For loot, Levi had obtained nothing of real note from this dungeon; enough restorative elixirs for a net gain of one more of health and a pale green one for stamina regen, and a basic wand. No tokens, no equipment. The wand had no spell set into it yet, and mana crafting required the third threshold at level 15 to unlock without specialized training. Levi had never obtained such training, more focused on fighting than creating.

The wand did him no good at the moment, but could be valuable later. Levi stashed it away for now, then backtracked through the dungeon. He carefully double-checked each room in case he’d overlooked lurking enemies or secret side routes.

In general, a boss gave significantly more experience toward leveling than anything else in the dungeon. Side routes and challenges decreased time efficiency, better to go straight for the end of each floor as fast as possible. In his case, the hours spent traveling to each new dungeon outweighed any minor increase to experience-per-minute gains by rushing through. It would be best to squeeze every last drop of experience out of each dungeon before moving on.

To his surprise, he did find a passage he’d overlooked the first time, a reverse-facing tunnel intended for an unexpected ambush behind invaders. If any such ambush had occurred, it had failed to the point of being indistinguishable from normal dungeon behavior.

Only one problem: the tunnel was built for gremlin-sized creatures. Levi could probably have squeezed in if he crawled, but his shoulders were too wide, and he’d have to scoot in diagonally. Not a good posture for being ready for battle.

Levi handed his dagger back to his minion. “Two, check it out. If you find any enemies, run back to me and we’ll fight them together.”

Gremlin Two nodded acknowledgment and scampered into the tunnel. For a long time, there was only the distant sound of the bog shifting and the slow drip of vile sludge in a nearby swamp room.

Then Gremlin Two ran back, his feet slapping against the soft ground, knife held in one hand and a piece of paper in the other. He presented the paper to Levi with a look of great pride, jumping about and squeaking in excitement.

“What did you find there?” Levi took the page, a perfect square of thick paper with a few heavy lines and dots scrawled across it. It took him a moment to understand what he was looking at, but when he did an expression of shock spread across his face.

Gremlin Two tilted his head curiously.

“It’s a treasure map. I’ve heard of these; they only show up in... maybe one in a thousand dungeon runs. And they always lead to something amazing. Like, a four-slot custom weapon, or a special class orb.”

And he'd only found it because he had a minion tiny enough to crawl through an otherwise inaccessible passage. How many other basic dungeons hid secrets like this, just waiting for exactly the right circumstances to uncover them?

Gremlin Two stared up at him, eyes wide with the unspoken question.

Levi grinned. “We’re going after it. No question about it.” The map generally served as both direction and key; he’d need it to access whatever the hidden treasure was.

The markings on the map showed only dungeons, making it difficult to match up to the real world. For a delving team this early in the timeline to locate the right dungeon would require perhaps months of research — unless one happened to have memorized a countrywide map of dungeon locations in a past life.

It took only moments for Levi to mentally orient himself and cross-check the two Destruction dungeons he’d delved so far with the path shown on the map. It headed roughly south and west, a little past Mansfield, west of 71.

The dungeon indicated as the map’s destination was Control type, which lined up well with his aims. Even without the promise of an epic reward, he needed to collect some Control tokens if he wanted any certainty of being able to craft a Summoner class orb when the time came.

Control dungeons were as creepy as all get-out, but that was something he'd have to face sooner or later. The map provided some serious incentive to move up the timetable.

Something clattered nearby, and Levi’s head jerked up as he tensed, suddenly very alert.

“Sssh!” hissed a voice.

“Someone said ‘treasure map,’” another voice whispered. “I want to see.”

“Who’s there?” Levi demanded, his voice strident and carrying as he folded the map and tucked it safely into one of his belt pockets. “Come out.”

An untidy teen staggered into view at the far end of the corridor, looking very much like he’d been shoved. He glared back toward where he’d emerged from, then grabbed another young man and dragged him out as well.

“Your fault,” the second man hissed.

The first punched him.

Levi’s patience for other humans had worn quite thin. “What are you doing in here?”

