After taking a few minutes to check over the gear with Detect Enchantment, Connie confirmed that the only items with any Enchantment were the eight potions they found and the Shaman's staff. There were two Potions of Mana, four Potions of Healing, and two Potions of Strength. The staff was more interesting.

Name: Ironwood Staff of the Asp Quality: Good Rarity: Uncommon Damage Range: ? Accuracy: ? Crit Chance: 8% Durability: ? Damage Type: Bludgeoning Special: Two-handed, Enchanted - Damage bonus to Poison Spells: Intelligence

Connie cooed at the staff and did her own Analyze. The staff was an excellent find and would help her with the damage output of her Stinking Cloud Spell. It also explained why the Shaman did so much damage with the Poison Spray Spell. Nevertheless, it was a nice upgrade for her, especially since the wands were out of charges.

James sat down to review his notifications and to Mediate. He didn't gain a level, but he was confident that the sisters had.

James looked up at Barbara, "Did you all get to level 8?"

"Yes, and about ten percent toward level 9," she crowed.

"Excellent. Hopefully, you can get level 9 before we finish this dungeon." James smiled. " I assume you got new Spells?"

Doris nodded, "Yes. I got something I was not expecting."

"Well, spit it out, girl!" Barbara encouraged her sister.

"I got a Spell called Shield of Faith. It protects me from damage. I create the shield around me, and I spend two Mana to block one point of Damage."

"That would be great. You just have to let in enough damage that your armour blocks the rest." Barbara said.

"No, if any damage gets through, the Spell ends," Doris corrected her.

"Still, nothing wrong with that," Connie said.

"What about you," Doris asked her sister.

Connie smiled, "Identify Item. It adds ten levels to my Analyze Skill for one minute."

"That's huge," James agreed. "You would be able to Analyze gear that is one tier higher than what you normally would be able to."

Connie nodded with a smile, "But it's not Lightning Bolt."

James chuckled and went back to his notifications.

Endurance +1

Intelligence +1

Willpower +1

Charm +1

Luck +1

Analyze +1

Resis - Debuff +1

Resis - Poison +1

Do you wish to learn the Skill Melee - Knife

YES NO Do you wish to learn the Skill Melee - Unarmed

YES NO Do you wish to learn the Skill Swimming

YES NO Do you wish to learn the Skill Wrestling

YES NO

James shook his head. He had no idea why the improvements came in clumps like this. He wanted to ask Rocko but decided to forgo the inevitable disappointment. The offer to learn the Skill Swimming made him smile. Now that he had the Water Breathing Power, he didn't need to worry about drowning. He had always been a strong swimmer growing up. The Navy reinforced that talent and training with the SEALs expounded upon it even more.

He accepted the Skills, Melee - Knife, Melee - Unarmed, and Swimming. He wanted to take Wrestling, but saw no current need.

"Hey, Rocko?" James whispered.

"Yes, James?" Rocko responded with a whisper of his own.

"Thank you for saving my life back there."

"Glad I was able to help," Rocko said with a nod.

"How were you able to help?" James asked, "I thought you needed my consent to make changes."

"I did. And you gave it. You said, 'Do what you need to do.' Rocko said, "You gave me what we call a Golden Ticket. It let me do whatever I wanted. I could have spent your Free Skill points or your Free Attribute Points on anything. Basket Weaving is very vogue this time of year."

James went to open his Status Screen to see what Rocko had spent his points on, but he already knew what he would find. He would see that his Advantage points were down 30 points: 10 for the Harden Skin upgrade and 20 for the Water Breathing. He realized that either he trusted Rocko or he didn't.

"Thank you again."

Rocko looked up at James with an odd look, "You're more than welcome."

The Party moved forward with James taking the lead until they arrived at the tunnel entrance.

"I am surprised they fled," James stated.

"I am not," Doris said, "They would have died if they had stayed."

"Yes, but this is a dungeon, and they can't normally leave their designated area," James tried to explain.

Doris shrugged, "Our gain. We fought four less goblins."

"We may have to fight four more in the next room," Barbara corrected.

"Can you scout ahead," Connie asked James.

