At the edge of the puddle, a figure of a stone spider looked as if it was taking a sip of the pool. The group exchanged confused looks as they looked down on it. “So that’s totally going to come to life and attack us, when we walk by, right?” Keith was pointing his sword towards the spider as he spoke.

Jack crouched down and inched closer “No, I don’t think so. We haven’t seen anything to imply that. I know it's a classic trope, but I don’t feel that's what this is. Even if it did, it’s just one of the baby ones, it’s something we can handle.” he reached out with his sword to tap the stone. When it didn’t respond, he turned to Jay. “You should grab it, if something were to happen you have the most health and poison resistance.”

Jay walked and carefully picked it up and brought it back to the group. “So it really does look exactly like a real spider. I know it might be assuming too much but maybe it was petrified? We haven’t seen anything capable of doing that but with magic being real, who knows what is possible”

Emily took the rock and started examining it. “I think he might be right, look at all these little hairs on it, no one could have carved this. So what do we think caused it? The water?”

Jack took a step back from the water thinking of what could have happened if he accidentally got some on him. Jay walked up to it and dipped the collapsed pole in it, pulling it out when there was no reaction. Jack still looked nervous “What if it only affects organics or something it can soak into?”

Doubling back, the group retrieved the nearest squished spider corpse and threw it in. As soon as a single hair touched the pool, it looked as if a pulse went through draining all the color from the body. Emily let out a half-laugh “Well that answers that, don’t go near the fucking water.”

Jack wanted to stay and experiment more with the water, but everyone else voted against it. Giving the stalactite a wide berth they continued through the tunnel, carefully listening for any more dripping sounds.

It didn’t take long until the ground began to level out opening to a large domed chamber. The area was covered in red-purple light, Jack imagined the area was covered in red, with some highlights of blue webs. Eggs were scattered along the glowing webbed walls. They were expecting larger weavers most likely level three but it was just more babies.

Male ManaWeaver Level: 1 A newly hatched manaweaver.

Known to be slow and aggressive but harmless.

While they can still produce webbing, they can not infuse it with mana until they are more mature.

Their eyes are sensitive to light causing pain when exposed.

“Well at least it's easy experience, if not a bit boring” Jay squished the hissing baby that was near his foot.

An ear-piercing screech reverberated through the chamber. Jack saw movement near the back of the dome. It almost looked like the wall was moving. Suddenly in a flash of blue light, a five-foot-long spider with legs stretching out eight feet appeared in that exact location.

Female ManaWeaver Level: 6 [BOSS]

Emily let out a shriek as the manaweaver dashed alongside the wall towards them. By the time they were able to properly react it was already halfway around the dome. Jay yelled “RUN!” and the group turned and began a desperate sprint down the tunnel hoping it wouldn’t follow.

They only moved ten feet when the sounds of eight fast-moving legs were right behind them. No one dared look back for fear it would slow them down.

A loud thump followed by the sound of a cracking bone, let them know there was no way they would outrun it.

Jack's heart stopped when Emily let out a sickening scream.

He instinctively stopped and turned back to help. His eyes fell upon a frantic scene.

Jay lay next to a wall looking dazed blood trickling down his face, his pole dropped when he was hit. Emily was lying face-first on the hard stone floor. Her leg, twisted in an unnatural angle, was pinned underneath the manaweavers leg. The manaweaver plunged one of its massive fangs into her lower back. She let out another scream and tried to pull herself out from underneath it.

Jack, in a desperate attempt to save Emily, stabbed into one of its massive eyes. The manaweaver shrieked in pain and turned its eyes to its attacker.

Leaping forward the manaweaver knocked Jack into his back and immediately sunk its fangs into his sword arm. Jack howled in pain, he could feel something being injected into his arm. In an attempt to get it off of him, Jack tried to fight through the pain and reach the gun on his hip while the manaweaver released his arm and stabbed into his chest puncturing his lung. Jack grabbed his gun and got off a single shot, causing the manaweaver to recoil for a moment.

Jay, pushing himself up and off the wall took advantage of the manaweaver rearing back. Lunging forward he stabbed his sword directly into its spinneret.

The manaweaver jumped forward screeching. Rolling around the cave as it attempted to pull out the sword.

Jack cried out in pain, his vision going blurry.

Letting go of his gun, he knew he had to get up. Using the wall to brace himself, he slowly stood. Watching as Jay pulled Emily to her feet. Trying to focus, he looked them over, Jay was bleeding and Emily, though heavily leaning on Jay, was standing nonetheless, so she could be fine.

