Goldy and the armored skeleton were still locked in combat when Vex and I arrived. Every strike Goldy landed was met with a block, and every attack the skeleton threw was countered with a swift movement. It was clear they were evenly matched—until now.

  The moment Goldy noticed us, she suddenly slammed into the armored skeleton with a powerful blow, forcing it to skid backward. Without wasting time, she retreated toward us, finally putting some distance between herself and that thing.

  “Eek! You guys done already?” Goldy chirped as she came up beside us.

  I gave a quick nod. “Yeah. Me and Vex here to assist.”

  Goldy’s gaze flicked between me and Vex before she tilted her head. “Wait, Vex? That’s his name now?”

  I smirked. “Yup.”

  Vex clicked his mandibles in irritation but didn’t deny it. Good. That means he accepted it—whether he liked it or not.

  Goldy let out an annoyed huff. "Tch. You guys finished them too quickly! I was about to be a cool, strong older sister by taking this guy down alone!"

  I groaned, doing a mental facepalm—since, you know, caterpillar. "Goldy, you shouldn’t be selfish. Besides, what do you mean by alone? You’ve been hogging all the spine shooter assistance this entire fight!"

  Goldy twitched in response, clearly caught off guard. "W-Well, that's just... tactical support!"

  "Yeah, yeah. Sure," I muttered, rolling my eyes.

  Vex clicked his mandibles, clearly irritated. "Enough bickering. We should focus on the damn skeleton."

  Goldy huffed but didn’t argue, and I let out a sigh. Fine, fine. Time to get serious.

  The armored skeleton was already recovering, its glowing eyes locking onto us with an eerie determination. It raised its sword and shield, shifting into a defensive stance. This thing wasn’t just strong—it had technique.

  "Alright then," I said, flexing my spines. "Let’s take this guy down together."

  Goldy let out a frustrated hiss. "That skeleton’s a bit of a problem. Too much damn defense. Every time I attack, it either blocks with its shield or parries with that sword. I’ve managed to land some hits by catching it off guard after getting shot with spines, and I slowed it down with my silk—" She gestured at the shimmering threads wrapped around the skeleton's limbs. "—but it’s still standing."

  I whistled—or at least made the caterpillar equivalent of one. "That's tough." My eyes flicked between the skeleton’s cautious stance and the silken restraints holding it back. "But come on, we’re literally three against one now." I smirked. "Actually, six against one, if we count the spine shooters. There's no way we can lose this."

  Vex snorted. "Then let’s finish this already."

  Goldy nodded, shaking off her frustration. "Fine. Let’s crush this bastard."

  As we lunged forward, ready to overwhelm the armored skeleton, it suddenly slammed its sword against its shield with a loud CLANG. A brilliant light flared from the shield, forcing my vision to adjust.

  Before any of us could react, the skeleton reared back and punched the ground. The glow from its shield transferred into its fist and then into the earth beneath it.

  For a split second, everything went still.

  Then—BOOM!

  A shockwave erupted from the impact, blasting outward like a sudden explosion. I barely had time to register what was happening before the force sent me flying through the air. I tumbled, my body spinning uncontrollably before crashing into the dirt.

  I groaned internally. Oh, come on!

  Goldy and Vex weren’t spared either. Goldy, being the biggest, hit the ground hard and skidded back, leaving a deep trail in the dirt. Vex, being lighter, practically bounced off a rock before rolling to a stop.

  For a moment, all I could hear was ringing. Then I forced myself to focus. What the hell was that?

  Goldy let out an annoyed chirp. "Damnit! That guy still has tricks up its sleeve!"

  I groaned as I pushed myself back up. Of course, it does.

  Vex coughed, shaking off the dust. "Great. So it wasn’t enough that it’s a walking fortress—it also has area explosions now?"

  I shot a glance at the armored skeleton. It hadn’t moved from where it stood, its shield faint glow faded from whatever ability it just used. That meant it probably couldn’t spam that attack… I hoped.

  Goldy twitched her antennae in frustration. "I really wanted to beat this thing solo, but fine. Now we play dirty!"

  Wasn’t that always the plan?

  Goldy clicked her mandibles. "Oh, you wanna play that way? Fine. It’s on!"

  She didn’t waste time. "Nur, flank its side! Vex, stay behind Nur and wait for my signal!"

  I didn’t argue. Sprinting low, I circled to the skeleton’s right, making sure to stay just outside its reach. Vex trailed behind me, his movements quiet and precise as always.

  The armored skeleton remained still, shield raised, sword at the ready. It was watching me, waiting for my move.

  Alright, let’s see how good that defense really is.

