It could have gone better. To be completely honest, I am still the weakest link. Those skeleton soldiers we fought are like goddamn flies in the place. There are hundreds of them and they just buzz around. It’s not exactly impressive that I killed a couple all by myself. On the bright side, I gained a level and a bit. I also got some insights into the Monster Core that is now a part of me.

I asked Honey, Quinn, and Mordai about Monster Cores. The consensus was that they are the ‘something extra’ that makes a monster a monster. For example, a normal wolf is just a wolf. A wolf with a monster core is much more dangerous.

Not super helpful. What did help though, was they said that Monster Cores are usually dug out of the corpse of monsters and sold to the Guild as raw ingredients. They have a high concentration of Source that is usable in enchanting, alchemy, and whatnot. Similar to a Mana Core, which are from Magic Beings as opposed to Monstrous ones.

This drew me to the conclusion that the Core draws in source, and purifies it somehow. This purified Source is more potent and that is what is making me stronger without raising my stats. This theory doesn’t explain why the amount of Source it can contain grows ever so slightly every time I kill something though.

A hand on my shoulder silences my inner monologue. A few hours have passed since we first entered the Dungeon. Our party is currently taking a breather outside of an elegant, yet ominous, door. This door is what the tunnel led us to. The ‘Floor Boss’ Room’ or so I’m told.

“I noticed you were working on that fireball spell I taught you,” Quinn, her hand on my shoulder, says loud enough for everyone to hear. “Come with me, I’ll teach you how to give it more of a bang.”

‘Oh, so we’re talking to each other now, huh?’ My disgruntled inner-voice chimes in.

Snarky thoughts aside, I get up and follow her, shooting a message at Nevasca to stay. I don’t forget to sneak a peek at Quinn’s mesmerizing ass. I can’t believe I tapped that.

She leads me a distance away, around a few curves in the tunnel and out of sight. With a graceful motion, she grabs me, and spins me against the dungeon wall. She presses up against me, her body grinding against mine.

“Sorry I’ve been giving you the cold shoulder,” she breathes heavily between long, hungry kisses. “I just want to keep this a secret for now, okay?”

My irritation melts away and I readily agree. She pushes away from me.

“Shoot fireballs down that way,” she points. “Add some air particles to make it explode stronger.”

She rips off my chainmail and I unravel her top. Her hefty breasts free, I grip them tightly, eliciting a moan. Quinn detaches her lips from mine, hers travel down, sucking on patches of skin while swirling her tongue. A steady hand on my chest commands me to stay still.

“You’ve. Been. Doing. Good. Today.” She says between each mouthful. “And. You. Look. Different?”

“Yeah, I don’t know what happened,” my reply comes fast and heavy, just like my breath.

Quinn, on her knees, looks up at me.

“You can consider this an appetizer for all your hard work,” she grins up at me saucily. “You can expect a full course later.”

Her piece said, her mouth latches on to a final patch of skin, her tongue swirling up and down it. One of my hands grips her hair, while the other points and shoots fireballs as instructed.

The fireballs shoot faster and faster, keeping pace with Quinn’s motions. They explode louder and louder with the addition of air, until finally there is an explosion that eclipses the others.

The way Quinn milks every last drop of that final explosion makes me think she may enjoy such things. Not that I’m complaining.

Damn if this isn’t my dream girl. Almost getting murder by the ogre after brutally massacring a peaceful village may be one of the best things that has ever happened to me.

Maybe not in that context.

***

Play time is over. I’m not quite as rested as I like to be, but I’m in a much better mood. A sneak a glance at Quinn, a conspiratorial grin on my face. She pretends not to see me but wipes her mouth sensuously. Naughty girl.

Honey and I push through the ‘Boss Room’ doors first. Front line means first at all times, apparently.

A large chamber lays before us. Massive stone pillars line the sides. Great orbs casting a blue-ish light are set between the pillars. I can vaguely see that the ceiling has grand murals, a sharp contrast to the visages of death standing before my eyes.

Their formation seems to mirror our own. Two in front. Two standing back and to the sides. One behind the whole formation.

The two in front are clad in ornate plate armor. Through their great helms, I can see red light, signifying what passes for eyes. Both carry matching decorated great shields and halberds. Their shields, rectangular like mine, they are massive and thick. Covering their whole bodies except for their head and feet, these shields are what I aspire to be able to wield. Pure protection.

To the left and right of the Death Knight Guardians, are two undead clad in chainmail. Heavy crossbows in hand and blades strapped to their belts, I can already tell that I’m in trouble. Death Knight Rangers of some sort, no doubt.

Finally, behind the four Death Knights, is the boss. A Lich, by all accounts. His once luxurious, but now tattered black robe flutters, despite the lack of wind. In his hand is a rune engraved staff, pulsing with frightening power.

The door slams behind us, cutting off any chance of escape. Heavy, measured steps echo through the chamber as the Guardians march forward, looking to be as unstoppable as a force of nature.

Crossbolts hiss through the air. They are coming in fast. I can’t dodge because someone behind me might get hit. I can’t block because my shield won’t hold. Panic sets in. Lacking a better option, I freeze.

Honey steps in front of me. Effortlessly knocking down the bolts, she begins assigning tasks.

