Gem didn't like the dungeon. There wasn't enough room to shoot her bow, and the low light made it harder to aim. She was hardly able to kill a chicken she had found when usually she could shoot anything with ease. It didn't really help that it was freezing cold, and the only one with any warmer clothing was Pearl. She looked at the compass they had all gotten. They could leave the dungeon early if they found the object that it pointed to.

Gem didn't think she really wanted to find it. They could survive up here, they would survive up here-

"Vee, I think I found intruders." A voice that Gem didn't recognize came from behind, and then a ravager charged towards her. She ran, knocking an arrow as she ran, aiming over her shoulder and shooting. She heard it land in the flesh and picked up speed, running around a corner. She slid to a stop, catching her breath... maybe she would find that object after all.

She just needed to find Pearl and Impulse again to figure out a plan. It wasn't safe here.

Maybe the lower levels would be safer.

Her heartbeat pounded in her chest as she peered around the corner, finding the ravager gone. She stepped out once again and spotted a small blue glass square on the floor. Curiosity filled her as she reached to pick it up.

And then it disappeared, but Gem didn't feel cold anymore. She felt warm. It felt so lovely that she could lie down and rest momentarily. And she almost did when she heard her name called.

"GEM!" Impulse's voice shook her awake, and she opened her eyes to see a campfire and someone she didn't know. Honey-brown hair and blue eyes in an unfamiliar face.

"Yeah, she almost died there." He was talking to Pearl, who didn't have her jacket on, and Gem realized she was wearing Pearl's jacket.

"How-" Gem slowly sat up, looking at the fire. The stranger smiled and waved.

"Hello, Miss Gem; good to see that you're awake. I'm Grian, and how the fire got here? Well," Fire flickered in his hands for a moment. "I'm an Ember. You were in a pretty bad state when your friends found you. Nearly freezing to death."

Gem just stared blankly for a moment at Grian before saying anything, "Thank you." She said eventually, and Grian simply smiled.

"I'm a medic; it's essentially my job. Just stay out of trouble, and don't go freezing to death every night now, al-"

Grian was cut off by the voice Gem heard earlier.

"Now... This is such a sight. So many people together, unable to run from me. But... the Dungeon does like you."

Gem saw a man standing next to a ravager, the same ravager she had shot earlier. But there was no arrow wound. The man was pointing at Grian, smiling. "You healed a ravager, did you not?"

Grian stood up. "I did, but I'm afraid I don't understand how the Dungeon likes me?" He seemed disbelieving that the stones beneath their feet could like someone. And honestly, Gem felt the same way. They were just stones. Stones that Impulse would chip away at daily. Stones that she stood on to guard the mines.

"Oh, you'll see. But you did something good, Grian."

A small package appeared magically in his hands, and the man smiled.

"Do with that what you want."

And before Gem could blink, the ravager and the man were gone.

oops I may or may not have forgotten to update :P

Anyway! Hopefully I can keep a somewhat consistent upload thing with this book

Maybe?

Ehh probably not