Earth’s Throat Dungeon

Electronic torches lit the way forward. Whenever nobody was near a section of the labyrinth, it started to change. Rocks and walls would shift until it was something unrecognizable, growing more so with time. This made the first floor the most predictable of the bunch, but even it was essentially unpredictable. Once they descended the stairs, they were all looking at a place they’d never been before.

Still, the walls were the same- simple, flat, given the texture of chiseled stone that was only skin-deep. Because the enourmous underground contraption could shift them around at will, the ground beneath the rocky barriers was completely bare, a matte brown playing field their shoes clacked on as they walked it. 

The first few minutes were uneventful. While they were exploring different routes, Frankie had the idea to get some work in.

Question Five: Ask someone born in the park. Would they rather have been born somewhere else?

“Weird not to see anything this far in.” Percy noted.

“So, hey…” Frankie spoke through the torchlit darkness of the boring endless maze. “Were you all, like… born here?”

“I was. Everyone here, really.” Serah responded while keeping most of her focus on the path ahead.

“Would you guys rather have been born… somewhere else?”

“Nope.” Rocco didn’t have to think about it much.

“Absolutely.” Serah answered in opposition, to the tourist’s surprise.

“Why’s that?” Katie asked, not even knowing this was one of the questions.

“It’s… it would’ve been a lot cooler to come here if I hadn’t been shown it right away. But… I’m definitely happy to live here. It’s quite the realm.”

“I agree. Even if I just read most days, you guys showed me how fun our home kingdom is.” Greg adjusted his specs.

“Yeah-“ they only got to hear the first word of Percy’s answer.

“Incoming!” Rocco bared his axe. There was a small shadow just ahead.

The rest of the party drew their weapons, and the Pops followed suit. Up ahead, they weren’t sure what they were looking at.

“Don’t let it get close. Greg, we’ll watch your back. Nuke it.” The commanding thief didn’t even slip a tease into her hasty combat orders. The caster promptly nodded, waving his store-bought wooden stick around as if it was going to do something.

The sisters still had their eyes fixed on the coming foe. It slowly surfaced from out of the darkness, a thin purple foot like that of a fleshly chicken robotically exiting the black. Soon it revealed its form- a tiny animatronic goblin, just over three feet tall.

Katie burst out laughing.

“That’s it? It’s so cute!”

“Steel yourself!” Percy rudely shouted in her ear like this really was life-or-death. Katie didn’t like the behavior, but her sword was raised out of pure instinct as the imp dashed toward the group faster than either of the Americans had expected, causing the older of the two to squeal.

“Shit!” Serah ram up to it with her daggers, but couldn’t get a hit in before it swiped at Katie. She blocked it with her sword, but there didn’t seem to be much strength behind the blow…

“What’s the big deal?” She asked, effortlessly dueling with the scamp. “No offense, but he’s weak as heck.”

“If he touches you even once, y-you’re out!” Percy stammered, watching her engage in stupidly risky combat with the creature. Soon it noticed she wasn’t looking and leapt to finish her off.

“Gunstar!” Gregory suddenly exclaimed, sending an impressive green hologram dishing out of his staff. The spell did basic non-elemental damage and had decently strong power- surely enough to slay the goblin. Unlike the players, creatures had HP, and often needed to be hit multiple times. Unfortunately for the Cardinal Mage, however, this magical bolt missed its target entirely, leaving the Verdant Flames about to be one member short as the creature swung towards Katie’s head.

Serah leapt in at great speed and crashed her daggers into it, sending it into a wall. It wouldn’t have been enough to “kill” it, but the animatronic itself broke as soon as it hit the stone sides of the dungeon. 

Frankie began to think this was all a pretty stupid idea for an attraction.

“Thanks!” Katie tried to show her appreciation towards her savior, but the girl had already turned towards the poorly-aimed mage.

“Covered you. Will you go out with me later?” Serah half-jokingly flirted as always as she tucked her daggers back into the sheathes on her hips. Even the slightest victory the thief caught sent the confidence rushing up to her head so fast she couldn’t help but flaunt it.

Not that he even heard her.

Gregory was busy looking at something else. He had the most creeped-out look on his face.

“Who’s… who’s that?”

“Who’s who?”

They only saw him for a second as the suited man slipped into the shadows.