It ended up taking two hours for Syr Katherine to appear.

Clay had spent the intervening time killing off the occasional group of bats and skulking around the mountaintop. As the sun slid towards the horizon, he'd grown a little nervous, but he tried to remain confident. Syr Katherine was an experienced adventurer, after all, and she knew better than to get herself into an unwinnable situation. Especially inside a Dungeon. On her own.

He'd had to talk himself out of entering the gate multiple times, as it howled in his ethereal senses and Olivia occasionally poked at him with Distant Whispers. When the adventurer finally emerged, he had just about convinced himself to call Olivia back and make a run to find her, no matter what happened.

It was… odd watching someone leave the Dungeon. One moment, there was only the gate and its latent wrongness. The next, Syr Katherine was stepping out of the space beneath the arch, as if she had always been there. She looked over at Clay and grinned, despite the obvious damage to her armor and side. "Sir Clay. It is good to see you."

Clay nodded, trying to evaluate the injury without rushing to her side. "Syr Katherine." He paused. "You look like you could use some help."

"It would be appreciated, Sir Clay." She took a step and stumbled, her expression twisting between pain and triumph. "Some of the denizens of that place were… less than welcoming."

The irony lay thick in her words, and Clay brought out a set of bandages. He quickly wrapped them around her torso, hoping that it would last until they reached Xavien in town. "So? Did you get [Mentor]?"

Syr Katherine's eyebrows rose for a moment. Then she nodded. "I did." She shook her head. "As well as the [Achievement], actually. It required far too much effort and sacrifice, but the goal has been achieved."

"Good." Clay raised a hand and started the [Chant] of Distant Whispers. It didn't take him long.

Olivia, I'm with Syr Katherine. She has some minor injuries. We'll be coming back in your direction. See if you can meet us halfway.

There was a moment, after he broke the [Chant], where he was able to focus on his work. He had just finished the job when he heard Olivia whispering in his ear.

"I'm on my way. The Ruffians are with me as well. Stay safe."

The connection faded, and Clay turned to offer Syr Katherine a shoulder to lean on. They started off down the mountain together, as the warbling calls of the howler bats sounded around them.

"So what, exactly, were you thinking?"

He'd waited to ask the question until they were well below the treeline on the mountain. It wasn't a discussion he wanted to have while there was still a good chance that he'd have to fight off a batch of ancient bats in the middle of it.

Syr Katherine still gave him an incredulous glance. She could hear the warbling calls of the bats around them just as well as he could, and she seemed far less confident that he could hold them off while talking to her. "It was necessary."

Clay raised an eyebrow and gestured for her to continue. Syr Katherine did so after a few moments, still wincing in pain as they walked together.

"The Council needs a resource. Someone who can help the younger adventurers survive their first encounters with the enemy." She gave him another glance. "Someone with [Mentor], especially if they can combine it with other [Experiences], would be ideal."

He nodded. "And I had already said no."

Syr Katherine snorted. "Worse, you are practically a Rogue, in the Council's eyes. A benevolent one, but no longer trustworthy. Even if you agreed, now, they would rather refuse than allow you to have influence over their chosen recruits."

Clay grimaced, though he couldn't help but feel a moment of pride at the words. "So, you're going to be my replacement?"

She shrugged, wincing with the pain the motion caused. "In a way." Her feet slipped slightly in the leaves on the slope, and Clay braced her until she regained her footing. "I'm a… prototype, I think the [Artifactors] would call it. Evidence that the [Experience] can be gained without needing your help."

He grunted as they continued. "And yet, here I am."

"It wasn't you I wanted. I needed your students." She gave him another look, frustrated this time. "I expected at least half a dozen or so [Commoners], all of a level low enough that they wouldn't be able to locate me. You gave me one, and she was close to ruining it."

Clay coughed into his hand to avoid a laugh. "The others are… busy with other duties. I'm sorry we disappointed you."

Syr Katherine shook her head, clearly having built up a bit of momentum now. "I had to replicate your original conditions as closely as possible for it to work. A group of heroes at a lower level, guided through the challenges of a Lair or Dungeon from hiding. Possibly led by an unfriendly hero of near equal or superior level, to be sure of reproducing the result."

He grunted again. "So, was I the unfriendly leader?"

