Xodoven loomed over our booth, his ocean-colored eyes boring through me. He looked like a coerced chaperone meeting the snot-nosed shit he'd been forced to babysit for the unforeseeable future.

  “Your horse is tied up out front. Looked like you left him in a hurry this morning,” Xodoven said as he sat down, blocking me into the booth.

  “Thanks,” I said as Karma's Gaze activated.

  Target: Xodven

  Level: 11

  Karma: +1705

  Additional Data: N/A

  “Whatever you're doing, knock it off,” Xodoven warned.

  I snapped my eye shut, completely stunned. Why wasn't Karma's Gaze producing any additional data and how the hell could he tell I was scanning him?

  “Oh, what was that? Did something happen?” Eamon asked, amused.

  “Damn, you really are an old man,” Xodoven said. “This jackass couldn't have been more blatant. He was just using some weird soul scrying magic.”

  Soul scrying?

  “Undress me with your eyes again and we're going to have problems,” he said.

  Eamon scratched his head. “Boy, I knew you were interesting. A fighter that's mastered soul scrying and teleportation?”

  I wasn't sure if Eamon was putting on an act and had me pegged during our spar or if he was being genuine. The old vice-captain was impossible to read.

  “Mastered my ass. If he had mastered it, I wouldn't have noticed. Geez Eamon, you've lost your touch.”

  Eamon clapped his hands together. “We can spar if that's how you really feel. It won't take but a minute.”

  Xodoven removed his helmet and his wavy hair spilled out, framing his face perfectly like he belonged on the front cover of a fantasy romance novel. Even Viessa glanced up from her study for a peek. “There's no need for that. I'll keep an eye on your new toy and make sure it doesn't break.”

  “Great. Now then, three parties are being dispatched to Waystone immediately. Duskblade is commanding the first group. They'll assist the militia in defending its walls from within the town while Westcott's group launches a counter-siege.”

  “Sounds like you don't need me,” I said.

  Eamon chuckled, his weary eyes filled with light. “Cyprus, your job is quite simple in comparison. Land the killing blow on the guardian and secure its key. Pearl Banner can't be allowed to monopolize all three dungeons. They're already poised to secure the keys from Vaulter and The Silverlight Plains.”

  “Westcott's gonna love that.” I sighed, already second guessing our arrangement.

  I didn't trust either of them. Their high karma ratings meant nothing considering my own positive rating and how I achieved it. Being underneath Eamon's thumb was never in my plan. I was certain he merely used Xodoven to engineer this very situation.

  “Worry not. Whoever deals the final blow on the guardian retains the rights to the key. Xod will intervene on your behalf if it comes down to it,” Eamon said. “Whether Waystone falls isn't important. Act as you see fit.”

  ***

  Eamon provided a complimentary horse for Viessa, and the three of us departed immediately. Duskblade and Westcott's groups had already left, but we made good time getting out of Ingcaster, heading south for Waystone.

  I wanted to spend the rest of my mastery points, but Xodoven had been watching my every move, and I didn't have an answer for why I'd need five minutes to stare intently at my pocket glass.

  I kept my head on a swivel, constantly sweeping our surroundings for signs of an ambush. Bull was quiet as we rode in silence. Xodoven hadn't spoken since we left, giving off the impression he wanted to be anywhere else but here. Viessa didn't speak the language, and I was afraid of uttering a single word because the system could unintentionally translate it into elvish. The system's sheer unintuitive nature was still endlessly frustrating.

  The sun warmed our backs as we reached the halfway point and stopped, giving the horses a breather. I could still feel Xodoven's watchful gaze as I led Greymane by his reins to a stream that ran through a small clearing.

  “Your horse tires too easily,” Xodoven said.

  I checked over my shoulder, making sure Viessa was out of earshot to avoid an automatic translation snafu. “It's not Greymane's fault my weapon's heavy.”

  “Cute name for a horse.” Xodoven gave me a side-eyed look. “It'll be sad when he dies.”

  “It'll be sadder for the person who kills him,” I replied, unfazed.

  Every day this horse survives with me as its rider is a lucky day.

  Xodoven stood in the shade, drinking from his canteen. “You and your partner don't speak much.”

