A gasp. Deep breaths. In and out, never getting enough air. But she was alive, a surprise to herself… why was that a surprise?

Then, the pain.

She started to gasp again, but the only thing that could truly manage the enormity of the agony was a scream that started from her belly and rose out of her lips to the tip of the cavern she laid in. Her eyes faced upwards, looking at a familiar ledge, the one she fell off.

No.

The one she was pushed off.

A broken back, undoubtedly, but perhaps not being able to feel her legs was for the best. She had tried to land on them, clearly, though her memory was still hazy from the pure shock. One arm was mangled, she didn’t know where her skin ended and her clothes began. The other arm… gone. Lying not too far away, cleanly cut like a nice hem on a skirt.

Furious, she was furious. She was starting to remember, her classmates, her teacher, the excursion to their first dungeon, and the hatred in that man’s eyes.

It had started in the summer solstice, school was suspended for two weeks due to a giant fire in the fire magic training room, big surprise. No one was upset about it, particularly not her, the bullying, the drop in grades, her father and his lectures, her mother and her tears. It was too much, and the bridge just down the road to her home overlooking the powerful Central River that coursed through the city was looking like a perfect solution.

Her name was Ivanna Willian, but not for much longer, that ledge was her peace and her freedom. That ledge meant everything, but when she actually got up there…

“Hey!” A familiar voice called out. She turned and saw a few upperclassmen, and the smell of beer that followed them. The one who spoke, Milan, cracked a smile. “Didn’t know you lived around here.”

Ivanna felt a chill course down her spine. Milan, scum of the earth… not even that, scum of the soil of hell. The main protagonist in the story of her shitty school life, and all his friends which was almost half her grade, loved to pass the time with her. It just starts with a small shove in the hallway, but before she knew it she was running to the cafeteria to grab them pastries with tears in her eyes and a bruise of different colours on every limb. Her parents didn’t know what to say, they could barely look each other in the eye much less their own daughter. She knew the excuses they were making in their head, it was the same as her classmates and teachers.

“She could’ve just fallen down the stairs.”

“She might have just sprained her ankle in PE.”

“It has nothing to do with me.”

“Hey Milan.” Ivana could only reply, immediately regretting the words that came out of her mouth, greeting her mortal enemy like an old friend.

“What are you doing up there? You thinking of killing yourself?” Milan sneered. Turning back to his friends, who stifled a laugh he cracked a grin.

“I mean, I know I’m meant to be sympathetic in these situations but god… who wants to waste their energy on you?”

“Couldn’t you just… leave me alone?”

Milan shook his head, “I can’t miss the show, think of the headlines, maybe I’ll get to be in the papers. Look I’ll practice now,” he cleared his throat, shushing his cackling crowd, “I watched the whole thing, I just couldn’t stop her, she had so much to live for.” He spoke in a flat voice, his eyes dull and mocking. Ivana hated him, she hated all of them so much it hurt, so much it made her want to cry.

“The amount of sympathy sex would be cock destroying!” His friend called out.

Ivanna clenched her fists, silent standing in front of the mocking crowd. It was only a few drunk dudes but in her head, everyone who had every looked down on her for all her shortcomings was standing there and laughing with them.

“What have I ever done to offend a group of circle-jerking cock-sucking wankers like you?! What have I ever done to offend anybody!” She screamed. “You all talk with your dicks and your brains are full of shit, and none of you will ever be happy in life unless you’re sucking off Milan over here like his cum is the fountain of youth. And you! Mr fountain.” She pointed at the main man, who remained stock still.

“You worthless dick for brains, you think your father will cover for you forever? Or do you only act like this to get his attention? The mayor gets re-elected every four years and from what I can tell its not looking good for daddy and his addiction to massive tits and the hookers they're attached to, so the second you’re no longer the mayor’s son and just some shitty air mage and most likely a registered sex offender like your father, I’m coming for your ass.”

There was silence, and for a moment Ivanna forgot what she was going to do on that bridge. For the first time in a long while, she felt pretty good about herself.

“I’m sorry, what was your name again?” Milan frowned.

Yet after they all left without beating her ass, Ivanna walked off the ledge and back home, put her head on a pillow and slept the best she had in years. Catharsis, at long last. Ivanna knew what it felt like now, all the pressure in her skull was drained and replaced with something that had disappeared the first week of school, hope.

School came back eventually and newer, sturdier rooms were built, and the abuse stopped. Not even a light bump in the hallway, in fact Milan and his crew had almost started being nice to her. The occasional pen borrowed, a note copied, it was almost like they were just normal classmates, and Ivanna was living a normal life. Everything was going to be better, she knew that she could stand up for herself now.

Until the day of the excursion.

“Alright class, settle down.” Mr Humphries dropped his books on his desk, ten minutes late as always. He was her favourite teacher, kind, handsome, funny and brave, he had always tried to make life a little easier for Ivanna.

