’t see, babe?” Louie snorted, before cursing when his foot twisted in the uneven terrain as the surprisingly smooth tunnel floor hit a rough patch. “Shit! That fucking hurt!”

“What’s wrong?” Alice’s voice was filled with sudden concern.

“I twisted my fuckin’ ankle!”

Alice’s relieved chuckle washed over them. “Don’t be such a baby. You stuck two levels worth of points into Vitality, and god knows you’re viral as all hell, now. You’ll regenerate a sore muscle in what, a couple minutes?”

“Less,” Louie allowed with a smile Eric could clearly sense. “So babe, how’s the no smoking thing during the mission working for you? You’ve been hitting the nicotine hard ever since your last run. Especially after we all almost kicked the bucket. I’d hate to think you had a problem...”

"Just shut the fuck up," Alice hissed to her boyfriend's bemused chuckle. "You know I'm a professional. I haven't had a ciggy since I showered. Since we all showered and scrubbed our armor, since half the shit down here reacts to smell, and I sure as hell am not going to light a flame and puff up on a fucking assignment. Which is why you can damn well stumble in the dark for a while and see if your eyes can evolve to be half as smart as your mouth!"

Quickness check made!

In the blink of an eye, Eric was catching Louie before he stumbled on what was definitely broken terrain.

“Well shit, that was close,” Louie murmured. “Thanks, boy scout.”

Eric cleared his throat. “Alice? Terran’s getting pretty rough, and I know you and Morlekai don’t exactly have infravision, even if you aren’t blind. I think we could do with some light, even if we haven’t spotted our target yet.”

Alice snorted. “You too, Eric? Fine. Morlekai?”

Morlekai sighed. “If it will shut you all up? Sure. This was an experiment, and shows an area where we clearly need work. Alright, sis. Use your magelight, but have the orb bob a short distance ahead, so we catch sight of any prey at least as fast as it catches sight of us.”

“Done,” Alice said, and in the blink of an eye, the area was bathed in a warm golden light that dimmed only slightly when she sent it floating twenty paces ahead. And despite the shadows, the terrain was now easy to navigate, and Eric was glad to see that it did indeed light the grey granite walls with the occasional shimmer of quartz sparkling in the light.

For a time, their journey was uninterrupted, save for stopping to forage whenever patches of glowing moss or mushrooms radiating what Alice swore was valuable arcane potency, all of it quickly harvested, leaving not a trace behind.

“It’s important we collect all this shit,” Drake said at one point, his careful sausage fingers belying his rough words as he gently scooped up an even dozen glowing mushrooms before handing it to Eric for safe storage. “Alchemists will kill for these, and the less mana-rich monster food we leave lying around, the less monsters will be foraging along the central passage.”

Eric nodded. “Makes sense to me. But how do you know Alchemists will find it valuable? Is there a quest to collect it?”

Much to his regret, the interface quest pop-up he had half hoped to see never manifested.

Drake laughed. “Nah, nothing like that. It’s just something Lucy taught me, Sue, and Mia when I was helping the girls with their planting. But since it doesn’t keep forever, we just give everything we find to her to help saturate our cavern with magical soil and, hell, maybe a fresh crop of buds that will give a magical high.” He snorted. “Or not. But at least now, the whole cavern's covered in grass, and the rooftop moss is almost as bright as a cloudy day, thanks to Lucy. And a guy can dream, you know?”

Eric grinned. “So magical ‘shrooms for our stoner Greenmage. Makes sense to me.”

He then winced, realizing he had basically just dissed Morlekai’s girlfriend. But the man was paying no mind to their chatter, eyes like a hawk, forever scanning ahead. Eric frowned, realizing he should be doing the same as he summoned and drew his bone bow.

But he saw nothing save endless tunnel, and heard nothing

except for the endless skittering crawl of spiders by his feet.

Quickness check made!

“Shit!” Said Drake, leaping away and glaring down at his feet, almost knocking Eric over. But there was nothing to be seen.

No trace of spiders anywhere.

Save for the awful crawling sensation Eric suddenly felt shivering up and down his spine.

He caught Morlekai’s gaze. “Crow time?”

