"Aah!," Rick groaned, his head was pounding and his body ached everywhere. The gravel of the road pressing cold against his face was a sharp contrast to the piercing heat he felt all over his body.

He opened his eyes in slits, the brightness blinding him. He blinked, closed, and blinked again.

The scene before him slowly cleared, he could make out the crater, where the golem core had exploded and beyond it was all crystal eyes.

‘Everything feels so heavy,’ he mumbled, his eyes becoming blurry again. Just then, a familiar face appeared in his sight, looking right at him. But Rick was horrified when he realized she was on fire!

“What are you doing here Pip? Run, run,” he mumbled, as his consciousness slipped and it was all dark again.

---

Aaah! A piercing scream rang out, stirring the serene night sky.

“Haaph! “ Rick drew in a sharp breath and opened his eyes wide, waking up from his slumber.

The world before him was a blur. He blinked again, adjusting his eyes. His face to the ground, he peered up to see the sky dark now.

“Alex get up!”, a voice echoed in his ears.

Rick pushed himself to his side, to see Eira holding onto an unmoving Alex,

“What happened here?” he wondered aloud, his eyes wandering around. The entire street was a mess.

“Pip, is that you?”, Rick looked down to notice a bird standing guard near him. But the bird was no longer the little ball sized yellow bird, it was the size of an eagle and wings the colour of autumn.

“I will kill you and that bird of your,” Eira spoke, seething with anger, “Relying on a beast for strength? I detest you!”

‘What’s going on?’ Rick wondered.

“Peep! Peep!” Pip turned and smiled.

They are scared. You are too strong for them , Rick heard

“They are in awe of my powers?” Rick was more confused than before with her answer.

“I will stick your head on an icicle and devour the beast of your right before your eyes. You will pay wi-” Eira started.

“Pwaaaa” Pip screeched suddenly, cutting him off. Rick’s heart skipped a beat hearing her ferocious call. He was shocked by the sudden change in the innocent bird’s disposition.

But Eira’s reaction was even more exaggerated. He picked up Alex by his shoulder and dashed away without looking back for a second time.

Seeing, the duo disappear from his view, Rick finally relaxed. He put his head back down on the road and spoke, “Pip, are you fine?”

“Peep! Peep!” she called back, puffing her chest.

“We need to leave this place. People in the Library may come looking,” Rick reflected, “After all we did create quite a ruckus.”

He pushed himself up to his waist.

“Aah!” he cried out as a piercing pain shot through his leg when tried to stand back up. His legs collapsed and he crashed down.

“Peep peep!”

“Pip, can you get my bag,” Rick asked.

He slowly crawled his way to the closest back alley and rested himself on the outside wall of the building.

Pip was already there, holding the strap of his bag in his beak.

“Thank you,” he let out a smile at her. He was not just thanking her for the bag. He did not know how, but he had a feeling that Pip had definitely saved his life today.

He opened his bag to take out the bottle of water. He took a long sip, quenching his parched throat and then tipped the bottle towards Pip, offering her a sip

Pip shook her head no.

“Oh ya, you don’t need all this,” he nods his head recalling her previous words.

He winced as he poured the remaining water on his head, cleaning the numerous cuts and bruises there.

Crunch, he crushed the empty bottle and tossed it away.

‘Do I try to get home or head back to the library,’ he contemplated, looking at the star-studded night sky But he quickly dismissed both the options. His home was still quite a distance away and if he ran into anyone else on the way back, he would not be able to even lift his finger in defence.

‘I can’t even go back to the library looking like this. The Kings will become suspicious about my strength otherwise,’ he reasoned.

Auoo, a deep howl resounded at the distance, bringing Rick back from his thoughts. He could not even wait until sunrise waiting there.

He glanced at the window to the building before him, and thought, “Should I try in there?”

“Peep!” she nods her head in agreement.

“Okay, let’s do that,” he replied. He limped his way up the steps of the apartment front door. The lights were all out, but Rick knew better than to believe a dark house to be really empty.

He held the [Noise Scroll] in his hand as he slowly turned the knob to the door.

The knob turned, the door was open, Rick let out a breath of relief, ‘Maybe there really isn’t anyone here.’

Pip immediately trotted in without pausing for a second. Rick slowly followed in, limping his way in, and closed the door behind him.

