Solara and the others emerged high above the starter zone, now completely enveloped by the dungeon itself. As they reached the top of the stairs, Solara was the first to step through.

  Torches flared to life one by one around the chamber, illuminating a vast circular room with dozens of branching pathways stretching out into the dark.

  Keira walked close behind her, whistling softly. “Now this is a dungeon.”

  “Yes, yes, Master Sergeant,” Solara said without looking back. “The whole ‘oh it’s like Skyrim’ speech. You’ve told us a million times.”

  Aidan sighed. “Sorry. This is basically a dream come true for her.”

  Keira’s grin only widened as she scanned the corridors. Braen chuckled. “Let her have her fun, Lieutenant. I haven’t heard her swear once, even with all those monstrous stairs.”

  Veyra staggered in last, hands on her knees, gasping. “When we meet that goddess, I’m going to beat her senseless. WHY does everything need to be so far away?”

  Artimage finished climbing the stairs, straightening up proudly. “Well, I don’t know about you, but it really lets you take it all in. Everything becomes a journey. Funny, it reminds me of—”

  “NO,” everyone said in unison.

  Hector patted Artimage on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about them, buddy.”

  Undeterred, Artimage nodded sagely. “With age and experience, my words will age like fine wine.”

  Corwin dragged Takeshi and Aurex up the last few steps. Both of them promptly collapsed onto the stone floor.

  “Even a basic elevator,” Takeshi groaned. “She can build all this, but no—we need the stairs. Who designed this shit?”

  Aurex lay face down, armour clanking. “Why is the armour so heavy? Why couldn’t I have chosen to go down? It would’ve been easier.”

  Keira didn’t even look at him. “Maybe because you’re a bitch who wears armour. You know I eliminated the last guy who wore it.”

  Hector motioned for Corwin’s help, pulling one of the supply bags off his back and opening it. Within moments, he had set up a small picnic.

  “Good call, Lance Corporal,” Solara said. “Everyone, grab something to eat while we plan this out. Compared to what’s going on below, I want no misunderstandings. This does not turn into a race. We play it by the book, calm and collectively, and we’ll be home in time for morning training.”

  “Very well, Lieutenant,” Keira said sweetly. “You all heard the lady. Nice and calm.”

  Veyra froze mid-gulp, pointing at Keira. “Nope. Not buying it. She’s up to something.”

  Solara smiled faintly. “Maybe she’s just stepping out of the influence of chaos.”

  Takeshi and Aurex burst out laughing.

  “You do remember the room incidents, right?” Takeshi said.

  “Or the bush,” Aurex added, snorting. “Or the master sergeant’s drunken bed—”

  Keira calmly walked over and crouched down, placing one hand on each of their faces. “Gentlemen, there’s no need for such talk while we’re being so calm and serious. Please save that until the mission is complete.”

  Both of them went quiet, deeply unsettled by the fact that she was smiling.

  A distant howl echoed through the chamber. Then another. Then the sound of many paws striking stone, fast and closing.

  Keira straightened and turned toward Solara. “Lieutenant, if I may?”

  Solara nodded. “Proceed, Master Sergeant.”

  Twelve wolves burst from one of the corridors, barreling straight toward them.

  Keira clasped her hands behind her back. “Staff Sergeant.”

  Braen dropped her bag and surged past Keira in a blur. She planted herself in front of the pack and swung her warhammer in a brutal arc, crushing most of them instantly. One lunged, teeth clamping onto her leg, snarling uselessly as it failed to break the skin.

  Braen reached down without hurry, grabbed the creature by the tail, and slammed it into the stone hard enough to crack the floor. She didn’t stop there—whipping it back the other way and reducing it to drifting black fog.

  More howls echoed from every corridor. Roughly forty-five in total, coming in from four different angles—about a dozen from each direction.

  Keira didn’t even flinch. “Specialist left. Lance Corporal, right. Sergeant Veyra, rear.”

