Chloe followed the tunnels leading up. She got lost many times and often had to stop and hide to avoid something that would’ve liked to have her for breakfast.

Late one day she smelt something. The scent was faint, a whiff of blood and fear that had been so long buried in her memory it wasn't even recognizable as such anymore.

Weeks had passed since she'd sunk into the depths of the catacombs, and in that short time she had become a creature of the darkness.

Her eyes were accustomed to the dim surroundings, only illuminated by the odd bioluminescent mushrooms and glowing hanging moss.

She moved slowly through the tunnels, stalking her prey and making sure not to make any noise. It was hard not to be tempted by the delicious scent of fear. It was almost like a drug for her; an aphrodisiac.

A small voice in the back of her head told her that she was making a mistake. She shouldn't be near humans when she was hungry. But it was so hard to find food. They would understand. It was nothing personal, she was just an animal looking for an easy meal.

It took nearly an hour for Chloe to track them down. There were three of them, huddled together against one wall.

The leader was a man dressed in shining armor and wielding a sword and shield. His hair was white like Chloe's and his yellow eyes shone in the dark.

Behind him was a girl, young, her skin pale and lightly freckled. She wore an eye patch over her right eye, and she clutched a wooden staff in both of her hands. She trembled as she peered out into the darkness, her single eye big with fear.

The third party member was a young man dressed in blue robes. He wore glasses and held a glowing wand in his hand. She assumed he was the healer of the group.

A classic party of adventurers.

Chloe crept closer, keeping low and watching their every move. The fear emanating from them was sweet and thick, like honeyed wine. She was tired of rancid monster brains, fresh meat would go down so well.

The adventures were all hunkered down in a corner of the tunnel, waiting for something.

Maybe there's a fourth member that is coming?

"It's close," whispered the girl. Her voice was sweet and innocent, and it tugged at a part of Chloe's mind that she’d been forced to bury to survive underground.

"Stay behind me, Velvet," said the swordsman. "Quinby you keep your guard up."

Velvet nodded nervously but did as she was told, and the healer boy raised his wand higher.

Chloe crept forward, careful to avoid making any sound. She was inching closer to the group when suddenly she saw movement on the wall. The shadows the healers wand were casting flickered and then moved on their own.

“Did you see that?” asked the healer, his voice a loud squeak of panic.

The swordsman waved his sword threateningly. “Come out and face us, you damned monster.”

“Be quiet, Gus,” said the girl.

Chloe watched as the shadows bent and formed the shape of a bird. She clenched her jaw, someone was trying to steal her food.

The young girl, named Velvet, whispered a single word. Tiny sparks appeared above each of her fingertips. The sparks merged and pulsed, forming a fireball in the palm of the girl's hand.

Velvet flicked her wrist and launched the fireball at the shadow. The flames hit the wall with a loud pop followed by a low sizzling sound.

Chloe backed away into deeper shadows and waited. She knew the demon would not give up so easily.

Minutes dragged on, and then she sensed its presence sneaking up behind the three adventurers. They were so focused on the shadow illusions that they hadn't realized that the Mesmer demon that had cast the illusions was behind them.

Chloe felt a rush of exhilaration coursing through her body. This lessor demon was trying to steal her prey. She relished the opportunity to defend her territory.

"It's behind—" Velvet began to say.

Something dark burst from the wall, materializing in front of Quinby and putting out the glowing wand. The dark shape wrapped around his arms and legs.

Quinby screamed in terror, thrashing against the invisible chains. But the boy was weak and was no match for the demon.

"Gus, help me!" he screamed as the darkness whisked him away.

A low, guttural groan of anger came from deep in Chloe's chest. The Mesmer demon was fast and elusive. If she went after the boy, there was a good chance the demon would go after the remaining two.

The mage shot a weaker fireball down the passage, to illuminate the way, but the boy was gone.

“Stay here, Velvet,” said the swordsman. “I'm going after Quinby.”

Chloe stepped out from the shadows and sped forward. Her body blurred past the two startled adventurers.

She could sense the Mesmer. It had pulled the boy into a dark corner and was in the process of draining his life force.

The shadowy creature spent most of it's time in its incorporeal form, but it was forced to use its solid form when it fed. That was its one weakness.

Quinby struggled weakly, flailing wildly at the air, as if somehow hoping to dislodge the thing that held him down. But his strength was fading. He dropped to the ground unconscious, the fear overwhelming him.

"My prey," Chloe hissed, her voice a low rasp.

She leapt across the room and was upon the Mesmer in a flash, pinning him to the ground and clamping her teeth onto his neck.

A growing sense of self-loathing washed over her.

I've become a monster.

The Mesmer tried to scream, but she bit off its words and tightened her grip, driving her nails into the flesh beneath its chin.

The shadow demon trembled beneath her grip. It was a weak monster, using tricks to prey on the foolish.

Chloe didn't hesitate. She tore out its throat and let his blood spill across the floor.

It deserved to die. The weak should die.

