“You fell from outside the dungeon, all the way inside. It’s sommat like a twenty meter drop, at least?” Aidan says to me. “I don’t even know how the fuck you’re alive.”

“I don’t, either. Honestly, Ryan Rivers, the overcharge should have killed you. I’m not sure why it didn’t.”

I laugh. “I had a benefactor” I say, and then re-summon the Pakarri. In the heat of the moment, I had transferred the overcharge to them, and they had popped one by one. I don't know how I did it, but I did.

“I see. Good thinking.” Says Avelihn. She looks down for a second. “And, thank you. You didn’t see it, but the barrier broke. They fired a hail of bullets at us, but you turned and protected me. When we fell, you cushioned my fall.”

I didn’t do any of that. Did the fox do that? Did he change reality, just to save me? Or did I do it purely by instinct. I barely remember even the start of the tunnel. I just remember fear… and… that feeling. That feeling of wanting whatever I could grasp.

“How long?” I ask. “How long has it been since I fell? We had… ten hours until the Curse before. Now what?”

“Four. It’s taken a long ass time for your body is repair itself, even with Fenni’s newfound talents.”

Fenni smiles at me, and then scoots under my arm, placing his hand across my chest, so his head rests of my shoulders. “Oh, I had to spend a lot of time kissing you.” He says, then chuckles. “Seems I produce these ‘potions’ in my saliva if I don’t have anywhere else… to put them.” A traces a finger across my chest, and a part of me smiles, though it seems my facial muscles are still a little borked.

“How are the werewolves?” I ask, then cough. Black matter spews out onto my chest. Fenni looks at it strangely. “I think that’s a lung…”

I wipe it off me, then look at Aidan. He shakes his head ever so slightly. “We didn’t lose anymore to Elijah, but we’ve lost quite a few to the Dungeon’s occupants. We found a secure room to house you, though it’s not perfect.”

“Are you fine, Avelihn?” I ask. She nods. “I took a few scrapes from the fall, but nothing substantial. I am, however, completely drained.”

I sigh relief. “Nysali? Is she okay?”

Aidan nods. “She was with you the entire time, but she left once you were out of danger. She’s currently helping with the defense.”

I push myself against the wall, pulling myself up. Fenni moves away to let me move my arms. I still feel stiff, but most of the pain is gone. I think I slept for some time after I woke up and saw everyone around me. I stumble away from the wall, righting my back straight and twisting my arms.

“That’s regeneration’s something. My potions probably helped a bunch, too.” Says Fenni, skipping on my left as Aidan steps to my right, ready to catch me if I fall, and perhaps the only one here that could. It is strange, being so tall. I was short in my old life, hell, even Fenni would be taller than me, and if I had to guess he’s like 5’4.

“So, how long will it take to clear this Dungeon?” I ask, making it to the doorway and leaning against it.

Aidan sighs. “I was planning on doing it within a month. Now, I’m not sure.”

I look at him. “A month!?” he looks back at me with a knowing look.

“Yes, I know, it’s a shit-tonne of time, but that was previously, when I had essentially two Incarnates, not including myself. By the way, you should meet them. Anyway, now that we have you, Nysali, Fenni, and Avelihn, I reckon it will take a few days, a week at the most.”

I look back at Avelihn. A week, at the most. Seven times my curse will activate. But wait, she said that it doesn’t like choosing the same people… there’s a few more casai that came from the Wet Tent, but I wouldn’t call them super attractive. I just we won’t know until it happens… I just hope that Avelihn or Fenni are the people it targets. Avie is… Avie? When did I start nicknaming?

Avelihn is experienced in it, and knows it’s coming, and hell, Fenni is into it. But Nysali… I dread what will happen if it goes after Nysali. She fight back, and I really, really hope it doesn’t fight back. But what if it does? What if it kills her? I certainly don’’t want to kill her. What will it do if it kills her? Rape her damn corpse?

I put my hand against the wall, my heart is beating. This was a terrible idea. Trapped inside a dungeon whilst I’m cursed… I should have stayed outside. I know that isn’t logical but it doesn’t stop the thoughts going around in my head. I take a deep breath, and I exit the door. A single corridor leads off to the right, and I follow it, my hand supporting me.

Two werewolves are nearby a fallen stone pillar, made of a slightly yellow stone, the same as the walls, the ceilings, the floor, though at least along the walls there is large blue tapestry that hangs across the entire corridor. One of the wolves is sat on the pillar, whilst the other leans on it. One is large, nearly as large as me, the other is short, and thin.

“Mylixe, Elliot. Get over here.” Shouts Aidan. They move over, their movements slow, tired. The short one runs up and hugs Aidan. “Dad, you’ve been in there ages.”

Dad? She’s his daughter?

“Elliot, you aren’t going to give your pa some cuddles?” Aidan asks. Elliot shakes his head slightly. “Not the time.”

“Your kids?” I ask. “I remember you said something about it, but for some reason I didn’t expect to meet them.”

“Well,” says Aidan whilst putting an arm around Mylixe. “Here they are, my pride and joy. Mylixe is named by her mother, it’s apparently an ancient clan name. Elliot’s named after my brother.”

“They’re incarnates?”

“Well, you don’t really get a choice when they’re your own flesh and blood. They were born with the system, with a class.”

Elliot walks up to me, and puts his hand out to shake. I do the same, shaking it. “I see that’s a custom that doesn’t die.” I say. He nods. “Dad’s told us plenty about Earth, where he comes from, who he was. Taught us that when greeting another man, you should shake their hand. Did I do it right?”

I nod. “Yeah, there isn’t much to it, but it’s welcome to see it done in this world.” Mylixe comes up to me and hugs me, barely coming up to my chest in size. Aidan laughs. “She’s always been pretty huggy, since I told her about my mother, who used to hug everyone, and I mean everyone.”

I put my arms around her back, but truly my heart is full of dread. She isn’t exactly ugly, with a tight midsection, and I can feel the lean muscles of her arms and back against me, and the fullness of her breasts against my abdomen. Her face is not entirely bestial, not the typical depiction of werewolves. Hell, none of the werewolves I’ve see look like the stark-raving-mad lycanthropes of classic movies.

She pulls away, but her hand brushes my lower region, and she turns so Aidan can’t see and gives me a half smile before walking off. “Come this way, people! The Last Warriors fight on!” she says, and continues on without checking we’re following. “Lycan do that!” shouts Elliot before looking at Aidan and shaking his head. A pun. Not what I expected from him.