Daisy opened the door. The halls beyond were filled with dust, and the undead within were once again mobile and lurching towards them. She closed it. "We still have some ways to go before we clear this dungeon." She slumped against the door. "But this is a boss room, mid boss. I vote we rest here." She pointed a thumb back at the door. "They can't come in, so this is a safe camp. The room is all but empty now too."

Cedric nodded. "You're probably right. Let's rest. We can figure out where to go next after we've rested."

They settled near one another in a circle. "Thank you both, for coming with me." Daisy looked at Cedric first, then to Theodore. "I would have been lost in this place by myself, but together, I really think we'll get through this place."

Theo huffed, and he crossed his arms, looking away. "We got this. You got good help, so we'll make this dungeon regret us coming here."

Cedric smiled softly as the others spoke. "I'm sure we will."

Daisy yawned and stretched. "I'm tired. We should rest up and eat something."

Theo nodded as they dug out food and drink. "Yeah, it's been a lot of running around." He gestured towards the door with his chin, taking a bite of his meal. "Do you think we're ready to take this on?"

Daisy flopped onto her side. "After a little rest, yes. I'll keep practicing the healing strikes. It's getting easier, slowly."

Cedric nodded. "Is there anything we can do to help? Anything you want us to do? Any strategy?"

She rolled her hips to give a wiggle. "Keep your cool, don't get hurt if at all possible." Her eyes darted to Theo. "Especially you. You have no mutagen resistance. I don't want you turned into some undead thing."

Theodore huffed at her. "I can handle things. You should be more worried about Cedric. I'm sure he doesn't want to be turned to bone like my tail."

Cedric smiled awkwardly. "You don't know? Um, I'm a construct, of magic. Mutagens don't work on me. It just passes right through, as far as I can tell anyway. So long as we avoid damage, and Daisy can keep herself healed up, I think we're going to win this dungeon." He put a hand on hers.

She wrapped her fingers around his hand, holding a moment before she rolled onto her back.

They ate in companionable silence before sleep crept on them. Daisy was soon curled against Cedric, while Theo settled on the other side.

She woke up to the sound of something cracking. Looking down, she could see her chastity amulet had shattered.

Theo shrank back, ears folded down. "I wasn't going to do nothing!"

Daisy growled and grabbed him, dragging him over to her.

Cedric had woken and was watching them. "What's going on?"

Daisy held Theodore down. "Your buddy here was about to do something to me." She pulled up to sit on top of him. "What were you going to do?"

He squirmed under her but looked down. "Nothing!"

She leaned in. "Don't lie to me. Nothing? Nothing at all?"

Theo tried to melt into the floor with little success. "I was just, um, thinking. I was thinking. I wasn't doing anything. Not my fault that thing went off just because I was thinking!"

Daisy relaxed a little. "Dare I ask what you were thinking about?"

He huffed and looked away. "Maybe if you didn't cuddle so close, it wouldn't have happened."

Cedric was sitting up, looking awkwardly towards them both. Daisy turned towards the bunny. "I think he wanted a piece of me, but I also believe him. He was thinking about it, but didn't do it." She fished out a new amulet to drape over her neck. "You're cool now, right? The amulet should have shot those thought down."

Theo looked away, but he nodded.

"Good." Daisy pulled away from Theodore. "Don't get any funny ideas while we're trying to work together. We'll talk later." She leaned into Cedric's side and he put an arm around her. "I'm sorry, actually."

Cedric blinked up at her. "For what?"

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

"Not for you, for Theo." She huffed at that. "It's not entirely fair. He's with a couple, deliriously happy for each other and hugging and kissing and he's all alone. Not fair really."

Theo was looking away, clearly not comfortable with being pitied. "I can handle it." He sat up. "But thanks." He looked away. "Let's just go finish off this dungeon." He pointed to the door leading onwards. "After you, madame mouse."

Daisy opened the door leading into the second half of the dungeon. The place looked much like the first half, but the undead were different. The ones in this area were more decayed. They stank worse to boot, but her tricks worked on them about as well. As a team, they pressed on quickly. With their combination of healing attacks and fire magic, they ripped through the shambling dead.

They came across an empty room with an altar. Daisy stopped by the door, watching the other two head into the middle of the room. "I don't like it." She trotted up to join them. "Feels like a boss room, but I don't see a single boss anywhere."

