“What do we do?” Brick asked. “Accept the reward?"

Zoe nodded and pushed her acceptance towards the system. A moment later, mana surged in front of the group and manifested in their rewards. Though to Zoe’s surprise, there was no gold. No coins, no money. In its place, was a pile of colourful gems that floated in the air before them, along with two rings, a monocle, and a dark, ragged cloak.

*Ding* You have accepted the Grondur’s dungeon reward. Teleportation will begin in 60 seconds… 59…. 58… 57…

“My light,” Spark said, staring at the pile. “We’re rich.”

Blue nodded, grinning. “Yeah we are. Do we even need to get the dragon anymore?”

Brick scoffed. “Of course we do. But now we’ll be better at it. Lets make a stop at the next town and stock up on some supplies. But first, Mara. Is this teleportation safe?”

“It should be,” Zoe answered. “But collect the stuff first. I don’t think it will get teleported out with us.”

Brick nodded. “Okay. Mara, heal us while we wait for the teleport.”

Zoe nodded and started healing Spark, the most wounded. A massive gouge carved out of their back from when the mole smashed them into the jagged ground stitched itself back together through Zoe’s magic.

“What do these things do?" Spark asked, pointing at the items floating in the pile of gems. Their excitement overwhelming whatever pain the wound was causing.

“Could be anything. The rings are probably storage items, but—” Zoe started to explain, then tried to stop Spark as they grabbed one of the rings and put them on. “We can’t be sure. They might have negative effects.”

Brick sighed and grabbed the remaining items, storing the gems away in their storage item. “How do we tell?"

“Honestly, I don’t know. I knew a person who did it. Or, really I knew a person who knew a person who did it.” Zoe answered.

“Could they check these out for us?” Brick asked.

Zoe shook her head. “They’re a little far away now.”

“How far?" Brick asked.

“Far.” Zoe answered.

They nodded. “So we’ll have to find somebody we can trust to decipher these, or try our luck at using them on our own.”

“One bag,” Spark said. “It’s a full bag.”

Blue’s eyes widened. “A full bag? Oh my light. What about the other one?” Blue eyed the ring in Brick’s hand.

Brick looked at Zoe. “Is it risky to try?”

“I don’t know. Probably not, honestly. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be, you know?" Zoe answered.

Brick nodded and put the ring on. A small pulse of mana rushed into the ring and excitement filled their emotions. “Another bag. Two full bags for a days work. Can we keep clearing the dungeon, Mara? Will it give the same rewards every time?"

“Mmm, maybe. The rewards differ every time. This was…” Zoe paused for a moment. By all accounts, the rewards were rather weak for how high level the dungeon was. Two bags was nothing compared to the rewards she’d seen.

But to the people down here in the valleys, this was a life-changing reward. They’d gone from some degree of relative comfort to pure luxury in an instant. Was this a good reward then, for the people who lived down here?

How did the system decide on rewards for its dungeons? Why did it give gems down in the valley, but coins up at the peak? Why did it give storage items far exceeding anything anybody down in the valley would even conceive of in far weaker dungeons up on the peak?

“Mara?” Brick asked.

“Sorry. I’m not sure how to quantify this reward, but it might not be as good next time.” Zoe answered.

“Do the rewards get better when the dungeon hasn’t been cleared for a while?” Blue asked.

“I don’t know, to be honest. I’m not sure I’ve ever actually thought of that. Maybe? I guess that makes sense.” Zoe said.

Mana rushed in, twisting and warping space then dropping them off outside above the dungeon entrance they entered from. Silence fell over the group as Brick tapped on their chin with a finger, lost in thought.

“Okay,” Brick said. “We’ll camp out here and try again tomorrow. If the rewards are still this good, we’ll have a decision to make.”

“I vote we just keep doing this forever. Why do anything else?" Spark asked.

“It’ll get boring,” Blue said. “And what use do we really have for more gems? Wealth won’t make us happy.”

“It sure won’t hurt,” Spark said.

Brick laughed. “No, it won’t. But Blue’s right. It’ll get boring eventually. Why not look for more dungeons, try new things? We’ll give it another go tomorrow, with everything we’ve learned and see how the rewards compare to today’s.”

