The rain was intense and was joined by the flashing of lightning and the booms of thunder. Outside, the horses were restless in the weather.

  The men, united in their resolve to wait out the storm, engaged in subdued conversations. The farmer, Matthew, couldn't contain his impatience, pacing and muttering his mood affecting them all. Forester, vigilant, stood in the doorway, his hand resting on the handle of his pistol. Joshua sat nearby, watching Matthew, ready to act if he did something stupid.

  I watched them. I needed the storm to hold for a few hours. It was afternoon, but it was not dark enough for the spirit to emerge. I returned to the top of the bubble and looked across the plains to the east. As far as I could see, there were storm clouds. It might be enough.

  I shifted back to them and waited again. I listened to what little conversation took place.

  Time dragged like nothing I had experienced for years. Each minute was excruciating, but we all waited.

  The minutes turned into hours, and the storm passed. As fast as the rain started, it ended, but the clouds were still heavy above. The men in the mausoleum stirred and emerged. The sun began to move behind the mountains. The light coming through the clouds was weakening. The shadows and patches of darkness were deepening, but it might not be enough.

  The men were out but still bundled up against the damp, cold air. Joshua organised them and got them moving. They checked to make sure nothing was left behind.

  He told the group, "We are checking the church first, and then we will see what light we have left to explore the rest of the buildings."

  They followed Forester's path, working out the right path to the church. He walked with Joshua in front of the group, with the rest strung out slightly behind them. All the men were not as attentive as they were when they first entered the Dungeon. They were getting used to the place after a few hours of inactivity.

  As soon as the search group emerged, I reached out and got my Hunters moving from their shelters. They were heading towards the group. I kept them apprised of their location.

  The spirit was now active behind them. However, its ability to move was limited because the sun's light coming through the clouds was strong enough to contain it. The group was on the verge of leaving the hunter's assigned ground.

  The man at the back was one of the few looking around. He turned back and noticed a figure moving in a patch of darkness between two mausoleums. This causes him to stop and turn around fast, trying to identify what he saw. Two others ahead noticed he had stopped looking back to discover what was drawing his attention.

  "What are you looking at?" One asked the man at the back.

  "I saw movement." He was looking intently. "There! Someone is behind us!"

  His words attracted the attention of the rest of the group. He pointed to a mausoleum they had passed. Forster and Joshus walked back to see what he was claiming he saw. The man, however, started walking back, followed by the other two.

  The mausoleum was not far, and they walked into the shadow of the building. The spirit revealed herself by glancing around the corner.

  "Oh… miss, are you OK?" one called out. Forester and Joshua began heading back, demanding what was happening. Hesitantly, the spirit turned the corner. The men's expressions were a mixture of lust and confusion as her [Seduction] perk washed over them. Part of them knew something was wrong. People do not glow normally, but they are enthralled and not thinking with their higher brain functions.

  It was only a few steps to them, and if they looked down, they would see that she had no feet and was gliding towards them. Thankfully, the grass obscured this. When she was close enough, she screamed in hatred and turned.

  The three men soon joined her, screaming but in fear and pain.

  The rest of the search group had already turned, weapons clutched tighter. Now, they were pointed at the unfolding slaughter. Cries and exclamations came from most.

  The two closest tried to aim at the spirit, but their companions were in the way. Forester, Matthew, and Joshua were running to find out what was happening.

  They reached the back of the group as the first of the three died.

  [A Hunter has made a Kill]

  The first shots rang out. The spirit ignored them and kept on attacking. The bullets impacted the building next to her. The second man fell back into the grass as she attacked. She started slashing at him, and blood was flying as he screamed in pain. More shots rang out as the other men opened fire to try to save the man being attacked.

  [A Hunter has made a Kill]

  Things were getting bloody, and the men were starting to panic. The bullets were not doing what they should. They were hitting around the woman and behind her. The third had scrambled back out of the shadow cast by the building. The others pulled him away.

  The sun was not set enough for her to move beyond the shadow yet, but it was coming, and the walls were helping this along. The men were pulling back away from the spirit she was standing/hovering over the steaming corpse of the second kill.

  Joshua was rallying the men while Forster walked backwards, still facing the spirit. Watching him, I was sure he was thinking about why the spirit was still not attacking. Many were reloading their rifles as they were retreating, but they were not heading towards the gates but deeper into the Dungeon.

  My other hunters were watching the group from different locations, calculating how they could tackle this group. Eight men were left standing. The odds were not still in their favour, so they were not engaging.

