Val had warned me that dungeons were a popular destination for players, but I wasn’t expecting this. The entrance to the dungeon was a hub of player activity. Just from an initial glance, there were at least twenty players waiting to enter, most of whom were Kurskins, but there was one large party of Dalari in waiting. There wasn’t a line to get in or anything like that, but these scattered groups of players were clearly preparing themselves for the adventure ahead.

  Not twenty yards from the entrance to the excavation site was a tavern, which I was sure was host to even more players. Two humans exited the building and joined a group of Kurskins. The humans looked ready for combat. They wore matching metal chest pieces, and each carried a spiked mace and a shield.

  The entrance to the dungeon itself wasn’t much to behold, only a simple, sandblasted staircase at the corner of the excavation site where ancient pillars and stacked stones had been unearthed. The excavation site was protected by a small contingent of royal guard, and a well-dressed, portly man stood at the front to ensure everyone had the proper permission to enter.

  One last time, I looked through my inventory to make sure I was using all my best gear. I wore the Cloak of the First Hunter over my upgraded leather jerkin. My chest armor had no perks other than protection, but the cloak would prove invaluable. When worn, it granted a passive ability called Monster Hunter, which showed nearby monsters on my mini map. It also offered additional protection against claws and fangs, and if I wore it with the hood up, all my stealth abilities would be upgraded to the next skill tier. Next to the Sword of the Razor Knight, it was the most powerful piece of gear I owned.

  Speaking of the sword, I had it equipped in the scabbard Tabby had made me. The weapon was razor sharp, hence the name, but that didn’t really do it justice. It could cut through pretty much anything in a single swing. It was a major crutch for me since I wasn’t the most adept swordsman, but if my opponent were using a cheap weapon, my blade would likely cut right through theirs.

  I was also wearing my duelist bracers, which increased my general stamina when in one-on-one combat. Lastly, I had about a dozen daggers hidden in the sheaths Tabby had sewn into my armor. I was as ready as I’d ever be.

  Ersabet’s outfit was made of thin, black leather that hugged her body, allowing her to move with ease. Tabby had on her usual many-pocketed suspenders but wore leather kneepads and bracers that we pulled from her wagon. She had also provided Delen with a jerkin similar to mine, and I gave him a spare blade I had in my inventory. Kitz was too small to fit into any armor, so Tabby used long, leather strips to wrap his forearms, legs, and torso. Kitz was carrying my Elkhorn Dagger, and his bonded pet, Petri, sat upon his shoulder. I hadn’t seen the hawk in a while, but I knew Kitz’s feathered friend was never far away.

  “Ready for this?” I asked.

  Everyone said yes, but only Ersabet seemed enthusiastic about it.

  She led the way to the excavation site entrance. As we walked, I noticed more than a few pointed looks in our direction from the other waiting players. Some snickered while others outright glared at us.

  “Why’s everyone staring at us?” Tabby asked.

  “They are not staring at you,” Ersabet said. “They are staring at me.”

  “Why are they laughing?”

  “I am entering the dungeon with four basic NPCs,” Ersabet said. “Since I am alone, they see me as an outcast, and because my party is comprised of NPCs, they believe we will fail.”

  As if to emphasize her point, a Kurskin cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, “Look who dressed up her little minions.” He eyed me up and down, taking in my gear. Its quality couldn’t be denied. “If you think that will keep them alive down there, you’re in for a world of hurt, darling. How about you join us? We’ll take real good care of you.”

  “Ignore them,” I said before Delen had an act of spontaneous bravado. We were so close, and I didn’t want to risk an encounter with a player now.

  Ersabet looked at the Kurskin placidly for a moment but continued moving forward. When a few seconds passed without him saying anything else, I let out a breath of relief.

  The guards tensed as we approached, and the commissionaire held up a hand. “Permission is required to enter the ruins. Do you have a writ of passage?”

  Ersabet produced the document from her inventory and presented it. The man took it from her and inspected it. After a moment, his eyes drifted from the document to Ersabet, and then to the ragtag group of humans behind her. He looked us up and down, appraising us like livestock. Apparently, we weren’t worth much to him.

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  “Don’t see Selma Balaban’s signature much ‘round here these days,” he said, “What’s she sending you lot down for? Ingredients for a new brew?”

  “Selma’s business is Selma’s business,” Ersabet said. “If you want to know, ask her yourself. Are we cleared to enter?”

  The man scowled at her rudeness but nodded. “Aye. Good luck down there. Bring me back something nice.” His smile was wonderfully insincere. I’d have to try that one out sometime.

  A set of crude stairs had been carved into the earth, and we followed them down into the excavation site. Back on earth, it had always been a dream of mine to explore ancient ruins, but I’d never had the opportunity. I had a feeling I wouldn’t be eager to do it again after this.

