*Date: 33,480 Third Quarter - Chalice Theocracy*
Aris said his goodbye to Fox in their room.
"You'll be alright, kid," Fox said.
"I hope so."
"Just watch your back twice. You still have the thing?"
"Yeah." Aris touched the witness stone secured under his shirt.
"Check your stats just to be sure."
"In broad daylight?"
"Why not?"
Aris walked to the bathroom and connected Lyra's device to his temple once again. The interface flickered to life.
**[Name: Aris Orvellis]**
**[Level: 36]** Timer: 18:43:12
**[Race: Human]** 10% bonus to all stats
**[XP: 10/12,956]**
In the right corner were titles:
**[Cantor Healer]**: 5 tier 1 spell slots [3/5], 3 tier 2 spell slots [2/3], 1 tier 3 spell slot [1/1]
+10 Manifest +10 Resonance +6 Force +4 Agility
[Holy Smite RP: 7/7 - tier 3], [Curing Touch RP: 6/6 - tier 2], [Radiant Convergence: 6/6 -concentration- tier 2], [Minor Shield RP: 4/4 -concentration- tier 1], [Radiant Mark RP: 4/4 -effect 2 min- tier 1], [Radiant Thread RP: 4/4 -effect 2 min- tier 1]
**[Essence Shaper Alchemist]**: tier 1 potion crafting 40%, tier 2 potion crafting 24%, tier 3 potion crafting 4%
+5 Endeavor +5 Harvest +2 Ingenuity +2 Attunement
**[Scribe]**: +5 Insight. Learning increased 20%
**[Lucky Apprentice]**: Double each luck-based content. Luck spent [998/1,000]. Luck-based content can't be lower than 5%
**[Crimson Acolyte]**: Sacrifice your health and blood to gain power
**[NW Points: 18]** Reach 100 for Local Legend
**[Echo: 8]** Captured echo: 4, temporary echo: 2, created echo: 2
Templar Specialty *temporary echo: Holy Defense, Spider's Venomous Fang
**Core Body:**
- Vitality: 36
- Force: 52
- Agility: 25
- Resilience: 11
- Stamina: 11
**Mind & Spirit:**
- Insight: 18
- Manifest: 45
- Will: 11
- Empathy: 11
- Resonance: 21
**Social Influence:**
- Renown: 18
- Command: 18
- Credence: 18
**Craft & Survival:**
- Ingenuity: 13
- Endeavor: 16
- Harvest: 16
- Attunement: 13
"Level 36 and overflowing XP, so it was capped. What is this Spider Fang?" Then he remembered the second dungeon boss. "It must be absorbed from the second dungeon."
Once again, the school's students formed a silent march to the portal area with chaperones. They portaled everyone to an opening, a massive cavern with dozens of dark holes dotting the ground.
Normally everyone was walking with their party, strategizing. But Aris didn't dare enter their group. The Fae students had mostly picked themselves and walked as a cluster. Sliver was at the front. Fyndar was on her heels, laughing at everything she said.
Maezana stood at the edge, cheerful despite the tension. "You see these holes on the ground? Each is going to a different dungeon. But trials inside are more or less the same."
Aris took out the potions and found Orric and Gumo. He gave them their promised potions and explained the effects. Of course, he didn't give them blood-mixed ones. He didn't know what effects those would have on non-humans.
"Thanks, Aris. I hope you come out of there in one piece," Orric said, tucking the vials carefully into his belt pouch.
"If shit goes bad, just quit," Gumo said, taking the vials. "And thanks again."
"Alright, party leaders, pick one hole. I will cast Feather Weight and you'll be jumping down," Maezana said in a cheerful way that seemed wildly inappropriate for the circumstances.
Aris saw Sliver and Fyndar standing on one of the holes. He gathered his strength and went up to them.
Sliver held her staff. It wasn't a training weapon anymore, but a real implement of power, runes carved along its length. She had a small buckler for casting shields strapped to her arm. "Oh, nice of you to join us. Partner." The word dripped with venom.
"Hi. I was hoping..." Aris started.
"Shut it, human boy. We don't need to hear you," Fyndar snapped.
