Ken, being closest, handed over his water skin.

  The young, scaly, Vern accepted the water skin with a gracious nod.

  James blurted out, “Is your name Vern?”

  She shook her head ‘no’ while taking several long drafts on the water skin.

  Once done she handed it back to Ken.

  In the middle of the room, with blood pooling nearby, the dragon girl executed a perfect twirl, an elaborate flourish, finishing in a Powerpuff Girl-like pose.

  “My name is Twill! It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Her voice was musical and she performed a stage bow, like she had just completed a performance on Broadway.

  Nathan looked like he wanted to step in. Janine was hanging back intentionally, but gave James a look that said take the lead and say something.

  “My name is James.” He bowed in return.

  “Edward, Edward is my name”, came Edward’s voice awkwardly. He bowed as well. “And that is Ken there who’s quest led us to you”.

  Ken bowed far more gracefully than Edward had.

  “We are a Guild team called Rock, Paper, Squirrel. Janine over there is the current interim Guild Leader for Hallowford.”

  Janine bowed slightly.

  “This is Nathan, scion of House Grant, and elder brother of Edward Grant”.

  Nathan performed an elaborate bow and spoke on his own behalf. “It’s a pleasure to meet you too, Twill.”

  Still, Nathan took a step back letting James lead.

  James motioned over to the large dire hound, who was very content cleaning his paws on Marcus’s clothes. “This is my bonded familiar, Charlie.”

  James motioned and Squire climbed back to his shoulder perch. James gave her a chin scratch. “And here is Squire, who snatched the crown from Marcus”.

  Twill had been turning and nodding to each as they were named. Her eyes grew curious when it came to Charlie and especially curious for Squire.

  “She is evolving?” Twill said curiously.

  “Yes, Drake Aspect, Rare”.

  “Oh, how unusual.” Twill said, then her face completely shifted, like her curiosity completely fled. Her voice became overly demure. “I owe you a debt of gratitude for not only defeating my captor, but also returning my body to me. How shall I ever make it up?”

  Ken didn’t hesitate. “I am on a seer’s quest that has led me to you. The quest now has forked options. I believe I could complete my quest if you would join our team. The other option is that we aid you in returning to your people. Which would you prefer?”

  James was shocked at Ken’s forwardness. It seemed that again a seers quest could bypass all social norms. He just didn’t see why yet.

  “

  System Notice – Twill has been added to the Party

  The system didn’t respond.

  James checked his quests tab. There was still one there.

  Quest 5: Reach Dungeon Level 6

  First-Clear Bonus Detected.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  “Heroes, I have a favour to ask first.” Twill started rummaging through Marcus’s belongings. “I need to finish this dungeon run. That’s why I’m here.”

  “I would be happy to see you through this dungeon.” Nathan responded, back stiff.

  “Not you,” Twill said, still rummaging. “Not you either Janine.” Twill said it as casually as saying hi.

  “Why’s that?” James said, feeling the need to come to their defence.

  “Bronze rank only,” Twill said, lifting what looked like a ring from his pocket.

  Janine nodded. “You’re after the Bronze rank bonus reward.”

  Twill put the ring on her ring finger.

  “Yes, It’s a requirement. I’ll run this as many times as I need to. I’m after one of the rarest Bronze rank bonus rewards. ‘Aspect of the Dragon (Legendary)’.” Twill’s voice was firm.

  Janine gasped. “That’s not possible. I’ve never heard of such a reward.” Janine seemed shocked, fear spiked for a moment and she covered her mouth with her hands as if to take back the words.

  “It’s true alright. The seer’s quest lends me hope too. It’s exactly the type of chance modifier that will swing things in our favour.” Twill picked up Marcus’s daggers, inspected them, then they disappeared. “Likely the end of the quest too, along with the epic regalia piece.”

  “How—” he started.

  Janine shook her head.

  “... about it then. Are you ready to go?”

  “Yes, let’s go.” She led the way to the stairs down.

  Still, there was one thing he had to say right now.

  “Janine, you owe me seven hundred gold!”

  Janine left the Party

  Nathan left the Party

  Their forms disappeared.

  He unsummoned the Dung Beetle. It was too slow for the pace that Twill set. Everyone else followed as fast as they could.

  The Iron-Hide Boar went second and was the most awkward of them all, constantly scraping its metallic hide against the walls. He was not going to waste an Uncommon summon use though.

  The Greyfang Alpha-Wolf was next, padding along, Charlie right behind.

  Immediately after them James, Ken, and Edward followed, Squire on James’s shoulder. There were a lot of long silent looks.

  He followed Janine’s lead of not communicating via private chat. She’d realised something about Twill and either wouldn’t share it, or feared the methods of doing so.

  Twill’s voice called back. “This floor is pretty straightforward. Don’t step on any yellow tiles. I’ll take care of the boss.”

  They swung around the corner, onto the next level.

  Quest 5: Reach Dungeon Level 6 - Completed.

  Reward: 100 gold.

  Random Common reward available. Option to pass on reward for a better one next level.

  Do you want to pass or collect a reward?

  Trait Activated – Wait—NO!

  Effect:

  The system screen moved out of sight and James noticed that the ground ahead was chequered like a board.

  Wherever Twill walked those tiles turned yellow.

  The second Ken stepped into the room everything went dark.

  Moments later the room lit back up from any yellow tile, along with Ken’s staff.

  “Put that out,” commanded Twill, voice urgent.

  Ken’s light vanished. The place was now lit above the yellow tiles and about a meter around it.

  James noticed that only six yellow tiles were lit despite Twill moving far more than that. It was like ‘snake’ the computer game.

  James was starting to wonder if that was part of this level, when eight lights lit up in purple, equally distant from where Twill stood. He rushed towards one, but the purple moved inwards.

  Twill leapt impossibly high into the air, arms extended, daggers pointed straight upwards. Suddenly there was a squelching impact as she hit the roof. Except that it wasn’t the roof. It was a giant spider.

  Twill’s hands spread apart, ripping a massive hole in its abdomen.

  The legs of the spider thrashed about, purple lights following. James thought he understood.

  He pulled his crossbow out and shot at the roof.

  Ken did the same with lightbolts.

  Unfortunately the lightbolt did just that, lighting up the area around where it flew. Instantly webs dropped down onto Ken and he was bound. Five dog sized spiders dropped to the floor around him.

  “No light!” Twill shouted.

  The tile under Ken lit up bright yellow. Ken tried to move, but was stuck to the spot.

  “Ken, brace yourself!”

  He then ordered his Iron-Hide Boar to charge at Ken.

  The light was rapidly going from yellow to red.

  Ken was ripped free of the webbing as the Iron-Hide’s momentum tore him free. He went tumbling across the floor, a trail of yellow tiles following. Charlie and the Greyfang Alpha-Wolf handled the spiders without issue.

  Play Card: Quick Heal

  Target:

  They all fell back as a pillar of flame shot upwards where Ken had been but a moment before.

  Twill leapt again, doing more damage to the spider’s belly.

  They all kept moving now, never staying too long on any particular tile, and never stepping on an already lit one. It was harder for James as he had to order around two Death-marked creatures from doing so as well.

  “If you have to help, cut down the legs.” Twill shouted out as she again fell down from her leap.

  Edward managed to crush two of the legs before they received a notification and the room lit up again with a normal ambient light.

  [Party chat:

  Level 6 Boss defeated. – Gold ×300

  – Regalia piece (Uncommon)

  It appeared that, in defeat, the spider boss had retreated.

  The Aspect Unlock was good, but James had secretly been hoping to bind the massive spider.