"Syr Olivia would have met that requirement well enough." She coughed a little and grimaced. "Honestly, I expected you both to be at a higher level by now, given your antics. We're fortunate that you weren't, or this might not have worked at all."

Clay nodded, brushing a branch out of the way. "Is that why you didn't want me involved?"

Katherine paused as a warbling howl rung out. "In part. You're also almost as good at tracking as you are at hiding. I couldn't have remained concealed from you for long, especially if you arrived at a higher level." They continued a moment later as the bats failed to appear. "I would have tried it with the Ruffians, but they had already been here too long, and the Council neglected to assign me any adventurers which would have met my expectations."

"Until they needed to keep me and my [Commoners] busy." Clay grinned. "Well, as you said, at least it turned out well. Did you really need to go into the Dungeon alone, though?"

She shrugged. "I wanted to gain the next level as quickly as possible. I purposely waited until this could be my latest personal effort before I got it." There was a flicker of light up ahead, visible despite the gathering dark, and Clay paused, wondering if it was the Ruffians or the bats. "There was a delay between your work in Pellsglade and when you received the [Experience], but you also received more of them at once. If this hadn't worked, I might have needed to go in again, or start at a different Dungeon, and I would have needed to try and keep rumors from giving everything away."

There was another flicker of light, followed by some kind of explosion. Clay accelerated their pace a little, trying to balance the need for urgency against the risk of the sharp slope of the ravine. "Then that makes me even happier that you succeeded. Though I think you might have to deal with Syr Olivia's unhappiness once we get back."

Syr Katherine let out a low chuckle. "Oh, I believe I know my way to her good graces, Sir Clay. Do not worry for me." She grinned. "After all, I intend to guide her through her first Dungeon, the same as I did for you. Furthermore, with me causing change in the Guild, the pressure to bring you both to heel will be that much less."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "You're taking her in without me?"

"Oh, you're welcome to come along." Syr Katherine laughed again, a quiet huff of air. "I wouldn't want to separate you—but I would also like to see my new talents in force, and you're likely too advanced for them to work properly. How far have you gone? Level twenty-three? Twenty-four?"

Clay blinked. "I'm only at twenty-two, actually. The Council's been keeping me busier than I expected."

The [Calculator] raised her eyebrows in surprise. "I see." Then she shook her head. "Well, regardless, I'll remain in command this time. Perhaps by our next meeting, you'll have surpassed me as I expected."

He couldn't help but snort this time. "I'll aim to please, Syr Katherine." Up ahead, he could see figures moving through the trees on the other side of the ravine. At least one of them looked to be carrying the war scythe he'd been watching for; a grin broke out on his face. "But first, let's get you home. It's been a long enough day for all of us."

It was getting dark by the time they reached Dorthmead. There had been a few attempts by the bats to stop them, but between the Ruffians, Olivia, Clay, and Syr Katherine herself, they were largely brushed away in an avalanche of destruction. The Ruffians looked almost bored as they swatted the creatures from the sky, but then again, after three months of fighting the same monsters on the same ground, perhaps that was a natural feeling to have.

The [Guards] that welcomed them through the gates seemed unimpressed by the group, though a few frowned at Olivia's fatigue and Syr Katherine's injuries. Those marks were already fading, however, as Xavien's healing [Charm] went to work. When they walked through the town's gates, Syr Katherine was already striding ahead on her own, her calm confidence once again restored.

Olivia, on the other hand, was a clearly simmering pot of resentment and frustration, though Clay had silently begged her not to start anything at the moment. The Ruffians had picked up on the tension, at least, and they were slightly more eager than normal to bid him a good night before scurrying off to their rooms. Syr Katherine didn't stick around either, not that he blamed her. She looked about ready to fall asleep on her feet. Not that he was any better off.

Still, he stayed behind in the common room and waited for the last of the adventurers and servants to disappear. Then he turned to Olivia and gestured for her to begin. "Before you start, can I at least see your face?"

She glared at him, her eyes a pair of emeralds above her snarling scarf. Then she tugged it down so that it hung loose, revealing the fact that her mouth was drawn into a tight snarl. "There, is that better?"

Clay nodded, unable to keep from smiling. "I have to say it is, yeah." She tilted her head in a dangerous hint of her mood, and he shrugged. "So. She used us."

