The inside of the church was just as large as Steven expected, but it was differently shaped than he thought it would be. From the outside, it was a big circular structure, like a colosseum or arena. Inside, the layout was closer to that of a hospital. He could tell that someone had tried to liven the place up and painted the walls in bright happy colors like yellow and blue. He even saw a faded rainbow mural across one section of wall. A musky smell of dust permeated the air.

Hushed speech and low tones gave the impression that something really bad had just happened, and Steven could feel the hair on his arms and neck stand up. He looked up at the domed ceiling high above, eyes finding nothing in particular. This place felt like the place to go and actually die.

He stood at the end of a long hallway lined with doorways on both sides. There were multiple levels, each with their own wide balcony. Every so often there was a stairway or elevator for access to higher or lower floors. The middle of the hall was a long desk shaped like a skinny racetrack. Inside the desk were people, wearing religious looking garb. Nuns and monks were Steven’s first thought when he saw them.

Approaching the desk, he got the attention of the closest nun. “I’m looking for someone. Is there a way to tell me where to find them?”

“By the First Saint, are you actually here to retrieve a patient?” The nun asked, with bright eyes, already filling with tears.

“Uh. I don’t know about retrieving. I don’t even know what this place is. I’m just looking for someone. They left a note.” Steven handed the nun the help note he’d pulled from the bulletin board. She quickly scanned over the words and let out a soft grunt followed by a sniff. The nun tapped quickly on something under the desk then nodded.

“You’re in luck. He can still speak. That’s better than most, even before they come into our care.” She pointed to a doorway near the entrance, “that's the waiting room. Have a seat and I’ll bring him to you.”

The nun left and Steven went into the waiting room. The room had couches along three walls with a singular doorway in the free space. He waited for a bit and the nun returned pushing a wheelchair occupied by a figure covered with a blanket. She gestured for Steven to follow her and pressed a button by the door. It lit up green, and the door slid open.

Inside the room were several simple cushioned armchairs. The lights were set to a soft orange glow. The nun deposited the wheelchair, turning it to face one of the chairs, and came close to Steven and whispered, “See if you can get him to take this.” She handed him a small grey marble and left. The mana pill was smaller than the one he had ingested before.

“Don’t expect me to take that,” said a soft raspy voice. The man under the blanket pulled it down to his lap. He grimaced and blinked his eyes, trying to find who was in the room.

The man was grey, with flakes of skin hanging off his face revealing a darker grey underneath. He still had hair but it was thin and wispy and there were a few bald spots. Steven thought this man would have been considered attractive in the past. He had an angular face with a slightly pointy nose and sharp jaw.

“Are you Garth?” Steven asked, with some hesitation in his voice. He wasn't sure if this man could help him at all, looking at the state of him.

“That’s me, who are you?” Garth replied, finding Steven’s face and staring at him with dead eyes.

Steven sat down on the chair opposite Garth, “Steven. Are you sick?”

Garth let out a weak wheezing sound. “No, no. I’m as healthy as can be. Can’t get sick here. Can’t even die. All we can do is sit around and wither away. Then maybe we’ll be free.”

“You’re a withered then,” said Steven, realization dawning as he picked up on the clues. “I got your note. Well, I got many, but everyone else declined to help.”

“And now you see why I’m like this. Everyone looking out for number 1.”

“Yea, well. I’m not sure what you are, or why. I’ve only been here a few days. If you’re sick or something, I’ll leave you alone. I haven’t posted on the board yet.”

Steven stood to leave, but noticed a small glimmer appear in Garth’s eyes and stopped.

“I’m not withered yet, you dolt.” Garth sat up a little straighter, looking almost alive. “The withered are outside. Their mind’s gone.” He cleared his throat, and Steven could hear a slight rattling in Garth’s chest. “Talk.”

Steven thought for a minute. He had come here to ask for help defeating his bonus challenge on Floor 1. He didn’t know what this place was, or the state of the people being held here, or why. This guy had been here for who knows how long, possibly as many as fourteen years. He seemed so broken, and yet the look in his eyes a moment ago, well, Garth said it himself. He’s not withered yet.

