The wind had picked up in the land surrounding the town, a rather cold air coming in and removing what lingering warmth that winter had held onto. The people whom had not expected such change had decided this would be a day in which they avoided leaving their home at all. Others, who had been informed enough to prepare, would leap on the chance to get things done without a crowd. Still others where unaffected by the weather, regardless of what it was. Stoic in their wants, there was nothing that would stop them. Cold or hot, and anything between, was simply a factor to deal with upon arrival at their goal.

For Finn and Jake, they were one of these rare breeds. They lived their life, driven only by their own ambition and goals. They would walk forward together, aiding one another whenever possible. There was the older brother, Jake. He was a dog beast, one imbued with magical abilities and traits like a human. He was shorter than Finn, but this was only the case when magic was not introduced. Jake had learned and mastered some of the basics of Titan magic, though he had hit his prime long ago. His life had been lived, adventures that Finn neither knew about nor would ever possibly understand. How could one truly understand another, without having first lived their experiences?

Finn, the younger brother, was a human boy. Found and raised by Jake's mother and father, Finn had lived the first parts of his life unaware of how different that he was from his family. Their excuse was that Finn had simply been born with a different condition, but under their fur he'd be the same as them. As time progressed, they found that there was a sort of pang in their heart from lying to their family. He couldn't be kept in Worth Woodsea forever, and that was something that they had known from the beginning. Still, to protect him and his heart from the unknown, they lied to him for several years.

Once he hit an age where his understanding of the world had grown, they broke the news. This was their first real glimpse at the unique and steadily developing personality of their adopted family. Finn laughed, shaking his head, and claimed he did not care. The claim was true, of course. In his mind he was their family, and they were his. Regardless of race or any of those unimportant factors that could be brought up in the future, he was a Merten through and through. Nothing would change that, and the realization that they had feared for nothing was a bonding experience that brought them all closer together.

In time, Finn left his home of Worth Woodsea. Mother and father left in the woods, Jake decided that he would accompany his brother through thick and thin. More than brothers, they were best friends. Companions who would tackle the world through any obstacle, and they would come out on the other side stronger for it. They had both made the promise to do anything for the other, but Jake had reservations within his heart that he'd never speak out loud. His life had been lived well for years. He needed not for Finn to sacrifice for him. Instead, he would ensure that he'd do anything and everything he could do for Finn. That was a silent promise, made to himself, and one that he would plan to keep.

When Finn had been whisked away to Baska, Jake had expected his brother to lose the tournament. It was not that he doubted his brothers immense skill and abilities. Truth be told, Finn was probably close to the pinnacle of physical prowess when compared to anyone else within Fiore. That being said, the boy lacked several things.

While he had an abundance of confidence, he lacked true skill against other humans. Finn's killing instinct was created and molded through survival in the Worth Woodsea. The fact that there were other humans who were not as strong as him, regardless of whether or not it was an intentional decision in his brain, likely caused him to lower his guards. Others would have certainly trained for years, entire lifetimes to master the extent of their own skills. One person who had completely understood and mastered what they were capable of would have been more than enough to deal with Finn, even if they weren't as physically endowed as he was.

As it had turned out, that was indeed the case. The final round had been the extent to which Finn could push himself, finally falling to a mage known as Maarschalk. The man had been massive. Even Jake, the one imbued with Titan magic, would have felt intimidated at first. It was not a sign of weakness, but rather an important aspect of survival. One had to allow themselves to feel based off their surroundings, so that they could truly use their instincts. That was something Finn had not known, and even now that the fight was over he had yet to learn it.

So it was Jake's responsibility, as older brother, to lead his brother forward. Finn would need to expand who he was in order to surpass this rut that he had allowed himself to fall into. Jake couldn't simply explain this one away. He'd have to let Finn come to his own answer, and whatever that answer was, Jake would support. Even if, Glob forbid, Finn turned into some evil being...

Well, the family swore they would always be together. Nothing would change that.

"Jake, where is this entrance you were talking about?"

The words snapped Jake from his own thought process, the dog looking up at Finn and then shrugging. "I dunno man! I just know it's in the area. I'm sure of it!" Finn stopped looking, his sword that had been swinging and cutting through branches and foliage that blocked their path coming to a halt as well. "Who told you about this dungeon again?"

Jake took on a thoughtful look for a moment. Could he tell Finn that the dungeon had been set up by their own father, so long ago that no one had truly been that deep within the Crocus woods to have found it? Or that his father had brought in the creatures that now defended it? Could he tell Jake that their dad had put in a treasure, deep within its confines, to be evacuated one day by a family member who needed it?

