?[You have defeated a Level 3 Mana Leech! You have gained experience.]

  ?With a snarl, I rip my stinger from the head of my fallen opponent. Using the body as a makeshift shield, I push forward, sweeping the corpse sideways to knock my next target off balance before I descend upon it like a whirlwind of teeth and claws.

  ?Behind me, the battle of the titans rages on. Before my own battle began, I saw pieces of the once-mighty Greater Mana Leech scattered across the tunnel floor, its so-called leader having torn the monster to shreds before engaging Mr. Knight in a bloody fight. The Monarch is fighting with a terrifying fury. I can hear the immense impacts of its attacks as they slam into the tunnel floor. Occasionally, they connect, striking Mr. Knight's shield with a metallic clang that makes my ears ache.

  ?Shaking my head, I focus back on my own skirmish. With the leech off balance, it's almost child's play to snap my jaws shut on what passes as the little beastie's neck. Bite, bite, bite! My teeth crunch down, brutally crushing the monster's internals in a spurt of green blood. Under my rapid assault, it doesn't take long before the notification rings in my head.

  ?[You have defeated a Level 2 Mana Leech! You have gained experience.]

  ?[Bite; Rank 1, has reached Level 3!]

  ?Two down, two to go. And, I get a skill level to boot. Aren't I lucky?

  ?The final two leeches, however, don't look like they're going to give up without a fight. Stopping their initial panicked flight, they instead coordinate themselves in a loose formation, one on my left and the other on my right. Their horrible gnashing sucker mouths gnaw in my direction before they both coil back and, with a sudden burst of speed, launch themselves straight at me.

  ?Really? Cooperation now of all times? Why couldn't you give in and let me kill you? I'd have made it painless, you know... maybe.

  ?Growling, I dodge the first strike. The leech on my left flies through the air over my head like an arrow, screeching all the while. I attempt to strike upward with my tail, aiming to catch the monster mid-air, but before my attack can land, I'm sent stumbling back. The other leech hits me hard, slamming into my already injured side and latching onto my wounded ribs. A gasp escapes me as I feel my ribs creak, and immediately, a horrible sucking sensation overwhelms me as the leech does what it does best. With its numbing saliva, I'd almost be tempted to let it continue its dark work if I weren't already so low on health.

  ?Instead, I roll. Putting all my weight behind it, I slam myself to the side, rolling on top of the monster and dislodging it with a disgusting shlorp. Pain erupts in my side as the monster's teeth tear away the tender, wounded flesh, but I push past it and leap to my feet, completing the maneuver. With all the practice I've had against these types of monsters, it's simple to push my burgeoning advantage. Dashing forward, I feel my stamina draining from the repeated skill use, but that's alright. I only have to take out these two, then I can leave.

  ?Pouncing on the stunned leech I had literally rolled over, I grapple with the monster for a few moments before I hook my clawed hands inside its mouth and pull. The sound is sickening—a wet, tearing rip that makes even me slightly nauseous, but I don't relent. Garbled screeching fills the air, its horrible mouth parting and tearing, spitting a slick mix of mucus and blood that drenches my hands. I brace my feet and wrench it apart with all my might. The creature struggles, a limp, pathetic thing in my grip, before the System registers the lethal damage.

  ?[You have defeated a Level 2 Mana Leech! You have gained experience.]

  ?Panting, I toss the corpse away like a used rag, flicking the gore off my hands before turning my head to search for my final opponent. As it turns out, the leech finds me first. Just as I turn around, I find it launching itself at my face, mouth wide and slavering. All I can do is sigh. One-on-one, these monsters aren't much of a problem, especially since they're so stupid. The fact it tried the same move twice just proves how lacking their Cunning is.

