There's a cracking sound and then another, a large crack appears on the bed of ice. The knight's sword pierces through it sending large chunks of ice flying away, he hops out of the ice. He looks around and sees the towering giant frozen to the bone.
Now you're just an ice sculpture, you'd look good in the sun, what a waste. He turns around and runs off.
I wonder if he made it out in time
Cold air fills the room, taking the place of the mist but they weren't as dense and so he could see through. He runs past the corpse of the paladin, the ice got to it.
I've really got to master that attack, at least we would have had something to take back to his family. He sighs
He sees healer, he doesn't see his face as he has his back to him. The wizard is standing further down the hall. He looks in great distress, they are zombie corpses littered everywhere.
What! They made it this far.
The emerald on wizards staff, let's out a violent blast at the healer, sending the wizard flying across the hall toward to knight
What are you doing!
There's a growl. The knight gasps
No!
The healer begins to move, he gets up, sluggishly, his face still away from view, he turns around slowly, blood driving from his mouth, the knight sees his face.
He's been zombified, he says. The wizards hands trembles and tears flushed his eyes
Please, don't make me do this, Acer please, let's go home, you and me.
The healer runs at him, the wizard screams in anguish as he prepares to blast away his friend. The emerald glows bright as the zombie gets to him. There eyes it and in them he sees the memories of his lost friend. He gets scared and the light of emerald dies out.
He gasps
What, Acer no
I never thought much of you, but that day
He it's seems your injured
Huh, he stood there with blood dripping down his shirt.
What do you mean were in battle afterwards you can heal me.
I'd never seen anybody heal that fast.
I only stuck with you for the boost you gave me, I'm sorry but that's the truth, every time you were at my side, my magic got more powerful, you made me better. I guess at some point without me knowing, you became my friend.
The zombie healer jumped at him, he could still see his friends face behind the tinged eyes, vile expression and blood soaked teeth.
He drops his staff
I guess this is it then.
The knight appears behind the healer and cuts him in half. The body lands on the ground.
No! The wizard drops to the floor in tears. He hears it growl. He looks up and the healer starts to move again. Dragging it's top half against the bare floor. The knight steps on it, freezing it completely.
Are you okay?
The wizard shrieks in pain
What's that! Did he bite you
I'm afraid so.
We have to get out of here quickly.
Won't you, won't you get the emerald, you killed the boss didn't you, go get your emerald, leave me, I'm lost. The knight lifts him up and puts him on his shoulder
You've still got time
No, I'm dying it's killing me, I'm out of time, go get your emerald, at least you'll have something to show the guild. Tears run down his face. don't let our life go to waste, don't let their sacrifices, don't let.. He breaks down crying.
I don't want to die. I thought, I thought we could do it, we could get through the dungeon, I, I've seen now why you are the way you are, just have many squads have you lost here? Just how many have you seen die?
Come on we've got to go
How many!
It doesn't matter, just be quiet
Please tell me. Tears swelling in his eyes.
Just hold on, I'll buy you more time. He touches his body lightly and the wizard begins to freeze over.
Don't worry, it won't kill you, it's just slow you down, hopefully that'll buy you enough time.
Hope!? He says dozing off, he head falls on the knights back
The knight turns back to the frozen giant, he sees the flash of a green emerald.
Could have gotten new armor for that. He turns the other way and runs off out of the dungeon.
....
The warmth of the evening sun filled the room. A young lady closes the windows of a small room while an old lady sits on a rocking chair by a bed smoking a pipe. She bolts the window and turns to her
I thought I told you no to smoke when there's a patient here.
The old laughs, it sounds a bit like mockery. yeah yeah, it helps, these are herbs you know , they'll strengthen his bones.
You lie, poor boys have been through the worst of the dungeon and now you're trying to finish him off with your pipe.
Yeah that reminds me, did you see Asher return with any emerald
She shakes her head. I didn't see anything, just this body on his back, he had him frozen too .
The old lady sighs, exhaling smoke clouds, he's done it again hasn't he. How will he pay me now?
You mean he returned with nothing again.
The old lady nods. They might just take away his license this time.