“Anybody have a suggestion for the final fight, tomorrow?" Brick asked.

“Yeah,” Blue responded. “We don’t need to go through the tunnel. We can just dig down from the main cavern and avoid that whole disaster.”

“I thought we could spend more time in the tunnel, personally.” Spark suggested. “The smaller moles weren’t much of a problem for us in the final fight, but if we could clear them out before we get there then that would be one less thing for Mara to have to worry about. I think we’d have an easier time dealing with the larger ones if we didn’t have to get used to our new footing after Brick teleports us, and if Mara could just track the large ones instead of the horde.”

Brick nodded. “I like both ideas, but the smaller moles that attacked us in the final fight might not have been the same ones from the tunnel. Even if we clear out the tunnel, there might be more small ones in the room anyway.”

“Right. That makes sense.” Spark said.

“But we’ll try it tomorrow. We’ll stay in the tunnel and clear them out, then go back up to the cavern and dig down to the arena. Mara, will the large mole always appear in the same location?” Brick asked.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

“It should,” Zoe answered. "Boss fights always seem to be the same from what I can tell.“

“Good. Then we might be able to get the jump on it before it collapses the ceiling which will leave us with better footing for the fight, on top of possibly not having to deal with the smaller ones swarming us at the same time.” Brick said.

Blue and Spark both nodded then looked at Zoe, who nodded along. “I think the moles are the same ones from the tunnel.” Zoe added. “At least it felt that way. There were too many to be sure, but if there were moles down in the final fight as well then the ones from the tunnel joined in. Clearing them out would at least make it easier.”

The group settled into the small earthen hole they’d called home for a few days now, and Brick pulled out the two remaining items they hadn’t identified. The dark cloak and the monocle.

“What are they?” Spark asked.

“No idea,” Brick answered. “Anybody want to take the risk of trying them on?"

Spark and Blue both shrugged, accepting the risk for themselves. Blue took the monocle while Spark took the cloak.

As soon as Spark donned the cloak, they became almost impossible to see to Zoe’s eyes. To her Cosmic Vision, nothing seemed to have changed but with her eyes, she could see right through where Spark was. Only the faintest shadow remained in their place, shifting in the slight breeze and with each breath they took.

Spark took it off a moment later. “That’s awful.”

“What is?" Brick asked.

“Try it,” Spark tossed the cloak to Brick who put it on and took it off a moment later.

“Eugh. Yeah, that’s terrible.” Brick said. “Extremely disorienting.”

“What’s it do?” Blue asked.

“Everything becomes very dark, and every source of light is blindingly bright. It’s awful.” Brick said.

“It makes you hard to see though. Could be useful.” Zoe said.

“I guess. I’d be hard pressed to give up my sight like that, even if it makes me hard to find.” Brick said.

“Agreed,” Spark said. “What’s the monocle do?"

Blue put the monocle to their eye and it shrunk to a perfect fit over their eye, nestling in between their cheek and just below their eyebrow. “Things look brighter. Not blinding, but brighter.”

Brick smiled. “That’s a good one at least. Three for four, not bad. Hopefully it lets you see in the dark. Give it a try tonight.”

Blue tried to take the monocle off, but their finger went straight through the metal ring around the lens. They scratched at where the monocle was a few times, panic beginning to rise within them. “I can’t get it off.”

Brick tried to grab the monocle as well, fear flooding out from them, but their finger went through the metal ring all the same. “Any negative effects? Does it hurt? Do you feel unwell?”

Blue shook their head. “No, just makes things brighter. That’s all.”

“Okay,” Brick nodded, a wave of relief washing over them. “Okay. No more testing these items ourselves then. This was a lucky boon, Blue’s left with a monocle they can’t take off that lets them see better. But it could have been the cloak that we couldn’t take off. It’s not worth the risk, no matter how much we stand to gain.”

“Anybody want the cloak?” Brick asked.

Spark shook their head.

