Chapter Nine

 

Stern grinned when Cyra called out that the mobs were dead. “Pawly, can you go check?”

 

Pawly chuffed, then went past Trish and over the piles of dead bakruma.

 

“At least thirty of them,” Trish said with a rough breath. “Tiring.”

 

“Glad we took them in the tunnel,” Cammie said.

 

“It was smart,” Vulk said.

 

Cyra beamed. “Thank you.”

 

“Use the terrain where and when you can,” Stern nodded. “Good plan, Cyra.”

 

“Do you want this back on your bag?” Cammie asked, holding up the crowbar.

 

“Is it damaged?” Stern asked.

 

“Nope.”

 

“Then please?”

 

“Vulk,” Trish said, “thanks for staying near me.”

 

“It worked better,” Vulk said. “Did I make up for it?”

 

“For me, you did,” Trish said.

 

“You were in the right place and did the job,” Stern said. “I’d say so.”

 

“Yes,” Cyra smiled. “You even caught that attack at Trish’s legs, saving her. It means I didn’t have to use my healing.”

 

Vulk nodded, then looked at his sister.

 

Cammie cleared her throat as she finished getting the crowbar reattached. “So... do we pass?”

 

Trish looked at Stern and Cyra, who both nodded. “Yeah. If this is clear, we’ll do perks, deal with shards and points, and then we can register you both, if you want to stay on.”

 

Cammie grinned broadly. “Thank you!”

 

Pawly came trotting back and chuffed.

 

“All good?” Trish asked.

 

Pawly sat down and waved a paw.

 

“Go home. See you for dinner,” Stern told her.

 

Pawly faded away and Cammie gasped. “Goddess, that was… unexpected.”

 

“Yeah, it can rattle you,” Stern agreed, “especially if she’s inside a slime at the time.”

 

“You bring her back for dinner?” Vulk asked.

 

“She’s part of the crew,” Stern said evenly.

 

“She did all the scouting and helped with the plan,” Cammie agreed. “Besides, she’s cute.”

 

Vulk sighed. “You always wanted a cat.”

 

“It’s clear, so let’s go see the shopkeeper and finish up,” Trish said with a hint of amusement.

 

~*~*~

 

Ria smiled broadly when Stern and the others appeared in the shop. “Greetings to you all. Did you wish to start with your points or with your perks?”

 

“Perks,” Cammie said.

 

“Very well. All at once, or one at a time?”

 

“One at a time,” Trish said before anyone else could. “What one of us takes might influence another.”

 

“That’s true,” Cammie agreed. “Do you mind if I go first? What I take is unlikely to influence anyone else.”

 

“Go for it.”

 

Ria smiled at the dwarf when Cammie came to the counter. “Are you ready?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Three pages appeared on the countertop and Cammie pulled the first off to look it over. Setting it down, she checked the second and third in quick succession, then frowned. “Okay, that’s just…”

 

“Problem?” Vulk asked.

 

“Good perks,” Cammie said. “I could get Iron Skin to improve my survivability, or something called Rigging that would let me improve my trapmaking with suboptimal materials. I also could get Long Trapper, which would let me craft single-use projectiles that would deploy my traps.”

 

“Oh,” Vulk said, “tough one.”

 

Cammie looked at the others. “Opinions?”

 

“We’ll try to never get you into the thick of it, if we can,” Trish said, “but extra survivability is always good. The last one sounds like a good idea for later dungeons. I’m not sure about the middle one, though.”

 

“The middle one could shine in later dungeons,” Stern added. “When we’re dealing with humanoid mobs, which will have gear, she could repurpose it for traps.”

 

Cammie nodded slowly. “Yeah. It’s not useful right now, but possibly later against survivability or the ability to deploy traps ahead of the bulwark.”

 

“We’ll be carrying a lot into the dungeons already,” Cyra said. “How much will you need for traps?”

 

Cammie grimaced. “That breaks it down easily for me. I hope the others come up again in the future.” Turning back, she took the second page and willed it to be hers, gasping and leaning against the counter as it soaked into her.