With a last shudder, she released the corpse and wiped her lips clean with the back of her hand.

[Mesmer Demon Killed - Progress Towards Next Evolution: 52%]

She looked down at the unconscious form of Quinby. She could drag him into a quiet spot and slowly slice his head open.

She gasped as a rush of excitement rippled through her body. She would savor each mouthful of his soft, delicate flesh. She would make sure she didn't spill a drop.

Her hands reached out to the unconscious boy. His skin was warm, and she could feel his heart beating in his chest. She touched her finger nail to his forehead and watched a tiny globe of blood welling up beneath it.

“No,” she whispered.

She pulled her hand back, holding it to her chest like it had been burnt.

I'm a terrible person.

She made up her mind that she would spare the boy. Not for his sake but for her own.

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She stood up and stepped across his body, leaving him there. She reached down and grabbed the shadow demon’s by the leg and dragged its corpse into the darkness.

She heard the two companions searching for their friend. Her instincts told her to go back, to finish them. She needed to feed soon before her bloodlust took over.

With nails extended and a trembling hand, she sliced open the shadow demon's head. She didn't pause to take in the smell and to relish her meal. Instead, she scooped out its brains and bite into them as quickly as she could. She mechanically chewed and swallowed, hating herself for what she’d become.

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"I know you are there," said Velvet. "I can feel you. Come out, please."

Chloe hesitated. Her head was still pounding from the visions she'd received from the demon's brains.

It was a strange creature. It had stayed in this same territory for years. It was afraid of everything and hid whenever it heard footsteps.

It was a lonely creature, and in the last years of its life it had slipped into madness. It used its shadow illusions to hunt, but it also used them for company.

The visions hit a bit too close to home. In a couple more years, she would be nothing more than a mindless beast, no better than this demon.

“Hello!” Velvet called out again.

"You saved my friend," said the swordsman. "We just want to thank you."

Chloe didn't want to reveal herself. She hadn't seen her reflection in weeks. She was sure she looked every bit the monster she felt she was.

But if she was going to get out of this place, she would need help. These adventurers had entered the catacombs, which meant they knew the way out.

"I am here," Chloe said, stepping out of the shadows and revealing herself.

The three involuntarily backed away from her. She didn't want to know what they were seeing. In their eyes, was she a young girl, or did they only see the monster?

"What's your name?" Velvet asked.

The sound of her sweet voice in the dark tunnels made Chloe smile. It felt so out of place, but it was so welcome.

"Chloe," she said.

The companions exchanged nervous glances.

"Why are you here?" the swordsman finally asked.

"Lost,” said Chloe. “Like you are. I just want to get home."

"Thank you," Quinby stammered. "I owe you my life."

Chloe gazed at him, seeing the blood smeared on his forehead. He was so weak. She could crush him between her fingers if she wanted. It wasn't too late.

"How did you find us?" asked Velvet, and the sound brought Chloe out of her dark thoughts.

"I fell through a hole," she said. "And I've been hiding ever since. I heard voices and then the demon attacked. I... I had to do something."

Her voice faltered. She hadn't spoken much in the last few weeks, and it felt odd to be speaking so much all of a sudden.

The swordsman extended a hand to Chloe, and for a moment she just stared at it in confusion. Then she took it in hers and smiled weakly.

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Quinby, the healer with his glowing wand, led the way, and Gus the swordsman stuck close to his side, ready to defend him if anything attacked.

Velvet and Chloe stayed at the rear of the group, their job was making sure nothing snuck up on them.

"So how long have you been down here?" asked Gus.

"I lost track of time," said Chloe. "Almost lost myself to madness too, but now..." Her voice trailed off.

"I'm sorry," said Gus. "We are hunting for soul stones. Velvet over here is joining the Sixth Order and needs them for when she gets her ethereal armament."

Chloe looked at the shy girl.

"What do the soul stones do?" she asked.

"It's how the Talamasca level up their weapons," said Velvet. "It's a long way off before I'll even be accepted as an apprentice, but Gus insisted we explore this dungeon together. Who knew there would be something as powerful as a shadow demon down here.”

"We should leave as soon as we can," said Chloe. "This place is far more dangerous than you guys might believe."

"Don't worry," said Gus. "That shadow demon caught us by surprise. My guard is up now, so that won’t happen again."

Chloe shook her head, but she remained silent. There was no point trying to explain just how deep in the shit these kids were.

Some time later they reached a tunnel which opened onto the slope leading down to a chamber below. A light spilled into the tunnel up ahead and as they drew nearer, they saw white moths bathing in the light.

“What is this place?” Chloe asked.

Gus shrugged and stepped towards the light. His hand grasped his sword and his face grew grim and determined.

Chloe followed him over a rocky outcrop and into the light. The moths circled their heads curiously, their wings beating gently against their skin. There was something comforting about their presence.

Gus motioned for them to stay behind whilst he went to explore further up ahead.

“Should he be going alone?” Chloe asked.

