Three tapped his chin. “So I was thinking perhaps I should get my companions to come in after all. This was merely the first area and we were already swarmed, if there are even larger numbers or they have stronger levels it could get dangerous. I don’t think there are many things below level fifty that can match Crimson. The rest can hold their own and watch our backs.”

Emmi cocked her head and thought about it before nodding. “Let’s do that, the experience share will stay the same regardless since we are in the same party. Adding your companions will allow us to catch up to your level faster, even if you will stay a couple of levels ahead.”

The rest agreed with the decision so we headed outside and waited a few minutes for the rest of my companions to appear. In the distance Three could see Shuffles leading his group towards us, the zombies were a good deal slower. Sir Kelly Ton and Shuffles were actually the only ones so far that had managed to pass the level twenty barrier. Sir Kelly Ton was a Strong Skilled Skeleton, and Shuffles was a Ghoul. The rest were between level sixteen and eighteen. Close enough that they would soon reach the next evolutions themselves. I explained the situation to them, even though Three was pretty sure only Shuffles got the gist of it.

We headed back into the dungeon, Emmi kept peeking over her shoulder at the shambling undead. “Shouldn’t you give them orders on what to do in case we get attacked, or who they should avoid attacking?”

Three blinked as he stared at her, “I don’t need to, Shuffles can do that.”

“S-Shuffles? I wanted to ask about that before, but why is the ghoul called… Shuffles.”

Three felt a bit of heat rise to his cheeks, “Well, I met a girl and she gave both of my companions a name before I got the chance to. So uhh… thats why.”

Sumi bounced up next to him, “So what is the other one called?”

“Sir kelly ton.”

“I can’t hear you speak up!” Sumi complained as she climbed on his back.

“Sir Kelly Ton!”

Their small procession paused for a brief moment before his friends burst into laughter.

Davis wiped tears from his eyes as he did his best to remain standing. “Ow, ow my ribs, owh that is so rich this girl must have been a genuis. Sir Kelly Ton. Brilliant!”

Three ignored their laughter and stomped deeper into the cave-system. Followed by his chuckling compatriots.

They reached the area they had already cleared, corpses and ashes assaulted their noses.

Three wrinkled his nose at the unpleasant smell as he walked around corpses towards a hall that seemed to lead deeper into the dungeon.

“How long did you want to spend in the dungeon today?” Talin asked Emmi.

“Honestly I figured we should stay until we couldn’t move on any longer, or until we run out of resources or energy.”

“Then I shall lead the way with Crimson, Shuffles and his group can watch our backs.”

Emmi nodded. “Me and Davis take the flanks as usual, Talin and Sumi will be in the center of the formation.”

The rest of the group made some sounds of agreement and made their way to the other side of the battleground, walking through the cave system Three kept his senses peeled even though he knew Crimson’s senses far outstripped his.

For a few minutes all was quiet, it seemed as if the various monsters had been cleared in the previous wave.

The smell and remaining smoke tingled his nose but he ignored it and kept moving, it was darker than it was in the previous area. Even Three’s enhanced vision had trouble seeing anything in the eerie dark. Emmi gave a short command to Sumi as a ball of fire rose over their heads lighting up the cavern. Three glanced to the wall, the was a type of… mold covering it. He motioned to it and the rest took a look. None of them had seen it before, Three decided to scrape a bit of it off and put it into an empty glass vial. He knew a certain scientist who could explain the mystery to him. It might even have been a normal type of cave mold, the fact that it slightly pulsated made that unlikely.

They reached another larger, more open area. Unlike the other room this one had no grass at all. The tree’s barren, dead. A low hanging fog clung around the trees, limiting visibility. It reminded him of the fog that had accompanied the undead he fought up north. He held up a hand and signed his thought to Sumi, who in turn explained it to the rest of the group. The group tensed slightly, weapons at the ready. He glanced at Crimson, who like him was scouring the forest for anything unnatural.

He rolled his shoulders, if she couldn’t see or hear anything that limited his options. He headed deeper into the forest, the density of the dead trees causing their formation to become single file. He led, with Crimson squeezing her way behind him, after her came Emmi, then Sumi with Davis behind her. Talin was the last of the team with Sir Kelly Ton behind him and then the rest of undead with Shuffles at the rear of the procession.

The branches creaked around him, the forest silent other than the occasional creak from the trees. He heard Sumi mumble behind him, “I could just torch the entire forest, give us some visibility.”

Emmi shook her head, “I’d rather not, the ceiling isn’t very high here and the resulting smoke might lessen visibility even more.”

Sumi grunted in frustration.

Three knew how she felt, he himself was not a fan of the forest. He lead them further in until they came across a small hill, the hill unlike the rest of the area was covered in grass. A crimson shade similar to blood. Three frowned, the hill just screamed of a trap. He motioned for Sumi to shoot a fireball at it. She gathered the magic into her hand, the raw mana becoming a blazing arrow. It shot forth, whistling through the air and impacted the hill. A screech caused them to cover their ears, the sound deafening. The hill moved, it stood up on various misshapen legs, it turned their way. Many beady little eyes glaring at them, the creature had more than a single mouth and they all roared at it in anger.

{Abominable Blood Mound level 29}

“Bloodyhell!” Davis cursed, as he caught sight of the monstrousity.

Three stepped forward to meet the creature, he grunted. Crimson rushed forward in blur of ivory fur and impacted the creature. She shoved her claws inside, the mound and began tearing it apart. The creature in turn tried to use it’s many appendages to claw, bite and stab Crimson. Few of them having the strength to pierce her enhanced hide. In mere moments the monstrosity was torn to shreds. The rest of the team gaped at Crimson, Three walked up to her and patted her on the shoulder.

He caught sight of a vial, he picked it up and read the label.

{Vial of Chaotic Mutation}

He frowned at it and passed it to Emmi.

“None of us will be using this.” She said as she glanced at the rest of the group, ready to stomp down on any argument.

“Please! Even I can tell that thing is bad news.” Davis muttered.

“And if even he can tell then you got nothing to worry about, no-one here is that stupid.” Tavis added, although he briefly glanced at Sumi.

Sumi raised an eyebrow, “Don’t look at me, I don’t wanna be that ugly. I’m already inhuman enough as it is.”

Emmi chuckled and grabbed Sumi in a quick hug, “Inhuman maybe, but oh so cute!”

Sumi tried to wrestle herself out of the much taller, much stronger female warriors hands to no avail.