We spent the next hour or so exploring the various passageways and chambers. While none of them were particularly large or interesting, a few contained the odd golem, and more contained groups of golemets. Thanks to all of that, we finally got Zapper to level six, and I even netted a solid six hundred experience for myself, pushing me that much closer to level seven.

Sadly, none of these battles came with any loot boxes. Not even a white one. I felt cheated to some degree. A very selfish, materialistic degree, but one nonetheless.

I’d just have to console myself with the eighty cores that now jangled silently in my inventory. At the rate I was going, I’d have enough to try an experiment with a rare core soon. I could only hope that it would prove worth the cost.

Now the tunnel had grown quiet around us. It had been ten minutes at least since our last encounter, and as we padded along almost silently in the dark, my ears strained for any sign or sound of awaiting enemies. No dots appeared in my vision, but of course with these golems that didn’t mean much.

Occasionally I glanced back at my companion. Zapper maintained his usual exuberance, but he’d been doing his best to keep it from getting us into trouble.

I was still curious for his reason for being here. Maybe he was telling the truth, and Crunch had nothing to do with it, but if that was the case, why had he followed me? Was he also interested in raising his level, or was he simply here because we were pack, like he claimed?

It occurred to me that I didn’t really know much about Zapper. I’d managed to learn a fair bit about Leeli and Ben recently, and even Crunch had dropped some rather cryptic hints about himself, but Zapper was a total mystery.

I suppose he’d mentioned his owner dying. Maybe that was a place to start.

[So, Zapper. You’ve been with Crunch and the others very long?]

[Yep!] The dog panted happily, then became distracted by a pebble on the floor. His tail seemed to be stuck in a permanent wag.

[Since you awoke?] I asked, once he calmed down... well, calmed down enough, anyway.

[I think so, other dog?] Zapper cocked an ear and seemed to think about it. [I remember getting super hungry, then wandering the streets for a while... I think I may have gotten sick eating something bad, because I had to lay down and sleep. And when I woke up, Crunch was standing over me! I thought he was gonna eat me at first, but he didn’t! Instead, he asked me to join his pack, and we’ve been together ever since. It’s great!]

[Uh huh. Was this before or after Leeli and Ben joined?]

[Before! We met them just a day later, wandering around the neighborhood Crunch was searching.]

More searching. Had Crunch been looking for food, or more dogs? Or maybe he was like the rest of us, still trying to make sense of the world in those early days. Suddenly I was very glad for the seclusion of my waterfront. If I’d found myself out in the wider world right away, who’s to say if I would have made it.

[Do you remember anything about before your awakening?] I asked.

[Kinda?] Zapper actually stopped, his face screwing up into a frown, while his eyebrows practically knitted themselves together. It was stupidly cute. [There was my owner. She loved to run and would take me down the path along the lake! That’s why I was there the other day. It... helps... me remember.]

He trailed off. I glanced at him but refrained from asking any further questions. My own memories from before were hazy—mostly, I remembered the shelter, and the cold streets, and being constantly hungry—so I understood the effort it took to dredge up thoughts of before.

[Anyway, she was a good person,] Zapper said, giving a shake and returning to his previous exuberance. [I wish she was still alive. She used to talk to me a lot before. I bet our conversations would be even better now that I could talk back!]

[Somehow, I still don’t think she’d be able to understand you,] I said, resisting the urge to loll my tongue. [We can only talk with other canids, remember?]

[Oh yeah! Good point, other dog!]

[Do you happen to know how she died?]

Maybe I’d never complete my grand quest, but I was still mildly curious about what happened to everyone. The others didn’t seem to want to talk about, so maybe Zapper was the key I’d been looking for.

[Of course I know!] Zapper let out a happy little bark. [I killed her!]

Wait. Huh?

[What does that mean—?] My question was interrupted by another excited bark from Zapper.

[Look up ahead, other dog! I see a light!]

He streaked off before I could call him back. With a sigh of resignation, I followed. And he had been doing so well, too.

There was indeed a light up ahead. It had a yellowish tinge to it that would have made me think it was some sort of backup system light, if not for the fact that we hadn’t encountered anything for a while down here that seemed to be part of the city’s sewer system. As I watched, it flickered and swayed from side to side.

