For the next three days, they met at the lake, testing each other’s skills in combat and magic.
It was almost comical how each tried to show off what they could do, but they always kept the underlying knowledge that this wasn’t a game and people could get hurt or die. Leena was the most grounded, followed by Wolf, Coby, and Arlin. They enjoyed the group dynamic more than anything, though it would be a lie to say Arlin did not try extra hard to impress Leena, who did not notice.
Arylin was shifting from darkness and trying to mime, fighting a monster, shooting dark puddles that made spikes to attack them to show his skills when he hit the ground, drained.
he over did it… Wolf reached into a pack and pulled out a blue potion he beamed a smile as Wolf brought it to him “Thanks “ he drank it feeling his mana return.
“Careful with the stuff, I don’t know what happens when you drink too much rapid mana; gain and loss can’t be good. “Wolf wanted to make notes to learn long-term effects when Arlin chimed in to help with what he knew.
“ Short term, you’re fine. I did it on a bad hunt, needing a lot of mana in a short time, but it drains you after a few hours.”
“ You need to rest for a day. I never tried doing it for multiple days, though it cost too much.” Yet I was distracted with amazement by the fox girl.
She kept easily making stone forming into armor gauntlets pulling the earth to dash and making random bulders to smash she would randomly boast while doing it too…
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“ Look, brother! “ A rock bigger than her head sat in her hand “This is nothing I bet we clear everything easily” he looked to see if Wolf was looking.
But he was writing in his book, ignoring her. he felt bad, but it seemed she was used to trying to get his attention. he was distracted himself by wolf sister Leena, who wasn’t practicing her skill.
Yet they needed what she could do… she instead sat beside her brother, enjoying the day.
He wished his sister were here to tell him to quit obsessing, but he couldn’t help it. He was like the fox girl in that regard, trying to catch the eye of someone who was not even looking.
“Ok, I’m feeling it now, how long was that? “Arlin looked and saw the fox girl was finally worn down, she hadn’t needed a mana potion in the last few days.
They had been randomly practicing her mana regen was crazy, or whose control allowed the mana use to be much lower, he wasn’t sure…
“Hmm? Sorry, Nina, I was making notes one sec “ he reached into a pouch getting her a mana potion she happily sat beside him drinking it and looking at his notes not caring he did not notice her feats.
“I was watching, though I was a little distracted,” Leena spoke, “I say about twenty mutinies?”
“ Is your best before it hits you, and you need to rest. “ Nina nudged Wolf, hearing that, beaming a smile.
“Hear that, brother? twenty minutes, plenty of power,”
“ I don’t think anything we fight lasts more than five. “Wolf stopped writing and looked at her seriously.
“Just stay safe, I can’t be with you guys, and I don’t want to lose any of you… “Nina squealed with joy, grabbing him.
“Trust your big sister; nothing bad is going to happen. “Leena also rubbed his back in comfort arlin felt a pang of envy.
About how much his family loved him, true he had people that cared for him, but it felt more distant… Coby spoke up from the side.
“The dungeons are gifts from the gods to bring more magic to the lands; people have been farming them safely for years. “
“It’s just new ones you need to be more careful”
“The monster spawns tend to be higher due to more magic influx, the older ones are almost barren of monsters; you have to go deeper in to farm them.”
“ it’s why some items are more rare from dungeons.” Arlin nodded he did find it odd that besides a few random bad runs, the majority were safe he thought it was the gods adjusting it on their whims maybe they were more hands-off than he knew…
“‘If it is true, it just means we need to go slow,” Arylin stated. “We got potions and a lot of firepower, but lack knowledge on what comes from a new dungeon. “
“I’ll bring it up to my mom and sis to see if they can help beyond that, it’s just us doing what needs to be done. “ he smiled, trying to show confidence, and faltered,
when he saw Leena watching him sincerely and smiling a pat on his shoulder though light made him stumble and jerk as he was lost in the moment it was coby
“ Thanks for helping us, we appreciate it. “Arlin was at a loss for words. he liked them and really liked Leena, but he was just now starting to not feel like an outsider intruding on their group.
