“Strip them and roll them down the stairs.” Frazier argued.

  “It might save one of our lives later,.” Gull said to Zif in a consoling tone.

  “Fine but we will be fighting them again soon.” Zif said as he turned away to deal with his three fallen brothers.

  “Hey cow people, we are going to roll down your wounded. You can send two people to collect them but no more.” Frazier shouted down the stairwell. It was surprising they spoke Common as had Desanigh even if their accents were strange.

  Franco double checked both of the wounded minotaurs he was watching. Stripping off a silver ban on the left horn of the one lying on the ground. He had the less wounded one strip the gear off the other as well as itself but it had left that one on.

  “Alright, get going.” Franco said, waving his wand towards the stairwell. The larger one that had taken a pike to its left leg helped the more wounded minotaur up. She had taken a wide cut in her gut. A wadded up blood soaked tunic was the only thing keeping her guts in.

  “Thank you human” the minotaur mumbled as it helped the other down the stairs, when they were halfway down the first flight of stairs two unarmed minotaurs came around the corner to help.

  Soon Sarah sent down the two prisoners she was watching and then Frazier and Maph sent down the three they watched over. Gull and Oaken had positioned themselves to overlook the stairwell and provide magical overwatch. While Finn went through and found anything of value on the minotaurs that the golems had fought. Most of the wounded had come from the golems fighting as the adventurers didn't leave many of those who they had fought alive.

  Zif himself and Franco’s team had left only two alive when they fought. With the wounded minotaurs out of the way Franco started to search and strip the dead by where he fought. An unwritten rule of adventurers in situations like this was that you got first right to search kills you had made yourself. Using his detect magic wand he quickly checked each one and found some rings of gold and silver, bands that went around horns and two magical bracelets he wasn't sure what they did but those he placed carefully in a leather pouch he took off the dead. Their weapons were Tin to Copper rated at best as was their armor. He piled those up off to the side against a wall and left them there so the others could check and see if he missed anything. If they lived and had the chance later he might come back for it, but that would be a lot of weight to carry up a lot of stairs for some silver or a few gold at best.

  While a Tin rated weapon might cost you a gold to buy at the cheapest. No merchant was buying them for that amount. He left the dead where they lay as golems were dragging them away to dispose of them. Zif had summoned more golems. Those that had been guarding the different levels behind them while awakening more to fill their spots but this seemed to be more important to him. They gathered in a workshop behind the stairwell entrance as ten golems were positioned around the stairs downward and spread out. Ready to respond to any attempt to come up the stairs. Zif stood in the doorway so he could see them and the stairwell just down the hallway.

  “Health and gear check first.” Frazier said as they gathered for the first time after the fight.

  “I’m healthy but need to rest at least a few hours. I need sleep. My gauntlets are ruined and Brother Zif had to pry them off of me. I am down to one health potion and one stamina.” Maph said, sitting down. Helmet off as he had his back against a wall.

  Frazier looked to Franco.

  “My ribs are bruised and my chest hurts but I’m good enough to fight. Need a few hours of sleep myself, and I also only have one Healing potion. My armor needs work before the next fight but if I can get a small hammer from Zif I can bang it into enough shape to last I think.” Franco said as he threw his armor on the ground and laid next to it.

  “I’m fine but I did have to use a Healing potion so I’m down to two left. I was able to recover most of my normal bolts so I should be good for another two fights at least there. What about you four.” Frazier said as she looked at Gull, Finn, Sarah and Oaken. The two Gold Rankers gave a triple thumbs up so Frazier looked to her teammates.

  “I’m good, let's talk loot.” Sarah said.

  This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

  Frazier shook her head no and pointed at Oaken.

  “How's your Mana?”

  Oaken trilled and sighed “Still need to rest at least half a day day to get enough Mana for a big fight.”

  “Good, let's do loot,.” Sarah said as she sat down and pulled out a mostly blood free tunic from her backpack that she unrolled to show two rings, a bracelet and a golden horn band. Franco put out the two magical bracelets he found while Maph pulled out a small pocket knife that looked to have a black stone sheath while Frazier pulled out a small bag. Gull and Finn stepped over to look at the spread of items.