"She used me." Olivia paced, her hands clenched at her side. A part of him was glad that she'd left her war scythe leaning against the wall. "One of us could have been killed. We both could have been."

He leaned forward, his hands on his knees. "She was watching over you almost the entire time, from what I could tell. She wouldn't have gotten the [Experience] otherwise." Olivia paused long enough to glare at him again, and he straightened up, spreading his arms wide. "As for getting hurt… we've both fought in worse situations before. We will again. This time was just something to give her the chance to help more people."

Olivia started pacing again, shaking her head as she walked. "To help the Guild, you mean."

Clay folded his arms and studied her, curiosity flooding through him. "Shouldn't that be a good thing? The stronger the Guild grows, the more they can fight back against the monsters."

"If they choose to, instead of spending half their time chasing Rogues or supervising Peacebound." She gestured to the wall. "How long have the Ruffians been stuck here, when they could have been killing Lairs? One or two missions like that, and they could learn the [Chant] and start making a real difference. Why aren't they being rotated out by fresh recruits?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Maybe they will be, now that Syr Katherine's goal is complete." Olivia snorted and continued her frustrated strides across the room. "Come on, Olivia, at least admit that she's taken some of the pressure off of us. With her having [Mentor], the Council won't need to try and control us as much. They'll have alternatives."

Olivia grimaced. "You think they'll back off now that they have their own training adventurer? Or will they be able to push harder because they know they can replace you if they need to?"

Clay opened his mouth to protest and paused. He ran back over his conversations and arguments with the Council, and wondered how much differently they all would have gone if he hadn't had the leverage of his talents to rely on. It did not give him a rosy picture of the future. "We can deal with that when we come to it." She gave him a frustrated glare, and he sighed. "Look, at the very least, can you agree that Syr Katherine was not trying to make things worse for us? If anything, she was doing her best to do exactly what we believe the adventurers should be doing. She's trying to save lives and push back the dark. What else would you want her to do?"

For a moment, Olivia didn't respond. She just kept walking back and forth, anger and frustration plain on her face. Clay watched her, giving her the time to think through her options. He waited until she finally came to a stop, facing away from him.

She tilted her head back and stared at the ceiling. Then she heaved a sigh. "You're right. I shouldn't be so frustrated. Not about this." Then she looked back at him. "This doesn't mean I am going to get along with her. Or that I'm going to play her games whenever she wants. If she wants my trust and my help, then she'll have to earn it from now on."

He nodded, and Olivia's shoulders slumped slightly. The tension in her stance fled as she walked back to him, and she held out her arms. Clay rose from his seat and put his arms around her, letting her burrow into him for a moment. "Did I worry you that much?"

She laughed, a quick sob of frustration and amusement mixed together. "I kept picturing you diving into that door after her. You weren't answering, and both of you were missing." He started to answer, and she poked him in the side. "I know, I know, you were giving her the chance to get the [Experience]. Still, knowing that now doesn't change what I felt then, and all I could think is that I let them separate us. That I might have let you get yourself into something I couldn't get you out of."

Clay held her for a moment. He sighed. "I'm sorry, Olivia. It won't happen again."

"Oh, sure it will." She laughed again, her breath puffing against his shoulder. "We both knew we'd be going into danger before we started this. It's not even different from how you used to worry me back in the Tanglewood."

Then she pulled back and glared at him one last time, her eyes fierce. "Just remember, I'm not the girl in the Shrine anymore. I won't be waiting for you at the edge of the woods and saying 'Welcome, traveler' when you show up, finally. The next time this happens, I'm going in after you and dragging you out by force if I have to. Understand?"

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

Clay smiled, fighting the urge to laugh. He nodded. "I suppose I do." She buried her face back into him, and he chuckled. "Though I guess I should be grateful you haven't started doing this back to me just to make me worry. Do I have to start planning what I'll do if you suddenly run off into danger?"

"You might. I've had some ideas." She thumped a fist against his armor, without any real force behind it. He huffed and tightened his hold around her until she sighed. "I suppose I should head to bed now. It's been a long day."

He tightened his arms around her one last time, and then let her pull back. "It has." Clay kissed her, feeling the thrill at the taste of her lips. Then he brushed a hand across her cheek and grinned. "Try to get some rest. I have a feeling our surprises aren't done here yet."

