“And you’re certain that this is the final room?” the captain asked, the bags under his eyes obvious as he talked to Chris, “We’ve been in this hell hole for over a week, and my soldiers are losing morale fast.”
“Absolutely,” Chris nodded as he looked down at the map in his hands, showing it to the captain, a detailed image of the cave system on the scroll, “We’ve cleared and sealed off every other cavern, this is the last one. But that just means that this is the Kobold’s last stand, and they’ll probably have the Boss with them.”
“I still don’t get why I can’t just take your fancy map and sneak in there,” Elizabeth huffed, “If it records everything the user sees, then I could scout out the terrain and stuff.”
“The Explorer’s Map is an A Rank item,” Chris said, “And anything B Rank and above is automatically bound to the first person to use it. Basically-.”
“It won’t work for me, got it,” the girl sighed, “So we’re still going in blind?”
“Not exactly,” Chris shook his head, “We have a good idea of their tactics by now, and everyone has reached at least level nine, so it shouldn’t be too hard a fight.”
“Except they’ll be desperate,” the captain sighed, “Which may spur them into using more dangerous tactics.”
“True, but I’m sure we can handle it,” Chris smiled, the captain just sighing as he nodded, turning to talk to the soldiers.
“Are you sure?” Elizabeth asked quietly, Chris grimacing slightly at her question.
“Honestly?” he whispered, “No, but the soldiers are already tired and worn out. It would do us no good to let them know that.”
“So, you’re lying to them?”
“No, I’m pretty confident we can come out of this with a victory,” Chris sighed, “I’m just not sure if we can do it unscathed.”
------
The wall of flame washed down the corridor, incinerating everything in its path. Chris felt his eye twitch as the familiar pain slowly built in the back of his head, the War Magister leading the charge down the tunnel.
“I don’t hear any Kobolds dying,” the captain shouted over the roaring of the fire, “What are they planning?”
“I don’t know,” Chris called back as they continued, suddenly dropping the fire as he felt his magic spread out.
The group looked around in amazement as they entered the grand hall, the walls and balconies of the majestic space lined with Kobolds, all staring at them angrily.
“Halt, invaders!” the squeaky voice commanded as the group prepared to fight, “Stay your weapons!”
Chris blinked as he looked at the massive kobold sitting on a throne at the far end of the room, the creature dressed in ragged finery as it waved a golden scepter around.
“You have already proven your might,” the monster continued, “And so, we shall offer you a boon! Take what you wish from the hoard of our god, and then begone!”
“Is that the Boss?” the captain whispered as the group looked at the strange monster, Chris nodding as the screen appeared in front of him.
[Leave {The Mighty Peaks} Dungeon now?]
[Note: If you choose to leave, each member of your party may choose an item from the Hoard of Velkash the Frostbitten.]
“Are you Velkash?” Chris called out, the Kobolds immediately starting to squeak and squeal angrily at him.
“Nay, mighty warrior,” the Boss shook its head as he motioned for the others to fall silent, “I am but his humble servant. We cannot allow those as unworthy as you to even lay eyes upon his greatness, and so we offer you this boon.”
“And if not all of us leave?” Chris asked, glancing back at the tired soldiers, “What happens to those of us that stay?”
“You shall be slain,” the large Kobold cackled, tapping the head of the scepter against its other clawed hand, “And then fed to his greatness as an offering from us!”
The Kobolds immediately started shouting again, this time chanting the name of their apparent god over and over.
“Now!” the Boss shouted over the noise, “Make your choice! Accept our boon, or face death!”
“Who’s staying?” Chris asked as he turned to the group, several of the soldiers glancing at each other as no one moved, “Don’t lie. We won’t think any worse of you if you want to go home. I can’t guarantee that we’ll all come out of this alive, so this is your last chance to back out.”
“I’m staying,” Elizabeth said, Jessica nodding as she walked up beside her.
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
“Well, I can’t let you have all the fun,” Alan chuckled as he stepped forwards as well.
“Sorry son,” Chris’s father sighed, “But I think it’s time for these old bones to leave. Don’t go dying on me though, I’ll kill you if you do.”
“Of course,” Chris nodded, blinking as his father vanished in front of him, “Anyone else?”
“I’m out,” someone called, one of the soldiers disappearing, then another and another, until only a few remained, the captain included.
“I can’t just leave you on your own, sir,” the man said, “You’re too valuable an asset to risk losing like this.”
“No,” Chris shook his head, noticing how the man was shaking slightly, continuously glancing at the Kobolds around them, “Don’t stay for me. If you want to leave, then leave.”
“I can’t,” the captain sighed, “I have orders to protect you at all costs.”
“And you’ve done a fine job of it until now,” Chris smiled at him, “But this isn’t about orders. It’s about what you want and need. When we get out, I’ll make sure you don’t get even a slap on the wrist.”
“You sure, Chris?” the captain asked quietly, Chris just nodding as he spoke.
“Absolutely, Brian. Go back to your family, we’ll be out soon enough.”
“Thank you,” the man nodded, before he vanished, the last few soldiers following him, leaving only one other person.
“Are you sure, Ayla?” Chris asked, the woman smirking at him.