A few more days passed like that before they knew no amount of planning beyond this would matter; it was time to act…
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Tanya was not happy she was stressed. She filled her pipe and inhaled to relieve some stress, but it was having little effect.
Knowing her son was in a dungeon with a bunch of kid strangers she was sitting at a table in a side room at the guildhall.
The mayor, a gnome who was happily eating some snacks Rosa brought, and the town head of the merchant guild both were friends from her past but that brought her no joy…
“Your daughter and your niece are among them, do you not care?” She asked, inhaling smoke nervously, the mayor looked up, surprised with a mouth full of a cookie. It was her other friend, Justin, the girl’s father, who did speak.
“ We traveled the land hunting monsters with fewer powers, and where are fine? Why are you worried now?
“ The same reason you settled down with your wife to avoid these things, not to one day send our kids headfirst into more dangers…” she retorted, not liking the carfree response.
“Tanya dear… You know how much I love my grandkids. When Wolf got hurt, I wanted to smash the dungeon myself…”
“But they can’t learn and grow if we don’t let them.” The mayor spoke briefly before turning back to another cookie.
“ You told us just the other day, “
“with pride, I might add…”
“How you beat and pushed your son threw dungeons for years and how proud of him you are.”
“ Yet now you fear him leading my daughter in a dungeon with the help of others?” he wasn’t happy either, but he wanted that cure, and the kids were the best shot.
“O, Please, “ she said,” That was different,”
“ I was there, and he did get hurt before I just made sure nothing killed him. “They sat in silence at that, not able to continue without starting another fight, they had been rehashing this for a while, and were no closer to a resolution. She broke down first.
“Did you send another letter? “
“We should have the funds to dissuade them from this farce “She inhaled from her pipe still no comfort for her nerves. The mayor spoke up from that finally showing concern as he sighed.
' Three letters twice in person met with indifference”
“ he seeks power, not a cure for the people.” She was confused. This was the first she heard of this.
“What do you mean? “
“ He is trying to find a way to increase his magic.”
“ he was born with a low level near zero, so like a normal person, and he hates it.”
“ he learned alchemy, hoping for an elixir that would work so far, nothing.”
“ he only made those cures in the past to fund his empire, now he has money…”
He didn’t need to finish the sentence, she knew he had all the cards and didn’t need to play their game.
He could force them to play his… she remembered when she fooled his plans years ago…
Perhaps this was petty revenge or perhaps just a sad coincidence… “ so how is your wife taking it doubt she is happy either.… “ the mayor laughed an amused laugh and Justin glared at him.
“ She was just as upset as you, perhaps, more so,…”
“But the kids talked to her and worked it out.”
“She said she’d rather be sick for life than see her kids hurt,” he finished while looking downcast.
“A moving speech but they did not agree so here we are,” the mayor said while grabbing another cookie the last on the plate not that she cared…
I also talked to her. “ Justin said, “It even worsens her health, worrying we need to give her a sleep potion to relieve the stress.”
She's better now. “
“She wanted something like that just to keep sleeping, and it is over when you wake everyone home and safe….”
Slurping his drink, drawing her annoyance, the mayor shrugged and said,” It didn’t matter; they were already inside .”
“At best, we pray for the gads to balance and show mercy.”
“ Beyond that, it is trusting their strength.”
“My nephew gave them healing potions and mana potions, poisons too thier as set as they can be if lucky they will find it on level three and be done within an hour if not…”
“Level four will have it, but… they will be in for a fight.”
She had her son train solo on three she knew what could exist there but she never trusted level four fearing pushing him too far please gods let it end at three…
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LEVEL ONE
“ Not going to lie, I thought this would be harder, “Nina Cussual said while smashing a skeleton coby pocket the shard in a side pouch.
“ This is level one, it is made to be easy, even two should be simple.” Arlin chimed in
They kept the banter light they were all a bit nervous they knew mistakes could happen from carelessness so kept vigilante.
