The trip back was slow but uneventful. The monsters were notably fewer now than they had been going down, a side effect of so many other teams of divers clearing the path as they searched for treasure in side rooms.

  If Cass’s Health had been higher, they would have made quick progress through the dark halls of the catacombs. As it was, it took them four days to climb from the seventh floor to the first.

  In total, they had been in the catacombs for a little over a week. Only a week? It felt more like several months.

  Cass sighed. It had been over a week of hard physical activity and no bath. Her body was caked in the dirt and dust of the catacombs, the residue of monster ectoplasm, and her own blood.

  Not to mention, it had been over a week since she’d last slept on a mattress with blankets and pillows. Over a week since she’d last gotten a solid block of sleep, uninterrupted by the worries of being ambushed in the dark or the need to regroup with her friends.

  Yes, it would be nice to be back in the city, with its beds and baths and the beautiful lack of monsters trying to kill her.

  Yes, a long nap was warranted when they got back to the manor. A long nap and a long shower.

  By the time she’d recovered her Health, Alyx would have her dragon and access to the Vault. There would be time for Salos to absorb his new soul core piece. They would face the next hurdle in getting Cass home, rejuvenated and ready.

  Was there going to be more conflict between her and her answers? Between her and her sibling? Between her and fixing Salos?

  Probably. That was the nature of this world, after all.

  But Cass had conquered Uvana. She’d survived the lower floors of the Catacombs. She’d beaten Fioreya and her soldiers. She’d done all that and come out stronger for it. Was there anything she could not do?

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  They finally exited the catacombs, stepping into the light of day and a gust of fresh air.

  Cass breathed in deeply. After days of the cold, stagnant air of the catacombs, the warmth of daylight and the movement of the open world was like coming alive again, like Cass had stepped out of a coffin and been reborn.

  She barely even noticed the crowds in the stadium around them or the armed fighters and large monster standing in the center of the arena.

  Wait. What?

  The crowd exploded with a roar of excitement.

  “Folks, it looks like one of this year’s candidates for Dragon Knight has returned from the deep! Alyx Aretios Veldor has returned! Just in time, too, the Silver Serpents Treasure Company is on the ropes. Can she defeat the dread Alke and rescue the Treasure Company from their greed?” the announcer called out over the arena.

  “What?” Cass asked.

  Before her, a two-headed elk reared back, its forelegs easily twenty feet in the air, its four antlers sparking with mana and filling the air with an impending dread. It had grey fur and black eyes like voids into the depths of space. Around its back legs, more of that energy circled, nameless and building.

  Black-Antlered Alke

  Lvl 26

  [Hailing from the forests of Nevren, this beast is known for controlling shadows. Accounts of it stalking intruders of its domain for miles, all the while oozing dread, are well documented. This beast prefers to sap the strength of its foes rather than face them directly, but it will fight viciously when cornered.]

  Opposite the monster, a group of five humanoids ran in a panic. Several had large bags still strapped to their backs. Another held a sword in shaking hands between the group and the beast.

  Human Warrior (lvl 21)

  Elven Thief (lvl 20)

  Dwarven Medic (lvl 17)

  Human Warrior (lvl 23)

  Orcken Shopkeep (lvl 26)

  None of them looked like the kind of people that should be in an arena fighting monsters to Cass.

  “The exit trial,” Alyx said like this was the most obvious answer in the world.

  Cass did not like the sound of that at all. “Do we need to fight that thing?”

  “Yes.” Alyx drew her sword.

  Cass rubbed her face. All she wanted was a bath and a bed.

  Was that too much to ask?

  Book 3: Copper Crescent on January 4th, so look out for that!

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