Breaking Step (Dungeon Runner 3)

Breaking Step, Chapter 102

Tibs shook his head. "The pool makes it difficult, but there is a sense of a lot of the element above it. And I don't think workers would walk around so at ease over the pool."

Don looked back. "I hadn't considered that. But the reason they're doing the work, beyond being a change of pace from so much research, and something the acolytes in training can do to learn that even the academy isn't only about sitting down, reading and writing, is that the weave needs to be done as the construction happen. It's well beyond me, but each plank has a weave that 'locks' in place with those around it. It makes the building more secure, and serves as a base upon which further enchantments will be added to keep experiments from escaping the walls." He looked at Tibs, smiling. "But as curious as you are, I doubt you came here to learn about what goes into building a sorcerer's academy."

There was no avoiding it anymore. "You said you wanted to train me and—"

"I believe your words were. 'I need to deal with something.'" The tone was severe.

"I've dealt with it."

"I'm glad to hear it," Don said, far too casually.

"I'd like not to almost kill everyone the next time I have to use a lot of essence."

Don watched him. "I'm sure we'd all appreciate that." He looked toward the sun. "Let me wash and change, then we can eat, talk about how I expect you to work, and then we can settle down and do exercises to help you gain control."

Tibs bit back telling his friend that wasn't what he wanted to work on. He'd have to come at this far more indirectly than he preferred.

"Alright," he replied, hoping he didn't sound as disappointed to Don as he thought.

* * * * *

"And I expect you to respect the schedule I set," Don said as Tibs finished his meal. Mez had joined them, ate and left. Jackal was still in bed, getting over the corruption in his essence. They might have to pass on their next run at the rate the fighter was healing. "Not just for showing up to the training, but in doing your exercises." He looked up at the approaching warrior.

"Tibs," Quigly greeted them. "Don." He looked around the room before sitting. The inn was mostly filled with Runners. The tables occupied by others were townsfolk or visitors. While Kroseph's father had a policy that everyone was welcome, the Runners had made sure the guards felt they were the exception. He placed a pouch on the table that looked like a worn version of Jackals. If he focussed, Tibs could make out a weave throughout the leather. He wanted to ask where Quigly had gotten it. Considering how much essence Sto had said it took to make Jackal's pouch, he didn't think it came from there. Sto also didn't make items that look old unless told to.

The warrior reached into it slightly further than the size implied and pulled out a ring. Was it because that was only as deep as this pouch was, or because he wanted to avoid attracting attention? Not every team had something like that, and even Jackal was careful when using his in public.

"Should I bother asking how it is the dungeon is making those?" Quigly asked, tapping the ring on the table. He turned the pouch toward Tibs. "If you hadn't told me what they do, I'd never have bothered with them."

Tibs shrugged, opening the pouch and looking in. Where he'd expected darkness, as with Jackal's and the bag Archer had provided him, the inside was more like the chest in the dungeon. Clearly larger than the outside, but the space was finite, even if he couldn't tell how large it was. And it was filled with plain looking brass rings.

"How did the dungeon know to start providing us with food?" Don offered. "Or weapons for Sebastian's assault? It must have a way to know what its town needs to survive. And if you think about it, providing items we need also serves as incentive to get Runners to go in, so it also benefits."