Two days after the goblin fight, they were back at the Guild quest board, carefully selecting safe F-rank work. Herb gathering. A message delivery. Nothing that involved leaving the well-traveled roads.

  “Playing it cautious?” a familiar voice asked.

  Elias turned to find Mira—the fire mage who’d helped them on their first day—standing behind them with an amused expression. She looked the same as he remembered: red hair in a practical ponytail, simple leather armor, the confident bearing of someone who’d survived more than a few dangerous situations.

  “Mira!” Tom said brightly. “We haven’t seen you in a while.”

  “I’ve been busy. Cleared a D-rank dungeon last week, took on some escort work.” She studied them with assessing eyes. “You three look different. More… weathered.”

  “We fought goblins,” Keya said simply.

  “And survived, apparently. Impressive for F-ranks.” Mira’s expression turned more serious. “Actually, that’s why I’m here. I have a proposition for you.”

  “We’re listening,” Elias said.

  Mira gestured toward a quieter corner of the Guild hall. They followed, curious and a bit nervous. Propositions from experienced adventurers usually meant one of two things: opportunity or trouble. Sometimes both.

  “I’m putting together a party for Whispering Hollow,” Mira said once they were settled. “It’s a D-rank dungeon about three miles east of the city. Stable, well-documented, good for training. I need three more party members.”

  “We’re F-rank,” Tom pointed out. “D-rank dungeons are above our level.”

  “Normally, yes. But Guild regulations allow F-ranks to enter D-rank dungeons if there’s an E-rank or higher party leader.” Mira smiled. “I’m Level 10. E-rank, certified dungeon leader. With me commanding, you’re legal.”

  “What’s the pay?” Keya asked, ever practical.

  “Standard D-rank dungeon split. Five silver base payment from the Guild for successful clear, plus whatever loot we find. Split four ways, that’s one silver twenty-five copper each, minimum. If we find good loot, could be double that.”

  Elias felt his heart rate pick up. One silver twenty-five copper was more than they’d made from any quest so far. But a dungeon…

  “What’s in Whispering Hollow?” he asked.

  “Three floors. Slimes and giant rats on the first floor, undead skeletons on the second, boss on the third—a Skeleton Champion, Level 8. The dungeon’s been cleared hundreds of times. Routes are mapped, spawns are predictable. As D-rank dungeons go, it’s as safe as they come.”

  “Safe is relative when you’re talking about dungeons,” Keya said.

  “True. But you fought goblins on the open road and won. A controlled dungeon environment with a experienced leader is actually safer.” Mira leaned forward. “Look, I’m not going to lie to you. It’ll be dangerous. You could get hurt. But you’ll gain more experience in one dungeon run than you would from a month of F-rank quests. And the pay is good.”

  “When?” Tom asked.

  “Two days from now. That gives you time to prepare, research the dungeon, get your equipment in order. I’ve already got supplies lined up.”

  They looked at each other. The same silent communication they’d been developing over weeks of working together.

  “Can we discuss it?” Elias asked.

  “Of course. But I need an answer by tonight. I’ve got other F-ranks interested if you pass.” Mira stood. “Think about it. This is a good opportunity. Don’t let fear make you turn it down.”

  She walked away, leaving them in their corner with a decision to make.

  “Absolutely not,” Keya said immediately. “We just barely survived goblins. A dungeon is too much too soon.”

  “But the pay,” Tom countered. “And she’s right—we’d learn more in one run than weeks of gathering herbs.”

  “We’d also die more permanently in one run,” Keya shot back.

  “We don’t know that,” Elias said slowly. “Mira wouldn’t offer if she thought we’d die. She needs a party that’ll survive, not corpses weighing her down.”

  “You want to do this,” Keya said, reading his expression.

  “I think… I think we should at least research it. Find out what we’d be facing. Then decide.”

  Keya pulled out her notebook with a sigh. “Fine. Research first, decision after. But I reserve the right to say no.”

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  “Deal.”

  They were heading toward the Guild’s library when a gruff voice stopped them.

  “Ye lot going to Whispering Hollow?”

  They turned to find a dwarf standing behind them—and there was no mistaking what he was. About four and a half feet tall, incredibly broad across the shoulders, with a magnificent auburn beard braided with iron rings. He wore well-maintained plate armor and had a warhammer strapped to his back that looked like it weighed more than Tom.

  “We’re… considering it,” Elias said carefully.

  The dwarf’s brown eyes studied them with the same assessing look Mira had used, but more intense. Like he was measuring them for coffins or combat, not quite decided which.

