Atreo popped into the dungeon right next to Kore. She stood there staring down a forked pathway but took no step in either direction. Moss and lichen covered the walls, huddled close to the portal like a group of bums around a fire. The cavern was damp except for the immediate area surrounding the portal. Atreo hadn’t realized it at first, but the portal was emitting a constant flow of light and heat. It wasn’t much, but it was there. He looked deeper into the cave and noticed the different shades of purple and green moss giving way to branching cracks that snaked further down the two paths. Stalagmites grew from the earth on the sides of the stone path, stretching to join the ceiling and floor as one. The humidity caused beads of sweat to roll down Atreo’s brow, yet they both stood there unsure how to proceed.

“I think we should go right,” said Atreo. “I feel like it looks a little less ominous. What do you think?”

“Yeah, that’s fine,” Kore responded, stepping to the side so Atreo could take the lead.

The choice hadn’t been much of a choice at all for Atreo. The path straight ahead had stalagmites so close together that they reminded him of sharp, rotting teeth eager to pierce anyone who dared try to traverse them. The second path, however, that they were on now seemed well-used and worn.

Step by step, Atreo placed one foot in front of the other. Unsure of his footing due to the pitch-black darkness they’d found themselves in, he tried his best to feel along the wall. While it was unlikely he’d lose his way with Kore so close behind him, he wanted to be sure. A rhythmic clicking echoed off the walls towards them, traveling down the cave to where they crept along. It had two effects: the first was that it made Atreo’s hairs stand on edge, and the second was that it gave his steps the tiniest bit of confidence. When trapped in a dark, maze-like cave, knowing that you were at least heading in the direction of something was like being stranded on a raft at sea but having a compass. You weren’t truly lost. It felt like they traveled like this for hours, no words passing between them, only the quiet pattering as they made their way onward.

They eventually came to a bend where light peeked through, temporarily blinding him. He stopped for a moment and gave his eyes the chance to adjust before he pushed onward. As they rounded the bend, he spotted a wide alcove. Vines hung from the higher ceilings, and water flowed slowly down them, making a dripping sound as they splashed against the solid floor. On the far side of the alcove stood three reptilian figures. Two of the three were about half the size of a human and stood on two feet like bipedal animals. The third, however, was taller than Atreo himself and had claws made of the same metallic substance Atreo had seen twice before. They chittered feverishly back and forth, and even without a translator, Atreo could understand they were having an argument. The larger of the three was looking down on the smaller two and making aggressive gestures with his shining claws.

Kore noticed an area opposite the creatures that was shaded with vines and stalagmites. She pointed in that direction, and Atreo caught her meaning. If they could get into those stalagmites while the creatures were distracted, they’d be much better off than standing in the open waiting for this argument to conclude.

The tattered pair stepped forward together, trying with all of their will to be as quiet as possible. The torchlight that illuminated the three cast shadows in their direction, which helped them slip quietly into the darkness. Hearing a barking sound, they peeked over the stalagmites and watched as the bigger of the three slashed forward, dragging his sharp claws across one of the smaller lizard’s faces. Blood splattered against the wall, and the sound of tearing flesh turned them both as pale as bleached white sheets. The wounded lizard let loose a bloodcurdling screech, crying out in pain as he stumbled backward. The larger lizard let out a cackling laugh and quickly swiped the unwounded lizard with his tail, knocking him down. As if it were another day on the job, he made to leave through a side tunnel opposite the direction Atreo and Kore had entered.

“Fuck,” whispered Atreo. “We don’t stand a chance against that.”

As the large lizard left, only Kore, Atreo, and the two wounded lizards remained.

“Should we try and sneak past them?” asked Kore, never taking her eyes off the two lizardmen.

To their right, there was just enough space for them to sneak around and possibly enter the same path the large lizard had just entered. Having never fought these creatures before, Atreo was reluctant to charge in headfirst now.

“If we piggyback from rock to rock, we should be able to stay out of sight. We can skirt the dungeon and go deeper,” he whispered back to Kore.

The two tentatively moved forward, their breaths quiet against the sound of the renewed chittering of the lizardmen. As Kore and Atreo made their way around, the two had started talking animatedly. A nice cover for their silent advance. Atreo moved along slowly, sure that they’d make it unnoticed when he heard a gasp from behind. Atreo whipped his head around to see Kore barely struggling to stay standing. The beating, the long walk, and their current environment had to be taking a terrible toll on her. Atreo mentally kicked himself for not having taken Kore’s health into account. He’d been so caught up in the dungeon that he hadn’t stopped to think this through. In her weakened state, he hadn’t realized how much of a burden she truly bore. At any moment, she’d have to make a dramatic stance change, or she’d surely fall to her knees altogether.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