  I charged at the skeleton’s side, mandibles snapping and spines bristling. If it wanted a fight, I was going to give it one.

  I struck first, aiming low for its legs, hoping to throw it off balance. But the skeleton was fast—faster than a pile of bones had any right to be. It shifted its shield, blocking my attack with ease, then swung its sword down toward me.

  I barely dodged in time, the blade scraping the ground where I had just been.

  Okay, wow, this thing’s no joke.

  I kept pushing, attacking again and again, trying to find a weak spot. Every time I lashed out with my mandibles or spines, it either blocked with its shield or deflected with its sword. I wasn’t making much progress—and I could feel it. My strikes didn’t have the raw power like Goldy, and I definitely wasn’t as fast or precise as Vex.

  I hissed in frustration, dodging another swing. Come on, just one opening…

  But no matter how hard I pressed, the skeleton wasn’t giving me an inch.

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Goldy’s spines shot through the air, glowing red at the tips. I expected them to pierce the armored skeleton like the usual barrage—but then BOOM! I didn’t expect was the explosion that followed.

  Wait, what?!

  The blast sent the skeleton staggering forward, its shield lowered for the first time.

  So that’s what the red tips are for… I thought, both impressed and slightly annoyed she hadn’t used them sooner.

  Goldy didn’t waste time. She gave a quick signal, and Vex sprang into action, darting straight for the stunned skeleton.

  The armored undead, despite its heavy frame, reacted fast. It slammed its sword against its shield, causing a brief glow before rearing back a fist—another shockwave incoming.

  But just as it was about to strike, Goldy did something even more surprising.

  She flexed her spines against the ground, and before I could even process it, spines erupted from behind the skeleton, piercing through its back and importantly, it's arm, locking it in place. The move completely halted its punch, leaving it wide open for Vex.

  Goldy grinned. “Gotcha.”

  The moment Vex snapped the skeleton’s head off, Goldy’s voice rang out.

  "Back off! Now!"

  I didn’t question it—I scuttled backward as fast as my legs could carry me, and Vex darted away just as fast.

  Then, with a wicked grin, Goldy flexed her spines again. The ones piercing the skeleton suddenly glowed a violent red.

  Oh.

  Ohhh.

  An instant later, a chain of explosions erupted from inside the armored skeleton. Its entire form trembled under the force before being blown apart into scattered bones and dust.

  Goldy dusted herself off with a smug look. "And that, my dear siblings, is how you deal with stubborn bastards."

  What the hell was that?!

  I’d seen Goldy do some crazy stuff before, but this? Exploding spines? Since when?!

  I stared at the scattered remains of the armored skeleton, still processing what just happened. Oh sure, just casually reveal that you’ve been hoarding some secret explosive power this whole time. Real nice, Goldy.

  "Hey, Goldy," I finally said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "You mind telling me when you decided to turn into a walking bomb factory? Or were you just saving that just for a shock value?"

  Goldy puffed up, clearly proud of herself. “I’ve always been able to do that. I am a royal, after all,” she said smugly.

  Vex, of course, had to butt in. “Yeah, real ones know. Unlike certain kids who just hatched into this world.”

  I immediately shot him a glare. “Shut up, Vex. We’re broodmates. That means we hatched not that long apart, asshole.”

  Vex just shrugged, like the smug little pest he was.

  Turning back to Goldy, I asked, “Then why didn’t you use that earlier?”

  Goldy crossed her arms—or, well, did the closest thing she could with her legs. “Because I didn’t want my siblings getting caught in the blast. Also burned food is not very appetizing you know?”

  I blinked. “Oh. That’s… actually reasonable.” Then, after a beat, I added, “Still, a little warning would’ve been nice before you started blowing stuff up.”

  From a distance, I could see Victor and the rest of our siblings finishing off the last of the skeletons. Looked like they had things under control.

  Then, clear as day, Victor’s voice rang out across the battlefield, his usual dramatic flair cranked up to the max. “Ah, what a resplendent display of overwhelming force! Our illustrious Young Highness, ever radiant in her might, has graced the battlefield with an explosion most spectacular! Truly, a sight worthy of legend!”

  I groaned. “Oh great, here we go.”

  Goldy, on the other hand, puffed up even more, obviously loving every second of it. “You couldn't be more right my dear brother!”

  Vex just sighed. “I swear, if we let him go on, we’ll be standing here for an hour listening to him compose an epic about this.”

  Honestly? He wasn’t wrong.

  I sighed internally. Yep, this is definitely going to inflate Goldy’s already overwhelming ego.

