Duelling Dungeons

Kass dropped her suitcase off in her room before leading me through the long and complicated corridors that made up the residential area. Since the Manor and the surrounding grounds had such a large above-ground footprint, there was more than enough space to dedicate to staff facilities below ground.

Every staff member had their own room, if they wanted it. They weren’t exactly large, but they were private. Along with the personal rooms, there were also several larger dorm-style rooms for the more communal species, such as the Anthophilans, and specialized rooms for races with unique requirements, such as the Sirens.

While it was great that we could accommodate everyone’s preferences, it also meant we had an absolutely massive residential area—a labyrinth of rooms and corridors across multiple levels.

I’d gotten lost in it multiple times over the first few days, until I memorized the path from my room to the Atrium, and even after several months of living here, I still managed to get turned around occasionally.

Kass apparently had no problem navigating through the Labyrinthine corridors.

“Ummm… how do you know where to go?” I asked after a minute. “I didn’t give you her room number.”

“You assigned her to the Training hall, right? Then she’d be in section T. I figured I’d ask you her exact room number when we arrived,” she replied, glancing over. “You did assign her to the Training Hall, right?”

“I did, what does that have to do with Section T?”

“T, as in Training hall,” she replied, before pausing and turning my way. “Please tell me you were aware that the residential area is separated into sectors that represent the different floors. It makes it easier for us to accommodate everyone’s requirements that way. The B, or Bath wing, has aquatic living areas.”

I stared at her blankly in return.

“Of course you didn’t,” she sighed. “Maybe keep it in mind for the future. It makes getting around a lot easier.”

“Got it,” I muttered, embarrassed, as we continued.

It didn’t take us long to get to the T wing, which was a very quiet and barren-looking area. The normal warm floor tiles hadn’t been placed down, leaving a dirt floor and exposed stone brick walls. I guess both the undead and the centaurs preferred the more utilitarian look. Either that or they just never bothered to ask for improvements. I made a note to ask Rembrandt later.

“Which room is hers?” Kass asked once we arrived.

“T-Seventeen,” I replied.

“Really? You memorized her room number?” Kass asked, arching an eyebrow.

“I was planning on stopping by… eventually,” I said sheepishly. “I just got distracted.”

“So, like usual,” Kass chuckled. “At least you cared enough to look it up. Come on, seventeen is just ahead.”

She marched down the barren corridor until she found the correct heavy wooden door and knocked. I followed her, moving much more slowly. If Sylvia wanted some private time with Kass, I was going to give it to her.

It didn’t seem like she was in at first; she didn’t reply to the knock, and I didn’t hear her moving around her room, but when I finally reached Kas,s the door cracked open, just a smidge.

“Oh, it’s you,” Sylvia quietly exclaimed. Even though she was looking through almost shyly, it still felt like she was looming over me.

“I brought Kass, like you asked,” I told her. “Would you like me to leave you two alone, or…?”

Sylvia shook her head as she opened the door. “Although it’s not something I like to talk about, it’s not something I’m particularly embarrassed of either. You’ll probably hear about this eventually; might as well be directly from me.”

I waited until she stepped aside, and Kass entered the room, before following the two. I was surprised at how spartan the place was, even compared to the hallway outside. There was a single threadbare blanket on the bed, and it looked like she was still living out of her bag, instead of unpacking anything. If I had any questions about whether she was beginning to settle in, it was now exceptionally clear.

“Have a seat… somewhere…” Sylvia muttered, gesturing to the room. Kass settled on the side of the bed, so I took a seat at the small desk.

“So, Talia mentioned that you were having a hard time, and you wanted to talk to me about it,” Kass said, gently placing a hand on her friend’s arm. “Well, I’m here now. Do you still want to talk?”

“I’d like to get something off my chest that’s bothered me for a long time, and you’re the closest thing I have to a best friend,” Sylvia corrected. “So I was hoping you’d listen.”

“Of course!” Kass exclaimed. “Whatever you need.”

Sylvia paced back and forth a couple of times, with her massive strides, she only managed two or three paces before having to turn around again.

“You know how I’ve always been… ancy around dungeons, only entering them when I was desperate?”

“I thought you entered them because you wanted to prove yourself,” Kass said.

