“Peter, wait,” I shouted as my brother dashed down the hill towards the stone shed. I was right behind him, and Bethany was at my heels. “We should discuss a plan before we launch into the fight.”


    “We already have a plan–win,” he yelled back.


    Peter’s long legs made it far too easy for him to outpace both me and Bethany. I was no fitness nut by any means, but I did my due time at the gym most mornings, and I still couldn’t keep up with my lanky younger brother. He didn’t even workout. He just had that natural athleticism that happened to skip over me in the genes department.


    Beth was also passing me up since she got that athleticism too. I pushed my legs harder, not quite sure why we had to sprint to the stupid shed in the first place but not willing to be the loser who walked there and made everyone else wait.


    Peter was first to reach the [Entrance to the First Floor Boss], but he did us the courtesy of waiting before walking inside. The last thing we needed was for him to get stuck facing the boss alone while we were trapped outside.


    He glanced back at us with a broad grin as we caught up to him. “We did it, guys. We actually did it. We’re the first ones here.”


    Even out of breath, I matched his smile. “Easy there, we haven’t won this whole thing yet.”


    “Yet,” he emphasized. He twisted the handle on the wooden door and opened it up. “Let’s take this guy down.”


    “Peter, shouldn’t we wait to recharge our [MP]?” Bethany asked.


    But it was too late.


    Just him opening the door triggered the entrance, and white light poured out of it, blinding me temporarily.


    When my vision returned, I discovered that the three of us had been transported away from the dirt into another tiled room that looked suspiciously similar to the waiting room we all went to after the tutorial.


    Bethany glanced around with wide eyes. “Did we just die and reset? How are we back here?”


    Peter shook his head. “That doesn’t make sense. Was it a trap? I can’t believe we lost. This Dungeon is so stupid.”


    “No. This isn’t the same room we started in,” I said. I pointed at the walls. “It’s smaller, and there’s an outline of a door over there. If it was the same room, we’d have immediate access back to the Dungeon.”


    “You don’t know that for sure.” Peter crossed his arms.


    “It’s a safe assumption. Why would the entrance kill us? That wouldn’t make sense.”


    “Most of this Dungeon doesn’t make sense,” Bethany muttered.


    I opened my mouth to agree with her, but I stopped when Alfie materialized out of nowhere.


    He twirled a furry-finger-pawpad-thing in the air and spoke with a sense of sarcasm. “Congratulations on reaching the first boss. As you can see, this is another waiting room. Since you are not the first team to arrive–”


    “We’re not?” Peter interjected.


    “Save all questions for the end.” The [Dungeon Manager] cleared his throat and then continued. “Since you are not the first team to arrive, you are currently in the queue, waiting for your turn to face the floor boss and earn a path to the next floor.”


    “How many teams are before us?” I asked.


    The dog-man looked at me dramatically, rolled his eyes, and then continued his explanation without even trying to address my question. This waiting room also served as a prep area where teams could finalize adjustments and plans before facing the boss. Each team got exclusive rights to fighting the boss, and it was only after a team defeated the boss or died trying that the next team would get their shot. Dying against the boss didn’t reset [XP], which Alfie told us was a “generous act of mercy.”


    After he finished, Alfie waved his paw-hand and a banner appeared on the far wall.


    [Boss Queue:]


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    [Big Money: Fighting]


    [Girl Gang: 1]


    [Howard Siblings: 2]


    “Any questions? No? Great. I’ll be going.” Alfie clapped his paws together and disappeared, leaving the three of us alone again.


    “Wait, we literally did have questions, you mangy dog.” Bethany held her hand out, but he was already long gone. “Stupid [Dungeon Manager].”


    I was about to ask about the team ahead of us, when the nearest wall began to shake and slowly separate, revealing another room just like the one we stood in except it was occupied by two other people.


    Blossom and Fern.


    Fern was on the ground hugging her knees close, sobbing, while Blossom crouched nearby in what looked to be an attempt at comforting her little sister. That explained who the “Girl Gang” was.


    Bethany and I both rushed to their side, sharing concern for their well-being. Peter came with but at a slower pace, muttering complaints the whole time.


