Two whole weeks. Lux had been dragged in and out of Wild Dungeons for two whole weeks! He threw the golden book away from himself as if it might suddenly bite, watching it tumble end over end and land with its blank, open pages glaring up at him, white as bone.

  Lux’s pulse spiked. The blank pages seemed to be mocking him, taunting him for surviving two weeks of terror just to get nowhere.

  Twenty-eight Wild Dungeons. Not a single one had been absorbed into the book. He was so far beyond frustrated, angry didn’t even begin to describe it.

  Fear and fatigue gnawed at his nerves. At this point, he’d circled right around to despair. “What the hell am I doing wrong?” Lux wailed, voice cracking, at the useless golden book, hands shaking from exhaustion and dread.

  A dirt-smeared hand landed on his shoulder, making him flinch. “There’s still one more chance.” Azura craned his head back, as if he could read the answer in the clouds. His hair was tangled with bits of flesh and splattered blood, but Lux didn’t even blink at the sight anymore. Fourteen days of monsters had worn down his nerves into raw wires.

  Lux scrunched up his face, anxiety twisting his words. “What if it’s because I’m human?” He’d run through every possible reason for the book’s failure to absorb a dungeon, but the most terrifying one always crept back. Humans had no magic, so maybe it just wouldn’t work for him, maybe it never would, no matter what they tried.

  Azura eyed him sideways. “Then it’s just not possible. Doesn’t matter, there’s only one left anyway, and we’ve already got all the monster cores for activation.”

  When the book’s progress had reached ninety-eight percent, Silver had told him to never, ever take the golden book out of his pouch, not unless he absolutely had to. Fortunately, the thieving book didn’t cause trouble as long as it stayed closed. Unfortunately, it refused to cooperate when it came to absorbing dungeons.

  Monster cores, yes, dungeons, not a chance. That was why the group looked like they’d crawled out of a nightmare and why they were still bashing their way into dungeons.

  Lux’s knees wobbled as he walked over to the golden book. He bent down to pick it up, groaning, the simple act felt like a risk, as if the book might suddenly lash out. “I need a bath!” he blurted, trying to distract himself from his nerves. The idea of a hot soak for his battered muscles made his heart ache.

  For a moment, he thought of the bathhouse in Silver City, and wondered if it was finished yet. The thought went unanswered, Silver hadn’t let them return. There was no time left, not if they wanted to finish the dungeon.

  These days, Lux had learned to snatch sleep whenever and wherever he could. Most nights, he passed out on Novgar’s back, clinging to the giant like a lifeline while the green man carved a path through monsters Lux didn’t dare look at.

  He didn’t even blink at the sight of monsters anymore. Their roars, the splatter of gore, the blood, it just didn’t bother him, or so he told himself, even as his skin crawled every time.

  What still got him, though, was a certain voice…

  “It’s time.” That melodic note drilled straight into his spine, and Lux flinched, the words making his stomach roil. He could handle monsters if he had to, but every time Silver said “It’s time,” he knew it meant another plunge into danger.

  “No! Can’t we rest for five more minutes? I can barely move!” Lux whined, desperation leaking into his voice.

  “Novgar.” Silver simply ignored him and gestured to the huge green man. In the next blink, Novgar had scooped Lux up like a limp doll. “Lucky Charm can rest.” Lux made a pitiful whimper but didn’t resist.

  The moment he was draped over Novgar’s shoulders, exhaustion overpowered his fear and his eyes fell closed.

  On cue, Magenta’s irritated voice rang out. “Why does the human get to rest!” Any goodwill she’d had for Lux had evaporated over the last two weeks. He was back to being ‘lowly human,’ not ‘darling.’

  Novgar’s steady gait started to lull him toward sleep again. As they moved through a porthole, Lux didn’t even register it, he was too tired, nerves spent from constant fear and fatigue.

  He snapped awake as Novgar dumped him back onto his feet, confusion and dread surging in his chest. “Lucky Charm, this Wild Dungeon is dangerous. Novgar cannot take you any further. Azura will make a hiding place for you.” An explosion boomed, making Lux’s head jerk in terror toward the noise, heart thumping.

  Dust filled the air, but as it slowly settled, he saw a hole blasted into a rockface. Right next to it, a wide river cut the landscape in two, its current wild and roaring.

  One bank was a forest, its trees aglow like embers, the red and gold leaves reminding Lux of autumn. The other bank was all rock, a high, sheer wall with only a narrow path squeezed between the river and the cliff.

