This… can’t be! Heroes are immortal?! Monsters Slay them regularly?! This goes against everything any monster I’ve ever spoken to has said! Is this… hidden knowledge, or do people simply not know?! Even worse, that Hero I had killed is still alive! I grab the leader by his arms and shake him, pointing back down the corridor. “I understand your concern. I’ve already informed everyone that we will be escaping the dungeon and finding a new home.” The leader holds his hand out, guiding me to walk down the hall with him. “You see, once one Hero falls, more will come. If a place seems difficult, they simply bring more. Eventually, we would be conquered, so we must evacuate while we have time.”

I begin panicking, pacing around trying to think of what I should do first! Maybe I should assist in clearing the heavier things for the other monsters! Maybe I should group everyone up and do a head count! The leader stops me. “Woah! Calm yourself! I’ve already taken precautions, and alerted everyone of the situation. We’ll be on the move by morning.” I take a deep breath to calm my nerves. The leader places his hand against my back, guiding me from the area. “I understand your worry, but you must focus on what is most important. Grow your power. Gain levels and abilities. This must take priority. As soon as we begin our journey, we will depend on you to defend us against attacking Heroes.”

I know that he’s right, but this feels like so much responsibility! I’ve been a Hero for a day, yet I feel as though I’m expected to master something that very few, if any other monsters, had ever gotten to experience. The leader slaps me on the back. “Cheer up! I know you’ll be able to handle anything that comes your way!” I appreciate that the leader is so confident in me. Actually, he’s right! Sure, I didn’t ask for this power, but it is now mine! I must do what I can to assist! I run ahead of the leader, in search of more monsters who could use my help! Going floor to floor, searching top to bottom, room after room, I found several monsters who needed assistance with small tasks ranging from moving things, to assisting with finding their companions. Occasionally, I’d come across a savage monster that needed slain to make this a safe transition from the dungeon.

After all of my work today, I had grown two more levels, unlocking two new abilities. The first is called Twist Strike, which allows me to strike an opponent with my shield, spinning them around, and stunning them for one second. This allows me to attack the target from behind, causing an increase in damage. The second was a passively granted ability for my Roaring Charge that allows me to perform the move twice before I must rest. These abilities have been invaluable while slaying savage monsters in the dungeon. As I stand on the first floor of the dungeon, a cool breeze blows through my armor and between my bones. Fresh air rolls from the entrance of the dungeon. Light illuminating from the moon shines brightly as I approach.

I step out of the dungeon to see a vast, starry sky. The moonlight glistening from a nearby lake as glowing insects drift freely around the well-lit white flowers sporadically growing across the fields of green grass. It’s been so long since I’ve seen the outside world. I’ve long since forgotten the beauty that can be found here. Nearly thirty years holed inside of a cavern. I’ll savor the memories we make as we search for a new home. I look down to my feet to see footprints leading to the dungeon’s entrance. I kneel down to look closer. The ground is cracked around the footprints and the grass is crushed. It was very recent that someone was here.

As I look around, there appears to be two… three… four… a total of five different shaped footprints. There are Heroes inspecting us… As I stand back to my feet, I hear the laughter of someone. Startled, I grab my sword and shield, quickly turning to face the direction I heard it from. The sounds seem to be coming from the forest area beside our dungeon entrance. As I walk around the dungeon entrance, I begin to see the familiar glow of a fire. Hiding behind a nearby Boulder, I crouch down and investigate the unwelcome visitors. I poke my head around to see a few tents with a campfire in the middle of them. Five humans sit in a circle around the fire.

Each has a similar light display over their heads that inform me of their names, as well as their levels. There is something else displayed, as well. It says “Phoenix” in between two arrow heads. Each of them have this below their name and level, so I can only assume it’s a group name. Looking through their members, there are two wearing robes. One is a tall human with long, blonde hair, and a staff shaped like a cross. He must be a holy individual. The other is wearing darker robes with blue hair, and a staff that has a glowing blue light in it. The other three members are wearing bulky armor. One wears a large shield and sword, one has two axes, and the last has a large sword. All three are wearing helmets, so I can’t clearly see any details of them.

The most concerning part of them is their levels. Three of them are level seven, the holy one is level nine, and the one with the shield is eleven. All of them are above my level. Can I even compete with them? The shield person slaps his hand against the chest plate of the one with the large sword. “I still don’t get how you lost here! You must suck at this!” “I was caught off-guard! A skeleton used its ability on me!” The sword user replied. The others laugh at him. “The fact that the skeleton managed go sneak up on you just shows how little you pay attention!” The blue-haired one says.

Hold on… so, the long sword person is the one I killed? He’s already returned?! Even worse, he has brought others with him this time! He nearly wiped out our dungeon alone! I must tell the leader! After creeping from the area unnoticed, I rush back into the dungeon in search of the leader. Searching frantically, I managed to find him assisting others on the second floor. I quickly grabbed him and spin him around to face me. I pull his arm, trying to guide him to the exit. “Woah! Calm down! What has you so panicked?” For the first time in my life, I really wish I could speak!