“You’re the weird guy crawling around in creepy tunnels.” The scrawnier, dark-haired teen crossed his arms. “Why don’t you tell us?”

Why not? He needed to get word out eventually. Maybe a few people crossing his path now and again could help. “I’m delving this dungeon in order to level up. There’s a demon invasion coming in a few months, and I need to be a minimum of level 25 by then.”

The two teens looked at each other, eyes widening. “Crazy bum,” one whispered, circling a finger beside his head to indicate what he thought of Levi’s mental state.

“D’ya think he’s dangerous?”

“Look, I don’t care if you believe me or not. I’m going to finish searching this dungeon and then I’ll be on my way. If you do come back, be sure you bring as many people as possible. The boss room seals itself, so you might want to avoid it until you’re at least level 3. Just don’t skip it too many times in a row. You need to blow up the crystals if it’s the goblin one again.”

He stepped forward and the duo backed up. The dark-haired one slipped, one foot splashing into the next room’s pool of rust-hued swamp water. He yelped and jumped out, shaking his foot and making small pained sounds.

Levi looked out across the swamp, then shook his head. They’d sunk all but two of the stepping-stone hillocks, leaving it all but impossible to traverse without the levels to survive the corrosive liquid.

“How many times has something like this happened and ended up with everyone dead,” Levi mused. If he hadn’t already taken care of the boss, they’d be trapped between the swamp and the exit. Levi had enough health and stamina to survive, but without system-granted protection they’d be lucky to get out without serious injury.

He jerked a thumb back over his shoulder toward the end of the dungeon. “Keep going that way. When you find the big door with a glowing light in it, that’s the exit. You can get out there.”

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Levi backed up, picked up Gremlin Two and held him to his chest with one arm, then broke into a stamina-fueled sprint. He leaped into the air at the edge of the swamp and soared over it for a moment before hitting the first of the two remaining hillocks.

Immediately he pushed off again, stretching further this time, and landed on the other hillock. This one was too far from the shore, but he leaped again anyway. He landed in the pool with a splash, but his momentum carried him forward as he jumped once more and landed safely on the far shore.

Levi set down Gremlin Two, breathing hard from the exertion, and glanced back at the collection of teens.

The kids stared after him, not following his directions in the least.

“Hurry up,” he called across, “before things start to respawn.”

They looked at one another, then at Levi on the opposite side of the corrosive pool.

“Go.” Levi let a bit of his eternal frustration show in his tone, and that seemed to finally get through to them.

They began a hurried exodus in the direction Levi had indicated. He stared after them as they receded deeper into the dungeon toward the exit.

Why did it have to be kids? He’d always known that the first dungeons were discovered by people unprepared for the reality of what they faced, but even if his presence had incidentally saved this one group here and now, how many others would be stumbling into deadly danger?

Part of him wanted to run after them. Take charge, oversee a full delve and show them everything they’d need to know.

He may not know how to handle normal civilian interaction any more, but a dungeon run was something he knew intimately. To do so would require waiting over a day for the place to refill, though, assuming the random group of teens stuck around that long.

He doubted they’d be back. Hopefully not.

Reluctantly, he turned away. He couldn’t be everywhere or save everyone.

It still felt awful.

Levi was still only one man, even if he’d seen the future. Countless dungeons existed all across the world, too many for him to monitor.

He forcefully put the encounter out of his mind, though the echoes would linger for a long time.

He found two more gremlins skulking down the side routes, but nothing more.

As they walked, Levi tried to decide how best to handle his upcoming quest. He could move slowly, as there were three more dungeons roughly in the line between him and the treasure map’s destination. Or he could make the most of still having a working phone, hire an Uber, and make the multi-day trek in an hour and a half.

By the time they reached the entrance, he still hadn’t reached a decision — though he had slipped on one of those infernal hopping-sinking hillocks and gotten the bottom half of his new leg protection worn away completely. It had been fragile enough after wading in earlier on purpose, this last accidental dunking was the final straw.

