When Drake Long, the isekai’d American Dragon Monk, returned to consciousness, only four hours had passed. His stomach growled, and after glancing at the magic clock in their dorm room, he realized it was dinner time. He continued his streak of avoiding the dining hall in the evening hours, as that many people in one place made him twitchy. The food vendors around the entrance of the campus were just as good, provided portable portions, and had much shorter lines.

He grabbed a pair of what looked like burritos to his eyes, and wandered towards the combat field behind the main campus building. A few people apparently had the same idea he did, and were having dinner in the stands, but after a quick scan, he realized they were couples, and moved on. He wandered aimlessly, letting the universe guide him until he found a grassy, secluded spot under a large tree, and chose there to eat. In under two minutes the rather yummy burritos were in his stomach, and he was looking at his status.

Seeing nothing had changed after sleeping, he closed his eyes then, and started meditating, reaching a state of inner calm before he attempted to bend the air again. Spreading magic into it like he had with other elements simply hadn’t worked, so instead he made his sphere of influence wider, and lessened the amount of magic to a trickle to compensate.

Drake found himself getting rather focused as he meditated, more so than he ever had back on Earth. He marveled at the magic flowing through him, and with some minor alterations, made it flow into the air more effectively. He was so focused, that it took Rose shouting his name three times, before he finally noticed, and opened his eyes. They widened, in surprise. The entire field around his chosen tree was wildly waving in a strong, constant breeze. The wind calmed immediately, but he felt he could control it now, within his magic’s range and influence at least. He also realized he’d been floating, which wasn’t an ability his academy uniform possessed.

His efforts had attracted a small crowd, most of which was the rest of his class. Rose had that impressed look on her face, but as she gracefully started walking towards him, Tala hopped ahead, and skidded to a stop in front of him, jiggling all the way. “Drake! I heard you could fly, but only in your special robe!”

“Yeeaa, well, I think I’ve more or less figured out Airbe- err, Air Magic.” He chuckled, then glanced at Rose as she joined them at her own pace, hiding her irritation with the bunny girl rather well.

“That makes all four basic elements now, right?” Rose gave him a sweet smile. “You’re going to be even stronger once you master them all.”

Drake scratched the back of his head. “I wouldn’t say I’m anywhere near mastery with the four I have.”

Both girls put an arm on a different shoulder of Drake’s then and said, simultaneously, “You’ll get there.” By this point, the rest of the class had approached, and most of them shared a look, as the two blondes glared at each other again.

“Ohhh, damn. Here we go, fam.” Nyara muttered in the background, as several of their classmates nodded eagerly.

Then, in a tone that sent a premonitory chill up Drake’s spine, Rose said, far too calmly, “You know, Drake, I think it would help all of us if you made it clear which one of us you prefer…romantically.”

Behind them, Leif had a surprised look on his foxy face as he muttered, “Oh shit, she’s just going for it.”

Drake gave Rose a sad smile, and he knew, deep down, the time for the truth had come. She looked worried with this response. “Well Rose, the thing is-”

Tala unhelpfully cut him off. “He prefers girls that aren’t going to be small the rest of their life, right Drake?” She said, putting her arms behind her head as what she had was bared for the world to admire. She was out of her uniform now, and her chosen outfit of a low cut but simple top with straps and her school skirt hid absolutely nothing of her top tier curves.

“Boobs over brains. Wins every damn time.” Zara muttered, irritably.

Drake gulped, trying not to stare, but the bun’s cleavage had to have been magnetic. Or something. Finally, he wrenched his eyes away. “That’s not what I-”

“Drake said he owed me his life.” Rose said calmly, her words like a rapier. Tala looked back at him with big, sad, brown eyes full of disbelief and hurt.

“Can confirm, he did say that.” Garret rumbled from the crowd. It was clear the lion man was cheering for what he considered the One True Pairing.

“Girls!” Drake finally raised his voice. “Please let me finish. There’s something you should both know about me…especially before we start getting into romantic entanglements…”

“Finally…the backstory reveal!” Vincent said, leaning forward and pushing his glasses up.

Drake sighed, audibly, at their peanut gallery. “Y’know what? Fine. You should all know this, if we’re going to be raiding Dungeons together. Can’t really ask all of you to trust me, if you don’t know me. I’ll ask you to keep it quiet, but I know how loud some of your mouths are.” He glared specifically at Nyara.

“He’s got you pegged there, Cat.” Lyria taunted her.

“Lyria.” Drake said, gesturing the rest of the class closer. “If you and Zara wouldn’t mind giving us a sound barrier…that’d be much appreciated.” The two spellcasters shared a look, and then nodded. One by one, they sat in a circle beneath the tree, as the leylines in the sky began to shift towards dusk. “Some rules, before we begin. No interruptions. I solemnly swear that everything I’m about to say is the God’s honest truth, but Rose, feel free to drop a Zone of Truth if you doubt me.”

She hesitated for a moment, and then began casting. “I trust you, Drake, I just…I need to know for sure.”

“I understand.” He said, smiling at her. “I won’t hold wanting the absolute truth against you. In fact, I’d be kinda disappointed if you didn’t.” She gave him a shy smile, and started casting. The holy magic formed a circle around their sitting circle, just inside the sound-containing barrier. “If you’d confirm for our allies that I’m not resisting…”

Rose nodded at them. “He is under the Zone's effects. Go ahead, Drake.”

Drake took several deep breaths, and then began, lowering his voice towards what it had once been, in his past life. A rather deep and not unpleasant baritone. “I come from a planet known as Earth, the third planet in what my people, Earthlings, called the Solar System, within what we called the Milky Way Galaxy.” The entire class had wide eyes, as the Zone of Truth did not activate. “When I lived there, it was in a city not entirely unlike Primus. One of, if not the largest on the Earth. New York City. My world, and my Universe, apparently, completely lacked magic, according to Goddess Laurelin, so naturally, we had a lot of problems that we could only solve by using our technology, powered not by magic, but by electricity. I worked at a shelter for animals, dogs, cats, nothing too unique or different from what you have as house pets here, who had been mistreated or abandoned by their owners…”

He had them effectively spellbound, as he recounted his life, his true age, his nerdy preferences, his crippling injury, the corrupt, and pedophilic Garbage that had been elevated by those with currency to rule his decaying nation, and then, of course, the last walk he and Falkor had ever gone on.

“I heard the horn, and I knew I had to act…nobody else was close enough to reach them. I ran to Falkor and the kiddo, and then tried to leap out of the way…but at that moment, my ankle decided to break again.” Rose gasped, and Tala had tears forming in her eyes. The rest of the class was quiet, and somber. They knew what came next. “I tossed Falkor and the child onto the curb, but in doing so, fell back on my fat ass... The last thing I saw was Falkor running towards me, and…then I met the Goddess herself. I…don’t think it’s yet time to tell you all the mission that she tasked me with, but I give you my word, some day, I will. If you end up following me to the conclusion of this journey of mine, you will know our ultimate goal well before we reach it, and I will not hold it against you if you decide to back out. It's...a lot. Even for someone with Divine aid.”

He took another breath, and sighed lightly. “Anyways. Laurelin gave me three Boons to achieve this task of hers. I chose an absurdly durable body that would not easily break again, a significant boost to my Intelligence stat, so I could keep and retain the knowledge of my old life, and the knowledge of the Dragon Style of Martial Arts, and my final Boon I used on Falkor, once I realized he’d purposefully chosen to go out alongside me. He was named after a Dragon from a movie in my world you see…so I had Laurelin make for him a new, proper draconic body. I expect he’ll be visiting me soon enough, so you'll all probably be able to see him when he does. And from there…you all basically know the rest. It’s been about three days, maybe four since I was on Earth.” He smiled at them, then. “But I like it here. The people, the magic, if I’m being honest, Arcadia is leagues better than that shithole I left behind.”

Rose spoke quietly, then, “But your family…”

Drake nodded, sadly. “Thinks I’m dead. And…in a very real sense, I am. I am not who I once was. Even my personality has…shifted. I was never this social or talkative or strong on Earth. I was essentially an outcast, and content with my status as one, but…Laurelin selected me to be something greater, and I’m not going to pass up the chance. That’s my story. You ladies can release your spells, now.”

They did so. Drake stood, as did everyone else, and it was Vincent who spoke first, stepping forward, and placing a hand on his shoulder. “You’re a Hero, Drake Long. A proper Chosen One, with the morals to match. I’d be honored to fight beside you, no matter what quest the Goddess has given to you.”

“With my power, and your tactics Vincent, I’m sure we could clear multiple Dungeons.” Drake answered. “I’ll see you back in the room. I’m sure you have questions.” The bespectacled genius of their class nodded in confirmation, and headed away from the tree.

Garret was next. “We make a solid team, Drake Long. I am honored to know you better, and to continue to call you friend. Rest easy knowing nothing you told us has lowered my opinion of your character.”

