Chapter Three Hundred and Ten — The Knights of the Long Rest
Chapter Three Hundred and Ten — The Knights of the Long Rest The airship banked around and flew in a gently spiralling curve that brought us lower and closer to the ground.I squished my face up against a porthole until my nose made a mark on the glass so that I could better see the fort below.It wasn’t as big as I had imagined. Or as ancient-looking.The fort was built up against the side of a smaller, stubby mountain. It didn’t have as much of an incline as the capital, though it was pretty tall and jaggedy all the same. The fort had large walls on the edges furthest from the mountain, growing smaller as they approached the mountainside.Part of the fort was a complex of stone buildings and two large square towers with battlements above and arrow slits all around. Below them was the main keep, and then a wide open landing strip, entirely covered in gravel and with a row of blinking lights down the middle.The latter bit didn’t seem to fit into the aesthetic that the rest of the fort was going for, though Knight Captain Covernseeker did say that the dungeon wasn’t all that old, so perhaps the entire fort was relatively young too.The airship slowed down for its final descent, and I saw sylph jumping off the sides with long ropes trailing after them. Those were slid through big eyelets on the ground, then hooked onto winches that were powered by ground crews.The ship lurched as we finally touched down, and I pulled back from the porthole just as a rig with a staircase was rolled up next to us.“Alright everyone,” Coverseeker said, his voice booming through the room. “We’ve arrived. One at a time, gentlebeings.”The older sylph got off first, and then my friends and I followed after them. We climbed up to the deck, then moved to the side where the ramp I’d seen was being affixed to the ship’s side where the railing was removed to make access easier.When we arrived on solid ground again, it was to find a row of four sylph all decked out in plate armour with swords by their hips and proper knightly helmets tucked against their chest. They saluted in unison on the barked order of a sylph in armour similar to Knight Captain Covenseeker.“The Knights of the Long Rest are ready, sir,” the knight said.Knight Captain Covenseeker stepped up, looking more serious than he had all day and returned the salute. “Noted, Lieutenant. Is the team assembled?”“Yes sir,” the lieutenant said. He turned and gestured towards the keep. “The squad is assembling in the dive room, sir. All guests to the fort are accounted for.”“Well done,” Knight Captain Covenseeker said. He spun around to face all of us. “Gentlebeings, please follow me. We will find rest and respite in the main tower. Captain Bunch, Ladies, please follow the lieutenant.”The gaggle of generals and officers toddled off under their cloud of cigar smoke, leaving us with the lieutenant and the four stiff-backed knights.“Hello, sir,” I said with a nod to the lieutenant. “And hi to the bunch of you too!” I added for the knight behind him.The lieutenant didn’t seem to know how to react. Poor guy, was no one ever friendly to him before? “Ah, hello, ma’am. You must be the expert.”“How did you know?” I asked.“The, ah, ears, ma’am.”I almost reached up to touch them, but held back. “I guess they are a defining feature. Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Will you just be escorting us to the dungeon?”“And through it,” he said. “My name is Lieutenant Petalwrought. I’ll be your guide today.”“I’m Broccoli, and these are my friends, Amaryllis and Awen. We’ll be in your care, Lieutenant Petalwrought.”The Lieutenant nodded once, then glanced away, as if he couldn’t meet my eyes. “Ah, if it’s not too impertinent to ask, ma’am, do you have any training in dungeon delving? The reports I received were light on details.”“My friends and I have gone through half a dozen dungeons,” I said. “We’re not experts, but we’ve tackled a few together, and a couple with bigger groups. I don’t think any of us have been in an expedition this big though.”Amaryllis cleared her throat. “The Knight Captain seemed... perhaps a little less-than-aware of the dangers brought in by the Evil Roots. Have you explored the dungeon since?”“I went in with two knight-recruits. We barely made it out alive,” the lieutenant said. “It’s a run I’ve done frequently. The dungeon has changed in the last few weeks, it's become far less hospitable. Not that it was ever entirely safe, but some floors had puzzles that could be solved non-violently.”