James sat down with his back to the wall, away from the stream. Though it looked still and calm, with fish already returning to swim lazily through its waters, James was loath to try anything near it after what they'd just encountered. The heavy air was filled with the sound of running water, and a damp chill seeped into James’s bones. The glowing mushrooms along the cave walls threw a faint, flickering light that made the cavern feel surreal, as if they were living inside an uneasy dream.
Joey slumped down next to him, leaning his head on James's shoulder with an exaggerated sigh. His breathing was still a bit labored, and there were bruises and scratches visible all over his exposed skin. James looked down at his friend, taking in the exhaustion on his face.
"You hurt?" James asked, his eyes scanning Joey's face with concern.
"Nah, just a light bite from the first one, nothing serious," Joey replied, his voice attempting casualness, but there was a tired undertone that betrayed the effort he’d put into the fight. He shifted slightly, grimacing as he settled in more comfortably. "You? I saw you take a nasty hit at the beginning." Both of their gazes turned to the dissipating salamander, its body melting into wisps of dark essence, vanishing as if it had never been.
"A little roughed up, but nothing too bad," James answered, leaning his head back against the cold wall of the cave. He let out a long sigh, the tension easing just slightly from his muscles as he found some comfort in the solid presence of his friend beside him. "I had a lucky roll, and my endurance makes it a lot better than the first time I was hit." He winced slightly as he shifted his position, a sharp twinge from his ribs reminding him of how close things had been. He knew that without his recent endurance boosts, that last hit might have been a lot worse.
The final wisps of the salamander’s essence floated upwards, glowing faintly in the dim cavern light. James's heart beat a little faster, excitement buzzing through him. Next to him, Joey crossed his fingers, mumbling "Donut, donut, donut," like a hopeful prayer. James couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight, though deep down, he wondered why Joey seemed so obsessed with the donut. Was it just Joey being Joey, or was there some kind of enchantment he wasn’t aware of? Maybe Donuts are really just that addictive.
The next moment, the essence flowed into them. James felt the surge—a warmth that seemed to ripple through the air before it sank into their bodies, filling him with energy. The tingling warmth spread through his veins, seeping into his muscles and bones. He could feel the boost, a sense of strength and clarity. Joey seemed to receive the bulk of it, his eyes widening briefly before he blinked, his mouth opening in surprise. The remaining essence scattered, disappearing into the cavern.
A familiar blue notification appeared in front of James.
{Level Five Dark Salamander Defeated - Assisted}
{Bonus EXP for fighting an enemy higher level than you}
{28 EXP Awarded}
{Congratulations! From your efforts you have leveled up - Trident proficiency (Ashen Level Two)}
Joey, however, looked considerably less pleased. His eyes narrowed, and he slapped his hands against the cold stone floor, the sharp crack echoing slightly through the cavern.
"What is this horseshit? No loot?! You have a 100% chance! I want a redo!" Joey fumed, his face flushed with frustration.
James turned towards him, biting back a laugh. Joey's pouty expression made it difficult to take his anger seriously. "Joey, what does your status say?"
Between grumbles and muttered curses, Joey reluctantly pulled up his status screen, squinting at the glowing text.
{Level Five Dark Salamander Defeated - Kill}
{Bonus EXP for fighting an enemy higher level than you}
{30 EXP Awarded}
James frowned thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. “Hah, guess that answers the unasked question of how the loot works. I think it’s based on who landed the killing blow,” he said, a small twinge of disappointment gnawing at him. His title—Dungeon Marauder—had promised a 100% loot drop chance, but the mechanics weren’t as straightforward as he had hoped. The discrepancy in experience points also intrigued him, hinting at deeper nuances that they hadn’t yet figured out. Still, it was better not to mention that to Joey right now. The guy looked ready to go off on another tirade, and James didn’t need another five-minute rant about fairness.
Instead, James let his gaze wander across the small cavern that the stream ran through. The sound of running water echoed softly, the fish starting to return to their usual route, gliding through the shallows as if nothing had happened. The glowing mushrooms that covered the walls threw faint, dancing shadows across the stone, making the cave feel more alive, as if it was breathing alongside them. For a moment, James allowed himself to relax, taking a deep breath, appreciating that they were still okay, still alive.
