The Tower in the Shadows

"Come on! Someone use more skills or spells… even die in a stupid way, please!"

The last few weeks have been a gruelling test of patience as my essence count crawled up at a snail's pace. Skills and spells were used, but their effects were so minimal that I could barely discern any improvement in the generated essence. It was a slow, agonising process, with the promise of progress always just out of reach. And in this time, not a single death to break the monotony!

"98%! Come on!"

As a case in point, the first floor was currently a battleground, with a group of Tins led by a seasoned mentor engaging the boss. The wasp, a formidable adversary, was darting in and out, seeking an opening, but the young group was displaying remarkable teamwork and strategic prowess, effectively thwarting its every move. They were acutely aware of the boss's power and the room's layout, using this knowledge to their advantage.

The emptying red health bar was telling me how the fight was going.

"Looks like they will finish and the miners will roll in."

This team had been here several times and was almost ready to go to the second floor. They were led by a level-headed woman of about twenty who kept them focused and within their limits.

"I bloody hate competent bloody leadership!"

Almost on cue, the boss died to a well-placed arrow, and the young group celebrated their second takedown of the boss.

"No injuries this time."

I had been seeing the regular groups that listened to their mentor's progress and got better. It seemed the idiots and stupidly greedy from the last influx were dead. Go, me!

"Well, the miners will be here in a few minutes."

I am strangely happy to see the miners now. At first, I ignored them, but now I have realised they are a bit of a gaggle of gossips who tell me about what is happening in the town outside.

"Let's review—lots of building. More people are coming daily. Some shortages. Things are getting better with several new inns and taverns."

That was what they had been talking about for the last five days. Sure, there were a few other things like courtships, cheating and, strangely enough, a lot of priests arguing.

They were unsure what the arguing was about, but it concerned me somehow, so I was interested in discovering more. Alas, I haven't had any success yet.

They were smart enough to keep their heads down and avoid local politics like the plague, which was both annoying and something I respected. Many used to say politics is what gets you killed. Considering what politicians used to get up to and what happened to many, death was preferable.

The Tin team collected their rewards and left the Dungeon. I watched them leave and consider different concepts for the next floor. I had been debating with myself about using this time to refine my core more, but with the goal of the fifth floor being so close, I wanted to get started at full CP as soon as I recovered from levelling up.

I regret that a little at the moment.

"Right, if the time of day is correct, I will have miners next."

With my attention on the door, I waited for my next group.

## ## ## ## ##

Mags walked into one of the rooms they had managed to rent. She was tired and needed a bath from the journey back to Shadow Vale. Gran had them down around Tyboon for the last few weeks, fulfilling a couple of Guild contracts.

She dropped her pack on the floor and took off her travelling boots. With a sigh of relief, she laid out across the bed. It was a straw mattress and pillow, but she did not care at the moment.

She took a few moments to collect herself, having come up from the common room early to take the next step along her Path. Her group knew and celebrated when they had returned, but now gave her the space she needed to take the step.

She was excited to have finally reached her twenty-fourth step and was focusing her mind on taking it.

"Oh, Ilinia, Goddess of healing, children and love, let this step guide me along the path I have chosen to embrace your purpose."

She uttered the prayer all of her Goddess clergy did before taking their next step. Closing her eyes, she reached out into her mind for the part of it that governed the walking of her Path.

Congratulations! Mags, as a [Priestess of Ilinia], you have worked and struggled to reach the next step along your Path of Ascension.

The words floated into her vision. They always excited her, like it was the first time, even now.

It is time to choose how the Path will change you and be judged for the route you took to get here.

Now, she focused on the critical part that had begun. She looked into her mind and saw the outline of an image of herself. Around her were nine spheres of light blue. She knew they represented strength, dexterity, agility, vitality, perception, intelligence, willpower, and luck from her tutoring when she started.

She was granted the ability to add to these spheres as she walked her Path. The spheres of intelligence and willpower were much larger than the others, allowing her to hold more mana within her body for her spells. She had added to the other spheres over the years, but those two were the primary recipes of her Steps.

She reached out and touched them and the vitality sphere. When she made contact, they turned golden in colour.

"I have chosen." She spoke in her mind.

Now, it is time for judgment…... Mags, you have honoured and fulfilled the duties as a [Priestess of Ilinia]! Your divine patron smiles at your works! You have… been rewarded with the skill [Mana Efficiency] for this step. This allows you to cast your spells at a slightly reduced cost!

It is time to take the step. Are you ready?

"Yes"

With this, she fell into darkness…

…. And suddenly snapped awake.

Sitting up, she looked around. Morning sunlight was flooding through the gaps in the shutters. The bed next to her was unmade from Hena sleeping in it. Taking stock, Mags noted the weariness in her body and the slight echo of a headache. These were the results of the changes she had gone through.

Knowledge of her new skill flowed through her mind. Within a few heartbeats, she had come to terms with how it could be used.

Rising from the bed, she shed the clothes she had been wearing. There was a large copper bowl of clean water on the table. Testing it with her finger, she found it to be lukewarm.

"Good enough."

She set about cleaning herself. When this was done, she pulled a prayer rug from her pack and unrolled it onto the floor. Kneeling on it, she started her daily rituals.

