Dungeon Runner
The Tiger Writes
sciencefiction
sciencefiction
31K5
Tibs survived by picking pockets; until he's caught.
Instead of losing a hand, he's sent away and told he must now survive a dungeon.
How is a kid who knew nothing more than his ...Stepping Up, Chapter 69
Tibs looked at the large room with the broken crates strewn about. "It might be time to move these to another warehouse," he said, smiling. "Using fire or air in here again could bring it all down."
Carina looked around thoughtfully.
"Remember," Jackal told her and Kroseph, "if one of us starts agreeing too much with him, the other two need to call him out on it. And Tibs, if we say so, you release the essence."
"Of course," Tibs replied. "This is just practice, after all."
Jackal looked away, rubbing his eyes. "I think corruption picked that color so we couldn't look him in the eyes and tell if he's lying."
"I'm not." Tibs grinned.
"I don't think the element chose a color," Carina said. "It just is that."
"It's still unsettling the way the color changes with each element," Kroseph said, not having the difficulty looking at him Jackal had. "And how your expression is different. It's like you've been replaced by someone else." He then looked at Carina. "What is that color?"
"I'm still me," Tibs replied. "And when I sense Don's reserve, it registers as purple to me, a lot like his robe, but not quite. His isn't the same color as me, mine isn't odd like his." He smiled. "The advantage of having more of it, I guess."
"How do you feel?" Jackal asked tentatively. "No urges to go on a rampage and melt the entire town?"
"Of course not. All I suggested the other day was that we go and melt your dad's house."
"With everyone in it."
"Of course, what's the point if your enemies aren't there when you bring a building down on them. The goal is to make it easy on you, right?"
Jackal squirmed under the other two's attention. "I didn't agree to it," he protested weakly.
"But you considered it?" Carina asked.
"He made good points. That's why we have to watch each other. He's... quite convincing."
"So being convincing is what he's like when using corruption?" Kroseph asked.
"More like sneaky," Jackal replied. "I'm not sure how honest he was, or if he just wanted to be outside, then do whatever he wanted."
"Jackal, I'm hurt. I'd have done what we agreed to."
"And then?" Carina asked.
Tibs shrugged. "I don't know. I'd have seen what happens?" he smiled. "There is a lot that can be done out there."
"Like melt the town," Jackal said.
Tibs rolled his eyes. "Of course not. Can you imagine how annoying it would be to deal with all that complaining?"
"So it's about not bothering others?" Kroseph asked. "I thought compassion was Water's thing. If Corruption's like that too, and he's convincing, that would work in our favor."
"Except Water wants to help everyone," Carina said, "even our enemy."
"So do you want to help Jackal's father too?" the server asked.
"Of course not." Tibs paused and considered it. Sebastian was strong and, ultimately, Tibs wanted out from under the guild's control. Maybe with the man's help that would be easier... he noticed the way Jackal was looking at him.
"What are you thinking?" the fighter asked.
"Well, I don't want to help him, of course. But he doesn't know that. What if I told him I was fed up with the guild and how all they're interested in is feeding me to the dungeon? Look at how they aren't protecting the town. This is too much for a kid like me to deal with. I could convince him I want to help him take over, then turn around and bring him down."