Chương 178: Sorting Things Out

The pillar of stone rose all the way to the ceiling. I couldn't see where it impacted, or if it was directly touching the ceiling, but by the time it reached the top, it was comically thin—like a hair stretching down across the chasm.

"You want us to ride those up, brother?" Brawl asked. Each rune corresponded to a pillar that would take us back up to the upper level. There had to be at least twenty of them in a circle. Even as I watched, the stone pillar we had launched began rescinding. Sage pressed a hand against it as it slowly shrank back into the ground, muttering something about the beauty of old empire architecture.

"I think it's our best shot." I turned to Anchor.

"Right now, you're the most nimble. Are you up for a challenge?"

"Always, Sarge."

"I need you to ride the next one to the top first. When you get up there, I don't know if it's going to slam directly into the roof, or if it's just going to stop before you arrive. I don't know how close to a ledge you'll be. When it reaches the top, I trust you to find a way off and jump to the ledge we started at, before the dish fell. Got it?"

"Understood."

"When you reach the top, fire an arrow with a resonance Skill on it," I said.

"I should hear it. Fire one arrow if the pillar reaches the top and doesn't slam into the ceiling, and you think it's safe for Brawl to jump across. Fire two arrows if it doesn't slam the ceiling, but it is too far for Brawl to jump. Three arrows if it's completely unsafe and impossible for the rest of us." I didn't want to single out Brawl too badly, but he was the least nimble of us all when it came to tasks like this. Sure, Sage may have been slower, but Morph could help her cross large distances with ease.

Anchor nodded curtly.

"Understood." He stepped onto the next platform over in the ring, and Sage activated the rune. Again, it shot upward, much like the first. I waited, holding my breath tight. I knew Anchor could probably make it, but what if he didn't? What if it was too fast, and it mashed him into the roof? Should I have gone first? But then how would I have sent a signal? Seconds dragged into hours. I tapped my boot inside my foot, waiting for any sign from Anchor.

Had it been bright up there, I might have been able to see it with my enhanced Perception, but as it was, it was just too dark. Still, I squinted, hoping to see something, anything. Finally, a single arrow cracked out, loud as a gunshot. That was Anchor's for sure. Only one? A moment later, a second crack blasted through the air. I waited cautiously, expecting a third, but nothing came.

"Two arrows. It doesn't hit the ceiling, but it's too far for Brawl to cross." I turned to Sage.

"We can work with that. There will be time to jump off when it reaches the top, and in that time, you can use Morph to help Brawl cross."

"If we ride it to the top together," Sage said.

"It will be a tight fit, but I'm pretty certain you two won't mind," I said.

"You two especially." They both looked away from each other. I stepped closer.

"Look, I don't mind if you two are developing feelings for each other. You don't have to hide it from me. Just don't let it get in the way of any of our missions." That was a tall order, of course, and there were risks. What were the chances that it didn't work out and it drove a wedge in my squad? But I'd be driving just as much of a wedge in my squad if I told them they weren't allowed to be with each other, I figured.

"Thank you, Levi," Sage said.

"It is appreciated, brother," Brawl added. I held up a finger.

"Alright, but one stipulation. You have to stop calling her 'sister.' Jesus. I don't know if you're into that, but— Just not in front of me, alright?" Sage giggled, and Brawl opened his mouth, then shut it again.

"Perhaps it was foolish of me. I did not think about the implication—" This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Sage elbowed him gently.

"I know you don't think, dustbrain."

"Now, let's focus up," I continued.

"Sage, if you would be so kind as to send me first, and then to send you and Brawl next?"

"Of course," she said.

"Step aboard." She paused.

"I still reserve the right to call you dustbrain, even if you're not too dusty inside the head."

"Yeah, yeah." I stepped onto the next platform in the circle, and Morph helped Sage activate it. With a rumble, it lifted up toward the ceiling. At first, a pressure swelled in my chest, and my ears popped. My knees buckled, and I almost fell off the platform. It was one thing to watch it, and another thing to actually experience it. I stayed low, as if I was surfing on it, and watched the ceiling approach quickly. I trusted Anchor, but a voice nagged the back of my mind.