  ?With a touch of disdain, my tail lashes out, catching the leech mid-air. The creature shrieks as I grasp it, but I pay it little mind as I consider how to eliminate my latest victim. Should I use the last of my venom? That seems like a waste. I could bite it, but why expend the energy? In the end, I decide to simply squeeze the beast to death. It's quick, efficient, and surprisingly satisfying. With a wet pop, the monster gurgles its last cry and collapses in my grip, its chitinous skin cracked and of little defense against the internal trauma.

  ?[You have defeated a Level 1 Mana Leech! You have gained experience.]

  ?Oof, Level 1? No wonder it lacked combat sense. I feel a little bad now... bah, no feeling bad for leeches! It'd eaten you in a heartbeat if it had the chance.

  ?Tossing the body to the side, I take a moment to assess my situation. The tunnel has become very quiet now. Beyond the earth-shaking battle still happening between Mr. Knight and the Monarch, the rest of the leeches are dead, having fallen to either me or the knight. A wealth of Biomass litters the ground, and if I hadn't eaten my fill earlier, I'd probably dig in and try to get as much as possible. As it is, it feels like a waste not to eat just a little more. But no, I think it's time I mosey on out of here. It's not like I can help Mr. Knight any longer; I'd rather not get squished. The only question is, how do I get out of here?

  ?With the battle currently ongoing, my route back home is blocked off, and as much as I'd like to try, I don't think I can slip past them. The battle is fierce, with both combatants holding nothing back. The Monarch slams down, using its boulder-sized fists to batter the Knight's shield with a flurry of blows that crack the stone underneath him. Its acidic blood hisses in the open air from multiple cuts along its body, and it looks like there's a nasty wound in its abdomen that spews the green fluid with every attack. Gross.

  ?Mr. Knight isn't faring much better, unfortunately. His armor is cracked and dented, his shield a remnant of its former glory. There are multiple crushes along his arms from the impacts, and although it's hard to see, I'm pretty sure there's blood leaking from inside his helmet. Maybe a few orbital fractures and cuts? Eh, I'd have to get a look at his face to be certain. Point is, he ain't looking too hot. Not on death's door, mind you, but definitely some serious injuries. I wouldn't be surprised if adrenaline is the only thing keeping him up and about. He executes a parry, redirecting one of the blows to the side before slicing into the monster’s arm, letting the Monarch’s momentum drag his blade lengthwise. He gets a deluge of green blood and a shriek as his reward before he's put on the defensive again. And on the fight continues: Slam, slam, parry, cut. Slam, slam, parry, cut.

  ?I watch in silence for a few moments, contemplating what to do, when a new sound breaks in. It's quiet. Very quiet. Almost completely drowned out by the ongoing conflict—it's a fluke I notice it at all. But notice it, I do.

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  ?My ear twitches up and then swivels to point backward, the large auditory receptor working overtime to catch any and all sounds. It starts as a low rumble on the edge of my awareness; a soft staccato of rhythmic thumps that echoes off the tunnel walls. It sounds like it's behind me, which is strange because the only thing back there is wide-open tunnel. It's probably not a monster; I don't hear any growls or anything else related to beasties. Just what sounds like footsteps.

  ?...Wait, footsteps?!

  ?My head whips around, all of my focus now on the tunnel behind me, the battle instantly forgotten. My eyes struggle to pierce the gloom, but my ears sharpen, catching every minute sound. And what I'm hearing isn't exactly lifting my spirits. The unmistakable sound of boots on stone is echoing down the tunnel, directed right at me. It's still faint—maybe a few minutes out—but there's a hell of a lot of footfall. My heart drops as I realize the ugly truth: the humans are coming back, and they brought the cavalry.

  ?Damnit, no! No, no, no. This is seriously not good. They don't know about the truce! They won't know I just orchestrated a magnificent piece of tactical chaos and risked my life alongside Mr. Knight. If they see me, I'm just another monster—a convenient target to be taken out before I can even think about pleading my case. Not that I'd try, Puzzle; I'm not a moron. But you get the idea.

