“I think we’re all agreed the hammer belongs to Cedric.” He looked around at the others for agreement.
Toby nodded quick. “It should be his, right?”
Jo gave a single sharp nod. “Of course.”
Stan planted his busted hand on Cedric’s shoulder, leaning in with a broad grin. “We get out, swing by the Lantern.” He glanced around to make sure everyone was watching and waggled his eyebrows. “I’ll tell the wenches ya swing a mighty hammer.”
Cedric’s jaw worked, and he might have even cracked a smile. He turned to Harry and dipped his head. “Thank you.” He looked around the group. “And thank you all for…” He made a vague circle in the air, eyes fixed on the floor. “For everything.”
Jo turned to Harry. “What now? You said there’s more undead in the side rooms?”
“There are,” Harry said. “But System says we might be able to skip them. I want to look around one more time before we decide what to do.”
“Sounds good,” Jo said. She shot Cedric a quick look. He gave a short nod of agreement.
Harry turned toward their scattered gear. “I guess get everything packed. Toby, would you dump out the rocks and reload my pack?”
Toby brightened. “Would I? Yes, Sir Harry. I’ll get it done right off.” He bent to grab the pack, nearly knocking the spear beside it before steadying himself.
Harry rubbed a hand across his face. “It’s just… nevermind.” He tugged his dagger straight on his belt, made sure the mace sat tight, strapped his shield back onto his arm, and lifted his spear. The weight having grown familiar in his hand.
He stepped out of the alcove and crossed into the crypt room as the others started gathering their gear, torchlight throwing long shadows across the stone.
Harry worked through the side rooms again, torchlight licking over the piles of bodies. The faint green, rotted threads flickered under each mound, same as before. He kept his hands well away from everything. No sense in waking anything.
A few rats lingered in the open. He grabbed each one fast, drained them, and tossed the limp bodies aside. It wasn’t enough to top him off.
V: 91 | TM: 9%
Need to order more rats.
He headed back to the alcove where the others were gathered, packs on their backs, Harry’s sitting by the wall where Toby had placed it.
Toby stood ready, sword on his hip, shield strapped tight to his arm, spear gripped in both hands. He straightened when Harry approached.
Jo had a shield and spear, and her quiver hung at her hip. The new bow was strapped across her back, her old one secured to her pack.
Stan wasn’t wearing a shield. He’d taken one of the spears instead, held it loose in his injured hand, leaning on it like a walking stick.
Cedric waited with the hammer held in both hands. His sword rode on his belt, and his shield tied to the pack on his back.
Harry picked up his own pack and slipped it on, adjusted the straps on his shield, and looked over the group. “Anyone have any thoughts before we start?”
Toby lifted his hand halfway. “There’s maybe…” He drifted off, eyes sliding toward the open room.
Jo pinched the bridge of her nose. “Toby, stop doing that. There’s maybe what?”
Toby brightened, grinning as he waved toward the crypt chamber. “If this was a bard’s tale, there’d be a secret room out there.”
Harry blinked at him. “There would?”
Cedric stepped forward a half-pace. “The boy… Toby is right. Secret rooms and tunnels are common in dungeons.”
System, is that right?
:: System: The Dungeon Aspect is known for its capricious nature. But data indicates it is prone to use hidden caches and passages.
Harry nodded. “Alright, if it’s safe we’ll look around. That sound alright?”
All four nodded and grunted in agreement.
“Let’s take this slow,” Harry said. “I want one person to step out and wait while I keep an eye on the bodies. If it looks alright, we’ll take a few more steps.”
They nodded again, tension settling over them in the quiet.
“Everyone else, be ready to retreat back up the stairs.” Harry looked at Stan. “Maybe you should go up now just in case.”
Stan squared himself. “I’ll not cower.” He turned his head toward Cedric. “Meanin’ no offense.” He thumped the butt of the spear on the stone floor. “If we need to move, I’ll be out o’ here quick as any of ya.”
Harry opened his mouth, ready to push back, but Cedric cut in. “Fear not, Sir Harold. If we must retreat, Stan will not slow us.”
Harry let out a slow breath and looked between Jo and Toby. “Alright then.” He lifted his chin toward them. “Any volunteer to step out?”
They traded a look and spoke together. “I’ll go.”
Harry pointed at Toby. “Alright, Toby, you’re it.”
Jo frowned. “Why Toby?”