Finn would love that, of course. The idea that their father was so cool and "Rad" would likely catch his attention more than anything else about the dungeon. Still, Jake didn't know where he was mentally after the fight. He needed to be careful.

"I can't reveal my sources man. Just trust me. The info is good. I checked before to make sure it was here. I just uh. Forgot."

Well, it wasn't a total lie. Jake knew for a fact it existed. He also didn't remember where in the hell it was. He promised to help Finn, not to never lie to him. A little white lie wouldn't hurt him, right? Especially one about a dungeon such as this.

"Good enough for me I guess!"

Pushing forward together, Finn went back to swinging his sword. The branches and plants that obstructed his path would be sliced from their housing. Soon, they'd find the dungeon doors in the form of two large, overbearing doors that had been carved into the very cliff face.

Pushing the doors open, magic would activate within the dungeon. Torches left long ago would begin lighting the path, illuminating the insides of this dungeon. It was time to begin.

WC: 1330

The two brothers would enter the now lit dungeon, Finn's neck whipping around just in time to see the doors close themselves. The light that shone in from the outside slowly faded away, the rock coming together to reform as a solid surface. Their exit from this dungeon was now impossible; At least, not from the same way that they had entered. Bright blue eyes turned to Jake's rather blank stare, and excited smile spread upon Finn's face. This was exactly what he needed! An adventure, a dungeon that would show him new things and new threats. This would be what he needed, right?

Catching onto his younger brothers excitement, Jake smiled up at him and lightly punched Finn's leg. "That's the spirit Finn! You just gotta get your mind on adventuring and junk!"

As the two of them would begin down this long hallway, there seemed to be nothing but a never ending path that stretched ahead. Slight outposts in the form of rooms on the hallway appeared, but inside them were only small animals or beasts that had likely been in the area at the formation of the dungeon, sustained only by the magic that was still within the dungeon. Quick movement and swordplay was enough to handle them, Jake simply watching his little brother work up a sweat and a smile while slaughtering the beasts.

He wouldn't attack first, of course, but would not hold back at all against anything that struck out at him. Finn had come here to adventure, after all. He couldn't exactly do that if he died to one of these attacks. If they would attack him once, they would attack him again. It only made sense to kill something that wanted him dead too. Besides, it wasn't only him in this dungeon. Jake was here too, and that meant that Finn had to do everything in his power to protect him.

Of course, Jake didn't exactly need Finn's protection. Jake was stronger, more durable, and faster than Finn currently was. They both knew that, though they never explicitly discussed it. It wasn't viewed as a big enough reason to discuss, it was simply accepted as a fact in the same way that the average person accepted they breathed in oxygen.

Continuing their adventure down the hallway, before them finally lay something new. It was a split hallway, two different directions. One of the paths led directly to a bright red door, only a few meters back. It was unguarded, available, and ready to be used. The other path contained a bright, odd looking green being. Looking at them both, Jake would turn his attention to Finn.

"Okay, Finn. Here's our choices." With that, Jake would display in front of him with a wide flail of his arms, stepping up to lead the way. "On the right, we have a short hallway to a red door. I don't now what's in there. But it probably leads right to a treasure room. Super easy. Super cool. Lots of treasure. Then-" He paused, walking over to the left hall and displaying with his paws again. "We have the left hallway. It's guarded by a Bogleech. Hi Bogleech." With his hello, the green beast raised up its hand and waived to them. Its eyes were large and hopeful, seeing a bright future ahead of itself.

"Left path." With that said, Finn drew his sword.

"... Okay. Finn. Let's try this again. On the right, we ha-" "YAAAAAAH!"

Interrupting his brother, Finn charged forward with his sword drawn. Putting its arms up and yelling back, the Bogleech stood its ground as Finn approached. Swinging it's arm at Finn as he charged, Finn put up his arm to block it. The punch landed, enough pain to make Finn wince, but not much else. As it reared back it's other arm, Finn lifted his foot and kicked it in the stomach, sending it sliding back and falling onto its hands and knees.

"Oww! What the Glob man, not cool!" Looking shocked, Finn looked to Jake who crossed his arms and shook his head. "W-What? But I..."

"What's the deal? I was just minding my own business! I wasn't even attacking or nothin! You just bullied me!" "What? No, I just thought, well... "Thought what? Go on, I can take it!" "Well I mean, you're a big gross guy, and I thoug- Oh no. Come on man. Don't be like that!"

