Rayna was falling up.

Her momentum took her ten feet into the air before the direction reversed and she came back to the ground where her portal had been a moment before.

Air exploded from Rayna’s lungs as she hit the ground with a painful crunch. She stayed on the ground for several minutes, trying to get the energy to sit up. She tried casting Basic Heal, but it didn’t do anything.

She was in pain, but she was alive, and she wasn’t trapped by that obnoxious tree.

Rayna finally sat up, cringing as her ribs groaned from the effort. She was fairly sure she had broken something and the fact that her spells weren’t working wasn’t a good sign. Rayna tried to pull up her Menu but again, nothing happened.

“Figures.” Rayna gave up and turned her attention to her surroundings.

She had emerged in a forest like the one she had left, but the trees were sickly and gray, matching the dull atmosphere. Their ashen bark was twisted and oozed some sort of viscous liquid. The whole place smelled like rotting roadkill.

It wasn’t as bad as the smell in the tutorial training room, but it was close.

Rayna tried opening another portal. She assumed it would open to where she had left, but she could just let it close quickly if the tree tried to drag her back.

Nothing happened.

Rayna frowned and drew another circle in the air; still nothing.

Rayna lowered her arm, forcing herself to remain calm. “It’s no big deal,” she said aloud, glancing nervously at the diseased trees. “I’m just stuck in another dimension with no healing spells and no foo—wait."

Rayna immediately pulled something out of her Soul Realm, sagging with relief when the travel ration appeared in her hand. At least one thing worked.

Rayna returned the ration and pulled out her cloak and staff. The glow from her hair was too noticeable in the dull landscape, and her staff was the closest thing she had to a weapon.

She pulled the hood over her hair, adjusting its length so she could see.

Rayna was pretty sure she looked like a discount Hollywood wizard, but it was better than nothing. She adjusted the cloak a little shorter as well and changed into her travel boots.

All right, step one done. Step two: find a way out of here.

Rayna had no idea where she was, so she picked a direction at random. Every step sent pain through Rayna’s ribs. She walked slowly, trying to minimize her discomfort.

The trees were thin and widely spaced, making it easier to move through these woods than the ones she had left, but Rayna still had to watch her footing for the errant tree root that poked above the soil.

It took her hours to make it out of the forest, and when she did, all she found was an empty plain. Dry brown grass crunched under Rayna’s boots. Twisted and leafless trees dotted the landscape, and a mountain rose behind the horizon.

Rayna headed toward the mountain, hoping to take shelter in a cave while she figured out what to do next. She had her tent, but even with the complete lack of monsters in the area, she wasn’t sure she trusted fabric to protect her from whatever was killing the trees.

Rayna hadn’t realized how far the mountain was from her position. She walked for hours, inching closer as her ribs protested every step of the way.

The further she walked, the larger the mountain became, its snowy peak stretching high above Rayna’s head until she couldn’t see it anymore.

The feeling of monsters grew as well. Rayna was less sure of her plan as she approached. The plains were devoid of monsters, but they didn’t have any resources or protection from the elements. The mountain was full of monsters, but there would be more places to hide if she was attacked.

Rayna sat down for a moment, giving her ribs a break and trying to decide if she should go further. For the hundredth time, she tried opening a portal, but for the hundredth time it failed. Life was not going to give her an easy way out of this.

Rayna stood up and dusted herself off, squaring her shoulders. If she could find some low-level monsters she could level up in the mountains, and at least she would be ready to fight when she went back to Ember. If not, then she would just have to wait until her portal power worked, which may never be the case, but she refused to think about that right now.

Rayna was about ten yards from the base of the mountain when she stopped, her brows knitting together. She felt the monsters, but there was something else mixed in there.

It took her a few moments to realize it was magic that she was feeling. Was there someone else in the mountains? Maybe they knew a way out of here.

Rayna rushed in the direction of the magic as fast as her injured ribs would allow. It was angled slightly upward so she looked until she found a path up the mountain. It wasn’t a hiking trail, exactly, but the grass was trampled, and the stone had been worn down into something she could walk on.