“I want to help you,” said Steven, finally breaking the silence.

“You know nothing!” Garth spat, causing him to cough heavily. When he regained composure he continued, “You’ve been here a few days. I’m assuming you mean the dungeon. How much suffering can you take? How much death? Especially when you can’t escape!”

“I’ve died more here than on Earth,” Steven said, realizing afterwards just how stupid it sounded. He was getting angry now. No one he’d come across on his quest to find help for Floor 1 had any inclination to actually help. “Anyway. Floor 0 killed me. Over and over. Pain isn’t bad. It just lets you know you’re alive. You can’t help me anyway, so stay here sulking at your wizard’s academy”

Steven stormed out of the room. He had lost his cool and gotten angry at the man. Not even the monsters that tried to kill him made him angry. Everyone he’d come across, minus the guild workers, seemed so beaten. They all had a chance to live out a game, gaining power, and casting real magic. He could tap on his implant and have an awesome hologram come up that showed him his attributes and abilities. It was all so cool, even the stuff in Serenity Springs.

It hurt to die, and it hurt even more to respawn. He just didn’t understand why everyone seemed so down. He sat down to clear his head and heard laughing. It was coming from the room he’d just left. Garth was laughing at him. The man no doubt thought that Steven was a walking joke, full of spunk and bright colors, in this drab dungeon.

It wasn’t that Steven wasn’t a realist. He understood that in the dungeon he would experience pain and death. He just liked to look on the brighter side of things.

“Come back,” Garth’s voice, still raspy but stronger, came through the open doorway. “I know you’re in there, I heard you sit down.”

Steven didn’t want to go back in there, and see that withered looking man. He didn’t want to be lectured on how much he didn’t know or experience. But he needed to apologize for getting angry at a man so close to the end of his journey. He went back in, head hanging low.

“Look, I’m sorry for,”

“What do you need?” Garth interrupted, with an emphasis on the word you. Steven proceeded to explain the situation with the Skeletal Blend patrolling around the Red Eye.

“So you’re stuck on Floor 1. It’s highly unusual for there to be a death loop boss that low,” said Garth, with even more strength in his voice than before. “I will help you.”

Steven almost jumped out of excitement and then seriously looked at the crippled ashen man in the wheelchair.

“But how?” Steven asked, gesturing towards the wheelchair.

“I’m a level 13 Tutor. It shouldn’t be too hard to take down a boss on Floor 1,” said Garth. “But first, I would ask that you help me.” He looked almost hopeful.

“Sure, I can push you, but how are you going to fight?”

“No, you idiot. The mana helps. But I mean the note, I need that done first.”

Steven fumbled in his pocket, where he placed both the note and the mana pill earlier. “Sure, let me go see if the nun can get a glass of water.” He pulled out the pill and started to leave to find the woman from earlier.

“Why would I need water?”

“To take the pill,” said Steven, positively bouncing on his feet. He was finally going to get some help with his floor, then he can move on and get stronger. He had made it halfway through the waiting room when he heard Garth’s voice call out again.

“Are you serious? You don’t need water.”

Steven stopped and went back into the room. Garth had uncovered his left arm and was holding it out.

“It’s not a pill, you put the mana bead in your gem,” Garth said, turning over his hand to show Steven the implant. “Have you eaten one of those?”

“No of course not,” replied Steven, clearing his throat. He pressed the mana bead against Garth’s outstretched hand. The bead was immediately absorbed.

Color began to return to Garth’s face and the grey skin that was flaking off began to fall in earnest, revealing bright pink new skin underneath.

“This might take a while. Have a seat,” said Garth, indicating the chair opposite. “Let me teach you a bit while the mana brings my system back up.”

Steven sat down again opposite Garth. The man was magically coming to life. “Why did you decide to help?”

Garth looked down at his feet, “You made me laugh.”

“Huh?”

“I’ve not laughed since... In a long while. You made me laugh. You said wizard’s academy,”