Nightmare Realm Summoner

The green portal crackled before them, the cave it resided within pulsating with Riftwarped energy that matched the color of the churning sky. Orchid had been true to her word. They'd located the Town Token's dungeon — but they'd done it in the Mirrorlands instead of Planet 274-50.

Alex tried not to look too smug as they all stared at the portal, but it was pretty hard. His theory had been right. The thing that determined if the Mirrorlands copied over something from the other planes was how much magical power it had.

Bah. I can't be too happy because I bet Outworlders already know this. We need to be careful around Orchid. If she figures out that we're not actually part of the Starfallen family, we're going to have trouble.

Granted, she doesn't have her staff anymore so she's not as dangerous as she could have been, but I'd really prefer to keep her on our side for now. She's got so much useful information. The more we can learn from her, the better.

"And we can go back home after we get this token thing?" Derek asked.

"Yes," Alex said.

"Can't we just find a way back now and then do the dungeon from the Earth side?"

Orchid was shaking her head before Alex could answer. "No. We don't know how far along the other families are. They could be near or already in the dungeon. If we popped out of a portal right in front of them, they'd have a huge advantage and we'd be likely to get killed on the spot."

"Ah. Right. Here it is, then."

"Sorry for forcing you to come along," Alex said. "I know you didn't sign up for this."

"Oh, it's okay," Derek replied with a cheerful shrug. "I really don't mind. It can be fun to tag along. I did owe you for not killing me, after all."

"Do you find it at all odd that I'm slightly surprised that you like killing people at all?" Claire asked. "You're so… polite. When I think of the type of person that enjoys murder, you aren't what comes to mind."

"I don't like murder," Derek said defensively. "I just enjoy life, no matter what it is. I didn't want to kill anybody before the apocalypse. Well, I did consider attacking people every once and a while, but I'm pretty sure everyone has the same thought at least once. But I'm an Anomaly. That means—"

"Seriously?" Orchid asked, peeling her gaze away from the portal. "You are?"

"You knew I was an Incarnation and not an Anomaly?"

"Anomalies are just people that were doing something they weren't meant to when the world initializes. The only ones that can sense them are other Anomalies or people with skills specifically to hunt Anomalies," Orchid said with a shake of her head.

"Don't tell me that being an Anomaly is bad?"

"The System doesn't like them, but it has nothing to do with who you are. Let me guess. You were fiddling with an area of warped energy when the System initialized on 274-50."

"I tried to stop a bowl of food from falling into one of the giant black pillar things," Derek admitted sheepishly. "I was unsuccessful."

"That would do it. The System has to Initialize over stages to avoid ripping a new planet apart and killing everyone on it on accident. There are zones of uncontrolled energy during the Initialization — ones that even the System can't do anything about. If your soul gets impacted by them while the System is preparing to give you a class… there you go. Anomaly."

"And the System doesn't like Anomalies?"

"Well, maybe like is the wrong word. The System doesn't have emotions as best as most people can tell," Orchid replied. "But it gives anomalies the task of killing each other to keep their numbers low. It's another part of the System equalizing challenge and opportunity. Anomalies tend to be more powerful than normal classes due to additional energy infusing their soul, so the System makes it more dangerous to be an Anomaly. Pretty simple."

"I see," Derek said. He scratched at his chin. "I guess that's why the System told me to kill other Anomalies. But as I was telling Claire, I kill Anomalies because they're trying to kill me. It's not murder if we both agree to fight, is it?"

"I suppose not," Claire allowed. "What would you have done if someone said they didn't want to fight?"

"You know, nobody has ever actually said that yet. I'd probably find someone else. No point fighting someone that doesn't want to fight, but I'd imagine a different Anomaly will end up killing them at some point."

"That they will," Orchid said. "Anomalies are sworn to a life of constant fighting… but that's not really any different from the rest of us. You've just got more people aiming for your head. Now, the town token—"

"Yeah." Alex nodded, looking back to the portal waiting before them. "I think it's time. Is everyone ready?"

"I still have no staff," Orchid grumbled. "I'm not going to be very useful and I don't know how much more powerful a dungeon in the Mirrorlands will be than one on 274-50. Do you have experience with this already?"

"Yes," Alex lied. "You can just stand back. Your job is just to guide us to the Token. You don't have to do anything else."

We've got a functionally immortal tank with us already. So long as we're capable of dealing with the dungeon on our own, I don't want to split the experience and rewards any further.

"I'll happily take you up on that."

They all made their way down the steep side of the hill and up to the churning green portal awaiting them.

"Ready?" Alex asked, taking Claire's hand. She did the same to Orchid, who grabbed Derek.

"More than. I can't wait to see what a dungeon in a place like this is like," Derek said with a grin. "Thanks again for the invite. Question. The monsters here aren't intelligent, are they? Do I have to ask if they want to fight? Because the ones back on Earth never answer me."

You can't be serious. Derek has been asking every single monster you fight if he can kill it?

"I'd imagine everything here is going to be more than happy to fight you." Alex replied.

Derek's grin grew wider. "Perfect."

And with that, they stepped into the portal as one.

The world collapsed and reformed in a split instant. Alex's stomach lurched up into his throat and colors exploded in every direction, repainting over the Mirrorlands. Cracked white stone raced beneath his feet, rising up to form chest-high walls.

Distant thunder crackled and his lungs constricted as the smell of old moss, dust, and rot assaulted him.

