Once again, Rohl found himself sprinting away from the dangers created within the dungeon and as glad Rohl was to have escaped alive and relatively unharmed, he couldn’t escape the sinking feeling in his stomach. He knew that eventually they would get caught, injured or even starve to death, he knew that eventually, their time would run out.

Something has to change; I won’t do this forever.

He hadn’t survived so much, fought this hard just to die to some random dungeon monster, if he was going to die before avenging his loved ones, his death would not be a meaningless one.

And so, with this new desire raging within him, Rohl finally called for their running to stop, not only to recover his wasted energy and catch his breath but to convince his companion to join him in his new fate.

Once he had fully caught his breath, calmed his beating heart and checked his companion was ready and alert, Rohl finally spoke.

“I’m not doing this any longer. I can’t do this any longer. I’ve come too far just to die to some random monster we happen across, even if we managed to avoid them, we’d eventually starve or be slaughtered in our sleep. I’m not going out like this. If we can’t escape then I want my end to have some sort of meaning, I want to go after the dungeon itself. I don’t know where it is, I don’t know how to kill it, but I want it dead.” Rohl’s words whilst spoken in a calm manner, definitely had a small undertone of anger in them.

But either way, his words needed to be said and with them now hanging in the air, all Rohl could do was study his companions’ expressions as she took in his words.

There was confusion at first, but that may have been related to his sudden stop more than anything else. But as Rohl had spoken he had watched the confusion be replaced by a more stoic determination as Ell’s sharp eyes stared directly at his.

Eventually, a small grin emerged on the edge of his companion’s mouth, although Rohl couldn’t help but assume that smile was more out of delirium and desperation than joy or happiness.

“I don’t know where to start with killing it, but finding its heart, that is another matter entirely.”

The elf’s words came as a shock but instead of immediately prying for information, Rohl decided to remain silent and let the elf say what she needed to.

“The dungeon has buried itself within the forest, nested its rotten core at the centre. Its presence has drained the forest, forcing the dungeon to replace more than just the monsters but the forest itself. The trees are far too similar, the birds unnatural in their movements and the forest is far too silent. If we follow the signs, I can find its heart.”

The elf’s words were filled with far more determination than Rohl expected for one in her situation. For some reason, their plan had lit a small spark under his companion and filled Rohl with far more excitement than he expected given his predicament.

“Then let’s go and kill this bloody thing,” Rohl answered his companion’s determination with energetic pumped words of his own.

Either there’s something in those roots or I’m really starting to lose it.

“Right now?”

“Right now.”

With a small grin of her own, Ell quickly scanned the area around them before seemingly deciding on a path and just as he had countless times, Rohl followed.

No matter what happens, this ends today.

He had lost count of just how long they’d been wandering around in the dungeon; the days spent walking had long since merged into one fuzzy memory, even without the dungeon's added influence, he would have likely forgotten the days without some way of keeping track. Given how he hadn’t noticeably aged, he could at least be sure it hadn’t been years and it had definitely been far too long for it to have simply been days.

However, there was one way for him to somewhat estimate how long it had been even if that method was one that depressed him to use. A quick count of the black roots he had left, and how many they ate on average put their time here somewhere between one to two months.

A depressingly long time and one that felt wrong. He didn’t know if the dungeon was messing with their perception of time or if they had actually been here that long but either way, it would end today.

And so, with that in mind, Rohl picked up his pace and for once walked side by side with his companion. Her eyes definitely moved to watch him as he did so but with no verbal recurse seemingly in its way, Rohl stayed where he was and asked a question, he figured someone in his situation would.

“If somehow we do kill this dungeon, and only one of us makes it out, is there anything you want me to do?”

The elf’s immediate response to his question was to brush back the hair near her right ear and gently hold touch a small intricate silver earring. It was small enough that combined with his walking, Rohl couldn’t make out any of its details and likely never would given how that section of ear was usually completely hidden by her hair, unlike the rest which was sometimes visible peering out the edges of her hair.

“This will need to be delivered to an embassy or ambassador of my people, tell them what happened, and they will see to the rest, do you think you have the faculty to handle that?” Ell replied with a small joking smirk at the end.

So, her humour matches her previous kind of cruel personality, great.

“I should be able to manage it, thanks.”

“And you, is there anything you should require?”

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As much as Rohl’s initial thought led to the answer being no with there truly being no one who would miss him, his thought did creep back to the Sleeping Goblin Inn. He may have only stayed there a night with them likely already believing he was dead given how long he had been missing, Rohl still figured it would be polite to make sure they were informed.

“There’s an inn, near where we first met, the Sleeping Goblin Inn, just let them know. You don’t even have to see them in person, a letter or note would do.”

His companion gave a slight nod at his answer but didn’t pry, whilst he hadn’t told her of what had happened to his village or family, his answer surely gave some kind of insight too his past.

Maybe I should tell her, but then again I don't know if I want to, not yet anyway.

But with that brief window of conversation coming to a close, Rohl’s chance to speak of his past soon came to and a new topic of conversation took its place.

“Any regrets?” Ell inquired next.

We’re really going for the top ten questions to ask on your deathbed.

“Yeah, I suppose. I don’t really get far into my adventuring career, or anything at all really.”

If I do die here, I will never be able to avenge them.

It was a rather sobering realisation and one it saddened Rohl to say. But either way, his life seemed to be destined to end as a short and meaningless one.

“How about you, any regrets?”

