The rat horde came rushing out of that stupid hole in the wall like a tsunami of Black Death. Seriously, they quickly took over 1 of the rooms and all the squirrels were with me in the crystal room as I prepared them for the battle ahead.

‘Kill all those disgusting rats! Seriously! They smell! They stink! And they reek!’ Roxanne may not be the best military mind, but she was definitely one who could get an idea across.

Step up Max, ‘Alright brothers and sisters, we fight now to rid ourselves of the threat of the Giant Rat race! There will be no quarter given! We fight not just for the sake of our safety but also the safety of our loved ones and for the glory of the squirrel race! We will not be downtrodden any longer! For Kin and Glory!’

Those awesome speech making lessons were definitely paying off, I smiled quite smugly at myself. Now the only problem was that they outnumbered each squirrel 5 to one. Thus it was my turn to flex some of my quartz. I made a wall, about half a meter thick in a large semi-circle in the crystal room. I affectionately called it Greywall and it quickly caught on and soon that was its name. I had checked earlier with Roxanne and naming a wall wouldn’t cause me to pass out into a coma so all was in the clear.

The Rats were in the room closest to the entrance/exit of the cave so the next room after I turned into a cliff room. Which is fancy talk for I piled up soil and rocks and made one half three meters higher than the other half, then made a ramp connecting the two going up the side of the cliff. Roxanne glared a bit at me when I did this because she said it was close to breaking a rule again but I didn’t trigger anything so I guess it was fine. Although she told me that I shouldn’t risk anymore so I left the third room untouched. For now.

What was troubling me was these rats were acting strange. When they burst out of the wall and scared the swordswoman, they were simply running around wildly, nothing strange there. Now though, these rats… they had formed into groups and while one group went out into the forest and brought back food, another had come probing into the cliff room.

The more terrifying thing was, they launched an attack that night killing off the sentries on watch in the cliff room. The only reason we were prepared for them at all was the dungeon map which should a huge mass of red flowing into the third room. Man, so much for the defense of the cliff room, how useless was that?

Max had so far been tasked to increase the defensive power of the huge stone walls that I had placed. He created teams of squirrels to haul large rocks to place on top of the walls. The squirrels didn’t have weapons so he asked me and Rox for advice.

‘Squirrels using weapons? Is that legal?’ Oh Rox, you make my world shine brighter.

‘Regardless of the, uh legal status, it really wouldn’t hurt to get them some pointy things to poke or hard things to bash with. I mean we don’t really have anything apart from the two daggers and sword I came with.’

‘Is there anything you can summon out? You didn’t absorb any iron or anything?’

This was a quandary, we looked at the list of things I could summon out but it wasn’t very long. For the animals, it had all the insects Max had brought in. The ‘Giant Rat’, ‘Squirrel’ and ‘Wolf’ creatures were there but I couldn’t afford to create a wolf. It cost 40 mana, and that was for 1! When we arrived at plant life, I finally saw something promising. A thorn bush, it cost 15 mana but fuck it. My heart bleeds mana…

Thorn Bush – Firethorn has been summoned

The first plant in our dungeon! Kinda feel bad about it since we only summoned it for parts. Also, contrary to the name, it wasn't actually made of fire, that was just its name. I got the squirrel brigade to make themselves some thorny weapons, mostly small thorn daggers and thorny clubs, all squirrel sized. The thorns were incredible though, a good two to three inches long. Max was still holding onto my dagger.

Then I had an epiphany. Sling shots! I was brilliant! I was the best! We had nothing to make the sling part of the sling shot so it was a useless idea but regardless it was a great idea!

‘You truly are an idiot aren’t you,’ my muse, my brilliant partner in crime Rox was a double edged poison sword…

Our preparations didn’t take long, and the rat horde had moved to the entrance of the 4th and final room. This was it… those rats were definitely not normal, they were separated into two large groups on the left and right and between them in the back was a rat that was twice as big as the rest. This must be the Boss Rat.

I was nervous, I was used to fighting but this was playing out like a war. Strategy and not individual skill had the greater impact on the battlefield. Time seemed to slow as I watched the movements of the enemy.

I remember my sister arguing with my best friend back on earth… we were outside a military post, just us three. We were trying to figure out how to burst inside. Force or infiltration. My sister Cadet being an ex-army doc told us explicitly that neither option was going to be great, while Bird was arguing that we should have split up and with one person being violent outside to be a distraction, ie Bird the sword maniac, while Cadet would use her past military background to try and bluff our way in. We managed to screw things up royally and had the whole army chasing after us for a while but we managed the mission. However now, I was in front of another enemy. Another army and I couldn’t run this time. I didn’t have two people to bounce ideas off of unless you counted the military noob Rox or gladiator squirrel… neither of whom had gone through any form of big fight before.

