I slowly returned to Grendelkin, thankful that the giant fur ball was still there.

As I approached, he screamed, "HUNGRY!" again, his voice echoing through the dim corridor. I threw him one of the corpses from my inventory, watching as he munched happily on the remains. His contented chewing was oddly reassuring as I moved us to the next room.

I opened the door, two wooden slabs creaking between an archway. As I entered the room, I was completely taken aback. In every direction, every color imaginable adorned tapestries, brocades, and clothes. I was struck with a debilitating sense of deja vu.

I stepped forward, and the room gate slammed shut loudly. Already jumpy from the unnatural darkness, I shook myself, my nerves frazzled. My heart jumped into my throat as I approached the fabrics on display. The room was a maze; the materials formed their paths. And then the fog lifted. I avoided directing my gaze at the Magical Murals responsible for my fugue state.

I sighed as the memory of my first time in the room faded. I knew where I was and what to do. It was immediately clear that the room had changed, but I charged forward anyway. Instead of going right, I went down the left path, ready to face the goblin thieves if needed.

Once I got this piece, I just had to navigate the carpet room. I was a little worried because I had already wasted a lot of time there this run, but I would cross that rug when I came to it.

The carpets hung limply, letting off the same faint glow as before. I pulled out a torch and waved it before me to see my feet. The flickering light cast eerie shadows on the walls, and I hoped I wouldn’t have to spend an hour navigating the maze-like last time. The exhaustion weighed heavily on me. I should have made time for a nap in the entrance room, but I worried about Grendelkin hurting himself or running out of HP if I left him alone too long.

The oppressive atmosphere pressed down on me as I moved through the maze. Each step felt heavier, the weight of my decisions bearing down. The glow from the carpets provided minimal guidance, and I relied on the torch’s light to guide my way. The memory of Klericho’s endless lectures about brocades and fabrics seemed almost comforting now, a small piece of familiarity in this twisted place.

I continued forward, my senses on high alert. Every rustle of fabric and distant sound kept me on edge. My mind raced with thoughts of what lay ahead, but I steeled myself and focused on the task. I couldn’t afford any more mistakes.

We shuffled forward and came to the first turn. It was easier to see in the alcove here, the torchlight carrying a little more in the broader expanse. Then I stared at a scene I wished I had never seen. Two goblins were engaged in a private activity, their grunts and movements unmistakable.

My face flushed with embarrassment. "Oh, gods," I muttered, quickly turning around. "Grendelkin, charge forward for your snack!"

As soon as time unfroze, Grendelkin lunged at the goblins, his ferocious growl echoing through the hall. I moved past the blood-stained goblins, their lifeless bodies now strewn across the floor, each with a sizable chunk taken out, looted what was left of them, and took the first left.

I remembered the rule I had always been told about mazes: take the same direction every time you move down a hallway. Consistency will eventually help you arrive at the end. I tried it the first time with eventual results, so I stuck to the same routine again.

For a while, there were no enemy encounters. The silence was almost eerie; the only sound was our footsteps echoing against the cold stone walls. I kept taking left turns, not feeling like I was approaching the center, but not hitting dead ends.

It had maybe been thirty minutes before I came to a familiar clearing—the same one I had encountered the last time I ran through here. In the center was a raised altar, its surface gleaming faintly in the torchlight. My heart began to pound in anticipation.

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On the altar was what I now knew to be the oil well of a Djinn lamp. As I picked it up, my heart raced with anticipation, the cool metal smooth under my fingers. Happy that after three or four failed runs, I was finally making progress; I held the lamp above my head.

Crystal made a weird musical trill and then laughed. I glanced at her, puzzled. "What's so funny, Crystal?"

[Nothing. You have received Djinn Well. This is an artifact. This artifact is part of a set. Artifacts found ⅔. Complete the set for a full description.] Crystal announced, her voice filled with a rare note of excitement.

I breathed a breath of relief, the tension melting from my shoulders.

I immediately hightailed it back through the way I came, aiming for the front entrance. The corridors seemed less oppressive now, the way lit by the lamp's soft glow. My steps were lighter, each one bringing me closer to safety. I glanced back at Grendelkin, who was happily trotting along, his fur matted with goblin blood.

As we approached the exit, a sense of accomplishment washed over me. This was just one step, but it was a significant one. I knew there would be more challenges ahead, but I allowed myself a moment of victory for now.

The entrance loomed ahead, a gateway to temporary safety. As I stepped through, the familiar, musty air of the dungeon gave way to the slightly fresher scent of the upper levels. I leaned against the cool stone wall, catching my breath.

"Crystal," I said, my voice echoing softly, "What do you think our chances are if we keep this up? Can I beat the Djinn this time?"

Crystal replied, her tone thoughtful. [If you continue to apply what you've learned and listen, your chances of success increase significantly.]

I nodded, feeling a renewed sense of resolve. "Then let's keep pushing forward," I said, determination hardening my voice. "We have a set to complete and a dungeon to conquer."

Grendelkin growled softly in agreement, his eyes gleaming with an eagerness that matched mine. We would face whatever came next, one step at a time.

I shook my head. It didn't matter. I gathered torches from my inventory and started throwing them one after another.

The fires burned bright for the next fifteen minutes, smoke rising high into the air, visible due to the flames permeating the room. I didn’t sleep but closed my eyes as I leaned against Grendelkin. He was a surprisingly soft pillow. I was afraid I was going to summon another room demon, but I was awakened before I could by a rumbling voice shouting, “HUNGRY.”

I swear that Malikap gave me this power to annoy me.

I shook my head and ran forward over the ashes of the carpet kingdom. I hesitated on the threshold as I walked through the next door. I had a mental tally of rooms, and fewer than five were left. I needed to ensure I went to the right place with the right things. It wouldn’t do to go forward without the whole Djinn lamp in place. But it also wouldn’t do to leave me without my pet, and I could already tell he was fading fast.

As soon as I had the thought, I knew I needed to go forward.

I stepped into what used to be the Goblin King’s domain, and I gulped. Dozens of Mini-Djinni were flying around.

I was unsure if I could fight the MiniDjinni Army by myself, considering how quickly they had eaten me last time. But I wasn’t here to fight. I had a hunch that I wouldn’t need to.

“Oh my god, Hii Rod!” Frannie, the MiniDjinni, screamed as he flew toward me. His friends were in the center of the room… doing things… to the Goblin King’s corpse. I stared, horrified, for a second before Frannie started talking again.

“I hope you haven’t forgotten how useless it is to try and fight me. I am so powerful. Look at me; I’m positively radiating power and elegance.” The demon propelled itself on its wings in a loop-de-loop that crackled with electricity. I cringed, afraid that the demon was going to electrocute me. However, it did nothing of the sort. Instead, it floated there, hovering menacingly.

“No, no. I haven’t forgotten. I just want to make a deal. I know you plan on getting out of here, and I can help you. All I want is for you to babysit my Grendelkin here. Maybe provide him with some nice and tasty food while I get the handle of the Djinn’s lamp. It’s hard to keep him fed while I’m busy playing jump the carpet, y’know?”

“Yes, yes. And we all need that lamp. But, Bring it to me first before you use it.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Alright, deal.” the demon closed its left eye and flapped its wings. A few of his demon friends came flying toward us. They dropped dead on the floor in front of Grendelkin. It was like a slaughterhouse, and the furry guy started chewing into the surprisingly gore-filled things.

Before I got sick, I turned around and high-tailed it to the Flying Carpet room.