The flicker of the torch cast long shadows on the stone walls as John led the way down a narrow corridor. His boots scuffed softly against the floor, the only sound in the otherwise silent tunnel. Thorin trudged behind him, still rubbing at the spot where the goblin rogue had clipped him. Kaia followed quietly, though her eyes held a soft glow, still alert.

  "I’m just saying," John began, keeping his voice low, "if you’re going to lay that many traps, maybe spread them out a little. I’ve disarmed at least a dozen of these things. What, did they have a two-for-one sale on pit spikes?"

  Thorin snorted. "Goblins aren’t known for subtlety."

  "No kidding." John patted the side of his bag, which was now stuffed with a variety of cobbled-together traps. "If I keep this up, I’ll open a goblin supply store by the end of the week."

  Kaia smiled faintly but kept scanning the tunnel ahead. "They’re not going to make it easy for us to reach the end of this floor."

  John slowed as they reached a larger chamber. The ceiling arched higher, and the space opened up into a roughly circular room. A worn stone door stood at the far end, slightly ajar.

  Thorin squinted at it. "That might be a safe room. The stone’s smoother there. Older work."

  John took a cautious step forward, scanning the floor. His interface flashed, highlighting faint lines near the doorway. Another trap.

  "Oh, come on. Seriously?" John knelt down, disarming the contraption with practiced ease. "I feel like I should start charging them for each one of these. Goblin tolls or something."

  With the trap dismantled, John pushed the door open. The inside revealed a modest space, lined with simple stone benches and a small firepit at the center. The air felt noticeably cleaner.

  "We’re safe here?" Kaia asked.

  Thorin nodded. "A dungeon-safe room. No monsters will enter. We can rest."

  John dropped his pack with a groan. "Thank God. Or gods. Whichever one’s listening."

  Kaia frowned at John and said " Must you be so blasphemous? "

  John replies " What can I say blasphemy is kind..." he stops speaking and laughs.

  The safe room’s stone door sealed with a soft grinding noise, locking the world of traps and goblins behind them. The chamber was small but sturdy, with a simple stone bench and a single brazier already flickering with warmth. It wasn’t much, but it was safe.

  John stretched his arms over his head and dropped his pack by the wall. "Alright, home sweet home for the night."

  Thorin collapsed onto the bench with a heavy sigh, setting his shield aside. "Safe rooms are a marvel. I remember hearing tales of them from adventurers when I was a lad."

  Kaia knelt by the brazier, pulling out a small pot. "I’ll get something warm going. With this saferoom, we don't have to rely on dried meat and bread."

  John shook his head, grinning as he opened his inventory. "Hold that thought. I’ve got something better." He produced a bundle of rodent meat he’d saved from earlier, tossing it onto a flat stone near the fire. "Tonight, we’re making hamburgers."

  Kaia’s eyes narrowed. "What is a hamburger?"

  "Back on Earth its a easy to eat food. You chop of meat and make patties out of it. You then grill or fry them and put them on buns with sauces.

  Thorin laughed. "I’ll try anything once."

  John knelt beside the fire, pulling out his knife and chopped the meat up then he shaped the meat into rough patties. "Look, it’s all about preparation. This isn’t just rat. This is artisanal dungeon meat, aged for at least… two hours in my inventory." He glanced at Kaia. "Trust the process."

  Kaia sighed but watched curiously. "It looks like you’ve done this before?"

  John smirked. "As a Dad I am charged with the sacred duty of grilling meat. It is an honor passed down to me from my forefathers. Granted I've never made rat burgers before but meat is meat."

  He seasoned the meat with a pinch of salt from Kaia’s supplies and seasoned the thin patties. As the fire crackled, he laid the patties on a flat surface near the brazier, letting them sizzle. The smell slowly filled the room.

  Thorin’s stomach growled. "Those are starting to smell amazing"

  John flipped the patties carefully. "I'll be damned if they don't smell like hamburgers."

  After a few more minutes, John pulled out a piece of hard bread, slicing it to create makeshift buns. He slid the patties between them, passing one to each of his companions.

  Kaia took a tentative bite, pausing as her eyes widened. "This… is actually good."

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  Thorin devoured his in three bites. "I could eat five more."

  John grinned, biting into his own. "Delicious. Best cave burger I’ve ever had...Delicious ...in Cave "

  He chewed quietly for a moment, then his smile faded, eyes distant.

  Kaia noticed and set her food down. "What is it?"

