《Blood & Chlorophyll》


 Chapter 1.1

    Tiny slivers of sunlight crept into the room, followed by a quiet chorus of birdsong. Their dulcet melodies were accompanied by the rhythmic staccato of the city''s traffic, of people rushing to and from work. The ambient soundscape of the outside world was unfortunately disrupted when a shrill beeping noise filled the room, rousing the lifeless body buried under the sheets. A single, pale hand reached for the phone on the nightstand, and the figure inside groaned when she saw the time. She snoozed her alarm and went back to sleep for another ten minutes.


    By the time the alarm sounded again, all traces of sunlight had vanished. The dark of night filled the room, and the faint sound of a ravenous stomach grumbled beneath the covers. With every possible excuse to stay in bed exhausted, Katrina finally admitted it was time to get up.


    She threw her sheets aside and slid her feet to the floor, groaning once more as she left her bed. One hand covered her mouth, covering a heavy yawn, while the other gently traced the wall to help guide her through the cramped apartment. The bathroom was the next door over, and she closed her eyes in anticipation of the lights turning on. By the time she¡¯d adjusted to their glare, she¡¯d managed to find the power button for her mirror.


    It wasn¡¯t technically a mirror, of course, she only called it that out of convenience.


    In actuality, it was a large video screen suspended over her sink. A camera had been embedded in the center, providing real-time footage of whoever happened to be standing in front of it. For the last four years, that camera hadn¡¯t seen a single soul other than Katrina.


    She went through her morning routine half-heartedly. She knew that it kept her body healthy, but she struggled to maintain enthusiasm for something she¡¯d been doing since kindergarten. She always had to floss and brush her teeth, regardless of the size of her cuspids. Her hair still needed washing, whether it was heavily curled or straight enough to string a violin bow.


    The more things change¡­


    Once she finished washing her face, Katrina clicked the mirror off and watched her reflection vanish. Staring into the black of the screen, she realized the towel rack behind her was empty. Thinking back to last night, she remembered she¡¯d never retrieved her clothes from the building¡¯s laundry room. Sighing in resignation, she dried her face on her sleeve and prepared to head downstairs. Best case scenario, the floor her clothes had ended up on wasn¡¯t too dirty.


    After grabbing her laundry basket and her slippers, Katrina left her apartment and headed towards the elevators. She pulled out her phone, hoping she might be able to live vicariously through everyone else online, and lazily scrolled through the socials of her favorite delvers. It often felt like being nocturnal left her playing catch up with the rest of the world. By the time she was awake, all the important things had already happened, and she simply had the privilege of watching the world sleep.


    After watching a couple quick videos of people showing off their dungeon outfits, she realized the elevator still hadn¡¯t arrived. When she looked up, she saw bright yellow caution tape blocking off the entrance, and a sign apologizing for the inconvenience.


    That¡¯s new. Hopefully they¡¯re up in less than a month this time.


    Katrina opened the door to the staircase only a few moments later. Five years ago, the elevators being down would have been enough to ruin her day, but now it was simply a mild inconvenience. The stairs were built with a gap in the middle, spiraling further and further down until they hit the ground floor, and there was more than enough room for a person in that gap. She leaned over the edge, made sure no one else was taking her route, then floated up over the railing.


    For all the misfortune her new body had brought her, Flight had been the sole positive. She couldn¡¯t go very fast, it was more like glorified levitation, but there was no denying that complete mastery of the skies was an incredible feeling. She routinely left for work by gliding out her bedroom window, and she was able to completely avoid all the city¡¯s foot traffic. That being said, she would sacrifice flying in a heartbeat were she offered her old body back.


    As Katrina floated down the staircase, she lazily scrolled through her news feed, but nothing she saw interested her. She had been hoping there might be updates about the supply shortage, or at least new discoveries from the dungeon, but every site was instead focused on the upcoming anniversary of the Change.


    Landing on the ground floor, she pocketed her phone and continued her journey. She had no interest in reading about that terrible day, so she instead focused on the laundry room. Sure enough, she found her clothes in a pile on the floor, but whoever had moved them had at least kept the pile contained. It all seemed clean enough, so she threw everything in her basket and began the return trip home. Her stomach had started grumbling again, and the last thing she needed today was to be trapped in a small room with her neighbors.


    Katrina flew back to her apartment as quickly as she could, regretting that she¡¯d let herself get sidetracked by the laundry. She kept a routine for a reason, and now was not the time to get complacent about meal times. Her hunger gnawed at her, threatening to take over if she ignored it for too long. She grabbed the handle of her fridge, looked inside, and her eyes went wide in realization.


    It was completely empty.


    How did I forget about grocery day? Ugh, c¡¯mon Katrina, it¡¯s the same day every week!


    She was now wide awake, mild panic keeping her thoughts sharp.


    Alright, I have to get to the clinic as fast as possible. Shoes, keys, phone, donor card, cooler¡­ Everything''s good to go. I can be there in less than ten minutes, that¡¯s not bad, right?


    As she flew out her bedroom window, locking it behind her, she made a beeline for the local clinic. Thankfully, her neighborhood was far enough away from downtown that there were no flight restrictions, so it was easy to keep her travel time short. Even though it was late, and the crowds were relatively thin, she was still glad she had a way to avoid them.


    Less contact meant lower chances of an incident.


    After only a few minutes of flying, the clinic finally came into view. Years ago, it had originally been a walk-in clinic for mundane injuries, but recently it had been converted to specifically cater to Races. With roughly a third of the planet no longer being human, many people struggled to keep up with the needs of their new bodies, and the ordinary walk-in clinics of the past had needed to adapt.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Staff clinicians were constantly receiving training on the myriad Races that now existed, as well as their unique needs. Most demons, for example, had an extra status bar that required them to feed on the various sins of those around them. After the change, many of these demons struggled to manage their Hunger safely, and these clinics began offering counseling to help them tame their desires. They also had an expanded array of equipment to administer medical treatment when required; some races had skin that resisted standard needles, and many were too large to fit in existing hospital rooms.


    When Katrina landed, she saw there wasn¡¯t a line and sighed in relief. She walked up to the service window, which was covered by magically reinforced glass, and rang the service bell. After a minute of waiting, a familiar face finally approached the window. A human man in his late twenties appeared, his wrinkled blue scrubs indicating he was near the end of his shift. He had short blonde hair, a soft face with grayish-blue eyes, as well as a collection of stubble that he was constantly fighting back.


    ¡°Dennis! You¡¯re a sight for sore eyes, how was the rush today?¡± Katrina asked. She did her best to remain cordial, she wanted to stay on the best terms possible with the people keeping her alive.


    ¡°Today wasn¡¯t too bad, though we had a small incident with a fire elemental. Apparently the blankets we bought weren¡¯t properly fireproofed, so I¡¯ve been filing a complaint against the supplier.¡± He paused, rubbing his eyes before continuing. ¡°Grocery day already?¡±


    ¡°You know it. I¡¯m fresh out, and my stomach is killing me,¡± she said, sliding her donor card under the glass.


    ¡°Look, Katrina, about that¡­¡± Dennis leaned against the counter, his face ready to deliver bad news. His fingers lingered on the card before he pushed it back to her.


    Katrina gripped the straps of her cooler tight, doing her best to stay calm. ¡°Don¡¯t say that Dennis, it¡¯s not funny.¡±


    ¡°This blood shortage is hitting everyone, there¡¯s nothing I can do about it. We¡¯ve filled out every form in existence, I¡¯ve even mentioned that I have Vampires in the area, but this week there simply wasn¡¯t a shipment. You¡¯ll have to go downtown.¡±


    ¡°Please, there¡¯s got to be something here. Beastkin? Minotaur? Heck, I¡¯ll even take Goblin blood, just¡­ something. Anything.¡± Her breathing quickened, panic setting in before she whispered, ¡°I can¡¯t go downtown. I¡¯d have to take the train.¡±


    Dennis leaned closer to the glass, stealing a look around the lobby before speaking. ¡°I¡­ might have something, gimme a sec.¡± He left the window, and after a few minutes, returned with a small hazmat bag. ¡°We had an incident earlier today. Someone got attacked, and this was one of the towels we used to clean up. I know it¡¯s not edible, but maybe it will make the train ride easier.¡±


    He slipped the bag under the window, and Katrina snatched it up eagerly before hiding it in her sweater. ¡°I¡­ thanks Dennis.¡±


    ¡°Just make sure no one sees the bag, alright? If the wrong people start asking questions, the clinic could get closed down.¡± He flashed a sympathetic smile, then continued talking. ¡°I wish there was more I could do, honestly, but that¡¯s all I¡¯ve got.¡±


    As Dennis leaned back, Katrina found her eyes wandering to his neck, but she quickly tore them away. ¡°Guess I¡¯ll see you next week. Stay out of trouble until then.¡±


    ¡°Same to you, Kat. Best of luck.¡±


    Kat. She never knew how to feel about that nickname. In all honesty, she really liked it, but she hated what it represented. It meant people liked her, wanted to get close to her. Dennis had asked her out once, ages ago, and while the attraction was mutual, she hadn¡¯t given it a second thought. The last thing she needed was another incident, and Dennis was too kind for his own good. If they started dating, it would only be a matter of time before he offered himself up to her hunger, and she couldn''t do that to him.


    Leaving the clinic, Katrina steeled her nerves and headed for the local train station. She wanted to love the trains, she really did. Chicago had revamped them to be as Race friendly as possible, and that was only one of the many policy changes that had been implemented after the Change. Katrina was intimately familiar with these laws; the donor card in her pocket had come from one such policy. It marked her as a Race that needed to consume blood to survive, and using it at designated clinics allowed her access to ethically sourced blood, normally a week¡¯s worth at a time.


    Of course, the shortage wasn¡¯t helping. The current policy was to heavily ration out the existing supply, and while this was helping on a macro scale, it meant Katrina was constantly hungry. At times it was easier to manage, and she tried to alter her schedule to avoid crowds, but it was at its worst when she was in close proximity with other people.


    For example, riding a crowded train into the heart of downtown Chicago.


    The doors opened in front of her, and Katrina found herself jostled around as the crowds behind her pushed into the train car. She could hear the heartbeats of every person around her, smell the blood running through their veins. Some of the more aggressive passengers cast judgmental glares in her direction as she failed to move with the crowd, and without fail they all recoiled in fear when they saw what she was.


    There was no hiding her Race. She had vibrant, crimson eyes that glowed bright when she was hungry, and she was absolutely ravenous. She did her best to breathe through her mouth, to minimize the smell, and this meant her fangs were on full display; two supernaturally powerful canines, eager to rip into the throats of every person on the train with her.


    The doors closed, locking Katrina inside, and within seconds they were leaving the station. Her hands gripped the straps of her cooler, nervously wringing it as she stared at the floor. She swore the heartbeats around her were getting louder, their rhythms joining together to form a discordant symphony of forbidden desire. Just as the sound threatened to overwhelm her, she remembered the bag Dennis had given her earlier, and she eagerly opened it up.


    Her fingers clenched the towel tight, pulling it to her nose in the hope she could distract her senses. The blood had mostly dried, though being sealed in a hazmat bag seemed to have slowed the process somewhat. Thankfully, the smell hadn¡¯t vanished, and its delectable aroma filled her world as she breathed in deep. Her eyes closed, and she did everything she could to lose herself in the scent. Her body stopped shaking, at least a little bit, and it was slightly easier to forget about the many passengers that surrounded her.


    Time continued passing, the train occasionally stopping to let passengers on or off. The first time she¡¯d ridden this line, she had hoped the night hours would keep it somewhat empty, but those hopes were quickly dashed when she realized it was the best route for delvers to get to the dungeon. With each stop, the crowd slowly acquired more people ready for combat, occasionally carrying weapons, though Katrina paid them no mind despite her curiosity.


    After an eternity of waiting, of somehow managing to keep herself in line, Katrina made it to her stop. She did her best to calmly walk off the train, avoiding people when possible, though it was difficult. The hospital was a newer structure, and had been built fairly close to the Dungeon, so every delver on the train was leaving with her.


    Some of the delvers, upon leaving the train car, jumped into the air and began flying to their destination. Katrina watched them leave, desperately wishing she could do the same, but downtown Chicago had strict regulations about which Racial and Class abilities could be used. While there were sometimes exceptions, generally only authorized emergency personnel and certified delvers were allowed to fly. The hope was that responding to crises would be easier if those qualified to help could avoid the crowds.


    Katrina, despite her initial wishes years ago, was not a delver. She lowered her head and focused on making it to the hospital, clutching her cooler tight. Thankfully, the crowds dispersed somewhat as she neared her destination, and before she knew it, she was walking into the hospital.

 Chapter 1.2

    The incredibly large building had several wings, all dedicated to different purposes, and she was off to the Race wing today. After a few more hallways, she found the path towards non-emergency services, and her steps quickened now that she knew she was close. Many of the people she passed still had injuries, but they were minor enough that they could afford to wait. Katrina¡¯s goal was the counter meant for non-medical treatment, which existed to help races that needed exotic material as a part of their day-to-day lives. When she found the line, she quickly stepped into place, and sighed in relief.


    Her focus was somewhat distracted, however, when a feminine voice beside her spoke up. ¡°Ma¡¯am, are you in the right line? If you¡¯re bleeding, you should head back towards non-emergency services.¡±


    Looking over, Katrina saw a Nekomata in bright pink scrubs holding a clipboard, clearly concerned about the bloody towel. She was of middling height, with bright green eyes and a slim build, and her black cat ears twitched towards Katrina as she started talking. ¡°N-no, I¡¯m a Vampire. This is just¡­ keeping me sane while I wait for my turn.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that makes sense. Unfortunately, I¡¯m going to have to ask that you let me dispose of it. Hazmat concerns, I¡¯m sure you understand.¡±


    With a heavy sigh, Katrina nodded in agreement. ¡°Sorry, I wasn¡¯t thinking straight. This shortage is really messing me up.¡±


    ¡°I completely understand, ma¡¯am. Looks like you¡¯re almost up, though, so you¡¯ll have your rations soon!¡± the Nekomata said, smiling wide. She pulled on a pair of gloves, grabbed the bloody towel, and walked off. Without even realizing it, Katrina found herself looking at the girl''s neck, wondering what the girl''s fur would feel like as her teeth sank into¡ª


    Stop it, Katrina. Dennis lent you that towel to prevent an attack, and she''s just doing her job.


    She shook her head and bit her tongue, turning away from the nurse. Thankfully, it was only another few minutes before Katrina was called to the window. She slid her donor card under the glass and set her cooler in a small drawer that would transfer it to the other side. The lady at the window, a tall Aelf with a short blonde pixie cut, smiled as she scanned the card. She grabbed the cooler before walking off, leaving Katrina alone at the window and nervously tapping on the counter.. After a few quick minutes, the Aelf returned with a full cooler.


    ¡°Here you are, seven bags of human blood. Please wait until you¡¯re outside the hospital to start consumption, and make sure that all medical waste is properly disposed of. Sign here to accept.¡±


    Katrina did as she was asked, signing her name as quickly as she could before she opened the cooler to look inside. ¡°Wait, these bags are only 300 mL, aren¡¯t they supposed to be 350?¡±


    ¡°Rationing guidelines were just updated, and unfortunately they had to cut the portion sizes down.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ hadn''t heard that. How long will this be in effect?¡±


    ¡°I wish I could say. Officials are doing everything they can to encourage people to donate, but right now there¡¯s no end in sight. If there¡¯s nothing else you need, could you please step aside?¡±


    Katrina forced a smile, then closed up her cooler and left the line. She kept her eyes on the floor as she slowly navigated out of the building,


    As if things weren¡¯t bad enough already. How am I supposed to continue like this?


    Stepping outside, she found the cool night breeze had picked up slightly. It tossed her hair around, bringing with it the smell of the Dungeon Camp just a few blocks away. She''d visited once, about a year ago, and had almost lost control when a guild returned from a run with several injured party members.


    Best not to tempt fate again.


    By the time Katrina made it back to the train, she was pleased to see the crowds had thinned slightly. The ride would still be difficult, but at least she wasn''t packed like a sardine.


    Now that there was space to breathe, she noticed that the other passengers were subtly avoiding her, doing their best to lean away or switch spots. She didn''t blame them, their fear was perfectly justified, and at least it made it easier to find a corner seat. With her cooler on her lap, she thought about opening it, but ultimately decided to wait. She hated drinking blood in front of people, though she could never be sure if that was due more to their discomfort or hers.


    Instead, as the smells of the other passengers began to assault her again, she decided to try and distract herself.


    ¡°Status.¡±


    - - -


    General Information


    Name: Katrina MacMillan


    Race: Vampire


    Age: 25


    HP: 100%


    SP: 31%


    MP: 100%


    ¡ª


    Attributes


    STR: 11


    END: 16 (+4)If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    DEX: 12


    AGI: 15 (+2)


    INT: 9


    WIS: 10


    CHA: 19 (+4)


    LCK: 12


    PER: 13 (+2)


    HLT: 15 (+4)


    ¡ª


    Racial Features


    Vampiric Curse


    Flight


    Undead Fortitude


    Enchanting Gaze


    ¡ª


    Class


    Bard - Path of Magic


    Level: 2


    Progress: 5%


    ¡ª


    Class Features


    Inspiring Performance - Guitar


    Bardic Knowledge


    Improved Performance


    - - -


    There was nothing new on her status screen, but she was used to that. Most people used this screen to keep tabs on their abilities, plan out their builds, and make sure they stayed healthy. One downside, however, was that focusing on this screen for too long induced painful headaches, especially for the more exotic races. For Katrina, this was the primary reason she used her Status screen.


    It mentally blocked her vision, obscuring her view of the train car, and the headache helped distract her from the hunger. While she was effectively trading one misery for another, at least the status headache didn''t urge her to kill people.


    She lost track of time as she stared at her stats. The train would stop and start, passengers coming and going, as Katrina focused on holding out. The headache grew increasingly worse, and as it did so, she found it difficult to focus on where the train was stopping. By the time she''d finally had enough, and closed her Status screen, her train car had completely emptied. When she looked at the LED sign over the exit, she didn''t recognize where she was.


    Shoot. Must have missed my stop.


    She jumped to her feet and ran to the exit, hoping she wasn''t too far away from home. Still, even if she were, she could easily fly back.


    Walking off the train, she briefly explored the small landing before looking to the neighborhood in front of her. She was definitely further away from the city, and the rows upon rows of houses ahead confirmed she was comfortably in the suburbs. As she looked at the neighborhood in front of her, however, something seemed off. She didn¡¯t see any signs of life, and many of the streets were overgrown with foliage. Floating off the ground, she happily took to the skies as her curiosity took hold. It was her day off, she had her blood, and she had nothing better to do today.


    From a higher vantage point, she realized that not only was the entire neighborhood likely deserted, it was more than obvious why. Huge swathes of destruction scarred the landscape, with many of the houses having been completely reduced to rubble. Some of them appeared to have been burned down, others looked as if they¡¯d been crushed by something massive.


    As Katrina kept exploring, she found more and more plant life, to a degree that seemed oddly accelerated. The Change had only been 4 years ago, and she doubted nature would have reclaimed this neighborhood so quickly. Weeds abounded, but so too did bushes, small trees, patches of moss, and all manner of flowers. Vines crept in and around the debris of the many destroyed houses, and there even appeared to be a healthy stream cutting through the memories of previously bright green lawns.


    She flew even higher, above the majority of the two-story houses, and gasped at what she saw. Close to the center of the neighborhood, towering over everything else nearby, stood a massive cherry blossom tree. Its hundreds of branches held aloft a magnificent tapestry of bright pink flowers, and it looked like there were roughly a dozen particularly thick branches all diverting from the main trunk. Each one cradled a unique plateau of leaves and flowers, many of which had fallen and coated the ground with a beautiful floral carpet. The trunk itself appeared to have grown out of one of the houses, this one appearing mostly undamaged apart from the corner that had been destroyed to make room for the tree.


    After realizing that she¡¯d stopped moving, Katrina flew in closer to marvel at this incredible specimen that had somehow survived the destruction of the neighborhood. As she approached, the occasional flower petal would drift by her, some even landing in her hair and daring to bring some color to her pallid visage. She floated between some of the heavier branches, running her hands over the bark, and eventually decided to take a break and finally dig into her blood.


    She settled down on a branch near the main trunk, one that angled up sharply in such a way that she had a wonderful perch to lean against. She breathed in the smell of the tree, happy to be free of the many people that had surrounded her earlier, and opened up her cooler. The seven bags inside were all designed with Races like her in mind, which meant they had small spouts that allowed her access to the blood inside. Essentially, the bags had fancy straws that could also twist closed, should someone not want to finish it all at once.


    Katrina happily pulled one out, opened it up, and began to drink.


    Immediately, she felt a rush of energy surge through her body. The blood was absolutely delicious, and she swore every undead molecule inside her sang with joy. Warmth spread from her stomach to her limbs, and the ravenous hunger that had been hounding her all day began to quiet. While she would have loved to finish the entire bag, if not the entire cooler, she forced herself to stop. She wanted to enjoy what little she had, to draw it out as long as possible.


    Pulling out her phone, she navigated back to her favorite Dungeon news sites. There were a few noteworthy Level Ups, some interesting trades between two of the bigger guilds, but it seemed that progress in the Dungeon itself had stalled somewhat. Currently, everyone was on the hunt for the key to open the next level, but they were often incredibly difficult to find.


    Taking another sip, she switched over to the forums where everyone talked about their builds. Everyone was constantly learning new things about the System, and so opinions were frequently changing about the best way to build certain classes. Katrina mostly followed the Bard discourse, as that was her own class, and frequently dreamed of the day she might finally surpass Level 2. If she ever managed to Level Up again, she would finally gain access to Bardic Spellcasting, which was the specialty of her subclass.


    Not that I¡¯d ever be in a position to use any spells.


