Withintheshadowsasmallheadispokingthrough.ItlooksatthesleepingWillowandthe


    restofhertravelcompanions.Seeingthedangertheyareinitbindstheirshadowstotheir


    bodies.Creatingaropeoutofshadow,therat,Willow’snewpetRaid,tiestheropetotheir


    boundshadow,anddragsthemtosafety.


    Uponwakinguptherestofthepartyseesthattheyarenolongerinthesamelocationas


    theystarted.“What,huh,howdidwegethere?”Willowwordsareaslurofconfusion,as


    shetugshardonWave’sear.“HowshouldIknow,Willowanddam,thathurtspleasecould


    Youstoptuggingonmyear!”Wavereplieswithpaininhisvoice.Asmallsqueakingnoiseis


    heardonceWillowgripisloosenedfromWave’sear.“Ohyousavedus,thankyouRaid.”


    WillowgivesRaidahugehug,asshethankshimforrescuingherselfandtheparty.


    Everyotherpartymemberissurprised,andconfusedbythefactthatWillowishugging


    agiantblackratwithindigoirises,andalightningboltwhitestripacrossitsback.


    “Wheredidthatratcomefrom?Notonlythatbutwhyareyouhuggingit?”Templeasks


    assheslowlybacksawayfromit.“Everyonemeetraid,mynewpet!”Willowexclaims.


    WiththosewordTemplepassesout.


    ThepartywaitsforTempletoawaking.“IhadafrighteningdreamthatWillowhadagiant


    ratasapet.”WavewaitsforTempletoclamdownbeforetellingher.“Thatwasnotdream,


    butdonotworryfornowRaidisinsideWillow’sshadow.”Templeisshockedthatthis


    istherealityofthesituation.“SonowthatTempleisup,howshouldwegoaboutfighting


    thepurpleunicorn?”Skycalmlybreathsinashewaitsforsomeonetorespondtohiswords.


    Willowlooksaroundbeforetellingthemheridea.“IhaveanideabutTempleisnotgoing


    tolikeit.RaidandIhavecreatedauniquepetskill,heisabletotravelthroughmyshadow


    flames,andthenattackanenemy.SoIwasthinkingwhatifweusedthattoouradvantage.


    Iknowtheunicorncandispelmagic,butRaidshouldbeabletoattackbeforeitisdispelled.”


    WaveandSkyseemtothinkitisavalididea,whileAurora,andVioletarenotsure,and


    Templehatestheidea.Eventhougheveryone’sthoughtsvarytheygowiththeplan.


    “Soyoucamebackhuh.Idonotknowhowyouescapedmyattack,butyouwillnotbeso


    luckythistime.”Thepurpleunicornseemstohaveahintofannoyanceinitsvoicewell


    speakingthesewords.


    Willowsendsastreamofshadowflamestowardsthepurpleunicorn.“Youthinkthatwill


    workonme,haveyounotbeenpayingattention.”Theunicorndispelstheshadowflames,


    butbeforetheydisappearRaidjumpsontotheunicornsbackfromwithintheshadowflames.


    Raidbitesdownontheneckofthepurpleunicornsendingittotheground.Waveusesbear


    dashtoattackasitlands.NotwastinganytimeSkyandShadowuseartofthewolftoattack


    itsknees,whiletheydothisTemplestrikesitinthehornwithherarrows.Usingstandard


    ice,Auroracreatesadomeovertheunicornandtheparty.Violetswingsherswordtowards


    thepurpleunicornsmain.ThemaincatchesonfirefromthefireballcreatedfromViolets


    Sword.


    Sincethehornofthepurpleunicornhasbeendamagedtothepointwhereitcouldfalloff,


    Itwasnolongerabletostopthemfromusingmagic.Willowgripstheunicornbyitsneck,


    andslashesrepeatedly,untiltheneckseemedlikeitcouldfalldownatanytime.The


    purpleunicornisnolongerabletospeakanywords.


    Thepartyfinallykilledthepurpleunicorn,butwithoutRaidtheywouldhavelostalong


    timeago.


    <table style="background-color: #049cb0">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Purpleunicornhasbeenslayed


    gainedPuremanacrystal


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table style="background-color: #049cb0">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Puremanacrystaldescription:Theveryessenceofmanahardenedintoacrystalform.