His friend flashed a cold smile, shaking his head. “Not yet. But we are close. That’s for damn sure.”

Louie gulped, before cursing softly. "Out of all the fucking things it could be… why the hell spiders?"

Eric shook his head, feeling pretty much the same as his friend did.

But it didn’t stop him from continuing onward, one foot in front of the other.

Even though the corridors were utterly empty of any sort of lizards, cave jackals, oversized rats, and most especially, spiders.

Which somehow made Eric feel all the worse. “You know, if there are no other monsters at all occupying these corridors...”

“It’s because a bigger monster is eating them,” whispered Alice. “I thought dungeon runs were supposed to warm you up with small little shits before the big fries? Sounds like this one has the boss-man making snacks of everyone.” She shook her head. “I won’t even tell you how much I could use a cigarette right now.”

Morlekai raised a clenched fist, and they all knew the signal.

Slowing down their pace, being especially on their guard as a series of side passages opened up on both sides of the central one, Alice dimming the light to glow just enough to sense the terrain as they pushed onward. And for all that Eric felt a definite prickle racing up and down his spine as he exchanged a nod with Morlekai and loped on ahead, he spotted no predator’s heat signature glowing against the darkness in any of the side passages.

Their leader’s look of consternation grew. “We’re here. There should be a portal nearby. Eric, do you see anything along any of the corridors?”

Eric slowly shook his head.

“Eric!”

Perception check: Failed!

It was only when he found himself knocked off his feet, bow sent flying as a tremendous weight slammed into his back before what felt like two tiny, powerful fists pounded into the back of his neck that he realized he should have looked up.

Cave Spider has successfully ambushed you!

You have taken 1 Light Wound.

You are temporarily stunned!

Cave Spider fails to pierce Enchanted Scale Armor.

You have taken 2 additional Light Wounds!

“Eric, my man, hold on!”

“Drake, watch out!”

The air was filled with screams and shouts and ordered commands as a dazed Eric strove desperately to collect himself before feeling another jab, this time to his lower back.

A second unsuccessful attempt to inject him full of venom, Eric was sure.

Fuck!

A jolt of panic helped free him from his daze.

This thing was trying to kill him! He needed to get up, NOW!

His stunned daze turned to terrified fury as he summoned the blazing hot sword in storage, now clear-headed enough to reverse it in an ice-pick grip before wrenching his arm back, reveling in the sound of steel cracking against chitin, and the startled squeal of an abomination as the air suddenly stunk the way only charred bugs could manage.

Quickness check made!

Eric was in no mood to be fancy, blade vanishing just as fast as he could barrel-roll away before springing back to his feet, resummoning blood-bound saber and shield in the blink of an eye.

And just in time to catch sight of a massive arachnid shooting a stream of white strands his way.

You have successfully blocked Spider Bindings with Scale Shield!

Spider attempts to yank you off your feet.

You have dispelled your shield!

Before the spider could collect itself, Eric sprung forward with a roar, switching saber for spear-axe in the blink of an eye, then windmilling the cleaving edge of his weapon into the carapace of his foe in an explosion of spider brains and gore.

You have critically struck your target. Experience earned!

Then all was madness as a swarm of spiders suddenly revealed themselves, and Eric was forced to make the most of every lesson he had ever learned about using the weapon in his hands. Weaving to the side before using the momentum to whip out with his war blade in a reverse grip that sent the pointed end of his bardiche blasting through the carapace of one cave spider before ducking and pivoting past scrabbling legs and streams of webbing as he switched weapons and lunged forward with his white-hot saber, piercing one of the eyes of a second shrieking arachnid, not even bothering to pull out his weapon but leaving it to cook the spasming creature's brains before whipping the axe spear now in his hands in a devastating chop, crippling yet another arachnid horror trying to swarm them.

He caught brief glimpses of his friends as well. Drake and Louie guarding Alice with their lives while roaring and pounding open spider carapaces with their bardiches, Morlekai a swarm of blood crows instantly entering any rent carved into any foe before devouring the spider from the inside, or draining its fluids or whatever the hell it was he did that allowed his swarm of crimson death to grow and grow, a swirling cloud that helped protect his friends, and most especially Alice, who seemed to be the true star of this show.