I hold my hands as though I’m holding the Hero’s two-handed sword, then point in the direction of the exit. The leader’s face goes pale. “The Hero has returned?!” I, uhhh… H-he's right… what a magnificent guess… Anyway, I raise my hand, holding up five fingers. “There’s five of them?! This may prove difficult!” I can’t believe I’m just now realizing how capable the leader is at guessing what I’m saying… The leader turns around and claps his hands. “Everyone on this floor! Alert everyone that a party of Heroes is at our doorstep! Tell them to gather on the third floor!” The leader turns to me, grabbing my arms and smiling the most excited smile I’ve seen from him yet. “Let us prepare!” He says with an energetic tone before dashing down the hall.

Standing in the leader’s room, we await the last of the denizens of the dungeon to gather. The chatter of everyone trying to come up with guesses or coming up with their own reasons for this gathering are almost deafening in this large, echoing room. As the last few join us, the leader claps his hands. “Alright, everyone! Listen up!” No one seems to hear the leader speak over themselves. The leader claps louder. “I need silence, please!” Again, everyone continues to chatter, excluding a few in the front closest to him. I can clearly see the frustration boiling under the leader’s skin. Suddenly, he shapes himself into his dragon form, taking to the sky above the monsters, letting out a magnificent roar!

The monsters hold their ears, while some drop to the ground, clenching to anything as the hovering platform shakes from the powerful vibrations of the leader’s booming voice. “You will all remain silent! I will speak!” The ringing of the leader’s voice slowly dies down as it bounces the last few times in the cavern. Not another sound is heard. No speaking or moving. So much so, that even the lava flowing in the base of the volcano seems silent. “I require three others capable of combat! Preferably one that specializes in ranged combat with a weapon, one who specializes in magic, and one capable of taking an incredible amount of damage.”

As everyone begins looking around the room at one another, eventually, a young Viperion woman raises her hand. “I-I’m quite capable with a bow… if that would help.” Lovely green scales, with some blue around her eyes and lips. Head and tail shaped as a serpent, but seemingly human in shape otherwise. She seems quite timid, but she may be the only who can use a bow in our dungeon. The eyes of the Viperion people are capable of locking in quickly, making their strikes deadly. Maybe the same counts for bows, as well. The leader looks down to me. I raise my thumb in approval. He turns back to the group. “Very well. You shall be our ranged specialist.” The Viperion lowers her head, giving a little smile. She must be excited to help. “Are there any others? One of defensive tenacity, and one who wields magic.”

A brief moment goes by before another raises their hand. A Feline man steps forward. Black fur with orange patches. Such a strong presence. “I have a little knowledge of fire magic that my grandfather had taught me, if it would work.” This Feline is the one who kept the torches lit on the first floor of the dungeon. He’s been providing for the people much longer than this moment. “That will be acceptable. We need only someone of defensive abilities now.” The room remains silent. Everyone looks around at one another. Is there not one person here capable of mitigating damage? After a while, a hand is raised. “Alright! S’pose thas gonna be me!” This monster steps forward as the crowd parts for him.

This one is a Jackal. Big, burly, dog-like creature wearing ragged clothes. Matted fur with patches of grey in it. Must be older. He seems as though he’s been drinking… heavily. He also… has a name and level?! “Been awhile since I’ve ‘eld a shield, but I’ll do th’ job!” Who is this guy?! I can see his name is Mange. It’s so rare that a monster has a name! Beyond that, he also has a level! A very high level, at that! At level 67, he should be the one defending us instead of me! The leader glances down at me before changing into his humanoid form. I think I was showing too much surprise just now. The leader approaches Mange. “I’ve never seen a Jackal here before. Where did you come from?” The leader asks with a little hostility in his tone. Seeing them face-to-face, Mange is quite large in comparison to the leader.

“My apologies, dragon boy! Name’s Mange. I ain’t from around these parts.” The leader flinched a little upon hearing this. “You… actually have a name? How did you obtain a name?” The leader asks. “This the time fer that? You’ve been settin’ up ta take on them fellas outside, ‘m I right? Can’t waste all yer time talkin’!” Mange reaches into his pants, pulling a bottle from them. He opens the bottle and drinks from it. Alcohol, no doubt. He moves the bottle from his face as he turns to the group. “Oi! If ye got a shield on ‘and, I suggest ya give it up!” The leader steps back towards me and leans in to whisper. “This one is... unique, is he not?” I shake my head, nodding quickly. The leader appears to have a nervous look on his face. “Well, he’s the best chance we got. I suppose we must take it.”

The leader shapes back into his dragon form. “This will be our final night in this dungeon! We will make our stand against these Heroes, then we will begin our search for a new home! Somewhere safe from their savagery! No longer will we live in fear! Together, we shall escape our fate, and together, we shall survive!” As the leader made this claim, the crowd of monsters burst into a wild cheer! The roars of excitement fill the room. Come what may, this life is far more exciting than I had anticipated! In the end, win or lose, we can say we fought to the end! Let us spend the last of our time preparing, for dawn will come soon!