“I’d like to try it at least,” Zoe said, catching the cloak as Brick tossed it to them. She tried the cloak on, and her vision darkened as soon as she did. The pinhole at the top of the hole that let in the faintest hint of light seemed like she was staring at a blinding sun.

She closed her eyes and focused on her Cosmic Vision which seemed unaffected. Brick was watching her with a curious expression while Spark was stifling laughter. Blue continued scratching at the monocle stuck to their face.

Zoe took the cloak off and stored it in her bracelet. “I can keep it? I like it.”

“You can see with that on?" Brick asked.

“Not really,” Zoe said. “But I like how it makes me hard to spot, at least.”

Brick shrugged. “No skin off my back, you were a big help in there so you can keep it if you want it.”

“Thanks,” Zoe said.

Brick shook their head and laid down on one of the raised platforms, pulling a blanket they summoned over themselves. They summoned two more, tossing them at Blue and Spark who followed along and got onto their own beds.

Zoe summoned a blanket for herself and laid down on the final empty bed an drifted off to sleep. She had wonderful dreams of relaxing back home with the two cats sleeping next to her. Oliver on her left, Fennel on the right. Their tiny bodies rising and falling with each breath, and their small adorable snores the only sound breaking through the comfortable silence.

She woke to Brick leaning over her, shaking her violently. Anxiety and fear flooded the hole they were in like somebody had broken a dam barely holding back the worst terror she’d ever felt.

“Wanderer,” Brick hissed at Zoe, barely audible to even her enhanced ears.

“What?" Zoe asked, rubbing her eyes.

“Shhhhhh,” Brick hissed. “Wanderer. Seal the hole. Now.”

Zoe pushed mana into her Earth skill, sealing the pinhole in the roof of their hole off. “What’s a wanderer?" She asked as she yawned and stretched on the bed.

Brick eyed her with a look of suspicion. “What do you mean by that?" They whispered. The fear that overwhelmed the small hole falling away to relief and calm after the hole was sealed off.

Zoe blinked a few times, realizing what she’d said in her sleepy stupor. “Nevermind, I was still half asleep. Forget what I said.”

She looked around through her Cosmic Vision and saw a vile foot step into the edge of her perception. Mangled and covered in pulsating black scabs. Another foot followed after, revealing more of the creature.

Their legs were twisted like a rope, covered in the same pulsating black scabs. Their hands reached down below their knees, ending in twisted claws. The creature took another step, revealing their torso covered in more of the scabs and with a large hole through the center of them with threads of blackness stretching across like a spiderweb of fear itself.

It was humanoid, and even vaguely human. As though a human were wrung through a washing machine a few times and coated in black bean paste. Its jaw was detached and bounced with each of its sloppy steps, its eye sockets were empty, with more of the black threads stretching across the surface of them. And on its head were thin strands of black that stretched down behind it and dragged along on the ground as it walked.

Brick sat down on their bed and looked at Zoe. “Get back to sleep. I’ll wake you when we’re safe.” They whispered.

Zoe shook her head. “I’m up now, no point going back to sleep.”

“It’s still there,” Brick said. “I can feel it.”

“Do you think you could take it if you tried?” Zoe asked.

“Are you insane?” Brick asked. “Fight a wanderer? We’re barely level two hundred. We’d die in an instant.”

Zoe nodded. “It all seems the same at level one hundred, I guess. You all seem so strong, it’s hard to imagine something that would be so dangerous for you.”

Brick puffed air out of their nose. “Well, a wanderer would be it. Maybe the dragon, we’ll see. What are you waiting on, anyway?"

“What do you mean?" Zoe asked.

“Your level hasn’t changed since we met. Why are you waiting?” Brick clarified.

“Something better, I guess. Maybe after we find this dragon the system will give me something better.” Zoe said, watching the wanderer above them walk over their home. Each step they took their twisted feet dug into the dirt, ripping up some of the grass.

“You plan to come with us when we fight the dragon?” Brick asked. “We won’t be able to keep you alive, you know?"

Zoe nodded. “Of course. How often do you get to fight a dragon?”

Brick smiled. “Not often. Just try not to die. I’ve come to enjoy having you around.”