Kyiarin was running the Guild access to the Dungeon today. This was his first taste of significant responsibility. He was young and had joined the Guild when he reached the town shortly after it had been established. He was lucky to have a basic reading and writing ability that helped him advance. The Guild had supplied him with a list of adventurers entering the Dungeon. He was looking it over as the groups were lining up. They would wait for their turn and most would spend the day waiting. He stood next to the doors and looked to the sky. Dawn was here, and it was time to get things going. He turned and opened the doors, then turned back.

"You can enter." He said to the first group waiting. A seven-member team was armed and ready to go. They began walking to the doors and drawing weapons.

"What is that?" someone asked from further back. Many people looked and a few pointed. Kyiarin turned and looked to where they were pointing.

Something was moving in the darkness of the side of the building. It was low to the ground, using the side of the building that blocked the weak light. What he could see of it were two glowing golden eyes.

"Beware there is…" He called out.

The group about to enter the Dungeon turned to where the rest were pointing. As they stood there, they were attacked. From the darkness, a lion jumped in amongst them, knocking them over. The lion was a blur of grey: the young adventurers scattered as they fell, some into the Dungeon doorway, some outside. The rest shouted cries of alarm and fear.

Kyiarin was stunned for a few heartbeats but snapped out of it.

"You! Get in and help them." Kyiarin pointed at the next group and then the lion. They were hesitant but got moving. The lion did not wait around and entered the Dungeon.

"Don't follow it!" Kyiarin yelled as he saw the adventurers were making to follow. "Runner!"

Several of the first group were wounded and groaning on the ground. He ran up and looked over the wounds as more healers came to his aid. He saw that the wounds had a strange black substance around them. He had been taught what to do if he saw these wounds. The runner appeared.

"To the Guild. Have them awaken the Guild Leader and tell her a twisted monster has appeared and entered the Dungeon. We have wounded and I am locking the area down. Now go!" The runner turned and ran. Kyiarin looked around and spoke loudly. "The Dungeon is now locked down! None will enter, but you will stand on guard!"

There were many complaints and groaning. Many obeyed, but some argued against his decision. Adventurers were clustered around, but they were more ready for trouble. Kyiarin had to spend time getting the adventurers into a more organised formation. He stands, checking his established defensive line, waiting for his Guild Leader.

The sun was now up above the mountains and lighting the valley. He heard people approaching and turned. His Guild Leader was running in his direction with more adventurers. Many were still pulling on armour as they were moving.

"Report!" She barked while taking deep breaths.

"A lion, I think, was a twisted creature, attacked the first group entering the Dungeon. It did not engage long and entered the Dungeon." Kyiarin told her. He had started sweating, knowing that he was calling on his limited authority and would have to answer for it if he was wrong.

"Why do you think it was a twisted creature?" She asked. Kyiarin cowered under her glare. He was sweating harder and his mouth was dry.

Before he could answer, they heard more people approaching. Looking back, they saw Lord Goldwind and Watch Commander Danrum, along with a dozen members of the Watch, arriving.

"Lord Goldwind." She greeted him.

"Guild Leader Woodland." He returned the greeting.

"I was just being briefed by the Guild employee overseeing the access to the Dungeon…" She was interrupted by the arrival of more people. This time, it was the Church Leaders and other priests. What was alarming to many was the number of the militant orders on display. Lord Goldwind and his Watch Commander counted those members, frowning at the numbers.

"Honoured priests, what brings you here to this day?" Lord Goldwind asked the gathering of religious leaders and their followers.

"We have heard that a twisted monster has come and entered the Dungeon." One of the armoured priests spoke. "We have come to aid the wound and fight if we are called upon."

"I am happy to have you come to aid us. Your numbers are somewhat surprising." Lord Goldwind spoke. Kyiarin heard something in his voice that was more of a question.

"Due to the nature of the danger, we are here to help, " the priest replied. Lord Goldwind's eyes narrowed, but he said no more.

"I was just asking for clarification when you arrived." Guild Leader Woodland spoke up, turning back to Kyiarin. This drew the attention of everyone else. Kyiarin wanted to disappear into the ground from this attention. He was doing everything he could not to shake. "Well, finish your report."

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"A-a lion a-attacked the first party entering. Several were wounded and the lion entered the Dungeon. When I inspected the wounds, I discovered this." The wounded in question were next to them. Kyiarin was waiting here for this very reason. He knelt down and, with a nod of approval from a healer, lifted the bandage on one of the wounded legs. The leg had been clawed badly and the wound smelt off. The wound had a strange black, oily substance coming from it and black veins could be seen around it.

When they observed the wound, the onlookers issued several oaths, hisses and other exclamations. High-pathed priests and clerics quickly joined the wounded, aiding those already treating them. The more militant ones were looking at the Dungeon.

"Get the scanning crystals out! I want to know what is happening in the Dungeon!" Guild Leader Woodland's orders got her people moving. Several were holding different crystals at arm's length inside the doorway. They were glowing with various intensities and colours. Kyiarin watched all this happening, unsure what he was supposed to do now.

"Well?" She barked.

"The energy levels are fluctuating. It appears that the Dungeon is fighting the lion that has entered." One of the scryers reported. The others nodded in agreement.

