Hana's yellowish green [Radon Light] danced across the walls.

Tom tightened his grip on his Flail, reassured by the heavy weight of its ball and chain.

"I'll get its attention," Tom told the group. "Should give you all time to get into formation." He looked at Tess. "That work?"

"Sounds good."

"I'll sing first," Bo told Brad. "Be ready to pick up with a second song if the fight goes long." Bo's fingers tapped rhythmically on his leg. "I just have to think of a good song . . . "

Tom's heart thrashed against his chest as he turned toward the massive creature lurking in the chamber's dark depths. Each step forward was like wading through quicksand. He struggled to overcome his growing panic.

A bone-chilling squeal reverberated off the walls.

"Take it on, Tom!" Tess's voice cut through the noise.

"A-ha!" Bo yelled.

Tom took a deep breath, and charged into the room.

The monster's largest mouth let out a deafening roar; its smaller mouths snapped and screeched.

Tom's feet pounded against the ground. He raised his Wood Shield and swung his Flail; its heavy metal links whistled through the air before connecting with the creature's hide.

The impact elicited an ear-piercing shriek from the beast. Tom shoved his Shield into its stomach and pushed forward. Adrenaline fueled him and held his pain at bay as he swung his Flail again and again.

"No! Kate, not yet!" Tess shouted.

Kate the Bear blurred past Tom and leaped. She ground her teeth into the creature's arm.

The monster's fist lit up red.

"It has abilities!" Chloe screamed.

The creature slammed its glowing fist down on Kate the Bear's back, just above her hind legs.

Tom gave a strangled yell.

Kate the Bear roared and released her grip. Her back legs dropped out from under her and she crashed to the floor.

Tom's heart was frenzied.

Kate the Bear rose on her front legs and dragged herself away from the monster.

Finn threw off Hana's restraining grip and ran to Kate, his hands glowing green.

A scarlet fist slammed into Tom's chest, crushing his Iron breastplate. Pain exploded through his torso. His medical HUD flared to life, flashing red on his chest. His ribs gave way and turned to Rubber as they bent inward; they didn't shatter, but they compressed his lungs. Air blasted out of his mouth, and he collapsed onto his knees.

There was a glimmer of emerald in Tom's peripheral vision. He latched onto the light, and tried to breathe.

A sharp, heavy tongue pummeled his armor and Shield.

The light faded.

Kate the Bear swept past Tom and roared.

The Marauder's blows stopped raining on Tom's body, but he couldn't take a breath. His HUD flashed again, and zoomed in on his lungs; they were red and collapsed. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't think. His vision dissolved.

Finn's glowing hands appeared in front of him.

"Tom!" Finn screamed over the noise.

Tom barely registered his voice.

"Tom! Pull back the armor on your chest!"

Tom was barely conscious enough to will the armor away.

Warmth flooded through his chest cavity. His folded ribcage peeled sickeningly back. His lungs popped and crackled as they healed.

Tom took a breath.

It didn't matter that the Dungeon smelled like rotten shit. It was the sweetest lungful of air he had ever tasted. He gulped more of it. His senses sharpened.

Kate the Bear circled the Headless Boss. It held her off with multiple whiplike tongues, which left long jagged cuts across her hide.

Finn's hands still poured their green energy into Tom's chest. His rib bones eased back to their original position. His lungs felt stronger. The fog in his mind was starting to dissipate.

"I've used up all my mana!" Finn shouted. He jumped to his feet and retreated to the back of the group.

"Mom, Chloe," Tess called. "Give me two damage spells each! Dad, sing!"

"Good evening, and hello to all you cool cats out there," Bo's voice surrounded them as though from a speaker system. "This is DJ Bo Daddy—"

Amber's groan was audible.

"Your favorite Bard, spreading my magical rock across the realm."

Tom struggled to his feet, wheezing as he pushed himself up.

Kate the Bear launched herself at the Boss's back; a wrecking ball of howling ferocity. Her claws sank into its flesh. Blood-splatter arced around her as she tore at its back.

Icons for Chloe and Hana's spells appeared beside the creature's nametag.

The Boss roared and thrashed, trying to shake Kate the Bear off, but she held on with bared teeth and unbreakable grip.

"I've got an otherworldly magical [Dedication] headed your way, straight from the heart," Bo continued, his blue ethereal guitar manifesting in front of him. "To my steadfast companion, Thomas the Tank, your unwavering courage is an inspiration. I know I wouldn't do that shit."

