Monroe

Chapter Eighty-eight. How the hell?

Bob spotted Nora as she rushed into the tavern.

She was wearing light blue leather armor along with her fancy cloak, although she lacked a helmet.

Zoey and Jakob had vacated the table a few minutes earlier, allowing Nora to sit down on his right.

"Good morning," Nora said as she eyed the table, which Monroe had taken over.

"Morning," Bob replied as he reached out and pulled Monroe over a bit, exposing a section of the table in front of Nora.

Bob waved at the server, flagging them down.

"Steak or eggs?" the server asked Nora.

"Eggs," Nora answered and look non-plussed as the server held out a hand expectantly.

"Your token," Bob said.

"Oh," Nora blushed and pulled out the token she'd been given the night before and handed it to the server, who pressed it to his slate and then handed it back before hurrying to the kitchen.

"I'm glad to see that you found some armor," Bob said as he dug his hands into Monroe's ruff, revving up the big cat's purr motor.

"I rushed down to one of the armorers you'd mentioned," Nora replied, "the proprietor was most helpful."

Bob nodded, "Nikki's in Holmstead is the shop that does mine; Gary came up with the Magnetic Kitty Retention System that keeps Monroe from sliding around."

Nora nodded and looked at Monroe apprehensively.

"Do you not like cats?" Bob asked, wondering if she was one of those unfortunate souls, cursed by all the gods to suffer an allergy to her feline overlords.

"I like cats," Nora said carefully, "but he's not exactly a house cat is he?"

"I've been bitten and scratched by a cat when it decided it was done being petted," Nora went on, "and Monroe is large enough that he could likely kill me by accident."

Bob considered that statement.

Monroe was quite the heckin' chonker.

He pulled up Monroe's status.

Name: Monroe Tier: 4 Size: 3 Skills: Conjuration (Affinity Crystal) Dimension (Affinity Crystal) Summoning (Affinity Crystal) Abjuration (Affinity Crystal) Animancy Level: 16 Weapon Hardness: 30 Hide hardness: 20 Ritual Magic Eldritch Blast Teleport Summon Object Reinforce Armor Anima Blast Strength: 72 Mana: 136 Armor: 252 Effect Over Time   Flight Eldritch Blast Eldritch Shield   Coordination: 104 Stamina: 176 Claw Damage: 310 Persistent Effect   Portal   Ward   Endurance: 72 Health: 2328 Bite Damage: 268             Intelligence: 68 Movement: 218 Casting Value: 316   Elemental Earth Elemental Air Elemental Water Elemental Fire Shadowmancy Wisdom: 68 Dodge 240       Control Earth Control Air Control Water Control Fire   Beauty: 104 Summoning Mastery 2                               Plant                       Plant Growth        

It appeared Nora wasn't entirely wrong.

While Monroe wasn't going to kill Bob with an accidental nibble, a level zero human on the other hand...

Bob looked down at Monroe.

It had never really occurred to him that Monroe would actually be dangerous to anyone.

"He's never scratched or bitten anyone," Bob said reassuringly, "and even if he did, I could heal the damage."

Nora nodded and hesitantly reached out to pet Monroe's back.

Her eyes widened as she stroked the big cat.

"He's so soft," she whispered.

"Yep," Bob said, "he's the most handsome kitty in the world, aren't you, buddy?"

Monroe purred louder to indicate that he did indeed know he was the most handsome kitty in the world.

"I've never seen a cat like him before," Nora said as she grew bolder and started to carefully rub Monroe's ruff.

"Monroe is my familiar," Bob replied, "and while he has always been a big boy, he grew to this size as he increased in level."

"What level is he?" Nora asked.

"Sixteen," Bob said, switching his attention to scratching under Monroe's chin.

Nora paused for a moment and then resumed her devotions.

"He could really hurt someone," she said softly.

Bob shrugged, "I suppose he could, but I can't imagine he would unless you hurt him first," he said, "Monroe is pretty easy going."

The server arrived with Nora's breakfast before further discussion of Monroe's potential for mayhem and murder could be had.

Bob settled into showering Monroe with the worship he deserved while Nora hurriedly ate.

Soon enough, she'd finished, and Bob stood up, hefting Monroe into his arms before the floof disappeared into his inventory.

"Where did he go?" Nora asked, eyes wide with astonishment.

"He can teleport," Bob replied, "which allows him to go pretty much wherever he wants."

Bob didn't think the kid needed to know about his inventory. Or that Monroe could enter and exit it at will. And Monroe could teleport, so he hadn't lied to her.