 

Ria collected the other two pages, then smiled at Cyra. “Helping your crewmates is always good. Do you want to go next, Cyra?”

 

“I will,” Cyra nodded. “Unless…” She trailed off, looking at the others, who just waved her on.

 

“That’s always so unpleasant,” Cammie grumbled as she stepped back. “I hope you have good ones, too.”

 

Cyra gave Cammie a smile as Ria placed three new papers on the counter. “Me, too.” Cyra looked over the options, then looked back at Stern. “Help?”

 

“Tell all of us,” Stern told her. “You helped Cammie. Maybe she’ll be the one to help you?”

 

“Okay. I have Improved Life Sense 1 again, which would let my crewmates know where I am sensing life,” she explained so Vulk, Cammie, and Trish would know what that did. “Then, I have Moderate Life, which is a bigger heal once a day. The last one is Mirrored Ally. If I target an ally with an ability, I can select a second one to give them the same boon, usable once a day.”

 

All four of her crewmates whistled softly. Stern was the first one to speak, “The second and third ones are clearly more powerful, but that’s the third time you’ve seen the Improved Life Sense 1.”

 

“Fourth,” Cyra said. “It was an option the third time, too.”

 

“You’ve had the option for the same perk in all four dungeons?” Cammie asked in shock.

 

“Yes.”

 

“That…” Vulk shook his head.

 

“Shouldn’t be possible, but clearly has happened,” Stern said.

 

“And the way it’s phrased makes it seem like there will be others to come after it,” Trish said.

 

“But the other two are better,” Vulk said.

 

“They do seem that way, but what would become available if she took the upgrade?” Stern asked. “It’s a gamble, but it could be a huge payoff. All of my perks came because of the first one.”

 

Cyra nodded, then looked at Stern with hopeful eyes. “Help, please?”

 

“Both of the other two are usable once a day. They might increase, too, or maybe not,” Cammie said. “The Life Sense isn’t limited, is it?”

 

“I keep it running as often as I can,” Cyra said.

 

“Cyra,” Trish said softly. “Any of them are good. None of us will gainsay your choice.”

 

Cyra had been looking at Trish when she spoke, but her gaze shifted back to Stern.

 

Stern exhaled slowly and summoned Pawly… but nothing happened. Stern blinked in shock, then quickly turned to Ria.

 

“Summons aren’t allowed in the shop. I’m sorry,” Ria explained. “I’d have liked to have had her here. I thought you knew since she didn’t follow you in before.”

 

“I didn’t think about it...” Stern said as he tried to calm his mind. Being separated from Pawly against his will was unnerving.

 

Ria pushed some hair back and licked her lips. “I could ask for you.”

 

“Please!” Stern blurted out.

 

“A moment,” Ria said, closing her eyes.

 

“Pawly can’t come in?” Cyra asked in confusion. “I thought you always dismissed her.”

 

“Not always,” Stern said softly.

 

“Are you okay?” Trish asked, touching his shoulder.

 

“I… no,” Stern admitted. “She’s always there when I need her.”

 

Ria cleared her throat. “I’ve been informed that an exception has been made and Pawly can be summoned.”

 

“Thank the Goddess,” Stern exhaled shakily, then quickly summoned her.

 

Pawly sat there, looking at the group, clearly surprised as she blinked and looked around. She let out a soft squeak when Stern picked her up and held her. She tolerated it for a moment, then huffed in annoyance.

 

“Sorry,” Stern coughed, embarrassed at his actions.

 

“Why did you want her?” Vulk asked.

 

Stern put Pawly on the counter. “Pawly, pick a perk for Cyra, please?”

 

Cyra laughed and nodded. “Please.”

 

“Seriously?” Vulk asked incredulously.

 

“She’s part of the crew,” Cammie said, glaring at her brother.

 

Vulk threw up his hands.

 

Pawly walked over the papers, looking down at them intently, before she meowed and tapped the first page with a paw.