Cedric pointed up, and Theodore was already looking that way. "Look up there."

Above them hung a swirling vortex of green light. From that emerged more undead as they watched.

Theo frowned. "Damn it. This is either an endurance match, or a trick fight we have to figure out." He pointed with both wands. "Cover me while I try some stuff."

Daisy nodded, holding up her shield as she moved to keep the undead off him.

Theodore shot fireballs at the portal, but it didn't seem to care as it disgorged more opponents onto the field. A couple skeletons had a bow each and were taking aim. Cedric blasted them with lightning, the magic of both shots arcing between them as they fell.

Theo was doing something else now. He had one hand stretched out, fingers splayed towards the portal as dark energy flowed out.

Daisy smashed a fetid skeleton with her shield and sliced what looked to be a king in another life. "What are you doing?"

"Trying a necromantic spell. I'm basically trying to suck up the portal. If it's a necromantic spell, and this feels like one, I should be able to do it." He squinted with effort, the portal bulging downwards, almost like it was trying to resist him.

Cedric put his back to Theodore's, keeping the others at bay with a sweeping lightning strike that knocked the enemies away and left several bones smoldering on the ground.

Daisy dived at a corpulently large zombie, giving it a forced weight loss diet with her healing magic before cutting the thing in two.

Theo's brow wrinkled as he pulled on the portal, and it was starting to shrink. "Come on, I've got this." His hands clenched, the nails biting into his palms.

"Here!" Cedric put his hand to Theo's back, forcing magic into him.

Theodoren grinned wildly as the portal shrank to nothing. The room was still, no enemies remaining. "You know, you feel weird like that." He gave Cedric a friendly push.

Cedric laughed, his cheeks colored. "I am magic. Making it come or go is part of me. Um, glad that helped at least."

Daisy nodded, putting away her dagger. "I'm not sure if that was a boss, or just another room, or what. But good job." She gave a nod to Theodore.

A clatter got their attention as a rod flopped onto the dais they were next to. Theo grabbed it. A moment later, he was fumbling with his tail, looking at the rotten bone where there had been fur before.

Daisy moved closer to see it. "What happened?"

"Itch." Theo pointedly looked away. "Don't know what the rod does." He thrust it towards Daisy. "You can appraise things. Appraise it."

The rod had an odd color scheme. Silver and gold wound together in an ornate grip. The end of the rod had a skull on it, which looked quite ridiculous, if functional. It was clearly meant for magic, with how it glowed and pulsed. Daisy focused on it intently.

─ Rod of the Undead King

─ Type: Weapon, Staff

─ Rarity: Legendary

─ Description: This rod is crafted from rare metals infused with necromancy. A powerful enchantment runs through the rod, increasing intelligence by 25%.

Daisy let out a laugh. "Wow, this place is great for wizards. At least you two are being rewarded for helping me. This one boosts intelligence, about as much as that helmet does." She looked down at it. "This one is also a weapon."

Theo snatched the rod back. "And I still need a new tail. So this one is mine, thank you very much."

Daisy grabbed the rod, not removing it from Theo, but her grip was solid and she stared at Theo as if to dare. "You got that nice circlet. Let Cedric get something. Besides, he already loves using staves and things like that."

Cedric frowned at the display. "Guys, please. Don't fight."

Theo chuckled awkwardly. "It's not fighting, right? Just a spirited discussion. Yeah, a discussion."

"Completely civil." Daisy smiled, displaying her teeth. "One for you, one for Cedric. That's fair. We can get two items out of this dungeon, that's fine."

Theo let go of the rod. "Yeah, that's fair. Cedric can have it."

Daisy held it towards him.

Cedric took it in unsure hands. "O-oh, thank you." He hugged it gently. "I will, um, accept this as a gift from you both. Thank you both."

Daisy patted his arm. "Good. Now we just need to find some nice gear for me."

They pushed on. There were a few other encounters as they pressed through more halls. These were smaller groups, and they dealt with them quickly enough.

"I think I've got a hang of healing slashes." Daisy swung her dagger, magic glimmering through the swing. "This place really is good practice for it."

Theo shrugged. "Yeah, you've been learning it well enough." He looked away from her and down. "I'm glad you're getting better at least."

Cedric smiled. "You're doing great, too." He pointed down, at Theo's mutation. "We'll fix that, when we get back."