“Meeting you and deciding this would be a good idea,” Ell answered with a slightly joking tone to her voice.

“Yeah, apart from that?”

“Never being able to see my home again. Never finishing my wandering or going to help strengthen my family.”

Ell’s words were definitely a blow, the elf still had something to go back to, something to lose, cherish and love. He may have already lost anything but if he could, he had to try and make sure she made it back to them. For the sake of the family, Rohl would put her life above his, not that he would dare tell her that, the only thing that would likely bring is scornful jokes about his skills and likely lack of ability to actually protect her.

“I know this situation is rather well… fucked. But it’s not impossible, we might still survive this. So, we need a plan, anything to give us a better chance at ending this,” Rohl countered with what was likely a rather lacklustre attempt at enthusing some hope and determination into their small team.

“You might lack everything that matters, but at least you’re determined.”

Rohl once again ignored the elf’s joking jab at him and instead decided to try and keep the conversation solely on the dungeon topic.

“How much do you know about dungeons?” Rohl began, if they had any hope at increasing their chances of survival, they needed to share and pool whatever information they had.

“I know about the same as everyone else does on the matter. Dungeons are enormously powerful monstrosities that carve out territories and slaughter anyone who enters their hunting grounds. There’s believed to be eight of them, well nine now, all completely different in their appearance and strategy. It's honestly impressive that humanity managed to miss one,” Ell answered with a small nose exhale of laughter at the end. But after seemingly taking a second to think, Ell spoke once again.

“I know the one in elven lands is thought to be thousands of years old, and has been off limits for centuries, entering the mountain without permission is a death sentence, if the dungeon doesn’t kill you first.”

Whilst Ell’s answers did provide Rohl with new knowledge around dungeons, it didn’t exactly instil any confidence or hope of survival within him.

“There's a rumour that Malpox originated from damaged and decaying dungeons. But I think they are simply rumours, they never mention how they are damaged, or which one. My father… passed from Malpox when I was younger, and I don’t see how he could have caught it from one,” Rohl answered giving his companion the small bit of dungeon knowledge he had,

My father, mother, sister. It is just me now, the last Bluedawn.

“I’m sorry for the loss of your patriarch, but I doubt that knowledge if anything more human peasant superstition. If dungeon could be damaged to such a point, the knowledge would be widespread, the nations rarely communicate but such a discovery would spread.”

“Well guess we're still fucked then, it’ll be a hell of a way to die though, do you think the gods are watching?” Rohl asked despite having a slight suspicion that he already knew the answer. He doubted their predicament had captured all the god’s attention but he at least believed his patron would be watching his final stand.

“Probably, the gods do as they wish, but if they are seeking a spectacle, I intend to give them one. Pray to your patron if you wish, not that it would do us any good, if the gods wanted to, they’d have ended the dungeon threat long ago. The fact they haven’t speaks volumes on what they want.”

Rohl definitely felt like his question had touched upon something, but it was a discussion for another time. No was definitely not a good moment for a discussion that could possibly sow discord between them, plus Rohl truly had no idea what he felt about the elf’s somewhat heretical words. It was something for future him to deal with.

His most current concern apart from the life-threatening situation he had found himself in was deciding whether he should attempt to fill the silence that had followed Ell’s statement.

I probably should have said something, now it’s just awkward.

There was a brief moment where Rohl was about to attempt to relight their conversation but instead found himself oddly focused on the wildlife that had begun to encroach around them.

I think I can see what she was on about.

Rohl couldn’t exactly be sure, but it did seem as if the greenery around him was far identical looking to have grown naturally. The trees seemed the same height and species with almost identical structures, their leaves all held the same patterns any rocks he could see were perfect in their shape with no signs of cracking or damage.

“I think I see what you meant; it’s getting more obvious now.”

“You got there eventually I guess.”

“Do you think we will reach the centre today; I don’t like our odds, but I like them even less if night comes,” Rohl asked as his eyes continued to scan the fake forest around him.

“I don’t know, we close, I’m sure of it. Close enough that we should have seen more monsters by now,” Ell replied with a firm surety in her words. “The dungeon may be letting us approach but if we slept here, I doubt we would awaken again.”

Very reassuring I guess we press on.

I quick glance at the sky above gave Rohl a faint idea of the time. As long as they reached the centre within the next hour or two, then they would still have enough light to fight effectively. Any longer and Rohl doubted they would be able to see the ground in front of them, never mind battle such a dangerous enemy.

“Tonight then.”

“You were the one who insisted we fight or die right now.”

“Yeah, that motivation didn’t quite last as long as I’d hoped, but we're committed now and I don’t have the energy to carry on struggling to survive in here.

“Well, you’re about to get your wish. Ahead,” Ell replied as her words lowered in volume as she spoke, and her steps slowed to a crawl. An action soon mimicked by Rohl who immediately focused his eyes on the forest ahead.

It wasn’t immediately clear what the elf had spotted, the area ahead of him contained the same trees, undergrowth and dirt as the rest, but beyond that, Rohl believed he spotted something he hadn’t seen since he arrived at Bureihal. Open ground.

“We may end this today but there’s no reason just to throw away our lives, we should scout it first. We need any advantage we can get,” Rohl whispered.

Ell seemed to agree given the slowing of her steps and the gentle shushing motion she made. After a quick turn of her head and what Rohl believed was her scouting their immediate area, Ell took another step forward, taking them ever closer to their destination.

We’re finally here. I know this probably isn’t how you wanted it to end, but I hope I make you proud.