  “So does anyone have any idea what they do?” Oaken said as he looked over Franco’s shoulder. The group looked at the two experienced Gold rankers. When they did that Gull turned to Finn who sighed.

  “I could figure most of it out in time but I know a faster way,.” Finn said before he turned to the door and asked Zif.

  “Can you tell us what these do? They could help us fight the minotaurs”.

  Zif stepped into the room then and Franco along with the rest of the team moved out of the way in the large open space of this old workshop, as the large golem got on one knee and picked up an item in each hand. Putting three down almost instantly and picking up different ones until he held three items. Zif first held up a blue stone ring that had a twisting band of yellow in it and was sized to fit a minotaur's finger.

  “This is the best item. It’s a lesser Mana well. For you Oaken it would do the most good. Adding around one fourth more Mana to you.” Zif said as he gave it to Oaken. Who held it and looked around at his group. Zif then held up one of the bracelets. This one a thick band of hard leather that almost formed a complete circle that had a complex knot of gold and blue wire thin lines.

  “This is a lesser arrow deflection. An arrow set to hit you in your eye will now hit next to your eye. Its effect is good but very minor. Probably best for someone fast moving or slow and in the back. I am not sure who it's best for.” He put that one back on the ground and held up the little bag. Just big enough to hold half a canteen of water.

  “This is a superior crafted bag of preservation. Fresh bread put in here would taste fresh three days later.” Zif said as he tossed it down as he pointed out the rest.

  “The rest is trash, a ring of pairing which allows you to know where the matching ring is and they you. A bracelet of lesser cave gathering. The horn band is for lesser menstruation pain and the knife is of Desanigh but is a common quality stone working knife which would make a good standard pocket knife.” Zif said before standing and looking at the group.

  “They are trying to break into the Grand Armory. We must speak of this now.” Zif said, his metallic voice grave. Both Frazier and Sarah grabbed the horn band at the same time and Sarah smiled as Frazier blew out her nostrils and let go of the band. Frazier pulled some gold coins out and Sarah waved them away. Frazier then pulled out a glowing red ball. Sarah’s eyes went wide but she bit her lip for just a second and then shook her head no. Then she picked up her arrow deflection bracelet and put it on.

  “This is in line with the task I have given you but we now face two minotaur clans. That last I knew hated each other, yes that was nearly five hundred years ago but the situation grows more dangerous.” Zif spoke in a serious tone.

  Franco reached for his bracer of lesser cave gathering but Finn knelt next to him and presented him one healing potion and nodded towards the bracelet. Finn was a [Vangaband-Merchant] and he probably had some value sense on him but Franco needed that healing potion.

  “The Dungeon awakening must have forced them to make this push which they knew would awaken me, but would they expect you. I do not think they would. They must feel they have a way past the Grand Armory’s many locks and safeguards but this push of theirs is risky.” Zif spoke to their room.

  Sarah looked to Oaken who was slowly stepping away as if not to be noticed. His eyes went wide at Sarah’s continued look at him and he clutched the ring tighter in his third hand. After a few seconds she blew out her checks and stuck out her tongue before waving off Oaken who pumped his third fist in victory and put the ring on his larger left hand. The ring luckily fit on its fat thumb.

  “I will reward you greatly and think much of this Expedition if you continue with me past this floor and into what must be two clans worth of warriors by the entrance to the Grand Armory.” Zif said with just a hint of pleading.

  Finn waved the Healing potion in his right larger hand while now presenting him five gold coins in his left hand. Franco just held out the bracelet to Finn who took it and quickly handed over the potion and gold. Franco knew it must be worth at least 50 gold for him to spend 20 on it here.

  “So will you go with me down two more floors into the heart of battle?” Zif asked.

  Frazier, who was still trying to offer things to Sarah for the band, turned to him.

  “Of course, we just need rest and Franco needs some tools to fix his armor.” Frazier said as she went back to haggling with Sarah. Zif stood and looked around the room. Only Gull had his eyes on him and he smiled at the golem.

  “I will help with your recovery then, a brother golem is on its way with the tools Franco needs and it will fix it as you rest. It is also bringing a Tea of Restoration. A very limited item after all these years but luckily it only grows stronger as it ages in a Mana rich environment. That should see you all ready in four hours I hope.”