Chapter 022 - Completion Token

With the light of the glowstone in her palm, the dark hall around Anna didn’t seem nearly as foreboding as it had with the flickering torchlight from before. Though she had to admit to herself that the main reason was that she hadn’t even had a level to her name when she entered the first time. Now, though, things were looking up. She knew better than for it to stay that way but at the very least she could confidently move forward as she kept her eyes on the ceiling.

No clouds, no sign of another one of those tangly things from earlier. She shivered, remembering the nightmare that had tackled her into the toxic pit of mana. Was it mana or water tainted with mana? Would I survive physical contact with raw mana?

She frowned, No, no I would not.

She found herself at the first turn and hung a right as before as there were no other routes to take. Immediately arriving at the crossroads she’d encountered the first time. If she considered the direction she was facing coming in as north then she was currently faced with a choice between north and south. To the south was the pit she’d fallen into and if she remembered correctly there was a turn going east from there. She turned to the northern path that she’d avoided the first time around and held up her glowstone.

More black stone and from the looks of it a turn going west just out of range of the light. She glanced around and didn’t spot any signs of monsters either. Hm, go back the way I went last time or try something different? It’s not like I got very far the first time around.

Shrugging, Anna took the north path, crossing the short hall and finding another sharp turn to the west side of the maze. She was just about to saunter around the bend when she heard a distant gurgling. She paused and glanced around the new corner, squinting into the gloom while pocketing the glowstone to conceal herself a bit better. There, far enough away to be completely shrouded in darkness but close enough to be caught by her wraithsight was a cloud of life force.

Huh?

She pulled back around the wall and stared at it directly, estimating where the thing was. Nothing.

She scowled, Oh for fuck’s sake, the walls can’t be penetrated with wraithsight. No wonder I didn’t see anything coming!

She sighed and crouched down, No use getting into a fight right off the bat. I should take a quick look around and make sure he doesn’t have any friends before taking him out. She activated stealth and turned down the dial on her presence, muting it entirely before slowly, very slowly, stepping out into the new hallway and crossing it enough to reach the far wall on the north side. She rested her elbow against it, careful not to use any part of her body that might scrape and make a noise as she slipped forward.

Not the domineering and bombastic entrance I wanted to make here but I don’t know shit about these things, she thought and carried herself forward until she hit an opening in the wall to her right, a path opening northward. The cloud of life force she’d been wary of was still another hundred feet ahead of her and didn’t seem interested in chasing her just yet. She licked her lips and slipped into the new hallway, her head on a swivel to watch for new attackers.

Another turn was just up ahead and the sound of gurgling told her she was caught between two of the damn things. She was about to turn back and resume her route, fighting the first one, when a bright blue-green glow caught her eyes. It was more vibrant and brilliant than the tiny pool she’d run into on the side of the hallway the first time. A big pool? Why? Her lips curled upwards, Maybe its there for a reason. Let’s find out.

She stalked a bit closer and glanced around the corner. The entire room was bathed in faint blue-green light that made the black stone all the eerier. There, crouched in the middle of the room with its back to her was something out of a childhood nightmare. It had the vague body of a human child, thin and small with long spindly arms that ended in a square of four thick tentacle-like fingers. Its entire body was slick and jet black, more tentacles coming out of its back that writhed and coiled in the air as it drooped there on the ground like a wilted flower.

Stygian Choker - Level 4

Well that’s an unpleasant name, she thought wryly. At least it’s not a very high level.

She pressed out around the corner and crept towards it, her club readied in her hand. She adjusted her grip a little as she drew closer. It didn’t so much as move, sitting there on the ground and warbling to itself in an incomprehensible babble. Before she knew it she was standing behind it, weapon raised. Only then did it turn and look up at her, a pair of massive jet black saucer-like eyes widening above a lamprey mouth filled with teeth. Power strike came next and the corpse crumpled beneath her ruthless blow.

I can’t believe one of these things nearly killed me the other day, she thought, pulling her weapon away with a wet sound that made her stomach twist a little. He tapped it with the foot of her boot and it dissolved.

You have received: 2 Iron Coins and 14 Essence Points

She clicked her tongue, Tch, figures. The only things really worth hunting for essence are above my level. Otherwise I’ll be grinding for months.

Anna felt her blood warm a little in her veins as she stepped over the pile of dust left behind by the corpse. Utterly dominating her prey was another trigger for her she supposed. She glanced back over her shoulder and considered following it up with the other creature but shook her head. She was still interested in why it was so bright here. Up ahead the path turned north again and she could see the light flickering with fluid patterns against the shiny black stone.

One turn was all it took to find what she was looking for. About fifty feet down the new hallway was another turn and right at the lip of it was a massive pool of glowing water. A quick look around confirmed the coast was clear and she hustled over to stand at the edge, peering across the pool while trying to ignore the heady mixed scent of ozone and burned sugar coming off of it. Her skin tingled a little at the proximity and she took a quick look at her resources to see that her Mana Tolerance was finally starting to tick up little by little.

Shouldn’t stay here long.

She squinted towards the far side of the pool and saw what she was looking for. A small pedestal with something shiny sitting on it. She squinted harder, Is that a token? Now we’re talking! She smirked and took a few steps back, eyeing the edge of the water and the distant platform. It had to be twenty feet across at least. The walls were sheer and smooth as usual. She looked up and frowned, her expression going deadpan. Really? Fuck me sideways.

There, on the ceiling, was a line of hoops going from one side of the pool to the other.

