SENA
The three soldiers were trying their best not to look away from Genth.
One part of Sena really wanted to reassure them. She knew they weren't in any trouble, and that this grueling debriefing was necessary. Her presence here was so she could learn at the same time that the high commander did, not because she had any intent. Yet she still let her eyes stare right at each soldier when they spoke, letting them think that the mysterious aide that she pretended to be had an unnatural interest in them.
Another part of her just really enjoyed seeing them squirm like this. She didn't consider it cruel, but there was a certain giddiness in knowing that her cover was such a powerful motivator. It was just a warm sense of professional pride.
Then again, she did in fact have a deep interest in them. It was just an interest that nobody but her really understood.
“And how many levels did you say you earned?” Genth’s question wasn’t new. He’d asked it of every one of the battered, weary soldiers at least twice.
“Five, Commander.” The answer was firm, despite the exhaustion in the man’s eyes. He’d been given the best treatment that could be provided on such short notice, but that couldn’t fix everything. His arm was healing rapidly, but still in a sling, and the slit-pupiled eyes showed deep weariness and darkening around the sockets.
Genth tapped his fingers on the side of his opposite arm while he stared at the soldier, who managed to avoid fidgeting. Finally, the High Commander asked another question. “And you insist that if you were given a new team you three could reach the end of this… dungeon?”
Sena flinched internally when Genth used that word, though her outward appearance remained calm and icy. She kept her own stare upon the soldier, just to help the tension, but by now she was convinced that he was being sincere and honest.
The man swallowed. “Not just a new team. The creatures and challenges inside are… they require specialized training. We would need a caster, maybe two, and some other classes that go beyond typical soldier training.”
A longer, still stern gaze kept on the soldier as Genth waited for anything further to surface. It was all for show – he knew the soldier had nothing more to give. It was all about maintaining the discipline via perceived power.
“Wait here.” Genth ordered in abrupt, steady voice. “Someone will take you to the barracks. Consider yourselves relieved of duty until fully healed. I will consider your request.”
All three of the soldiers placed their hands over their chest in an affirmative. To the outside observer, they all appeared to be stiff and stoic. To Sena that was a sign of their relief. Throughout the entire interrogation, all three had shown twitches and signs of nervousness. Their ability to maintain their discipline now showed that they no longer feared for their lives.
Sena rose and followed Genth out of the room, silently shadowing him through the Hall of Voices. They encountered few in the hallway, so the trip was short and uneventful before the two entered Genth’s office.
As soon as the door eased shut, Genth grunted at her. “What do you think of this? The System itself is telling them to take care of this ‘Dungeon’ for it. Have you ever heard of this Quest thing before?”
“I had not before now.” Sena took a seat as she answered, leaning on the table Genth kept in his office. “The System giving out a reward for doing something is interesting, but not as much as something else that I’ve been struck with, lately.”
Genth lit the brazier nearby. Even this deep into the Hall of Voices, the cold outside crept into the stone building over time. Neither were shivering, but there was no point in being uncomfortable while important business was discussed.
Sena took his silence as permission to continue. “Do you remember a little over two years ago, when I was trying to track down that missing stranger?” Her tail flicked back and forth at the memory, and she suppressed a frustrated growl in her throat.
The High Commander looked at her with concern. “I remember, and I remember you were unnaturally obsessed with it for months. I don’t really understand your need to know, but then I guess that’s what makes you so good at your job. Is this linked to him, you think?”
She tapped the table with a clawed fingertip, baring fangs briefly at her less feral-looking friend. “I don’t think, I know. I just don’t know how they’re connected.” She slapped her hand on the table and snarled, flattening her ears.
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Genth raised an eyebrow at the outburst, so Sena grumbled an explanation, her calm facade now returned. “The whole setup… the System stating there is a problem, the monsters multiplying, the challenge centered around one place… it’s all something I’ve heard before.” She narrowed her eyes. “It’s the same story the stranger told, right before he vanished without a trace.”