Drake chuckled, as they bumped fists. “I couldn’t ask for a better tank, Garret. I’m glad we’re friends too.” The leonid gave Rose and Tala a meaningful look, before he walked off.

Lyria was next. “This explains your weird class that no ones ever heard of, and your sometimes incorrect Beast Lore. But I like it. I’m sure whatever mission the Goddess gave you is worth pursuing. Count me as an ally, Drake.” Drake thanked her, and she left as well.

One by one, the others came.

“Sssorry I doubted your sssskillsss.” Sethis hissed. Drake forgave him, and the large lizardkin departed, rightly sensing Tala and Rose had words for him.

“That’s quite a story, Drake…I wouldn’t believe a word of it if I didn’t trust Rose’s magic.” Leif said, before just sauntering off immediately after speaking. Drake heard him mutter under his breath as he left, “...n’t believe…Goddess…him of all fu…people.”

Next, was Zara. “If the Goddess Laurelin vouches for you, that’s good enough for me. Just don’t drag our class down, newbie. I don’t care how high your level is; you’re no warrior. We’ll see how that ‘courage’ holds up inside a Dungeon.”

“Appreciate the vote of confidence, Zara…” Drake muttered, as she left too.

His other roomie, Caelum Triton, stepped forward then, a smirk on his handsome merman face. “I knew you were special, but a bonafide Hero from another world? I have sooo many questions. But we can get into that later, in the room.”

Drake chuckled. “I’ll answer as many as you like, you’re a gentleman and a scholar, Caelum.” With a mutual nod, the crimson scaled merman followed after Vincent.

Last to linger, besides the girls, was Nyara. “I’ll keep my mouth shut about this one, Monk boy. Not like anyone would believe me anyway.”

“Thanks…?” Drake replied, but the swift cat girl was already gone.

Then, finally, Drake, Rose, and Tala were alone. He chuckled awkwardly. “Soo…I hope you understand now why I was uhh…hesitant to…start anything romantic. You both deserved to know the truth about who I am before anyone got…too attached.”

Rose crossed her arms, her gorgeous emerald eyes searching his face for a long moment, as if weighing something in her mind, before she spoke. “I can’t say I expected that story, but…I appreciate your honesty, Drake. You didn’t have to tell us all of that, but you did.” Her expression softened slightly. “And for what it’s worth, it doesn’t change anything for me.” Drake was stunned by her tacit admission, and in hindsight, he’d probably pick that moment as the one where he properly fell for her.

Tala, arms still behind her head, gave him a grin, though her ears twitched slightly as she caught the look in his eyes. “Yeah, you think a little thing like ‘I was reborn from another world’ is gonna scare me off? Please.”

“But…I was nearly twice your ages…” Drake started.

Tala chuckled. “I like older guys…” She purposefully jiggled again, and Drake avoided his teenage gaze getting caught in that chasm of soft warm pillowy paradise again. “What’s wrong? Don’t even pretend you don’t like these…”

“Thirty years is almost nothing, to Elves.” Rose cut in sharply, snaring his eyes with hers again. “Besides, I know what my heart is saying, and I’m not going to deny it. I still want to know who you prefer. That hasn’t changed, either.”

Drake looked between them both, and then sighed softly. “Sorry Tala…you’re gorgeous, I mean it, but Rose…there’s just something about her that…feels right. On every level.” The High Elf flushed again, but she didn’t avoid his eyes.

Tala deflated, and lowered her arms as she saw them having a moment. Crossing them under her absurd bust, she said, “Yeeaa…I had a feeling. As soon as she offered to be your healer first yesterday, I knew my chances were slim. Ahh well. I guess I’ll see if Bjorn wants a bushel of bunny babies. Or maybe Caelum.”

Drake blinked. Twice. “W-wait, you’re going to…?”

Tala winked at him. "Lapines don’t waste time when it comes to having kids. We start as soon as we’re able, especially those of us with Arc Warden potential." She smirked at his stunned expression. "You probably didn’t know that, huh? I was sure our babies would’ve been beautiful and strong…but alas, it seems the Elf beat me to it. Guess that’s that! Enjoy your preachy tree hugger, Drake. If you ever change your mind…well, you know where to find meeee!" As the bunny girl bounded away, Drake exhaled slowly, feeling more certain in his choice. He knew himself well enough to recognize that creating a literal army of powerful bunny children with a woman that fine would result in a problem he was not prepared to handle.

Although, the more he thought about it, the more he was sure the rest of lapine society raised the young communally. Tala wouldn’t have had time to study, otherwise, and judging by those matronly curves she rocked, she’d probably already had a few offspring. Not that it seemed to bother her, and really, why would it? Different cultures had different expectations. The hangup was his, not hers. He also wondered if they even chose one mate for life. Probably not. He didn't hold it against their species, but it was enough to be a deal breaker in terms of a relationship.

He blinked, as he felt Rose’s hand slide into his. Her ears were red now too, as she murmured, “Elves…don’t reproduce nearly as often as Lapines…but…my family will also want heirs, at some point…probably quite a few of them.”

He felt his cheeks light on fire at the implication. “Uh-uhm, err, well, as uhh, as soon as you’re ready for that, we can, uhh, discuss it.”

“I’ve had enough words for today…” She murmured, and then she stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him.

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Drake blinked, his mind going utterly blank, as he blinked twice more, and then let his instincts take over. His arms wrapped around her, and he let himself enjoy the moment without any guilt. His actions, making sure she knew what she was doing, with whom, also felt right, to him. When they finally broke for air, the night had arrived, and his new gorgeous elf girlfriend bid him goodnight, walking off looking quite pleased, as she subtly touched her lips.

For Drake’s part, there was no comparison. No woman on Earth had ever given him a kiss like that, and now, he understood the difference. And, begrudgingly, admitted Laurelin had been right. He had functional knowledge, which would be used to Rose’s benefit, but actual experience…left him very much feeling like a teenager. His body still felt like it was on fire, as his heart raced in his chest. All that, from just one kiss. He hoped Rose had felt similarly smitten afterwards. He inhaled a long breath, and then exhaled literal fire, as he expelled the heat from his body, cooling himself down rapidly with his firebending.

Upon returning to the dorm’s fourth floor, and its twentieth room, Caelum and Vincent greeted him with knowing smirks. “Sooo? How’d it go, extraplanar lover-boy?” Caelum teased from his bed.

Drake felt his cheeks heat up again, but the smile was on his face before he could even try to hide it. “Rose Valcrest…is my girlfriend.” He shook his head, still not quite believing it. The finest elf in the entire Academy, and she was into him. Enough to make the first move. He smirked at Caelum then, regaining his composure. “Oh, and Tala may have her sights set on you, now.”

Caelum’s eyes went wide. “Really? Interesting…but not surprising. I take it you realized what Lapine culture is like?”

Drake nodded. “Yea…I mean…I get the appeal but uhh…it’s a bit too casual for me, y’know? I prefer one woman. Most Earthlings do.”

Vincent chimed in, at that point, looking up from his book. “Interesting. It seems Earth cultures had more of a developed predisposition towards monogamous coupling. Could you tell me what drove this development, Drake?”

Drake chuckled. “Uhh…well, most of the, erm, more technologically advanced part of the planet was essentially taken over and ruled, more or less, by a…rather oppressive cult for a solid two thousand years. We had Kings and such, but they all paid homage, and gold, to the Church. In that time…the Church managed to properly fuck up any chance our society had for being as open and polygamous as Arcadia. Unions were between one man, and one woman, blessed and overseen by their God, that’s literally what they used for his name, just God, and deviating from that norm, or breaking that covenant by marrying others or fornicating outside of those unions was seen as an affront to God. And the Church. But mostly the Church.”

Vincent frowned. “And yet, despite this control, civilization advanced? There must have been some benefits to this system, even if unintended.”

Drake shrugged. “For a long time, the survival strat for anyone without wealth was ‘have as many babies as possible, and hope they don’t all die during the Winter’. And that worked. But society’s actual progress was more due to the geniuses our population produced, than any byproduct of monogamous coupling. Sure, stability from two parents, one male one female, helped raise offspring, but that system was extremely prejudiced against same sex pairings, which are entirely capable of also raising offspring to maturity. Anyone that didn’t fit into the cult’s mold was ostracized, and vilified, in the name of their God.”

Vincent squinted at Drake. “But…you said your Universe of origin had no magic. So from whence did this God come?”

“People’s imaginations.” Drake said, hopping on his bed.

Vincent squinted further. “So…no magic whatsoever…and yet many Humans worshiped it?”

“Yea…Earth is…pretty terrible. People needed something to believe in. Fear, mostly, of the consequences of bad behavior, murder, adultery, etcetera. It didn’t always work, but for many, it managed to keep their behavior in check…more or less. Not the Church’s behavior though. Infamously riddled with greedy pedophiles, right up until I left. The people selling this lie very obviously knew it was nonsense. And to be clear, the cult I’m speaking of was only the latest in a long line of cults, stretching back around about two hundred thousand years of recorded history. We had many Gods and Pantheons of Gods, but when I left, most of the old Gods were used in our cultural media as imagined characters, and mostly for their epic names.”

