The group made their way back toward the wall, the sound of distant combat and the faint hum of the portal still ever-present in the background. Josh lingered briefly by the cook tent, snatching a hunk of bread and a strip of smoked meat before jogging to catch up. The others were already climbing the ramp up to the palisade, where Ronald stood surveying the clearing below. Caistina was beside him, her hair tied back, the weariness on her face softened by focus as she occasionally loosed a bolt of light into the haze.

  Carcan stepped forward first, giving a polite nod before speaking. “Ronald, we’ve decided. We want to run the dungeon.”

  The old ranger turned, a faint but genuine smile crossing his weathered face. “Good. I was hoping you’d say that. You’ve proven yourselves capable out here, and it’ll be good experience for all of you. Just remember, you can always retreat if things turn south. Don’t let pride get you killed.”

  Before he could say more, two other adventurers approached. Josh recognised them immediately, the leader of the first group they’d linked up with during the camp attack, a tall man with a spear slung across his back, and the leader of the higher-level party, a dark-haired woman in scale mail with a calm, commanding presence.

  “We’re in as well,” the spearman said. “If the dungeon’s spawning this fast, we might as well start clearing it from the source.”

  The woman nodded in agreement. “My group’s ready too. We’ll coordinate with the others if it helps.”

  Ronald’s expression hardened, though there was approval in his eyes. “Good. That makes three parties then.” He motioned for them to gather closer, his tone shifting to that of a commander preparing his troops.

  “The dungeon’s tight,” he began. “Lots of narrow tunnels, a few caverns that’ll let you regroup if you need to. Goblins move in packs and will try to flank you, so shields and tight formations will be key. Orcs are slower, but they hit hard. Trolls, well, don’t even think about taking one on without coordination. Burn them, break them, whatever it takes, but don’t leave them standing.”

  The parties nodded, listening intently as he continued. “Watch for mana fluctuations in the air. If you feel pressure building, like your skin’s crawling or your vision blurs, back out immediately. That’s a sign of a spawn wave coming. You don’t want to be underground when that happens.”

  He paused, scanning their faces. “I’ve marked key waypoints on these maps for you.” he said whilst handing out parchments with quickly drawn maps upon them. “Choose your pace, but stay cautious. And remember, this isn’t about clearing it in one go. It’s about learning it, bleeding off mana, and surviving to go again.”

  Josh exchanged a glance with Brett, who gave a quick nod, excitement flickering in his eyes. The whole group could feel the shift, this wasn’t just clean-up anymore. It was time to go on the attack, and to make a real difference.

  Ronald straightened up, his voice steady but firm. “Gear up, eat, and rest your minds. You’ll be entering in about an hour.”

  All across the makeshift camp, a current of energy ran through the gathered adventurers. The murmur of voices, the clatter of weapons being checked, and the occasional flare of magic filled the air as the three parties began their preparations.

  Support staff moved quickly between the groups, their arms laden with bundles of supplies, potions clinking softly in leather satchels, rolls of bandages, and freshly sharpened weapons gleaming in the morning sun. The smell of oil, metal, and mana-infused herbs mixed with the crisp air, giving the whole scene a feeling of tense readiness.

  Josh stood with his group near their bedrolls, buckling his chest plate into place as a young quartermaster approached, a small crate in her hands. “Gear for party four,” she said briskly, setting it down. “Your names were on the list.”

  Josh crouched beside it and pulled out a set of metal pauldrons, the polished steel catching the light. They weren’t ornate, but they were solid, practical pieces meant to take a hit and keep going. He grinned as he fastened them onto his shoulders, feeling the extra weight settle comfortably. “Perfect fit,” he said, thumping one with satisfaction. “Might actually stop something and save you a job fixing me Carcan!”

  Bheldur rummaged through the rest of the crate until he found a small bundle wrapped in cloth. He unrolled it to reveal a set of throwing axes, their edges freshly honed. The dwarf’s grin was all teeth. “Now that’s what I’m talking about,” he said, giving one an experimental toss into a nearby log. It hit with a solid thunk. “Aye, that’ll do nicely.”

  Nearby, Brett checked his satchel, ensuring his potions were secure and that he had everything he needed. Carcan adjusted the straps of her pack, the faint glimmer of her healing magic spreading across her hands, as she flexed it like a muscle.

  The atmosphere was alive with purpose. Every few moments, someone called out for spare arrows, or a quartermaster passed by with bundles of mana potions, shouting names from a list.

  Josh glanced up toward the wall where Ronald and Caistina still stood, firing occasional bolts of light and arrows into the never ending flood of monsters that appeared below them. The sight steadied him, it was a reminder that even the veterans were putting in the work.

  If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  Turning back to his party, Josh rolled his shoulders and grinned. “Alright. Looks like we’re as ready as we’ll ever be.”

  Bheldur nodded, slipping his axes into their loops and typing the throwing axes across his chest, resting in their bandolier. “Then let’s make sure all this prep’s worth it.”

  Brett chuckled. “Just try not to break anything expensive before we even get in there.”

  The group climbed the hill toward Ronald and Caistina, the late morning light catching on their armour as they crested the rise. Along the wall below, the lower-level trainees were already in position, ready to relieve their mentors. Josh knew Ronald had organised a watch rotation, ensuring every party left outside the dungeon would take their turn cutting down whatever beasts dared to emerge, earning them the much needed experience to hopefully allow them to take on the dungeon, aiding in its stabilisation.

