Dungeon Core Academy: Books 1-7 (A LitRPG Series) by Alex Oakchest (book suggestions txt) 📕

life. I’ve broken bones that most people don’t even know exist. This will heal, one way or the other. Don’t go thinking I’m doubting myself.”

“Is it a matter of coin? I know my rates aren’t the best, but once a few things are settled in Hogsfeate my fortunes will be different.”

“Isn’t a matter of gold either. It’s more than that. This is about that big hulking monster, Razensen. I won’t work with him, Beno. The bloody creature went insane when we were fighting the pirates. His eyes went red like demon blood, and he wouldn’t respond to me. Started squeezing pirates to death, crushing their bones like they were made of wheat.”

“His berserker abilities are why he is so useful to me.”

“Abilities? An ability is something you can control. Something you can improve, even. What that beast has is an affliction. And you wonder why they were posting on the Hogsfeate men-at-arms board for someone to kill him. He’s a bloody menace! I might be a barbarian, Beno, but I will not suffer a hostile work environment.”

“I wasn’t aware Razensen did this to you. I thought it was one of the pirates. Razensen didn’t mention it.”

“He won’t bloody remember it, will he? Look, I know he didn’t mean it. That it wasn’t fully…him. Even so, if you had an axe that had a one in fifty chance of becoming sentient and chopping your own head off, would you use it?”

“I wouldn’t get rid of such an axe, if that’s what you mean. I’d find another way to utilize its power.”

“Well, feel free to keep looking. I’m off. Sorry, Beno. I’m going to visit the little wolf and see if it’s true that she’s lost her senses, and then I’m leaving.”

Using his crutch, Eric hobbled out, talking a step with his good leg and then swinging his casted leg around. It was a while before his footsteps disappeared completely.

“I can’t say I blame him, Beno, dear chap,” said Gary. “Losing a limb in the line of service has a certain…effect on one’s perceptions of their work.” He held up his stump of a leech leg, which he had lost in battle a while ago.

Perhaps they had a point. Eric’s leg had been crushed. Gary had lost a limb. Redjack had been murdered. And what happened to me? Not much. Only Dullbright had ever brandished a weapon worthy of killing me, and he was dead.

I felt a weight upon me.

Not mentally, but physically.

I suddenly realized that a leech leg lined with teeth was drooped over my core.

“Cheer up,” said Gary. “The barbarian will recover. I have barely noticed my lost limb. Truly. I mean, it hasn’t stopped me playing the lute. The best thing you can do, dear chap, is to lead us all.”

“You’re right. Thank you, Gary. So let’s discuss how, exactly, I need to do that. First of all-”

“Shadow,” said Tomlin. “First of all we help Shadow. Shadow is our dungeon mate and should be helped first.”

“Oh, Tomlin. She isn’t the person you once knew. She killed lovely old Redjack,” scoffed Gary.

“She did,” I said, “but she wasn’t in her right mind. The little witch had used a spell on her, just as she had with Razensen’s old unit.”

“Is this wishful thinking, Beno?”

“No!” said Tomlin. “Dark Lord is right!”

“You saw how demented they were. Whatever power the witch used, she didn’t take Shadow’s intelligence, but she certainly stole her loyalty.”

“You are such an innocent soul, Beno. You want to believe that Shadow’s mind wasn’t her own, but the clues are there for us to see, my friend. The rogue has never truly been happy here. How many times has she rallied against your leadership? Interrupted meetings to criticize you?”

“I seem to remember you agreeing with her last time, Gary. Does that make you capable of murdering your dungeon mates?”

“Ah, well…”

“Tomlin agrees with Dark Lord. Shadow is sick. Dark Lord must find out how to heal her. Tomlin will help however he can.”

“It means talking to the witch, which I will have to do anyway, once she’s in her chamber and the sedatives wear off.”

“Is it safe for you to talk to her?” asked Gary. “Altering Shadow’s mind would be one thing, if that is what happened, but if she were to manipulate you, dear chap, we would all be in trouble.”

“We’re putting her and the boy in separate prison chambers far away from anyone else. I’ll keep guards posted at the end of the tunnel, keeping a safe enough distance from the actual chambers that she can’t beguile them. We still have a little more sedative on hand, even though it took enough to fell a stone troll just to get the girl to drop. On top of that, only I will go to see her. She can’t do anything to my mind.”

“Well, you know best, Beno.”

“I don’t, but I try. Gary, you’re one of my most senior dungeon mates, so I need you to take care of a few things for me.”

“Anything you desire is but a whisper away.”

“Right…anyway, I need you to oversee the destruction of the dead pirates’ bodies. Take them to the alchemy chamber and dissolve them into their essence. Put whatever essence class dust is left to one side. Strip whatever armor, weapons, and gold they have and put them in the stores.”

“Got it.”

“Now, before I go and talk to the girl, I need to decide something. From what I’ve pieced together from Eric and Razensen’s recollections, all the pirates died except one. It seems that their leader escaped. The guy has seen a lot more of the dungeon than I am comfortable with. If he was clever enough, he could approach a hero guild and sell the information to them. It would mean I have to then spend time