Framework of the Frontier, Sain Artwell [read me a book .TXT] 📗

Frustration built up like rust. This would be the dumbest idea ever. I already know she’s gonna bite me in the ass later, or betray me right away.

“Hey, Ranger.” Redbeard nudged his head in William’s direction, breaking his ruminations. “We’re going up. Gonna wanna have a chat with you.”

“Hey, wait a moment,” Nevija hollered after them. “I’ve something to tell you.”

“Oh, what is it?”

Her eyes said, time’s up.

“Fuck. Alright, alright. Consider your ‘misunderstanding’ cleared up.” William unlocked the cell door.

Nevija’s full shit eating grin missed a canine. “Atta boy. See, I knew you’d make a brilliant Ranger.”

Never had he ever hated opening cuffs as much. Not even a shoplifting Karen he had to let go after cops were too lazy to show up had stung as bad. William caught Nevija by the arm as she stepped out of her cell, whispering to her kitty ear. “You’re free, assuming everything stays hush. I hear one word about people coming for Rulu or leviathan rolling into town ahead of schedule and—”

“Aww, relax mister Ranger.” She patted his cheek condescendingly. “I’ll spin a nice story for how it all happened. Now, be seeing you.” Nevija strutted after Rajza’s old goons, wrapping an arm around the red bearded faun’s. “Hey, say, do you have a use for a skilled trapper and a scout?”

Climbing stairs, William felt exhausted and defeated, as if the leviathan had come around for round two of ‘let’s mop the floor with William’. He gave his head a pat, focused the divine energies for a blessing, and said, “I bless my willpower.”

It worked even without the ‘God’. A familiar surge of clarity and mental calm washed over him, removing all stress, if only momentarily. It sure felt good to not be on any divine mission or owe anything to a man up high.

Four days left to prepare, and that’s if I’m lucky and a murderer keeps her word. Sceptre or no sceptre, we’ve got to hurry with the Primordial Maze. That place will take months with the three of us. None of us is a dungeoneer.

We need help.

William joined Ember and Rulu after locking up the dungeon.

“How did it go? Why did you release her?” Ember’s forehead wrinkled with disappointment.

“I’ll explain later.” William glanced outside at Orien and Trotto, who were chatting nearby. If he remembered anything from the whiskey night, he remembered Trotto oversharing about how they had been scouting for new dungeons to delve. “Ember, the Primordial Maze is your big project and goal, but I think we need help. It’s your call though.”

She kicked dirt, thinking. Her contemplation crystallized in an encouraging, if forced, smile. “Go ask them to join us. This is about more than me proving some idiots back in Adamant Archives that I can be a real wizard too. I would never want my selfish ambitions for glory and fame to be the reason we lost a dear friend.”

22

“See any of them?” William shouted at Rulu.

He, Ember, and Orien’s gang of six huddled at the far corner of the circular hallway. At forty-fifty feet from the terrace that opened into the gravity defying architecture, they were outside the range of the slugs’ mind-fuckery, but close enough to provide Rulu ranged support. On top of that, they had hooped steel reinforced rope around Rulu’s waist for an emergency bailout.

Rulu inspected the chamber methodically. Her eyes flashed gentle green and a fat face-changer leech dropped from the wall behind her. They flashed again two more times and two more fell. After a minute of looking, she shouted back, “I sense no more of them.”

“Aight, hoof bros you go in and map out the room. Fetch Trotto one of the corpses to sniff their scent. Oh, and are the inner doors any different from the outer ones?” Orien looked between William and Ember, who shook her head.

“I don’t think so?” Ember gave William an uncertain look. “The golems are the ones opening and closing the doors they come across.”

Eren jogged back with a fresh cat-sized face-mimic to give to Trotto. “A delicious faun-faced crawler for you my sir, fresh off the floor with a pinch of dust seasoning.”

“Yuck. Could’ve used more dust.” Trotto pinched it by the tail, drawing a reluctant sniff.

“Seen any of these before?” William asked him.

“Only smelled anything as bad near Ori’s panties after half a month’s delve.”

“I’m the one who puts up with troll sweat!” The triton gave her hubby a huffy scowl. “Your breath alone smells worse than my crotch.”

“Explains why I feel so nice and fresh after eating some.” Trotto smacked his lips.

Orien snorted and punched the troll’s arm.

“Ori. Hey, Ori! The cube looks clear for the most part. There’s a nest of face-slugs on the other side, but no other threats from what we see. Come on over so we can scout further.”

“Have to say,” William began, “I’m damn relieved to have you with us. This was nerve wracking to explore by our threesome.”

“Raneign, Duhie, and Ember in the rear. Trotto and Will with me.” Orien directed them to advance, weapons ready. “Ye… A party of three isn’t even enough for a proper night-watch rotation. Honestly it’s a miracle you’re alive. Golems, magic eaters, dimensional hallways, and entrancing mind-fuck-worms. I’d say this is one of the most impressive death traps we’ve delved.”

“Huh? It’s not so bad. Thus far, I’d give it half-an undead gnome burrow on deadliness, two empty hallways for ambiance, and a triton’s ass for cuisine.” Trotto’s chuckle stopped the moment he stepped into the central hall. “Put the ambiance at three Hill King’s Mounds…”

“Most impressive death trap I’ve delved into…” Orien took one deep breath and a look at the place, before gesturing at Eren and Veren. “Aight hoofsies, what’s the plan?”

They made a temporary camp at the doorway. Meanwhile, Eren and Veren embarked on