He was trying to think of a way to get them out of here when a hissing began to come from behind him. Feeling his heart sink, the world seemed to flow in slow motion. He tried to go to them but didn’t have the strength to push off of the wall.

He felt helpless as he heard the sound of the manaweaver jumping. Emily’s eyes snapped into focus, she turned to Jay and pushed him back against the side of the cave, looking like it took all of her strength to do so. Just before impact, Emily looked to Jack with overwhelming fear in her eyes.

**Alert** Party Member Emily Lots has died.

The blood drained from Jack’s face as he felt the floor rush up to him.

Jack returned to consciousness, feeling Jay pulling him down the tunnel in an attempt to get them both out of here.

All Jack could hear was the sounds of the manaweaver stabbing into Emily's body over and over again.

**Alert** You have been poisoned Health 3/18 Stamina 0/6

“Come on, I need you to help me move you.” Jay pleaded to him. Jack didn’t understand; they can’t leave Emily alone, she’s afraid of spiders.

The right side of his body was rapidly going numb and he was having a hard time breathing. He tried to turn to go back.

“She is dead we can’t save her, WE need to leave” Jay had tears streaming down his face.

The sight of Jay’s tears brought the situation into focus; suddenly his damaged lung wasn’t the cause for his difficulty breathing. “Jay you have to leave me.”

“No we are going to get out of here,” Jay said, tightening his hold but struggling to drag him along.

Jack spoke only as loud as a whisper, trying to save his friend. “Jay, I was poisoned, I can’t even feel you touching me.” They both could see his bulging black veins. Jack didn’t want to die, but he didn’t want anyone else he cared about dying either. The sound of stabbing finally stopped, it was replaced with Jack’s labored breathing and a faint dripping sound. He had to get Jay to leave before it was too late. “Just leave me right here I’ll try to slow it down” Jay turned to look at him. Jack tried to have some look of determination “Please, just leave.” Jay looked torn but nodded.

Leaning him against the wall, Jay, with a shaking hand, gave him his gun and started to leave. Jay turned back with a look of shame and despair and said ”I’m sorry.” as more tears streamed down his face.

Jack attempted to laugh but winced instead “It’s ok, you get the next one.” With a small hollow chuckle, Jay turned and sprinted away.

Alone now, Jack knew there probably wasn’t much time, he could feel heavy movement coming from down the tunnel. He looked towards the sound of dripping water and watched a drop fall off of the stalactite and into the puddle.

Not far from the pool he saw Jay’s bag, Keith must have dropped it in his escape. He hobbled over and pulled it to the edge of the puddle. Using the bag as a prop to lean against while he sat. He tried to hold the gun at the ready but couldn’t keep it in the air for very long, so he put his arm through the handle of the bag to hold it up. He knew it wouldn't be long.

Seeing the manaweaver barreling down the tunnel towards him, he fired two shots. After that, he couldn’t squeeze the trigger anymore, and let the gun fall from his hand. One bullet hit it’s leg, doing nothing; the other just whizzed past and into the wall behind it.

His head fell; looking at the blood on his arm with the red glow it almost looks like water.

He didn’t even feel it when he was tackled; all he heard was the splash when he hit the puddle.

**Alert** You have been petrified.

Jack stared at the notification confused, he was laying on the ground. He tried to remember what he was just doing but it was all foggy. He ignored the notification so he could look around. He yelled out when he saw a petrified spider looming just inches away from his face.

Everything came rushing back to him as he quickly checked his arm and chest. Nothing. It's like he was never hurt. His right arm was still looped through the handle of Jay’s bag. While untangling his arm he was shocked to see that his dice tattoo was gone. Running his hand over the spot it had been, it felt completely smooth like he never had a tattoo at all. Confused, he crawled out from underneath the manaweaver.

As he stood up, he was surprised at how good he felt.. No aches, no pains, nothing. He pulled the bag out and scanned his surroundings. Nothing was different except the stalactite was gone and there wasn’t a puddle of water anymore.

He looked at the party box in the top left of his vision and figured everyone must have gotten out alright. He got a sick feeling in his gut when he realized not everyone got out.

Sinking against the wall, tears started to form in his eyes. Starting to shake he hugged himself, lightly squeezing his arm three times, knowing he wouldn’t get a response.

Hours later after his tears were shed, he lay exhausted against the wall. He was all too familiar with how tiring deep emotions were.

**Alert** You have been petrified.

“Yeah, yeah I know” he clicked it to move to the next one.

