Ronald’s tone carried clearly over the crowd, calm but heavy with the weight of what he’d seen.

  “I ran the dungeon three times last night,” he began. “The first time, I took it slow. Mapped out every turn and chamber, marked where monsters spawned and how they moved. The second was to confirm the layout. The third was just to see if anything would change between runs.” He paused, expression darkening. “It didn’t. The dungeon’s stable inside, but it’s going to be a tough one.”

  A murmur spread through the gathered trainees, quickly silenced when Ronald raised a hand.

  “It’s cave-based,” he continued. “Tight spaces, winding tunnels, and plenty of choke points. That’s good news for defenders, bad news for anyone who panics or breaks formation though.”

  Josh exchanged a glance with Brett. Cave dungeons meant low light and limited movement, not exactly ideal for ranged fighters or mages.

  Ronald went on, voice steady. “The bulk of the enemies are goblins. You’ll see plenty between levels one and six, and they tend to swarm in large packs of fifteen or twenty but sometimes more. They’re not dangerous on their own, but if they surround you, they’ll tear you apart. As you already know.

  Someone in the back cursed under their breath.

  “There are orcs, too,” Ronald said. “Levels four to eight, scattered in small groups. Strong, slow, and mean. They hit hard, and they’re clever enough to wait until you’re bogged down before joining the fight. And then there are the trolls, levels eight and nine. You’ll know them by the smell before you see them. Big, fast, and they regenerate. Fire or light magic will help keep them down.”

  He hesitated, scanning the crowd before his gaze settled somewhere distant, remembering. “And then there’s the boss.”

  The silence deepened.

  “It’s a goblin warboss. Level ten,” he said, the words carrying the weight of experience. “Bigger than any goblin I’ve ever seen, easily over seven feet tall, built like a small ogre. Its skin’s a dark, ashen green, and it wears a patchwork of stolen armour—bits of steel, chain, and leather all hammered together into something that shouldn’t hold, but somehow does. It wields a jagged greataxe, black iron with notches and rusted edges, and it hits with enough force to split a man’s shield clean in half.”

  Brett muttered quietly to Josh, “So… a big goblin that can crush a man with one swing. Great.”

  Ronald continued, unfazed. “It also fights with a kind of fury, its attacks become faster and stronger when it’s injured. I’d guess it has some kind of berserk ability that triggers below half health. When it activates, its eyes glow red, and it starts attacking in wild, heavy arcs, uncaring of defence.”

  He looked out over the crowd again. “If we go in unprepared, it’ll cut us down. But if we plan it right, if you stay disciplined and work together, it can be beaten.”

  Josh felt a chill run through him despite the morning warmth. The idea of facing something like that made his pulse quicken, part fear and part excitement.

  Bhel leaned closer and whispered, “So, anyone still hungry for seconds?”

  Josh snorted softly. “Not anymore.”

  Ronald took a long breath before speaking again, his tone softening but his eyes still sharp as they swept across the gathered trainees.

  “I’ll be running the dungeon again tonight,” he said. “And likely the next few days as well. The more we clear it out, the more mana we bleed from it. Every run weakens its hold on this place, slows the growth of the portal. So even if you don’t make it far, every fight inside helps.”

  He paused, glancing toward the groups closest to him. “Now, I don’t expect most of you to run it. It’s dangerous, more so than what we’ve faced so far. But it would be good experience for those who are ready. Real combat, tight quarters, unpredictable enemies. You’ll learn faster in there than you ever will sparring in a courtyard or stabbing the beasts coming out.”

  Zolma’s group, standing off to one side, exchanged uneasy glances. Ronald’s gaze lingered on them for a moment, then shifted to the fourth trainee party, the younger group that Josh’s team had helped in the camp.

  “As for you two groups,” he said, voice firm but not unkind, “you’re not ready. Your levels are too low, and you don’t have the gear or the coordination for what’s inside. I know that’s not what you want to hear, but it’s the truth. I won’t send you in there to die. Stay outside, keep the walls clear, and support the others when they return. That’ll be your part in this.”