    She turned off her phone, setting it in her lap as she leaned her head against the branch behind her. With a heavy sigh, she thought about all the time she¡¯d spent practicing since the Change. How much effort she¡¯d put into perfecting her craft, in the hopes of doing something exciting with her life, only to have everything gatekept by her Race. How was she supposed to inspire a party when, at any moment, she might lose control and attack them? Who in their right mind would put a Vampire in their party in the middle of a blood shortage?


    Katrina sighed, taking another slow sip of blood.


    Her eyes lingered on the beautiful blossoms surrounding her, decorating the thousands of branches of the tree. To her left, a small branch swayed with the breeze, and she carefully reached out to feel it move, her fingers gently brushing against the deep green leaves before reaching some of the flowers. As the breeze picked up, the entire tree swayed, the leaves joining together as they sang in peaceful, aeolian tones. Katrina¡¯s eyes slowly traced over the branches, the veins of this magnificent tree, and soon landed on the main trunk in front of her.


    Curiously, a small collection of cherry blossom petals had gathered in front of her.


    That¡¯s odd, was this here before?


    The petals, and even a few flowers, seemed to be trapped in a tiny bundle of small leaves and vines. The whole collection cascaded down, eventually parting in the middle, as if they were decorative curtains. Underneath, instead of the rough bark of the tree she might have expected, she saw two, bright green eyes staring back at her. Katrina tensed, and her breathing quickened before this stranger finally spoke up.


    ¡°What are you doing in my tree?¡±

 Chapter 2.1

    Earlier that day


    Soft, elegant pillars of moonlight drifted down from the sky, dancing through a blanket of leaves before settling on the ground below. An owl hooted in the distance, and several bats hurriedly flew from perch to perch as they hunted for food. As time passed, the moon began to fade, and the sky slowly transitioned from a comforting veil of darkness to the vibrant pastels of dawn.


    A sea of orange swept across the horizon, the earliest rays of sunlight dancing off a river of morning dew. Birds began to wake, squirrels prepared to scurry, and flowers eagerly awaited their chance to bloom. Of all the magnificent creatures to feel the sun¡¯s warmth, however, the first was the enormous tree that stood near the center of Primrose Acres.


    This tree wasn¡¯t noteworthy just for its size, although at nearly sixty feet tall, it certainly towered over everything else in the subdivision. It was strikingly unique compared to every other tree nearby; the generic Chicago suburb had previously favored the simple Oak, but this tree was a magnificent Cherry Blossom. Its healthy canopy of lush, green leaves were almost entirely eclipsed by the brilliant pink flowers that bloomed atop them. Petals from these flowers continuously broke free and floated to the ground, forming an elegant apron on the surrounding land.


    The massive trunk of this tree split into several powerful branches, each one continuing to fractal off before ending with a bouquet of leaves and flowers. Most unusual of all was how frequently this tree blossomed. Traditional Cherry Blossom trees usually grew their signature pink flowers in late spring, the cycle normally lasting only a few weeks. This particular tree, however, continued to flower for almost the entire year. Even now, at the start of August, its brilliant pink blooms still continued to grow and scatter on the autumn winds.


    The Cherry Blossoms placement was also rather curious. To an outside observer, it would appear that a simple, two-story house had been built partially around it, but the truth was quite the opposite. The house pre-dated the tree by several decades, but four years ago, the tree had sprung up overnight. An entire front corner of the house had been destroyed, replaced by the impressively large trunk of this tree, and many of its branches had pushed through the walls and roof of the house. In only a few minutes, the tree had gone from non-existent to being the biggest thing in the neighborhood.


    With the light of dawn now breaking, the various creatures that called this particular tree home began to wake. They rose from their nests, crawled free from their burrows and, in Alicia¡¯s case, walked out of the trunk itself. The bark behind her left no trace of the departure, as the two entities were one and the same.


    Stepping out of the tree, Alicia stretched her arms high before attempting to wake the rest of her body. The joints of her lithe figure occasionally snapped and popped, though the sounds resembled the creaking of an ancient tree rather than those of any human. She ran her fingers through her hair, pulling free a few loose petals from the flowers that grew there, and let them fall to the ground.


    ¡°Good morning!¡± she said happily, greeting the world as it woke.


    She took off down her front lawn, slowly drawing lines with her feet in the blanket of leaves and flower petals beneath her. She felt the powerful roots of her Heart Tree thrumming beneath her, giving her life, and she smiled in its presence.


    Her morning walk was peaceful, as always. She meandered down the street, checking in on her neighbors while slowly making her way to a nearby river.


    Stopping at the house next door, she wandered into the yard and crouched down. ¡°How was your night? You still have enough compost little buddy?¡± she asked. The intricate fungal network didn¡¯t acknowledge her in any way, but she could tell that it had everything it needed to continue thriving. ¡°Just make sure you don¡¯t get too close to me, alright? Us neighbors have to respect the property lines.¡±


    Her next stop was across the street, and another two houses down. ¡°Oh, look how big you¡¯re getting! I remember when you were only a little collection of sticks, but your leaves are looking so healthy now!¡± The oak sapling in front of her was now close to her height, which made her incredibly proud. She¡¯d replanted it several years ago and was pleased it was taking so well.


    ¡°Have your neighbors been behaving themselves? We both know how aggressive those rose bushes can be.¡± The sapling continued to say nothing. ¡°No, that¡¯s a good point, they have every right to be here. Still, make sure you play nice, alright?¡±


    A few paces later, at the edge of the neighboring property, sat the rose bushes in question. ¡°You hear that? If you don¡¯t behave yourself I¡¯ll have to take drastic measures, and nobody wants that.¡±


    Wandering back to the street, she directed her attention to the asphalt underneath her and paused to examine it.


    Well, what was left of it.


    Huge sections of the previously paved road had been completely upended through years of hard work. Large roots, as well as dense collections of weeds and vines, had broken through and restored nature¡¯s grasp on the ground around Alicia¡¯s house. In the weeks following the Change, she¡¯d often felt like the concrete and asphalt were suffocating her, but her efforts over the years had managed to alleviate that feeling.


    At the end of the street, crossing several blocks and many of the lawns, sat a small river. This was another of Alicia¡¯s creations, something she¡¯d rerouted to give herself easier access to fresh water. She sat down on its banks, dipping her legs in the babbling brook, and sighed in relief.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Closing her eyes, she smiled as the warmth of the morning sun washed over her. Its light lingered on her skin, but she could also feel the sun¡¯s rays on the leaves of her Heart Tree. Not only did it feel amazing, but as a Dryad, the light itself was literally breakfast. Even without checking her Status, she could feel her SP gradually refilling, and every chloroplast in her body sang with joy as warmth flooded through her.


    In the riverbed, small roots began to extend from Alicia¡¯s feet, digging into the ground as she absorbed the water from the soil. She leaned back, closed her eyes, and let herself get lost in the sun.


    Two hours passed before she finally opened her eyes. She¡¯d been awake the whole time, but ever since the Change, time seemed to pass differently for her. Up in the sky, the clouds had shifted dramatically, and she knew it was time to head home. Unfortunately, even though she didn¡¯t need food or water anymore, she still had bills to pay. After grabbing the watering can next to her and filling it, she took off once more.


    She took a different route back, letting herself wander down a side street to check on some of her other projects. This street had been hit especially hard the night of the Change, and most of the houses had been destroyed. Thankfully, she¡¯d managed to inspire the local plant life to overtake the rubble, and when she had the time, she tried to move some of the destruction to the local dump. Garbage trucks didn¡¯t run here anymore, which she appreciated, but it certainly made cleaning up a little frustrating.


    As she wandered from house to house, humming small tunes to herself, she made sure to water the many flowers that had started living here ever since that fateful night. Once she made it home, she lovingly placed a hand on her Heart Tree before stepping inside it again. The wood bent to her will and let her glide higher before she emerged on the other side, now inside the remains of her old bedroom.


    She¡¯d been asleep the night of the Change, her bed pushed into the outer corner of her room, which had thankfully minimized the damage her Heart Tree had caused when it sprouted. The bed had been destroyed, but as she didn''t need it anymore, she hardly minded. What remained were a few personal effects, old clothes she hadn¡¯t touched in years, and her computer desk.


    In her past life, it had been hard to spend even a few minutes away from the internet. It had allowed her to stay in touch with distant friends, it let her discuss her favorite books with other enthusiastic fans, and given her unlimited access to all her favorite shows. Now? Now she spent as little time as possible online, and mostly only used the computer to work. She¡¯d been lucky enough to find a remote job with a new government office, one that monitored compliance for the many new Racial guidelines being codified every day.


    She pulled up her chair, crossed her legs, and turned on her computer. As she started opening the various programs she needed, she caught a quick glance of her search history from the previous few days.


    How do dungeons work


    How do dungeons form


    Can new dungeons appear


    How dangerous are dungeons


    The dryad shook her head. ¡°Now¡¯s not the time to worry about that, Alicia.¡± She reluctantly logged into her work software and punched in.


    She checked in with her boss, read through all the new emails, and finally reached out to her first client. Her job often entailed explaining compliance violations, and helping business owners find the resources needed to bring their establishments up to code. Unfortunately, this often meant dealing with irate cheapskates trying to cut costs by avoiding adding Races to their workforce.


    ¡°Sir, while your employees did have the keys to the building, that¡¯s not the issue. The two workers in question are both considered Fey, and ORC guidelines clearly state that all Fey creatures are magically compelled to avoid iron at all costs. They weren¡¯t stuck inside because of a locked door, they were stuck inside because the push bars are made of iron, effectively blocking their exit.¡±


    The voice on the other end of the line was not amused.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t necessarily have to change the mechanism. If another entrance is Fey accessible, then you can leave these doors alone.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand how this might be an unexpected cost, but it will help bring your establishment up to code. Plus, you¡¯ll be able to attract more Fey employees and customers!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, I suppose you could let those employees go. If you wanted to do that, I¡¯d also recommend hiring a lawyer, as I now have recorded proof that you¡¯re attempting to fire someone based entirely on their Race, and the courts aren¡¯t going to like that.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Sir, if you¡¯re going to raise your voice, it¡¯s going to be difficult to have a productive conversation.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, personally, I think the cheapest route would be to install a new door. It sounds like you¡¯ve misplaced your ORC Handbook, but I can email you another copy if you like. It contains a slew of helpful information to assist you in updating your business to be more Race friendly.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy we could come to an understanding, thank you for your time.¡±


    Alicia hung up the phone, then placed her headset back on her desk. ¡°Ugh, last call of the day, finally!¡± She leaned back, stretching out her stiff back again before turning off her computer. She walked back to her Heart Tree, melded into it once more, and floated back to the ground. She paused before leaving, however, as something caught her attention.


    The roots of her Heart Tree extended underneath a huge swath of land, though she¡¯d never measured just how expansive her root system was. She tended to assume the roots covered at least three times the area of her canopy, which was already massive. Due to her connection, she could feel just about everything that moved near those roots. She was aware of the family of moles that lived a few blocks down, she knew about the many ant colonies that had sprouted up recently, and she had long ago memorized the composition of the ground in her neighborhood.


    Nature tended to move slowly, which is why Alicia had been caught off guard by the sudden seismic activity several weeks ago. In the middle of the night, large collections of her roots had gone from being safely immersed in the ground, to being exposed to open air. While she didn¡¯t understand how, a large series of caves and caverns had appeared underneath Primrose Acres, and she was fairly sure it was a dungeon.


    She knew nothing about dungeons, and she didn¡¯t care to find out more. The delving lifestyle had never appealed to her, and even if it had, she doubted she would be able to spend much time away from her Heart Tree.


    A shiver ran through her as she felt footsteps on her roots. Monsters roaming the dungeon without purpose, aimlessly shuffling back and forth as they looked for enemies to engage with. They didn¡¯t seem to fight each other, which she appreciated, but she was scared of what they represented. What would happen when delvers learned about this place? What would happen if the monsters started wandering outside the dungeon?


    The feeling faded, the monsters now off in a different room that she wasn¡¯t connected with, and she sighed in relief. She was safe, for now at least, but she couldn¡¯t keep waiting forever.


    Which was unfortunate, because waiting came so naturally to her.

 Chapter 2.2

    The last few weeks had been spent looking for the entrance, but so far, she hadn''t found anything. She had first assumed the search would be quick, since her roots traveled through several of the rooms, but that knowledge hadn''t led anywhere. The room that felt closest to the surface was roughly a ten-minute walk south of her house, but every trip she made south had yielded no results. She''d dug through rubble, asked the local plants for help, but the dungeon stayed hidden despite all her efforts.


    Today, she instead decided to continue checking in on her other projects. She had no idea where else to look, and after a particularly frustrating day at work, she wasn''t thrilled about the prospect of another several hours of disappointment. She finally let herself step out of her Tree and started towards her next task.


    While Alicia''s mornings were often spent checking in on projects that needed more attention, such as daily watering or pruning, she liked to spend her afternoons jumping between her multiple long-term projects. Today, for instance, she''d resolved to check on the reservoir that fed her river. It was a longer walk, roughly a few miles west, but it was good to walk the length of the river once a month or so. In the past, the river had dried up a few times, and she was always hunting for possible problems to prevent that from repeating.


    The peaceful walk was only an hour, and thankfully everything seemed in order. She made note of a few bends in the river that might benefit from some restructuring, but nothing else jumped out at her.


    The next item on today''s agenda was a house several blocks north of her home. Several years before the Change, someone had bought up the shabby split-level that had previously occupied the lot and replaced it with a pretentious manor. Elegant brick walls, a garage meant to hold far too many cars, and a whole slew of expensive decorations. On the night of the change, the unfortunate owner had transformed into a dragon, destroying most of the house instantly.


    All the valuables in the house had been picked clean years ago, but that wasn¡¯t why Alicia was here. As a newer piece of construction, this plot of land had a significant amount of fresh concrete, and its presence had been a constant thorn in her side.


    Over the last year, she¡¯d been asking the local foliage to creep into the house, break its foundation, and loosen things up enough for her to dispose of everything. It was the same process she used to disrupt all the streets, except the concrete poured for this house had proved significantly more resilient than the cheap asphalt the city had used to pave the roads.


    She hadn''t visited the house since late June, and she was eager to see what progress had been made in her absence. Now standing on the edge of the property, Alicia let her roots dig deep into the ground and got to work. To an outside observer, it would appear as if the dryad were standing completely still, doing absolutely nothing. In actuality, she was working hard to find weak points in the concrete, to urge all the local weeds to keep pushing for entry. She was, according to the Status, literally One With Nature, which meant it was easy to impose her will on all the plant life around her.


    The basement had been a particular sticking point. Weeds and vines had started working their way into several corners, but she also had to contend with all the layers of insulation and flooring. Today, happily enough, she was excited to sense that some of the local plants had finally broken through into the open air of the basement. She checked in with them, making sure everyone was still happy and healthy, when she suddenly froze in fear.


    There was something in the basement. She could feel footsteps reverberating through the concrete, and after a minute, something heavy stepped on one of her intrusive roots.


    It was far too large to be the local wildlife.


    Swallowing nervously, she uprooted herself and ran to the entrance of the house. She had previously cleared a route to the basement, originally meant to have a path to clear away the rubble she hoped to create, but now she found herself on the defensive. She stepped carefully, inching down into the dark cellar, when she finally heard something.


    A low, rumbling growl. A footstep, followed by a strange shuffling noise. Once she was close enough, Alicia peaked around the corner and gasped.


    Ahead of her, on the far wall of the basement, a large tunnel had been created. It seemed oddly purposeful, as if someone had long ago tried to start a mine here, and she knew she''d found the entrance to the dungeon. The composition of the walls didn''t match the surrounding terrain, and a series of wall sconces appeared ready to hold the torches of potential delvers.


    In front of the dungeon, now turning to face her, stood a lone monster. It appeared to be a zombie, looking as if it had crawled directly out of an old 80¡¯s movie. It stepped closer, one foot dragging behind it, as it growled in anger.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    In a panic, Alicia ran back up the stairs. She turned towards the basement, breathed deep, and summoned a wall of bark and vines to block off the passageway. It might not be permanent, and it certainly felt odd to be using a class ability after four years of ignoring them entirely, but it seemed to work.


    She flinched as the zombie struck the barrier, hoping it would hold. It attacked a second time, then a third, before it seemed to lose interest and walk away. She waited for a minute, then several more, before finally releasing the breath she didn''t realize she''d been holding.


    Wait, I just used a Class Feature, didn''t I?


    Unsure what to expect, Alicia decided to check her stats.


    ¡°Status!¡±


    - - -


    General Information


    Name: Alicia Davenport


    Race: Dryad


    HP: 80%


    SP: 87%


    MP: 100%


    ¡ª


    Attributes


    STR: 12


    END: 13 (+2)


    DEX: 9


    AGI: 10


    INT: 11


    WIS: 15 (+2)


    CHA: 12


    LCK: 9


    PER: 15


    HLT: 17 (+4)


    ¡ª


    Racial Features


    Heart Tree (Cherry Blossom)


    Solar Regeneration


    One With Nature


    Seeds Of Life


    ¡ª


    Class


    Bulwark


    Level: 1


    Progress: 15%


    ¡ª


    Class Features


    - - -


    ¡°Fifteen percent?!¡± Alicia gasped. She hadn''t made any class progress since the Change, and had long ago given up on it ever happening. Still, if the only way to gain progress was to see her home invaded by monsters, she would much rather stay at Level one.


    She looked up at the sky and realized the sun was significantly closer to setting. She could already feel its warmth beginning to fade, and she knew it was time to wrap up.


    She walked slowly, her thoughts spinning as she tried to think of a plan.


    ¡°Well, if nothing else, that monster seemed pretty weak, and it will be easy to block off the staircase. I might actually be able to ignore this!¡±


    As she walked home, she found herself in significantly better spirits than she had expected. Sure, being attacked hadn''t been an item on her bucket list, but the placement of the dungeon entrance seemed promising.


    She yawned as the sun started dipping beneath the horizon, the lack of its warmth already affecting her. Some of the flowers near her house were already closing for the night, and she could feel several birds and squirrels settling in as they prepared to go to sleep. When she finally made it back to her Heart Tree, she eagerly merged with it again and drifted off to sleep.


    - - -


    Alicia woke with a start several hours later. She knew it wasn¡¯t daytime yet, the familiar warmth of the sun was still absent, so something else must have shaken her awake.


    That¡¯s when she felt it again, something moving around her main trunk. As she tried to focus on where it was coming from, she felt one of her sturdier branches shift downwards, and it was clear it was now supporting something. It felt much heavier than an animal, and she feared it might be a dungeon monster. Moving quickly, the dryad shifted through her Heart Tree until she¡¯d found the source of the commotion.


    As she peeked her face out of the trunk, she was pleased to find the source of the commotion wasn''t a monster. It was a woman nestled up against one of her main branches. She wasn¡¯t just a woman, though; she had to be the most gorgeous woman Alicia had ever seen.


    This stranger wore casual clothes and was sitting with one leg hanging off the branch, yet it looked like she were in the middle of posing for a magazine cover. Her incredibly pale skin was completely flawless, which led to every one of her striking features being accentuated by comparison. Her hands were perfectly manicured, and her off hand casually tapped her thigh as she relaxed. Her tank top did little to hide her impressive bust, and Alicia couldn¡¯t help but marvel at how much more well-endowed this stranger was when compared to her. Her pale face radiated confidence, and as Alicia watched, the stranger¡¯s mouth opened to start drinking some kind of juice.


    Unusually, her two canine teeth seemed quite long. As the dryad kept watching, she also noticed that this stranger¡¯s eyes were bright red and glowing intensely. The juice she was drinking, Alicia finally realized, wasn¡¯t juice at all, but blood.


    She was looking at a vampire.


    She¡¯d never seen one in person before. Actually, now that she thought about it, she hadn¡¯t seen anyone in person for the last three years. Some distant instinct of hers urged her to be afraid, but for some reason she felt completely enraptured by this stranger.


    The vampire took a deep drink of her blood, closing her eyes in pleasure as her body seemed to warm slightly. She smiled as she pulled the pouch away, then unlocked her phone and started scrolling.


    For the next several minutes, the vampire occasionally took small sips of her blood while continuing to surf the internet. After a while, she turned the phone off and set it down on her lap, then leaned back against her perch with a heavy sigh. There was a sense of longing in her deep, crimson eyes, as if she were looking for something just out of sight.


    When she finally shook herself back to her senses, a soft breeze had begun sweeping through the neighborhood. All the branches in Alicia¡¯s canopy began to sway, their peaceful sounds threatening to lull the dryad back to sleep, but she didn¡¯t dare turn away from this magnificent creature in front of her. The vampire reached out for a nearby branch, her hand softly tracing its leaves and flowers, and Alicia shivered.


    Her hands are so soft, so gentle¡­ How long has it been since I¡¯ve felt like this?


    As the breeze faded, the vampire¡¯s eyes seemed to focus on a spot above Alicia. Actually, they were looking at her hair, and they kept traveling down until the two girls locked eyes with each other. Alicia felt the vampire flinch in surprise, her breath catching, and the dryad finally dared to speak.


    ¡°What are you doing in my tree?¡±

 Chapter 3.1

    Katrina¡¯s melancholy mood vanished immediately as she realized she wasn¡¯t alone. In her surprise, she reflexively pushed off the tree and floated a few feet away, all while keeping her eyes on this new stranger.


    ¡°Wait, don¡¯t go!¡± the girl in the tree said. ¡°I¡¯m not upset, I just wasn¡¯t expecting anyone, that¡¯s all.¡±


    Doing her best to regain her composure, Katrina finally found the words to respond. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, I thought the area was abandoned, I didn¡¯t mean to intrude, miss.¡± In front of her, the stranger began moving out of the tree, its bark magically shifting to accommodate her movements, and she finally got a good look at her.


