Dungeon Runner

Bottom Rung, Chapter 53

The only sound was that of pebbles falling as Khumdar stood and dusted himself, eying Tibs cautiously. Tibs realized each of his friends were looking at him as if there was something odd about him.

"Tibs?" Jackal asked. "Are you okay?"

"You heard him, right?" he asked in return.

"Heard who?" the fighter asked.

"You hear me?" the voice asked cautiously. "Ganny! Get over here,"

"Him!" Tibs pointed to a wall. Everyone looked where he pointed. He wished the voice came from a specific place. That the speaker was there, instead of sounding all around him.

"What did you do now?" Ganny said.

"Why is it you always think I did something?" Sto replied.

Tibs looked at his friends, who were staring at him again. "You aren't hearing that?"

"Sto, everything in here is your doing," she said.

"Tibs," Carina said, "maybe we need to have the clerics look at you."

"I'm fine," he said and looked up. "Come out!"

"I believe Carina may be right," Khumdar said, joining the other.

"Is he talking to you?" Ganny asked.

"Tibs," the cleric continued. "We do not know how your essence affects you."

"I think so?" Sto answered her.

"It affects all of us in one way or another."

"Khumdar," Tibs snapped. "Stop talking. All of you stay quiet."

The cleric stiffened, his expression darkening, but he said nothing.

"He can't do that," Ganny said. "He doesn't—"

"Sto," Tibs ordered, "show yourself now!"

"You were saying?" Sto asked Ganny.

"How is he hearing you?" Ganymede whispered.

"You too, Ganymede," Tibs ordered.

"Did you tell him my name?" she accused Sto.

"If he can hear me, then he probably heard me say your name."

"Of all the stupid things to—"

"Enough!" Tibs yelled, which caused his friends to look at one another. "I am not crazy," he told them.

"I believe you," Jackal hurried to say. Tibs glared at him. "What else do you want me to say, Tibs. You're talking to no one and you tell me you're not crazy. I've been around fighters who've been hit in the head once too often, caused that a few of those, actually. I'm not going to contradict the guy who's responsible for me being able to walk."

"I'm not going to take my essence back," Tibs said in exasperation.

"I believe you," Jackal replied in the same hurried tone.

"Sto, if you don't show yourself right now I'm—"

"This should be interesting," Ganny said.

"Ganny," Tibs warned, "don't make me go look for you either."

"Did he just talk to me?" She whispered.

"Yes," Tibs said through gritted teeth. It was one thing to not see the people talking, it was another for them to act like he couldn't hear them at this point.

She shrieked, then fell silent.

Tibs looked around. "What happened?"

"I think you scared her," Sto replied, sounding baffled. "I've never seen her scared, and trust me, I've tried."