Dungeons and Dalliances Ch. 070-079

"Don't stare too obviously," Camille said, amused. "She'll catch you. But yeah. I agree."

"Tank?"

"Fighter. Tough as nails. Takes a hit better than most tanks, and'll tear other fighters apart limb by limb, too. That's a Valeria. Like Elida, I'll eat my foot if she's not in the top ten when rankings come out. Top five, probably."

"That's next week?"

"Rankings? First day of it, far as I know."

"I wonder how I'd fare against her," Natalie said idly.

"You're good, Nat," Camille said. "But you're not Johanna Valeria good."

Natalie bristled, but as she watched Johanna's two-squad tear apart Sofia's, making even her white-haired rival struggle to keep up, she hesitated.

"I've got a while to go," Natalie reluctantly admitted.

She liked to believe she was talented, but she hadn't been brought up under the full support of a major Valhaurian house.

The Valerias especially were combat-oriented in a way even many major houses weren't. Most houses had prominent delvers, but all members of Valeria were military in one way or another—even the ones who didn't delve and reach enormous personal power through their class still knew warfare. Generals, soldiers, or delvers. Johanna had undoubtedly lived and breathed combat since she could walk. Which was same for many Tenet students, but her especially.

Still, even if Johanna hadn't done anything to Natalie, and even sounded like Liz's friend, Natalie found herself frowning. She had a measuring stick to compare to, now. Someone she wanted to surpass. Though Sofia still came first. Johanna had dismantled even Sofia, and Natalie still couldn't. Her friend thrashed her in fights.

Her ... friend?

Natalie shivered. She'd really just thought that. Rival. Sofia wasn't anything but her rival. Reduced hostility in recent weeks or not.

She scanned the rest of the fights. She and Camille were recovering from their own bout, but they would rejoin the fray shortly.

One last person caught her eye. Half because of her distinctive appearance, half because of how she was, like Johanna and Elida, tearing her competition—Natalie's classmates—apart. With wicked twin daggers in either hand, she flowed between her opponents like water, and even that metaphor didn't do it justice. Like smoke, slipping between attacks as if she were formless.

Even more prominently, the heavy, criss-crossing scars running across her face. Natalie had seen this girl back in the barracks on the first day, but now that she thought about, hadn't since. Had she even been sleeping there? She'd seemed especially uncomfortable with how many people were stuffed in the barracks; twitchy, to understate things. Had she snuck off to sleep somewhere else? Why would Tenet allow that, though?

"Who's that?" Natalie asked.

"Not sure," Camille said. She'd followed Natalie's gaze even before her prompting. "But she fights like a demon, doesn't she?"

"Another top ten?"

"Probably. She wasn't put in class twelve without a reason, I'd figure."

"Assuming it works like that."

Camille shrugged. "Even their worst members are a nightmare, if you haven't noticed. No way that's a coincidence."

Natalie definitely had. Her first few bouts hadn't been easy. Hadn't even pulled out a victory today. That they were matched up against, apparently, the best class of the year only relieved her irritation at her failure slightly. She didn't like other people being better than her. Wouldn't have made it to Tenet if she did.

"Anyway," Camille said. "Should get back to it. Wanna have a go against them?" She stuck her thumb toward two bystanders of class twelve.

"Might as well," Natalie said.

3.17 - Formalized

Strangely, Liz and Ana joined them for lunch. Normally Natalie, Sofia, and Jordan sat off in a corner of the cafeteria, alone. Sometimes Liz would join them in class to chat or hang out, but not usually to eat, as she did now.

She slid her tray onto their table with a big smile, and Ana followed a second later.

"So!" Liz started the conversation with. "Me and Ana have been talking. You three wanna make it official?"

Which, of course, came as a surprise. Natalie had been planning to broach the subject to Liz sometime today, but she had expected it to take some convincing—not for Liz to come asking.

"The team, right?" Best to make sure she wasn't misinterpreting anything.

"Yep! What else?"

"It's clear we work well together," Ana said. "Most of the students worth forming a group with had their teams planned years in advance. This five," she waved around the table, "is one of the best that can be made of 'free agents'. So, it's obvious we should work together." Ana pursed her lips. "My other trials proved that."

Natalie agreed. The other members she, Jordan, and Sofia had trialed had been uninspiring.

Though, one puzzle piece still needed to be slotted.

Natalie, Jordan, and Sofia looked at Liz as one, all having the same thought. Maybe Ana and the three of them didn't have better options, but her? Elizabeth Beaumon?

Liz fidgeted under their attention. "So," she said. "It's official, then? What should our team name be?"

"Why not group with Johanna?" Natalie asked. Best to be direct. Though it was good for them, getting one of the best free-agent healers in their year, she wanted to know why. "Or anyone else your family put together?"

"I have been curious as well," Ana said.

Liz sighed, shoulders slumping. "Well, first, because I like you all. Friends make good delving partners—you need to trust each other with your life."

