It took them three more days to finish as much mapping as they could. It was a grind and they took it one day at a time.

The first floor was entirely kobolds as it turned out. Small rooms of three kobolds usually standing in a daze before agitating when the door opened. They tried everything they could think of to change how they acted.

Calling out from beyond the door didn’t result in a search.

Tossing something into the room and closing the door quickly didn’t prompt any investigation from them.

Leaving the door open and standing in plain view did prompt a quick attack however.

“It’s like they only do stuff when they see us.” Tim thought out loud. “I don’t think they’re real in the true sense of the word.”

“I agree with you on that.” Paul was putting the finishing touches on the first floor map. “That and the fact they don’t bleed per say. Just evaporate into particles upon death. I bet they’re summoned creatures.”

“Summoned from where?” Francis had an armful of kobold swords.

“Oh, you know.” Paul waved their hand. “Just like summoned out of thin air. Or maybe the dungeon itself summons these things.”

Mark took the handful of kobold swords out of Francis’ arms but paused before loading them into his backpack. “Why does this one have a bite taken out of it?”

Tim had a sheepish look on their face. “I had to have a taste. They’re not bad, kind of bland I would say. Sorta like rice or white bread.”

Mark chuckled and tossed the bitten blade into his bag.

-------------

The second floor was somewhat the same except that the stones were better fitted on the walls. The doors looked and felt newer, The kobolds bigger, and the temperature warmer.

“OK we’re establishing a pattern here.” Paul was nodding. “Deeper into the dungeon, slightly more dangerous things.”

“These things are still kobolds right?” Mark tapped their axe. “We’ve been here for almost two days now and nothing much has changed.”

“They are still dropping the swords, and the [Identify] spell information hasn’t changed.” Paul crossed their arms in thought. “So I guess they’re the same thing. I suppose if we ever can keep one still long enough to cast the spell on, we could learn more. I don’t think that’s likely to be possible though.”

“Yeah I think they get too frisky when they get attention.” Mark grinned. “Had a dog like that one time. Loved playing.”

“Didn’t figure you for a dog lover.” Paul looked over at the man. “Thought you were too busy for an animal like that.”

“Ah well, I was much younger then.” Mark leaned his body forward to balance on top of the axe. “She was called ‘Spot’ and would just go crazy whenever I got home from school. Border Collie of some kind I think. Pa got it as a puppy and gave me this big speech about how I had to take care of it.”

Mark gave a long sigh. “But as all things go, we had to put her down eventually. Broke my heart to do it, but she was getting too old to go on walks anymore. Never did get another one after that.”

“Maybe we’ll find another dog while we’re here?” Paul uncrossed their arms to gesture towards Mark. “Although, now that you mention it, I haven’t seen any dogs in town at all.”

“Quite the mystery.” Mark straightened up and shouldered their axe. “But this place won’t map itself, let’s get back to it.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

-------------

The trend continued.

Floors three, four, and five were progressively more and more well built, warmer, and with slightly bigger kobolds, their fur becoming progressively darker as well. By the time they had reached the last door on the fifth floor, it looked as if the thing had been built and installed yesterday. The wood was smooth and the metal an unblemished black.

“This feels somewhat final.” Tim touched the wooden door, having already checked for traps. “There’s a perfection here that we haven’t seen yet.”

“I honestly hope it’s the final room.” Francis yawned. “This stopped being exciting two days ago.”

“We check into this last room, then we pack it in.” Mark looked bone tired. “I don’t care if there’s another set of stairs down.”

Paul was leaned up against the hallway and could only nod.

Mark pulled the door open a crack allowing Francis to peek inside.

The room was large. So large that it had pillars supporting the ceiling. These smooth columns of stone were arranged in a hexagonal pattern around a plinth in the centre of the room. The rough rock pedestal, in contrast to every other surface of the room, had a floating green gem about the size of a shoebox suspended a foot above the top.

Staring, with red glowing eyes as usual, was a large feral looking kobold. It was carrying a heavy looking sledgehammer and wore metal armour over every part of it’s body. There was a tenseness to it’s stance. Although it didn’t move a muscle, there was the feeling that it was ready to snap into action at a moments notice.

Mark gently closed the door.

“Boss battle?” Paul asked.

“Boss battle.” Francis confirmed.

Paul shook himself out. “OK, go big and then go home. I’ve still got the web spell, the witch bolt and mage armour. So I’ll open with web, and hopefully it gets stuck. Francis gets the mage armour now.”

Paul took out the strip of hard leather he was carrying and said “[Mage Armour]” As the blue rune rings made their way down Paul’s arm and into the leather. Touching the magic filled animal skin to Francis made a number of blue rune circles to attach themselves to their body in the places where armour would normally sit.

“You look like an arcane blue ranger.” Paul returned the leather to their satchel with twitching fingers.

Tim rubbed their chest, down to their stomach, then up their left arm with a piece of kiva the bear’s fur. “[Enhance Ability: Bear’s Endurance].” Touching Mark. The purple runes travelled all along Tim’s skin and upon reaching Mark, spread out all over his body. Tim shuddered from the effort.

Mark gave a low grumble and rubbed their upper arms. “Feels like my skin is a bit numb. This thing got a time limit?”

“We got an hour, so I don’t think it’ll be an issue.” Tim shrugged.

“I’m glowing, you’re numb, we got a plan, let’s get this done.” Francis was smug at the almost rhyme.

Mark flung the door open. The hulking metal clad kobold jerked their head upwards to stare directly at the glowing warriors. It opened it’s maw.

“So you have chosen to die by my hand.” The kobold twirled the hammer and gripped it again. “I know that you can not understand me. I know that we are fated to battle to the death. But I still wish you no ill will.” The kobold hefted the hammer and took a step forward.

“Oh neat, another talking one.” Francis matched the twirl of the hammer with a twirl of his knife. “Let’s dance doggo.”

the kobold faltered in it’s advance and a look of confusion crossed their face. “You speak the language of the kobold?”

“Buddy, we speak all the languages.” Francis taunted. “Especially the language of death.”

The kobold lowered it’s weapon and raised a palm. “Wait, this is important. Where are we? What year is it? Who are you? How did you learn to speak kobold? HOW are you speaking kobold?”

The four made their way into the room and stood a short distance away from the now talkative kobold.

“Listen, this situation is weird for us too.” Paul opened up with. “I mean, dog person to dog person.”

“Speak not in riddle, elf.” the kobold bared their teeth. “I do not know how much longer we will be able to speak like this. The crystal is singing even now and it’s song is hard to ignore. Answer my questions and I will answer yours.”

“Right, quickly then.” Paul counted off on their fingers. “We’re near a town called West Green, not sure of the country or kingdom or what have you. I got no clue as to the year. We’re just adventurers who are mapping this dungeon. We didn’t learn kobold, and I don’t know how we’re actually speaking it, just that we can.”

The kobold chewed these answers for a moment. “Not as helpful as I would think, but you answered true. Ask.”

“How did you get into this dungeon? What’s with the red eyes?” Paul paused to consider. “And where are you from?”

“The answer to the first two is simple, I was summoned.” the kobold shook their head. “Where I am from. Where I am from.... I... Can’t...”

The red light from the kobolds eyes flashed brighter and it let out a howl. The green crystal rang out a shimmering chime.

Time froze.