“This is bullshit!”

Adam looked at the room in front of him. The monster wouldn’t leave it- not because it couldn’t see him, no, it was because the tutorial had set it up that way.

“I’m only level two!”

The system didn’t respond. He’d been trapped in the hallway for three days already.

Kyra put a calming hand on his shoulder. “Relax. They might be level five, but you are level two, you’ve got a sword, and I can heal you.”

He shook his head. “That’s what you said last time. And the time before.”

She opened her mouth, only to be cut off by him again. “And the four times before that! They hit so freaking hard. I can’t take more than two or three hits. I need armor.”

She hung her head. He was right. He had almost died nine times already. It was still only the third day of the tutorial. It was wildly rigged. They had lucked out in the first room, but that was when they’d had Imran too. Adam and Imran had ganged up on the spider that had captured them before the tutorial began. They had used every scrap of furniture to beat the monster into a bloody pulp. That had given them their first rewards: a sword, a helmet, and a spell. She had taken the spell, realizing that her physical strength was a limiting factor. The guys had agreed.

Minor Heal. That’s what it was called. It required mana, but she could only cast it once, which used every point of her mana. That took hours to recharge, so here they were, waiting for her regain her mana so he could try again.

“Maybe you can try something different,” she said. He exploded then, shouting at the wall.

“Try something different?! I’ve tried everything! Why do you think there’s a freaking helmet wedged into the wall? I tried to freaking headbutt the ogre. That did nothing! It’s level freaking five!”

What made it worse was–

“Keep it down, Adam! I’m trying to sleep!”

“Shut it, Karen!”

“That’s not my name, asshole!”

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Lady Elizabeth Kieran!”

The door thumped. It was infuriating. More help on the other side of the door, but they couldn’t open it. That required a key. A key, which at that moment, was behind a very upset ogre. An ogre, it should be mentioned, that had a club. And was three levels higher than the only melee fighter in the vicinity. Kyra wanted to help, she really did, but her stats were so weak, it was laughable. Even so, she was thankful for the system. It had saved her life, quite literally. She was going to take the second chance she had been given. It just meant thinking harder.

“Wait,” she held a hand up to forestall Adam’s tirade. He turned glaring daggers, then softened immediately. She was tiny, legally a dwarf, though she didn’t look like it. High cheek bones, delicate ears, brilliant, sparkling blue eyes, and long, soft, silken hair made her look like an elf. Just a child version of one. Her attitude made it clear, however, that she wasn’t a child. “I have a plan.”

Adam shook his head. “No, no way. You know how that went last time.” He looked down at his ragged and bloody shirt, pointing to it in emphasis. “I don’t want to see what my intestines look like again.”

There was a knock on the door, and Liz spoke up. “Wait, Adam. Just let her speak.”

He groaned, then sat down. She eyed him, but he just waved her on.

“Well, here’s what I’m thinking. You are quick, strong, and remarkably resilient. Like you said, your intestines were hanging out.”

He scoffed. “Yeah, and the only reason I didn’t die was because you healed me, or did you forget that?”

She looked into his eyes. They were brown, but so rich they looked like polished mahogany. Surrounded by a brutish, yet handsome face, strong square jaw, and the perfect amount of stubble, he was frustratingly gorgeous. The only downside was his temper. At least he never let out toward her, but it still scared the hell out of her. Especially after her ex had been so abusive. She held herself to calm down, and he immediately looked sheepish.

“I’m– I’m sorry, Kyra.”

“It’s fine,” she lied.

“No, it isn’t. I shouldn’t be acting this way. I’m just frustrated.”

Liz shouted through the door. “I can hear you two making googly eyes from here! Let her tell you the plan!”

They both blushed, then he nodded at Kyra.

“Well, I need you to distract the Ogre. Try not to get hit, but if you do, I’ll heal you.”

“Okay, that sounds exactly like the last six attempts.”

She shook her head. “Not exactly. This time, I’m going in with you.”

He crossed his hands and shook his head. “No way. You’ll get crushed. Your constitution is what, two?”

She nodded. “Yeah. But my agility is nine.”

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“Still so unfair,” Liz said. “Mine is only six, and I got a point from leveling up after killing my spider.”

“That’s unfair on its own,” Adam shouted back. “I had to kill the spider in the first room, then clear this hallway. I had to kill five freaking spiders to level up!”

“Back on topic,” Kyra said wearily. Her stomach rumbled, and a look of pain and understanding crossed Adam’s face. No food for three days was tough. They wouldn’t have energy for much longer. They were trapped. They were going to die one way or another. This had a chance to work, though. If they tried. If she risked everything.

“I’m going in with you. You keep the ogre occupied, I’ll run through as quickly as I can, then I’ll grab the key and run back out. You follow, we unlock Liz’ door, and we plan out how to kill or get around the Ogre.”

“I hate it. Let’s do it,” Liz said through the door. Adam grunted.

“I extra hate it. But if we don’t do something…” his belly rumbled as if to punctuate his sentence. He sighed, slapped his knees, and stood.

“Let’s do this.” He took his sword in hand, then walked to the doorway again. The ogre’s baleful gaze was steady on Adam, ready to smash the human once more. “If I survive this tutorial, I’m going to kill every single Ogre on Earth. Genocide.”

“Yikes,” Kyra said as she lined up behind him. “First thing’s first: let’s get that key.”

Adam nodded, let out a whoop, and charged into the room. Kyra was right behind him, flitting along like his shadow. He broke left, dodging the first strike from the ogre. Its club smashed into the concrete so hard chips went flying. Kyra suppressed the urge to cry out when one cut her cheek. She broke into a flat-out sprint, running for the pedestal on the far side of the room. It took her four seconds, putting out an effort that would have literally killed her before the tutorial. She snatched the key and turned, looking for the ogre. It was right in front of her, club drawn back to smash her into paste.

