Wally turned back quickly, he looked like Horus just asked him to jump out of a building. "Maybe I need to stop hanging around you. Impossible shit keeps happening, your enemies are too bloodthirsty. Both of those things are not only illegal but a death sentence."
Horus smiled, but Wally's reaction was very warranted.
There were only five Adept-tier Firespitters in the dungeon. This number was very curated, if a sixth was born, it would be hunted down by the slayer guild, and if any of them advanced to Elite-tier, the same thing would happen.
These five protected the dungeon from other monsters and made sure more Firespitters were born.
Dungeons were living things. If it was pushed too far, it might summon more dangerous monsters to serve it or do something drastic.
So everyone was prohibited from killing any of the current Adept-tiers.
And Black Mercury, a magical component used in many great magical weapons, was also found in this dungeon.
But it was only on the Fifth floor.
This place had gotten a lot of people taken to court. It was a valuable resource, not only providing steel from dead Firespitters, but also monsters that were too strong or too weak.
Shiv was smart enough to recognise it as one of the best places to rack up some money. She always knew how to exploit and manipulate any situation. She was the best back up to have when making hard decisions.
"I wish those idiots were here," Horus whispered.
Wally glanced back. "Sorry."
"What? No, this isn't your fault," Horus quickly shot back. "They're… I guess it's just harder for them to change."
Wally smiled and nodded. "John became nice so quickly I was suspicious. I still remember the first time he let me crash at his place."
Horus rolled his eyes. "Everyone sleepovers at his house. I've been there more than my own home."
"Jealous?" Wally snickered. "Don't worry, I know your dad would never let me hang out at the Dojo."
The Callisto Dojo, Horus' home for about seven years, was very closed off to anyone who wasn't a student learning from Enji.
So not just Wally.
His father didn't have any problems with Wally, Horus told himself defiantly. Just Mundanes in general. Enji was fair and respected strength.
Something moved in the darkness, brushing against the blackened stone a couple of meters in front of him.
"Contact."
Wally pulled the shield off his back and drew a short sword. Horus saw his hand twitch towards the throwing axe on his hip; an old habit from the Assassin class he once sought.
Unclipping his celestial steel sword, Horus spun it over his wrist flashily, even catching the blunt edge to spin the sword from its hooked top.
"I always wondered why you do that," Wally said with scrunched eyebrows. "Twilight swordsmanship is flashy normally, but no one else does that other than you and—"
"Morrigan," Horus finished. His older sister. "It's just a thing we did together when I still lived in the Moonstruck Manor."
His terrifying sister aside, they both focused on the three Firespitters that arrived in front of them. The beasts hummed with the heated wind and rushed forward.
But they were up against the wrong people.
Wally's shield glowed with silver light and dispersed all the flames shooting at them so well that Horus didn't even feel the air heat up behind Wally.
Then he shot forward, drawing the attention of two monsters while Wally held the other down.
Horus's blade shimmered with celestial lights, his sword was like an arc of flickering stars in the dimness of the dungeon.
He scored three blows on the two Firespitters before they even attacked, then he phased through or dodged any attacks, fully focused on striking the same spots again and again.
He only cut with the edge, careful not to lodge his blade. Before the monsters knew what was happening, he severed one of their legs each.
Then, without a word, he regrouped with Wally as the seven-second cooldown of their fire attacks ended.
The deadly flames that could blast a hole through a human's body were held back by Wally's Tank skill, although with some strain.
Once they faded, Horus got in and finished off the two monsters he disabled before helping Wally finish off the last.
Once everything was done, Horus exhaled, sweating just from the heat lingering in the air.
"That wasn't as scary as I imagined my first fight as an Awakened would be," Wally conceded.
"Yeah, I used a lot less mana than my other fights," Horus agreed.
Wally returned his shield to his back. "It would be worse without you."
"You'd be just fine."
"No, I'm serious. You didn't have to help me, and having you here is a hell of a lot more reassuring."
Horus stared down at his hand and his glowing sword. "This was meant to be with John. We are ten times stronger together. And I was kind of mean to your sister, because I was angry he didn't come. I should apologise."
Wally waved it off. "Don't worry about it. And I don't blame John. He's been under a lot of stress from his parents for something he won't tell me."
Another thing Horus didn't know about his friends. Even with Wally's reassurance, he was still worried.
With everything that had happened recently. His friends not helping Wally, his surprise Common Class, the way those people had treated the Enchanter boy.
He was beginning to wonder if he really knew his friends, or understood the people of Bloodhaven.
And worse, did he even have an accurate picture of who he was?
He sighed and hefted his glowing sword, lighting the long road of the dungeon. "Let's find this oasis."
●——●
The dungeon's underground road forked and turned in a different direction. There was a small part of Horus that was made uneasy by it.
This thing from another world was growing and feeding underneath them. Even creating guardians to protect itself and bring food to it.
The blackened cavern was quiet and warm. He was sweating so much now, and the air made his lungs work hard just to breathe.
Wally was already showing signs of fatigue. Horus could hold on longer with his Adept-tier physique, but for Wally, the deeper they went into the dungeon, the harder it pushed down.
Then they felt it.
A soft draft of cool air that made them both freeze. The oasis.
They moved quickly, seeing the soft green glow of the oasis before its entrance. They stopped once they peered inside.
It was protected by two Greenjaws, bipedal beast men that lived underwater and had jaws that could crush steel.
So they both drew their weapons and approached with great discipline.
A faint green glow washed over them. Wally's bright red hair turned muddy brown in the green light, his silver shield reflecting it.
Carved into the dungeon wall was a simple cave, lined with glowing green moss that surrounded a still and clear oasis.
The ethereal beauty of the cove was marred by its monstrous guardian.
The Greenjaws stood on both feet at 7'1" (215 cm). Their bodies were slim, but rippled with taut muscles under powerful green scales.
Their horrifying faces resembled an Angler fish. A spine held a glowing light lantern over its head, illuminating its grey fish eyes and a massive mouth filled with dagger-like teeth, protruding from its lips.
Only two, and they each hissed as Horus and Wally entered, brandishing their hook-like claws on three-fingered hands.
Horus glanced at Wally, sharing a nod, and then charged without a second thought.