    The girl in front of Katrina had rich, green skin, and wasn¡¯t wearing any clothes, though saying she was naked would also be wrong. Strips of bark and patches of leaves seemed to be growing from her body, and together they covered all the same features a bikini would. Her face was soft, with delicate rounded features and a fair collection of freckles. The vines, leaves, and flowers Katrina had seen just moments ago were, in fact, her hair. It was fairly long, and collected behind her head where it formed into a loose ponytail. Her bright green eyes subtly reflected the moonlight, and they were looking at Katrina in amazement.


    She finally settled onto the branch Katrina had just vacated as she continued talking. ¡°You weren¡¯t intruding, I promise! And you¡¯re not wrong, this neighborhood is entirely abandoned, other than myself.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see,¡± Katrina said, pausing to clear her throat. ¡°You¡¯re a Dryad, I assume?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±


    ¡°Certainly explains how comparatively unique this tree is. I¡¯m¡ª¡±


    ¡°A vampire?¡±


    ¡°¡­I was going to say Katrina, but both are correct.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Right! You can call me Alicia.¡±


    The dryad held out her hand, clearly hoping to formalize their introduction with a handshake. Katrina hesitated, scared to remember the last time she¡¯d purposely touched anyone. Still, with a fresh supply of blood hanging off her shoulder, she figured it was safe enough. She floated closer, grabbing Alicia¡¯s hand and gently squeezing her fingers. She only lingered for a second before she broke the grip and created more distance between them again.


    How didn¡¯t I sense her? Even now, it¡¯s like she¡¯s not entirely here.


    ¡°Well met, Alicia. Again, sorry for the disturbance.¡±


    ¡°The pleasure is all mine, Katrina the Vampire!¡± Alicia giggled as she settled back onto her branch, cradling her head in her arms. ¡°So¡­ what brings you to my neck of the woods?¡±


    ¡°Um, I live closer to the city, but I missed my stop.¡± Katrina paused, nervously wringing the straps of her cooler. She wasn¡¯t used to this kind of small talk, and was out of practice. Still, Alicia seemed eager to have someone to converse with, so Katrina figured she might as well try. ¡°So¡­ You said the neighborhood is abandoned? Why?¡±


    ¡°Yup! When the Change hit, we got quite a few of the more¡­ unusual Races, to say the least. Some pretty big fights broke out, a lot of people started using their new Class Abilities out of fear, it was real scary. When things started going back to normal, the government wanted to try and consolidate their resources, so they implemented programs to relocate people out of heavily damaged areas. Unfortunately, my Heart Tree can¡¯t move so¡­ here I am.¡±


    ¡°Here you are.¡± Katrina said meekly, gesturing at the tree. She realized she was still holding a packet of blood and tucked it into her cooler.


    ¡°What about you?¡± Alicia asked, ¡°What was your Change like?¡±


    ¡°It was¡­ bad.¡±


    Alicia had clearly expected more, but Katrina hated talking about that night. That entire year, honestly. For many people, it was the easiest conversation starter in the world; for Katrina, it was the second big reason why she had started avoiding people. When she didn¡¯t elaborate, the Dryad filled the silence herself.


    ¡°Oh¡­ W-well you don¡¯t have to talk about it if you don¡¯t want to.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    Katrina faked a smile, not sure what to say. After another few seconds of silence, she tried to change the topic. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to have some kind of stealth Class, would you?¡±


    ¡°Me? Not at all, I¡¯m a Bulwark. Not that I get much use out of it. You?¡±


    Bulwark? That doesn¡¯t explain why I can¡¯t sense her. Maybe it¡¯s a Racial Feature?


    ¡°Bard, Path of Magic.¡± The Dryad excitedly opened her mouth to say something, but Katrina cut her off. ¡°To answer your next question, guitar. And no, I don¡¯t have it with me.¡±


    Alicia deflated again. Katrina could tell this interaction wasn¡¯t going the way the Dryad hoped, but she didn¡¯t know what else there was to talk about. She was also used to this kind of behavior; Katrina was well aware of the effect her 19 Charisma had on people. Strangers that weren¡¯t watching her out of fear usually had lust in their eyes.


    ¡°So¡­ what are you doing tonight? You probably haven¡¯t been up for long, right?¡± Alicia asked hopefully.


    ¡°I made a quick visit downtown,¡± Katrina tapped her cooler for emphasis, ¡°and I was on my way home when I missed my stop. I didn¡¯t really have any plans tonight.¡±


    ¡°What about your¡ª¡± Alicia paused for a moment, her sentence interrupted by a heavy yawn, ¡°¡ªyour, um, guitar? What kind of music do you play?¡±


    Seeing the Dryad yawn reminded Katrina that she was the only nocturnal Race present, and that was a perfect excuse to leave. ¡°Look, Alicia, I¡¯m clearly keeping you up. You seem really nice, but it¡¯s probably better for both of us if I head back to my place.¡±


    Alicia¡¯s response was delayed by another yawn, and her eyes seemed to be growing heavier. Still, her disappointment was palpable. ¡°I¡­ understand. Well, I¡¯d love to see you again sometime, Katrina the Vampire. You seem¡­ really nice¡­ too¡­¡± The dryad nestled her head in her arms again as she waved goodbye, and Katrina was fairly certain Alicia was asleep before she¡¯d even turned to fly away.


    As the Vampire rose higher above the mostly abandoned neighborhood, she took one last look at the Cherry Blossom tree before heading back home.


    The flight was uneventful, if a little longer than she was used to. As she flew, it became more than obvious that she was farther from home than she¡¯d initially thought. Thankfully, the mana drain from her flying was miniscule, and she had plenty to think about. Something about that encounter was bugging her, and she just couldn¡¯t figure out what.


    When she finally made it home, she eagerly unlocked her window and flew inside. The blood went in the fridge, and although she desperately wanted to finish the pouch she¡¯d started earlier, she knew she needed to ration it out. Realistically, her night was barely halfway over.


    She returned to the laundry basket she¡¯d abandoned outside her bedroom and began putting her clothes away. She folded some shirts, hung others in her closet, and returned her hand towels to her bathroom. Her cleaning continued into the living room, where she spent quite a bit of time tidying up all her music. Various piles of sheet music had been scattered, as had some of her guitar accessories. She lovingly placed everything back in its place before picking up her guitar.


    She¡¯d bought it two years ago, as soon as she had the money and her life had settled down post-Change. Taking a seat, she placed her leg on her footstool and pulled the guitar in her lap. She carefully tuned each string, taking great care to make sure everything was perfect.


    Whenever she told people she was a guitar Bard, they tended to think of their favorite rock bands, inevitably asking if she knew Freebird. Katrina, however, had no interest in that kind of music, which had affected her choice of instrument. It had no flashy colors, no electrical outlets, with a slightly larger body and shorter neck. Its strings weren¡¯t made of metal, they were made of nylon, which produced a much softer, full-bodied sound that Katrina had fallen in love with. The strings were also further apart compared to more standard guitars, which reflected the purpose of this particular instrument; it existed to play classical music. She didn¡¯t even need a pick, as her fingernails had been angled to serve that need on their own.


    Her Bardic Knowledge Feature had made learning the instrument incredibly easy. Every new skill she was able to learn in a fraction of the time, which made practice incredibly enjoyable. Now, she was practically a master, but her skill on the instrument unfortunately didn¡¯t translate to Class Levels.


    She hugged her guitar tight, cradling it as if it were a loved one. Surprisingly, her thoughts returned to Alicia, to their brief handshake they¡¯d exchanged earlier that night. Her skin had been incredibly soft, but not as warm as Katrina had expected. At the time, she¡¯d been so worried about losing control of herself that she hadn¡¯t noticed these details, but now she had plenty of time to return to her thoughts. Once again, she felt there was something she didn¡¯t quite understand about that encounter.


    She was a Bulwark and a Dryad. Neither one was known for its stealth capabilities, so why had Alicia seemed so distant? As Katrina dwelled on these thoughts, she absentmindedly began playing a somber song.


    Depending on her Level, she might have Features I¡¯m not aware of. I¡¯ve never looked into Bulwark that much, and Dryads aren¡¯t necessarily common¡­


    As her fingers danced across the strings, the melody filling her small apartment, she thought back to how peaceful it had been in that tree, before Alicia had shown up. The gentle breeze rustling the leaves, the smell of cherry blossoms filling her nose, it had been a delightful change of pace from her life in the city.


    Wait, cherry blossoms. They smelled of fresh flowers, which I only noticed because there hadn¡¯t been any people around. At least, I thought there hadn¡¯t been people, but even once Alicia showed herself, I never smelled anything else!


    That¡¯s when it hit her, the reason why her conversation with the Dryad had felt so stilted. The entire time, she hadn¡¯t been able to smell Alicia, and her usual desire to attack people had been completely absent.


    Dryads don¡¯t have blood! They¡¯re plants!

 Chapter 3.2

    Early the next morning, as the sun began to dawn on Primrose Acres, Alicia woke with a groan. She was extraordinarily uncomfortable and, as she came to, also felt strangely exposed. She thought back to last night, wondering what might have caused this, when she remembered her vampiric visitor.


    ¡°Katrina!¡± Alicia gasped, attempting to sit up.


    Unfortunately, in her excitement, she failed to realize she had never rejoined her Heart Tree. She didn¡¯t have the support she¡¯d expected, and her sudden movement only served to shake her already tentative grasp on the branch underneath her. She shouted as she plummeted from the tree and, with a loud thud, hit the ground hard.


    She groaned again, louder this time, as she stared up at the pink and green canopy above her.


    Alicia, you idiot! The first visitor you have in years, the most beautiful girl in the world, and you scared her off with all your questions!


    The pain from her fall almost felt right somehow, as if it was vindication for her crimes. She thought back to last night, remembered the feeling of someone playing with her flowers, then holding her hand and gently squeezing it. She could feel herself blushing at the memory.


    She stayed on the ground much longer than intended, and had to shake loose a few roots that had sprouted when she got up. With a heavy sigh, she decided to jump back into her normal routine.


    Her first stop, as usual, was the elaborate fungal network next door. She rearranged some of the dirt, added a bit more mulch, then paused. She gently ran her fingers over the cap of one of the bigger mushrooms, recalling the touch of Katrina¡¯s skin on hers. ¡°I met someone last night, did you know that? She was this tall, super pretty Vampire named Katrina!¡± The fungi, as usual, had no comment.


    Across the street, as she checked the roots of the oak tree, she continued talking. ¡°She had super bright, red eyes, and they were glowing! I bet she was just really hungry, ¡®cuz I¡¯ve heard there¡¯s a blood shortage going on. But she was so graceful, even when she jumped out of my tree she looked like a model¡­ Oh! And she can fly! Isn¡¯t that cool?¡± The sapling, much like its neighbors, also stayed quiet.


    In the next yard over, she cautiously made sure the rose bushes were staying on their property. ¡°And she said she¡¯s a Bard! She didn¡¯t have her guitar with her, but I bet she¡¯s amazing; I¡¯ve always heard great things about Bard performances. I would¡¯ve loved to hear her play, it¡¯s been¡­ oh wow, I think it¡¯s been years since I¡¯ve heard any music.¡± The rose bushes, as well, refrained from conversation. As Alicia prepared to leave the lot and make her daily trip to the river, she paused with a heavy sigh. The camaraderie she was used to feeling from her plant friends simply wasn¡¯t there today.


    Her walk to the river was slow, and an air of malaise hung over her head. She dipped her feet in the water, then laid down to stretch her arms out.


    What could I have done differently? I really didn¡¯t mean to scare her away, but I haven¡¯t talked with anyone outside of work since¡­ since the last time that dragon came back to clean out its house, and that was at least 3 years ago.


    Oh.


    Three years since I¡¯ve had any human contact.


    That might explain this feeling.


    After shaking her roots free, Alicia grabbed her watering can and started walking home. The hundreds of flowers she¡¯d planted since the Change were all in great shape. They got plenty of sun, all the water they needed, and lots of attention. They weren¡¯t lonely at all, but they also never spent 20 years as a human before turning into a plant.


    I don¡¯t even remember my 21st birthday. Or my 22nd, or my 23rd¡­ I¡¯m not 24 yet, am I? I should really check that.


    Arriving at home, she set her watering can down. She carefully dragged her feet through the indentation she¡¯d made earlier, then glanced up at the branch she¡¯d slept on last night. She could still picture Katrina there, cherry blossom petals floating around her, getting stuck in her beautiful black hair.


    But no one was here now. She was, as always, alone. Separated from society by miles of abandoned suburbs.


    Looking at the sun, Alicia realized it was time to get to work. She rejoined with her Heart Tree and floated up to her bedroom, then paused. She barely spent any time here, but in the first few months, she¡¯d done her best to clean up the spots where the room met her heart tree. She made sure to leave room for her Tree to grow, but she also inspired some plants to fill in gaps in the woodwork. As it stood, her bedroom was perfectly functional, other than the notable lack of a bed.


    What would I even do if she came back? Ask her to water plants with me? No, you¡¯re not supposed to water at night¡­


    She grumbled as she turned her computer on, the glare of its screen particularly frustrating today. Work went by slower than normal, and her clients weren¡¯t even that irate today. One of them, an older woman that had just hired an Aasimar, was even somewhat pleasant. She found herself explaining somewhat simple terms, as the woman had never even heard of Aasimar before.


    ¡°All Aasimar have an innate Racial Feature referred to as a Wellspring. It will be tied to a specific emotion, something like pride or happiness, and that emotion is broadcast out of the Aasimar at all times. They can try to mute it, but it takes effort, and it can even be dangerous to mute its effects for too long. To be ORC compliant, I¡¯d recommend training all your existing employees about the specific Wellspring they¡¯ll be working with. If their Wellspring is tied to an emotion you feel would interfere with work, I recommend scheduling times and places where your employee can let it free safely.¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, not all Wellsprings are tied to happy, calming emotions. They might have something like rage, jealousy, or even lust. I¡¯m sure you can imagine how those might make work difficult.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, they can always take Status Breaks when the situation becomes dire, but they really should let their Wellspring flow as often as possible. Imagine if your bladder was full to bursting 8 hours a day, and you just had to hold it in.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Precisely, it wouldn¡¯t be very fun, would it? Sometimes, workplaces will find ways to positively channel their Aasimar¡¯s Wellspring, so I¡¯d encourage you to talk at length with your employee to understand how it works.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, the pleasure is all mine. You have a great day.¡±


    Alicia hung her headset back on its stand and sighed. Another long day of work over, but at least this one ended on a high note. The woman had seemed genuinely curious about her new employee, and had reached out to ORC of her own accord to try and be as accommodating as possible.


    Calls like that were in the minority, however. The most common calls came from the hundreds, if not thousands of people that still complained about sex work being legalized. They didn¡¯t care that certain Races physically needed sex to survive, and they seemed determined to cause problems because of it. It was actually fairly common for ORC employees to be called as witnesses in various court cases and depositions, and a vast majority of those cases tended to involve employers discriminating against sex workers. Alicia had never been called, but she assumed it was only a matter of time.


    She sent a goodbye email to her boss and happily signed off from her work account. When she went to turn her computer off, however, she hesitated. Memories of her past flooded her mind, of all the time she used to spend online. Watching TV, playing music, talking with friends, she¡¯d been a relatively social person. In the chaos of the Change, all that had been lost.


    Another wave of loneliness washed over her, and she decided to recover all her passwords from her old social media accounts. Over the next hour or so, she let herself catch up on the lives of all her old friends. Many of them had changed Races, and quite a few were now working as Delvers.


    She got lost in all their feeds, and realized she knew next to nothing about delving. She knew the basics, of course; Dungeons had popped up all over the world during the Change, and they were filled with monsters and perils. Delvers made it their job to explore these Dungeons, both for personal gain and to make sure the monsters didn¡¯t wander out and attack civilians.


    As Alicia kept looking, she learned just how hard Chicago had been hit after the Change. Apparently, when the main Chicago Dungeon appeared, thousands of monsters had poured out and overrun the city. For the first two years, the streets of Chicago had basically become an active war zone, with Delvers doing everything they could to push back the monsters. During that period, the city government had been paralyzed, which meant many of the Delving Guilds had essentially called the shots. They did their best to organize the reclamation effort, and even allowed significant portions of the population to freely utilize Class and Racial abilities.


    Once order had been restored, the Guilds and the City tightened some restrictions, and now only certified Delvers could freely engage monsters, both inside the dungeon and out.


    In time, she grew tired of reading about Dungeons and delving, and returned to her social media sites. Some of her old friends were incredibly active, for good reason, but she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that her news feeds seemed to be missing names. She opened up her old messenger apps, memories returning in waves as she read through the list of all her old friends. She began clicking through their profiles, trying to see what her non-Delver friends were up to, when she realized the sobering truth.


    Many of her old friends hadn¡¯t survived the Change.


    Alicia was intimately familiar with the statistics, she worked for the government after all. She knew, on some level, that roughly a third of humanity had perished in the first years of the Change, but she¡¯d never experienced that loss personally before. She found dozens of profiles that now served as digital gravestones, filled with posts of those in mourning. She read through every single post, identified every single friend that hadn¡¯t survived, and paid her own silent respects for each of them.


    Eventually, the glare of her computer screen started to hurt Alicia¡¯s eyes, and she shut everything down. She walked back outside, and when she saw the sun, realized just how much time she¡¯d spent reading up on Chicago¡¯s recent history. Still, there was plenty of time to get back to the biggest problem at hand.


    She started off towards the Dungeon.


    In all her research, even everything she¡¯d read today, she still couldn¡¯t find the answers she was looking for. There were no records of new Dungeons appearing out of nowhere, other than during the Change. It also seemed quite difficult to know how big or dangerous a Dungeon was until it got explored.


    Alicia had no interest in trying to solo this random new Dungeon, but thankfully she had other options. Today, her goal was to try and block off the entrance to this Dungeon, and hopefully that would be the end of her problems.


    As she approached the destroyed ruins of the Dragon¡¯s old manor, she swallowed nervously. With a quick check of her Status, she confirmed that her health and stamina were maxed out, so she could afford to take a few hits. So long as the monster stayed as weak as the zombie from yesterday, of course.


    The house was still, and Alicia held her breath as she crept towards the basement stairs. Each step made her more tense, but as she descended, she didn¡¯t hear anything.


    That¡¯s a good sign, right?


    Peeking around the corner, she once again saw the eerie tunnel that had replaced the far wall. The entrance, and the entire basement, seemed to be empty, and Alicia sighed in relief. It was time to get to work.


    Back up the stairs, she started collecting pieces of rubble and debris from the collapsed house. Each time she found a suitable piece, she would place it in the basement stairwell and summon a series of vines to hold it in place. It took a few hours, but by the end of the day, she¡¯d blocked off the entire passage with a cobbled together mess of brick, stone, and lumber.


    Alicia was incredibly pleased with her efforts. As far as she knew, this would prevent monsters from escaping, and because the Dungeon was hidden under the house, she doubted any Delvers would be able to find it. She dusted off her hands and happily started walking back home.


    I wonder if Katrina is a Delver. I hear Bards are great support classes, and with her looks, I can¡¯t imagine there would be many people that don¡¯t want her around. I should ask if she ever comes back.


    Her last thought made her pause.


    Of course¡­ she might never come back. Why would she? All I did was pester her¡­


    As her train of thought soured, her steps grew heavier. Was this her life now? Sitting around and hoping that interesting people wandered out to say hello? As she reunited with her Heart Tree, her thoughts lingered on the strange Vampire that had appeared out of nowhere last night. She drifted off to sleep, a mess of conflicting emotions, wondering if it was time to make a change.


    A few hours later, she woke unexpectedly to the peaceful sounds of a guitar drifting through her canopy.

 Chapter 4.1

    Katrina didn¡¯t sleep well the following day. She tossed and turned, even woke up a few times as rush hour traffic loudly announced its presence. In the end, she rose before her alarm went off, while the last traces of sunlight were still lingering outside. Careful to avoid the tiny sunbeams that managed to slip through her blackout curtains, she walked to the kitchen and grabbed another pouch of blood. The rush of energy helped to alleviate her exhaustion somewhat, and when she collapsed onto her living room couch, she sighed heavily. In front of her, sitting delicately on the floor next to her guitar, was a cherry blossom petal.


    Alicia.


    She couldn¡¯t stop thinking about last night. She hadn¡¯t been prepared to meet anyone, and had only felt comfortable exploring that neighborhood because she thought it was abandoned. Going downtown had stressed her out, and she hated that she¡¯d been so short with the Dryad.


    It didn¡¯t help that she hadn¡¯t had a real conversation in ages. She did her best to stay cordial with Dennis, but staying friendly with him was, in part, a survival tactic. Plus, the magically reinforced glass that separated them made it easier to control herself. Other than the clinic, she occasionally had very short conversations with her boss, but they were always about work, and she never lingered for longer than she needed to.


    In any other situation, she would have welcomed being perceived as rude and standoffish. It was better for people to avoid her, for their own safety. Once she¡¯d figured out that it was safe to be around Alicia, however, she had felt awful. Rather than a necessary safety tactic, her behavior now felt pointlessly callous.


    I have to apologize to her, it¡¯s the right thing to do.


    She checked her phone and confirmed that the sun had just finished setting. If she were going to make another trip out to the suburbs, it would be best to do so as early as possible. Back in her bedroom, she threw together a halfway respectable outfit, then moved to the bathroom to make sure she didn¡¯t look like a slob.


    Next, Katrina ran to her kitchen, rummaging through some cabinets before pulling out a small bag. It had been designed to look like any other semi-fashionable purse, but it was actually meant to hold a single pouch of blood, as well as a few personal effects. She¡¯d originally bought it when she thought the blood shortage was temporary, and had hoped that it would give her a way to bring blood with if she ever started delving. She closed the blood pouch she¡¯d been nursing and tucked it inside the purse, then did the same with her phone and her keys.


    Last, she packed up her guitar, knowing it would be the best way to show her apology was genuine. Once she was ready, she strapped her guitar case to her back and jumped out of her window. Locking it behind her, she began the flight back to Alicia¡¯s neighborhood.