“That’s really unfortunate,” I said. “What about the others? We’re going down as a whole group, right?”The lieutenant nodded, then gestured towards the keep. “Shall we start heading to the dive room? I imagine the others will be growing impatient.”“Sure,” I said.We started across the courtyard while sailor sylphs ran about taking care of the airship. The other knights followed behind us in two neat rows of two. “We’ll be going down with four experts.”“I thought there would be more,” Amaryllis said.“I... may have overstepped my position a little,” Petalwrought said. “But I vetoed any member that didn’t have at least basic combat training or experience. I had to promise that the rest could come down once the bulk of the threat is handled.”“That might be for the best,” Amaryllis siad. “The dungeon will only get harder as the days pass. Having to watch over dead weight will make it even more of a challenge.”“We shouldn’t call people dead weight,” I said.Amaryllis huffed. “If their presence harms us more than it helps us, then that’s what they are. We know how to fix this issue, they’re just coming along to see how it’s done.”Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.“You’re making us sound like big heroes,” I said.“Isn’t that exactly what we are?” Amaryllis asked. She sounded genuinely confused.I considered it. “I don’t know? I don’t think so. We’ve just been having fun mostly. Sometimes we stop by to help people, but it’s not a big deal.”Amaryllis shrugged. “Your reputation is going to catch up to you eventually, Broccoli.“It’s not a bad reputation,” Awen assured me.The front of the fort was enclosed so that the only way in was through a corridor leading to the front door. I imagined it was to make it harder for people who could fly to sneak up on the entrance from above.He opened the door for us, and we moved through a long corridor. The keep was all grey walls and flickering magical sconces, with a bright red carpet laid out on the floor the only concession to comfort.In my opinion the place could really use a more homey touch, maybe some flowers, a photo or two hanging off the wall? The lieutenant led us through a room at the far end, then through an armoury where armour hung off of racks next to swords and shields and other weapons. The room smelled like oil and leather.“This way,” he said.Just past the armoury was a very strange room, mostly because I wasn’t sure if it was a room. The ground was all stone, but not quarried stone, just the sort of uneven rocks you’d find outside, though a path had been worn through them.The walls ended unevenly, with the floor being at a bit of an angle.The path through the room went off to the side, then down, where the stones had been rearranged into steps. At the bottom were a few sylphs, and a cave opening. “Is that the dungeon?” I asked.“It is,” Lieutenant Petalwrought said. “The keep was built around it, as you can see. Difficult to do, on account of the land around the dungeon’s entrance, but we managed.”I nodded along. “Why not remodel things a bit?”“You can’t,” Amaryllis said. “Not entirely. Messing with a dungeon’s entrance is just a bad idea all around. Besides, the entrance is more like a portal, if you dug behind it, you’ll just find dirt and rock, not some tunnel or whatever.”“Oh, right,” I said.“Everyone!” Lieutenant PetalWrought barked. “These are the experts the capital has sent over. Please, let’s all greet each other, then check our gear. Then we’ll be off into the dungeon.”I nodded, then waved to the group. “Hello. I’m Captain Broccoli Bunch of the Beaver Cleaver. I’m the one that has magic that can break Evil Roots.”“I’m Amaryllis Albatross, thunder mage.”“Awa, I’m Awen Bristlecone, um, mechanic?”The four sylph glanced at each other, then one stepped up. A small sylph woman. Small for a sylph, that was. “Aria Lightspring, magical researcher, Army Division of Sciences.” She nodded to us quite firmly. Aria had an army uniform on, but over that she had rigging with a bunch of tools and a backpack that seemed loaded with stuff. A sword hung by her hip, and I noticed a buckler on the side of her pack.“I’m Erin Winterhand,” another of the sylph said. “I’m with the Department for Dungeon Protection. We work to ensure that the nation’s dungeons are safe and secure and well-documented.” Erin bowed to us. He had gear that I’d first associate with adventurers. A pack, a few knives, a short spear and an assortment of armour that was definitely not part of an official kit. He also needed a bit of a shave.