There is No Epic Loot Here, Only Puns

20: A Boary End

Delta watched as three more spiders rushed into the tunnel. They scrambled over each other as they burst into the web room. Since Deo and his friends hadn't left yet, her tripwire hadn't been able to reset.

Which was a shame because at the speeds the large spiders were going, it wouldn't take them long to reach the Grove where the teens were milling around as Amanster managed to lose the boar in a sharp turn and refused to get off of the very tall mushroom that grew on one side of the room. The Boar prowled around the mushroom, snorting.

Poppy pulled down her hood and Delta couldn't tell if she was laughing or just mumbling loudly. The girl didn't actually do anything to help Amanster.

And as long there were people in her dungeon, Delta couldn't use her menus. While Deo had proven to be... enthusiastic in his fighting, Delta had no idea if Poppy or Amanster were as powerful.

The spiders crossed the mudroom, two of them hitting the mud hard as the final one hit the right path.

"Mr Mushy! Boar! Guard the room," she called and Delta watched as Mr Mushy put Deo back down on the ground from where Deo had been sitting on the large cap to watch Amanster's struggle and cheer him on. Deo had seemed to enjoy how peaceful her monster acted after their... 'duel'.The boar snorted and ran off onto the thicket of mushrooms, blending in.

"Francois, get them out of there!" Delta called as her Magic Goblin rushed down the hall. Delta had a feeling that they could handle themselves... it just didn't sit well in her stomach to let people who looked a lot younger than she felt comfortable with face a danger she would be able slow down or maybe even stop.

They had come to adventure, not deal with the consequences of Delta's harvesting missions. Deo might be able to kill them, Poppy and Amanster too, but it didn't make it right.

Delta would rather ask first then assume. If one of those spiders got a lucky bite or something equally bad then Delta would have to see someones child die. A young life... snuffed out.

Delta gripped her hands into fists as the spiders burst into the far end off the room, the large arachnids scattering as Mr Mushy swung his fists.

"Mans! Come!" Francois called to the room as all three of the teens turned to the noise.

"Poppy! It's a gob!" Amanster warned and Deo rushed forward, hesitating as he stared intently at the large fang-filled mouth of Francois.

"HAIL! POPPY? WHAT IS IT SAYING?" Deo shouted and Poppy's hands were glowing softly.

"Mans! Master Core wants you to run! Come!" Francois said in a huff and ran back down the tunnel.

"It wants us to follow it. It said the dungeon said so," Poppy said with a sigh as a spider flew overhead and vanished into a patch of Rutgot. Delta wondered if Deo just had trouble listening to things or he was too excited to understand.

"It's a trap!" Amanster said in refusal and Deo looked down the tunnel. Delta tried to shoo them mentally as her boar tried to tackle the two spiders ahead of them and caught one in the side with his tusk. It turned and Delta winced as it buried its fangs into the Boar's face. Her boar squealed, and they both crashed into a mushroom.

"Nyeh... those spiders are fighting the dungeon monsters. Something isn't right," Poppy said and walked down the tunnel.

"...We have to go this way anyway... Goblin or not," she shrugged and vanished. Deo pointed down the hall with his sword.

"ONWARDS! TO GLOR-" he was cut off as the third spider that had been missing for the last few seconds burst out, fangs leaking a clear fluid at the exposed neck of Deo. Delta screamed but the insect glowed a dark purple colour and dropped to the ground as it twitched.

The purple energy flowed to Amanster's outstretched hand.

"I hate this place," Amanster waved his hands and looked over the Grove and after hesitating for a moment, sent the purple energy at Delta's stumbling Boar. The puncture wounds on its face healed over and Delta watched with amazement as her Boar looked a lot better.

"Nothing makes sense, why are monsters killing monsters? Why is this place so weird? Where is Poppy?!" he demanded louder as Mr Mushy calmly grabbed the spider biting his face with one hand. He eyed it and Delta waved her hands.

"Hug it! Hug it!" she yelled and Mr Mushy made a pleased noise and began to hug the spider who flailed. Delta knew this would normally be an odd thing to request, but she had a feeling that Mr Mushy didn't quite understand how to control his-

The spider popped like a hairy balloon and Delta covered her mouth in shock as Mr Mushy looked confused at his now empty hands.

Her Boar was charging his spider again but his face was covered in web that made him stumble, he tripped over a rock and the spider jumped on the boar, biting hard. Deo looked ready to rush in and help but Amanster dragged him down the tunnel, ignoring his loud protests.

"Mr. Mushy! Help him!" Delta begged and the Spider took another bite before the boar stumbled to a standing position and then toppled back down as the poison in his system seemed to hurt him.

Mr. Mushy swiped and the spider that Amanster had attacked stood up and rushed down the tunnel after the yelling Deo. The second spider made a break for it, narrowly missing Mr. Mushy grabbing at its leg.

"Go! Please, help the humans!" Delta ordered and her large monster lumbered off. Delta wanted to follow but she sunk to her knees next to the Boar. It snorted weakly and Delta tried to pet it but she didn't feel its fur nor did the Boar react to her touch. Delta longed to feel the touch of another creature. Especially now when her Grove Guardian wheezed as its body shuddered. Delta whispered softly to it.

"You were amazing... you were so cool," she said and couldn't stop her eyes from becoming hot and blurry as tears formed.

"You don't even have a name and I didn't spend time with you much... and I-I asked you to fight for me and you did. Thank you," Delta choked out and the Boar snorted weakly and its tail whipped once.

Delta laid down next to it, her mind screaming she didn't have time for this but it hurt to even think of leaving it alone in its final moments.

This was it. This was what it was like to be a dungeon. To watch those that she talk to, saw, felt happy to have around... die so this... game could be enjoyed. Delta didn't like it, she didn't like it at all. She didn't check to see if the Boar was able to be respawned or if she had to purchase such a thing. Now it was too late and Delta felt like a horrible person for not even checking... not even able to do so now due to her guests.

The Boar closed its eyes and then before Delta's own eyes, melted into a white mist and vanished. Leaving behind a large wooden shield with the boar motif on the front. The slightly jutting out tusks made look dangerous to hit someone with it.

"Boar... you dropped loot...you were... even cooler than I thought," Delta whispered, cheeks blotchy as she stood, turning to hurry and catch up to the fleeing adventurers.

A menu appeared as she left the room and Delta tripped and crashed to the ground as she read it.