    As she flew, the wind whipping around her, she hoped that Alicia wasn¡¯t an early bird. The Dryad had certainly seemed eager to talk last night, but she didn¡¯t want her constant interruptions to be a nuisance.


    What am I hoping for? Is this just an apology?


    Katrina watched the city slowly transition to suburbs as she flew, unsure how to answer her own question. What would happen after she apologized? Obviously she didn¡¯t want to keep the Dryad up, robbing her of sleep, but she also couldn¡¯t deny that Alicia had seemed unusually excited by her presence. Katrina had initially assumed this was because of her stats; one of the many changes the System had implemented was that Charisma now dictated many aspects of one¡¯s physical appearance. Her high Charisma score meant that her curves were more pronounced, her breasts were fuller, and her skin was flawless.


    I shouldn¡¯t assume anything. She could be straight, or ace! She could just as easily be excited to have a visitor, I¡¯ll bet her neighborhood doesn¡¯t see a lot of traffic. I¡¯ll just say what I need to say, and if we happen to get to know each other, great.


    After a fair amount of flying, Katrina finally saw the massive cherry blossom in the distance. She caught herself smiling, remembering how peaceful it had been last night. If things went well, she definitely wouldn¡¯t mind coming here more often. Once she was closer, underneath the canopy, flower petals began landing on her. She smirked, grabbing a larger one and tucking it behind her ear.


    She didn¡¯t see Alicia anywhere, and decided to land a few dozen feet away from the tree. Last time, the Dryad had emerged from the trunk itself, so maybe she slept inside the tree? With no way to know, she figured she may as well recreate what had happened last night.


    Once her guitar was ready, she flew to the perch she¡¯d picked last night, and began playing a soft melody. She could feel tension in her fingers as she played, nervous about what might happen. With a deep breath, she closed her eyes, and did her best to lose herself in the music.


    ¡ª


    It was a strange sensation, waking to live music. Not only had music been largely absent from Alicia¡¯s life, but the soft guitar melody echoing through her branches was quite different than the music she¡¯d previously enjoyed as a Human. She could also feel the vibrations of the guitar, they reverberated through her tree and grew dangerously close to tickling her. Thankfully, she held her composure, and floated through her trunk until she found the source of the music.


    She almost couldn¡¯t believe it, but Katrina had returned.


    The Vampire was sitting on the same branch she¡¯d chosen last night, though her posture had changed. She now held a guitar in her lap, and her fingers expertly danced across the strings as she played a peaceful melody. Her eyes were closed, though her head was moving in time with the music.


    Alicia stayed perfectly still, her arms folded in front of her on the edge of the trunk, her head resting on them. She listened raptly, completely in awe of the musician in front of her. She¡¯d heard that Bards were skilled, but seeing one in person was simply breathtaking.


    In time, the music slowed, and with one final chord, the song ended. Katrina froze, letting the final notes echo through the tree, before finally opening her eyes. Alicia felt her flinch slightly, though she was definitely less surprised than last night. The girls looked at each other for a moment, and this time it was the Vampire that broke the silence.


    ¡°Alicia! It¡¯s, um, good to see you again!¡± she said nervously.


    ¡°You came back,¡± Alicia whispered, ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure you would.¡±This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    ¡°Right, well, about that.¡± Katrina cleared her throat. ¡°Yesterday was¡­ well, let¡¯s just say it was a rough day. I don¡¯t do well around people and¡­ actually, that doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m here because I want to apologize for how I acted last night.¡±


    ¡°Apologize? For what?¡±


    Katrina seemed surprised by the question. ¡°You seemed rather eager to have a conversation, and I kept shutting you down. Plus, the instant I saw a chance to leave, I took it, which was also pretty rude.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were rude at all! I enjoyed our conversation!¡± Alicia protested.


    The Vampire paused, then chuckled quietly. ¡°I don¡¯t think I did much conversing, honestly, but I appreciate the sentiment. Still, I¡¯m sorry for how I acted, Alicia, and I wanted to make it up to you.¡± She gestured at her guitar, then quietly started playing another song while the conversation continued.


    ¡°Apology accepted, Katrina the Vampire! I think it¡¯s a really sweet gesture.¡± Alicia caught herself blushing and hid her cheeks behind her hands slightly. ¡°So¡­ can I ask why yesterday was rough? I¡¯ll gladly talk about something else if not!¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s a fair question. I¡¯m a Vampire, obviously, and I needed to refill my blood rations. I have a local clinic that I normally go to, but because of the shortage, they were out. I had to take the train downtown, which is always really busy.¡± Katrina paused, her guitar filling the silence briefly. ¡°I¡­ have a really hard time around people.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you need human blood? I thought animal blood worked as a substitute?¡±


    ¡°For many of us, it can. But¡­ how to describe this¡­ do you drink coffee?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t actually eat or drink anymore, but I used to! Becoming a plant saved me a lot of money on groceries.¡± Alicia said. She saw Katrina laugh slightly, and warmth filled her cheeks again.


    ¡°Honestly? That kinda happened to me too, I don¡¯t need to buy food anymore. Anyways, when you were human, would the caffeine wake you up?¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah. I had to be really careful not to drink too much, or in the afternoon. If I forgot, I was up the whole night.¡±


    ¡°See, I had the opposite. Caffeine never affected me one way or the other. I could down three shots of espresso right before bed, and nothing would happen. Animal blood kinda works the same way; for most people, it serves as an adequate substitute, but for me it doesn¡¯t really do anything. Plus, honestly? It makes me gag.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry to hear that, it sounds awful.¡± Alicia reached out, placing a hand on the Vampire¡¯s ankle to comfort her. Katrina flinched slightly, but softened after a moment.


    Neither girl talked for a few minutes, letting the sounds of the guitar fill the air. A cool, night breeze rustled the branches, shaking loose another flurry of flower petals. Eventually, Katrina spoke up. ¡°Do you ever miss eating?¡±


    ¡°Y¡¯know, I haven¡¯t thought about it in a while, but I really do. There used to be this restaurant, about 15 minutes north of here, and they made the absolute best chipotle mayo. I¡¯d put it on fries, hamburgers, chicken, it was amazing.¡± Alicia paused for a moment, sorting through memories she hadn¡¯t thought about in ages. ¡°They never reopened after the Change, sadly. Once everything had settled down, and places reopened, I tried to find a new burger place.¡±


    ¡°I thought you said you couldn¡¯t eat?¡± Katrina asked.


    ¡°At the time, I thought maybe I could if I wanted to. That maybe it wasn¡¯t necessary, but I could still treat myself. Anyways, this burger joint charged me like, a hundred dollars for delivery, and I was so excited.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it was the worst. I think turning into a plant messed with my taste buds; it was like I was chewing on clumpy, wet paint. I haven¡¯t tried any food since then, and I¡¯m pretty sure my body just isn¡¯t designed for it anymore.¡±


    ¡°A pain I understand all too well,¡± Katrina said. She paused her music for a moment, reaching into a purse hanging by her hips. She pulled out one of her blood pouches, just like Alicia had seen last night. ¡°How about a toast?¡±


    Alicia laughed, moving slightly further out of her tree, and closer to the Vampire. ¡°Well, I have nothing to toast with, but sure!¡±


    ¡°In memoriam of hamburgers, and chipotle mayo!¡± Katrina held her pouch aloft, and Alicia tapped her fingers against it. After the toast, Katrina took another small sip before tucking the pouch into her purse again. The Dryad found herself laughing at the absurdity of their toast, and soon enough guitar music filled the air again.


    ¡°So, what do you do for work?¡± Alicia asked, settling back into a comfortable position. ¡°Are you a musician?¡±


    ¡°Gosh, that would be nice, wouldn¡¯t it? No, I¡¯m a little more¡­ isolated.¡± Katrina looked at Alicia, then sighed in resignation. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ god, this is so embarrassing¡­ I wash windows.¡±


    ¡°Why is that embarrassing?¡±


    ¡°I just wish I could do literally anything else. I¡¯m a Bard, and a Vampire! I have mastery over the skies, domain over mankind¡¯s most elusive dream, and what do I do with it? I hover outside skyscrapers and clean off bird droppings.¡±


    ¡°Why not quit? You¡¯re an amazing musician, I bet you could find all sorts of work!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple, Alicia. With this blood shortage, I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t be around people.¡±


    ¡°Is it really that bad? I mean, you seem to be doing alright now.¡±


    ¡°Well that¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s different with you. When I¡¯m around other people, I hear their heartbeats, I can smell their blood just beneath their skin, and my instincts try to take over. They tell me I should take what I want, and it takes all my strength to say no.¡±


    The pieces finally clicked, and Alicia realized what Katrina was saying. ¡°But I don¡¯t have blood! I¡¯m a plant!¡±


    The Vampire nodded. ¡°That¡¯s why I felt so bad about last night. I¡¯m so used to keeping my distance from everyone, trying to keep them safe, that I did the same with you. At first, I thought you had a weird Race or Class ability, something that hid your smell from me. I wanted to get home because I didn¡¯t trust myself, and when I realized what was happening¡­ I just felt awful.¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t beat yourself up! Everyone¡¯s had a rough time since the Change, you¡¯re just doing your best!


    ¡°I appreciate you saying that, but I still feel bad.¡± Katrina sighed, leaning her head against the branch behind her. ¡°You¡¯re a nice person, Alicia.¡±


    ¡°So are you! You¡¯re putting in all this effort to keep people safe, and that¡¯s really cool!¡± Alicia let her voice grow a little louder, and she thought back to all the frustrating people she encountered at work. ¡°Trust me, I see so many people trying to circumvent the system. They cut corners, they ignore Status requirements, all to save a quick buck.¡±


    Katrina looked back at Alicia, an inquisitive look on her face. ¡°Is that through work? What do you do?¡±


    ¡°I work for the Office of Racial Cooperation. I can¡¯t do inspections, since traveling is pretty hard for me, but I make a lot of calls. I help businesses understand all the new Race laws, explain what changes need to be made, and direct them to resources that can help.¡±


    ¡°You work for ORC? That¡¯s really impressive!¡±


    ¡°Trust me, it¡¯s exhausting. I¡¯m so tired of hearing people complain about sex work being legal now.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Katrina said, leaning forward. She stopped playing and placed a hand on Alicia¡¯s arm. ¡°You¡¯re putting in a lot of effort to keep people safe, I¡¯d say that¡¯s pretty cool.¡±


    The Dryad found herself blushing again. She hadn¡¯t expected her own words to be used against her, but she also couldn¡¯t stop focusing on the warm hand holding her arm. ¡°Well I¡­ that¡¯s¡­ I mean, sure, I guess¡­¡±


    Katrina squeezed gently, then leaned back and started playing again.


    How does she make everything look so natural? Gosh, I could stay here forever, just talking and listening to her play.


    After Alicia managed to pull herself together, she spoke up again. ¡°Have you ever thought about Delving? I hear Bards are great at it!¡±


    The Vampire smirked, looking off into the distance again. ¡°I dream about Delving every day. I follow every scrap of news, I look at everyone comparing their builds, I cheer every major Level Up from the big Guilds. Unless this shortage ends, however, it¡¯s just too risky. I visited the main Chicago camp once, and while I was there a Guild returned from a run. They were badly hurt, and the smell of their blood almost overwhelmed me. I managed to escape, but I realized I could never live that life. What happens if we¡¯re dozens of levels down and I lose control?¡±


    ¡°But¡­ if you had a way to try, you¡¯d want to?¡± Alicia¡¯s thoughts wandered back to the basement she¡¯d blockaded yesterday.


    ¡°Well, yeah, that sounds amazing.¡±


    The Dryad swallowed nervously before speaking again. ¡°Y¡¯know I¡­ kinda have a Dungeon.¡±


    The music stopped unexpectedly, Katrina¡¯s surprised hands accidentally playing the acoustic equivalent of a record scratch. ¡°You what?¡±

 Chapter 4.2

    ¡°I have a dungeon! It¡¯s under this neighborhood, and I know where the entrance is. It¡¯s a total secret, no one knows it¡¯s here but me!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been living above a Dungeon for four years?! Do the monsters ever get out? What kind of biomes are in it? How big is it?¡± Katrina¡¯s demeanor had changed entirely, and Alicia couldn¡¯t help but smile at her excitement.


    ¡°Oh no, it hasn¡¯t been years. This one just opened up a few weeks ago.¡±


    ¡°But that¡­ Alicia, that doesn¡¯t make sense. Every Dungeon we know about appeared during the Change. New ones can¡¯t just pop up out of nowhere.¡±


    Alicia shrugged. ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t know how they work. I just know that one day, everything was normal, and the next, I had a Dungeon.¡± She paused briefly, nervously fidgeting with her fingers. ¡°Would you¡­ want to go see it?¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding?!¡± Katrina floated out of the tree quickly but paused before she traveled too far. ¡°Wait, what about you? I¡¯m nocturnal, but shouldn¡¯t you be asleep?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine! Besides, I think it¡¯ll be fun to look at this with you, since you¡¯re so knowledgeable about Dungeons.¡± Alicia vanished into her tree, floating down to the base of the trunk, and stepped out onto her lawn. She saw Katrina in the middle of packing up her guitar, though it seemed to be taking longer than usual. She was trying to pull all the cherry blossom flowers out of her case, which she¡¯d left open. Once she¡¯d finished, she eagerly turned to Alicia.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m ready! Where to?¡±


    The Dryad turned north, and the girls started walking. ¡°So, I don¡¯t really know much about it. I can feel the monsters walking around, some of my roots are exposed in the Dungeon, but thankfully they don¡¯t seem to fight each other. The entrance is in the basement of an old destroyed house, and when I found it, there was a zombie walking around.¡±


    ¡°Zombies are normally on the weaker side for monsters, so that¡¯s not terrible. Did you fight it?¡±


    ¡°Of course not! I blocked off the staircase and ran!¡±


    ¡°Right, you¡¯re a Bulwark. What Level are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m only Level One. Nothing ever happens out here, so it¡¯s not like I¡¯ve ever had a chance to gain experience. Plus, Delving never really interested me, so I never cared that I wasn¡¯t gaining Levels. What about you?¡±


    ¡°Bard, Level Two. My subclass is built for Spellcasting, but I don¡¯t unlock spells until next level. Right now, I just have a simple Buff Aura. I can hasten Regeneration for HP, SP, or MP for those around me.¡± Katrina thought to herself for a moment. ¡°Sounds like we¡¯re not really built to deal damage, are we?¡±


    Alicia laughed. ¡°I guess not! But we¡¯re just looking, right?¡± As she finished talking, she turned a corner and finally saw the destroyed house she was looking for. ¡°Here it is!¡±


    Katrina walked ahead, checking out the area carefully. ¡°You said it was in the basement, right?¡± She approached the gap where the front door used to be, and cautiously pushed her hand over the threshold.


    ¡°Yup, basement is just around the corner.¡± Alicia watched the Vampire, who seemed oddly nervous about stepping into the house. ¡°You okay? You seem nervous.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m checking to see if the System still thinks the house to be someone¡¯s property. If someone still considers this their home, then I wouldn¡¯t be allowed in without their permission.¡±


    ¡°Right, Vampire.¡±


    ¡°I think we¡¯re fine, though. I don¡¯t feel any resistance.¡± Katrina took a deep breath and passed through the doorway, then exhaled. ¡°Lead the way!¡±


    Alicia turned sideways, squeezing past Katrina. She was immediately aware of how close they were, their bodies brushing against each other as she passed. She cleared her throat nervously, then pointed down the hall. ¡°So, down this hall there¡¯s a staircase, which leads down to the basement. The Dungeon entrance opened inside.¡±


    She had to stop briefly when they found the doorway, as it was still blocked off by a collection of vines, lumber, and rock. She closed her eyes, connecting with the flora present, and over the course of the next few minutes, slowly undid her barricade while Katrina pulled out the debris. When they finished, the darkened basement stood ready to be explored, though Alicia couldn¡¯t help but notice it was much creepier at night.


    The girls looked at each other for a moment before Katrina spoke. ¡°You sure this isn¡¯t a secret murder basement? I¡¯m not going to find all the bodies of your previous victims?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Level One!¡±


    ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t have a Scan, you could be lying.¡± Katrina stuck her tongue out playfully. ¡°Still, I believe you. I¡¯m fine leading the way, but if I get attacked, can I get a barrier?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep you safe, Katrina.¡± Alicia whispered, grabbing the Vampire¡¯s shoulder. She let her hand linger for longer than she intended, and pulled it back nervously after locking eyes with Katrina.


    ¡°Alright, we can do this.¡± With a deep breath, Katrina started down the staircase. Her steps were careful, and her nervous energy was infectious. Alicia could see her shoulders tensing, her fingers squeezing into fists as she descended. Her hands brushed against her legs, which were clad in dark gray denim that clung tight to her enticing frame. Each of her steps, while slow and precise, seemed like careful dance moves when coming from her. As she reached the basement proper, she turned towards the back wall, and Alicia¡¯s eyes traced the curve of her backside, which had previously been hidden by her guitar case.


    ¡°Wow, look at that!¡± Katrina said.


    Startled, Alicia shook herself to her senses as she pulled her eyes away from the Vampire. ¡°Yes, the Dungeon, right. Is it what you expected?¡±


    ¡°Hard to say. They say you should never judge a Dungeon by its entrance.¡± Katrina stepped closer, her eyes wandering over the smooth stone of the entrance. ¡°Wait, can Dryads see in the dark?¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Nope. Would light be a bad idea? You¡¯re the expert here.¡±


    ¡°Nothing could be worse than trying to delve in pitch darkness. Wanna hit your phone flashlight?¡± Katrina looked back at her, and after a moment of silence, spoke again. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re not wearing clothes. Do you even have your phone with you?¡±


    ¡°I barely touch it these days, it¡¯s back in my room.¡±


    ¡°No problem, you can use mine.¡± The Vampire moved closer, pulling out her phone and setting it up. A bright light filled the area, and soon Alicia was carefully grabbing the source. She held it to her chest, and her eyes met Katrina¡¯s briefly before the vampire turned to face the Dungeon again.


    Alicia took a deep breath as she aimed the flashlight. There was no end to the chasm in front of them, and her nerves were shaking away the fatigue she felt from being up so late. Out of curiosity, she tapped the power button on Katrina¡¯s phone to check the time. It wasn¡¯t as late as she feared, but she was immediately distracted by something else she saw; there was a girl on Katrina¡¯s lock screen.


    She had natural, bright red hair, and a generous ocean of freckles covered her face. Her green eyes peeked out from behind a large pair of glasses, and she was smiling at the camera as she lay in a field of grass.


    Could Katrina have a girlfriend? She kept saying that people made her nervous, so I assumed she was single¡­ Oh, c¡¯mon Alicia! She could be anyone! This could be a sister, a friend, maybe someone she lost in the Change! This wonderful girl is finally getting a chance to delve, and you¡¯re worried about her dating life? Pull yourself together!


    She tapped the power button again and refocused her eyes on the Dungeon in front of her. Katrina had wandered further ahead, though not by much, and the Dryad eagerly quickened her pace to catch up.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan?¡± Alicia whispered.


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t go in far, especially not without any real damage abilities. Honestly, I only feel safe peeking in like this since you said the last monster was a zombie. They¡¯re pretty slow, and we can easily run away if one shows.¡±


    With another step, Alicia finally crossed the threshold into the Dungeon. The harsh concrete of the basement gave way to packed dirt, and she could feel her connection with nature strengthen again. She dug in her toes, wondering if she could learn anything from the surrounding plants. Katrina was busy digging through a sconce on the wall, which gave Alicia a few seconds to survey the area.


    Many of the local foliage had been shaken loose by the appearance of the Dungeon, but her abilities couldn¡¯t get a strong read on the tunnel ahead. She could feel the vines that had previously blocked off the basement, however, and they were stirring.


    ¡°Katrina, wait! I think something¡¯s behind us!¡± Alicia whispered.


    ¡°What? How?! I didn¡¯t hear any doors opening!¡± Katrina ran closer, standing in front of Alicia as the girls both looked back towards the entrance. There, blocking their escape, was the zombie from several days ago. It was covered in vines and leaves, and had just finished crawling free of its corner.


    It never went back into the Dungeon! It must have laid down and I accidentally covered it when I blocked the door!


    ¡°Get ready, it looks like we¡¯re fighting our way out.¡± Katrina pulled her guitar case off her back, setting it down carefully before hyping herself up.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have a weapon! What are you going to do?!¡±


    ¡°Just keep me safe, alright?¡±


    Alicia¡¯s pulse raced as she watched Katrina close the distance. The zombie was focused on her, for better or worse, and she ran in to try and strike its head. She smirked as her punch landed, and while the monster flinched, it didn¡¯t seem all that affected. It retaliated, throwing its weight behind a strike of its own, and Alicia managed to summon a barrier to intercept the attack. A collection of roots, bark, and vine rose from the floor just inches from Katrina¡¯s body, managing to stop the attack from hitting her.


    She felt the attack dig into her HP, but thankfully the nature of her class meant she couldn¡¯t feel the pain itself. The zombie, however, suddenly began moving with unnatural speed, and quickly pivoted on its good leg to lash out again. Alicia hadn¡¯t expected this, and watched in horror as the zombie struck Katrina¡¯s shoulder, sending her flying. She landed a few feet away, wincing in pain as she hit the floor.


    The zombie, now free of its target, turned to Alicia and rushed. She froze, panicking, unsure how to react. She wasn¡¯t a fighter, and had never been attacked like this before.


    ¡°Alicia! Barrier!¡± Katrina shouted.


    Barely thinking, Alicia summoned another barrier, and it caught the zombie just as it had jumped at her. She saw its arms flailing, trying to reach around the sides, and she screamed as she fell to the floor herself. Katrina ran in, taking advantage of the distraction, and grabbed the zombie¡¯s head. Pulling it back, Alicia saw her mouth open, and her impressive fangs sank into the monster¡¯s neck. They sank deep, causing the zombie to groan in pain before finally ceasing to exist. Its body vanished in a puff of smoke, and Alicia heard several small items clatter to the ground.


