System Event – Verdigris Echo Dungeon-Break in Progress
Wave 3 Approaching: Bone Drake (Level 10 Elite)
Time to Break – 10 minutes.
Quest Obtained – Flight of the Undead
Objective: Defeat 1 Level 10 Elite Bone Drake Reward: Pack Upgrade Token Participation Level Limit: None
James read the alert again, half-hoping the word would change.
Nope. Still Bone Drake. Level 10. Elite.
He’d been braced for a boss monster, but a drake
His pulse picked up.
The reward looked simple on paper: But he had a feeling it would hit harder than it sounded.
If the System tailored rewards per participant, then that token might let him boost one of his Basic enhancement packs permanently. That meant stronger traits, better grafts, maybe even new trigger options.
He didn’t think the Bronze rankers could handle this alone. The Thorncat was still on cooldown. His best card. He checked anyway.
Cooldown: Thorncat – 47 hour, 41 minutes remaining.
“Figures,” he muttered.
He could graft ThornhideAlpha WolfAugment
James paused mid-step. He’d never actually tried to graft from a card on cooldown. If the trait wasn’t available, that changed everything.
Janine was up ahead, already in motion, but he dropped to a crouch beside the nearest wall and slid into the Commander’s Space
White noise. Familiar weightlessness. He moved fast.
The ThorncatThornhide
He dropped back out, pushed to his feet, and jogged to catch up with Janine, who turned, arms crossed, wearing an expression that landed somewhere between exasperated and mildly impressed.
“That was a very weird thing to do,” she said, flatly. “But I don’t care.”
She turned again, already directing a group hauling crates toward the south wall.
“You need something, Commander?”
“No,” James said, then shaking his head added, “Yes.”
She looked back. Watching expectantly.
She scanned his face: pale, smeared with dried blood, deck flickering faintly at his wrist.
Her eyes narrowed just a touch. “Out with it.”
James hesitated.
The instinct was still there: to defer, to let her lead, to back off and play support while the real warriors handled the dragon-shaped nightmare. The issue was he had an inkling of what was about to happen, and he thought that if they were to have a chance, she needed to know as well.
He met her eyes.
Janine’s expression sharpened.
“You have an idea, don’t you?”
She stepped closer, voice low and clipped.
“Spit it out.”
“I think I know what that drake is going to target,” James said, voice cautious. “The Guild Hall.”
Janine responded instantly. “And how do you know that?”
James glanced over his shoulder. Ken and Edward were close, but gave them space.
“I think this is all about me. Not in a narcissistic way,” he said quickly. “But the temple triggered when I arrived. Bob kicked off the dungeon break waves and said it was about giving me experience, but it felt directed. Like something’s pushing for this.”
Janine frowned. “Back up. Who’s Bob? And how did he trigger dungeon waves?”
“Claims to be a god,” James said. “He was in my head when I got here. Walked me through the early levels. He’s gone now, but… this dungeon stuff? It started with him.”
Janine gave a skeptical smirk. “Okay. Assume for a second I believe that. Why the Guild?”
James exhaled slowly. “Because I think this is the story beat where everything gets harder. Where the hero gets stripped of support, shoved out into the wild. Bloodshed, soul-searching, and then maybe, if I’m lucky, the win. It fits.”
Janine scoffed and turned away. “You crazy.”
James hesitated. Then pulled something from his inventory.
“Keep this quiet,” he said, holding out the letter. “I think this is why Anne left you behind. Because you can handle it.”
She took it. Read it once. Frowned. Read it again.
Disbelief gave way to alarm. Then something steadier took over: command instinct. Her eyes went hard.
She handed the letter back without a word. “Don’t show anyone else that.”
A meaningful look toward Ken and Edward.
Then: “Okay. New priorities. Evacuate Hallowford.”
James caught her wrist. “Wait. I think we take it.”
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She turned slowly.
James said, “No. This time I think we have a chance. The Bone Giants were weak. Scaled down to my level.”
Janine’s eyes locked on his.
“Yes. And the Bone Drake will be scaled up to level.”
There was a beat. No argument. Just cold calculus behind her eyes.
“I’m pulling my team out before Wave 3. If the System hasn't scaled yet, then it’s likely keyed to . Not me. I’m not risking that tipping point.”
She turned, already moving. “I’m ordering a full Guild evacuation. And if Anne’s right, she’s probably already pulled everyone but the skeleton crew.”
She let out a whistle: sharp and shrill.
And then she was off like an arrow.
The Silver-rankers followed her without a word, moving fast through tents and shadow.
James could almost track them now. Their motion, once a blur, resolved into sharp shifts and bootfalls. He wondered what his framerate was at now.
Thirty seconds, maybe less. Then they were gone.
James stood alone in the sudden stillness.
Edward and Ken approached.
James didn’t wait.
“Janine and the Silvers are leaving. It’s on us now.”
Edward’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”
“Anne left her behind on purpose. Janine thinks the Bone Drake will scale to her level if she stays. She’s gambling the trigger hasn’t fired yet.”
Edward’s jaw tightened. “That’s insane. Bob really a god then.”
He stepped forward like he meant to scream in frustration.
Ken placed a hand on his shoulder.
Edward shrugged it off. “We can’t defeat a Level 10 Elite Drake… even scaled down.”
Ken stepped forward anyway. Calm. Grounded. He said three words. “We’ve got this.”
James looked around and realised that all the ballistae were unmanned again. The Bronze rankers were all heading back to the guild, their fight over.
