Entering the dungeon we are greeted with a small fenced in area maybe a hundred feet across, on the opposite side from where we entered was a small metal arch with a gate that matched the gate for the entrance in design, this gate was closed though. This area was mostly bushes and a walking path, it resembled a hedge garden more than anything.

“Looks like we probably have to clear this area before moving on, I really doubt this is the entirety of the first floor.”

Drake said while observing the looking around the small area. While we were looking around I heard a *Ding* and judging by how most of my party members also jumped when it went off I bet they did too. Summoning my interface I find a new message.

New Quest

Clear the Garden

(Common)

Clear the haunted garden of

the pests that are eating the

garden then put the keeper

Dampé to rest

Reward

Random skill card (Common)

“So everyone else got the quest for the skill card right?”

May said breaking everyone out of the moment managing to tear our collective eyes off of the interface.

“Yeah” We said collectively.

“So do any of you know what a skill card is?”

Legos asked.

“I would guess its probably the same as what gave us the skills in the tutorial?”

I said.

“Most likely.”

Drake agreed.

“Well we should have plenty of incentive to clear this dungeon now.” Drake spoke before continuing. “Alright then May come on up here in the front followed by Gloom then Auspious and Legos, and I will take up the rear to prevent us from getting snuck up on. Legos and Gloom you two try and hit anything that comes at us. That should be a good enough formation, lets walk through this little area and get an idea what we are up against.”

After Drake finished we formed up.

“I guess we can just start by clearing to the left and working our way around.”

So saying we begin to move, we are all pretty tense ready to spring into action at the first sign of anything practically. We made it about an eighth circle around the hedge maze before we come upon something new. A tree in a small alcove in where a corner would have been otherwise. The tree is pretty big which is weird because I swear we would have been able to see it from where we entered but that did not seem to be the case. Either way it had some fruit that resembled pears with a few of them appearing larger and darker colored, my money is on them being magical.

“Okay so this is probably some kind of trap right? I assume we all agree on that.”

Drake spoke up, and seeing us all nod he continues.

“I suggest either me or May walk up and try and inspect while Gloom and Legos prepared to hit anything that appears, while Auspious is ready to heal or shield if need be, be liberal with your shield usage, a garden seems like the kind of place with venomous enemies so avoiding damage is probably better than curing it. So May I think I should be the first to risk it, you take care of this lot incase they get attacked rather than me.”

“Will do” She spoke with a nod.

We watched as Drake walked up to the tree. Once he got up to it the first thing he did was give the tree itself an experimental poke. Nothing happened, he gave it a small kick. Again nothing, after a moment of waiting he nods and reaches for the first fruit, one of the regular looking pears. As his hand is getting close to the pear in question I see a flash of movement and see an arrow thud into place next to Drakes outstretched hand. Stuck to the branch by the arrow is a this snake body that is changing from the color matching the branch to a bright green. Realizing what happened I begin to move forward and I see Legos is as well, while drake himself leapt backwards and three small heads shot through the space his hand and arm were moments ago. Before I even get close Drake's sword cleaves through the snakes before they can retract their heads, and after this happens I notice the tree itself seems to be writhing with color changing snakes, based on how long the dead ones appear to be there has to be at least twenty snakes on the low end. As I am approaching the tree Auspious shouts out for me.

“Stop don't walk under the leaf cover of the tree.”

As he says this and I begin to stop two long multicolored heads bite air where my head would have been if I continued running. Since they are in the open though I throw out two quick slashes, one from each dagger separating each of their heads from their necks. As I look back up towards Drake I see a luminescent layer just above his body that two snakes seem to have bitten ineffectually if their recoiling backwards were anything to go off of. After this it was just a matter of cleaning up the leftover snakes as they struck at Drake to no avail, all in all there were exactly twenty five snakes, a few of them head arrows sticking out, but the vast majority were beheaded by me or Drake. as we took a moment to rest I decided to identify one of the snakes.

Chromatic snake (uncommon)

A small venomous snake that

despite its size manages to

punch hard with its venom

and with its camouflaging

scales can avoid detection

unless attacking.

“I bet these skins would be useful to a leather smith” I say while gathering them up. “Do you all mind if I use them to help level my butchery skill and we split the profit evenly?”

“I am all for not having to skin them myself.” Drake says and looks around to a group of nods from the rest of the party.

“Alright sounds good I'll store them for now, and once we get out I'll see about getting that done. Though be aware I do not plan on spending days skinning snakes so if we keep fighting them I'll probably just sell most of them whole to save time. I'll be sure to attach an invoice when I give the rest of you your shares.”

“Sounds good to me, I suppose we can name you the monster loot guy for this dive eh?”

Legos said to me while wiggling his eye brows.

“So it seems”

I say before finishing collecting the snakes. Afterwards I speak up again.

“So what is up with the pears they magical or not?”

“From what identify says no just regular and overripe pears, I'll probably grab some just for food purposes, well the ripe ones at least.”

This came from Auspious while grabbing handfuls of pears and shoving them into his interface, Shrugging I grab a pear and identify it.

Pear (common)

A medium sized tart

fruit.

Sounds about right.

After cleansing the branches of both snakes and fruit we get back into formation and continue on the path clockwise around the outer edge of the garden.