The creature was finally able to weave a hooked hand into Kate the Bear's fur. It screamed, and ripped her off its back. It wrapped both hands around her, and slammed her repeatedly into the rocky ground. It then launched her across the cavern. She smacked into the stone wall, and slid—unmoving—to the floor.

"Kate!" Tom yelled.

The air shimmered with energy as the notes of [Take On Me by A-ha] pulsed and reverberated off the cave walls. A [Dedication] icon winked into existence on Tom's buff display, accompanied by another for [Entrainment].

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[Dedication: XS.03 buff to all Bardic effects.]

Tom was desperate to run to Kate, but he couldn't afford to take his eyes off the creature in front of him. He didn't have enough Iron reserves to regenerate his chest plate, so he held his Shield high and close. He swung his Flail with all his might; the impact made a sickening crunch as it connected with the creature's body. Its multiple mouths squealed and gnashed, and its tongues whipped angrily.

Tom and the Boss circled each other.

The magical 80's beat reverberated against Tom's armor, its tempo syncing with his own heartbeat. As the rhythm grew more intense, a tingling sensation spread across his entire body.

Bo started to sing. The energy intensified.

[Take On Me: XS.07 buff to toughness and threat generation.]

Loo's scream pierced the air.

Tom risked a quick glance behind him.

"Moms hurt bad!"

Kate was back in her human form. She was unconscious and bleeding badly.

Tom wanted to rush over, but a lashing tongue nearly swiped his face. As much as he hated it, he had to keep the Boss away from them.

"Finn, heal her! PLEASE!" Loo shouted.

"Can't! I'm out of mana!"

"No, Loo!" Tess yelled. "Not yet!"

A cerulean glow appeared in the corner of Tom's eye.

"Loo!" Tess barked.

The blue light brightened.

"Gah! Your Mom's health was low but stable!" Tess paused. "Chloe, Mom, unload! Make use of the [Mana Spring]!"

Four of Chloe's spell markers flared above the Boss's head.

"I-I feel . . . I can't." Chloe slumped forward and passed out.

The spell markers fizzled out.

The creature's tongues made contact with Tom's armor. However, Bo's buff had seeped into the metal, and the strikes had lost some of their impact.

The Boss turned away from Tom, and toward the rest of the group.

Tom activated his [Taunt] ability. There was a secondary surge of energy as Bo's [Entrainment] ability flared and merged with his [Taunt] spell. Instead of his usual yelling or roaring, Tom let out a powerful call that echoed through his chest before erupting from his lips.

"Take me on!" he screamed at the giant Dungeon Boss.

Tom cringed; he didn't know if Caretaker Epic was still filming them. Now he knew how Bo felt.

The [Taunt], although super nerdy, successfully redirected the monstrous being's anger back toward him. Tom's buff showed that [Take On Me] now gave an XS.09 increase to toughness and threat generation.

"Healing Kate!" Finn yelled, as green light flared through the room.

The largest tongue thrust toward Tom.

Tom leaped aside. He dropped his Flail and caught the fleshy muscle. His arms tensed. The slimy tongue twisted and turned, attempting to break free but Tom's gauntlets provided a safe, secure grip. He held on.

The monster let out a roar—much less impressive while Tom was clamped to its tongue. The other mouths howled and snapped. Smaller tongues slapped against Tom's protective armor.

Bo danced and rocked, his voice soaring above the battle. He twirled his microphone Staff, and held it to his mouth as he sang. He tilted his head back, raised his arms in the air, and belted out the words with passion.

With each note, the [Take On Me] buff coursed through Tom's veins. He spun around and yanked the monstrous tongue.

Icons materialized, showing a full suite of Hana's spells propagating through the Boss.

"Tom, watch your markers!" Tess's voice cut through the chaos. "Move the Boss away from us!"

Tom checked the indicators on the ground and realized his positioning mistake. With a grunt, he shifted his body and yanked the enormous creature away from his team.

"Keep an eye on your attack timers!" Tess commanded. "Loo, get the other buffs going!"

"On it!" Loo called back. Her hands moved in graceful, intricate patterns as she flowed through her yoga poses. The air around her shimmered in various shades of blue. A cloud of [Blue Mana Plankton] swelled in response, dancing through the previously summoned [Mana Spring] that still bubbled up from the ground.