“Quinn, orb of light and Ranger on the left. Ra’hel and Nevasca, Ranger on the right. Mordai, healing and stop the Lich from casting anything big,” Honey barks. “Quinn and Mordai, don’t forget why we are here. You two keep your power outputs low.”

I stand frozen, lacking instruction.

“Front and center, Snowflake,” Honey growls. Sometimes I think she likes me, but sometimes I’m not so sure.

Fear and excitement flow through me, the two emotions deeply intertwined. An orb of light flickers into being above us, casting a clear light onto the field of battle. Pitch black wisps of smoke rise from the undead in front of us, their forms weakened by the opposing element.

Feathers and rocks spray to the right of me at the corresponding Ranger. The Guardian on that side moves to block the onslaught, but I begin firing my new and improved fireballs at him, to maintain his attention.

Adrenaline, Source, and the power from my Monster Core join my emotions in their journey. My body is brimming.

With our parties so evenly match, everyone just sort of splits off into personal duels. Not the best strategy in my opinion, but as the weakest one here, my opinion doesn’t count for much. To be fair, I may be discontent because my opponent is so heavily armed and armored. I can’t think of a good way to kill him. I focus on my opponent. A Guardian.

My spear darts forward, scraping off his shield without so much a scratch. His halberd pierces towards me, a mimicry of my own actions. I step to the side and knock it off course with my shield. He is exposed! I send a flurry of fireballs to explode in his face. He rocks back a step. My spear chases forward, like a striking snake. My Monster Core fueled muscles flex, my might is in this strike.

My ears ring with the screeching sound. My spear tip traces a long scratch my opponent’s breastplate, but does not pierce through. I roll to the side to avoid the counterattack, the halberd’s axeblade chopping into the stone beneath me like it is butter.

I focus on dodging and defending while my mind races. Spear won’t work. Shield can’t block. Get in close to use my dagger? Too dangerous. Magic? Too weak.

Can I aim for his weak spots with my spear? Tip can’t pierce. Can I weaken him with magic so my spear can do damage? … Maybe. Maybe I can. I need to make it fragile.

What makes steel fragile? Make it hot? No. Make it cold. Cold enough and it will shatter.

Okay. Okay. Dodge that. Still alive. Take energy away to make things cold, right? My intelligence and Wisdom are above 10 now. This should be easy. Just focus on a spot. Elbow. Elbow with the Halberd.

I focus on the joint, committing all my Source to drawing the energy out of that elbow. But where should it go? Doesn’t fucking matter. Just push it out. Make it go anywhere.

Seconds tick by, but it seems like their swings are getting slower. My Monster energy is keeping me alive, aiding my reflexes. I keep concentrating.

‘Out. Out. Out. Out. Out,’ is my mantra. And then it happens.

The joint freezes mid swing, for just a second, but it is enough. I have been waiting for this moment. With an overhead swing, I bring my spear crashing down into the frozen elbow. The shaft of my spear shatters on impact, but so does the elbow. The dismembered arm falls to the ground, halberd still in its clutches.

The Guardian’s movements stop. They are looking at the stump of their arm, as if trying to piece together what happened. It may have been a sight worthy of my pity, but I have other things going on right now. I am disarmed. I mean, not quite as much as that skeleton is, but hey! I am certain they can still crush my body to a pulp with their gigantic fucking shield.

Quickly darting forward and back, I plant my foot on the still grasping arm and wrench the halberd from its clutches.

‘Fuck this heavy,’ runs through my mind.

As predicted, the Great Shield comes charging at me. I drop my shield, committing both hands to the halberd. I forward and away from the shield. Not having to worry about being decapitated by an axe-spear hybrid, I am able to focus solely on offense. My roll brings me to one knee behind the skeleton, at an angle. As they turn to face me I lash out.

Both hands on the halberd I use all of my might, sweeping forward at ankle height. Luckily catching them mid-step, I knock their foot out from under them. They go crashing to the floor and I rush forward. I plant my foot on the remaining arm, taking away the skeleton’s active defense.

Unwilling to take off its helmet to more easily smash its skull in, I bring the full weight of the halberd to play. I raise the halberd high above my head and bring it crashing down, butt first. It smashes into the eye slits of the Guardian, denting the helmet. Like a farmer in a field I continue. Lift. Smash. Just another day on the job.

After a few minutes of smashing away, the skeleton struggling beneath me, the light finally fades from its eyes. I look up to see the battles around me already finished. Mordai holds the Lich at bay with just his staff and some magic while everyone else just… watches me.

“Um, sorry, I uh. Finished late,” I stutter.

“It’s fine. I honestly thought that you would just delay the Guardian until someone else could help,” Honey says. A real confidence booster that one. But I like that she tells it how it is.

Ra’hel looks a bit disgusted, almost disappointed? Nevasca preens, looking proud. Quinn licks her lips and looks me up and down appreciatively.

Mordai shoots me a charming grin. Charming for a 7-foot-tall, muscle bound freak of nature at least.

“Wanna practice going one on one with a Lich?” he asks me.

“Let Ra’hel have a go first,” Honey instructs. “There will be plenty of Liches and Death Knights later, these ones are nothing special. Better to get some practice in now.”

I sink to the ground, stolen halberd in my clutches.

‘These are the standard enemy from now on?’ I think, incredulously.