Kaden Birch couldn’t be happier to be heading into danger. Once a classless orphan in the Saint’s Hall, he and his Room-Sister Trella had dreamed of simple things. Obtaining a Class in the System. Being warm. Having food.

Beside him, a small grey dog ran, with thin, long legs, floppy ears and curly fur that dripped with rain. Vip, the [Lighting Chevalier] had been his first Beast.

With a stutter and a trail of darkness, a shape appeared twenty feet forward. [Shadow Step], used by Trella, a [Shadow Blade]. Once, Kaden had thought he might be a [Rogue] but the System had other plans.

*Beautiful Fast!* Vip sent using [Beast Speech].

Kaden didn’t disagree. Since obtaining the Beast Master class, he understood so much more nuance. Like for instance, how ‘Fast’ meant so many different things to Vip. It was ‘good’ and ‘lively’ and ‘powerful’ and…well, not ‘Beautiful.’ Vip wasn’t wrong, though.

“Where is your mind?” Trella whispered—from right beside him.

He didn’t startle. Much. “Why are you wasting mana on skills like [Shadow Walk]? And are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

“I’m not trying, it comes easily. And for a skill like [Shadow Walk], it’s not a waste. I use it on every cooldown, and my mana skills I use as it regenerates. Any cycle where I’m not regenerating mana is a wasted cycle,” Trella said, putting an arm around him.

Vip leapt up—and through the shadowy figure Kaden had thought was Trella. Then turned around, spotted her and came sprinting back to leap up so Trella could catch her. *Love!* Vip crackled with electricity as part of her [Lightning Cavalier] class, but if it bothered Trella, she didn’t show it.

Trella caught Vip, set her down and let the dog race back to the other two members of the party. Sara Scylla, Party Leader and [Summoner], walked alongside their healer, an unpleasant woman named Evelyn Black.

“I think our healer is always in this foul mood,” Trella said. “She’s for sure a noble’s daughter, and you could reach level two on Minor Mend by kicking a Priest down the stairs and healing him.”

“Everyone starts somewhere. I ran around barely sensing emotions with [Beast Empathy] forever.” Kaden didn’t comment on the noble part.

Evelyn might prove to be a decent healer, if not a pleasant person.

“You looking forward to destroying some [Vorpal Gophers]?” Trella asked. Well, it might have been Trella. It could also have been her Deception, a shadowy afterimage that remained behind when she used [Shadow Walk.]

“Mr. Treadle says they’ll all be asleep. The Dagger Wasp hives are dead, so there’s nothing for the gophers to eat.” This time would be different. There would be no [Corpse Tunneler] and if there were [Vorpal Gophers], Vip would quickly teach them who the predator was.

White snow covered the landscape in a thin layer, but the road that lead to the Royal Orchard carried an enchantment that left it visible, all the way to the gates of the orchard.

“Hold up,” Sara called. Her Horrors reached out to snag Kaden by the shoulder. Each was a green pseudopod the color of a fresh pea. Diamond shaped scales covered them, and the pseudopods had no spine or bones, swelling or shriveling in undulating waves. But neither used their most fearsome skill.

“This is our first Party mission, and all we have to do to get our first star is not die and report back to the Guild. But it’s also a chance to practice now what we’ll do for real.” Sara glanced to Evelyn. “She’s in back, we protect the Healer at all costs. Kaden, you’re our fake [Shield]. I’ll be the bruiser with my Horrors. Unless whatever it is is small, recall Vip.”

Kaden gave her a nod. He’d heard over and over how, as a permanent summons, Vip wouldn’t be gone if she were killed, but the dog trusted him, and he wasn’t about to use her as bait. He checked his notices.

Your group has grown by [3]. Leader of the Pack is more efficient. Bonus: 2%.

“Titles are working,” he said. “Wounds will heal sooner, apparently.”

“And what’s my role?” Trella asked.

“Scout, stay clear of the battle. You’re several levels ahead of all of us, and way ahead on skills. So, when we enter the orchard, you do a scout run, we follow your lead.” Sara’s tone didn’t allow any disagreement.

Trella’s quick taps on his hand said otherwise. I’m a Shadow Blade. I’m made to battle.