Your party has slain 3 Male ManaWeavers Level: 1 Your contribution 0% You are awarded 0 Experience Keith Jones has been kicked from the party. The Supreme Great One has been kicked from the party. You are now the party leader. **World Alert** The Level: 25 threshold has been breached. **World Quest** Level 25 World Boss A World Boss has been spawned; it is the duty of everyone to defeat it. **World Alert** The World Boss has been slain. Your contribution 0% You are awarded 30 Experience **Quest Complete** Level 25 World Boss Reward: 1 Skill Evolution Token

Jack sat staring at a floating gold coin he reached out and grabbed it. On one side was the picture of a classic treasure chest overfilled with coins and weapons. On the other were the letters S.E.T. He put it into his pocket for now.

Jack was overwhelmed with confusion, how had all this happened so fast? Was he knocked out for longer than he thought? How? Why had no one found him? How did he unpetrify?

He looked at the party box and realized if the party never disbanded, no others could have come in. “Well at least I have one answer” he looked back at his notification screen and there was still more to read.

**Perk Acquired** Dedicated Dungeoneer Requirement Spend 1,000,000 minutes inside a Dungeon Identify Skill is usable outside of dungeons **Perk Acquired** Dedicated Pioneer Requirement Gain both the Pioneer Dungeoneer and Dedicated Dungeoneer Identify Skill will always be treated at the maximum value for your current Level

After doing some mental math, Jack's jaw fell open. “TWO YEARS?!” but a sinking feeling in his gut told him that might not be where it ends.

**World Alert** The Level: 50 threshold has been breached. **World Quest** Level 50 World Boss A World Boss has been spawned; it is the duty of everyone to defeat it. **World Alert** The World Boss has been slain Your contribution 0% You are awarded 30 Experience **Quest Complete** Level 50 World Boss Reward: Limited: Racial Evolution or Racial Change.

Jack's breathing quickened with excitement. Evolve or change? Evolving seemed like it would give more power. Plus becoming something like an elf or dwarf did not sound appealing to him.

It was only after he clicked Evolution that he realized he was making too many assumptions as to what races would be available. “Damn Hindsight”

**Tier 1 Evolutions** Human Persistent Hunter 5462 / 1,000,000,000 remaining Humans may not be fast, but they will keep pursuing their prey at a steady pace until it needs to rest. That is when they strike. Magical Affinity 0 / 1,000,000,000 remaining Humans are defined by their endless curiosity; Coupled with their obsessive need to dominate the natural forces of the world, leads to terrifying innovations. Pack Bond 63,348 / 1,000,000,000 remaining From wolves to elephants, humans seem to not know what to be afraid of. It seems whenever they see a new creature they only ask one thing. Can I pet it?

Reading over his options, his heart jumped when he saw Magical Affinity, only to come crashing back down when he saw how many were remaining. He didn’t understand why the system would limit the amount of each evolution. Just to be sure he tried to pick Magical Affinity, but the option didn’t seem to be clickable.

With his dreams of acquiring magic set aside, he looked over his two options. Persistent hunter reminded him of some kind of juggernaut, which explains why it had less remaining then Pack Bond. He thought about the type of class he wanted. Something ranged, hopefully magical, maybe rogue-like, definitely not a warrior or tank. Persistent hunter didn’t seem to fit that at all, at least with Pack Bond he might be able to get a creature to defend or attack for him.

Finalizing his decision, he clicked Pack Bond. He got a warm radiating feeling in his chest that lasted for a few seconds. He didn’t feel any different but who knows how he was supposed to feel. He continued going through his notifications, wanting to get to the end so he could look at his racial traits.

**Alert** New racial trait acquired: Pack Bond **Perk Acquired** Slow Learner Requirement Reach Age 100 below Level 3 and with no Skills above Level 3

Gain 10% more experience

Learn and Level Skills 10% faster

Stacks additively with other bonuses.

“100?” he whispered to himself. Jack was so shocked but just kept reading, looking for some kind of punchline

**Perk Acquired** Slow and steady wins the race Requirement Reach Age 500 below Level 3 and with no Skills above Level 3

Gain 15% more experience

Learn and Level Skills 15% faster

Stacks additively with other bonuses

**Perk Acquired** How are you still alive? Requirement Reach Age 1000 below Level 3 and with no Skills above Level 3

Gain 25% more experience

Learn and Level Skills 25% faster

Stacks additively with other bonuses

**Perk Acquired** The Wizened Sage Requirement Live through 100 generations of your native race. Automatic language translation activated. **Perk Acquired** At your age, you must have aches and pains Requirement Reach Age 5000

When this perk is received

Heal all current wounds

Repair all carried equipment Remove all afflictions

Jack didn’t want to believe it, he pulled up his status

Name Jackson Calder Age 5000 Level 2 Health 18/18 Stamina 6/6 Experience 192/200

“Well, fuck”