So there we stood 2000 rats, with their boss before Greywall, 400 squirrels armed with daggers and clubs led by Maximus the First. Our first big fight.

The rats made the first move, with a shriek from the Boss Rat, 100 rats from each group, 200 in total rushed towards the walls. The walls were tall, and made or smooth grey stone. They had been built to be taller than a human man, so for these rats, they had to climb quite a ways. The squirrels were pouring water down the sides of the walls to make it more slippery. When the rats had reached halfway, Max gave the signal and a row of rocks was pushed over by teams. It was violently effective, the rocks smashed into the skulls of the rats, knocking them free then continuing on and hitting a few more killing most of the ones that hit. Of the 200, a full, 140 managed to be killed by a single move. Half of the rest had been knocked off and were injured.

Although these rats had proven to be more intelligent that other rats, everything was relative. They didn’t have any tools and they weren’t military geniuses, not that I considered myself to be though. Experience had already taught me not to be conceited.

‘Hahaha! Take that you smelly rats! You’ll think twice the next time you try to attack mwah!’ Of course Rox was under no such restriction.

The key was what the rats would do next.

‘Hey Max, move the next load of rocks in place, in case they try to scale the walls again.’ They hadn’t tried breaking through the gates, probably some instinctual fear or perhaps a sly cunning told the Boss Rat that it would be a bad idea, well he wasn’t wrong, we definitely had a trap waiting for him. Thing is it was a one use trap and we would then have to defend the breach with warm bodies.

The next round of attacks the rats moved 400 individuals, it seemed the Boss Rat was losing a bit of patience. He ordered half to scale the walls and the rest to rush the gate. The rats from the previous attack were still trying to scale the wall as well. Frankly, the attack was a mess.

‘Throw the rocks!’

This time the rocks didn’t kill as many but still, not a single rat was able to make the top of the walls. So far this had been going our way, but that’s the way of it, defenders always have the advantage.

The group rushing the gate was met with a shocking appearance, Max was decked out with my dagger held by both hands. I had cut up a bit of my leather armour and Max had wrapped it around himself to make a crude set of army for himself as well. And after his evolution he towered over these rats like a god of death. The two sides met with a crash, Max was able to kill a rat with almost every swing. After half the rats had been killed, which was around 100 rats, compared to the 40 squirrels that were lost, the rat group broke and ran. Some of the squirrels followed and managed to kill a few more before being reprimanded by Max to not break the line.

It seemed that the last attack had finally enraged the primitive rat commander. He ordered everyone to attack. This was something we had both planned for, as well as dreaded. If our plans and trap worked, we would be able to rout the enemy, but if that didn’t work, it would be a very bitter struggle to win.

As the rats came to the front of the gate, the squirrels retreated, after that there was a rumbling sound. A large boulder had been placed at the top of a ramp within the walled off area and it was now rolling down picking up speed. The rats that had entered the gate tried to scatter to the sides but were fended off by the squirrel defenders.

Countless rats were smashed by the boulder, the floor was wet and slippery with blood. The rat leader seemed to have lost his reason as a blood lust showed in its eyes. It pounced onto a squirrel defender and grabbed its head then bit into its neck. Some of the surrounding squirrels rushed towards the Boss Rat, it was clear they were fearful of it.

The Boss Rat screeched then charged towards the nearest squirrel. It tried haplessly to stab it with his thorn dagger but missed. The squirrel was grabbed by the hands holding the thorn dagger then brought forward into a headbutt, then scratched by the rat’s claws. Another squirrel that came from behind suddenly dropped his dagger as the rat’s long tail wrapped around his neck and slammed him into the ground. The rat then jumped another 2 times leaving 2 or 3 squirrels killed or injured each time. A whirlwind of death flowed towards the squirrels

It was then, that Max arrived to face the Boss Rat.

He was steady, holding the dagger in front of him in both hands, feet moving in measured steps so as to not lose balance. He stood facing a dark grey rat the same size as him, blood dripping from his fangs and his claws.

With a shout, the two rushed towards each other.

My hands were trembling, the dagger heavy in my grasp. As I ran towards that insane looking vile beast, I briefly wondered if this would be my last battle. Yet I would be distracted from this battle. Behind me and all around me were my kin, and ahead of me awaited glory. We were outnumbered, but this was a defense of our home. I know we were gambling on just one thing, that these rats are cowards, and that they'll break if their leader is slain. That is why I had to win at all costs, for my kin and for glory.

The rat swung a claw at my face, trying to scratch out my eyes, I parried with the dagger and with a twist tried to slash his hand. The rat was quick, it pulled back its clawed hands and side stepped, his tail came rushing towards me and hit my abdomen. He used it like a flail. I was pushed back, but I didn’t lose my balance. I chopped down with the dagger and when he dodged to the side I step forward and changed my swing to a diagonal. My aim was his tail from earlier.