Natalie was flattered by that, especially the earnestness Liz said it with, but she knew there was something more. "And?"

"And ... I'm tired of relying on my name," Liz said. "I want to succeed on my own merit. Obviously Johanna's group is going to be one of the best of the year. But so can we be!"

"The nobodies," Sofia said.

Liz turned a distraught look her way. "I didn't mean it like that."

"I'm not offended," Sofia said. "But it's literally how you meant it."

Liz seemed like she would protest further, then she hesitated. "I ... guess that's fair."

"We're happy to have you on the team, either way," Jordan said, sending a mildly reprimanding look Sofia's way. Sofia shrugged in response.

"And me?" Ana asked.

Natalie and her friends shared a look. They'd already agreed Ana was better than the other mages they had trialed, so it didn't need an explicit discussion. Plus, since she'd come with Liz, clearly they'd already talked it out themselves—and Liz wanted Ana on the team. Which was the slightest bit odd, in Natalie's opinion, because it didn't seem like the two girls meshed well. Liz seemed to be hyper sociable and empathetic, and Ana, the comical opposite.

"Seems like we have a squad, then," Natalie said. "Though we all have another team, tonight, don't we?" It was the second last day of the week, and, as the enterprising students they were, they'd arranged delves for each day. "Assuming we're not ditching them, right?"

"Right," Liz said, "and I guess it's bad form to not give them a real shot by agreeing beforehand, but ..." she shrugged. "I doubt they'll change any of our minds. And I wanted to start talking about tomorrow's delve."

Because tomorrow would be their first multi-day one. Their first 'real delve', for a sense of the phrase. It would start after class, then bleed deep into the next night, possibly into the morning of next week's classes—so long as they returned in time. Curfew was suspended on the weekend so long as you were in the dungeon; the city remained off limits at night, but you could spend them camped in the dungeon without reprimand. Not the easiest thing to enforce, for obvious reasons, but still technically the rule.

"Sure," Natalie said. "What about it?"

"We've got all our supplies sorted out?"

"Well in advance, yeah."

"And we'll be going straight through tomorrow and the next?"

"That's the plan. We're hoping for a boss, I'm assuming."

Liz seemed satisfied at that, and she nodded in agreement. "A bit risky, but nobody's ever gotten anywhere always taking the safe path. We'll retreat if things get scary. You all have your gear sorted out?"

"Working on it," Natalie said. "Stopping by a blacksmith after class today. Have enough ore and credits to commission something, finally. Rush order. Thinking breastplate and boots." Sammy's main suggestions. "Probably have my full set in time."

"That's good," Liz said. "Everyone else?"

A collection of nods.

"Perfect. Can't wait. It's going to be fun."

Natalie agreed, though it was a bit amusing seeing Liz, the bubbly, innocent girl, excited for life-threatening adventures.

A short lull settled over the table as they picked at their food.

Sofia cleared her throat. "Not related, but I have a small announcement."

Everyone turned to her.

"The semester's first dueling tournament is happening in three days," she said. "Start of next week. Can't do a nightly delve then. And I know everyone's busy ... but if you want to come watch?"

Natalie stared at Sofia, or more specifically, the nervous looks the white-haired girl shot around the table. Was she being bashful?

"Of course we'll be there," Jordan said.

"I'll try my best," Liz replied brightly. "And don't worry about not being able to delve. We don't have to head out every day. Also, I didn't know you were in the dueling club. If healers weren't so useless, I might've joined too, but ..." she laughed. "Well. You know."

Sofia's tense posture relaxed, and she smiled. Natalie continued to be baffled at the insecurity that had been in her voice a moment earlier.

"I wouldn't say useless," Sofia said. "Though maybe a full healer, like you ..."

"What would I do?" Liz said. "Buff them to death? Wouldn't stand a chance."

Sofia covered a smile with her hand, and Natalie's irritation spiked. Why was this girl so cute? It drove her insane.

Blue eyes turned to Natalie, a silent question.

"Obviously I'm coming," Natalie said. "Don't be stupid."

Sofia blushed, then looked away. "Right."

Blushed??

"Just checking," Sofia added.

Jordan smiled at Natalie, and Natalie found herself immensely confused by the sequence of events.

"And you, Ana?" Sofia asked. "I realize everyone has better things to be doing, but I'd like if you joined us, too."

"There's value in analyzing the competition," Ana said. "And I can study in the downtime."

It was a rather clinical acceptance, but Sofia smiled at that response, too.

"It's a plan, then."

3.18 - Blacksmith

Natalie had chosen mining as her harvesting skill for a reason. First, it was one of the more lucrative paths—metal was in high demand, not just for delvers, but society in general—and extra funds were always welcome as a first-year student. For any year student, and experienced career delvers too, for that matter. Money made the world go round.

Second, and more importantly, gathering raw materials for commissions was much cheaper than buying something from the Exchange outright. Low-level crafters were, as a general rule, more than happy to accept jobs for cheap, since they needed ways to gain experience. Seeing how many even outright bought their own ore to practice with, being paid to practice was more than a favorable result.

