It took us nearly six months to work our way through the occurrence, systematically clearing each section. Starting near the outer edge, we methodically cleared the initial areas and moved inward in a tightening spiral. We stuck to the method that was effective with Al and Rue in the bear zone: one of us would go in to gather information, and then we’d devise a plan. In each zone, one of us played the role of bait while the others went in for the kill.
Predators weren’t our only challenge—the occurrence seemed intent on testing us with various options: rodents with razor-sharp teeth, oversized insects with venomous stingers and an absurd number of legs, and even herbivores that were as deadly as their carnivorous cousins. Each encounter was its unique battle.
The final outer area brought us face-to-face with yet another challenge: medium-sized white snakes that could spit poison with alarming precision. They sprayed their venom as far as five or seven, sometimes even ten meters, and it was corrosive. Naturally, these snakes were just as infuriatingly durable as everything else in this occurrence, shrugging off most of our attacks unless we hit them precisely.
Lucky me—I drew the short straw as bait against the white snakes. My new Protective Shield could withstand their corrosive spray, but because of the corrosion, each encounter drained 2,000 mana or more, leaving me gritting my teeth and muttering curses under my breath. Rue, of course, took to the role of backup with gusto. In true heroic fashion, he darted into the fray, his teeth snapping down on the snakes’ tails, stopping them from whipping us with their deadly appendages. He’d hold them fast, growling furiously and declaring, “This tail mine now!”
“John, keep that shield up!” Mahya’s sharp voice cut through the chaos, her rifle snapping up to fire at another slithering target. “That one’s lining up to spit again!”
“I know, I know!” I shouted back, adjusting my stance and bracing for the next hit. My voice cracked under the strain, and I wiped the sweat from my brow with my sleeve, never letting the shield drop.
Off to the side, Rue slapped one of the dead snakes with his paw, his tail flicking in irritation. “No yummy,” he muttered, clearly unimpressed with the results of this particular battle.
“If you waste those venom sacks, I will make you scrape them off the ground later!” Al yelled at him, his tone serious.
Mahya and Al followed up with surgical precision, executing a flawless team maneuver. Mahya would distract the snake with a well-placed shot from her rifle, giving Al the opening to sweep in and decapitate the creature with one clean stroke of his blade. It was brutal and messy, with sprays of venom and snake coils hitting the ground in chaotic heaps, but it worked.
By the time we cleared the area, my mana reserves hit rock bottom, Rue sulked from the lack of yummies, and Mahya and Al resembled workers fresh out of a butcher shop. But we pushed through intact, even as Rue kept grumbling, “Still no yummy snakes.”
Once the fighting was done, we turned our attention to the aftermath. My Protective Shield was a lifesaver in this fight, but the mana cost made me wince every time I had to reinforce it. The snakes’ poison wasn’t just toxic—it was corrosive, eating through armor and shields like they were paper. Naturally, Al was thrilled, muttering about the possibilities for alchemical applications. Rue, on the other hand, looked like someone had stolen his favorite toy. For him, the real tragedy was the meat: completely inedible.
“The venom sacks are the only significant reward here,” Al said as he cast the harvesting spell, extracting a translucent sack from a fallen snake. Holding it steady, he tilted it slightly, his expression alight with analytical excitement. “Observe the viscosity.” The dark green liquid inside oozed thickly, clinging to the interior. “This substance is ideal for breaking down armor, stone, and metal. Proper refinement could prove invaluable for crafting corrosive solutions. Perhaps even weapons.”
Mahya crouched nearby and looked with interest. “Weapons made with alchemy? What kind?”
“Acid bombs, for instance,” Al replied, turning the sack to inspect it further. “Picture this—melting through reinforced walls with minimal effort. Or applying it to the edges of a blade. A single cut, and your opponent’s armor disintegrates.”
I arched an eyebrow, watching as he sealed the sack in a magically reinforced container. “That’s assuming you can prevent it from destroying the container first or the weapon you want to coat with it.”