Olivia rolled her eyes, her cheeks suddenly stained red. "I know." She leaned forward to give him another quick kiss. Then she pulled away out of his arms and walked backwards, a mischievous smile on her lips. "Have good dreams, Sir Clay."

"And you, Syr Olivia." She turned and snatched her scythe from the wall before heading out of the room. He watched her for a few more moments, waiting for his heartbeat to calm.

Then he fetched his own weapons and headed off to his bed. The warm embrace of the mattress was waiting for him, lonely as it was.

Clay danced back as Jack's knives flicked out, nearly catching him. He twirled his practice spear, ready to respond in kind, only for Anne to loose a shot that nearly caught him in the chest. Only a frantic dodge, followed by two more lunges meant to keep practice arrows out of his torso, kept him from getting knocked flat.

Then Lawrence's staff came whirling in from behind, and Clay was sent staggering. Before he could regain his balance, Jack hit him like a thunderbolt and tackled him to the ground. Glowing shackles of energy sprang from the dirt and ensnared his arms, restraining him just long enough for the [Knave] to put his practice knives to Clay's throat.

He glared up at the triumphant Ruffian and then slumped back. "All right, all right. You got me."

Jack beat his chest with a victorious crow, one echoed by the shouts of the other Ruffians. Xavien, whose only contribution to the fight had been that last [Charm], just grinned, while Natalie and Olivia remained focused on the reams of parchment spread out between them. Apparently, the [Commoner] and the [Alchemist] had bonded at some point and were now committed to studying the remaining [Chants] to see if they could make out some new tools.

Syr Katherine was not in evidence yet, though Clay didn't particularly expect her to be. A [Calculator] didn't have the highest amounts of [Fortitude], and she had pushed herself to the limit the day before. Between that and whatever penalties the Malus of the Dungeon had inflicted, he wouldn't be surprised if she didn't emerge until midday. Whatever plans she had regarding the Dungeon would just have to wait until tomorrow.

Still grumbling over his defeat, Clay levered himself back up and into a ready stance. Without the need to assault the monsters, he had seen no reason not to spend the day training. The Ruffians had jumped at the chance to show off their newfound skills to their old teacher and had taken to the opportunity with a little too much enthusiasm. It was the third defeat he'd suffered already this morning, and the only exception to that streak would have been a razor thin draw more than a victory.

He shook his head, trying to clear it a little more. Clearly, even with his advantage in levels, it wasn't an easy thing to face a group of prepared, skilled adventurers. They weren't Guild-coddled warriors, either; the Ruffians had gained every [Experience] and every tactic in the heat of battle, fighting monsters. What's worse, they knew better than to give him any opening to take advantage of.

Even now, riding high on their victory, the Ruffians were alert and on their toes. Lawrence had his eyes narrowed and fixed on Clay, ready for his next move. Anne seemed casual and oblivious, but Clay was already wise to her tricks; she was keeping a wary eye on him, and was ready to spin out of the way at a moment's notice.

Jack was prepared as well, already crouching into a fighting stance. His knives were held out, presented like wide tusks from a charging boar. There was still a triumphant glint in his eye, but he watched Clay as carefully as any of the others.

Of course, Xavien was still grinning from the sidelines as well. Clay snorted. Obviously, the [Oracle] considered himself invulnerable from the gallery, but if he was going to put a foot in, he couldn't complain about what happened next.

He fell into a crouch of his own, but Olivia raised her voice in an idle rebuke. "Remember, keep away from my notes, Clay."

Clay glanced over at her, but she hadn't even looked up. Her scarf had been lowered, something that made him blink in surprise. To trust the Ruffians that far was impressive, given that she'd had it up around the Pellsglade heroes the entire time.

Then he heard the shuffle of boots in the dirt and realized that he'd left himself open. He ducked below a slash from Jack's knife and put a shoulder into the man's ribs. The [Knave] was sent tumbling backwards, but before Clay could follow up, the ground cracked and writhed as stone tentacles sought to grab him. He danced to the side, evading the [Charm] from Lawrence, and ducked a pair of arrows from Anne.

His spear spun around him in a blur of motion as he smashed the tentacles, shattering them to fragments. While the debris was still falling, he scooped a few pieces with his spear and sent them rocketing towards Anne, who yelped and ducked away.