"Then we wait." Lord Goldwind told everyone listening. A ripple of unease passed around those present. The adventurers wanted to go in, but the priests insisted that they all stay out.

The scryers began reporting that the lion was going deeper into the Dungeon. More were arriving, but the Watch were turning them away. Many complained, but the Lord was resolute. More priests and militant orders arrived and Kyiarin noticed the deep frowns of Lord Goldwind and Watch Commander Danrum.

The scryers then reported that the lion slowed in its descent. Kyiarin stood close to Guild Leader Woodland as she and Lord Goldwind spoke.

"We think it has reached the fifth floor." She was saying to him.

"Do you think the Dungeon will win?" He was worried but hid most of it.

"Yes, I think it can. The lion has become twisted, but the Dungeon has beaten one more powerful. We can only wait."

"Yes, that we must."

They all waited.

"The Dungeon is resetting!" One of the scryers called out. The group waited and all let out a worried breath when they heard the news.

"The Dungeon will remain closed until tomorrow! Go to the Guild and your positions on the list will be addressed!" Woodland shouted for all to hear. This led to more complaints, but she got the adventurers moving. "Any more complaints and I will remove you from the list!"

She was made to leave but stopped and turned to Kyiarin.

"Good work today, Kyiarin. Stay here and finish your shift. Come to the Guild tomorrow, and I will need a full report." She grimaced when she said this.

"I understand Guild Leader." His day was not over.

## ## ## ## ##

"How many members of the militant orders are there in my lands?" Ranus asked when the door was closed.

"We knew some would be present but not in those numbers." Danrum relied. The two were now alone in Ranus's office.

"Some! There were at least two dozen present from every temple that have militant orders." Ranus was pacing, rubbing his forehead. "By the Gods! There were five paladins there. Five!"

"I agree, my Lord. Five is a rather large number when talking about divine paladins." Danrum was calm.

Ranus threw himself into his chair. "Danrum, we both know the weakest of those paladins is ranked similar to a bronze-tier adventurer with the combat experience to match. And that does not even account for the additional divine blessings. Most major cities will have one assigned to visit it yearly or be sent as needed."

"I agree the number is… concerning." Danrum was forced to admit. Ranus snorted at his words.

"If my decree is broken. Will the Watch be able to contain any violence?" Ranus asked the question Danrum had been thinking about since the militant orders numbers were revealed.

"If that is the full extent of their numbers…. Then no." He sat down across from his Lord and spoke with all seriousness. "The Watch is not experienced enough to deal with one of those paladins, let alone five. I have good men and women under my command, but they do not have the experience or steps on their Paths to even think about containing the temple district."

Ranus slumped and sighed. "Then you are saying our only hope is that the temples respect the decree and keep the peace."

"That is correct, my Lord. At this time, the Dark Court is taking great pains to be seen respecting and honouring your Lordship and your decree. The Light Court is echoing them, but they would be doing this anyway, as you have not offended any members of the Pantheon."

Both men lapped into silence, thinking about the situation. If violence broke out, then the temple district would be the first place to feel the fires. How far they would spread and what damage they would do was anyone's idea. It was conceivable the whole valley would be destroyed.

"At least another twisted monster is dead." Ranus sought the best in the situation.

"That is true, my Lord." Danrum decided to voice a worry he had. "But what happens on the day it does not and the monster remerges after consuming the power of a Dungeon Core?"

"Well, on that day, we can but hope the paladins win the day." Ranus was no fool and knew his Watch would not stand against such a beast. The palisade was designed to hold low-powered monsters, not something of the scale. "We should review what we can do and put in place rules for the day that may happen."

"Very good, my Lord. In honesty, we have little we can do. We would only have minutes of warning before the town would be under attack." Danrum did not hold back when speaking to Ranus in private.

"I know. The Watch will probably break along with most of the low-tier adventurers." Ranus was back to rubbing his forehead and had his eyes closed.

"Most yes. But some will try." Danrum was not insulted, knowing the assessment was reasonable. "What will the priority be for the Watch on that day?"

"The people," Ranus answered without reservation. "The Watch will do its best to evacuate all they can."

Danrum was stoic, but inside, he was proud that he had chosen to serve a man like Ranus Goldwind. The young Lord made mistakes, but he knew what was most important.

"Very good, my Lord. I will draw up evacuation routes that can be used to get the people out if the Dungeon is broken."

Ranus looked into the fireplace. It was not lit, and the room was not cold. The shutters were open, letting in plenty of light as the sun was rising in the sky.

"Good idea," he said, not looking away from the fireplace. "We will need to consider making the southern trade route to the Nescan City Sta safer. That will be the main route that the population will take."

"That would be wise, my Lord. The route is improving, but we still have issues with bandits and monsters." Danrum agreed with this idea.

"I will see what financial resources we have available and what I can get from the Merchant Guild to help, " Ranus said, but more to himself.

"Good luck with that, my Lord. I would be very impressed if you achieved anything with the second part of your plan." Ranus smiled briefly at Danrum's attempt at humour.

"Yes, the Merchant Guild is legendary for how tight its purse strings are." Ranus agreed. "But I am forced to try."