Jern woke with a start.
“What was that?” he mumbled sleepily.
It’s me.
“Who’s me?” he wondered as he rubbed at his eyes.
Anthony.
“Who’s Anthony? Can I go back to sleep, Anthony?”
You were asleep? Sorry about that. I don’t sleep much.
“So… can I?”
No. Well… you can in a second, I just need your attention for a minute. Two minutes. Look, I’ll be honest with you, five minutes probably, then you can go back to sleep.
“I’m really tired, Anthony. Can this wait until the morning?”
I mean… it could? But I’ve already woken you up, so we may as well do this now. Can you go and get your friend?
“Wha… what? Which friend?”
The other golden glowy person. The girl.
“Alis?”
Sure.
“You don’t know?”
Well, I haven’t spoken to her yet, I figured I’d just talk to one of you and then you could get the other.
“She’s… she’s in the girls’ dorm. I can’t go in there.”
Dammit. Look. Just put some pants on or whatever and I’ll get her to meet you outside. I want you to be able to talk to each other while I figure this out.
Jern blinked a few times and rubbed at his eyes again. The fuss over the new Class he and Alis had unlocked had gone on for ages, and frankly, he was exhausted. He didn’t need this right now. He looked down.
“I’m already wearing pants.”
man. Go stand somewhere Alis can come meet you. Oh! If you
That was odd.
a bad
he doesn’t hate me.
“He loves you?”
prefer we did not use that phrasing.
Okay. I’m getting dressed,
Thanks, I appreciate it.
coat on as quietly as he could so as not to wake those still sleeping around him before he crept to the
to. Outside, the light from the Dungeon veins was the same as always. Patrols of humans and ants were constant, and several gave
him, similarly stumbling with fatigue. He poked her in the
can talk to both of you at the
but
“I’m tired,” she snapped.
He agreed.
you up! Sheesh! You’ve only got yourselves to blame, showing up all shiny in my Nave the way you did. I certainly didn’t invite
sighed and pinched
us who you are? And how are you talking to us? This doesn’t feel like a
Then he thought about it. Then he nodded. “It doesn’t,” he
name. Which you’ve probably never heard. The Eldest? The… ugh… ‘Great One’. Does
Great One?” Alis said
me
Jern frowned.
kneel or something?”
you
He shrugged. Why not?
One is on the fourth stratum according to priest Beyn! They couldn’t possibly talk to
the fourth stratum. As for why… that’s what I want to know! You guys have a Class change or something
where we are?” Alis hissed,
to talk to Beyn.
That
fiery sermon, though,”
floats your boat. I find it hard to
understand that,” Jern
guy gets it. How about you, girl? No? You seem to just be getting
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