Then he kicked another piece across the courtyard towards Xavien, catching the [Oracle] in the middle of using another of his [Charms]. The would-be interloper grunted as the stone hit him in the chest, winding him, and gave Clay an offended look.

Clay paused just long enough to shrug at the man before continuing his attack. He waded into the fray against Jack, trying to overwhelm the man with repeated attacks. The [Knave] backpedaled, trying to use his knives to guard against the spear, but Clay just battered the defenses aside and landed a blow on Jack's stomach. As the man folded over, Clay raised his spear for another strike.

Then his spear vanished. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lawrence smirk as it clattered to the [Occultist]'s feet. Clearly, the man had learned a new trick.

He didn't hesitate. Clay drew the practice knife from his belt even as he kneed Jack in the head. The [Knave] folded up, and Anne darted forward to guard him. She was wielding her sword and yelling, trying to get as much of Clay's attention as she could get.

Clay obliged her for a moment, meeting sword with knife as he backpedaled. As he did, he started the Ballad of Air, hoping to finish it before Lawrence pulled some other trick out of nowhere. He felt a flicker of gratification as Xavien darted over to heal Jack, apparently getting fully involved in the fight for the first time. It was exactly what he'd need to push himself.

Even as the [Knave] stood up again, Clay saw an opening. Anne had extended herself just a bit too far, and he lashed out before she could retreat. To his surprise, she twisted out of the way like her bones were made from gelatin and then danced away as he tried to pursue. He took two steps, only for the world to suddenly go white in front of him.

He tried to shield his eyes and back up, but something massive slammed into his chest before his vision could recover. When he landed flat on his back, Clay tried to roll, only to find that the stone tendrils were back. Before he could break them, they had already chained him down, and a dull blade was at his neck.

Clay blinked away the blindness and sighed as he looked up at a panting Anne. She grinned as he went limp in defeat, and the tentacles of stone dissolved into dust. He sat up, frowning at the four Ruffians staring back at him. As they congratulated each other and took up their positions at the other end of the courtyard, he pushed himself back to his feet.

He saw them grow serious as he fell back into a fighting stance, and he grinned. "All right. Let's go again."

By lunchtime, Clay felt like he had been through a meatgrinder. The Ruffians had grown more and more tired as the day went on, but they had the advantage of numbers and specialized skills. He'd started to win against them as fatigue weighed them down, but even that hadn't given him anywhere close to a majority of the fights.

Of course, the more important were the other gains he made. Fighting to exhaustion had gained him another point in [Fortitude], and one in [Will] as well, for resisting the tricks that Lawrence and Xavien kept throwing his way. Eventually, though, he reached a point where his aching muscles were complaining enough that he couldn't ignore them any longer, and he lurched off of the training space to join Olivia and Natalie at the nearby tables.

They were still poring over the notes in front of them, obviously still deep in study. He slumped into a nearby chair with a muffled groan. When Olivia looked over at him, he grinned. "Want to go take your turn out there? I think I softened them up for you."

She raised an eyebrow. "I'll think about it."

Natalie shook her head and chuckled. "I guess you aren't invincible after all, Clay. Good to know you aren't that far beyond us."

He gave her a weary look. "True. Though I guess you haven't run across any new [Chants] you'd like to share?"

The [Alchemist] grimaced. "No, not yet." Her eyes dropped back to the parchments in front of her. "Though these new translations by Syr Olivia may help with that. If I ever get out of this place and gain a few more levels, of course…"

Her voice trailed off as she continued to read. Obviously, the [Alchemist] had other things on her mind than simple training.

Olivia looked over at where the other Ruffians had collapsed in a group. They were currently drinking water and eating, their faces covered in sweat as they sat or lay on the courtyard stones. Her lips quirked in a smile. "I think I might give them a little more time to rest. They look like they could use it."

"They do indeed, Syr Olivia."

Olivia froze, and Clay looked over in surprise to find that Syr Katherine had finally emerged from the living quarters. She looked far more well rested and ready to face the day, now. Her blue eyes ran over the exhausted Ruffians before returning to rest on Clay. There was a twitch of what might have been a smile. "I see that you have been making sure that your former students are up to your standards, Sir Clay."

He grinned at her. "Can't let them take it too easy. Did you get enough sleep?"

