“That’s right. They just aren’t as accepting as we are.” Pol grinned.

  Wasme just shook his head, his voice rumbling as he continued. “But we do like healers. Those are always helpful. Even if we have fewer than we like.”

  “I don’t think there’s a Guild that has as many as they’d like,” Daniel said.

  “Maybe not, but Beastkin healers are even more precious. Few who are competent would enter a Dungeon. And few human healers are willing to study our bodies well enough not to cause inadvertent harm,” Wasme said.

  Daniel grimaced, nodding at that. Initially, when he healed Asin of anything complicated, he often had to tap into his Gift to understand her body. By now, of course, he knew it well enough; but with the sheer variety of Beastkin, it would be something he would need to do frequently. Even if he saw Beastkin in the hospice too and was learning there, there was a difference between knowing and understanding.

  “I—we—like what we see,” Daniel said, glancing at Omrak and Asin to get confirming nods. “But there’s more than just tactics that we have to be concerned about.”

  “Yes, I unde—” Wasme was interrupted by a shrill hoot.

  He turned, frowning to the Birdkin guard who had made the noise, only for her to point at an approaching party on one of the land bridges.

  Automatically, the group shifted, eyeing the new team. Daniel noted how they grew tenser, how they moved apart slightly. More than one of the Beastkin checked the location of their weapons, made sure they were loose in their sheaths. It was a level of caution that Daniel frowned at before he remembered last night’s threat. Sharing a look with his own team, he checked his own equipment.

  In short order, the new team had managed to make their way over to the group. The leader, a scruffy-looking human with her hair tied up in a high ponytail, smiled as she walked over. But she had her hands resting on the paired short swords on her hips, and the team split apart the moment they had space. Perhaps it was automatic—long lessons learnt from delving—or it could be something else, but from Asin’s straight tail, Daniel was leaning towards the second.

  “Hail, fellow Adventurers. You don’t mind sharing this island, do you? We’re a little beat after our last encounter.” In contrast to her words, the group looked entirely untouched and quite energetic.

  Wasme smiled, walking over to her, his sword still slung over his shoulder. “Actually, it’s a pretty small island. Perhaps you could move on?”

  “Come now, there’s no need to be so unfriendly.” The raven-haired woman continued to speak as she closed the distance.

  “’Ware,” Ash said, drawing and raising her bow in one fluid motion. Her sister mimed her actions, taking another target as she moved to flank the group further.

  “Rude. But what can you expect of beasts?” the woman muttered. She smiled brightly, eyes tracking over the Beastkin and Daniel’s party to stop on him finally before she laughed. “I guess we do this the hard way.”

  The next moment, the new team threw themselves into action, weapons coming out of their sheaths, and chaos emerged.

  ***

  Asin shrunk down for the first major action the new team took was to engage a spell. It shrouded the entire floating island in darkness, making the arrows that Ash and Oak fired go off course a little. Asin could hear the chime of metal arrowhead and blade echoing in the heavy, cloying darkness as the enemy team leader engaged Flawless Parry. However, the second arrow had a softer, more muted and squelchy end, burying itself within the body of the second in command. Of course, that individual was the tank, so it would likely only slow him down a little, but any damage was better than none.

  The darkness that wrapped them initially was all-encompassing, forcing Asin to scurry—carefully—along the ground with care. But already, the pupils in her eyes were widening, drinking in the light that crept through the spell. Vague outlines began to form before her, the enemy team already splitting apart and aiming for the other Beastkin. Behind her, Asin could hear Omrak and Daniel cursing, falling into a defensive formation back-to-back.

  She nodded to herself, grateful her friends were smart. They did not have the advantages the Beastkin did. Better for them to take care of themselves first. Oak and Ash were moving closer too, storing their bows and pulling out short swords and daggers. As Sparrowkin, they had good eyesight and fast reflexes, but none of the other enhanced senses. In the darkness, they were just as vulnerable.