Bo reached the iconic synthesized piano section of [Take On Me]. Brad attempted to mimic the song's electronic sounds with his beatboxing skills, and added tongue clicks and pops. He gestured into the air and the beat floated there. The loop played out the instrumental riffs, and Brad danced and moved his fingers across nonexistent piano keys.

The song's increased buff tingled on Tom's skin.

XS.11!

"Get ready, Amber!" Tess commanded. "Soon we pump damage. Keep an eye on those attack timers."

"Got it." Amber's feet danced back and forth as she prepared for battle.

"Loo, start!"

"On it!"

[Silver Mana Zooplankton] spiraled around Loo, as though she was the centerpiece in a snow globe. The mana and plankton surged forward, radiating through the group. Loo moved into a new pose, and silver light burst forth into the mana current, chasing the blue motes in a chaotic dance. Energy rippled through them and buffs flared to life in front of them. They were infused with additional power.

"Now!" shouted Tess. "Unload!"

Tess and Amber deftly maneuvered around the massive Boss's sides, poised and ready to strike.

Hana cast spell after spell at the beast.

The Dungeon walls trembled.

Tom maintained his grip on the creature's tongue. Its smaller mouths let out high-pitched screeches as it tried to throw him off.

The monster's health bar dwindled to 60 percent. Its muscles bulged and pulsated under its skin. An icon popped up above the creature's head that read [Fury]. Its veins bulged against its skin, and it seemed to swell in size. The slimy, twisting tongue stopped trying to escape, and instead coiled tighter around Tom's arm.

"Shit," was all he had time to say.

The creature heaved, and threw Tom across the cavern.

His shoulder popped. There was a loud tearing sound, like paper being pulled apart.

Tom crashed onto his back.

"Dad!" Loo shouted.

Tom's arm and shoulder burned. He stared at the mineral tracks along the ceiling.

My arm's gone.

"Dad!"

Tom looked down.

Thank fuck.

His right arm was attached; but the tongue was still wrapped around it.

"I'm on it!" Amber called.

The glistening pink muscle tensed, as though preparing to launch Tom again.

Amber flipped gracefully over the writhing tongue. Her arms snapped out midair; her Daggers blurred, and she sliced cleanly through the tissue.

The creature screamed.

Tom gagged. He unwrapped the severed tongue from his arm and threw it-twitching—to the ground.

Amber executed a perfect landing. The [Show Off] ability winked into view above her head. She stood, tall and proud, and raised her arms in a gymnastics salute at the monster.

The Boss gushed blood from its severed tongue like a fountain. It lunged for Amber.

Amber flipped out of its path. Before she could fully escape, its clawed hand snapped out and gouged her back, leaving three deep and jagged cuts. She yelped, and fell to the ground.

The bleeding creature advanced toward her.

Tom's [Taunt] cooldown wasn't finished.

"Amber!" he shouted.

Tess jumped in front of Amber like a feline. She weaved her Sword around and sliced at the monster, advancing on it and pushing it away from Amber. The Boss made futile attempts to maneuver its claws or tongues past her blade. It was weakening.

Green light flared.

"You're the man, Finn," said Amber.

"I've only got a couple of heals left!"

Bo and Brad continued rocking to [Take on Me] in the background.

Tom's right arm dangled—useless—at his side.

The Boss let out a frustrated roar and lunged at Tess, driving its huge fangs toward her neck.

The cooldown was ready. Tom used [Taunt], and redirected the creature's attention back to himself before it could strike Tess.

The monster let out another ear-splitting scream. It raked its sharp claws across Tom's battered Shield and broke through it in places. It left deep bloody scratches in Tom's exposed flesh.

Finn moved toward him.

"Save that heal!" Tom hoped he was making the right decision.

It didn't matter. The Boss's fist glowed red and swung down toward Tom. He raised his left arm and Shield. The blow was so powerful that the barrier shattered. The bones in Tom's arm turned to Rubber, and they bent back unnaturally. There were grisly pops as his muscles, tendons, and ligaments were torn.

Tom screamed and crumpled. Both arms flopped uselessly.

There was a vibrant red glow behind Tom. Loo's [Mana Spring] swarmed with tiny red jellyfish. Their translucent bodies darted through the air, chasing and devouring the shimmering silver lights drifting through the mana stream. They grew larger and more energized, and multiplied at an alarming rate.

The Headless Boss moved in for the kill.

The red [Mana Spring] reached Tom.

When the Boss stumbled into the mana flow, the crimson jellies swarmed around it like bees to flowers. They latched onto its legs with their long tentacles and stung its burgundy skin.