The [Calculator] shrugged. "For now, I suppose. Hopefully, I will be ready for our efforts tomorrow." Her eyes fell to the pile of parchment. Olivia made a small motion, as if she would have liked to gather the notes up and hide them, only to think better of it. "I see you have continued your efforts, Syr Olivia. May I see?"

Olivia studied the adventurer for a few moments, her lips forming a thin line. With clear reluctance, she nodded.

Syr Katherine inclined her head and then stepped over to the table. She looked over the notes, her eyes roving across the pages of parchment. After a moment, her inspection of the notes came to a halt. "Syr Olivia."

Clay grimaced as Olivia's eyes narrowed. She seemed to tense, one hand rising to touch her scarf. "Yes?"

"You've done excellent work, but I believe that you may have made a mistake here." Syr Katherine reached out and placed a finger on one part of the text.

Olivia's voice could have frozen a warm coal. "Is that so?"

Syr Katherine appeared to be unfazed. She nodded and gestured to a nearby blank piece of scrap. "Yes. Allow me to demonstrate." As the [Calculator] picked up a pen and began to write, Olivia gave Clay a fulminating glare, as if it was his fault. He held up both hands defensively, while Natalie hid a grin behind her hand. Before Olivia could say anything, however, Syr Katherine finished whatever she was working on and slid it over, along with the parchment in question.

"See, if you substitute this section here with what I've written here…"

For a moment, Olivia stared back and forth between the two versions. Her anger faded as reluctant acceptance started to dominate her expression. "That… does look more correct." It sounded like the words had cost her a measure of her own blood. She clenched her jaw for a moment before she continued. "May I ask how you knew?"

Syr Katherine shook her head. "A version of that [Chant] resides within the Guild's library. It was something I ran across in my own studies." She paused and looked back over the pages again with an arched eyebrow. "Still, it is quite impressive that you managed to come this far on your own. A little of time with the Guild's records would probably do wonders for your progress."

Olivia's eyes had run back over her own notes. She picked up her own pen and made some brief corrections. Then, with a quiet sigh, she asked her next question through nearly gritted teeth. "Do you have any other suggestions, Syr Katherine?"

The [Calculator] hesitated for just a heartbeat. Then she nodded and sat at the table. Clay watched as the three women got to work and quietly excused himself. His training had helped him work up an appetite, and he was fairly certain that he didn't need to be hovering over the lot of them at the moment.

{Memory increased by 1!}

Clay sighed in relief as the progression of the [Chant] in front of him abruptly made more sense.

There was a roar of flame, and he glanced over as Olivia whirled her way past Natalie, the two of them taking on the rest of the Ruffians in yet another practice battle. He grinned for a moment before turning his attention back to the page. He searched through the pages for another moment before landing on another [Chant] that he'd felt close to understanding. It quickly imprinted itself on his mind, and his smile widened.

"Success, Sir Clay?"

He looked up at Syr Katherine, who was peering at him. She had her own stack of Olivia's notes next to her, along with a set of parchment where she was making comments and suggestions. She'd already apparently found a handful of [Chants] to correct—though none of the others here had the [Memory] yet to master them—and was now making her way through Olivia's research about the Eternal Seal.

Clay nodded. "Yeah. Finally put things together for a couple of new ones."

She spared him a small smile. "Allow me to guess. The Gardener's Lament, and the Carver's Chord."

He blinked and glanced down at the pages again. "That's… right. How did you know?"

Syr Katherine held up a hand. "I remember when I managed them. It was… underwhelming in some ways. They are likely to be especially unimpressive for you."

Clay frowned and folded his arms. "How so?"

"The Lament is made to detect eldritch energies, such as those given off by Lairs or Dungeons." She shrugged. "You already seem to have similar abilities, thanks to your personal [Experiences], so it may not be as useful to you. Worse, it has a tendency to call monsters to the user; Guardians are known to send hunting parties after those who use it too close to a Lair."

He winced. "Something to be careful of. What does it do when reversed?"

She paused, as if unsure. "To be truthful, it doesn't seem to do anything at all." The [Calculator] snorted at his expression. "Feel free to experiment with it. I've never found a use for the thing. I believe it's even called the Fool's Rhyme for that reason."

Clay nodded. "And the Chord? It can't be reversed apparently, so it must be fairly focused, like the Refrain and the Discord."