But, it's not his fault.
That's not my business I want him to pay me that's all..if he returns with nothing how is he going to afford the journey up again, it's simple maths.
But his a knight don't they have such privileges
Some, but whether he's a knight or not sooner or later the guild will grow tired of him. Hell I know I have. There's a lot of people from around the world coming in to apply for a dungeon pass. I don't think they just keep a spot reserved for a useless knight like him.
Hey! Don't call him that!
But that's what he is! Don't tell me you've got a crush on him or something
What?, she blushes. No!
The old lady burst out laughing, you haven't even seen his face yet
Yeah,she's sounding a bit disappointed. I begged him to show me one, but he refused
She laughs even harder.
What's so funny!
I just thought something, he could… Barely holding back her laugh… He could be a pig under there. He burst out laughing laughing so hard she slaps the bed hard
What! She says, annoyed. But the image crossed her mind and she couldn't help but chuckle along. I guess that a little funny
See I told you. She laughs even harder.
The young wizard on the bed shuffles in his sleep.
This one's been sleeping for a day now.
The young lady sighs longingly . I wonder where he is.
A carriage rolls by the guild building as it passes the rider takes a stick and schuff the knight out the back.
Damn knight fell asleep again. No more free rides. Knight gets off the mud.
Thank you, Mr Mugs
Shesh, he's always so grumpy, he turns to the guild build, the flags bellowing in the wind the sun reflecting off its silver colored bricks. It looked like a great cathedral with the gates all wide open. The crest of the three headed dragon hangs just above the entrance. He stands there's taking it all in
And now to go get fired.
As he walks in several people pass by him, a squad of four work by him, chatting in glee about getting their licenses.
He sighs,feeling abit low.
I'm gonna lose mine. Third squad in three months, that's like a new record.
He gets into the main building, into the large hall, crowded with people. A large group of people cramp around a large board by the side. He looks at them.
I remember those days. Wait If I get a new squad I would still have to go through basic training.
He'll force me to do that again.
Hey Asher! A voice called out to him. What are you doing here?
Asher turns to his left, his eyes peering through his jagged armor.
Thought you were supposed to be in heaven.
Damn, it's Oscar. It's a dwarf seated at a table by a bar.
Come over here. He walks over to him.
What do you want Oscar?
Boy, you look horrible, did you fall off a wagon or something?
Well I thought you were in heaven. He looks around as if looking for something. So where's your squad, huh?
Asher takes a sit
Come on go get something from the bar. Must be hard losing all of them like that.
Hey steward! get this man some milk!.
Can't you see this man here's a loser! He busts out laughing
I'm sorry, I'm sorry. He's thirsty, he busts at laugh
Ha, ha Oscar, very funny. What are you still doing down here
No, no I'm not down, Asher that's where you're wrong, I might as well be up there in heaven. He chuckle
Asher, looks at his pitcher it's half empty
I think you've had too ale, oscar
He laughs. What I mean is this, though I may be down here, I get everything I need here so when I go up there I'll be well prepared for what comes. So I don't go in blindly, I wouldn't want to pull an Asher. He laughs
You see information is power, and information slips through the dungeon, traps and all, and it gets down here, down to me, that's how I knew you'd lost again, asher and that is how I know how to get to level ten.
What? how?
Oscar's chuckle, well while you were busy get slaughtered by a level five boss, he's majesty was busy getting through levels eight and nine
Woah
The princess is his betrothed after all, he would want the likes of you, stealing her hand now would he . Not like you'd have a chance anyways. No one knows what you look like. For all we know you could be a pig under there.
Asher grumbles. Is that what people are saying about me
Oscar burst out laughing. Yeah. I started that rumor. He laughs harder.
You don't look any better, with that beard on your face.
In my tribe this are an ode of beauty
Asher burst out laughing. What? looks like armpit hair to me, Asher laughs harder.
Oscar gets very angry, he lunges across the table and grabs his helmet trying to pull it off. He screams, instantly recoiling his hand on he reflex,
Ouch, so cold, you scum! You froze my fingers
Asher breaths out a gust of cold wind and chuckle
You don't stand a chance.