She screamed and dove down, through the ogre’s legs. At the same moment, Adam leapt into the air with a bestial scream, stunning the ogre. He slammed his sword into the nape of its neck. Unfortunately, it barely pierced the skin. She scrambled to her feet and sprinted back out of the room.

“I’m clear, Adam!”

He grunted in reply, working to tear the sword loose. He had to jump free of the ogre when the stun ended and it tried to grab him with its free hand. He landed nimbly, then ran for the door as well.

“Fuck!”

Kyra slid to a stop in the hallway, then lunged the last few feet to Liz’ door. She thrust the key in, twisted, and gasped when it worked. The door opened an inch, before jamming.

“Ow! Holy shit, you did it!”

Liz rushed out of the room, gathering Kyra into a bear hug.

“Where’s Adam?”

A scream came from the room Kyra had just fled from. Adam rocketed into the hallway in a spray of blood. The club slammed into the doorway, stopping in place and dropping to the ground. Liz dropped Kyra and ran to Adam’s side.

“Oh my god!”

“Move,” Kyra shouted. It was the worst she had seen him. It looked like the club had hit him square in the back, sending him flying. Then he’d smashed into the wall at high speed. “Please be alive, please be alive.”

She prepared her spell, then placed her hands against his bloody torso. Golden light flooded out of her, lighting his wounds up. His ribcage reinflated, allowing him to take a breath. He inhaled, then screamed in pain. Liz immediately pinned his arms to the floor, keeping him from hurting himself any further.

“It’s fine,” Kyra said. “Grab that club, we’ll probably want it. I don’t see his sword.”

Liz looked down at the dying man, then at the petite healer, and finally at the doorway he’d been ejected through. She growled, then scrambled to the door. The ogre was just beyond, reaching for the club. She snatched it, eliciting a roar from the monster. She stuck her tongue out at it, then retreated with their new weapon. It was nearly as long as she was tall, and she was tall for a woman. She was almost as tall as Adam at five-nine. She dragged the club back from the doorway, making sure the ogre wasn’t following. By the time she got back to the other two, his screaming had stopped.

“Is he…?”

Kyra smiled weakly. “He’ll live. At least, as long as the rest of us.”

Liz slumped to the floor next to Kyra. Despite having only just actually met the tiny woman, she stretched an arm out and drew her in with a sideways hug. “We’ll figure something out.”

Kyra nodded, then started crying. She buried her face into Liz’ side, letting out great racking sobs. Liz was surprised, but she smiled softly, drew the smaller woman in, and hugged her tighter. She brushed her soft blonde hair. They stayed like that for ten minutes, neither saying a word.

Adam finally started to stir, and they broke the hug.

Kyra looked up at Liz’ face with a watery smile. “Thank you.”

Liz smiled back. “Any time. Now, let’s check on the patient.”

Kyra sniffed, nodded, then sobered as she turned to the young man that had risked everything for them. He opened his eyes and groaned.

“Did anybody get the license plate of that truck?”

Liz and Kyra began to laugh, far too hard for the lame joke. There was a hint of hysteria.

“Still got it,” he groaned out. “Did we get the key?”

Liz moved to kneel over him. “Hey there, handsome.”

He smiled. “Definitely a Karen.”

Her smile dropped instantly. “Excuse me?”

“See?” He waved a hand weakly at her. “Haircut and everything.”

She threw her hands up and walked away. “Men!”

“Relax, I’m joking! You’re just intimidating.”

She paused. “What?”

“Look at you, you’re gorgeous. Tall, athletic, good shoulders,” he said, tilting his head so he could see her. He noticed Kyra shiver at the last comment. “And I have never seen purple eyes before.”

“They’re not… they’re not purple. They’re pink.” She kept looking away.

“That’s even cooler.”

Kyra walked over and touched Liz on the arm. “I like them.”

“I’m a freak.”

“What,” Adam said. “Because you’re an albino?”

Liz covered her face, letting her long, stark white hair fall down like a curtain.

“I’m a freak,” she repeated, tears starting to spill.

Adam pushed himself slowly, painfully to his feet, then hobbled over to her using the wall for support. He had a hand to his ribs, which were still tender. It was only about ten feet, but his shuffling was slow. She never moved, and neither did Kyra. Adam finally stood right next to them and opened his arms.

“Why?”

“It’s not like albinism is contagious. And I was serious, you are drop-dead gorgeous.”

Kyra nodded. She turned Liz and brought her into a hug. Adam encircled both of them.

“We’re going to sort this out. We are going to get out of here.”

The confidence in his voice, despite his obvious lingering pain, was enough. Liz nodded, smearing tears on his shoulder. Then he laughed.

“What?”

“I bet Kyra is in heaven right now.”

“What? Why?” Liz looked down, seeing Kyra’s beet-red face looking up at her. From eye-level with her chest. “Oh… oh!”

“Adam, you asshole!” Kyra pounded on his shoulder with one tiny fist.

He laughed, saying “Ow! Are you sure your strength is only a two?”

Liz drew Kyra back in, making her bury her face. “I don’t mind it one bit.”

Adam grinned at her, then sat down. He winced in pain. Liz sat down next to him, shoulders touching. Kyra crossed her legs as she sat, directly across from the both of them.

“What’s the plan, then?” Adam wiped his face to clear it of tears. They were his, and Liz’. He was glad to see her. As much teasing as they had done, he was more glad to finally have someone else. It had started to get lonely with just the two of them.

Kyra tilted her head as she thought. “I think I have an idea.”

The other two drew closer.

“It’s going to require all three of us. Liz, do you have anything we need to know?”

Liz smiled. “Oh yeah.”