"This is sooo annoying. Why is the line so long?" Blue kept complaining while they were waiting to go to the next room.

  Hera and her friends had decided to go to the Carpon Caverns early the next day. Sadly, due to the high influx of miners, they were already waiting in line to cross over for 15 minutes. Blue wasn't the only one who was restless. Alex, Hera, and even Runir were trying to distract themselves somehow.

  "Why are people not moving?" the Controller jumped to see what was going on at the doorway.

  "Blue, we are all bored here. You complaining will only make it worse for other people." Alex raised her eyes from the tablet.

  "I know, but still."

  "Make yourself busy, practice spells, or help us look for information about the Caverns," Runir said.

  The way he spoke made it clear he was already comfortable with the Controller.

  "I don't have enough mana to keep practicing, and research is even more boring than waiting here," Blue complained.

  "I think I can hear Bonnie screaming right now." Hera chuckled, "Watch a video or something. Treat this like the commute to go to the Guild."

  Hera went back to her tablet. She had already seen the area and focused on trying to get more information about it. According to the Guild website, the Carpon Caverns was several times smaller than Brinefront.

  It would take only 18 hours to walk from one edge of the room to the other. At least on a straight line. Considering that it would take weeks for someone to do the same in Brinefront, the difference was massive.

  However, since it was a place made of several tunnels that could go both up and down, it wasn't impossible to get lost for several days in there. Their first stop should be the Guild itself. There they would get a map. No one was too interested in moving around a cave network without one.

  Spread around the room, there were several mines. Most of them were close to both the city and the entrance, but some were hidden away in the edges of the room. Each one of those mines was considered a pseudo dungeon.

  Every week, a reset that respawned the minerals inside it would affect them. However, the number of minerals would vary from week to week. People who mined in there could also receive extra rewards. Breaking an iron vein could create some rare mineral, almost like killing a monster inside a dungeon. But since there was no entrance or quest, they were not considered actual dungeons.

  Places like that existed around the MAZE. Areas that were rich in natural resources and could constantly replenish any missing pieces. Hera had found information about forests, orchards, monster territory, even oil or natural gas deposits that behaved as such. It was a truly renewable source of resources. As if the MAZE needed any more of those.

  After all, Dungeons were the same, and there were only three of them inside the Carpon Caverns.

  The Underground Forest, a place with several fungi, inhabited by fireflies and golems. It was a standard dungeon where the goal was to kill a boss monster. The Secret Tunnel was an escape from the labyrinth situation. Every party that entered it would appear in a random place inside that network of tunnels had to find the exit to complete the mission.There was a warning on that dungeon letting people know to prepare supplies for 3 to 5 days while attempting the dungeon.

  The last one was called The Flood. It was a dungeon that would lead to the exit of the caverns. The quest was about stopping the flow of water that threatened to flood the entire network.

  Hera skimmed through the basic information of each, since they were not the focus today. First, the group wanted to hunt monsters around the caverns to make sure they were up to the task.

  There were three types of creatures that they could find. Giant moles that could go from the size of an alligator to the size of a small car. There was also a blind variant that was considered stronger, but they were easily identified. If a mole had a star-shaped nose, it would be the blind variant.

  The smaller bats could be the size of an adult Dalmatian, while the giant version could reach 2 meters tall. Hera pictured a bat bigger than her flying in her direction, which was a terrifying notion.

  The last type of creature was called 'Digger Elephant.' However, unlike the other monsters she had seen, they would be the size of a horse. To Hera, it was the first instance of finding a creature smaller than its regular version inside the MAZE. She really wanted to see them, but apparently, they had small numbers and kept roaming around the room. It was likely that her fight would be against the moles or the bats.

  The group discussed the information they got trying to take advantage of their time until it finally their turn to pass through the doorway.

  "See you on the other side," Blue said.

  The warm glow covered them, and the smell of the sea was replaced by the scent of still air and dirt.

  "Oh, wow, that's awful," Alex complained.

  "I don't know. It kind of reminds me of my home," Runir took a deep breath.

  "I'm so, so sorry," Blue replied.

  "Don't be rude. Anyway, where is your friend?" Hera asked as they left the doorway.

  The noise here echoed through the cave. Several men and women were carrying large pickaxes and wheelbarrows, going towards the mines. The reset had just happened, and people were frantic to take the best spots.

  Apparently, one of the rarest drops in the mines was a mana crystal. A mana stone that could recharge by itself.