  Because we can't.

  “What was it like training under The Hollow Demon?” Xodoven asked as he flicked a centipede off his pauldrons.

  I gawked at him, dumbfounded as I remembered the lie Eamon had misconstrued from my bare-bones description of a fictional character from a kung-fu movie.

  “Fear not, I'll keep your secret like the old man asked.”

  This fire needs to be put out before it engulfs everything.

  I threw my hands up in the air. “I never said I was trained by The Hollow Demon. Maybe it was a distant cousin or someone who slightly resembles him.”

  “Eamon's rarely wrong. I always wondered what he was like. Did he show you any special training techniques?”

  I pinched the bridge of my nose, hoping it would cut off the circulation of intense irritation to my frontal lobe. “Who else did he tell?”

  “Hmm...” Xodoven stared at the clouds. “Captain Summers, his advisor Jing, the advisor's assistant Bakvirn, and the advisor's assistant's apprentice Nu-Mun-Zuek.”

  My jaw dropped.

  “Kora also likely overheard us since she was serving tea at the time.”

  Was the truth worse than the narrative of being related to one of the world's deadliest assassins? I almost pulled the ripcord, then stopped, remembering a key adage from Earth.

  I have the right to remain silent.

  “Eh, touched a sore spot, did I?” he prodded.

  “We should probably get moving again.”

  Xodoven let it go for now, and we got back on the road. Night fell and moonlight illuminated the winding path. As we neared the outskirts of Waystone Village, plumes of smoke twisted in the sky up ahead.

  A sour stench permeated the air and our horses froze on the dirt path. Greymane bucked his legs and snorted. Twigs snapped as something moved through the woods ahead of us.

  “Seems like the dungeon overflow has already begun. I doubt the horses care to take us further,” Xodoven said.

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  We dismounted and hitched our horses to a nearby tree as a high-pitched scream cut through the night. Xodoven reached into a rucksack on his horse's side and retrieved a torch.

  He held his palm over the torch wick and muttered a spell under his breath, igniting it.

  I watched the tree line along the winding dirt path as the bushes rustled and the screaming grew louder. Karma's Gaze caught the unfocused movement, three statuses, a woman with two children, all level ones.

  “We need to keep moving if you want to catch up to the other parties,” Xodoven said.

  The woman came into vision through the brush, dragging one kid by his hand and holding another one against her chest. Xodoven was already moving onward, ignoring their distress.

  I dashed off the path, into the darkness under the forest's canopy.

  “Cyprus,” Xodoven called after me.

  Target: Juliae

  Level: 1

  Karma: +35

  Additional Data: Breeds horses and gathers wild mushrooms. Married to Colin, mother to Gabe and Bradley. Archery enthusiast.

  I jumped atop a log, watching the panicked mother running away from my position. “Over here,” I shouted.

  Juliae pivoted, turning toward me, still shouting something incoherently. I met her halfway and noticed her face, bloodied from barreling through the thorny brush.

  “What's chasing you?”

  She latched onto my arm, squeezing it tight. “It's coming...”

  “Goblins?” I asked, readying my tonfa.

  But the woman shook her head. “We have to run.”

  A patch of thin, budding trees crumpled as a slug the size of a water buffalo trampled them along with everything in its path.

  Target: Sludgecrawler

  Level: 5

  Karma: N/A

  Additional Data: N/A

  With a guttural roar, the sludgecrawler slithered out across the forest floor, its massive, gelatinous body glistening with a toxic sheen. Six dotted eyes locked in our direction. It hissed and dropped its maw wide open, displaying rows upon rows of jagged teeth.

  As it moved, the ground beneath it bubbled, consumed by its poisonous secretion. The air thickened with the stench of a ripe compost pile.

  Terror tugged my heart into my throat. My fingers trembled against my tonfa's cool obsidian glass. The difference between humans and monsters became all too apparent.

  To hell with this. I want to go home.

  While I was temporarily paralyzed by fear, Juliae ran behind me with her kids in tow. The disgusting creature moved quick for its size, gliding across the forest floor. Goosebumps rose on the back of my neck. Unsure of how to proceed, I hesitated.

