Archie purred as he continued to pretend he could feel the pets of the armored woman. While Sally stood and swung her sword about, the other adventurers that Bastion had to offer stood by with cautious interest.

“Good weight to it,” she surmised. “I’ll need to practice and see. Not used to being a knight.”

Other than Poppy and Virgil, she had been surprised to learn that Claude was actually an adventurer too. The fourth was a younger guy than most of the rest. Short dirty-blonde hair, and a look like he’d rather be doing anything other than adventuring. Kenny, he had said his name was, while not making eye contact with her.

The outside world was… okay. Drab, but familiar enough. After they had led her out of the main keep, they came out into a valley. A path flanked by steep hills dotted with trees and shrubbery. At the end of this path was a bulbous hill of deep amber and burgundy. The first Dungeon.

Virgil tilted his head. “Oh, what were you usually? Your outfit is…”

“Not exactly geared for battle, huh?” She gave him a grin. Other than the sword, Claude had managed to find armor that fit her shoulder and elbow. Didn't really protect her most important parts, but she usually made do. “No judgements, but I was more of a necromancer.”

“Some judgement,” Claude murmured, before catching the helmeted glare of Poppy.

The plated woman stood, looking rather crestfallen that she had to stop petting the cat.

[Friend Request: Poppy Lionheart]

Sally turned her head toward her and accepted.

[Poppy: Hey!]

[Sally: Hi Poppy!]

[Poppy: Archie is AMAZING]

[Poppy: Sorry about Claude, he is a grump]

[Sally: Don’t worry, I’m used to worse]

[Poppy: ^^]

[Poppy: I know Chat text is awkward…]

[Poppy: But I had to let you know I believe in you]

[Sally: You can msg me anytime. Let’s see how useful I really am!]

[Poppy: ^^!]

She closed her Chat down and gave the woman a nod. With a deep sigh, she turned to face the rest of the gathered group.

“I know there’s five of us, and that’s kind of a Party… but I don’t expect any of you to follow me or join up in my crusade.” She tilted her head.

Response was mixed.

“You say you can get us past the first Dungeon,” Virgil offered. “We are parched for the comfort of hope, but we are not willing to lay down our lives at your word. If you are able to get us out of this valley, however, I would be happy to join you.”

[Poppy: Same here.]

Claude pulled a face and shrugged. “You’ll need my help. I will not weaken your ascent by being absent from the trials ahead.”

Their eyes turned to Kenny, who was trying to sink through the wall. “I’ll never live it down if I don’t,” he eventually murmured.

“That’s the spirit!” Sally clicked her fingers. All she had to do was clear the overpowered guardian from the end of the valley, and her road to success was all but paved. Hopefully.

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

Dent stepped out from the wider chamber into the waiting room. He pulled a face as he watched the vampire.

“I was kind of hoping you’d also pick them up, not just count them.”

“Almost done,” Theo hissed, holding up a finger to stop the swordsman from interrupting his count any further. On his hands and knees, he was working his way through the discarded rice.

“…Chuck is ready when you are.”

He waited a handful of seconds to see if that would change the vampire’s tune, but it didn’t seem to budge his concentration an inch. With a shrug, he went back through the meeting room and into the back room, where Chuck was still glaring at the various screens.

“Theo is currently determined to finish the job of counting every single rice grain. So…”

The Architect turned and pulled a face. “Well, how many did you throw out there?”

Dent shrugged. “I’m sure he will tell us soon enough.”

With a sigh, Chuck turned back to his screens. “Sally hasn’t made Chat connection yet, so we’ll see. I hope we haven’t made a mistake.”

“You worry too much. You’ll start turning into Edward if you let paranoia dictate your work.”

“Speaking of…” He raised an eyebrow back at the swordsman. “How did your talk with him go?”

“Oh.” Dent sat down at his desk and pulled out an apple to take a bite. “I delegated that to Humphrey, who is currently babysitting the demon. He hasn’t said it’s anything bad, so…” He crunched the fruit again.

“Eh. Well, as long as it’s not something I have to worry about today, then whatever.”

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

Sally stopped and narrowed her eyes. There was definitely a figure at the end of the path now. Humanoid, but she couldn’t work out much more from here. She turned her head back to the reluctant followers.

“And you’re superrr sure that he is now less than 5% health?”

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

Claude nodded. “I have a skill to analyze Monster stats. It has been at 3.4% since the last attempt.”

“Handy.” She took a deep breath. “Alright new pals, you stay here and I’ll either be back... or this has been a strange—and rather disappointing—day for us all.”

Virgil nodded. “May whatever deity allows your odd existence bless you.”

[Poppy: Good luck!!]

She clicked her fingers and gave them a grin before turning and continuing along the path. Once out of earshot, she allowed her smile to sink away, and she raised an eyebrow to the cat walking beside her.

“This place is pretty heavy, huh?”

“Dark times often need the brightness of a fresh candle to bring illumination. The promise of lingering safety.”

She just pulled a face in response. Her intention was never to grab up a Party or lead a group towards her goal of eating all the bad guys. Danger didn’t need to drag the innocents along. If they died because of her foolishness, then it would make her doubt the desire to do this whole world-hopping thing.

“What do you think of the new squad?”

Archie tilted his head from side to side. “Poppy is my favorite.”

“Right? She seems super sweet. I’m not sure if she is mute or just not very social, but she is a doll through Chat.”

“The others vary. A heavy weight has stifled their desire to rise above the odds, as good adventurers are want to do. You have become a spark, potentially lighting the powder keg beneath them.”

She rolled her eyes. “Assuming I don’t get snuffed out.”

“Unlikely. You are oft brazen for a good reason.”