Arlin was happily walking with Leena in the back while Nina led the group. Coby stayed further back but used Wind to help Scout to warn Nina.
It almost felt like a date, well, a date in a cave with monsters and other people… but a date. He was trying to think of something witty to say to her when coby broke the silence.
“ Odd, I sense a dead end, but there were no deeper side paths I checked with the wind…”
Arlin expected this: “Where good there be a door,”
“ It will be in level two, don’t be surprised when it’s a new world.”
“ vs. a cave though messes with your head the first time it happens”
They took his words to heart, and indeed, at the end was a door well. “Well, here we go! “ Arlin chimed as he opened the door to the next level.
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Wolf was stressed, he had no way of knowing his family’s fate or how close to the end they were… he now knew how his mother felt when she didn’t want them to go.
But he could not drink a brew to sleep he refused to sleep knowing they were fighting, but he needed something, so he grabbed a book he borrowed on this very thing.
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The dungeons and what they bring by the church
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Though many fear dungeons, they offer a vast amount of supplies such as ore, herbs, and fruits in various forms.
While true, monsters do exist in these places, they tend to be light in spawns the lower the level, while also being slower and simpler.
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Please note the gods also seem to judge based on intent those weak or not waiting to fight will find no monsters or easy-to-escape types they are still a gift meant to challenge, so please don’t misunderstand that as no dangers.
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He wasn’t comforted by that, knowing the weakest monster broke him easily…. So he skimmed till he found something more relevant.
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Levels of dungeons: this is what we know. For a more detailed list of monsters, please refer to the guild's version. This is an outline for levels only.
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Level one: is always a cave for consistencies the gods desired, as for monsters, it is the vast majority of the time, one monster per dungeon, two at most.
Skeletons are most common, followed by slimes. Herbs and ore tend to spawn and regrow daily.
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Level two: is always random even if two groups go in one after the other, they will enter different places, worlds of undead with a cemetery, forests, desserts, open plains, and winter lands with near-zero monsters to an unknown amount.
With resources just as vast of differences the majority of adventures stop here and farm it daily for the low risk and abundance of rewards.
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Level three is the tipping point, where balance is met by the gods. If you go this far, they assume you intend to fight and fight, and you will.
Please do not go here without great care. Nothing new is recorded other than the beasts are stronger, and the rewards tend to be in the form of rare crystals from the beast or herbs that can make rare elixirs.
Wolf’s heart skipped a beat. Level three, that probably will be where they go…
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Level four: The guild has more info on any nuances, but the same themes apply even here, just a stronger beast and a higher chance of herbs and crystal drops
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Level five: It pains me to even write these words, and the times that death has happened in dungeons, it tended to be at level five from foolish adventures.
The monster will be strong even if rare, and the rewards equal to the risk, but please do not assume it is worth your life if you insist on going with at least a party of five with a strong defensive and healer type, the other three with a strong element and of knowledge.
Anything less and the risk just goes up yes a solo adventure can win but that is more a rare luck than skill trust me avoid five. The same rules apply though the guild may offer more details.
Please note that while deeper dungeons exist and have been farmed, that is beyond the scope of normal adventure, and why others die at five…
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He was worried they would end up deep in an unwinnable situation, so he skimmed even more, looking for good news, and found words saying they had an easy escape, to his relief.
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Dungeon escape: In the event you want to go back or go too deep, the gods do show mercy.
The door is always in the same place, and will always take you to level one near the entrance.
Please note that getting lost or being chased will not make a door or stop the beast from trying to kill you before you can go back.
They cannot follow you, nor do any effects from other worlds bleed into the first level.
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He sighed, he did not feel as good as he assumed he would he wondered what his dad and uncle were doing.
He knew Nebo kept going back to the city trying to get a cure or even the herb they needed, but no luck…. Please be safe, guys.
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LEVEL TWO
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A blazing sun beat down on them in a desert with vast plains of dunes was all they could see except for random catus.
