The dungeon's air grew colder as the party descended further. Stalactites dripped steadily, forming small pools on the uneven stone floor. Every step echoed in the cavern like a whisper.
Taren tightened his pack. "The deeper we go, the stranger things get. I can feel it."
Mira glanced around, crossbow at the ready. "I hope 'stranger things' doesn't mean more snakes."
Korr's shield scraped lightly along the stone. "No warnings. No assumptions. Just watch the floor and walls."
Draven trailed behind, notebook in hand, scribbling notes faster than they moved. "The structural patterns are different here. This level might be one of the oldest in the dungeon. I've read about floors like this in legends — full of traps, creatures, and… surprises."
Taren perked up. "Surprises? You mean food, right?"
Draven blinked. "Well… yes, technically. But some surprises may want to eat you first."
They rounded a corner and stepped into a wide chamber. The ceiling arched high above, lost in shadow. Strange vines hung from the rocks, and the floor was dotted with luminous mushrooms. Pools of water reflected the faint light like glass.
"Freshwater," Draven said. "Good for cooking. Safe for drinking."
Taren knelt, scooping up a few mushrooms. "Shimmer caps. Edible, slightly sweet. Adds flavor to stews. Keep an eye out for the bitter blue ones — they're toxic."
Mira stepped cautiously toward a pile of bones in the corner. "Looks like something bigger than a cave serpent was here."
Before anyone could react, a low growl reverberated from the far end of the chamber. Shadows shifted, and a massive, four-legged creature emerged. Its fur was gray and matted, claws long and curved, eyes glowing faint amber. It sniffed the air, sensing them.
Korr stepped forward. "Stay calm. Don't provoke it unless it attacks."
Taren's eyes lit up. "If we can catch it… it'll make a perfect stew."
Mira glared. "You're insane."
The creature circled slowly, its head tilting as if curious. Taren studied it. "It's a Gloomfang, a predator that hunts small dungeon dwellers. Meat should be lean but tender. Cooked slowly, it'll taste… good."
Draven whispered, "They say the Gloomfangs are intelligent. We should try not to kill it unless necessary."
Taren nodded, lowering his dagger. "Agreed. We'll trap it instead."
Using a combination of ropes, leftover crates, and a bit of dried shimmer fungus, they managed to corner the creature in a shallow pit. It struggled but didn't attack, growling softly.
"Not bad for a first try," Korr said, surveying the trap.
Taren crouched near the Gloomfang. "I'll only take what we need. No waste." He carefully cut a few strips of meat from its hindquarters, careful to avoid serious injury. The creature yelped but stayed calm, finally retreating into a side tunnel after being fed a small piece of dried meat as a bribe.
"That's… new," Mira said, lowering her crossbow.
Draven jotted down every detail. "Incredible. You just practiced sustainable hunting in the dungeon. A live capture. I didn't think it was possible."
Taren smiled. "Survival isn't about killing everything. It's about knowing what's safe to eat and what's too dangerous. Besides, live meals give better flavor. You've got to respect the ingredients."
They set up a small fire near the water pools. Taren boiled the meat with shimmer mushrooms, stone herb, and a few strands of Lumen moss for heat. The stew smelled rich and earthy, with a faint sweetness from the mushrooms.
When they ate, even Mira admitted it was the best meal yet. "Okay… fine. That's good. But don't think I'm becoming vegetarian now."
Korr simply nodded, silent but satisfied. Draven stared at his bowl, taking careful, deliberate bites.
As the fire flickered, the dungeon's shadows danced along the walls. Strange noises echoed from deeper floors, reminders that this was far from safe.
Taren leaned back, satisfied. "Tomorrow, we go deeper. More floors, more ingredients… more lessons."
Draven scribbled in his journal. "I didn't think surviving here could also be… culinary."
Mira muttered, "Only Taren would think this place is a kitchen."
Korr gave a rare small smile. "And yet, he keeps us alive."
The party rested that night.
The dungeon floor below was quieter than the others. Water dripped from the ceiling in long, steady lines, but the air felt still, almost like it was holding its breath. Taren inhaled deeply.
"Do you feel that?" he asked.
Mira frowned. "Feel what?"
"Life," Taren said, stepping carefully over a patch of glowing moss. "This floor… it's different. The dungeon's alive here in a gentler way. Not just monsters and danger."
Korr scanned the walls, sword ready but relaxed. "Stay alert. Even quiet floors can surprise you."
Draven knelt near a small pool of water, carefully tracing tiny root-like vines with his fingers. "This floor is unusual," he said. "There's moisture, sunlight from unknown cracks above, and yet no large predators. The ecosystem seems… self-contained."
Taren's eyes wandered over the walls and floor. Strange plants grew in clusters here, each one more curious than the last.
Silverleaf: Small, shiny leaves that shimmered faintly blue. When boiled, it added a crisp texture and mild herbal taste.
Firecap Mushrooms: Tiny, bright orange fungi that released heat when lightly pressed. Perfect for frying.
Dewvine: Slender vines that dripped sweet water into pools. The water could be used for tea or glazing dishes.
"Looks like we've got ingredients for something new," Taren said, brushing the moss from a stone slab. "Maybe fried this time. Boiling is great, but we need texture."
Mira knelt, examining a small plant with pink buds. "Pink buds?"
Taren picked one and smelled it. "Floral, slightly sweet. Should complement fried meat nicely."
Draven's notebook filled quickly. "The chemical composition suggests the heat won't destroy flavor. Frying should bring out essential oils and sugars."
As they explored deeper, they discovered more:
Golden Root: Long, thin roots that gave off a nutty aroma when peeled. Excellent for oil-based cooking.
Frostleaf: A cold-touch leaf that preserved freshness when wrapped around meat. Could double as a natural cooling agent.
Stonefruit: Hard, round fruit that cracked open to reveal sweet pulp. Adds natural sugar and tang to dishes.
"I think we're in a chef's floor," Taren muttered. "The dungeon wants us to cook here."
By afternoon, they found a small hollow in the rock — a natural kitchen of sorts. Water pooled in shallow basins, sunlight spilled through a crack above, and the air smelled faintly of minerals and growth.
Taren prepared the frying setup. He crushed golden root to extract oil, heated it in a hollowed stone pan, and coated strips of crystal crab meat from a previous floor in silverleaf and firecap mushrooms. Mira watched skeptically.
"Fried dungeon food?" she asked.
"Trust me," Taren said, dipping the pieces carefully into the sizzling oil. The pan hissed and popped as steam rose. Soon, the golden-brown pieces filled the air with a warm, rich aroma.
Draven took notes and sniffed carefully. "That smells… remarkable. The mushrooms add heat and aroma, and the silverleaf keeps the texture light."
When they ate, the fried pieces were crispy outside, tender inside, and just sweet enough from the pink buds and stonefruit glaze that Taren had drizzled over them.
Mira's eyes widened. "Okay… that's actually amazing. Crispy, flavorful… I didn't think frying would work in a dungeon."
Korr simply nodded, biting a piece and smiling faintly. "Good. Simple and effective."
They spent the rest of the day carefully collecting plants, mushrooms, and roots. Every discovery added a note to Draven's journal and a potential dish for Taren to experiment with.
As the sun-like glow from above dimmed, Taren looked around the floor with satisfaction. "This is more than survival," he said. "We're learning, tasting, understanding. This is… the real adventure."
Draven scribbled rapidly. "I've never studied a floor like this before. It's practically a botanical wonderland."
Mira shook her head. "Only you would call it a wonderland when it's a dungeon."
The three of them settled near a small pool, frying remnants of stonefruit for dessert, and planned their next day's exploration.