  "He'll meet us at the Guild. And before we get there," Runir made a motion for the group to stay by the side of the open cave, "Look, his name is Thomas, and he is... A lot. But he is a good guy, even though he is a bit weird. We met in high school, and he was one year ahead of me, but we still got close. Some things happened, and I trust him with my life. But... well, it's hard to describe. If you guys think he is too much, we can part ways at any moment. No hard feelings, but I'm staying with him."

  "Is he gonna keep hitting on us? Or be violent in some way?" Alex asked.

  "What? No, of course not! He is a good guy. He's just... really into knights," Runir tried to explain.

  "Why is that a problem?" Hera stared at him with a puzzled expression.

  "Yeah, knights are cool. Cyrus was a knight," Blue chimed in.

  "Just... keep an open mind," Runir sighed.

  "Don't worry. Even if we end up splitting up, everything will be fine. We might even meet Leo, the owner of the frog you healed," Hera said, trying to reassure the healer.

  "Not really. He texted me a few days ago. The room where he is staying is not this one. It's still on the third layer, but kind of... to the side. We can get there, but it would take a couple of days of moving through doorways," Blue replied.

  "Still, it will be fine," Hera said.

  "Yeah, don't worry. Everything works out in the end," Alex nodded.

  With that out of the way, the group headed to the Guild. The first thing they wanted was a map of the area, then the compendium for the monsters. When Hera went after the pangolins, she forgot to get the information for them. Facing monsters without any intel wasn't something she was keen on doing again. They bought the map, but before getting the compendium, a voice rang behind the group.

  "Runir!"

  Hera turned around and saw Runir walking towards a man in heavy armor with open arms, "Thomas. How have you been, man?"

  "Very well, very well. Even better now that I once again am reunited with my brother in arms," the man replied with a smile.

  Runir let go of the hug and turned towards the rest of the group, "Now, Thomas. These are Alex, Blue, and Hera. This is Thomas."

  The man bowed to the three women, "It's a pleasure to meet you, my Ladies. You have my utmost gratitude for all the aid that was provided to my noble squire."

  "Hey! Since when I'm your squire?" Runir shoved Thomas to the side, laughing.

  Thomas was a tall man with dark hair that curled at the tips. Very well kept eyebrows that went well with his dark brown eyes and a chiseled jawline. He was wearing a bronze breastplate with golden engravings that tried to form a shield, but there was nothing inside. His pants were of a similar make, giving him the vibe of an old knight. There was a beautifully made silver rapier with a pair of lions chasing each other around the guard at his waist. Just like the rest of his armor, all the details and decorations were golden.

  "Hi, nice to meet ya," Blue put out her hand.

  "It's my pleasure," Thomas shook her hand, "I shall say, that is a mighty grip. Your enemies will crumble in your grasp."

  "Thanks... I guess," Blue said, unsure if that was a compliment.

  "Not a worry, I would be most grateful if we could have a friendly duel in the future. Nothing is better to know the strength of those by your side than a friendly spar," Thomas turned to Hera, "Especially with you, my Lady. The incredible warrior who bested the fearsome Wendigo."

  "It was mostly luck and bad decisions," Hera replied. The way Thomas spoke was putting her off.

  Seeing the reaction of the women, Runir stepped in, "So, let's go fight some things?"

  Hera snapped out of her daze, "Oh yeah, let me just get the compendium."

  "No need, my Lady. I bestow upon you the knowledge gathered by yours truly," Thomas picked up his tablet and shared the compendium information about the monsters with the group.

  "Are you sure? I mean, those are expensive," Alex said.

  "But of course. You are all Runir's retainers. I must reward you for your service," Thomas waved them off while pointing his nose up.

  "Dude, stop that. No one is my retainer," Runir complained.

  "What's a retainer?" Blue asked.

  Runir stared at her for a moment before turning to the door, "Anyway, we have the compendium. Let's get going."

  Hera walked with them, unsure what he meant by retainer, while Alex kept staring daggers at Thomas. They left the Guild and headed towards the tunnels. It didn't take long for them to realize that flashlights would be a necessity. Thomas made a few movements with his sword and started chanting, "May the spirits of light guide my path. Come forth, Floating Lamps!"

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  A set of two small globules of pale yellow light appeared around the man. Hera kept staring at him. Why did he need to chant? Was that spell so difficult that it required it? To her side, a noise caught her attention. Runir had just facepalmed and was now holding his head with one hand while groaning.

  "Is he always like that?" Hera asked.

  "Yeah, he is. But I promise he is a good guy and strong too. He won a few fencing competitions in high school," Runir tried to explain.

  "Have you ever talked to him about that?"