  John hesitated before answering. "Thinking of my daughter. Rosie and I used to watch a show about adventurers cooking and eating monsters in a dungeon. She called it Delicious in cave. Shed have such a kick out of seeing me make rat burgers."

  Kaia’s expression softened. "You must miss her."

  John nodded. "Yeah. Every day."

  Thorin rested a hand on John’s shoulder. "She sounds like a good kid."

  John smiled faintly. "She is. I’ll find my way back to her. I have to."

  For a while, they ate in silence, the warmth of the fire and the simple meal easing the weight of the day. Eventually, Thorin leaned back and began humming, and Kaia joined in softly.

  John listened to the melody, his heart a little heavier but somehow comforted. For the first time in a while, he didn’t feel quite as lost.

  "OOh," John said "I have a song, real popular back home"

  John began to sing.

  "There once was a ship that put to sea

  And the name of the ship was the Billy of Tea

  The winds blew up, her bow dipped down

  Blow, my bully boys, blow.

  She had not been two weeks from shore

  When down on her a right whale bore

  The captain called all hands and swore

  He'd take that whale in tow

  Soon may the Wellerman come

  To bring us sugar and tea and rum

  One day, when the tonguin' is done

  We'll take our leave and go..."

  Thorin nodding said " I can see why it's popular"

  The warmth of the brazier crackled gently as the three of them sat in a comfortable circle, the last bites of their makeshift burgers disappearing.

  Thorin leaned back against the stone wall, patting his stomach. "I’ll say this, John. You’ve got a gift. If you ever retire from adventuring, you could open a tavern."

  John chuckled, stretching his legs out. "Yeah, I’ll call it ‘The Dungeon Grill.’ Special of the day: Ratburgers."

  Kaia laughed softly, shaking her head. "You joke, but there’s a real lack of creativity in the food around here. I wouldn’t mind seeing more… experiments."

  John waggled a finger. "You’ll be singing a different tune if I start trying to make cave spider kebabs."

  Thorin shrugged. "I'd try it"

  John leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Alright, your turn. What’s the worst thing you two have eaten out in the wilds?"

  Thorin grinned immediately. "Oh, that’s easy. Fermented rock beetles."

  Kaia visibly shivered. "I’m sorry… fermented?"

  Thorin nodded, clearly enjoying their disgust. "It’s a dwarven delicacy. The fermentation brings out the… unique flavors."

  John raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess—tastes like feet and regret?"

  Thorin laughed loudly, slapping his knee. "Exactly!"

  Kaia smirked. "And yet, I’ve seen you eat worse."

  Thorin shrugged. "Survival isn’t always glamorous." He turned to Kaia. "Your turn. What’s the strangest thing you’ve eaten?"

  Kaia thought for a moment, her eyes flickering to the fire. "Hmm… probably roasted krillfish. They’re tiny, but they swarm rivers by the thousands. We used to catch them during festivals."

  John perked up. "Sounds kind of like popcorn shrimp."

  Thorin looked between them. "Popcorn… what now?"

  John grinned. "It’s a dish back home. Little breaded shrimp, deep-fried. You’d love it."

  Thorin rubbed his beard thoughtfully. "I’m starting to think your world’s food is better than ours."

  John leaned back against the wall, letting the warmth of the fire seep into his bones. "It’s different. I mean, you’ve got magical healing, but somehow no one thought to invent pizza. Feels like a missed opportunity."

  Kaia tilted her head. "Pizza?"

  John’s eyes lit up. "Oh, now you’re in for a treat. Imagine flat bread, baked until crispy, covered with tomato sauce, cheese, and whatever toppings you want."

  Thorin squinted. "Toppings like…?"

  John grinned mischievously. "More rat meat, if you’re brave."

  Kaia groaned. "You’re going to ruin the memory of this meal if you keep that up."

  John laughed, enjoying the camaraderie. "Alright, alright. No more rat jokes—tonight."

  John glanced at them. "You two ever get tired of all this? The adventuring, the danger?"

  Kaia gave a small smile. "Sometimes. But the world isn’t safe. If we don’t face it, who will?"

  Thorin nodded. "Aye. But the moments like this? They make it worth it. The songs, the food, the friends."

  John stared into the fire, Kaia’s words lingering. He thought of his daughter—her laughter, the way she’d curl up next to him during family movie nights. For a brief moment, the dungeon felt less oppressive.

  "Yeah," John said softly. "I get that."

