Targe raised his shields a moment before a massive length of purple-black flesh crushed Ethan. The Fighter grunted under the force, his boots digging grooves into the hard forest ground. With great effort, the man parried the man-width tentacle and reposted, drawing a line of oozing black from the monster.

“Twist! Scout!” Targe shouted, gesturing for Ethan to get back.

Ethan didn’t need more than a gesture, he was already scrambling back. He took stock of his mana and abilities. With a mental command, he used his [Mana Tap Earring], setting his current pool to 150. Targe was unharmed, and he didn’t remember Twist getting hurt. Luca sent mental reports that the tentacles led back to a singular creature that radiated countless such appendages.

“Big monster. Lots of tentacles,” Ethan breathed, holding his staff in front of him.

“Corrupted dungeon?” Targe asked, slashed wildly at the monster.

Ethan couldn’t see where the tentacles led. He only had the information provided by Luca, which was sparse. He felt his summoned spirit dodging strikes, weaving through them to strike at the main body.

“Corruption,” Twist said after bursting from the treeline. He fell in line with the group, twin daggers ready to lash out. “Giant bear. Rank 2.”

“Of course!” Targe shouted, dancing on the spot.

The tentacle the Fighter had been battling retreated. It slithered back into the forest with a horrid squelching sound. Ethan called Luca back before checking on Targe’s shield. It would hold for a few more hits, but it only reduced damage. It didn’t absorb strikes completely. The party waited there, not willing to make the first move against the corrupted bear. But the sound of its movement rattled the ground. Where it stepped, ancient trees fell away.

“Bad news. I think we’re running,” Targe said, adjusting the grip on his sword.

“To town? Risky.”

“Can we kill it?” Ethan asked.

To answer his question, the bear burst from the trees. The creature was twice the size of a normal bear. If that was its defining feature, Ethan would have been happy. Instead of a thick coat of fur, the monster had pools of pulsating ooze. Tentacle-like appendages burst from every part of the thing, writhing through the air as though searching for something. It let out a mournful roar, vibrating the ground beneath their feet.

Targe stood ready to intercept any attack, hoisting his shield a few times as the tentacles feinted strikes. “Can’t kill it, can we? Gotta run. Where? Send Luca away, make it seem like he’s retreating.”

Ethan obeyed, sending Luca back the way they came. A tentacle shot out, attempting to wrap around the spirit’s body. Narrowly dodging the strike, Luca spun around in the air and used [Claw] of his own accord. The appendage recoiled, and the bear let out another roar of anger. Once he landed, the spirit cast his eyes around the forest. He sensed something out there. Lurking in the forest.

“We may have more,” Ethan said, swallowing hard. “Luca feels something out there.”

“Perfect! Good training session, Sven! Just take the new guy to fight some corrupted horror and—”

Targe cut himself off, raising his shield to absorb a strike from the monster. Twist didn’t miss a beat, descending on the bear like a cyclone of blades. Large chunks of corrupted flesh fell off, slapping against the ground with a vile sound. Ethan ordered Luca to the main body, the squirrel striking at the thing’s face with vicious clawing attacks. The beast recoiled from the attack, falling back.

“Watch the tentacles,” Ethan said, gesturing to the flailing things. “They’re not coordinated anymore.”

“Weakpoint… tentacles?” Targe asked. “That’s bad design.”

The Fighter pushed forward, hunkering under his shield as the bear lashed out again. Luca tore at the monster’s face while Twist wove a dance of blades on the monster’s tentacles. A massive swipe of an errant appendage sent both Twist and Luca flying back. While the Rogue kept his balance, the spirit tumbled. With only a fraction of his health left, Ethan sent the summon back in.

The forest lit up behind them. Ethan couldn’t turn around in time to spot the source, but blue energy radiated in a turgid wave. Bolts of blue-black bolts of magic slammed into the monster’s face, sending it reeling. Targe spotted the opportunity and drove in, leading with his shield as he charged. Twist joined him, dodging the flailing tentacles and stabbing at the monster’s side.

