“Why does it say decide the fate of the Slave Cook?” Bianca asked, looking up. They all were. The quest notification for the entire group hovered over their heads.

The group had reached a break in the wall depicted on the map. Incredibly, they hadn’t encountered any corrupted goblin patrols.

The map’s notes and directions were neat and easy to follow, leading them down small, rarely used passageways and alternate routes away from the main paths. From this break in the wall, they would leave behind Castle Grimrock’s basement levels and travel through the actual caverns.

The System had delivered a group notification over all of their heads at the border of launching into a new adventure. It was as if the System chose the perfect time to hammer home what they’d started.

Or was it more like what Zarian had decided for the group?

“If we take control of what’s enslaving Foodie, we can be her masters,” Hannah said, matter-of-fact.

“I know you’re just answering Bianca’s question, but that sounds a little disgusting when you say it just like that,” Gilbert said.

“Agreed,” Naomi said.

“Downright creepy, Hannah,” Zarian added.

Hannah rubbed the bridge of her nose with her free hand. The other hand tightened around her short spear. Her buckler shield was strapped to her back.

“After that display from her, I’m a little conflicted about releasing her from her bond,” Hannah said. “She openly admitted to killing and eating people. She could use us to get free before we suffer the same fate.”

“She’s using us for sure,” Zarian said. “And we’ll use her right back. But I think she likes us. If we free her, she won’t eat us.”

“She likes you,” Bianca said. “Some of us are too weak for her to like unless it’s part of her stew. But I must say this … her cooking is so good I wonder how well she’ll make me taste.”

“Bianca,” Naomi said.

“Yes?”

“Shut up.”

“You guys won’t be weak for long,” Zarian said, stepping through the broken down threshold between Grimrock and a cavern going westward. “Come on, guys. Did you see how badass that Aura Ignition turned out? It’s like she became Super Saiyan. We have to figure out how to get like that before we rescue her.”

“I need that in my life,” Naomi admitted. “It’s like she became much stronger instantly. Did she even need to do that when she was Level 37?”

Zarian wondered if he would’ve stopped Foodie’s attack under normal conditions without her Aura Ignition. The answer was probably yes.

She had to cheat to get past his Straight Darkness conjurings. Zarian felt proud of himself without saying it aloud. The others seemed like they needed more encouragement.

“She used her Aura Ignition thingy to inspire us, right?” Bianca asked, ignoring Naomi’s glares. “Because it scared me, honestly. What if I can’t do that? What if I’m too weak? I was joking earlier about how I’ll taste. I really don’t want Foodie to eat us.”

“She won’t,” Zarian said.

Hannah threw her hands up, frustrated. “What makes you so confident to say that? She said it herself that she’s evil. She could be toying with us for her amusement. Or have we forgotten the story about Hansel and Gretel? We’re in a fantasy game world, right? Folktales can exist here.”

She was speaking with more assertiveness than usual. It was surprising to hear all of that. And she kept going.

“It was reckless how you put yourself out to get killed, Zarian. As game-like and fantastic as this all is, our deaths are real. Without you, we’re dead.”

“That doesn’t always stick if you have enough time,” said Gilbert in light of his uncommon trait, Extra Life.

Hannah sighed in annoyance at him. “Well, we have little choice now. I don’t like how the quest says we’ll be looked at unfavorably if we stray from this. I’ll just accept that my life isn’t my own, as per usual.”

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Zarian stopped and turned to face the others. “Just this one time, follow me all the way. It might end up being a crap idea and get us killed. But just believe in me for this one. When it works out on the other side, then I’ll owe you all big time.”

Zarian leaned toward them, holding nothing back as he spoke with conviction. “You need me to get you a castle? I will. You need lots and lots of gold or whatever? I’ll get it. You want to marry a kind and beautiful elf? I’ll find those elves and play matchmaker. Whatever it is, I’ll do it. Until then, ride with me, okay?”

“Yes,” Naomi said immediately.

The others hesitated until Bianca blurted, “Handsome, kind, beautiful elf husband, is that what’s on sale? Well, I guess we all need something to die for. Sign me up, Senor Zarian!”

“I’ll need time to think about that favor, chief, but okay,” Gilbert said.

“I feel like this is signing a deal with the Devil,” Hannah said.

“I’m evil aligned, yes, but I mean well.” Zarian spread his arms in a showman-like fashion, meeting Hannah’s judgmental gaze.

