Dungeon Champions

The perpetrator was long gone by the time the rest of my party showed up. We decided to look around the hold. There was no way I was going back to Captain Drake empty-handed if I could avoid it. Nym tried to use her Arcane Familiarity skill to figure out the magic used to escape us, but there wasn’t anything she could grasp. It was almost as if the figure hadn’t cast any magic at all.

But how had it turned to mist then?

Trying to suppress my frustration, I checked out the box it had been focused on opening.

It had almost succeeded in getting the crate open before I interrupted. A quick jimmy of the crowbar-like tool released the nails holding it shut. I quickly realized it wasn’t one of the ones containing the mysterious spheres.

This box was smaller, and when I pried it open, I found it filled with an assortment of strange objects.

“What is all this?” Merielle asked, peering over my shoulder.

I carefully lifted out a small, ornate mirror with symbols etched around its frame. “I’m not sure. Skullie, any ideas?”

Skullie who was low on mana after the fight earlier, bent over my shoulder. His eye sockets glowed faintly as he examined the mirror.

“Fascinating,” he muttered. “That’s a scrying mirror. Very powerful, very rare. It allows the user to see distant places or people.”

I set the mirror aside and reached back into the crate. My hand closed around something cold and metallic. I pulled out an intricately crafted key, its surface covered in swirling patterns that seemed to move when I wasn’t looking directly at them.

“And this?” I asked, holding it up for Skullie to see.

The skull’s jaw creaked as he considered it. “A type of Veil Key, if I’m not mistaken. It can open portals between different planes of existence.”

Britney’s eyes widened. “These are incredibly powerful magical artifacts,” she said, her voice hushed with awe. “I’ve only heard of Fate’s people or a few very powerful leaders with them. My father has one. What are they doing here?”

I frowned, setting the key next to the mirror. “Good question. Captain Drake didn’t mention them.”

“Nor did Merchant Giles.” Zuri tapped her thumbnail to her bottom lip in thought. “Is this related to the spheres? Different from it?”

“Who maintains trade in Boulibar Bay?” I asked.

“The Trade Regulation Bureau,” both Britney and Merielle answered simultaneously.

Britney looked to Merielle, who nodded.

“They’re a bureaucratic faction,” Britney said, scrunching up her nose like ‘bureaucratic’ was a curse. “Not like others. They…regulate everyone. Every bit of trade that moves through the Fae Wilds, the Trade Regulation Bureau has a hand in it.”

Merielle scoffed. “Not just a hand. If the Trade Regulation Bureau isn’t involved, the trade is considered illegal.”

“Is it just goods or…?”

Zuri shook her head. “Our rooms at Moonlight Home are regulated. The dinner we ate at The Wingtip, too.” She smirked and gave me a little shrug. “Back in Serpent’s Embrace we weren’t regulated, but we never traded with outsiders. It was all internal between medusa and their families and lovers, and the Trade Regulation Bureau wasn’t invited.”

I tapped the edge of the mirror. “Do you think these goods were regulated, or is this on the sly?”

Britney gave me a smile. It felt new, as if a chunk of the aloof arrogance had melted. “I know one person who can answer that for you.”

***

We brought our findings to Captain Drake as the sun was rising over the ocean. The string of colorful curses—including a handful of words I’d never heard before—confirmed my fears: the goods were unregistered and were thus being smuggled. And not by him.

After relaying our encounter with the misty person and the things they said, Captain Drake lowered his head into his hands. “I’m ruined. There’s no way out of this.”

I placed a hand on Drake’s shoulder. “Not necessarily. We can still salvage this situation.”

The captain looked up at me, his eyes weary. “How? I’ve got unregistered magical artifacts, some kind of mysterious spheres that are attracting monsters, and now a shape-shifting saboteur on board. The Trade Regulation Bureau will have my head.”

“Not if we play this right,” I said, my mind racing. “Look, we’ve got a couple of days before we reach Lans. That’s enough time to change our luck.”

Zuri nodded. “Jordan’s right. And remember, we were hired to protect this cargo. That includes protecting you and your crew.”

Drake ran a hand through his beard. “I appreciate that, but what exactly can we do?”

I paced the small cabin, thinking aloud. “First, we need to secure those artifacts. Move them in with the spheres—at least then we know they’re all in one place. Second, we double down on security. No one goes near the cargo hold without at least two of us present.”

“And what about the crew?” Zuri asked. “They’re already suspicious of us.”

I nodded. “We need to win them over. Show them we’re on their side. Maybe we can organize some kind of… I don’t know, team-building exercise?”

Everyone fixed me with a strange look.

“Okay, maybe not that. But we need…can we do a bonfire on a boat? Zuri can cook, we can serve drinks…something.”

I could see the wheels turning in Captain Drake’s mind as he considered my suggestion. After a moment, he nodded slowly.

