My friends returned with bad news. Ni was defeated by previous champion of the games. I felt regret for not seeing their fight, but losing to a strongest gdiator was nothing to be ashamed off. I considered how much I wanted to see gdiator fights, but first day was little disappointing, and celebration sted whole month. So I decided that my party will resume our dungeon exploration starting with next day. It also allowed me to avoid Ashgrin king's possible invitation, so it was a double reason to go to the dungeon. I ordered Luara and others to buy supplies for at least a month and prepare for the dungeon. My friends wanted to enjoy celebration more, and I had to remind them that we did not came here for vacation, but had an important goal, which we postponed long enough for my taste.

  Four weeks ter we crossed four white upper floors and explored four more floors. They were usual dark earth and stone caverns with many corridors. We successfully mapped them and even killed one burning tiger which increased my magic gem count by one low level and one middle level magic gem. Monsters on those floors were numerous and some strong ones among them. But they were animal and insect types, with whom we had a lot of experience.

  Our party's cooperation improved and Ni managed to pitch in more and more, what made our progress faster and easier.

  By the time we returned, Great celebration was already over and all king's and heroes were gone. Thanks to that I was able to enjoy three days' rest, after which we returned to the dungeon. Next four floors were filled with undead monsters.

  These four floors turned out to be easiest for us. Ni and Nelly were able to use destroy undead spells, while I practiced my Light magic level three Holy light spell. That spell created light that destroyed even high ranking undead creatures. We took turns using our spells to preserve our magic and needed ten days to get through those floors, only because mapping them was time consuming endeavor. This time we spend in a dungeon month and a half and I was pnning for our next dungeon dive to st at least two month, or possible even three. That would be the longest time that we spend in the dungeon, but it was too big and shorter stay in it would hinder our progress.

  But before that we needed to improve our equipment, mostly the one that Ni had. I visited local Adventurer guild and sold our test loot. Adventurer guild was freshly painted and receptionist was wearing new cloth and even some jewelry. Things for her had greatly improved since we started selling them great numbers of magic stones and monster materials. They resold them to merchants or local smiths. Merchants took most of the magic stones to Tyco and everyone got a lot of profit and more jobs. I never thought that a single adventurer party could make such a difference. This time I brought several thousand magic stones, that we got from the undead floors. Undead were numerous, but, thanks to our spells, they were easy pickings for us.

  Receptionist needed time to count and appraise our loot, and I went to talk to guild master. He happily smiled when I entered the room and offered me wine from his private stash.

  - How may I help you miss Avone? Be assured if there is anything I can do for you it will be done.

  - I appreciate that. I wanted to ask you about the gdiator who won the Great celebration games, and about the Iron sword that he received as current champion.

  - I see. The sword, according to our customs is now property of gdiator Maximus. The sword cannot be sold or bought by anyone, not while Maximus is the property of his owner Gdricius.

  - I see. So this Maximus is still a sve. Can he be bought?

  - Yes. But as a two times champion of the games his value is very high.

  - How high?

  - At least eight orichalcum coins, not counting the price of the sword, which is even greater.

  - Where can I found this Maximus and his owner?

  - Gdricius has a house where he keeps his sves and also trains them. It is located close to arena. On its south side, its big house surrounded by high wall with guards on it. Easy to recognize.

  - Does the guild has any connection to this Gdricius?

  - Sadly now. Sometimes sve owners pce requests to hunt down escape sves, but Gdricius never had such problems. At least not as long as I have been a guild master.

  - Thank you for the information.

  - Please feel free to contact me, if you need more information.

  - I will.Receptionist counted my reward and I received twelve orichalcum coins and some change in gold and copper coins. I shoved it all into my purse and went to find the gdiator owner.

  His house was easy to find. It was surrounded by three meter high wall, and I could see three story high building beyond it, which only richest people in town could afford. My B rank adventurer tag opened the doors for me, and got me the meeting with the gdiator owner Gdricius. He was fat, short man with partially bold head, far beyond his prime years. But he still had clear and sharp eyes and will of a seasoned merchant.

  - B rank adventurer. Did not know that our town had one.

  - My name is Avone. I am a party leader and we are staying here only temporary. Mostly we are exploring the dungeon, not taking any quests.

  - Dungeon exploration party, ha. Why then are you here and not in Tyco?

  - Less competition, and we wanted to test our abilities in more difficult dungeon.

  - How brave of you. Increasing your levels are you? Not many adventurers are willing to take such risks. But how my I help, such high ranking adventurer?

  - I wanted to talk to you about one of your gdiators and possibility to buy him.

  - You are interested in acquiring a gdiator? Do you wish to increase your party members?

  - Mostly I am interested in his sword.

  - Aaaa, now I understand. That adventurer Ni. Is she a member of your party?