“And did you believe in this ‘God’, Drake?” Caelum asked.

Drake shook his head. “I was indoctrinated into the cult as a child, but I figured out it was nonsense eventually. Science was much more interesting, and it had a pretty solid method.”

Vincent leaned forward now, interest piqued. “What is this…Science? Another cult?”

“Uhh…I mean, there were a few eccentrics that definitely treated it like one, but no, mostly it was a method of examining the basic truths of our magicless reality, and demonstrating whether they were accurate, or not. It wasn’t perfect, but for a species as dumb, violent, and horny as the majority of Earthlings…it worked. The only actual God on Earth, was Currency. When I left, money was the only thing being genuinely, universally worshiped. If you had enough of it, you could literally buy your way into power, no matter how undeserving you were, or what heinous crimes you’d committed.”

Vincent made a ‘hmm’ noise. “I can see why you’re glad to be free from such a place…but this…Science, and electricity-based technology intrigues me.”

Drake smiled at his roomie. “I can try to pass on what I know, some time, if you want. I’ll have to write it down, though. There’s…a lot. But I believe much of it can be used here on Arcadia as well…we just uhh, have to be careful what we introduce to your world. Goddess Laurelin was…not impressed with the weapons the Earth had, mostly because Earthlings used them with depressing frequency on their own species.”

Caelum blinked in disbelief. “Wait…the Humans on your world actively killed each other? Without being corrupted by some darker force?”

Drake nodded. “You…have no idea, my friend. When I died, there were at least three global superpowers committing active acts of systematic and entirely needless slaughter of their fellow Humans. Even on kids. My own country was no exception, either.”

Caelum let out a low whistle. “That… sounds bleak.”

Vincent exhaled, shaking his head. “Perhaps a lesson in what happens when power is left unchecked, with no higher authority to guide it.” He glanced at Drake. “I’ll take you up on your offer. I want to see if this ‘Science’ of yours can be applied in Arcadia… responsibly.”

Drake nodded at Vincent. “So long as we stay responsible…it shouldn’t be an issue. I’m sure the Gods will tell us if we start to unleash something that will destabilize your society.”

Caelum leaned back, deep in thought. “The idea of a world without divine intervention… it sounds fragile.”

Drake nodded. That was one word for it. “You should all really thank them for what they’ve done with Arcadia…as someone from a world without any God managing it, the contrast keeps highlighting just how bad things are on Earth.”

With that, the conversation changed to the lateness of the hour, and the three teens decided to turn in. Another day at the Academy awaited them.

The next morning, Drake immediately noticed a change. Vincent and Caelum were glad to see him, and Vincent’s prickliness had faded considerably after hearing Drake’s origin story. They were becoming fast friends, and Drake spent a solid half hour explaining, as best he knew, how electronic devices functioned. Having increased intelligence made this much easier than it would’ve been just a few days earlier, and Vincent seemed eager to try it out. When he learned that there were electrical currents even in some foods, like popotoes (essentially just potatoes) he’d immediately sprinted to the school’s kitchens to acquire one.

This left Caelum and Drake to head to the Guild on their own. They found Rose and Lyria idling by the clerk’s counter, chatting with Kelista. Rose had her new healing robes on, and Drake shamelessly checked her out. She must have felt his gaze, because she turned, saw him staring, and then shifted her shoulders. The already low cut robes sank lower, revealing even more porcelain elf skin, and Drake gulped, before he forced himself to focus.

“Ladies.” Drake said, acknowledging Lyria’s existence, before his eyes were inevitably drawn back to Rose’s. “Vincent is uhh, busy, today, so it’s just Caelum and I.”

Rose seemed practically glowing, as she smiled up at him. “Two healers is fine, since we don’t have a tank. Garret and Sethis partied up today.”

“Then we should do the same.” Caelum said smoothly, smiling at Lyria. “If you’ll have me.”

Lyria looked at the happy couple, saw they were waiting on her approval, and then she nodded at the attractive, crimson scaled merman. “You’re welcome to join us any time, Prince Caelum.”

Drake blinked. “Wait. What? You’re a Prince!?”

Caelum chuckled at him. “I keep forgetting you don’t know much about our world. The Triton family has ruled in the undersea city of Thalassia since Merpeople and the Beastkin of the sea first appeared. We’ve been going to the Academy almost as long.” The merman prince smirked at Rose then. “I’m surprised your new girlfriend didn’t mention that. She’s practically a Princess herself.”

Drake blinked, and then stared at Rose, who was glaring at the merman. “I can believe that, actually. It makes sense. She has the beauty, the poise, the manner of speech, I was wondering if she was royalty or something, but Elves don’t have Kings…right?”

Caelum chuckled knowingly. “They have those who might as well be such. But I’ll leave her family history for the two of you to discuss. We should start on our Quests.”

At that point, Kelista chimed in helpfully. “We do have a Mithril Rank Gathering Quest, if that interests you. You wouldn’t need a tank necessarily, and your Sorceress can summon one if you get swarmed.”

The party shared a look, and when no one spoke, Drake said, “What exactly would we be gathering? And what lives there?”

Kelista checked the quest’s specifics. “Apparently…Mithril Ore, and enough Blackstone to smelt it into bars. That’s about three pieces of Blackstone for every piece of Mithril. As for what lives nearby…Giant Scorpions, a reclusive Goblin Tribe, and a small settlement of Dark Elves who own and work the mine.”

Lyria’s eyes went wide. “W-what’s this settlement called, exactly?”

Kelista scanned her info. “Ahhmmm…Zemkarth, I believe.”

Lyria let out a soft sigh. “No way…but…why would the Dark Elves not mine this for the Guild themselves?”

Kelista scanned the info again, and then shrugged. “I couldn’t say…but I did hear a rumor that the settlement is having a rough time.” She had a sly smirk on her face, then. “Sounds like something a group of Adventurers might handle.”

Drake cracked his knuckles, and grinned. It sounded like some giant fuckoff mine beast had interrupted production, and giant beasts were essentially experience pinatas to a party this damage heavy, assuming it wasn’t absurdly high level. “Oh, we’ll handle it. I do have a question, though…I’ve seen Mithril on the armor of some Adventurers, and I know our Adamantine tags are still being forged, but uhh…what is Blackstone? Is it as literal as the name suggests?”

The clerk nodded. “You’ll know it when you see it. Blackstone is crucial in forging high level weapons and armors. It’s also what powers the Dark Elven forges, since it burns so hot, once it’s purified.” Drake nodded. It was coal. He’d been pretty sure, but now, Kelista’s description confirmed it. With the quest accepted, Drake and Caelum changed into their respective robes, and Lyria teleported them.

They didn’t appear in a city-based magic circle though. They were barely even within the settlement around them. Dark purple magical lanterns gave Zemkarth an ominous glow, and as soon as they materialized before a small dwelling carved into the mountain rock. Lyria muttered, “I’ll need a second, friends.” Before she ran into the house before them, clearly worried despite her expression.

Putting two and two together, Drake said, “So…did either of you know she was from Zemkarth?”

Rose shook her head, and Caelum said, “She doesn’t really talk much, our Lyria. Which is a shame, truly. She has a lovely voice…but remains mostly a mystery.”

Drake smirked at his roomie, raising an eyebrow. “Ohh? Sounds like someone would like to investigate that mystery a little closer.”

Caelum sighed. “I would, honestly, but…I’m not as lucky as you when it comes to romance, Drake. Being a Prince of Thalassia…scares off most people, no matter how attractive I make myself.”

Drake blinked, and then tilted his head. “Is…is Thalassia okay? I can’t imagine many things that would scare off Arc Warden tier suitors…”

Rose spoke up then leaning into him. A small smile appeared on her face, as she heard Drake’s heartbeat triple in pace. “Ahh, right…Otherworlder. You see Drake, Thalassia is next to a particularly…powerful Dungeon. The Fathomless Rift. It was one of the first Dungeons to appear, and by the time the Thalassians found it…its Boss was quite powerful. It spews out so many monsters that the seas of our world are practically swarming with them. Thalassia itself had to seriously improve its defenses just to stay intact…so it’s a bit like living in a war zone. The attack swarms come daily, and while its defenders are strong, the Riftspawn are nearly infinite, and the assaults are nerve-wracking. It’s impossible to tell when one will manage to slip into the city by force, or by some previously unknown weak point.”

Caelum nodded sagely. “An excellent summary, Rose.” He looked at Drake, then. “It is the duty of every Triton King to one day assault the Fathomless Rift, and try to end its horrors…I’ve lost my father, four uncles, and three of my five brothers to it already…I’m the youngest, but my time will come as well, and once I have an heir, I’ll be forced to go. So you see…anyone who would want to date me would have to ignore my very likely demise, and the demise of our child, should it be male, to be with me. It’s…gotten to the point that certain Mermaids have to be selected, at random, to help the Triton family stay intact.” Seeing his face, Caelum gave him and Rose a sad smile. “But it’s fine, it’s simply my fate, I’ve long since come to terms with it. And so long as my dear friends and classmates remember me, that’s all I need.”