“Lucille Rosenfell,” the next said. “Mage.” She had robes on, a big hat with a bit of a cone in its centre and a badge affixed to it, and a staff. Definitely a magic-user.“And I’m Bron, Bron Talldance,” the last said. He was a big boy, all muscle covered in a thick gambeson. He was grinning at us. “I’m with Magical Games and Sports. Don’t reckon I’d usually be here, but I can swing a mace as good as any, and I know my share about plants and the like.”“Hello everyone, I hope we’ll all have plenty of nice experiences in the dungeon together,” I said.The lieutenant nodded. “And I’m Lieutenant Petalwrought, but you all know me already. These four Knights will be accompanying us in the dungeon. They will be keeping you safe, but down there, what I say is law. You have an idea, you pass it by me first. Understood?”I nodded, and there was a chorus of ‘understoods’ from some of the others.“Good. We haven’t been given nearly as much time to prepare as I would want, but I suspect giving that root more time would only make things worse. Perhaps speed is of the essence here. Nonetheless, we’ll be going through the dungeon slowly and carefully.”Everyone gathered up in a tighter group, though it was clear that we weren’t all comfortable with each other yet.“Alright, I’ll take the lead. First room should be safe, but I have my doubts,” Lieutenant Petalwrought said. He pulled out his sword, and all four knights did the same.My friends and I scrambled to grab our gear. Awen slid a bolt into her bow, Amaryllis tested the sheath of her dagger and Weedbane snicked open. That got a few weird looks. I brought the scythe up so that the blade hung over my shoulder. “We’re ready,” I said.Without much fanfare, we started into the dungeon as one big group.You are Entering the The Dungeon of the Lullaby Knight Level 12—14Your entire party has entered the Dungeon. Seal Dungeon until exit?Dungeon left UnsealedAny Person can Enter Dungeon Instance.Any Person can Exit Dungeon Instance.
This was it. I could feel the tension radiating off of everyone else as we marched down a deep, dank tunnel, where the light was dim and... and where a faint song hung off the air, too quiet to be made out, but definitely there.
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Chapter Three Hundred and Eleven — A Full Bedspread
Chapter Three Hundred and Eleven — A Full Bedspread The dungeon’s main room, the one that was supposed to lead to every floor, looked like a bedroom.A cute bedroom at that. There was a small desk to one side, a child’s bed on the other, and a bookcase filled with toys and baubles tucked away next to another doorway. The room was quite big, more than large enough for all twelve of us to step in.“This isn’t what I was expecting,” Amaryllis said. She knelt down and poked at a teddy bear, casually left on the floor atop a colourful braided carpet. “I thought this would be more... knightly.”Lieutenant Petalwrought chuckled. “You’d think that, yes. The Knights of the Long Rest try not to advertise the fact that our dungeon is themed in such a childish way. Though I would beg all of you not to lower your guard. The teeth on the monsters we will be fighting are more real than any nightmare, and their magics are potent. Moreso now.”I nodded as I glanced away from the bookshelf. Every book on there looked like a children’s book of rhymes and nursery songs. “Where do we go from here?” I asked.The lieutenant pointed to the door ahead of us. “Right through there. That’ll open onto the first floor. On leaving the floor we will be back in this room here, and we can re-exit the dungeon, but you cannot leave the floor until it is complete.”Aria, the magical researcher, perked up at that. She tugged a small notepad from her backpack and started scribbling. “Has that changed at all since the introduction of the invasive species?”“You mean the strange plants?” Lieutenant Petalwrough asked. “No, I don’t think that rule has changed but... ah, you will see one of the changes that have occurred once we’re passed the first floor.”“Evil Roots,” I said. “That’s what the quest prompts about them call them.”Aria and the others looked at me. “There are quests relating to them?” she asked.“Oh, yeah. The World really doesn’t like these root things. I don’t know if they’re like a sickness, or like you said, an invasive species, but they’re bad news. They’ll suck up all the mana in the dungeon too. I don’t know if they’ve ever killed one that way, but I wouldn’t be surprised.”Aria jotted down a few more things. “No wonder the crown wants this dealt with so quickly.”