Once they had three people who crossed the 100 in an attribute milestone, the delves started progressing much faster. That first time after reaching level 19, Astrid'd let loose and exhausted herself as well as every Skill she had, and now she kept that first fight as a fighter able to use mana as a sweet memory. Now, she was much more deliberate with her mana use, only using it when it could turn the momentum of a fight. So much of a fight was about momentum, and instead of tearing through an entire warband like some crazed beast that was left panting afterwards, Astrid instead used small flares of her mana to breakthrough monsters' guards, dispatch them in single blows, or to withstand an attack that would have done significant damage through her Fortitude's mana use.
The changes that'd occurred in her body with the passage of these milestones were strange, making her feel as if she'd been living as an incomplete person before. With Power, she could flare her mana to deal an enhanced, devastating blow, and with Fortitude, she could strengthen her armor and her body underneath it to better withstand any incoming attack that she could see coming. She found that she was able to completely wreathe her body in that protective mana, but doing so very quickly depleted the entirety of her reserves.
Experiencing complete mana depletion for the first time in that fight against the warband was a uniquely agonizing experience. Going from feeling like she could carry an entire city and destroy mountains with her bare fists to a pounding headache, lethargic limbs, and the strong taste of bile that wouldn't leave her throat was a fall from grace that, again, was deeply unpleasant. Of course, that hasn't stopped her from activating Quick Recovery and killing the last of the monsters in one last flashy display, but she deserved a little bit of self indulgence, right? The hour of recovery to fully dismiss the discomfort was worth it.
Now, three days had passed since she had reached level 19, and Felix and Benedict had joined them in the penultimate level of Bronze after just one day.
Felix was the fourth member of the party to have an attribute pass 100, Fortitude, leaving Benedict far behind, 18 points away from hitting 100 in Magical Potency. His joking bitterness shifted to become a bit more genuine as every other member of the party showed off how they could get so much stronger even without using any Skills. Despite very valid frustrations, Benedict continued, working very effectively and consistently, focusing less on healing than on buffing the party and stunning the key forces of the enemies' bands. With the bonuses to all of his Skills from his flute, his targeted Scathing Screams could stun any one of the monsters that they came across, whether they be captains, trolls, or anything else. Astrid found herself frequently forgetting about how much impact he had on the battlefield, simply because he was able to shape the effect of his voice to only hit their enemies without his Skills being notable beyond the clamor of battle. His focus on working with such delicacy and precision in doing stronger stuns than Skandr on the monsters was impressive. Whenever Astrid took note of the Bard's battlefields, she could watch as an enraged troll swayed, then fell while in the middle of fighting against Felix.
"I almost want to start going to the Boss floor." Felix said as he lopped the head off of the last survivor of the monstrous warband. "I know there's not a whole lot of a reason for it, since we're looking for experience more than anything, but I wonder if it'll be worth it for money and stressing ourselves for the Great One's evaluation."
"I think we should, if not today, then soon." Astrid agreed while looking at the others. "I know we've put our lives in danger enough until now and we're focusing on getting levels, but we have two and a half weeks to get level 20, and we're ahead of schedule. I'm planning on continuing to push to get close to that final level, but it's probably worth it to kill the Boss every so often. It'll be our first experience against a solitary Boss floor, right?"
"Maybe yours," Benedict shook his head, "but me and Felix come from a Dungeon whose Boss was a level 6 hobgoblin. I don't think that what's coming up is anything like that, but we do have a small amount of experience with solo Bosses."
"It'll be the first for me." Skandr scratched at the back of his head as he said it, looking down at his jerkin, seemingly in the hopes that it would be able to keep him safe.
"As it will be for me." Muti answered. "Do you have any wisdom for us regarding this new effort we have to make?"
Felix shrugged as he shook his head while looking at Benedict, who started to open his mouth to say something, but then decided against it. When prompted by the others looking at them expectantly, finally the two men were slightly more forthcoming.
"They hit damn hard." is all that Felix eventually said. "The hobgoblin that we fought against was something like three times as strong as the goblins we were fighting before. Nearly took my arm off with a single hit from a club, which is a scary thing to experience. I don't know how that'll scale to a troll Boss, but I'd imagine it'll be a mean bastard."
"On top of that, it resisted debuffs a lot better than all the goblins on its level," Benedict added, emboldened by Felix saying something. "I'd just barely gotten Scathing Scream, and I wasn't as proficient with it as I am now, but it shrugged it off. Part of that's gotta be attributes and being a Boss, but I'd guess it'll be harder to get it in line than the gnoll chieftain. Otherwise, I really don't have anything."
"Well," Astrid nodded her thanks at the two party members who'd spoken, "we also already know more or less what we're going against. Felix, you and I will be pretty busy in the front, but how confident are you in taking plenty of hits from this Boss?"