"Oh patron blessed and kind Ilinia, hear my prayers as your humble servant. I thank you…."

The words came from her, and she entered a semi-meditative trance as she recited the prayer verses. The act allowed her to open herself to her Goddess, and she soon felt some of the divine presence fill her. Sensing nothing but happiness and approval, Mags knew she was walking the right Path with her patron and letting out a deep sigh as it withdrew.

When she opened her eyes, she gathered her thoughts. A new temple had been built in the town for her Goddess, and she could have gone there. The tensions in the new district were palpable. The further you walked along the Path of a God, the more you could sense their thoughts and emotions. Right now, there is a great deal of tension between the two courts. Strangely, it seemed not to be directed at the other but more towards the God of Balance, Oda. Even the more neutral Gods were, for some reason, unhappy with him.

Why?

That was the question on all the clergy's lips. The normal means of understanding divine will and interactions were proving to be insufficient. Whatever was happening amongst the divine was being kept there, but what had been gleaned involved this Dungeon.

Mags wanted to meditate more on it, but her stomach made its will known.

"Better see what the others are up to."

Mags dressed and made her way downstairs to the common room. It was well into morning and most of the workers were not present. Adventurers were now the greatest number in the room. They were not dressed to go to the Dungeon, so they waited for their turn like her.

Mags was seen by Tobar, who stood there and waved her over to their table. They were breaking their fast and she joined them.

"We have the first slot in two days." Gran spoke between bites of bread.

"Why so long?" Nilus asked. In response, Gran waved to the room full of people like them.

"How was your step, Mags?" Hena asked.

"It went well, and I received a new skill." Her group congratulated her. Hena and Tobar both had recently made a step, with the others indicating they would soon as well.

The room was full of noise from different conversations. The staff navigated the room with practised ease, a far cry from the first weeks after the tavern was built. Jontar, the owner, was expanding by building a new tavern around this one. Once done, he planned to knock this one down and incorporate its space into the new Shadows Rest.

Gran leaned to speak in a more hushed tone.

"Any idea what this issue is with the temples?"

"No. I have been avoiding mine not to get dragged into whatever is happening."

Leaning back, he nodded approvingly. Gran always sought to avoid drama that they could and did best to avoid.

The town was tense. The issues between the temples were straining the peace as the different priests and followers eyed each other. She knew from experience it only took one zealot or idiot to start a riot. The temple heads were watchful and ensured everyone knew they did not sanction any violence.

Lord Goldwind hurried through the room, trailed by several people who were all complaining about some issue.

"I suspect he is regretting his claim of Right of Discovery now?" Nilus quipped.

Not one member of the group disagreed with him. From their brief glimpse of him, the man looked haggard and exhausted. Such was the price of being in charge.

"Are we going to clear the third and fourth floors when our rotation comes up?" Hena asked Gran.

"Yes. Both bosses alone are worth it. We might take our time on the third harvesting every boar."

Mags thought that adding this to what was being offered for different parts of the two bosses would take time but be worth nearly half a year in base expenses. She helped Gran run the team's finances and knew they were in a good place, but this single run would give them plenty to lean on in hard times.

"We will use standard tactics when we are in there. Kimor will take care of the harvesting and Tobar and I will help with the carrying."

Gran was practical and was a strong believer in planning ahead.

"Nothing fancy or cocky. We go in, clear each room, harvest what we can and move on."

They all nodded, understanding what each was required to do, but as always, Nilus had a question or, this time, worse, an idea.

"I have seen a kill and retrieval request for the sharoon that hangs around the entry room. I think we should go after it."

"Why?" Was Gran's reply.

"It is a curiosity. Why is it there? What is its function in the Dungeon? People are interested and are offering good money to find out."

Gran was silent for a few heartbeats.

"Has it attacked anyone?" He asked.

"Er… No. I think."

"Then no, we will not."

"We will lose out on quite a bit of coin."

"I do not want to risk it."

"Risk what?" Nilus was confused, and Gran released a deep sigh of resignation mixed with frustration.

"Nilus. Listen to me. This Dungeon does strange things. We all know this. But everything it does will seem strange and will have a purpose. Think of the third floor. Why not have the three boars just before the boss and not in the second room? Why it eliminates adventurers faster because a lot of the young bloods get cocky after overcoming them, not realising that the next rooms are designed to wear them down before fighting the boss."

Nilus nodded along as Gran spoke.

"Then what is the purpose of the sharoon? I have no idea. But I know this: I do not want to make a highly intelligent Dungeon mad at me. Do you?"

This made Nilus think. In Mags's experience, it is not easy to do. He never spoke for a time as they ate but eventually said.

"I think ignoring the request might be a good idea."

Most of the group smiled at this and continued eating.

The tavern door opened with a bang that drew everyone's attention. There standing in it was a town messenger.

"Attention all Adventurers! The Dungeon is sealed as it is expanding due to a part wipe! All delve rotas are suspended to be redrawn!"

A loud groan went through the assembled adventurers. Gran's team looked at each other. Mags knew that they were the most likely team to explore it when the Dungeon reopened and the fifth floor was revealed.

"Well, we have some time to replan what we will need," Gran said thoughtfully.