Gem expected chaos akin to the first group that ran his dungeon. He expected Sakir and Helgi to run off in opposite directions as Baldur chased them, or left them to their own devices.

But instead, Helgi tossed a single heal towards Sakir and stepped forward, towards his tank. When the mobs were within range of the Druid’s claws, he took a swipe at the two Plantlings, and they refocused their attention on him.

“Next!”

Helgi stepped back, and now Sakir stepped forward. Her steps were a little more hobbled, since the Plantlings were playing with the hem of her robes, as if trying to hold her back. But she didn’t even swipe at them with her staff, or summon Corruption orbs to fend them off.

Baldur picked those up, too.

“You’ll have to do better than that, dungeon!”

His attacks resumed, and Gem could see his swipes increase in speed as the mobs rained damage down on him.

“Care, Baldur,” Helgi said in a soft tone. “Do not invoke the dungeon’s wrath.”

The Druid laughed, dark and deep. “Let it not invoke my wrath!”

But the Sage was unswayed. “Remember. Deep breaths. Do not let the rage dictate your actions.”

Baldur’s claws still raked through the mobs before him at speeds that seemed impossible. His face shuddered, however, and the Druid seemed to fight with himself. Even the rise and fall of his chest seemed to slow, as if his rage weren’t forcing the air in and out of his lungs at an increased tempo.

“You’re right,” he said finally in a rumbling voice. “I need to gain control of this ability before Copper One.” A pained look crossed his face. “It’ll destroy me.”

“Nah, we’ll be right here to smack some sense into you.” Ata’s grin was infectious. “Even if it takes every trick we’ve got!”

Poulsen rolled his eyes. “Ata, in your own words, get a room.”

“We’re in a room! Does that count?” The Rogue’s leer stretched her grin even further. “Maybe if you just left for a moment…”

“Enough,” Baldur said in a firm tone. “Bird first. Let’s finish this.”

When the others returned their attention to the Goosalope, the Druid added under his breath: “forgive me dungeon; let my rage not fuel your own.”

“No.” Chesu’s simple denial was harsh, almost spat. His next words were softer. “People have suspicions. Hunches. Tales of someone’s grandmother’s grandmother who heard a dungeon speak once. But they can never have those ideas confirmed. If one of them is an Issy and ends up off Sleyn? They could tell the universe. The cosmos. And that would do dangerous things.”

Gem wasn’t following.

The wisp fluttered off Gem’s core, his wings moving rapidly. “Adventurers don’t all have the best intentions at heart. Some of them seek Dungeon Cores out to destroy them. Not because they think they are sentient beings, but because they want the experience and potential loot within. Or perhaps they’re playing some political game and want to take the dungeon away from another faction. Some even realize that dungeons contain things, hold back an unknowable darkness, and they want that being unleashed. Not everyone is content to just delve into your halls and plunder the paltry drops you wish to give them.”

A coldness wound its way through Gem’s core. His enemy was the Ostrum, and he thought he and the adventurers would be together in fighting that common enemy. But what if Chesu was right? What if someone had malice in their heart and instead wanted him dead?

The wisp’s wings stopped moving and he slumped to the top of Gem’s core again. “I don’t know, kid. I hope not. The Ostrum are sort of a special case. A destroy-the-world level threat that’s been going on for this long means most people are on board with getting rid of them. It helps that the Ostrum forces can’t communicate with the adventurers, however. Could you imagine if they were true demons or devils? Just spreading lies and causing mayhem because they could? It would be a nightmare to rally a large force to your side. Lies have a way of swaying those who cannot think logically for themselves.”

Chesu made a soft sound of agreement, but he returned his gaze to the fight downstairs. “It’s wrapping up. I wonder if they’ll take on the boss?”

Gem sent the wisp an image of a shrugging core.

“—ARGH!”

The shout floated up the stairs. It was nearly as loud as Baldur’s howls, but had nowhere near the dungeon-shaking depth.

Gem quickly shifted his vision to the second room of his dungeon. The Goosalope had been dealt with, and the Plantlings were all in pieces. Mob Hearts were shattered into uncollected smatterings of loot.