  John leaned back against a moss-covered boulder, watching the fire crackle as he chewed on a piece of dried meat. “So, Thorin,” he said, shifting his gaze to the burly warrior. “Earlier, you mentioned dwarves. Haven’t met any of the other races yet—well, unless goblins count.” He smirked. “But I take it dwarves are a bit more civilized?”

  Thorin let out a deep chuckle. “Aye, civilized enough—if you don’t mind the smell of ale and forge-smoke clinging to everything.” He leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. “I made the journey to the northern mountains once, to a city called Kazrum Kaldur. It’s carved straight into the stone, deeper than the roots of the mountains themselves. The halls are lined with golden sconces, and the ceilings stretch so high you’d think you were outside under the night sky.”

  John raised an eyebrow. “Sounds impressive.”

  Thorin nodded. “It is. Dwarves are master smiths and miners, but they’re stubborn as a mountain and twice as slow to trust outsiders. I was lucky—I came with a caravan of traders, and after a few nights of sharing ale and stories, they warmed up to me.” He grinned. “Even got invited to a feast. That’s how you know a dwarf respects you.”

  John smirked. “What, they don’t just grunt at you and toss you a hunk of bread?”

  Thorin laughed. “That’s only if they tolerate you. If they like you, they pour your cup to the brim and make sure you don’t leave the table hungry—or standing, for that matter.”

  John chuckled. “Sounds like my kind of people.”

  Thorin clapped a hand on his shoulder. “We're going there next. Just be ready for the strongest damn ale you’ll ever taste.”

  John grinned. “Challenge accepted.”

  The three of them sat quietly, letting the warmth and stories fill the space between them. In that safe room, under the flickering light, they weren’t just adventurers—they were just people, sharing a small slice of peace.

  A faint, bluish light crept in through the cracks in the stone door as John stirred, groaning softly as he sat up. The brazier had burned low during the night, leaving the room cool but not unpleasant.

  Thorin was already awake, strapping his shield to his back. Kaia knelt nearby, quietly packing up her supplies.

  John rubbed his eyes and stretched. "Morning already? Felt like I just closed my eyes."

  Thorin grunted. "You snore loud enough to scare goblins. I doubt they’d try sneaking in even if they could."

  John smirked. "Consider it part of my defensive strategy."

  Kaia smiled faintly but didn’t comment as she continued bundling their cooking gear.

  John fished around in his pack, feeling the subtle weight of the traps he’d collected the day before. As he sat cross-legged on the stone floor, he pulled open his interface with a flick of his hand, the familiar translucent screen blinking to life.

  Banter – Max (Perpetual State of Use)

  John chuckled at the last entry. "Glad to know even this world appreciates my sense of humor."

  Kaia glanced up. "Something amusing?"

  John gestured at his interface. "Just appreciating how ‘Banter’ counts as a skill. I think I’m more dangerous with words than with daggers at this point."

  Thorin snorted. "Would explain why you talk during half the fights."

  John flipped through his inventory next, noting the stack of basic traps, makeshift tools, and the glowing firepot he’d salvaged. His eyes narrowed as he noticed a small notification tucked away at the bottom of his log.

  [Skill Unlock: Improvised Engineering – Level 1]

  Crafting traps from scrap materials. Resourceful, if a little reckless.

  John raised an eyebrow. "Huh. Looks like I’m officially a trap maker now."

  Kaia arched a brow. "I’m not sure that’s reassuring."

  "Hey," John said, raising a finger. "You’ll thank me when these traps save us from getting ambushed."

  Thorin finished adjusting his pack and gave a nod toward the stone door. "Save the tinkering for after we’re moving. I’d rather not stick around longer than we need to."

  John stood, dismissing his interface with a swipe. "Yeah, yeah. Lead the way, fearless shield."

  Kaia joined them by the door, tightening the strap of her staff across her back. "We should be careful. If that rogue yesterday was any indication, the rest of the goblins might not be easy."

  John rested his hand on the hilt of his dagger, rolling his shoulders. "Good. I was starting to think this was going too easy."

  Thorin shook his head as he pushed the stone door open with a heavy creak. "You’ve got a strange definition of ‘easy.’"

  John grinned. "Welcome to adventuring with me."

  The three stepped back into the dim corridor, leaving the safe room’s comfort behind. Whatever lay ahead, John felt just a little more prepared—thanks to traps, banter, and, apparently, the world's most flexible skill set.