“How else am I going to make sure you’re around to have that coffee after all this?” she asked, stepping forwards as she held the long staff in her hands, “Plus, you already gave me this fancy toy, so I want to try using it.”
“It’s not that fancy,” Chris blushed slightly at her words, “It’s just a staff that holds some extra Mana.”
“I was making a joke, you rube,” she chuckled, Chris blushing harder as he turned away.
“Anyway,” he muttered, before speaking clearly to the Kobold King on the throne, “We choose to stay.”
“Then you shall die!” the creature squealed in excitement, pointing its scepter towards them, “For the glory of Velkash the Frostbitten!”
“VELKASH!” the other Kobolds screamed as they charged the group.
“Move!” Chris yelled over the racket, pointing his mace at the King, “Our target is the Boss!”
“Aurum!” Jessica shouted as she held out her hand, the golden furred wolf leaping out of the mark on her skin, “Speak! Magic Up!”
Aurum howled, the silver bell on his new black collar ringing as he did so, a mixture of gold and black energy engulfing them. The Kobolds rushing towards them faltered as they were hit by the black energy, while Chris’s group glowed with golden light, empowering them as they charged towards the King.
“I am Velkash’s Chosen!” the King cackled, lifting his scepter above his head, “You shall never reach me!”
The group gasped as walls of ice erupted around the King, blocking him off entirely as the Kobolds continued to stream into the room, climbing down the walls as they pushed their comrades at the front forwards.
“I got it!” Chris shouted, “Keep going!”
The lance of flame formed above his head as they ran, spinning faster and faster as it shrank, the flames growing hotter and hotter. Just as they reached the ice wall, the magic was little more than an arrow made of blinding white fire. It shot forwards, Chris almost tripping as his head pounded in agony, the arrow slamming into the dome of ice, the sound of screaming filling the air as they two opposing energies collided. The explosion shook the room, throwing everyone from their feet as the group blinked the spots from their eyes, staring at the now exposed body of the Kobold King.
“But…” it wheezed, looking down at its torso, the massive hole taking up almost all of it, “I am…Velkash’s…Chosen…”
“Way to go, stealing the Boss kill,” Elizabeth chuckled as the group got to their feet, watching as the King’s corpse collapsed to the floor, “So, what now?”
“I don’t think this is over, people!” Alan shouted as he looked back, the wave of Kobolds still heading towards them, “I think killing the big guy just made them even more angry!”
“VELKASH!” the horde screamed as they descended on the group in a tidal wave of bodies.
------
“So,” the General fumed as he walked back and forth in front of the group of ten soldiers, “Let me see if I understand this correctly.”
He paused directly in front of the captain, turning his head slowly to glare at the man.
“You, after having received explicit orders to protect the asset at all costs, left the Dungeon without it?”
“Yes sir,” the captain replied, doing his best to not collapse from exhaustion as the man continued to pace.
“And you claim that this is because the asset told you to leave? I don’t recall us taking orders from things, captain!”
“With all due respect, sir,” the captain started to say, “He is not a thi-.”
“Shut your mouth!” the general screamed, “I did not give you permission to speak, so you shall remain silent until I ask you a question! Understood?”
“Yes sir!” the captain nodded, straightening his back slightly.
“So, where is the asset right now?”
“He is probably fighting the floor Boss, sir,” the captain replied.
“Probably? PROBABLY?!” the General screamed again, “You don’t even know if it’s alive, and all you can say for yourself is ‘probably’?! I will have your stripes for this, you weak, worthless bastard! I’ll have all of your stripes! Not one of you will ever find a job above scrubbing toilets for your cowardice again!”
“Let me help you then, sir,” one of the soldiers behind the captain said tiredly, stepping forwards as he reached to his shoulder, ripping the patch off it and throwing it to the floor, “I quit.”
“You what?” the general scowled, stomping up to the soldier and staring him in the face, “You what, soldier?”
“I,” the man said slowly, leaning forwards until he was right in the General’s face, “Quit, you fat fuck. Now get out of my face before I make you.”
“Make me?” the General laughed, “And how do you think you’re going to do that?!”
A half dozen balls of flame suddenly appeared behind the former soldier, spinning rapidly until they formed into spears of fire, the General taking a step back as he noticed them.
“Hey guys,” the man called, “How does roast pig sound right about now?”
“Nah,” one of the others laughed as he ripped his own patch off, tossing it away, “You’d never make anything as good as Jessica’s stew.”
“Right,” another said as he also tore off the emblem, “Better leave it to the professionals, man.”
“Well then,” the Mage hummed, turning back to the general, whose face was now bright red with anger, “Seems you’re lucky tonight, little piggy. Now wee wee wee all the way home, before I get tired of holding these spells here.”
“This is insubordination!” the general screamed as every soldier ripped off their patches, the captain removing his pins and throwing them at the general’s feet, “You cannot do this!”
“Oh, but we can,” the captain hummed as he patted his new sword, “And we are. Congratulations on throwing away the strongest army you’ll ever see, General.”
“Get back here this instant!” the man shouted as the group walked out, leaving him to scream incoherently behind them.