“So today is the day of the excursion to the D-class dungeon the Rat Caverns. As so lovingly funded by the mayor himself, you can expect there to be photos and lots of them so I need all your uniforms to be pristine and presentable and I need everyone on their best behaviour."

Everyone immediately began to chatter amongst themselves again, the ruckus causing a large vein to pop on the teacher's temple. Ivanna often wondered how hard it was from a teacher hitting a student, particularly with the restraint that would be required with some of the boys in her class, many who also fell into the category of the jerks who were friends with Milan.

Mr Humphries sighed. “Look guys, I get this is exciting but you’re all just students in the end with no combat experience. The goal of this school is to produce talented mages and warriors with battle experience, as you’re all first years this is a taste of what you’ll get in the upper grades.” Mr Humphries spoke like this was the hundredth time he’d said this speech, and it probably was, but Ivanna clung onto every word.

She wasn’t talented, as a mage she had a minor affinity for healing and a major in light magic. Neither of which were very impressive but her grades on written paper were what earned her a scholarship at The Royal Institute of Learning in the capital. Ever since the bullying had stopped she was returning to her old grade average and her teachers were showing her in praise. Things were good, and a trip to a dungeon was simply too exciting as a way to end a fantastic week.

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“But, even at D-class this stuff can be dangerous. There will be several highly trained mercenaries who will be assisting us teachers, who are also highly capable so don’t be too nervous. But I want you all to stay alert, this is not harmless fun but real life experience. Be ready.”

Ivanna felt like at his last words, her teacher’s eyes met hers. At the time, her dumb brain went in a full spiral of their future love story, where she would graduate top of her class and run off into the sunset with him. Probably while bragging to everyone who looked down on her while she did it.

The dungeon had started off so peaceful, an occasional rat that the random lucky student got to fight and kill. The Rat Caverns was a dungeon in a maze like formation, like the name suggested it was filled with caverns and almost impossibly endless, and to add it had a high population of huge but weak feral rats. While that was quite the downside, Ivanna was astounded by how beautiful the dungeon was. The stone that surrounded them was a deep midnight and smooth as if it had been polished, something deep within it almost glowed, the flora in the area was just as enchanting, fungi that sprouted into bioluminescent lights to guide the path, feral vines and raging gardens were scattered all around, growing shades of green or blue moss and leaves everywhere. She would totally be a rat if it meant living here… but then she’d totally be a rat.

“Ivanna, can I speak to you privately?” Mr Humphries whispered in her ear amidst her day dreaming. She nodded eagerly, they’d gotten pretty far into the caverns and their guide was giving them a tour of the large room they were about to enter which once housed the Boss of the dungeon, who was slain a long time ago. Boss monsters of dungeons were defeated to receive the ultimate loot of the dungeon, unlike the mobs scattered around like rats and goblins who would procreate in a typical fashion, Boss monsters were created by the dungeon and are unable to be replaced. Thus making the loot they drop so much more important as the dungeon core often filled them with valuable items and made their bodies useful for things like alchemy or blacksmithing.

Ivanna followed Mr Humphries into a spiralling tunnel, they seemed to keep going deeper and deeper into the caverns, the flora getting wilder and wilder, she had to almost bat it out of her way to see her teacher charging ahead. He would glance back occasionally, looking nervous.

Maybe… Ivanna thought… Maybe he feels the same way as her and wants to tell her?

Excitement swelled up in her chest, almost swallowing her. "Mr Humphries?" Ivanna tapped him on the shoulder as they travelled downwards.

"Yes?" He turned back to her. Ivanna gave him her winning grin.

"I just want to thank you, you've always been so kind and my favourite teacher. When that stuff was happening, the bad stuff, you stuck up for me. You were the only one to do that so... than-"

“We’re here.” He cut her off, his eyes no longer able to meet hers.

“No problem at all,” Ivanna chirped, knowing that Mr Humphries could do no wrong, “it’s so private here.” she couldn't hide the excitement in her tone. Maybe he wanted privacy for... no no no she couldn't let her mind wander. She distracted herself from the thoughts by observing her surroundings.

‘Here’ was a smaller cavern out of the many large spaces that filled the Rat Caverns, it was probably only as big as her room but Ivanna noticed the floor ended and the wall continued. It was a ledge, which were common around here and the highest cause of accidents and injuries when people entered this place. Missing one step and falling off could mean a five meter drop, or a five hundred meter drop.

“Ivanna, I want to say I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what?” Ivanna scoffed. He was her favourite, her first love, no apologies necessary. No matter what he did.

“He’s probably sorry for me.” A chortle echoed through the dark.

Suddenly, it was like she was back to that night on the ledge, those same chills ran through her.

“Milan?” She squinted, not able to see much of anything. Summoning a small ball of light she threw it up the ceiling to get a better look. She almost immediately regretted it. It was Milan and four of his lackeys, her own classmates holding bats or big wooden sticks.