  "I did, I really did. But he said that it was wrong for a knight to act in any other way," Runir replied with yet another sigh.

  "Did... something happen to him?" Hera asked.

  "Not that I'm aware. His dad says it all started when he was a kid and read about King Arthur." Runir said.

  "Oh, please tell me he doesn't believe knights are supposed to be like that. Sir Balin blew up a kingdom with a freaking lance," Hera replied.

  "How do you know the names of the knights?" Runir squinted at Hera.

  "I like stories about knights too, and I worked in a bookstore. Now is he that far gone?" Hera pressed.

  "I wouldn't say far gone. He never pretended to be the reincarnation of Sir Whatever, so at least he still is with his feet on the ground. But Tom is. . . obsessed with the idea of being a knight."

  "Well... that is harmless. I mean, still weird, but harmless," Hera said.

  As they walked, Hera noticed a large shadow moving in the tunnel. When Thomas's light revealed the creature, they could see the large body covered in thick black fur. The monster seemed to have no eyes and large claws in place of its hands.

  "A ha! We have found our quarry. Now observe, my brethren. I shall demonstrate how to defeat this mighty beast," Thomas said as he stared down the giant mole.

  Before anyone could say anything, he dashed towards the creature. Thomas took a step to the side, stabbing the mole on the nose. The monster recoiled and pushed itself back, but Thomas was faster. He was already by its side. With another two stabs to the beast's head, the mole stopped moving.

  "And that is how it is done. Any questions?" Thomas said as he cleaned the blood out of his rapier with a cloth.

  Not long after Thomas' presentation, the group found another beast, and it was time for them to attack it. Unfortunately, as they approached the large mole, things quickly started to unravel.

  "Blue, watch out!" Alex yelled.

  A second mole burst from the ground, clawing towards the controller. Alex, who was behind the first one, noticed the movement but failed to realize what her target was doing. The creature didn't even change its position. It merely raised its arm and slashed, forcing the Assassin to jump away.

  At the same time, Blue managed to duck under the claw of another mole, almost falling backward. The attack made a large gash in the ground, showing the strength of the creature.

  "Careful with the claw. Taking the beast head-on is the most dangerous of tasks," Thomas was watching the group fight. He was not participating to see how well they could handle things by themselves.

  "I know, just let me work!" Blue shouted before punching the creature's nose twice.

  Alex jumped over the first mole and slashed her daggers at its back twice. The thick fur lowered the attack's impact, making what should have been a fearsome strike leave just a superficial cut.

  "Focus on stabbing attacks. The beast's mighty hide is resistant to slashing attacks," Thomas gave the duo yet another hint.

  "My daggers are made for cutting, not stabbing," Alex tried to stab her weapon into the mole's neck, but the blade wasn't able to pierce deep enough to cause any lasting damage.

  "Fear not, my Lady. Your weapons are but a part of your craft. Show me your mettle," Thomas proclaimed with a big smile.

  "Stop calling me your Lady! I'm not yours, and I'm not a fucking Lady," Alex snapped and body-slammed the mole. Seeing an opening, Blue took advantage of the momentum and made the creature spin around, falling to its back while holding the monster's nose under her arms. While the second mole struggled to get out of the hole where it came from.

  The creature started flailing around, trying to reorient itself, but Blue's nose lock kept it at bay. Alex kept stabbing the monster, trying to hit its neck. In a few moments, the mole stopped moving. Alex was breathing heavily with some blood on her armor.

  Seeing how the mole was pointing its head up, Hera covered Iris, her handaxe with a Mana Reinforcement spell and slashed the creature's neck. A single strike was enough to make it start to bleed out. Struggling to leave the hole only sped things up.

  "Are you ok?" Blue asked as she got closer to Alex.

  "No, I'm not ok! What are we doing here? This was supposed to be a trip to figure out if we could hunt here, not a damn Spartan training," she turned to Thomas, "And you. What the hell is this? We fought five of those creatures on our own for what? What kind of sick game are you playing here? And don't you fucking dare to give me that knight crap."

  "This may have been a challenging ordeal, but my Lady, you must understand..."

  Thomas was cut off by Alex, "Call me, my Lady one more time, and I'll feed you your own eyeballs,"

  Hera and Blue instinctively stepped closer to Alex and shared a look. Her reaction was too strange from her usual demeanor. If she truly snapped, they might need to step in and stop her.

  "Apologies, Alex. To me, calling you L … that is a sign of respect. Alas, I understand that it makes you uncomfortable, and I should have been more aware of your displeasure with it," Thomas replied in a calm tone. Hera couldn't help but admire that. She had no idea how she would react if someone made that kind of threat to her.

