Imposing Knight Augusta Cowen was starting to hate that sensation. Years went by without, and then, it was there again and again. You puked out your guts like you were a mere mundane with spoiled food. All the time.

Lingering Death. -50% of potentials and vitals, regeneration halved.

“Anyone else?”

“Foale bit it as well. But he’s already qualified on this Cube,” Douglas replied.

“Bollocks.”

“Face it, it’s not happening,” Aubert said. “That’s the third time we try this specific Noxious Cube, and it always kills you before we kill it.”

Aubert handed her the gear he had removed to perform the resurrection. She checked the team status and saw that Habborlain had brought back Foale, which made sense. And now, the team faced two days of boredom until they were back to fighting strength.

Cowen immediately felt better once she’d re-equipped back her gear. The negative status might curtail the benefits, but the familiar feel of her sword and the rest of the armour was welcome. And not being in mundane underclothes was good, even if the team was used to her anyway. One did not live with the same four people for almost a decade without being used to it.

“That’s not an acceptable answer, Waldo,” she said.

“But that’s the truth, boss,” he said, insisting. “We can kill any of the five easy jelly cubes, but the hard ones require more milestones and better gear.”

“I’m the only one with five…”

“And unless we get stuff and levels, we’re not going to win.”

Cowen looked at the rest of the team. Blair was, of course, inscrutable as always, and the two others were scrupulously looking at anything but her. Which, of course, gave away what they really thought.

“We get gear from those. By the way?” she asked, inquiring on the Ancient's treasure.

Translucent Blue Emphasis Cuffs

Hands

Heroic equipment

Requires: Level 637

Provides: +334 defence rating, +4 Patch Wounds ranks, FOC+120, WIS+111, +1449 health, +1404 endurance

Cowen sighed. There was close to zero chance Habborlain would like those. Wisdom and skill might be nice, but against an artefact, even one nearly 150 levels below, that was all but useless.

As if sensing her mood, Aubert added immediately, “I know. We all got some nice upgrades since it’s all max-level Ancients. But there’s only eight of them, they take nearly two weeks to regenerate, and meanwhile, we get hobbled most of the time.”

The Physics, who had remained silent, added his own word of wisdom.

“There are many ways to make oneself ready.”

“Fine. We’re heading back.”

The square stone in the endless sea of Zabarkal was empty and clean, as the goop from the Ancient Cube that guarded this specific location had long since evaporated, leaving only its chest. Cowen almost kicked that one out of frustration.

“Millard is going to laugh. I bet he and his team are going to come out and play.”

She looked at the rest of the team for confirmation, but the swirling rainbows told her that all four of them were already on their way back to Sarmasios’ Recall stone.

She started her own. Admitting defeat was hard, but Professionals who didn’t acknowledge their limits were very likely to meet Final Death one day.