Because for all that Eric’s furious onslaught was slowly wittling down the handful of spiders dead set on taking him out, the majority of the swarm seemed to be focused on Alice. And Eric instantly understood why, as the air crackled with bolts of crimson lightning followed by an eruption of spider carapaces and gore, her mastery over her crackling wand now such that the bolts forked right past the men she loved and deep into the swarm of man-eating arachnids that were absolutely blown apart in a pyrotechnic display of crimson lightning and smoking gore.

Eric was left awestruck by the arcane power he could sense in each of those arcane blasts. Any one of which should have left Alice utterly spent. Yet the backflood of crimson potency he could somehow sense surging back into her made it clear that she truly had found the ultimate class synergism.

A succubus’s powers, combined with an elementalist’s might.

Each lightning bolt that should have drained her instead left her cackling with manic glee, the crimson sense he had of her power growing ever more intense with each arachnid kill.

Her face was once more flushed and luscious with youth's striking sensuality, rosebud lips wide with ecstatic delight as she howled with sweetest rapture, delicate fangs flashing so brightly that even Eric could spot it in the endless eyeblink of time he dared gaze upon her before embracing his own frenzied battle once more, pivoting and weaving around his foes as he whipped his bardiche around to devastating effect, slowly mastering the art of channeling Burst of Strength for the fraction of a second needed to generate sufficient force to blast completely through the thick carapaces of the spiders attempting to swarm him even now.

Infravision successfully spots potency buildup!

Quickness check made. You have blocked Entangling Strand!

Even as he reveled in the sweet frenzy of battle, he knew he was dancing on the bleeding edge of life and death. A single mistake, and it was all over. Should he stumble and fall, he would perish in seconds to countless fangs eager to plunge into his flesh. And it was only because his infravision let him sense the build-up of energy around the spider's mouthpieces that he had managed to dodge or block every stream of webbing sent his way.

And still, the number of times his weapon swing was suddenly jerked off line by a massive strand of sticky webbing was beyond count. Had he not been able to instantly dispel and resummon his soul-bound weapons in the blink of an eye, suddenly free of all bindings and his opponent looking confused just long enough for Eric to plunge his spear between its fang-like jaws, with Piercing Strike assuring it blasted completely through the writhing spider, he would have been completely disarmed and devoured, countless spiders ago.

But he dared not think too deeply about dancing on the razor’s edge. Because to stop for even a moment and appreciate just how steep the odds were, was a sure way to stumble out of the zone and down to his death.

Still, he couldn't help but flash a fierce smile, reveling in his deadly dance, feeling the potency of countless kill flooding into his soul, his party interface and high Perception at least keeping him aware enough of his surroundings and teammates that he never had to fear a wild swing taking his head off or his friend's heads off. All the while, he was very carefully pacing both his use of weapon feats and Burst of Strength, so he was always clear-headed and focused, with Alice’s arcane shouts just enough of a warning to dodge-roll away before crimson lightning tore through the air once more.

And then, after what felt like hours of intense battle somehow condensed into just a handful of minutes, it was over. Just the four of them panting over a swarm of broken carapaces with a flood of cawing crows swirling above them.

The field was clear, and never had Alice looked so alluring, so captivating to a dazed Eric as she did at that moment with her sensual laughter, shuddering with the sheer ecstasy of so much power, and experience, coursing through her soul.

“We did it, guys! We fucking did it! We cut those motherfuckers down!” Drake hooted, giving Louie a high five, and Eric couldn’t help but agree.

“Well, boy scout? What do you think of me now?” And Eric couldn’t help but feel the blood rush to his cheeks as Alice’s sensual husky voice washed over him, sending shivers tingling up and down his spine.

“Like you completely kick ass, and we need you on our team always,” Eric said with a breathless whisper.

Words which made Alice positively beam with happiness. And how easy it would have been to fall in love with her right then and there, even knowing everything he knew, if she hadn't immediately been jerked off her feet and sent flying through the air with a desperate cry.

“Alice!”