We explored as much as we could, noting interesting artwork long faded or defaced by the kobolds. Much of it showed the daily life of the people who once inhabited this area. Though it all looked very much like a cave, there were walls too. It was as if the cave grew up around an old castle. Tattered tapestries hung in each room and hallway, some of them torn or burned. But a few were informative, or just bore the heraldry of Clan Lamont. At the end of a great hall, there was a set of massive wooden doors, reinforced by iron bands bolted into them.
The air grew heavier as I approached the massive wooden doors marking the end of the first floor, Hamish just behind me. Faint flickers of torchlight seeped through the cracks, casting dancing shadows on the damp stone walls. I paused, my heart racing in my chest.
"Hold on a second," I whispered, raising a hand to halt Hamish. "Something feels... off."
Hamish adjusted his grip on the kobold spear, his knuckles white. "Ye think? We've been chasin' wee mousy lizard men through a bloody maze. What's the next ridiculous thing coming at us?"
Ignoring his quip, I closed my eyes and focused. Reaching out with my senses, I tried to perceive what lay beyond the door. The vibrations of the dungeon, subtle shifts of earth and air, whispered to me. A faint shimmer appeared in my mind's eye, outlining figures on the other side.
"Moira," I thought, "is there a way I can... scan what's ahead?"
"Ah, taking initiative, are we?" Moira's voice chimed in my mind, both amused and approving. "Yes, love. Open yourself to the magic around you. Let it flow outward, like a ripple in a pond, and feel what it touches."
I concentrated, extending my awareness. A pulsating energy mapped the room beyond. Multiple presences flickered into focus: several kobolds and one that emanated a stronger, more formidable aura.
Moira's voice returned, smooth and approving. "Ah, clever boy. You've unlocked Earth Sense. Now you can feel the creatures and terrain around you through the earth itself. Quite the handy trick, isn't it?" I nodded in agreement.
"There's a big one in there," I murmured. "Stronger than the rest. And he's not alone."
Hamish sighed heavily. "Brilliant. Just what we needed."
I frowned. "I don't think we're ready for this. We need an edge."
"Got any more tricks up yer sleeve?" Hamish asked, attempting a grin despite the tension.
"Actually, I might," I replied, turning my gaze to the stone walls. An idea sparked in my mind. "Moira, can I use the earth itself to protect me?"
"Now you're thinking creatively!" Moira exclaimed. "Yes, of course you can. Try channeling the earth's strength into your own form. Visualize your skin becoming as tough as stone."
I nodded, stepping back from the door. Planting my feet firmly on the ground, I felt the solid weight of the earth beneath me. Closing my eyes, I imagined roots extending from my soles, anchoring me. Drawing the energy upward, I envisioned it enveloping my body like a second skin.
"Stone, unyielding and strong," I whispered.
Moira's tone turned playful. "Well done, love! You've discovered Stoneskin. Let the earth lend you its strength, hardening your skin to shrug off those nasty blows."
A subtle warmth spread across my skin. When I opened my eyes, my arms had taken on a grayish hue, tiny flecks of granite shimmering across the surface.
Hamish's eyes widened. "Well, that's new."
"Feels... sturdy," I said, flexing my fingers. The movement was slightly stiff but manageable. "This should help."
"Hope so," Hamish replied, "You not only had a trick up your sleeve, you grew new ones. You look scaled like a fish."
Taking a deep breath, I pushed open the heavy doors. The chamber beyond was vast, the ceiling arching high above and disappearing into shadows. Glowing crystals embedded in the walls cast a dim, eerie light over the scene. At the far end stood the kobold boss—Bigboss.
Bigboss was an imposing figure compared to his kin, standing nearly as tall as me. His scales were a deep crimson, and he wore crude armor pieced together from scraps of metal and leather. In one clawed hand, he wielded a jagged sword, its blade chipped but deadly. In the other, he held a makeshift shield adorned with bones and feathers.
Beside him snarled a mangy, scabby dog, its eyes gleaming with feral intensity. The beast shifted restlessly, baring its yellowed fangs as though it was waiting for a signal to attack. Behind them, a small pile of treasure glinted: coins, gemstones, and trinkets gathered from who knew where. A heavy door loomed behind the hoard, hinting at deeper levels of the dungeon.
As we stepped forward, Bigboss let out a guttural laugh. "More humies come to take Bigboss's treasure? Foolish! Bigboss crush you!"
Hamish commented to me quietly, "Innovative name, that."
Trying to keep a straight face, I raised a hand in a placating gesture. "Wait! We don't have to fight. Maybe we can come to an agreement?"