Arlin shielded his eyes. “This is good and easy. barely ever monster in these, and at least two or three sources of water with fruits.” Nina, already hating the heat and wanting out, asked in desperation
“ You sure? I hate it here, and the sun is killing me. “She was wearing loose clothes and still was trying to fan herself. Her tail and ears sagging.
“ How will we find the door to the next level?” Coby asked, noticing the door they had just come through was next to a rock wall. “Will it also be near a rock wall? “ Arlin thought for a moment.
“Hmmm depends. I have seen them around the oasis My mom tended to find them for me when she was training me I just kinda went with the flow as I was focusing on the fights. “
“Lot help that is leader…” Nina sulked
“Heya! Not like you’re doing anything !” he retorted
“Stop… “Leena said in a low voice, the heat getting to her too, they calmed down, knowing it was the heat. The dungeons were not just testing them with beasts that seemed.
They wandered a bit till they stopped to rest at one of the oases, no closer to knowing where a door was.
Coby was the only one unfazed; he was used to tracking with the wind, he used it now to sense the door, he wanted to see if he could feel its magic, he drew out the wind, in search, surprisingly, it wasn’t far from their spot. “About half an hour east from our spot. “
“What? “ Arlin spoke, still frustrated that he was supposed to be an expert and was lost.
“About half an hour east is the door I felt it with the wind, “ he replied calmly, even with sweat dripping from his brow.
“You’re the best !” Nina got happy and splashed water on her face. “Let go, this is not worth the heat, “ Leena agreed with a nod, also washing a little
Arlin tried to sense things with his darkness; it worked on the monster, but he could not tell the magic from the door, which made him respect Coby a bit more, and also try and improve his skill. Perhaps he got too complacent…
The walk was disorienting after leaving the water, there was another small oasis in the distance, but not in the way they were walking.
Maybe it was a fail-safe from the gods to give people a chance, but also not make it easy to advance. When they did see it, it seemed to just be a random dune in the desert sand. When close, they could see a door in the sand,
“We did it!” Nina got excited
“We did nothing but find the door, we still need the herb, “ Arlin replied heatedly, making him short-tempered.
“Be nice, “Leena spoke from his side while Nina stuck out her tongue. he was annoyed he was looking like a bad guy, but he wasn’t going to apologize…
The door, looking like sand, opened easily enough, but what chilled them was the sight of winter beyond, even as they burned on this side snow gently fell on the other…
“That bad, “Coby said. Though nobody else spoke, they agreed the shift from heat to cold would hurt them, too.
“It’s not perfect, but I slept in the snow while helping…. Um, well, I did it with others, and was able to cloak them a bit to keep them warm.”
“ it was a short distance then but I can go out much more now around fifty feet if I focus easier if closer.
“ You sure? “Coby asked wiping his brow, even with winter inches away, they only felt the heat.
“I promise, “ he wanted to make up for before, “but will need you to find next door again if you can. “Coby nodded, and they knew it was time to go…
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LEVEL THREE
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The chilling wind blew, they knew it should be much colder but true to his word a shroud of darkness crept over and around them it did not stop the chill from affecting them but it did dampen it.
“Let me try something, “Leena spoke while they still tried to get their bearing.
A soft light mix infused with the darkness made it turn grey, and they felt a warmth envelope them, and the mood improved.
“That’s amazing. “ Nina was proud of Leena’s magic. Arlin was also impressed but noticed the strain in her eye from using the power.
“Not used to it, it’s draining maybe five no… Ten minutes at best, but no healing, if we push it that far, unless we use mana pots.”
Arlin nodded knowing how it felt when he first did it now he could go for at least an hour if he used to care.
Coby was not idle he had been focusing with the wind this whole time but was frowning “ I can’t find the door…
“ That’s ok, we trust you keep trying, “ Nina tried to encourage, but he shook his head.
“No… there is no door within a mile, we have to pick a direction and scout from there but that’s not what has me worried…”
They waited for him to finish as they watched him scout around the area where they stood, it was open for many yards behind the door which floated alone defying all.
