They unhurriedly walked past several rows of graves facing one another as they descended the dirt path.

This wasn't here during development, Shane thought.

"How long has this been here?" He asked, looking at Alabaster.

"I think ever since the man in your wanted poster decided to make the dungeon his home," he said with a playful smirk.

Shane wasn't feeling playful, though. This is…bad. Did everyone here perish from the dungeon? He shook his head with a hand over his mouth; it was just too much.

"Shane, your pants are glowing a little," Alabaster indicated with an inquisitive tone.

He was right. Shane's dark-red, comfy shorts were indeed glowing slightly. It was then he realized his sorrow from seeing all of these graves was slowly being ebbed away, seemingly absorbed into his shorts. As the unhappiness and disappointment departed, it was replaced by an emotional numbing—like the vacuum of space taking up residence in his heart.

The clarity that vacuum brought helped him focus.

"If I'm not mistaken, this graveyard initially started when this dungeon became more difficult for the people of Krooth. Does that sound right, Alabaster?" Asked Liz as she floated around and in between several headstones.

"Indeed," the vampire replied. "Many of these graves belong to the humans that hybrids owned and would force to survive. The humans that did were given better lives and rights. Those that didn't…." Alabaster trailed off while gesturing towards the many graves before him.

Shane glanced from headstone to headstone, acknowledging the sad fact that most of them were nameless, chipped, and unkempt. Until he found one that actually did have something on it, this particular headstone was smaller than the others but wasn't chipped or disturbed in the slightest. Someone really loves the person that died here, Shane thought.

He knelt by the grave and read the headstone's passage.

Here Lies

Gabben Angler

He died trying to make a better life for his family

Until we meet again, my beautiful boy

The grave's headstone was adorned with beautiful golden flowers with long silky petals resting inside of a couple of long, thin, hollowed-out wooden sticks. Upon closer examination, they looked like old wands with dull, chipped paint. As if instinctual, Shane decided to try out his [Loot Sense] passive feat for the first time.

The tubes themselves gave off a shining blue glow.

"They're both rare items?" Shane whispered as he subconsciously reached out to grab them but quickly realized he would be desecrating a grave. This item could be a family heirloom or a meaningful gift from a family member. Taking it would go beyond stealing. I can't take it. I won't take it.

While Shane liked the idea of randomly finding loot in the world like that, he would have felt terrible taking it. He stood up, made a quick praying gesture over the grave, and continued down the path through this make-shift cemetery. A pit in his stomach developed as the excitement from the potential danger made him hyper-focus on everything around him.

Occasionally, they came upon a wooden sign with big red letters staked into the ground that displayed various warnings.

Turn Back Now!

Danger!

Off Limits To Bronze Overseers and The General Populace!

"Bronze overseers may be the weakest of their kind but can still be formidable. Much like the men who attacked your dwelling, Shane," said Alabaster, who lagged behind, casually observing each sign.

Which is probably why I have this knot in the pit of my stomach. If warriors like that Rat aren't even allowed to come here out of danger, will we fare any better?

Unlit lanterns on beat-up wooden posts dotted the path once the warnings stopped showing up. Every so often, Shane would use loot sense to see if there might have been something lying around that he couldn't see with the naked eye.

There was a moment of delight when he thought he saw a golden glow, but it turned out to be the sun's light reflecting off one of the lanterns' spiked edges. Suddenly, he heard a small soft voice.

"I would love to wear a spiked collar for you, master. Just like the ones on those lanterns," Sharlot said with firm desire.

"Maybe if we can find one that changes size. That way, it'll always fit you," Shane said, trying to change the subject.

Lovely. She's awake and just can't help herself, it seems, Shane thought with a smile and a roll of the eyes.

"Find a big one, master, and I can stay big all the time. Besides, the bigger I am, the easier it is to keep you warm," Sharlot confidently claimed. How a spider could anatomically give off warmth was simply beyond him.

That last comment's smooth, sultry delivery jolted him out of focus. He looked at the tiny, dark spider, rocking back and forth on her legs in line with his movements. I hope I can live up to the high standards she undoubtedly has made for me. I guess I should look for a collar too, Shane thought tiredly. In truth, he very much appreciated her being around as something that could fight for and care for him.

"How did I get so lucky to have such a great companion like yourself?" Shane said with a sigh.

Sharlot began happily bouncing around shoulder to shoulder before jumping up to his white hair and curling herself in several strands. There was no happier spider in this world at this very moment.

By the time they made it to the large double doors of the dungeon entrance, Shane's white hair was extra wavy.

"This is the first time I think I've been here," Liz said in wonder as she eyed and then scanned the two massive doors with a bright green light.

"These two bronze doors are heavy, but you should be able to open them, Shane!" Her lighthearted positivity was a pleasant boon for his twisting stomach.

To each side of the two doors were square-shaped indents that housed miniature crystals much like the towers on the top of Krooth. Except these crystals had been shattered and were stained with blood. Shane followed the blood trail and realized it led to a limp hand dangling off the edge of the open tower above them.

A tower where a couple of guards would be stationed to ring a large bell, alerting the city to its attack.

With a stylish flick of his long, black hair, Alabaster transformed into a bat and flew up to investigate the corpse. Meanwhile, Shane put a hand on both sides of the door and pushed. A heavy groaning creak sound escaped the door and its giant hinges. He pushed harder, and the doors gave an inch before stopping again. Shane was about to wait until Alabaster returned to try again when the two doors gave and slowly swung inward.

Near each of his hands were two black legs from a now giant Sharlot behind him. Their combined strength was just enough to get the job done. Seconds later, Shane and Sharlot were met with a stale, stuffy air wafting from the depths inside. They both looked at each other after they heard what sounded like crazed cackling far into the dungeon's depths.