She climbed carefully, keeping her senses alert for any monsters in the area.

The only monsters she could feel were dead ahead, as if all of the monsters on the mountain were gathered at a single point.

That wasn’t a good sign.

As Rayna neared the feeling of magic, the trees started to regain their color. Some of them were less twisted and the odd leaf grew on their barren limbs.

She came to a cave with a shimmering wall covering the entrance. It was silver like her portals, and she couldn’t see past it, but she could feel the monsters inside.

A notification popped up, startling Rayna so much that she jumped back from the cave, holding her staff defensively.

The notification vanished before she could read it.

After a moment, Rayna realized that nothing was going to jump out at her. She relaxed, cautiously approaching the cave again.

This time, when the notification popped up, she was ready for it.

Caverns and Cave Rats – Low-level dungeon.

Status: Overflowing

Recommended Party Level: 15

So, this is a dungeon, Rayna thought. It doesn’t look like much.

Didn’t dungeons come with rewards? Rayna could use a weapon, especially if she was going to be stuck in the gray world for a while. It was strange that she hadn’t felt any monsters or magic outside of this portal, though. Were the monsters contained inside? Or did something about the gray world make them less likely to spread?

Maybe it was the lack of food…

Rayna picked up a rock and threw it at the portal. It bounced off, nearly smacking Rayna in the head. She ducked under it as another notification popped up.

Only players and their belongings are permitted inside the dungeons. If you would like to challenge the dungeon, please pass through the portal.

Rayna pursed her lips. She was hoping to gain some more information about the dungeon before she went in, but it seemed the System wouldn’t let her.

“Leap headfirst into a potentially life-threatening situation or continue to wander the gray world until I run out of food and starve to death…?” Rayna mused aloud.

Cave rats, it is.

Rayna braced herself and walked through the portal.

Relief hit Rayna like a brick wall. She took in a deep breath, noticing for the first time how hard it had been to breathe in the gray world. It wasn’t air that was missing, but magic.

Rayna cast Basic Heal and relished in the lack of pain as her ribs popped back into place and her bruises disappeared.

The other side of the portal was pitch black. Rayna had to pull her hood down so she could see by the light of her hair.

There wasn’t much to see. It was the most normal looking cave Rayna had ever been in—not that she had been in many caves, but it was exactly what she would expect from a cave. The walls were rough and damp, and she could hear the sound of rushing water somewhere nearby, but everything echoed in the cave, making it hard to pinpoint which direction it was coming from.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

She turned around, finding a solid stone wall where the portal had been before. Rayna tried to lay her hand on the rock but it passed right through.

A notification popped up.

This dungeon exit does not lead back to Ember. The System advises against using unapproved entry and exit points.

Rayna pulled her hand back. “So, if the unapproved exit leads back to the gray world, the approved one leads back to Ember, right?”

The System didn’t respond.

Rayna pulled up her Menu. Everything worked as expected. Maybe the System wasn’t paying attention.

Rayna proceeded with caution, despite her excitement. She wasn’t surprised when she reached the first band of rodents, though she was a little surprised by their level.

[Robi – Level 15]

[Robi – Level 17]

[Robi – Level 18]

Rayna waited around the corner and ambushed the Robis before they got close, smashing their heads in with her staff.

You have killed a Level 15 Robi.

+450 Exp

+450 Coins

You have killed a Level 17 Robi.

+510 Exp

+510 Coins

You have killed a Level 18 Robi.

+540 Exp

+540 Coins

She absorbed their Essence as well, gaining three thousand Essence points, since her Essence was capped again after reaching Level 10.

“Hey System, you there?”

There was a moment of silence.

I thought you died.

“Sorry to disappoint,” Rayna said with a grin. “Any progress on contacting the Administrator of the other System?”

He isn’t answering. I need you to get to a System Hub so I can get more information about the current situation.

“I’ll try to get to one just as soon as I’m back on Ember,” Rayna said.

Are you not in a dungeon right now?

“I am… Are there System Hubs in dungeons?”