  ?I need to run or hide. But where? Where do I go? Where can I go?

  ?Hurriedly turning back to the main fight, I look for an opening in the conflict, only to come up short. Damnit! That death blender is taking up the entire tunnel. I won't be able to sneak past; not safely, at least. My stamina is flagging way too much to rely on Dash for an escape.

  ?Hiding it is.

  ?My eyes scan the tunnel with the experience of someone who's had to hide most of her monstrous life. Unfortunately, that experience doesn't amount to much when there's nothing to hide behind! Damnit! The Monarch and its stupid battle destroyed most of the stalagmites, leaving the only viable ones closest to where the humans are coming from. No, that's not going to work; I might as well just offer myself up at that point.

  ?I'll have to improvise. Digging skill don't fail me now!

  ?With footfall ringing like a death knell in my ears, I rush over to a nearby wall and begin testing the surface with my claws. Most of the tunnel in this area is made of sturdy stone, which is something I have no hope of breaking through; my claws would do little more than scratch it. However, that doesn't mean that all hope is lost. Some of the wall is packed dirt. After a few moments of frenetic poking and prodding, my actions are rewarded with a trickle of soil from the wall. Success!

  ?Deep in the shadows, I begin excavating myself a hidey hole with all the haste I can muster. It won't be a subtle thing; I don't have the time to properly hide my traces, but with the deep shadow along this wall, I should be able to dig out a large enough tunnel to stuff myself in before the humans show up. With any luck, and with a little tunnel collapse to block off the entrance, they'll be too focused on the Monarch and Mr. Knight to scout around for me. I can wait them out and then sneak away when they return to their city, using my hearing to make sure the coast is clear. It's the best scheme I can come up with on such short notice. Let's hope it's foolproof.

  ?As I dig, a stray thought flitters near Puzzle and proves hard to shake. Mr. Knight might be a wrinkle in my plan. If he rats me out to his companions, they'll no doubt search the tunnel for me. They'll search every nook and cranny until they stumble on my tunnel. A deep, gnawing dread settles in my chest at the thought of being torn from my hiding spot and mercilessly killed by the very knight I helped save.

  ?Please don't find me, Mr. Knight. I don't taste delicious.

  ?With every thundering step, my anxiety rises. I can’t even tell if I'm more scared of the Monarch or the humans right now. If I had to narrow it down, though? It'd probably be the humans. The Monarch is an animal, or monster in this case—An intelligent monster, but a monster nonetheless. It has base wants and needs, and right now, its only desire is to kill Mr. Knight. That's predictable, easy. Humans are none of those things. They're curious. Ambitious. Sadistic. They want to know how things tick. If they find me, killing me outright would be a small mercy. But I've proven that I'm not a normal monster. I can't even guarantee that’s what they'd do. If Mr. Knight rats me out and they do end up looking for me, I don't think it'll end with a simple sword to my throat.

  ?My ears snap back, swiveling in a nervous, jerky tic as my anxiety peaks. My digging, already desperate, becomes frantic and sloppy, betraying the very skill meant to guide me. By the time I notice my mistake, it's already too late. With a quiet rumble, the section I’m clawing at slumps, filling the burgeoning sanctuary with a slide of cold, loose dirt. My heart sinks. Damnit! I don't have time for this! Pay attention, you stupid lizard, your life is on the line here!

  ?With Puzzle's "motivation," I force myself to arrest the frantic motion and calm my nerves, desperate not to cause another collapse. My claws work overtime, not in haste, but in controlled bursts, pulling large, safe scoops out at steady intervals. I almost don't make it.

  ?I widen the tunnel with one final, clawing sweep. Moments before the humans round the corner, I've made the hole just wide enough to fit inside, and I hurl myself forward into the small cavity I've dug out with panicked speed. My scales scrape against loose stones, and my body protests the tight squeeze, pain twinging in my side, but I force myself to endure. With a final, desperate kick of my hind legs, I collapse the entrance behind me, sealing myself into total darkness.

