This entire dungeon had been a hazing ritual? You fought through ridiculous odds and stamina grinding obstacles and once you reached the bottom, you were initiated. Could it be that simple? She had said she sent us down here to earn levels. That had now been accomplished. However, it all seemed a bit too easy.

The group of us all looked at each other awkwardly before following the man. There were nearly as many Bandits on this floor as there were on the surface. We were surrounded. We ended up being taken to a tent. He stopped, standing at attention right next to it. The group of us entered the tent.

I quickly realized that the inside of the tent contained no Bandits. It wouldn’t, because it was the safe room of this level. I quickly registered at the kiosk, and then checked out the mural. The final clue behind this dungeon. It seemed to show a hero rising from the ranks of the blue people, and fighting back the humans. As the blue people fled over the seas, the hero fought and allowed them to escape, slaughtering hundreds of enemies, one man against a flood.

Honestly, I had no clue what it meant. What was the story that hadn’t been complete? Just as I started to dwell on it, I started hearing a thumping sound. I looked around in confusion. I realized it was a drumming sound, mixed with the sound of people stomping their feet. There were also cheers and shouts. This came from the flap across from the one we had entered from. This would be the flap leading into the boss room.

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I ran to the flap we had come from and lifted it. I found myself peering into a stone wall. I hadn’t heard the entrance close behind us, but there was no returning to the 19th floor. The dungeon boss was waiting for us.

“Master, we could still leave…” Terra began, but then her voice drifted off.

“Let’s go.” The group of us walked out of the safe room, and into a giant stadium.

I had never seen a boss room like this before. There was a large arena with dirt floors and stands that circled it completely. Those stands were filled with Bandits, and as soon as our group walked out, they broke into cheers.

As we approached the center, my eyes fell on Calypso. She was sitting on a large chair in the center portion, a unit separate from the seating of the common rabble. She truly looked like a Queen. A smile formed on her face as our eyes met, and I started to have a sinking feeling.

“Congratulations, you have made it through my trial, and have earned the right to join my Bandit horde.” She pronounced, causing even louder cheering. “Of course, to join, you just have to do one last little thing for me.”

“What is that?” Lydia asked, asserting herself as the leader again, while I returned to acting like the innocent tag-along and member of her harem.

“You should have long figured that out by now.” Calypso laughed dryly.

“You have to die!”