Chương 13: The Sleeping Shaman

Recap: Squee the Shaman camped your hiding spot. You voted to STAY HIDDEN (WAIT HIM OUT). Patience is a virtue. For a mimic, it's a survival mechanism. I turned off my Tremorsense. Active vibration detection drained mana I couldn't afford to waste during a stakeout. I switched to passive sense only. Range: 2 feet. Free. Always on. Thump… drag… thump… drag… Squee shifted his weight. He was sitting cross-legged, leaning on his staff. The glowing green crystal on top hummed softly. It was annoying.

Like a mosquito buzzing near your ear, but the mosquito was magical and could turn you into a toad. Come on, I thought. Get bored. Leave. Go bother someone else. Minutes ticked by. My internal clock wasn't precise, but I could feel the digestion timer on Grib ticking down. The Goblin Essence buff was fading. SYSTEM NOTIFICATIONStatus Effect: Goblin EssenceTime Remaining: 15 Minutes Squee muttered something in broken Common.

"Warm box… strange… no heartbeat…" He tapped my lid again. Tap. Tap. I didn't flinch. I didn't vibrate. I was a piece of furniture. I was a coaster. I was the most boring object in the dungeon. Camouflage Check… SYSTEM NOTIFICATIONSkill: CamouflageStatus: HoldingResistance vs. Detect Life: Success (False Appearance Passive) His magic washed over me. It felt like warm water. It slid off my wood grain.

My False Appearance passive was doing the heavy lifting here, convincing the magic that I was just an enchanted container, not a living monster. Squee sighed. A long, rattling breath.

"Nothing," he whispered.

"Just… old wood." This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. He shifted again. The clinking of rat skulls on his necklace sounded like wind chimes in a graveyard. Another ten minutes. My stamina was full, but my mind was screaming. Being conscious inside a box with nothing to do was a special kind of torture. I wanted to scroll through my phone. I wanted to check my email. I wanted to move. Then, the rhythm changed. Snore. A wet, gurgling snore.

Squee's head dipped. His staff slipped slightly. His breathing deepened. The magical hum from the crystal softened to a pulse. He was asleep. SYSTEM NOTIFICATIONOpportunity DetectedTarget: Squee (Level 2 Shaman) - UnconsciousThreat Level: Low (Currently) I was free. But for how long? My passive sense picked up a new vibration. Distant. Heavy. Marching. Thump. Thump. Thump. Multiple footsteps. Armor clinking. Grumble. He was back. And he brought friends. Squee was the scout.

He was supposed to find me and signal them. If he woke up and shouted, I was done. If I stayed here when Grumble arrived, I was done. I needed to move. Now. But Squee was blocking the exit of the alcove. His staff was leaning against my side. His robes were draped over his legs. I had options. I could slide over him (risk waking him). I could slide around him (tight squeeze). Or I could… interact. The green crystal on his staff pulsed. It smelled like mana. Pure, concentrated mana. My stomach rumbled.

Not from hunger. From want. Current Stats: HP: 13/15 (Unchanged) Mana: 10/10 (Regenerated while Tremorsense off) Stamina: 20/20 (Unchanged) Inventory: 3 Pebbles, Rusted Iron Dagger (Undigested). Status: Camouflaged, Squee Asleep, Grumble Approaching (2 mins away). What do you do? A) SNEAK PAST (STEALTH) Slide carefully around Squee's legs. Avoid touching his staff. Escape into the deeper tunnel before Grumble arrives. (Cost: 3 SP. Stealth Check. Risk: Waking Squee.) B) STEAL THE CRYSTAL Use your tongue to snatch the green crystal from the staff. It's valuable mana source. Maybe edible? (Cost: 2 SP. Dexterity Check. Risk: High. Waking Squee is guaranteed if you fail.) C) PUSH SQUEE TOWARD THE ENTRANCE Shove the sleeping goblin into the corridor. When Grumble arrives, he finds Squee first. You slip away in the confusion. (Cost: 4 SP. Strength Check. Risk: Squee wakes up angry.) D) HIDE UNDER THE ROBES Slide directly under Squee's draped clothing. Camouflage + Cover.

Let Grumble walk past looking for a "loose chest." (Cost: 0 SP. Camouflage Check. Risk: If Squee wakes, you're trapped underneath.) VOTING CLOSES IN 24 HOURS. Reply with A, B, C, or D. Most votes wins. [Author Note] Thanks for voting on Chapter 12! Option A (Wait Him Out) worked! Squee fell asleep, but Grumble is returning with reinforcements. You have a narrow window to act.