As soon as Owin landed on the other side, he realized he had passed through a void nexus, separating this secret from the rest of the floor. The labyrinth in the Great Forest and the cathkabel fortress had the same thing. The familiar chill, the weird sensation of being transported, had passed even as he dove directly over a river of lava.

Shade grabbed Owin and hauled him up just as Myrsvai, Suta, and Thalgodin all landed roughly on the ground behind him.

“See? We all made it. No harm done,” Shade said.

“An arena,” Thalgodin said immediately.

The room was a perfect circle with a domed ceiling made of rock. The walls encircling the arena were made of a rough, natural-looking glass that showed flowing, shifting molten rock. The magma wasn’t cooled by the water, letting it shine brightly.

“Why do you think it’s an arena?” Owin asked.

“How many circular rooms have you seen in the dungeons?” Shade asked.

“A few.”

“How many of them have been arenas?”

“Okay.” Owin was hesitant to step forward. There was nothing else in the room with them, and if the secret was separate from the floor, that meant nobody defeated it before them. It was hiding somewhere or something would trigger its spawning.

“There’s either a puzzle or a boss to manage,” Myrsvai said.

“Why do you think that?” Owin asked. They were just in a weird room, but everyone was making so many assumptions.

“There’s no door, Owin.”

He looked over his shoulder. There was a door frame where he had entered the room, but instead of a void nexus, there was only obsidian. “So . . . what happens if the windows break while we’re trapped?”

Shade placed his newly armored hand on Owin’s helmet. “You’re not supposed to ask things like that. Now everyone, including me, is thinking about it. Even Sloswen. He’s up there thinking about ways to pop open that glass and let the lava pour inside.”

“I don’t think Sloswen is going to bother altering the secret arena just to spite Owin,” Myrsvai said. His voice trailed off as he looked at the top of the dome. “I assume a god is above such pettiness.”

“I don’t know about that,” Shade muttered.

Owin elbowed Shade, who collapsed from the touch. “Sorry, I forgot about my strength.”

Shade stayed on the ground and spread his arms and legs out. “It’s fine. I get it. Big tough Owin over here has to bully the naked man.”

“Don’t call yourself a naked man,” Owin said.

“What else am I? A half dressed man? Is that really better?”

“Are you going to say things like this when we’re outside the dungeon?”

“Oh, absolutely.” Shade sat up. “Can I walk forward first? I’d love to be bait. It’s like fishing, but for murder.”

Owin just gestured forward.

“Great!” Shade sprinted into the center of the room and was immediately roasted as a geyser of fire, gas, and bubbles erupted from the center of the room. It hit the top of the dome and vanished like it was able to pass through the solid stone.

Summon the Withered Shade

“What did we catch? Danger?”

Stone around the geyser cracked, causing the entire ground to rumble.

Owin took a step back. “Grab the sword.”

“Yes, sir.” Shade yanked the Incandescent Blade from the sheath and dropped it into Owin’s hands.

The geyser widened, filling the room with bubbles, until a creature emerged from the broken stone. The geyser calmed as soon as the boss fully emerged, standing atop a pit of rubble.

Owin had never seen anything like it before. It had monstrous legs holding it upright that ended in long, clawed feet. Its torso was segmented and ridged, leading to two bulbous eyes and two spike tendrils hanging from its face. The creature held a long sword made of what looked like a spine.

Ocean Mob

Locaris

Level 70

“That’s a boss,” Shade said.

Owin pushed off with all his strength, launching himself across the arena. He moved a little faster than anticipated and smashed directly into Locaris’s face. The boss stumbled back, leaking black blood into the water.

Owin deftly landed on his feet and immediately jumped again. To truly match the speed he moved, he would need to get his dexterity higher. But for now, a sloppy swing with the sword was enough to carve through part of the huge boss before Owin bounced off the ceiling.

The Incandescent Blade had taken a chunk out of Locaris’s torso. Before the boss could react, Owin launched himself off the ceiling and smashed his gauntlet-covered fist into the back of the boss’s head.

