Can someone please explain to me why, just why, I never get to revel in my victories? Every freaking time I eke out a hard earned win, some dumb crap pops up. I fall asleep or get knocked out, or, as it looks to be in this case, someone comes in to rain on my parade. I didn’t quite catch what they said either, but it didn’t sound pleasant.

  I lowered my celebratory fist down and rubbed my face, which kind of hurt. My whole body hurts, actually. Couldn’t get sent to a world where I healed off leveling. I mean come on, I just leveled up like four or five times. But nope, no I get—

  My stomach roared, cutting off the thought. It was the first time in what felt like forever since it's happened. But I guess even my stomach understands that it's finally over. My eyes wandered over to the giant lizard carcass. Wonder if boss meat tastes good. It has to, right? I shook my head, bad move when you're low on health, I just learned.

  I finally raised my woozy head to search for whoever spoke. A multitude of green vines slithered through the cracks and holes in the ceiling, enough to put the Amazon to shame. The holes widened as the vines pushed themselves through, a few twirled downward; thorns poked out of the sides, creating a sort of spiral staircase.

  Not exactly who I wanted to celebrate with, but beggars and all that right. I tried to stand up, but intense wounds on my back and arms stopped me. I looked down at my mucus covered arm. I sighed and shifted out of Salamandras form, thankfully no problems this time. The mucus on my forearm melted away, revealing the gnarled flesh underneath it. Probably should have left it. Eh, a meal and a nice long nap is all I need.

  Lirae walked down the spiral vine case(?). Once she got to the bottom, her eyes rested on the carcass of the huge Gexen. She looked over to me with an unreadable expression. She snorted, turning back to the boss and flicking her wrist towards it. Several of her vines twisted together and smacked the boss’s body. The thorns tore through the flesh of the beast, leaving behind some in its hide. Some blood leaked out. Not much, mind you, it lost the majority during our bout.

  Her vines whipped and sliced all around the body. I wasn’t sure why, maybe there was a double tap policy on boss’s, make sure they’re truly dead and all that. But as she mangled the corpse of the great pale lizard, I recalled the strange thought that invaded my mind just before it died. It's glazed over eyes bore into my own. It almost sounded like it spoke to me. No way. It had to just be my overactive imagination. Or the blood loss. Bit of both, maybe.

  Yet for some odd reason, as Lirae desecrated the corpse, I felt something for it. Pity. But why? It killed who knows how many soldiers. It almost killed me, for chrissakes. Yet the feeling sat in my stomach all the same.

  Lirae clenched her fist and the vines wrapped around it, squeezing down on the body. She sauntered over to me, with an uneven gait. She favored her right leg.

  I grabbed one of the silver bars behind me and lifted myself up. It was a struggle, but I hid it the best I could. She wasn’t one you showed weakness to. Though I did just beat a boss, maybe that will win me some brownie points. I hope so.

  She stopped just an arm's length away, close enough that I could smell the mixture of sweat and perfume coming off her. She looked tired; the battle must have taken a toll on her. Her one pristine leather armor was covered in cuts and tears. Each of her breaths sounded wheezy and uneven.

  I opened my mouth to say something, but as I did, I looked into her eyes. They burned with anger, hate even. I definitely gained some points with her, just whatever the polar opposite of brownie ones are. A wave of pressure crashed down on my head, I gripped the wall harder. It took all of my remaining strength to keep myself from falling back to the floor.

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  The whole room darkened. I thought I might’ve been passing out, but that wasn’t it. Len’s flames died away, letting the night sky reclaim its territory above this field. Only the moon’s pale light washed along the silver room. Silence pervaded the tower, until Lirae broke it.

  “All of that work, all of this pain, all of my soldiers. Gone. Dead at the hands of that creature.” She clenched her fist down next to my head. A crunch resounded in the room. “And who reaps the rewards? A sniveling feral rat.” She spat.

  Her beautiful face twisted in disgust and as another wave of hate-filled Aura accosted my mind. It felt like the entirety of her hate for Ferals bore down on me.

  “I don’t even know how you got up here, but I can venture a guess. It must have something to do with the Ferals crawling around.”

  I flinched at her words; she wasn’t entirely wrong.

  She grew a twisted, almost maniacal, grin. I hardly recognized her anymore. “I see. Was this the plan all along? Have one of their kind join us and cripple us from the inside. Infect our Legions and destroy us at our weakest?”

  I opened my mouth, but she silenced me with a hard slap. She gripped my chin, her nails digging into my cheeks. “I bet you were expecting praise for this. Praise from the whole of the city. The Feral Wonder boy. The apprentice of the great Leonard Ainsworth single handedly defeated the boss. That’s what you were hoping for.” She motioned her free hand, waving out towards the masses at the bottom of the tower.

  “But I’ve seen through all that. And I will crush you here and now.”

  Terror clutched my heart as she spewed her venomous words. I let the wall go and grabbed her hands, but she just waved her hand at me. Vines crept under her feet before snaking around my body. They wrapped around my arms and forced them to my sides. I flung my head around, searching for something, someone to save me. Len, Jaren, anyone! I tried to scream out, but the vines gagged my mouth.

  “What, searching for a savior? Sorry, I’m the only one who even knows you're up here. Jaren is spent from the fight, most likely searching for Len now that Len’s flames have quelled. It's just you and me.”

  Lirae let my face go, flicking her wrist, commanding the vines to destroy the wall behind me. Once the silver rods of the tower were gone, her vines held me up, outside of the tower now. Cold wind buffeted my face. She smiled.

  “It didn’t work, child. It was never going to work. But I do thank you. You have shown me just how much corruption this city has, all thanks to your ilk. A great reformation must occur.” She looked off in the distance, off toward the city, her face filled with a sick determination.

  “And I must root out all of it, starting with that man. The man who brought you here. Who has tried to undermine me at every step. How that bastard can stand you, after all of what your kind has done, will forever be a mystery to me. What they stole from us can never be forgiven.”

  She stared off into the night sky. “Farewell, you wretched piece of filth.”

  And with another wave of her hand, I fell. The vines kept me completely wrapped up, so I couldn’t even try to stop the descent. All of my forms were exhausted, along with my body itself. My health and stamina both sat at below 10%.

  Everything slowed down as I fell. So many memories filled my head, all from my time on Kniyas. The many days and nights in the wilderness, the training days with Len, the first raid, my days in the city, my trip to the Gloom. All of it flashed in my head over and over again. But all of that was gone. This was the end.

  I closed my eyes.

  I wonder if I’ll get to see Terrence again. Maybe I’ll even meet Tutor. That’d be cool. Finally put a face to the world’s most annoying tutorial.

  Wind whistled in my ears for a moment. It was sort of peaceful, in a morbid way if that makes any sense.

  But then it all stopped. The wind, the sensation of falling, the vines squeezing my body.

  I opened my eyes, only to find a familiar scene. A cream colored landscape, as far as the eye can see.

  I sighed as I laid on the nothingness of the Dark Room, running my fingers along the perfectly smooth ground.

  “Guess I was right.” I said to myself. “Died again.”

  I heard a noise come from behind my head. Footsteps. “Terrence, that you?” I asked without moving.

  “Damn it boy, what have I told you time and time again. Always have an escape plan!”

  I shot up upon hearing the words. I nearly broke my neck as I turned around.

  “GRAMPS!?”