“NOW!” Lucas shouted. He was keenly aware of how soon the fight was going to start, and his patience was starting to wear thin. So, that’s the dumb logic they use when they spread everyone out. Do they think that three people are going to stop two hundred from looting a room? Do they think ten guards will be able to stop a player party from taking everything in a room? Why don’t they just put the valuables in a safe and have one person guarding the safe?

Lucas studied Sir Rowland and Lady Dennings as the guards left, not sure what to do with the two. “Hey!” he shouted. “Don’t ignore me! Stand up!”

“Oh no,” Dennings said as she unwrapped herself from Rowland. “He’s already killed off the guards and disposed of the bodies. Our time truly has come!”

“No, it hasn’t,” Lucas said flatly. He wanted to put a stop to that talk immediately since he was worried they’d just turn back into a weird combination of their two shapes. “You’re going to be fine, but only if you listen to everything I say.”

“This ugly guy”—Dennings made a disgusted-looking face before turning to Rowland—“seems to be addressing us. What is this ugly thing saying? Why must we listen to him? Honey, I told you we should have just left for the city long ago. Mother and Father already have a placed picked out for us.”

“I know, sweetums, but the thought of leaving those poor peasants to their own devices was horrifying. What if they couldn’t afford food?”

Again with this story? The noble nobles being killed by the people they are caring for? Lucas cringed. It was the same as Kegan’s. This time, however, he was deeply aware of one fact: Kegan had been strong. He had beaten the Level 3 dungeon trial and slaughtered almost all of the people that revolted against him. As weak as Rowland and Dennings were acting, they still ran a dungeon that had been considered a higher level than Kegan’s at the time of his death.

“Look, I need you two to focus,” Lucas said. “We’re going to be attacked, and the people out there aren’t the peasants you were looking after—they’re people who were paid to be here at the behest of another noble who wants to overthrow you. So, you need to listen to what I’m saying, focus, and work with me to defend this keep of yours. I’m here to save you, but I can’t do it without your help.”

“Save us?” Dennings and Rowland said in unison, looking a little surprised. “Are we . . . Are we going to be saved?”

“If you listen to me,” Lucas said.

“You hear that, honey? The dream of moving to the city is still possible!” Dennings cheered.