0 Experience

Owin’s strength launched the boss’s corpse straight at the floor, causing its legs to crumple underneath as it fell to the ground.

“Well, fuck me,” Shade said.

Owin landed gently on the ground in front of the rest of the party. “What?”

“I . . .” Myrsvai just nodded slowly.

“You honor the Vile Fiend,” Thalgodin said.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Suta jabbed Owin in the arm as he walked past and started trying to violently shake the boss’s corpse. It was too big for him to truly lift it and wildly shake, but the parts that did move sent coins flying. A sword and a gray bone fell out right as Suta dropped the boss’s arm.

“Mine!” Shade sprinted and dove for the bone, causing both him and the bone to explode into a cloud of dust as soon as he touched it.

Everyone stared silently at the cloud.

“I can just summon him again,” Owin finally said.

Summon the Withered Shade

Cooldown: 120 seconds

Shade appeared directly beside Owin. He looked nearly the exact same, though his bones were a little less dusty, almost fully like normal bones, but still dark gray.

“I have a cooldown now, Shade,” Owin said.

“Oh.” He smacked Owin with his gloved hand. “Oh! Does that mean I can actually fight? Am I strong now? Am I the all powerful Withered Shade?”

“Is that going to happen?”

“Probably not but it would be great!” Shade thrust his hands out. Nothing happened.

Suta slowly walked over carrying the sword. It was a small version of the boss’s spine sword.

“Here.” Shade took it and swung. Nothing happened again. “Unsummon me.”

“I won’t be able to summon you for a little bit.”

“Do it.”

Summon the Withered Shade

Owin stared quietly at everyone for a moment before going to help Suta collect all the gold coins that had scattered through the arena.

“Isn’t there little room for him in his box?” Myrsvai asked.

“Yeah.” Owin shrugged. “He asked me to.”

“The void nexus is open,” Thalgodin said.

“We’re ready to go?” Owin asked. He looked around the room. The secret was really boring and fast compared to the others he had explored.

“I suppose we are.” Myrsvai stopped in front of the swirling black doorway. “Be prepared for anything upon exiting. There’s no telling where you may end up. The lava is directly beneath the doorway, after all.”

Suta dropped all the coins into Myrsvai’s bag, then leapt through the doorway. Thalgodin and Myrsvai followed right after, leaving Owin in the secret alone.

Was it that easy?

Part of the glass wall cracked, causing the water nearby to immediately start boiling. Owin took a step toward the door. The crack snaked out, causing more and more of the water to heat as the lava fully broke through the glass. Owin sprinted and dove into the doorway.

He landed on the stone ground just above the cave. The others stood around, looking at the exit and stairs just down hill. The black smoke was clear on this side of the crack, leaving a little prairie of glowing crystals to fully illuminate the stairs and boundary wall.

“The seventh floor was an interesting experience,” Myrsvai said.

“I’m glad we did it together,” Owin said.

Myrsvai nodded. “Me as well. I’ll see you on the sand bar.”

“Did you want to say bye to Shade?”

Myrsvai smiled. “I don’t. I’ll see him again before long. I don’t fully know what lies in the trench, so be cautious.” He grunted. “I don’t know why I feel the need to warn you. I just witnessed you defeat a boss that was clearly meant for a whole party.”

“What?”

Suta hugged Owin. “Shard Heroes.”

Owin nodded.

“Show Elysium your might,” Thalgodin said. He walked down the stairs and stood just before the void nexus.

“Are there cathkabel on the next floor?” Owin asked.

“When do people worship the light?” The demon was tall enough that Owin could still see his head even when he was down the stairs.

“I don’t know.”

“In the dark,” Myrsvai said. “See you soon, brother.” Myrsvai ushered Thalgodin through, and they both vanished.

Suta remained at the top of the stairs. “Brother.”

“You can do this.”

Suta nodded and punched his fists together. “Magus.”