James climbed back onto the platform he’d originally given his “speech” from and cried out – using his full endurance enhanced lung capacity. “It’s not over!”
Bronze members nearby called out and said “We’ve done our part. It’s time to let the Silver’s do theirs.”
James hoped Anne would forgive him. “Guildmaster Anne’s orders. Janine’s team has been ordered away.”
There was grumbling but they were returning to him. Healers gave him a look that said – we are running low.
Someone from down the street shouted. “There’s no-one in the guild. They’ve abandoned us!”
James shouted “Wait—NO!” somewhere Bob would be chuckling, he was sure of it.
Most of the fighters had had enough. They started to run for the western gate when the notice they were all dreading appeared.
The line collapsed. Most of the fighters turned and bolted, pushing for the western gate.
System Event – Verdigris Echo Dungeon-Break Final Wave
Wave 3: Bone Drake (Level 10 Elite) (1/1)
The panic should’ve worsened. But instead, someone laughed.
Then another.
A cheer rang out near the east tower.
Voices began shouting across the square.
“Party time!”
“I want in!”
“Let’s gooo!”
James blinked. His mouth hung open.
All the guildies who had just turned right back around, sprinting toward him. Grinning like idiots, eyes shining like someone had flipped a switch in their skulls.
They surrounded him, clapping him on the shoulder.
“It’s party time!”
He turned to Edward and Ken, dumbfounded.
Both shrugged.
James stared. Then understanding slammed into him.
“Oh no,” he muttered. “No, no, no.”
He spun around.
“Quick,” he shouted. “We need to get to the Arena!”
But it was already too late.
A bubble of force appeared like a second skin around James, Edward, and Ken.
System Notice – Trigger: First to the Party
Effect:Immobile, Invulnerable, and Immovable statuses applied for 10 seconds.
James screamed. “Scatter! Someone get to the ballistae! The Bone Drake is coming!”
Everyone apart from the three of them ran as they were now encapsulated in immobilizing force bubbles.
James didn’t wait to see what happened next.
He dropped into the Commander’s Space set to half-speed.
The thickness of the white noise reminded him of the effort it took.
Squire and Charlie were absent as their cards were still active. He de-activated their cards causing them to blink into the Squire’s Retreat just behind him.
He tried to think. Tried to steady himself.
He had a plan.
But he hadn’t counted on being frozen.
He hadn’t counted on being the target
Not the Guild Hall.
Not Janine.
Him.
It was time.
Play Card – Command Self
Target:Self Effect:Apply one of your active card enhancements to yourself for one hour.
Two options floated in front of him.
Apply Enhancement Craft Card
Above both: a ring of glowing enhancements.
Balanced Boost.
Imprint.
Cleanse.
He reached for Balanced Boost, then hesitated.
He selected Imprint.
Pack Leader.
Silent Movement.
He chose Pack Leader.
System Notice – Status: Pack Leader
All members of your pack receive bonus Might and Agility equal to your Presence.
Back in the Space, he grabbed the Alpha-Wolf card and keyed it with a new trigger.
Trigger: On Full Health → Balanced Boost.
Done.
A spike of pressure hit behind his eyes, but it was worth it.
He dropped out of the Space, heart hammering.
Nearly too late.
3 seconds.
The sky cracked. A screech, sharp and low, rolled over the walls.
Then it was there.
A storm of bone shards rained down. Most slammed into the barricades or splintered against the reinforced stone base, but the wooden sections were shredded. People dove for cover. The scream of impact drowned everything.
The Drake landed hard, shaking the courtyard, claws carving lines through the stone. It smashed into the immobilizing, protective force bubble that still held James, Edward, and Ken.
Claws and tail struck aggressively, but the bubble showed no effect at all.
The Bone Drake reared back, readying for another charge.
The ballista crews, those who had stayed, were finally locked on.
A hail of arrows, spells, and abilities rained down.
The Bone Drake took it all.
Didn’t flinch.
The ballistae were turning, too slow. Too wide of an angle. They wouldn’t make it.
Then Ken raised his wand.
A pulse of necrotic light cracked through the air and slammed into the Drake’s ribcage.
The beast staggered. Just for a second.
Stunned.
Two glowing bolts flew in from the flanks. Clearly marked from the “special” piles. One struck the wing base, the other hit just behind the shoulder.
Both wings shattered
The Drake howled.
Grounded.
Edward surged forward. No shout of this time. Probably on cooldown.
He roared and drove the hammer into the Drake’s skull.
The beast reeled.
James struck.
Play Card – Greyfang Alpha-Wolf (Uncommon)
- Enhancement Slot: Focused Boost → +4 Might.
- Trigger Slot: On Full Health → Balanced Boost → +2 All Stats.
- Commander Passive: +2 All Stats.
Effect: Greyfang Alpha-Wolf summoned.
Status: Pack Member.
The card snapped free and stretched, gold embossing catching the light as the frame elongated to full height. The surface deepened, perspective locking into place as the Alpha-Wolf pushed forward.
The familiar diamond film swept across first. A narrow band of deep crimson followed, tight and concentrated, cutting through the form like a spine.
Trigger Activated – On Full Health.
Effect: Condition:
A pulse rippled through the crimson glow.
For a heartbeat, the light intensified across the whole of its body, then settled back, sharp and waiting.
The wolf hit the ground already glowing.
Muscles swelled across its frame. Its coat bristled, fur stiffening as if threaded with iron. Every step gouged the stone beneath its paws. Fangs jutted past its jawline as it lifted its head, breath steaming.
