The march to the rent took the better part of a week. Once they arrived, James felt his jaw drop at the sheer size of the canyon that stretched before him. The largest body of water he had ever seen was in the distance, a few miles away, on the other side of the rent. As for the rent itself, it stretched roughly north to south for miles. Three miles across, it was dozens of miles deep.

When they first arrived, he had cleared a spot for them from the overflowing monsters. All of the creatures were twisted black abominations. Some were mostly humanoid, but many of them were insect-like with multiple legs and pincers. Others had blade-like limbs and poison drifting off their bodies.

The small area they had claimed was set up as a massive dome that they all could huddle inside, including the dragons. It had taken nearly an entire day to create it and ensure it was supported. With everyone safe from attack, James stood on the ledge of the rent, peering into its depths. Souls were scattered in the thousands all around the canyon. Ramps ran down in a winding path that would take them to the Underworld.

"I'm ready to go in," Zenaria announced while tying her hair up.

Amber pursed her lips. "I'll start with clearing monsters off the ledge. Many of them are still around us."

"The dragons and animals will help," James stated. Glancing over his shoulder, he received a nod from Mother.

Before Zenaria departed down the ramp, she kissed his cheek. "I'll see you tonight. Keep a bath warm for me."

"I will."

Amber stepped up to him next and kissed his other cheek. Although this time, she blushed, her tan skin taking on a red hue as she quickly stepped back.

"I'll keep a bath warm for you too," James said with a chuckle.

"Thanks." Turning, Amber headed south.

Zenaria stepped onto the ramp and faded away. Her soul was covered in writhing Soul Energy as she blended with the shadows and light. A true phantom as she wrapped Soul Wires around her foes that were starting to retake the ramp. In moments, chunks of monsters were falling over the edge.

Priest stopped by his side, taking the Amber's spot. "They seem eager to start."

"Amber needs ten thousand souls of the quality the monsters contain to level up. Zenaria needs a few thousand to reach level nine."

Using one hand, Priest gestured to the mile wide rent. "They have more than enough monsters. The middle of the descent are where the toughest creatures dwell."

"What is keeping the rent open?" James asked while walking over to the ramp. He was tempted to head down and scout it out.

"We don't know," Priest admitted.

Mother joined them. "There is a queen that is birthing the monsters that will need to be eliminated."

Rubbing his head, James looked up and down the rent with a frown. "I'll head north for now. Or at least I will once the ladies are ready."

"What are you hoping to find?" Priest asked.

"A facility." Turning to both him and Mother, James added, "the first rent was opened by a human facility. There's a chance that other facilities are holding this one open. Somehow. I need to know for sure."

Priest nodded and turned south. "I'll check this way. I'll likely need you to refill me tonight."

"We will secure the area," Mother stated. "Us dragons need to stretch our legs and wings. We'll help the animals grow as well. Can you take Everest with you. She still needs to level up more. She's barely more than level three."

James turned to the little dragon and waved her over. Scampering like a puppy, Everest was by his side in seconds. Pressing her head against his waist, she hummed happily.

"I'll take her." Rubbing the dragon's head, he asked, "what sort of skills do you have?"

"Fire Breath!"

"That's it?"

Everest nodded.

"That's enough for now." Turning his attention back to the north, he could already see insect-like monsters coming over the ledge and eyeing their dome. Father was supposedly keeping an eye on the entrance, protecting their temporary home.

Everest padded after him, her claws tearing up the hard packed dirt with each step. She seemed nervous if her claws were out.

"I'll protect you," James reassured her. "But you need to take damage in order to level Regeneration. It's the most important skill you can have."

"Understood!"

James gave her a strained smile. She's definitely nervous. She's vastly weaker than my girls and even Priest. But I'll make sure she comes out intact.

***

Zenaria descended the ramp slowly. Dozens of monsters blocked her way, covering the ramp completely. Body to body, the barely left enough space to fight. And although they senses her party above her, they didn't try to rush them. But the moment James started walking north, they grew agitated.

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That's not good.

A nervous sweat dotted her brow as she shifted from the shadows and into the light. Her Phantom Form kept her hidden as she wrapped her Soul Wires around the first enemy. Pulling, she shredded the creature, making the others around it scream in rage.

Ears ringing, she snarled and wrapped up another foe. Reaching out with Soul Siphon, she grabbed as many as she could and started devouring their souls. Using her wires did the same, but only to one enemy at a time. It was too slow for how much she needed to grow.

Activating her Shadow Step skill, she burst forward as the world seemed to slow. Throwing out her wires, she carved through a dozen creatures with Web of Death. Bodies fell apart in slow motion as her skills came to an end.

Soul Energy flowed into her rapidly as she gained a small amount of ground. The ramp continued for another hundred feet before switching back and heading deeper.

Swallowing hard, she was about to rush forward when another twenty monsters took the place of those she just killed. Forced back, she snarled. She needed to go deeper. She needed stronger monsters.

Wrapping one after another in her wires, she continued to cut them down, only for more to replace them. Blood slickened the ramp, making some of the creatures fall over the edge. Limbs rolled down the ramp, falling off the end as guts were picked up in mouths and feasted on, making Zenaria frown.

Free meals, I guess.