“Who would I be proving myself to? A client?” Sylvia asked. “ No, I’ve had a decent reputation as a guard for years now. I mostly entered them out of sheer desperation.”

“Why? Guards and Mercenaries aren’t exactly sought after these days; you could find much more consistent work in dungeons.”

“I know, that’s one of the reasons I didn’t immediately turn you down, desperation. Times are exceptionally lean right now,” Sylvia explained. “Before I came to the Manor, I thought I could tough it out, but as soon as I stepped inside, all my memories and anxieties came rushing back to me. That’s why I almost chickened out until Talia talked to me.”

She nodded towards me. “Thanks for that.”

“You’re welcome,” I replied cautiously. “Although I’m still not sure what I did exactly…”

“I’m getting to that,” Sylvia muttered quietly, before taking a deep breath. “Have either of you heard of a blood dungeon before?”

“I’ve heard the stories,” Kass replied quietly. “Illegal pseudo dungeons run by shadowy organizations. They kidnap people, give them crappy weapons, then force them to fight rich patrons who pay to experience the thrill of a dungeon, without any of the safeguards. From what I’ve heard, local law enforcement tends to rally if they catch even the faintest whiff of one in their area. I haven’t seen any news about them in a long time.”

“Not only are they exceptionally rare, but most of them get reported by one of their potential customers within the first few weeks of operation,” Sylvia explained. She stopped pacing and silently stared at the wall for an exceptionally long time. “And… I kinda grew up in one.”

“What?!?” I shouted, leaping to my feet. “How?”

Sylvia shrugged. “I honestly don’t remember; they brought me in when I was just a young kid. Maybe they kidnapped me, maybe my parents sold me off, I don’t know.”

“That’s a terrible thing to think,” Sylvia muttered. “Maybe, but it’s realistic. The truth is, a Windego child can eat their weight in food every day, maybe they thought whoever they were trusting me with would take care of me. Maybe not. I never found them again, so I don’t know.”

“If you were that young, there’s no way they…” I started.

“As soon as I could hold a sword,” Sylvia cut me off. “After all, why would you bother kidnapping more people when you had someone who could survive most mortal blows?”

“That’s horrible,” I shuddered.

“Not allowed to retreat, or leave my position, or be overly aggressive against the clients. If I did, it would mean no healing magic and no food for the day,” Sylvia explained. Her gaze was getting glassy, and her breathing ragged.

Kass reached out and patted her arm. “Hey, hey, hey, it’s okay. You’re safe here.”

“How long were you there?” I asked quietly.

“Close to three years,” Sylvia replied, before smiling depreciatively. “That’s how long it took for the authorities to get up the operation. I’m lucky I made it that long; most didn’t.”

“So that’s why you were so uncomfortable when we met you at lunch. I thought you just wanted to remain a free agent,” Kass said. “I’m sorry, I thought it was just because you wanted to remain a free agent or something. I didn’t know.”

“That’s because I didn’t tell you, I haven’t told anyone until now,” Sylvia said. “It’s kind of embarrassing.”

“You have no reason to be embarrassed,” I exclaimed. “You were taken advantage of as a child, abuse., I can’t imagine what you went through. It does explain your aversion to dungeons and why you acted the way you did in practice. I don’t know if I’d want to step back into a dungeon after going through that.”

“So… what do you want to do now? Do you feel better after getting that off your chest?” Kass asked.

“I don’t know… I feel better after getting that all off my chest, but that doesn’t mean I feel comfortable here. It’s still a reminder of my past,” Sylvia said.

“Do you want to leave? We’d understand if you wanted to,” I asked as a follow-up question.

Sylvia was quiet for several long moments before finally shaking her head. “No. Honestly, I’ve been on edge most of the week, but everyone’s been so nice, and knowing you guys are around gives me a little sense of peace. I want to get over this fear, this mental demon that’s been haunting me for all these years. I think I could maybe find a place here.”

Kass jumped off the bed and patted Sylvia on her back. Well, lower back. “That’s the spirit. I know it’ll be tough for you, but we’ll support you… somehow. I’m sure Talia can come up with several plans to help you adapt. Isn’t that right, Talia?”

“I’ll do my best,” I said confidently. “That’s what friends are for.”