A wave of exhilaration washed over me. “Of course you found me again,” I said, grinning. “You found me the first time, after all.” I wasn’t too surprised. Rexy had been in this area far longer than I had. “You still reek!” I added with a laugh, giving its head a hearty pat.

In response, its long tongue wrapped around me in a sloppy, enthusiastic hug, its gargantuan body wiggling with excitement, tail thumping rhythmically against the cave wall.

“Seriously, how do you keep finding me?” I asked Rexy, who promptly poked me with its snout, as if offering the most obvious answer in the world. I supposed it could smell or sense me somehow.

“So, what do you want to do now? Travel with me?” I asked Rexy.

“Arrerrgh,” Rexy trumpeted in agreement.

“But I’ve got nothing to feed that appetite of yours,” I said worriedly. “According to Bailey, the rodents away from here aren’t nearly big enough. And, well, your size? It’s going to draw so much attention.”

“Aheehehe,” she tilted her head back, gargled, and then spat out a neck leash-like item.

“What’s this?” I asked, holding up the surprisingly well-preserved leash. Rexy then nudged its neck against me. “It’s…for you?”

“Arrerrgeeg,” Rexy rumbled, nodding its massive head.

I carefully clambered around Rexy’s neck, fastening the leash. A dense aura suddenly enveloped Rexy, and before my eyes, it began to shrink. In a matter of moments, it was no bigger than a small gecko.

Dr. Keyser is definitely a comic book supervillain.

I let Rexy crawl onto my arm. “That’s from Dr. Keyser?” I asked. Rexy nodded in my hand.

Carefully placing Rexy back on to the ground and then removing the leash. She promptly swelled back to her original, bus-sized proportions.

I examined the leash closely, then looped it around my own waist as a belt. Nothing happened. I guess this item is Rexy exclusive.

“Guess that solves that,” I remarked. Rexy responded with a massive, toothy grin.

“Arrgegr,” Rexy rumbled, dipping her head in a bow.

I clambered onto Rexy’s back, and it promptly stood. “By the way, you should really take a bath,” I remarked. Rexy instantly bucked me off and bolted.

“Wait! You need to clean up a bit! that smell is a bit too…noticeable!” I yelled, chasing after it. “There’s a delicious snack by the lake!” I added as an incentive.

Rexy finally skidded to a halt. “Follow me,” I said, leading it back to the lake where I’d left the carcass.

When we arrived, only about two-thirds of it remained. “Well, that’s the snack,” I pointed out. Rexy immediately went to sniff it, then jumped excitedly and took a massive bite.

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Rexy devoured the rest in a few quick chomps. “Now jump in for your bath!” I called out.

“Arrger?” Rexy whined, giving me its best puppy-dog eyes before trying to make another getaway. I grabbed its tail, holding on tight.

Rexy reluctantly waded into the lake. The water instantly began to bubble and turned a vibrant purple. Small fish and other critters floated to the surface, belly up.

How many years has it been since you last bathed…?

After a while, the purple water dissipated, and the lake returned to its usual crystalline clarity. I took a cautious sniff—Rexy’s… unique aroma had thankfully faded.

I asked Rexy if she could locate Bailey, but she shook her head. We retraced our steps to where we’d left him. He was long gone, undoubtedly safe and sound, probably already whipping up another culinary catastrophe.

I sat in the forest, contemplating our next move. Rexy lay beside me. I should probably find other people, or a town—the original plan when I’d escaped Dr. Keyser’s lab.

“Think you could carry me over that mountain?” I asked Rexy.

“Arrgr?” Rexy looked puzzled and began digging another hole in the ground.

“No… no… I can’t go underground again, it’s too much. I need sunlight,” I said, shaking my head. Rexy promptly stopped digging.

I climbed back onto Rexy’s back. “So, we’re going over the mountain,” I reiterated. “Bailey’s map showed a town on the other side. Do you know where it is?”

“Arrger,” Rexy nodded and took off toward the mountain.

Rexy ascended the mountain effortlessly. We were halfway up when it decided to take a break and vanished in search of food—just like old times underground.

Rexy led us through a long valley nestled between the twin peaks, finally emerging on the other side. I took advantage of the height and caught my first proper glimpse of the city, and the sheer alienness of it hit me again. I’m definitely not on Earth anymore.

The city sprawled across the rugged mountain basin like a cluster of soap bubbles, a dazzling display of glass and polished metal. These towering, translucent domes encapsulated vibrant green spaces, tiered skyscrapers, and bustling streets.

Lush gardens cascaded down terraced levels, weaving through clusters of futuristic architecture. Streams of water tumbled down artificial cliffs, creating the illusion of miniature waterfalls and rivers.

The domes were interconnected by a network of crystal-clear tubes, resembling veins in some colossal, living organism, with sleek, high-speed vehicles zipping through them.

I noticed that at the heart of each dome, colossal machines descended deep into the ground. Their gargantuan structures resembled metallic roots burrowing into the basin’s core. I muttered to myself, “Guess these are the mines Bailey was talking about.”

Despite the sun dipping below the horizon, the city’s domes glowed like giant pearls, their interiors bathed in a soft, ethereal light that seemed to emanate from everywhere and nowhere at once. High above, flying vehicles zipped and zoomed, weaving intricate patterns between the domes and the darkening sky.

I considered my immediate needs. Namely, cash. I glanced at Rexy. “You got any more adamantine?”

Rexy shook her head.

“Any other ores? Gold? Silver?”

Rexy looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded.

Rexy set me down and dashed back into the forest, promptly vanishing underground. After the sun fully disappeared, Rexy returned, dropping two egg-sized ores at my feet.

I picked one up for a closer look. Under the moonlight, it gleamed with a rich golden hue, shot through with veins of pure gold. “Perfect!” I gave Rexy a grateful rub between the ears.

Pointing Rexy towards one of the roadways, we began our slow descent down the mountain. We followed the road, drawing closer to the city’s outskirts.

Once we were close enough, I clipped the leash on Rexy. It shrunk back down to gecko size, promptly scrambling up my back and nestling into my hair.

I pulled my furs and leathers tighter around myself, trying to blend in. I remembered Bailey’s warning—keeping a low profile is very important. Given my… distinctive appearance, I needed a way to enter the city without attracting unwanted attention.

Now, how do I get into the city…