  “Ye fought the goblins on the Riverside road,” he said. It wasn’t a question.

  “How did you—”

  “Word travels. Four goblins, three F-rank adventurers, no fatalities. Good tactics, smart retreat for the wounded.” He nodded approvingly. “Could’ve gone badly, but didn’t. That’s skill and luck combined.”

  “Who are you?” Keya asked, her hand drifting toward her sword hilt.

  “Garth Ironforge. Clan Ironforge, Line Stoneborn.” He said it like it should mean something. “Level 35 Warrior, Level 28 Blacksmith. Been adventuring longer than ye’ve been alive, lass.”

  Tom’s eyes widened. “Level 35?”

  “Aye. Not the highest in the Guild, but respectable enough.” Garth crossed his arms. “Heard Mira recruiting ye for Whispering Hollow. She’s a good mage, solid tactician. Bit impulsive, but her heart’s in the right place.”

  “Are you warning us away?” Elias asked.

  “Opposite. Ye handled goblins, ye can handle Whispering Hollow with proper preparation.” Garth’s expression softened slightly. “But only if ye prepare proper. Research the dungeon. Know what ye’re fighting. Plan yer tactics. Don’t go in cocky just because ye survived one fight.”

  “We were planning to research,” Keya said.

  “Good. Library’s that way.” He pointed with one thick finger. “Dungeon records section, third shelf, look for ‘Whispering Hollow: A Comprehensive Guide’ by Master Scholar Therin. Read it. All of it. Know yer enemy before ye face it.”

  “Thank you,” Elias said, surprised by the help.

  Garth grunted. “Don’t thank me yet. Thank me if ye come back alive.” He started to walk away, then paused. “And for what it’s worth? Ye’ve got good instincts. All three of ye. Saw ye checking exits when ye came in, saw ye position yourselves so ye could see the whole room. That’s smart. Keep being smart.”

  “Wait,” Tom called. “Why are you helping us?”

  Garth looked back, something almost sad in his eyes. “Because I’ve seen too many young adventurers die from lack of guidance. Ye remind me of…” He shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. Just… be careful. Smart ones live longer.”

  He walked away, his heavy boots thudding on the stone floor, leaving them staring after him.

  “That was weird,” Tom said.

  “That was helpful,” Keya corrected. She was already writing in her notebook. “Garth Ironforge. Level 35 Warrior, 28 Blacksmith. Clan Ironforge—that’s one of the big dwarf clans from the mountain kingdoms. If he’s giving us advice, we should take it.”

  “He seemed sad,” Elias observed.

  “A lot of high-level adventurers are,” a voice said.

  They turned to find Mira had returned, carrying books. “Garth’s good people. Lost his party about five years ago—dragon attack. He was the only survivor. Been a bit of a loner since, but he still helps new adventurers when he can.”

  “That’s awful,” Tom said quietly.

  “That’s adventuring,” Mira said, not unkindly. “The longer you do it, the more you lose. People retire or die. That’s why parties matter. Why you build bonds.” She held out the books. “But that’s dark talk for another day. Here—found the guides I was looking for. If you’re serious about Whispering Hollow, start with these.”

  Elias took the books. “Whispering Hollow: A Comprehensive Guide” by Master Scholar Therin, just like Garth had mentioned. And “Dungeon Tactics for Beginners” by Guild Master Thorin.

  “Read, prepare, decide,” Mira said. “I’ll be at The Silver Stag tonight if you want to discuss. But like I said, I need an answer by tonight.”

  She left them with the books and their thoughts.

  The Guild library was quieter than the main hall, with rows of shelves holding everything from monster compendiums to magical theory to adventurer memoirs. They claimed a table in the corner and dove into the research.

  “Whispering Hollow,” Keya read aloud, “established approximately fifty years ago at the site of an old burial ground. Classified as a natural dungeon—formed by ambient mana accumulation rather than artificial construction.”

  “What’s the difference?” Tom asked.

  “Natural dungeons are more stable. Predictable spawn patterns, consistent layouts. Artificial dungeons—the ones made by mages or ancient civilizations—can have traps and surprises.” Keya flipped pages. “Three floors confirmed. Average clear time for experienced parties: six to eight hours.”

  “That’s a long time in a dungeon,” Elias said.

  “There are safe rooms on each floor. Places where monsters don’t spawn, where you can rest.” Keya showed them a crude map in the book. “Floor one has a safe room here, about halfway through. Floor two has one near the stairs down. Floor three—the boss floor—doesn’t have one.”