Al smirked, entirely unfazed. “Oh, I will manage. The potential here is far too promising to ignore. Consider the possibilities—controlled corrosion could revolutionize our traps, barriers, or even tools for dungeon expeditions. Precision is the key.”
Mahya’s eyes narrowed slightly in thought as she nodded, clearly intrigued. Meanwhile, Al jotted notes into his journal, already mentally testing his theories with the excitement of a craftsman facing a new challenge.
Rue sniffed at the sack, recoiling like he’d been personally insulted. “No level. No yummy. Just waste,” he grumbled, glaring at the pile of bodies as if it had betrayed him.
Mahya grabbed her own prizes. She ran her fingers over one of the gleaming white scales, her expression full of glee. “The possibilities for crafting,” she murmured, turning the scale over. “Extraordinary. Just imagine what I could do with these.”
Rue wasn’t buying it. He huffed dramatically, sniffing at the pile of discarded snake corpses one last time before flopping down in defeat. “No level. No yummy. Just stupid snakes,” he repeated, fixing me with a sad look and flooding our connection with a feeling of disappointment.
I shrugged, wiping the sweat from my forehead. “Not every zone can be a culinary vacation, buddy.” He gave a long-suffering groan, his tail thumping once in protest. Clearly, the snakes weren’t winning any points in his book.
As we ventured inward, clearing out a few more “average” creatures—though “average” felt like a cruel joke given their insane durability—we came face-to-face with a new challenge. These were sinewy, bipedal creatures with oversized heads and sharp, elephant-like tusks, their grotesque appearance alone enough to give me pause. But the real kicker was how they moved and fought.
At first, they dropped onto all fours, charging at us with the sheer force of a freight train barreling through the woods, intending to ram us. When that didn’t work, just as suddenly, they would spring back onto their hind legs, claws slicing through the air with a precision that belonged in a horror movie. The erratic shifts between brute force and razor-sharp strikes made them unpredictable and hard to counter.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, these things weren’t just strong and fast—they were disturbingly smart. They worked in coordinated packs, driving us into tight corners or luring us into carefully prepared ambushes. It wasn’t just survival instinct, but tactics. Fighting monsters was one thing, but dealing with smart creatures that planned was a whole new level of stress.
Thankfully, our Quicksand Sink scrolls were very effective. Their entire strategy fell apart the moment they fell into the magically conjured sand. Watching these terrifying, tactical predators reduced to flailing, panicked messes as the enchanted quicksand dragged them down was almost poetic. Their speed and strength counted for nothing when stuck, thrashing like oversized toddlers in a mud pit. It was oddly satisfying, even if their struggle still sent the occasional spray of dirt and sand flying into my face.
The good news was they weren’t as durable as most of the beasts we’d dealt with so far. A few well-placed shots or wind blades were enough to finish them once trapped. Mahya had a theory about this—that their intelligence came at the cost of their resilience. It sounded plausible, though we had no way to prove it. Still, the thought gave me some comfort as we dismantled the ambushes they’d spent so much effort setting up, turning their clever plans into nothing more than wasted effort.
And then there was Rue, who looked downright dejected after inspecting the remains of one creature. They were mostly gristles and bones with an enormous head. His disappointment radiated around him like an aura.
By the end of the day, Rue finally gave up on the sinewy monstrosities and trotted over to me, his ears drooping like he was about to deliver bad news. “John, make smoked snake steak?” he asked, his tail giving the faintest wag of hope.
I couldn’t help but laugh, patting his head. “Alright, buddy. You’ve earned it.” Rue perked up instantly, his tail swishing with renewed energy. For him, at least, the promise of a proper meal made up for the disappointment of the last five days. I was just grateful we’d survived another ambush without too many close calls.