  The sun was setting behind the mountains, and darkness spread fast across the Dungeon. The spirit could now advance as the men retreated, but she was still some distance away. The men were crossing the boundaries of the hunter's grounds. The spirit walked to the limits of its territory and went no further. I could not change the boundaries and would not even if I could.

  The men were rattled but had not broken; it would not take much more. Eight was better than ten, but still too many. I was thinking about how to scatter them. They were strung out a bit, and all their attention was focused on the spirit.

  My hunters were equally strung out and had no opportunities to pick off stragglers.

  The spirit did take action. She let out the loudest scream I had seen or heard her unleash. From frustration at the intruders getting away or just simple anger, I knew not. The effect on the group of men was more interesting.

  Several thought she would attack again, so they turned and ran. Four, including the farmer Matthew, scattered in three directions. This must be her [Death Shriek] in action.

  "Stay together, you fools!" Joshua yelled to the fleeing men. The others gathered around him. "This place is truly the devil's domain. We must get out and return with more men and priests!"

  Ok, that's bad.

  The four began making their way through the graves and tombs, heading for the gates. I need to find a way to thin….

  [A Hunter has made a Kill]

  Rigger caught one of the fleeing men.

  Back to the group led by the sheriff. If they came back with more bodies, they could overwhelm my hunters, and if they destroyed the church, they could threaten my own existence.

  [A Hunter has made a Kill]

  McGregor got that one.

  I made my choice. Reaching out to my hunters, I gave them the order.

  "I cannot risk them leaving; firearms are not just allowed but strongly recommended. If any escape, they will return with overwhelming numbers."

  I knew all three carried pistols, as the intruders were not challengers. Since they needed to get closer before they started shooting, I looked at the hunters' positions.

  "McGregor shot one closet to you when you get to them. The others will take them from behind as you keep them focused on you."

  He was not happy but obeyed. The four men moved fast, but he was closer to the gates. As one closed with him, he pulled his gun out and aimed. The man was not looking his way, but he turned his head and spotted the crouched hunter. Before he could say anything, the shot of a gunshot rang out and he collapsed. McGregor took cover as the other three did as well to the shot.

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  "Can you see the shooter?" Joshua yelled to the others.

  "No, but it came from the south," Forester yelled back. He was glancing from behind a gravestone. Scanning the surroundings, the gravestones were limiting his view as they were densely packed. McGregor had the same problem.

  The other hunters were moving up to help but were still a few minutes out. I was watching it all unfold. The other two were still in the Dungeon; I was not hundred percent sure where right now.

  The three men were scanning, looking for the shooter. Forester and Joshua slowly worked their way through the gravestones, using them as cover. McGregor fired off twice more, forcing them into cover again. My other hunters had arrived and were approaching from behind. The third man was hiding to avoid being shot and never heard Rodriguez until it was too late. A tomahawk to the back of the skull caused him to slump forward, dead.

  [A Hunter has made a Kill]

  Forester and Joshua never knew of the danger until it was over. Joshua and Forester were close together and he turned to see where the third man was. What he saw was my hunters aiming down at them. He looked shocked and tried to warn the other man, but several shots impacted both of them. The bullets were large calibre and tore through both men. Blood exploded from the exit wounds as they collapsed. The two hunters walked forward and shot both men again in the head to make sure they were not still alive. My orders were no survivors, and they were following through on them.

  I searched out the last two and found them near the church.

  "The last two in the grounds are at the church. Let us finish this."

  The hunters went after their prey. I shift to the gates. The remaining two men were up and had their weapons ready. The sounds of the fighting had reached them, and they were debating what to do. They were afraid and trying to build their confidence to enter the gates.

  "No threat here, yet."

  Shifting around again, I returned to the two men near the church—correction: in the church. They were hiding just in the doorway, looking out fearfully. The hunters were not approaching, as the sun was nearly set, and the area was almost in complete darkness. The heavy cloud cover blocked any light from the moon and stars.

  They had a lantern, but it was not lit.

  I mentally sat back and watched.

  They were like the two men outside the gates. Both were afraid and confused, but the farmer was a bit more focused because he still desired to find his daughter. If they went deeper into the church, they would find the arsenal. That would be a problem.

  Thankfully, they were focused on the graveyard outside the doors.

  "Do you see anything?" The other man whispered loudly. He was sweating from the exertion of running here and fear.