Step by step, she pushed further down the ramp. Minutes began to pass and the further James grew, the angrier and more active the monsters became. They started attacking one another, fighting for the right to race over the edge and up to the dome. It wasn't long until she heard the first dragon roar before a wave of red flames exploded above her, creeping out above the rent.

I'm going to have to be careful going up. That's insane that the dragons are that strong.

Keeping her focus on the monsters before her, she felt herself grow with each kill. She needed a few hundred more to reach level eight. But from there, she would need ten thousand to reach level nine. It was going to be slow and fighting nearly non-stop for the next few days to weeks. James was going to give her the time she needed, but at some point, she would need a hundred thousand to reach level ten. From there, a million. There wasn't enough time to reach level ten, let alone eleven before James shut down the rent.

Closing her eyes for a moment, she hardened her resolve. If she could reach level eight and part way to nine before the day ended, she would have succeeded.

Throwing out her wires again, she wrapped up another monster and ripped it apart. Blood squirted into the air and she stepped to the side to avoid it. The black liquid was vile and poison was beginning to fill the air from some of the monsters.

It was no surprise when her Poison Resistance and Corruption Resistance leveled. She needed them in order to fight more efficiently. She needed every resistance and skill she could snatch up in order to reach James.

I will catch up to Amber. When I pass her, I'll rub it in her face.

Smiling to herself, she continued to Siphon everything she could and carved through them with her wires.

***

Amber pushed out her senses, finding James walking the opposite direction as her. While she headed south, she took a steadying breath as the monsters became more active. They were already nearly overrunning Zenaria, and the kitsune had barely descended part of the ramp.

Morphing her legs into her feline form, Amber ran a hand down her sleek skin. Her ankles had changed to be higher up, and her toes morphed to allow her to drop to all fours to gain purchase. With the differences in her bones, she summoned claws to her hands and feet and dropped down. Her tail swayed behind her as she scanned the edges of the rent. The massive tear in the world made her shiver every time she looked at it, but she had much to prove to James.

Digging into the dirt, she kicked off and raced toward the first humanoid creature. It was far taller than her, standing just over ten feet. Thick, bulging arms and legs ended in serrated claws that lifted to cut her down.

She could have easily Soul Shifted and attacked the creature's soul directly, but she needed to get better in straight up fights. She wouldn't always be able to Soul Shift after all.

Activating Soul Claws, her claws were wreathed in flames as anger raged through her mind. She wanted to kill. Rip everything apart around her. Then she thought of James and what they had just gone through. That anger grew distant and her thoughts clear as she made contact.

Dodging the monster's swipe, she raked her claws through its side and activated Thousand Cuts. Another dozen wounds ripped the monster apart, severing both arms and tearing a wound in its gut that dropped intestines to the ground. Marveling at her work, she watched the soul wink out and flow into her.

Making sure Siphon was active on all of her nearby foes, she activated Aura of a Thousand Kisses. Now her attacks would be replicated on all of the monsters in a ten foot radius.

Charging toward an insect-like monster. She judged its hard carapace shell to be weak enough she could breech it. Waiting with Thousand Cuts at the ready, she slid under a snapping pincer, and slashed at the joint.

Kicking off the ground, she watched as a dozen wounds opened on all of the nearby monsters. Landing on the creature, she slashed two more times, tearing through its shell and shredding its soul as it tried to buck her off. But her gold soul wouldn't be stopped.

Dozens of wounds ripped apart the five nearby creatures and she quickly hopped down. Kicking into a sprint on all fours, she pulled in breaths through her nose and out through her mouth. She hadn't gained a new skill at level nine, which meant at level ten she would get something good, or so she hoped.

To help speed up her killing, she summoned her four Soul Cats and watched their brilliant gold forms erupt from her body. Spreading out, the monstrous creations stood just as tall as the humanoid monsters and charged. Flaming claws slammed down, shredding insects and spreading flames over their ranks. One of the cats dashed through a creature, immolating it before moving on.

The Soul Energy she received from their kills was lower by about a quarter. But with how many monsters there were to kill, she wasn't worried. All four of them spread out as the monsters poured over the edge of the rent.

Leaping on the back of a humanoid creature, she slashed through its neck, severing the head which was quickly mimicked on the nearby monsters. With the pack dead, she leapt off and dived toward an insect.

Cutting off three of its legs, she watched as five more collapsed, their shells and legs ripped apart as she liberally used Thousand Cuts. Unlike James's Soul Strike that detonated souls and bodies alike, she hardly used any energy with her skills. She could fight four hours, or even days without running out.

Dancing with death had become her calling. She was James's greatest fighter, no matter what the Priest said. She had a gold soul now, and it was time to show her companions that they better not fuck with what was hers.

Sliding across the ground, she dug her feet into the tough soil and swung her body around. Pushing off, she carved through a creature's stomach before racing off on all fours. Behind her, five more monsters collapsed, their souls becoming hers.

I need stronger opponents. I need stronger souls. This is taking far too long to level up. Why the hell do I need ten thousand souls to reach level ten?

The wave of monsters wasn't slowing as the sun began crossing the sky. Morning was swiftly coming to an end, and she still needed more power. She needed to be faster, stronger, and deadlier. She wasn't happy and was afraid to return to James without showing more growth.

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