The blue crystals that were once Snowball did not burst into being like the monsters. They, instead, drifted gently off of her like a calm river until she was no more. Drox hit the ground underneath as the wolf disappeared in his arms. Tears streamed down into the dirt from the small bear. He pounded the floor with his paw.


    The monsters all at once exploded into similar blue crystals all of which rushed into the party. The light from the crystals blinded Adam for a moment. When he could finally see again his eyes caught something new.


    The crystals next to Drox had not all completely dissipated. Adam willed the notifications away from his vision. Drox looked up at the floating crystals. They floated in the air for a moment until they started to move. They flowed through the air like they were being guided. First, there was a paw. It glittered like the ocean on a sunny afternoon. Next, a leg of pure blue crystal. Then a body and a tail formed. Finally, after a minute, the shape of a wolf made of pure blue crystal stood in front of Drox.


    It was undeniably Snowball. She moved past Drox and over to Skyeyes. His head dropped at her gaze. She moved slowly towards him until they were almost touching. Then she leaned forward and put her head against his. It was a brief touch, but it said everything to the goblin. He understood that she would have done the same thing time and time again if she had too. He put a hand to her neck and scratched her scruff. Small glittering pieces of crystal fell to the ground.  She turned and moved toward Drox. He was on his feet just staring at the wolf.


    “Why girl? Why would you do that for me?”


    The crystal wolf only bumped her snout against his face. Then a glowing blue tongue licked the tears from Drox’s eyes. He let out an giggle as the crystal tongue scratched against his fur. It was a small gesture, but it said so much more than any words ever could. He rested his paws against her neck and put his head to hers.


    The wolf flashed from blue to red then back to blue. It was quick, and Adam thought he might have just been seeing things. Then it happened again, and again. It started getting more and more frequent. It kept going until the crystal wolf was no longer blue at all but a bright red boarding on yellow.


    Drox moved his head back as Snowball looked up toward the roof of the cavern. Her eyes were no longer burdened by walls or mountains. Her gaze looked far passed it and into the night. There she saw the moon and she opened her maw. A howl split through the room, and Snowball burst into hundreds of tiny red crystals.


    The crystals moved around Drox like a small red tornado until he was completely gone from sight. None of the others moved though. There was something there. Some intent in the crystals, but it wasn’t malicious.


    As the crystals swirled around Drox they moved upwards toward the ceiling reaching high into the room. As they peaked toward the top they suddenly changed directions and rushed downwards. They flew towards Drox pouring into the small teddy bear. He was met with a notification when the crystals had all been absorbed.


    You have been granted a skill upgrade. Would you like to accept?


    (Y/N)


    Drox didn’t hesitate at all. He accepted the notification and smiled as it appeared.


    Congratulations! Summon Flame Spirit has been upgraded to Summon Flame Wolf.


    Summon Flame Wolf - A friend is a friend no matter how long you have known each other, and not even death can triumph over true friends. Summon the spirit of Snowball as a flame wolf to fight by your side. This skill has been upgraded and the power increased.


    Cost: 150 MP


    Duration: 2 minutes


    Cooldown: 5 minutes


    Drox let out a small chuckle. He was still saddened by the loss of Snowball. He would have never guessed the beast’s death would have hit him so hard, but it had crushed him for a moment. It was not her choice to be here. She was brought here, but she chose to save him of all things. It both hurt and warmed his heart. His voice was but a quiet rumble as he relayed to the others his new skill.


    The room was silent after that. Everyone had been boosted back to full HP and MP after the fight signifying at least a level for everyone, but nobody felt like checking the notifications. The death of Snowball hit harder than any of the group expected. They had only known the wolf for a little over a day, but watching a friend die sent a shock through them all.


    For Adam and Josh it was something they hadn’t thought about a lot. If they died they would be sent back to their Nexus and able to join another world in a moment. For the others though. They would be gone. It made Adam feel sick. This was just a game to Josh and him, but for the others it was their lives. Adam moved close to Josh.


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    “I don’t like this,” said Adam. “I don’t like that we can’t tell them. It doesn’t seem right.”


    “I know what you mean,” said Josh. “It’s been going through my mind since I made the contract with Drox actually.” He let out a sigh and looked over toward the others. “We tell them everything when we can, but until then we have to fight like our lives depend on it. If we just leave then we’re leaving them to fend for themselves. That’s not any better.”


    “Maybe, but what if they hate us?” asked Adam.


