The right tunnel was as long and plain as the one we just left. Every few minutes, we paused, and John tried his flashlight again. But it was more of the same. Without much else to do, I ran my fingers along the wall, practicing my ideal. It was a strange sensation, like trying to understand how clay would move before you pushed it. After about ten minutes, we got our first hint that things were changing. When John next used his flashlight, we saw something reflecting back along the wall. Darkened industrial lights hung on the side of the tunnel. The kind that was encased with glass and wireframes to protect them. Thick wiring ropes dangled between them and continued into the depths.

I approached a light and tapped the thick glass. “I wonder if they still work?” I asked no one in particular.

“I’m not sure, replied John, “but it does seem kind of odd. Why would these be here, now?”

We slowed our pace as we kept following the path. I should have been more cautious, but my attention was elsewhere as I practiced my ideal of earth. Every time my foot struck stone, I felt the earth reverberate through my step. And with each step, I could feel more. As I focused on the new sensation, I felt the difference before I saw it. A passage opened to the left. Square and wide enough for only one person.

I paused, which caused everyone else to stop. Darla grunted as she bumped into John. Noah bumped into Darla. Koko kept walking, then turned back and looked expectantly. Even though it was still too far away to see in the pale green light, I lifted my finger and pointed at the passage.

“John,” I said, “use your light over there.”

“What is it, daddy?” Noah asked.

“I’m not sure,” I replied.

John flicked on his under-barrel light. The soft yellow glow of it caught the edge of a hallway cut into the stone sewer tunnel. We saw a narrow tunnel cut into the stone wall with three short steps as we approached.

“How did you know that was there?” Darla asked.

“I dunno,” I replied with a shrug, “I just kind of felt it. I’ve been practicing my ideal. It really is interesting. I suggest picking one up when you can.”

“Can I have an ideal too?” Asked Noah.

“We will talk ‘bout it later, okay?” I answered.

We crossed over the rickety grating to the other side of the sewer tunnel. John kept his light on the entrance to the side passage. The industrial lights were set on either side of the opening, and thick wires crept from them like vines. When the light shined down the tunnel, it landed on a large military green box that took up the entire wall. Dozens of wires ran out of ports from the box. Off to the side was a gear-shaped mechanism with a hole in it.

Daria walked up to it and ran her hands along the metal box. “Looks like an electrical cabinet,” she said. “And this looks like where the power switch would go. But I think it missing something. If we can get whatever is supposed to go here, it will switch on these lights. These wires should lead somewhere, right?”

We looked at the box and came to the same general consensus. So we headed back out to the main tunnel. We kept to our usual routine and often checked with John’s flashlight. It took another five minutes of walking before something changed. When we next stopped, and John used his light, something new reflected back from down the tunnel. Round and seeming to move with the light, it was like an ominous eye staring back at me. My knuckles tightened around my hammer as we slowly crept forward, and John kept his light on it the entire time.

As we inched closer, the object came into view. A large glass porthole was set into a sturdy wooden door. The glass was smoky and scratched like you would find in old industrial sites. It was encircled with dull brass and bolted into the door. Despite reminding me of a porthole, it oddly fit the aesthetics of the sewer.

“The door out?” I said with hope.

“Should we look through it?” Darla asked.

Eve popped up again. And after unmuting, she started to rattle off reasonably relevant information. “This looks like the door to the boss room,” she said. “The creatures won’t attack you unless you open or otherwise breach the door. But they could also prepare for you if you make your presence obvious. But just being rats, you might as well have a look.”

John held his flashlight to the glass and peered into the next room. “It is pitch black in there,” he said. “But I think there are more of those wall lights in there. Big room, I can’t even see the edges. But the ground is alive with rodents. It looks flooded, except for this tall pile of junk in the middle.”

“I want to look,” Noah said with a whine.

“Okay, okay,” I replied, “just a second.” I picked up Noah and held him beside John so he could look in.

“There’s something big on the throne!” Noah said excitedly.

“What throne?” Asked John.

“The one in the middle,” Noah replied. “On top of the hill.”

“I don’t see anything,” John said. “You’ve got really good eyes.”

“So it sounds like we need to find a way to turn on the lights before we go in there,” Darla said.

Eve appeared on top of the brass molding, her legs dangled down over the window. “That is a common feature in dungeons,” she said. “Often, there will be things you can do to improve your odds with the boss battle. But you will need to overcome other obstacles first. And I think your observations are correct. Get the power on, and you can see well enough to fight. So the question is do you want to explore further or try to fight the boss now?”

There is no way to prevent getting overrun by the swarm of rats, and with only one flashlight, it would be impossible to see everything. After a brief discussion, we decided to head back and look for a way to turn the power on. Fighting in the dark just didn’t seem possible. The door was too big, and there were just too many of them. I made a mental note for next time; bring flashlights. And nose plugs. And earplugs.

Knowing the coast was clear, we headed back to the junction quickly. I ran my hand along the stone I carved the ‘1’ into earlier. Then on the wall to the other tunnel entrance, I tried again. I felt the connection flowing through me, and I dug my finger into the stone and carved the number two. It was like sinking my finger into wet clay. Only it wasn’t wet. And I got sand under my fingernail.