But beyond that was a dark forest the trees were spaced but within were only shadows. He pointed in a random direction before speaking.
“ To the west are a lot of monsters, around ten “ he moved his hand another way “South I sense just one but it senses me, it might be coming not sure if it hiding itself, beyond that I sense nothing…
“Can we handle ten? That sounds like a lot…” Nina was worried it went from no monster to many in a flash.
“ Depends on type, I did Winter Forest before, if goblins are there easy, undead, got watch for special types, but the single monster?”
“That one worries me, mom always made me turn back on those, she said it was too much for training me, and we should only face them if we were trying to hunt powerful beasts.”
“West is my vote, “Nina spoke first
“West, “Leena said.
“We could try to avoid it all? “Arlin offered a different outlook, and Leena shook her head.
“The gods may show mercy, but for the herb we need? They won’t let us avoid monsters and find it only on level three,” Leena said, desprited
Arlin flinched at that he knew she was right but he wasn’t used to fighting with others, and up to ten monsters plus an unknown was a risk.
“ I say we go west, fight if we must, and if we get lucky, and I sense the door is worth the risk of going deeper. This cold will hurt us the longer we stay, we just don’t feel it yet,” Coby chimed in.
“I agree,” Nina said, shaking her tail to remove the snow starting to pile up from their lack of movement.
“ Nothing ventured, nothing gained ' Arlin quipped and started west since the majority ruled.
“You just make that up? “Nina asked, mildly assumed.
“Nah, heard it at the inn, from drunks going on about their adventures .”
They walked at a steady pace despite the endless falling snow it wasn’t very deep, an inch at most but the shadows of the trees and the near-identical sights were messing with their senses.
They probably would looped a few times if not for Coby sensing the horde and keeping a narrow path to them, he eventually held up a hand to stall them as they focused they could see a bonfire camp.
“Can you still only sense ten? “Arlin wanted to know what to expect before he made his next move.
Coby was sure “Only ten “ he looked past the group the way they came “Never felt the other again though “Arlin clasped his shoulder and moved past him turning into a shadow.
“You did good, now let me show you why I was feared as darkness to these beasts. “
The group watched as the gentle snow blended with him into the other shadows to the point he no longer existed, the only knowledge he was ever there was the increase in chill from the lack of his shadow cloak.
They wished they had planned this better; nobody talked about how they would handle it.
Leena’s light was shining too much now that Arlin was gone it went from a shade of grey to a warm light they already regretted the cold that followed turning it off to not draw attention.
“That hurts, “Nina broke the silence as she rubbed her arms, wishing she had dressed better.
“Let’s move forward not sure what his plan was but us waiting won’t help just watch for friendly fire…” coby encouraged them to move and they nodded doing just that.
“I want to stand near that fire bet it’s warm “Nina whispers breaking the silence once more they were now close enough that they could see clearly the goblins.
“I thought goblins were green? “ Nina was first to speak
“Depends, “Coby said, “ I hunted blue, red, green, first time seen grey though. “
“What determines color? “ Nina wondered
“Hmmm, never asked? “ Coby thought about it. “Maybe their mana type or resistance?”
The camp itself was crude, with just a few bedrolls with sleeping goblins, and makeshift tents with a fire in the middle, with a few goblins staring at the flame.
Four guards were facing various spots. They weren’t sure how to proceed when the first guard to the west slowly fell.
A few goblins sitting near the fire heard a wood snap in that direction, noticed the goblin lying down, and got mad thinking he had fallen asleep on watch. They slapped each other to have the next go to wake him, before two grudgingly got up to do it.
When they got close, kicking him and barking to wake him up, they noticed he wasn’t responding when they turned to tell others, spears of darkness pierced them, causing them to fall.
The group was amazed that Arlin just killed three with no effort, but seven were left, so Coby drew his bow and aimed.
“ I got the farthest two, Nina rush 'em and try to control whatever is left since you are tank.” She was pumped up from the ease with which the fight was going and used the earth to push forward
Even as she flew forward, she felt more than she saw the arrows rush past her with the aid of the wind controlling their flight the goblin before her guarding the front felt the same as the arrows startled him into a panic as they flew by him.
