In a cave, deep underground, surrounded by lava was the first time Potilia had decided it might be a good idea to take off her leather jacket. Even with the heat of the Forge, she had been fine. She hadn't been fighting, so maybe that made her feel better. Maybe it didn't.

"Can you hold on a second?"

The boss shifted and gestured with its halberd.

"Thanks." She hoped she understood the gesture properly. Her kanabo thumped on the ground as she slipped her arms out and tossed the jacket backward toward her pack. She had a feeling that most heroes didn't leave their belongings behind during a fight. They always seemed to have everything with them.

That wasn't the way she did things.

It wasn't like she ever planned on taking a health potion during a fight anyway. That wasn't the plan.

A quick breath brought her focus back to the monster across the arena. She grabbed the kanabo, stretched her arm, and nodded. "I'm ready."

Throughout the Subterranean Dungeon, one thought had been on Potilia's mind.

That was a blatant lie. Thoughts kept flowing and changing and getting twisted around one another.

Regardless, there was a piece of advice from Chrosay she hadn't forgotten, even in the insane midst of traversing through the Subterranean.

Don't hold back.

A simple phrase. One she would berate him for in other situations, but here . . . she needed it. She had been holding back and hiding her power for most of her life.

Becoming a berserker had scared her. In fact, it had specifically ruined her 15th birthday party. She had been reading a series at that point, and was beyond excited to open a gift she knew to be the last three books.

Ironically, it was about a berserker who fell in love with a hunter. A true classic romance.

The details about the dungeons were so incredibly wrong that once she started learning the truth, she could never read that series again. It was worth it though. Without that nonsense, she would've never developed an interest in the dungeons.

She would never have ended up in her current position. With a somewhat circular boss pointing a weapon at her.

All because of that 15th birthday. She played outside and she wrestled with her siblings, but none of that should have brought her strength up so high. It was impossible to say. Maybe there was some other factor.

Either way, she cried all day, even despite her joy upon receiving the books.

There were a lot of complicated emotions and thoughts that day. Most of it was focused around the idea of her getting pummeled to death by ogres. That's what happened to berserkers in books all the time.

Like all the time. There was something authors liked about berserkers overestimating themselves, or underestimating their opponents.

She wasn't doing either.

If Chorsay knew she could get a shard, she believed it. He would never lie to her.

"Don't hold back," she said to herself.

The boss pointed a weapon that looked enough like a claverstan magic launcher that she could only assume it was exactly what she suspected. She cocked her head at the twisted, confusing thought.

A massive red blast shot from the boss's barrel. The entire cave, if not the entire country of Kriergow, shook.

Potilia lifted her foot.

Why hold back? Afterall, she was an Aura Berserker.

Battlefield Quake.

As soon as the sole of her boot touched the stone, the ground shattered.

Iron Skin activated just as the red blast hit. She felt it. Every particle of energy slid over her skin and stabbed at her like a million knives. Most of the blast missed, thrown off by the sudden earthquake, but her left leg and part of her hip were fully consumed.

When the blast faded, Potilia remained on her feet, kanabo in hand, among the wreckage. The boss stood across the arena and prepared another blast. It obviously knew her fighting style and planned to keep it a ranged fight.

"I'll just come to you. Wait there." Each step crushed stone, but it was slow. Methodical, even.

The boss didn't waver. It aimed the weapon and launched another red blast.

Potilia ducked to the side, easily avoiding the predictable attack. As soon as it was over her shoulder, she took off at a sprint and activated Bull Rush, sending her flying over the shattered ground.

Her movements were so fast that they might as well have been a teleport. She crashed directly into the boss, who didn't budge at all. A quick step and swing of the kanabo dented the armor, but failed to do any meaningful damage.

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A metal fist bumped into her, followed by a burning halberd chop from above. She pushed it aside with a combination of her weapon and metal skin. As soon as the blade hit the shattered ground, Potilia activated Rift Aura.

Tears in reality appeared through the entire cave. The boss shifted its stance and carefully avoided the rifts. Potilia reached out and passed her hand through a tear, causing it to send a beam of beautiful blue energy straight into the side of the boss. It burned the armor, but failed to break through.

Potilia walked away slowly, even turning her back to the creature. Sounds of the launcher powering up hummed. Small tears glittered around her as she passed through, sending blue energy flying all through the cave.

Just before the launcher was done charging, she turned and dropped to the ground. The blast passed right above her head, just as predicted. She took three heavy steps and leapt straight up. Blue lights bounced all about the cave as Potilia sailed high and activated Wrathful Momentum and Tectonic Impact.

Her kanabo held incredible power. She wouldn't even be able to use Tectonic Impact again in this fight with its hours long cooldown. The boss tried to move, obviously sensing the incoming attack, but each movement bumped into tears, sending blue light thumping against the armor. Long before her jump reached its apex, the boss tried to shoot another, faster blast, likely with the intention of knocking her off course. Instead of hitting Potilia, it vanished through a rift and reappeared behind the boss. Its armor warped under the energy and creaked loudly.