I narrowed my eyes as I drew closer and closer to the rough ceiling, air whistling past my face, and prepared to leap off toward the hole that the dish fell out of. But before I arrived, the column of stone slowed just enough to jump off. I exhaled with relief.

"Here, Levi!" Anchor shouted. He stood at the edge of the spiral stairway we'd descended to get down onto the dish and held out a hand.

"Jump over!" Already, the column was slowly shrinking back toward the ground. I wouldn't have much time to jump off. Springing forward with all my might, I launched myself. Halfway across, I dipped. I wouldn't make it… I could solve that, though. Using [Mass Hammer], I set a column in the trajectory I wanted to send myself on and flung myself toward the opening. My neck lurched and my stomach thrummed, but it was the same rush as launching off a ski jump. I clasped Anchor's hand, and he pulled me up.

"What took you so long?" he asked.

"Just chatting with Brawl and Sage. You know, setting some expectations. Making sure we stay a functional squad."

"Indeed." Anchor gave a satisfied nod.

"You would think that they'd make these easier to get off of," I complained, watching the slowly rescinding pillars.

"I suspect they were at one point," Anchor replied.

"But the hub, perhaps, crumbled away."

"And the Labyrinth Keepers didn't remake it?"

"It must've been wood."

"Or there's a way to mess with and manipulate the Keepers."

"Of course you are already thinking of that." Anchor rolled his eyes.

"I'm looking out for Sage and Brawl. They're riding together?"

"They should be." A half minute after we finished, the next pillar of stone arrived. Morph extended his vines across the gap, reaching out toward us, and Sage and Brawl crawled across.

"Glad you two could make it," I joked.

"This buffoon took too long to get himself comfortable on the rock," Sage said, glancing over at Brawl. His face was pale, and his neck lurched, like he was about to throw up.

"Look the other way if you're going to puke," Anchor complained.

"It was fast, brothers, that is all." Brawl put a hand out and leaned against the wall, gasping for breath. I was about to climb back up the stairway when Yesman poked his head around the corner, looking directly at me.

"Good, you made it," he said.

"We weren't sure what was coming up, and we couldn't be too cautious."

"How many of you are back there?" I asked.

"At least ten squads," Habit called from farther up.

"We've been looking for ropes! We…weren't sure if you guys had made it."

"This is why we go first," Anchor said."

'Cause otherwise you guys would've gotten yourselves killed."

"Don't go bragging too much," I muttered.

"You would've been dead without me, too."

"Yeah, but that goes for pretty much everything we've done, sarge." I patted him on the shoulder and grinned.

"Perhaps." ~ ~ ~ When we made it back to the surface, the Drillmaster met us and shook his head.

"Levi. I should've expected you to make it down in the first try. Oh, don't look at me like that. I don't plan on calling you 'sir' until you graduate this training program. You're still my pupil, even if you might technically be a thegn."

"It's not that," I said.

"Were you expecting us to not make it?"

"It usually takes the best squads a week or two to acquire enough ropes and figure out their own way down," the Drillmaster said. He held out a bag of Presences for us.

"You supplies from Lord Ceonwin, and your reward for being the first down." He paused.

"Next time, though, wait until you finish making the ropes. That will be one of your next training activities." I dipped my head.

"Understood." ~ ~ ~ As soon as we left the cellar, I rushed over to the blacksmith's shop, where Drywsone and Shatter met us. We deposited the small clumps of Imperial Steel we'd retrieved.

"Already?" Shatter exclaimed.

"I should've expected as much…"

"How much can we make out of this?" I asked.

"A weapon for each of you," Drywsone replied. He gave his hammer a whirl.

"Oh, it's been a year since our last batch of trainees brought up a load of Imperial Steel. What attributes would you like me to target? These will be intermediate weapons, you see. Something stronger than your basic gear, more durable, but it's far from your final outfit."

"For me, go for either Focus or Strength," I said.

"Arrowheads?" Anchor asked.

"I suppose you could put Perception on an arrowhead and enhance the attribute while I've got the arrow nocked."

"Strength and Vitality," Brawl said with certainty.

"Nothing is required for me," Sage added.

"Let the others have it." Drywsone leaned over the counter.

"Not even a staff, perhaps, to focus your healing energies?"

"I prefer my hands."

"Very well. We will get started on your order."