‘Scrreeeee…!’ With a horrifying scream, the rat’s tail was cleaved but that seemed to spur the rat into a greater frenzy as it charged towards me, bowling me over. This was bad, I landed on my back and rolled swiftly away. Where I had been I heard the sound of claws on rock and soil as he gouged 2 parallel furrows with his claws. Those claws of his were no less weapons than the dungeon master’s dagger I was using as my sword.

I rose to my feet. This time I thrust, point first. As it dodged, I turned, bringing my tail and swiping his face. The rat’s tail was more muscular that my own, however mine was large and quite fuzzy, something I could use to my advantage by obscuring his vision. I completed my turn, whipping the dagger around viciously and felt it connect! Success, I had bashed into the side of the rat, the blade cracking one of his ribs and tearing a huge slash along his right side. I didn’t stop there, I retracted my blade, thrust and thrust it towards his abdomen. It fell back away from the point of the dagger, I rolled my shoulder pulled the blade back and went for a powerful overhead chop. This time it was too slow, the loss of blood making it weaker and the blade bit deeply into its shoulder.

The ones fighting around me were slowly growing quiet as they were watching us, the two leaders fight.

The rat, now heavily injured, yet still consumed with bloodlust, grabbed the dagger and tried to wrench it from my hands. How could I let it do that? So I kicked out while retracting the blade and got it right in the chest sending it sprawling on the ground. This fight, this fight was over.

The Boss Rat, bleeding and lying on the ground chest heaving looked at me with… hatred or hunger in its eyes.

‘For Kin and Glory,’ I stabbed the dagger right into its chest, through the gap in its chest and straight into its heart. Blood spurted up from the wound and staining my blade as its heart tried keeping it alive. 3 beats. 4 beats. Then with a quiver the rat died.

I glanced at the other rats, who were shivering while looking at me as I was drenched in blood. Even though there was still more than a thousand of them, they were terrified. Without needing an order they all scramble to retreat out the gate. They didn’t stop until they had left the cave and ran out into the forest. Good riddance to those vile vermin.

I then received a message.

Requirements have been met to Evolve.

A special achievement: overcoming a strong enemy using skills and tactics instead of brawn and brute strength

The power of the intelligent races lies in their endless adaptability and their capacity to solve problems

You are now able to evolve in a new species – Beastman species: Squirrel Folk

Do you wish to evolve?

I smiled.

‘Yes.’

A question that I had never asked Alex was where he came from, or what he did before he arrived in this world. It didn’t really matter to me who or what he was. When I found him, lying on the cave floor all those months ago, I could see… that he was an amazing individual. What a lot of people don’t realize is that the actions and decisions you make colour you, change you in subtle ways no matter what. You, as a person are what you have done, the beliefs you hold and act upon as it accumulates through your life. I could see… he had this aura about him. I’m not talking about the skill he unlocked that I’m pretty sure he forgot about the dullard. No I mean I can feel, almost tangibly that he has lived through so much.

Sometimes I catch Alex staring off into the distance, lost in thought. He sometimes speaks of a great mission that he has to do but he says he doesn’t even know how to start. He is such a strange dungeon crystal. I know he is human first but the dungeon crystal is a part of him now. Even without a face, without a body, I can tell what his emotions are, and it’s not through our connection as dungeon and fairy. When he speaks of his mission, I can sense a fire and a mountain. Like a volcano, yet the two elements are separate. A driving passion to finish his mission and a firm rock like resolve to not fail. He is so interesting…

He sometimes tells me stories about him and his friends, and I can hear the sadness from it. There seems to be a big story behind all of that. He mentions his best friend Bird and his sister a lot to me. I don’t think he knows where they are but at the same time, he says he knows they’re alive but I don’t know if he’s just being optimistic. What I do know is I would hate to be the person that stands in his way of trying to find them.

Strength – this determines pure strength and is a measure of the power that can be brought to bear, the amount of weight they can carry, etc

Agility – a combination of speed, reflexes and reaction time

Intelligence – improves computing ability, increases acquisition of skills and skill mastery

Magic power – a measure of how much mana and other magic reserves they can hold within their body as well as utilize. I won’t be using numerical values for health and mana but in general principles, magic points will be 5 times the magic power value before modifiers

Stamina – indicates how long someone can keep going as well as healing rate/vitality. Health points will be 10 times the stamina value before modifiers

A note on total power – it is written as total points out of a maximum potential. The potential is indicated by species, with 100 being the limit for humans; that is 20 in each category. In fact, before magic became available on Earth, the limit was only 80. Breaking the limit means exceeding what is thought of naturally as the human boundary. There were a number of humans, even before magic that were able to break the boundaries in certain stats, e.g. elite athletes breaking strength or agility, scholars and intellectuals breaking intelligence.