"So what exactly happened during the last portion of that fight? I was totally out of it," Leo asked us as we hiked back to town.

"Well, if we hadn't killed the boss within five minutes, you would have been turned into a vampire," I replied.

"Thank the gods you pulled it off! How much time did I have left when Shiarra fell?" he questioned.

"Oh, plenty of time. It wasn't even a concern," I responded cheerfully.

"Alex told me we had less than a few seconds left," Cass declared.

"What? How is that plenty of time!?" Leo shouted.

"You're here now! Nothing to worry about! How about how nice that Herald of the Blood God was? I'd expect the Blood God to be some evil deity," I stated.

We laughed and continued our hike back into town. Our morale had noticeably improved since defeating the dungeon.

It was getting dark when we returned to Fayne, and we decided to visit Telovir before heading to our new rental home.

We entered the tavern where Tel was still staying until he chose a more permanent residence for himself, and he was seated at a table with a nervous expression on his face and a jar of ale in his hand. Nobody really reacted to Teos, as familiars were a common sight in the city, especially this close to the Guild area. Cass shouted, and he let out the biggest smile I had ever seen from the man. He jumped from his seat and rushed over to us.

"I was worried sick! You're all well, no lasting injuries?" he prodded.

I told him to relax and that we were all fine. We ushered him back to his table and sat with him. The three of us described our time in the Burrows to Tel, who listened intently. We had decided earlier not to mention the Herald or anything deity related until Nerzhyn told us what exactly it was about.

"I'm just glad you're all safe. Are you going to turn in your contracts now?" he asked us.

"I figured we could go in the morning. We're all pretty tired, so we'll head to our house for some rest," I replied.

"Not after a few more rounds of ale!" Cass added.

Leo and I relented, and we drank for a while with Tel, explaining in further detail our battles in the dungeon, and he recounted his first day on the job. After we said our goodbyes, our group left the tavern and began walking to our house.

"Hey, I'll catch up with you guys in a few. Just going to run a quick errand in the Hall," I said as I broke from the group. Cass and Leo shouted after me, but I waved them off as if it was unimportant.

I entered our hall and proceeded to the entrance to Zerzhyn's office.

Come in, Alex.

She directed me in Arach. I couldn't help but smile. I steeled my nerves and entered, aided in no small part by the courage a few rounds of ale had provided.

The Stalker Commander was behind her desk, going over paperwork. She set down her pen and looked up at me with a warm smile.

"I'm glad you're back safely. The rest of the team?" she asked.

"Everyone's okay! They went back to our house. I just wanted to swing by and ask you for a favor, Commander," I said with a grin.

"What kind of favor?" she questioned with a curious expression.

"I was wondering if I'd be able to amend my contract. Swap out the reward for something else, if possible?" I asked.

"You want to change the reward after completing the contract? That seems a bit unfair," she answered.

"I understand, but I'd actually like to forfeit the monetary reward in exchange for something else. Something far more valuable to me than money."

Nerzhyn raised an eyebrow and gestured for me to continue. I was incredibly nervous about what I was about to say.

"Rather than the 50 Gold, would you grant me the honor of taking you to dinner tomorrow night?" I asked, trying to sound confident.

She seemed to consider it for a moment, which felt like a lifetime to me.

"I'm afraid I have to decline, Alex," she said sorrowfully.

I deflated. My heart sank. I was sure there was a connection here. Had I misjudged the signals that poorly?

"I cannot amend a contract after it has been completed. So, you will receive the promised gold. However, I'd love to accompany you to dinner. Consider it a bonus," she said with a wry smile.

I couldn't even hide the stupid smile on my face. I told her I'd be back in the morning to turn in the contract with the rest of my team.

"Looking forward to it," she purred.

The smile on my face must have looked absolutely idiotic to the others in the hall as I left Nerzhyn's office. I had to control myself on the quick walk home. I felt like skipping and singing; I was so ecstatic.

I entered our new house to find Cass, Leo, and Teos hanging out in the lounge. Cass and Leo were on one of the sofas, while Teos sprawled out on the other. The giant lion took up the entire couch.

