Matt, Fallyn, and Val approached the white door as the timer crossed the one-hour mark. Kurtis had been gone for a quarter of it. He would have told them to keep going. The printer paper sign read, ‘Danger: Challenge 3 ahead.’

“Look Wiggles,” Val said. “Comic Sans.”

“Wu.”

The hallway extended for about twenty feet more and then turned left, presumably to the ‘Easy’ path. Matt eyed it, then sighed at the sign on the door.

“I’ll call him,” Fallyn said, pulling out her rainbow orb. The golf ball sized sphere began to glow in her palm; colors swirled and melded together.

Then Septimus Flower was standing in front of them as if he’d always been there. “Hello, travelers. Have you completed your quest?”

“I think so,” Val said. “But our friend disappeared.”

“Oh good!” said Septimus.

Matt snorted.

“Well, not really.” Val scratched Wiggles's head.

“You expected him to acknowledge it?” Fallyn raised an eyebrow.

Val crossed her arms. “That’s the door, right Septimus?”

Septimus Flower turned and then jumped back when he saw it. “Great Scott! Why that is the door. Excellent work, travelers.”

White text, ‘Challenge 2: complete’ floated up to the warmly glowing ceiling. The red score number blurred, rapidly increasing with a series of dings, and resolving to ‘1392.’

Matt ran a hand over his face. “What’s next, Septimus?”

“In a hurry, are you?” Septimus raised his eyebrows.

“Yes please,” Fallyn said.

“Well okay then!” Septimus waved an arm. White text appeared in the wake of his brightly colored sleeve, ‘7,500,000 XP.’

“Holy shit,” Matt blurted as the tingling sensation began in his core. It built until there was almost too much pressure and then it poured out through his limbs. He began to glow.

‘Level 19’ floated up to the ceiling next, followed by ‘1 Skill Point’ and ‘5 Stat Points.’ Matt was already 13% through the next level.

“Holy shit is right,” echoed Val.

“Septimus, what’s the next part?” Fallyn asked.

The rainbow-clad man grinned and rapped his knuckles on the door, then pressed an ear to it. “If my calculations are correct, when this baby is opened, you’re gonna see some serious shit.”

“Aww, we taught him to swear.” Val made a heart with her index and middle fingers.

“I’m pretty sure that’s Back to the Future,” Matt said.

Fallyn looked at him sharply. “Then what’s behind this door?”

“You’ll have to open it and find out!” Septimus winked. “Complete the final challenge then come find me outside. Good luck travelers!” Then Septimus disappeared and the rainbow stone dimmed.

“Let’s spend our points quickly,” Fallyn urged, “then see what’s in there.”

“We can’t without Kurtis,” Val said.

“We won’t know until we see it,” Fallyn said.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Matt was skeptical but there was nothing he could do. Kurtis had been there one minute, then was gone the next—much like Septimus Flower, except the sphere involved was much bigger. Matt worried about his friend. He ran a hand along the side of his head.

He opened his Stats Menu, and quickly dumped points in Health. Then he moved to his Skills Menu. He just had two Earth Aspect skills left, the ones that unlocked at Level 15. Plot Armor would give him +1000 Magical Resistance and Stick it to The Man seemed like an ability but it was a little unclear. None of the others had gotten it yet. It read ‘Cover the enemy in sticky goo. You don’t want to know what it is.’

Does it trap them? Does it do damage? How much? Yes, I do want to know what it is, fucking FRC.

The logical part of Matt’s brain—the part that had combed through spreadsheets and compiled data reconciliation reports—knew that he should probably go for the resistance. He was a tank, after all. But he wasn’t that accountant anymore. He wasn’t even sure he was human.

“Stick it to The Man,” Matt announced, snapping the window closed.

“Me too,” Fallyn said.

“Me three!” cheered Val.

“Eee!” said Wiggles holding up a fist.

“Not surprising,” Fallyn said. “We all have the Aspect and are nearing the end of skills to spend points on.”

