“Are there monsters to eat from in the dungeon?” I asked as my stomach rumbled, this time louder than before. Sharing a hunger meter with the small dino was not a good thing at all.

  “Harvesting from beasts was done very frequently, before the harvesters took over the forest again,” said Kabi. “I assume it's that way in the dungeon as well.”

  “Is there any way to confirm that? To make sure?”

  Lenna stood up from near the campfire with a smile. Dengu nuzzled her shoulder, and the two of them headed our way.

  “Guess we can find out now…” I stared as they came closer. “You guys ready to dungeon dive, so we can get back into action?”

  “Yes. I don’t like being cut off from the skies for too long,” said Lenna.

  “Skies, or stars?” I joked.

  Instead of smiling, she frowned. “Mostly the sky. The stars only whisper in my dreams within the dungeon. It limits my class.”

  “That bad?”

  She shrugged, but didn’t continue.

  This time, we all moved quickly through the marketplace back to where Dengu had been held.

  [Would you like to enter the first floor of the dungeon?]

  The notification popped up, making me smile. It’d been a bit since I’d gone into the dungeon back near Lakeside, and now I had a goal. Hunt down beasts that might give me extra stats in Strength, Quickness, Flexibility, or Toughness. Any of those would help even things out.

  Yet, part of me worried about how long it’d take. Normally, I only gained a single stat point when I devoured something and got stats. And most of the time, I didn’t get stats at all.

  “Are you heading inside the dungeon?” asked a tall Azura folk in leather armor.

  “Yes, our plan is to beat the first-floor boss to gain certain rewards,” answered Kabi, before I could.

  “Warning, once you head inside, you either get to level 50 or you get stuck.” The person held up a hand as Kabi opened his mouth to respond. “I’m required to give you all of the warnings about proceeding, even if you are above that level.”

  When no one else tried to interrupt, he continued. “You will appear in the lowest level area, and have a few different options. Depending on what you choose and the path you take, there is the potential that you get ejected from the dungeon to a different part of the world, bypassing this landing zone. Normally, the dungeon warns you about this. Good luck, and may your growth continue in honor.”

  The person stepped back away from our group, watching others in the area.

  “That’s good to know,” I whispered. “Are we ready?”

  “Yes, let’s do this,” replied Kabi, clasping his two lower hands together.

  I mentally replied with a yes to the notification.

  Everything shifted, and I found myself in bright sunlight, of all things. Bright purple light shone down from the sky, almost blinding me with its intensity.

  Strange chirped in his sling, and I covered his head with my palm as my own eyes adjusted.

  Birdsong filled the air, along with fluffy clouds. A paved courtyard surrounded us with a low-lying wall.

  [Welcome to the Labyrinth dungeon. There are multiple pathways you can choose to explore on this floor. As you travel upward, the choices grow more sparse. You have arrived in the adolescent area. Your party includes a member under the level 50 requirement for exit.]

  It took a second to realize the system was speaking about Strange.

  [Your party has two options. Stay together while your party member reaches the minimum level, or split.]

  “What happens in the adolescent area?” I asked out loud.

  [The adolescent area has challenges to help adolescents reach the minimum age of maturity. After that level is reached, pathways to learn various classes and professions open up through the academies.]

  “They have academies,” croaked Kabi, and he wobbled as he spoke. “The academies were destroyed…”

  “The academies have withstood the test of time, young man,” answered a robed Azura folk who appeared from one of the paths.

  [Professor Verti, Rapid Proficiency, Unknown, Unknown]

  “Though, given your attire, you must be from the Forest tribes. We haven’t had a student from that area in a long time. Not since the war.” He bowed toward Kabi. “Welcome.”

  Kabi stood up straighter and bowed back. “My grandfather spoke of this place, and how anyone could learn the traditional paths here.”

  “Yes, though each of you, except for the little one, has strong paths you’re already traveling.” Professor Verti’s eyes went to my sling.

  I lifted Strange out of the sling, and he leaped out of my hands to the ground.

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  “Level! Strong!”

  I chuckled at the words inside my head.

  “It’s been some time since a beast has made its way inside, but we offer the same opportunities to your kind, as long as you wish to travel the civilized path like this gentleman here.” He motioned to Dengu, whom he bowed to as well.

  Strange chirped in reply.

  “Good. It is important to know your goals,” replied Verti to Strange. “Getting as strong as Dengu and Alex is a large goal. One that will always be moving.”

  “What do the rest of us do?” I asked. This Professor had somehow spoken to Strange, and knew much about us. Then again, he had to be pretty high level for my insight to only show his name and a class.

  “You can explore this area along with Strange. He will earn one of the pieces needed to challenge the floor boss by completing this area. All of you have access to the academies.” He motioned to an archway in the wall behind him. “While you each have strong paths, filling in the gaps of your knowledge is important.”

  “Pieces?” asked Lenna, taking a step closer to the Professor.

  “Yes, you need to collect 5 pieces to pass through the barrier to challenge the boss on this floor.” He hesitated, then continued. “I’ll warn you that while various creatures in the surrounding higher-level areas have the needed pieces, the floor boss is around level 100.”

  “So, don’t go grinding in a lower level area for pieces then die fighting the boss.”

  “Exactly. I’m heading back to my academy. Good luck with your journey through the labyrinth.”

  I chuckled at his response as he headed through the archway, which led to the academies.

