Punch and his team moved in a new scouting formation around the hot dungeon floor. Target led the way, followed by Shtorrr who carried all the frost poles, then Bean, then Punch. Every dozen strides or so, Target waved Shtorrr forward to plant another frost pole. Punch kept track of their remaining poles, keeping enough in reserve that they could cross back to the entrance. When they tried to approach the center of the dungeon floor, the frost poles stopped working. The heat and water spray increased to the point that the frost melted as quickly as it formed.


    "What should we do, Punch?" Target had to speak loudly to be heard over the sound of the water spraying from the vine.


    "Bean, you have the best eyes." Punch said. "Do you see anything in there?"


    Bean moved to the edge of their patch of frost and peered into the spray. She loaded a stone into her sling and launched it into the center before Punch could object. A soft **\*clang\*** drifted back to them, but there was no change in movement or coloration. "Looks clear to me, Punch. I don''t see how anything could survive in there without cooking or drowning." Bean said.


    Punch decided that would do for now. "Back to the first portal we found." He ordered. Target led them back to the edge of the floor and around to the first portal. Punch kept a tally of how many frost poles it took. Depending on how long each frost pole could last, they should have enough.


    Punch went through the portal first. His spear stabbed out and through a red jellyfish that floated near the portal. Punch flicked the spear to dislodge the jellyfish, then looked around carefully. The air was full of soft blue specks. The motion of his spear had set many of the specks swirling in little eddies. When Punch was satisfied that the area around the portal was safe, he tried to step backwards through the portal.


    The ground sucked at his boots, nearly tripping him. Punch tried to lever himself up by pushing his spear haft down, but the spear only sunk smoothly into the muddy ground. Turning his spear sideways and half falling over, Punch managed to extract one boot from the ground. With a tremendous _heave_ Punch pulled his foot free of his other boot and fell through the portal.


    "Punch, you alright?" Bean asked as Punch picked himself off the ground.


    "Fine. Lost a boot in the mud, though." Punch couldn''t help but laugh. This dungeon was ridiculous in how it used water and light to increase the danger of the environment on each floor. Punch scraped most of the mud off his legs and spear. "Target, We passed one or two of those wooden shields over there, bring them over here. Shtorrr, do you think your feet are big enough to stop you from sinking in mud, or quicksand?" The troll looked at its wide flat feet considering. It shook its head in the negative. "Then you stay on this floor. Keep an eye out for jellyfish spawns and gather up any shields and poles you find." Punch turned to Bean next. "Visibility is very poor. You stay near the entrance in case Target and I need saving. From monsters or mud." Bean smiled and nodded. Target returned momentarily with three shields.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Punch went through first again and set the shield on top of the mud in front of him. He climbed on the shield and tried to fish his boot out of the mud with his spear. When Target stepped through, Punch was laying with his chest on the shield, both arms in the mud to retrieve his boot. Target laughed at him and Punch laughed too. He emptied the boot and put it back on his foot. Target shoved a frost pole into the mud. nearly causing it to disappear. Frost exploded across the mud and the air turned chilly.


    Bean stepped through next and was pleased to find that the mud had frozen sufficiently that she didn''t begin to sink. She passed her shield to Punch and raised her loaded sling. "I''ll be here. Shout if you need me to come pull you out." She grinned briefly at Punch, then turned to keep an eye on the surroundings.


    Target and Punch progressed slowly around the edge of the dungeon floor. With only three shields, they had to put a shield down, step or hop onto it, then turn and pick up their previous shield to place in front of the other. By the time they were halfway around the floor, Punch''s back and shoulders ached and he was thoroughly sick of mud. He touched Target''s shoulder and pulled him up for a break.


    "Change in protocol. Let''s try to cut through the middle and find more shields." He said.


    "Good idea." Target said. "Bit of a break first?"


    After a short break, the two began shield hopping towards the center of the floor. As they moved in, they encountered a few more jellyfish and some frogs. The blue motes in the air churned in great loops around the vine leaves. Punch had to get close to understand why. "The vines here also spray water. They look blue in this light." Below the leaves, Target found some moss intermixed with the glowing variety. A blue worm, as thick as a heavy rope, poked one end out of the mud and blasted the shield bearer with a jet of water.


    "Gah!" Target shouted. Where the water hit his skin, Target felt a scraping sensation like being scrubbed with rocks. He lifted his shield to deflect the jet, but the force caused the shield under his feet to shift and he fell backwards into the mud.


    Punch''s spear cut the end off the worm and the water jet stopped. He bent down to give Target a hand up out of the mud, but Target shouted, "Above!" Punch whipped his spear up to guard his head just in time to impale an eight legged weasel. The weasel squirmed in pain, screeching. Punch brought the weasel under his foot and pulled his spear free to stab the weasel again. He kicked the carcass off his shield and scanned his surroundings for a breath before turning to Target and helping him out of the mud. "Injured?" Punch asked.


    "No. I''m fine. You?" Target responded. Punch shook his head and they continued on.