Ding

[You have entered the King-Cockroach Lair

Dungeon Level: 2]

“Damn it,” Rick cursed his godforsaken luck. “Let’s get out of here Pip.”

“Peep peep?” she did not want to leave.

“This building is a dungeon, we cannot afford to fight,” Rick explained,

“Peep peep peep”.

But we can’t stay outside, Rick heard Pip’s reply, You take rest right here, I will stand right here right here and if I see someone come, we will just go out.

Rick thought for a second. He would have never considered having Pip stand guard if she had not suggested it. He looked around the place, it was empty, he pulled himself next to the door and said, “Maybe it’s my damaged brain, but I think that’s a good idea.”

Pip’s face brightened up, hearing him compliment.

“Let me check this King-Cockroach out,” he took out the Lemegeton from his backpack to glean any information on the potential enemy.

“Okay, so they mutated from the cockroaches, already figured that,” he recited the information to Pip, “Here, they are generally four inches big and move in swarms of thirty or more, led by the King, who is bigger than the rest.”

“They are big and slow, and if not removed immediately can suck your blood dry,” he closed the Lemegeton, reading off the bits he thought to be important, “So let’s be careful, we will leave the moment you see something,”

Pip turned her back to him and tucked her legs and sat down for her guard duty. On the other hand, Rick immediately dozed off, exhausted.

---

Rick woke up to the feel of sunlight on his face. As he yawned and opened his eyes, realized where he was and immediately sat up straight.

Everything was just like the night before with Pip still, sitting before him, in guard.

Ding

A notification rang, surprising Rick all of a sudden.

“What happened this early in the morning now?” Rick chided as he checked the notification.

[Congratulations!]

[You have cleared the King-Cockroach Lair]

“What?” Rick was flabbergasted. He had slept throughout the night, so he was sure he had not cleared the dungeon.

“Pip, were you here all night yesterday?” Rick asked.

“Peep! Peep!” she looked back at him and nod her head furiously.

“Are you sure?” he asked with suspicion, ”Because I just got a notification that the dungeon has been cleared.”

Pip didn’t immediately reply.

“Peep Peep. Peep Peep Peep!”

I did not think you will find out, I was hungry. Please don’t be mad) she lied.

She did not want Rick to treat her like an almighty being. She still wanted him to care for just like before.

“Haha! If you are not hurt I have no problem,” Rick answered with a smile.

‘Of course, a bird would want to eat insects,’ he reasoned, ‘And she is a spirit beast after all.’

But the fact remained that unknowingly he had cleared another dungeon. He checked his stats again,

[RICK HANIQUE

[Strength: 14.1

Stamina: 12.2

Concentration: 20.2

Perception: 9

Vitality: 1.9

Agility: 14

Mana: 18]

“The stats did increase,” Rick was shocked looking at the drastic increase in stats, but then wondered, “Maybe it is because of the fight.”

Only his [Vitality] stat had dropped. Otherwise, all his stats had increased drastically, with her [Mana] stat increasing by seven points.

“Pip, did they drop anything valuable?” Rick asked, excited.

Pip peeked a glance at Rick and then immediately looked away. Rick understood what that look meant, “You ate them all, didn’t you!”

Rick did not bother with Pip anymore and immediately pushed himself up and walked out the door. He had already made up his mind to head back to the Library rather than back home, as the Library was much closer.

Suddenly a something landed on his hair, Peep a call rang.

She has changed back to her tiny form and decided to ride on his hair instead of walk or fly,

“Were you on fire last night?” Rick suddenly recalled. He was not sure if it was something he hallucinated or that really happened.

I am always on fire. I am the best, Pip replied.

Rick chucked hearing her answer, not bothering to ask anything else.

---

The chair squeaked as he sat down behind the desk. He always hated the monotone white of these rooms, even when they were makeshift ones.

“How are they Doctor?” her soft voice, like the icy storm rang through the silent halls.

He hated being called the Doctor, never getting his medical license. But she was not one he wanted to discuss this with.

“I doubt Mr Alex will survive, And with Mr Eira’s low [Vitality], he will probably not gain consciousness today,” the Doctor replied, scratching his unshaved face replied,

“Let me know when he wakes up, the Library settlement will be in chaos if they find out our people ended by like this. Keep all this under wraps,” with a nod she walked out, her white robe fluttering away behind her.