    Several moments passed, both girls processing their victory, and soon enough Katrina stepped closer to Alicia. She held out a hand, and Alicia eagerly accepted the assistance.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Katrina asked. ¡°That thing was stronger than it looked.¡±


    ¡°Me?! You got thrown across the room! What about you?¡±


    ¡°Eh, I knew what I was getting myself into, and it¡¯s not like I¡¯ve never been in a fight before. Now c¡¯mon, what¡¯s your HP at?¡±


    Alicia caved, summoning her Status. ¡°Wow, you weren¡¯t kidding. Sixty-eight percent, just from those two attacks.¡± Alicia paused, trying to catch her breath. ¡°Can we leave now? This was way more danger than I was ready for.¡±


    Unexpectedly, Katrina pulled Alicia in for a hug, holding her tight. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Alicia. I shouldn¡¯t have tried to bring you down here, I just¡­ I got so excited.¡±


    ¡°I-I mean, it was my idea. You can¡¯t blame yourself for that.¡± Alicia felt herself blushing again, and even dared to return the hug. Her hand traced over Katrina¡¯s back, and she grew momentarily distracted by the feeling of the Vampire¡¯s impressive chest pushing against her own.


    When Katrina pulled away from the hug, she quickly ran to grab her phone and her guitar case. Alicia, on the other hand, knelt down to the floor to examine whatever small items had fallen out of the zombie. There were a few teeth, a piece of cloth, and another item she didn¡¯t recognize. One side of it was unusually reflective, as if it were part of a mirror, and it had jagged, uneven edges.


    ¡°Katrina,¡± Alicia asked, ¡°you killed the zombie by biting it. Aren¡¯t you not supposed to bite zombies? You¡¯re not going to turn into one, are you?¡±


    ¡°Nah, monsters have their own weird rules.¡± Katrina, now with all her stuff, began walking to the basement staircase. "Dungeons can throw anything and everything at us, but think of whatever it spawns as a fancy simulation. It may look like a zombie, but it acts nothing like a zombie you might see at the DMV. In that same vein, some dungeons spawn human monsters, like cultists or apocalyptic raiders, but I would never be able to feed on them."


    The girls quickly left the basement, and Alicia sighed with relief once they were out. She moved to the front lawn and sat down, happy to be back outside. ¡°Thanks for saving me, Katrina. That was¡­ well, let¡¯s just say I¡¯m comfortable in my decision to not be a Delver.¡±


    ¡°Give yourself some credit! We both contributed, and we¡¯re both alive. Well, you¡¯re alive and I¡¯m the right kind of dead, I suppose.¡± Katrina laughed, looking up into the sky, the moonlight illuminating her face. She seemed oddly exuberant, and Alicia couldn¡¯t help but smile along with her. ¡°Wait, did you pick up the loot? What did we get?¡±


    ¡°Oh, right.¡± Alicia was still holding everything in her hand, and she gave it to the Vampire to look it over.


    ¡°Wow, actual monster loot!¡± Katrina turned over the items in her hands, her eyes full of wonder. When she started looking at the last item, the strange reflective piece, she paused. ¡°Wait, this is¡­ oh my god.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Alicia slid closer out of curiosity.


    ¡°Alicia, this is a piece of the Bean.¡±


    ¡°Wait, THE Bean?¡±


    Katrina nodded, apprehension appearing on her face. ¡°It was destroyed in the Change, and everyone¡¯s been trying to rebuild it ever since. But that means this isn¡¯t some random Dungeon, Alicia. This is the Chicago Dungeon!¡±

 Chapter 5.1

    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t make any sense!¡± Alicia said. ¡°The Chicago Dungeon is miles away, we¡¯re way out in the suburbs. How could there possibly be an entrance here?¡±


    Katrina set her guitar case down, opening it up to pull out her guitar. ¡°It¡¯s a little complicated. Every dungeon works differently. They all have unique quirks, and sometimes entire guilds will relocate just because their abilities are better suited to a different dungeon. Some are incredibly deadly, some practically feel like tutorials. Supposedly the one in Seattle randomly spawns portals all over the city, so monsters can escape at a moment¡¯s notice.¡±


    With her guitar sitting comfortably in her lap, she began playing a soft melody. ¡°I¡¯m gonna give you some HP regen while we talk, by the way.¡±


    Alicia nodded without saying anything. Katrina felt the familiar notes of her music echo out, but she also felt a new sensation, one she hadn¡¯t felt in years. The magic of her Bard class, flowing through her music, letting her Inspiring Performance wash over the Dryad and start to sooth her pains.


    ¡°Anyways, Dungeons are separated into different floors, and each dungeon has different rules about how you get to the deeper levels. Sometimes it¡¯s as easy as finding a staircase, but sometimes it¡¯s not. The Chicago Dungeon requires a key for every level, but it will spawn that key in a random place outside of the main Dungeon. When delvers find a blocked off staircase, it has a short riddle hinting towards the location of the key. Delvers need to find that location, then complete a very short mini-dungeon waiting for them, and they get the key as a reward.¡±


    ¡°And these mini-dungeons can spawn this far away from the city?¡±


    ¡°Apparently, they can. I¡¯ve never heard of any this far away before.¡±


    ¡°Wait. So you¡¯re saying that every single Guild, and every single Delver, is desperately looking for this Dungeon?¡± Alicia stood up, beginning to pace as panic set in. ¡°This is terrible! I don¡¯t want Guilds coming out here! What if they damage my roots while they¡¯re delving?!¡±


    Katrina¡¯s melody turned dark, unsettling tones beginning to reverberate through the neighborhood. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ worse than you think, Alicia. Finding a Key is a big deal, and Guilds are pretty ruthless about trying to find them. For the last dozen floors, give or take, every Key has been found by the most powerful Guild in the City: Ashes to Ashes. They¡¯re notoriously cutthroat, and they didn¡¯t pick their name because of its religious connotations. They picked it because the Guild Leader, Dominic Tarkowski, is one of the strongest Pyrotechnicians in the country. His battle strategy is horribly simplistic; turn everything in the Dungeon to ash.¡±


    ¡°No! We can¡¯t let them in!¡± Alicia shouted, panic setting in.


    The music stopped, and Katrina set down her guitar. She stood quickly, grabbing Alicia¡¯s shoulders to try and steady her. ¡°Hey, listen to me. I won¡¯t let that happen. We have options.¡±


    ¡°What can we do? If they get in, I¡­ I might die, Katrina. I don¡¯t know if I could survive that much destruction.¡±


    Without thinking, Katrina pulled the Dryad in and hugged her tight. ¡°It''s gonna be okay, Alicia. The City has rules in place, various protections to stop any one Guild from monopolizing the Delving process. One of those rules states that whoever finds the mini-dungeon gets exclusive access for a few weeks. If we go to the main camp, we can claim this dungeon as our own.¡±


    Alicia hugged her back, squeezing tight. Katrina could feel the stress in her body, and it felt painfully familiar; the fear of losing yourself, of not being able to survive in this new world.


    ¡°B-but¡­ doesn¡¯t that mean we have to delve? To beat this mini-dungeon on our own?¡± Alicia said, stuttering slightly.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s that or try to partner with an established Guild, someone other than Ashes to Ashes. If we try to do that, though, I guarantee we¡¯re going to be hearing from their leader, and he won¡¯t have kind words to say.¡±


    ¡°Even if we find a good Guild, I won¡¯t be there myself¡­¡± Alicia pulled back, starting to think aloud. ¡°If we wanted to do this, what would it take?¡±


    Katrina grabbed her guitar again, restarting her Inspiration. ¡°Bare minimum? We need other people to delve with us. Neither of us can deal any damage, and the only healing we have is my Regen buff, but that¡¯s not going to help in a fight. After that, it would be great if we could get better equipment, maybe some potions, but¡­ I¡¯m kinda living paycheck to paycheck.¡±


    ¡°I might have some savings, though I haven¡¯t checked in a while. What else?¡±


    ¡°I mean, the biggest thing is practice. We don¡¯t know how to delve, and we¡¯re really low leveled. If we practice with each other, we might be able to gain a level or two, but that strategy falls off almost entirely after like, Level Four.¡±


    Alicia looked at Katrina, surprised. ¡°We can level by fighting each other? I thought you had to fight monsters?¡±


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    ¡°Monsters can give experience, but that¡¯s not the only way. If it were, everyone with a non-combat class would be incredibly underpowered. For the most part, you gain experience by using your Class Abilities, whatever they might be. I¡¯m probably getting some right now, since I¡¯m Inspiring you, and you probably got some from blocking those attack.¡±


    ¡°Status!¡± Alicia said quickly. ¡°Wow, I¡¯m at 62%, that¡¯s crazy!¡±


    ¡°Thankfully, the low levels can be easy to escape, which will definitely work to our advantage.¡± Katrina checked her own status briefly and couldn¡¯t help but smile as she did. For the first time in years, her experience numbers had changed. She was now up to 11%, and her mana was slowly ticking down as she kept up her Inspiring Performance.


    ¡°But, Alicia¡­ there¡¯s one other thing.¡± Katrina said softly. ¡°Are you sure you trust me with this? We¡¯ve only just met, and we know basically nothing about each other.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true! I know you love delving, and that you¡¯re frustrated about your job. I know the blood shortage is hitting you hard, and that you¡¯re scared to be around other people. Well, people with blood, I should say. I don¡¯t know if this sounds silly, but¡­ you seem like someone worth knowing. And someone worth trusting.¡± The Dryad¡¯s cheeks turned red as she finished talking, and she quickly diverted her gaze away from Katrina.


    I wish I could believe that, Alicia, I really do.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ really sweet, but I¡¯m serious. Even though you don¡¯t have blood, my Race is practically precision designed to be a honeytrap. All Vampires have inherently high Charisma, because it¡¯s one of the best ways for us to¡­ y¡¯know. Hunt.¡±


    Alicia moved closer, kneeling in front of Katrina before speaking. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t have a lot of practice being around people. To be honest, I haven¡¯t seen anyone in person, other than you, for the last three years. Are you insanely beautiful? Yeah, obviously, but if that¡¯s all you were, I wouldn¡¯t be as interested as I am. I like hearing you talk, and seeing you get excited about delving, and that¡¯s why I¡¯m trusting you with this.¡±


    This time, Katrina felt her own cheeks blushing as she processed everything Alicia had just said. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re¡­ interested in me?¡±


    ¡°I-I just meant¡­ like, y¡¯know, you¡¯re very interesting, and fun to be around, but like, in a normal way, and¡­ God, I sound like an idiot, don¡¯t I? Can we forget I said anything?¡± Alicia nervously played with her hair, and as she did, additional cherry blossoms bloomed.


    Katrina stopped her music, reaching out to grab Alicia¡¯s hands. ¡°Alicia. I promise I¡¯ll do everything I can to keep you safe, and to keep the Guilds out of this Dungeon. We¡¯ll need to act fast, though. Can you come to the city with me tomorrow night?¡±


    Alicia returned the Vampire¡¯s determined gaze. ¡°If I sleep in, I can try to meet you just after sunset. Which stop is yours?¡±


    ¡°I can meet you at Austin. I think it¡¯s the fourth stop? Fifth? Something like that. Are you going to be okay that far from your Heart Tree?¡±


    A flicker of doubt appeared in Alicia¡¯s eyes, but she quickly tried to hide it. ¡°I¡¯ve never been that far before, so it¡¯s hard to say. But, no matter what, this has to happen, and I want to be there for it.¡±


    With the plan set, Katrina began packing up her guitar. She watched as Alicia glanced back towards the Dungeon, apprehension on her face. Katrina couldn¡¯t help but steal a look at her potential delving partner, and for the first time she realized how attractive Alicia was. Katrina had been so wrapped up in her own paranoia that she¡¯d missed it earlier, but the Dryad had an incredible body. Of course, it didn¡¯t hurt that she was almost naked, but Katrina suddenly felt a twinge of excitement over the prospect of spending more time with her new friend. As soon as she realized what she was thinking, however, her feelings were replaced with guilt.


    This isn¡¯t a game; Alicia¡¯s Heart Tree could be seriously damaged if we mess up. I have the knowledge to help, but I can¡¯t let myself get distracted by the novelty of it all.


    The girls walked back to Alicia¡¯s place, nervous tension filling the air. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow, I guess. Can I give you my phone number?¡± Katrina asked.


    ¡°Oh! Um, yeah, gimme a sec.¡± Alicia quickly ran back to her tree, phasing inside. After a few moments, and several noticeable noises from things being dropped in the house, the front door opened and the Dryad came out. ¡°Sorry, my house is a mess, I¡¯m never inside anymore.¡±


    Katrina took the pen and paper, taking great care to write her number clearly. She handed it back, then floated to the skies to take her leave. ¡°Goodnight, Alicia. I realize this is a little stressful, but¡­ I¡¯m happy I came back.¡± She flew off, but paused after a few seconds to turn around. ¡°Oh, and, for what it¡¯s worth¡­ you¡¯re really pretty, too.¡±


    Before Alicia could say anything, Katrina caught herself blushing and flew off.

 Chapter 5.2

    Despite her intentions, Alicia still woke with the sun the following morning. Thankfully, it was easy to get back to sleep, as she was both tired and sore from last night¡¯s excursion. Another few hours passed, and soon enough her alarm started blaring from inside the house.


    It was a strange sensation, waking to an alarm for the first time in years. Her body responded so strongly to sunlight that, when the Change hit, her entire sleep schedule had been altered in mere days. However, after braving the entrance of a dungeon, and almost losing half her health to a monster attack, she¡¯d been eager for the extra sleep.


    Now awake, she drifted through her Heart Tree towards her bedroom, then stepped out slowly. Her body felt stiff, and a quick check of her status revealed she wasn¡¯t at max health yet. A full night¡¯s sleep had definitely helped, as had Katrina¡¯s Inspiration, but she would likely need another day or two to fully recover.


    She stumbled to her desk, not to turn on her computer, but to check her phone. She¡¯d managed to find it last night and had plugged it in to be ready for today¡¯s adventure. Despite letting it sit abandoned in a drawer for the last several years, she was thankful she kept her plan active in case of emergencies. It was finally fully charged, and she was able to power it up and begin yet another trip down memory lane. The first thing she did was open her contacts and create an entry for Katrina; the last thing she wanted to do was lose the Vampire¡¯s number.


    ¡°Oh, and, for what it¡¯s worth¡­ you¡¯re really pretty, too.¡±


    Had Katrina really said that? Even now, less than twelve hours later, she could barely believe what she¡¯d heard. Those words had endlessly repeated themselves in Alicia¡¯s head last night, up until the moment she had fallen asleep. It was like being at a movie premiere, and watching her favorite actress pull her in front of the cameras and insist she was a star. She couldn¡¯t compare to Katrina, and yet¡­ she¡¯d called her pretty. Did it mean anything? Was she just being polite?


    Those questions, and nothing else, consumed Alicia¡¯s thoughts for the rest of the day. They repeated themselves to every plant she watered, she asked her reflection in the river when she took her morning drink. She was so distracted that she was even late for work, though thankfully ORC had incredibly flexible attendance requirements.


    After a full day of frustrating phone calls, it was finally time to prepare for her journey into the city. She grabbed her phone, tucking it into a makeshift pocket she grew in the foliage around her waist, then paused.


    I need more than a phone, right?


    Another lap through her bedroom eventually yielded her old purse, and inside she found her wallet. Her ID technically hadn¡¯t expired yet, but she¡¯d never updated it after the Change. Still, it was better than nothing.


    She couldn¡¯t think of anything else she might need, and finally decided to head out. The walk to the train station was incredibly familiar, if only because she had the entire neighborhood memorized after years of landscaping. She tended to avoid the inside of the station, though she¡¯d visited a few times when she¡¯d needed to order items online. As she walked up the steps, she could feel the cold, lifeless concrete beneath her feet, and it made her shudder.


    Her phone indicated she still had a few minutes left for the next train to come through, and she spent the time preparing. The revamped train system had an integrated app, through which she could buy tickets and check schedules, but it also had additional information about which train cars had different Racial accommodations.


    The ground started rumbling, and Alicia heard a small screech as brakes began to engage, and soon enough she was staring at the doors of the train. With a deep breath, she nervously stepped aboard.


    She¡¯d previously thought the concrete of the train station had been cold and distant, but that feeling paled in comparison to the metal underneath her feet now. The concrete, if nothing else, still touched the ground, but the train did no such thing. The cold steel of the floor gave way to nothing, just a collection of wheels meant to ferry her to the next stop.


    The isolation was oppressive, and her breathing grew tense as soon as the doors closed behind her. This far away from the city, the train was fairly empty, so it was easy to find a seat close to the doors. The ease of access didn¡¯t stop her from almost falling over as the train pulled away from the station, but she managed to catch herself as she collapsed into a seat. She sent a quick text to Katrina, confirming that she¡¯d boarded the train, then started to wait.


    Her body tried desperately to look for its Heart Tree, its source of life, but there was nothing to be found. She could feel sweat building on her forehead, pooling in some of the leaves on her body and hair, as she nervously watched her home vanish in the distance.


    Did I drink enough today? Am I supposed to be sweating? Is this even sweat? Oh God, I didn¡¯t think this through, I should¡¯ve found, like, a Dryad forum and asked if anyone else has ever travelled this far from their Heart Tree¡­


    The next few stops passed painfully slowly. The only solace to be found was the text she received from Katrina, confirming that she was ready to board at her stop. Alicia occasionally got strange looks from other passengers, but she assumed they simply weren¡¯t used to seeing a Dryad on a train.


    When she finally saw Katrina board, it felt like she had been thrown a lifeline after being stranded at sea. The Vampire moved closer, grabbing the seat next to her.


    ¡°Hey, how are you holding up?¡±


    Without saying anything, Alicia grabbed Katrina¡¯s arm and held tight. Her breathing, though still erratic, managed to calm down slightly before she found her words. ¡°I can¡¯t feel my tree, it¡¯s like I¡¯m suffocating¡­¡±


    Katrina¡¯s hands wrapped around hers, squeezing softly. ¡°You¡¯re halfway there already, you can do this.¡±


    They stayed quiet for the rest of the train ride. More and more people filled the car, and Alicia felt Katrina¡¯s grip tighten as the train filled up, but the girls managed to make it to their stop without any incidents. They were the first off the train when the doors opened, Alicia running to return to solid ground. She found her steps to be uneven, however, and she was struggling to even hold herself up at times. Surprisingly, she felt Katrina¡¯s hands grab her waist, supporting her as they moved. Before long, the Vampire had guided her to a gap in the concrete, a tiny patch of land with a tree growing from it, and Alicia collapsed against its bark.


    ¡°Alicia! Hey, stay with me, what¡¯s your Status at?¡± Katrina asked.


    ¡°S¡­status¡­¡± Alicia whispered, with just enough force to will the screen into existence in her mind. She was greeted with dire news; she was already at 44% Stamina. Had the train really drained her that much? She¡¯d forgotten to check her stats before she left, so she couldn¡¯t say for sure. Thankfully, as she settled against the comforting embrace of another tree, she could feel her own roots digging deep. They intermingled with the roots of the tree, piggybacking off its energy to establish a connection with her own Heart Tree. It was a shadow of her normal link, but it was better than nothing, and she could already feel herself stabilizing.


    She stayed still, doing her best to recover her strength as best she could, eventually managing to open her eyes and look for Katrina. ¡°I think¡­ the worst is past. The train ride took half of my stamina, but it¡¯s already coming back, bit by bit.¡±


    ¡°Dang it, I didn¡¯t bring my guitar. I never bring it with me to the city, but I didn¡¯t even think that I might be able to help you.¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Alicia started, ¡°this isn¡¯t on you. I need to be here, I chose this. I think, if you can help me walk around, I should have enough SP to make it to the camp. No idea if I¡¯ll be able to take the train home, but it¡¯s a start, right?¡±


    The girls locked eyes, Katrina¡¯s red pupils glowing strongly, before she spoke. ¡°Deal. I¡¯ll get you there safely, I promise.¡±


    The Vampire grabbed Alicia¡¯s wrist, then pulled to help her up. ¡°Oh, wait a second,¡± Alicia said. ¡°I rooted, let me shake those loose.¡± After a few seconds, she managed to disconnect her roots, and soon she¡¯d found her way to her feet.


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    ¡°Alright, I just need to¡­¡± Katrina¡¯s hand found its way to her waist, but immediately repositioned to hold Alicia¡¯s arm instead. When Alicia looked up, she saw Katrina averting her eyes and blushing heavily.


    ¡°Katrina? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Alicia asked.


    ¡°Oh, I just¡­ I¡¯m not gonna lie, I thought you were going to put on some clothes for this.¡±


    ¡°Clothes?¡± She paused, then immediately realized why everyone had been giving her strange looks on the train. ¡°Oh gosh, I didn¡¯t even think of that! I haven¡¯t been around people in so long, gimme a sec.¡±


    Closing her eyes, Alicia willed the foliage surrounding her body to grow and lengthen, trying to give herself some modesty. Various overlapping fronds, vines, and flowers combined to form something resembling a sundress, and she added some additional bark around her chest to hold everything in place.


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a neat trick. I wish I could just create any clothes I wanted.¡± Katrina said, glancing down at her own casual fit.


    ¡°Actual clothes are a bit much, and during the daytime I need as much of myself exposed as possible so I can photosynthesize. This is still a bit restrictive, honestly, but¡­ I think it¡¯ll grow on me.¡±


    The girls locked eyes, and Alicia watched as Katrina put together her terrible pun. They both smirked, their smiles widening until they broke into laughter. Alicia let herself lean against her new friend, holding her arm tight, as she let Katrina begin to lead the way to the dungeon camp.