Drake wiped the formation of tears from his eyes, and hardened his gaze at Caelum. “I consider you one of the first friends I made here, Caelum. I’m not just going to remember you. I refuse to just let you die. When the day comes, I will join you, assuming I’m able to…and we will end this foul legacy together.” He looked at Rose, and his bravado faded slightly, as he saw her expression. “Are you with me, Rose?”

“It’s…more complicated than that, Drake…the Fathomless Rift is…a death sentence. You have yet to actually delve into a Dungeon. You don’t know what they’re like, what their Bosses are like…”

He smirked confidently at her. “I know with my Party by my side, the woman I adore included, nothing will stop us. And I think Caelum is worth fighting for. But to ease your mind…I won’t attempt the Rift until we’re ready, and have cleared two other Dungeons at least.”

Caelum sighed, and gave Rose a sad, but knowing smile. “Would that it were it so easy. I know you mean well Drake, but…I would feel better if you and Rose lived, and had many happy centuries together. Maybe name one of your offspring in my honor. There’s no need to die on my account.”

Drake shook his head firmly. “I wouldn’t be able to look at the child without feeling guilt. Look, I know I may be new to this world. I know I may have some naïveté when it comes to Dungeon delving, but I also know quite a lot about Dungeoneering. You saw my skills. I beat Vincent at planning our way through a frankly absurd Dungeon layout. With our class on your side, and other Adventurers besides, we can do this. We can free Thalassia.”

Caelum sighed, and his body shuddered slightly. Drake’s eyes widened as he saw the merman was tearing up. “Don’t…give me hope. I already accepted my Fate…”

Drake was insistent, though. “Hope is what you need, my friend. Hope will be what sees us through that undersea Hellhole. Just…trust me. Two Dungeons…and then we save you from Fate itself.” He offered the merman a hand.

Caelum wiped his eyes, and nodded, taking it, and shaking it firmly. “I don’t know why…but I believe you.” He smirked at Rose then. “I can see why you were drawn to him.”

Rose had a big smile. “He certainly is…something.” Her eyes hardened too, then. “We’ve been friends for a long time, Caelum. I don’t want you to die, either. You deserve to be the King who lives. The first to rule Thalassia for the majority of his reign in peace, in thousands of years. When the time comes, I’ll be right there beside Drake. I know Garret will, too.”

The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

At that moment, a slightly sweaty, haggard looking Lyria emerged, a frown on her fair features. Caelum spoke first. “What’s wrong, Lyria?”

She looked down at the ground, hand gripping her staff so tightly even her dark skin was whitening. “It’s…my family. My home. I’m sure you all figured out this is my house…only my grandmother was left inside, and she can barely move…apparently, the rest of Zemkarth is being snatched, one person at a time…by Goblins.”

Caelum scoffed. “Goblins? I didn’t think such weak creatures could bring mighty Dark Elven smiths so low…”

Lyria and Rose glared at him, but Drake spoke first, as his nerdy ass knew better, he raised a hand towards the girls, non-verbally asking them to hold off on berating the princeling. “You speak as though you’ve fought them, Caelum. Might I ask where?”

Caelum blinked, frowning slightly as he recognized he’d said something insensitive. “The Wallow. It’s a low level Dungeon on the northern outskirts of Primus. Absolutely packed with Goblins. Low level Adventurers sharpen their swords there, usually until they hit Steel Rank. Bjorn, Leif, Zara, and I killed so many, we hit Mithril…we made it quite far down, too, until our supplies ran out. Time can also flow differently in Dungeons, sometimes. We were in there for a week, and were out before the afternoon.”

Drake’s eyes narrowed. “And the Goblins on the lower levels…let me guess, they got exponentially harder to fight, right? Started appearing in groups of twenty, thirty, or more?”

Caelum nodded in confirmation. “Higher level, supported by magic users, and enough numbers to rapidly drain our supplies.”

Drake grit his teeth. “And another guess if I may…you didn’t see a single one on the way out, did you. Not even corpses.”

Caelum’s eyes widened. “Is…this a Monk ability? It’s like you were there…you’re right. Our path towards the upper floors was unimpeded, though we ran into plenty on our way out. The upper floors always have squads of three to five roaming them.”

Drake nodded, and sighed. “Fuck. They’re using you. All of you. The Final Boss of that Dungeon…its probably been doing this for ages. Even longer, since time is faster in there. Fuck. This means…they’re like the Goblins I’m familiar with…easy to pick off alone, but deviously clever. Especially once one of them ranks up to a higher tier of Goblin.” His eyes shifted to Lyria. “I’d bet my robe that’s what is happening here. In fact, I bet their leader is originally from the Wallow Dungeon. Are there any other Dungeons around Zemkarth?”

“Just the Infernal Cistern.” Lyria said, grimacing. “They’re the ones that…love our excrement. But they don’t attack us, so long as they’re not provoked.”

“There’s also Blackspire…” Rose said, shuddering slightly. “But the Monsters there are too powerful to bother with Goblins. Even among Monsters, Goblins are seen as lesser beings. They’re not created from other sentient races getting corrupted, either. Dagorath engineered them himself, from pure darkness.”

Drake nodded, and sighed heavily. “Of fucking course he did. Alright. If we’re going to save your people, Lyria, we need to move. Now. This just became an Adamantine or Runic level Quest, and whatever is leading them is probably pretty high level…definitely over fifty.” He glanced at Rose then, and murmured, “I read somewhere the level cap was two hundred. Is that accurate?”

Lyria led them, as they started heading towards where the goblins were known to reside. Rose murmured back to Drake, “Leveling over fifty usually takes an absurdly long time. Even if we killed another Raiju level monster, we’d get maybe four or five levels at most, with your Boon. I think two hundred is the highest people have been able to reach in their lifetimes…but anything strong enough to boost one past that lives near the South Pole…and those Monsters tend to be around level one hundred and fifty, with the abilities and skills to match.”

Drake nodded, and then raised a hand. They were outside Zemkarth now, in a ravine through the mountain that was perfect for ambushes. “Hold up, guys…I want to try something.” During his conversation with Vincent, he’d learned that apparently, Buffs worked by surging magic, either from the buffer or buff-ee, to the parts of their body that ended up enhanced. Now more in tune with his bodily energy after unlocking airbending, Drake had a feeling he could take it further. “Draconic Perception…” He muttered, increasing the flow of power to his eyes, ears, and nose all at once as he channeled his namesake. Sure enough, the stench and light giggling of goblins filled his senses.

“Rose, Caelum, we need Buffs. Lyria, you’re going to want an Earth Elemental. Like now. They’ve already surrounded us. I sense thirty.” Drake said, speaking low and quiet. They’d stopped though, and the goblins were just smart enough to know they’d been noticed. Their sages empowered Drake’s health, strength, and speed, while Lyria got a boost to her magic power, and one from Caelum that would apparently refresh her magic power over time. Then, the goblins appeared from both sides of the ravine. “Cover our front with Stoney!” Drake shouted. “I’ve got our backs. Sages, in the middle, and keep your Barriers up.”

Sure enough, several roughly made bolts launched at the sources of empowering magic, and not Drake or Lyria. They fell uselessly, blocked by divine shields of Laurelin’s light. Seeing where they’d come from, Drake didn’t hold back. One of the enhancements martial artists on Earth sometimes used to help their bodies prepare or strike harder, involved certain kinds of breathing techniques. Drake hadn’t tried them out yet, in this life, but he had used them in his previous one. He inhaled through his nose and exhaled through pursed lips several times, building heat, and then took in a larger one. He activated his firebending, exhaled a line of flame from his mouth, and with some guidance from his hands, made it arc gracefully into the goblin’s hidey holes, burning them alive.

The rest jumped out then, roughly fifteen of them with truly shoddy wooden weapons and armor, but Drake had already inhaled again. He made an O shape with his hand, raised it to his mouth, and then exhaled again, immediately enhancing the flames he made from his mouth as they passed through his hand’s amplifying energy. The fires burned white from their intensity, as Drake didn’t hold back, and all that remained as his vision recovered from the blinding glare, was a few piles of stinking ashes that faded away. Seeing their back was covered, Caelum and Rose helped Lyria make short work of the fifteen or so that came from the front, and just as quickly as it started, the fight was over.

“There will be more, and soon.” Drake said. “Lyria, lead on. Have your elemental hide in the earth, if it can. Let’s pick up the pace. If they have scouting parties that large…it doesn’t bode well for Zemkarth’s captives.” They started running then, and Drake dashed up by Lyria’s side, as they continued. “I should warn you…you’re probably going to see some…truly depraved things once we reach their base…I know it sounds harsh but…stay focused. We can retrieve anyone who died later. If you get stunned by what they’ve done with your people…they’ll use that opportunity to do the same thing to you.” Drake glanced back at their sages, too. “That goes for you two as well…stay focused, stay angry, and turn anything with green skin into pulp. We can deal with the residents once the Goblins are completely exterminated. That means not spending your magic on wounded captives, either, not until their leader is down. Don’t let any Goblins survive, either.”