Atreo glanced around, spotting a baseball-sized stone leaning up against the last stalagmite next to him. He was so close to the side cavern that he could see a row of torches following the path deeper into the dungeon. After a moment of hesitation, he grabbed the stone, its smooth surface comfortable against his dirty palm, and made up his mind. He bolted from the safety of his cover and crossed the distance between him and his new foes, catching them by surprise. He was tired of being the one getting attacked. That was all going to change here. Of this, he was sure. The glint of fire shone in his eyes, both a reflection of his inner resolve and the torchlight guiding the stone from his hand. Like a bullet, the stone shot from Atreo’s hand, aimed for the unaware target who’d just had his face mauled. In that moment, like an hourglass, the beads of reservations Atreo had been clinging to from Earth sifted away. This was who he was, someone that was going to kill to survive. Someone that was going to fight until the end, no matter the enemy.

The stone impacted its target, sending blood and gore spilling onto the other lizardman. The lizardman stood there in shock as he’d just watched the head of his companion explode. Looking at his hands covered in blood with chunks of matter and bone, he began to shake. Glancing up, he saw a sight that he’d remember until his dying day: a demon covered in blood, beaten from head to toe, weaponless, running at him with the intent to rip him from head to toe. His instincts told him that he was a heartbeat away from the last moment he’d ever feel. He ran.

He shrieked loudly as he ran on all fours. He didn’t dare glance over his shoulder but took a straight beeline for the torchlit exit.

Atreo gave chase, hot on the lizard’s heels, but he was losing ground. While smaller, the lizard was much faster, and it sped off out of reach. A pang of dismay shot through Atreo.

“I can’t let him escape.” Atreo launched himself at the lizard, diving to the floor, disregarding his own safety, and grabbed for the lizard's hind leg. Missing his target, he settled for a powerful swipe with the tips of his fingers, knocking the lizard off balance.

“Shit,” he hissed through clenched teeth, trying to clamber back to his feet.

As the lizardman fought to regain his balance, Kore, who’d joined the assault a split second after Atreo, was upon it. She slammed her fists into its back, doing little damage. It rolled to try and fight back, giving Kore the chance she needed to dig her nails deep into the small slits of its eyes. Blood squirted out, covering her face, but it had no effect on her. It struggled and screeched, trying to find Kore through its blinded sight up until she bit down hard on its throat and tore a mouth-sized hole of tendon and muscle from the now gurgling lizardman. She spat it out and sank her teeth in again, making a loud crunch as her teeth met scales. It stopped squirming and lay silent, letting out its last quiet screech as it died, pinned to the ground by Kore.

Atreo stepped back.

“Fucking A, Kore. Are you serious?” Atreo said, his face scrunched in disbelief.

“I know you haven’t eaten in a while, but damn Kore, a rock could have done the job!”

Kore stood, back facing Atreo, and turned to face him. Her mouth dripped with blood, and she was covered in grime up to her wrists. She wiped the blood from her mouth and stared back at him.

“What's done is done,” she trailed off slowly, her eyes unfocusing as she read something in the air.

She began to stutter.

“I... I... I leveled up,” she said and began to read something out loud.

“Congratulations! You’ve reached level 2 and have been awarded a skill. Due to your exceptional and uncanny use of essence to heal yourself and others, you’ve unlocked a unique ability. Your ability to manipulate essence has evolved in a way never seen in Memora. There is no light without darkness, no hope without despair, and because of this, you can now see both sides of the coin. Your methods have grown, allowing you to not only give life’s essence to heal but to absorb essence from both nature and life around you.”

Atreo had already been shaken by Kore’s display, but now he was unsure. He liked Kore; she seemed like an alright person, if not a little cracked. However, she had basically just gained a life-drain ability, and that seemed like a very dark thing to have, especially for someone who ripped the throats out of their enemies with their fucking teeth.

Kore noticed his expression and took a step toward him. In turn, Atreo took a step backward, raising his hands in a defensive posture. Kore, with the blood still dripping from her chin, took two more quick steps towards him and raised her hand to grab him. Atreo, not scared at all, tried to scramble out of the way but slipped and lost his balance. Out of options, Atreo started to army crawl away as fast as he could until he heard a beautifully wicked laugh from behind him. His face went from a pale shade to a red shade, and he stood up quickly as if nothing had happened.

“Fuck you, Kore,” he said, staring at her as tears leaked from her eyes in pure delight.

“You were going to crawl away?” she gasped through broken laughter. “From the evil witch?” She struggled to get the words out between crippling laughter.

Her laughter was contagious, and soon Atreo started to laugh with her.

As the pair laughed together, it started to make sense. It wasn’t pure humor that they laughed at, but their situation. Kore had fought weaponless for the last ten years, and now, for the first time in her life, she had truly terrifying claws. If she had been scary before, she would be a nightmare now. If they ever escaped from this town and this dungeon, Kore could be truly horrifying.