POV Aron Brightcloud

Another day full of training had passed. Today me and Anna would test ourselves against the dungeon for the second time. The boss of the first level would be our target. I anticipated little danger, we both had grown in the past few days. I had been able to polish my spells and with Bones having gained a body, we had now an additional fighter.

Our entire class met up in front of the dungeon entrance. Teacher Monrose stood there already, talking with young marchioness Nightshield. The people had separated into the known three groups. Mine, Stonewall’s and the Marchioness’s. Anna behaved surprisingly relaxed, even though she was the recipient of many hateful stares.

Apart from the little fanatic tendencies I liked the person she shaped up to be. Steady, loyal and true to herself. I could work with such an ally. For one, it would take quite a bit for her to betray me, and having someone with clear rules made it easier to manipulate her into doing my bidding. Not like I planned to ruthlessly use her, but it made it easier to incorporate her in my plans. I simply had to assure that she didn’t uncover Sephiroth in the near future.

Naturally, she would gain plentifully during our collaboration as well.

Teacher Monrose took a step forward.

“Everybody has arrived. Today is your third dive into the dungeon. I wish you only the best. Yet be careful, pay attention and don’t force yourself to take on more than you can manage. During the last weeks, more and more reports of killed diving teams have shown up that indicate the dungeon is expanding. Be especially careful. Normally the dungeon isn’t interested in weak prey like you, but there are always exceptions. If you see any unusual conglomerations of monsters, it could be a sign that the dungeon has drastically increased the difficulty of your challenge. In that case, it is better to retreat! That said, enjoy your dive!”

Anna looked at me. We both remembered the trap on our first trip I had rescued her from. Keeping on guard was a must.

We waited on the side as the other two groups stepped into the portal after each other. I could have forced our way in earlier, but I didn’t see the benefit of winning a few minutes.

Then it was our turn. Accompanied by the usual stomach flipping feeling, we arrived in the dungeon. Every-time I acclimatised faster. The dungeon had a re-spawn time for the mobs of each floor of around a week. After we conquered the boss, we would be able to start from the new entry-point at the beginning of the second level if we so wished. In the deeper levels, this practice changed. There were fewer and fewer portals the further one got. This made it harder for the participants to force their way deeper into the dungeon. The dungeon wanted us in its belly but didn’t like us too close to its core.

Soon we had arrived at the cave of our last battle. The greeneries, combined with the absence of the goblins, had changed this area to an idyllic place of rest and quietness. One could even say it invited one to relax and let one's soul dangle for a moment.

“Hadn’t we not made plans already I would have liked to take a break and enjoy the beauty for a bit.” Anna said in wonder.

I didn’t comment on her observation. Running my hunter subroutines in the background, I paid little attention to the unimportant part of the picture. My concentration on possible attack venues.

We walked through the forest, Anna next to me. Fenrix explored the nearby shrubs with the curiosity and motivation only a fox could have. Bones was gone. I had tasked him with scout-duty. He kept an eye out for possible enemies. We had cleared the cave beforehand, so the chance should be close to zero. He had told me as much. Yet how it usually was with these things, one needed only to be wrong once. For now, I told him to see it as a practice exercise. He could polish his reconnaissance skills while he made sure we didn’t run into an ambush.

Olivia sat on her spot on my shoulder, being her usual patient self.

Through the connection in my soul, my little brother informed me of his position.

Bones had reached the end of the cave. There stood two armored variants of the goblins we had fought in our last dive. Additionally, to the new armor they had grown and reached my shoulder. Armed with a shield and sword, they radiated power. Obviously more formidable than their smaller counterparts.

The situation showed me blatantly that we were in a dungeon and not outside. These two goblins must have heard the noises we had made while decimating the goblins, yet they had remained here, not moving a foot to support their brethren.

Walking towards Bones’s position, I briefed Anna on the upcoming battle. We roughly planned the fight, not going into details. We set a kill-priority and steps we would execute should they reach us.

Finished with the preparation, we spread out.

‘Go Olivia, position yourself somewhere to the side of us. Trip them with webs when they close in on us.’

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One of her legs caressed my cheek before the eternal hunter made her way down my clothes. She slipped into the grass and vanished from view.

Silently, I gave Anna the signal to engage. She and her familiar immediately started to cast.

All three bolts crashed into the right goblin, yet didn’t incapacitate the monster. At the last second it pushed its shield upward, protecting its vitals from the attacks. The steel dented below the might of our spells but didn’t break. Our enemy crashed into the wall behind it, the brutal force not letting up until it had began to crack the rocks it had been thrown against.

The second Goblin turned its body in our direction. Bones used that moment to materialize diagonally above and behind it. My brother’s fall enhanced his attacks offsetting the axes blunt edges. They buried themselves deeply in the goblin's back. Yet the attack didn’t kill the monster.

The Goblin didn’t even open its mouth to shout in pain and paid no attention to the axes in its body. It swung its weapon behind, forcing Bones to disengage. The Axes were left behind as my little skeleton hadn’t been able to dislodge them from their new “sheet”.