“Because I’m old.”
“What does that…” she started, but Harry cut across her.
“Toby, wait for me to get part way down the passage and yell. Only take a few steps out and wait. Alright?”
“Yes, sir,” Toby said, gripping his spear tighter.
Harry headed down the passage until he reached the midpoint. He called for Toby to move, voice echoing off the stone. He eased forward until he could see the piled bodies. Nothing stirred.
He backed up the passage and called for Toby to come out farther. He checked the corpse pile. No change.
They repeated the slow, cautious advance until Toby stood fully out in the open room, shifting from foot to foot as he waited for Harry’s signal.
Harry waved him closer. Toby walked up to the passage entrance without setting foot inside. When nothing reacted, Harry joined him and guided him through a full circuit around the room, ready to run if anything appeared from the dark mouths of the side passages.
They paused at the far arch. A short hall vanished into a narrow stairway dropping deeper underground.
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Toby peered down it. “I think it’ll go to level two, right?”
Harry clapped him lightly on the shoulder. “You’re our dungeon expert, Toby.”
Toby flushed and nodded, ears going red.
They headed back to the alcove where the others waited.
“Alright, this room seems safe enough,” Harry said. “How about I scout down the stairs and you all see if you can find any secret doors in here?”
Jo met his eyes. “Be careful.”
Harry gave her a quick grin. “Careful is my middle name.”
Toby blinked at him. “It is?”
“What? No, it’s just a saying.”
Stan snorted and gave his head a slow shake. “Odd ways o’ speakin’, no question.”
They spread out through the chamber, spears tapping stone, hands running along seams in the walls, studying each sarcophagus and the torch sconces above them.
Harry stayed near the center, watching the dark mouths of the side passages. Nothing stirred. No shifting bodies, no groans, no scrape of bone. When he was sure nothing was about to come barreling out, he turned and stepped toward the stairs leading down.
Harry had barely taken a few steps past the arch when Toby’s voice rang out close behind him. “Found it.”
Harry stopped and came back into the chamber. “That was fast.”
Toby shook his head. “No, not a door.” He stood just left of the exit, past the last sarcophagus, near where Harry had stepped back into the room.
“I found the torch,” Toby said. He turned his body so Harry could see that he held one of the wall torches, still burning bright.
The others gathered around them.
Harry held out a hand for it but Toby jerked the torch back, eyes wide. Harry lifted an eyebrow and Toby blushed.
“I’m sorry, Sir Harry.” Toby looked uncertain. “It’s likely to be dangerous to you. On account of… you know.”
“Because I’m a… a vampire?”
Toby nodded quickly. “Should I test it?”
Harry glanced around the group. Everyone gave small gestures of agreement.
He stepped back to give Toby room.
Toby moved to the piled Ancient Desiccants and lowered the torch until the flame brushed a dried arm. The fire caught at once, racing across the corpse and leaping to the bodies touching it.
Heat rolled out in a wave, forcing them all a step back. In seconds the entire mound roared to life, flames twisting high and bright.
Harry shielded his face with his forearm and watched as the smoke billowed toward the high ceiling and vanished, pulled away by something he couldn’t see. He looked back at the flames. "That's not a normal fire."
Cedric’s eyes narrowed as he watched the blaze. “No. The torch is clearly enchanted against the dead.”
Harry let out a low breath. “So that was the secret to easily getting past this level?”
Jo shook her head. “It should have been, but it was a false hope.”
“Aye,” Cedric said. He pointed toward the far sconce, now empty. “With the torch placed at the end, by the time you fought your way to it, you would not need it.”
Stan shrugged. “If there’s more undead waitin’ below, we’ll put it to use.”
Jo threw an arm around his shoulders in a quick sideways squeeze. “I love this guy.”
That earned a chuckle from all of them, even over the crackling roar of burning corpses.
Cedric watched the flames chew through the last of the desiccants. “I wonder if it will burn the bodies piled in the side rooms.”
Harry thought about it. “I’d like to find out.” When the others turned to him he shrugged. “I’ll feel safer if we can get rid of those, and whatever is under them.”
Toby moved to take a step toward the nearest passage. “I can check, can’t I?”
Harry moved fast and caught him by the shoulder. “Absolutely not.”
“But…” Toby tried.
Harry leaned in. “You were there when I described the thing System said might be under those. All the bodies fused into one big undead, arms and legs all over, mouths too?”