Confident that he’d found everything there was to find, Levi exited the dungeon. He pulled out his phone as he emerged from the alley. He needed Control tokens and the mysterious treasure waiting for him more than he needed to clear every dungeon on the way.

Though it took a bit of fiddling, his old instincts were coming back. He found the Uber app and put in his request, then waited for a notification.

The phone buzzed almost immediately with a text message.

Irene: What’s going on? I just got a call from Gordon? You missed every session? Please please please tell me you’re okay

Levi froze, staring at the tiny photo of his smiling wife. For a long moment he only looked, then he scrolled back up through the messages.

Irene: I see we have a large order of sporting goods. Finally plan on getting in shape?

xD

Or was your credit card stolen?

Irene: Was your phone stolen too?

Haha

Irene: Please tell me you didn’t actually get mugged.

You’re okay, right?

Are you there?

Irene: OMG are you even alive??

Please answer.

Irene: If you’re a thief, I’ll have you know that’s my husband’s phone and I am not going to let you keep it without a fight.

Irene: Levi if you’re alive call me

What's wrong

You haven’t texted in two days

His thumb hovered over the text field, but he couldn’t bring himself to press it. Guilt immediately flooded him. He’d hoped to keep his family out of this mess for as long as possible so that they’d be safe and happy until absolutely necessary, but now they were worrying anyway.

What could he say? How could he tell her what he had to tell her?

If he tried to describe their new reality, she’d probably think he’d lost his mind. Or joined a cult. Or both. She'd laugh at him, or try to have him medicated, or at least be endlessly worried for his sanity. She'd certainly not accept it quietly.

But he had to do something.

Levi: I’m fine.

Sorry to worry you.

Some of the places I’m visiting are underground and don’t get reception.

I didn’t mean to worry you.

I love you.

I’ll be safe, I promise. Please don’t worry. I’m fine.

I love you.

Tell Peter I love him too.

He stopped himself as his vision blurred with tears. Knowing she’d be alive at this point in the timeline had been one thing. Actually seeing it cut through years of control and suppression. Some dam inside him broke, grief and relief and uncertainty pouring out in an uncontrollable flood.

Gremlin Two hugged his leg to comfort him, and he crouched to pat the little guy’s head, hiccupping a laugh at the absurdity of the situation.

His phone buzzed at him again. He wiped his eyes, taking a long shaky breath to steady himself, then shoved down the remnants of his meltdown and dried his face before looking down at the screen.

Irene: Are you drunk?

Where are you?

Almost immediately the phone rang out its nostalgic, familiar musical tones.

Levi’s heart jumped and sped up, panic threatening to overwhelm him.

He wasn’t ready.

What could he say? How could he say it?

If he actually spoke to her, actually heard her voice, then all his planning would be thrown aside. Would he have the strength to turn away again, to continue racing for levels when faced with her very real disappointment?

The demonic threat was coming, but he knew in that moment that if he let down his guard and lost focus, he’d drop everything and run home no matter how bad a long-term plan that would be.

The phone rang again, insistent.

His hand trembled.

He could barely protect his minions right now. He wasn’t strong enough yet. Rushing back now wouldn’t work. Once he saw them, he couldn’t go back to leveling without them. He needed to be at least capable enough to keep them safe through the initial Awakening process.

It would be fine. He'd get home in time, well before the invasion started, in plenty of time to get them somewhere safe. If he let his resolve shatter now, what use would he be to anyone?

The ringing stopped, blessedly, sparing him from having to decide. He switched back to messages.

Levi: How long until Peter gets back?

Irene: Don’t think you can dodge the issue. Where are you?

Levi: Once you pick up Peter, do not come home!!!

It isn’t safe. I’ll meet you at your parents’ place and tell you everything

His Uber arrived and he quickly hit send, then set the phone to silent.

He’d deal with Irene later, figure out how to explain everything in a way that didn’t sound insane.

He couldn’t do this right now. He wasn’t ready yet.

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