Chapter 99: A Familiar Party

Chapter 99: Chapter 99: A Familiar Party

The next morning was far busier than Arin expected when he arrived at Ravengard’s dungeon district. The square in front of the entrance was crowded with adventurers ready to enter the dungeon and take their chances at glory and treasure. A small group were checking their weapons while others argued over routes, supplies and what kind of maps could provide them with the best chance at finding valuable resources.

Arin looked over the equipment at one of the local vendor’s stalls as he secured the straps on his own. Ayan had insisted on arriving early. He had apparently not realized that this meant joining a few hundred other people who had come up with the same brilliant idea. "This is early?" Arin questioned. Adnan nodded towards the group.

"For Ravengard?" Adnan said. "That’s upsetting," Arin replied. Saira adjusted one of the weapons at her waist. "I don’t understand why everyone wants to enter at the same time," she said. "Because everyone wants the best materials before someone else takes them," Adnan said simply.

Arin looked at the entrance to the dungeon. Groups of people were vanishing inside the great stone structure without a second thought. Yesterday, he had observed this process from the outside. Today, he was about to become part of it. Enter the dungeon. Fight. Collect. Survive. Return. Simple enough. Probably.

"Arin?" he heard. He turned sharply. The voice was unmistakable. He stared at the group of people who had appeared several metres away. The young man at the front had a sword at his side and appeared more muscular than Arin remembered.

He also had better equipment. At his side was another young man with a large shield. Further back stood a young woman with a staff. And finally, a teenage girl with a bow strapped to her back. It took Arin a moment to find his voice. "Rayan?" he said.

The swordsman smiled. "It is you!" he exclaimed. Arin laughed. "No way!" Rayan quickly crossed the distance and grabbed hold of Arin’s forearm. "What are you doing here?" Rayan asked. "I could ask you the same question!" Dev said, stepping forward next. "You disappeared," Dev added.

"I’ve been travelling," Arin said. "For months!" Dev said. "Travelling takes time," Arin replied. Nisha shook her head, smiling. "You haven’t changed," she said. "People keep telling me that," Arin said. He hesitated before looking past Rayan to the last member of the group.

Tara. She hadn’t said anything yet. Her long hair was braided back at the nape of her neck to keep it out of the way. She had changed equipment since their last expedition. Arin had worn simple gear during the first dungeon adventure, but Tara now wore fitted leather armor that had been reinforced around the shoulders and chest. Arin recognized her immediately.

Tara smiled. "Hi, Arin," she said. She didn’t say much else. "Hey," he said. It took a second before either of them spoke again.

Rayan looked at Saira, then Ayan, then Mira. He smiled. "You still travel with them?" he asked. Ayan nodded politely. "Indeed," he said. Saira smiled. "Unfortunately for Arin," she said. Tara looked at her. "You’re the one following me," Saira teased. "You say that like I didn’t pick the right person," Arin joked.

"Some things really don’t change," Rayan said, shaking his head. Arin turned to Adnan. "This is Adnan. You already know Mira, Ayan and Saira," Arin said. Nisha waved at Mira. "It’s been a long time," Nisha said. Mira smiled. "It has," she replied.

Dev looked at Arin. "So you really did become a travelling adventurer," he said. "Something like that," Arin replied. Rayan crossed his arms. "We heard stories," he said. Arin instantly grew suspicious. "What kind of stories?" he asked. "Several," Rayan said.

"That’s not reassuring," Arin said. "One said you defeated a monster that destroyed an entire settlement," Dev said. Arin laughed. "That’s a bit much, isn’t it?" he said. "I’m not done," Dev said. "Another said you’re travelling with a dragon," he added. Everyone turned to look at Ayan.

Ayan was as calm as ever. "That one’s true," he said. Nisha stared. "You’re still openly admitting that?" she asked. "I see no reason to deny it," Ayan said. "Unbelievable," Rayan said. Tara was watching Arin closely. "You look different," she said.

Arin looked down at himself. "Better equipment?" he asked. Tara laughed. "No," she said. Arin looked back up. "You look more confident," she said. That surprised him. Rayan instantly nodded. "She’s right," he said. "Definitely," Dev agreed.

Arin frowned. "I was confident before," he said. The four of them looked at him. Arin sighed. "Okay, maybe not," he admitted. Tara smiled again. That smile brought a memory to his mind that he hadn’t thought about in a long time.

A dim dungeon lit by blue crystals. Five inexperienced adventurers fighting off a group of lesser monsters on the first level. Rayan at the front with a broadsword. Dev with his shield. Nisha throwing spells from the back. Tara shooting arrows from cover. Arin trying to keep his heart from beating out of his chest.

Then the Minotaur. The impossible beast that shouldn’t have appeared on the first level. Arin remembered Tara’s bleeding arm, Rayan’s swaying frame, Dev’s broken shield, Nisha’s exhausted magic and the terrible decision he had made. Run. He had left them. He had survived. They had escaped with their lives.

He had fallen deeper into the dungeon, far below the surface of the world. Something in Rayan’s expression told him the swordsman was thinking about the same time. "That was a ridiculous first expedition," Rayan said. Arin laughed. "I can’t argue with that," he replied.

Dev ran his fingers along the reinforced edge of his shield. "I still remember mine breaking," he said. Nisha sighed. "I thought we were all going to die," she said. Tara looked at Arin. "We almost did," she said. The mood in the camp changed, subtly but noticeably.