  As if to prove my point, Goldy dramatically flicked her spines, letting the last bits of golden silk shimmer in the dim light. “Finally, someone who appreciates true power!” she said, basking in Victor’s praise like a queen on her throne.

  Vex groaned. “Great. Now she’s gonna be unbearable for a while"

  I gave him a side glance. “Yeah definitely"

  I shook my head and decided to break the moment before Goldy got too full of herself. “Yeah, yeah, that’s great and all, but how exactly are we supposed to eat these bones?”

  Goldy turned to me, looking genuinely confused. “What do you mean? Just eat it.”

  I stared at her, then at the pile of shattered skeletons around us. Right… I forgot these guys eat literally anything.

  Vex, already gnawing on a rib bone, smirked at me. “What, too delicate for some crunchy snacks, little sis?”

  I shot him a glare. “I just prefer my food not to try and stab me first, thanks.”

  Before I could retort, Victor strolled up, already crunching on a femur with an exaggerated flourish. “Ah, but dear Nur, thou simply must partake in this most scrumptious pile of bones,” he declared in his ever-verbose manner. “The texture! The richness! A culinary delight befitting only the most refined of palates.”

  I just stared at him, unimpressed. “Victor, you’re literally eating a reanimated corpse.”

  He waved a claw dismissively. “Details, details. One must learn to appreciate the finer things in life.” Then he took another dramatic bite, as if he were dining at some fancy noble feast instead of devouring battlefield leftovers.

  Goldy, clearly enjoying the nonsense, chuckled. “See, even Victor gets it. Now quit being picky and start eating.”

  I sighed, resigning myself to my fate. This brood is insane.

  As much as I wanted to keep up my complaints, I had to admit… this wasn’t the worst idea. Bones = calcium, right? And given how much we grow, maybe crunching down on some undead leftovers wasn’t such a bad deal.

  I picked up a loose rib, giving it a hesitant nibble. The texture was weird—like stale rock mixed with something almost chalky—but not unbearable. Huh… not bad.

  Goldy smirked at me. “See? Told ya.”

  Victor, still fully in character, nodded approvingly. “Ah, Nur, welcome to the sophisticated art of bone dining. Do take your time to savor its subtle undertones of decay and lingering necromantic essence.”

  I gagged. “Okay, you ruined it.”

  Then there's Vex, looking all smug at me.

  I clenched my mandibles, narrowing my many eyes at Vex as he gave me that insufferable, smug look. He didn’t say a word—he didn’t have to. That stupid expression screamed heh, what a weakling loud and clear.

  Oh, it was on.

  I met his gaze with an icy stare, my body language screaming don’t test me. If looks could kill, I’d have turned him into a pile of dust already. It was the kind of glare that once, in another life, made entire rooms go silent. Even now, in this new body, old habits die hard.

  The tension between us thickened, neither of us backing down.

  Goldy fidgeted beside us, her usual confidence slipping. “Uhh… guys?” she said, looking between us. “We did just win, you know? No need to start another fight…”

  Neither of us moved. Neither of us blinked.

  This wasn’t about bones anymore. It was principle.

  Vex finally broke the silence with that smug tone of his. “Imagine struggling over bones.” He let out a low chuckle, clicking his mandibles together. “Don’t worry, your big brother here can help if it’s too tough for you.”

  I scoffed. “Oh, like how you were so useful against that skeleton?” My voice dripped with sarcasm. “Face it, you were useless. And don’t even get me started on you trying to use venom on bones.” I made a mock gasp. “Wow, Vex, you really showed them.”

  His smug look twitched for just a second, his pride clearly wounded, but before he could snap back, Goldy clapped her forelegs together. “Alright, enough, both of you!” she chirped, forcing a big, definitely-fake smile. “We just won a fight, we have food, and I don’t wanna hear any more bickering over who’s the better sibling.”

  Vex huffed, clicking his mandibles in irritation, but backed off. I rolled my eyes, but I let it slide too. For now.

  Goldy sighed in relief. “See? Much better. Now eat your damn bones and stop acting like hatchlings.”

  I sighed, shaking my head. No use wasting energy on Vex’s nonsense. Without another word, I went back to eating. The bones were surprisingly easy to crunch through—not exactly delicious, but they’d do.

  I guess there was no point overthinking it. Food is food.

  With the skeletons defeated and the bones thoroughly crunched, we pressed onward toward the 4th Zone. The air grew heavier with an eerie stillness, and the ground beneath us shifted subtly, as if warning us of the challenges ahead.

