When the stone doors opened Cheep-Cheep expected another dark cave but was surprised to find the trail of lights still active and proceeding deeper. He followed but cautiously, unwilling to put his fate completely in the dancing lights. That decision was soon proven wise as some of the green-skinned cave dwellers came screeching from the darkness. These were slightly more muscular than those in the first room and although their eyes still lacked true intelligence their bodies moved with savage purpose.

Cheep-Cheep knew how to deal with savagery, however. He darted to the side, away from the trail of lights, and pressed Aether into one of his Instinct-Gifts, the abilities given by the Life-Words. The life-giving energy flooded his body with speed and power, a gift that he hadn’t wished to use in the presence of others in case they told the chief of it later.

He darted around a towering spear of rock only to leap up and back. One pawed hand grasped the top of the spire and with a wrench of empowered muscles, he twisted around it to land behind the group on soft-furred backpaws. His spear then went to work and he downed two with careful thrusts before the others knew of the danger.

He wounded one more before they completed their turning and so he faced off against two and a half, as the other was limping. He wouldn’t be able to pull off the stunt again as despite their savagery they weren’t completely without instinct themselves. His spear darted back and forth to hold them off until another of his Instinct-Gifts flared white-hot like the Far-Light in the sky. He went flat to the ground, feeling rather than hearing the swoop of an aerial menace.

He rolled, his empowered muscles screaming in protest as he twisted unnaturally to escape the probing stone knives of the savage green ones. As he rose he looked up to find one of the feathery furred bird things from the second room coming back around for another dive. With a click of his tongue, Cheep-Cheep darted off into the black. He would hunt everything that stood before him and his vengeance and he would do it on his own terms.

POV Obu

The Dungeon Core watched as the little Muskeeran systematically tore through her creatures with abilities she hadn’t known he possessed. Had he hidden them on purpose? Perhaps he hadn’t wished his companions to know but that begged the question of why. Not that it mattered much to her. It was better this way.

If he succeeded in his quest it would mean a Rank Up for him and a Rank Up for her. Not to mention that both of them would receive quite a deposit of Experience. Already he had accrued over a thousand from her defeated creatures. Obu monitored his condition and wasn’t surprised when he began to flag. His Aether levels had dropped from consistent use of his abilities and he hadn’t been able to rest to replenish them.

That being said, by the time he finally had to stop he had hunted the majority of her creatures within her Third Room. He had also found the arena where her miniboss stalked and was currently resting some distance away but close enough that he could see the pacing form of her powerful minion. The remainder of her creatures had retreated to their spawners and she found that to be a System enforced instinct.

When she queried the System as to its purpose it stated that as Rooms got bigger and Floors grew larger, the amount of creatures that needed to be defeated in order for challengers to move on fluctuated. This only applied to challengers, however, as invaders would find the entire Dungeon against them if they made the attempt.

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It didn’t take long for Cheep-Cheep to begin to move once more. His Aether had refilled to about halfway which he evidently believed to be enough. She didn’t know why he didn’t wait further but suspected it had something to do with the reason why he hid his powers in the first place. Perhaps he wanted to finish as quickly as possible so that others wouldn’t miss him.

As he stepped onto the rough stone that formed the floor of the arena her creature’s gaze snapped up to meet his. Its goblinoid mouth opened and nonsensical chatter emanated from it. Cheep-Cheep didn’t shy away from the guttural sound and readied his spear with a focused expression. Obu sunk her awareness to surround them. She didn’t want to miss anything.

POV Cheep-Cheep

A nervous energy pervaded Cheep-Cheep’s body as he fought to keep his breath steady. He had faced numerous creatures in the last few hours and the stress of battle had sunk a weariness into his bones that would require extensive rest. Before him stood the last barrier to that rest. Taller than its kin and built with lean muscle that screamed, “Predator,” the creature eyed him hungrily.

There was an increase of intelligence in that gaze that was more terrifying than the strength of its body. Their gazes remained locked for a half breath more and then they flew towards each other. It was fast and powerful but Cheep-Cheep was a hunter well used to keeping threats at bay. He flooded his body with Aether to keep up with its speed and his muscles responded to his demands with a strength born from Aetheric desperation.

He knew now that he didn’t have the ability to maintain his empowerment for terribly long but he hoped that it would be enough. Savage claws tried to rip him apart but the stone tip of his spear kept the creature at bay even as it hissed and spat at him, growling in its guttural tongue. Cheep-Cheep darted to the left before over-empowering his limbs, limbs that creaked at the stress, turning the quick motion into a feint that left the creature wide open.

Cheep-Cheep’s eyes flashed as his second Instinct-Gift activated, his spear flashing forward in a blur. There was a scream of pain and a blur of motion. Then Cheep-Cheep was flying through the air, his mind fuzzy with pain and confusion. Cold water roused him as he landed in one of the pools. The water closed over him as the puddle was revealed to be far deeper than what it seemed.

He managed to reach the surface, despite his pain, and gasped as his head breached the water. There was a low growl and he looked up to see a much-changed creature prowling toward him. Feathery fur like the aerial predators and beaked maw that let out a bass hiss as their gazes locked. Gone was the intelligence, replaced with a greater savagery.

His spear remained embedded in the creature’s torso, the deathblow prevented by some power beyond his knowledge. But the trap below him and the creature’s new lack of intelligence sparked something in Cheep-Cheep’s mind. He bit off his scream of pain as he forced himself up and out of the pool. Something internal had been broken but he had no time to check the wound he had received as the creature lunged toward him with all the speed of a deadly predator.

What it received was trickery. Cheep-Cheep drew up the meager reserves of Aether he had remaining and ducked under its wild grasping claws and plunging beak, grabbing his spear and twisting. The pain was unfathomable and his jaw opened in a hiss of pain as he felt bones creak like they shouldn’t but Aether kept him moving past physical limits. It was enough.

The creature was thrown into the trapped pool and its hissing growl became a panicked one as its beaked face filled with water. It struggled to swim and as Cheep-Cheep suspected its feathers weren’t the same as the feathered creatures that swam on the river and lake nearby that repelled water. These feathers soaked up water until they became heavy and they dragged the creature below into the dark.

Cheep-Cheep collapsed, his breaths becoming wet as something scraped his insides. He knew then that he was dying. He had done his best but the quest had been too much for him. His eyes filled with tears at the thought that he wouldn’t be able to avenge his brother after all. His eyes darkened and it grew ever harder to breathe until he struggled just to gasp another breath.

And then there was a rush of something beyond him. He screamed as his insides realigned, bones snapping back into place and bloody fluid was expelled from his lungs. He passed out even as light descended upon his limp form. Experience rushed to fill him and even unconscious he groaned as it seared itself into his psyche. Then the light lifted and he drifted fully into that deep unconsciousness that only comes to the truly weary.