  We walked past broken pillars with relief carvings of familiar and unfamiliar animals. A long, cracked block of granite featured intricate hieroglyphs, like something from ancient Egypt. We passed by a broken archway and had to step over the fallen keystone.

  “This is awesome,” Tabby said. “I feel like Indiana Jones.”

  “Who’s Indiana Jones?” Delen asked. “It’s another one of those movie references, isn’t it?” he said, answering his own question.

  I laughed. “It’s a story about an archeologist who explores ruins and fights Nazi’s.” Realizing that Delen didn’t know what a Nazi was, I added, “Nazi’s are the bad guys.”

  “Do we need to watch out for them?” Delen asked. “You said this world was designed based on stories from the real world.”

  “We won’t run into any Nazi’s down there,” I said. I glanced behind me one last time and saw that a few players were still watching us. But we might run into something worse.

  “We’re here,” Ersabet said. “Everyone, stay close to me as we enter. The dungeon will recognize us as a party, and John and I will receive shared experience from your actions.”

  Ersabet held out her hand and gestured to Kitz. “Come with me, child. We will enter first, together.”

  Kitz latched onto her hand, looking as fearless as I’d ever seen him. If I had half his heart, I’d be twice the man. The pair took their first step down, and then another. Delen and Tabby followed behind, and I brought up the rear.

  After five or six steps, I felt a distinct change in temperature. The air became moist and cool. A few more steps later, and the light struggled to fight against the encroaching dark. After four more steps, the darkness became so thick that it was almost tangible. I took one more step, and everything went black.

  Text filled my vision, and my sub-mind’s voice rang out in my head.

  WELCOME TO THE BURIED CITY DUNGEON

  You’ve found your first dungeon! Congratulations! Since you don’t seem to know much about what’s going on, let me give you a breakdown of how dungeon crawls work. The first thing you should know is that you and your party are locked in here, and the only way out is forward. Upon completion of Floor One, you will have the opportunity to exit the dungeon if you so choose. There are three floors in total, each more challenging than the next. Every floor features multiple bosses and pathways to completion. Killing a boss is not always necessary to complete a floor, but it is usually the quickest option.

  Dungeons include rare loot that cannot be found in the overworld. Loot value and rarity increase on each floor, as does your experience multiplier. You can make out like a bandit if you manage not to die!

  The Buried City Dungeon exists in a single instance, which means all players who enter the dungeon will be able to interact with you. They may offer assistance or try to kill you. Who knows!

  All minor mobs respawn every two days. Floor bosses respawn every week. In many cases, dungeons include special bosses, like the one you came here to kill. These bosses do not respawn; however, they can be difficult to locate and will pose a challenging fight.

  On a personal note, I’m glad you’ve decided to start playing the game again. I’ve been bored.

  I felt a strange sensation, as if I were emerging from a pool of water. Goosebumps rose on my arms, and I trembled as my vision slowly returned. I saw the backs of my friends, silhouetted by the dim light of a torch at the end of a long, stone hallway.

  “Did that feel…odd to anyone?” Tabby asked.

  “Yes,” Delen said. “For a moment, the air felt heavy, like I could touch it.”

  “We passed the dungeon’s threshold,” Ersabet said. “This place exists outside the bounds of the normal world. Magic is different here. More present. More powerful.”

  “I thought you said magic wasn’t real,” Delen protested.

  “Magic is not real,” Ersabet said, annoyed, “but the energy used to create it is. You wouldn’t understand even if I spent a year teaching you the underlying physics.”

  “Try me,” Delen said.

  “Not now, you two,” I said, pushing my way past them. “We’ve got work to do.”

  “Aren’t you forgetting something?” Ersabet asked.

  I turned around and noticed she was holding up a glowing, blue vial of liquid. “Oh, right.”

  “One drop,” she said as we passed the vial around.

  I held up the tincture and let a single drop fall onto my tongue. It burned when it made contact, and within seconds, I was forced to squint as the distant torchlight turned into an inferno. The others moaned and complained as the same effects hit them, but the discomfort didn’t last long, and our eyes adjusted to the potion’s effects.

  Through a strange, blue tint, the dungeon around me became visible. The walls of the hall we were in were carved with hieroglyphs just like the monolithic stones outside the dungeon. I looked further down the hall and saw that it opened into a wide expanse at the end.

  My eyes flicked down to the floor of the hallway, and I took a step back, horrified by what I was seeing. The floor ahead was littered with a mix of human, Kurskin, and Dalari bodies.

  Delen audibly gulped. “Is it too late to turn around?”

  “Not anymore,” Ersabet said. “We’re locked in here until we complete the first floor.”

  “The only way out is forward,” I said before taking a deep breath. “Let’s go.”