After dealing with the nuisances of spiders that coated their entire zone in thick, clinging cobwebs we had to burn—carefully avoiding a forest fire—and worms with sharp teeth that popped out of the ground like sadistic whack-a-moles, Mahya finally got her chance to shine. Our next zone swarmed with blonde, fluffy rodents that appeared deceptively harmless—adorable, even—until they reacted to motion. That’s when their cute facade vanished, and they launched themselves into the air, transforming into kamikaze bombs. If they cornered you, they’d detonate with a shockingly powerful explosion, leaving craters in the ground and shredding anything caught in the blast. Let’s just say my healing spell got a serious workout during my turn to scout for information. I returned from scouting not just battered, but completely bewildered. The logic of a suicidal attack made absolutely no sense to me. At least my healing spell got a serious workout toward my next level.
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
When Mahya took over, I didn’t need to cast a single spell. She outmatched the little buggers in both speed and agility, turning their chaos into her personal game. With a kind of gleeful precision, she darted through the zone like she was born for it, bounding off tree trunks and branches as if gravity was just a mild suggestion. Using the trees as her playground, she’d lure a cluster of kamikaze fluff balls, drawing them toward her with almost playful taunts.
And then came the grand finale: just as the swarm closed in, Mahya would leap to the treetops, leaving them to detonate below her in a chaotic mess of explosions. The blast often triggered a satisfying chain reaction, clearing large portions of the zone in mere moments. Rinse and repeat. It wasn’t just effective—it was like watching an artist at work.
Through it all, Mahya wore a massive grin, her laughter echoing through the aftermath of each explosion. The way she moved—graceful, precise, and almost effortlessly—made it clear she was having the time of her life. Her enthusiasm was contagious, and despite the madness, I couldn’t help but smile as I watched her work.
Rue, on the other hand, was significantly less impressed. Standing a safe distance away, he stared mournfully at the chaos, his tail drooping. He let out a long, dramatic whine while watching his potential snack supply blow up. “Rue’s yummy explode! No fair!”
Mahya laughed even harder and dove back into action, leaping through the trees with renewed energy. Bits of fluff drifted through the air like bizarre snow, heightening the surreal absurdity of the scene. I couldn’t help feeling relieved that these creatures didn’t have blood. The memory of the goat and the mess it left behind after it exploded still haunted me.
Al stood off to the side, practically radiating gloom. His mood mirrored Rue’s, though for more professional reasons. As it turned out, the fluffy little kamikazes were herbivores—highly destructive ones at that. They had devoured every single useful herb in the zone, leaving behind nothing but stems chewed down to the ground.
Al surveyed the wreckage with a mix of irritation and resignation, his arms crossed and his frown deep. “Not only are they useless for materials,” he muttered, “but they’ve actively sabotaged my work. Truly insufferable creatures.”
Rue gave a dramatic huff, his ears flattening as he flopped onto the ground in protest. “Rue’s yummy explode, Al’s herbs gone... this not fair. Stupid occurrence!”
For once, Rue and Al found themselves united in their frustration. It was a rare and oddly touching moment of solidarity, though it was entirely fueled by mutual disappointment. Their combined grumbling almost drowned out Mahya’s laughter.
Mahya, of course, found the whole thing hilarious. After one particularly spectacular chain reaction, she perched on a high branch, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes as bits of singed fluff floated lazily around her. Looking down at Al and Rue, she teasingly said, “Come on, you two! I’m clearing the zone for us! Can’t you at least appreciate my efficiency?”
Al and Rue exchanged a look of exasperation before glancing up at her. Then, as if on cue, they sighed deeply in perfect unison and shook their heads.
That was it. Mahya doubled over, clutching the branch as her laughter echoed through the treetops. She nearly fell off, catching herself just in time. “You two,” she managed between giggles, “are impossible!”
Rue huffed dramatically, and Al muttered something about “juvenile behavior” under his breath, which, of course, only made her laugh harder.
As we progressed, we faced occasional bird attacks—if they spotted us. Their approach was entirely suicidal, lacking any semblance of coordination, tactics, or strategy. They simply dove straight at us with reckless abandon, their wings spread wide in a kamikaze charge. It was almost pitiful how easily they met their end, either zapped mid-air by lightning or picked off with well-placed shots or wind blades. The encounters were more an annoyance than a challenge, but the constant interruptions made progress feel slower than it should have.