That seemed like a terrible place to put them.

Not in the dungeon, at the entrance. Once you get out, you should be able to activate it and download the information.

“Let’s focus on one thing at a time,” Rayna said. “You have a map of the dungeon?”

Unfortunately, no. My memory banks seem to be missing a lot of information at the moment, hence the need for a System Hub.

Rayna sighed. “Okay. I’ll focus on finding a way out of here. You keep trying to contact the Administrator.”

Understood. Good luck, Rayna.

“Thanks,” Rayna said.

She didn’t have much trouble fighting her way through the dungeon. The rodents were above her level but all of them were low category. She wandered around for hours, killing off one group of rodents after another.

She worked her way toward the largest monster in the area. Rayna was fairly sure that most dungeons had a boss. She was hoping that if she killed off the biggest rat, she would be teleported to the front entrance.

As she moved further into the dungeon, Rayna started to see new species of rats.

[Robitt – Level 20]

The monster was almost double the size of the others, making it about the size of a Golden Retriever. Its teeth were the length of a pencil, and its nose constantly sniffed the ground like it was a Bloodhound searching for his next prey.

Rayna approached this monster with more caution, keeping her staff ready.

The Robitt spotted her quickly, turning its beady eyes toward her. Drool dripped from its slack jaw.

It roared and charged toward her, crushing a Robi on the way.

The monster was large but slow. Rayna ran up the wall, landing on the other side of the Robitt. She quickly killed the lower level Robis surrounding her so she could focus on the main threat.

The Robitt slammed headfirst into the wall where Rayna had been a second before, causing a spiderweb of cracks that spread out three feet in every direction.

“How the heck did you survive that?” Rayna asked aloud.

The Robitt didn’t move, and Rayna frowned.

You have killed a Level 20 Robitt.

+1,000 Exp

+1,000 Coins

“Oh. You didn’t…” Rayna made a mental note to let the Robitts self-destruct rather than trying to compete with that thick skull of theirs.

Every Robitt that Rayna encountered pulled the same move. They were consistent to the point that she started to think of them more like environmental obstacles than monsters.

The high volume of monsters in the dungeon made Rayna’s growth explode. She had already gained two levels since entering the dungeon, putting her at Level 12.

Are you going to choose a skill or are you planning on bludgeoning your way through the whole dungeon with that walking stick of yours?

Rayna frowned. “What are you talking about?”

Has no one explained skills and spells to you yet?

“Of course they have. Spells take Mana, skills have cooldowns…” Rayna tried to recall any more details about the mechanic. “Umm… there are spell scrolls and skill books or something that let you learn new ones. I don’t have any money right now. Nali was going to grab me a stealth spell when she got back to the capital.”

Spell books and skill scrolls. But they are not the only way to get new skills and spells. Everyone gains two new spells and two new skills before the First Ascension.

“Oh.” Rayna probably should have known that you didn’t have to buy every new ability in the game. “So, when do I get the first one?”

Two levels ago.

Rayna pulled up her Character Sheet.

Name: Rayna

Level 12 (5,683/9,313)

Species: Lerian (Essence: 36,000/36,000)

Core Status: Recovering (Progress: 11%)

HP: 1,521/1,570

MP: 420/500

Stat Points

{C-7} Str: 45

{C-5} Dex: 71

{C-3} End: 59

{C-1} Vit: 157

{C-6} Int: 50

{C-1} Wis: 50

{C-1} Luck: 10

[Free Points: 5]

Spells

Basic Heal — Proficiency: 100%

[Spell Choices: 0]

Skills

Rage — Proficiency: 5%

[Skill Choices: 1]

Titles

Volunteer — [+10 to all stats]

Traps Expert — [+5 Dex, +2 Str]

Masochist — [+5 End, +5 Vit]

Quests

Tutorial II — Completion Rate: 0%

Special Traits

Immunity to Poison [Species Trait - inherited]

Immunity to Paralysis [Species Trait - inherited]

Immunity to Confusion [Species Trait - inherited]

Magic Sight [Species Trait - inherited]

Telepathy [Species Trait - inherited]

Low-grade Empathy [Personal Trait]

Calm [Personal Trait]

Rayna dropped her five free points into Endurance since it was still one of her lowest stats, even if you factored in her C-levels. Then she focused on her skill choice.