You’re fierce, for sure. He tapped back. The memories grew clearer the longer he used that method of talking. It wasn’t a Skill recognized by the System, but one he’d learned from his mom.

Trella tucked away her unruly brown hair and wrapped her cloak tighter. Then she was gone, only a shadowy remnant who studied Kaden, looking up and down before fading away.

The winter wind whistled through apple trees, though no leaves rustled.

Beside Kaden, Sara watched, almost whispering. “Be careful. Be quick. It’s just a scouting run.”

“Varun will protect us,” Evelyn said. “And even if she doesn’t, her healing power will flow.”

Kaden wasn’t certain who she was convincing.

Then Vip’s ears flattened back and she let out a low growl. *Bads* *Fear*.

He echoed her feelings to the others—then reached out with [Beast Empathy]. Before he received his Beast Master class, Beast Empathy had functioned to tell him what beasts he could see felt. Now, he recognized it as a short range detection tool. *Hungry*

And with the feeling came a burst as [Beast Knowledge] kicked. Kaden shouted, “Get out of there! There’s an [Ice Wolf] stalking you!”

Trella stuttered into existence fifty yards away, a black dagger in her hand. A blur of white leaped at her, but she sidestepped, swiping at it.

Bright swirls of red hit the ground as the Ice Wolf snarled in pain and stumbled. But from all around the orchard, patches of snow began to move. Kaden remembered too late Professor Treadle’s warnings. That Ice Wolves were solitary in the summer.

And in winter, they banded together in packs.

[Ice Wolf]

Level: 14

HP: 160

Mana: 20

Skills: Frost Armor, Frost Bite

These creatures are not true wolves, though they are Beasts animated by the Ice Mana concentrated by storms on the mountains. They move as one, attacking at the direction of their Alpha.

“Pack attacks,” Kaden called out. “And one of them will be an Alpha.”

Sara whistled, long and hard, and waved to Trella—who [Shadow Stepped] again, stumbling into Kaden.

“Mana cost for doing that before the cooldown is terrible,” Trella said. “Oh, that’s fun. I’m regenerating at an increased rate.”

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Between Kaden’s Guardian of Life title and Sara’s Herald of Life, regenerating mana wouldn’t be the problem, but as the pack turned and bounded toward them, Kaden summoned a mana-dart. The azure orb of energy coalesced on his palm, and he smashed it on Trella’s back.

Then unslung his war hammer. At a thought, the needful cloak became stiff and heavy, the perfect armor for taking a bite, and it turned white and mottled black. “Vip!” he recalled his Lightning Cavalier, ignoring her disappointment. The size of the fight in his dog did not match up to this fight. “Some other fight,” he said. “Step right up, bad dogs. Who wants a hammer to the skull?”

The answer? All of them.

The Ice Wolves didn’t line up and attack one or two at a time. The pack came down like a waterfall. Kaden relied on [Fortress of Stone] for protection. His Rock Gobbler was native to deserts, and while he could survive in the cold, the poor thing would be miserable, sluggish—and Kaden couldn’t borrow skills that way. Instead he held the Rock Gobbler in his Soul-space and focused on the first wolf, bringing down the war hammer.

[Brutal Blows] has inflicted a crippling injury.

Your skill with [Brutal Blows] has increased.

The lead wolf hit the ground and thrashed, its hind legs not functioning, but two more followed, one from each side, and another leaping straight at Kaden’s throat. Time to take the offensive. He knocked one aside with the hammer, let another latch on to his left arm, and head butted the next wolf to leap.

Beside him, Sara’s Horrors revealed their true nature, as the ends unsealed to reveal gaping maws with four-lipped jaws and a rasping tongue covered in hooks. They split up, tearing into the wolf Kaden knocked aside and the one he head butted.

The one on his arm ground his teeth, thrashing, but [Fortress of Stone] dulled damage, pain, everything. Including the pain from a wolf that had snuck in and bitten him on the thigh. Wolves were big dogs, and big dogs deserved big pets with war hammers, so he petted the wolf on the head repeatedly until its skull caved in, then turned his attention—to the dead wolf dropping off his arm.