Two zones later, we arrived at an area that more than compensated for Rue’s earlier disappointments—and then some. The place teemed with earth crabs, each the size of a pony, their four massive pincers snapping rhythmically like castanets in a flamenco dance. The sharp, slicing sound of their claws cutting through the air made me flinch every time.
“I have seen wagons smaller than these things. Watch the claws!” Al called out, his shield catching a strike that rang out like a massive gong. The vibration traveled through the air, adding to the surreal chaos of the scene.
Rue, meanwhile, was in his element, spinning in excited circles, his tail wagging so hard it was a blur. “Smoked crab! Smoked crab! Smoked crab!” he yipped, his mental voice almost deafening in his glee.
“Rue, focus!” Mahya shouted, dodging a snapping claw and delivering a swift slash to the crab’s exposed underside. The creature shuddered and collapsed, but more scuttled forward to take its place.
Our collection of Frostbite scrolls proved invaluable here. A single cast was enough to slow three crabs to an almost glacial pace, their movements becoming jerky and sluggish as frost coated their legs and claws. Once immobilized, we worked as a team to finish them off. One by one, we drove our weapons into the vulnerable openings near their mouths, taking them down efficiently.
Rue, of course, was the loudest cheerleader. Rue, with joyful yips, cheered for every strike, his excitement contagious even in the midst of battle. “John! Smoke this one first! No, this one!” he demanded, bouncing around the fallen crabs like he was at an all-you-can-eat buffet.
By the time the last earth crab fell, the area was a mess of shattered claws, cracked shells, and a faint, briny scent hanging in the air. Rue, however, plopped down on his haunches, his excitement dimming as he looked around the now-empty zone. He let out a deep, theatrical sigh, his ears drooping as he turned his big, soulful eyes on me.
“What’s the matter, buddy? Why the long face?” I asked him.
“Crab area too small,” he whined, his disappointment so heavy it felt like a blanket.
We continued progressing in ever-smaller circles, battling our way inward and encountering an increasingly bizarre array of creatures. Some bore a vague resemblance to familiar animals, like overgrown rodents or warped versions of boars, while others were so alien that they made me stop and stare. One encounter in particular was especially strange—and maddening.
The creatures were octopus-like, though calling them that felt off. They had ten limbs—whether legs or arms was up for debate—and horns that looked absurdly out of place. They dashed across the ground with unsettling speed, but the real nightmare began when they took to the trees. Swinging from branch to branch in a blur of motion, they were nearly impossible to track. To make matters worse, Frostbite, our go-to tactic for slowing fast creatures, had zero effect on them.
“How do you hit something that moves like that?” I muttered through gritted teeth, frustration boiling as one blurred past me, its horns scraping against my armor with a grating sound.
Mahya huffed, clearly as irritated as I was. “You don’t. You make them hit themselves.” She hesitated. “Just give me a minute—I hate this skill.”
I stepped back to give her room, keeping my shield ready as she cast Confuse. The effect was instantaneous and wildly effective. The creatures’ frantic swinging turned chaotic, their blurred movements becoming erratic. They slammed into branches with loud, splintering cracks, horns snagging and limbs flailing wildly as they thrashed blindly. One plummeted to the ground with a sickening thud, its ten limbs sprawling in a grotesque heap.
Rue, of course, didn’t miss a beat. With a gleeful bark, he pounced on the fallen creature. “Fried calamari!” he cheered, wagging his tail like he’d just won the jackpot.
I couldn’t help but laugh, the tension breaking for a moment. “At least someone’s enjoying themselves,” I said, shaking my head as Rue intently sniffed the creature.
Mahya repeatedly cast the spell, pausing to regenerate before casting again, over and over. The land octopi zone turned out to be one of the fastest to clear. By the end, she had a massive headache and grumbled about her mana channels feeling strained and itchy, though she also looked undeniably proud of herself.
