Dungeon Noble - Squire

Alan’s words lingered in Jake’s mind as they carried on with their day of delving. His Delver’s Will Trait helped keep him focused while they were in the Dungeon, but in between, he found himself dwelling on it.

It felt egotistical to think that the Corrupters were doing something like this just to fuck with him and his Class, but they must have some sort of goal in mind. Perhaps this wasn’t even about him, perhaps it was to draw out Inquisitors like Nepthys.

It was impossible to know without more information, but exactly how to get that information, he had no idea.

As a group, they completed three more delves during the afternoon before stopping for the evening. Ari and Felix had done their own delve, but hadn’t passed on any thoughts about it just yet, leaving them to while away the evening ready for another day of it tomorrow.

Nepthys approached Felix about helping Jake use two weapons at the same time; it only made sense to involve him given the Abilities they knew he had. The two of them then set Jake a series of exercises, which did actually help highlight some of the hesitation he was trying to work through.

He felt he’d improved, but he was still short of where he wanted to be, both with this and with creating infusions of Wyrd. He’d master both one way or another, but the road ahead didn’t look to be an easy one.

Felix stayed until Jake finished the exercises he’d provided, then left to discuss something with Ari.

“I feel a bit unsettled with all this Corrupter stuff, what about you?” Jake asked Nepthys as they put away their practice weapons.

The difference between training alone and training under Felix’s supervision was like night and day now that Jake was fully aware of it and had gone without it for a week. He already felt like he could do it again, but that was probably also down to his increased rank.

“Honestly, this is perhaps the most conflicted I’ve felt in a while,” Nepthys said in a slightly strained tone. “I know that it’s my duty, my responsibility, to hunt down those Corrupters. I also know that we need to prepare and be ready before we make any big moves like that.”

“Yeah, and I can’t help but feel like no matter what we do, we’ll end up regretting it somehow.”

“All we can do is stay true to ourselves, the rest will fall as it may,” Nepthys said with a level of certainty and surety of purpose that Jake envied. Perhaps it was from being raised into her Class.

Idly, Jake wondered if he’d have been the same if things were different. Not that he could even picture what a normal upbringing would look like.

Cutting off that train of thought before he got too wrapped up in what might have been, Jake nodded to the distant Dungeon. “I was considering a solo delve to clear my head and get some more Wyrdgeld. Want to join me?”

“Your idea of clearing your head is to go for a solo delve?” Nepthys asked with a slightly bemused smile.

“Yeah, I suppose it is,” Jake said, shaking his head with a soft laugh. “I think it was from when I did so many in Casthorpe, it really helped me focus on what I was doing. Especially with a known Dungeon where I’m aware of what I’ll be facing.”

Nepthys considered his words for a moment before shaking her head. “I don’t think I get it, but I’ll give it a try. Give me five minutes and we can head in?”

Jake didn’t bother trying to hide his wide grin as he nodded and went to grab his own gear. This was exactly what he needed.

Alan looked up when he saw Jake emerge with his gear, and started to rise to come over when he saw Nepthys do the same and hesitated, looking back at Jake.

Jake didn’t mind Alan joining them, and was about to wave for him to come with them, but Alan had already sat back down and turned back to a conversation with Gargan.

Reminding himself to thank Alan later, Jake hurried over to the Dungeon before doing a last check that he wasn’t forgetting anything. He was sticking with wand and sword for this, but there was something else he should do as well.

“Ready to go?” Nepthys asked as she walked in through the towering doors at the entrance.

“Almost,” Jake said as he mentally triggered one of his Boons.

A deep quack echoed around the entrance as Moby emerged at Jake’s feet, ruffling his wings slightly before giving Jake a look that made it clear he was being barely tolerated.

Clearly Jake’s issue with the Boon wasn’t resolved yet.

“Good to see you again, Moby,” Nepthys said, nodding to the duck, who quacked in response before fluttering up to land in her arms. “I forgot just how beautiful your feathers were as well.”