Nora shook her head and led the way out of the tavern and into the foyer, where Bob waved to Jakob and Zoey as they exited to the street.

Bob walked confidently over to the Church with Nora behind him, where a Clergywoman greeted him with a smile.

"Blessings of Eros upon you this morning," she said with a smile, and Bob's heart skipped a beat.

She'd just spoken to him in English, or the American version of it at any rate.

"Good morning," Bob replied in his native tongue, "how is it that you can speak English?"

"English," the priestess rolled the word around in her mouth with a smile, "I've never heard of that language before. I'm a priestess of Eros, and as such, I'm blessed by her to speak the universal language of love," she gestured to Bob and then to Nora, "each of you hears me speak in your native tongue, and in turn, I hear everything spoken to me in my own."

"But I see that I've distressed you," she continued, "which is never my intention. Please, be welcome in the Church of Harbordeep; my name is Gretchin, and I'll be pleased to guide you."

Bob nodded and took a deep breath, releasing it slowly.

"I'm here to Shepherd this young lady on the first floor of the Dungeon," Bob said, very deliberately speaking Thaylan.

"How kind," Gretchin said with a smile, "I'll show you the way if you'll follow me."

Bob and Nora followed Gretchin in silence.

They entered a side door and walked down a long hallway, decorated with hung tapestries on the walls and sculptures in regularly spaced alcoves, the sun shining in from stained glass windows above, spreading rich color across the light yellow walls. Descending a set of stairs, Bob noticed that the walls here were more sparsely decorated, with the occasional painting, and that the alcoves often held two chairs and a table, rather than a sculpture. Doors were set in the walls at regular intervals, and their steps were muffled by a carpet runner of a golden hue that was achingly similar to the fields in California.

The hallway emptied into a massive room, seven steps leading down to the bare flagstone floor. Arches stretched over the ceiling, each reaching from a corner of the room, of which there were many, as the room was constructed with seven walls. The walls themselves held murals depicting beautiful beings blessing humanity in various ways. At the same time, the ceiling was reserved for a massive sunburst done in polished gems that reflected the light of the single orb that was supported at the top of a delicate metal cage which reached over a grand staircase of stone, complete with elaborately carved banister, which led further down.

Bob stood on the top step at the entrance to what he could only term as a cathedral and committed the sight to memory.

"Beautiful," he murmured.

"When you aren't on a schedule, you should visit the actual cathedral above us," Gretchin said with a brilliant smile, "but for now, I'll take my leave and turn you over to Voren, who will see you into the Dungeon once he's done with the group he's with now."

She turned and walked back down the hallway, leaving Bob and Nora standing on the steps that led into the room.

Bob's gaze fell on the group arrayed before a large man in immaculate robes.

Two boys and a girl, likely in their teens still. Bob had trouble judging ages.

They all appeared to be thoroughly cowed, and the huge priest stood with arms crossed, a sneer distorting what would have been a classically handsome face.

With a shrug, Bob approached the man, who was most likely Voren, and said, "Excuse me, I'm Bob, and I have a delve scheduled this morning between eight and noon to Shepherd this young lady," he gestured behind him toward Nora.

Voren's sneer twisted in an expression of surprise.

"These upstarts spoke truly then?" he gestured towards the three kids, "the Guild has registered a Shepherd?"

Bob nodded slowly and jerked a thumb towards the Shepherd's pin on his cloak.

"I registered as a Shepherd yesterday to help this one," he tilted his head towards Nora, who had stepped up beside him.

"Mr. Shepherd, sir," one of the boys, a broad-shouldered lad with sandy brown hair and strong features, stepped forward, "We'd heard a Shepherd was leading a delve on the first floor today, so we came to see if we could join you."

Bob blinked and gave a slight shake of his head as he replied, "How? I just registered not sixteen hours ago."

"My mother heard it from her," the young man said, indicating Nora, "and she stuffed me into my father's old armor straight away and sent me here to see if you had space to Shepherd another." He blushed and dug into a pouch as he went on, "She did send me with crystals, sir, I'm not looking for charity."

"And you two?" Bob gestured to the young man and woman, who had hung back.

"Ah, Orson's mum called on our mum's," the young woman gestured the young man beside her, "and told them about their being a Shepherd, and quick as you could blink, she'd bundled me up and off to the Church to try and meet up with you," she blushed and finished, "I'm Wayna, and this is Charn."

"We've crystals as well," Charn added hastily.