With this, the Bogleech had begun crying. Burying its face in its hands, it let out a loud screeching whine that was accompanied by plenty of tears. "Finn. Come on. Fix this!" Jakes voice was a whisper, making sure that the Bogleech didn't know that Finn was being encouraged to make things right.

"Listen dude. You can't cry and junk. It might hurt, but we're just being real with you. Like real bros." Sniffling, the Bogleech peeked out from behind its fingers.

"We're... Bros?"

"Yeah man, totes." Putting his fist out, and receiving a slight wince from the Bogleech at first, he quickly understood the true intent and burst into laughter. "Haha, Yeah!" With that, the two fist bumped. "Yeah man. A lot of things are gross. You'll find a gross lady one day. And she'll think you're not so gross. And you'll think she's totally fine. It all works out."

"Wow. You guys are the best bros I could ever ask for. Go ahead on past me. Just be careful! There's a super spooky guy down there. For real. He's mean. I can't leave this dumb place cause he just won't let anyone get past him."

With this, Finn nodded his head and crossed his arms. "I knew it. This dungeon has a boss. Come on Jake!" And with that, the two sprinted past the Bogleech to go further into the dungeon.

As they continued in silence, but at high speeds, the two traveled forward for near an hour. There were side rooms that they searched, of course, but they only found small stores of jewel and odd books that they could not read. Soon, they had reached a dead end. This area had a door that seemed like it could allow them forward. That being said, neither one could open it or even damage it. They were stuck.

Tired, Finn would sit down beside the door, back to the wall so that way the door was kept in front of him to the right, the path they came from to the left. Jake chose to sit next to him at this point.

"So. How do you know there's a boss?" "It's a dungeon. Every dungeon has a boss."

Silence. Silence between the two of them happened often, but never this strained. It was obvious why, but Jake couldn't be the one to bring it up. To chase Finn only gave him reason to run away. He'd have to wait for Finn to bridge the gap that was slowly forming. If he couldn't, then he'd simply have to watch as Finn suffered. It was cruel, but it was his duty as the older brother. He had to let Finn flourish on his own, however that turned out to be.

"I thought I had it."

"Don't sweat it man. Just give it time. We'll figure out how to open this door."

"Not even that. I thought that I had the tournament. I was positive man. I was stronger than that dude. Faster. I know I could have done it. I don't know what happened man." Jake looked at Finn. He had made the first step- That was good! He couldn't let the progress halt now. "You lost man. That's what happened."

"I know that! I know..." He calmed himself down, realizing that his voice had begun to raise at Jake. "I thought I had him. I thought I had all of them. I felt like nothing could ever beat me. But then the Guild Master. And now that Maarschalk dude. Maybe I'm not as strong as I thought I was."

"That's not it. You're strong as you know you are. You just don't know how strong other people are. You're not the only guy training, Finn. People try to master themselves every day. Look at me. I wasn't born super strong. I worked for it. Kind of. And that's how I became kind of strong. You work really hard, so you're really strong. Same with other people though. You can't win them all."

"Why not? How strong do I have to become for that? I don't like losing man..."

Standing up and putting an arm around Finn, Jake shrugged. "I don't know man. No one knows that. You just keep going forward. Don't worry about what's in front of you until you get there. As long as you're moving in a way that you're comfortable with, you'll figure it all out."

With that, Finn finally began to think about it. Jake was right, of course. Finn knew that. Still, it was something that was intimidating. Every adventure that Finn had been on involved something physical. This dungeon was the perfect example of that. Finn didn't have to think, he just had to move. He could react, slash, punch, dodge. It was all so easy, so straight forward. This though... It felt like an adventure in his mind and his emotions. He didn't know how to progress. "I don't know if I can do this though Jake. I don't know how to do it."

"Neither do I. Let's not know how to do it together. Maybe then we can figure something out."

With that, Finn smiled at Jake and fist bumped his older brother. Jake was right. What was he going to do if they just sat there, doing nothing? What could he accomplish feeling bad about himself? Things happened. He lost. But he was alive. All he could do was move forward. That couldn't be done if he was looking backwards, right?

Standing up and facing the door, Finn punched his arms up and yelled at the top of his lungs. "Hear that, you dumbo dungeon? We're gonna punch the pumf out of you!" Standing up and punching his paws up, Jake also faced forward. "Yeah! We're going to move forward! No more backwards!"

With that, giant glowing letters began to appear on the wall.

Only forward, never back. Only once you realize this can you truly grow.