“Don’t be too rough,” Mr Humphries spoke to Milan, his voice trembled as if he felt as powerless as Ivanna did, whcih she doubted. “I don’t know what I’m going to say to her parents yet.”

“Don’t worry sir, I’m going to take such good care of her.” He looked at her, and she could see clearly now the pure fury in Milan’s eyes. Ivanna knew she had to run, get back to the class before something happened but her legs wouldn’t move. She turned to her teacher, but he had already left. Suddenly she was alone, and Milan was pulling out his sword, and taking off his belt.

AND NOW

Here she lay, broken and defiled on the floor of a dungeon that only rats could love. She probably couldn’t be any more at home.

“I’m probably going to die soon.” Ivanna muttered out loud. “Seriously…” She laughed. Not even able to use her arms to cover her face in shame, it had been so obvious. Of course Milan wouldn’t have been nice to her because she stood up for herself. There was a food chain and she broke it. This was her lesson.

Or at least that’s what he said to her, and every time she fought back… When she scratched his face is when he used his sword to slice off her arm. A useless wind mage to be sure, but clearly not too bad with a broadsword when his appointment is a helpless woman whose arms and legs were already beaten to a pulp.

She didn’t want to think about it anymore.

Who cares anyway, Ivanna mused,, death is coming slowly but at least it’s coming. It’s what she wanted anyway, an end to it all, especially now.

“It’s not a life.” A sullen voice echoed through her mind, a voice not belonging to her.

“Huh?” Ivanna looked around, swearing she heard a voice.

“It’s not a life you’ve lived, you’ve barely been alive long enough to live a true one.”

She heard the chime of a bell and before her eyes appeared something she had only read about in textbooks. A screen. Only appearing once someone met and battled an enemy in a dungeon for the first time, the screen was a right of passage for aspiring mercenaries and adventurers and would guide them through their journey as warriors.

[Hidden Boss has appeared! Defeat the Hidden Boss of the Rat Caverns for glory!]

Ivanna could only sweat, a Hidden Boss was rare and often really strong. What bad luck that the cavern she had been tossed into was its secret lair. Perhaps the adrenaline coursing through her, plus the intense blood loss was causing her to make strange decisions but somehow she could only laugh. In a way it felt like the screen of her dreams was mocking her for her broken body.

“And I thought the injuries would kill me, but instead it’s going to be you.” She muttered to whatever was out there. Unable to move her neck she could only feel the presence of it as it stared at her.

“Sweet thing. I saw it all.”

Ivanna trembled. “A monster? Talking to me right now? Worst. Timing. Ever.” She mustered what little strength to try and turn her head, yet the darkness and her injuries didn't allow much.

As hard as it was to think, Ivanna knew she had a good head so she put it to use as the only muscle she had left. The textbooks said if a monster was capable of speech then it was at least an incredibly old A-class or any S-class and above monster. Basically something capable of massacring an entire city on a whim, vs a human equivalent of a ragdoll.

“Your name?” it whispered. Now that she listened its voice was really soothing, almost like warm socks on a cold night or a good soup, like pumpkin and herbs.

“Ivanna.” She said, figuring she had nothing left to lose as a dying girl. “What’s yours?”

Suddenly a face drifted into view in the dim light, well, not really a face but what Ivanna assumed to be the head of a giant brilliant red worm. Giant didn’t even begin to describe how big this worm was, its head was larger than her body in circumference alone and its mouth a large slit going deep into its head. It's collection of deep yellow eyes blinked at her randomly, and Ivanna felt those eyes held more pity in them that any human had when they looked at her.

“I have no name, I was born here alone.”

“Oh my fucking god. You… and I mean so little offence when I say this but you are the scariest thing I’ve ever seen.”

“I get that a lot.”

“Really?”

“No. You are first.”

“Oh.” Ivanna pursed her lips. “I think I’m dying soon, and it really hurts." She tried to gesture to the extent of her injuries but her inability to do so made the point moot. "I know we just met but I’m kinda feeling a bond here, do you think you’d wanna… kill me?”

“I sense a joke but I see your pain. I speak to you now for solution, if you’d allow me?”

“Uh, sure yeah go ahead, what have I got to lose?” she was bemused at its bizarre speech, English was a rusty and unused language to it clearly but the effort it put in to speak to her... Ivanna didn’t think anyone had tried that hard for her in a long time which was a thought that just made her want this worm to kill her faster. “What a wretched life I’ve lived.”

“Not true, I see something in you. Too young to call life wretched, too strong to let those men ruin you. You'-" it paused,

"-are lovely like a home. Understand?”

Ivanna didn’t.

“What solution did you want to give me?”

“You will see, sleep is now.”

“Huh?”

Last thing Ivanna heard was a thunk.