    With her Stamina no longer in jeopardy, and the ground beneath her feet, Alicia finally had time to look around. Crowds of people bustled to and fro, people of every shape and size. Many of them were human, but she also saw a fair collection of Races. Birdfolk raced by overhead, flying through the skies wearing something akin to combat armor. She saw a street vendor with a cart of food, currently in the process of selling what looked like a frozen geode to a large Earth Elemental. Dozens of storefronts all competed for her attention, and her gaze came to rest on the shop they were walking in front of. Large windows contained posters of gorgeous models, making Alicia think it was a talent agency, but further inspection revealed it to be a brothel. The door opened, and both girls had to swerve to avoid the Minotaur that walked out, a huge smile plastered on his face.


    As they started moving down the street, she eagerly looked through the windows of every shop they passed. There were stores selling potions, weapons, and armor, as well as stores offering the services of low-level diviners and various other non-combat classes. One that particularly caught her eye was a tattoo parlor boasting that its lead artist was an enchanter who worked through her ink, and Alicia loved the art she saw on display.


    ¡°Katrina, are we near the camp? A lot of these businesses look like they¡¯re run by higher leveled people.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re very close. The camp itself is meant for more immediate services, but also has lots of room for the different Guilds to establish small outposts. The surrounding streets, where we are now, are normally where you find all the shops and whatnot. Quite a few delvers work here when they¡¯re not in the Dungeon, and many of these shops are actually sponsored by Guilds. It can be extremely helpful to have an Enchanter or an Alchemist on your payroll.¡±


    Alicia wanted desperately to explore the area, to walk around in all the different shops and see what they had for sale, but she knew they were here with a purpose. She could also feel Katrina¡¯s grip on her arm tensing occasionally, and she tried to remind herself that the crowds were likely tempting her hunger. Looking up, she saw Katrina¡¯s face was cold and tense. She was breathing through her mouth, leaving her fangs on display, and her eyes were glowing bright.


    The Vampire realized she was being watched, and the girls locked eyes before she spoke. ¡°Everything okay, Alicia?¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah, I¡¯m fine, but what about you?¡± Alicia asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯ll manage. Still, the quicker we do this, the better.¡±


    The Dryad frowned, wishing there were something she could do to make this easier, but she couldn¡¯t think of anything. She continued to rack her brain, recalling hundreds of hours of ORC training, to think of anything she might be able to do to help.


    I don¡¯t have any blood to give her, but maybe I can distract her somehow? Something to keep her mind occupied?


    ¡°So, Katrina, what spells are you gonna learn when you hit Level Three? Do Bards like, choose from a list or something?¡±


    ¡°Bards actually get a lot of say over which spells they get. Once I have Spellcasting available, I can kind of make whatever I want, within reason. Ideally, I¡¯d love to focus on utility, and be a bit of a Jane-Of-All-Trades. Message spells, scans, distractions, things like that. Still, part of the fun would be working together with other Delvers, coordinating your builds, and without a delving group that part¡¯s not there.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯ll finally get a chance now, right? We might not be in a Guild, but we¡¯re gonna be delving soon!¡±


    Katrina blushed slightly, trying to hide a smile. ¡°I¡­ yes. I know it¡¯s wrong to be excited about this, there¡¯s so many ways it could go wrong for you, but I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey, you stop that.¡± Alicia interrupted. ¡°Both things can be true at once. Just because this is a little scary for me, and there¡¯s admittedly a lot on the line, doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t also try to enjoy ourselves a little. I mean, look at where we are! All these shops! All these people, all working together! I understand why you get excited about this stuff.¡±


    ¡°Actually,¡± Katrina started, ¡°I meant to ask. You¡¯re a Bulwark, but when you summon barriers, they look like they¡¯re made of plants and trees. Aren¡¯t they supposed to be simple, clear sheets of energy?¡±


    ¡°As far as I can tell, it¡¯s a quirk of my Race. I¡¯ve never really looked into it, though.¡± Alicia readjusted her grip on Katrina¡¯s arm, then realized they were near another small tree. A few flowers had been planted around the base, and she knew she could use another break. ¡°Hey, can we take another quick stop?¡±


    Katrina nodded, and the girls both took a seat. Alicia leaned against the tree, avoiding the flowers, and let the back of her makeshift dress split open. Roots emerged from her body again, digging deep into the earth. It felt as if the soil were hugging her, and she combined her strength with the roots of the tree as she tried to connect with her Heart Tree again. The connection was still incredibly distant, but it was better than nothing. Unfortunately, when she checked her status, she saw she was at 35%.


    ¡°Stamina¡¯s still dropping, Katrina. I think¡­ we might need to figure out a creative way to get me home after this. Can we, like, buy a stamina potion or something?¡±


    ¡°We can certainly look. You might have an easier time in the camp, though, it¡¯s mostly grass and dirt, and there are a few bigger trees.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Alicia asked excitedly.


    ¡°I mean, did you ever go to Millennium Park before the Change? That¡¯s where the camp is. They¡¯ve added a few temporary buildings, further away from the entrance, but any permanent structures are a bad idea. You never know what might happen around a dungeon, so flexibility is key. We¡¯re actually extremely close, think you¡¯re ready?¡±


    Alicia nodded, shaking loose her roots before letting Katrina help her up. After taking a minute to get comfy, her hands held tight around the Vampire¡¯s arm, they set off again.


    True to Katrina¡¯s word, they were only walking for a few minutes before they turned the last corner. The buildings had already been shrinking in size for the last block or two, but as Alicia looked down this new street, she saw them vanish entirely. In front of her stood a large stone archway that marked the entrance of the Dungeon Camp. The sidewalk stopped entirely just past the entrance, and a multitude of well-worn dirt paths snaked away from the entrance. The girls looked at each other, nervous determination filling their eyes, and they stepped over the threshold.

 Chapter 6.1

    Katrina¡¯s nerves were on high alert for the entire train ride. She¡¯d only needed to ride it a handful of times in the last few years, but this was her second trip in less than a week, and the strain was wearing her down quickly. It didn¡¯t help that Alicia seemed equally stressed; being separated from her Heart Tree clearly wasn¡¯t good for her.


    After they left the train, figured out a plan, and waited for the Dryad¡¯s Stamina to start to level off, the two girls started walking towards the Dungeon Camp. Alicia needed quite a bit of assistance, and Katrina swore she saw the color fading from her skin as they traveled. Still, despite her exhaustion, Alicia seemed oddly enthusiastic about their surroundings. Her eyes were wide as she looked around, darting from shop to shop, looking at all the valuable wares on display in the windows.


    At first, Katrina found it difficult to share in the excitement. Every moment they lingered was another potential moment of weakness, and her body tingled with anticipation as she fought against the urge to feel skin breaking beneath her teeth.


    As they walked, however, a strange thing happened. Every time Katrina would find herself drawn to a passing stranger, Alicia would stumble, or ask a question about a business they were passing. Katrina found herself focusing more and more of her energy on the Dryad, on keeping her safe, and soon she even found herself smiling as she explained various bits and pieces of Delving culture.


    Even aspects of the community that had long ago become routine for Katrina now seemed exciting again. She couldn¡¯t help but remember that, up until this week, Alicia hadn¡¯t seen another living person in years. Against all odds, this trip that she¡¯d been dreading ever since leaving the Dungeon with Alicia had suddenly become surprisingly tolerable, perhaps even enjoyable.


    Soon enough, both girls found themselves staring down the entrance to the Camp. A collection of dirt paths weaved through Millennium Park, weaving between dozens of makeshift buildings and tents. The Change had dramatically altered the topography of the park, as had the many battles necessary for reclaiming it. The main entrance to the Dungeon was further in, but thankfully they would be avoiding it tonight. After all her years of distant fangirling, Katrina knew the layout of the Camp by heart, and quickly led the way.


    As they began walking through the park, Katrina heard Alicia sigh with relief. After a minute, the Dryad even pulled away and started walking on her own, which caught Katrina by surprise. She¡¯d gotten used to supporting Alicia, and had even kind of enjoyed it. It was nice to feel needed, and it didn¡¯t hurt that Alicia was so easy on the eyes.


    As the Dryad wandered off, peeking into the different shops and stalls, Katrina kept her eyes trained on Alicia. The clothes she¡¯d grown for herself fit very nicely, and certainly covered more than her previous outfit, but her lithe form was still quite visible. Her rich, green skin seemed so delicate in the moonlight, and Katrina wondered what the rest of Alicia might feel like. She began daydreaming, imagining her lips on Alicia¡¯s neck, but for the first time in years, her teeth weren¡¯t part of the fantasy. She imagined something softer, something much more intimate, and she felt a strange anticipation building in her core.


    Katrina! Stay on task!


    She shook her head, trying to refocus her thoughts, just as she saw Alicia running towards her again. ¡°Katrina! They¡¯ve got a potion shop!¡± The Dryad grabbed Katrina¡¯s hand and pulled her along, dragging her to a nearby stall. An Owl Beastkin stood waiting for them, no doubt intrigued by Alicia¡¯s excitement. His feathers were a mix of brown and tan, and his eyebrows were so incredibly thick Katrina thought they seemed ready to jump from his forehead.


    ¡°Good evenin¡¯ ladies! Looking for a pick-me-up tonight?¡± the Owlkin asked.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Alicia said. ¡°I need a Stamina potion!¡±


    Once Katrina had reached the counter, she saw that all the display products were only for show, and seemed to be filled with dyed water rather than actual potion. The shopkeeper turned around and began rummaging through some boxes, and as he did so, his head swiveled 180 degrees until he was looking at them again.


    ¡°You two Delvers? I must say, I haven¡¯t seen you around before.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re¡­ weighing our options, but that¡¯s our tentative plan,¡± Katrina said.


    ¡°Newbies, eh? Well, we¡¯re happy to have you! I always say you can never have enough Delvers, though I¡¯m fairly sure some of the Guilds disagree with me on that.¡± The Beastkin¡¯s body turned to join his head, and he placed a small box on the table in front of him. ¡°So, Stamina potions. Got a couple different sizes, but the base versions aren¡¯t gonna do anything about the taste. If yer squeamish, I¡¯ve got a few specialty brews that go down easy, but they ain¡¯t cheap.¡±


    ¡°I doubt even the fancy potions would taste good¡­¡± Alicia mumbled. The shopkeep clearly took offense to that, and she immediately began clarifying. ¡°Wait, not like that! I meant that, in the Change, my taste buds got all scrambled! I don¡¯t need to eat anymore, so everything tastes kinda bad.¡±


    ¡°Ahh, I see what you mean. You gave me a good scare, that¡¯s for sure. If you don¡¯t mind me sayin¡¯, I ain¡¯t never seen a Dryad ¡®fore today. Is it safe to be delving? I can¡¯t imagine yer Heart Tree is very close.¡±


    Alicia started to respond, but Katrina quickly cut her off. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a bit complicated. We¡¯d rather keep that close to the vest, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Aw shoot, there I go getting too excited to talk up the fresh blood. Forgive me, ladies, I¡¯m just happy to see new faces. How about we get back to business, eh? The smallest potion, this one here, is gonna cost you thirty silver.¡±


    ¡°Silver?¡± Alicia asked. ¡°Right, Dungeon coins. Well, we don¡¯t have anything like that, do you take US dollars? I can pay on my phone.¡±Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°Sure, I could do that, but there¡¯s gonna be an upcharge,¡± the Owlkin said. ¡°You wanna pay in USD, that¡¯ll be three hundred an¡¯ fifty.¡±


    ¡°Three fifty?!¡± Alicia gasped. ¡°But¡­ it¡¯s such a small vial!¡±


    Katrina grabbed the Dryad¡¯s arm and leaned in to whisper. ¡°Potions aren¡¯t easy to make, Alicia, it¡¯s actually pretty lucky he has any to spare for us. Plus, I¡¯m willing to bet he¡¯s actually giving us a pretty generous deal.¡±


    ¡°I see one of you knows the lay o¡¯ the land already.¡± The shopkeep smirked, at least as much as his beak would allow. ¡°Yer right, I¡¯ve got a bit of a soft spot for new delvers. Plus, these tiny vials? Got a couple nearing their expiration date anyways, and I¡¯d rather see them go to use.¡±


    Alicia looked between Katrina and the shopkeep, then sighed. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like I have much of a choice. I need the Stamina.¡± After a few taps on her phone, the Dryad had transferred the necessary money, and was soon pocketing her very first potion.


    As the transaction finished, Katrina looked around the area before leaning in. ¡°Look, you¡¯ve got no reason to be this nice to us, but¡­ thanks. What¡¯s your name, friend?¡±


    ¡°Name¡¯s Kevin! How ¡®bout yerself?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Katrina, and this is Alicia. If we¡¯re ever in the area again, we¡¯ll try to send some coin your way.¡±


    Before Katrina knew what was happening, Kevin had reached out and grabbed her hand, vigorously imposing a rather aggressive handshake on her. ¡°Hope to see you around!¡±


    Soon enough, Katrina had regained ownership of her hand, and eagerly pulled away. The girls smiled at the friendly shopkeep as they started towards their next destination, at which time Alicia spoke up. ¡°He was so nice! I hope everyone is just like him!¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t get used to that,¡± Katrina said. ¡°It¡¯s not uncommon for Delvers to be pretty rude to newcomers, a lot of them view delving as a zero-sum game. Granted, it can depend on which Guild you¡¯re working with; you already know which one we want to avoid.¡± The Dryad shivered, and Katrina suspected it wasn¡¯t from the night breeze.


    ¡°So, where to next?¡± Alicia asked.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got to officially report our findings. After that, we need to grab the necessary paperwork so we can register as Delvers, and once that¡¯s finished we¡¯ll need to pass the certification test. That last bit won¡¯t be tonight, though, we¡¯ve already got too much going on.¡±


    ¡°Is the test hard? What kind of questions do they ask?¡±


    ¡°Most of them are focused on the Dungeon itself, and the basics of delving. They want to be sure you know what dangers are down there, and it¡¯s much easier than trying to craft individual exams for every Class.¡±


    ¡°Well, I know just the person to help me study!¡± Alicia said. The girls looked at each other, and Katrina couldn¡¯t help but smile at the idea. She quickly turned away when she felt herself blushing, but before she could think of something else to say, Alicia was already changing the topic. ¡°Whoa! Is that the Bean?!¡±


    Looking ahead, Katrina saw the center of the Camp. It was a large circle the held the biggest structures in the whole park. Most of them served as informal Guild Halls, but there were still a few shops mixed in. In the center of this encampment sat the remains of the Bean. It was mostly a large frame, though small sections of the reflective outer surface had already been restored.


    ¡°Yup, that¡¯s the Bean. When the Change hit, the Dungeon opened directly underneath it, and the whole thing shattered into thousands of pieces. For some reason, those pieces now sometimes drop as loot, and the Guilds collectively decided they need to rebuild it. As you can see, there¡¯s still a lot of work to be done.¡±


    ¡°Wow, now I¡¯m regretting that I never saw the Bean in person. Where do we put our piece? How do we know where it goes?¡±


    ¡°See that small building over there?¡± Katrina pointed to a simple, wooden structure tucked in between two large Guild Halls. ¡°That¡¯s the closest thing the Camp has to a guest services building. It¡¯s not run by any Guilds, and the people that work it are also the ones trying to piece the Bean back together. From what I¡¯ve heard, it¡¯s a collection of Shapers and Architects, but they have a small staff dedicated to helping people with some of the more mundane aspects of delving. That¡¯s also where we can pick up paperwork for our licenses.¡±


    ¡°What are we waiting for? Let¡¯s go!¡± Alicia grabbed Katrina¡¯s hand again, and the Vampire happily let herself be pulled along for the ride.


    Now that the girls had reached the center of camp, there was a healthy amount of activity. While it was certainly busier during the day, many of the Guilds had small collections of nocturnal Races that preferred delving at night. Guild regulations also mandated that official delves be scheduled far in advance, and the hours were heavily staggered to avoid different teams stepping on each other¡¯s toes.


    Officially, the reason for the schedule was to avoid congestion, but everyone knew the main reason was Ashes to Ashes. As the biggest Guild, and the most destructive, there had been a few casualties in the early years when smaller delving teams had gotten caught in the crossfire. Ashes to Ashes also never delved at night, as their membership was heavily biased towards humans, so these late hours were often considered safer. Katrina could tell that a Guild was preparing to send another delving team down, as there was a fair amount of commotion.


    Alicia continued to pull the nervous Vampire along, and Katrina¡¯s grip tightened as they started pushing through different groups of people. She could smell the excitement in the air; adrenaline always made people¡¯s blood much more fragrant, but also gave it a delicious flavor that she never quite got with donated blood. With Alicia leading the way, Katrina closed her eyes tight and tried to focus on the soft hand guiding them through the crowds.


    It felt like an eternity, but eventually they made it to the small services building. Katrina grabbed the wooden counter in front of her, squeezing hard as she tried to fight off her intrusive thoughts.


    ¡°Katrina? Hey, you alright?¡± Alicia asked, suddenly much closer.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ very crowded, and everyone¡¯s excited, which makes it worse¡­¡± Katrina whispered, her breathing heavy.


    ¡°What if I put up a barrier? Would that help?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know, but we definitely shouldn¡¯t try. Not supposed to use Class Abilities in Camp, especially in our case.¡±


    When Katrina finally opened her eyes, she could see Alicia looking at her with concern, but she also saw another set of eyes. They were bright, pale green irises with slit pupils, and they were faintly glowing due to the ambient moonlight. They belonged to a Panther Beastkin that appeared to be running this particular building, and he was looking at the girls expectantly.


    ¡°Can I help you? This isn¡¯t a medical station, you know,¡± the panther said.


    ¡°Sorry, we¡¯re just¡­ new here, and I don¡¯t get out much.¡± Katrina said. ¡°We¡¯ve got some findings to report.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Color me intrigued, especially since you¡¯re both new faces. What could you possibly have for us tonight?¡± There was a hint of playfulness in the Beastkin¡¯s voice, and he leaned closer.


    Now that they were further from the crowds, Katrina¡¯s breathing started to ease up, and she reached into her purse to grab their shard of the Bean. When she placed it on the counter, the panther¡¯s eyes lit up even more, and a smile grew on his face.


    ¡°Another shard! Oh, this is incredible!¡± The panther picked it up, spinning it around carefully as he inspected it. ¡°It¡¯s a fairly sizable piece, too. Where on Earth did you find this?¡±


    ¡°We¡­ found the site of the next key, this dropped from one of the monsters.¡± Katrina said quietly, hoping no one but the Beastkin would hear.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s about time! This one¡¯s been driving everyone mad!¡± Katrina¡¯s hopes were immediately dashed when the Beastkin reached up to a large bell hanging from the corner of the stall. He grabbed the rope hanging from it and began to ring the bell as loud as he could.

 Chapter 6.2

    The energy in the camp exploded, and suddenly every single person present was staring at Katrina and Alicia. Within seconds, a crowd began to swarm around them, every single person trying to ask their own questions.


    ¡°Where was it?!¡±


    ¡°Do you have the Key yet?¡±


    ¡°Are you with a Guild? Are you going to sell your rights?¡±


    ¡°What was the answer to the riddle?¡±


    A wall of smell collided with Katrina, and without thinking, she grabbed Alicia tight to pull her close. She could hear the blood pumping through the crowd¡¯s veins, their excitement more than palpable. Everyone¡¯s blood vessels were thrumming at different intervals, the sounds colliding with each other as Katrina fought to hold herself together. She shut her eyes as hard as she could, opening her Status again in hopes of a distraction. Under her breath, she began reciting her Status screen to herself, a last-ditch effort to keep herself from attacking someone.


    She felt Alicia turn towards her, wrapping her arms around the panicked Vampire, when a strange smell filled her senses. It was intensely floral, and she actually felt soft petals brushing against her nose as Alicia pulled her close. The strong scent of this flower, against all odds, helped to block out the smell of the crowd, and Katrina felt a semblance of control return to her.


    ¡°Hey now! How ¡®bout we give these ladies some space, ya hear? This how you greet newcomers where yer from?¡± A powerful voice boomed over the crowd, and Katrina grew faintly aware of a large Owlkin attempting to interpose himself between them and the crowds.


    Between Kevin creating some distance, and the powerful smell coming from Alicia¡¯s flower, Katrina managed to calm down slightly. The crowd grumbled slightly, but most of them seemed to respect Kevin enough to follow his instructions without complaint. Once order had been restored, the Owlkin began letting individual people ask questions, and Alicia stepped up to answer them as best she could.


    Katrina heard the Dryad explain everything she could, to the best of her ability. She shared that they didn¡¯t have the Key yet, but weren¡¯t selling their rights, and weren¡¯t intending to partner with any existing Guilds. She was adamant that she wouldn¡¯t share the location of the Key, which led a few onlookers to start doubting that they¡¯d even found it. When the questions dried up, Alicia collected a few business cards from various Guild representatives, and at long last, the girls were left to their own devices again.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Alicia said, ¡°are you alright? How are you holding up?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t attack anyone, that¡¯s the most important thing,¡± Katrina whispered. Her voice was tense as she continued fighting against the last remnants of her murderous instincts. ¡°What was that flower? I could barely think straight with everyone around me, but that smell was so strong.¡± As Katrina looked at Alicia, she now saw a small bouquet of white flowers had grown from the Dryad¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Oh, these are tuberoses. Their aroma is incredibly potent, and I was hoping they might help distract you¡­¡±


    Katrina moved closer and hugged Alicia tight. ¡°Thanks, Alicia. You really stepped up there.¡±


    The large Owlkin standing next to them cleared his throat, and both girls looked over to him. ¡°You didn¡¯t say anything ¡®bout finding the Key Dungeon, I would¡¯ve stuck with you if I¡¯d known!¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s our first time in Camp, we¡¯re a little overwhelmed. Still, we appreciate you coming to our rescue like that.¡± Alicia said, reaching out to shake Kevin¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothin¡¯. Like I said, I got a soft spot for newbies.¡± Kevin looked past the girls, locking eyes with the panther Beastkin. ¡°And you! Maybe check in with people before you ring that darn bell, alright? These poor girls don¡¯t do well in crowds.¡±


    ¡°People have been hunting for that Key for weeks! I guess I got a little excited¡­ sorry about that, girls,¡± the panther said. ¡°How about we take care of all the paperwork, that¡¯s definitely something I can help with.¡±


    Kevin nodded in agreement before saying his goodbyes and returning to his shop. Alicia and Katrina shifted their attention to the services counter, where Alicia shared the details of where they¡¯d found the Dungeon. The Beastkin explained that, while they had exclusive rights for the first three weeks, the address would go public after that. He also provided them with all the paperwork they needed to register as Delvers, including a small pamphlet designed to help people prepare for the written exam.