 

“Okay,” Cyra said, touching the first page and willing it to be hers. Gasping, she leaned on the counter as the light fused into her being.

 

Pawly chuffed and groomed Cyra’s eyebrow as Cyra let the change happen.

 

“I’ll go next, if that’s okay,” Vulk said as Ria collected the other two pages.

 

“Go ahead,” Trish said.

 

Cyra stepped back and leaned against Stern a little. “It does get worse.”

 

“Joy...” Stern whispered to her as Vulk looked over his choices.

 

Vulk looked over his options, then picked a page that burst into light and infused him.

 

“Brother,” Cammie said sweetly as Vulk breathed heavily through the change. “You didn’t share with the rest of us.”

 

Vulk grunted. “It was an easy choice. Better chance for bleeding.”

 

Trish was annoyed, but she didn’t speak against him. She even came to his defense slightly. “Perks are a personal choice. Just because the rest of us are considering input from others doesn’t mean he has to.”

 

Cammie nodded brusquely. “That’s true, but building comradery is important.”

 

Vulk looked surly as he moved away from the counter. “It was the best choice,” he grumbled under his breath.

 

Trish motioned to Stern. “You’re the last of us. I’ve cleared these dungeons before.”

 

“Right.”

 

“Stern,” Ria smiled as she motioned and three pages appeared before him. “I hope you find a good one.”

 

Stern nodded, then looked at the first. Dark Beam; unleash the darkness inside you. You can release a beam that deals dark element damage. Useable once per day.

 

Setting it down, he picked up the next one. Empathic Resonance; feel you, feel me. Those you truly care for can feel a hint of your feelings for them.

 

Staring at it for a moment, he set that one down carefully before picking up the third page with a slight tremble. Improved Companion 4; best friends are forever generous. Another improvement to your companion. Improvement based on summon.

 

Stern set it down slowly, his eyes going to Pawly who looked back at him. Looking up, he found Ria watching him intently.

 

“Well?” Trish asked.

 

“I…” Stern started, then trailed off. “I want them all.”

 

“Sadly, that can never be in a single run,” Ria said.

 

“If you try, the Goddess gets upset,” Cammie said. “We’ve all heard of people who’ve tried, haven’t we?”

 

“Pain and a curse,” Trish nodded. “Not a good idea.”

 

“But is that real, or just stories to stop someone from doing it?” Vulk asked.

 

“It is very real,” Ria said softly.

 

“Of course you’d say that,” Vulk said.

 

“The curse stops you from entering dungeons until you redeem yourself,” Cammie said, giving her brother a hard look. “Do you want to stop?”

 

Vulk looked away. “Whatever. I was just saying.”

 

“What do the perks do?” Cyra asked Stern.

 

“Let anyone I care for feel my emotions, let me fire a beam of darkness, or improve Pawly again.”

 

“That first one doesn’t sound great,” Cammie said.

 

“You have no idea,” Ria said gently. “Stern, did you not tell them your perks?”

 

“Not all of them,” Stern said, shrugging.

 

“I’m missing something,” Cammie said.

 

“I can feel emotions,” Stern told her. “Your incredulousness, your brother’s ongoing dislike, Cyra’s protectiveness, Trish’s anger over me being questioned. I feel everyone around me, all the time, indiscriminately.”

 

Cammie’s incredulous questioning became horror. “You can feel everyone?”

 

“Yeah,” Stern nodded, staring at the papers on the counter.

 

“That must have been terrible...” Cammie said, her voice echoing her deep pity.

 

“Yeah.”

 

Vulk’s dislike became fear. “All emotions?”

 

“Yeah. What you feel is common, normally replaced by anger.”

 

Vulk blinked at him. His fear faded and anger had started to kindle, but it, too, faded. “That must be double tough with your looks.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“All three are useful to you,” Trish said, moving up to stand beside him, “but which do you really want?”

 

“I want to be useful on my own, so the magic would be good, but letting you and Cyra feel me like I feel you might make things easier for us. Upgrading Pawly has been key for me in all the dungeons. I’ve tripled down on it already, so going one more time just makes sense, too.”

