Kai’Lenal sits across from me in the small basement of my house. Dee flutters next to him, seeming to enjoy his company quite a bit. In front of us, a glowing doorway emits a green mist, the doorway itself filled with a mix of swirling colors.

  I’d asked Rose before she left, and she told me that her team had ranked third in her event in Canada. They’d gotten Health Potions and something called a Summon Token (Orc Shaman). It makes me wonder what the first rank team in her event got. DId they get a Humble Abode, or are there others with Dungeon Cores?

  “My sister won’t be able to accidentally walk through there, right?” I ask, getting the attention of the two otherworldly creatures.

  “Only those invited by the owner of a private dungeon can enter.” Dee says, flittering over to me, then to the entrance of the door itself. “Elizabeth will be fine.”

  “That’s good. Is there anything I need to do? Or can I just…” I motion towards the door.

  “Walk right in!” I stand up, but Dee continues, “Oh, and make sure to invite me inside once you do. As a guardian, I won’t be able to help you clear it, but I can help you [construct]..”

  I give her a look, then shrug as I walk through the door.

  The basement disappears, replaced by a white nothingness and a blue screen.

  I glance over the window, then minimize it. “[Invite Dee to this dungeon]”

  A moment later, Dee pops into existence next to me, “ooh! I’ve never seen a private dungeon in its infancy before.” She flits around the white void, as if she’s looking for something, then returns to me. “You didn’t choose a starting race already?”

  “I’m full of surprises.” I say with a small smile. “I think I’ll actually learn a little before I decide what I’m going to do.”

  Dee smiles wide, “A wonderful choice! A starting race sets the theme of the enemies you will face as you climb the dungeon and add its levels to your Humble Abode. The basic enemy will evolve as you climb.”

  “Evolve?” I ask, bringing the list back up.

  “Yep.” She holds up her hand and lists off on her fingers, “Goblins into orcs, zombies into skeletons. Slimes into- well, different slimes.”

  I look over the creatures listed, “Do you have any recommendations?”

  “Hmmm. What kind of rewards do you want? The undead bring you the treasures of Anubis. The Kobolds hold the magic of Heka, and the weapons of Anhur are kept well by goblins.” Dee pauses, seeing my confused look. “You know who these gods are, right?”

  “I’ve done some research.” I say, “But the information isn’t exactly easy to understand. Have you tried reading the book of the dead?”

  Dee shudders. “Never. And I hope that I never find use for it.” She shakes her head, as she flies up to my nose. “Show me your screen, I should be able to help a little bit.”

  I blink in surprise at how close she is, then have her show me how to share the screen with her. She messes around for a few moments, busy with the screens in front of her, then she makes a motion with her hand and a new screen appears in front of me.

  “It’s all about what you want.” Dee says, nodding her head imperiously, “Personally, I like Shadows, because who doesn’t like having awesome stealth items? Or ooh, what about Kobolds? Heka’s got all kinds of cool magic powers, although, would she get mad at you for being with Isis? I don’t think they have any issues, but you never know when it comes to those goddesses, especially since Heka has taken over so much of Isis’s domain.”

  I look over to Dee, who continues on as she looks at her own screen.

  “You know, now that I think about it-”

  “I choose [Wisps].”

  Dee’s mouth hangs open at my interruption, then snaps shut.

  A small floating spirit sits in the air in front of us. It emits a soft blue light, changing the tones of the white void we’re in. It’s vaguely humanoid inside its ball of light, but it doesn’t look to have any distinct features.

  After I’ve studied the wisp for a little bit, another screen pops up in front of me.

  “You could’ve waited for me to finish.” Dee says, crossing her arms as she sits on the air, her wings keeping her afloat.

  “It seemed like a good choice.” I shrug. “And you were taking a while.”

  She turns her head in a little pout. “I don’t talk that much.”

  “Yeah, sorry Dee. That’s my bad.”

  “It sure is! But, I still like you. You’re… different.” She flits over to me, her pout completely gone. “Share it with me.”

  I show her the screen and she gets to work.

  “I don’t know what these ones will give you. The locations have changed since the system came to my world.” Her voice sounds a little lost at those words. She sends me the list, and I take a look.

  “I’d choose whichever one you want to add to your home.” She gives me a little shrug.

  That makes the choice easy for me.

  “I choose the [Library] for my first floor.” At my words, the world shifts around me.

  The wisp in front of us fades away, and bookshelves rise from the ground, filled to the brim with books and scrolls. They reach the ceiling at three times my height, and Hieroglyphics spread over the floor and ceiling. Ladders on wheels fall next to the shelves, and a soft light coming from seemingly everywhere at once, lights up the world around us.

  “You got an Expanded Dungeon Package? Lucky!” Dee squeals in excitement as I tell her what the blue screens told me.

  “What does that do exactly?” I ask.

  “No idea! It’s a tester exclusive. I’m sure it’ll tell you after you conquer your first floor.” Dee flits around the shelves happily, looking at the books. “Oh, and library is such a smart choice.” She pauses, looking at me strangely, “I didn’t think you picked the smart choices.”

  “Hey!”

  She shakes her head, “I mean, look at all of these books! I didn’t know you could read hieroglyphics.”

  She pauses at my expression.

  “Oh. Oh, well! It was still a smart choice. Thoth’s rewards are sure to be special, and if you ever get one of the Elder beings to translate for you… Hm, maybe even Kai’Lenal would enjoy it here once you have claimed it.”

  I walk over to one of the shelves and pull a book from it, I open it to find said hieroglyphics covering every page. “Are all dungeons like this?”

  Dee giggles at my question, “Oh heavens, no. This is a private dungeon. It’s nothing like the world dungeons that were just added.”

  I put the book back, “When I start the dungeon, what happens?”

  Dee taps her cheek as she looks around, “The floor will rearrange itself, so you won’t know the exit and you’ll be sent to the starting room. Then you can beat the floor and get the rewards.”

  “How am I supposed to go to school after this?” I ask quietly.

  Captain! I have suggestions.

  Bring them out, Cadet.

  Option one! Call out sick. Option two! Have the mother call us out sick!

  Brilliant plan, Cadet. But we need something long term. Something that’ll get us out of classes for the foreseeable future.

  Captain, Does the end of the world work?

  It might work, but I wouldn’t underestimate the greatest monster of them all, The Superintendent.

  *Gasp* No!

  Yes, combined with the strengths of the principal, and empowered by the sacred teachings of the Board Of Education. Even the end of the world might not stop them.

  I shudder. There’s no way they’d have school after everything that’s happened, right? Right?

  I’m not going to think about it.

  “[Start Dungeon]”

  The shelves shift around me as the great library becomes the first level of my dungeon.