It didn't manage to react to hitting itself as Potilia fell like a meteor. The kanabo passed through a rift, sending a beam straight into the top of the boss right before the metal studs of the kanabo connected.

Potilia crashed into the ground and covered her head. Even for a moment, she thought all of Verdantallis was shaking.

The boss took two shaky steps back, wobbled, and fell into the lava. Its head was completely crushed. Waves had molded into the armor, showing each pass of energy that now radiated through the entire tower, and maybe even beyond.

A hideous figure appeared, looking down upon Potilia as she peeked up.

"You show potential," Eldtannatar said. Their face was a twisted facade of scars, tattoos, and hair.

"Potential?" She looked at the corpse of the boss floating in the lava.

"Your combinations are tighter than many 1 Shard Heroes." Eldtannatar extended a hand with a shard hovering above it. "It is a fine strategy for a slow opponent. You will find your strategy lacking substance as speed increases."

Potilia stood and cautiously grabbed the shard. She felt the power as it moved and placed itself deep in her shoulder. "Thank you for the advice." She wanted to get out and see how everyone else was doing. She also really didn't want to look at the god longer than she had to.

Eldtannatar stepped to the side, passing through rifts that still hung in the air. The god was completely unharmed by the blasts and stood stationary as the void nexus opened at their side.

"That's it?"

Eldtannatar raised a ridged, almost fin-like eyebrow.

"I just thought maybe there would be more. I mean, the boss died in like a single hit."

"Most heroes do not accomplish this."

Potilia looked around. "Do you mean 'this' like the Shard Hero part or the single hit part?" She smiled and looked at the god. Her expression immediately melted as her words and demeanor fully clicked into place. "I-I'm sorry!" She hid her face and sprinted directly toward the void nexus. Right before she passed through, she stopped. "I forgot my jacket!"

Panic had never gripped her harder. She swore repeatedly in her head as she ran back to the other side, grabbed her dust-covered jacket, and ran for the nexus.

Eldtannatar had remained stationary and watched with a raised eyebrow.

"Thanks!" Potilia screamed as she ran into the portal.

***

Fortress Dungeon

Seventh Floor

One Shard Active

Owin didn't know what he expected as he emerged onto the seventh floor, but a calm, quiet lobby wasn't it. There was really nothing notable about it, as far as dungeons went. He would have been impressed by it if it was someone's house.

"I'm suspicious," Owin said.

"Oh, a new rug." Shade crouched and continued wiping the stakes onto the cloth. "What are you suspicious about?"

There were ornate doors on both sides and against the far wall in the corner, hidden behind the most magnificent staircase Owin had ever seen. It split into two sections, leading to a floor above.

"Well, everything." He paused. A creature appeared on the stairs, walking down calmly. It didn't look aggressive or angry. "Is that a vampire?"

"Hm?" Shade stood and prepared his stakes for stabbing. He narrowed his eye sockets, then opened his index. "A bairn, apparently."

"Indeed." The voice made Owin jump and swing Isotelus, though the one who spoke was too far away. The door on the left had opened silently, and now a man stood in the doorway.

Fortress Mob

Arintak Takaneta

Lesser Vampire

Level 62

"Do you know it is considered rude to open your index?" Arintak said in a calm, odd voice.

"Why is his voice weird?" Owin whispered.

"I would consider it sultry, if I were to choose a word." Shade offered a stake, which Owin declined.

He wanted both hands for managing Isotelus, or using the weapon and a spell or wand.

"I don't know what that word means."

Arintak made an odd gesture to the bairn, which nodded and hurried away. The lesser vampire entered the lobby and closed both doors behind him. "We weren't expecting guests." His yellow eyes seemed to glow as he approached.

"We made reservations," Shade said.

Arintak raised a perfectly groomed eyebrow. "Did you?"

"No. You caught me. I was lying to you."

Arintak adjusted his cuffs and sighed. "You are a crass lot, aren't you?"

"Well, obviously." Shade shifted his stance, almost getting Suta's stance perfect. Owin wanted to help him make some adjustments, but now was definitely not the time.

Arintak noticed the stakes and lowered his brow. "Such stunts won't get you far. I would have invited you for tea if I was interested in making conversation with the two of you."

Ice Blade activated, freezing the sections of Isotelus into a solid sword. The vampire obviously noticed, but didn't flinch. He was still a few paces away, but for Owin, that would disappear instantly.

"No decorum is expected of a goblin. I'd hoped you were civilized. I should have known better, seeing that face of yours." Arintak placed his hand over his mouth and moaned.

Owin frowned.

As the vampire pulled his hand down, his mouth opened, revealing two needle-thin fangs. He was salivating. Drooling even. Yellow eyes glowed brighter.

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