“A bonfire’s out of the question—too dangerous on a wooden ship. But a feast…that could work. Boost morale, get everyone together. Might help ease some of the tension.”

Zuri’s eyes lit up. “I could prepare a special meal for the crew. Maybe a new recipe?”

“Good idea,” I said. “And while we’re at it, we can use the opportunity to subtly gather more information. See if anyone knows anything about our mysterious saboteur or these artifacts.”

Drake stroked his beard thoughtfully. “Aye, could work. But we’ll need to be careful. If word gets out about what we’re really carrying…”

“We’ll keep it quiet,” I assured him. “For now, let’s focus on securing the cargo and planning this feast. Captain, can you spread the word to the crew? Make it sound like a celebration of their bravery during the attack.”

Drake nodded, some of the weariness leaving his face. “I can do that. It’s been a while since we’ve had cause for celebration on this old tub.”

As the captain left to inform the crew, I turned to my team. “We’ve got work to do. Zuri, you’re responsible for the feast. Whatever you need, just let us know. Merielle, Britney, I want you two to discreetly talk to the crew. See if you can pick up any useful information or rumors. Nym, you and I will handle securing the cargo.”

Nym’s ears perked up at being assigned a task with me. “Sounds good! What exactly will we be doing?”

“We need to move those artifacts in with the spheres and set up some magical protections,” I explained.

Nym nodded, a resolute look on her face. “I’ll do my best.”

The others dispersed to their tasks, Nym and I made our way down to the cargo hold. We worked quickly but carefully, transferring the crate of artifacts to the section with the spheres.

“Okay,” I said, wiping sweat from my brow. “What kind of protective spells can you cast?”

“Absolutely none!” Nym said in a too-cheerful tone.

“Uh…oh. Hm. So how do we hide these?”

Nym shook her head. “By making it really obnoxious to get to them.” She grinned up at me, her ears and tail standing tall. “When you don’t want a kitten to play with something, you surround it with other things. We can’t mask the magical signature because it would still be detected as magic, right? So we surround it with stuff. Make it harder to get to. It isn’t foolproof, but it’ll slow down the seeker and give us time to respond.”

It took me a beat to process her logic, but once I did, I was impressed. “That’s clever thinking. Let’s get to work then.”

We spent the next hour rearranging crates and barrels, creating a maze around the section containing the spheres and artifacts. By the time we finished, anyone trying to reach them would have to navigate a complex path of heavy cargo.

“Not bad,” I said, surveying our handiwork. “It won’t stop a determined intruder, but it’ll slow them down and make a lot of noise in the process.”

Nym beamed at the praise, her tail swishing happily. “And if we hear any commotion down here, we’ll know something’s up!”

I ruffled her hair affectionately.

Turning her face up, she peeked at me through my parted fingers, her expression so obnoxiously adorable that it practically melted my heart. I felt a temptation, one that could go one of two directions.

Part of me remembered the feeling of her in my lap, vulnerable yet so terribly feminine. Then there was the leader, the Battle Scholar. I chose to lean into the latter.

“You did so good, Nym. Confronting your fears. This was the second fight in a row that your magic has made a difference. You’re saving lives.”

Moisture gathered in her big eyes. Her lips quivered as she leaned against my hand. “I…” She sniffed, inhaling. “Did I really?”

“You did.”

“But you and Merielle practically did all the fighting. Both of you got so, so hurt. And Britney nearly died! All I did was cast a couple spells.”

“A couple well-timed, well-aimed spells that bought us precious seconds to deal with that enemy spellcaster.” I stroked her hair, pouring absolute assurance into my voice. “Everyone contributed. But their successes in no way reduce, or limit, yours. What we do for one another is not a zero-sum game. We can all win. As a…team.”

I’d almost said ‘harem’ - but held back. Nym was just finding her footing, and I was still discovering the fire she lit inside both my chest and elsewhere.

There’s time for that discussion later, I thought, making it a promise to both of us.

She leaned closer, hugging me tightly. I returned the affection for several long seconds. Eventually, we parted and left our new maze behind.

Back topside, I could smell the enticing aroma of Zuri’s cooking wafting through the air. Crew members were bustling about, setting up tables and benches for the impromptu feast. The atmosphere had already shifted, with an air of excitement replacing the earlier tension.

Merielle and Britney approached us, looking pleased with themselves.

“Any luck?” I asked quietly.

Merielle nodded. “I picked up a few interesting tidbits. Nothing firm. One sailor has had a certain windfall that’s causing all sorts of talk, but he swears it’s a death in the family that’s allowed him to upgrade his living.”

“Something we obviously can’t confirm right now.”

“Exactly.” Merielle sighed. “Another rumor is that one of the new guys was caught talking to a wall earlier in the day, which caught my interest. But again, nothing firm.”