  "It's fine. I should have said something sooner. Just... don't do it again," Alex said.

  "I won't, knight's honor," Thomas replied.

  "That only works if you are an actual knight," Runir replied with a sigh.

  "Being a knight is a mindset. Knighthood will come eventually for those who are truly worth it," Thomas scoffed.

  "Yeah, yeah, fine. You are a knight and all, but what the hell was that. Why did we have to fight five of those things, and you asked us not to use skills or spells?" Blue complained.

  "It was to prove your mettle. If you fought in perfect conditions, you would never see if you could survive a vicious attack at your weakest. With that knowledge, you can fight much more confidently when all your skills are available."

  "That's... kind of smart," Alex said.

  "Yeah, I'm surprised," Blue agreed.

  "I've told you guys, Tom knows what he's doing," Runir said.

  "Yeah, I'm impressed," Hera nodded.

  "Thank you, my...," Tom started speaking to Hera but stared at Alex behind him, "Thank you for your kind words, Hera. But now it's time we confirm your strength. You shall fight the same way as your brethren. Three of the beast, the first with all your capabilities, the second with only skills. Then one with only your bravery. I would ask for a fourth with only your spells, but you have already proven your ability. It will be you and Runir fighting this time."

  "But I'm a healer. I stay in the back line," Runir protested.

  "Exactly, I need to know the abilities you bring to our cause," Thomas replied.

  After some protest, Hera and Runir finally agreed to the terms. It didn't take long for them to find another giant mole. The first one was on the smaller side of the moles, which took minimal effort. Runir, although being a healer, was trained into hand to hand combat and took the part of a diversion before starting. Hera hid in the shadows and stuck her handaxe in the monster's head. At the same time, she activated the Mana Reinforcement spell, and her [All In] cutting the mole's head clean in half.

  "That is a mighty blow. Can you do that repeatedly?" Thomas asked.

  "Once every day and a half or so," Hera replied.

  "It's a shame, but it is a mighty killing blow when required. Onto the next one," Thomas started to head deeper into the tunnels.

  While using the spells, Hera focused on keeping the mole's attention while her poison needle took effect. Runir barely did anything during that fight. He only walked around, throwing a barrier when Hera got close to getting hit, but not a single attack from the mole connected. Despite Thomas not asking for that, the Explorer wanted to check the power of her poison against those monsters.

  The third fight started with Hera throwing her chakram. The movement made the mole turn, but it worked as a small distraction only. Hera tried to focus on the monster's nose, since trying to flank it by herself was very complicated. She chose guerrilla tactics, going for an attack before retreating in order to wear the creature down.

  Runir kept feeling more and more useless as the fight went on. Hera was proficient in evading strikes aimed at her, and the opportunities for him to use barriers or heals were nonexistent.

  Hera rushed toward the beast, striking twice at its head. Unfortunately, the first attack made the mole take a step back, and with the follow-up, she was too close to be able to run before the next strike, giving a chance for the mole to swipe its claw aiming at her.

  Just before the impact, Runir sent one of its barriers towards Hera. The attack hit her arm, but the combination of the repulsion blast and the protection from the Healer not only sent the claw back but only pushed Hera half a meter to the side.

  "Thanks!" she yelled as she turned away to retreat. Seeing its prey move, the mole lunged forward, opening its mouth, revealing four large, yellow teeth. The bite hit Hera's back, and she rolled forward, away from the mole. Runir used his only battle heal right away, but he felt no effect.

  "Are you dead?" he asked as Hera finished her tumble.

  "I'm still not a zombie, so no," she replied, getting back up and turning around, "How big is the damage?" Hera kept facing the mole. She had to know how much she could move around.

  "It... hit you, right?" Runir asked, staring at her back.

  "Yeah, can the armor still hold?"

  "There is... nothing,"

  "What? One strike ripped a 20k armor?" Hera looked around, searching for the missing pieces of armor.

  "No, I mean, the armor is fine. Not a single scratch. What about you?" Runir asked.

  "A bit sore, but I can still keep going," Hera replied before dashing at the monster again.

  Frustrated with the situation, Runir flanked the creature and attacked its legs. Since his heals and barriers were close to useless, he might as well do something. In a bit over three minutes, the mole was defeated due to countless wounds all over its body.

  "Very good, Runir. You show incredible bravery by jumping into the fray, and Hera, a knight, is nothing without her armor. Yours is truly a work of art," Thomas applauded the duo.

