The Infinite City: The Dungeon That Never Ends

 The Alchemist Guild campus in Asheville is the third largest on the Continent and fourteenth largest in the world. We went to the main administration building, and to the man sitting behind the counter I said, "Hello, we are adventurers from Guildhollow and we are here to escort an alchemist to and then into the Infinite City."

 "Oh, you guys are later than expected. But I will send a runner to get Fizzwick Copperpot. If you would like, you can wait in the guild shop. There's a 10% discount for any Adventurers Guild members."

 "Ok, thank you, sir. We will check it out," Nil said.

 "Well sir, are there any potions that I can get you?" an attendant asked me.

 "Yes, I would like three C-rank potions. I also have a question: would you be able to add an enchantment to my armor to protect me against the magical flames of my new sword?"

 I felt my face get hot when the attendant's eyes went to the burn scar on my neck. "Sure, give me the armor. I'll give it to the alchemist," the attendant said.

 I pulled my chainmail out of my storage space and handed it to the attendant.

 "Are there any other items or enchantments you'll need, sir?"

 I thought for a moment. "Yes. Add cold damage to these." I set my daggers on the table.

 "That will be a total of 2,205 copper."

 "Ok." I placed 10 silver, 170 steel, and 5 copper on the counter.

 "Come back in an hour for your enchanted items. And here are your potions; they were brewed this morning," the attendant said and placed the three potion vials with red liquid in them.

 "What did you get, Nil?" I asked.

 "Oh, a few utility items—alchemical fire flasks, a few C- and B-rank potions. How about you? What did you get?"

 "A few C-rank potions, enchantments—frost for my daggers and fire protection for my armor. After the way that Grinth used my blade, I thought it might be a good idea. We're also going to that vault with the alchemical fire, so I thought it appropriate."

 "Makes sense. How long until your enchantments are done?" Nil asked.

 "Five minutes. They might be done now. Want to walk over there?"

 "Yes," Nil said.

 When I grabbed my items, a gnomish man approached us and asked, "Are you the Adventurers' Guild representatives who will escort me to put out some alchemical fire?"

 "Yes, we are. I am Nil Moondrift and this is Tern. What is your name?"

 "Fizzwick Copperpot, but please call me Fizzwick," Fizzwick said.

 "Ok Fizzwick, do you have everything that you need for the trip or do you already have what you need?" I asked.

 "Nope, I have everything loaded in the cart outside…" he paused for a moment, "…I heard that you guys ran into some outlaws on the road?"

 I put my hand to my throat scar unconsciously. "Yes, we did. An outlaw named Red-eyed Grinth," I said.

 "Oh yes, I have heard of him. Let's not run into any outlaws on the way to the Infinite City," Fizzwick said.

 Chuckling, Nil said, "That was the plan on the way here. But the Adventurers' Guild has sent two teams of C-rank searchers into the area for any other known criminals."

 "Well, good enough for me," Fizzwick said.

 On the road, Fizzwick made us stop many times to harvest ingredients for potions and, more importantly, stuff to put out the alchemical fire. He once stopped to pick up a stick he thought looked like a sword. Nil put a stop to that and made him tell us what he was stopping for. There was a sharp decline in stops after that.

 "We should stop," Fizzwick said.

 "Why?" I asked.

 "That plant over there—it will make your mouth tingle if you eat it."

 "We are not stopping for that," I said.

 "Tern, stop the cart now," Nil said.

 "What, do you like the taste of…?"

 Nil cut me off. "Damn it, Tern, stop the cart."

 I did what Nil said. Given it she sounded serious, and I had never heard her swear—not even when we were under siege by goblins.

 "What is wrong, Nil?"

 "Monster, I think. The Adventurers' Guild branch Guildmaster gave me an item that will warn me of magical manifestations," Nil said.

 "Fizzwick, hold the horse for me," I said.

 "Yeah," Fizzwick said.

 Nil stepped off the cart onto the cobbled road. I did the same.

 "I hear it now," Nil said. "It is coming from that way in the forest," she added, pointing west.

 "Fizzwick, can you drive that cart?"

 "Yeah, but not for very long. I can't reach the brakes very well," Fizzwick said.

 "Pull it 100 yards forward. We will grab the attention of the monster. It will be here in a minute or two," Nil said.