I had to reevaluate our enemies. They were massively more powerful than their cousins. We kept our spells coming, raining them down on our first target. Yet they did only minimal damage, the armor protected it against most of our attacks. The goblin shrugged off our barrage and suddenly shouted. A red aura burst out of it. The three next spells dissipated against the bubble-like structure, giving it a slight breather. It utilized the earned seconds and accelerated with frightening speed.

Where the normal goblins had looked like little toys waddling in our direction, this bastard took on a wholly different form. The steps wide and full of power it ate up the distance between us. Its armor transformed the beast into a mini bull charging in our direction.

In no time it reached the halfway mark.

That was the point when its luck turned. Webs suddenly rained down on it. At the beginning it didn’t show a change but the rain of webs didn’t stop at one. Slowly the monster couldn’t keep up the speed.

The monster had chosen Anna as its target, she walked backward while she fired her spells. Because of this, the distance hadn’t shrunken as much as the goblin would have liked. It also allowed me to attack from the side and behind. The once tough armor had changed to a dented and perforated piece of garbage. The monster’s lifeblood leaking out of countless wounds.

During the entire fight I had kept part of my attention on my little brother. There was no need to worry. The deep wounds on the goblin’s back had started to slow it. The monster’s swings now less unrestrained and free. My brother was wearing it down, methodically slicing the green-skin to pieces.

My next spell ready, I threw it at Anna’s attacker. Olivia, in tune with me, chose that moment to bombard it with another web, catching its legs. The arrow pushed his upper back from behind, while the webs constricted its legs. The goblin lost its balance and fell forward.

It wouldn’t stand up again. Anna and Fenrix plunged their spells in its back and finished it off. Expecting the outcome, I had turned to Bones and helped him take care of the second enemy.

During the whole fight I had improved the accuracy of my spells, methodically taking apart my flaws. My magic arrow found a deep dent in its armor and burrowed into the monster’s side. The energy perforated its hearth, killing it instantly.

Finished with the fight, we took stock. The warrior goblins had shown a surprisingly high tolerance for our spells. The armor had protected them against most of our attacks. Had they gotten the drop on us, the fight could have gone much differently.

“I had envisioned a more relaxed battle.” Anna commented. She had turned the monster on its side, going through its mangled body in search of loot.

“They are a vicious lot. We have to avoid a melee at all costs. Especially in tight quarters.” I answered.

Mentally, I noted down the experience. I needed a piercing variation of my arrow spell. It was too weak to break through their defense.

Anna nodded in agreement. We both knew she would be unable to hold her own against one of those.

I-damn, I forgot about Bones! Turning back, I could only watch my vacuum cleaner slurp up his fallen enemy in one piece, with armor and all. The enlarged mouth closed with a satisfied crunch. At least he had not eaten his own weapons…

Bones’s bones changed their color to a slightly different one. Anybody that hadn’t seen him as often as me would have missed the change. I reminded myself to keep a positive outlook. At least he was able to improve in this way. I turned back to Anna.

“Did you find anything we can use?”

“Some money, not much else.” Still focused on the body in front of her, she hadn’t seen the disappearance of the second foe.

“How is it looking on your part?”

“Nothing. Let’s go further.”

Anna looked up at my slightly changed voice.

“Where is the corpse?” She scanned the surroundings in incomprehension.

“The dungeon reclaimed it.” It was a long shot, but I was out of options.

I could read it on her face, she didn’t believe me. The disappearance of the corpse had happened much too quickly.

“Bullocks. What happened?”

Soullessly, I replied, “Bones ate it. Including the armor. No loot from that one.”

“What?!” Anna gaped at me.

“Turns out he can unhinge its jaw. He seems to have a special eating power, letting him slurp up his killed enemies in one full swoop.”

I walked closer and checked the floor. Naturally he had to eat the loot as well…

Anna wanted to retort, but decided against it. Only shaking her head in exasperation. In the end she still couldn’t refrain from one last quip.

“You have the strangest familiar ever. You know that?”

I shook my head dejectedly, “I know.”

If this went on, I would remain poor forever.

‘Bones, stop eating the loot! Otherwise I won’t be able to buy you new weapons!’

‘Big brother, I am so sorry. When the fight had finished, I felt so hungry. I don’t know what happened. I didn’t plan to eat him.’

Seeing his apologetic eyes and expressive skull full of sadness, I couldn’t stay angry at him.

‘It's okay. Try to keep yourself together, okay?’

He nodded eagerly. ‘Fear not! Next time I will react differently!’

His eyes now filled with fervor. Yes, that was the right expression. I was convinced, next time would be different.

Our little group carefully moved towards the entrance of the next cave. Coming closer, we caught sight of a decayed staircase leading further down into the belly of the dungeon.

Bones took point with me behind him. Anna and Fenrix brought up the rear. We silently entered the final part of the first level.