Mantle of the Gods [LitRPG / Slow Burn / FTB Harem]

The hall was bustling with activity.

"Atlas!" The woman with midnight-black skin and blonde hair ran up to me. "Is Ether awake?"

"Morning, Ren." I shook my head. "What do you think?"

"That she's staying in there until someone gets a bucket of water." Her green eyes winked at me.

"That was one time, and Trent told me to do it!" I shook my head. "How long am I going to have to live that one down?"

"Probably until you stop doing everything he tells you to." Justia shook her head as she walked out of the room she shared with Aelin. The green woman tucked her loose brown hair behind her pointed ears. "I know we all owe him a lot, but he does have a mischievous side."

"Hey!" I tried to think of a comeback, but I knew it was a failing task. "I don't do everything that he tells me to!"

"Like when I told you not to talk to the other Gods…" Trent shuffled out of his room and leaned against the doorframe. His usual white skin had a ghostly sick hue to it. His brown eyes were sunken. Adventurers lived longer the higher their Tier, and my teacher was Tier Seven now, so he still had decades to add to his 132-year-old body, but the recent fight against the demons had wiped him out.

"And now we have to stop at Harror on the way back because someone promised her a date with me." There was no hiding the irritation in his voice.

"She was really mad, and I—"

"She was baiting you!" Trent shook his head and ran his fingers through his short, white hair. "Gods will use all kinds of manipulation to get what they want, but as soon as a promise is made…" He motioned up and down the hallway. "We all have to pay for it."

"All?" Aelin scrunched her face. "What do we have to do?"

"Someone never finished the Dispatcher's Dungeon, and since you've all leveled up to four, now would be a great time for you to head down to the event floor in the Temple Dungeon as well." Trent cleared his throat. "I know we don't have Rix or Pixie with us right now, but I trust you to figure out how to progress safely without them. Once they join us, we can decide how to bring them up to the floors in the Dungeons you've cleared."

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"Looks like Justia and Astrid are going to be doing doubles on the bosses!" Aelin hip-bumped her girlfriend.

"Speaking of Astrid…" I looked up and down the hallway. "How's she doing?"

The look of the women's faces was all the answer I needed.

"I should talk to her." I took a deep breath and tried to remember which room was hers.

"She's in Rix's room." Justia pointed at the last door down the hall on my side. "I can talk—"

"No, I brought her into this mess, and I haven't had a chance to check in with her." I looked at our teacher. "When are you wanting to leave?"

Trent rubbed his temple. "The sooner, the better. Miel is going to be travelling with us and take over watching you while I deal with the mess you made in Harror." He looked at his CB. "I'd like to be gone within the hour, but knowing all of you, it's going to be a miracle if we're out in two. Just meet at the motor pool when you get ready." A smirk crossed his face. "Last class to assemble gets a penalty while we're in Harror."

"No way!" Aelin out from under Justia's arm. "Ether's not awake yet! Justia, you grab Fray, I'll carry Ether!" She looked at me. "Atlas, you can talk to her later. There's no way I'm spending another week locked in the Dungeon!"

I shook my head, though I had a feeling the man who was pretending to be my father would have no problem imposing such a penalty on the losing team.

"Penalties are for those who don't make the deadline." I looked into my father's brown eyes. "It sounded like we'd be fine if we all made it there by seven thirty."

Everyone looked at our teacher as they awaited the verdict.

"Hmm, seven fifteen. But now there's a penalty for not making the deadline as well as another if you're the last team." Trent turned and walked towards the elevator at the end of the hall. "I'll see you there."

No one moved until the elevator doors closed behind him.

Aelin started clapping. "You heard the man! Everybody up! Let's go!" She looked at me. "Hurry up, loverboy!"

I looked at my CB. 6:28 am. There was plenty of time for a heart-to-heart. At least I hoped there was.

"We'll be there." I chuckled as Aelin spun on her heels and banged on doors as she ran down the hall. I'd been worried that her being connected to a Dungeon Core had changed her, but it looked like Aelin was still the same sweet Aelin.

"You better be! If you get us a penalty, then I'm going to make you regret it!"

Ah, yes. The same sweet Aelin.