  Zolma nodded slowly, jaw tight. The loss of Koz’ru still weighed heavy on her, and there was relief in her eyes even as pride flickered behind it.

  Ronald turned his attention to the remaining parties, his expression softening slightly. “The rest of you... you’ll likely struggle. There’s no shame in that. But if you work as a party, use the terrain, and think before you act, you can probably get through it. The tunnels can be used to your advantage, hold the choke points, don’t let yourself get surrounded, and keep your healers and mages protected.”

  He folded his arms. “If you find yourself up against a troll or an orc group, fall back and regroup. Don’t get baited into overextending. Every fight in there is about control. You lose formation, you lose lives.”

  Josh glanced around at the other teams, their faces a mix of fear, anticipation, and stubborn determination. Beside him, Brett adjusted his staff nervously while Bhel let out a low grunt, already looking like he was ready to go back in.

  Ronald gave a final nod. “You’re here to learn, and there’s no better teacher than a dungeon. Just remember, go in smart, go slow, don’t let your pride get the better of you, and most importantly, come out alive.”

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  Ronald took a moment to let his last words settle before continuing, his tone shifting from stern instruction to something more thoughtful.

  “There’s something else,” he said, resting his hands on the railing before him. “I’ve confirmed this dungeon isn’t a single-entry type, it’s an instance.”

  A murmur ran through the gathered trainees. Josh straightened a little, exchanging a glance with Brett. Ronald nodded, clearly expecting the reaction.

  “That means multiple groups can enter at once,” he explained. “Each party will face their own version of the dungeon, same layout, same monsters, same dangers but you won’t have to wait for another group to finish their run. That gives us flexibility. We can keep the pressure on it from several sides at once. It’s actually a really good find for the kingdom and the guild.”

  He turned his gaze toward the younger, lower-level groups near the back, the ones he’d told to stay out earlier. “But we’ll still need people here on the outside. The dungeon’s still leaking mana, and that portal’s spitting out monsters at a steady rate. I need you to keep killing whatever comes out, every goblin, every orc. Think of it as your warm-up. Every monster you take down will give you experience and make you stronger. Once you’ve closed the gap, then you’ll have your turn to go inside.”

  The younger trainees looked uneasy, but there was a flicker of hope in their faces now, something to work toward.

  Ronald gave a small, approving nod before continuing. “One more thing. I’ve tested the boundary myself, you can exit the dungeon without killing the boss. Just walk back through the entrance, and it’ll let you out. That means retreat is an option.” His voice grew heavier, more serious. “If you’re overwhelmed, don’t die trying to prove something. Fall back, regroup, and go again when you’re ready. Survival comes first. There’s no glory in a wasted death.”

  The camp fell silent for a moment, the only sounds being the crackle of fires and the distant clash of Caistina’s magic striking something beyond the wall.

  Josh looked to his companions, a quiet resolve settling in among them. They’d survived the battle outside, now it sounded like the real test was about to begin.

  Josh’s gaze drifted toward the wall, where Caistina still stood. Her posture was as sharp as ever, but even from here, he could see the strain in her shoulders and the faint sluggishness in her movements. She wasn’t firing off spells nearly as quickly as she had the night before. Every few moments, a flash of light arced from her staff, cutting down a goblin or orc that managed to stumble from the dungeon mouth but there were long pauses between each strike.

  The dark circles beneath her eyes told their own story. She’d been up all night, holding that wall.

  Ronald followed Josh’s line of sight and gave a small nod, his tone softening slightly. “Caistina’s had a long night,” he said. “The flow of monsters hasn’t stopped, but it’s steadier now than it was when I went in. My three runs through the dungeon have drawn off a bit of mana from the source. It’s not enough to slow it much, but it’s kept things from getting worse.”

  He took a slow breath, scanning the faces before him. “That means we’ve bought a little time but not much. The dungeon’s not got worse… but it’s not got any better either. We need to start depleting that mana.”

