" The odds of surviving the dungeon are greater in numbers. Every Courser has their role in a party: what’s yours? Or do you prefer to work alone without dividing your spoils?"

✦

Gauss moved ahead, his massive sword resting heavily across his back, a weight he carried as easily as his own shadow. Terrence followed a few paces behind, his steps lighter, his demeanor more talkative.

“Y’know,” Terrence began, his voice cutting through the ambient hum of the Furnace, “most folks down here swear by the buddy system. Safety in numbers and all that. You ever think about forming a proper party?”

Gauss didn’t slow his stride, his focus fixed on the path ahead. The air shimmered with heat, and the molten rivers below cast long, flickering shadows across the jagged walls.

“I work better alone,” he said simply.

Terrence snorted. “That so? What about all those newbies you’ve bailed out? Doesn’t seem very ‘lone wolf’ to me.”

Gauss’s ear flicked back, the only sign he’d heard the comment. “Helping fools avoid an early grave isn’t the same as teaming up. I don’t split spoils. I don’t share burdens.”

“Sounds lonely,” Terrence remarked, though his tone was more curious than judgmental.

Gauss stopped abruptly, turning to face the younger stallion. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes held the weight of countless battles. “It’s efficient,” he said. “No one to slow me down. No one to bury.”

Terrence met his gaze, uncharacteristically quiet for a moment. Then he shrugged, a wry grin tugging at his lips. “Fair enough. But you’ve gotta admit, a party’s got its perks. Someone to watch your back, someone to carry the extra loot. And hey, if you’re lucky, someone to laugh at your bad jokes.”

Gauss huffed, a sound that could have been a laugh if it weren’t so dry. “You’re assuming I make jokes.”

“Sure you do,” Terrence said, his grin widening. “They’re just really, really deadpan.”

Gauss turned back to the path, his pace steady as ever. “If you’re done talking, keep up. The Furnace doesn’t wait for chatter.”

Terrence followed, his grin fading into a thoughtful expression. Gauss might prefer solitude, but even the most seasoned warriors had their reasons. Maybe it wasn’t just about efficiency. Maybe it was about something—or someone—he’d left behind.

As they continued deeper into the Furnace, the oppressive heat pressed down on them, but Terrence couldn’t help feeling a little lighter. For all his gruffness, Gauss hadn’t told him to leave. That had to count for something.