Bigboss narrowed his beady eyes. "No deal! Humies trespass. Bigboss make you food for tribe!"
"Well, that went well," Hamish muttered.
I sighed. "Worth a shot."
Without further warning, Bigboss banged his sword against his shield, emitting a harsh clang that echoed through the chamber. At his signal, several kobolds emerged from the shadows, weapons at the ready.
"Get ready!" I shouted, summoning a thorn in my hand.
The battle erupted in a flurry of movement. Lesser kobolds charged first, their shrill cries filling the air. I launched my thorns, the projectiles curving mid-flight to strike multiple targets. Two kobolds fell, but more took their place. Their chaotic movements and savage aggression made them harder to predict, forcing me to adapt with every cast. Each thorn demanded precise control, and I could feel the strain of constant casting building in my limbs. Still, the thrill of seeing them land spurred me onward.
Hamish swung his spear with surprising agility, fending off attackers with determined strikes. The mangy dog lunged at him, its jaws snapping wildly with a vicious snarl. He ducked low and swung his shovel with all his strength, the metallic clang reverberating through the chamber as it collided with the beast's ribs. "They're relentless!"
Bigboss hung back, his crimson scales catching the dim light as his twisted grin widened. His shoulders rolled with anticipation, muscles rippling under his crude armor. The jagged sword in his hand gleamed with a deadly promise. With a guttural roar, he lunged forward, each heavy step a thunderous drumbeat that reverberated through the chamber, shaking the very air around him.
I barely had time to react. Raising my arm defensively, Bigboss's sword crashed against my Stoneskin-covered forearm. The impact reverberated through me, but the magic held, absorbing much of the blow.
"Not bad," I grunted.
Bigboss snarled, swinging again. I dodged, but not quickly enough. The blade sliced across my side, and I yelped in pain, shocked at how much that hurt!
"Dammit!!" I staggered back, clutching the wound. Blood seeped between my fingers.
"Robbie!" Hamish yelled, occupied with two kobolds of his own.
Desperation surged through me. "Moira, help me!"
"Use the earth's life force," Moira urged. "Call upon nature's restorative power."
I focused inward, reaching deep into my connection with magic. Green light enveloped my hand, spreading warmth over my injury.
Moira's voice was warm, almost maternal. "Nature's Touch—a bit of healing magic, my dear. The earth itself soothes your wounds. Keep practicing, and it'll serve you well."
Relief surged through me as the warm glow of magic dulled the searing pain, the wound knitting itself closed under the soothing touch of nature's energy. The sensation was both alien and exhilarating, as though I was borrowing life itself from the earth to restore my own.
Hamish shouted as the mangy dog lunged at him, its jaws snapping wildly with a vicious snarl. He ducked low and swung his shovel with all his strength, the metallic clang reverberating through the chamber as it collided with the beast's ribs. The impact sent the creature staggering, its yelp echoing like a whip crack, but it didn't retreat. Its feral eyes burned with an unnatural rage. "Bit o' help here, Robbie!" he called, dodging another lunge as sweat dripped down his temple.
I couldn't look away from Bigboss, who towered over the skirmish. His blade gleamed as he charged, roaring his fury. My Stoneskin absorbed the first blow, but the force sent me stumbling. I clenched my jaw, the taste of copper sharp on my tongue, and willed a barricade of stone to rise between us. The ground trembled, and a jagged wall erupted to block his advance. It wouldn't hold him for long.
Hamish let out a triumphant roar, swinging his shovel with the force of a hammer. Coming down across the rapid animal's spine, the loud crunch of an impact echoed through the chamber. The dog crumpled to the ground, its legs twitching in spasms before it stilled. He gave the body a firm kick, muttering, "Bad dog!" before turning his attention back to other dangers. "One down!" Hamish panted, standing over the creature, his chest heaving and dirt smudged across his face. He gave the shovel a satisfied tap against his boot, as if relishing the small victory in the chaos.
"Good timing!" I shouted, ducking as Bigboss's blade shattered my barricade, sending shards flying. He was relentless, his strikes leaving gouges in the stone floor. Desperation clawed at me as I hurled thorn after thorn, the projectiles embedding into his armor but failing to stop his advance.
"Hamish, I need you!" I yelled, backing toward the treasure hoard.
"What's the plan?" he asked, panting, as he rushed to my side.
"We bring the roof down on him," I said, my voice tight with urgency.
Hamish blinked. "That's a bloody terrible plan!"
"It'll work," I insisted. "Just trust me!"
