The other centipede was indeed still available.

Heavily injured, but not yet deceased. They were far tankier than gremlins, able to stand up to even the dedicated flailing of the remainder of Levi's party.

He stepped in to tame it, and Cen helped hold it down for him. Gordon looked on enviously, as his cynomis squeaked in apparent rage at not being allowed to deal a death blow. Skarm stood back, ready in case something went wrong, but clearly sizing up the centipede for some other purpose.

Regardless of his minion's motives, Levi tamed the second Stone Centipede (which he named Centoo) without any further complications. Now that the fight was over, he brought up his minion overview to see how the newcomers stacked up.

They stacked up very well indeed.

Minions 4 of 4 Name Level Type Strength Psyche Spirit Health Mana Stamina Skarm 3 Horned Gremlin 1 0 2 17/55

(+2/min) 0/0

(+1/min) 16/70

(+3/min) Gremlin Two 4 Horned Gremlin 2 0 2 0/60

(+3/min) 0/0

(+1/min) 0/70

(+3/min) Cen 1 Stone Centipede 1 0 0 4/85

(+2/min) 5/30

(+1/min) 3/70

(+1/min) Centoo 1 Stone Centipede 1 0 0 6/85

(+2/min) 18/30

(+1/min) 12/70

(+1/min)

"Well, there's something."

He spent some time compiling a list of their attribute gains, to discern what their best specialization options would be. He suspected health, given how hard they’d been to damage, and the system proved him right.

Strength: +15 Health, +1 H-Regen Psyche: +5 Mana, +1 M-Regen Spirit: +5 Stamina, +1 S-Regen

15 health per strength point put them as the best tank option Levi could have hoped for at level 1. The disparity between these and the cynomis could hardly be conceived of. The centipedes were superior in every way.

“If you want to unbind the squirrel, you can have one of these,” Levi offered.

Gordon considered the offer, then shook his head. “You keep them for now. But if something better comes along, I call first dibs.”

Levi chuckled, but nodded. There wouldn’t be anything more. Level 1 dungeons would have a maximum of three creature types, and judging by what he’d seen in the Beast dungeon, the Stone Centipedes would be the best of the lot.

He wasn’t going to wait around for Cen and Centoo to recover their health fully, their current regen would take the better part of an hour. But he did plan to rest long enough to get them to 20 or so. He didn’t want to lose them so soon after he’d received them.

Skarm was perched atop Centoo’s head.

"What are you doing?" Levi asked, seating himself on a convenient-height stone block.

Skarm grinned, holding onto Centoo's body with his knees and swiping the air with his claws.

"You want to ride him?" Levi considered, but saw no reason to deny the request. "Centoo, any complaints or concerns you'd like to have on record?"

Centoo did not respond, but sat stoically and unmoving. Only his eyes moved, shifting to look at Levi dispassionately.

"Well, that looks like a 'no complaints' to me. Alright, Skarm, consider yourself promoted to Centipede Rider."

Skarm smirked.

"Yes, I can't wait to see Two's expression either. You've really shown him you don't need a knife to be cool."

Skarm laughed gleefully.

Levi leaned against the stone block, surveying the party. They'd doubled in number since entering this dungeon, and if all went to plan their numbers would only continue to increase.

"Speaking of increasing numbers, did you level from that fight?" Levi asked.

Gordon shook his head. "I don't think taming creatures counts for experience."

"Seems not. Well, there'll be plenty more opportunities to level." Levi fell silent a moment, then asked, "Are you sure you don't want to trade out the little furball for something beefier?"

"My first minion, you understand." Gordon looked at Skarm pointedly.

"Which is why it would be best to get rid of it now before you get too attached to it."

"?" Skarm squeaked in protest, staring at Levi with alarm.

"That's not what I meant," Levi said. "I'm sure we'll be able to evolve you into a fierce little skirmisher before the end. But I know there are better options than the furball."

Skarm relaxed and nodded agreement, patting the side of Centoo.

"Wow, everyone ganging up on me, I see how it is." Gordon picked up his cynomis and put it back on his shoulder. "Just for that, I'm going to keep Flomper around forever."

Levi winced internally at the reminder of the creature's horrible name. But he knew better than to bring it up again. Some people would hold that kind of thing over you forever if you gave them an inch, and Gordon definitely seemed the type.

"You sure you can't split one of those health drinks around to us all?"

"Yes, I'm sure. There's only one left and I don't have ingredients to replace them myself yet so we're entirely reliant on dungeon treasure rooms for our supply."

"Shouldn't there be a treasure room soon?"

"Soon, yes, but we can't assume anything."

They continued to rest for several minutes before their peaceful interlude was interrupted by the arrival of another gang of cynomis burrowers launching themselves at the party from the various stone blocks. Levi shouted a warning and leapt into action, slamming one out of the air with a fist, only for it to dive back into the floor and vanish from sight.

"This is your moment, Flomper!" Gordon tossed his cynomis to the ground. "Go get them!"

"That's not a good id—"

Too late. The cynomis had already disappeared into the floor, swimming through the stone and out of sight.

"Why not?"

"Because there are at least three of them and only one of him."

"Her."

"Dungeon creatures don't have a sex, that's normal. You can call it--"

"Her," Gordon insisted, and Levi stopped arguing.

The cynomis returned a minute later, dragging a struggling and scratching foe along behind her. Or else she was struggling and scratching and chasing an enemy cynomis out into the open. Levi couldn't quite tell.

Gordon had no such difficulties. He slammed his sword down, skewering one cynomis, then snatched up the other and held it close to his chest. It seemed to be seriously injured, as Levi would have expected of sending a lone scout into enemy territory.

"Okay, so maybe we won't do that again," Gordon told his burrower. "I'm sorry you had to endure that." He turned to Levi, eyes desperate. "Can I please have a healing potion?"

"I don't think you need to be so worried about it. She'll survive."

Gordon shook his head. "Her health is steadily dropping. I need to do something!"

Levi huffed out a breath. "I told you not to send her in alone."

"Not before I'd already done it. Please?"

"You should ask me first, next time you have a bright idea like that."

By all rights, he should just let the fluffy rat die. There were more cynomis around. It would be easier to replace the fur-ball than their last healing elixir.

But Gordon had done so much for him, without asking for anything in return.

Levi passed him the potion, then resumed his alert guard stance. They'd dealt with one of the burrowers, but there were bound to be more.

Another came up behind Cen, pouncing on the centipede's tail and biting in. Cen immediately reacted, flopping and slamming the furry creature into the stone block nearest him. Unlike Levi, the cynomis was only level 1 and a frail level 1 at that. Two quick smacks from Cen's flexible body were enough to dislodge the cynomis, and then the centipede tore the hapless furball apart with a dozen of his sharp claws.

The third cynomis took much longer to show itself, but finally dove at Levi himself.

That mistake earned it a sword through the face, and a one-way trip to Centoo's mandibles to finish it off.

"Here," Gordon said, offering the half-used health restorative back to Levi once the action died down. "You can save the rest for later."

"It doesn't work like that. Once exposed to air, it will degrade quickly. But I can put it to use." He poured half the remaining liquid down Cen's throat, the rest for Centoo. It didn't bring them back to full, but they were both above 30 now. That would be good enough. He wasn't comfortable having them almost dead, but this would be enough to get moving with.

"Thanks," Gordon said, patting his cynomis guiltily. "I'm sorry we had to waste the potion."

Levi sighed in resignation. "There will be more potions. There's only one... Flomper."