Yeah, that wasn’t suspicious at all.

A good twenty feet ahead of me, Zapper yipped happily. He entered the circle of light, then slowed to a stop. I padded up next to him.

[What do you think it is?] he asked.

[I have no idea,] I said honestly.

The yellow light now flowing around us all emanated from a large flower, growing in the middle of the tunnel. Each of its dozens of petals were larger than my paw, and the—at a glance, the system happily provided the word for me—stamen was easily two feet long or more. From its base spread several long vines, which snaked first downward and then to the wall on either side.

[How in the world is a flower growing down here?] I asked, more to myself than anything.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

[I don’t know, other dog. Should we try and touch it?]

Zapper took a step forward. The flower quivered.

If not for the dot that suddenly appeared in the corner of my vision, we might have been lost. It was pure white, but when I flicked my gaze to look all I saw was the tip of one of the plant’s vines that ended halfway up the wall. I stared at it, and then my eyes went wide with realization.

[Zapper, back!] The dog was only a few steps from me, so I lunged forward and grabbed hold of his nape between my teeth. He let out a surprised bark, and then my bracelet activated, dragging us a good twenty feet back down the tunnel.

Not a moment too soon. With a crack like a whip, several vines had shot down from the ceiling and walls, impacting where we had stood a moment before.

Each of the vines had a yellow dot when I glanced away. With the light from the flower, I hadn’t noticed it at first.

The flower shuddered, and as I watched the petals pulled apart, revealing a mouth full of teeth. It snapped several times in our general direction. About the same time, the system finally brought up a message.

Lightfall Plant (Advanced)

Level 8

If you are alive enough to read this description, congratulations! You did not ‘go into the light’ as so many adventurers have before you. While the lightfall plant is not particularly fast or powerful, as far as advanced monsters go, its ability to ensnare those who get too close is second to none. Once its cover is blown, it’ll try to close the distance. Retreat and deal with it using ranged weapons, or better yet, try to circumvent it entirely.

Note, this is a hive mind entity, so you’ll need to destroy all of its member units to slay it. Also, better watch out for its debuffs. You’ll probably be encountering those about... now.

Debuffs? I glanced up in time to see the plant monster begin lurching forward, each of the vine tips stabbing into the ground to drag it forward. The speed wasn’t particularly fast, less than Zapper or I could move at a reasonable walk, but the distance between wasn’t that great.

[Time to back up further,] I told my companion. [The description says to used ranged weapons, but other than my stun, we don’t have any. We might be able to squeeze by if I can manage to—]

There was a hiss, and something like a ball of gray slime hit Zapper square in the face. He let out a yelp of surprise.

Turning back, I saw the lightfall plant open its mouth wide and disgorge another ball in my direction. Without my bracelet, I had to leap back the regular way, which only partially got me out of range. A bit of the gray goo splashed onto my front paws.

Warning: You have been inflicted with Poison (30 s)

Warning: You have been inflicted with Slow (30 s)

[Heeeeeyyyyy, other dooooooog?] Zapper’s voice came out with a strange echo, like he was shouting from a far distance away. [I dooooon’t feeeel so gooooood.]

[Me toooooooo,] I tried to say, but the words slurred on my tongue, which suddenly felt fat and heavy in my mouth. At the same time, a hand had clamped onto my chest, making it hard to breathe.

There were two timers that had appeared in the corner of my vision, counting down from thirty seconds.

[We neeeed to ruuuuuuun,] I called, trying to lope back down the tunnel. Every step was sluggish, as if I was treading through water. The monster hissed and drew closer, even as the timers counted down further.

Zapper scurried after me, but I could see he wasn’t going to make it. The lightfall plant was nearly on top of us. One of its vines shot forward, wrapping around Zapper’s foot.

With a surprised yelp, his legs went out from under him. The plant began dragging him backwards.

[Zaaaaaaaaperrrrrr!!!] I turned, the motion like pushing through a wall of jelly, and fired off my stun wand. It struck the vine holding Zapper, freezing it in place, but the rest continued hauling the plant forward.