"Why are you grinning like an idiot?" Cass demanded.

"Oh, it's nothing. Just excited about the reward tomorrow!" I told her. It was technically the truth.

Teos looked at me, and I knew that he knew. I swore he was smiling back at me by the look on his face. He definitely felt the waves of happiness radiating from me. Thank the gods he couldn't speak.

"So Leo, were you assigned a class? I asked, changing the subject.

"Indeed! I am now Leo Senger the Stormdruid," he declared proudly.

"That sounds awesome! What are the class benefits?" I probed.

"Any healing spells I cast leave a healing over time effect on my target. Lightning spells leave a damage over time effect, and all wind spells apply a stacking slow effect!" he told me excitedly.

"That's amazing! It's perfect for you," I responded. I turned to Cass and asked if she knew what her first class ability was since it should have unlocked at Level 15.

"Oh yeah, it's awesome," she said with a grin.

"Well, what is it?" I prodded.

"It's called War Maiden. It grants me 30% bonus strength if wielding a two-handed weapon or 30% increased attack speed if dual-wielding one-handed weapons," she declared proudly.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

"That's awesome! We have to go shopping tomorrow and find you another one-handed axe!" I said excitedly.

"I just got this awesome sword from the dungeon. Why would I want another weapon?" she protested.

"Well, you could keep whichever weapons you aren't using in my Cache and adapt to each fight as you see fit," I explained.

Her eyes widened at the thought, and I could see her imagining the possibilities.

"Yeah, maybe we'll go browse some of the shops tomorrow," she said casually, as if it had been her idea all along.

"I think I'm going to call it a night, team. We did great today. I'm proud of us!" I told them.

Teos followed me to my bedroom, which was pretty barren. There was only a wardrobe, a queen-sized bed, and a nightstand. I switched to my light linen pajamas and lay in bed. My familiar jumped into bed next to me, nearly taking up the whole thing, and curled up around me. I didn't even protest. I was still happy he had survived his ordeal in the dungeon. We both fell asleep quickly, tired from the trials we had faced earlier.

I felt rested when I woke in the morning. Teos was still snoring next to me, so I crept over him and out of the room. Cass was cooking breakfast, and it smelled amazing.

"Morning! That smells great. What is it?" I asked her.

"Kooloo eggs and sledgetail bacon. Leo is out getting some pastries and other things we'll need for the house," she answered with a smile.

I had forgotten to eat dinner last night, so my stomach was rumbling. Leo entered the house as if on queue, with a box of pastries that looked incredible. Our house was furnished with a small dining table and four chairs. The wood-burning oven Cass was using had a chimney and made the house smell like a campfire, which I enjoyed. The meal was one of the best I had ever tasted, and I thanked my teammates before announcing I was heading to the washroom.

Our house had been outfitted with a shower, which used some magic to draw water from a reservoir, pressurize it, and send it to the shower head. I was thrilled to be able to take a shower finally. Although it was cold, I enjoyed it immensely.

After breakfast, we went to the hall to turn in our contracts. Nerzhyn was in her office when we arrived. I couldn't help but notice she was in her complete dark elf form, most likely for Leo's sake.

"Well done, my fledgling Stalkers. Hand over the contracts and your booklets," our commander instructed in her angelic voice.

We handed her our contracts and identification booklets, watching as she opened each one and inspected the mark that Herald had left in them. Nerzhyn smiled, then handed back our items. She retrieved three pouches from her desk and handed them to us. I heard the coins jingling as she did so.

Cass and Leo inspected theirs, but I stored mine in my Cache.

Are you not going to count it? Her voice entered my mind as she asked in Arach.

It's not necessary. I responded, using the rhythm of trust.

She smiled at me as the others counted their reward. Her smile always managed to make my heart race.

"We have some questions about the dungeon," Cass stated as Leo agreed.

"Of course, ask away," Nerzhyn replied.

"What is the purpose of dungeons? Why were we met by a Herald of the Blood God when we completed it?" Leo asked.