The bolts came in rapid succession. Where they hit, there was simply nothing left. It was as though the attacks deleted the pieces of the monster completely, leaving nothing behind but a clean wound. Ethan threw out several [Cure Minor Wounds] casts, topping Twist off after he took a tentacle to the face. With one last push Targe drove his sword through the bear’s heart. One last massive roar, and it fell to the side.

Before the system message appeared, Targe was already shouting into the forest. “Friend or foe?”

A snap of magical energy radiated in front of the exhausted group. Someone stepped out, scoffing. “Last time someone saved your ass then turned around to attack you. No? Right, cause I helped.”

Ethan got a better look at the short person. They were roughly the size of the dwarf he’d seen before, coming up to his waist. The high-pitched voice could only have belonged to a woman, but he wasn’t sure. She wore an ornate dress, puffy at the bottom and filled with patterns of stars and moons, and held a staff. The weapon looked more like a rod of solid darkness than anything. Her skin was a shifting pattern of black and blue magic, but the Caller suspected that was a spell. Otherwise, she just looked like a tiny, slightly rotund elf.

“Thanks for the help,” Ethan said, forestalling snide remarks from his companions.

The heat of battle still ran through all their veins. It was an intense fight that had almost drained his entire pool of mana.

“Void,” Targe said, taking a long breath. “How’d you get that name? Someone hadn’t taken it before?”

“The old Void died,” the woman said, performing a bow. “I camped out at the Guild to snag it.”

“Grim,” Twist said.

Ethan didn’t know how Targe knew the woman’s name. Spotting the woman’s necklace, he focused on the medallion under her dress. As expected, a system message appeared.

[Void]

Rank 1 [Void mage]

Current Standing:

Excellent

“Sure, formal introductions. Hooray,” Void said, bowing. “Pleasure to meet you, Caller Bells. You’ve been making waves.”

“In a good way. Right?”

Void ignored the question completely. “You must be thinking ‘wow, Void. You’re so strong. But what are you doing messing around near a restricted dungeon?’ Well, let me tell you. Those guards the duke placed near the dungeon? SUCK!”

“The monster was from the dungeon?” Ethan asked.

“Yeah, and they let a little worm get past. Infected that bear, I guess.” Void folded her little arms, shaking her head. Her long ears flopped. “Doesn’t take a genius to see they sent you to clear the dungeon. Go figure, right? Hard work doesn’t count for nothing when you have a [Caller’s Core].”

Ethan coughed into his hand, falling into a resting position on the ground. He didn’t disagree with her on that point. “Telbarantis can heal the dungeon.”

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m just mad,” Void said. Then she screamed, tilting her head back to let it all out. “All better. Mind if I join you on the trip?”

“We’re training for the dungeon. Trying to get our synergy working.”

“Hey, you guys did good,” Void said. Her entire tone had changed. She’d gone from accusatory to supportive in a blink. Ethan noticed the strange shimmer of color fading from her skin. “Summoners can fill a lot of roles. That’s why it’s so great to have them around.”

“Agreed,” Twist said. “Let’s walk.”

The group went back to retrieve the donkey. Among adventurers, there was an innate trust. Ethan spotted the “Current Standing” section of Void’s information, and figured that she was worth trusting. That must have been the system that Targe told him about. The system where renegade adventurers were marked, and bounties were placed. So long as someone had that hunk of metal hanging from their necks, they were trustworthy enough. Besides, Void’s constant shift in personalities was entertaining enough.

“You two need to specialize more,” Void said, helping un-hobble the donkey. “I’m thinking a pure tank class for Targe, and a bleed build for Twist.”

“I’ve wanted a bleed build,” Twist said. The single eye visible under his mask twitched, searching for answers from the short woman.

“Yeah, I’ll give you some pointers. Some people like secrets, but screw them. Slot a [Blood Mage] Subcore, level it to Rank 1. Bathe yourself in the blood of a fallen dungeon boss, and your main core will evolve to [Blood Rogue].”