Higher level crafters, of course, weren't in the same situation. Their rarity and skill meant commissions were actually more expensive than buying from the Exchange. Though in their case, the control they had made them more desirable; they could customize specifically to what you requested. But high level crafters were rare, even more so than high-level delvers.

Fitting to Tenet's modus-operandi, there were approved 'Tenet crafters' which Natalie would have to arrange a commission through; it couldn't be anyone. Having free reign into the city of Aradon, Natalie wondered not for the first time how thoroughly Tenet could enforce those policies, and whether they indeed did at all. She decided against testing it for obvious reasons. High risk for little reward. To her knowledge, the 'Tenet approved' crafters weren't more expensive, or worse quality, they just operated by credits rather than helixes—the Valhaurian standard currency. And likely, had Tenet oversight, whatever that meant.

Being out in Aradon proper was, like usual, a spectacle. The vibrancy and density of the city would never stop astounding her. Having grown up in a town with a population of a few hundred, a city of hundreds of thousands boggled her mind. Fortunately, a delver was nothing if not adept at dealing with the new and incredible. Her disorientation reflected itself only through her wide-eyes and wandering pace as she passed through the crowded streets, headed for the crafter's district.

Soon enough, she'd arrived to her destination.

She didn't have a particular shop in mind, having simply headed for the blacksmithing section of the crafter's district. Turning a corner, an anvil and forge revealed itself as the source of the loud clanging Natalie had been approaching, opened up and on display right there in the city street.

She paused at the woman standing there, clanging a hefty hammer into a long blade of metal, face covered by a thick mask to protect her from the sparks.

The sight took a second to digest. Natalie herself was more muscular than most women, and taller too, but that physique didn't hold a candle to the woman in front of her. Easily six-foot or more, built like a brick house, the tanned blacksmith battering a newly born sword into submission would have even most men glancing at their biceps and frowning.

Natalie didn't have a specific type, so to say, appreciating most feminine forms, even the ones that leaned masculine, but the sheer bulk of the dark-haired woman in front of her had her as intimidated as ... other stuff. Less appropriate emotions.

The woman, having seen Natalie arrive, spared a glance for her, then continued battering away at the sword. Natalie intuited she was open for business, but needed to finish up before speaking. That didn't bother Natalie. Gawking was hardly appropriate, but she didn't gawk. She just ... observed the woman go about her craft. The way her muscles rippled with each impact of hammer on steel. Okay, she'd admit she was definitely standing there and admiring, but not overtly. That would be impolite.

At the first opportunity to break—it took a bit, but Natalie was happy to wait—she turned to Natalie and appraised her with a quick up and down. She quirked an eyebrow in silent prompting.

"Hey," Natalie said. "You take Tenet commissions?"

That got her full attention, and Natalie understood why. Delvers had lucrative careers, and Tenet students doubly so. Plus, seeing how the woman seemed to be young, around the same age as Natalie, she was likely low-level, and thus hungrier for commissions than a more experienced crafter might be.

"I do," the blacksmith said. "Name's Shara. What are you lookin' for?"

"Nat," she returned. "Uh. Breastplate and boots. Rush order, hopefully, ready for tomorrow."

"Bring your own ore?"

"I did, yeah."

"Tank? Fighter?"

"Tank."

"What effects?"

"Tenacity, mostly. If possible, boots with a steadying effect. Chestplate with something that boosts a magic stat. And, like I said, rush order. Need it tomorrow."

"Can manage that, probably," Shara said. "But fair warning, I can only do so much, when it comes to the specifics. You're paying either way, no matter what you get."

"Yeah, I know."

That was the downside of the cheaper cost: less control over what she got. But that was fine. Cost efficiency was what she was looking for. As Sammy had advised, having a full kit of gear was more important than perfect alignment to her needs. Something was better than nothing. As she climbed through the ranks, equipment perfectly suited to her class would become more important, but for now, filling her empty gear slots took highest priority. Which a novice blacksmith, supplied with ore Natalie had collected herself, could do for much cheaper than the Exchange.

"Good," Shara said. "I'll do my best, anyway. You trying to get bulk ore refined?"

The low-quality iron and copper—which were the only ores Natalie had found in the past several days—were materials only low-level blacksmiths concerned themselves with. She could have her ore refined by higher-level crafters, but oddly, it would turn less of a profit, not more. Maybe if she had higher quality ore. Though still valuable, the iron and copper was about as 'trash' of a material as it got—as expected, seeing how she'd collected it from the first floor of the dungeon.

"Yeah, that too," Natalie said. "Have a few orbs of iron and copper. F-tier, some plus, some minus."

Which marked her as decidedly level-one delver, but Shara wasn't put off by that. Maybe not her best business connection, but any business was fortuitous, considering her low rank. Likely she was in the first few levels of her own class.

"Go ahead and empty it out," Shara said, gesturing for her to follow. "Let's get the details."