  Lux eyed the riverbank he was standing on with growing dread. Pebbles and stones rolled underfoot, making every step feel like a risk. “Why are we on this side of the river?” he asked, not bothering to hide the panic in his voice.

  Novgar’s broad shoulders barely fit on the skinny path. Lux instinctively pressed his back against the wall, the river’s never-ending roar rattling his chest.

  He gestured wildly to the opposite bank, where the ground was solid. “Novgar, why are we here and not over there?” His voice was small, almost pleading.

  No sooner had he pointed than enormous beasts lumbered out of the forest. They looked like rhinoceroses but with hide so rough it mimicked the cliff behind Lux. Each had a razor-sharp horn, and their bulk matched Novgar’s own.

  Lux’s voice shrank to a whisper. “I get it now, never mind.” His heart was pounding so hard he was sure the monsters would hear it.

  “Lucky Charm will have to wait on this side for Novgar to finish his battle,” explained Novgar. “The Rocknocerous is not the only thing Novgar will fight.” With a wide grin and sparkling eyes, it was clear, Lux should stay far away. Novgar hadn’t looked this happy in ages.

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Lux shuffled into the newly made hole, the others clearing the way. Azura placed a leafy branch across the entrance, it was a perfect hidey-hole. Lux could see out through the gaps in the leaves, every muscle in his body tense, ready to bolt at the slightest sign of danger.

  Across the river, a new porthole opened, and out stepped Azura, Magenta, Novgar, and Silver. The Rocknocerous spotted them instantly and charged. Lux held his breath, heart pounding so loud it drowned out everything else.

  Novgar braced for the first beast. The others danced out of the way, swift and sure. The fight was over quickly, even monsters this size were no match for this group, not when it came to brute force.

  The group disappeared into the woods, and Lux lost sight of them. Time passed. Every so often, the woods shuddered with a roar or explosion. It almost started to feel normal, but then came a scream… a scream so sharp it cut through the noise of the river.

  Lux tensed, frozen with terror. He couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. Another scream, human this time, not monster. Something was wrong.

  He edged closer to the leafy barrier, heart in his throat, hoping to see what was happening but dreading what he might find.

  “Get her out of here, Novgar will hold them back!” The familiar voice wasn’t comforting at all, if anything, it made Lux’s blood run colder. Someone was hurt. Lux wanted to help but didn’t know how.

  For long minutes there was only the river’s relentless roar. Then, movement, a figure staggered from the trees. Azura, limping, one arm hanging limp. Over his shoulder, Magenta, unconscious. Blood ran down Azura’s head. Lux’s stomach twisted with dread.

  Without thinking, Lux shoved the branch aside, panic driving his body more than reason.

  He eyed the roaring water and his heart nearly stopped. “Well, I needed a bath anyway,” he muttered shakily, trying to mask the terror flaring in his chest.

  Lucky for him, his mother had signed him up for swim lessons as a kid. He squeezed his eyes shut and, with a desperate gulp, hurled himself into the current, because the fear of what might happen if he stayed was somehow worse.

  The water instantly yanked at him. Lux fought to keep his head above water, terror kicking in as the current battered him. By the time he crawled out, soaking and freezing, he was far downriver, legs like jelly.

  No time to waste. Fear still clamped down on his chest as he ran, wet clothes weighing him down, every step frantic and desperate.

  He skidded to a halt when he saw what awaited him, a Rocknocerous pawing at the unconscious pair.

  Lux’s heart thundered in terror. “Get away!” he screamed, voice shrill.

  The creature turned, beady eyes fixing on him, and for an awful moment, Lux’s feet refused to move, frozen by pure panic.

  Up close, the beast was an armoured wall, its horn jagged and deadly. It snorted, snapping Lux out of his trance. Trembling, he grabbed a stone at his feet, only because there was nothing else, and hurled it with wild, desperate energy. “This is a terrible idea,” he gasped, but threw it anyway.

  The rock bounced harmlessly off the monster’s armour. Instantly, it charged. The ground shook. Lux’s mind blanked in terror as he bolted, running for his life, weaving between trees in a desperate, panicked dash.

  Crashing sounds behind him, made Lux reevaluate his move. He needed an actual plan if wanted to save the others and stay alive.

  The only other thought his panicked mind could churn out was heading to the river. Fear made the decision for him. As soon as the water came into view, Lux didn’t slow, he just flung himself over the edge, barely registering the splash as the monster followed.

  He surfaced downstream, breathless and shaking, lungs burning.