  Josh could see a faint flicker of relief in Caistina’s expression as Ronald spoke, though she didn’t stop her work. Every time her staff flared, another monster fell. Josh exchanged a look with Brett, both silently acknowledging the same thing, Caistina had carried them through the night, and now it was their turn to carry some of the weight.

  Ronald gave a short nod to the gathered groups, his voice carrying easily across the camp. “Alright, everyone. If you haven’t eaten yet, go get breakfast and take a bit of time to talk things through with your parties. I’ll be up on the wall with Caistina for the next while, but I want to know your plans before midday. Once I’ve got that, I’ll start sorting the guard rotations.”

  He paused, glancing toward the cook tent where thin trails of steam still curled into the morning air. “We’ve all earned a meal that isn’t rushed for once. Use it. Eat, rest, and think. Decide if you’re running the dungeon or holding the line.”

  His tone softened slightly as he looked back over the group. “We’re not just fighting monsters here, we’re buying time for everyone else outside this valley. Every hour we hold, every bit of mana we bleed off, makes a difference. So be smart about it.”

  With that, he turned and started back toward the wall, climbing the steps with steady, unhurried movements. Caistina barely looked his way when he reached her, but a small nod passed between them before she returned to watching the shimmering portal below.

  Josh exhaled slowly, then turned to the others. “Well,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck, “I guess that’s our cue.”

  Josh gave a small grin. “Second breakfast first. Plans later. I think better on a full stomach.”

  Even Bheldur chuckled at that, clapping the warrior on the shoulder. “Aye, and fight better too, I hope.”

  As they began to drift toward the cook tent, the camp buzzed with low conversation, different parties huddling together, weighing the risk and reward of the day ahead. The air still felt heavy, but for the first time since dawn, there was a sense of order forming amid the tension.

  The group found their way back to the spot where they’d slept, the grass still flattened from where their bedrolls had been. The morning sun had warmed the air, and the smell of breakfast still lingered faintly from the cook tent, but none of them seemed particularly hungry anymore. They gathered in a loose circle, sitting or crouching, their weapons and gear within easy reach.

  Josh broke the silence first. “I don’t think we need to dance around it,” he said, glancing between them. “We’re going in, right?”

  Brett grinned, his eyes lighting up. “Was there ever any doubt?”

  Bheldur gave a low chuckle. “None at all. After the fight last yesterday, I’m not about to sit on the side-lines while there’s glory to earn.”

  Carcan nodded, though her tone was more measured. “Then we’ll need to be smart about it. Ronald said the tunnels are narrow and winding. That means ambushes and nowhere to run if things go wrong.”

  Josh shifted slightly, his hand brushing against the edge of his shield. “Yeah, but it also means I can control the fights better. If I take the front and use Shield Wall to hold the chokepoints, we can funnel them into tighter groups. Makes spells easier to land,” he said, nodding toward Brett. “And keeps them off your back.”

  Brett leaned forward, thoughtful now. “That’ll help a lot. Flame Chain might be safer than Fireball down there though. It bounces between enemies instead of exploding. Less chance of turning you into charcoal again.”

  Josh smirked. “Appreciated.”

  “Still,” Brett went on, “Fireball’s got range, and if we end up in one of those big caverns like we found in the drake cave, it could clear a crowd fast. I’ll just have to aim carefully.”

  Perberos tilted his head, scratching at his chin. “And I’ll hang back a bit more this time. The range on my Dead Eye should let me pick off stragglers before they get away or get around us.”

  Carcan smiled faintly. “Hopefully I’ll be thoroughly bored throughout this whole process.” Wistfully hoping no one got hurt if they did this.

  Josh looked around the small circle, a quiet sense of pride swelling in his chest. They’d come a long way from the nervous adventurers who’d first set foot in this valley. Now, they looked like a proper team.

  “Alright,” he said, pushing himself up. “Then it’s decided. We’re running the dungeon.”

  The others nodded, and for a moment, there was a stillness between them, equal parts anticipation and resolve. The calm before the storm.