Dakota Krout - Dungeon Calamity

Just ignore it, Rob. Of course you feel like you are being watched, yer in a dungeon! The tiny human tried unsuccessfully to comfort his student. He groaned and tossed his hands into the air. There are monsters going crazy in here, and the place is changing constantly . We just need to go through one more room, and even with my seventy percent fee, your tuition will be paid for life! Were already on the fourth floor, might as well finish the labyrinth, right?

I dont like it. The uncomfortable man shuddered as he felt the alien mind appraising him again. You know I can tell when Im being watched, and whatever this is, it is watching. It wants us dead!

His teacher sighed. We just went over this. This is a dungeon. Of course everything here wants us dead, but for the money-

The teachers words were cut off as the floor beneath them shifted subtly. A feeling similar to a seesaw dropping made them stumble, and their pulses began to race! The floor dropped only another few inches when a * click * behind them made them whirl around. They were too late to retreat now, thanks to the rising stone that blocked off the five-man groups path of retreat. All light had fled, leaving them in utter darkness and growing despair. Only sharp orders from the leader allowed them to think clearly again.

Regaining their composure after a moment of panic, the men tightened their formation. Their eyes had begun to adjust incrementally when a glimmer of light washed over them, nearly blinding them after their immersion in darkness. Still wary, they edged toward the light. Eyes twinkling with mixed interest and caution, they walked toward the only landmark now visible. Before them lay a tablet of stone on a small, intricately carved pillar. The light fell from above and illuminated words carved deeply into the rock.

What does it say?

Confound it! I cant read. Rob, get over here!

Rob stepped forward, glancing around as the presence stared at him again. His hackles rose, and he tried to gulp air into his heaving, dehydrated lungs. He stared at the words, easily reading them but failing to understand their meaning.

Well? Rob got slapped on his rear, causing goose bumps to spread over his skinny arms. What does it say, boy?

It says, You have entered the trials. Trial one: Carry your weight and the rewards shall be great. Else, one for all. The punctuation is all funny-like. Whaddya suppose that means? Rob rubbed his butt; that slap had been way too hard.

Huh. No idea. What do you think that means? The teacher was trying to act wise, returning the question to his students, but the words came out flat.

"I hate poems. They always mean dangerous things are about to happen. A woman getting them from a nervous love interest, bards making terrible songs, and now traps"

Is the light in here getting brighter?

The ceiling! Look at the ceiling! They looked up to see the ceilingnow visible and covered in jagged metal spikesdescending slowly toward them. Rob looked around for an opening, a way out of the trap, anything! As the ceiling fell, a small section of stone lifted. The opening behind it was only spacious enough for one person to crawl through.

There are spots on the roof that don't have spikes! Five spots, five of us! We need to hold the ceiling up! The teacher called loudly and calmly. The group rushed to find a spot that they could fit into; the roof was curved specifically to match the average height of adventurers. They raised their hands, and the stone came to rest in each of their palms at the same time. Grunts were elicited from the struggling men as the heavy trap continued to press down until it rested upon their shoulders. Pushing and straining, they heaved and called out encouragement to each other as the minutes passed and their knees began to wobble.

Rob started to panic as he felt a sense of satisfaction from the probing presence. Were going to die! Its going to kill us no matter what we do! The feeling of satisfaction wavered as Rob looked at the opening. It wasnt so far away, was it? He could make it in the few seconds it would take the ceiling to fall. His fear-addled mind raced as he thought of the test. One for all, one for all so everyone would die, or one person could survive? Robs eyes narrowed. He wasnt dying for these people. He barely knew them! He wouldnt die here, not like this!

Rob! No! What are you doing?! Rob heard as he dove under the spikes and crawled as fast as he could for the hole in the wall. The ceiling lowered by a few deadly inches.

Im surviving ! Rob drug himself the last little way into the hole and looked around. There! There was a Rune on the floor! He placed his hand on the activation pattern and flooded it with Essence. The cries of his old team were cut off as the wall behind Rob closed off, leaving him in the small space. He waited for an exit to appear. And waited. Rob didnt even realize when he slipped into sleep, the oxygen content too minimal to allow his panicked mind to remain awake.

Outside the tiny room, a joyous scene was playing out.

Its going up!

Rob did it! He must have deactivated the trap!

He did nothing but try to save himself! That must have backfired on him. Their leader growled at the jubilant faces. Think about it. One for all, or carry your weight. Rob thought that meant he could trade our lives to save his sorry skin, but it really meant he would die to save us . He scoffed disparagingly. While it is sad for him, I hope you all learned something today. This was the worst kind of self-sacrifice. Lets get the abyss out of here.