    Once they¡¯d finished with all the busy work, Katrina spoke up. ¡°Thanks for helping with all this, and sorry I¡­ caused a bit of a scene.¡±


    ¡°Nah, that¡¯s on me. I should¡¯ve known better,¡± the panther said. ¡°Name¡¯s Samir, by the way. It¡¯s a pleasure meeting you both.¡±


    ¡°Actually, Samir, before we leave, I¡¯ve got a bit of an odd question. If I remember correctly, this place keeps a record of all registered delvers, is that correct?¡±


    ¡°Sure do! You want to take a look?¡±


    ¡°Are we allowed to?¡± Alicia asked.


    ¡°Of course!¡± Samir quickly ran to the back of the stall, then returned with a large, leather-bound tome. ¡°According to the City, Delvers qualify as something like public servants. Many actually hire themselves out for various odd jobs, especially if the Dungeon is proving a touch too difficult.¡±


    Katrina opened the book and started reading through names, while Alicia continued talking. ¡°Why use a book? Wouldn¡¯t this be easier with a digital database?¡±


    ¡°Oh, we¡¯ve got one of them too, but you remember what the Change was like. It¡¯s hard to justify not keeping physical copies of our records. Plus, this close to the Dungeon? Sometimes the Thaumic energy messes with computers and wireless signals.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s remarkably well kept,¡± Katrina said. ¡°I¡¯m just looking for anyone that¡¯s registered as a Delver, but isn¡¯t associated with a Guild.¡±


    ¡°Oof, good luck with that. Guilds tend to dislike freelancers,¡± Samir said.


    Katrina pulled out her phone and started taking notes as she read through the tome. She was able to find a couple of delvers that weren¡¯t with the Guilds, but the list was small. She didn¡¯t bother to make notes if the delver was a Bard or a Bulwark, and that made the list even smaller. What she wanted most were classes that could deal some damage, or provide stronger healing.


    ¡°Oh, wow! Alicia, check it out, this one¡¯s a Mage Knight!¡± Katrina said, her voice full of excitement.


    Samir, still listening in, began chuckling to himself. ¡°Good luck with that one, she¡¯s turned down every Guild in the city at least a dozen times. Can¡¯t remember why she registered, but I promise you she ain¡¯t interested in delving.¡±


    ¡°Are Mage Knights strong?¡± Alicia asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re not just strong, they¡¯re top tier. Depending on who you ask, they¡¯re often considered the best damage class in the whole system! We¡¯ve got to at least try.¡± Katrina said.


    ¡°Suit yourself, just don¡¯t get your hopes up.¡± Samir shrugged, then went back to turning his new Bean shard over in his paws.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    In the end, Katrina had a list of six names. It wasn¡¯t a very promising start, but it was better than nothing. Samir¡¯s warning about the Mage Knight didn¡¯t particularly fill her with confidence, though; they needed a heavy hitter, and having such a powerful class would be monumental. Apart from the Mage Knight, her list had three other damage classes, and two potential healers.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s everything,¡± Katrina said. ¡°Think you¡¯re ready to brave the train again?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got my Stamina potion, so I think I¡¯ll survive. Walking around the Camp helped, there¡¯s a lot of plant life here.¡±


    ¡°Can any plants help you recover? I thought it had to be your Heart Tree?¡±


    ¡°It does, but there¡¯s a bit of flexibility on how I can form that connection. The strongest connection is, obviously, just merging with my tree, but we¡¯ve got powerful roots that extend really far. After the Change, I was able to connect with any plant life, not just my Heart Tree, and I learned that they all form like, a network of sorts. Their roots dig deep into the ground, intermingling and communicating with other plants in the area. I¡¯m able to tap into that network and connect with my tree, almost like using cell towers to make a phone call.¡±


    Both girls were walking towards the Camp exit, doing their best to avoid crowds as Alicia continued talking. ¡°There are limits, though. Anything that interrupts that connection can be potentially harmful. I¡¯ve spent years destroying streets and upending blocks of concrete around my house, which is likely the only reason I¡¯m able to go this deep into the city. Walking on sidewalks is like¡­ breathing through a tiny straw. It¡¯s doable, but only barely, and at least it¡¯s connected to the ground. The train doesn¡¯t have that connection, and it feels like being dumped at the bottom of the ocean; it¡¯s only a matter of time before I drown.¡±


    Alicia nervously stepped onto the sidewalk outside Camp, breathing heavily as she started leaning on Katrina again. Their pace slowed, and once they¡¯d established a rhythm, Katrina spoke up. ¡°Well, hopefully this is the last time we have to make this trip. If it¡¯s not, I¡¯ll make sure to bring my guitar.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like that,¡± Alicia said. They were at an intersection, waiting for the light to turn green, when she unexpectedly leaned closer and rested her head on Katrina¡¯s shoulder. She¡¯d already been holding onto Katrina¡¯s arm for support, and the Vampire had no idea if this was another sign of fatigue, or possibly something else. After a moment, the light turned, and Katrina shifted her elbow to get Alicia¡¯s attention.


    After another block, they came face to face with the stairs leading to the train station. Katrina could feel the Dryad¡¯s grip tightening, and once again regretted that she had nothing she could do to help. ¡°When do you want to take the potion?¡±


    ¡°I think¡­ when we¡¯re on the train. If the taste is as bad as I¡¯ve heard, maybe it¡¯ll help distract me.¡± Alicia said, forcing a smile. The girls headed up the stairs, and before long, had taken their seats.


    By some divine stroke of luck, the train was slightly emptier at this time. Katrina didn¡¯t have to spend the entire time fighting against her instincts, and was instead able to try and support Alicia. The Dryad was fading fast, and Katrina could see the flowers and plant matter covering her begin to lose their luster. After the first two stops, Alicia pulled her Stamina potion out from some invisible pocket in her shirt. Her hands were shaking, and Katrina reached over to open it for her.


    ¡°Thanks, Katrina,¡± Alicia muttered. ¡°Could you, um¡­ help me with it?¡±


    With a silent nod, Katrina moved the potion to Alicia¡¯s mouth. The liquid left the small vial, entering the Dryad¡¯s mouth, and her eyes immediately tried to burst from her head. It seemed like she was fighting to keep the liquid down, and her body wretched a few times in protest. Still, as she forced the liquid down, Katrina saw the leaves and flowers of her shirt start to brighten.


    ¡°Oh, wow, that¡¯s¡­ horrible. I wouldn¡¯t wish that on my worst enemies, ugh.¡± Alicia said.


    ¡°It seems like it worked, though. What¡¯s your SP at?¡± Katrina asked.


    After a quick Status check, Alicia sighed in relief. ¡°Definitely enough to make it home, thank goodness.¡±


    The girls smiled at each other, and the rest of the train ride was relatively quiet. Katrina¡¯s stop came and went, and Alicia didn¡¯t seem to notice that the Vampire had opted to keep riding. By the time they arrived in Alicia¡¯s neighborhood, she finally realized what had happened.


    ¡°Wait, you missed your stop because of me!¡±


    Katrina laughed, helping Alicia stand up and walk off the train. ¡°No, this was my choice. I want to make sure you get home safely, then I can fly back. It¡¯s still early morning for me, remember?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡­ but that¡¯s¡­¡± Trying to think of a response seemed to tire Alicia out, and she finally leaned against Katrina again in defeat. ¡°Oh, alright. Still, you didn¡¯t have to do this.¡±


    ¡°Alicia, if you pass out on the train, you might never wake up. What if someone tried to take you to a hospital? Chances are they¡¯d be taking you further from your Heart Tree, which would only make things worse.¡±


    Alicia stepped off the train, sighing in relief as her feet landed on the platform. Katrina watched her and smiled, the Dyrad''s steps soon quickening as they neared the ground outside. The Dryad raced down the steps, jumped onto a patch of grass, and started laughing. Katrina couldn¡¯t help but smile as she watched Alicia light up, her skin and clothes literally growing brighter as strength returned to her body.


    ¡°Katrina, we made it!¡±


    Katrina, surprising even herself, began laughing with Alicia. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re feeling better! Now c¡¯mon, it¡¯s way past your bedtime, and you need to get some rest.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, fine, whatever. Are you going to tuck me in, too?¡± Alicia asked, prodding Katrina in the ribs.


    ¡°How would I even do that? You sleep by returning to your Heart Tree, would I just¡­ wrap a blanket around the trunk?¡±


    ¡°Blech, please don¡¯t. I feel itchy even thinking about it.¡±


    The walk to Alicia¡¯s house was incredibly peaceful. Katrina no longer had to fight her instincts, and Alicia was ecstatic to be home again. The difference in her demeanor was practically night and day, a phrasing that made Katrina chuckle as soon as she thought about it. She kept finding her gaze wandering back to Alicia, appreciating the way the moonlight danced through her hair, highlighting the white flowers on her chest as well as her infectious smile.


    As they rounded the last corner, and Alicia¡¯s house finally came into focus, she abandoned all pretense of formality and took off running. With one final jump, Katrina watched as Alicia merged with her Heart Tree, and she swore she saw a fresh blanket of cherry blossom petals fall in appreciation of the reunion.


    When Alicia re-emerged, her face beaming with joy, she ran over to Katrina, who had just finished closing the distance. ¡°I¡¯m home! Thank you so much for staying with me, Katrina!¡± Alicia threw her arms around Katrina¡¯s shoulders, hugging her tight.


    Katrina, caught off guard, instinctually grabbed Alicia¡¯s waist to steady herself, when she realized that the Dryad had shed the outfit she¡¯d previously grown for herself. Katrina¡¯s hands were resting on bare skin, and when Alicia pulled back from her hug, the girls were now face to face, with barely a couple inches between them.


    ¡°Alicia, I¡­¡± Katrina muttered. She wasn¡¯t sure what to say, she was so focused on staring into Alicia¡¯s eyes. She could feel herself blushing as she fought to form words. ¡°Um¡­ my friends call me Kat.¡±


    Alicia¡¯s eyes darted down, just for a moment, then she started blushing herself. She awkwardly cleared her throat, pulling back from Katrina. ¡°Sorry, I got a little excited¡­ Kat.¡±


    A smile grew on Katrina¡¯s face. She hadn¡¯t heard anyone other than Derrick call her Kat since the Change, and she was caught by surprise at how much she missed it. ¡°N-no it¡¯s fine! It¡¯s... kinda cute, actually.¡±


    The Dryad¡¯s eyes moved to the ground, and she nervously started playing with a cherry blossom petal growing from her hair. ¡°Are you coming back tomorrow? I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s next, or when we should get started on, y¡¯know, actually beating the dungeon. If nothing else, I could use a study buddy.¡±


    ¡°We definitely can¡¯t start until we have some more people with us, so I¡¯m going to reach out to everyone on my list and see if I can convince them to help. In the meantime, we need to certify as Delvers, so I¡¯d recommend looking through that pamphlet Samir gave you. We also need to set time aside to practice¡­ how about I just text you? I¡¯ve got a lot to figure out.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep my phone ready! And I¡¯ll try to look into some delving stuff while you¡¯re busy!¡±


    Looking back towards the city, Katrina knew that she couldn¡¯t stay, but she was having trouble convincing herself to leave. ¡°Well¡­ you should probably get some sleep, right?¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah¡­ I suppose I should.¡± Alicia took a couple steps backward, seemingly nervous about something. ¡°Um, Kat, I¡­¡±


    Katrina perked up, looking at Alicia expectantly. ¡°Yeah?¡±


    Alicia blushed, took a deep breath, then paused slightly. ¡°I¡­ um, get home safe, okay?¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ yeah, I can do that,¡± Katrina said. After another moment of hesitation, she flew up into the air, drifting backwards as she watched Alicia walk into the base of her Heart Tree again. The Vampire finally decided to leave, slowly riding the wind as she made her way home.


    Had she wanted to ask me something? Or, more importantly, was there something I was hoping to hear? If she¡¯d invited me to spend the night, it¡¯s not like anything would¡¯ve happened¡­ She needed to get to sleep, right?


    When she finally made it back home, she booted up her computer and started messaging the delvers she¡¯d made notes of earlier. It was hard to focus, she kept daydreaming about being in camp, about Alicia leaning on her shoulder, hugging her tight when the crowd surrounded them. When night began to fade, and Katrina went to change into her pajamas, she found one of Alicia¡¯s flowers from camp had gotten lodged in her tank top. She lightly placed it on her pillow, and happily went to sleep with the smell of tuberose filling her dreams.

 Chapter 7.1

    As the sun slowly dawned on the city suburbs, and warmth filled Alicia¡¯s branches, she let out an immense sigh of relief. Her branches felt as if they were stretching towards the light, and powerful energy flowed through her once more. She let herself relax for another few hours; not quite asleep, but not quite awake, just enjoying the strength of the sun rejuvenating her. There was nothing special about this morning, technically, but last night had been the first time she¡¯d ever been so far from her Heart Tree. The experience, although exhilarating for many different reasons, had also been quite stressful.


    For most of the night, the excitement had kept her focused on all the new experiences. She¡¯d loved seeing all the different people, the new types of shops that now catered to delvers, and most of all, spending so much time with Katrina. They hadn¡¯t just spent the whole time together, but they¡¯d practically held each other the whole time, and Alicia couldn¡¯t stop thinking about it.


    The fear of being so far from home had abated when she¡¯d leaned on Katrina, and held her arm tight for support. Katrina¡¯s hand squeezing hers whenever the crowds grew too thick, and pulling Katrina in for a hug as she grew flowers to try and mask the smell of blood. Returning home, shedding her strange new clothes, and jumping at Katrina with joy in her heart. The Vampire¡¯s soft hands holding her waist, their faces just inches apart, wishing desperately that she could muster the strength to move just a little bit closer.


    Alicia shook her head. She had a job to do. Well, two jobs actually. She needed to clock a few hours at ORC sometime today, but she also needed to prepare for her delving exam. And find a site where she could take the exam. And go there to take it.


    Ugh.


    The thought of leaving home again soured her good mood.


    C¡¯mon Alicia, this is how to save your home. You can probably find an exam site that¡¯s closer than Downtown Chicago, maybe even one within walking distance!


    Steeling her resolve, Alicia left her Heart Tree and stepped into her bedroom. She started by checking her phone, which was charging next to her computer, and quickly sent a text to Katrina.


    Alicia: SP¡¯s completely back! Thank you so much for taking me downtown, I had a great time :)


    Am I being too forward? It¡¯s not like last night was a date¡­ As much as I wish it were.


    Her thoughts returned to Katrina¡¯s phone, and the strange girl she¡¯d seen on the lock screen. Katrina was such a closed off person, what if she had a partner and just hadn¡¯t mentioned it? Alicia tried to remember the picture, wondering if she¡¯d missed any details that might help her figure out this mystery, but she¡¯d only looked at it for a few moments.


    Rather than fixate on half-remembered details, she booted up her computer and decided to start doing dungeon research. She started by looking for delving tutorial sites, which thankfully weren¡¯t in short supply. There were a few government sites that went over dungeon basic, but she also found a site hosted by the Chicago Guild Network. It seemed that, while every Guild had their own unique site, they had formed a loose coalition to help streamline operations.


    This hub site had plenty of resources for new and experienced delvers alike. She saw a news feed, which seemed to have several articles about important Guild Members that had recently leveled up, but also talked about recent delves, trades between guilds, and other miscellaneous news. At the top of the news feed, featured much more prominently than anything else, was an article announcing the discovery of the new Key Dungeon. Alicia read through it in its entirety, praying that the journalist hadn¡¯t somehow discovered her address, but thankfully her secret was safe.


    Navigating away from the news feed, Alicia found a Forum dedicated to anything and everything related to Delving. A quick search revealed that the busiest forums seemed to be dedicated to discussing builds. Each Class had its own forum, with people discussing the best Class Features to take to optimize their build. They would share results of Level Ups, ask for advice about how certain Features worked, and also debating which Paths were objectively better than others.


    There were also forums dedicated to specific Races. People looking for advice on dealing with Race specific issues, sharing cool Features they¡¯d discovered, but also just forming communities with others like themselves.


    Knowing she needed all the help she could get, Alicia decided to make herself a profile. Once she¡¯d officially registered as DecadentDryad, she joined two forums: one for Dryads, and one for Bulwarks. She made some introductory posts, and shared with the Bulwark forum that she was going to start delving and wanted beginner¡¯s advice.


    Once she¡¯d finished, she could feel the computer screen starting to agitate her and decided to shut it down for a while. She didn¡¯t need to be at work yet, and she needed to go for a walk around the neighborhood anyways.


    Her usual route felt strange, mostly because it was completely unchanged. Alicia felt like her entire life had been uprooted in the last 24 hours, though thankfully not literally. She¡¯d learned that every Guild in the city desperately wanted to find her secret Dungeon, traveled to Downtown Chicago to visit the main camp, and it all stemmed from one, spectacular girl.


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    She was even planning on becoming a Delver, of all things. After years of ignoring her class, of happily ignoring Dungeons, she now needed to learn how to fight. If nothing else, she was thankful that her Class seemed relatively simple. She didn¡¯t have to learn dozens of spells, or spend years mastering complicated techniques or crafting recipes. She just had to look at the dangerous thing and stop it from coming closer. Still, she was glad to have found a forum for her class, it would be helpful to hear how everyone else approached delving.


    Being outside, thankfully, was a nice distraction. All her floral friends were doing quite well, but that was hardly surprising. When she reached her river, she eagerly dipped her feet in the water and started drinking. Leaning back, she rested her hands on the warm ground, and forced herself to slow down.


    She focused on the warmth of the sun, the breeze that rustled her hair, the water cascading around her legs. This had been her life for years, co-existing with nature, and she still found great peace in it. Her thoughts drifted back to Katrina, the stranger that had accidentally flown into her branches and changed everything. She remembered her outfit last night, a form fitting tank top that had accentuated her large bust. On a few occasions, as she¡¯d leaned on the Vampire for support, her tank top had been pulled down slightly, giving Alicia small peaks at Katrina¡¯s impressive cleavage. At the time, she¡¯d tried to avert her eyes, but those memories returned now stronger than ever. She remembered stopping at small patches of grass to rest and recover her Stamina, but also ending up at eye level with Katrina¡¯s phenomenal backside. Her tight jeans hugged her frame perfectly, cupping her ass so immaculately that Alicia had found herself jealous of the clothing.


    Without even realizing it, the soft breeze began to resemble the Vampire¡¯s hands. Just like the night they met, when they gently caressed Alicia¡¯s branches, they were now playing with her hair, moving it away to expose her neck. The warmth of the sun became the warmth of Katrina¡¯s breath. She was kissing Alicia, her soft lips brushing against the Dryad¡¯s neck while she gasped in anticipation. The water around Alicia¡¯s legs suddenly felt like raging rapids, surging with passion, and they seemed eager to push Alicia¡¯s legs apart.


    Her roots shifted, her legs separating as she imagined Katrina¡¯s lips leaving her neck, moving further down. They kissed her chest, the tops of her breasts, eventually finding her sensitive nipples. She felt Katrina¡¯s sharp fangs against her skin, but no fear accompanied them, only tender bites that pushed Alicia into moaning aloud. Her hips were tense, and she felt a heat between her legs that she hadn¡¯t felt in years. She twitched in excitement, her body rediscovering the idea of passion. The little plant life that usually covered her body slowly receded, and the gentle autumn breeze now had access to even more sensitive parts of her. Something grew from the ground underneath her, and she instinctually began grinding against it, quietly moaning to herself as the sensations flowed through her body. The warmth of Katrina¡¯s breath returned, this time between her legs, and she imagined what the Vampire¡¯s tongue might feel like, how she might react if it tasted her.


    Without warning, the warmth surging from between her legs overtook her, and her entire body tensed with pleasure. Alicia bit her lip hard, wishing Katrina were the one biting her instead, and her moans grew louder as she experienced her first orgasm in years.


    When she opened her eyes, the daydream vanished. The warmth on her privates was just sunlight, the sensual caress traveling her body nothing more than an idle breeze. She looked down at her naked body, a sight she rarely saw, and realized that she¡¯d unconsciously grown a small vine from the ground beneath her. It had curled up next to her sex, and grinding against it had given her the pleasure she¡¯d apparently wanted. When she looked to the sky, she saw the sun had moved more than expected; she¡¯d likely just spent hours taking care of herself.


    Alicia immediately blushed with shame. She had nothing against masturbation, but she hadn¡¯t bothered seeking out that kind of pleasure in years. Had being close to Katrina really unearthed that part of her? Was she now some horny teenager, desperately wishing she could hook up with the first girl to pay attention to her?


    She regrew her usual outfit, her privates once again covered, and pulled her legs from the water.


    I just need to get back to work, right? I¡¯ll check my forum posts, clock in at ORC, and give myself something to focus on. This was just a fluke, an idle fancy, nothing more. Once I¡¯m in my room, at my desk, I can focus on what¡¯s important. Katrina is just a friend, helping me learn about delving. She¡¯s so excited for this, I get to give her real delving experience! Maybe, as thanks, she¡¯ll delve underneath my desk and¡ª No! Bad Alicia! Why am I like this?!


    Returning back home, Alicia managed to clock into work and start making calls. The distraction helped a little bit, but most of her efforts were spent trying to avoid picturing herself in bed with a Vampire.