Trella withdrew her dagger, and as she did, the black cloaking it retracted. A shadow covered her sword. She smiled at him, wiping blood from her mouth, then her eyes went wide. “Shit!”

She disappeared, and a pair of wolves leaped through the shadowy figure that remained behind. It didn’t block them, but did impede their movement, so one fell on top of the other, and Kaden wasted no time, delivering a hammer to the back of the top one, a kick that didn’t really damage as much as disorient the bottom, and again to the bottom.

Your HP is low. You require healing. (22/118)

Oh, all the red on the ground must have been his blood. “I need a healer!”

“Kind of busy!” Evelyn called back.

Blood gushed from a wound on Sarah’s Neck, while her Horrors tore a wolf to pieces.

“Fall back into the trees,” Sara called weakly. “Use them for cover so the pack can’t swarm us.”

Kaden was already moving. He hadn’t killed the bottom wolf, but the top was walking on three legs, and not chasing.

*Disgust* The feeling came with an appraisal, but Kaden couldn’t say if it was for the party who bled all over the snow or the wolves who lay crippled everywhere. “The Alpha is still out there. Eyes open.” Kaden drew a healing salve from his inventory and squeezed it…everywhere. Salves were slower than potions or Mana based healing, but Evelyn seemed to be overwhelmed by Sara’s injuries.

Injuries he’d worry about when there weren’t half a pack of wolves still threatening. Kaden drew a Cleanse Status salve out and tossed it toward Sara. “You probably have Bleed stacked, and it’s outpacing the healing.”

“I count five,” Trella said, her voice a whisper. “And I think the Alpha is to our left, near the edge of the orchard”

The other five wolves took turns probing forward, then darting back. That was fine with Kaden, it gave the salve time to work, restoring HP with every breath. He summoned a mana dart and handed it to Trella, and another. “How much mana do you need to do the Deception skill?”

“I was fine the first time. The second time cost most of my mana. Let’s just say until the cooldown hits it’s out of the question. But I do have another option. Be ready to attack.” Trella focused for a moment—and her shadow rose up off the ground, striding forward.

This time, the wolves ignored it—until it swung a shadowy blade, slicing the nearest’s nose.

The cut wolf snarled and dashed forward.

Straight into a hammer blow.

You have stunned an opponent.

[Brutal Blows] has inflicted a minor crippling wound.

But Trella didn’t follow up, instead flinging a dagger at another wolf that had tried to flank them. It yelped and leaped back. “That’s poisoned, but it’s going to need time.”

“Time’s run out. For them.” Sara had recovered, and stood with a pair of short swords in her hand, and the Horrors at ready.

“Alpha was to your left, I can’t tell now,” Trella said, accepting another [Mana-Dart] from Kaden.

Kaden took a risk, sensing with Beast Empathy. Nothing. So he switched to [Beast Speech]. “You don’t have to die here. Take your wolves and go. Stay and fight and we’ll kill them all.”

Evelyn huffed. “Seriously, is something wrong with him? He talks—”

A mass of white fur with blazing red eyes snarled, and leaped from an apple tree, right at Kaden.

[Ice Wolf Alpha]

This ice wolf has seen seasons come and go, and drank deep of the mana that storms provide. Age has brought intelligence and pride. This one is enraged that you dared try and order it. There will be an end, for it will not suffer you to live.

HP: 300/300

Mana: 150

Skills: Frost Armor, Frost Breath, Frozen Bite

Kaden blocked with his war hammer and twisted to roll to the side so he wouldn’t throw the Alpha onto Evelyn, then rose and faced off. “I can’t handle the small ones and the big one at the same time.”

“I’ve got the small ones,” Sara and Trella spoke at the same time.

The Ice Wolf Alpha snarled, and Beast Speech activated. *Spread out. Attack from everywhere.*

If Sara and Trella needed that translated, something was wrong. But as he took another burning breath, warm energy flowed into him in a small burst. Five HP. And another five, a few seconds later. And again. Evelyn stood behind him, repeating [Minor Mend].

Wolves were smart, according to Professor Treadle. They often avoided battles they couldn’t win, and Kaden’s goal was to make this unwinnable. He didn’t wait, charging for the Alpha, which stood still, surprised, for a brief moment, then lunged backwards.