“It’s a big old problem is what it is,” Bron said. “So, we moving on?”“In a moment,” Lieutenant Petalwrought said. “First, we go over the first floor’s rules, and how to get past it. Then we decide on a formation and some contingencies. We won’t have time to discuss these things on the floor itself, not if we intend to pass it unharmed.”Everyone seemed to take his word seriously, and he gave us a grateful nod.“The first floor is a trial by combat. This dungeon has never shied away from those. The floor is shaped roughly like an arena, though the footing is hard to travel upon. If you have a difficult time walking, try skipping your way forward. It will make more sense once you’re on the floor itself.”“What is the combat against?” Lucille, the wizard sylph asked. She adjusted her grip on her big staff. “Any known weaknesses we can exploit?”Petalwrought nodded. “There are two types of adversaries. The edge of the arena is lined with creatures we’ve identified as blankifolds. Though of a strange and perhaps unique variety.”“What are those?” Aria asked.“Large creatures made of magical cloth-like material,” Amaryllis said. “They envelope people, smother them, then eat them.”The lieutenant nodded. “These are made of a quilt-like material. If you stray too far to the edge of the arena, they will ambush you. They might move towards you regardless. They are weak to fire, or anything else that cloth would be weak to. Piercing attacks will harm them, though not very well. Crushing attacks are useless. Your best bet is to try to cut them apart. They aren’t much stronger than a blanket, truly. If they capture you, try to make yourself bigger. Spread your arms and legs apart. They will have a difficult time enveloping you that way.”That was kind of spooky.“The main adversary on the floor will be in the centre, a child’s bed mobile.”“A what?” Erin asked. He’s been pretty quiet so far, but I could tell he was listening.“It’s a device that hangs over a bed, with small objects attached to toys on it. It spins, to distract a baby,” the lieutenant said. “This one will have five creatures tied to it. Usually knights, warriors, perhaps lions or bears. You need to defeat all five to defeat the mobile, and on doing so, the door to the next floor unlocks.”“So,” Lucille said. “Walk in, stay close to the centre, defeat the floor boss, then move on?”“Ideally, yes.”I raised my hand. “Has the Evil Root infected anything here?”“Not the last time we explored the floor,” he said. “But that may have changed.”“Formation?” Erin asked.“I will challenge the floor boss with two knights. The other two will guard you,” the lieutenant said. “I know that some of you are capable fighters, but I’ll ask that you focus primarily on keeping yourselves and your comrades safe. The floor boss is unable to leave a certain set area, so they shouldn’t be a risk to you. Though on occasion, the floor boss has had forms capable of using some sort of magic. I’ll warn everyone if that’s the case.”“That's a lot of risk you’re shouldering mostly on your own,” Amaryllis said.“All of the knights here have faced this dungeon before. Several times each on our own. We should all be capable of taking on the floor boss, and with three of us working together, it shouldn’t be an issue,” the lieutenant said. “But, if there is trouble, then we’ll back out of the boss’s range and regroup. Everyone understand?”A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.Nods all around, and then Lieutenant Petalwrought moved over to the door at the end of the room, half-turned, and pointed to two of the knights.“You two after me, then the group, the other knights take the rear. Keep your eyes open and your weapons sharp.”He opened the door and slipped in.We followed a moment later, filing into a long corridor with pastel walls and a carpeted floor. It was lit only by a dim, warm light coming from the end of the hall. When we exited it was onto a soft, padded floor, covered in a strange cloth surface. It took looking around at the entire pattern of the floor to figure out that we were on a quilt. A quilt on a huge bed.I jumped up and down, feeling the ground bounce below me.It wasn’t quite like being on a trampoline. Those had a lot more bounce than this. This was more like jumping atop a pile of blankets. There was a lot of give, but not much pushback.The floor was square, with walls covered in pretty wallpaper that had giant teddy bears and animals on it, though the wallpaper seemed scratched and weather worn in places, and I could tell that some parts were stained.The middle of the room rose up to a big hill. Or maybe it was less like a hill and more like a huge blanket with something beneath it. Atop that hill, with a massive chain leading way, way up into the darkness where a ceiling should have been, was a mobile.It was tilted really hard to one side, so that the lowest of the items on it was resting on the hilltop as if it was a discarded toy.