 

Cyra went to his other side and began to pet Pawly. “You don’t need the empathy one,” she said softly, touching his hand with her free hand. “I know you love me. I’ve seen it in what you do and in the way you look at me. We are Walkers. Improving our chances to make it through is the most important thing for us to keep going.”

 

Stern swallowed as her love and concern crashed over him, drowning out everything but Trish’s same emotions. Hands shaking, he edged the one page toward Ria. She placed her hand on it and, after meeting his eyes, it vanished.

 

That left Stern with a tough choice: being able to do something on his own or improving Pawly again. The beam as it was wasn’t groundbreaking, but he knew he could add to it. All users of magic could, like Cyra’s healing.

 

Pawly meowed softly, flopping over so she lay with her belly exposed to him. Stern snorted and smiled. His hand went to her belly and he stroked her for a moment before nodding.

 

“It wasn’t really a choice, was it fur-face?”

 

Pawly chuffed, wiggling.

 

He touched the page and willed it to be his, then groaned as his very being was altered. Stern stared down into Pawly’s eyes, a match to his as the change happened, and he would have gasped if he could have. He saw light spark in Pawly’s eyes— it was a cascade of light, much like a lightning storm in the summer, when the lightning jumps from cloud to cloud.

 

“Which did you take?” Cammie asked excitedly.

 

“The improvement,” Trish answered for him.

 

“Yes,” Ria smiled. “You may try it here, if you want.”

 

Stern panted and Pawly meowed, then jumped off the counter, going to Cammie’s side. The improvement was there in his mind, clear as a summer day. Turning to face Pawly, Stern rotated his right wrist in the correct motion.

 

Pawly sat there with a curious look on her face, but nothing seemed to change.

 

“Did you do it wrong?” Vulk asked.

 

“No,” Stern said. “Pawly?”

 

Pawly stood up, then vanished. A microsecond later, a meow came from behind Stern.

 

Everyone was shocked to find Pawly on the counter.

 

“Teleportation,” Ria smiled. “A useful improvement… ahhh, limited.”

 

“Wait, you know?” Stern asked her.

 

Ria was silent for a second, then nodded. “She can teleport to any place in her line of sight, but only a few times per day. It is usable even with all of her other improvements. I can’t say more.”

 

“Wow... the utility,” Cammie breathed out with wide eyes.

 

Stern could only nod— it could be used for offense or defense. “Yeah. She just keeps getting better.”

 

Pawly chuffed, headbutting his chest, since she was on the counter.

 

“Now you have points to spend,” Ria smiled.

 

“Did the group make enough to pull shards?” Trish asked.

 

“The group’s combined points are enough for that,” Ria nodded. “I can break down the points gained for you all, if you’d like.”

 

“Stern gets all of mine,” Cyra said.

 

“Hmm... if they’re pooled, it does open up better options,” Trish agreed. “Add mine to his.”

 

Vulk grunted. “I’ll keep mine.”

 

Cammie glanced at her brother, then at the other three. “If I combine with you, will you help improve our gear?”

 

“We will,” Trish said. “I’d prefer us all to pool and then decide, but that’s your choice.”

 

“But he’ll spend them on the shards,” Vulk said.

 

“And we’ll be paid for it,” Cammie said pointedly. “If he spends for shards, he’ll pay us back. He’s said so.”

 

“We haven’t seen it yet,” Vulk said stubbornly.

 

“True, you haven’t,” Stern said before Trish could speak up. “I understand why you want to be cautious.”

 

“He can have mine,” Cammie said, staring at her brother. “I’ll show trust in the crew we’re joining. None of the others ever said they’d take us.”

 

“Because you fight all the time,” Stern said. “They worry about domestic unrest. I grew up with a lot of siblings, so you two just remind me of my family.”

 

Vulk rankled at Stern calling them family, but Cammie felt a touch of hope.

 

“How much does the crew have, minus Vulk’s?” Stern asked Ria.

