Breaking Step (Dungeon Runner 3)

Breaking Step, Chapter 40

"Don't touch anything," he told Don as he stepped into the room.

"When have I ever been the one to touch something and trigger traps?" He didn't look at Jackal, but Tibs knew who the sorcerer implied. It was a weak attempt at making the others think he was the better leader. He was probably holding in anger that Jackal hadn't gotten himself killed when he'd tried to open what he thought was a cache, and triggered an attack by golem people. Tibs had seen the trap and ignored it, not expecting anyone else, especially Jackal, to notice it.

Tibs wondered how often Don had hoped Jackal would get himself killed in such a manner back when they believed he was trying to be a better person. They might have made him team leader then, and they would have regretted it. At least now, no matter what happened, there was no way any of them would let him take charge.

The way to the first chest room, then the second, was the same. They dealt with the 'surprise' golem people attack efficiently. Then Tibs had them past the first switch, then the second, again without any changes to the path. Maybe it had all been ploy from Ganny to make him doubt everything on this floor.

"Are we really continuing?" Don asked.

"You can leave," Tibs replied, testing the walls, "if you're scared."

"I am not scared," the sorcerer replied. "But the time shield was close to a quarter left when we entered. Can we risk the delay?"

"We know the way back," Jackal replied, while Tibs systematically tested each wall, moving them along, his team on the same tile he was. "And we can easily defeat whatever creatures the dungeon puts in our path."

"Your overconfidence will result in—"

The rest was cut as the wall moved in place and Gnolls dropped on them.

They won quickly and with a minimum of injuries. Then Tibs opened two chest rooms in a row. After that, there was another attack, which nearly killed Mez. Don stepped between the golem and archer, taking the killing strike in his side.

Mez's gratefulness made Tibs sick. It wasn't like Don had put himself at that much risk. His robe had taken the blunt of the damage because the sorcerer had stolen Tibs's trick of adding his element to his armor, so the sword had melted as it struck, making it even less deadly.

And Don had probably planned it to happen, anyway.

Tibs tested the wall, finding the one that moved, and four sections later it opened a room with a larger chest than the others, a dragon crest over it, and a switch next to that.

"We made it?" Jackal asked. "Yes! We made it!" He ran into the room, and Tibs wondered if he should let him open this one and be reminded of why Tibs needed to check them, but the fighter stopped halfway to it and looked at Tibs sheepishly. "Letting my enthusiasm get the better of me again." He grinned. "Been trying to work on that."

Don snorted.

Tibs ground his teeth. The sorcerer was getting on his nerves; which had to be why he kept on doing that.

The chest was trapped. A simple trigger that activated when the lip opened. He neutralized it and revealed the contents.

One and five healing potions.

"Do you think this one's random?" Mez asked, "or is this the dungeon subtly warning us about the next room?"

"The boss room." Jackal rubbed his hands together. "Big loot!"

"And a harder fight," Khumdar stated.

When Don didn't comment, Tibs glanced in his direction. The expression on the sorcerer's face was quickly replaced with a glare directed at Tibs. Had that been worry? Probably at how he was going to ensure he survived, even if it ended up costing them their lives.