Twist had withdrawn parchment from the donkey’s pack, scribbling the information down. “Thank you, Void.”

“Hey, no problem.”

The group made their way back into the forest with their mounts. Targe looted both the regular bear and the corrupted version. Two [Monster Cores], but nothing special otherwise. Void had a lot of information for them to consume, but it seemed to come at a cost. She was not-so-subtly inserting herself as a member of their party. Ethan couldn’t get a read on his companions. Twist seemed absorbed with the idea of becoming a [Blood Rogue], and Targe had closed himself off.

Ethan had Luca ranging ahead, searching for more bears. He sent a thought back that he’d found another normal [Mountain Bear], and the group closed in. They came to a stream, finding the bear eating a freshly killed fish in the water. It peeled away layers of flesh, slurping it down happily.

“I’ll just watch,” Void said.

This battle was more standard. Ethan stayed back, enjoying his position as a support summoner. Luca ran a tight circle around the area, keeping an eye out for interlopers. But nothing came. That left the field of battle clear for Targe and Twist to work their magic. The Fighter was a wall when he had his shield out. Each strike from the bear still chipped away at his health, but it was nothing [Cure Minor Wounds] couldn’t take care of. When the bear fell, Void clapped.

“Very standard,” she said.

There was nothing more the group could learn from single-monster combat. They’d fallen into practiced teamwork instantly. Ethan thought it was because he had experience adventuring. By doing the solo dungeon, he’d learned a lot about positioning. That seemed to be the most important part. Isolating monsters, and making sure he had an excellent position was the key. Otherwise, being the point-man was a simple job. Look out for other monsters and keep everyone topped off. Simple job.

Seeing the exercise as a waste, the group made their way to the dungeon. The copper rod leaned to the correct direction, sometimes fidgeting away. But a few hours of hiking, and a few more dead bears, the group found the dungeon. Unlike the [Goblin Dungeon], this one was set on a hill. It was piled on either side with massive stones that dripped with black goo. A palisade wall was erected around it, at least 20 ducal guards within.

“Halt!” one called from a distance. “State your name and business.”

“Caller Bells!” Ethan shouted back. “Come to purify the dungeon.”

A murmur spread through the assembled guards. A guard with more ruffles than the others came to the front. The massive feather dangling from his hat bounced, and he stroked his beard.

“I was told to expect a party of three.”

The group edged toward the makeshift gates where the man with the big hat waited.

“Change of plans,” Void said.

Ethan cleared his throat. “We needed more firepower.”

Void had inserted herself into the party, but he wouldn’t decline her offer. If the things inside the dungeon were anything like those outside, they’d need every bit of help they could get. The guard regarded them with a discerning eye. Then he shrugged.

“Breaks are becoming more common. We lost a larva earlier.”

“We know,” Targe said. “Discovered the thing in the forest.”

“Fine. So long as Bells can purify the dungeon, you can take an army. I don’t care,” the guard said, gesturing for them to enter the walled camp.

Ethan worked with Targe to sort through their supplies. They loaded up packs filled with watered wine, food, and assorted necessities. There was no way to tell how long they’d be inside the dungeon, so it was best to pack heavy. The Caller had already learned he could just dump his pack while they fought, picking it back up after he was done. The Fighter moved, grabbing Void by the arm and moving her aside.

“Just so we’re clear,” he said, looking around at the ducal guard. “You’re not getting a cut.”

Despite the woman’s size, she stared up at Targe with a defiant expression. “Duh. You’d be dumber than a headless mole to think I’d expect anything. But what’s in the dungeon? Those creatures? They seem close enough to the void to be worthy of study.”

“Not entirely selfless,” Twist said. “Cut the chatter.”

“If she wasn’t a mage, I’d have tossed her to the side,” Targe grumbled, approaching the dungeon entrance.

Similar to the [Goblin Dungeon], there was a shimmering portal of blackness resting at the threshold. Targe approached first, then a system message popped up.

[Fighter] [Targe] has invited you to a dungeon party.

Accept?

