Now that the black shadow was [Dead] they could get a look at the beast. They had to piece it back together though. First they checked to make sure that the unidentified thing wasn’t made of acid or something. They did this with the highest, most accurate testing process known to man, they poked it with a stick.

Micky of course, was barring the revered stick they chose to poke it with. So Micky took his stick and poked the black object. Moving around the object with his stick. Inserting it into holes at places to test the fluids inside.

“Stop playing with your stick and help me, you meddlesome kids!” Prin yelled at the kids gathered around one of the limbs. The “We’re not kids!” automatic response [Dead] in their throat. They all got back to work putting the body back to where it was supposed to be.

The shadow resolved to be a beast. It was a beast Micky didn’t know but was familiar at the same time. Micky thought back to where he had seen it. And was immediately interrupted with something more interesting and shiny.

The black sheen flashed off the ant like skull. Micky had no clue what it was. “That’s an [Antolion]!” Said Histopher, nodding in a knowing way, like the had actually discovered something. Desala smacked the back of his head.

“It can’t be an [Antolion]. Those are Monster races, they don’t have those here. Monster races aren’t something you’ll find under this system, or for like, three kingdoms over.” Said Desala.

“What?” Said Micky.

“That isn’t true you know. Sometimes you get single monsters that wonder way further than they should be. Even the ones that aren’t usually nomadic.” Said Prin.

“This would never be a single monster, this looks like a scout. They can travel far, but they don’t travel unless they are with the hive.” Said Desala.

“Then maybe a queen started running around? The young queens are nomadic.” Said Histopher.

“But they wouldn’t travel very far. They stay within each other’s territory, they aren’t called monster races for nothing.” said Desala.

“Well this one clearly hadn’t. Did it get into a fight? Politics?” Said Prin.

“Nah, they don’t have politics like we have politics. Monster races have politics like you either die then and there or I’m not going to bother with you… Or I hunt you to the ends of oblivion and beyond. Kinda simple like that. If it was any of those they’d still be running, not in a dungeon.” Said Desala.

“Then why are they here? They shouldn’t be here obviously, and this [Tower] clearly hasn’t gone natural yet. It’s still alchemy labs and full buildings. Heck there are barely rats, but there’s always rats. Probably roaches and other insects and things too. But not enough for a dungeon to go natural.” Said Histopher, again trying to sound smart.

“There’s probably ants too, could it have mutated?” asked Micky.

“No, monster races aren’t an evolution path. Kinda like nothing mutates into gobs. Besides this is from a different kingdom. Probably some noble’s pet, kept in a dark dungeon somewhere.” Said Desala.

“Oh fuck! That’s where! But they only take girls?” said Micky.

“They are girls.” Said Desala.

“What?” Said Micky.

“They are all girls, except for the royal harem around the queen and princesses. One of the few that can travel between the hives unmolested… Well, between the hives anyway. Must be a good life.” Said Histopher.

“They literally get killed in a ritualistic murder to keep the hive going.” Said Desala.

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“Death by snu-snu is not murder, it’s overexertion combined with mercy combined with the best damn relationship any man could ask for.” Said Histopher, Desala just snorted.

“So where did you see them Micky, you never did say?” Said Prin, leaving the other two to their stand up routine.

“Oh, it was in some gob village way back. I thought it was just some shadows, but well these things look like shadows. And gobs’ll take anything female.” Said Micky.

“Your saying you saw these things somewhere around Hamelburg? How come I haven't heard of this, or was there with you?” Said Prin, almost sounding hurt.

“Nah, this was before I met you, way back in the forest.” Micky said.

“Shit, really? That could be a problem.” Said Desala.

“Yeah Micky, monster migrations are no joke. If you saw these where they shoudn’t have been then that’s something we need to report to the guild, still doesn’t explain why there’s one in a [Dungeon] around here.” Said Prin.

“Could have been introduced? Back home we had a slime dungeon that turned into a wolf/cat dungeon. Now they rule over it and the slimes are just tasty morsels.” Said Micky.