"If I have to, I can take at least one, I'm sure." He hedged. "I don't want to take any, though. It's an inevitability that I take at least a couple glancing blows, but this troll we're gonna be fighting? It's gonna hit like a carriage pulled by drakes, and getting pulverized doesn't sound like a good way to make my day better."
Astrid chuckled, only understanding how strong drakes were now that she'd fought one. She'd said the phrase as a kid, because it was a saying, but now? A little bit more evocative.
"Astrid." Skandr said with a serious book on his face. "You realize that you're going to have to function much like a regular frontliner for this, right? Felix can't be the only one tying it down when it comes down to this fight."
"I know." Astrid nodded. "Plus, having two different styles of frontliner will really help with keeping the thing occupied. His mobility and my strength will work together to keep it from killing anybody and focusing on us. I don't like it, but the reality is that I'm a good frontliner. I want to be a finisher, and if I can, I'm going to continue spending a lot of time that way, but I'm not so selfish as to say that Felix just needs to take a beating because I'm being an egotistical child."
Muti nodded faintly, smiling as she mouthed "leader" while the rest of the party muttered their thanks. Astrid smiled, feeling a little bit more comfortable with her position as half a finisher and half a frontliner.
"Since we're breaking for lunch," Benedict segued, "and Astrid was talking about it, I have a couple questions about what you all are hoping for in your Class evolution."
"Ambusher." Muti's answer was immediate. Astrid couldn't say that she'd ever heard about "Ambushers" or what kind of Class they were, but the name was pretty simple and got the idea across well enough. Changing from more of a reconnaissance role with Rogue to an ambushing predator seemed pretty in line with the Barbarian's tastes.
"You know," Benedict chuckled, "I figure that Class could probably just be called the 'Muti' and that would be enough for anybody who heard it."
Muti's reply was a throaty chuckle that reminded Astrid of the stories she'd heard about lions. The golden haired Rogue bared her sharp teeth, and Astrid figured that the comparison was natural and intended.
"I'm thinking to just take whatever helps me to be able to better hold the monsters' attention." Felix shrugged. "Draw Anger is fine, but if any of my Class options offer an evolution or upgrade to that, that's probably what I'm gonna end up taking, and if multiple options appear, I'll go with the one that's the highest rarity."
"How many tiers of rarity in Class is a favorable Skill merging worth to you?" Benedict pressed.
"Never more than one." Felix shrugged. "I can't say any more specifically than that, because if something's giving me an option to move in the direction I want to, I'll be flexible to ensure a good future for myself."
"Simple. Effective. Much like you." Muti nodded with appreciation.
"You know, if it had been Benedict that said that," Felix squinted, "I'd have taken that as an insult. From you, I'll take it as the compliment it was intended to be."
"I would never say that! Instead, I would've said something way more clever than that." Benedict protested, only for Felix to flick a stone at his face. It was a tire tradition at this point, and the Bard blew it away with a casual breath.
Before they could break into their usual good natured bickering, Skandr spoke. "I'm hoping for any Wizard subClass. That'll allow me to broaden my disciplines and focus more on spellcasting instead of just crafting. They usually offer a free Skill or two to do with actual spellcasting, so if I get a specialized wizard class that's offering some good merges and bonuses, that's what I'll go with. Otherwise, highest rarity."
"Yeah, everybody's gonna go for highest rarity if it comes down to it. You might as well just say ' I'm going to be strong.'" Benedict put on a pretty good imitation of Skandr's voice as he said it. "But Wizard actually makes some sense. Astrid, when you tell us what you are going to do to blow the rest of us out of the water, just remember one thing. We understand that you got your boon and you're going to get more attributes per level than us and by the end of Iron, we're all going to be pissants compared to you. No need to rub it in. Now, with that in mind, what's your plan?"
Astrid shook her head, though she did understand a little bit of what the Bard was getting at. At the end of Iron, even if they all started off with the same rarity Class in Iron, Astrid would have 180 more attributes than the rest of her party would. Even if those were evenly distributed across all six attributes, that would be 30 in each, nothing to dismiss.
"Honestly, until recently, I always wanted to try to get into a magifighter class. Spellblade might be out of my reach, since my mental attributes have already gotten left behind compared to my others, but even something like a Rune Knight or a Flamehammer appealed to me. After all, being able to use my mana was going to be one of the most important things I could do, as far as I'd always been told. I just didn't quite understand how much just crossing the milestones would change my opinion on taking a magifighter Class. As it is, I think I might just lean into my role as a generalist?" Astrid felt her heart twist at that statement, having always been told that specialization was the way you survived in the Dungeon. She continued, "With the boon starting in Iron, I'll be able to better cover up the weaknesses inherent in spreading my net wide, serving as a frontliner when necessary by relying on the passive Skills that I've got. Of course, I'm never going to be a ranged finisher or a scout, but being able to be a really good frontliner and finisher seems like a pretty good plan."