I turned my attention to Britney. “Anything to add?”

“You expected a Celestial Princess to go and chat up a bunch of sailors and expect her to hear anything but lewd comments about her body?” She grinned at me, fluffing her hair around the sides of her face. “You really are smarter than you look.”

The barbed banter momentarily took me aback, but I waved it aside. Predicting the celestial’s moods and turns of phrase had grown only more difficult over time, not less. I gestured for her to go on. “So, what’d you hear?”

“One of the older crew members had done some asking around when he found out what job they were taking. He’d found a survivor from the first boat Giles contracted that got hit.” Her voice turned soft. “Apparently the man was broken. Kept ranting about lights and monsters and men who walked through walls.”

“Those all sound familiar.”

“Right. Their captain apparently hadn’t trusted Giles and checked all the cargo before they left port and left a manifest with their wife. Drake’s sailor had confirmed there wasn’t anything weird on the list—no mention of spheres or strange artifacts.”

I frowned, processing this new information. “That means either the cargo was swapped out after they left port, or…”

“Or Giles is lying to everyone,” Zuri finished, joining our huddle. She wiped her hands on her apron, her brow furrowed in concern.

“Neither option is particularly comforting,” I muttered. “We need to be prepared for anything when we reach Lans.”

The sound of a bell ringing interrupted our discussion. Captain Drake’s voice boomed across the deck. “All right, you lot! Today’s feast is ready! Let’s celebrate our decisive victory over those sea monsters!”

A cheer went up from the crew as they began to gather around the tables Zuri had set up. Crew members brought over heaping bowls of hearty stew, filled with potatoes and leaks, fresh-caught fish and lots of spice. My mouth watered despite the gravity of our situation.

The captain continued, speaking in a loud, authoritative tone. “A big thank you to the adventurers who made this meal possible—without their skills you lot would be eating tack and liking it!”

A second cheer went out, this one more like a roar of approval.

Good. That’s just what we needed, I thought, trying to read the faces of the sailors. Several men we’d saved seemed the most enthusiastic. I made sure to meet their gazes and give them nods of recognition. Let them spread the word of how hard we fought, and how we saved their lives.

“We’ll continue this discussion later,” I said to my team. “For now, let’s mingle and see what else we can learn.”

We dispersed among the crew, accepting bowls of Zuri’s hearty stew and mugs of ale. I found myself seated next to a grizzled old sailor who introduced himself as Old-Man Barney. His face was a map of wrinkles and scars.

“Quite the adventure we’re having, eh?” I said casually, taking a sip of ale.

Old-Man Barney grunted, slurping his stew. “Aye, more than I signed up for, that’s certain. Been sailing these waters for nigh on forty years, never seen the likes of what attacked us last night.” He frowned. “They were just so…organized.”

I fished a chunk of some white fish meat out of my bowl. “Organized?” I prompted, trying to keep my tone casual. “What do you mean?”

Old-Man Barney leaned in closer, lowering his voice. “It wasn't natural, I tell you. Sirens and sea monsters don’t work together like that. Not unless something’s controlling them.”

I raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. “Is that even possible?”

The old sailor took a long pull from his mug before answering. “There’s old tales, y’see. Of powerful beings that can bend the will of sea creatures. Thought they were just stories to scare greenhorns.” He shook his head. “But after last night… I’m not so sure anymore.”

I nodded thoughtfully, filing away this information. “Interesting. Have you noticed anything else unusual on this voyage?”

Barney’s eyes darted around nervously before he leaned in even closer. “Between you and me,” he whispered, “I don’t trust that new fella, Jeremiah. Always skulking about, asking odd questions. And last night, during the attack? Nowhere to be found.”

“Can you point him out to me?”

Old-Man Barney subtly nodded towards a young man sitting alone at the far end of a table. He was thin and wiry, with eyes that never seemed to settle on one spot for long.

I wondered if he came up during Britney and Merielle’s investigations.

“Thanks,” I murmured. “I appreciate the warning.”

“You seem like a good lad. Strong head on your shoulders. You saved a couple of me friends, and I won’t forget that. Good ladies by your side. Keep ‘em that way.”

I muttered my thanks to Old-Man Barney and made my way over to where Jeremiah was sitting alone. As I approached, I noticed his eyes darting nervously around the deck.

“Mind if I join you?” I asked casually, gesturing to the empty spot across from him.

Jeremiah looked up at me, startled. “Oh, uh, sure,” he mumbled, quickly averting his gaze.

I sat down, setting my bowl of stew in front of me. “I’m Jordan. Don’t think we’ve had a chance to properly meet yet.”

“Jeremiah,” he replied curtly, still not meeting my eyes.