He stood up, stretching his back until he heard a satisfying crack. The movement made him wince, but it was a good kind of pain—proof that he was still in one piece. “I think I’m gonna try to catch a fish,” he said, looking towards the stream. “Maybe move down a little from where that creature snapped at the salamander. I could use something fresh.”
Joey stood up as well, his face immediately twisting into a sour expression. “I didn’t even get EXP from that one,” he began, launching into another complaint. “It was almost dead before that thing stole it from me! I mean, I deserve a donut for my sorrows!” His voice was rising in mock indignation.
James laughed and left his friend to his theatrics, stepping towards the stream with cautious steps. The air was cooler by the water, each step squelching in the damp ground. James glanced back at Joey, who was continuing to rant loudly— a faint buzzing in the back of his head, if there was another creature nearby, it would almost certainly be attracted to Joey’s noisy complaints. With Joey keeping any hidden threats distracted, James felt a little more confident.
He spotted a shallow section of the stream, the water flowing steadily over small, smooth pebbles. Kneeling beside it, James gripped his trident tightly, his eyes scanning for movement beneath the surface. The fish swam lazily, their iridescent scales glowing with the mushrooms to produce enough light it was almost as though a lightbulb were illuminating the area. James steadied himself, taking a slow breath, trying to quiet his thoughts. He didn’t want to just jab wildly—he wanted to feel the trident’s guidance, let it help him.
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Closing his eyes for a heartbeat, he let his mind empty. The cold of the trident’s shaft seeped into his palm, and as he focused, he felt the weapon almost humming, urging him to move. His eyes snapped open, locking onto a fish that hovered near the surface. He lunged, the trident thrusting forward. It felt more natural, the trident guiding the motion as it cut through the water. He felt resistance, the shaft vibrating slightly as he grazed the fish—but then it slipped away, darting into the deeper waters, leaving only ripples behind.
A strange, high-pitched sound echoed across the cavern—a mewling noise, faint and almost plaintive, like a kitten being picked up by its scruff. The sound sent a shiver down James’s spine, the hairs on his neck standing on end.
“Guess mushrooms are back on the menu,” James muttered, trying to keep his voice light, though the strange sound had unsettled him.
“Yeah, I guess so,” Joey replied, sidling up next to him. He peered down at the water, giving it a disgruntled look as if personally offended by the fish’s refusal to be caught. “Tough little guys, those fish are.” He gave James a light, sympathetic pat on the back. “Come on, let’s head back to the cave. I think we need to grind out more salamanders or something—maybe we’ll get lucky and find some loot that’ll actually help us. And we definitely need more light. This moss barely lets us see anything.” James said starting to head back in the direction they came from.
Joey nodded, a glint of determination returning to his eyes. “Yeah, but we’re still sticking to my strategy—run at them until they die. You get the last hit, but I get the loot. Deal?”
James chuckled, shaking his head. “How about we split it? If you need something, you get first dibs, but we share the rest. One for you, one for me.” He grinned, remembering the ‘need before greed’ rule from the games he used to play.
Joey considered this for a moment, his face scrunched in thought. Then he nodded. “Fine. But I get all the donuts!” He said it with such an earnest, determined expression that James couldn’t help but laugh.
“Alright, deal. But honestly, I’m not sure how many more of those we’re gonna find,” James replied, watching Joey’s face fall slightly.
“C’mon, back to the cave.”
They started making their way back, skirting along the far wall to stay away from the water’s edge. The cavern opened up again as they entered the main area, the wide expanse of the lake stretching out before them. The island was barely visible in the center, a vague silhouette against the dark water. The fish were circling the island again, a rhythmic movement that seemed almost ritualistic. It made James uneasy, the way they moved in perfect sync, as if pulled by some unseen force.
“Hey, Joey, did you hear that cat mewling earlier?” James asked, his brow furrowing in thought.
“Yeah, I’ve heard it a couple of times while you were out,” Joey replied, glancing at James with curiosity. “I figure it’s just some creature further in the Rift. Why?”
James hesitated, his eyes fixed on the water. “Well, I heard it again when I tried to hit that fish. I don’t know... it just felt like it wasn’t a coincidence.” His voice trailed off rubbing the back of his head as they continued walking towards the small alcove where they had set up their temporary camp. His mind worked through the possibilities. Maybe the mewling was a warning, or maybe it was connected to the fish somehow—there were too many unknowns in this place.