"I know what I said, but I guess mentioning the boon was necessary in this case." Benedict shook his head. "I can't believe I said that. Am I going soft? But more importantly. And more honestly. Do you think you'll stick around with the rest of us after the Trials? After all, I wouldn't be surprised if, on top of the boon, you end up getting a higher rarity Class than the rest of us. If that happens, that'll just compound things and leave us further behind every level."
The Bard's voice dropped as he said it, though he maintained eye contact with Astrid after making the question.
"Of course I'm gonna stick around! You're my party!"
"Really?" Skandr jumped in, his words coming as a surprise to Astrid. "We're going to be able to hang around with you for a little while, but every level that passes will become a gap between us that'll only get wider. And don't say anything about the boon from the Wandering Trials changing anything. If we win and get it, you're gonna get the boon as well, and the distance between us will only continue to grow every level, with what we do affecting us the same as it does you. Everybody's heard the stories of our heroes having to leave behind their original parties as they continue to outstrip them and grow into the legends we now know them as. Are we just the first people to accompany you on your journey?"
Astrid tried to retort right away, but the words stuck in her throat. He wasn't wrong, but he wasn't right either, was he? After all, these were her friends!
"I will not be left behind." Muti snarled. "I will do whatever is necessary to fight to stay on your side! Will you not, Skandr? Are you weak?"
"It's not a question of weakness!" Skandr yelled back, his voice echoing off the mountains. "You rolled over for the Silver Wind when they were being a bunch of prigs. That's not because you're weak, but because they're strong and you could recognize that! It's because of numbers! It's because of levels! There are things that we cannot overcome, and that's numbers! That's why we couldn't do anything to Anders and Maria when they were trying to make us into slaves. All that we can do is keep pushing, but at a certain point, there's nothing you can do!"
Muti surged to her feet, towering over the Lightningmage, who didn't quail or lean back. Instead, he looked up into her face with defiance burning in his eyes. He didn't say anything, and Muti was forced to speak first.
"I. Will. Not. Be. Left. Behind." Muti repeated, no longer angry but still painfully insistent.. "If I must open myself to mana toxicity, to mutation, if I must break my bones while training or lose consciousness from the depths of the Dungeon that I must plunge, I will be there! If you are willing, you will be there beside me. I refuse to be left behind, never again!"
As she said the words, Muti seemed to catch what she said, her hands shaking from the emotion with which she spoke. She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood, but she nodded twice in determination before she repeated, "I will not be left behind. I will do whatever is necessary to ensure that my words are not lies. Are you dedicated enough to make that promise?"
The previously relaxed and excited conversation died, each of the five delves pausing in silence, their lunches forgotten as they instead contemplated the potential reality that approached them. Muti ate her food very quickly before standing and going to Astrid. With her helmet and arming cap off, there was nothing to stop Muti from gently grasping the club of clotted blood and hair at the bottom of Astrid's warbraid.
"My bound companion, my leader. You walk, and I follow."
The Rogue didn't say anything else before stalking off to scout. Astrid knew that the Barbarian wouldn't go too far, and the Warrior worried at her own lip as the questions posed settled once more over her. The silence continued for a short time, but then Skandr grunted to himself and stood.
"You know what, she's right. Maybe I'm also right, and there's gonna be nothing we can do about it, but for now, I'm gonna do everything I can to stick with you. Astrid, look out, because I'm gonna chase your coattails until I drag myself past you." He then sat down to work on another of his spells, but before he could, Felix interrupted.
"I don't know what I can say. I might be unable to catch you moving forward, but I'll be sticking around until you get rid of me. Now, there's one more who hasn't answered.." Felix accused. "What are you hoping for? What are you planning on doing?"
Benedict took an unnecessarily large bite from the mutton jerky in his hand instead of answering. The other three, though Astrid suspected that Muti watched from afar, watched him in silence as he took an excruciatingly long time to chew through the dried meat and wash it down with another painfully, large swallow of water. The silence weighed down on the Bard, and after chewing on his lip for a second, he finally answered.
"I have no idea. I want to be able to better support you four well, to be a better healer, but I'm doing good as a debuffer as well. On the other hand, Skandr already does that, though, so should I focus on being a damage dealer? I don't have any Skills for that, not really, and I haven't been doing anything with it anyways, so I wouldn't get any good evolution options pertaining to it anyways. I could become a fighting Bard, but again, I don't have any experience doing that. If I started using a sword now, maybe I can get an option, but…"
Benedict cut off his rambling and rubbed his forehead.
"I was hoping to hear what you all were planning and then to better be able to make my choice accordingly after I heard. Then, I got started on feeling inadequate, and I doubt that making my choice based off of what you all are thinking as wise, because who knows how long this party I'll stick together anyways?" The Bard shrugged and turned back to his food.
"Whatever. Right?" He muttered as he took another bite. Astrid felt her own food sticking to her throat as she was forced to confront this reality of the very real possibility of her party fracturing because she was too strong. And she had no idea what she could say or to try to prevent it.