Sure enough, as they approached the part of Zemkarth’s mines that historically housed the aloof goblin tribe, they came upon an atrocity that confirmed for Drake the depths of depravity to which Dagorath had fallen. Dark Elven heads were mounted on wooden spikes, their bodies treated with the same disregard, in displays meant to intimidate, and unnerve. “Ignore it.” Drake reaffirmed with an angry grimace. “They’re going to try to weaken and demoralize us as much as possible before we find the abomination responsible for this…save your anger, and your spells.”

Two heavily armored goblins with tower shields and spiky metal plate armor blocked their path as they reached some kind of gate, or entrance, also carved with the same shoddy wooden style. Drake surged forward before Lyria could bring up their stoney friend. His first fist wove between the tower shield’s shoddily forged spikes, and hammered the shield, smashing it into its owner from the force of the blow. Filled with fury, Drake ripped the shield, and the arm, from the dazed goblin, stomped its helmeted skull into green paste with a durable boot-covered foot, and then roundhouse kicked the shield towards the other charging goblin.

The giggling green monster seemed…happy, as his ally was turned to pulp. As if watching the brutality was doing something for him. Thoroughly disgusted, and more worried for Zemkarth’s inhabitants than before, he switched to his earthbending as the goblin blocked the shield with its own, and stabbed at Drake with his corroded iron sword. Drake moved like water, spiraling right, then left, and then brought his hands together with a powerful clap. Two boulders rose from either side of the goblin, and mimicked the path of his hands, crushing it into bloody metal goo between them. “Keep moving!” Drake shouted, already running, “If they like watching each other die, that does not bode well!”

As expected, the gauntlet only got tougher and more brutal as they ran deeper. The bodies and their parts were arrayed in truly barbaric positions, and Caelum confirmed that, usually, low level goblins outside of a Dungeon did not go to these lengths. The worst part though, was that even if they killed all of the goblins, and their leader, they’d just respawn in the Wallow within a few days. Free to sneak out and start this horrorshow all over again somewhere else.

The enemies also got tougher. Magic casters accompanied shielded and plated warriors, and while Drake and the earth elemental handled the warriors, their casters managed to masterfully Counterspell and dispatch the goblin shamans and wizards. By the end of the gauntlet, their opponents were in the high forties, in terms of level, more than double what usually lived here, according to an ever more shaken Lyria. She was holding it together, but as they entered a circular arena at the end of the gauntlet, she saw a ‘tree’ full of her people, and finally fell to her knees. “Is…is anyone even left…?” She murmured, weeping quietly.

“Ho ho ho hooo…” A laugh that could rival Jabba the Hutt filled the area, as did his ungodly stench. “See how tha leetle elf cries! Ho ho hooo!” The earth shuddered, as an obscenely obese example of goblin biology stomped out from behind the ‘tree’, where Drake heard pained cries coming from.

“Lyria…” Drake murmured, “There are still survivors…and you haven’t seen your family yet…compose yourself. This is the one responsible.” That seemed to help her, as her sorrow was replaced by rage, she let it get her back on her feet.

The giant Goblin King grinned at them, but then, his eyes narrowed, as he saw they were furious, raring to go, and not nearly done yet. “Dum dums!” He thundered, “Me said tire them! Grrraaah! Kill! Now!”

“Drake…” Lyria said quietly, as plate wearing goblins surrounded them, though most did not have shields, being instead dual wielders or two handed weapon users. “Handle the rest…Elemental…protect the Sages…” Magic power started flaring off of her in waves of white, and her long hair rose with her power. “That pig is mine…” She leveled her new staff at the obese goblin, and struck. “METEOR!” The goblin leader was enveloped by heat as a massive burning rock shot from the top of the staff and expanded rapidly. And yet, the powerful creature caught it, struggling against its momentum. Lyria, still furious, burned power to make it strike full force.

For his part, Drake encased his fists in stone, and raised a shield wall like a castle’s turret around their healers. “Right here, greenskins!” He shouted, drawing their attention. “Dovah Alok! Times four!” Energy radiated out from him in waves at a lower rate than it had against the Raiju, and he charged at the goblins. Drake spiraled past their strikes, but did get hit by three of the attacks, despite his masterful dodging. He felt Rose’s magic immediately flow into him though, his wounds closed and healing instantly. He shot her a wink, before roundhousing another goblin with a stone encased foot.

Seeing their leader was resisting the Meteor, Drake used his buffed speed to get involved. Like a white blur, he was there with a Step of the Wind, and struck with a timely Dragon Palm, then backflipped away, throwing an elbow into two goblins attacking his earth shield around their sages. A massive elemental fist rose from the earth, and turned them into goo. Then, the powerful stored spell detonated, but Lyria was by no means done, and neither was her target. “Sunfire! Moonfire! Rain of Stars!” A beam of orange, silver, and then a torrent of white magic rained down on the obese creature, but it was essentially a living sack of health points. Lyria swore, and then shouted, “Debuffs! Now!”

Caelum and Rose shifted from firing basic Smite and Frostbolt spells at Drake’s enemies, to laying on multiple debuffs at once. The dragon monk was not idle though, as he was making a pile of stunned and pummeled goblins. Each strike he landed stacked the minions atop the others, keeping them pinned as they landed with force, and once he had as many as he dared to stack, he stomped the earth, and brought his raised fists down towards the ground. A circular pillar of stone descended rapidly on the pile of murderous goblins, and reduced them to gooey green chunks, and then black smoke.

His Shout ran out of steam about that time, and Drake suddenly felt winded, panting hard, as the Goblin King suddenly roared with enough force to shake the cavern system. Lyria leapt and pushed herself back with a Gust, shouting, “It’s enraging! Elemental! Draw aggro!” Saving the elemental for this moment had proven to be the smart choice. The Goblin King’s metal spiked fists tore into its body, but the elemental gave it a pounding in return. Each blow in the oversized slug fest sent shockwaves through the cavern.

Seeing Drake was on one knee, still winded from his Shout, Rose restored his energy. Drake gratefully nodded at her, rose to his feet, and then, he was gone in a flash of white. The Goblin King was sitting at level sixty, an earned level sixty, and his roar had actually been a demoralizing debuff of its own, not unlike a Slow spell. Drake hadn’t been affected though, already slowed by his own exertion, and Rose had spent her action on freeing him of it. Caelum healed the elemental, his magic water restoring parts of its earthen form, and as the Goblin King readied a martial skill to hammer it to pieces in his enraged state, Drake was suddenly there, his palm quivering with power.

The Gods smiled on his strike, and even the obese goblin’s constitution couldn’t resist the effects of the Quivering Palm. He followed it with a Flurry of Blows, and each one multiplied the internal damage his bulging stomach was now suffering. Furious at his lack of damage on his enemies, the Goblin King struck with his own martial skills, but the elemental was there, and tanked the hits, all three of them, reduced to rubble before Drake's eyes. To his credit though, he didn’t hesitate. Flames surged around his fists as he changed forms, hammering the giant green monster’s stomach with two brutal fire fists, before unloading another Flurry of Blows, something he could chain with pretty much any melee attack. They didn’t do much damage on their own, but with Quivering Palm up, they were incredibly useful.

Drake back flipped away, and Lyria was there, staff held forward, as a stream of white hot flames of her own burned the Goblin King, his obscene tree, and everything around him that was wooden. That final attack, put the creature within the range of Drake’s Quivering Palm damage, and he shouted at the obscenely fat monster as he clenched his fist, and ended its life. “Hear me Goblin! I’m going to hunt you down in the Wallow, and kill you for good!”

Burned, battered, and internally bleeding the goblin grinned at him with a rotting smile, "Try it!" He roared, coughing up a thick glob of dark green blood, and smirking as it dribbled down his obese chest. "The Wallow is endless! The Emperor already begun!” The obscene creature grinned wider, as the internal damage made him expand. “You never stop us, weak Humie…your city already bends...soon...will break!!!" Then, with a gleeful cackle, his bloated body convulsed violently before exploding in burning green goo, which was actually quite damaging as it landed on all four of them. Rose and Caelum had to burn several spells just to get it to stop burning through their clothes and their allies. Once they were safe, Drake earthbended the fallen, burning corpse tree out of the way of the small tunnel behind it, and the party dashed inside to behold a new horror, one Drake recognized.

Dark Elves were manacled to the stone walls all around the chamber, in various states of bleeding, but the most disturbing thing, was what the goblins had done to their nether regions. The women’s clothes, the lower parts anyway, were gone. The men were bleeding, apparently repeatedly stabbed in the family jewels. Healing magic could keep them from bleeding out and repair any brutalized body parts, but there was no easy fix for the trauma the goblins had caused.