Bigboss roared, his sword raised high. I slammed my hand to the ground, channeling every ounce of magic I had. The raw energy coursing through me was intoxicating, a heady mix of power and focus that inspired an unshakable confidence. It was as though the earth itself instilled encouragement, urging me to stand firm, protect, and endure. The earth groaned in protest, fissures splitting outward in jagged lines beneath Bigboss's feet, the very ground trembling under my command. The floor buckled and shifted with a grinding roar, sending sharp shards of rock upward as the ground seemed to writhe under his weight. Bigboss staggered, his claws scraping at the unstable stone in a futile effort to regain balance. Hamish didn't wait for an explanation. With a wild yell, he gripped the shovel like a javelin and hurled it with all his might. The blunt end struck Bigboss squarely in the face with a resounding thud, his head snapping back as he stumbled in a dazed fury.
"Collapse!" I bellowed.
The ceiling groaned as I willed the stone to collapse. Chunks of rock rained down, slamming into Bigboss with a deafening crash. His roar turned into a choked cry as his attempts to claw free faltered under the relentless cascade of stone. He flailed wildly, his jagged blade flung aside as the relentless weight of the collapse buried him. The cacophony of destruction faded into an eerie quiet, the chamber filled with the faint hiss of settling dust. The air was thick and choking, each breath I took heavy with grit and the ancient scent of shattered stone. My muscles ached, my lungs burned, but the sight of the buried kobold boss brought a grim satisfaction.
Dust filled the air, clinging to my skin and stinging my eyes as exhaustion hit me like a wave. Hamish stumbled toward me, his face streaked with dirt and triumph. He clapped me on the shoulder, his victorious shout echoed off the walls. "Told ye it was a bloody terrible plan. But not bad for a first try," he said in mock seriousness.
I managed a weak laugh, my chest heaving. "Yeah... not bad."
Moira's tone shifted to a teasing lilt. "Well, look at you, Robbie—leveling up again! Enough experience now from that fight to reach the 3rd order of power, and improving like a natural. I'm going to increase your physical attributes as a reward. A bit more intelligence, wisdom, and of course... my favor. Fortune."
Feeling my senses sharpen and luckier than ever, my eyes drifted to the pile of treasure. Coins, gemstones, and strange trinkets glinted in the dim light. My pulse quickened. After all that, a reward like this felt... like justice.
Before tackling the treasure hoard, I approached the kobold bodies scattered across the chamber. Hamish watched warily, his shovel resting on his shoulder.
"Yer not about to try that Essence Refinement thing again, are ye?" he asked, though his tone suggested he already knew the answer.
"Of course I am," I replied, kneeling beside the nearest kobold. Placing my hand on its chest, I let the familiar hum of Essence Refinement fill me. The body shimmered faintly before breaking apart into particles of light. As it dissolved, items began to appear: another pouch of glimmering arcane dust, cleanly stripped hide, and several sharp teeth. The kobold's essence had transformed into something valuable.
Hamish gave a low whistle. "Never gets less weird, does it?"
I chuckled. "Weird, but useful. These are resources we'll need."
I repeated the process for each kobold. More hide and teeth, a few small trinkets, and even more arcane dust piled up beside me. Then I turned my attention to the mangy dog. Its body still radiated faint energy, as if it resisted being refined.
"This one's different," I muttered, placing my hand on the beast's matted fur. The moment the refinement began, the energy surged through me with unusual intensity. The dog's body dissolved, leaving behind a black pearl that pulsed faintly with inner light, another small pouch of dust, and—most unexpectedly—a pristine skill book.
"What's that?" Hamish asked, stepping closer.
I picked up the skill book, its cover soft and brand new. The runes on its surface glimmered faintly. "It's a skillbook," I said, turning it over in my hands. "For taming animals."
Hamish raised an eyebrow. "Taming? Like... makin' beasts friendly?"
"Looks like it," I replied, flipping open the first page. The words seemed to shift, aligning themselves to be understood as Moira's voice chimed in.
"This is an excellent find, Robert," she said, her tone warm and encouraging. "Taming of this kind is another rare skill, one that allows you to bond with animals and even command them in battle. With practice, you could form partnerships with creatures far beyond what you've encountered so far."
I nodded, tucking the skillbook securely into my bag. "I'll save it for later.. I have enough to learn for now. Perhaps I'll meet someone that can use it."
"Aye," Hamish muttered, glancing toward Bigboss's buried form. "And I'm guessin' ye're savin' the big fella for last."
"You guessed right," I said, greedily stepping toward the pile of rubble that marked Bigboss's final resting place.