Breaking Step (Dungeon Runner 3)

Breaking Step, Chapter 04

"We're helping," another said, "because what's going to happen if all we do is rely on the guild?"

"Nothing," a handful of the workers replied.

"Then more reasons Runners should help you," Tibs said. "Your shops help us as much as anyone else in the town."

The overweight man grinned. "The coins you'll spend at our shops will be help enough."

Tibs nodded. He'd offered, and they'd refused. What else could he do?

"Why are you doing work then, Cross? You aren't going to benefit from the shops the way the merchants will."

She motioned to them. "They're paying me to stand guard."

"What you're doing doesn't look like standing guard to me."

She rolled her eyes. "Look around. What's going to tempt a thief? It's boring, just standing and watching. And what I did during the attacks is nothing like what you Runners did. I didn't take on dozens of thugs, like a certain fighter we both know. Or, if the stories are to be believed, how you did."

"That the groups you took down were smaller doesn't diminish the help you gave," Tibs countered. "And without an element, what you did is more impressive than anything one of us did."

She shrugged. "And what's bringing you to this part of the land? If you're hoping to convince them to let you in, you're not going to have much luck." She nodded to the guards on each side of the open door at the top of the steps. "I think they're overcompensating for standing around not doing anything while you went and saved everyone."

"That's not what I did," Tibs stated, to which she smirked. "I'm walking around seeing the state of everything after spending the morning going over the state of our people with Quigly." He motioned to workers at the top of the hill. "I noticed them and went to see what they were doing, then noticed you down here."

"What is the state of the Runners?" Cross asked, and a few of the workers paused to listen.

"There's barely five and zero of us left. Half of that I need to convince to help protect Merchant Row if I don't want to exhaust the Runners doing the patrols there."

"We'll help," a young woman offered. She was muscular and had been swinging a pick at a larger boulder. She'd be at it for some time. The rock extended deep under the ground.

"It's okay. You've been through enough. We'll handle it."

"Are you okay?" Cross asked him, that odd look back.

"I'm fine."

"Tibs," Sto said, while Cross looked like she was debating something, "can we talk?"

She shrugged. "I'd better get back to work. I can't just stand around and set a bad example."

Tibs nodded and walked away from them and to the cliffside.

"What's going on?" Sto asked. "My door's open, but no one's coming in."

Tibs waited until he reached the stone wall. "The guild's not letting us do runs yet."

"Until when? It was fun listening to the people I protected, but that was a while ago."

Tibs sat and watched the workers. "It was only a few days ago."

"Still too long," Sto said dismissively, "and I... Tibs, are you okay? You seem, I don't know, different."

"Carina died." He tightened his hold on the ice to prevent it from cracking. "Sebastian killed her before me."

"Oh, Tibs. I'm so sorry. I know how close you were to her and—"