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    A faint rattling gasp slipped out of the boggart’s throat as his blade burst its eye and slid into its skull. Firelight played off the ashen tones of his blade, haloing the crystal set in its form.

    It shuddered, falling limp.

    **Ding! level 55 Boggart – Skulker slain – Experience Gained! Bonus Experience for slaying a foe of Significant Strength!**

    Kaius breathed easy as he pulled his blade free, and glanced towards Porkchop.

    His brother was making his way around the other edge of the room with a silent grace that belied his size. Stopping at the foot of a boggart, he would raise one paw—reaching over to press a point of his razor sharp jade claws into their head.

    It was the fifth such room they’d encountered—and they were growing more common. Not all had been lit as this one was—others they’d almost walked straight past, only noticing the sleeping monsters due to their rigour in checking every room.

    Porkchop had insisted on joining him. While he wasn’t the most stealthy with his bulk and lack of dedicated skills, he did just fine at moving quietly—which was the most important thing with their targets sleeping.

    Nominally, it had been insurance in case of one of the greasy ferals awakening. With each room holding anywhere from a handful to a dozen of them, they’d have to act fast to silence the wakers before a scream of surprise could give them away.

    Another step and he looked down at the twisted figure, its chest rising and falling with easy regularity. Covered in hide blankets, it looked peaceful—even gentle. Much of its mishapen body and greasy hair was hidden by its covers, leaving only a strange and lumpy face. One that seemed all too human.

    Not enough for him to forget its poisonous nature, but enough for him to find the work draining.

    A thrust slid through bone, backed by just enough strength to overcome the reinforcement brought by its levels. After killing so many of the creatures, Toolkit had helped him discern a weak spot. Right between their eyes—a place where bone grew thin and its skull plates fused poorly.

    **Ding! level 56 Boggart – Brawler slain – Experience Gained! Bonus Experience for slaying a foe of Significant Strength!**

    **Ding! Runeblade Initiate has reached class level 51!**

    **+3 End, Str, & Int, +2 Dex, Wil, +1 Vit, Free – from Class & Racial Traits!**

    **Ding! Explorer’s Toolkit has reached level 47!**

    Another dead boggart.

    He moved on, padding his way through the room to the next prone form. There were only a couple left.

    At the very least, the grizzly work had brought them a pair of levels. Not all that much, considering the gains he’d seen from a single fight in the past. At least Explorer’s Toolkit had been getting a bit of a novel growth from all of the sneaking about.

    It was unfortunately to be expected. They were close in level, not particularly challenging, and their overall experience was being somewhat reduced by working in a team.

    Still rather prodigious if he used the standards of normal growth. Most teams wouldn’t dare to take on more than a handful of equally levelled opponents. Even the elite ones wouldn’t attempt anything more that ten or maybe twenty levels higher, with extremely good matchups and preparation.

    For a full fledged horde like this? If any even dared to attempt it, it would be against things drastically weaker than themselves.

    A dedicated team might get a couple of levels a week, assuming they were fighting constantly as you would in the Depths. That slowed down further the higher you climbed. At a constant pace, an elite team might reach the second tier in a couple of years—most took far longer, since few had the drive and stamina to delve constantly.

    They were making good pace, and Kaius had no doubt there were more levels coming. Potentially enough to take them to the precipice of their next skill.

    Kaius thrust again, his blade stained red with the repeated executions. The boggart stiffened, shuddering through its death.

    **Ding! level 56 Boggart – Brawler slain – Experience Gained! Bonus Experience for slaying a foe of Significant Strength!**

    An arm seized, slapping to the side.

    Right into the chest of the next sleeping monster.

    It started, shaking its head as bleary eyes opened, staring up at him in sleepy confusion.

    He reacted instantly. A lunge took him forwards, spearing the boggart between his eyes—already widening in realisation. It died, lips just barely opening to call out to its fellows. Both he and Porkchop gave up their pretences, speed more helpful than complete silence.

    **Ding! level 60 Boggart – Skulker slain – Experience Gained! Bonus Experience for slaying a foe of Significant Strength!**

    Sweeping his eyes across the room, Kaius double checked his count of the remaining monsters. Four, two more for him.

    They were already shifting, sleep disturbed by the rousing sounds of their motion. One tugged at its blanket, pulling it over its head.

    He nailed the hide in place, A Father’s Gift pinning the covering fast.

    **Ding! level 49 Boggart – Scavenger slain – Experience Gained!**

    Porkchop had already plunged his claws through both of his remaining targets, large enough to reach both.

    The final boggart sat stark upright, eyes spinning around the room before it focused on them. Its face paled, horror and fear plain in its beady eyes. Death had come, and it knew it.

    The boggart drew in a breath—ready to scream.

    Kaius raced into a thrust, punching his blade through the base of its throat, cutting off the coming noise at the source. It gasped, wet and foaming. A splutter of blood misted from the opening, as the boggart clutched at his blade. Its hands were cut to the bone as it ineffectively tried to remove the weapon.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    There was no joy in this. No Song in his blood. Just cold certainty, duty, and the pounding unease of potential discovery.

    With flat eyes, Kaius ripped his blade free. The wound he’d left started to roil, the boggart’s health burning to seal it closed.

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