As we continued clearing areas, Rue’s excitement didn’t waver. He eagerly named each zone after dishes, his culinary creativity in full swing. The various large rodents were Rabbit Stew. The area overrun with massive, tusked boars? Bacon, of course—his tail wagging furiously every time he spotted one. The crab zone became Smoked Crabs without hesitation. Lamb Chops went to the hoofed herbivores, Fried Calamari was reserved for the tree-swinging nightmares, and naturally, Deep-Fried Chicken was Rue’s go-to for the suicidal bird attacks. Each battle might have pushed us, but Rue’s enthusiastic naming spree kept us laughing through it all.
By the end of each fight, his enthusiastic exclamations and wagging tail kept us sane. If nothing else, Rue’s culinary creativity made the chaos more tolerable.
Finally, we reached the center. It was breathtaking. A massive island rose from the water, its sheer cliffs dotted with cascading waterfalls that plunged into the turquoise depths below. The clouds hung low, skimming the water’s surface like a soft, misty veil, giving the entire scene an ethereal, dreamlike quality.
Atop the island, vibrant greenery crowned its peak, with trees swaying gently in the breeze, and winding bridges extended outward, connecting it to the shore on three sides. The sunlight pierced through the clouds, illuminating the waterfalls in shimmering hues. A rainbow arched gracefully over the entire scene, as if nature had painted a masterpiece just for us. The air smelled of fresh water and greenery, a mix of tranquility and power, as the sound of rushing falls echoed across the stillness.
I took to the air, scanning the surrounding areas in a wide arc to ensure we missed nothing. The forest and pointy peaks stretched out below me in familiar patterns now, paths crisscrossing back to the zones we’d painstakingly cleared. There might still be a stray beast or two hiding in the shadows of their respective areas, but nothing that felt like an actual threat. From up here, it was clear: everything led to this place. This was unmistakably the center.
The treetops blurred into a shifting green canvas below me as I hovered above the center island. My thoughts drifted, unbidden, to what lay ahead. Dungeons had a way of escalating their challenges, and if this one followed the usual pattern, the final guardian would make everything we’d faced so far seem like a warm-up. The earlier battles had left us gasping and gave my healing spells a workout, and the prospect of something worse waiting for us in the center sent an uneasy ripple through my mind. Hope wasn’t a plan, though, and if we wanted to survive this, we’d need to be ready for anything.
I descended slowly, the jet stream of wind easing to a whisper as my boots touched solid ground. Mahya and Al were already waiting, sitting on a fallen log. Rue lounged nearby, his oversized form sprawled with a languid ease that only he could manage after months of grueling fights.
“We need to talk about what’s next,” I said, brushing leaves from my jacket.
Mahya groaned, rubbing her temples. “If what’s next is a big meal and a nap, I fully support this plan.”
Al crossed his arms and gave a sharp nod. “It would be wise to rest. We are not at peak performance, and entering the center unprepared would be reckless.”
Rue tilted his massive head, his ears twitching as if in thought. “Eat? Rest? Rue like this plan.”
Mahya laughed, her eyes lighting up for the first time in hours. “See? Even Rue gets it. No offense, but I vote we take a few days, regroup, and tackle the big bad when we’re not half-dead.”
“I’m all for resting, don’t get me wrong,” I said, glancing around the group. “But I’m worried that whatever’s in the center might come for us while we’re unprepared. How about we head a little deeper, find a safer spot, and then take a break?”
Rue let out a low huff of approval before rolling onto his back, paws in the air. Mahya flopped onto the log with an exaggerated sigh, draping an arm over her eyes. Al leaned back more regally, a hint of a relieved smile breaking through his stoicism.
Over the next three days, we indulged in a much-needed break—eating well, resting deeply, and losing ourselves in games that brought out groans, laughter, and a fair bit of playful banter. The easy pace made the tension of the past months feel like a distant memory, at least for a little while.