Aris saw Maezana cast Feather Fall on them. He watched her movements intently. **[Bzzt! Spell Learned: Feather Fall (Tier 1)]** He couldn't believe it. A utility spell outside of their Priest or Templar route.
A wave of easiness fell over Aris. He saw Sliver jumping into the hole without hesitation. After her, Fyndar jumped. Aris held his breath and jumped after them.
It was a different feeling than jumping off a cliff. He was light as a feather, falling slowly, observing the cavern.
Massive stalactites hung from the cavern ceiling, some thin as needles, others thick as ancient trees. The low light came from phosphorescent moss growing in patches, painting everything in eerie green and blue. The stalactites glistened with moisture, water droplets falling in slow motion past Aris's descending form.
When they reached the bottom, Sliver was already on the move. Fyndar was behind her. Both were checking out their surroundings, watching for threats with trained eyes.
"Maybe it won't be so bad with them," Aris thought hopefully.
They walked through twisting passages, footsteps echoing off stone walls. The air grew colder. When they reached a closed rocky gate, safe and unbothered, Sliver turned.
"This is it."
Aris was puzzled. "What is it?"
Fyndar's smile was cruel. "This is the end of your third dungeon journey." He pulled his sword and shield and lunged at Aris.
Aris quickly cast Minor Shield to his hand and deflected the lunge, metal screaming on magical barrier.
Sliver rolled her eyes. "Do I have to do everything for these morons?" She cast Whip Thorns, and thorny vines materialized, swinging at Aris's leg. Already trying to recover from the lunge, Aris couldn't move away. The whips cut his left leg deep, blood welling.
"Stop it! What you're doing is wrong! You're wrapped up in this false religion's lies!" Aris gasped through pain.
"Shut up." Sliver swung again.
Aris cast Radiant Convergence, started flaring light to blind them.
"No one is seeing here. No one knows about the wrong. They will think it was a dungeon gone bad. Little Aris couldn't take the fights," Fyndar taunted.
"Life is not that simple. Separating us based on our looks and making us fight so they can control us," Aris said.
"Eeehh. I thought you were stupid, but you're a heretic. An infidel. Die." Sliver cast Frozen Ice Lance and threw it at Aris.
Aris's bleeding feet made him a split second late. The lance's tip passed him, ice touching his face, barely grazing him.
But at that second, like every particle in the air became visible, an electrical surge illuminated the cavern. Reality rippled.
"What was that?" Sliver's eyes widened.
Fyndar didn't care about the supernatural phenomenon. But the ground started shaking in an immense way. The trio couldn't stand during the earthquake. Stalactites big and small started falling like deadly rain.
Fyndar and Sliver both fell to the ground. But Aris was somehow standing, resisting the shake as if rooted.
A giant stalactite fell right beside him, cracking the bottom with thunderous impact. Then he saw rocks the size of fists rain down on Sliver. Her body was covered with blood, crushed under the barrage.
Fyndar, cursing, started to get up. "What did you do?"
"ME?" Aris was in shock.
Fyndar's eyes filled with rage. He coated his sword with fire and lunged at Aris. But Aris was still in shock, frozen. "Me?" he thought. "Oh masters, the Luck. It hit critical."
But as Fyndar's sword got nearer, time seemed to freeze. Another giant stalactite pierced Fyndar through his left shoulder and separated him down to his left leg. His torso was in two pieces, smashed and pierced by rock, killing him instantly. The life in his eyes, the rage, all of it went away. He dropped his sword. The sword lost its flame. His shield clattered.
The falling of rocks stopped. The cavern was covered with dust.
Aris was breathing heavily. He ran up to Sliver. Her bruises seemed severe. He started casting Curing Touch. Some outside wounds closed, but he tried to listen to her heart. It wasn't beating. He removed one of his health potions and forced it down her throat.
Nothing.
Aris turned around and started yelling. "I quit! We quit! Take us out!" He shouted again and again. He started knocking on the rocky door.
A writing appeared like an etching in glowing letters:
**"Welcome to third dungeon. Complete trials with your party to leave."**