"A deity sponsors every dungeon. They were placed here to help strengthen those brave enough to take them on. In addition to helping level you faster, they provide gear tailored to you. The creatures inside dungeons are direct manifestations of the god's mana, which is how they respawn after time," our commander explained.

"Strengthen us for what, exactly?" I queried.

Nerzhyn frowned before she replied, "Have you heard of The Seven Seals?"

The three of us confirmed that we had.

"What I am about to say can never leave this room. The Seven Seals were never permanent. They were constructed with powerful magic, but that magic is fading. There was an incident in Oraphis, the Seal near the city faltered for just a moment, and the result was horrific. We were unprepared, and thousands died. A quarter of the city was razed," Nerzhyn told us.

"So it is true, then? Each Seal contains some monster or Tyrant?" Leo asked.

"Well, yes and no. I cannot go into too much detail until you are permitted to enter Level 20 - Intermediate dungeons. I can say that should even one of the Seals fail, and we are unprepared, it would be catastrophic," our leader told us.

"So, why don't the gods just place new Seals or fortify the existing ones?" I asked Nerzhyn.

"To construct the Seals, they had to use oath-binder magic. The power needed to create seven Great Seals was beyond even our gods. Oath-binder magic allows anyone, even gods, to draw on Astika for more power. Unfortunately, the oath Astika required was that they could never strengthen or renew the Seals. This is why the gods placed dungeons here. They knew one day, the seals would fail and that mortals would have to be the ones to save our world. The Seal that faltered near Oraphis was the seventh. Each subsequent Seal contains an exponentially more significant threat."

I nodded as the commander informed us. So what the guards had said back at the outpost was true. There was something serious happening with the Seal where their comrades were sent.

"How much time do we have before they start to fail?" Cass asked Nerzhyn.

"The magic used to bind them employed a fail-safe. Luckily, once a Seal is broken, the remaining ones are strengthened. So, two Seals failing at once is nearly impossible. The seventh Seal faltering is a warning sign. It will most likely fail within the year. We truly do not know the speed at which the following Seals will fail, but most likely, each one will offer a warning like Oraphis before it does," she answered.

That was a lot to take in. I never expected there to be such a serious purpose behind battling in dungeons. I suspected it was to train elite combat squads for wars, but this was much more terrifying. What the hell were those seals holding back?

"Is there anything else you wish to know?" Nerzhyn asked us.

Cass and Leo seemed deep in thought but had no further questions at the moment. I had quite a few questions about spatial magic and the possibility of returning home, but I didn't want to ask them in front of my team. I'd ask her later.

"Any recommendation for our next dungeon?" I queried the dark elf.

"Why don't you take a rest for a day or two? After that, we'll discuss your next challenge," she said with a smile.

"Works for me, and I'm sure Cass and Leo will be happy with that. I plan to go do some shopping myself!" I told her as Cass and Leo agreed with me.

"Perfect. Well done, team. You may go," Nerzhyn said.

The three of us thanked our commander and turned to leave. We were nearly at the door when she spoke again.

"Meet me back here at dusk. I am looking forward to tonight, Alex," she purred.

Not as much as I am. I responded in Arach with the rhythm of excitement.

Once we made it halfway out of the hall, Cass and Leo turned on me.

"What was she talking about?" Cass demanded.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you guys. We're going on a date!" I exclaimed.

Leo ran his hand over his face, and Cass released an exasperated sigh.

"What? I told you I was going to ask her out," I said.

"Ugh, whatever. Let's go shopping. I need to find another axe and some armor," Cass declared.

That reminded me I had no clothes for the date! I'd have to visit that clothing store and hope they had something for me to wear. I didn't need much in terms of equipment, but I wanted to add another weapon to my arsenal and find a new pair of sabatons.

I told the team I'd catch up with them at the blacksmith and rushed to the clothing store. I asked the owner for his recommendation, and he found the perfect outfit for my date with Nerzhyn. It was a stylish dark grey suit with gold embroidery along the collar. The right arm was missing, which the tailor explained was to show off Rune Tattoos. My undershirt was a light blue silk shirt, and I even found a pair of formal shoes to match the suit. I told the man I was hesitant about wearing an outfit with only one sleeve, but he explained that it is a popular fashion trend among adventurers. I also purchased some more casual clothes while I was waiting for the tailor to make adjustments to my new suit.