The middle-aged woman glanced away, frowning. “I don’t see the point of trying to bribe us. We’re under your power already. By saying yes, then I’m given no room to complain much. I’ll have to bear whatever consequences land on me for this, even if most of the fault comes from you.”

Hannah sighed. “For someone who seems reckless and simple, you’re a lot more clever and devilish than you let on.”

“So is that a yes?” Zarian waggled his eyebrow.

“It’s a yes.”

And that was that. They were a ride-and-die group until the Grimrock quest was completed. Maybe they would stay together after that. Or maybe they would go their separate ways once they established some footing in the World of Castles and Caverns.

Zarian turned around to face the dark cavern and splitting tunnels. The new area was rough, uneven, and filled with foot hazards or weird dips in the ceiling you could hit your head on.

There were no magic sconces here. Only pure darkness.

He could see through it, if only a little. His Dark Affinity helped in that regard. But the others were relying on the tiny light shining through the hole in the castle wall behind them.

“Bianca, you’re up,” Zarian said.

“Hm, uh? Oh! Yeah, totally. One Searing Flash, coming right up.”

“No! Use your sword, Bianca!”

“Oh!” Bianca revealed her falchion and used the strobe light magic effect, which annoyed the hell out of Zarian. “Hehe, haha, look at me. Rave party, woo!”

Zarian wondered how big of an apology he would owe the elf who would become Bianca’s future husband. Then Zarian decided that wasn’t his problem, that was the future husband’s problem.

Hours after Bianca learned to use her sword as a consistent light, it occurred to Zarian and the rest of the group – or maybe calling themselves a ‘party’ was the more appropriate phrase – that they had packed no provisions.

Naomi and Gilbert were mortified by this huge oversight. Zarian wasn’t as bothered, since cool superpower displays from Foodie had occupied their attention more.

Thankfully, the route explained on the map had key points for accessing fresh water. They could also hunt the critters that lived in the caverns. There were more neat notes on the back of the map explaining what was edible and what wasn’t.

There was one millipede in particular with stripes that tasted good even when uncooked. It was also nutritious and magical enough to restore their vitality while on the move, so they wouldn’t have to sleep as much and cover ground faster.

Even better, it was easy to find the magic millipede around the water spots. The other options were cavern mushrooms, which was sometimes a gamble. Under the untrained eye, they could ingest a poison mushroom that would kill them in thirty minutes or twenty-four hours later.

Zarian hadn’t thought about it earlier, but it looked like the Infinita Star System ran on seasons and a similar sense of time like the old world. They had twenty-four-hour days and sixty minutes in an hour. They had four seasons, and apparently they were halfway into the summer of the Year 1532 of the Dark Era.

Why is the Dark Era called that?

There were plenty more questions that came to Zarian’s mind. He wondered what the Star Core was made of. Was it like Earth’s Sun? Or was it something completely different and magical?

Hadn’t Foodie mentioned another star? Cormar’s Star? There was a lot to think back on, and so much happened in a rush or as a dump.

As Zarian pondered about different facets of Infinita and their current starter world, he grew more excited to see the outside. At least when it was nighttime. He wasn’t sure if he would enjoy being outside in the daytime.

He openly talked about his spur-of-the-moment thoughts and some questions he wanted to ask when they met up with other denizens of Corma. Zarian knew he could be annoying when he was chatty, but his party mates either listened to Bianca babble randomly or listened to him.

Hannah engaged Zarian now and then with her intellectual side, but sometimes she would fall into a sullen silence. Gilbert wouldn’t say it, but he gave off signals where he wanted both Zarian and Bianca to shut up. This was more prevalent when any talk about gods or goddesses came up.

Naomi would find random things to distract Zarian with. Like alien bugs. Or a new mushroom that might or might not be poisonous. Or by reminding him to read the next spell section in his grimoire.

Other than spell study, Zarian used Identify on every new critter, fungi, or mysterious thing he saw. The creatures here that weren’t major threats seemed to stay at Level 1. Things that couldn’t be classified as living were plainly common or uncommon if they had a hint of magic. Zarian used Para to collect some stuff for later. Maybe he could craft stuff.

Wizards could craft, couldn’t they? Zarian didn’t see why they couldn’t. Of course, he was assuming the System had a crafting element like most fantasy games.

He knew he shouldn’t assume. He shouldn’t. But he couldn’t help but theorize and let his brain whirr in anticipation. At least Naomi shared some of his excitement. They were two Marines on an expedition for more power and to secure a critical asset of legendary worth, after all.

And everybody knew they shouldn’t get in the way of Marines and their mission. Or they would be taught the hard way.