Despite the warning from the sign, Merrick found the area outside the "Gamespace" to be quite boring. It was just a boring field, reminiscent of the high plains in the upper Midwest. There was a gentle wind but it was neither cooling nor warm. The sun hung ominously close to the ground, but even its heat seemed normal compared to the swelter of the jungle that they had trekked through.
Molly was as silent as always but Rat was unusually silent. The Apprentice kept glancing back at Merrick. Occasionally Rat would whisper something to Molly, Molly would look back and then either nod or shake his head. Then Rat would resume the silence. Merrick was starting to feel like a leper, or a prisoner being led to the hangman's hill.
Before those thoughts could form into anything worrisome, a lighthouse appeared in the distance. Molly swore quietly and then said, "He was trying to jump ship. We need to hurry. If she leaves without us, Master Abernathy will skin me alive."
Abernathy, the name caught in Merrick's brain but Rat shattered his thoughts by adding, "I thought you were here to protect me?"
"Like you need protection. You practically tortured that Fire Elemental to death." Molly laughed as he picked up the pace. Rat and Merrick followed quickly behind. "No, I'm here to make sure she doesn't turn a genie in a bottle into a magical nuke."
"Then why am I here?" Rat asked.
"Field experience."
Merrick had a million questions running in his mind but unfortunately a Mage's Stamina only allowed him to run or ask questions. Even though it looked like Molly was lightly jogging, Merrick was practically sprinting to keep up. By the time they reached the lighthouse, Merrick was completely out of breath. He stooped with elbows on knees and heaved in breath after breath.
When he was finally able to look up, he found Molly and Rat waiting for him. Molly had drawn the gun from his hip and Rat had a wand in each hand. Merrick took a deep breath, steadied himself, and drew Spell Stealer.
Molly resumed leading the group. They entered the lighthouse and could immediately hear shouting from above. As they climbed the stairs, the shouting turned into sparks and clashing. The lighthouse seemed much taller now that they were waiting to catch up to a fight.
The sounds of battle died before the reached the top. When they finally burst through the upper door to the lighthouse's watch room, Molly was first through the door. The Commando took a practice step to the side to allow room for the others to enter. Rat entered and stepped out of the way as well.
Ahead of Merrick was Xerxes, his giant sword raised and ready to strike down the third ally that Merrick had summoned. The Wizard had no physical wounds but she was clearly out of energy and disarmed of her tools. Merrick's grip on Spell Stealer tightened.
Molly broke the silence, "Alex, are you alright?"
Alex, the Wizard, answered with a simple nod.
"Right." Molly continued, "Then, how about we dispense with the weapons and end this with a conversation?"
Xerxes glared at the newcomers. His eyes practically glanced over Merrick to land on Molly's gun. "I'm not faster than a bullet."
The heavy sword fell backward from Xerxes' hands. It clattered to the ground loudly. Molly holstered his gun with a smile, "Now…"
Before Molly could get another word out, a short sword appeared in Xerxes' hand and stabbed forward toward Alex. Merrick's hand shot out first, Spell Stealer extended, and released the energy that he had siphoned from the Sylph of Lightning in as concise of an attack as possible.
A bolt of lightning knocked the blade off course just before it pierced Alex's chest. Instead of a lethal wound, it sunk into her shoulder. Xerxes' yelped in pain from the lightning bolt's feedback and Alex fell to the ground. Molly's gun reappeared, Rat started to fire off bolts of ice and stone, followed by bullet after bullet.
All dissipated into the air as Xerxes summoned a shield made of light. The attacks kept coming for a few seconds until they suddenly stopped. Xerxes let out a laugh, "Did you think measly bullets and bolts could stop a Guardian like me?"
Now it was Molly's turn to let out a chuckle, "Eyes up, Guardian."
Both Merrick and Xerxes looked up and noticed the grenade slowly arcing through the air above Xerxes. Xerxes jerked his arm up, the Shield of Light rose just in time to block the concentrated blast from the grenade.
Merrick had to look away due to the brightness of the blast but when he looked back, Xerxes was on the ground bleeding from both legs. One leg had a two foot spike of rock piercing his thigh, the other leg's knee was riddled with bullets. Even though Merrick had looked away, both Molly and Rat had inflicted wounds as soon as the shield was lifted.
Xerxes was crawling away. Molly ran to Alex and Rat circled the edge of the room, eyes on Xerxes. Merrick approached the Dungeon Boss. Intent on getting at least some answers. However, before Merrick could reach him, Xerxes somehow stood up on bloodied legs.
"I know I'm a Mage," Merrick said as he shifted his grip on Spell Stealer, "but I think even I could take you in a melee if you're not going to heal up."
"I'm all out of weapons, tools, and magic." Xerxes laughed and coughed up blood.
"Any more short swords I should know about?"
Xerxes shook his head, "Only one move left, I'm afraid."
"Summon a deity? Punch me to death?"
"No." Xerxes laughed again, "Good luck with the Mouseion goons."
Merrick frowned in confusion, "What?"
In that moment, his grip loosened on Spell Stealer and Xerxes burst into a run. Merrick froze for a moment. Fortunately, Xerxes ran away, towards the watch room's edge. Before Molly could set Alex down or Rat could line up a spell, Xerxes broke through the watch room's glass window and tumbled over the edge of the narrow platform.
Merrick, Molly, and Rat reached the edge to see his body disintegrate into motes of light from the bloodied grass below. Merrick received a system notification congratulating him on a Dungeon Clear, as expected.
Molly and Rat, on the other hand, looked perplexed. Rat asked, "What happened to the body? Was that some kind of resurrection spell?"
Merrick scoffed, "What? No. He was just respawning. Have you not played a game like this before? You seem pretty high level for a sprout."
"Game? Right. Yeah. Alex?"
Alex was finally back on her feet. She appeared at the window next to them, "Yes."
"Can you explain things to this… thing so that he knows what's really going on?"
"In a moment, did he say that… Xerxes respawned?"
Rat nodded.
Alex sighed, "Then he's still out there, somewhere. We only encountered his avatar… which explains his strength. We need to-"
Alex was cut off by the chime of an alarm. She pulled her phone out and silenced it. "At least we were out of the Gamespace for this. Brace yourself."
"What?" Merrick asked.
Molly and Rat found something to hold on to. Alex pointed off into the distance. Merrick followed her finger and saw a fantastical sight in the distance. Beyond the plains, beyond the fence they had traveled through, there was true wonder.
There were castles and towers. Dragons flew around mountain tops. Armies marched over plains. A grand city was being constructed in the distance. Then, everything shook.