  - Yes.

  - You are aware that sword is the property of the gdiator. A part of him so to say.

  - I also understand that it is a custom. Not a w, set in stone.

  - Highly valued custom. People would frown upon such disregard of the custom. I would not be able to buy back or use Maximus again.

  - That is a shame. A shame indeed, but I would still be interested in buying him. By the way, what did he won in previous games?

  - Belt of Beast. His belt increases his strength by two and speed by one. It is also his property.

  - I see, - which also meant that the value of the gdiator just jumped up several levels.

  - And what would be the price of such a gdiator.

  Gdricius shook his head: - I do understand your willingness to buy him, or to be precise to buy the artifacts, but he is my best gdiator. Gdiators are valued not just by their strength, Fame is even more important for them.

  - What if I can increase the fame of two of your gdiators? Very high?

  - And how are you going to do that?

  - As I heard you send your gdiators to the dungeon, so they could increase their levels.

  - Are you offering to take them with you. That will increase their value, but not by much.

  - No. But what if you send then there alone and they return with a magic gem. That would make them famous would it not.

  - That would be a lie, - carefully said Gdricius.

  - Not if you say that they came back from the dungeon and brought the gem with them. That would be truth, and you would not be responsible for false assumptions.

  - Perhaps. But it would not make them as valuable as Maximus.

  - What if one of those gems would be from a middle ranking floor guardian. Such magic gem can be used to create a very powerful artifact. Perhaps just as valuable as the artifacts that Maximus has.

  Greed fshed in old man's eyes, and I realized that my negotiations have progressed.

  - You could also keep magic gem to yourself, as a sign of your accomplishments in training the gdiators. That would be a jewel worth more than any precious stone.

  Gdricius licked his lips and stroked his chin:

  - I might be interested, but the value of such gems is still below the value of Maximus and his artifacts.

  - Perhaps. What would you consider being a fair price then?

  - Two magic gems and hundred orichalcum coins.

  - If I would have hundred orichalcum coins I would have started with them.

  - I am sorry, but that is the price for which I am willing to part with my best gdiator. Going lower than that would be against my interest. After all even if currently Maximus's artifacts are his property, after his death they would be mine. And selling them in an auction could bring me even more.

  - Or less.

  - Yes. Maybe less, but I am rich and can afford to wait and in the meantime Maximus will earn me a lot of money.

  - What if I can offer you a chance to earn more money, possibly. It will be up to you, but if you do everything right, it could earn you even more than hundred orichalcum coins.

  - What do you have in mind?

  - My party will depart for the dungeon. We are pnning to return in four month. In the meantime you can spread the word that you have an artifact that can restore lost limbs and eyes. You can set the price. Four month ter I will use such an artifact, and you will keep all the profits.

  - One time could not be enough.

  - Sadly that artifact can be used only one day. No more than that. It is very precious to me, but I am willing to take such a risk and use it.

  - Four month is not a lot of time, considering the distances between our towns.

  - I can offer you also fifteen orichalcum coins.

  - Fifty would make it a fair deal.

  - Or you can earn much more. I can go as much as twenty, but not higher than that.

  - Maybe I can earn more, or maybe no one will show up. Or you can die in the dungeon and not return at all. Forty.

  - Fine. Twenty five and we have a deal. Just to warn you that is all the money that I have.

  - I see. Well I do not want to rob you blind. But one use of your artifact may not be enough. Two uses would satisfy me.

  - The first will be more of a demonstration than actual task then.

  - Yes. That was my intension.

  - Very well. But I will need the gdiator and his artifacts now. I am sure that you are interested in my successful return from the dungeon, and those artifacts will improve our chances.

  - I do not mind. I will prepare the contract.

  - Make sure that it states that I agree to use to regeneration artifact, which have limited uses.

  - As you wish. Will you be needing a sve colr.

  - Yes. The one that causes pain.

  - Very well. But its price will be separate.

  - Five gold coins, if I remember correctly?

  - Yes.Talk about a merchant till the end. Could not even include the colr for free.

  Maximus turned out to be tall man covered in muscles and scars. His face expression did not change, when he was told about his new master, and he did not resist when I pced the colr around his neck.When we walked outside, I extended my arm.

  - I need to tell you that I was not interested in you, but only in the artifacts. Sorry to say it, but I will be keeping them.

  - Thought something like that. So what about me? No gdiator owner will buy me without the artifacts. They consider it a bad omen. Are you pnning to use me as your party member in the dungeon or a meat shield?

  I used my appraisal spell on him. He turned out to be only level fifteen. He also had some warrior skills like Gdiator, but nothing too impressive. And no magic skills, which was a deal breaker.