    “Then they’ll be alive to hate us,” said Josh. “They can make whatever decision they want. I think I finally get it. They’re in here just like us in a way. They might have been created by the Nexus, but they’re as real as you and me. I understand that now. There’s only one thing we can do.”


    Adam nodded. He knew what his friend meant. “We have to make them as powerful as we can so that they never die.”


    “Exactly,” said Josh.


    “What are you two whispering about over there?” asked Drox. His button eyes were absent of tears now. He smiled slightly toward Adam and Josh.


    “Nothing,” said Josh. “Just checking our notifications.”


    Adam decided to do exactly that. He pulled up the notifications that he had pushed aside after the battle. They covered his vision.


    You have received 2000 experience points!


    You have reached level 6!


    You have gained +1 to all attributes


    You have gained +5 free attribute points


    Your Hand-to-Hand skill has increased to 18!


    Your Spirit skill has increased to 13!


    You have received Small Soul Crystal x10!


    Adam thought for a moment before putting his five free points in. He chose to up strength, dexterity, and vitality. He looked over his character statistics page for the first time in a while.


    Name: Adam


    Level: 6


    Class: Monk


    Experience: 1450/1750


    HP: 150/150


    MP: 100/100


    Strength: 20


    Dexterity: 20


    Intelligence: 10


    Vitality: 15


    Wisdom: 10


    Skills:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Hand-to-Hand: 18</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Spirit: 13</li>


    </ul>


    Active Abilities:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Palm Strike</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Inner Focus</li>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Combo</li>


    </ul>


    Passive Abilities:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">Fleet Footed</li>


    </ul>


    Spells:


    <ul>


    <li style="font-weight: 400">N/A</li>


    </ul>


    He dismissed the screen and looked around the room. There was a glittering pile near where the Houndmaster had been dispatched. Josh was already next to it sorting through the items. Adam made his way over to his friend and crouched down next to him.


    “Check this out,” said Josh as he tossed an item to Adam.


    Adam looked down and saw a massive pair of gloves. They were easily twice the size of his hands. The gloves extended past where a hand would go and up toward the forearms just like his weighted gloves. The difference was that the forearms were covered in bone, and the knuckles had spikes of protruding bone. Adam didn’t think much of them as his were made of metal, but as he examined the gloves his jaw fell open.


    Gloves of the Beast: Gloves made from the bones of fallen beasts. Can be used to block attacks with forearms.


    Rarity: Magical


    Requirements: Level 5, Strength - 10, Dexterity - 10


    Minor Rune Slot: 1/1


    Rune of Minor Power: When striking with this weapon it will do increased damage.


    Adam closed his mouth and put the item into his inventory. He then unequipped his weighted gloves and equipped the new ones. When they appeared on his hands it felt as if they were tailored specifically for him. He moved his wrist and flexed his hand. If he hadn’t been looking he would have sworn he wasn’t wearing anything. The magic from his inventory was truly amazing.


    “Here Mina,” said Josh, “this one is for you.”


    Adam saw a flash of white spin through the air and Mina caught it as it neared her. She held up a shield of polished bone. It gleamed in the light like marble. It was shaped like a rounded triangle. Adam thought it looked like a heater shield. On the front, carved into the bone, was the face of a snarling hound.


    “This shield has an ability attached to it,” said Mina. She was looking down at the item with her eyes slightly glazed over. “It is called Intimidation. It says the hound will howl and the weak shall shrink in fear.”


    “Whoa that seems interesting,” said Adam. “Do you have a cooldown or MP cost on it?”


    Mina nodded and said, “It says it can be activated when fully charged from blocking attacks. It also has a cost of 20 MP.”


    “I wonder how many attacks you have to block.”


    “I do not know, but anything is better than my buckler now.”


    She threw the piece of wood that was once a shield down to the ground. The bone shield disappeared for a second only to reappear strapped to her arm. It had also resized itself slightly to fit her better. Mina moved her arm around a bit and then up and down. She nodded and tapped on the face of the shield.


    “Another key and a Medium Soul Crystal as well,” said Josh. “That’s it.” Josh put both into his inventory before standing up.


    “M-my people,” said Skyeyes. He rubbed at his eyes. They were red from the tears. “My people live. In tunnel.”


    “What do you mean your people?” asked Mina. Her face was stone. Adam could feel the tension radiating off of her.


    “Not corrupted. Not bad. My people.”


    “You saw them?” asked Adam. “With your skill?”


    Skyeyes nodded. “Yes. Saw them. Behind metal. Many.”


    Mina let out a breath. “Let us save someone today,” she said.