  Elias studied the monster descriptions. Slimes, Level 3-5. Giant rats, Level 4-6. Undead skeletons, Level 5-7. And the boss—Skeleton Champion, Level 8.

  “We fought Level 3-5 goblins,” he said slowly. “We can handle Level 3-5 slimes and Level 4-6 rats. The skeletons will be harder, but with Mira’s fire magic…”

  “Undead are weak to fire,” Keya confirmed. “And to blunt damage. My hammer would work better than my sword.”

  “I could get behind the skeletons,” Tom added, reading over her shoulder. “They’re slow, rigid. [Backstab] should work well.”

  They were talking themselves into it, Elias realized. Finding reasons why it could work instead of reasons why it couldn’t.

  “Loot potential?” he asked.

  Keya flipped to the section on dungeon rewards. “Common loot: Slime cores for alchemy, rat pelts, bone fragments. Uncommon loot: Minor magical items, better weapons and armor. Rare loot from boss: Possible enchanted equipment, skill books, larger monetary rewards.”

  “We need better equipment,” Tom said. “My daggers barely scratched those goblins.”

  “And we need experience,” Elias added. “Real experience. The kind that levels us up.”

  They looked at Keya. She was the cautious one, the planner. If she said no, they’d respect it.

  She stared at the books for a long moment, then sighed. “We prepare for two full days. We read everything about this dungeon. We practice our tactics. We buy supplies. And if—if—we feel ready after all that, we say yes to Mira.”

  “Deal,” Elias and Tom said together.

  Keya shook her head, but she was smiling slightly. “We’re either very brave or very stupid.”

  “Can’t it be both?” Tom asked.

  “Frequently is,” Keya admitted.

  They spent the rest of the afternoon in the library, reading everything they could find about Whispering Hollow. Combat tactics for fighting slimes (blunt weapons or magic, slashing doesn’t work). How to fight undead (target joints, decapitation works best). Boss mechanics (the Skeleton Champion had a whirlwind attack that needed to be dodged, could regenerate unless its skull was destroyed).

  By the time the library closed, Elias’s head was swimming with information.

  “We have two days,” Keya said, making lists in her notebook. “Tomorrow we shop for supplies. Day after tomorrow, we practice tactics. Then we decide for real.”

  “And tonight?” Tom asked.

  “Tonight we tell Mira we’re interested. Provisionally. Pending preparation.”

  They found Mira at The Silver Stag, a mid-tier tavern that adventurers frequented. She was sitting with two other people—both looked to be E-rank from their gear.

  “Well?” she asked as they approached.

  “We’re interested,” Elias said. “We want to prepare for two days first. If we feel ready after that, we’re in.”

  Mira studied their faces, then nodded. “Smart. I expected nothing less after talking to Garth. He has good instincts about people.” She gestured to the empty seats. “Sit. Let’s discuss what you’ll need.”

  They sat, and for the next hour, Mira walked them through dungeon basics. Supplies to bring. Tactics to practice. What to expect on each floor. She was thorough, professional, and surprisingly patient with their questions.

  “You’re really good at teaching,” Tom observed.

  Mira smiled. “I was F-rank once too. Someone helped me. I’m paying it forward.”

  By the time they left the tavern, Elias felt simultaneously more confident and more nervous. This was real. They were actually considering a dungeon.

  Walking back to Ma Becker’s through the lamplit streets, Tom voiced what they were all thinking.

  “This is crazy, right? We’re barely three weeks into being adventurers and we’re talking about dungeon diving.”

  “It’s fast,” Keya agreed. “Maybe too fast.”

  “Or maybe it’s exactly the right speed,” Elias said. “We can’t stay F-rank forever. Can’t just gather herbs and hope to level up. At some point, we have to take risks.”

  “Smart risks,” Keya emphasized.

  “Smart risks,” Elias agreed. “Which is why we’re taking two days to prepare instead of rushing in tomorrow.”

  They walked in silence for a moment, then Tom laughed.

  “What?” Elias asked.

  “Remember three weeks ago? When we were all too nervous to take our first herb gathering quest? Now we’re planning a dungeon run.”

  “We’ve grown,” Keya said simply.

  “Or gotten reckless,” Tom countered.

  “Both,” Elias said. “Definitely both.”

  They reached Ma Becker’s and climbed the stairs to their room. Tomorrow they’d shop for supplies. The day after, they’d practice. And then…

  Then they’d find out if they were really ready to be adventurers.

  Or if they were just three kids playing at something beyond their level.

  Elias had a feeling they were about to find out which.