And with that, the doors showed a keyhole that formed in the center, a square that seemed unattached to the doors themselves but holding them closed nonetheless. "What the...?"

With that, the space behind them let out a monstrous boom, the ground beneath them shaking. The rooms in the hall closed themselves, the hallway widening to the size that could be considered a full corridor. Turning together, Jake and Finn saw what was now there. A giant blueish beast with a single crystal eye, larger than even some of the side rooms but seeming to not take up the full space of the corridor. With two giant arms and teeth that looked like they could bite Finn in half, the beast let out a low laugh that seemed to echo through the dungeon and Finn and Jake themselves.

"Well crap you were right there's a boss."

WC: 2072

"Stay back, Jake. I got this!" Jake turned to Finn, instantly at a loss for words. They had agreed to go forward together, but already Finn was going back on it? As the devilish laughs continued to reverberate, Finn glanced at his brother with a smile. "I'll call you in if I need help bro. I just want some action!" Slapping his paws on his cheeks and dropping his jaw, Jake looked both surprised and proud momentarily as Finn charged it.

The giant beast raised one arm, back handing it through the corridor with extreme speeds. Rolling under it, Finn slashed his sword up as the beasts arm slammed into the wall, cutting the inside of its forearm.

Recalling its arm, the beasts laughter doubled over, a sickening voice now eminating alongside the laughter. "Can't say I appreciate that, fledgling~" it cooed, the laughter coming louder now. Finn began to charge forward, sword raised above his head. "I don't give a Glooooooob!"

As the beast punched at Finn, Finn dropped the sword in front of his face, turning it sideways. I'll just deflect the blow an then... His plan was cut short before it fully formed, the beasts arm punching through his sword completely and stopping just short of Finn before pulling back. Jaw dropping, Finn looked at the monster before him just in time to raise his arms in front of his face, the giant fist colliding with his arms and sending him flying back.

Landing on his back and sliding, Finn rolled over and stood. Both his arms were now severely bruised all the way to the bone. They felt like bricks, and he had no weapon. He had no armor. He had absolutely nothing that could stand up to this monster.

Nothing, that is, except for Jake. "Jake! I need your help!" Cheeks tinting pink at the embarrassment of needing help, Jake stepped forward. "Heck yeah Finn!" With that, Jake would grow to 10 meters tall, staring down the odd beast and grappling with it before throwing it back some. The sick laughter turned into a cackling.

"Cute cute cute! I'll have dog stew and boy chowder, yes yes yes!" High pitched with a deep undertone, it was like this being was from hell itself. While Finn couldn't suppress a disgusted "blegh" sound, Jake let out a low growl.

"I won't let you hurt Finn!" And with that, Jake punched forward. As he punched, the fist grew six times its size, taking up both massive space in the hallway, and the entirety of the beasts face to cave it in. With that, Jake would step forward and allow his fist to shrink back down, beginning to pummel the beast until it disappeared into black dust. Shrinking back to his normal size, he'd run over to Finn with the key.

"Here bro. You open the door, and then we can get your arms checked out." Shaking his head, Finn grabbed the key but made sure it was still in Jake's hand as well. "We finished this place together. Lets open it together." And with that, the both of them put the key in the lock, opening the door.

Before them was a vast wealth of treasure. Jake immediately tried sprinting for the nearest pile of gold, only to notice that it never got any closer. Finn had already zeroed in on what he wanted, completely ignoring the gold for a sword that was wedged into a platform stuck in the exact middle of the room. Striding over to it, Finn would grasp the handle firmly, lifting it out of its depths.

With that, a gasping yell was heard from Jake. "What the Glob I was told no one could get that thing!"

Turning to Jake with a surprised look, the dog simply shrugged. "Sorry man. Can't share the source." Letting out a "pbbb" from his pursed lips in the form of an irritated release of air from his lips, Finn looked to the sword in his hand. How perfect, a new sword to replace his old one. And it was so light too!

"So... How ya feeling?"

Turning to Jake, Finn smiled a little bit. "I feel... Good. Like my chest is lighter, and my head is clearer. This was great Jake. I love you man." With that, Jake laughed and punched Finn lightly in the leg. With the sword removed, the platform had slowly sunk into the ground, revealing an exit to the outside world. The gold that had been in the room had vanished. The dungeon, like Finn's mind, was finally cleared. Together, Jake and Finn left the dungeon behind. With them was a new strength, a new determination, and a new sword.

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"Bros? Bros is it safe?"

-FINISHED-

WC: 803