[Y/N]

Ethan mentally accepted. Several status bars appeared near his, representing each member of the party. They trusted the duke’s men to keep their donkey safe for the few hours they were inside. Targe regarded his companions.

“Ready?”

Everyone affirmed, and the familiar sense of being tugged through nothing by the belly filled Ethan. He hurtled for only a moment before finding himself standing in the dungeon. Once again, there was a system message to mark their descent.

[Targe’s Party] has entered the [Corrupted Ant Dungeon]!

Time is moving at 1/32 rate within the dungeon.

Defeat the [Dungeon Boss] or touch the portal to retreat.

All rewards will be forfeit if you retreat.

Difficulty increased based on 4 party members.

Good luck!

“Now that we’re out of range of the duke’s guards,” Targe said, turning to Void. “Any reason you’re interested in this dungeon? No need to be coy, we’re a team. Even if it’s temporary.”

“This isn’t the only corrupted dungeon in Wexenhal. Let alone the kingdom,” Void said. Whatever boisterous arrogance she held earlier fell away. “I’m from the Duchy of Brasbek—to the north—and we’ve had corruption spreading through all our dungeons.”

“The same corruption?” Twist asked.

“The Dark Elven Empire might as well be the experts on the topic,” Void said, tilting her head to the Rogue. “But, yes. My father sent me to Wexenhal to investigate. Been here for about two weeks, and here we go. Just gotta know where to poke your nose.”

“Sending his Rank 1 daughter off seems risky,” Targe said, folding his arms. The big man wouldn’t budge, would he?

“Risky? Maybe. Best way to stay incognito.” Void wiggled her eyebrows. “No one expects a Rank 1 mage to be in this deep.”

“Fine. I was blustering out in the duke’s camp. Wanted to put on a show. You’re welcome to any [Void Mage] specific gear,” Targe said. “But I’m afraid we need the cash.”

“No worries,” Void said, waving the question off. “Just glad we got the air cleared. So we can work on actually doing some good.”

Ethan busied himself by studying the tunnel. It wasn’t the same as the tunnels in the [Goblin Dungeon]. Instead of cave walls, this one was made of dirt. Gnarled roots poked from the walls, insects visibly crawling on the ground below. The worst of it was the sense of malevolence radiating from deeper within the tunnel. And the sound of chittering mandibles up ahead.

The tunnel led into the first room, which was empty of monsters. A widened cavern spread before them with a thorny bush growing in the room’s center. It had the same theme of dirt walls and roots sticking from them. This dungeon fanned out in three paths. East, center, and west. Before continuing, Targe went over tactics.

“Not much to change here,” he said. “Twist and I will hold the front line with Luca running interference. Luca is what we call Ethan’s summoned spirit. Yeah, it’s really a piece of the Great Spirit Lucantele. Anyway, Luca catches the stragglers and Ethan throws out his pathetic heals.”

“My heals aren’t that bad,” Ethan said.

“They’re bad. But better than nothing,” Targe said.

“I’m good at firing indiscriminate [Void Bolts],” Void said.

The group edged to the western passage, staying outside of the room. The threshold was obvious, making it easy to keep out of range. Inside were at least 4 massive ants. They held similar infections to the bear outside. Tentacles writhed on their bodies, but unlike the bear they were only Rank 1. The monsters looked similar to ants under the purple-black goo and tentacles. Six legs, fat little abdomens, and a pair of wicked-looking mandibles on the front. They were also roughly the size of small ponies.

Void let out a heavy sigh. “Not the most encouraging sign. The corruption my father detailed is more advanced than this. But this dungeon has been infected for a while.”

“What do you mean?” Ethan asked.

“Some dungeons lose the monster type in their title. So they just become [Corrupted Dungeons],” Void said. “That’s when you have to worry… worry, yeah… uh, guys?”

Ethan’s head swiveled back to the room. He blinked, watching as the heads of each ant turned their way. They issued a chittering squelch, tentacles slapping against the ground. Every ant in the room charged toward the party.