Three bloodstained Adventurers slowly made their way towards the door that connected to his Core room, though it wasn't nearly as intricate, or as heavy, as the Boss door. It was just to keep the Adventurers from trying to hide in his Core room once they were trapped in the Boss room. Now, his Boss was dead. They walked unimpeded towards the most important room of the Dungeon.

The ugly Human was in the lead, slightly limping. Her Serpent scale armor was ruined in certain areas, and the clothes underneath the armor were soaked red, especially on her arm. The Dwarf was covered in small scrapes and bruises, and was using Micah as a crutch. His left leg looked completely broken, and it dragged behind him as he walked. Micah, the dark-skinned Cleric, was the worst of the three. Blood still leaked from the large gouges in his left side, and he looked nearly as pale as Lana did. His clothes were hanging off in tatters, and he was using his newly acquired staff as a cane.

"Why do we have to do this?" Lana complained. "You two are practically dead on your feet. Or foot in your case, Wren."

"Ha-ha. Always so god damn funny." The Dwarf said, making a rude gesture with his hand. "It's tradition to pay your respects to the Dungeon."

"You mean the one that created the bear that broke your leg?" Micah asked.

"We chose to come in here, and it is because of this Dungeon that we have jobs. Without it, we would all most likely be doing menial labor."

"You mean there was another option besides dying in a hole in the ground?" Lana said with a frown.

They crossed the river, and the two men nearly fell into the water while crossing the fallen log. Now, they stared at the small wooden door leading to the Core room.

Both looked to Lana, and she rolled her eyes. "So much for chivalry."

"Aren't Fighters supposed to have rules of Honor they follow? I think opening doors for cripples counts." Wren said. Micah let out a weak laugh.

She pushed the door open with a huff, and they walked down the tunnel towards the golden-green glow of his Core. The tunnel itself was barren, and the walls were smooth stone. Wil thought it looked pretty ominous. Naturally, he loved it.

"Sol, do like we practiced." Belle whispered, slight panic in her voice. They had talked earlier, and decided the Adventurers shouldn't know of his existence just yet.

Sol nodded, hopped up onto one of the shelves, and turned around. The wood of his legs fused together, and his arms melded into his torso. He looked all to the world as a regular tree would, if a tree was just a little over one foot tall. Belle giggled at his transformation, and pushed some of the leaves in his hair around to make him look more natural.

The Party walked into the room, and he was pleased to hear them gasp. They were taking in the many shelves in the room, and the assortment of interesting items he had collected. The mana-light in the top of the ceiling shone down, further accentuating the green glow coming from his Core. Belle was invisible to them, so she flew around their heads making funny faces.

"What is all this stuff?" Micah whispered. "Is that... a bed? Why is it so small?"

"In the other Dungeon I dove in, the Core room had something similar. Except, it was a tiny hammock, not a bed. It's not uncommon for a Dungeon to have Treasure in the Core room. It's a common belief that it is there to tempt greedy Adventurers." He took on a serious look. "Don't forget, do not take ANYTHING from the shelves. The Core room is the most important place in a Dungeon. If even one thing is changed, the Dungeon may feel it's being threatened. If that happens, there really is no chance of leaving alive."

Micah ripped his hand back from a small gem sitting on the shelf, and gulped.

Damn. Almost had him.

All three stopped looking around, and focused on his Core. They shuddered when they noticed the pillar he was resting on, noting the carvings in the stone.

I'm trying my best! Stop judging me! Stupid Two-legs...

"Do as I do, you two." He said to the other Adventurers. The Cleric let the Dwarf unhook his arm from around his shoulder, and all three Adventurers knelt in front of his Core.

They all bowed their heads; similar to how his Monsters had, when they were first created. It unnerved him to see this from the invaders of his home, but it did better his mood. Only a little, though.

"Until next time." Wren whispered. The other two looked at each other, then repeated his words. "Until next time." They said in chorus.

The words settled into his mind, and it made him feel a sense of peace.

Until next time. He thought.

Belle's look of hatred softened at their show of respect, and she was no longer glaring daggers at them from across the room. She flew over, and landed atop his Core.

"Next time, you won't get out so easily." She mumbled, and he chuckled.

"It's not over just yet, Sweetheart." After saying this, he flashed an image of the Dungeon on his Core. The Adventurers couldn't see it, but Belle saw just fine. She smiled mischievously, and nodded.

The Party had stood back up now, and were slowly hobbling out of the Core room. They had just entered the connecting tunnel when a soft swishing sound echoed through the silent room. All three Adventurers whirled around, weapons in hand.

They looked back into the room, but saw no Monster. Instead, there was a small strip of Silk cloth that had fallen onto the ground. Wil's focus snapped to Sol, and he could see his Bound Monster slowly shaking. Belle rushed to his side, and shushed him.