Velvet shrugged. “He’s stubborn as an ox most days.” She smiled. “And now that he has a pretty girl to protect, he's going to be even more stubborn than usual.”

Did she mean me? Chloe wondered.

No, Velvet must have just been kidding around. There was no way that Chloe could ever be considered a pretty girl.

A few tense moments passed, and then Gus emerged from the light with a grin spreading from cheek to cheek.

“You've got to see this place,” he said.

“Well, don't keep us guessing,” said Velvet, stepping towards him.

Gus laughed, “Just come on, you’re going to love it.”

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They party stepped through the door and into an area that seemed so out of place in this world.

An underground river cut through a valley deep within a cavern bathed in blue light. The ceiling of the cavern was covered in glow moths. There had to be hundreds and thousands of them. They made gentle humming sounds as their wings beat in unison.

As they stepped into the long grass, Chloe felt a weight being lifted off of her, and she heard the sighs of pleasure coming from her companions.

For the first time in over a month, Chloe felt at peace.

“What is this place?” she whispered, afraid that if she spoke too loud she’d break the spell.

“A safe haven,” said Velvet, and she fell back into the long grass and laughed. “I read about these.”

“There is ancient magic in these places,” said Quinby sitting down beside her. “It's impossible for a person or a monster to feel aggression. You couldn't even swing a sword with conviction in this place.”

As he spoke, Chloe saw creatures peering at them from between the grass. There was a small tribe of goblins swimming in the river and a large cave troll lazing in the grass.

A Hellkite flew overhead, sending a cloud of moths flying in all directions. Chloe felt no fear. The monsters were at peace and so was she.

“Who created this place?” she asked.

Gus shrugged, “Some say Belladeon, but many believe that the dungeons and safe havens are an old magic, from before the time of gods.”

“That's blasphemy,” said Velvet, but her voice carried no conviction.

Gus shrugged and picked a tall blade of grass and chewed on the end of it. “It's sweet, try some.”

Quinby and Velvet picked a blade each, but Chloe didn't bother. She had no interest in any flavor apart from brains.

At least, I’ll never have to worry about deciding what's for dinner ever again.

She smiled at the morbid thought.

“What's so funny?” asked Velvet.

Chloe shrugged and brushed a lock of hair out of her face. “Just thinking about how strange life is. Not in my wildest dreams would I ever imagine seeing a place like this.”

“We should take a dip in the river,” said Gus. “We can wash the grime and blood off of ourselves.”

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Chloe turned her back to the others and pulled off her tattered robe, and quickly jumped in the water before anyone could see her.

The three followed suit, and they all swam lazily for a few minutes.

Pain throbbed in Chloe's head and black specks floated across her vision. In her minds eye she saw a castle in ruins. The image was there for less than a second, but the headache that accompanied it lingered far longer.

These vision headaches were growing more frequent. She didn't understand them. They weren't the same as the visions she saw from people's brains. This was something else, almost like somebody else's memories trying to force themselves into her mind.

Chloe opened her eyes and realized Gus was swimming next to her.

“How did you get those scars?” he asked.

Chloe subconsciously raised a hand to cover a scar on her chest.

Velvet splashed Gus in the face and said, “You’re such an ass, Gus. Don't ask people questions like that.”

Gus waved his hands in a sign of surrender. “Sorry, I was just curious. It's just, it looks like you’ve been through hell.”

“Don't worry about him,” said Velvet. “He was raised by trolls, and then they kicked him out of their tribe for being so uncouth.”

Gus laughed heartidly.

Before Chloe could think of a lie, loud screaming from down the river interrupted them. The sound came from the direction of the goblin tribe.

But the party felt no fear, just mild curiosity.

Chloe waded down the river towards the sound and saw a female goblin, she assumed it was female because it had breasts and a swollen belly.

It was clearly giving birth. The goblin screamed again and moments later a crying baby goblin was born. The elder of the tribe washed the baby in the water and then handed it back to its mother.

“Goblins are some of the weakest monsters you’ll find in dungeons,” said Quinby. “They are vulnerable when they give birth, so they come to places like this when the females are heavily pregnant.”

The mother goblin turned to look at them and from across the way, Chloe's eyes met hers. They stared at each other for a few seconds before the mother looked back down at her child.

“They are not so different from us,” said Chloe.

“Except that they eat human flesh,” said Gus. “It's a pity we can't fight in this place. I would have killed them all if I could.”

Quinby nodded.

Chloe frowned but said nothing for some time, and then after a while she looked back at the tribe and said, “Why don't they leave this dungeon. If they are the weakest, why stay?”

Velvet gave her an odd look. “You know, monsters can't leave the dungeons they are born in. There are many paths that lead into a dungeon, but monsters are unable to leave.”

Chloe felt her heart sink. What if she was stuck here too. Would people see her as a monster and want to kill her on sight?

Velvet laid a hand on her shoulder. “Don't worry, we’ll get you back to Astraeus, but we should stay here tonight and replenish our strength.”

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