  "No, what sort of hellish spirit was that!" Matthew was in a similar condition.

  "I do not know. Did you hear the shooting a few minutes ago?" The man was almost shaking with fear. I noted the slight tremor in the bar as he moved it around, looking for a target.

  "We need to find my girl. God knows what is happening to her here!" His concern was beginning to override his fear.

  The other man argued against it, and the farmer became more convinced that he needed to move. I watched and listened. If they separated, that would be the best outcome. My hunters were watching and waited. They were arranged around the entrance out in the gravestones.

  Matthew moved, and the other reluctantly followed. He was looking for his daughter but was not thinking. Blind searching in near darkness with strange spirits abroad was a surefire way to die.

  The hunters started stalking them as soon as they left the church. The two men's eyes were now adapting to the darkness, but they were not as good as my hunters. McGregor and Rodriguez were moving in for the kill. Each was moving with their chosen blades out and ready to use.

  They rushed in and attacked the two men when they were close enough. Both men were taken by surprise and were overcome in less than a minute; they fell dead.

  [A Hunter has made a Kill]

  [A Hunter has made a Kill]

  Two levels ups were happening soon as both hunters reached their upgrade kill numbers had been reached. I returned to the gates and the final two men guarding the horses. They had finally built up the courage to enter the Dungeon. As they approached the gates, I slammed them shut. This scared the living shit out of the two men, who turned tail, mounted their horses and rode away fast.

  With them gone, I had the hunters go to work collecting the bodies and stripping the horses for loot. Rigger got the job of collecting the bodies from the spirits hunting grounds. He quickly collected the bodies even though they had been slashed apart. The spirit attempted to attack him, and I was forced to use my punishment ability to push her back.

  By dawn, the loot was gathered, and the bodies were buried. I had decided to leave one horse as I would send out a scout a bit further when I thought it was safer. I was counting the money…..

  [Alert! Infamy (Local) changed from Stories > Known.]

  "That was expected."

  I read over the message as it flowed along the bottom of my vision.

  "I wonder what this me…"

  "Ok, well, that's something to be aware of. But that is not surprising."

  The hunters had retired now, and I knew that two would be levelling. The day was still overcast, but the rain did not fail. I watched the ridge to see if a large group of riders would emerge seeking my Dungeon's destruction.

  None came.

  In time, near dusk, the two hunters emerged, and I looked over the changes.

  Rodriguez's look was more animalistic, and his [Stealth] increased. His face seemed a bit longer, and his hair was thicker. His sneer was more of a snarl in the picture.

  McGregor also had changed his eyes and hair, which became paler, but that seemed to be the extent of his changes. His [Stealth] had also increased, which did not surprise me as it was the skill all three hunters used extensively.

  I returned to my watch. The next few days were nerve-racking as I waited for a horde of riders to cross the bridge. I had an amusing vision of them carrying pitchforks and burning torches as they rode, but they did not come. Regular traffic was travelling again.

  "I need to find out what's happening out there."

  McGregor was the hunter who could spend the most time out of the Dungeon, so I sent him to speak to people on the road and even reach the town if he could. He saddled the horse, and the animal was less than happy to have him as a mount but obeyed. I watched him ride away in the early morning.

  He had been gone for several hours and returned near dusk. He was covered in dust and mud from travelling. He dismounted, took the saddle from the horse, releasing it when he had removed everything.

  I took my avatar form next to the gates as he approached.

  "It appears we will not be having any large groups of locals seeking to burn us out." He said as he crossed the threshold into the Dungeon.

  "What is the local mood?"

  I needed more than that.

  "The community wants to do something but lacks any firm leadership. They are too divided to be a unified threat." He answered as we walked together to his liar.

  "But are we still at risk from small groups?"

  "Possibly. The locals are unsure of what transpired and are not willing to commit to any hostile actions." He shifted and slung the saddle over his shoulder as we walked. "There was some word of seeking the aid of the Federal authorities, but they do not know how to frame this place and its danger."

  This was good news, at least.

  "Very well. I will leave you to your rest."

  "One last thing, Keeper, I acquired this that might be of some interest." He reached into his saddle bag and pulled out a newspaper. I noticed that it was folded and a bit torn as he handed it to me.

  "Thank you, McGregor."

  I took it and went to the church to read it. As I walked, I opened it and found it was the Crossway Chronicle.

  "I don't care what anyone else says. It's still a bloody stupid name for a town."