  The beast struggled, its size dragging it under. Lux didn’t wait to see if it would resurface. He scrambled onto the bank and ran, terror propelling him back to Azura and Magenta.

  Déjà vu. Another Rocknocerous had found them. Again. Lux groaned, panic bubbling in his chest. Don’t tell me this is happening again.

  It was… a time loop of monsters. Three times, Lux returned, three times, a Rocknocerous was there! Each time, he barely managed to escape, more by luck and fear than by any kind of skill or bravery.

  Only when Novgar finally appeared, battered and bruised, did Lux sag with relief, the fear draining out of him. “Thank all the gods! Novgar, I’m so tired!” he managed, voice trembling.

  The adrenaline drained out of him. His legs gave way, the wet clothes rubbed his skin raw. He’d had enough of wild dungeons for a lifetime.

  “Novgar, can we leave now, please!” Lux tried again, his voice thinner and shakier this time. He could barely keep the tremor out of it. He was tired, far beyond tired, and the anxiety had started to seep into his bones.

  But Novgar was right there, the hulking green figure blocking out danger like a shield, like a wall no one could break through. For the first time in what felt like ages, Lux let the tension slip from his muscles. His eyelids drooped, heavy and slow, and his last thoughts faded as he relaxed at Novgar’s side.

  A sudden mechanical voice snapped him awake. “Wild dungeon completed. A dungeon guide is detected, would you like to absorb the Wild dungeon?”

  “Mother fucker!” Lux snapped, grinding his teeth together. Half-dazed, wanting nothing more than to obey, he glared at the source of the question. Did he want to? Yes, a thousand times, yes! But would he even be allowed?

  The thought, sour and sharp, curled tight in his chest. Annoyance at being pulled from sleep and then offered something he couldn’t reach, it made his blood simmer, a fizz of frustration winding through him.

  For a full minute, Lux seethed, blinking through the haze of anger. That’s when it hit him, this was it, his last shot at success. The realisation rocketed him out of his seat. He jumped to his feet, determination burning bright and raw.

  He tried everything, praying, dancing, singing. For his final try, he performed a ridiculous dance with everything combined, then looked up, and met Silver’s gaze.

  Disappointment washed over him, hard and cold. He had received no notification that he was successful. He knew exactly how much effort Silver had put into finding Wild Dungeons.

  At the beginning, Silver had explained, if the Wild Dungeons could be absorbed into the book before activation, the resulting dungeon might have more floors, or it would be stronger. The more floors, the better, the best dungeons drew more visitors.

  Lux couldn’t hold Silver’s gaze. He didn’t want to say the words out loud, I failed. Silver had done so much. He’d spent every bit of coin on information, paid dearly for rumours and confirmation of new dungeons. Azura had even hinted just how much some of those tips had cost.

  But Silver had never complained about the money, never blamed Lux for not being able to absorb a Wild Dungeon. Lux just felt worse. He wished he could have managed at least one for Silver’s sake. He knew the man was desperate to return to his original world, the dungeon book was their only hope.

  Lux stared at the darkening sky. He finally forced himself to look at Silver and shake his head.

  A small nod from Silver. That made Lux’s chest clench. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

  “It’s not your fault. I will find another way.” Silver’s confident words didn’t help much. Lux still felt hollow.

  He was brooding over it when he suddenly remembered, Azura and Magenta had passed out! Lux jerked upright, searching frantically.

  Azura was calmly wiping the dried blood off his face. Magenta was doing stretches. Neither looked remotely injured. The wound on Azura’s head was already gone, nothing but a faint scar under the drying blood.

  Lux let out a relived sigh, it looked like Azura has emptied some more potions out of his pouch. The first time he’d seen potions at work, Lux had been in awe. He had watched as skin knitted back together and the raw end of the wound melted away.

  By now, it was routine. Azura’s pouch seemed to have a potion for everything.

  Azura caught Lux watching. “Want something to eat?” As soon as he asked, Lux’s stomach growled an answer.

  Azura had already coaxed small flames to life, meat sizzling over the modest fire. Lux nodded quickly, and within moments he was eating, hunger replaced by warmth that filled his belly.

  Lux tilted his weary head back and looked up at the night sky. A small satisfied smile lingered, he could finally return to Silver City. The chaos was finally over.

  As Lux imagined the comfort of his own bed, Silver’s words cut through.

  “It’s time.”

  The declaration hung in the air. Lux jaw dropped, cursing the musical voice. Lux felt like screaming. They’d finished all the dungeons, so what did Silver mean, it’s time?