Jake restrained the urge to roll his eyes at the preening duck and was about to make a sarcastic comment when he remembered Felix saying that his Boons would reflect his own attitude as they were a part of him.

Seeing how Moby was luxuriating in Nepthys’s attention, Jake flushed and turned to head to the stairs so she wouldn’t notice. He really needed to get better control over Moby, and soon.

-**-

The three of them were more than a match for the Dungeon and had little issue working their way through it. Moby was even useful and helpful, far more so than Jake had expected.

Having an ally who could fly was a strong advantage against purely landbound enemies, and Moby was able to distract and bait Rootlings with ease. He lacked the capability to do much actual damage to them, but Jake and Nepthys had that side covered.

“You should use him more often,” Nepthys said once they finished the Guardian floor. Moby had kept both the Oaken completely distracted while they dealt with the rest, which had definitely made things easier.

“Maybe, I’d be more inclined to if he could fight a bit better. Right now he’s just a big duck, albeit with some pretty feathers.”

“You said you can rank up your Boons, right?” Nepthys asked as Moby came over to land in her arms once more. “How long until you can do that with him?”

Jake flushed a little and sighed, avoiding her gaze for a moment before admitting the truth. “I can do it already, I’ve just been saving up to use it on a better Boon.”

“If we move on, then that’s probably for the best,” Nepthys said as she idly stroked Moby. “But if we give this Dungeon a true attempt, do you think we can afford to save that resource?”

Jake wanted to argue, but Moby truly had been useful today, as much as he didn’t want to admit it. “No, I don’t think we can. Not when true death is on the line.”

If Jake didn’t increase Moby’s rank and they did complete the Dungeon, he would have enough to immediately upgrade whatever Boon he got here, or bring one of the others to the third rank.

He was eager to make his dagger stronger, to see what power it would wield, but that would be a hollow victory if one of his friends died because he was holding back.

Nepthys didn’t press him on it any further as they divvied up the spoils and made their way back outside.

“Thanks for coming with me,” Jake said as they stepped back into the cool evening air. “I feel a bit better now that I’ve had a chance to let loose a little.”

“No problem, I think I understand why you do it,” Nepthys said, passing Moby over to Jake, who tucked him under one arm and ignored the irritated quacks. “It felt less like a routine delve and more intense, but without being too stressful as well. I’m not sure I’d do it regularly, and definitely not alone, but I’d keep you company again.”

“Glad to hear it,” Jake said, wondering for a moment how his life got to the point that he was eager to go and fight monsters just to spend time with someone.

Nepthys smiled again and bid Jake goodnight before heading back to her cabin. Everyone else but Ari had turned in as well, no doubt in preparation for the busy day they had coming tomorrow.

Ari was lying on one of the tables staring up at the stars, though Jake guessed he was actually meant to be on watch. Then again, most of the threats they had coming their way had no chance of slipping past someone like Ari, regardless of what he was doing.

Giving a mental shrug, Jake made his way over to the small cabin he’d picked out with Moby under his arm and closed the door behind him before setting the duck down on the little table in the kitchen.

“This feels stupid, but I thought talking it out might help,” Jake said awkwardly as he met the duck’s gaze. “You were good today, and I’m going to get you to the next rank when I go up one myself. If that doesn’t really make a difference, then so be it. I’m not going to be ashamed because I’ve got an odd familiar.”

Moby let out a single, sonorous quack that seemed to reverberate around the room before fluttering his wings and sitting down on the table. Seeing him like this really brought home for Jake that Moby was easily half again the size of the biggest duck he’d seen.

“I’m not sure why I’m bothering, it’s not like you understand me,” Jake said, running a hand through his hair and sighing. “I’m just sorry that I’ve not treated you right, okay?”

Moby quacked again and Jake pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling increasingly stupid for doing this.

“Alright, that’s enough of that,” he muttered to himself before dismissing Moby with a flicker of grey light before heading for his bed.