In a flash, Rune was transported back to the dungeon's entrance, standing once more atop the mosaic wheel.
Another wedge had lit up.
At its center was an eye encircled by six ice crystals.
"Cryothe," Rune said quietly. "God of knowledge and memory. Another one I recognize."
He stepped forward onto the newly lit wedge.
The light dimmed.
Rune paused, then stepped off and back onto it again. The glow returned.
He blinked. "Oh."
Understanding settled in quickly.
"So this is how you move between floors, you can lock and unlock the wedges."
He glanced back toward the tunnels leading down.
"Even though I see no reason to ever go back to that maze," he added, "it is good information to know."
Rune stood there for a moment, weighing his options. He could call it a night and head home. It was late, and the day had taken more out of him than he wanted to admit.
But he had cleared the second floor faster than expected.
"A peek never hurt anyone."
He made sure both wedges were lit, then turned toward the stairs and started up.
Upon reaching the top, a golden door stood before him. As Rune approached, it opened on its own, slow and deliberate, as if inviting him forward.
Beyond it lay a small, circular chamber.
Empty. Too empty.
A message surfaced in his mind.
[Law of the First Room: No element.]
[Win without using element. Any use of element will forfeit the current challenge and impose a 24 hour lockout.]
[Know this: for every person who follows the rules, there is at least one who does not.]
"What the hell does that mean? Is this some kind of riddle?"
The dust along the floor began to move.
It lifted, spiraling upward, gathering mass as it shaped itself into a figure. Limbs formed. Armor followed.
Standing before Rune was… Rune.
An exact copy. Same armor. Same stance.
'So that is how this floor begins.'
"Hey. Other me. How are you doing today?"
Silence.
The copy of Rune stood motionless, watching him, waiting.
Rune exhaled slowly. "I guess I have to kill you to move forward."
He flicked his arms, axes sliding into his hands.
The other Rune mirrored him perfectly, weapons appearing in the same instant.
They moved in tandem.
Metal met Metal as Rune stepped in, his strikes sharp and fast. Every swing was blocked. Every feint was read. When he adjusted, the copy adjusted with him. When he parried, the copy did the same.
Back and forth they went, neither gaining ground.
Rune clicked his tongue as their axes locked briefly before breaking apart.
"This is frustrating."
Rune made a decision and let a strike land, taking the blow to create an opening.
It worked.
Pain flared as the axe sliced into him, but his counter landed cleanly in return. The copy took the hit just as he had.
They continued like that, trading blow for blow, neither willing to give ground. Every exchange carved damage into both of them, a dangerous, deliberate war of attrition.
Then it changed.
Rune braced to take another hit.
At the last moment, the copy charged its axe with light.
An explosion went off at point blank range, the force throwing Rune backward. He hit the ground hard, breath tearing from his lungs as several bones cracked under the impact.
He groaned, pushing himself up enough to look at his double.
"I see," Rune muttered, teeth clenched. "So that is what the message meant."
His gaze hardened.
"You do not play fair."
The copy vanished.
Rune barely had time to register the shift before it reappeared behind him and unleashed Triple Judgement.
The first strike staggered him.
The second shattered through his guard.
The third detonated.
Rune was thrown across the chamber and slammed face first into the wall. Stone cracked on impact. Heat tore across his back where the armor had burned away, flesh screaming as he slid down a few inches before stopping.
He tried to push off the wall.
Too slow.
The copy blinked behind him again and placed a hand against his exposed back.
Shadow Tethers erupted from the arm and drove straight into Rune's body. They wrapped around his heart and tightened.
Rune screamed.
Pressure crushed inward, every beat forced smaller and smaller as shadow constricted around it.
"Screw this," Rune gasped. "I will be back when I have a plan."
He forced element up his arm.
[Law of Element broken.]
[Removing challenger from chamber.]
The chamber vanished.
Rune reappeared in the dungeon's entrance and collapsed to his knees, breath ragged. Pain roared through his body, deep and internal, the aftermath of Triple Judgement tearing through his back and chest.
He reached into his pouch and pulled out one of the high grade healing potions he had bought, uncorking it and drinking it down before his body had a chance to lock up.
The effect was immediate.
Bones set themselves back into place. Burns faded and closed as if they had never been there. Strength flowed back in without the sharp backlash he was used to from lower grade potions.
No pain at all.
Rune let out a slow breath and straightened, rolling his shoulders once.
"Okay," he said, genuinely impressed. "Now that is a healing potion."
He glanced back toward the stairs leading deeper into the dungeon.
"You know," he added dryly, "Copy me was an ass."
He shook his head.
"I barely made it out of there."
Rune straightened and started out of the dungeon and down the path home.
His body was worn, his mind heavy from the day, but the run itself had been a success. Two floors cleared. Only eight remained. That alone was worth the exhaustion settling into his limbs.
As he walked, his thoughts drifted back to the copy on the third floor, already trying to piece together a way to beat himself without relying on element.
'There has to be a trick. Something it does that I can force it to commit to.'
A voice cut through his thoughts.
"Hey, Immortal Goblin. I told you the Crown always gets what it is owed."
Rune stopped and looked up.
The Broken Crown man from inside the Ledger stood atop a rock ahead of him, posture stiff, trying very hard to look imposing.
Movement stirred around the path. One by one, figures stepped out from the trees.
20 Broken Crown members emerged from the woods, spreading out until Rune stood at the center of a loose circle.
He sighed and rubbed at his face.
"Listen," Rune said, voice tired rather than tense. "I would be happy to play with all of you another day."
He glanced around the ring, then back to the man on the rock.
"It has been a long day. Let's just pretend this did not happen and do it another time."