Neither Charn nor Wayna wore armor, and Orson's had clearly been sized for a man a few inches taller and quite a bit wider.

Bob grimaced and addressed Voren, "I'm down for a delve between eight and twelve?"

"You are," Voren replied with a cold smile.

"And the Schedule doesn't have any names attached beyond mine, indicating I'm acting as a Shepherd?" Bob asked.

"Also true," Voren said, "nothing but common sense and good taste will prevent you from aiding these commoners."

Bob nodded and replied meekly, "Well, crystals are crystals, and I can watch over four as easily as one, so needs must," he stepped forward and displayed his Guild Badge.

"I'll be Shepherding these four until noon on the first floor," Bob said, "is there anything else that needs to be done? I'm new to Harbordeep, as you may have guessed."

Voren shook his head and gestured down the stairs, "There is a gateway down below, but you'll not have the means or need for it," his face twisted into a sneer again, "continue past it down another flight of stairs, and you'll find yourself on the first floor."

Bob gave him a short bow and gestured for the kids to follow him as he scurried down the stairs.

~ ~ ~ ~

The staircase, a full twenty feet wide, emptied into a chamber easily double that in width, containing a familiar gateway.

Bob strode past it, squaring his shoulders and straightening his back now that he was out of Voren's sight.

He had no doubts that the man was tier six, and given the way he'd acted towards the kids, he clearly held to the idea that tier was directly related to social worth. Or perhaps wealth. It hadn't escaped his notice that Voren had given a quick look at Nora's cloak and addressed none of his comments towards her.

Descending another flight of stairs, these only ten feet wide, and far more humble, Bob arrived at a landing which was perhaps twenty feet to a side, with open hallways leading left, right, and forward.

He turned to face the kids who had trailed behind him.

He cast an Area of Effect control air spell and pushed it to fill the room, solidifying the bubble's edges to prevent sound from escaping.

"Alright," Bob said loudly, "it looks like Nora somehow managed to spread the word that I'm a Shepherd in a remarkably short period of time."

Nora blushed and opened her mouth only to be silenced by a raised finger from Bob.

"What's done is done, and the only way forward is through," Bob said.

"I wasn't expecting to Shepherd anyone else, so let's go over a few things before we get started," he continued, "first, I can't help but notice that none of you have weapons, so unless you plan to be pugilists you haven't started the day very well."

All four of the kids shared an embarrassed look.

"None of you have gained your first level, correct?" Bob asked.

A mass of head-shaking answered the question.

"Then it's safe to assume that none of you are going to be casting spells today," Bob said, "which would leave you stuck hitting monsters with your fists."

Bob shook his head and dropped his control air spell, as well as the spells maintaining his terrarium, before casting a Summon Mana-Infused Object spell, mentally projecting the pattern of a copper-clad wooden club, wrapping it in an effect over time persistent effect.

The weapon appeared in his hand.

"Fortunately for you, I happen to have a few spares," Bob muttered dryly and handed the club to Nora.

Orson, Wayna, and Charn all received clubs a few seconds later, and Bob lamented locking down nearly half his mana.

Casting his control air spell again, Bob raised his voice, "Alright, so let me preface this little carnival by telling you that I know nothing about the Dungeon here in Harbordeep."

Nora nodded while the other three looked surprised.

"I do know about delving Dungeons in general though," Bob said, "which is what I'm here to teach you."

"The first lesson I want to impart is that delving a Dungeon requires an abundance of caution," he warned them, "delving for too long, delving when you're tired, delving when you're distracted, these are all things that will get you killed," he said harshly.

"Dungeons are not forgiving, and monsters don't fight fair," Bob said.

"You're going to sit at this landing and wait while I take a brief look around," he continued, "I don't believe a monster will enter this room, but again, I don't know that for sure, so if you see a monster, run back up the stairs."

Bob shook his head and added, "The second lesson is that it's better to retreat to safety than to engage in an uncertain fight."

"Now wait here," he instructed, "I'll be back in a few minutes."

Bob headed down the left hallway, wondering just how he'd allowed events to proceed in a fashion that resulted in his watching over a group of kids.

He paused a few feet in and looked around.

The hallway was constructed of the same yellow stone as the rest of the city, although it was dull and unpolished.  

Soft orbs of golden light clung to the ceiling every twenty feet, each providing a good five feet of illumination, leaving pools of shadow between them.

He sent a bit of encouragement to Monroe and the big cat leaped from his Inventory and looked around the stone hallway curiously.

"Hey buddy," Bob murmured, "how about we explore a bit?"