    Canbemadeintoapowerful,manaregeneratingaccessory,oranaccessoryto


    increasemaximummanaandmp.Ifinfusedintoaweaponanyelementaltrait


    linkedtoitwillbebroughtuptomaximumcapacity.Ifinfusedwitharmor,Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    mpandmanagatheringbecomequicker.Thearmorselementaldefenseis


    alsobroughtuptothemaximumforthatsetofarmor.Puremanacrystal


    seemslikethereareotherhiddentraitsassociatedwithit.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Backattheblacksmiths.WaveandVioletlinkedthebroachanddaggertogether.


    Thetwoofthemnowhadtocrushthepuremanacrystaloverthedagger.They


    couldnotdothisifitwasjustoneofthem,thepuremanacrystalhadtobecrushed


    withtheirbarehands.Asthepuremanacrystalstartedtobecomedust,Violetand


    Wavesprinkleditovereverypartyofthedagger.Whenthelastofthepuremana


    dusthadfallen,theirwasasuddenflashofsilverlight,thenthedaggerbecome


    thecoloroflightning,changebackandforthfrompurple,pink,green,andblue.


    <table style="background-color: #049cb0">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Daggersofswiftlightningincomplete


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Waveexaminesthedagger,butdoesnotgainthedaggerskilloranyotherskillforthat


    matter.Wavelooksoverthedescription.


    <table style="background-color: #049cb0">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Daggersofswiftlightningincompletedescription:Onehalfofagodlyweapon.Without


    theotherhalfthiscannotbeused.Thereisasealthatpreventsthisfrombeinganything


    morethenadecorationatthemoment.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    WavehasablanklookonhisfaceinfrontofViolet.“WhatisitWave?”Inadefeatedtone


    Waveanswersher.“Thisthingatthemomentcannotevenbeusedasastandardweapon!”


    Violetisinshock.“Whatdoyoumeanitcannotbeusedasastandardweapon.”“Itsays


    atthemomentitisnothingmorethenasimpledecoration.”Neitherofthemsayanother


    wordandjustwalkoutoftheblacksmith’s.


    UponmeetingWillowoutside,thethreeofthemheadtotheinnwhereeveryoneelseis


    currentlystaying.“Sowhereisthenextpiece?”SkyglancingatWave,whilehewaits


    fortheinformationtobespoken.Wavereadsthroughtheinformation.“Whatreally!?”


    Wavetakesoutthecitypassport,andslidestheringofmagneticforceonhisfinger,while


    placingthemagneticbootsontoShadow’sfeet.“Fun,soitisinsidethecitybeneaththesand?”


    Willowquestions.“No,no,itsisthefastestwaytogetthere.”EveryonewaitsforWavetotell


    themmore.“Wellyousee,thereisahiddenentrance,whichislocatedinoneoftheportal


    rooms.”“WhichoneisitWave?”AuroratakesthetimetoletWavebrieftheparty.


    “Thethingis,itdoesnottellus.”“Howcryptic.”Sky’svoicinghisopiniononthesubject.


    Oncetheyteleporttothecity,theymaketheirwaytotheexit.Thesandsstillontheground


    fromthetimetheylandedtherebefore.Fourofthepartymembersstarttolevitate,while


    eachholdinganothermember,asidefromWillow.Takingofftheringsofmagneticforce,


    andremovingShadow’sboots,thepartylandssoftlyontothesandbelow.


    Arrivingattheportalcaverns,thepartyentersinside.“Sowhichportalroomshouldwe


    checkfirst?Aurora’swordsoundkindofimpatient.Thepartyhadalreadydecidedthat


    splittingupwouldnotbeavalidchoice.“GreenfirstIguess.”Wavedidnotsoundto


    sureoftheanswerhehadgiventhem.


    Enteringthefirstroomtheyturnedovereveryrook,slidetheirhandsoneveryinchofthe


    dirtfloor,andwalkedaroundthewalls,goingupdown,andsidetoside.“Noluckhere.”


    Willowcalmlystated.Thenextroomtheydidthesame,whichhadthesameresults.


    Theycontinuedthisuntiltheyarrivedattheexitwheretheyhadfightthegiantrat.


