Passing another nondescript landmark of nothing, Bones and her make great time toward nowhere. The endless miles and space are suitable for a time. Now that time has long passed. Miles ago. However, nothing changes no matter how much she huffs and puffs internally… and externally.

"I've had it with this place. The dungeon core is barely the size of your fist. How have we been wandering around for hours without getting anywhere." With her words, a little bit of her anger fades. Only to return when the cheerful champ by her side doesn't join in her misery.

"We are almost there. I can feel it. I think we just need Fury to come back."

"You mean the dragon you sent off on a scouting mission in the abyss?"

"I didn't mean for him to fly away so far. Perhaps if we call loud enough?"

Annette doesn't have a chance to object before Bones tunnels his four hands around his mouth to call for the dragon. "Cuh caw." He turns to his left. "Cuh Caw." Then he repeats it two more times.

"What are you doing?" Luckily the two are alone, and no one will be able to witness this tomfoolery. Any status she once held as a queen would be completely shattered.

"Be a dear and lend me your voice. I am calling in the dragon."

"I'm not calling in the dragon… that's now how you call in the dragon."

"I'm not meaning to be condescending, but how many dragons have you called in your life?" Bones give her a challenging look as if he is questioning her honor. "My guess is none. That puts my one-time calling a-dragon experience far above yours. We're on different levels."

"I'm not doing it."

"Suit yourself. Have fun walking. In the abyss." Bones makes the funnel gesture once more, and the cawing continues." Maybe, just maybe, she hasn't spent all of her slaps yet. He did kill a lot of spiders. Luckily, she is spared from indulging the thought further.

"I knew it'd work. I could feel it in my bones."

Annette channels all her inner spider and spends it all on the most intense glare she can summon. It doesn't faze the skeleton, and he keeps joyfully walking toward the growing speck in the distance. Just as she is about to celebrate the cawing being over, Bones begins whistling in a bird-like manner.

The tune is far too hearty for the environment and not near enough broody for Annette's inner monologuing. She still has regrets she needs to play over and over. Sure, she resolved to do better. That didn't mean she was going to let herself off the hook. However, despite her best efforts to be upset, Bones' tune isn't giving her a chance.

Annette walks by his side, unintendedly lost in the memories of the tune sounding like long lost friends meeting. Her second master, the lycan, had many more of these experiences than the flayen. Wait… stop. She isn't trying to reminisce about the old times full of happy friends. She is still trying to be upset. However, now the tune has grown on her, and she doesn't have the willpower to ask Bones to stop.

Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

Fury descends right as Bones finishes his closing melody. "Fury, you big bird, glad you're back." Fury's repulsed response to the comment quickly abates when Bones reaches up and rubs the dragon's side. "I missed you, bud. You see anything up there?"

The dragon's head shakes from side to side.

"Yeah, we got nothing down here either. It's a shame. I thought for sure we were going to find some sweet loot or something. At least see more people. Or wolves."

The trio walk side by side for another mile or so. Honestly, every step now feels like a mile to Annette. Surprisingly though, she isn't exhausted from all the walking. Nor is she hungry or thirsty. It must have been days in her. Usually, she can barely go an hour without feeling the need to feast.

Feasting brings up a new concern for her instantly. Is she still going to be able to eat as a spider? In her experience, people prefer to avoid watching spiders eat. That will only worsen when the spider looks more like a woman and eats the same way. A heaviness fills her stomach. This new life might cost more than she expected. There is nothing like sucking the life —

"Nette, stop with the spider thoughts and look at this." The cost is too high. She wants out. No way is she going to be able to lead under Bones.

The abyss rapidly changes. The space becomes less open. Instead of walking in the night sky, they are contained within a room. The room is still larger than any building she had ever been in. Probably three times the size of her spider room.

"Where are we?" She can't help but ask.

"I think we reached the core." There is a lot she wants to say back to that. Mainly that they are already in the core and more of that. Instead, she settles for something with less edge and more wonder.

"How?" Questioning is a mistake. She knew it as soon as the question slipped out. She should have kept to edginess. Bones is relentless and seizes the advantage foolishly laid before him.

"I led us here." The skeleton says with heroic confidence.

Annette follows the dragon's example and keeps her mouth shut for the remainder of the time. Unfortunately, Bones doesn't need a talking partner and carries the conversation alone.

"Just look at this beautiful architecture. This's got to be a perfect square. How do you think they got the walls so straight? The edges are sharp. Probably not suitable for littles or softer things."

She tries to follow Bones' descriptions and fails to find such edges in the room. There are corners and, yeah, edges but not sharp edges that stick out. It is just where walls meet. They couldn't cut anything if they wanted to.

"This shadow theme is perfect for brooding. I think we are in the right spot indeed."

Breaking out of one of the smooth walls before them, a door that wasn't present before begins to open. As soon as it opens, Fury instantly takes off in a fast sprint covering the fifty yards. The hulking dragon's form blocks any vision into the room, suspending her curiosity.

Tepidly they walk to the door Fury bolts through. When they get through, they witness the dragon getting swarmed by a bunch of furry pups. The dragon lays low to the ground allowing all the lycan children to welcome him playfully. The pups and the dragon radiate joy.

It is almost too much for Annette to witness the happiness of the reunion. She doesn't want to be bitter or jealous. But it is hard not to be envious of the reception Fury is receiving. She tries to shake the feeling off, refusing to taint this joyous occasion.

She looks further into the room, looking for familiar faces. Not that she would be able to recognize any of the adult lycans if there were any. "Bones, do you see any older lycans?"

"I sure don't. And trust me, I have been looking. I haven't spotted one." His statement is packed with excitement and concern. Judging by his weary smile, it is more concerned.

The shock and realization hit her all at once. "Gene's dungeon army is kids?"