The climbing continued for what felt like hours when they stopped. Alastair realized that it might have been hours. There hadn’t been any chatter, mostly due to the focus necessary to climb the steep slope. Vedast spoke with the Sergeant and then pulled the Captain aside for a quiet conversation.

  The Sergeant came over and told the team in a low voice, “Five minutes.”

  Alastair looked at Maelstrom. “This sucks.”

  “It’s my least favorite part, but it’s oddly better going up than going down the other way. If you looked at the plan, you’d realize that fortunately, the exit route isn’t back this way. Well, the emergency exit is, but not the intended exit, which is down through the farms. It looks like the one-minute countdown. You still up for this?”

  “Just ready to be done with climbing.”

  Mal stood and started to climb, following behind Vedast. Alastair was sure the look he gave her was a warning that what was coming would be worse.

  What seemed like another couple of hours of climbing later and they stopped again. Vedast spoke again with the Sergeant, who spoke to the other two men. They both continued onward and upward around a blind corner. One of the men returned a few minutes later. Raider 2 came back and gave a non-nondescript grunt. The Sergeant followed after him around the corner, then came back and gave a signal to Vedast, who spoke to the Captain and then gave a signal to the men to proceed. Alastair and Mal followed around the corner, which opened onto a flat expanse with a small gate attached to a tower.

  Mal leaned to Alastair and said, “That’s the Bay tower. There are seven towers in the Keep, all to observe the seven other main locations on the island. The raiders got access through the gate, and we’ll slip in through the Lords’ Hold, which should be empty from now. Just follow the Sergeant and don’t stray, and we should be able to get into the dungeon. After that, you and I need to find the keep puzzle. When I was here before, I checked through the dungeon and storerooms, but I think there is a section of the dungeon that I couldn’t access.”

  “Aren’t we worried about guards and servants and such?”

  “And traps. But that’s only if we go off the direct path. By following the sergeant, there are a few chance encounters, but we fight them only if we want to. Otherwise, the raiders dispatch them.”

  They had entered through the gate. A couple of guards looked as if they had been bludgeoned, and Alastair realized that must have been the work of the two vanguards. Passing through the gate, they entered an expansive yard. A classic large keep stacked atop an expansive low flat building. From the previous description, Alastair realized this low building must be the Lord’s Hold, counterbalanced by the People’s Hold on the other side. The yards were quiet and empty.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “What makes this so difficult, then?”

  “After we’re in the dungeon, we’ll fight the Lord of the Dungeons. The last time I fought him I was a level 1 and solo. It should be a bit easier with the two of us, especially as we’re both level 3. But, after that, there are waves of guards. The privateers and raiders get overwhelmed quickly, and then so did I. It’s nearly impossible to explore while fighting off the full strength of the Keep guards. If we decide not to help rescue the kids from the dungeon, we run into those traps and increased chance encounters. Most guards are equipped as level 3 brawlers, so the fights aren’t easy. While our energy shows as full, it’s probably closer to 32 than 40. We don’t have much to spare before we start feeling the additional effects of low energy. You probably experienced it on your hike to the bay. Everything gets harder the lower your energy.”

  “That’s at least like real life,” he said.

  The group entered a small door in the Lord’s Hold, which led to a long hallway without adornments. Alastair considered it spartan and wondered if this was for servants rather than the Lords. They continued quietly. A moment later a guard came around a corner. The Sergeant looked at Mal, who shook her head no, then motioned to two of the raiders.

  The guard hadn’t seen them yet, but Alastair saw concern on his face the moment he did. He turned and started to run back in the direction he had come from, likely to inform others and muster up additional forces. But a moment later, the raiders sprinted and turned the corner. Maybe they would catch him, but Vedast seemed as if he didn’t want to take any chances and encouraged the group to greater speed. They pushed on through the corridor, and as they passed the cross hall, Alastair saw the raiders engaging with the guard, who looked bloodied and about to give in.

  Vedast led the group onward. A moment later the two raiders joined the group at the rear.

  They arrived at a small wooden door at the end of the corridor, similar to the one leading outside. The Sergeant motioned to the raiders, who opened it and peered through, then indicated that it was clear. The door opened to what seemed like a receiving space, significantly more lavish than they had walked through.

  Mal leaned in, “Here’s the part where we can continue to the dungeon or break away.”

  “We should have discussed this before.”

  “What’s your take? Is the puzzle in the dungeon or elsewhere?”

  “I’d say wherever the Lord gathers his people.”

  “So, not the dungeon.”

  “Not unless there is something like the city vault.”

  The group had approached a spiral stairwell that led both down and up. Mal said something to the Sergeant, who looked annoyed but nodded. The group began to go down the stairs but Mal began to go up. Alastair followed along behind her. “I’d say we’re going for the great hall, then. I don’t know where it is, but my guess is up.”

  The stairs wound around and upward. At the landing, they looked in on an expansive room with several beds but not much else. Mal looked at Alastair. He shook his head no, it wouldn’t be in here. But she moved in any way. Something seemed off to Alastair.

  “Isn’t there a gala going on? Why is it this quiet? Shouldn’t there be signs of life and noises and such?”

  “It is a bit disconcerting. I haven’t been up before. There are lots of noises down, if you need sound, though.”

  “No, something just seems wrong.”

  Alastair noticed movement. A tall man came out of a side room from the other side of the space. He walked toward them with a determined look on his face. As the man approached, Alastair saw his name and title: Fausta, Wizard 5.

  “Uh, Maelstrom. We have company. Can we take on a level 5?”