Chapter 12: Five More Minutes...
The moment the massive wolf fell, reduced to nothing but charred remains and scattered embers, silence filled the boss chamber.
The only sound was their labored breathing, the distant dripping of water, and Tobias adjusting his glasses with that annoying click that was quickly becoming a signature trait of his.
Zayn let out a deep breath, rubbing his aching shoulder.
He had survived. He had actually survived. Considering the fact that he had started this dungeon run with the skills of a particularly ambitious cabbage, it was a miracle he hadn't ended up as wolf chow.
"Well," Tobias said, pushing his glasses up as his eyes scanned the remains of the battlefield. "That went well."
Zayn shot him a deadpan look. "I got launched into a wall, Tobias. I think I can still taste stone."
Elisse, the busty nun, offered him a serene smile, her pristine white robes somehow untouched despite the chaos. "You're fine now, aren't you?"
"That's not the point."
Bran, still gripping his bloodied axe, let out a booming laugh. "You fought well for a newbie."
Zayn opened his mouth to argue but stopped. He had fought well — kinda. He had almost died, sure, but he had also gotten stronger.
He had a skill now. He had devoured monsters, which was still one of the most disturbing things he had ever done, but it had paid off.