  A roar from Kord yanked her attention to him for a second. Already a pair of the enemy team members had been headed to him, but now a crossbow bolt buried itself in his body, meant initially for Pol. The Boarkin had begun glowing, triggering a rage ability much like Omrak’s.

  And then, finally reaching the point in the island she had been aiming for; Asin threw her first knife of the battle. It was a simple attack, one that blossomed into multiple throwing knives that harried the pair of attackers closing in on Kord. Fan of Knives combined with her lightning enchantment dug into human skin, shocking and distracting the pair.

  The leader was not among them, engaged as she was with Wasme. Flickers of movement, as the greatsword-wielding bear attempted to strike the faster, wilier opponent. Already, he bled freely from multiple surface cuts. The woman was fast and gifted, outfighting and out-maneuvering the half-blind Bearkin. He did not have the night sight that she did, though his expanded senses let him gauge roughly where his opponent was. Giant sweeps with his big weapon were a danger as well, forcing his opponent to focus on him rather than leaving for the greater threat. The threat of Pol and Mol brought to bear as they fell on their opponents’ backline.

  The pair of Foxkin had night vision just like her, nocturnal predators whose eyes worked just as well in low light. Expanded senses, greater agility and an innate cunning had them slipping from the darkness to pounce on the archer and the Mage. Short swords flashed, cutting into bodies, and screams erupted from the enemy team.

  Broken from the unnatural draw of Kord’s Primal Challenge, one of his opponents spun away. Only to be hit in the side as the Boarkin triggered another of his blood abilities—Ferocious Charge—and knocked his distracted opponent off the island itself. His long, drawn-out scream of surprise was muted due to the spell, legs and hands flapping in the air as he dropped.

  But the attack had come at cost, allowing Kord’s other opponent to drive a sword into his side. The Boarkin staggered for a second, eyes wide, before his rage ability drew him back to his feet. Asin howled, having just finished tossing a knife at the enemy leader as she spotted the attack from the corner of her eyes. Even as she ran forward, Kord started to turn around, only for his opponent to yank his sword out sideways, bisecting the spine and dropping the Boarkin to the floor.

  Asin snarled in rage, tail lashing out behind her, the gravel stone beneath her bare feet suddenly making it much harder for her to reach Kord’s enemy. She watched him fall before she launched herself into the air. Faster than she could have believed possible if she had not seen, felt, it herself, the swordsman had whipped his sword out and lunged at her flying body. All she could do was twist her body slightly as she was about to be skewered.

  Only for the attack to be pushed off-line, tearing a line of pain along her side as the unnaturally sharp sword cut through leather. Her enchanted defensive necklace had forced the sword aside as it impacted her hardened aura. Then she was on him, legs and body smashing into him, knife driving deep into the gap between neck and shoulder pauldrons. Her electrified aura arced as it came into contact with the swordsman, and even as he attempted to push her off, pommel striking her, she held on. One knife lodged deep in his chest, the other stabbing again and again as it attempted to drive through chainmail in his side.

  Her struggle narrowed for long seconds, long minutes as her opponent struggled to survive her onslaught. Eventually, he stopped moving entirely and Asin looked up, taking in the fight again. Wasme was still standing, though he was bleeding heavily. Kord was on the ground, unmoving, while Pol was missing. Among the corpses of the other three Adventurers, Mol stood, crying. The only individual left in the slowly fading darkness was the team leader, who had backed off from Wasme and was now surrounded by her own team and the Bearkin.

  “Why did you attack us?” Wasme snarled, tears in the big bear’s eyes.

  “Damn. Easy targets they said. Just beasts, they said,” the dual-wielding woman muttered to herself, turning from side-to-side as she ignored Wasme. “I knew it was too good to be true.”

  “Surrender, tell us why you did this, and we’ll let you live,” Daniel said, his shield held up in front of himself defensively.

  “Har! Do you see their eyes? The anger they show. The beasts will never let me off.” She laughed, clashing her swords together. “So you might as well get this over with.”

  “Who hired you?” Wasme growled again.

