Mathew, Leo, Zack, Airman Brown, Captain Henderson, and Damien walked through the base gates back outside for another day of battle.

“I still think it’s crazy how our lives have changed in just a month.” Damien said.

“Believe it kid,” Henderson said, drawing her sword. “It’s our new future.”

“I mean, we fight wolves, bears, and a couple bobcats multiple times a week. How have we not gone crazy yet?”

“You have a warriors heart that’s why.” Henderson said with a smile. “Honestly it’s kind of fun, way better than fighting other people. Less feeling of guilt, unless you are vegan or an animal rights activist.”

“I still think they are stupid.” Leo said. “They are literal monsters, they have no rights to share this planet with us.”

Mathew also agreed. “Legally, they have less rights for being an endangerment to mankind. If Smokey The Bear didn’t try to kill us with it’s larger than average sized maw, I might enjoy having a base mascot around.”

Brown chuckled. “Who needs a bear, when we have Zack.”

“Har har.” Zack said and stuck his tongue out at Airman Brown. “Next time, I might accidentally let a wolf eat your arm for an extra second or two. See who the fluffy mascot is then.”

“Easy guys.” Henderson said. “No jokes about letting people get hurt. We are a team, let’s act like it please.”

Damien ran ahead to find something for them to fight. They decided to head toward the Dungeon portal to scout the area.

“To think,” Brown said. “Less than a month until that thing opens. I would be a liar if I said I wasn’t a little bit worried.”

“We will be fine. Worst case we stay inside the base perimeter. We have guards for a reason, and recently acquired enough currency for everyone to have a gun that works, or wants a fancier one, or even staves.” Henderson paused for a moment. “Damn, that feels weird to say.”

“Could be worse, at least there are no dragons.”

“Yet!” Zack exclaimed.

“I think we don’t want dragons Zack. You said they can destroy cities with a flick of their claws.” Mathew said.

“But it would be cool!”

“I think he just wants to fuck one.” Brown said. “I’ve been around a few of the nerds. They make me feel gross hearing how they talk about interracial marrages and families with some of the fantasy races they hope are now real.”

“We have enough problems with humans and their skin colors.” Leo said. “You think people are just going to be fine with dwarves, elves, and gnomes?”

“It’ll be fine. We have years before we need to worry about new world politics and deciding which races are equal to humans. Right now we have wolves to kill.” Henderson said.

At that moment Damien’s voice came out of the radio. “Got four furry friends you all get to meet, plus one big papa wolf.”

“An Alpha?” Henderson asked with a bit of worry.

“Looks like it. Should I back off?” Damien asked.

Henderson looked at everyone. “What do you think, want a round 2 with these guys?”

Leo smiled and racked his shotgun. “I’ve always wanted to see what one looks like since Mathew and you guys last fought one.”

Mathew was hesitant. “I don’t know. If we fight, I want to be sure we can win.”

“Oh come on Matty.” Zack said. “Where is that overconfidence you had with the Dungeon?”

“That’s different. I imagine the Dungeon to be unprepared, these are wild wolves who are prepared.” Mathew looked up at his floating summoned companion. “Fine, we can do it, but I’m getting in a tree this time.”

Everyone nodded and started to find a tree Mathew could hide in. Since he was purely a ranged fighter, minus his knives, they chose to fight so he can aim over everyone. Less risk of him hitting someone by accident.

“Alrighty Damien, ferry them to us, don’t let the Alpha get you please.” Henderson ordered.

It was only a handful of minutes before the sound of Damien’s feet on the forest floor sounded. “Shit! Big guy is fast!”

Right behind Damien was a large Alpha Wolf. Mathew gulped and readied his staff to start firing once in range. Henderson raised her sword in a two handed grip and let out a war cry. “Come on Spot, Mama wants a round 2!”

“Dude, that just sounded wrong.” Zack said, shaking his head.

“Sorry, it was the first thing that came to my mind.” Henderson said just as Damien flew past her.

She swung her sword and activated her ability [Power Attack] slicing along the side of the Alpha, while Zack knocked it to the ground.

The wolf slid along, receiving blasts from both Leo’s shotgun, and Mathew’s two attacks.

Damien ran behind the tree Mathew was hiding in, and pulled out a crossbow. “Four more coming!” he shouted.

“Zack and Leo on the Alpha! Damien, Mathew, and Brown with me on the little ones. Don’t let me get swarmed!”

Mathew moved his focus from the Alpha to where four gray wolves were bolting through the forest line toward Captain Henderson. He started to fire at the far right one, landing six attacks total before it collapsed to the ground, never having a chance of reaching its prey.

A moment later, Henderson was swarmed with the three wolves. Damien shot his crossbow, landing powerful attacks, but nothing at the speed Mathew and Brown could fire at. Brown chose to stick with handguns, and remain a healer primarily casting his spell [Heal Ally] when he saw someone needed it. For this fight, it was primarily Captain Henderson who needed it, and occasionally Zack.

Damien had no abilities or spells to help with the fight, but he recently acquired the Skill from using his crossbow which improved his skill with it like everyone else with a weapon based skill.

