Massive pincers clamped onto the bars of the Dungeon gate, rattling it. Women screamed in terror, and about half the crowd retreated behind the pillars. A few were already sprinting down the trail towards the gift shop-- a smart move.

The more dim-witted ones stood at the rope barrier, filming the gate with their phones.

“Holy moly, what are those things?” one lady said, watching through her phone screen.

“Dungeon monsters,” replied the dad with wrap-around sunglasses. "Pretty cool."

The tour guide sputtered in confusion. “What…No! That’s not possible!”

"Sure look like it,” the dad said, chewing his gum.

“They're Cavern Scorpids,” I said. “One hundred percent. And everybody should get out of here. Now.”

My grandfather had drilled the Dungeon’s fauna and flora into my head, and Cavern Scorpids were Dungeon Adventuring 101. Back in the day, newly minted adventurers often encountered them during their first dive into the Dungeon.

Meg shook her head in vigorous agreement. “For sure, that’s what they are! Holy crap, this is amazing!”

I grabbed the guide by his shoulders and shook him. “Round up the group. Get them out of here now!”

He seemed to snap out of it. “Alright. Yes. Gotta get them out.” He tried to get everyone’s attention. “Alright, everybody Follow me.” Few were listening.

I turned to Meg. “You should go, too.” She frowned, tossing her head proudly. I’d insulted her, but I wasn’t worried about that at the moment. It was about keeping people safe.

“What about you?” she said, a look of interest sparking in her eyes.

“I’m staying,” I replied, striding towards the rope barrier. I urged the smartphone-wielding tourists, “Go back to the parking lot!” But they ignored me. They had no grasp of the danger they were in, gleefully watching the Dungeon archway through their phone screens.

The iron gate rattled violently as the monsters struggled to escape. The guards prodded people with their batons. “Everybody back to the gift shop!” the stout one shouted. “The site is closed.”

Though he seemed happy to have an excuse to order people around, his voice had no real urgency. He did not understand the gravity of the threat, either.

I stepped over the rope barrier to help, but the stout guard lashed out at me.

“Hey! Get behind the barrier!” He jabbed me with his baton.

I pushed the baton aside. “Let me help. Are you prepared to deal with those Dungeon monsters when they break out?”

He screwed up his face with contempt. “They’re not ‘Dungeon monsters.’ Must be… some animals got stuck in there.”

I sighed. I could see what I was dealing with. A true believer. In his mind, they couldn't be Dungeon monsters because that would contradict the government’s official line.

With a resounding clang, the iron gate swung open, its rusty hinges groaning as four Cavern Scorpids poured out. Their exoskeletons, a blend of earthy browns and grays, glimmered slightly in the daylight. Each one had enormous, bone-crushing pincers and menacing tails poised for attack, and their scuttling legs created an unsettling symphony of clicking and rustling.

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I already knew their characteristics from the books I’d studied, as well as my grandpa’s stories. But to see them with my own eyes was mind-blowing.

The largest one charged straight towards us while the others fanned out. Most of the tourists fled towards the gift shop, but half a dozen still stood there with their phones out. The dad laughed excitedly, watching the scene through his phone camera. "This is caraaazy! Look at those things!” he chuckled, apparently unaware that death could be seconds away for him and his son.

The guard turned towards the fast-approaching scorpid, raising his club, but he held his other hand out to push me back. “Get behind the barrier!” he shouted at me.

The scorpid slowed its pace as it neared him. The little gleaming eyes in the middle of its hard head were probably sussing out the weapon in his hand. From what I’d learned, they had a degree of intelligence, though not much.

The taller guard rushed over, but instead of facing the monster, he shoved me with his baton. “You will be arrested if you do not comply with the rules! Understand? Get behind the barrier!”

The scorpid charged forward, its legs scuttling rapidly. The stocky guard shouted, swinging his baton clumsily. It bounced off the scorpid’s pincer with a clack.

The scorpid raised its claws and lifted its tail into the air. That pose meant it was about to strike. The guard clearly had no fighting ability, and the scorpid was emboldened. Meanwhile, another large one scuttled closer while the remaining two fanned out on either side of the tourists.

Shoving past the tall guard, I sprinted towards the large scorpid’s side just as it lunged at the stocky guard. He raised his truncheon, but he was far too slow. The pincer’s rounded edge slammed into him. The truncheon fell from his hand as he doubled over.

I delivered a swift kick to one of the scorpid's legs, aiming for the joint. It shuddered, turning in my direction. A thrill of exhilaration pulsed through me as the massive claws opened. The other large scorpid approached me from the rear.

Clutching his stomach, the stout guard scrambled backwards, falling over the rope barrier. The taller guard watched me with his jaw hanging open. “Here, take my truncheon!” He yelled, tossing his weapon towards me and then stooping to pick up his partner's.

I leapt forward and caught the truncheon, potentially exposing myself to an attack. The scorpids made their move, aiming to snip my limbs off.

But I had a few tricks up my sleeve. I used an ability called Drakin’s Dance, named after my grandfather. Weaving together a combination of strikes and evasions, I escaped the scorpids' attacks and landed several blows on the joints of the biggest one.

Its legs cracked, liquid spewing out. At the same time, I was dodging the other one’s pincers. The biggest one was moving slowly now, dragging its broken legs. My training was working! I figured I could kill them both in 20-30 seconds.

The only problem was, the other two scorpids were heading for the few people who still had not run away – and Meg was among them.

Shit! Why doesn't she go?

I knew the answer. Her eyes shone with excitement. She was obviously a Dungeon enthusiast. This was a moment she dreamed about. There was no way she was going to miss it. I could see the admiration in her eyes as she watched me in combat.

I had finally met someone as obsessed with the Dungeon as I was. That was why it was so tragic. I didn’t want her to die before I even got to know her.

“Meg!” I shouted, landing a kick to the big scorpid’s vulnerable underbelly. “Please, get back to the parking lot. It’s too dangerous here!”

Meg scowled. I was only trying to look out for her, but apparently, it really stung her. “No, I can help, too!” she insisted.

The other two scorpids scuttled beneath the rope barrier towards the group. A woman screamed and darted behind a pillar. The guards lamely tried to confront the scorpids.

I didn’t know what Meg meant in saying she could help, but it terrified me. What exactly did she think she was going to do? But I still had the aggro of two giant scorpids, and they were going for my neck. I had to get rid of them before I could take on the others.

Sidestepping a strike from a scorpid’s sting, I cast a defensive spell called Warding Whispers. This would give me a few seconds to take bigger risks so I could kill them fast. I muttered a brief incantation in Old Elvish, activating the spell. A barely visible blue aura shimmered around me, reducing the impact of incoming attacks.

At the same instant, a scream rose behind me. For a second, I feared I was too late and the scorpids had already killed someone. But then I realized that this scream was different. There was no fear in it.

It sounded more like an Amazon woman going into battle.