  - No. My party is B rank, and you are too weak to be of use to us in the dungeon. I will send you to my estate. I will provide you with enough money for you to buy supplies, some cheap artifacts, a horse and learn three spells in mage guild that should help you survive the journey. You will spend money on those things, learn spells and then go to my estate. Also do not waste time. When you arrive find a titan, he is running the pce. Tell him that you are my sve and follow titans orders.I handed him two of my remaining orichalcum coins and gave him the map.

  - Your estate, is it in Iron Mountains?

  - Yes. But you are forbidden to show anyone the map or speak about it. Consider it your test. If you are good enough to reach my estate, then you are worthy to work in there. Also keep in mind that the journey through the mountains will take you at least two month. So feel free to buy a magic bag and some potions, and anything else that you can afford and consider to be useful on the road. I also suggest learning Magic arrow spell, other spells you can choose yourself. You can go now.

  Maximus shook his head, but followed the order and left towards the mage guild. I was pnning to sell him back to his former master after taking the artifacts, and the fact that I could not do that was unwelcome surprise. Well, at least I successfully got rid of him. And he may prove useful in Bcksmith cave, if he survives the journey.

  Now I had to tell the good and bad news to my party members. I gathered them in my room and gave them cheerful smile.

  - I got three good news and two bad ones.

  - What did you get us involved again? - asked Luara.

  - Hey. Only some of the sings were my fault. My I remind you that Trevor got us involved in most boring and time consuming job.

  - Fine, - sighed Luara: - So what's the news?

  - First Ni will be staying with us longer. She will be our party member for the time that we will need to conquer Opidium dungeon. Second good news, I was able to get her new sword, which will greatly benefit us all.

  - What sword did you get? - asked interested Trevor.

  - Iron sword, which brings us to bad news. It was very expensive and we will not get paid this time or after our next dungeon exploration, - everybody wined and I raised my hand: - I think that we all can agree that it is Ni's fault. If she would have won the gdiator games, we would not be in this position.

  - Fine, - sighed Luara: - So what are the rest of news?

  - Before that. Nelly what level is your Air magic skill?

  - It's at master level.

  - Great. That means that your Cure spell can regenerate lost limbs and eyes. After our next dungeon hunt and one more after that, you will need to spend a day helping me to heal injured people. From sunrise to sundown. I will need you to share your mana with me after you use your spell. Do not worry we will buy you enough mana potions. Also everyone will think that you are using artifacts, which will stop working afterwards, so you will not need to do that anymore. And good news you are getting a brand new artifact that will go perfect with your cloak. See.

  Belt looked like piece of skin freshly taken off the animal with an iron buckle. It did match her cloak with feathers, but made her look like some savage girl raised in woods. Nelly doubtfully looked at the artifact.

  - It will increase your speed by one and strength buy two, - I gave her a nudge: - And fine, you can wear it only in the dungeon.

  - I think, I will do just that, - said Nelly and pced her new artifact in her magic bag.

  Girls. Always looks for them is more important than efficiency. I also wanted to keep the artifact, but it did look so horrible.

  - I thought that she will go to Grimsburg after her coffee, - said Trevor.

  - Coffee, you have coffee? - asked surprised Ni.

  - Mage guild in Grimsburg is selling it. And now that you mention it.

  - No, - said simultaneously Luara, Trevor and Nelly. They were so ungrateful. Dammit, I should have asked Theodoric to repay the favor by flying to Grimsburg and bringing me more of it. My current supply will st only for a year, and only if I drink a cup a day. Probably much longer since I hide my coffee from Ni and did not drink it in the dungeon. That girl was such a nuisance. Maybe I should not have allowed her to stay with as longer than a year?

  * * *

  Nelly looked through her stats and levels. She just spend her second four month dungeon hunt in Opidium dungeon, and then one more day helping Avone to heal people in some gdiator owner's house. She could use Cure spell to regenerate lost limbs, but that spell could have been used for that purpose only once in half a year. Unlike her Avone could use Light magic, and her Regeneration spell had no such limitations. She used her spell and then spent a day helping Avone and pretending that she was using an artifact to heal people. Second time the number of her patients was much bigger. But her use of the mana sharing improved, and this time things were going easier for them.

  But now it all was behind her and she finally managed to level up. Her st level up happened more than a year ago and she was starting to worry that she will never be able to get to level forty. But she did it now, she reached level forty and could increase one of her skills. She carefully examined her progress and sighed.

  Still no master level Wisdom skill, which would allow her to learn highest level elemental magic spells. At least she could increase her Intelligence skill to master level, which will greatly increase her spell casting speed, but it was not master level Wisdom skill.

  Nelly still remembered Avone's words, when she went vampire hunting. She forbidden Nelly to come with her because her spell's might not be strong enough to harm the undead creature. Nelly could admit that without her magic she could be a burden. Her Staff user skill was good for self defense, but not for offence. Not when dealing with high level creature.

