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 91
The house's balcony was on the third floor and looked over wealth-filled houses that, in the daytime, were resplendissant with their vibrant colors set among large yards. In the darkness, with only essence-powered lights among the streets or lamps in the windows, he only saw spots of colors, and they looked dull.
He'd picked this balcony for his entry because it meant an inexperienced rogue wouldn't have to worry about hanging on as they unlocked the door. The house had many windows the more experienced ones could use.
He took picks out of his bracers and set about unlocking it.
It felt strange to break into a house with no plan of taking anything, especially a noble's house. But this was about evaluating Amelia's house and its suitability as a training place for Omega rogues. It meant he needed to work with what those rogues would have.
When was the last time he'd broken into a house using lockpicks?
The lock yielded to him quickly, and he cracked the door open. Someone snored.
This was the house regent's room. The man had been informed that Amelia had volunteered her house, but he had been adamant that he would give anyone he caught breaking in a solid beating.
Tibs smiled as he located the wicker cane by the bed; within the man's reach.
Rogues who'd found Sto's silence shoes would have an easier time moving through this room. He didn't need them. He didn't even need to use essence to move unheard. He reached the door and—
It was locked.
He smirked at the sleeping man, like that made things any more difficult.
His smile faded as he reconsidered. This wasn't a problem for him, but an Omega? He nodded in appreciation at the complication the regent had added. This would force the rogue to evaluate if the loot was worth the danger. They wouldn't know about the lack of real consequences for being caught the first time they came through.
Tibs silently unlocked the door and carefully cracked it open. He smiled at the lack of squeaking. Noble houses were good for that. Hinges were well oiled. He used his body to block the light in case the regent was sensitive to it. Even without essence, some people woke at the slightest beam of light.
A woman walked by the door without noticing it wasn't fully closed. She wore the light clothing of a servant, but it was woven through with essence Tibs couldn't identify. Most likely metal. Amelia wasn't a fool. She had guards inside her house. They too were in on the help she was providing, but only Amelia would know when a rogue would break in.
She thought it was a way to keep her guards on their toes, as well as helping Tibs's rogues. It was one reason she'd agreed. The other, she said giddily, was that it sounded fun.
Tibs stopped sensing, reminding himself that was something the others didn't have, as the guard posing as a servant reached the stairs and continued down them.
Tibs exited the room and closed the door, pausing at the click of the latch and listening for motion inside the room. Then he moved toward the stairs.
The challenge with this entry point was that his target was one floor below and the only way there inside the house was the stairwell the guard had taken. Once the guard reached the landing, she would turn and make her way back up.
There was a door on each side of the hall before reaching it, so a rogue planning on using either would have to be quick to make it in and hope they didn't wake the person inside.
The room on the left was Amelia's, and the one on the right was Andia's.
The arrangement confused Tibs. Watching them during his meeting to negotiate the use of Amelia's house, he'd thought they were special to one another, like Jackal and Kroseph were. But then, why the separate sleeping rooms?