Entering the battlefield

The briefing really didn't take long. Even though Hera's group was the only one who had yet to do the Wolves side of the dungeon, they understood what happened inside well enough to catch on quickly. Each day inside the battlefield would be split into three parts. In the morning, they would prepare for the combat. In the afternoon, there would be a large battle between the armies, and in the night, they would have the chance to sabotage the Dragon Kin camp. Unlike what it was when they helped Zudra and the lizard kobolds, assisting the Wolves of the Night was about hindering their enemies, reducing their morale and defenses. The quest they completed would give a debuff for the Dragon Kin and their army.

Each day would bring a change to the dungeon. The first day would have clear skies and sunshine, the second rain, during the third day, a storm would cover the area, and in the fourth, an earthquake would open a deep abyss on the left flank of the army. The last day would have no environmental effects, but the battle would be fierce. To avoid overwhelming everyone and letting them forget about some dangers, the briefing only covered the bullet points. They would give a more in-depth explanation during the preparation phase of the day.

After all the questions, mostly asked by Bonnie, had been answered, the team decided to get a table in the barbecue restaurant and get to know each other. They would be together for a few days and understanding what everyone was capable of would benefit them. Alan was a dark-skinned healer with short hair and a goatee who specialized in lasting barriers. His spells could stay with someone for a few hours and even perform small heals as they got hurt. The notion of pre healing a wound was odd, but according to his partner, very effective. Rose was a crafter from Mexico, which she proudly announced using a thick accent, but her skills and spells were mostly combat-oriented. She could create arrows, bullets, and other projectiles out of her surrounding environment using a spell and then fling them using either her slingshot or another type of magic. Spells that could create traps, from pitfalls to tripwires and nets, were also part of her repertoire. If she had a couple of minutes, she even could make a cage trap using magic and dirt. Rose would be the vanguard leader in any situation where they had to fight, while Alan would stay in the back line.

The Hunter, Peter, was essentially a sniper. He would stay in the back line and give both cover fire and kill any creatures that might be out of range. Since his group had done the Wolves' quest many times, he had a passive increase in the damage dealt to Dragon Kin kobolds and even a skill that allowed him to share part of the buff with the team. Kenji and Tiffany vouched for his archery skills, affirming that he could hit a fast-moving target from over 200 meters away. Peter acknowledged that his biggest flaw at the moment was a long time to aim, especially if his allies were also fighting the same target. While he talked, Hera couldn't figure out where his accent was from. It wasn't strong, but some of the words he shortened felt like it should be recognizable.

To her luck, she wasn't the only one having trouble identifying it. After he finished explained what he could do, Alex asked, "Sorry, but I have to ask, or this will be killing me, and I won't be able to focus. Where is your accent from?"

"Oh. It's Australian. I moved here a couple years back, so it's mostly faded."

"OK, thanks. Sorry I didn't mean to put you on the spot. It was just driving me nuts," Alex replied before they continued.

Chloe was a ginger mage with long curly hair that was focusing on water spells. She could create water barriers and geysers to hinder and protect, but lacked any spells to deliver a swift killing blow. The most effective way she had to kill a creature was to surround it with water and wait for it to drown, which usually took a bit too long to be useful in a fight. Her proudest accomplishment was a spell that created a miniature volcano that spewed out water balls. It was an attempt to copy Undine's Volcanic Eruption spell, but with a more 'appropriate' element for the hero's name.

That argument sparked a heated discussion between her and Blue. It devolved into who knew more about Undine instead of if her fire spells were appropriate to her name in just a few moments.

After about five minutes, Rose gave up on waiting for the two to stop their little competition and stepped in, "Girls, you are going to have a lot of time to see whose tits are bigger. Can we focus on knowing everyone first?"

The comment received an uncomfortable look from Kenji and Peter, while Alan just sighed as he was used to that kind of thing. The rest of the girls didn't mind at all. Tiffany even chuckled with the phrase. She took that as a cue and started talking. Just like Kenji, she was a fighter. They still used anger to fuel the [Fury] skill and had great teamwork. Tifanny wielded a heavy two-handed sword with slow movements but a lot of weight behind each attack, while Kenji used a katana to parry and deliver quicker strikes. Their style consisted of setting up each other's attacks while giving space for the back line to help.

After that, it was Hera's group's turn. They each explained what they did and how they fought, adding that they all had some sort of healing spell, nothing that would compare to a dedicated healer, but it could help in a pinch. When Hera finished explaining her part, Rose said, "So you are the explorer? You have the map skill, right?" Hera nodded, "Great, I'm the one that asked for one in our team. I want you to do a couple of missions every day, which will be your top priority. It's mostly just some legwork, so don't worry, sweet cheeks."

Hera didn't know how to respond to the sweet cheeks comment and tried to brush it off, "Sure, but why?"

"If you complete these quests, you can follow the army movement using the map. If needed, we could carry a tablet, but having someone with a floating window is much better," Rose explained.