  “Ask the healer.” And then, while the group was still startled, she dashed out from the enclosed ring, picking a space between the two greatsword-wielding fighters. Their reflexive swings missed and clipped her gently, leaving a trail of blood before she escaped.

  Directly into the pair of Birdkin, who stabbed forwards in unison with their blades. To their surprise, rather than block the attacks, the woman sheathed her blades in their bodies, taking the attack herself. Pinned in her chest and shoulder, she still tried to twist the short sword in Oak’s body, Ash having managed to rip the weapon away from her own side.

  And then Asin was there, hacking down with her knife. She cut off the woman’s hand, leaving the weapon inside Oak as she booted the crazed woman away. Too slow. Again. But Daniel was moving too, dashing over to begin casting, to fix what he could. Magic formed in his hand, Minor Healing already materializing as he got ready to fix the damage done to Oak.

  A healer, a compassionate human. And perhaps, the cause of all this tragedy.

  Chapter 10

  It was a much more subdued group that exited the Dungeon later that afternoon. Even injured and with party members lost, they still had to find the Dungeon exit. Working together, they managed to cover the remaining ground without issue, popping out just as the first bell of the afternoon had begun ringing. Their pronouncements generated quite a bit of controversy, especially when the bodies of their attackers were displayed to the guards.

  Their losses—the Beastkin party losses—had been heavy. Kord had died, his spine and blood vessels severed. He had bled out while Daniel had been unable to see and heal him. Pol was lost too, knocked off the edge of the island. Thankfully, Oak had been saved as had Wasme, who had collapsed soon after the battle was over.

  The entire fight had taken only a few minutes, but so many had fallen. The team that had attacked them had likely expected to have an unfair, overwhelming advantage from their enchantments and had failed to take into account how many of the Beastkin could see in the dark. That they had found the enchanted necklace of darkness—now held in the hands of Wasme—had been of little advantage. Nor would the provision of the attacking team’s equipment. Goods were not sufficient trade for lives, not unless you were entirely too mercantile and cold.

  Certainly not for Daniel. He mentally cursed himself, wishing he had done more. None of the opposing team had even attempted to harm him or Omrak. And hearing what they had said, he wondered if they would have been attacked if they had joined. If they had been braver, if they had tried to get involved, would Kord still live? Would Pol?

  What ifs. One of the greatest opponents for an Adventurer, especially after a staggering loss like this one. All too easy to fall into the spiral of recrimination, to ask yourself what you could have done better. And hindsight always offered better options, better methods. Better choices.

  Long periods of interrogation and questioning were the result of their reports, conducted both separately and together. In the end, however, the Guild released them all. The bodies had provided no clue about the team’s employers and with a single, ambiguous sentence, the entirety of the clues provided, the Guild and the City Guard could do nothing but send them on their way. Not that deep investigation was something either conducted normally.

  In truth, investigating wrongs was a difficult and expensive proposition. Most times, the guard’s job was dealing with the aftereffects of theft, robbery, and the like. The occasional thief or pickpocket caught in the act was the extent of their policing activity. The few Investigators that they had were often busy with bigger, more important crimes than dealing with an Adventurer-only matter.

  As for the Guild—what happened in a Dungeon stayed in the Dungeon. While they discouraged and would ban any Adventurer caught preying on one another, such vendettas were a fact of life. There was little they could do, since a full Dungeon could be multiple times the size of even a city as large as Silverstone. Theirs was a risky occupation and with it, certain dangers were considered common.

  It was knowing all this why Daniel found it frustrating that his questioning had taken so long. As the main focus of the investigation, he had been dragged aside to be interviewed vigorously for hours on end. Answering the same questions multiple times in different ways, always cognizant that he had a secret that he did not desire to reveal was draining. But finally, finally, he was free.

  Only to be met, as he walked out from the passageway leading from the interview rooms, by the giant Bearkin. Wasme looked tired, his cheeks sunken, his eyes red.

  “Are you okay?” Daniel asked. He reached out to touch the other, concern making him want to check on the Bearkin, only to watch Wasme flinch from his hand. “Wasme?”

