But for a Slime

* * *

Zilnek’s initial flight of terror was instinctual and he fled back the way he came from, desperately following behind Lanly and Carlister. He only caught glimpses of them as they flashed around corners, only slowed by monsters before speeding off again quickly. Zilnek was grateful for both situations. He was grateful that the monsters slowed the two down enough he could follow them both but also grateful that the two cleared away monsters that he knew were beyond his ability.

They made it to the next floor and Zilnek felt a bit of relief. He and his sister had never made it past the second floor and while he only knew part of the way in, he could only hope to make it back to places he knew. He scrambled up the corkscrew stairs then slowed, cautious of running out too quickly. Don’t want to piss off Lanly and Carlister… just close enough… just close enough.

Zilnek cautiously peered around the corner only to see the duo sprinting down the corridor. Zilnek stepped out and walked rapidly after them, but did not run, preferring to keep as silent as possible. When the two turned the corner, Zilnek sped back up to reach the corner. This level almost proved Zilnek’s undoing as there were very few monsters left on the second floor, most seemingly already at the entrance to seek escape. Lanly and Carlister fled through the tunnels so quickly that Zilnek was soon sprinting after them. It was only Joe’s training that allowed him to sprint even after the loss of stamina that allowed him to keep up as long as he did. Despite his efforts, however, he did lose them and Zilnek grew frantic, scrambling around corners and down corridors until he finally came to a corridor and a three way split that Zilnek was almost certain he recognized. His panting eased even as his hope flared and he took what he knew was the correct path out. If this is where I think it is? Please… please, please, please…

Zilnek turned passed two corners and found another corner he was certain he recognized and fled back through it all until he saw the corkscrew stairwell back to the first floor. Zilnek shuddered in relief and stepped back around the corner as Lanly and Carlister were fighting a hand or so of monsters. Too many chances! Why would they fight like this? Master would never think to figh… Thoughts of Joe reminded him of what he’d just done and he found his mind rebelling at any thoughts on it and he turned back to watching Lanly and Carlister clear the monsters. They took so long that Zilnek began to be both more concerned and ever more dismissive of the two men. Master can kill … so fast!

They finally cleared the last monster and Zilnek prepared to step out from the corner to follow them out when they both collapsed on the floor. Zilnek paused, knitting eyebrows in confusion as he wondered what they were doing. It took Zilnek several moments to understand and when he did, he almost gasped in shock. They’re out of stamina? They’re exhausted?

Zilnek was reminded ever again of how superior mast… Zilnek blinked and sighed, turning his thoughts away from his short lived apprenticeship. Garnedell and Master were dead. There was little reason to continue thinking of them. Zilnek fled his thoughts and stood to look back around the corner. He found the two now leaning against the wall, resting, but when Zilnek was just about to return to his seat against the wall, he saw Lanly push himself off and struggle to rise. Carlister took longer, both conversing with one another for a few moments before they turned to the stairs and began walking up the stairs slowly.

Zilnek’s breathing increased slightly, fear spiking a bit before he crept out and followed after them silently. Zilnek was relieved but still concerned. He would be able to easily outrun any spark on the first floor, but he had no way to fight any spark and they would be crowded around the entrance. He still had to rely on the other two to clear out monsters for him. Zilnek’s heartbeat began to pound rapidly once again as he stealthily skittered after them.

* * *

Lanly struggled from the wall, his stamina barely recovered, but the knowledge that the entire dungeon would soon be vomiting monsters at their back didn’t allow him any comfort to rest.

“Let’s get going.”

Carlister groaned, “Too tired.”

“Or we can be too dead?”

Carlister groaned again, but this time in frustration as he stood slowly, “Fine. Let’s go.”

The two crawled up the stairs slowly, not truly exhausted anymore with the return of some small amount of stamina but moving slowly so as to allow their stamina to recover. Their climb to the first floor was quite slow but they kept moving and Lanly grew ever more anxious, pushing for both to move faster.

When they made the first floor, the single corridor to the exit was mostly empty except for a good fifty or so sparks crowding the exit to the dungeon. Lanly cursed while Carlister moaned once again. The closest sparks immediately turned and began to drift towards the two and Carlister sighed. Carlister had no weapons to use against the sparks, his sword metal. Lanly clapped Carlister on his shoulder.

“Let me handle this,” Lanly spoke with false bravado as he pulled out a couple wooden weapons. Lanly stepped forward and began killing the sparks, his strikes slicing through the spark’s body with ease. It took dozens of strikes for Lanly to finally kill one before stepping forward and piercing through another, the second already crowding in behind the first. Lanly held the line, striking time after time. It was easy. It was boring. It was incredibly repetitive. The worst was, however, that it was exhausting, Lanly had little stamina left, and despite Lanly’s efforts, he was falling back step by small step. Lanly grimaced, grumbling softly under his breath as he increased his attacks.

