Urianthe's dungeons were on the lower end when it came to difficulty. Dungeons mimicked their respective area; Urianthe's dungeons had creatures who were linked to nature.
Jack the Slime was hopping down the road, happily skipping to his destination. The south side of Urianthe.
Exactly where he was supposed to be, that he didn't know. All Laurel said was you couldn't miss it.
Jumping over one root, he saw exactly what she meant. Elven adventurers were gathering around a round table like knights from Earth.
They were chatting with each other, drinking sap with each other, polishing their gear with each other.
Jack saw Aria and Laurel sitting on one of the wooden benches. He wobbled over to them.
All he could see were adventurers but the usual gate to the dungeon was nowhere to be seen.
"I thought we were going to a dungeon?"
Laurel smiled, "This is your first time seeing a dungeon in Vylara right?"
She got up and tried to hand Jack a canteen with water but she stopped herself.
"Right now hands," she chuckled.
A bell toiled from the canopy, a low, resonant chime. Every conversation died. Elves turned in unison. They grabbed their gear and formed their familiar groups.
From the wooden round table, within the center of it, a root sprang from the earth like a magic bean stalk.
Apple started growing of various colors; red, blue, golden and one even looked like a plum with black skin.
The group leaders picked the apple and took a bite. After that first bite, they tossed it on the floor and a portal appeared.
In unison the groups entered.
Jack was in awe.
"Wow," he said as Aria grabbed a red apple. He then hopped on her shoulder, not wanting to get left behind.
Laurel hurriedly stole the apple from her hand.
"Wait you can't go to level 2 yet!" She said to the vampire.
Aria tilted her head.
"Do the colors correspond to levels? Red level two?" Jack asked.
Laurel, the competent cultural liaison, did not answer for a moment. She handed the apple to an elf working the bar, who nodded in understanding before depositing it with others in a basket behind the counter.
Returning to Jack and Aria, she plucked a blue apple.
"Yes blue is level 1 but most importantly you would have gotten ill if you ate it. Only elves can." She pointed at her own ears, which twitched.
Jack chuckled.
"What about me? Can I eat it, I'm a slime I cant get sick."
[Slimes are unable to get sick hence they simply shrink and die.]
Jack changed his mind. "On second thought I will trust you."
Laurel smiled and took out a flask.
"But before that," she opened the flask, and the smell was overwhelmingly floral.
"So you don't attract the floor boss. It's level 15."
Aria and Jack glanced at each other. She was level 15 and he was level 8. He didn't feel fear, he felt excitement. They were absolutely going to fight and kill this thing.
"Quick question," Jack raised a tentacle like a school boy.
The elf grinned, she was always happy to help.
"Yes?"
"Do bosses respawn? And how long does it take for them to?"
The term 'respawn' landed strangely at first for her, a word from another world entirely. For a moment Laurel processed it, a slight furrow in her brow giving way to the slow, dawning of comprehension.
When the whole picture clicked into place, her lips curved upwards into a genuine smile that finally illuminated her entire expression.
"Bosses grow back every day thanks to Yggdrasil's mana."
Every day? He started drooling. He was going to fight this thing every day for a week then. It would be a level-grind extravaganza. He would reveal the true skill of an earth grinder, of a JRPG addict. However the problem with that was Aria might not be so willing.
"Aria," he wobbled up to her, "We need to fight this thing tomorrow as well."
Aria scoffed and crossed her arms. Her eyes fixated on Jack like a predator sizing up a particularly noisy rabbit. She wanted revenge and nothing would stop that; she. couldn't believe Jack only wanted to practice on two days.
"Bobo we will fight it every day until we reach level two then we'll go into that same portal every day again, and again and again. And the level after that." her crimson eyes shone with a manic, hungry glint.
She wasn't just talking; she was making a vow.
A glint ignited in Jack's gaze. He hadn't quite anticipated this kindred fire in her, this same unspoken understanding of what it meant to chase a craft. A warmth bloomed in his chest. Perched on his shoulder, Ms Snuffles wriggled, her whiskers twitching in a mirrored delight.
Laurel, sensing the implications of their new pact, cleared her throat. The sound was a gentle, deliberate warning against their single-mindedness.
"Keep in mind dungeon creatures are different than your every-day monsters. They are smart and they learn. They adapt mid-fight. Most groups rotate daily strategies to avoid stagnation and avoid casualties."
That only made Jack smile.
He was ready to embark on this journey. He watched as Laurel went to bite the blue apple. Just as it was about to reach her lips, a bird swooped in and grabbed it mid-air.
It was a roc of sorts but with a beautiful azure blue plumage. A small creature yet still ten times bigger than Jack. With the apple in its red beak, it locked eyes with the slime.
A tingle shot up his jello. His heart skipped. This thing thought of him as prey.
[Roc of Azure Plume - Level 9]
Seeing his stats, Jack smirked.
"You want a piece of me?" he growled using his figurine form, he pointed a thumb at himself.
The roc unfurled its wings, and a single beat sent Jack stumbling as if caught in a gale. From its throat rose a sound not quite a cry nor a call, a low sound that shook the air and sounded like laughter.
"Arthion!" an elf yelled.