Toby froze. “Oh yeah.”
Jo dragged a hand over her face. “Oh yeah. It’s like he wants to get eaten.”
“What? No, I just forgot,” Toby said, looking wounded.
Stan tapped Toby’s elbow with the side of his busted hand. “Trust me, lad, bein’ eaten by undead ain’t near as fun as people make out.”
Toby blinked at him. “Who says…?”
Harry held out his hand. “I’ll do it.”
Toby didn’t move at first, clutching the torch close, mouth tightening.
“I’ll be careful,” Harry said.
Toby finally offered it over, slow and reluctant.
Torch in hand, Harry headed down the first side passage. A rat scurried out and he snatched it, drained it quick, and tossed it aside. He rolled his shoulders, took a deep breath, and pressed the torch down against one of the bodies near the floor.
The fire caught at once, crawling across the corpse. Heat rolled up the mound. A low groan rose from inside it, then another. The whole pile shifted, bodies wiggling and dragging against each other.
Harry backed up a step, eyes fixed on the heap as limbs twitched and torsos twisted. Flames licked along wet, rotted flesh. One body lurched upright, half on fire, and the groans broke into full screams.
“Oh crap.” Harry spun and bolted for the main room. “Out. Out, out. Back to the stairs!”
They retreated fast, boots scraping stone, Stan thumping quickly along with the spear. They crowded into the alcove at the landing where they could still see the chamber.
The first burning corpses spilled out of the side passage, dragging themselves into the open. Fire wrapped around them, burning limbs falling off. More followed, a steady stream of shrieking, fire-lit figures.
“By the gods,” Toby whispered.
Stan squinted at the sight. “Ya know, reminds me a bit o’ the last festival.”
Harry stared at him, stunned.
Stan lifted one shoulder. “It got a mite out o’ hand.”
Harry turned back toward the chamber. More burning corpses were spilling out of the center passage now, flames rolling off them in sheets. One of the shambling figures must have gone through the connecting tunnel and set the next pile alight.
A few of them staggered toward the alcove, arms reaching, but none made it far. Each collapsed in a flaming heap of rot and smoke before they got close.
System, what is this?
:: System: These appear to be [Rot Puppets]. Meaning it was a [Rot Bloomer] under each pile.
What exactly is a Rot Bloomer?
:: Designation: Rot Bloomer
:: Type: Undead Plague Carrier
:: Level: 0
:: Traits: Bloated corpse which ruptures on contact with living or when damaged
:: Intelliect: None. Mindless pursuit of living creatures.
:: Special: Releases spore cloud which animates dead to become Rot Puppets.
:: Weaknesses: Fire, Ranged attacks
:: The bite of Rot Puppets further spreads the disease. Anyone who dies while infected animates as a Rot Puppet.
Harry swallowed and looked back at the others. “Rot Puppets,” he said. “There was a Rot Bloomer under each pile. The spores… they turn anything dead into those.” He nodded toward the flaming shapes collapsing on the floor. “The bites spread it too.”
Jo’s hand tightened on her spear. Toby stared, pale. Stan muttered something under his breath that Harry didn’t catch. Cedric watched grimly, jaw set as the last of the burning corpses fell and slowly turned to ash.
Cedric watched intently as the last fires died out, his face grim. “That was beautiful.”
Jo turned her head sharply. “Beautiful?”
“A just fate for every undead,” Cedric said, voice steady.
Toby swallowed. “Some say if you get turned undead your soul is trapped until you die for real.”
Stan nodded once. “If so, they’re right an’ proper released now.”
Harry looked down at the torch still in his hand, heat rolling off it. “Should I do the other side?”
Cedric stepped forward a half-pace. “Sir Harold, if you don’t, I will.”
Jo scowled at him. “Sir Cedric, there’s no call to doubt Harry.”
“It’s alright, Jo,” Harry said. He looked to Cedric. “I think it’s safer if I go.”
Cedric dipped his head. “As you say.”
Harry tightened his grip on the torch and headed back into the room.
He stepped toward the passage on the other side, torch held away from his body, when a message from System appeared.
:: System: Before you proceed, I have received word. Consensus has been reached regarding User Interfaces for your companions. Would you like details now or after remaining undead are eliminated?
He stopped dead, breath catching. The torch crackled in his hand.
Now.
Harry turned back and stared at the others, trying to control his excitement.
Tell me now.
***
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