  ?Inside the burrow, the world shrinks to sound and vibration. My heart pounds as I listen to the battle raging outside and the fast-approaching thump of boots on stone. Everything is muffled, but in my heightened state of panic, it's like thunder against my awareness. They're seconds away.

  ?The Monarch and Mr. Knight's battle is a chaotic mess outside, but even that is being drowned out by the hammering heartbeat in my ears. I strain my Hearing skill to the max, desperate for more information, when a brief flicker of light catches my eye.

  ?But there's no light in here.

  ?I stare at the blank dirt wall of my hidey hole. Nothing. Still, I could have sworn...wait! There it is again. Like a faint shadow, something moves fast along the periphery of my vision. The second I lock eyes on it, it's gone, like it was never there in the first place. I blink, hard. It... it must be the exhaustion. Or the pain in my ribs causing visual noise. Yeah. It's gotta be that.

  ?A sudden, sharp metallic CLANG! echoes, louder than the other sounds of combat, immediately followed by a crash and the guttural cry of Mr. Knight. He must've just taken a massive hit. The cavity rumbles, and a fine powder of dust trickles onto my head.

  ?They're here. The fight is starting.

  ?I hear the clear, muffled shout of someone with authority and then the loud, persistent crackle of what I can only assume is magic. Must be the fire mage. The Monarch shrieks—a sound of pure, agonizing pain, not just rage.

  ?Good. They hit it hard.

  ?The ground rumbles as the Monarch is sent into a frenzy, but gradually, over a few minutes, the screeches and sounds of fighting fade away. There's a scraping that quickly fades into the distance. Did they kill it? Or did it run? I didn't hear a body thump to the ground or anything. My questions are cut short as the sounds of combat are quickly replaced by urgent voices and the sound of something heavy scraping the ground. Metallic. Must be the Knight. A single roar echoes from the distance, then silence.

  ?I tense, every muscle locked tight with anxiety. The tunnel is quiet. It takes me fifteen minutes before I begin to relax, and even then, it's just a release of my clenched jaw.

  ?I'm safe. The humans are gone. Mr. Knight likely needed urgent medical attention. They wouldn't stick around if they didn't need to. I can start moving in a few minutes, just to be on the safe side.

  ?But then a thought, clear and cold, cuts through. Like a voice on the wind, I hear it as clear as day, yet it fades just as quickly.

  ?They're not gone. They're waiting for us.

  ?The voice is mine, yet it seems so alien. A shadow flickers in my vision once again, clearer this time—Scales. It vanishes.

  ?My anxiety rises, my body tenses once again. I hesitate, pushing against the wandering thoughts. I'm shaking. They're gone. I heard them leave, damnit. I tell myself to ignore the intrusive thought. But the silence outside stretches too long. It's too quiet. The voice is back, like a whisper.

  ?They'll get us. Run.

  ?The thought sends my scales prickling. My ears fold back involuntarily, and I subconsciously try to make myself smaller. No. No, they're gone. They have to be gone. But the voice is insistent. Niggling. And Puzzle is rarely wrong. More shadows. My eyes track something that isn't there. But it was here, I swear. My breath quickens, my heart thunders.

  ?Then I hear them. Footsteps. Soft, quiet, deliberate. Something is outside my hidey hole. No, not something, someone. I've been found. They found the hole. I feel something reach out and brush against my mind. Then, a click as something latches on. A voice that isn't my own rings inside my head, clear as day.

  ?[Found you.] The man says.

  ?Before I have a chance to react, pain explodes in my mind. It's like someone taking a machete to my frontal lobe. My brain pounds against my skull, and I writhe in the dirt, lashing out at the unseen foe. But it's no use. My vision darkens. Fear blooms in my chest. The last thing that flickers in my mind before all goes black is the voice, cold and smug.

  ?Told you.