James nodded and slipped down the tunnel using his Stealth Skill. The tunnel was not very long, maybe ten meters, before it came to a small room. In the room, James found the four goblins. They had taken four chests that must have already been in the room and stacked them in front of the entrance. The Goblin Fighters stood before the make-shift barrier with their shields at the ready, and the Goblin Crossbowmen stood behind them. The four of them stood patiently waiting in front of a glowing blue portal. As soon as he saw them, James activated Shadow Meld and then, to get a better look around the room, he activated Shadow Sense. When he was satisfied with what he saw, he slipped back to deeper shadows. James turned back to the rest of his Party to give his report.

"Are they using our dungeon rewards to hide behind?" Doris asked incredulously.

James nodded. Connie laughed, "That's awesome!"

"How is that awesome?" Barbara asked.

"Don't you see the irony?" Connie responded.

Doris growled, "I will show them 'irony .'Iron, right in the knee."

Barbara laughed, but Connie groaned.

Rocko frowned, "Another witless pun master."

James just shook his head and winked at Rocko.

"Is that the portal out of the dungeon?" Connie asked James.

"I thought we would get another floor," Barbara pouted.

"Do you have enough arrows for another floor?" James asked her.

Barbara picked up one of the crossbows, "No, but I thought I would start using one of these. We have plenty of bolts."

James had to agree, there were plenty of crossbow bolts laying around.

The Party decided that the direct approach was the best approach. They made their way down the tunnel to where they could see the barricade. When they came into view, both Goblin Crossbowmen fired their weapons at them. James and Doris were ready and the shots were easy to deflect with their shields. Connie cast her Stinking Cloud Spell on them, and James charged forward into the poison. It was over within three castings of the Spell. James took some damage from the poison but was unconcerned. Doris grumbled because she couldn't stab one of the goblins in the knee. Barbara was half relieved, and half annoyed that they were done.

They tore down the barricade that he had initially jumped over when they discovered to their surprise that each of the chests had an initial on its front: B, C, D and J.

"Is this usual?" Barbara ask.

James looked to Rocko for the answer. "Having a Party go through a dungeon is very rare. Still, I have not heard of rewards being designated to an individual."

James repeated what Rocko said and added, "Only one way to find out."

Each person moved to their chest and opened them simultaneously. James found a blue crystal, Barbara found a bow and quiver, Connie found a potion, and Doris found an Arming sword.

James winced when the women saw their rewards because Barbara squealed. Doris smiled broadly as she held her blade up and Connie looked at her potion with a frown.

"Would you all like me to look at the items?" James offered.

Connie was the first to hand over her potion. Being careful, James sat

down on the floor.

Name: Elixir of Intelligence Quality: Very Good Rarity: Uncommon Durability: 1/1 Special: Enchanted - Increase Intelligence +2

"What is an Elixir? And why only +2. The Potion of Strength is +3, and it is Common Rarity." Connie asked.

"Elixirs are permanent increases." Rocko studied the Elixir carefully, "This may be listed as Uncommon, but they are more like Rare."

James shared the information with Connie, "The Elixir is a permanent increase to your Intelligence."

With that news, she squealed in delight. "That is awesome!" James smiled at the genuine excitement that spread to the rest of the sisters. While they celebrated, James looked at the bow and Quiver.

Name: Yew Hunting Bow Quality: Very Good Rarity: Common Damage Range: +11 Accuracy: +12 Crit Chance: +17% Durability: Piercing Special: Two-handed, Enchanted: +5 Name: Every Plenty Quiver Quality: Good Rarity: Common Durability: 24/24 Special: Container - 20 Arrows, Enchanted - Create Iron Hunting Arrow (10 Mana each)

James passed on the information to Barbara.

"Wow, that is... Wow.", she muttered.

"That bow is almost as good as my bow. I think the crit range is better," James pointed out.

"Yes, but your bow has Penetrating Shot, which is very nasty against armoured individuals," Barbara pointed out.

"Have you been using it?" James asked.

Barbara nodded, "Oh yes, it only cost 10 Stamina."

James smiled, "Nice."

"The quiver is perfect. Making Iron arrows with just Mana." Barbara smiled.

"I wonder if you can turn around and sell the arrows afterwards?" Doris asked, always thinking of her purse.

Rocko was the one who clarified that concern, "No, anything that is generated by magic like this has a short life span outside of their container."

James passed on the information to Doris, who grumbled.

Barbara asked, "Does that mean I won't be able to reuse the arrows?"

James passed on the answer, "No, the arrows are one-time use."

"Can anyone create the arrows?" Connie asked. "Or does it have to be Barbara?"