“That’s a Carnivora dungeon.” Said Histopher.

“What?” Said Micky.

“Cats and dogs? They are in the carnivora. So dungeons that specialize in them are carnivora dungeons.” Said Histopher.

“I don’t think that its become specialized yet. It’s just an infant dungeon, it has barely formed. Thus it’s malleable. So by having cats and dogs cough wolves it just turned out lik that.” Said Micky.

“That’s what happened, somebody is trying to transform the dungeon! But why?” Said Desala.

Histopher said “I don’t...” *Creeek*

“A dungeon is probably not a place to have a greater political discussion.” Said Micky.

“I don’t know, sounds like a great place to me! If we don’t like a candidate we feed em’ to the dungeon!” Said Prin. The group laughed as they prepared to fight. This was probably a wave of respawns to repop this area of the dungeon.

The group prepared to face the new wave. The black beasts attacked. They were vicous and fast.

Micky’s group was pushed back into the room. They attacked back keeping them back with opportune counter strikes when the beasts moved in on them. Micky buffed the group and then [Enraged] the monsters, but it didn’t seem that he needed it, they were relentless.

The creatures died quickly enough though. Micky and co. were in a choke point and there was nowhere the creatures could attack that was vulnerable. They moved on to the next area.

But the black creatures continued to harry them. They were about to lose it when zombies came in from the other side.

“Just great, what we needed was more monsters!” Said Histopher.

“Shut up and kill!” said Prin.

She smashed into a black beast. But that beast was then swarmed by zombies. The zombies were attacking the black beasts now. And fewer and fewer black beasts were targeting the group.

So they moved on quickly, not bothering for a finishing blow. They needed to get to the instructors. While they could keep going right now they would have trouble if this kept up. It was a good thing this happened in a dungeon with the advanced regen.

They met up with another group that screamed “Help They're after us!” Micky and crew hesitated, but still charged in. Although common adventurer logic dictated that you stay in your corridor, this was not the time for adventurer etiquette. This was a time for action and reaction.

The swarm hit and one of the other team ran. The other members seemed rattled and ready to run as well. But Micky’s team’s alpha obliterating the smaller party of [Antolion]s bolstered their bravado slightly.

“Come on! We have to go after the other guy!” Said Micky. They hadn’t had a single casualty yet in class. These were actually rare and the entire point of adventurer classes.

They found the other guy, what looked like a healer. Being mauled by two [Antolion]s. Quickly the team dispatched the distracted monsters.

The guy was bleeding and said “Please, I don’t want to die!” With tears running down his cheeks. So Prin smacked him hard across the face. She poured a health potion down his throat and one down his wound. Although they were less effective when applied directly they were also more concentrated.

It was not recommended however, since it could leave things in the wound or get infected. But sometimes combat readiness took precedence over procedure.

“Are you ready to fight yet?” Asked Prin.

The healer said“Noo! I don’t want to...” Prin smacked him across the face.

“Are you ready to fight yet?” Asked Prin with the same tone and same voice.

“Nooo...” *Smack*.

This was getting hard to watch, it continued a few times, but nobody interrupted. Finally the healer said “Yes, yes, whatever you want. Just stop hitting me!” And Prin stopped motivating, and raising crew morale. Micky felt proud somehow.

“Alright we have to move!” Said Micky.

They raced through the halls. When a zombie or a monster attacked they would alpha the creature. They were still harried by a few of the black beasts but it was easier when there were more people to alpha them.

They heard fighting and thought to run away, but then they heard voices up ahead. So they charged forward without stopping. The space opened up and they thought they were screwed but they saw at least three groups fighting it out ahead of them. They were on the left flank of the enemy, but it was a three way battle. It almost seemed like the zombies were as unhappy to see these [Antolion]s as they were to see the adventurers.

Either way, this was good news for all the adventurers. Micky and co. shared a short look, then a pointed look with the sheepish team of adventurers. Then they all charged.