  Artimage, Hector, and Veyra moved instantly.

  Artimage thrust forward, rapier flashing as he pierced through one wolf and used the momentum to shove another back, finishing it in a fluid sequence of precise strikes.

  Hector stepped into a charging wolf and crushed its skull with a single right hook. Before the body hit the ground, his boot snapped up into the next one’s head, dropping it just as fast.

  Veyra walked toward the remaining pack calmly. She drew one arrow, loosed it, and the shaft punched clean through the first wolf’s skull and straight into the one behind it. Before either body had entirely faded, she was already there, ripping the arrow free and driving it by hand through the heads of the two remaining wolves. She smiled as their bodies dissolved, then sprinted toward the rest of the black-fog shapes retreating down the corridor.

  Keira walked up beside Solara as if none of it mattered. “Lieutenant, we’ve just been hit by forty-five black-fog wolves. Based on dungeon timing, I estimate an increase of one additional unit per hour, accounting for roughly nine hours since dungeon activation.”

  She continued evenly, “I recommend pairing all teams with one long?range and one close?range combatant to sustain prolonged engagements.”

  Aidan groaned. “Oh no. Sis, not today. Please.”

  Solara stared at Keira. “What is happening right now? Master Sergeant, knock it off. It’s weird.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Lieutenant,” Keira replied innocently.

  Aidan rolled his eyes. “You said ‘by the book, calm and collectively.’ So… enjoy this.”

  Stolen story; please report.

  Solara sighed. “Master Sergeant, I know you’re not this petty.”

  “I have no idea what you’re referring to,” Keira said. She glanced around. “Everyone should be just about finished. Good.”

  She turned to the group. “Going forward, we operate in teams of two. Specialist Corwin, Sergeant Veyra—you hold this floor. We assign floors as needed.”

  “Lance Corporal Hector, you’re with Specialist Artimage.”

  Artimage beamed. “This is going to be great. We’ve got this.”

  Hector dragged a hand down his face. “Lieutenant, are you really going to let her keep doing this?”

  “Normally, yes,” Solara said flatly. “But this is currently within her command, and annoyingly, I can’t argue with the results.”

  Keira smirked. “Aurex, you’re with Sergeant Takeshi.”

  Both of them raised their hands at the same time.

  “No,” Keira said pleasantly. “You don’t get to stay on this floor.”

  Their hands dropped.

  “Corporal Langston,” Keira continued, “you’re with Staff Sergeant Braen.”

  Braen smiled brightly. “Want me to carry you? Save your little legs?”

  Aidan sighed. “No, Staff. I’m good, wait… oh no, wait—”

  Keira nodded. “Unless there’s a reduced spawn rate above, we should expect higher-tier entities in increasing numbers. Those staircases are nearly half a mile tall. At current pacing, we lose almost twenty hours just climbing unless—”

  “Fine,” Solara cut in, rolling her eyes. “Just this once.” She pointed a finger at Keira. “And none of you tell the Captain.”

  They began pulling their packs back on, checking straps and seals.

  Takeshi moved along the group, ticking items off on his fingers. “Reminder, each kit comes with one emerald-tier flash grenade, one emerald-tier smoke grenade, and the new standard-issue knife. Corporal Langston, I put a few extra side-arm magazines in yours.”

  Aidan finished checking his assault rifle and nodded. “Thanks, but with the staff here, I shouldn’t have to worry.”

  Solara planted her hands on her hips. “Right. Onwards. Single file. We find the stairs to the next level together.”

  Takeshi squinted at her. “Tone it down, Lieutenant. Your eyes are sparkling more than usual. Hate it when they do that.”

  Veyra laughed, stretching out on the blanket. “Enjoy yourselves. I’ll try not to work too hard. Corwin, grab me a drink, please.”

  Solara stopped mid?step.

  Keira’s smile spread immediately. “Lieutenant, correct me if I’m wrong, but the sergeant is eight months behind on her admin work.”