The Boss screamed, and tried to swipe them away, but there were hundreds of tentacles clinging to its flesh. Its movements became slow and clumsy.

The monster bellowed. Its [Fury] icon flashed, and it stomped toward Loo.

Tom's [Taunt] was recharging. His voice caught in his throat. He tried to stand, but his arms were useless and his armored body was heavy.

The Boss's fist ignited as it staggered toward Loo.

"NOOO! Come get me!" Tom shouted at it.

Amber swerved behind the monster. She kept low, and swiped her Daggers through its Achilles tendons.

The Boss's screech was deafening. One floppy foot snagged on a stalagmite, and it smashed into the ground. More jellyfish descended, and the creature thrashed and rolled, hacking its own skin in its pain and desperation.

Hana added some of her spells to the melee. She buckled, fell to the ground, and vomited.

The [Summon Mana Jellyfish] spell dissipated.

The Boss was covered in cuts and swollen red welts. Still, he tried to stand; his useless feet crumpled, and it flopped onto its stomach. The exertion pushed more blood through the countless lacerations in its flesh. Its health bar drained.

The creature's back had been ravaged by Hana's sickness spells. Patches of its skin were black and infected, and lumpy mucus oozed down its spine. It took shallow, panting breaths through its many mouths.

The Boss's health bar plummeted. It took its final rattling breath.

A hush fell over them.

Tom's heartbeat was erratic. His breath came in ragged gasps, and each inhale tasted of dust and blood.

Everyone who was still standing sagged onto the floor.

Cold clarity washed over Tom.

Holy shit. It's dead.

His pulse slowed. The life-saving adrenaline seeped away, and the marrow-deep aches replaced it.

Tom didn't try to stand. His legs trembled, and his arms were useless meat batons. The ground swayed like a ship on stormy seas. Exhaustion rose from his core and settled in his bones.

Tom's [Pain Management] ability drained away. His torn arms and sliced chest screamed for attention. He shuffled toward Kate and Chloe, who were sprawled out on the Dungeon's floor.

Even this effort was too much. The cavern spun, and he drifted to the stone floor, struggling to stay conscious.

Tom watched a drop of water trickling down a stalactite above him. There was movement around him, but he concentrated on the droplet. He had to stay awake.

Finn's face appeared above Tom. "They're unconscious, but they're okay." Finn's voice was distorted, like he was underwater. "I only have enough mana for one more heal, and I'm using it on you."

"No . . . no. Wait. Let me check on them."

Finn ignored him.

Heat flowed through Tom, and the Dungeon slipped away from him.

*****

Tom's eyes snapped open. He blinked, and looked around.

Finn was beside him; Tom reached for his shoulder, barely registering that he was able to move his arm again.

"Is everyone okay? Chloe? Kate?"

"Everyone is okay."

Tom tentatively flexed each arm. There was a deep throbbing in each of the joints, and the repaired muscles and ligaments felt delicate, but he had his full range of motion on both sides. The deferred pain was ramping up again, but it didn't matter.

They were alive.

Hell, I'm not even going to yell at Amber.

"I don't see any more active damage," Finn said. "You okay, Tom?"

He was far from all right. So many parts of him burned that he couldn't pinpoint which area hurt the most. But they were alive.

"I'm all right, bud. Thanks for the healing, and for looking after everyone. We couldn't have done it without you."

Finn stood. His victorious yell startled Tom.

"LETS GOOOO!" He pumped his fist in the air.

Amber joined in. She jumped up and down, then rushed toward Finn for a celebratory chest bump. They missed, and landed in a heap on the ground. They continued to cheer, and the cheers disintegrated into laughter.

Never mind. I am going to yell at Amber.

The Dungeon Boss disappeared, and a treasure chest crashed to the ground. Tom scanned the cave; Caretaker Epic was nowhere to be found, but there was a second chest glowing in the corner of the room, far from where the Boss had died.

A pedestal slowly rose from the center of the room. A large crystal sparkled on its plinth, like starlight in geometric form.

Tom approached it. He peered at the crystal's glowing surface; nothing seemed deadly or untoward. He shrugged, and placed his hand upon it.

A prompt appeared.

[Would you like to release the wealth of experience points stored within the Dungeon's core, and divide it among your valiant party members?]

Tom couldn't think of any reason not to. He mentally selected 'yes'.

The world froze.

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