"You're correct, Sir Clay." Syr Katherine grinned a little. "Though in this case, I am not the best expert in its use. You see, the Chord is meant to be the start of runic magic."

"Runes?" He sat back in his seat. "You mean like what Master Taylor uses for Orn's limbs? I thought that was…"

Syr Katherine raised an eyebrow. "A [Charm]? Or a [Sigil]?" He grimaced, and she laughed softly. "No, Sir Clay. Such things would not be permanent enough to last for long. In fact, they'd likely only exist for the time it would take him to be out of Taylor's line of sight."

Clay frowned, thinking back over the times he'd watched Taylor work on the Armsman's damaged limbs. He hadn't noticed her using any [Chants], but then again… "Was she not just muttering curses that whole time?"

To his surprise, Katherine snorted. She shook her head. "No, she was not." The [Calculator] leaned forward. "The art of using such things has been lost in many ways, but Master Taylor has studied what we have left for many years. She's even received a handful of [Experiences] related to her work, which have made things easier."

He nodded, still thinking back. "And the Chord is the start?"

She leaned forward and tapped the page. "Indeed, it is. Unfortunately, it does not look like Syr Olivia has found any other [Chants] related to it, and the only adventurer I know who has is—"

"Taylor." Clay grunted and stared down at the spell. He could feel a slight itch to use it, and knowing he couldn't was against his nature. "So it's useless right now."

Syr Katherine arched an eyebrow. "Unless you find some way to make use of it, I suppose."

Clay grimaced and pushed the sheets away. "Well, at least I might have another thing to try tomorrow. It's not like the Dungeon will be avoiding the chance to send monsters at us, anyway."

"True enough." Syr Katherine tilted her head slightly. "It will be particularly dangerous with just the three of us. I wish that we had time to send for Orn and Taylor, but it would be a significant delay."

He snorted. The Council would probably try to delay things as well, if they didn't happen to 'find' more work for him to take care of. "Better that we just handle it, then." A thought struck him, and he looked at where Olivia was hurling Jack across the courtyard. "Can they not enter the Dungeon with us?"

Syr Katherine gave him a level look. "They are barely at tenth level."

"I was only at level twelve, and they already have the [Achievement] practically the highest it could go." He shrugged. "Besides, they're adventurers. I think they'd probably be ready to face whatever there is inside it."

Her lips twisted in an unhappy frown. "You may have a bit too much faith in them, Sir Clay." She looked back at the courtyard, her eyes uncertain. "While the Dungeon is one that we understand fairly well, it remains dangerous. The Malus alone would make me reluctant."

Clay blinked. "It's that bad?"

The [Calculator] grimaced. "It increases the damage someone takes from all sources. An unprepared hero might be killed in a single blow." She shook her head. "Besides, when a Dungeon is entered by a larger group, it responds with a greater number of monsters. Our advantage would be negated fairly easily."

He scratched at the back of his head for a moment, thinking the problem over. "What if they're hiding? Would it know automatically, or does the Dungeon have to see them?"

Syr Katherine opened her mouth to respond. Then she paused, her eyes narrowing. Her voice seemed cautious, almost hesitant. "I believe the Dungeon always has a fairly good sense of where we are while we are inside it. Unless it is distracted, it can't be fooled."

Clay looked at her for a moment. "What if they use the Orison? I mean, the reversed version? Wouldn't that work?"

Her eyes seemed to sharpen. "The Scoundrel's Cloak? That [Chant] is effective against others using the Orison. Are you saying that it can do more?"

He nodded, mystified. It occurred to him he'd never heard the 'official' name for the Orison's reversed form, but it fit well enough. "Well, yeah. It's how I hid from the Dungeon in Sarlsboro. It didn't seem to be able to see me all that well."

She moved before he could react. Her hand locked around his forearm, and she stared at him. "You're saying you can feel it. When it looks at you, you can feel it?" Clay nodded, and her eyes grew a little vague. "It must be your ethereal senses. And you're saying it was blocked…"

He watched as she leaned back again, her eyes still unfocused. "It might not work, based on their [Will], but at the very least, it could protect us for the initial strike. We might even see it do more… how many could we…"

Syr Katherine continued to mutter to herself. Clay gently freed his arm from her grip and looked back at the Ruffians. He felt a brief moment of guilt; hopefully, he hadn't just doomed his friends to more experiments.

Only time would tell.

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