“Above us!” Drake called out, as Lyria and the others started to move for the prisoners. Drake and Lyria moved before the small, stealthy goblins could strike though. Each once more utilizing their flamethrowers, the objectively weaker but somehow more perverse goblins fell like burnt insects to the ground, before they disappeared in black smoke like every other monster.

Drake switched to waterbending, and used what he had on hand to hydrate the survivors, and keep the Sage’s mana filled. After ten minutes, everyone was free and healed to the point that they wouldn’t die, but their eyes were haunted. Lyria’s family, her mother, father, and two young sisters, had been among the more recent captives, and thus hadn’t been brutalized like the others. The Dark Elves did confirm, though, that the Goblin King had indeed come from the Wallow Dungeon, and everyone who’d been turned into an ‘art sculpture’ had been brutalized like they had been, first.

For Drake, that solidified his choice. “Guys…” He said quietly, and all eyes turned to him, even the Dark Elves. The ones that weren’t in shock, anyway, which was too few of them. “I think I know which Dungeon we need to clear first…”

Caelum grimaced. “Clearing the Wallow won’t be something the Guild will approve, Drake. It’s next to Primus, and it has plentiful low level monsters. It’s too convenient. It’s why they never attempted to clear it before.”

Drake shook his head. “I don’t care. Adventurers can fight other things, and y’know, actually go on adventures for their early experience points. The Wallow needs to be Purged. This will not happen again.” His eyes were burning, and he knew the things he’d seen on their way in, and repressed, would stay with him for a long time. “If the fucking Guild has a problem with that…I’d like to see them try and stop me.”

“Obviously…I’m in.” Lyria said, the raw fury still in her tone.

“I’ll support your choice, Drake.” Rose said, calmly, “But clearing a Dungeon without the Guild’s blessing will…have blowback. Even at the Academy. They might even demote you, or ban you from Raid Parties. Either way…we’ll be made examples of, not elevated as Heroes. The other low level Adventurers will probably not be happy either.”

“So I’ll have a shiny blue Adventurer plate instead of a green one, and I’ll have to do things solo. I don’t care, Rose. What matters, is people. And if those savages have done this here, I have a feeling they’ve done it in the suburbs around the Wallow as well. They need to be stopped.” Drake replied, adamantly.

“I will aid you as well, Drake. But we must be prepared. The Dungeons, especially the Wallow, are designed to drain our supplies before we ever reach their Goblin Emperor.” Caelum said, quietly. “We’re going to need a ton of food…especially if you plan on bringing Sethis, Garret, and Bjorn. Those beast boys eat four times the average sentient.”

“You’re right, Caelum…getting food and supplies to Adventurers in Dungeons is a problem we need to solve, if we’re going to clear them. Right now…we need to help these people, bury the dead, and get back to the Academy…then we’ll do some reconnaissance. If the Goblins are getting out, it means the Wallow has other entrances. Something that fat and grotesque probably couldn’t just sneak out the way Adventurers come in.”

Caelum nodded. “I was thinking about that myself. We need to find and plug the other exits, root out any reinforcements they have lurking in the urban sprawl of Primus, and then Purge the Dungeon floor by floor.” A dark smirk came over his handsome features. “Looks like Class Seven is going on a Dungeon Raid.”

The rest of the quest was simple, comparatively. Lyria insisted that they continue their mining, and they left her to gather two stacks worth of Blackstone, while Rose put the bodies of the goblin’s victims to rest. They’d settled on a mass grave, due to how scattered they were, and wanted to build a monument to remember them. Drake was gathering Mithril and Iron Ore for his quest and said monument respectively.

Eventually, he grew tired of the pickaxe, and just used his fists, which actually turned out to be faster. When he delivered the iron, the Dark Elves who’d managed to avoid torture and process what had been done, came to him. Lyria’s father spoke for them, his silver eyes were empty and angry. “You’re the one they call a Monk, yes?” Drake nodded. “We heard your words…and we want in. Dark Elves are strong fighters, when we’re not ambushed. We know the bastard’s tactics now…and we want vengeance for our fallen kin.”

Drake gave him a grim smile. “We’re going to scout things out first, and once we do, I’ll take those of you high enough level to survive. You’re not coming against the Boss…but numbers will help against the High Goblins. Train hard. It will take some time, so prepare yourselves, and enough food for several months. Maybe even a year. Time flows weirdly in there.” The elf nodded at his words, and Drake paused, thinking ahead. “There’s…one more thing you could help with. Spread your story. The Guild and the Academy will likely pitch a fit over this…and I intend to call them on it. Spread word of this in Primus and your capital. Try to recruit some strong Adventurers if you can, and when the time comes, we’ll end these atrocities.” Lyria’s father, and the elves with him, nodded.

When the party returned to the Guild, they reported what happened to Kelista, who gave them some serious hazard pay as a result. In level, Drake, Rose, and Lyria had gone up by two. While Caelum had hit level fifty thanks to Drake’s Boon. They gave nothing away about revenge, but had mentioned the leader’s place of origin. All that elicited from Kelista was a shrug, but none of them lost their cool at her callousness.

Drake ended up bringing the ore to the Blacksmith Guild, and he managed to get a crash course in blacksmithing from the smiths who were more than glad to let the eager young student do their work for them. They’d actually laughed when he said he wanted to try smithing with his fists, at least until he pounded fresh mithril into an ingot in two strikes. The smiths had him punch his way through much of their workload, and though he’d been quite dirty by the end, with his white martial arts pants almost fully black, they were quite amused by the sweaty, shirtless monk, and invited him back any time. Smithing also had a level as it turned out, and gaining experience through that had gotten him halfway to fifty eight. Punching metal with stone-clad fists was cathartic, and he liked the idea of being a smith without a hammer. Caelum had also done some smithing, as it was a hobby he’d picked up from his home, and he too was quite amused that Drake had opted to forgo a hammer.

By the time Caelum and Drake were done with their basic Blacksmithing quests and returned to Class Seven, most of their peers were gathered by Vincent’s desk, marveling at how something like a bit of zinc, copper, and a popotoe could produce the equivalent of a low level Light cantrip. Even Aslan was intrigued.

Once the amusement over Vincent’s ‘magic popotoe’ died down, Aslan gestured at their chalkboard, and conjured what looked like a seating list. “From today forward, Class Seven will be sitting in this formation, for the rest of this year at least, unless changes are needed. Please adjust yourselves accordingly.”

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Drake, as it happened, was now beside his girlfriend, with Garret on her right, and Lyria on the opposite side of the row. Glancing at the layout again, Drake realized there was, in fact, a pattern to it. Each of the teams they’d formed recently for questing had seemingly been solidified. “As you may have noticed,”Aslan rumbled, “your new seating arrangements are the parties you have formed in recent days. I am impressed with how you’ve done, especially the four in our first row. The Raiju was a powerful opponent, one the guild is saying could have been a Dungeon Boss, had it been contained within one. Expect your future challenges to be even more dangerous, but rewarding.”

The four in the front row nodded in unison, unified in their resolve. They’d filled Garret in on their unsettling morning, and the lion man was very much down to fly in the face of the Guild and clear a Dungeon full of torturous goblins.

“Now then, as some of you may be aware, our Academy has ten classrooms per year, with around twelve students per room. Each classroom regularly competes with the others, within the confines of Dungeons, once their students have achieved Steel Rank with the Adventurers Guild. These competitions are designed to help you grow, but also are quite important for keeping Monster populations managed. Your teams are expected to work together to gather as many kills and items as you can.” Aslan smirked then, though there was a slight hint of malice in his leonine eyes. “Since we have some overachievers this year, we’ve been paired against Class One this time.”

Drake raised his hand. Aslan inclined his head, indicating he could speak. “Are…the classes ranked by some kind of factor?”

Aslan nodded, and his blood red mane moved with him. “At the start of the year, they were ranked by your averaged levels and abilities. We lacked two students though, so ours was a bit lower by comparison. Now that you and your Party have reached Adamantine Rank, and we have you and Ironside, we’re closer in power to Class Two. This test will also determine if we deserve a higher number, or even the topmost spot.” He grinned at the class then. “I am confident that you are Class One material. Prove me right! Hahaha!”

With that announcement given, they began the lesson, on the only heroes to ever successfully defeat multiple Dungeons. Drake and his party shared a look, at that particular lesson happening the very day they’d decided to clear the Wallow Dungeon, but they paid attention all the same.

“Those who clear Dungeons are those who have carved their names into history.” Aslan rumbled, “Final Bosses are exceedingly difficult, and almost always level one hundred, or higher. This means they are effectively immortal, and will only grow in power for the duration of their existence. Their abilities are what usually make them rise above other Monsters. We actually have a Final Boss with a pretty rare ability not far from here, in the Wallow Dungeon. Does anyone know what it is?”

