I choose the portal that I had seen the least number of large groups go through, and stepped in front of its door.

I studied the shimmering curtain of white in the doorway, suddenly nervous. “Ready Gnat?” I asked.

The skeletal bat snorted. “Of course.” The familiar eyed me sideways. “You on the other hand, don’t appear to be so sure anymore.”

I shifted from foot to foot. Gnat was right. Now that the moment had arrived, I felt fear stir within me at the thought of deliberately putting myself in a life and death situation.

No doubt about it: I was scared. The fear is natural, I told myself. I would be a fool not to be scared. But even knowing all that to be true, I still couldn’t force my feet forward.

I squeezed my eyes shut. Thus far, I hadn’t questioned too closely anything the Master had said, or the circumstances I found myself in. Mostly, because I was afraid I wouldn’t like the answers.

I had just kept moving forward because so much of what I had been asked to do seemed so familiar, and because it was easier to do as I was told rather than fight against the tide. But, I thought, if I survive what comes next, that has to change.

I wasn’t sure I trusted the Master.

I had many unanswered questions about who he was and what he asked of us. Yet, here, in what appeared to be the heart of his domain, I didn’t think I would find the answers I desired. But in the dungeon… There, I would be out from under the Master’s thumb, and perhaps I could forge my own path.

Either way, whether to follow the Master’s path or create my own, I have to enter the dungeon.

I opened my eyes. Right. Enough delaying. Exhaling a heavy breath, I stepped forward through the portal.

~~~

You have entered sector 14,913 of the Endless Dungeon. This area has been previously explored and is presently under the control of the Axis of Evil. This sector is a closed region, cordoned off from the rest of the dungeon. It was last populated 8 hours ago by denizens of the Dark. Recommended player levels: 1 to 20. Recommended party size: 4 to 6.

You have been allocated a new task: Escape the Dungeon. Your objective is to fill all 3 of your Class slots. Once you have done so, the location of the sector’s exit portal will be revealed, and you may make your way to the aboveground world.

Coming out of the portal, I dropped down into a crouch. A swift glance revealed I was in a small chamber. Moving quickly, I padded away from the entrance and into the room’s darkest corner.

You and your familiar are hidden.

Safely concealed, I took stock of my surroundings once more. Large cobwebs draped the room’s ceiling and walls. Other than the still-glowing portal, there was no other light source in the chamber. The floor was paved by granite flagstones and the walls were formed from rough-cut bricks. There was an open door at the room’s far end, and beyond it, I spied a long corridor extending away.

Most gratifying of all, the room was empty.

The tension in my shoulders eased as I realized this. Rising to my feet, I unwrapped my fingers from the hilt of my shortsword.

I was safe. For now.

I glanced at my familiar. All this time, he had not moved from his roost on my shoulder. He had kept his presence so still and small I had almost forgotten about him. Only belatedly did it occur to me to wonder if my sneaking skill would apply to Gnat, but it had worked to cloak his presence too too—which was a relief.

My relief was short-lived though as another worrying thought occurred to me. “Gnat, I used my sneaking skill to hide, didn’t I?”

“You did,” the bat confirmed.

I frowned. “Then why didn’t my skill improve? Surely at my low level, even a single successful use should’ve been enough to advance it?”

“Skills only advance in level when employed in combat, or when used in the presence of hostiles,” Gnat replied.

“Oh,” I said, my lips turning down. It had been in the back of my mind to try training my skills before engaging in combat, but that didn’t seem possible.

Seeing my disappointment, Gnat laughed. “You didn’t think levelling would be that easy, did you?”

Ignoring my familiar’s amusement, I returned my attention to the surroundings. I walked to the center of the room and spun in a slow circle. Nothing further of interest revealed itself. Alright then, I thought. Time to move beyond.

Hunching down, I tiptoed to the room’s only exit and peered cautiously around the doorway. The corridor extended for a hundred yards before ending at another wooden door, which appeared ajar, but from this distance, I couldn’t be certain.

The corridor itself appeared empty of threat. Firelight blazed golden from the torches affixed to the walls along both sides of the passage. I grimaced. As brightly lit as the corridor was, I doubted I would be able to conceal my presence once I stepped down its length.

Even though the corridor appeared safe, at equidistant intervals between the torches, doorways gaped open. Anything could be in the rooms they led into. But the only way, I was going to find out what lay inside them, was by venturing down the passage.

I shifted restlessly. Entering the corridor will be dangerous. I almost snorted in amusement at the thought. This is a dungeon, Michael. You didn’t think it would be safe, did you?

Alright, alright, I thought and shifted forward. Then paused, as a thought occurred to me. I glanced at my familiar. “Gnat, how silent can you be?” I whispered.

The skeletal bat eyed me suspiciously. “Why?”

I gestured to the first door on the right side of the corridor. It was less than ten yards award. “Go scout that room.”

My familiar stared at me for a long moment, seeming to search for a reason why he shouldn’t or couldn’t do as I asked.

I waited.

Eventually, Gnat rose wordlessly off my shoulder. Flapping hard, he winged his way to the ceiling before gliding silently along its length and into the room I had picked out.

Clenching my sword hilt tightly, I counted off the doorways in the corridor while I waited for Gnat’s report. There were thirteen in total.

It did not take the bat long to emerge from the first room. Flying swiftly, Gnat shot out of the chamber, but instead of returning to my shoulder, he flew into the next doorway. A few seconds later, my familiar reappeared before disappearing again into another room.

Understanding what Gnat was about, I waited patiently for him to be done. Shortly thereafter, the skeletal bat flew out the last of the passage’s doorways and dropped onto my shoulder. “They’re all empty,” he reported laconically.

I waited for him to go on, but when he didn’t, I prompted, “And?”

“And it looks like a few candidate parties have already been through the rooms,” Gnat answered.

My eyes narrowed. “How can you tell?”

Gnat shrugged. “Go see for yourself.”

Frowning at my familiar’s non-answer, I rose to my feet, intent on doing just that.