  "I wasn't expecting it to be so strong, honestly," Hera was trying to touch her back to confirm any damage.

  "And I wasn't expecting to be so useless. I mean, I did nothing in most of those fights," Runir sighed.

  "Don't be like that. It was a bad matchup. Your barriers help me so much when we fight," Blue tried to cheer him up.

  "Yeah, and Hera and I are better at taking turns to hide and attack. Our groups were the worst possible combos," Alex said.

  Hera turned towards Thomas, "Was that planned?"

  "I would love to be praised for such an exemplary tactic. Alas, it was but a pleasant coincidence. Yet, I must say that your protests did give me a sign that it was an unfamiliar grouping," Thomas explained.

  "By the way, do we have a way of carrying the monster back?" Blue asked.

  "We are able to rent some carts in the Guild. However, they must be pulled by hand," Thomas replied before starting to chant once more and recast the floating lamp that was about to vanish.

  "What about drones? Can we use them to pick up the bodies?" Hera asked.

  "Unfortunately, that is not possible. The bats that inhabit the area tend to roam around. Any object that crosses a certain height would be prey for the beasts. The secondary tunnels are much smaller."

  Blue turned to Thomas, "Ok, so this is fine and all, but can we go eat? I didn't bring any food."

  "Yeah, I agree. I'm hungry," Hera said.

  "Very well. We had not prepared enough supplies for a long journey. Let us return," Thomas spun around and started walking back towards where the group came from.

  They headed back to the city and looked for places to eat. Thomas had a few suggestions. Among them was a barbecue place that had mostly mole and bat meat, which made Blue interested. They headed to the restaurant. After the meal, Runir said he wanted to get some extra spells, and he would go to the Guild to use an ATR to learn them.

  Blue and Alex decided to search the shops for better gear. Blue wanted better armor, and Alex looked for something that would be better to use for stabbing. Hera wanted to talk to Alex, but it was hard to have a moment alone with her friend. She made a mental note to ask about her snapping later.

  Hera suggested the shop where she got her chakram enchanted, but Thomas said that if they were looking for new equipment, it was better to go to one of the bigger stores. The group spent most of the afternoon looking for new gear. Hera looked for a new axe, but she was surprised by how all the weapons she found were either barely an improvement or excessively expensive. The ones in the display were also several times heavier than Iris. If Hera used one of them, her attacks would be much slower.

  Thomas was incredibly helpful while they were looking for equipment. He made suggestions both for usability and style, but he also talked about maintenance and even offered to help Alex and Hera sharpen their weapons. Alex accepted the help, but Hera wanted to do it herself. She was trying to increase her weapon maintenance skill, and taking care of her own gear was one of the best ways to do it.

  They met Runir a few hours later. He managed to get two more spells, one that increased the target's strength by 20% for a minute and another that would increase the damage an enemy received by 10% for a few seconds. With that, he could play a more active role in the fights. They discussed going to look for a group of bats when Helena sent a text in the house group chat.

  'Hey, guys, just a head's up. A Rampage is starting to happen in the room. Everyone is gathering up to defend the cities, and they locked the doorways to leave.

  You guys might want to stay around there for a couple of days. I'm heading to the Guild, and I'll be there until it passes.

  Does anyone want me to take anything from the house, just in case?'

  Hera turned to the group, "What is a Rampage?"

  She did remember Mr. Greyson making a passing remark about it. Something about it being a good way to get some hair on your chest, whatever that meant.

  "A Rampage, you say? Oh, that is the most thrilling of challenges. Hundreds, thousands of monsters rush through a room, destroying everything in their path. Months past, we had to face one of such calamities here. We fought for days until the beasts were finally defeated.”

  Hera stared at Alex and Blue, "I have to go back,"

  "Hang on, are the monsters stronger in any way during a rampage?" Alex asked.

  "I can't say they are. The numbers are a problem, but with several people fighting as one, they were just an incredible treasure. After all, unlike conventional monsters, during a rampage, they disappear as they are defeated, leaving valuable loot behind. Much like what would happen in a dungeon."

  "Ok, then we are going," Blue said.

  "Yeah, Runir, Thomas. We'll talk to you guys later. We have to go," Hera said.

  "Nonsense, I'm not one to shy away from a fight. If a Rampage is happening, it's a perfect opportunity to show my valor to all of you," Thomas replied.

  "Yeah, I've never been a part of a large-scale fight. And your house is there, right? It's right to defend it."

  Hera nodded, and the group ran towards the doorway.

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