  Regretting every decision that led me to this point, I backpedaled. “Get on the road for help.” I pointed over my shoulder and Juliae rushed off.

  Logs crumbled and evaporated, sizzling digestive juices trailed the monster's advance, devouring everything in its path. I stood between the beast and its targets. Queasy from its sickening scent and horrific features, I dug my boots into the dirt.

  It glided straight past me as I sidestepped, bringing my baton down on its side. The weapon bounced off its jelly form, making it feel like I was striking a monster truck tire. The sludgecrawler whipped its back-end, and I jumped over it, landing on the other side.

  But the creature shimmied head first, ignoring me in favor of Juliae, who was fresh out of steam, panting as she looked over her shoulder. The oldest of her boys, Gabe, lost grip of her hand and fell into the dirt.

  Where's Xodoven? Isn't he supposed to be protecting me?

  “Mom!” Gabe screamed.

  Fuck it. Shadow Weave.

  Using the ample darkness, I erected a blade out of the ground, directly underneath the sludgecrawler's path.

  An awful ripping sound filled the night as the giant slug wriggled over the shadow, eviscerating its own underbelly. Juliae scooped Gabe off the ground as the creature’s acidic blood melted the ground surrounding its corpse.

  +100 XP

  I found some solace in the bold text. Although, my skin was already crawling at the thought of encountering another sludgecrawler.

  Tears streamed down Juliea's cheeks, clutching both her sons tight in her arms. She looked up at me. “Thank you. My husband...”

  Her voice trailed off, but I got the picture, assuming he died whilst heroically defending his family.

  “My condolences,” I said.

  “That son of a bitch left us for dead,” she cried.

  ***

  After sharing my canteen with Juliea and her children, I guided them onto the main road leading to Waystone, eventually catching up to Xodoven and Viessa who had continued on without me.

  “Hey jackass, thanks for waiting.” I was practically foaming at the mouth while Xodoven just shrugged it off. “I could've been killed. Aren't you supposed to be my bodyguard?”

  Xodoven ignored the criticism with a nonchalant tilt of his head. “You ran into assassins?”

  “No, a giant slug almost fucking ate us for supper,” I growled.

  Xodoven raised his gauntlets, palms open. “I think you're misunderstanding this arrangement. My assignment is to protect you from assassins. A dragon could swoop down, snap you in half, and I wouldn't be required to lift a finger. So maybe you should keep that in mind before you go running off again, newbie.”

  I'd known Xodoven for a single afternoon and already disliked him greatly. Smugness aside, at least he wasn’t trying to hide his disdain for his mission.

  “Did you kill it?” he asked.

  “Yes, barely.”

  “If it was an adult sludgecrawler, this dungeon and its guardian are most likely B grade or higher. Your baton worked on it? They're naturally resistant to blunt weapon types.”

  “Yeah, this tonfa is made of obsidian glass. It worked great,” I lied, still clutching the weapon in my right hand.

  Although it strained my arms and shoulders, I was focused on stacking its passive effect, gaining 1% bonus damage for every minute I kept holding it by its grip.

  Ten minutes later, we reached Waystone Village. Several militiamen stood by the entrance, ushering refugees from the surrounding farmlands inside. Flames wicked up from trenches dug around the Waystone's perimeter, casting sinister shadows against the village's timber walls.

  “Multiple reports confirmed the overflow. Nearly 100 sludgecrawlers are heading our way. Finish preparations, quick. Move the bulk of our forces to the east wall. They'll be here within minutes,” said a level three militiaman.

  As the group of militiamen dispersed, the level three waved us up to the gate. “State your purpose.”

  “We're adventurers,” I said.

  “Pearl Banner? You're late,” the militiaman growled.

  “No, the name's Cyprus. I'm unaffiliated.”

  Westcott's party should've already arrived by now to setup their counter-offensive. Their absence gnawed away at the back of my mind as the militiaman herded us in through the gate.

  The village was packed tight with women and children gathered in the town square. Healers manned a row of triage tents as the militia rushed people in on stretchers, their skin covered in burns. The militia concentrated their combat forces along the walls with the bulk of their troops holding the eastern wall.

  Duskblade spotted us as we strode through the crowd.