    Wait, my bed was destroyed in the Change¡­ Maybe I should fix that.

 Chapter 7.2

    When Katrina woke that evening, the sunlight slowly fading, she almost forgot that she¡¯d fallen asleep next to one of Alicia¡¯s flowers. For a brief moment, she almost wondered if she¡¯d somehow shared a bed with the Dryad. Shaking her head, she sat up quickly, the events of last night coming back to her. Being so close with Alicia, holding her waist as they hugged, she almost couldn¡¯t believe how natural it had felt. The feel of Alicia¡¯s skin, the way her deep green skin blushed as she played with her hair, Katrina was almost surprised at how vividly she remembered everything.


    She didn¡¯t spare herself time to linger on those thoughts, however. Checking her phone, she saw that several people had responded to her emails and were willing to meet up for a chat. Even better, three of them had made time in their schedule tonight, which meant Katrina needed to hurry so she could catch them before they fell asleep.


    She also had a text from Alicia, thanking her for the night out. A warm smile crossed Katrina¡¯s face when she saw it, surprised at the kind gesture. The Dryad seemed oddly excited, given how close she¡¯d come to passing out on the train. It almost seemed like she¡¯d thought last night was a date, but that couldn¡¯t be right, could it? Katrina wasn¡¯t sure what to make of the message, and spent her entire early evening thinking about it.


    Grabbing her things, and a fresh ration of blood, she locked her window behind her and headed out.


    Her first scheduled appointment was with someone named Elias Lambert. He was registered as a Geomancer, which Katrina thought would be a great class to pair with Alicia¡¯s innate abilities. Elias had provided his home address, and thankfully he was far enough away from Downtown¡¯s restricted airspace that Katrina was able to fly the entire way.


    As she traveled, veering slightly south and towards the lakefront, she pulled out her phone and opened Alicia¡¯s contact. She¡¯d just remembered that she¡¯d never responded to the Dryad¡¯s earlier text, despite having read and reread it several times.


    Katrina: Glad to help! I¡¯m omw to the first potential delver, he lives out by the lake. If I schedule anything closer to you, do you want to come with?


    Alicia: Yes please!!


    Katrina: Can do :)


    When Katrina finally found Elias¡¯ neighborhood, she immediately noticed how unusual it was. From a distance, it looked like the entire subdivision had flooded, with rivers and ponds scattered all throughout the area. However, as she flew closer, she saw that all these bodies of water seemed to be manmade. They were all sharply defined, snaking through the neighborhood before eventually joining together to form a large river that connected to the lake. When she finally found Elias¡¯ house, it looked more like a boat dock than an actual residence.


    The main building was incredibly small, most likely no bigger than a tiny studio apartment. Katrina landed in front of it, found the doorbell, and announced her presence. After a few moments, a speaker above the doorbell activated, and she heard a voice come through.


    ¡°Hello?¡± the voice asked. It was masculine, but certainly sat in a higher register, and whoever was speaking sounded incredibly friendly.


    ¡°Um, hi, this is Katrina? I¡¯m looking to speak with Elias?¡±


    ¡°Yes! That¡¯s me, I¡¯m so happy you reached out. Let me get that pesky door opened for you¡­¡± Another moment passed, and the door in front of Katrina buzzed, then swung open on its own. ¡°Perfect! I¡¯m waiting inside!¡±


    Katrina hesitated for a moment, staring at the entrance with an intense sense of unease. When she realized Elias was done speaking, she cleared her throat to continue the conversation. ¡°Could you invite me in? I¡¯ve got a Status thing.¡±


    ¡°Shoot, where are my manners!¡± Elias said through the intercom. ¡°Yes, please come in.¡±


    With those last words, the sense of unease vanished, and Katrina was able to enter the house. Inside, everything was incredibly humid, and she looked around at the strange house she now found herself in. It appeared to be a single story, and the floor had been split down the center; one half of the house had a simple wooden floor, along with some chairs and a small table, while the other half essentially wasn¡¯t there. The floor gave way to open water, with a series of lights both above and under the rippling surface illuminating the environment. At the edge of the water, resting his arms on a small ledge, was presumably Elias.


    He had short, light brown hair that appeared much darker due to how wet it was. His face had delicate features that sat atop a strong jawline, and he seemed to be in the middle of attempting to grow out his facial hair.


    ¡°Elias Lambert, I presume?¡± Katrina asked.


    ¡°Yup! And you must be Katrina, it¡¯s a pleasure to speak with you in person. I understand you¡¯re looking for unaffiliated delvers?¡±


    ¡°I am, and I appreciate you agreeing to meet me. It¡¯s¡­ not exactly something I feel comfortable sharing over email.¡± Katrina was now getting used to the humidity, and her senses were starting to smell the blood running through Elias¡¯ veins. He definitely wasn¡¯t human, and she assumed he was some kind of aquatic Race, but couldn¡¯t pinpoint which one.


    ¡°Well, I promise that whatever we discuss here won¡¯t leave this house.¡±


    ¡°So, are you familiar with how the Chicago Dungeon works?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely! Each floor has a locked staircase, you need to solve a riddle and find the Key Dungeon before you can pass. I actually heard that someone just solved the riddle, and I can¡¯t help but wonder if your arrival is a coincidence.¡±


    Katrina sat down on a nearby chair, now slightly closer to eye level with her host. ¡°That¡¯s a good guess. You¡¯re right, we¡¯ve found the Key Dungeon, but we¡¯re not delvers. However, the placement of the Dungeon is¡­ sensitive, to say the least, and we don¡¯t trust the Guilds to take proper precautions.¡±


    ¡°Well, Ashes To Ashes I understand, but you also don¡¯t trust any of the others?¡± Elias said.


    ¡°We just feel it¡¯s safer to do it ourselves. We need help, though, especially since we don¡¯t have a DPS or a Healer.¡±


    ¡°Let me guess, you figured that, as a Geomancer, I might be able to fill one of those roles?¡±


    Katrina nodded in agreement. ¡°That was the hope, yes.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be honest, this sounds like a lot of fun. I only registered as a Delver for work, so I could use my class abilities closer to the city, but delving has always been a secret fascination of mine. Though, I¡¯m getting ahead of myself, I haven¡¯t asked the most important question. Would the Key Dungeon happen to be underwater?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, it¡¯s in a deserted suburb.¡± Katrina said, assuming that bad news was on its way.


    ¡°Drat. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be of any use then.¡± Elias pushed away from the ledge, drifting further out into the water as he leaned back. At first, Katrina noticed two scars underneath his well-defined pecs, but as the rest of his body rose to the surface, she realized what he meant. The bottom half of his body had been replaced with a blueish-green fish tail, which glistened in the water as Elias did a quick spin to face her again. ¡°I¡¯m a mermaid so, without water, I¡¯m a bit useless.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a fair point. We definitely don¡¯t have the resources to flood the Dungeon.¡± Katrina sighed in defeat before continuing. ¡°Is there a reason you haven¡¯t joined any of the aquatic guilds that are always exploring the lake? I hear they¡¯re pretty lax about membership commitments.¡±


    ¡°Well, like I said, I mostly registered for work. I never gave delving much thought until you reached out, but now that the idea¡¯s been floated¡­ maybe I¡¯ll look into it.¡±


    Katrina stood up, sighing in defeat. ¡°If nothing else, I appreciate you meeting with me. Enjoy your night, Elias.¡±


    ¡°Same to you! Who knows, if I end up joining a Guild maybe I¡¯ll shoot you an email!¡±


    With a small smile, Katrina excused herself and left the house. A quick search through her emails revealed her next destination, and she took to the skies as she plugged the address into her GPS. Her flight immediately began to confuse the phone, which wanted her to stick to recognizable streets and paths, but it was good enough to get her where she needed.


    Katrina: First guy was a bust, sadly. Ended up being a Mermaid, so even though he wanted to help, he couldn¡¯t.


    Alicia: Oh no! That sucks. Hope the next one goes better!


    Katrina: Shouldn¡¯t you be in bed? It¡¯s getting pretty late


    Alicia: Yeah but I need to push my schedule as late as possible so we can start delving eventually. Unless you¡¯ve discovered Vampire-strength sunblock :P


    Katrina: Alright good point


    Next on Alicia¡¯s list was a Monk by the name of Emilia Cardenas. This time, she hadn¡¯t been given a home address, but had instead been instructed to meet Emilia at her work. The GPS indicated that Emilia worked at a hospital, which caused Katrina to grow more and more nervous as she approached. If nothing else, this particular hospital seemed to be a smaller clinic, much like the one she routinely visited for her blood donations. After landing, she took a long sip of her own blood rations before steeling her nerves and heading inside.


    She immediately noticed that this clinic was larger than hers, though it still paled in comparison to the hospital downtown. Several rows of chairs were filled with people of all shapes and sizes, some of which seemed worse off than others. Thankfully, it didn¡¯t seem like they were in an emergency room, so there weren¡¯t any truly awful injuries that might tempt Katrina¡¯s hunger. The crowds still weren¡¯t helping, but she felt confident she could get through a short conversation.


    With no idea who she was looking for, she got in line to speak to someone at the front desk. It was being run by a large Lizardfolk, though Katrina was unsure if they were Beastkin or something else entirely. Their voice was heavy, and slightly raspy, and they did their best to get through the line as quickly as possible. Nearby, in the waiting room proper, Katrina saw a large medical bag that seemed to be floating around of its own accord. Watching it for a few more seconds revealed that it was actually being carried by some kind of Pixie or Sprite, a tiny woman that seemed to be no more than four or five inches tall. Her hair was bright purple, and sparkled as if full of glitter, and she had it tied into a tight ponytail atop her head.


    The Sprite was moving from person to person, administering basic care, asking questions, and taking notes on a small notepad. As Katrina watched, a taller man with hooved feet and large antlers bumped into the Sprite, as well as the bag she was holding, and she erupted with anger.


    ¡°Hey! Watch where you¡¯re going, mister! This is a Race Clinic, so you have no excuse to be this clumsy!¡± the woman shouted.


    Katrina was amazed at how powerfully the woman¡¯s voice carried across the clinic. Before she could watch any further, she realized she was next in line, and walked up to the counter.


    ¡°Here for your blood rations?¡± the Lizardfolk asked. ¡°That¡¯s gonna be a separate counter, around to your right, and at the end of the hall.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m actually here to speak with Emilia? She should be expecting me.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes! She mentioned she had someone stopping by. Emilia! You¡¯ve got company!¡±


    The Sprite that had been buzzing around the clinic turned towards the front desk, and somehow crossed the gap in a matter of seconds. ¡°Excellent! Angie, could you hold down the fort for a sec? I¡¯m taking a fifteen.¡± Emilia set her medical bag down, then gestured for Katrina to follow her.


    ¡°I appreciate you sparing the time, I won¡¯t need long, I promise,¡± Katrina said.


    ¡°Eh, a girl¡¯s gotta eat at some point, might as well knock out some business as I do,¡± Emilia said. Before they could reach the front door, however, she turned to look at a patient in the waiting room and shouted across the lobby. ¡°Hey! Jenkins! What did I say about keeping pressure on the wound? If you keep fidgeting, it¡¯s going to re-open!¡±


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    ¡°Seems like you¡¯re having a heck of a night,¡± Katrina noted.


    ¡°Nah, this is pretty slow all things considered,¡± Emilia said. She led Katrina to a small alcove nearby which housed a series of chairs and benches, all meant for Races of different sizes. The Sprite settled down on a tiny bench that looked more like a bird perch, and Katrina took a seat on a nearby chair so they were roughly at eye level. ¡°So, you¡¯re here about the job offer?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, job offer? I had reached out because you¡¯re certified as a Delver, as I was hoping you might help me with a small problem we¡¯re having related to the Dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Oh, fiddlesticks, you¡¯re the Dungeon lady. I think I might have gotten my emails mixed up¡­ Might need to check that I didn¡¯t shoot down a candidate trying to apply¡­¡±


    Katrina bit her tongue in frustration, doing her best to stay calm despite the mix-up and the crowd around her. ¡°Should I assume that means you¡¯re not interested in helping us?¡±


    ¡°Look, Katrina, was it? It¡¯s not that I¡¯m not interested, but life¡¯s pretty hectic right now. I registered as a Delver years ago, when I didn¡¯t know if I¡¯d be able to continue my career as a nurse. I actually helped clear out this street way back before the city was reclaimed, if you can believe it.¡±


    ¡°I must admit, I knew you were a Monk, but your size caught me by surprise.¡±


    ¡°Ha! I get that a lot, but Races like mine can pack a surprising punch with the right Class Features. Still, once I¡¯d managed to get into nursing again, I found my abilities were just as helpful for keeping the clinic running smoothly. Right now, we¡¯re facing a staff shortage, so I simply don¡¯t have the time to start jumping into Dungeons and risking my life. Really sorry for the mix up, Katrina, I promise I didn¡¯t mean to waste your time.¡±


    ¡°No, I understand. I¡¯ll let you get back to your break, and I hope you have a pleasant evening.¡±


    Katrina stood up, mentally crossing another name off her list, and floated into the skies again. The evening wasn¡¯t going well, but she tried to stay positive as she pulled up her next contact. This was her last lead of the day, and she still hadn¡¯t heard back from the other delvers she¡¯d emailed last night. She set her destination in her GPS and headed out.


    It seemed this person wanted to meet her at some kind of spa, or was it a yoga studio? Katrina wasn¡¯t entirely sure, and she didn¡¯t feel like pulling up their website to find out. The most important thing was that it wasn¡¯t downtown, and she could continue flying everywhere.


    As she approached, she saw that the building in question was surrounded by trees and greenery. A great deal of care had been put into the lot, and it appeared to have a large backyard that had been fenced off from the surrounding area. When she landed in front of the building, she snapped a picture of the front garden, then sent it to Alicia. She didn¡¯t fully understand what she was looking at, but she had a feeling the Dryad would appreciate it.


    Opening the door caused a smell bell to ring, and she immediately noticed a thin blanket of incense coating the air in the lobby. She couldn¡¯t resist coughing slightly, and before she could collect herself, she saw someone appear at the front desk. She appeared to be human, with long blonde hair that fell past her shoulders.


    ¡°Sorry about the smell, we try to keep it out of the lobby but it¡¯s certainly a challenge. What can I help you with?¡± the blonde woman asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s not actually that much, but my senses are heightened.¡± Katrina finally cleared her throat and stepped closer. ¡°I¡¯m looking for someone named¡­ Burl?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes! He¡¯s in back, he mentioned someone might be stopping by. Let me show you where he¡¯s at.¡±


    The woman showed Katrina to a side door that led deeper into the building. As soon as they left the lobby, the lights dimmed considerably, and they began walking past a series of small, closed rooms. Eventually, they found a larger space with a few yoga mats, as well as the incense Katrina had been smelling this whole time, but they kept walking until they entered the backyard.


    It looked considerably different from the ground. Overhead, a series of rafters held strings of lights aloft, and they cast the garden in warm, comforting light. The smell of incense faded somewhat, instead replaced by a strong floral scent that seemed to be a mixture of several different flowers scattered throughout the yard. In one corner, a small field of sand surrounded a tiny pond, and water cascaded down a series of bamboo shoots to fill it.


    In the center of the yard, sitting cross-legged on the grass, sat an incredibly large minotaur. Deep brown fur covered his legs and his head, which closely resembled that of a bull, complete with two large horns. His arms sat comfortably in his lap, and his eyes were closed as he focused on taking several deep breaths. When he finally spoke, his voice was incredibly deep.


    ¡°Thank you so much, Sandy, I really appreciate it,¡± the minotaur said.


    ¡°No problem, Burl!¡± The woman quickly turned to leave, closing the door behind her.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re Katrina, I take it?¡± Burl asked, opening his eyes.


    ¡°I am, yes. I¡¯m not interrupting anything, am I?¡±


    ¡°Not at all! I just spend most of my free time here, I much prefer it to the tiny apartment I¡¯m stuck in. We don¡¯t even have a community garden, can you believe it? I tried to petition the landlord but I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯s ignoring my emails.¡±


    ¡°Typical landlord, I know the type,¡± Katrina said, clearing her throat again. ¡°So, um, I¡¯m actually here because you¡¯re a registered delver, and I was wondering if you might be able to help me out.¡±


    ¡°Right! Sorry, I tend to let my mind wander when I¡¯m here. Helps avoid distractions, prevent me from fixating on¡­ well, never mind. How can I help?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you follow Dungeon news, but I recently found the next Key Dungeon along with a friend of mine. Unfortunately, due to some¡­ complications, we don¡¯t want any of the Guilds getting inside. We¡¯re planning on clearing the Dungeon ourselves, but we need help. Since you¡¯re not affiliated with any Guilds, I was wondering if you might be interested?¡±


    ¡°A Key Dungeon! Congratulations!¡± A hearty laugh echoed through the yard before Burl continued. ¡°You¡¯re certainly right about one thing, I¡¯m not in a Guild, but there¡¯s a good reason for that. A while back, maybe a year or two? I remember all the Guilds being frustrated at a praying mantis boss in the Dungeon, he was somehow resistant to fire, you see, and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes, I remember Ashes To Ashes being particularly annoyed at that one,¡± Katrina said, cutting the minotaur off to hopefully keep him on task.


    ¡°Oh, excellent! Anyways, around that time, I was getting pretty fed up with my day job. I thought I might be able to get into delving and live a more exciting life. After all, I¡¯m huge, I¡¯m a Brawler, there¡¯s got to be good money there, right? Well, since I¡¯m not a human, Ashes To Ashes conveniently decided they weren¡¯t accepting applications at the time, but I managed to get myself a trial run with another Guild. We headed into the Dungeon, and the first batch of monsters appeared, when something inside of me just snapped. All the frustration from my job, all my anger at everything I lost in the Change, suddenly I had something I could blame it all on. I managed to hold my own against that monster, but¡­ apparently, I also tried to hold my own against my fellow delvers.¡±


    Katrina listened intently, nodding along with the conversation. The mental toll of delving was well documented, and she wasn¡¯t surprised by Burl¡¯s story in the slightest. Still, she had a feeling she knew where the story was going.


    ¡°If I remember correctly,¡± Burl continued, ¡°I¡¯m on some kind of blacklist. Trust is the most important thing when you¡¯re risking your life in the Dungeon, and I¡¯d shown I wasn¡¯t trustworthy. The whole incident made me realize I need help; I found a great therapist, I started coming here to Sandy¡¯s studio. I¡¯ve spent a lot of time working through those feelings, trying to process why I got so angry. I learned that there are more productive ways to channel my rage, and I¡¯m really happy with how far I¡¯ve come.¡±


    ¡°Let me guess,¡± Katrina said, ¡°it would be best if you didn¡¯t try to delve anymore?¡±


    ¡°Without a doubt. I need to avoid that life, though apparently I never took my name off the delver registry. I hate that I had to waste your time, Katrina. Your cause seems noble, but I¡¯ll have to pass.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Delving isn¡¯t for everyone, it can be pretty tough.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever tried meditation? I can tell from here how tense you are.¡±


    The question caught Katrina off guard. ¡°I haven¡¯t, actually. My tension is¡­ it¡¯s a Status thing. Not much I can do about it.¡±


    ¡°I used to think the same thing, Katrina, but I promise there¡¯s a way to work through those feelings! To channel them into something healthy!¡± Burl said, smiling wide.


    ¡°Um, sure, I¡¯ll think about it. For now, I do have somewhere to be, so¡­¡± Katrina waved goodbye, then briefly looked to the sky. She decided to not fly through the rafters, instead walking back to the lobby to leave properly. She waved goodbye to Sandy, but quickened her pace when she realized she¡¯d gotten used to the incense and could now smell the girl¡¯s blood.


    Outside, Katrina leaned against the building, repeatedly bumping her head against the wall in frustration. All three leads had been duds, and she hadn¡¯t heard back from the other people on her list yet. She opened her blood ration and drank slightly more than she should have, then packed it away again. With nothing else to do today, she figured she might as well head home.


    Lifting off the ground, she lazily flew home as she tried to think of other solutions to their problem. Worst case scenario, they would have to partner with a Guild, which would likely mean surrendering control of the delving process.


    Katrina: Third lead also fizzled out, not off to a great start


    When Katrina finally arrived home, she tossed her blood ration back in the fridge and collapsed into her computer chair. Booting up her computer, the first thing she did was email her job, explaining that she needed some time off for Status reasons. With that out of the way, she started digging through old files until she found all her old delving resources.


    A few years back, after she¡¯d managed to get her life back in order, she¡¯d extensively planned out how she might build her Class if she ever started delving. She had notes about which Features might appear at different levels, ideas for spells, as well as a huge collection of random facts about different types of monsters.


    Checking her Status, Katrina saw that all the flying had used up more of her mana than she¡¯d thought. She was still sitting at 89%, which wasn¡¯t bad considering how much flying she¡¯d been doing, but she made a note to try and be more conservative in the future. The way things were looking, her Regeneration Inspiration might be the only healing Alicia was going to get, and Katrina couldn¡¯t afford to waste mana on flying.


    The last thing she did was check her email. She didn¡¯t have high hopes, especially after how tonight had gone, and was mentally preparing herself to send out another wave of inquiries. However, much to her surprise, she found a reply waiting for her. Even better, it was from the Mage Knight.


    Her name was Tabitha, and she seemed skeptical of Katrina¡¯s request, but was willing to at least meet for a brief discussion. Even better, the caf¨¦ she wanted to meet at was in the suburbs, much closer to Alicia¡¯s house than all the other potential candidates. Katrina¡¯s frustration was quickly overtaken by another wave of excitement, both because Tabitha was willing to meet, but also because she¡¯d be able to spend more time with Alicia.


    Katrina sent one last text to Alicia, who seemed to be asleep now, with details about their meeting. She also saved all of her delving notes to her cloud, then shut down her computer and spent the rest of the night with her guitar.