Victor of Tucson

Book 7: Chapter 42: Tension

***Savannah Dores has been rescued from certain death and removed from the dungeon. Eleven entrants remain. Prepare for an Energy infusion.***

Victor glanced at Sora, and she nodded, closing the door behind them. Theyd just found what they believed to be a set of stairs leading up to the third dungeon level and were preparing to climb them when the message appeared. It was the second one since theyd left the gargantuopods lair, and Victor was sure it would level him. He could feel the tension in his body and Core; it felt like even a hint of Energy would push him over the edge. They were in a round stone chamber with one exit and a spiral staircase leading up to shadowy heights.

Sora sat down with her back to the door, her bow in her lap. It might be a few minutes; it seems the System tries to wait for battles to halt before throwing the Energy at us.

Yeah. Victor sat down on the steps facing her. You think well get another chest when we go up?

Thats my understanding. Each level awards a chest, and the value of the prizes is supposed to increase as the number of participants dwindles. She smiled, shrugging. Should be quite a bit better than the last one. A few people have been knocked out since.

Mmhmm. Victor nodded absently as he stroked Lifedrinkers haft. Shed been very quiet since the gargantuopod, and he could still see the faint lines of shimmering green Energy in her silvery metal. He didnt know exactly how it worked, but it seemed like she was slowly digesting what shed taken.

Your axe is made of Heart Silver? Soras intonation made a question out of the statement.

Yeah. Well, she started with just a Heart Silver core, but it's expanded as shes . . . evolved is the word for it, I guess.

A wonderful weapon, to be sure. She must have drained much from the gargantuopod. Im sure it helped our fire to slay it. When Victor didnt respond, not wanting to chatter about his axe or her secrets, Sora tried another topic, You called yourself a titan, yes? Are there many of your kind on your homeworld?

Victor looked at her with narrowed eyes. Hed grown leery of strangers trying to dig information out of him. So many unscrupulous people had tried to use knowledge of his abilities against him that he was mistrustful. The problem with his thinking, though, was that the questions felt innocent enough; she could simply be trying to make conversation, perhaps trying to bolster their tenuous alliance.

Rather than answer her, he decided to turn the tables to see how she handled some personal probing. Hmm, how about you tell me about yourself? On my homeworld, people who look like you are often called elves. Is that right? He didnt mention that hed only seen them in fiction.

Elves? Well, I have a Fae bloodline and, as a result, have devoured many a text on the subject of the Fae. They have subgroups of people, and yes, Ive read the terms elf, elfin, and even elvish. However, my people are called the Ramash, and most dont share my pointy ears, strange coloring, and large eyes. I hail from a world somewhat distant from Sojourn; I had to traverse another hub to reach this place.

Victor nodded, more interested than hed expected to be in her answer. Hed made a lot of assumptions about herabout most of the people in the dungeon. For some reason, hed held himself apart as though he werent benefiting from a wealthy patron like most of the other entrants.

He was starting to see that he often gave himself more credit than he deserved, that he considered his efforts to get where he was somehow out of the norm. In his mind, the other dungeon goers were akin to spoiled rich kids, pampered on an easy world and handed opportunities that hed had to work for. Had he, though? It sounded like hed had an easier time getting to Sojourn than Sora. He decided to be more open-minded and to try to learn more about the people he encountered. Howd you get to know Cam?

In another dungeon. We were both signed up for the same time slot, and the coordinators put us together. I still consider him a friend, and Im dreading the outcome of my betrayal. She looked down, and Victor saw real emotion in her eyes, real hurt. Hed been so suspicious of her earlier that he hadnt considered the weight of her actions if she were telling the truth; shed gone against a friend to keep from betraying Victors trust. As he completed the thought, another voice in his head scoffedshed betrayed a friend to keep from getting smashed by him. Just because she wasnt stupid didnt mean she was loyal to him.

I dont know exactly what Cam was going to do, but you made the right choice. I dont tolerate betrayal well. At least in here, your friend had the Lifesaver, and your attack wasnt enough to kill him outright. I couldnt make promises to that effect if I lost myself in rage.

So you dont always have control?

Again, Soras question rubbed Victor the wrong way, as if she was fishing. He glanced up to the air at the center of the spiral stair and saw the two spy stones floating around up there. There was no telling who was listening to their conversation. He was about to change the subject again when, out of nowhere, glittering balls of bright golden Energy slammed into each of their chests. Victor grunted as the euphoria swept over him, and when he came back to his senses, he had a System message waiting for him:

***Congratulations! You have achieved level 64 Herald of the Mountains Wrath and gained 12 strength, 17 vitality, and 12 will.***

He waved the message away and looked at Sora. She was staring into space, her eyes moving left to right as though reading something. She did it for a long while, and Victor figured shed gotten more notifications than a simple level; maybe shed gained a new skill or spell or some other kind of upgrade. With a grunt, he stood up and slung Lifedrinker back over his shoulder. Ready to head up?