Mostly because she only had half a working brain, she thought. A world of unknowns before her. It was the lucky happenstance that put her as the prime figure able to unblock the valley that had allowed her confidence to take her forward. She’d seen the faces of the ones she had to save, and couldn’t stomach letting them down.

Closer to the figure now, and she could make them out better. Some manner of armor that was twisted, dark browns and bright red. A curved sword in each hand. In seeing her approach, they got into a ready position. Still a good eighty or so feet away.

Until they weren’t.

With a blast of energy, they rocketed forward, closing the distance three times the speed a normal human would be able to. As their weapons blazed with amber energy, Sally tilted her head.

One step to the side, and... [Eat Brains].

Maintaining momentum, the empty-skulled corpse clattered past her, tumbling over itself as it rolled through the dirt pathway to eventually stop—dead. The two blades spiraled way from the limp grip of the guardian, before they faded away like dust.

“Not the worst I’ve tasted. I’m cautiously optimistic for this world.” She wiped the gore from her mouth.

[Level 2 Reached]

[Level 3 Reached]

Her mouth upturned into a sharp grin. “Now that’s good eatin’!” Narrowing her eyes up to the dungeon ahead, she instead turned back to look at the pensive Party. “Will save System bullshit for a moment and let them know Operation Empty Stomach went without a hitch.”

Just ahead of her, the inert corpse of the guardian stood up. Her first zombie pal in this world.

[Sally: Guardian dead, what next?]

[Poppy: Really?? Hard to see from here, but…]

[Poppy: Okay, stay there! We’ll be over ^^]

“Such a ray of sunshine in this bleak world.” She looked down at the cat. “I’ve only known Poppy for an hour, but if anything happened to her, I would kill everyone in this world and then myself.”

“Same.” Archie blinked slowly. “Just going off feelings here, but Level Four should get us the power to set Chat up with Sanctuary. Verily.”

“Is that the mask slipping?” Her eyes rolled. “I can get that Level by finishing up this dungeon, no doubt.” She grinned before wincing as a powered arrow pierced through the head of her zombie, dropping it to the floor. She sighed.

“Are you alright, Sally?” Virgil called out as they got closer.

“Just peachy.” She shrugged and put her hands on her hips until he got closer. “Can you not read body language at all?”

He returned a sheepish smile. “Not as well as I use to. Dire Wolf ambush.”

While she wasn’t requesting the man give the backstory on how he came to lose sight in one eye and had received the wide scars across his face, she at least appreciated how succinct he made the tale.

While Poppy immediately went over to Archie, Claude kneeled down by the dead guardian and furrowed his brow.

“Heavens, girl. What did you do to him?”

“Firstly, Claude, I not a girl, but a grown woman. I know you weren’t being intentionally pejorative, but I just want to establish that I am a fully functioning adult… despite any evidence to the contrary you are likely to see in the near future.”

“Old enough to drink?” Kenny asked, still skulking around at the back.

“I’m twenty-one, so I’m sure. Whatever laws this world has.” She nodded. “Spent a year in a coma, but that still counts. Not that I can drink alcohol here, anyway. Or eat... normal food.” She deflated, remembering the ‘patches’ that Chuck had given her and Theo. They didn’t work outside of Sanctuary.

Virgil tilted his head to the side. “Can’t eat or drink? Then what do you… oh, apologies. Part of my brain is still unwilling to accept that you are a zombie.”

The tasty part of his brain, she was sure.

“I suppose that answers my question, then.” Claude stood and wiped his hands down on his tabard. “I think Kenny is our youngest at nineteen, the rest are mostly thirties and up. Couple late twenties.”

[Poppy: 26 here!]

Sally scratched at her head. Interesting how the Systems differed, she was sure mid-twenties was about the oldest Sanctuary had at the start. She relented to giving the new group a little more information - better now than surprise them in the heat of battle.

“I have a skill that allows me to eat the brains of an opponent when they are below five percent health. It’s a near instant process, and they will rise back up to be a zombie under my control.”

They each gave her a hesitant nod of acceptance.

“It’s a lot, I know. Took me a while to come to terms with it myself. I’m something of an anti-hero…?”

Virgil took to one knee and bowed towards her. “For what it is worth, I trust you wholeheartedly, and request to join your Party to rid the world of Him.”

[Poppy: I’m in, too ^^]

[Virgil has joined the Party]

[Poppy has joined the Party]

She raised an expectant eye at the other two.

Claude sighed. “You actions so far have been compelling. I am yet to be entirely convinced, but I will follow for now.”

[Claude has joined the Party]

“I don’t trust you,” Kenny said, crossing his arms. “You’re a Monster and wanting to kill and eat people means you’re far from worthy of praise or following. However.. I will come along if only to keep an eye on you.”

[Kenny has joined the Party]

“Well, don’t stare too hard - you’ll go blind.” She stuck her tongue out at him. “I got to Level Three. Everyone else want to tell me their Class and Level before I mash the buttons?”

Virgil stood back up. “Ranger-Commander of the Silver Forest, Level Eight. At your service.”

[Poppy: Knight of the Shattering Roar]

[Poppy: I know >>;]

[Poppy: Level Eleven]

“Arch-Bishop of the Last Light, Overseer of Bastion Keep, and right-hand of the Baron. Level Nine.”

Kenny rolled his eyes. “Rogue. Level Six.”

Sally nodded slowly. She had expected slightly higher levels, given that she had just gotten to Three from killing one bad guy. The apprehension on her face must have been easy to see, as Virgil clocked it.

“We are… comparatively new to the System. Most of the higher leveled Players were caught up further on the island. Gaining experience was nigh impossible with the…” He paused as the zombie held her hand up.

“The past fades to ashes in the wake of our bright future,” she said. “Take me to this Dungeon. Let us destroy it.”