  Goldy took the lead, her golden silk shimmering faintly in the dim light. Vex followed closely behind, his smugness replaced by quiet focus. Victor, ever the dramatic one, adjusted his posture as if stepping onto the stage of a grand performance. The spine-shooter siblings moved in formation, scanning for threats, while the hatchlings trailed cautiously, still energized from the battle.

  As we passed through the narrow opening and into the wider area, the scenery before us was almost otherworldly—glimmering crystals and bioluminescent fungi casting an ethereal glow. The air had a heavy, yet strangely calming, energy to it, the kind that reminded me of the place where our mother had been not too long ago.

  Goldy, ever the confident one, announced with her usual bravado, "Here we are. We’ve finally reached the deeper, and possibly the last part of this zone."

  My thoughts immediately went to the implications of that. "Deeper part?" I muttered under my breath. That meant stronger monsters, didn't it? My eyes darted to the others. We've barely managed to defeat the skeletons, and two of our siblings had already fallen during the battle with the viper. It didn't sit right with me.

  “Goldy,” I asked cautiously, “Do you think it’s a good idea to press on? We barely made it through the skeletons, and we’ve lost two siblings against that viper.”

  Vex, who had remained uncharacteristically quiet until now, surprisingly agreed. “Normally, I’d be the one to object, but I think Nur’s right. We should consider our situation.”

  I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at that. It was surprising, but then again, not really. Vex had been furious when our siblings fell. It wasn’t like him to let emotions cloud his judgment, but the weight of the losses was heavy even for him.

  "We can't afford to be reckless," I added, my voice firm. We had come this far together, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that the true test was just beginning.

  Goldy turned to face the rest of the group, her voice a bit sharper this time. "So, what do you all think? Should we keep going?"

  Victor, as expected, responded in his usual verbose manner, "I must implore, dear siblings, that we refrain from pressing forward just yet. We still have two hatchlings in our midst, and their well-being should be considered paramount. It would be unwise to venture further into the unknown without ensuring their safety."

  The others chimed in with varying opinions—some agreed with Victor, some voiced their willingness to push forward, but the majority seemed to lean toward hesitation. It seemed that the consensus was clear: not everyone want to continue just yet.

  As the group settled into silence, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over me. The weight of the decision had been heavy, but now that it was made, I could focus on something more immediate.

  Goldy, looking a bit exasperated. "Fine, but what do we do now? We can't just sit here."

  Without missing a beat, I suggested, "We circle back the way we came. Fight more monsters, gain some experience, at least until the hatchlings evolve."

  Goldy paused, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. Then she gave a half-smirk, clearly amused by my practical approach. "Not a bad idea, little sis. We'll be stronger for it. Alright, let’s head back and hunt some more. Get the hatchlings to evolve before we make any more risky decisions."

  The decision was made, and with that, we set off to retrace our steps. As we moved through the shimmering crystal-lit cavern, I couldn't shake the thought that the deeper part of the dungeon was still out there, waiting for us. But for now, we had a plan, and that was enough.

  As we were about to turn around and head back, a sudden rustling sound echoed through the cavern. From the shadows, a small figure leaped out with surprising agility. At first, I thought it was some sort of creature or beast, but then I saw the unmistakable shape. It was a puppy—a small, slightly scrappy-looking thing, almost the size of me, with fur that looked too wild and untamed for its own good.

  Clutched in its jaws was a bipedal myconid monster, roughly the size of a hatchling caterpillar. The puppy landed gracefully on its feet, its muscles coiling as it thrashed the myconid around, shaking it violently from side to side. The tiny creature let out a shrill, warbling screech, its limbs flailing as it struggled against the powerful grip. With one final jerk, the puppy released it, sending the myconid tumbling across the floor.

  The myconid hit the ground hard but, to our surprise, scrambled back onto its feet. It staggered for a moment, then turned and bolted, scampering into the shadows as fast as its spindly legs could carry it.

  The puppy snorted, watching the myconid flee before shifting its gaze toward us. Its eyes narrowed in suspicion, muscles tensed as if ready to spring at any moment. We all instinctively took stances, preparing for a fight, weapons drawn and instincts sharp. Everyone except me.

  As I watched the puppy closely, something felt... off, but in a way that wasn’t threatening. The hostility in its eyes faltered for just a moment, replaced by something unfamiliar, something warm. I could sense it too. The puppy was familiar.

  I took a cautious step forward, my heartbeat quickening, recognizing a deeper connection between us. The puppy’s posture shifted, its ears perking up, its hostile stance softening. It was like it recognized me, just as much as I recognized it.

  And then it hit me. There was no mistaking it.

  The word slipped out of my mouth before I even realized it. That puppy is...

  “Tessa.”

  End of Chapter 12