 

“Skipping the breakdown, then— Vulk has one hundred points, and the combined crew points to Stern is six hundred and seventy-five.”

 

Eyebrows rose and Stern grinned. “Good. We need two shards for a Harold Pazzil.”

 

“Yes,” Ria smiled. Two shards equaling half of a heart appeared on the counter. “His last two shards. That will leave you with one hundred and seventy-five.”

 

“Expensive,” Cammie murmured.

 

“He’d cleared all the tin dungeons and was running this dungeon a second time when he fractured,” Ria explained. “The more perks someone has, the more expensive they are.”

 

Vulk coughed lightly. “I don’t have enough for at least a rune?”

 

“Short by twenty-five,” Ria said.

 

“Give him twenty-five, please,” Stern said.

 

Vulk blinked, then sighed. “No. Give all of mine to him.”

 

Stern nodded, feeling Vulk’s shifting emotions. “Okay. We can afford two least runes, which are a solid investment. Your axes can use them?”

 

“Just the one axe… it was a gift,” Vulk said. Though there was a deep sorrow inside of him, it didn’t show in his voice.

 

Stern inhaled slowly, pushing the sorrow away. “I see. Come choose the rune you want.”

 

“Ice,” Vulk said without moving.

 

A single small rune appeared on the counter. “That leaves you with one hundred and fifty,” Ria said.

 

Stern picked the rune up and tossed it to Vulk. “Rune up.”

 

Gratitude radiated from Vulk, but his voice was again neutral when he said, “Thanks.”

 

Cammie was smiling, her joy growing.

 

“What about you, Cammie?” Stern asked.

 

“Nothing worth a rune right now,” Cammie shrugged.

 

“I can take one,” Trish said. “My hammer is empty. I’d go fire, but since Vulk went ice, let’s switch it up to dark.”

 

“That will leave you with twenty-five points,” Ria said as the rune appeared before Trish.

 

Stern looked at Ria. She had given them the runes and deducted the points, but he hadn’t verbally told her he agreed— she’d just seemed to read his mind. Ria’s cheeks flushed lightly and she smiled at him. Now, he flushed, as he knew what some of his thoughts had been upon seeing her the first time.

 

“Twenty-five,” Stern said. “Not a lot to work with.” A smile touched his lips as he remembered something. “Five chocolates.”

 

Five chocolate squares appeared on the counter, and Ria beamed at him. “Well done, Walkers. I look forward to seeing you all again.” With that, she vanished.

 

“One for each of u—” Stern began, but Pawly darted down, snagging a chocolate and eating it. “Pawly!” Stern said sternly, then sighed. “One for each of you. Pawly… go home.”

 

Pawly gave him a cat grin as she faded away.

 

Cyra giggled as she picked up her chocolate and ate it. “She can be a real brat.”

 

“She is a cat,” Trish laughed as she passed a chocolate to Cammie, then tossed another to Vulk, who caught it on reflex.

 

Vulk looked at it and shook his head. “I don’t care for plain chocolate.”

 

“I’ll take it,” Cammie said, darting over to take it from him. She quickly ate it, then her own.

 

Stern laughed at the emotions radiating from Vulk. “Yep. Siblings.”

 

Cammie grinned as she chewed.

 

Vulk gave Stern a look. “Sisters?”

 

“A few. She’s older, though, isn’t she?”

 

“Yeah. How did you know?”

 

“I’m the eldest, but I know sisters.”

 

Vulk nodded. “Pains, aren’t they?”

 

Stern laughed as Cammie slapped her brother in the back of the head. “No comment.”

 

Trish picked up the shards. “We’re done. Let’s go turn these in, get these two added to the crew, and have a celebratory dinner. Shall we?”

 

“Yes!” Cammie cheered.

 

“I accept,” Vulk said, bowing his head to her.

 

Cyra clapped. “Goody. I was so worried we wouldn’t find good people.”

 

You and me both, Stern thought as he looked at the dwarven siblings. Looks like we got lucky, though.