Sora shook her head and blinked rapidly, hopping gracefully to her feet. Aye. If were separated again, Ill wait outside the award chamber.

Yep, same here. Victor turned and started up the stairs. Sure enough, after just a few steps, he found himself stepping into a room almost identical to the one at the end of the first level. The only difference he could perceive was that the chest was made of wood and inlaid with dark, metallic runes. He stepped toward it, looking over his shoulder to ensure he was alone, that the floating spy stone was gone, and that Sora hadnt been sent to the same award room. The stair leading down was empty and quiet, so he turned back to the chest.

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It was about the same size as the last one, only about twenty inches by twelve and something like ten inches deep. When he reached down to lift the clasp, it made a kind of ringing sound as it rubbed against the metal of the latch, and when Victor lifted the lid, sparkling golden fog billowed out, accompanied by a distinct chime. Fancy, he chuckled, waving the haze away so he could see the contents.

When his eyes found his award, Victor frowned and reached in to lift out a pair of sturdy-looking, dark leather boots. As soon as he saw them, he knew they were part of the same set as the gauntlet hed gotten in the first chest. Two boots. Does that count as two parts of the set? To answer his question, Victor channeled a little Energy into the left boot to read what the System had to tell him:

***Boots of Sojourn these boots count as one item in a set. Collect five pieces of the set and bring them to the Sojourn City Stone to imbue them with curated set bonuses.***

Victors scowl deepened as he set the boot down and peered inside the chest again. It was utterly empty. Seems like bullshit, he grumbled and sent the pair into his storage bag. He stood up, ready to head out, but then he felt Lifedrinker begin to vibrate on his back, and, with a nerve-grating, elongated crackling sound, he felt a sudden increase in her weight pulling against his harness.

Victors mind flew down panic-laced pathways: Had the Energy Lifedrinker absorbed harmed her somehow? Was she trying to tell him something? Had some invisible fiend tried to pull her off his back? With his thoughts whirling, he reached up to grab her haft and found it much more of a handful than before.

Sudden understanding dawned on him, and Victors worry turned to excitement as he lifted her free of her harness and pulled her around to grasp in both hands. He lifted her high before his face, staring at her beautiful shape. Lifedrinkers star-dappled, living wood haft had grown by more than a foot, and her brilliant silver axe head had to have increased its mass by fifty percent. The blade was larger and heavier, with wicked swoops at the ends of the crescent. She glinted with her own inner light, and when Victor held her close to inspect the shimmering glow, he saw that her edge was so fine as to be nearly transparent. Qu rico, beautiful!

Pride and satisfaction emanated through her haft into his hands, and Lifedrinker veritably hummed with excitement. Let us hunt! she cried, filling his mind with images of wolves chasing down prey. Victor chuckled and slung her back over his shoulder. Her new size felt right, a good deal more substantial and a more proper fit for his own growth. As he stepped forward to open the door, his disappointing treasure was forgotten in the warm pride he felt for Lifedrinkers advancement.

#

Darren felt Lam stiffen as the stranger called out his question. When she turned, he stepped back as she slowly lifted her arm from around his shoulders, nudging him and Edeya behind her. Whats that, stranger? Were you speaking to me? Lams voice was crisp and sharp, her earlier slurring utterly banished by either adrenaline or the strength of her will. Darren peeked around her faintly fluttering dragonfly wings, peering through the cascades of golden Energy motes at the man whod stopped them.

He was tall and had that palpable vibrancy that spoke of many racial advancements. It was a feeling Darren often felt when near Valla and Victor and, to a lesser extent, Lam and Lesh. Even Edeya felt similar, though the depth of her power was clearly much shallower.

Before he got too sidetracked, wondering about racial advancements, Darren continued his inspection of the man. His skin looked almost golden, and, half-extended behind him, were broad, powerful wings adorned with crimson feathers. The wings tilted forward and hugged his shoulders like a great cloak. He was terribly handsome, with big, golden, almond-shaped eyes, full, pleasant lips that spread in a gentle smile, and feathery red hair that matched his wings.

While Darren felt comforted by the pleasant aspect of the man, he saw Lam bristle, and suddenly a shimmering, silvery warhammer was in her hand. Ridonne, she said, veritably spitting the word.

Ah! I wasnt mistaken, then! I thought sure those were Ghelli wings, but I wasnt aware of any Ghelli in Sojourn. Have they changed the access policy in Tharcray?

Not likely. We came by other means. Lam didnt lower her hammer, and the enormous, sledge-like head began to hum, vibrating the air in discernable waves of force.

Dear me! Im not sure what fills you with such angst, dear Ghelli, but I offer no threat. I was simply intrigued by the sight of you and your companion there, and when I walked near, I heard you mention the giant warrior. Curiosity is the only motive for my approach!

When Lam didnt respond immediately, and her hammer remained in her hand, he cleared his throat and folded his arms, cocking his head at her. Youre aware of the laws in Sojourn, yes? Id hate for us both to get into some trouble if you start swinging that thing. Tell me, why the hostility? I havent been home in decades and was hoping for a bit of news.