  She remembered their test dungeon exploration. They reached level fifteen when they got inside a cavern with floors covered with more than a hundred mirrors. Nelly was still looking around, when Avone ordered her to cast anti-magic on everyone except her. Nelly quickly remembered that they are in the dungeon and casted a spell moments before fog enveloped them and their surroundings changed.

  - Do not attack, - was the st words that she heard. At first she did not realize why Avone ordered them not to attack, but then she understood. She could still see her companions, but they were almost transparent. At first she did not realize why, but then she understood that they were surrounded by illusion. The only reason why she was able to see everyone was her master level All seeing eye skill. That skill allowed her to see in the dark, see mana and other people spell preparation and apparently she also could see through illusions.

  Anti-magic spell prevented other spells to be casted on them, but this illusion affected everything around them. She tried to speak, but could not even hear her own voice.

  Her friends froze and looked around themselves, but apparently they could not see anyone. The only one who moved was Avone. But she did something that Nelly did not understand. As soon as illusion started to manifest she run towards the wall and then casted two spells. Nelly recognized one of the spells. It was level three Light magic spell Illusion copy. Spell created an illusion of a single person that spellcaster could manipute with just thinking about it.

  Nelly saw the illusion as half material and half ghost like manifestation of magic. Second spell was unfamiliar to Nelly. It enveloped Avone in a sort of a dark cloud. Nelly was thinking what it meant, when a voice interrupted her thoughts.

  - You should not have come! Should not have come.

  She looked around and noticed someone. Monster moved between the mirrors and was visible only as a blur, that jumped from mirror to mirror. It moved too fast for Nelly to attack it. Her spells were powerful, but they required her target to stay still or at least in a small area. She could use wide area effect spells, but she was not sure that they could harm the monster and more importantly they could harm her party members.

  - You are alone. In the end we all are alone.

  Illusion changed. It turned her part members into some hideous monsters. Nelly still saw them as her friends, enveloped in see through illusion, but to the rest of them they probably looked like monsters. She realized why Avone ordered them not to attack. Because she predicted such a possibility. Possibility that they would turn on each other.

  They all picked up the swords, but did not move. Did they all trusted Avone as much as Nelly did? Nelly squeezed her staff and closed her eyes for a moment to calm down. She needed to trust Avone.

  - Must trust Avone no matter what happens, - she reminded herself.

  - Too scared to attack. How pitiful, - voice came out of everywhere and nowhere.

  Then the blur manifested. Hideous figure with long cws run towards Trevor and stabbed him between his armor. Nelly screamed trying to warn them, but no sound came out of her mouth. Trevor fell on one knee and covered his wound with his arm. Because of Nelly's Anti-magic spell, he could not even heal himself.

  Trevor took out healing potion and Nelly exhaled in relief. Even if he could not use magic, he still could use potions. She realized the identity of their attacker. It was mid ranking floor guardian - Illusion caster. Worse thing about him was that his magic was a skill not a spell. Spells Nelly could dispel using her magic, as soon as she knew what magic school was used to cast them, but natural magic abilities were different. Also floor guardians had high resistance to magic. Nelly could harm the monster, but not kill him. Not with a single spell. And a single spell was her best chance of stopping this monster. She was the only one who could see it. Nelly still hesitated, she could not decide which spell she should use.

  Illusion caster attacked again and this time he sshed Luara's face. Nelly saw panther-girl mouth opening. She probably screamed in pain. But just like Trevor she stayed in one pce and used healing potion. Nelly squeezed her staff so strong that her finger tips started to bleed. What was she supposed to do? They could keep using healing potions, but only until monster decides to stop pying and uses deadly attacks.

  His next victim was Avone. This time he sshed her neck. Wound would have killed her, but he chose to attack the illusion. Nelly looked at real Avone. She just finished some kind of move and illusion around them started to disappear.

  Illusion caster fell on the ground. His chest was pierced by Avone's sword. Nelly realized that their leader waited for the monster to attack her illusion. Even if she did not see her illusion, she still could sense it and knowing what attack monster used she could predict his position and use that knowledge to attack. Spells might not kill the monster in single attack, but sword could, especially supported by Avone's throwing skill.

  Nelly remembered how Avone's illusion acted. It blindly looked around completely defenseless. She realized that Avone made her illusion act that way to force the monster to attack it. And then she used her sword to kill the monster in a single attack. She did something that even she, an archmage could not.

  Nelly sighed, repying in her mind the encounter with the floor guardian. She needed to get stronger. It was her goal to become as strong as Avone. To stand by her idol as an equal. Nelly chose to increase her Intelligence skill and promised herself to get much, much stronger.