With no better options, Kaden summoned Rocky.

The Rock Gobbler dropped into the snow, letting loose a squeal that could be loosely translated as Being-a-desert-creature-dropped-unasked-into-a-battle-in-an-area-made-of-ice-and-snow-but-being-too-stubborn-to-admit-hating-it.’ Beast Empathy was doing the best it could, but that was the gist.

It took one look at the Alpha and turned sideways, ready with a [Landslide Smash] of its tail. Kaden moved to the left, around Rocky, war hammer at the ready.

“Two down!” Sara called. “Three wounded, just delay it.”

Kaden would never be clear on whether the Alpha understood her speech, saw its pack fall, or simply couldn’t hold back its lust for blood, but it came at him like a force of nature. Kaden dodged behind Rocky, who took a blast from [Frost Breath] to the face and answered with a deep, earth shaking grunt.

But the Rock Gobbler moved visibly slower as it turned, and again the Alpha hit it with [Frost Breath]. Rocky was durable, but ice was a weakness. Kaden had no choice, he recalled Rocky, wincing as the last of a [Frost Breath] blast hit him. The Alpha bounded toward Kaden, its mouth glowing as Ice Mana collected—and Kaden flipped the hammer over, ramming the handle down its throat.

Ice formed and swept up the handle, burning his hands, while its claws raked gashes in his [Needful Cloak].

“Keep it restrained,” Sara called. “Evelyn, move in and hit it.”

From one side, Sara stepped in, slashing at the Alpha’s paws until pain made it stop its attack.

From the other, Evelyn swung a wooden club hitting the alpha over and over. “I got a [Blunt Weapons] skill!” she shouted, then swung again and again.

“That’s enough for her to get experience,” Sara said.

And with that, Trella thrust her daggers forward, cutting the Alpha’s throat.

It fell back, eyes vacant.

Kaden sat down in the freezing snow, his hands stiff, his body aching.

“No loot?” Evelyn asked. “Bosses always have loot.” With every moment, she pumped minor mend into one of them.

And somewhere, Kaden felt Sara’s Herald of Life sending surges of energy out. Guardian of Life didn’t seem to have any effect that he could tell. Wounds heal faster didn’t specify how much faster, or what counted as wounds.

“Kaden?” Sara asked, nodding to the corpse. “You know how to process that? I don’t, but you did more Pest Patrol.”

He knew how to do better. He dragged the Alpha into Inventory, even though it made his Inventory space ache. “Let’s finish the mission and deal with the Alpha later.”

Trella and Evelyn stared, their eyes wide, but Evelyn spoke first. “You put a dead beast into your Inventory?”

“Tell her about the Dungeon Loot,” Kaden said. “I wish I could show it to you.”

“Veto. That should have killed you. I still don’t get why it didn’t.” Sara said.

Trella put a gentle hand on his shoulder, turning him around. “Story time can wait until we’re back at the Guild, because we’re not getting into the tunnel. That’s what I was going to tell you before the wolves attacked. I found the tunnel. There’s a Dungeon Door on it. There’s a green crystal in the center, three circles filled in with silver on the arch.”

“That’s a rank three dungeon.” Sara went to each of the wolves. “This one’s still alive. Evelyn, come hit it.” Dead wolves she stuck in Inventory, live ones they made dead. Then she turned to the Party. “As much as I’d love to claim a Dungeon run, we’re only scouting. We’ll head back to the Guild, report, and get our first stars.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Trella said. But as they fell into a line, heading back, she grasped Kaden’s arms and pushed something into his hand.

Found this by the Dungeon door. And there’s so many tracks in the mud under the snow., she tapped out on his hand.

Kaden’s stomach turned.

The simple iron square, with the slash through the middle, bore rust and what he hoped was dirt. The chain that it had hung by was worn and broken. But Kaden had worn one once, as had every orphan taken into the Saint’s Hall.

The priests had disappeared, and all the young orphans with them.

Now Kaden knew where they’d gone. Taking children into a Dungeon? That wasn’t just murder, it was a slaughter. He picked up his pace.