“Look,” Awen said. She was pointing off to the side.I looked, but couldn’t see what she was pointing at. The floor was all quilted patterns, different bits of cloth of different colours, all laying next to each other in neat little squares.Then I noticed some of those squares moving.“Oh, I see them,” I said.Quilted Blankifold, level 10, stalkingThey didn’t look all that dangerous, but then, they were magical killer blankies, and I wasn’t sure what to think of that.“We have... that’s a knight on the hill,” Lieutenant Petalwrought said. “So, knight, elephant, shooting star, sheep, wizard.”I glanced along the circle of the mobile. There were indeed five ropes hanging from it, with a stuffed elephant, a big plush star, a sheep, and a robed wizard toy. They were all bigger than I was, which made it hard to really pinpoint the scale of things.I did notice one other thing though. “Wait!” I said.“Yes?” the lieutenant asked.Pointing to the mobile, I tried to gesture to the chain holding it up. “There’s a length of root around the chain, do you see it?”“I see it,” Amaryllis confirmed. “That means that the floor boss is likely corrupted.”“Do you know what that will mean for those of us fighting it?” Petalwrought asked.“I don’t,” I said. “It might even be easier. Sometimes the root makes enemies in a dungeon a bit stupider. They go berserk and will attack even if they should be cautious. And sometimes they’ll ruin their own floor puzzles. We went through an undead dungeon once, and a lot of the undead were unable to move because they had roots growing through them.”“Interesting,” Aria said. She scribbled something down. “Would you say that the root hampered the dungeon more than it made it more dangerous?”“Uh. I think so? When we cleared the root in that dungeon, the dungeon monsters started attacking the roots in the dungeon. Like an immune system.”“A what system?” Aria asked.“The thing that allows your body to fight off infections and illnesses,” Lucille said. “It’s what makes you feverish to burn off an illness.”Aria muttered something while writing that down. “If that’s the case, then these roots truly are antagonistic to the dungeon itself.”“More on that once we’ve cleared the floor,” the lieutenant said. “Stay here, and watch out for the blankifolds.”The two knights with the lieutenant stepped up, swords whispering out of their scabbards while the two that remained stood on either end of our group, facing outwards.I shifted to the side so that I had more room, then held onto my scythe. I didn’t quite know how to use it yet, but I wanted it close by if anything jumped out at us. Still, most of my attention was on the oncoming fight.The three knights climbed up the hill, shields raised and ready, swords in high guards next to them, ready to plunge out against anything that came too close.The mobile above shifted, tilting back a bit, and with that motion, the knight on its nearest end rose off the ground and stood.It was a toy knight, with jointed arms and legs, and a body made of wood. Even its sword was more of a wooden plank, with some rough cuts along it to give it an edge. It raised a shield by its side, a large kite shield, almost as tall as it was, and its helmeted head rose up to stare at its oncoming foes.“Awa, reminds me a little of that puppet dungeon,” Awen said.“Did that one have an Evil Root within it?” Aria asked.“No, just puppets,” Awen said. “I think that might have been worse, actually. They’re kind of scary.”“You find them scary?” Amaryllis asked.Awen blushed to the roots of her hair. “Awa... no?”Amaryllis crossed her wings. “Why didn’t you say anything?”“I, ah, didn’t want to disappoint you. Since you like them so much?” Awen asked.I held back a giggle, then patted Amaryllis on the back. “It’s okay. I still love you, even if your hobby is scary.”“It is not!”“Maybe we should be paying more attention, you know?” Bron asked.“Ah, right,” I said. Time to get our heads into the game. No goofing off now!
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