Owin grinned as the familiar sprinted down the stairs and leapt into the door. He walked over and lingered at the top for a moment.

Summon the Withered Shade

The skeleton appeared right beside him and almost fell into the stairwell. “They’re gone?”

“Myrsvai said they’d see you again soon, so they didn’t need to say bye.”

“He’s right.” Shade placed his hand on Owin’s helmet. “That sword will be good, you know. I kept it in there. Really cramped now. I think the gods will get angry that I’m using the box as a storage space, but you know what? I don’t care. We’ll take advantage of it.” He tapped his fingers on the chitin. “Ready to be a Shard Hero?”

“I don’t know.”

“You are more than ready. You’re too strong, actually. And no, I won’t elaborate. We are going onward. I can’t wait to see what kind of fish we see next. Can you imagine how gross they're going to look? Did you see how ugly that boss was before you broke its face?”

“Not really.”

“Hideous.” Shade dragged Owin down the stairs. “Ugliest thing I’ve ever seen, and I look at you all the time.”

“Hey.”

“See you on the eighth.” Shade tapped Owin’s head one more time before they vanished into the void nexus.

***

Veph brought nothing.

Siora and Sylmare each had a bag to bring enough rations and equipment for several days. Veph had nothing but her wand and sword. Not even water or food.

“How fast do you think you can do this dungeon?” Siora asked.

“Six hours,” Veph said. They had gathered in her office, which looked a lot less fancy than it once did. Her desk, for some reason, was just a pile of wood mush in the center of the room. It didn’t even look broken. It looked wet.

“What if you get hungry?”

“I’ll eat the claverstan. It’s not that complicated.” Veph checked her belt that held her crystal sword and slipped her wand back up her sleeve. “Are you both ready?”

Siora could have used another three days, but yeah, she was ready. She nodded.

“Yes,” Sylmare said.

Veph walked past them, leading them out into Atrevaar. “I’ll go in first. Give it the traditional half hour to be safe. I don’t need floor one mobs killing either of you.”

A huge man stood just outside the Void Nexus headquarters. Veph was too preoccupied to notice, but the man was clearly staring at her. Huge was an understatement. It was a giant. He had fresh scars on his arms and his sleeves were torn and covered in blood.

There was only one person it could be.

“Uh, Veph,” Siora said.

“What?” She looked up and stopped. “Chorsay.”

“You’re leaving?” His voice was deep and calm.

“Fourth shard and a fusion. You should consider the same thing.”

“I promised I wouldn’t.”

Veph fixed the collar of her jacket. “My grandfather never made you promise to stay out of the dungeon. You chose that.”

Chorsay grunted. “Was it Althowin?”

Veph nodded. “I won’t be here to keep you safe.”

Siora expected some snide remark, but Chorsay only gently touched Veph’s shoulder.

“Be safe. Visit when you get back.”

“Sure.” Veph walked right past him.

“I’m proud of you.”

Veph didn’t say a word and continued her walk straight to the portal circle.

“You know, I need to travel to Vraxridge.”

Veph stopped. “Then hurry up, old man.”

Chorsay smiled and nodded to Sylmare and Siora.

Siora’s stomach turned. Did he know she was the one who killed Artivan? That threatened Owin so much?

“Be safe in the dungeon,” he said as she passed.

“Do you know who I am?” Siora asked quietly.

“I do.”

Siora stopped. She had to crane her neck to see Chorsay’s face. He had a soft smile. “You know who I am and you aren’t angry?”

“We’ve all made mistakes. It’s what we do afterward that shows one’s true character.”

“I killed your friend.”

Chorsay nodded. “And Owin has decided you should live. I won’t argue with my friends. I’m not interested in fighting those weaker than me anyway. If you still feel regret and shame when you have two shards, visit me and we can see what comes next.”

Siora felt her face twist. “Why?”

“Life is difficult.” Chorsay gestured toward Sylmare and Veph. “I can join you to the portals. Tell me about yourself.”

Siora scowled but she followed the old, gentle giant. “Okay.”