"I know, Sweetie. Just hold it a little longer, they're nearly gone." Apparently, Sol had reached his limit on his transformation. It took a small amount of mana for him to change his appearance, but he was still a child. He could only hold the form he had created for a few minutes at most, and he must have dislodged the Silk cloth that was in his hair while fidgeting.

All the Adventurers shoulders relaxed after a moment of silence. "Let's... get out of here." Lana suggested.

"Sounds good." Wren nodded vigorously.

Micah squinted towards the Core room, towards Sol. Then he shrugged his shoulders, and let Wren use him as a crutch. "Sounds perfect." He was still cradling his new staff, tossing affectionate glances towards it whenever he could.

Once they had closed the door behind them, Sol let out a small sigh. His legs split apart, and his arms reformed from the wood of his torso. He let out a small yawn, and stretched his limbs out. Belle was whispering praise to him, and Wil kept a close eye on the Party.

Every step they took, the floor of his Dungeon was splattered with droplets of blood. It astounded him that his Monsters had actually been killed, but he could see just how far the Party had had to go to accomplish their feat. He wouldn't commend their efforts, but he did have a small amount of respect for them now.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

They had returned to the Flower room, and were crossing the small strip of land that connected the Silverbark tree to the lake, when his plan was put into motion.

He had the image back up on his Core for Belle and Sol to see, the same image he had shown her earlier. The final Dungeon Serpent, waiting patiently under the water. Only his nose was above the surface, the rest of his body lurked underneath.

His Monster had waited patiently for his time to strike earlier, but the opportunity had never presented itself. It had been too slow to assist the Troop, and there was no way for him to enter Grizzly's room. Now, though, the Adventurers were completely unaware.

All three were halfway across the thin strip of land, when a Serpent nearly 4ft long shot up out of the small lake. Droplets of water sprayed into the air, and all three Adventurers involuntarily flinched. The Serpent was aimed directly for the Cleric, the weakest of the three.He may have had to assist the Dwarf in walking, but his blood loss had left him nearly unconscious.

All three Adventurers were strong, there was no denying it. They were nowhere near their peak strength now, though. Wil watched in unrestrained glee as his Serpent latched onto the wounded left side of the Cleric, and dragged him down into the water. The area his body fell into was instantly dyed red, and Wil felt no doubt he had managed to end the miserable Human's life.

"Oh, for fucks sake." Lana said, pulling her sword free. She jumped in after him without hesitation. Wren was on the ground now, his support gone. He was trying to form a spell, but he didn't seem able to gather the mana to do so.

He's finally exhausted himself.

The water was violently shaking from the underwater fight, and Wil could not tell what was happening beneath the surface. It wasn't until he started seeing chunks of his Serpent bobbing at the top of the water he began to worry. Surely, his Monster had managed to at least finish the cowardly Cleric off?

He saw the body of Micah float to the surface, face down and unresponsive.

Yes!

He felt no mana rush to his Core, though. Whenever he had killed a Two-legs, their mana always came to him immediately after their death.

Not dead.

Lana appeared next, gasping for air. Her sword was still coated in blood, but was quickly being washed off in the water. She dragged the unconscious Micah to the surface, and yelled. "Wren! We need to get to Holly!"

"I know! Take him to her, I'll only slow you down." Wil expected her to refuse, but she nodded once. She tossed the Human on her shoulder, and started running towards the exit. She was dripping water, and blood, so she really wasn't moving very fast. Whose blood it was, he was unsure. Clearly, his Serpent was not meant for underwater fighting.

So close...

The Dwarf watched them both leave, and he sat back on his butt. He stared towards them, through half closed eyes. Then a small splash sounded out again, and the Clerics newly acquired staff bobbed to the surface.

Wren smiled, and grabbed the weapon. He used it similar to how Micah had been, as a cane. He hobbled after his teammates, moaning with every step.

When the two Humans had gotten past the Jungle room, and some very shocked Miners, Wil heard another shout. It was that obscenely large Human, who was nearly the same size as that disgusting mutant. She was freely crying, and picked Micah off the shoulder of the woman.

Belle said her name was Holly.

The other guardian of his entrance appeared, the small Two-legs who reminded him of a beast. He had seen a few of their kind in his Dungeon from previous Adventuring Parties, and had even managed to kill one. The red eared Beast-women impatiently tapped her foot at the entrance of his Dungeon, and stopped when she spotted Wren. She went over and carried him like a mother would a child. He grumbled something about dignity, but she ignored him until he had been brought outside of the Dungeon. The Miners took that as their cue, and left as well. Soon, all the Adventurers had exited his home, and he could feel control return to him.

He felt each and every one of his Monsters returns from the dead, and watched as their bodies reformed out of his golden-green mana. Verne appeared back in his room, and Grizzly in his cave. The sisters under their tree, and the Howlers in the branches. The three Serpents appeared from the connecting tunnels, and all of his Monsters were now back to their original positions.

Belle flew out immediately towards Verne's room, and Sol had already left his spot on the shelves. The small Treant was sprinting towards Grizzly's cave.