  “I must rescind the offer, Daniel,” Wasme said.

  “Offer?” Daniel said. “To the Broken Chain?”

  “Yes. I received . . . other word, while we were waiting. Between our losses and . . . other matters . . . we cannot offer you what you need.” Wasme ducked his head, looking embarrassed for a second. “I’m sorry.”

  Daniel blinked, feeling a little hurt and whiplashed by the sudden change in Wasme’s demeanour. “Can you, can you tell me what’s going on?”

  “I’m sorry, no. It’s guild business.” Wasme shook his head. “Just know it’s not personal. And be careful.”

  Wasme turned away, stomping off. Daniel watched his fading back, brows furrowed in thought. Eventually, he made his way out to the tavern to find Asin and Omrak sitting at a table with an untouched mug of ale awaiting him. As he took a seat with his friends, he noticed them glaring at a corner. Turning his head, he found Mattias sipping on his drink and looking back at the pair. When Mattias was certain he had caught Daniel’s eyes, he raised the drink in salute.

  Anger flared, and Daniel half-stood, only stopped by a hand on his arm by Asin. She shook her head and pushed down his appendage, urging the healer to sit. Eventually, he sank back down in his seat before he leaned forward to speak to his friends.

  “It was him, wasn’t it?” Daniel said.

  “Yes.” Asin said.

  “We should . . .” Daniel trailed off as his good sense caught up with him. He knew there was nothing they could do. After all, they had no evidence. A friendly nod in the tavern was not considered evidence. Certainly not to accuse another Adventurer in good standing or the guild he represented.

  “If we were in the North, I would challenge him to a duel,” Omrak rumbled. “Draw my sword and—”

  “Be cut down.” A familiar voice spoke up from behind the big Northerner. A second later, Nicole Novak, guildmaster of the smaller Bent Nail, had plopped herself down with the team, followed soon after by a pair of her guildmates. “You’re no match for him.”

  “I . . .”

  “Trust me. He’s a Violet-level Advanced Classer who specialises in duels,” Nicole said. She turned around, offering Mattias a smile. Mattias bent his head in return to the guildmistress before returning to his drink. Nicole blithely continued on as she spoke. “He’s who the Three Skills send when they are having troubling negotiating an equitable deal.”

  Asin let out a chuff at that, half amused, half angry.

  “Should you be sitting with us?” Daniel said, worriedly. He’d picked up the strange tension in the room, though he’d initially dismissed it as the usual concerns whenever word of a hunting party arose. Now, he was not so sure.

  “Nice of the young ones to care,” Nicole said, smiling at Daniel. “But it’s fine. He’s already made his threats, and we’ve already confirmed we’re not looking for a healer. Not one that the Three Skills is so desperate to acquire.”

  “You too?” Daniel said, dismayed.

  “Us too.” Nicole inclined her head. “We’re a small guild, overall. And while we could stand most kinds of pressure . . . or displeasure, the kind he’s bringing to bear . . .” Nicole’s eyes grew dark, the lightness she was using to answer the questions disappearing for a second, shadows in her eyes. “Well, let’s just say that I left the capital for a reason.”

  “You were in the capital?” Daniel said, surprised.

  “Yes.”

  The curt answer from Nicole killed the conversation, leaving the table awkwardly silent. After a second, Asin leaned forward and fixed Daniel in the eye. When he looked over, she spoke slowly, carefully enunciating each word. “Sorry. Chain wrong. I . . . wrong. Thought help.”

  “Help who?” Daniel said, frustration bubbling within him. At being threatened, his life put in danger, people killed. Over his idiotic, stupid Gift. And, perhaps, a little at himself for being so careless with its content. “Me or the Chain?” Asin flinched a little, her ears folding down and her tail wrapping close around her body. “You could have made that offer at any time, but you decided to keep it quiet until now. And look where that got us!”

  Asin stopped flinching at the last, going unnaturally still. Then, she bared her teeth—all too sharp—at Daniel and hissed at him. The next moment, she had sprung from her chair and headed out the door.

 

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