This time, it caught Genth’s attention much more directly. He settled on his stool, sitting across from Sena with his eyes focused on her intently. “I’ve heard that story. It’s been making the rounds with the troops ever since we found this place. I didn’t know it was that old.”
“He’s the first that told it.” Sena scowled again. “But here is the more worrying part. His original story doesn’t seem to have come from anywhere. I borrowed a flark a few times and tried to find the place where he’d talked about… there were only a few possibilities. No evidence of anything like that.”
The revelation made Genth frown and cross his arms, staring at his counterpart thoughtfully. “So the story had no sign of truth… until something exactly like it happened right on our borders.” He paused and his eyes widened. “… and so we knew exactly what we were dealing with before we even set foot inside. He knew…”
Sena spread her hands wide. “Yes… but why?” Her tail swat the leg of the stool she was on, and she tightened her grip on her emotions with a deep breath. “How did he know? Did he somehow cause it? Was the story true, but now the tribe has been wiped out? Why tell a story and then vanish, just to tell us what would happen years later?”
A sudden warmth grasping her hand brought Sena back to the present. Genth squeezed her hand and shook his head. “You have that look about you. Stop thinking about it for now. He’s gone and already did what he intended, I think. What we need to consider is what to do now.”
The prompt forced Sena to curl her tail around the stool leg, cutting down on her fidgeting motions. “Yes… yes of course. I think that is obvious. We do need to find out if the rest of the story is true. Someone needs to ‘beat’ this ‘dungeon’ and quickly. The Balten want it too, and if it comes to war, we should know what we’re fighting over.”
“Agreed,” Genth rumbled, scratching at his chin. Sena noticed that some stubble was growing in on the normally clean-shaven face. Had he been that busy?
Oblivious to her silent observation, the Commander continued. “I can spare a caster, and possibly two, for something like this. I’ll form a special team. Can you spare a field agent? I trust my men, but we’ll need someone used to observation.”
Sena sighed, tapping her tail’s tip on the stool while she considered. “I think I know just the person, but only for this job. We’ll need a more permanent solution.”
“What do you mean?” Genth raised an eyebrow again, the murky black pools of his eyes unfathomable even by Sena. His Totem was subtle, but at his level some signs still manifested.
The spymaster tapped her fingers together. “Everything about the story proved true… so far. We should be prepared for more of these ‘dungeons’ to appear. We cannot spare the manpower to assemble a specialized small team every time one of these appears, and once beaten it will apparently stay present as a source of experience.”
Genth grunted and leaned back, tapping his finger on the table. “A good point. Did you have any ideas?”
Sena glanced at her Status briefly before she answered.
“A few.”
The city of Chall rarely saw large new buildings erected. Repaired or replaced, yes, but not completely new ones.
So there was much talk when a portion of the merchant district bordering the administrative district was demolished, and new foundation slabs carved out and placed. Rumors flew wildly about what was to be built there, especially when curious inquiries could not surface who had commissioned the large and obviously very expensive space.
The most anyone could gather was that it was a coalition of wealthy patrons who wish to remain anonymous. This drew more questions once it was learned, for no one could theorize why such a large building would be needed. For a brief time, rumors and conjecture spread like wildfire, leading to many a wild tail in the ends and taverns that hosted the various travelers passing through the capital city.
Yet, even with the superb engineers of the great Domain of Chall, construction takes time. Materials must be sourced, layouts planned and rechecked, and many steps rely on earlier steps. The workers were fast, but only so much could be done in one day.
Over time the construction became a regular sight for the citizens. Curiosity and discussion still occurred, but it was no longer on the forefront of everyone's mind. War was brewing, so they said, and that meant change. Struggle for many, and opportunity for some. The purpose of the mysterious building was left to be investigated later by most.
It was only once the walls took shape, and the roof began to be added that it once more came into the public consciousness. Like most of the world, the system encouraged literacy, so signs for buildings were extremely common. With the walls done the furniture and doors could be installed – and with them the signs, including the one above the front door.
It was here in Chall, amidst the first Great Dungeon War, that the first Dungeoneering Academy opened its doors.
The Playful Elf