She pursed her lips and took a few more steps back, eyeing the hoops as she ran the metaphorical numbers in her head. I probably can’t jump up there in my armor but I feel confident I could make it while dressed down. She snorted, That’s a six or seven foot vertical leap at least, I can’t believe I’m thinking like that. She laughed and checked her inventory. Shit I don’t have enough slots to put all my gear away.

I can probably leave the robes on, their weight is pretty negligible, she thought, flipping through her gear. The ring too. The rest I can throw back in and I’ll be full up. 

Plan in place she positioned herself as far back as she could, turning to face the pool of churning, tainted water, and hesitated. Her fingers wrapped around the collar of her breastplate for a heartbeat and her eyes went down to her boots. Sure, they were new, upgrades and additions, but since she’d gotten started she hadn’t fully removed all of her protective gear. Not once. Her lips pressed together tightly. It’s just for a few minutes, then it all goes right back on, she reminded herself. I’ll be fine.

With a deep breath she willed every piece of gear save for her robes and ring to move to her inventory. They all vanished from where they’d been, leaving her in the billowy robes and bare feet that tingled against the irradiated floor. She briefly considered putting the boots back on but really didn’t want to risk any added weight. She only had one shot at this, if she missed her jump she’d fall right into the pool.

Game over then, probably, or at least a few days of being pretty sick. I don’t think I’ll be in any position to refine that much mana to save myself. She bounced on the balls of her feet, Now or never, Flitt. Go!

Anna ran, building up as much speed as she could before putting every point of strength she had into her legs and pushing down with all her might. She soared and the sudden elevation nearly scared her out of her wits. Her heart jumped into her throat as she neared the ceiling in just under a second, her hand flailing out to grab hold of one of the loops as her mind caught up with what she’d done.

Fuck it’s slippery! She gasped, clinging for dear life while the thud thud thud of her heart pounded in her ears. A quick shift and she was holding on with both hands and laughing.

Holy shit I did it! I made it! She barked out a laugh and nearly threw her head back to whoop when she remembered she was still in a labyrinth filled with wall climbing tentacle people-things that, based on their name, wanted to choke the life out of her. The thought clammed her up quickly and she focused on the next loop. A quick swing of her body back and forth gave her enough momentum to launch herself to the next, and then the next, before she was hopping from one hoop to the other in quick succession.

The last hoop was the toughest, she wasn’t blind enough to miss that the edge of the platform on the other side of the pool was slick with water. Licking her lips she swung again, forcing her body back as far as it could go before flinging herself forward and over the gap between her and safety.

She hit the ground and rolled, slamming into a wall and grunting as pain shot up her shoulder. “Ah! Fuckin’- okay, yeah I overdid it,” she mumbled laying back a bit and closing her eyes. “Made it though,” she said smugly and hopped to her feet.

The pedestal was just… there. Nothing around it to indicate a trap or danger or anything. Just a small stone pillar with a table on top and an unsettlingly pristine pillow with a very familiar token on top. Silver, with eerie markings etched into it, it was a dead ringer for the first one she’d gotten after slaving away for days in the Forest of Blood. She held her hand over it, nothing, she reached down and touched it, nothing, she grabbed it and pulled it away. Nada. No reaction. She let out a sigh of relief and forced herself not to think the most dangerous thought she could.

Stygian Completion Token of the Disciple - Taint (Unique)
This token can be redeemed for a Disciple Token upon leaving The Tainted Halls.

Dungeon Quest Alert!

The Tainted Halls

These halls are tainted with Mana, do not succumb.

Clear Condition: Flee the Tainted Halls to earn your reward.
Bonus Condition: Find two more Completion Tokens.

Her lips curled up into a sardonic smile as she let out a sigh, And there it is, of course. Figures it wouldn’t be that easy. At least I know how to get the Heir token now. Grab all three. She glanced up at the hoops and made her way to the rear of the platform, setting herself up for another crossing. She tapped her foot on the ground and just as she was about to break into a run a trio of limping, wobbly figures scrambled into the hallway on the other side of the pool. The chokers turned and looked at her just as her blood started boiling. She cracked a grin and broke into a run, charging the edge of the platform and leaping to the first loop. She crossed at speed, throwing herself from loop to loop as she opened her inventory.

Equip!

Anna threw herself from the final loop and was airborne, the club appearing in her hand as she fell down upon her targets with the grace and fury of a pissed off bull. The blunt weapon collided with one head with a wet pulpy sound as the other two darted away with a shriek, one running towards the hall while the other raced up the nearest wall to get some distance. She pointed at the runner with her gauntlet and with a quick burst of mana a flaming bat launched towards it, exploding against its back and sending it sprawling. 

She whipped her head up in time to see the third lunging at her from above, lamprey teeth glittering and suction-cup fingers ready to throttle her. She snarled and her hand shot up, catching the low-level monstrosity by the throat instead. It’s eyes bulged in surprise and indignant confusion before turning frantic when she pivoted and hurled it at the pool of radiant mana-tainted water. It let out a howl of terror before falling in, the pitched shrieks turning into something closer to the sound of a tea-kettle before finally it just… popped and melted.

She smirked and turned to the runner who was trying to get to its feet after having a small bomb go off against its back. She marched towards it, and raised the club over her head. This. This was how she wanted to feel. Strong. Untouchable. Ready to take on anything that this place threw at her. She knew deep down that there were scarier things deeper inside, but for the moment, she could enjoy herself as the heat in her veins purred.

SQUELCH!