His mention of Sojourns laws seemed to get through whatever was clouding Lams mind, and she slowly inhaled, lowering the hammer but keeping it in her hand. Darren had a good idea why shed reacted the way she had. Hed heard plenty about the Ridonne and, of course, had heard all about how theyd attacked Victors army before he reached the Untamed Marches. If this particular Ridonne had been in Sojourn for decades, though, then surely, she couldnt hold that against him.

Before Lam could prove Darren right or wrong, Edeya stepped out from behind her and snarled, Weve seen what kind of honor to expect from the Ridonne.

My, my! Id hate to bear the brunt of that anger. What makes such a lovely lass spit such venom? The Ridonne stepped closer, lowering his arms but clasping his hands before him in an unthreatening posture. My dear, Ive never seen a Ghelli with your coloring! Such striking shades of azure! Whatever my kin did to you back home, please dont hold me accountable. Who was it? Ravasha? Trenia? Mordo-dak? Ive so many ill-mannered kin that I could probably list names all night. Is there aught that I can do to make amends? Ive so wanted to speak to someone from home without the tedium of checking in with my family! Couldnt I entice you to a dinner or . . . Oh! I have it! Wont you come to Warin-daks victory ball?

That took some of the steam out of Edeya, and she looked up at Lam in confusion, waiting to see if shed made more sense of the tall strangers words. Warin Dak? Lam asked, obviously trying to dredge through her memory for the name. Darren could see whythe man before them spoke it like everyone should be acquainted with his meaning.

Oh, ancestors! The Ridonne chuckled, shaking his head. Im so out of practice. My name is Chal-dak, and Warin is my cousin. Hell likely win in the challenge dungeon, and Im sure hell throw quite a feast.

What? Lams eyes opened wide. Theres a Ridonne in there? She looked at Edeya, then down at Darren. I didnt see one on any of the spy windows . . .

Ah! I see the confusion! Warin-dak didnt awaken the, um, more pleasant side of the bloodline. Hes more bedecked with horns, and his coloring leans more toward crimson and less toward golden. Moreover, he fancies himself a wizard and wears heavy robes with a hooded cowl . . .

Oh! The one who killed the three others while they battled those troll things, Edeya said. Darren knew precisely who she was talking about; theyd watched the battle on the big viewing window just before Victor and his two friends began exploring the second level. Three adventurers had been fighting a pack of brutish horned giants with green, pox-ridden flesh when a fourth had arrived, blasting them all with terrible bolts of red Energy. It looked like something out of a science fiction movie to Darrendeath beams that melted through flesh and stone alike.

They didnt die . . . Chal-dak began to say, but Lam spoke at the same time.

Eliminated . . . She shook her head as they both stopped short, not wanting to speak over each other. When Chal-dak remained silent, she said, I wouldnt plan a victory party just yet.

Aha! Our conversation comes full circle! Might I enquire again? You know the giant warrior?

It was Lams turn to fold her arms over her chest and smile knowingly at the Ridonne. I do know him, and though hed be angry if I spoke much about him to a stranger, I would say he has no love for the Ridonne.

Ah! Such a shame. I dont suppose youll expand on the source of hisand youranimosity?

Again, it was Edeya who spoke up, her voice fierce, her brow narrowed in a scowl. Should we start with how you and your kind have kept the rest of Fanwath ignorant and subservient, locking away the world travel options for you and yours?

Oh? I suppose I cant be surprised that you dont know the Systems mandate, handed down when Fanwath was new. As far as I know, its not something they teach outside our academy.

Lam frowned. Mandate? Academy?

You see! There are things for us to talk about! Theres much I could explain. Wont you come to our party after the challenge dungeon?

Lam sighed, clearly ready to end the conversation. I wont commit to anything, and, as I said, you shouldnt invest too much in a victory party. In any case, we have other obligations in the near future.

Well. I do hope you manage to find the time. Even if Warin-dak fails to secure the top position, well celebrate his homecoming. Here, he flicked his fingers out, and a glittering, golden card appeared between his pointer and middle finger. He extended it to Lam, My calling card. Simply feed it a touch of Energy, and you can send me a message. Conversely, I can leave a message for you. Ill send you the address of our estate in Sojourn and any forthcoming details about the victoryor notgala. Darren knew he shouldnt, but he found himself liking the man. He was smooth and charming despite the hostility Lam and Edeya had been showing him.

Lam took the card, sent it into one of her dimensional containers, and nodded. We must be moving on. Obligations.

It was my pleasure, Lady . . . He lifted an eyebrow expectantly, obviously hoping to learn Lams name.

Lam.

Ah! He smiled, his eyes glittering with pleasure. No surname? Well, Lam the Ghelli from FanwathIll have to be content with that. I do hope to hear from you soon. With that, he bowed with a flourish, spun on his heel, and strode confidently away, back toward the drinking establishment.

What a cocky asshole! Edeya growled.

Lam groaned. Roots, Edeya! Youve been around Victor too much.