“You know. Next time we’re comin’ down, we both bring a wooden copy of your weapon.”

Carlister nodded, grunting, “Yup.”

Lanly grimaced, “Stop making fun of me!”

Carlister said nothing but grinned softly.

Lanly stabbed backwards with one of his wooden blades, getting Carlister in the gut before moving on to the next spark. Carlister grunted at Lanly’s strike but said nothing. The fight at the entrance grew boringly repetitive, but the time Lanly needed to clear the monsters caused his anxiety to sky rocket, his thoughts more on the soon to arrive monster rush behind them so he pushed himself onwards to strike out at the monsters. He pushed himself ever harder, striking as rapidly as he could. He’d fought through almost two thirds of the sparks at the entrance when his stamina abruptly bottomed out. He staggered back, almost collapsing before Carlister caught him and quickly pulled him back. Lanly remained collapsed in exhaustion and was unable to move.

Luckily for them, the sparks that had focused on them floated slowly, allowing Lanly to have a moment to recover. Carlister was required to pull him back three times before Lanly felt like he’d recovered enough. He stood and took out the closest spark once again, but this time was much more cautious in his fight. He struck quickly but then took moments to retreat and rest before striking again. After killing each spark, Lanly would retreat and take a moment to recover before killing the next monster.

Lanly took almost as long to kill the last quarter of the monsters as he took to kill the first two thirds, but they’d proved incredibly lucky, the training master they’d left behind had proven strong enough to delay the monsters, keeping them away. He and his two apprentices would die, but that was always the nature of any dungeon delve, and Lanly could only hope to escape and make it out of the dungeon. He glanced back and saw they’d been pushed back all the way to the second floor entrance again. Lanly grimaced. With the sparks cleared, Lanly wanted to collapse in exhaustion but Carlister wrapped an arm around him and pulled him on out of the dungeon.

“Seriously? Can’t wait and let me rest? Just need a little sleep and I’ll be all good!”

Carlister grunted but said nothing and Lanly continued spouting angry tirades the entire way out. They made it to the entrance and found the courtyard of the dungeon empty and the gates of the dungeon wall wide open. Lanly grimaced curiously at it. Did we kill all the sparks? Why…

“Ho! Why are you in the dungeon?!”

Lanly looked up to see a skeleton force of guards on the wall, “Where are all the guards?”

The guard frowned, “I already asked a question.”

Lanly shrugged, “We are dungeon delvers. Why would we not be in the dungeon?”

The guard grew angry, “When the overlord’s representative is here?”

Lanly grew pale and replied rapidly, “I apologize to the clan overlord! We were on a lengthy dungeon delve. Two weeks. We have only just returned.”

The guard paused at that but then waved him on, “Go straight home. The representative wishes the streets clear. And the beginner dungeon is breaking. Seek refuge.”

Lanly paused at that and looked at Carlister before glancing up at the guard, “Guardsman, I apologize, but there is a dungeon break here as well. You may wish to call the guards!”

The guard paled at that, “A dungeon break here?”

Lanly quickly nodded, “Yes!”

The guard quickly turned and fled down the stairs outside the wall. Lanly groaned and leaned against Carlister, “You heard the man. We are to go home.”

Carlister stared at him before nodding and the two slipped out through the dungeon gate even as it began to close. The patter of feet behind them likely the last few guards within the dungeon fortress walls.

* * *

Zilnek fled through the quiet streets of the city, his feet slapping hollow echoes across the silent streets. It was too strange to see such silent streets, but Zilnek could care less. Gotta run! Gotta run! Flee! Joe scrambled through the streets without any real care or focus on his surroundings, his thoughts purely struggling to think of anything meaningful or specific to his current task.

He finally made it to the street of the inn and found a trailing edge of a crowd ahead of him. He stumbled, shocked to see them ahead of him and sat frozen in the street until the crowd rounded the corner and the streets were empty once more. His mind raced, trying to understand what had happened. His thoughts were interrupted when Gwenvair fled out of the entrance and turned to follow after the crowd, rushing to the center clan walls.

Once again, he froze and his eyes followed after her until she had fled around the corner and towards the clan walls. When she disappeared around the corner, his breath returned in a deep sigh of relief and his thoughts wrestled with what he’d seen. A few moments later, realization hit him and he quickly sped back down the streets. Fleeing the dungeon break! Gotta go to the clan walls. I need to, too! Kilniara! Where is…