With a horrific roar, the gigantic dragon heaved itself up over the heroes. It arched back, fire burning in its chest and spilling from its jaws. Claws as large as forearms curled down at the heroes.

Several vicious gashes opened in the dragon’s scaled hide. Its left wing hung limp, flopping awkwardly down the side of its body. It bled profusely, its rear claws slipping in its own blood even as it reared up for one last attack.

“Alice, quickly. While its guard is down!” a man in the center of the party shouted. He strummed his lute, brightly-colored tunic dancing with the rush of wind from the dragon’s remaining wing. Magical music resonated through the air, bolstering his fellow party members.

A shadow peeled off the ceiling and dropped down on the dragon, wielding a pair of wickedly sharp daggers. She spun around, gathering momentum, and struck at the dragon’s jugular as she passed.

The dragon screamed. Its fiery breath seared the ceiling and the walls as its neck whipped back and forth. Alice slipped away, reappearing in the midst of her party.

In a crevasse in the very back of the dungeon’s final room, a tiny form jolted. Little limbs tensed, and a small head turned to look up. “Mom?”

“Now, Jaro!” the man shouted.

A muscular man stepped forward. With a grunt, he slammed his shield down in front of the party. A translucent barrier emanated from the shield and surrounded the group.

The dragon snarled. Its claws smashed into the barrier, but the barrier held. It slammed again and again, but its strength fled as its blood pooled on the floor. Even so, it didn’t give up. Over and over again, it reared and threw itself on the barrier, desperate.

“Is the boss supposed to be this sloppy?” Fontea, the swordsman, asked. She peered at the man in the center and cocked an eyebrow at him.

“Why are you asking me? No one’s ever conquered this dungeon,” Silas replied, shrugging. His hands danced over a lute, playing the song that empowered the entire party. Sweat dripped down his back, and his fingers bled, but he played on, ignoring his exhaustion.

“We’re only A-rank, and we have the final boss on the ropes, but no one’s ever conquered this dungeon?” Fontea asked.

Silas shrugged again. “I don’t know what you want from me. Maybe no S-ranks ever came out here? It’s pretty remote.”

“I guess that’s possible,” Fontea allowed. She drew her sword back and took a deep breath.

“Fontea, prepare your most powerful strike,” Silas ordered, throwing out his hand with a dramatic strum.

“Thank you, O Great Leader. I don’t know what we’d do without you.” Fontea focused, watching as the dragon lowered its neck in exhaustion.

The little form twitched. Wide eyes watched in horror as the dragon stumbled and almost fell. “Mom!”

The dragon turned, distracted. It reached back and made a gesture. The stone wall shifted subtly, closing around the small child.

The second it was distracted, Alice darted out again. She leaped up. The dragon turned, arcing its neck to follow her.

Fontea leaped out of the barrier. She released her strike, and her sword bit deep into the dragon’s neck, cleaving scale, flesh, and bone. The dragon’s head flew away, streaming thick red blood behind it.

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From the stone wall came an abrupt screech, silenced as suddenly as it had come. Two hands pressed over the figure’s mouth. Her breath came short, her eyes wide. She trembled, afraid to move, hidden away in the wall. I’m safe. They can’t see me. I’m safe. I’m safe.

“Did you hear that?” Fontea asked, looking around.

“All I hear is that damn lute!” Alice replied, scowling at Silas.

He lowered his hand from the instrument and rolled his eyes at her. “You’re welcome for my leadership and wonderful support, by the way.”

“Eh? You mean those useless commands and that annoying twang-twang-twang?” Alice said, putting her hands on her hips.

“Alright, alright, get a room, you two. In the meantime, Jaro, wanna help me carve up the loot?” Fontea asked, gesturing Jaro on.

“That’s right. Alice, why don’t you poke around and see if there’s a hidden chest or locked door somewhere?” Silas suggested.

“Is anyone injured?” Milo asked, stepping in from around the corner. He raised a hand to peer at the dragon, then shook his head. “Phew, that’s a big one.”

“Dungeon boss, in fact. We’ve done it, Milo. Dungeon’s ours,” Fontea declared, grinning.

“Ours? We conquered it?” Milo asked, putting a hand to his mouth.

“That’s the dead boss right there, so… yep, we did it,” Fontea said, nodding.

Hidden away in the crevasse, fat tears slid down the girl’s cheeks. She gulped air and covered her mouth again, stifling even the sound of her cries. The girl scrunched down smaller and held completely still, even repressing her trembling body. Small. Hidden. It’s safe here. Stay safe. Stay safe!

Alice walked over to the stone wall. She took it in, a hand on her chin. “Hmm…”

The girl jolted. She held her breath and froze completely, afraid to make even the slightest sound.

A shadow fell over her hiding spot. Long dark hair dangled into the crevasse. A beautiful woman peered at the rock wall above her, raising a hand to press it against the stone. “This…”

The girl’s heart raced. Not daring to blink, she watched, motionless and silent.

“Alice! Chest,” Silas called.

Alice snorted. She shoved away from the wall. Her footsteps rapidly faded. “Bossy bossy bossy! Let me do my job, shitty bard!”

Gasping a breath, the girl shuddered. She curled up, covering her head with her hands. Go away. Go away. Stop hurting my mom and go!

Time passed. Outside, the party chattered, wandering around the room. Horrible cracks and wet snaps rang out. At first, the girl jolted with every one, but after a while, she became numb to the sound.

Abruptly, it went silent.

“Mom?” The girl peeped out of her crevasse. A massive form laid limp on the ground before her. As usual, her back curved high toward the ceiling, covered in impressive blue scales. Deep gashes still leaked blood, but she’d seen worse before. Mom always survives. She’ll be fine.

“Mom, are you sleeping?” She stumbled around the corner of her mother’s shoulders, putting a hand on her familiar, comfortingly sturdy body.

That body crumpled under her hand. It rolled backward to reveal an empty hide, emptied of meat, organs, even most of the bones. Only a few rib bones and the hips remained, too unwieldy to carry out of the dungeon.

“Mom! Mom, mom, mom,” the girl cried. Tears flowed again, thicker than before. She fell to her knees, hands splashing into her mother’s spent blood. “Mom…”

Something rolled out of her mother’s corpse. A round stone, glowing with faint silvery light. She reached out instinctively, little hands plucking it off the ground.

As soon as her hands touched the orb, a blast of wind blew into her face, sending her hair flying. Images flew before her eyes, one after another. Rooms upon rooms, full of monsters. Winding paths. Dozens of environs and puzzles, deep pits and soaring pillars. More than she could comprehend, her body trembling as she connected with the entire dungeon.

“I… Mom, what’s this?” she whispered, but her mother had no response. She held the orb carefully in both hands, her eyes wide. Instinctively, she felt it was precious, that if it was destroyed, she would die as well.

She hugged it close. Safe… I have to keep it safe! Safe from those nasty people who killed mom…

Again, images flashed before her. This time, of humans. Human after human, crawling within her world. She shuddered. It’s like there’s ants all over me. Get off. Get off!

All throughout the dungeon, the ground revolted and the ceiling trembled. Adventurers stumbled, crashing into the walls. In that moment, too, the monsters all whipped around. They charged at the adventurers, teeth bared, more vicious than before.

Get out! Leave me alone! Stop hurting me and my mom! The girl curled around the core, eyes squeezed shut, and shivered in fear.

“Give her back. Give Mom back,” she murmured to no one, as tears rolled down her face.