The training went on for a week, with every day making Estaria feel more and more powerful.. Her dexterity was growing in leaps and bounds, and this new “Advanced” training was making it even faster. Her sword was like a light, streaking through the air and bringing death to dummies. She wondered how it would go for a real target. Probably, really badly. Estaria was acutely aware of meetings going on around her, but she didn’t feel like she was someone who was needed. A low-born captain didn’t need to attend now the siege was done. Plus, she had other problems. A few days into moving the bodies, they came across the Warrior-Priest, at the gates. His grim visage marred by multiple fresh scars, and his armour pitted with axe wounds, he died clenching his hammer, and the bodies of Chaos lay all around him.

While he died valiantly, he still died, and it was playing hell on morale. A man like that, being felled by the foul forces of chaos, was seen by many as the foulest omen of what was to come for the Empire as a whole. Added to the fact the Middenhiemers didn’t hesitate to bring up the fact that their warrior priest had survived, and this was an omen of what Southerners could do against the Chaos Horde. Which was a really strange mindset to have, but The Empire really didn’t like itself. She had four men in stocks from fighting with the Middenhiemers, and more were probably going to follow. With no Chaos left to fight, the tension, cultural and religious, between North and South grew to clashing. And Estaria just hoped they could get out of here with an intact regiment.

Fortunately, she had gotten orders this morning to return to Altdorf, and so today was spent gathering the men and preparing for departure. It was hard, as disgruntled soldiers were scattered across the city in less than ready states of being. Still, Borrago and the other sargents took no excuse, and her column was filled by mid-day, with the bruised and hungover vagrants as much as the men who had arrived within the hour, raring to get home and out of this strange, cold place. The march would be slow, and they would be lucky to get out of the immediate surroundings of Middenhiem before night fell. The plan was to return to Altdorf directly, through the road that cut through Drakwald Forest. Of course, that plan didn’t go down well at all due to the infestation of creatures that lingered in Drakwald, but even in these times it was patrolled and guarded. A much better choice than taking the Old North Road to Marienburg and then going to Altdorf from there.

Deciding to try and motivate people, Estaria announced that if they made good time they would camp in one of the fortified inns that were along the forest road. But she wasn’t sure how good it was at that goal because she was distracted by a man standing by the gate with his guard retinue.

“I have heard you name, Captain Zashira, and I thank you for the support you have led to my city. I heard you fought with great passion in the siege. It is women like you that the Empire needs if it is going to survive. The Al-Uric mentioned his desire to see you stay, but this is not ours to decide”

Estaria listened, and felt abashed by the compliments of the one-eyed elector count. She could lead and she could fight, but being called out and brought to the spotlight was something she suffered under.

“Give this letter to those in Altdorf. I would send a runner, but you are heading that way anyway” Borris handed Estaria a letter, who quickly put it in her inventory so it would come to no harm. With that done, he nodded and bid them save travels before returning to the castle proper. Estaria took this opportunity to leave before anyone else tried to come and start anything. Gods, she hoped this whole Ulric business would stay here in Middenheim. She was no hero, no chosen, just a Captain. With, a strange system that made her a superhuman monster…

The march was slow and fortunately uneventful. Camping was equally uneventful, and they met none of the monsters that the forest was famous for in the first few days.

“Excited to see some Beastmen, Borrago?” Estaria asked with a grin on the third day.

“Haha! I know all the best recipes for Beastman! Some Minotaur Steak would put some steel into the spine of these men!” His thunderous boom was heard quite far, and the debate of Minotaur steak and other food made from Beastman sparked into being, with some discussing the taste and the culinary techniques needed, while others pondered the moral and theological impact of such food.

While in camp on the third night, Estaria thought to skim the shop to see what she could ear-mark for later use. There, she saw a collection of keys to what were called “Dungeons”. Drakwald Dungeons. Each key had a rating and were relatively cheap. The S-rank key that promised such good fun, was only 10,000, where as the D-rank was 500. Buying one of every rank, she first took out the D-rank and held it in her hand. A few seconds passed before she got herself a box.

Enter Dungeon? Yes/No

The answer was obvious. She wouldn’t have bought the damn thing if she wasn’t going to enter, so it was exactly what she did and the world turned white for a few moments before depositing her outside a small campfire. A small box popped up in front of her to explain the situations.

Dungeons are localized instances where you face challenges relevant to the location you have entered the dungeon from. Each dungeon has a monster superior to the rest, and larger dungeons can have several. A Dungeon is complete and the rewards given when all the monsters are killed - for smaller dungeons - or the final boss slain - for lager dungeons. Slaying more monsters will grant additional rewards. Monsters respawn if the boss is still alive, to a maximum of 5 times. Wounds gained in the dungeon are healed when you leave, but dying in the dungeon will cause a temporary debuff outside and inside other dungeons, as well as ejecting you without a reward. Escaping a Dungeon can be done at any time, forgoing completion bonus and half the gathered rewards. Fatigue gained in Dungeons is retained.

Having Dungeon keys all the way up to S-rank would let her see the scope and scale of these dungeons. They could be a great source of money and experience if there were good creatures in them, but getting to greedy could lead her to die in the dungeon and lose all the gold. For this one though, she felt far outleveled. White-level mooks and a white level elite as the dungeon boss. A dozen small, hornless creatures braying around the fire while eating something Estaria decided to not look into. One creature, slightly taller with stubby, half-horns, looked over them. Well, she was only here to test this whole thing out. Estaria clicked her fingers, and a cracking bang rang out, the half-horned creature taking a bullet to the head and expiring quickly. The dozen braying creatures looked up, but they were not quick enough to catch Estaria bursting from the bushes with unnatural speed. Driving the Blade of Ulric into the chest of the first creature, she gave a graceful spin and beheaded the second.

In a whirl of motion, a dozen creatures laid dead at her feet. These creatures were hardly worth calling a challenge to anything that wasn’t a farmhand, so it was a poor show of her skill, but did let her understand what was going on inside.

Dungeon complete! 700+150 gold earned. Exitting in 10 seconds

So, no more D-ranks then. Possibly these things were something she was meant to learn of earlier. Or before she got into a massive Horde Battle that gave her some thirteen or so levels. With one final flash, she was back in camp. There was still a few days of marching to go, and it wouldn’t do to go through all of her dungeons in one day, so she decided to try some more tomorrow. Dealing with the men, she got some food and then went to bed.