Drake felt a bead of sweat run down his neck. Somehow, Aslan knew. This was too much of a coincidence to be natural. There was that, and the fact that he’d looked directly at Drake when asking his question. Drake used a subtle breathing technique to stay calm, and shrugged in answer to Aslan’s intense leonine eyes. Mercifully, he looked elsewhere, and the rough rumble of Bjorn, ‘Ironside’ as he preferred to be called, filled the air, as the nonchalant bear teen said, “The Goblin Emperor of the Wallow Dungeon. Chronogrin. He can manipulate time, so even if some cocksure newbies did manage to reach him, they’d never actually get the chance to defeat him. In his lair, he is unkillable. And he never leaves his lair. He’s also extremely high level, last sighted at one hundred and five.”

Slowly, Drake and the others in his party reached the same conclusion. Someone had squealed. Drake trusted his teammates and Caelum though, which meant someone with Stealth had spied on them and spilled the beans. He subtly enhanced his perception again, and looked at their class Rogue. Leif was staring directly at him. And smirking.

“Correct.” Aslan rumbled. “Chronogrin has tried for centuries to break out of the Wallow, but each time he makes an attempt, the Guild in Primus soundly defeats his High Goblin armies. Your upcoming contest against Class One, will take place within the Wallow to curb these armies, in two months time. Much like its namesake, the further one delves into the Wallow, the slower time flows. Even the most prepared parties end up burning through their supplies before ever getting near Chronogrin himself. This is, unfortunately, the case with most Dungeons that are still intact. The Final Bosses learned from the mistakes of their fallen contemporaries, and now, just reaching them takes monumental effort. It is why clearing a Dungeon is regarded as such a monumental feat.”

The rest of the lesson continued, going over the heroes who’d cleared the Dungeons, which Dungeons had been cleared, and the party names of those storied Adventurers, carved forever into Arcadia’s records. When the class departed for their five minute break between the next one, Aslan called out, “Drake Long. Stay a moment.”

Leif snickered at him as he confidently strode out of the room, and started chatting with Rose. Drake had no worries about her stabbing him in the back romantically, but it still inspired the urge to wring the damned fox’s neck. He was mostly irritated that Leif had been able to spy on him, though he started to wonder if Leif had not been spying on him, but on Rose. And if he made a habit of doing so. He kept his cool, as he stepped before Aslan’s desk. The powerful leonid steepled his fingers, watching his student with a practiced eye.

“So. You have figured out that Leif has heard, and reported your plans to clear the Wallow.” Aslan rumbled, plainly. Drake didn’t bother denying it, he knew Aslan was no fool, and, he respected the lion man. “I heard about your Quest in Zemkarth. The atrocities the Goblin King committed in the name of his Emperor.” The hulking leonid sat forward. “Leif expects me to report you to the Guild. As your Party has no doubt told you, clearing the Wallow will not be seen favorably by the Guild. It has too many benefits for their Adventurers…” His tone turned harsher then, “However…this ease of access to low level Monsters comes at a cost. The areas around the Wallow are, as one might expect, filled with the poor and the destitute. Few capable warriors patrol that area of Primus, and even when other breaches in the Wallow are reported, they take months to seal by the Guild. The atrocities you witnessed are not contained to Zemkarth. They have been occurring for some time among the lower castes of Primus as well.” He lowered his clawed hands. “I am in agreement with you, and your rebellious teammates. Chronogrin must be slain, and the Wallow purged. Even among Monsters…his Goblins are barbaric. Torture is not uncommon among Dagorath’s spawn…but the rape and the…art…are unique to Goblins.”

Drake nodded along with Aslan’s words, glad to hear them. His opinion of his Instructor was skyrocketing. “I sense a but coming…”

“But, the problem remains. Reaching the Final Bosses is simply too taxing. Thus, Drake Long, Chosen of the Gods,” He rumbled, dropping his title and simultaneously revealing that he very much knew who Drake was already, to some extent, “I task you with solving this problem. You have two months to prepare, and with Class One down there with you, you will never get a better opportunity to delve deeper into the Wallow than anyone else. Now then, on to our next class.”

The rest of the day was a blur, and though Drake paid attention, his mind was focused on how one might even grow enough food to last. He essentially had three options. Bring as much food as possible, ration it, and shove it in, ideally, the equivalent of a Bag of Holding. Unfortunately, Rose told him such inventions did not yet exist, so unless Vincent could figure it out with his top tier enchanting skills, that was unlikely to work. There was also the problem of acquiring so much food. Currently, with his rewards, he had just enough Gil for three years worth of tuition, which meant he couldn’t spend more yet.

The next options, relied on his nerdy weeb knowledge from his other life, in the form of special foods that appeared in what he hoped would be Dimensional Echoes he could make use of. The first option, and the most likely to work, given who had grown Arcadia from scratch, was Lembas Bread, or its Arcadian equivalent. With enough of that, rationed appropriately, they could last a very long time in the Wallow. The third option, was the most unlikely, and that was finding a way to create the equivalent of a Senzu Bean, straight out of Dragonball. Not only would it, assuming it followed the pattern, keep them fed for ten days straight, it was an instant revive to full health and magic. Invaluable in the deeper floors of a Dungeon. He’d already managed to replicate a Kamehameha Wave closely enough for it to become a skill of his, so he figured making such an item was not completely impossible.

As it happened, fate was on his side, as Class Seven reported to the final class of the day, one considered boring by most: Alternate Jobs and Where to Find Them. Their Instructor for this class was an elderly witch who oversaw Class Three, usually, and Drake made use of her knowledge, once he and Rose partnered up to study the magical plant they were going over for the day. The plant in question was unimportant to Drake’s goals, and he only paid it enough attention to pass the class. His real focus, was plying the witch for knowledge.

“Instructor Hollowbranch…” He started, after calling her over, “I was wondering something. Farming is considered an Alternate Job, right?” The elderly woman smiled and nodded. “Is there like…a world-renowned Farmer who has achieved a high level in that Job?”

The silver haired woman had a gleam in her eye, as she eyed Drake, saying, “It is said no living being is more skilled a Farmer, than our own Goddess Laurelin. This is why all Farmers, and Gardeners like myself, pay homage to her, and her techniques. Every single high level Gardening and Farming skill we possess, stems directly from her own, and her immense generosity in sharing them with us.” The old woman smiled at him then. “If that’s all, you should help Miss Valcrest before she finishes the assignment on her own.” The threat was veiled, but it was there. She’d lower his grade if he didn’t focus on the task at hand. Fortunately, the vision of perfection beside him made even Botany interesting.

Despite being essentially brushed off by the Instructor with what she probably thought was a non-answer since she hadn’t named a single contemporary, Drake smirked inwardly. Laurelin he could, theoretically, see. And it’d be nice to see Falkor as well.

Once classes were done, Rose insisted on having dinner together, in the city. When he realized she intended for them to go to what Drake perceived as a fine dining restaurant, he informed Rose that he didn’t actually have any clothes suitable for that, unless his Academy uniform would suffice. Rose lied, saying it wouldn’t, and then dragged him to the nearest tailor.

She put him in several different suits, and each time her face flushed a little harder, until she finally settled on an emerald green one that made her ears turn red when he’d stepped out in it. They parted, then went back to the dorms to dress themselves, before rendezvousing by the agreed upon dining area. They also had a similar experience, from their roommates. Vincent was useless, uninterested, and plied Drake for more scientific knowledge, while Caelum helped him with Arcadia’s version of a bow tie, that seemed more like an ascot to Drake’s eyes, but he didn’t argue with their naming conventions. Rose got aid from Tala, as they wrongly assumed he was a ‘boob guy’, the buxom bun had still managed to make Rose’s assets pop enough to catch the eye, and her dress straddled that line between classy and way too revealing perfectly.

image [https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/107dc055-197f-4c79-a8d4-bf5e3018e03b/dj4tn6d-acbdc404-049e-4b7b-b252-1273e7136274.jpg/v1/fill/w_894,h_894,q_70,strp/interracial_power_couple_by_pokefan1337_dj4tn6d-pre.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7ImhlaWdodCI6Ijw9MTAyNCIsInBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzEwN2RjMDU1LTE5N2YtNGM3OS1hOGQ0LWJmNWUzMDE4ZTAzYlwvZGo0dG42ZC1hY2JkYzQwNC0wNDllLTRiN2ItYjI1Mi0xMjczZTcxMzYyNzQuanBnIiwid2lkdGgiOiI8PTEwMjQifV1dLCJhdWQiOlsidXJuOnNlcnZpY2U6aW1hZ2Uub3BlcmF0aW9ucyJdfQ.hi5ec301KICgGneBjUxNMjFEJENWl8xgoumlZ1R3Q5M]

When they met up again, they stared at each other for a full thirty seconds, drinking in the sight of one another. Rose's dress, shimmering white, trimmed with gold, and form-fitting, made her already striking features even more dazzling, while Drake, in his emerald-green suit, felt uncharacteristically sharp. Rose had been right, this color suited him, even if he wasn’t used to the finer things in life. Finally, recognizing that look in his eye, and realizing Drake was just going to keep staring until someone said something, Rose smirked and held out her arm. "Shall we?"