Doris held her hand out to Barbara, "Let's find out."

Barbara handed Doris her new Quiver and watched as three Iron Hunting Arrows appeared inside. Smiling, Doris passed the Quiver to Connie. After a moment, another Iron Hunting Arrow appeared.

"Sorry, I am almost completely out of Mana at the moment," Connie whispered to her sister. Barbara just nodded and took the Quiver back. A moment later, ten more arrows appeared.

Gasping, Barbara sank slowly to the floor with Connie's help, "Oh, I don't feel so well."

"Did you use all your Mana?" Connie admonished. Barbara sighed, "Close enough."

James took the Quiver and took one of the arrows out of the Quiver and Analyzed it.

Name: Iron Hunting Arrow (Summoned) Quality: Fair Rarity: Common Damage Range: 2D6+2 Accuracy: +4 Crit Change: +2% Durability: 1/1 Damage Type: Piercing Special: Ammunition, Enchanted: Fades after 15 seconds outside the Quiver.

James focused on the Quiver when the arrow disappeared and spent 140 Mana and created seven more arrows.

"Shit!" he muttered.

"What's wrong," Connie asked.

"Costs me double to create an arrow."

"Double? And you created seven of them? Just how much Mana do you have?" she asked.

"How much do you have?" he asked in return.

She stared at him before deciding to answer, "I currently have 23 out of 210. And I am a Wizard."

James nodded, "I have 10 out of 270."

"And you're not a wizard?" she clarified.

"No," James confirmed.

"And all your Spells cost double?" she clarified.

"Yes," James said with a nod.

"Shit is right." Connie agreed.

James handed the Quiver back to Barbara and gave her the information about the Iron Hunting Arrow.

Doris stepped forward and held out her Arming Sword, "Do me next."

Barbara burst out laughing, and Doris blushed. "You know what I mean," she growled.

James took the sword and Analyzed it.

Name: (Steel) Arming Sword Quality: Very Good Rarity: Uncommon Damage Range: 1d8 + 12 Accuracy: +16 Crit Chance: +16 Durability: 48/48 Damage Type: Slashing/Thrusting Special: One-handed, Enchanted: Slash (10 Stamina),

James returned the sword to Doris and passed on the information. Doris was delighted.

"What is the difference between me doing a Slash action with the sword and activating the Slash action from the sword?" James asked Rocko.

"The same difference when you were trying to do a Shield Bash without the Advantage, and you are doing it with. The first may sometimes work if you are lucky and doesn't cost you Stamina. When you use the Advantage, it will always work and costs you Stamina." Rocko explained.

Rocko continued, "There has been arguments that warriors who do not use Stamina based power are stronger than those that do. Mostly because they can keep fighting, even when their Stamina is low. Whereas a warrior who relies on his Stamina based powers is dead when they run out of Stamina."

The women watched him to see if he had any other questions, not hearing the answer. But shrugged when they saw James nod.

Barbara pointed at the blue crystal, "What about your reward?" James smiled; he had forgotten about his reward in the sister's excitement.

Name: Exceptional Mana Crystal Quality: Exceptional Rarity: Rare Durability: 26/26 Special: Enchanted: Mana Container - 250 Mana. Recharge Ratio 6-1

James looked down at the crystal and whistled, "Nice."

"Well, what is it?" Connie asked. James shared the information with them.

"Wow, that is nice. It was almost like the dungeon was listening to us talk about these earlier." Barbara stated. Doris looked around the room, concerned.

James shrugged and stood up, "Shall we go?"

Doris bounced to her feet, "Nope, I have a lot of weapons and armour to collect. Those crossbows will be difficult to carry, but they are worth several gold coins each, and we have more than a dozen of them behind us."

James smiled, "Then I will recover my Mana while we wait."

Connie shimmed over to James and smiled, "So will I."

"Fine, but I am not sharing the gold from selling them then," Doris grumbled.

Connie yelled after her, "Then you are carrying them home on your own."

By the time Doris had collected everything she wanted to salvage, she had looked more like a pack mule than a person. Even so, she still needed to pass around swords, armour and crossbows to each member of the Party as there were so much of it. James wasn't familiar with the term Iron-weight, but he was sure it was important. When everyone was ready, they stepped forward into the blue portal.

James wasn't sure where the women ended up, but he found himself in another room with a tall woman staring at him.