Arin shrugged. "We survived," he said. "Because of you," Tara said. Arin quickly shook his head. "We’ve had this conversation," he said. "And you still don’t like hearing it," Tara said. "You came back for me," Rayan said. "Of course we did," Arin said. "You didn’t owe me anything," Rayan said.

Tara’s expression softened. "But you stayed behind against a Minotaur when you barely knew us," she said. Arin had no response to that. Saira looked at the two men, then at Arin, then back at Tara. Arin realized what she was doing. "Don’t," he said. Saira smiled innocently.

"I didn’t say anything," she said. "Your face said plenty," Arin replied. "I have no idea what you’re talking about," Saira said. Arene spoke up in his mind. "I believe she is examining your social behavior," she said. "Not you too," Arin muttered. "I merely made an observation," Arene said. Arin ignored him.

Rayan looked towards the entrance of the dungeon. "So you’re entering today?" he asked. "That’s the plan," Arin said. "Us too," Rayan said. Arin raised an eyebrow. "You’re not late, are you? You’re exploring Ravengard’s dungeon?" he asked. "We arrived two weeks ago," Rayan said, "and we’ve already completed several expeditions in the upper sections."

Adnan stepped closer. "Then you know the routes?" he asked. "Some of them," Rayan said, looking at Arin. "How far are you planning to go?" "Third mapped rest point at most," Arin said. Ayan spoke immediately. "That is the agreed limit," Ayan confirmed. Rayan smiled.

"Your group sounds disciplined," Rayan said. Saira laughed. "That’s because you haven’t travelled with Arin recently," she said. Arin frowned. "I’m extremely disciplined," he said. Ayan said nothing. That hurt more than any argument would have.

Nisha glanced towards the entrance to the dungeon. "We’re heading towards the second resource section today," she said. Adnan looked at the map in his hand. "That’s along our route," he said. Rayan noticed. "Then why don’t we travel together?" he suggested.

Arin hesitated. The idea wasn’t unpleasant. It was ridiculous, actually. His first dungeon party and his current group were going to enter a dungeon together. A full circle. He looked at Ayan. The dragon gave a small smile. Adnan shrugged. "I don’t see a problem," he said.

Saira smiled. "I’m interested," she said. Mira agreed. Arin turned to Rayan. "Looks like we’re travelling together," Arin said. Rayan grinned. "Just like old times," he said. Arin immediately pointed at him. "Do not say that," he warned.

Everyone looked confused. "The last time we travelled together, a Minotaur appeared somewhere it wasn’t supposed to exist," Arin explained. Dev laughed. "Fair enough," Nisha said, lifting her staff. "Then let’s hope Ravengard treats us better," she added. Tara stepped closer to Arin. "Still worried about Minotaurs?" she asked.

"No," he said. "Really?" she asked. "No," Arin said, raising an eyebrow. "Because you looked worried," Tara said. "I’m worried about patterns," Arin said. "Sure," Tara replied. Arin smiled. Tara had changed too. The Tara he remembered had been friendly but careful, but this Tara carried herself with greater confidence.

He wondered what the party had experienced in his absence. What dungeons they had explored and how much stronger they had become. He especially wondered if seeing them again was more pleasant than he expected. Especially her. Arin shook the thought away. Dungeon first. Everything else later.

They fell into line with the other adventurers waiting to enter the dungeon. As Arin looked over Rayan’s party, he saw how far they had come. Rayan no longer checked his sword every few seconds. Dev carried his shield with the ease of a veteran. Nisha had greater control over her mana. Tara carried herself with the relaxed confidence of someone who had spent considerable time in dangerous places.

They had all changed, just like him. That thought amused him. The five of them on their first dungeon adventure, not knowing what awaited them beyond the first few tunnels. Now Arin could sense the dungeon before entering it. His Dungeon Master’s Mark was already warming beneath his clothing. Arene spoke up in his mind.

"The dungeon is responding again," Arene said. "I know," Arin replied. "Be careful," Arene said. "I will. That response has historically been unreliable," Arin said. Arin sighed. "You all right?" Tara asked. "Yeah," Arin said. "You made that face again," Tara said.

Arin stared. Apparently, everyone knew what his faces meant. Tara laughed. "You always did that," she said. "What? Look annoyed when I’m thinking?" Arin asked. "You do that a lot," Rayan said. "He absolutely does," Dev added. "This reunion was a mistake," Arin said. "No refunds," Tara said, making Arin laugh.

The line moved forward. The guild guards inspected the adventurers before letting them through. One by one the groups of people disappeared into the immense stone entrance of the dungeon. It wasn’t long before only a handful of adventurers remained ahead of them. Rayan drew his sword. Dev adjusted his shield. Nisha gripped her staff tighter. Tara unstrapped her bow.

Arin looked at the five of them. For a moment he saw them as they were before - five inexperienced adventurers standing outside their first dungeon. Then the image was gone. Rayan glanced back at him. "Ready?" he asked. Dev raised his shield. "Ready," he said. Nisha smiled. "Yes," she said. Tara looked at Arin.

"Let’s go," she said. Arin hesitated. The words were familiar. He remembered this moment. The first dungeon of his journey, the first morning and the first party he had ever been a part of. Arin smiled. "Yeah," he said. He placed a hand on his weapon. "Let’s go," he repeated.

The two parties stepped through the great entrance together and the light of Ravengard faded behind them. Blue crystals provided light for the stone corridor ahead. Arin’s Dungeon Sense immediately awakened as the dungeon greeted him.

This time, Arin was determined to make sure everyone made it back out again.