He thought he avoided an unknown attack but before he could get his bearings to warn the others a giant rock fist slammed him down causing a booming sound and shaking the earth slightly as Nina laughed “ GOT EM! “
The two arrows hit the farthest guard right as the boom happened “Four left I think coby said calmly leena nodded hating she could only watch.
“HERE I AM, UGLY CREATURES, FIGHT MEEEE!” Nina was excited and trying to draw whatever was left in one of the tents, revealing a goblin with a spear crawling out and two more with clubs exiting another.
Only three? Coby thought, worried, and drew another arrow, waiting for a shot even though all three rushed nina she danced around them easily and took swings to force them back arlin or his shadow pulled from the tents, taking a human form, a spike soon followed, killing one more, panic set in, stunning those goblins left.
Nina did not wait and smashed another down, Coby seeing an opening fired before anyone else could act at the last visible goblin killing it with a clean shot, he knew Arlin must have got the other, a moment of calm settled before Arlin started shouting.
“WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT I HAD IT? “
“WHAT? “ Nina was confused by his attitude ears going flat, she took a defensive stance. “WHERE A TEAM “
“AND I HAD IT “ he retorted back, the fighting going back and forth both trying to prove who was right. Leena tried to intervene to calm them down but it helped little…
Coby was tired, still feeling the adrenaline mixed with the cold, which reminded him of his old hunts… his old hunts…
He had to be sure, so he pulled the wind, hoping for a door, expecting the worst, that maybe the other monster was getting closer and found them… “No. “
It did find them, but it was close, so close… maybe twenty feet from the main group, then ten… he saw nothing but knew he had to do something, anything.
“LOOKOUT, IT BEHIND YOU!” it was a desperate shout he saw nothing but the snow and fire from camp but somewhere within those random shadows like arlin darkness skill a giant beast appeared.
He rushed Nina before anyone could register his words and slammed her down with its giant paw. The wind was knocked from her chest, and she gasped for air, desperate to stop the claws from ripping her apart. She pulled the earth over her body like a shield.
The shadow beast did not wait and slammed down on her it would’ve crushed her if not for the earth holding it back arlin desperate to save her wrapped vines or darkness around the beast and tried to pull he started slipping into the snow he tried to reinforce it by spike the earth to help pull.
Leena desperate to help grab him and help pull trying to do anything then just watching helplessly it was not much but it stopped the jaw from reaching nina face and held him mostly in place if only for a moment it would be enough…
Coby lined up a shot with a poison tip arrow he was saving them from bad outcomes, and this was one…
He went with the spider venom one and aimed for the eye the bear was thrashing and he wasn’t sure how well his aim was but he used the wind to help guide it and hit its mark.
He sighed as he saw the bear flinch not just from the shot but the poison taking effect quickly, it moved off her in confusion. Nina did not wait, furious at being shammed and almost killed, she made rocks and smashed the beast down over and over, and over….
She calmed down, and all that was left was the stillness and gentle flames from the bonfire too close, coby thought I got cocky to use to hunt with my dad covering my tracks…
This was only level three, Leena thought. “Maybe… we should turn back”
“No…” Nina was slightly breathing hard, her clothes had a slight tear where she wasn’t quick enough with the earth. Leena saw it and went to heal her. She knew Nina loved her new family, but this was pushing them; they were not ready.
“Sorry, “Arlin said, surprising them. “We are a team, I almost got one of us killed. I… understand if we go back and you get a better leader.”
Leena focused on nina, not sure what to say. Nina looked away not wanting to admit that the beast almost got them as it faded it left a gem. It was a level two not even a level three, and they almost died for that.
A few gems level one appeared from the goblins they pocketed and gathered around the fire unsure what to do next.
“Do you sense a door? “Nina finally asked, breaking the silence.
“There is… “Coby said but offered no more the team was divided they needed to be on the same page or there be no next time.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsPtUuviSBn
