Miller leads the group through the Dungeon as they exit a large black hole to the next floor. In front of them is a singular room. Odd markings stretch across the room like veins attached to the floor, ceiling, and walls. In the center of the room sits an odd red stone shining brightly, with an unearthly glow and pulsating every few seconds, like a heartbeat. As it pulsates, the markings give off a faint glow, only for it to fade and return with each pulse.

“So, what is this?” Faye asks.

“This has to be the Core. It’s like the heart of this place, right?” Fiona asks.

Mila steps forward. “I can feel a lot of Mana coming from that thing.”

“How much are we talking?” Faye asks.

“More than I’ve ever felt in my entire life.” She says.

Miller grabs hold of his sword. “Everyone be ready. The Core will summon something to defend itself as we approach. But if we take that thing out, the Dungeon itself.”

Mila steps forward. “Something is coming. I can feel it.”

As the group stands around, a figure appears, forming from the floor itself. It towers above the group as a tall slender being with four thin limbs. It stares down at the group with a twisted, mangled humanoid face as they stare up at it.

“What the hell is that?” Faye asks.

Miller holds out his sword. “Be careful. This thing is a Demonoid!”

The creature disappears, fading away into thin air. It reappears behind Mila, raising its long spindly claw into the air. Mila turns to face it as the claw comes down on her, barely blocking the attack with her sword. The force of the blow knocks her back as the odd monstrosity laughs as it examines the group.

“It’s targeting Mila?” Faye asks.

“It can likely sense her, Mana. That makes her the biggest threat to it.” Ivar charges in thrusting his fist towards the monster.

Before his attack can land, it disappears again, dodging his strike, and reappears behind him. It swipes out at him with Fiona coming in to block the attack. She swings her axe up, knocking the creature back as it lets out a laugh. It dodges an attack as Faye and Miller come in, moving faster than the eye can see as it disappears.

“Great, the damn thing is fast,” Faye says.

“But it likely cannot leave this room,” Ivar says.

Fiona nods. “Yeah, and fast monsters are weak on the defensive end.”

“Everyone form a circle around Mila!” Miller yells out.

Mila stands as everyone surrounds her. “What should I do?”

“Come on Mila, think for yourself. You’ve gotta be flexible in a fight like this.” Faye says.

Mila nods. “Right.”

The creature’s laugh echoes through the room as its image appears and disappears rapidly. It circles the group, twisting its face into something that resembles a smile, and disappears. Miller turns around to find the monster in the middle of the circle as it lets out an odd howl that echoes across the room.

Everyone flies back, crashing into the walls of the room as the pulses increase rapidly. The beast stomps forward towards Mila, laughing as it draws closer. It raises its claw once more, aiming at her for an attack.

“All you can do is scream and scratch at people. But what else could I expect from a newborn?” Mila says dodging the monster’s strike.

She shoots a burst of fire out of her mouth that scares the monster back, and she stands. Two tails twist in the air as she draws her sword, engulfing the blade in flames.

“Is this good or bad?” Ivar asks.

Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

“Mila!”

“Calm down, Brother,” Mila says, turning to him. “Faye, Fiona, I need you to pin the damned thing down so I can kill the blasted thing.”

“Huh?” Faye asks. “You’re not going to go all crazy and try to kill it on your own?”

“What nonsense are you talking about?” Mila turns to the monster. “Hurry or else it’ll start moving around again.”

Faye rushes to Mila’s side and flashes a smile. “Alright, I’ll play your game.”

“I don’t know what’s going on, but let’s take care of the threat in front of us before anything else,” Fiona says.

Miller stares at Mila as her tails twist around. “We’ll move towards the Core.”

“Good Brother I expected as such.” She says.

Miller and Ivar make a rush towards the Core as the monster shoots up and lets out a loud cry. Everyone pauses as it rushes forward, aiming its claws at Miller. Before its attack hits, Fiona rushes in, blocking the attack with her ax. She’s knocked back as Faye comes in from behind, slashing at the creature’s back and cutting off one of its arms. It cries out in pain as its mangled face twists about.

“How did you?” Fiona pulls a ball of fluff from her ear. “Mila put the fur from her tails in our ears to block its screams.”

Faye nods. “It feels kind of weird, but it does work.”

“Move out of the way!” Mila yells out.

She holds out her sword with the fire around her sword burning with intense heat. The metal burns red as she charges in as everyone rushes away from her. The creature lets out a horrid cry as it grabs the stump of its arm and rises to stand over Mila. It reaches out with its remaining arms as Mila leaps into the air.

She swings her sword, shooting off a burst of heat and flames as she slices the monster in two. The creature lets one loud cry before its body burns into ashes. Mila stands over the creature’s remains with a smirk on her face.

“Such a pathetic being.” She stomps on its remains as the others stare at her.

“Mila calm down,” Miller says.

She stares at him for a moment as her face softens. “Brother?”

“Are you okay, Mila?”

Mila twists her tails in the air, looking around. “Um. We beat the monster, right?”

“Yes, thanks to you.”

“Oh, okay.”

Faye moves to Mila’s side and wraps herself around her. “Mila. You were super impressive there.”

“Um, I didn’t do anything too impressive,” Mila says nervously.

“No, Faye is right. You did well, Mila.” Fiona says.

Mila turns her head to the ground. “Um, we should get the Core!”

The group turns to the Core to see Ivar moving towards the stone. “Don’t worry, you lot relax. I’ll get the Core and then we can go get the noble.”

As Ivar approaches, a figure falls from above, crashing down to the floor, knocking everyone back. The room shakes as the creature stands above the group. The white clade monstrosity stands on four thick legs with four arms as its uncountable horde of eyes scans the room. It checks on each of the groups as it lets out a loud cry and small seeds shoot out of its back. The seeds spread across the room and explode, shaking up the room as the monster roars.

“What the hell is this thing!?” Faye yells out.

“Mila. You just called the last monster a newborn. If that’s the case, wouldn’t this be an adult of the same type?”

Mila pauses. “You may be right. The last one felt incomplete, but this one feels more ‘solid’.” She says.

Fiona steps forward. “I refuse to fall here!”

“We’re so close,” Ivar says.

The creature stops and then fades away. The group rises their guard, but the massive monster moves at incredible speeds and slams its mass into the group. They all fall to the ground as the monster stands over them. The sound of the monster echoes from the beast as it reaches out toward the group.

“The last one was, but this one is a monster,” Faye says, forcing herself up.

“We have to hurry and kill it,” Fiona says.

The two stand as the creature reaches out for them. Mila shoots up in front of them as a blaze erupts from her body. Many tails erupt from her back, growing larger and thicker as they burn with intense heat. She screams, shooting out a blast of flames from her mouth at the monster who ignores the pain and reaches out for her.

“Mila!” Miller yells out.

She ignores his voice as the beast’s hand encompasses her being. Before it grabs her, an arrow flies piercing through the monster’s hand. It flies back as three figures enter the room.

“You guys did better than I thought. But Mila, you have to work on your control.” Glyn says, entering the room.

Tisha and Zanrit follow behind him as the three stare up at the monster. The creature lets out a howl across the room as half of its body melts from Mila’s intense rage.

“Glyn!” Mila yells out.

“Okay, everyone, let’s kill this thing and get out of here,” Glyn says with a smile on his face.