  Veyra shot upright. “Don’t listen to her! I’m at least two years behind.”

  Keira didn’t miss a beat. “Lieutenant, don’t you keep extra requisition forms on hand for situations like this? Wouldn’t want to fall behind while we’re mid?operation.”

  Veyra growled. “KEIRA.”

  Solara set her pack down again and calmly rummaged through it. She pulled out a thick stack of documents.

  Veyra stared. “WHY do you have those in an emergency bag?”

  “Thirty bags out,” Solara said, handing them over, “thirty forms in. Please and thank you, Sergeant. Also—Specialist—she gets her own drinks from now on.”

  Corwin passed a glass of water to Veyra. Solara intercepted it and continued walking.

  Corwin leaned in and whispered, “Don’t worry, ma’am. I’ll get you another.”

  Veyra slumped, staring at the paperwork. “Please don’t call me ma’am. I already feel old enough.”

  Solara didn’t slow. “Right then. Master Sergeant, take point. We’ll have this wrapped up in no time, probably before the Captain finishes panicking on his first floor.”

  —

  Smoke filled the chamber below.

  “WE’RE ALL GOING TO DIE!” Caelan screamed, dragging Jett and Lyra down a corridor. “WE’RE ALL GOING TO DIE, AAAH!”

  Jett screamed.

  Lyra screamed louder. “PLEASE SAVE ME, LIEUTENANT! HE’S GOING TO GET US KILLED!”

  Bella bolted in the opposite direction. “I knew this would happen! It always happens with you!”

  Caelan tore through the smoke like he was being hunted, shouting incoherently.

  Garron sighed. “Was that really necessary?”

  Elyria snickered.

  “Don’t you dare,” Garron warned.

  Milo burst out laughing. “He shouldn’t—but it’s always funny when it works.”

  Katie lay bundled in her sleeping bag near the spiral stair column. “My question is, why do they always react. It’s never actually scary, AHHH!”

  Mynxi popped up behind her. “Boo.”

  Katie shrieked.

  Mynxi giggled and ran to Caelan. “Dad! I got her! Did you see it?”

  Caelan scooped her up through the smoke and tickled her. “Whaa, now I’m the big scary monster!”

  Mynxi laughed uncontrollably.

  Lumi lay sprawled across a pile of bags. “Why am I down here? Can I go back to my shop? I just started a new line of socks, and they’re selling really well.”

  “Stop moaning,” Milo said. “You only care because you got split up from sis.”

  Lyra sniffed miserably. “Do you blame me? No one can replace Kei?Kei.”

  Milo looked around at the chaos. “So, this is truly hell. Captain, what’s actually happening?”

  Caelan clapped his hands once. “Alright. Simple. Teams of two. Spread out.”

  He pointed down the hall. “Specialist, you keep Jett around here and hold this room and floor for me. Use him as bait or something.”

  Katie barely looked up. “Thanks, Captain. Will do. Finally, some rest around here.”

  “Specialist,” Garron added flatly. “Threads, then sleep.”

  Katie sighed. “Fine.” She stood, pulling a large bag of perfectly wound thread from her pack and began moving around the main entrance hall.

  Caelan turned. “Corporal, you go grab Specialist Lyra, wherever she’s gotten herself off to.”

  Milo adjusted his bag. “Oh yes, I wonder why she ran away. Fine. See you all when I’ve beaten the boss.”

  “Keep dreaming, mate,” Caelan shot back. “Lance Corporal, you go find wherever Specialist Bella is having her standard meltdown.”

  Lumi peeled herself off the pile of bags with a huff. “Fine. Geez. Stick me with the unhinged one, thanks. Captain, bring that jacket to me later, needs another touch-up.”

  Caelan looked down at his torn, re-stitched jacket. “What are you on about? It’s just fine. I got it perfect last time.”

  “Sure, sure,” Lumi waved him off, heading down the corridor after Bella. “God knows why I need to compete with him for Kei?Kei. I’ll never know.”

