Infinite Farmer: A Plants vs Dungeon

“Well, I suppose we’ll know soon enough. Either they figure things out quickly or we go into the next floor with them still half believing the truth,” Licht said. “There are your friends, and they look like they managed to gather themselves a bit.”

“We demand a hearing.” Rossi’s voice rose over the crowd as him and his group entered. “Our business here is serious. We will not be delayed by… this.”

Rossi looked out over the assembled group, doing what seemed to be his best attempt at looking authoritatively contemptuous. Tulland knew that White hit them with another warning without a single other indication than all that confidence fleeing at once to be replaced by a queasy look and a nervous glance at the lawman.

“You will either sit your asses down right now, or you won’t be allowed to attend at all. Last warning. Tell me right now, yes or no, if you are going to disrupt this meeting.” White’s tone was level and as firm as a brick wall. “It will make things quicker.”

“I… fine. Sit, everyone. We’ll have our moment.”

Rossi pulled out a chair near the back and watched his men long enough to make sure they took their seats as well. White gave them one last look, then motioned to Potter to take the stage.

“One question, Licht. White and Potter are in charge. No doubt about it. I know I’m fine with it, but why is everyone else?” Tulland gave a nod towards the assembled fighters in the room. “Most people here are legends of some kind or another, right? Why give up the authority and listen to someone else?”

“Because most of them never wanted power in the first place. Even if they were legends or the strongest people in their world, they weren’t the type to command others,” Licht said. “Half of these people worked under kings or other kinds of rulers. There are benefits to that.”

“Like?” Tulland asked.

“And the rest? The people who like paperwork and adventure anyway?”

“Smart enough to know Potter’s smarter.”

“Ah.”

Potter took position at the back of the room, cleared his throat, and immediately began talking to Tulland again.

“First things first. Tulland, thank you for sharing information on the hidden dungeons with us. So far, nobody who has looked has found anything like them here. We wanted to confirm one last time that the Dungeon System did not actually say the remaining hidden dungeons were on this floor,” Potter said.

“Not that I remember. It’s been weeks now, from my perspective. I might have forgotten some details, but I don’t think so, no.”

“Even so, we’ll continue to look. Given that any of these dungeons might provide a boon of the level you seem to have received, we’ll turn this floor upside down before we leave it,” Potter stated. “I wanted to propose something related to that. If an individual finds a dungeon that either demands a group or allows one, they will take Tulland and Necia with them by default.”

“Why’s that?” one of the other ranged fighters in the group spoke up. She was a small ranger Tulland had never talked to, but had seen fight. If her tracking was as good as her bow accuracy, Tulland thought she had a pretty good chance of finding any dungeon that was available to be discovered. “I can’t take my friends?”

“It’s because Tulland should not take a loss for sharing information with us. I’m a bit biased, seeing how he saved my life, but I don’t think anyone here doubts his commitment to the group. If there is an open slot, it makes sense that he takes it. Necia is in the same situation, except she has seen no benefit at all yet.”

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“Not only that,” White spoke up again. “Tulland does things none of the rest of us can. The stronger he gets, the more options we have for how we approach battles or take meals. Although I can see it being a valid complaint if a dungeon only takes a few people, and you have to leave your allies out in the cold for Tulland and Necia’s sake. What do you think, Tulland?”

“I don’t see why I’m getting the consideration at all. I found that dungeon on accident. I’m not likely to find another, especially if I’m busy with the farm.”

“Let us worry about that.” White shook his head. “I don’t think anyone here wants to see you fall anytime soon, Tulland. Your food alone has made you a lot of friends here. Just answer the question if you could. If the dungeons doesn't allow both you and the discoverer’s friends, what’s fair?”

“They take them. I won’t say no to another windfall, but I’d stop anyone who tried to tell me I couldn’t take Necia with me for the same kind of profit. I wouldn’t put that same burden on someone else’s shoulders and expect them to hold it,” Tulland said.

“Good.” Potter nodded. “That resolves that. Let's hear the vote, then. On the matter of preferential inclusion of Tulland and Necia in any newly discovered secret dungeons on this floor, what say you?

The ayes had it, and not by a narrow margin at all. Tulland was surprised just how much support he seemed to have.”

“Good. Now on to what we’ve discussed about finding them. Since Tulland’s dungeon was hidden in a major terrain feature, we thought the next one might be as well. However….”

Potter continued on for a few minutes, giving out whatever hints and tips he had figured out for where things like hidden dungeons might be best sought. He had dozens of ideas on the matter, each better and more fleshed out than Tulland would have ever come up with himself.

In the meantime, Rossi was stewing. Each of the men under him looked uncomfortable in their own unique way, sporting different mixtures of anger, worry, and frustration on their faces. One of them, an awkwardly tall man sporting an ornate short bow, had actually fallen asleep in the short time he had been seated.

Potter seemed to make the same observation himself, and looped them back into the conversation immediately.

“Rossi and Rossi’s men. If you don’t mind me asking, how did you even come to be on this floor? The Infinite didn’t hint that late-comers would still be possible at this point.”

“We gave up some safety,” Rossi said quickly. He clearly did not consider this to be the most important manner at hand, and seemed to be trying to clear out the non-Tulland aspects of the conversation as quickly as possible. “The System wanted to send us to some other place to join up with some other group. I used up some rewards we had earned to get it to change its mind, on the condition that our group had to fight on its own. Apparently, this floor is treated as our own private place in terms of the advancement arch.”

Tulland heard a few of the warriors gasp at that.

“What’s going on?” Tulland whispered to Licht. “It seems obsessive from his part, sure. Why the big reaction?”

“Because there’s less than half as many of them as there are us. If this is really being treated like they are here all alone, the next arch will take them to the floor eleven army. How could they possibly clear it? They’ve just announced they are as good as dead. It’s hard not to react when you find out another person is doomed to die,” Licht explained.

“Aren’t we all?” Tulland asked back.

“Sure.” Licht frowned. “But not necessarily this week. They are, unless they are a lot tougher than they look.”

“Ah.” Back on stage, Potter had gotten over his shock. “I see. If you like, I can help you train for the floors to come. We can share what information we’ve gathered, and help you with your battle formations. We’ve proven that it helps, and…”

“None of that.” Rossi’s face was stony. “We came for him. Tulland. The rest of you are illusions of this place. We want none of the System’s tricks. Tulland, come.”

“No.” Tulland stayed seated. His blood was boiling, and he needed to do whatever he could to stay calm. “I won’t risk being pulled from this group. Especially when it’s clear you have no way out. You really don’t see it? This is The Infinite. The real one. You need to forget about me and focus on staying alive. It’s your only chance.”

Rossi scoffed.

“The good news is, Tulland, that you don’t have to believe me, or the Church. As soon as I’m able to get this amulet to activate as it was meant to, it will take us and you, whether you like it or not. And whatever else this place is, it follows rules similar to those of a dungeon. If our entire group tries for something to repair this escape tool, one of us is sure to get something.” Rossi stood, straightening out his clothes and snapping his attention back to his men. “Come now. We are going into this dungeon. Once we’ve completed the floor, I’ll get you back to our world. We can have a beer in a real tavern as soon as tonight.”

“You aren’t even going to listen to them?” The belligerent cleric underling from before was red-faced and stood up to the leader of the clerics. “You won’t even take their advice?”

“I won’t. Don’t fool yourself, Allysi. I know you have long since lost any loyalties you might have felt towards me. But I still have the numbers to carry you if you don’t want to come along with us. Now, for the last time, are you going to obey? Or do I have to have you dragged to that arch?” Rossi demanded.