Brent hovered in the Core Room, his glowing Dungeon Eye fixed on the image of Jay’s lifeless body being left behind in Vulcanis’ forge. The remaining members of the adventuring team wore somber expressions, their shoulders slumped and eyes downcast as they prepared to continue.

“Man, that was rough,” Brent muttered, the usually chipper tone of his voice subdued. “I know this is a dungeon, and people die in dungeons, but... I didn’t think it’d happen so brutally.”

“Death is a common outcome in dungeons,” Emil replied, his voice calm but tinged with sympathy. “It’s a harsh reality, Brent. Adventurers know the risks when they enter.”

“Yeah, but he got his head smashed in. That’s not exactly... subtle,” Brent said, watching as the adventurers exchanged quiet words, their grief palpable.

“Vulcanis is a strong addition, but he may have overstepped,” Emil admitted. “They’re clearly shaken. Perhaps we could show a little leniency moving forward?”

Brent sighed, his core dimming slightly as he deliberated. “I think you’re right. Let’s call for restraint. Ferron, Kagejin—make sure the next set of traps doesn’t go too hard on them. We need them to keep moving, not to break entirely. Zyrris, Please try to show some restraint. I mean, if they're just stupid, kill them, but if they are trying hard and doing well, let them through. I can't imagine they'll finish all the laps now.”

Ferron’s gruff voice echoed through the Core Room. “Got it, boss. I’ll spread the word. No promises on Shadow, though. He likes his work too much. Though, he shouldn't be too much of an issue. He is on the first floor, after all.”

“That little gremlin,” Brent said with a half-hearted chuckle. “Alright, let’s give them a chance to breathe. I don’t want this dungeon to be a complete slaughterhouse.”

The Silver Serpents pushed their carts into the fifth room, the air heavy with their shared grief. Liriren, usually sharp and sarcastic, was silent, her eyes rimmed with red. Tomas gripped his steering wheel so tightly his knuckles were white, while Baldric muttered something under his breath that no one could hear.

“Jay was an idiot,” Tink said softly, her voice trembling. “But he was our idiot.”

Korwin nodded solemnly. “He was reckless, but he kept us together. We wouldn’t have made it this far without him.”

“Doesn’t make it any easier,” Liriren said, her voice barely audible. “We’ve lost teammates before, but not like that. Not so... final.”

There was a long pause as the group let the weight of their loss settle. The forge had claimed their leader, but they couldn’t linger on it forever.

“Jay wouldn’t want us to give up,” Korwin finally said, his voice steady but firm. “We push forward. For him.”

“For him,” the others echoed, though their voices lacked conviction.

The somber tone was shattered as the team entered the next room, the click of the carts transitioning onto a new track echoing ominously. The walls of the room were etched with glowing runes that pulsed in rhythmic patterns, casting flickering shadows across the chamber. A faint mechanical hum filled the air, accompanied by the occasional hiss of pressurized air escaping from hidden valves.

“Great. What fresh hell is this?” Baldric muttered, his usual bravado dampened but not entirely extinguished.

The track split into two diverging paths, one leading upward and the other curving downward. Overhead, a massive spinning blade began to descend slowly, while at the far end of the room, a series of arrow traps lined the walls, their glinting tips ready to fire.

“We stick together,” Korwin said, his voice commanding. “No splitting up. We’ll take the downward path—it looks like it might be easier to maneuver.”

As they veered onto the lower track, the hum of the machinery grew louder. Panels on the walls suddenly flipped open, revealing rows of dart traps. A volley of darts shot across the track, forcing the adventurers to duck low in their carts.

“Watch out!” Tink shouted, her voice sharp as she narrowly avoided a dart that embedded itself in the back of her cart.

The team swerved and ducked, their carts moving in a chaotic dance to avoid the deadly projectiles. Tomas managed to maneuver his cart with surprising grace, weaving between the traps with more grace than they had during the first rooms.

“Looks like someone finally learned to drive,” Liriren quipped, a hint of her usual sarcasm returning.

“Keep talking, and I might just slow down,” Tomas shot back, a faint smile breaking through the tension.

As the team rounded a sharp corner, the floor beneath them suddenly shifted. Sections of the track tilted at odd angles, creating an unpredictable terrain that sent their carts skidding dangerously close to the edge.

“Who designs this stuff?” Baldric yelled, his cart teetering on two wheels before he managed to right it.

“The same people who thought Vulcanis was a good idea, probably,” Liriren muttered, her grip tightening on the steering lever.

The adventurers reached the final stretch of the room, where a massive pendulum swung back and forth across the track. The blade was razor-sharp, gleaming ominously as it sliced through the air.

“Wait for it... now!” Korwin shouted, timing the pendulum’s swing perfectly as he gunned his cart forward. The others followed suit, narrowly avoiding the deadly blade.

The final obstacle was a series of spinning gears embedded in the walls, their jagged teeth grinding together menacingly. Tink, quick on her feet, spotted a switch plate near the edge of the track.

“I’ve got it!” she yelled, leaning out of her cart to hit the switch with her wrench. The gears ground to a halt, allowing the team to pass through unscathed.

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As they exited the room, the tension in the air began to ease. For the first time since entering the dungeon, they felt a glimmer of hope.

“Not bad,” Baldric said, his tone almost casual. “For a death trap.”

Korwin glanced back at the room they had just conquered, his expression resolute. “One step closer. Let’s keep going.”

Back in the Core Room, Brent watched the adventurers’ progress with a mixture of pride and anticipation. “They’re getting better,” he said to Emil. “They’re figuring it out.”

“Adventurers are resilient,” Emil replied. “But don’t get too comfortable. They’re still not done.”

Brent’s Dungeon Eye glowed brighter. “Good. Let’s see how far they can go.”

As the adventurers prepared to enter the next room, Brent couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement. The second floor was turning out to be everything he’d hoped for—and more.

The Silver Serpents pushed onward, their carts rolling into the sixth room of the second floor. The air grew heavier as they entered, the temperature noticeably cooler than the last few rooms, a stark contrast to Vulcanis' molten forge. The sound of grinding gears and occasional metallic clanks echoed through the chamber. Dim, pulsing lights from glowing runes etched into the walls gave the room an ominous atmosphere.

“Here we go again,” Liriren muttered, gripping the steering wheel of her cart tightly.

The track ahead split into two paths that looped and intertwined like a twisted braid. Between the paths were clusters of jagged, metallic sculptures that sparked and hummed with energy. Small, sharp-edged platforms hovered in midair, darting from side to side as though searching for something to crush.

“Looks like they’re upping the ante,” Tomas said, scanning the room warily.

“No kidding,” Baldric replied, his eyes narrowing as he spotted movement ahead. A trio of metallic creatures emerged from the shadows—lean, spider-like constructs with sharp claws and glowing red eyes.

“Great. New friends,” Tink muttered, already preparing herself for the inevitable chaos.

The spider-like constructs, aptly named Shredder Spindles, skittered onto the track, their claws scraping against the flattened surface of the track. Each had a spiked tail that they whipped back and forth, ready to lash out at the adventurers.

“Alright, keep your distance!” Korwin barked, taking the lead. “We’ve got this!”

The adventurers surged forward, their carts weaving around the obstacles. The Shredder Spindles, however, were quick and nimble, darting across the track to intercept them.

One spindle leapt onto Baldric’s cart, its claws digging into the frame. Baldric let out a growl, grabbing his mace from his side. With a swift swing, he struck the creature squarely in its glowing eye, shattering it with a burst of sparks.

“Not today, you overgrown can opener!” Baldric roared as the construct crumpled and fell off the cart, its legs twitching uselessly before it went still.

“Nice shot!” Tomas called from behind him.

“Try to keep them off me, would you?” Baldric shouted back. “I’m not doing all the work here!”

The remaining constructs scurried toward the other adventurers. Liriren deftly maneuvered her cart to avoid a swipe from one of their tails, her rogue instincts serving her well. Tomas, more confident in his driving now, rammed his cart into one of the Spindles, sending it tumbling off the track.

“Teamwork makes the dream work,” Tomas quipped, grinning.

“Focus, Tomas,” Korwin said, steering his cart past a sparking platform that suddenly dropped onto the track. The adventurers zigzagged through the room, dodging the hovering platforms and the remaining construct, which Tink dispatched with a well-aimed bolt from her hand crossbow.

“Three down. Let’s keep moving!” Korwin urged as the path split again.

The group took the right-hand path, weaving through a series of sharp turns. Gravel flew from their wheels as they raced through a tunnel of rotating blades that lined the walls. The blades moved in a rhythmic pattern, forcing them to time their movements perfectly to avoid disaster.

“Don’t slow down!” Korwin shouted as the adventurers pressed forward.

As they emerged from the tunnel, the path ahead was filled with an array of glowing orbs suspended in midair. The orbs pulsed with energy, and as the adventurers approached, they began to fire arcs of lightning that crackled through the room.

“Stay low!” Tink yelled, ducking beneath a bolt of electricity that narrowly missed her head.

The team worked together to navigate the barrage of lightning, their carts zipping between the orbs with increasing precision. The teamwork they had developed over the past rooms was on full display as they called out warnings and directions to one another.

“Left! Watch the platform!” Liriren called, steering her cart around a particularly unstable section of the track.

“Got it!” Baldric replied, veering to the side just in time to avoid another bolt of lightning.

Finally, the glowing orbs began to dim, signaling the end of the room’s assault. The adventurers slowed their carts as they approached the exit, their breaths coming in ragged gasps.

As the group regrouped just outside the room, Korwin looked over his team. “Everyone okay?”

“Surprisingly, yes,” Baldric said, leaning back in his cart with a smirk. “And I got one of those spider freaks. You see that?”

“Yes, Baldric, we saw it,” Liriren replied, rolling her eyes. “Don’t let it go to your head.”

“Too late,” Tink said with a small grin, earning a chuckle from the group.

“Alright, let’s not get cocky,” Korwin said, though his tone was lighter than before. “We’re doing well, but we’ve still got more to go.”

As they prepared to move on, the adventurers shared a brief moment of camaraderie, their spirits lifted by their success. The challenges were far from over, but for the first time since entering the dungeon, they felt like they were beginning to get the hang of it.

“Let’s see what fresh hell the next room has in store,” Tomas said, his grin widening.

With that, the Silver Serpents pushed forward, their carts humming along as they braced themselves for the next challenge.