I left the clothing store feeling good. I was nervous that my Cache might wrinkle the suit so I ran home quickly and dropped my new clothes off. Teos was still asleep, so I quietly placed the clothes in my wardrobe and left. I joined Cass at the smithy as she inspected a one-handed axe. It was an impressive-looking weapon. It was a bearded axe with a spike opposite the polished blade. The handle was wood with intricate designs carved onto it.

"Inspect this for me," Cass said as she tossed me the weapon.

[Sundering War Axe]

Rare Weapon - One-handed Axe

200 Attack

+20 Strength

+15 Vigor

+10 Dexterity

+10 Endurance

Equip: 8% chance on hit to lower target's physical resistance by 10% for 6 seconds.

I told Cass the stats, and she decided to buy it. She slipped it into a new belt loop opposite her Ashrune Reaver, then handed me her sword and asked me to store it. I gladly did, then went browsing for some new armor.

There was only one pair of extra heavy boots. They were jet black like my shield. I tried them on, and although they were a little big, they shrunk to fit my feet perfectly.

[Enchanted Ebonsteel Stompers]

Rare Extra Heavy Armor - Feet

100 Armor

+15 Strength

+15 Vigor

+10 Endurance

+10% Movement Speed

Enchant: Perfect Fit

Those were a vast improvement over my current common plate boots, so I brought them to the smith. He was a huge orc named Borgash but was extremely well-spoken.

"Those are a nice pair. I had an enchanter to do some work to them, too," he said.

"I could tell when I tried them on. That's an amazing feature. How much for them?" I asked.

I paid the 4 Gold, not bothering to haggle, and joined back up with Cass.

"Hey, where's Leo?" I asked her.

"He went off to the runeweaver. Said he wanted to find some new gloves and boots," she answered.

"Hey Cass, have you seen any place where I could get a haircut?" I asked.

"Ooooh, for your big date?" she mocked.

I groaned, "Yes, for my big date."

"Follow me," she said.

Cass led me along a cobbled road full of smaller stores I hadn't explored. I couldn't help but notice she was wearing a new pair of tight-fitting leather pants, and they really showed off her rear. I went to inspect them to see if they were an armor upgrade when she turned around to say something and saw where I was staring.

"No, no! Cass, I was just trying to inspect your pants! Ohhhh...fuck," I said as I braced for the inevitable punch.

Cass actually burst into laughter, "That has to be the worst excuse I've ever heard."

My face was bright red, but I joined her contagious laughter. We walked further along the road until she stopped at a building with a barber sign hanging from it.

"Here you go, perv. I'll meet you back at the house," Cass said with a smirk.

"You're never gonna let me forget that, are you?" I asked.

"Nope!" she shouted as she began walking away.

The barber's name was Eyluin. A tall, skinny elf who was extremely pleasant. He did a fantastic job with my hair and beard. I was a little nervous about the part with a straight razor, but he never so much as nicked me. The elf was truly a master. I now had a great-looking undercut, and my beard was trimmed neatly while leaving my goatee slightly longer. I thanked Eyluin and left him a generous tip before I left.

On the way home, I stopped by a small food market and picked up some snacks for the team, a few ingredients for lunch, and some meat for Teos.

Teos was finally awake when I returned to the house, and he acted like an excited puppy when I entered, nearly knocking me over. He then sent me a mental feeling I was familiar with. He had to poop. I led him to our back door and into the small fenced-in yard. He did his business, then turned and incinerated it.

"Well, that answers that question. Guess I don't have to get disposable bags for it," I laughed.

I gave Teos a massive sledgetail steak I had bought at the market and put the rest of the food in a large box containing a cooling crystal. We'd have to remember to recharge the crystal's mana reservoir constantly

Cass and Leo were meditating in their rooms, so I decided to do the same. Afterward, I'd have to get ready for dinner with Nerzhyn.