    “What happened? Are you guys okay?” I asked. Neither Fern or Blossom were high on the list of my favorite cousins by any means, but I would never want to see harm come to them.


    Blossom looked at me, her black hair in two long braids. She wore a glittery t-shirt with the high school cheer team logo on it. Even though she was only a junior in high school, she was still one of the best cheerleaders in the school. “Those jerk boys screwed us over.”


    “CJ, Norris, and Samuel?” Bethany confirmed.


    Our cousin nodded. “Yeah. ‘Big Money’ as they call themselves.”


    “What did they do?” I glanced down at Fern whose sobs were finally subsiding.


    “They stole the boss from us,” my little cousin shouted. Her pigtails were a complete mess, most of her dark hair falling out of the style.


    “Stole the boss?” Bethany’s voice was as confused as I felt.


    “They only went in to face it ten minutes ago. Clearly it’s not as easy as the other monsters on this floor,” Blossom replied. She smoothed some of her sister’s hair. “We actually got here before them, but they arrived just before we entered the fight. They said they wanted to team up to increase our odds. We agreed since it meant we’d all get the reward. Those backstabbers shoved us out of the way at the last second and entered alone. Now we have to wait until they finish with the boss before we get our chance at it.”


    “So they’ll complete the [quest], and there’s nothing we can do to stop it.” Peter punched the nearest wall. “Gosh dang it. I swore we had it.”


    “Calm down, Peter. It sounds like we still get our chance at the boss,” Bethany said.


    “Yeah. After someone else defeats it first. We won’t get squat from it.”


    “Except progressing to the next floor,” Blossom said.


    “That’s not the same.”


    Bethany sighed and turned to me and Peter. “Sorry guys. I guess we did take things too slow, but at least we know for next time.”


    Peter huffed. “It doesn’t matter. Those guys have a huge lead on us since we’re still behind another team. Our only chance is if Blossom and Fern die quickly, otherwise we’ll never catch up.”


    “Don’t forget Fern and I got here first. We’d be in there now, maybe even through with that boss if our brothers and Samuel hadn’t cheated us.” Blossom glared up at him.


    “That’s on you two for being so gullible.”


    I put my hands out. “Easy guys. Arguing isn’t going to change anything. But I think we can all agree that what CJ, Norris, and Samuel did was utter garbage. No prize is worth ruining family relationships over.”


    “Go preach to them, Madi.” Blossom turned away.


    Bethany looked up at the banner and then back to our cousins. “Can we all agree that no one on that team deserves to win this thing?”


    We all nodded and murmured our agreements.


    “Well then, let’s team up, even if it’s only for this boss. That way we all get to the second floor at the same time, increasing the odds that one of our teams will beat them to the next boss,” Bethany suggested.


    “Just what our team needs, more girls.” Peter rolled his eyes.


    “Careful, Peter, your sexism is showing,” Blossom growled.


    “Without us girls, Peter, you’d have been smushed under a [Rocky’s] foot hours ago, so I think you should be grateful we’re letting even a single boy on the team,” I said.


    My brother mumbled more complaints, but the rest of us stopped paying attention. Blossom leaned in close to Fern, and the two of them whispered for a minute or so. Once they finished, they both stood up.


    Fern held her little hand out. “Beth, Madi, and Peter, you have a deal. We agree to team up for this single boss.”


    “All I care about is getting to teach those boys a lesson, and more firepower means that boss will go down sooner so I can knock some sense into all three of them sooner.” Blossom also held her hand out.


    Bethany and I shook hands with our cousins, and Beth made sure Peter did the same, even though he kept an annoyed look on his face the whole time. Once the agreement was finalized, the banner displaying the queue changed.


    [Boss Queue:]


    [Big Money: Fighting]


    [Girl Gang/Howard Siblings: 1]


    “We’ve gotta come up with a better name,” I said.


    “Something simple and accurate, ‘Winners.’” Peter smiled.


    Everyone laughed, but the System took our suggestion seriously, and the banner was updated.


    [Winners: 1]


    I only hoped it would prove true in the end.