  Elyria glanced at Caelan. “I see you’re making friends all round today, Captain.”

  “Ha ha,” Caelan said dryly. He turned. “Right. Little one, you ready to head out?”

  Mynxi climbed onto Garron’s pack, settling herself comfortably. “Race you, Dad! Go, go, go, Gar!”

  Garron paused and looked to Caelan.

  Caelan winked. “Have fun, little one. Don’t get in the Chief’s way, alright?”

  Garron grabbed Mynxi’s legs. “Which way now, super-duper specialist?”

  She pointed down the far corridor. “There! Quickly! Dad and Ely are super quick!”

  Garron jogged off, lights along the corridor flaring to life as he passed.

  “Great,” Elyria muttered. “So now I’m stuck with you.”

  Caelan rolled his eyes. “Don’t tell me this is because we didn’t finish the game.”

  A scream echoed down the hall, Jett’s. It was getting closer.

  Elyria turned sharply. “Are you not going to deal with that?”

  “No, no,” Caelan said. “Don’t try to flip the subject now.”

  Jett burst from a side corridor, sprinting full tilt, a pack of black-fog wolves snapping at his heels.

  “PLEASE PROTECT ME!” he screamed, diving straight into Katie. “I’LL DO ANYTHING!”

  “GET OFF ME, YOU IDIOT!” Katie shouted. “I can’t fight like this!”

  The wolves lunged.

  “You know that’s not the point, Captain!” Elyria snapped.

  Caelan’s hand rested briefly on his sword.

  A thunderous roar tore through the level.

  The wolves froze mid-lunge, then shattered, bodies collapsing inward as thin lines split through the air in every direction. The room went still.

  Katie and Jett stared as the monsters dissolved.

  Caelan slid his sword back into place. “Fine. You win. I forfeit. I was wrong and reckless, and I should not have flung my sword so close to the woman’s head. I added unnecessary risk. You were right, Elyria.”

  Elyria folded her arms, looking him up and down. “Fine. I’ll accept your forfeit. Apology accepted, Caelan.”

  Jett crawled across the floor, clutching a tiny clump of hair. He grabbed Caelan’s jacket, teeth clenched. “You could have killed me, Captain!”

  He held it up.

  “Oh, you’re here,” Caelan said. “Right. Help Katie and stop messing around, Specialist. Just you wait until I write this report to the Lieutenant, or we could,”

  “Oh no, no, it’s fine,” Jett said quickly, patting Caelan’s jacket. “Really. Sorry. Thank you for the save. I’ll help Specialist Katie right now.”

  “You’re welcome, Jett.”

  Elyria shook her head. “That’s just mean. Weaponising the Lieutenant like that.”

  Caelan slung the three remaining bags over his shoulder. “Ah, it’s fine. She loves it, really. Right—keep the place locked down. Anyone who needs to fall back they come here.”

  “Take as long as you like,” Katie said, finishing her threads. “Finally. Time for a nap, I think.”

  She zipped herself into her sleeping bag.

  Jett stood tall beside her. “Don’t worry. Do you know why the Captain left me with you?”

  “No, Jett,” Katie said flatly.

  “Because he knows nothing will touch you while I’m here.”

  “Oh, my hero,” Katie said. “Do me a favour and take first watch.”

  She closed her eyes.

  Jett stood alone, listening.

  A low growl echoed from somewhere down the corridor.

  “…Help,” he muttered.

  A massive roar tore through the dungeon, shaking the stone beneath Jett’s feet. He froze, breath caught in his throat.

  From farther down the level, Caelan suddenly came sprinting back toward the stairs.

  “Dragon,” he started.

  Elyria grabbed the back of his jacket and dug her heels in. “No. No. Come on. You’ve got your own one to deal with.”

  “But dragon,” Caelan protested.

  Elyria dragged him bodily back down the corridor, boots scraping against the stone.