I was surprised to wake up on my own the next day, figuring Mel would get everyone up early for some last-minute orders. There was no sign of the man we were calling Santa in my dreams last night, but I had a feeling we’d know if anything happened to him. I had no tangible proof of that, of course, but it just felt like I’d know if something happened to any of the members of the soul chat.

  Was there a safe way to test that? Maybe something like anesthesia could work, but I’d need a real medical doctor before I was willing to risk anything like that. Actually, I was pretty sure that went beyond even what a normal doctor handled, that was more in the specialist area. I’d talk to the council about it later, after we were sure the planet was safe from the current problem.

  With my brain back on that pressing issue, I forced myself out of bed. I wanted to get some food in me and see just what the others were up to this morning. Before I could get out of the garage, though, a new chat window popped into view.

  I closed the chat window. Again not sure if Beta was actually trying to make a joke or not. The core was certainly different than the other three; then again, they were all unique beings. It made sense that they would be different in some ways. After a good yawn and stretch, I decided not to keep them waiting any longer.

  The weather was still reasonably nice outside, though I could tell fall was in the air. Would Cecile’s fields be able to handle the winter? I assumed he had already prepared for that, but I made a note to check with him about how much he understood of Earth’s weather patterns, especially Alaska’s. It was entirely possible he had no idea the level of cold and snow we were in store for.

  I didn’t spot a single person on my brief walk, which meant when I pushed the doors open and several heads turned toward me, I understood why. I wished Corey had mentioned that I was literally the last person not there yet. It likely wouldn’t have sped me up, but I would have preferred to know what I was walking into. I caught Mel’s half-smile, half-glare look, cementing my thought that he had done this on purpose.

  “Morning, so glad ya could join us,” Mel said, somehow intensifying both the smile and the glare at the same time. At least there was already a plate of breakfast waiting at my seat.

  “Hey, if you really wanted me here earlier, you could have woken me up,” I replied as I pulled out my chair, looking at the food hungrily.

  “He’s just grumpy because he won’t let anyone heal his hangover,” Connie said.

  “Fer good reason! Y’all ain’t using any mana ‘til the fight!” Mel replied loudly.

  “Melhelm is correct; let’s conserve all our core strength until we need it,” Elody added. I noticed she had her own plate of eggs today. Apparently, the taste had been to her liking. There was also a hint of anxiety in her tone that I had rarely heard before. I couldn’t blame her, as a lot hung on today. I hoped that if everything went wrong, she could escape with her life, but considering her own position with Korl, I suspected it would be a long shot. Would her order shelter her?

  There was a lot I still didn’t understand about the various paladin orders. They didn’t seem to line up very closely with how they were generally portrayed here, historically or in fiction. I was looking forward to meeting the Paladin of Conservation when they arrived to see the moose, partially just to see how they differed from Elody.

  I spotted John and Maud at one end of the table, both whispering back and forth. They looked happier than they had the night before. That was just another reason I couldn’t fail today. Both of my kids needed their futures, and it seemed like even more grandkids were a possibility in my own future.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  “No need to stop eating, but I want to make everyone aware of what could happen today. After that, I’m sure Mel will have his own words for the squad itself, but I wanted to go first because I think it’s important everyone understands the real weight of today,” Pryte said, his head scanning the room. I caught his eyes and gave a slight nod. “I believe most of you, if not all, are aware that this empire only stands if Dave manages to defeat the tenth floor today.” There were several more nods and various affirmations at this pause.

  “If the empire falls, that means a harsh future for this planet, likely one that sees most, if not everyone in this room, dead before it’s over. I would imagine Trolke is safe, but honestly, that isn’t even a guarantee. To that end, I’ve filed paperwork to get you all named as official representatives of the Empire of Dave so that everyone here can accompany us to the private waiting room for the floor-” Pryte said, his words cut off by an interruption from Glorp.

  “So then I take it you have a plan for what happens if we lose then? If I die in there, you’ve got a way to keep them safe?” he asked, gesturing to his family, worry in his voice.

  “Yes. I know all of you likely won’t be willing to accompany me, and for some of you, there is likely no reason to, as long as you don’t return to Earth after the match. But if the fight ends in a loss for our side, I’ve already set up passage to chaotic space for everyone who will come. It won’t be any safer than where we are now, but it has the most likely chance of keeping us alive,” Pryte explained.

  “On the off chance I don’t die and we somehow lose, I will likely join you. Though, as I’ve said before, fate has already spoken. We are not going to lose,” Rabyn said with a smile.

  “My brother and sisters are going, no matter what happens to me,” Glorp said, with a bit of fire in his voice. He looked incredibly determined, less like a kid than I had seen him before.

  “Alex, John, Maud, I know I can’t make you, but please go with Pryte if the worst happens,” I said. Each of them nodded in return. I wouldn’t push it any harder. They knew what was at stake if they decided otherwise.

  “Chip and I are gonna stay here while you go to the Arena. Don’t worry; we will both be joining you if we’ve gotta, but more preparations need to be made,” Timon said, and then turned to me with a wink. What the hell was he up to?

  “I will return to Earth. I will not be abandoning my duty, certain death or not,” Grant said grimly. I understand why, but I wasn’t sure I’d have made the same call in his place. Or had I just already made that call, and somehow, despite the odds, wasn’t dead yet?

  “I do not know what will happen to myself and the other dungeon cores should Dave die, but should we continue to function, we will join you. I do not wish to be enslaved again, and neither do they, and that is likely the best case scenario for what would happen to us if we remained,” Corey said. None of the cores objected to Corey’s words. They stayed entirely silent.

  “I’ll pass on chaotic space. I’ve got things to do,” Connie said in between bites of her food. She looked surprisingly unconcerned with all of this.

  “Not much of a choice for us. Can’t help our families if we’re dead,” Elicec said, while Cecile nodded.

  “I think the answer is pretty obvious fer me and the bird too,” Mel followed up. He was right; neither he or Sanquar had much of a choice if we lost. That left only Elody.

  “And you, Elody?” Pryte asked, turning his gaze to her.

  “I honestly don’t know. There are too many variables at play. It is likely that if Dave survives, I will accompany you, but Dave’s survival and the failure of the floor appear to be a very unlikely connected set of outcomes. This is a decision I will make when the time comes,” She answered as she picked at the food still on her plate, keeping all four of her eyes focused down on it. I understood. This was likely an incredibly hard decision for her, though I was a bit surprised my presence was enough to push her to a decision.

  “Fair enough. Trolke, obviously, if for some reason you wanted to come, you can, but I imagine you will want to return home?” Pryte asked the giant.

  “Correct. I like you all well enough, but this isn’t my fight. Things might be different in the future, but for now, my home faction isn’t directly involved,” he answered. I held no ill will for his answer. This wasn’t his world. We were just his employers at the moment, of course he should go home, not with us.

  “Well, with my piece out of the way, I’ll let Mel take over depressing everyone,” Pryte said with a forced smile as he sat back down.

  Chaotic space is somehow both more and less than anyone expects it to be. Virtually no one enters it without an idea of just how deadly it can be, but what they fail to understand is those dangers come in long-seperated bursts. For most of a voyage, you will likely see no real danger, and if the right charts are used and are still accurate, it is entirely possible to reach your destination without a life-threatening situation. The charts, though, are rarely accurate; the deeper you go, the more things shift. In those deep black pockets, that’s where the real danger lies; as your navigation fails, that’s when the monsters come out.

  Voyages of Chaos by Captain Squidlen

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