We proceeded down the left hallway like we did the right, pausing every few moments to use the flashlight. Then, like before, I felt an opening. But this time, it was at the end of the hall, not off to the side. There were steps leading up to another level. Between the stairs, a large round pipe poured putrid water into the sewage stream next to us. On the upper level, the floor became a smooth stone path all the way across. We took the opportunity to spread out as we crept onward.

My mind wandered as I practiced my ideal of earth. I was surprised by how we were taking all of this. Today started off as just a typical morning. Then everything was flipped on its ass. Was it really only one day? One day to go from mundane to wandering in the stank of a sewer dungeon. It wouldn’t surprise me that was messing with our brains to keep everyone from freaking the eff out. But I felt strangely exhilarated. After the System, everything was new and exciting, like my ideal. Even the fighting was thrilling, and I reveled in being able to sample my new strength.

I tried to deny my enjoyment and rationalize this as a need to create a safe zone. But happens after we get the safe zone? What was a safe zone anyways? I knew some of the benefits. But I think there must be more to it than that. There had to be a drawback. There was always a drawback.

I didn’t know if it would be worth the potential trouble. But, if Noah could sleep soundly without the worry of attack, I guess it would be. And what I really needed now was a nice long rest and a shower. Maybe two showers. Then I could have time to collect my thoughts about all this. And worry about tomorrow. Worry about the dead or missing. And how to keep our way of life. Would there be electricity and hot water tomorrow? Would there be food? Sure, those were tomorrow’s problems, but tomorrow was inevitable. Surviving the day after was not.

Suddenly my mind sharpened as new echoes came back from my ideal. I felt the familiar scraping and scratching of claws upon stone. But there was more. I could almost see the vibrations of hundreds of small feet as they walked against the floor. I stopped and lifted my hand up, then ushered everyone back.

“There’s room up ahead,” I said in a whisper. “It feels like it has the same layout as the boss room. And it’s filled with those sewer rats. Dire rats. Whatever. Like the boss room, the entrance is wide. We will have to worry about being overwhelmed by the little buggers again. We’d need to set up another barricade to bunch up the rodents.”

“Could we use some of the gratings to set up something to funnel them?” Asked Darla after a pause.

“I knew she was the smart one,” Eve retorted.

“But wouldn’t the grates just fall over?” John asked.

“Joseph can use his ideal to secure set the grating into the stone,” Eve said. “If he gets it set deep enough, there’s no way they will move.”

It was a pretty good idea that Darla had. So I went back down to the lower level and pulled up one of the metal grates that crossed the sewage stream. It wasn’t as heavy as I had anticipated. Still, I was sweating rivers by the time I returned.

“So, um, why didn’t you just put that into your inventory?” Eve asked as she floated by.

“Because screw you, that’s why,” I grunted in reply.

“I’ll go get another one,” John said.

I asked the stone to soften as I pressed down on the grating. At first, nothing happened, then slowly, the grate sank into the rock. Then I tried to be more forceful in my command, which worked even better. My head started to pound as I set the final grate. They were set up in a ‘V’ shape, with the narrow end pointed towards us. I left a gap at the point just big enough to fit a few ROUSs.

“That was an excellent idea, Darla,” I said. “I think it should work even better than before. So long as y’all don’t shoot me in the back when I go to take a swing.” This was all Darla’s idea, after all, and that is what I chose to believe.

John came up and shook the grates. They didn’t budge. “I don’t understand how you can change the rock like that,” he said. “Is there anything else you can do? Maybe seal this tunnel completely with stone?”

“I just sort of asked the stone to soften,” I said. “I don’t think I can do anything as big as the tunnel.”

“Still, that is really cool,” John said. “I wish I could do that.”

“It’s the idea of earth,” Eve said, “and he has an affinity for it. You could do it too. If you unlocked it and practiced enough. Although it would take you longer. But, you might have an affinity for a more complicated ideal that will show up later as you interact more with Harmony.”

“But why does John have an affinity with earth?” Asked Darla.

“Because he’s a stick in the mud,” Eve replied.

“Hardee har har,” I replied while swiping my hand through the space Eve virtually occupied.

John looked at the gap in the barricade. “So are you going to go down and get the beast's attention, then run back here?” He asked.

I looked down the long tunnel cast in green shadows. “I really don’t want to,” I said. “Those little buggers are fast. I don’t think I’d be able to outrun them. Just depends on how far away I can be when I get their attention.” I glanced back at the group. “I’ll try it. Just don’t shoot me.”

“Koko is the fastest,” Noah said.

“She is, son,” I replied, “but I don’t think she understands what we are trying to do.”

“You want the rats to chase you here?” Noah asked. “Koko can do that, right Koko?”

To my amazement, Koko let out a little yap, then walked through the hole in the barricade. She gave us a quick look before running down the tunnel. Soon she was wrapped only in greenish shadows before we lost sight of her completely. Moments later and I could hear barking echo down the tunnel. Then Koko rushed through the gap in the barrier and took up her position beside Noah. Then the screech of rats filled the hall. The horde had given chase.