 When he pulled forward and was out of earshot, Nil spoke, her voice tight with focus. "It's a C-rank monster—a troll variant, I think."

 "I agree," I muttered, feeling the deep tremor of its presence in my bones. "Definitely a troll."

 "Trolls are ancient enemies of the elves," Nil continued, her tone grim. "They've been a threat since the Age of Monsters. This one won't hold back. I'll fight up close; my bow won't pierce its hide."

 The troll crashed through the trees, a towering 20-foot beast. Time seemed to slow as its yellow eyes locked onto us. With a roar that shook the ground, it charged, and the air vibrated with its fury.

 Nil drew her war pick with one hand and a wand with the other, preparing for the onslaught. I gripped my sword, feeling its weight and the promise of blue fire.

 Nil wasted no time, unleashing two quick bursts of fire into the troll's face. The flames singed its thick hide, but the damage was negligible. The point wasn't to wound—it was to provoke.

 I sprinted forward, my feet pounding against the earth as I slipped a lesser essence core into the hilt of my sword. Blue flames erupted along the blade, crackling with energy. I leaped, slashing across the front of the troll's knee. Blood sprayed in a torrent, but I didn't stop. My blade swept around, cutting into the back of its leg with a sickening grind.

 The troll stumbled, its bellow of rage filling the air. Nil, ever quick, began charging a more powerful blast, but this time, her magic shifted. Ice spiraled from her wand, forming into a jagged spear of frost. With deadly precision, it struck the troll's chest, embedding deep enough to cause significant damage—though it wasn't enough to bring it down.

 The troll lurched forward, its eyes locking onto Nil.

 "Distract it!" she yelled, panic flickering in her voice. "I'm out of mana!"

 With no other choice, I charged. The air grew colder as I moved. My sword still wreathed in blue flame, I planted it between the troll's legs, aiming for its vulnerable underbelly. The troll spun faster than I expected, despite its injuries. In the chaos, I lost my grip on the sword, and it clattered to the ground.

 I grabbed for my hand axe, but before I could throw it, the troll's massive arm slammed into me, sending me flying back four feet and knocking the wind out of me.

 My vision blurred, and a sharp pain tightened in my chest as I struggled to breathe. I thought I was done for, but Nil wasn't finished yet. She fired another spear of ice, this time striking the troll's throat. The force of the impact drove the creature's head back, and its gargantuan form crumpled with a horrifying thud.

 The momentum of the falling beast sent it tumbling toward me. Panic surged, and I scrambled, my muscles burning as I dove out of the way just in time.

 The troll's massive form crashed to the ground with a deafening impact, its body twitching only once before it lay still.

 Fizzwick drove the cart back to us. "That was awesome, dudes."

 "Don't call me dude, Fizzwick," Nil said. She then turned to me and said, "Use your Monster Harvest spell when you are able."

 I pulled my sword out of the troll, then used my harvest spell. I received four iron-twined bones. A disembodied woman's voice said, "You amuse me, Tern Road-Builder. Take my token of good luck."

 Putting my hand out, I caught the token as it slowly floated into my palm. I paused for a few moments.

 "Accept the boon. It will evolve your Monster Harvest into the Looter skill. Tern Road-Builder, it will help you in the times to come," the voice said.

 "Tern, that is the Goddess of Luck—do what she says," Nil hissed.

 The token dissolved into my hand, spreading a comforting warmth throughout my body.

 "Tern Road-Builder, how do you feel?" a beautiful woman appeared in front of me.

 I kneeled in front of the goddess, and so did Nil. I could also hear Fizzwick scramble off the cart to kneel.

 A soft chuckle sounded all around me. A hand lightly grabbed me, and the goddess said, "Stand, Road-Builder."

 I did what I was told, practically jumping.

 "Now, you didn't answer my question. How do you feel?"

 "Warm. Like something improved in my soul," I said.

 "Ah, it worked. Good, good. Before you go, I grant you the title Road-Builder and the divine right to found a clan. Now go, complete your quest, Tern Road-Builder." She vanished.

 I fell backward onto my backside, staring into the middle distance for what felt like days—weeks, even. But when Nil grabbed my shoulder and led me to the cart, only a few minutes had passed, based on the movement of the sun.