Until next time, Two-legs.

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

Inside the Infirmary, located next to the Adventuring Guild Outpost.

"Get back, foul woman! Leave me to my healing in peace!" Wren shouted towards Holly.

She just clucked her tongue, and with a small smile, flipped him onto his stomach. He grunted in pain, as she was now poking his injured leg. Her healing had fixed his bones easily enough, but the muscles were still sore.

"How does it feel here" She asked, poking his inner thigh with a heavy finger.

"Any closer, and you need to buy me dinner first." He mumbled; voice muffled by the bedsheets under his face.

Just then, the bed started shaking. All the other patients in the Infirmary quieted, and Wren felt Holly's touch disappear from his leg.

He realized the bed wasn't shaking, the floor was. Soon, he heard steps approaching his bedside. From his vantage point, he saw legs as thick around as his waist. A voice he was all too familiar with sounded out, and it commanded his attention.

"How are they, Holly?"

"Stable. The boy, Micah, was near death when he exited. He is sleeping a few cots over; rest is all he needs now. This one got out with just a broken leg, and some new bruises. Lana had a few cuts, but is otherwise healthy."

A short pause, and he spoke again. Wren had tried to sit up to face him, but his legs were too sore to move. "Is he conscious enough to report?"

He heard Holly click her tongue, and sigh. "Keep it short. He still needs to rest." She grabbed him by the shoulders, and put him into a sitting position on the bed cot. He was now eye level with the Guild Officers waist. 

Brian stared down at him with a neutral expression, and looked expectantly towards him. Wren was confused for a moment, then understood. "Oh. Yes sir, Wren Giltrell reporting in."

All the other Adventurers in the Infirmary were dead silent, clearly listening in. Whatever he said was going to become common knowledge in the town within the hour. He wasn't sure if this was intentional or not by the Guild Officer, but he wasn't going to say no to this man.

Brian motioned for him to get on with it. "Tell me about your Boss encounter."

"Yes sir. I can now confirm the boss is an Imbued Bear, nearing 10ft of height. I would say it is twice the size of the native bears in this Forest. Dark brown fur, gold eyes, and fangs as long as my arm. The Boss also has an Earth Affinity." At this, all of the Adventurers in the room began chattering in hushed tones. Brian turned his attention towards the loudest of the patients, and the man visibly withered under his gaze. All the other injured kept quiet after that.

"The Boss had control over the earth in the room, and used an ability similar to Earth Wave." Earth Wave was the same spell Lana had. Brian raised an eyebrow at this. "He also used another. Unfortunately, I am unfamiliar with it's name. Pillars of earth were shot from the ground in a direct line. It was this, that broke my leg." He shuddered at the memory of being sent sailing into the air.

"While I recovered from the Earth Wave attack, the Boss moved in to finish me off. It was then, that Micah saved me." He thought back to what had happened, and still couldn't believe frail Micah had actually stepped in to protect his life.

"Is that why he is now bleeding all over my Infirmary?" Brian asked.

"Yes sir, he took a swipe from the Boss. He used his final Heal to keep himself alive afterwards, and that was why my leg was still broken when we left the Dungeon." He replied sullenly. He still hadn't thanked the boy for saving his life. He decided to do so once he woke.

"Where was Lana during this?" 

"She had been knocked into the river in the center of the room, during the Earth Wave attack. After injuring Micah, the Boss focused on me. He broke my leg with the Pillar attack, and would have bitten my head off if the two did not save me. Lana stabbed the bear's neck, and I scored a hit into the beast's eye. Micah finished it off with a final attack, and the Boss died from the wounds. Afterwards; we paid our respects to the Core, and left." He finished his recollection of the Dungeon Dive, slightly shaking at the memories.

"What your saying is; the only reason you three survived, was because you got lucky?" He said with a raised eyebrow. He wasn't really asking, and said it more as a statement.

"Yes." He replied gravely.

Brian nodded at this, and let out a small huff. Papers near his bedside fluttered from the burst of air, and Wren finally garnered the courage to look into the Guild Officer's eyes. 

He was looking down at him, face impassive. "Good enough. Your next dive is in a few days, report back to Joy when you are ready to return to the Dungeon."

"Y-Yes sir." He shakily replied. He couldn't believe that was the response the man had. 

The room shuddered as the Guild Officer exited the Infirmary, and all the patients resumed their whispering. Many looked towards him with strange looks. Some seemed annoyed at his luck, others directed pitiful gazes in his direction. Most, however, gave him looks of respect. The first Adventurers to kill the Dungeon Boss was a hotly discussed topic in the town, and he had just increased the popularity of his Dungeon Party greatly.

Soon, many of the patients hobbled over to his bedside to ask questions about his dive, and he gave them small smiles as he recounted the tale. He cast one final glance towards Micah, who was still sleeping, and sent a silent thought of thanks towards the boy.

He may be the bravest Cleric I've ever met, or the dumbest.