"Oh, I see. Yeah, it can help," Hera looked back at her plate and mumbled, "Sweet cheeks?"

"Well, you do have a nice ass," Blue whispered.

"What? You stare at my ass?" Hera gasped, trying not to speak loudly.

"I don't stare, but we live and train together. Sometimes it's just there, and yeah, it's nice. Quinn's is better, though."

Hera rolled her eyes, "Of course you would think that. You can use her's as a pillow, now stop talking about my ass!"

They kept talking and eating for some time. The restaurant wasn't empty, but it was far from crowded, and everyone seemed to know each other. It gave a nice small-town feel to it. After about half an hour, one thing became clear about the team. Aside from Hera, Bonnie and Alex, everyone else was in a relationship. Alan and Rose were together for a couple of years already, while Chloe and Peter were dating for a few months, just like Tiffany and Kenji. Blue was the odd one out, not exactly in a relationship but having a regular fling every time she would leave the MAZE.

Still, even with all the couples, no one felt uncomfortable. The team talked and joked around while waiting for the time to go to the battlefield. Despite the meal's lighthearted feel, Alan and Rose kept an eye out for any possible problems. They noticed that Blue and Chloe could easily get into heated discussions while ignoring everything else. Bonnie had a similar issue, but only when something would pique her interest. Hera and Peter were the quiet types. That wasn't necessarily bad, but they would need to pay attention to how they behaved inside a dungeon. It was one thing to be shy, another to not talk in a serious situation. Aside from that, nothing triggered red flags for the veterans, but it was something they would need to pay attention to in the first couple of days.

After about one hour and a half, a clerk appeared to let them all know that they were clear to enter the dungeon, but it wasn't something they had to rush to do. They had a 30 minute window to enter without messing up the entire schedule. Rose took care of the bill for the group, and they took a quick bathroom break before one last final check on all their equipment. Alan made sure everyone had some basic necessities: some water, food, deodorant, and a pack of wet wipes. The Wolves were not a tribe that valued daily showers. They could try to wash in the river behind the forest, but it was likely that they wouldn't have the opportunity to do so. The entire team had a moment of realization. They would be spending a week in the midst of dogs who would get dirty and wet and didn't like showers. It would be a challenge for their noses, and going by Alan's reaction at the mention, they were right to be worried.

Having their gear set up, the group headed towards the dungeon entrance. The two doors had changed. Now the Dragon Kin flag was nowhere to be seen, and a large Wolves of the Night banner had taken a spot in the arch between the two doors. At a closer inspection, one could see that there was, in fact, only one massive double door instead of the two they had seen before. This was the indication that the battlefield had started. The entrance itself had changed to mirror the scale of the fight in front of them.

The team made a countdown and entered the dungeon. The notification window was different than usual. It wasn't the familiar light blue windows that appeared as they got skills and entered other dungeons, but a light grey screen with a black line framing its contents.

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You have entered the Kobold Battlefield

The conflict between the Wolves of the Night and the Dragon Kin has escalated and now involves most tribes from both factions. Any chance of a peaceful resolution was destroyed when Golden Moon, the eldest son of the Wolves of the Night's previous chieftain, was killed by Zudra.

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As they entered, Hera noticed the difference in the size of the area they were in. There was a large expanse of open field to her left, where the Dragon Kin camp should be. She could see some wooden constructions on the horizon, but they were too far to actually discern any details. Her best estimate was that the camp was about 10 kilometers away from their current position. To her right, there was a forest with several tents hidden between the trees. Above it, there was a large spectral banner with the Wolves' flag, just like during the Dragon Kin quest. They seemed to be much closer to the forest this time, but since the forest itself was much bigger, it took them twenty minutes to arrive at the banner.

Walking across the Wolves' camp gave a much different feeling. Unlike the relaxed and laid-back feel that the Dragon Kin passed, here there was a heavy tension in the air. The kobolds stared at the team. Some even snarled at them just for staring. There was very little talk, and the small bits and pieces that could be heard were all orders about the upcoming battle.

"Remember, they are on edge. Don't expect them to treat us well unless what we are trying to do works. They will keep that attitude until the second or third day," Alan said to the group.

Reaching the largest tent localized in a small clearing, the team saw a massive wolf-like kobold sitting on a log while sharpening his axe. He had thick grey and white fur, with several scars across his chest and arms. One of his fangs seemed to be broken, and his left eye was glazed over. He looked like an old man in many ways, but the pressure coming from him was staggering. Hera was having trouble even stopping her legs from shaking just by being in his presence.

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Ferunir – Ancient Kobold Chieftain – Level 20 – Silver affinity

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The creature turned towards the team and snarled, slamming the handle of its axe into the ground, making it stand up like a three-meter-high flag.

Its thundering voice came in a low tone, but it was still strong enough to make Hera feel her body shake, "Who are you to enter my camp unannounced?"