    Itmayhavebeenpureluckforthemthatthegiantratdidnotreappear,ormaybeit


    wasaonetimeonlyboss.


    Walkingthroughtheexittheywentaroundbacktothefrontentrance.“Letstrythe


    redonenextthen,butwewilllikelyhavemonsterstofightineachroom.”There


    wasinundertoneofdreadinSky’swords.


    Enteringtheportaltheyfoughtoffthemonstersinthefirstroom.Theycheckallthe


    sameplacestheyhadbefore,butnowtheyalsohadbonestocheckunder.Theylifted


    thebonestocheckunderthem,andthencheckedinsidethemforanyswitches.


    Thesensationfeltreallystrange,pickingupoldbonessearchingforswitches.


    Theirwasnothingtofindinthisroom,nordidtheyfindanythinginthenextroom,


    andnoneoftheroomsafterthat.


    AttheentranceWillowisthenexttosuggestwhichportaltotry.“Letsgowiththe


    yellowportalnext.”ThereisawidegrinonWillow’sface.Asachillgoesthrough


    SkyandAurora’sbodies,theywhispertooneanother.“Youdonotthink?”“Comeone


    whataretheodds?”Skythinksaboutwhathejustsaid,andcannotshakethefeeling


    thatthosewordshadjinxedthemintoarepeatedscenario,thesameoflasttime.


    Justlikethattheirpredictionhadbecomeareality.AlthoughthistimeWillow


    wassearchingthetrapsshehadtriggeredbeforeforanyhiddenswitches.This


    seemedlikeoneoftheworstthingstodo.Itwouldbeareallystupidideatolink


    ahiddenpassagewaytoatrap.Thepartycouldbarleymanageallthetrapsbeing


    triggered,buttheyknewtheyhadnochoicebuttocheckeverypossibleoutcome.


    Aftersearchingthroughtheyellowportalrooms,thepartydecideditwouldbebest


    torestforthenight.Thiswasbothtoregaintheirlosthealthandrecoverfrommental


    Fatigue.Violetthoughtaboutsettinganotherfirebutwastotiredtoevenattemptsuch


    afeat.


    Nextthepartywentintotheblueportal.Thesearcheachtreasurechest,bothonthe


    Sides,underneath,andinsideforanyswitches.Theydidnotfindanythinginanyof


    themeither.Theycontinuedthesameroutine,untilgettingbacktotheratroom.


    Justtobesuretheynowcheckedeverywhereinthisroomaswell,ofcoursenothing


    turnedup.


    Everyonewasbackatthemainentrance,theironlychoicenowwasthepurpleroom.


    Theroomwasprettymuchthesameastheblueroom,andtheyrepeatedthesameactions


    theydidwhileinthere.Thishadallthesameresults,thatisuntiltheygottothesecond


    tolastroom.Wavewasleaningagainstoneofthetreasurechest,hehadbeenchecking,


    whenhisweightshiftedandpusheditbackwards.Thisreviledahiddenstaircase,which


    washighlylikelywhattheyhadbeenlookingfor.


    Walkingdownthestairs,thepartyheardmusicplaying,itwasthetypeofmusicyouwould


    hearwhilewatchinganamazingperformanceatacircusorsomething.Whentheirfeet


    hadhitthebottomstep,theyweregreetedbythesoundofamansvoice.“Welcometothe


    lavaruins,willanyofyoubetakingpartinthetournament.Ifsoyoucaneitherenter


    theindividualrounds,ortheteamrounds.Theteamroundsgiveyouachancetofight


    ourmonsterchampion,Thelavapenguin,whichifyoubeat,youwillwintheprize,which


    istheorbofrainingbolts.ThoughifyouarefightingasateamtheirissomethingIshould


    tellyou,Unlikeanormalteamfight,youwilleachbesplituptofightyourownenemy,


    Andcanonlyfightthelavapenguintogetherifyoubeatallyouropponents.Thatmeans


    ifevenasingleoneofyouloses,yourteamwillhavetoforfeitanychancetobattlethe


    Champion.Ohandonemorething,Youcanregisterapet,butonlyonepetcanberegistered


    permember.”Thepartylooksitoverannodstooneanother.Waveboldlydeclares.“Thesix


    ofuswouldliketoentertheteamtournament,alsowehavetwopetstoregister.”