  Once atop the wall, Ronald simply nodded at them before proceeding to jog down the slip, the party following him down. They approached the portal alongside Ronald, the faint hum of gathered mana prickling against their skin. Up close, the pond shimmered like living glass. The surface rippled gently, reflecting the morning light in shades of violet and indigo. Tiny flecks of gold and black danced across it, like starlight caught beneath the surface, glinting in rhythm with the portal’s pulse. Each ripple carried faint sparks of energy that shimmered, then vanished as if swallowed by the water’s depth.

  Ronald stood just behind them, his tone calm but firm as he offered his final bit of advice. “The transfer will feel strange,” he warned, eyeing them one by one. “Your body will think it’s falling, your stomach will twist, and some of you might even throw up. Don’t fight it and it’ll pass after a moment.” He turned to look at Brett. “You… will definitely throw up.” Resulting in Josh letting out a booming laugh.

  Around them, other adventurers watched on. Some stood ready for their own runs, weapons polished and faces set with determination, while others lingered to offer nods and murmured wishes of good luck. The air buzzed with tension and excitement.

  Caistina stepped forward, having followed behind them, her usual calm expression softened by a hint of warmth. “May the light guide your steps,” she said, voice low but steady.

  Josh met Brett’s eyes and gave a nervous grin. “Here goes nothing,” he muttered.

  Together, the five reached out and pressed their hands against the surface. The pond rippled violently beneath their touch, light and colour swirling outward in expanding rings. The moment their fingers sank into the portal’s surface, the world came undone. In a rush of sensation that pulled the air from their lungs, the world dissolved into violet light.

  It felt like being pulled through a narrow tunnel made of light, except there was no real sense of movement. Their bodies twisted and stretched in ways that made no sense, every direction collapsing in on itself. Up and down lost meaning. Josh felt his stomach lurch as though gravity itself had turned inside out, his limbs weightless and heavy all at once. There was pressure without touch, motion without distance, and for a few disorienting heartbeats, he couldn’t tell if he was falling, flying, or standing still.

  Then, as suddenly as it began, it ended.

  The five of them were spat out onto solid ground, knees buckling as the world snapped back into focus. The air was damp and still, the faint scent of moss and stone filling Josh’s lungs. His head spun. He groaned, swaying unsteadily. “Oh… that’s—yeah. That’s not fun,” he muttered, clutching his stomach. “Why did I have that second breakfast?”

  Brett didn’t answer at first. He was pale as chalk, staring wide-eyed at the ground like it had personally betrayed him. “I think my insides just swapped places with my outsides,” he managed to croak out between dry heaves.

  Josh let out a weak laugh, half sympathy, half nausea.

  Carcan and Perberos seemed mostly unfazed, and smirking between them. Carcan rolling her shoulders, checking her staff, while the brother gave an unimpressed snort as if to say that’s all?

  Bhel, however, wasn’t faring so well. The dwarf was doubled over, one hand braced on his knee, dry-heaving but managing to avoid actually throwing up.

  “You alright there, Bhel?” Josh asked, voice still a bit shaky.

  Bhel lifted a hand weakly. “I’m fine… just need to… swear at reality for a minute.”

  Perberos chuckled, slinging his bow over his shoulder. “Welcome to dungeon diving, everyone. The first trip’s always the roughest apparently. Dad brought us into a dungeon before we left, just to get us used to the sensation.”

  Brett groaned, straightening slowly. “Next time, I’m bringing a bucket, just incase.”

  Josh smirked, still queasy but grateful for the humour. “Let’s just hope we don’t need it during the fight.”

  Bhel managed a strained grin. “Aye. Though if I do, I’ll make sure to aim for the monsters.”

  That broke the tension. Even Brett laughed weakly as they took a collective breath, straightened up, and began to look around at where they’d landed.

  Perberos sniffed the air, as he padded forward a few steps, ears twitching toward the faint echoes deeper in the cavern. “I’ll take point,” he said in his low, rumbling voice. “If anything’s close, I’ll know before it does.”

  Josh nodded, grateful for the elf’s composure. “Alright. We’ll follow your lead.”

  The humour and queasiness of moments before faded fast. Instinct and training kicked in, and the party shifted smoothly into formation. Perberos moved ahead, light on his feet, his golden eyes glinting faintly in the dim, blue-tinged light of the dungeon. Josh followed close behind, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, ready to step in front of the others at the first sign of trouble.

  Brett and Carcan kept a few paces behind him, Brett murmuring softly to test his mana flow, faint embers flickering between his fingers, while Carcan’s eyes scanned every shadow, mentally preparing for the fights to come.

  Bhel brought up the rear, his heavy boots scraping quietly against the stone floor. His axe hung loose at his side, but his gaze flicked between the tunnel behind and the walls around them, guarding the party’s back as they advanced.

  The faint sound of dripping water echoed through the cavern, each drop magnified by the stillness. The dungeon air was thick with mana, faintly humming against their skin, the walls slick and dark with veins of faintly glowing crystal.

  Josh took a steadying breath. The nausea was gone now, replaced by that mix of nerves and excitement that always came before a fight. “Let’s see what’s waiting for us,” he said quietly, eyes fixed on the flickering light ahead as they moved deeper into the dungeon.