Dungeon Runner

Stepping Up, Chapter 73

Tibs sighed.

This was what hurrying caused.

He should stay here, lying on the earth, where it was comfortable, but he had things to do.

He sat, and the house's debris shifted until it slid away. He looked up at the sky and sighed again. He needed to stop rushing.

He stood and walked toward the outside of the house's remains. He pushed beams out of his way as he moved, their mass barely registering.

"Tibs!" Jackal called.

He turned and smiled at his friend and began to greet him.

"No time!" the fighter yelled. "My father's on the run. We need to make sure he leaves the town."

Tibs frowned. That had been the plan, but not what he'd intended to do. He'd changed his mind partway. Yes, Radkliff's death had caused him to rush. Had caused all of this.

"I said no time." Jackal grabbed his arm as he ran by and was nearly thrown off his feet when Tibs didn't move at the pull. He looked at him, eyes wide in surprise. "Abyss, you can do that already?"

"What. Do. You."

"Let go of it, Tibs. Now!"

"Mean?" There was running heading in their direction from behind. Corruption and metal. Tibs didn't want to let go of Earth. He'd rush off again and make mistakes.

"Tibs," Jackal pleaded.

Tibs nearly fell from the pain. He leaned on Jackal and wrapped his essence around... all of him. The cut in his side was the worse of the injuries, but there was not one part of him that wasn't bruised.

"That's what someone with real power can do," Don said with pride.

Tibs only nodded. The pain was receding.

"Never doubted you," Jackal replied. "Tibs, can you move? If we don't make sure my father leaves, there's no telling what he's going to cause."

Sebastian.

"How is he going to leave?" Don asked. "There are no attendants at the platform."

Tibs ground his teeth and forced himself to move, even if the pain wasn't all gone. Sebastian had to pay for what he'd done.

"My father has a plan; he always has half a dozen of them." Jackal followed as Tibs picked up speed. "And there's always one escape in them." Jackal caught up and gave Tibs a worried glance. "Don. You did your part admirably well. This is going to get more dangerous. You need to get back to the inn."

"And let you claim you did everything?" the sorcerer said, closer than Tibs expected. "Not a chance."

"We won't claim it," Jackal snapped. "Abyss, you're the only one with Corruption. How would me or Tibs claim to have done that to the house?" they rounded the back of the house, the only part still standing, and Don's protest was cut short by the dozen thugs waiting for them.

Tibs cursed, then dodged a sword.

No. Sebastian wasn't getting away.

"I'm taking the roofs!" he yelled and threw himself to the side, then ran, not looking back. Jackal's call was more anger than worry and Tibs hated himself for abandoning his friend, and Don and Rao, but they could deal with the thugs now that they could use essence. And Tibs told himself he wouldn't be of any use in the fight since he couldn't use his without revealing how it changed him.

That was a delaying tactic and nothing more, and Tibs wasn't playing Sebastian's game anymore. That man wasn't escaping after causing Radkliff's death.

Someone tried to grab his foot as he started up the wall, and Tibs slammed it in their face. From the roof, he saw the mass of people running and ran after them. They had to deal with turns and the Runners. Tibs could run straight for them.