Two more shotgun bursts were heard from Leo’s gun. Now empty, he swapped to his axe. Zack also wielded an axe, but was too focused on stopping the Alpha from harming him or Leo, so he put all his focus on using his shield.

The two were able to mitigate serious injuries having been paired up like this multiple times. Zack’s points were focused on Constitution and Endurance, allowing him to take hits that would otherwise wipe out others in the party, with the exception of Henderson possibly.

Leo on the other hand, had great focus, and kept dealing attacks on the Alpha when it lunged forward to attack Zack.

Mathew mentally commanded his wisp to fire again at one of the wolves going around to bite at Henderson’s legs. It landed it’s cold blast on its face, making it wince away. Henderson did her best to keep the beasts away from her, by swinging her large sword back and forth. When able, she would step forward and slice open their legs or body. However, for every attack she dealt, one of the wolves was able to sneak one in on her.

Airman Brown was a cornerstone to how they fought. His healing insured nobody went down or bled out in fights. Damien was right next to him, and the entire team slowly started to win the encounter.

Once the second wolf died, Henderson went on the full offensive. The Alpha noticed another of it’s kind was killed, and rushed to attack her. Mathew noticed this, and changed his barrage onto it. The alternating attacks combined with Leo made them a force to not be ignored for the wolf. He started to run away howling into the air.

“Don’t chase it! Stick together and help me finish these last two.” Henderson called out.

It was only a moment later before two more wolf corpses were on the ground. Damien walked over and looked toward where the Alpha ran away to. “Anyone else have the feeling that we need to start running away from here, and fast?”

Leo and Brown were patching everyone else up who were in the melee. Zack looked over at him. “Yea, that was weird. Why did it run off like that?”

Mathew grunted as he jumped onto the ground. “Survival. It knew it was going to die, so it ran to live. Most animals do that. The fact the smaller ones didn’t was the weird part.”

Mathew saw the blux box appear in his face, showing the four wolves they fought were all Level 5 and 6.

“That Alpha had to be at least Level 9, maybe even 10.” Zack said. “If it was Level 5 like the last one you all fought, then it would be dead from all our attacks.”

“Anyone else Level up? I did.” Leo said, now Level 7.

A few others did, including Mathew. Putting him at Level 9. “Another day of good fights, and I can be Level 10.”

“Same with me.” Henderson said. “I know for a fact I am right behind you Mathew. Which means if we kill that Alpha and a few more wolves, we are easily Level 10.”

Mathew looked toward where the wolf went. “I think we should chase it.”

“That’s greed talking right there.” Damien said.

Leo looked at Mathew. “We should at least see where it went, maybe we can find where the wolves are coming from. Put a stop to them if we clear out their den. Does that sound right to you Zack?”

He frowned at Leo. “I’m not a wolf expert, why would I know that?”

“You always know how game mechanics work though! How is this different?”

Zack sighed. “If we had a quest to do it, It wouldn’t last forever, since they would respawn in time for another player to do the quest. Unless these are tabletop rules, in which case yes, the wolves would stay dead. That’s if there is only one den though.”

“Which one is more life-like?” Damien asked.

“Tabletop.” Zack said in defeat.

“See? Expert.” Leo said. “I’m down to do it, I want to reach Level 10 soon as well. I don't’ want to be stuck to this base forever, no offense Captain Henderson.”

“None taken, I don’t want you here either.” She said with a smile. “We put it to a vote, if you want to go after the Alpha, raise your hand.”

Mathew, Leo, and Henderson raised their hands. A few moments later Zack did as well. “Fuck it, if we are going to try and get stronger, might as well do it while the enemy is weak.”

Soon the group was walking toward where the wolf ran away. It was in the same direction as the Dungeon, so they would have gone this way anyways. Just a few moments later, they were near the start of the hiking trail.

Henderson knelt down on the ground. “Blood still goes this way.”

“Anyone else find it odd that the wolf went to the same area near the creepy dungeon?” Brown asked.

Mathew’s eyes widened at what that could imply. “Leo, I think we all should leave. Now.”

“Oh now you want to leave?” Damien asked. “Not before we came all the way out here.”

Leo was confused. “What do you mean? The Dungeon is still -oh fucking christ on a stick.”

“Nope, the religious man took his god's name in vain. I’m out.” Brown said. “Don’t need a reason, let’s go.”

Henderson was confused. “What are you two talking about?”

“Remember the Undead Minions Mathew and I fought at night when The System showed up? It was in a building where a green portal like that Infernal one was. You know, the one that recently was found to be an Undead themed Dungeon? If this one is an Infernal one, and has wolves near it, what do you think that means?” Leo said.

Henderson didn’t take but a moment. “Shit, then why haven't we seen any Infernal wolves yet?”

A piercing howl cut through the air, causing everyone to turn toward the trail. Standing there was the Alpha Wolf they fought earlier, along with two other equally large red wolves.

Damien used his skill as everyone readied themselves for a fight. “It says they are Infernal Wolves!”