  “Cyprus, I thought you weren't coming.” Duskblade smiled. “But I'm glad you’re here and you even brought Xod, the infamous Grimspark.” The former Twilight Rangers leader cupped his ear. “Listen, they're nearby.”

  A subtle rumbling some distance in the east grew louder with each passing second. Going off of my rough estimate, there were only 60 combat capable people here, including Duskblade and the handful of level threes in his group. It didn't take a tactical genius to conclude Waystone was royally screwed.

  “Tell everyone to evacuate. Westcott isn't coming and Xodoven is only here to watch everyone die,” I said.

  A freckled woman wearing a set of cheap chain mail pushed past Duskblade. “How could you suggest such a thing? If Waystone is destroyed, we're as good as dead anyway. My whole life is in my shop.”

  More townsfolk chimed in with the same outrage.

  “Everyone, calm down,” Duskblade shouted over the murmuring crowd. “Surely, Westcott won't disregard the guild's orders.”

  I stifled a laugh. “I have no doubt that cunt is waiting for the siege to begin. Once the quarry is clear of the sludgecrawlers, he'll swoop in for the guardian and its key. There won't be a counter-siege.”

  Xodoven stepped up. “At least you have some wits about you. Let's intercept them before it's too late. Defending here is a lost cause.”

  The jerk was right. The only thing Waystone had going for it was the fire filled trenches, but they weren't wide or deep enough to stop more than the first wave of sludgecrawlers. There were only four watchtowers in Waystone, one in each corner, and the village lacked palisades. To make matters worse, their militia consisted only of level twos and threes.

  I grabbed Duskblade's shoulder. “Convince them to evacuate or die.”

  It felt like the entire village's population turned on me in an instant. Screams and shouts erupted around us. Their resistance raged against common sense. All they had to do was go out the northern exit, and retreat to Ingcaster. Protecting them and their home wasn't my job.

  “There's no time for that,” Duskblade argued. “Are you with us or not?”

  “Incoming,” a guard yelled from the eastern watchtower.

  The townsfolk and militia readied themselves, raising their weapons and taking up a line formation, standing side by side in three rows. Archers stood in the back, nocking arrows. Their courage in the face of certain destruction was almost as inspiring as it was stupid.

  “Now's the time. We can leave through the south and circle east to the quarry,” Xodoven said.

  There was no telling the consequence of failing Eamon's request. Yet, I didn't care. I had already played into his hand once today.

  “Duskblade, keep my disciple safe.”

  As I ran over to the eastern watchtower, Xodoven shouted, “What are you doing?”

  Pissing in your cereal.

  I scaled the ladder in seconds and peered out over the timber walls. Karma's Gaze lit up the night, revealing countless level five sludgecrawlers. The pulsating masses made it look like the hills were breathing.

  “Get down from there,” Xodoven grunted from below.

  I flicked open my pocket glass and held it up, confusing all the archers in the tower. I angled the mirror at my weapon and smiled.

  Equipment: Gloomgem Tonfa

  Current Passive Effect: +29% bonus damage.

  In one swift motion, I snatched a torch from the tower and launched myself over the wall, gleefully hearing Xodoven’s protests calling after me. I landed past the flaming trenches and dashed toward the writhing hills.

  Torchlight reflected across hundreds of beady eyes as I reached the base of the hill, waving the torch wildly. The giant slugs sped up at the sight of food, squirming downhill in an unorganized fashion. The fastest sludgecrawler surged ahead of the pack, drawing toward my position.

  I met the monster head on, and as its gaping mouth opened, I jumped overhead and struck downward with my baton. Obsidian glass met viscous jelly, plowing through slime until it bounced off its skeletal structure deep beneath its goo.

  I kicked off its body and landed in front of it, the soles of my boots hissing from the residual digestive juices. The monster let out a guttural cry, momentarily stunned. I aimed for the front of its head where its gelatinous coating was the thinnest.

  I shoved the tonfa's blunt tip through the monster's eyes, piercing its skull. The sludgecrawler deflated, spewing acid. I rolled out of the way as random specks burned through my scalehide armor. Ground rumbling beneath my feet, I watched as the horde swerved down the hills after me.

  +100 XP