“Anyone figure out how it works?” asked Matt.

“I dunno,” said Val. “I just figure you—”

A liter of yellow snot flew at the wall. She opened a fist as if flinging something from it, and another bucketful flew again. The viscous goo dripped down a few feet before stopping.

“So gross,” Fallyn said.

“Yep,” Matt agreed, reaching for the door handle. “Please don’t point that at me.”

Val held up a fist and smiled.

Matt glared.

“Just kidding,” Val said. “Besides, it probably wouldn't hit you since we’re partied.”

“I’d rather not find out. Good to go?” Matt preemptively cast Rapid Regeneration.

“Yeah, we need to keep moving,” Fallyn said.

With a nod, Matt opened the door. His heads-up display stayed off. That was a good sign. The room beyond was dark.

Light crept in slowly like they were witnessing the dawn. It spread, revealing massive trees—larger than Matt had ever seen. It shone through giant leaves, diffused by their green, as it kept getting brighter. It wasn’t just the trees that were huge. Matt reached up to touch a brightening blade of grass as tall as he was. He winced, drawing back a hand slick with blood.

“Where are we?” Matt whispered, looking back where they’d come from.

The door had disappeared.

Val shook her head and Fallyn stared off through the trees. A gentle breeze rustled through the canopy.

“Kurtis would tell us to keep moving,” Matt said.

“He would.” Fallyn offered a half-hearted smile.

Matt checked his map—still useless. He pointed ahead with his sword. “Any objections?”

“Let’s go!” cheered Val.

Matt led the way, feet padding softly on the dirt. The whole forest seemed to be in a permanent state of dawn, dim and quiet with light diffusing through the leaves. Matt used his shield to push aside the huge stalks of grass. He held it back for the girls.

“Thank you, Sir Knight.” Val grinned.

Matt rolled his eyes.

I hope you’re okay, Kurtis. He couldn’t stop worrying about his friend. And he was pretty sure they were screwed without him. Matt’s self-healing hadn’t been enough against the dragons in the first challenge. He wouldn’t have made it past the darts alone.

Matt ran a hand along the back of his neck. “Do you think he’s okay?”

“I hope he is,” said Fallyn. “Weird they didn’t take you too, huh?”

Matt froze. He hadn’t even thought of that. Am I next? He resumed walking. “Yeah,” he said with a grimace. “Weird.”

The leaves rustled more aggressively.

“Stay close, Wiggles,” Val said.

“Wu.” The beaver had paused and was staring up at the canopy, tiny hands clasped in front of him.

Val grabbed his hand and tugged him forward. “Come on.”

Wiggles toddled, compliantly, not taking his eyes from the giant leaves above.

Matt pushed aside a wall of grass to reveal a clearing. He held it back for Val and Fallyn, then followed them in. There were a few places where grass sprouted up, but it was largely flat and open dirt, for about thirty feet in all directions.

Matt flipped his shield onto his back, letting go when he felt the satisfying tug. The super-sized forest wasn’t so bad. He just wished he knew what they were looking for.

As if in answer, the trees rustled at the far side of the clearing. Then there was a crack. A large branch toppled from an even larger tree. They froze midway to the treeline.

“T-rex,” Val breathed as the foliage continued to move.

“You can see it?” Matt said.

“It’s always a t-rex in the movies!” she loud-whispered.

More cracks sounded and leaves fluttered. Then the ground shook. Matt bent his knees and spread his arms for balance.

Fuck, I wish we had Kurtis.

Matt lifted his sword and shield. “Get behind me.” He flexed his fingers as he waited.

Another huge branch fell, scattering plant matter into the open. Then the ground shook again.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

The beast thundered through the trees, landing with a ground-shaking thud. It stood two stories tall, brown fur topped with bulging bloodshot eyes and little round ears. Its long snout twitched. Saber teeth hung low. It swished a wirey gray tail and clutched an acorn the size of a dishwasher. It giggled.

Matt gritted his teeth. “I fucking hate squirrels.”