  Strange glanced up at me, leaped, and chomped down on a small flying beetle that got too close to him before landing back on the pavers. It took a moment for him to swallow the bug.

  [Strange, Bonded Baby Compy, Level 22, Bonded]

  If only I could level from eating a bug. The bug Noseen had turned to dust so long ago came back to mind. Actually, I felt okay about my path.

  “Strange and I will go hunting,” I said, glancing at the others.

  “I want to check out the academies,” added Lenna.

  Kabi nodded. “Same.”

  “I go hunting,” said Dengu. “Teach little friend about hunting.”

  Strange chirped.

  “You both need to learn about your bond,” said Lenna. Her eyebrows drew closer together. “Maybe I should join you.”

  “Enjoy the academies, we got this.” I waved her away. “We’ll head that way once he gets to level 50.”

  With that, I turned and headed toward the giant archway behind us that opened to what appeared to be a large field. It reminded me of the last dungeon, with the lake, and dodging across the open space.

  Strange followed along behind me, and Dengu stuck near my side.

  “How are you doing?” I asked him.

  “Glad to be back with Lenna and Alpha. It was too long.”

  I nodded, but didn’t respond as a notification popped up.

  [You are entering the adolescent zone. Challenges range from level 15 to level 50.]

  “Here we go.”

  Strange darted through my legs and into the grass, which stood taller than him. He barely made it ripple with his movement.

  My senses picked up a few smaller creatures bunching together to the left. All prey, and all very low level.

  Dengu froze beside me, also glancing in that direction. “We’ll spook it if we get closer.”

  I let out a shallow sigh as I felt Strange approach. Seconds later, a squeal came from the area as the pack split off into different directions, but one remained behind with Strange. A few came our way, yet we ignored them.

  Dengu and I both hurried into the grass that reached my hips.

  In a small area with a large rock and a burrow underneath it, Strange stood on top of a small, bunny-like creature.

  [Tiny Hare, Dead, Level 18, Prey, Tasty.]

  [Strange, Bonded Baby Compy, Level 24, Bonded]

  My stomach rumbled at the same time as Strange’s. Yet, he didn’t move to tear into it.

  Another presence behind me snuffed out.

  “Alpha!” chirped inside my head, and I received the impression he waited for me to take some of it.

  “Eat, Strange. We’ll hunt something a little bigger in a while.” I didn’t know if Dengu and I could hunt something that low level without getting a penalty.

  I turned to check on Dengu, and found him tearing one of the hares in half.

  “Isn’t it too low level for that?” I asked. Yet, at the same time, I remembered the baby dinosaur way back in Sanctuary, and the large Carnitor hunting it down to eat it.

  “Food is food.” He tossed a piece in his mouth before pointing at the rest. “Hungry?”

  “I’ll eat it.”

  We all had a quick lunch, though Strange did not finish his entire hare. I ate one of the back legs, and that was enough to shave off my current hunger. The rest I skinned and put into my inventory for later.

  As I stood up away from the scraps, I left behind a notification.

  [Would you like to journey to the lake or stay in the field?]

  “Did you get a choice?” I asked.

  Strange chirped affirmatively as Dengu nodded.

  “Choices for the path.”

  The lake could be fun, but right now the field worked for Strange. The grass hid him easily, and he was the one who needed to level.

  “Let’s stay here for the moment, see if you can catch another hare or two…”

  Strange nodded.

  I stretched out my senses and easily found another clump of creatures not far away. They were close enough that they should have heard us and fled. As soon as they appeared, Strange took off again, like he could sense what I did as well.

  He padded through the grasses, stretching out what I felt.

  The creatures in front of him were higher level than the tiny hare he’d already taken down.

  Again, with the grass not being high enough there wasn’t really anywhere for Dengu or I to hide.

  Strange darted in then back out again. This time, the creatures didn’t scatter.

  I slowly crept forward, not even pulling out a weapon.

  [Hare, Level 30, Prey Tasty.]

  [Hare, Poisoned, Level 28, Prey, Tasty.]

  Strange hung back in the shadows of the grass as the two hares stayed near the rock.

  The smaller ones all scampered away into grass. The bigger ones stood their ground, but didn’t even glance toward my direction. Their focus stayed on the shadows.

  Strange darted out again, keeping to the shadow of the rock. The level 28 squealed and smashed a paw at him, but he leaped, mouth open, and teeth stretched out. The hare missed, but Strange didn’t. He yanked back, tearing a large wound on the hare’s paw.

  The other one leaped toward the baby compy.

  My spear took it through the head, killing it instantly.

  Strange went on the offensive with his target. It didn’t take long for the poison to provide him with a bigger opening.

  I hung back and skinned the larger hare before tossing it into my inventory. I again ate one of the large back legs.

  Dengu nosed around in the nearby grass before joining me. I held up the other leg, but he shook his head. Into my inventory it went. At least we’d have some food.

  Strange took out his target and tried to bring it closer to me, but couldn’t move the larger creature.

  I picked it up and skinned it after offering some for him.

  Dengu moved closer to Strange.

  “Hunting without a pack is hard. Must be smart about targets.” He nudged the little guy with his snout. “Grow, then hunt with us.”

  Strange nodded frantically.

  Again, another pop-up asked if we wanted to stay in the field, and we stayed. Two more hare takedowns passed with little risk, and then Strange hit level 30.

  He turned to look at me as the notification arrived.

  “Help?”

  Then, suddenly, his stat sheet popped up in front of me with options.