When things looked dire Bruce swooped in surrounded by mana for a shield bash and shoved the first row aside. “keep melting!”

he didn't need to tell her twice. As soon as the hole was big enough arce and bruce went through it. arce turned around and closed up the hole. a zombie got stuck halfway but Bruce just crushed its head. through the icewall they saw the abomination pass. more interested in the bigger group or just forgot they were there. as long as it left them they didn't care. the alley they were in was a dead end. Arce used some magic to levitate some debris to make a barricade for when the ice would melt. 

“Well, hopefully the zombies will forget about us like the big one did.” 

Arce looked around “i doubt it zombies tend to stay on a single task even if their target is gone for days. unless another target shows up they'll keep coming this way.” She looked up and considered her options. Then she pulled out a piece of chalk and walked towards the barricade and started drawing a symbol on the floor. 

“What are you doing?”

“Setting a trap.”

Bruce looked to the icewall that was starting to melt “had we known that thing was coming we could've…”

“Yes I could put a trap, the problem is it would take time to make one effective enough for…that. This is just to get back at those zombies once they break through.”

“sounds personal.”

Arce stood up “well my dad died when the graveyard first broke open sooo…” she looked away.

“I see... It's very personal. I'm sorry. Do you have any other family?” 

With one hand she quickly whipped her eyes like they had caught some dust “Just my little sisters and for their sake I'm not dying here. Alright, come with me.”

They moved to the back of the alley. Then Arce kneeled and embraced Bruce from behind as if she was about to pick up a big doll. Bruce was confused but soon she covered both of them in mana and jumped both of them to a nearby roof. Enhanced maneuver, a spell making your body lighter allowing for either faster dodging or high jumps. Arce started slumping over once they landed but Bruce grabbed hold of her before she could fall off the roof. They moved along the roof until they came to a caved in roof. it made for a small platform to rest on. 

“phew you have trouble with that spell?” Bruce asked

“yeah. it's a last resort. I would've used it to jump the ice wall when you jumped in.”

“it would've been easier if the others weren't such fast runners.”

Arce shook her head “no, i don't blame them. That abomination would've gotten all of us.”

“i still think they could've helped”

 They talked while they waited for Arce to recover. Meanwhile a cloaked figure looked on. *The dwarf might be an issue... but he might be useful.*

 When a fire pillar indicated Arce's trap had gone off they were rested enough to make their way to a nearby barricade where they met up with the rest of the party who were still discussing whether to go back. They were glad to see them but only because it meant they would not have to risk facing that thing again or explain to the guild why they left regular adventurers to die. they had to report this to the guild. Once at the guild house they realized they only had 14 cores with them. Even though they didn't have enough cores the guild allowed them to receive the full reward as thanks for the information. Once that was over everyone was getting ready to leave. 

Except for Bruce who was gathering his stuff. “So about the guilds…”

“Hold on.” Arce interrupted, “you said you couldn’t afford your old house anymore?”

“It was more of a shack. But yes I can't afford to pay it anymore.”

“How about you stay at my house? It might not be much better but it’s bigger and You’ll keep your full pay from adventuring. you can help out around the house in the morning.”

“Is there enough room?”

“Me and my sisters sleep in the same room anyway. There’s an old bedroom that’s a bit dusty. It's not big but I think you can make it fit.”

“Dwarf size joke! Hah.” Bruce laughed “That's an enticing offer. Why do you offer?”

“Consider it a thank you for saving me back there.”

“Sounds great.” he turned to the receptionist “seems i’ll reconsider becoming a guildside adventurer.”

The receptionist smiled “That's no problem sir. I’m glad things worked out.”

***

The two made their way across the main road. Night was slowly approaching and most vendors were packing up for the day. They stopped at a vendor.

“Hmm I might not have enough…” Arce mumbled considering Bruce would join for dinner

“Don’t worry. I’ll use some of my reward from today's quest” Bruce said, handing Arce a few silver and after buying some meat They resumed their walk to Arce’s house

 “This may be a strange thing to ask considering you want to leave. But what brought you to kings island in the first place?”

“Fortune I guess.”

“Sounds greedy.”

“I know the reputation dwarves like me  have around here. But my mother is rather set on me achieving something. I did some adventuring before I came here and I nearly died in Edgehelms dungeon maze.”

“Now you’ve returned to adventuring?”

“Only way i’ll get the money to get home.”

“I read the dwarven kingdom is a continent of underground cities connecting. Are you from one of those?”

“No, I'm from Brintholm.”

“The surface capitol?”

“You’ve visited?”

“I’ve only read about it. I’ve never left the island before.”

“I’d say consider it. The sights can be worth the expense.”

“An expense I can't afford and I have my sisters to look after.”

They approached her home and Ariel was waiting outside “welcome back sis.”

Bruce pulled Arce closer and whispered “I expected toddlers. She looks 12.” 

“She’s 14” Arce corrected.

“I heard humans tend to marry girls off at that age.”

“Well I feel it’s too soon.”

Bruce shrugged and didn’t think much more about it. Isabelle came outside to greet them with Amy. “Welcome back Arce. Who’s your friend?”

“This is Bruce. He'll be renting that old bedroom we stopped using.”

Isabelle leaned closer to Arce whispering “are you sure you want to do that? Not only is he a man, he's a dwarf at that.”

“It’s fine. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn't have returned today.”

 She had to explain the situation to Isabelle. She was still worried about people spreading rumors about them. but then there was a commotion, people pointing to the sky, some even screaming.  A large construction was moving in the sky. It looked like a strange castle.  it was the size of the island and it moved south faster than anyone could even have imagined. Everyone was stunned and only when it vanished over the horizon did the people start talking again. The main subject was now the huge object in the sky. 

Bruce spoke up "well even if people start spreading rumors about us it won't be as interesting as that."