When they entered their hiding spot, Joey immediately eyed the few remaining crumbs of the donut, his eyes filled with longing, almost as if he were staring at a lost treasure.
“DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT,” James said firmly, pointing a finger at Joey. “You said those were for me. You can eat your mushrooms. I’m saving my donut.”
Joey huffed, slumping down dramatically against the stone wall. “Fine, but let’s just go get more salamanders. Then we’ll get more donuts.”
James rolled his eyes, laughing softly. “Cool it with the donuts, Joey. They’re good, but they’re not that good.”
Joey gave him a long, wistful look, his shoulders sagging. “You don’t understand, James. You just wouldn’t understand,” he said, his voice filled with melodramatic longing, as if recalling some lost, tragic romance.
“Alright, alright,” James said, shaking his head, still smiling. He knew when to let it go. “But seriously, this time we need to be more careful. We can’t let anything sneak up behind us again. Also, I’ve been thinking—the helmet might actually be useful.”
Joey frowned, his eyes narrowing skeptically. “James, it’s literally called the Helmet of Confusion. You’ll get confused if you put it on.” Despite his words, there was a flicker of curiosity in his expression.
James shrugged, feeling that same odd buzzing in the back of his mind urging him forward. “We don’t know that for sure. My Intelligence is at 9—maybe that’s enough to counter any negative effects.”
Joey stared at him for a moment, then gave a shrug. “9!! ah whatever, Alright, but if you start acting all crazy, it’s not on me.”
James grinned, slowly lowering the helmet onto his head. For a second, he stood perfectly still, letting the moment build. Then he let his eyes roll back, his arms dropping limply in front of him. He staggered towards Joey, his voice deep and gravelly, “Huuur, where am I?” He swayed, mimicking a classic zombie walk.
“James!” Joey yelled, leaping up, his hands outstretched to knock the helmet off.
James couldn’t hold it in anymore—he burst into laughter, waving Joey off. “Relax, I’m fine!” he said between laughs.
Joey glared at him, his cheeks flushed in a mix of anger and relief. “Not cool, man! You had me worried,” he huffed, crossing his arms over his chest, though the corners of his mouth twitched upwards. “Seriously, not cool.”
“That’s for the donut,” James said, his grin softening. He did feel a twinge of regret—he hadn’t meant to scare Joey that much. The joke had clearly gone too far.
Joey scowled, though it was clear his anger was already fading, replaced by something more like exasperation. “Alright, let’s just go hunt. maybe we take it more easy and check all our bases, we still don’t have any ranged attacks, and I don’t want us getting caught off guard again.”
James nodded, his expression turning serious. “I know, I wish I had a spell or something. My mom always said I had an affinity for mana, but I’ve never been able to use it—not beyond sensing it, anyway.” There was a note of bitterness in his voice. He had always felt a little envious of those who could wield magic so easily. “Hey, Joey, your skills use mana, right?”
Joey blinked, then shrugged. “Yeah, more or less. Why?”
“What does it feel like to you?” James asked, genuinely curious. He’d never had anyone properly explain it to him, and maybe Joey’s perspective would give him a clue.
Joey scratched his head, frowning as he thought. “Feel? Uh... I dunno. It’s kinda like... pushing really hard when you’ve gotta go, y’know?” He made a face, clearly struggling to explain. “It just kinda... happens in the moment.”
James sighed, shaking his head. “Well, that’s not a lot of help.”
“Sorry, man,” Joey said, giving an apologetic smile. “Tell you what, next time I’ll pay attention, try to figure it out better.”
“No, don’t worry about it,” James said, clapping Joey on the shoulder. “I’d rather you keep your head in the fight. We’ll figure it out eventually.”
Joey’s grin returned, his eyes brightening. “Alright. But for the record, that helmet looks really stupid on you.” He couldn’t help but chuckle as he said it. “Now, let’s get going!”
“Heyyy!” James protested, but the smile on his face remained. Together, they stood, readying themselves to head back out into the unknown depths of the Rift. The fear was still there, lingering at the edges of James’s thoughts, but with Joey beside him, it felt manageable. He took a deep breath, the air cold and heavy in his lungs, and with a nod to Joey, they moved forward.