I took a bite of stew, studying him. His hands were trembling slightly as he gripped his mug. “First time sailing these waters?” I asked conversationally.

Jeremiah nodded jerkily. “Yeah. Never been out this far before.”

“Must be quite the adventure then,” I pressed. “Especially after last night’s excitement.”

At the mention of the attack, Jeremiah’s eyes widened almost imperceptibly. “R-right. Quite something.”

I leaned in slightly. “You know, I didn’t see you during the fight. Where were you stationed?”

Jeremiah’s face paled. “I was, uh, below deck. Securing cargo.”

“Really? Funny, I don’t remember seeing you down there either.”

Before Jeremiah could respond, a commotion erupted on the other side of the deck. I turned to see two crew members in a heated argument, their voices rising above the general chatter.

“You calling me a liar?” one shouted, shoving the other.

“I’m saying you’re full of shit!” the other retorted, shoving back. “There’s no way you came into that kind of money honestly!”

I cursed under my breath. This was exactly the kind of tension we were trying to avoid. As I stood to intervene, I noticed Jeremiah slipping away in the confusion.

“Hey!” I called after him, but he was already disappearing below deck.

I was torn between pursuing Jeremiah and dealing with the brewing fight. Luckily, Captain Drake was already striding towards the arguing sailors, his face thunderous.

“Enough!” he bellowed, his voice cutting through the noise. “This is supposed to be a celebration, not a brawl! Either of you throws another punch, and you’ll be swimming to Lans!”

The two men backed down, muttering apologies. Drake turned to address the rest of the crew.

“Listen up, you lot! We’ve been through hell, but we’re still sailing. That’s something to be proud of! Now let’s act like it!”

There was a murmur of agreement from the assembled crew. As the tension dissipated, I caught Zuri’s eye across the deck. She nodded toward the stairs leading below deck, silently communicating that she had seen Jeremiah slip away too. I gave her a quick nod in return, indicating I would pursue him.

I made my way casually toward the stairs, not wanting to draw attention. As I descended into the dimly lit passageway below, I strained my ears for any sound of movement. The creaking of the ship and the muffled voices from above made it difficult to pinpoint any specific noise.

Moving quietly down the narrow corridor, I checked each room and storage area as I passed. There was no sign of the wayward sailor. As I neared the cargo hold, I heard a faint scratching sound coming from inside.

My heart caught in my throat. This was eerily similar to the noise we’d heard earlier when catching the mysterious intruder. I pressed myself against the wall beside the door, listening intently. The scratching continued, accompanied by muffled cursing.

Taking a deep breath, I burst through the door, ready for a confrontation. “Jeremiah! What are you—”

I stopped short. The cargo hold was empty.

Frowning, I scanned the room. Our makeshift barricade of crates was still intact, but something felt off. I moved deeper into the hold, my eyes adjusting to the dim light.

That’s when I saw it – a faint shimmer in the air near one of the crates containing the mysterious spheres. As I watched, the shimmer coalesced into a humanoid shape. It wasn’t Jeremiah, but the hooded figure from before.

“You again,” I growled, dropping into a fighting stance. “This time you’re not getting away.”

The figure turned, its face hidden in the shadows of its hood. “Foolish mortal. You have no idea what forces you’re meddling with.”

I lunged forward, aiming to grapple the intruder before they could escape again. But my hands passed right through their misty form. The figure laughed, a chilling sound that echoed in the confined space.

“Your persistence is admirable, but futile,” they said. “My mistress will have what is hers.”

“Who is your mistress?” I demanded. “What does she want with these artifacts?”

The figure began to fade, becoming more insubstantial by the second. “You’ll find out soon enough. The seas will run red with blood before this is over.”

With that ominous proclamation, the intruder vanished completely. I cursed, slamming my fist against a nearby crate in frustration. We were no closer to understanding what was really going on here.

As I turned to leave and report what had happened, something caught my eye. A small object lay on the floor where the figure had been standing.

I bent down to examine the object. It was a small, ornate key—similar in style to the Veil Key we’d found earlier, but different in its details. As I picked it up, I felt a slight tingle of magical energy.

“What are you?” I murmured.

Just then, I heard footsteps approaching. I quickly pocketed the key as Zuri appeared in the doorway, her eyes scanning the cargo hold.

“Jordan? Is everything all right?”

I shook my head, still processing what had just happened. “Our misty friend paid another visit.”

Zuri’s eyes widened. “What? Did you manage to catch them this time?”

“No, they slipped away. But…” I hesitated, then pulled out the key. “They left this behind.”

Zuri examined the key closely, her brow furrowed. “It looks like the Key we found earlier. Do you think it’s connected?”

“I’m not sure, but it can’t be a coincidence,” I replied. “But I’m tired of this game. Let’s find Jeremiah and get some damn answers.”