Two more stuns, and the plant stumbled, listing lazily to one side. I performed the world’s slowest lunge forward and seized Zapper’s paw between my teeth. He let out a howl of pain as I pulled, but a second later his back leg slid from the plant’s grasp and we tumbled backwards.

As I leapt to my feet, I realized the timers had disappeared from my vision, and my limbs could once again move freely. The feeling gripping my heart was gone too, though a nauseous feeling remained. Clearly I still wasn’t at one hundred percent.

[Should we try to break past it, other dog?] Zapper asked as he picked himself up. I shook my head.

[My stun’s only seem to affect part of the plant, and we don’t know what range that spit attack has.] The last thing I wanted was to get hit in the back. Even now, it was still trying to launch more balls of goo at us, but leaning against the tunnel wall, the angle was all wrong.

Still, I hit the flower itself with my stun, just in case. The teeth ceased their gnashing, but the rest of the plant still moved. With my stun ending on its limbs, it started forward again.

It was inexorable. This thing would follow us all the way down the tunnel. Either we needed to outrun it or take it down here. Preferably before I ran out of stuns.

I turned to Zapper. [I think it’s time to put those new boots of yours to work.]

[Yay!] Zapper barked, and flames burst to life around his hind feet. I backed up a pace so the heat from them wasn’t as intense.

[Follow after me doing a zigzag pattern. I’ll use my remaining stuns to keep the flower from debuffing you.] The term popped into my head, system provided. I growled and gave a shake, needing my entire focus. [If the plant gets too close, use your skill to push it back or trip it up.]

With that, we set off down the tunnel. With every step Zapper took, a small flame burst to life in its place, rising about a foot off the floor and burning for several minutes. The effect was better than I had hoped for. In moments, the entire tunnel glowed bright.

[Get ready!] I yelled, shooting another stun at the flower. It managed one more shot of its own before I froze it, which managed to splash both Zapper and me. Immediately, pain seized my chest again.

[Dog Darrrrrrrniiiiitttt...] I growled, backpedaling on legs that refused to obey properly.

[Sweeeeaaaarrrrsssss.] Zapper said, his steps now slowed to a crawl. Several flames licked at his leg as he lifted off the ground, but either they didn’t hurt him or he didn’t let it show.

[Darrrrnnitttt isn’t a sweeeeeeaaaarrr,] I tried shouting, before giving up. A conversation for later.

The lightfall plant reached the first row of flames. As its vines shot out, they began to smolder wherever the fire touched them. Still it pulled itself forward.

[Keeeep mooooooooviinnnnnng!!!] I yelled, letting off my final stun. The plant was fully in the flames now, and the smoke was acrid all around us, stinging my eyes and making it even more difficult to breathe than it already was. [I’m ooooouuuuutttt.]

Zapper barked, the sound echoing deeply around us, then zagged again. Our debuffs wore off, and with a lurch he crashed into the wall.

[Zapper!] I ran towards him as the lightfall plant appeared out of the smoke. Most of it was on fire now, but the flower at the center appeared untouched. Then the petals began to curl and smolder, blackening with every second.

Not fast enough, though. A flaming vine shot forward, grabbing Zapper and dragging him into the fire. I leapt, Claw Slash activating, and rent it in twain. The vine thrashed and recoiled, and the fire closed the gap between us.

Dragging Zapper to safety a few feet away, I collapsed against the tunnel wall. There we waited for the monster to reemerge from the flames.

It didn’t. Instead, a message appeared in my vision.

You have defeated: Lightfall Plant (Advanced) — Level 8

200 XP and 1 Common Core awarded.

Hmmph. That fight felt like it should have been worth at least small loot box. I growled at the system in general.

[Something wrong, other dog?] Zapper asked.

[No, just railing at the unfairness of life, is all.] The last of Zapper’s flames died out, filling the tunnel with darkness. As my Night Vision activated, I started forward. [C’mon, let’s finish this. With luck we’re almost to the end.]

We both applied a pair of cores to heal up any damage, then set off once again. Burned leaves crunched beneath our paws as we padded down the tunnel, the only remnant the monster left behind. Good riddance. If I never saw another of the awful things, it’d be too soon.

Maybe the next encounter would have a loot box waiting for us, but I wasn’t overly optimistic.