The four of them stood on a towering fortress wall. Thick purple mist chock-full with magic all around them. It swallowed up the ground and rose up in walls all around the castle as if the whole thing had been built within a cloud.

A massive, weathered castle rose up in the center of the cloud and cast its shadow over the wall. It was one of the largest buildings that Alex had ever seen. Towers pierced through the churning clouds overhead and broken stained glass windows glistened with reflected light. More rose partially before ending in rubble, ripped apart by some ancient war. Wisps of twisting magic occasionally coiled past the structure, crackling wherever they touched the old stone.

Alex could do nothing but stare for a long second.

In its prime, the castle must have been incredible. Even now, with huge cracks running through its stone and rotted vines twisting through its entirety like a parasite, it ripped the words from Alex's mind before they could form on his lips.

Across from them was an open doorway. It looked like a door had once adorned it, but now all that remained were ancient, broken hinges and a dark room beyond, illuminated dimly by a dying green torch. A familiar buzz of energy at Alex's back drew his gaze. The portal they'd come through floated behind them in wait of their return.

He blinked as words shimmered through the air before him.

Shadowloft Keep (Adept)

"Whoa," Derek said, looking around in awe. "This dungeon is immense. It's nothing like the ones I've seen back on Earth."

"It's certainly imposing," Orchid agreed, her hands flexing at her sides. She was definitely feeling the loss of her staff more than she'd let on. "The Town Token should be in the final room. It'll be guarded by the boss. Let's go."

"Why?" Derek asked.

They all looked to him.

"What do you mean, why?" Orchid asked.

"Why would the boss guard it?"

"Oh. That's what happens if your planet falls," Orchid said. "You become one with the System. It doesn't waste resources. Every living being on a fallen planet becomes warped and changed, then used to generate challenge."

"You mean every monster in a dungeon used to be someone?" Derek asked.

"Or something," Orchid replied. She paused for a moment. "A few of them still are someone. If you're strong enough, you can maintain your soul through the change. I've seen it happen. Some monsters retain sentience and break free of their dungeons in a new world. It's rare, but it can happen. But don't worry about that right now. We might be ahead of the other Outworlders, but that doesn't mean we can dally. This dungeon will definitely be harder than the one they have to go through, and this is a race."

Derek looked like he wanted to pry Orchid with more questions — and if Alex was honest with himself, he did too. There was just so much to learn from her. Unfortunately, that would just have to wait until after they got their hands on the Town Token.

"She's right," Alex said. "Let's go."

"I'll take the lead," Derek said. He moved past everyone and started into the dark room. Alex summoned all of his monsters, practically doubling the size of their group, and they all followed after the berserker.

Generally, Alex would have put Princess in the lead — but Derek actively grew stronger by getting killed, so it probably wasn't a bad idea to get him buffed up a few times before they made it to the boss of the dungeon.

Their footsteps echoed through the dimly lit darkness. The weak torchlight fought desperately, but it was a losing battle. Something about the darkness in the room made even the light from the Mirrorlands behind them unable to push its way in. There were so many shadows around them that it might as well have been night.

He could barely even see the end of the room beyond a dim light about fifteen feet away that marked another open doorway that led to an area with more light. Alex and his monsters all scanned the area for anything lying in wait as they advanced. It was practically worthless. It was just too —

Something scuffed in the dark. There was a rush of wind and a wet thud. Princess lurched to move in front of Claire. She shuddered. For an instant, Alex spotted massive gray claws carving through her body, each of them as long as a leg.

Princess splattered to the ground and the monster that had attacked her vanished back into the darkness in a blur.

Orchid let out a slew of curses that the System couldn't quite translate and dove to the ground. There was a woosh of wind and a flicker of claws as they passed by where she'd been. Then the monster was gone once more.

"Get to the wall!" Claire hissed. "Don't leave yourself open!"

They all rushed to follow her suggestion, pressing their backs to the stone. Princess pulled herself back together and rose before Alex while his other two monsters flanked her, scanning the darkness in search of their neigh-invisible attacker.

Alex's blood thumped in his ears and his heart pounded with both adrenaline and fear. The monster they were up against was blindingly fast. He could only catch brief glimpses of it between attacks.

It also clearly knew how to bide its time. Seconds dragged by in silence. Alex shifted his weight from foot to foot.

"Does anyone have light magic?" Alex asked.

"I would if I had my staff," Orchid muttered. "We could run for the door."

"And leave our backs open?" The derision in Claire's voice was enough that she didn't have to say more about what she thought of that plan. "We need to catch it when it attacks."

"How?" Derek asked. "I haven't even seen it for more than half a second!"

And therein laid the question. The tension in the room tightened as they all waited with bated breath, squinting into the all-consuming darkness in wait for the monster.

But it was patient. Nearly a minute dragged by. No further attacks came. The only thing Alex could hear was the sound of their breathing, and the only thing he could see were the edges of the faint torchlight just a few inches away from his feet.

There was only so long they could stay on guard before their attention started to fray.

Do I just send Princess and Spark out to force the monster to show itself?

"I've got an idea," Claire whispered. "But we'll have to be fast. We need—"

There was a loud woosh.

The torch snuffed out, and the entire room plunged into pitch blackness. Only a single mote of light remained from the doorway in the distance.

Then a shadow passed over that as well. The world became nothing but an endless night — and only a single thought passed through Alex's mind as his sight was completely confiscated from him.

Oh, shit. This might be a bit more exciting than I'd expected.