The group had turned to bring the fight to the Skunkupine, but Sakir had taken a tumble. She was sprawled out next to the Cicadossum’s slumbering form, her hands wrapped around her ankle.

“Are you alright?” Baldur asked, even as his claws reached for the Skunkupine. The creature didn’t try to disengage so it could continue its ranged attacks, and instead started swiping at the tank with its tail.

“Fine,” the Corruption Enchanter hissed. “It’s just my ankle.”

“Helgi, heal her. I’m fine.”

The Sage shook his head. “I cannot. My magic will not work on sprains or breaks not suffered at the hands of a mob.”

“But she tripped over the stupid bug thing!” Ata flipped a braid over her shoulder. “Doesn’t that count?”

Helgi did not answer, but he squatted down next to Sakir.

“Are you alright?” His words were so quiet that Sakir had to lean forward to hear them, but Gem could hear them crisply.

“I’ll be fine. It’s just a sprain.” She flexed her foot as if to prove that point, and then winced with a hiss at the pain. “Hurts is all.”

Helgi nodded and then motioned at something Gem couldn’t see. “Your hit points are full, so there’s nothing I can do within the laws of the system. However, I could wrap it in some cloth to make moving easier.”

The Enchanter looked to the others. They were making short work of the Skunkupine as it was a Ranged Mob and not a Tank Mob. Sakir nodded sharply. “Let’s do it. I will not be more of a burden than I already am.”

“No one thinks you’re a burden.” The Sage opened a pouch on his hip and removed a length of cloth. “Now. Let me see that ankle.”

As the Sage wrapped the injury, the rest of the party finished off the remaining mobs. Sakir was certain to cast her enchantment on Baldur’s claws when the time came, and Feign Death was removed prematurely.

After the mobs were dead and whatever loot was collected and divided up, the group took time to rest. Not just for Sakir’s sake, but for Helgi’s mana. And also to let Baldur’s rage reset, it seemed. The longer they sat, the more tension leaked out of the giant Druid’s body, and eventually he was talking and joking with his companions.

“We should decide if we’re continuing,” Helgi said finally as he put away the remainder of his cloth. “No one has attempted this boss that we know of. We could be running into something we cannot take.”

The Sage’s words had a sobering effect and everyone grew sullen.

“He’s right.” Ata played with one of her long braids, twirling it around her arm. “We should have a plan.”

“Escape or attack?” Poulsen asked.

“Why not both?” Ata asked with an innocent shrug. She grinned after a moment. “Always better to have more plans than you need.”

Gem let the conversation fade to the background. He turned his attention to Chesu, who was intently watching the vision swirling in Gem’s core.

“Of course, kid. You control the parameters of the fight; your mobs just do whatever you tell them. It’s simple: the more vague you are with your instructions, the more liberties they’ll take. If you give them very explicit instructions, they’ll only do those things when a situation arises.”

“In most situations, I’d say no. You don’t get much benefit from people testing your Boss’s meddle and then giving up. But you stand to gain a lot if they wipe or only some of them escape.” The wisp’s face took on a grimace. “But we’re sort of under pressure here. If these adventurers die, how many more are there to replace them? Will we have enough to storm the surface?”

Gem hated to think of it. He wasn’t strictly opposed to killing adventurers, and he realized there were massive benefits from him doing so. His lack of levels since that first party’s death was proof enough.

“If you want to give Magi some new orders, you should make it something simple. Maybe… tell him he’s not allowed to leave his room. As long as you don’t shut the door behind the adventurers, they’ll be able to leave and then recover.”

Chesu tipped a knowing wink in Gem’s direction. “Let them try. Bosses regain hit points outside of combat, just like adventurers regain mana. They’ll find themselves facing a fresh Boss Mob every time, and Magi will grow quite cross. Might even enrage, if he gets irritated enough.”

Gem wanted to ask some questions about that, but the group below were starting to pull themselves to their feet. If he wanted to change Magi’s instructions, he’d need to do it now.