Drake chuckled and took it, leading her inside. The moment they stepped through the entrance, conversation around them hushed. Patrons turned, eyes flickering with interest, admiration, and, in some cases, jealousy. It was clear they made a striking pair. Drake wasn’t sure he liked the attention, but Rose seemed to thrive in it, walking with the confident poise of a noblewoman, and looking quite pleased with herself.

Once seated by a rather impressive view of the Nebula above Arcadia, ever-present in the sky, they were handed menus, but Drake found himself watching Rose more than the elegant script in front of him. "What?" she asked, raising an amused brow.

"Sorry." He said, smirking. "Your beauty keeps drawing my gaze back to you."

She scoffed, but her cheeks tinted pink. "Flattery will get you everywhere, Mr. Long. Now, what are you having?"

Their conversation drifted as they ordered, and soon enough, food was placed before them. It was a fine meal, nothing particularly grand or exciting, but the company made it worthwhile. Over plates of expertly cooked meat, mashed popotoes, and seasoned vegetables, Drake steered the conversation. "So, tell me about your family," He said, remembering Caelum's words, as he took a bite of his meal. "I know you have siblings, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard the full rundown."

Rose smiled, swirling a fork through her popotoes. "Two older brothers, both Arc Wardens, like I will be. One’s stationed in Var Thule, that's an Adventurer City down on Tharvoss, holding the line against Dagorath’s forces, and the other is an explorer, constantly sending letters from the edges of the known world. He’s always chasing rumors of lost civilizations and forgotten artifacts. Then there's my younger sister...she’s still finding her path. She’s smart, but not much of a fighter. She might end up a scholar, though that's never been my path."

Drake raised an eyebrow. "Your parents are Arc Wardens, right? I assume they aren't just any Arc Wardens."

Rose nodded, her expression shifting to something between pride and exasperation. "That’s putting it mildly. My father is one of the Arcari, a group of Elite Arc Wardens in Primus. He leads them, which means he’s also in the Triarchy, namely, the three most powerful individuals in our society. Our rulers, in a sense. My mother is a Sage of Fangorn, a master of Light magic and healing. They are both widely respected and feared in equal measure."

Drake sat back, processing that information with wide eyes. "So…you’re basically a Princess of the entire planet…and your father is one of Arcadia’s three most important people. Ohhh man."

Rose gave him a look. "I prefer 'highly esteemed,' but sure, you’re…not entirely wrong. My brothers followed the path they were expected to, one is an Adventurer holding the line in Var Thule, another is an explorer chasing the unknown. My parents expect me to take a seat among the Sages or dedicate my life to politics. But that wasn’t what I wanted. I didn’t want to sit in Fangorn forever, healing minor injuries and bruises and performing fertility ceremonies. I want to use my power to help people…like you do. Like we’ve been doing. It’s been so much fun." She smiled at him with besotted eyes, and he felt his body heat up again.

Drake smirked. "I’m glad you enjoyed yourself. I’ll endeavor to keep her ‘esteemed Highness’ entertained and satisfied on our many adventures. Even if we keep almost dying…”

She giggled. "It is never dull, I’ll give you that. What about your family? You’ve mentioned them before, but you always stay vague."

Drake hesitated, twirling his fork between his fingers. "I had a brother, parents… good people. But they’re gone now, in a way." He sighed, setting down his utensil. "It’s weird. Technically, I’m not even related to them anymore. From their perspective, I don’t exist."

Rose’s expression softened, but she didn’t press. "Does that change how you feel about them?"

"No," He admitted. "But it makes me wonder…what does that make me now? Where did this body come from? It’s DNA, it had to come from somewhere. Did Laurelin make me from nothing, or am I carrying pieces of someone else? Maybe even Galdurath? Or am I truly, divinely random? The first of my line?"

Rose reached across the table, resting her hand lightly over his. "You’re still you. Whoever you were, whoever you are now…none of that changes the person sitting in front of me, or how I feel about you."

Drake smirked at her, getting lost in her emerald gaze again as he squeezed her hand gently. "You…are something special, Lady Valcrest." He teased.

She smirked. "It’s a gift. Now eat your food before it gets cold."

Rose showed him a few landmarks of Primus within walking distance once they had their meal, and everywhere they went, Rose drew stares with her sheer beauty. She insisted he was getting looks as well, and he was, but none of the women had the bravery to try to snare him away from a High Elf so obviously beautiful. The men, naturally, were not so hesitant, and after the fourth rando tried walking up to her, he didn’t leave her side again. Most, saw his level and backed off, and eventually they decided to end their date where they’d first kissed, by picking up where that one had left off.

Since it was late by that point, few people were around, and they didn’t have classes the next day, they had their first proper make out session, that only got increasingly heated the longer it went on. It took Drake more bodily control than he expected to keep his stupidly eager teen body in check, and to his credit, he remained ‘at ease’ right up until the end, when Rose’s tiny hands kept exploring his now open shirt, and she decided to straddle him.

Both their eyes widened as he felt warmth and she felt firmness, and Drake was taken by surprise when she kept going anyway. He got lost in her lips again, and then forced his mind to stay focused. “Rose-” He managed her name, but her lips smothered his again, and he literally could not resist her. Finally, he moved his hands from her back to her shoulders, reluctantly pushing them apart. “Rose.” He said more firmly. “I-if this keeps…heating up…things are going to…look,” He said, smirking, and cupped her flushed, sweaty cheek. “The very least a woman like you deserves, is a bed.”

His words, and hearing her name, pierced through the haze of hormones, and she turned even redder, as she realized just far things had gone. “Y-yea, right, you’re right. I’m sorry, I…I forgot where we were.” She giggled at him, and stole another kiss, while her hands buttoned up his shirt again.

His smirk stayed constant, as he let her fix what she had eagerly undone, and with impressive speed, for one supposedly not versed in le romance. Elven dexterity at work, no doubt. “We should do more of that, next time…somewhere more private. If you want.”

The flush, which had been fading, returned in full force, but she didn’t deny her feelings, or repress them. “I’d like that…you’re a good kisser, Drake Long.”

He shook his head. “I’m average at best…but it helps when I’m so completely enamored with who I’m kissing.” He sat up then, and helped her to her feet, as they both adjusted their clothes. “It’s pretty late. I’ll walk you back, miss Valcrest.”

“Such a gentlemen.” She teased, offering her arm again, as they walked, slowly, back to the girl’s dorms.

There were more people around outside, even with the late hour, and their lack of uniforms and general attractiveness once again drew eyes to them. Rose, heedless of this, grabbed his collar and dragged him into one final, passionate kiss, before she bid him goodnight. Drake departed the girl’s dorms then, once Rose was inside, and walked back to his own dorm, expelling the heat from his body through his skin, this time, rather than a flamethrower. With how hot she’d gotten him this time, that would’ve drawn way too much attention.

Drake sneaked quietly into the room once he arrived, dropped down to his underclothes, and exhaled yet more heat, as he pulled his sheets over his sweaty form. Then, suddenly, the two lights above Vincent and Caelum’s beds flicked on. His roomies were sitting up on their beds in their nightclothes, Vincent smirking, and Caelum feigning seriousness.

“You were out quite late, mister Long. Care to account for your whereabouts?” Caelum said, struggling to keep from cracking a smirk.

Drake shrugged, not sitting up. “I gave Rose a first date she’ll hopefully fondly remember…I know I will. Ye Gods.”

Vincent snortchuckled, as Caelum continued. “I hope you were a perfect gentleman, young man. Otherwise her father is going to kill you.” That part, he wasn’t joking about.

“Right, her father, one third of the rulers of the entire fucking planet. I’d almost forgotten, with all the…uhh…heat.” Drake muttered, sitting up to look at his roomies. Their eyes widened, as they stared at him, and their reactions were priceless.

“Lucky…fucking…otherwordly Bastard.” Vincent muttered, sighing, and falling back into his bed in a feigned huff.

Drake blinked. “What?”

Caelum broke, as he saw the state Rose had left him in. “You uhh…should look in a mirror, my friend. She was all over you, clearly. If her father saw you now, he would one hundred percent murder you. And probably get away with it, too.”

Getting up to head for the bathroom, he saw what he looked like, this time. Most of her lipstick had been transferred from her lips to his neck and chest, and that had been early in the session. She really had been all over him. Slowly, and with great effort, he wiped the irritatingly persistent lipstick away, and as he did, he pondered Rose Valcrest, and just how fond of her he was becoming. She clearly felt the same way, and as he cleaned off her lipstick and saw the marks she’d made on his chest and abs, he decided meeting her parents, or at the least the elven member of the Triarchy, sooner than later would be a good idea. He had every intention of being serious with her, for the long term, and likely his entire life. As he returned to his bed, he used a breathing technique to calm down further, but he knew he wasn’t going to sleep very well after getting that wound up. Thankfully, he had a new outlet for all that energy in Blacksmithing, and an idea of how to rapidly increase his level, possibly.