Dungeon Runner

Stepping Up, Chapter 108

Tibs stalked the group of thugs in green and black.

They knew he was there and kept trying to lose him, splitting up and rejoining. They seemed to think that if he had to pick one group, it would make him hesitate and cause him to lose their trail; he didn't. Even when they were out of his sight, they never strayed far from each other, so they remained within the range of his sense. And he also knew what they were trying to do.

It was unfair for them, really, how easy it was for him to dispatch them. He had those thoughts when he was so focused that he forgot about the damage Sebastian's people had caused his town, the number of Runners they'd killed. Half the town was on fire or burned down already. Anyone with essence that helped control the fire was busy doing that, which had left the rest at the thugs' mercy.

There were no Omega Runner's left, and few Upsilons.

Now, Tibs wanted any thugs still in his town dead, even if he had to be the one to kill them all.

These weren't the first Tibs had stalked since his enforced meal a few hours before, and by the time the sun set, there would be no one in green and black left alive if Tibs had his way. He wanted Sebastian without protection. He wanted the man to fear the moment Tibs would stalk in his camp and bring him down.

Tibs would take his time, make the man suffer for everything he'd done, for each person who had lost or been lost. He would cut him slowly, but he'd keep him alive. He also had a lesson to teach Harry, and he would do that by giving him what he'd been unwilling to help get.

He would be—

The group of thugs rejoined in a courtyard and stopped moving. So, this was where they'd make their move against him.

Tibs walked around the courtyard, using the alleys, sensing the seven there in the center. Their backs to one another. Looking in every direction he might spring out on them. It felt too much like a trap for him to barge in. He hadn't come across anyone else with the green stones, but their nature made them hard to sense unless he knew to focus on them.

Did they think seven thugs without elements were enough to capture him? After two days of this, they had to know how deadly he was. The seven there were no more than an annoyance to him.

Or the bait in a trap.

He sensed for the Everburn, but they didn't have any. Few did anymore. Sebastian might be out of the stuff. But it meant he couldn't do as he'd done with previous groups. Ignite it, watch them burn and move on.

Tibs widened his sense. In the direction of the transportation platform, at the edge of his range, a fight was happening. It was too far for him to get details, but he sensed the essence being used. He sensed people with elements to his left. Far, but closer than he'd expected. He hadn't realized they were this close to the nobles' neighborhood. Those were the adventurers they had guarding the alleys leading in.

And Tibs almost missed the trap's poison. Would have missed them entirely if the green stone hadn't made him keenly aware of how it distorted his essence. They were on a roof, three buildings back.

Tibs considered the building's layout. That position would give them a view of anything happening in the courtyard. He thought about going for the assassin, but decided to have fun instead. Give that person something to consider when they were running for their live, trying to get back to Sebastian and report what they were about to see.

He strode into the courtyard, and instead of attacking him, or goading him into position for the assassin to take him out, they gawked. Hadn't Sebastian told them who Tibs was? Or were the stories told so extraordinary they expected him to be some warrior like Jackal or Quigly? Maybe an archer or a sorcerer?