A warning popped up.

Once you have entered the skill choice screen, you will not be able to use your Menu until you have chosen. The System recommends against choosing skills or spells in dungeons.

Rayna raised an eyebrow. “Weren’t you the one who just told me to pick one?”

That was an automated message. Your current situation is far from ideal. I don’t believe that the standard warnings apply. Although, I would recommend against doing this under normal circumstances.

“In other words, we’re desperate. Got it.” Rayna backtracked a little to make sure she was in a clear section of the dungeon before sitting down to pick her skill. The same warning message popped up and she confirmed that she wanted to choose a skill.

You may choose one new skill from the list below or you may upgrade an existing skill if you have met the requirements. You currently have 0 skills that meet the requirements for upgrade.

Meat-shield — Increases Endurance by 10% for three minutes, but decreases Strength and Intelligence by 5% for the duration. This skill can stack up to three times. Casting the skill again refreshes the effect’s duration.

Cooldown: 30 seconds

Indomitable (Passive) — Increases incoming healing by 5% and reduces damage taken from physical attacks by 8%.

Vampiric Bite (Passive) — Heals a portion of the damage inflicted on an enemy with bite attacks.

Quick Step — Instantly move anywhere within a three-yard radius.

Cooldown: 5 minutes

Monster Radar — Locate the strongest monster within a ten-mile radius.

Cooldown: 60 minutes

Counter — Deals 10% of the damage from an enemy’s next attack back on them and reduces the remaining incoming damage by 90%. This effect can be triggered three times per use. The effect will expire after thirty seconds.

Cooldown: 10 minutes

Vampiric Bite was an easy no. Rayna was trying to get out of the habit of biting things, she didn’t want to enhance the attack with a skill. Quick Step didn’t have a large enough radius to be useful and the cooldown was too long.

Monster Radar was interesting. It could help Rayna find the boss room—if there was indeed a boss room—but the large radius, coupled with the insanely long cooldown made her decide against it. For all she knew, she could be tracking a giant monster outside the dungeon instead of the boss.

That left Counter, Indomitable and Meatshield.

Indomitable was the safest option; extra healing and damage reduction with no downsides.

Counter looked like a Hail Mary plan. It could only realistically be used once or twice a fight, and if you were unlucky, a small monster might hit you and waste the effect. Rayna wasn’t sure if she was ready for that level of strategy.

Meatshield traded damage for defense, which wasn’t ideal in solo-fighting, but it still could be a good skill for retreating or if she needed to outlast a monster instead of out-punching it.

“Are the skill choices usually this good?” Rayna asked.

No. Not usually. The skill choices depend on the actions and experiences of the player, as well as their Class. You are… accident prone… which led to better choices. The skills you are considering are only available to someone who has taken a significant amount of damage. You are likely the first player in history to receive them before the First Ascension.

Rayna thought she detected a hint of snark in the System’s response. “So, what you’re saying is, if I get hurt more, I get healing spells?”

…that’s not what I said…

She grinned. “Close enough.”

Rayna ruled out Counter. It was too unpredictable.

That left Indomitable and Meatshield.

After agonizing over the choice for several minutes, Rayna tried the eeny-meeny-miny-moe approach. Her finger landed on Indomitable.

Are you sure you want to pick Indomitable?

Rayna frowned, disappointment rising in her chest. “Not really…”

The System took her back to the skill choice screen.

What was the point of the exercise if not to choose a skill?

“To show me which one I really wanted,” Rayna said. “It’s easier to make a choice when the choice is taken away.”

That makes no sense.

Rayna shrugged. “But it works. I’m taking Meatshield.”

The confirmation came up again and this time Rayna accepted it.

“All right!” Rayna said, doing a few warm up stretches. “Let’s go kill some rats!”